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I sit down, I have reported word for word, and the letter-bearer will narrate very well in his own voice, who is the protector of my exile in many ways, whom I also ask you to remember in your prayers. But why have you labored, o lover of your father, in the things you sent, which are many and varied? My God will repay you with spiritual things from here and eternal things from there. You are weary, I know, being pulled and pulled back, pressed and stretched towards those present, towards those absent, towards word, towards deed, towards admonition and reconciliation, towards superiors and inferiors, towards anything whatever that arises and occurs, and these things with preparation for a fight or even danger. But be of good courage, great is your reward, a crown of martyrdom is yours. And oh, the providence, that has used the awkwardness of the ruler for the salvation of many. But be very watchful with the rest; for nets are not spread for the winged in a random way. But may the Lord make you fly over them until the end. Truly the fall of the man from Chrysopolis has touched my wretched soul. But may the Lord be a helper to the Grammatikoi and to the lord Joseph and to anyone else being tempted by the new John; to whom I also sent a letter, if its delivery should be successful, with you reading the letters first. Lend yourself also to the monastery of Saint Phokas according to the Lord and for the Lord's sake what you can, as also to the other guarded ones; for they are servants of God, fulfilling the work of confession. May the grace of the Lord be your protection in all things, beloved. The lord John greets you with the brother Nicholas. 152 {1To the same}1 I am now writing for the fourth time since I was separated from you, my beloved child, telling you of our situation and also of the removal of the brothers and how I was left alone with the brother Nicholas. Therefore I have no need of much speech other than only to signify, having found the letter-bearer, who is both a brother and faithful, that we are well in body, awaiting day by day the salvation of God; for where else shall we look around or look away to or what breath shall we draw for ready help and comfort in affliction? Whence it was not difficult for us that the brothers were taken away, but on the contrary, unexpectedly restful, being constrained to God alone, just as a pipe being squeezed sends up its water on high. Therefore we choose to be separated even from the brother Nicholas, yet we are content with what has happened as no longer our will, but God's dispensation, who in every way has managed our humble dwelling for our benefit. I have, therefore, always with me in weekly succession also one of the porters; with him we eat, we sing psalms, we sleep. Thus we pass the day, as the overseeing God knows, working, reading, keeping silence, and in season discussing what comes up both among ourselves and with the good men who visit, and indeed also with monks; for God has moved not only men from these parts, but also from beyond the border and even further, to comfort us both physically and spiritually in abundance and some to be so like-minded as to give their right hands until death in the struggles for piety. For even if we are unworthy even to breathe, yet the good Lord in every way anticipates, guards, provides for, and cares for those who are exiled for his sake beyond what one hopes; thus he nourished Elijah by a raven when he was hungry, thus Daniel through Habakkuk who travelled through the air and whichever other of his servants. Do not, then, O children, be grieved for us humble ones as though we were abandoned. When I am parted from this wretched body by the persecutors of Christ (for this too, though I am unworthy, I am preparing to suffer), then I shall be saved, then I shall be taken up into life, then I shall conquer my persecutor, both the one within and the one without, forever. Therefore, my child, pray for me fervently with your brothers for all things always under

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καθέζομαι, καθ' ἔπος καὶ ἀνήγγειλα, καὶ δι' οἰκείας φωνῆς διηγήσοιτο εὖ μάλα ὁ γραμματηφόρος, τίς τέ ἐστιν προστάτης τῆς ξενίας μου κατὰ πολλοὺς τοὺς τρόπους, οὓς καὶ λαμβάνειν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς παρακαλῶ. ἱνατί δὲ κεκοπίακας, φιλοπάτωρ, ἐν οἷς ἀπέστειλας, πολλοῖς καὶ ποικίλοις οὖσιν; ἀνταμείψεταί σε ὁ θεός μου τοῖς ἐντεῦθεν πνευματικοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐκεῖθεν ἀιδίοις. κάμνεις, οἶδ' ὅτι, ἑλκόμενος καὶ ἀνθελκόμενος, πιεζόμενος καὶ περιτεινόμενος πρὸς τοὺς κατ' ὄψιν, πρὸς τοὺς ἀπόντας, πρὸς λόγον, πρὸς ἔργον, πρὸς νουθέτησιν καὶ συμβίβασιν, πρὸς ὑπερέχοντας καὶ ὑπέχοντας, πρὸς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν τῶν παρισταμένων καὶ συμπιπτόντων, καὶ ταῦτα μετὰ καὶ παρασκευῆς ἄρσεως ἢ καὶ κινδύνου. ἀλλὰ θάρσει, πολύς σου ὁ μισθός, μαρτυρίου σοι στέφανος. καὶ ὢ τῆς προνοίας, τῇ τοῦ κρατοῦντος σκαιωρίᾳ ἀποχρησαμένης εἰς πολλῶν σωτηρίαν. πλὴν γρηγόρει λίαν σὺν τοῖς λοιποῖς· οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἔτυχεν ἐκτείνεται δίκτυα πτερωτοῖς. Ἀλλ' ὑμῖν ὁ Κύριος ὑπερπτῆναι ποιήσειεν μέχρι τέλους. ὡς ἀληθῶς ἥψατό μου τῆς ἐλεεινῆς ψυχῆς ἡ πτῶσις τοῦ Χρυσοπολίτου. ἀλλ' ὁ Κύριος εἴη βοηθὸς τῶν τε Γραμματικῶν καὶ τοῦ κυρίου Ἰωσὴφ καὶ οὗτινος ἄλλου πειραζομένου ὑπὸ τοῦ νέου Ἰαννοῦ· οἷσπερ καὶ ἐπέστειλα, εἴπερ εὐοδωθείη ἡ ἀπόδοσις αὐτῶν, πρότερον ἀναγινώσκοντός σου τὰς ἐπιστολάς. κιχρῶ σεαυτὸν καὶ τῇ τοῦ Ἁγίου Φωκᾶ κατὰ Κύριον καὶ διὰ Κύριον τὰ δυνατά, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἄλλαις φρουρουμέναις· θεοῦ γὰρ διάκονοί εἰσιν, ὁμολογίας ἔργον πληροῦσαι. Ἡ χάρις τοῦ Κυρίου εἴη σοι φυλακτήριον ἐν πᾶσιν, ἠγαπημένε. προσαγορεύει ὁ κῦρις Ἰωάννης σὺν τῷ ἀδελφῷ Νικολάῳ. 152 {1Τῷ αὐτῷ}1 Τετράκις ἄρτι γράφων εἰμὶ ἐξ ὅτε ἀπεχωρίσθην σου, τέκνον μου ἠγαπημένον, δηλῶν τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς ὁμοῦ τε καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἔπαρσιν καὶ ὡς μόνος κατελείφθην μετὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Νικολάου. διὸ οὐδὲ πολλοῦ μοι λόγου χρεία ἢ μόνον ἐπισημᾶναι, εὑρόντι τὸν γραμματηφόρον, ἀδελφόν τε ὄντα καὶ πιστόν, ὅτι ὑγιαίνομεν σώματι, ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας προσαναμένοντες τὸ σωτήριον τοῦ θεοῦ· ποῦ γὰρ ἀλλῇ περιβλεψώμεθα ἢ ἀποσκοπήσωμεν ἢ τίνα καὶ ἀναπνεύσωμεν εἰς ἑτοίμην βοήθειαν καὶ παράκλησιν θλίψεως; ὅθεν οὐδὲ γέγονεν ἡμῖν δυσχερὲς τὸ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἀρθῆναι, τοὐναντίον παρ' ἐλπίδα ἀναπαυστικόν, σφιγχθεῖσιν εἰς θεὸν καὶ μόνον, καθάπερ σωλῆνος θλιβομένου ἀναπέμποντος τὸ ὕδωρ ὑψοῦ. διὸ αἱρούμεθα καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Νικολάου διαιρεθῆναι, ὅμως στέργομεν ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν οὐκέτι ἡμέτερον θέλημα, ἀλλὰ θεοῦ οἰκονομίαν, τοῦ συμφερόντως πάντως οἰκονομήσαντος τὸ ταπεινὸν ἡμῶν καθισμάτιον. Ἔχω τοίνυν ἀεὶ συνόντα μοι ἐκ διαδοχῆς ἑβδοματιαίου καὶ ἕνα τῶν πορταρίων· σὺν αὐτῷ ἐσθίομεν, ψάλλομεν, κοιμώμεθα. οὕτω διαμείβομεν τὴν ἡμέραν, ὡς ἂν οἶδεν ὁ ἐφορῶν θεός, ἐργαζόμενοι, ἀναγινώσκοντες, ἡσυχάζοντες, ἐν καιρῷ καὶ τὰ συμπίπτοντα ὁμιλοῦντες πρός τε ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐπισκεπτομένους ἄνδρας ἀγαθούς, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ μονάζοντας· ἐκίνησεν γὰρ ὁ θεὸς οὐ μόνον ἐκ τῶν ἐγχωρίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίου καὶ ἔτι πορρωτέρω, παρακαλοῦντας ἡμᾶς καὶ σωματικῶς καὶ ψυχικῶς αὐτάρκως καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτόν τινας ὁμοψυχοῦντας, ὡς καὶ δεξιὰς δοῦναι μέχρι θανάτου ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀγωνίσμασι. κἂν γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἀνάξιοι καὶ τοῦ ἀναπνεῖν, ἀλλ' ὁ ἀγαθὸς Κύριος ἐν παντὶ τοὺς δι' αὐτὸν ὑπεροριζομένους προφθάζει, φυλάττει, προνοεῖται, φροντίζει ὑπὲρ ὃ ἐλπίζει τις· οὕτως τὸν Ἠλίαν ὑπὸ κόρακος πεινῶντα ἔθρεψεν, οὕτως τὸν ∆ανιὴλ διὰ τοῦ Ἀμβακοὺμ ἀεροπορήσας καὶ ὅντινα ἄλλον τῶν θεραπόντων αὐτοῦ. Μὴ δὴ οὖν, ὦ τέκνα, λυπεῖσθε ἐφ' ἡμῖν τοῖς ταπεινοῖς ὡς ἐγκαταλειφθεῖσιν. ὅταν καὶ τοῦ δυστήνου τοῦδε σώματος διαιρεθῶ ὑπὸ τῶν χριστοδιωκτῶν (καὶ τοῦτο γάρ, κἂν ἀνάξιός εἰμι, παρασκευάζομαι παθεῖν), τότε σωθήσομαι, τότε προσληφθήσομαι εἰς ζωήν, τότε τὸν ἐμὸν διώκτην, καὶ τὸν ἔσωθεν καὶ τὸν ἔξωθεν, νικήσω εἰς αἰῶνα. διό, τέκνον μου, θερμῶς μοι προσεύχου μετὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν σου πάντα πάντοτε ὑπὸ