150

if someone happens to pursue this amid hindrances, he makes it much more admirable. For it is not the place that makes virtue venerable, but virtue is wont to make the place venerable. And many, even of the wicked, share in the benefit of one man’s virtue; but by the wickedness of many, even if one man is righteous in the midst of a great populace, he is not dragged down with them. And one man living rightly will be able to snatch a whole populace from the wrath of God; but a whole corrupt city will not be able to draw down the man living well to its own chastisement and punishment, nor to ruin him. And this is clear from Noah; for when all were perishing, he alone was saved. And it is evident from Moses; for he alone was strong enough to intercede for so great a populace. But I have another example to speak of God's love 63.759 for mankind. For when He does not find living men with boldness able to intercede for sinners, He has recourse to the departed, and says that for their sake He forgives sins. Just as he says to Hezekiah: I will defend this city for my own sake and for the sake of David my servant, who was already dead. Do you see how great is the virtue of the saints? For not only their words, but even their very garments are always venerable to all creation. The sheepskin of Elijah parted the Jordan; the sandals of the three young men trampled the fire; the wood of Elisha changed the waters, and made iron float for the sake of its appearance; the rod of Moses parted the Red Sea, it broke the rock; the garments of Paul drove out demons; the shadows of Peter put death to flight; the ashes of the holy martyrs drive out wicked demons. For this reason, they do all things with authority, just like Elijah. For he did not only see the diadem and the outward appearance of the king, but he also saw the soul clothed in rags, squalid, filthy, and in a more miserable state than any convict; and seeing him a captive, and a slave to his passions, he despised his authority; for it seemed he was looking at a king on the stage, but not in reality. For what is the benefit of outward wealth, when the inner self is in such poverty? And what harm is outward poverty, when so great a treasure is stored within? Such a lion was also the blessed Paul; for having entered the prison, and having only cried out, he shook the foundations, he devoured the bonds, not using teeth, but words. Therefore, one must call them not only lions, but something more than lions. For the lion, having often fallen into a net, is caught; but the saints, when bound, then become stronger. the lion roars, and puts all the wild beasts to flight; the saint speaks, and puts the demons to flight from all sides. But what speech is sufficient for the achievements of Paul, or what tongue will be able to attain to his encomiums? For whether prophets displayed something noble, or patriarchs, or righteous men, or apostles, or martyrs, he, having comprehended all these things together, possesses them with such an excess as none of them possessed what good each one had. When, therefore, one soul has comprehended and possesses all the good things among men, and all with excess, and not only those of men, but also those of angels, how shall we be able to contain the greatness of his praises? of how much condemnation would we not be worthy, when one man has gathered all good things in himself, while we do not even strive to imitate the smallest part of him? For out of many other achievements is the patriarch Abraham admired, but especially for sacrificing his own son. And Isaac for his forbearance, because though driven from his own borders, he did not retaliate, but yielded his own possessions everywhere, until he satisfied the unjust desire of those who troubled him. And Jacob for his endurance and patience, and David for his meekness, and Elijah, because he was zealous for the Lord. But what could be equal to Paul, who, having comprehended all these 63.760 things together, has them in excess? For he did not sacrifice a son, but himself ten thousand times

150

κωλυόντων τυγχάνων τις ταύτην μετίῃ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον θαυμαστοτέραν ταύτην ἀποφαίνει. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ τόπος τὴν ἀρετὴν, ἀλλ' ἡ ἀρετὴ πέφυκε τὸν τόπον σεμνύνειν. Καὶ τῆς μὲν ἑνὸς ἀρετῆς πολλοὶ συναπολαύουσι καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν· τῇ δὲ πολλῶν κακίᾳ, κἂν εἷς ὁ κατορθῶν ἦ μεταξὺ δήμου πολλοῦ, οὐ συγκαταφέρεται. Καὶ εἷς μὲν ἄνθρωπος ὀρθῶς ζῶν, δῆμον ὁλόκληρον ἐξαρπάσαι δυνήσεται τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ· πόλις δὲ ὁλόκληρος διεφθαρμένη πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν κόλασιν καὶ τιμωρίαν ἐπισπάσασθαι τὸν εὖ βιοῦντα καὶ καθελεῖν οὐ δυνήσεται. Καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ τοῦ Νῶε δῆλον· πάντων γοῦν ἀπολλυμένων διεσώζετο μόνος· καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ Μωϋσέως φανερόν· μόνος γοῦν ἴσχυσε δῆμον τοσοῦτον παραιτήσασθαι. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ἕτερον ἔχω τῆς φιλ 63.759 ανθρωπίας τοῦ Θεοῦ δεῖγμα εἰπεῖν. Ὅταν γὰρ ζῶντας ἀνθρώπους καὶ παῤῥησίαν ἔχοντας μὴ εὕρῃ δυναμένους ἐξαιτήσασθαι τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας, ἐπὶ τοὺς τελευτήσαντας καταφεύγει, καὶ δι' ἐκείνους φησὶν ἀφιέναι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Ὡσπεροῦν τῷ Ἐζεκίᾳ φησίν· Ὑπερασπιῶ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης δι' ἐμὲ καὶ διὰ ∆αυῒδ τὸν παῖδά μου, τὸν ἤδη τετελευτηκότα. Εἶδες πόση τῶν ἁγίων ἡ ἀρετή; οὐ γὰρ τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν μόνα, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ ἱμάτια τῇ κτίσει πάσῃ πάντοτέ ἐστιν αἰδέσιμα. Ἡ τοῦ Ἠλίου μηλωτὴ τὸν Ἰορδάνηνἔσχισε· τὰ ὑποδήματα τῶν τριῶν παίδων τὸ πῦρ κατεπάτησαν· τὸ ξύλον τοῦ Ἑλισσαίου τὰ ὕδατα μετέβαλε, καὶ σίδηρον ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐμφανείας βαστάζειν ἐποίησεν· ἡ ῥάβδος Μωϋσέως τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν ἔσχισε θάλατταν, τὴν πέτραν ἔῤῥηξε· τὰ ἱμάτια Παύλου δαίμονας ἤλασαν· αἱ σκιαὶ Πέτρου θάνατον ἐφυγάδευσαν· ἡ τέφρα τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων πονηροὺς ἀπελαύνει δαίμονας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μετ' ἐξουσίας ἅπαντα πράττουσι καθάπερ ὁ Ἠλίας. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μόνον ἑώρα τὸ διάδημα καὶ τὴν ἔξωθεν φαντασίαν τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀλλ' ἑώρα καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ῥάκια περιβεβλημένην, αὐχμῶσαν, ῥυπῶσαν, καὶ καταδίκου παντὸς ἀθλιώτερον διακειμένην· καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὸν αἰχμάλωτον, καὶ δοῦλον ὄντα τῶν παθῶν, κατεφρόνησεν αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀρχῆς· καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐδόκει βασιλέα βλέπειν. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος τῆς ἔξωθεν εὐπορίας, ὅταν τὰ ἔνδον ἐν πενίᾳ τοσαύτῃ ᾖ; τί δὲ βλάβος τῆς ἔξωθεν πενίας, ὅταν ἔνδον τοσοῦτος ἀποκέηται θησαυρός; Τοιοῦτος λέων ἦν καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος· εἰσελθὼν γὰρ εἰς τὸ δεσμωτήριον, καὶ βοήσας μόνον, τὰ θεμέλια ἔσεισε, τὰ δεσμὰ κατέφαγεν, οὐκ ὀδοῦσι χρησάμενος, ἀλλὰ ῥήμασι. ∆ιόπερ οὐχὶ λέοντας αὐτοὺς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερόν τι πλέον λεόντων χρὴ καλεῖν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ λέων εἰς δίκτυον πολλάκις ἐμπεσὼν ἁλίσκεται· οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι δεθέντες, τότε ἰσχυρότεροι γίνονται· ὁ λέων φθέγγεται, καὶ τὰ θηρία φυγαδεύει πάντα· ὁ ἅγιος φθέγγεται, καὶ τοὺς δαίμονας φυγαδεύει πάντοθεν. Ἀλλὰ τίς λόγος ἀρκεῖ τοῖς Παύλου κατορθώμασιν, ἢ ποία δυνήσεται γλῶσσα ἐφικέσθαι τῶν ἐγκωμίων τῶν τούτου; Εἴτε γὰρ προφῆται ἐπεδείξαντό τι γενναῖον, εἴτε πατριάρχαι, εἴτε δίκαιοι, εἴτε ἀπόστολοι, εἴτε μάρτυρες, πάντα ταῦτα ὁμοῦ συλλαβὼν ἔχει μετὰ τοσαύτης ὑπερβολῆς, μεθ' ὅσης οὐδεὶς ἐκείνων ὅπερ ἕκαστος εἶχε καλὸν ἐκέκτητο. Ὅταν οὖν ἅπαντα τὰ ἐν ἀνθρώποις καλὰ συλλαβοῦσα ἔχῃ ψυχὴ μία, καὶ πάντα μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς, οὐ μόνον δὲ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων, πῶς περιεσόμεθα ἐκ τοῦ μεγέθους τῶν ἐγκωμίων; πόσης οὐκ ἂν εἴημεν καταγνώσεως ἄξιοι, ὅταν ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου πάντα συνειλοχότος ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὰ καλὰ, ἡμεῖς οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν μέρος αὐτοῦ μιμεῖσθαι σπουδάζωμεν; Ἐκ πολλῶν μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἄλλων κατορθωμάτων ὁ πατριάρχης θαυμάζεται Ἀβραὰμ, μάλιστα δὲ ἐκ τοῦ τὸν υἱὸν καταθῦσαι τὸν ἑαυτοῦ. Ὁ δὲ Ἰσαὰκ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνεξικακίᾳ, ὅτι τῶν οἰκείων ἐλαυνόμενος ὅρων, οὐκ ἐπεξῄει, ἀλλὰ παρεχώρει πανταχοῦ τῶν οἰκείων κτημάτων, ἕως τῶν λυπούντων τὴν ἄδικον ἐκόρεσεν ἐπιθυμίαν. Καὶ ὁ Ἰακὼβ δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ καρτερίᾳ καὶ τῇ ὑπομονῇ, καὶ ὁ ∆αυῒδ ἐπὶ τῇ πραότητι, καὶ ὁ Ἠλίας, ὅτι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ∆εσπότου ἐζήλωσεν. Ἀλλὰ τί Παύλου γένοιτ' ἂν ἴσον, ὃς πάντα 63.760 ταῦτα ὁμοῦ συλλαβὼν ἔχει μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς; Οὐδὲ γὰρ υἱὸν κατέθυσεν οὗτος, ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν μυριάκις