John Chrysostom, Letters

arriving here from there after your departure. What then is the cause of the silence? Laziness and idleness. But nevertheless we release you from the charges for your former neglect, if you would be willing in the future to correct what was 52.642 overlooked by the frequency of your letters. For you know how you will gratify us, by continually writing to us about your health. Ξʹ. To Chalchidia and Asyncretia. I know that the succession of repeated temptations has greatly disturbed you, those brought upon my lord, the most honored and most reverent presbyter. But let this not trouble you at all. For he who suffers these things for God’s sake, the more grievously he may suffer, the greater the crowns he enjoys. Having, therefore, this sufficient consolation, bear what happens nobly and thankfully, glorifying God in all that comes to pass. For thus you too will become sharers of the rewards and crowns laid up for him, for which you have borne what happened nobly and gently. For you know that the present life is a road, and both its good things and its painful things pass by, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God; and that narrow and afflicted is the way that leads to life. Being comforted, therefore, both by these things and by his presence, scatter every cloud of despondency, rejoicing and being glad in his sufferings. For indeed an ineffable and pure fruit will be laid up for him from this. ΞΑʹ. To Theodotus, ex-consul. This is a father, not only to not be displeased with his child philosophizing the true philosophy, but also to rejoice with him, and to do everything so that he might arrive at its summit; and not even to be burdened by his being far away both from his homeland, and his house, and your own eyes, but to consider that you have him nearer now, when the things of virtue are advancing for him. For these things we too are very grateful to you, and have marveled how, having given us such a gift, your son, you thought it necessary to also send gifts of hospitality in our honor. We have therefore reaped the honor from the things sent, but we have sent them back, not despising your nobility—for how could we despise one who loves us so ardently?—but considering it superfluous to seek the enjoyment of those things for which we have no need. However, the good Theodotus the reader we wished to keep with us and to form, but since everything here is filled with murders, confusion, bloodshed, and arson, with the Isaurians consuming everything with iron and fire, and we change places from places, 52.643 moving every day, we thought it necessary to send him away, having given many instructions to my lord the most reverent deacon Theodotus to care for him continually, and to take great foresight for him. And you yourself strive for this to be accomplished for the boy, and you will surely praise our counsel, and you will owe us much gratitude for this advice. ΞΒʹ. To Castus, Valerius, Diophantus, Cyriacus, presbyters of Antioch. That my lord the most honored and most reverent presbyter Constantius has left us, I grieve; but that he has reached you, I rejoice, and I rejoice more greatly than I grieve at that. For I know well that he will anchor in a waveless harbor, your love. For even if myriad disturbances surround from all sides, and many waves are raised, yet such are your qualities, as to enjoy a calm sea even in a storm, because of your inherent courage, and your steadfast love and disposition. Seeing him, therefore, as is fitting for you, be entreated to become all things to him. For you know how great a reward will be laid up for you, who are zealous to support one who is being harassed rashly and in vain. For we seek nothing else, but that he not be harassed in any way contrary to justice, and be led about uselessly, torn apart in the courts for things for which he ought to be crowned and acclaimed. And for him we ask these things; but for ourselves, that you write to us continually, and about your health

ἐκεῖθεν μετὰ τὴν σὴν ἀποδημίαν ἐνταῦθα παραγενόμενοι. Τί οὖν ἐστι τῆς σιγῆς τὸ αἴτιον; Ὄκνος καὶ ῥᾳθυμία. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀφίεμέν σε τῶν ἐπὶ τῇ προτέρᾳ ὀλιγωρίᾳ ἐγκλημάτων, ἂν βουληθῇς εἰς τὸ ἐπιὸν τῇ πυκνότητι τῶν γραμμάτων διορθῶσαι τὸ 52.642 παροφθέν. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως ἡμῖν χαριῇ, συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλων τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς. Ξʹ. Χαλκιδίᾳ καὶ Ἀσυγκριτίᾳ. Οἶδα ὅτι σφόδρα ὑμᾶς διετάραξε τῶν ἐπαλλήλων πειρασμῶν ἡ συνέχεια, τῶν ἐπενεχθέντων τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ τιμιωτάτῳ καὶ εὐλαβεστάτῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Ἀλλὰ μηδὲν ὑμᾶς τοῦτο θορυβείτω. Ὁ γὰρ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ταῦτα πάσχων, ὅσῳπερ ἄν τι χαλεπώτερον πάθῃ, μειζόνων ἀπολαύει στεφάνων. Ἱκανὴν τοίνυν ἔχουσαι ταύτην τὴν παράκλησιν, φέρετε γενναίως καὶ εὐχαρίστως τὰ συμπίπτοντα, δοξάζουσαι τὸν Θεὸν ἐφ' ἅπασι τοῖς συμβαίνουσιν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὑμεῖς κοινωνοὶ γενήσεσθε τῶν ἀποκειμένων αὐτῷ μισθῶν καὶ στεφάνων, ὑπὲρ ὧν γενναίως καὶ πράως ἠνέγκατε τὰ συμβάντα. Ἴστε γὰρ ὅτι ὁδὸς ὁ παρὼν βίος, καὶ τὰ χρηστὰ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ λυπηρὰ παροδεύεται, καὶ ὅτι διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ὅτι στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς, ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν. Παρακληθεῖσαι οὖν καὶ διὰ τούτων, καὶ διὰ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ, ἅπαν ἀθυμίας διασκεδάσατε νέφος, χαίρουσαι, εὐφραινόμεναι ἐπὶ τοῖς τούτου παθήμασι. Καὶ γὰρ ἄφατος αὐτῷ ἐντεῦθεν κείσεται ὁ καρπὸς καὶ ἀκήρατος. ΞΑʹ. Θεοδότῳ ἀπὸ κονσουλαρίων. Τοῦτο πατὴρ, τὸ μὴ μόνον μὴ δυσχεραίνειν τοῦ παιδὸς τὴν ἀληθῆ φιλοσοφίαν φιλοσοφοῦντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνήδεσθαι, καὶ πάντα ποιεῖν, ὅπως εἰς ἄκρον αὐτῆς ἀφίκοιτο· καὶ μηδὲ τῷ πόῤῥωθεν εἶναι καὶ πατρίδος, καὶ οἰκίας, καὶ τῶν σῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, βαρύνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ νῦν μᾶλλον αὐτὸν ἡγεῖσθαι πλησίον ἔχειν, ὅτε αὐτῷ τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπιδίδωσι. ∆ιὰ ταῦτά σοι καὶ ἡμεῖς πολλὰς χάριτας ἴσμεν, καὶ τεθαυμάκαμεν πῶς τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν δῶρον δεδωκὼς, τὸν υἱὸν, ἐνόμισας δεῖν σοι καὶ ξενίων εἰς τιμὴν ἡμετέραν. Τὴν μὲν οὖν τιμὴν τὴν ἐκ τῶν πεμφθέντων ἐδρεψάμεθα, αὐτὰ δὲ ἀνταπεστάλκαμεν, οὐχ ὑπερορῶντές σου τῆς εὐγενείας πῶς γὰρ τοῦ οὕτω σφοδρῶς ἡμῶν ἐρῶντος;, ἀλλ' ἡγούμενοι περιττὸν εἶναι τούτων τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν διώκειν, ὧν ἐν χρείᾳ οὐ καθεστήκαμεν. Τὸν μέντοι καλὸν Θεόδοτον τὸν ἀναγνώστην ἐβουλόμεθα μὲν παρ' ἑαυτοῖς κατέχειν καὶ πλάττειν, ἐπειδὴ δὲ πάντα τὰ ἐνταῦθα φόνων, ταραχῆς, αἱμάτων, ἐμπρησμῶν ἐμπέπλησται, τῶν Ἰσαύρων πάντα σιδήρῳ καὶ πυρὶ ἀναλισκόντων, καὶ τόπους ἐκ τόπων ἀμείβομεν, 52.643 καθ' ἑκάστην μετανιστάμενοι τὴν ἡμέραν, ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι ἐνομίσαμεν ἐκπέμψαι αὐτὸν, πολλὰ παραγγείλαντες τῷ κυρίῳ μου τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ διακόνῳ Θεοδότῳ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι αὐτοῦ διηνεκῶς, καὶ πολλὴν αὐτοῦ ποιεῖσθαι πρόνοιαν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς κατορθωθῆναι σπούδασον τῷ παιδὶ, καὶ πάντως ἡμῶν ἐπαινέσῃ τὴν συμβουλὴν, καὶ πολλὴν εἴσῃ τῆς παραινέσεως ταύτης τὴν χάριν ἡμῖν. ΞΒʹ. Κάστῳ, Οὐαλερίῳ, ∆ιοφάντῃ, Κυριακῷ, πρεσβυτέροις Ἀντιοχείας. Ὅτι μὲν ἡμᾶς ἀπέλιπεν ὁ κύριός μου ὁ τιμιώτατος καὶ εὐλαβέστατος πρεσβύτερος Κωνστάντιος, ἀλγῶ· ὅτι δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀπείληφε, χαίρω, καὶ μειζόνως χαίρω, ἢ ἐκεῖνο ἀλγῶ. Εὖ γὰρ οἶδ' ὅτι εἰς ἀκύμαντον ὁρμιεῖ λιμένα, τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην. Κἂν γὰρ μυρίαι πανταχόθεν περιεστήκωσι ταραχαὶ, καὶ πολλὰ ἐγείρηται τὰ κύματα, ἀλλὰ τοιαῦτα τὰ ὑμέτερα, ὡς καὶ ἐν χειμῶνι γαλήνης ἀπολαύειν λευκῆς, διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν ὑμῖν ἀνδρείαν, καὶ τὴν ἀπερίτρεπτον ἀγάπην καὶ διάθεσιν. Ἰδόντες τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὡς ὑμῖν πρέπον ἐστὶ, πάντα αὐτῷ γενέσθαι παρακλήθητε. Ἴστε γὰρ ὅσος ὑμῖν κείσεται μισθὸς, εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην ἐπηρεαζόμενον ἀνέχειν σπουδάζουσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἄλλο τι ζητοῦμεν, ἀλλ' ὥστε μηδὲν αὐτὸν παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἐπηρεασθῆναι, καὶ μάτην ἄγεσθαι καὶ περιάγεσθαι, ἐν δικαστηρίοις σπαραττόμενον ὑπὲρ ὧν στεφανοῦσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνακηρύττεσθαι ἔδει. Καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτου ταῦτα αἰτοῦμεν· ὑπὲρ δὲ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν, ὥστε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλειν, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς ὑμετέρας