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stability, moderation. 244.11 Consider necessary food to be the finest and easiest luxury; for this is both praiseworthy in itself and desirable for a life of moderation and best for health, and not unprofitable for symmetry and all other good order and discipline. 245.T TO BASIL 245.1 The mime in your parts, but with us a reverend person, asked me to write to you that he be splendidly heard. 246.T TO BASIL 246.1 You have undertaken a reasonably gentle and benevolent matter, having gathered together the captivity of the contemptible Glycerius (for so we write for the time being) and having covered up, as much as was possible, our common disgrace. It is necessary, however, that your reverence, having learned the facts about him, thus resolve the dishonor. 246.2 This Glycerius, now haughty and solemn to you, was ordained by us as a deacon of the Church at Venasa, so that he might both minister to the presbyter and take care of the work of the church. For he is, although the man is difficult in other respects, not unskilled in handiwork. 246.3 But when he was established, he so neglected the work as if it had not existed from the beginning. But gathering together wretched virgins by his own power and authority, some running to him willingly (for you know the readiness of the young in such matters), and some unwillingly, he attempted to lead a troop and, having suddenly assumed for himself the name and appearance of a patriarch, he became arrogant, 246.4 not having come to this from any just sequence or piety, but having set this up as a means of livelihood just as another man might set up some other thing, and he has nearly overturned the whole Church, despising his own presbyter, a man venerable in both conduct and age, and despising the chorepiscopus and us as being of no account, and always filling the city and the entire clergy with disturbances and tumults. 246.5 And finally, so that he might be slightly rebuked in word by us and by the chorepiscopus, to prevent him from being contemptuous (for he was also training the young men in the same madness), he devises a very rash and inhuman deed. 246.6 Having seized as many of the virgins as he could and watching for the night, he becomes a fugitive. These things will seem very terrible to you. Consider also the timing. The synod was being held there, and, as is natural, a great crowd was flocking from all directions. But he led out his own choir in opposition, attended by and dancing around with young men, and causing great dejection to the reverent, but much laughter to the intemperate and those with readier tongues. 246.7 And these things are not enough, although they are so great in magnitude, but furthermore, as I learn, the parents of the virgins, not bearing their childlessness and wishing to bring back the scattered group and falling down with lamentations, as is natural, before their own daughters, this wonderful young man, with his band of robbers, insults and dishonors. Let these things seem intolerable to your reverence; for the laughter is common to all of us. But above all, command him to return with the virgins. 246.8 For he might receive some leniency, if he should return with a letter from you; but if not, at least send the virgins away to their mother, the Church. 246.9 And if not this, at least do not allow those who wish to be tyrannized to be so, but order them to return to us, or we call both God and men to witness that these things are not done well nor according to the canons of the Church. And as for Glycerius, if he should return with knowledge and fitting stability, that is best; but if not, let him know that he is suspended from his ministry. 247.T TO GLYCERIUS 247.1 For how long will you be mad and ill-advised concerning yourself, vexing us and shaming the common order of monks? Return, therefore, with confidence to God and to us, whose loving-kindness we imitate. 247.2 For even if we rebuked you paternally, we will also forgive you paternally. These things are from us to you, since many others are entreating, and before all others your presbyter, whose gray hair and compassion we respect. 247.3 But if you remain far from us, you have certainly fallen from your rank, and may you also fall from the

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εὐστάθεια, σωφρο σύνη. 244.11 Τρυφὴν νόμιζε καλλίστην ὁμοῦ καὶ ῥᾴστην τὴν χρειώδη τροφήν· αὕτη γὰρ καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἐπαινετὴ καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐν σωφροσύνῃ βίον αἱρετὴ καὶ πρὸς ὑγίειαν ἀρίστη, καὶ συμμετρίαν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην εὐκοσμίαν καὶ παιδείαν οὐκ ἀνόνητος. 245.Τ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩΙ 245.1 Ὁ παρ' ὑμῖν μῖμος, παρ' ἡμῖν δὲ εὐλαβής, ᾔτησέ με γράψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς λαμπρῶς ἀκουσθῆναι. 246.Τ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩΙ 246.1 Πρᾶγμα μὲν ὑπέστης ἐπιεικῶς ἥμερον καὶ φιλάν θρωπον τὴν τοῦ καταφρονητοῦ Γλυκερίου (τέως γὰρ οὕτω γράφομεν) αἰχμαλωσίαν συναγαγὼν καὶ τὴν κοινὴν ἀσχημοσύνην ἡμῶν, ὡς οἷόν τε ἦν, συγκαλύψας. ∆εῖ δὲ ὅμως τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν, μαθοῦσαν τὰ κατ' αὐτόν, οὕτω λῦσαι τὴν ἀτιμίαν. 246.2 Οὗτος ὁ νῦν σοβαρὸς καὶ σεμνὸς ὑμῖν Γλυκέριος ἐχειροτονήθη μὲν παρ' ἡμῶν τῆς κατὰ Οὐήνασαν Ἐκκλησίας διάκονος, ὡς καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ διακονήσων καὶ τοῦ ἔργου τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπιμελησόμενος. Καὶ γάρ ἐστιν, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα δύστροπος ὁ ἀνήρ, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐπίχειρα οὐκ ἀφυής. 246.3 Ἐπεὶ δὲ κατέστη, τοῦ μὲν ἔργου τοσοῦτον ἠμέλησεν ὅσον οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν γεγονότος. Παρθένους δὲ ἀθλίας συναγαγὼν κατ' ἰδίαν ἐξουσίαν καὶ αὐθεντίαν, τὰς μὲν ἑκούσας προσδραμούσας αὐτῷ (οἶσθα δὲ τὸ τῶν νέων περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρόχειρον), τὰς δὲ ἀκούσας, ἀγελαρχεῖν ἐπεχείρησε καὶ πατριαρχίας ὄνομα καὶ σχῆμα ἑαυτῷ περιθεὶς ἐξαίφνης ἐσοβαρεύσατο, 246.4 οὐκ ἔκ τινος ἀκολουθίας δικαίας ἢ εὐσεβείας ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἐλθών, ἀλλ' ἀφορμὴν βίου ταύτην ὥσπερ ἄλλος ἄλλην τινὰ προστη σάμενος, καὶ μικροῦ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν πᾶσαν ἀνάστατον πεποίηκε περιφρονῶν μὲν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πρεσβύτερον, ἄνδρα καὶ πολιτείᾳ καὶ ἡλικίᾳ αἰδέσιμον, περιφρονῶν δὲ τὸν χωρεπίσκοπον καὶ ἡμᾶς ὡς οὐδενὸς ἀξίους, θορύβων δὲ ἀεὶ καὶ ταραχῶν πληρῶν τὴν πόλιν καὶ σύμπαν τὸ ἱερατεῖον. 246.5 Καὶ τέλος, ἵνα τι λόγῳ μικρὸν ἐπιτιμηθῇ παρ' ἡμῶν καὶ τοῦ χωρεπισκόπου πρὸς τὸ μὴ καταφρονεῖν αὐτὸν (καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοὺς νέους ἐγύμναζεν εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ἀπόνοιαν), πρᾶγμα διανοεῖται λίαν τολμηρὸν καὶ ἀπάνθρωπον. 246.6 Συλήσας τῶν παρθένων ὅσας ἠδύνατο καὶ νύκτα τηρήσας δραπέτης γίνεται. Πάνυ σοι δεινὰ ταῦτα φανεῖται. Σκόπει καὶ τὸν καιρόν. Ἤγετο μὲν ἡ ἐκεῖσε σύνοδος καὶ πολὺ πανταχόθεν, ὡς εἰκός, ἐπέρρει τὸ πλῆθος. Ὃ δὲ ἀντεξῆγε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ χορὸν νέοις ἐχόμενον καὶ περιχο ρεύοντα καὶ πολλὴν μὲν κατήφειαν κινοῦντα τοῖς εὐλαβέσι, πολὺν δὲ γέλωτα τοῖς ἀκρατέσι καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἑτοιμο τέροις. 246.7 Καὶ οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ταῦτα, καίπερ τηλικαῦτα ὄντα τὸ μέγεθος, ἀλλ' ἔτι καὶ τοὺς γονεῖς, ὡς πυνθάνομαι, τῶν παρθένων τὴν ἀτεκνίαν οὐ φέροντας καὶ τὴν διασπορὰν ἀπαναγαγεῖν βουλομένους καὶ μετ' ὀδυρμῶν προσπίπ τοντας, ὡς τὸ εἰκός, ταῖς ἑαυτῶν θυγατράσι περιυβρίζει καὶ ἀτιμοῖ ὁ θαυμαστὸς νεανίσκος μετὰ τοῦ λῃστρικοῦ συντάγματος. Ταῦτα μὴ ἀνεκτὰ φανήτω τῇ σῇ εὐλαβείᾳ· καὶ γὰρ κοινὸς πάντων ἡμῶν ὁ γέλως· ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν αὐτὸν κέλευσον μετὰ τῶν παρθένων ἐπανελθεῖν. 246.8 Τύχοι γὰρ ἄν τινος φιλανθρωπίας, εἰ μετὰ σῶν ἐπανήκοι γραμ μάτων· εἰ δὲ μή, τάς γε παρθένους ἀπόπεμψον τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ. 246.9 Εἰ δὲ μὴ τοῦτο, τάς γε βουλο μένας τυραννεῖσθαι μὴ συγχωρήσῃς, ἀλλ' ἐπανελθεῖν τύπωσον πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἢ μαρτυρόμεθα καὶ Θεὸν καὶ ἀνθρώ πους, ὅτι μὴ καλῶς ταῦτα γίνεται μηδὲ θεσμοῖς Ἐκκλησίας. Γλυκέριος δὲ εἰ μὲν ἐπανέλθοι μετ' ἐπιστήμης καὶ τῆς πρεπούσης εὐσταθείας, τοῦτο ἄριστον· εἰ δὲ μή, ἴστω πεπαυμένος τῆς ὑπηρεσίας. 247.Τ ΓΛΥΚΕΡΙΩΙ 247.1 Μέχρι τίνος ἀπονοῇ καὶ κακῶς βουλεύῃ περὶ σεαυτοῦ, κινεῖς μὲν ἡμᾶς, αἰσχύνεις δὲ τὸ κοινὸν τάγμα τῶν μοναστῶν; Ἐπάνελθε οὖν τῷ Θεῷ θαρρῶν καὶ ἡμῖν, οὗ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν μιμούμεθα. 247.2 Καὶ γὰρ εἰ πατρικῶς ἐπετιμήσαμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνωσόμεθα πατρικῶς. Ταῦτά σοι παρ' ἡμῶν, ἐπειδὴ πολλοί τε ἱκετεύουσιν ἄλλοι καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ σὸς πρεσβύτερος, οὗ τὴν πολιὰν αἰδού μεθα καὶ τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν. 247.3 Εἰ δὲ μακρύνεις ἀφ' ἡμῶν, τοῦ βαθμοῦ μὲν πάντως ἐκπέπτωκας, ἐκπεσῇ δὲ καὶ τοῦ