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I beseech the resourceful Lord to grant to your piety occasions of comfort. 18 TO NEOPTOLEMUS. When I look upon the divine law, which calls those joined in marriage one flesh, I do not know in what way I might console the member that has been separated by the cutting; for I reckon the magnitude of the pain. But when I consider the course of nature and that limit which the Creator has brought forth, saying: 'You are earth, and to earth you shall return'; and the things that happen everywhere on land and sea every day—for either men first reach the end of life, or women suffer this first—, from this I find many occasions for consolation; in addition to these things, the hopes granted to us by our God and Savior; for indeed for this reason the mystery of the economy was accomplished, so that, having learned of the cessation of death, we might not grieve excessively being separated by the death of those we long for, but might await the thrice-desired hope of the resurrection. I exhort your Excellency both to consider these things and to conquer the passion of despondency; especially since your common branches are both present and supply you with every occasion for comfort. Let us therefore praise the one who wisely governs our affairs and let us not provoke him by the immoderation of our laments. For he knows, as one who is wise, what is expedient and as one who is good he provides this for us. 19 TO BASIL THE PRESBYTER. Experience has shown to us the most eloquent orator Athanasius to be such a man as the letters of your piety said. For speech adorns his tongue, and character his speech; and the matter of his faith makes all things splendid together. Always, therefore, procure such men for us, most God-beloved. For know well, you have filled us with much gladness through this very meeting. 20 TO MARTYRIUS THE PRESBYTER. Nature indeed leads, as being older than judgment; but judgment conquers nature; and of this a clear proof is the most eloquent orator Athanasius. For though boasting Egypt as his fatherland, he did not partake of the nation's audacity, but tempered his character with gentleness. And he is also a most ardent lover of divine things. For this very reason he also spent several days with us, expecting to reap some benefit from it. But I, as you know, most God-beloved, hesitate even to gather such things from others; so far am I from imparting them to those who desire them. It is not stinginess, however, but poverty that prevents me from doing this. Therefore, let your holiness pray that the opinion about us be confirmed by the truth; so that not only may something praiseworthy be said about us, but also be witnessed by our deeds. 21 TO EUSEBIUS THE SCHOLASTICUS. Those who spread this great rumor thought that they would certainly distress us by it, having supposed it to be exceedingly bad news. But we, through divine grace, both welcomed the rumor gladly and joyfully await the trial; and anything painful whatsoever inflicted for the sake of the divine dogmas is exceedingly desirable to us. For if we truly believe in the Lord's promises, "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed in us." And what shall I say of the enjoyment of the good things hoped for? For even if no prize at all for piety

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εὐμήχανον ἱκετεύω ∆εσπότην παρα σχεῖν σου τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ παραψυχῆς ἀφορμάς. 18 ΝΕΟΠΤΟΛΕΜΩ. Ὅταν εἰς τὸν θεῖον ἀποβλέψω νόμον, ὃς σάρκα μίαν τοὺς γάμῳ συναπτομένους καλεῖ, οὐκ οἶδα τίνι τρόπῳ ψυχαγωγήσω τὸ μέλος τὸ τῇ τομῇ χωρισθέν· λογίζομαι γὰρ τῆς ὀδύνης τὸ μέγεθος. Ὅταν δὲ τῆς φύσεως ἐννοήσω τὸν δρόμον καὶ τὸν ὅρον ἐκεῖνον, ὃν ὁ ∆ημιουργὸς ἐξενήνοχεν εἰπών· Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ · καὶ τὰ πανταχοῦ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν γινόμενα-ἢ γὰρ ἄνδρες πρότεροι τοῦ βίου τὸ τέρμα καταλαμβάνουσιν, ἢ γυναῖκες τοῦτο πάσχουσι πρότεραι-, πολλὰς ἐντεῦθεν ἀφορμὰς εἰς ψυχαγωγίαν εὑ ρίσκω· πρὸς τούτοις τὰς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν παρασχεθείσας ἡμῖν ἐλπίδας· τούτου γὰρ δὴ χάριν τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἐτελέσθη μυστήριον, ἵνα τοῦ θανάτου τὴν παῦλαν μεμαθηκότες, μὴ λίαν ἀλγῶμεν τῇ τῶν ποθουμένων χωριζόμε νοι τελευτῇ ἀλλὰ τὴν τριπόθητον τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐλπίδα προσ μένωμεν. Ταῦτά σου τὴν θαυμασιότητα καὶ λογίσασθαι παρα καλῶ καὶ νικῆσαι τῆς ἀθυμίας τὸ πάθος· μάλιστα τῶν κοινῶν ὑμῶν κλάδων καὶ παρόντων καὶ πᾶσαν ὑμῖν ποριζόντων παρα ψυχῆς ἀφορμήν. Ὑμνήσωμεν τοίνυν τὸν σοφῶς τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς κυβερνῶντα καὶ μὴ παροξύνωμεν τῇ τῶν ὀδυρμῶν ἀμετρίᾳ. Οἶδε γάρ, ὡς σοφός, τὸ συμφέρον καὶ ὡς ἀγαθὸς τοῦτο ἡμῖν πραγματεύεται. 19 ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν ἔδειξεν ἡ πεῖρα τὸν ἐλλογιμώτατον Ἀθανά σιον τὸν ῥήτορα, ὁποῖον ἔφησε τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας τὰ γράμματα. Κοσμεῖ γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν μὲν γλῶτταν ὁ λόγος, τὸν δὲ λόγον ὁ τρόπος· ὁμοῦ δὲ πάντα λαμπρύνει τὸ τῆς πίστεως χρῆμα. Ἀεὶ τοίνυν ἡμῖν τοιαῦτα προξένει, θεοφιλέστατε. Πολλῆς γὰρ, εὖ ἴσθι, διὰ ταυτησὶ τῆς συνουσίας θυμηδίας ἡμᾶς ἐνέπλησας. 20 ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ἡγεῖται μὲν ἡ φύσις ὡς πρεσβυτέρα τῆς γνώμης· νικᾷ δὲ τὴν φύσιν ἡ γνώμη· καὶ τούτου τεκμήριον ἐναργὲς ὁ ἐλλογι μώτατος Ἀθανάσιος ὁ ῥήτωρ. Αὐχῶν γὰρ πατρίδα τὴν Αἴγυ πτον, οὐ μετέλαβε τῆς τοῦ ἔθνους θρασύτητος, ἀλλὰ πραότητι τὸν τρόπον ἐκέρασεν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ τῶν θείων θερμότατος ἐραστής. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ πλείους ἡμῖν συνδιήγαγεν ἡμέρας, ὄνησιν ἐντεῦθέν τινα δρέψασθαι προσδοκήσας. Ἐγὼ δέ, ὡς οἶσθα, θεοφιλέστατε, καὶ παρ' ἑτέρων τὰ τοιαῦτα συλλέγειν ὀκνῶ· τοσοῦτον ἀποδέω τοῦ τοῖς ποθοῦσι μεταδιδόναι. Οὐ σμικρολογία μέντοι, ἀλλ' ἀπορία τοῦτο κωλύει ποιεῖν. Εὐξάσθω τοίνυν ἡ ὁσιότης σου τὴν περὶ ἡμῶν δόξαν ἐμπεδωθῆναι τῇ ἀληθείᾳ· ἵνα μὴ μόνον λέγηταί τι περὶ ἡμῶν ἀξιέπαινον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μαρτυρῆται τοῖς ἔργοις. 21 ΕΥΣΕΒΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Οἱ μὲν τὴν μεγίστην ταύτην κατασπείραντες φήμην ᾠήθη σαν ταύτῃ πάντως ἀνιάσειν ἡμᾶς, δυσάγγελον αὐτὴν ἄγαν ὑπειληφότες. Ἡμεῖς δέ, διὰ τὴν θείαν χάριν, καὶ τὴν φήμην ἀσπασίως ἐδεξάμεθα καὶ τὴν πεῖραν ἀσμένως προσμένομεν· καὶ πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἀλγεινὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν θείων δογμάτων ἐπιφερόμε νον λίαν ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἀξιέραστον. Εἰ γὰρ ἀληθῶς ταῖς ∆εσποτι καῖς ἐπαγγελίαις πιστεύομεν, οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυ φθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς . Καὶ τί λέγω τῶν ἐλπιζομένων ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μηδὲν ὅλως ἆθλον ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας