ST. PETER OF DAMASKOS
Courage does not consist in defeating and oppressing one's neighbor, for
this is overbearingness, which oversteps the bounds of courage. Nor
again does it consist in fleeing terrified from the trials that come as a
result of practicing the virtues; for this is cowardice and falls short
of courage. Courage itself consists in persisting in every good work and
in overcoming the passions of soul and body. For our struggle is not
against flesh and blood, that is, against men, as was the case with the
Jews of old, where to conquer other nations was to do the work of God;
it is against principalities and powers, that is, against the unseen
demons (Ephesians 6:12). He who is victorious conquers spiritually;
otherwise he is conquered by the passions. The warfare described in the
Old Testament prefigures our spiritual warfare.
These two passions of overbearingness and cowardice, though they appear to be opposites, are both caused by weakness. Overbearingness pulls one upwards and is outwardly something startling and frightening, like some powerless bear, while cowardice flees like a chased dog. No one who suffers from either of these two passions puts his trust in the Lord, and therefore he cannot stand firm in battle, whether he is overbearing or cowardly. But the righteous man is as bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1) in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion throughout the ages. Amen.
These two passions of overbearingness and cowardice, though they appear to be opposites, are both caused by weakness. Overbearingness pulls one upwards and is outwardly something startling and frightening, like some powerless bear, while cowardice flees like a chased dog. No one who suffers from either of these two passions puts his trust in the Lord, and therefore he cannot stand firm in battle, whether he is overbearing or cowardly. But the righteous man is as bold as a lion (Proverbs 28:1) in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and dominion throughout the ages. Amen.
from G.E.H. Palmer, Philip Sherrard, and Kallistos Ware, trans., The Philokalia -- vol. III, (London: Faber and Faber, 1984), pp. 258.
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