490 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [I-IOMILY IV. MORAL. For observe, I pray, beloved, that is not glory which is on earth, the true glory is in heaven. But if any one would be glorified, let him be dishonored. If he would obtain rest, let him suffer affliction. If any one would be forever illustrious, would enjoy pleasure, let him despise temporal things. And that dishonor is glory, and glory dishonor, let us now set be fore us to the best of our power, that we may see what is real glory. It is not possible to be glorified upon earth ; if thou wouldest be glori fied, it must be through dishonor. And let us prove this in the examples of two persons, Nero and Paul. The one had the glory of this world, the other the dishonor. How? The first was a tyrant, had obtained great success, had raised many trophies, had wealth ever flow ing in, numerous armies everywhere ; he had the greater part of the world and the imperial city subject to his sway, the whole senate crouch ing to him, and his palace too 1 was advancing with splendid show. When he must be armed, he went forth arrayed in gold and precious stones. When he was to sit still in peace, he sat clothed in robes of purple. He was surrounded by numerous guards and attendants. He was called Lord of land and sea, Emperor,2 Augus tus, Caesar, King, and other such high-sounding names as implied 3flattery and courtship; and nothing was wanting that might tend to glory. Even wise men and potentates and sovereigns trembled at him. For beside all this, he was said to be a cruel and violent man. He even wished to be thought a god, and he despised both all the idols, and the very God Who is over all. He was worshiped as a god. What greater glory than this ? Or rather what greater dishonor? For I know not how my tongue is carried away by the force of truth, and passes sentence before judgment. Meanwhile let us examine the matter according to the opinion of the multitude, and of unbelievers, and the esti mation of flattery. What is greater in the common estimation of glory than to be reputed a god ? It is indeed a great disgrace that any human being should be so mad, but for the present let us consider the matter according to the opinion of the multi tude. Nothing then was wanting to him, that contributes to human glory, but he was wor shiped by all as a god. Now in opposition to him, let us consider Paul. He was a Cilician, and the difference between Rome and Cilicia, all know. He was a tent-maker, a poor man, unskilled in the wisdom of those without, know ing, only the Hebrew tongue, a language de- 1 t)ne suspects the stops. Read, "and the palace itself, Hewalked in splendid attire." - \\noKpariap. 3 Gr. " devised," whence it seems that " flattery," &c. should be in the nominative. spised by all, especially by the Italians. For they do not so much despise the barbarian, the Greek, or any other tongue as the Syriac, and this has affinity with the Hebrew. Nor wonder at this, for if they despised the Greek, which is so admirable and beautiful, much more the Hebrew. He was a man that often lived in hunger, often went to bed without food, a man that was naked, and had not clothes to put on ; " in cold, and nakedness," as he says of himself, (i Cor. xi. 27.) Nor was this all; but he was cast into prison at the command of Nero him self, and confined with robbers, with impostors, with grave-breakers, with murderers, and he was, as he himself says, scourged as a malefactor. Who then is the more illustrious? The name of the one the greater part have never heard of. The other is daily celebrated by Greeks, and Barbarians, and Scythians, and those who in habit the extremities of the earth. But let us not yet consider what is the case now, but even at that time who was the more illustrious, who the more glorious, he that was in chains, and dragged bound from prison, or he that was clothed in a purple robe, and walked forth from a palace? The prisoner certainly. For the other, who had armies at his command, and sat arrayed in purple, was not able to do what he would. But the prisoner, that was like a malefactor, and in mean attire, could do every thing with more authority. How? The one said, " Do not disseminate the word of God." The other said, " I cannot forbear ; the word of God is not bound. " Thus the Cilician, the pris oner, the poor tent-maker, who lived in hunger, despised the Roman, rich as he was, and em peror, and ruling over all,who enriched so many thousands ; and with all his armies he availed nothing. Who then was illustrious? who ven erable ? He that in chains was a conqueror, or he that in a purple robe was conquered ? He that standing below, smote, or he that sitting above, was smitten? He that commanded and was despised, or he who was commanded and made no account of the commands? He who being alone was victorious, or he who with numerous armies was defeated? The king therefore so came off, that his prisoner tri umphed over him. Tell me then on whose side you would be ? For do not look to what comes afterwards, but to what was then their state. Would you be on the side of Nero, or of Paul? I speak not according to the estimate of faith, for that is manifest ; but according to the esti mate of glory, and reverence, and preeminence. Any man of right understanding would say, on the side of Paul. For if to conquer is more illustrious than to be conquered, he is more glorious. And this is not yet much, that he conquered, but that being in so mean a state he