John Chrysostom, Letters

plotting against you, and troubling you, bring a harsh judgment upon themselves, and heap up the fire of Gehenna upon their own heads; thus you who suffer these things will enjoy a great reward, a great recompense. Therefore, do not be disturbed, nor be troubled by this, but rejoice and leap for joy, maintaining the apostolic mindset which says: Now I rejoice in my sufferings; and again, Not only so, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, experience. Therefore, having become more tested, and richer in the riches that are in heaven, even if you should suffer things harsher than these, rejoice all the more. For the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For your patience, courage, endurance, genuine and fervent disposition, the unbending nature of your mind, the unswerving, the unmovable, has not escaped our notice. Wherefore we also acknowledge much gratitude to you, and we are bound to your souls continually, and the length of the journey does not make us more neglectful concerning our love for you. And I thank you also for the zeal which you showed that no disturbance should arise in the Church of the Goths, but that the matter should fall into postponement. And not only do I not find fault that you sent no one, but I also praise and admire it. For that is much more valuable than this, that all of you be occupied with this matter. Therefore, do not cease contributing from yourselves, both by yourselves and through others, whomsoever it may be possible, so that a postponement for the matter may occur. For whether you accomplish anything or not, you have the complete reward for your resolve and zeal. 98. To Acacius the presbyter. You, so warm a lover of us, so vehemently disposed toward us, do not even share your letters with us. And yet we have already written both once and twice; but you have become more hesitant in this. Considering, therefore, how great a favor you do for us by reporting on your health, be urged to write to us with much haste. For we reap great comfort from learning continually about the health of you who love us. 99. To Salvian. That you love us, whether you write or are silent, I know clearly. For you cannot be hidden, being such a vehement lover of us, but all sing this, and many coming to us report your warm and 52.728 genuine love. But we would wish also to receive letters continually from your nobility, reporting on your health, and of my lady, your wife, and of your entire household; for you know how very important this is to us. Knowing these things, therefore, my most honored master, even if what we ask is laborious henceforth because of the winter season, and because people rarely visit us from your parts, whenever it is possible, do not hesitate to write to us, reporting these things which we have asked. For we consider your health and safety to be our own wealth, and gladness, and great pleasure. Therefore, do not deprive us of so great a pleasure, but grant to those who love you intensely the comfort that comes through such letters, which brings us much consolation. 110. To Theodore. I was amazed how I learned from others of the negligence of Salustius the presbyter. For it was made known to me that he has given barely five homilies up to the month of October, and that both he and Theophilus the presbyter, the one out of sloth, the other out of cowardice, do not attend the assembly. But to Theophilus I wrote more vehemently, rebuking him, but on account of Salustius I am writing to your honor, since I know how vehement a lover of his you are; and I rejoice and am very glad at this. And I am grieved with your honor, that you did not make this clear to me, when you should have also corrected it, but you yourself have done neither of these things. Now therefore I beseech you, doing the greatest favor both for yourself and for us, rouse him more vehemently, and do not let him sleep, nor be idle. For if not now in this winter of affairs and in the storm the fitting

ἐπιβουλεύοντες ὑμῖν, καὶ ταράττοντες ὑμᾶς, κρῖμα καθ' ἑαυτῶν χαλεπὸν ἐπιφέρουσι, καὶ τὸ τῆς γεέννης κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν κεφαλῆς ἐπισωρεύουσι πῦρ· οὕτως ὑμεῖς οἱ ταῦτα πάσχοντες, πολλῆς ἀπολαύσεσθε τῆς ἀμοιβῆς, πολλῆς τῆς ἀντιδόσεως. Μὴ δὴ θορυβεῖσθε, μηδὲ διαταράττεσθε ἐντεῦθεν, ἀλλὰ χαίρετε καὶ σκιρτᾶτε, ἀποστολικὸν φρόνημα διατηροῦντες τὸ λέγον· Νῦν χαίρω ἐν τοῖς παθήμασί μου· καὶ πάλιν, Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμήν. ∆οκιμώτεροι τοίνυν γενόμενοι, καὶ εὐπορώτεροι τὴν εὐπορίαν τὴν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, κἂν χαλεπώτερα τούτων πάσχητε, μειζόνως ἀγάλλεσθε. Οὐ γὰρ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι εἰς ἡμᾶς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔλαθεν ἡμᾶς ἡ ὑπομονὴ ὑμῶν, ἡ ἀνδρεία, ἡ καρτερία, ἡ γνησία καὶ θερμὴ διάθεσις, τὸ ἀκλινὲς ὑμῶν τῆς γνώμης, τὸ ἀπερίτρεπτον, τὸ ἀκίνητον. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν πολλὰς ὁμολογοῦμεν χάριτας, καὶ συνδεδέμεθα ὑμῶν ταῖς ψυχαῖς διηνεκῶς, καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ τὸ μῆκος οὐδὲ ῥᾳθυμοτέρους ἡμᾶς περὶ τὴν ἀγάπην τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐργάζεται. Χάριν δὲ ὑμῖν ἔχω καὶ τῆς σπουδῆς ἣν ἐπεδείξασθε ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδένα θόρυβον γενέσθαι ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ τῶν Γότθων, ἀλλ' εἰς ἀναβολὴν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐμπεσεῖν. Καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐγκαλῶ, ὅτι οὐδένα ἐπέμψατε, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαινῶ καὶ θαυμάζω. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ πολὺ τούτου προτιμότερον, τὸ πάντας ὑμᾶς εἰς τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ταύτην ἀσχολεῖσθαι. Μὴ δὴ διαλίπητε τὰ παρ' ὑμῶν αὐτῶν εἰσφέροντες καὶ δι' ὑμῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ δι' ἑτέρων, ὧν ἂν οἷόν τε ᾖ, ὥστε ὑπέρθεσιν τῷ πράγματι γενέσθαι. Ἄν τε γὰρ ἀνύσητέ τι, ἄν τε μὴ, τὸν μισθὸν ἀπηρτισμένον ἔχετε τῆς γνώμης καὶ τῆς προθυμίας. ΣΗʹ. Ἀκακίῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Ὁ οὕτω θερμὸς ἡμῶν ἐραστὴς, ὁ οὕτω σφοδρῶς περὶ ἡμᾶς διακείμενος, οὐδὲ γραμμάτων ἡμῖν μεταδίδως τῶν σῶν. Καίτοι γε ἤδη ἐπεστάλκαμεν καὶ ἅπαξ, καὶ δίς· αὐτὸς δὲ ὀκνηρότερος περὶ τοῦτο γέγονας. Ἐννοῶν τοίνυν ἡλίκα ἡμῖν χαρίζῃ, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας σου δηλῶν, μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ τάχους ἡμῖν γράψαι παρακλήθητι. Πολλὴν γὰρ καρπούμεθα παράκλησιν, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας ὑμῶν τῶν ἀγαπώντων ἡμᾶς μανθάνοντες συνεχῶς. ΣΘʹ. Σαλβίωνι. Ὅτι μὲν ἡμᾶς ἀγαπᾷς, κἂν γράφῃς, κἂν σιγᾷς, οἶδα σαφῶς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δύνασαι λαθεῖν οὕτω σφοδρὸς ἡμῶν ὢν ἐραστὴς, ἀλλὰ πάντες τοῦτο ᾄδουσι, καὶ πολλοὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀφικνούμενοι τὴν θερμήν σου καὶ 52.728 γνησίαν ἡμῖν ἀπαγγέλλουσιν ἀγάπην. Ἐβουλόμεθα δὲ καὶ γράμματα συνεχῶς δέχεσθαι παρὰ τῆς εὐγενείας τῆς σῆς, περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς δηλοῦντα, καὶ τῆς δεσποίνης μου τῆς ἐλευθέρας σου, καὶ τοῦ οἴκου σου παντός· οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως ἡμῖν τοῦτο περισπούδαστον. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδὼς, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε, εἰ καὶ ἐργῶδες ὅπερ αἰτοῦμεν λοιπὸν διὰ τὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥραν, καὶ τὸ σπανιάκις ἡμῖν τινας ἐπιχωριάζειν, ὅτε ἂν ἐξῇ, γράφειν ἡμῖν μὴ κατόκνει, ταῦτα δηλῶν ἅπερ ᾐτήσαμεν. Τὴν γὰρ ὑγείαν τὴν ὑμετέραν καὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ἡμέτερον εἶναι νομίζομεν πλοῦτον, καὶ εὐφροσύνην, καὶ πολλὴν ἡδονήν. Μὴ δὴ τοσαύτης ἡμᾶς ἀποστερήσῃς ἡδονῆς, ἀλλὰ χαρίζου τοῖς σφόδρα σε ἀγαπῶσι τὴν διὰ τῶν τοιούτων γραμμάτων παράκλησιν, πολλὴν ἡμῖν κομίζουσαν τὴν παραμυθίαν. ΣΙʹ. Θεοδώρῳ. Ἐθαύμασα πῶς παρ' ἑτέρων ἔμαθον τὴν ῥᾳθυμίαν Σαλουστίου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγνωρίσθη μοι ὅτι μόλις πέντε ὁμιλίας εἶπεν ἕως Ὀκτωβρίου μηνὸς, καὶ ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ Θεόφιλος ὁ πρεσβύτερος, ὁ μὲν ὄκνῳ, ὁ δὲ δειλίᾳ, οὐ παραβάλλουσι τῇ συνάξει. Ἀλλὰ Θεοφίλῳ μὲν σφοδρότερον ἐπέστειλα, καθαψάμενος αὐτοῦ, Σαλουστίου δὲ ἕνεκεν τῇ σῇ ἐπιστέλλω τιμιότητι, ἐπειδὴ οἶδα πῶς αὐτοῦ σφοδρὸς ἐραστὴς εἶ· καὶ σφόδρα χαίρω καὶ εὐφραίνομαι ἐπὶ τούτῳ. Καὶ ἀλγῶ πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα, ὅτι μοι οὐκ ἐποίησας τοῦτο δῆλον, δέον καὶ διορθῶσαι, αὐτὸς δὲ οὐδέτερον τούτων ἐποίησας. Νῦν γοῦν παρακαλῶ, καὶ σαυτῷ καὶ ἡμῖν τὰ μέγιστα χαριζόμενος, διέγειρον αὐτὸν σφοδρότερον, καὶ μὴ ἔα αὐτὸν καθεύδειν, μηδὲ ἀργεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ νῦν ἐν τῷ χειμῶνι τῶν πραγμάτων τούτων καὶ τῇ ζάλῃ τὴν προσήκουσαν