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all those things, and they themselves show it. For if they believed that the one who has died has not died, but has passed on to a better life, they would not have mourned him as one who no longer exists, they would not have beaten themselves so, they would not have uttered such cries full of unbelief: I will no longer see you, I will no longer have you back. Everything with them is a myth. But if the chief of goods is thus disbelieved, much more also the other solemn things among them. Not so do Greeks act like women; many among them have practiced philosophy. And a Greek woman, having heard about a son who had fallen in war, immediately asked: But how are the affairs of the city? and another philosopher, wearing a crown, when he heard that his son had fallen for his country, took off the crown, and asking which of his two sons it was, when he learned which one had fallen, immediately put the crown back on. And many have given over both sons and daughters to slaughter, honoring demons. And the Laconian women also exhort their sons, either to bring their shield back from the war, or to be brought back dead upon it. For these reasons I am ashamed that Greeks philosophize in such ways, while we behave disgracefully. Those who know nothing about the resurrection, do the things of those who know; while those who know, do the things of those who are ignorant. Many also, what they do not do for God, this they often do out of respect for men. For the wealthier women do not tear their hair, nor bare their arms; which in itself is worthy of the utmost condemnation, not because they do not bare them, but because they do it not out of piety, but so as not to seem to disgrace themselves. So then, shame overcomes grief, but the fear of God does not overcome it? and how are these things not worthy of the utmost condemnation? Therefore, what the rich women do on account of their wealth, the poor women ought to do on account of the fear of God. But now everything is the opposite: the former practice philosophy for the sake of vainglory, and the latter behave disgracefully out of faintheartedness. What is worse than this inconsistency? We do all things for the sake of men, all things for the sake of things here. And they utter words full of madness and much laughter. And the Lord says, "Blessed are those who mourn," meaning those who mourn their sins; and no one mourns that mourning, nor cares for the lost soul; but this we were not commanded to do, and we do it. What then? he says. Is it possible for one who is human not to weep? I do not forbid this, but I forbid beating oneself, doing this immoderately. I am not beastly, nor harsh; I know that nature is put to the test, and longs for the custom and the daily conversation. It is not possible not to be grieved. This Christ also showed; for He wept over Lazarus. Do you this also; weep, but quietly, but with decency, but with the fear of God. If you weep thus, you do not do this as one who disbelieves in the resurrection, but as one who cannot bear the separation. 5. Since we also weep for those who are going abroad and departing; but we do not do this as if despairing. So you too, weep, as if sending off one who is going abroad. I say these things not as legislating, but as condescending. 59.348 For if the one who died was a sinner, and had offended God much, one must weep; or rather, not only weep (for this is of no benefit to him), but do things that can procure some consolation for him, alms and offerings. And one must also rejoice in this, that his evil deeds were cut short. But if he was righteous, one should rejoice the more that his affairs are in safety, and he has been delivered from the uncertainty of the future; if he was young, that he was quickly delivered from the evils in between; if old, that he departed having received with satiety what seems desirable. But you, leaving these things to be considered, incite the maidservants to beat themselves, as if forsooth honoring the departed, which is a matter of the utmost dishonor. For the honor for the deceased is not lamentations and wailings, but hymns and psalms, and a most excellent life. For he, having departed, will depart with angels, even if no one is present at the remains; but the corrupt man, even if he has the city sending him off, will gain nothing. Do you wish to honor the departed? In another way

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ἐκεῖνα πάντα, καὶ δηλοῦσιν αὐταί. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπίστευον, ὅτι ὁ τετελευτηκὼς οὐ τετελεύτηκεν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ βελτίονα ζωὴν μετέστη, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸν ὡς οὐκ ἔτι ὄντα ἐθρήνησαν, οὐκ ἂν οὕτω κατεκόπτοντο, οὐκ ἂν τοιαύτας ἀφῆκαν φωνὰς ἀπιστίας γεμούσας· Οὐκ ἔτι σε ὄψομαι, οὐκ ἔτι σε ἀπολήψομαι. Μῦθος ἅπαντα τὰ παρ' αὐτοῖς. Εἰ δὲ τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν ἀγαθῶν οὕτω διαπιστεῖται, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ παρ' αὐτοῖς σεμνά. Οὐχ οὕτως Ἕλληνες γυναικίζονται· πολλοὶ παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐφιλοσόφησαν. Καὶ ἀκούσασα Ἕλλην γυνὴ περὶ παιδὸς ἐν πολέμῳ πεσόντος, εὐθέως ἤρετο· Τὰ δὲ τῆς πόλεως πῶς διάκειται πράγματα; καὶ ἄλλος φιλόσοφος ἐστεφανωμένος, ἐπειδὴ ἤκουσεν ὅτι ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος ὁ παῖς ἔπεσεν, ἀφελόμενος τὸν στέφανον, καὶ ἐρόμενος ὁπότερος τοῖν δυοῖν, ἐπειδὴ ἔμαθε τὸν πεσόντα, τὸν στέφανον εὐθὺς πάλιν ἐπέθηκε. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ υἱεῖς καὶ θυγατέρας ἐπέδωκαν εἰς σφαγὴν, δαίμονας τιμῶντες. Αἱ δὲ Λακωνικαὶ γυναῖκες καὶ παραινοῦσι τοῖς παισὶν, ἢ τὴν ἀσπίδα διασῶσαι ἐκ τοῦ πολέμου, ἢ ἐπ' αὐτῆς ἐνεχθῆναι νεκρόν. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα αἰσχύνομαι ὅτι Ἕλληνες τοιαῦτα φιλοσοφοῦσιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀσχημονοῦμεν. Οἱ περὶ ἀναστάσεως οὐδὲν εἰδότες, τὰ τῶν εἰδότων πράττουσιν· οἱ δὲ εἰδότες, τὰ τῶν ἀγνοούντων. Πολλοὶ καὶ ὃ διὰ Θεὸν οὐ ποιοῦσι, τοῦτο δι' ἀνθρώπων αἰδῶ πράττουσι πολλάκις. Αἱ γὰρ εὐπορώτεραι τῶν γυναικῶν τρίχας οὐ τίλλουσιν, οὐ βραχίονας γυμνοῦσιν· ὃ καὶ αὐτὸ κατηγορίας ἐσχάτης, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ οὐ γυμνοῦσιν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οὐ δι' εὐλάβειαν αὐτὸ πράττουσιν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μὴ δόξαι καταισχύνειν ἑαυτάς. Εἶτα αἰδὼς μὲν πένθους κρατεῖ, ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος οὐ κρατεῖ; καὶ πῶς οὐκ ἐσχάτης ταῦτα κατηγορίας ἄξια; Ἐχρῆν οὖν ὃ ποιοῦσιν αἱ πλουτοῦσαι διὰ τὸν πλοῦτον, τὰς πενομένας διὰ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβον ποιεῖν. Νῦν δὲ πάντα ἀπεναντίας, κἀκεῖναι διὰ κενοδοξίαν φιλοσοφοῦσι, καὶ αὗται διὰ μικροψυχίαν ἀσχημονοῦσι. Τί ταύτης τῆς ἀνωμαλίας χεῖρον; Πάντα δι' ἀνθρώπους, πάντα διὰ τὰ ἐνταῦθα πράττομεν. Καὶ ῥήματα παραφροσύνης γέμοντα φθέγγονται καὶ πολλοῦ γέλωτος. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Κύριός φησι· Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, τοὺς τὰ ἁμαρτήματα πενθοῦντας λέγων· καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐκεῖνο πενθεῖ τὸ πένθος, οὐδὲ φροντίζει τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπολωλυίας· τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἐκελεύσθημεν πράττειν, καὶ πράττομεν. Τί οὖν; φησί· καὶ ἄνθρωπον ὄντα ἔνι μὴ δακρύειν; Οὐδὲ ἐγὼ τοῦτο κωλύω, ἀλλὰ κωλύω τὸ κόπτεσθαι, τὸ ἀμέτρως τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Οὐκ εἰμὶ θηριώδης, οὐδὲ ἀπηνής· οἶδα ὅτι ἡ φύσις ἐλέγχεται, καὶ ἐπιζητεῖ τὴν συνήθειαν καὶ τὴν ὁμιλίαν τὴν καθημερινήν. Οὐκ ἔνεστι μὴ λυπεῖσθαι. Τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔδειξεν· ἐδάκρυσε γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ Λαζάρου. Τοῦτο καὶ σὺ ποίησον· δάκρυσον, ἀλλ' ἠρέμα, ἀλλὰ μετὰ εὐσχημοσύνης, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοῦ φόβου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἂν δακρύσῃς οὕτως, οὐχ ὡς τῇ ἀναστάσει διαπιστῶν τοῦτο ποιεῖς, ἀλλ' ὡς οὐ φέρων τὸν χωρισμόν. εʹ. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τοὺς ἀποδημοῦντας καὶ ἀναχωροῦντας δακρύομεν· ἀλλ' οὐ ποιοῦμεν τοῦτο ὡς ἀπογινώσκοντες. Οὕτω καὶ σὺ δάκρυσον, ὡς ἀποδημοῦντα προπέμπων. Ταῦτα οὐ νομοθετῶν λέγω, ἀλλὰ συγκατιών. 59.348 Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἁμαρτωλὸς ὁ τεθνηκὼς, καὶ πολλὰ τῷ Θεῷ προσκεκρουκὼς, δεῖ δακρύειν· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ δακρύειν μόνον (τοῦτο γὰρ οὐδὲν ὄφελος ἐκείνῳ), ἀλλὰ ποιεῖν τὰ δυνάμενα τινὰ παραμυθίαν αὐτῷ περιποιῆσαι, ἐλεημοσύνας καὶ προσφοράς. ∆εῖ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ χαίρειν, ὅτι ἐνεκόπη τὰ τῆς κακίας αὐτῷ. Εἰ δὲ δίκαιος, ἀγάλλεσθαι πλέον ὅτι ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ τὰ ἐκείνου κεῖται, καὶ ἀπήλλακται τῆς τοῦ μέλλοντος ἀδηλίας· ἂν μὲν νέος, ὅτι ταχέως ἀπηλλάγη τῶν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ κακῶν· ἂν δὲ πρεσβύτης, ὅτι ὃ δοκεῖ ποθεινὸν εἶναι, τοῦτο μετὰ κόρου λαβὼν ἀπῆλθε. Σὺ δὲ ταῦτα ἀφεὶς λογίζεσθαι, τὰς θεραπαινίδας κατακόπτεσθαι παρορμᾷς, ὡς δῆθεν τιμῶσα τὸν ἀπελθόντα, ὅπερ ἐσχάτης ἐστὶν ἀτιμίας. Ἡ γὰρ τιμὴ τῷ τετελευτηκότι, οὐ θρῆνοι καὶ οἰμωγαὶ, ἀλλ' ὕμνοι καὶ ψαλμῳδίαι, καὶ βίος ἄριστος. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ἀπελθὼν, μετ' ἀγγέλων ἀπελεύσεται, κἂν μηδεὶς παρατύχῃ τῷ λειψάνῳ· ὁ δὲ διεφθαρμένος, κἂν τὴν πόλιν ἔχῃ προπέμπουσαν, οὐδὲν καρπώσεται. Βούλει τιμῆσαι τὸν ἀπελθόντα; Ἑτέρως