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O avarice! For he who had often seen Him pass through the midst of them, and not be seized, and give many proofs of His own divinity and power, expected to restrain Him; and this, after so many sayings both fearful and gentle were chanted to him, so as to destroy this wicked thought. For not even at the supper did He desist from this care, but until the last day He spoke to him about these things. But he gained nothing. Nevertheless, the Master did not cease from doing His part. Knowing these things, therefore, let us not fail to do everything for sinners and the slothful, admonishing, teaching, exhorting, counseling, advising, even if we do no good. For Christ foreknew the incorrigible nature of the traitor; but nevertheless He did not cease contributing His part, both admonishing, and threatening, and bewailing, and nowhere clearly, nor openly, but in a hidden manner. And at the very moment of the betrayal He deigned even to kiss him; but this did not profit him. So great an evil is avarice; for this made him both a traitor and a temple-robber. Hear, all you who are avaricious, who have the disease of Judas; hear and beware of the passion. For if he who was with Christ, and worked miracles, and enjoyed so much teaching, because he was not freed from the disease, was brought down into such a pit; much more will you, who do not even hear the Scriptures, who are continually fastened to present things, be easily captured by this passion, if you do not receive constant care. Each day he was with Him who had nowhere to lay His head, and each day he was taught, by deeds, by words, not to have gold, nor silver, nor two tunics, and 58.728 yet he was not brought to his senses; and how do you expect to escape the disease, not receiving intense therapy, and using much diligence? For this beast is terrible, terrible; but nevertheless if you are willing, you will easily overcome it. For the desire is not natural; and this is clear from those who are freed from it. For the things of nature are common to all; but this desire comes from sloth alone; from this it is born, from this it grows; and when it seizes those who gape for it, it makes them live contrary to nature. For when they ignore their fellow creatures, their friends, their brothers, their relatives, simply everyone, and with these also themselves, this is to live contrary to nature. Whence it is clear that vice is contrary to nature, and the disease of avarice, into which Judas also fell, and became a traitor. And how did he become such, you say, having been called by Christ? Because the call of God is not coercive, nor does it force the will of those who do not wish to choose virtue, but it advises and counsels, and does and contrives all things, so as to persuade them to become good; but if some do not endure it, it does not compel them. But if you wish to learn whence he became such, you will find that he was ruined by avarice. And how was he captured by this passion? you say. Because he was slothful. For from this come such changes, just as from diligence come those to the contrary. How many, then, having been violent, are now more gentle than sheep? How many licentious persons have afterwards become temperate? How many greedy persons before this have now even cast away their own things? And the contrary again has happened from sloth. For Gehazi also lived with a holy man, and he himself became wicked from the same disease. For this passion is the most grievous of all. From this come grave-robbers, from this murderers, from this wars and battles, and whatever evil you might name, from this it comes. And such a person is useless everywhere, whether he needs to be a general, or a leader of the people; or rather, not only in public affairs, but also in private ones. And if he is about to take a wife, he will not take the virtuous one, but the worst of all; and if to buy a house, not the one fitting for a free man, but the one that can bring in a large rent; and if servants, or if he is about to buy anything else, he will take the worst. And why do I speak of generalship, and leadership of the people, and household management? Even if

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φιλαργυρία! Ὁ γὰρ πολλάκις ἰδὼν αὐτὸν διὰ μέσου διελθόντα, καὶ μὴ κατασχεθέντα, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ θεότητος καὶ δυνάμεως πολλὰς παρασχόντα τὰς ἀποδείξεις, προσεδόκησεν αὐτὸν καθέξειν· καὶ ταῦτα, τοσαῦτα αὐτῷ κατεπᾴδοντα καὶ φοβερὰ καὶ προσηνῆ ῥήματα, ὥστε καταλῦσαι τὴν πονηρὰν ταύτην ἔννοιαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν τῷ δείπνῳ ταύτης ἀπέστη τῆς ἐπιμελείας, ἀλλ' ἕως ἐσχάτης ἡμέρας ὑπὲρ τούτων αὐτῷ διελέγετο. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἐκεῖνος ἐκέρδανεν. Οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο ὁ ∆εσπότης ἐπαύσατο τὰ αὐτοῦ ποιῶν. Ταῦτ' οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰδότες, μὴ διαλιμπάνωμεν πάντα ποιοῦντες εἰς τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας καὶ ῥᾳθύμους, νουθετοῦντες, διδάσκοντες, παρακαλοῦντες, παραινοῦντες, συμβουλεύοντες, κἂν μηδὲν ὠφελῶμεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς προῄδει τὸ ἀδιόρθωτον τοῦ προδότου· ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐκ ἐπαύσατο τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰσφέρων, καὶ νουθετῶν, καὶ ἀπειλῶν, καὶ ταλανίζων, καὶ οὐδαμοῦ σαφῶς, οὐδὲ δήλως, ἀλλ' ἐπικεκρυμμένως. Ἐν αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ καιρῷ τῆς προδοσίας καὶ φιλῆσαι αὐτὸν κατεδέξατο· ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἐκεῖνον ὤνησε τοῦτο. Τοσοῦτον ἡ φιλαργυρία κακόν· αὕτη γὰρ αὐτὸν καὶ προδότην καὶ ἱερόσυλον ἐποίησεν. Ἀκούσατε, πάντες οἱ φιλάργυροι, οἱ τὸ τοῦ Ἰούδα νόσημα ἔχοντες· ἀκούσατε καὶ φυλάξασθε τὸ πάθος. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ συνὼν τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ σημεῖα ἐργασάμενος, καὶ τοσαύτης ἀπολαύσας διδασκαλίας, ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἀπηλλάγη τοῦ νοσήματος, εἰς τοσοῦτον κατηνέχθη βάραθρον· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὑμεῖς, οἱ μηδὲ Γραφῶν ἀκούοντες, οἱ διαπαντὸς τοῖς παροῦσι προσηλωμένοι, εὐάλωτοι τῷ πάθει τούτῳ γενήσεσθε, εἰ μὴ συνεχοῦς ἀπολαύοιτε ἐπιμελείας. Καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συνῆν ἐκεῖνο. τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι ποῦ τὴν κεφαλὴν κλῖναι, καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἐπαιδεύετο τὴν ἡμέραν, δι' ἔργων, διὰ ῥημάτων, μὴ χρυσίον, μὴ ἀργύριον, μὴ δύο χιτῶνας ἔχειν, καὶ 58.728 ὅμως οὐκ ἐσωφρονίσθη· καὶ πῶς σὺ προσδοκᾷς διαφεύξεσθαι τὸ νόσημα, μὴ σφοδρᾶς ἀπολαύων θεραπείας, καὶ πολλῇ τῇ σπουδῇ κεχρημένος; ∆εινὸν γὰρ, δεινὸν τουτὶ τὸ θηρίον· ἀλλ' ὅμως ἂν ἐθέλῃς, ῥᾳδίως περιέσῃ. Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπιθυμία φυσική· καὶ δῆλον τοῦτο ἐκ τῶν ἀπηλλαγμένων αὐτῆς. Τὰ γὰρ τῆς φύσεως κοινὰ πάντων ἐστίν· αὕτη δὲ ἐκ ῥᾳθυμίας ἡ ἐπιθυμία γίνεται μόνης· ἐντεῦθεν φύεται, ἐντεῦθεν αὔξεται· καὶ τοὺς πρὸς αὐτὴν κεχηνότας ὅταν ἕλῃ, παρὰ φύσιν ποιεῖ ζῇν. Ὅταν γὰρ ἀγνοῶσι τοὺς ὁμοφύλους, τοὺς φίλους, τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς, τοὺς συγγενεῖς, ἅπαντας ἁπλῶς, καὶ μετὰ τούτων καὶ ἑαυτοὺς, παρὰ φύσιν τοῦτό ἐστι ζῇν. Ὅθεν δῆλον, ὅτι παρὰ φύσιν ἡ κακία, καὶ τὸ τῆς φιλαργυρίας νόσημα, ᾧ καὶ Ἰούδας περιπεσὼν, προδότης ἐγένετο. Καὶ πῶς τοιοῦτος γέγονε, φησὶ, κληθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Ὅτι οὐκ ἀναγκαστικὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ κλῆσις, οὐδὲ βιάζεται τὴν γνώμην τῶν μὴ βουλομένων ἀρετὴν ἑλέσθαι, ἀλλὰ παραινεῖ μὲν καὶ συμβουλεύει, καὶ πάντα ποιεῖ καὶ πραγματεύεται, ὥστε πεῖσαι γενέσθαι χρηστούς· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀνάσχοιντό τινες, οὐκ ἀναγκάζει. Εἰ δὲ βούλει μαθεῖν, πόθεν αὐτὸς γέγονε τοιοῦτος, εὑρήσεις ἀπὸ τῆς φιλαργυρίας αὐτὸν ἀπολωλότα. Καὶ πῶς ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους ἑάλω τούτου; φησίν. Ἐπειδὴ ἐῤῥᾳθύμησεν. Ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ αἱ τοιαῦται μεταβολαὶ, ὥσπερ οὖν ἀπὸ σπουδῆς αἱ πρὸς τὸ ἐναντίον. Πόσοι γοῦν βίαιοι γενόμενοι, προβάτων εἰσὶν ἡμερώτεροι νῦν; πόσοι ἀσελγεῖς, σώφρονες μετὰ ταῦτα κατέστησαν; πόσοι πλεονέκται πρὸ τούτου, νῦν δὲ καὶ τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἔῤῥιψαν; Καὶ τοὐναντίον πάλιν ἀπὸ ῥᾳθυμίας συνέβη. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Γιεζῆ ἀνδρὶ ἁγίῳ συνέζη, καὶ γέγονε μοχθηρὸς καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τοῦ αὐτοῦ νοσήματος. Τὸ γὰρ πάντων χαλεπώτατον τοῦτο τὸ πάθος. Ἐντεῦθεν τυμβωρύχοι, ἐντεῦθεν ἀνδροφόνοι, ἐντεῦθεν πόλεμοι καὶ μάχαι, καὶ ὅπερ ἂν εἴπῃς κακὸν, ἐντεῦθεν. Καὶ πανταχοῦ ἄχρηστος ὁ τοιοῦτος, ἄν τε στρατηγῆσαι, ἄν τε δημαγωγῆσαι δέῃ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς κοινοῖς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις. Κἂν γυναῖκα ἄγεσθαι μέλλῃ, οὐ λήψεται τὴν ἐνάρετον, ἀλλὰ τὴν πασῶν φαυλοτάτην· κἂν οἰκίαν πρίασθαι, οὐ τὴν ἐλευθέρῳ πρέπουσαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν πολὺν δυναμένην τὸν μισθὸν ἐνεγκεῖν· κἂν οἰκέτας, κἂν ὁτιοῦν ἕτερον ὠνεῖσθαι μέλλῃ, τὸ φαυλότατον λήψεται. Καὶ τί λέγω στρατηγίαν, καὶ δημαγωγίαν, καὶ οἰκονομίας; Κἂν