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righteous. And for this reason be kinder to us. 17.3 But if you should judge the letter as that of a servant who ought not even to look back in opposition, then indeed we shall also receive blows and not even weep; or shall we be blamed for this too? Which everyone rather than your Reverence deserves to suffer. For it is the mark of a magnanimous man to accept the frankness of friends rather than the flattery of enemies. 18.T TO THE SAME 18.1 I was not in any other way fainthearted toward your Reverence, do not condemn this in me; but having spoken freely and boldly for a little, enough to soothe and heal what was grieving, I was immediately defeated and submitted and bringing myself, I submitted to the rule. 18.2 And why was I not going to do so, knowing both you and the laws of the spirit? But now, even if I were very fainthearted and ignoble, yet the time does not allow me to feel this, nor do the beasts that have overrun the church, nor your noble and manly spirit, fighting so purely and genuinely as a champion for the church. 18.3 Therefore we shall come, if it seems good, both assisting you with prayers and struggling with you and serving you and, like cheering children for a most excellent athlete, we will encourage you with our shouts. 19.T TO BASIL 19.1 It is a time for good counsel and for endurance, and for no one to appear more manly than us, nor for our many sweats and labors to be undone in a short time. But why do I write these things and from what cause? 19.2 Our most God-beloved bishop Eusebius (for thus it is necessary henceforth to both think and write about him) is very disposed to us both peaceably and friendly, and, like iron by fire, he is being softened by time. 19.3 And I think a letter of both exhortation and invitation will also come to you, as he has both indicated to me and many who know his affairs clearly persuade us. 19.4 Let us anticipate him, either by being present, or by writing, or rather, by writing first, then being present, so that we may not be shamed later by being defeated, when it is possible to conquer by being defeated nobly and philosophically, which is demanded of us by the many. 19.5 Come therefore, persuaded by me, both for this reason and because of the times; since a conspiracy of heretics is overrunning the church, some already present and causing disturbance, and others, as the report goes, who are about to arrive. 19.6 And there is a fear that the word of truth may be swept away, unless the spirit of Bezalel, the wise architect of such words and doctrines, is very quickly moved. 19.7 But if it seems good that I myself also be present to go through it with you and journey with you, we shall not flee from this either. 20.T TO CAESARIUS 20.1 Not even fears are useless to those who are wise; but as I myself say, they are also very good and salutary. For although we pray that they not happen, yet by their happening we are instructed. 20.2 For a weary soul draws near to God, says Peter somewhere, speaking most wonderfully, and for everyone who has escaped danger there is a greater intimacy with the one who saved him. 20.3 Let us not therefore be dismayed because we have partaken of evil; but because we have escaped, let us give thanks. 20.4 Nor let us appear one way to God during the time of dangers, and another way after the dangers; but let us resolve, whether at home, or abroad, whether as private citizens, or engaged in public affairs (for it is necessary to say so and not leave it out), to follow the one who saved us and to become of his portion, caring little for the small and earthly things. 20.5 And let us give some narrative to those who come after, great for our glory, and great for the benefit of the soul; and this same thing is also a most useful lesson for the many, that danger is better than security, and misfortune more to be chosen than prosperity; if indeed before the fears we were of the world, but after the fears we have become of God. 20.6 Perhaps we seem burdensome to you for writing to you often about the same things, and you consider our words not an exhortation, but a display. 20.7 Therefore, enough of these things; but know that we are eager and praying especially to come to you, to rejoice with you in your salvation and to discuss these things more fully; 20.8 but if not, then to receive you here as quickly as possible, to celebrate the thank-offerings together.

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δικαίας. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔσο ἡμῖν χρηστότερος. 17.3 Πλὴν εἰ κρίνοις τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὡς οἰκέτου καὶ οὐδ' ἀντιβλέπειν ὀφείλοντος, οὕτω δὴ καὶ πληγὰς ληψόμεθα καὶ οὐδὲ δακρύσομεν· ἢ καὶ τοῦτο ἐγκληθησόμεθα; Ὃ πάντας μᾶλλον ἢ τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν παθεῖν ἄξιον. Ἔστι γὰρ ἀνδρὸς μεγαλόφρονος φίλων ἀποδέχεσθαι μᾶλλον ἐλευθερίαν ἢ ἐχθρῶν κολακείαν. 18.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 18.1 Εἶχον μὲν οὐδ' ἄλλως πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν μικροψύχως, μὴ τοῦτό μου καταγνῷς· ἀλλὰ μικρὸν ἐλευθεριάσας τε καὶ θαρρήσας, ὅσον τὸ λυποῦν ἐπιψύξαι καὶ θεραπεῦσαι, αὐτίκα ἡττήθην καὶ ὑπεκλίθην καὶ τῷ κανόνι φέρων ἐμαυτὸν ὑπέθηκα. 18.2 Τί δ' οὐκ ἔμελλόν σέ τε γινώσκων καὶ νόμους πνεύματος; Νῦν δὲ καὶ εἰ λίαν μικροψύχως εἶχον καὶ ἀγεννῶς, ἀλλ' ὅ γε καιρὸς οὐκ ἐᾷ τοῦτο πάσχειν καὶ οἱ καταδραμόντες θῆρες τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, τό τε σὸν γενναῖον καὶ ἀνδρικόν, οὕτω καθαρῶς καὶ γνησίως προπολεμοῦντος τῆς ἐκκλησίας. 18.3 Ἥξομεν οὖν, εἰ δοκεῖ, καὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς ὑμῖν συλλαμβανόμενοι καὶ συναγωνιούμενοι καὶ ὑπηρετησόμενοι καὶ ὡς ἀθλητὴν ἄριστον κελευσταὶ παῖδες ταῖς ὑποφωνήσεσιν ὑπαλεί ψοντες. 19.Τ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩΙ 19.1 Καιρὸς εὐβουλίας καὶ καρτερίας καὶ τοῦ μηδένα φανῆναι ἡμῶν ἀνδρικώτερον μηδὲ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἱδρῶτας καὶ πόνους ἐν ὀλίγῳ καταλυθῆναι. Γράφω δὲ διὰ τί ταῦτα καὶ πόθεν; 19.2 Ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος ἡμῶν Εὐσέ βιος (οὕτω γὰρ λοιπὸν περὶ αὐτοῦ δεῖ καὶ φρονεῖν καὶ γράφειν) λίαν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἔχει συμβατικῶς τε καὶ φιλικῶς, καί, ὥσπερ σίδηρος πυρί, τῷ χρόνῳ μαλάσσεται. 19.3 Καὶ οἶμαι καὶ γράμμα ἥξειν πρὸς σὲ παρακλήσεώς τε καὶ κλήσεως, ὡς ἐμοί τε παρεδήλωσε καὶ πολλοὶ πείθουσιν ἡμᾶς τῶν τὰ ἐκείνου σαφῶς εἰδότων. 19.4 Ὃν προλάβωμεν, ἢ παρόντες, ἢ ἐπιστείλαντες, μᾶλλον δὲ προεπιστείλαντες, εἶτα παρόντες, ἵνα μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν ὕστερον ἡττηθέντες, ἐξὸν νικῆσαι τῷ καλῶς ἡττηθῆναι καὶ φιλοσόφως, ὃ παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν ἀπαιτούμεθα. 19.5 Ἧκε οὖν ἐμοὶ πεισθεὶς καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ διὰ τὸν καιρόν· ἐπειδὴ σύστασις αἱρετι κῶν κατατρέχει τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, τῶν μὲν ἤδη παρόντων καὶ ταρασσόντων, τῶν δέ, ὡς λόγος, παρεσομένων. 19.6 Καὶ δέος παρασυρῆναι τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, εἰ μὴ τάχιστα κινηθείη τὸ πνεῦμα Βεσελεήλ, τοῦ σοφοῦ τῶν τοιούτων ἀρχιτέκτονος λόγων τε καὶ δογμάτων. 19.7 Εἰ δὲ δοκεῖ παρεῖναι καὶ αὐτὸν ἐμὲ συνδιάξοντα καὶ συνο δεύσοντα, οὐδὲ τοῦτο φευξούμεθα. 20.Τ ΚΑΙΣΑΡΙΩΙ 20.1 Οὐδ' οἱ φόβοι τοῖς εὐφρονοῦσιν ἄχρηστοι· ὡς δ' ἔγωγέ φημι, καὶ λίαν καλοὶ καὶ σωτήριοι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ γίνεσθαι αὐτοὺς ἀπευχόμεθα, γινομένοις γε παιδευόμεθα. 20.2 Κάμνουσα γὰρ ψυχὴ ἐγγίζει Θεῷ, φησί που θαυμασιώ τατα λέγων ὁ Πέτρος, καὶ παντὶ διαφυγόντι κίνδυνον πλείων οἰκείωσις πρὸς τὸν περισώσαντα. 20.3 Μὴ οὖν, ὅτι μετεσχήκαμεν τοῦ κακοῦ, δυσχεράνωμεν· ἀλλ' ὅτι διαπεφεύγαμεν, εὐχαριστήσωμεν. 20.4 Μηδ' ἄλλοι φανῶ μεν τῷ Θεῷ παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῶν κινδύνων, καὶ ἄλλοι μετὰ τοὺς κινδύνους· ἀλλὰ βουληθῶμεν εἴτ' ἐνδημοῦντες, εἴτ' ἐκδημοῦντες, εἴτ' ἰδιωτεύοντες, εἴτε τὰ κοινὰ πράττον τες (δεῖ γὰρ οὕτω λέγειν καὶ μὴ λιπεῖν), τῷ σώσαντι κατακολουθεῖν καὶ γίνεσθαι τῆς ἐκείνου μοίρας, μικρὰ τῶν μικρῶν καὶ χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων φροντίσαντες. 20.5 Καὶ δῶμέν τι διήγημα τοῖς εἰς ὕστερον, μέγα μὲν εἰς δόξαν ἡμῖν, μέγα δ' εἰς ὠφέλειαν ψυχῆς· τὸ δ' αὐτὸ καὶ παίδευμα τοῖς πολλοῖς χρησιμώτατον, ὅτι κρεῖττον ἀσφαλείας κίνδυνος, καὶ συμφορὰ εὐημερίας αἱρετωτέρα· εἴ γε πρὸ μὲν τῶν φόβων ἦμεν τοῦ κόσμου, μετὰ δὲ τοὺς φόβους τοῦ Θεοῦ γεγενήμεθα. 20.6 Ἴσως σοι φορτικοὶ δοκοῦμεν πολλάκις σοι περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπιστέλλοντες, καὶ οὐ παραίνεσιν, ἄλλ' ἐπίδειξιν νομίζεις τοὺς λόγους. 20.7 ∆ιὸ τούτων μὲν ἅλις· ἡμᾶς δ' ἴσθι προθυμουμένους καὶ εὐχομένους μάλιστα μὲν γενέσθαι μέχρι σοῦ, συνησθησομένους τῇ σωτηρίᾳ σου καὶ περὶ τούτων τελεώτερον διαλεξομένους· 20.8 εἰ δ' οὖν, ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθά σε δεξομένους ὡς τάχιστα, συνεορτάσαι τὰ χαριστήρια.