368

of the adulterer and of the thief. For on what account, tell me, does he rejoice? On account of the glory from the many, and being able to be puffed up and looked around at? And what could be more wicked than this desire and this absurd love? But if it is not wicked, stop mocking the vainglorious, and washing them with countless jeers; stop cursing the desperate and the arrogant. 58.574 But you would not endure it. Therefore they themselves are also worthy of countless accusations, even if they have countless lictors. And these things have been said by me concerning the more tolerable rulers, since we will find that the majority of them sin more than robbers, and murderers, and adulterers, and grave-robbers, from not using their authority well. For they both steal more shamelessly than they, and slay more rashly, and act licentiously far more unlawfully, and they break through, not one wall, but countless estates and houses, having great facility from their power. And they are slaves to a most harsh slavery, and yield ignobly to their passions, [and striking their fellow-servants unsparingly,] and trembling at all those who are privy to their secrets. For he alone is free, and he alone is a ruler, and more kingly than kings, who is delivered from passions. Knowing these things, therefore, let us pursue true freedom, and let us deliver ourselves from wicked slavery; and let us consider neither the pomp of office, nor the tyranny of wealth, nor anything else of that kind to be blessed, but virtue alone. For thus we shall both enjoy security here, and shall obtain the good things to come, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen. 58.573 HOMILY 59. Woe to the world because of offenses! For it is necessary that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! a. And if it is necessary for offenses to come, one of the adversaries might perhaps say, why does he pronounce the world wretched, when he ought to defend and extend a hand? For the former is the part of a physician and a protector, but the latter even of any ordinary person. What then should we say to so shameless a tongue? And what are you seeking that is equal to this healing? For being God, He became man for your sake, and took the form of a servant, and endured all the last things, and left nothing undone of what pertained to him. But since nothing more was done for the ungrateful, for this reason he pronounces them wretched, because after so great a healing they remained in their sickness. Just as if someone, lamenting one who is sick, who has enjoyed much care, but was unwilling to obey the laws of medicine, should say, Woe to such-and-such a man because of the sickness, which he has increased through his own negligence! But in that case there is no benefit from the lament; but here this too is a form of healing, to foretell what will be, and to pronounce it wretched. For many have often been counseled and received no benefit, but having been lamented they recovered. For this reason he has especially set down the "Woe," stirring them up, and making them anxious, and preparing them to be watchful. And with these things he also shows his good-will toward them, and his own gentleness, that he laments even those who speak against him, not only being displeased, but also correcting them both by the lament and by the prophecy, so that he might win them back. And how is this possible? he says. For if it is necessary for offenses to come, how 58.574 is it possible to escape them? Because it is necessary for offenses to come; but it is not at all necessary to be destroyed. Just as a physician might say (for nothing prevents us from using the same example again), it is necessary for this disease to arise, but it is not at all necessary for the one who pays attention to be destroyed by the disease. And this he said, as I was saying, among other things, also to awaken the disciples. For so that they might not doze off, as if sent to a peaceful and untroubled life, he shows them many wars arrayed against them, from without, from within. Which Paul also, making it plain, said; Without were fightings, within were fears; and, in perils among false brethren; and discoursing to the Milesians he said; And from among you yourselves men will arise, speaking perverse things. And

368

τοῦ μοιχοῦ καὶ τοῦ κλέπτου. Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν, εἰπέ μοι, χαίρει; διὰ τὴν παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν δόξαν, καὶ τὸ δύνασθαι φυσᾶσθαι καὶ περιβλέπεσθαι; Καὶ τί τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ταύτης πονηρότερον γένοιτ' ἂν καὶ τοῦ ἀτόπου τούτου ἔρωτος; Εἰ δὲ μὴ πονηρὸν, παύσασθε τοὺς κενοδόξους σκώπτοντες, καὶ μυρίοις πλύνοντες σκώμμασι· παύσασθε τοῖς ἀπονενοημένοις καὶ ὑπερόπταις ἐπαρώμενοι. 58.574 Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἂν ἀνάσχοισθε. Οὐκοῦν μυρίας ἄξιοι καὶ αὐτοὶ κατηγορίας, κἂν μυρίους ἔχωσι ῥαβδούχους. Καὶ ταῦτά μοι περὶ τῶν ἀνεκτοτέρων ἀρχόντων εἴρηται, ὡς τούς γε πλείονας καὶ λῃστῶν, καὶ ἀνδροφόνων, καὶ μοιχῶν, καὶ τυμβωρύχων μείζονα ἁμαρτάνοντας εὑρήσομεν, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ καλῶς κεχρῆσθαι τῇ ἀρχῇ. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ κλέπτουσιν ἐκείνων ἀναισχυντότερον, καὶ σφάττουσιν ἰταμώτερον, καὶ ἀσελγαίνουσι πολλῷ παρανομώτερον, καὶ διορύττουσιν, οὐ τοῖχον ἕνα, ἀλλὰ οὐσίας καὶ οἰκίας ἀπείρους, ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας πολλὴν τὴν εὐκολίαν ἔχοντες. Καὶ δουλεύουσι δουλείαν χαλεπωτάτην, καὶ τοῖς πάθεσιν ὑποκύπτοντες ἀγεννῶς, [καὶ τοὺς συνδούλους τύπτοντες ἀφειδῶς,] καὶ τοὺς συνειδότας αὐτοῖς ἅπαντας τρέμοντες. Μόνος γάρ ἐστιν ἐλεύθερος, καὶ μόνος ἄρχων, καὶ τῶν βασιλέων βασιλικώτερος, ὁ τῶν παθῶν ἀπηλλαγμένος. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδότες, διώξωμεν τὴν ἀληθῆ ἐλευθερίαν, καὶ τῆς πονηρᾶς δουλείας ἀπαλλάξωμεν ἑαυτούς· καὶ μήτε ἀρχῆς ὄγκον, μήτε πλούτου τυραννίδα, μήτε ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτον μακαριστὸν νομίζωμεν, ἀλλὰ ἀρετὴν μόνην. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τῆς ἐνταῦθα ἀπολαυσόμεθα ἀδείας, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιτευξόμεθα ἀγαθῶν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, σὺν τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 58.573 ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΝΘʹ. Οὐαὶ τῷ κόσμῳ ἀπὸ τῶν σκανδάλων! Ἀνάγκη γάρ ἐστιν ἐλθεῖν τὰ σκάνδαλα, πλὴν οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνθρώ πῳ ἐκείνῳ, δι' οὗ τὰ σκάνδαλα ἔρχεται! αʹ. Καὶ εἰ ἀνάγκη ἐστὶν ἐλθεῖν τὰ σκάνδαλα, εἴποι τις ἂν ἴσως τῶν ἐναντίων, τί ταλανίζει τὸν κόσμον, δέον ἀμῦναι καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέξαι; Τοῦτο γὰρ ἰατροῦ καὶ προστάτου ἐκεῖνο δὲ καὶ τοῦ τυχόντος. Τί οὖν ἂν εἴποιμεν πρὸς τὴν οὕτως ἀναίσχυντον γλῶτταν; Καὶ τί τῆς θεραπείας ταύτης ἴσον ἐπιζητεῖς; Καὶ γὰρ Θεὸς ὢν, ἄνθρωπος ἐγένετο διὰ σὲ, καὶ δούλου μορφὴν ἔλαβε, καὶ τὰ ἔσχατα πάντα ὑπέστη, καὶ οὐδὲν ἐνέλιπε τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἡκόντων. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ πλέον οὐδὲν γέγονε τοῖς ἀγνώμοσι, διὰ τοῦτο αὐτοὺς ταλανίζει, ὅτι μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην θεραπείαν ἔμειναν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας. Ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις καὶ τὸν κάμνοντα πολλῆς ἀπολαύσαντα ἐπιμελείας, καὶ οὐκ ἐθελήσαντα νόμοις πεισθῆναι ἰατρικοῖς, θρηνῶν λέγοι Οὐαὶ τῷ δεῖνι ἀνθρώπῳ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας, ἣν διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ηὔξησε ῥᾳθυμίας! Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖ μὲν οὐδὲν ὄφελος ἀπὸ τοῦ θρήνου· ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ τοῦτο εἶδος θεραπείας ἐστὶ, τὸ προειπεῖν τὸ ἐσόμενον, καὶ ταλανίσαι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πολλάκις συμβουλευθέντες μὲν οὐδὲν ὠφελήθησαν, θρηνηθέντες δὲ ἀνήνεγκαν. ∆ιὸ καὶ μάλιστα τὸ Οὐαὶ τέθεικε, διεγείρων αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐναγωνίους ποιῶν, καὶ ἐγρηγορέναι παρασκευάζων. Μετὰ δὲ τούτων καὶ τὴν εὔνοιαν ἐπιδείκνυται τὴν περὶ αὐτοὺς ἐκείνους, καὶ τὴν ἡμερότητα τὴν αὐτοῦ, ὅτι καὶ ἀντειπόντας θρηνεῖ, οὐ δυσχεραίνων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διορθούμενος καὶ τῷ θρήνῳ καὶ τῇ προῤῥήσει, ὥστε αὐτοὺς ἀνακτήσασθαι. Καὶ πῶς ἔνι τοῦτο; φησίν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀνάγκη ἐλθεῖν τὰ σκάνδαλα, πῶς 58.574 δυνατὸν ταῦτα διαφυγεῖν; Ὅτι ἐλθεῖν μὲν τὰ σκάνδαλα ἀνάγκη· ἀπολέσθαι δὲ οὐ πάντως ἀνάγκη. Ὥσπερ κἂν ἰατρὸς εἴποι (οὐδὲν γὰρ κωλύει τῷ αὐτῷ ὑποδείγματι χρήσασθαι πάλιν), ἀνάγκη τὴν νόσον τήνδε ἐπιστῆναι, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀνάγκη διαφθαρῆναι πάντως ὑπὸ τῆς νόσου τὸν προσέχοντα. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔλεγεν, ὅπερ ἔφην, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς ἀφυπνίζων. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ νυστάζωσιν, ὡς ἐπὶ εἰρήνην καὶ ἀτάραχον βίον πεμπόμενοι, πολλοὺς ἐφεστῶτας αὐτοῖς δείκνυσι πολέμους, ἔξωθεν, ἔσωθεν. Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγεν· Ἔξωθεν μάχαι, ἔσωθεν φόβοι· καὶ, Κινδύνοις ἐν ψευδαδέλφοις· καὶ Μιλησίοις δὲ διαλεγόμενος ἔφη· Καὶ ἀναστήσονταί τινες ἐξ ὑμῶν λαλοῦντες διεστραμμένα. Καὶ