101

To the same}1 You anticipate everything, my child, God surely prospering it; for at the same time the note and the imperial agent arrived, announcing to us what was asked, but also what was permitted by the emperor. And these things were, "if you find that he has taught anyone or that he says "4I have to teach"5, flay him with one hundred lashes". The man said these things with respect, and asking pardon for his speech; but I answered that "4here, where I am confined, I have no one to speak with except perhaps the birds"5, and simply as I made known the same things through the one who exiled me and through the lord Leo. But he declined to speak thus. Therefore I said to him that "4I am thus, and I am ready to strip"5. But he, as you know. With these things I dismissed the man. And I rejoiced because the archbishop and the brothers were released. I would have written to him, but on account of the trial I declined. Therefore, make this apology to him; for he confined himself there as though in a trial. And I know that he is grieved, as the imperial agent also told me, but as the Lord has ordained. Greet him genuinely and beseech him to pray for my lowliness, likewise my brothers and children with him, especially the protopresbyter and abba Timothy. Toil also yourself to the best of your ability and those with abba Tithoes to give him rest, seeing him as me. And that you may have the knowledge that to the lord Isaac I wrote nothing other than "4may God give you the reward for your visit, for you alone wrote to me, and pray that for even one day I may please God"5. Whether therefore for this reason or for another for Christ's sake I have this to say, that I am ready for scourges, even if in every way I flee the trial out of consideration for my own weakness, and for you and for those who do these things. Therefore in this way also you yourself continue especially in your ministry to me, both writing and sending, as much as you see that it is the will of God. With this, all things are permitted to me, whether the ruler threatens fire, or sword, or wild beasts, or whatever; not because I am strong (for I am weaker than a spider's web), but because God wills every Christian to be so disposed, yet that which happened happened according to providence; for the guards were secured and both the old man who was here and the monk went out. We have God and your prayers. At a suitable time, make known where the brothers were scattered, and if the ten and the seven received the letters, and if it is possible to send to the ten as we said. Those with me send many greetings. 107 {1To the same}1 In truth, child, I was stumbled by the delay, but because the winter was upon us I was not annoyed. But now, having received both your letter and the brother, and having learned from both what was sought, I gave thanks to the Lord, who was pleased that our good brother and father, I mean the archbishop, was exiled for the sake of truth, along with the rest of the brothers and fathers. You labor, speaking idly about the expected transfer, but nothing is without reward; be content in the Lord and when he commands. But it is good for the brother Proterius alone to sail to the city in good weather, so that, if no one else, at least those to whom I have just written may receive the letters. Even if he does not come here, he has our humble prayer. We have given him instructions concerning all things; let him be watched how he enters the gate, how he delivers the letters, not walking about with boldness as it happens. May the Lord therefore shelter him through the prayer of our father. Concerning the assistant steward, if he should come, you have reminded me, child; as we ourselves also see it to be good, we do. If you should learn anything again concerning the fathers, at a suitable time you will write to us; and for now do not be in a hurry to send, unless it is something necessary, because the season is wintry. When the brother Timothy departs, let me know, that he may take letters. May God shelter you, child, in all things. The brothers greet the 4th and the 30th from us. 108 {1To the same}1 You have done well, my God-longed-for child, in sending the brother, a good messenger; by whose

101

αὐτῷ}1 Παντὶ προλαμβάνεις, τέκνον μου, πάντως θεοῦ εὐοδοῦντος· ἅμα γὰρ τὸ πιττάκιον καὶ ὁ βασιλικὸς ἐπέστη, ἀναγγείλας ἡμῖν ὅσα ἐρωτήθη, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἅπερ ἐπετράπη παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως. ἦν δὲ ταῦτα, "ἐὰν εὕρῃς ὅτι ἐδίδαξέν τινας ἢ ὅτι λέγει "4διδάσκειν ἔχω"5, δεῖρον αὐτὸν ἑκατὸν κορδάτα". ὁ μὲν ἄνθρωπος καὶ ταῦτα μετ' αἰδοῦς ἔφη, ἐξαιτῶν καὶ συγγνώμην τῆς λαλιᾶς· ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπεκρίθην ὅτι "4ὧδε, ὅπου περιώρισμαι, οὐκ ἔχω τίνι διαλέγεσθαι πλὴν κἂν τοῖς ὀρνέοις"5, καὶ ἁπλῶς ὡς ἐδήλωσα διὰ τοῦ ἐξορίσαντός με τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ διὰ τοῦ κυροῦ Λέοντος. ὁ δὲ παρῃτήσατο οὕτως εἰπεῖν. εἶπον οὖν αὐτῷ ὅτι "4ἐγὼ μὲν οὕτως, καὶ ἑτοίμως ἔχω ἐκδύσασθαι"5. αὐτὸς δέ, ὡς οἶδας. ἐν τούτοις καὶ ἀπέλυσα τὸν ἄνδρα. Ἐχάρην δὲ διὰ τὸ ἀπολυθῆναι τὸν ἀρχιεπίσκοπον καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς. εἶχον ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτῷ, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸν πειρασμὸν παρῃτησάμην. τοῦτο οὖν ἀπολόγησαι αὐτῷ· καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἐν πειρασμῷ αὑτὸν περιώρισεν ἐν τοῖς αὐτόθι. καὶ οἶδα ὅτι λυπεῖται, καθώς μοι καὶ ὁ βασιλικὸς εἶπεν, ἀλλὰ ὡς ᾠκονόμησεν ὁ Κύριος. προσαγόρευσον αὐτὸν γνησίως καὶ παρακάλεσον εὔχεσθαι περὶ τῆς ταπεινώσεώς μου, ὁμοίως τοὺς μετ' αὐτοῦ ἀδελφούς μου καὶ τέκνα, ἐξαιρέτως τὸν πρωτοπρεσβύτερον καὶ τὸν ἀββᾶν Τιμόθεον. μόχθησον καὶ αὐτὸς τὸ εἰς δύναμιν καὶ οἱ περὶ τὸν ἀββᾶν Τιθόην ἀναπαῦσαι αὐτόν, ὁρῶντες αὐτὸν ὡς ἐμέ. ἵνα δὲ ἔχῃς τὴν εἴδησιν ὅτι τῷ κυρῷ Ἰσακίῳ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἔγραψα ἢ ὅτι "4τὸν μισθὸν τῆς ἐπισκέψεως ὁ θεὸς δῴη σοι, ὅτι μόνος αὐτός μοι ἔγραψας, καὶ εὔχου ἵνα κἂν μίαν ἡμέραν εὐαρεστήσω τῷ θεῷ"5. εἴτε οὖν διὰ τοῦτο εἴτε δι' ἄλλο ἕνεκεν Χριστοῦ ἐκεῖνο ἔχω λέγειν, ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς μάστιγας ἕτοιμος, κἂν παντὶ τρόπῳ φεύγω τὸν πειρασμὸν φειδοῖ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ ἀσθενείας, ὑμῶν τε καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν δρώντων. τούτῳ οὖν τῷ τρόπῳ καὶ αὐτὸς διαγενοῦ ἐν τῇ πρὸς ἐμὲ μάλιστα διακονίᾳ καὶ γράφων καὶ πέμπων, ὅσον σκοπεῖς ὅτι θέλημα θεοῦ ἐστιν. μετὰ τούτου πάντα μοι ἐφετά, κἂν πῦρ ἀπειλῇ ὁ κρατῶν, κἂν ξίφος, κἂν θῆρας, κἂν ὁτιοῦν· οὐχ ὅτι δυνατῶς ἔχω (εἰμὶ γὰρ ἀράχνης ἀδρανέστερος), ἀλλ' ὅτι βούλεται θεὸς οὕτω πάντα χριστιανὸν διατίθεσθαι, ὅμως ὅτι οἰκονομικῶς ἐγένετο τὸ γεγονός· ἠσφαλίσαντο γὰρ οἱ φύλακες καὶ ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ὁ γέρων ὁ ὢν ἐνταῦθα καὶ ὁ μοναχός. Ἔχομεν τὸν θεὸν καὶ τὰς εὐχὰς ὑμῶν. καιρῷ εὐθέτῳ δήλωσον ποῦ διεσπάρησαν οἱ ἀδελφοί, καὶ εἰ ἐδέξαντο τὰ γράμματα οἱ δέκα καὶ οἱ ἑπτά, καὶ εἰ ἔστι δυνατὸν πέμψαι εἰς τοὺς δέκα ὡς εἴπαμεν. πολλὰ οἱ συνόντες μοι ἀσπάζονται. 107 {1Τῷ αὐτῷ}1 Τῷ ὄντι, τέκνον, ἔσκαλλον ἐν τῇ βραδυτῆτι, ἀλλ' ὅτι ὁ χειμὼν ἐπέκειτο οὐκ ἠγανάκτουν. νῦν δὲ ὁμοῦ μὲν τὴν ἐπιστολήν σου, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀπολαβὼν καὶ ἀμφοτέρωθεν μεμαθηκὼς τὰ ζητούμενα ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῷ εὐδοκήσαντι ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἐξορισθῆναι τὸν καλὸν ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸν καὶ πατέρα, τὸν ἀρχιεπίσκοπον δὴ λέγω, σὺν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀδελφοῖς καὶ πατράσι. κάμνετε ὑμεῖς ἀδολεσχοῦντες ἐπὶ τῇ προσδοκουμένῃ μεταστάσει, ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ἄμισθον· στέργετε ἐν Κυρίῳ καὶ ὅτε κελεύει. καλὸν δέ ἐστιν ἀποπλεῦσαι ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐν εὐδίᾳ μόνον τὸν ἀδελφὸν Προτέριον, ἵνα, εἰ καὶ μή τις ἄλλος, ἀλλὰ οἱ πρὸς οὓς ἄρτι ἐπέστειλα δέξωνται τὰ γράμματα. κἂν μὴ ἔλθῃ ἐνταῦθα, ἔχει τὴν ταπεινὴν εὐχὴν ἡμῶν. διεταξάμεθα αὐτῷ περὶ πάντων· ἐπιτετηρημένος ἔστω πῶς εἰσίοι ἐν τῇ πόρτῃ, πῶς ἀποδίδοι τὰ γράμματα, μὴ ὡς ἔτυχεν παρρησίᾳ περιπατῶν. Ἔστω οὖν ὁ Κύριος σκέπων αὐτὸν δι' εὐχῆς τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν. περὶ τοῦ παροικονόμου, ἐὰν ἔλθῃ, ὑπέμνησας, τέκνον· ὡς συνορῶμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς καλὸν εἶναι ποιοῦμεν. εἴ τι πάλιν μάθοις διὰ τοὺς πατέρας, καιρῷ εὐθέτῳ γράφεις ἡμῖν· καὶ τέως μὴ κατεπειχθῇς, εἰ μὴ ἀναγκαῖόν τι, πέμψαι διὰ τὸ χειμέριον εἶναι τὸν καιρόν. ὁπότε ὁ ἀδελφὸς Τιμόθεος ἀποκινεῖ, μάθοιμι, ἵνα ἄρῃ γράμματα. Ὁ θεός σε, τέκνον, σκεπάσοι ἐν πᾶσιν. οἱ ἀδελφοὶ προσαγορεύουσιν τὸ ˉδ καὶ τὸ ˉλ ἐξ ἡμῶν. 108 {1Τῷ αὐτῷ}1 Καλῶς ἐποίησας, τέκνον μου θεοπόθητον, τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀποστείλας ἄγγελον ἀγαθόν· οὗ τῇ