John Chrysostom, Letters

the life that is to journey with us. RMB'. To Bishop Elpidius. With the tongue seldom, but with the mind often, have we written to your God-reverence, and we are with you every day, and neither the amount of time, nor the length of the road, nor the circumstance of affairs has the power to deprive us of this companionship. For such is the nature of love: it yields to none of these things, nor gives way, but stands, becoming higher than all. Do not, therefore, my most honored and reverend lord, measure by the number of letters the affection which we have for your Grace, but knowing our mind and the disposition which we have always shown towards your Reverence, suspect nothing from this long silence. Since we too, having received 52.697 letters from your affection but a few times, do not on that account think you have become more indifferent toward us, but we know clearly and have believed that you remain, keeping your disposition towards us flourishing, not only not collapsing from the succession of imposed troubles, but even becoming more ardent toward us; and for this we owe you much thanks. But since I know well that you also wish to learn our news, we are enjoying good health and much freedom from business, and quiet, and we live in safety, having for the time been delivered from the Isaurian disturbances. For I have practiced bearing the rest of the Armenian winter, being harmed indeed slightly, as much as is likely for one having so weak a body; but I have overcome it by being shut up at home continuously when the frost is unbearable, and by peeking out from the doors only a few times. As for the other seasons of the year, we have enjoyed them most pleasantly, so that we have been able to easily recover from the illness that came upon us from the winter. RMG'. To Polybius. We have been cast out from the ground and walls of the city, but from the city in the true sense we have not been moved. For if you are the city, and we are always with you and in you, it is clear that even while living here, we inhabit that city; for we dwell in your souls, I know well, and wherever we may go, we depart carrying all you, our ardent lovers, in our mind. This does not permit us to see either the desolation of this place—for it is the most desolate of the whole world—or the siege of the robbers—for it is besieged every day—or the famine born from it; since our body is established here, but our soul is with you continuously. But since for those so disposed the bodily presence is also most longed for and eagerly sought, and it grieves when it does not happen, and since this for the time being cannot be, but there is a very great remedy for it in fellowship through letters, provide this to us with much abundance, and we will be delivered from this despondency. For you are able, my most wonderful lord, even through letters to contrive the pleasure of a presence. RMD'. To Diogenes. Cucusus is a desolate place, and otherwise dangerous for habitation, besieged by the constant fear of robbers; but you, even while absent, have made it to be a paradise. For whenever we hear of your great zeal, the genuine and warm love you have for us—for nothing escapes us, even sitting at so great a distance—as having a very great treasure, and unspeakable wealth, in the disposition of your Grace, we consider that we are living in a most safe city, winged by such great joy, and reaping the greatest consolation from it. 52.698 Therefore, that another addition of pleasure may be made for us, I beseech you, grant us letters also, which declare the news of your health. For even if this is difficult, because of the length of the road, and because this place is very far removed from the public road, yet for one who loves so, as you yourself know how to love, even difficult things become easy. Considering, therefore, how great a favor you will grant us by the frequency of such letters, provide us this joy also; for we are greatly pained, that having already written a second time, we have not even once received letters from your Grace. RME'. To Nicolaus the Presbyter. I myself also wished, and very much

μέλλουσαν ἡμῖν συναποδημοῦσι ζωήν. ΡΜΒʹ. Ἐλπιδίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Γλώττῃ μὲν ὀλιγάκις, γνώμῃ δὲ πολλάκις ἐπεστάλκαμέν σου τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην συγγινόμεθα τὴν ἡμέραν, καὶ ταύτης οὐκ ἰσχύει τῆς συνουσίας ἡμᾶς ἀποστερῆσαι οὐ χρόνου πλῆθος, οὐχ ὁδοῦ μῆκος, οὐ πραγμάτων περίστασις. Τοιαύτη γὰρ τῆς ἀγάπης ἡ φύσις· οὐδενὶ τούτων εἴκει, οὐδὲ παραχωρεῖ, ἀλλ' ἕστηκε πάντων ὑψηλοτέρα γινομένη. Μὴ τοίνυν τῷ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἀριθμῷ, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε καὶ εὐλαβέστατε, μέτρει τὸ φίλτρον, ὃ περὶ τὴν σὴν ἔχομεν ἐμμέλειαν, ἀλλ' εἰδὼς ἡμῶν τὴν γνώμην καὶ τὴν διάθεσιν, ἣν ἀεὶ περὶ τὴν εὐλάβειαν ἐπεδειξάμεθα τὴν σὴν, μηδὲν ἀπὸ τῆς μακρᾶς ταύτης σιγῆς ὑπόπτευε. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὀλιγάκις δεξά52.697 μενοι γράμματα παρὰ τῆς σῆς διαθέσεως, οὐδὲ ἐντεῦθεν ῥᾳθυμότερόν σε περὶ ἡμᾶς γεγενῆσθαι νομίζομεν, ἀλλ' ἴσμεν σαφῶς καὶ πεπιστεύκαμεν, ὅτι μένεις ἀνθοῦσαν διατηρῶν τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς διάθεσιν, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀναπίπτων ἐκ τῆς συνεχείας τῶν ἐπαγομένων δεινῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφοδρότερος γινόμενος περὶ ἡμᾶς· καὶ τούτου σοι χάριν ἴσμεν πολλήν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα βούλει μανθάνειν, ὑγείας ἀπολαύομεν καὶ ἀπραγμοσύνης πολλῆς, καὶ ἡσυχίας, καὶ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ διάγομεν, τῶν Ἰσαυρικῶν τέως ἀπηλλαγμένοι θορύβων. Τὸν γὰρ χειμῶνα λοιπὸν τῆς Ἀρμενίας φέρειν ἐμελέτησα, βλαπτόμενος μὲν ἠρέμα βλάβην, ὅσην εἰκὸς οὕτως ἀσθενεῖ σώματι κεχρημένον· περιγενόμενος δὲ τῷ διηνεκῶς οἴκοι κατακεκλεῖσθαι, ὅταν ἀφόρητος ὁ κρυμὸς ᾖ, καὶ ὀλιγάκις τῶν προθύρων προκύπτειν. Ὡς τῶν γε ἄλλων ὡρῶν τοῦ ἔτους σφόδρα ἡδίστων ἀπολελαύκαμεν, ὡς δυνηθῆναι εὐκόλως καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ χειμῶνος ἐγγινομένην ἡμῖν διορθώσασθαι ἀῤῥωστίαν. ΡΜΓʹ. Πολυβίῳ. Τοῦ μὲν ἐδάφους καὶ τῶν τοίχων τῆς πόλεως ἐκβεβλήμεθα, τῆς δὲ κυρίως πόλεως οὐ μετῳκίσθημεν. Εἰ γὰρ ὑμεῖς ἡ πόλις, μεθ' ὑμῶν δὲ ἡμεῖς ἀεὶ καὶ ἐν ὑμῖν, εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ ἐνταῦθα διάγοντες, τὴν πόλιν οἰκοῦμεν ἐκείνην· καὶ γὰρ ἐνδιαιτώμεθα ὑμῶν ταῖς ψυχαῖς, εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι, καὶ ὅπουπερ ἂν ἀπίωμεν, καὶ πάντας ὑμᾶς τοὺς σφοδροὺς ἡμῶν ἐραστὰς ἐπὶ διανοίας περιφέροντες ἄπιμεν. Τοῦτο ἡμᾶς οὔτε τὴν ἐρημίαν τοῦ χωρίου τούτου καὶ γὰρ πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐστὶν ἐρημότατον, οὔτε τὴν πολιορκίαν τῶν λῃστῶν καὶ γὰρ καθ' ἑκάστην πολιορκεῖται τὴν ἡμέραν, οὐ τὸν ἐντεῦθεν τικτόμενον λιμὸν ἀφίησιν ὁρᾷν· ἐπειδὴ τὸ μὲν σῶμα ἡμῖν ἐνταῦθα ἵδρυται, ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ παρ' ὑμῖν διηνεκῶς. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῖς οὕτω διακειμένοις ποθεινὴ σφόδρα καὶ περισπούδαστος καὶ ἡ σωματικὴ παρουσία, καὶ λυπεῖ μὴ γινομένη, τοῦτο δὲ τέως γενέσθαι οὐκ ἔνι, ἔνι δὲ αὐτῇ φάρμακον μέγιστον ἡ διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων συνουσία, πάρεχε ταύτην ἡμῖν μετὰ δαψιλείας πολλῆς, καὶ ταύτης ἀπηλλάγμεθα τῆς ἀθυμίας. Ἱκανὸς γὰρ σὺ, δέσποτά μου θαυμασιώτατε, καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων σοφίζεσθαι παρουσίας ἡδονήν. ΡΜ∆ʹ. ∆ιογένει. Ἔρημον μὲν ἡ Κουκουσὸς χωρίον, καὶ ἄλλως εἰς οἴκησιν σφαλερὸν, διηνεκεῖ φόβῳ τῶν λῃστῶν πολιορκούμενον· σὺ δὲ αὐτὴν καὶ ἀπὼν παράδεισον εἶναι πεποίηκας. Ὅταν γάρ σου τὸν ζῆλον ἀκούσωμεν τὸν πολὺν, τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς, τὴν γνησίαν καὶ θερμὴν οὐδὲν γὰρ ἡμᾶς λανθάνει καὶ ἐκ τοσούτου καθημένους διαστήματος, ὡς θησαυρὸν μέγιστον ἔχοντες, καὶ πλοῦτον ἄφατον, τὴν διάθεσίν σου τῆς ἐμμελείας, καὶ ἐν ἀσφαλεστάτῃ πόλει διατρίβειν ἡγούμεθα, ὑπὸ τῆς τοσαύτης εὐφροσύνης πτερούμενοι, καὶ μεγίστην παράκλησιν ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμενοι. 52.698 Ἵν' οὖν καὶ ἑτέρα προσθήκη γένηται ἡμῖν ἡδονῆς, παρακαλῶ, καὶ γράμματα ἡμῖν χαρίζου, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας δηλοῦντα τῆς σῆς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐργῶδες τοῦτο, διὰ τὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ μῆκος, καὶ τὸ σφόδρα ἀπῳκίσθαι τῆς δημοσίας τουτὶ τὸ χωρίον ὁδοῦ, ἀλλὰ τῷ οὕτως φιλοῦντι, ὡς αὐτὸς οἶσθα φιλεῖν, καὶ τὰ δύσκολα εὔκολα γίνονται. Ἐννοήσας τοίνυν ἡλίκην ἡμῖν χαριῇ χάριν τῇ πυκνότητι τῶν τοιούτων γραμμάτων, πάρεχε καὶ ταύτην ἡμῖν τὴν εὐφροσύνην· καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα ἀλγοῦμεν, ὅτι δεύτερον ἐπεσταλκότες ἤδη, οὐδὲ ἅπαξ ἐδεξάμεθα γράμματα τῆς σῆς ἐμμελείας. ΡΜΕʹ. Νικολάῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Ἐβουλόμην καὶ αὐτὸς, καὶ σφόδρα