430

to dwell. Such were all they, opposite to us. For we live not as in a camp, but as in a peaceful city. For who ever lays foundations in a camp, and builds a house, which he is about to leave a little later? There is no one; but even if one should try, he is executed as a traitor. Who in a camp buys acres of land, and establishes businesses? There is no one; and very rightly so. For you have come, he says, to make war, not to be a petty trader. Why then do you labor over the place, which you will leave a little later? When we depart to the fatherland, do these things. These things I also say to you now. When we withdraw to the city above, do these things; or rather, you have need of no labors there; for the king will do everything for you. But here it is enough only to dig a trench around, and to plant a stake; there is no need of building. Hear what sort of life the wagon-dwelling Scythians have, what sort of lifestyle they say the nomads have. Thus ought Christians to live; to go about the world, warring against the devil, rescuing the captives held by him, and to be free from all the things of this life. Why do you build a house, O man, that you may bind yourself the more? Why do you bury treasure, and call the enemy against yourself? why do you surround yourself with walls, and build a prison for yourself? But if these things seem difficult to you, let us go to their tents, that we may learn the ease of it through their deeds. For they, having pitched huts, even if they must depart from them, they depart just as soldiers in peace leaving their camp. For so they are encamped, or rather even much more pleasantly. For it is more pleasant to see a desert holding the successive tents of monks, than soldiers in a camp stretching out awnings, and planting spears, and hanging saffron-colored robes from the points of their spears, and a multitude of men having bronze heads, and the bosses of their shields gleaming much, and men armored through and through with iron, and makeshift royal quarters, and a wide-spread plain, and men taking breakfast and playing flutes. For this spectacle is not so delightful as that which I now speak of. For if we go away into the desert, and see the tents of the soldiers of Christ, 58.653 we shall not see awnings stretched out, nor points of spears, nor golden robes making a royal vault, but just as if someone in a land much longer and vaster than this stretched out many heavens, he would show a new and awe-inspiring spectacle, so too is it possible to see there. For their lodgings are arranged no worse than the heavens; for both angels descend to them, and the Lord of angels. For if they came to Abraham, a man having a wife and raising children, because they saw he was hospitable; when they find much more virtue, and a man freed from the body, and in the flesh despising the flesh, much more do they spend their time here, and dance the dance that is fitting for them. For among them is a table pure of all greed, and full of philosophy. No torrents of blood are among them, nor butchering of meats, nor heaviness of head, nor seasonings, nor unpleasant smells of burnt fat among them, nor disagreeable smoke, nor runnings about and noises and disturbances and burdensome shouts; but bread and water; the one from a pure spring, the other from just labors. And if ever they should wish to feast more lavishly, their lavishness becomes fruits; and the pleasure here is greater than at royal tables. There is no fear and trembling here, no magistrate accused, no wife provoked, no child cast into despondency, no disorderly laughter weakened, no multitude of flatterers puffed up; but it is the table of angels, freed from all such disturbance. And a simple bed of grass is laid for them, just as Christ did when providing breakfast in the desert. But many do this not even under a roof, but instead of a roof have the sky, and the moon instead of the light of a lamp which needs no oil, nor one to serve it; for them alone worthily from above this