Letter CCLX.1407    Placed in 377.

To Optimus the bishop.1408    Bishop of Antioch in Pisidia.  Soc. vii. 36; Theod. v. 8.

1.  Under any circumstances I should have gladly seen the good lads, on account of both a steadiness of character beyond their years, and their near relationship to your excellency, which might have led me to expect something remarkable in them.  And, when I saw them approaching me with your letter, my affection towards them was doubled.  But now that I have read the letter, now that I have seen all the anxious care for the Church that there is in it, and the evidence it affords of your zeal in reading the divine Scriptures, I thank the Lord.  And I invoke blessings on those who brought me such a letter, and, even before them, on the writer himself.

2.  You have asked for a solution of that famous passage which is everywhere interpreted in different senses, “Whosoever slayeth Cain will exact vengeance for seven sins.”1409    Gen. iv. 15, LXX.  Your question shews that you have yourself carefully observed the charge of Paul to Timothy,1410    cf. 1 Tim. iv. 13. for you are obviously attentive to your reading.  You have moreover roused me, old man that I am, dull alike from age and bodily infirmity, and from the many afflictions which have been stirred up round about me and have weighed down my life.  Fervent in spirit as you are yourself, you are rousing me, now benumbed like a beast in his den, to some little wakefulness and vital energy.  The passage in question may be interpreted simply and may also receive an elaborate explanation.  The simpler, and one that may occur to any one off hand, is this:  that Cain ought to suffer sevenfold punishment for his sins.

For it is not the part of a righteous judge to define requital on the principle of like for like, but the originator of evil must pay his debt with addition, if he is to be made better by punishment and render other men wiser by his example.  Therefore, since it is ordained that Cain pay the penalty of his sin sevenfold, he who kills him, it is said, will discharge the sentence pronounced against him by the divine judgment.  This is the sense that suggests itself to us on our first reading the passage.

3.  But readers, gifted with greater curiosity, are naturally inclined to probe into the question further.  How, they ask, can justice be satisfied seven times?  And what are the vengeances?  Are they for seven sins committed?  Or is the sin committed once and are there seven punishments for the one sin?  Scripture continually assigns seven as the number of the remission of sins.  “How often,” it is asked, “shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him?”  (It is Peter who is speaking to the Lord.)  “Till seven times?”  Then comes the Lord’s answer, “I say not unto thee, until seven times, but, until seventy times seven.”1411    Matt. xviii. 21, 22.  Our Lord did not vary the number, but multiplied the seven, and so fixed the limit of the forgiveness.  After seven years the Hebrew used to be freed from slavery.1412    Deut. v. 12.  Seven weeks of years used in old times to make the famous jubilee,1413    Lev. xxv. 10. in which the land rested, debts were remitted, slaves were set free, and, as it were, a new life began over again, the old life from age to age being in a sense completed at the number seven.  These things are types of this present life, which revolves in seven days and passes by, wherein punishments of slighter sins are inflicted, according to the loving care of our good Lord, to save us from being delivered to punishment in the age that has no end.  The expression seven times is therefore introduced because of its connexion with this present world for men who love this world ought specially to be punished in the things for the sake of which they have chosen to live wicked lives.  If you understand the vengeances to be for the sins committed by Cain, you will find those sins to be seven.  Or if you understand them to mean the sentence passed on him by the Judge, you will not go far wrong.  To take the crimes of Cain:  the first sin is envy at the preference of Abel; the second is guile, whereby he said to his brother, “Let us go into the field:”1414    Gen. iv. 8.  the third is murder, a further wickedness:  the fourth, fratricide, a still greater iniquity:  the fifth that he committed the first murder, and set a bad example to mankind:  the sixth wrong in that he grieved his parents:  the seventh, his lie to God; for when he was asked, “Where is Abel thy brother?” he replied, “I know not.”1415    Gen. iv. 9.  Seven sins were therefore avenged in the destruction of Cain.  For when the Lord said, “Cursed is the earth which has opened to receive the blood of thy brother,” and “groaning and trembling shall there be on the earth,” Cain said, “If thou castest me out to-day from the earth, then from thy face shall I be hid, and groaning and trembling shall I lie upon the earth, and every one that findeth me shall slay me.”  It is in answer to this that the Lord says, “Whosoever slayeth Cain will discharge seven vengeances.”1416    Gen. iv. 11, 12, 14, 15, LXX.  Cain supposed that he would be an easy prey to every one, because of there being no safety for him in the earth (for the earth was cursed for his sake), and of his being deprived of the succour of God, Who was angry with him for the murder, and so of there being no help for him either from earth or from heaven.  Therefore he said, “It shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me.”  Scripture proves his error in the words, “Not so;” i.e. thou shalt not be slain.  For to men suffering punishment, death is a gain, because it brings relief from their pain.  But thy life shall be prolonged, that thy punishment may be made commensurate with thy sins.  Since then the word ἐκδικούμενον may be understood in two senses; both the sin for which vengeance was taken, and the manner of the punishment, let us now examine whether the criminal suffered a sevenfold torment.

4.  The seven sins of Cain have been enumerated in what has been already said.  Now I ask if the punishments inflicted on him were seven, and I state as follows.  The Lord enquired ‘Where is Abel thy brother?’ not because he wished for information, but in order to give Cain an opportunity for repentance, as is proved by the words themselves, for on his denial the Lord immediately convicts him saying, “The voice of thy brother’s blood crieth unto me.”  So the enquiry, “Where is Abel thy brother?” was not made with a view to God’s information, but to give Cain an opportunity of perceiving his sin.  But for God’s having visited him he might have pleaded that he was left alone and had no opportunity given him for repentance.  Now the physician appeared that the patient might flee to him for help.  Cain, however, not only fails to hide his sore, but makes another one in adding the lie to the murder.  “I know not.  Am I my brother’s keeper?”  Now from this point begin to reckon the punishments.  “Cursed is the ground for thy sake,” one punishment.  “Thou shalt till the ground.”  This is the second punishment.  Some secret necessity was imposed upon him forcing him to the tillage of the earth, so that it should never be permitted him to take rest when he might wish, but ever to suffer pain with the earth, his enemy, which, by polluting it with his brother’s blood, he had made accursed.  “Thou shalt till the ground.”  Terrible punishment, to live with those that hate one, to have for a companion an enemy, an implacable foe.  “Thou shalt till the earth,” that is, Thou shalt toil at the labours of the field, never resting, never released from thy work, day or night, bound down by secret necessity which is harder than any savage master, and continually urged on to labour.  “And it shall not yield unto thee her strength.”  Although the ceaseless toil had some fruit, the labour itself were no little torture to one forced never to relax it.  But the toil is ceaseless, and the labours at the earth are fruitless (for “she did not yield her strength”) and this fruitlessness of labour is the third punishment.  “Groaning and trembling shalt thou be on the earth.”  Here two more are added to the three; continual groaning, and tremblings of the body, the limbs being deprived of the steadiness that comes of strength.  Cain had made a bad use of the strength of his body, and so its vigour was destroyed, and it tottered and shook, and it was hard for him to lift meat and drink to his mouth, for after his impious conduct, his wicked hand was no longer allowed to minister to his body’s needs.  Another punishment is that which Cain disclosed when he said, “Thou hast driven me out from the face of the earth, and from thy face shall I be hid.”  What is the meaning of this driving out from the face of the earth?  It means deprivation of the benefits which are derived from the earth.  He was not transferred to another place, but he was made a stranger to all the good things of earth.  “And from thy face shall I be hid.”  The heaviest punishment for men of good heart is alienation from God.  “And it shall come to pass that every one that findeth me shall slay me.”  He infers this from what has gone before.  If I am cast out of the earth, and hidden from thy face, it remains for me to be slain of every one.  What says the Lord?  Not so.  But he put a mark upon him.  This is the seventh punishment, that the punishment should not be hid, but that by a plain sign proclamation should be made to all, that this is the first doer of unholy deeds.  To all who reason rightly the heaviest of punishments is shame.  We have learned this also in the case of the judgments, when “some” shall rise “to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.”1417    Dan. xii. 2.

5.  Your next question is of a kindred character, concerning the words of Lamech to his wives; “I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt:  if Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”1418    Gen. iv. 23, 24.  Some suppose that Cain was slain by Lamech, and that he survived to this generation that he might suffer a longer punishment.  But this is not the case.  Lamech evidently committed two murders, from what he says himself, “I have slain a man and a young man,” the man to his wounding, and the young man to his hurt.  There is a difference between wounding and hurt.1419    LXX. μώλωψ, i.e. weal.  And there is a difference between a man and a young man.  “If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold.”  It is right that I should undergo four hundred and ninety punishments, if God’s judgment on Cain was just, that his punishments should be seven.  Cain had not learned to murder from another, and had never seen a murderer undergoing punishment.  But I, who had before my eyes Cain groaning and trembling, and the mightiness of the wrath of God, was not made wiser by the example before me.  Wherefore I deserve to suffer four hundred and ninety punishments.  There are, however, some who have gone so far as the following explanation, which does not jar with the doctrine of the Church; from Cain to the flood, they say, seven generations passed by, and the punishment was brought on the whole earth, because sin was everywhere spread abroad.  But the sin of Lamech requires for its cure not a Flood, but Him Who Himself takes away the sin of the world.1420    John i. 29.  Count the generations from Adam to the coming of Christ, and you will find, according to the genealogy of Luke, that the Lord was born in the seventy-seventh.

Thus I have investigated this point to the best of my ability, though I have passed by matters therein that might be investigated, for fear of prolonging my observations beyond the limits of my letter.  But for your intelligence little seeds are enough.  “Give instruction,” it is said, “to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser.”1421    Prov. ix. 9. “If a skilful man hear a wise word he will commend it, and add unto it.”1422    Ecclus. xx. 18.

6.  About the words of Simeon to Mary, there is no obscurity or variety of interpretation.  “And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary His mother, Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”1423    Luke ii. 34, 35.  Here I am astonished that, after passing by the previous words as requiring no explanation, you should enquire about the expression, “Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also.”  To me the question, how the same child can be for the fall and rising again, and what is the sign that shall be spoken against, does not seem less perplexing than the question how a sword shall pierce through Mary’s heart.

7.  My view is, that the Lord is for falling and rising again, not because some fall and others rise again, but because in us the worst falls and the better is set up.  The advent1424    ἐπιδάνεια. of the Lord is destructive of our bodily affections and it rouses the proper qualities of the soul.  As when Paul says, “When I am weak, then I am strong,”1425    2 Cor. xii. 10. the same man is weak and is strong, but he is weak in the flesh and strong in the spirit.  Thus the Lord does not give to some occasions of falling and to others occasions of rising.  Those who fall, fall from the station in which they once were, but it is plain that the faithless man never stands, but is always dragged along the ground with the serpent whom he follows.  He has then nowhere to fall from, because he has already been cast down by his unbelief.  Wherefore the first boon is, that he who stands in his sin should fall and die, and then should live in righteousness and rise, both of which graces our faith in Christ confers on us.  Let the worse fall that the better may have opportunity to rise.  If fornication fall not, chastity does not rise.  Unless our unreason be crushed our reason will not come to perfection.  In this sense he is for the fall and rising again of many.

8.  For a sign that shall be spoken against.  By a sign, we properly understand in Scripture a cross.  Moses, it is said, set the serpent “upon a pole.”1426    Num. xxi. 8.  That is upon a cross.  Or else a sign1427    σήμειον, LXX. is indicative of something strange and obscure seen by the simple but understood by the intelligent.  There is no cessation of controversy about the Incarnation of the Lord; some asserting that he assumed a body, and others that his sojourn was bodiless; some that he had a passible body, and others that he fulfilled the bodily œconomy by a kind of appearance.  Some say that his body was earthly, some that it was heavenly; some that He pre-existed before the ages; some that He took His beginning from Mary.  It is on this account that He is a sign that shall be spoken against.

9.  By a sword is meant the word which tries and judges our thoughts, which pierces even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of our thoughts.1428    cf. Heb. iv. 12.  Now every soul in the hour of the Passion was subjected, as it were, to a kind of searching.  According to the word of the Lord it is said, “All ye shall be offended because of me.”1429    Matt. xxvi. 3.  Simeon therefore prophesies about Mary herself, that when standing by the cross, and beholding what is being done, and hearing the voices, after the witness of Gabriel, after her secret knowledge of the divine conception, after the great exhibition of miracles, she shall feel about her soul a mighty tempest.1430    The Ben. note strongly objects to this slur upon the constancy of the faith of the Blessed Virgin, and is sure that St. Basil’s error will not be thus corrected without his own concurrence.  It supposes this interpretation of the passage in question to be derived from Origen, Hom. xxvii. In Lucam, and refers to a list of commentators who have followed him in Petavius, De Incar. xiv. 1.  The Lord was bound to taste of death for every man—to become a propitiation for the world and to justify all men by His own blood.  Even thou thyself, who hast been taught from on high the things concerning the Lord, shalt be reached by some doubt.  This is the sword.  “That the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”  He indicates that after the offence at the Cross of Christ a certain swift healing shall come from the Lord to the disciples and to Mary herself, confirming their heart in faith in Him.  In the same way we saw Peter, after he had been offended, holding more firmly to his faith in Christ.  What was human in him was proved unsound, that the power of the Lord might be shewn.

ΟΠΤΙΜῼ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠῼ

[1] Καὶ ἄλλως ἡδέως ὁρῶν τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς παῖδας διά τε τὸ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἡλικίαν τῶν ἠθῶν εὐσταθὲς καὶ διὰ τὸ πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν οἰκεῖον ἀφ' οὗ τι καὶ μέγα προσδοκᾶν ἐστιν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς, ἐπειδὴ μετὰ γραμμάτων σῶν εἶδον αὐτοὺς προσιόντας μοι, ἐδιπλασίασα τὸ ἐπ' αὐτοῖς φίλτρον. Ὅτε δὲ ἀνέγνων τὴν ἐπιστολὴν καὶ εἶδον ἐν αὐτῇ ὁμοῦ μὲν τὸ περὶ τὰς Ἐκκλησίας προνοητικὸν τῆς σῆς διαθέσεως, ὁμοῦ δὲ τὸ περὶ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ἐπιμελές, ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ηὐξάμην τὰ ἀγαθὰ τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἡμῖν διακομίζουσι γράμματα καὶ πρό γε αὐτῶν αὐτῷ τῷ γράψαντι ἡμῖν.

[2] Ἐπεζήτησας τὸ πολυθρύλητον ἐκεῖνο καὶ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιφερόμενον ῥητόν, τίνα τὴν λύσιν ἔχει τὸ »Πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας Κάϊν ἑπτὰ ἐκδικούμενα παραλύσει«. Διὰ δὲ τούτου τέως μὲν αὐτὸς σεαυτὸν συνέστησας τὸ Τιμοθέου, ὃ παρέδωκεν Παῦλος αὐτῷ, ἀκριβῶς φυλάττοντα (δῆλος γὰρ εἶ προσέχων τῇ ἀναγνώσει): ἔπειτα καὶ ἡμᾶς τοὺς γέροντας καὶ νεναρκηκότας ἤδη καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν θλίψεων αἳ πολλαὶ νῦν περὶ ἡμᾶς κινηθεῖσαι ἐβάρησαν ἡμῶν τὴν ζωήν, ὅμως διανέστησας καὶ ζέων τῷ πνεύματι κατεψυγμένους ἡμᾶς, ὡς τὰ φωλεύοντα τῶν ζώων, εἰς ἐγρήγορσιν μετρίαν καὶ ζωτικὴν ἐνέργειαν ἐπανήγαγες. Ἔστι δ' οὖν τὸ ῥητὸν καὶ ἁπλῶς οὕτω νοηθῆναι δυνάμενον καὶ ποικίλον ὑποδέξασθαι λόγον. Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἁπλουστέρα καὶ παντὶ δυναμένη ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου παραστῆναι διάνοια αὕτη ἐστίν, ὅτι δεῖ τὸν Κάϊν ἑπταπλασίονα δοῦναι τὴν τιμωρίαν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἥμαρτεν. Οὐ γάρ ἐστι δικαίου κριτοῦ ἴσας πρὸς ἴσας ὁρίζειν τὰς ἀνταποδόσεις, ἀλλ' ἀνάγκη τὸν κατάρξαντα κακοῦ μετὰ προσθήκης ἀποτίσαι τὰ ὀφειλόμενα, εἰ μέλλοι αὐτός τε βελτίων ταῖς τιμωρίαις γενήσεσθαι καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς σωφρονεστέρους ποιεῖν τῷ ὑποδείγματι. Οὐκοῦν, ἐπειδὴ τέτακται ἑπτάκις ἀποπληρῶσαι τὴν δίκην τῶν ἡμαρτημένων τὸν Κάϊν, παραλύσει, φησί, τοῦτο τὸ ὑπὸ τῆς θείας κρίσεως ἐπ' αὐτῷ δεδογμένον ὁ ἀποκτείνας αὐτόν. Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἐντεῦθεν ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ἀναγνώσεως ἡμῖν προσπίπτων.

[3] Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐρευνᾶν πέφυκε τὰ βάθη τῶν φιλοπονωτέρων ἡ διάνοια, ἐπιζητεῖ τὸ δίκαιον πῶς ἐν τῷ ἑπτάκις ἀποπληροῦται καὶ τί τὰ ἐκδικούμενα, πότερον τὰ ἁμαρτηθέντα ἑπτά ἐστιν ἢ ἓν μὲν τὸ ἁμάρτημα, ἑπτὰ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ ἑνὶ αἱ κολάσεις; Ἀεὶ μὲν οὖν ἡ Γραφὴ τὸν τῆς ἀφέσεως τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀριθμὸν ἐν τοῖς ἑπτὰ περιορίζει. »Ποσάκις γάρ, φησίν, ἁμαρτήσει εἰς ἐμὲ ὁ ἀδελφὸς καὶ ἀφήσω αὐτῷ (Ὁ Πέτρος ἐστὶ λέγων τῷ Κυρίῳ); Ἕως ἑπτάκις;« Εἶτα ἀπόκρισις τοῦ Κυρίου: »Οὐ λέγω σοι ἕως ἑπτάκις, ἀλλ' ἕως ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά«. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπ' ἄλλον ἀριθμὸν μετέβη ὁ Κύριος, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἑπτὰ πολυπλασιάσας ἐν αὐτῷ τὸν ὅρον ἔθετο τῆς ἀφέσεως. Καὶ δι' ἑπτὰ μὲν ἐτῶν ὁ Ἑβραῖος ἀπελύετο τῆς δουλείας. Ἑπτὰ δὲ ἑβδομάδες ἐτῶν τὸν ὀνομαστὸν ἰωβηλαῖον ἐποίουν ἐν τοῖς πάλαι, ἐν ᾧ ἐσαββάτιζε μὲν ἡ γῆ, χρεῶν δὲ ἦσαν ἀποκοπαί, δουλείας ἀπαλλαγὴ καὶ οἱονεὶ νέος ἄνωθεν καθίστατο βίος, ἐν τῷ ἑβδοματικῷ ἀριθμῷ τοῦ παλαιοῦ τρόπον τινὰ τὴν συντέλειαν δεχομένου. Ταῦτα δὲ τύποι τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου ὃς διὰ τῶν ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν ἀνακυκλούμενος ἡμᾶς παρατρέχει, ἐν ᾧ γίνονται αἱ τῶν μετριωτέρων ἁμαρτημάτων ἐκτίσεις, κατὰ τὴν φιλάνθρωπον ἐπιμέλειαν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Δεσπότου, ὡς μὴ τῷ ἀπεράντῳ αἰῶνι παραδοθῆναι ἡμᾶς εἰς κόλασιν. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἑπτάκις διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον συγγένειαν, ὡς τῶν φιλοκόσμων ἀνθρώπων ἀπ' αὐτῶν ὀφειλόντων μάλιστα ζημιοῦσθαι ὧν ἕνεκεν εἵλοντο πονηρεύεσθαι. Ἐκδικούμενα δέ, εἴτε τὰ παρὰ τῷ Κάϊν ἡμαρτημένα λέγοις, εὑρήσεις ἑπτά: εἴτε τὰ παρὰ τοῦ κριτοῦ ἐπ' αὐτῷ ὁρισθέντα, καὶ οὕτως οὐκ ἀποτεύξει τῆς ἐννοίας. Ἐν μὲν οὖν τοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Κάϊν τετολμημένοις πρῶτον ἁμάρτημα φθόνος ἐπὶ τῇ προτιμήσει τοῦ Ἄβελ: δεύτερον δόλος μεθ' οὗ διελέχθη τῷ ἀδελφῷ εἰπών; »Διέλθωμεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον«: τρίτον φόνος, προσθήκη τοῦ κακοῦ: τέταρτον ὅτι καὶ ἀδελφοῦ φόνος, μείζων ἡ ἐπίτασις: πέμπτον ὅτι καὶ πρῶτος φονεὺς ὁ Κάϊν πονηρὸν ὑπόδειγμα τῷ βίῳ καταλιπών: ἕκτον ἀδίκημα ὅτι γονεῦσι πένθος ἐνεποίησεν: ἕβδομον ὅτι Θεὸν ἐψεύσατο: ἐρωτηθεὶς γὰρ »Ποῦ Ἄβελ ὁ ἀδελφός σου;« εἶπεν: »Οὐκ οἶδα«. Ἑπτὰ οὖν τὰ ἐκδικούμενα παρελύετο ἐν τῷ ἀναιρεθῆναι τὸν Κάϊν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος ὅτι »Ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ, ἣ ἔχανε δέξασθαι τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου«, καὶ »Στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς«, ὁ Κάϊν φησίν: »Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις με σήμερον ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσομαι καὶ ἔσομαι στένων καὶ τρέμων ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ πᾶς ὁ εὑρίσκων με ἀποκτενεῖ με«. Πρὸς δὴ τοῦτο ὁ Κύριός φησιν: »Οὐχ οὕτω: πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας Κάϊν ἑπτὰ ἐκδικούμενα παραλύσει«. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐνόμισεν εὐάλωτος εἶναι παντὶ ὁ Κάϊν, διὰ τὸ τὴν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἀσφάλειαν μὴ ἔχειν (ἐπικατάρατος γὰρ ἡ γῆ ἀπ' αὐτοῦ) καὶ τῆς ἀπὸ Θεοῦ βοηθείας ἠρημῶσθαι, ὀργισθέντος αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τῷ φόνῳ, ὡς οὔτε ἀπὸ γῆς οὔτε ἀπ' οὐρανοῦ ἀντιλήψεως αὐτῷ λειπομένης: »Ἔσται, φησί, πᾶς ὁ εὑρίσκων με ἀποκτενεῖ με«. Ἐλέγχει αὐτοῦ τὸ σφάλμα ὁ λόγος λέγων: »Οὐχ οὕτω«, τουτέστιν οὐκ ἀναιρεθήσῃ. Κέρδος γὰρ τοῖς κολαζομένοις ὁ θάνατος ἀπαλλαγὴν φέρων τῶν λυπηρῶν. Ἀλλὰ παραταθήσῃ τῷ βίῳ, ἵνα κατ' ἀξίαν τῶν ἡμαρτημένων ἀντιμετρηθῇ τὰ κολαστήρια. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ ἐκδικούμενον διχῶς νοεῖται, τό τε ἁμαρτηθὲν ἐφ' ᾧ ἡ ἐκδίκησις καὶ ὁ τρόπος τῆς κολάσεως δι' οὗ ἡ ἐκδίκησις, ἴδωμεν εἰ ἑπτὰ τρόποι βασανιστηρίων ἐπηνέχθησαν τῷ πονηρευσαμένῳ.

[4] Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἑπτὰ ἁμαρτήματα τοῦ Κάϊν ἐν τοῖς κατόπιν ὁ λόγος ἀπηριθμήσατο. Νῦν δὲ ζητοῦμεν εἰ ἑπτά ἐστιν αὐτῷ τὰ εἰς κόλασιν ἐπαγόμενα, καὶ φαμὲν οὕτως, μετὰ τὴν πεῦσιν τοῦ Κυρίου: »Ποῦ Ἄβελ ὁ ἀδελφός σου;« ἣν οὐχὶ μαθεῖν βουλόμενος, ἀλλὰ μετανοίας αὐτῷ ἀφορμὴν παρεχόμενος, ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Δεσπότης προσήγαγεν, ὡς δηλοῖ αὐτὰ τὰ ῥήματα. Ἀρνησαμένου γὰρ αὐτοῦ ταχὺν ποιεῖται τὸν ἔλεγχον εἰπών: »Φωνὴ αἵματος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου βοᾷ πρός με«. Ὥστε τὸ »Ποῦ Ἄβελ ὁ ἀδελφός σου;« ἐκείνῳ ἀφορμὴν ἐδίδου τῆς συναισθήσεως τοῦ ἡμαρτημένου, οὐ τῷ Θεῷ ἐγίνετο διδασκαλίας πρόξενον. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔτυχεν ἐπισκοπῆς Θεοῦ, εἶχεν ἂν πρόφασιν ὡς ἐγκαταλελειμμένος καὶ οὐδεμίαν λαβὼν ἀφορμὴν εἰς μετάνοιαν. Νῦν δὲ ἐπεφάνη ὁ ἰατρός, ἵνα προσφύγῃ αὐτῷ ὁ ἀσθενῶν. Ὁ δὲ οὐ μόνον κρύπτει τὸ ἕλκος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον προσεξεργάζεται τῷ φόνῳ τὸ ψεῦδος ἐπισυνάπτων: »Οὐκ οἶδα. Μὴ φύλαξ εἰμὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου ἐγώ;« Ἐντεῦθεν λοιπὸν ἀπαριθμεῖ τὰς τιμωρίας. »Ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ ἀπὸ σοῦ«. Μία κόλασις. »Ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν«. Δευτέρα αὕτη. Ἀνάγκη γάρ τις ἄρρητος αὐτῷ συνέζευκτο πρὸς τὸ ἔργον τῆς γῆς αὐτὸν κατεπείγουσα, ὥστε μηδὲ βουλομένῳ ἐξεῖναι ἀναπαύεσθαι, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ αὐτὸν προσταλαιπωρεῖσθαι τῇ ἐχθρᾷ αὐτοῦ γῇ ἣν ἐπικατάρατον ἑαυτῷ ἐποίησε μιάνας ἀδελφικῷ αἵματι. »Ἐργᾷ οὖν τὴν γῆν«. Δεινὴ τιμωρία: ἡ μετὰ τῶν μισούντων διαγωγή, σύνοικον ἔχειν πολέμιον, ἄπαυστον ἐχθρόν. »Ἐργᾷ τὴν γῆν«, τουτέστι, κατατεινόμενος τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς γεηπονικοῖς οὐδένα χρόνον ἀνήσεις, οὔτε νυκτὸς οὔτε ἡμέρας ἐκλυόμενος ἐκ τῶν πόνων, ἀλλὰ δεσπότου τινὸς πικροῦ χαλεπωτέραν ἔχων τὴν ἄρρητον ἀνάγκην ἐπὶ τὰ ἔργα σε διεγείρουσαν. »Καὶ οὐ προσθήσει δοῦναι τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῆς«. Καίτοι εἰ καὶ τὸ τῆς ἐργασίας ἄπαυστον εἶχέ τινα καρπόν, αὐτὸς ὁ πόνος οὐ μετρία βάσανος τῷ ἀεὶ κατατεινομένῳ καὶ κοπιῶντι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐργασία ἄπαυστος καὶ ἄκαρπος ἡ περὶ γῆν ταλαιπωρία (οὐ γὰρ ἐδίδου τὴν ἰσχύν), τρίτη αὕτη ἐστὶ τιμωρία, ἡ ἀκαρπία τῶν πόνων. »Στένων καὶ τρέμων ἔσῃ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς«. Δύο προσέθηκεν ἄλλας ταῖς τρισί: στεναγμὸν διηνεκῆ καὶ τρόμον τοῦ σώματος, τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἰσχύος στηριγμὸν τῶν μελῶν οὐκ ἐχόντων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ κακῶς ἐχρήσατο τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ σώματος, ὑφῃρέθη αὐτοῦ ὁ τόνος, ὥστε κλονεῖσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ κατασείεσθαι, οὔτε ἄρτον ῥᾳδίως δυνάμενον προσφέρειν τῷ στόματι οὔτε ποτὸν προσκομίζειν, τῆς πονηρᾶς χειρὸς μετὰ τὴν ἀνοσίαν πρᾶξιν οὐδὲ ταῖς ἰδίαις καὶ ἀναγκαίαις τοῦ σώματος χρείαις λοιπὸν ὑπηρετεῖσθαι συγχωρουμένης. Ἄλλη τιμωρία ἣν αὐτὸς ἀπεκάλυψεν ὁ Κάϊν εἰπών: »Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις με νῦν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσομαι«. Τί ἐστι τό: »Εἰ ἐκβάλλεις με ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς«; Τουτέστιν εἰ χωρίζεις με τῆς ἀπ' αὐτῆς ὠφελείας. Οὐ γὰρ μετετίθετο ἐφ' ἕτερον τόπον, ἀλλ' ἠλλοτριοῦτο τῶν ἐπ' αὐτῆς καλῶν. »Καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσομαι«. Ἡ βαρυτάτη κόλασις τοῖς σωφρονοῦσιν, ὁ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ χωρισμός. »Καὶ ἔσται, φησί, πᾶς ὁ εὑρίσκων με ἀποκτενεῖ με«. Εἰκάζει ἐκ τοῦ ἀκολούθου τῶν προαγόντων. Εἰ ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἐκβέβλημαι, εἰ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου κρυβήσομαι, λείπεται ἀπὸ παντὸς ἀναιρεῖσθαι. Τί οὖν ὁ Κύριος; »Οὐχ οὕτως«. Ἀλλ' ἔθετο σημεῖον ἐπ' αὐτόν. Ἑβδόμη αὕτη τιμωρία, τὸ μηδὲ κρύπτεσθαι τὴν τιμωρίαν, ἀλλὰ σημείῳ προδήλῳ πᾶσι προκεκηρύχθαι ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ τῶν ἀνοσίων ἔργων δημιουργός. Καὶ γὰρ ὀρθῶς λογιζομένῳ βαρυτάτη κολάσεων ἡ αἰσχύνη, ἣν καὶ περὶ τῆς Κρίσεως μεμαθήκαμεν, ὅτι οὗτοι ἀναστήσονται εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον καὶ οὗτοι εἰς αἰσχύνην καὶ ὀνειδισμὸν αἰώνιον.

[5] Ἀκολουθεῖ τούτῳ ζήτημα συγγενές, τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Λάμεχ ταῖς γυναιξὶν εἰρημένον: »Ὅτι ἄνδρα ἀπέκτεινα εἰς τραῦμα καὶ νεανίσκον εἰς μώλωπά μοι: ὅτι ἑπτάκις ἐκδεδίκηται ἐκ Κάϊν, ἐκ δὲ Λάμεχ ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά«. Καὶ νομίζουσί τινες ὑπὸ τοῦ Λάμεχ ἀνῃρῆσθαι τὸν Κάϊν, ὡς μέχρι τῆς γενεᾶς ἐκείνης διαρκέσαντος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ μακροτέραν δοῦναι τὴν τιμωρίαν. Ἔστι δὲ οὐκ ἀληθές. Δύο γὰρ φαίνεται φόνους πεποιηκώς, ἐξ ὧν αὐτὸς διηγεῖται. »Ἄνδρα ἀπέκτεινα καὶ νεανίσκον«: τὸν ἄνδρα εἰς τραῦμα καὶ νεανίσκον εἰς μώλωπα. Ἄλλο οὖν τραῦμα καὶ ἄλλο μώλωψ. Καὶ ἄλλο ἀνὴρ καὶ ἄλλο νεανίσκος. »Ὅτι ἐκ Κάϊν ἐκδεδίκηται ἑπτάκις, ἐκ δὲ Λάμεχ ἑβδομηκοντάκις ἑπτά«. Τετρακοσίας καὶ ἐνενήκοντα τιμωρίας ὑποσχεῖν εἰμι δίκαιος, εἴπερ δικαία ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσις ἐπὶ τῷ Κάϊν, ὥστε ἑπτὰ αὐτὸν παρασχεῖν τὰς κολάσεις. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὥσπερ οὐκ ἔμαθε παρ' ἄλλου τὸ φονεύειν οὕτως οὐδὲ εἶδε τιμωρίαν ὑπέχοντα φονευτήν. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἔχων τὸν στένοντα καὶ τρέμοντα καὶ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ὀργῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ οὐκ ἐσωφρονίσθην τῷ ὑποδείγματι. Ὅθεν ἄξιός εἰμι τετρακοσίας καὶ ἐνενήκοντα δοῦναι κολάσεις. Ἔνιοι δὲ πρὸς τοιοῦτον ὥρμησαν λόγον οὐκ ἀπᾴδοντα τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ δόγματος: ὅτι ἀπὸ τοῦ Κάϊν ἕως τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἑπτὰ παρεληλύθασι γενεαί, καὶ εὐθέως ἐπήχθη πάσῃ τῇ γῇ τιμωρία διὰ τὸ πολλὴν γενέσθαι χύσιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Τὸ δὲ ἁμάρτημα τοῦ Λάμεχ οὐ κατακλυσμοῦ δεῖται πρὸς θεραπείαν, ἀλλ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ αἴροντος τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου. Ἀρίθμησον τοίνυν ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ μέχρι τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὰς γενεὰς καὶ εὑρήσεις, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Λουκᾶ γενεαλογίαν, τῇ ἑβδομηκοστῇ καὶ ἑβδόμῃ διαδοχῇ γεγεννημένον τὸν Κύριον. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν εἰς δύναμιν ἐξητάσθη πολλῶν τῶν ἐνόντων ἐξετασθῆναι παρεθέντων, ἵνα μὴ ἔξω τοῦ μέτρου τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὸν λόγον προαγάγωμεν: ἀρκεῖ δὲ τῇ συνέσει σου καὶ τὰ βραχέα σπέρματα. »Δίδου γάρ, φησί, τῷ σοφῷ ἀφορμὴν καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται«, καὶ »Λόγον δεξάμενος σοφὸς αἰνέσει αὐτὸν καὶ ἐπ' αὐτὸν προσθήσει«.

[6] Τὰ δὲ τοῦ Συμεὼν ῥήματα πρὸς τὴν Μαρίαν οὐδὲν ἔχει ποικίλον οὐδὲ βαθύ. »Εὐλόγησε γὰρ αὐτοὺς Συμεὼν καὶ εἶπε πρὸς Μαρίαν τὴν μητέρα αὐτοῦ: Ἰδοὺ οὗτος κεῖται εἰς πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ εἰς σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον. Καὶ σοῦ δὲ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ῥομφαία, ὅπως ἂν ἀποκαλυφθῶσιν ἐκ πολλῶν καρδιῶν διαλογισμοί.« Ἐν οἷς ἐκεῖνο ἐθαύμασα πῶς τὰ προάγοντα ὡς σαφῆ παρελθὼν ἓν τοῦτο ἐπεζήτησας τὸ »Καὶ σοῦ δὲ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ῥομφαία«. Καίτοι ἐμοὶ οὐχ ἧττον φαίνεται ἄπορον πῶς ὁ αὐτὸς εἰς πτῶσιν κεῖται καὶ ἀνάστασιν καὶ τί τὸ σημεῖον τὸ ἀντιλεγόμενον, καὶ τρίτον, πῶς τῆς Μαρίας τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ῥομφαία.

[7] Ἡγοῦμαι τοίνυν εἰς πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν εἶναι τὸν Κύριον οὐκ ἄλλων πιπτόντων καὶ ἄλλων ἀνισταμένων, ἀλλ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν χείρονος καταπίπτοντος καὶ τοῦ βελτίονος διανισταμένου. Καθαιρετικὴ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σωματικῶν παθῶν ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπιφάνεια, διεγερτικὴ δὲ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς ἰδιωμάτων. Ὡς ὅταν λέγῃ ὁ Παῦλος: »Ὅταν ἀσθενῶ, τότε δυνατός εἰμι«, ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ ἀσθενεῖ καὶ δύναται, ἀλλ' ἀσθενεῖ μὲν τῇ σαρκί, δυνατὸς δέ ἐστι τῷ πνεύματι. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Κύριος οὐχὶ τοῖς μὲν τοῦ πίπτειν τὰς ἀφορμὰς παρέχει, τοῖς δὲ τοῦ ἀνίστασθαι. Οἱ γὰρ πίπτοντες ἀπὸ τῆς στάσεως ἐν ᾗ ποτε ἦσαν καταπίπτουσι δηλονότι. Οὐδέποτε δὲ εἱστήκει ὁ ἄπιστος ἀεὶ χαμαὶ συρόμενος μετὰ τοῦ ὄφεως. Οὐκ ἔχει οὖν ὅθεν πέσῃ διὰ τὸ καταβεβλῆσθαι τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ. Ὡς πρώτη εὐεργεσία: τὸν στήκοντα τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ πεσεῖν καὶ ἀποθανεῖν, εἶτα ζῆσαι τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀναστῆναι τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ἑκάτερον ἡμῖν χαριζομένης. Πιπτέτω τὰ χείρονα, ἵνα λάβῃ καιρὸν τὰ βελτίω εἰς τὴν ἀνάστασιν. Ἐὰν μὴ πέσῃ ἡ πορνεία, ἡ σωφροσύνη οὐκ ἀνίσταται. Ἐὰν μὴ ἡ ἀλογία συντριβῇ, τὸ λογικὸν τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀνθήσει. Οὕτως οὖν »Εἰς πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν«.

[8] »Εἰς δὲ σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον«. Κυρίως σημεῖον ἔγνωμεν παρὰ τῇ Γραφῇ τὸν σταυρὸν εἰρημένον. Ἔθηκε γὰρ Μωσῆς, φησί, τὸν ὄφιν ἐπὶ σημείου, τουτέστιν ἐπὶ σταυροῦ, ὃ σημεῖόν ἐστι παραδόξου τινὸς καὶ ἀφανοῦς πράγματος ἐνδεικτικόν, ὁρώμενον μὲν παρ' αὐτῶν, νοούμενον δὲ παρὰ τῶν ἐντρεχῶν τὴν διάνοιαν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐ παύονται ζυγομαχοῦντες περὶ τῆς Ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ Κυρίου, οἱ μὲν ἀνειληφέναι σῶμα, οἱ δὲ ἀσώματον αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπιδημίαν γεγενῆσθαι διοριζόμενοι, καὶ οἱ μὲν παθητὸν ἐσχηκέναι τὸ σῶμα, οἱ δὲ φαντασίᾳ τινὶ τὴν διὰ σώματος οἰκονομίαν πληροῦν, καὶ ἄλλοι χοϊκόν, ἄλλοι δὲ ἐπουράνιον σῶμα, καὶ οἱ μὲν προαιώνιον τὴν ὕπαρξιν, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ Μαρίας τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐσχηκέναι, διὰ τοῦτο »Εἰς σημεῖον ἀντιλεγόμενον«.

[9] Ῥομφαίαν δὲ λέγει τὸν λόγον τὸν πειραστικόν, τὸν κριτικὸν τῶν ἐνθυμήσεων, τὸν διικνούμενον ἄχρι μερισμοῦ ψυχῆς καὶ πνεύματος, ἁρμῶν τε καὶ μυελῶν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν πᾶσα ψυχὴ παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τοῦ Πάθους οἱονεὶ διακρίσει τινὶ ὑπεβάλλετο, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνὴν εἰπόντος ὅτι: »Πάντες σκανδαλισθήσεσθε ἐν ἐμοί«, προφητεύει ὁ Συμεὼν καὶ περὶ αὐτῆς τῆς Μαρίας ὅτι: »Παρεστῶσα τῷ σταυρῷ καὶ βλέπουσα τὰ γινόμενα καὶ ἀκούουσα τῶν φωνῶν, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Γαβριὴλ μαρτυρίαν, μετὰ τὴν ἀπόρρητον γνῶσιν τῆς θείας συλλήψεως, μετὰ τὴν μεγάλην τῶν θαυμάτων ἐπίδειξιν, γενήσεταί τις καὶ περὶ τὴν σὴν ψυχὴν σάλος. Ἔδει γὰρ τὸν Κύριον ὑπὲρ παντὸς γεύσασθαι θανάτου καὶ ἱλαστήριον γενόμενον τοῦ κόσμου πάντας δικαιῶσαι ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι. Καὶ σοῦ οὖν αὐτῆς, τῆς ἄνωθεν δεδιδαγμένης τὰ περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, ἅψεταί τις διάκρισις, τουτέστι ῥομφαία«. »Ὅπως ἂν ἀποκαλυφθῶσιν ἀπὸ πολλῶν καρδιῶν διαλογισμοὶ« αἰνίττεται ὅτι μετὰ τὸν σκανδαλισμόν, τὸν ἐπὶ τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γενόμενον, τοῖς τε μαθηταῖς καὶ αὐτῇ τῇ Μαρίᾳ ταχεῖά τις ἴασις ἐπακολουθήσει παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου βεβαιοῦσα αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν εἰς τὴν ἐπ' αὐτὸν πίστιν. Οὕτω γὰρ εἴδομεν καὶ Πέτρον μετὰ τὸ σκανδαλισθῆναι βεβαιότερον τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως ἀντισχόμενον. Τὸ ἀνθρώπινον οὖν σαθρὸν διηλέγχθη, ἵνα τὸ ἰσχυρὸν τοῦ Κυρίου δειχθῇ.