John Chrysostom, Letters

so that even though we are sitting at so great a distance, we may also reap from this much gladness. 103. To Amproucla the deaconess and those with her. I am separated by the great length of the road from your honor, but I learned no less of your brave deeds and the noble acts of those present, and I rejoiced greatly with you for your courage, your endurance, your unswerving purpose, and your firm and adamantine mind, your freedom of speech, your boldness. For these things I do not cease calling you blessed, both for things present, and for the good things that are to receive you in the age to come, those ineffable things, which surpass all understanding and reason. But you greatly grieved us, sitting at so great 52.663 a distance, by not deigning even to write. And I know indeed that this did not happen out of indolence; for I know, whether you write to us or are silent, your warm and genuine love, sincere and guileless, strong and firm; but because there was no one to write for you. Nevertheless, even so you ought to have written to us in your native tongue, and with your own hand. For we hold on tightly, as you yourself also know, to receiving letters constantly from your piety, so that each day we might learn about your health; and we have this as no small comfort in such great desolation and the circumstances here. Knowing therefore, my most honored and most pious lady, how much desire we have for this, do not cease bestowing this good favor on us. For indeed many have come from there from many places. But I do not complain on their account, why they did not bring us a letter from your modesty; for it is likely they were unknown to your piety. Now, however, when it was possible to write with all ease, and especially with such things having happened there, I greatly desired to receive a letter. Recover, therefore, what was neglected in the time past, and with a frequency, and a blizzard of letters console us for the length of your previous silence. 104. To Pentadia the deaconess. I call you blessed for the crowns which you have bound on now as well, through your courage choosing to suffer all things for the sake of the truth. For this reason you also have God as your champion with great vehemence. For "Strive for the truth," it says, "unto death, and the Lord will fight for you." Which has also happened. For having run this good contest to such a degree, you have drawn down many prizes from above; for this reason, then, I rejoice. But since I learned that you are planning a journey, and wish to move from there, I exhort your honor to think of or plan no such thing. First, for this very reason, that you are indeed a support of the city there, and a wide harbor, and a staff, and a safe wall for those who are weary. Do not cast away such great commerce from your hands, nor give up such great profit, gathering so many treasures each day from your presence there. For both those who see and those who hear of your good deeds gain no small thing. And you know how great a reward this brings you. First then, as I said, for this reason we exhort you to remain there; for you have given no small proof of the benefit which you have provided by remaining there. Then, too, the season of the year does not permit this. For you know the weakness of your body, and how it is not easy for you to travel in such frost and winter. In addition to this, as we hear, the Isaurian troubles are also flaring up. Therefore, having considered all these things as a prudent woman, do not deign to move anywhere for the time being, and be so kind as to write to us quickly about this, and continually make known your health. Since even now 52.664 we were grieved at not receiving a letter from your honor, and we have been in a state of anxiety, lest perhaps illness prevented this. Therefore, so that you may take away this anxiety of ours, quickly send us a letter indicating these things. 105. To Chalcedia. May God give you the reward both here and in the age to come for your reverence, and honor, and genuine love toward us. For not only now, but also from the beginning, and from

ἵνα καὶ ἐκ τοσούτου καθήμενοι διαστήματος, πολλὴν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καρπωσώμεθα τὴν εὐφροσύνην. ΡΓʹ. Ἀμπρούκλῃ διακόνῳ καὶ ταῖς σὺν αὐτῇ. Μακρῷ μὲν διῴκισμαι τῷ μήκει τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς ὑμετέρας τιμιότητος, τὰς δὲ ἀνδραγαθίας ὑμῶν καὶ τὰς ἀριστείας τῶν παρόντων οὐκ ἔλαττον ἔμαθον, καὶ σφόδρα συνήσθην ὑμῖν τῆς ἀνδρείας, τῆς ὑπομονῆς, τῆς ἀπεριτρέπτου γνώμης, καὶ στεῤῥᾶς καὶ ἀδαμαντίνης διανοίας, τῆς ἐλευθεροστομίας, τῆς παῤῥησίας. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα μακαρίζων ὑμᾶς οὐ παύομαι ὑπέρ τε τῶν παρόντων, ὑπέρ τε τῶν μελλόντων ὑμᾶς ὑποδέξασθαι ἀγαθῶν ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι, τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων ἐκείνων, καὶ πάντα νοῦν καὶ λόγον ὑπερβαινόντων. Σφόδρα δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐλύπησας ἐκ τοσούτου καθημένους 52.663 διαστήματος, οὐδὲ ἐπιστεῖλαι καταδεξαμένη. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ ῥᾳθυμίας τοῦτο γέγονεν· ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ καὶ γραφούσης ἡμῖν, καὶ σιγώσης, τὴν θερμὴν καὶ γνησίαν ἀγάπην, τὴν εἰλικρινῆ καὶ ἄδολον, τὴν ἰσχυρὰν καὶ στεῤῥάν· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μηδένα εἶναι τὸν ὑπογράφοντα. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως ἐχρῆν τῇ ἐγχωρίῳ σου γλώττῃ ἡμῖν ἐπιστεῖλαι, καὶ τῇ χειρὶ τῇ σῇ. Σφόδρα γὰρ ἀντεχόμεθα, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτὴ οἶσθα, τοῦ συνεχῶς ἐπιστολὰς δέχεσθαι παρὰ τῆς εὐλαβείας τῆς σῆς, ὥστε καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν μανθάνειν ἡμᾶς τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς· καὶ οὐ μικρὰν τῆς τοσαύτης ἐρημίας καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα περιστάσεων παράκλησιν ταύτην ἔχομεν. Εἰδυῖα τοίνυν, δέσποινά μου τιμιωτάτη καὶ εὐλαβεστάτη, ὅσην ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχομεν τούτου, μὴ διαλίπῃς τὴν καλὴν ταύτην ἡμῖν χαριζομένη χάριν. Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ πολλαχόθεν ἐκεῖθεν ἦλθον. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐγκαλῶ ἐκείνων ἕνεκεν, διὰ τί μὴ γράμματα ἡμῖν ἐκόμισαν παρὰ τῆς σῆς κοσμιότητος· εἰκὸς γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀγνοεῖσθαι παρὰ τῆς εὐλαβείας τῆς σῆς. Νῦν μέντοι ὅτε ἐξῆν μετ' εὐκολίας πάσης ἐπιστεῖλαι, καὶ μάλιστα τοιούτων γεγενημένων αὐτόθι, σφόδρα ἐπεθύμουν δέξασθαι γράμματα. Ἀνάκτησαι τοίνυν τὸ ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ ῥᾳθυμηθὲν, καὶ πυκνότητι, καὶ νιφάδι ἐπιστολῶν τὸ μῆκος τῆς ἔμπροσθεν ἡμῖν παραμύθησαι σιγῆς. Ρ∆ʹ. Πενταδίᾳ διακόνῳ. Τῶν μὲν στεφάνων σε μακαρίζω, οὓς ἀνεδήσω καὶ νῦν, διὰ τῆς ἀνδρείας πάντα ἑλομένη παθεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὑπερασπίζοντά σου ἔχεις μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σφοδρότητος. Ἕως γὰρ θανάτου, φησὶν, ἀγώνισαι ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ ὁ Κύριος πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ. Ὅπερ καὶ γέγονε. Μέχρι γὰρ τοσούτου δραμοῦσα τὸν καλὸν τοῦτον ἀγῶνα, πολλὰ ἄνωθεν ἐπεσπάσω τὰ βραβεῖα· τούτου μὲν οὖν ἕνεκεν χαίρω. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνων, ὅτι βουλεύῃ περὶ ἀποδημίας, καὶ μεταστῆναι ἐκεῖθεν βούλει, παρακαλῶ σου τὴν τιμιότητα μηδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐννοῆσαι μηδὲ βουλεύσασθαι. Πρῶτον μὲν δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅτι δὴ στήριγμα τῆς πόλεως εἶ τῆς αὐτόθι, καὶ λιμὴν εὐρὺς, καὶ βακτηρία, καὶ τεῖχος ἀσφαλὲς τοῖς καταπονουμένοις. Μηδὲ τοσαύτην ἀπὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἐμπορίαν ῥίψῃς, μηδὲ τοσοῦτον πρόῃ κέρδος, τοσούτους καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συνάγουσα θησαυροὺς ἀπὸ τῆς παρουσίας τῆς αὐτόθι. Οἵ τε γὰρ ὁρῶντες, οἵ τε ἀκούοντές σου τὰ κατορθώματα, οὐ μικρὰ κερδαίνουσιν. Οἶσθα δὲ ἡλίκον τοῦτο φέρει σοι τὸν μισθόν. Πρῶτον μὲν, ὅπερ ἔφην, διὰ τοῦτο παρακαλοῦμεν αὐτόθι μένειν· καὶ γὰρ πεῖραν οὐ μικρὰν δέδωκας τῆς ὠφελείας, ἣν παρέσχες διὰ τῆς αὐτόθι παραμονῆς. Ἔπειτα δὲ οὐδὲ ἡ τοῦ ἔτους ὥρα ἐπιτρέπει τοῦτο. Οἶσθα γάρ σου τοῦ σώματος τὴν ἀσθένειαν, καὶ πῶς οὐ ῥᾴδιόν σοι κινεῖσθαι ἐν κρυμῷ τοσούτῳ καὶ χειμῶνι. Πρὸς τούτοις, ὡς ἀκούομεν, καὶ τὰ Ἰσαυρικὰ ἀνθεῖ. Πάντα τοίνυν ταῦτα λογισαμένη ὡς συνετὴ, μηδαμοῦ τέως κινεῖσθαι καταδέχου, καὶ περὶ τούτου γράψαι ἡμῖν διὰ ταχέων παρακλήθητι, καὶ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας συνεχῶς δήλου τῆς σῆς. Ἐπεὶ καὶ νῦν 52.664 ἠλγήσαμεν, μὴ δεξάμενοι γράμματά σου τῆς τιμιότητος, καὶ ἐν φροντίδι καθεστήκαμεν, μήποτε ἀῤῥωστία τοῦτο διεκώλυσεν. Ἵν' οὖν καὶ ταύτην ἀνέλῃς ἡμῶν τὴν φροντίδα, ταχέως ἡμῖν πέμψον ἐπιστολὴν ταῦτα δηλοῦσαν. ΡΕʹ. Χαλκιδίᾳ. Ὁ Θεός σοι τὸν μισθὸν δῴη καὶ ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς αἰδοῦς, καὶ τιμῆς, καὶ γνησίας ἀγάπης. Οὐδὲ γὰρ νῦν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνωθεν, καὶ ἐξ