74

the necessary means of life of the most longed-for brother Dorotheus, some of those in Berisus entrusted with administering public affairs have seized, whether they came to this violence on their own accord or others put them up to it. But in no way is the matter blameless for them. For how does one who is wicked by nature do less wrong than one who serves the malice of others? And for those who have suffered, the loss is the same. We ask that he receive back what he was deprived of, and that it not be permitted for them to transfer the blame for what has been dared to others. And by as much as it is worthy to escape the distress from the grain shortage, by so much will we value the favor from your great genius, if you should deign to grant it.

87. WITHOUT INSCRIPTION, CONCERNING THE SAME MATTERS

87.1 I was amazed how, with you mediating, so great an evil was dared against the

fellow presbyter, that the only resource for his living which he had was plundered. And the most terrible thing is that those who have dared this refer to you the blame for what they have done, you, for whom it was fitting not only not to permit such things to happen, but also to prevent them with all your strength, especially against all, but if not, at least against the presbyters, and of these, as many as are of one mind with us and travel the same road of piety. If, then, you care at all to give us rest, cause what has happened to be set right quickly. For with God you are able to set right both these things and even greater things than these for whomever you wish. And I have also written to the governor of the province, so that, if they are not willing to do what is just on their own, they may be compelled to do so by the action of the courts.

88. WITHOUT INSCRIPTION, CONCERNING A COLLECTOR OF MONEY

88.1 The difficulty of collecting the commercial gold above all

your Honor has learned, and of our poverty we have no such witness as you, who out of your great philanthropy both sympathized with us and bore with us as far as possible up to the present, nowhere disturbing the gentleness of your own disposition by the turmoil imposed from above. Since, therefore, a little gold still remains for us from the whole amount, and it is necessary for this to be collected from the contribution to which we urged the whole city, we entreat your Clemency to extend the deadline for us a little, so that those outside the city may also be reminded. For the majority of those in authority are in the country, as you yourself are not unaware. If, then, it is possible for it to be sent minus so many pounds—for that much is left for us—we ask you that this be done, and that amount will be sent on later; but if it is absolutely necessary for it to be sent all at once to the treasuries, we ask, as we did from the beginning, that the deadline be made more generous for us.

89. TO MELETIUS THE BISHOP

89.1 The good God, having provided us occasions for addresses to the

your Honor, soothes the intensity of our longing. For He himself is witness of the desire we have to see your face and to enjoy your good and soul-profiting teaching. And now, through the most devout and most zealous brother Dorotheus, the fellow-deacon who is coming, we ask you first of all to pray for us, so that we may not be a stumbling block to the people nor

74

τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τοῦ βίου διαγωγὴν ὁ ποθεινότατος ἀδελφὸς ∆ωρόθεος, διήρπασάν τινες ἐν Βηρίσοις τῶν τὰ δημόσια διοικεῖν πεπιστευμένων, εἴτε ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν βίαν εἴτε καὶ ἑτέρων αὐτοῖς ὑποθεμένων. Πλὴν οὐδαμόθεν αὐτοῖς τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀνέγκλητον. Τί γὰρ ἧττον ἀδικεῖ ὁ οἴκοθεν πονη ρὸς ἢ ὁ ἑτέρων κακίᾳ ὑπηρετούμενος; Καὶ τοῖς πεπονθόσιν ἡ ζημία ὁμοία. Τοῦτον ἀξιοῦμεν δι' ὧν ἀφῃρέθη μὲν ἀπο λαβεῖν καὶ μὴ ἐξεῖναι αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ ἑτέρους τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν τετολμημένων ἀναφέρειν. Ὅσου δὲ ἄξιον τὸ τὴν ἐκ τῆς σιτοδείας διαφυγεῖν ἀνάγκην, τοσούτου τὴν χάριν τιμησό μεθα τὴν παρὰ τῆς σῆς μεγαλοφυΐας, ἐὰν ἄρα δοῦναι καταξιώσῃς.

87.τ ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ ΥΠΕΡ ΤΩΝ ΑΥΤΩΝ

87.1 Ἐθαύμασα πῶς σοῦ μεσιτεύοντος τοσοῦτον ἐτολμήθη κακὸν κατὰ τοῦ

συμπρεσβυτέρου ὥστε ἣν μόνην εἶχεν ἀφορμὴν τοῦ βίου, ταύτην διαρπασθῆναι. Καὶ τὸ δεινό τατον, ὅτι οἱ τοῦτο τετολμηκότες ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν αἰτίαν ὧν πεποιήκασιν ἀναφέρουσιν, ὃν οὐχ ὅπως ἐπιτρέπειν τὰ τοιαῦτα γίνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντὶ σθένει διακωλύειν ἀκό λουθον ἦν, μάλιστα μὲν κατὰ πάντων, εἰ δ' ἄρα, κατὰ γοῦν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ τούτων ὅσοι ἡμῖν ὁμόψυχοι καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁδὸν πορευόμενοι. Εἴ τι οὖν φροντί ζεις τοῦ ἀναπαῦσαι ἡμᾶς, ταχέως διορθωθῆναι τὰ γενό μενα ποίησον. ∆ύνασαι γὰρ σὺν Θεῷ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ ἔτι μείζω τούτων κατορθοῦν οἷς ἂν ἐθέλῃς. Ἐπέστειλα δὲ καὶ τῷ ἄρχοντι τῆς πατρίδος, ἵνα, ἐὰν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν μὴ θελήσωσι ποιῆσαι τὰ δίκαια, ἐκ τῆς κινήσεως τῶν δικα στηρίων ἀναγκασθῶσι ποιῆσαι.

88.τ ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ ΕΠΙ ΑΠΑΙΤΗΤΗ ΧΡΗΜΑΤΩΝ

88.1 Τὴν δυσκολίαν τῆς συγκομιδῆς τοῦ πραγματευτικοῦ χρυσίου πάντων

μάλιστα ἡ σὴ τιμιότης κατέμαθε, καὶ τῆς πενίας ἡμῶν οὐδένα μάρτυρα τοιοῦτον ἔχομεν οἷον σέ, ὃς ἐκ τῆς μεγάλης φιλανθρωπίας καὶ συνέπαθες ἡμῖν καὶ συμπεριηνέχθης μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος τὰ δυνατά, οὐδαμοῦ τὸ πρᾶον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ τῶν τρόπων καταστάσεως ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἄνωθεν ἐπικειμένων ταραχῆς παρακινήσας. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὑπο λείπεται ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ παντὸς σταθμοῦ ὀλίγον ἔτι χρυσίον καὶ τοῦτο ἀνάγκη ἐκ τοῦ ἐράνου, εἰς ὃν προετρεψάμεθα πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν, συγκομισθῆναι, παρακαλοῦμέν σου τὴν ἡμερότητα μικρόν τι ἐκτεῖναι ἡμῖν τὴν προθεσμίαν, πρὸς τὸ καὶ τοὺς ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ὑπομνησθῆναι. Ἐν ἀγροῖς γάρ ἐστι τὸ πολὺ τῶν ἐν τέλει, ὡς οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀγνοεῖς. Ἐὰν μὲν οὖν ᾖ δυνατὸν παρὰ τοσάσδε λίτρας ἐκπεμφθῆναι, τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἡμῖν ὑπολέλειπται, τοῦτο γενέσθαι παρακα λοῦμέν σε, κἀκεῖνο ἐπαποσταλήσεται ὕστερον· ἐὰν δὲ πᾶσα ᾖ ἀνάγκη ἀθρόον αὐτὸ παραπεμφθῆναι τοῖς θησαυροῖς, ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἠξιώσαμεν, πλατυτέραν ἡμῖν γενέσθαι τὴν προθεσμίαν.

89.τ ΜΕΛΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ

89.1 Ὁ ἀγαθὸς Θεός, παρασχόμενος ἡμῖν προφάσεις προ σηγοριῶν πρὸς τὴν

σὴν τιμιότητα, τὸ σφοδρὸν τοῦ πόθου παραμυθεῖται. Μάρτυς γὰρ αὐτὸς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἡμῶν ἣν ἔχομεν εἰς τὸ θεάσασθαί σου τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ἀγαθῆς σου καὶ ψυχωφελοῦς διδασκαλίας. Καὶ νῦν δὲ διὰ τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου καὶ σπουδαιοτάτου ἀδελφοῦ ∆ωρο θέου, τοῦ συνδιακόνου ἐρχομένου, παρακαλοῦμέν σε προ ηγουμένως προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ πρόσκομμα ὦμεν τῷ λαῷ μηδὲ