Letter 221

To Stration the Illustris. [illustris: the highest senatorial rank in the later Roman Empire] In this we differ from the unbelievers, that we hold other judgments concerning things. The pagan looks at the sky, and reveres it, and worships it; for he supposes the sky to be God. The pagan looks at the earth and the waters, and bows down, and serves things without sense. But we are not so; God forbid. Rather, we look at the sky, and we marvel at the One who made it. For we do not conceive the sky to be God, but to be the work of God. I look upon the creation, and through it I am led by the hand toward its Maker. The pagan sees wealth, and in his wonder is astounded; but I look upon wealth, and despising wealth I have laughed. He looks upon poverty, and shuddering he laments; but I look upon poverty, and I leap and exult, knowing virtue to be the true wealth. Thus the Christians see things in one way, and the senseless pagans in another.

Τοῦτο διεστήκαμεν τῶν ἀπίστων, τὸ κρίσεις ἑτέρας ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἔχειν· ὁρᾷ ὁ Ἕλλην τὸν οὐρα- νὸν, καὶ σέβει, καὶ κέθην· Θεὸν γὰρ εἶναι νομίζει τὸν οὐρανόν. Ὁρᾷ Ἕλλην τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὰ ὕδατα, καὶ προσκυνεῖ, καὶ θεραπεύει τὰ ἀναίσθητα. Ἀλλ’ οὐχ ἡμεῖς οὕτως· μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλ’ ὁρῶμεν τὸν οὐ- Ἀ ρανὸν, καὶ τὸν πεποιηκότα θαυμάζομεν. Οὐ γὰρ Θεὸν ὑπάρχειν τὸν οὐρανὸν νοοῦμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔργον εἶναι Θεοῦ. Ὁρῶ ἐγὼ τὴν κτίσιν, καὶ δι᾽ αὐτῆς πρὸς τὴν ταύτης χειραγωγοῦμαι δημιουργόν. Βλέπει πλοῦτον ὁ Ἕλλην, καὶ θαυμάζων ἐκπλήττεται· ὁρῶ πλοῦτον ἐγὼ, καὶ καταφρονήσας τοῦ πλούτου ἐγέλασα. Ὁρῶ πενίαν ἐκεῖνος, καὶ φρίξας ὀδύρεται· ὁρῶ πενίαν ἐγὼ, καὶ σκιρτῶ καὶ ἀγάλλομαι, πλοῦτον ἀληθῆ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπιστάμενος. Ἑτέρως τοίνυν οἱ Χριστιανοὶ ὁρῶσι τὰ πράγματα, καὶ ἑτέρως οἱ ἄφρονες Ἕλληνες.