Letter CXLIII.737    Of the same date as the preceding.

To another accountant.738    On the same subject.

Had it been possible for me to meet your excellency I would have in person brought before you the points about which I am anxious, and would have pleaded the cause of the afflicted, but I am prevented by illness and by press of business.  I have therefore sent to you in my stead this chorepiscopus, my brother, begging you to give him your aid and use him and to take him into counsel, for his truthfulness and sagacity qualify him to advise in such matters.  If you are so good as to inspect the hospital for the poor, which is managed by him, (I am sure you will not pass it without a visit, experienced as you are in the work; for I have been told that you support one of the hospitals at Amasea out of the substance wherewith the Lord has blessed you), I am confident that, after seeing it, you will give him all he asks.  Your colleague has already promised me some help towards the hospitals.  I tell you this, not that you may imitate him, for you are likely to be a leader of others in good works, but that you may know that others have shown regard for me in this matter.

ΕΤΕΡῼ ΝΟΥΜΕΡΑΡΙῼ

[1] Εἰ μὲν αὐτῷ μοι δυνατὸν ἦν συμπαρεῖναι τῇ τιμιότητί σου, δι' ἐμαυτοῦ ἂν πάντως ἀνήνεγκα περὶ ὧν ἐβουλόμην καὶ προέστην τῶν καταπονουμένων. Ἐπεὶ δέ με ἀρρωστία σώματος καὶ ἀσχολίαι πραγμάτων ἀφέλκουσιν, ἀντ' ἐμαυτοῦ σοι τὸν ἀδελφὸν τόνδε τὸν χωρεπίσκοπον συνίστημι, ὥστε σε αὐτῷ γνησίως προσσχόντα χρήσασθαι συμβούλῳ ὡς φιλαλήθως καὶ ἐμφρόνως δυναμένῳ συμβουλεῦσαι περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων. Τὸ γὰρ πτωχοτροφεῖον τὸ παρ' αὐτοῦ οἰκονομούμενον ἐπειδὰν καταξιώσῃς θεάσασθαι (ὄψει γάρ, εὖ οἶδα, καὶ οὐ παραδραμῇ, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ ἄπειρος εἶ τοῦ ἔργου, ἀλλ', ὡς ὁ δεῖνά μοι ἀνήνεγκεν, ἓν τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἀμασείᾳ ἐξ ὧν ἔδωκέ σοι ὁ Κύριος διατρέφεις), ἐπειδὰν οὖν ἴδῃς καὶ τοῦτο, πάντα αὐτῷ παρέξῃ τὰ ἐπιζητούμενα. Ἤδη γάρ μοι καὶ ὁ ἑταῖρός σου κατεπηγγείλατο φιλανθρωπίαν τινὰ περὶ τὰ πτωχοτροφεῖα. Τοῦτο δὲ λέγω οὐχ ἵνα ἄλλον αὐτὸς μιμήσῃ (σὲ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἑτέροις εἶναι τῶν καλῶν ἡγεμόνα), ἀλλ' ἵνα γνῷς ὅτι δὴ περὶ αὐτῶν τούτων καὶ ἄλλοι ἡμᾶς ἐδυσώπησαν.