1

De mansuetudine sermo

Of the same, on meekness. 63.549

1. I think you all know clearly that it is fitting for those who intelligently hear the oracles of God to practice good character and virtue of manners. For this is that in which the servants of Christ especially differ from those who are ignorant of the truth, in living with kindness and presenting a life worthy of piety. For it is not unlikely for those who are ignorant of Christ to be wicked and depraved in manner; but the servant of Christ should be called rather from the gentleness of his character, than by the name given to him by his parents. For the human race is not so loved63.550 by God, not from virginity, not from fasting, not from despising money, not from eagerly extending a hand to those in need, as from gentleness and good order of character; and yet, eager assistance to those in need comes from nowhere else but from kindness, in all who love Christ. And just as streams from springs, so care for the poor comes from gentleness of character. For every reasonable and meek man is easily drawn to philanthropy, and 63.551 would not endure to overlook those who are in want, considering the poverty of others his own misfortune. Now, envy is the worst of all evils; but a kind and meek man does not admit this wicked disease into his soul, but seeing his esteemed brothers, he rejoices and is glad with them, considering the good reputation of others his own good reputation, thinking the things of friends to be common, rejoicing in good things, and grieving in sorrowful things. Such are the gifts of meekness, such is the life of those living together in reasonableness; the meek man is a father of orphans, a protector of widows, a guardian against poverty, a helper of the wronged, everywhere making justice prevail. And a father living with meekness is venerable to a child, and a child to a father, and a slave to a master, and nothing else makes a master enjoy the goodwill of his household servants. For when they see him rejoicing in reasonableness, and behaving meekly towards all, they esteem and admire him highly, considering their possessor a father rather than a master. Come, then, let us examine precisely, according to our ability, how many good things come to the reasonable from gentleness of character. Therefore the meek man is a friend to those who see him, and also a friend to those known by hearing; and there is no one who, hearing a gentle man being praised, would not desire to see and greet and continually behold him, counting the friendship of such a one as gain. And if some should dispute with one another over money, they hasten to the kind and meek man, believing that all strife and contention will be quickly resolved by his kindness. For if it should happen that men are hostile toward one another, the gentleness of the judge persuades those who are easily carried away into anger and wrath to become meek. But if any others appear, wishing to lead the combatants to friendship, they would not be able to appear venerable. For I think that in each matter, a persuasive counselor is the one who is first to engage in the actions which he advised to hold to. When, therefore, the teacher of reasonableness is the first to appear confirming his precepts, he has no sooner appeared than he has tamed the enraged, and he has no need of admonition or words, but before uttering anything, he has introduced peace. And just as a ray of the sun, having appeared, the darkness

1

De mansuetudine sermo

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ περὶ πραότητος. 63.549

αʹ. Οἶμαι πάντας ὑμᾶς ἐπίστασθαι σαφῶς, ὅτι προσήκει τοὺς τῶν λογίων τοῦ Θεοῦ συνετῶς ἀκούοντας, ἦθος ἀγαθὸν καὶ τρόπων ἀρετὴν ἀσκεῖν. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ᾧ μάλιστα διαφέρουσιν οἱ δοῦλοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀγνοούντων, τῷ χρηστότητι συζῇν καὶ βίον ἄξιον τῆς εὐσεβείας παρέχεσθαι. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ τὸν Χριστὸν ἀγνοοῦντας οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς πονηρούς τε εἶναι καὶ μοχθηροὺς τὸν τρόπον· ὁ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλος ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἠθῶν ἡμερότητος καλείσθω μᾶλλον, ἢ τοῦ παρὰ τῶν γονέων αὐτῷ τεθέντος ὀνόματος. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως ἀγαπᾶ63.550 ται παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος, οὐκ ἀπὸ παρθενίας, οὐκ ἀπὸ νηστείας, οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ τῶν χρημάτων καταφρονεῖν, οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ προθύμως χεῖρα τοῖς δεομένοις ὀρέγειν, ὡς ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμερότητος καὶ τῆς τῶν ἠθῶν εὐταξίας· καίτοι καὶ τὸ προθύμως ἐπαρκεῖν τοῖς δεομένοις οὐκ ἄλλοθεν οὐδαμόθεν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς χρηστότητος περιγίνεται πᾶσι τοῖς τὸν Χριστὸν ἀγαπῶσι. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκ τῶν πηγῶν οἱ ῥύακες, οὕτως ἡ πρόνοια τῶν πτωχῶν ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἠθῶν ἡμερότητος. Πᾶς γὰρ ἐπιεικής τε καὶ πρᾶος ῥᾳδίως εἰς φιλανθρωπίαν καθέλκεται, καὶ 63.551 οὐκ ἀνάσχοιτο περιιδεῖν τοὺς ἐν ἐνδείᾳ καθεστηκότας, ἑαυτοῦ νομίζων συμφορὰν τὴν πενίαν τῶν ἄλλων. Ἔστι τοίνυν φθόνος μὲν ἁπάντων κάκιστος· ἀνὴρ δὲ χρηστὸς καὶ πρᾶος οὐ παραδέχεται τῇ ψυχῇ τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο νόσημα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς εὐδοκιμοῦντας ἀδελφοὺς ὁρῶν, συγχαίρει καὶ συνήδεται, ἑαυτοῦ νομίζων εὐδοξίαν τὴν τῶν ἄλλων εὐδοξίαν, κοινὰ τὰ τῶν φίλων ἡγούμενος, ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς συγχαίρων, ἐν δὲ τοῖς λυπηροῖς συναλγῶν. Τοιαῦτα τὰ τῆς πραότητος δῶρα, τοιοῦτος ὁ βίος τῶν ἐν ἐπιεικείᾳ συζώντων· ὁ πρᾶος ὀρφανῶν πατὴρ, χηρῶν προστάτης, πενίας κηδεμὼν, ἀδικουμένων βοηθὸς, πανταχοῦ ποιῶν τοῦ δικαίου τὸ κράτος. Καὶ παιδίῳ πατὴρ αἰδέσιμος ὁ πραότητι συζῶν, καὶ παῖς πατρὶ, καὶ δοῦλος δεσπότῃ, καὶ τὸν δεσπότην οὐδὲν ἕτερον τῆς παρὰ τῶν οἰκετῶν εὐνοίας ἀπολαύειν ποιεῖ. Ὅταν γὰρ ἴδωσιν αὐτὸν ἐπιεικείᾳ χαίροντα, καὶ πράως ἅπασι προσφερόμενον, περὶ πολλοῦ ποιοῦνται καὶ θαυμάζουσι, πατέρα μᾶλλον ἢ δεσπότην τὸν κεκτημένον νομίζοντες. Φέρε δὴ, κατὰ δύναμιν ἡ μετέραν ἀκριβῶς ἐζετάσωμεν, ὅσα τοῖς ἐπιεικέσιν ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἠθῶν ἡμερότητος ἀγαθὰ περιγίνεται. Οὐκοῦν ὁ πρᾶος φίλος μὲν τοῖς ὁρῶσι, φίλος δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀκοῇ γνωρίμοις· καὶ οὐδείς ἐστιν ὃς ἥμερον ἄνθρωπον ἐπαινούμενον ἀκούων, οὐκ ἂν ἐπιθυμήσειεν ἰδεῖν καὶ ἀσπάσασθαι καὶ συνεχῶς ὁρᾷν, ἐν κέρδους μέρει τὴν τοῦ τοιούτου φιλίαν ποιούμενος. Κἂν ὑπὲρ χρημάτων τινὲς πρὸς ἀλλήλους διενεχθῶσιν, ἐπὶ τὸν χρηστὸν καὶ πρᾶον ἐπείγονται, νομίζοντες πᾶσαν ἔριν καὶ φιλονεικίαν λυθήσεσθαι ταχέως ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκείνου χρηστότητος. Καὶ γὰρ ἂν συμβῇ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους φιλέχθρως ἔχειν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, ἡ τοῦ δικάζοντος ἡμερότης δυσωπεῖ γενέσθαι πράους τοὺς ῥᾳδίως εἰς ὀργὴν καὶ θυμὸν ἐκφερομένους. Ἂν δὲ ἄλλοι φανῶσί τινες εἰς φιλίαν ἄγειν τοὺς μαχομένους ἐθέλοντες, οὐκ ἂν δυνηθεῖεν αἰδέσιμοι φαίνεσθαι. Ἐφ' ἑκάστου γὰρ οἶμαι τῶν πραγμάτων σύμβουλος πιθανὸς ὁ πρῶτος τῶν πράξεων, ὧν ἔχεσθαι συνεβούλευσεν, ἁπτόμενος. Ὅταν οὖν ὁ τῆς ἐπιεικείας διδάσκαλος πρῶτος φανῇ τὰ παραγγέλματα βεβαιῶν, ἅμα τε ὤφθη καὶ τοὺς μεμηνότας ἡμέρωσε, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ δεῖ νουθεσίας καὶ λόγων, ἀλλὰ πρίν τι φθέγξασθαι, τὴν εἰρήνην εἰσήγαγεν. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἀκτὶς ἡλίου φανεῖσα, τὸ σκότος