LETTER XXVIII. [A.D.387]

S. AMBROSE in this Letter maintains that Pythagoras derived much of his wisdom from a knowledge of the Hebrew Scriptures, and dwells on his maxim, 'not to follow the beaten track,' as one specially addressed to the priesthood.

AMBROSE TO IRENAEUS, GREETING.

1. IN the writings of certain authors we find a precept of Pythagoras forbidding his disciples to enter upon the common path trodden by the people. Now the source from whence he drew this is not unknown. For as he derived (according to the general opinion) his descent from the Jews, from their learning he derived also the precepts of his school. This rendered him highly esteemed among philosophers, so that he hardly met, it is said, with his equal. Now he had read in the book of Exodus that by the Divine command Moses was bid  put off his shoes from off his feet. This command was also given to Joshua the son of Nun, namely that they, when desired to walk along the Lord's path, should shake off the dust of the beaten and vulgar tracks. He had also read the command to Moses to go up to the mount with the priests, while the people stood apart. So God separated the priests from the people, and subsequently commanded Moses himself to enter into the cloud.  03-195 195. Exod. iii. 5. Josh. v. 15. Exod. xxiv. 13 14.

2. You see then the separation. Nothing vulgar, nothing popular, nothing in common with the desires and usages and manners of the rude multitude is looked for in priests. The dignity of the priesthood claims for itself a sober and unruffled calmness, a serious life, an especial gravity. How can he be respected by the people, who is in nothing distinct from the people, or different from the multitude? And what can a man look up to in you who recognizes himself in you, who sees nothing in you which is beyond himself, and who finds in you, to whom he deems respect to be due, the things which he blushes at in himself?

3. Wherefore let us pass over the opinions of the people, and the resorts of the common herd, and the line of the beaten track, the ground also of that common path along which he runs, whose  days are swifter than a post, of whom it is said,  they flee away, they see no good.  03-196 196. Job ix. 25. But let us find for ourselves a path secluded from the conversation of the proud, inaccessible to the works of the unlearned, trodden by no polluted person, polluted that is by the stains of his own sloth, and smeared by the smoke of iniquity, his soul darkened and ruinous, "one who has never tasted the sweetness of virtue, or at any rate has thought that she should be looked upon askance rather than met with direct regard and with open arms, who moreover (as is the wont of many who seem to themselves witty and polite, and transform the beauty of wisdom into dishonourable guile,) regards not true Grace, but shrouded as it were in darkness, gives no credence to those who live in the light of day, being of the number of the men of Tema and Sheba, who fall off and turn away from the truth; of whom Job says,  Behold ye the ways of them of Tema, the paths of the Sabaeans, for they shall be confounded who put their hopes in cities and in riches. So ye also have risen against me without pity, therefore when ye see my wound, be afraid.   03-197 197. Ib. vi. 19-21.

4. Let us then abandon these devious paths of them that turn aside, and this dust of those who fail, who through their lust fall oftentimes in the desert, and let us be converted and follow the way of wisdom, that way which the children of those who boast and glorify themselves have not trodden, that way which destruction knows not, and death is ignorant of; for God hath marked it out;  the depth saith, It is not in me, and the sea saith, It is not with me.  03-198 198. Ib. xxviii. 14. But if you seek for the way of wisdom and discipline, to worship God, and to be subject to Him is wisdom, and to abstain from sin is discipline.

5. What then have we to do with the way of this world, wherein is temptation; yea the life itself of men is temptation, and more empty even than vain fables, living in houses of clay, spending nights and days in quest of gain, with their thoughts ever upon it, seeking like hired servants their daily wages, and as they say grasshoppers do  03-199 199. a He is here referring to Virg. Ecl. 5, 77. Dumque thymo pascuntur apes, dum rore cicadae. , feeding on the empty breath of desires. Truly, like grasshoppers, living from day to day, they burst with their own complainings  03-200 200. b Here again he is thinking of Virg. Georg. 3, 328.Et cantu querulae rampent arbusta cicadae. . For what is the semblance of men without gravity or discipline, but that of grasshoppers, born to a daily death, chirping rather than speaking? These beneath the heat of burning desires soothe themselves with a song hurtful to themselves, and quickly die bearing no fruit, and possessed of no grace. Noxious and crooked are their ways as those of serpents, whose bodies are drawn along in poisoned folds, who gather themselves up into a coil of wickedness  03-201 201. c Here again S. Ambrose is thinking of Virg. Georg. 2, 154. Squameus in spiram tractu se colligit anguis. , and cannot raise themselves to heavenly things.

6. But let us enter the gates of the Lord,  the gates of righteousness, which the righteous entereth and  giveth praise unto the Lord.  03-202 202. Ps.cxviii. 19. But few enter in here, wherefore the Lord saith,  Straight is the gate and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.  03-203 203. S. Matt. vii. 14. But the wide gate and broad way, wherein the many walk, leads to death, and carries thither them that travel on it.

7. Let our way then be narrow, our virtue abundant, our steps more careful, our faith more lofty, our path narrow, our energy of mind overflowing, our paths straight, for the steps of virtue cannot be turned aside; wherefore Solomon saith,  Who leave the paths of uprightness.  03-204 204. Prov. ii. 13.

8. Let our steps tend upward, for it is better to ascend. Lastly, as we read to-day,  Woe to them that go down to Egypt!  03-205 205. Is. xxxi. 1. Not that to pass over into Egypt isblameable, but to pass into their habits, to pass into their cruel perfidy and hideous lusts. He that passes over thither descends, he that descends falls. Wherefore let us avoid the Egyptian, who is man, not God. For the king of Egypt himself was given over to the dominion of his vices, and compared with him Moses was accounted a god, ruling over kingdoms and subjecting to himself powers. Hence we read that he was addressed thus,  See I have made thee a god to Pharoah.  03-206 206. Exod.vii. 1. Farewell, and love me, as indeed you do, with the affection of a son.

902 EPISTOLA XXVIII.

 Pythagoricum adagium, communem viam esse declinandam, petitum fuisse ex sacris paginis, indeque colligi a plebeia vita abhorrere debere sacerdotalem. Hinc Ambrosius Irenaeum ut populares opiniones et cupiditates fugiat, ingrediatur Domini portas et viam arctam, atque ducentem ad superiora, calcet, excitat. 

AMBROSIUS IRENAEO salutem.

1. Pythagoricum mandatum in aliquorum scriptis praedicari invenimus, quod ille discipulos suos  1051B communem atque usitatam populo prohibuerit ingredi viam. Sed hoc unde assumpserit, non est incognitum. Nam cum ex populo Judaeorum, ut plerique arbitrantur, genus duxerit, ex ejus disciplina derivavit etiam magisterii praecepta: meritoque magnus apud philosophos habitus; aequalem, ut aiunt, vix reperit. Legerat itaque in Exodo Moysi divino praeceptum esse oraculo:  Solve calceamentum pedum tuorum (Exod. III, 15) Id etiam praeceptum Jesu Nave (Josue V, 16), videlicet ut detritae et popularis viae deponerent pulverem, qui viam Domini ambulare desiderarent. Legerat praeceptum eidem Moysi, ut montem cum sacerdotibus ascenderet, populus autem seorsum staret (Exod. XXIV, 13, 14). Separavit igitur sacerdotes a populo, et postea ipsum  1051C Moysen intra nubem introire praecepit.

2. Vides divisiones? Nihil in sacerdotibus plebeium requiri, nihil populare, nihil commune cum studio atque usu et moribus inconditae multitudinis? Sobriam a turbis gravitatem, seriam vitam, singulare pondus dignitas sibi vindicat sacerdotalis. Quomodo enim potest observari a populo, qui nihil habet secretum a populo, dispar a multitudine? Quid enim in te miretur, si sua in te recognoscat, si nihil in te  1052A aspiciat, quod ultra se inveniat, si quae in se erubescit, in te quem reverendum arbitratur, offendat?

3. Supergrediamur igitur plebeias opiniones, et strata quaedam gregalis conversationis, ac detritae viae orbitas declinemus, ac vulgaris semitae solum, quam currit ille, cujus vita levior cursore, de quo dicitur:  Transivit, et non vidit (Job. IX, 25). Sed quaeramus nobis viam inaccessam sermonibus insolentium, inviam operibus imperitorum, quam nullus maculosus deterat, maculosus scilicet ignaviae suae sordibus, et fumo iniquitatis oblitus, tenebrisque et parietinis quibusdam animae ruinosus, qui nullam virtutis 903 suavitatem gustaverit, aut certe limis eam spectandam magis quam directo affectu, et aperto sinu mentis suscipiendam arbitratus sit: et (quod plerique  1052B amant, qui sibi faceti atque urbani videntur, pulchritudinem sapientiae in dedecus versutiae transfigurantes) veram non intuens gratiam, tamquam in nocte positus, non credit in die viventibus; quia de numero Themanorum et Sabaeorum est deficientium et avertentium se a veritate de quibus dicit Job:  Videte vias Themanorum, et semitas Sabaeorum; quia confusionem incident, qui in civitatibus et divitiis spem habent. Ita et vos insurrexistis in me sine misericordia; unde viso vulnere meo, timete  (Job. VI, 19 et seq.).

4. Has igitur devias semitas declinantium, et illum deficientium pulverem, qui propter suam appetentiam ceciderunt saepe in deserto, derelinquamus. Convertamur autem, et sequamur sapientiae viam, quam non calcaverunt filii glorificantium se et jactantium,  1052C quam interitio ignorat, mors nescit; quia Deus direxit eam:  Abyssus dixit: Non est in me:   mare dixit: Non est mecum (Job. XXVIII, 14). Sed si quaeris viam sapientiae et disciplinae, colere Deum, atque ei subditum esse sapientia est: abstinere autem a peccatis disciplina est.

5. Quid igitur nobis cum istius saeculi via, in qua est tentatio, immo ipsa vita hominis tentatio est, et exilior quam sermo fabularum, habitare in luteis domibus,  1053A dies et noctes in lucris ponere, et de lucris semper cogitare, et sicut mercenarios diurnam mercedem quaerere, atque, ut cicadas aiunt, aura quadam pasci cupiditatum? Vere sicut cicadas, quia de die in diem vivunt, questu rumpuntur suo. Quid enim aliud sunt homines nullius ponderis, nullius disciplinae, nisi ut videantur sicut cicadae, ad mortem nati diurnam, strepentes magis quam loquentes? Qui sub ardore ferventium cupiditatum se mulceant cantu sibi noxio, statimque occidant, nullum fructum ferentes, nihil habentes gratiae. Horum igitur viae noxiae tortuosaeque serpentium, qui venenato lapsu corporis sese trahunt, atque in spiram nequitiae sese colligunt, et erigere non queunt ad coelestia

6. Ingrediamur autem portas Domini, portas justitiae; quas justus qui fuerit ingressus, confitetur Domino  1053B (Psal. CXVII, 19). Sed haec paucorum ingressio, unde Dominus ait, quia  angusta porta, et arcta est via, quae ducit ad vitam; et pauci sunt, qui inveniunt eam (Matth. VII, 14). Lata autem porta et spatiosa via, qua multi gradiuntur, ad mortem dirigit, et viatores suos eo ducit.

904 7. Sit ergo via nostra angustior, virus exuberantior, trames pressior, fides sublimior, callis arctior, vigor mentis exundans, semitae rectae; quia inflexibilia sunt virtutum vestigia. Unde Salomon:  O qui dereliquerunt semitas rectas (Prov. II, 13)!

8. Sit gressus ad superiora; quia melius est ascendere. Denique, sicut lectum est hodie:  Vae iis, qui descendunt in Aegyptum (Esai. XXXI, 1)! Non utique  1053C transire in Aegyptum criminosum est: sed transire in mores Aegyptiorum, transire in eorum perfidiae saevitatem, et luxuriae deformitatem. Qui eo transit, descendit: qui descendit, cadit. Declinemus itaque Aegyptium hominem, et non Deum. Vitiis enim suis etiam ipse rex Aegyptiorum in potestatem est datus, cujus comparatione Moyses Deus aestimatus est, imperans regnis, subjiciens sibi potestates. Unde ei dictum legimus:  Faciam te in Deum regi Pharaoni (Exod. VII, 1). Vale, et nos, ut facis, quasi filius dilige.