Thinking Of Nobility

Πᾶσι μία τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς πατρὶς, ὦ οὗτος, ἡ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ, εἰς ἣν ἀποτιθέμεθα τὸ πολίτευμα. Πᾶσι γένος ἑν, εἰ μὲν τὰ κάτω βούλει σκοπεῖν, ὁ χοῦς· εἰ δὲ τὰ ὑψηλότερα, τὸ ἐμφύσημα, οὗ μετειλήφαμεν, καὶ ὃ τηρεῖν ἐκελεύσθημεν, καὶ μεθ᾿ οὗ παραστῆναί με δεῖ λόγον ὑφέξοντα τῆς ἄνωθεν εὐγενείας καὶ τῆς εἰκόνος. Πᾶς μὲν οὖν εὐγενὴς, ὁ τοῦτο φυλάξας ἐξ ἀρετῆς, καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸ ἀρχέτυπον νεύσεως· δυσγενὴς δὲ ἅπας, ὁ τῇ κακίᾳ συγχέας, καὶ μορφὴν ἑτέραν ἐπιβαλὼν ἑαυτῷ, τὴν τοῦ ὄφεως. Αἱ δὲ κάτω πατρίδες αὗται, καὶ τὰ γένη ταῦτα, τῆς προσκαίρου ζωῆς καὶ σκηνῆς ἡμῶν γέγονε παίγνια. Πατρίς τε γὰρ, ἣν προκατέλαβεν ἕκαστος, ἢ τυραννήσας, ἢ δυστυχήσας, ἧς πάντες ὁμοίως ξένοι καὶ πάροικοι, κἂν ἐπὶ πολὺ τὰ ὀνόματα παίξωμεν. Καὶ γένος εὐγενὲς μὲν, ἢ τὸ πάλαι πλούσιον, ἢ τὸ νῦν φυσώμενον· δυσγενὲς δὲ, τὸ πενήτων πατέρων, ἢ διὰ συμφορὰν, ἢ δι᾿ ἐπιείκειαν. Ἐπεὶ πῶς ἄνωθεν εὐγενὲς, οὗ τὸ μὲν ἄρχεται νῦν, τὸ δὲ καταλύεται· καὶ τοῖς μὲν οὐ δίδοται, τοῖς δὲ γράφεται; Οὕτως ἐγὼ περὶ τούτων ἔχω. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, σὲ μὲν ἀφίημι τοῖς τάφοις μεγαλοφρονεῖν, ἢ τοῖς μύθοις. Ἐγὼ δὲ πειρῶμαι, ὡς οἷόν τε, ἀνακαθαίρειν ἐμαυτὸν τῆς ἀπάτης, ἵν᾿ ἢ φυλάξω τὴν εὐγένειαν, ἢ ἀνακαλέσωμαι. Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, ΛΟΓΟΣ ΛΓ' Source: Migne PG 36.229a-b

Every one with a high mind, friend, has one country, the heavenly Jerusalem, in which we lay up our citizenship. All have one family, if you look at things below, the dust, or if you look higher, that inspiration of which we partake and which we were called to keep, and with which I must stand to give an account of my heavenly nobility and image. Everyone then is noble who has guarded this through virtue and harmony with his archetype. On the other hand, everyone is ignoble who has mixed with evil and put on himself another form, that of the serpent. The countries below and families are playthings of our temporary life and stage. For our country is whatever each may have first occupied, either as tyrant, or in misfortune, and in this we are all alike strangers and pilgrims, however much we may play about with names. And there the family is accounted noble which is either rich from old, or recently sprung up; and ignoble which has poor parents, by misfortune or moderation. For how can there be a nobility given from above which is at one time has a beginning and then comes to an end, and which is not given to some but is given to others by letters? So I think regarding these things. Because of which I leave it to you to pride yourself on tombs or tales. But I endeavour, as I can, to purify myself from deceit, that I may keep my nobility, or recover it. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 33