Haggai and Zechariah, and Malachi, the angel with two names. After these, learn the four prophets: the great, outspoken Isaiah, the compassionate Jeremiah, and the mystical Ezekiel, and last, Daniel, the same most wise in deeds and words. To these some add Esther. It is time for me to speak of the books of the New Testament. Receive only four evangelists: Matthew, then Mark, to whom adding Luke as the third, count John fourth in time, but first in the height of his doctrines. For I rightly call this one a son of thunder, having thundered loudest with the word of God. Receive also Luke's second book, that of the universal Acts of the Apostles. Next add the chosen vessel, the herald of the nations, the apostle Paul, who wisely wrote to the churches twice seven epistles: one to the Romans, to which it is necessary to join two to the Corinthians, the one to the Galatians and to the Ephesians, after which the one in Philippi, then the one written to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, one to each of Titus and Philemon, and one to the Hebrews. But some say the one to the Hebrews is spurious, not speaking well; for the grace is genuine. Well, what remains? Of the catholic epistles, some say there are seven, but others that only three should be received: one of James, one of Peter, and one of John. But some receive the three and in addition to them the two of Peter, and Jude as the seventh. Again, the Apocalypse of John some approve, but the majority say it is spurious. This would be the most unerring canon of the divinely inspired scriptures. If you are persuaded by these, you would flee the snares of the world, and cast down the vanity of hopes, and the fleeting wealth with lavish hand you would sow for the poor, awaiting a sure harvest. For in heaven you will treasure what is sown. And may you follow Christ, the wise Word of God. Oh, thrice-blessed, oh, thrice-happy you are, having appeared as a luminary to many old and young. For a pious life shines more than the stars. And the choir of prophets, martyrs, apostles, standing around you as its own member, will crown you, sending you off with shouts of victory. And then, reaping unending glory, you will rejoice, dancing in the midst of angels, crowned. Farewell and remember what has been written. Greet Olympias, your nurse, the living image of gravity, purity, and discipline, and the seal of faith. If you wish, Seleucus, to learn the number of iambs, know it is three hundreds, as many tens, and three units. For I always pray, child, that you be a friend of the Trinity.

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Ἀγγαῖόν τε καὶ Ζαχαρίαν διώνυμόν τε ἄγγελον Μαλαχίαν. μεθ' οὓς προφήτας μάνθανε τοὺς τέσσαρας, παρρησιαστὴν τὸν μέγαν Ἠσαίαν Ἱερεμίαν τε συμπαθῆ, καὶ μυστικὸν Ἰεζεκιήλ, ἔσχατον δὲ ∆ανιήλ, τὸν αὐτὸν ἔργοις καὶ λόγοις σοφώτατον. τούτοις προσεγκρίνουσι τὴν Ἐσθήρ τινες. Καινῆς διαθήκης ὥρα μοι βίβλους λέγειν. εὐαγγελιστὰς τέσσαρας δέχου μόνους· Ματθαῖον, εἶτα Μάρκον, ᾧ Λουκᾶν τρίτον προσθεὶς ἀρίθμει τὸν Ἰωάννην χρόνῳ τέταρτον, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον ὕψει δογμάτων. βροντῆς γὰρ υἱὸν τοῦτον εἰκότως καλῶ μέγιστον ἠχήσαντα τῷ θεοῦ λόγῳ. δέχου δὲ βίβλον Λουκᾶ καὶ τὴν δευτέραν τὴν τῶν καθολικῶν πράξεων ἀποστόλων. τὸ σκεῦος ἑξῆς προστίθει τῆς ἐκλογῆς, τὸν τῶν ἐθνῶν κήρυκα, τὸν ἀπόστολον Παῦλον σοφῶς γράψαντα ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἐπιστολὰς δὶς ἑπτά· Ῥωμαίοις μίαν, ᾗ χρὴ συνάπτειν πρὸς Κορινθίους δύο, τὴν πρὸς Γαλάτας τε καὶ πρὸς Ἐφεσίους, μεθ' ἣν τὴν ἐν Φιλίπποις, εἶτα τὴν γεγραμμένην Κολασσαεῦσι, Θεσσαλονικεῦσιν δύο, δύο Τιμοθέῳ, Τίτῳ καὶ Φιλήμονι μίαν ἑκατέρῳ καὶ πρὸς Ἑβραίους μίαν. τινὲς δέ φασι τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους νόθον οὐκ εὖ λέγοντες· γνησία γὰρ ἡ χάρις. εἶεν, τί λοιπόν; καθολικῶν ἐπιστολῶν τινὲς μὲν ἑπτά φασιν, οἱ δὲ τρεῖς μόνας χρῆναι δέχεσθαι· τὴν Ἰακώβου μίαν, μίαν δὲ Πέτρου τῶν τ' Ἰωάννου μίαν. τινὲς δὲ τὰς τρεῖς καὶ πρὸς αὐταῖς τὰς δύο Πέτρου δέχονται, τὴν Ἰούδα δ' ἑβδόμην. τὴν δ' ἀποκάλυψιν τὴν Ἰωάννου πάλιν τινὲς μὲν ἐγκρίνουσιν, οἱ πλείους δέ γε νόθον λέγουσιν. οὗτος ἀψευδέστατος κανὼν ἂν εἴη τῶν θεοπνεύστων γραφῶν. Αἷς εἰ σὺ πεισθῇς, ἐκφύγοις κόσμου πάγας, ματαιότητα δ' ἐλπίδων ῥίψαις κάτω, πλοῦτον δὲ τὸν φεύγοντα δαψιλεῖ χερὶ σπείραις πένησιν ἀσφαλὲς μένων θέρος. ἐν οὐρανοῖς γὰρ τὸ σπαρὲν θησαυριεῖς. Χριστῷ δ' ἕποιο τῷ σοφῷ θεοῦ λόγῳ. ἆ τρίσμακάρ τις, ἆ τρισόλβιος σύ γε πολλοῖς γέρουσι καὶ νέοις φωστὴρ φανείς. λάμπει γὰρ ἄστρων μᾶλλον εὐσεβὴς βίος. καί σε προφητῶν, μαρτύρων, ἀποστόλων χορὸς περιστὰς ὥσπερ οἰκεῖον μέλος στέψει προπέμπων ἐπινίκιον κρότον. τρυγῶν δ' ἄπαυστον δόξαν ἡσθήσῃ τότε, μέσος χορεύων ἀγγέλων στεφηφόρος. Ἔρρωσο καὶ μέμνησο τῶν γεγραμμένων. Τὴν σεμνότητος, ἁγνείας, ἀσκήσεως ἔμψυχον εἰκὼ πίστεώς τε σφραγῖδα Ὀλυμπιάδα πρόσειπε τὴν σὴν τιτθίδα. Ἢν ἐθέλῃσθα, Σέλευκε, μαθεῖν τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἰάμβων, τρεῖς ἑκατοντάδας ἴσθι, τόσας δεκάδας, μονάδας τρεῖς. αἰεὶ γάρ σε, τέκος, τριάδος φίλον εὔχομαι εἶναι.

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