John Chrysostom, Letters

or rather, more so now than before, I know clearly. But for what reason, being so disposed, you have been silent for so long a time, I cannot say, but on this very account I am especially perplexed. Unravel this riddle for us, then, by a letter, if it is not burdensome, nor troublesome. And before that letter, teach those who bring this 52.651 letter to you, I mean my most honored and most reverent presbyter, and those with him, that which we also are persuaded of, that the silence was not due to indifference. For it is enough to say this, for them to receive kindness from your excellency. 90. To Firminus. Your illness has indeed cost us a great deal in terms of your company; but it has not harmed our love in the slightest. For it was enough for us to have met with you even once to become your ardent lovers. And you yourself are the cause of this, having shown from the very beginning such a vehement and frantic love for us, and not allowing us to need the test of time, but at once appearing, and captivating, and binding us to yourself with precision. For this very reason we too are writing, and we are telling you the things you desire to hear. And what are these things? We are in good health; we completed the journey safely; we delight in quiet and much tranquility; we enjoy great goodwill from all; we reap unspeakable comfort. No one harasses us here, nor troubles us. And why are you surprised if it is so in the city, when we even completed the journey with great safety? Make known to us, then, your affairs also, so that just as we have pleased you with these accounts, we ourselves may also enjoy great gladness, learning about your health. For you know how much pleasure it brings to those who know how to love genuinely to learn something good about their beloved. 91. To Hymnetius, the chief physician. We will not cease admiring you among all, both as a good man, and as an excellent physician, and as one who knows how to love genuinely. For whenever conversations about our illness arise here, you of necessity enter into these accounts, and having experienced your great skill and goodwill, we cannot keep your good deeds in silence, but we proclaim them to all, granting the greatest favor to ourselves. For you have instilled in us such affection, that although we are in good health, we would have paid a great price to draw you here, just to see you. But since this is a difficult task, both because of the difficulty of the journey, and because of the fear of the Isaurians, we do not attempt this for now; but we ask that you write continually. For you will be able to grant us the pleasure of your presence through the continuity of your letters, coloring your letters with the honey of your character. 92. To Cytherius. Our association with you there was brief; but the love born from it is great and lofty and noble. For those who know how to love genuinely do not need a long time for this, but it is possible to achieve everything even in a short time. This is indeed what has happened in our case; and we have become your ardent lovers, as if we had spent a long time together. Therefore we are also 52.652 writing to declare our circumstances, that we are in good health, and live in quiet and tranquility. For we know that we will please you by reporting these things. And we ask for letters from you bringing us the same good news. Do not hesitate, then, to write to us continually, and to bring the good news of your health. For thus you will bestow the greatest favors on those who are dwelling in a foreign land by sending these things, which we continually desire to learn. 93. To Leontius. We have been driven from your city, but we have not been driven from your love. For the one thing depended on others, whether to remain there or be cast out; but the other depends on us. Therefore no one will be able to take it from us, but wherever we may go, we carry with us everywhere the honey of your love, and we delight in the memory of your nobility, putting together your love for us, your zeal, your understanding, your kindness, your hospitality, and all the other things, and fashioning an image of your virtue. Since, then, you have so captivated and subdued us, that we strongly desire even your presence, this

μᾶλλον δὲ μειζόνως νῦν ἢ ἔμπροσθεν, οἶδα σαφῶς. Τίνος δὲ ἕνεκεν οὕτω διακείμενος τοσοῦτον ἐσίγησας χρόνον, εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἔχω, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο μάλιστα ἀπορῶ. Λῦσον δὴ ἡμῖν τὸ αἴνιγμα δι' ἐπιστολῆς, εἰ μὴ βαρὺ, μηδὲ ἐπαχθές. Καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἐκείνης τοὺς ταύτην 52.651 σοι κομίζοντας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, λέγω δὴ τὸν κύριόν μου τιμιώτατον καὶ εὐλαβέστατον πρεσβύτερον, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ δίδαξον, ὅπερ καὶ ἡμεῖς πεπείσμεθα, ὅτι ῥᾳθυμίας οὐκ ἦν ἡ σιγή. Ἀρκεῖ γὰρ τοῦτο εἰπεῖν, εἰς τὸ τυχεῖν αὐτοὺς φιλοφροσύνης παρὰ τῆς σῆς θαυμασιότητος. Πʹ. Φιρμίνῳ. Εἰς μὲν τὴν συνουσίαν σου μεγάλα ἡμᾶς τὸ ἀῤῥωστεῖν σε ἐζημίωσεν· εἰς δὲ τὴν ἀγάπην οὐδὲ μικρὰ παρέβλαψεν. Ἤρκεσε γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ τὸ ἅπαξ σοι συγγενέσθαι, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι σου σφοδροὺς ἐραστάς. Τούτου δὲ αἴτιος αὐτὸς, οὕτως ἐκ προοιμίων σφοδρὸν καὶ μανικὸν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπιδειξάμενος ἔρωτα, καὶ οὐκ ἀφεὶς δεηθῆναι τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ χρόνου πείρας, ἀλλ' ὁμοῦ τε φανεὶς, καὶ ἑλὼν, καὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας σαυτῷ προσδήσας ἡμᾶς. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ ἡμεῖς γράφομεν, καὶ ἅπερ ἐπιθυμεῖς ἀκοῦσαι δηλοῦμεν. Τίνα δὲ ταῦτά ἐστιν; Ὑγιαίνομεν· ἀδεῶς τὴν ὁδὸν διηνύσαμεν· ἐντρυφῶμεν ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ πολλῇ· πολλῆς παρὰ πάντων ἀπολαύομεν εὐνοίας· ἄφατον καρπούμεθα παραμυθίαν. Οὐδεὶς ὁ ἐλαύνων ἐνταῦθα, οὐδὲ ἐνοχλῶν. Καὶ τί θαυμάζεις εἰ ἐν τῇ πόλει, ὅπου γε καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν μετὰ πολλῆς ἠνύσαμεν τῆς ἀδείας; ∆ήλου δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἡμῖν τὰ σὰ, ἵν' ὥσπερ σὲ τούτοις ἥσαμεν τοῖς διηγήμασιν, οὕτω καὶ αὐτοὶ πολλῆς ἀπολαύσωμεν τῆς εὐφροσύνης, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς μανθάνοντες. Οἶσθα γὰρ ἡλίκην ἐντίθησι τὴν ἡδονὴν τοῖς φιλεῖν ἐπισταμένοις γνησίως τὸ χρηστόν τι περὶ τῶν ἀγαπωμένων μανθάνειν. ΠΑʹ. Ὑμνητίῳ ἀρχιατρῷ. Οὐ παυσόμεθά σε παρὰ πᾶσι θαυμάζοντες, καὶ ὡς ἅνδρα χρηστὸν, καὶ ὡς ἰατρὸν ἅριστον, καὶ ὡς φιλεῖν εἰδότα γνησίως. Ὅταν γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐνταῦθα περὶ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας ἡμῶν γίνωνται λόγοι, ἐξ ἀνάγκης καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπεισέρχῃ τοῖς διηγήμασι τούτοις, καὶ τῆς πολλῆς σου καὶ ἐπιστήμης καὶ εὐνοίας πεῖραν λαβόντες, οὐ δυνάμεθα σιγῇ τὰς εὐεργεσίας κατέχειν, ἀλλ' εἰς ἅπαντας ἀνακηρύττομεν, ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς τὰ μέγιστα χαριζόμενοι. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἡμῖν φίλτρον ἐνέθηκας, ὅτι καίτοι γε ὑγιαίνοντες πολλοῦ ἂν ἐπριάμεθά σε ἐνταῦθα ἑλκύσαι, ὥστε σε μόνον ἰδεῖν. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο ἐργῶδες, καὶ διὰ τὴν τῆς ὁδοῦ δυσκολίαν, καὶ διὰ τὸν τῶν Ἰσαύρων φόβον, τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἐπιχειροῦμεν τέως· ἀξιοῦμεν δὲ συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλειν. ∆υνήσῃ γὰρ ἡμῖν τὴν ἐκ τῆς παρουσίας ἡδονὴν χαρίζεσθαι τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῶν γραμμάτων, τῷ μέλιτί σου τῶν τρόπων τὰ γράμματα ἀναχρωννύς. ΠΒʹ. Κυθηρίῳ. Ἡ μὲν συνουσία ἡμῖν ἡ αὐτόθι βραχεῖα γέγονε πρὸς ὑμᾶς· ἡ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν τεχθεῖσα ἀγάπη μεγάλη καὶ ὑψηλὴ καὶ γενναία. Τοῖς γὰρ γνησίως εἰδόσι φιλεῖν οὐ δεῖ εἰς τοῦτο χρόνου μακροῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν βραχεῖ δυνατὸν κατορθῶσαι τὸ πᾶν. Ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν γέγονε· καὶ γεγόναμεν ὑμῶν ἐρασταὶ σφοδροὶ, ὡς πολλῷ συγγενόμενοι τῷ χρόνῳ. Ὅθεν δὴ καὶ 52.652 ἐπιστέλλομεν τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς δηλοῦντες, ὅτι τε ὑγιαίνομεν, καὶ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ καὶ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ διάγομεν. Ἴσμεν γὰρ ὅτι χαριούμεθα ταῦτα ὑμῖν ἀπαγγέλλοντες. Καὶ τὰ παρ' ὑμῶν αἰτοῦμεν γράμματα τὰ αὐτὰ ἡμῖν εὐαγγέλια καμίζοντα. Μὴ δὴ κατοκνεῖτε γράφειν ἡμῖν συνεχῶς, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας ὑμῶν εὐαγγελίζεσθαι. Οὕτω γὰρ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ διατρίβουσι χαριεῖσθε ταῦτα ἐπιστέλλοντες, ἅπερ συνεχῶς ἐπιθυμοῦμεν μαθεῖν. ΠΓʹ. Λεοντίῳ. Τῆς μὲν πόλεως ὑμῶν ἀπηλάθημεν, τῆς δὲ ἀγάπης σου οὐκ ἀπεληλάμεθα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐφ' ἑτέροις ἔκειτο, τὸ μένειν αὐτόθι ἢ ἐκβάλλεσθαι· τὸ δὲ, ἐφ' ἡμῖν. ∆ιὸ οὐδεὶς ἡμᾶς αὐτὸ ἀφελέσθαι δυνήσεται, ἀλλ' ὅπουπερ ἂν ἀπίωμεν, πανταχοῦ περιφέρομέν σου τὸ μέλι τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ ἐντρυφῶμεν τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς εὐγενείας τῆς σῆς, τὸν ἔρωτά σου τὸν περὶ ἡμᾶς, τὴν σπουδὴν, τὴν σύνεσιν, τὴν φιλοφροσύνην, τὴν φιλοξενίαν, τὰ ἄλλα πάντα συντιθέντες, καὶ τὴν εἰκόνα διαπλάττοντες τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὕτως ἡμᾶς εἷλες καὶ ἐχειρώσω, ὡς καὶ τῆς παρουσίας σου σφόδρα ἐπιθυμεῖν, τοῦτο