53

of various plots, he will also in the future establish you, acting courageously, in greater safety; and you yourself will also say: An arrow of infants their blows became, and their tongues were weakened against them. Which has both happened, and will happen; so that you may both reap a greater reward, and receive more brilliant crowns, and they, being impenitently sick, may be given over to a greater punishment. For what plot did they leave out? what kind of device did they not set in motion, attempting to plot against your soul, which is firm and genuine toward God, or rather, noble and most brave? They brought down into the marketplace her who knew nothing more than the church and her chamber, from the marketplace to the court of justice, from the court of justice to the prison. They sharpened the tongues of false witnesses, they stitched together a shameless calumny, they committed murders, and made torrents of blood to flow, and consumed with fire and sword the bodies of the young, they encompassed so many and such men with blows, tortures, countless punishments, they set everything in motion, in order that they might be able to compel and force you by fear to say the opposite of what you knew. And just as an eagle flying on high, so having broken through their nets, you ascended to the height of freedom which was fitting for you, not being deceived by them, but also exposing them as slanderers in this charge of arson, on which the wretched and miserable ones especially seemed to pride themselves. Considering therefore all the things that have passed, what waves and what a storm they did not work against you, what a squall and surge it did not make; but in the midst of a raging sea you sailed with calm; expect quickly also the harbor with many crowns. And since you wish to learn also about us, we are alive, we are healthy, we have been delivered from all sickness. But even if we were sick, the love of your piety, genuine and warm and firm and unswerving, is a sufficient medicine for our health. Since therefore it brings us no ordinary joy 52.659 to learn continually about your health and all your safety, we ask you, which you are accustomed to do even without being asked, to write more frequently about your health, and of your whole household, and of those who belong to you; for you know how we care for both you and all your blessed household. 5. To Paianios. The things that have happened are harsh; but it is necessary to lament not for those who have suffered and stood nobly, but for those who have done these things. For just as the hard-to-kill beasts, falling with great rage upon the points of spears, push the swords deeper into their entrails; so indeed also those who dare these lawless acts, gather the harsh fire of Gehenna upon their own heads. But if they take pride in what they do, for this reason especially they are pitiable, and worthy of more tears, because in this way they also prepare for themselves more severe accounts. Therefore one must lament these continually, but for those so bitterly slaughtered by them, one must rejoice at the prizes, the crowns laid up in the heavens, and to make this the greatest and clearest proof of the mortal blow of the devil. For if he had not received a mortal one, he would not have raged so much through those who obey him. Considering all these things, therefore, my most wonderful master, receive the greatest consolation, and write to us continually about your health. For we desire to see and embrace your dear head; but since this is not now possible, I beseech your nobility. to both write to us continually yourself concerning your health, and to provide great ease in this for those who love us greatly. 2. To Amproukla the deaconess and those with her. The waves, dashing against the rocks, are not able to shake them even a little, but destroying themselves more greatly by the violence of their rush, they vanish. This can be seen now in your case also, and of those who plot against you rashly and in vain. For your confidence before God and your glory before men becomes greater from this, but for them, judgment, and shame, and reproach. Since virtue is such, and such

53

διαφόρων ἐπιβουλῶν, οὗτός σε καὶ εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἀνδριζομένην ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ καταστήσει πλείονι· καὶ ἐρεῖς καὶ αὐτή· Βέλος νηπίων ἐγενήθησαν αἱ πληγαὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐξησθένησαν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς αἱ γλῶσσαι αὐτῶν. Ὅπερ καὶ γέγονε, καὶ ἔσται· ὥστε καί σε μείζονα καρπώσασθαι τὸν μισθὸν, καὶ λαμπροτέρους στεφάνους λαβεῖν, ἐκείνους τε ἀμετανόητα νοσοῦντας μείζονι παραδοθῆναι κολάσει. Τί γὰρ ἐνέλιπον ἐπιβουλῆς; ποῖον τρόπον μηχανημάτων οὐκ ἐκίνησαν, ἐπιχειροῦντες ἐπιβουλεύειν τῇ στεῤῥᾷ σου καὶ γνησίᾳ Θεῷ, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ γενναίᾳ καὶ ἀνδρειοτάτῃ ψυχῇ; Κατήγαγον εἰς ἀγορὰν, τὴν ἐκκλησίας καὶ θαλάμου πλέον εἰδυῖαν οὐδὲν, ἀπ' ἀγορᾶς εἰς δικαστήριον, ἀπὸ δικαστηρίου εἰς δεσμωτήριον. Ψευδομαρτύρων ἠκόνησαν γλώσσας, συκοφαντίαν ἔῤῥαψαν ἀναίσχυντον, φόνους εἰργάσαντο, καὶ χειμάῤῥους αἱμάτων ῥεῦσαι ἐποίησαν, καὶ πυρὶ καὶ σιδήρῳ σώματα νέων ἀνάλωσαν, ἄνδρας τοσούτους καὶ τοιούτους πληγαῖς, αἰκισμοῖς, μυρίαις τιμωρίαις περιέβαλον, πάντα ἐκίνησαν, ἵνα δυνηθῶσιν ἀναγκάσαι σε καὶ βιάσασθαι τῷ φόβῳ εἰπεῖν τἀναντία ὧν ᾔδεις. Καὶ καθάπερ ἀετὸς ὑψηλὰ πετόμενος, οὕτω διαῤῥήξασα αὐτῶν τὰ δίκτυα, πρὸς τὸ σοὶ πρέπον τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἀνέβης ὕψος, οὐ παραλογισθεῖσα παρ' αὐτῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συκοφάντας αὐτοὺς ἀποφήνασα ἐπὶ τῷ ἐγκλήματι τούτῳ τοῦ ἐμπρησμοῦ, ἐφ' ᾧ μάλιστα ἐδόκουν μέγα φρονεῖν οἱ ἄθλιοι καὶ ταλαίπωροι. Ἐννοοῦσα τοίνυν τὰ παρελθόντα ἅπαντα, πόσα κύματα, καὶ χειμῶνά σοι οὐκ εἰργάσαντο, πόση ζάλη, καὶ κλυδώνιον οὐκ ἐποίησεν· ἀλλ' ἐν μέσῃ μαινομένῃ θαλάττῃ μετὰ γαλήνης ἔπλευσας· προσδόκα ταχέως καὶ τὸν λιμένα μετὰ πολλῶν τῶν στεφάνων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν βούλει μανθάνειν, ζῶμεν, ὑγιαίνομεν, πάσης ἀπηλλάγμεθα ἀῤῥωστίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἠῤῥωστοῦμεν, ἱκανὸν ἡμῖν φάρμακον εἰς ὑγείαν τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας ἡ ἀγάπη, ἡ γνησία, καὶ θερμὴ, καὶ στεῤῥὰ, καὶ ἀπερίτρεπτος. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν ἡμῖν εὐφροσύνην 52.659 φέρει τὸ συνεχῶς μανθάνειν τὰ περὶ τῆς ῥώσεώς σου, καὶ τῆς ἀσφαλείας ἁπάσης, παρακαλοῦμεν, ὃ καὶ χωρὶς παρακλήσεως εἴωθας ποιεῖν, συνεχέστερον ἐπιστέλλειν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας σου, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου σου παντὸς, καὶ τῶν προσηκόντων σοι· οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως καὶ σὲ καὶ τὸν εὐλογημένον σου οἶκον πάντα μεριμνῶμεν. Εʹ. Παιανίῳ. Χαλεπὰ τὰ γεγενημένα· ἀλλ' οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν παθόντων καὶ στάντων γενναίως, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν ποιησάντων θρηνεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. Καθάπερ γὰρ τὰ δυσθάνατα τῶν θηρίων πολλῷ τῷ θυμῷ ταῖς ἀκμαῖς τῶν δοράτων ἐμπίπτοντα, πρὸς τὰ βαθύτερα τῶν σπλάγχνων ὠθοῦσι τὰ ξίφη· οὕτω δὴ καὶ οἱ τὰς παρανομίας ταύτας τολμῶντες, τὸ χαλεπὸν τῆς γεέννης πῦρ κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν συνάγουσι κεφαλῆς. Εἰ δὲ ἐγκαλλωπίζονται οἷς ποιοῦσι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστά εἰσιν ἐλεεινοὶ, καὶ πλειόνων ἄξιοι δακρύων, ὅτι καὶ ταύτῃ χαλεπωτέρας ἑαυτοῖς τὰς εὐθύνας κατασκευάζουσι. Τούτους οὖν δεῖ θρηνεῖν διηνεκῶς, τοῖς δὲ πικρῶς οὕτω σφαττομένοις ὑπ' αὐτῶν συνήδεσθαι τῶν βραβείων, τῶν στεφάνων τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀποκειμένων, καὶ ταύτην μεγίστην ποιεῖσθαι καὶ σαφεστάτην ἀπόδειξιν τῆς καιρίας τοῦ διαβόλου πληγῆς. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ καιρίαν αὐτὴν ἐδέξατο, οὐκ ἂν τοσοῦτον ἔπνευσε διὰ τῶν πειθομένων αὐτῷ. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα ἐννοῶν, δέσποτά μου θαυμασιώτατε, μεγίστην δέχου παράκλησιν, καὶ γράφε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς. Ἐπιθυμοῦμεν γὰρ ἰδεῖν καὶ περιπτύξασθαι τὴν φίλην ἡμῖν κεφαλήν· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο νῦν οὐκ ἔνι, παρακαλῶ σου τὴν εὐγένειαν. αὐτόν τε ἡμῖν συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλειν τὰ περὶ τῆς ῥώσεως τῆς σῆς, καὶ τοῖς σφόδρα ἡμᾶς ἀγαπῶσι πολλὴν εἰς τοῦτο παρασκευάζειν τὴν εὐκολίαν. ʹ. Ἀμπρούκλῃ διακόνῳ καὶ ταῖς σὺν αὐτῇ. Τὰ κύματα, ταῖς πέτραις προσρηγνύμενα, ἐκείνας μὲν οὐδὲ μικρὸν διασαλεῦσαι δύναται, ἑαυτὰ δὲ μειζόνως τῷ ῥαγδαίῳ τῆς ῥύμης διαλύοντα ἀφανίζει. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐφ' ὑμῶν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν νῦν, καὶ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ὑμῖν εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην. Ὑμῖν μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἡ παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ παῤῥησία καὶ ἡ παρ' ἀνθρώποις δόξα πλείων ἐντεῦθεν γίνεται, ἐκείνοις δὲ κρῖμα, καὶ αἰσχύνη, καὶ ὄνειδος. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τοιοῦτον ἡ ἀρετὴ, καὶ τοιοῦτον