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Sirach 5. As one who grasps a shadow and pursues winds, so is he who pays attention to dreams.
(1000) Basil. For as a general rule, apparitions in sleep are echoes of the daytime thoughts.
For in some way the imaginings in sleep are accustomed, for the most part, to be echoes of daytime cares. For whatever our pursuits in life may be, such must our dreams also be.
The nights, having taken up the daytime cares, deceive the mind in their own imaginings.
To see in a dream the things longed for, brings comfort to those who love.
Those enslaved by drunkenness and gluttony neither choose a genuine and pure sleep, nor are they delivered from fearful dreams.
The Theologian. Do not follow too closely the trifles of dreams Nor have a mind easily frightened in everything Nor be lifted up for me by auspicious phantoms; This is often an ambush of the enemy. Fools are richer in their dreams, Than those who possess an abyss of money. Chrysostom. He who pays attention to dreams is in every way worthless. John Climacus. For the demon often loves to speak to men by night of the future,
not so that they may guard against suffering [for they are not able to master fate,] but so that they may bear it more lightly when they suffer.
Nilus. He who pays attention to dreams is like one who chases his own shadow.
Whenever we begin to be persuaded by demons in our sleep, then, finally, they also mock us while we are awake.
Aeschines. To sleep beyond what is proper is more fitting for the dead than for the living.
DISCOURSE 66.
Concerning Guilelessness and Resentment. Matthew 18. Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not
enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5. If you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift, and go first be reconciled to your brother, and then offer your gift.
1 Thessalonians 5. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always pursue what is right.
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Σιράχ ε´. Ὡς ὁ δρασσόμενος σκιᾶς καί διώκων ἀνέμους, οὕτως ὁ προσέχων ἐνυπνίοις.
(1000) Βασιλείου. Ὡς γάρ ἐπί πολύ, τά καθ᾿ ὕπνον φαντάσματα, τῶν μεθημερινῶν ἐννοιῶν εἰσιν ἀπηχήματα.
Πεφύκασι γάρ πως αἱ καθ᾿ ὕπνον φαντασίαι, ὡς τά πολλά, ἀπηχήματα εἶναι τῶν μεθημερινῶν φροντίδων. Ὁποῖα γάρ ἄν ᾖ τά κατά τόν βίον ἡμῶν ἐπιτηδεύματα, τοιαῦτα ἀνάγκη εἶναι καί τά ἐνύπνια.
Αἱ νύκτες τάς μεθημερινάς φροντίδας παραλαβοῦσαι, ἐν ταῖς αὐτῶν φαντασίαις ἐξαπατῶσι τόν νοῦν.
Τό κατ᾿ ὄναρ ἰδεῖν τά ποθούμενα, φέρει τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι παραμυθίαν.
Οἱ μέθῃ καί ἀδηφαγίᾳ δεδουλωμένοι, οὔτε ὕπνον αἱροῦνται γνήσιον καί εἰλικρινῆ, οὔτε ὀνειράτων ἀπαλλάττονται φοβερῶν.
Θεολόγου. Μή σφόδρ᾿ ἕπεσθαι παιγνίοις ἐνυπνίων Μηδ᾿ εὐπτόητον εἰς ἅπαντ᾿ ἔχειν φρένα Μηδέ πτεροῦ μοι δεξιοῖς φαντάσμασι· Λόχος τάδ᾿ ἐστί πολλάκις τοῦ δυσμενοῦς. Πλουτοῦσι μωροί τοῖς ὀνείρασι πλέον, Ἤ χρημάτων ἄβυσσον οἱ κεκτημένοι. Χρυσοστ. Ὁ τοῖς ὀνείροις προσέχων, εἰς ἅπαν ἀδόκιμος. Ἰων. Κλίμ. Φιλεῖ γάρ τό δαιμόνιον πολλάκις ἀνθρώποις τό μέλλον νύκτωρ λαλεῖν,
οὐχ ἵνα φυλάξωνται μή παθεῖν [οὐ γάρ εἱμαρμένης δύνανται κρατεῖν,] ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα κουφότερον πάσχοντες φέρωσιν.
Νείλου. Ὁ τοῖς ὀνείροις προσέχων, ἔοικε τῷ τήν σκιάν αὐτοῦ καταδιώκοντι.
Ὁπόταν ἐν τοῖς ὕπνοις τοῖς δαίμοσι πείθεσθαι ἀρξώμεθα, τότε λοιπόν καί ἐγρηγορότας ἐμπαίζουσιν.
Αἰσχίν. Τό πέρα καθεύδειν τοῦ πρέποντος, τοῖς τεθνηκόσι μᾶλλον ἤπερ τοῖς ζῶσιν ἁρμόδιον.
ΛΟΓΟΣ Ξ στ´.
Περί ἀκακίας καί μνησικακίας. Ματθ. ιη´. Ἀμήν, λέγω ὑμῖν, ἐάν μή στραφῆτε καί γένησθε ὡς τά παιδία, οὐ μή
εἰσέλθητε εἰς τήν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν.
Ματθ. ε´. Ἐάν προσενέγκῃς τό δῶρόν σου εἰς τό θυσιαστήριον, κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ἔχει τι ὁ ἀδελφός σου κατά σοῦ, ἄφες τό δῶρόν σου, καί ὕπαγε πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, καί τότε προσφέρῃς τό δῶρόν σου.
Α´ Θεσσ. ε´. Ὁρᾶτε μή τις κακόν ἀντί κακοῦ ἀποδῷ τινι, ἀλλά πάντοτε τό δίκαιον διώκετε.