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to set a full banquet, and to send out to the hungry the most admirable feast of words. 61 TO ARCHIBIUS THE PRESBYTER. Having formerly received the two letters from your God-fearingness, I did not neglect them, but wrote immediately, and gave the letter to the most God-beloved presbyter Eusebius. But since some delay occurred, its delivery has now been postponed. For the season now kept the ships within the harbors, showing the surge of the sea, and giving rest to sailors and pilots. So I am paying this debt for the present, not so that I may not owe, but so that I may increase the debt, For this debt becomes many times greater when it is paid. For those who are zealous to keep the laws of friendship stir up affection, and make it warmer, and turn the spark into a torch; and set on fire by this, they strive ambitiously to surpass one another in their longing. Receive, then, the apology, O my revered head, and grant pardon, and send us a letter, announcing your health. 62 TO JOHN THE PRESBYTER. "Live unknown," one of those of old called wise has said. But I, having praised the maxim, wished to confirm the saying by deed. For I thought I was doing nothing unseemly by also collecting what is useful from others. For they say that bees not only from edible plants, but also from bitter herbs, both collect their honeycombs and draw out the sweet dew. And I myself have seen them settling even on barren rocks and drawing up the little moisture. It is certainly much more right for those honored with reason to reap benefit from every source. I, therefore, as I said, try to live unknown and above all I embrace tranquility. But when the most God-fearing presbyter Eusebius recently returned from your area, he reported that a certain gathering had taken place with you, and that in the midst of some conversation, mention was also made of us, and that your God-fearingness had spoken well of my littleness. But I thought it ungracious, and very unjust, not to repay in like manner one who had remembered me well and kindly. For even if we have done nothing worthy of praise, yet we admire the intention of those who praise us so. For such praise is the offspring of love. I greet, therefore, your God-fearingness, using as a messenger for this letter the very one, who recently brought to us your unwritten words, which you spoke about us. Having received, therefore, most God-beloved, the letter, answer the letter with a letter. For you yourself began with words, and I with a letter; and I have answered your words with a letter. It remains, therefore, for you to answer the letter with a letter. 63 FESTAL. Of the other good things of the feast we have partaken as usual. For indeed we have celebrated the memorial of the saving passion, and through the Master's resurrection we have received the good tidings of the general resurrection, and we have sung hymns to the ineffable love for mankind of our God and Savior; but the storm of the Churches did not permit us to partake of pure joy. For if when one member suffers, the whole body shares in the pain, when the whole body is disturbed how is it possible not to lament? And it increases our despondency to think that these things are a prelude to the complete apostasy. Let your God-fearingness pray, therefore, if these things are so, that we may obtain divine assistance, so that

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πανδαισίαν ἐνθεῖναι, καὶ πεινῶσιν ἐκπέμψαι τὴν ἀξιάγαστον τῶν λόγων εὐωχίαν. 61 ΑΡΧΙΒΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Οὐκ ἠμέλησα τὰς δύο πρώην δεξάμενος τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας ἐπιστολάς, ἀλλ' ἐπέστειλα παραυτίκα, καὶ τῷ θεοφιλεστάτῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ Εὐσεβίῳ τὰ γράμματα δέδωκα. Μελλήσεως δὲ γενομένης τινός, τὸ παρὸν νῦν ἀνεβάλετο. Ἡ γὰρ ὥρα λοιπὸν εἴσω τῶν λιμένων κατεῖχε τὰ σκάφη, τοῦ πελάγους ὑποδει κνῦσα τὴν ζάλην, καὶ ναύτας καὶ κυβερνήτας διαναπαύουσα. Ἐκτίνω τοίνυν τόδε ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τὸ χρέος, οὐχ ἵνα μὴ ὀφείλω, ἀλλ' ἵνα τὸ χρέος αὐξήσω, Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ὄφλημα πολ λαπλάσιον ἐκτιννύμενον γίνεται. Οἱ γὰρ φυλάττειν ἐσπουδα κότες τῆς φιλίας τοὺς νόμους, ἐρεθίζουσι τὸ φίλτρον, καὶ θερμότερον ἀπεργάζονται, καὶ τὸν σπινθῆρα ποιοῦσι πυρσόν· ὑπὸ δὲ τούτου πυρπολούμενοι, νικᾶν ἀλλήλους τῷ πόθῳ φιλο τιμοῦνται. ∆έξαι τοίνυν τὴν ἀπολογίαν, ὦ σεβασμία μοι κεφαλή, καὶ δὸς τὴν συγγνώμην, καὶ πέμψον ἡμῖν ἐπιστολήν, τὴν σὴν ὑγείαν μηνύουσαν. 62 ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Τὸ Λάθε βιώσας , εἴρηκε μέν τις τῶν πάλαι καλουμένων σοφῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν γνώμην ἐπαινέσας, ἐβουλήθην ἔργῳ βε βαιῶσαι τὸν λόγον. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀπεικὸς ᾠήθην ποιεῖν καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων συλλέγων τὸ χρήσιμον. Καὶ γὰρ τὰς μελίττας φασὶν οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐδωδίμων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πικρῶν βοτα νῶν, καὶ τὰ κηρία συλλέγειν καὶ τὴν γλυκεῖαν δρόσον ἀρύεσθαι. Εἶδον δὲ ἔγωγε καὶ πέτραις ἀγόνοις ἐνιζανούσας καὶ τὴν νοτίδα τὴν ὀλίγην ἀνιμωμένας. Πολλῷ δὲ δήπουθεν δικαιότε ρον τοὺς τῷ λόγῳ τετιμημένους πάντοθεν καρποῦσθαι τὴν ὠφέλειαν. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν, ὡς ἔφην, πειρῶμαι λανθάνειν καὶ πάντων μάλιστα τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἀσπάζομαι. Ἐπανελθὼν δὲ πρώην ἀπὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ὁ θεοσεβέστατος πρεσβύτερος Εὐσέ βιος, ἀπήγγειλε συνουσίαν ὑμῖν τινα γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ μεταξὺ λόγου τινὸς καὶ τὴν περὶ ἡμῶν κινηθῆναι, καὶ τὴν σὴν θεο σέβειαν εὐφήμως τῆς ἐμῆς μνησθῆναι σμικρότητος. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἄγνωμον ᾠήθην, καὶ λίαν ἄδικον, τὸν εὖ καὶ καλῶς μεμνημένον μὴ τοῖς ἴσοις ἀμείψασθαι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μηδὲν ἄξιον εὐφημίας εἰργάσμεθα, ἀλλ' οὖν τῶν οὕτως ἐπαινούντων θαυμάζομεν τὸν σκοπόν. Ἀγάπης γὰρ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἔπαινος ἔκγονος. Προσ φθέγγομαι τοίνυν τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν, διακόνῳ χρώμενος τῶν γραμμάτων ἐκείνῳ, ὃς καὶ τοὺς ἀγράφους σου λόγους, οὓς περὶ ἡμῶν διεξῆλθες, πρώην ἡμῖν κεκόμικε. ∆εξάμενος τοίνυν, θεοφιλέστατε, τὴν ἐπιστολήν, ἄμειψαι τὰ γράμματα γράμμασιν. Ἦρξας μὲν γὰρ λόγων αὐτός, ἐγὼ δὲ γραμμάτων· καὶ ἠμειψά μην γράμμασι τοὺς λόγους. Λείπεται τοίνυν σε τὰ γράμματα γράμμασιν. 63 ΕΟΡΤΑΣΤΙΚΗ. Τῶν μὲν ἄλλων τῆς ἑορτῆς ἀγαθῶν συνήθως ἀπελαύσαμεν. Καὶ γὰρ τὴν τῶν σωτηρίων παθημάτων ἑωρτάσαμεν μνήμην, καὶ διὰ τῆς ∆εσποτικῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐδεξάμεθα τὰ τῆς κοινῆς ἀναστάσεως εὐαγγέλια, καὶ τὴν ἄρρητον τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆ ρος ἡμῶν φιλανθρωπίαν ὑμνήσαμεν· ἡ δὲ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ζάλη καθαρᾶς μεταλαχεῖν εὐφροσύνης οὐκ εἴασεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἑνὸς μέλους ἀλγοῦντος ὅλον κοινωνεῖ τῆς ὀδύνης τὸ σῶμα, παντὸς ταραττομένου τοῦ σώματος πῶς ἔνεστι μὴ θρηνεῖν; Ἐπιτεί νει δὲ ἡμῖν τὴν ἀθυμίαν τὸ νομίζειν εἶναι ταῦτα τῆς παντε λοῦς ἀποστασίας προοίμιον. Εὐξάσθω τοίνυν ἡ θεοσέβειά σου, εἰ μὲν ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, τῆς θείας ἡμᾶς ἐπικουρίας τυχεῖν, ἵνα