Wisdom And Simplicity

Muscae mortis pollunt oleum compositionis: pretiosa est super sapientiam et gloriam stultitia parva. Exemplum superioris sensus dedit, in quo ait, per unum stultum multa bona posse subverti, quod sic malus mistus bonis contaminet plurimos, quomodo muscae si moriantur in unguento, perdant et odorem illius et colorem. Et quia saepe calliditati mista est sapientia, et habet malitiam prudentia, praecipit ut sapientiam simplicem requiramus, mistaque sit cum innocentia columbarum; prudentes simus ad bonum, simplices autem ad malum. Et est sensus: Convenit justo parum habere simplicitatis, et propter nimiam patientiam, dum ultionem reservat Deo, stultum videri, quam statim se vindicantem sub velamento prudentiae exercere malitiam. Sanctus Hieronymous, Commentarius Ecclesiasten, Cap X Source: Migne PL 23 1090a-b

Dead flies defile the well prepared perfume; a little foolishness is more precious than wisdom and glory. 1 He has given an example of the previous passage's meaning, in which he said that by one fault many goods may be overturned, 2 because evil mixed with goods contaminates many, as flies dying in perfume destroy both its odour and its colour. And because it is often the case that cunning is mixed with wisdom, and prudence bears along with it wickedness, he commands that we seek a simple wisdom, and mix it with the innocence of doves. Let us be prudent in the good, simple in evil. And this is the meaning: it befits the righteous to have a little simplicity and on account of excessive patience, while he reserves vengeance to God, to seem a fool, than to be instantly vindicated under the veil of prudence by doing evil. Saint Jerome, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chap 10 1 Eccl 10.1 2 Eccl 9.18

Against Retaliation

Δεύτερον δὲ χαλεπὸν μὲν οἶδα λόγον ἐρῶν καὶ δυσπαράδεκτον τοῖς πολλοῖς· φιλεῖ γὰρ ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ τοῦ ἀντιδρᾷν κακῶς γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, ἄλλως τε κἂν δικαίαν ἔχων τὴν ὀργὴν ἐξ ὧν πέπονθεν, ἥκιστα λόγου πείθεσθαι χαλινοῖς τὸν θυμὸν ἀνακόπτοντος· ἀκουσθῆναι δὲ ὅμως καὶ προσδεχθῆναι ἄξιον. Μὴ ἀπλήστως χρησώμεθα τῷ καιρῷ, μὴ κατατρυφήσωμεν τῆς ἐξουσίας, μὴ πικροὶ γενώμεθα τοῖς ἠδικηκόσι, μὴ ὧν κατέγνωμεν, ταῦτα πράξωμεν· ἀλλ' ὅσον φυγεῖν τὰ δεινὰ τῆς μεταβολῆς ἀπολαύσαντες, ὅσον εἰς ἀντίδοσιν ἥκει, μισήσωμεν. Αὐτάρκης δίκη τοῖς γε μετρίοις τὸ τῶν λελυπηκότων δέος, καὶ τὸ προσδοκῆσαι ταῦτα παθεῖν, ὧν εἰσιν ἄξιοι, καὶ οἰκείῳ συνειδότι βασανισθῆναι· ἃ γάρ τις ὡς πεισόμενος δέδοικε, ταῦτα πέπονθε, κἂν μὴ πάθῃ, καὶ πλείω παρ' ἑαυτοῦ τυχὸν ἢ τῶν δρασόντων κολάζεται. Μὴ τοίνυν θελήσωμεν τὴν ὀργὴν μετρηθῆναι, μηδὲ φανῶμεν ἐλάττους κολασταὶ τῆς ἀξίας· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὸ πᾶν εἰσπράξασθαι μὴ δυνάμεθα, τὸ πᾶν συγχωρήσωμεν· γενώμεθα τούτῳ κρείττους τῶν ἠδικηκότων καὶ ὑψηλότεροι· δείξωμεν τί μὲν διδάσκουσιν ἐκείνους οἱ δαίμονες, τί δαὶ ἡμᾶς ἐκπαιδεύει Χριστὸς, ὃς, οἷς πέπονθε τὸ εὐδόκιμον ἔχον, οὐχ ἧττον νενίκηκεν οἷς δυνάμενος οὐ πεποίηκεν. Ἓν ἀντιδῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ χαριστήριον· αὐξήσωμεν χρηστότητι τὸ μυστήριον· εἰς τοῦτο τῷ καιρῷ χρησώμεθα Ἅγιος Γρηγόριος ὁ Ναζιανζηνός, Λόγος Ε', Κατὰ Ἰουλιανοῦ βασιλέως Στηλιτευτικὸς Δεύτερος Migne PG 35.712

Secondly, the words I am about to utter, I know, will be difficult and hard to admit for many, for a man when having the power to retaliate wickedly loves to do so, especially when righteously indignant because of what he has suffered, where reason is tardy to force anger to obey the rein, though indeed it deserves to be listened to and followed. Let us not overreach during the moment, let us not misuse our power, let us not be bitter towards those who have mistreated us, let us not do the things that we have deplored in others, but as much as we fly wretchedness and profit by that change, so let us as much hate all thoughts of retaliation. Sufficient justice for temperate men is the terror of those that have injured them, and their expectation that they will suffer the same things, being worthy if it, and the torments of their own conscience; for what someone fears that he shall suffer, the same he suffers even though he does not, and perhaps even more from himself than he would from those who would inflict it. Let us, then, not wish for anger to be measured out, nor let us appear as punishers less than is merited, but since we cannot exact the full debt from them, let us waive the whole, let us be better and more high minded than those who have been unjust, let us show them what the demons teach them and what Christ has taught us, who having glory in the things that He suffered, was not less in the things He refrained from doing though able. Let us return to God our thanks, let us magnify the Mystery by goodness, and so let us make good use of the time. Saint Gregory Nazianzus, from Oration 5, Against the Emperor Julian

Returning Evil

Ὁρᾶτε μή τις κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ τινι ἀποδῷ. Εἰ κακὸν ἀντὶ κακοῦ οὐ χρὴ ἀποδιδόναι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον κακὸν ἀντὶ ἀγαθοῦ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον μὴ προϋπάρξαντος κακοῦ, ἀποδοῦναι κακόν. Ἀλλ' ὁ δεῖνα, φησὶ, πονηρός ἐστι, καὶ ἐλύπησε, καὶ πολλά με ἠδίκησε. Βούλει αὐτὸν ἀμύνασθαι;  μὴ ἀνταποδῷς· ἔασον ἀτιμώρητον.  Ἆρα μέχρι τούτου; Οὐδαμῶς. Ἀλλὰ πάντοτε τὸ ἀγαθὸν διώκετε, καὶ εἰς ἀλλήλους, καὶ εἰς πάντας. Αὕτη μείζων ἡ φιλοσοφία, μὴ μόνον κακοῖς μὴ ἀμύνεσθαι τὰ κακὰ, ἀλλὰ ἀγαθοῖς· αὕτη γάρ ἐστιν ὄντως ἄμυνα κἀκείνῳ βλάβην ἔχουσα, καὶ ὠφέλειάν σοι· μᾶλλον δὲ κἀκείνῳ πολλὴν τὴν ὠφέλειαν, ἐὰν θέλῃ. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ νομίσῃς ὅτι περὶ τῶν πιστῶν μόνων τοῦτο εἴρηται, διὰ τοῦτο εἶπε· Καὶ εἰς ἀλλήλους, καὶ εἰς πάντας. Πάντοτε χαίρετε. Τοῦτο περὶ τῶν πειρασμῶν τῶν θλῖψιν ἐμποιούντων. Ἀκούετε, ὅσοι πενίᾳ περιπεπτώκατε, ὅσοι λυπηροῖς πράγμασιν· ἀπὸ τούτων γὰρ χαρὰ τίκτεται. Ὅταν γὰρ τοιαύτην ἔχωμεν ψυχὴν, ὥστε μηδένα ἀμύνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ πάντας εὐεργετεῖν, πόθεν, εἰπέ μοι, τὸ τῆς λύπης κέντρον παρεισελθεῖν δυνήσεται;  Ὁ γὰρ οὕτω χαίρων τῷ παθεῖν κακῶς, ὡς καὶ εὐεργεσίαις ἀμύνεσθαι τὸν πεποιηκότα κακῶς, πόθεν δυνήσεται ἀνιαθῆναι λοιπόν; Καὶ πῶς οἷόν τε τοῦτο, φησίν;  Ἂν ἐθέλωμεν, δυνατόν.  Εἶτα καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν ἔδειξεν· Ἀδιαλείπτως προσεύχεσθε, ἐν παντὶ εὐχαριστεῖτε· τοῦτο γὰρ θέλημα Θεοῦ.    Τὸ ἀεὶ εὐχαριστεῖν, τοῦτο φιλοσόφου ψυχῆς.  Ἔπαθές τι κακόν;  Ἀλλ' ἐὰν θέλῃς, οὐκ ἔστι κακόν·  εὐχαρίστησον τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ μετεβλήθη τὸ κακὸν εἰς ἀγαθόν·  εἰπὲ καὶ σὺ ὡς Ἰώβ·  Εἴη τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου εὐλογημένον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Τί γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, τοιοῦτον πέπονθας; νόσος ἐπέπεσεν; ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ξένον·  θνητὸν γὰρ ἡμῖν τὸ σῶμα καὶ παθητόν. Ἀλλὰ πενία συνήντησε χρημάτων; ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῦτα κτητὰ καὶ ἀπόκτητα, καὶ ἐνταῦθα μένοντα. Ἀλλ' ἐπιβουλαὶ καὶ συκοφαντίαι παρ' ἐχθρῶν;  ἀλλ' οὐχ ἡμεῖς ἠδικήμεθα ἐν τούτοις, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι οἱ πεποιηκότες· Ψυχὴ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα, αὐτὴ καὶ ἀποθανεῖται.  Ἥμαρτε δὲ οὐχ ὁ παθὼν κακῶς, ἀλλ' ὁ ποιήσας κακῶς. Οὐ τοίνυν τὸν ἀποθανόντα ἀμύνεσθαι χρὴ, ἀλλ' εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐξελέσθαι τοῦ θανάτου. Οὐχ ὁρᾶτε τὴν μέλισσαν, ὅτι πλήττουσα ἐπαποθνήσκει τῷ κέντρῳ; Δι' ἐκείνου τοῦ ζώου παιδεύει ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς μὴ λυπεῖν τοὺς πλησίον· αὐτοὶ γὰρ τὸν θάνατον δεχόμεθα πρότεροι. Ἐκείνους μὲν γὰρ πλήττοντες ἴσως πρὸς μικρὸν ἐλυπήσαμεν·  αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκέτι ζησόμεθα, καθάπερ οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνο τὸ ζῶον. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης ὁ Χρυσόστομος ,Ὑπομηνα Ἐις Την Προς Θεσσαλονικεις Ἐπιστολην Πρωτην, Ὀμιλια Ιʹ ,

'See that no one returns to any one evil for evil.'  1 If one should not return evil for evil, much less evil for good, much less when evil has not been previously done, should evil be done. 'But it is terrible,' you say, 'he is a wicked man, and has hurt me, and treated me with great injustice.' Do you wish to be revenged on him? Do not retaliate. Leave him unpunished. And do we stop here? Not at all.   'But always seek the good, toward one another and toward all.' This is the greater philosophy, not only not to return evil for evil, but to return good. For this is truly revenge against the one who has done harm, and advantage to yourself, or rather great advantage even to him, if he will. And that you may not think that this is said with respect to the faithful alone, then he has said, ' toward one another and toward all.'   'Rejoice always.' This is said about the temptations that produce affliction. Hear, as many of you as have fallen into poverty, or into grievous circumstances, for from these joy is born. For when we possess such a soul that we take revenge on no one, but do good to everyone, whence, tell me, will the sting of grief be able to enter? For he who so rejoices to suffer evil, as to return benefits to him who has done him evil, whence can he afterwards suffer grief? And how can this be, you say? If we will, it is possible. Then also he shows the way.   'Pray without ceasing, in every thing giving thanks, for this is the will of God.' Always to give thanks, this is the way of a philosophic soul. What evil have you suffered? But if you will, it is no evil. Give thanks to God, and the evil is changed into good. Say even as Job said, 'May the name of the Lord be blessed for ever.'  2 For tell me, what such great thing have you suffered? Has disease befallen? But it is nothing strange, for our body is mortal and passible. Has a want of possessions overtaken you? But these are things to be acquired and lost, and they remain here. But is it plots and false accusations of enemies? But it is not we who are injured by these, but they who are the authors of them. 'For a soul,' it says, 'that sins itself dies' 3 And he has not sinned who suffers the evil, but he who has done the evil. Against him therefore who is dead one should not seek revenge, but rather pray for him that you might free him from death. Do you not see how the bee that having stung by the sting perishes? By that animal God instructs us not to harm our neighbors, since before them we shall suffer death. For by stinging them we have perhaps for a little time pained them, but we shall not live as long as them, just like that animal does not.  Saint John Chrysostom, Homily 10 on First Thessalonians 1 1 Thes 5.15  2 Job 1.21 3 Ezek 18.20

Justice and Judgements

Non enim haec sola est forma justitae, ut non laedas eum, qui te non laeserit; sed etiam illa, ut etiam ei remittas, qui te laeserit. Laedimur plerumque fraude alterius, dolo proximi: numquid hoc virtutis putamus, ut dolum dolo ulcismur, fraudem referamus fraudibus? Etenim si justitia virtus est, crimine debet vacare, nec improbitatem improbitate refere. Quae enim virtus haec a te fieri, quod in altero ipse punias? Contagio ista improbitatis non ultio est: nihil autem interest cui malefacias, utrum justo, an injusto, cum te malefacere non oporteat. Neque distat quomodo malignus sis, utrum vindicandi studio, an voto nocendi; cum malignitas in utroque genere non careat reprehensione. Nam malignum esse ab injusto nihil distat: ideoque tibi dictum est: 'Noli malignus esse inter malignantes, neque aemulatus fueris facientes iniquitatem; et supra idem ait: 'Odio habui congregationem malignantium. Omnes ubique complexus est, nullum excepit: malignitatem tenuit, non causam interrogavit. Quae autem melior forma quam justitiae divinae? Dicit enim Dei Filius: ' Diligite inimicos vestros. Et iterum dicit: 'Orate pro persequentibus et calumniantibus vos. Eousque perfectis studium adimit ultionis, ut laedentium charitatem imperet. Et quoniam in veteri Scriptua dixerat: ' Mihi vindictam et ego retribuam, in Evangelio ait orandum pro iis qui laeserint; ne in eos vindicet, qui vindicandum promisit: vult enim ex tua dimittere voluntate, in quo ex sua convenitur promissione. Quod si vindictam requiris, habes quia injustus amplius suis punitur opinionibus quam judiciariis severitatibus. Et quoniam nemo potest esse sine aliquibus adversis, id agamus, ne nobis nostro vitio adversa accidant. Nemo enim gravius alieno condemnatur judicio, quam insipiens suo, qui sibi auctor est malorum. Unde molesta et plena contentionis declinemus negotia, quae neque frutum habent, et impedimentum afferunt. Quamquam id agere debemus, ne nos arbitrii nostri poeniteat, aut facti: prudentis est enim prospicere, ne frequenter eum poeniteat sui; numquam enim poenitere solius est Dei. Quis veri justitiae fructus, nisi mentis tranquillitas? Aut quid est juste vivere, nisi cum tranquillitate vivere? Qualis forma fuerit domini, talis totius domus est status. Quod is domui quaerentur ista, quanto magis in Ecclesia, 'ubi et dives et pauper, servus et liber, Graecus et Scytha, honoratus et plebeius, omnes in Christo unum sumus?' Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, ex Epistula LXIII, Vercellensi Ecclesiae

For it is not the sole condition of justice not to hurt him who has not hurt you but that you forgive him who has injured you. We are often injured by the deceit of others, by the cunning of a neighbour, but should we think it virtuous to have revenge on cunning with cunning, to pay back fraud with fraud? For if justice is a virtue, it must be free from crime, and so not return evil for evil. For what is this virtue of yours that you punish another with what you do yourself? This is to spread evil, not punish it. And whether the person whom you injure be just or unjust is of no importance, for you should not have done evil. Nor does it make a difference to how wicked you are, whether it be done out of a desire for vengeance, or of injuring others, when the wickedness in either case does not clear you of blame. There is no difference between being evil and being unjust, and therefore it is said, 'Do not wish to be wicked among the wicked, nor envy those who perform iniquities,'  1 and before that it is written: 'I have hated the congregation of the wicked.' 2 Thus he comprehends everyone everywhere, without exception; he indicates wickedness without asking for the cause. And what can be a better model than Divine justice? For the Son of God says, 'Love your enemies.' And again He says, 'Pray for them who persecute you and speak ill of you.' 3 So far does He remove the desire for revenge from the perfect, that he commands charity to persecutors. And as in the Old Testament He said, 'Mine is vengeance, I will repay,' 4 so in the Gospel He says we must pray for those who injure us,lest against them he be revenged who promised revenge. For He desires you to forgive of your own free-will, with which He agrees according to His promise. If you ask for vengeance, you have it, because the unjust man is more severely punished by his own thoughts, than by judicial severity. And since no one can be free from adversities, let us act so that they do not come upon us by our own fault. For no one is condemned more heavily by judgment than the fool is by his own, he who is the author of his own misery. Thus let us avoid such affairs that are troublesome and contentious, which have no fruit and offer only obstacles. But we should act so that we have no cause to be ashamed either of our judgements or deeds; for it is of the prudent man to guard against having to feel frequent sorrow for his acts, it being for God alone never to repent. For what is the fruit of justice but calmness of mind? Or what does living justly bring with it, but a life of tranquillity? As the model of the master will be the state of the whole house. But if this is required in a family, how much more in the Church, 'Where both rich and poor, bond and free, Greek and Scythian, noble and plebeian, are all one in Christ Jesus.' 5 Saint Ambrose, from Letter 63, To the Church of Vercellae 1 Ps 36.1  2 Ps 25.5  3 Mt 5.44 4 Deut 32,35 5 Coloss 3.11

Anger and Vengeance

Audisti convicium, ventus est; iratus es, fluctus est. Vento igitur flante, fluctu surgente, periclitatur navis, periclitatur cor tuum, fluctuat cor tuum. Audito convicio vindicari desideras: et ecce vindicatus es, et malo alieno cedens, fecisti naufragium. Et quare hoc? Quia dormit in te Christus. Quid est, dormit in te Christus? Oblitus es Christum. Excita ergo Christum, recordare Christum, evigilet in te Christus: considera illum. Quid volebas? Vindicari. Excidit tibi, quia ipse cum crucifigeretur dixit: Pater, ignosce illis, quia nesciunt quid faciunt? Qui dormiebat in corde tuo, noluit vindicari. Excita illum, recole illum. Memoria ipsius, verbum ipsius: memoria ipsius, jussio ipsius. Et dices apud te, si vigilat in te Christus: Qualis ego homo, qui volo vindicari? Qui sum ego, qui in hominem exsero comminationes? Morior forte antequam vindicer. Et anhelans, ira inflammatus, et sitiens vindicatam, exiero de corpore, non me suscipit ille qui noluit vindicari: non me suscipit ille qui dixit, 'Date, et dabitur vobis; dimittite, et dimittetur vobis. Ergo compescam me ab iracundia mea, et redibo ad quietem cordis mei. Imperavit Christus mari, facta est tranquillitas. Sanctus Augustinus Hipponensis, Sermons ad Populum, Sermones De Scripturis Veteris et Novi Testamenti, Sermo LXIII

You have heard abuse, it is the wind; you are angry, it is a wave. When therefore the wind blows and the wave swells, the ship is endangered, the heart is in imperil, the heart is shaken. When you have heard an insult, you long to be avenged, and, yes, you are avenged and so falling into doing evil to another you have been shipwrecked. And why is this? Because Christ is asleep in you. What does this mean: Christ is asleep in you? You have forgotten Christ. Rouse Christ then, recall Christ, let Him wake in you, pay attention to Him. What did you wish? To be avenged.? Has it slipped from your mind that when He was being crucified, He said, 'Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do?'1 He who was asleep in your heart did not wish to be avenged. Rouse Him, call Him to mind. Be mindful of Him and His commands. And then, if Christ is awake in you, you will say to yourself, 'What sort of man am I, who longs to be avenged?' Perhaps I may die before I am avenged, and breathing my last, burning with rage and thirsting for vengeance, I shall depart from the body and He will not receive me who did not wish to be avenged, He will not receive me, who said, 'Give, and it shall be given to you; forgive, and it shall be forgiven you.'2 Therefore I will check my anger and I will return peace to my heart. Christ has commanded the sea, tranquility is restored. Saint Augustine of Hippo, Sermons on the Old and New Testament, Sermon 63 1 Lk 23.34 2. Lk 6.38