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Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21
3 complete historical source paragraphs and 7 editorial footnotes. Author and edition credits are shown for each record; original wording is retained.
English translation and editorial credits: Blomfield Jackson.
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ἔρωτος. The use of this word in this connexion is in contrast with the spirit of the writers of the N.T., in which ἔρως and its correlatives never appear.
Editorial footnote · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, editorial note cite_note-5 · Original source
Behold, my friend, the flame of apostolic affection; see the torch of love.
Apol. Soc. xviii. ἐμὲ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἂν βλάψειεν οὔτε Μέλητος οὔτε ῎Ανυτος, οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν δύναιτο
Editorial footnote · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, editorial note cite_note-6 · Original source
I covet not, he says, what is His. I only long for Him; and this love of mine is an unquenchable love and I would gladly forego all present and future felicity, aye, suffer and endure again all kinds of pain so as to keep with me this flame in all its force. This was exemplified by the divine writer in deed as well as in word and everywhere by land and sea he has left behind him memorials of his sufferings. So when I turn my eyes on him and on the rest of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, priests, what is commonly reckoned miserable I cannot but hold to be delightful. I confess to a feeling of shame when I remember how even they who never learnt the lessons we have learnt, but followed no other guide but human nature alone, have won conspicuous places in the race of virtue. The famous Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, when under the calumnious indictment, not only treated the lies of his accusers with contempt, but expressed his cheerfulness in the midst of his troubles in the words, “Anytus and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot harm me.” And the orator of Pæania, who was as wise as he was eloquent, enriched both the men of his own day and them that should come after him with the saying: “to all the race of men the end of life is death, even though one shut himself up for safety in a cell; so good men are bound ever to put their hand to every honourable work, ever defending themselves with good hope as with a shield, and bravely to bear whatever lot may be given them by God.”
I.e. Demosthenes who belonged to Pæania a demus of Attica on the eastern slope of Hymettus, and so was called ὁ Παιανεύς
Editorial footnote · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, editorial note cite_note-7 · Original source
I covet not, he says, what is His. I only long for Him; and this love of mine is an unquenchable love and I would gladly forego all present and future felicity, aye, suffer and endure again all kinds of pain so as to keep with me this flame in all its force. This was exemplified by the divine writer in deed as well as in word and everywhere by land and sea he has left behind him memorials of his sufferings. So when I turn my eyes on him and on the rest of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, priests, what is commonly reckoned miserable I cannot but hold to be delightful. I confess to a feeling of shame when I remember how even they who never learnt the lessons we have learnt, but followed no other guide but human nature alone, have won conspicuous places in the race of virtue. The famous Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, when under the calumnious indictment, not only treated the lies of his accusers with contempt, but expressed his cheerfulness in the midst of his troubles in the words, “Anytus and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot harm me.” And the orator of Pæania, who was as wise as he was eloquent, enriched both the men of his own day and them that should come after him with the saying: “to all the race of men the end of life is death, even though one shut himself up for safety in a cell; so good men are bound ever to put their hand to every honourable work, ever defending themselves with good hope as with a shield, and bravely to bear whatever lot may be given them by God.”
Demosth. de Cor. 258. The sentiment finds various expression in ancient writers e.g. Euripides, in a fragment of the lost “Ægeus,” Κατθανεῖν δ᾽ ὀφείλεται καὶ τῷ κατ᾽ οἴκους ἐκτὸς ἡμένῳ πόνων and Propertius El. III. 10. “Ille licet ferro cautus se condat et œre, Mors tamen inclusum protrahit inde caput.”
Editorial footnote · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, editorial note cite_note-8 · Original source
I covet not, he says, what is His. I only long for Him; and this love of mine is an unquenchable love and I would gladly forego all present and future felicity, aye, suffer and endure again all kinds of pain so as to keep with me this flame in all its force. This was exemplified by the divine writer in deed as well as in word and everywhere by land and sea he has left behind him memorials of his sufferings. So when I turn my eyes on him and on the rest of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, priests, what is commonly reckoned miserable I cannot but hold to be delightful. I confess to a feeling of shame when I remember how even they who never learnt the lessons we have learnt, but followed no other guide but human nature alone, have won conspicuous places in the race of virtue. The famous Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, when under the calumnious indictment, not only treated the lies of his accusers with contempt, but expressed his cheerfulness in the midst of his troubles in the words, “Anytus and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot harm me.” And the orator of Pæania, who was as wise as he was eloquent, enriched both the men of his own day and them that should come after him with the saying: “to all the race of men the end of life is death, even though one shut himself up for safety in a cell; so good men are bound ever to put their hand to every honourable work, ever defending themselves with good hope as with a shield, and bravely to bear whatever lot may be given them by God.”
Thucydides II. lxiv. 3. φέρειν τε χρὴ τά τε δαιμόνια ἀναγκὰιως, τά τε ἀπὸ τῶν πολεμίων ἀνδρείως The quotation is from the speech of Pericles to the Athenians in b.c. 430 in which he encourages and soothes them under adversity.
Editorial footnote · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, editorial note cite_note-9 · Original source
Moreover a writer of earlier date than Demosthenes, I mean the son of Olorus, wrote many noble sentiments, and among them this “We must bear what the gods send us of necessity and the fortune of war with courage.” Why need I quote philosophers, historians, and orators? For even the men who gave higher honour to their mythology than to the truth have inserted many useful exhortations in their stories; as Homer in his poems introduces the wisest of the Hellenes preparing himself for deeds of valour, where he says
Homer Od. xx. 17. (Chapman’s Translation.) cf. notes on pp. 104, 255, 258, 259, and 260.
Editorial footnote · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, editorial note cite_note-10 · Original source
Have tried thy patience.’”
Garnerius dates this letter in Sept. or Oct., 449.
Editorial footnote · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, editorial note cite_note-11 · Original source
But this disquisition on the faith is exceeding the limits of a letter. Still even these few words are enough to show the character of the apostolic faith.
I covet not, he says, what is His. I only long for Him; and this love of mine is an unquenchable love and I would gladly forego all present and future felicity, aye, suffer and endure again all kinds of pain so as to keep with me this flame in all its force. This was exemplified by the divine writer in deed as well as in word and everywhere by land and sea he has left behind him memorials of his sufferings. So when I turn my eyes on him and on the rest of the patriarchs, prophets, apostles, martyrs, priests, what is commonly reckoned miserable I cannot but hold to be delightful. I confess to a feeling of shame when I remember how even they who never learnt the lessons we have learnt, but followed no other guide but human nature alone, have won conspicuous places in the race of virtue. The famous Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, when under the calumnious indictment, not only treated the lies of his accusers with contempt, but expressed his cheerfulness in the midst of his troubles in the words, “Anytus and Meletus can kill me, but they cannot harm me.” And the orator of Pæania, who was as wise as he was eloquent, enriched both the men of his own day and them that should come after him with the saying: “to all the race of men the end of life is death, even though one shut himself up for safety in a cell; so good men are bound ever to put their hand to every honourable work, ever defending themselves with good hope as with a shield, and bravely to bear whatever lot may be given them by God.”
Complete source paragraph · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, source paragraph 7 · Original source
Moreover a writer of earlier date than Demosthenes, I mean the son of Olorus, wrote many noble sentiments, and among them this “We must bear what the gods send us of necessity and the fortune of war with courage.” Why need I quote philosophers, historians, and orators? For even the men who gave higher honour to their mythology than to the truth have inserted many useful exhortations in their stories; as Homer in his poems introduces the wisest of the Hellenes preparing himself for deeds of valour, where he says
Complete source paragraph · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, source paragraph 8 · Original source
But this disquisition on the faith is exceeding the limits of a letter. Still even these few words are enough to show the character of the apostolic faith.
Complete source paragraph · Letters, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Letter 21, source paragraph 17 · Original source