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and they take away both our city and our nation, and when they had killed him, this happened. So also here, they were eager to crucify him publicly, in order to harm his reputation, and the opposite resulted. For that they had the authority to kill him by themselves, hear what Pilate says: Take him yourselves, and judge him according to your law. But they did not want to, so that he might seem to have been executed as a lawbreaker, as a usurper, as a seditionist. For this reason they also crucified robbers with him; for this reason they also said: Do not write, 'This is the King of the Jews,' but that 'He said.' But all these things happened for the sake of the truth, so that they might not have even a shadow of a shameless defense. And at the tomb likewise the seals and the guards caused the truth to shine forth more brightly; and the jeers and the taunts and the insults did this same thing again. For such is error; it is undone by the very means through which it plots. Thus it happened here also. For those who seemed to have conquered, these especially were shamed, and defeated, and destroyed; but he who seemed to be defeated, this one especially shone forth, and conquered decisively. Let us not then seek to conquer everywhere, nor let us flee defeat everywhere. There are times when victory 58.756 brings harm, and defeat, benefit. For in the case of those who are angry, the one who has committed many insults seems to have prevailed; but this one is especially he who has been defeated by the most grievous passion, and has been harmed. But the one who bore it nobly, he got the better and conquered. And the one was not even strong enough to extinguish his own disease, while the other removed another's too. And the one was defeated by his own, while the other got the better of another's too, and not only was he not burned himself, but he also extinguished another's flame that had risen on high. But if he had wanted to win what seems to be victory, he himself would have been defeated, and having inflamed the other, he would have caused him to suffer this more grievously, and like women, both would have been shamefully and piteously wrestled down by anger. But as it is, the one who acted philosophically was delivered from this shame, and he set up a brilliant trophy both in himself and in his neighbor against anger, through his noble defeat. 4. Let us not then seek to conquer everywhere. For the one who has taken advantage of another has conquered the one taken advantage of, but it is a bad victory, and one that brings ruin to the victor. But the one who was taken advantage of, and seems to be conquered, having borne it philosophically, this is he who especially has the crown. For in many cases it is better to be defeated, and this is the best manner of victory. For whether someone is greedy, or strikes, or casts an evil eye, the one who is defeated and does not engage in close combat is the one who conquers. And why do I speak of greediness and the evil eye? For even he who is dragged to martyrdom, thus he conquers, by being bound and scourged and cut to pieces and slaughtered. And what is defeat in wars, the falling of the combatant, this with us is victory. For nowhere do we conquer by doing evil, but everywhere by suffering evil. Thus also the victory becomes more brilliant, when by suffering we get the better of those who do the deeds. From this it is shown that the victory is of God. For its nature is contrary to that which is external, which is especially a proof of strength. Thus also the rocks of the sea by being struck break the waves; thus also all the saints were proclaimed and crowned, and set up brilliant trophies, conquering by this inactive victory. For do not move yourself, he says, nor grow weary. God has given you this strength, so that you may conquer not by engagement, but only by enduring. Do not yourself draw up in battle array on equal terms, and you have conquered; do not engage in combat, and you have been crowned. You are much better than your antagonist, and more powerful. Why do you disgrace yourself? Do not let him say, "Having engaged, you got the better," but let him be amazed and wonder at your invincible power, and say to all that even without joining battle you conquered. Thus also the blessed Joseph was proclaimed, everywhere getting the better of those who did evil by suffering evil. For both his brothers and the Egyptian woman were among those who plotted against him; but he prevailed over all of them. For do not mention to me the prison, which he inhabited, nor the

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καὶ ἄρωσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸ ἔθνος, καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀνεῖλον αὐτὸν, τοῦτο γέγονεν· οὕτω καὶ ἐνταῦθα, δημοσίᾳ αὐτὸν σταυρῶσαι ἐσπούδαζον, ἵνα βλάψωσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν δόξαν, καὶ τοὐναντίον ἐξέβη. Ἐπεὶ ὅτι γε ἐξουσίαν εἶχον καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἀνελεῖν, ἄκουσον τί φησιν ὁ Πιλάτος· Λάβετε αὐτὸν ὑμεῖς, καὶ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὑμῶν κρίνατε αὐτόν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἤθελον, ἵνα ὡς παράνομος, ὡς τύραννος, ὡς στασιώδης ἀνῃρῆσθαι δόξῃ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ λῃστὰς αὐτῷ συνεσταύρωσαν· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἔλεγον· Μὴ γράφε, ὅτι Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων, ἀλλ' ὅτι Ἐκεῖνος εἶπε. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐγίνετο, ὥστε μηδὲ σκιάν τινα αὐτοὺς ἔχειν ἀναισχύντου γοῦν ἀπολογίας. Καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ τάφου δὲ ὁμοίως τὰ σήμαντρα καὶ αἱ φυλακαὶ μᾶλλον διαλάμψαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐποίησαν· καὶ αἱ χλευασίαι καὶ τὰ σκώμματα καὶ αἱ λοιδορίαι τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦτο πάλιν ἐποίουν. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ πλάνη· δι' ὧν ἐπιβουλεύει, λύεται· οὕτω γοῦν καὶ ἐνταῦθα συνέβη. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ δοκοῦντες νενικηκέναι, οὗτοι μάλιστα καὶ ᾐσχύνθησαν, καὶ ἡττήθησαν, καὶ ἀπώλοντο· ὁ δὲ ἡττῆσθαι δοκῶν, οὗτος μάλιστα καὶ ἔλαμψε, καὶ ἐνίκησε κατὰ κράτος. Μὴ δὴ πανταχοῦ ζητῶμεν νικᾷν, μηδὲ πανταχοῦ τὸ ἡττᾶσθαι φεύγωμεν. Ἔστιν ὅπου νίκη μὲν 58.756 φέρει βλάβην, ἧττα δὲ ὠφέλειαν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν θυμουμένων, δοκεῖ μὲν ὁ πολλὰ ὑβρικὼς κεκρατηκέναι· οὗτος δὲ μάλιστά ἐστιν ὁ ἡττηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ χαλεπωτάτου πάθους, καὶ βλαβείς· ὁ δὲ ἐνεγκὼν γενναίως, οὗτος περιεγένετο καὶ ἐνίκησε. Καὶ ὁ μὲν οὐδὲ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἴσχυσε σβέσαι νόσημα· ὁ δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀλλότριον ἀνεῖλε· καὶ ὁ μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ οἰκείου ἡττήθη· ὁ δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἀλλοτρίου περιεγένετο, καὶ οὐ μόνον αὐτὸς οὐ κατεκάη, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἑτέρου φλόγα ἀρθεῖσαν εἰς ὕψος ἔσβεσεν. Εἰ δὲ ἠθέλησε νικῆσαι τὴν δοκοῦσαν νίκην εἶναι, καὶ αὐτὸς ἂν ἡττήθη, κἀκεῖνον ἐκκαύσας χαλεπώτερον τοῦτο παθεῖν παρεσκεύασεν ἂν, καὶ καθάπερ γυναῖκες, αἰσχρῶς καὶ ἐλεεινῶς ὑπὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ κατεπαλαίσθησαν ἂν ἑκάτεροι. Νυνὶ δὲ καὶ ταύτης ἀπηλλάγη τῆς αἰσχύνης ὁ φιλοσοφήσας, καὶ τρόπαιον λαμπρὸν καὶ ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ ἐν τῷ πλησίον ἔστησε κατὰ τῆς ὀργῆς διὰ τῆς καλῆς ἥττης. δʹ. Μὴ δὴ πανταχοῦ ζητῶμεν νικᾷν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ πλεονεκτήσας τὸν πλεονεκτηθέντα νενίκηκεν, ἀλλὰ κακὴν νίκην, καὶ ὄλεθρον φέρουσαν τῷ νικήσαντι· ὁ δὲ πλεονεκτηθεὶς, καὶ δοκῶν νενικῆσθαι, φιλοσόφως ἐνεγκὼν, οὗτος μάλιστά ἐστιν ὁ τὸν στέφανον ἔχων. Πολλαχοῦ γὰρ τὸ ἡττᾶσθαι βέλτιον, καὶ ἔστιν οὗτος ἄριστος νίκης τρόπος. Ἄν τε γὰρ πλεονεκτῇ τις, ἄν τε παίῃ, ἄν τε βασκαίνῃ, ὁ ἡττώμενος καὶ μὴ ὁμόσε χωρῶν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ νικῶν. Καὶ τί λέγω πλεονεξίαν καὶ βασκανίαν; Καὶ γὰρ ὁ εἰς μαρτύριον ἑλκόμενος, οὕτω νικᾷ, δεσμούμενος καὶ μαστιγούμενος καὶ κατακοπτόμενος καὶ σφαττόμενος. Καὶ ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ἧττα, τὸ πεσεῖν τὸν ἀγωνιζόμενον, τοῦτο παρ' ἡμῖν νίκη. Οὐδαμοῦ γὰρ δρῶντες κακῶς νικῶμεν, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ πάσχοντες κακῶς. Οὕτω καὶ ἡ νίκη λαμπροτέρα γίνεται, ὅταν πάσχοντες τῶν δρώντων περιγενώμεθα. Ἐντεῦθεν δείκνυται ὅτι Θεοῦ ἡ νίκη. Καὶ γὰρ ἐναντίαν ἔχει τῇ ἔξωθεν τὴν φύσιν· ὃ καὶ μάλιστα ἰσχύος τεκμήριον. Οὕτω καὶ αἱ θαλάττιαι πέτραι τῷ παίεσθαι τὰ κύματα διαλύουσιν· οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι πάντες ἀνεκηρύχθησαν καὶ ἐστεφανώθησαν, καὶ λαμπρὰ τὰ τρόπαια ἔστησαν, τὴν ἀπράγμονα ταύτην νικῶντες νίκην. Μηδὲ γὰρ κινήσῃς σαυτὸν, φησὶ, μηδὲ κάμῃς· ὁ Θεός σοι ταύτην ἔδωκε τὴν ἰσχὺν, ὡς μὴ ἐκ συμπλοκῆς νικᾷν, ἀλλὰ ἀνεχόμενον μόνον. Μὴ παρατάξῃ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξίσης, καὶ νενίκηκας· μὴ συμπλακῇς, καὶ ἐστεφανώθης. Πολὺ βελτίων εἶ τοῦ ἀνταγωνιστοῦ, καὶ δυνατώτερος. Τί καταισχύνεις σαυτόν; Μὴ δῷς ἐκείνῳ λέγειν, ὅτι Συμπλακεὶς περιεγένου, ἀλλ' ἄφες αὐτὸν τεθηπέναι καὶ θαυμάζειν σου τὴν ἄμαχον δύναμιν, καὶ πρὸς πάντας λέγειν, ὅτι καὶ χωρὶς τοῦ συμβαλεῖν ἐνίκησας. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ μακάριος Ἰωσὴφ ἀνεκηρύχθη, πανταχοῦ τῷ πάσχειν κακῶς περιγενόμενος τῶν ποιούντων. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ καὶ ἡ Αἰγυπτία τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ἦσαν· ἀλλὰ πάντων οὗτος ἐκράτησε. Μὴ γάρ μοι τὸ δεσμωτήριον, ὅπερ οὗτος ᾤκησε, μηδὲ τὰ