John Chrysostom, Letters

I have learned no less of your present deeds of valor, and I greatly rejoiced with you for your courage, your endurance, your unswerving purpose, and your firm and adamantine mind, your freedom of speech, your boldness. For these reasons I do not cease to bless you both for the present things, and for the good things that are to receive you in the age to come, those ineffable things that surpass all mind and reason. But you have greatly grieved us, we who are living at 52.663 so great a distance, by not deigning even to write. And I know indeed that this has not happened out of indolence; for I know, whether you write to us or are silent, your warm and genuine love, sincere and guileless, strong and firm; but because there was no one to write for you. Nevertheless, even so you should have written to us in your native tongue, and with your own hand. For we greatly cherish, as you yourself also know, receiving letters continually from your Reverence, so that each day we may learn about your health; and in this we have no small consolation for our great solitude and the circumstances here. Knowing, therefore, my most honored and reverend lady, how much desire we have for this, do not fail to grant us this good favor. For many have come from there, from various places. But I do not complain on their account, as to why they did not bring us letters from your Modesty; for it is likely they were unknown to your Reverence. Now, however, when it was possible to write with all ease, and especially since such things have happened there, I greatly desired to receive a letter. Recover, therefore, what was neglected in the past, and with a frequency and a snowstorm of letters console us for the length of your previous silence. 104. To Pentadia the deaconess. I bless you for the crowns which you have bound on now, by your courage choosing to suffer all things for the sake of the truth. For this reason you also have God defending you with great vehemence. For "Strive for the truth unto death," he says, "and the Lord will fight for you." Which has also come to pass. For having run this good race to such an extent, you have drawn down many prizes from above; for this reason, then, I rejoice. But since I have learned that you are planning to travel, and wish to move from there, I beg your Honor to think of and plan no such thing. First, for this very reason, that you are a support of the city there, and a wide harbor, and a staff, and a safe wall for those who are weary. Do not cast away such great merchandise from your hands, nor let such profit go, gathering so many treasures each day from your presence there. For both those who see and those who hear of your virtuous deeds gain no small profit. And you know how great a reward this brings you. First, as I said, for this reason we urge you to remain there; for you have given no small proof of the benefit which you have provided by your stay there. Then, too, the season of the year does not permit this. For you know the weakness of your body, and how it is not easy for you to travel in so much frost and winter. In addition to this, as we hear, the Isaurian troubles are flourishing. Therefore, having considered all these things prudently, do not deign to move anywhere for the time being, and be pleased to write to us quickly about this, and continually make known your health. Since even now 52.664 we were grieved at not having received a letter from your Honor, and we have been in a state of concern, lest illness has prevented this. In order, then, that you may take away this concern of ours, quickly send us a letter indicating these things. 105. To Chalcidia. May God give you your reward both here and in the age to come for your reverence, and honor, and genuine love toward us. For not only now, but also from of old and from the beginning I know clearly how you have been zealous in your disposition towards us. For this reason, though I live at so great a distance, and am hindered by the great distance of the journey, and am in many afflictions here, both on account of the desolation of this place, and on account of the

ἀριστείας τῶν παρόντων οὐκ ἔλαττον ἔμαθον, καὶ σφόδρα συνήσθην ὑμῖν τῆς ἀνδρείας, τῆς ὑπομονῆς, τῆς ἀπεριτρέπτου γνώμης, καὶ στεῤῥᾶς καὶ ἀδαμαντίνης διανοίας, τῆς ἐλευθεροστομίας, τῆς παῤῥησίας. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα μακαρίζων ὑμᾶς οὐ παύομαι ὑπέρ τε τῶν παρόντων, ὑπέρ τε τῶν μελλόντων ὑμᾶς ὑποδέξασθαι ἀγαθῶν ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι, τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων ἐκείνων, καὶ πάντα νοῦν καὶ λόγον ὑπερβαινόντων. Σφόδρα δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐλύπησας ἐκ τοσούτου καθημένους 52.663 διαστήματος, οὐδὲ ἐπιστεῖλαι καταδεξαμένη. Καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὅτι οὐκ ἐκ ῥᾳθυμίας τοῦτο γέγονεν· ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ καὶ γραφούσης ἡμῖν, καὶ σιγώσης, τὴν θερμὴν καὶ γνησίαν ἀγάπην, τὴν εἰλικρινῆ καὶ ἄδολον, τὴν ἰσχυρὰν καὶ στεῤῥάν· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μηδένα εἶναι τὸν ὑπογράφοντα. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως ἐχρῆν τῇ ἐγχωρίῳ σου γλώττῃ ἡμῖν ἐπιστεῖλαι, καὶ τῇ χειρὶ τῇ σῇ. Σφόδρα γὰρ ἀντεχόμεθα, καθάπερ καὶ αὐτὴ οἶσθα, τοῦ συνεχῶς ἐπιστολὰς δέχεσθαι παρὰ τῆς εὐλαβείας τῆς σῆς, ὥστε καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν μανθάνειν ἡμᾶς τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς· καὶ οὐ μικρὰν τῆς τοσαύτης ἐρημίας καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα περιστάσεων παράκλησιν ταύτην ἔχομεν. Εἰδυῖα τοίνυν, δέσποινά μου τιμιωτάτη καὶ εὐλαβεστάτη, ὅσην ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχομεν τούτου, μὴ διαλίπῃς τὴν καλὴν ταύτην ἡμῖν χαριζομένη χάριν. Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ πολλαχόθεν ἐκεῖθεν ἦλθον. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐγκαλῶ ἐκείνων ἕνεκεν, διὰ τί μὴ γράμματα ἡμῖν ἐκόμισαν παρὰ τῆς σῆς κοσμιότητος· εἰκὸς γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀγνοεῖσθαι παρὰ τῆς εὐλαβείας τῆς σῆς. Νῦν μέντοι ὅτε ἐξῆν μετ' εὐκολίας πάσης ἐπιστεῖλαι, καὶ μάλιστα τοιούτων γεγενημένων αὐτόθι, σφόδρα ἐπεθύμουν δέξασθαι γράμματα. Ἀνάκτησαι τοίνυν τὸ ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ ῥᾳθυμηθὲν, καὶ πυκνότητι, καὶ νιφάδι ἐπιστολῶν τὸ μῆκος τῆς ἔμπροσθεν ἡμῖν παραμύθησαι σιγῆς. Ρ∆ʹ. Πενταδίᾳ διακόνῳ. Τῶν μὲν στεφάνων σε μακαρίζω, οὓς ἀνεδήσω καὶ νῦν, διὰ τῆς ἀνδρείας πάντα ἑλομένη παθεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὑπερασπίζοντά σου ἔχεις μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σφοδρότητος. Ἕως γὰρ θανάτου, φησὶν, ἀγώνισαι ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ ὁ Κύριος πολεμήσει ὑπὲρ σοῦ. Ὅπερ καὶ γέγονε. Μέχρι γὰρ τοσούτου δραμοῦσα τὸν καλὸν τοῦτον ἀγῶνα, πολλὰ ἄνωθεν ἐπεσπάσω τὰ βραβεῖα· τούτου μὲν οὖν ἕνεκεν χαίρω. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνων, ὅτι βουλεύῃ περὶ ἀποδημίας, καὶ μεταστῆναι ἐκεῖθεν βούλει, παρακαλῶ σου τὴν τιμιότητα μηδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐννοῆσαι μηδὲ βουλεύσασθαι. Πρῶτον μὲν δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅτι δὴ στήριγμα τῆς πόλεως εἶ τῆς αὐτόθι, καὶ λιμὴν εὐρὺς, καὶ βακτηρία, καὶ τεῖχος ἀσφαλὲς τοῖς καταπονουμένοις. Μηδὲ τοσαύτην ἀπὸ τῶν χειρῶν ἐμπορίαν ῥίψῃς, μηδὲ τοσοῦτον πρόῃ κέρδος, τοσούτους καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συνάγουσα θησαυροὺς ἀπὸ τῆς παρουσίας τῆς αὐτόθι. Οἵ τε γὰρ ὁρῶντες, οἵ τε ἀκούοντές σου τὰ κατορθώματα, οὐ μικρὰ κερδαίνουσιν. Οἶσθα δὲ ἡλίκον τοῦτο φέρει σοι τὸν μισθόν. Πρῶτον μὲν, ὅπερ ἔφην, διὰ τοῦτο παρακαλοῦμεν αὐτόθι μένειν· καὶ γὰρ πεῖραν οὐ μικρὰν δέδωκας τῆς ὠφελείας, ἣν παρέσχες διὰ τῆς αὐτόθι παραμονῆς. Ἔπειτα δὲ οὐδὲ ἡ τοῦ ἔτους ὥρα ἐπιτρέπει τοῦτο. Οἶσθα γάρ σου τοῦ σώματος τὴν ἀσθένειαν, καὶ πῶς οὐ ῥᾴδιόν σοι κινεῖσθαι ἐν κρυμῷ τοσούτῳ καὶ χειμῶνι. Πρὸς τούτοις, ὡς ἀκούομεν, καὶ τὰ Ἰσαυρικὰ ἀνθεῖ. Πάντα τοίνυν ταῦτα λογισαμένη ὡς συνετὴ, μηδαμοῦ τέως κινεῖσθαι καταδέχου, καὶ περὶ τούτου γράψαι ἡμῖν διὰ ταχέων παρακλήθητι, καὶ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας συνεχῶς δήλου τῆς σῆς. Ἐπεὶ καὶ νῦν 52.664 ἠλγήσαμεν, μὴ δεξάμενοι γράμματά σου τῆς τιμιότητος, καὶ ἐν φροντίδι καθεστήκαμεν, μήποτε ἀῤῥωστία τοῦτο διεκώλυσεν. Ἵν' οὖν καὶ ταύτην ἀνέλῃς ἡμῶν τὴν φροντίδα, ταχέως ἡμῖν πέμψον ἐπιστολὴν ταῦτα δηλοῦσαν. ΡΕʹ. Χαλκιδίᾳ. Ὁ Θεός σοι τὸν μισθὸν δῴη καὶ ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς αἰδοῦς, καὶ τιμῆς, καὶ γνησίας ἀγάπης. Οὐδὲ γὰρ νῦν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνωθεν, καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς οἶδα σαφῶς, ὅπως περὶ ἡμᾶς διατεθῆναι ἐσπούδακας. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐκ τοσούτου καθήμενος διαστήματος, καὶ πολλῷ τῆς ὁδοῦ εἰργόμενος τῷ μέσῳ, καὶ ἐν πολλαῖς ὢν ἐνταῦθα θλίψεσι, διά τε τὴν ἐρημίαν τοῦ χωρίου τούτου, διά τε τοὺς