Ep. CXXVI.

(While Gregory was at Xantharis an opportunity presented itself for seeing Olympius, but a return of illness prevented him from taking advantage of it.  He writes to express his regret, and takes the opportunity also to request that Nicobulus may be exempted from the charge of the Imperial Posts.)

I was happy in a dream.  For having been brought as far as the Monastery to obtain some comfort from the bath, and then hoping to meet you, and having this good fortune almost in my hands, and having delayed a few days, I was suddenly carried away by my illness, which was already painful in some respects and threatening in others.  And, if one must find some conjecture to account for the misfortune, I suffered in the same way as the polypods do, which if torn by force from the rocks risk the loss of the suckers by which they attach themselves to the rocks, or carry off some portion of the latter.  Something of this kind is my case.  And what I should have asked Your Excellency for had I seen you, I now venture to ask for though I am absent.  I found my son Nicobulus much worried by the care of the Post, and by close attention to the Monastery.  He is not a strong man, and has great distaste for solitude.  Make use of him for anything else you please, for he is eager to serve your authority in all things; but if it be possible set him free from this charge, if for no other reason, at any rate to do him honour as my Hospitaller.  Since I have asked many favours from you for many people, and have obtained them, I need also your kindness for myself.

[126] ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ

Ὄναρ ηὐθύμησα. Καὶ γὰρ μέχρι τῆς μονῆς ἐνεχθεὶς ὥστε τινὸς ἐκ τοῦ λουτροῦ παραμυθίας τυχεῖν, εἶτα τὴν σὴν συντυχίαν ἐλπίσας καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν χεροῖν ἔχων ἤδη τὸ ἀγαθὸν καί τινας ἡμέρας προσδιατρίψας, ἐξαίφνης ἀπήχθην ὑπὸ τῆς ἀρρωστίας τὰ μὲν ἤδη λυπούσης, τὰ δὲ ἀπειλούσης. Καὶ εἰ δεῖ τινα εἰκασίαν εὑρεῖν τῷ πάθει, ταὐτὸν ἔπαθον τοῖς πολύποσιν, οἳ βίᾳ τῶν πετρῶν ἀποσπώμενοι κινδυνεύουσι καὶ ταῖς κοτύλαις πολλάκις, ὧν τι προσαφιᾶσι ταῖς πέτραις, ἤ τι παρ' αὐτῶν προσλαμβάνουσι. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἡμέτερον τοιοῦτον. Ἃ δ' ἂν παρὼν ἐδεήθην τῆς σῆς καλοκἀγαθίας, ταῦτα καὶ ἀπὼν ἐθάρρησα. Τὸν υἱὸν Νικόβουλον σφόδρα εὗρον τῇ τοῦ δρόμου φροντίδι καὶ τῇ τῆς μονῆς προσεδρείᾳ στενοχωρούμενον, ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀσθενῆ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀήθη καὶ τὴν ἐρημίαν οὐ φέροντα. Τούτῳ πρὸς ἄλλο μὲν πᾶν ὅ τι ἂν ᾖ σοι φίλον χρήσασθαι θέλησον: καὶ γὰρ πρόθυμος εἰς πάντα ὑπηρετεῖν τῇ σῇ ἐξουσίᾳ: ταύτης δέ, εἰ δυνατόν, ἐλευθέρωσον τῆς φροντίδος: εἰ μή τι ἄλλο, καὶ ὡς ἡμέτερον τιμῶν νοσοκόμον, ἐπειδὴ πολλὰ καὶ περὶ πολλῶν δεηθέντες καὶ τυχόντες χρῄζομεν καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς τῆς σῆς ἡμερότητος.