457 and, “At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto Thee, because of Thy righteous judgments” (Ps. cxix. 62.): and, “God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave” (Ps. xlix. 15.): and, “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me” (Ps. xxiii. 4.): and, “I will not be afraid for the terror by night, nor for the arrow that flieth by day, nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday” (Ps. xci. 5, 6.): and, “We are counted as sheep for the slaughter” (Ps. xliv. 22.): he expresses their ardent love to God. And again, when they sing with the Angels, (for Angels too are singing then,) “Praise ye the Lord from the Heavens.” (Ps. cxlviii. 1.) And we meanwhile are snoring, or scratching our heads, or lying supine meditating endless deceits.1252 Think what it was for them to spend the whole night in this employment. And when the day is coming on, they take rest again; for when we begin our works, they have a season of rest.1253 But each of us, when it is day, calls upon his neighbor, takes account of his outgoings, then1254 goes into the forum; trembling he appears before the magistrate, and dreads a reckoning. Another visits the stage, another goes about his own business. But these holy men, having performed their morning prayers and hymns, proceed to the reading of the Scriptures. There are some too that have learned to write out books, each having his own apartment assigned to him, where he lives in perpetual quiet; no one is trifling, not one speaks a word. Then at the third, sixth, and ninth hours, and in the evening, they perform their devotions, having divided the day into four parts, and at the conclusion of each they honor God with psalms and hymns, and whilst others are dining, laughing, and sporting, and bursting with gluttony, they are occupied with their hymns. For they have no time for the table nor for these things of sense. After their meal1255 they again pursue the same course, having previously given themselves a while to sleep. The men of the world sleep during the day: but these watch during the night. Truly children of light are they! And while the former, having slept away the greater part of the day, go forth oppressed with heaviness, these are still collected,1256 remaining without food1257 till the evening, and occupied in hymns. Other men, when evening overtakes them, hasten to the baths, and different recre- ations, but these, being relieved from their labors, then betake themselves to their table, not calling up a multitude of servants, nor throwing the house into bustle and confusion, nor setting before them high-seasoned dishes, and rich-steaming viands, but some only partaking 1252 He means not self-deceits, but actual frauds, for he is now as it were on a sally, among the enemy’s works. 1253 Not their principal rest, but an interval. 1254 So Old Lat. (prob. from εἶτα εἰς) Ed. εἰ εἰς, “if he goes.” Colb. om εἰ. 1255 ἄριστον. See on Stat. Hom. ix. 1, note e, and x. 1, note a. 1256 νήφουσιν. 1257 This seems to contradict what was said just before, but it need not be taken quite strictly, as the former meal was not at table, and extremely light. 791 1 Timothy 5.8