154 when called on by ourselves than by others; and that he often delays the giving, not from the wish that we should be utterly perplexed, nor to send us out472 with empty hands; but in order that he may become the author of greater good things to us—these three points I will endeavour to make evident by the parable which has to-day been read to you. The woman of Chanaan had come to Christ praying on behalf of a daughter possessed by a demon, and crying out with much earnestness473 (it says,474 “Have pity on me, Lord, my daughter is badly possessed by a demon.”) See, the woman of a strange nation, and a barbarian, and outside of the Jewish commonwealth. For indeed what else (was she) than a dog,475 and unworthy of the receiving her request? For “it is not,” he says, “good to take the children’s bread, and to give it to the dogs.” But, all the same, from her assiduity, she became worthy. For not only did he admit her into the nobility of children, dog as she was; but also he sent her off with that high encomium saying, “O woman great is thy faith; be it done to thee as thou wilt.”476 Now when the Christ says, “great is thy faith,” seek thou no other demonstra- tion of the greatness of soul which was in the woman. Seest thou how, from her assiduity the woman, being unworthy, became worthy? Desirest thou also to learn that we accomplish (our wish) by calling on him by ourselves more than by others? She cried out, and the dis- ciples having come to him say, “Let her go away, for she is crying after us:”477 and to them he says, “I am not sent, unless to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”478 But when she had come to him by herself and continued crying, and saying, “Yes, Lord, for even the dogs eat from the table of their masters,”479 then he granted the favour and says, “Be it done unto thee as thou wilt.” Seest thou how, when they were entreating him, he repelled; but when she who needed the gift herself cried out, he assented? For to them he says, “I am not sent, unless to the lost sheep of the house of Israel;” but to her480 he said, “Great is thy faith; be 472 ̓Εκπεμψαι, i.e. from the hall, as it were, of audience. 473 ̓Εκτεν™ιας, as above. 474 φησίν, the parable says. An instance, however, of its redundancy before noticed. 'Ελ™ησον depends not on it, but on βοῶσα. 475 Κυναρίοις. In Greek, as in Latin and German, the diminutive sometimes expresses contempt. 476 Matt. xv. 22, 26, 28. 477 Matt. v. 23. 478 Matt. v. 24. 479 Matt. v. 27. That is, the bread thrown to them, when it had been used to cleanse the fingers. Gr. ‡πομαγδαλία, ab ‡πομ€σσομαι. Comp. the very apposite passage, in which Agaracritus, a low person, says that this had been his own fare; ἤ μ€την γὰν ̓Απομαγδαλἱας σιτόυμενος τοσουτος ἐκτραφ™ιην. Cleon rejoins, 'Απομαγδαλίοις ὡσπερ κύων, ὦ παμπόνηρε; πῶς οῦν κυνος βορ‡ν σιτούμενος μ€χει σὺ, Aristoph. Equ. 412. Κυνˆρια. So “canicula,” of the dog star, invisum sidus. 480 Ταύτη = αὐτῆ. 214 Concerning Lowliness of Mind.