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of a ruler indeed, but for those who have fallen under him to be kind and gentle, excelling all in magnanimity and mildness. So it will be possible for you, if you wish, at the same time to display your magnanimity both for defense and for salvation, as you may wish. This is a sufficient measure of punishment for Dometian: the fear of what is expected and of what he knows he deserves to suffer. We beseech you to add nothing to these things for his punishment. For consider this too, that many of those of former times have already become masters of those who wronged them, of whom no report has been sent down to those who came later; but those who have surpassed the many in philosophy have let go of their anger, whose immortal memory has been handed down for all life. So let this also be added to the accounts about you. Grant to us, who choose to praise your deeds, to surpass the acts of philanthropy sung in former times. Thus also Croesus is said to have released his anger against his son's murderer who had given himself up for punishment, and Cyrus the Great to have become a friend to this very Croesus after the victory. With these we shall number you, and, with as much power as is ours, we shall proclaim these things, unless we should be thought to be altogether insignificant heralds for so great a man. 112.3 And it is necessary to say this on top of all, that we do not punish those who do any wrong for what has already happened (for what device could there be for things that have been done not to have happened?), but so that either they themselves might become better for the future or they might be examples for others to be prudent. Now one would say that neither of these is lacking in the present case; for he will remember these things even after this death, and I think that the rest are dead with fear looking at him. So that whatever we might add to the punishment, we shall seem to be sating our own anger; which I for my part would say is far from being true in your case, and I would not have been led to say any of these words if I did not see a greater thing for the one giving the favor than for those receiving it. For the magnanimity of your character will be apparent not to a few. For all Cappadocians are looking to the future, for whom I would pray that this too be counted among the other good things that belong to you. But I hesitate to stop writing, thinking that to stop will bring me loss. Yet I shall add this much, that though he had letters from many people interceding for him, he considered the one from us to be more valuable than all of them, having learned I know not how that we have some standing with your Perfection. So that he may not be disappointed in the hopes he has placed in us, and that it may be our lot to boast among the people here, be persuaded, O unsurpassed Master, to consent to our request. Surely you have considered human affairs no worse than any of those who have ever been philosophers, and you know what a fine treasure is laid up in advance for ministering to all those in need.

113.t TO THE PRESBYTERS IN TARSUS

113.1 Having met this man, I gave great thanks to the holy God, because through

his presence He comforted me from many afflictions and clearly showed your love through him. For I have learned of the zeal of almost all of you for the truth in the choice of this one man. What things we discussed privately with each other he himself will report to you, but these are the things it is fitting for your love to be made known by me. The time has a great tendency toward the destruction of the Churches, and we have been observing this for a long time now. But of the building up of the Church and correction of errors and sympathy for the weak, and defense of the sound brethren, there is not one. But there is neither any help or cure for the disease which has already taken hold, nor any preventative for what is expected. And on the whole, the state of the Church now seems (that I may use a clear

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ἄρχοντος ὡς ἀληθῶς, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ὑποπεπτωκόσι χρηστὸν εἶναι καὶ πρᾶον μεγαλοφροσύνῃ πάντων καὶ ἡμερότητι διαφέροντος. Ὥστε ὑπάρξει σοι βουληθέντι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τήν τε πρὸς τὸ ἀμύνασθαι καὶ τὴν εἰς τὸ σώζειν, ὡς ἂν ἐθέλῃς, ἐπιδείξασθαι μεγαλοψυχίαν. Τοῦτο μέτρον ἀρκοῦν ∆ομετιανῷ τῆς κολάσεως τῶν προσδοκωμένων ὁ φόβος καὶ ὧν ἄξιον οἶδεν ἑαυτὸν παθεῖν ὄντα. Τούτοις μηδὲν εἰς τιμωρίαν αὐτῷ προσθεῖναι ἱκετεύομεν. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο σκόπει ὅτι κύριοι μὲν τῶν ἠδικηκότων πολλοὶ τῶν πρότερον ἤδη γεγόνασιν, ὧν οὐδεὶς πρὸς τοὺς ὕστερον διεπέμφθη λόγος· ἀφῆκαν δὲ τὴν ὀργὴν οἱ φιλοσοφίᾳ τοὺς πολλοὺς ὑπεράραντες, ὧν ἀθάνατος ἡ μνήμη τῷ βίῳ παντὶ παρα δέδοται. Προσκείσθω δὴ καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς περὶ σοῦ διηγή μασι. ∆ὸς ἡμῖν τοῖς ὑμνεῖν προαιρουμένοις τὰ σὰ τὰς ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις ᾀδομένας φιλανθρωπίας ὑπερβαλέσθαι. Οὕτω καὶ Κροῖσος τῷ παιδοφόνῳ τὴν ὀργὴν ἀφεῖναι λέγεται ἑαυτὸν παραδόντι εἰς τιμωρίαν, καὶ Κῦρος ὁ μέγας αὐτῷ τούτῳ τῷ Κροίσῳ φίλος γενέσθαι μετὰ τὴν νίκην. Τούτοις σε συναριθμήσομεν καί, ὅση δύναμις ἡμετέρα, ταῦτα ἀναγορεύσομεν, εἴπερ μὴ μικροί τινες εἶναι παντά πασιν ἀνδρὸς τοσούτου κήρυκες νομισθείημεν. 112.3 Ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν εἰπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον, ὅτι τοὺς ὁτιοῦν ἀδικοῦντας οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἤδη γεγενημένων κολά ζομεν (τίς γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο μηχανὴ μὴ γεγενῆσθαι τὰ πε πραγμένα;), ἀλλ' ὅπως ἂν ἢ αὐτοὶ πρὸς τὸ λοιπὸν ἀμείνους γένοιντο ἢ ἑτέροις ὑπάρξειε τοῦ σωφρονεῖν παραδείγματα. Τούτων τοίνυν οὐθέτερον ἐνδεῖν ἄν τις ἐν τῷ παρόντι φήσειεν· αὐτός τε γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὸν θάνατον τούτων μεμνήσεται, τούς τε λοιποὺς τεθνάναι τῷ δέει πρὸς τοῦ τον ἀφορῶντας οἴομαι. Ὥσθ' ὅπερ ἂν προσθῶμεν τῇ τιμωρίᾳ, τὴν ὀργὴν ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἀποπιμπλάναι δόξομεν· ὃ πολλοῦ δεῖν ἐπὶ σοῦ ἀληθὲς εἶναι φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε καὶ οὐδὲν ἂν τούτων τῶν λόγων προήχθην εἰπεῖν, εἰ μὴ μείζονα τῷ διδόντι τὴν χάριν ἐνεώρων ἢ τοῖς λαμβάνουσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὀλίγοις ἔσται καταφανὴς ἡ μεγαλοψυχία τοῦ τρόπου. Καπ παδόκαι γὰρ ἅπαντες ἀποσκοποῦσι τὸ μέλλον, οἷς εὐξαίμην ἂν μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν προσόντων σοι καὶ ταύτην ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι. Ὀκνῶ δὲ τοῦ γράφειν παύσασθαι ἡγού μενός μοι ζημίαν οἴσειν τὸ παραθέν. Τοσοῦτόν γε μὴν προσθήσω, ὅτι πολλῶν ἐπιστολὰς ἔχων ἐξαιτουμένων αὐτὸν πασῶν ἡγήσατο προτιμοτέραν εἶναι τὴν παρ' ἡμῶν, οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως μαθὼν εἶναί τινα ἡμῶν λόγον παρὰ τῇ σῇ τελειότητι. Ὅπως οὖν μήτε αὐτὸς ψευσθῇ τῶν ἐλπίδων ἃς ἐφ' ἡμῖν ἔσχε καὶ ἡμῖν ὑπάρξῃ πρὸς τοὺς ἐνταῦθα σεμνο λογεῖσθαι, παρακέκλησο, ∆έσποτα ἀνυπέρβλητε, ἐπινεῦσαι πρὸς τὴν αἴτησιν. Πάντως δὲ οὐδενὸς χεῖρον τῶν πώποτε φιλοσοφησάντων ἐπέσκεψαι τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, καὶ οἶδας ὡς καλὸς θησαυρὸς πᾶσι τοῖς δεομένοις ὑπουργεῖν προαπο κείμενος.

113.τ ΤΟΙΣ ΕΝ ΤΑΡΣΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΟΙΣ

113.1 Συντυχὼν τῷδε πολλὴν ἔσχον τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ τὴν χάριν, ὅτι με καὶ διὰ

τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας ἀπὸ πολλῶν θλίψεων παρεμυθήσατο καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην ἐναργῶς ἔδειξε δι' αὐτοῦ. Σχεδὸν γὰρ τὸν πάντων ὑμῶν περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ζῆλον ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς προαιρέσει κατέμαθον. Ἃ μὲν οὖν ἰδίᾳ διελέχθημεν πρὸς ἀλλήλους αὐτὸς ὑμῖν ἀπαγγελεῖ, ἃ δὲ παρ' ἐμοῦ γνωρισθῆναι ὑμῶν προσῆκε τῇ ἀγάπῃ ταῦτά ἐστιν. Ὁ καιρὸς πολλὴν ἔχει ῥοπὴν πρὸς καταστροφὴν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ τοῦτο πολὺν ἔχομεν ἤδη χρόνον ἐξ οὗ καταμανθάνομεν. Οἰκοδομὴ δὲ Ἐκκλησίας καὶ σφαλμάτων διόρθωσις καὶ συμπάθεια μὲν πρὸς τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας, ὑπερασπισμὸς δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας τῶν ἀδελφῶν οὐδὲ εἷς. Ἀλλ' οὔτε βοήθημα ἢ θεραπευτικὸν τῆς προκατα σχούσης νόσου ἢ προφυλακτικὸν τῆς προσδοκωμένης οὐδέν. Καὶ ὅλως ἔοικε λοιπὸν ἡ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας κατάστασις (ἵνα ἐναργεῖ χρήσωμαι