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155.1 I am at a loss how to defend myself against the many accusations written in the letter, the first and only one your nobility has deigned to send us, not through any lack of justice, but because in the multitude of charges brought forward it is difficult to give preference to the more critical ones and to know where we must first begin the remedy; or perhaps by using the order of what was written as a path to respond to each point. Those setting sail for Scythia from here we have not known to this day; nor did those from the house remind us, so that we might greet you through them, even though we are very eager on every occasion to address your honor. And it is impossible to forget you in prayers, unless we first forget our work to which the Lord appointed us. For you certainly remember the ecclesiastical proclamations, being faithful by the grace of God, that we make our prayers for the brethren who are abroad, and for those who are tried in military service, and for those who speak boldly for the name of the Lord, and for those who show forth spiritual fruits in the holy Church; among whom we certainly believe, at times or even in all things, your honor is also included. And how could we forget you personally, having so many things that move us to remembrance: such a niece, such nephews, a family so good and so loving toward us, a house, servants, friends, from whom, even if we did not wish it, we are necessarily reminded of your good will? And concerning this, the brother so-and-so brought us nothing offensive, nor has any judgment harmful to him been issued by us. Turn your grief, therefore, upon those who told you falsehoods, acquitting of all blame both the chorepiscopus and me. And if the lawyer so-and-so is pursuing some lawsuit, he has public courts and laws. I ask you, therefore, to have no blame concerning these matters. But as for the good things you do, you are storing them up for yourself, and the rest you provide for those persecuted for the name of the Lord, you are preparing for yourself on the day of recompense. And you will do well if you also send relics of martyrs to your homeland, if indeed, as you wrote to us, the persecution there is even now making martyrs for the Lord.

156.t TO EVAGRIUS THE PRESBYTER

156.1 I was so far from being annoyed at the length of your letter, so that the letter even seemed short to me because of the pleasure of reading it. For what sound is more pleasant than the name of peace, or what is more holy and more pleasing to the Lord than to deliberate on such matters? May the Lord, therefore, grant you the reward of peacemaking, since you have chosen so well and are earnestly engaged in a blessed work. But believe us, precious friend, that because we have chosen and pray to one day see the day when all who are not separated from each other in their minds fill the same congregation, we yield to no one the first place in this endeavor. For we would truly be the most absurd of all men if we rejoiced in the schisms and divisions of the Churches and did not consider the union of the members of the body of Christ the greatest of goods. But know that however much desire we have, so much are we lacking in power. For your perfect wisdom is not ignorant that passions strengthened by time first require time for their correction, and then a strong and more vigorous treatment, if one is to reach its depth so as to uproot the infirmities of the ailing. And you know what I mean, and, if I must speak more plainly, there is no fear. 156.2 Self-love by long habit in their souls

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155.1 Πρὸς πολλὰς τὰς διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἣν πρώτην καὶ μόνην κατηξίωσεν ἡμῖν ἡ εὐγένειά σου διαπέμψασθαι ἐγγεγραμμένας κατηγορίας ἀπορῶ ἀπολογήσασθαι, οὐ διὰ τὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἔνδειαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐν πλήθει τῶν ἐπι φερομένων δύσκολον εἶναι τῶν καιριωτέρων τὴν προτίμησιν καὶ ὅθεν δεῖ πρῶτον ἡμᾶς ἄρξασθαι τῆς θεραπείας· ἢ τάχα διὰ τὸ τῇ τάξει τῶν γεγραμμένων χρησαμένους ὁδῷ πρὸς ἕκαστον ἀπαντᾶν. Τοὺς ἐπὶ Σκυθίαν ἀπαίροντας ἐντεῦθεν μέχρι σήμερον οὐκ ἐγνωρίσαμεν· ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τῶν ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας ὑπέμνησαν ἡμᾶς, ὥστε προσειπεῖν δι' αὐτῶν, καί τοι πάνυ διὰ σπουδῆς τιθεμένους ἐπὶ πάσης προφάσεως προσφθέγγεσθαί σου τὴν τιμιότητα. Ἐπιλαθέσθαι δέ σου ἐν προσευχαῖς ἀδύνατον, εἰ μὴ πρότερον τοῦ ἔργου ἡμῶν ἐπιλαθώμεθα εἰς ὃ ἔταξεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος. Μέμνησαι γὰρ πάντως τῶν κηρυγμάτων τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν πιστὸς ὢν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν ἀποδημίαις ἀδελφῶν δεόμεθα, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν στρατείαις ἐξεταζο μένων καὶ ὑπὲρ παρρησιαζομένων διὰ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν τοὺς πνευματικοὺς καρποὺς ἐπιδεικνυμένων ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τὰς εὐχὰς ποιούμεθα· ὧν πάντως ἐν τοῖς χρόνοις ἢ καὶ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι νομίζομεν καὶ τὴν σὴν ἐμπεριλαμβάνεσθαι τιμιότητα. Ἰδίᾳ δέ σου ἡμεῖς πῶς ἂν ἐπιλαθώμεθα τοσαῦτα ἔχοντες τὰ κινοῦντα ἡμᾶς πρὸς μνήμην, ἀδελφιδῆν τοιαύτην, ἀδελφιδοὺς τοιούτους, συγγέ νειαν οὕτω χρηστήν, οὕτως ἀγαπῶσαν ἡμᾶς, οἶκον, οἰκέτας, φίλους, ἐξ ὧν, κἂν μὴ βουλώμεθα, ἀναγκαίως ὑπομιμνησκόμεθά σου τῆς ἀγαθῆς προαιρέσεως; Περὶ δὲ τοῦδε ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ δεῖνα οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἤνεγκεν ἐπαχθές, οὐδὲ παρ' ἡμῶν βλάπτουσα αὐτόν τις κρίσις ἐξενήνεκται οὐδεμία. Τρέψον οὖν τὴν λύπην ἐπὶ τοὺς τὰ ψευδῆ διη γησαμένους ἀπολύσας πάσης μέμψεως καὶ τὸν χωρεπίσκο πον καὶ ἐμέ. Εἰ δέ τινα δίκην γυμνάζει ὁ σχολαστικὸς ὁ δεῖνα, ἔχει δικαστήρια δημόσια καὶ νόμους. Ἀξιῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τούτοις μηδεμίαν ἔχειν μέμψιν. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὅσα ποιεῖς ἀγαθά, σεαυτῷ θησαυρίζεις, καὶ ἣν παρέχῃ ἀνάπαυσιν τοῖς διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Κυρίου διωκομένοις, ταύτην σεαυτῷ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς μισθαποδοσίας προετοιμάζεις. Καλῶς δὲ ποιήσεις, ἐὰν καὶ λείψανα μαρτύρων τῇ πατρίδι ἐκπέμψῃ, εἴπερ, ὡς ἐπέστειλας ἡμῖν, ὁ ἐκεῖ διωγμὸς ποιεῖ καὶ νῦν μάρτυρας τῷ Κυρίῳ.

156.τ ΕΥΑΓΡΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ

156.1 Τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχον τοῦ δυσχερᾶναι πρὸς τὸ μῆκος τῶν γραμμάτων,

ὥστε καὶ μικρά μοι ἔδοξεν εἶναι ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ὑπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν ἡδονῆς. Τί γὰρ ἥδιον ἄκουσμα τοῦ τῆς εἰρήνης ὀνόματος, ἢ τί τοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν τοιούτων βουλεύεσθαι ἱεροπρεπέστερον καὶ μᾶλλον τῷ Κυρίῳ κεχα ρισμένον; Σοὶ μὲν οὖν παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος τὸν μισθὸν τῆς εἰρηνοποιίας οὕτω καλῶς προαιρουμένῳ καὶ σπουδαίως ἐγκειμένῳ πράγματι μακαριστῷ. Ἡμᾶς δὲ νόμιζε, τιμία κεφαλή, ἕνεκα μὲν τοῦ προῃρῆσθαι καὶ εὔχεσθαι ἰδεῖν ποτε τὴν ἡμέραν ἐν ᾗ πάντες τὸν αὐτὸν πληροῦσι σύλλογον οἱ ταῖς διανοίαις ἀλλήλων μὴ ἀπεσχισμένοι, μηδενὶ παραχω ρεῖν τῶν εἰς τὴν σπουδὴν ταύτην πρωτείων. Καὶ γὰρ ἂν εἴημεν ὡς ἀληθῶς πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀτοπώτατοι, σχίσμασι καὶ κατατομαῖς Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐφηδόμενοι καὶ μὴ τὴν συνάφειαν τῶν μελῶν τοῦ σώματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ μέ γιστον τῶν ἀγαθῶν τιθέμενοι. Ὅσον μέντοι τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἡμῖν περίεστι, τοσοῦτον γίνωσκε τῆς δυνάμεως ἐνδεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοεῖ σου ἡ τελεία φρόνησις ὅτι τὰ χρόνῳ κρατυνθέντα πάθη πρῶτον μὲν χρόνου δεῖται πρὸς τὴν διόρθωσιν, ἔπειτα ἰσχυρᾶς καὶ εὐτονωτέρας ἀγωγῆς, εἰ μέλλοι τις τοῦ βάθους αὐτοῦ καθικνεῖσθαι ὥστε πρόρριζα ἐξελεῖν τῶν καμνόντων τὰ ἀρρωστήματα. Οἶδας δὲ ὃ λέγω, καί, εἰ δεῖ τρανότερον εἰπεῖν, καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ φόβος. 156.2 Τὴν φιλαυτίαν ἔθει μακρῷ ταῖς ψυχαῖς