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(776) Lysander. Lysander, when Dionysius the tyrant sent expensive garments for his daughters, did not accept them, saying that he was afraid lest through these they might appear more shameful.

Grace, like nothing else in life, most quickly grows old for the many.

Demosthenes. Those who do not use opportunities [bad ones] correctly, do not remember it, even if something good happens to them from God.

The same man said, The one who gives a favor must forget it at once; but the one who receives it, must remember it always.

Of Heraclitus the Physicist. A timely grace, like food suited to a famine, heals the want of the soul.

Of Menander. When another gives you nothing more, Accept the part; for compared to receiving nothing, To receive less will be much more for you.

DISCOURSE 9.

Concerning rule and authority. Sirach 38. Do not give a blemish in your glory, and in a day of glory do not be exalted.

Of Basil. Kingship is lawful governance.

The counsels, therefore, given by a king, at least one truly worthy of this title, possess great legality, aiming at that which is commonly beneficial for all, and not composed for the purpose of his own advantage. For in this a tyrant differs from a king, that the one considers his own interest from every angle; but the other provides what is beneficial for his subjects.

Proverbs 21. If the heart of a king is in the hand of God, he is not saved through military power, but through divine guidance. But in the hand of God is not just anyone, but he who is worthy of the name of king.

For the most part, the subject is by nature formed according to the character of the ruler; so that whatever sort the leaders are, of such a sort must the one who is led also be.

It is an old saying, that those who lay claim to virtue do not with pleasure set upon positions of rule.

Of the Theologian. While it is difficult for a man to (777) know how to be ruled, it is likely far more difficult to know how to rule men.

Disorder is a sign of anarchy; but order reveals the one who governs. For what is the use of a good helmsman who uses wicked rowers?

Let no one, when it is possible to follow without danger, desire to rule with danger; nor let the law of subjection be dissolved, which holds together both earthly and heavenly things.

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(776) Λυσάνδρ. Λύσανδρος, ∆ιονυσίου τοῦ τυράννου πέμψαντος ἱμάτια ταῖς θυγατράσιν αὐτοῦ τῶν πολυτελῶν, οὐκ ἔλαβεν, εἰπών, δεδιέναι μή διά ταῦτα μᾶλλον αἰσχραί φανῶσιν.

Ἡ χάρις, ὡς οὐδέν ἄλλο ἐν βίῳ, τοῖς πολλοῖς τάχιστα γηράσκει.

∆ημοσθ. Οἱ μή χρησάμενοι τοῖς καιροῖς [κακοῖς] ὀρθῶς, οὐδέ εἰ συνέβη τι αὐτοῖς παρά τοῦ Θεοῦ χρηστόν, μνημονεύουσιν.

Ὁ αὐτός ἔλεγεν, Τόν μέν διδόντα χάριν, χρή παραχρῆμα ἐπιλανθάνεσθαι· τόν δέ λαμβάνοντα, διά παντός μεμνῆσθαι.

Ἡρακλείτου Φυσικοῦ. Ἡ εὔκαιρος χάρις, λιμῷ καθάπερ τροφή ἁρμόττουσα, τήν τῆς ψυχῆς ἔνδειαν ἰᾶται.

Μενάνδρου. Ὅταν ἑτερός σοι μηδέν πλεῖον διδῷ, ∆έξαι τό μόριον· τοῦ λαβεῖν γάρ μηδέν, Τό λαβεῖν ἔλαττον, πλεῖον ἔσται σοι πολύ.

ΛΟΓΟΣ Θ´.

Περί ἀρχῆς καί ἐξουσίας. Σιράχ λη´. Μή δῷς μῶμον ἐν τῇ δόξῃ σου, καί ἐν ἡμέρα δόξης μή ἐπαίρου.

Βασιλείου. Βασιλεία ἐστίν ἔννομος ἐπιστασία.

Αἱ οὖν παρά βασιλέως διδόμεναι ὑποθῆκαι, τοῦ γε ἀληθῶς τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης ἀξίου, πολύ τό νόμιμον ἔχουσι, τό κοινῇ πᾶσι λυσιτελές σκοποῦσαι, καί οὐχί πρός τόν σκοπόν τῆς ἰδίας ὠφελείας συντεταγμέναι. Τοῦτο γάρ διαφέρει τύραννος βασιλέως, ὅτι ὁ μέν τό ἑαυτοῦ πανταχόθεν σκοπεῖ· ὁ δέ, τό τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ὠφέλιμον ἐκπορίζει.

Παροιμ. κα´. Εἰ καρδία βασιλέως ἐν χειρί Θεοῦ, οὐ σώζεται διά ὁπλιτικήν δύναμιν, ἀλλά διά τήν θείαν χειραγωγίαν. Ἐν χειρί δέ Θεοῦ ἐστιν, οὐχ ὁ τυχών, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ἄξιος τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως προσηγορίας.

Πρός τό τοῦ ἄρχοντος ἦθος πλάττεσθαι πέφυκεν ὡς τά πολλά τό ἀρχόμενον· ὥστε ὁποῖοί ποτε οἱ ἄγοντες ὦσι, τοιοῦτον ἀνάγκη καί τό ἀ(να)γόμενον εἶναι.

Παλαιός ἐστι λόγος, τούς ἀρετῆς μεταποιουμένους, μεθ᾿ ἡδονῆς αὐτούς μή ἐπιβάλλειν ἀρχαῖς.

Θεολόγου. Ἀνθρώπῳ χαλεποῦ ὄντος τό (777) εἰδέναι ἄρχεσθαι, κινδυνεύει πολλῷ χαλεπώτερον εἶναι τό εἰδέναι ἄρχειν ἀνθρώπων.

Ἡ μέν ἀταξία, ἀναρχίας ἐστί γνώρισμα· ἡ δέ τάξις, τόν ἡγεμονεύοντα δείκνυσι. Τί γάρ ὄφελος κυβερνήτῃ εἶναι χρηστόν, πονηροῖς χρώμενον ἐρέταις;

Μή τις ἐνόν ἀκινδύνως ἕπεσθαι, ἄρχειν ἐπικινδύνως ἐπιθυμείσθω· μηδ᾿ ὁ τῆς ὑποταγῆς νόμος καταλυέσθω, ἡ καί τά ἐπίγεια συνέχει καί τά οὐράνια.