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to seem to give them the whole, after first having received some small thing from them, and we boast in the receiving rather than in the giving, and we do not say, "We gave him this," but, "We received this from him." Whence also, he says, he received him in a figure, that is, as in a riddle (for just as the ram was a figure of Isaac), or as in a type. For since the sacrifice was complete, and Isaac had been slain in purpose, for this reason He grants him to the patriarch. Do you see that what I always say is now also shown? whenever we present our mind as perfected, and show that we look down upon earthly things, then He grants us earthly things also, but not before, lest the receiving, when we are still bound, bind us further. "Loose yourself," He says, "from slavery, and then receive, that you may no longer receive as a slave, but as a master." Despise wealth, and you will be wealthy; despise glory, and you will be glorious; despise vengeance on your enemies, and then you will obtain it; despise ease, and then you will receive it; so that when you receive, you may not receive as one in bonds, nor as a slave, but as a free man. For just as in the case of small children, when the child desires childish playthings, we hide them with great care, such as a ball and things of that sort, so that he may not be hindered from necessary things; but when he despises them and no longer desires them, we give them over without fear, knowing that no harm will come to him from them anymore, since that desire is no longer strong enough to lead him away from necessary things. So also God, when He sees that we no longer desire the things of this world, allows us to use them. For we have them as free men and adults, not as children. For that if you despise vengeance on your enemies, you will then obtain it, hear what he says: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; and if he is thirsty, give him a drink." And he added: "For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head." And again, that if you despise wealth, you will then obtain it, hear Christ saying: "There is no one who has left father, or mother, or houses, or brothers, who will not receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life." And that if you despise glory, you will then obtain it, hear Christ Himself saying again: "Whoever wishes to be first among you, let him be your servant"; and again, "For whoever humbles himself, this one 63.874 will be exalted." What are you saying? If I give my enemy a drink, then I punish him? If I give up my possessions, then I have them? If I humble myself, then I will be exalted? "Yes," He says. "For such is my power, to provide opposites through their opposites. I am resourceful and inventive. Do not be afraid. The nature of things follows my will, I do not follow nature. I work all things, I am not led by them. Therefore I wish to remold and reshape them." And why do you marvel at these things? For you will find the same thing in all other matters as well. If you do wrong, you have been wronged; if you are wronged, then you have not been wronged. If you take vengeance, then you have not taken vengeance, but have taken it upon yourself. For "he who loves injustice," it says, "hates his own soul." Do you see that you have not been wronged, but you are doing wrong? For this reason Paul also says: "Why not rather be wronged?" Do you see that this is not being wronged? When you commit an outrage, then you have suffered an outrage. And many people know this in part, as when they say to one another, "Let us go from here, lest you disgrace yourself." Why? Because the distance between you and him is great. For however much you insult him, he considers it a glory. Let us consider this in all cases, and become higher than insults. How, I say. If we have a fight with the man who wears the purple, by insulting him we consider ourselves to be insulting ourselves; for we consider ourselves worthy of being reviled. What are you saying, tell me? Being a citizen of the heavens, and having the philosophy from above, do you degrade yourself along with one who minds earthly things? For even if he possesses countless riches, even if he is in power, he does not yet know your good. Do not disgrace yourself by disgracing him. Spare yourself, not him. Honor yourself, not him. Is there not such a proverb, "He who honors, honors himself"? Rightly so; for he does not honor that person,

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δοκεῖν παρ' αὐτῶν τι πρότερον λαβόντας μικρὸν, οὕτως αὐτοῖς τὸ πᾶν διδόναι, καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐπὶ τῇ λήψει μᾶλλον, ἢ ἐπὶ τῇ δόσει, καὶ οὐ λέγομεν, Τόδε ἐδώκαμεν αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ, Τόδε ἐλάβομεν παρ' αὐτοῦ. Ὅθεν αὐτὸν, φησὶ, καὶ ἐν παραβολῇ ἐκομίσατο, τουτέστιν, ὡς ἐν αἰνίγματι (ὥσπερ γὰρ παραβολὴ ἦν ὁ κριὸς τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ), ἢ ὡς ἐν τύπῳ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀπήρτιστο ἡ θυσία, καὶ ἔσφακτο ὁ Ἰσαὰκ τῇ προαιρέσει, διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὸν χαρίζεται τῷ πατριάρχῃ. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ὃ ἀεὶ λέγω, τοῦτο καὶ νῦν δείκνυται; ὅταν παραστήσωμεν ἡμῶν τὴν διάνοιαν ἀπηρτισμένην, καὶ δείξωμεν ὅτι ὑπερορῶμεν τῶν γηΐνων πραγμάτων, τότε ἡμῖν καὶ τὰ γήϊνα χαρίζεται, πρότερον δὲ οὔ, ἵνα μὴ τὸ λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς προσδεδεμένους ἔτι προσδήσῃ. Λύε, φησὶ, σαυτὸν τῆς δουλείας, καὶ τότε λάβε, ἵνα μηκέτι ὡς δοῦλος λάβῃς, ἀλλ' ὡς δεσπότης. Καταφρόνησον πλούτου, καὶ ἔσῃ πλούσιος· καταφρόνησον δόξης, καὶ ἔσῃ ἔνδοξος· καταφρόνησον τῆς τιμωρίας τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ τότε αὐτῆς ἐπιτεύξῃ· καταφρόνησον ἀνέσεως, καὶ τότε αὐτὴν λήψῃ· ἵνα λαβὼν μὴ ὡς δέσμιος λάβῃς, μηδὲ ὡς δοῦλος, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐλεύθερος. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν παίδων τῶν μικρῶν, ὅταν μὲν ἐπιθυμῇ τὸ παιδίον παιδικῶν ἀθυρμάτων, μετὰ πολλῆς σπουδῆς ἐκεῖνα κρύπτομεν, οἷον, σφαῖραν, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, ἵνα μὴ ἐμποδίζηται τῶν ἀναγκαίων· ὅταν δὲ αὐτῶν καταφρονήσῃ καὶ μηκέτι ἐπιθυμῇ, ἀδεῶς αὐτὰ μεταδιδόαμεν, εἰδότες ὡς οὐδεμία βλάβη λοιπὸν αὐτῷ ἐντεῦθεν γίνεται, τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐκείνης οὐκέτι ἰσχυούσης ἀπάγειν αὐτὸν τῶν ἀναγκαίων· οὕτω καὶ ὁ Θεὸς, ὅταν ἴδῃ μηκέτι ἐπιθυμοῦντας τῶν ἐνταῦθα λοιπὸν, ἀφίησιν αὐτοῖς κεχρῆσθαι· ὡς γὰρ ἐλεύθεροι καὶ ἄνδρες αὐτὰ ἔχομεν, οὐχ ὡς παῖδες. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐὰν καταφρονήσῃς τῆς τιμωρίας τῶν ἐχθρῶν, τότε ἐπιτεύξῃ, ἄκουε τί φησιν· Ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· καὶ ἐπήγαγε· Τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν ἄνθρακα πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ πάλιν ὅτι, ἐὰν καταφρονήσῃς τοῦ πλούτου, τότε αὐτοῦ ἐπιτεύξῃ, ἄκουε τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος· Οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀφῆκε πατέρα, ἢ μητέρα, ἢ οἰκίας, ἢ ἀδελφοὺς, ὃς οὐχὶ ἑκατονταπλασίονα λήψεται, καὶ ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσει. Καὶ ὅτι, ἐὰν καταφρονήσῃς δόξης, τότε αὐτῆς ἐπιτεύξῃ, ἄκουε πάλιν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγοντος· Ὁ θέλων ἐν ὑμῖν εἶναι πρῶτος, ἔστω ὑμῶν διάκονος· καὶ πάλιν, Ὃς γὰρ ἂν ταπεινώσῃ ἑαυτὸν, οὗτος 63.874 ὑψωθήσεται. Τί λέγεις; ἐὰν ποτίσω τὸν ἐχθρὸν, τότε αὐτὸν κολάζω; ἐὰν ἀφῶ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, τότε αὐτὰ ἔχω; ἐὰν ταπεινώσω ἑαυτὸν, τότε ὑψηλὸς ἔσομαι; Ναὶ, φησί· τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ ἐμὴ δύναμις, διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων τὰ ἐναντία παρέχειν. Εὔπορός εἰμι καὶ εὐμήχανος· μὴ δείσῃς· τῷ ἐμῷ θελήματι ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀκολουθεῖ φύσις, οὐκ ἐγὼ τῇ φύσει ἕπομαι· ἐγὼ πάντα ἐργάζομαι, οὐκ ἐγὼ ὑπ' ἐκείνων ἄγομαι· διὸ καὶ μεταπλάττειν καὶ μεταῤῥυθμίζειν αὐτὰ βούλομαι. Καὶ τί θαυμάζεις ἐν τούτοις; τὸ αὐτὸ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν εὑρήσεις. Ἐὰν ἀδικήσῃς, ἠδικήθης· ἐὰν ἀδικηθῇς, τότε οὐκ ἠδικήθης. Ἐὰν ἀμύνῃ, τότε οὐκ ἠμύνω, ἀλλὰ σαυτὸν ἠμύνω· Ὁ γὰρ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἀδικίαν, φησὶ, μισεῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι οὐκ ἠδικήθης, ἀλλ' ἀδικεῖς; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλός φησι· ∆ιὰ τί οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἀδικεῖσθε; Εἶδες ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ἀδικεῖσθαι; Ὅταν ὑβρίσῃς, τότε ὑβρίσθης· καὶ τοῦτο ἐκ μέρους ἴσασιν οἱ πολλοὶ, ὡς ὅταν λέγωσι πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν, μὴ ὑβρίσῃς σαυτόν. ∆ιὰ τί; Ὅτι πολὺ τὸ μέσον σοῦ κἀκείνου· ὅσα γὰρ ἂν ὑβρίσῃς, ἐκεῖνος δόξαν ἡγεῖται. Τοῦτο ἐπὶ πάντων ἐννοῶμεν, καὶ γενώμεθα ὑψηλότεροι τῶν ὕβρεων. Πῶς, ἐγὼ λέγω. Ἂν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν τὴν ἁλουργίδα ἔχοντα μάχην ἔχωμεν, τῷ ὑβρίζειν αὐτὸν ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ὑβρίζειν ἡγούμεθα· τοῦ γὰρ πλύνεσθαι ἄξιοι ἡγούμεθα. Τί λέγεις, εἰπέ μοι; τῶν οὐρανῶν πολίτης ὢν, καὶ τὴν ἄνω φιλοσοφίαν ἔχων, μετὰ τοῦ γήϊνα φρονοῦντος πλύνεις σαυτόν; Κἂν γὰρ μυρία χρήματα κέκτηται, κἂν ἐν δυναστείᾳ ᾖ, οὔπω οἶδε τὸ καλὸν τὸ σόν. Μὴ ὑβρίσῃς σαυτὸν, ἐκεῖνον ὑβρίζων· σαυτοῦ φεῖσαι, μὴ ἐκείνου· σαυτὸν τίμησον, μὴ ἐκεῖνον. Οὐχὶ παροιμία τοιαύτη ἐστὶν, ὁ τιμῶν, ἑαυτὸν τιμᾷ; Εἰκότως· οὐ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον τιμᾷ,