12 WORKS OF ST. CHRYSOSTOM. [HOMILY XL Ver. ii. "Who are of the circumcision." He represseth the swelling pride of the Jews, and inspiriteth the souls of these, [the Colos- sians,] because few of them were of the circum cision, the greater number of the Gentiles. " Men that have been," he saith, " a comfort unto me." He shows himself to be set in the midst of great trials. So that neither is this a small thing. When we comfort the Saints by presence, by words, by assiduous attendance, when we suffer adversity together with them, (for he saith, " as bound with those in bonds " ; [Heb. xiii. 3]) when we make their sufferings ours, we shall also be partakers in their crowns. Hast thou not been dragged to the stadium? Hast thou not entered into the lists? It is an other that strips himself, another that wrestles ; but if thou be so minded, thou too shalt be a sharer. Anoint him, become his favorer and partisan, from without the lists shout loudly for him, stir up his strength, refresh his spirit. It follows that the same things should be done in all other cases. For Paul stood not in need, but in order to stimulate them he said these things. Thou therefore in the case of all others, stop the mouths of those who would abuse such an one, procure favorers for him, receive him as he cometh forth with great attention, so shalt thou be a sharer in his crowns, so, in his glory ; and if thou do no other thing, but only hast pleasure in what is done, even thus thou sharest in no common degree, for thou hast contributed love, the sum of all good things. For if they that weep seem to share in the grief of those in sorrow, and gratify them might ily, and remove the excess of their woe, much more do they also that rejoice with others, make their pleasure greater. For how great an evil it is not to have companions in sorrow, hear the Prophet saying, " And I looked for one to lament with me, but there was none." 1 Wherefore Paul also saith, " Rejoice with them that rejoice ; and weep with them that weep." (Rom. xii. 15.) Increase their pleasure. If thou see thy brother in good esteem, say not, "the esteem is his, why should I rejoice." These words are not those of a brother, but of an enemy. If thou be so minded, it is not his, but thine. Thou hast the power of making it greater, if thou be not downcast, but pleased, if thou be cheer ful, if joyous. And that it is so, is evident from this ; the envious envy not those only who are in good esteem, but those as well who rejoice at their good esteem, so conscious are they that these also are interested in that good esteem ; and these are they who do glory most in it. For the other even blushes when praised ex ceedingly ; but these with great pleasure pride themselves upon it. See ye not in the case of 1 E. V. marg. Ps. Ixix. 20. athletes, how the one is crowned, the other is not crowned ; but the grief and the joy is amongst the favorers and disfavorers,2 these are they that leap, they that caper? See how great a thing is the not envying. The toil is another s, the pleasure is thine ; an other wears the crown, and thou caperest, thou art gay. For tell me, seeing it is another that hath conquered, why dost thou leap ? But they also know well, that what hath been done is common. Therefore they do not accuse this man 3 indeed, but they try to beat down the victory ; and you hear them saying such words as these, " (There) I expunged thee," and, " I beat thee down." Although the deed was an other s, still the praise is thine. But if in things without, not to envy, but to make another s good one s own, is so great a good, much more in the victory of the devil over us he breathes the more furiously, evidently because we are more pleased. 4 Wicked though he is, and bitter, he well knows that this pleasure is great. Wouldest thou pain him? Be glad and rejoice. Wouldest thou gladden him ? Be sad-visaged. The pain he has from thy brother s victory, thou soothest by thy sadness ; thou standest with him, severed from thy brother, thou workest greater mischief than he. For it is not the same for one that is an enemy to do the deeds of an enemy, and for a friend to stand with an enemy ; such an one is more detestable than an enemy. If thy brother have gained good reputation 5 either by speaking, or by brilliant 6 or successful achieve ment, become thou a sharer in his reputation, show that he is a member of thine. "And how?" saith one, "for the reputation is not mine." Never speak so. Compress thy lips. If thou hadst been near me, thou that speakest on that wise, I would have even put my hand over thy lips : lest the enemy should hear thee. Oftentimes we have enmities with one another, and we discover them not to our ene mies ; dost thou then discover thine to the devil ? Say not so, think not so ; but the very reverse : " he is one of my members, the glory passes on to the body." " How then is it," saith one, " that those without are not so minded ? " Because of thy fault : when they see thee counting his pleasure not thine own, they too count it not thine : were they to see thee ap propriating it, they durst not do so, but thou z See Tac. An. xiii. 25. The spectators at theaters and at the games were so eager in their favor toward one or another as some times to cause serious breaches of the peace. The factions of the Circus in the time of Justinian are described by Gibbon, c. xi.; see also the massacre of A.D. 501. Tillemont, Hist, des Emp. t. vi. ; Anastasius, art. x. 3 Tovria, the partisan of the victor. 4 [The persons designated as "we" seem to be conceived as divided into two parts. The altered text has smoothed down the difficulty: " much more in the victory over the devil. For he then breathes the more furiously against us, evidently," &c. J. A. B.J6 [Above rendered " good esteem." J. A. B.]6 fTTi&eiKvviJifvo;, al. eira.i.v6n(vo<;, " by being praised."