restrains lasciviousness, and holds it in with much patience, and overcomes the diseases of the soul. But do you desire to spend time in gardens, in meadows, and in parks? Not now, when so great a multitude is present, but on another day; for today is a time for wrestling, today is a season for contemplating the struggle, not for luxury or relaxation. You have come hither, not that you might give yourself over to ease, but that you might learn to struggle, to wrestle, and, being a man, to crush the strength of invisible demons. For no one who has come to the wrestling school acts wantonly, nor does one who arrives at the time of the contests deck himself out, nor does one seek out tables at the time of the battle. Do not, therefore—since you have come to behold the courage of the soul and the strength of the mind, and a new and wondrous trophy, and a certain extraordinary battle, and wounds, and wars, and the wrestling of a man—introduce diabolical actions; and after this strange and trembling spectacle, do not give yourself over to drunkenness and luxury, but having gathered the profits of the soul, depart home in such a way as to demonstrate to all by your very appearance that you have departed from beholding a martyr. For just as those who descend from the theaters are plain to all, being disturbed, confused, unstrung, bearing the images of all that was done there; so too must he who returns from the spectacle of the martyrs be recognizable to all, by his gaze, by his mien, by his walk, by his compunction, by the gathered state of his mind; breathing fire, restrained, contrite, sober, vigilant, proclaiming through the movements of his body the philosophy within. Let us, therefore, return to the city in this manner, with the fitting decorum, with orderly step, with wisdom and temperance, with a mild and serene gaze. For the attire of a man, and the smile of the teeth, and the step of the foot will declare the matters concerning him. Let us always return thus from the martyrs, from spiritual ointments, from heavenly meadows, from new and wondrous spectacles, that we ourselves may reap much ease, and may become to others the authors of their liberty, and may attain the goods to come, by the grace and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father, together with the Holy Spirit, be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
LAUDATION OF THE HOLY MARTYR JULIAN
1. If such are the honors deferred to the martyrs on earth, what manner of crowns are woven in the heavens for their holy heads after their departure from here? If such is the glory before the resurrection, how great is the brightness after the resurrection? If they enjoy such service from their fellow-servants, of how much shall they be deemed worthy A when they are joined to the holy angels in heaven? If such is the radiance here before the resurrection, how much greater will be the splendor after the resurrection? If these things are offered to them by their fellow servants, of what honor shall they be deemed worthy
ON THE HOMILY ON THE HOLY MARTYR JULIAN
That this homily was delivered at Antioch is certain, both from the things which Chrysostom commemorates concerning the suburb of Daphne and the bouts of eating and dancing that were accustomed to take place there; and also because the relics of the same saint had been translated to Antioch: and there was in the same city a church consecrated in the name of the same saint, which is not infrequently celebrated in ecclesiastical history. Regarding the year in which Chrysostom delivered this discourse, we cannot ferret out even a whisper. Moreover, the Roman Martyrology assigns the day on which Julian suffered as the sixteenth of March; but the Menologion of the Greeks assigns it to the twenty-first of June. Concerning this matter, one should hear Fronto Ducæus. The Roman Martyrology commemorates several Julians, but it is certain that he is the one whose history it briefly touches upon in March, as is evident from the Menologion of the Greeks, published in Venice only in Greek, which refers his passion to June. Therefore, it narrates that he was born at Anazarbus in Cilicia, from a father who was a senator in rank, and a mother who was of the Christian religion: having been instructed by her in the faith of Christ, and having cultivated himself in the studies of the Sacred Letters, at the age of eighteen, he was accused before the governor Marcian, and when he would not sacrifice to idols, he was beaten on various parts of his body. Then, having been cast into prison, obeying the counsel of his mother, as he
LAUDATION OF THE HOLY MARTYR JULIAN
1. If such are the honors deferred to the martyrs on earth, after their departure from this life, what manner of crowns are woven in the heavens for their holy heads? If such is the glory before the resurrection, how great is the brightness after the resurrection? If they enjoy such service from their fellow-servants, of how much shall they be deemed worthy B—
Homily on Saint Julian the Martyr
A ...if we, being evil, know how to honor our fellow servants in this way and stand in awe of them because they have contended for Christ, how much more will our heavenly Father give countless good things to those who have labored for His sake? For He is munificent and kind. Yet they are not awaiting such great honors for this reason alone, but because He is their debtor. The martyrs were not slaughtered for our sake, yet we gather in their honor; but if we gather for those for whom they were not slaughtered, what will Christ not provide, for whom they devoted their own heads? If He gave such great good things to those to whom He owed nothing, what gifts will He not bestow upon those to whom He is a debtor? He owed nothing to the world before this: For all have sinned, says Paul, and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23); indeed, it was penalty and punishment He owed. Nevertheless, when He owed us penalty and punishment, He granted us eternal life. If, therefore, He gave the kingdom to those to whom He owed punishment, what will He not give to those to whom He owes eternal life? With what honors will He not crown them? If He was crucified for those who hated Him and shed His blood, what will He not perform for those who shed their blood for His confession? If He loved those who turned away and retreated so much that He died for them, what benevolence will He show, what honors will He bestow upon those who loved Him with the greatest measure, for Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:13)?
The athletes of external contests contend in the same arena and win, and are proclaimed victors and are crowned; but not so for these athletes of piety. Rather, they contend in the present age, but are crowned in the future. They fought here with the devil and won, but there they are proclaimed victors. And that you might understand that this is true—that they are not given their crowns here, but that all rewards await them there—hear Paul saying: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness (2 Tim 4:7-8). Where and when? Which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me in that day. Here he ran, there he is crowned; here he won, there he is proclaimed victor. You have heard him also crying out today and saying: In faith all these died, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off and having saluted them (Heb 11:13). B Why then do both victories and crowns come simultaneously to external and profane athletes, but not to the athletes of piety, but only after an interval of time? They sweated, they labored here, they received six hundred wounds, and the crowns do not come to them immediately? By no means, he says: for the nature of the present life does not grasp the magnitude of that honor; the present age is fleeting and short, that one is infinite, immortal, and eternal. Temporal labors bring forth immortal crowns. Therefore, He joined the labors with this brief and temporary age, but reserved the crowns for the eternal and immortal one, so that the toil of the labors might be cut short, dissolving with the brevity of time, and the perennity and perpetual enjoyment of the crowns might remain, which endures together with the immortality of those infinite ages.
Therefore, because He wished to adorn them with greater honors, He postponed the gift; and not for this reason alone, but so that they might be filled with pleasure thereafter. For just as one who first enjoys delights and pleasures and is afterward to be vexed does not at all perceive the present delights because of the expectation of future evils, so he who first fights and contends and endures six hundred evils, but is then crowned, does not grasp the sense of present evils, while he is refreshed by the hope of future good things. Nor did He relieve them of present toil only through this hope of future things, but He also acted so that, in order, affliction might precede pleasure, so that they might not be tormented vehemently by present evils while looking toward those things. Thus those who box also accept wounds gladly, looking not to the pains, but to the crown; thus also sailors enduring six hundred dangers, storms, and a certain grievous war, and setting themselves against wild beasts and marauding pirates at sea, consider none of these things, but look to the harbors and the wealth to be collected from the trade: so also the martyrs, enduring six hundred evils, with their bodies cut by various torments, looked to none of these things, but were intent upon heaven and the good things hoped for from there. And that you may learn that things which are by nature heavy and unbearable are rendered light and most easy by the hope of future things, hear the overseer of such good things saying: For that which is momentary and light of our tribulation works for us an exceeding and eternal weight of glory (2 Cor 4:17). By what means, I pray? By our not looking at the things which are seen, but at those which are not seen (2 Cor 4:18). C And I say this to you, so that when you see someone in this life enjoying delights and pleasures, but who is to be punished there afterward, you may not call him blessed because of his present delights, but miserable because of his future punishment. Again, when you see any of those who are to be adorned with great honor there being beset by affliction and tribulation and numberless evils in this temporal life, do not lament because of the present evils, but judge him fortunate and count him blessed because of the crowns laid up for him in those infinite ages. This holy man was brought forth by the nation of the Cilicians, which also brought forth Paul; for he was his fellow citizen, and both went forth from there for us as ministers of the Church.
The long martyrdom of Julian. After the stadium of piety was opened, and the time itself called him to the contests, he fell into the hands of a savage beast who was exercising judgment at that time. And see the trickery: when he saw him possessed of a stout heart, and that the rigid strength of his soul could not be broken by the vehemence of the punishment, he cast him into procrastinations and delays, introducing him again and again and bringing him forth. For he did not cut off his head the very day he heard the case, lest the brevity of the punishment render his course easier for him; but each day D he brought him in and brought him out.
[669] he brought him in, he led him out; he applied interrogations, he threatened countless torments, he lured him with flattering words; he set in motion every machine, attempting to shake that unshakable foundation. And he led him round for a whole year everywhere in Cilicia, disgracing him, or rather—as he did not reflect—setting him forth more brilliantly. But the martyr cried out, himself also in harmony with Paul: *Thanks be to God who leads us in triumph in Christ Jesus, and manifests the odor of his knowledge through us in every place* (2 Cor. 2:14). For just as perfume, as long as it lies in one place, imbues only that place with the aroma, but when it is carried into many regions, it fills them all with its own virtue; B so indeed it happened in the case of the martyr at that time. For he was led around as though about to be disgraced, but the opposite resulted: the athlete became more brilliant through that procession, and he made all who inhabited the region of the Cilicians imitators of his own virtue. He was led around everywhere so that not only from hearsay might the spectators learn of the contests, but that they might see the victor himself; and by as much as [the tyrant] made the courses longer for him, by so much did the races become more brilliant; by as much as he set wider the arenas, by so much did he prove the contests more wonderful; by as much as he extended the affliction in length of time, by so much did he render his patience more proven. For gold, the more time it passes in the nature of fire, becomes purer; just as then, too, the soul of the holy one, being tortured by time, shone forth all the more, and he bore about nothing else than a trophy against himself and the devil, the martyr, a proof of the cruelty of the Greeks, a demonstration of the piety of the Christians, the greatest token of the power of Christ, an exhortation and counsel to the faithful to persevere eagerly in the same struggles, a herald of the glory of God, a teacher in the science of such contests. For he exhorted everyone to transfer to his own zeal, not only advising them by his voice, but by the deeds themselves uttering a sound more brilliant than a trumpet. And just as the heavens describe the glory of God, not by emitting a voice, but by the brilliance of the sight leading the spectator to the wonder of the Creator; so indeed that martyr was describing the glory of God at that time, being himself a heaven, and far more radiant than this visible one. For the choirs of the stars do not render the heavens so bright as the humors of [his] wounds rendered the body of the martyr more brilliant. And that you may learn that the wounds of the martyr are more brilliant than the stars fixed in heaven, observe: to that heaven and the stars, both men and demons look, but to the wounds of this one, the faithful indeed look, but the demons do not dare to look back, and if they should attempt to look, they are immediately blinded in their eyes, not being able to endure the radiance leaping forth from there. And I will prove this not only from the things that happened long ago, but also from those which happen even still today. For taking someone possessed by a demon and raving, bring him C to that holy tomb, where the martyr’s relics are, and you will see him by all means leaping away and fleeing. For just as one about to tread upon coals, so does he immediately leap out from the very porches, not even daring to look towards the shrine itself. But if now after such a long time, when he has become dust and ashes, they do not dare gaze towards the monument, nor towards the naked bones of the holy one, it is manifest that even then, when they were seeing him reddened with blood on all sides, shining with wounds more than the sun with its rays, they were struck with terror, and being smitten in their eyes withdrew.
Chapter 3.
D You saw how the wounds of the martyrs are more radiant and wonderful than the heavenly stars, and have greater strength? The holy one was then being led into the midst, and bitter torments had surrounded him on every side—fear of the future, pain of the present, sorrow of what had come upon him, agony of what was expected. For just as some wild beasts, the executioners surrounding his body were digging into his sides, tearing his flesh, stripping bare his bones, pressing on even to the innermost parts of the vitals. Yet even while searching through everything, they could not plunder the treasure of faith. Now in the case of royal treasuries, where gold is laid up and other inexpressible wealth, if you only tear down the walls, if you open the doors, you immediately see the treasure lying before you; but here, in the case of this holy and Christ-bearing temple, the opposite happened. The executioners pulled down the walls and ripped open the chest, and they neither saw nor were able to take the wealth stored within; but just what those in Sodom suffered, standing at the very door of Lot’s house, but unable to find the entrance; so indeed these too were searching through the body of the martyr on all sides, but they were unable to seize the treasure or empty the wealth of faith. Such are the achievements of the souls of the saints, that they are unremovable and unconquerable, as if laid up in some asylum in the courage of the soul, and neither do the eyes of tyrants see them, nor are the hands of executioners able to snatch them; but even if they should tear apart the heart itself, in which the courage of the soul is especially believed to be deposited, even if they should cut it into small parts, not even thus do they empty the wealth, but they even render it greater. And the cause is God, who dwells in such souls; but it is impossible to win against one who is warring for God, but necessary for one to depart having been made a laughingstock and having been basely defeated. For this reason, even then the opposite of what is customary was happening. For everywhere deeds prevail over words; but then, words prevailed over deeds. How? They themselves brought fire and iron and torments; they brought tortures, punishments, lashes; they were digging into his sides on all sides, [670] and he who was suffering remained unconquered; he was speaking only, and uttering a bare voice, and word prevailed over works. For the holy voice was leaping forth from the martyr’s mouth and drawing with itself a light more brilliant than the solar ray. So great is the light of this, as the distance from heaven to earth; or rather, it cannot even pass this whole way when a roof, or wall, or cloud, or some other body falls in between, but...when a roof, or a wall, or a cloud, or any other body intervenes, it is obstructed and shut off by such barriers, so that it might be carried no further; but the voice of the martyr, leaping forth from that holy tongue, bounded away into heaven. It passed beyond the heaven of heavens; the angels saw it and stood aside, the archangels gave it way; the Cherubim and other powers led it upward, nor did they withdraw before they had brought it to the royal throne itself.
The death of the martyrs is victory. Saint Julian is cast into the sea.
After this sound, when he who was then exercising judgment saw that he had schemed for everything in vain and to no purpose, and that he was kicking against the goad and striking adamant, what does he do? He tends from then on to give the appearance of yielding, and he takes the martyr out of this life: for the death of martyrs is manifest slaughter for those who kill them, but a clear victory for those who are killed. But do you consider for me in what way he devised a cruel and bitter kind of death for him, which might demonstrate both the cruelty of the tyrant and the fortitude of the martyr. What, then, was that kind of punishment? With a sack brought out and filled with sand, when he had thrown scorpions, vipers, and dragons into it, he cast the holy one in with them, and sent him into the sea. The martyr was therefore with the beasts, and the just man was again enclosed with the beasts: I said "again," so that I might recall to your memory the old story concerning Daniel. They enclosed the former in a den, but the latter they cast into a sack: they placed a stone upon the one, but this man sewed up the sack and made the prison more confining for the just man. But everywhere the bodies of the saints are revered by beasts, to the shame and condemnation of those who, although they are adorned with reason and accounted worthy of the state of human nature, surpass the ferocity of those beasts with their own excessive inhumanity: such a man we may infer this tyrant also was. It was a stupendous miracle to behold, and no less than that which happened in the case of Daniel. For just as the Babylonians wondered when they saw him ascending from the den of lions after many days (Daniel 7), so also did the angels marvel when they saw the soul of Julian ascending from the sack and the waves into heaven. Daniel subdued and conquered two lions, but they were sensible ones; this man subdued and conquered one lion, but a spiritual one. For our enemy, the devil, as a roaring lion walks about, seeking whom he may devour (1 Pet. 5:8); but he was overcome by the fortitude of the martyr, for he had laid aside the poison of sin; wherefore he did not devour him at all; for this reason he dreaded neither the lion nor the rage of the beasts.
[4.] Do you wish that I should tell another old story, where both the just one and the beasts [are found]? Remember the flood of Noah and the ark; for then also the just one and the beasts were together. But Noah indeed entered as a man, and went out as a man; but Julian entered as a man, yet went out as an angel; he entered from the earth, and went out again into the earth; this man entered into a sack from the earth, and from the sack departed into heaven. The sea received him, not to kill him, but to crown him, and after the crown restored to us this holy ark, the body of the martyr: we retain this unto this very day, which is a treasure of ten thousand good things. For God shared the martyrs with us: for when He had taken their souls to Himself, He bestowed their bodies upon us in a certain sense, so that we might keep these holy bones as monuments of perpetual virtue. For if one, while beholding the bloodstained arms of a warrior—his shield, spear, and breastplate—even if he be the most cowardly of all, immediately leaps up, burns with zeal, and goes forth ready for battle, and takes courage at the sight of the arms, so that he might undertake the same deeds; how can we, who behold not arms but the very body of the saint, which was thought worthy to be bloodstained for the confession of Christ, not have a ready spirit, since this sight falls upon our mind like a kind of fire and invites us to the same contest? For this reason God has deposited the bodies of the saints with us until the time of the resurrection, that we might have material for the greatest philosophy. Verily, however, lest the praises of the martyr be lessened by the weakness of our tongue, let them await God the agonothete: He who crowns them, He also will praise them. For their praise is not from men, but from God; for even these things which we have said, we did not say in order that we might render the martyr more illustrious, but in order that we might make you more ready.
Moral exhortation.
But let us, omitting praises, turn all our speech to you; or rather, the praises of the martyrs cannot be omitted when one speaks of useful matters in the church. But pay attention, for I have decided to excise a base and inveterate custom this day, so that we may not only approach the martyrs, but also imitate the martyrs. For the honor of the martyrs is not if we proceed to them only, but rather if we emulate their fortitude. Wherefore this base custom must be exposed first; for it is not easy to apply medicine to an unknown disease: therefore I first uncover the wound, then I apply the remedy. What, then, is that base custom? Some of those who have gathered here today (for far be it from me to condemn the whole Church with such a charge), out of some sloth and simplicity, on the coming day, abandoning us, hasten to Daphne, so that they may pour out what we have gathered today, and tear down what we have built. So that they may not without fruit participate in this assembly, where we have discussed these few things, we shall impose an end to our speech. Why, I ask, do you hasten to the suburb of the city? Behold the suburb of Jerusalem which is above; behold the spiritual Daphne; there are fountains of waters, here are the fountains of the martyrs; there are cypress trees, fruitless there, but here are the remains of the saints and roots planted in the earth, which extend their branches into heaven. Do you wish to behold the fruit of these branches also? Open the eyes of faith, and then suddenly I will show you the nature of wonderful fruits. For the fruit of these branches is not of pears, or of apples, nor of anything else of those things which decay and perish.
and the remission of sins, the destruction of vice, the healing of the soul’s diseases, fervent prayer, boldness before God—all are spiritual, and filled with heavenly good things. These fruits, being ever harvested, ever sprout forth and never fail those who cultivate them. For while trees that grow in the earth yield their fruit once a year—and even if you do not harvest them, when the winter season arrives they lose their proper beauty, the fruit being spoiled and falling—these fruits know no winter, no summer; they are not subject to the necessity of seasons, nor can they ever be seen bare of their own fruits, but they stand forever in the same beauty. No corruption touches them, nor change of seasons. How many, therefore, from the time this body was planted in this earth, have harvested ten thousand blessings from this holy tomb, and the fruit did not fail! They reaped the crops, and the sheaves were not consumed; they drew from the springs, and the waters were not exhausted, but the flow is continuous, never failing, but always providing more of the gushing miracle as it is drawn. Not only does it work miracles, but it also persuades to philosophy. For if you are rich and haughty, and have a fevered soul, coming here and seeing the martyr, and considering the middle ground between your wealth and his abundance, you will immediately calm your puffing up, and laying aside the inflammation, you will depart having much health in your soul. And if you think yourself poor and despised, coming and seeing the wealth of the martyr, and laughing at the riches of the outside world, you will depart having filled yourself with much philosophy; and even if insults, losses, or scourges are brought upon you, seeing that you have not yet suffered as much as this holy martyr, you will again receive sufficient consolation from this source. Do you see what kind of fruits these roots have? How they are inexhaustible? How they are spiritual? How they touch the very soul? I do not forbid you from going to the suburb, but I forbid you from going tomorrow. For what reason? That the enjoyment may not have condemnation, that the pleasure may remain pure, so that condemnation may not enter in; for it is possible to indulge in enjoyment and be rid of sin on another day. But if you also wish to enjoy pleasure now, what is more pleasant than this assembly? What is more delightful than this spiritual theater? Than your own members? Than the fellowship of the brothers? But if you also wish to partake of a bodily table, here it is possible, after the assembly is dissolved, by resting near the martyr’s shrine under a fig tree or a vine, to grant the body its relaxation and deliver the conscience from condemnation. For the martyr, being seen nearby, being close, and standing by the very table, does not allow the pleasure to be poured out into sin, but like some teacher or excellent father, appearing to the eyes of faith, he suppresses the laughter, cuts off the improper pleasures, and removes all the skippings of the flesh, which it is impossible to escape there. For what reason? Because troupes of men take over the suburb tomorrow; and the sight of such things often draws even the one who wishes to live temperately, against his will, toward the imitation of the same indecency, and especially when the devil is present in their midst; for he is present, being called by the lewd songs, by the shameful words, by the demonic procession. But you have renounced all this procession, and have aligned yourself with the worship of Christ on that day on which you were deemed worthy of the holy mysteries. Remember, therefore, those words and the covenant, and flee from the transgression.
5. I also wish to converse with those who are present and not going, and to entrust to them the salvation of the others. For when a doctor enters to see a sick man, he speaks a few words to the one lying there; but concerning medicines and food and other treatment, he calls the relatives and instructs them in everything. Why so? Because the sick man does not immediately accept the advice, but the healthy man pays attention to what is said with much eagerness; for this reason, I wish to converse with you along with them. Let us anticipate them tomorrow at the gates, let us lie in wait on the roads; let men seize men, and women the women, from the beasts of burden; let us bring them back here, let us not be ashamed; where the salvation of a brother is at stake, there is no shame. If they are not ashamed to go up to that lawless procession, much more should we not be ashamed to bring them back to this holy festival. When the salvation of a brother is proposed, let us refuse nothing. For if Christ died for us, it is fitting for us to endure everything for them. Even if they rain down blows, even if they heap insults upon you, hold fast, and do not depart until you have brought them back to the holy martyr; and if it is necessary to sit in judgment from those passing by, let those who wish hear; say: "I wish to save a brother, I see a soul perishing, and I cannot bear to overlook my kinsman; let him who wishes accuse, let him who wishes find fault." Nay, rather, no one will accuse, but all will praise, all will embrace you. For I am not contending and fighting over money, nor in defense of a private grudge, nor over any other worldly thing, but for the salvation of a brother; who would not approve of this? Who would not admire it? The spiritual kinship has made us more affectionate than parents, even though we are not related to one another by carnal kinship. If you wish, let us take the martyr with us; for he is not ashamed to come and save the brothers. Let us set him before their eyes; let them fear him being present, let them be reverent before him as he exhorts and begs; for he is not ashamed to even beg. For if his Master begs our nature—"We are ambassadors for Christ," says Paul, "as though God were pleading through us: Be reconciled to God" (2 Cor. 5:20)—much more will the servant do this; one thing alone grieves him, our perdition; one thing gladdens him, our salvation; and for this reason he will not refuse to do anything for its sake. So let us not be ashamed, nor consider it a superfluous act. For if human hunters go off to cliffs and mountains and chasms and every pathless place, whether to hunt a hare, or a deer, or some other such thing, or often even to hunt these wild birds; then you, intending to bring back not a worthless irrational creature, but a spiritual brother, for whom Christ died, from perdition—and not to go to mountains and woods, but to go out of the gate—
of the virtues, and feel a zeal for their labors. This brings no less pleasure to the martyrs than their own righteous deeds. And so that you may understand that they especially feel their goods are realized when they see us safely established, and that they consider that matter their highest honor, hear Paul saying: "Now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord" (1 Thess. 3:8). Indeed, even Moses before him said to God: "If you forgive them their sin, forgive; but if not, blot me out of the book which you have written" (Exod. 32:31-32). I do not perceive celestial honor, he says, because of the calamity of these people; for the assembly of the faithful is a certain connection and structure of the body: what profit is there in the head being crowned, while the feet are being tortured?
A do they flee and blush? What pardon, I ask, will you obtain? Do you not hear a certain wise man warning and saying: "There is a shame that bringeth sin" (Eccli. 4:21)? But are you afraid that someone might rebuke you? Transfer the blame to me, who have said this; say that the teacher ordered it thus: I am prepared to argue and render an account with those who rebuke; nay, truly, no one will rebuke you or us, even if he be very shameless, but all will praise you, and will commend us for the sake of our care and zeal, not only in our own country, but also those who inhabit the neighboring cities, because there is such a power of love among us, such great ardor of brotherly affection. But why do I say men? The Lord of the angels himself will praise us. Since, therefore, you know of the reward proposed, let us not neglect the hunt, nor let us return alone tomorrow, but let each one arrive bringing his prey with him. If you come at that hour only, when each person having left his home sets out upon the road, and pass the time until the visitation of this place, there will be no difficulty thereafter; but after the passage of time yours will also have much grace, and all the others will praise and exalt you: and, which is the greatest of all, the Lord of the heavens will confer many rewards upon you for these things, and will increase this gain and praise. Turning these gains in your mind, let us all pour forth before the city and bring back our captured brothers, so that tomorrow even the theater may be rendered full for us, and the assembly may be perfect; so that because of this zeal and diligence of ours applied here, the holy martyr may receive us into the eternal Tabernacles with great confidence; which may it befall all of us to attain, through the grace and kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father, together with the holy and life-giving Spirit, be glory, now and always, and for ages of ages. Amen.