‘Επεὶ δὲ πᾶσαν εὐσεβείας ὁδὸν καταλύσαντες πρὸς ἓν τοῦτο βλέπουσι μόνον, ὅ τι δήσουσιν ἢ λύσουσι τῶν 6 γοῦν] οὑν d || 7 κυβισται] ’in nonnullis κυβενται.᾿ 2. 10 δησωσιν η λύσωσι bd 1. περιττὸν κ. περίεργον] perhaps ’excessive in volume, and over-subtle in character. ’ But the two words are practically synonymous ; cf. I Tim. v 13 φλύαροι κ. περίεργοι. ib. τοῦ συντετμ. λόγου] Rom. ix 28 ; cf. Is. xxviii 22 (LXX.). 2. ὁ τῶν ἅλ’. μαθητὴς κ. διδάσκαλοσ] as distinguished from the professional fessional training of the Eunomian disputants. It is a bold thing, in the face of Gal. i 12, to call St Ρ. ‘ the ’s disciple ’ : probably it is for that reason that Gr. adds ‘ and ’ He appears to have in view such incidents as Gal. ii 14 perhaps also the Pauline influence discernible in St Peter's Epistles. 4. δεινὴν ἔπιθ’. κτλ.] ’clever at the employment of noble and choice ’ This way of using the com- parative is familiar; it almost = nobilissimis quibusque uerbis. 5. οὕτω τι καί] biting irony. Even a little attention to conduct would make a great difference. ‘Aσχολεῖσθαι σθαι = ‘ to occupy oneself. ’ 6. καὶ ἴσως] The phrase means (continuing the irony) that in that case the chances would not be very remote. 7. κυβισταὶ λόγων] ‘ word-tum-blers.' Κυβιστὴς (more usually κυβιστητήρ) is one who stands on his head, or turns head over heels, or (according to Elias) a diver. The reading κυβευταὶ ’dicers,’ or ‘sharper's (cf. Eph. iv 14), would not suggest the ‘ ridiculous ’ image which Gr. half apologizes for using. ib. ἄτοποι κ. παράδοξοι] ‘ strange and ’ Ἅτοπος does not seem to be used here, as it often is, either in the sense of ’absurd,’ i.e. unreasonable, or in that of ‘monstrous,’ ’ i.e. wicked. Gr. only emphasizes phasizes the surprising nature of the feats which the Eunomians perform. 2. No part of society is free from their importunate wrangling; Christianity is in danger of becoming a matter of pettifogging logic. The opponents must give a fatherly heart leave to express its concern. If they are not moved by what he says, they will at least have the satisfaction of rejecting and deriding it. He does not intend to adopt their style. 9. καταλύσαντες] ’having ’ stroyed ’ or ‘ broken up ’ ; both for themselves and for their disciples. Εὐσέβεια is here practical piety. 10. ὅ τι δήσ. ἢ λῦσ’. τ. προβ.] ’They care for nothing but the opportunity of tying or untying some knotty proposition.‘ προβαλλομένων, — καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις οἱ τὰ παλαίσματα δημοσιεύοντες, καὶ τῶν παλαισμάτων οὐχ ὅσα πρὸς νίκην φέρει κατὰ νόμους ἀθλήσεως, ἀλλ’ ὅσα τὴν ὄψιν κλέπτει τῶν ἀμαθῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ συναρπάζει τὸν ἐπαινέτην,—καὶ καὶ πᾶσαν μὲν ἀγορὰν περιβομβεῖσθαι τοῖς τούτων λόγοις, πᾶν δὲ συμπόσιον ἀποκναίεσθαι φλυαρίᾳ καὶ ἀηδίᾳ, πᾶσαν δὲ ἑορτὴν καὶ πένθος ἅπαν, τὴν μὲν ἀνέορτον εἶναι καὶ μεστὴν κατηφείας, τὸ δὲ παραμυθεῖσθαι συμφορᾷ μείζονι τοῖς ζητήμασι, πᾶσαν δὲ διοχλεῖσθαι γυναικωνῖτιν, ἁπλότητι σύντροφον, καὶ τὸ τῆς αἰδοῦς ἄνθος ἀποσυλᾶσθαι τῇ περὶ λόγον ταχύτητι· ἐπειδὴ ταῦτα οὕτω, καὶ τὸ κακὸν ἄσχετον καὶ ἀφόρητον, καὶ κινδυνεύει τεχνύδροιν εἶναι τὸ μέγα ἡμῶν μυστήριον· φέρε, τοσοῦτον γοῦν ἡμῶν ἀνασχέσθωσαν οἱ κατάσκοποι σπλάγχνοις πατρικοῖς κινουμένων καί, ὅ φησιν ὁ θεῖος ‘Ιερεμίας, σπαρασσομένων τὰ αἰσθητήρια, ὅσον μὴ τραχέως τὸν περὶ τούτων δέξασθαι 2. καὶ τῶν πάλ’.] ‘ And that too, not stick wrestling matches ’ etc. 4. κλέπτει] ‘ takes unfair possession of the ’ as opposed to the legitimate skill in wrestling. ib. τοιαῦτα] ace. after ἀμαθῶν, ‘ not versed in things οf the ’ ib. συναρπ. τ. ἐπαιν. ] an extension of the metaphor of κλέπτει. ‘ Extorts applause? lit. ’ the applauder.’ 5. περιβομβεῖσθαι] όμβος, orig. the humming of bees, comes to be used of any insistent and continuous noise. 6. ἀποκναίεσθαι] ’to be ’ or ‘made wade tedious. ’ Demosthenes (564. 12) has the expression ἀποκναίει ἀηδιᾳ καἰ ἀναισθήσιᾳ καθ’ ἑκάστην ἐκκλησίαν ταῦτα λέγων, which (Jr. perhaps has in mind. 8. παραμυθεῖσθαι συμΦ. μ. τοῖς ζητήμασι] De Billy and others understand παραμ.= βαρύνεσθαι, comparing Job xvi. 2 παρακλήτορας κακῶν, which they take to mean ‘ abettors of my afflictions.’ But this seems an unnatural sense to put upon the verb, and it would be hard to find a parallel example. Gr. prob. means that the worse calamity of their disputations relieves the lesser calamity of sorrow. The ’comfort’ in Ezek. xiv 22, 23 is by some interpreted in this fashion. 10. ἁπλ. σύντροφον] ’associated with simplicity,’ ‘ used to ’ it ; a frequent use of the word. 11. ἀποσυλ. τ. π. λόγον ταχύτητι] cf. James i 19. To rush into argument is, in Gr.’s view, a desecration of the flower of womanly modesty. It is best to take ἄνθος as the object of ἀποσυλ., γυναῖκ’. being the subject. 12. τεχνύδριον] a diminutive of τέχυη, like λογύδριον, χερύδριον, βιβλύδριον, ‘α little finicking profession.’ 13. τὸ μέγα ἡ. μυστήριον] 1 Tim. iii 16. 14. κατάσκοποι] usually thought to be used instead of ἐπίσκοποι. But there is no indication that Gr. was chiefly thinking of heretical bishops. 15. σπαρ. τὰ αὶσο.] Jer. iv 19 (LXX.). λόγον, καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν μικρὸν ἐπισχόντες, ἃν ἄρα καὶ δύνωνται, τὴν ἀκοὴν ἡμῖν ὑποθέτωσαν. πάντως δὲ οὐδὲν ζημιωθήσεσθε. ἢ γὰρ εἰς ὦτα ἐλαλήσαμεν ἀκουόντων, καί τινα καρπὸν ἔσχεν ὁ λόγος, τὴν ὠφέλειαν τὴν ὑμετέραν,— ἐπειδὴ σπείρει μὲν ὁ σπείρων τὸν λόγον ἐπὶ πᾶσαν διάνοιαν, καρποφορεῖ δὲ ἡ καλή τε καὶ γόνιμος, — ἢ ἀπήλθετε καὶ τοῦτο ἡμῶν διαπτύσαντες, καὶ πλείονα λαβόντες ὕλην ἀντιλογίας τε καὶ τῆς καθ’ ἡμῶν λοιδορίας, ἵνα καὶ μᾶλλον ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἑστιάσητε. μὴ θαυμάσητε δέ, εἰ παράδοξον ἐρῶ λόγον, καὶ παρὰ τὸν ὑμέτερον νόμον, οἳ πάντα εἰδέναι τε καὶ διδάσκειν ὑπισχνεῖσθε λίαν νεανικῶς καὶ γενναίως, ἵνα μὴ λυπῶ λέγων ἀμαθῶς καὶ θρασέως.

Οὐ παντός, ὦ οὗτοι, τὸ περὶ θεοῦ φιλοσοφεῖν, οὐ παντός· οὐχ οὕτω τὸ πρᾶγμα εὔωνον καὶ τῶν χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων. προσθήσω δέ, οὐδὲ πάντοτε, οὐδὲ πᾶσιν, οὐδὲ πάντα, ἀλλ’ ἔστιν ὅτε, καὶ οἷς, καὶ ἐφ’ ὅσον. οὐ πάντων μέν, ὅτι τῶν ἐξητασμένων καὶ διαβεβηκότων ἐν θεωρίᾳ, καὶ πρὸ τούτων καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα κεκαθαρμένων, ἢ καθαιρομένων, τὸ μετριώτατον. μὴ καθαρῷ γὰρ ἅπτεσθαι 1 ἄρα καὶ] om καὶ bcd || 10 νόμον ’τον ὑμέτερον c. 3. 16 κα οις] ἐφ’ ὄις b || ἐφ’ ὅσον] ων b 3. ἐλαλήσαμεν . . . ἕσχςν] Gr. as- sumes that what he asks has been done, and looks back upon the re- suit. The words are a quotation from Ecclus. xxv 9. 5. ὁ σπείρων τ. λ.] Mk iv 14. 6. καἰ τοῦτο ἤμ’. διαπτύσαντες] Cp. Oral, xxv § 18 διάπτυέ μοι τὰς ἐνστάσεις. ’ Pouring contempt upon this utterance as you have done tipon others of ours.' ’ If they fail to get good, Gr. ironically says they will at least have the advantage of in- dulging in increased contempt for their opponents. 9. παράδοξον] i.e. what the Eu- nomians will consider to be such. ΙΙ. νεανικῶς] ’ ’ ‘audaciously’; cp. iii 1. On ’s lips of course it has an ironical meaning. 3. To speak on theological subjects belongs only to men prepared by deep study and by moral self-purification. It should be done only in seasons of calmness, before serious hearers; and the subjects should be such ἃς the or- dinary intelligence can grasp. 14. εὔωνον] ’so cheaply acquired.' ib. τ. χαμαὶ ἔρχομ’.] ’ nor is it the property of those tvho go along upon the ground ’ ; a common expression from Homer downwards. 17. διαβεβηκότων] Διαβεβηκώς is one who stands firmly planted upon both feet. Elias paraphrases by ἡδραιωμένων, though he gives an alternative explanation. 19. τὸ μετριώτατον] ‘to say the least of ’ For the thouglht, cp. Athan. de Inc. § 57. καθαροῦ τυχὸν οὐδὲ ἀσφαλές, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ ὄψει σαθρᾷ ἡλιακῆς ἀκτῖνος. ὅτε δέ; ἡνίκα ἂν σχολὴν ἄγωμεν ἀπὸ τῆς ἔξωθεν ἰλύος καὶ ταραχῆς, καὶ μὴ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν ἡμῶν συγχέηται τοῖς μοχθηροῖς τύποις καὶ πλανωμένοις, οἷον γράμμασι πονηροῖς ἀναμιγνύντων κάλλη γραμμάτων, ἢ βορβόρῳ μύρων εὐωδίαν. δεῖ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι σχολάσαι, καὶ γνῶναι θεόν· καὶ ὅταν λάβωμεν καιρόν, κρίνειν θεολογίας εὐθύτητα. τίσι δέ; οἷς τὸ πρᾶγμα διὰ σπουδῆς, καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἕν τι τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τοῦτο φλυαρεῖται ἡδέως, μετὰ τοὺς ἱππικούς, καὶ τὰ θέατρα, καὶ τὰ ᾄσματα, καὶ τὴν γαστέρα, καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ γαστέρα · οἷς καὶ τοῦτο μέρος τρυφῆς, ἡ περὶ ταῦτα ἐρεσχελία καὶ κομψεία τῶν ἀντιθέσεων. τίνα δὲ φιλοσοφητέον, καὶ ἐπὶ πόσον ; ὅσα ἡμῖν ἐφικτά, καὶ ἐφ’ ὅσον ἡ τοῦ ἀκούοντος ἕξις ἐφικνεῖται καὶ δύναμις· 14 ἐξικνεῖται bd ’Or. 1 etc.’ 1. τυχόν] ‘ perhaps ἴθι even free from danger. ’ The words are based upon Plato Phaed. p. 67 μὴ καθαρῷ γὰρ καθαροῦ ἐφάπτεσθαι μὴ οὐ θεμιτὸν ᾖ. ib. σαθρᾷ] properly = σαπρᾷ ‘decayed,’ ‘corrupt,’ but used in the sense of ’ ’ ’feeble.’ Cp. § 5 and iii 6, where it is contrasted with ἰσχύν, ἰσχυροῖς. Hesych. σαθρά· ἀσθενῆ, κεκλασμένα. 3. ἰλύος] lit. ’mud’’, esp. in solution, the impurities which hinder a liquid from being clear. By τῆς ἕξ. ἰ. κ. ταραχῆς Gr. seems to mean the confusions and agitations of secular life. ib. τὸ ἡγεμονικόν] ‘ the commanding ’ a technical word from philosophy, esp. Stoic philosophy, descriptive of the reason. See Plutarch de Plac. Phil. 898 Ε and 903 B ; also Cic. de Nat. Deor. 11 xi 29. 4. τύποις] ’impressions,’ or ‘images.’ Μοχθηρὸς is a word of many shades of meaning. Here it appears to mean, not ’vicious,’ nor ’unhappy,’ but (like πονηροῖς just below) ’poor,’ ’worthless,’ — ’worthless and roving imaginations. ’ 5. κάλλη γραμμάτων] So Pint, speaks of κάλλη οἰκοδομημάτων = καλὰ οἰκοδομήματα. 6. σχολάσαι κ. γν. θεόν] Psalm xlv (our xlvi) 10. The καὶ γνῶναι has the force of ‘ and so to ’ ‘in order to know. ’ 7. ὅταν λάβ’. καιρόν] Psalm Ixxiv 3 (lxxv 2). Not at all times, but only when we ’ receive the οpportunity,’ can we ’judge according unto right ’ in matters of theology. 8. διὰ σπουδῆς] so ἐστί. ' To whom it is a serious thing, and who μ’ not make this also, like other things, α subject of light conversation.’ 10. τοὺς ἱππικούς] sc. ἀγῶνας, or perh. δρόμους. 12. ἐρεσχελία] ‘ disputing for fun? esp. with a view to provoking, as distinguished from ’ talking in earnest. ’ 13. τίνα] neut. plur. ; ’on what subjects?’ ib. ἐφικτά] ’ within our reach.’ 14. ἕξις] appears to mean skill,’ ’ acquired power.’ ἵνα μὴ καθάπερ αἱ ὑπερβάλλουσαι τῶν φωνῶν, ἢ τῶν τροφῶν, τὴν ἀκοὴν βλάπτουσιν ἢ τὰ σώματα, — εἰ βούλει δέ, τῶν φορτίων τὰ ὑπὲρ δύναμιν τοὺς ὑποβαίνοντας, ἢ τὴν γῆν τῶν ὑετῶν οἱ σφοδρότεροι, — οὕτω δὴ καὶ οὗτοι τοῖς στερροῖς, ἵν οὕτως εἴπω, τῶν λόγων καταπιεσθέντες καὶ βαρυνθέντες ζημιωθεῖεν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν δύναμιν.

καὶ οὐ λέγω τοῦτο μὴ δεῖν πάντοτε μεμνῆσθαι θεοῦ. μὴ πάλιν ἐπιφυέσθωσαν ἡμῖν οἱ πάντα εὔκολοι καὶ ταχεῖς. μνημονευτέον γὰρ θεοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ ἀναπνευστέον· καί, εἰ οἷόν τε τοῦτο εἰπεῖν, μηδὲ ἄλλο τι ἢ τοῦτο πρακτέον. κἀγὼ τῶν ἐπαινούντων εἰμὶ τὸν λόγον, ὃς μελετᾷν ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς διακελεύεται, καὶ ἑσπέρας καὶ πρωὶ καὶ μεσημβρίς διηγεῖσθαι, καὶ εὐλογεῖν τὸν κύριον ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ· εἰ δεῖ καὶ τὸ Μωυσέως εἰπεῖν, κοιταζόμενον, διανστάμενον, ὁδοιποροῦντα, ὅ τι οὖν ἄλλο πράττοντα, καὶ τῆ μνήμη 2 βλάπτωσιν bc || 3 ὑπερβαίνοντας a || 4 δὴ] ’δε cd || 6 βαρηθέντες c 4. 7 om τοῦτο a || II λόγον] νόμον bd 4. τοῖς στεπποῖς τῶν λόγων] Though Gr. is fond of the partitive gen. (οἱ στερροὶ τῶν λόγων = οἱ λόγοι οἱ στερροί), it seems best here to suppose τοῖς ’στ’. to be neut., ’the solid qualities of our discourses? Perh. Gr. is still using the metaphor or simile of food. It would seem to suit καταπιεσθέντες κ. βαρυνθέντες as well as τοῖς στερροῖς. Cf. Heb. v 12 στερεά τροφή). 6. ζημ. καὶ εἰς τ. ἁ. δ.] The εἰς does not denote the extent of the damage, but the quarter in which it is felt. Over-strong meat not only fails to increase the vital forces of those to whom it is administered; it even impairs those which they possessed. Cp. v 26. 4. It is always right to think of God; but not always suitable to discourse of Him. 8. ἐπιφυέσθωσαν] ἐπιφύειν is ’to plant upon ’ ; hence in pass. ‘to fasten upon and cling ’ like hounds upon a quarry. Plutarch frequently uses the word in this way; e.g. § 1 ἐπιφυομένους, ὥσπερ θηρίοις εὐγενεῖς σκύλακας. Gr. uses it again in v ιι. ib. οἱ π. εὔκολοι] ‘ who are always (lit. in all points) so agile and ’ ὕκολος (cp. δύσκολος), from κόλον, ’diet,’ means originally one whose food agrees with him. Hence it comes to be used for facility in any direction. Plato Legg. 942 D uses the substantive in the sense of bodily activity, which (metaphorically applied) plied) is the sense here. 9. μνήμον. κτλ.] ’It is more necessary to remember God than to breathe.’ 11 . τῶν ἐπ’. εἰμι] ‘ am one of those who approve.’ ib. μελετᾷν ἤμ’. κ. νυκτός] Psalm i 2 (Josh, i 8). 12. ἑσπέρας κτλ.] Psalm liv 18 (lv Ι7). 13. εὐλογεῖν κτλ.] Psalm xxxiii 2 (xxxiv 1). 14. κοιταζόμενον κτλ.] Deut. vi 7 (cp. xi 19). τυποῦσθαι πρὸς καθαρότητα. ὥστε οὐ τὸ μεμνῆσθαι δίη. νεκῶς κωλύω, τὸ θεολογεῖν δέ· οὐδὲ τὴν θεολογίαν, ὥσπερ ἀσεβές, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀκαιρίαν· οὐδὲ τὴν διδασκαλίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀμετρίαν. ἢ μέλιτος μὲν πλησμονὴ καὶ κόρος ἔμετον ἐργάζεται, καίπερ ὄντος μέλιτος, καὶ καιρὸς τῷ παντὶ πράγματι, ὡς Σολομῶντι κἀμοὶ δοκεῖ, καὶ τὸ καλὸν οὐ καλόν, ὅταν μὴ καλῶς γίνηται, ὥσπερ ἄνθος ἐν χειμῶνι παντελῶς ἄωρον, καὶ γυναιξὶ κόσμος ἀνδρεῖος, ἢ γυναικεῖος ἀνδράσι, καὶ πένθει γεωμετρία, καὶ πότῳ δάκρυον, ἐνταῦθα δὲ μόνον τὸν καιρὸν ἀτιμάσομεν, οὗ μάλιστα τιμητέον τὸ εὔκαιρον ;

Μηδαμῶς, ὦ φίλοι καὶ ἀδελφοί· ἀδελφοὺς γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἔτι καλῶ, καίπερ οὐκ ἀδελφικῶς ἔχοντας· μὴ οὕτω διανοώμεθα, μηδὲ καθάπερ ἵπποι θερμοὶ καὶ δυσκάθεκτοι, τὸν ἐπιβάτην λογισμὸν ἀπορρίψαντες, καὶ τὴν καλῶς 3 εὐσεβὲς acd ’duo Colb. Coisl. 3 Or. 1 ’ 2. θεολογεῖν] = τὸ περὶ θεοῦ φιλο- σοφεῖν (supra), ‘to discuss theology.’ ib. ὥσπερ ἀσεβές] ‘ as though it were wrong in itself? The reading εὐσεβές, though well attested, appears to be the result of misunderstanding. It would mean, ’ nor do I forbid theology, if done in a godly manner.’ 4. τὴν ἀμετρίαν] ‘ Nor is it the function of a teacher that I object to, but want of judgment in the exercise of it.' ib. ἢ μέλιτος κτλ.] Prov. xxv 16. καίπερ ὄντος μ., ‘ honey though it ’ i.e. the best of things in itself. 5. καιρὸς τῷ π. π.] Eccl. iii 1 ; ὡς Σ. κἀμοὶ δ., ‘ There is α time... as Solomon and I think.’ 6. τὸ καλὸν οὐ κ.] The saying is quoted as a proverbial one ὅ Φασιν) in the Clementine Epitome § 18. 7. ἄνθος ἐν χ.] rather a curious instance to choose, — as if people would object to flowers in winter. 9. πένθει γεωμ.] Geometry was, so Maximus suggests, a recreation and a joy. Indeed, according to him, it formed part of the musical curriculum, and as such is included in the warning of Ecclus. xxii 6. After this suggestion Max. gives up the enquiry into Gr.'s meaning. Perhaps it was not necessary to go so far into it. Or. is only taking examples of irksome incongruity. ib. ἐνταῦθα δέ] ‘ And shall we in this case alone disregard “ the time ”?’ 5. We should not discuss theology before the heathen. Tiny turn our dissensions into a defence of heathenism, and come down upon our weaknesses like flies upon a sore. They would themselves rather die than divule their mysteries. We must learn the decencies of speech. 13. οὐκ ἀδελφικῶς ἕχ.] ’ although so unbrotherly ’ Cp. Aug. Serm. ccclvii 4, Quiduis dicas, quantumlibet odens, at placuerit detesteris, teris, frater meus es. 14. θερμοὶ κ. δυσκάθεκτοι] θ. is ‘wild,’ ‘excited’ ; δυσκ. (from κατέχειν), ‘hard to hold in.' Xenophon uses it ID the same sense. 15. ἐπιβάτην] more usually signifies ’ a rider ’ ; but here the metaphor is probably taken from a chariot race, and ἐπιβ. will mean ’ the man in the ’ i.e. the driver. The word is elsewhere used in a more restricted sense, of the man who fights in a chariot, not the driver; but it is evidently not so intended here. ἄγχουσαν εὐλάβειαν ἀποπτύσαντες, πόρρω τῆς νύσσης θέωμεν· ἀλλ’ εἴσω τῶν ἡμετέρων ὅρων φιλοσοφῶμεν, καὶ μὴ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐκφερώμεθα, μηδὲ εἰς Ἀσσυρίους κατασυ- ρώμεθα, μηδὲ ᾄδωμεν τὴν ᾠδὴν κυρίου ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας, πάσης ἀκοῆς λέγω, ξένης τε καὶ ἡμετέρας, ἐχθρᾶς καὶ φιλίας, εὐγνώμονος καὶ ἀγνώμονος, ἢ λίαν ἐπιμελῶς τηρεῖ τὰ ἡμέτερα, καὶ βούλοιτο ἂν τὸν σπινθῆρα τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν κακῶν γενέσθαι φλόγα, ἐξάπτει τε καὶ ἀναρριπίζει καὶ εἰς οὐρανὸν αἴρει ταῖς παρ’ ἑαυτῆς αὔραις λανθάνουσα, καὶ ποιεῖ τῆς Βαβυλωνίας φλογὸς τὰ κύκλῳ καταφλεγούσης ὑψηλοτέραν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτῶν δόγμασιν ἔχουσι τὴν ἰσχύν, ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις σαθροῖς ταύτην θη- ρεύουσι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ὥσπερ αἰ μυῖαι τοῖς τραύμασιν, 1. ἄγχουσαν] lit. ‘throttling,’ ‘strangling’; here ‘restraining.’ ib. ἀποπτύσαντες] lit. ‘ slitting out,’ i.e. ‘ getting the bit out of our mouths.’ It is used by other authors of the same action. ib. πόρρωτῆςνύσσης θέωμεν] ‘dash wide of the .’ Νύσσα (Lat. meta) is the καμπτήρ, or post, round which the chariot turns to do the second lap of the δίαυλος. Naturally, it ought to be barely euitata rotis. 2. εἵσω τ. ἤμ’. ὅρων] The metaphor phor begins to change; and Gr. ’s, as the following words shew, ’within the Holy ’ i.e. within the Church. The Egypt and Assyria are the heathen world, — not, as Elias and others take it, heretical Christians. 3. ἐκφερώμεθα . . . κατασυρώμεθα] The metaphor of the runaway chariot seems not to have wholly disappeared. There is, of course, a reference to such passages as Hos. ix 3. 4. τὴν ᾠδὴν κ.] Psalm exxxvi cexxxvii) 4. 5. πάσης ἀκοῆς λέγω] ‘Ι mean any and every ’ ‘Akoῆς is grammatically in apposition to γῆς. 6. εὐγνώμονος κ. ἂγ ἀγν.] ‘sympathetic thetic or unsympathetic.’ This seems from the context to be the intended meaning; but it would be equally in accordance with the usage of the words to understand (as Elias does) ‘ sensible and senseless. ’ ib. ἢ] very naturally refers only to the ἀκοὴ ἀγνώμων, or the γῆ ἀλ- λοτρία. 7. τὰ ἡμέμτερα...τῶν ἐν ἤμ’. κακῶν] The heathen and unconverted keep a watch upon Christians, and make the most of anything among them that is wrong ; ‘ would like the spark ...to become a flame.’ 8. ἀναρριπίζει] ’fans it up ’ ; from ῥιπίς, ‘a fan.’ 9. λανθάνουσα] i.e. without our seeing what they are about. 10. τῆς Baβ. φλογός] Dan. iii 23 (LXX.). 11. δόγμασιν] ‘ received ’ ; used of heathen beliefs in general, — possibly of the doctrines of heathen philosophers in particular. οὕτω τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἐπιτίθενται — εἴτε ἀτυχήμασι λέγειν, εἴτε ἁμαρτήμασιν. ἁλλ’ ἡμεῖς γε μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀγνοήσωμεν, μηδὲ τὸ περὶ ταῦτα κόσμιον ἀτιμάσωμεν· ἀλλ’ εἰ μὴ τὴν ἔχθραν καταλύσασθαι δυνατόν, ἐκεῖνό γε συμβῶμεν ἀλλήλοις, μυστικῶς τὰ μυστικὰ φθέγγεσθαι, καὶ ἁγίως τὰ ἅγια, καὶ μὴ ῥίπτειν εἰς βεβήλους ἀκοὰς τὰ μὴ ἔκφορα, μηδὲ σεμνοτέρους ἡμῶν ἀποφαίνωμεν τοὺς προσκυνοῦντας τοῖς δαιμονίοις καὶ τῶν αἰσχρῶν μύθων καὶ πραγμάτων θεραπευτάς, οἲ θᾶττον ἂν τοῦ αἵματος ἢ λόγων ἔστιν ὧν μεταδοῖεν τοῖς ἀμυήτοις. ἀλλ’ εἰδῶμεν, ὥσπερ ἐσθῆτος καὶ διαίτης καὶ γέλωτος καὶ βαδίσματος οὖσάν τινα κοσμιότητα, οὕτω καὶ λόγου καὶ σιωπῆς, ὅτι καὶ λόγον πρεσβεύομεν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τοῦ θεοῦ προσηγοριῶν καὶ δυνάμεων. ἔστω καὶ τὸ φιλόνεικον ἡμῶν ἔννομον.