Letter LXXXVII.559    Of the same date as the preceding.

Without address on the same subject.560    Probably to Elias.

I am astonished that, with you to appeal to, so grave an offence should have been committed against the presbyter as that he should have been deprived of his only means of livelihood.  The most serious part of the business is that the perpetrators transfer the guilt of their proceedings to you; while all the while it was your duty not only not to suffer such deeds to be done, but to use all your authority to prevent them in the case of any one, but specially in the case of presbyters, and such presbyters as are in agreement with me, and are walking in the same way of true religion.  If then you have any care to give me gratification, see that these matters are set right without delay.  For, God helping you, you are able to do this, and greater things than this to whom you will.  I have written to the governor of my own country,561    Πατρίς.  The Ben. Ed suppose the reference to be here to Annesi.  cf. Letters viii. and li. that, if they refuse to do what is right of their own accord, they may be compelled to do so on pressure from the courts.

ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ ΥΠΕΡ ΤΩΝ ΑΥΤΩΝ

[1] Ἐθαύμασα πῶς σοῦ μεσιτεύοντος τοσοῦτον ἐτολμήθη κακὸν κατὰ τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου ὥστε ἣν μόνην εἶχεν ἀφορμὴν τοῦ βίου, ταύτην διαρπασθῆναι. Καὶ τὸ δεινότατον, ὅτι οἱ τοῦτο τετολμηκότες ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν αἰτίαν ὧν πεποιήκασιν ἀναφέρουσιν, ὃν οὐχ ὅπως ἐπιτρέπειν τὰ τοιαῦτα γίνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντὶ σθένει διακωλύειν ἀκόλουθον 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 φροντίζεις τοῦ ἀναπαῦσαι ἡμᾶς, ταχέως διορθωθῆναι τὰ γενόμενα ποίησον. Δύνασαι 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 δικαστηρίων ἀναγκασθῶσι ποιῆσαι.