Letter 27: On the text, "Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves" [Matthew 10:16].

To Palladios the Deacon. If you love salvation, do all things that lead to it. For the one who desires something to happen should not prevent it from happening, but should do everything so that it may come to pass. To Eulogios. Do not consider it desirable merely to obtain forgiveness, when it is just that one should shine through virtue. For the former befits the most base, while the latter befits the most equitable. The former comes through pity, while the latter is born through reward. For the one is pitied on account of faintheartedness, while the other is crowned on account of magnanimity. To Agathos the Presbyter. On the Holy Trinity. Those expressions in sacred Scripture that exceed the singular number are indicative of the distinction of the hypostases; while those expressed in the singular indicate the identity of the nature. The former were spoken so that Sabellius and the Jews might be silenced; the latter so that Arius and Eunomius and the Greeks might be pilloried. For those who expand the number of distinctive properties into the Holy Trinity, yet contract them into one essence, hold the most correct doctrine, and follow the teachings of the heavenly oracles, falling neither into polytheism through the distinction of properties, nor reducing the Trinity. To Herminos the Count. Since you have written that a discourse — or rather, to speak the truth, a short treatise — was composed by me some time ago on the non-existence of fate, which was regarded with enthusiasm by some and preferred by others even above other writings produced on this subject, and you have asked that it be sent to you, I have sent it. To Olympiodoros. That the Greeks, through the very things by which they seem to diminish Christianity, thereby overthrow their own beliefs. I marvel at how not only the uneducated among the Greeks, but also those who profess wisdom and pride themselves on eloquence, who boast in dialectic and rely on syllogisms, who see the contradictions in arguments but fail to perceive the contradictions in realities — how they do not realize that by the very things with which they shoot against the divine proclamation, they rather bring shame upon themselves. For there is a certain honor that belongs to the conquered in the superiority of their conquerors. But they themselves call Jesus a dead man, so that the multitude of their gods may be shown to be more impotent than a dead man. They mock the cross, so that they may be more vehemently mocked, having been ignominiously conquered and overthrown by a cross. They ridicule the ignorance of the apostles, so that their own celebrated wise men may be more brilliantly pilloried, having been defeated by the teaching of uneducated men. They deride the worshipped tomb of Christ, so that their own conspicuous temples may incur greater laughter, having yielded to a mocked tomb. They assail every element of the proclamation as contemptible, so that their own celebrated things may appear all the more ridiculous, having been brought low by the nature of the contemptible. To Isidore the Deacon. On the text: "Unless your righteousness exceeds," and so on. When the first-formed man, from the very starting line, as one might say, of the divine commandment, disregarded it and preferred the deception to the one who was about to destroy him...

ΚΖ΄. – ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ. Εἰ σωτηρίας ἐρᾷς, πάντα ποίει τὰ εἰς ταύτην ἁγοντα. Τοῦ γὰρ ἐπιθυμοῦντός τι γενέσθαι, οὐ τὸ γενέσθαι· κωλύειν ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πάντα πράττειν ὅπως ἂν γένοιτο. ΠΡΟΣ ΘΕΟΔΟΤΟΝ. Ἔδει τὸν εὐσεβῆ φόβον τὰ φαυλότερα τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου βίβλου προστιθέμενα, καὶ τοῖς αὐτὴν φιλ ΣΒ΄. – ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ Εὐκταῖον μὴ ἡγοῦ τὸ συγγνώμης τυχεῖν, τὸν δι' ἀρετῆς λαμπρυνέσθαι δίκαιον ὄντα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τοῖς φαυλοτάτοις, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ἐπιεικεστάτοις ἀρμόττει. Τὸ μὲν δι' οἶκτον γίγνεται, τὸ δὲ δι᾿ ἀμοιδὴν τίκτε- ται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ διὰ μικροψυχίαν ἐλεεῖται, ὁ δὲ διὰ μεγαλοψυχίαν στεφανοῦται. ΚΖ'. – ΑΓΑΘΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΟ. Περὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος. Τὰ μὲν τὸν ἐνικὸν ὑπερβαίνοντα ἀριθμὸν ἐν τῇ ἱερᾷ Γραφῇ, τῆς τῶν ὑποστάσεων διαφορᾶς ἐστι παραστατικά· τὰ δ' ἐνικῶς ἐξενηνεγμένα, τῆς του τότητος τῆς φύσεως. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ εἴρηται, ἵνα Σαβέλ λιος καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐπιστομισθῶσι· τὰ δ' ἵνα "Άρειος καὶ Εὐνόμιος, καὶ Ἕλληνες στηλιτευθῶσιν. Οἱ γὰρ πλατύνοντες μὲν εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν Τριάδα τὸν τῶν ἰδιο τήτων ἀριθμὸν, συστέλλοντες δὲ εἰς μίαν οὐσίαν, ὀρ θότατα δογματίζουσι, καὶ ταῖς τῶν οὐρανίων χρη σμῶν ἔπονται διδασκαλίαις, μήτ᾽ εἰς πολυθείαν διὰ ΣΚΗ. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Εἰ καὶ ἐπέθετό σοι ὁ κοινὸς ἁπάντων ἐχθρὸς, ὡς αὐτοβοεὶ περιεσόμενος, καὶ ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς ἅπασάν σου τὴν πολιτείαν ληψόμενος, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, ἀκοιμήτῳ σπουδῇ τὴν θείαν προβαλλόμενος συμμαχίαν, πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῷ πόνους εἰς τὴν πολιορκίαν προὐξένησας, ἄπρακτα δὲ αὐτοῦ τὰ μηχανήματα, καὶ τὰς ἑλεπόλεις ἀπέδειξας, καὶ τὸ τρόπαιον κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ λαμπρότερον ἔστησας. Συγχαίροντες οὖν σοι ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ (78), καὶ τὰ ἐπινίκια ᾄδοντες παραινοῦμεν γρηγορεῖν καὶ προσέχειν σαυτῷ. Ὁ γὰρ πολέμιος οὔτε αἰδεῖσθαι εἶδεν, οὔτε ἐρυθριᾶν ἐπίσταται, οὔτ᾽ ἀπογινώσκει ἕως θανάτου, ἀλλ' ἀντὶ ὅπλων (79) καὶ μηχανημάτων ἀρκούμενος τῇ οἰκείᾳ φύσει, παντὶ καιρῷ ἐπιτίθεται οὐ τὸ ἡττῆσθαι ἐννοῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ νικῆσαι ὀνειροπολῶν. Πάσῃ οὖν φυλακῇ τήρει τὴν σαυτοῦ καρδίαν. Οὐ γὰρ μονοειδής, ῥᾳδίως γὰρ ἂν ἑάλῳ, ποικίλη δε τίς ἐστι καὶ πολύτροπος, ἡ πρὸς αὐτὸν μάχη. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ διὰ σωφροσύνης ἡττηθῇ (80), διὰ φιλοχρηματίας πολεμεῖ. Εἰ δὲ κἀνταῦθα τρωθείη, διὰ βασκανίας (81) ἐπι- ``` ΣΝΓ. – ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας λόγον, μᾶλλον δὲ εἰ χρὴ εἰπεῖν ταληθές, λογίδιόν μοι πρώην γεγράφθαι περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι εἰμαρμένην, παρά τινων μὲν ἐνθειασθὲν, παρά τινων δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων συγγραμμάτων τῶν εἰς τοῦτο παρά τίνων. πεπονημένων προκριθὲν, καὶ παρεκάλεσας τοῦτό σοι πεμφθῆναι, πέπομφααὐτό (31) ``` ΚΖ'. – ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟΔΩΡΟ. Ὅτι Ἕλληνες, δι' ὧν τὰ Χριστιανῶν δοκοῦσι σμικρύνειν, διὰ τούτων τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἀνατρέπουσιν. Θαυμάζω, ὅπως οὐ μόνον οἱ παιδεύσεως ἄμοιροι τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ σοφίαν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, καὶ οἱ ἐπὶ εὐγλωττίᾳ ἐναβρυνόμενοι, ἐπὶ διαλεκτικῇ τε αὐχοῦντες, καὶ συλλογισμοῖς ἐπερειδόμενοι, καὶ τὰς μὲν ἐναντιώσεις τῶν λογισμῶν ὁρῶντες, τὰς δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων μὴ καθορῶντες, οὐκ αἰσθάνονται, δι' ὧν τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ θεῖον κατατοξεύουσι, διὰ τούτων μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς καταισχύνοντες. Φέρει γάρ τινα (11) φιλοτιμίαν τοῖς κεκρατημένοις, ἡ τῶν κεκρατηκότων ὑπεροχή. Αὐτοὶ δὲ φάσκουσι νεκρὸν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἵνα νεκροῦ ἀποφανθῇ τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς θεῶν ὁ δῆμος ἀδρανέστερος. Κωμῳδοῦσι τὸν σταυρὸν, ἵνα κωμῳ δηθῶσι σφοδρότερον, ἀτίμως πεπορθημένοι καὶ νενι κημένοι σταυρῷ. Σκώπτουσι τὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀμαθίαν, ἵνα λαμπρότερον οἱ θρυλλούμενοι παρ' αὐτῶν στηλιτευθῶσι σοφοὶ, ἰδιωτῶν ἀνδρῶν διδασκαλίᾳ ἡττηθέντες. Τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσκυνούμενον χλευάζουσι τάφον, ἵν᾿ οἱ παρ' αὐτοῖς περιφανεῖς ναοί, γέλωτα ὀφλείωσι (12) μείζονα, χλευαζομένῳ παραχωρήσαντες τάφῳ. Παντὸς ἐπιλαμβάνονται ὡς εὐτελοῦς τοῦ κηρύγματος, ἵνα τὰ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς περιφανῆ πλέον ὀφθῇ καταγελαστότερα, τῇ τῶν εὐτελῶν ὑποκύψαντα φύσει. ΚΖ΄. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ Δέον παρακαλεῖν ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις ψυχαῖς τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι, τοῦ θείους καὶ μὴ ἐναντιωθῆναι τοῖς δοκοῦσιν ἀξίοις, καὶ τοῖς ἐθέλουσιν σωφρονεῖν καὶ πᾶσαν ἀπαλλάξαι ψευδολογίαν. ΣΔ'. – ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ (27) Β Εἰς τὸ· · Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς. Ὁπηνίκα ὁ πρωτόπλαστος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ αὐτῆς, ὡς ἄν τις εἶποι, γραμμῆς τῆς θείας ἐντολῆς ἀλογήσας τὴν ἀπάτην προϋτίμησε τοῦ αὐτὸν ἀπολέσαι παν τελῶς μηχανησαμένου, τὸ τηνικαῦτα καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ γέγονεν οὐ μόνον θνητὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παθητόν. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἐλαττώματα ἑβλάστησε, καὶ βαρὺς καὶ δυσήνιος ὁ ἴππος κατέστη. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν καὶ εἰς πάντας ἡ δυσκλεὴς αὕτη καὶ πάσης ζημίας βαρυτέρα κληρονομία κατεπέμφθη (28), καὶ ταῖς τῆς προαιρέ- σεως βαθυμίαις ηὐξήθη ἡ ἀπευκτὴ περιουσία, δεῦρο δὴ ἐπιφοιτήσας ὁ Χριστὸς, κουφότερον ἡμῖν τὸ σῶμα διὰ τοῦ τοῦ βαπτίσματος πεποίηκε, τῷ πτερῷ τοῦ τοῦ Πνεύματος διεγείρων· διὰ τοῦτο μείζονα τῶν C παλαιῶν ἡμῖν προσετέθη (29) καὶ ἄθλα καὶ ἔπαθλα. Οὐ γὰρ φόνου καθαροὺς εἶναι βούλεται μόνον, ἄλλα καὶ ὀργῆς· οὐδὲ μοιχείας καὶ πορνείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀκολάστου θέας· οὐδὲ ἐπιορκίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐορκίας. Καὶ μετὰ τῶν φίλων καὶ τοὺς δυσμενεῖς κελεύει φι- λεῖν· καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις δὲ ἅπασι μακρότερα ἐποίησε τὰ στάδια· καὶ τοῖς μὴ πειθομένοις πῦρ άσβεστον ἠπείλησε, δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐ τῆς φιλοτιμίας τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων ἐστὶ ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἡ ἀκτημοσύνη, καὶ ἡ παρθενία· ἐκεῖ γὰρ προὐτρέψατο · · Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι· » καὶ · « Ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν, χωρεί- τω. » ᾿Αλλὰ πάντως σὐτὰ ἀνυσθῆναι βούλεται · καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐστί. Διὸ καὶ ἔφη τοῦθ᾽, ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας· ε ·· · Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ η δικαιοσύνη πλέον τῶν Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, τουτέστιν, εἰ μὴ τοσοῦτον ὑπερακοντίσητε τοὺς ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ εὐδοκιμηκότας· οὐ γὰρ περὶ τῶν δίκην δωσόντων νυνὶ διαλέγομαι· ὅσον ὁ οὐρανὸς τῆς γῆς διενήνοχεν · · οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν των οὐρανῶν. » Τοῖς γὰρ ἄθλοις καὶ τὰ ἔπαθλα εἰκότως ἀκολουθεῖ. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ σύμμετρον πολιτείαν ΡΜΔ΄. – ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ ΚΟΜΙΤΙ Οἱ ἄφρονες τοῖς τῶν σοφῶν ἐπιτίθενται.