Letter 213

To the Same Person. "Lord," he says, "as with a shield of good favor you have crowned us" [Psalm 5:12 LXX]. For the righteous, the shield and the crown would be one and the same thing, so that he who has armed himself spiritually is at the same time crowned. For Solomon too has said: "And with a crown of delight he will shield you" [Proverbs 4:9 LXX].

Κύριε, φησὶν, ὡς ὅπλῳ εὐδοκίας ἐστεφάνωσας ἡμᾶς. Ταὐτὸν ἂν εἴη τῶν δικαίων καὶ ὅπλον, καὶ στέφανος, ὥστε τὸν ὡπλισάμενον νοητῶς στεφανοῦ- σθαι· καὶ γὰρ καὶ Σολομὼν εἴρηκε· Στεφάνῳ δὲ τρυφῆς ὑπερασπιεῖ σου.