Ep. IX.

Support a wellbuilt chamber with columns of gold, as Pindar5    Olymp., Od. vi., 1. says, and make yourself from the beginning known to us on the right side in our present anxiety, that you may build yourself a notable palace, and shew yourself in it with a good fame.  But how will you do this?  By honouring God and the things of God, than Whom there can be nothing greater in your eyes.  But how, and by what act can you honour Him?  By this one act, by protecting the servants of God and ministers of the altar.  One of these is our fellow deacon Euthalius, on whom, I know not how, the officers of the Prefecture are trying to impose a payment of gold after his promotion to the higher rank.  Pray do not allow this.  Reach a hand to this deacon and to the whole clergy, and above all to me, for whom you care; for otherwise he would have to endure a grievous wrong, alone of men deprived of the kindness of the time and the privilege granted by the Emperor to the Clergy, and would even be insulted and fined, possibly on account of my weakness.  It would be well for you to prevent this even if others are not well disposed.

[9] ΑΜΦΙΛΟΧΙΩΙ

« Χρυσέας » ὑπόστησον « εὐτειχεῖ » θαλάμῳ « κίονας », κατὰ Πίνδαρον, καὶ ἀπὸ δεξιᾶς ἡμῖν γνωρίσθητι τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ φροντίδι, ὡς ἂν καὶ « θεητὸν » πήξαις « μέγαρον », εὐδόκιμος ἐν αὐτῇ φανείς. Γνωρίσεις δὲ πῶς; Θεὸν καὶ τὰ θεῖα τιμῶν: οὗ τί σοι μεῖζον καὶ ὑψηλότερον; Τιμήσεις δὲ πῶς καὶ τίσιν; Ἑνὶ τούτῳ, τῷ κήδεσθαι τῶν παρισταμένων Θεῷ καὶ λειτουργούντων τοῦ βήματος. Τούτων εἷς ἐστι καὶ ὁ συνδιάκονος ἡμῶν Εὐθάλιος, ὅν, οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως, εἰς μείζω τάξιν μεταχωρήσαντα διαγράφειν ἐπιχειροῦσι χρυσὸν οἱ τῆς ἡγεμονικῆς τάξεως. Τοῦτο μὴ ἀνεκτὸν φανήτω σοι: καὶ χεῖρα ὄρεξον τῷ τε διακόνῳ καὶ τῷ κλήρῳ παντί, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἡμῖν, ὧν σοι μέλει: ἢ δεινότατα ἂν πάθοι μόνος ἀνθρώπων, μὴ τυγχάνων τῆς τῶν καιρῶν φιλανθρωπίας καὶ τῆς δεδομένης τοῖς ἱερατικοῖς παρὰ τῶν βασιλέων τιμῆς, ἀλλ' ὑβριζόμενος καὶ ζημιούμενος ἴσως διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν εὐτέλειαν. Ὅ σοι καλῶς ἔχει μὴ συγχωρεῖν, κἂν μὴ καλῶς ἄλλοι βούλωνται.