and come to the same towns, they eagerly embrace each other, their common calamity binding them together; thus too at that time they had great love one toward another, the communion of their afflictions and persecutions uniting them. Moral. For affliction is an unbroken bond, the increase of love, the occasion of compunc- tion and piety. Hear the words of David, “It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I might learn Thy statutes.” (Ps. cxix. 71.) And again another prophet, who saith, “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth.” (Lam. iii. 27.) And again, “Blessed is the man whom Thou chastenest, O Lord.” (Ps. xciv. 12.) And another who saith, “Despise not the chastening of the Lord.” (Prov. iii. 11.) And “if thou come near to serve the Lord, prepare thy soul for temptation.” (Ecclus. xi. 1.) And Christ also said to His disciples, “In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer.” (John xvi. 33.) And again, “Ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice.” (John. xvi. 20.) And again, “Narrow and straitened is the way.” (Matt. vii. 14.) Dost thou see how tribulation is everywhere lauded, everywhere assumed as needful for us? For if in the contests of the world, no one without this receiveth the crown, unless he fortify himself by toil, by abstinence from delicacies, by living according to rule, by watchings, and innumerable other things, much more so here. For whom wilt thou name as an instance? The king? Not even he liveth a life free from care, but one burdened with much tribulation and anxiety. For look not to his diadem, but to his sea of cares, by which the crown is produced for him. Nor look to his purple robe, but to his soul, which is darker than that purple. His crown doth not so closely bind his brow, as care doth his soul. Nor look to the multitude of his spearmen, but to the multitude of his disquietudes. For it is not possible to find a private house laden with so many cares as a king’s palace. Violent deaths are each day expected, and a vision of blood is seen as they sit down to eat and drink. Nor can we say how oft he is disturbed in the night season, and leaps up, haunted with visions. And all this in peace; but if war should overtake him, what could be more piteous than such a life as this! What evils has he from those that are his own, I mean, those who are under his dominion. Nay, and of a truth the pavement of a king’s house is always full of blood, the blood of his own relations. And if ye will, I will also relate some instances, and ye will presently know; chiefly old occurrences—but also some things that have happened 254 in our own times—yet still preserved in memory. One,684 it is said, having suspected his wife of adultery, bound her naked upon mules, and exposed her to wild beasts, though she had already been the mother to him of many princes. What sort of life, think ye, could that 684 After these words the Greek text is disarranged, and irreconcilable with itself and with the real history. Chrysostom seems, however, to intend to say what follows; that the brother of Crispus, i.e. Constantius Augustus, caused his father’s brother, Julius Constantius, and his sons, Dalmatius and Annibalianus, to be put to death. They were in fact slain by the soldiery, and as some thought, at the instigation of Constantius Augustus, son of Constantine. He adds afterwards, that his brother was taken by an usurper, and killed himself. Now Constans 449 Philippians 4:10-14