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those men, in the case of irrational animals and gazelles, these, in the case of birds; and these too, in turn, from human philosophy. These things are able to condemn us, these things to convict us. Let me mention another thing: when they take wild and untamed horses, kicking and biting, the experienced train them in a short time so that the rider who sits on them delights in the orderliness of their gait; but when the soul walks in a disorderly way no one takes care of it, but it both leaps and kicks and is dragged on the ground like a child, and behaves disgracefully in countless ways, and no one puts curb-bits on it nor hobbles nor bridles, nor seats the experienced rider on it, I mean Christ. For this very reason all things have become upside down. For when you train dogs to control their belly, and tame anger in a lion, and disorderliness in horses, and eloquence in birds, how is it not absurd to instill rational accomplishments in irrational natures, but to introduce the passions of irrational creatures into rational ones? There is no excuse for us, no excuse. All who have acted rightly will accuse us, both believers and unbelievers; for even unbelievers have acted rightly, and beasts and dogs, not only humans; and we will accuse ourselves, 60.252 when we are willing, acting rightly, but when we are lazy, being dragged down. For even many of those in extreme wickedness have often changed when they willed it. And the reason, as I said, is that we go about seeking the interests of others, not our own. If you build a splendid house, you have looked to the interest of the house, not your own; if you get a fine garment, it is for the body, not your own; if a fine horse, likewise. No one considers how the soul might be beautiful; and yet if it is beautiful, there is no need of any of those things; but if it is not, there is no benefit from those things. For just as in the case of a bride, even if there are bridal chambers with golden curtains, and choruses of most comely and beautiful women, and roses and garlands, and the bridegroom is handsome, and the maids and the friends and all are well-favored, but she herself is full of ugliness, there is no benefit; just as, then, if she were beautiful no harm would come from these things, but even the opposite. For from those things, she, being ugly, would appear even uglier; but from these, she would become more beautiful. So indeed with the soul, when it is beautiful, not only does it have no need of these things, but they even overshadow its beauty. For we will see the philosopher shining not so much in wealth as in poverty. For in the former case many will attribute this to his wealth, and to his not being in want of money; but when he lives with poverty, and shines through all things, and is forced to do nothing shameful, no one else any longer shares with him the crown for his philosophy. Let us therefore beautify this, if we wish to be rich. What is the benefit, when the mules are white and vigorous and well-bodied, but you who sit on them are thin and mangy and ugly? what is the gain, when the coverings are soft and beautiful, and full of much variety and art, but the soul is clothed in rags and is naked and shameful? what is the gain, when the horse walks in an orderly fashion, and seems to be dancing rather than walking, and along with its dance is adorned with a bridal ornament; but the rider hops about more than the lame, and is more contorted in his hands and feet than the drunk and the mad? Tell me, if someone gave you a beautiful horse, and twisted your body, what would be the benefit? Now you have a twisted soul, and do you not care at all? Let us care for ourselves at last, I beseech you. Let us not then make ourselves more dishonored than all things. And if someone insults us with words, we are stung and feel pain; but insulting ourselves with deeds, we do not pay heed. Let us become sober, at last, late though it be, that we may be able, by taking much care of the soul and laying hold of virtue, to obtain the eternal good things, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, honor, now and for ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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ἀλόγων καὶ τῶν δορκάδων ἐκεῖνοι, τοῦτο ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρνίθων οὗτοι· καὶ οὗτοι δὲ πάλιν ἀπὸ φιλοσοφίας ἀνθρωπίνης. Ταῦτα ἡμᾶς καταδικάσαι ἔχει, ταῦτα ἡμᾶς ἑλεῖν. Εἴπω καὶ ἕτερον, ἵππους ἀγρίους καὶ ἀνημέρους λαβόντες, λακτίζοντας καὶ δάκνοντας, ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ οὕτω παιδεύουσιν οἱ ἔμπειροι, ὡς τὸν ἐπιβάτην τρυφᾷν τὸν ἐπικαθήμενον τῷ τῆς βαδίσεως εὐτάκτῳ· τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς ἄτακτα βαδιζούσης οὐδεὶς ἐπιμελεῖται, ἀλλὰ καὶ πηδᾷ καὶ λακτίζει καὶ σύρεται χαμαὶ καθάπερ παιδίον, καὶ ἀσχημονεῖ μυρία, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῇ ψαλίδας περιτίθησιν οὐδὲ ποδόστροφα οὐδὲ χαλινοὺς, οὐδ' ἐπικαθίζει τὸν ἔμπειρον ἐπιβάτην, τὸν Χριστὸν λέγω. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο πάντα ἄνω καὶ κάτω γέγονεν. Ὅταν γὰρ καὶ γαστρὸς κρατεῖν κύνας παιδεύῃς, καὶ θυμὸν ἐν λέοντι δαμάζῃς, καὶ ἀταξίαν ἐν ἵπποις, καὶ εὐγλωττίαν ἐν ὄρνισι, πῶς οὐκ ἄτοπον ἐν μὲν ἀλόγοις φύσεσι λογικὰ ἐντιθέναι κατορθώματα, ἐν δὲ λογικαῖς τὰ τῶν ἀλόγων ἐπεισάγειν πάθη; Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν, οὐκ ἔστι συγγνώμη. Πάντες ἡμῶν κατηγορήσουσιν οἱ κατωρθωκότες, καὶ πιστοὶ καὶ ἄπιστοι· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἄπιστοι κατώρθωσαν, καὶ θηρία καὶ κύνες, οὐκ ἄνθρωποι μόνον· καὶ ἡμεῖς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν 60.252 κατηγορήσομεν, ὅταν μὲν βουλώμεθα, κατορθοῦντες, ὅταν δὲ ῥᾳθυμῶμεν, ὑποσυρόμενοι. Καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἐν σφοδρᾷ κακίᾳ ὄντων πολλοὶ πολλάκις θελήσαντες μετεβάλοντο. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, ὅπερ ἔφην, ὅτι περιερχόμεθα τὰ ἑτέρων συμφέροντα ζητοῦντες, οὐ τὰ ἡμέτερα. Ἂν οἰκίαν οἰκοδομήσῃς λαμπρὰν, τὸ τῆς οἰκίας συμφέρον εἶδες, οὐ τὸ σόν· ἂν ἱμάτιον λάβῃς καλὸν, τὸ τοῦ σώματος, οὐ τὸ σόν· ἂν ἵππον καλὸν, ὡσαύτως. Οὐδεὶς ὅπως ἔσται ψυχὴ καλὴ σκοπεῖ· καίτοι ταύτης οὔσης καλῆς, οὐδενὸς ἐκείνων δεῖ· οὐκ οὔσης δὲ, οὐδὲν ἐξ ἐκείνων ὄφελος. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ νύμφης, κἂν παστάδες ὦσιν ἐκ παραπετασμάτων χρυσῶν κἂν χοροὶ ὦσι γυναικῶν εὐειδεστάτων καὶ καλῶν, κἂν ῥόδα κἂν στέμματα, κἂν ὁ νυμφίος καλὸς ᾖ, κἂν αἱ θεράπαιναι κἂν αἱ φίλαι κἂν πάντες εὐπρεπεῖς ὦσιν, ἐκείνη δὲ ἀμορφίας ᾖ, μεστὴ, ὄφελος οὐδέν· ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ καλῆς οὔσης βλάβος τι γένοιτ' ἂν ἀπὸ τούτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὐναντίον. Ἀπὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνων ἀμόρφου οὔσης, ἀμορφοτέρα ἂν φανείη· ἀπὸ δὲ τούτων ὡραιοτέρα ἂν γένοιτο. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ψυχὴ, ὅταν ᾖ καλὴ, οὐ μόνον οὐδενὸς δεῖται τούτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ συσκιάζει τὸ κάλλος αὐτῆς. Τὸν γὰρ φιλόσοφον οὐχ οὕτως ἐν πλούτῳ, ὡς ἐν πενίᾳ ὀψόμεθα λάμποντα. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ τοῖς χρήμασι τοῦτο πολλοὶ λογιοῦνται, καὶ τῷ μὴ ἐνδεᾶ χρημάτων εἶναι· ὅταν δὲ πενίᾳ συζῇ, καὶ διὰ πάντων λάμπῃ, καὶ μηδὲν αἰσχρὸν ἀναγκάζηται ποιεῖν, οὐκ ἔτι ἄλλος τις διανέμεται πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ στέφανον. Ταύτην οὖν καλλωπίζωμεν, εἴ γε βουλοίμεθα πλουτεῖν. Τί τὸ ὄφελος, ὅταν αἱ μὲν ἡμίονοι λευκαὶ ὦσι καὶ σφριγῶσαι καὶ εὐσωματοῦσαι, σὺ δὲ ὁ καθήμενος λεπτὸς καὶ ψωραλέος καὶ δυσειδής; τί δαὶ τὸ κέρδος, ὅταν τὰ μὲν στρώματα ἁπαλὰ καὶ καλὰ ᾖ, καὶ πολλῆς ποικιλίας γέμοντα καὶ τέχνης, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ ῥάκια περιβεβλημένη ᾖ καὶ γυμνὴ καὶ αἰσχρά; τί τὸ κέρδος, ὅταν ὁ μὲν ἵππος εὔτακτα βαδίζῃ, καὶ χορεύοντι μᾶλλον ἐοικὼς ἢ βαδίζοντι, καὶ μετὰ τῆς χορείας κόσμῳ κεκοσμημένος ᾖ νυμφικῷ· ὁ δὲ ἐπικαθήμενος τῶν χωλῶν μᾶλλον ἀσκωλιάζῃ, καὶ τῶν μεθυόντων καὶ τῶν μαινομένων μᾶλλον διεστραμμένος ᾖ καὶ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας; Εἰπὲ δή μοι, εἴ τίς σοι ἵππον ἐδίδου καλὸν, καὶ τὸ σῶμα διέστρεφε, τί τὸ ὄφελος; Νῦν ψυχὴν διεστραμμένην ἔχεις, καὶ οὐδέν σοι μέλει; Φροντίσωμεν ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ποτε, παρακαλῶ. Μὴ δὴ πάντων ἀτιμοτέρους ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς καταστήσομεν. Κἂν μὲν ῥήμασί τις ὑβρίζῃ, δακνόμεθα καὶ ἀλγοῦμεν· πράγμασι δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ὑβρίζοντες, οὐκ ἐπιστρεφόμεθα. Ἀνανήψωμεν ὀψὲ γοῦν ποτε, ἵνα δυνηθῶμεν, καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς πολλὴν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ποιούμενοι, καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπιλαβόμενοι, τῶν αἰωνίων τυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.