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of the body. For this reason we approach you through letters and greet you by name. 225.3 And since it was necessary to bring some gift, we offer this one, Mamas the reader, who is from a soldier father, but has been consecrated to God on account of his character. 225.4 Release him to God and to us, but do not count him among the vagrants, and give him his freedom in writing so that he may not be troubled by others. For you will give to yourself favorable hopes for the war and your generalship. Yes, I beg you, take care of this. 225.5 For those in whose hands are the greatest things and on whom everything depends, these must especially take thought for God and the assistance from there. 226. To Anysios 226.1 A letter came to us from you, indicating both your health and that the matters of your journey turned out according to your mind. And all thanks to God. And if we too might have something of the sort to write about ourselves, the thanks would be greater. 227. To Oursos 227.1 It is pleasant to greet friends; but to do so through friends is more pleasant. Among whom is our most honored son Anysios, who will bring you the good news of our health, if indeed health is this short inclination toward what is better, and will communicate concerning the things he was thought worthy of. 227.2 As to coming to you, which you seek in a friendly and genuine way, and enjoying your love, know well that it is most pleasant to me, and like nothing else among the things I am eager for, as those to whom we proclaim your hospitality know. 227.3 But whether it is possible, or in any other way proper, your intelligence will decide, lest we be condemned for untimeliness and seem burdensome to some, as having appeared without reason and any clear cause. 227.4 Since we do not persuade the many that we practice philosophy without guile, and we give all our affairs to God. 228. To Pansophios 228.1 Who does not praise a plant just budding with flowers? Whom does a cornfield just being tied into sheaves and promising a ripe ear not delight? And whom does a newly initiated soul, just being adorned for God and beginning to shake off its earthly fetters, in order to be with God and see the truth of which we now see the shadows? 228.2 For these reasons, therefore, I especially rejoice in our beloved brother and fellow deacon Evagrios, seeing him approach philosophy not ignobly; since philosophy is also the love of wisdom. 228.3 And I rejoice because he procures for me your friendship, and I will rejoice still more if you write more often and reply to us with more tokens of friendship. 229. To the Same 229.1 The distance between the Iberians and us is a journey of no few days; but friendship makes even distant things near. And the tokens of the feast, how sweet; and the invitation, how great, and the desire for our meeting. 229.2 What good thing, then, shall I pray for you in return for these things? May you be such as you are; and if I must say something greater, may you surpass yourself. 230. To Theodosios 230.1 We imitate the painters, who sketch out the figures with shadows and with a second and third hand make them precise and finish them with colors. 230.2 To what does my example look? There was between us a pure and guileless friendship—a thing especially rare now and found among few—and this was created for us not so much by kinship, nor by community of country, nor by what Homer says 20lovely companionship of age20, as by similarity of character and by delighting in the same things, which especially establishes friendships and makes them more secure. 230.3 Now even our families are joined (but the word is with God), so that there may be an addition to our friendship and we may be more each other's, and God, helping with a just love-charm, brings this about. 230.4 Have us, then, through our sweetest son Euphemios, and we have you through your sweetest daughter. 230.5 As for the rest, I do not know on whose behalf more, or to whom, I should speak: on behalf of the young man to your honor, or to the young man about you. For a father's goodwill is of equal honor to his children. 230.6 Nevertheless, I pray that the union may be for your every best interest and such as is fitting, with God joining you together. 231. To Eusebios 231.1 Euopion the most beloved, and the time of marriage, and the foundation of a life, and the prayers of parents being fulfilled. But we are away,

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σώματος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό σοι πρόσιμεν διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων καὶ τῇ προσηγορίᾳ δεξιούμεθα. 225.3 Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ δωρο φορεῖν ἔδει τι, τοῦτο προσφέρομεν, Μάμαντα τὸν ἀνα γνώστην, ὄντα μὲν ἀπὸ στρατιώτου πατρός, καθιερωθέντα δὲ τῷ Θεῷ διὰ τὸν τρόπον. 225.4 Ἄφες τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ἡμῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ συναριθμήσῃς τοῖς πλάνησι, καὶ δὸς ἔγγραφον τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἵνα μηδὲ ὑπ' ἄλλων ἐπηρεάζηται. ∆ώσεις γὰρ σεαυτῷ δεξιὰς τὰς τοῦ πολέμου καὶ τῆς στρατηγίας ἐλπίδας. Ναί, παρακαλῶ, τούτου φρόντισον. 225.5 Οἷς γὰρ τὰ μέγιστα ἐν χερσὶ καὶ ἐν οἷς τὸ πᾶν ταλαντεύεται, τούτοις μάλιστα φροντιστέον Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἐπικουρίας. 226.Τ ΑΝΥΣΙΩΙ 226.1 Ἧκεν ἡμῖν παρὰ σοῦ γράμματα τήν τε ὑγίειαν δηλοῦντα καὶ ὅτι σοι κατὰ νοῦν ἐξέβη τὰ τῆς ἐκδημίας. Καὶ πᾶσα τῷ Θεῷ χάρις. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἔχοιμέν τι τοιοῦτον περὶ ἡμῶν ἐπιστέλλειν, πλείων ἡ χάρις. 227.Τ ΟΥΡΣΩΙ 227.1 Ἡδὺ μὲν τὸ προσαγορεύειν τοὺς φίλους· τὸ δὲ καὶ διὰ φίλων, ἥδιον. Ὧν ἐστιν ὁ τιμιώτατος υἱὸς ἡμῶν Ἀνύσιος, ὃς καὶ τὴν ὑγίειαν ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίσεται τὴν ἡμετέραν, εἴπερ ὑγίεια τοῦτό ἐστιν ἡ βραχεῖα πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον ῥοπή, καὶ περὶ ὧν ἠξιώθη κοινώσεται. 227.2 Ὡς τό γε μέχρις ὑμῶν γενέσθαι, ὅπερ ἐπιζητεῖτε φιλικῶς καὶ γνησίως, καὶ ἀγάπης ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ὑμετέρας, ἐμοὶ μὲν ἥδιστον, εὖ ἴσθι, καὶ οἷον οὐκ ἄλλο τι τῶν σπουδαζομένων, ὡς ἴσασιν οἷς βοῶμεν τὴν ὑμετέραν δεξίωσιν. 227.3 Εἰ δὲ καὶ δυνατόν, ἢ καὶ ἄλλως εὐπρεπές, ἡ σὴ δοκιμάσει σύνεσις, μή πως ἀκαιρίαν καταγνωσθῶμεν καὶ φορτικοί τισι δόξωμεν, ὡς ἄνευ λόγου παραφανέντες καὶ προδήλου τινὸς αἰτίας. 227.4 Ἐπειδὴ μὴ πείθομεν τοὺς πολλοὺς ὡς ἀδόλως φιλοσοφοῦμεν, καὶ πάντα δίδομεν Θεῷ τὰ ἡμέτερα. 228.Τ ΠΑΝΣΟΦΙΩΙ 228.1 Τίς οὐκ ἐπαινεῖ φυτὸν ἄρτι βρύον τοῖς ἄνθεσι; Τίνα οὐκ εὐφραίνει λήϊον ἄρτι δεσμούμενον καὶ στάχυν ὥριμον ὑπισχνούμενον; Τίνα δὲ οὐ νεοτελὴς ψυχή, ἄρτι Θεῷ κοσμουμένη καὶ τὰς χοϊκὰς ἀποσείεσθαι πέδας ἀρχομένη, ἵνα μετὰ Θεοῦ γένηται καὶ ἴδῃ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὧν νῦν τὰς σκιὰς ὁρῶμεν; 228.2 Χαίρω μὲν οὖν διὰ ταῦτα διαφερόντως τῷ ἀγαπητῷ ἀδελφῷ καὶ συνδιακόνῳ ἡμῶν Εὐαγρίῳ, οὐκ ἀγεννῶς αὐτὸν ὁρῶν φιλοσοφίᾳ προσβαί νοντα· ἐπειδὴ φιλοσοφία καὶ τὸ σοφίας ἐρᾶν. 228.3 Χαίρω δὲ ὅτι μοι καὶ τὴν σὴν προξενεῖ φιλίαν, καὶ ἔτι χαρήσομαι ἐὰν ἐπιστέλλῃς πλείονα καὶ πλείοσιν ἡμᾶς ἀμείβοιο τοῖς τῆς φιλίας γνωρίσμασιν. 229.Τ ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ 229.1 Ὅσον Ἰβήρων καὶ ἡμῶν τὸ μέσον, ἡμερῶν οὐκ ὀλίγων ὁδός· ἀλλ' ἡ φιλία καὶ τὰ διεστῶτα ποιεῖ πλησίον. Τὰ δὲ σύμβολα τῆς ἑορτῆς, ὡς ἡδέα· τὸ δὲ τῆς κλήσεως, ὅσον, καὶ τὸ ποθεῖν τὴν συντυχίαν τὴν ἡμετέραν. 229.2 Τί οὖν ἀντὶ τούτων ἐπεύξομαί σοι τοσοῦτον ἀγαθόν; Εἴης τοιοῦτος· εἰ δὲ δεῖ τι καὶ μεῖζον εἰπεῖν, σαυτὸν ὑπερ βάλλοις. 230.Τ ΘΕΟ∆ΟΣΙΩΙ 230.1 Μιμούμεθα τοὺς ζωγράφους, οἳ ταῖς σκιαῖς τὰ σώματα προχαράσσοντες δευτέρᾳ καὶ τρίτῃ χειρὶ ταύτας ἀπακριβοῦσι καὶ τελειοῦσι τοῖς χρώμασι. 230.2 Πρὸς τί βλέπει μοι τὸ παράδειγμα; Ἦν ἡμῖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλία καθαρά τε καὶ ἄδολος, -πρᾶγμα τῶν σπανίων νῦν μάλιστα καὶ παρ' ὀλίγοις εὑρισκόμενον, -καὶ ταύτην ἡμῖν ἐποίει οὔτε συγγένεια τοσοῦτον οὔτε κοινωνία πατρίδος οὔτε ὅ φησιν Ὅμηρος 20ὁμηλικίη ἐρατείνη20, ὅσον ὁμοτροπία καὶ τὸ τοῖς αὐτοῖς χαίρειν, ὃ μάλιστα πήγνυσι τὰς φιλίας καὶ βεβαιοτέρας ἐργάζεται. 230.3 Νῦν καὶ τὰ γένη συνάπτεται (σὺν Θεῷ δὲ ὁ λόγος), ἵνα τῇ φιλίᾳ προσθήκη γένηται καὶ μᾶλλον ὦμεν ἀλλήλων, καὶ τοῦτο πραγματεύεται φίλτρῳ δικαίῳ βοηθῶν ὁ Θεός. 230.4 Ἔχε οὖν καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ τοῦ γλυκυτάτου υἱοῦ ἡμῶν Εὐφημίου, καὶ ἔχομεν ὑμᾶς διὰ τῆς γλυκυτάτης ὑμῶν θυγατρός. 230.5 Τὸ δ' ἑξῆς, οὐκ οἶδα ὑπὲρ τίνος μᾶλλον ἢ τίνι διαλεχθῶ, ὑπὲρ τοῦ νέου τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ τιμιότητι, ἢ τῷ νέῳ περὶ ὑμῶν. Εὔνοια γὰρ πατρὸς τέκνοις ὁμότιμον. 230.6 Πλὴν ἐπεύχομαι ὑμῖν ἐπὶ παντὶ βελτίστῳ γενέσθαι τὴν συζυγίαν καὶ οἵαν εἰκός, Θεοῦ συναρμόζοντος. 231.Τ ΕΥΣΕΒΙΩΙ 231.1 Εὐώπιον ἡ φιλτάτη, καὶ γάμου καιρός, καὶ βίου κρηπίς, καὶ πατέρων εὐχαὶ πληρούμεναι. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἄπεσμεν,