John Chrysostom, Letters

vice; when it is warred against, flourishes the more, but when it makes war, it becomes weaker, and in this way it is especially destroyed. Therefore, since you have the greatest encouragement in the cause of what is happening, rejoice and be glad, and be strengthened. For you know for what prizes you have stripped for this contest of courage, and what good things await you who endure and bear what befalls you with thanksgiving, things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man. And such painful things pass52.660 by, and are ended with this present life; but the prizes from thence remain immortal. And even before those prizes, you reap no small pleasure from this, in the hope of a good conscience, and being nourished by the expectation of those crowns. These things I know that you know even before our letter; but that we might make the letter long, I have extended the exhortation. For I know well that you greatly love our letters, and exceedingly so; and this I think is the reason for you to continually reproach us, because we have not written often. For we are not able to satisfy your desire, even if we send letters every day, because you hang so greatly upon our epistles. May God give you the reward and the recompense for such great love towards us, both in the present life and in the age to come. We, however, do not cease writing continually through those who happen to be going; for in doing this we will grant the greatest favors to ourselves, and continually greeting your soul through our letters. For the love which you placed in us from the beginning, this we keep ever flourishing; and even if we should be absent from you for a longer time than this again, not even for this reason does it become dimmer. For in our thought we carry you everywhere, being astonished at the steadfastness of your mind and your great courage. Write then to us continually yourself, bringing the good news concerning your health and that of your whole household, so that from this we may reap much encouragement. 7. To Hypatius the presbyter. You yourself also know, my most honored lord, how great a reward your sufferings for God bring, how great the prizes, what sorts of crowns; let nothing of what is happening disturb you, therefore, since it is necessary to mourn for those who do evil. For they are the ones who are heaping up countless punishments upon their own heads. You, therefore, as is fitting for you, using the appropriate courage, tear apart their contrivances and plots more easily than a spider's web, and write continually to us, bringing the good news of your health. For we shall receive great encouragement, even while living in a foreign land, receiving such letters from your honor. 8. To Chalcidia. We were not moderately grieved, learning that you were in so great an illness. For you know how we hold fast to your health, my most modest and most devout lady. Therefore, so that we may not be worn down by care, be diligent to make this very thing known to us through the first person arriving from there, whether the illness has been completely removed from you, and you have returned to perfect health. For we do not reap ordinary gladness, even sitting in so great a wilderness, whenever we learn about the health and cheerfulness 52.661 of you who genuinely love us. Knowing, therefore, how great a favor you grant us by sending such a letter, do not delay, nor postpone, but be pleased to do this immediately, so that just as you have now constrained us with despondency by telling of your illness, so by announcing your health, you may cause us to be filled with much pleasure. 9. To Asyncritia. For me, it is a matter of great concern to write to you continually; for of your disposition, and reverence, and honor, which you have always shown towards us, wherever we may arrive, we are not able to forget, but we have a continually flourishing memory of you, carrying it everywhere. But if we have not written as often as we wished, but rarely, this is not from our own indolence, but from the necessity of circumstances, and because the road is now impassable for travelers. These things, therefore,

ἡ κακία· ἡ μὲν καὶ πολεμουμένη μειζόνως ἀνθεῖ, αὐτὴ δὲ καὶ πολεμοῦσα ἀσθενεστέρα γίνεται, καὶ ταύτῃ μάλιστα καταλύεται. Μεγίστην τοίνυν ἔχουσαι παράκλησιν τῶν γινομένων τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, χαίρετε καὶ εὐφραίνεσθε, καὶ κραταιοῦσθε. Ἴστε γὰρ ἐφ' οἷς ἀπεδύσασθε ἐπάθλοις εἰς τὸν τῆς ἀνδρείας ταύτης ἀγῶνα, καὶ ποῖα ὑμᾶς καρτερούσας καὶ εὐχαρίστως φερούσας τὰ συμπίπτοντα ἀναμένει ἀγαθὰ, ἃ οὔτε ὀφθαλμὸς εἶδεν, οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσεν, οὔτε ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου ἀνέβη. Καὶ τὰ μὲν λυπηρὰ τοιαῦτα παρ52.660 οδεύεται, καὶ τῷ παρόντι συγκαταλύεται βίῳ· τὰ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν ἔπαθλα ἀθάνατα μένει. Καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἐπάθλων δὲ ἐκείνων, οὐ μικρὰν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καρποῦσθε ἡδονὴν, τῇ ἐλπίδι τοῦ χρηστοῦ συνειδότος, καὶ προσδοκίᾳ στεφάνων ἐκείνων τρεφόμεναι. Ταῦτα οἶδ' ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων οἶσθα γραμμάτων· ἀλλ' ἵνα μακρὰν ποιήσωμεν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ἐξέτεινα τὴν παράκλησιν. Εὖ γε γὰρ οἶδ' ὅτι σφόδρα ἡμῶν τῶν γραμμάτων ἐρᾷς, καὶ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς σφόδρα· καὶ τοῦτο οἶμαι αἴτιον εἶναι τοῦ συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐγκαλεῖν, ὅτι μὴ πολλάκις ἐπεστάλκαμεν. Οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά σου κορέσαι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, κἂν καθ' ἑκάστην πέμπωμεν γράμματα, διὰ τὸ σφόδρα ἡμῶν ἐκκρέμασθαι τῶν ἐπιστολῶν. Ὁ Θεός σοι τὸν μισθὸν δῷ καὶ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν τῆς τοσαύτης περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπης, καὶ ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι. Ἡμεῖς μέντοι οὐ διαλιμπάνομεν διὰ τῶν ἐμπιπτόντων συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλοντες· ἡμῖν γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ μέγιστα χαριούμεθα τοῦτο ποιοῦντες, καὶ τῇ σῇ ψυχῇ συνεχῶς διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων προσαγορεύοντες. Καὶ γὰρ τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣν ἐνέθηκας ἡμῖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ταύτην διηνεκῶς ἀκμάζουσαν διατηροῦμεν· κἂν πλείονα τούτου πάλιν ἀπολειφθῶμεν ὑμῖν χρόνον, οὐδὲ ἐντεῦθεν αὐτὴ ἀμαυροτέρα γίνεται. Ἐν γὰρ διανοίᾳ πανταχοῦ περιφέρομεν ὑμᾶς, ἐκπληττόμενοι τὸ ἀπερίτρεπτον ὑμῶν τῆς γνώμης καὶ τὴν πολλὴν ἀνδρείαν. Γράφε δὴ καὶ αὐτὴ συνεχῶς ἡμῖν, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς εὐαγγελιζομένη καὶ τοῦ οἴκου σου παντὸς, ἵνα πολλὴν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν καρπωσώμεθα τὴν παράκλησιν. Ζʹ. Ὑπατίῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Οἶδας καὶ αὐτὸς, κύριέ μου τιμιώτατε, ὅσον ὑμῖν φέρει μισθὸν τὰ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν παθήματα, ἡλίκα βραβεῖα, οἵους στεφάνους· μηδὲν οὖν σε θορυβείτω τῶν γινομένων, ἐπείπερ τοὺς ποιοῦντας κακῶς θρηνεῖν δεῖ. Ἐκεῖνοι γάρ εἰσιν οἱ μυρίαν κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν κεφαλῆς ἐπισωρεύοντες κόλασιν. Αὐτὸς τοίνυν, καθώς σοι πρέπον ἐστὶ, τῇ προσηκούσῃ κεχρημένος ἀνδρείᾳ, ἀράχνης εὐτελέστερον διάσπα τὰ ἐκείνων μηχανήματα καὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς, καὶ γράφε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς εὐαγγελιζόμενος. Πολλὴν γὰρ δεξόμεθα παράκλησιν, καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ διατρίβοντες, τοιαῦτα παρὰ τῆς τιμιότητός σου δεχόμενοι γράμματα. Ηʹ. Χαλκιδίᾳ. Οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχεν ἠλγήσαμεν, μαθόντες ἐν τοσαύτῃ σε ἀῤῥωστίᾳ εἶναι. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως ἀντεχόμεθά σου τῆς ὑγιείας, κυρία μου κοσμιωτάτη καὶ εὐλαβεστάτη. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ κατατεινώμεθα τῇ φροντίδι, διά τινος τοῦ πρώτου ἐκεῖθεν ἀφικνουμένου τοῦτο αὐτὸ δηλῶσαι ἡμῖν σπούδασον, εἴ σοι τέλεον τὰ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας ἀνῄρηται, καὶ πρὸς καθαρὰν ἐπανῆλθες ὑγίειαν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὴν τυχοῦσαν καρπούμεθα εὐφροσύνην, καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ τοσαύτῃ καθήμενοι, ὅταν ὑμῶν τῶν ἀγαπώντων ἡμᾶς γνησίως περὶ τῆς ὑγείας καὶ εὐθυμίας 52.661 μανθάνωμεν. Εἰδυῖα τοίνυν ἡλίκα ἡμῖν χαρίζῃ τοιαύτην πέμπουσα ἐπιστολὴν, μὴ μελλήσῃς, μηδὲ ὑπερθῇ, ἀλλ' εὐθέως τοῦτο ποιῆσαι παρακλήθητι, ἵν' ὥσπερ νῦν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀθυμίας συνέχεας ἡμᾶς τὴν ἀῤῥωστίαν εἰποῦσα, οὕτως τὴν ὑγείαν ἀπαγγείλασα τὴν σὴν, πολλῆς ἡμᾶς ἐμπλησθῆναι ποιήσῃς τῆς ἡδονῆς. Θʹ. Ἀσυγκριτίᾳ. Ἐμοὶ μὲν περισπούδαστον τὸ συνεχῶς ὑμῖν ἐπιστέλλειν· τῆς γὰρ διαθέσεως ὑμῶν, καὶ τῆς αἰδοῦς, καὶ τῆς τιμῆς, ἣν ἀεὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπεδείξασθε, ὅπουπερ ἂν ἀφικώμεθα, ἐπιλαθέσθαι οὐ δυνάμεθα, ἀλλ' ἔχομεν ὑμῶν διηνεκῶς τὴν μνήμην ἀκμάζουσαν πανταχοῦ περιφέροντες. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ὁσάκις ἐβουλόμεθα ἐπεστάλκαμεν, ἀλλὰ σπανιάκις, τοῦτο οὐ τῆς ῥᾳθυμίας τῆς ἡμετέρας, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀνάγκης, καὶ τοῦ τὴν ὁδὸν ἄβατον ὁδοιπόροις εἶναι νῦν. Ταῦτ' οὖν