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may accomplish a common resurrection and provide us with this sure hope. But if, even with the divine feasts offering all kinds of refreshment, you do not conquer the passion of despondency, I beseech your reverence at least to read the parts of the dowry contract after the presentation, and to know clearly that the memory of death preceded the marriage. For knowing the mortal nature and providing for the peace of those still living, they prescribe the so-called "choices" and are not troubled when mindful of death before the marital union; but they proclaim expressly, if the husband should die first, it has been decided that this should happen; but if the wife should suffer this fate, that has been agreed upon. Why then are we troubled, having learned these things before marriage, and expecting them, so to speak, every day? For it is every bit necessary for the union to be dissolved, either by the husband dying first, or by the wife departing beforehand. For this is the course of life. Therefore, may your excellency, clearly knowing both divine and human things, scatter the despondency and await the common hope of the pious. 9 WITHOUT INSCRIPTION. Your piety is indeed troubled and vexed by the sentence brought against us unjustly and without a trial; but this very thing refreshes me. For if I were justly condemned, I would have grieved, as having given reasonable cause to those who condemned me. But since in this respect my conscience is clear, I rejoice and am glad and I await the remission of my other sins on account of this injustice. For Naboth is not much-storied for any other virtue, but because he endured that unjust slaughter. And I ask you to pray to God that we not be forsaken, and let him who makes war, make war. For the goodwill of my God is sufficient for all my cheerfulness; and if he is with us, we despise all sorrows as if they were trifles. 10 TO HELIAS THE SCHOLASTIC. The lawgivers wrote the laws for the help of the wronged, and those who embrace the legal life practice the art of rhetoric, so that they may advocate for those who need just assistance. Therefore, having partaken of rhetorical words and of the knowledge of the laws, O dear friend, use your art for what is needful, and with your art strike the wrongdoers and defend those struck by them, putting forward the laws like a shield; and let no wrongdoer enjoy advocacy, even if he be most intimate. And one of these is Abramius the most wicked; who, having inhabited a church field for a considerable time, and then having taken some from there into partnership in his villainy, has dared what he clearly confessed. And I have sent with him also the proceedings and the wronged parties and the most devout Gerontius the subdeacon; not that they might hand the sinner over to the laws, but that they might teach your learning what they have suffered, and having prepared you to sympathize, persuade you to compel the unholy man to give back what was stolen. 11 TO FLAVIAN, BISHOP OF CONSTANTINOPLE. The Maker and Governor of all has shown you to be a most brilliant luminary of the world and has changed the empire's dark moon into a clear noonday. And just as the beacon fire by the harbors shows the mouth of the harbor to sailors at night, so the ray of your holiness to those on behalf of the

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κοινὴν ἀνάστασιν πραγμα τεύσηται καὶ ταύτην ἡμῖν τὴν ἐλπίδα βεβαίαν παράσχῃ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τῶν θείων ἑορτῶν παντοδαπὴν ψυχαγωγίαν προσφερου σῶν οὐ καταγωνίζῃ τῆς ἀθυμίας τὸ πάθος, παρακαλῶ σου τὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν, τοῦ προικῴου γοῦν γραμματείου τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐπίδοσιν ἀναγνῶναι καὶ γνῶναι σαφῶς, ὡς ἡγήσατο τοῦ γάμου τοῦ θανάτου ἡ μνήμη. Τὸ γὰρ θνητὸν τῆς φύσεως ἐπιστάμε νοι καὶ προμηθούμενοι τῆς τῶν ἔτι ζώντων εἰρήνης, τὰς καλουμένας αἱρέσεις ἐπιτάττουσιν καὶ οὐ δυσχεραίνουσι πρὸ τῆς γαμικῆς συναφείας μεμνημένοι θανάτου· ἀλλὰ διαρρήδην βοῶσιν, εἰ μὲν ὁ ἀνὴρ προτελευτήσοι, συνέδοξε τόδε γενέσθαι· εἰ δὲ ἡ γυνὴ τοῦτο ὑπομείνοι τὸ πάθος, τόδε συνήρεσε. Τί τοίνυν δυσχεραίνομεν ταῦτα πρὸ τοῦ γάμου μεμαθηκότες, καὶ ταῦτα καθ' ἑκάστην, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἡμέραν προσμένοντες; Ἀνάγκη γὰρ πᾶσα διαλυθῆναι τὴν συζυγίαν, ἢ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προτελευτῶντος, ἢ τῆς γυναικὸς προαπιούσης. Τοῦτον γὰρ ἔχει τὸν δρόμον ὁ βίος. Καὶ τὰ θεῖα τοίνυν καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα σαφῶς εἰδυῖά σου ἡ θαυμασιότης, σκεδασάτω τὴν ἀθυμίαν καὶ τὴν κοινὴν ἐλπίδα τῶν εὐσεβῶν προσμεινάτω. 9 ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ. Ἡ μὲν θεοσέβεια ὑμῶν δυσχεραίνει καὶ ἄχθεται διὰ τὴν ἀδίκως ἡμῖν καὶ δίχα κρίσεως ἐπενεχθεῖσαν ψῆφον· ἐμὲ δὲ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ψυχαγωγεῖ. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ δικαίως κατεκρίθην, ἤλγησα ἄν, ὡς παρασχὼν ἀφορμὰς εὐλόγους τοῖς κατακρίνασιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει καθαρόν μοι τὸ συνειδός, χαίρω καὶ γάννυμαι καὶ προσμένω τῶν ἄλλων λύσιν ἁμαρτη μάτων διὰ τήνδε τὴν ἀδικίαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ Ναβουθὲ δι' ἄλλην ἀρετὴν πολυθρύλητος, ἀλλ' ὅτι τὴν ἄδικον ἐκείνην ὑπέμεινε σφαγήν. Εὔξασθαι δὲ παρακαλῶ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ ἐγκατα λειφθῆναι ἡμᾶς, καὶ ὁ πολεμῶν πολεμείτω. Ἀρκεῖ γάρ μοι εἰς πᾶσαν θυμηδίαν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου εὐμένεια· κἂν αὐτὸς ἡμῖν παρῇ, τῶν λυπηρῶν ἁπάντων ὡς ἀθυρμάτων καταφρονοῦμεν. 10 ΗΛΙΑ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Τοὺς νόμους εἰς ἐπικουρίαν τῶν ἀδικουμένων οἱ νομοθέται γεγράφασι, καὶ τὴν ῥητορικὴν ἀσκοῦσι τέχνην οἱ τὸν δικανικὸν ἀσπαζόμενοι βίον, ἵνα τοῖς δικαίας δεομένοις βοηθείας συνη γορῶσι. Καὶ λόγων τοίνυν ῥητορικῶν καὶ τῆς τῶν νόμων ἐπι στήμης μεταλαχών, ὦ φίλη κεφαλή, εἰς δέον χρῆσαι τῇ τέχνῃ, καὶ βάλλε τῇ τέχνῃ τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας καὶ τοῖς ὑπ' ἐκείνων βαλλομένοις ἐπάμυνε, προβαλλόμενος καθάπερ ἀσπίδα τοὺς νόμους· καὶ μηδεὶς ἀδικῶν ἀπολαυέτω συνηγορίας, κἂν οἰκειό τατος ᾖ. Εἷς δὲ τούτων Ἀβράμης ὁ κάκιστος· ὃς ἀγρὸν ἐκκλη σιαστικὸν χρόνον οἰκήσας συχνόν, εἶτά τινας ἐντεῦθεν εἰς κοινωνίαν τῆς κακουργίας λαβών, τετόλμηκεν ἃ σαφῶς ὡμολό γησεν. Ἀπέστειλα δὲ σὺν αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ πεπραγμένα καὶ τοὺς ἠδικημένους καὶ τὸν εὐλαβέστατον Γερόντιον τὸν ὑποδιάκο νον· οὐχ ἵνα τοῖς νόμοις παραδῶσι τὸν ἀλιτήριον, ἀλλ' ἵνα τὴν σὴν διδάξωσιν ἃ πεπόνθασι παίδευσιν καὶ συναλγῆσαι παρα σκευάσαντες πείσωσιν ἀναγκάσαι τὸν ἀνόσιον ἄνθρωπον ἀπο δοῦναι τὰ συληθέντα. 11 ΦΛΑΒΙΑΝΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΥΠΟΛΕΩΣ. Φωστῆρά σε τῆς οἰκουμένης φανότατον ἀπέφηνεν τῶν ὅλων ὁ Ποιητής τε καὶ Πρύτανις καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν σκοτο μήνην εἰς καθαρὰν μετέβαλε μεσημβρίαν. Καὶ καθάπερ τὸ παρὰ τοὺς λιμένας φρυκτωρούμενον πῦρ τοῖς ναυτιλλομένοις νύκ τωρ ἐπιδείκνυσι τοῦ λιμένος τὸ στόμα, οὕτως ἡ τῆς σῆς ἁγιω σύνης ἀκτὶς τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῆς