John Chrysostom, Letters

taking refuge, and in these things reckoning your absence. For we reckon you to be both present and with us no less than before, according to the principle of love, and we expect that someday we shall also enjoy a meeting face to face. Therefore let none of these things trouble you. For even if the winter has led you away from Ar52.694 menia, it has not cast you out from our soul, but we carry you in our mind continually. And if the war with the Isaurians, having walled off every road, had not placed us in a scarcity of those who carry letters, we would have often sent you snow-showers of letters. Now however, with our tongue we have been silent for the time past, but in our thought by no means; but we are always concerned for you and your affairs, and, for our part, we have written continually. Knowing these things, therefore, consider yourself to be with us, and to be staying with us in Armenia. And if anyone attempts to plot against you and to do you harm, become higher than the darts from there, since it is not suffering evil, but doing evil, that is truly suffering evil. For we also admire you the more for this, and praise your firmness and your courage, that although so great a storm is drenching you, you stand superior, having become above the disturbances from there. Remain then with much pleasure, sailing this calm and waveless sea. And do not be surprised, if while you are mindful of many plots, I call the sea waveless. For not from the mind of those who cause trouble, but from the tranquility that comes from virtue do I make this judgment. And what is it that I say? This great and lofty life, directed toward heaven, seems in the nature of things to be somewhat difficult, but by the courage and zeal of those who pursue it, it becomes very easy. And this is indeed the most wonderful thing about this philosophy, that when the sea is raging, he who genuinely and fervently pursues it sails with a fair wind and with much calm; and that, when many disturbances arise from every side, he reaps a pure tranquility; and when ten thousand darts are sent from every side, he stands unwounded, receiving the javelins, but suffering nothing from them. Knowing these things, therefore, and continually philosophizing in these matters, reap the unfading pleasure, awaiting the crowns laid up for you with God for these noble labors. And write to us continually, whenever it is possible, making known the state of your health, both of the soul and of the body; and spend all your leisure in the reading of the divine Scriptures, conversing with them as much as the weakness of your eyes permits, so that if ever an opportunity should arise for us also to place their meanings into your most noble soul, we may do this with much ease. For it will be able to contribute not a little to this end for you to learn the letters written therein, whenever you are about to receive the meanings in them. 137. To Theodotus the deacon. Cease accusing us of slowness, lest you first convict yourself with the charge. For having received as many letters from us as you have sent, except for one, sending as it were snow-showers of letters, so you said, thinking at least by persistence to stir us up to write. It is possible, then, to love even without writing, but nevertheless I have not ceased writing, and 52.695 I do not cease loving. But even if the time between our separation becomes longer, and even if we are carried off to a more desolate place, we are able neither to cast you from our soul, nor to fail to preserve our disposition toward you, ever flourishing. Knowing these things, therefore, write to us continually about your health. For the ease of this is greater for you than for us. But if the season of the year and the severity of the Isaurian evils prevent it, knowing the mind which you have toward us, we will have sufficient consolation for the long silence. 138. To Elpidius the bishop. I know that I have written seldom to your honor, but not willingly, but constrained by the necessity of circumstances. For both the season of the year, and the desolation of the place in which we are confined, more harsh than a prison, and the scarcity of people coming here,

καταφεύγων, καὶ τούτοις λογιζόμενός σου τὴν ἀποδημίαν. Ἡμεῖς γάρ σε καὶ παρεῖναι, καὶ μεθ' ἡμῶν εἶναι οὐκ ἔλαττον ἢ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν λογιζόμεθα κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀγάπης λόγον, καὶ προσδοκῶμεν καὶ τῆς κατ' ὄψιν ἀπολαύσεσθαί ποτε συντυχίας. Μηδὲν οὖν σε τούτων θορυβείτω. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῆς Ἀρ52.694 μενίας ἀπήγαγέ σε ὁ χειμὼν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ψυχῆς οὐκ ἐξέβαλεν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ διανοίας σε περιφέρομεν διηνεκῶς. Καὶ εἰ μὴ ὁ τῶν Ἰσαύρων πόλεμος πᾶσαν ἀποτειχίσας ὁδὸν, ἐν σπάνει κατέστησεν ἡμᾶς τῶν γράμματα διακομιζόντων, κἂν νιφάδας σοι πολλάκις ἐπέμψαμεν ἐπιστολῶν. Νῦν μέντοι τῇ γλώττῃ τὸν παρελθόντα σεσιγήκαμεν χρόνον, τῇ γνώμῃ δὲ οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλ' ἀεί σε καὶ τὰ σὰ μεριμνῶμεν, καὶ, τό γε ἡμέτερον μέρος, συνεχῶς ἐπεστάλκαμεν. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδὼς, μεθ' ἡμῶν τε εἶναι νόμιζε, καὶ σὺν ἡμῖν ἐν Ἀρμενίᾳ διατρίβειν. Κἄν τις ἐπιβουλεύειν ἐπιχειρῇ καὶ κακῶς ποιεῖν, ὑψηλότερος γίνου τῶν ἐντεῦθεν βελῶν, ἐπειδήπερ οὐ τὸ πάσχειν κακῶς, ἀλλὰ τὸ ποιεῖν κακῶς, τοῦτ' ἔστι τὸ πάσχειν κακῶς. Ἡμεῖς γάρ σε καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μειζόνως θαυμάζομεν, καὶ τὴν στεῤῥότητά σου καὶ τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἐπαινοῦμεν, ὅτι καὶ τοσαύτης σε ζάλης περιαντλούσης, ἕστηκας ἀνώτερος τῶν ἐντεῦθεν θορύβων γενόμενος. Μένε δὴ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἡδονῆς τὸ γαληνὸν τοῦτο καὶ ἀκύμαντον πλέων πέλαγος. Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς, εἴ σου πολλῶν ἐπιβουλῶν μεμνημένου ἐγὼ τὸ πέλαγος ἀκύμαντον καλῶ. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ταραττόντων γνώμης, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς κατ' ἀρετὴν ἡσυχίας ταύτην φέρω τὴν ψῆφον. Τί δέ ἐστιν ὅ φημι; Ὁ μέγας οὗτος καὶ ὑψηλὸς βίος, καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν τεταμένος, τῇ μὲν φύσει τῶν πραγμάτων δυσχερής τις εἶναι δοκεῖ, τῇ δὲ ἀνδρείᾳ τῶν μετιόντων καὶ τῇ προθυμίᾳ εὔκολος σφόδρα γίνεται. Καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας ταύτης τοῦτο μάλιστά ἐστιν, ὅτι τῆς θαλάττης μαινομένης, ἐξουρίας πλεῖ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς γαλήνης ὁ γνησίως αὐτὴν μετιὼν καὶ θερμῶς, καὶ ὅτι, πολλῶν πανταχόθεν θορύβων ἐγειρομένων, ἡσυχίαν καρποῦται καθαρὰν, καὶ μυρίων πανταχόθεν πεμπομένων βελῶν, ἕστηκεν ἄτρωτος, δεχόμενος μὲν τὰ ἀκόντια, πάσχων δὲ ἐντεῦθεν οὐδέν. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδὼς, καὶ διηνεκῶς ἐν τούτοις φιλοσοφῶν, καρποῦ τὴν ἀμάραντον ἡδονὴν, ἀναμένων τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν καλῶν πόνων τούτων κειμένους σοι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ στεφάνους. Καὶ γράφε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας σου δηλῶν καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ τῆς κατὰ τὸ σῶμα· καὶ τὴν σχολὴν ἅπασαν εἰς τὴν τῶν θείων ἀνάλισκε Γραφῶν ἀνάγνωσιν, τοσοῦτον αὐταῖς ὁμιλῶν, ὅσον καὶ ἡ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀσθένεια ἐπιτρέπει, ἵν' εἴ ποτε γένοιτο καιρὸς ἡμῖν καὶ τὰ νοήματα αὐτῶν ἐνθεῖναι τῇ εὐγενεστάτῃ σου ψυχῇ, μετὰ πολλῆς τοῦτο ποιήσωμεν τῆς εὐκολίας. Οὐ γὰρ μικρὸν εἰς τοῦτο δυνήσεταί σοι συντελέσαι τὸ μαθεῖν τὰ ἐγκείμενα γράμματα, ἡνίκα ἂν μέλλῃς τὰ ἐν τούτοις νοήματα ὑποδέχεσθαι. ΡΛΖʹ. Θεοδότῳ διακόνῳ. Παῦσαι κατηγορῶν ἡμῶν βραδυτῆτος, μὴ σαυτὸν πρότερον ἕλῃς τῷ ἐγκλήματι. Τοσαύτας γὰρ ἐπιστολὰς δεξάμενος παρ' ἡμῶν, ὅσας ἐπέσταλκας, πλὴν μιᾶς, ὥσπερ νιφάδας πέμπων γραμμάτων, οὕτως ἔφης, τῇ γοῦν συνεχείᾳ ἀναστήσειν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸ γράφειν οἰόμενος. Ἔστι μὲν οὖν καὶ μὴ γράφοντα φιλεῖν, πλὴν ἀλλ' ἐγὼ καὶ γράφων οὐ διέλιπον, καὶ 52.695 φιλῶν οὐ παύομαι. Ἀλλὰ κἂν χρόνος γένηται μακρότερος ὁ μεταξὺ τοῦ χωρισμοῦ τοῦ ἡμετέρου, κἂν εἰς ἐρημότερον ἀπενεχθῶμεν χωρίον, οὔτε ἐκβαλεῖν σε τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεθα, οὔτε μὴ διηνεκῶς ἀκμάζουσαν διατηρεῖν τὴν περὶ σὲ διάθεσιν. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδὼς, γράφε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς. Πλείων γὰρ ὑμῖν ἡ εὐκολία τούτου, ἢ ἡμῖν. Εἰ δὲ ἡ τοῦ ἔτους ὥρα διακωλύει, καὶ τῶν Ἰσαυρικῶν κακῶν ἡ σφοδρότης, εἰδότες σου τὴν γνώμην ἣν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἔχεις, ἀρκοῦσαν τῆς μακρᾶς σιγῆς ἕξομεν παραμυθίαν. ΡΛΗʹ. Ἐλπιδίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Οἶδα ὅτι ὀλιγάκις ἐπέσταλκα τῇ τιμιότητί σου, ἀλλ' οὐχ ἑκὼν, ἀλλ' ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀνάγκης κατεχόμενος. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ἔτους ὥρα, καὶ ἡ τοῦ χωρίου ἐρημία ἐν ᾧ καθείργμεθα δεσμωτηρίου χαλεπώτερον, καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐνταῦθα παραγινομένων σπάνις,