145

shows that he vehemently desires our salvation; since indeed he considers this his own wealth; so that not even now should they despair nor think, if they should wish to repent, that they are unpardonable. For he who considers saving us his own wealth, will not cease to be wealthy; since this too is wealth, for the gift to be poured out upon all. For since this also especially troubled them, that having enjoyed pre-eminence over the whole world, they were now being brought down by faith from those thrones, and having nothing more than the rest; he continually brings in the prophets chanting to them this equality of honor. For whoever believes in him, he says, will not be put to shame; and, Whoever calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved. And everywhere the 'Whoever' is placed, that they might not gainsay it. But nothing is worse than vainglory; for this, this above all else destroyed them. Wherefore Christ also said to them: How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? This, along with destruction, brings much ridicule, and before the punishment there, it surrounds one with countless evils here. And if it seems good, so that you may learn this, leaving for the moment the heavens, from which it removes us, and Gehenna, into which it casts us, let us examine the whole matter from here. What then is more expensive than this? And what could be more shameful and more difficult? For that this disease is expensive is clear from those who spend recklessly and in vain in theaters and hippodromes and other such untimely displays of ambition; from those who build bright and luxurious houses, and prepare all other things for useless superfluity, which it is not possible to go through in words now. But that one so diseased, being expensive and extravagant, must also be a robber and covetous, is surely clear to everyone. For in order to have food to offer to this beast, he casts his hands upon the substance of others. And why do I say substance? For this fire devours not only money, but also souls, and works not only the present death, but also the future one. For vainglory is the mother of Gehenna, and it vehemently kindles that fire, and the venomous worm. One might see it even ruling among the dead, than which what could be worse? For all other passions are dissolved by death; but this one forces itself even after death, and strives to display its own nature in the dead body. For when, on their deathbed, they direct that splendid tombs be raised for themselves, which consume all their substance, and are eager to lay aside much profligacy in their burial, and while living they insult the poor who approach them for an obol and a single loaf, but when they die they provide a lavish table for the worm, what other excess of the disease's tyranny do you seek? From this terrible 60.569 thing even monstrous loves are born; for with many it is not the beauty of the face, nor the desire for intercourse, but the wish to boast, 'I tripped up so-and-so,' that has cast them into adultery. 4. And what need is there to mention the other evils that sprout from this? For I would choose to become the slave of ten thousand barbarians, rather than once of vainglory; for they do not command such things of their captives as this commands of its subjects. For 'be a slave to all,' it says, 'whether they happen to be more distinguished than you, or more humble; despise your soul, neglect virtue, laugh at freedom, sacrifice your salvation; and if you do anything good, do it not to please God, but for show before the many, so that you may lose the crown for these things; whether you give alms or fast, undergo the labor, but be eager to lose the gain.' What could be more cruel than these commands? From this envy also has its beginning, from this also desperation, from this also the mother of evils, the love of money. For the swarm of servants, and the gold-bearing barbarians, and the parasites, and the flatterers, and the silver-bound chariots, and the other things more ridiculous than these, do not come about for the sake of pleasure nor of any need, but rather for vainglory

145

δείκνυσιν αὐτὸν σφοδρῶς ἐφιέμενον ἡμῶν τῆς σωτηρίας; εἴ γε καὶ πλοῦτον οἰκεῖον ἡγεῖται ταύτην· ὥστε μηδὲ νῦν αὐτοὺς ἀπογνῶναι μηδὲ νομίσαι, εἴ γε βουληθεῖεν μετανοῆσαι, ἀσυγγνώστους εἶναι. Ὁ γὰρ πλοῦτον οἰκεῖον ἡγούμενος τὸ σώζειν ἡμᾶς, οὐ παύσεται πλουτῶν· ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο πλοῦτος τὸ εἰς πάντας ἐκχεῖσθαι τὴν δωρεάν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα αὐτοὺς ἐθορύβει, τὸ προεδρίας ἀπολαύοντας ὑπὲρ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν, νῦν ἐκ τῆς πίστεως ἀπὸ τῶν θρόνων καταβιβάζεσθαι ἐκείνων, καὶ μηδὲν πλέον τῶν λοιπῶν ἔχειν· συνεχῶς τοὺς προφήτας εἰσάγει ταύτην ἐπᾴδοντας αὐτοῖς τὴν ἰσοτιμίαν. Πᾶς γὰρ ὁ πιστεύων, φησὶν, ἐπ' αὐτῷ, οὐ καταισχυνθήσεται· καὶ, Πᾶς ὃς ἂν ἐπικαλέσηται τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, σωθήσεται. Καὶ πανταχοῦ τὸ Πᾶς τέθειται, ἵνα μὴ ἀντιλέγωσιν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν κενοδοξίας χεῖρον· αὕτη γὰρ, αὕτη μάλιστα πάντων αὐτοὺς ἀπώλεσε. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτοῖς ἔλεγε· Πῶς δύνασθε πιστεύειν, δόξαν παρ' ἀλλήλων λαμβάνοντες, καὶ τὴν δόξαν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ μόνου Θεοῦ οὐ ζητοῦντες; Αὕτη μετὰ τῆς ἀπωλείας πολὺν καὶ τὸν γέλωτα ἐπάγει, καὶ πρὸ τῆς κολάσεως τῆς ἐκεῖ, μυρίοις ἐνταῦθα περιβάλλει δεινοῖς. Καὶ εἰ δοκεῖ, ἵνα τοῦτο μάθῃς, τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀφέντες τέως, ὧν ἡμᾶς ἐξάγει, καὶ τὴν γέενναν, εἰς ἣν ἐμβάλλει, τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐντεῦθεν ἐξετάσωμεν ἅπαν. Τί τοίνυν ταύτης δαπανηρότερον; Τί δὲ αἰσχρότερον γένοιτ' ἂν καὶ δυσκολώτερον; Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ δαπανηρὸν τὸ νόσημα τοῦτο, δῆλον ἐκ τῶν ἀναλισκόντων εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην ἐν θεάτροις καὶ ἱπποδρομίαις καὶ ἄλλαις τοιαύταις ἀκαίροις φιλοτιμίαις· ἐκ τῶν τὰς οἰκίας οἰκοδομούντων τὰς λαμπρὰς καὶ πολυτελεῖς, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τὰ εἰς περιουσίαν κατασκευαζόντων ἀνόνητον, ἅπερ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπελθεῖν τῷ λόγῳ νῦν. Ὅτι δὲ δαπανηρὸν ὄντα καὶ πολυτελῆ τὸν οὕτω νοσοῦντα, καὶ ἅρπαγα καὶ πλεονέκτην εἶναι ἀνάγκη, παντί που δῆλον. Ἵνα γὰρ ἔχῃ τῷ θηρίῳ παρέχειν τροφὴν, εἰς τὴν τῶν ἄλλων οὐσίαν τὰς ἑαυτοῦ ῥίπτει χεῖρας. Καὶ τί λέγω τὰς οὐσίας; Οὐδὲ γὰρ χρήματα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχὰς κατεσθίει τουτὶ τὸ πῦρ, καὶ οὐ τὸν παρόντα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν μέλλοντα ἐργάζεται θάνατον. Μήτηρ γὰρ γεέννης κενοδοξία, καὶ τὸ πῦρ ἀνάπτει σφοδρῶς ἐκεῖνο, καὶ τὸν σκώληκα τὸν ἰοβόλον. Ἴδοι δ' ἄν τις αὐτὴν καὶ ἐν νεκροῖς κρατοῦσαν, οὗ τί χεῖρον γένοιτ' ἄν; Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλα πάντα πάθη καταλύεται τῷ θανάτῳ· αὕτη δὲ καὶ μετὰ τελευτὴν βιάζεται, καὶ φιλονεικεῖ τὴν αὐτῆς ἐπιδείκνυσθαι φύσιν ἐν τῷ τεθνηκότι σώματι. Ὅταν γὰρ σήματα λαμπρὰ καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτῶν ἀναλίσκοντα τὴν οὐσίαν ἐπισκήπτωσι τελευτῶντες αὑτοῖς ἀνιστᾷν, καὶ ἐν ταφῇ ἀσωτίαν πολλὴν σπουδάζωσι προαποτίθεσθαι, καὶ ζῶντες μὲν ὑπὲρ ὀβολοῦ καὶ ἄρτου ἑνὸς ὑβρίζωσι τοὺς προσιόντας πένητας, τελευτῶντες δὲ δαψιλῆ τῷ σκώληκι παρέχωσι τράπεζαν, ποίαν ἑτέραν ζητεῖς ὑπερβολὴν τῆς τοῦ νοσήματος τυραννίδος; Ἀπὸ τούτου καὶ ἔρωτες ἄτοποι τίκτονται τοῦ 60.569 δεινοῦ· πολλοὺς γὰρ οὐχ ἡ τῆς ὄψεως ὥρα, οὐδὲ ἡ τῆς μίξεως ἐπιθυμία, ἀλλὰ τὸ βούλεσθαι καυχᾶσθαι, ὅτι Τὴν δεῖνα ὑπεσκέλισα, καὶ εἰς μοιχείαν ἐνέβαλον. δʹ. Καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ ἄλλα λέγειν, ὅσα ἐντεῦθεν βλαστάνει κακά; Μυρίων γὰρ ἂν ἑλοίμην γενέσθαι βαρβάρων δοῦλος, ἢ κενοδοξίας ἅπαξ· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπιτάττουσιν ἐκεῖνοι τοιαῦτα τοῖς αἰχμαλώτοις, οἷα αὕτη κελεύει τοῖς ὑπηκόοις. Πάντων γὰρ ἔσο δοῦλος, φησὶ, κἂν λαμπρότεροί σου, κἂν εὐτελέστεροι τύχωσιν ὄντες· καταφρόνει ψυχῆς, ἀμέλησον ἀρετῆς, καταγέλασον ἐλευθερίας, κατάθυσόν σου τὴν σωτηρίαν· κἂν ἀγαθόν τι ποιήσῃς, μὴ πρὸς ἀρέσκειαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν τῶν πολλῶν, ἵνα ἀπολέσῃς τὸν ἐπὶ τούτοις στέφανον· κἂν ἐλεῇς, κἂν νηστεύῃς, τὸν μὲν πόνον ὑπόστηθι, τὸ δὲ κέρδος ἀπολέσαι σπούδασον. Τί τούτων τῶν ἐπιταγμάτων ὠμότερον γένοιτ' ἄν; Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ βασκανία τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχει, ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἀπόνοια, ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἡ μήτηρ τῶν κακῶν ἡ φιλαργυρία. Ὁ γὰρ ἐσμὸς τῶν οἰκετῶν, καὶ οἱ χρυσοφοροῦντες βάρβαροι, καὶ οἱ παράσιτοι, καὶ οἱ κόλακες, καὶ τὰ ἀργυρένδετα ὀχήματα, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τούτων καταγελαστότερα, οὐχ ἡδονῆς ἕνεκεν οὐδὲ χρείας τινὸς γίνεται, ἀλλ' ἢ κενοδοξίας