APPLES OF GOLD

Σολομῶντος-- Ἀρετῆς μέν σημεῖον οὐδέν ἔχομεν δεῖξαι· ἐν δέ τῇ κακίᾳ ἡμῶν κατεδαπανήθημεν.

By Solomon (Wis 5:13), “ we possess nothing to proffer a proof of virtue, but in our vice we are consumed.”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.- Μή σε πλανήσωσιν ἄνδρες ἀσεβεῖς, μηδέ πορευθῇς ἐν ὁδῷ μετ᾿ αὐτῶν· ἔκκλινον δέ τόν πόδα σου ἀπό τῶν τρίβων αὐτῶν· οἱ γάρ πόδες αὐτῶν εἰς κακίαν τρέχουσιν.

From the same(Prov.1:10), “Do not let irreverent men deceive you, neither go in the way with them. Turn your feet from their paths, for their feet run to vice (mischief)”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ- Ὅς καταφρονεῖ πράγματος, καταφρονηθήσεται ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.

From the same (Prov.13:13),”He that despises the word shall be despised”

Τοῦ αὐτοῦ.-- Ὥσπερ ὄμφαξ ὁδοῦσι βλαβερόν καί καπνός ὄμμασιν, οὕτω παρανομία τοῖς χρωμένοις αὐτῇ. 

From the same (Prov.10:26),”As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him.”

Σιράχ. -- Ὁ ποιῶν πανηρά, εἰς αὐτόν κυλισθήσεται, καί οὐ μή ἐπιγνῷ πόθεν ἤκει αὐτῷ.

Sirach (27:30),” A mischievous counsel shall be rolled back upon the author, and he shall not know from whence it comes to him.”

Βασιλείου.- Μόνη κτημάτων ἡ ἀρετή ἀναφαίρετον.

Ἀρετῆς ἄσκησις, τίμιον μέν κτῆμα τῷ ἔχοντι· ἤδιστον δέ θέαμα τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν.

Ὥσπερ γάρ τῷ πυρί αὐτομάτως ἕπεται τό φωτίζειν, καί τῷ μύρῳ τό εὐωδεῖν·  οὕτω καί ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς πράξεσιν ἀναγκαίως ἀκολουθεῖ τό ὠφέλιμον

Basil the Great, “Virtue is the only inalienable possession. The labor of virtue, indeed for one not having precious possessions, is a pleasant sight for those who happen to see it.

For just like fire automatically follows starting a light, and the smell from  perfuming,  even so of necessity profit  follows good works.”

Ἀρχή πρός τήν ἀνάληψιν τῶν καλῶν ἡ ἀναχώρησις τῶν κακῶν. Ἔκκλινον γάρ, φησίν, ἀπό κακοῦ, καί ποίησον ἀγαθόν.

“withdrawing from vices  is the beginning toward the ascent toward the good. For incline, they  say, from  evil and do good.”

Θεολόγου. -- Φύσει πρόχειρον ἡ κακία, καί πολύς ἐπί τό χεῖρον ὁ δρόμος, ἤ ῥοῦς κατά πρανοῦς ῥέων, ἤ καλάμη τις πρός σπινθῆρα καί ἄνεμον ῥαδίως ἐξαπτομένη καί γινομένη φλόξ, καί συνδαπανωμένη τῷ οἰκείῳ γεννήματι. Οὐ πάνυ τι ῥάδιόν ἐστι τῶν ἀρετῶν τήν νικῶσαν εὑρεῖν, καί ταύτῃ δοῦναι τά πρεσβεῖα καί τά νικητήρια·  ὥσπερ οὐδέν ἐν λειμῶνι πολυανθεῖ καί εὐώδει τῶν ἀνθέων τό κάλλιστον καί εὐωδέστατον, ἄλλοτε ἄλλου τήν ὄσφρησιν καί τήν ὄψιν πρός ἑαυτό μεθέλκοντος, καί πρῶτον δρέπεσθαι πείθοντος.

 Gregory the Theologian,” Vice is naturally easy, and the road very easily trod, running against the flow it runs, or as a reed with a spark and wind easily ignited  becomes a flame, and are consumed together in the common nature.

For it is not something very easy, to have found victory  in the virtues, and so also to give the honor and victory trophies.  It is just like none of the most beautiful and aromatic flowers in a well flowered and pleasantly smelling meadow at anytime, except at this time, draws us to itself to it’s pleasant smell and appearance, except it first is plucked up.”

Χρυσοστ.-- Σπάνιον ἡ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ κτῆσις καί πρόσαντες, κἄν εἰ πολύ τό μεθέλκον εἴη καί προκαλούμενον. 

Chrysostom, “The acquisition of the good is rare even for those who  progress although  it may be very enticing and provocative.”

Ἄμισθος ἡ ἀρετή, ἵνα καί ἀρετή μείνῃ, πρός τό καλόν μόνον βλέπουσα.

Virtue is unrewarded, in order that virtue might stay, with it’s view towards the only good.

Ποιεῖ περιβοήτους οὐ δεξιά πρᾶξις μόνον, ἀλλά κακία νικῶσα πονηράν εὐδοκίμησιν.

Right  action not only does not make noisey show, but having conquered perverse vice, rests complacent in itself.

Οὐκ ἔστι τόν ἀρετῆς ἐπιμελούμενον, μή πολλούς ἔχειν ἐχθρούς·  ἀλλ᾿ οὐδέν τοῦτο πρός τόν ἐνάρετον· διά γάρ τῶν τοιούτων λαμπρότερος ἔστι μειζόνως. 

The pursuit of virtue is not so that we don’t have enemies, for this is not anything virtuous, but rather virtue shines more brightly through such things

Πολλοί πολλάκις αὐτάς τάς ἀρετάς διά τούς (=725=) πόνους φεύγοντες, διά τήν ἐξ αὐτῶν εὐφημίαν αἱροῦνται ποιεῖν. 

Many have many times flee from  virtues because of the toils, or because of the praise from them they prefer to toil.

Ὥσπερ τό τῆς ζωῆς τέλος ἀρχή θανάτου ἐστίν, οὕτως καί τοῦ κατ' ἀρετήν δρόμου ἡ στάσις, ἀρχή τοῦ κατά κακίαν γίνεται δρόμου

Just like the end of life is the beginning of death, so also the firm start on the way  to virtue, the beginning of the end happens for the vicious way of life.

Δυσεπίτευκτον μέν εἶναι τήν ἀρετήν, μυρίοις ἱδρῶσι καί πόνοις σπουδῇ καί καμάτῳ μόγις κατορθουμένην, παρά τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ἐδιδάχθημεν. 

We have been taught from the Holy Scriptures that virtue is hard to accomplish, by doing our best in many tears and toils, and being corrected by hard labor.

Χρυσοστ.- Εἰ γάρ τῶν ἐπί γῆς ἀνθρώπων ὁ παραβαίνων τούς νόμους, ἀπαραίτητον ὑφίσταται τήν κόλασιν·  πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἀφορήτοις ἐκδοθήσεται βασάνοις, ὁ τοῦ ἐπουρανίου Δεσπότου ἀθετῶν τά προστάγματα; 

Chrysostom, If one  transgressing the laws of this world  is subject to  intractable punishment,  how much  rather he that despises the decrees of the Heavenly king shall be meted out unbearable  punishments?

Ὥσπερ ἐπί τῆς κιθάρας οὐκ ἀρκεῖ μόνον ἐπί μιᾶς νευρᾶς τήν μελωδίαν ἐργάζεσθαι, ἀλλά πάσας ἐπιέναι δεῖ μετά ῥυθμοῦ τοῦ προσηκόντος, οὕτω καί ἐπί τῆς κατά τήν ψυχήν ἀρετῆς, οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡμῖν νόμος εἰς σωτηρίαν εἷς, ἀλλά δεῖ πάντας αὐτούς μετά ἀκριβείας φυλάττειν. 

Just like on a harp, it is not enough to practice the melody on one of the strings, but we need  to  use them all to make the appropriate rhythm, even so with the virtues of the soul, one law does not suffice us for salvation, but we need to keep them all with exactness.

  Μή τοίνυν λέγωμεν, ὅτι ὁ δεῖνα φύσει κακός, καί ὁ δεῖνα φύσει καλός. Εἰ γάρ φύσει ἀγαθός, οὐδέποτε δυνήσεται γενέσθαι κακός·  καί εἰ φύσει κακός, οὐδέποτε γενήσεται ἀγαθός.

Let us not then say, that so and so is naturally evil, or that  so and so by nature is good. For if  by nature one is good,  never at at any time is he able to become evil. And if by nature he is evil, he never at anytime shall become good. 

Οὐχ ὑπομένει τό σκότος τήν τοῦ φωτός παρουσίαν·  οὐ νόσος ὑγείας ἐπιλαβούσης ἵσταται·  οὐκ ἐνεργεῖ τά πάθη τῆς ἀπαθείας παρούσης. 

The darkness does not tolerate the presence of the light, neither can sickness, taking it’s health, continue: when dispassion is present the passions do not act.

Ἐλευθέραν εἶναι προσήκει παντός φόβου τήν ἀρετήν. Ἀδέσποτον γάρ ἀρετή καί ἑκούσιον, παντός φόβου καί ἀνάγκης ἐλεύθερον. 

  Virtue is properly free of all fear. For virtue is it’s own master and freely willing, free from all fear and necessity.

Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλην κακίας γέννησιν ἐννοῆσαι, ἤ ἀρετῆς ἀπουσίαν. 

We are not to think that there is another birth or reason for vice than the absence of virtue.

Κλήμεντος. -- Ἡ τῶν κακῶν ἀπαλλαγή σωτηρίας ἐστίν ἀρχή. 

Clement, The transformation of vices is the beginning of salvation.

Ὡς ἔοικεν, ἡ δικαιοσύνη τετράγωνός ἐστιν, ἴση καί ὁμοία ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν ἔργῳ, ἐν ἀποχῇ κακῶν, ἐν εὐποιίᾳ, ἐν τελειότητι γνωστικῇ·  οὐδαμῆ οὐδαμῶς χωλεύουσα, ἵνα μή ἄδικος καί ἄνισος φανῇ.

It would seem, righteousness is fourfold, equal and the same in word,work,in restraint from evil, in beneficence, in intellectual perfection,  in no way at all imperfect,  lest it seem unrighteous and not impartial.