315

Who knows if one is punished on account of wickedness, while another, being lifted up, is taken away; but not the opposite, that one is exalted on account of evil, while another is tested on account of virtue?

Chrysost. It is necessary to be persuaded of one thing only, that all things are ordered for our benefit by God. And no longer to seek the manner, nor, being ignorant, to be vexed or disheartened. For it is neither possible to know these things, nor is it expedient; the one, because we are mortal; the other, because we are quickly lifted up into arrogance.

Nilus. One must not be arrogant over every fall and every sin of a person, nor ever rejoice over one who has been tripped up, even if such a person seems to be a murderous enemy. Mourn the sinner who is prospering; for the sword of justice is sharpened for him.

Why do the just grow weak and are poor, while the unjust are lifted up and are rich? I say, that the former may be crowned, while the latter may be punished eternally.

When all your affairs are prospering, expect a change; and again at some time, when surrounded by unexpected (832) misfortunes, imagine good and better things.

Philo. To rejoice at the misfortunes of others, even if it is sometimes just, is yet not human.

Grief is not without consolation, provided that prosperity is not without discipline.

For the greatest help to the unfortunate is the hope of change, and something better lying before their eyes.

A blow becomes instruction to those who are wise, and hardship is often better than prosperity.

The greatest misfortune for a person faring ill is also the absence of anyone who might restore him.

A great remedy for the unfortunate is mercy offered from the soul; and to suffer genuinely with them greatly lightens the misfortune.

Evagrius. Every misfortune is light for a man who is not light-minded.

Plutarch. Neither does a golden-footed couch benefit the sick, nor does conspicuous good fortune benefit the foolish.

To the sick, physicians; but to the unfortunate, friends must be present.

In drunken bouts they act insolently; but in misfortunes most men act senselessly.

To place a burden on one who is sick, or good fortune on an undisciplined soul, is the same thing.

Conspicuous fortunes, just like violent winds, cause great shipwrecks.

Just as those sailing in fair weather also have things ready for the storm; so those who are wise in prosperity have also well prepared helps against misfortune.

The diet of a sick person and the good fortune of a fool are disagreeable.

Fortune resembles a poor umpire; for often it crowns the one who does nothing.

Fortune is like an archer, sometimes it succeeds in shooting at us, as if at some target; but at other times at the things lying near us.

Hide misfortune, so that you may not delight your enemies.

315

Τίς οἶδεν εἰ ὁ μέν διά κακίαν κολάζεται, ὁ δέ ὡς ἐπαιρόμενος, αἴρεται· ἀλλά μή τοὐναντίον, ὁ μέν διά πονηρίαν ὑψοῦται, ὁ δέ δι᾿ ἀρετήν δοκιμάζεται;

Χρυσοστ. Ἕν μόνον πεισθῆναι χρή, ὅτι συμφερόντως ἡμῖν ἅπαντα οἰκονομεῖται παρά Θεοῦ. τόν δέ τρόπον μηκέτι ζητεῖν, μήτε ἀγνοοῦντας ἀσχάλλειν ἤ ἀθυμεῖν. Οὔτε γάρ δυνατόν ταῦτα εἰδέναι, οὔτε συμφέρον· τό μέν, διά τό θνητούς εἶναι· τό δέ, διά τό ταχέως εἰς ἀπόνοιαν αἴρεσθαι.

Νείλου. Οὐ χρή ἐπί παντί πτώματι καί πάσῃ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀνθρώπου ἐπαίρεσθαι, οὐδ᾿ ἐπιχαίρειν ποτέ τῷ ὑποσκελισθέντι, κἄν εἰ δοκεῖ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἐχθρός φόνιος εἶναι.Θρήνει τόν ἁμαρτωλόν εὐθηνοῦντα· τό ξίφος γάρ αὐτῷ τῆς δίκης ἐπιτείνεται.

∆ιατί δίκαιοι ἀσθενοῦσι καί πένονται, ἄδικοι δέ αἴρονται καί πλουτοῦσι; Φημί, ἵνα οἱ μέν στεφανωθῶσιν, οἱ δέ αἰωνίως τιμωρηθῶσιν.

Πάντων σου τῶν πραγμάτων κατευοδουμένων, ἐκδέχου μεταβολήν· καί πάλιν ποτέ ὑπό ἀπροσδοκήτων (832) συμφορῶν κυκλούμενος, φαντάζου τά χρηστά καί κρείττονα.

Φίλων. Χαίρειν ἐπί ταῖς ἑτέρων ἀτυχίαις, εἰ καί δίκαιόν ποτε, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἀνθρώπινον.

Οὐ μή τό ἀλγεῖν ἀπαραμύθητον, εἰ μήτε τό εὖ πράττειν ἀπαιδαγώγητον.

Μεγίστη γάρ ἐπικουρία τοῦ ἀτυχοῦσι, μεταβολῆς ἐλπίς, καί τό κρεῖττον ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κείμενον.

Πληγή τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσι παίδευμα γίνεται, καί κρείττων εὐημερίας πολλάκις κακοπάθεια.

Μεγίστη συμφορά ἀνθρώπῳ δυσπραγοῦντι, καί ἡ ἐρημία τοῦ ἀνακτησομένου.

Μέγα τῷ ἀτυχοῦντι φάρμακον ἔλεος ἀπό ψυχῆς εἰσφερόμενος· καί τό συναλγεῖν γνησίως, πολύ τι κουφίζει τῆς συμφορᾶς.

Εὐαγρίου. Πᾶσα συμφορά κούφη ἐστίν ἀνδρί μή κούφῳ.

Πλουτάρχ. Οὔτε τόν ἀῤῥωστοῦντα ἡ χρυσόπους ὠφελεῖ κλίνη, οὔτε τόν ἀνόητον ἡ ἐπίσημος εὐτυχία.

Τοῖς μέν νοσοῦσιν ἰατρούς· τοῖς δέ ἀτυχοῦσι, φίλους δεῖ παρεῖναι.

Ἐν μέν ταῖς μέθαις παροινοῦσιν· ἐν δέ ταῖς ἀτυχίαις παρανοοῦσιν οἱ πλεῖστοι.

Ἀῤῥωστοῦντι φορτίον ἐπιθεῖναι, ἤ ἀπαιδεύτῳ ψυχῇ εὐτυχίαν, ταυτόν ἐστιν.

Αἱ ἐπιφανεῖς τύχαι, καθάπερ οἱ σφοδροί τῶν ἀνέμων, μεγάλα ποιοῦσι ναυάγια.

Ὥσπερ οἱ ἐν εὐδίᾳ πλέοντες, καί τά πρός τόν χειμῶνα ἔχουσιν ἕτοιμα· οὕτως οἱ ἐν εὐτυχίᾳ φρονοῦντες, εὖ, καί τά πρός τήν ἀτυχίαν ἡτοιμάκασι βοηθήματα.

Νοσοῦντος δίαιτα, καί ἄφρονος εὐτυχία, τό δυσάρεστον.

Ἔοικεν ἡ τύχη φαύλῳ ἀγωνοθέτη· πολλάκις γάρ τόν μηδέν πράσσοντα στεφανοῖ.

Ἡ τύχη καθάπερ τοξότης, ποτέ μέν ἐπιτυγχάνει βάλλουσα ἐφ᾿ ἡμᾶς, ὥσπερ ἐπί τινα σκοπόν· ποτέ δέ ἐπί τά σύνεγγυς παρακείμενα ἡμῖν.

Ἀτυχίαν κρύπτε, ἵνα μή τούς ἐχθρούς σου εὐφράνῃς.