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we may be able to withstand, according to the divine Apostle, in the evil day. But if any time is left for the constitution of this life, for the tempest to be calmed, and for the Churches to receive back their former tranquility; so that the enemies of the truth may not for too long exult in our misfortunes. 64 FESTAL. When the Master endured the saving passion for the race of men, the choir of the holy apostles was greatly disheartened; for they did not know precisely the fruit of the passion. But when they understood the salvation that had sprung forth from it, they called the preaching of the passion a gospel, and this they eagerly offered to all men. And those who have believed, since indeed their minds have been enlightened, having joyfully received this, celebrate the memory of the passion, and they have the time of death as an occasion for public feasting and festivity. For the resurrection, being connected with it, drives away the lament for death, and becomes a pledge of the general resurrection. Having partaken of this feast at the present time, we address your piety, sending forth the messages of the feast like a kind of sweet fragrance. 65 TO ZENO THE GENERAL. To be struck by human sufferings is common to all men; but to bear them nobly and to overcome their assault, is no longer common. For the former belongs to nature, but the latter to choice. For which reason we also admire those who philosophize, as choosing the best things and conquering their passions by their judgment. And philosophy is fashioned by the rational part in us, which leads the passions, but is not led by them. And one of the human passions is grief; we exhort your magnificence to overcome this. But it is easy for those such as you to conquer the passion, by considering nature and by reflecting on the unprofitableness of mourning. For what benefit will it be to those who have departed, if we lament and use dirges? When, therefore, we take into our minds the commonality of sorrows, and the long time of familiarity, and the splendid generalships, and the much-celebrated deeds of valor, let us consider that the one adorned with these was also a man, and subject to the decree of death; and in addition to these things, that God governs all things, and knowing more precisely what will be advantageous, directs human affairs toward this. These things I have written, as in the measure of a letter, exhorting your genius to grant to us all your health, which good cheer is known to preserve, but despondency to destroy. For it was for this reason that I wrote the letter, providing for the common benefit. 66 TO AERIUS THE SOPHIST. She who bore and nourished you calls you to the thrice-desired festival. For the sacred precinct has both received its roof, and has acquired its fitting adornment and longs for the inhabitants for whom it was built. And these are Apostles and prophets, the loud-voiced heralds of the Old and New Testament. Adorn, therefore, the feast with your presence, and draw forth the blessings that gush from it and make the festival more joyful for us. 67 TO MARANA.

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δυνηθῶμεν ἀντιστῆναι , κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Ἀπόστολον, τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πονηρᾷ . Εἰ δέ τις χρόνος ὑπολέλειπται τῇ τοῦδε τοῦ βίου συστάσει, λυθῆναι τὸν κλύδωνα, καὶ τὴν προ τέραν γαλήνην τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἀπολαβεῖν· ἵνα μὴ ἐπιπλεῖστον οἱ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροὶ ταῖς ἡμετέραις ἐπαγάλλωνται συμφο ραῖς. 64 ΕΟΡΤΑΣΤΙΚΗ. Ἡνίκα μὲν τὸ σωτήριον πάθος ὑπὲρ τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώ πων ὁ ∆εσπότης ὑπέμεινεν, ἠθύμει λίαν ὁ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστό λων χορός· οὐ γὰρ ᾔδεσαν ἀκριβῶς τὸν τοῦ πάθους καρπόν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνωσαν τὴν ἐντεῦθεν βλαστήσασαν σωτηρίαν, εὐαγγέλιον ἐκάλεσαν τοῦ πάθους τὸ κήρυγμα, καὶ τοῦτο πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις προθύμως προσήνεγκαν. Οἱ δὲ πεπιστευκότες, ἅτε δὴ τὸν νοῦν φωτισθέντες, ἀσπασίως τοῦτο δεξάμενοι, ἑορτά ζουσι τοῦ πάθους τὴν μνήμην, καὶ τὸν τοῦ θανάτου καιρὸν δημοθοινίας ἔχουσι καὶ πανηγύρεως ἀφορμήν. Συνημμένη γὰρ ἡ ἀνάστασις ἀπελαύνει τοῦ θανάτου τὸν θρῆνον, καὶ τῆς κοινῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐχέγγυος γίνεται. Ταύτης ἐπὶ τοῦ παρ όντος μεταλαχόντες τῆς ἑορτῆς, προσφθεγγόμεθά σου τὴν θεοσέβειαν, οἷόν τινα εὐοσμίαν ἐκπέμποντες τῆς ἑορτῆς τὰ μηνύματα. 65 ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΩ. Τὸ μὲν τοῖς ἀνθρωπείοις παθήμασι βάλλεσθαι, πάντων ἀνθρώπων κοινόν· τὸ δὲ φέρειν γενναίως καὶ τῆς τούτων περιγίνεσθαι προσβολῆς, οὐκ ἔτι κοινόν. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ τῆς φύσεως, τοῦτο δὲ τῆς προαιρέσεως. ∆ιὸ δὴ καὶ τοὺς φιλοσο φοῦντας θαυμάζομεν, ὡς τὰ βέλτιστα προαιρουμένους καὶ γνώμῃ τὰ πάθη νικῶντας. Τὴν δὲ φιλοσοφίαν κατασκευάζει τὸ ἐν ἡμῖν λογικόν, ἡγούμενον τῶν παθῶν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀγόμενον ὑπ' αὐτῶν. Ἓν δὲ τῶν ἀνθρωπείων παθημάτων ἡ λύπη· ταύ της περιγίνεσθαι παρακαλοῦμεν τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέ πειαν. Ῥᾴδιον δὲ τοῖς καθ' ὑμᾶς νικῆσαι τὸ πάθος, τήν τε φύσιν λογιζομένοις καὶ τὸ ἀκερδὲς τοῦ πένθους ἐνθυμουμέ νοις. Τίς γὰρ ὄνησις ἔσται τοῖς ἀπελθοῦσιν, ἡμῶν ὀλοφυρο μένων καὶ θρήνοις κεχρημένων; Ὅταν τοίνυν τὸ κοινὸν τῶν ὠδίνων εἰς νοῦν λαμβάνωμεν, καὶ τὸν μακρὸν τῆς συνηθείας χρόνον, καὶ τὰς λαμπρὰς στρατηγίας, καὶ τὰς πολυθρυλήτους ἀριστείας, λογισώμεθα ὡς καὶ ἄνθρωπος ὁ τούτοις κοσμού μενος, καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν ὅρον τοῦ θανάτου τελῶν· καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, ὅτι Θεὸς πρυτανεύει τὰ σύμπαντα, καὶ τὸ συνοίσειν μέλλον ἀκριβέστερον ἐπιστάμενος, πρὸς τοῦτο κυβερνᾷ τὰ ἀνθρώπεια. Ταῦτα ὡς ἐν ἐπιστολῆς μέτρῳ γέγραφα, παρακαλῶν τὴν ὑμε τέραν μεγαλοφυΐαν χαρίσασθαι πᾶσιν ἡμῖν τὴν ὑμετέραν ὑγείαν, ἣν οἶδεν εὐθυμία φυλάττειν, ἀθυμία δὲ λύειν. ∆ιὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔγραψα, τῆς κοινῆς προμη θούμενος ὠφελείας. 66 ΑΕΡΙΩ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ. Εἰς τὴν τριπόθητον ὑμᾶς πανήγυριν ἡ τετοκυῖα καὶ θρεψα μένη καλεῖ. Ὁ γὰρ ἱερὸς σηκὸς καὶ τὸν ὄροφον ἔλαβε, καὶ τὸν προσήκοντα κόσμον προσέλαβε καὶ τοὺς οἰκήτορας οἷς ἐδομήθη ποθεῖ. Ἀπόστολοι δὲ οὗτοι καὶ προφῆται, Παλαιᾶς καὶ Καινῆς ∆ιαθήκης μεγαλόφωνοι κήρυκες. Κοσμήσατε τοίνυν τῇ παρου σίᾳ τὴν ἑορτήν, καὶ τὰς ἐκ ταύτης ἀναβλυζούσας εὐλογίας ἀρύσασθε καὶ θυμηρεστέραν ἡμῖν ἐργάσασθε τὴν πανήγυριν. 67 ΜΑΡΑΝΑ.