About the good of death

The treatise “On the Good of Death” (57 chapters) was written by St. Ambrose of Milan around 387-389. It develops the idea of ​​the ascent of the soul to God, that death, as the separation of the soul from the body, is good and not evil. The body is called the prison of the soul, which prevents divine contemplation. The structure of the essay can be divided into 2 parts. The first part includes chapters 1-29, the second - 31-57. Chapter 30 acts as a short link between the parts. The first part contains reflections on what death is and whether it is fair to consider it evil (chap. 1-2). The saint names 3 types of death: death as a consequence of sin, mystical death (death for sin and life for God), death as the separation of soul and body. The first is evil, the second is good, the third is neither one nor the other (chap. 3-4). Based on the text of Holy Scripture, St. Ambrose says that for the saints and prophets, release from bodily bonds meant approaching God (chap. 5-8). A person must die to sin while still alive (chap. 9-12). The saint turns to the images of the Song of Songs, speaking about the soul as a city surrounded by a wall, about the descent of the soul into the garden (chap. 17-21). The soul and body are different in nature; their union does not mean mixing and dissolving one into the other. Living while sinning is harder than dying, because while a person lives, he multiplies his sins, but if he dies, he stops sinning (chap. 26-29). The second part begins with a reflection on the fact that the fear of death is a delusion of foolish people (chap. 31-33). Death is called a quiet haven, peace, rest from the worries and worries of life (chap. 34-38). The soul that sins dies for God, since it lives for sin, and the soul that does not sin does not die, for it remains in its essence, abides in virtue and glory (chap. 40-42). After the death of the body, the soul continues to live (chap. 43-45). Based on the revelation from the Third Book of Ezra, the saint describes the heavenly storehouses, i.e. 7 orders where righteous souls find grace (chap. 46-48). A person must think about eternal bliss, strive with his whole life towards Christ, towards the heavenly abodes that He has prepared for us (chap. 49-57). *The title of the work in Latin is De bono mortis. Contents E. V. Materova. Translator's Preface About the Good of Death The work “On the Good of Death” (De bono mortis, 387–389) belongs to the exegetical works of St. Ambrose of Milan. Its content is closely related to the homily “About Isaac or the Soul” (De Isaac uel anima, 386), in the final part of which there is a call not to be afraid of death, for it is nothing more than the liberation of the soul, delivering it from bodily fetters. De bono mortis becomes a kind of continuation, which the author directly points out in the first lines of this treatise, developing the idea of ​​the ascent of the soul to God. Apparently, as is the case with some other works of St. Ambrose, we have before us an edited recording of the bishop’s conversations with his flock. Despite literary processing, the text retains the signs of a living sounding word, directly addressed to the listener 1. In the structure of this work, two parts are clearly distinguished; most likely, texts are combined here that were prepared by the saint for two conversations, united by a common theme, but somewhat spaced apart in time 2 . The first part includes chapters 1–7 (1–29), the second – chapters 8–12 (31–57), § 30 acts as a short link between the parts. The first part opens with a reflection on what death is and whether it is fair to consider it evil (1–2); we are talking about three types of death: death as a consequence of sin, mystical death, meaning death for sin and life for God; death as the separation of soul and body. Moreover, the first is evil, the second is good, and the third is neither one nor the other (3–4). Based on the text of Holy Scripture, St. Ambrose talks about the fact that for the saints and prophets, separation from the body seemed desirable, because freedom from bodily bonds meant for them approaching God (5–8). The task of a person is to free himself from passions and bodily fetters; one must, as it were, die to sin while still alive (9–12). If the soul is pure, then for it there can be no evil in death, and for a soul that is mired in sin, evil is not death, but life in captivity of vice (13-14). And if life is full of hardships, then death, which frees you from them, is an undoubted blessing (15). While still alive, it is necessary to break out of earthly shackles, free yourself from the desire for luxury and pleasure. Every passion seems to nail the soul to the body; the captive soul is like a bird caught in a snare (16). Next St. Ambrose turns to the imagery of the Song of Songs, speaking of the soul as a city surrounded by a wall, of the soul’s descent into the garden, noting that this allegory of the soul is also presented in Plato’s Symposium and was borrowed by the Greek philosopher from the Old Testament (17–21). The soul is constantly tempted by the powers of the world; the soul can become a captive of bodily lusts, or it can become like a master or musician and skillfully control the body like an instrument (22–25). The soul and body are different in nature; their union does not mean mixing and dissolving one into the other. If such a mixture occurs, it leads to the deadening of the soul and the subordination of its virtues to bodily lusts; therefore, one should not trust the body. Living while sinning is harder than dying, because while a person lives, he multiplies his sins, but if he dies, he stops sinning (26-29). The second part begins with a reflection, partly repeating what was said earlier. The point is that the fear of death does not stem from some kind of evil inherent in death, it is rather a delusion of unreasonable people, either who believe that death is the end of human existence, or who are frightened by the stories of poets about the afterlife torments of mythological heroes (31–33). Death is a quiet haven, tranquility, rest from the worries and worries of life (34–38). The soul will outlive the body, and happy is the lot of souls that please God (39). The soul that sins dies for God, since it lives for sin, and the soul that does not sin does not die, for it remains in its essence, abides in virtue and glory (40-42). After the death of the body, the soul continues to live, the tombs are the receptacle of the body, while the abode of souls is in heaven, and death is a transition. At the same time, St. Ambrose places special emphasis on the fact that pagan philosophers, speaking about the immortality of the soul, borrowed these judgments from the Old Testament, but supplemented them with their own inventions and distorted them with the doctrine of the transmigration of souls (43–45). What follows is a description of the heavenly storehouses, viz. seven orders where righteous souls find grace. This description is based on revelation from the Third Book of Ezra (46–48). The thought of eternal bliss encourages us to live in such a way that after death we can draw closer to the Lord and see His face (49–50). The final chapter is an ardent call to strive with all our lives to Christ, to the heavenly abodes that He has prepared for us, which is the land of the living (51-57). Like the homily “On Isaac or the Soul,” the homily “On the Good of Death” reveals the influence of ancient philosophy. The text is full of allusions associated with Plato’s dialogues, and, as C. Moreschini notes, “allusions from among those that are most well known to the educated reader”: the concept of the body as a prison of the soul, the desire of the sage to free himself from contact with the body, which prevents him from achieving contemplation of the divine, the escape from the world by the soul, the liberation of the soul from the passions into which the world draws it (fuga saeculi) 3 . St. Ambrose directly points to one of the most famous stories - the myth of Poros and Penia, set forth by Plato in the Symposium (203b). Ambrose seems to deliberately rely on material that is known and designed to be recognized by the listener in order to rethink it from a Christian perspective. Plato's Garden of the Mind, as stated above, in St. Ambrose turns out to be correlated with the garden where the soul enters in the Song of Songs (5.19), and the feast of the immortal gods is interpreted as eternal life prepared for the soul united with God (5.21). It should be said that the argumentation of St. Ambrose largely indicates that Plato's philosophical conclusions were perceived by him indirectly. The basis for the exegetical and polemical constructions of St. Ambrose could have been compiled from several sources. It is known that Ambrose adopted the method of allegorical exegesis from Origen, whose interpretation of the Song of Songs could not but influence the homily “On Isaac” and “On the Good of Death.” Probably for this reason, at the beginning of the 20th century. V. Wilbrand believed that the interpretation of Plato’s myth should also be traced back to Origen 4 . Later, P. Courcelles expressed a different, very convincing point of view, identifying a number of parallels with Plotinus’s Enneads, pointing out the influence of the Neoplatonist not only on the exegesis of Plato’s garden (5.19), but also on a number of images depicting the relationship between soul and body, such as, for example, likening the soul to a musician or artisan, and the body to an obedient instrument (6.25), etc. 5 Other ancient the source that served as St. Ambrose, it could have been Apuleius’s work “On Plato and His Teachings” (De Plone et eius dogmate) - a textbook that set out the foundations of Platonism 6 . Turning to ancient philosophy, the saint insists on the imitation of the works of pagan philosophers. He believes that Plato, while in Egypt, became acquainted with the text of the Old Testament and from there drew the best of his ideas 7 . Addressing his work to an educated audience familiar with the teachings of philosophers, St. Ambrose sees his task as convincing this audience of the secondary nature of pagan works 8; he strives to highlight the fundamental principle in them, cutting off all “distortions”, reducing everything that, in his opinion, was introduced by paganism. He, as it were, clears revelation of layers and leads the listener to the idea that in search of truth one should turn to a pure source, not clouded by pagan lies, i.e., to the Holy Scriptures. With all the multiplicity of ancient illusions in the text, both philosophical and poetic 9 - St. Ambrose, who uses the conclusions of pagan philosophy to the extent that they can be useful in his pastoral ministry, acts not as a follower, but as a skillful interpreter and polemicist. 1. Quoniam de anima superiore libro sermonem aliquem contexuimus, faciliorem uiam putamus de bono mortis conficere aliquid. Quae si animae noceat, malum uideri potest, si autem nihil officiat animae, ne malum quidem. Quod autem malum non est id etiam bonum, quoniam quod uitiosum id malum, quod autem uitio caret id bonum, ideoque bona malis contraria sunt et mala boms. Denique innocentia est, ubi non est nocendi uoluntas, et noxius dicitur qui non sit innoxius, misericors qui remittat, inmisericors qui ignoscere atque inflecti nesciat. 2. Sed forte aliqui adserat: “Quid tam contrarium quam uita morti? Si ergo uita bonum putatur, quomodo mors non est mala?” Et ideo quid sit uita, quid etiam mors consideremus. Vita est frui spirandi munere, mors priuari. Hoc autem spirandi munus apud plerosque in bonis ducitur. Hoc est ergo uita, frui bonis, mors contra bonis exui. Et scriptura dicit: Ecce dedi ante faciem tuam uitam et mortem, bonum et malum, uitam bonum appellans, mortem malum uel ilia sibi priora et haec sibi conferens 10. Denique ut lectionis diuinac exemplo utamur, in paradiso est positus homo, ut ederet de ligno uitae et ceteris paradisi lignis, de ligno autem in quo esset cognitio boni et mali non ederet, quo die autem ederet, moite moreretur. Non seruauit praeceptum et caruit fructu atque eiectus de paradiso mortem gustauit. Malum igitur mors, quae pretio damnationis infertur. 1. Since in the previous book 11 we talked about the soul, now we believe it will be easier to move on to thinking about the good of death. Death can be considered evil if it harms the soul, but if it does not cause anything to the soul, then it is not evil at all. And what is not evil is, of course, good, because evil is something that is vicious, while what has no vice is good 12. For this reason, good things are opposite to bad, and bad things are opposite to good. In fact, innocence is where there is no desire to cause harm, and the malicious is called guilty, the one who forgives is called merciful, and the one who is incapable of softening and forgiving is called hard-hearted. 2. Another, perhaps, will object: “What is more opposite than life and death? And in this case, if we consider life to be good, how can death not be evil? 13 Therefore, let us understand what life is and what death is. To live means to enjoy the gift of breath, to die means to lose it. Many people consider this gift to be a blessing. Consequently, life is the opportunity to enjoy benefits, and death is the deprivation of benefits. And the Holy Scripture says: Behold, I have given before your face life and death, good and evil (Deut. 30:15), calling life good and death evil and thus comparing them with each other. Let's also use [today's] Scripture reading 14 as an example. Man was placed in paradise to eat from the tree of life and the other trees of paradise, except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because on the day he eats from it he will die 15. Man did not keep this commandment and lost the fruits of life, and, expelled from paradise, he tasted death. This means that death, which comes as retribution for a crime, is evil. 2. Sed mortis tria sunt genera. Vna mors peccati est, de qua scripum: Anima quae peccat ipsa morietur. Alia mors mystica, quando quis peccato moritur et deo uiuit, de qua ait idem 16 apostolus: Consepulti enim sumus cum illo per baptismum in mortem. Tertia mors, qua cursum uitae huius et munus explemus, id est animae corporisque secessio. Aduertimus igitur quod una mors sit mala, si propter peccata moriamur, alia mors bona sit, qua is qui fuerit mortuus iustificatus est a peccato, tertia mors media sit; nam et bona iustis uidetur et plerisque metuenda, quae cum absoluat omnes, paucos delectat. Sed non hoc mortis est uitium, sed nostrae infirmitatis, qui uoluptate corporis et delectatione uitae istius capimur et cursum hunc consummare trepidamus, in quo plus amaritudinis quam uoluptatis est. At non sancti et sapientes uiri, qui longaeuitatem peregrinationis huius ingemescebant, dissolui et cum Christo esse pulchrius aestimantcs, denique diem generationis suae exsecrabantur, sicut quis ait: Pereat dies illa, in qua natus sum. 3. In general, death comes in three kinds 17 . One is death due to sin, the prophet speaks about it: The soul that sins will perish (Ezek. 18:4). Another death is mysterious, when a person dies to sin and begins to live for God, the apostle speaks about this death: So we were buried with Him by baptism into death (Rom. 6.4). The third is death, which ends the run and gift of our life, in other words, the separation of soul and body. 18 Note that only one death is evil, when we die because of our own sins. The second, on the contrary, is good, for the one who was previously dead is freed from sin. The third death is neither one nor the other 19. For the faithful it seems a blessing, but for most people it inspires fear. Although it liberates all, it gives joy to few. And the point here is not some flaw inherent in death, but our weakness: we are caught up in bodily desires and other pleasures of this world, and therefore we are afraid to approach the end of the path, where more bitterness awaits us than pleasure. But the saints and sages thought differently, who lamented the length of the earthly journey and considered it more wonderful to be freed from earthly life and to be with Christ; they even cursed the day of their birth, saying, like Job: Let the day perish when I was born (Job 3.3). 4.Quid enim est quod haec uita delectet plena aerumnarum et sollicitudinum, in qua innumerae calumniae et multae molestiae et multae lacrimae eorum qui adflictantur molestiis, et non est, inquit, qui eos consoletur? Et ideo laudat Ecclesiastes defunctos magis quam uiuentes et optimus, inquit, supra hos duos qui nondum natus est, qui non uidit hoc malum. Et alibi idem Ecclesiastes meliorem longaeuo uiro eum adseruit quem abortu eiecit mater sua, quia non uidit haec mala, quae fiunt in hoc mundo, nec in has uenit tenebras nec in uanitate ambulauit saeculari, et ideo requiem hic magis habebit qui in hanc uitam non uenit quam ille qui uenit. Quid enim boni est homini in hac uita, qui in umbra uiuit nec expleri potest cupiditatibus suis? Et si expleatur diuitiis, fructum quietis amittit, quia cogitur custodire quod misera auiditate quaesierit, ut miserius eas possideat cui prodesse non poterunt. Quid enim miserius quam ut custodia torqueat quarum abundantia nihil prosit? 5. Itaque si plena oneris uita, utique finis eius adleuamento est. Adleuamentum autem bonum, mors autem finis: mors igitur est bonum. Neque enim aliter gauisus est et Symeon, qui responsum acceperat non uisurum se mortem, nisi prius uideret Christum domini. Et cum parents in templum inducerent, suscepit manibus suis et dixit: Nunc dimittis seruum tuum in pace, quasi necessitate quadam in hac uita teneretur, non uoluntate. Ita dimitti petit quasi a uinculis quibusdam ad libertatem festinaret. Sunt enim uelut uincula quaedam corporis huius et quod est grauius uincula temptationum, quae nos alligant et ad iniuriam captiuitatis adstringunt quadam lege peccati. Denique in exitu ipso uidemus quemadmodum anima decedentis paulatim soluat se uinculis carnis et ore emissa euolet tamquam carcereo corporis huius exuta gurgustio. Denique festinabat etiam sanctus Dauid de loco hoc peregrinationis exire dicens: Aduena ego sum apud te in terra et peregrinus sicut omnes patres mei. Et ideo tamquam peregrinus ad illam sanctorum communem omnium festinabat patriam petens pro huius commorationis inquinamento remitti sibi peccata, priusquam discederet e uita. Qui enim hic non acceperit remissionem peccatorum illic non erit; non erit enim, qui ad uitam aeternam non potuerit peruenire, quia uita aeterna remissio peccatorum est. Ideoque dicit: Remitte mihi ut refrigerer prius quam eam, et amplius non ero. 4. Why is life so dear to us if it is full of hardships and anxieties, countless intrigues, many torments and tears of those who are oppressed by sorrows, and there is no one, as the Scripture says, to comfort them (Eccl. 4.1)? And therefore Ecclesiastes glorifies the dead more than the living, he says: More blessed than both of them is he who has not yet been born, who has not seen this evil (Ecc. 4.3). And in another place 20, Ecclesiastes also prefers to a person who has lived a long century the one who was erupted from his mother’s womb before birth, for the latter did not see the evil deeds that are happening in the world, did not descend into this darkness, did not get bogged down in the vanity of this age. And the one who has not come into this life will sooner find peace than the one who has come into it. What good is life for a person who lives in darkness 21 and cannot get enough of his desires? If he acquires wealth in abundance, he loses the fruit of his peace of mind, because he is forced to guard what he sought with shameful greed, in order to now possess in an even more miserable manner things that cannot benefit him. What could be more deplorable than the fate of painfully guarding wealth that, despite its abundance, is completely useless? 5. So, if life is full of hardships, then ending it is, of course, a relief. Relief is good, and death is the end of 22 torment, and therefore death is good. After all, righteous Simeon rejoiced in no other way, having received the revelation that he would not see death before he saw the Lord Christ 23 . And when the parents brought the baby Christ to the church, he took Him in his arms and said: Now you are letting Your servant go in peace (Luke 2:28), as if necessity, and not desire, kept him in this life. He begs for forgiveness as if he is in a hurry to free himself from shackles. For there are a kind of bodily shackles and, what is even heavier, the shackles of temptations that constrain us and plunge us into lawless slavery, subjecting us to the law of sin. At the very moment of death, we see how the soul of the dying person is gradually freed from the chains of the flesh and, emerging from the lips, flies away, leaving the prison of the body, like a miserable shack 24. And Saint David also hastened to leave this place of earthly wandering, saying: I am a stranger with You on earth and a wanderer, like all my fathers (Ps. 38.13). And therefore, like a traveler, he rushed to that one homeland of all saints, 25 praying, because he was defiled while on earth, to forgive him his sins before he left life. After all, whoever does not receive forgiveness of sins in earthly life will not remain in another life. The one who could not enter into eternal life will not remain there, for eternal life is the forgiveness of sins. And therefore David says: Let me go, so that I can rest before I depart, and I will be no more (Ps. 39:14). 6. Quid igitur tantopere uitam istam desideramus, in qua quanto diutius quis tuerit tanto maiore oneratur sarcina 26 ? Ipsa dominus ait: Sufficit diei malitia sua et Iacob dixit: Dies annorum uitae meae quos habeo centum triginta minimi et mali, non quia dies mali, sed quia nobis accessu dierum malitiae incrementa cumulantur. 7. Nullus enim dies sine nostro peccato praeterit. Vnde egregie apostolus ait: Mihi enim uiuere Christus et mori lucrum. aliud ad necessitatem uitae referens, aliud ad mortis utilitatem; Christus enim nobis uiuere, cui seruimus, cui oportet sanctis suis in euangelii praedicatione deferatur obsequium. Denique et Symeon, qui ait: Nunc dimittis seruum tuum, propter Christum expectabat. Christus enim rex noster est: ideo quod rex iubet deserere non possumus et contemnere. Quantos imperator terrae huius in peregrinis locis aut honoris specie aut muneris alicuius causa iubet degere! Numquid hi inconsulto imperatore discedunt? Et quanto amplius est diuinis parere 27 quam humanis! Viuere ergo sancto Christus est et mori lucrum. Quasi seruus enim non refugit uitae obsequium et quasi sapiens lucrum mortis ampleelitur; lucrum est enim euasisse incrementa peccati, lucrum fugisse deteriora, ad meliora transisse. Et addidit: Dissolui et cum Christo esse, multo enim melius; permanere autem in came magis necessarium propter uos. Aliud melius, aliud necessarium, necessarium propter fructus operis, melius propter gratiam et copulam Christi. 6. Why is this life so desirable for us, arranged in such a way that the longer a person lingers in it, the greater the burden he is burdened with? The Lord Himself says: Enough is my trouble for each day (Matthew 6:34), and Jacob said: The days of my life I have a hundred and thirty years, they are short and miserable (Genesis 47:9). - not because the days are bad, but because bad things accumulate in us day by day. 7. Not a single day passes without sin. The apostle says beautifully: For to me life is Christ, and death is gain (Phil. 1:21), pointing with the first statement to the things necessary for life, and the second to the good brought by death. Indeed, Christ is our life, we serve Him, His saints must demonstrate obedience to Him by preaching the Gospel. And Simeon, who says: Now you are releasing your servant, waited his time for the sake of Christ. Christ is our King, and we cannot neglect His commands and deviate from them. How many people does the emperor of this land command to go to foreign lands to fulfill a position or on some errand! Can they evade without his permission? 28 And how much more important it is to obey divine commands than human ones! So, for a saint, life is Christ, and death is gain. Like a slave, he does not shy away from serving life and, like a sage, he appreciates what he gains after death. To acquire means to stop multiplying sins, to move away from the bad and strive for the better. The Apostle concludes: I have a desire to be resolved and to be with Christ, because this is incomparably better, and remaining in the flesh is more necessary for you (Phil. 1:23-24). One is better, the other is more necessary; more necessary because of the fruit that labor will bring, and better because of grace and union with Christ. 8. Ergo quoniam docuit apostolus eum qui euaserit ex hoc corpore, si meruerit tamen, cum Christo futurum, quid sit mors, quid etiam uita consideremus. Itaque scriptura docente cognouimus quia mors absolutio est animae et corporis et quaedam hominis separatio. Soluimur enim hoc nexu animae et corporis, cum recedimus. Vnde et Dauid ait: Disrupisti uincula mea; tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis. Vincula autem uitae huius, id est coniunctionis nostrae, quae ex anima constat et corpore, significari docet superior uersiculus psalmi eius: Pretiosa in conspectu domini mors sanctorum eius. Et ideo quasi propheta praeuidens secum sanctis et qui pro deuotione animas suas in Christo deposuerunt futurum laetatur, quia et ipse obtulit se fideliter pro dei populo, aduersus Golian singulari certamine cum dimicaret et solus commune periculum et crimen refelleret uel cum se morti pro domini placanda offensione promptus obiceret uel cum se pro salute populi laborantis diuinae ultioni paratus offerret. Sciebat enim gloriosius esse pro Christo mori quam regnare in hoc saeculo; Quid enim praestantius quam fieri Christi hostiam? Itaque cum frequenter ab eo legamus domino oblata esse sacrificia, hoc tamen loco addidit: Tibi sacrificabo hostiam laudis. Non “sacrifico” inquit, sed “sacrificabo” significans illud perfectum esse sacrificium, quando unusquisque domino corporis huius uinculis absolutus adsisteret et offerret se hostiam laudis, quia ante mortem nulla est perfecta laudatio neque quisquam in hac uita possit definito praeconio praedicari, cum posteriora eius incerta sint. Mors igitur solutio est animae et corporis. Denique et in apostolo docuimus lectum: Dissolui et cum Christo esse multo melius. Solutio autem ista quid agit aliud nisi ut corpus resoluatur et quiescat, anima autem conuertatur in requiem suam et sit libera, quae si pia est, cum Christo futura sit? 8. Therefore, since the apostle indicated that he who is separated from the body will be with Christ, if he is worthy of it, let us consider what is death and what is life. So, we found out that, according to Scripture, death is the liberation of the soul from the body and a kind of separation of man 29 . We are released from the bonds that bound soul and body when we leave the world. That is why David says: You have broken my bonds; I will offer you a sacrifice of praise (Ps. 115.7-8). The bonds of this life, that is, the union of soul and body, are explained in the previous verse of the same psalm: Honorable in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Ps. 115.6). And therefore, prophetically foreseeing that he would be with the saints and with those who gave their souls for Christ according to the promise, David rejoices, because he faithfully sacrificed himself for the sake of the people of God, when he fought with Goliath in a duel 30 and single-handedly repelled the danger that threatened everyone, or when he was ready to die in order to blot out his sin before the Lord, 31 or when he himself decided to suffer punishment for the salvation of the people struck by the Lord punishment 32. After all, he knew that it was more honorable to die for Christ than to reign in earthly life. What could be higher than to become a sacrifice for Christ? And although one can read about the many sacrifices that David offered to the Lord, yet here he adds: To you I will offer a sacrifice of praise. He does not say “I will offer,” but “I will offer,” thinking about that perfect sacrifice when everyone, having been freed from bodily bonds, stands before the Lord, making himself a victim of His praise, for there is no perfect praise before death, it is impossible to give true praise to anyone on earth when the future life is still unknown 33 . So, death is the separation of soul and body. So we read from the Apostle: To be resolved and to be with Christ is incomparably better (Phil. 1:23). What does this separation entail, besides the fact that it frees the body, gives it rest, and brings peace and freedom to the soul? And the fact that if the soul is pious, it is destined to be with Christ! 9.Quid igitur in hac uita aliud iusti agunt nisi ut exuant se huius corporis contagionibus, quae uelut uincula nos ligant, et se ab his molestiis separare contendant, renuntient uoluptatibus atque luxuriae, fugiant flammas libidinum? Nonne igitur unusquisque in hac uita positus speciem mortis imitatur, qui potest se ita gerere, ut ei moriantur omnes corporis delectationes et cupiditatibus omnibus mundique inlecebris etiam ipse moriatur, sicut mortuus erat Paulus dicens: Mihi enim mundus crucifixus est et ego mundo? Denique ut sciamus quia est mors in hac uita et bona mors, hortatur nos, ut mortem Iesu in corpore nostro circumferamus; Qui enim habuerit in se mortem Iesu, is et uitam domini lesu in corpore suo habebit. Operetur igitur mors in nobis, ut operetur et uita, bona uita post mortem, hoc est bona uita post uictoriam, bona uita absoluto certamine, ut iam lex carnis legi mentis repugnare non nouerit, ut iam nobis nulla sit cum corpore mortis contentio, sed sit in corpore mortis uictoria. Atque haut scio ipse an maioris uirtutis mors ista quam uita sit. Certe apostoli moueor auctoritate dicentis: Ergo mors in nobis operatur; uita autem in uobis. Vnius mors quantorum populorum uitam aedificabat! Itaque docet et istam mortem in hac uita positis expetendam, ut mors Christi in corpore nostro eluceat, et illam beatam, qua conrumpitur exterior ut renouetur interior homo noster et terrestris domus nostra dissoluatur, ut habitaculum nobis caeleste reseretur. Imitatur igitur mortem qui se a communione carnis huius abducit atque illis uinculis soluit, de quibus dicit tibi dominus per Esaiam: Sed solue otpet conligationem iniustitiae, dissolue obligationses uiolentarum commutationum, dimitte confractos in remissionem et otpet circumscriptionem iniquam disrumpe. 9 . So, what do the righteous do in this life, if not free themselves from obedience to bodily passions that entangle us like chains, and try to throw off this burden, and renounce pleasures and luxury, and flee from carnal heat? Doesn’t everyone imitate the image of death for whom all bodily pleasures died during life and he himself died to passions and all worldly temptations, as the Apostle Paul died, who said: To me the world is crucified, and I to the world (Gal. 6:14)? Finally, so that we know about the existence of death during life, a good death, he calls us to bear the death of Jesus in our body 34, because whoever took upon himself His death will also receive the life of the Lord Jesus in his body 35. So let death work in us so that life can work. Life after death is joyful, that is, life after victory is joyful, life after the end of struggles is joyful, for the law of the flesh will not rise again against the laws of the spirit, and for us there is no longer any competition with the body of death, there is only victory over the body of death. And I don't know if this death is not more important than life. Of course, I am moved by the words of the Apostle, who says: So death works in us, but life in you (2 Cor. 4:12). The death of one created the life of so many peoples! And therefore he teaches that we should desire this death, blessed for us, while we are on earth, so that the death of Christ will shine in us, from which our outer man will decay, so that our inner man will be renewed and our earthly dwelling will be destroyed and the heavenly abode will be opened to us. Such death is awarded to the one who moves away from union with the flesh and frees himself from its shackles, about which the Lord speaks to you through the mouth of the prophet Isaiah: But loose all the shackles of unrighteousness, terminate the obligations of forced agreements, and release the oppressed to freedom, and destroy all criminal lies (Is. 58.6). 10. Imitatur ille qui se uoluptatibus exuit et a terrcnis 36 delectationibus adtollit atque adleuat et in illo caelesti habitaculo locat, in quo Paulus, cum adhuc uiueret, conuersabatur. Aliter autem non diceret: Nostra autem conuersatio in caelis est, quod pariter ad praesumptionem meriti potest meditationemque conferri. Illic enim erat eius meditatio, illic animae eius conuersatio, illic eius prudentia, quae utique intra angustias carnis huius haerere non solebat. Sapiens enim cum illud diuinum requirit, absoluit animam suam corpore et eius ablegat contubernium, cum illam ueri tractat scientiam, quam uelut nudam sibi et apertam desiderat demonstrari et ideo retibus quibusdam et nebulis huius corporis se quaerit exuere. Neque enim manibus istis aut oculis atque auribus conprehendere supernam illam possumus ueritatem, quoniam quae uidentur temporalia sunt, quae autem non uidentur aeterna. Denique saepe fallimur uisu et aliter pleraque quam sunt uidemus, fallimur etiam auditu, et ideo contemplemur non ilia quae uidentur sed quae non uidentur, si nolumus falli. Quando igitur anima nostra non fallitur. quando solium ueritatis adtingit, nisi quando se ab isto secernit corpore neque ab ipso decipitur et inluditur? Inluditur enim uisu oculorum, inluditur auditu aurium, et ideo relinquat illud et deserat. Vnde et apostolus clamat: Ne tetigeritis, ne attaminaueritis, ne gustaueritis, quae sunt omnia ad corruptelam; in corruptelam enim sunt quae sunt in corporis indulgentiam. Et ideo ostendens non per corporis indulgentiam, sed per animae eleuationem et cordis humilitatem inuenisse quod uerum est addidit: Nostra autem conuersatio in caelis est. Ibi igitur quaerat quod uerum est, quod est et manet seque in sese colligat et congreget omnem aciem uirtutis suae neque aliis committat et credat, sed ipsum se cognoscat et intellegat et quod sibi uidetur uerum esse, hoc sequendum nouerit: quod delectatione carnali eligendum aestimauerit, hoc sciat falsum, ab co fugiat et recedat, quia fraudis est plenum. 10. Such death is awarded to the one who renounces passions, rises above earthly 37 pleasures and reaches that heavenly abode where the Apostle Paul stayed during his lifetime. After all, otherwise he could not have said: Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3.20) - these words can be attributed to both the height of merit and the height of thoughts. There his thoughts dwelt, his soul lived there, his wisdom dwelled there, which, without a doubt, could not remain within the narrow confines of the flesh. The sage, in search of the divine, alienates his soul from the body, moves away from friendship with it and, when he approaches the knowledge of the truth, wanting to see it as if open and clear, he strives to throw off the nets and dispel bodily darkness. And we cannot grasp this highest truth either with our hands, or with our eyes, or with our ears, for everything visible is transitory, while the eternal is invisible 38 . Indeed, our sight often deceives us, and for the most part we see something completely different from what actually exists; we are also deceived by our hearing, 39 and therefore we will begin to think more about the invisible than about the visible if we do not want to be deceived. When else does our soul not make mistakes, when does it reach the throne of truth, if not when it cuts itself off from this body and no longer allows it to deceive and fool itself? The soul is deceived by what the eyes see and deceived by what the ears hear, and therefore let it reject the body and leave it. Therefore the apostle exclaims: “Do not touch,” “do not taste,” “do not touch,” because everything decays from use 40 (Col. 2. 21–22); after all, things that serve the pleasure of the flesh lead to corruption. And having shown that truth is not found by condescension to the body, but by exaltation of the spirit and humility of the heart, he adds: Our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20). Therefore, in heaven one should seek the truth - and it exists and abides there - in order to find oneself in oneself, and collect all the power of virtue, and not squander it, not entrust it to others, but to know and comprehend oneself, and to realize the need to follow what seems true: to recognize the falsity of what one valued before, choosing carnal pleasure, and to run and move away from it, for it is full of deception. 11. Merito ergo depretiauit et delionestauit hoc corpus corpus mortis appellans. Quis enim oculis potuit uidere uirtutum splendorem, quis iustitiam manibus conprehendere, quis sapientiam oculorum obtutibus intueri? Denique quando aliquid cogitamus, neminem nobis occurrere, neminem uolumus obstrepere auribus nostris atque ita intendimus animo, ut plerumque non uideamus praesentia. Quin etiam in noctibus sincerius cogitamus et tunc melius quae mouent corde meditamur. Vnde et propheta ait: Quae dicitis in cordibus uestris et in cubilibus uestris conpungimini. Saepe etiam aliqui claudunt oculos, si quid profundae uolunt nisu cogitationis eruere, oculorum inpedimenta uitantes. Saepe etiam solitudines captamus, ne cuius sermo nostris auribus insusurret et quasi semita quaedam inhaerentem cogitationi animam abducat a uero atque ab intentione deflectat. 12. Multas igitur occupationes nobis corporis huius necessitas gignit atque usus inuehit, quibus inpeditur animae uigor et reuocatur intentio. Vnde pulchre dicit sanctus lob: Memento quia lutum me finxisti. Si ergo lutum est corpus, oblinit nos utique, non diluit et coinquinat animam inquinamento intemperantiae. Corium et carnem, inquit, me induisti, ossibus et neruis intexuisti. Ligatur itaque et distenditur anima nostra istius corporis neruis et ideo interdum rigescit, saepe curuatur. Et addidit: Ab iniquitate innocentem me non fecisti. Si enim inpius fuero, uae mihi! si autem sim iustus, non potero me reclinare; plenus enim confusionis sum. lnduxisti super me temptations. Quid enim est haec uita nisi plena laqueorum? Inter laqueos ambulamus, inter plurimas uersamur temptations. Denique idem supra ait: Numquid non temptatio est uita hominis in terra? Bene addidit "in terra", quia est uita hominis et in caelo. Sicut mercennarii, inquit, merces uita eius, in labore scilicet et tepore, leuior fabulis et fiuitans et natans uerbis, cuius habitatio in luteis domibus et ipsa uita in luto. Nulla firmitudo sententiae, nulla constantia. In die nox desideratur, in nocte dies quaeritur; ante escam gemitus, inter cibos fletus lacrimae dolores timores sollicitudines, nulla requies a perturbationibus, nulla a laboribus reclinatio. Irae et indignationis motus horridior. Plerique cupiunt mortem et non inpetrant; si autem inpetrauerint, gratulantur, quia sola est mors requies uiro. 11. This means that the apostle rightly disgraces and does not value the body, calling it “the body of death” 41. Has anyone been able to see with his eyes the radiance of virtue, or to embrace righteousness with his hands, or, with a glance, to discern wisdom? 42 When we think about something, we don’t want anyone to disturb us, for someone to bother our ears; we are so immersed in ourselves that we often do not see our surroundings. Moreover, we think much more openly at night, when we think better about everything that moves our hearts. Therefore, the prophet says: What you say in your hearts, you repent of on your beds (Ps. 4.5). In addition, some people often close their eyes if they want to forcefully extract something from the depths of consciousness, thus avoiding interference in front of their eyes. Often we seek solitude so that no one whispers their speeches into our ears and another path does not lead a soul zealously devoted to reflection away from the truth and lead it astray. 12. So, the needs and habits of our body give rise to and give us many worries that rob the soul of its strength and interfere with concentration. Therefore, the words of Saint Job are beautiful: Remember that You molded me like clay (Job 10:9). After all, if the body is clay, then, without a doubt, it stains us, and does not cleanse and defile the soul with the impurity of intemperance. “You clothed me with skin and flesh,” he says, “you fastened me with bones and sinews (Job 10.11). And so the bodily veins bind and tighten our soul, so sometimes it falls into numbness and is often bent over. And Job adds: You have not made me clean from iniquity. If I am wicked, woe is me! If I am righteous, I will not be able to raise my head, for I am full of confusion. You brought temptations upon me (Job 10:14, 15, 17). What is our life if not traps everywhere? We walk among them and are among many temptations 43 . As Job says above: Is not human life on earth a temptation (Job 7.1)? He correctly points out - “on earth”, for there is life for man in heaven. It is said: His life is like a hireling’s wages (Job 7:1). This is a life of labor under the hot sun, more insignificant than empty rumors, fickle and wavering, his home is clay houses and his whole life is a dirty mess 44 . There is neither firmness of thought nor constancy in him 45: during the day he wishes for the onset of night, at night he calls for day; before eating there is a groan, after eating there are groans, tears, suffering, fears and anxieties. And there is no peace for a person from worries, no rest from work. Even more terrible are the attacks of rage and indignation. Many long for death and cannot beg for it, but if they receive it, they rejoice, for death alone is peace for a person. 13. Sed dicet aliquis scriptum esse quiä Deus mortem non fecit. Vita erat in paradiso, ubi lignum uitae, et uita erat lux hominum. Mors igitur mala, quae accidit et subintrauit. Sed quomodo mors mala, si aut secundum gentiles sensu caret aut secundum apostolum lucrum Christus est, cum quo esse multo melius? Quomodo igitur nobis mors malum, si nullus post mortem sensus est? Vbi enim nullus sensus, nullus utique iniuriac dolor, quia dolor sensus est. Aut quia est post mortem sensus, est utique uita post mortem et superstes mortis est anima, quae sensu utitur et uita fungitur. Cum autem manet post mortem uita atque anima, manet bonum nec morte amittitur, sed augetur, nee ullo inpedimento mortis retardatur anima, sed operatur magis, quia operatur quae sua sunt sine ulla corporis societate, quod animae maiori oneri quam usui est. Quid igitur est mali animae, quae puritatem suam custodierit et uirtutum disciplinam scruauerit? Aut si non seruauit, non mors malum, sed uita, quia uita non fuit: quae est enim uita uitiis peccatisque obsita? Quid igitur accusamus mortem, quae aut uitae pretium luit aut abolet eius dolorem atque cruciatum? Itaque mors aut suae quietis bono utitur aut malo alieno laborat. 13. But someone will say, they say, it is written: God did not create death (Wis. 1.3). Life was in paradise, where the tree of life was, and life was the light of men (John 1:4). And death, therefore, is the evil that appeared and penetrated the world later. But how can death be evil if it is either, as the pagans believed, imperceptible 46, or, according to the word of the Apostle 47, is the discovery of Christ, with whom it is much better to be? How can death be evil for us if after death we will not feel anything? Where there is no possibility of feeling, of course, there is no sadness from resentment, because sadness is a feeling. If you can feel after death, then, without a doubt, there is life after death, and the soul that continues to feel and live will survive death. And since after death life and soul are preserved, the good is also preserved, not lost in death, but increased. No barrier can death hold back the soul, which, on the contrary, now does more, because it does what is characteristic of it, without any complicity with the body, which is more of a burden than a benefit for the soul 48 . Can there be any evil for a soul that guards its purity and follows the instructions of virtue? If the soul has not preserved virtue, then it is not death that is evil for it, but this life, for it has not become real life: after all, what kind of life is it in captivity of sin and vice? And why then do we blame death, which is either payment for life or the cessation of its sorrows and torments? So, death either brings the benefit of its own peace, or is burdened with the evil of others. 14. Nunc illud spectä si uita oneri, mors absolutioni; si uita supplicio, mors remedio; aut si iudicium post mortem, etiam uita post mortem. Vita igitur haec non est bona, aut si hie bona uita, quomodo illic mors non est bona, cum illic nullus supersit terribilis iudicii metus? Sed ipsa hic uita si bona est, quibus rebus bona est? Virtute utique et bonis moribus. Non ergo secundum animae et corporis copulam bona est, sed quia per uirtutcm quod malum est suum repellit, quod autem bonus est mortis adipiscitur, ut quod animae est magis quam id quod contubernii et coniunctionis operetur. Quodsi uita bona, quae animae se a corpore separantis est speculum, et si anima bona, quae se eleuat atque abducit a corporis contubernio, et mors utique est bonum, quae animam a societate huius carnis absoluit et liberat. 15. Omnifariam igitur mors bonum est, et quia conpugnantia diuidit, ne se inuicem inpugnent, et quia port us quidam est eorum qui magno uitae istius iactati salo fidae 49 quietis stationem requirunt et quia deteriorem statum non efficit, sed qualem inuenerit in singulis talem iudicio futuro reseruat et quiete ipsa fouet et praescntium inuidiae subducit et futurorum expectatione conponit. Accedit eo quod frustra homines mortem timcnt quasi finem naturae. Nam si recolamus quod deus mortem non fecerit, sed postquam homo lapsus in flagitium est praeuaricationis et fraudis, sententia conprehenderit, ut in terram suam terra remearet, inueniemus mortem finem esse peccati, ne quo esset uita diuturnior eo fieret culpa numerosior. Passus est igitur dominus subintrare mortem, ut culpa cessaret: sed ne iterum naturae finis esset in morte, data est resurrectio mortuorum, ut per mortem culpa deficeret, per resurrectionem autem perpetuarctur natura. Ideoque mors haec transitus uniuersorum est. Opus est ut constanter transeas: transitus autem a corruptione ad incorruptionem, a mortalitate ad inmortalitatem, a perturbationibus ad tranquillitatem. Non igitur te nomen mortis ofiendat, sed boni transitus beneficia delectent. Quid est enim mors nisi sepultura uitiorum, uirtutum suscitatio? Vnde et ille ait: Moriatur anima mea in animis iustorum, id est consepeliatur, ut sua uitia deponat, iustorum adsumat gratiam, qui mortificationem Christi in corpore suo atque anima circumferunt. Mortificatio autem Christi remissio peccatorum, abolitio criminum, erroris obliuio, adsumptio gratiarum est. Quid autem de bono mortis plenius possumus dicere quam quod mors est, quae mundum redemit? 14. Now look at this: if life is a burden, then death is liberation; if life is suffering, then death is the cure; and if there is judgment after death, there will be life after death. Does this mean that our earthly life is not good? Or, if life is good here, how can death not be good there, when there is no longer any trepidation before the Last Judgment? But life itself here, if it is good, then why is it good? Without a doubt, virtue and good morals. This means that the good of life does not lie in the union of the soul with the body, but in the fact that the soul, with the help of virtue, repels what is harmful from itself, and acquires the good of death, so that what is more important for the soul than friendship and union with the body can be accomplished. If a good life is a reflection of the soul separating from the body, and if the soul that ascends and moves away from union with the body is good, then death, which resolves and liberates the soul from the flesh, is an undoubted good. 15. So, death is good in all respects: both because it separates the warring parties so that they stop attacking each other, and because it serves as a refuge for those who, exhausted by the storms of life, seek peace in a safe haven, 50 and because it does not worsen our situation, but as it finds it, it preserves each of us until the future Judgment and with its very peace it warms and relieves us from hatred of the present and pacifies us with the expectation of the future. It turns out that in vain people fear death, as if it were the end of their existence. After all, if we again reflect on the fact that God did not create death, 51 but only after man fell into the sin of disobedience and deception, the thought appeared that the earth should return to its own earth, 52 then we will understand that death is nothing other than the end of sin, so that guilt does not increase the more, the longer life lasts. After all, the Lord endured torment, going to death, so that the guilt would stop. However, so that death would not, as before, be the end of human nature, the resurrection of the dead was granted: so that death would destroy guilt, and in the resurrection eternal life would be granted. And therefore, for all of us, death is a transition. You need to make it confidently: after all, this is a transition from corruption to incorruptibility, from mortality to immortality, from confusion to peace. So don’t let the word “death” frighten you, but let the grace-filled gifts of this transition rejoice. After all, what is death if not the burial of vices and the resurrection of virtues? That is why it is said: Let my soul die among the souls of the righteous (Num. 23.10), that is, it will be buried with them, so that the soul can put aside vices and acquire the grace of the righteous, who bear the death of Christ in their body and soul 53. The death of Christ is the remission of sins, the destruction of guilt, the abandonment of errors, the acquisition of grace. And what more can we say about the good of death than that the world has been redeemed by death? 16. Sed de communi omnium morte dicamus. Quid eam timeamus, quae animae nocere non soleat? Scriptum est enim: Nolite timere eos qui occidunt corpus, animam autem non possunt occidere. Per mortem autem istam anima liberatur, dum a corporis conlubernio secemitur et inuolucris perturbationis exuitur. Vnde et nos, dum in corpore sumus, usum mortis imitantes adleuemus 54 animam nostrum ex istius carnis cubili et tamquam de isto exsurgamus sepulchro. Abducamus nos a corporis nexu, relinquamus omnia quaecumque terrena sunt, ut cum uenerit aduersarius, nihil in nobis inueniat suum. Contendamus ad illud aeternum, ad illud diuinum euolemus pinnis dilectionis et remigio caritatis. Surgamus hinc, hoc est de saecularibus atque mundanis. Dixit enim dominus: Surgite, eamus hinc, praecipiens, ut unusquisque surgat de terris, erigat animam humi iacentem, ad superna adtollat, excitet aqulam suam, illam aquilam, de qua dictum est: Renouabitur sicut aquilae iuuentus tua. Ad animam hoc dictum est. Anima ergo nostra sicut aquila alta petat, supra nubes uolet, renouatis splendescat exuuiis, caelo uolatus suos inferat, ubi laqueos incidere non possit. Auis enim, quae descendit ex alto uel quae in altum se extollere non potest, frequenter aut laqueis capitur aut uisco fallitur aut quibuscumque inretitur insidiis. Sic quoque et anima nostra caueat ad haec mundana descendere. Laqueus in auro, uiscum est in argento, nexus in praedio, clauus in amore. Dum aurum petimus, strangulamur: dum argentum quaerimus, in uisco eius inhaeremus: dum praedium inuadimus, adligamur. Quid inane quaerimus lucrum pretiosae animae detrimento? Exiguus tibi totus est mundus pro unius animae dispendio; Quid enim prodest homini, si hunc mundum lucretur, animae uero suae detrimentum patiatur? Aut quam commutationem dabis pro anima tua? non auro redimitur, non argento, immo auro amittitur. Quin etiam mulieris decus, dum temptatur, adstringit. Claus est libido, clauus tristitia, clauus iracundia, claui sunt omnes passiones, quae uelut ueru quodam animam nostram penetrant et infigunt 55 corpori uisceribusque eius adnectunt. 16. But now let's talk about death, common to everyone. Why are we afraid of it, which usually does not cause harm to the soul? It is written: Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul (Matthew 10:28). After all, by this death the soul is freed, moving away from friendship with the body and throwing off the veil of passions. Therefore, while we are still in the body, let us raise our souls in the image of death from the wretched bed of flesh, as if rising from the grave 56. Let us break free from bodily fetters, leaving behind everything earthly, so that when the enemy appears, he will not be able to find anything of his own in us 57 . Let us strive for the eternal, let us ascend to the divine on the wings of love 58 and the oars of grace. Let us rise upward from here, that is, from the worldly and corruptible. For the Lord said: Arise, let us go from here (John 14:31), so that each one rises from the earth, lifts up the soul lying in the dust, raises it to heaven, awakens his eagle, about which it is said: Your youth will be renewed like an eagle (Ps. 103:5) 59. These words are addressed to the soul. Our soul, like an eagle, strives upward to fly above the clouds, to shine, throwing off old clothes 60 to make its way in the heavens, where it will not fall into a snare. After all, a bird that descends from a height, or one that cannot fly high, is often either caught in a snare, or lured into a trap 61, or entangled in an evil net. Likewise, our soul must beware of descending to earthly things. For her, snares are gold, a trap is silver, fetters are property, fetters are love passion. When we rush for gold, we suffocate; when we seek silver, we fall into a trap; when we seize prey, we find ourselves tied up. Why do we seek vain wealth if we lose our precious soul? How insignificant is this whole world compared to the loss of a single soul: What good does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, but loses his own soul (Matthew 16:26) 62. Or what will you give in exchange for your soul? 63 You cannot buy it with gold or silver; on the contrary, you will lose it with gold. Likewise, female beauty, when it leads into temptation, fetters the soul. Lust is a nail, and despondency is a nail, and anger is a nail, all passions are nails, for they, like a gouge, pierce our soul, nail it to the body and unite it with its flesh 64. 17. Fugiamus ergo haec mala et exaltemus animam nostram ad illam imaginem dei et similitudinem. Fuga malorum similitudo dei est et uirtutibus imago dei adquiritur. Ideo qui nos pinxit quasi auctor pinxit uirtutum coloribus: Ecce ego, inquit, Hierusalem, pinxi muros tuos. Non detergeamus pinicillo neglegentiae depicta animae nostrae firmamenta muralia. Ideo dixit: muros pinxi, quibus hostem possimus auertere. 18.Habet anima muros suos, de quibus eminet et de quibus ait: Ego ciuitas munita, ego ciuitas obsessa. His munitur muris, his obsessa defenditur. Et uere murus anima, quae praetendit in castris. Vnde et ipsa ait in Canticis: Ego murus et ubera mea ut turris. Bonus murus, quem pinxit dominus, sicut ipse ait: Jn manibus meis pinxi muros tuos, et in conspectu meo es semper. Bona anima, quae habet speculatorem deum et in manibus eius est, sicut anima prophetica, quae in manus domini commendatur ut spiritus et quae in conspectu dei est: Oculi enim domini super iustos, sicut ipsa ait: Ego eram in oculis eius tamquam inueniens pacem. Bonas turres habet quae habet et de intellegibilibus uerbum et de moralibus disciplinam. Ideoque haec anima habens gratiam suorum uberum ingreditur in hortos et inueniens illic sponsum sedentem et disputantem amicis ait: Qui sedes in hortis uocem tuam insinua mihi. Mihi, inquit, non "amicis". Fuge, frater meus: hortatur ut fugiat sponsus, quia iam sequi potest etiam ipsa terrena fugientem. Dicit ut similis sit dammulae, quae euadit de retibus; uult enim et ipsa fugere et euolare supra mundum. 17. Let us flee from this evil and elevate our souls in the image and likeness of God 65. Avoiding evil is becoming like God, and the image of God is acquired through virtues. And He who drew us, like an artist, painted us with the colors of virtues. “Here I am,” He says to Jerusalem, “I have inscribed your walls (Is. 49:16). So let us not, with the sponge of disdain, wash away the stronghold of our soul that He has inscribed 66 . And therefore He said: I have drawn the walls; walls with which we could repel the enemy. 18. The soul has its own walls, over which it rises and about which it says: I am a strong city, I am a besieged city (Is. 27:3). It is fortified with these walls and protected during a siege. And truly the soul is like a wall surrounding a fortress. That is why it is said in the Song of Songs: I am a wall, and my breasts are like towers (Song. 8.10). The wall that the Lord erected is good, as He Himself says: In My hands I have inscribed your walls, and you are always before My eyes (Is. 49:16). Good is the soul upon which God looks, good is the one that is in His hands, like the soul of a prophet, giving itself into the hands of the Lord as a spirit 67, and abiding before His eyes: The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous (Ps. 33.16), as she says: I was in his sight as one who asked for peace (Song. 8.10). Good towers belong to the soul, which has both the word about the intelligible and the teaching about the moral. And therefore this soul, having the grace of its persea, comes to the garden 68 and, finding the groom there talking with friends, says: You who dwell in the gardens, let me hear your voice (Song. 8.13). “To me,” she says, and not to “friends.” Run, my brother (Song. 8.14) - this is how she encourages the groom to flee, for she herself is already ready to follow the one fleeing from earthly things. He speaks like this, like a goat that is escaping from its fetters; after all, she wants to both escape from the world and rise above it 69 . 19. Hinc hortum ilium sibi Plato conposuit, quem louis hortum alibi, alibi hortum mentis appellauit; louem enim et deum et mentem totius dixit. In hunc introisse animam, quam Venerem nuncupat, ut se abundantia et diuitiis horti repleret, in quo repletus potu iaceret Porus, qui nectar effunderet. Hoc igitur ex libro Canticorum conposuit, eo quod anima deo adhaerens in hortum mentis ingressa sit, in quo esset abundantia diuersarum uirtutum floresque sermonum. Quis autem ignorat quod ex paradiso illo, quem legimus in Genesi habentem lignum uitae et lignum scientiae boni et mali et ligna cetera, abundantiam uirtutum putauerit transferendam et in horto mentis esse plantandam, quem in Canticis Solomon hortum animae significauit uel ipsam animam. Sic enim scriptum est: Hortus clausus soror mea sponsa, hortus clausus, fons signatus; transmissiones tuae paradisus. Et infra ait animä Exsurge, aquilo, et ueni, auster, perfla hortum meum, de fluant unguenta mea. Descendat frater meus in hortum suum. Quanto hoc pulchrius, quod anima ornata uirtutum floribus hortus sit uel in se paradisum habeat germinantem. In quem hortum inuitat dei uerbum descendere, ut anima ilia uerbi imbre caelesti 70 et eius copiis inrigata fructificet. Verbum autem dei pascitur animae uirtutibus, quotiens oboedicntem sibi et opimam inuenerit, et carpit fructus eius atque his delectatur. Cum autem descenderit in eam dei uerbum, defluunt ex ea salubrium unguenta uerborum et diuersarum fraglant longe lateque redolentia gratiarum spiramina. 19. From here comes the garden of Plato, who in one place calls it the garden of Jupiter, 71 and in another the garden of reason, considering Jupiter both god and universal reason. A soul came to this garden (Plato called it Venus) to be filled with its riches and abundance; there, heavy from drinking, lay Poros, oozing nectar 72 . Plato created this story about the garden on the basis of the Song of Songs, since it is about the soul, which, clinging to God, could enter the garden of the mind, where various virtues abound and words bloom. Who does not know that from the Garden of Eden, which the book of Genesis tells us about, where there was the tree of life, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and other trees, from that garden Plato decided to transfer an abundance of virtues and plant them in the garden of the mind, which in the Song of Songs Solomon designated as the garden of the soul or as the soul itself? After all, it is written like this: The garden is closed, my sister, my bride; a closed garden, a sealed source; your shoots are the Garden of Eden (Song 4.12–13) 73. And then the soul says: Arise, north wind, and blow, south wind, and blow in my garden, and let my fragrances flow (Song. 4. 16). Let my brother go down into his garden (Song. 6. 2). How much more beautiful is it for the soul, adorned with the color of virtue, to be a garden, or to contain within itself a luxuriantly grown Garden of Eden! The Word of God 74 calls the soul to descend into this garden, so that, watered by the heavenly rain of the Word and His abundance, it will begin to bear fruit. The Word of God feeds on the virtues of the soul: whenever It finds it obedient to itself and bearing fruit, it collects its fruits and enjoys them. When the Word of God descends to the soul, the aromas of saving words flow out of it and the fragrance of various gifts spreads far and wide. 20. Vnde ait sponsus (sponsus autem animae deus uerbum est, cui anima legitimo quodam conubii foedere copulatur): Ingressus sum in hortum meum, soror mea sponsa, uindemiaui murram meam cum unguentis meis, manducaui panem meum cum melle meo, bibi uinum meum cum lacte meo. Edite, proximi mei, et bibite et inebriamini fratres mei. Ego dormio, et cor meum uigilat. Cognoscamus quos fructus et cibos epulctur deus quibus ue delectetur. Delectatur eo, si quis mortificet peccatum suum, obliteret culpam suam, sepeliat atque abolefaciat iniquitates suas. Murra enim sepultura est mortuorum, mortua autem peccata sunt, quae uitae suauitatem habere non possunt. Perfunduntur autem diuini sermonis unguentis et fortiore cibo uerbi uelut pane et suauiore sermone uelut melle curantur quaedam uulnera delictorum. Sermonum autem cibos esse docet et alibi Solomon dicens: Faui mellis sermons boni. In illo ergo horto sermones boni sunt, alius qui culpam coherceat, alius qui iniquitatem corripiat, alius qui mori faciat insolentiam et uelut sepeliat eam, quando correptus aliqui erroribus suis renuntiat. Est etiam fortior sermo, qui confirmat cor hominis ualidioribus scripturae caelestis alimentis. Est etiam sermo suasorius, dulcis ut mel et tamen peccatoris conscientiam in ipsa suauitate conpungens. Est etiam feruentioris spiritus sermo, qui inebriat sicut uinum et cor hominis lactificat, est etiam lacteus sermo, purus et candidus. Hos cibos dulcium utiliumque sermonum epulandos sponsus proximis suis dicit; proximi autem sunt qui eum sequuntur et nuptiis eius intersunt. Quo cibo et potu repleta anima – bibit enim unusquisque aquam de suis uasis et de puteorum suorum fontibus – atque inebriata saeculo dormiebat, uigilabat deo, et ideo, sicut posteriora docent, aperiri sibi deus uerbum eius ianuam postulabat, ut earn suo repleret ingressu. 21. Hinc ergo epulatores illi Platonici, hinc nectar illud ex uino et melle prophetico, hinc somnus ille translatus est, hinc uita ilia perpetua, quarn deos suos dixit epulari, quia Christus est uita. Ideoque talium sermonum seminibus animae eius repletus est uenter atque ipsa exiuit in uerbo. Quae autem exit anima seruitio isto et eleuat se a corpore uerbum sequitur. 20. Therefore, the Bridegroom (and the Bridegroom of the soul is God the Word, with Whom the soul is united in a legal marriage) says: I entered My garden, My sister bride, I gathered My myrrh with My spices, I ate My bread with My honey, I drank My wine with My milk. Eat, My neighbors, and drink, and be drunk, My brothers. I sleep, but My heart watches (Song. 5. 1–2). Let's see what fruits and what food God eats that delights Him. And He delights when someone mortifies his sin, blots out his guilt, destroys and buries his iniquities. Myrrh means the burial of the dead, 75 and the dead are sins in which there cannot be the sweetness of life. However, the wounds caused by sin are anointed with the incense of divine utterances, healed by the stronger food of the Word, like bread 76 , and sweeter speech, like honey 77 . So Solomon teaches that there is food for speeches, 78 saying in another place: The honeycomb is good speech (Proverbs 16:24). So, in this garden there are good speeches: one curbs sin, another humbles iniquity, the third forces pride to death and seems to bury it when someone guilty announces his sins. There is also a stronger word there, which strengthens the human heart with the food of Divine Scripture. There is also a more pleasant word, sweet as honey, but still hurting the sinner with its very sweetness. There is also a word of a more fiery spirit, which intoxicates like wine and gladdens the human heart, 79 there is also a word like chaste and pure milk. The Bridegroom tells His neighbors to serve these dishes of sweet and wholesome words on the table; these neighbors are those who accompany Him and participate in the wedding feast 80. Having been satisfied with this food and drink - for everyone drinks water from their vessels and from the sources of their wells 81 - the soul, as if drunk, slept for this world, was awake for God 82. And therefore, as it is said further, God the Word demanded that she open the door to Him so that He could enter and fill it. 21. Hence those Plato's table companions, hence that nectar prepared from wine and prophetic honey, hence that dream were borrowed, hence that eternal life, which, according to Plato, his gods taste, for Christ is life 83. And therefore the seeds of such sayings filled the womb of the soul, and it itself came out in the Word 84. And the soul, which leaves earthly slavery and ascends from the body, follows the Word. 22. Sed sunt principatus aerii et potestates mundi, qui nos uel de muro deicere animae uel inpedire recta gradientes uel ad altiora tendentes quaerunt deponere atque ad terrena reuocare. Sed nos multo magis ad sublimia mentem erigamus uerbum sequentes dei. Illi principatus of fundunt saecularia, quibus tuam mentem incuriient. Tunc magis ad Christum, anima, dirige gressus tuos. Iniciunt cupiditatem auri, argenti, uicinae possessionis, ut adquirendae eius gratia excuses a cena illius, qui ad nuptias uerbi te inuitauit: tu caue excuses, sed uestem te indue nuptialem et utere conuiuio diuitis, ne diues, qui te inuitauerat, cum tu excusaueris, dum es saecularibus occupatus, alios inuitet et tu excludaris. Iniciunt etiam honoris adpetentiam potestates mundi, ut te extollas sicut Adam et, dum uis adaequare deum similitudine potestatis, diuina praecepta despicias et quae habebas incipias amittere. Qui enim non habet et quod habet auferetur ab eo. 23. Quotiens in oratione nobis, qua maxime deo adpropinquamus, offunduntur ea quae plena sunt obprobrii alicuius aut scelcris, quo nos a studio precationis auertant! Quotiens inimicus cordi nostro conatur inserere quo nos reflectat a sanctitatis proposito et piis uotis! Quotiens corporeos inflammat ardores, quotiens occursare facit oculos meretricios, quibus castum iusti temptet affectum, ut inprouiso amoris spiculo feriat inparatum! Quotiens inserit animo tuo uerbum iniquum et cogitationes cordis absconditas! De quo tibi dicit lex: Attende tibi, ne jiat uerbum absconditum in corde tuo iniquum et dical tibi Iesus: Quid cogitas mala in corde tuo? Neue cum abundaueris auro et argento et opimis agrorum fructibus uel honoribus dicas: Virtus mea dedit mihi haec et obliuiscaris dominum deum tuum. 24. His ergo anima quae cupit cuolare deponitur. Sed tu obluctare quasi bonus miles Christi Iesu et inferiora despiciens, terrena obliuiscens ad caelestia et aeterna contende. Attolle animam tuam, ne earn inliciat esca laqueoruiu. Voluptates saeculi escae quaedam sunt et quod peius escae malorum, escae temptationum. Dum uoluptatem quaeris, laqueos incurris. "Oculus" enim "meretricis laqueus amatoris est". Oculus ergo meretricis est laqueus: laqueus est etiam sermo meretricis, qui obdulcat ad tempus fauces tuas et postea exasperat eas amaritudine conscientiae peccatricis. Laqueus est aliena amoenitatis plena possessio. Omne iter istius uitae plenum laqueorum est. Vnde iustus dicit: In uia hcic, quam ambulabam, ahsconderunt laqueos mihi. In uia, inquit, hoc absconderunt: ideo tu illam uiam ambula, quae dicit: Ego sum uia et ueritas et uita, ut dicas: Animam meam conuertit: deduxit me super semitas iustitiae propter nomen suum. 22. But there are principles of the air and the powers of the world 1 85 that strive either to cast us down from the wall of our soul, or to lead us astray from the right path, or to hinder us and return us to the earthly when we rush upward. But then we must encourage our spirit more strongly towards things above, following God’s Word. These principles plunge you into the worldly in order to break your spirit. And then, O soul, direct your feet even more decisively to Christ. These principles awaken a thirst for gold, silver, and your neighbor’s property, so that for the sake of acquiring all this you renounce the table of the Word who called you to the wedding feast 86 . Beware of renunciation, but put on the wedding garments and feast on the feast of the Rich One, so that He, who invited you, does not invite others and cast you out because you refused to come, busy with worldly concerns. These powers of the world encourage you to desire honors, so that you become proud, like Adam, wanting to become like God and possess His power, so that you break the Divine commandments and lose what you have. After all, whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him (Matthew 13:12). 23. How often during prayer, when we are especially close to God, mocking or criminal thoughts invade us, distracting us from prayer work! How often does the enemy try to plant something in our hearts that turns us away from the aspiration to holiness and pious vows! How often does he kindle bodily heat, how often does he present to us lascivious glances with which he tempts the chastity of a righteous man, so that, taking him by surprise, he suddenly stings him with the sting of passion! How often does he inspire your soul with the word of iniquity and the secret thoughts of your heart! The law tells you about them: Take heed to yourself, so that the secret word does not cause iniquity in your heart (Deut. 15.9) and so that Jesus does not say to you: Why do you think evil in your heart (Matthew 9.4)? - and when you acquire an abundance of gold, and silver, and the fruits of your fields, and honors, so that you cannot say: “My virtue gave them to me” 87 - and forget the Lord your God. 24. These are the thoughts that hold back the soul that longs for flight 88 . You go into battle as a good warrior of Jesus Christ (2 Tim. 2.3), despising base things and forgetting about earthly things, strive for the eternal and heavenly. Elevate your soul so that temptation does not ensnare it. The pleasures of this age are like bait, and what is worse, they are the bait of evil, the bait of temptation. While you are looking for pleasure, you are heading straight into a trap. After all, the eye of a harlot is a trap for a lover 89 . This means that a trap is the look of a harlot, a trap and her speech, which only temporarily delights your larynx, and then fills it with the bitterness of the consciousness of sin 90. Another person’s property, which is attractive to us, is also a trap. The entire path of earthly life is full of traps 91. Therefore, the righteous one says: On this path along which I walked, they secretly laid snares for me (Ps. 141.4).. “On this path,” he says, “they set,” therefore you follow another path, about which the Holy Scripture says: I am the way, and the truth, and the life (John 14.6), so that you could say: He turned my soul, he guided me to the path of righteousness for the sake of His name. (Ps. 22.3). 25. Moriatur igitur nobis hoc saeculum, moriatur nobis carnis istius sapientia, quae inimica est deo. Subiciamus animam nostram soli Christo, ut dicat unusquisquë Nonne deo subdita est anima mea? Non saeculo subdita, non mundo, inquit, subdita. Non potest hoc pecuniosus, non potest auarus dicere, sed dicit iustus et continens. Auarus autem dicit: Anima, habes multa bona in annos multos posita; requiesce, manduca, bibe et epulare, quia auari anima subdita est luxuriae corporali, iusti autem anima utitur corpore ut instrumento aut organo, quae uelut praeclara artifex quo uult obsequium corporis ducit et effingit de co speciem quam elegit et eas quas uoluerit facit in eo resonare uirtutes, pangens nunc modulos castitatis, nunc modulos temperantiae, sobrietatis carmen, integritatis dulcedinem, uirginitatis suauitatem, grauitatem uiduitatis. Interdum tamen modulator conpatitur organo suö et ideo honesta modulare, ut sit honesta conpassio. Nam et ille qui uidet uidendo plerumque et audiens audiendo afficitur. Et ideo dicit scripturä oculi tui recta uideant et infrä Ne multus fueris ad alienam. Noli intendere in oculos iuuenculae, noli intendere in uerba meretricis. 25. May this age die for us, may carnal thoughts, hostile to God, die for us 92. Let us commit our soul to Christ alone, so that everyone can say: Doesn’t my soul obey God (Ps. 61.2)? He says that he does not obey the century and does not obey the world. The one who made money cannot say this, nor the greedy one, but the righteous and self-controlled person speaks. The greedy one says: Soul, you have a lot of good things lying around for many years: rest, eat, be merry (Luke 12:15)! After all, the soul of the greedy obeys the lusts of the body, while the soul of the righteous treats the body as if it were a tool or a musical instrument 93 . Like a skilled master, she directs the body that is submissive to her wherever she wants, gives it the image that she has chosen, makes those virtues that she wishes sound in it, extracting now the melodies of chastity, now the melodies of moderation, now the song of sobriety, the joy of purity, the sweetness of virginity, the greatness of widowhood. Meanwhile, the musician has compassion for his instrument; and therefore perform worthy melodies, so that your empathy with the body will be worthy. For the one who sees is mostly influenced by what he sees, and the one who hears by what he hears. And therefore the Holy Scripture says: Let your eyes look straight (Proverbs 4:25) - and below: Do not be too close to strangers (Proverbs 5:20). Do not direct your gaze to the eyes of young girls, do not listen to the words of harlots. 26. El quid de extraneis laqueis loquor? Nostri nobis laquei sunt cauendi. In ipso hoc corpore nostro laquei circumfusi nobis sunt, quos debemus uitare. Non credamus nos huic corpori, non misceamus cum eo animam noslram. Cum amico, inquit, misce animum tuum, non cum inimico. Inimicum tibi corpus est tuum, quod repugnal menti tuae, cuius opera inimicitiae, dissensiones, lites perturbationesque sunt. Noli cum eo miscere animam tuam, ne utrumque confundas. Nam si miscetur, ergo melior fit caro, quae inferior est, quam anima, quae superior, quia anima uitam corpori tradit, caro autem mortem animae transfundit. Confunditur ergo utriusque operatio, confunditur prope ipsa utriusque substantia. Igitur suscipit in se anima insensibilitatem defuncti corporis et corpus omnibus animae uirtutibus fungitur. Ac ne forte quia infunditur anima corpori etiam confundi putetur, exemplo nobis sit huius luminis gratia, siquidem et lumen terreno loco infunditur nec tamen confunditur. Non sit ergo confusa operatio, quorum dispar substantia est, sed sit anima in corpore, ut uiuificet corpus, hoc gubernet, inluminet. 26. But what am I saying about external traps, when we need to be wary of our own traps? In our very bodies we carry dangers for ourselves that we must avoid. Let us not trust this body, let us not unite our soul with it. With a friend, it is said, unite your soul, not with an enemy (Sirach. 6.13). Your enemy is your body, rebelling against your spirit, its deeds are full of enmity, discord, quarrels and indignation. Do not combine your soul with it, lest you confuse one with the other. If it is combined with the flesh, then the flesh, which is lower than the soul, becomes stronger. The soul is higher, because it gives life to the body, while the flesh pours death into the soul 94. Then the action of both of them is mixed, their very being is confused. In this case, the soul takes over the insensibility of the dead body, and the body controls all the virtues of the soul. And one should not think that if the soul flows into the body, then it is dissolved in it; an example for us could be the grace of light 95: although light flows into the earthly world, it does not mix with it. Consequently, one should not confuse the action of the soul and the body, the essence of which is not the same, but let the soul reside in the body in order to animate the body, control it, illuminate it 96. 27. Negare tamen non possumus quod conpatiatur corpori suo. Nam et contristatur, siquidem Iesus ait: Tristis est anima mea usque ad mortem, affectum hominis in se exprimens et alibï Anima mea turbata est, siquidem ut modulator 97 modulis suis aut tibiae aut citharae aut organi uoce, gestu affectuque conpatitur, in tristibus sonis tristior, in laetis laetior, in acutioribus excitatior in ipsis mitioribus mitior atque mansuetior, ut sonos cantuum ipse commendet et quodammodo moduletur affectus, anima quoque in hoc corpore tamquam in lidibus musicis, quae sobria est, tamen summis, ut ita dicam, digitis uelut neruorum sonos ita pulsat carnis istius passiones, ut consonum reddat morum atque uirtutum consentientemque concenlum, ut in omnibus cogitationibus suis, in omnibus operibus id custodiat, ut omnia consilia et facta sibi concinant. Anima est ergo quae utitur, corpus quod usui est, ac per hoc aliud quod in imperio, aliud quod in ministerio, aliud quod sumus, aliud quod nostrum est. Si quis animae pulchritudinem diligit, nos diligit: si quis corporis decorem diligit, non ipsum hominem, sed carnis diligit pulchritudinem, quae tamen cito marcescit et defluit. 27. However, we cannot deny that the soul has compassion for its body. She grieves along with the body. After all, Jesus says: My soul is grieved to death (Matthew 26:38), manifesting human nature in Himself, and in another place: My soul is troubled (John 12:27). Like a musician, playing the flute, cithara or organ, he expresses sympathy for his melody with his voice, gesture and mood: with sad sounds he becomes sadder, with joyful sounds he becomes more joyful, with sharper sounds he becomes more excited, with gentle sounds he becomes more gentle and meek, thus, with the sounds of songs he expresses his feelings; Likewise, the soul, being sober, treats the body as a musical instrument and, I would say, with its fingertips, as if on strings, strikes the passions of this body in order to extract a harmonious and consonant sound of morals and virtues, so that in all its thoughts, in all deeds it adheres to this, so that all thoughts and actions are in harmony with each other. The soul, therefore, is the one that uses, but the body is what is used, therefore one disposes, and the other serves, one is us, and the other is what belongs to us 98. If anyone loves the beauty of the soul, he loves us ourselves; when someone loves external beauty, then he does not love a person, but the beauty of his flesh, which, however, soon fades and decays. 28. Vnde illi intende de quo dicit prophetä Qui non accepit in uanum animam suam. In uanum accepit animam suam, ut iam de huius uitae dicamus molestiis, qui saecularia struit, aedificat corporalia. Cotidie ad edendum et bibendum surgimus, el nullus expletur, ut non post momentum esuriat ac sitiat. Cotidie lucrum quaerimus, et nullus cupiditati modus ponitur. Non satiabitur, inquit, oculus uidendo nec auris auditu. Qui diligit argentum non satiabitur argento. Nullus finis laboris et nullus est fructus abundantiae. Cupimus cotidie scire noua, et quid est ipsa scientia nisi cotidiani doloris abiectio? Omnia quae sunt iam fuerunt et nihil sub sole est nouum, sed omnia uanitas. Totam uitam odio habui, dixit Ecclesiastes. Qui uitam odio habuit utique mortem praedicauit. Denique laudauit mortuos magis quam uiuentes et ilium iudicauit beatum, qui in hanc uitam non uenit nec inanem hunc suscepit laborem. Circumiuit, inquit, cor meum, ut scirem impii laetitiam et ut considerarem et quaererem sapientiam et numerum et ut scirem per impium laetitiam et molestiam et iactationem, et inuenio ego eam amariorem quam mortem, non quia amara sit mors, sed quia impio amara. Et tamen amarior uita quam mors. Grauius est enim ad peccatum uiuere quam in peccato mori, quia impius, quamdiu uiuit peccatum auget, si moriatur, peccare desinit. 29. Plerique criminum suorum absolutione laetantur. Si emendaturi, recte; si perseueraturi in eis, stulte, quia longe illis plus damnatio profuisset, ne incrementa facerent peccatorum de quo sublimis apostoli sententia dicentis quod non solum ii qui fiagitiosa agunt, sed etiam qui ea probant digni morte sunt. Sed et illos qui talia condemnant in aliis qualia ipsi agunt inexcusabiles liaberi ut et sua damnatos sententia; cum enim alios condemnant, se ipsos condemnant. Nec sibi eos blandiri oportere, quia poenarum ad tempus inmunes uidentur et exortes reatus, cum grauiores poenas intra se luant et sibi rei sint, qui aliis non uidentur, atque in se intorqueant grauiorem conscientiae sententiam, cum de aliorum peccatis iudicant. Sed noli, inquit, o homo, diuinae bonitatis et patientiae thensauros contemnere; bonitas enim dei ad paenitentiam te prouocat, ad correctionem inuitat; duritia autem tua, qua in erroris pertinacia perseueras, futuri iudicii auget seueritatem, ut dignam retributionem tuorum accipias delictorum. 28. Therefore, listen to the words of the prophet: Who did not take his life in vain (Ps. 23.4). He who arranges the worldly and builds up the bodily takes his soul in vain - as we would say about the hardships of this life. Every day we get up to eat and drink, and no one can get enough without experiencing hunger and thirst again after a while. Every day we seek self-interest, and there is no limit to our greed. It is said: The eye is not satisfied with seeing, and the ear is not filled with hearing (Ecc. 1.8). The lover of money will never be satisfied with silver. There is no end to efforts and no fruit from this abundance. Every day we thirst to learn new things. But what is this knowledge if not languor from daily sorrow? Everything that exists has already existed before, and nothing under the sun is new, but everything is vanity (Ecc. 1.9). “I have hated my whole life,” says Ecclesiastes (Eccl. 2:17). He who hates life undoubtedly speaks with praise of death. Moreover, he glorifies the dead more than the living, considering blessed the one who did not come into this world at all and did not undertake futile labor 99. The Holy Scripture says: I turned my heart to know the joy of the wicked, to search and find wisdom and measure, and to know through wickedness joy, and torment, and confusion, and I found it worse than death (Ecc. 7.25-26) - not because death is bitter, but because it is bitter for the wicked. And yet life is more bitter than death. For living while sinning is harder than dying in sin, because while a person lives, he multiplies his sins, but if he dies, he stops sinning. 29. Most people rejoice at being freed from their wrongdoings. If they strive for correction, then they are doing the right thing; if they intend to persist, they are fools, for punishment would bring them much more benefit, so that they do not multiply their sins. This is the sublime speech of the apostle, who says that not only those who commit dishonor, but also those who approve of it, deserve death 100. However, those who condemn in others what they themselves do do not deserve forgiveness and are condemned by their word, because when they condemn others, they condemn themselves 101. But they should not be deluded by the fact that for a while they seem to be free from punishment and as if they are not facing judgment, since they carry their own punishment, which is more serious, within themselves, and, although it is imperceptible to others, they are responsible to themselves, because they turn the more severe condemnation of their own conscience against themselves when they judge the sins of others. But, says the apostle, O man, do not neglect the treasures of the grace of divine long-suffering, for the grace of God calls you to repentance and encourages you to correction, while your stubbornness, because of which you continue to persist in errors, increases the severity of the coming Judgment, so that you will receive a worthy reward for your sins 102. 30. Non igitur mors malum. Nam neque apud uiuentes mors est neque apud defunctos; apud alios enim non est, quia adhuc uiuunt, alii transierunt. Itaque neque apud eos amara est qui eam adhuc nesciunt hoc ipso quia nesciunt neque apud eos qui iam et secundum corpus nihil sentiunt et secundum animam liberati sunt. 31. Quodsi terribilis apud uiuentes aestimatur, non mors ipsa terribilis, sed opinio de morte, quam unusquisque pro suo interpretatur affectu aut pro sua conscientia perhorrescit. Suae igitur unusquisque conscientiae uulnus accuset, non mortis acerbitatem. Denique iustis mors quietis est portus, nocentibus naufragium putatur. Certe his quibus grauis est timor mortis non est graue mori, sed graue est uiuere sub metu mortis. Non ergo mors grauis, sed metus mortis. Metus autem opinionis est, opinio nostrae infirmitatis, contraria ueritati; nam per ueritatem uirtus, per opinionem infirmitas. Opinio autem non mortis utique, sed uitae est. Ergo illud graue uitae magis inuenitur esse. Liquet igitur quia mortis metus non ad mortem referendus est, sed ad uitam. Non enim habemus quod in morte metuamus, si nihil quod timendum sit uita nostra commisit. Etenim prudentibus delictorum supplicia terrori sunt, delicta autem non mortuorum actus sunt, sed uiuentium. Vita igitur ad nos refertur, cuius actus in nostra potestate est, mors autem nihil ad nos; est etenim separatio animae et corporis; anima absoluitur, corpus resoluitur. Quae absoluitur gaudet, quod resoluitur in terram suam nihil sentit. Quod nihil sentit nihil ad nos. 30. Therefore, death is not evil. It exists neither for the living nor for the dead, because the former are still alive, and the latter have already left 103. And therefore it cannot be bitter either for those who still do not know it, precisely because they do not know it, nor for those whose body no longer feels anything, and whose soul is freed 104. 31. If anything seems terrible to the living, it is not death itself, but the thought of death, which everyone imagines according to their own feelings or fears depending on the state of their conscience. Therefore, everyone should condemn the ulcers of their own conscience, and not the cruelty of death. After all, for the righteous, death is like a quiet haven, while for criminal souls it seems like a shipwreck 105. Undoubtedly, for those who are burdened by the fear of death, it is not hard to die, but it is hard to live under the fear of death. This means that it is not death that is painful, but the fear of death. Fear comes from our opinion about death, and opinion, in contrast to the truth, comes from our weakness; after all, in truth there is strength, while in opinion there is weakness 106. Opinion is not characteristic of death, but of life. This means that this painful thing is rather inherent in life. So, it is obvious that the fear of death should be associated not with death, but with life. After all, we have nothing to fear in death if we have not earned with our lives that which should inspire us with fear. So, sensible people have a fear of punishment for misdeeds, but misdeeds are committed not by the dead, but by the living. This means that life is in our control, the actions of which are in our power, but death is nothing for us, because it means the separation of soul and body, when the soul is freed and the body is destroyed. The one that is freed rejoices, and the one that returns to its land feels nothing more. And that which does not feel anything is nothing for us 107. 32. Tamen si mors malum, quomodo iuuenes non timent fieri senes nec finitimam morti uerentur aetatem paticntiusque deficit qui pracsumpta morte deficit quam qui inopinata. His qiioque qui mortem malum putant aptum responsum arbitror, ​​quia per uitam ad mortem est transitus, per mortem autem ad uitam reditus; neque enim nisi qui mortui fuerint possum resurgere. Insipientes autem mortem quasi summum malorum reformidant, sapientes quasi requiem post labores et tinem malorum expetunt. 33. Duabus autem ex causis mortem insipientes uerentur. Vna, quod eam interitum appellent. Interitus autem hominis esse non potest, cum anima superstes corpori sit, saluo eo quod ipsum corpus manet resurrectio. Altera autem causa, quod poenas reformident, poetarum uidelicet fabulis territi, latratus Cerberi et Cocyti fluminis tristem uoraginem. Charonem tristiorem, Furiarum agmina aut praerupta Tartara, tunc 108 quibtis hydria saeuior sedem habeat, Tityi quoque uiscera reparandis fecunda suppliciis, quae uultur inmanis sine ullo fine depascitur, Ixionii quoque orbis perpetuam sub poenae atrocitate uertiginem, tum saxi desuper inminentis super capita adcubantium inter epulas inpendentem ruinain. Haec plena sunt fabularum: nec tamen negauerim poenas esse post mortem. Sed quid ad mortem id quod post mortem est? Si autem quae post mortem sunt referantur ad mortem, eadem etiam quae post uitam sunt referantur ad uitam. Nulla ergo erunt supplicia, quae referantur ad mortem. Mors enim, ut supra diximus, absolutio est et separatio animae et corporis: non est autem mala solutio, quia dissolui et cum Christo esse multo melius. Non igitur mala mors. Denique et mors peccatorum pessima, non utique mors pessima generaliter, sed pessima specialiter peccatorum. Denique pretiosa iustorum. Vnde liquet acerbitatem non mortis esse, sed culpae. 32. However, if death is evil, why are young men not afraid of becoming old and not frightened by their age, so close to death, and the one whose death is expected accepts it more humbly than one who dies a sudden death? I believe that whoever considers death an evil should give the following answer: because through life a person passes into death, and through death he returns to life; after all, only those who died before can be resurrected 109. The foolish fear death as the worst of evils, but the wise await it as rest from labor and the end of troubles. 33. The foolish fear death for two reasons. Firstly, because they call it death. But a person cannot perish, since the soul will survive the body, moreover, the body itself will have to be resurrected. And secondly, because they, apparently intimidated by the tales of the poets, tremble at posthumous punishments: the barking of Cerberus, the mournful abyss of Cocytus and the even more mournful Charon, the flock of Furies, the abyss of Tartarus, the abode of the ferocious Hydra, the eternal suffering of Tityus, whose womb is endlessly tormented by a monstrous kite, the painful execution of Ixion on a continuous basis the rotating wheel, finally, the collapse of the rock that rises above the heads of those reclining at the banquet table 110. This is all fiction. However, I would not deny the existence of posthumous retribution. But how does death itself characterize what happens after death? 111 After all, if what happens after death belongs to death, then what happens after life also belongs to life. This means that there are no such torments that would relate to death. After all, death, as we said above, is the separation of soul and body: but liberation is not evil, for to be resolved and to be with Christ is incomparably better (Phil. 1:23). Therefore, death is not evil. Only the death of sinners is cruel (Ps. 33.22), not death in general is cruel, but precisely the death of sinners. Indeed, the death of the righteous is honorable (Ps. 115.6). From this it is clear that bitterness does not lie in death, but in guilt. 34. Pulchre autem Graeci finem mortem appellauerunt; τελευτή enim mortem appellant, eo quod finis istius uitae sit. Sed etiam somnum mortem scriptura nuncupat, sicut est illud: Lazarus amicus noster dormit; sed uado ut suscitem eum. Somnus autem bonus, quoniam quies est, sicut scriptum est: Ego dormiui et quieui et resurrexi, quoniam dominus suscipiet me. Dulcis igitur quies mortis. Denique dominus suscitat quiescentes, quia dominus resurrectio. 35. Illud quoque egregium quod ait scripturä Ante mortem non laudaueris quemquam. Vnusquisque enim in nouissimis suis cognoscitur et in filiis aestimatur, si bene filios suos instituit et disciplinis conpetentibus erudiuit, siquidem ad neglegentiam patris refertur dissolutio filiorum, tum quia unusquisque, quamdiu uiuit, obnoxius est lapsui, nec senectus inmunis a crime. Ideo legis quia Abraham mortuus est in bona senectute, eo quod in propositi sui bonitate permansit. Mors igitur uitae est testimonium. Nam si laudari ante governor non potest quam in portum nauem deduxerit, quomodo laudabis hominem, priusquam in stationem mortis successerit? Et ipse sui est governor et ipse uitae huius iactatur profundo quamdiu in salo isto tamdiu inter naufragia. Dux ipse nisi confecto proelio non sumit lauream nec miles arma deponit nec stipendii mercedem adipiscitur nisi hoste superato. Mors igitur stipendiorum plenitudo, summa mercedis, gratia missionis est. 36. Quantum autem morti dedit sanctus lob, qui dixit: Benedictio morituri in me ueniat! Nam etsi Isaac benedixerit filios suos moriens et Iacob benedixerit patriarchas, tamen benedictionis illius gratia poterat solis benedicentium mentis deputari uel pietati paternae. Hic uero nulla praerogatiua meritorum est, nulla pietatis, sed solius mortis priuilegium, cum benedictio cuiusque morituri tantum uirtutis habet, ut earn sibi sanctus propheta optauerit. Ac per hoc cogitemus semper hunc uersiculum et corde teneamus. 34. The Greeks beautifully called death death. They call it death 112 because death is the end of this life. And the Holy Scripture also calls death a sleep, as, for example, here: Our friend Lazarus fell asleep, but I am going to wake him up (John 11:11). Sleep is good, because it means peace, as it is said: I fell asleep, and calmed down, and rose up, for the Lord protects me (Ps. 3.6). Sweet, therefore, is the peace of death. The Lord raises up those who are at rest, for the Lord is the resurrection 113. 35. Other words of Scripture are also significant: Praise no one before death (Sirach 11.28) 114. After all, everyone is known at the end of his deeds, and he is judged by his children: whether he raised his sons well and taught them in worthy sciences, for parental negligence leads to filial promiscuity; finally, everyone, while alive, is subject to falls and even in old age is not protected from wrongdoing. Because - as you can read - Abraham died in a good old age (Gen. 25.8), because he kept his intentions in goodness. So death is evidence of life. And if you cannot praise the helmsman before he brings the ship to port, then how will you praise a man before he reaches the harbor of death? After all, for himself he is like a helmsman, and all the time he carries him across the endless sea of ​​this life, he risks being wrecked 115. And the commander accepts his laurels only after completing the battle, and the warrior lays down his weapons and receives his salary only after crushing the enemy. Death, therefore, means the fullness of retribution, the pinnacle of retribution, the grace of liberation 116. 36. And how much importance Saint Job attached to death, saying: Let the blessing of the dying come upon me (Job 29:13)! After all, although Isaac blessed his sons when dying, 117 and Jacob blessed the patriarchs, 118 the grace of the blessing was explained either by the merits of those who blessed, or by fatherly love. Here there is no primacy of merit, no kindred feeling, but only the privilege of death, when the blessing of every dying person has such great power that even the holy prophet desired it for himself. And so let us always meditate on these words and keep them in our hearts. 37. Si quem uiderimus pauperem moriturum, sumptu iuuemus: dicat unusquisque nostrum: Benedictio morituri in me ueniat. Si quem uiderimus debilem, non deseramus, si quem in extremis positum, non relinquamus; occurrat et nobis dicerë Benedictio morituri in me ueniat. Laudet et te unusquisque moriturus, unusquisque depositus aeuo, unusquisque confectus uulnere graui, unusquisque morbo absumptus et iam morti proximus. Hic uersiculus quantos benedici fecit! Quotiens mihi pudorem incussit, si moriturum praeterii, si non uisitaui grauiter aegrum, si fastidiui inopem, si captiuum non redemi, senem spreui! Sit ergo in corde semper, ut stimulet duriores, ut admoneat promptiores. Resonent te postrema uerba morituri et benedictionum tui egrediens e corpore anima secum uehat. Eripe etiam eum qui ad mortem ducitur, qui periturus erat, nisi tu subuenisses, ut dicas: Benedictio perituri ueniat in me. 38. Quis igitur dubitet de bono mortis, cum id quod inquietum, id quod erubescendum, id quod inimicum nobis est, id quod uiolentum, id quod procellosum et ad omnia uitia inlecebrosum est conquiescat et iaceat et quasi fera in cauea claudatur sepulchri, relinquatur rabies eius exanimis et emortua conpago uiscerum in terrain resoluatur, id autem quod familiare uirtutibus, amicum disciplinis, studiosum gloriac, sequax boni, deo subditum est ad illud sublime euolet et cum illo puro et perpetuo bono atque inmortali maneat, ipsi adhaereat ct cum ipso sit, de quo cognationem ducit, ut quidam ait: Cuius et genus sumus? Non enim mori animam cum corpore manifestum est, quia non est de corpore. Non esse autem earn de corpore scriptura multis modis edocet. Nam et Adam a domino deo nostro accepit spiritum uitae et factus est in animam uiuentem et Dauid ait: Conuertere, anima mea, in requiem tuam, quia dominus benefecit mihi. Et in quo bcnefecerit audï Quia liberauit, inquit, pedes meos a lapsu. Vides gratulari eum mortis huius remedio. Quia finis est factus erroris, quia culpa, non natura defecit. 37. If we see a person dying in poverty, we will help him with our participation; let each of us say: May the blessing of the dying come upon me! If we see someone in weakness, let us not give up on him; if we see him in extreme need, let us not abandon him; let the thought come to us to say; May the blessing of the dying come upon me! May everyone who is dying, everyone who is decrepit from old age, everyone dying from a serious wound, everyone crushed by illness and already close to death, glorify you. How many have been blessed by this Bible verse! How often did he make me feel ashamed if I passed by a dying person, if I did not visit a seriously ill person, if I rejected the weak, if I did not rescue a captive, 119 if I neglected an old man! May this word always be in our hearts to awaken the callous and strengthen the zealous. May the last words of a dying person resonate within you, and may your soul, leaving your body, take with it the words that bless you. Snatch from death also the one who is drawn to it 120, who may die if you do not come to the rescue to say: May the blessing of the one approaching death come to me! 38. So, who could doubt the goodness of death, when what is restless, sometimes forcing us to blush with shame, sometimes hostile to us, indomitable, violent and prone to all vices, is now tamed and lies like a wild beast, imprisoned in the cage of the grave? His rage remains lifeless and that which was a union of members, having become dead, returns to the earth, while the other, akin to virtues, friendly to instructions, zealous for achievement, accompanying good, devoted to God, soars to the heavenly and remains with that immaculate, eternal, immortal grace, cleaves to it and remains with it, from which it originates, as someone says: We are His race ( Acts 17.28). It is clear that the soul does not die with the body, for it is not of a bodily nature. The Holy Scripture teaches us with many examples that the soul does not come from the body. After all, Adam also received the breath of life from the Lord our God and was created as a living soul (Gen. 2:7), and David says: Return, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has done good to me (Ps. 115:7). In what way did the Lord benefit him, listen: He freed my feet from stumbling (Ps. 114.8). You see how glad he is for the medicine that this death gave him, for the end of his wanderings has come, for sin, not nature, has dried up. 39. Denique quasi exutus et liber dicit: Placebo domino in regione uiuorum. [Ilia est enim regio]. Denique illam animarum requiem dicit terram esse uiuentium, quo peccata non penetrent, ubi uirtutum uiuit gloria. Ista autem regio plena est mortuorum, quia plena est delictorum, meritoque dictum est: Relinque mortuos sepelire mortuos suos. Sed et supra similiter ait: Anima eius in bonis demorabitur, et semen eius hereditabit terram, hoc est: anima timentis deum habitabit in bonis, ut semper in eis sit et secundum ea. Quod potest etiam de eo accipi qui sit in corpore, ut et ipse, si timeat deum, in bonis habitet et in caelestibus sit et possideat corpus suum et dominetur ei quasi in seruitutem redacto et possideat hereditatem gloriae et caelestium promissorum. 40. Vnde et nos si uolumus post mortem corporis huius in bonis esse, caueamus ne adglutinetur anima nostra huic corpori, ne commisccatur, ne inhaereat, ne trahatur a corpore et tamquam ebria perturbationibus eius uacillet et fluitet nec se ei credat atque eius delectationibus, ut committat se eius sensibus. Nam et oculus eius error et fraus est, quia fallitur uisus, et auris eius deceptio est, quia et auditus inluditur, et sapor eius deceptio est. Denique non otiose dictum est: Oculi tui recta uideant et: Lingua tua non loquatur peruersa. Quod non esset dictum, nisi frequenter errarent. Vidisti meretricem, captus es uultu eius et formam decoram putastï errauerunt oculi tui, peruersa uiderunt, alia nuntiarunt. Nam si uere uidissent, uidissent deformem meretricis affectum, inhorrentem procaciam, indecentem inpudicitiam, marcentes libidines, taetram conluuionem, animi uulnera, conscientiae cicatrices. Qui uiderit, inquit, mulierem ad concupiscendum eam. Vides quod iste falsum quaesiuit qui non ueritatem, sed adulterium requisiuit. Videre enim quaesiuit, ut concupisceret, non ut uerum cognosceret. Errat igitur oculus, ubi errat affectus. Affectus ergo deceptio est, deceptio uisus – et ideo tibi dicitur: Neque capiaris oculis, id est non capiatur anima tua; mulier enim uirorum pretiosas animan capit -, deceptio auditus. Denique multo blandimento sermonis mulier fornicaria saepe iuuenis cor seduxit, decepit, inlusit. 39. Then, as if he had cast off his shackles 121 and been set free, David says: I will please the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 115:9) 122. He says that peace for souls is the land of the living, where sins do not invade, 123 where the glory of virtues lives. But our land, on the contrary, is full of the dead, because it is full of sinners, and the words are true: Let the dead bury their dead (Matthew 8:22). And a similar thing is said above: His soul will abide in goodness and his seed will inherit the earth (Ps. 24.13), that is, a God-fearing soul will dwell in goodness in order to always abide in it and in accordance with it. This can also be applied to the one who is still in the body, because he, if he has the fear of God, can dwell in goodness and remain among the heavenly, and own his body, subjecting it as given to service, and gain the inheritance of glory and heavenly promises. 40. Therefore, if we wish to remain with the good after bodily death, we must be careful not to cleave our soul to this body, lest it become mixed up, grow attached to it, drag after it, and stagger as if drunk from his passions, and trust him and his pleasures, succumbing to carnal feelings. After all, the eye of the body is an error and a lie, since sight is mistaken, and the ear deceives, and hearing is deceived, and the sense of taste is deception. It is no coincidence that it is said: Let your eyes look straight (Prov. 4.25) 124, and also: Let not your tongue speak a lie (Ps. 33.14). It would not be said so if our eyes and tongue were not mistaken so often. You saw a harlot, were captivated by her appearance and decided that she was beautiful; but your eyes were mistaken, they saw what was false, they showed you something different from what it really is. After all, if they saw truly, they would see how disfigured she is by lustful passion, they would see enraged impudence, disgusting shamelessness, exhausting debauchery, disgusting impurities, ulcers of the soul and wounds of conscience. Who looks at a woman with lust (Matt. 5. 28), says the Holy Scripture. You see that he was looking for lies who was looking not for truth, but for adultery. He sought to see in order to desire, and not in order to know the truth. So, the eye is mistaken where the state of the soul is mistaken. The state of the soul, therefore, is a deception, a deception of sight, therefore it is said to you: Do not be caught by the eyes (Prov. 6.25), that is, let not your soul be caught; the wife of her husband catches precious souls (Proverbs 6:26) - a deception of the ear, because a dissolute woman with many flattering speeches often seduces, deceives, and destroys the heart of a young man. 4l. Ergo non laqueis credamus et retibus his, quae decipiunt et inludunt, quia corda temptantur, inpediuntur cogitationes. Quae inpediuntur uisu, inpediuntur auditu odore tactu sapore. Non sequamur inlecebrosa et seductoria, sed sequamur illud quod bonum est, illi adhaereamus, illud imitemur, illius praesentia, illius communicatio nos meliores faciat, mores nostros coloret, illius quaedam nos societas informet. Qui enim bono adhaeret adsumit inde quod bonum est, quia scriptum est: Cum sancto sanctus eris et cum peruerso subuerteris et cum innocente innocens eris; adsiduitate enim atque imitatione quaedam similitudinis imago formatur Ideoque addidit: Quoniam tu inluminas lucernam meam, domine. Etenim qui adpropinquat lumini citius inluminatur, et plus in eo splendor aeterni luminis refulget e proximo. Ergo anima, quae adhaeret illi inuisibili bono deo atque inmortali, et ipsa corporea haec fugit et terrena et mortalia derelinquit fitque illius similis quod desiderat et in quo uiuit et pascitur. Et quia inmortali intendit, non est ipsa mortalis. Quae enim peccat moritur non utique aliqua sui dissolutione, sed merito moritur deo, quia uiuit peccato. Ergo quae non peccat non moritur, quia manet in substantia sui, manet in uirtute et gloria. 41. So, let us not trust the nets and traps that deceive and deceive us, for they tempt our hearts and test our thoughts. They test us with what we see, test us with what we hear, touch, smell, taste. Let us not follow temptations and harmful things, but let us follow what is good, let us cleave to it, let us imitate it, its presence, communication with it will make us better, transform our morals, combination with it will, as it were, give us a new appearance 126. He who cleaves to good acquires good from it, for it is said: With the saints you will be holy, and with the obstinate you will be corrupt, and with the innocent you will be innocent (Ps. 17.26-27), because from coexistence and imitation a certain similar image arises. And therefore David adds: For You will enlighten my lamp, O Lord (Ps. 17:29). After all, the one who approaches the light is enlightened faster, and nearer the reflection of the eternal light shines brighter on him. Consequently, the soul, which clings to God, the invisible and immortal good, itself flees from the body and leaves the mortal and becomes like what it thirsts for, what it lives and feeds on. And since she strives for the immortal, she herself is not mortal. The soul that sins dies, and although its disintegration does not occur, it truly dies for God, since it lives for sin. But the soul that does not sin does not die, for it abides in its essence, abides in virtue and glory. 42. Nam quomodo substantia eius interire potest, cum utique anima sit, quae uitam infundit? Et cui anima infunditur uita infunditur, a quo anima discedit uita discedit. Anima ergo uita est. Quomodo potest mortem recipere, cum sit contraria? Sicut enim nix calorem non recipit, nam statim soluitur, et lux non recipit tenebras, nam statim discutit – infuso enim lumine tenebrarum horror aufertur sicut admoto igni niuium rigor desinit – ita et anima, quae uitam creat mortem non recipit, non moritur: anima autem mortem non recipit: anima ergo non moritur. 43. Habemus ergo rationem. Sed haec humana, illud diuinum, quod ait dominus: Potestatem habeo ponendi animam meam et potestatem habeo iterum sumendi eam. Vides igitur quia non moritur cum corpore quae et ponitur et resumitur et in manus dei patris commendatur. Sed forte dicas: specialiter: scilicet 127 quod Christi est. Et quamuis ille quae sunt hominis susceperit, tamen, quia alterius est causa et istud adstruere, ne tempus teramus, audi dicentem: qui scis an nocte a te tua anima reposcatur? Numquid dixit: moriatur in te anima tua? sed: reposcatur a te. Quae data est rcposcitur uel repetunt a te. Repetitur enim anima, non interimitur. Quae repetitur manet, quod interimitur non manet. Quomodo enim interimitur, de qua dixit sapientia dei non timendum quemquam, qui potest corpus occidere, animam autem non potest? De qua dicit prophetä Anima mea in manibus tuis semper. Semper, inquit, non "in tempore". 42. After all, how can its essence perish when, without a doubt, the soul is what infuses life 128? And into whom the soul is poured, life is poured into him, and into whom the soul leaves, life leaves. Therefore, the soul is life. How can she accept death if she is the opposite of it? Just as snow does not accept heat, because it immediately melts, and light does not accept darkness, because it immediately dispels it - after all, as soon as the light dawns, the horror of darkness is carried away, as soon as you bring fire closer to the snow, and the cold recedes - so the soul, which gives birth to life, does not accept death and does not die. The soul does not accept death, therefore the soul does not die. 43. So we have an explanation. But one explanation is human, and the other is divine, 129 what the Lord says: I have power to lay down My soul, and I have power to take it again (John 10:18). As you can see, she does not die along with the body, but is given, and received again, and delivered into the hands of God the Father 130. But you can perhaps say: “This is a special case, because we are talking about the soul of Christ.” And although He accepted human nature, yet, since it is a matter for another conversation to explain this, 131 without wasting time, listen to Christ Himself, who says: “How will you know whether your soul will be taken from you at night?” 132 For He did not say: “Your soul will die in you,” but “It will be taken from you.” What was given will be taken or demanded from you. After all, the soul is taken, not destroyed. What is taken continues to exist, what is destroyed no longer exists. How can she perish, about whom Divine wisdom has spoken, that one should not be afraid of the one who can kill the body, but cannot kill the soul? 133 The prophet says about her: My soul is always in Your hands (Ps. 119.109) 134. “Always,” he says, not “for a while.” 44. Et tu commenda animam tuam in manus domini.Non solum cum recedit e corpore, sed etiam cum est in corpore, est in manibus domini, quia non uides eam, unde ueniat aut quo uadat. Est et in te, est et cum deo. Denique cor regis in manu domini et ab eo regitur et gubernatur. Cor repletur mente, quia mens animae principale est et uirtus animae est. Non eam uirtutem dico, quae in lacertis, sed quae in consiliis, temperantia, pietate atque iustitia est. Si cor hominis in manu domini, multo magis anima. Si anima in manu dei est, non utique anima nostra sepulchro simul cum corpore includitur nec busto tenetur, sed quiete pia fungitur. Et ideo frustra homines pretiosa struunt sepulchra, quasi ea animae, non solius corporis receptacula sint. 45. Animarum autem superiora esse habitacula scripturae testimoniis ualde probatur, siquidem et in Hesdrae libris legimus quia, cum uenerit iudicii dies, reddet terra defunctorum corpora et puluis reddet ea quae in tumulis requiescunt, reliquias mortuorum. Et habitacula inquit reddent animas, quae his commendatae sunt, et reuelabiiur altissimus super sedem iudicii. Hae sunt habitationes, de quibus dicit dominus multas mansiones esse apud patrem suum, quas suis pergens ad patrem discipulis praepararet. Sed Hesdrae usus sum scriptis, ut cognoscant gentiles ea quae in philosophiae libris mirantur translata de nostris. Atque utinam non superflua his et inutilia miscuissent, ut dicerent animas hominum pariter ac bestiarum esse communes earumque summum praemium, si magnorum philosophorum animae in apes aut luscinias demigrarent, ut qui ante hominum genus sermone pauissent postea mellis dulcedine aut cantus suauitate mulcerent. Satis fuerat dixisse illis quod liberatae animae de corporibus Ἅ ιδην peterent, id est locum, qui non uideretur, quem locum latine infernum dicimus. 44. Commit your soul into the hands of the Lord. Not only when it leaves the body, but also while it remains in it, it is in the hands of the Lord, for you do not see it, where it comes from and where it goes. It is in you and at the same time with God. Indeed, the heart of the king is in the hand of God (Proverbs 21:1), and He guides and guides him. The heart is filled with reason, for reason is the most important principle of the soul and the strength of the soul. But I do not mean the strength that lies in the muscles, but that which consists of prudence, moderation, piety and justice 135. If a person's heart is in the hand of the Lord, then how much more so is his soul. If the soul is in the hand of God, then, without a doubt, our soul is not locked in the tomb along with the body and does not languish in the grave, but enjoys blissful peace. And therefore it is in vain that people erect magnificent tombs, as if they were the receptacle of the soul, and not just the body. 45. But the abodes of souls are much higher, as the Holy Scripture clearly testifies, since in the books of Ezra we read that when the Day of Judgment comes, the earth will return the bodies of the departed, and the dust will return the bodies of those resting in the graves, the remains of the dead. And the souls entrusted to them will give up their homes, and the Most High will appear on the throne of judgment (3 Ezra 7:32–33). The Lord says about these dwellings that His Father has many mansions and, having gone to the Father, He will prepare them for His disciples 136. However, I turned to the writings of Ezra so that the pagans would understand that what they admire in their philosophical books is borrowed from our books 137 . But let them not add to them absurd and useless things when they say that the souls of people and the souls of animals are exactly the same, but the highest gift is when the souls of great philosophers transmigrate into bees or nightingales, so that they, who previously nourished the human race with speeches, would later please it with the sweetness of honey or the tenderness of singing 138 . It is enough just to say that, in their opinion, souls, freed from bodies, go to Hades - ΄A ιδην, that is, to a place that cannot be seen 139, a place that we call the underworld. 46. Denique et scriptura habitacula ilia animarum promptaria nuncupauit, quae occurrens querellae humanae, with quod iusti qui praecesserunt uideantur usque ad iudicii diem per plurimum scilicet temporis debita sibi remuncratione fraudari, mirabiliter ait coronae esse similem iudicii diem, in quo sicut non 140 nouissimorum tarditas, sic non priorum uelocitas. Coronae enim dies expectatur ab omnibus, ut intra eum diem et uicti erubescant et uictores palmam adipiscantur uictoriae. Illud quoque non reliquit occultum, eo quod superiores uideantur qui ante generati sunt, infirmiores qui postea. Conparauit enim utero mulieris partus saeculi huius, quoniam fortiores sunt qui in iuuentute uirtutis nati sunt, infirmiores qui in tempore senectutis. Defecit enim multitudine generationis hoc saeculum tamquam uulua generantis et tamquam senescens creatura robur iuuentutis suae uelut marcenti iam uirium suarum uigore deponit. 46. Finally, the Holy Scriptures also call these abodes of souls repositories, anticipating people’s complaints that the righteous who lived before us, apparently, do not receive their due reward for the longest time until the Day of Judgment. Scripture wonderfully says that the day of Judgment is like a crown, where just as there is no slowing down of the latter, there is no acceleration of the first (3 Ezra 5:42). After all, everyone is looking forward to the day of the crown, so that on this day both the vanquished will be put to shame and the victors will receive the palm of victory. Scripture has not left it a secret that those who are born earlier are stronger, and those who are born later are weaker. The generation of this age is likened to the offspring of a woman's womb, for those who are born in the strength of youth are stronger, those who are born into old age are weaker (3 Ezra 5:53-55). Our age has become exhausted, like a woman in labor after many births, like a creature, aging, losing the strength of its youth due to the withering of its vitality 141. 47. Ergo dum expectatur plenitudo temporis, expectant animae remunerationem debitam alias manet poena, alias gloriä et tamen nec illae interim sine iniuria nec istae sine fructu sunt. Nam et illae... uidentes seruantibus legem dei repositam esse mercedem gloriae, conseruari earum ab angelis habitacula, sibi autem dissimulationis et contumaciae supplicia futura et pudorem et confusionem, ut intuentesgloriam altissimi erubescant in eius conspectum uenire, cuius mandata temerauerint. Sicut enim praeuaricatio Adae ita et confusio, quoniam sicut ille per incuriam mandatorum caelestium lapsus est et pudore se prolapsionis abscondit, fulgorem diuinae praesentiae uerecundia peccatricis conscientiae subire non ausus, ita et animae peccatorum uibrantis luminis eius splendorem non sustinebunt, quo teste se reminiscentur errasse. 48. Iustarum uero animarum per ordines quosdam digesta laetitia. Primum quod uicerint carnem nec inlecebris eius inflexae sint. Deinde quod pro pretio sedulitatis et innocentiae suae securitate potiantur nec quibusdam sicut impiorum animae erroribus et perturbationibus inpliccntur atque uitiorum suorum memoria torqueantur et exagitentur quibusdam curarum aestibus. Tertio quod seruatae a se legis diuino testimonio fulciantur, ut factorum suorum incertum supremo iudicio non uereantur euentum. Quartum quia incipiunt intellegere requiem suam et futuram sui gloriam praeuidere caque se consolatione mulcentes in habitaculis suis cum magna tranquillitate requiescent stipatae praesidiis angelorum. Quintus autem ordo exultationis habet uberrimae suauitatem, quod ex hoc corruptibilis corporis carcere in lucem libertatemque peruenerint et repromissam sibi possideant hereditatem. Est enim ordo quictis, quia est et resurrectionis. Sicut enim in Adam omnes moriuntur, ita et in Christo inquit omnes uiuificabuntur, unusquisque autem in ordine suö primitiae Christus, deinde qui sunt Christi, qui in aduentum eius crediderunt, deinde finis. Erit igitur ordo diuersus claritatis et gloriae, sicut erit ordo meritorum. Processus quoque ordinum processum exprimit claritatis. Denique sexto ordine demonstrabitur his quod uultus earum sicut sol incipiat refulgere et stellarum luminibus comparari, qui tamen fulgor earum corruptelam iam sentire non possit. September quam incipientes recipere cognouerunt indignas esse huius temporis passiones, quibus remunerationis aeternae gloria tanta refertur. Hic ordo, inquit, animarum, quae sunt iustorum, quos etiam inmortales non dubitauit dicere in quinto ordine eo quod spatium, inquit, incipiunt recipere fruentes et inmortales. Haec est, inquit, requies earum per septem ordines et futurae gloriae prima perfunctio, priusquam in suis habitationibus quietae congregationis munere perfruantur. Vnde ait propheta ad angelum: Ergo dabitur tempus animabus, postquam separatae fuerint de corporibus, ut uideant ea quomodo dixisti. Et dixit angelus: septem dies erit libertas earum, ut uideant in septem diebus qui praedicti sermones, etpostea congregabuntur in habitaculis suis. Haec ideo plenius de iustorum ordinibus expressa sunt quam de passionibus inpiorum, quia melius est cognoscere quomodo innocentes saluentur quam quomodo crucientur flagitiosi. 47. So, until the time comes, souls await their well-deserved reward. Some face punishment, others face glory; but in the meantime, neither the former remain without retribution, nor the latter without reward. After all, even those 142 see that those who keep the law of God are given glory as a reward, 143 that their dwellings are protected by angels, while for them, for their neglect and pride, torment, shame and embarrassment are prepared in the future, so that, seeing the glory of the Most High, they will be ashamed to appear before the eyes of Him whose commandments they have trampled upon. Such was the betrayal 144 of Adam, such was their confusion, because just as he, through neglect of the heavenly commandments, sinned and covered himself with the shame of the Fall and did not dare to approach the radiance of the Divine presence, 145 reproached by a sinful conscience, so the souls of sinners will not be able to endure the radiance of His flaming light, by the testimony of which they will remember that they committed a sin. 48. The joy of righteous souls is distributed among several ranks 146. The first rank is those who conquered the flesh and did not succumb to its temptations. The second is for those who, for diligence and chastity, receive serenity as a reward; they, unlike wicked souls, are not carried away by errors and passions, are not tormented by the memory of vices, and are not haunted by burning worries. In the third are those who, according to divine testimony, have preserved the law, so that at the final Judgment they do not fear the unfavorable outcome of their affairs. In the fourth, they begin to comprehend their peace and foresee their future glory and, rejoicing in this consolation, with great tranquility they remain in their abodes, surrounded by angelic hosts. The fifth rank delights with abundant joy, because souls, having escaped from the prison of the mortal body, have achieved light and freedom and possess the inheritance promised to them. There is also a rite of repose, because there is also a rite of resurrection. Just as in Adam everyone dies, so in Christ, says the apostle, everyone will come to life, each in his own order: the firstborn Christ, then those of Christ who believed in His coming, and then the end (1 Cor. 15:22-24). There will be, therefore, a different order of honors and glory, just as there will be a different order of merit 147. Rising in rank also means rising to fame. Then, in the sixth rank, the souls will see how their face shines like the sun and becomes like the radiance of the stars, but their radiance can no longer feel decay 148. In the seventh rank they will rejoice with confidence, and trust without hesitation, and rejoice without fear, hastening to see the face of Him for Whom they bore the obedience of diligent service, from Whom they receive, remembering an innocent conscience, a glorious reward for little labor. Those who began to receive this reward realized how insignificant the sufferings of this age are, after which comes such a great glory of eternal reward. This, says Ezra, is the lot of the souls of the righteous, whom he also, without doubt, calls immortal in the fifth rank: for space, he says, the blessed and immortals begin to gain (3 Ezra 7:96-99). This is the repose of souls according to the seven orders and the first fulfillment of the coming glory, before in their abodes they begin to enjoy the gift of peaceful assembly (3 Ezra 7.91) 149. Therefore the prophet says to the angel: So, time will be given to souls after they are separated from the body to see what you said? And the angel said: Their freedom will be seven days, so that in seven days they will see what is said, and then they will gather in their dwellings (3 Ezra 7:100-101). Therefore, the lot of the righteous is explained more fully than the suffering of the wicked, because it is better to know how the innocent are saved than how the criminals suffer 150. 49. Ergo quia iusti hanc remunerationem habent, ut uideant faciem dei et lumen illud, quod inluminat inveterate hominem. Abhinc induamus huiusmodi studium, ut adpropinquet anima nostra deo, adpropinquet oratio, adhaereat illi nostrum desiderium, non separemur ab eo. Et hic quidem positi meditando legendo quaerendo copulemur deo, cognoscamus eum ut possumus; ex parte enim hic cognouimus, quia hic inperfecta illic perfecta omnia, hic paruuli illic robusti. Videmus, inquit, nunc per speculum in aenigmate, tunc autem faciem ad faciem. Tune reuelata facie gloriam dei speculari licebit, quam nunc animae corporis huius concretis uisceribus inuolutae et quibusdam carnis huius maculis et conluuionibus obumbratae sincere uidere non possunt. Quis enim, inquit, uidebit uultum meum et uiuet? Et recte. Nam si solis radios oculi nostri ferre non possunt et si quis diutius e regione solis intenderit, caecari solere perhibetur, si creatura creaturam sine fraude atque offensione sui non potest intueri, quomodo potest sine periculo sui uibrantem cernere uultum creatoris aeterni corporis huius opertus exuuiis? Quis enim iustificatur in conspectu dei, cum unius quoque diei infants mundus a peecato esse non possit et nemo possit de sui cordis integritate et castimonia gloriari? 49. Therefore, since the reward of the righteous is such that they see the face of God and His light, which enlightens every person (John 1.9), let us from now on clothe ourselves with zeal, so that our soul draws closer to God, prayer draws closer, our desire cleaves to Him, so that we would not be separated from Him. And while we are still here on earth, thinking, reading, searching, let us unite with God and get to know Him as best we can. In this world we can only partially recognize Him, for here everything is imperfect, but there everything is perfect, here we are small children, there we will be in full strength. Now we see,” says the apostle, “as if through a glass darkly, darkly, but then face to face (1 Cor. 13:12). Then with an open face it will be possible to contemplate the glory of God, which now souls, shrouded in the heavy fatness of this body and, as it were, darkened by the dishonor of the flesh and impurity, cannot clearly see. Who, says the Lord, will see My face and live (Ex. 33.20)? And that's true. After all, if our eyes cannot bear the rays of the sun, and if they say that those who gaze too long at the sun are usually blinded, 151 if one creature cannot contemplate another creature without causing harm and offense, how can one dressed in the rags of this body, without danger to himself, see the flaming face of the eternal Creator? Who will be justified in the eyes of God 152 when even an infant one day old cannot be clean from sin 153 and no one can boast of the integrity and purity of his heart 154? 50. Non timeamus igitur recipi ab hominibus, non uereamur ilium debitum omnibus finem, in quo Hesdra remunerationem suae deuotionis inuenit dicente ei dominö Tu enim recipieris ab hominibus et conuersaberis residuum cum filio meo et cum similibus tuis. Quod si illi gloriosum et iocundum erat cum similibus conuersari, quanto nobis gloriosius erit et iocundius ad meliores pergere et conuersari cum his quorum facta miramur! 51. Quis utique prior Hesdra an Plato? Nam Paulus Hesdrae, non Platonis secutus est dicta. Hesdra reuelauit secundum conlatam in se reuelationem iustos cum Christo futuros, futuros cum sanctis. Hinc et Socrates ille festinare se dicit ad illos suos deos, ad illos optimos uiros. Nostra sunt itaque quae in philosophorum litteris praestant. Et ille posuit ea quorum proprium testimonium non habebat, nos diuini praecepti habemus auctoritatem. Moyses et Helias cum Christo apparuerunt, Abraham duos alios cum deo suscepit hospitio, Iacob dei castra conspexit, Danihel iustos sicut solem et stellas fulgere in caelo reuelante sibi sancto spiritu declarauit. 52. His igitur freti intrepide pergamus ad redemptorem nostrum Iesum, intrepide ad patriarcharum concilium, intrepide ad Abraham patrem nostrum, cum dies aduenerit, proficiscamur, intrepide pergamus ad ilium sanctorum coetum iustorumque conuentum. Ibimus enim ad patres nostros, ibimus ad illos nostrae fidei praeceptores, ut, etiamsi opera desint, fides opituletur, defendatur hereditas. Ibimus et ubi sinum suum Abraham sanctus expandit, ut suscipiat pauperes, sicut suscepit et Lazarum, in quo sinu requiescunt qui in hoc saeculo grauia atque aspera pertulerunt. 50. So, let us not be afraid that we will be separated from people, we will not fear that limit set for everyone, in which Ezra found a reward for his devotion when the Lord said to him: You will be taken from people and will spend the rest of your life with My Son and those like you (3 Ezra 14.9). If it is glorious and joyful for a prophet to deal with those like him, how much more glorious and joyful is it for us to approach the most worthy and be with those whose deeds delight us. 51. Who really came first - Ezra or Plato? After all, the Apostle Paul follows the words of Ezra, not Plato. Ezra, in accordance with the revelation given to him, announced that the righteous will abide with Christ and will abide with the saints. That is why Socrates says that he hastens to these gods of his, to these most excellent men 155. So, they are ours, those thoughts that are found in the writings of philosophers. Socrates stated 156 something for which he did not have his own evidence, but we have the basis of the divine Testament. Moses and Elijah appeared together with Christ 157, Abraham received in his house two who appeared together with God 158, Jacob saw the army of God 159, Daniel announced the revelation revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that the righteous shine in the sky like the sun and stars 160. 52. So, relying on these testimonies, let us step fearlessly towards our Savior Jesus, fearlessly – towards the host of the patriarchs, fearlessly – towards our father Abraham, let us set out on the road when the day comes, fearlessly step towards this host of saints and the assembly of the righteous. We will go to our fathers, we will go to those mentors of our faith, and if works are lacking, faith will help, and our inheritance will be preserved. We will also go to where Saint Abraham opened his arms to receive the poor, as he received Lazarus 161; in his bosom rest those who endured the hardships and sorrows of this age. 53. Sed nunc, pater, etiam atque etiam extende ad suscipiendum hinc pauperem manus tuas, aperi gremium tuum, expande sinus tuos, ut plures suscipias, quia plurimi in dominum crediderunt. Sed tamen quamuis fides creuerit, abundat iniquitas, refrigescit caritas. Ibimus ad eos qui recumbunt in regno dei cum Abraham et Isaac et lacob, quoniam rogati ad cenam non excusauerunt. Ibimus eo, ubi paradisus iocunditatis est, ubi Adam, qui incidit in latrones, nescit iam uulnera sua flere, ubi et latro ipse regni caelestis consortio gratulatur, ubi nullae nubes, nulla tonitrua, nullae coruscationes, nulla uentorum procella neque tenebrae neque uesper neque aestas neque hiems uices uariabunt temporum, non frigus, non grando, non pluuiae, non solis istius erit usus aut lunae neque stellarum globi, sed sola dei fulgebit claritas. Dominus enim erit lux omnium et illud lumen uerum, quod inluminat inveterate hominem, fulgebit omnibus. Ibimus eo, ubi seruulis suis dominus Iesus mansiones parauit, ut ubi ille est et nos simus; sic enim uoluit. Quae sint illae mansiones audi dicentem: In domo patris mei mansiones multae sunt, quae sit uoluntas: Iterum, inquit, uenio ei accerso uos ad me ipsum, ut ubi ego sum et uos sitis. 54. Sed dieis quia solis discipulis loquebatur, quod ipsis solis spoponderit multas mansiones: igitur undecim tantum discipulis praeparabat. Et ubi est illud, quod ex omnibus partibus uenient et recumbent in dei regno? Vnde uoluntatis diuinae dubitamus effectus? Sed Christi uelle fecisse est. Denique demonstrauit et uiam, demonstrauit et locum dicens: Et quo uado uos scitis et uiam meam scitis. Locus apud patrem est, uia Christ us est, sicut ipse ait: Ego sum uia et ueritas et uita. Nemo uenit ad patrem nisi per me. Ingrediamur hanc uiam, teneamus ueritatem, uitam sequamur. Via est quae perducit, ueritas quae confirmat, uita quae per se redditur. Et ut sciamus ueram uoluntatem, addidit in posterioribus: Pater; quos dedisti mibi, uolo ut ubi ego sum et illi sint mecum ut uideant claritatem meam, pater 162 . Repetitio ista confirmatio est sicut illud: Abraham, Abrahaml et alibï Ego sum, ego sum qui deleo iniquitates tuas. Pulchre autem quod supra promisit hic poposcit. Et quia ante promisit et sic poposcit, non ante poposcit et sic promisit, promisit quasi arbiter muneris, conscius potestatis, poposcit a patre quasi pietatis interpres. Et ante promisit, ut potestatem agnoscas, poposcit postea, ut pietatem intellegas. Non poposcit ante et sic promisit, ne uideretur promisisse potius quod inpetrauerat quam quod promiserat praestitisse. Nec superfluum putes quod poposcit, cum tibi exprimat paternae uoluntatis consortium, in quo unitatis indicium, non incrementum est potestatis. 53. But now, Father, stretch out your hands again and again to receive the poor, open your bosom, open your arms to receive many, for many have believed in the Lord. But although faith has grown, lawlessness is increasing and love is cooling. We will follow those who rest in the Kingdom of God with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob 164, because they, being called to the feast, did not deny 165. We will go to where there is a paradise of sweetness 166, where Adam, who fell into the hands of robbers 167, now does not know what it means to mourn his wounds, where the robber himself rejoices at entering the Kingdom of Heaven 168, where there are no clouds, no thunder, no lightning, no fury of the winds, no darkness, no twilight, no summer, no winter, where there will be no change of times. year, no cold, no hail, no rain, where neither this sun, nor the moon, nor the balls of the stars will be needed 169, but only the grace of God will shine (3Ezd. 7.42) 170. The Lord will be the light of all, 171 and the true Light, which enlightens every person who comes into the world (John 1:9), will shine for everyone. We will go to where the Lord Jesus prepared mansions for His servants, so that we too may be where He is, for this is what He willed 172. What kind of monasteries are these? Listen to what the Lord says: In My Father's house are many mansions (John 14:2). What is His will? “I will come again,” He says, “and will take you to Me, so that you too may be where I am (John 14:2). 54. But you can object: since He spoke this only to the disciples, promised many abodes only to them, it means that He prepared them only for His eleven disciples. But then what about the words that from all corners of the earth they will come and lie down in the Kingdom of God 173? Why do we question the fulfillment of God's will? For with Christ, to wish means to already fulfill. In addition, He showed the way, and showed the place, saying: Where I am going, you know, and you know My way (John 14:4). The place is with the Father, the way is Christ, as He Himself says: I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14.6). So let’s take this path, let’s adhere to the truth, let’s follow life. The path is what leads, the truth is what strengthens, life is what is renewed through itself. And so that we know the true will, he added further: Father! whom You have given Me, I want them to be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory, Father! (John 17:24). This repetition signifies confirmation, as does this: Abraham! Abraham! (Gen. 22.1), and in another place: I am, I am, he who blots out your iniquities (Is. 43.25). And it is wonderful that He asks here for what He previously promised. And since He asks for what He previously promised, and does not promise what He previously asked for, He promised as the lord of the gift, the sharer of power, He asks the Father as the mediator of mercy 174. And first He made a promise that you would comprehend power, and then He asked the Father that you would recognize mercy. But he did not ask first, but promised afterward, so that it would not seem that He promised what He begged for rather than fulfilled what He promised. And do not think that He asked for too much, because He shows you community with the will of the Father, this is a sign of unity, and not an increase in strength 175. 55. Sequimur te, domine lesü sed ut sequamur accerse, quia sine te nullus ascendet. Tu enim uia es, ueritas uita possibilitas fides praemium. Suscipe tuos 176 quasi uia, confirma quasi ueritas, uiuifica quasi uita. Pande illud tuum bonum, quod uidere desiderabat Dauid inhabitans in domo domini, ideoque dicebat: Quis ostendet nobis bona ?et alibï Credo uidere bona domini in terra uiuentium. Ibi enim sunt bona, ubi uita perpetua est, uita sine crimine. Alibi quoque dicit: Replebimur in bonis domus tuae. Quod ideo frequentauit, ut scires hinc bonum illud philosophos transtulisse, quod summum adserunt. Pande ergo illud uere bonum tuum, illud diuinum, in quo et uiuimus et sumus et mouemur. Mouemur quasi in uia, sumus quasi in ueritate, uiuimus quasi in uita aeterna. Demonstra nobis illud quod est bonum, simile sui, semper indissoluble atque inmutabile, in quo simus aeterni in agnitione omnis boni, sicut uas electionis tuae Paulus testificatus est dicens: Forsitan enim ideo discessit ad horam ut aeternum illum reciperes. Aeternum ergo ministrum dei dixit scribens ad Philemonem, cuius fidem in agnitione omnis boni, quod in sanctis est, in Christum Iesum euidentiorem fieri postulabat. In quo bono est requies pura, lux inmortalis, gratia perpetua, hereditas animarum pia et secura tranquillitas, non morti subiecta, sed erepta de morte, ubi nullae lacrimae, nullus est fletus, – unde enim illic fletus, ubi nullus est lapsus? – ubi sancti tui erroribus et sollicitudinibus, insipientia atque ignorantia, timore ac metu, cupiditatibus atque omnibus corporeis conluuionibus et passionibus absoluti, ubi regio uiuentium, et ut adsertioni huic adiungamus auctoritatem, de quo bono propheta dicit: Conuertere, anima mea, in requiem tuam, quia dominus benefecit mihi, quoniam eripuit animam meam de morte, oculos meos a lacrimis, pedes meos a lapsu. Placebo domino in regione uiuorum. Placebo dixit, non placeo, hoc est de tempore sibi blanditur futuro. Contraria sunt autem praesentibus futura et temporalibus aeterna. Et ideo quoniam ibi uiuorum regio, hie utique mortuorum. 55. We follow you, Lord Jesus, but for us to follow, call us, for without you no one can rise. You are the way, the truth, life, opportunity, faith, reward. Accept Yours 177 as the Way, strengthen them as the Truth, quicken them as the Life 178 . Reveal that goodness of Yours, which David, who lives in the house of the Lord, desired to see, 179 and therefore said: Who will show us goodness (Ps. 4.6). And in another place: I believe that I will see the good of the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 26.13). After all, there is goodness where there is eternal life, life without sin. Also in another place he says: We will be filled with the good things of Your house (Ps. 64.5). He repeated these words so often so that you would know that from here the philosophers borrowed the good that they declared to be the highest good 180 . Reveal then your true good, that divine good by which we live, and exist, and move 181. We move as if on a road, we exist as in the truth, we live as in eternal life. Show us that there is a good similar to itself, always indivisible and unchangeable, in which we could be eternal in the knowledge of every good, as the Apostle Paul, your chosen vessel 182, testified, saying: Perhaps he went away for a while so that you could receive him forever (Phil. 15). Eternal, that is, he called the servant of God, turning in the Epistle to Philemon, whom he called, so that in the knowledge of every good contained in the saints, his faith in Christ Jesus would become more and more obvious. In this goodness there is immaculate peace, immortal light, endless mercy, a good inheritance of souls and a confident calm, not subject to death, but taken away from death, where there are no tears or lamentations - and where does lamentation come from where there is no fall? - where Your saints are freed from errors and anxieties, from foolishness and ignorance, from fear and apprehension, from lusts and from all bodily uncleanness and passions, where is the land of the living - and in order to support this statement with authority, the prophet says about this good: Return, my soul, to your rest, for the Lord has done good to me, for he has freed my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling blocks. I will please the Lord in the land of the living (Ps. 114.7–9). “I please,” he says, and not “I please,” that is, he rejoices in his future. The present is the opposite of the future, the temporal is the opposite of the eternal. And that means that if there is a country of the living, here is a country of the dead 183. 56. An non mortuorum haec regio, ubi umbra mortis, ubi porta mortis, ubi corpus est mortis? Denique donatur Petro, ne portae inferni praeualeant ei. Portae inferni istae sunt terrenae, unde et ille ait: Qui exaltas me de portis mortis. Sicut enim portae iustitiae, in quibus sancti domino confitentur, ita sunt criminum portae, in quibus impii dominum negauerunt audi quoniam regio ista sit mortuorum: Si quis igitur mortuum tetigerit, inmundus erit; inmundus autem in conspectu domini omnis iniquus. Si quis igitur tetigerit iniquitatem, inmundus erit, si quis in deliciis, mortuus, quoniam quae in deliciis uiuens mortua est. Et qui infideles sunt descendunt in infernum uiucntes: etsi nobis cum uidentur uiuere, sed in inferno sunt. Si quis usuram accipit, rapinam facit, uita non uiuit, ut habes in Ezechiel. Si quis autem iustus iustificationes domini custodit, ut faciat eas, uita, inquit, uiuet, et uiuet in eis. Ipse est ergo in regione uiuorum, in ilia regione, ubi uita non abscondita, sed libera, ubi non umbra, sed gloriä hic enim nec ipse Paulus uiuebat in gloria. Denique in corpore mortis ingemescebat. Audi dicentem: nunc enim uita nostra abscondita est cum Christo in deo; Cum autem Christus apparuerit, uita nostra, tunc et nos cum illo apparebimus in gloria. 57. Festinemus ergo ad uitam. Si quis uitam tangit, uiuit. Denique tetigit illa mulier, quae tetigit fimbriam eius et a morte dimissa est, cui dicitur: Fides tua te saluam fecit. Vade in pace. Si enim qui mortuum tangit inmundus est, sine dubio qui uiuentem tangit saluus est. Quaeramus ergo uiuentem. Sed iterum uideamus ne eum quaeramus inter mortuos et dicatur nobis sicut mulieribus illis: Quid quaeritis uiuentem cum mortuis? Non est hie, sed resurrexit. Ipse quoque dominus ubi quaeri uellet ostendit dicens: Vade ad fratres meos et dic eis: ascendo ad patrem meum et patrem uestrum, deum meum et deum uestrum. Ibi ergo quaeremus eum, ubi quaesiuit lohannes et inuenit. Ille eum in principio quaesiuit et inuenit uiuentem apud uiuentem, filium apud patrem. Nos eum in temporum fine quaeramus et conplectamur pedes eius et adoremus eum, ut dicat et nobis: Nolite timere, id est nolite timere a peccatis saeculi, nolite timere ab iniquitatibus mundi, nolite timere a fluctibus corporalium passionum: ego sum peccatorum remissio. Nolite timere a tenebris: ego sum lux. Nolite timere a mortë ego sum uita. Quicumque ad me uenit mortem non uidebit in aeternum, quoniam ipse est plenitudo diuinitatis et ipsi est decus gloria perpetuitas a saeculis et nunc et semper et in omnia saecula saeculorum. 56. Is this not the land of the dead, where is the shadow of death 184, where is the gate of death, where is the body of death? That is why Peter was given power so that the gates of hell would not overcome it 185. The gates of hell are the gates of earth 186, which is why the prophet says: You, who lift me up from the gates of death (Ps. 9.14). After all, just as there are gates of righteousness, where the saints confess the Lord, so there are also gates of sin, where the wicked deny the Lord. Listen, for this is the land of the dead: If anyone touches the dead, he will be unclean (Num. 19.11); 187 Everyone who is lawless is unclean before the Lord. This means that if anyone touches iniquity, he will be unclean; if he touches lust, he will be dead, since the lustful one died alive (1 Tim. 5:6). And those who are unfaithful go down alive into the underworld: although it seems that they live with us, they are in the underworld. When someone covets, commits theft, he does not live life, as you can read in Ezekiel 188. When a righteous person observes the truth and the judgment of the Lord in order to fulfill them, he will live life, says the prophet. - and will live in them (Ezek. 33.19). This means that he resides in the land of the living, in that land where life is not hidden, but is free, where there is no shadow, but glory abides; whereas in this world the Apostle Paul himself did not live in glory. On the contrary, he languished in the body of death. Listen to what he says: Our life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, our life, appears, then we will appear with Him in glory (Col. 3.3-4). 57. So, let's hurry to life. If someone touches life, he lives. After all, the woman who touched the hem of His robe touched life, and she was saved from death to whom it was said: Your faith has saved you. Go in peace (Matthew 9:22). If the one who touches the dead is unclean, then, without a doubt, the one who touches the living is saved. So, let's look for something alive. But let us see again that we should not look for Him among the dead, and it will be said to us, as it was to those women: Why are you looking for the living among the dead? He is not here: He has risen (Luke 24:5–6). Also, the Lord Himself shows where He wants to be looked for, saying: Go to My brothers and tell them: I ascend to My Father and your Father, and to My God and your God (John 20:17). Therefore, there we will look for Him, where John sought and found. John looked for Him at the beginning of 189 and found Him alive with the living, the Son in the bosom of the Father (John 1:18). Let us also, at the end of time, begin to seek Him, and embrace His feet, and worship Him, so that He may also say to us: Do not be afraid (Matthew 28:10), that is, do not be afraid of the sins of this age, do not be afraid of the iniquities of the world, do not be afraid of the disturbances of carnal passions: I am the forgiveness of sins. Don't be afraid of the darkness: I am the light. Don't be afraid of death: I am life. Whoever comes to Me will never see death (John 8:51), for He is the fullness of the Divinity, and to Him is honor, glory, eternity, from everlasting and now and ever, and to the ages of ages. In particular, there are repeated verbal forms expressing motivation, designed to attract the attention of the audience, such as: “let's look” (consideremus, 1.2) or “look at this now” (nunc illud specta, 4.14), etc. In addition, the text contains features that partly outline the situation in which the word sounds, an example of this is the appeal to biblical reading, which, apparently, preceded the conversation (1. 2). In the second part, some passages that were previously heard in the first part are repeated. Wed: 4.15 and 8.31, 8.35; 3. 8 and 8. 35. Most likely, these repetitions are associated with the desire of St. Ambrose to remind listeners of some provisions that serve as a starting point for the subsequent development of thought. It is unlikely that such a need would have arisen if it had been one complete performance. Moreschini K. History of patristic philosophy. M., 2011. P. 485. Cm . Wilbrand W. Ambrosius und Plato // Römische Quarterschrift. 1911. 25. S. 42–49. See: Courcelle P. Plotin et Saint Ambroisc // Revue de Philologie. 1950. 76. P. 29–56. On the influence of Plotinus, see also P. Hadot: Hadot P. Platon et Plotin dans trois sermons de Saint Ambroise // Revue des Etudes Latines. 1956. 34. P. 202–220. A detailed question about the influence of Apuleius on the writings of St. Ambrose is considered in the work of P. Courcelle: Courcelle R. De Platon a Saint Ambroise // Revue de Philologie. 1961. 35. P. 15–28. The same thought is heard in St. Ambrose in the “Explanation of the 118th Psalm” (exp. ps. 118). See allusions to the Latin “school” classics - Cicero, Virgil, Lucretius, etc. ilia sibi propria et haec sibi contraria conferences Schenkl. This refers to the homily “On Isaac or the Soul”; its final part, like the beginning of this conversation, goes back to Plotinus. Transition from one homily of St. Ambrose to another corresponds to the transition from the 6th to the 7th treatise of the first Ennead of Plotinus. The definition of evil as vicious, morally bad was characteristic of the Stoics. See, for example, in the letters of Seneca (epist. 85,30), also in Cicero: Nihil est... malum, nisi quod turpe atque uitiosum est (tusc. 2. 12. 29); solum igitur bonum, quod honestum (tusc. 5. 15. 44). For a similar question, see Plotinus (enn. 1. 7. 3). Apparently, the homily was preceded by the reading of Holy Scripture. Similar reasoning about the three types of death is repeatedly found in the works of St. Ambrose (exc. ​​fr. 2. 37–38, 47; Cain et A. 2. 9. 35; exp. Luc. 7. 35–39). Perhaps the source of this thought was Origen (ad Rom. 6.6). This definition, common among ancient philosophers, goes back to Plato (apol. 40c; Phaed. 64c, 67d), cf. also in Cicero: sunt enim qui discessum animi a corpore putent esse mortem (tusc. 1 9. 18). At St. Ambrose's definition of death as secessio (separatio) will be repeated below, in the second part of this work (7.31, 33). See also: exc. fr. 2.35; Cain et A. 1. 3. 8; 2.9.35; patr. 9.39. Literally it says mors media. St. Ambrose refers to the term medium (ηέ oov), which among the Stoics denoted phenomena that, from a moral point of view, cannot be called either bad or good. Perhaps the source of such word usage for St. Ambrose became Cicero, see: fin. 3. 58–59. That is, in the darkness of sin, see: Isa. 9.2; 58.8. St. Ambrose again uses here a term taken from Cicero, finis (limit, Greek τέλος) (fin. 3.43, 104; 5.80). The view of the body as a prison of the soul, characteristic of a number of philosophical schools of Antiquity - Pythagoreans, Platonists, Stoics. - also found in Philo of Alexandria and Origen Usig. Ambrose, this idea is repeated in a number of works: exam. 6.9.55; parade 12.54; Cain et A. 2. 9 36, Abr. 2 6. 27; Isaac 6.52; exp. Luc. 2.59, 8.48, 9.29; exc. fr. 1 73, 2.20. We are talking about the Kingdom of Heaven as the true homeland of the soul, see also: Isaac 8.78–79; an echo of Plotinus reflecting on the “flight” of the soul to the heavenly fatherland (enn. 1. 6. 8). Also see Cicero (tusc. 1. 22. 51; 31. 75; 49. 118) and Seneca (Marc. 20. 2; 23. 1). The example regarding obedience to the emperor is not accidental: behind it is the experience of St. Ambrose, a former imperial official. St. Ambrose again (as in 1.3) turns to the definition of death as the separation of the soul from the body, emphasizing that this idea is based on the Holy Scriptures, and not on the judgments of philosophers. a terrenis: aeternis Maurini. In the manuscripts, in addition to the variant a terrenis (delectationibus attolit), there is also aeternis, which can be translated as “ascends to eternal pleasures.” Motives going back to Plato: the sage strives to renounce communication with the body, feelings lead the soul astray, see: Phaed. 65bcd, 83a. In this text the quotation is given according to the Synodal translation, but it should be noted that literally in St. Ambrose says: “for everything leads to corruption” (quae sunt omnia ad corruptelam). Ap.'s words Paul, taken away from the text of the epistle and placed in a different context, receive a different interpretation here. For their use as a call to asceticism, see also: pacnit. 2.10.97. Wed. Plato has a similar question: Phaed. 65s. See: Sirach. 9. 18; For a reflection on these lines of Scripture, see also exp. ps. 118. 6. 20. An idea that arose among the Epicureans and subsequently became widespread outside of this philosophical school. See Cicero (tusc. 1. 11. 25). Below, summing up the first part of this conversation, St. Ambrose again turns to the point about the impossibility of feeling death. This judgment, along with the thesis about the liberation of the soul from bodily captivity, serves as an argument that death should not be considered evil (see: 8.30). Some commentators (Wiesner, Schenkl) point to this expression as an echo of Sallust (bell. luguri. 14.4). fidae Schenkl: fide codd. The topos “death is a safe haven”, traditional for the so-called “consolation” (consolatio), is repeatedly found in the writings of St. Ambrose: see below 8. 31, 35; 9.38; Cain et A. 1. 3. 11; exc. fr. 2.22; Jacob 1. 6. 24: 2. 6. 28. Wed. in Cicero (tusc. 1.49.118; senect. 19.71) and Seneca (epist. 70, 3; cons, ad Pol. 9.6–7). adleuemus Schenkl: ableuemus codd. et infigunt: et infigunt Schenkl. The body, likened to a grave, is one of Plato’s images (Gorg. 493a; Crat. 400c). See also: parade. 14.70; No. 29.113; Cain et A. 2. 9. 31. Researchers trace the metaphor of “wings of love” both to Holy Scripture (Isa. 40.31; Wiesner) and to Plato (Phaedr. 246a; see for more details: Courcelle R. Connais-toi toi-même, de Socrate á Saint Bernard. P. 562–624). St. Ambrose defends the biblical origin of the image of the winged soul, see: uirgb. 18. 116–117; fug. 5. 27. 30. According to the views of the ancients, the eagle had the miraculous property of being “renewed” every 10 years, that is, becoming young again. This image is from Ps. 102.5 we especially love St. Ambrose, who refers to it in a number of works and connects it with the resurrection: exp. ps. 118, 14.39; cpist. 29, 17; exp. Luc. 8.55; fug. 5.31; uirgb. 18.115. The motif of removing clothes, symbolizing the liberation of the soul from the carnal and sinful, see below 9. 39; 11.49. In the original, uiscum is the so-called bird glue, which was made from mistletoe berries. Wed: Matt. 16.26; Mk. 8.37. The image of the soul nailed to the body by passions goes back to Plato, see: Phaed. 83d. P. Courcelles suggests that the source from which St. Ambrose could have borrowed this metaphor (claui sunt omnes passiones), is the work of Porphyry De regressu animae (Courcelle P. Recherches sur les Confessions de Saint Augustin P. 338–344). See also: exp. Luc. 4.65. Wed. Plotinus's thesis about escaping from the evils of the world for the sake of becoming like a deity (enn 1.2. 1). Jerusalem is understood as an image of the human soul, see also: Isaac 5.39, where Jerusalem can be understood dually, meaning either the Church or the soul. As in Isaac, the mystical meaning of the Song of Songs is considered in close proximity to the spiritualism of Plato, see below the interpretation of the garden from the Song, from where, according to St. Ambrose, the image of the garden is borrowed from the myth about the origin of Eros from Poros and Penia, set out by Plato (symp. 203bcd). caelesti Maurini Schenkl Wiesner: caelestis codd. Despite the fact that Plato used the Greek names of the gods - Zeus, Aphrodite - St. Ambrose, referring to the plot of the "Symposium", names them in accordance with the Roman tradition - Iuppiter, Venus. An allegorical interpretation of this myth was previously given by Plotinus, who pointed out that Aphrodite is the soul. Poros is the rational beginning of the universe, logos, Zeus is the spirit, the cause of causes, while the garden is the totality of the eidos of the spirit, the abode of true beauty and glory (enn. 3. 5. 8–9). St. Ambrose corrects this interpretation in accordance with his own conviction. that this myth is a presentation of ideas drawn by the Greek philosopher from the Old Testament, but clothed in a different form. An exegesis of these verses is given in Isaac 5.48. We are talking about the mystical marriage of the soul and God the Word; according to the interpretation of St. Ambrose, Poros, presented in Plato's dialogue, must be understood as the Word of God. The conversation “About Isaac or the Soul” is devoted to the topic of the marriage of the soul with God. An allegorical interpretation of myrrh is presented in Cain et A. 1. 5. 19. For the image of a word likened to a medicine that heals the wounds of the soul, see also: exp. Luc. 7.75. See: Ps. 103.15; I Cor. 3. 2. For a similar image of cibus sermonum (food of sayings), see also exp. ps. 118, 13.23. See: Ps. 20.5; 103.15: Sirach. 40. 20. Mystical image of sobria ebrietas (sober intoxication), see also: Isaac 5.49, 6.50. The image of the winged soul appears again, see above 5. 16. The maxim Oculus enim meretricis laqueus amatoris est is also found in exp. ps. 118, 8.36. The image of the soul, likened to a craftsman and controlling the body as if it were an instrument, goes back to Plotinus (enn. 1. 1. 3). Wed. Plotinus' thesis that when soul and body are mixed, the latter gains an advantage, since it becomes involved in life, while the soul finds itself in a worse position, since it comes into contact with death and ignorance. Plotinus also suggests that a complete mixture of soul and body is impossible, just as the mixture of two different natures is impossible (enn. 1.2. 1) The image of light to explain the presence of the soul in the body also goes back to Plotinus, who says that the soul, while in the body, is free from its passions, like light, which is free from what is illuminated by it (enn. 1. 1.4: 4. 3. 22). The judgment that the soul animates the body and controls it is found in Plato (Phaed. 80a), in St. Ambrose see also: exp. Luc 4.62; Noe 11. 38. The verbs infundere (pour in) and confundere (drain, mix), used here, correspond to the concepts χράσις and σύγχυσις; with which Aristotle operates, as well as the Stoics. Thus, σύγχυσις means a mixture, as a result of which two essences unite and form something third, different from the original substances, and χράσις is a combination in which each of the essences retains its properties. A connection of exactly this kind, as indicated by St. Ambrose, there must be a union of soul and body, to denote which he uses the term infusio (κράσις), but they should not be allowed to mix, dissolve one in the other - confusio (σύγχυσις). ut modulator corr. Schenkl: et modulator сodd. The position that man is a soul, and the body is only a tool that man uses, goes back to Plato (Alcib. 1. 130a, 133d). St. Ambrose here repeats almost verbatim what he said in Isaac 2.3 See: Ecc. 4. 2–3, St. Ambrose again returns to the idea already expressed earlier in this conversation (2.4). A statement of an epicurean nature, also see above 4. 13. However, St. Ambrose is talking about the fact that the deceased does not come into contact with death not because he, as Epicurus claims, no longer exists, but because he moves on to another existence. Pointing out the difference between soul and body, emphasizing that the soul is liberated precisely when the body ceases to feel anything, he radically transforms the Epicurean maxim. This small section acts as a connecting link between the two parts of this essay, which is, apparently, a recording of two conversations. The likening of death to a shipwreck goes back to Plotinus (enn. 1. 1. 4; 4. 3. 17), also about death as a “safe haven” see above 4. 15. Wed. the opposition of opinion and knowledge in Plato (Theaet. 187abc). Wed. translation of δόξα as “opinion”: Plato. Collection cit.. In 4 vols. T. 2 M.. 1993. P. 245–246 (“Theaetetus” translated by T.V. Vasilyeva). – Note. ed. An Epicurean judgment, most likely known to St. Ambrose as presented by Cicero, see tusc. 5.31.88. location in add. Moreschini uestibula in con. Schenkl in quibus (from isso tunc) Maurini. The idea that just as life is the path to death, so death is the path to eternal life, is given by St. Ambrose also receives development in his consolations, see: obit V. 45: exc. fr. I. 71. The description of the posthumous fate is a probable reminiscence from the classical “school” authors - Virgil (Aen. 6.562) and Cicero (tusc.5. 10). Wed. at Plotinus: enn. 1. 7. 3. Translated as “death”, “completion”, “fulfillment”. To this biblical verse, St. Ambrose has already addressed earlier, see above 3.8; This quote is also found in his other works, for example, see: exp. ps. 118, 22. 25; expl. ps. 12, 1. 16, etc. The image of death as a shipwreck, going back to Plotinus, is repeated, see above 8. 31. The interpretation of death as the liberation that a person receives from God echoes the idea expressed by Plato that people are, as it were, in custody, from which they should not get rid of their own will, but only by the will of the deity (Phaed. 62b). This judgment is also developed by Cicero, who, referring to the example of Socrates and Cato Uticus, says that the sage goes towards death by obeying the divine call in the same way as one obeys legitimate authority (tusc.1.30. 74). Wed. above: St. Ambrose (3.7) also compares submission to the emperor and submission to God, placing the fulfillment of the Divine will above all else. St. Ambrose took an active part in raising funds for the ransom of prisoners. So, in 378, during the Gothic invasion, he ordered gold and silver vessels to be taken from the churches in order to pay ransom to the barbarians for the captives. Later, when the Arians reproach the bishop for this act, he, explaining what prompted him to act in this way, gives a truly Christian answer: “It is better to preserve living bowls of souls than metal bowls” (off. 2. 28. 136–138). In addition, he explains that the vessels were not sold in their present form: they were broken and melted down in order to avoid the unholy use of the sacred cup (off. 2. 28. 143). Wed: Jacob 3. 10, also: Proverbs. 24.11. Literally it says exutus, i.e. naked, having thrown off his clothes, freed himself - again in St. Ambrose, a metaphor arises for removing clothes as liberation from the carnal, bodily, see above 5. 16. “The land of the living” (regio uiuorum) here is associated with the eternal life of the soul freed from the flesh, see also: obit. Th. 30. The following phrase in the text has no ending (Ilia est enim regio...). It can be assumed that this is due to a copyist error or the loss of a fragment of text. Wed. in Plato about the approach of the soul to the highest good and assimilation to it (Phaed. 84ab). specialiter scilicet Schenkl: specialiter se uel specialiter esse codd. speciale esse Maurini. For a discussion going back to Plato, see Phaed. 105cd, 106 ab. The “human”, i.e. Platonic explanation of the nature and immortality of the soul, cannot be sufficient, St. It is important for Ambrose to make arguments based on Scripture. The human component of the personality of Christ became the subject of a separate work by St. Ambrose "On the Mystery of the Incarnation" (De incarnationis dominicae sacramento). And St. Ambrose (exp. ps. 118, 14. 109), and Blessed. Augustine (enarr. ps. 118, 23.5) point out discrepancies in the text of this psalm. Here St. Ambrose chooses the option that suits the context. St. Ambrose preserves the four-part division of virtues, cf.: Isaac 8.65 and note. Again, an indication that the Holy Scripture precedes and is the source of pagan knowledge; Wed above 5 19. St. Ambrose repeatedly speaks of the absurdity of the doctrine of the transmigration of souls (metempsychosis), see: exc. fr. 2. 127, as well as in the lost treatise De philosophia, a fragment of which was preserved by Bl. Augustine: cont. Iul. Pelag. 2. 7. 19–20. The etymology of Hades as “invisible” goes back to Plato’s Phaedo, see: Phaed. 80d, also in Plotinus (6.4.16). sicut non ed. Romanä sicut codd. The idea of ​​the decrepitude of the world is found in authors: pagan (2. 1131 - 1175), Jewish (opif. mund.) and Christian (Demetr). St. Ambrose, turning to the Third Book of Ezra, explains the observed fragmentation of humanity. The term praeuaricatio in Roman judicial practice meant collusion with the opposing party and, thus, betrayal of the cause that needs to be defended. In the usage of Christians, this word began to mean apostasy, when a Christian takes the side of the enemy (see: St. Ambrose of Milan. On repentance // Collected Works. T. 1. M., 2012. P. 305. note 3). – Note. ed. See: 3Ride. 7. 91–96. This description is the forerunner of the visionary literature of the Middle Ages, right up to Dante with his heaven of the blessed. On the question of the different ranks of glory of St. Ambrose stops at exp. Luc. 5.61. Wed: Dan. 12.3; Matt. 13.43; 1 Cor. 15.41. In 3Ride. 7. 81–87 it is said that the torment of sinners, like the bliss of the righteous, is divided into seven types. At the same time, in the prophetic book there is no direct description of torment after death, but there is an indication of torment that is exclusively spiritual in nature: consciousness of one’s crimes, the impossibility of repentance, etc. St. Ambrose explains Ezra's laconism regarding posthumous torment by the fact that the example of the righteous is more effective and is capable of bringing greater fruit. Wed. also his skeptical attitude towards the description of the horrors of the afterlife by pagan poets (see: 8. 33). Wed. in Plato: Phaed. 99d. See also Plato: Phaed. 63 bc. In this case, it would be more accurate to say what Plato stated, since we are talking about Socrates as a character in Plato’s “Symposium” (symp. 203bcd). pater add. Schenkl. pater juste ed. Romana. St. Ambrose addresses the forefather Abraham. Wed. a similar description in Lucretius: 3. 18–24. At the heart of this picture is the idea that all creation disappears before the face of the Creator in the consciousness of its insignificance. Wed: Rev. 21.23; 22.5. It is especially emphasized that Jesus first made a promise and then asked the Father for fulfillment, so that through this promise His power would be revealed. See: exp. Luc. 5.42. This passage is an echo of the struggle with the Arians, who affirmed the inequality of the Son of God with God the Father. St. Ambrose emphasizes that Christ’s appeal to the Father does not at all mean a hierarchical relationship between the Persons of the Holy Trinity and does not contradict the teaching of Their unity. tuos: tu nos con. Schenkl. Along with tuos. i. i.e. “(accept) Yours,” the variant tu nos is found in manuscripts, i.e. “(Accept) You us.” St. Ambrose persistently pursues the idea that Christianity expresses more fully and deeply what the pagans strived for in vain. St. Ambrose interprets the “gates of hell” as the gates of sin. Perhaps there is a play on words here: inmundus (unclean) means being in this world (in mundo). You might be interested in: