Ep. CLIII.  To Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia.

Twice I have been tripped up by you, and have been deceived (you know what I mean), and, if it was justly, may the Lord smell from you an odour of sweet savour;79    Gen. viii. 21. if unjustly, may the Lord pardon it.  For so it is reasonable for me to speak of you, seeing we are commanded to be patient when injuries are inflicted on us.  But as you are master of your own opinions, so am I of mine.  That troublesome Gregory will no longer be troublesome to you.  I will withdraw myself to God, Who alone is pure and guileless.  I will retire into myself.  This I have determined; for to stumble twice on the same stone is attributed by the proverb to fools alone.

[153] ΒΟΣΠΟΡΙΩΙ

Δὶς ἤδη τοῦτο ἐπτέρνισμαι παρ' ὑμῶν καὶ ἠπάτημαι (οἶδας ὃ λέγω): καὶ εἰ μὲν δικαίως, ὀσφρανθείη Κύριος παρ' ὑμῶν ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας: εἰ δὲ ἀδίκως, συγγνοίη Κύριος. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐμὲ περὶ ὑμῶν λέγειν εὔλογον, ἐπειδὴ φέρειν καὶ ἀδικούμενοι προστετάγμεθα. Πλὴν ὥσπερ ὑμεῖς κύριοι τῆς ὑμετέρας γνώμης, οὕτω κἀγὼ τῆς ἐμῆς. Οὐκέτι βαρὺς ὑμῖν ἔσται Γρηγόριος ὁ βαρύς. Ἀναχωρήσω πρὸς Θεὸν τὸν μόνον καθαρόν τε καὶ ἄδολον. Εἰς ἐμαυτὸν συσταλήσομαι. Ταῦτα ἐμαυτῷ νενομοθέτηκα: δὶς γὰρ πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν λίθον πταίειν τοῖς ἀνοήτοις μόνοις ἡ παροιμία δίδωσιν.