Emperor and Slave

Ζήνων δέ, ἐπεὶ τὴν βασιλειαν τοῦ παιδός οἱ τελευτήσαντος μόνος περιεβάλετο, ὥσπερ οὐκ οἰόμενος τῶν ὅλων ἐγκρατὴς γενέσθαι εἰ μὴ καὶ πὰσαις ταῖς ἐπιούσαις ἡδοναῖς μετ’ ἐξουσίας ἐπεξέλθοι, τοσοῦτον ἐκ προοιμίων ἑαυτον ταῖς ἐπιθυμιῶν ἐκδέδωκεν ὡς μηδὲν αὐτὸν ἐπισχεῖν τῶν ἀπρεπῶν τε καὶ ἀθέσμων, ἀλλ’ οὔτως τούτοις ἐμπολιτεύσασθαι ὡς τὸ σκοτίως ταῦτα καὶ ἐν παραβύστῳ γίγνεσθαι χαμερπὲς εἰναι νομίζειν, τὸ δέ γε ἀναφανδὸν καὶ ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀπόπτου βασιλικὸν καὶ αὐτοκράτορι μονῳ πρέπον, κακῶς καὶ δουλοπρεπῶς κρίνας. Οὐκ ἐξ ὠν γὰρ ἑτέρων κρατεῖν πέφυκεν ὁ αὐτοκράτωπ γνωρίζεται, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ὠν ἑαυτοῦ πρῶτον ἀρχει τε καὶ κρατεῖ, μηδενὶ τῶν ἀτόπων παρείσδυσιν ἑαυτῷ διδούς, οὔτω δὲ ἀνάλωτος ταῖς ἀκρασίας ὑπάρχων ὡς ζῶν ἄγαλμα τῶν ἀρετῶν εἰναι πρὸς μίμησιν, ἐκπαιδεύων τὸ ὑπήκοον. Ὁ δὲ ταὶς ἡδοναῖς ἑαυτόν ἀνοιγνυς λέληθε κατὰ σμικρὸν δοῦλος αἰσχιστος δορυάλωτος ἀνάποινος γιγνόμενος δεσποτείας συχνὰς ἀμείβων ἰσα τοῖς ἀρχείοις τῶν δούλων, εἴπερ ἀναρίθμητοι τῶν ἡδονῶν αἱ δέσποιναι καθεστᾶσιν, ἥκιστα πέτας τῆς συνεχείας τε καὶ τῆς σφῶν ἀλληλουχίας ἔχουσαι· ἀει τῆς ἐν χερσὶν ἡδονῆς οὐχ ἰσταμένης, ὑπέκκαυμα δὲ καὶ προοίμιον ἐτέρας γιγνομενος ἔως ἠ αὐτοκράτωρ τις ὄντως γιγνόμενος τὴν ὀχλοκρατείαν τῶν ἡδονῶν ξενηλατήσοι, βασιλεύων λοιπὸν οὐ τυραννούμενος, ἠ μέχρι τελευταίας ῥοπῆς δουλεύων τὰ ἐν Ἅιδου καταλάβοι.   Εὐαγρίος Σχολαστικός, Ἐκκλησιαστίκη Ἱστορία

Zeno, who on the passing of his son became sole emperor, as if thinking his power was incomplete without a strenuous pursuit of every available pleasure, so much gave himself to the attractions of desire that he hesitated at nothing even in those things improper and illicit but rather he was such a subject of them that he thought to do such things in darkness and in a corner was slavish but to do them openly was to be seen as kingly and most properly an emperor, a wretched and servile judgement; for a ruler is not known by what power he has over others, but by his own rule and power over himself, so that nothing improper to him slips in, and being thus impregnable to weakness, he is like a living statue of virtue for the imitation and the education of his subjects. But he who leaves himself open little by little becomes a base slave, an unransomable captive, regularly passing from one slave owner to another; since pleasures are a countless attendance of mistresses linked in succession, the pleasure at hand not lasting but being only a kindle and prelude to another, until one with power either expels the mob rule of pleasures, being a king rather than one who is tyrannized, or he is a slave until by death he seizes on the things of Hades. Evagrius Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History

Using The Royal Time

Prava corrigere, et recta corroborare, et sancta subliminare omni intentione studeat, et nomen Domini Dei excelsi per multa terrarum spatia diltare guadeat, et catholicae fidei lumen in extremis mundi partibus incendere conetur. Haec est, o dulcissime David, gloria, laus et merces tuae in judicio diei magni, et in perpetuo sanctorum consortio; ut diligentissime populum, excellentiae vestrae Deo comissum, corrigere studeas, et ignorantiae tenebris diu animas obcaecatas ad lumen verae fidei deducere coneris. Nunquam optimis voluntatibus, vel bonis conatibus remuneratio divina deerit: sed qui plus laborat in voluntate Dei, plus mercedis recipiet in regno Dei. Tempus hujus vitae velocitar currit, fugit et non revertitur; ineffabilis vero Dei pietas humano praevidebat generi breviter laborare et aeternaliter coronari. Ideo pretiosa debent esse nobis tempora, ne perdamus per negligentiam quod per bonae vitae exercitium habere poterimus aeternum. Alcuinus, Epistola XLIII Ad Carolum Magnum Source: Migne PL 100.207c-208a

One should strive with every effort to improve the depraved and to strengthen the righteous and to edify the holy, and one should rejoice to spread the name of the Lord God Most High through all the span of the earth, and one should try to bring the light of the Catholic faith to the furthest ends of the earth. This is, O beloved David, glory and praise and reward on the great day of judgement, and the perpetual company of the saints, that you should try to lead to the light of faith those who are blind of soul in the darkness of ignorance. Never does the Divine fail to remunerate the best of wills or good efforts, but he who labours more to do the will of God shall receive more in the kingdom of God. Our time of life quickly runs on, it flies off and it will not return. Yet in truth the ineffable piety of God provides for the brief labour of man an eternal crown. Thus should our time be precious to us, lest we destroy by negligence the eternity which with a good life of exertions we were able to have. Alcuin of York, from Letter 43, To Charlemagne

The Absence of a Teacher

Nulla imbutus poetica disciplina Terentianum Maurum sine magistro attingere non auderes; Asper, Cornutus, Donatus et alii innumerabiles requiruntur, ut quilibet poeta possit intellegi, cuius carmina et theatri plausus videntur captare; tu in eos Libros, qui quoquo modo se habeant, sancti tamen divinarumque rerum pleni, prope totius generis humani confessione diffamantur, sine duce irruis, et de his sine praeceptore audes ferre sententiam; nec si tibi aliqua occurrunt quae videantur absurda, tarditatem tuam et putrefactum tabe huius mundi animum, qualis omnium stultorum est, accusas potius, quam eos qui fortasse a talibus intellegi nequeunt! Quaereres aliquem pium simul et doctum, vel qui talis esse multis consentientibus diceretur, cuius et praeceptis melior et doctrina peritior fieres. Non facile reperiebatur? Cum labore investigaretur. Deerat in ea terra quam incolebas? Quae causa utilius cogeret peregrinari? In continenti prorsus latebat, aut non erat? Navigaretur. Si in propinquo trans mare non inveniebatur, progredereris usque ad illas terras, in quibus ea quae illis Libris continentur, gesta esse dicuntur. Quid tale fecimus, Honorate?  Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, De Utiliatate Credendi, ad Honoratum

Would you dare criticise Terentianus Maurus when not steeped in instruction on poetry, and without a master, whether he be Asper or Cornutus or Donatus, or one of the countless others, but would you rather have it that a poet can be perfectly understood whose verses merely seem to have won the applause of the theatre; and then do you without a guide rush upon those books, which, however they may actually be, are at least famed to be sacred and full of divine things by the confession of near enough the whole human race, and do you without a teacher dare to offer an opinion upon them? But should you not rather, if in those books you meet something which seems absurd,  accuse your own slow mind rotted by the corruption of this world, as is the way with all the foolish, than denounce those works which cannot be understood by the ignorant? You should seek someone both pious and learned, or one who many agree is said to be so, that you may be both improved by his counsels and made more experienced by his learning. Was he not easy to find? He should be sought with travail. Was he not there in the land in which you lived? What cause could more usefully impel you to travel? Was he quite hidden on your continent or was he not there at all? Set sail. And if in near lands across the sea he is not to be found, you should go on even to those lands where the things contained in those books are said to have been done. Have you done such things, Honoratus? Saint Augustine of Hippo, On the Usefulness of Believing, To Honoratus.

On the Teacher

Ἐῖπε πάλιν ἡ αὐτὴ, ὅτι ὁ διδάσκαλος ὀφείλει εἶναι ξένος φιλαρχίας, καὶ ἀλλότριος κενοδοξίας, μακρὰν ὑπερηφανίας, μὴ ὑπὸ κολακείας ἐμπαιζόμενος, μὴ ὑπὸ δώρων τυφλούμενος, μὴ ὑπὸ γαστρὸς νικώμενος, μὴ ὑπὸ ὀργῆς κρατούμενος· ἀλλὰ μακρόθυμος, ἐπιεικὴς, πάσῃ δυνάμει ταπεινόφρων· ἔγκριτος εἶνα, καὶ ἀνεκτικός· κηδεμονικὸς καὶ φιλόψυχος.  ᾽Αποφθεγματα των ἀγιων γεροντων, Παλλαδιος

Again Mother Theodora said, 'The teacher should be eager for guests and a stranger to vainglory, distant to pride and not moved by flattery, nor blinded by gifts, nor ruled by the stomach, nor under the power of anger; but patient, peaceable and humble in so far as he can be. He should be tolerant, diligent and a lover of souls.' Sayings of the Desert Fathers, Palladius of Galatia

Is Our Way True?

Est vera secta? te, Magister, consulo  rectamne servamus fidem?  an viperina non cavemus dogmata,  et nescientes labimur?  artam salutis vix viam discernere est  inter reflexas semitas,  tam multa surgunt perfidorum conpeta torris polita erroribus, obliqua sese conserunt divortia  hinc inde textis orbitis.  quas si quis errans ac vagus sectabitur,  rectum relinquens tramitem,  scrobis latentis pronus in foveam ruet,  quam fodit hostilis manus,  manus latronum, quae viantes obsidet iter sequentes devium,  quid non libido mentis humanae struat?  quid non malorum pruriat?  statum lacessunt omnipotentis Dei  calumniosis litibus,  fidem minutis dissecant ambagibus  ut quisque lingua est nequior;  solvunt ligantque quaestionum  vincula per syllogismos plectiles.  vae captiosis sycophantarum strophis!  vae versipelli astutiae!  nodos tenaces recta rumpit regula,  infesta dissertantibus.  idcirco mundi stulta delegit Deus,  ut concidant sophistica,  deque inbecillis subiugavit fortia,  simplex ut esset credere,  lapis nostro fixus offensaculo est,  inpingat in quem vanitas,  signum caventi, non caventi scandalum:  hunc sternit, illum dirigit, Prudentius, Apotheosis

Is our way true? You, Master, I ask: do we keep the right faith? Or careless of venomous teaching Do we fall in our ignorance? Hard to see salvation's narrow way among the twisting paths. So many perilous crossroads confront trod smooth by reckless error; so many lanes branch off and away, here and there winding. If a wanderer, a vagrant follows them, leaving the straight track, he will tumble suddenly into a pit which hostile hands have dug, robbers' hands assailing the traveller who has followed the byway. What would human mind's desire not plot? In what evil not have pleasure? They assail the being of almighty God with lying arguments, cutting up faith with thoughts as wild as their tongue is wicked. They lose and bind with chains of subtle syllogisms. Woe to the sharp plays of tricksters! Woe to crafty cunning! The right rule bursts their tight knots, their plague of speech. Thus God has chosen foolish things to ruin the intellectual, and by weakness He bound strength, that faith might be simple. A stone is set to trouble us, vanity strikes itself on it, the wary's sign, the unwary's scandal; one it lays low, another it guides. Prudentius, Apotheosis

The Balance Of Words

Nemo etiam in dolo loquatur ad proximum suum. Laqueus est in labiis nostris, et saepe unusquisque sermonibus suis non explicatur, sed involvitur. Fovea alta est os malevoli: grande innocentiae praecipitium, sed majus malevolentiae. Innocens dum credit facile, cito labitur sed tamen iste lapsus resurgit: maledictus autem suis artibus praecipitatur, unde numquam exsiliat atque evadat. Ponderet ergo unusquisque sermones suos, non cum fraude et dolo: Statera fallax improbabilis apud Deum: non illam stateram dico, quae mercem appendit alienam, et in vilibus quidem rebus caro constat fallacia, sed statera verborum ipsa apud Deum est exsecrabilis, quae praetendit pondus gravitatis sobriae, et subnectit versutias fraudulentiae. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, Epistola II, Ad Constantium Episcopum Source: Migne PL 16.882d-883a

Let no one speak deceitfully to his neighbour. There is a snare on our lips, and often is it that a man is not freed but trapped by his speech. 1 The mouth of the malevolent is a deep pit; great is the fall of innocence, but more is that of malevolence. 2 The innocent man, when he too easily trusts, quickly falls, but fallen he rises again; yet the man who speaks evil is thrown headlong by his art so that he can never recover and escape. Therefore let every man weigh his words, but not with deceit and guile, for: 'a false balance is abomination to the Lord.' 3 And I do not mean that balance which weighs the wares of others, though even in minor matters deceit often costs dear, but that balance of words which is detestable to the Lord, that which pretends to the weight of sober gravity but rests on deceitful artifices. Saint Ambrose, from Letter 2, To the Bishop Constantius 1 Prov 6.2 2 Prov 22.14 3 Prov 11.1

Pardon and Enemies

Εἰ τοῖς μέχρι φόνου καὶ σφαγῆς χωρήσασιν οὐδὲν εἶπεν ἐκεῖνος ἐπαχθὲς, τίνος ἂν εἴημεν ἡμεῖς συγγνώμης ἄξιοι, ἐν λοιδορίᾳ καὶ ὕβρεσιν ἐκθηριούμενοι, μιαροὺς καὶ παμμιάρους ἀποκαλοῦντες τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τοὺς ἡμετέρους; τίνα δὲ ἀπολογίαν ἕξομεν ἐχθροὺς ὅλως ἔχοντες; Οὐκ ἀκούεις, ὅτι ὁ τιμῶν, ἑαυτὸν τιμᾷ; Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ὑβρίζομεν. Ἐγκαλεῖς, ὅτι ὑβρίσθης· τί οὖν περιπίπτεις τῷ ἐγκλήματι; τί σαυτὸν πληγῇ περιβάλλεις; Μεῖνον ἀπαθὴς, μεῖνον ἄτρωτος· μὴ, βουλόμενος ἕτερον πλῆξαι, σαυτὸν περιβάλῃς τῷ κακῷ. Οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν ὁ ἕτερος θόρυβος τῆς ψυχῆς ὁ μηδενὸς κινοῦντος κινούμενος· οἷον, αἱ ἐπιθυμίαι αἱ ἄτοποι, αἱ λῦπαι καὶ αἱ ἀθυμίαι καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρας ἐπισωρεύομεν.  Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος, Ὑπόμηνμα Ἐις Τας Πρᾶξις Των Ἀπόλστολων, Ὁμῖλία Νʹ

If he said nothing injurious to those who went even to the length of murder and slaughter, what sympathy shall we merit who by abuse and insult are infuriated, denouncing our enemies as foul and utterly detestable? And what pardon shall we have for having enemies at all? Do you not hear that to honor is to honor one's self? But we abuse ourselves. You cry out that you have been abused; then why do you strike yourself with the same accusation? Why do you inflict a blow on yourself? Be free from passion, be unwounded. Do not by wishing to strike, inflict evil on yourself. Does the tumult of the soul not suffice, that which is stirred up by none but its own absurd desires, its pains, its despondency, and so on, that we must heap up others? Saint John Chrystostom, On The Acts of the Apostles, Homily 50

An Educational Advance

Οὑτος δὲ ὁ Διοκλῆς ἄπο γραμματικῆς μὲν ἀχθεὶς τὰ πρῶτα, εἰς ὕστερον δὲ δοὺς ἑαυτὸν εἰς φιλοσοφούμενα, τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς χάριτος αὐτὸν ἑλκυσάσης εἰς τὴν οὐρὰνιον φιλοσοφὶαν· εἰκοστον τοίνυν ὄγδοον ἔτος ἄγων τῆς ἡλικίας, ἀπετάξατο μὲν τῶν ἐγκυκλίων παιδευμάτων, συνεταξατο δὲ τῶν τοῖς οὐρανίοις τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθήμασι. Καὶ αὐτὸς ἔχων τριακοστὸν πέμπτον ἔτος ἐν τοῖς σπηλαίοις. Οὐτος ἔλεγεν ἡμῖν· Ὁ νοῦς ἀποστας τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ θεωρίας κατ’ ἔννοιαν, ἤ δαίμων γίνεται ἤ κτῆνος· ἡμῶν δὲ φιλοπευστούντων τὸν τρόπον ὅν εἶπεν, ἔλεγεν οὕτως ὅτι Νοῦς ἀνθρώπου Θεοῦ θεωρίας ἀναχωρήσας ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἤ τῴ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας δαίμονι περιπίπτει τῷ ἄγοντι εἰς ἄκολασίαν, ἤ τῷ θυμικῷ πνεύματι περιπίπτει τῷ πονερῷ, ὅθεν αἱ ἄλογοι τίκτονται ὀρμαί. Καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀκόλαστον ἐπιθυμίαν ἔλεγεν εἶναι κτηνώδη, τὸν δὲ θυμὸν κίνησιν δαιμονιώδη. Ἐμοῦ δὲ ἀντιλέγοντος, ὃτι Πῶς δύνατόν ἔστιν εἶναι νοῦν ἀνθρώπινον ἀδιαλείπτως μετά Θεοῦ, ἐλεγεν οὖτος, ὅτι Ἐν ῷ δ’ ἄν νοήματι ἤ πράγματι τυγχάνει ἡ ψυχὴ οὖσα, μόνον ἐν εὐσεβεῖ λογισμῷ καὶ θειῳ, μετὰ Θεοῦ ἐστιν.  Ἡ Προς Λαυσον Ἱστορια, Παλλαδιος

This Diocles first took to the study of literature, but later gave himself to philosophising, then, in time, grace drew him to the heavenly philosophy, and in the twenty eighth year of life he put aside the common cycle of studies and made himself a disciple of Christ. He had spent thirty five years in the caves. He told us this: ' The mind separated from the contemplation of God becomes either a demon or a beast.' But since we were inclined to understand this way of speaking he said: ' The mind of man withdrawn from the contemplation of God inevitably falls into demonic desire and the struggles of intemperance, or becomes a spirit burning for wickedness ever driven by irrational thoughts. Intemperate desire makes one a beast and a driven soul is demonic.' But I objected, ' How can the human mind be continually with God?' He said, ' Only when the soul is engaged in a thought or action that is pious and godly is it with God." Lausiac History, Palladius of Galatia

Loss And Gain

Et ne veteres replicando historias, longum faciam, et excedam mensuram epistolae, brevem tibi fabulam referam, quae infantiae meae temporibus accidit. Beatus Antonius cum a sancto Athanasio, Alexandriae Episcopo, propter confutationem haereticorum, in urbem Alexandriam esset accitus, et isset ad eum Didymus vir eruditissimus, captus oculis, inter caeteras sermocinationes, quas de Scripturis sanctis habebant, cum eius admiraretur ingenium, et acumen animi collaudaret, sciscitans ait: Num tristis es, quod oculis carnis careas? Cum ille pudore reticeret; secundo tertioque interrogans, tandem elicuit, ut moerorem animi simplicitier fateretur. Cui Antonius: Miror, ait, prudentem virum ejus rei dolere damno, quam formicae et muscae et culices habent, et non laetari illius possessione, quam sancti soli et Apostoli meruerunt.  Sanctus Hieronymus, Epistola LXVIII, Ad Castrutium  Source: Migne PL 22 652-653

And lest in repeating old tales I become prolix and exceed the proper measure of a letter, I will briefly refer to something that happened in the time of my childhood. The blessed Anthony was summoned by the holy Athanasius to the city of Alexandria in order to confute heretics, and there came to Anthony a man named Didymus, a most wise scholar who had lost his sight, and the talk among them when it dwelt upon scripture made him admire Didymus' intelligence and acumen. Anthony asked him, 'Does it grieve you that you have lost the use of your eyes?' Didymus was unwilling to reply on account of shame, but he was asked a second and third time until he answered that it was a grave grief to his soul. To which Anthony said, ' I am amazed that a prudent man should lament the loss of a thing which he shares with ants and flies and gnats and not rejoice over that possession which he has merited along with the saints and Apostles.' St Jerome, from Letter 68, To Castrutius

Study and Liberation

Αὓτη λογιωτάτη γέγονεν, ἤ και τὸν θεῖον Λόγον φιλήσασα τὰς νύκτας εἰς ἡμέρας ἀνέστρεψεν δαψιλῶς ἐλαίῳ ταύτας καταλάμπουσα, πᾶν σύγγραμμα τῶν ἀρχαίων ὑπομνηματιστῶν διελθοῦσα· ἐν οἶς Ὠριγένους μυριάδας τριακοσίας, Γρηγορίου καὶ Πιερίου καὶ Στεφάνου, καὶ Βασιλείου, καὶ ἑτέρων τινῶν σπουδαιοτάτων μυριάδας εἴκοσι πέντε· οὐχ ἁπλῶς, οὐδὲ ὡς ἔτυχεν παρελθοῦσα ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ πεπονημένως, ἕκαστον βιβλίον ἕβδομον ἤ ὄγδοον διελθοῦσα· Διὸ καὶ ἠδυνήθη ψευδωνύμου γνώσεως ἐλευθερωθεῖσα πτερωθῆναι πρῶτον τᾑ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἶτα καὶ τῇ δυνάμει τῶν λογίων τοῦ Πνεύματος, ἐλπίσι χρησταῖς ἑαυτὴν ὅρνιν ἐργασαμένη πνευματίκὴν, καὶ διαπεράσασα τὸν τούτου τοῦ βίου ζόφον ἀνέπτη πρὸς τὸν Χριστὸν. Ἡ Προς Λαυσον Ἱστορια, Παλλαδιος

Being very intelligent and loving the Divine Word Silvania turned night to day by abundantly helping herself to the fruit of every writing of the ancient commentators, including three million lines of Origen and of Gregory, Stephen, Pierius, Basil and of the other zealous writers two and half million lines. Not once, nor lightly did she read them, but each book she laboriously went through seven or eight times. Thus she was able to to be liberated from falsely named knowledge and to fly on wings, by the grace of God and the power of the Spirit; and so wrought into a spiritual bird by fair hope she passed from the darkness of this life to Christ. Lausiac History, Palladius of Galatia

Respecting the Enemy

Τοῦτου τοῦ γενναιοτατου ἀθλητοῦ πλησίον κατῴκει Καπίτων τις ἀπὸ λῃστῶν γεγονὼς μοναχὸς δοκιμώτατος. Οὐτος πεντήκοντα ἔτη πληρώσας ἐν τοῖς σπηλαίοις, ἀπὸ τεσσάρων μιλίων τῆς πόλεως Ἀντινόου, οὐ κατῆλθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ σπληλαίου ἑαυτοῦ, οὐδὲ μέχρι τοῦ ποταμοῦ τοῦ Νείλου, λέγων, μήπω δύνασθαι αὐτὸν συντυγχάνειν τοὶς ὄχλοις, τῷ ἀκμὴν ἀντιπραττειν αὐτῲ τὸν ὑπεναντίον.  Ἡ Προς Λαυσον Ἱστορια, Παλλαδιος

There lived nearby a certain Kapiton, who was once a bandit but was now an esteemed monk. He had spent fifty years in the caves four miles from the city of Antinoe, and he would not come down from his cave, not even as far as the river Nile. He said that he was not yet able to encounter crowds since the adversary at that instant would oppose him. Lausiac History, Palladius of Galatia

A Different Kind Of Persecution

Τότε δὴ καὶ Μάρις ὁ τῆς ἐν Βιθυνίᾳ Χαλκηδόνος ἐπίσκοπος χειραγωγούμενος· ἧν γὰρ δὴ πρὸς τῳ γήρᾳ ὑπόχυσιν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπομείνας· πολλὰ τὸν βασιλέα προςελθὼν περιύβρισε, τὸν ἀσεβῆ καλῶν, τὸν ἀποστάτην καὶ ἄθεον. Ὁ δὲ λόγοις τὰς ὕβρεις ἠμύνετο, τυφλὸν καλέσας. Καὶ οὐκ ἂν, φησὶν, ὁ Γαλιλαϊός σου Θεος θεραπεύσει σε. Γαλιλαὶον γὰρ εἰώθει ὁ Ἰουλιανὸς καλεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς Γαλιλαίους. Ὁ δὲ δὴ Μάρις, παῥῥησιαί· τερον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ἀπήντησεν. Εὐχαριστῶ, φησὶ, τῷ Θεῷ τυφλώσαντί με, ἵνα μὴ ἴδω τὸ πρόσωπόν σου οὕτως ἐκπεπτωκὸς πρὸς τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Οὐδὲν πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἀπεκρίνατο. Δεινῶς δὲ καὶ τοῦτον μετήρχετο. Ἐωρακὼς γὰρ τοὺς ἐπὶ Διοκλητιανοῦ μαρτυρήσαντας ὑπὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν τιμωμένους, προθύμως τε σπεύδειν ἐπὶ τὸ μαρτυρῆσαι πολλοὺς ἐπιστάμαενος, ὥσπερ αὐτῷ τούτῳ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς ἀμυνόμενος, ἐπὶ ἑτέραν ἐτρέπετο. Καὶ τὴν μὲν ὑπερβαλλουσαν ἐπι Διοκλητιανοῦ ὠμότησα ὑπερέθετο· οὐ μὴν πὰντη τοῦ διώκειν ἀπέσχετο. Διωγμόν δὲ λέγω, τὸ ὁπωσοῦν ταράττειν τοὺς ἡσυχάζοντας. Ἐτάραττε δὲ ὧδε· Νύμῳ ἐκέλευε, Χριστιανοὺς παιδεὺσεως μὴ μετέχειν. Ἵνα μὴ, φησὶν, ἀκονώμενοι τὴν γλῶτταν, ἐτοίμως πρὸς τοὺς διαλεκτικοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἀπαντῶσιν. Ἐκέλευε δὲ, μηδὲ κατὰ τὰ βασίλεια στρατεύεσθαι τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους καταλιπεὶν μὲν τὸν Χριστιανισμὸν, ἐπὶ τὸ θυειν δὲ τοὶς ἀγάλμασιν ἔρχεσθαι. Μήτε μὴν Χριστιανοὺς τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν ἄρχοντας γίνεσθαι, λέγων ὡς κελεύει νόμος μὴ χρῆσθαι ξίφει κατὰ τῶν ἄξια θανάτου πεπλημμεληκότων. Πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ κολακείαις καὶ δωρεαϊς ἐπὶ τὸ θύειν προστρέπετο. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὡς ἐν χωνευτηρίῳ, οἱ τε ὄντες Χριστιανοὶ καὶ οἱ νομιζόμενοι, φανεροὶ πασιν ἐγίνοντο. Οἱ μέν γὰρ ὀρθῇ γνώμῃ Χριστιανίζοντες, εὐθυμότεροι τὴν ζώνην ἀπετίθεντο, πάντα μάλλον ὑπομένειν ἤ ἀρνείσθαι τὸν Χριστὸν αἰρούμενοι. Ἐν τούτοις ἦσαν Ἰοβιανὸς, Οὐαλεντινιανός τε καὶ Οὐάλης, οἱ καὶ ὕστεπρον Βασιλεύσαντες. Ἕτεροι δὲ ὅσοι μὴ ὀρθῇ γνώμῃ ἐχριστιάνιζον, ὅσοι τὰ χρὴματα καὶ τὴν ἐνταῦθα τιμὴν, τῆς ἀληθοῦς εὐδαιμονίας προκρίναντες, μὴ μελλήσαντες πρὸς τὸ θὺειν ἀπέκλινον. Ὣν εἶς ἦν καὶ ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως σοφιστὴς Ἐκηβόλιος. Ὅστις τοῖς ἥθεσι τῶν βασιλέων ἐπόμενος, ἐπὶ μέν Κωσταντίου διαπύρως Χριστιανίζειν ὑπεκρίνατο· ἐπί δὲ Ἰουλιανοῦ, γοργὸς Ἕλλην ἐφαίνετο· καὶ αὖθις μετὰ Ἰουλιανὸν, Χριστιανίζειν ἤθελε. Ῥίψας γάρ ἕαυτὸν πρηνῆ πρὸ τῆς πύλης τοῦ εὐκτυρίου οἴκου, Πατήσατέ με, ἐβόα, τὸ ἄλας τὸ ἀναίσθητον. Τοιοῦτος μὲν οὖν κοῦφος καὶ εὐχερὴς Ἐκηβόλιος πρότερόν τε καὶ ὕστερον ἧν. Σωκράτης ὁ Σχολαστικός, Ἐκκλησιαστίκη Ἱστορία

Then Maris, who was bishop of Chalcedon in Bithynia, came into the Emperor's presence, being led by the hand, for in old age he was suffering from cataracts in his eyes, and he severely rebuked the Emperor's impiety, apostasy, and atheism. Julian defended himself with proud words, calling the bishop blind and saying, ' Your Galilean God will not cure you.' For it was his custom to term Christ the Galilean and Christians Galileans. Maris with fearless speech replied to the Emperor, ' I give thanks to God for blinding me so that I might not see the face of one who has fallen into impiety.' The Emperor said nothing to this but later he had revenge. Noting that those who had been martyred under Diocletian were honored by the Christians, and knowing that many of them were eager to be martyrs, he refrained from punishing them in that way. But passing over the cruelties which had been practiced under Diocletian, he did not altogether abstain from persecution, for I call persecution any troubling of the peaceful. This is how he caused distress: he enacted a law prohibiting Christians from teaching literature; 'Lest,' he said, 'when they have sharpened their tongues, they should be able the more readily defeat the arguments of the pagans.' He also banned those who were unwilling to abjure Christianity and sacrifice to idols from holding office at court. Nor would he allow Christians to govern provinces, saying that their law forbids them to use the sword against those worthy of death. By flattery and by gifts he also induced many to sacrifice. Immediately, as in a furnace, it at once became evident to all who were real Christians and who were merely nominal ones. Those who were Christians of sound resolve, very readily resigned their positions, preferring to suffer anything than deny Christ. Among these were Jovian, Valentinian, and Valens, each of whom afterwards became Emperor. But some Christians of faulty judgement, who preferred present wealth and honor, sacrificed without hesitation. One of these was an intellectual of Constantinople named Ecebolius. He would follow the moods of the Emperors, under Constantius affecting to be a fervent Christian while under Julian he appeared an equally spirited pagan, and after Julian he again wished to be a Christian. He threw himself face down before the church doors, and cried out, 'Trample on me, salt that has lost its savour.' So vacous and so easily moved by the times was this Ecebolius. Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History

A Response To Martyrdom

Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ἀνθύπατος τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν αὐτῶν ὑπομονὴν κελεύει αὐτοὺς ζῶντας καῆναι· καὶ κατερχόμενοι ἔσπευδον οἱ ἀμφότεροι ἐπὶ τὸ ἀμφιθέατρον, ὅπως ταχέως ἀπαλλαγῶσιν τοῦ κόσμου. καὶ πρῶτος ὁ Παπύλος προσηλωθεὶς εἰς τὸ ξύλον ἀνωρθώθη, καὶ προσενεχθέντος τοῦ πυρὸς ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ προσευξάμενος παρέδωκεν τὴν ψυχήν. καὶ μετὰ τοῦτον προσηλωθεὶς ὁ Κάρπος προσεμειδίασεν. οἱ δὲ παρεστῶτες ἐκπλησσόμενοι ἔλεγον αὐτῷ· Τί ἐστιν ὅτι ἐγέλασας; ὁ δὲ μακάριος εἶπεν· Εἶδον τὴν δόξαν κυρίου καὶ ἐχάρην ἅμα δὲ καὶ ὑμῶν ἀπηλλάγην καὶ οὐκ εἰμὶ μέτοχος τῶν ὑμετέρων κακῶν. ὡς δὲ ὁ στρατιώτης τὰ ξύλα ἐπιτιθεὶς ὑφῆπτεν, ὁ ἅγιος Κάρπος κρεμώμενος εἶπεν· Καὶ ἡμεῖς τῆς αὐτῆς μητρὸς ἐγεννήθημεν Εὔας καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν σάρκα ἔχομεν, ἀλλ´ ἀφορῶντες εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον τὸ ἀληθινὸν πάντα ὑπομένωμεν. ταῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ προσφερομένου τοῦ πυρὸς προσηύξατο λέγων· Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, υἱὲ τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅτι κατηξίωσας καὶ ἐμὲ τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ταύτης σου τῆς μερίδος. καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν ἀπέδωκεν τὴν ψυχήν. Ἀγαθονίκη δέ τις ἑστῶσα καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὴν δόξαν τοῦ κυρίου ἣν ἔφη ὁ Κάρπος ἑωρακέναι καὶ γνοῦσα τὴν κλῆσιν εἶναι οὐράνιον εὐθέως ἐπῆρεν τὴν φωνήν· Τὸ ἄριστον τοῦτο ἐμοὶ ἡτοίμασται, δεῖ οὖν με μεταλαβοῦσαν φαγεῖν τοῦ ἐνδόξου ἀρίστου. ὁ δὲ δῆμος ἐβόα λέγων· Ἐλέησόν σου τὸν υἱόν. εἶπεν δὲ ἡ μακαρία Ἀγαθονίκη· Θεὸν ἔχει τὸν δυνάμενον αὐτὸν ἐλεῆσαι, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ πάντων προνοητής. ἐγὼ δὲ ἐφ´ ὃ πάρειμι. καὶ ἀποδυσαμένη τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῆς, ἀγαλλιωμένη ἐφήπλωσεν ἑαυτὴν ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον. οἱ δὲ ἰδόντες ἐθρήνησαν λέγοντες· Δεινὴ κρίσις καὶ ἄδικα προστάγματα. ἀνορθωθεῖσα δὲ καὶ τοῦ πυρὸς ἁψαμένη ἕως τρὶς ἐβόησεν εἰποῦσα· Κύριε, κύριε, κύριε, βοήθει μοι· πρός σε γὰρ κατέφυγα. καὶ οὕτως ἀπέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἐτελειώθη σὺν τοῖς ἁγίοις· ὧν τὰ λείψανα λαθραίως οἱ Χριστιανοὶ ἀνειλάμενοι διεφύλαξαν εἰς δόξαν Χριστοῦ καὶ ἔπαινον τῶν μαρτύρων αὐτοῦ, ὅτι αὐτῷ πρέπει ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Μαρτύριον τῶν Ἁγίων Κάρπου, Παπύλου, καὶ Ἀγαθονίκης

But the Proconsul seeing them unmoved by suffering commanded them to be burnt alive. And both went out gladly into the amphitheatre of Pergamon, that they might swiftly be delivered from the world. First Papylos was placed upon the heap of wood and rising up the fire consumed him in silence and so he gave up his soul. After him Karpos was brought forward and he was smiling. Those near said to him, ' Why are you glad?' The blessed one said, ' I see the glory of the Lord and I am happy to be taken from you and not to be a party to your evil.' Then the soldier placed him on the heaped wood and the holy Karpos being bound said, ' And we are from the same mother Eve and we have the same flesh but the court is barren of every truth for which we suffer.' Having said these things the flames reached him and he said, ' Blessed are you, Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, for you have judged me, a sinner, worthy of this part.' So saying he gave up his soul. And a certain Agathonike was standing near and witnessing the glory of the Lord, which Karpos had spoken of seeing, she became aware of the call of heaven, and immediately she rose up her voice, saying, ' This is the best thing made ready for me; I must take my share of the greatest glory.' And the crowd cried out, saying, ' Have care for your son.' And the holy Agathonike said, ' God is able to have mercy on him, for He is the provider for all. I am ready.' She stripped off her outer garment and rejoicing she placed herself on the wood. Beholding this the spectators said, ' A wretched judgement and an unjust decree.' And the fire being kindled, it came upon her and she cried out three times, ' Lord, Lord, Lord, help me; to you I flee.' Thus she gave up her spirit and and found fulfillment with the saints. The rest of the Christians there, who remained unknown, offered up glory to Christ and praise to His martyrs, that to Him be glory and power, to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the end of the ages. The Martyrdom of Saints Karpos, Papylos and Agathonike

Mercy and Sacrifice

Verum sacrificium est omne opus, quo agitur, ut sancta societate inhaereamus Deo, relatum scilicet ad illum finem boni, quo ueraciter beati esse possimus. Vnde et ipsa misericordia, qua homini subuenitur, si non propter Deum fit, non est sacrificium. Etsi enim ab homine fit uel offertur, tamen sacrificium res diuina est, ita ut hoc quoque uocabulo id Latini ueteres appellauerint. Vnde ipse homo Dei nomine consecratus et Deo uotus, in quantum mundo moritur ut Deo uiuat, sacrificium est. Nam et hoc ad misericordiam pertinet, quam quisque in se ipsum facit. Propterea scriptum est: Miserere animae tuae placens Deo. Corpus etiam nostrum cum temperantia castigamus, si hoc, quem ad modum debemus, propter Deum facimus, ut non exhibeamus membra nostra arma iniquitatis peccato, sed arma iustitiae Deo, sacrificium est. Ad quod exhortans apostolus ait: Obsecro itaque uos, fratres, per miserationem Dei, ut exhibeatis corpora uestra hostiam uiuam, sanctam, Deo placentem, rationabile obsequium uestrum. Si ergo corpus, quo inferiore tamquam famulo uel tamquam instrumento utitur anima, cum eius bonus et rectus usus ad Deum refertur, sacrificium est: quanto magis anima ipsa cum se refert ad Deum, ut igne amoris eius accensa formam concupiscentiae saecularis amittat eique tamquam incommutabili formae subdita reformetur, hinc ei placens, quod ex eius pulchritudine acceperit, fit sacrificium. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, De Civitate Dei, Lib. X

A true sacrifice is every work which is done that we may cleave to God in sacred fellowship, and which obviously relates to that final end in which truly we can be blessed. Thus even the mercy by which men are assisted, if it is not done for God's sake, is not a sacrifice. Even though it is made or offered by man, sacrifice is a Divine thing, and so those of old named it sacrifice in the Latin tongue. Thus man himself, consecrated in the name of God and vowed to God, in as much as he dies to the world that he may live to God, is a sacrifice. For even this pertains to mercy, that a man is merciful to himself. Thus it is written, ' Be merciful to your soul by pleasing God.' Our body, also, when we discipline it by temperance, if we do what we should, and we do it for God, that we may not show our members as tools of iniquity but as arms of righteousness for God, is a sacrifice. Exhorting us to this, the apostle says, 'So I entreat you, brethren, by the mercy of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.' If, therefore, the body, which, being inferior, the soul uses as a servant or as an instrument, when used rightly and with reference to God, is a sacrifice, how much more does the soul itself, when it offers itself to God, inflamed by the fire of His love, losing worldly desire, being transformed by the changeless form, receiving His beauty to thus be pleasing to him, become a sacrifice? Saint Augustine of Hippo, The City of God, Book 10

Advice to an Empress on the Treatment of Heretics

Si ergo praedicit nomen catholicum venerantur et diligunt, et inter Domini corporis volunt membra numerari, pravos errores, quos temere admiserent, detestentur, et agant poenitentiam impiarum blasphemiarum, cruentorumque factorum. Succumbant pro salute animarum suarum synodalibus, quae in civitate Chalcedonensi sunt confirmata, decretis. Et quia ad intelligendum sacramentum salutis humanae, nisi fides vera et humilitas quieta non pervenit, credant quod legunt in Evangelio, quod confitentur in symbolo, nec impiis dogmatibus misceantur. Fides enim catholica sicut damnat Nestorium, qui in uno Domino nostro Jesu Christo duas ausus est praedicare personas, ita damnat etiam Eutychen cum Dioscoro, qui ab unigenito Deo Verbo negant in utero Virginis matris veritatem carnis humanae susceptam. Si quid autem erga praedictorum conversionem exhortatio vestra profecerit, quod gloriam vobis praestabit aeteram, peto hoc mihi clementiae vestra litteris indicetis; ut et vos boni operis fructum cepisse, et illos gaudeam misericordia Domini non periisse.  Sanctus Leo Magnus, Epistola CXXIII, Ad Eudociam Augustam

Thus if the aforementioned venerate and love the Catholic name and wish to be numbered among the members of the Lord's body, let them despise the depraved errors which in recklessness they have committed, and let them make penitence for impious blasphemies and bloodshed. For the salvation of their souls let them yield to the synod's decrees which have been confirmed in the city of Chalcedon. And because the understanding of man's salvation does not come but with true faith and quiet humility, let them believe what they read in the Gospel and what they confess in the Creed, and let them not be mixed up with impious teachings. Just as the catholic faith condemns Nestorius, who dared to assert two persons in our one Lord Jesus Christ, so does it condemn Eutyches and Dioscorus who deny that the true human flesh was assumed in the womb of Virgin Mother's by the only begotten Word of God. If, then, your exhortations gain success in converting them, which will raise you to eternal glory, I ask your clemency to inform me in writing, so that I may grasp the fruit of your good work and the joy that they, through the Lord's mercy, have not perished. Pope Leo the Great, Letter 123, To the Empress Eudocia

Against Astrology

Sed quolibet modo superstitionis haec ab hominibus nuncupentur, sunt tamen sidera quae Deus in mundi principio condidit, ac certo motu distinguere tempora ordinavit. Horum igitur signorum observationes, vel geneses, vel cetera superstitiosa, quae se ad cognitionem siderum coniungunt, id est ad notitiam fatorum, et fidei nostrae sine dubitatione contraria sunt, sic ignorari debent a Christianis, ut nec scripta esse videantur. Sed nonnulli siderum pulcritudine et claritate perlecti in lapsus stellarum caecatis mentibus conruerunt, ita ut per subputationes noxias, quae mathesis dicitur, eventus rerum praescire posse conentur: quos non solum Christianae religionis doctores, sed etiam gentilium Plato, Aristoteles, atque alii rerum veritate conmoti concordi sententia damnaverunt, dicentes confusionem rerum potius de tali persuasione generari. Nam sicut genus humanum ad varios actus nascendi necessitate premerentur, cur aut laudem mereantur boni aut mali legum percipiant ultionem? Et quamvis ipsi non fuerint caelesti sapientiae dediti, veritatis tamen testimonio errores eorum merito perculerunt. Sanctus Isidorus Hispalensis, Etymologiae, Liber III, Caput LXXI Source: Migne PL 82.182c-184a

But by whatever type of superstition the stars were named by men, they were established by God in the beginning of the world, and He ordained that their particular motion distinguish the seasons. Therefore observation of the constellations, or horoscopes, or other superstitions that are attached to the study of the stars, that is, for the knowledge of fate, are without doubt contrary to our faith and should be ignored by Christians, indeed as if it were that they had never been written about. Yet some lured by the beauty and brightness of the constellations, with minds so blinded, have raced into error about the stars, so that through noxious computations, which is called astrology, they try to foresee events. And not only those learned in the Christian religion but even the pagan Plato and Aristotle and others, in harmony of thought, were moved by the truth of things to condemn this, saying that such an idea caused a confusion of things. For if the human species is compelled to various acts by the necessities of birth, then why should the good merit praise and why should the wicked receive the punishment of the laws? Thus though those pagan wise men were not devoted to heavenly matters, they rightly threw down these errors by their testimony of truth. Saint Isidore of Seville, The Etymologies, Book 3, Chapter 71

Doubting The Philosophers

Tibi liquebat quanto haec nostra, id est, pietatis veritatisque praecepta, illis philosophorum praecepti debeant. In illis namque eorum praeceptis, vel adumbrata virtus, vel falsa sapientia; in his vero consummata justitia, solida veritas continetur. Unde licet dicere philosophiae alios nomen usurpasse, nos vitam. Etenim qualia ab his dari possunt praecepta vivendi? Causam neciunt. Ignorantes enim Deum, et statim ab exordio justitae declinantes, consequenti in caetera feruntur errore. Sic fit postea ut studiorum talium finis sit vanitas Si qui apud illos honestiora deficiunt, huic jactantiae deserviunt, huic laborant: ita apud eos non est vacua vitiis abstinentia vitiorum. Hic itaque sunt, sicut scriptum est, qui terrena sapiunt. Unde manifeste ostenditur veram eos justitiam, veram sapientiam non videre. Anne aliquis ex illa Aristippi schola veritatem videbit, qui ingenio suo a suibus aut pecore nihil differt, cum beatitudinem in corporis volupatte constituat: cui Deus venter est, et gloria in pudendis eius? Hic honestum justumque praecipiet, apud quem prodigus, impudicus, adulter philosophatur? Sanctus Eucherius Lugdonensis, Epistola Paraenetica ad Valerianum Cognatum, de Contemptu Mundi

To you it should quickly become clear how much more our precepts are of piety and truth than the precepts of philosophers. For in their precepts is but a shadow of virtue or a false wisdom; and in ours perfect righteousness and real truth. Whence it is permitted to say they but usurp the name of philosophy and ours is the life. For what sort of precepts for living are they able to give? They are ignorant of the cause, not knowing God, and instantly from the outset deviating from righteousness they consequently err in the rest. So it turns out that the end of such studies is vanity. If any happened to attain to more noble ends in their labours, these but serviced boastfulness, so for them a diminution in error was not an absence of vice. Thus these are, as it has been written, those who know the earth. It is manifest that to them was revealed neither true righteousness nor wisdom. Can any one of the school of Aristippus contemplate the truth, those who differing neither in mind nor heart from one another, established happiness in corporeal pleasures, whose God is the stomach, and whose glory is shame? Can he teach justice and nobility to whom the prodigal man, the shameless man and the adulterous man are masters? Saint Eucherius of Lyon, Epistle of Exhortation to his Kinsman Valerian, On the Contempt of the World

Christ and the Philosophers

Μεγαλειότερα μὲν οὖν πάσης ἀνθρωπείου διδασκαλίας φαίνεται τὰ ἡμέτερα· διὰ τοῦτο λογικὸν τὸ ὅλον τὸν φανέντα δι' ἡμᾶς Χριστὸν γεγονέναι, και σῶμα, καὶ Λόγον, καὶ ψυχήν. Ὅσα γὰρ καλῶς ἀεὶ έφθέγξαντο καὶ εὖπρον οἱ φιλοσοφήσαντες ἤ νομοθετήσαντες, κατὰ Λόγου μέρος εὑρέσεως καὶ θεωρίας ἐστὶ πονηθέντα αὐτοῖς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ πάντα τὰ τοῦ Λόγου ἐγνώπρισαν, ὅς ἐστι Χριστὸς, καὶ ἐναντία ἑαυτοῖς πολλάκις εἶπον. Καὶ οἱ προγεγραμμένοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, λόγῳ πειραθέντες τὰ πράγματα θεωρῆσαι καὶ ἐλέγξαι, ὡς ἀσεβεῖς καὶ περίεργοι εἰς δικαστήρια ἣχθησαν. Ὁ πάντων δὲ αὐτῶν εὐτονώτερος πρὸς τοῦτο γενόμενος Σωκράτης τὰ αὐτὰ ἡμῖν ἐνεκλήθη. Καὶ γὰρ ἔφασαν αὔτὸν καινὰ δαιμόνια εἰσφέρειν, καὶ οὒς ἡ πόλις νομίζει θεοὺς, μὴ ἡγεῖσθαι αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ δαίμονας μὲν τοὺς φαύλους, καὶ τοὺς πράξαντας ἂ ἔφασαν οἱ ποιηταὶ, ἐκβαλὼν τῆς πολιτείας καὶ Ὅηερον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ποιητὰς, παραιτεῖσθαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐδίδεξε· πρὸς Θεοῦ δὲ τοῦ ἀγνώστου αὐτοῖς, διὰ λόγου ζητήσεως ἐπίγνωσιν προὺτρέπετο εἰπών· Τὸν δὲ πατέρα καὶ δημιουργὸν πάντων οὔθ’ εὑρεῖν ῥᾳδιον, οὔθ’ εὐροντα εἰς πάντας εἰπεῖν ἀσφαλές. Ἅ ὁ ἡμέτερος Χριστος δια τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεως ἔπραξε. Σωκράτει μὲν γὰρ οὐδεις ἐπιστεύθη, ὑπέρ τούτου τοῦ δόγματος ἀποθνήσκειν· Χριστῷ δὲ τῷ καὶ ὑπὸ Σωκράτους ἀπὸ μέρους γνωσθέντι (Λόγος γάρ ἥν καὶ ἔστιν ὁ ἐν παντὶ ὢν, καὶ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν προειπὼν τὰ μέλλοντα γίνεσθαι, καὶ δι’ ἑαυτοῦ ὁμοιοπαθοῦς γενομένου καὶ διδάξαντος ταῦτἀ), οὐ φιλόσοποι οὐδε φιλόλογοι μόνον ἐπείσθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειροτέχναι, καὶ παντελῶς ἰδιῶται, καὶ δόξης και φόβου καὶ θανάτου καταφρονήσαντες. Ἅγιος Ἰουστίνος Μάρτυς, Ἀπολογία Δεύτερα,

So greater than all human teachings ours do appear because Christ who appeared for us became the rational whole, both body and reason and soul. For whenever something was pronounced upon well and fittingly by philosophers or legislators, they labored to find and look upon some part of the Word. But since they did not know all of the Word, which is Christ, they often spoke in opposition to one another. And those who by human birth came before Christ, when by use of reason they tried to consider and contemplate and speak of things, were brought into court as impious persons and trouble makers. And Socrates, who was more zealous in this than all of them, was accused as we are. For they said that he was introducing new divinities, and that he did not acknowledge those whom the city deemed gods. But deceitful divinities and their works he cast out of his city and he taught men to reject Homer and the other poets; and he encouraged them to acquaintance of the God unknown to them by means of investigation of reason, saying, ' But the father and maker of all things it is not easy to find, nor, having found him, is it safe to speak.' These things our Christ did through His own power. For no one had faith in Socrates so as to die for his teaching but in Christ, who was in part known even by Socrates (for the Word was and is in everyone, He who foretold the things to come through the prophets, and then in His own person, when He was made of like passions, He taught these things). And not only philosophers and scholars were convinced, but also artisans and people utterly uneducated, despising both glory and fear and death. Saint Justin Martyr,  from the Second Apology

The True Search

Τὴν πίστιν τοίνυν οὐκ ἀργὴν καὶ μόνην, ἀλλὰ σύν ζητήσει δεῖν. προφαίνειν φαμέν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτο λέγω, μηδ᾽ ὅλως ζητεὶν· Ζὴτει γὰρ, καὶ εὐρήσεις, λέγει, τὸ δὲ ζητούμενον Ἁλωτον· ἐκφεύγει δὲ τὰμελούμενον· κατὰ τὸν Σοφοκλὲα. Τὰ δ᾽ ὅμοια καὶ Μένανδρος ὁ κωμικὸς λέγει· πάντα τὰ ζητούμενα Δεῖσθαι μεριμνης φασὶν οἰ σοφώτατοι. ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν διορατικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀποτείνειν πρὸς τὴν εὔρεσιν χρὴ, καὶ τὰ ἐμποδὼν διακαθαίπειν· φιλονεικίαν τε αὖ καὶ φθόνον, καὶ τήν ἔριν αὐτὴν, τὴν κάκιστα ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ὀλουμένην, ἀποῤῤίψαι τέλεον. Ηαγκάλως γὰρ ὁ Φλιάσιος Τίμων γράφει· Φοιτᾷ δὲ Βροτολοιγὸς ἔρις κενεὸν λελακυῖα, Νεὶκης ἀνδροφόνοιο κασιγνήτη καὶ ἕριδος· Ἢ τάλλα περὶ πάντα κυλίνδεται· αὐτὰρ Ἔς τε Βροτοὺς στήριξε κάρη, καὶ ἐς ἐλπίδα βάλλει. Ἔπειτα, ὀλίγον ὑποβὰς, ἐπιφέρει· Τίς γὰρ τούσδ᾽ ὁλοῇ ἔριδι ξυνέηκε μάχεσθαι; Ἠχοῦς σύνδρομος ὄχλος· ὁ γὰρ, σιγῶσι χολωθεὶς, Νοῦσον ἐπ᾽ ἀνέρας ὦρσε κακὴν, ὀλέκοντο δὲ πολλοὶ· περὶ ψευδαποφάσκοντος λόγου καὶ κερατίνου, διαλεληθότος τε αὖ καὶ κροκοδειλίνου, σωρίτου τε ἔτι καὶ ἐκκεκαλυμμένου, περί τε ἀμφιβολιῶν καὶ σοφισμάτων. Τὸ δὲ ἄρα ζητεὶν περὶ Θεοῦ, ἂν μὴ εἰς ἔπριν, ἀλλὰ εἰς εὔπεριν τείνῃ, σωτήριόν ἐστι. Γέγραπται γὰρ ἐν τῷ Δαβίδ· Φάγονται πένητες καὶ ἐμπλησθήσονται, καὶ αἰνέσουσι Κύριον οἱ ἐκζητοῦντες αύτόν· ζήσεται ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Οἱ γὰρ ζητοῦντες κατὰ τὴν ζήτησιν τὴν ἀληθῆ, αἰνοῦντες Κύριον, ἐμπλήσθονται τὴν δόσεως τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τουτέστι τῆς γνώσεως· καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτῶν.  Κλήμης ὁ Ἀλεξανδρεύς, Στρωματεων, Λογος Πέμπτος, Κεφ Α'.

So then faith should not be idle and alone, but with it one must seek. For I do not say that we are not to inquire at all. For 'Seek and you shall find,' He says, and 'What is sought can be captured, but that which is neglected escapes,' according to Sophocles. And similarly Menander the comic poet: ' All things sought need careful thought, the wisest say.' But one must direct the soul's discernment to discovery and sweep away obstacles, that is, obstinacy and envy and strife, doomed to perish wretchedly from among men, all should be thrown aside. Timon of Phlius writes beautifully: ' And Strife, bane of mortals, roams howling inanely, the sister of man-murdering quarrel and discord, rolling over all things. But then it turns its head towards mortals and casts them on hope.' Then, a little further on, he continues: ' For who has set these to fight in fatal strife? A mob running with Echo; vexed by those silent, it raised an evil disease among men and many were destroyed.' So it is with the argument which denies the false, and with the one called the dilemma, and with that which escapes notice and with the argument of the crocodile, and of the sorites, and with that which is open, and with all ambiguities and sophistry. To inquire of God, if the inquiry is directed not to strife but to discovery, is salvation. For it is written by David, 'The poor shall eat and be filled; and they shall praise the Lord who seek Him. Their hearts shall live forever.' For those who seek according to the true search, praising the Lord, shall be filled with the gift from God, that is, knowledge. And their soul shall live. Clement of Alexandria, Stromata, Book 5, Ch 1.

The Good And The Cross

Nec ideo ista non aliquid boni significasse quis dixerit, quia per malos facta sunt, non scilicet per eos qui Christum secuti, sed qui persecuti. Quid enim de ipsa cruce dicturi sumus, quae certe similiter ab inimicis atque impiis Christo facta et impacta est? Et tamen ea significari recte intelligitur quod ait Apostolus, Quae sit latitudo, et longitudo, et altitudo, et profundum. Lata est quippe in transverso ligno, quo extenduntur pendentis manus: et significat opera bona, in latitudine charitatis: longa est a transverso ligno usque ad terram, ubi dorsum pedesque figuntur; et significat perseverantiam in longitudine temporis usque in finem: alta est in cacumine, quo transversum lignum sursum versus exceditur;et significat supernum finem, quo cuncta opera referuntur; quoniam cuncta quae latitudine ac longitudine bene ac perseveranter fiunt, propter altitudinem divinorum facienda sunt praemiorum: profunda est in ea parte qua in terra figitur; ibi quippe et occulta est, nec videri potest, sed cuncta eius apparentia et eminentia inde consurgunt; sicut bona nostra de profunditate gratiae Dei, quae comprehendi ac dijudicari non potest, universa procedunt. Sed etsi crux Christi hoc solum significet quod ait Apostolus, Qui autem Jesu Christi sunt, carnem suam crucifixerunt cum passionibus et concupiscentiis, quam magnum bonum est. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, In Evangelium Joannis, Tractatus CXVIII Source: Migne PL 35 1949-1950

Thus let it not be said that a thing had no good meaning because it was done by the bad, that is, that it was done not by those who followed Christ, but by those who persecuted. What indeed could we say of the cross itself, which evidently was in like manner made and fastened to Christ by enemies and the impious? And yet by it we may rightly understand the meaning of the words of the Apostle who said, 'what is the breadth, and the length, and the height, and the depth.' 1 Since the breadth lies in the transverse wood, on which the hands are extended; and it signifies good works in the breadth of charity: its length is from the transverse wood to the ground, where the back and feet are fixed, and it signifies perseverance through the length of time even to the end. The height is in the summit, which rises upwards beyond the transverse wood; and it signifies the supernal end, to which all works refer, since all things done well in respect of their breadth and length, and perseveringly, are to be done on account of the summit of the Divine rewards. Depth is in the part that is fixed in the earth; there where it is concealed and unable to be seen, but from there all the evident and eminent rises up, just as all our good proceeds from the profundity of the grace of God, which is not able to be comprehended or judged. And even if the cross of Christ meant only what was said by the Apostle, when he wrote, 'They who are Jesus Christ's have crucified their flesh with its passions and desires,' 2 how great a good it is. Saint Augustine of Hippo, Tractates on the Gospel of John, from Tractate 118  1 Ephes 3.18  2 Galat 5.24

The Cainites

Caiani propterea sic appellati quoniam Cain honorant dicentes eum fortissimae esse virtutis. Simul et Iudam traditorem divinum aliquid putant, et scelus eius beneficium deputant, asserentes eum praescisse quantum esset generi humano Christi passio profutura, et occidendum Iudaeis propterea tradidisse. Illos etiam qui schisma facientes in primo populo Dei terra dehiscente perierunt et Sodomitas colere perhibentur. Blasphemant legem et Deum legis auctorem, carnisque resurrectionem negant. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, De Haeresibus ad Quodvultdeum Source: Migne PL 42.29

The Cainities are so named because they honour Cain saying that he was the strongest in virtue. Likewise they think the traitor Judas divine and consider his crime a benefit, asserting that he was as much foretold for the human race as was the passion of Christ, and that this is why he handed Jesus over to the Jews. They hold to the reverence of those who first made division among the people of God, those for whom the earth opened and they were destroyed, 1 and they also revere the Sodomites. They speak evil of the Law and God the author of the Law and they deny the resurrection of the flesh. Saint Augustine of Hippo, On Heresies, To Quodvultdeus 1 Num 16.1-40