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Lord, much less than our sins, but nevertheless sufficient to vex the farmers—and I formerly taught your highness these things through your farmers—; have pity, I beseech you, on the tillers of the soil, who contributed the labor, but received little fruit; and may the bad harvest become for you an occasion for spiritual abundance; and may you reap divine mercy through this mercy. For on this account indeed the most illustrious Dionysius has also run to your greatness, to teach of the sufferings, so that he might receive healing; and as a kind of supplication he offers this letter, hoping through it to enjoy greater philanthropy. 24 TO ANDREW BISHOP OF SAMOSATA. Indeed, I know well, your God-lovingness longs for our company, being a nursling of divine love. But I desire it more, inasmuch as I know that more benefit accrues to me from our company. For want is somehow accustomed to kindle desire; but the Lord of all is able to give what is longed for. For he directs all things and knows what is going to be profitable and continually ordains this for each one. But how much I was gladdened by reading the letter of your holiness, I am not able to show through words. And the most honorable and most reverent deacon Thalassius increased my joy, by recounting what I longed to learn. For what, my lord, is more lovely to me than your good reputation? And what makes it so great, as <the greatest> of the great things among us, is the modesty of your mind? For you have acted like a wise and zealous physician, who did not wait for the call, but of his own accord came to those in need of healing. This filled me with all delight, and I knew by experience "smiling tearfully", and I understood the thought of the poet. And may the bountiful Giver of good things grant both that your holiness be distinguished in these things, and that we may at least emulate the praiseworthy deeds of the best men. Assist, therefore, O dear friend, and persuade the one who is able to give to grant the request. 25 FESTAL. When the Only-begotten God became man and, having taken our nature, worked out our salvation, the people of that time, seeing the fount of benefits, did not celebrate a feast. But at the present time, all land and sea and cities and villages, although not seeing the benefactor with their sensible eyes, celebrate the memory of the benefits; and these festivals spring forth so much joy, that the streams of spiritual gladness run everywhere. For this very reason we now address your piety, and indicating the cheerfulness that has come to us from the feasts, we profess your prayers, so that we may keep it to the end. 26 ANOTHER FESTAL. Continually, indeed, the springs of the Lord's philanthropy gush forth good things for believers; but the festivals that hold the memory of the greatest benefits bring something more to those who celebrate with greater zeal. Having celebrated these at the present time and having reaped their blessing, we address your reverence. For this both the law of the feast and the law of love command.

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∆εσπότης, τῶν μὲν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐλάττους πολλῷ, ἱκανὰς δὲ ὅμως ἀνιᾶσαι τοὺς γεωργοῦντας-καὶ ταύτας πρώην διὰ τῶν ὑμετέρων γηπόνων τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυΐαν ἐδίδαξα-· οἰκτείρατε, παρακαλῶ, τοὺς τῆς γῆς ἀροτῆρας, τὸν μὲν πόνον εἰσενεγκόντας, ὀλίγον δὲ κομισαμένους καρπόν· καὶ γενέσθω ὑμῖν ἡ δυσετηρία τῆς πνευματικῆς εὐετηρίας ὑπόθεσις· καὶ τὸν ἔλεον τὸν θεῖον διὰ τοῦδε τοῦ ἐλέου τρυγήσατε. Τούτου γὰρ δὴ χάριν καὶ ὁ λαμπρό τατος ∆ιονύσιος πρὸς τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος ἔδραμεν, τὰ πάθη διδάξων, ἵνα τὴν ἴασιν δέξηται· οἷον δέ τινα ἱκετηρίαν τάδε προσφέρει τὰ γράμματα, πλείονος ἀπολαύσεσθαι φιλανθρω πίας διὰ τούτων ἐλπίζων. 24 ΑΝ∆ΡΕΑ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ ΣΑΜΟΣΑΤΩΝ. Ποθεῖ μὲν, εὖ οἶδα, τὴν ἡμετέραν συνουσίαν ἡ σὴ φιλοθεΐα, τῆς θείας ἀγάπης ὑπάρχουσα τρόφιμος. Ἐγὼ δὲ πλέον ἱμείρο μαι, ὅσῳ καὶ πλείονά μοι προσγίνεσθαι τὴν ἐκ τῆς συνουσίας ὠφέλειαν ἐπίσταμαι. Πέφυκε γάρ πως ἡ ἔνδεια τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐξάπτειν· ἀλλὰ τὸ δοῦναι τὸ ποθούμενον δυνατὸς τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἰθύνει τὰ σύμπαντα καὶ τὸ συνοίσειν μέλλον ἐπίσταται καὶ τοῦτο πρυτανεύων ἑκάστῳ διατελεῖ. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὅσον εὐφράνθην τοῖς γράμμασιν ἐντυχὼν τῆς σῆς ἁγιότητος, δεῖξαι διὰ λόγων οὐ δύναμαι. Ηὔξησε δέ μοι τὴν θυμηδίαν καὶ ὁ τιμιώτατος καὶ εὐλαβέστατος διάκονος Θαλάσ σιος, ἅπερ μαθεῖν ἐπόθουν διηγησάμενος. Τί γάρ μοι, δέσποτα, τῆς σῆς εὐκληρίας ἐρασμιώτερον; Τί δὲ οὕτω ταύτην μεγάλην ποιεῖ, ὡς τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς μεγάλων <τὸ μέγιστον> ἡ τοῦ φρονή ματος μετριότης; Ἰατρῷ γὰρ σοφῷ τε καὶ σπουδαίῳ πεποίηκας παραπλήσιον, ὃς οὐκ ἀνέμεινε τὴν κλῆσιν, ἀλλ' αὐτόματος πρὸς τοὺς δεομένους θεραπείας ἀφίκετο. Τοῦτό με πάσης ἐνέπλησεν ἡδονῆς, καὶ τὸ ∆ακρυόεν γελάσασα ἔγνων τῇ πείρᾳ, καὶ τοῦ ποιητοῦ κατέμαθον τὴν διάνοιαν. Παράσχοι δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ὁ φιλότιμος χορηγὸς καὶ τὴν σὴν ὁσιότητα δια πρέπειν ἐν τούτοις, καὶ ἡμᾶς τῶν ἀρίστων ἀνδρῶν ζηλοῦν γοῦν τὰ ἀξιέπαινα. Ἐπάρκεσον τοίνυν, ὦ φίλη κεφαλή, καὶ τὸν δοῦναι δυνάμενον πεῖσον δοῦναι τὴν αἴτησιν. 25 ΕΟΡΤΑΣΤΙΚΗ. Ἡνίκα μὲν ὁ Μονογενὴς Θεὸς ἐνηνθρώπησε καὶ τὴν ἡμε τέραν φύσιν λαβὼν τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπραγματεύσατο σωτηρίαν, ὁρῶντες οἱ τηνικάδε ἄνθρωποι τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν τὴν πηγὴν οὐκ ἐπετέλεσαν ἑορτήν. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος, πᾶσα γῆ καὶ θά λαττα καὶ πόλεις καὶ κῶμαι, καίτοι τὸν εὐεργέτην οὐχ ὁρῶσαι τοῖς αἰσθητοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τὴν τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν ἑορτάζουσι μνήμην· καὶ τοσαύτην αἱ πανηγύρεις αὗται πηγάζουσι θυμη δίαν, ὡς πάντοσε διατρέχειν τῆς πνευματικῆς εὐφροσύνης τὰ νάματα. ∆ιὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς νῦν τὴν σὴν θεοσεβείαν προσφθεγγόμεθα, καὶ τὴν ἐγγενομένην ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν ἑορτῶν σημαίνοντες εὐθυμίαν, τὰς σὰς ἐπαγγέλλομεν προσευχάς, ἵνα ταύτην εἰς τέλος φυλάξωμεν. 26 ΑΛΛΗ ΕΟΡΤΑΣΤΙΚΗ. ∆ιηνεκῶς μὲν αἱ τῆς ∆εσποτικῆς φιλανθρωπίας πηγαὶ τοῖς πιστεύουσι διαβλύζουσι τἀγαθά· φέρουσι δέ τι πλέον αἱ τῶν μεγίστων εὐεργεσιῶν τὴν μνήμην ἔχουσαι πανηγύρεις τοῖς μετὰ πλείονος ἑορτάζουσι προθυμίας. Ταύτας ἐπὶ τοῦ παρ όντος ἐπιτελέσαντες καὶ τὴν τούτων εὐλογίαν τρυγήσαντες, προσφθεγγόμεθά σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ τῆς ἑορτῆς καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀγάπης παρακελεύεται νόμος.