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282.1 When not called, you complain, and when called, you do not obey. From the second of these,

it is clear that you used the first pretext in vain. For you would not have come, in all likelihood, even if you had been called then. Therefore, heed those calling now and do not be ungrateful again, knowing that a charge added to a charge confirms it, and the second makes the accusation of the first more credible. And I always exhort you to bear with us; but if you do not bear with us, it is not right to neglect the martyrs, to whose commemorations you are called to share. Grant the favor, therefore, first to both, but if this does not seem right to you, at least to the more honorable.

283.t TO ELEUTHERA

283.1 We hope to find a suitable day for the synod after the

matters in the mountain region that are to be arranged by us. And no other occasion for a meeting, apart from the service of the synod, appears to us, unless the Lord ordains something beyond our expectations. You ought to judge from your own affairs. For if your nobility, caring for one household, is surrounded by such a crowd of cares, how many occupations do you think we have each day? And I think your dream indicates more perfectly that one must take some care for the contemplation of the soul and attend to those eyes by which God is naturally seen. And having the exhortation from the divine Scriptures, you will need neither us nor anyone else in order to see what is necessary, having sufficient counsel and guidance from the Holy Spirit for what is expedient.

284.t CONCERNING THE MONKS, TO THE CENSITOR

284.1 I think that some regulation has already been established by your honor concerning

the monks, so that we have no need to ask for a special favor for them, but that it is sufficient for them if they enjoy the common philanthropy with all. Nevertheless, thinking it incumbent upon myself also to care for such men as much as possible, I am writing to your perfect wisdom that you release from taxes those who have long ago renounced the world and have mortified their own bodies, so that they are able to provide nothing useful to the public either from money or from bodily service. For if they are living according to their profession, they have neither money nor bodies, having acquired the one for the fellowship of the needy, and having worn out the other in fastings and prayers. And I know that you will hold in reverence above all those who have so lived, and will wish to acquire for yourself powerful helpers to entreat the Lord through their life according to the Gospel.

285.t UNTITLED, ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CHURCH

285.1 The one who cares for the Church and has in hand the management of its properties

is himself the one delivering this letter to you, the beloved son, so-and-so. Deign to grant him freedom of speech concerning what he reports to your excellency and to give heed to what he affirms, so that from now on at least the Church may be able to recover itself and be rid of this many-headed hydra. For such is the property of the poor that we are always seeking someone to take it on

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282.1 Μὴ καλούμενος ἐγκαλεῖς καὶ καλούμενος οὐχ ὑπακούεις. Ἐκ δὲ τῶν

δευτέρων δῆλος εἶ καὶ τῇ προτέρᾳ σκήψει μάτην χρησάμενος. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἧκες, ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων, οὐδὲ τότε κληθείς. Ἐπάκουσον οὖν καλοῦσι νῦν καὶ μὴ γένῃ πάλιν ἀγνώμων εἰδὼς ὡς ἐγκλήματι προστιθέμενον ἔγκλημα βεβαιοῖ καὶ πιστοτέραν ἐργάζεται τοῦ προτέρου τὴν κατηγορίαν τὸ δεύτερον. Ἀεὶ δέ σε καὶ ἡμῶν ἀνέχεσθαι παρακαλῶ· εἰ δὲ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀνέχῃ, ἀλλ' οὐ τῶν μαρτύρων ἀμελῆσαι δίκαιον, ὧν ταῖς μνείαις κοινωνήσων καλῇ. ∆ὸς οὖν πρῶτον μὲν ἀμφοτέροις, εἰ δὲ τοῦτό σοι μὴ δοκεῖ, τοῖς γοῦν τιμιωτέροις τὴν χάριν.

283.τ ΠΡΟΣ ΕΛΕΥΘΕΡΑΝ

283.1 Ἡμέραν μὲν ἐπιτηδείαν τῆς συνόδου ἐλπίζομεν εὑρίσ κειν μετὰ τὰς

κατὰ τὴν ὀρεινὴν μελλούσας παρ' ἡμῶν τυποῦσθαι. Συντυχίας δὲ καιρὸς ἄνευ τῆς κατὰ τὴν σύνο δον λειτουργίας ἄλλος ἡμῖν οὐχ ὑποφαίνεται, πλὴν ἐὰν μή τι ἔξω τῶν ἐλπιζομένων ὁ Κύριος οἰκονομήσῃ. Στοχάζεσθαι δὲ ὀφείλεις ἐκ τῶν κατὰ σεαυτὴν πραγμάτων. Εἰ γὰρ τῇ σῇ εὐγενείᾳ μιᾶς φροντιζούσῃ τοσοῦτος περίκειται ὄχλος μεριμ νῶν, πόσας νομίζεις ἡμᾶς τὰς ἐφ' ἑκάστης ἡμέρας ἀσχο λίας ἔχειν; Τὸ δὲ σὸν ὄναρ ἡγοῦμαι τελειότερον ἐνδείκνυσ θαι ὡς ἄρα δέοι περὶ τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν θεωρίας ποιεῖσθαί τινα ἐπιμέλειαν κἀκείνους τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς θεραπεύειν οἷς ὁ Θεὸς ὁρᾶσθαι πέφυκεν. Ἔχουσα δὲ τὴν ἐκ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν παράκλησιν, οὔτε ἡμῶν οὔτε ἄλλου τινὸς δεηθήσῃ πρὸς τὸ τὰ δέοντα συνορᾶν, αὐτάρκη τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Ἁγίου Πνεύ ματος ἔχουσα συμβουλίαν καὶ ὁδηγίαν πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον.

284.τ ΠΕΡΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΩΝ ΤΩ ΚΗΝΣΙΤΟΡΙ

284.1 Οἶμαι μέν τινα ἤδη τύπον κεκρατῆσθαι παρὰ τῇ τιμιό τητί σου τῶν

μοναζόντων ἕνεκεν, ὡς μηδὲν ἡμᾶς δεῖσθαι ἰδιάζουσαν χάριν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς αἰτεῖν, ἀλλ' ἐξαρκεῖν αὐτοῖς, εἰ τῆς κοινῆς μετὰ πάντων ἀπολαύσειαν φιλανθρωπίας. Ὅμως δὲ καὶ ἐμαυτῷ ἐπιβάλλειν ἡγούμενος φροντίζειν, τὰ δυνατά, τῶν τοιούτων ἐπιστέλλω τῇ τελείᾳ συνέσει σου τοὺς πάλαι μὲν ἀποταξαμένους τῷ βίῳ, νεκρώσαντας δὲ ἑαυτῶν τὸ σῶμα, ὡς μήτε ἀπὸ χρημάτων μήτε ἀπὸ τῆς σωματικῆς ὑπηρεσίας δύνασθαί τι παρέχειν τοῖς δημοσίοις χρήσιμον, ἀφιέναι τῶν συντελειῶν. Καὶ γάρ, εἴπερ εἰσὶ κατὰ τὸ ἐπάγγελμα ζῶντες, οὔτε χρήματα ἔχουσιν οὔτε σώματα, τὰ μὲν εἰς τὴν τῶν δεομένων κοινωνίαν ἀποκτησά μενοι, τὰ δὲ ἐν νηστείαις καὶ προσευχαῖς κατατρίψαντες. Οἶδα δὲ ὅτι τοὺς οὕτω βεβιωκότας παντὸς μᾶλλον δι' αἰδοῦς ἄξεις καὶ βουλήσει σεαυτῷ κτήσασθαι βοηθοὺς δυνατοὺς διὰ τῆς κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον πολιτείας δυσωπῆσαι τὸν Κύριον.

285.τ ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ ΕΠΙ ΤΗ ΤΗΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑ

285.1 Ὁ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας φροντίζων καὶ διὰ χειρὸς ἔχων τῶν κτήσεων τὴν

ἐπιμέλειαν αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐπι διδούς σοι ταύτην ὁ ἀγαπητὸς υἱὸς ὁ δεῖνα. Τούτῳ κατα ξίωσον περὶ ὧν ἀναφέρει τῇ κοσμιότητί σου δοῦναι καὶ λόγου παρρησίαν καὶ περὶ ὧν διαβεβαιοῦται προσσχεῖν, ἵνα ἀπὸ γοῦν τοῦ νῦν δυνηθῇ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἑαυτὴν ἀναλαβεῖν καὶ τῆς πολυκεφάλου ταύτης ὕδρας ἀπαλλαγῆναι. Τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ κτῆσις τῶν πτωχῶν ὥστε ἀεὶ ἡμᾶς ζητῆσαι τὸν ὑποδεχόμενον αὐτὴν