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for which I also grieve, looking to the end. The bishop of Miletus was puffed up beforehand; I am anxious about this too. Where and how the seven are and how they have fared, I am exceedingly weary. But God is good to make straight the crooked things; since I also groan because of the Agrinites, what the evil one has done. But the Lord knows how to show that even the causes of evil are powers that work for good. There is grief in these things, joy in the confessors, if indeed they are those you have indicated; and may the Lord fulfill their course. Well done also to the monk of Medikion, who answered well, whom you should also greet on my behalf. Concerning counsel it is written, many are the counsels from one's neighbor, but for each person nothing is more fitting than his own counsel. Let us indeed hold to this, not receiving anything from those who have signed, even if they should send something. And we learned for certain that they did sign. But as for fears, child, bid them farewell, looking only to what is pleasing to God; for he who does not seek this will not have the things here either. Greet the brothers; those with us send their greetings. 137 {1To the same}1 The first part of your letter, child, I read with a smile, but when I came to the part about external affairs, I was distressed, seeing the magnitude of the evil. Nevertheless, blessed be God, who orders all things for our benefit. Let us prepare ourselves as soldiers of Christ, even if we are sinners. Sweet are the nails of the Master, even if they are very painful. Since we must all die the common death, let us die the voluntary one for Christ, so that by not fleeing for a time from suffering for him in human things, we may not be punished eternally in immortal things. But see that the innkeeper of Loupadion also foretold this some time ago, just as I have told you by word of mouth, and so what you have heard is true. Hasten, my child, to strengthen yourself and the brothers. May the Lord keep you safe. Pray for me, the weak one. 138 {1To John, an Eastern monk}1 Since you have written again, O dearest of children and brothers, I too move my pen again for you, at once for greeting and for reminding you that it is always good and pleasing to God for each person to blame himself for everything, and not his neighbor; from which what is is wont to be diminished and what is not is not added. And indeed, enough on this; for give an opportunity to a wise man, and he will be wiser, and for the prudent man from a few seeds there is a great harvest of spiritual grain. What next? Thanksgiving for me the sinner and praise for the reception of my beloved child Meletios; for not only do I hear your prayer, but I also confess my greatest thanks to you, O desired one, for the offering, transformed by your harmonious right-speaking from an unsteered zeal into a harbor of good order and truth. And oh, the providence, not allowing those who humbly seek their own salvation to be completely led astray. I have therefore received him through your voice and have incorporated him into my own members, and indeed I rejoice in him more than in those to whom I was attached from the beginning; and if he also writes to me, which must happen, he will receive a suitable reply. I ask you to greet him, praying unceasingly for my salvation. 139 {1To Niketas the mandator}1 Having learned of the safe passage of my beloved master with the brothers as far as Byzantium, and how he met and was met by the emperor, and how everything followed for him without danger by the good pleasure of God, I glorified my God, who kept you safe from ambushes and the trial of Caiaphas through the mediation of the good man and dromarchos. But know, master, that you have placed no ordinary goad of love in my humble soul; for having received many on many pretexts, in none was I so amazed and delighted by an imperial official as by you, I mean in terms of intelligence, prudence and gentleness, uprightness and dexterity and whatever else leads to virtue. And where shall I place your piety, your love of letters and learning, your notable and most intelligent nature? But where shall I omit your divine humility and condescension? My speech would grow weary, and of a letter

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ᾧ καὶ λυποῦμαι, ἀποσκοπῶν τὸ τέλος. προεπήρθη ὁ Μιλήτου· μεριμνῶ κἀν τούτῳ. οἱ ἑπτὰ ποῦ καὶ πῶς εἰσιν καὶ διεγένοντο καὶ λίαν κάμνω. ἀλλὰ ἀγαθὸς ὁ θεὸς τὰ σκῶλα εὐθετῆσαι· ἐπεὶ καὶ διὰ τοὺς Ἀγρινίτας στένω, ποῖον ὁ πονηρὸς ἔκαμεν. οἶδεν δὲ ὁ Κύριος καὶ τὰς τῶν κακῶν αἰτίας ἀγαθοποιοὺς δυνάμεις ἀποφαίνειν. λύπη ἐν τούτοις, χαρὰ ἐν τοῖς ὁμολογηταῖς, εἴπερ εἰσὶν οὓς ἐδήλωσας· καὶ ἐκπληρώσειεν ὁ Κύριος τὸν δρόμον αὐτῶν. εὖγε καὶ τῷ Μηδικιώτῃ, καλῶς ἀποκριθέντι, ὃν καὶ ἄσπασαι περὶ ἐμοῦ. περὶ τῆς βουλῆς γέγραπται, πολλαὶ συμβουλίαι παρὰ τοῦ πέλας, ἑκάστῳ δὲ οὐδὲν τῆς οἰκείας βουλῆς ἁρμοδιώτερον. τοῦτο δὴ καὶ κρατήσωμεν, μὴ λαμβάνοντές τι παρὰ τῶν ὑπογραψάντων, ἂν ἄρα καὶ πέμψωσι. τελείως δὲ ἐμάθομεν ὅτι ὑπέγραψαν. τοὺς δὲ φόβους, τέκνον, χαίρειν ἔα, ἀποσκοπῶν μόνον εἰς τὸ τῷ θεῷ φίλον· ὁ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ζητῶν οὐδὲ τὰ ἐνταῦθα ἕξει. Τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἄσπασαι· οἱ μεθ' ἡμῶν προσαγορεύουσιν. 137 {1Τῷ αὐτῷ}1 Τὴν πρώτην περιοχὴν τῆς ἐπιστολῆς σου, τέκνον, μετὰ μειδιασμοῦ ἀνέγνων, ἐλθὼν δὲ εἰς τὴν ἔξωθεν συνεστάλην, ἀφιδὼν τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ κακοῦ. πλὴν εὐλογητὸς ὁ θεός, ὁ πάντα πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον οἰκονομῶν. ἑτοιμασθῶμεν ὡς Χριστοῦ στρατιῶται, κἂν ἁμαρτωλοί ἐσμεν. γλυκεῖς οἱ ἧλοι τοῦ δεσπότου, εἰ καὶ λίαν ὀδυνηροί. ἐπεὶ πάντως δεῖ ἡμᾶς τὸν κοινὸν θάνατον ἀποθανεῖν, ἀποθάνωμεν τὸν προαιρετικὸν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα μὴ φεύγοντες τὸ παθεῖν δι' αὐτὸν πρὸς ὥραν τὰ ἀνθρώπινα κολασθῶμεν αἰωνίως τὰ ἀθάνατα. βλέπε δὲ ὅτι καὶ ὁ ξενοδόχος τοῦ Λουπαδίου οὕτω προείρηκεν ἀπὸ χρόνου, καθὼς καὶ δεδήλωκά σοι διὰ στόματος, καὶ λοιπὸν ἀληθές ἐστιν ὃ ἤκουσας. Ἐπείχθητι, τέκνον μου, στηρίζειν ἑαυτὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφούς. ὁ Κύριός σε διαφυλάξειεν. εὔχου περὶ ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἀσθενοῦς. 138 {1Ἰωάννῃ μοναχῷ Ἀνατολικῷ}1 Ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὖθις ἐπέστειλας, ὦ φίλτατε παίδων καὶ ἀδελφῶν, καὶ πάλιν κἀγὼ κινῶ σοι γραφίδα ὁμοῦ μὲν προσαγορευτικήν, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ ὑπομνηστικήν, ὅτι καλὸν ἀεὶ καὶ θεῷ φίλον αἰτιάζειν ἑαυτὸν ἕκαστον ἐφ' ἅπασιν, ἀλλ' οὐ τὸν πέλας· ἐξ οὗ καὶ τὸ ὂν μειοῦσθαι πέφυκε καὶ τὸ μὴ ὂν οὐ προσγίνεσθαι. καὶ γοῦν περὶ τοῦδε ἅλις· δίδου γὰρ σοφῷ ἀφορμὴν καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται, καὶ τῷ ἔμφρονι ἐκ βραχέων σπερμάτων πολλὴ ἡ τοῦ νοητοῦ σίτου συγκομιδή. Τί δὲ τὸ ἑξῆς; εὐχαριστία μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ καὶ αἴνεσις ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ ἐμοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ τέκνου Μελετίου προσλήψεως· οὐ μόνον γάρ σου εἰσακούω τῆς δεήσεως, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ χάριν σοι ὁμολογῶ, ὦ ποθητέ, μεγίστην τῆς προσενέξεως ἐξ ἐμμελοῦς σου εὐθυλογίας μετηνηνεγμένην ἐξ ἀκυβερνήτου ζήλου εἰς ὅρμον εὐταξίας καὶ ἀληθείας. καὶ ὢ τῆς προνοίας, μὴ ἐώσης παντάπασι ἀποπεπλανῆσθαι τοὺς τὴν οἰκείαν σωτηρίαν τεταπεινωμένως ἐκζητοῦντας. προσείλημμαι οὖν αὐτὸν διὰ φωνῆς σου καὶ σεσωμάτωκα τοῖς οἰκείοις μέλεσι, καί γε χαίρω ἐπ' αὐτῷ μᾶλλον ἢ ἐφ' οἷς ἤμην ἐξ ἀρχῆς συνηρτημένος· ἐὰν δέ μοι καὶ ἐπιστείλῃ, ὃ δεῖ καὶ γενέσθαι, καὶ ἀντιδέξεται τὰ εἰκότα. ὃν προσαγορεῦσαι παρακαλῶ σε, προσευχόμενον ὑπὲρ σωτηρίας μου ἀνεπιλήστως. 139 {1Νικήτᾳ μανδάτορι}1 ∆ιαγνοὺς τὴν μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν μέχρι τοῦ Βυζαντίου διάσωσιν τοῦ ἠγαπημένου μου δεσπότου, ὅπως τε ἀπεσυνόψισε καὶ ἀπεσυνοψίσθη τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ ὡς πάντα ἀκινδύνως αὐτῷ παρηκολούθησεν εὐδοκίᾳ θεοῦ, τὸν θεόν μου ἐδόξασα, τὸν ἔξω ἐνέδρων σε καὶ πείρας καϊαφαϊκῆς διατηρήσαντα μεσιτείᾳ τοῦ καλοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ δρομαρχοῦντος. γίνωσκε δέ, δέσποτα, ὅτι κέντρον ἀγάπης οὐ τὸ τυχὸν ἡμῖν ἐνέθηκες ἐν τῇ ταπεινῇ ψυχῇ· πολλοὺς γὰρ κατὰ πολλὰς προφάσεις παραλαβὼν ἐν οὐδενὶ οὕτω ἠγάσθην καὶ ἐτέρφθην ἄρχοντι βασιλικῷ, ὡς ἐπὶ σοί, κατά τε σύνεσίν φημι, φρόνησίν τε καὶ μειλιχιότητα, εὐθύτητα καὶ περιδεξιότητα καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τῶν εἰς ἀρετὴν φερόντων. τὴν δὲ εὐσέβειάν σου ποῦ θήσω, τὸ φιλόλογόν τε καὶ φιλομαθές, τό τε εὐσημείωτον καὶ εὐνούστατον; ἀλλὰ ποῦ παρήσω τὸ θεοταπείνωτον καὶ εὐσυγκατάβατον; κάμνοι ἂν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος καὶ ἐπιστολῆς