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having considered the transaction, this indeed is more pleasant for them and for us. 14.5 But if not, then as a second choice, set yourself against the meddling and ignorance of the man, so that he may not in any case have some advantage through their inaction, either by wronging them while they are in possession, or by being freed from penalties. 14.6 I for my part even blushed writing about these things. Since indeed we are indebted to them equally, both because of our kinship and because of our choice of life (for for whom would one care more than for such men? And over what would one be more ashamed than for not being eager to do good to such men?), but you, either for your own sake, or for ours, or for the men themselves, or for all these reasons together, but in any case do them good. 15.T TO LOLLIANUS 15.1 It is good that you have returned to us, after a long time, it is true, but still (and what is better than this), that you are doing well, and you have freed us from anxieties about you. 15.2 For we share all things with you, both griefs and joys; for such is friendship. 15.3 Since you have returned, 20share your good fortune with your friends20, says the poet; 15.4 And you will share it, if you would be eager to see my lords, the cousins Helladius and Eulalius, and the rest of our relatives (and I say relatives, if you do not consider us strangers to yourself, for I do not know what greater thing I could say), and if you would not endure for them to need other patrons. 15.5 But may you offer yourself completely, a good friend, a kind neighbor, a noble supporter, so that I may not speak of each quality, the noble Lollianus, the one known for his virtue. 15.6 And I promise, if you should associate with them more and perceive the height of their philosophy, that you will intercede with others on their behalf. So much do I trust in your character, and so great are my hopes that I shall not fail with you in the things for which I myself have interceded. 16.T TO EUSEBIUS OF CAESAREA 16.1 Since I address my words to a man who neither loves falsehood and is the sharpest of all at detecting it in another, even if it is woven into the most clever and intricate labyrinths; and since, moreover, the artificial is not dear to me myself (for it will be said, even if it is rather offensive), being so by nature and molded by the Word, for this reason I write what is on my mind. 16.2 And accept my frankness; or you will indeed wrong the truth, by depriving it of its freedom and forcing me to keep within myself the pang of grief, like some insidious and malignant disease. 16.3 I rejoice, on the one hand, to be honored by you (if indeed I am a man, the word is of him who said it before), and to be called to both synods and spiritual gatherings. 16.4 But I cannot bear the insult that has been done to my most honored brother Basil and is still being done by your Reverence, whom I chose from the beginning and now have as a companion in life and word and the highest philosophy; and I do not blame myself at all for my judgment concerning him. 16.5 For it is more modest to speak thus, so that I may not seem to be praising myself, in admiring his qualities. 16.6 But you seem to me to be doing something similar, dishonoring him, while honoring us, just as if someone were to stroke a man's head with one hand, and with the other strike his cheek; or, while undermining the foundations of a house, to paint the walls and adorn the exterior. 16.7 If then you would be persuaded by me, you will do this (and I ask to be persuaded; for it is just): if you will treat him fittingly, you will also be treated well by him. As for us, it will follow as shadows follow bodies, since we are of little account and more ready for peace. 16.8 For we are not in such a wretched state that we are willing to practice philosophy in other matters and to be of the better part, but to despise a thing which is the chief point of our doctrine, namely love; especially towards a man who is both a priest and of such stature, whom we know to be the best of all we know in life, in word, and in conduct. For being grieved will not obscure the truth. 17.T TO THE SAME 17.1 I did not write in a more insolent manner, which you blamed in the letter, but rather spiritually and philosophically, and as was fitting, unless this too grieves the most eloquent Gregory. 17.2 For even if you prevail in rank, yet you will grant to us also some freedom and frankness

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συνάλλαγμα διασκεψαμένῳ, τοῦτο δὴ καὶ αὐτοῖς καὶ ἡμῖν ἥδιον. 14.5 Εἰ δὲ μή, τό γε δεύτερον, τῇ περιεργίᾳ καὶ ἀγνωμοσύνῃ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀντίθες σεαυτόν, ἵνα μὴ πάντως ἕν γέ τι διὰ τὴν ἀπραγμοσύνην αὐτῶν ἔχῃ πλέον, ἢ κατέχοντας ἀδικῶν, ἢ ζημιῶν ἀπαλλατ τομένους. 14.6 Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἠρυθρίασα περὶ τούτων ἐπιστέλλων. Ἐπειδή γ' ὁμοίως αὐτοῖς ὀφειλόμεθα, καὶ διὰ τὸ γένος, καὶ διὰ τὴν τοῦ βίου προαίρεσιν (τίνος γὰρ ἄν τις κήδοιτο μᾶλλον ἢ τῶν τοιούτων; ἐπὶ τῷ δ' ἂν αἰσχύνοιτο πλέον ἢ τὰ τοιαῦτα εὐεργετεῖν οὐ προθυ μούμενος;), σὺ δ' ἢ διὰ σεαυτόν, ἢ δι' ἡμᾶς, ἢ διὰ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτούς, ἢ διὰ πάντα ταῦτα ὁμοῦ, ἀλλὰ πάντως γ' αὐτοὺς εὐεργέτησον. 15.Τ ΛΟΛΛΙΑΝΩΙ 15.1 Εὖ γ' ὅτι ἐπανήκεις ἡμῖν, διὰ μακροῦ μέν, ἀλλ' ὅμως (καὶ ὃ τούτου κρεῖττον), ὅτι κατὰ νοῦν πράττων, καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ σοὶ φροντίδων ἡμᾶς ἠλευθέρωσας. 15.2 Πάντα γὰρ κοινὰ ποιούμεθα πρὸς σέ, καὶ λύπας καὶ εὐφροσύνας· τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ φιλία. 15.3 Ἐπεὶ δ' ἐπανήκεις, 20μετάδος φίλοισι σοῖσι τῆς εὐπραξίας20, φησὶν ὁ εἰπών· 15.4 μεταδώσεις δέ, εἰ τοὺς κυρίους μου τοὺς ἀνεψιοὺς Ἑλλάδιον καὶ Εὐλάλιον, καὶ τἄλλα οἰκείους ὁρᾶν προθυμοῖο (οἰκείους δὲ λέγω, εἰ μὴ ἄλλους ἡμᾶς πρὸς ἑαυτὸν νομίζεις, οὐ γὰρ οἶδ' ὅ τι μεῖζον ἂν εἴποιμι), καὶ μὴ ἑτέρων δεηθῆναι προστατῶν ἀνάσχοιο. 15.5 Ἀλλὰ πάντα σεαυτὸν παράσ χοις, φίλον χρηστόν, γείτονα δεξιόν, παραστάτην γενναῖον, ἵνα μὴ καθ' ἕκαστον λέγω, τὸν εὐγενῆ Λολλιανόν, τὸν ἐπὶ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ γνώριμον. 15.6 Ὑπισχνοῦμαι δέ, εἰ ἐπὶ πλεῖον αὐτοῖς ὁμιλήσαις καὶ τῆς φιλοσοφίας αὐτῶν τὸ ὕψος κατίδοις, ὅτι πρὸς ἄλλους ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν πρεσβεύσεις. Τοσοῦτον θαρρῶ τῷ σῷ τρόπῳ, καὶ οὕτω πολλὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχω μὴ διαμαρτήσεσθαί σου περὶ ὧν αὐτὸς ἐπρέσβευσα. 16.Τ ΕΥΣΕΒΙΩΙ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΕΙΑΣ 16.1 Ἐπειδὴ πρὸς ἄνδρα ποιοῦμαι τοὺς λόγους, οὔτ' ἀγαπῶντα τὸ ψεῦδος καὶ τὸ ἐν ἑτέρῳ φωρᾶσαι πάντων ὀξύτατον, κἂν ὅτι μάλιστα σοφοῖς πλέκηται καὶ ποικίλοις τοῖς λαβυρίνθοις· πρὸς δέ, οὐδ' αὐτῷ μοι φίλον τὸ τεχνικὸν (εἰρήσεται γὰρ κἂν ᾖ φορτικώτερον), πεφυκότι τ' οὕτω καὶ τυπουμένῳ παρὰ τοῦ λόγου, διὰ τοῦτο γράφω τὰ παριστάμενα. 16.2 Καί μου δέξαι τὴν παρρησίαν· ἢ ἀδικήσεις γε τῆς ἀληθείας, τὰ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἀποστερῶν καὶ ἀναγκάζων ἐν ἐμαυτῷ κατέχειν τὴν ὠδῖνα τῆς λύπης, ὥσπερ τι νόσημα ὕπουλον καὶ κακόηθες. 16.3 Ἐγὼ χαίρω μὲν ὑπὸ σοῦ τιμώμενος (εἴπερ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι, τοῦ προειρη κότος ὁ λόγος), καὶ καλούμενος ἐπί τε συνόδους καὶ συλλό γους πνευματικούς. 16.4 Οὐ φέρω δὲ τὴν γεγενημένην ὕβριν τῷ τιμιωτάτῳ ἀδελφῷ Βασιλείῳ καὶ γινομένην ἔτι παρὰ τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας, ὃν καὶ βίου καὶ λόγου κοινωνὸν καὶ τῆς ὑψηλοτάτης φιλοσοφίας εἱλόμην τ' ἀπ' ἀρχῆς καὶ νῦν ἔχω· καὶ οὐδὲν ἐμαυτῷ μέμφομαι τῆς ἐπ' αὐτῷ κρίσεως. 16.5 Οὕτω γὰρ εἰπεῖν μετριώτερον, ἵνα μὴ ἐμαυτὸν ἐπαινεῖν δόξω, τὰ ἐκείνου θαυμάζων. 16.6 Σὺ δέ μοι δοκεῖς ποιεῖν παραπλήσιον, τὸν μὲν ἀτιμάζων, τιμῶν δ' ἡμᾶς, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς τῇ μὲν τῶν χειρῶν καταψήχοι τὴν κεφαλήν, τῇ δὲ παίοι τὴν παρειάν· ἢ καὶ θεμελίους ὑποσπῶν οἰκίας, διαζωγραφοίη τοὺς τοίχους καὶ καλλω πίζοι τὰ ἔξωθεν. 16.7 Εἴ τι οὖν ἐμοὶ πείθοιο, τοῦτο ποιήσεις (πεισθῆναι δ' ἀξιῶ· καὶ γὰρ δίκαιον)· εἰ ἐκεῖνον θεραπεύ σεις τὰ εἰκότα, καὶ παρ' ἐκείνου θεραπευθήσῃ. Τὸ δὲ καθ' ἡμᾶς ἕψεται ὥσπερ τοῖς σώμασιν αἱ σκιαί, μικρούς τ' ὄντας καὶ πρὸς εἰρήνην ἑτοιμοτέρους. 16.8 Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὕτως ἀθλίως πράττομεν ὥστε τἄλλα μὲν ἐθέλειν φιλο σοφεῖν καὶ τῆς κρείττονος εἶναι μερίδος, ὑπερορᾶν δὲ πράγματος ὃ τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς λόγου κεφάλαιόν ἐστι, τῆς ἀγάπης· ἄλλως τε καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρα ἱερέα τε καὶ τοσοῦτον, ὃν καὶ βίῳ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ πολιτείᾳ πάντων ἄριστον, ὧν ἴσμεν, γινώσκομεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπισκοτήσει τὸ λυπεῖσθαι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. 17.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 17.1 Οὐχ ὑβριστικῶς ἐπέστειλα μᾶλλον, ὅπερ ἐμέμψω τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἢ πνευματικῶς τε καὶ φιλοσόφως, καὶ ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν, εἰ μὴ καὶ τοῦτο λυπεῖ τὸν λογιώτατον Γρηγόριον. 17.2 Καὶ γὰρ εἰ τῷ βαθμῷ κρατεῖς, ἀλλὰ δώσεις τι καὶ ἡμῖν ἐλευθερίας καὶ παρρησίας