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Of Evagrius. To be silent about the truth is to bury gold.
Of Isidore of Pelusium. A lie spoken first has more credibility than the truth shown in the second telling.
Of Severian. When a lie wishes to be believed, if it does not lay a foundation of seeming truth, it is not believed.
Thales. Thales the Milesian, having been asked by someone, "How far is a lie from the truth?", said, "As far as the eyes are from the ears."
Of Plutarch. The equal is judged by a scale; but the true, by reason from philosophy.
From the way and the truth it is hard to stray.
Charicles. For a lie is sometimes good, when, while benefiting those who speak it, it in no way harms those who hear it.
Of Gerinus. Just as it is not possible to gaze upon the light of the sun with weak and feeble sight, so, and even more so, it is not possible to see the truth with a weak and feeble mind.
From the works of Epictetus and Isocrates. Let nothing be more honored than the truth; nor the choice of a friendship disposed apart from passions, by which justice is confused and obscured.
Aesop. Aesop, having been asked, "What profit do liars get from lying?", said, "That even when they tell the truth, they are not believed."
Plato. Plato said that truth is the sweetest of all things heard; but Polemon, that speaking the truth is much sweeter than hearing it.
Of Menander. It is better to choose a lie than a harmful truth.
DISCOURSE 36.
Concerning death. John 11. He who believes in me, though he die, shall live; and everyone who lives and believes in
me, shall not die forever.
1 Thessalonians 4. I do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, concerning those who have fallen asleep, so that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.
Solomon 4. Being perfected in a short time, he fulfilled (901) long years; for his soul was pleasing to the Lord, therefore He hastened him from the midst of wickedness.
Sirach 30. Death is better than a bitter life, or a persistent illness.
Sirach 38. My child, let your tears fall for the dead, and make mourning according to his due for a day or two, for the sake of slander, and be comforted for your sorrow. For know that there is no return, and you will not help him, and you will harm yourself. For from sorrow comes death.
Of Basil. For just as those sleeping in ships are carried automatically by the wind, even if they themselves do not perceive it; but the course them towards the end
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Εὐαγρίου. Τό σιγᾷν τήν ἀλήθειαν, χρυσόν ἐστι θάπτειν.
Ἰσιδώρου Πηλουσ. Τό ψευδές ἐν πρώτοις λεχθέν πλείονα πίστιν ἔχει παρά τήν ἐν δευτέρῳ λόγῳ δεικνυμένην ἀλήθειαν.
Σευηριανοῦ. Τό ψεῦδος ὅταν θέλῃ πιστευθῆναι, ἐάν μή πήξῃ θεμέλιον δοκούσης ἀληθείας, οὐ πιστεύεται.
Θαλῆς. Θάλης ὁ Μελήσιος ἐρωτηθείς ὑπό τινος, Πόσον ἀπέχει τό ψεῦδος τοῦ ἀληθοῦς, Ὅσον, ἔφη, ὀφθαλμοί τῶν ὤτων.
Πλουτάρχου. Τό μέν ἴσον ζυγῷ· τό δέ ἀληθές, τῷ ἐκ φιλοσοφίας λόγῳ κρίνεται.
Ὁδοῦ καί ἀληθείας χαλεπόν ἀποπλανηθῆναι.
Χαρικλ. Καλόν γάρ ποτε καί τό ψεῦδος, ὅταν ὠφελοῦν τούς λέγοντας, μηδέν καταβλάπτει τούς ἀκούοντας.
Γηρίνου. Καθάπερ τό τοῦ ἡλίου φῶς οὐκ ἔστι θεάσασθαι ἀσθενεῖ καί ἀδυνάτῳ τῇ ὄψει, οὕτω, καί ἔτι μᾶλλον τήν ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ἀσθενεῖ καί ἀδυνάτῳ τῇ διανοίᾳ.
Ἐκ τῶν Ἐπικτήτου καί Ἰσοκράτους. Μηδέν τῆς ἀληθείας τιμιώτερον ἔστω· μηδέ φιλίας ἐκλογή ἐκτός παθῶν διακειμένη, οἷς τό δίκαιον συγχέεται καί σκοτίζεται.
Αἰσώπ. Αἴσωπος ἐρωτηθείς, Τί ὄφελος τοῖς ψευδομένοις ἐκ τοῦ ψεύδους, ἔφη, Τό κἄν ἀληθῆ λέγουσι μή πιστεύεσθαι.
Πλάτων. Πλάτων μέν ἥδιστον εἶναι τῶν ἀκουσμάτων τήν ἀλήθειαν ἔλεγε· Πολέμων δέ πολύ ἤδιον τοῦ ἀκούειν τό λέγειν εἶναι τ᾿ ἀληθῆ.
Μενάνδρου. Κρεῖσσον ἑλέσθαι ψεῦδος, ἤ ἀληθές κακόν.
ΛΟΓΟΣ Λστ´.
Περί θανάτου. Ἰωαν. ια´. Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ, κἄν ἀποθάνῃ, ζήσεται· καί πᾶς ὁ ζῶν καί πιστεύων εἰς
ἐμέ, οὐκ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τόν αἰῶνα.
Α´. Θεσ. δ´. Οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, περί τῶν κεκοιμημένων, ἵνα μή λυπεῖσθε, καθώς καί οἱ λοιποί οἱ μή ἔχοντες ἐλπίδα.
Σολομ. δ´. Τελειωθείς ἐν ὀλίγῳ, ἐπλήρωσε (901) χρόνους μακρούς· ἀρεστή γάρ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἡ ψυχή αὐτοῦ, διά τοῦτο ἔσπευσεν ἐκ μέσου πονηρίας.
Σιράαχ λ΄ . Κρείσσων θάνατος ὑπέρ ζωήν πικράν, ἤ ἀῤῥώστημα ἔμμονον.
Σιράχ λη´. Τέκνον, ἐπί νεκρῷ κατάγαγε δάκρυα, καί ποίησον πένθος κατά τήν τάξιν αὐτοῦ ἡμέραν μίαν καί δύο, χάριν διαβολῆς, καί παρακλήθητι λύπης ἕνεκα. Γνῶθι γάρ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπάνοδος, καί τοῦτον γάρ οὐκ ὠφελήσεις, καί σαυτόν κακώκεις. Ἀπό γάρ λύπης ἐκβαίνει θάνατος.
Βασιλείου. Ὥσπερ γάρ οἱ ἐν τοῖς πλοίοις καθεύδοντες, αὐτομάτως ὑπό τοῦ πνεύματος ἄγονται, κἄν αὐτοί μή αἰσθάνωνται· ἀλλ᾿ ὁ δρόμος αὐτούς πρός τό τέλος