30

I am in a hurry. Even if I am still snared by many hooks, by a king grasping us tightly and who contended against those who came before about us and was victorious both by other honor and splendor and by "being preferred to others" above the others, as many as have shared now or formerly in the same words or have received their communion. For if indeed the habit and the worn cloak seem somehow incompatible both to the king and to those around the king, yet these things have been innovated <οὐχ> by us alone, and somehow it seems most pleasant not only to those in communion, but also to the majority of those not in communion. But if my character has adapted itself to the various times, let others philosophize about this; for me at least it has happened automatically. And be merciful from above to these very digressions of mine, or rather, incline and direct them toward the path that leads up to God, and grant me to luxuriate purely in "the evangelical life," the hidden life in God. Then indeed, having provided for us to drink from the spring of virtue as much of the stream as is admissible and receivable, after these things receive us when we have departed and fill us by your boldness and prayers before the Divine from the first and divine spring of intelligible things.

30

ἐπείγομαι. εἰ καὶ πολλοῖς ἔτι ἀγκίστροις τεθήραμαι, βασιλεῖ ἀπρὶξ ἡμῶν δραττομένῳ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς προηγησαμένους περὶ ἡμῶν ἀντερίσαντι καὶ νικήσαντι τῇ τε ἄλλῃ τιμῇ καὶ λαμπρότητι καὶ τῷ «προκεκρίσθαι τῶν ἄλλων» ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους, ὅσοι καὶ νῦν καὶ πρῴην τῶν αὐτῶν λόγων συμμετειλήφασιν ἢ τὴν κοινωνίαν αὐτῶν προσειλήφασιν. εἰ γάρ τοι καὶ τὸ σχῆμα καὶ ὁ τρίβων ἄμικτά πως καὶ βασιλεῖ καὶ τοῖς περὶ βασιλέα δοκεῖ, ἀλλ' <οὐχ> ἡμῖν ταῦτα μόνοις κεκαινοτόμηται, καὶ ἥδιστά πως δοκεῖ οὐ τοῖς κοινωνικοῖς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀκοινωνήτων τοῖς πλείοσιν. εἰ δέ μοι τὸ ἦθος προσήρμοσε τοῖς διαφόροις καιροῖς, ἄλλοι περὶ τούτου φιλοσοφείτωσαν, ἐμοὶ γοῦν ηὐτομάτισται. καὶ ἵλαθι ἄνωθεν ταύταις δή μοι ταῖς ἐκτροπαῖς, μᾶλλον δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἀνάγουσαν πρὸς Θεὸν μετάκλινον καὶ ἀπεύθυνον, καὶ δίδου καθαρῶς «τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ βίου» κατατρυφᾶν, τῆς κεκρυμμένης ζωῆς ἐν Θεῷ. εἶτα δὴ καὶ τοῦ τῆς ἀρετῆς νάματος παρασχοῦσα πιεῖν ὁπόσον ἡμῖν τοῦ ῥείθρου ἐνδόσιμόν τε καὶ χωρητόν, μετὰ ταῦτα δέξαιο μεταστάντας καὶ πλήρωσον ταῖς πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον παρρησίαις σου καὶ δεήσεσι τῆς πρώτης καὶ θείας τῶν νοουμένων πηγῆς.