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In sanctos martyres (fragmentum) (homilia 17) [Dub.]

Of Hesychius, from the encomiums on the martyrs.

1 You therefore, men, brothers and fathers, having entered the Spirit's garden full of flowers, eagerly gather from there the virtues, not one but many, or rather not many but all; for virtue needs virtue, since a wing also needs a wing, and a wheel a wheel, and a step a step, and an oar an oar, and a rudder a rudder. If you do not join stone to stone, the tower is not raised to a height; in this same way, if we do not build up law upon law, we do not reach heaven; if you do not join commandment to commandment, the race is incomplete. And how are we able to lay claim to the crown? Fasting is good, but without prayer it does not trample on demons; "For this kind," he says, "does not go out except by fasting and prayer." And prayer is good, but without almsgiving it cannot ascend to heaven; for you have heard the angel saying to Cornelius: "Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God." Therefore almsgiving carried prayer up to heaven. Almsgiving is therefore wonderful, but without faith it does not work a redemption from sins; "For by alms and faith sins are purified." Meekness is enviable, but without humility it cannot produce a royal character; "For learn from me," he says, "for I am meek and humble in heart." Faith is good, so that even the smallest part of it is able to move mountains, but without love it becomes vain and superfluous; "For if I have faith," he says, "so as to move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." Let us strive therefore, beloved, to pursue these virtues, so that we may be deemed worthy of the kingdom of heaven. Do not be, beloved, zealous about faith, but more sluggish about zeal, not diligent about the scriptures, but unphilosophical about morals; for one must be rich in good works, in word, in wisdom, in temperance, in justice, in courage, in piety, in prudence and holiness; for just as wickedness, even before Gehenna, punishes those who pursue it, so virtue, for those who practice it, even before the kingdom, prepares delight.

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In sanctos martyres (fragmentum) (homilia 17) [Dub.]

̔Ησυχίου, ἀπὸ ἐγκωμίων εἰς μάρτυρας.

1 Ὑμεῖς οὖν, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, τὸν πολυανθῆ κῆπον εἰσελθόντες τοῦ Πνεύματος προθύμως ἐκεῖθεν τὰς ἀρετὰς τρυγήσατε, μὴ μίαν ἀλλὰ πολλάς, μᾶλλον δὲ μὴ πολλὰς ἀλλὰ πάσας· ἀρετὴ γὰρ ἀρετῆς χρῄζει, ἐπειδὴ καὶ πτεροῦ πτερὸν καὶ τροχοῦ τροχὸς καὶ βαθμὸς βαθμίδος καὶ κώπη κώπης καὶ πηδαλίου πηδάλιον. Ἐὰν μὴ ζεύξῃς λίθῳ λίθον, ὁ πύργος εἰς ὕψος οὐκ ἐγήγερται· τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον, ἐὰν μὴ νόμον ἐπὶ νόμον κατορθώσωμεν, τὸν οὐρανὸν οὐ φθάνομεν· ἐὰν μὴ συνάψῃς ἐντολὴν ἐντολῇ, ἀτελὴς ὁ δρόμος. Καὶ πῶς ἐπιβάλλεσθαι τοῦ στεφάνου δυνάμεθα; Καλὸν ἡ νηστεία, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς προσευχῆς οὐκ ἐπιπατεῖ δαίμοσιν· «Τοῦτο γάρ», φησίν, «τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐξέρχεται εἰ μὴ ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ προσευχῇ.» Καὶ καλὸν μὲν ἡ προσευχή, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐλεημοσύνης εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀναβῆναι οὐ δύναται· ἀκήκοας γὰρ τοῦ ἀγγέλου πρὸς τὸν Κορνήλιον λέγοντος· «Αἱ προσευχαί σου καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θεοῦ.» Οὐκοῦν ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη τὴν προσευχὴν εἰς οὐρανὸν ἐβάστασεν. Θαυμαστὴ μὲν οὖν ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς πίστεως ἁμαρτημάτων οὐκ ἐργάζεται λύτρωσιν· «Ἐλεημοσύναις γὰρ καὶ πίστεσιν ἀποκαθαίρονται ἁμαρτίαι.» Ζηλωτὸν ἡ πραότης, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς τῆς ταπεινώσεως βασιλικὸν ἀποτελέσαι χαρακτῆρα οὐ δύναται· «Μάθετε γὰρ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, φησίν, ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ.» Καλὸν ἡ πίστις ὡς καὶ τὸ βραχύτατον αὐτῆς ὄρη δύνασθαι μεθιστᾶν, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἀγάπης εἰκαία καὶ περιττὴ καθέστηκεν· «Κἂν ἔχω γὰρ πίστιν», φησίν, «ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.» Σπουδάσωμεν οὖν, ἀγαπητοί, τὰς ἀρετὰς ταύτας μετελθεῖν, ἵνα τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας καταξιωθῶμεν. Μὴ ἴσθι, ἀγαπητέ, περὶ μὲν τὴν πίστιν σπουδαῖος, περὶ δὲ τὴν σπουδὴν ὀκνηρότερος, μὴ περὶ μὲν τὰς γραφὰς φιλόπονος, περὶ δὲ τὰ ἤθη ἀφιλόσοφος· πλουτεῖν γὰρ δεῖ ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν σοφίᾳ, ἐν σωφροσύνῃ, ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, ἐν ἀνδρείᾳ, ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ, ἐν φρονήσει καὶ ὁσιότητι· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ κακία καὶ πρὸ τῆς γεέννης κολάζει τοὺς μετιόντας αὐτήν, οὕτως ἡ ἀρετὴ τοὺς ἐργαζομένους αὐτὴν καὶ πρὸ τῆς βασιλείας παρασκευάζει τρυφᾶν.