John Chrysostom, Letters

I do, because wherever I may be, I carry you in my thoughts. I ask, therefore, so that we may receive another joy, not only from writing, but also from learning about your health, make these things known to us continually. For even if we should be carried off to a wilderness more harsh than this, by receiving such letters from you who love us, we shall enjoy great joy. 110. To Musonius. We have already written to your nobility, my most honored and most reverent lord, and now we do the same again, although you have not once written to us. But nevertheless we will not cease writing to you continually, and doing what is proper for us. For we would wish to do this more frequently; but since we are living in a great wilderness of a place, and the fear of bandits besieges the city, and the winter season walls off the roads, and all these things do not permit many to visit us continually, whenever it is possible, and we find letter-carriers, we render the due salutation to your reverence. For we know the genuineness of your love, your warm disposition, the unswerving nature of your mind, your liberality, your sincerity. Therefore we carry you in our memory continually, wherever we may be, and we are not able to forget your kindness. But so that we may rejoice not only in writing, but also in receiving letters that tell of your health, send us such letters continually. For thus, even being far away, we will reap much consolation from such letters, when we hear that you, our ardent and fervent lovers, are living in cheerfulness and safety. 117. To Valentinus. I know your honorable soul, the fer52.731 vent love which you have for the care of the poor, the desire which you always show for this good work, both giving, and doing this with pleasure, and making the crown of your philanthropy twofold and more splendid, both by your generosity, and by the disposition from which that generosity comes. Since, therefore, the most honorable presbyter Dometianus, who has the care of the widows and virgins there, has made known to us that they are nearly in a state of famine, we take refuge in your hands as in a harbor, so that you may put an end to this shipwreck of famine. I beg you, therefore, and I beg you fervently, having sent for the presbyter, be pleased to help in whatever way is possible. For the alms given now provide a much greater reward than those given at another time, inasmuch as those in need of receiving are in a more difficult storm and tempest, not enjoying their accustomed abundance. Considering therefore both the profit of the matter, and the addition made by the occasion, be pleased to do what is your part. For there is no need to say more, writing to a soul so philanthropic and most gentle. For you know that you also owe us sportulae; but nevertheless for their sake also we make this settlement with you. And be pleased to write to us, that you have granted our request, and announcing the good news of your health, and of all your blessed house. 118. To Euthymius the presbyter. Let it not grieve you at all to have been cast out of the school, but considering how great a reward you have received from this, and how your crowns are increased, rejoice and be glad for these sufferings and plots. For these things gather for you much merchandise in heaven, and make you more splendid, and establish greater prizes. For narrow and afflicted is the way that leads to life. And do not hesitate to write to us continually about your health. For you know how we are bound together by your love, and how, wherever we may be, I carry you in my thoughts, having always been your fervent admirer; but now much more fervent, inasmuch as you have become more splendid from your sufferings. 119. To Severina and Romula. If I did not know your genuine love very well, and the zeal which you always show towards us, I would have accused you of great negligence, of the

ποιῶ, ὅτι ὅπουπερ ἂν ὦ, ἐπὶ διανοίας σε περιφέρω. Παρακαλῶ τοίνυν, ἵνα καὶ ἑτέραν δεχώμεθα τὴν εὐφροσύνην, μὴ μόνον ἀπὸ τοῦ γράφειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ μανθάνειν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς, δήλου ἡμῖν ταῦτα συνεχῶς. Κἂν γὰρ εἰς χαλεπωτέραν ταύτης ἐρημίαν ἀπενεχθῶμεν, δεχόμενοι τοιαῦτα παρ' ὑμῶν τῶν ἀγαπώντων ἡμᾶς γράμματα, πολλῆς ἀπολαυσόμεθα τῆς εὐφροσύνης. ΣΙʹ. Μουσωνίῳ. Καὶ ἤδη ἐπεστάλκαμέν σου τῇ εὐγενείᾳ, δέσποτά μου τιμιώτατε καὶ εὐλαβέστατε, καὶ νῦν τὸ αὐτὸ πάλιν ποιοῦμεν, καίτοι μηδὲ ἅπαξ σοῦ ἐπεσταλκότος ἡμῖν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἡμεῖς οὐ διαλείψομεν συνεχῶς ὑμῖν ἐπιστέλλοντες, καὶ τὸ ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς πρέπον ποιοῦντες. Ἐβουλόμεθα γὰρ καὶ πυκνότερον τοῦτο ποιεῖν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ πολλῇ χωρίου διατρίβομεν, καὶ ὁ τῶν λῃστῶν φόβος πολιορκεῖ τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἡ τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥρα ἀποτειχίζει τὰς ὁδοὺς, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα οὐκ ἀφίησι πολλοὺς ἡμῖν συνεχῶς ἐπιχωριάζειν, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, καὶ γραμματηφόρων ἐπιτύχωμεν, τὴν ὀφειλομένην πρόσρησιν ἀποδιδόαμέν σου τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ. Ἴσμεν γάρ σου τὸ γνήσιον τῆς ἀγάπης, τὴν θερμὴν διάθεσιν, τὸ ἀπερίτρεπτον τῆς γνώμης, τὴν ἐλευθερίαν, τὸ ἀνυπόκριτον. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπὶ μνήμης σε διηνεκῶς περιφέρομεν, ὅπουπερ ἂν ὦμεν, καὶ ἐπιλαθέσθαι σου τῆς ἐμμελείας οὐ δυνάμεθα. Ἵνα δὲ μὴ τῷ γράφειν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ δέχεσθαι γράμματα, περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς δηλοῦντα, εὐφραινώμεθα, πέμπε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν τοιαύτας ἐπιστολάς. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ πόῤῥωθεν ὄντες πολλὴν καρπωσόμεθα ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων γραμμάτων παραμυθίαν, ὅταν ἀκούωμεν, ὅτι ὑμεῖς οἱ σφοδροὶ ἡμῶν ἐρασταὶ καὶ θερμοὶ ἐν εὐθυμίᾳ καὶ ἀσφαλείᾳ διάγετε. ΣΙΖʹ. Βαλεντίνῳ. Οἶδά σου τὴν φιλότιμον ψυχὴν, τὸν ἔρωτα τὸν θερ52.731 μὸν, ὃν περὶ τὰς τῶν πενήτων ἔχεις προστασίας, τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, ἣν ἀεὶ περὶ τὴν καλὴν ταύτην ἐπιδείκνυσαι πραγματείαν, καὶ παρέχων, καὶ μεθ' ἡδονῆς τοῦτο ποιῶν, καὶ διπλοῦν σοι τὸν στέφανον τὸν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας καὶ λαμπρότερον καθιστὰς, καὶ τῇ δαψιλείᾳ, καὶ τῇ γνώμῃ ἀφ' ἧς καὶ ἡ δαψίλεια γίνεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐδήλωσεν ἡμῖν ὁ τιμιώτατος πρεσβύτερος ∆ομετιανὸς, ὁ τῶν χηρῶν καὶ παρθένων τῶν αὐτόθι τὴν προστασίαν ἔχων, ὅτι σχεδὸν ἐν λιμῷ καθεστήκασιν, ὥσπερ εἰς λιμένα τὰς σὰς καταφεύγομεν χεῖρας, ὥστε τουτὶ λῦσαι τοῦ λιμοῦ τὸ ναυάγιον. ∆έομαι οὖν σου, καὶ σφόδρα δέομαι, μεταπεμψάμενος τὸν πρεσβύτερον, ὅπερ ἂν ᾖ δυνατὸν, ἐπικουρῆσαι παρακλήθητι. Τῆς γὰρ ἐν ἄλλῳ καιρῷ ἐλεημοσύνης ἡ νῦν παρεχομένη πολλῷ πλείονα παρέχει τὴν ἀμοιβὴν, ὅσῳπερ ἐν χαλεπωτέρῳ χειμῶνι καὶ ζάλῃ καθεστήκασιν οἱ δεόμενοι λαβεῖν, οὐ τῆς εἰωθυίας ἀπολαύοντες ἀφθονίας. Ἐννοήσας τοίνυν καὶ τοῦ πράγματος τὸ κέρδος, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ γενομένην προσθήκην, τὰ σαυτοῦ ποιῆσαι παρακλήθητι. Οὐδὲν γὰρ δεῖ πλέον εἰπεῖν πρὸς φιλάνθρωπον οὕτω καὶ ἡμερωτάτην γράφοντες ψυχήν. Οἶδας γὰρ, ὅτι καὶ σπόρτουλα ἡμῖν χρεωστεῖς· ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ ἐκείνων ἕνεκεν εἰς τοῦτό σοι διαλυόμεθα. Καὶ γράψαι δὲ ἡμῖν παρακλήθητι, ὅτι ἐπένευσας ἡμῶν τῇ αἰτήσει, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς σῆς εὐαγγελιζόμενος, καὶ παντὸς τοῦ εὐλογημένου σου οἴκου. ΣΙΗʹ. Εὐθυμίῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Μηδὲν ὑμᾶς λυπείτω τὸ τῆς σχολῆς ἐξεῶσθαι, ἀλλ' ἐννοοῦντες, ὅσον καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἐδέξασθε τὸν μισθὸν, καὶ πῶς αὔξεται τὰ τῶν στεφάνων ὑμῖν, χαίρετε καὶ εὐφραίνεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν παθημάτων τούτων καὶ τῶν ἐπιβουλῶν. Πολλὴν γὰρ ὑμῖν συνάγει ταῦτα τὴν ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐμπορίαν, καὶ λαμπροτέρους ποιεῖ, καὶ μείζονα καθίστησι τὰ βραβεῖα. Στενὴ γὰρ καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν. Καὶ ἡμῖν δὲ συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλειν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς μὴ κατόκνει. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως συνδεδέμεθά σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ, καὶ πῶς, ὅπουπερ ἂν ὦμεν, ἐπὶ διανοίας σε περιφέρω, ἀεί σου θερμὸς γενόμενος ἐραστής· νῦν δὲ πολλῷ θερμότερος, ὅσῳ καὶ λαμπρότερος ἀπὸ τῶν παθημάτων γέγονας. ΣΙΘʹ. Σευηρίνῃ καὶ Ῥωμύλῃ. Εἰ μὴ σφόδρα τὴν γνησίαν ὑμῶν ἀγάπην ᾔδειν, καὶ τὴν σπουδὴν, ἣν ἀεὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς ἐπιδείκνυσθε, κἂν ῥᾳθυμίαν πολλὴν ὑμῖν ἐνεκάλεσα, τῆς