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Are there some who are pious, even like Nicodemus, among the soldier-monks and those living as laymen, or have all turned aside and become worthless? And how are things for you with respect to contemplation? Since, being pure, you receive sincere manifestations towards God, is Christ, being supplicated, moved to rebuke the stormy sea of heresy, or does he still postpone the rebuke in order to test, of some, their longing for him, and of others, to empty out their whole wickedness so as to punish them justly? Teach me each thing and may you strengthen me with prayers as much as possible, to remain unshaken by the attacks of the passions from within and of temptations from without, your admirer and praiser, though sinful. 177 {1To Naucratius, child}1 Those who have prepared themselves to hear distressing things are not strangely affected by undesirable news. Therefore, child, we were not alarmed by the reports in your letters; but they are most pitiable (for how could they not be?), with the holy churches of God still being destroyed and the persecution against the pious raging more violently both within and without. But nevertheless it is necessary for every soul to be tested and every place to be sifted, so that the wheat may be separated from the chaff, even if it is little; since the chosen are few, as the Lord said. The fall of Demetrias grieved us not a little; and indeed, "do not praise a man," it says, "until his end." For what have we suffered? We have not yet resisted to the point of blood, striving against impiety, and, to speak in an apostolic manner, we have forgotten the exhortation. I am anxious about the brothers who were arrested together, considering how things will turn out for them; except that we are accustomed, like those in the smithies to the hammering, not to be astonished at the heavy reports of misfortunes. I pray, therefore, as a sinner, that they may fare well; for the contest is for Christ and not a petty one as in the case of adultery among some of the foolish; it is Christ who is now being manifestly rejected, with his mother and servants. O men, O soldiers of Christ, stand nobly, take up powerful weapons, with which Paul exhorts us to be fortified for the destruction of the strongholds of the devil. behold the war, behold the victory (for Christ is our helper), behold the unfading crowns of righteousness, behold paradise, behold the kingdom of heaven; the angels are watching, they join in our struggle against the adversaries, the saints from heaven struggle with us, watching over our contests. let us not turn aside, O good fellow-contestants, let us not shrink from imprisonments and hardships, and at times even punishments, let us not shame Christ in our defeat, may that not be, let us not put to shame our fellow contestants, the angels, let us not grieve our forerunners and victors of the same rank. The contest, then, is of the first course, in which are the many prizes, as you know, in the race here below. But at least may we attain to the second; and if we should miss this one too, may we at least win the fourth prize; only let us not be left ashamed, being found at the fearful judgment seat of Christ, not finding a second chance to wrestle. Yes, I pray, let us be victorious. But since the present time is a stadium, how is it not possible for me, the humble one, to rejoice, having heard now also that our brothers who have departed have indeed been victorious, having lived their lives well? I was pleased in the Medicionite that he wrestled most nobly, and indeed at the exile of the one from Nicaea; by whose prayers may I, the unworthy one, also be strengthened. If iconoclasts come upon you, do not open the door of your own accord; but if they act like robbers, as is their custom, you are innocent. Do not withdraw, but remain still until persecution or being taken away; the destruction be upon their own heads. But you, do not abandon the church and chanting and celebrating the liturgy; unless they should profane the church through their own abomination, that is, their liturgy. Concerning the things for which you asked pardon, may it be granted to you from God for them all. The pair of letter-carriers, since they are unaccompanied, I have taken them completely into the service of the word of truth; what is this? To preach the gospel through their journeying here and there to the brothers the things of salvation. would that we had chosen others too

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εἰσί τινες εὐσεβοῦντες κἂν νικοδήμως ἐν τοῖς στρατιομονάχοις καὶ λαΐζουσιν ἢ πάντες ἐκκεκλικότες ἠχρείωνται; πῶς δέ σοι τὰ τῆς θεωρίας ἔχει; ἐπειδὴ καθαρὸς ὢν εἰλικρινεῖς τὰς ἐμφάσεις πρὸς θεὸν δέχῃ, κάμπτεται Χριστὸς λιτανιζόμενος πρὸς τὸ ἐπιτιμῆσαι τῇ αἱρετικῇ πολυκυμίᾳ ἢ ἔτι εἰς τὸ δοκιμάσαι, ὧν μὲν τὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν πόθον, ὧν δὲ κενῶσαι τὴν ὅλην κακίαν εἰς τὸ καὶ κολάσαι ἐνδίκως, ἀναβάλλεται τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν; ∆ίδαξον ἕκαστα καὶ στηρίζοις με εὐχαῖς ὅτι μάλιστα, ἀσαλεύτως ταῖς ἔνδοθεν τῶν παθῶν καὶ ἔξωθεν πειρασμῶν προσβολαῖς διαμένειν, τὸν σόν, εἰ καὶ ἁμαρτωλόν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐραστὴν καὶ ἐπαινέτην. 177 {1Ναυκρατίῳ τέκνῳ}1 Οἱ προμεμελετηκότες ἀκούειν τὰ θλιπτικὰ οὐ ξενοπαθοῦσιν ἐν ταῖς ἀπευκταῖς ἀγγελίαις. διὸ οὔτ' ἐθροήμεθα, τέκνον, ἐν ταῖς τῶν γραμμάτων σου ἀπαγγελίαις· ἐλεειναὶ δὲ ὅτι μάλιστα (πῶς γὰρ οὔ;), ἔτι ἀφανιζομένων τῶν ἱερῶν ναῶν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ τε κατὰ τῶν εὐσεβούντων διωγμοῦ μᾶλλον κορυβαντιῶντος ἔσω τε καὶ ἔξω. δεῖ δὲ ὅμως κωδωνισθῆναι πᾶσαν ψυχὴν καὶ κοσκινισθῆναι πάντα τόπον, ἵνα τῶν ἀχύρων ὁ σῖτος διαχωρισθῇ, εἰ καὶ ὀλιγοστός· ἐπείπερ ὀλίγοι, ὡς ὁ Κύριος ἔφη, οἱ ἐκλεκτοί. ἐλύπησεν ἡμᾶς οὐ μικρὸν ἡ τοῦ ∆ημητριάδος κατάπτωσις· καί γε μὴ ἐπαινέσῃς ἄνδρα, φησίν, ἕως ἐξόδου αὐτοῦ. τί γὰρ καὶ πεπόνθαμεν; οὔπω μέχρις αἵματος ἀντεκατέστημεν πρὸς τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἀνταγωνιζόμενοι καὶ ἐκλελήσμεθα, ἀποστολικῶς εἰπεῖν, τῆς παρακλήσεως. ἀγωνία μοι περὶ τῶν συλληφθέντων ὁμοῦ ἀδελφῶν, πῶς τὰ κατ' αὐτοὺς ἀποβῇ σκοποῦντι· πλὴν ὅτι εἰθίσμεθα, ὥσπερ οἱ ἐν τοῖς χαλκείοις τῇ σφυροκοπίᾳ, μὴ παραξενίζεσθαι ἐν ταῖς βαρείαις τῶν συμφορῶν ἀκοαῖς. Εὔχομαι τοίνυν ὡς ἁμαρτωλὸς εὖ πρᾶξαι αὐτούς· διὰ Χριστὸν γὰρ ὁ ἀγὼν καὶ οὐ μικρολογύμενος ὡς ἐπὶ τῆς μοιχείας παρά τισι τῶν ἀσυνέτων· Χριστὸς ἐμφανῶς ὁ τανῦν ἀθετούμενος σὺν μητρὶ καὶ θεράποσιν. ὦ ἄνδρες, ὦ στρατιῶται Χριστοῦ, στῆτε γενναίως, ἄρατε δυνατὰ ὅπλα, οἷς πεφράχθαι ἡμᾶς πρὸς καθαίρεσιν τῶν τοῦ διαβόλου ὀχυρωμάτων Παῦλος διακελεύεται. ἴδε ὁ πόλεμος, ἴδε ἡ νίκη (Χριστὸς γὰρ ἐπίκουρος), ἴδε οἱ στέφανοι τῆς δικαιοσύνης οἱ ἀμαράν τινοι, ἴδε ὁ παράδεισος, ἴδε ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν· ὁρῶσιν οἱ ἄγγελοι, συνεφήπτονται τῇ πάλῃ ἡμῶν κατὰ τῶν ἐναντίων, συναγωνιοῦσιν οἱ ἅγιοι ἐξ οὐρανοῦ, ἐποπτεύοντες τὰ σκάμματα ἡμῶν. μὴ ἐκκλίνωμεν, ὦ σύναθλοι καλοί, μὴ ὑποπτήξωμεν τὰς φυλακὰς καὶ ταλαιπωρίας, ἔσθ' ὅτε καὶ ποινάς, μὴ καταισχύνωμεν Χριστὸν ἐν τῇ ἥττῃ ἡμῶν, ὅπερ ἀπείη, μὴ ἐντρέψωμεν τοὺς συναγωνιστὰς ἡμῶν ἀγγέλους, μὴ λυπήσωμεν τοὺς ὁμοταγεῖς ἡμῶν προδρόμους καὶ νικητάς. ἔστιν οὖν τοῦ πρώτου διαύλου ὁ ἀγών, ἐν ᾧ τὰ πολλὰ ἔπαθλα, ὡς ἴστε, κατὰ τὸν κάτω δρόμον. ἀλλά γε κἂν τοῦ δευτέρου ἡμεῖς τύχοιμεν· εἰ δέ γε διαμαρτοίημεν καὶ τοῦδε, κἂν τεταρτοβαΐσωμεν· μὴ δὴ μόνον λειφθῶμεν κατῃσχυμμένοι, εὑρισκόμενοι ἐν τῷ φοβερῷ βήματι Χριστοῦ, μὴ εὑρίσκοντες δευτέραν ἀναπάλαισιν. ναί, δέομαι, νικήσωμεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ στάδιον ὁ παρὼν καιρός, πῶς οὐκ ἔστι χαίρειν με τὸν ταπεινόν, ἀκούσαντα καὶ νῦν ὅτι γε νενικήκασιν οἱ ἐκδημήσαντες ἀδελφοὶ ἡμῶν καλῶς πολιτευσάμενοι; ἥσθην ἐν τῷ Μηδικιώτῃ ὅτι κάλλιστα ἀνεπαλαίσατο, καί γε ἐπὶ τῇ ἐξορίᾳ τοῦ τῆς Νικαίας· ὧν εὐχαῖς στηριχθείην κἀγὼ ὁ ἀχρεῖος. εἰ ἐφιστῶσιν ὑμῖν εἰκονομάχοι, θύραν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν μὴ ἀνοίξητε· ἂν δὲ λῃστρικῶς κατὰ τὸ σύνηθες αὐτοῖς ποιήσωσιν, ἀθῷοι ὑμεῖς. μὴ ὑποχωρήσητε, ἀλλ' ἔτι μένετε ἕως διωγμοῦ ἢ ἐπάρσεως· ὁ ἀφανισμὸς ἐπὶ κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν. ὑμεῖς δὲ τοῦ ναοῦ μὴ ἀποστῆτε καὶ ψάλλειν καὶ λειτουργεῖν· οὐκ οἶδα εἰ μὴ κοινώσωσι τὸν ναὸν διὰ τῆς οἰκείας μυσαρίας, ἤγουν λειτουργίας. Περὶ ὧν ᾔτησας συγχώρησιν, εἴη σοι ἀπὸ θεοῦ ἐπὶ πᾶσι. τὴν δυάδα τῶν γραμματηφόρων, ἐπειδὴ ἀσύνοδος, ἔλαβον αὐτὴν εἰς ὑπηρεσίαν ὁλοτελῶς τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας· τί τοῦτο; εὐαγγελίζεσθαι διὰ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ὧδε κἀκεῖσε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς τὰ σωτήρια. εἴθε καὶ ἄλλους ἐξελεξάμεθα