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to you the secret. I crossed the sea alone, bearing the Church; for love is not constrained. The ship was not constrained; For you are not constrained in us. I departed, caring for your affairs, separated in body, but joined in mind; I departed, calling upon God, and entrusting your love to Him; I departed, I sat alone caring for your affairs, planning the journey alone. Suddenly, an unseasonable event having occurred, this most God-loving one sent letters on the first day, saying these words (for it is necessary to repeat her words); Let not your holiness think that I knew of the things that have happened. I am innocent of your blood. Wicked and corrupt men have contrived this plot; but of my tears God is witness, to whom I minister. What a libation she poured out! For her tears became a libation. To whom I minister. The priestess, self-ordained, sacrificing to God and pouring out tears and confession and repentance, not on behalf of a priest, but on behalf of the Church, on behalf of a scattered people. She remembered, she remembered both her children and their baptism. I remember that through your hands my children were baptized. These things the empress; but the priests, out of envy, were all ignorant of the place where I was staying. And, a marvelous thing to say, she, trembling as for a child, went about everywhere, not in person, but with her own escort of soldiers. For she had not found the place where I was living. She sent everywhere, caring that he not be murdered, that he not be killed, and lest we lose the prey. This alone, and I show what is in my power. I seek only, and they do not prevail, 52.446 The enemies went about everywhere spreading nets, that they might take and bring him back into their hands. Then she also pleaded, and touched the royal knees, making her husband a partner in the hunt; just as Abraham with Sarah, so she with her husband. We have lost, she says, the priest, but let us bring him back. There is for us no hope for the kingdom, unless we bring him back. It is impossible for me to have communion with any of those who did these things; shedding tears, beseeching God, displaying every contrivance. You also know with how much goodwill she received us, how she embraced us as her own members, how she said she also was zealous with you.

For not even these words have escaped your gratitude, that you received the mother of the Churches, the nurse of the monks, and the protectress of the saints, the staff of the poor. Her praise becomes glory to God, a crown for the Churches. Shall I speak of her fervent desire? Shall I speak of her ambition concerning me? In the deep evening yesterday she sent, saying these words: Say to him: my prayer has been fulfilled; I have demanded the success; I have been crowned more than with a diadem; I have received back the priest, I have returned the head to the body, the pilot to the ship, the shepherd to the flock, the bridegroom to the bridal chamber. 5. The adulterers have been put to shame. Whether I live, whether I die, it no longer matters to me. See the achievements of the temptation. What shall I do, that I might give you a worthy reward for your love? A worthy one I cannot, but what I have, I give. I am ready to pour out my blood for your salvation. No one has such children, no one such a flock, no one a field so flourishing. I have no need of farming; I sleep, and the ears of corn grow long. I have no need of labor; I am at rest, and the sheep overcome the wolves. What shall I call you? Sheep or shepherds, or pilots, or soldiers and generals? I verify all these words for you. When I see your good order, I call you sheep; when I see your foresight, I address you as shepherds; when I see your wisdom, I name you pilots; when I see your courage and vigor, I call you all soldiers and generals. O the labor, O the foresight of the people! You have driven out the wolves, and you will not be without care. The sailors who were with you have become against you, who contrived the war against the ship. You cry out for the clergy outside, and for another clergy for the Church. What need for shouting? They have departed, and have been driven away,

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ὑμῖν τὸ ἀπόῤῥητον. Ἐπεραιώθην τὸ πέλαγος μόνος τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν βαστάζων· ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη οὐ στενοῦται. Οὐκ ἐστενοχωρεῖτο τὸ πλοῖον· Οὐ στενοχωρεῖσθε γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν. Ἀπῄειν τὰ ὑμέτερα μεριμνῶν, κεχωρισμένος μὲν τῷ σώματι, συνημμένος δὲ τῇ γνώμῃ· ἀπῄειν τὸν Θεὸν παρακαλῶν, καὶ παρακατατιθέμενος ὑμῶν τὴν ἀγάπην· ἀπῄειν, ἐκαθεζόμην μόνος τὰ ὑμέτερα μεριμνῶν, βουλευόμενος περὶ ἀποδημίας μόνος. Ἀθρόον ἀωρίας γενομένης γράμματα ἔπεμψεν ἡ θεοφιλεστάτη αὕτη ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ταῦτα λέγουσα τὰ ῥήματα (δεῖ γὰρ αὐτῆς καὶ τὰ ῥήματα εἰπεῖν)· Μὴ νομίσῃ σου ἡ ἁγιωσύνη ὅτι ἔγνων τὰ γεγενημένα. Ἀθῶος ἐγὼ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματός σου. Ἄνθρωποι πονηροὶ καὶ διεφθαρμένοι ταύτην τὴν μηχανὴν διεσκεύασαν· τῶν δὲ ἐμῶν δακρύων μάρτυς ὁ Θεὸς, ᾧ ἱερεύω. Οἵαν σπονδὴν ἐξέχεε; τὰ γὰρ δάκρυα αὐτῆς σπονδὴ ἐγένετο. Ὧ ἱερεύω. Ἡ ἱέρεια, αὐτοχειροτόνητος θύουσα τῷ Θεῷ καὶ σπένδουσα δάκρυα καὶ ἐξομολόγησιν καὶ μετάνοιαν, οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἱερέως, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ Ἐκκλησίας, ὑπὲρ δήμου διεσπαρμένου. Ἐμέμνητο, ἐμέμνητο καὶ τῶν παιδίων καὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος. Μέμνημαι ὅτι διὰ τῶν χειρῶν τῶν σῶν τὰ παιδία τὰ ἐμὰ ἐβαπτίσθη. Ταῦτα ἡ βασίλισσα· οἱ δὲ ἱερεῖς περὶ φθόνου πάντες ἠγνόουν τὸ χωρίον, ἔνθα κατέλυον. Καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστὸν εἰπεῖν, ἐκείνη μὲν ὡς ὑπὲρ τέκνου τρέμουσα περιῄει πανταχοῦ, οὐ τῷ σώματι, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἰδίᾳ πομπῇ τῶν στρατιωτῶν. Οὐ γὰρ κατείληφε τὸ χωρίον, ἔνθα διῆγον. Πανταχοῦ ἔπεμπε μεριμνῶσα μὴ δολοφονηθῇ, μὴ ἀναιρεθῇ, καὶ ἀπολέσωμεν τὸ θήραμα. Τοῦτο μόνον, καὶ τὰ παρ' ἐμαυτῆς ἐπιδείκνυμι. Ζητῶ μόνον, καὶ οὐ περιγίνονται, 52.446 Οἱ ἐχθροὶ πανταχοῦ περιῄεσαν δίκτυα ἁπλοῦντες, ἵνα λάβωσι καὶ ἐπαναγάγωσιν εἰς τὰς ἐκείνων χεῖρας. Εἶτα καὶ παρεκάλει, καὶ τῶν γονάτων ἥπτετο τῶν βασιλικῶν, κοινωνὸν τὸν ἄνδρα ποιοῦσα τοῦ θηράματος· καθάπερ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ τὴν Σάῤῥαν, οὕτως αὐτὴ τὸν ἄνδρα. Ἀπωλέσαμεν, φησὶ, τὸν ἱερέα, ἀλλ' ἐπαναγάγωμεν. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν οὐδεμία ἐλπὶς τῆς βασιλείας, ἐὰν μὴ ἐκεῖνον ἐπαναγάγωμεν. Ἀμήχανον ἐμὲ κοινωνῆσαί τινι τῶν ταῦτα ἐργασαμένων· δάκρυα ἐξαφιεῖσα, τὸν Θεὸν ἱκετεύουσα, πᾶσαν μηχανὴν ἐπιδεικνυμένη. Ἴστε καὶ ὑμεῖς μεθ' ὅσης εὐνοίας ἡμᾶς ὑπεδέξατο, πῶς ἐνηγκαλίσατο ὡς οἰκεῖα μέλη, πῶς μεθ' ὑμῶν ἔλεγε καὶ αὐτὴ σπουδάζειν.

Οὐδὲ γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα ἔλαθε τὴν εὐγνωμοσύνην ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἀπεδέξασθε τὴν μητέρα τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, τὴν τροφὸν τῶν μοναζόντων, καὶ προστάτιν τῶν ἁγίων, τῶν πτωχῶν τὴν βακτηρίαν. Ὁ ἔπαινος ἐκείνης δόξα εἰς Θεὸν γίνεται, στέφανος τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν. Εἴπω θερμὸν αὐτῆς πόθον; εἴπω φιλοτιμίαν τὴν περὶ ἐμέ; Ἐν ἑσπέρᾳ βαθείᾳ χθὲς ἀπέστειλε ταῦτα λέγουσα τὰ ῥήματα· Εἰπὲ πρὸς αὐτόν· ἡ εὐχή μου πεπλήρωται· ἀπῄτησα τὸ κατόρθωμα· ἐστεφανώθην μᾶλλον τοῦ διαδήματος· ἀπέλαβον τὸν ἱερέα, ἀπέδωκα τὴν κεφαλὴν τῷ σώματι, τὸν κυβερνήτην τῇ νηῒ, τὸν ποιμένα τῇ ποίμνῃ, τὸν νυμφίον τῇ παστάδι. εʹ. Κατῃσχύνθησαν οἱ μοιχοί. Ἐὰν ζήσω, ἐὰν ἀποθάνω, οὐκέτι μοι μέλει. Ἴδετε τοῦ πειρασμοῦ τὰ κατορθώματα. Τί ποιήσω, ἵνα ὑμῖν ἀξίαν ἀποδῶ τῆς ἀγάπης τὴν ἀμοιβήν; Ἀξίαν μὲν οὐ δύναμαι, ἣν δὲ ἔχω, δίδωμι. Ἀγαπῶ ἑτοίμως τὸ αἷμά μου ἐκχέειν ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑμετέρας σωτηρίας. Οὐδεὶς ἔχει τέκνα τοιαῦτα, οὐδεὶς ἀγέλην τοιαύτην, οὐδεὶς ἄρουραν οὕτως εὐθαλῆ. Οὐ χρεία μοι γεωργίας· ἐγὼ καθεύδω, καὶ οἱ στάχυες κομῶσιν. Οὐ χρεία μοι πόνου· ἐγὼ ἡσυχάζω, καὶ τὰ πρόβατα τῶν λύκων περιγίνονται. Τί ὑμᾶς καλέσω; πρόβατα ἢ ποιμένας, ἢ κυβερνήτας, ἢ στρατιώτας καὶ στρατηγούς; Πάντα ὑμῖν ἐπαληθεύω τὰ ῥήματα. Ὅταν ἴδω τὴν εὐταξίαν, πρόβατα καλῶ· ὅταν ἴδω τὴν πρόνοιαν, ποιμένας προσαγορεύω· ὅταν ἴδω τὴν σοφίαν, κυβερνήτας ὀνομάζω· ὅταν ἴδω τὴν ἀνδρείαν καὶ τὴν εὐτονίαν, στρατιώτας καὶ στρατηγοὺς ὑμᾶς ἅπαντας λέγω. Ὢ πόνος, ὢ πρόνοια λαοῦ· ἠλάσατε τοὺς λύκους, καὶ οὐκ ἀμεριμνήσετε. Οἱ ναῦται οἱ μεθ' ὑμῶν καθ' ὑμῶν γεγόνασιν, οἵτινες τὸν πόλεμον τῷ πλοίῳ κατεσκεύασαν. Βοᾶτε ἔξω τὸν κλῆρον, καὶ ἄλλον κλῆρον τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ. Τίς χρεία βοῆς; Ἀπῆλθον, καὶ ἀπηλάθησαν,