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not simply, but so as even to feel grateful to them; for our part, for such great love we shall not cease proclaiming you, crowning you, celebrating you among all, acknowledging our thanks to those who meet and associate with us. But you yourself await the greatest rewards, even greater than your labors, from the man-loving God, who in his recompense by much abundance surpasses those who have been zealous to do or say some good thing. So that you may also be pleased to learn of our situation, we have been removed to a most desolate place, Cucusus, yet apart from the desolation we have no sense of it; such tranquility do we enjoy, such security, such care from all. For by your prayers we have put off the remains of our illness and now live in good health, and we have been delivered from the fear of the Isaurians and are established in safety, delighting in much peace. And the most honorable presbyters Constantius and Euethius are with us, and others are expected to arrive quickly, whom at present bonds restrained; but all have been released, and I know well that they will fly to us. Therefore, do not cease praying for us who exceedingly love you, most revered and God-beloved master, and continually writing, whenever it is possible, and telling us about your health. For you know how very eager we are to learn of this every day, if it is possible. I ask you to give many greetings from us to my master, the most honorable and very reverend presbyter Asyncrition, with his sweetest children, and all the clergy of your piety. 115. To the presbyter Theophilus. This also is a sign of your good sense and your grateful mind, that having enjoyed nothing from those to whom we entrusted you, you consider that you have received everything from our eagerness. But we will not be content with this, but we have also discussed this matter at length with my lord Theodore the prefect, who brought us to Cucusus, and in writing to many we have also enjoined these things. Therefore, whether anything more comes of our letters, or whether the letters remain only letters, accomplishing nothing with those who receive them, be diligent to let us know quickly. For in this especially we admire your love, and we consider it the greatest sign of our confidence that we can converse with you about these things. Let us know, then, whether anything more comes of it or nothing, so that if it is the former, we may give thanks to those who have benefited their own soul; for in doing this they will gratify themselves more than you; and if it is the latter, we may devise some other shorter and easier way, through which you may by all means enjoy every comfort, so as to be in no distress. For we shall be gratifying ourselves most highly in thus taking care of your noble and free soul. And write to us continually, giving us the good news of your health and success. 116. To Valentinus. What is this? Knowing how we rejoice in your good fortune and leap for joy at your successes, and being obliged before all to inform us of the greatness of the honor to which you have now ascended, you have allowed us to learn this first from others, and you do not think you need to make much apology for this, that you endured, for your part, to deprive us for so long a time of such great joy? For your true dignity and your greatest office is the virtue of your soul. But since you have made it your practice to use these worldly things for the benefit of that virtue, and the more powerful you become, the wider a harbor you become for those in need, for this reason we now rejoice and leap for joy, but nevertheless we do not acquit you of the charge of silence. How then will you make a good defense to us? By the frequency of your letters, and by continually informing us of the health of yourself 52.672 and of your whole house. Since, therefore, we have taught you even the manner of your defense, add for your part what remains. For if even after this letter you remain silent, we shall indict you for indifference

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οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ὥστε καὶ χάριν αὐτοῖς εἰδέναι· ἡμεῖς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοσαύτης ἀγάπης οὐ παυσόμεθά σε ἀνακηρύττοντες, στεφανοῦντες, παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀναγορεύοντες, χάριτας ὁμολογοῦντες παρὰ τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι καὶ συγγινομένοις ἡμῖν. Αὐτὸς δὲ τὰς μεγίστας ἀμοιβὰς καὶ μείζους τῶν πόνων ἀνάμενε παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ, τοῦ ταῖς ἀντιδόσεσιν ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος νικῶντος τοὺς ἀγαθόν τι ποιεῖν ἢ λέγειν ἐσπουδακότας. Ὥστε δέ σε καὶ ἑτέρωθεν ἡσθῆναι μαθόντα τὰ ἡμέτερα, πρὸς μὲν τὸ ἐρημότατον χωρίον ἀπῳκίσθημεν, τὴν Κουκουσὸν, πλὴν ἐρημίας οὐδεμίαν αἴσθησιν ἔχομεν· τοσαύτης ἀπολαύομεν ἡσυχίας, τοσαύτης ἀδείας, τοσαύτης παρὰ πάντων θεραπείας. Τά τε γὰρ λείψανα τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας εὐχαῖς ταῖς σαῖς ἀπεθέμεθα, καὶ ἐν ὑγείᾳ διάγομεν νῦν, τοῦ τε φόβου τῶν Ἰσαύρων ἀπηλλάγημεν, καὶ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ κατέστημεν, ἀπραγμοσύνῃ τε ἐντρυφῶντες πολλῇ. Πάρεισι δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ οἱ τιμιώτατοι πρεσβύτεροι Κωνστάντιος καὶ Εὐήθιος, προσδοκῶνται δὲ καὶ ἕτεροι ταχέως ἀφίξεσθαι, οὓς εἰς τὸ παρὸν τὰ δεσμὰ κατεῖχεν· ἀλλὰ πάντες ἀφέθησαν, καὶ εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι πτήσονται πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Μὴ δὴ διαλίπῃς εὐχόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τῶν σφόδρα σε ἀγα52.671 πώντων, δέσποτα αἰδεσιμώτατε καὶ θεοφιλέστατε, καὶ συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλων, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας δηλῶν τῆς σῆς. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως ἡμῖν περισπούδαστον καθ' ἑκάστην, εἰ οἷόν τε, ἡμέραν περὶ ταύτης μανθάνειν. Τὸν δεσπότην μου τὸν τιμιώτατον καὶ εὐλαβέστατον πρεσβύτερον Ἀσυγκρίτιον, μετὰ τῶν γλυκυτάτων αὐτοῦ παιδίων, καὶ πάντα σου τῆς θεοσεβείας τὸν κλῆρον πολλὰ παρ' ἡμῶν προσειπεῖν παρακλήθητι. ΡΙΕʹ. Θεοφίλῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Καὶ τοῦτο τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης, καὶ τῆς σῆς εὐχαρίστου σου γνώμης, τὸ μηδενὸς ἀπολελαυκότα παρὰ τούτων, οἷς σε παρακατεθέμεθα, τὸ πᾶν ἀπειληφέναι νομίζειν ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας προθυμίας. Ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἀρκεσθησόμεθα τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ κυρίῳ μου Θεοδώρῳ τῷ ἐπαρχικῷ, τῷ ἀγαγόντι ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν Κουκουσὸν, πολλὰ ταύτης ἕνεκεν διελέχθημεν τῆς ὑποθέσεως, καὶ πολλοῖς ἐπιστέλλοντες καὶ ταῦτα ἐπεστάλκαμεν. Ἄν τε γοῦν γένηταί τι ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων πλέον τῶν ἡμετέρων, ἄν τε γράμματα μένῃ μόνον τὰ γράμματα, μηδὲν ἀνύσαντα παρὰ τοῖς ἀποδεχομένοις αὐτὰ, διὰ ταχέων ἡμῖν δηλῶσαι σπούδασον. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τούτῳ μάλιστα τὴν ἀγάπην σου θαυμάζομεν, καὶ τοῦ θαῤῥεῖν ἡμῖν τοῦτο μέγιστον ποιούμεθα σημεῖον, τὸ καὶ περὶ τούτων ἡμῖν διαλέγεσθαι. ∆ήλωσον τοίνυν ἡμῖν ἄν τε γένηταί τι πλέον, ἄν τε μηδὲν, ἵν' ἂν μὲν τὸ πρότερον ᾖ, χάριτας ὁμολογήσωμεν τοῖς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὠφεληκόσι ψυχήν· ἑαυτοῖς γὰρ μᾶλλον ἢ σοὶ χαριοῦνται τοῦτο ποιοῦντες· ἄν τε τὸ δεύτερον, ἑτέραν τινὰ ὁδὸν σύντομον καὶ εὐκολωτέραν ἐπινοήσωμεν, δι' ἧς πάντως πάσης ἀπολαύσῃ παραμυθίας, ὡς ἐν μηδεμιᾷ εἶναι στενοχωρίᾳ. Ἡμῖν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ μέγιστα χαριούμεθα, τῆς εὐγενοῦς σου καὶ ἐλευθέρας οὕτω φροντίζοντες ψυχῆς. Καὶ γράφε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς, καὶ τῆς εὐδοκιμήσεως εὐαγγελιζόμενος. ΡΙʹ. Βαλεντίνῳ. Τί τοῦτο; Εἰδὼς ὅπως σου χαίρομεν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς, καὶ σκιρτῶμεν ἐπὶ ταῖς σαῖς εὐδοκιμήσεσι, καὶ πρὸ πάντων ὀφείλων ἡμῖν δηλῶσαι τῆς τιμῆς τὸ μέγεθος, εἰς ὃ νῦν ἀνέβης, ὑπέμεινας ἡμᾶς πρότερον παρ' ἑτέρων μαθεῖν τοῦτο, καὶ οὐ νομίζεις δεῖσθαί σοι πολλῆς εἰς τοῦτο ἀπολογίας, ὅτι ἠνέσχου, τό γε σὸν μέρος, τοσοῦτον χρόνον ἡμᾶς ζημιῶσαι εὐφροσύνης μέγεθος τηλικοῦτον; Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀξίωμά σου τὸ ἀληθὲς, καὶ ἡ μεγίστη σου ἀρχὴ, τῆς ψυχῆς σού ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετή. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ τούτοις τοῖς βιωτικοῖς εἰς τὴν ἐκείνης ὠφέλειαν κεχρῆσθαι μεμελέτηκας, καὶ ὅσῳ ἂν γένῃ δυνατώτερος, τοσούτῳ λιμὴν εὐρύτερος τοῖς δεομένοις καθίστασαι, διὰ τοῦτο νῦν χαίρομεν, καὶ σκιρτῶμεν, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐκ ἀφίεμέν σε τοῦ τῆς σιγῆς ἐγκλήματος. Πῶς οὖν ἡμῖν ἀπολογήσῃ καλῶς; Τῇ πυκνότητι τῶν ἐπιστολῶν, καὶ τῷ συνεχῶς τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας ἡμῖν δηλοῦν τῆς σῆς 52.672 καὶ τοῦ οἴκου σου παντός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν σε καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς ἀπολογίας ἐδιδάξαμεν, προστίθει τὰ παρὰ σαυτοῦ λοιπόν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην μένεις σιγῶν, γραψόμεθά σε ῥᾳθυμίας