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apostolically observing? you are blessed according to your name, O Macarius, and your contest is to be blessed, both known of old and recently heard of, because you have preferred nothing to the love of God nor have you been charmed by the promises of the things here made by the ruler, nor indeed were you made slack by receding threats, but you remained the same, a soldier of Christ, a holy confessor, a living witness, not putting to shame your former life, but on the contrary making it especially brilliant by what you have achieved. But our situation is not as you say out of love and excessive humility, O most excellent of fathers, but as we ourselves know in ourselves; how? that we are unworthy even to be called of your number because of the multitude of sins. except that we groan over the present circumstances, how the beloved have kicked away, how even those who seem to be something have stood in opposition; whom, even if I should not name them, your holiness knows. And I might add, and a man's foes are they of his own household, and not one Absalom, but many; and evil men and impostors progressing for the worse, deceiving and being deceived; and the caves hold those who are persecuted and the great mystery of piety is laughed at and Christ is mocked, being depicted with his mother and servants. How are these things not grievous and worthy of tears? But, O most holy one, give an interceding hand to the fallen church, so that, having been awakened like the sleeping Lord, she might rebuke the spiritual tempest and spread a peace-giving calm. Pray for your child and also for the brother who is with me, who also sends greetings, that we may be kept safe in the Lord. 372 {1To Irene the Patrician}1 Why do I give you troubles, O lover of God and lover of monks? Your gifts are beyond my worth. The many and great ones of old and long ago were sufficient; why these as well? But you are like the leech of Solomon, which is not satisfied in doing good, and as it were squeezing out its own blood for the nourishment of others. And yet this is not the only thing known of you, but many things concur: zeal, desire, love for God. Even if we have fallen a little, we must therefore be recalled again and walk the way of the Lord. Let go of the sorrow, take up spiritual joy, since the Lord is near to those who wait for him, who, while we are still speaking the words of prayer, will say "4Behold, I am here."5. To the lady Irene, peace from God, from whom I also received the blessing, whom I hope will ascend to the high life of the monastic state, whenever the Lord should turn the storm into a gentle breeze. 373 {1To Paul the child}1 I read your letter, child, and finding that you are well both in body and in spirit, I gave thanks to the Lord; and you did well to write, especially in indicating that your mind also has been established in the faith. But may it be so in deed also; therefore, pay attention to yourself, fleeing the sight of women, fleeing all familiarity as destruction of the soul; abstain also from wicked thoughts as a burning of the heart and perdition; fear God and serve him with trembling, performing the appointed psalmodies and vigils; be not idle but industrious, not a jester but a lamenter, not an idle talker but one who speaks usefully. These things I say not to you alone, but also to Antipater and to the other brother, whom I both greet and for whom I pray, as a sinner, that both may be saved. 374 {1To Litoius the child}1 I rejoice to hear your voice, child, as mothers do their young, and especially because your sojourn, that is, your exile, has been established closer to our prison, since it has been arranged for you to transcribe the preceding letters. But receive others also. But I know that you have toiled much, but still, beloved, toil on, knowing that your reward is not ordinary, sharing with me, a sinner, in the profit of your soul. And may the Lord do well by the one who gives you lodging, because he has remembered friendship and holds to piety; whom I greet most heartily through you, explaining that he performs the act of mercy for me. That you are memorizing the chapters, is good; for you will better know the power of what is said. Except that beyond others, the ability to understand has been supplied to you by the Lord;

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ἀποστολικῶς τηρῶν; μακάριος εἶ φερωνύμως, ὦ Μακάριε, καὶ μακαριστέος σου ὁ ἄεθλος, καὶ πάλαι γνωριζόμενος καὶ ἄρτι ἀκουτιζόμενος, ὅτι τῆς ἀγάπης τοῦ θεοῦ οὐδὲν προέκρινας οὐδὲ ἐθέλχθης ὑποσχέσεσι τῶν τῇδε πρὸς τοῦ κρατοῦντος εἰσποιουμέναις, οὔτε μὴν ἐχαυνώθης ἀπειλαῖς ὑπανακρουομέναις, ἀλλ' ἔμεινας ὁ αὐτός, στρατιώτης Χριστοῦ, ὁμολογητὴς ἱερός, μάρτυς ἐτίζωος, μὴ καταισχύνας τὸν πάλαι βίον, τοὐναντίον δὲ λαμπρύνας τοῖς φθάσασιν ὅτι μάλιστα. Τὸ δὲ ἡμέτερον οὐχ ὡς ἐξ ἀγάπης καὶ ἄγαν ταπεινώσεως φῆς ἔχει, ὦ πατέρων κράτιστε, ἀλλ' ὡς αὐτοὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἴσμεν· πῶς; ὅτι ἀνάξιοι καὶ τοῦ καλεῖσθαι ὑμῶν τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν. πλὴν ὅτι στένομεν ἐπὶ τοῖς προκειμένοις, πῶς ἀπελάκτισαν οἱ ἠγαπημένοι, πῶς καὶ οἱ δοκοῦντες εἶναί τι ἐξ ἐναντίας ἔστησαν· οὕς, κἂν μὴ ἐξονοματίσοιμι, ἐπίσταταί σου ἡ ἁγιωσύνη. προσθείην δ' ἄν, καὶ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οἱ οἰκιακοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ οὐχ εἷς, ἀλλὰ πολλοί· καὶ ἄνθρωποι πονηροὶ καὶ γόητες προκόπτοντες ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι· καὶ τὰ σπήλαια τοὺς διωκομένους ἔχουσι καὶ γελᾶται τὸ μέγα τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον καὶ κωμῳδεῖται Χριστὸς ἐγγεγραμμένος σὺν μητρὶ καὶ θεράπουσι. Ταῦτα πῶς οὐ λυπηρὰ καὶ δακρύων ἄξια; ἀλλ' ὦ ἱερώτατε, δίδου χεῖρα πρεσβευτικὴν τῇ πεπτωκυίᾳ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ὅπως ἐξεγερθεῖσ' ὡς ὁ ὑπνῶν Κύριος ἐπιτιμήσειεν τῷ νοητῷ λαίλαπι καὶ καταστορέσειεν εὐδίαν εἰρηνόδωρον. προσεύχου περὶ τοῦ παιδός σου καί γε περὶ τοῦ συνόντος μοι ἀδελφοῦ, ὃς καὶ προσαγορεύει, διασῴζεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἐν Κυρίῳ. 372 {1Εἰρήνῃ πατρικίᾳ}1 Τί σοι κόπους παρέχω, ὦ φιλόθεε καὶ φιλομόναχε; αἱ ἀποστολαί σου ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν μου. ἤρκουν αἱ πάλαι καὶ πρόπαλαι πολλαὶ καὶ ἡλίκαι· τί καὶ αὗται; ἀλλ' ἔοικας τῇ Σολομωντείῳ βδέλλῃ, τῇ περὶ τὸ εὖ ποιεῖν οὐ κορεννυμένῃ, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐκπιέζουσα τὸ οἰκεῖον αἷμα εἰς τροφὴν ἄλλων. καίπερ οὐ τοῦτό σοι μόνον γνώριμον, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ τὰ συντρέχοντα, ζῆλος, πόθος, ἔρως εἰς θεόν· κἂν μικρὸν ὑποπεπτώκαμεν, πάλιν οὖν ἀνακλητέον καὶ τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου πορευτέον. πάρες τὸ λυπηρόν, ἀνάλαβε χαρὰν πνευματικήν, ἐπείπερ ἐγγὺς Κύριος τοῖς ὑπομένουσιν αὐτόν, ὅς, ἔτι λαλούντων ἡμῶν τὰ τῆς προσευχῆς ῥήματα, ἐρεῖ "4ἰδοὺ πάρειμι"5. Τῇ κυρίᾳ Εἰρήνῃ εἰρήνη θεοπάροχος, ἧς ἀπεδεξάμην καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν, ἣν ἐλπίζω εἰς τὸν ὑψηλὸν βίον τῆς μοναδικῆς πολιτείας ἀναδραμήσεσθαι, ὁπότε μεταστρέψειεν Κύριος τὴν καταιγίδα εἰς αὖραν. 373 {1Παύλῳ τέκνῳ}1 Ἀνέγνων σου τὴν ἐπιστολήν, τέκνον, καὶ εὑρὼν ὅτι ὑγιαίνεις καὶ σώματι καὶ πνεύματι ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ Κυρίῳ· καὶ καλῶς ἐποίησας ὅτι ἔγραψας, μάλιστα σημάνας ὅτι σου καὶ ὁ νοῦς ἡδραίωται ἐν τῇ πίστει. ἀλλ' εἴη καὶ ἐν τῇ πράξει· διὸ πρόσεχε σεαυτῷ, φεύγων γυναικείας ὄψεις, φεύγων πᾶσαν παρρησίαν ὡς ὄλεθρον ψυχῆς· ἀπέχου καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν λογισμῶν ὡς ἐμπυρισμὸν καρδίας καὶ ἀπώλειαν· φοβοῦ τὸν θεὸν καὶ ἐν τρόμῳ δούλευε αὐτῷ, τελῶν τὰς καθηκούσας ψαλμῳδίας καὶ ἀγρυπνίας· μὴ ἔσο ἀργὸς ἀλλὰ καματηρός, μὴ γελοιαστὴς ἀλλὰ θρηνητής, μὴ ἀργολόγος ἀλλὰ χρησιμορρήμων. Ταῦτα οὐ σοὶ μόνῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ Ἀντιπάτρῳ καὶ τῷ ἑτέρῳ ἀδελφῷ λέγω· οὓς καὶ προσαγορεύω καὶ εὔχομαι ὡς ἁμαρτωλὸς σῴζεσθαι ἀμφοτέρους. 374 {1Λιτοΐῳ τέκνῳ}1 Χαίρω ἀκούων σου τῆς φωνῆς, τέκνον, ὡς αἱ μητέρες τῶν νεοττῶν, καὶ μάλιστα ὅτι ἐγγιώτερον μᾶλλον ἡ παροικία σου, ἤγουν ἡ φυγαδεία, τῇ φυλακῇ ἡμῶν κατέστη, ἀφ' οὗ γέγονεν οἰκονομία μεταγράψαι σε τὰς προλαβούσας ἐπιστολάς. ἀλλὰ δέξαι καὶ ἑτέρας. οἶδα δὲ ὅτι πολὺ κεκοπίακας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔτι, ἀγαπητέ, κοπίασον, εἰδὼς ὅτι μισθός σοι οὐχ ὁ τυχών, ἡμισεύοντί μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἰς κέρδος ψυχῆς. εὖ δὲ ποιήσειεν Κύριος τῷ ξενοδοχοῦντί σε, ὅτι ἐμνήσθη φιλίας καὶ ἔχεται εὐσεβείας· ὃν διὰ σοῦ πλεῖστα προσαγορεύω, ἀπολογουμένου ὡς ὅτι ἐμοὶ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ποιεῖται. Τὰ κεφάλαια ὅτι ἐκστηθίζεις, καλῶς· μᾶλλον γὰρ εἴσῃ τὴν δύναμιν τῶν λεγομένων. πλὴν ὅτι παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους κεχορήγηταί σοι ὑπὸ Κυρίου τὸ νοεῖν·