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they show love, and how they are prepared to both suffer and do all things for its sake. And this whole success is of your piety. 231. To Adolia. Often indeed have we written to your Reverence, but this "often" is not enough for us; rather, we would wish to do this every day. For you know how we are disposed toward your Grace. But since this is not possible, whenever it is permitted, doing the greatest favor to ourselves, we fulfill our owed 52.738 greeting, wishing to learn continually and perpetually about your health and good cheer. I ask you therefore, knowing what a great favor you do us by writing these things, be pleased to make it your work to write these things to us continually. Since even now we were no little grieved, that when a man known, so to speak, to all, and beloved by us, my most honored lord Libanius, was about to come here, you did not write to us, being unaware perhaps; nevertheless for this very reason we are grieved, that you are unaware of those coming from there to us. For we do not cease to be inquisitive and to ask many questions of those who come from here to you, whenever it is possible, through them fulfilling our own desire; and this is to write continually to your Grace. 232. To Carteria. If you knew clearly how great a favor you grant us, both by writing, and by writing continually, and by coloring your letters with the honey of your love, you would have done everything to be able to send us letters every day. For we no longer think we are living in Cucusus, nor spending our time in a desert, reaping so much gladness from your letters and your genuine love. And to not only send letters, but also to persuade my most beloved brother Libanius to set out from there and to undertake this journey, of how great an affection is this? Of how great a solicitude? For these things we leap and rejoice. For there is nothing equal to genuine love. And you yourself ask us to preserve the same disposition which we showed from the beginning toward your Grace. But we do not endure to remain at this measure, but every day we seek additions to our disposition toward you, doing the greatest favor to ourselves. For we do not cease continually turning over in our minds the nobility of your soul, the sincere, the free, the friendly, the genuine, the unfeigned, and from the memory of these thoughts we reap the greatest gladness. Therefore we ask you, trusting in our love, to not be grieved at all about the things sent by your Honor, because we have sent them back. For in disposition we both received and enjoyed them; but since we were not in need, we indicated that they should be kept by your Nobility. And if ever we should be in need, you will see with how much confidence and boldness we would write for them to be sent to us, in this also keeping your word. For toward the end of your letter you said: Show that your Piety deigns to be bold with us, and to use what is ours as your own. If, therefore, you wish us to be so disposed, as indeed you do wish, and to use what is yours as our own, whenever I write, then send. For to consider them my own, this is the greatest 52.739 sign: that they be sent whenever I wish, and not when I have no need. Show, therefore, in this also your genuine friendship, and your reverence toward us, by bearing with us in this also; and send a letter quickly, reporting to us that you were not grieved. For if you do not do this, you will place us in continual anxiety; for we shall not cease to worry, lest we have perhaps caused you pain; for we greatly cling to your love, and to giving your Nobility repose. Since, therefore, we have made our defense sufficiently, show us that you have accepted our defense. For your Grace can learn that toward others, indeed, who have done this very same thing, and are very genuine to us, we had no need of a defense, but it was enough to put it off

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ἐπιδείκνυνται ἀγάπην, καὶ πῶς πάντα καὶ παθεῖν καὶ ποιῆσαι τούτου ἕνεκεν παρεσκευασμένοι εἰσί. Τοῦτο δὲ ὅλον κατόρθωμα τῆς θεοσεβείας τῆς σῆς. ΣΛΑʹ. Ἀδολίᾳ Πολλάκις μὲν ἐπεστάλκαμέν σου πρὸς τὴν εὐλάβειαν, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀρκεῖ τοῦτο τὸ πολλάκις ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' ἐβουλόμεθα μὲν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως διακείμεθα περὶ τὴν ἐμμέλειαν τὴν σήν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἔνι, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς τὰ μέγιστα χαριζόμενοι τὴν ὀφειλομένην ἀπο52.738 πληροῦμεν πρόσρησιν, συνεχῶς καὶ διηνεκῶς βουλόμενοι μανθάνειν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς, καὶ τῆς εὐθυμίας. Παρακαλῶ τοίνυν, εἰδυῖα ἡλίκα ἡμῖν χαρίζῃ ταῦτα ἐπιστέλλουσα, ἔργον ποιήσασθαι τοῦτο παρακλήθητι, τὸ συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ταῦτα ἐπιστέλλειν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ νῦν οὐχ ὡς ἔτυχεν ἠλγήσαμεν, ὅτι ἀνδρὸς πᾶσιν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, γνωρίμου, καὶ ἡμῖν ἀγαπητοῦ, μέλλοντος ἐνταῦθα παραγενέσθαι, τοῦ κυρίου μου τοῦ τιμιωτάτου Λιβανίου, οὐκ ἐπέστειλας ἡμῖν, ἀγνοήσασα μὲν ἴσως· πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἀλγοῦμεν, ὅτι ἀγνοεῖς τοὺς ἐκεῖθεν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐρχομένους. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ οὐ παυόμεθα περιεργαζόμενοι καὶ πολυπραγμονοῦντες τοὺς ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς παραγενομένους, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐξῇ, δι' ἐκείνων ἡμῖν τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν πληροῦντες· αὕτη δέ ἐστι τὸ συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλλειν πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐμμέλειαν. ΣΛΒʹ. Καρτερίᾳ. Εἰ σαφῶς ᾔδεις ὅσην ἡμῖν δίδως χάριν, καὶ γράφουσα, καὶ συνεχῶς γράφουσα, καὶ τοῦ μέλιτός σου τῆς ἀγάπης ἀναχρωννῦσα τὰ γράμματα, πάντα ἂν ἐποίησας, ὥστε δυνηθῆναι καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν πέμπειν ἐπιστολὰς ἡμῖν. Οὐκέτι γὰρ Κουκουσὸν οἰκεῖν νομίζομεν, οὐδὲ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ διάγειν, τοσαύτην ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων σου καὶ τῆς γνησίας ἀγάπης καρπούμενοι τὴν εὐφροσύνην. Τὸ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἐπιστολὰς πέμψαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν ποθεινότατον ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν Λιβάνιον πεῖσαί τε ἀναστῆναι ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ τὴν ἀποδημίαν στείλασθαι ταύτην, πόσης διαθέσεώς ἐστι; πόσης κηδεμονίας; ∆ιὰ ταῦτα σκιρτῶμεν καὶ εὐφραινόμεθα. Ἀγάπης γὰρ γνησίας ἴσον οὐδέν. Καὶ αὐτὴ μὲν ἀξιοῖς τὴν αὐτὴν ἡμᾶς διασώζειν διάθεσιν, ἣν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπεδειξάμεθα περὶ τὴν σὴν ἐμμέλειαν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἀνεχόμεθα ἐπὶ τοῦ μέτρου μένειν τούτου, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν προσθήκας ἐπιζητοῦμεν τῆς περὶ σὲ διαθέσεως, ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς τὰ μέγιστα χαριζόμενοι. Οὐ γὰρ διαλιμπάνομεν συνεχῶς παρ' ἑαυτοῖς στρέφοντες τὸ εὐγενές σου τῆς ψυχῆς, τὸ ἄπλαστον, τὸ ἐλευθέριον, τὸ φιλικὸν, τὸ γνήσιον, τὸ ἀνυπόκριτον, καὶ μεγίστην ἀπὸ πῆς μνήμης τῶν λογισμῶν τούτων καρπούμεθα τὴν εὐφροσύνην. ∆ιὸ παρακαλοῦμεν θαῤῥήσασαν ἡμῶν τῇ ἀγάπῃ, μηδὲν ἀλγῆσαι ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀποσταλέντων παρὰ τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος, ὅτι δὴ ταῦτα ἀνεπέμψαμεν. Τῇ μὲν γὰρ διαθέσει καὶ ἐδεξάμεθα, καὶ ἀπελαύσαμεν αὐτῶν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐν χρείᾳ οὐ καθεστήκαμεν, ἐδηλώσαμεν αὐτὰ τηρεῖσθαι παρὰ τῇ σῇ εὐγενείᾳ. Κἄν ποτε καταστῶμεν ἐν χρείᾳ, ὄψει μεθ' ὅσης παῤῥησίας καὶ τοῦ θαῤῥεῖν γράψαιμεν, ὥστε ἡμῖν ἀποσταλῆναι, κἀν τούτῳ τὸ σὸν φυλάσσοντες ῥῆμα. Πρὸς γὰρ τῷ τέλει τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔφης· ∆εῖξον ὅτι καταξιοῖ σου ἡ θεοσέβεια θαῤῥεῖν ἡμῖν, καὶ τοῖς ἡμετέροις ὡς ἰδίοις κεχρῆσθαι. Εἰ τοίνυν οὕτω βούλει διακεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ βούλει, καὶ τοῖς σοῖς ὡς ἰδίοις κεχρῆσθαι, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐπιστείλω, τότε πέμπε. Τοῦ γὰρ ἴδια αὐτὰ νομίζειν, τοῦτο μέγιστόν ἐστι 52.739 σημεῖον τὸ, ἡνίκα ἂν ἐγὼ βουληθῶ, τότε πέμπεσθαι, ἀλλὰ μὴ τότε, ὅτε οὐ δέομαι. ∆εῖξον τοίνυν κἀν τούτῳ τὴν γνησίαν σου φιλίαν, καὶ τὴν αἰδῶ τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς, τῷ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ ἡμῶν ἀνασχέσθαι· καὶ πέμψον ταχέως ἐπιστολὴν ἀπαγγέλλουσαν ἡμῖν ὡς οὐκ ἤλγησας. Ἂν γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ποιήσῃς, ἐν διηνεκεῖ φροντίδι καθιστᾷν ἡμᾶς μέλλεις· οὐ γὰρ παυσόμεθα μεριμνῶντες, μή ποτε ἐλυπήσαμεν· πολὺ γάρ σου τῆς ἀγάπης ἀντεχόμεθα, καὶ τοῦ ἀναπαύειν σου τὴν εὐγένειαν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἱκανῶς ἀπελογησάμεθα, δήλωσον ἡμῖν ὡς ἐδέξω τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἡμῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ἔξεστί σου μαθεῖν τὴν ἐμμέλειαν, ὅτι πρὸς μὲν ἄλλους τὸ αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο πεποιηκότας, καὶ σφόδρα γνησίους ἡμῖν, οὐκ ἐδέησεν ἡμῖν ἀπολογίας, ἀλλ' ἤρκεσε τὸ διακρούσασθαι