Letter 13: Chrysostom insists that Olympias has already won a public victory, turns slander and exile into crowns of patience, and says her enemies are punished by conscience even before judgment.
What are you saying? Have you not set up a trophy? Have you not won a brilliant victory? Have you not bound on a crown that will keep blooming forever? Is this not what the whole world says, singing your achievements everywhere on earth? The contests and wrestling grounds may have been set in one place, and your races and blood-soaked struggles may have happened there, but the glory and praise of them have reached the ends of the world.
Yet you, wanting to make those victories greater and to create still more prizes, have added the crowns of humility too. You say that you are as far from these trophies as the dead are from the living. I will show you, from the facts themselves, that these are words of humility. You were driven from your homeland, your house, your friends, and your family. You were sent into exile. You did not stop dying every day, making up by the abundance of your resolve for what nature allows only once. Since a human being cannot die many deaths in actual experience, you have done it in intention.
And what is greatest of all, while suffering some things and expecting to suffer others, you did not stop glorifying God, who permits these things to happen, and you dealt the devil a timely blow. That he received a timely blow is clear from the way he approached you afterward and armed himself more fiercely. For this reason the later trials became harder than the first. A scorpion or a snake, when struck deeply, raises its sting higher and rises up against the one who struck it, proving by its furious rush how much pain it feels. In the same way, that shameless beast, after receiving deep wounds from your wonderful and lofty soul, leapt at you more fiercely and brought on more trials.
He brought them on, not God. But God permitted them, increasing your wealth, making your business greater, and securing for you a larger reward and richer repayment. So do not be troubled or disturbed. Who ever grew weary while becoming rich? Who was confused while rising to the highest offices? If people who gather human goods, things mortal, weaker than a shadow, and more withered than rotting flowers, leap, dance, and fly for joy over a pleasure that appears and disappears at the same time, imitating the course of rivers, how much more should you make the present moment an occasion for the greatest cheerfulness, even if you were despondent before? The treasure you have gathered cannot be plundered. The dignity established through these sufferings has no successor and expects no end. It is endless, not interrupted by hard times, human plots, demonic attacks, or even death itself.
If you want to mourn, mourn for those who do these things, the perpetrators and ministers of these evils. They have stored up the greatest punishment for themselves in the future, and already here they have paid the final penalty, with so many people turning away from them, regarding them as enemies, cursing them, and condemning them. If they do not realize this, they are all the more pitiable and worthy of tears, like people seized by madness who kick and strike at random those they meet, even their benefactors and friends, without knowing the frenzy that possesses them. Their disease is incurable because they will not admit physicians or endure medicines. They even repay the opposite to those who want to heal and help them.
They are pitiable, then, if they are unaware of so much wickedness. And even if they are not turned back by the condemnation of others, they cannot escape the rebuke of their own conscience: that unavoidable and incorruptible judge, which yields to no fear, is not bribed by flattery or money, and is not worn down by time.
Think of Jacob's son, who told his father that a wild beast had devoured Joseph. He acted out that wicked drama and tried to hide the murder of his brother behind that mask. He deceived his father for a time, but he did not deceive his conscience or persuade it to keep quiet. It kept rising up against him, crying out continuously, never silenced. Long afterward, the man who had denied to his father the deed he had dared, who had told no one else, with no accuser, no prosecutor, no witness, and no one reminding him of that drama, found himself in danger over his freedom and life. Then he showed that the accuser inside him had not been muzzled or buried by all that time. He said, "Yes, we are guilty concerning our brother. When he pleaded with us, we ignored his distress and the anguish of his soul. Now his blood is being required of us."
The charge against him at that moment was different. He was being judged for theft and being led away as if he had stolen a golden cup. But since he knew he was innocent of that, he did not grieve over it or say he was suffering for the thing for which he was being judged. Instead, for the deed no one was accusing him of, no one demanding an account for, no one even knowing he had dared, he became his own prosecutor and accuser. Conscience seized him. The man who had shed his brother's blood and seemed to escape punishment now became tenderhearted and accused the whole group who had shared in that foul murder, turning all their cruelty into tragedy: "When he pleaded with us, we ignored his distress and the anguish of his soul." Nature itself, he says, was enough to soften us and bend us to mercy; and he added tears and supplication, yet even so he did not bend us. For this reason, he says, this tribunal has been assembled for us. For this reason we are in danger for blood, because we too sinned against blood.
Judas too, unable to bear the rebuke of conscience, ran to the noose and ended his life by hanging. When he dared that shameless bargain and said, "What will you give me, and I will hand him over to you?" he was not ashamed before those who heard him, even though he was a disciple plotting such things against the Teacher. In the days between, he was not pierced by remorse. Still drunk on the pleasure of greed, he did not fully feel the accusation of conscience. But when he had committed the sin, received the silver, and the pleasure of gain had faded, while the charge of his trespass had come fully into bloom, then, with no one forcing, compelling, or advising him, he went on his own and threw the silver back to those who had given it. In their hearing he confessed his own transgression: "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." He could not bear the reproof of conscience.
This is what sin is like. Before it is completed, it makes the person caught in it drunk. Once it has been fulfilled and finished, the pleasure withdraws and is extinguished. Then the accuser stands stripped bare, taking the place of an executioner over the conscience, tearing at the transgressor, demanding the final penalty, and pressing down heavier than any lead.
Such are the punishments here. As for what awaits there, you know how great it is for those who have done such evils. These are the people who should be wept for and mourned. Paul did the same: he rejoiced with those who were competing, struggling, and suffering wrong, but mourned those who were sinning. He said, "I fear that when I come, my God may humble me before you, and I may have to mourn over many who sinned before and have not repented of the impurity and licentiousness they practiced." But to those who were struggling he said, "I rejoice, and I rejoice with you all."
So let nothing disturb you, neither what has happened nor what is threatened. Waves do not shake the rock; the more violently they break against it, the more they destroy themselves. That is what has happened and will happen here, and even more than that. The waves do not shake the rock, but in your case they have not merely failed to shake you; they have made you stronger. Such is vice, and such is virtue. Vice is destroyed when it makes war. Virtue shines more brightly when war is made against it. Virtue has its prizes not only after the contests but in the contests themselves, and the struggle becomes its reward. Vice, when it conquers, is most disgraced, most punished, most filled with dishonor. Even before the punishment laid up for it, it is chastised in the very act, not only after the act.
If this argument is unclear, listen to blessed Paul distinguishing both things. Writing to the Romans and exposing the impure lives of some, he shows that even before later punishment, sin carries punishment in itself. After mentioning unlawful unions by women and men who transgressed the boundaries of nature and devised a strange desire, he says that they received in themselves the due penalty for their error. What are you saying, Paul? Those who dare such things take pleasure in them and act from desire. How, then, do you say they are punished in the act itself? Because, he says, I judge not from the pleasure of the sick but from the nature of the thing. The adulterer too, even before any later punishment, is punished in the very act of adultery, even if he seems to enjoy it, because he makes his soul worse and more worthless. The murderer, before he sees a court, sharpened swords, or an account demanded for what he dared, has perished in the very act of murder, because he too has fashioned for himself a more worthless soul.
What fever, dropsy, or any other sickness is to the body, what rust is to iron, moth to wool, and worm to wood, wickedness is to the soul. It makes the soul slavish and base. Why say only slavish and base? It makes the soul like that of an irrational animal: a wolf, a dog, a serpent, a viper, or some other beast. The prophets make this change caused by wickedness visible to all. One says, "Dumb dogs, unable to bark," comparing treacherous people who plot in secret to rabid dogs, which do not bark when mad but approach silently and do worse things to those they catch than dogs that bark. Another calls certain people ravens. Another says, "Man, though in honor, did not understand; he was compared to senseless cattle and became like them." And the one greater than a prophet, the son of the barren woman, standing by the Jordan, called certain people "serpents and offspring of vipers." What punishment could equal this, when the rational and gentlest creature, made in the image of God and granted such honor, falls into such beastliness?
Do you see how wickedness has its punishment in itself even before chastisement? Learn also how virtue, even before the prizes, becomes its own prize. To use the same bodily example again, because it makes the point clear: a person whose body is healthy, well-formed, and free from illness enjoys that very health even before any luxury. He has pleasure allotted to him in health itself. Irregular weather, drought, frost, a plain table, and things of that sort cannot easily grieve him, because health is enough to ward off their harm. So it is with the soul. This is why Paul, though scourged, persecuted, and suffering countless terrible things, rejoiced and said, "I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake." The prize of virtue is not laid up only in the kingdom of heaven. It is also in the suffering itself, because to suffer something for the truth is itself a very great prize. For this reason the apostles returned from the council of the Jews rejoicing, not only because of the kingdom of heaven, but because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored for the name of Jesus. That very thing, in itself, is the greatest honor, crown, prize, and cause of unfading pleasure.
Rejoice, then, and leap for joy. This contest of slander is no small contest but a very great one, especially when it comes because of so great a charge as the one they have now brought against you in public court, accusing you of arson. Solomon, wanting to show the harshness of this struggle, says, "I saw the slanders done under the sun, and behold, the tears of the slandered, and there was no one to comfort them." If the struggle is great, and it certainly is, the crown laid up for it is also greater. For this reason Christ commands those who struggle in this contest with fitting endurance to rejoice and leap for joy: "Rejoice and leap for joy when they say every kind of evil against you falsely for my sake, for your reward is great in heaven."
Do you see how much pleasure, reward, and gladness our enemies have caused for us? How absurd, then, for you to inflict on yourself the evils they were unable to inflict, when in fact they have done the opposite. What do I mean? They were not only unable to exact a penalty from you; they provided you with an occasion for gladness and a cause of unfading pleasure. But you, by straining yourself with despondency, demand payment from yourself, confused, troubled, and filled with grief. They are the ones who should be doing this, if at last they ever wished to recognize their own evils. They would be right to mourn, lament, sink down, cover themselves, bury themselves, not even see the sun, but shut themselves somewhere in darkness and bewail both their own evils and the evils with which they have surrounded so many churches. You should exult and rejoice that the chief virtue has been accomplished in you.
You know, you know clearly, that nothing equals patience. This above all is the queen of virtues, the foundation of right actions, a harbor without waves, peace in wars, calm in the storm, security amid plots. It makes the one who has achieved it stronger than adamant. No weapons in motion, no armies drawn up in battle, no siege engines brought against it, no bows, no flying spears, not even the army of demons, the dark ranks of hostile powers, or the devil himself with all his forces and devices can harm it.
Why then are you afraid? Why do you grieve, when you have practiced despising life itself if the moment calls? Do you want to see a release from the evils that hold you? That too will come, and with God's permission it will come soon. Rejoice, then, and be glad. Delight in your achievements, and never despair that we will see you again and remind you of these words.
AI-assisted translation - This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
13.t ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ ΙΓʹ 13.1 Τί φῄς; Οὐκ ἔστησας τρόπαιον οὐδὲ ἤρω νίκην λαμπράν; οὐδὲ ἀνεδήσω στέφανον ἀνθοῦντα διηνεκῶς; Ἀλλ' οὐ ταῦτά φησιν ἡ οἰκουμένη πᾶσα ἡ πανταχοῦ τῆς γῆς ᾄδουσά σου τὰ κατορθώματα; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ σκάμματα καὶ οἱ ἀγῶνες ἐν ἑνὶ ἵδρυνται χωρίῳ καὶ οἱ δίαυλοί σου τῶν δρόμων καὶ τὰ ἀντὶ ἱδρῶτος αἵματος ἐμπεπλησμένα σου παλαίσματα αὐτόθι γέγονεν, ἀλλ' ἡ δόξα τούτων καὶ ἡ εὐφημία τὰ τέρματα κατείληφε τῆς οἰκουμένης. Σὺ δὲ αὐτὰ μείζω βουλομένη ποιῆσαι καὶ πλείονα τὰ βραβεῖα ἐργάσασθαι, καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης αὐτοῖς προσέθηκας στεφάνους λέγουσα τοσοῦτον ἀπέχειν τῶν τροπαίων τούτων ὅσον οἱ νεκροὶ τῶν ζώντων. Ὅτι γὰρ ταπεινοφροσύνης τὰ ῥήματα, μᾶλλον ἐξ αὐτῶν σε ἐλέγξαι πειράσομαι τῶν γεγενημένων. Ἐξέπεσες πατρίδος, οἰκίας, φίλων, συγγενῶν· πρὸς τὴν ὑπερορίαν μετέστης· οὐ διέλιπες καθ' ἑκάστην ἀποθνῄσκουσα τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τὸ τῇ φύσει λεῖπον τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῆς προαιρέσεως ἀναπληροῦσα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἔνι ἄνθρωπον ὄντα τῇ πείρᾳ πολλοὺς θανάτους ἀποθανεῖν, τῇ γνώμῃ τοῦτο πεποίηκας. Καὶ τὸ δὴ μέγιστον, τὰ μὲν πάσχουσα, τὰ δὲ πείσεσθαι προσδοκῶσα οὐκ ἐπαύσω τῷ συγχωροῦντι Θεῷ ταῦτα γίνεσθαι τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν ἀναφέρουσα δοξολογίαν καὶ καιρίαν τῷ διαβόλῳ διδοῦσα πληγήν. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ καιρίαν ἐδέξατο, ἔδειξε δι' ὧν μειζόνως προσιὼν ὡπλίζετο· διὸ καὶ χαλεπώτερα τὰ ὕστερα τῶν πρώτων γέγονε. Καθάπερ γὰρ σκορπίος ἢ ὄφις, ὅταν βαθυτέραν λάβῃ πληγήν, μειζόνως τὸ κέντρον ἄρας κατὰ τοῦ πλήξαντος ἐξανίσταται, τῆς πολλῆς ἀλγηδόνος ἀπόδειξιν παρέχων τὴν ῥαγδαίαν κατὰ τοῦ παίοντος ῥύμην, οὕτω δὴ καὶ τὸ ἀναίσχυντον θηρίον ἐκεῖνο, ἐπειδὴ τὰ τραύματα εἰς βάθος ἐδέξατο παρὰ τῆς θαυμασίας σου καὶ ὑψηλῆς ψυχῆς, μειζόνως ἐπεπήδησε καὶ πλείους ἐπήγαγε πειρασμούς. Ἐπήγαγε μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος, οὐχ ὁ Θεός· συνεχώρησε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς αὔξων σου τὸν πλοῦτον, μείζονα ποιῶν τὴν ἐμπορίαν, πλείονα προξενῶν τὸν μισθόν, δαψιλεστέραν τὴν ἀντίδοσιν. Μὴ τοίνυν ταράττου μηδὲ θορυβοῦ. Τίς γάρ ποτε ἔκαμε πλουτῶν; τίς συνεχύθη ἐπὶ τὰς ὑψηλοτάτας ἐρχόμενος ἀρχάς; Εἰ δὲ οἱ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα ταῦτα συνάγοντες, τὰ ἐπίκηρα καὶ σκιᾶς ἀδρανέστερα καὶ ἀνθῶν σηπομένων μᾶλλον μαραινόμενα, σκιρτῶσι, χορεύουσι, πέτονται ὑπὸ τῆς ἡδονῆς, τῆς ὁμοῦ τε φαινομένης καὶ ἀφιπταμένης καὶ ποταμίων ῥευμάτων μιμουμένης δρόμον, πολλῷ μᾶλλον σὲ δίκαιον, καὶ εἰ πρότερον ἦς ἐν ἀθυμίᾳ, τὸν παρόντα καιρὸν εὐθυμίας μεγίστης ποιήσασθαι πρόφασιν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ θησαυρός σου ὃν συνήγαγες ἄσυλος· καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα τὸ διὰ τῶν παθημάτων τούτων συγκροτηθὲν διαδοχὴν οὐκ οἶδεν οὐδὲ ἀναμένει τέλος, ἀλλ' ἔστιν ἀπέραντον, οὐ δυσκολίᾳ καιρῶν, οὐκ ἀνθρώπων ἐπιβουλαῖς, οὐ δαιμόνων ἐφόδοις, οὐκ αὐτῇ διακοπτόμενον τῇ τελευτῇ. Εἰ δὲ βούλει καὶ θρηνεῖν, τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐργαζομένους θρήνει, τοὺς τῶν κακῶν τούτων αὐθέντας, τοὺς ὑπηρέτας οἳ καὶ εἰς τὸ μέλλον μεγίστην ἐθησαύρισαν ἑαυτοῖς τιμωρίαν καὶ ἐνταῦθα δίκην ἔδοσαν ἤδη τὴν ἐσχάτην, τοσούτων ἀποστρεφομένων αὐτοὺς καὶ πολεμίους ἡγουμένων, ἐπαρωμένων, καταδικαζόντων. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ αἰσθάνονται τούτων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστά εἰσιν ἐλεεινοὶ καὶ δακρύων ἄξιοι, καθάπερ οἱ φρενίτιδι κατεχόμενοι νόσῳ, λακτίζοντες μὲν καὶ παίοντες τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ τοὺς εὐηργετηκότας καὶ φίλους, οὐκ αἰσθανόμενοι δὲ τῆς μανίας ἣν μαίνονται. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἀνίατα νοσοῦσιν, οὔτε ἰατροὺς προσιέμενοι, οὔτε φαρμάκων ἀνεχόμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς θεραπεύειν καὶ εὐεργετεῖν βουλομένους τοῖς ἐναντίοις ἀμειβόμενοι. Ὥστε καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐλεεινοί, εἴ γε μὴ αἰσθάνονται τῆς τοσαύτης πονηρίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἑτέρων κατάγνωσιν οὐκ ἐπιστρέφονται, τοῦ οἰκείου συνειδότος τὸν ἔλεγχον ἀμήχανον αὐτοὺς διαφυγεῖν, τὸν ἄφυκτον, τὸν ἀδέκαστον, τὸν οὐδενὶ εἴκοντα φόβῳ, τὸν οὐ κολακείᾳ, οὐ χρημάτων δόσει διαφθειρόμενον, οὐ χρόνῳ μακρῷ μαραινόμενον. 13.2 Ὁ γὰρ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ υἱὸς ὁ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα εἰπὼν ὅτι θηρίον πονηρὸν κατέφαγε τὸν Ἰωσήφ, καὶ τὸ πονηρὸν ἐκεῖνο ὑποκρινάμενος δρᾶμα, καὶ τῷ προσωπείῳ τούτῳ τὴν ἀδελφοκτονίαν συσκιάσαι ἐπιχειρήσας, τὸν μὲν πατέρα ἠπάτησε τότε, τὸ δὲ συνειδὸς οὐκ ἠπάτησεν οὐδὲ ἔπεισεν ἡσυχάζειν· ἀλλ' ἔμενεν αὐτοῦ κατεξανιστάμενον καταβοῶν διηνεκῶς καὶ οὐδέποτε ἐπιστομιζόμενον. Χρόνου γὰρ παρελθόντος μακροῦ, ὁ τὸν γεγεννηκότα ἀρνησάμενος τὸ τόλμημα ὅπερ ἐτόλμησεν, ὁ μηδενὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων ἐξειπών, οὐδενὸς κατηγοροῦντος, οὐδενὸς ἐλέγχοντος, οὐδενὸς ἐφεστῶτος, οὐδενὸς ἀναμιμνήσκοντος τῆς δραματουργίας ἐκείνης, κινδυνεύων περὶ ἐλευθερίας καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζῇν, δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐκ ἐπεστομίσθη τοῦ συνειδότος ὁ κατήγορος ἐν οὕτω μακρῷ χρόνῳ οὐδὲ κατεχώσθη, ταῦτά φησι τὰ ῥήματα· «Ναί· ἐν ἁμαρτίαις γάρ ἐσμεν περὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν· ὅτε κατεδέετο ἡμῶν, καὶ ὑπερείδομεν τὴν θλῖψιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ὀδύνην τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ· καὶ νῦν ἐκζητεῖται τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐξ ἡμῶν.» Καίτοι ἕτερον ἦν ὅπερ ἐπήγετο αὐτῷ ἔγκλημα καὶ διὰ κλοπὴν ἐκρίνετο καὶ ὡς ὑφελόμενος κύλικα χρυσῆν οὕτως εἰς δικαστήριον ἤγετο· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τούτων ἑαυτῷ οὐδὲν συνῄδει, ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτων οὐκ ἤλγει, οὐδὲ ἔφη ταῦτα πάσχειν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἐκρίνετο καὶ δέσμιος ἤγετο, ὑπὲρ δὲ ὧν οὐδεὶς ἐνεκάλει, οὐδὲ εὐθύνας ἀπῄτει, οὐδὲ εἰς δικαστήριον εἷλκε, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ᾔδει τετολμημένων αὐτῷ, ὑπὲρ δὴ τούτων αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἔλεγχος καὶ κατήγορος γίνεται. Ἐπελαμβάνετο γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸ συνειδὸς καὶ ὁ μετὰ ἀδείας τοσαύτης τὸ αἷμα ἐκχέας τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καὶ μηδὲν παθών, νῦν καὶ συμπαθητικὸς ἐγίνετο, καὶ τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν κοινωνησάντων αὐτῷ τῆς μιαιφονίας κατηγόρει καὶ τὴν ὠμότητα πᾶσαν ἐτραγῴδει λέγων· «Ὅτε κατεδέετο ἡμῶν, καὶ ὑπερείδομεν τὴν θλῖψιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ὀδύνην τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ.» Ἤρκει μὲν γὰρ ἡ φύσις, φησί, μαλάξαι καὶ ἐπικάμψαι πρὸς ἔλεον, ὁ δὲ καὶ δάκρυα προσετίθει καὶ ἱκετηρίαν ἐτίθει, καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἡμᾶς ἐπέκαμψεν· ἀλλ' «ὑπερείδομεν τὴν θλῖψιν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ὀδύνην τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ». ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἡμῖν τὸ δικαστήριον τοῦτο συγκεκρότηται, φησί, διὰ τοῦτο περὶ αἵματος κινδυνεύομεν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς εἰς αἷμα ἡμαρτήκαμεν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Ἰούδας οὐκ ἐνεγκὼν τοῦ συνειδότος τὸν ἔλεγχον, ἐπὶ βρόχον ὥρμησε καὶ δι' ἀγχόνης τὸν βίον κατέλυσεν. Καὶ ὅτε μὲν τὸ ἀναίσχυντον ἐκεῖνο συμβόλαιον ἐτόλμα, λέγων· «Τί θέλετέ μοι δοῦναι, κἀγὼ ὑμῖν αὐτὸν παραδώσω», οὐ τοὺς ἀκούοντας ᾐσχύνετο ὅτι μαθητὴς ὢν τοιαῦτα περὶ διδασκάλου ἐτύρευεν, οὐκ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις ταῖς μεταξὺ κατενύγη, ἀλλὰ μεθύων ἔτι τῇ ἡδονῇ τῆς φιλαργυρίας, οὐ σφόδρα ᾐσθάνετο τῆς κατηγορίας τοῦ συνειδότος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔπραξε τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ τὸ ἀργύριον ἔλαβε καὶ ἡ ἡδονὴ μὲν ἐπαύσατο τοῦ λήμματος, ἡ δὲ κατηγορία τοῦ πλημμελήματος ἤνθει λοιπόν, τότε μηδενὸς ἀναγκάζοντος, μηδενὸς βιαζομένου, μηδενὸς παραινοῦντος, αὐτόματος ἀπελθών, τό τε ἀργύριον προσέρριψε τοῖς δεδωκόσι καὶ τὴν παρανομίαν ὡμολόγησεν αὐτοῦ, ἀκουόντων ἐκείνων λέγων· «Ἥμαρτον παραδοὺς αἷμα ἀθῶον.» Οὐ γὰρ ἤνεγκε τοῦ συνειδότος τὸν ἔλεγχον. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτία· πρὶν ἢ μὲν ἀπαρτισθῆναι, μεθύειν ποιεῖ τὸν ἁλόντα· ἐπειδὰν δὲ πληρωθῇ καὶ ἀπαρτισθῇ, τότε τὰ μὲν τῆς ἡδονῆς ταύτης ὑπεξίσταται καὶ σβέννυται, γυμνὸς δὲ ἕστηκε λοιπὸν ὁ κατήγορος, τοῦ συνειδότος δημίου τάξιν ἐπέχων, καὶ καταξαίνων τὸν πεπλημμεληκότα, καὶ τὴν ἐσχάτην ἀπαιτῶν δίκην, καὶ μολίβδου παντὸς βαρύτερον ἐπικείμενος. 13.3 Καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐνταῦθα τοιαῦτα· τὰ δὲ ἐκεῖ, οἶσθα ἡλίκα τοῖς τοσαῦτα ἐργασαμένοις κακά. Τούτους οὖν χρὴ δακρύειν, τούτους θρηνεῖν, ἐπεὶ καὶ Παῦλος οὕτως ἐποίει, τοῖς μὲν ἀθλοῦσι καὶ ἀγωνιζομένοις καὶ κακῶς πάσχουσι συνηδόμενος, τοὺς δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντας πενθῶν· διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε· «Μήπως ἐλθόντα με ταπεινώσῃ ὁ Θεός μου πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ πενθήσω πολλοὺς τῶν προημαρτηκότων καὶ μὴ μετανοησάντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀσελγείᾳ καὶ ἀκαθαρσίᾳ ᾗ ἔπραξαν.» Τοῖς δὲ ἀγωνιζομένοις· «Χαίρω καὶ συγχαίρω πᾶσιν ὑμῖν.» Μηδὲν τοίνυν σε θορυβείτω μήτε τῶν γενομένων, μήτε τῶν ἀπειλουμένων. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὴν πέτραν διασαλεύει τὰ κύματα, ἀλλ' ὅσῳ μετὰ πλείονος προσρήγνυνται τῆς ῥύμης, τοσούτῳ μειζόνως ἑαυτὰ ἀφανίζει· ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων καὶ γέγονε καὶ ἔσται, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ πλέον. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ πέτραν οὐ διασαλεύει τὰ κύματα· σὲ δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐ διεσάλευσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰσχυροτέραν πεποίηκεν. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ κακία, τοιοῦτον ἡ ἀρετή. Ἡ μὲν πολεμοῦσα, καταλύεται· ἡ δὲ πολεμουμένη, διαλάμπει μειζόνως. Καὶ ἡ μὲν οὐ μετὰ τοὺς ἀγῶνας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἀγῶσιν ἔχει τὰ βραβεῖα καὶ ὁ ἆθλος ἔπαθλον αὐτῇ γίνεται· ἡ δὲ ὅταν νικήσῃ, τότε μάλιστα καταισχύνεται, τότε κολάζεται, τότε πολλῆς πληροῦται τῆς ἀτιμίας καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀποκειμένης αὐτῇ κολάσεως, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ πράττειν τιμωρουμένη, οὐχὶ μετὰ τὸ πρᾶξαι μόνον. Εἰ δὲ ἀσαφέστερος ὁ λόγος, ἄκουσον τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου ταῦτα ἀμφότερα διακρίνοντος. Γράφων γάρ ποτε Ῥωμαίοις καὶ τὸν ἀκάθαρτόν τινων ἐκπομπεύων βίον καὶ δεικνὺς ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς τιμωρίας ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ πράξει τὴν τιμωρίαν ἡ ἁμαρτία συγκεκληρωμένην ἔχει, μίξεων παρανόμων μνησθεὶς γυναικῶν τε καὶ ἀνδρῶν τῶν τοὺς ὅρους τῆς φύσεως ὑπερβαινόντων καὶ ἐπιθυμίαν τινὰ ἀλλόκοτον ἐπινοησάντων, οὕτω πώς φησιν· «Αἱ γὰρ θήλειαι αὐτῶν μετήλλαξαν τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ οἱ ἄρρενες ἀφέντες τὴν φυσικὴν χρῆσιν τῆς θηλείας ἐξεκαύθησαν ἐν τῇ ὀρέξει αὐτῶν εἰς ἀλλήλους, ἄρρενες ἐν ἄρρεσι τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην κατεργαζόμενοι καὶ τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἣν ἔδει τῆς πλάνης αὐτῶν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολαμβάνοντες.» Τί λέγεις, ὦ Παῦλε; Καὶ μὴν ἥδονται οἱ ταῦτα τολμῶντες καὶ μετ' ἐπιθυμίας τὴν παράνομον ταύτην ἐργάζονται μίξιν. Πῶς οὖν αὐτοὺς ἔφης κολάζεσθαι ἐν αὐτῷ δὴ τούτῳ; Ὅτι τὴν ψῆφον, φησίν, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ἡδονῆς τῶν νοσούντων, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκφέρω φύσεως. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ μοιχὸς καὶ πρὸ τῆς τιμωρίας, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ μοιχεύειν κολάζεται, κἂν ἥδεσθαι δοκῇ τὴν ψυχὴν χείρονα ποιῶν καὶ φαυλοτέραν. Καὶ ὁ ἀνδροφόνος, πρὶν ἢ δικαστήριον ἰδεῖν καὶ ξίφη ἠκονημένα καὶ δοῦναι εὐθύνας τῶν τετολμημένων, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ φονεύειν ἀπόλωλεν, πάλιν καὶ αὐτὸς φαυλοτέραν ἑαυτῷ κατασκευάζων τὴν ψυχήν. Καὶ ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐπὶ σώματος ἀρρωστία, πυρετὸς ἢ ὕδερος ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν τοιούτων, καὶ ἐπὶ σιδήρου ἰός, καὶ ἐπὶ ἐρίου σής, καὶ ἐπὶ ξύλου σκώληξ, τοῦτο ἐπὶ ψυχῆς κακία. Καὶ γὰρ ἀνδραποδώδη αὐτὴν ποιεῖ καὶ ἀνελευθέραν· τί λέγω ἀνδραποδώδη καὶ ἀνελευθέραν; Ἀλόγων αὐτὴν ἐργάζεται ψυχήν, τὴν μὲν λύκου, τὴν δὲ κυνός, τὴν δὲ ὄφεως, τὴν δὲ ἐχίδνης, τὴν δὲ ἑτέρου θηρίου ποιοῦσα. Καὶ τοῦτο δηλοῦντες οἱ προφῆται καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς κακίας μεταβολὴν πᾶσι γνώριμον ποιοῦντες, ὁ μὲν ἔλεγε· «Κύνες ἐνεοὶ οὐ δυνάμενοι ὑλακτεῖν», τοὺς ὑπούλους τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ λαθραίως ἐπιβουλεύοντας τοῖς λυττῶσι τῶν κυνῶν παραβάλλων. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μετὰ ὑλακῆς, ὅταν λυττῶσιν, ἐπέρχονται ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλὰ σιγῇ προσιόντες χείρονα τῶν ὑλακτούντων ἐργάζονται τοὺς ἁλόντας. Ὁ δὲ «κορώνην» ἐκάλει πάλιν τινὰς ἀνθρώπους. Ὁ δὲ ἔλεγεν· «Ἄνθρωπος ἐν τιμῇ ὢν οὐ συνῆκε· παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς.» Ὁ δὲ περισσότερος προφητῶν, ὁ τῆς στείρας υἱός, καὶ «ὄφεις καὶ γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν» παρὰ τὸν Ἰορδάνην ἑστὼς τινὰς ὠνόμασεν. Τί ταύτης τοίνυν ἴσον γένοιτ' ἂν τῆς τιμωρίας, ὅταν ὁ κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γενόμενος καὶ τοσαύτης ἀπολαύσας τιμῆς, τὸ λογικὸν καὶ ἡμερώτατον ζῶον, εἰς τοσαύτην καταπίπτει θηριωδίαν; 13.4 Εἶδες πῶς καὶ πρὸ τῆς κολάσεως ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὴν τιμωρίαν ἡ κακία ἔχει; Μάθε πῶς καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἐπάθλων αὐτὴ ἑαυτῆς ἔπαθλον ἡ ἀρετὴ γίνεται. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐν τῷ σώματι-οὐδὲν γὰρ κωλύει πάλιν τῷ αὐτῷ χρήσασθαι παραδείγματι πολλὴν ἐργαζομένῳ τὴν σαφήνειαν-, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐν τῷ σώματι, ὁ ὑγιαίνων καὶ εὐσωματῶν καὶ πάσης ἀπηλλαγμένος ἀρρωστίας καὶ πρὸ τῆς τρυφῆς αὐτὸ τοῦτο τρυφᾷ συγκεκληρωμένην ἔχων τῇ ὑγιείᾳ τὴν ἡδονήν, καὶ οὔτε ἀέρων αὐτὸν ἀνωμαλίαι, οὔτε αὐχμός, οὔτε κρυμός, οὐδὲ εὐτέλεια τραπέζης, οὐκ ἄλλο τι τῶν τοιούτων λυπῆσαι δύναιτ' ἄν, ἀρκούσης τῆς ὑγιείας τὴν ἐκ τούτων διακρούσασθαι βλάβην, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς συμβαίνειν εἴωθε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Παῦλος μαστιγούμενος, ἐλαυνόμενος, τὰ μυρία πάσχων δεινά, ἔχαιρεν οὕτω λέγων· «Χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασί μου ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν.» Οὐ μόνον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν τὸ ἔπαθλον κεῖται τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ πάσχειν, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο μέγιστον ἔπαθλον τὸ ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας τι παθεῖν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ χορὸς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐπανῄεσαν ἐκ τοῦ συνεδρίου τῶν Ἰουδαίων χαίροντες, οὐ διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν μόνον τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἀλλ' ὅτι κατηξιώθησαν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος Ἰησοῦ ἀτιμασθῆναι. Καὶ αὐτὸ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸ μεγίστη τιμὴ καὶ στέφανος, καὶ βραβεῖα, καὶ ἡδονῆς ὑπόθεσις ἀμαράντου. Χαῖρε τοίνυν καὶ σκίρτησον. Οὐ γὰρ μικρὸς ἆθλος, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα μέγας οὗτος ὁ τῆς συκοφαντίας ἐστί, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ἐπὶ τοιούτῳ μεγάλῳ ἐγκλήματι γίνηται ἐφ' ᾧ νῦν ὑμᾶς ἐσυκοφάντησαν ἐν δημοσίῳ δικαστηρίῳ τὸν ἐμπρησμὸν ἐγκαλοῦντες. ∆ιὸ καὶ Σαλομὼν τὸ τραχὺ τοῦ ἀγῶνος παραστῆσαι βουλόμενος· «Εἶδον, φησί, τὰς συκοφαντίας τὰς γινομένας ὑπὸ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ ἰδοὺ δάκρυον τῶν συκοφαντουμένων, καὶ οὐκ ἦν αὐτοὺς ὁ παρακαλῶν.» Εἰ δὲ μέγας ὁ ἀγών, ὥσπερ οὖν μέγας, εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ ὁ κείμενος ἐπὶ τούτῳ στέφανος μείζων. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς κελεύει χαίρειν καὶ σκιρτᾶν τοὺς τοῦτον ἀγωνιζομένους τὸν ἀγῶνα μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης ὑπομονῆς. «Χαίρετε γάρ, φησί, καὶ σκιρτήσατε, ὅταν εἴπωσι πᾶν πονηρὸν ῥῆμα καθ' ὑμῶν ψευδόμενοι, ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.» Ὁρᾷς πόσης ἡδονῆς, πόσου μισθοῦ, πόσης εὐφροσύνης ἡμῖν αἴτιοι οἱ πολέμιοι γεγόνασι; Πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἄτοπον ἃ μὴ ἠδυνήθησάν σε ἑργάσασθαι ἐκεῖνοι κακὰ ἀλλ' ὧν τὰ ἐναντία πεποιήκασι, ταῦτα σαυτῇ διατιθέναι; Τί δέ ἐστιν ὅ φημι; Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὐ μόνον σε δίκην ἀπαιτῆσαι οὐκ ἴσχυσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀφορμήν σοι παρέσχον εὐφροσύνης καὶ ἡδονῆς ὑπόθεσιν ἀμαράντου. Σὺ δὲ οὕτω σαυτὴν κατατείνουσα ὑπὸ τῆς ἀθυμίας δίκην σαυτὴν ἀπαιτεῖς, συγχεομένη, ταραττομένη, πολλῆς πληρουμένη λύπης. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἐκείνους ἔδει ποιεῖν, εἴ γε ὀψὲ γοῦν ποτε τὰ οἰκεῖα ἠβουλήθησαν ἐπιγνῶναι κακά. Ἐκεῖνοι πενθεῖν δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν νῦν, θρηνεῖν, καταδύεσθαι, ἐγκαλύπτεσθαι, κατορωρῦχθαι, μηδὲ τὸν ἥλιον τοῦτον ὁρᾶν, ἀλλ' ἐν σκότῳ που κατακλείσαντες ἑαυτοὺς τά τε οἰκεῖα θρηνεῖν κακὰ καὶ οἷς τοσαύτας Ἐκκλησίας περιέβαλον· σὲ δὲ ἀγάλλεσθαι καὶ χαίρειν χρὴ ὅτι τὸ κεφάλαιόν σοι τῶν ἀρετῶν κατώρθωται. Οἶσθα γάρ, οἶσθα σαφῶς, ὅτι ὑπομονῆς ἴσον οὐδέν, ἀλλ' αὕτη μάλιστά ἐστιν ἡ βασιλὶς τῶν ἀρετῶν, ὁ θεμέλιος τῶν κατορθωμάτων, λιμὴν ὁ ἀκύμαντος, ἡ ἐν πολέμοις εἰρήνη, ἡ ἐν κλύδωνι γαλήνη, ἡ ἐν ἐπιβουλαῖς ἀσφάλεια, ἡ τὸν κατωρθωκότα αὐτὴν ἀδάμαντος στερρότερον ποιοῦσα, ἣν οὐχ ὅπλα κινούμενα, οὐ στρατόπεδα παραταττόμενα, οὐ μηχανήματα προσαγόμενα, οὐ τόξα, οὐ δόρατα ἀφιέμενα, οὐκ αὐτὸ τῶν δαιμόνων τὸ στρατόπεδον, οὐχ αἱ ζοφεραὶ φάλαγγες τῶν ἀντικειμένων δυνάμεων, οὐκ αὐτὸς ὁ διάβολος μετὰ πάσης αὐτοῦ παραταττόμενος τῆς στρατιᾶς καὶ τῆς μηχανῆς παραβλάψαι δυνήσεται. Τί τοίνυν δέδοικας; Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀλγεῖς καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ζῇν μελετήσασα καταφρονεῖν, ἢν καιρὸς καλῇ; Ἀλλὰ λύσιν ἐπιθυ μεῖς ἰδεῖν τῶν κατεχόντων κακῶν; Ἔσται καὶ τοῦτο καὶ ταχέως ἔσται τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπιτρέποντος. Χαῖρε τοίνυν καὶ εὐφραίνου, καὶ ἐντρύφα σου τοῖς κατορθώμασι, καὶ μηδέποτε ἀπογνῷς ὅτι σε ὀψόμεθα πάλιν καὶ τῶν ῥημάτων σε ἀναμνήσομεν τούτων.
Revision history
- 2026-05-27v2.2.34-import
Initial corpus import from modern chrysostom olympias 13 17 v1.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://catholiclibrary.org/library/view?docId=Fathers-Synchronized-OR%2FJohn_Chrysostom__Epistulae_ad_Olympiadem.gr.html
Related Letters
Chrysostom tells Olympias not to despair over the church's storm, arguing that only sin can truly harm the soul and that God often waits until disaster seems complete before revealing deliverance.
Chrysostom tells Olympias that despondency is a harsher trial than death, argues that patiently endured suffering wins crowns like Job, Lazarus, Paul, and Joseph, and urges her to scatter grief like smoke.
The most reverend and divinely favored deaconess Olympias, I John, Bishop, send greeting in the Lord.
Chrysostom writes after a severe winter illness, rejoices in Olympias's recovery and courage, and praises her as a steadying force for the city.
Chrysostom rebukes Olympias for surrendering to grief, recounts his illness, violent expulsion from Caesarea, and dangerous flight, then asks her to keep working quietly on Maruthas, the Gothic bishopric, and Hilary's letters.