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of our audacity, but of your gentleness; for we have no surfeit of conversing with you through letters, since we have no other way, God having so arranged our affairs. 170.2 And to our most honored son and fellow-presbyter Sacerdos (whom we have loved and do love exceedingly, as one who genuinely pursues wisdom and is united to God through his way of life), as he sets out for the great city for his own reasons, through you, I know not what greater favor we could have bestowed than introducing him to your goodness.

171. To Amphilochius 171.1 Having at last recovered from the illness

of suffering, we have run to you, the agent of our healing; for the tongue of a priest, philosophizing, raises up those who are weary for the Lord. Therefore, perform the greater thing by your priestly service and release the magnitude of sins, as you handle the sacrifice of the resurrection. 171.2 For whether awake or asleep, I care about your affairs, and you have become a good plectrum for me, and have brought a harmonious lyre into our souls, from which, by writing thousands of times, you have trained our souls toward full knowledge. 171.3 But, most devout one, do not hesitate both to pray and to intercede on our behalf, when by a word you draw down the Word, when with an unbloody incision you divide the Lord's body and blood, having your voice as the sword. 172. To Helladius 172.1 I was pleased by your letters; and how could I not be, since you have a memory even for the dead? And with the symbols of the feast also present, the grace is greater. 172.2 But add to what you give that which you ask. And pray for us, that if it is expedient, we may again be reminded of and may remind others of the feast; but if not, that we may be transferred to the things there, and either receive or see the true feast where the dwelling of all the rejoicing is. For we have had our fill of the turns of this life. 173. To Postumianus 173.1 You are lofty in your education, and this in whichever of the two you wish and in whatever form of discourse you wish. For of the one, we hear its fame (for I am no Roman in language, nor skilled in Italian matters), but of the other we have experience, so as to be able to make it known to others, if we too have some share in judging such things; and not a few say that we do have a share. 173.2 You have been elevated by not a few offices; or rather, you have elevated not a few, if one must speak the truer word. You came to the highest point of power, receiving it not as a gift of fortune, as many might say, but as a prize of virtue, so that it itself might become more august and the emperor be praised for his judgment concerning you. 173.3 Yet these things are small, and I will add something of our own: you were first initiated into piety, and then you received it. For I remember your words, and the wonder still resounds in my ears. If to these things you would add the remembrance of friends (and I know you will add it, I infer this from the past), we will admire you the more. 173.4 This is the limit of human good fortune, or rather, of blessedness. That what is beyond Gades is not to be attempted by men, we trust Pindar when he philosophizes. 173.5 Since, having obtained great things, you are also obligated for great things, and God made you ours first, and then set you over us to do good, and at the same time it is unseemly not to demand the greatest things from such a great man, accept this exhortation from me. 173.6 Consider nothing so fitting for your office (since there is again a synod of bishops, I know not for what reason or how they are being gathered), as that in your time and through you the Churches be brought to peace, even if it be necessary to rebuke the factious more severely. 173.7 And if I seem to anyone to be meddlesome, having withdrawn from affairs, but not having laid aside my concern, do not you wonder at this. For we have not yielded piety as we have the thrones and the haughtiness to those who wanted them; but now we are trustworthy even more, as I think it seems to you also, since we serve nothing of our own, but the common good. 174. To Eudoxius 174.1 I surpass you in friendly acts; for I am writing first, as you see. And I would not have taken pride in it, know well (for it is not mine), if I did not make much of your friendship, nor

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ἡμετέρας θρασύτητος, ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς ἡμερότητος· οὐδεὶς γὰρ κόρος ἡμῖν τοῦ διὰ γραμμάτων ὑμῖν ὁμιλεῖν, ἐπειδή γε ἄλλως οὐκ ἔχομεν, οὕτως οἰκονομήσαντος τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ ἡμέτερα. 170.2 Τῷ δὲ τιμιωτάτῳ υἱῷ ἡμῶν καὶ συμπρεσ βυτέρῳ Σακερδῶτι (ὃν διαφερόντως ἠγαπήσαμέν τε καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν γνησίως φιλοσοφοῦντα καὶ τῷ Θεῷ διὰ τῆς πολιτείας ἑνούμενον), ὁρμήσαντι τῶν οἰκείων ἕνεκεν ἐπὶ τὴν μεγάλην διὰ σὲ πόλιν, οὐκ οἶδα τί ἂν ἐχαρισάμεθα μεῖζον ἢ τῇ σῇ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ γνωρίσαντες.

171.Τ ΑΜΦΙΛΟΧΙΩΙ 171.1 Μόλις ποτὲ τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἀρρωστίας ἀνανεύσαντες

πόνων, ἐπὶ σὲ τὸν τῆς ἰάσεως πρόξενον δεδραμήκαμεν· γλῶσσα γὰρ ἱερέως φιλοσοφοῦσα τὸν Κύριον ἀνεγείρει τοὺς κάμνοντας. Ποίει τοίνυν τὸ κρεῖττον ἱερουργῶν καὶ λῦε τῶν ἡμαρτημένων τὸ μέγεθος, τῆς ἀναστασίμου θυσίας ἁπτόμενος. 171.2 Ἐμοὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐγρηγορότι καὶ καθεύδοντι μέλει τὰ κατὰ σέ, καί μοι γέγονας πλῆκτρον ἀγαθόν, καὶ λύραν ἐναρμόνιον ταῖς ἡμετέραις ψυχαῖς εἰσῴκησας, ἀφ' ὧν μυριάκις γράφων πρὸς ἐπίγνωσιν τὰς ἡμετέρας ψυχὰς ἐξήσκησας. 171.3 Ἀλλ', ὦ θεοσεβέστατε, μὴ κατόκνει καὶ προσεύχεσθαι καὶ πρεσβεύειν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ὅταν λόγῳ καθέλκῃς τὸν Λόγον, ὅταν ἀναιμάκτῳ τομῇ σῶμα καὶ αἷμα τέμνῃς δεσποτικόν, φωνὴν ἔχων τὸ ξίφος. 172.Τ ΕΛΛΑ∆ΙΩΙ 172.1 Ἥσθην τοῖς γράμμασι· πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἔμελλον τῷ μνήμην εἶναί σοι καὶ τεθνηκότων; Προσόντων δὲ καὶ τῶν συμβόλων τῆς ἑορτῆς, πλείων ἡ χάρις. 172.2 Ἀλλὰ πρόσθες οἷς δίδως, ἅπερ αἰτεῖς. Προσεύχου δὲ περὶ ἡμῶν, εἰ μὲν συμφέρει, πάλιν ἡμᾶς ὑπομνησθῆναι καὶ ὑπομνῆσαι τῆς ἑορτῆς· εἰ δὲ μή, πρὸς τὰ ἐκεῖσε μετατεθῆναι, καὶ τὴν ἀληθινὴν ἑορτὴν ἢ λαβεῖν ἢ ἰδεῖν ἔνθα εὐφραινομένων πάν των ἡ κατοικία. Τῶν γὰρ τοῦ βίου στροφῶν κεκορέσμεθα. 173.Τ ΠΟΣΤΟΥΜΙΑΝΩΙ 173.1 Ὑψηλὸς εἶ τὴν παίδευσιν, καὶ ταύτην ὁποτέραν βούλει καὶ εἰς ὅ τι βούλει τῶν λόγων εἶδος. Τῆς μὲν γὰρ κλέος οἷον ἀκούομεν (οὐ γὰρ Ῥωμαϊκός τις ἐγὼ τὴν γλῶσσαν, οὐδὲ τὰ Ἰταλῶν δεινός), τῆς δὲ πεπειράμεθα ὥστε καὶ ἄλλοις γνωρίζειν ἔχειν, εἴ τι καὶ ἡμῖν μέτεστι τοῦ τὰ τοιαῦτα κρίνειν· μετεῖναι δὲ οὐκ ὀλίγοι φασίν. 173.2 Ἤρθης ἀρχαῖς οὐκ ὀλίγαις· μᾶλλον δὲ ἦρας οὐκ ὀλίγας, εἰ δεῖ τὸν ἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν λόγον. Ἦλθες ἐπὶ τὸ ἀκρότατον τῆς ἐξουσίας, οὐ τύχης δῶρον, ὡς ἂν πολλοὶ φαῖεν, ἀλλ' ἀρετῆς ἆθλον ταύτην δεξάμενος, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὴ γένηται σεμνοτέρα καὶ βασιλεὺς ἐπαινεθῇ τῆς ἐπὶ σοὶ κρίσεως. 173.3 Ἔτι καὶ ταῦτα μικρά, προσθήσω δέ τι καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων· προετελέσθης πρότερον τὴν εὐσέβειαν, εἶθ' ὑπεδέξω. Μέμνημαι γὰρ τῶν σῶν λόγων καὶ τὸ θαῦμα ἔνηχον ἔτι ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἀκοαῖς. Εἰ τούτοις προσθείης τὸ καὶ μεμνῆσθαι τῶν φίλων (προσθήσεις δὲ οἶδ' ὅτι, τοῖς παρελθοῦσι τοῦτο τεκμαίρομαι), μᾶλλόν σε θαυμασόμεθα. 173.4 Οὗτος τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ὅρος εὐδαιμονίας, εἴτ' οὖν μακαριότητος. Τὸ δὲ πρόσθε Γαδείρων μὴ πειρατὸν εἶναι ἀνθρώποις, Πινδάρῳ φιλοσοφοῦντι πιστεύομεν. 173.5 Ἐπεὶ δὲ μεγάλων τυχών, μεγάλων καὶ ὑπόχρεως εἶ, καί σε πεποίηκεν ἡμέτερον πρότερον, εἶτα ἐπέστησεν ἡμῖν εὖ ποιῶν ὁ Θεός, καὶ ἅμα τῶν ἀτόπων ἄνδρα τοσοῦτον μὴ τὰ μέγιστα ἀπαιτεῖν, ἐκεῖνο δέξαι με παραινοῦντα. 173.6 Μηδὲν οὕτω νόμιζε τῇ σῇ πρέπειν ἀρχῇ (ἐπειδὴ πάλιν σύνοδος ἐπισκόπων, οὐκ οἶδα δι' ὅ τι καὶ ὅπως συναγο μένων), ὡς τὸ ἐπὶ σοῦ καὶ διὰ σοῦ εἰρηνεύεσθαι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, κἂν δέῃ σφοδρότερον ἐπιτιμῆσαι τοῖς στασιά ζουσιν. 173.7 Εἰ δέ τῳ δοκῶ περιττὸς εἶναι, τῶν μὲν πραγ μάτων ἀναχωρήσας, τὴν δὲ φροντίδα μὴ καταλύσας, τοῦτο σὺ μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ τῶν θρόνων καὶ τῆς ὀφρύος τοῖς βουλομένοις, οὕτω καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας παρεχωρήσαμεν· ἀλλὰ νῦν ἀξιόπιστοι καὶ πλέον, ὡς οἶμαι καὶ σοὶ δοκεῖν, ὡς οὐδὲν ἴδιον, ἀλλὰ τὸ κοινὸν θεραπεύοντες. 174.Τ ΕΥ∆ΟΞΙΩΙ 174.1 Νικῶ σε τοῖς φιλικοῖς· ἐπιστέλλω γὰρ πρότερος, ὡς ὁρᾷς. Καὶ οὐδ' ἂν ἐκαλλωπισάμην, εὖ ἴσθι (οὐ γὰρ ἐμόν), εἰ μὴ μέγα ἐποιούμην τὴν σὴν φιλίαν, μηδὲ