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since they are not able willingly. 100. TO GIGANTIUS 100.1 Pleased by your title, I was overjoyed by what you write, not because we are praised (for that is a small thing), but because you think rightly; and a bond of love for us for you is the hope for the same things and the genuine worship of the Trinity, 100.2 which we utter more than we breathe, both with and without danger, giving all other things to the times to carry about as they will, but holding this unshaken in our souls, the only ungrudging treasure and truly ours. 100.3 As for me, whenever I think of the other things, and how many afflictions have encompassed us and still do, and the irregularity of the evils from above and below that spin us around, and the war waged against us by all when we do no wrong, but then I look to this alone, that I have been deemed worthy to become a herald of the truth, of a sound teaching that has been cast aside and spat upon 20in a desolate land20 20and pathless and waterless20, as it is written, it is a small thing to say that I dissolve all distress, but I am even overjoyed as having been deemed worthy of greater things than I deserve. 100.4 To what end, then, do I write these things? To make this clear, that my only firm friendship and intimacy is with those who are so disposed. And of those who are so disposed, who in his right mind would willingly be left behind? What greater festival is there than to celebrate with such people? 100.5 But if illness and 100.5 the winter hinder my zeal, I myself will bear the loss; but you too must be forgiving, and pray for another occasion for us to meet.

103. TO PALLADIUS 103.1 If someone should ask me: what is the most beautiful thing in life?

I would say friends. And of these, which are most to be honored? The good ones, I would say. And of these, whom do you name first? I know that I will place no one else before your excellence. 103.2 And I write these things not to flatter your power, but to honor your character, of which we are perhaps small heralds, yet not failing in what we can; and not only heralds but also fellow-combatants, contributing the ability to do so with our prayers. 103.3 I wanted to stop the letter at this point; but since we not only revere the Divine but also require it to do good, you yourself must also receive, not being annoyed by us (for our affairs are no annoyance to you; I can guess this from what has gone before) but being reminded by us of your suppliant Euphemius. 103.4 Again I bring him to you and again I beseech you not only to receive the young man humanely but also to forgive his tardiness, since being appointed to the affairs of orphans he was necessarily occupied with his small household, but also to advance him forward for our honor and the glory of your goodness. 103.5 For although there are many whom you have treated well and will treat well, this is no less an honor for you than any of them, as I taught when I was present. And now I ask to be believed; for he is both pitiable on account of his orphanhood and dear to us on account of his character, not to mention because of his kinship by blood. 104. TO OLYMPIUS 104.1 I know the other favors I have happened to receive from your gentleness; and for these may God reward you with his good things, one of the good things being to complete your term of office with good repute and distinction. 104.2 And the favor which I now ask, I come to give rather than to receive, if it is not burdensome to say. I myself bring to you the wretched Philumene, who will fall at your tribunal and will check for you the tears with which she crushes our soul. 104.3 What wrongs she has suffered, then, and from whom, she herself will declare; for it is not safe for us to accuse anyone, but it is necessary to say this much, that widowhood and orphanhood should be helped by all who have sense, and especially by those who have a wife and children among them, the great pledges for pity; since we judge men, being men ourselves. 104.4 Forgive us for pleading these things through a letter, since we are hindered by illness. 105. TO THE SAME 105.1 The time is short, the struggle is great, the sickness is severe, making us almost immobile

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ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἑκόντες δύνανται. 100.Τ ΓΙΓΑΝΤΙΩΙ 100.1 Ἡσθεὶς τῇ κλήσει, ὑπερήσθην οἷς γράφεις, οὐχ ὅτι ἐπαινούμεθα (μικρὸν γάρ), ἀλλ' ὅτι φρονεῖς ὀρθῶς· καὶ δεσμός σοι τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀγάπης ἡ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐλπὶς καὶ ἡ γνησία τῆς Τριάδος προσκύνησις, 100.2 ἣν φθεγγό μεθα μᾶλλον ἢ ἀναπνέομεν καὶ μετὰ κινδύνων καὶ ἀκινδύνως, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα διδόντες τοῖς καιροῖς, ὡς ἂν βούλωνται, περιφέρειν, τοῦτο δὲ ἀκίνητον ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἔχοντες, τὸν μόνον ἄφθονον θησαυρὸν καὶ ὄντως ἡμέτερον. 100.3 Ὡς ἔγωγε, ὅταν τἄλλα ἐνθυμηθῶ καὶ ὅσαι θλίψεις αἳ μὲν περιέσχον ἡμᾶς, αἳ δὲ περιέχουσι, καὶ τὴν ἀνωμαλίαν τῶν ἄνω καὶ κάτω στροβούντων ἡμᾶς κακῶν, καὶ τὸν πόλεμον ὃν πολεμούμεθα ὑπὸ πάντων οὐδὲν ἀδικοῦντες, πρὸς τοῦτο δὲ ἀποβλέψω μόνον ὅτι κήρυξ γενέσθαι τῆς ἀληθείας κατηξιώθην, παρερριμμένης τε καὶ ἀπεπτυσμένης 20ἐν γῇ ἐρήμῳ20 διδασκαλίας ὑγιαινούσης 20καὶ ἀβάτῳ καὶ ἀνύδρῳ20, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον, μικρὸν εἰπεῖν ὅτι λύω πᾶσαν ἀδημονίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπερήδομαι ὡς μειζόνων ἢ κατ' ἐμαυτὸν ἠξιωμένος. 100.4 Πρὸς οὖν τί ταῦτα γράφω; ἵν' ἐκεῖνο δηλώσω ὅτι μόνη μοι βεβαία φιλία καὶ οἰκείωσις πρὸς τοὺς οὕτως ἔχοντας. Τῶν δὲ οὕτως ἐχόντων τίς ἂν ἑκὼν ἀπολείποιτο εὖ φρονῶν; Τίς δὲ μείζων ἑορτὴ τοῦ τοιούτοις συνεορτάζειν; 100.5 Εἰ δὲ ἡ ἀρρωστία καὶ 100.5 ὁ χειμὼν ἐμποδίζει τὴν προθυμίαν, οἴσω μὲν αὐτὸς τὴν ζημίαν· συγγινώσκετε δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς, καὶ καιρὸν ἄλλον συντυχίας ἡμῖν ἐπεύχεσθε.

103.Τ ΠΑΛΛΑ∆ΙΩΙ 103.1 Εἴ τις ἐρωτήσειέ με· τί τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ κάλλιστον;

εἴποιμι ἂν ὅτι φίλοι. Τούτων δὲ τίνας μάλιστα τιμητέον; τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἂν εἴποιμι. Τούτων δὲ τίνα πρῶτον ὀνομά ζεις; οὐκ ἄλλον τινὰ πρὸ τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς οἶδ' ὅτι θήσομαι. 103.2 Καὶ γράφω ταῦτα οὐ τὴν δυναστείαν κολακεύων, ἀλλὰ τὸν τρόπον τιμῶν, οὗ μικροὶ μὲν κήρυκες ἴσως ἡμεῖς, πλὴν τὸ εἰς δύναμιν οὐκ ἐλλείποντες· καὶ οὐ κήρυκες μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ συναγωνισταί, ταῖς εὐχαῖς τὸ δύνασθαι συνεισφέροντες. 103.3 Μέχρι τούτου στῆσαι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐβουλόμην· ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τὸ Θεῖον οὐ σέβομεν μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ εὐεργετεῖν ἀπαιτοῦμεν, δέξαι καὶ αὐτὸς οὐ διοχλού μενος παρ' ἡμῶν (οὐ γὰρ ὄχλος σοι τὰ ἡμέτερα· τοῖς προλαβοῦσι τοῦτο εἰκάζειν ἔχω) ἀλλ' ὑπομιμνησκόμενος παρ' ἡμῶν τὸν σὸν ἱκέτην Εὐφήμιον. 103.4 Πάλιν προσάγω σοι καὶ πάλιν καθικετεύω μὴ μόνον φιλανθρώπως δέξασθαι τὸν νέον ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνῶναι τῆς βραδυτῆτος, ἐπειδὴ ὀρφανικοῖς πράγμασιν ἐπιστὰς ἀναγκαίως ἠσχολήθη περὶ τὸ οἰκίδιον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ πρόσω προαγαγεῖν εἰς τιμήν τε ἡμετέραν καὶ δόξαν τῆς σῆς καλοκἀγαθίας. 103.5 Πολλῶν γὰρ ὄντων οὓς εὖ πεποίηκας καὶ ποιήσεις, οὐδενός σοι τοῦτο εἰς φιλοτιμίαν ἔλαττον, ὡς παρὼν ἐδίδαξα. Καὶ νῦν ἀξιῶ πιστευθῆναι· ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς καὶ διὰ τὴν ὀρφανίαν ἐλεεινὸς καὶ διὰ τὸν τρόπον ἀγαπητὸς ἡμῖν, ἵνα μὴ λέγω διὰ τὴν ἀγχιστείαν τοῦ αἵματος. 104.Τ ΟΛΥΜΠΙΩΙ 104.1 Τὰς μὲν ἄλλας χάριτας ὅσων ἔτυχον εἰληφὼς οἶδα παρὰ τῆς σῆς ἡμερότητος· καί σε ἀντὶ τούτων ἀμείψαιτο τοῖς παρ' ἑαυτοῦ χρηστοῖς ὁ Θεός, ἓν δὲ τῶν χρηστῶν εὐδόκιμον καὶ λαμπρὸν διεξελθεῖν τὴν ἀρχήν. 104.2 Ἣν δὲ νῦν αἰτῶ, δώσων ἔρχομαι μᾶλλον ἤπερ ληψόμενος, εἰ μὴ φορτικὸν εἰπεῖν. Τὴν ἀθλίαν Φιλουμένην δι' ἐμαυτοῦ προσάγω σοι καὶ τῇ σῇ δίκῃ προσπεσουμένην καὶ ὑμῖν τὰ δάκρυα στήσουσαν οἷς συντρίβει τὴν ἡμετέραν ψυχήν. 104.3 Ἃ μὲν οὖν ἠδίκηται καὶ παρ' ὧν, αὐτὴ δηλώσει· οὐ γὰρ ἡμῖν γε κατηγορεῖν οὐδενὸς ἀσφαλές, αὐτοὺς δὲ τοσοῦτον εἰπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον, ὅτι χηρεία καὶ ὀρφανία πᾶσι μὲν βοηθητέα τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσι, μάλιστα δὲ οἷς γυνὴ καὶ τέκνα ἐν μέσῳ, τὰ μεγάλα τοῦ ἐλεεῖν ἐνέχυρα· ἐπειδή γε ἀνθρώποις δικάζομεν, ὄντες ἄνθρωποι. 104.4 Ἡμῖν δὲ συγγνώμη τοῦ δι' ἐπιστολῶν ταῦτα πρεσβεύειν, ἐπειδή γε τῷ ἀρρωστεῖν ζημιούμεθα. 105.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 105.1 Ὁ μὲν καιρὸς ὀξύς, ὁ δὲ ἀγὼν πολύς, ἡ δὲ νόσος βαρεῖα, μικροῦ καὶ ἀκινήτους ἡμᾶς