470 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XVII. acknowledging no one, but turning their rage against all ; flying and snarling at all, slaughter ing not dogs, 1 but the souls of men, and utter ing blasphemies against heaven itself. By these men all things are subverted, and ruined by their madness after wealth. For whom indeed, whom I should accuse, I know not ! It is a plague that so seizes all, some more, some less, but all in a degree. Like a fire catching a wood, that desolates and de stroys all around, this passion has laid waste the world. Kings, magistrates, private persons, the poor, women, men, children, are all alike affected by it. As if a gross darkness had overspread the earth, no one is in his sober senses. Yet we hear, both in public and private, many declama tions - against covetousness, but no one ismended by them. What then is to be done? How shall we extinguish this flame ? For though it has risen up to heaven itself, it is to be extinguished. We have only to be willing, and we shall be able to master the conflagration. For as by our will it has got head, so it may be brought under by our will. Did not our own choice cause it, and will not the same choice avail to extinguish it? Only let us be willing. But how shall that willingness be engendered ? If we consider the vanity and the unprofitableness of wealth, that it cannot depart hence with us, that even here it forsakes us, and that whilst it remains behind, it inflicts upon us wounds that depart along with us. Ifwe see that there are riches There, com pared to which the wealth of this world is more despicable than dung. If we consider that it is attended with numberless dangers, with pleasure that is temporary, pleasure mingled with sorrow. If we contemplate aright the true riches of eternal life, we shall be able to despise worldly wealth. If we remember that it profits nothing either to glory, or health, or any other thing ; but on the contrary drowns men in destruction and perdition. If thou consider that here thou art rich, and hast many under thee, but that when thou departest hence, thou wilt go naked and solitary. Ifwe often represent3these things to ourselves, and listen to them from others, there will perhaps be a return to a sound mind, and a deliverance from this dreadful punishment. Is a pearl beautiful? yet consider, it is but sea water, and was once cast away in the bosom of the deep. Are gold and silver beautiful? yet they were and are but dust and ashes. Are silken vestments beautiful ? yet they are nothing but the spinning of worms. This beauty is but in opinion, in human prejudice, not in the nature of the things. For that which possesses beauty from nature, need not any to point it out. If you see a coin of brass that is but gilded over, you admire it at first, fancying that it is gold ; but when the cheat is shown to you by one who understands it, your wonder vanishes with the deceit. The beauty therefore was not in the nature of the thing. Neither is it in silver ; you may admire tin for silver, as you admired brass for gold, and you need some one to inform you what you should admire. Thus our eyes are not sufficient to discern the difference. It is not so with flowers, which are much more beautiful. If you see a rose, you need no one to inform you, you can of yourself distinguish an anemone, and a violet, or a lily, and every other flower. It is nothing therefore but preju dice.. And to show, that this destructive passion is but a prejudice ; tell me, if the Emperor were pleased to ordain that silver should be of more value than gold, would you not transfer your love and admiration to the former? Thus we are everywhere under the influence of covetous- ness and opinion.4 And that it is so, and that a thing is valued for its rarity, and not for its nature, appears hence. The fruits that are held cheap among us are in high esteem among the Cappadocians, and among the Sedans 5 even more valuable than the most precious among us, from which country these garments are brought ; and many such instances might be given in Arabia and India, where spices are produced, and where precious stones are found. Such preference therefore is nothing but prejudice, and human opinion. We act not from judgment, but at random, and as accident determines. But let us recover from this intoxication, let us fix our view upon that which is truly beautiful, beautiful in its own nature, upon godliness and righteousness ; that we may obtain the promised blessings, through the grace and lovingkindness of Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom, &c. 1 There was a heathen festival at Argos, called Cynophontis (Athenaeus, 1. 3, Cas. p. 99), in which dogs met abroad were killed; but whether this was done in the warlike dance called Titanes (which was practiced even by persons of rank, Lucian, de Salt. 21, p. 37 and 79) does not appear. - See Libanius, Or. 7. 4 TrAeoi efta? ai virovoia-; . The latter is literally suspicion, but in ver. 4 he seems to render it opinions, in the sense of imaginations bred by selfishness. 6 Seres, a people on the borders of China. In Tac. Ann. ii. 33, A.D. 16, we find a law at Rome against men wearing silk, vestris Sfrica.