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so we will withdraw as if from the assaults of vipers. 203.6 Our part, then, has come to an end. We have been outwitted, we have been constrained, we have honored ourselves, having given up both the labors of our hands and our hopes, and having made many apologies to the holy martyrs. 203.7 In any case, though these things are grievous and hard to bear, they are yet philosophized along the path of our life, and not yet more burdensome than changing from city to city (which we were commanded to bear). 203.8 But may you inhabit the place for a longer time than its previous inhabitants, and more wisely than we hope, so that you may neither insult the holy martyrs, nor be yourselves stricken by your sojourn. 203.9 But secure this above all: spare the things consecrated to the martyrs, so that you may not take evil counsel concerning both yourselves and your possessions, destroying what you have by an evil episode. 204.T TO ADELPHIUS 204.1 Well then; the first matters for us are very well indeed. We praise virtue, we both incline towards God, we are not bound to things below, except by absolute necessity, we embrace the better and more divine friendship, we have taken each other's hands and pledged our faith. 204.2 Come now, let us also negotiate with you concerning the second relationship, setting God before our speech, and moving with Him, whom indeed we make the patron of every deed and word. 204.3 But if we entrust so great a matter to a letter, do not be surprised. For most of all your dexterity and the simple and noble quality of your character (which one might find little of and among few people), has induced us to be bold in such matters also. 204.4 Then, we do not entrust the whole matter to a letter (we are not so old-fashioned and conducting great affairs in a small way, nor serious matters as a sideline), 204.5 but now, as Pindar says, we are setting up, as it were, 20golden pillars for a well-walled chamber20, and a little later, through our own efforts, whenever God may grant it, we shall also 20build a wondrous hall20, joining deed to word, as they say. 204.6 Many of the nobles among you approach (for I am persuaded that many approach; for who does not love you and your company?), many of the high-brow, offering money, kinship, friends, power in the cities, power in the courts, all things that are the playthings of irrational fortune and chance, now falling to some, now to others, and, as in a game of draughts, being cast and changed from one to another. 204.7 But we bring you one thing in place of all, ourselves, and indeed we seek one thing in place of all, you. If, therefore, they are both better and from better families (for we confess it, since this too becomes ours), yet in one thing they will not surpass us (and this will be said in God), in faithfulness and sincerity regarding the relationship; which those who have sense must value more than all things together. 204.8 These things are enough for your perfection, and these perhaps beyond the measure of a letter. For the rest, I will pray for both myself and you: may God bring to your mind, from whom both these and all other things are dispensed to those who love him, whatever may be best and advantageous for us and for you equally, especially when deliberating about such important matters. 205.T TO THE SAME 205.1 A son is not dishonored, nor is a father disbelieved. Therefore, do not disbelieve us when we make our apology that it was sickness and spiritual business that prevented us from getting as far as Nauïli and taking part in the synod, especially since we were summoned with such earnestness, but not some hesitation nor contempt, as perhaps you supposed. 205.2 For now, then, we are still held by our weakness. But if God should grant us health, we will add our apology, both by running to your nobility and by returning the full blessings to our house. For we both wish and pray that your affairs may be ours. 206.T TO THE SAME 206.1 I still call you honorable, although you are not planning honorable things. And receive my frankness, as I am moved by fatherly affection and unable to endure it because of my goodwill. 206.2 For it is much better to cause a little pain and provide the greatest benefit, than by pursuing what is pleasant

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οὕτως ὑποχωρήσομεν ὥσπερ ἐχιδναίοις ἐπιδρομαῖς. 203.6 Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἡμέτερον ἔχει πέρας. Κατεσοφίσθημεν, συνεστά λημεν, ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς τετιμήκαμεν, ἀφέντες καὶ πόνους χειρῶν ἡμῶν καὶ ἐλπίδας καὶ πολλὰ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀπολογη σάμενοι μάρτυσι. 203.7 Πάντως εἰ καὶ βαρέα ταῦτα καὶ δύσφορα, ἀλλὰ καθ' ὁδόν γε τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς βίου φιλοσο φούμενα, καὶ οὔπω τοῦ πόλεις ἐκ πόλεων ἀμείβειν (ὃ φέρειν ἐκελεύσθημεν) φορτικώτερα. 203.8 Σὺ δὲ τὸν τόπον οἰκοίης μακρότερα μὲν ἢ κατὰ τοὺς προενοικήσαντας, σωφρονέστερον δὲ ἢ ἐλπίζομεν, ὡς ἂν μήτε τοὺς ἁγίους ὑβρίζοιτε μάρτυρας, μήτε αὐτοὶ πλήσσοισθε τῇ παροικίᾳ. 203.9 Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πρὸ πάντων ἀσφαλίσασθε, τῶν καθιερω μένων τοῖς μάρτυσι φείσασθε, ἵνα μὴ κακῶς περί τε ὑμῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ὑμετέρων βουλεύσησθε, πονηρῷ τῷ ἐπεισοδίῳ τὰ ὄντα φθείροντες. 204.Τ Α∆ΕΛΦΙΩΙ 204.1 Εἶεν· τὰ μὲν δὴ πρῶτα ἡμῖν ἔχει καὶ πάνυ καλῶς. Ἀρετὴν ἐπαινοῦμεν, ἄμφω πρὸς Θεὸν νεύομεν, οὐ δεδέμεθα πρὸς τὰ κάτω, ὅτι μὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη, τὴν κρείττω καὶ θειοτέραν φιλίαν ἀσπαζόμεθα, χεῖρας ἀλλήλων εἰλήφαμεν καὶ ἐπιστωσάμεθα. 204.2 Φέρε δὲ ἤδη καὶ περὶ τῆς δευτέρας οἰκειότητος πρεσβεύσωμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, Θεὸν προστησάμενοι τοῦ λόγου, καὶ σὺν τούτῳ κινούμενοι, ὅνπερ δὴ παντὸς ποιούμεθα καὶ ἔργου καὶ λόγου προστάτην. 204.3 Εἰ δὲ γράμμασι πρᾶγμα τοσοῦτον πιστεύομεν, μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ ἡ σὴ δεξιότης καὶ τὸ τῶν σῶν ἠθῶν ἁπλοῦν τε καὶ ἐλευθέριον (ὅπερ ὀλίγον καὶ παρ' ὀλίγοις εὕροι τις ἄν), ἐπῆρεν ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα θαρρεῖν. 204.4 Ἔπειτα οὐδὲ γράμμασι τὸ πᾶν ἐπιτρέπομεν (οὐχ οὕτως ἐσμὲν ἀρχαῖοι καὶ μικρῶς τὰ μεγάλα πράττοντες, οὐδὲ τὰ σπουδαῖα παρέργως), 204.5 ἀλλὰ νῦν μέν, ὥς φησι Πίνδαρος, οἷον 20χρυσέας ὑφίσταμεν εὐτειχεῖ θαλάμῳ κίονας20, μικρὸν δὲ ὕστερον δι' ἡμῶν αὐτῶν, ἡνίκα ἂν διδῷ Θεός, καὶ 20θεητὸν μέγαρον πήξομεν20, ἔργον λόγῳ, ὅ φασι, συνάπτοντες. 204.6 Πολλοὶ προσίασι τῶν ἐν ὑμῖν εὐπατρίδαι (καὶ γὰρ πείθομαι προσιέναι πολλούς· τίς δὲ οὐχ ὑμῶν ἐρᾷ καὶ τῆς συναφείας τῆς ὑμετέρας;), πολλοὶ τῶν τῆς μεγάλης ὀφρύος, χρή ματα, συγγένειαν, φίλους, δυναστείαν ἐν πόλεσι, δυνασ τείαν ἐν βασιλείοις, πάντα προτείνοντες ὅσα ἐστὶ περιφορᾶς ἀλόγου καὶ καιροῦ παίγνια, νῦν μὲν τοῖς προσπίπτοντα, νῦν δὲ τοῖς, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν πεττῶν θέσει ἄλλοτε εἰς ἄλλους μεταρριπτούμενα καὶ μεταποιούμενα. 204.7 Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἓν ἀντὶ πάντων προσάγομεν ὑμῖν, ἡμᾶς αὐτούς, καὶ μέντοι καὶ ζητοῦμεν ἓν ἀντὶ πάντων, ὑμᾶς. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ βελτίους καὶ ἐκ βελτιόνων (ὁμολογοῦμεν γάρ, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦτο ἡμέτερον γίνεται), ἀλλ' ἑνί γε οὐχ ὑπερέξοντας ἡμῶν (ἐν Θεῷ δὲ εἰρήσεται), τῷ πιστῷ καὶ γνησίῳ περὶ τὴν οἰκειότητα· οὗπερ δεῖ μᾶλλον ποιεῖσθαι λόγον ἢ πάντων ὁμοῦ, τούς γε νοῦν ἔχοντας. 204.8 Ἀρκεῖ τοσαῦτα πρὸς τὴν σὴν τελειότητα, καὶ ταῦτα πέρα ἴσως ἢ κατὰ μέτρον ἐπιστολῆς. Λοιπόν τι καὶ ἐμαυτῷ καὶ ὑμῖν ἐπεύξομαι· Θεὸς ἐπὶ νοῦν ὑμῖν ἀγάγοι, παρ' οὗ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τἄλλα οἰκονομεῖται τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν, ὅ τι ἂν ᾖ βέλτιστον καὶ συμφέρον ἡμῖν τε καὶ ὑμῖν ἐπίσης, ἄλλως τε καὶ περὶ τηλικούτων βουλευομένοις. 205.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 205.1 Υἱὸς οὐκ ἀτιμάζεται, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἀπιστεῖται πατήρ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μὴ ἀπιστήσῃς ἡμῖν ἀπολογουμένοις ὅτι ἀρρωστία καὶ ἀσχολία πνευματικὴ τὸ κωλῦσαν ἦν ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι μέχρι Ναυΐλων καὶ τῆς συνόδου μετασχεῖν, ἄλλως τε καὶ τοσαύτῃ σπουδῇ κεκλημένους, ἀλλ' οὐκ ὄκνος τις οὐδὲ περιφρόνησις, ὅπερ ἴσως ὑπέλαβες. 205.2 Νῦν μὲν οὖν ἔτι τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ κρατούμεθα. Εἰ δὲ δοίη τὸ ὑγιαίνειν Θεός, καὶ τὴν ἀπολογίαν προσθήσομεν, καὶ δραμόντες μέχρι τῆς σῆς εὐγενείας καὶ πλήρεις τὰς εὐλογίας τῷ οἴκῳ ἡμῶν ἀποδώσοντες. Ἡμέτερα γὰρ εἶναι τὰ σὰ καὶ βουλόμεθα καὶ εὐχόμεθα. 206.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 206.1 Ἔτι σε καλῶ τίμιον, καίπερ οὐ τίμια βουλευόμενον. Καί μου δέξαι τὴν παρρησίαν σπλάγχνοις πατρικοῖς κινουμένου καὶ καρτερεῖν οὐ δυναμένου διὰ τὴν εὔνοιαν. 206.2 Πολλῷ γὰρ βέλτιον βραχέα λυπήσαντα μέγιστα ὠφελῆσαι, ἢ τὸ πρὸς ἡδονὴν διώκοντα