To those who are hostile to monastic life

Treatise “To those who are hostile against monastic life” (“To those who are hostile against those who attract to monastic life”) (3 Words) written by St. John Chrysostom in Antioch between 378-385. The reason for its writing was attacks on Christian hermits who lived near Antioch and took in the education of city youth, as a result of which some of their students chose to take the monastic path. This caused the indignation of their parents, and it came to the point of beating the monks. St. John refutes the accusations against the monks and convinces both believers and non-believers parents to send their children to study with Christian ascetics without fear, since if parents really want happiness for their children, then they should not interfere with this, since only those who live with God are truly happy. In the first word (8 chapters), the saint cites Old Testament examples to show the danger of war against God: “And it is never possible for someone who fights against God to end well...”. It also talks about perjury. The second word (10 chapters) has the inscription “To the unbelieving father.” St. John is surprised at how parents can resist their children’s desire for wisdom. He considers this sufficient proof of general depravity. The saint shows the transience of earthly pleasures and praises the wealth of virtues: “Truly, your son is worthy not of tears, but of applause and crowns, as one who has come to a serene life and a quiet haven.” The third word (chapter 21) has the inscription “To the believing father.” St. John Chrysostom now sets as his goal to teach even a believing parent that there is no need to be at enmity against those who involve his son in a godly cause. He calls neglect of children a great sin, reaching to the very height of wickedness. At the Last Judgment, the Lord will ask each person what efforts he made for his own salvation and the salvation of his neighbor. *The title of the work in Greek is Πρὸς τοὺς πολεμοῦντας τοῖς ἐπ τὸ μονάζειν ἐνάϒουσι. *The title of the work in Latin is Adversus oppugnatores vitae monasticae libri 1-3. Three words under this general title, of which the second also has the inscription: “To the unbelieving pagan father,” and the third: “To the believing father,” were written by St. John Chrysostom in 375 or 376, when he himself lived among hermits and when the monastics were subjected to severe persecution, and their well-wishers to various reproaches under the Arian Emperor Valens. 1. When the descendants of the Jews, having returned from long-term captivity, wanted to restore the Jerusalem temple, which had been lying in ruins for many years (2Ezra 4), then some rude and cruel people, not fearing God, for whom they were restoring the church, not being touched by the disaster of these people, from which they had recently and with difficulty gotten rid of, not being afraid of the punishment determined by God for those who decided to do such things, at first they themselves tried to prevent them from building the church; but since they had achieved nothing, they sent a letter to their king, in which that city (Jerusalem) was called rebellious, innovating and abusive, and asked permission to stop the construction. Having received this permission from him and attacking the Jews with numerous cavalry, they interrupted the matter for a while, were very proud of this victory, about which they should have cried, and thought that their evil intent had succeeded (1 Ezra 4). But this was only a harbinger and the beginning of those disasters that were to immediately befall them: because the matter itself prospered and received a brilliant end, and they, and through them all, learned that both Mithridates and everyone else, whoever decided to fight against people undertaking a good deed, was fighting not against people, but, before them, against God Himself, whom they revered. But it is never possible for someone who fights against God to end well: at first, perhaps, he will not tolerate any evil for his insolence; unless he endures it, because God calls him to repentance and allows him to come to his senses, as if from some kind of intoxication; but if he persists in his madness and does not take advantage of such leniency himself, then at least he will bring the greatest benefit to others, admonishing them with the punishment that befell him never to enter into a struggle with God, since it is impossible to escape His irresistible hand. So these people were immediately beset by such calamities that the greatness of their grief overshadowed all other calamities; because after countless murders and beatings committed against them by the hands of the Jews, whom they then prevented (from building the church), from the blood of the murdered the earth was wet to a considerable depth, and great mud was formed from this blood; and from the horse and human bodies mixed together, and from their touching wounds, such a multitude of worms were born that the earth was covered with a multitude of corpses, and the corpses themselves again with a multitude of worms. Seeing this field, anyone would say that there are not corpses lying below, but many springs flowing, bringing this kind of animals from many sides: so from this rot, a stream of worms spilled out stronger than any flood! And this lasted not ten or twenty days, but a long time. Such are the disasters here; and those who will befall them there are even much heavier than these. Then their newly revived bodies will endure unspeakable torment and suffering, not for a thousand or ten thousand years, not even double or triple that, but for endless centuries. Blessed Isaiah knows about both (punishments), and so does the contemplator of wondrous visions, Ezekiel, who, dividing among themselves, described the punishments of such people, one here, and the other there. 2. I remembered this now not without reason, but because someone came to us and told us bitter and painful news, and even very offensive to God. There are (he said) even now people who dare to do the same as those barbarians, or even more lawless; because they drive out from everywhere those who flock to our wisdom and with great threats they forbid both saying anything about it and teaching it to any person. Hearing this, I immediately screamed and repeatedly asked the speaker if he was saying this as a joke. And he said: no, I would never joke like that; Not only would I not say or invent this, but on the contrary, I would give a lot and often pray so that I would not even hear about this matter even now that it had happened. Then, weeping even more bitterly, I said: indeed, this deed is so much more wicked than the insolence of Mithridates and all those (foreigners), as much as this (spiritual) church is much more venerable and holier than that (Jerusalem). But who, tell me, and where are those from who dared to do such a thing? For what, for what reason and for what purpose do they throw stones up, throw arrows into Heaven and wage war with the God of peace? Samaeus and the Pharathites, the Assyrian princes and all the others (1 Ezra 4:9) were barbarians, as can be seen from their very names; in their way of life they were far from the Jews and did not want to see the peoples neighboring them growing stronger, believing that the power of these (peoples) would finally eclipse their own strength. And why did they dare to do such a thing? Is freedom constraining them? Is their security compromised? Is any ruler assisting them? The Persian kings deigned to do so in their enterprise; but our (kings), I am sure, desire and demand the opposite of this. Therefore, I am very amazed that under pious kings, among cities, as you say, they dare to do such a thing. And what, he said, if you learn something even more strange, that those who do this present themselves as pious and call themselves Christians, and many of them are already among those initiated (into the Sacraments)? Even one of them, under the strong inspiration of the devil, dared to say with his unclean tongue that he was ready to deviate from the faith and make a sacrifice to the demons, because he was strangled (indignation) at the sight of the fact that people who are free, noble and capable of living in pleasures are drawn to such a harsh life. Hearing this, I was even more amazed and, realizing how much evil would happen from here, I mourned the whole universe and cried out to God: “Take... my soul from Me; ... deliver me from my needs" (1 Kings 19:4; Ps.24:17); free me from this temporary life and move to a country where no one else will tell me anything like that, and I won’t hear it. I know that upon leaving here, pitch darkness will surround me, with strong crying and gnashing of teeth; but I prefer to listen to the gnashing of teeth than to those making such speeches. Seeing that I was so sad, he said: “Now is not the time for this; with these words you will never be able to convert the lost and perishing; and evil, I think, will not stop, but we need to take care of how we can put out this fire and stop the infection, this is our duty; and if you want to listen to me, then, stopping crying, compose a word of exhortation to these sick and restless ones, for the salvation of both them and all people in general; and I, taking this book, will put it, instead of any medicine, into the hands of the sick: since among these patients there are many of my friends, they will allow me to come to them once, twice, and many times, and, I am sure, they will soon be freed from the infection.” “You,” I said, “measure our strength by the measure of your love; but I have no power of speech; if it seems that there is, then to use it on such a subject I am ashamed not of anyone else, but of all pagans, both present and subsequent. I always condemned them as much for their teaching as for their carefree life; and now I am forced to introduce you to our vices. If some of them find out that among Christians there are people so hostile to virtue and philosophy that they not only shy away from such feats, but cannot even stand speeches in their defense, and even do not stop there in their madness, but if anyone else begins to advise and talk about this, then he too will be expelled from everywhere; If the (pagans) hear this, then I am afraid that they will recognize us not as people, but as beasts and humanoid monsters and some kind of demons, destroyers and enemies of all nature; and such a judgment will be pronounced not only about the guilty, but also about our entire people.” To this he laughed and said: “You are joking when you say that; and I will tell you even more directly if you are afraid that from your words they will not learn what everyone has long known from deeds; Now it’s as if some evil spirit has taken possession of the souls of everyone, and the only thing on everyone’s tongue is what about this: whether you go into the square or into hospitals, or into any part of the city where people usually gather who don’t want to do anything, everywhere you’ll be surprised at how much laughter everyone makes; and the subject of this laughter and amusement are stories about what was done to the holy men. Just as other warriors, having been in many battles and won victories, cheerfully talk about their exploits, so these people boast about their rampages. You will hear one say: “I was the first to lay hands on such and such a monk, and struck him with blows”; another: “I myself found his cell before anyone else”; “And I,” says another, “irritated the judge against him more than others”; another boasts of the prison and the horrors of the prison, and the fact that he dragged those saints around the square, another with something else. Then everyone starts laughing at it. And this (is done) in assemblies of Christians, and the pagans laugh at them and at those whom they mock; over the first - for their deeds, and over the last - for their suffering; and everywhere there is some kind of internecine war, or rather, something much worse than this war. Those who fought such a war, when they remember it later, curse its instigators in every possible way, and everything that happened in it is attributed to an evil demon, and those of them who did more than others in that war are more ashamed than others; on the contrary, these people still boast about their riots. And not only because this war is more wicked than the one (internecine) that is waged against saints and innocent people, but also because (it is waged) against people who do not even know how to do harm to anyone, but are only ready to endure.” 3. “Stop,” I said, “stop; These stories are enough for us so that I don’t completely lose my breath; let me leave with at least a little strength. Your order will certainly be fulfilled; just don’t add any other story to us, but go away and pray that the cloud of my despondency will dissipate and I will receive from God, against Whom this war is being waged, some help to heal those who rebel against Him; and He, of course, will give, as one who loves mankind and does not want “the death of the sinner, but to be converted... and he will live” (Ezek. 33:11; 18:32). Having thus sent him away, I proceeded to this word. Of course, if the evil consisted only in the fact that the saints of God and wonderful men are seized and tormented, dragged to judgment courts and subjected to beatings and other sufferings that I have just described, and no harm was directed at the head of the perpetrators of such violence, then not only would I not grieve about what happened, but I would also laugh a lot and with pleasure at it. Thus, small children, when they harmlessly beat their mothers, arouse great laughter in those whom they beat, and the more irritably they do this, the more pleasure they give to their mothers, so that they burst into tears and burst out laughing; when the child, doing this often and impulsively, injures himself either with a pin stuck in the mother’s clothes near the belt, or with a needle on the mother’s chest that touches the child’s hand, then the mother, having stopped laughing, indulges in grief more than the wounded one and either heals the wound, or with a strong threat forbids him to do this in the future, so as not to suffer the same thing again. We would have done the same if we saw in this matter a child’s irritability and an infantile blow that did not cause them much harm. But since these people, although now, in the heat of anger, do not have a presentiment, but after a little they will cry, moan and sob, not with the same sobbing as small children, but with the kind that is in pitch darkness, that in an unquenchable fire; then we, for our part, will do the same as mothers, with the only difference from them, that not with threat and abuse, like them, but with affection and complete meekness, we will say to these children: “This does not cause any harm to holy men, on the contrary, an even higher reward and greater boldness; if we start talking about future benefits, you may still laugh a lot, since you are used to always laughing at this; but the real thing, even if you loved to laugh a thousand times more, you will certainly believe, because you cannot help but believe, even if you wanted to, when the very deeds speak against you. You, of course, have heard about Nero (this man was famous for his debauchery; he was the first and only one with such power to invent some new types of disorder and debauchery). This Nero, accusing blessed Paul (who was his contemporary) for the same thing as you - these holy men (Paul, having convinced his most beloved concubine to accept the teachings of the faith, at the same time convinced her to break off her unclean connection with him), accusing him of this, and calling him a destroyer, and a deceiver, and other similar names that you give (to hermits), first put him in bonds, and Since he couldn’t force him to stop giving advice to the girl, he finally put him to death. What harm came from this to the sufferer? And what good is it to the villain? On the contrary, what benefit was there for Paul, who was killed at that time, and what harm was there for the murderer Nero? Isn’t the first one praised throughout the entire universe as an angel (I’m talking about the present for now), and isn’t the last one cursed by everyone, like a destroyer and a fierce demon?” 4. “And what is there, even if you do not believe it, must be said for the believers, although you should also believe what is there on the basis of what is here. However, no matter how you feel about it, we will say it and won’t hide it.” What will it be like there? That unfortunate and pitiful (Nero), enveloped in grief and sorrow, covered with shame and darkness, with a downcast gaze, will be taken to where the undying worm and the unquenchable fire, and blessed Paul, with great boldness, will stand before the very Throne of the King, shining brightly and clothed with such glory that he will in no way yield to the Angels and Archangels, and will receive such the reward that follows a person who has given up his body and soul for the commandments of God. Thus, great reward is prepared for those who do good, but it is greater and more abundant when those who do this good are exposed to even more dangers and great dishonor; let the good deed be the same, both for the one who did it without labor, and for the one who did it with difficulty; but the honor and crowns will not be the same. So in war, (everyone) who wins a victory is, of course, rewarded, but much more so is the one who can also show the wounds with which he acquired the victory. But what am I saying about the living, when even those who only declared themselves to have died bravely in war, and did nothing else useful to their compatriots, are glorified throughout Greece as saviors and protectors! Don’t you even know this, constantly indulging in laughter and fun? If pagan people who have no completely sound concepts about anything were able to understand this and honored with great honor those who only died for them and did nothing else; then will not Christ do this much more, Who always gives reward with great abundance to those who suffer for Him? He appointed a truly great reward for enduring not only persecution, wounds, bonds, murder and death, but also only insult and reproachful words. “You will be blessed,” He says, “when men hate you, and when they separate you, and revile you, and carry your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy: behold, your reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:22–23). So, if enduring suffering and slander brings reward to those who suffer and are slandered; then the one who prevents them from suffering and listening to slander brings benefit not to them, but to those who speak and do evil. On the contrary, he harms them, depriving them of the highest reward and depriving them of the basis for greater joy and rejoicing, so that for them it would behoove us to remain silent and let that happen that prepares for them a great abundance of benefits and the greatest boldness. But since we are members of each other, then, even if they themselves rejected the gift, with such a mutual relationship, we should not, while caring for one part, neglect the other. Those (hermits), if they do not suffer now, will have another opportunity to earn good fame, but these, if they do not stop hostility against them, will no longer be able to escape. Therefore, having left those, I stop with you, and ask and beg you to follow our admonitions, no longer point the sword at yourself, do not go against the grain and do not upset, thinking of offending people, the Holy Spirit of God. I know and am confident that you, if not now, then later will approve of this advice of ours; but I want you to do it now, so that later you don’t do it in vain. So that rich man (Luke 16:19 et seq.), while he was here, considered the prophets and the law, and their instructions to be fables and idle talk, and after he went there, he began to respect their admonitions so much that, realizing that he himself was no longer able to receive any benefit from this respect, he asked the patriarch to send someone from hell with a message to those living on earth, fearing that they too would one day experience the same thing, and, having laughed at the Divine Scripture, they did not respect it when they would no longer benefit from this respect. Meanwhile, this rich man did nothing like what you are doing. True, he did not give from his estate to Lazarus; however, others who wanted to serve were not hindered or deterred, as you are now. And it was not with this alone that you surpassed him in cruelty, but also with others; because, just as it doesn’t matter whether you don’t do any good yourself, or prevent others who want to do it, so it doesn’t matter whether you yourself suffer a lack of bodily food, or if you, possessed by a strong hunger for wisdom, are prevented from eating from others. Thus, you have doubly surpassed that cruel rich man - in that you prevent others from satisfying their hunger, and in that you exhibit such inhumanity at a time when the soul is perishing. This is what the Jews once did. They forbade the apostles to tell people what was necessary for salvation (Acts 4:18; 5:40). And you are worse than them: they did everything as open enemies, and you, putting on the guise of friends, act like an enemy. They then beat, reviled and dishonored the holy apostles, calling them sorcerers and deceivers: for this reason such execution befell them that no misfortune can compare with their misfortunes; for they were the first and alone of all the people living under the sun to suffer as no one else did. The reliable witness to this is Christ, Who said: “It will be... great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, cannot be” (Matthew 24:21). Now is not the time to retell all these sufferings, but out of much, little needs to be said. However, I will not say it in my own words, but in the words of a Jew who described their disasters in detail 1 . What is he saying? Having told about the burning of the church, and having described those extraordinary disasters, he says: 5. “As for the church, it was in exactly this position; and countless numbers of people dying of hunger lay scattered throughout the city, and unspeakable horrors occurred. In every house where even the shadow of food was shown, there was war; and the closest friends fought among themselves to take away each other’s miserable means of living. Even the dying did not believe that they had no food; but the robbers also searched those dying to see if anyone was pretending to be dying, holding some kind of food in his bosom. Others, gaping with hunger like mad dogs, wandered and ran hither and thither, pushing against doors like drunks, and out of desperation invaded the same houses two and three times in one hour. Need gave everything to teeth; they collected and did not hesitate to eat even what was unfit for even the most unclean of dumb animals; finally, they did not refuse belts and shoes; They also tore off the skin from the shields and chewed them. Pieces of old hay also served as food for others; and some collected droppings, and the smallest measure of it was sold for four attics 2 . But why talk about the shamelessness of the hungry in relation to soulless things? I will point out such an action of theirs, which is not narrated either among the Hellenes or among the barbarians, which is both terrible to say and incredible to hear. So that our descendants would not think that I was inventing something unprecedented, I would gladly keep silent about this misfortune if I did not have countless witnesses from my contemporaries; on the other hand, I would be doing my homeland a disservice by omitting from the story what it actually suffered. One woman from among the residents of Trans-Jordan, named Mary, daughter of Eleazar, from the village of Betheso, which means “house of hyssop”, noble in origin and wealth, arriving along with many others in Jerusalem, was subjected to siege. All her property, which she took with her from Nerea and brought to the city, was plundered by those who seized power over the city; and the remnants of supplies and everything that she prepared for food were stolen by the squires who invaded her daily. Strong indignation took possession of the woman, and she often irritated the robbers against her with her abuse and curses. Since no one, either out of anger or out of pity, killed her, and although she tried to find something edible in other places, it was impossible to find anywhere, and hunger tormented her womb and brains, and her anger inflamed her even more than hunger; then, under the influence of irritation and extremity, she rebelled against nature and, grabbing her child (she had a baby boy), said: “Unhappy child, for whom, during this war, hunger and indignation, will I take care of you? Among the Romans, even if we live, slavery (awaits us) under their dominion, this slavery is preceded by hunger, and the rebels are heavier than both of them: so be food for me, for the rebels - a fury, and for the world - a fable, which alone is lacking in the misfortunes of the Jews. And with these words, she kills her son; then, having fried it, she eats half of it, and hid and saved the rest. Soon the rioters arrived and, sensing the unusual smell, began to threaten that they would kill her immediately if she did not show them what she had prepared. And she, saying that she had saved a wonderful share for them, showed the remains of her son. Horror and amazement immediately seized them, and they were petrified at this sight. “This is my own child,” she said, “this is my work, eat, I have already eaten; do not be more tender than a woman and more compassionate than a mother; If you are God-fearing and abhor my offering, then since I have already eaten half, let me have the rest.” After this, they left, overwhelmed with trepidation, in this alone they turned out to be timid and gave up only this food to their mother. Immediately the whole city was filled with indignation; and everyone, having such a terrible deed before his eyes, was horrified, as if he himself were the culprit. The hungry wished for death and called happy those who died earlier, without hearing or seeing such disasters. This terrible affair was soon revealed to the Romans; some of them did not believe, others were sorry, but the majority hated this (Jewish) people even more.” 6. The Jews suffered such, and much more severe, disasters, not only because they crucified Christ, but also because they subsequently prevented the apostles from saying what was necessary for our salvation. Blessed Paul accused them of this and predicted these disasters for them, saying: “Behold... wrath is upon them to the end” (1 Thess. 2:16). But how, they will say, does this come to us? We do not deviate from faith and preaching. And what, tell me, is the use of faith when there is no pure life? But you, perhaps, don’t know this either, since everything about us is not familiar to you; Therefore, I will give you the sayings of Christ, and you consider whether then (on the Day of Judgment) life will not be judged at all, but the punishment will be determined only for faith and dogma alone? Thus, Christ, having ascended the mountain and seeing a multitude of people surrounding Him, after other instructions said: “Not everyone who says to Me: Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven: but do the will of My Father”; and: “Many people said to Me in that day: ...was it not in Your name that we prophesied, and in Your name we cast out demons, and in Your name we did many mighty things? And then we will confess to them...: Depart from Me, you who practice iniquity; ... we do not know you” (Matthew 7:21–23, Luke 13:27). Further, He likened everyone who listens but does not fulfill His words to a foolish man who builds a house on sand and makes it susceptible to destruction by rivers, rains and winds (Matthew 7:26-27). And in another place preaching, He says: “As fishermen, having drawn out their net, throw out the bad fish; so it will be on the day when the angels cast all sinners into the cave" (Matthew 13:47-50). Also, talking about depraved and unclean people, He said that they would go to where the worm does not die and the fire does not go out (Mark 9:43 et seq.). And again: “Tsar,” he says, “make marriages for your son,” and seeing “a man... wrapped in vile garments..., he said to him: friend, why did you come in without a wedding robe? He kept silent. Then say to your servants: “Binding his hand and nose,... cast him into utter darkness” (Matthew 22:2, 11-13; Zech.3:3). This is how he threatens depraved and dissolute people. And the virgins, who were not allowed into the groom’s palace, suffered this for their unmercifulness and inhumanity. And others again, for this same guilt, will go “into eternal fire, prepared for the devil and his angel” (Matthew 25:41). Even those who utter empty and idle words are condemned: “By your words,” he says, “you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 12:37). Does it really seem to you that it is in vain that we fear for life and worry with great zeal about the moral part of wisdom? Don't think; Can you really say that Christ said all this and much more in vain: not everything is given here. And if I had not found it difficult to write a long word, I would have taught from the prophets, and from Blessed Paul, and from the other apostles, what care God has shown for this part. However, I consider this sufficient, or better yet, not only this, but also a small part of what has been said; because when God speaks, then, even if He spoke once, one must accept what is said as if it had been said many times. 7. Well, they will say, can’t those who remain at home perform those virtues, the failure of which brings such punishment? I would like no less, but much more than you, and often prayed that the need for monasteries would pass and that good order would come to the cities so that no one would ever need to flee into the desert. But since everything has gone upside down, and the cities where the courts and laws are full of great lawlessness and untruth, and the desert grows the abundant fruit of wisdom, then justice demands that you blame not those who want to be saved from this storm and unrest and lead to a quiet haven, but those who make each city so inaccessible and unsuitable for philosophy that those who want to be saved are forced to flee to deserts. Tell me, if at midnight someone, taking a candle, lit a large and crowded house on fire, plotting evil against those sleeping there, then who would we call evil, the one who wakes up the sleeping people and leads them out of this house, or the one who first set the fire and put both those living in the house and the one leading them out to such extremes? Also, if someone, seeing that a city was in the power of a tyrant, was struck by illness and was worried about rebellion, convinced whoever was living in that city to flee to the tops of the mountains, and, having convinced, together helped them with this removal, then who would you blame: the one who brought the people overwhelmed in the middle of the city from this storm to that silence, or the one who caused such a shipwreck? And do not think that human affairs are now in a better position than a city oppressed by a tyrant; no, they are in a much more difficult situation; because not a person, but some kind of crafty demon, having captured the entire universe like a ferocious tyrant, moved into human souls with all his army; then from there, as if from some Kremlin, he daily sends wicked and evil commands to everyone, not only does he dissolve marriages, does not bring in and take away money, does not commit unrighteous murders, but, what is much worse than this, he excommunicates a soul that has already been united with God from communion with Him, betrays it to his unclean guards and forces him to communicate with them. And they, once they have taken possession of it, treat it so vilely and insultingly, as is characteristic of crafty demons, who strongly and passionately desire our shame and destruction. Having stripped her of all the clothes of virtue, dressed her in the rags of vicious passions, dirty, torn and fetid, which dishonor her more than nakedness, and filling her with all sorts of uncleanness inherent in them, they incessantly boast of the insults they inflict on her. And they do not know any satiety in this vile and indecent treatment of it, but, like drunkards, when they are already very drunk, then they become even more excited, so they then become especially furious and attack the soul stronger and more ferociously when they do the most harm to it, striking and wounding it from all sides and pouring their poison into it; and they do not lag behind until they bring her into the same state as themselves, or see that she has already renounced the body. What tyranny, what captivity, what indignation, what slavery, what war, what shipwreck, what famine is this condition not more disastrous? Who is so cruel and harsh, who is so weak-minded and inhuman, so uncompassionate and merciless, that he will not want to free a soul that is suffering so much shame and harm, to the best of his ability, from this accursed fury and violence, but will leave its suffering unattended? If this is characteristic only of a cruel and stony soul, then how, tell me, will we react to those who, in addition to such inattention, commit another, much greater evil, who not only do not praise and do not approve of people who are ready to rush into the very midst of dangers, who do not refuse to put their hands into the very mouth of the beast, but who decide to endure both the stench and the dangers in order to snatch already devoured souls from the very jaws of the demon, but are also persecuted everywhere and being persecuted? 8. Well, someone will say, does everyone living in the cities perish and become overwhelmed, and must, leaving the cities deserted, move to the desert and live on the tops of the mountains? Do you really command and legitimize this? - No, on the contrary; I, as I said before, both wish and pray that we would enjoy such a peace and the tyranny of these evils would be so destroyed that not only those living in the cities would not need to retire to the mountains, but those living in the deserts, like fugitives long hidden, would return again to their city. But what should I do? I am afraid that, while trying to return them to their homeland, I will instead give them into the hands of crafty demons and, wanting to save them from desert and flight, deprive them of all wisdom and tranquility. If, by pointing out the large number of people living in the city, you think to confuse and frighten me, suggesting that I will not dare to condemn the entire universe (to destruction), then I will take the saying of Christ and stand with him against this objection. And you, of course, will not dare to do such a daring thing as to contradict the determination of the One who will then judge us. What is He saying? “A narrow gate and a strait path you bring into the belly, and those who find it eat few” (Matthew 7:14). If there are few who gain, then there are much fewer who are able to complete this path to the end. Not everyone who entered the beginning had the strength to stay there until the end; but some drowned at the very beginning, others in the middle, and many even at the pier itself. And in another place He says that “many... are the calling, but few are the chosen” (Matthew 20:16). If Christ declares that there are more who are perishing, and salvation is limited to a few, then why are you arguing with me? Thinking to stop our mouths with the fact that we do not dare to condemn such a multitude, you do the same thing, as if, during our conversation about what happened in the time of Noah, you began to be amazed that everyone really died, and only two or three people escaped such punishment. But we will not be convinced by this and will not prefer crowds to the truth; because even today’s deeds are not at all unimportant than those of those times, but they are even more criminal because they are already threatening Gehenna for them, and yet the evil is not stopped. Tell me, who doesn't call his brother a fool? And this exposes us to the fire of Gehenna. Who hasn't looked at a woman with lustful eyes? And this is already committed fornication, and the fornicator inevitably falls into the same Gehenna. Who didn't swear? And this, of course, is from the evil one; and what is from the evil one undoubtedly deserves punishment. Who hasn't ever been jealous of a friend? And this makes us worse than pagans and publicans; and that the worst cannot escape punishment is obvious to everyone. Who completely banished anger from his heart and forgave the sins of all those who sinned against him? And that those who have not forgiven will inevitably be given over to torment, none of those who heard Christ will contradict this. Who does not serve mammon? And whoever began to serve her had necessarily already renounced serving Christ, and whoever renounced this had necessarily renounced his own salvation. Who has not slandered secretly? And the Old Testament commands such people to kill and take their lives. How do we console ourselves in our unhappy situation? The fact that everyone, as if by some agreement, plunged into the abyss of vice. But this very thing is the most important proof of the intensification of the disease, when we are given consolation in misfortune by something that should be the cause of greater sorrow. The large number of accomplices in sins, of course, does not exempt us from guilt and punishment. If someone has already come to despair from what has been said, let him wait a little, and then he will fall into greater despair when we talk about something much more serious, for example, about perjury. Truly, if swearing is a devilish thing, then what punishment will the crime of swearing subject us to? If calling (a brother) a fool brings Gehenna, then what will not be done by disgracing a brother, who often has not offended us in any way, with countless defamatory speeches? If resentment alone is worthy of punishment, then what kind of torment does vindictiveness deserve? But now is not yet (the time to talk) about it; let it be saved for its place. Not to mention other things, the very thing that forced us to conduct this speech - is this alone not enough to expose the malignant current disease? Truly, if not feeling your iniquities and sinning without any sorrow about it is the extreme limit of depravity, then where should we put new legislators of this extraordinary and most absurd law, who with greater audacity drive out the teachers of virtue than others - the teachers of vice, and persecute those who want to correct (the vicious) more than those who have sinned; or better yet, they don’t feel any displeasure towards these people, and never condemn them, but those, on the contrary, would be happy to eat, and just don’t shout, both in words and in their deeds, that we must hold fast to vice and never return to virtue, so that we must persecute not only those who strive for it, but also those who dare to vote for it? 1. 3 is enough to arouse amazement and horror. And if someone now uttered the prophetic saying: “The heavens were horrified at this and the earth trembled greatly” (Jer. 2:12), and: “a terrible and terrible thing happened on the earth” (Jer. 5:30), he would have said all this at the right time. But here’s what’s worse than this: not only are strangers and those who are not at all close to those to whom advice is given 4 indignant and angry, but relatives and fathers have become angry at this. However, I am not unaware that many are not very surprised that fathers do this; and they suffocate, according to them, with anger when they see that it is not their fathers, not their friends, not their relatives and not those close to them on any other side, and often even complete strangers, who treat those who decide to be wise in exactly the same way, and more than their fathers, they are annoyed and persecute, and blame those who disposed them (to monasticism). But the opposite seems surprising to me; because there is nothing strange in the fact that those who have no reason to show care and friendship grieve for the well-being of others, sometimes carried away by envy, sometimes out of their own malice, considering - of course, crazy and worthy of pity, but nevertheless considering - someone else's destruction as their happiness. But that those who gave birth (to children), raised them, pray every day to see their children happier than themselves, and for this they do and endure everything - that they, as if from some kind of intoxication, suddenly change and mourn when their children turn to wisdom: this is what I am most surprised by, and I consider this sufficient proof of general depravity. No one can say that this happened in former times, when error clearly reigned. It happened, however, once in a Greek city that was under the rule of a tyrant - moreover, not one of the parents, as now, but those who took possession of the acropolis, or rather, not all of them, but the most criminal of them, calling Socrates, ordered him not to talk about wisdom. But he dared to do this as a tyrant, unbelieving and cruel, trying in every possible way to overthrow the social order, rejoicing at the misfortune of others and knowing that nothing else could upset the most beautiful society like such an order. And these (parents) - believers, living in comfortable cities and caring for their children - dare to say the same thing as that tyrant about those under his control, and are not ashamed! One should be surprised at their indignation more than at the indignation of others. Therefore, leaving others, I will turn to those who especially care about children, or better yet, should care, but do not care at all, with quiet and very meek speech, and I ask them not to be angry or annoyed if someone says that he knows better than themselves what is good for their children. To give birth to a son is not enough for the one who gave birth to teach useful things to the one born by him; birth, of course, contributes a lot to love for the born; but to know exactly what is good for him, it is not enough to just give birth and love. If this were so, then no one should see better than the father what is good for his son, since no one else can love the son more than the father. Meanwhile, the fathers themselves show their ignorance of this by their actions, when they themselves take their children to teachers, entrust them to educators, consult with many, preoccupied with choosing the type of life to which they should dedicate their son. And this is not surprising, but the fact that parents, during such a meeting about their children, often reject their own opinion and settle on someone else’s. Let them not be annoyed with us if we say that we know better what is good for them; and only if we do not prove this in word, let them accuse and reproach us as boasters, destroyers and enemies of all nature. 2. How will this be obvious and how will we know who really sees what is useful, and who only thinks that he sees, but meanwhile does not see at all? Thus, if we expose my words, as it were to some opponents, to testing and competition, we will leave the judgment on this to impartial judges. Although the law of struggle commands us to deal with a Christian and only compete with him, and does not require anything else from us: “Why should we judge those who are outside” (1 Cor. 5:12); but since children striving for Heaven often have unbelieving fathers, then, although the law of struggle frees us from competition with them, we ourselves will voluntarily and willingly go out against them first. And, oh, if only we had a competition with them, although it is more difficult and presents more clashes! For “a spiritual man... does not receive even the Spirit of God: for he has foolishness” (1 Cor. 2:14); and here it can be the same as if someone began to convince a person to love the Kingdom who does not yet want to believe in its reality. Despite the fact that our word is so constrained, I would like to have this competition only with them. We have, of course, a lot of evidence against the believer, but the pleasure brought by the abundance of evidence is darkened by the excess of shame; because I am ashamed when I am forced to argue with him about this, and I am afraid that the pagan will raise only this one thing against me as a fair objection; since in all other respects, by the grace of God, I will easily win him over to my side, and, if he wants to be conscientious, I will soon bring him not only to love this (monastic) life, but also to the very disposition to dogmas in which this life has its basis. I am so little afraid of competing with him that I will arm him even more in advance with my word, and then I will begin the fight. Let us suppose that this father is not only a pagan, but also rich and famous above all people, invested with great power and has many fields, many houses and thousands of talents of gold; let him come from the most royal city and from the most noble family; let him not have other children and not hope to have any more, and only worry about this one (son); let the son himself, with brilliant hopes, soon hope to achieve the same power and even become more famous than his father and eclipse him in everything in life. Amid such hopes, let someone then come, talk to him about wisdom and convince him, despising all this, to dress in rough clothes and, leaving the city, run away to the mountains and there plant, water, carry water and correct all other monastic works that seem unimportant and humiliating. Let him be without shoes, sleep on the ground, become thin and pale - this beautiful young man who lived in such luxury and honor and had such hopes - and let him be dressed poorer than his slaves. Have we not given sufficient grounds (for complaints) to the accuser, and have we not sufficiently armed the enemy? If that’s not enough, then we’ll give him other excuses. After this, let (the father) use all measures to convince his son, and all in vain, as if his son were standing on a rock, above rivers, rains and winds; let him cry and shed tears in order to arouse the strongest indignation against us, and in front of everyone constantly accuses us like this: “I gave birth, raised, worked my whole life, doing and enduring everything that usually happens when raising children, had good hopes, consulted with educators, called teachers, spent money, often did not sleep at night worrying about his well-being and education, so that he would not lag behind his ancestors in anything, but would be even more glorious than everyone else; expected him to comfort me in my old age; Over time, I thought about his wife and marriage, about superiors and power. But suddenly, as if some thunderstorm or storm came from somewhere, and a rich ship, filled with a lot of cargo, which had made a long journey across the sea, sailed under a favorable wind and was already close to the pier, was flooded almost at the entrance to it; and there is a danger that a storm will not bring down not only poverty, but also miserable death and destruction on the head of such a rich man: this is what happened to me now. The damned destroyers and seducers (let him say this too, we will not be offended), having deprived such hopes of the nourisher of my old age, like some robbers, took him to their dens and so charmed him with their speeches that he is ready to go to the sword, to the fire, to the beasts and to anything else, rather than to return to his former good life. And what’s even harder is that, having persuaded him to do this, they say that they see better than us what is good for him. The houses are empty, the fields are empty; the farmers and servants were filled with sadness and shame; my enemies cheered up because of my troubles; friends close themselves off from sadness. No thought occupies me except to set fire and burn everything - houses, fields, herds of oxen, and pastures of sheep. What will be the benefit of all this to me when there is no longer anyone who would use it, when he has become a captive and suffers slavery among the cruel barbarians, which is worse than any death? I dressed all the servants in black clothes, sprinkled ashes on their heads, gathered crowds of women and ordered them to mourn him more than if they had seen him dead. Forgive me for doing this: this is my sadness even more than that. The light already seems heavy to me, the very rays of the sun are unpleasant when I think about the situation of this unfortunate son, when I see him dressed worse than the poorest villagers and sent to the most humiliating work. When I imagine his inflexibility, I become inflamed, tormented, torn.” 3. With these words, let him throw himself at the feet of the audience, sprinkle ashes on his head, cover his face with ashes and beg everyone to give (him) a hand, let him tear out his gray hair. It seems that we have set up the accuser well to inflame all the listeners and convince them to throw the perpetrators of this into the abyss. For this reason, I brought the word to the extreme limit of all accusations, so that when someone so heavily armed is defeated by us by the grace of God, others would not be able to say anything; because if the mouth of the one who has all this together is blocked, then the one who does not have all this together (yet it cannot suddenly come together) will easily give us victory. Let him say this and more than that. And I will ask the judges not to feel sorry for this old man now, but when we prove that he grieves for his son, who did not suffer any evil, but enjoys great blessings, such that no other can be found higher. Then he will truly be worthy of pity and tears, because he is unable to understand the happiness of his son, and is even so far from this that he mourns him as if he were in the greatest misfortune. Where should we begin the word to him? From wealth and money, since he himself grieves about this most of all, and it seems most terrible to everyone that rich young men are attracted to this (monastic) life. Tell me, whom we all please and call worthy: the one who is constantly thirsty and, before drinking the first cup, already feels the need for another and is always in this state, or the one who stands above this need, is always free from thirst and never feels the need for such a drink? Isn’t the former like a fever patient who is languishing in the most severe thirst, although he can draw water from springs, and isn’t the latter free with true freedom, healthy with true health, and not above human nature? What else? If someone, loving a woman, constantly lived with her, but from cohabitation he would only be more inflamed towards her, and the other would be free from this insane passion and would not even be caught in a dream by lust: which of them is worthy and blessed for us? Isn't it this one? And who is unhappy and pathetic? Is it not the one who suffers from this vain love, unquenchable by nothing and even more excited by invented drugs? If, in addition to what has been said, he considers himself happy in his illness and does not want to free himself from this need, and even mourns, like this (father) now, those free from this passion: in this case, is he not even more unhappy and pitiful, because he is not only sick, but does not even know that he is sick, and therefore he himself does not want to free himself (from the disease), and mourns those free from it? Let's talk about the passion for money and see who is unhappy and pitiful. This passion is stronger and more furious than those and can cause more sorrow, not only because it burns with the strongest fire, but also because it does not lend itself to any conceivable relief and is much more persistent than those. Those who love wine and carnal pleasures, after enjoying, will sooner feel satiated than those possessed by an insane addiction to wealth. That’s why we were forced to depict those in words, because it is not soon possible to see such phenomena in experience, and we can imagine many examples of this disease from experience. So, tell me, is that why you mourn your son, that he has freed himself from such madness and such danger, that he does not indulge in incurable passion, that he has become outside this war and struggle? But with him, you say, this wouldn’t happen, he wouldn’t want more, but would it be enough for him to use what he has? Now you are saying something that is, so to speak, contrary to nature. But so be it; Let us say in words that he does not want to increase his estate and will not be carried away by this passion: but even in this case, I will prove that he now enjoys greater peace and pleasure. What is easier, to care about so many things, to be bound by such vigilance and slavery, and fear lest something of one’s possessions perish, or to be free from these bonds? Let us assume that he does not desire other burdens: but it is much better to reject those that have already been imposed; because if not needing more is considered the greatest good, then not needing what one has would be an even greater happiness. It has already been proven that a person who is not tormented by thirst and love (for nothing prevents us from turning to previous examples) is much more blessed not only than those who constantly thirst and are always inflamed by love, but also those who, although they were briefly exposed to this and satisfied lusts, since he did not experience such a need at all. I ask you again: if it were possible to surpass everyone in wealth, and to be free from the disasters that come from wealth, then would you not wish a thousand times such happiness that you would not suffer from envy, or from slander, or from worries, or from anything else like that? So, if we prove that your son has this too, and that he is now much richer, will you finally stop crying and complaining so bitterly? You yourself will not argue against the fact that he was freed from worries and other disasters inseparable from wealth: therefore, we do not need to talk to you about this. But you want to know how he is richer than you, who has so much property? And we will teach you this and show you that you, who think of him as if he were now in extreme poverty, are like that yourself in comparison with him. 4. Do not think that we will talk about the blessings of heaven and those that will be after leaving here; We will use as proof for now the benefits that we have in our hands. So, you are the master only of your own property, and he is the master of everything that is in the entire universe. If you do not believe, then we will lead you to him and convince him, so that, coming down from the mountain, or better yet, while remaining there, he orders one of the very rich and pious to send (to him) as much gold as you want; or, since he will not take it for himself, he would rather order the gold to be given to someone in need: and you will see that this rich man will obey and give more readily than any of your stewards. This latter, when he is ordered to spend something, is boring and gloomy; but he, on the contrary, when he does not spend, then he worries whether he has done something wrong, because he is not ordered to do anything. And I can point out many, not only from the nobles, but also from the common state - those who have such great power. Moreover, if your stewards waste what was entrusted to them, you cannot demand (from them) anything else, and from their villainy your wealth will immediately turn into poverty; but your son is not afraid of this. If one becomes poor, he will order the other; if the same thing happens to this one, he will turn to someone else, and the sources of water may sooner dry up than those who will obey him in this. If you adhered to our teaching, then I would tell you many such great examples, but since you belong to paganism, then from here I can provide an example. Listen to what Crito says to Socrates: “My money belongs to you, and I think it is enough; if, taking care of me, you do not want to spend my money, then foreigners here are ready to spend theirs; Simmias of Thebes, the Goths, Kevis, and many others brought quite a bit of silver for this; therefore, for this fear, as I said, do not refuse to save yourself; Let it not be difficult for you what you said at the trial, i.e., that upon leaving here you would not know what to do with yourself; and in many other places, wherever you go, they will love you; if you want to go to Thessaly, I have acquaintances there who will show you great respect and bring you safety, so that you will not lack anything in Thessaly.” What is more pleasant than such wealth? However, this (was told to you) as a worldly person. If we want to talk about wealth with great wisdom, then you may not be able to follow (our) word; I, however, need to say this for the judges. The wealth of virtue is so great, so much more pleasant, so much more desirable, that those who possess it will never want to take the whole earth instead, even if it were all golden - with mountains, sea and rivers. And if this were possible, then you would learn from experience that these are not just boastful words, but that, indeed, those who have found much greater and more important wealth will despise everything else and will never exchange it for this. And what am I saying: they will exchange it? They won't even want to take this one with him. To you, if someone gave the wealth of virtue along with money, you would take it with open hands: so you too recognize it as something great and wondrous. But they will not take yours with them: they are so sure of its insignificance. And again I will explain this with your examples. How much money do you think Alexander would have given to Diogenes if he had wanted to take it? But he didn’t want to; and this one grew stronger and did everything to be able to someday achieve the wealth of Diogenes. 5. Do you want to see your poverty and your son’s wealth from the other side? So go, take away his clothes, which is the only one he has, take him out of his cell, destroy his refuge, and at the same time you will not see him dissatisfied and sad, but he will still thank you for leading him to greater wisdom; and if someone takes only ten drachmas from you, you will never stop crying and grieving. Who is rich: the one who is tormented over little things, or the one who despises everything? And not only do this to him, but drive him out of the whole country; and you will see that he will laugh at it as if it were a child’s game. If someone had only expelled you from your fatherland, you would have suffered terribly and would not have endured such misfortune; and he, as the owner of all the land and sea, will move from one place to another as easily and carefree as you walk through your fields, and even easier; because, although you can walk through your own fields, you must nevertheless walk through others’ fields, but he will walk through the whole earth as if through his own. Drinking is supplied to him everywhere in abundance by lakes and rivers and springs, and food for him is vegetables, herbs, and in many places bread. I’m not even telling you that he despises the whole earth, because his city is Heaven. And if he has to die, he will accept death more cheerfully than your luxury, and would rather die in such a state than you in your fatherland and on your bed; so that one can be called a wanderer, an exile and a wanderer, having a fatherland and living in (his) house, and not him, having renounced all this. You cannot even drive him out of the fatherland until you drive him out of the whole earth; for now let it be said; and to tell the truth, then you will escort him to the fatherland when you drive him from the earth. But this is not yet for you, who know nothing more than what is visible. You cannot imagine him naked while he is clothed in the robes of virtue; You will not exhaust him with hunger as long as he knows true food. And the rich are subject to all this, so in this regard, the one who calls them poor and very poor, and those really rich, will not be mistaken. For whoever can find food, drink, shelter, and rest in abundance everywhere, and not only is not burdened, but even lives more cheerfully in these circumstances than you do in yours, is obviously richer than all of you, the rich who can only enjoy all this at home. That is why he never complains about poverty. Moreover, such wealth is better not only because of its abundance and pleasantness, but also because it is not exhaustible, never turns into poverty, is not subject to the uncertainty of the future, does not cause worries and is not susceptible to envy, but enjoys surprise and praise, and all honor; whereas yours turns out to be the opposite. Not only are you not praised for your wealth, but many even hate and disgust you, envy you and plot against you; he, since he owns true wealth, is especially surprised for this, and therefore is not pursued either by envy or intrigues. Who is healthier? Doesn't he who owns such wealth as he who enjoys clean air and healthy springs, flowers and meadows and fresh fragrance blooms and grows stronger, like the animals of the field; and the one lying in the mud, isn’t he weaker and more prone to illness? If he has an advantage in health, then, obviously, in pleasure. For who do you think enjoys pleasures more? Is it the one who rests in the tall grass, near a clear spring, under the shade of branchy trees, saturates the eye with contemplation, has a soul purer than the sky and is far from noise and confusion, or is it the one who is imprisoned in a room? Marble, of course, is no cleaner than air, and the shadow from the roof is no more pleasant than the shadow of wood, and the stone floor is no better than a meadow decorated with different flowers. Witnesses of this are you rich people, who, if it were possible for you to have trees and pleasant meadows on your roofs, would prefer them to a golden roof and wondrous walls. Therefore, when you want to rest from many toils, you leave these (walls) and go to those (meadows). But perhaps you are grieving for that great and important glory that is not at all visible here? Comparing the palace with the desert and the hopes there with those here, you think that your son fell from heaven itself. So you need to know in advance that neither the desert makes one dishonorable, nor the palace - glorious and noble; and before we proceed to mental proofs, I will dispel your misunderstanding with examples, not ours, but yours. You have, of course, heard about Dionysius of Sicily, and you have also heard about Plato, son of Ariston. Which of them, tell me, was more famous, who is sung and always remembered by the lips of many? Isn't the philosopher superior to the tyrant? Meanwhile, this one owned all of Sicily, spent his time in luxury and throughout his life was surrounded by wealth, spearmen and other splendor, while he spent time in the garden of the Academy, planted and watered trees, ate olives, had a meager table and was alien to all that splendor. And this is not so surprising as the fact that he, having become a slave and being sold at the will of the tyrant, not only did not turn out to be more inglorious than him as a result, but even seemed worthy of respect to the tyrant himself for this. Such is virtue! Not only through her deeds, but also through her suffering does she not leave herself and those who fulfill her in darkness and obscurity. And his teacher, Socrates? How much more famous was he than Archelaus? Meanwhile, this was a king and lived very richly, and he spent time in the Lyceum, had nothing except one clothes, in which he appeared in winter and summer, and in all seasons he always walked without shoes, remained without food all day, ate only bread, which replaced all dishes and dishes for him, did not even have this food at home, but received it from others, living in such extreme poverty; however, he was so much more famous than that king that even after repeated invitations to him, he did not want to leave the Lyceum and go to his wealth. From the current prevailing opinion about them, one can also see what happened before: their names are known to many, but those (Dionysius and Archelaus) are known to no one. Another philosopher of Sinope (Diogenes) was so much richer than many such kings - although he walked in rags - that (Alexander) of Macedon, the son of Philip, when he led an army against the Persians, leaving everything, went to look at him and asked if he needed anything and would he order anything; and he answered that he (doesn’t need) anything. Haven’t you had enough examples, or do you want us to remind you of others? These men became more famous not only than the noble courtiers, but also the tsar himself, choosing a private and peaceful life and not even wanting to get close to public affairs. But even in civil society itself, you will see those who have become famous not those who lived in wealth, luxury and abundance, but those who spent their lives in poverty, simplicity and modesty. Among the Athenians, Aristides, who, after his death, was buried at his own expense by the state, was as much more famous than Alcibiades, who was distinguished by wealth, origin, luxury, power of speech, and even strength of body, nobility, and everything else, as a marvelous philosopher is than some simple boy. Among the Thebans, Epaminondas, a man who, having received an invitation to the meeting, could not come there because his clothes were in the wash, and he did not have anything else to change, was more famous than all the military leaders there. So don’t talk to me about the desert or the palace; glory and nobility are not in places, not in clothes, not in rank and not in power, but only in spiritual valor and wisdom. 6. But since examples do not have (decisive) force, I will talk about your son himself. We will find that he has now not only become more famous, but more respected, and for the very reason why you call him inglorious and humiliated. Let us convince him, if you want, to come down from the mountain and enter the square: and you will see that the whole city will turn (to him), and everyone will begin to point at him, marvel at him and be amazed, as if some angel had descended from Heaven. What else do you consider to be part of glory? Truly, he will be more famous not only than the courtiers, but also the one who puts on the diadem, for the sake of his simple and worn-out clothes; because he would not have amazed everyone so much if he had worn gold, or rather purple clothing, even put a crown on his head, sat on silk carpets, rode mules and was accompanied by gold-bearing squires, as he does now, having a dirty and unkempt appearance, wearing rough clothes, walking without any companions and without shoes. For royal accessories are established by laws and have become customary, and therefore if someone were to say with surprise about the king that he is dressed in golden clothes, then we will not only not be surprised, but will also laugh at these words, as containing nothing unusual; but if someone comes and says about your son that he, having despised his father’s wealth, abandoned worldly splendor and risen above worldly hopes, retired into the desert and dressed himself in old and thin clothes, then everyone will immediately come running and begin to be surprised and praise him for the greatness of his soul. Moreover, if the kings are subject to many criticisms, golden clothes will not protect them at all, much less arouse surprise towards them; and with his clothes he will give many reasons for surprise. Thus, the very clothes that are more royal make him prominent and famous, if for this no one has ever been surprised at the king, but for that everyone will be amazed at the one clothed with it. And what, you say, do I benefit from the opinion and praise of the crowd? But glory lies not in anything else, but in this. I don’t need her, you say, but am I looking for power and honor? But those who praise, of course, will also honor. If you want power and leadership, then we will find this, no less than the previous one, mainly among the locals. We could explain this with examples, but turning to the most comforting method for you, let’s talk about it not in relation to anyone else, but in relation to your son himself. What do you consider to be proof of greatest power? Is it not to be able to take revenge on those who cause grief and reward those who do good? But such strength cannot be found even in a king; because many people cause him grief, to whom he cannot repay the same, and many do good, whom he cannot easily reward. So, in wars, he would often like to take revenge on enemies who have caused a lot of grief and evil, but he cannot; and friends who have rendered great services there cannot be given commensurate rewards when they, anticipated before the reward, fall in the war itself. What if we show that your son has another power, much greater than that which, as our word has proven, even kings do not use? However, let no one think that we are talking about heavenly blessings in which you do not believe; we have not forgotten the promises, but we will borrow evidence from what happens here. If the greatest power is to be able to take revenge on those who have offended, then it is much higher than it to achieve a state of life in which no one, even if they wanted to, can offend us. What is (the state) above that will be clear and obvious to us when we turn to another example. Tell me, what is better, to be so skilled in military affairs that none of those who wounded us escape unwounded, or to acquire such a body that no one, no matter how hard he tries, can hurt? It is obvious to everyone that the latter is more powerful and divine than the former. And not only this one, but there is also even a higher (power). What is it? Knowledge of medicines that cure all wounds. So, of the three types of power, the first is to be able to take revenge on those who have offended; the second, higher one - in order to heal one’s own wounds, and this, of course, does not always follow the first; and the third - so as not to be insulted by any of the people, which, of course, is higher than human nature - your son, as we have proven, has the last. 7. To prove that these words are not an empty phrase, at the very time we were looking for this great power, we found another, even higher one. Anyone can see that not only no one can, but will not want to do harm to them (the hermits), so your son enjoys doubly security. What could be more blessed than a life in which no one will want, and even if they wanted, they will not be able to do evil - especially when the reluctance does not come from powerlessness, as happens with many, but from the fact that no reason for it can be found? If not doing evil depended only on impotence, then it would not be so important: even hatred would be born among those who would like, but cannot, do evil. And this state contains a lot of bliss. We, if you like, will consider it in advance. Who, tell me, would ever want to harm someone who has nothing in common with people, no contracts, no land, no money, no business, or anything else? For what estate will he argue with him, for what slaves, for what honor, for what fear, for what insult? It is either envy, fear, or anger that motivates us to harm others. But this most royal man is above all. Who would envy the one who laughs at everything that others struggle and worry about? Who will be angry without suffering any offense? Who would be afraid without suspecting anything? So, it is clear from here that no one will want to harm him; it is also clear that they cannot, even if they want to; because there are no cases or reasons why anyone would attack him; but just as a high-flying eagle can never be caught in a net (set) for sparrows, so is this man. How can anyone harm him? He has no money to threaten him with losing it; he has no homeland to frighten him with exile; he does not seek glory in order to dishonor him; one thing remains - death; but in particular, no one will ever be able to upset him, but will also bring him the greatest benefit, because it will lead him to another life, desired for him, for which he does and works everything, and which for him is the cessation of work, not punishment, but deliverance and rest from exploits. Do you want to know another type of his power, even more characteristic of philosophy? If someone does him a lot of harm, hits him or ties him up, then his body is naturally affected, but his soul, according to wisdom, remains unharmed; she is not carried away by anger, is not caught up in hatred, is not overcome by enmity. And this is not so important; Much more amazing than this is this: he loves those who have done him so much evil as benefactors and patrons, and prays that they will have every good thing. What would you give him equal to this if you made him king of the universe a thousand times and continued this reign for thousands of years? What scarlet, what power, what glory is not this acquisition more honorable? What would someone else not give to receive such a soul? It seems to me that even passionate carnivores would wish for such a life. Do you want to see from the other side the even more wondrous and most pleasant power of this man - from the side, although not exalted, but especially pleasant for you? From what has been said it is clear that he is undetectable and invulnerable; but don’t you want to know that he can still patronize others and provide them with complete safety? The first type of protection is to bring others to the same valor and thus make them strong; if they do not want this, but begin to lead a more human and earthly life, then in that too you will see him, having nothing, having more power than you, rich man, and mainly precisely because he has nothing. Who will talk with the king with more courage and express reproaches? Is it you, who owns so much and is therefore responsible to his servants, who fears for everything and presents him with thousands of cases if he, angry, wanted to upset you, or the one who stands above his hands? They talked with the kings with great courage, especially those who had withdrawn from everything worldly. Who is more likely to yield and pay attention to a strong man who speaks in the palace: you, the rich man, whom he suspects that you often do a lot for money, or the one who has only one motive for orders - philanthropy for others? Whom will he honor and respect: the one whom he cannot suspect of anything base, or the one whom he considers lower than his servants? Of course, these (hermits) are more listened to, whether they petition for cash or patronage. 8. But, if you want, let him succeed in everything not through others, but by himself: we will bring some sufferer both to him and to you, or better yet, not to you, but to the king himself, and we will see who will be more able to help him. Let the one who has suffered more than anyone else come up first. Let it be a father who had only one son and lost him in the prime of his life. Neither the boss, nor the king, nor anyone else will be able to help him, just like you; because you won’t give him anything equal to what he lost. And if you bring him to your son, then first of all he will encourage him with his appearance, clothes and home, and will inspire him to consider everything human as nothing; and then with words he can easily dispel the cloud. From your own house he will bring even more sorrow; because when he sees that your house is free from disasters, filled with great prosperity and has an heir, he will be even more tormented, while he will come out of there calmer and more wise. Seeing that your son has despised such property, such glory and splendor, he will not mourn so much about the deceased; for how will he lament that he has no heir to his property, when he sees that another despises all this? And he will more easily hear the lessons of wisdom from one who justifies them by works. As soon as you dare to open your mouth, you will fill him with great despondency, like one who philosophizes about other people’s misfortunes: and your son, teaching him with his deeds, will easily convince him that death is nothing more than a dream; he will not enumerate the many fathers who suffered the same as this one, but will show how he himself daily, while living in the body, thinks about death and is always ready for it, and, having strengthened his faith in the doctrine of the resurrection, will thus let him go with great relief of grief; and his words, confirmed by deeds, are much better and more likely to calm the sufferer than partners in meetings and feasts. So he will heal this sufferer. Let someone else, who has lost his sight from a long-term illness, be brought to him, if you wish. How can you help this? And your son, having proven that there is nothing terrible in this, by the fact that he himself locked himself in a small cell, striving for another light and considering the present not at all important in comparison with the one there, will teach you to courageously endure misfortune. Can you instill wisdom in those who are offended? Not at all; on the contrary, you will be even more outraged, because we usually see our misfortunes more clearly when our neighbors are well-being; your son will much more easily encourage these too. Not to mention prayer help, which is more important than all this; I don’t speak because my speech is now addressed to you. If you want to be revered as a son and not despised (probably you want this too), then I don’t know how you could achieve this better than by having a son who stands above human nature, is so glorious throughout the entire universe and with such glory has not a single enemy. With that (worldly) power, although he would be revered by many, he would also be hated by many, but here everyone honors him with pleasure. Indeed, if some people were simple and of low birth, the sons of peasants and artisans, having embarked on this philosophy, they became so respectable to everyone that none of the very noble were ashamed to enter their home and share conversation and meals with them, on the contrary, they felt as if they had received some great benefits, which actually happens; all the more will they do so when they see that a man of famous family, brilliant fortune, who had so many hopes, has entered this virtuous life. Thus, what you complain about most, that is, that he moved from worldly life to (monastic) life, this, most of all, makes him famous and encourages everyone to look at him not as a person, but as some kind of angel. Of course, they will not think about him what others are suspected of, as if, i.e. he chose this path out of ambition, a passion for money and a desire to become noble from an ignorant person. If such speeches about others are false and are “words of deceit” (Ps. 140:4), then regarding your son they cannot inspire suspicion. 9 . Do not think that this happens only under pious kings; but even if there were changes in power and the rulers became unbelievers, then the condition of your son will be most brilliant. Our affairs are not like those of the pagans, they do not follow the opinions of rulers, but are held by their own strength, and then they are most manifested when they are subjected to the greatest attacks; Likewise, a warrior, although he is respected in times of peace, will be more glorious when war comes. Thus, even under pagan rulers you will have the same and even more honor. For those who previously respected your son will do so much more when they see him entering the fight, acting with greater courage and presenting many reasons for glorification. Would you like us to consider his attitude towards you? Or is it unnecessary to talk about it? He who is so quiet and meek in his dealings with others that he gives no cause for displeasure to anyone, will show great respect to his father and will please him much more now than if he had achieved worldly power. Invested with great power, it is unknown whether he would not have despised his father, but now he has chosen a life in which, at least he became more royal and a king, in relation to you he will be the most humble of all. Such is our wisdom! It combines in one soul qualities that seem to be opposite, humility and height. Then, due to his addiction to money, he might even begin to wish for your death; and now he prays that your life will continue, so that for this he will be rewarded with brilliant crowns. For a considerable reward awaits us for respecting our parents: we are commanded to honor them as rulers (Sir. 3:7), to please them in word and deed, if this does not harm piety. “Why should they,” says the Scripture, “reward as they did to you?” (Sir.7:30). Think to what an excellent degree this virtue can be fulfilled by one who has reached the height of perfection in everything else. If it were necessary to die for your head, he would not refuse, not only out of respect and to please you according to the law of nature, but above all for the sake of God, for whom he despised everything else. So, if he is now more honorable, and richer, and more powerful, and freer, and with such greatness of spirit, he is much more obedient to you than before; then tell me, what are you grieving about? Isn’t it about the fact that you don’t worry every day whether he would fall in war, would not anger the king, would not be subjected to the hatred of his comrades, as the fathers of children who have risen above others fear this and even more? Just as those who place a child in some high place involuntarily worry that it might fall, so do those who raise their sons to the heights of power. - But the belt, and the cloak, and the herald’s voice have some pleasantness. How many days is this, tell me? Thirty, a hundred or twice as much? What then? Will not all this pass away like a dream, like a fable, like a shadow? And now your son’s dignity of honor will remain until the end, even after death, and then even more; and no one will take this power away from him, because he was elevated to it not by people, but by virtue itself. But would you like to see him wearing expensive clothes, riding a horse, having many servants, feeding parasites and flatterers? Why would you want this? Is it not to give him pleasure through all this? But if you hear from his own lips (perhaps you won’t believe us) that he considers his life so much more pleasant than the life of people addicted to luxury, debauchery, music, parasites and flatterers, and other vanity, that he would prefer a thousand deaths if someone ordered him, leaving the first pleasant life, to move on to the last: what do you say to that? Or don’t you know how pleasant life is, free from worries? Perhaps no other person knows, having not yet tasted it in its purity. If another celebrity joins, and these inconvenient blessings come together - security and fame: then what could be better than such a life? But why, you say, are you saying this to me, who stands far from wisdom? - Why do you prevent your son from approaching him? It is enough if this shortcoming remains with you. Don't you consider it the greatest shortcoming when you, having acquired nothing good at your first age, when you reach extreme old age, grumble about old age? “But that’s why, you say, we grumble against her, because youth brought us great benefits.” – What great benefits? Identify an old man who would have these great benefits. If he had them and remained in reality, then he would not grieve as if he had nothing of the kind. If they disappeared and disappeared, then what great blessings are they, having disappeared so quickly? But your son will not experience this; and if he reaches a very old age, you will not see him saddened like you, but having fun, rejoicing and admiring, because then his blessings will flourish even more. Your wealth, even if it provided many benefits, provides them only at the first age; but his wealth is not like that, but remains in old age and accompanies him after death. Therefore, when you see in old age that your property is increasing and you are presented with many means of fame and luxury, you grieve because your age is no longer capable of enjoying them; That’s why you tremble before death and call yourself the most unfortunate, especially when you are prosperous. He will then especially calm down when he grows old, since he will soon reach the pier and receive youth, always blooming and never inclined towards old age. Would you like your son to enjoy such pleasures that he would repent and mourn a thousand times over when he reaches old age? But may your enemies never enjoy them! What am I saying about old age? – These pleasures disappear in one day, or better yet, not in a day or an hour, but in a short and inconspicuous moment. For what are these pleasures? Is it not to indulge in gluttony, sit down to sumptuous meals, and treat beautiful women while wallowing in the mud like pigs? 10. However, this is not about that now; Let us first consider these pleasures, whether they are empty and insignificant, and, if you wish, let us first consider the one that seems more pleasant than others - the enjoyment of food. Show me the duration of it, how much time a day can it occupy you? So much that it’s impossible to notice well. For as soon as someone is full, he is deprived of pleasure, and even before satiety it passes faster than a stream, disappears in the larynx itself and is not able to go further along with food; because as soon as it passes through the tongue, it already loses its sweetness. I’m keeping silent about other troubles and about the frustration that comes from satiety. He who is not satiated will not only be more cheerful, but also easier, and will rest better than the one who almost sat down from satiety: “Healthy sleep,” says the Scripture, “comes from a moderate belly” (Sir.31:22). Is it necessary to talk about illnesses, troubles, accidents and wasted costs? How many quarrels arise from these feasts, how many intrigues, how many insults? – What about pleasant treatment of depraved women? What pleasure can there be in this shame? However, for now we will not talk about this here, nor about disputes between lovers, nor about quarrels between rivals and complaints. Let us suppose that someone freely enjoys this lust, and has no rival, and is not neglected by his beloved; pours money as if from sources; - although it is never possible for all this to come together, it is necessary for the one who does not want to have a rival to spend all his wealth in order to surpass all others in generosity, and for the one who does not want to become poor, be despised and rejected by a harlot - let, however, none of this happen, but everything is done according to his desire: where can you show us the pleasure of this? It does not appear even during the very satisfaction of lust; he who satisfies lust has already lost pleasure, and he who satisfies lust is not in pleasure, but in confusion and anxiety, in excitement and madness, and in great confusion and disorder. This is not our pleasure, no, it forever leaves the soul unperturbed, does not cause it any confusion or excitement, but brings joy, pure and immaculate, glorious and endless, one that is much stronger and more alive than yours. Our pleasure is more pleasant because yours can be destroyed by fear; for if the king had issued a decree threatening death for this pleasure, most of the people would have refused it; As for our (pleasure), even if someone threatened a thousand deaths, not only will he not convince us to neglect it, but rather he himself will be ridiculed; it is so much stronger and more pleasant than yours, and does not even allow comparison with it. Do not be angry with your son because he has moved from fleeting, or rather invalid, benefits to real and permanent ones; do not cry for him, worthy of being pleased, but for him who is not like that and is spinning in real life, as if in Euripus 6. And the main thing is this: you are an unbeliever and a pagan; accept this word at least. You, of course, have heard about the rivers Cocytae and Pyriflegephon, about the water of the Styx and about Tartarus, which is as distant from the earth as it is from the sky, and about many types of punishments. Although the Hellenes, guided by their own speculations and our distorted traditions, could not truly say about this as it is: however, they received some figurative idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe Judgment; and you will find that poets, and philosophers, and orators, and everyone, have philosophized about these subjects. You have also heard about the Champs Elysees, and about the islands of the blessed, about meadows and myrtles, about the gentle wind and the great fragrance, about the choirs living there and dressed in white clothes, rejoicing and singing certain hymns, and in general, about the reward awaiting good and evil after leaving here. How do you think the good and the bad live with such opinions? For some, when they think about this, even though their real life was flowing carefreely and in great pleasure, isn’t it as if some kind of scourge haunts their conscience and the expectation of suffering to befall them; and the good, even if they endured thousands of evils, do not they, according to Pindar, nourish a healing hope that does not allow them to feel real disasters? Thus, the latter have more pleasure from this. For it is much better, having begun with temporary labors, to end with endless tranquility, than, having tasted imaginary pleasures for a short time, and finally fall into the most bitter and grave disasters. And when at the same time it is still certain that such a life is more pleasant here, then shouldn’t we now do what I said at the beginning, pity those who mourn such blessings? Truly, your son is worthy not of tears, but of applause and crowns, as one who has come to a serene life and a quiet haven. “But you are reproached by many fathers whose children circle in real life; others cry at you, and others laugh at you? Why don't you laugh and cry at them even more? We should look not at whether they laugh at us, but whether they do it well and fairly; if so, then even if we didn’t laugh, we should cry; if they do this unfairly, then, even if everyone laughs, we must please ourselves, and mourn them as the most unfortunate and no different from the insane. For to laugh at what is worthy of great praise and crowns is characteristic of the insane and sick like them. Wouldn’t you consider it a mockery, tell me, if everyone began to praise, extol and call you blessed because your son was addicted to the crazy activity of dancers and riders? What if they laughed and reproached him whenever he did something noble and worthy of praise, would you not call them mad? Let us do the same now: let us leave the verdict about your son not to the opinion of the crowd, but to a thorough discussion of the case; and you will see that these scoffers are the fathers of slaves rather than freemen, if you compare their children with your son. Now you, darkened by grief, cannot delve into this; when you calm down a little and your son shows great virtue, you will no longer need our words, but you yourself will begin to say this and even more to others. I predict this to you not without reason, but from experience. I had a friend who had an unbeliever father, rich, respected and famous in every way. This father first acted through the leaders and threatened with bonds, and, having taken everything from his son, left him on a foreign land and without the necessary food, in order to thus force him to return to worldly life; but when he saw that his son was not inferior to anything, he, defeated, sang a different song; and now he honors and respects his son more than (his) father, and although he has many other respectable children, he says about them that they are not even fit to be his servant, and through that son he himself has become much more famous. We will see this in your son; and that I am not lying, you will know well in fact. Therefore, I will finally remain silent, and only ask you, wait one year or even less time - our virtue does not need many days, because it is returned by Divine grace - and you will see that everything that has been said will actually be fulfilled, and you will not only praise what has already been done, but if you wish to rise even a little, you yourself will soon become an imitator of him, having in your son a teacher of virtue. 1. Let us now teach the believing father that he should not be at enmity against those who attract his son to what is pleasing to God. Of course, we can be afraid that this word of ours may not turn out to be superfluous and may turn out to be contrary to what I said before. Then I said that the law of conflict does not force me to enter against a pagan, but that the Apostle Paul left us free from competition with outsiders, commanding us to judge only those within (1 Cor. 5:12). And now, it seems, we are not obliged to participate in this debate: if before it seemed shameful to talk about this with a Christian, even more so now. For how would it not be a shame for a believer to need admonition regarding something in which even an unbeliever cannot say anything against us? So what? Is this why we will remain silent and say nothing? No. If someone vouched for the future and made it obvious to us that in the future no one would dare to do this, then we should calm down and consign the past to oblivion; but since we do not have a single reliable guarantor in this, verbal admonition is also necessary. If it finds those suffering from such a disease, it will do its own thing; and if no one falls into this weakness, then what we want has been fulfilled. And doctors, when preparing medicines for the sick, should wish that the patient would not need them: so we also pray that none of our brethren would need this admonition; if it happens - which it won’t - then, according to the proverb, they cannot avoid a second voyage. So, let us imagine the believer to be the same as the unbeliever, similar to him in everything except the concept of God; let him cry the same way, and lie at everyone’s feet, and point to his gray hair, and his old age, and his loneliness; let him say the same things and, as much as he wants, arouse anger in the judges. However, with him our judgment is no longer before people, because he heard everything that our men, filled with the Spirit of God, philosophized about the terrible and terrible Judgment Seat after leaving here. And above all else, he must be reminded of that day, of the fire flowing like a river, of the flame that never goes out, of the fading rays (of the sun), of the hiding moon, of the falling stars, of the twisting heavens, of the wavering forces (heavenly), of the shaking and troubled earth on all sides, of the terrible and continuous sound of trumpets, of the Angels passing through the universe, of the thousands coming, oh the darkness of the servants, about the armies coming with the Judge Himself, about the sign shining before Him, about the Throne being set, about the opened books, about the unapproachable glory, about the terrible and terrible voice of the Judge, sending some into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels, and for others closing the doors even after their great feat of virginity; He commanded one of His servants to bind up the tares and throw them into the cave, and for others to shackle some of their legs and tie their hands, lead them into the outer darkness and subject them to the painful gnashing of teeth; subject to the heaviest and most severe punishment - one for shameless glances, another for inappropriate laughter, another for condemning his neighbor without investigation, and another for slandering (his neighbor); and that there is a punishment for this, you can hear from the Judge Himself, who has to carry out the punishment, in His words and threats. We all need to go from here to this Judge and see the day on which everything will be open and revealed, that is, not only deeds and words, but also thoughts themselves. 2. Then we will give a terrible answer in what now seems unimportant; for the Judge with equal severity demands from us (care for) our salvation and our neighbors. Therefore, Paul urges everywhere that “everyone” should seek not “his own, ... but his neighbor” (1 Cor. 10:24); therefore, he strongly blames the Corinthians for not taking care of the man who fell into adultery, but ignoring his dangerous wound (1 Cor. 5:1-2); and in the letter to the Galatians he says: “Brothers! Even if a person falls into some sin, you who are spiritual, correct him” (Gal. 6:1). And even before them, he convinces the Thessalonians to do the same, saying: “For this reason, comfort one another, ... just as you do” (1 Thess. 5:11); and again: “Admonish the disorderly, comfort the faint-hearted, intercede for the weak” (1 Thess. 5:14). Lest anyone say: “Why should I still care about others? - let the one who perishes perish, and the one who is saved, let him be saved; This doesn't concern me at all; I am commanded to look after myself,” so that someone would not say this, Paul, wanting to destroy such a brutal and inhuman thought, opposed such laws to it, commanding that much of his own be ignored in order to arrange the affairs of his neighbors, and demands such strictness of life in everything. Likewise, in his letter to the Romans, he commands to have great care for this duty, appointing the strong as fathers to the weak and urging them to take care of their salvation (Rom. 15:1). But here he says this in the form of exhortation and advice, and in another place he shakes the souls of those listening with great power when he says that those who are careless about the salvation of the brethren sin against Christ Himself and destroy the building of God (1 Cor. 8:12). And he says this not on his own, but on the instructions of the Teacher. For the Only Begotten (Son) of God, wanting to impress upon us how obligatory this duty is, and that great calamities await those who do not wish to fulfill it, said: “Whosoever shall offend one of small powers... let him not eat, and let the millstone of the village fall upon his neck, and drown in the abyss of the sea” (Matthew 18:6). And the one who brought the talent is punished not because he neglected anything of his own, but because he was careless about the salvation of his neighbors. Thus, even if everything was well arranged in our lives, there is no benefit to us, because even that sin is enough to plunge us into the abyss of hell. If even those who did not want to help their neighbor in bodily needs cannot be saved by any explanation, so that even if they have accomplished the feat of virginity, they will still be cast out from the bridal chamber; then he who has omitted what is much more important (because caring for the soul is much more important) - will he not justly suffer all the disasters? God created man not so that he could benefit only himself, but also many others. Therefore, Paul calls believers “luminaries” (Phil. 2:15), expressing that they should also be useful to others, for a luminary would not be a luminary until it illuminated only itself. Therefore, he calls those who do not care about their neighbors even the pagans worst in the following words: “If anyone does not provide for his own, much less for those close to him, he has rejected the faith to eat and is detestable to eat” (1 Tim. 5:8). What does he want to mean here with the word: “he trades”? Is it delivering what you need? I think that he means caring for the soul: if you do not agree, then my opinion will be even stronger. For if he says this about the body, he gives such punishment and calls the worst of the pagans who does not serve this daily food; then where will there be a place for someone who neglects the most important, the most necessary? 3. Let us now consider the importance of our sin and, ascending little by little, we will show that negligence about children is greater than all sins and reaches the very height of wickedness. Thus, the first degree of depravity, wickedness and cruelty is neglect of friends. However, let's reduce the word even lower; I don’t know how I almost forgot that the previous law given to the Jews does not allow us to neglect the cattle of our enemies - either fallen or lost, but commands these to be brought and those to be raised (Ex. 23:4-5). So, the first, coming from below, degree of depravity and cruelty is to ignore the workers and livestock of enemies when they are suffering; and the second highest one behind it is not to care about the enemies themselves; because to the extent that a person is superior to a dumb person, this sin is greater than that; the third step beyond this is to despise the brothers, even if they are strangers; fourth - do not take care of your family; fifth – when we neglect not only their body, but also their perishing soul; sixth - when we carelessly look at the death of not only our family, but also our children; the seventh - when we do not look for others who would take care of them, the eighth - when we hinder and prohibit those who themselves want to do this; the ninth is when we not only hinder, but also rebel against them. Thus, if punishment befalls the first, second and third degrees of this depravity, then what kind of fire will follow your ninth degree, which has surpassed all others? You can even unmistakably call it not only the ninth or tenth, but also the eleventh. Why? Because this sin is not only much more important in its essence than those previously calculated, but also more serious in time. What does this “in time” mean? The fact is that if we now commit the same sins as those under the law, we will not be subjected to the same punishments, but much more severe, in proportion as we have received a greater gift, accepted the teaching more perfectly and are honored with greater honor. So, if this sin is so grave both in essence and in time, think, what kind of flame will it bring down on the heads of those who dare to commit it? And that I reason this way not without reason, I will prove this with an actual event, so that you know that, even if everything we have was well-ordered, we will be subjected to extreme punishment if we do not care about the salvation of our children. I will tell you not in my own words, but in those contained in the Divine Scripture. The Jews had one priest, a modest and meek man; his name was Eli. This Eli becomes the father of two sons. Seeing that they were indulging in wickedness, he did not restrain them and did not stop them, or rather, he restrained them and stopped them, but did not do it with due diligence. And the offenses of these sons consisted of fornication and gluttony. They, it is said (in Scripture), ate sacred meats before they were consecrated and before offering sacrifices to God (1 Samuel 2:15-16). Hearing about this, the father did not punish them, but tried with words and persuasion to ward them off from this wickedness, and constantly spoke to them the following words: “Neither, children, nor ... do not do this: ... for the rumor that I hear about you is not good, ... it will not serve the people of God. If a man sins, men will pray for him to the Lord; if he sins against the Lord, who will pray for him” (1 Samuel 2:24-25)? Very strong and amazing words, enough to enlighten someone who has a mind! He exposed sin, showed its horror, announced the grave and terrible condemnation threatening for it; however, since he did not do everything that was necessary, he himself died along with them. They should have strengthened the threats, driven them out of their sight, punished them with whips, and been much more strict and severe. And since he did nothing of this, he angered God both against himself and against them and, showing inappropriate leniency towards his children, he and his children destroyed his own salvation. Listen to what God is saying to him, or rather, not to him anymore, because He has already recognized him as unworthy of an answer; but, like a gravely guilty slave, he lets him know about the disasters threatening him through another. Such was the wrath of God then! Listen to what (God) says about the teacher to his student; because he wanted to talk about his misfortunes better to his disciple, and to the other prophet, and to everyone, than to him - so completely turned away from him! What does He say to Samuel? (Eli) “knew that God slandered his sons, and did not punish them” (1 Samuel 3:13); It’s not that he didn’t admonish: he did admonish, but God says that this is not admonition yet, and rejected it because it was without strength and persistence. So, if we, although we care about children, do not care as much as is necessary, then our care is not care, just like Eli’s admonition. Having spoken about the crime, (the Lord) with great anger imposes punishment: “I swore,” He said, “to the house of Eli, that the iniquity of the house of Eli would not be cleansed in censers and sacrifices forever” (1 Samuel 3:14). Do you see what strong indignation and punishment there is without hope of mercy? Inevitably, he says, he must perish, and not only he and his sons, but along with him and the whole house, and there will be no medicine that would heal this wound. Meanwhile, God could not then blame this wondrous old man for anything other than carelessness about the children, whose wisdom can be seen not only from others, but also from the very circumstances of the misfortune that threatened him. So, firstly, when he heard about all this and saw himself on the path to extreme punishment, he did not grumble and be indignant, did not say anything that people usually say: “Am I in control of someone else’s will? “I must be punished for my sins, but the children themselves are old enough to be punished themselves.” He didn’t say or think anything like that, but, like a well-meaning servant, who knows only that he can graciously endure everything from his master, even if it is unpleasant, he uttered these words, filled with wisdom: “The Lord Himself will do what is good in His sight” (1 Samuel 3:18). And not only from here, but also from another case, one can see his valor. When, during the war that befell the Jews, someone came and spoke about the misfortunes in this war, and about how his children shamefully and miserably fell in battle, he listened to it calmly; When he added to (the news of) this defeat (the news) about the taking of the ark by the enemies, then the old man, darkened with grief, “fell from the throne as a sign near the door, and his back was crushed, for he was old and heavy,” and famous, “And she judged Israel” for twenty years (1 Samuel 4:18). If the priest, an elderly, famous man who had impeccably ruled over the Jewish people for twenty years, who lived in times that did not require great severity, none of these circumstances could excuse him, but he died terribly and miserably for not caring for the children with full attention, and the sin of this weakness, like a strong and great wave, exceeded everything else and covered up all his good deeds; then what kind of condemnation will befall us, who live in times that require much greater wisdom, but we do not have its virtue, and not only do we ourselves not care for children, but we also plot and rebel against those who want to do this, and treat our children worse than any barbarian? For the cruelty of the barbarians leads only to slavery, to the devastation and captivity of the fatherland, and in general to physical disasters; and you enslave the soul itself, and, having bound it like some kind of captive, you hand it over to the crafty and fierce demons and their passions. This is exactly what you do, and not anything else, when you yourself do not instill (in children) anything spiritual, and do not allow others to do this. Let no one tell me that many, more careless than Elijah about their children, did not suffer anything that Elijah: no, many suffered many times, and what is more serious, and for the same sin. For where do premature deaths come from? Why do we and our children suffer from serious and long-lasting illnesses? Where does the loss come from, where does the misfortune come from, where does the grief come from, where does the countless number of evils come from? Is it not from neglect of vicious children? That this is not fiction can be sufficiently demonstrated by the misfortunes of this old man, but I will tell you another word about this from one of our sages. He, speaking about children, says this: “Do not rejoice over the sons of the wicked; ...if the fear of the Lord is not with them, do not believe their life” (Sir.16:1-2); you will burst into premature tears, and suddenly learn of their death. So, many, as I said, suffered a lot of this, and if some escaped, they will not escape completely, but to their own detriment, because they will suffer the most severe punishment upon leaving here. Why, they will say, isn’t everyone punished here? Because God has appointed a day on which He will judge the world, but that day has not yet come. On the other hand, if it were so, then our entire family would have ceased and disappeared long ago. But so that this does not happen, and the delay of judgment does not make many more careless, God, by choosing some who are guilty of sins and punishing them here, through them and others, shows the extent of the punishments that threaten them, so that they know that if they do not suffer punishment here, then, without a doubt, they will suffer a heavier one when they go there. Let us not be insensitive because God now does not send a prophet and does not foretell punishment, as was the case with Eli, because now is not the time for prophets, however, He sends them now. How do we know this? “They have,” says (the Lord), “Moses and the prophets” (Luke 16:29). What was said to the ancients is also said to us; and God speaks not to Eli alone, but, through him and his suffering, to all who sin like him. God is no respecter of persons, and if He destroyed the least guilty person along with the whole house, He will not leave those who committed more serious sins unpunished. 4. It cannot be said that He has little concern for this matter: no, He has great thought for the upbringing of children. This is why He put such an attraction into the nature of parents, in order to place them, as it were, in an inevitable need to take care of their children. And subsequently, in His sayings, He taught us the laws regarding the care of them, and, establishing holidays, He commanded us to explain to children the reason for (establishing) them. So, having spoken about the Passover, He added: “And you shall tell your son on the day, saying: For this reason God did... God to me, when I came out of Egypt” (Ex. 13:8). He does the same in the law, because, having spoken about the firstborn, he again adds: “If... your son asks you about these things, saying: what is this? ...say unto him, For with a mighty hand the Lord hath brought us out of Egypt, out of the house of work, for when Pharaoh was hardened to let us go, slay (the Lord) every firstborn of the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man to the firstborn of beast: for this cause I sacrifice unto the Lord every thing that openeth the flesh of the male sex” (Ex. 13:14–15). With all this he inspires to lead children to the knowledge of God. And he commands the children themselves many things regarding their parents, rewarding the obedient and punishing the ungrateful, and thus making them even more amiable to their parents. Thus, when someone makes us powerful over someone, then with this honor he imposes on us the strongest obligation to take care of him; because even without everything else, this alone, that the whole fate of that person is in our hands, is enough for our warning and we would not soon decide to leave the one who is entrusted to us; If he then becomes even more angry and indignant than the offended themselves, and becomes a strict punisher, then this will further motivate us (to fulfill our duty). God did the same. To these impulses He added a third, consisting of a natural connection, and if you want, then the first. So that parents, having received the command to raise their children, would not neglect His commands, He added natural necessity. And so that this connection would not be weakened by insults from the children and would not be dissolved, He protected it with punishments both from Himself and from the parents themselves, thus very strictly subordinating the children (to the parents), and arousing love (for the children) in the parents. And not only in this way, but also in another, fourth, way, God firmly and closely connected us with them. He not only punishes evil children in relation to their parents, but favors those who are good, but he does the same with parents, severely punishing those who neglect their children, and honoring those who care for them with honors and praise. So He punished that old man (Elijah), famous in other respects, for nothing but negligence (about children); and he rewarded the patriarch (Abraham) for his guardianship no less than for others (virtues). Having spoken about the many and great gifts that he promised to give him, and giving the reason, He pointed to this (virtue) of his: “For we know,” he says, “that Abraham commanded his sons and his household by themselves, and they will preserve the ways of the Lord God to do righteousness and justice” (Gen. 18:19). I said this now so that we know that God will not condescendingly endure negligence about those for whom He Himself cares so much. For it is not possible for one and the same (God) to do so much Himself for the salvation (of children) and ignore the neglect of them (on the part of parents). So, He will not ignore this, but will be very indignant and angry, as it turned out in reality. Therefore, blessed Paul, urgently urging, says: “Fathers, ... bring up your children in the discipline and teaching of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). If we are commanded to be vigilant in caring for their souls, “as if we would reward the word” (Heb. 13:17), how much more so is the father who gave birth to a son, raised him and constantly lives with him. Just as he cannot resort to apology and justification for his own sins, so it is also true for the misdeeds of his children. And this was also clearly expressed by Blessed Paul. Commanding what those who assume authority over others should be, he, along with all the other qualities necessary for them, also requires guardianship of children, so that we have no excuse when our children are depraved (1 Tim. 3:4-5). And absolutely fair! Because if depravity were by nature in people, then others would have the right to resort to an apology; but since we are both bad and good by free will, what plausible excuse can he present for allowing the son he loved most to become corrupt and depraved? Was it because he didn’t want to make him honest? But no father will say this; because nature itself urgently and continuously encourages him to do so. Or that he couldn't? But this cannot be said either; because many things - the fact that he took his son (into his care) at a tender age, and the fact that he was the first and only one given power over him, and the fact that he constantly had him with him - makes raising (his son) easy and very convenient for him. Thus, the corruption of children comes from nothing else than from an insane attachment (of parents) to everyday things: paying attention only to this one thing and not wanting to consider anything higher than this, they necessarily no longer care about children with their souls. About such fathers I would say (and let no one attribute these words to anger) that they are worse than even child killers. Those separate the body from the soul, and these throw both of them together into the fire of Gehenna; That death will inevitably be suffered by natural necessity, but this one could have been avoided if the carelessness of the fathers had not led to it. Moreover, bodily death can be destroyed by the resurrection as soon as it comes, and nothing will reward the destruction of the soul; it is no longer followed by salvation, but by the necessity of eternal suffering. Therefore, we would not unfairly say that such fathers are worse than child killers. It is not so cruel to sharpen a sword, take it in your right hand and plunge it into the very throat of your son, as to destroy and corrupt the soul; because we have nothing equal to it. 5. Well, they will say, is it really impossible for someone who lives in a city and has a house and a wife to be saved? Of course, there is not one way of salvation, but there are many and they are varied. Christ also speaks about this, although vaguely, declaring that “with the Father... the mansions are many” (John 14:2); and Paul speaks with some certainty when he writes this: “There is another glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for the star differs from the star in glory” (1 Cor. 15:41). The meaning of his words is this: some will shine like the sun, others like the moon, and others like the stars. And he did not stop at this difference, but between the stars themselves he shows a great difference, such as it is natural to be with such a multitude of them: “A star,” he says, “differs from a star in glory.” Imagine, moving from the great sun to the last of all stars, how many degrees of dignity can be passed through. Therefore, isn’t it strange that if you take your son to the royal palace, you yourself do and endure everything, and convince him, moreover, in order to make him close to the king, and pay absolutely no attention to anything, not to the costs, not to the danger, not to death itself; and when we are asked to think about the heavenly army, don’t you grieve if (your son) gets the last place there and becomes lower than everyone else? However, if you like, let’s also look at whether it is possible for someone rotating in the world to get this place too. Blessed Paul explained this briefly, saying that those who have wives can only be saved if they have them as if they do not have them (1 Cor. 7:29), and do not abuse the world (1 Cor. 7:31). And we, if you want, will spread the word about it. So, can you say that your son either heard during a conference with you, or he himself ever learned that someone who swears, even if he does not swear falsely, offends God? Also, is it impossible for a vindictive person to be saved? For “the path,” it says (in Scripture), “of those who remember evil, leads to death” (Proverbs 12:28). Or, that God so shames the slanderer that he even removes him from reading the word of God? Also, what proud and daring thing does He cast down from heaven and consign to the fire of Gehenna? Or, what punishes the one who looks (at his wife) with unchaste eyes as a real adulterer? And such a common sin for everyone - condemning our neighbors, which brings upon us the gravest punishment, have you ever convinced (your son) to avoid this sin and have you read Christ’s commandments about this to him? Or do you yourself not know that there are such commandments? How will the son be able to fulfill what the commandments of which the father himself, who should teach him, does not know? And, oh, if it were only this evil that you do not advise children anything useful; it wouldn't be so big! But now you are leading them to something even worse. In fact, when fathers convince their children to study science, nothing else is heard in their conversation with their children except the following words: “Such and such a man is low and from a low state, having improved in eloquence, received a very high position, acquired great wealth, took a rich wife, built a magnificent house, became terrible and famous for everyone.” Another says: “So-and-so, having studied the Italian language, shines at court and manages everything there.” One again points to another, and everyone points to those who have become famous on earth: but no one ever remembers the heavenly; if another tries to remind, then he is driven away, like a person who upsets everything. 6. So, when you sing this to children from the very beginning, you teach them nothing other than the basis of all vices, instilling in them the two most powerful passions, that is, greed, and an even more vicious passion - vain vanity. Each of them, even separately, can subvert everything; and when they both together invade the tender soul of a young man, then, like stormy streams united, they pervert everything that is good and bring in so many thorns, so much sand, so much rubbish that they make the soul barren and incapable of anything good. This can be confirmed to us by the sayings of external writers: thus, of these passions, one called one, not connected with the other, but by itself, the top, and the other, the head of evil. If one thing (self-interest) individually is the top and the head (of evil), then when it unites with another much crueler and stronger one, i.e. with insane vanity, and with it it invades the soul of the young man, takes root in it and takes possession of it; then who will be able to destroy this disease later, especially when the fathers do and say everything not to weaken these evil plants, but to strengthen them? Who is so unreasonable that he will not lose hope of saving his son brought up in this way? It is desirable that a soul trained in the opposite direction should avoid depravity; when money is considered the reward for everything and vicious people are offered for competition, then what hope of salvation? Those who are addicted to money are inevitably envious, prone to oaths, treacherous, impudent, slanderous, predatory, shameless, insolent, ungrateful, and full of all kinds of evil. A reliable witness to this is Blessed Paul, who said that the love of money is the root of all evil in life (1 Tim. 6:10), and before him Christ explained the same thing, proclaiming that he who is enslaved to this passion cannot serve God (Matt. 6:24). So, if the young man is drawn into this slavery from the very beginning, then when he is able to become free, how can he get rid of drowning if everyone is pushing him, everyone is immersing him and is intensely subjecting him to the need to drown? If, without any obstacle, if with the help of many who give him a hand, he could rise, look around and wash off the foam of depravity, would not this be desirable? Wouldn’t it be appropriate to praise him and decorate him with a crown a thousand times even then, if, after listening to Divine chants for a long time, he was able to drive out the invading ailments from himself? Habit is strong, capable of overpowering and captivating the soul, especially when it is facilitated by pleasure, and that (virtue) that we strive for and try to achieve requires a lot of work from us. Therefore, God, when it was necessary for the descendants of the Jews to leave the old habit of evil, i.e. Egyptian, taking them alone into the desert and removing them from the corrupters as far as possible, corrected their souls in the desert, as if in a monastery, using all the methods of healing, both more difficult and more pleasant, and not omitting absolutely anything that could serve to heal them. However, even at the same time they did not escape depravity, but, receiving manna, they demanded onions and garlic, and all the abominations of Egypt. Such evil is a habit. Thus, the Jews, who enjoyed such care from God, who had such an excellent and valiant leader, who were admonished by fear, and threats, and benefits, and punishments, and in every way, and who saw so many miracles, did not become the best: how, do you think, will your son be able to escape the snares of the devil, being young, moving among Egypt, or better yet, among the devil’s army, without hearing any useful advice from anyone and seeing that everyone, and most of all his parents and educators, are leading him to the opposite? How? Is it with the help of your admonitions? But you inspire him with the opposite and, not allowing him to remember wisdom even in a dream, on the contrary, constantly occupying him with real life and related to it, you further contribute to his drowning. Or by yourself? No, the young man in himself is not strong enough for the deeds of virtue, and even if he produced something valiant, it would soon, before it grew, die out from the flood of your words. How the body cannot live even for a short time if it eats not healthy, but unhealthy food; so the soul, receiving such suggestions, can never think about anything valiant and great; but, being subjected to such disorder and relaxation, constantly overwhelmed by depravity, as if by some kind of infection, she will finally inevitably fall into Gehenna and die there. 7. If you say that this is not so, but that one who lives in the world can perform all the virtues, if not jokingly, but thoughtfully and really say this, then do not be lazy in explaining to us this new and strange teaching, because I would not like to bother in vain and subject myself to such deprivations. However, I cannot accept such a teaching, and you yourself are to blame for this, because both in words and in your deeds you contradict this opinion and teach the opposite; You, as if deliberately trying to destroy the children, allow them to do everything that makes it impossible to escape. Look a little higher. “Woe,” it is said (in Scripture), “to those who laugh” (Luke 6:25); and you give children many reasons to laugh. “Woe to the rich” (Luke 6:24); and you are taking all measures to make them rich. “Woe if all men speak good to you” (Luke 6:26); and you often spend entire property for human glory. Also: he who reviles his brother “is guilty of hell” (Matthew 5:22); and you consider those who silently endure insults from others to be weak and cowardly. Christ commands us to refrain from quarreling and litigation, but you constantly occupy your children with these evil deeds. He commanded in many cases to tear out an eye if it causes harm (Matthew 5:29); and you especially enter into friendship with those who can give money, even if they teach extreme debauchery. He did not allow his wife to be rejected, except for one fault - adultery (Matthew 5:32); and you, when you can get money, allow this commandment to be neglected. He completely forbade the oath (Matthew 5:34), and you even laugh when you see that this is observed. “Love your soul,” says (the Lord), “he will destroy it” (John 12:25), and you in every possible way involve them in this love. “Unless... you forgive men their sins,” He says, “your Heavenly Father will not forgive you” (Matthew 6:15); and you even reproach children when they do not want to take revenge on those who offended them, and try to quickly give them the opportunity to do this. Christ said that those who love glory, whether they fast, pray, or give alms, do all this without benefit (Matthew 6:1); and you try your best to ensure that your children achieve it. But why list everything, if the already mentioned vices, not only all together, but each on its own, are sufficient to prepare a thousand hells? And you, having gathered them all together and placed (on the children) this unbearable burden of sins, lead them with it into the fiery river; how can they save themselves by bringing so much food for the fire? And not only is it terrible that you instill in (children) something contrary to the commandments of Christ, but also that you cover up depravity with euphonious names, calling constant presence on horse tracks and in theaters secularism, the possession of wealth - freedom, love of fame - generosity, insolence - frankness, wastefulness - love of mankind, injustice - courage. Then, as if this deception were not enough, you call virtues by opposite names, modesty - discourtesy, meekness - cowardice, justice - weakness, humility - servility, gentleness - impotence, as if fearing that children, having heard from others the true name of these (virtues and vices), will not escape from the infection. For calling vices by their direct and true names contributes a lot to disgust from them: it can strike sinners so strongly that often many, distinguished by the most dishonest deeds, do not tolerate indifferently when they are called what they really are, but come into strong anger and brutal irritation, as if they were enduring something terrible. Thus, if someone were to call a dishonest woman and a depraved youth by this most shameful vice, he would become an irreconcilable enemy (of them), as if he had inflicted the greatest insult. And not only these people, but the money-lover and the drunkard, and the proud man, and in general everyone devoted to grave vices, as everyone knows, are amazed and offended not so much by the deed itself and the opinion of people, but by the name of their deeds. I know many who were brought to their senses in this way, and who became more modest as a result of harsh words. And you have taken away this medicine (from children) and, what is even more difficult, you teach them an unkind suggestion not only with words, but also with deeds: you build magnificent houses, buy expensive estates, surround them with other splendor, and with all this, as if with some thick cloud, you darken their soul. How can I be convinced that it is possible for them to be saved, when I see that they are being persuaded to do such things for which Christ announced inevitable destruction, when I see that you neglect their souls, as if about something unnecessary, and care about what is really unnecessary, as if it were necessary and most important? So that your son has a servant, so that he has a horse, so that he has the best clothes, you do everything; but for him to be good himself, you never want to think about it; but, extending your care for trees and stones to such an extent, you do not deign the soul even the slightest part of such care. So that there is a wonderful statue on the house and a golden roof, you are ready to endure everything, but so that the most precious of any statue, the soul, is golden, you don’t even want to think about it. 8. But I have not yet spoken about the peak of evil, I have not revealed the main wickedness, and although many times I approached this with shame, many times I was held back by shame. What is this? Finally, we need to talk about this. It would be a great timidity if those who wish to destroy some evil did not dare to say a word about it, as if silence itself would heal the disease. Let us not remain silent, even if we had to feel ashamed and blush a thousand times. And the doctor, when he wants to cleanse the rottenness, will not refuse to take a knife in his hands and put his fingers into the very depths of the wound: so we will not refuse to talk about this, especially the more vile this rottenness is. What kind of evil is this? Some new and lawless passion has invaded our lives; a serious and incurable illness has befallen us; we have been struck by an ulcer, the most severe of all ulcers; some new and intolerant lawlessness has been invented, because not only written, but even natural laws are being violated. Fornication is no longer enough for debauchery; and just as in illnesses the subsequent severe suffering drowns out the feeling of the preceding pain, so the excessiveness of this ulcer makes something that no longer seems intolerable and intolerable - debauchery with a woman. They want, it seems, to be able to avoid these networks, and the female sex is already in danger of becoming superfluous, since it is replaced in everything by youths. And not only is this terrible, but also the fact that such an abomination is committed with complete safety and lawlessness has become law. No one is afraid or afraid anymore; no one is ashamed or blushes; but they still boast about this shame, and those who are chaste seem mad, and those who accuse them seem unsound; if they are weak, they are beaten, and if they are strong, they endure ridicule, abuse and countless bullying. Neither the courts, nor the laws, nor the educators, nor the fathers, nor the bailiffs, nor the teachers help: some have been corrupted with money, others only have in mind that they should receive a salary; and of those who are more conscientious and care about the salvation of those entrusted to them, some easily succumb to concealment and deception, while others fear the power of debauchees. It is easier for someone suspected of tyranny to escape than to escape the hands of these wicked people who would try to remove them (children); Thus, among the cities, as if in the great desert, “men make money upon men” (Rom. 1:27). If some have escaped these snares, then it is not easy for them to escape the evil glory of such debauchees; firstly, because there are very few of them, which is why they are easily overshadowed by many vicious ones; secondly, because the damned and evil demons themselves, unable to otherwise take revenge on those who despise them, try to harm them in this way; Not having the strength to inflict a mortal wound and strike the very soul, they try, at least, to damage their external decoration and deprive them of all good glory. Therefore, many, I heard, are surprised how even now another fiery rain has not fallen, how our city has not yet suffered the fate of Sodom, worthy of punishment all the more severe because it did not come to its senses with the disasters of Sodom. Despite the fact that for two thousand years that country, with its appearance more than its voice, has been calling on (the people of) the entire universe not to dare to commit such vileness, they not only do not abstain from this sin, but have become even more shameless, as if competing with God and trying to show by their actions that they will indulge in these vices the more they are, the more He threatens them. Why didn’t anything like this happen: the sins of Sodom are committed, but there are no punishments for Sodom? Because another fire awaits them, more cruel, and the punishment is endless. So those who lived after the flood dared to do things much more wicked than those who died from the flood, but since that time there has been no such flood. And here again the same reason; Otherwise, why did those who lived in the first times, when there were no judgments, and the fear of the rulers did not weigh heavily, there was no threatening law, no admonishing host of prophets, no expectation of Gehenna, no hope of the Kingdom, no other wisdom, no miracles capable of reviving even stones - why did people who did not have any of this suffer such punishment for their sins, and those who received all this and live under such fear of the judgments of Divine and human have not yet suffered equally with those, when they deserve a more severe punishment? Isn’t it clear to a baby that they are being reserved for the strictest condemnation? If we are so angry and indignant, then how will God, Who cares most for the human race and extremely disgusts and hates depravity, allow such things to be done with impunity? This can't be true, no! He will certainly lay a strong hand on them, inflict an unbearable blow and subject them to torture so cruel that the disasters that befell Sodom will seem like a toy in comparison. Truly, what barbarians, what breed of beasts did these people not surpass with their shameless lust? Some dumb people have strong lust and uncontrollable lust, not different from rage, but they do not know this passion, but are kept within the limits of nature, and no matter how irritated they are, they do not violate the laws of nature. But these, gifted with reason, worthy of Divine teaching, teaching others what they should do and what they should not do, and having heard the Scriptures that came down from heaven, do not copulate with harlots with the same impudence as with youths. They encroach on everything with such fury that it is as if they are not people, and as if there is no Divine Providence, awake and judging the matter, but as if darkness has covered everything, and no one sees or hears it. And the fathers of corrupted youths endure this in silence, do not bury themselves in the ground with their children and do not come up with any remedy against evil. Meanwhile, if because of this illness it was necessary to send children to a foreign land, to the sea, to islands, to an uninhabited land, to the most distant edge of the universe from us, wouldn’t it be necessary to do and endure everything so that such abominations would not occur? When a village is exposed to disease and infection, don’t we take the children away from there, even though they would have many benefits there, even if they themselves were completely healthy? And now, when such an infection has seized everything, we not only ourselves are drawing them to these abysses, but we are also driving away those who want to save them as destroyers. What kind of anger, what kind of thunder is not worthy of this, when we try to purify their language with the help of external education, and not only ignore the soul, which lies in the very abomination of depravity and is constantly corrupted, but also hinder it when it wants to rebel? Will anyone else dare to say that those living in such vices can be saved? How? Others, of course, escaped the fury of the libertines (however, these are few); but even they do not avoid those cruel and all-destructive passions - greed and ambition, and the majority are infected with these same passions and, to a much greater extent, with voluptuousness. Further, when we want to acquaint children with the sciences, we not only remove obstacles to learning, but also provide them with everything that promotes it - we assign educators and teachers to them, spend money on them, free them from other activities, and more often than the instructors at the Olympic Games, we tell them about poverty from lack of learning and wealth from learning - we do and say everything, both ourselves and through others, in order to bring them to the end of the undertaken lesson, and with everything we often don’t have time. But do you really think that modesty of morals and the severity of a valiant life will come by themselves and, moreover, with so many obstacles? What could be worse than this unreason - to pay so much attention and care to the easiest thing, as if it were impossible to succeed in it otherwise, and to think about something much more difficult, that it, as if something empty and insignificant, will come true even in our sleep? But the wisdom of the soul is as much more difficult and difficult than the study of science, as much as activity is more difficult than talking, and as much as deeds are more difficult than words. 9 . Why, you say, do our children need this philosophy and strict way of life? This is what ruined everything - that something so necessary and supporting our lives is considered superfluous and unnecessary. Seeing his son sick in body, no one will say: why does he need good and good health? On the contrary, he will try in every possible way to bring him into such well-being that the disease will not return; and when the soul falls ill, they say: they do not need any treatment, and after such words they dare to call themselves fathers. What, you say, is it really possible for us all to philosophize and perish in everyday affairs? No, most respected one, it was not devotion to love of wisdom, but lack of love of wisdom that ruined and upset everything. Who, tell me, is upsetting the present state of affairs: those who live abstinently and modestly, or those who invent new and lawless ways of enjoying? Are they those who try to seize for themselves everything that belongs to others, or those who are content with their own? Are they those who have crowds of servants and surround themselves with swarms of flatterers, or those who consider only one servant sufficient for themselves (I assume not yet high wisdom, but accessible to many)? Are they humane and meek, and do not have praise from the people, or are they those who demand it from their fellow tribesmen more than anything else due, and cause a thousand troubles to anyone who does not stand in front of them, does not say first greetings, does not bow, does not show servility? Are they those who try to obey, or those who strive for power or superiority and are ready to do and endure anything for this? Are they those who consider themselves better than everyone else, and therefore think that they can say and do everything, or those who place themselves among the last and thereby tame the insane self-will of passions? Are they those who build magnificent houses and offer sumptuous meals, or those who seek nothing more than the necessary food and shelter? Are they those who cut off thousands of acres of land for themselves, or those who do not consider it necessary to acquire even one hill? Are they those who add interest to interest and pursue every gain through unrighteousness, or those who tear up unjust records and use their property to help those in need? Are they those who recognize the weakness of human nature, or those who do not even want to know this, but from excessive pride have even ceased to consider themselves human? Are they those who feed harlots and defile other people's marriages, or those who abstain from their own wives? Are the former not the same in social life as tumors on the body and stormy winds at sea, drowning with their intemperance those who could have saved themselves by themselves? And the latter, like bright lights in the midst of deep darkness, do not they call those in distress in the middle of the sea to their safety, and, having lit the lamps of wisdom in the distance on high, do they not thus guide those who wish to a calm haven? Is it not from the first that there is indignation and war, and quarrels, and the destruction of cities, and oppression, and enslavement, and captivity, and murder, and countless disasters in life, not only inflicted on people from people, but also everything (sent) from heaven, such as droughts and floods, and earthquakes, and destruction, and the drowning of cities, and famine, and plagues, and everything else that is sent to us from above? 10. Thus they distort public life and destroy the common good; they cause countless misfortunes to others, disturbing those seeking peace, entertaining and disturbing them on all sides; for them there are courts, and laws, and penalties, and various types of punishment. Just as in a house where there are many sick people and few healthy people, you can find a lot of medicines and visiting doctors; so in the universe there is no people, no city, where there are not many laws, many rulers, and many punishments; because medicines by themselves cannot restore the patient, but those who would apply them are also needed; These are the judges who force these patients, willy-nilly, to accept treatment. However, even at this, the disease intensified so much that it surpassed the very art of doctors and entered into the judges themselves; and now the same thing happens, as if someone, suffering from fever, dropsy and many other severe diseases, and not overcoming his own ailments, began to strive to deliver others who were overcome by the same ailments. Thus, waves of vices, like a rapid stream, destroying all barriers, invaded the souls of people. But what am I talking about the perversion of public life? This ulcer, brought by the wicked, threatens to destroy in many even the very concept of God’s Providence: thus it spreads, grows, strives to take possession of everything, turns everything upside down and finally rebels against Heaven itself, arming the tongues of people no longer against slaves like them, but also against the Lord Almighty Himself. Where, tell me, are there so many speeches about fate? Why do many attribute everything that happens to the unreasonable flow of stars? Why do some people prefer happiness and chance? Why do they think that everything is done without reason and without purpose? From those who live modestly and abstinently, or from those about whom you say that they support public life, and I have proven that they are the common plague of the universe? Obviously - from the latter. No one is tempted by the fact that such and such a man is wise and despises the present, but by the fact that such and such grows rich, lives in luxury, is given over to greed and predation, that despite his malice and countless vices, he shines and prospers. Those who do not believe in God grumble and complain about this, many are tempted by this, while regarding those who live modestly they will not only not say a single such word, but would even begin to condemn themselves if they were inclined to grumble at God’s Providence. If everyone, or even the majority of people, wanted to live like this, then no one would think about such speeches, and the most important of these evils would not arise - the study of where evil comes from. If evil did not exist and was not discovered, then who would begin to look for the cause of evil and with this research produce countless heresies? So Marcion, and Manes, and Valentinus, and most of the pagans got their beginning from here. But if everyone were philosophical, there would be no such research; on the contrary, if nothing else, then from this best way of life everyone would know that we live under the authority of the King - God and that He orders and manages our affairs according to His Wisdom and Reason; this, of course, is happening now, but it is not easy to see due to the great darkness that has spread throughout the entire universe, and if this had not happened, then the Providence of God would have been revealed to everyone, as on a bright afternoon and in clear weather. Truly, if there were no courts, no accusers and slanderers, no torture and torture, no prisons and punishments, no confiscation of property and losses, no fears and dangers, no enmity and intrigues, no slander and hatred, no famine and contagion, or any of the other disasters listed, but everyone lived with proper modesty, then who of all the living would doubt God’s Providence? Nobody. And now the same thing happens as if during a storm the helmsman did everything on his part and tried to save the ship, but his zealous skill would not be noticed by those on the ship due to confusion and fear and anxiety from the threatening disasters. So God rules the universe even now, but many do not see this due to the confusion and disorder in affairs, which these people create more than anyone else, so that they not only distort public life, but also harm piety; and he would not sin if he called these people common enemies, who live to the detriment of the salvation of others, drowning with their vile teachings and unclean lives those who sail with them. 11. Nothing like this can be seen in monasteries, but even if a storm arose (in the world), (the hermits) alone sit in the pier, in peace and great security, as if looking from heaven at the shipwrecks of others, because they have chosen a way of life worthy of heaven and abide in it no worse than the Angels. Just as there is no discord among the Angels, there is no such thing as some prospering while others suffer extreme disasters, but everyone equally enjoys peace, joy and glory; so here too, no one complains about poverty, no one exalts himself with wealth: this is yours, and this is mine - such a division, degrading and confusing all affairs, has been expelled from here, everything they have in common - food, housing, and clothing. And what is surprising in this, when everyone’s very soul is the same? They are all noble with the same nobility, slaves with the same slavery, free with the same freedom; Everyone has one wealth - true wealth, one glory - true glory, because their blessings are not in names, but in deeds; one pleasure, one desire, one hope for everyone; Everything is arranged according to measure and weight, and there is no irregularity, but order, harmony and harmony, the most precise agreement and constant observance of complacency. Therefore, they do everything and endure everything in order to be complacent and rejoice. Only there can one find this in its pure form, and nowhere else, not only because they despise the present, have eliminated every reason for disagreement and hostility, and have bright hopes for the future, but also because the sorrows and joys that happen to everyone are considered for everyone. And grief passes easier when everyone agrees to help everyone bear the burden; and those who rejoice not only in their own well-being, but also in the well-being of others no less than their own, have many reasons for complacency. So it is with us - how would things go if we all began to imitate them? Now they disappear and are upset by those who have strayed far from such a way of life. And you, arguing the opposite, are doing the same thing as if someone began to condemn a well-tuned lyre as worthless, and called one spoiled by excessive tension or weakening (of the strings) suitable both for playing and for entertaining spectators. But just as in relation to the one who says this, we would not look for another proof of his ignorance of music, so in relation to those who claim the above, we do not need another clear proof of their ill-will and hatred of people. What do more modest fathers say? Let, they say, the children first study the sciences and, having improved in eloquence, then move on to this wisdom: then no one will interfere. But how do we know that they will certainly reach manhood? Many died due to premature death. However, let it be so; Let us assume that they reach the age of maturity: who will vouch for the entire previous age? Without wishing to argue, I will say that if anyone had presented a reliable guarantee of this, I would not have led those who had acquired such art (into the desert), on the contrary, then I would have especially advised them to remain (in the city) and would not have praised those who would have persuaded them to flee, but would have treated them as enemies of public life, since by tearing down the lamps and carrying the luminaries out of the city into the desert, they would have deprived those living there of the greatest benefits. But if no one promises this, then what is the use of sending (children) to teachers, where they will learn vices before eloquence, and, wanting to acquire less important things, will lose the most important thing - the strength of the soul and all the good mood. So what? They will say, destroy our schools? I do not say this, but (I speak) about how we should not destroy the building of virtue and drown out the living soul. When the soul is chaste, then there will be no loss from ignorance of eloquence; and when it is corrupted, then the greatest harm occurs, even if the language is very sophisticated, and the greater the greater the art; for depravity, when combined with art in speech, produces much worse troubles than lack of education. And if, you say, they, having retired there, with an uneducated language, will not have any virtue? - And if, tell me, they, remaining in the city, with the corruption of their souls, do not acquire any eloquence at school? It would be more permissible for me to say this than for you to say it. Why? Because, although both are unknown as the future, yours is more doubtful. How and why? Because the proper practice of eloquence requires good morality; and good morality does not need the aid of eloquence. You can be chaste without this knowledge, but no one will ever acquire the power of eloquence without good morals, spending all their time in vices and debauchery. Thus, what you are afraid of there, you should be afraid of the same here, and here the more often, the more often the failures and the danger that threatens the highest. There you need to study only one thing, but here you have to master two subjects, since it is impossible to acquire one without the other - to study eloquence without good morals. But, if you want, let’s assume the impossible is possible: what good will knowledge of eloquence do to us when the most essential thing is defeated? And what’s the harm in not knowing when we have the most important things in order? And this is recognized not only among us, who laugh at external wisdom and consider it riotous (1 Cor. 3:19), but even among external philosophers themselves. Therefore, many (of them) did not care much about this knowledge, while others completely neglected it, and remained unsuccessful to the end and, having devoted their entire lives to the moral part of philosophy, became very famous and glorious. Thus, Anacharsis, Cratis and Diogenes did not care at all about this art; and some say the same about Socrates, and this can be testified to us by the one who was most distinguished in this art and knew his deeds more accurately than others. Having introduced Socrates to the court for acquittal, in a defensive speech before the judges, (Plato) introduced him as speaking like this: “Athenians, you will hear from me the whole truth, I swear by Zeus, and not speeches colored and decorated, like the speeches of judges, with excellent expressions and words; no, you will hear a speech presented simply and directly, in words that happen; for I am confident in the justice of what I say, and let none of you expect anything else; and with my age it would be inappropriate to appear before you like a young man composing speeches” 7. With these words, he showed that he did not study eloquence and did not use it, not out of laziness, but because he did not consider it important. So, eloquence is not the work of philosophers, or men in general, but an object of ambition for amused young men, as philosophers themselves think, not only others, but even the one who has surpassed everyone in this; and he does not allow his teacher to be decorated with this art, considering such decoration shameful for a philosopher. These examples would be fair to give for an unbeliever, but even more so for a believer. Isn’t it strange that those who chase the praises of the crowd and cannot distinguish themselves in anything other than external wisdom consider it to be nothing, while we admire and are so carried away by it that for the sake of it we neglect the most necessary things? 12. So, for the unbeliever these examples are enough, but for the believer, in addition to these, it is necessary to give our examples. Which ones? Those great and holy men, the first of whom did not have literacy, the later ones had literacy, but did not yet have the art of eloquence, and the later ones had both literacy and the art of eloquence. The first knew neither one nor the other, because they did not study not only eloquence, but also literacy itself: however, in those very cases in which the power of eloquence seems to be especially necessary, they so surpassed the strongest in it that these turned out to be worse than foolish children. If the power of persuasion lies in eloquence, and yet philosophers do not convince a single tyrant, and unlearned and simple people convert the entire universe; then, obviously, the triumph of wisdom belongs to the simple and unlearned, and not to those who have studied both arts. Thus, true wisdom and true education are nothing other than the fear of God. And let no one think that I legitimize that children remain ignorant; no, if someone guarantees for the most necessary things, I will not prevent them from having this art in abundance. Just as when the foundations are shaking and the whole house with the whole building is in danger of falling, it would be extremely senseless and crazy to run to the dyers, and not to the builders; Likewise, when the walls stand firmly and firmly, it would be inappropriate stubbornness to prevent someone who wants to paint them. And that I say this from the heart, I will now tell you what I found out in practice. One young man, very rich, once settled in our city to study Latin and Greek literature. This young man had with him a teacher who had only one job - to educate his soul. Having come to this teacher (he was from among those living in the mountains), I tried to find out for what reason he, who devoted himself to this wisdom, entered the life of an educator. He said that he had little time left (to spend) in this activity, and told us everything that had preceded it. “This young man,” he said, “has a stern and cruel father and is devoted to everyday affairs; and the mother is well-behaved, reasonable, strict and striving only for Heaven. The father, as having rendered much merit in the wars, wants to place his son in his rank, but the mother does not want this and does not agree and even strongly resists; she prays and wishes to see her son shining in monastic life. But she did not dare to say this to her father, because she was afraid that, having noticed this, he would not tie his son up with worldly ties in advance and, having distracted him from that intention, would not clothe him in military clothing with all its vanity, and would then make an ascetic life impossible for him. Therefore, she comes up with another means: calling me to her house and telling me all this, she, taking the boy’s right hand, puts it in my hands. When I asked why he was doing this? She said that there was only one way left for us to save our son, if I wished and agreed to take the boy as a teacher and come here; and she will convince the father that if (the son) chooses military life, the study of eloquence will, however, be useful for him. If I, she said, succeed in this, you, living with him alone in a foreign land and not encountering opposition from either your father or any of your relatives, will have the opportunity to educate him with complete freedom and set him up to live as if in a monastery; agree and promise to assist me in this matter. My concern is not about unimportant things; I worry and fear for the soul of my boy. Do not neglect the dangerous position of the one who is dearest to me, but rescue him from the nets, storms and disturbances that already surround him on all sides. If you do not want to show this mercy, then I call on God to be a mediator between us and testify that I have not omitted anything necessary to save his soul, and am clean from the blood of this youth; and if he happens to suffer anything characteristic of a young man living in luxury and absent-mindedness, then from you and your hands God will require the soul of this youth on that day. Having said this and much more, and crying heavily and bitterly, she convinced me to take on this work, and with such suggestions she let me go.” And the remedy she came up with was not in vain: the noble educator in a short time so incited the fire of jealousy in him (for his exploits) that he suddenly abandoned everything and fled into the desert, and another measure was needed to move him from intense asceticism to moderate, because there was a danger that he, having discovered the invented deed with such jealousy ahead of time, would not incite a cruel war against his mother and educator, and all the monks. After all, if the father had found out about his flight, he would not have failed to use all measures to disperse the holy men, not only those who accepted his son, but also all the others. Having met such a son and told him this and much more, I tried to preserve in him and even further strengthened his disposition towards philosophy, but suggested that he live in the city and study science, in order to thus bring the greatest benefit to his peers and hide from his father. And I considered this necessary not only for those saints, and for the mother, and for the teacher, but also for the boy himself. If his father had restrained him at the very beginning, he would probably have shaken the sprouts of wisdom in him, still tender, just planted; but when a lot of time had passed and they had taken root well, then, I was firmly convinced, no matter what happened, the father would not be able to harm his son: this really happened, and hope did not deceive me. When the father, after a long time had passed, approached it and attacked with great force, he not only did not shake this building, but discovered a great fortress in it; and many of his comrades received so much benefit from communicating with him that they became his competitors. Meanwhile, having a leader always with him, like a statue carefully crafted by the hand of an artist, every day he more and more improved his spiritual beauty. And here’s what’s surprising: when he appeared outside the house, he, apparently, was no different from others, because in his manner he was not rude or stern, and he did not wear unusual clothes, but in appearance, in his gaze, in his voice, and in everything else, he was the same as everyone else. That is why he was able to catch many of his interlocutors in his nets, hiding great wisdom within himself. And if someone saw him at home, he would think that he was one of the hermits living on the mountains; because his house was built exactly like a monastery, containing nothing except what was necessary. All his time was spent reading sacred books; Quickly mastering the sciences, he devoted a small part of the day to external teaching, and the rest of the time he occupied himself with incessant prayers and Divine books, and remained without food for the whole day, and not even one or two at a time, but more. And his nights witnessed the same tears and prayers and the same reading. The teacher recounted all this to us in secret, because the boy was dissatisfied if he learned that any of his exploits had been discovered; Moreover, he said that the boy made clothes for himself from hair, and slept in them at night, having found in them a wise remedy for getting up from sleep more quickly. And (everything) else was done with him exactly as with the monks, and he constantly glorified God, who had given him such light wings of wisdom. So, if now someone showed me such a soul and introduced such a teacher, and promised to take the same amount of care about everything else, I would wish a thousand times more than the parents themselves that things would turn out like this. Our catch would be more abundant if such people, with their lives, age, and constant treatment, caught their peers. But there is no one who would promise this and do it; and if not, then it would be immeasurable cruelty to leave one who cannot defend himself, but lies stricken with countless wounds and brings despondency to others, tormented in the midst of battle, instead of carrying him out of there. Likewise, a military leader would be punished if he put those who were capable of fighting out of action, and ordered the wounded and those lying down, who also lead others into confusion, to constantly lie in place. 13. But since many of the fathers urgently desire to see each of his sons engaged in eloquence, as if knowing for sure that the son will certainly achieve perfection in eloquence; then we will not argue about this and say that he will not be successful, we will even concede in words that he will certainly complete his studies and achieve perfection. But let us be offered two things to choose from: either let the son, attending schools, try to study science, or let him (care) for the soul in the desert; What is better, tell me, to keep up? If it were possible in both, then this is what I wish; but if one of the two remains unattainable, then it is better to choose the superior one. So, they will say to this; but how do we know that he will remain there and stand, and not fall? Many have already fallen. - How do you know that he won’t stay and resist? Many have already stood, and there are more of them than those who fell, so we must hope more because of these than to be afraid because of those. Why are you not afraid of the same thing in relation to science, where you should be afraid in particular? Among the many monks, only a few failed to achieve their goal, and in the pursuit of science, only a few succeeded. And not only for this reason, but for many other reasons, one can rightly be more afraid of the latter. Here, the inability of the youth and the inexperience of the teachers, and the carelessness of the teachers, and the lack of time of the father, and the lack of funds for expenses and salaries, and the difference in morals, and depravity, and envy, and the hatred of comrades, and much more prevents one from reaching the end. And not only these, but also at the end - even other big ones (troubles); because when he, having overcome everything and without being defeated by any of these obstacles, reaches the very top of education, other obstacles are again encountered. Here, the hostility of the boss, the envy of colleagues, the unfavorable circumstances of the time, the lack of friends, and poverty often remove one from the goal. But this is not the case with monks: they need only one thing - noble and kind zeal; and if this is the case, then nothing will prevent one from achieving perfection in virtue. Therefore, is it not fair to despair and fear where wonderful hopes are clear and close, and to despair and fear where the opposite is expected, at a distance and with numerous obstacles, but to boldly hope, despite the great obviousness and numerous difficulties? In relation to the sciences, look not at the troubles that often happen, but at the good, rarely occurring consequences, but in relation to the monks, do the opposite, and where there is a lot of hope for good, focus only on the sad, and where the opposite is expected, pay attention only to the good consequences? Meanwhile, there, even when all favorable circumstances come together, often premature death befalls the fighter at the very goal and carries him away, after countless exploits, uncrowned; and here, even if (death) happened among the very feats, it is then that he departs especially glorious and crowned. So, if you are afraid for the future, then you should be more afraid in relation to the sciences, where there are many obstacles to achieving the end; in this matter you remain waiting for a long time, and do not look at any obstacles encountered, nor at the costs, nor at the difficulty of the task, nor at the doubtfulness of success, but only at the end; and here, when the youth has not yet entered the vestibule, has not yet touched this beautiful wisdom, you are already afraid, trembling and falling into despair in spirit! Meanwhile, you yourself said before: “Well, can’t he who lives in the city and has a house be saved?” So, if you can be saved in the city, having a house and a wife, then much more - without a wife and without other things. It is not permissible for the same person to either be confident that salvation is possible for someone who is bound by everyday affairs, or to fear and tremble for someone who will be free from everything, as if without this it is impossible to lead a valiant life. Even if someone living in a city could be saved, as you say, it would be much more likely for someone who goes into the desert to escape. How are you afraid of the impossibility here, and not afraid of it where you should be afraid of it more? 14. But someone will say, it is not the same thing - whether a layman sins or someone who has dedicated himself to God forever; Since both of them do not fall from the same height, their wounds are not the same. You are very mistaken and deceived if you think that one thing is required from a layman, and another from a monk; the difference between them is that one marries and the other does not; in all other respects they are subject to the same responsibility. Thus, one who is angry with his brother in vain, whether he is a layman or a monk, equally offends God, and one who looks at a woman “to lust after her,” whether he is one or the other, will equally be punished for this adultery (Matthew 5:22, 28). If you can add something based on consideration, then a layman is less excusable in this passion; because it makes no difference whether he who has a wife and enjoys this pleasure is seduced by the beauty of a woman, or whether he who has no such help at all (against passion) is caught in this sin. Also, the one who swears, whether he is one or the other, will equally be condemned, because Christ, when he gave the command and law regarding this, did not make such a distinction and did not say: if the one who swears is a monk, then his oath is from the evil one, but if he is not a monk, then no, but simply and generally said to everyone: “I tell you not to swear in any way” (Matthew 5:34). And having said: “Woe... to those who laugh” (Luke 6:25), he did not add: to the monks, but in general he laid down this rule for everyone; This is what He did in all other great and wondrous commands. When, for example, He says: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, ... weeping, ... meek, ... hungry and thirsty for righteousness, ... mercy, ... purity of heart, ... peacemakers, ... cast out righteousness for the sake of”, bearing for Him from outside (unbelievers) the mentioned and unmentioned reproaches (Matthew 5:3-11), He does not give the name of either the layman or monk: such discrimination is brought about by the human mind. The Scriptures do not know this, but want everyone to live the life of monks, even if they have wives. Listen to what Paul also says (and when I speak about Paul, I speak again about Christ). Paul, in his letter to people who have wives and are raising children, demands from them all the severity of life characteristic of monks. Thus, eliminating all luxury both in clothing and in food, he writes the following words: “Let women adorn themselves with fashionable ornaments, with shame and chastity, not in wickerwork, or gold, or beads, or costly garments” (1 Tim. 2:9); and again: “he who feeds in large quantities is dead and alive” (1 Tim. 5:6); and again: “having... food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Tim. 6:8). What more could be demanded from monastics? And teaching others to hold their tongues, he again establishes strict rules, such that it is difficult for monks to fulfill, because he eliminates not only shameful and stupid speeches, but also buffoonery, drives out from the mouths of the faithful not only rage, anger, and resentment, but also the cry: “Let all rage, and anger, and cry, and blasphemy be taken away from you, with all malice” (Eph. 4:31). Or does this not seem enough to you? Wait, and you will hear much more about what he commands everyone about gentleness. “Let not the sun,” he says, “go down on your anger” (Eph.4:26); “Take heed that no one repays evil for evil; but always pursue good things, both to one another and to everyone” (1 Thess. 5:15); and again: “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Rom. 12:21). Do you see the degree of wisdom and long-suffering reaching to the very top? Listen also to what he commands about love, the head of the virtues: having placed it above all and spoken about its actions, he explained that he demands from the laity the same love that Christ (demanded) from his disciples. As the Savior said that the highest degree of love is to lay down your life for your friends (John 15:13); So Paul expressed the same thing, saying: “love... does not seek his own” (1 Cor. 13:5), and he commanded to strive for such and such love; so that if only this one thing were said, it would be enough to prove that the same thing is required of the laity as of the monks, because love is the connection and root of many virtues, and Paul expounds it in particulars. What can you demand more than this wisdom? When he commands to be above anger, and rage, and shouting, and covetousness, and gluttony, and luxury, and vanity and other worldly things and have nothing to do with the earth; when he commands to “put to death the ouds” (Col. 3:5), he obviously demands from us the same strict life that Christ (demanded) from his disciples, and wants us to be just as dead to sins as those who died and were buried. Therefore, he says: “If you die... be free from sin” (Rom. 6:7). And in other places he exhorts us to imitate Christ, and not only His disciples; Thus, when he convinces us to love, to forbearance and meekness, he cites Christ as an example. So, if (Paul) commands to imitate not only monks and not even disciples, but Christ Himself, and assigns the greatest punishment to those who do not imitate, then why do you call their height greater? All men must ascend to the same height; This is precisely what has distorted the entire universe, that we think that only the monastic needs greater severity of life, while others can live carelessly. No no; From all of us, he says, the same wisdom is required: I would very much like to instill this; or better – not I, but He Himself who will judge us. If you are still surprised and perplexed, then we will again draw for your hearing from the same sources, so that you can be completely washed from all impurity of unbelief. I will present evidence from the punishments that will take place on that day (of the Judgment). The rich man was not punished for much because he was a cruel monk, but - if something can be said to clarify - because, being a layman and living in wealth and purple, he despised Lazarus in extreme poverty. However, I will not say either one or the other, but only that he was cruel and for this he suffered the most severe torment in the fire. And the virgins, because they did not have love for mankind, were rejected from the bridal chamber; and, if I can add something from myself, not only was their punishment not increased for their virginity, but, perhaps, even softened for this; for they did not hear: “Go... into the fire... prepared for the devil and his angel” (Matthew 25:41), but only: “We do not know you” (Matthew 25:12). If someone says that both are the same, I will not contradict; because I am now trying to prove that the life of monks does not make the punishments more severe, but that the laity are subject to the same punishments if they sin in the same way as them. So the one dressed in unclean clothes (Matthew 22:1-13) and the one who demanded (from the debtor) one hundred denarii (Matthew 18:23-34) suffered the troubles that befell them not because they were monks, but the former died for fornication, and the latter for vindictiveness. If anyone looks at others who will then be punished, he will see that they are being punished only for their sins. This can be seen not only in punishments, but also in admonitions. Thus, (the Lord), saying: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest: take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29), - he says this not only to the monastics, but to the entire human race. And when he commands to walk the narrow path (Luke 13:24), he addresses his speech not only to them alone, but to all people; He equally commanded everyone to hate their soul in this world (John 12:25), and everything else like that. But when He does not speak to everyone and does not teach the law, He Himself explains this to us. So, speaking about virginity, He added: “He who is able to contain, let him contain” (Matthew 19:12); did not say: “everyone”, did not teach this as a commandment. So Paul, who everywhere imitates the Teacher, touching on this subject, said: “But concerning virgins I have not commanded the Lord” (1 Cor. 7:25). So, henceforth I think that even the most argumentative and shameless will not deny that both a layman and a monk should reach the same height, and that both of them, if they fall, will receive the same punishments. 15. Having clearly proven this, let us now examine who is easier and more likely to fall. However, we don’t need research here either. Although maintaining chastity is easy for a married person, as he enjoys great joy, in relation to other virtues it turns out not to be very (easy) for him either - however, here too we see more married people falling than monks. They don’t so much leave monasteries to get married as they leave the marriage bed to become harlots. If (the laity) so often fall in that which is easy for them to fight, then what should they do with other passions, with which they are more indignant than the monks? These, of course, are more strongly attacked by lust, since they do not have intercourse with women; but other passions may not come close to them, while the laity are strongly persecuted and struck to the very head. If monks, even in those areas in which their struggle is stronger, win more easily than people who are not subjected to such struggle, then they will obviously be much easier than the latter to resist other passions with which they are not indignant. Thus, self-interest and passion for pleasure and power, and everything else, are usually much easier to overcome by them than by the laity. Just as in war and battle we call easier not that part of the struggle where the dead fall often and one after another, but that where few and rarely fall: this is how we must judge this subject. Selfishness is more easily overcome not by those who move among the world, but by those who dwell in the mountains; the first is easily defeated by him, and the one defeated by greed must be counted among the idolaters (Col. 3:5). The latter, if he has money, will not want to leave his relatives without benefits, but will willingly give them everything, while the former will not only leave them without attention, but will also offend no less than strangers: and this is a different kind of service, harder than the first. And is it necessary to count everything else that is easily defeated by the monastics, but overthrows the laity with great force? How is it that you are not afraid and trembling, introducing (your son) into a life in which he may soon be overcome by vices? Or does it seem to you a matter of little importance to serve idols, to be worse than infidels, to deny by deeds the service of God - all of which are more likely to be subjected to people attached to the world than to monks? Don't you see that your fear is an empty excuse? If we need to be afraid, then not for those who avoid disturbances and hurry to the pier, but for those who rush along the waves amidst the whirlwind and storm. There are more likely to be shipwrecks here, because there is more excitement, and those who have to fight are more careless; and there are no such waves, and there is great silence, and there is more zeal in those who must fight. That’s why we attract (others) to the desert, not so that they just put on hair shirts, put chains on themselves and be sprinkled with ashes, but so that, above all else, they avoid vices and indulge in virtue. Well, they will say, will all married people really die? This is not what I say, but that if they want to be saved, they will have more work to do, out of inevitable necessity, because it is easier for an unbound person to escape than for a bound one. But will he receive both a great reward and the most brilliant crowns? No; because he himself imposes this necessity on himself, whereas it would be possible not to impose it. So, when it has been clearly proven to us that we are subject to the same responsibility as monks, we ourselves will follow the most convenient path, and we will lead our sons along it; but let us not, like enemies and adversaries, drown them and drag them into the abyss of depravity. If others did it, it wouldn't be so terrible; but when parents, having experienced everything in life and actually learned how empty real pleasures are, reach such madness that they attract others to them, since their age no longer allows them (to indulge in them), and when they should reproach themselves for the past, they plunge others there too, and, moreover, being already close to death, the Judgment and the torture there; then what excuse, what forgiveness, what mercy will remain for them? They will be punished not only for their sins, but also for their influence on their children, whether they succeed in causing them to fall or not. 16. But maybe you want to see children from children? How can this be when you yourselves have not yet become (true) fathers? It is not birth that makes such a father: the parents themselves will agree with this, who, seeing their children reaching the extreme depravity, reject and shun them, as if they were not their own; and neither nature, nor birth, nor anything else like that, can keep them from this. Let them not be considered the fathers of those who are far from wisdom; but when they give birth in this way, then let them expect grandchildren for themselves, because only then will they be able to see them. Their children are those “who were born not of blood, nor of carnal lust, nor of manly lust, but of God” (John 1:13). These children do not make their fathers worry about money, or about marriage, or anything else like that, but leaving them free from all worries, they give them greater pleasure than what carnal fathers enjoy. They are both born and brought up not like them, but much better and more brilliant; That’s why they make parents more happy. In addition, I would also say that it is natural for those who do not believe in the resurrection to cry for children, since for them this is the only consolation left; But we, who consider death to be a dream and are taught to despise everything here, will we be worthy of any forgiveness if we begin to cry for them and try to see our children and leave them here, from where we ourselves strive to leave and where, while remaining, we sigh? However, we said this for more spiritual people. And to those who love the flesh and are very attached to real life, I would say that, firstly, it is not known whether there will certainly be children after marriage; secondly, if they do, then they will cause more grief, because we receive not so much joy as sorrow from daily worries, worries and fears for them. But to whom, they will say, will we leave the fields, houses, slaves and gold (they, as I hear, cry about this too)? To the one who previously had (the right) to inherit them, and now even more so, the more reliable he will now be both the custodian and the owner of them. Then many things could harm these benefits: aphids, and longevity, and robbers, and slanderers, and envious people, and the uncertainty of the future, and the fickleness of people, and finally, death could deprive the son of both money and these estates; and now he has laid down his wealth above all this, having found a place of safety where nothing said can reach. It is Heaven that is such a place that is inaccessible to any attack, more fruitful than any earth, and allows those who have stored their wealth in it to reap their fruits in great abundance. Therefore, it would not be appropriate to say this now, but when the son intended to be a worldly man, then (it would be necessary) to cry and say: to whom will we leave the fields, to whom will we leave gold, to whom will we leave other property? Now he has so much power over wealth that he will not lose possession of it even after leaving here, but then he will especially enjoy the benefits of wealth when he leaves here. If you still want to see your son as the master of property here, then you can more likely expect this from a monk than from a layman. Who, tell me, is more master of wealth: the one who spends and distributes it with great generosity, or the one who, out of stinginess, does not dare to touch it, but buries it and abstains from his own, as if from someone else’s? Is it the one who spends recklessly and in vain, or the one who does it properly? Is it the one who sows on earth, or the one who does it in Heaven? Is it the one who is not allowed to give away everything he has to whomever he wants, or who is free from all demands for various extortions? Many approach the farmer and merchant from all sides, forcing him to pay taxes and each demanding his share; but whoever wants to give to those in need, no one will come to him from anywhere with such demands, so that here too he is more the master (of his wealth). Would you really call the one who would squander his property on harlots, on gluttony, on parasites and flatterers, disgrace his honor, lose his salvation and become worthy of ridicule, the master of the squandered, and you would not call the one who spends his property with great prudence, for true glory and benefit, and for what is pleasing to God? Then you will do the same as if, seeing someone throwing his property into gutters, you called him their master, and began to mourn the one who uses it for necessary needs, as if he had no power over what was spent. Or better yet, such people should be compared not with those who simply spend (their property), but with those who spend to harm their own heads, because those expenses make a person more noble, more sufficient and safer, and these expose them not only to shame and disgrace, but also to inevitable death. 17. But, they will say, after marriage and the birth of children, is it not possible to devote oneself to wisdom, having reached a ripe old age? And who will guarantee us, firstly, that we will reach a ripe old age, and secondly, that, having achieved it, we will certainly maintain this intention? We have no power within the limits of life, which Paul also teaches when he says: “The Day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thess. 5:2); and our thoughts do not always remain in the same mood. Therefore, the Wise One gives the following admonition: “Do not hesitate to turn to the Lord and do not put off day by day,” lest you be crushed when you hesitate, “and perish in vengeance” (Sir. 5:8-9). But even if there were no such uncertainty, even then one should not put off dealings with one’s sons and lose sight of how much harm this can cause. Truly, it would be extremely reckless, when a young man needs help and when he is threatened by a strong enemy, to order him to plunge into everyday affairs, so that he can easily be defeated (by the enemy), and when he receives thousands of wounds and there is no longer a single healthy place on him, then to arm and excite him, already lying down and exhausted. Yes, they will say, then the struggle is easy, then the battle is convenient, when lusts are extinguished. But what kind of fight is there when no one fights with us? There will be no bright crowns for this; for blessed is “those who take a yoke from their youth and sit on one and remain silent” (Lam. 3:27–28). He is worthy of countless praises, glorifications and honors who curbs the raging nature and saves the boat during the most severe storm. However, let's not argue about this; let the struggle be delayed if you wish. But if the time of the struggle depended on us, we could expect old age; If, however, a person needs to fight throughout his entire life, starting from a very young age, or from ten years of age (for from this age one must give an account for sins, as the example of the youths devoured by bears for mocking Elisha shows), and, moreover, to fight from the age at which the strongest war is raised against us, then why do you assign the time of old age for exploits? If you had the power to order the devil not to attack or enter into a fight, then this advice of yours would have some meaning; but if you leave him to act and strike, and command me to remain calm, or even voluntarily bow before him, what could be worse than this insult - at the very time when the enemy is raging, to disarm the one he attacks, and thus deliver him into his hands? - But your son is young and weak? That is why he needs greater security, and in need of security, he also needs greater care. Such a person should always be in peace and quiet, not interfere in (worldly) affairs and move in an environment where there is a lot of noise and confusion. And you, for whom the struggle is especially difficult because of their age, and because of weakness, and because of inexperience, and because of their absent-mindedness in the world, draw them into the world as if they were already experienced and strong, and you do not allow them to go away to labor in the desert, just as if someone ordered a person who can win thousands of victories to reflect on the affairs of the military in inaction, and therefore forced an inexperienced person who cannot even look at the battle to be in battle, plunging him into extreme difficulties in this impossible task. Moreover, you also need to know that after marriage you cannot be your own master, but one of two things is inevitable: either have permanent cohabitation with your wife, if she wants it; or, if she wishes to abstain, leave her and indulge in fornication. Is it necessary to talk about other difficulties, about worries regarding children and home, which can dull all zeal (for piety) and produce great relaxation in the soul? 18. Therefore, it is better to arm (the son) from a young age, when he has power over himself and is not bound by anything - it is better not only for the reasons said, but no less because it has to be said. He who begins to practice philosophy at the end of his life spends all his time trying to wash away, as best he can, the sins committed at a previous age, and all his zeal is exhausted for this; but often he does not succeed in this either, and leaves here with the remains of his wounds; and whoever has entered into asceticism from a young age does not waste time on it and does not sit around healing his wounds, but from the very beginning already receives rewards; for the former it is desirable to get rid of all wounds, and the latter, from the very moment he enters the field, erects trophies and adds victories to victories; he, like an Olympic wrestler, marching from youth to old age amidst exclamations of victory, goes there, crowned with countless crowns on his head. Who do you want your son to be with? Is it with those who can look with great boldness at the Archangels themselves, or with those who stand with everyone else and occupy the last place? Such, of course, will take the last place, even if they are able to overcome all the obstacles that I have now enumerated: if they do not suffer a premature death, if their wife does not then prevent them, if they do not receive so many wounds that all old age will not be enough to heal them, and if they forever retain their disposition (towards piety) firm and unshakable. When all this comes together, and then they will barely occupy a place between the latter. Do you want your son to be with them, or among those who shine in the first rank of the (heavenly) army? Who, they will say, is so pathetic as to wish his children the first, and not the last? – but we follow a habit and want them to be with us. This is what I wish, and no less than you, the parents, I pray that they return to their parents’ home and be rewarded for their upbringing in such a way that it would be impossible to find other equal rewards; but let’s not demand this from them now. Isn’t it strange, when sending them to study eloquence, to remove them for a long time even from their fatherland, or, when they intend to study some metalworking or other even lower craft, not to let them into your home, but to order them to dine and spend the night in the teacher’s house; when do they intend to begin studying not human science, but heavenly philosophy, and immediately distract them from this, before our desired is fulfilled? Someone who learns to walk on a tight rope is separated from his family for a long time; and those who learn to fly from earth to Heaven, will we keep with their parents? What could be worse than such recklessness? Don’t you see that farmers, no matter how much they desire to receive the fruits of their labors, will never, however, decide to collect them prematurely? So, let us not prematurely turn our sons away from the desert life, but let us allow the lessons to strengthen in them and the seeds (of piety) to take root; Let us not worry and grieve, even if they had to be raised in a monastery for ten or twenty years; because the more someone practices in school, the more strength he will gain. Better yet, if you like, we won’t set a deadline; but let the only limit be the time when the fruits sown in the son reach maturity; then let him return from the desert, but before - not; because the only thing that will happen from our haste is that he will never be mature. He who is prematurely deprived of nourishment at the root will not be fit for purpose at the proper time; and to prevent this from happening (to our children), we will patiently endure the separation, and not only will we not rush it ourselves, but if they want to return prematurely, we will not allow it. Having improved, the son will be an acquisition for everyone, both for father and mother, and for the house and the city, and for society; if he returns without achieving his goal, he will be the subject of ridicule and shame, and will harm himself and others. Let us not do such harm. When sending our sons to a foreign land, we want to see them when they have improved in what they undertook the journey for; if they return first, then we receive not so much pleasure from their arrival as sorrow from the fact that they returned without benefit. So, isn’t it extremely unreasonable not to apply the same care for spiritual things that we show in relation to everyday things, but there it is wise to endure separation from children, even with the desire for a longer continuation of it, if this is in any way useful, but here to be so tender and sensitive to separation that the greatest blessings perish from such cowardice, having, moreover, here much more consolation not only in the fact that the children devoted themselves to the most important activities and will certainly achieve their goal and nothing will destroy their hopes, but even in separation itself? When children are on a long journey, it is difficult to see them, especially if the parents are elderly; and here you can often come to them. This is what we will do: when the children cannot yet come to us, we will come to them for a meeting and an interview. This will bring us a lot of benefit and pleasure: we will not only rejoice when meeting our beloved children, but also return home with great fruits for ourselves; and often we ourselves will remain with them, imbued with a love of wisdom. So, let us begin to call them when they become strong and capable of benefiting others; Then we will only bring them out from there, so that they will be light for everyone, so that the lamp will stand on the candlestick. Then you will see which children are the fathers of you, and which ones are the fathers of those whom you consider happy; then you will learn the benefits of wisdom when (your children) begin to heal people suffering from incurable diseases, when they are glorified as common benefactors, patrons and saviors, when they live with people on earth like angels and turn everyone’s gaze on themselves; or rather, no matter what we say, you cannot express everything that can be seen in experience and in reality. This is what legislators should do in order to do what is right - not then to instill fear in young people when they become men, but to instruct and guide them in childhood; then and subsequently there would be no need for threats. And now it’s the same as if some doctor said nothing to someone who was starting to get sick and didn’t show him how to free himself from the disease, but began to teach countless rules to someone who was exhausted and incurable. So the legislators then guide us when we have already become corrupted. But that is not what Paul does; he assigns teachers of virtue to children from the beginning and from their young age, blocking vices' access to them. The best teaching is not when, having allowed vices to gain the upper hand in advance, they then try to drive them out, but when they use all measures to make our nature inaccessible to them. Therefore, I exhort you not only to restrain others who want to do this, but also to act and save the boat (life), and try to ensure that it sails with a fair wind. Truly, if we all adopted this way of thinking and, above all else, led children to virtue, considering this the main thing, and everything else ancillary, then so many good things would come from everywhere that, listing them now, I would seem to be exaggerating the matter. If anyone wants to be convinced of this, he can know this well from the deeds themselves, and will express to us, and before us to God, great gratitude, seeing that heavenly life is flourishing on earth, and that as a result of this, the teaching about future blessings and the resurrection is accepted with faith by the infidels themselves. 19. And that this is not self-praise is evident from the following: when we talk to the infidels about the life of hermits, they cannot say anything against it, but think to find support for objections in the small number of those who lead such a life. But if we planted this fruit in the cities, if decorum became the law and the beginning, and if we taught our children, first of all else, to be friends of God and taught instead of all and before all other spiritual sciences, then all sorrows would cease, the present life would get rid of countless evils, and what is said about the future life, i.e.: “sickness and sorrow and sighing will flee away” (Is. 35:10), we would all have here too. If we had no addiction to money or empty fame, if we were not afraid of death or poverty, if we considered sorrow not an evil, but the greatest good, if we knew neither enmity nor hatred, then we would not suffer either from our own or from others’ sorrows, but the human race would draw closer to the Angels themselves. But, someone will say, which person has achieved such perfection? You, of course, will not believe this, living in cities and not reading Divine books; but if you knew those living in the deserts and the ancients mentioned in spiritual books, you would be convinced that the monks, and before them the apostles, and before these (Old Testament) righteous people, were distinguished with all fidelity by such wisdom. However, so as not to argue with you, let’s assume that your son will be two or three degrees lower than them, but even in this case he will receive many benefits. He will not be equal to Peter and Paul and will not even be close to them: but shall we therefore deprive him of a lower honor, compared to them? Reasoning in this way, you would do the same as if you had said: if it cannot be a precious stone, then let it remain iron, but be neither silver nor gold. Why don’t you think the same way in external affairs, but quite the opposite? When sending your son to study eloquence, although you do not necessarily hope to see him at the height of perfection, you do not therefore distract him from this activity, but do everything on your part, considering it satisfactory if your son, in terms of success in eloquence, manages to be fifth or tenth from the first. And when assigning sons to the service of the king, you do not expect that they will certainly reach the level of military leaders, but you do not order them to take off their military clothes and not even approach the threshold of the palace, but use all means so that they are not excluded from staying there, considering it sufficient to see them even among the average. Why are you there, if it is impossible to get more, you try and care about less, although the hope for this is also doubtful, but here you are not happy and shy away? Because you strongly desire those benefits, and these are not less; and then, ashamed to admit it, you come up with excuses and excuses; meanwhile, if you truly desired (these benefits), nothing would turn you away from them. This is really so: whoever truly loves something, if he cannot achieve everything or the highest, will at least try to achieve the average and even a thousand times lower. Thus, someone who is addicted to wine and drinks, if he cannot get sweet and aromatic wine, will never refuse even the worst; and the covetous, even if someone gave him not precious stones and not gold, but silver, will be very grateful. Such is passion: it is a kind of violence that can force anyone possessed by it to endure and endure everything for whatever reason; therefore, if your words were not just a pretext, then you should assist us, because it is common for someone who wants something to happen not to interfere with this implementation, but to facilitate it in every possible way. Likewise, those entering the Olympic Games, although they know that out of many (competitors) only one will receive the reward for victory, nevertheless they enter into the struggle and strive. Meanwhile, there is no comparison between here and there, not only in terms of the purpose of the exploits, but also because there only one inevitably leaves crowned, and here the advantage and humiliation is not that one leaves uncrowned and the other crowned, but that one receives more brilliant praise, the other less, but everyone receives. In general, if we wanted to first set up children and hand them over to those who wish to educate them, then it would not be incredible that they would become in the first rank of the army; because God would not despise such zeal and zeal, but would stretch out His hand and apply it to these (living) images. And when His hand works, then failure in anything is impossible, or rather, it is impossible not to reach the highest degree of splendor and glory, as long as there is also due on our part. If wives were able to beg God to help them raise children, how much more could we do this if we wanted. In order not to lengthen the words, I will remain silent about the other wives, although I could talk about many, but I will mention only one. 20. There was one Jewish woman, Anna. This Anna gave birth to one son and did not hope to have another, because she barely received even that after many tears, since she was barren. Although she saw that her rival often reproached her for this, she did not act as you do, but, having received this son, kept him with her only until it was necessary to feed him with milk. And as soon as he no longer needed this food, she, taking him, immediately dedicated him to God, did not invite him to come to his parents’ house, and he lived constantly in the church of God: and if when she, as a mother, wanted to see him, she did not call the boy to her, but she and her father came to him, treating him as already dedicated (to God). That is why the young man became so valiant and great that when God turned away from the Jewish people for the wickedness that had spread among them, did not utter prophecies and did not reveal any vision, he again bowed down with his virtue and begged to grant (the Jews) the same thing as before, and returned the gift of prophecy that had flown away. And he did this when he was not in adulthood, but still a small youth: “The vision was not sent,” says Scripture, “and the word (of the Lord) was not honest” (1 Samuel 3:1); Meanwhile, God often revealed His will to him. It is so useful to always give your acquisitions to God and give up everything, not only money and possessions, but also your children themselves. If we are commanded to do this with our soul (Matthew 16:24-25), how much more with everything else. Patriarch Abraham did the same, or better said, much higher: for this he received back his son with greater glory. Truly, we especially stay with our children when we give them to the Lord. He will preserve them much better (for us), since he grieves more about them. Don't you see that this happens in the houses of the rich? And there you can see that the lower (servants) living with their fathers are not so noticeable and do not have such power; and those whom the masters, having taken away from their parents, assign to their service to store treasures, enjoy greater favor and freedom, and are as much more glorious than their fellow servants as masters are more glorious than slaves. If people are so kind and supportive to their servants, then much more boundless Goodness, i.e. God. Let us release the children to serve (God), leading them not into the church, like Samuel, but into Heaven itself, along with the Angels and Archangels. And that those who devote themselves to this wisdom will really serve together with them is obvious to everyone. They will intercede with great boldness not only for themselves, but also for you. For if some received (from God) some mercy for their fathers, how much more will fathers (receive) for their children; because in the first case the right (to mercy) is only the unity of nature, and in the latter - and education, which is much more important than nature. I can confirm both of these to you with the Divine Scriptures. Thus, Hezekiah, the virtuous and pious, but who did not have the courage to resist the great danger in his deeds, is saved by God, as He Himself said, for the virtue of his father: “And I will defend,” He says, “this city, which I will save for My sake and for David’s sake for My servant” (2 Kings 19:34). And Paul, in his letter to Timothy about his parents, said: “For the sake of childbearing, if you continue in faith and love and in holiness with chastity, you will be saved” (1 Tim. 2:15). And the Scripture glorified Job both for the fact that he was “...righteous,...true” and pious (Job.1:1), and for caring for children; and it did not consist in collecting wealth for them, and not in trying to make them famous and famous, but in what? Listen to what the Scripture says: “When the days of their feast were ended, Job sent, and cleansed them, rising in the morning, and offering for them a sacrifice according to their number, and one calf for the sin of their souls: for Job said in his heart: when my sons were negligent in their thoughts... they thought evil against God” (Job 1:5). What justification will we have for daring to do such things? If the one who lived before grace and before the law, and did not hear any teaching, had such great care for children that he feared for their secret sins, then who will justify us, who live in the time of grace, we have so many teachers, such examples and such admonitions, and yet not only are we not afraid for secret ones, but we do not pay attention to obvious sins, and not only do we not pay attention, but we also persecute those who want to correct them? And Abraham, as I said before, became famous among others for this virtue. 21. So, having so many examples, let us prepare valiant servants and doers for God. If the one who trains fighters for cities or trains warriors for kings is awarded great honor, then what gift can we receive by training such valiant and great men for God, or better yet, angels? Let us do everything to leave them the wealth of piety, which remains constantly, accompanies us when we depart from here and can bring the greatest benefit not only here, but also there. Worldly wealth does not go there with people, but even here it perishes before them, and often destroys those who own it along with it; but that wealth, both here and there, will remain strong and will preserve those who acquire it in great security. It is true: whoever prefers the earthly to the spiritual will lose both; and whoever strives for heavenly things will certainly receive earthly things. These are not my words, but the Lord Himself, who has to give these blessings: “Seek,” He says, “the kingdom of God..., and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). What can compare with this honor? Take care, He says, about spiritual things, and leave everything that is yours to Me. Just as if a child-loving father took care of the house, managing the servants and everything else, and advised his son to engage only in wisdom; This is exactly what God does. Let us be obedient, let us seek the Kingdom of God; then we will see children everywhere respected, and we ourselves will become glorified with them, we will enjoy present blessings, if only we love the future and heavenly ones. This will bring you, when you obey, a great reward, and for those who resist and disobey - the heaviest punishment; because you can’t make excuses and say: no one taught us this. Such a justification, even before our words, has already been refuted, since (our) nature has the ability to accurately distinguish good from bad, and our wisdom is offered everywhere, and the disasters that happen in life are strong enough to drive even those strongly attached to the world into the desert. So, even if we were silent, as I said, the justification has already been refuted, and even more so now, after this lengthy reasoning, after such admonition, offered both from experience and from the Divine Scriptures. Even if the children, staying at home, were not completely corrupted, but received salvation only in the last place, then we (the parents) would not have escaped punishment for preventing their desire to lead a more strict life and keeping those who were striving for Heaven in everyday affairs; but if this turns out to be impossible, and, on the contrary, they inevitably have to perish and are in extreme danger, then what excuse will we have, what justification, having incurred the gravest responsibility not only for our sins, but also for the subsequent sins of our children? Not so much, I think, will they be punished for what they sinned after they were carried away into these waves (of worldly life), as you, who put them in such an extreme. Truly, if he who seduced one, it would have been better for him to be drowned in the sea with a millstone (Matthew 18:6); then what punishment and torment will be sufficient for those who show such cruelty and ill will towards their children? Therefore, I ask you to stop the competition and be fathers of wise children. You can’t say what I hear many people use as an excuse. What is this? We knew they were saying that they couldn’t reach the end, so we stopped them. But even if you had clearly foreseen this and if it had not been just a guess—for many of those whom they thought would fall survived—if, I say, you had truly foreseen this, then you should not have distracted your son. If we, for example, began to substitute our foot for someone who is already ready to fall, then this would not be used as an excuse for us; on the contrary, this would serve most of all to condemn us. Why did you not allow the fall to take place through man’s own carelessness, but anticipated this sin and brought all the blame onto your own head? Or better yet, you shouldn’t have allowed this to happen; Why didn’t you use every means to ensure that your son did not fall? Since you especially knew that he would fall, then for this you are especially worthy of punishment. The one who knew this in advance should not have contributed to the fall, but should have offered his hand and exerted all possible diligence so that the one who was ready to fall would stand firm, even if he stood firm or not. We must do everything on our part, even if others do not receive any benefit from us. Why and for what? In order for God to demand an account, it is no longer from us, but from them. He Himself said this in condemnation of the one who did nothing with his talent: “It is fitting for you,” he says, “to give my money to a trader, and when I came, I would take what was mine with interest” (Matthew 25:27). Let us listen to the One who inspires this, so that we may avoid punishment. We cannot, together with people, deceive God, who tests hearts, reveals everything and places on us responsibility for the salvation of children everywhere. If he who did not give the silver (to the traders) was subjected to such punishment, then what will he be subjected to who prevents (others) who want to give it away? So, not only if the children, at your suggestion, plunge into everyday affairs, but also if they courageously resist our attack and again retire to the mountains, the same punishment will befall those who wanted to prevent them. Just as the one who attracts to philosophy, whether he convinces or not, will receive the full reward (for he has fulfilled his task), so the one who wants to corrupt, whether he manages to do this or not, will suffer the same punishment, because he has also fulfilled his task. Thus, even if you did not manage to overcome and eradicate the noble aspirations of the children, for one attempt at this you will be subject to the same punishment as those who diverted them from there. So, having considered all this and leaving behind all excuses, let us try to be fathers of valiant children, builders of Christ-bearing churches, trustees of heavenly warriors, anointing and rousing them, and in every possible way contribute to their benefit, so that we too can be partakers of their crowns. If you resist, then the children, if they are valiant, will achieve this wisdom against your will and will enjoy all the benefits, and what will happen to you is that you will incur immeasurable punishment on yourself and will praise what we have said when these praises will no longer benefit you. Josephus, “On the Jewish War,” book 6, chapter 3, 3–5. Attic drachma, used among the Jews (Matthew 17:27, Luke 15:8) 1/4 satyr about 20 kopecks in silver. What is it about? said at the end of the first word. Dedicate yourself to monastic life. In the conversation of the philosopher Plato: Crito, p. 45. Euripus - a stormy strait near the island. Evvei. The philosopher Plato in his essay “Apology of Socrates”. The treatise “To those who are hostile against those who attract to monastic life” was written between 378–385. The reason for its writing was attacks on Christian hermits who lived near Antioch. (Orthodox Encyclopedia. JOHN CHRYSOSTOM. PART I) You might be interested in: