Three Ways

Utinam dirigantur viae meae... Tres sunt viae: Via Dei, via hominis, via diaboli. Via Dei est veritas, via hominis est necessitas, via diaboli iniquitas. Via Dei et diaboli numquam flecti possunt, ut ad aliud tendant, quia nec via Dei mala, nec via diaboli bona aliquando esse potest. Via hominis mutabilis est, et ad diversa inflectitur; hoc est, vel ad viam Dei vel ad viam diaboli. Si enim necessitas intorquetur ad cupiditatem, et cupiditas ad iniquitatem, via hominis flectitur, ad viam diaboli. Si autem diriguntur ad mensuram, et mensura ad justitiam, via hominis directa est ad viam Dei. Propterea ait: Utinam dirigantur viae meae. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber II, Caput LXIX Source: Migne PL 177.628b-c

O that my ways were directed...1 There are three ways: The way of God, the way of man, the way of the devil. The way of God is truth, the way of man is need, the way of the devil wickedness. The ways of God and the devil cannot be bent, so that they tend to something else, because it is not possible that the way of God is evil at any time, nor may the way of the devil be good. The way of man is changeable, and it is bent to different things, that is, either to the way of God or to way of the devil. If need bends it to excessive desire, and that to wickedness, the way of man is bent to the way of the devil. But if it is directed by moderation, and moderation to righteousness, the way of man is directed to the way of God. Therefore it is said, 'O that my ways were directed...' Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 2, Chapter 69 1 Ps 118.5

The Four Troubles

Residuum erucae comedit locusta, et residuum locustae comedit bruchus, et residuum bruchi comedit rubigo.   Quator esse perturbationes, quibus animarum sanitas subvertatur, omnes philosophorum scholae conclamant. Duae praesentes sibique contrariae, duae futurae mutuo dissidentes. Praesentes, aegritudo et gaudium. Aegritudinem animi dicimus, alioquin corporis non aegritudo, sed aegrotatio nominatur. Aut igitur tristes sumus, et moerore conficimur, statusque nostrae mentis evertitur: unde at Apostolus monet, ne abundantiori tristitia absordbeatur frater. Aut econtrario gaudemus, gestimusque laetitia, et bona nostra moderantur ferre non possumus; justique et fortis viri est, nec adversis frangi, nec prosperis sublevari, sed in utroque esse moderatum. Diximus de perturbatione praesentium; dicamus et de futurorum, in quibus metus, aut spes est. Adversa timemus, prospera praestolamur; et quod aegritudo et gaudium operantur in praesenti, metus et spes faciunt de futuro, dum aut adversa plus quam decet timemus esse ventura, aut prospera quae speramus intantum nos faciunt exsultare, ut non teneamus modum, maxime in his quae incerta sunt, quia futura sperantur potius quam tenentur. Has perturbationes uno et nec pleno versiculo illustris poeta comprehendit. Hi metuunt cupiunt, dolent gaudentque neque auras, Respiciunt, clausi tenebris et carcere caeco Qui enim perturbationum tenebris obvolvuntur, clarum sapientiae lumen non valent intueri. Cavendum est igitur ne aegritudo, quasi eruca, nos comedat; ne locusta vastet in gaudio, huc illucque volitans, et gestiente laetitia, per diversa se jactans: ne bruchus, id est, pavor et futurorum metus, radices sapientiae devoret, ne rubigo et desiderium futurorum res inutiles concupiscat, et nos perferat ad ruinam. Sanctus Hieronymous, Commentarium in Joelem Prophetam, Caput I Source: Migne PL 25.952b-953a

What the worm leaves the locust eats, and what the locust leaves the swarm eats, and what the swarm leaves the blight devours. 1 All the schools of philosophy declare that there are four troubles by which the health of the soul is overthrown. Two are adversities of the present and two are disturbances regarding the future. The ones of the present are grief and joy. And we speak of the griefs of the soul, and not a discomfort of the body when we speak of grief. Either, then, we are sorrowful and consumed by woe and our firmness of mind is overturned, about which the Apostle warns us: lest an abundance of grief overwhelm our brother; 2 or on the contrary, we are joyous and we exult in our joy and we are hardly able to be moderate regarding our goods. It is of the just and virtuous man neither to be crushed by adversity nor puffed up in prosperity, but in both to exercise moderation. Thus we have spoken about the troubles of the present, and so let us now speak of the future, concerning which there is fear and hope. We are worried by adverse things and wish for prosperity, and what grief and joy do in the present, fear and hope do regarding the future, that either we fear coming adversities more than we should, or the mere hope of prosperity makes us exult, something which we have yet to acquire, in which there is great uncertainty, because future things are hoped for rather than possessed. These troubles the famous poet in a few verses understands: These things they fear desiring, and lament rejoicing,  Seeing not the skies, shut in darkness and in prison blind. 3 For he who is overturned by troubles is in darkness, unable to see with the clear light of wisdom. Let us be wary, then, that neither grief, like the worm, consumes us, nor the locust lays waste to us with joy, for this and that one flittering about us, even when it bears joy, may cast us down by various means. Nor let the swarm, that is, fear and distress regarding the future, devour the roots of wisdom, nor the blight fill us with desires for worthless things in the future, and so bear us off to ruin. Saint Jerome, Commentary on The Prophet Joel, Chapter 1 1 Joel 1.4 2 2 Cor 2.7 3 Aeneid 6.733-4

Advice To An Office Holder

Ἡ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐξουσία, εἰ μὴ κέκραται ἡμερότητι, καὶ ἐπανθεὶ αὐτῇ ἡ Θεῷ δεικονοῦσα προσήνεια, ἀπόνοιά ἐστι μᾶλλον καὶ ἀγριότης. Εἰ δὲ τῷ πράῳ μιγείη, καὶ τούτω ἰθύνει τὸ δικαιον, καὶ εὐθύτης ἐστὶ καὶ χρηστότης καὶ ὁδὸς εὐνομίας, καὶ πραγμάτων γαλήνη. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ MZ' Νεμεσιῳ Ἀρχοντι Source: Migne PG 78.212b

The power of office, if it is not founded on meekness, which service, showing mildness, blooms sweetly before God, is rather senselessness and savagery. But if you have gentleness in your administration and by it you govern justly and with moderation, then there is integrity and kindness, then there is the way of equity and the tranquility of things. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 47, to the Officer Nemesius