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And according to the anagogical sense, that they lead to the way of virtue; for some have so understood them. For indeed the way leading there resembles steps, little by little leading up the virtuous and philosophical man, and setting this man towards heaven. But others say that Jacob's ladder is alluded to through these things, the one shown to him fixed from earth to heaven. For thus even the impassable and higher places become passable, when steps and ladders have been placed for us. But since those who have ascended, when they have been carried to a height, must feel dizzy, for this reason not only those ascending, but also those coming to the very top need to be secure. And one security is, when we do not look at how far we have climbed, and become despondent, but observe how much remains to be climbed, and stretch ourselves toward that. Which Paul also, making clear, said: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. But this is the anagogical account; and now, if you please, let us come to the history, and see those who were freed from the captivity. How then were they freed from the captivity? By the longing for Jerusalem; so that those who did not achieve this, gained nothing from the grace of God, but remained in slavery and died there; if we emulate them, we will suffer the same. For if we are not seized by the love of heavenly things, and by the longing for the Jerusalem above, but are always nailed to the present life, wallowing in the mud of the cares of this life, we will not be able to regain our fatherland. To the Lord in my affliction I cried out, and he heard me. Have you seen the profit of affliction? Have you seen the readiness of His love for mankind? The profit of affliction is that it led them to pure prayer; the readiness of His love for mankind, is that when they called He immediately assented; which He also did for those in Egypt before. Therefore He also says: I have surely seen the affliction of my people, and I have heard their groaning, and I have come down to deliver them. And you therefore, beloved, when you are in affliction, do not despair, nor become slothful, but then especially rouse yourself; since then prayers are also purer, and the good will from God is greater; and live all your life in such a way, that life is laborious for you, knowing that, All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted; and that, Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God. Therefore do not love the soft and dissolute life, nor wish to walk the broad way; for this road does not lead to heaven, but the narrow and afflicted one. But if you wish to arrive at the pursuits above, flee pleasures, trample on the illusion of this life, despise wealth and glory and power; but acquire poverty and contrition of mind and confession and fountains of tears, and pursue all things that can procure salvation. For these things both make the one who possesses them more secure, and make his prayers higher. If you prepare yourself thus, 55.340 and you also call on God with such a mind, He will surely hear you. For for this reason the Prophet also said, that 'In my affliction I cried out, and he heard me,' so that you might learn to ascend little by little, and to make your prayers winged, so that you might not be distressed nor dismayed in afflictions, but reap the profit from them. For if the prophet Elisha, being a man, did not allow his disciple to push away the woman who was approaching, saying, 'Let her alone, for her soul is in distress'; showing nothing else by this, than that she has a great defense, and affliction as an advocate; how much more will God not turn you away when you approach with a soul in distress. For this reason Christ also blesses those who mourn, and calls wretched those who laugh. For this reason and beginning the beatitudes, He made his introduction from this point, saying, Blessed are the

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κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἀναγωγὴν, ὅτι εἰς τὴν κατ' ἀρετὴν ὁδὸν χειραγωγοῦσι· τινὲς γὰρ οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἐξέλαβον. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ ἐκεῖ φέρουσα ὁδὸς ἀναβαθμοῖς ἔοικε, κατὰ μικρὸν ἀνάγουσα τὸν ἐνάρετον καὶ φιλόσοφον ἄνδρα, καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἱστῶσα τοῦτον. Ἄλλοι δὲ τὴν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ κλίμακα διὰ τούτων αἰνίττεσθαί φασι, τὴν ἀπὸ γῆς ἐστηριγμένην πρὸς οὐρανὸν δειχθεῖσαν αὐτῷ. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἄβατα τῶν χωρίων, καὶ ὑψηλότερα, βατὰ γίνεται, βάθρων καὶ κλιμάκων ὑποτεθειμένων ἡμῖν. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοὺς ἀνελθόντας, ἐπειδὰν εἰς ὕψος ἀνενεχθῶσιν, ἀνάγκη ἰλιγγιᾷν, διὰ τοῦτο οὐχὶ ἀναβαίνοντας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς αὐτὸ τὸ ἄκρον γινομένους ἀσφαλίζεσθαι χρή. Μία δὲ ἀσφάλεια, ὅταν μὴ ὅσον ἀνέβημεν ἴδωμεν, καὶ ἀπονοηθῶμεν, ἀλλ' ὅσον ἀναβῆναι λείπει κατοπτεύσωμεν, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τεινώμεθα. Ὃ καὶ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγε· Τῶν ὄπισθεν ἐπιλανθανόμενοι, πρὸς δὲ τὰ ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενοι. Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν τῆς ἀναγωγῆς λόγος οὗτος· ἡμεῖς δὲ λοιπὸν, εἰ δοκεῖ, ἔλθωμεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν, καὶ ἴδωμεν τοὺς τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας ἀπαλλαγέντας. Πῶς οὖν ἀπηλλάγησαν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας; Τῷ πόθῳ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων· ὡς οἵ γε μὴ τοῦτον κατορθώσαντες, οὐδὲν ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτος ἐκέρδαναν, ἀλλ' ἐναπέμειναν τῇ δουλείᾳ καὶ ἐναπέθανον· οὓς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἂν ζηλώσωμεν, τὸ αὐτὸ πεισόμεθα. Ἂν γὰρ μὴ τῷ τῶν οὐρανίων ἔρωτι κατασχεθῶμεν, καὶ τῷ πόθῳ τῆς ἄνω Ἰερουσαλὴμ, ἀλλὰ τῷ παρόντι βίῳ προσηλωθῶμεν διαπαντὸς, ἐγκαλινδούμενοι τῷ πηλῷ τῶν βιωτικῶν φροντίδων, οὐ δυνησόμεθα τὴν πατρίδα ἀπολαβεῖν. Πρὸς Κύριον ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαί με ἐκέκραξα, καὶ εἰσήκουσέ μου. Εἶδες τῆς θλίψεως τὸ κέρδος; εἶδες τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τὸ ἕτοιμον; Τῆς θλίψεως τὸ κέρδος, ὅτι πρὸς εὐχὴν αὐτοὺς ἤγαγε καθαράν· τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τὸ πρόχειρον, ὅτι καλοῦσιν εὐθέως ἐπένευσεν· ὃ καὶ τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἐποίησε πρότερον. ∆ιὸ καὶ λέγει· Ἰδὼν εἶδον τὴν κάκωσιν τοῦ λαοῦ μου, καὶ τοῦ στεναγμοῦ αὐτῶν ἤκουσα, καὶ κατέβην τοῦ ἐξελέσθαι αὐτούς. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν, ἀγαπητὲ, ἐν θλίψει γινόμενος, μὴ ἀπογίνωσκε, μηδὲ ῥᾴθυμος γίνου, ἀλλὰ τότε μάλιστα διανάστηθι· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τότε καθαρώτεραι αἱ εὐχαὶ, καὶ πλείων ἡ εὔνοια ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ πάντα τὸν βίον οὕτω ζῆθι, ὡς ἐπίπονον εἶναί σοι τὴν ζωὴν, εἰδὼς, ὅτι Πάντες οἱ θέλοντες ζῇν εὐσεβῶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, διωχθήσονται· καὶ ὅτι ∆ιὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μὴ τοίνυν τὸν ὑγρὸν καὶ διαλελυμένον ἀγαπήσῃς βίον, μηδὲ τὴν εὐρύχωρον θελήσῃς βαδίζειν οὐ γὰρ φέρει αὕτη πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἡ ὁδὸς, ἀλλὰ τὴν στενὴν καὶ τεθλιμμένην. Εἰ δὲ βούλει περὶ τὰς ἄνω διατριβὰς καταντῆσαι, φεῦγε τὰς ἡδονὰς, καταπάτει τὴν φαντασίαν τοῦ βίου, πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ δυναστείαν ἀτίμαζε· πενίαν δὲ καὶ συντριβὴν διανοίας καὶ ἐξομολόγησιν καὶ δακρύων πηγὰς κτῆσαι, καὶ πάντα τὰ σωτηρίαν δυνάμενα προξενεῖν μέτελθε. Ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ ἀσφαλέστερον τὸν κεκτημένον καθίστησι, καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς ὑψηλοτέρας ἐργάζεται. Ἂν οὕτω σεαυτὸν κατασκευάσῃς, 55.340 καὶ μετὰ τοιαύτης διανοίας καλέσῃ καὶ σὺ τὸν Θεὸν, πάντως ἀκούσεταί σου. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Προφήτης εἶπεν, ὅτι Ἐν τῷ θλίβεσθαί με ἐκέκραξα, καὶ εἰσήκουσέ μου, ἵνα μάθῃς ἀναβαίνειν κατὰ μικρὸν, καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς ἐπτερωμένας ἐργάζεσθαι, ἵνα μὴ δυσχεραίνῃς μηδὲ ἀλύῃς ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, ἀλλὰ δρέπῃ τὸ ἀπ' αὐτῶν κέρδος. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ προφήτης Ἐλισσαῖος ἄνθρωπος ὢν, προσιοῦσαν τὴν γυναῖκα οὐκ ἀφίησι τὸν μαθητὴν ἀπώσασθαι, Ἄφες, λέγων, αὐτὴν, ὅτι κατώδυνός ἐστιν ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῆς· οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐμφαίνων ἐκ τούτου, ἢ ὅτι ἀπολογίαν ἔχει μεγάλην, καὶ συνηγορίαν τὴν θλίψιν· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ Θεὸς οὐ διακρούσεταί σε μετὰ κατωδύνου ψυχῆς προσιόντα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς μακαρίζει τοὺς πενθοῦντας, καὶ τοὺς γελῶντας ταλανίζει. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῶν μακαρισμῶν ἀρχόμενος, ἐντεῦθεν τὸ προοίμιον ἐποιήσατο, λέγων, Μακάριοι οἱ