John Chrysostom, Letters

carrying your flourishing memory everywhere. But if we have not written as often as we wished, but rarely, this is not from our laziness, but from the necessity of circumstances, and because the road is now impassable for travelers. Knowing this, therefore, my most modest and most noble lady, whether we are writing or are silent, be similarly disposed concerning the affection which we have always shown towards you. 100. To Marcianus and Marcellinus. This is for us also the reason for our long silence, which is also for your nobility; but a silence not of the mind, but of the tongue. For in our thoughts we both write and speak to you continually, or rather perpetually, to your most noble and harmonious soul, and having engraved you in our conscience, we carry you everywhere; for such it is to love genuinely. Knowing this, therefore, my most longed for and most honored lords, write, whenever it is possible, making known matters concerning your health. But be assured that even when you are silent, we will hold the same opinion concerning your love as when you write, judging these things from your disposition. 101. To Severus the Presbyter. We, although living in a most desolate place, have both written many times to your harmony, and we do not cease to ask continually those who arrive from there about your health. But you, I do not know for what reason, being such a mad lover of us and having great ease of those who convey letters here, keep such a long silence. But we, considering your warmth and genuineness, the sincerity of disposition which you have always shown toward us, even in your long silence reap the greatest comfort. But nevertheless we wish to enjoy your letters continually, reporting to us about your health, and what we learn from others, this we would wish to learn from your own tongue and hand. Do this now, at least, my most honored master; for you know what a great favor you will do us. For we, both writing and not writing, do not cease to remember, and to preserve the love which we have always shown for 52.662 your piety, wherever we may be. For in doing this we will do the greatest favor to ourselves. 102. To Theodotus the Lector. What do you say? That waves more than expected have now risen against you, and for this reason you are grieved? For this very reason, therefore, one must rejoice and leap for joy. Since the blessed Paul also did so, at one time saying, 'Not only so, but we also glory in tribulations'; and at another, that 'I rejoice in my sufferings.' For the greater and harsher the storm becomes, the greater the profit, the more splendid the crowns of endurance, the many the prizes. Since for your sake, I am confident; for I know your unswerving, and unbending, and steadfast nature; but for the sake of those who plot against you, I grieve and weep, because those who ought to be in the ranks of the healers, exhibit the things of enemies. One thing alone grieves me, the weakness of your eyes, for which I very much ask you to take great care, both by consulting physicians and contributing what you can on your own part. As for the tribulations brought upon you, as I said before, I both ask you to rejoice, and I rejoice with you. For I know how great the fruit of endurance is born for you from this. Therefore let nothing of what happens disturb you, nor trouble you. For one thing alone is grievous: sin. As for all other things, for you who are watchful and sober they will be an occasion for the greatest gains, and will bring you those ineffable good things in the heavens with much abundance. Engaging, therefore, in such a business each day, rejoice and be glad, and do not hesitate to write to us continually. For we wish you to be with us; but since not only the winter season, but also that of summer is equally burdensome, we were afraid to cast you into an intemperance of airs, especially because of the affliction of your eyes. Making it your business, therefore, to apply great care to these, and concerning these things, whenever you write to us continually, make it clear, if you are situated even a little better,

μνήμην ἀκμάζουσαν πανταχοῦ περιφέροντες. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ὁσάκις ἐβουλόμεθα ἐπεστάλκαμεν, ἀλλὰ σπανιάκις, τοῦτο οὐ τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας τῆς ἡμετέρας, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀνάγκης, καὶ τοῦ τὴν ὁδὸν ἄβατον ὁδοιπόροις εἶναι νῦν. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδυῖα, κυρία μου κοσμιωτάτη καὶ εὐγενεστάτη, καὶ γραφόντων ἡμῶν, καὶ σιγώντων, ὁμοίως διάκεισο περὶ τῆς διαθέσεως, ἣν ἀεὶ περὶ ὑμᾶς ἐπεδειξάμεθα. Ρʹ. Μαρκιανῷ καὶ Μαρκελλίνῳ. Τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν τῆς μακρᾶς σιγῆς αἴτιον γίνεται, ὃ καὶ τῇ εὐγενείᾳ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ· ἀλλὰ σιγῆς οὐ τῆς κατὰ τὴν γνώμην, ἀλλὰ τῆς κατὰ τὴν γλῶτταν. Ὡς τῇ διανοίᾳ καὶ ἐπιστέλλομεν, καὶ προσφθεγγόμεθα συνεχῶς, μᾶλλον δὲ διηνεκῶς, τὴν εὐγενεστάτην καὶ ἐμμελεστάτην ὑμῶν ψυχὴν, καὶ ἐγκολάψαντες ὑμᾶς τῷ συνειδότι, πανταχοῦ περιφέρομεν· τοιοῦτον γὰρ τὸ φιλεῖν γνησίως. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδότες, κύριοί μου ποθεινότατοι καὶ τιμιώτατοι, ἐπιστέλλετε μὲν, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς ὑμετέρας δηλοῦντες. Θαῤῥεῖτε δὲ, ὅτι καὶ σιγώντων ὑμῶν τὴν αὐτὴν περὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ὑμῶν ψῆφον οἴσομεν, ἣν καὶ γραφόντων, ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης ταῦτα ψηφιζόμενοι τῆς ὑμετέρας. ΡΑʹ. Σευήρῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Ἡμεῖς μὲν καίτοι χωρίον ἐρημότατον οἰκοῦντες, καὶ ἐπεστάλκαμεν πολλάκις πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐμμέλειαν, καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖθεν ἀφικνουμένους οὐ παυόμεθα συνεχῶς ἐρωτῶντες περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς. Αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ οἶδα, ἀνθ' ὅτου μανικὸς ἡμῶν οὕτως ἐραστὴς ὢν, καὶ πολλὴν εὐκολίαν ἔχων τῶν ἐνταῦθα διακομιζόντων τὰ γράμματα, σιγᾷς οὕτω μακρὰν σιγήν. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς τὸ θερμόν σου καὶ γνήσιον, τὸ εἰλικρινὲς τῆς διαθέσεως, ὃ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀεὶ ἐπεδείξω, ἐννοοῦντες, καὶ ἐν τῇ σιγῇ τῇ μακρᾷ μεγίστην καρπούμεθα παράκλησιν. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ βουλόμεθα καὶ γραμμάτων συνεχῶς ἀπολαύειν τῶν σῶν, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς σῆς ἡμῖν ἀπαγγελλόντων, καὶ ἃ παρ' ἑτέρων μανθάνομεν, ταῦτα παρὰ τῆς γλώττης τῆς σῆς, καὶ τῆς χειρὸς ἐβουλόμεθα μανθάνειν. Ποίει δὴ τοῦτο νῦν γοῦν, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε· οἶσθα γὰρ ἡλίκα ἡμῖν χαριῇ. Ὡς ἡμεῖς καὶ γράφοντες, καὶ μὴ γράφοντες, οὐ παυόμεθα μεμνημένοι, καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣν ἀεὶ περὶ 52.662 τὴν σὴν ἐπεδειξάμεθα εὐλάβειαν, διατηροῦντες, ὅπουπερ ἂν ὦμεν. Ἡμῖν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ μέγιστα χαριούμεθα τοῦτο ποιοῦντες. ΡΒʹ. Θεοδότῳ ἀναγνώστῃ. Τί φής; Πλείονά σοι τῶν προσδοκηθέντων τὰ κύματα ἐναπέστη νῦν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀλγεῖς; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μὲν οὖν αὐτὸ χαίρειν χρὴ καὶ σκιρτᾷν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος οὕτως ἐποίει, νῦν μὲν λέγων· Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι· νῦν δὲ, ὅτι Χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασί μου. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἂν μείζων καὶ τραχύτερος ὁ χειμὼν γένηται, τοσούτῳ πλείων ἡ ἐμπορία, λαμπρότεροι τῆς ὑπομονῆς οἱ στέφανοι, πολλὰ τὰ βραβεῖα. Ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς σοῦ μὲν ἕνεκεν θαῤῥῶ· οἶδα γάρ σου τὸ ἀπερίτρεπτον, καὶ ἀκλινὲς, καὶ στεῤῥόν· τῶν δὲ ἐπιβουλευόντων ἕνεκεν ἀλγῶ καὶ δακρύω, ὅτι οὓς χρὴ ἐν τάξει εἶναι τῶν θεραπευόντων, τὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπιδείκνυνται. Ἕν με λυπεῖ μόνον, τὸ τῆς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου ἀσθενείας, ὧν καὶ σφόδρα ἀξιῶ πολύν σε ποιεῖσθαι λόγον, ἰατροῖς τε διαλεγόμενον, καὶ τὰ παρὰ σαυτοῦ συνεισφέροντα. Ὡς τῶν γε θλίψεων τῶν ἐπαγομένων σοι ὅπερ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν εἶπον, αὐτόν τε χαίρειν ἀξιῶ, καὶ ἐγὼ δέ σοι συνήδομαι. Οἶδα γὰρ ὅσος ἐκ τούτου τίκτεταί σοι τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὁ καρπός. Μηδὲν οὖν σε θορυβείτω, μηδὲ ταραττέτω τῶν παρεμπιπτόντων. Ἓν γάρ ἐστι χαλεπὸν ἁμαρτία μόνον. Ὡς τά γε ἄλλα πάντα ἀγρυπνοῦντί σοι καὶ νήφοντι καὶ κερδῶν ὑπόθεσις ἔσται μεγίστη, καὶ τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα ἐκεῖνα ἀγαθὰ, τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, μετὰ πολλῆς οἴσει σοι τῆς δαψιλείας. Τοιαύτην τοίνυν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν πραγματευόμενος πραγματείαν, χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου, καὶ συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλειν μὴ κατόκνει. Ἡμεῖς μὲν γάρ σε βουλόμεθα καὶ μεθ' ἡμῶν εἶναι· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οὐχ ἡ τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥρα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ τοῦ θέρους ὁμοίως ἐστὶν ἐπαχθὴς, ἐδείσαμεν εἰς ἀέρων σε δυσκρασίαν ἐμβαλεῖν, μάλιστα διὰ τὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν πάθος. Ἔργον τοίνυν ποιησάμενος τὸ πολλὴν τούτοις προσάγειν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν, καὶ περὶ τούτων, ἡνίκα ἂν συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλῃς, δήλου, εἴγε κἂν μικρὸν ἄμεινόν σοι διατεθείειν,