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cast off the sullenness of those who are angry which you show to us by your silence, and take up joy in your heart, peace towards the like-minded of the brethren, zeal and care for the preservation of the Churches of the Lord. For know that, if we do not take up a struggle for the Churches equal to that which those who oppose the sound teaching have for their destruction and complete annihilation, nothing will prevent the truth from being swept away by its enemies, and for us also to receive some of the judgment, not having with all zeal and readiness in harmony with one another and concord according to God, shown the necessary care for the unity of the Churches. I beseech you, therefore, cast out from your soul the thought that you need no other for communion. For it is not the part of one walking according to love or fulfilling the law of Christ to cut himself off from connection with the brethren. For at the same time I wish your good purpose to consider this also, that the evil of war, going about in a circle, may one day come to us too, and if we too suffer abuse along with others, we shall not even find any to sympathize with us, because in the time of our prosperity we did not contribute the offering of sympathy to those who were wronged.

66. To Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria

66.1 I think that no one is so grieved by the present state of the Churches, or rather confusion, to speak more truly, as is your Honour, comparing the present with the ancient times and reckoning how much these have changed from those and that, if matters should flow on for the worse with the same momentum, nothing will prevent the Churches from being completely transformed into some other form within a short time. I have often thought these things over by myself, that if to us the deviation of the Churches appears so pitiful, what sort of soul is it likely that one has who has experienced the ancient stability and harmony concerning the faith of the Churches of God? But just as the great part of the grief falls to your Perfection, so we believe it is fitting that the greater part of the care for the Churches should also belong to your wisdom. For a long time I myself have known, according to my moderate grasp of affairs, and having recognized one way of help for our Churches, the agreement of the western bishops. For if they should wish to show the zeal which they took up on behalf of one or two in the West detected in false belief, also on behalf of the diocese of our regions, perhaps there would be some benefit to the common good, with the rulers being shamed by the credibility of the multitude and the laity everywhere following them without question. Who then is more capable of accomplishing these things than your sagacity? Who is sharper to perceive what is needed? Who is more practical in carrying out useful things? Who is more compassionate toward the exhaustion of the brethren? Who, because of your most venerable grey hairs, is more revered in all the West? Leave some memorial to life worthy of your conduct, most honored Father. Adorn those countless struggles for piety with this one work. Send forth some men from the holy Church under you, mighty in sound teaching, to the bishops in the West, relate to them the misfortunes that have befallen us, suggest a way of assistance, be a Samuel to the Churches, suffer along with the peoples at war, offer up peaceful prayers, ask for the grace from the Lord to leave some memorial of peace to the Churches. I know that letters are weak for counseling on so great a matter. But neither do you yourself of the exhortation from others

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ἀπορρίψῃς μὲν τὸ τῶν ὀργιζομένων σκυθρωπὸν ὅπερ ἡμῖν διὰ τῆς σιωπῆς ὑπο φαίνεις, ἀναλάβῃς δὲ χαρὰν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, εἰρήνην πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοψύχους τῶν ἀδελφῶν, σπουδὴν καὶ μέριμναν ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Κυρίου διαμονῆς. Γίνωσκε γὰρ ὅτι, εἰ μὴ τὸν ἴσον ἡμεῖς ἀγῶνα ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἀνα λάβοιμεν ὁπόσον ἔχουσιν οἱ ἀντικείμενοι τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ εἰς καθαίρεσιν αὐτῶν καὶ παντελῆ ἀφανισμόν, οὐδὲν τὸ κωλύον οἴχεσθαι μὲν παρασυρεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, παραπολαῦσαι δέ τι καὶ ἡμᾶς τοῦ κρίματος, μὴ πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ τῇ πρὸς ἀλλήλους καὶ συμπνοίᾳ τῇ κατὰ Θεόν, τὴν ἐνδεχο μένην μέριμναν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑνώσεως τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπιδει ξαμένους. Παρακαλῶ οὖν, ἔκβαλε τῆς σεαυτοῦ ψυχῆς τὸ οἴεσθαι μηδενὸς ἑτέρου εἰς κοινωνίαν προσδεῖσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ κατὰ ἀγάπην περιπατοῦντος οὐδὲ πληροῦντός ἐστι τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς συναφείας ἑαυτὸν ἀποτέμνειν. Ἅμα γὰρ κἀκεῖνο λογίζεσθαι τὴν ἀγα θήν σου προαίρεσιν βούλομαι, ὅτι τὸ τοῦ πολέμου κακόν, κύκλῳ περιιόν, καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἔλθοι ποτέ, κἂν μετ' ἄλλων καὶ ἡμεῖς τῆς ἐπηρείας παραπολαύσωμεν, οὐδὲ τοὺς συναλ γοῦντας εὑρήσομεν, διὰ τὸ ἐν καιρῷ τῆς εὐθηνίας ἡμῶν μὴ προκαταβαλέσθαι τοῖς ἠδικημένοις τὸν τῆς συμπαθείας ἔρανον.

66.τ ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ ΑΛΕΞΑΝ∆ΡΕΙΑΣ

66.1 Οὐδένα τοσοῦτον ἡγοῦμαι λυπεῖν τὴν παροῦσαν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν

κατάστασιν, μᾶλλον δὲ σύγχυσιν, εἰπεῖν ἀλη θέστερον, ὅσον τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα συγκρίνοντα μὲν τοῖς ἀρχαίοις τανῦν καὶ παρὰ πόσον ταῦτα ἐκείνων ἐξήλλακται λογιζόμενον καὶ ὅτι, εἰ κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁρμὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ὑπορρέοι τὰ πράγματα, οὐδὲν ἔσται τὸ κωλύον εἴσω ὀλίγου χρόνου πρὸς ἄλλο τι σχῆμα παντελῶς μεθαρμοσθῆναι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας. Ταῦτα πολλάκις ἐπ' ἐμαυτοῦ γενόμενος διε νοήθην, ὅτι, εἰ ἡμῖν οὕτως ἐλεεινὴ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἡ παρατροπὴ καταφαίνεται, ποίαν τινὰ εἰκὸς ἔχειν ἐπὶ τού τοις ψυχὴν τὸν τῆς ἀρχαίας εὐσταθείας καὶ ὁμονοίας περὶ τὴν πίστιν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ πεπειραμένον; Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τὸ πολὺ τῆς λύπης τὴν σὴν τελειότητα περιίσταται, οὕτως ἡγούμεθα προσήκειν καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν μερίμνης τὸ πλέον τῇ σῇ διαφέρειν φρονήσει. Πάλαι οἶδα καὶ αὐτός, κατὰ τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσάν μοι μετρίως τῶν πραγ μάτων κατάληψιν, μίαν ἐπιγνοὺς ὁδὸν βοηθείας ταῖς καθ' ἡμᾶς Ἐκκλησίαις, τὴν παρὰ τῶν δυτικῶν ἐπισκόπων σύμπνοιαν. Εἰ γὰρ βουληθεῖεν ὃν ἀνέλαβον ὑπὲρ ἑνὸς ἢ δύο τῶν κατὰ τὴν ∆ύσιν ἐπὶ κακοδοξίᾳ φωραθέντων ζῆλον, τοῦτον καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς παροικίας τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς μερῶν ἐπι δείξασθαι, τάχα ἄν τι γένοιτο τοῖς κοινοῖς ὄφελος, τῶν τε κρατούντων τὸ ἀξιόπιστον τοῦ πλήθους δυσωπουμένων καὶ τῶν ἑκασταχοῦ λαῶν ἀκολουθούντων αὐτοῖς ἀναντιρρήτως. Τίς οὖν ταῦτα διαπράξασθαι τῆς σῆς συνέσεως δυνατώ τερος; Τίς συνιδεῖν τὸ δέον ὀξύτερος; Τίς ἐνεργῆσαι τὰ χρήσιμα πρακτικώτερος; Τίς πρὸς τὴν καταπόνησιν τῶν ἀδελφῶν συμπαθέστερος; Τίς τῆς σεμνοτάτης σου πολιᾶς πάσῃ τῇ ∆ύσει αἰδεσιμώτερος; Κατάλιπέ τι μνημόσυνον τῷ βίῳ τῆς σῆς ἐπάξιον πολιτείας, τιμιώτατε Πάτερ. Τοὺς μυρίους ἐκείνους ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἄθλους ἑνὶ τούτῳ κατακόσμησον ἔργῳ. Ἔκπεμψόν τινας ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας ὑπὸ σὲ Ἐκκλησίας ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς ἐν τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ τὴν ∆ύσιν ἐπισκόπους, διήγησαι αὐτοῖς τὰς κατασχούσας ἡμᾶς συμφοράς, ὑπόθου τρόπον ἀντιλήψεως, γενοῦ Σαμουὴλ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις, πολεμουμένοις τοῖς λαοῖς συγκακοπάθησον, ἀνένεγκε εἰρηνικὰς προσευχάς, αἴτησον χάριν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρήνης τι μνημόσυνον ἐναφεῖναι ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις. Οἶδα ὅτι ἀσθενεῖς αἱ ἐπι στολαὶ πρὸς συμβουλὴν τοσούτου πράγματος. Ἀλλ' οὔτε αὐτὸς τῆς παρ' ἑτέρων παρακλήσεως