John Chrysostom, Letters

155. To Chromatius, Bishop of Aquileia. The loud-voiced trumpet of your fervent and genuine love has sounded even to us, breathing forth a great and 52.703 far-reaching cry from so great a distance, and arriving at the very ends of the earth. And we, who are separated by so great a length of road, know no less than those who are present your most vehement and fiery love, your sincere tongue filled with much freedom and boldness, your firmness that imitates adamant. Therefore we also greatly desire to enjoy your company face to face. But since this wilderness, in which we are now bound, has deprived us of this also, having found my most honorable and reverend presbyter, we fulfill our desire as far as is possible, by writing and greeting you, acknowledging many thanks to you for the zeal which you have shown with much vigor throughout all this long time. And we entreat you, whenever he may return, and apart from him, through any letter-carriers who may happen by, if any should be found who are coming to this wilderness, to write to us concerning your health. For you know how much pleasure we shall reap from this, receiving more frequently the good news of the health of those so fervently disposed towards us. 156. To the Bishops. The very nature of things cries out everywhere, uttering a voice clearer than a trumpet, your most excellent zeal, and your eagerness for the truth, which neither length of road, nor multitude of time, nor the irrational contentiousness of those who are incurably sick, nor anything else of such things has destroyed or made more dim. And we do not cease to have many thanks for you, and we do not stop calling you blessed, for the crowns laid up for you by the philanthropic God for these good struggles. And we desire to see you face to face. But since this is not possible for us who are bound by the chain of exile, having laid hold of my most honorable and reverend presbyter, we write through him and render to you the greeting that is owed, making known that you have attached the whole East to your affection, and have made them vehement lovers of you, and you have countless ones who share this just indignation with you at the lawless acts that have occurred. And we entreat you to show the same eagerness until the end. For you know how many crowns you will reap from these temporary labors, laying up beforehand for yourselves with the philanthropic God the immortal rewards with much abundance. 157. To the Bishops who came from the West. And formerly indeed we were amazed at your zeal, the eagerness that has been shown for the correction of the Churches, your firm and genuine disposition, your manly and unswerving mind, the endurance which you have shown for so long 52.704 a time. But we were especially astounded now at your great exertion, in choosing so long a journey across the sea, one full of labors and toils, for the things advantageous to the Churches. And we wished indeed to write to you continually, and to render the greeting that is owed to your reverence. But since this is not possible—for we inhabit a place almost inaccessible to most, walled off on all sides by desert—now having laid hold of my most honorable and reverend presbyter, we greet your love, and we entreat you to put an end to it that is in keeping with the beginnings. For you know how great your reward for your endurance will be, and how great the recompenses from the philanthropic God for those who labor for the common peace and who undertake so great a struggle. 158. To the same. You have prepared no small ground for crowns for yourselves, and an occasion of comfort for us, from this your most excellent zeal, and your labors, and your toils. Therefore also, though we are sitting at so great a distance, we proclaim you, we acknowledge our thanks, and we crown and call you blessed. And we wished indeed also

ΡΝΕʹ. Χρωματίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἀκυληΐας. Ἤχησε καὶ μέχρις ἡμῶν ἡ μεγαλόφωνος τῆς θερμῆς σου καὶ γνησίας ἀγάπης σάλπιγξ, μέγα τι καὶ 52.703 διωλύγιον ἐκ τοσούτου πνεύσασα τοῦ διαστήματος, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰ ἀφικομένη τῆς γῆς τὰ πέρατα. Καὶ τῶν παρόντων οὐκ ἔλαττον ἴσμεν ἡμεῖς, οἱ τοσοῦτον ἀπῳκισμένοι μῆκος ὁδοῦ, τὴν σφοδροτάτην σου καὶ πυρὸς γέμουσαν ἀγάπην, τὴν εἰλικρινῆ καὶ ἐλευθερίας πολλῆς καὶ παῤῥησίας ἐμπεπλησμένην γλῶτταν, τὴν ἔνστασιν τὴν ἀδάμαντα μιμουμένην. ∆ιὸ καὶ σφόδρα ἐπιθυμοῦμεν καὶ τῆς κατὰ πρόσωπον ἀπολαῦσαί σου συντυχίας. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ἡ ἐρημία αὕτη παρείλετο, ᾗ νῦν ἐσμεν πεπεδημένοι, εὑρόντες τὸν κύριόν μου τιμιώτατον καὶ εὐλαβέστατον πρεσβύτερον, καθὼς ἔνι, τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν πληροῦμεν τὴν ἑαυτῶν, γράφοντες καὶ προσαγορεύοντες, χάριτας ὁμολογοῦντες ὑμῖν πολλὰς ὑπὲρ τῆς σπουδῆς, ἣν διὰ παντὸς τοῦ μακροῦ τούτου χρόνου, μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπεδείξασθε τῆς εὐτονίας. Καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν ἡνίκα ἂν ἐπανίῃ, καὶ τούτου χωρὶς, διὰ τῶν ἐμπιπτόντων γραμματηφόρων, εἴ γέ τινες εὑρεθεῖεν οἱ πρὸς τὴν ἐρημίαν ταύτην ἀφικνούμενοι, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλειν τῆς ὑμετέρας. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὅσην ἐντεῦθεν καρπωσόμεθα τὴν ἡδονὴν, τῶν οὕτω θερμῶς περὶ ἡμᾶς διακειμένων τὴν ὑγείαν πυκνοτέρως εὐαγγελιζόμενοι. ΡΝʹ. Ἐπισκόποις. Βοᾷ μὲν πανταχοῦ καὶ αὐτὴ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡ φύσις, σάλπιγγος λαμπροτέραν ἀφιεῖσα φωνὴν, τὸν κάλλιστον ὑμῶν ζῆλον, καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας προθυμίαν, ἣν οὐχ ὁδοῦ μῆκος, οὐ χρόνου πλῆθος, οὐ τῶν ἀνίατα νοσούντων ἡ παράλογος φιλονεικία, οὐκ ἄλλο τῶν τοιούτων οὐδὲν κατέλυσεν, οὐδὲ ἀμαυροτέραν ἐποίησε. Καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ διαλιμπάνομεν πολλὰς ὑμῖν ἔχοντες χάριτας, καὶ μακαρίζοντες ὑμᾶς οὐ παυόμεθα, τῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς καλοῖς τούτοις ἀγῶσιν ἀποκειμένων ὑμῖν στεφάνων παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ. Καὶ ἐπιθυμοῦμεν ὑμᾶς καὶ κατ' ὄψιν ἰδεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔνι δυνατὸν τῷ τῆς ἐξορίας δεσμῷ πεπεδημένοις, ἐπιλαβόμενοι τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ τιμιωτάτου καὶ εὐλαβεστάτου πρεσβυτέρου, δι' αὐτοῦ γράφομεν, καὶ τὴν ὀφειλομένην πρόσρησιν ἀποδιδόαμεν ὑμῖν δηλοῦντες ὡς ἅπασαν ἀνηρτήσασθε τῷ πόθῳ τὴν ἀνατολὴν, καὶ σφοδροὺς ὑμῶν κατεστήσατε ἐραστὰς, καὶ μυρίους ἔχετε τοὺς συναγανακτοῦντας ὑμῖν τὴν δικαίαν ταύτην ἀγανάκτησιν ἐπὶ ταῖς γεγενημέναις παρανομίαις. Καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιδείξασθαι μέχρι τέλους προθυμίαν. Ἴστε γὰρ ὅσους καρπώσεσθε στεφάνους ἀπὸ τῶν προσκαίρων τούτων πόνων, τὰς ἀθανάτους ὑμῖν μετὰ πολλῆς δαψιλείας προαποτιθέμενοι παρὰ τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ Θεῷ ἀμοιβάς. ΡΝΖʹ. Ἐπισκόποις ἐλθοῦσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ∆ύσεως. Καὶ ἔμπροσθεν μὲν ἐξεπληττόμεθα ὑμῶν τὴν σπουδὴν, τὴν προθυμίαν τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς διορθώσεως τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν γεγενημένην, τὴν στεῤῥὰν καὶ γνησίαν διάθεσιν, τὴν ἀνδρείαν καὶ ἀπερίτρεπτον γνώμην, τὴν καρτερίαν, ἣν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον ἐπεδείξασθε 52.704 χρόνον. Μάλιστα δὲ ἐξεπλάγημεν νῦν τὸν πολὺν ὑμῶν τόνον, οὕτω μακρὰν καὶ διαπόντιον ἀποδημίαν ἑλομένων, καὶ πόνων καὶ ἱδρώτων γέμουσαν, ὑπὲρ τῶν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις συμφερόντων. Καὶ ἐβουλόμεθα μὲν καὶ ἐπιστέλλειν συνεχῶς, καὶ τὴν ὀφειλομένην τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ ὑμῶν ἀποδιδόναι πρόσρησιν. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔνι σχεδὸν γὰρ ἄβατον τοῖς πολλοῖς οἰκοῦμεν χωρίον, ἐρημίᾳ πάντοθεν ἀποτετειχισμένον, νῦν ἐπιλαβόμενοι τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ τιμιωτάτου καὶ εὐλαβεστάτου πρεσβυτέρου, προσαγορεύομεν ὑμῶν τὴν ἀγάπην, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν τοῖς προοιμίοις συμβαῖνον ἐπιθεῖναι τέλος. Ἴστε γὰρ ὅσος ὑμῖν ἔσται τῆς ὑπομονῆς ὁ μισθὸς, καὶ ὅσαι παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ αἱ ἀντιδόσεις ὑπὲρ τῆς κοινῆς εἰρήνης πονουμένοις, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀναδεχομένοις ἀγῶνα. ΡΝΗʹ. Τοῖς αὐτοῖς. Οὐ μικρὰν καὶ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς στεφάνων ὑπόθεσιν, καὶ ἡμῖν παρακλήσεως ἀφορμὴν ἀπὸ τῆς καλλίστης ὑμῶν ταύτης σπουδῆς, καὶ τῶν πόνων, καὶ τῶν ἱδρώτων κατεσκευάσατε. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐκ τοσούτου καθήμενοι διαστήματος, ἀνακηρύττομεν ὑμᾶς, χάριτας ὁμολογοῦμεν, καὶ στεφανοῦμεν, καὶ μακαρίζομεν. Καὶ ἐβουλόμεθα μὲν καὶ