them as they deserve with terrible and diverse punishments.” “I would know, sir,” I said,
“Of what nature are these diverse tortures and punishments?” “Hear,” he said, “the various
tortures and punishments. The tortures are such as occur during life.297 For some are pun-
ished with losses, others with want, others with sicknesses of various kinds, and others with
all kinds of disorder and confusion; others are insulted by unworthy persons, and exposed
to suffering in many other ways: for many, becoming unstable in their plans, try many
things, and none of them at all succeed, and they say they are not prosperous in their under-
takings; and it does not occur to their minds that they have done evil deeds, but they blame
the Lord.298 When, therefore, they have been afflicted with all kinds of affliction, then are
they delivered unto me for good training, and they are made strong in the faith of the Lord;
and299 for the rest of the days of their life they are subject to the Lord with pure hearts, and
are successful in all their undertakings, obtaining from the Lord everything they ask; and
then they glorify the Lord, that they were delivered to me, and no longer suffer any evil.”
Chap. IV.
I said to him, “Sir, explain this also to me.” “What is it you ask?” he said. “Whether, sir,”
I continued, “they who indulge in luxury, and who are deceived, are tortured for the same
period of time that they have indulged in luxury and deceit?” He said to me, “They are tor-
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tured in the same manner.”300 [“They are tormented much less, sir,” I replied;301] “for those
who are so luxurious and who forget God ought to be tortured seven-fold.” He said to me
“You are foolish, and do not understand the power of torment.” “Why, sir,” I said, “if I had
understood it, I would not have asked you to show me.” “Hear,” he said, “the power of both.
297 βιωτικαί. The Vatican and Pal. render this, “the various punishments and tortures which men suffer daily
in their lives.” Pseudo-Athanasius has: “For when they revolt from God, thinking to be in rest and in wealth,
then they are punished, some meeting with losses,” etc. [1 Tim. i. 20. Remedial discipline is thus spoken of, 1
Cor. v. 5.]
298 Pseudo-Athanasius has: “And they cannot bear for the rest of their days to turn and serve the Lord with
a pure heart. But if they repent and become sober again, then they understand that they were not prosperous
on account of their evil deeds; and so they glorify the Lord, because He is a just Judge, and because they suffered
justly, and were punished (ἐπαιδεύθησαν) according to their deeds.”
299 The Vatican inserts the following sentence before this: “And when they begin to repent of their sins, then
the works in which they have wickedly exercised themselves arise in their hearts; and then they give honour to
God, saying that He is a just Judge, and that they have deservedly suffered everything according to their deeds.”
So does Pal. The Æthiopic becomes very condensed in this portion. [Note this class of offenders, having suffered
remedial chastisement, are not delivered over the Satan finally, but “delivered unto me (the angel of repentance)
for good training.”]
300 τρόπον. The Vat. and Pal. have, “for the same time” (per idem tempus).
301 Omitted in Lips.
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Similitude Sixth. Of the Two Classes of Voluptuous Men, and of Their Death,…