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their masters to rest, and this is their work, and this their life, to be concerned with their master's affairs? Do they not care for the 63.864 master's things all day, but for their own often a small part of the evening? But we, on the contrary, care for our own affairs always, but for the Lord's not even a small part, and this, though He has no need of ours, as masters have of their slaves', but even these things themselves again result in our own gain. For there the service of the servant benefits the master; but here the service of the slave benefits the Lord in no way, but again benefits the servant himself. For of my goods, he says, you have no need. For tell me, what gain is it to God if I am righteous? Or what harm, if I am unrighteous? Is not that nature incorruptible? Is it not unharmed? Is it not superior to all passion? Servants have nothing of their own, but all things belong to the master, even if they are ten thousand times rich; but we have many things of our own. Not for nothing do we enjoy such honor 63.865 from the God of all. What master has given his own son for a servant? None; but all would choose to give their servants for their children. But here it is the opposite; He did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, for all the enemies who hated Him. Servants, even if some heavy things are commanded, do not complain even so, and especially if they are well-disposed; but we are vexed at countless things. To servants no one promises such things as God does to us; but what? Freedom, you say, the one here, which is often more grievous than slavery; for often famine has seized them, and this freedom has become more bitter than slavery; and this is their greatest gift. But with God nothing is perishable, nothing corruptible; but what? I do not call you slaves, He says; you are my friends. Let us be ashamed, beloved, let us be afraid; let us serve the Lord, even as our servants serve us; or rather, we do not show even a fraction of their servitude. They through necessity are philosophic, having only coverings and food; but we act insolently in luxury. If from nowhere else, let us at least receive the rules of philosophy from them. For Scripture knows to send men not only to servants, but also to irrational creatures; for instance, when it bids them to imitate the bee, or the ants. But I advise you to imitate even the servants; whatever things they do out of fear for us, let us do at least as much out of fear for God; for we shall not find you doing so. They, out of fear for us, are insulted countless times, and stand silent more than any philosopher; they are insulted both justly and unjustly, and do not talk back, but entreat, often having done no wrong; receiving nothing more than they need, and often even less, they are content; and sleeping on a pallet, and being filled with bread alone, and having all their other diet simple, they do not complain or show discontent. They, out of fear of us, when entrusted with money, give it all back (for do not tell me of the wicked servants, but of those not overly bad); if we threaten, they immediately draw back. Are not these things philosophy? For do not say that it is done by necessity, because the necessity of Gehenna also hangs over you, and yet you are not so temperate, nor do you offer such honor to God, as you receive from your servants. Each of the servants has his allotted dwelling, and does not encroach on his neighbor's, nor is he corrupted by the desire for more. And one may see these things being observed among servants out of fear of their masters; and rarely would you see a servant seizing or corrupting the property of another servant. But among free men the opposite of these things happens; we bite and devour one another, we do not fear the Lord; we seize the things of our fellow-servants, we steal, we strike, while He is watching. A servant would not do this, but if he strikes, it is when the master is not watching; if he insults, it is when he is not hearing; but we, while God is both seeing and

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ἀναπαύεσθαι τοὺς δεσπότας αὐτῶν, καὶ τοῦτο ἔργον αὐτοῖς ἐστι, καὶ οὗτος βίος, τὸ τὰ δεσποτικὰ μεριμνᾷν; οὐχὶ τὰ τοῦ 63.864 δεσπότου πᾶσαν τὴν ἡμέραν μεριμνῶσι, τὰ δὲ αὐτῶν πολλάκις μικρὸν ἑσπέρας μέρος; Ἡμεῖς δὲ τοὐναντίον, τὰ μὲν ἡμέτερα διαπαντὸς, τὰ δὲ τοῦ ∆εσπότου οὐδὲ μικρὸν μέρος, καὶ ταῦτα, οὐ δεομένου τῶν ἡμετέρων, καθάπερ οἱ δεσπόται τῶν δούλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων αὐτῶν πάλιν εἰς ἡμέτερον προχωρούντων κέρδος. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἡ διακονία τοῦ οἰκέτου τὸν δεσπότην ὠφελεῖ· ἐνταῦθα δὲ ἡ διακονία τοῦ δούλου τὸν μὲν ∆εσπότην οὐδὲν, πάλιν δὲ αὐτὸν τὸν οἰκέτην ὀνίνησι. Τῶν ἀγαθῶν γάρ μου, φησὶν, οὐ χρείαν ἔχεις. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, τί τῷ Θεῶ κέρδος, ἐὰν ἐγὼ δίκαιος ὦ; ποία δὲ βλάβη, ἐὰν ἄδικος; οὐχὶ ἀκήρατος ἡ φύσις ἐκείνη; οὐχὶ ἀβλαβής; οὐχὶ παντὸς ἀνωτέρα πάθους; οἱ οἰκέται οὐδὲν ἴδιον ἔχουσιν, ἀλλὰ πάντα δεσποτικὰ, κἂν μυριάκις πλουτῶσιν· ἡμεῖς δὲ πολλὰ ἴδια ἔχομεν. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς τοσαύτης τιμῆς ἀπολαύομεν 63.865 παρὰ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ. Ποῖος δεσπότης ὑπὲρ οἱκέτου τὸν υἱὸν ἔδωκε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ; οὐδείς· ἀλλὰ πάντες ἂν ἕλοιντο τοὺς οἰκέτας ὑπὲρ τῶν παίδων δοῦναι. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ τοὐναντίον· τοῦ ἰδίου υἱοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν πάντων παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν, ὑπὲρ πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῶν μισούντων αὐτόν. Οἱ οἰκέται, κἂν βαρέα τινὰ ἐπιτάττωνται, οὐδὲ οὕτω δυσχεραίνουσι, καὶ μάλιστα, ἂν ὦσιν εὐγνώμονες· ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀποδυσπετοῦμεν μυρία. Τοῖς οἰκέταις οὐδεὶς ἐπαγγέλλεται τοιοῦτον, οἷον ἡμῖν ὁ Θεός· ἀλλὰ τί; Ἐλευθερίαν, φησὶ, τὴν ἐνταῦθα, τὴν πολλάκις τῆς δουλείας χαλεπωτέραν· πολλάκις γὰρ κατέλαβε λιμὸς, καὶ πικροτέρα δουλείας αὕτη ἡ ἐλευθερία γέγονε· καὶ τὸ δῶρον τοῦτο τὸ μέγιστον. Παρὰ δὲ τῷ Θεῷ οὐδὲν ἐπίκηρον, οὐδὲν φθαρτόν· ἀλλὰ τί; Οὐ λέγω ὑμᾶς δούλους, φησίν· ὑμεῖς φίλοι μού ἐστε· Αἰσχυνθῶμεν, ἀγαπητοὶ, φοβηθῶμεν· κἂν ὡς οἱ οἰκέται ἡμῖν δουλεύουσι, δουλεύσωμεν ἡμεῖς τῷ ∆εσπότῃ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ πρὸς τὸ πολλοστὸν μέρος τὴν δουλείαν ἡμεῖς ἐπιδεικνύμεθα. Ἐκεῖνοι διὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην φιλοσοφοῦσι, σκεπάσματα μόνον ἔχουσι καὶ τροφάς· ἡμεῖς δὲ ὑβρίζομεν εἰς τὴν τρυφήν. Εἰ μηδαμόθεν ἄλλοθεν, κἂν παρ' ἐκείνων δεχώμεθα τῆς φιλοσοφίας τοὺς κανόνας. Οἶδε γὰρ ἡ Γραφὴ οὐχὶ πρὸς οἰκέτας, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἄλογα πέμπειν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· οἷον, ὅταν τὴν μέλιτταν, ὅταν τοὺς μύρμηκας κελεύῃ μιμεῖσθαι. Ἐγὼ δὲ κἂν τοὺς οἰκέτας μιμήσασθαι παραινῶ· ὅσα ἐκεῖνοι διὰ τὸν φόβον τὸν ἡμέτερον πράττουσι, κἂν τοσαῦτα διὰ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβον ἡμεῖς πράττωμεν· οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσομεν πράττοντας ὑμᾶς. Ἐκεῖνοι διὰ τὸν φόβον τὸν ἡμέτερον ὑβρίζονται μυριάκις, καὶ παντὸς φιλοσόφου μᾶλλον ἑστήκασι σιγῶντες· ὑβρίζονται καὶ δικαίως καὶ ἀδίκως, καὶ οὐκ ἀντιλέγουσιν, ἀλλὰ παρακαλοῦσιν, ἀδικοῦντες οὐδὲν πολλάκις· οὐδὲν πλέον τῆς χρείας λαμβάνοντες, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἔλαττον, στέργουσι· καὶ ἐπὶ στιβάδος καθεύδοντες, καὶ ἄρτου μόνον πληρούμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην πᾶσαν δίαιταν ἔχοντες εὐτελῆ, οὐκ ἐγκαλοῦσιν οὐδὲ δυσχεραίνουσιν. Ἐκεῖνοι διὰ τὸν παρ' ἡμῶν φόβον ἐμπιστευόμενοι χρήματα πάντα ἀποδιδόασι (μὴ γάρ μοι τοὺς μοχθηροὺς εἴπῃς τῶν οἰκετῶν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὴ λίαν κακούς)· ἂν ἀπειλήσωμεν, εὐθέως συστέλλονται. Ἆρα οὐ φιλοσοφίας ταῦτα; Μὴ γὰρ ὅτι ἀνάγκῃ γίνεται εἴπῃς, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ σοὶ ἀνάγκη τῆς γεέννης ἐπίκειται, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτω σωφρονεῖς, οὐδὲ τοσαύτην παρέχεις τιμὴν τῷ Θεῷ, ὅσης ἀπολαύεις παρὰ τῶν οἰκετῶν. Ἔχει ἕκαστος τῶν οἰκετῶν οἴκημα τὸ νενομοθετημένον, καὶ οὐκ ἐπεμβαίνει τῷ τοῦ πλησίον, οὐδὲ λυμαίνεται τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τοῦ πλείονος. Καὶ ταῦτα ἴδοι τις ἂν ἐν οἰκέταις διὰ τὸν τῶν δεσποτῶν φόβον φυλαττόμενα· καὶ σπανίως ἂν ἴδοις οἰκέτην τὰ τοῦ οἰκέτου ἁρπάζοντα, ἢ λυμαινόμενον. Παρὰ δὲ ἀνθρώποις ἐλευθέροις τὰ ἐναντία τούτων γίνεται· ἀλλήλους δάκνομεν καὶ κατεσθίομεν, οὐ δεδοίκαμεν τὸν ∆εσπότην· τὰ τῶν συνδούλων ἁρπάζομεν, κλέπτομεν, τύπτομεν, ὁρῶντος αὐτοῦ. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἂν ποιήσειεν οἰκέτης, ἀλλὰ κἂν τύπτῃ, μὴ ὁρῶντος τοῦ δεσπότου· κἂν ὑβρίζῃ μὴ ἀκούοντος· ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ πάντα καὶ ὁρῶντος καὶ