Letter CCXLIV.1315    Placed in 376.

To Patrophilus, bishop of Ægæ.1316    “Aigaiai is the more correct form.”  Ramsay, Hist. Geog. A.M. 116.  In the gulf of Issus, now Ayas.  St. Julianus, son of a senator of Anazarbus, is said to have suffered there.  (Basil, Menol. and, possibly, Chrysost., Hom. in Jul. Mart.)

1.  I have read, and read with pleasure, the letter which you have sent by Strategius the presbyter.  How should I not so read it, written as it is by a wise man, and dictated by a heart which has learned to observe the universal love taught by the commandment of the Lord?  Possibly I am not unaware of the reasons which have hitherto kept you silent.  You have been, as it were, amazed and astounded, at the idea of the change in the notorious Basil.  Why, ever since he was a boy he did such and such service to such an one; at such and such times he did such and such things; he waged war against foes innumerable for the sake of his allegiance to one man; now he has become a totally different character; he has exchanged love for war; he is all that you have written; so you naturally shew considerable astonishment at the very unexpected turn of affairs.  And if you have found some fault, I do not take it ill.  I am not so beyond correction as to be amazed at the affectionate rebukes of my brothers.  Indeed so far was I from being vexed at your letter that it really almost made me laugh to think that when there were, as I thought, so many strong causes already existing to cement our friendship, you should have expressed such very great astonishment at the trifles which have been reported to you.  So truly have you suffered the fate of all those who omit to enquire into the nature of circumstances, and give heed to the men who are being discussed; of all who do not examine into the truth, but judge by the distinction of persons, in forgetfulness of the exhortion “Ye shall not respect persons in judgment.”1317    Deut. i. 17.

2.  Nevertheless, since God in judgment of man does not accept persons, I will not refuse to make known to you the defence which I have prepared for the great tribunal.  On my side, from the beginning, there has been no cause of quarrel, either small or great; but men who hate me, for what reason is best known to themselves (I must not say a word about them), incessantly calumniated me.  I cleared myself again and again of slanders.  There seemed no end to the matter, and no good came of my continual defence, because I was far away, and the authors of the false statements, being on the spot, were able by their calumnies against me to wound a susceptible heart, and one which has never learnt to keep one ear open for the absent.  When the Nicopolitans, as you yourself are partly aware, were asking for some proof of faith, I determined to have recourse to the written document.1318    i.e.the formula proposed to Eustathius by Basil, and signed in 373 by him with Fronto, Severus, and others, and appearing as Letter cxxv.  I thought that I should fulfil two objects at once; I expected both to persuade the Nicopolitans not to think ill of the man,1319    i.e. Eustathius. and to shut the mouths of my calumniators, because agreement in faith would exclude slander on both sides.  Indeed the creed had been drawn up, and it was brought from me, and signed.  After it had been signed, a place was appointed for a second meeting, and another date fixed, so that my brethren in the diocese might come together and be united with one another, and our communion for the future be genuine and sincere.  I, for my part, arrived at the appointed time, and, of the brethren who act with me, some were on the spot, and others were hurrying thither, all joyous and eager as though on the high road to peace.1320    cf. Letter cxxx.  Couriers and a letter from myself announced my arrival; for the spot appointed for the reception of those who were assembling was mine.  But nobody appeared on the other side; no one came in advance; no one to announce the approach of the expected bishops.  So those who had been sent by me returned with the report of the deep dejection and the complaints of those who were assembled, as though a new creed had been promulgated by me.  They were moreover said to be for deciding, that they certainly would not suffer their bishop to go over to me.  Then came a messenger bringing me a letter hastily drawn up, and containing no mention of the points originally agreed on.  My brother Theophilus,1321    Theophilus of Castabala. a man worthy of all respect and honour at my hands, sent one of his adherents, and made certain announcements, which he thought it not improper for him to utter, nor unbecoming in me to hear.  He did not condescend to write, not so much because he was afraid of being convicted on written evidence, as because he was anxious not to be compelled to address me as bishop.  Assuredly his language was violent, and came from a heart a vehemently agitated.  Under these circumstances I departed abashed and depressed, not knowing what to answer to my questioners.  Then, without any long interval of time, there was the journey into Cilicia,1322    cf. Letter cxxx.  The journey of Eustathius to Cilicia was the occasion of his presenting an Arian creed to a certain Gelasius. the return thence, and forthwith a letter repudiating communion with me.1323    cf. Letter ccxxvi.  The letter of repudiation was conveyed by Eustathius the chorepiscopus.

3.  The cause of the rupture was the allegation that I wrote to Apollinarius and was in communion with the presbyter Diodorus.  I never regarded Apollinarius as an enemy, and for some reasons I even respect him.  But I never so far united myself to him as to take upon me the charges against him; indeed I have myself some accusations to bring against him after reading some of his books.  I do not know that I ever asked him for a book on the Holy Spirit, or received it on his sending:  I am told that he has become a most copious writer, but I have read very few of his works.1324    Fragments of Apollinarius are extant in the works of Theodoret and Gregory of Nyssa, and in Mai’s Script. Vet. Nov. col. vii., and Spicil. Rom.x. 2.  cf. Thomasius, Christ. Dogm. 451.  cf. Ep. cclxiii. p. 302.  I have not even time to investigate such matters.  Indeed I shrink from admitting any of the more recent works, for my health does not even allow of my reading the inspired Scriptures with diligence and as I ought.  What, then, is it to me, if some one has written something displeasing to somebody else?  Yet if one man is to render an account on behalf of another, let him who accuses me for Apollinarius’ sake defend himself to me for the sake of Arius his own master and of Aetius his own disciple.  I never learnt anything from, nor taught anything to this man whose guilt is laid at my door.  Diodorus, as a nursling of the blessed Silvanus, I did receive from the beginning:  I love him now and respect him on account of his grace of speech, whereby many who meet him are made the better men.1325    Diodorus now presbyter of Antioch, did not become bishop of Tarsus till about the time of Basil’s death.  On his services to the Church at Antioch, cf. Theod., H.E. ii. 19. and Soc., H.E.vi. 8.  The controversy as to his alleged Nestorianism belongs to a later date.  On the relations between Diodorus and Apollinarius, cf. Dorner, Christ. i. pp. 976 and 1022.

4.  At this letter I was affected in such a manner as might be expected, and astounded at so sudden and pleasant a change.  I felt quite unable to reply.  My heart could hardly beat; my tongue failed me, and my hand grew numb.  I felt like a poor creature (for the truth shall be told; yet it is pardonable); I all but fell into a state of misanthropy; I looked on every one with suspicion and thought that there was no charity to be found in mankind.  Charity seemed a mere specious word, serving as a kind of decoration to those who use it, while no such sentiment was really to be found in the heart of man.  Could it really be that one who seemed to have disciplined himself from boyhood to old age, could be so easily brutalized on such grounds, without a thought for me, without any idea that his experience of bygone years ought to have more weight than this wretched slander?  Could he really, like an unbroken colt as yet untaught to carry his rider properly, on some petty suspicion rear and unseat his rider and fling to the ground what was once his pride?  If so, what must be thought of the rest with whom I had no such strong ties of friendship, and who had given no such proofs of a well trained life?  All this I turned over in my soul and continually revolved in my heart, or, shall I rather say my heart was turned over by these things fighting and pricking me at the recollection of them?  I wrote no answer; not that I kept silence from contempt; do not think it of me my brother, for I am not defending myself to men but I speak before God in Christ.  I kept silence from utter inability to say a word commensurate with my grief.

5.  While I was in this position another letter came to me, addressed to a certain Dazizas, but in reality written to all the world.  This is obvious from its very rapid distribution, for in a few days it was delivered all over Pontus, and was travelling about Galatia; indeed it is said that the carriers of this good news traversed Bithynia, and reached the Hellespont itself.  What was written against me to Dazizas1326    In Letter cxxxi. the name appears as Dazinas, or Dexinas.  In this place the mss. agree in the form Dazizas. you are very well aware, for they do not reckon you as so far beyond the bounds of their friendship as to have left you alone undistinguished by this honour.  However, if the letter has not reached you, I will send it to you.  In it you will find me charged with craft and treachery, with corruption of Churches and with ruin of souls.  The charge which they think the truest of all is, that I made that exposition of the faith for secret and dishonest reasons, not to do service to the Nicopolitans, but with the design of disingenously extracting a confession from them.  Of all this the Lord is Judge.  What clear evidence can there be of the thoughts of the heart?  One thing I do wonder at in them, that after signing the document presented by me, they show so much disagreement, that they confuse truth and falsehood to satisfy those who are accusing them, quite forgetful that their written confession of the Nicene Creed is preserved at Rome, and that they with their own hand delivered to the council at Tyana the document brought from Rome which is in my hands, and contains the same creed.  They forgot their own address, when they came forward and bewailed the deceit by which they had been tricked into giving their adhesion to the document drawn up by the faction of Eudoxius,1327    ? The Creed of Arminum. and so bethought them of the defence for that error, that they should go to Rome1328    Eustathius, Silvanus, and Theophilus went to Rome after the Lampsacene Council of 365. and there accept the creed of the Fathers, that so they might make amends, for the mischief they had done the Church by their agreement in evil, by their introduction of something better.  Now the very men who undertook long journeys for the faith’s sake, and made all these fine speeches, are reviling me for walking craftily, and for playing the plotter under the cloke of love.  It is plain from the Letter, now being carried about, that they have condemned the faith of Nicæa.  They saw Cyzicus, and came home with another creed.1329    The Synod of Tyana had been ready to recognise the Eustathians as Catholics in 374.  The Semi-Arian Council of Cyzicus was held in 375 or 376 (Mansi iii. 469).

6.  But why say anything of mere verbal inconsistency?  The practical proofs of their change of position afforded by their conduct are far stronger.  They refused to yield to the sentence of fifty bishops passed against them.1330    i.e. at Constantinople in 360.  They declined to resign the government of their Churches although the number of bishops assenting to the decree for their deposition was so many, on the alleged ground that they were not partakers of the Holy Ghost, and were not governing their Churches by the grace of God, but had clutched their dignity by the aid of human power, and through lust of vain glory.  Now they are for receiving the men consecrated by these same persons as bishops.  I should like you to ask them in my stead, (although they despise all mankind, as bereft of eyes, ears, and common sense), to perceive the inconsistency of their conduct, what sentiments they do really entertain in their own hearts.  How can there be two bishops, one deposed by Euippius,1331    cf. Letter ccxxviii. and the other consecrated by him?  Both are the actions of the same man.  Had he not been endowed with the grace bestowed upon Jeremiah to pull down and build again, to root out and to plant,1332    cf. Jer. i. 10. he certainly would not have rooted the one out and planted the other.  Grant him the one and you must grant him the other.  Their one object, as it seems, is everywhere to look to their own advantage, and to regard every one who acts in accordance with their own wishes as a friend, while they treat any one who opposes them as an enemy, and spare no calumny to run him down.1333    The Ben. note on this passage suggests that the reference to Jeremiah is an argument supposed to be put forward by Eustathius, and immediately answered by Basil, but there seems no necessity of this.  Basil says nothing for or against the powers of the bishops who condemned Eustathius; he only points out the inconsistency of Eustathius in accepting their powers to ordain when it suited his purpose, while he refused to admit their authority to depose.  It is enough for Basil’s argument that Eustathius treated him as having authority.  On Basil’s own views as to the validity of heretical ordination, cf. Canon i., Letter clxxxviii.

7.  What measures are they now taking against the Church?  For the shiftiness of their originators, shocking; for the apathy of all who are affected by them, pitiable.  By a respectable commission the children and grandchildren of Euippius have been summoned from distant regions to Sebasteia, and to them the people have been entrusted.1334    i.e. bishops and presbyters whose spiritual descent is to be traced to Euippius, viz.:  Eustathius and his clergy.  Over what see Euippius presided is unknown.  They have taken possession of the altar.  They have been made the leaven of that Church.  I am persecuted by them as a Homoousiast.  Eustathius, who brought the Homoousion in the script from Rome to Tyana, although he was not able to get admitted into their much to be coveted communion, either because they feared, or respected the authority of, the large number of persons who had agreed in condemning him, is now in intimate alliance with them.  I only hope that I may never have time enough on my hands to tell of all their doings—who were gathered together, how each one had been ordained, and from what kind of earlier life each arrived at his present dignity.  I have been taught to pray “that my mouth may not utter the works of the men.”1335    Ps. xvii. 3 and 4, LXX.  If you enquire you will learn these things for yourself, and, if they are hidden from you, they will not assuredly continue hidden from the judges.

8.  I will not, however, omit to tell you, my dear friend, in what a state I have been.  Last year I suffered from a very violent fever, and came near to the gates of death.  When, by God’s mercy, I was restored, I was distressed at coming back to life, as I bethought me of all the troubles before me.  I considered with myself for what reason, hidden in the depths of the wisdom of God, yet further days of life in the flesh had been allowed me.  But when I heard of these matters I concluded that the Lord wished me to see the Churches at rest after the storm which they had previously suffered from the alienation of the men in whom, on account of their fictitious gravity of character, every confidence had been placed.  Or peradventure the Lord designed to invigorate my soul, and to render it more vigilant for the future, to the end that, instead of giving heed to men, it might be made perfect through those precepts of the Gospel which do not share in the changes and chances of human seasons and circumstances, but abide for ever the same, as they were uttered by the blessed lips that cannot lie.1336    Contrast the famous appeal of Antigone in Soph., Ant. 454 to the eternal principles of right and wrong; οὐ γάρ τι νῦν γε καχθὲς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀεί ποτε ζῆ ταῦτα κοὐδεὶς οἶδεν ἐξ ὅτου ᾽φάνη.  The Christian saint can make the more personal reference to the ἀψευδὲς στόμα.

9.  Men are like clouds, shifting hither and thither in the sky with the change of the winds.1337    cf. Jude 12.  And of all men who have ever come within my experience these of whom I am speaking are the most unstable.  As to the other business of life, those who have lived with them may give evidence; but as to what is within my own knowledge, their inconsistency as regards the faith, I do not know that I have ever myself observed it or heard from any one else, of anything like it.  Originally they were followers of Arius; then they went over to Hermogenes, who was diametrically opposed to the errors of Arius, as is evinced by the Creed originally recited by him at Nicæa.1338    cf. Letter lxxxi. p. 172.  Hermogenes was bishop of Cæsarea, in which see he preceded Dianius.  He acted as secretary at Nicæa, when yet a deacon.  “The actual creed was written out and read, perhaps in consideration of Hosius’ ignorance of Greek, by Hermogenes.”  (Stanley, Eastern Church, p. 140, ed. 1862.)  Hermogenes, fell asleep, and then they went over to Eusebius, the Coryphæus, as we know on personal evidence, of the Arian ring.  Leaving this, for whatever reasons, they came home again, and once more concealed their Arian sentiments.  After reaching the episcopate, to pass by what occurred in the interval, how many creeds did they put forth?  One at Ancyra;1339    In 358, when the ὁμοιούσιον was accepted. another at Seleucia;1340    In 359, when the Semiarians supported the Antiochene Dedication Creed of 341. another at Constantinople,1341    In 360, when the Acacians triumphed, and Eustathius with other Semiarians were deposed.  The Creed of Ariminum, as revised at Nike, was accepted. the famous one; another at Lampsacus,1342    In 364, when the Creeds of Ariminum and Constantinople were condemned by the Semiarians, and the Dedication Creed was reaffirmed. then that of Nike in Thrace;1343    The Creed of Nike in Thrace was the Creed of Arminum revised, and it seems out of order to mention it after Lampsacus. and now again the creed of Cyzicus.1344    In 375 or 6.  This is the formula referred to in Letter ccli. 4, as the latest.  On the variety of Creeds, cf. p. 48, n.  Of this last I know nothing, except that I am told that they have suppressed the homoousion, and are supporting the like in essence, while they subscribe with Eunomius the blasphemies against the Holy Spirit.  Although all of the creeds which I have enumerated may not be opposed to one another, yet they alike exhibit the inconsistency of the men’s minds, from their never standing by the same words.  I have said nothing as to countless other points, but this that I do say is true.  Now that they have gone over to you, I beg you to write back by the same man, I mean our fellow presbyter Strategius, whether you have remained in the same mind towards me, or whether you have been alienated in consequence of your meeting them.  For it was not likely that they would be silent, nor that you yourself, after writing to me as you have, would not use free speaking to them too.  If you remain in communion with me, it is well; it is what I would most earnestly pray for.  If they have drawn you over to them, it is sad.  How should separation from such a brother not be sad?  If in nothing else, at least in bearing losses like this, we have been considerably tried at their hands.

ΠΑΤΡΟΦΙΛῼ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠῼ ΤΗΣ ΕΝ ΑΙΓΕΑΙΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑΣ

[1] Ἐνέτυχόν σου τοῖς γράμμασιν ἃ διὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν Στρατηγίου τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου ἀπέστειλας καὶ ἐνέτυχον ἡδέως. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον καὶ παρὰ ἀνδρὸς συνετοῦ γεγραμμένοις καὶ παρὰ καρδίας τὴν πρὸς πάντας ἀγάπην ἐκ τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ Κυρίου κατορθοῦν δεδιδαγμένης; Καὶ σχεδὸν ἐγνώρισα τῆς ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ σιωπῆς τὴν αἰτίαν. Ἀποροῦντι γὰρ ἐῴκεις καὶ ἐκθαμβουμένῳ: εἰ Βασίλειος ἐκεῖνος, ὁ τοιῶσδε δουλεύσας ἐκ παιδὸς τῷ δεῖνι, ὁ τάδε ποιήσας ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν τῶνδε καὶ τάδε, ὁ τὸν πρὸς μυρίους πόλεμον τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἕνα θεραπείας ἕνεκεν καταδεξάμενος, οὗτος νῦν ἕτερος γέγονεν ἐξ ἑτέρου καὶ πόλεμον ἀντὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀνῄρηται, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἐπέστειλας ἱκανῶς τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ἔκπληξιν ἐν τῇ παραλόγῳ τῶν πραγμάτων μεταβολῇ ἐνδεικνύμενος. Καὶ εἴ τι ἡμῶν καὶ καθήψω, οὐκ ἐδεξάμην τοῦτο δυσκόλως. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως εἰμὶ ἀνουθέτητος ὡς πρὸς τὰς ἀγαπητικὰς ἐπιπλήξεις τῶν ἀδελφῶν δυσχεραίνειν. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέχω τοῖς ἐπεσταλμένοις ἄχθεσθαι ὥστε μικροῦ καὶ ἐγέλασα ἐπ' αὐτοῖς: εἰ τοσούτων ὄντων καὶ τηλικούτων ἃ ἡμῖν ἐδόκει τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλίαν πρότερον βεβαιοῦν, αὐτὸς ἐπὶ μικροῖς τοῖς μέχρι σοῦ φθάσασι τηλικαύτην ἔγραφες τὴν ἔκπληξιν πεπονθέναι. Ἄρ' οὖν καὶ σὺ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν πέπονθας, οἳ καταλιπόντες τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν φύσιν ἐξετάζειν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσέχουσι περὶ ὧν οἱ λόγοι καὶ γίνονται οὐ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξετασταί, ἀλλὰ τῆς διαφορᾶς τῶν προσώπων δοκιμασταί, ἐπιλαθόμενοι τῆς παραινέσεως ὅτι »Ἐπιγινώσκειν πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει οὐ καλόν«.

[2] Πλὴν ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ Θεὸς πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου οὐ λαμβάνει, ἣν πρὸς τὸ μέγα δικαστήριον ἀπολογίαν παρεσκεύασα, ταύτην καὶ σοὶ γνωρίσαι οὐ παραιτήσομαι. Ὅτι οὐδὲν παρ' ἡμῶν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς οὔτε μικρὸν οὔτε μεῖζον γέγονε τῆς διαστάσεως αἴτιον: ἀλλ' ἄνθρωποι μισοῦντες ἡμᾶς, δι' ἃς ἴσασιν προφάσεις αὐτοὶ (οὐ γὰρ ἐμὲ χρὴ λέγειν περὶ αὐτῶν οὐδέν), συνεχεῖς ἐποιοῦντο τὰς διαβολάς. Καὶ ἅπαξ μὲν ταύτας καὶ δὶς ἀπεδυσάμεθα: ὡς δὲ ἀπέραντον ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ οὐδὲν ὄφελος τῆς συνεχοῦς ἀπολογίας, ἡμῶν μὲν μακρὰν ἀπῳκισμένων, τῶν δὲ ψευδολόγων ἐγγύθεν ἐχόντων ταῖς καθ' ἡμῶν τιτρώσκειν διαβολαῖς καρδίαν εὐκαταγώνιστον καὶ οὐ δεδιδαγμένην τὴν ἑτέραν τῶν ἀκοῶν ἀκεραίαν φυλάττειν τῷ μὴ παρόντι, τῶν Νικοπολιτῶν ἀπαιτούντων τινὰ πληροφορίαν πίστεως, ὃ πάντως οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς ἠγνοήσατε, ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ γράμματος ὑποδέξασθαι. Ἐλογισάμεθα γὰρ δύο κατορθώσειν ἐν ταὐτῷ: τούς τε Νικοπολίτας πείσειν μὴ κακῶς φρονεῖν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ τῶν διαβαλλόντων ἡμᾶς ἐμφράξειν τὰ στόματα, τῆς κατὰ τὴν πίστιν συμφωνίας τὰς ἑκατέρωθεν συκοφαντίας ἀποκλειούσης. Καὶ δὴ καὶ συγγέγραπτο μὲν ἡ πίστις, προσηνέχθη δὲ παρ' ἡμῶν, ὑπεγράφη δέ. Ὡς ὑπεγράφη, καὶ χωρίον ἀπεδείχθη συνόδου δευτέρας καὶ καιρὸς ἕτερος, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν παροικίαν ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν συνελθόντας ἑνωθῆναι ἀλλήλοις καὶ γνησίαν καὶ ἄδολον τοῦ λοιποῦ εἶναι τὴν κοινωνίαν. Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν ἀπηντήσαμεν κατὰ τὴν προθεσμίαν καὶ οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν ἀδελφοί, οἱ μὲν παρῆσαν, οἱ δὲ ἐπέρρεον, φαιδροὶ πάντες καὶ πρόθυμοι ὡς ἐπὶ εἰρήνην τρέχοντες: καὶ γράμματα παρ' ἡμῶν καὶ ἡμεροδρόμοι σημαίνοντες ὅτι πάρεσμεν: καὶ γὰρ ἡμέτερον ἦν τὸ χωρίον τὸ ἀποδεδειγμένον εἰς ὑποδοχὴν τῶν συντρεχόντων. Ὡς δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἑτέρου μέρους οὐδείς, οὔτε προτρέχων οὔτε εὐαγγελιζόμενος τὴν παρουσίαν τῶν προσδοκωμένων, οἱ δὲ παρ' ἡμῶν ἀποσταλέντες ἐπανῆλθον κατήφειαν πολλὴν καὶ γογγυσμὸν τῶν ἐκεῖ διηγούμενοι, ὡς καινῆς πίστεως παρ' ἡμῶν καταγγελθείσης: καὶ ἐλέγοντο διορίζεσθαι ἦ μὴν μὴ ἐπιτρέψειν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ αὐτῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαβῆναι: ἦλθε δέ τις καὶ γράμμα φέρων ἡμῖν ἀφωσιωμένον καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔχον μνήμην τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς συγκειμένων: καὶ ὁ πάσης δέ μοι αἰδοῦς καὶ τιμῆς ἄξιος ἀδελφὸς Θεόφιλος, ἕνα τῶν ἑαυτῷ συνόντων ἀποστείλας, ἐδήλωσέ τινα ἃ ἐνόμισε καὶ αὐτῷ ἐπιβάλλοντα εἶναι εἰπεῖν καὶ ἡμῖν ἀκοῦσαι πρέποντα. Ἐπιστεῖλαι γὰρ οὐκ ἠξίωσεν οὐ τὸν ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων ἔλεγχον ὑφορώμενος τοσοῦτον ὅσον φροντίζων τοῦ μὴ εἰς ἀνάγκην ἐλθεῖν προσειπεῖν ἡμᾶς ὡς ἐπισκόπους, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι σφοδρὰ ἦν τὰ ῥήματα καὶ ἀπὸ καρδίας ἐκθερμανθείσης ἐξενεχθέντα. Ἐπὶ τούτοις διελύθημεν κατῃσχυμμένοι καὶ συμπεπτωκότες τῇ γνώμῃ, οὐκ ἔχοντες ὅ τι τοῖς ἐρωτῶσιν ἀποκρινώμεθα. Χρόνος δὲ οὐ πολὺς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ καὶ ἀποδημία μέχρι Κιλίκων, κἀκεῖθεν ἐπάνοδος καὶ γράμματα εὐθὺς ἀπαγόρευσιν ἔχοντα τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίας.

[3] Ἡ δὲ αἰτία τῆς ἀπορρήξεως ὅτι Ἀπολιναρίῳ, φησίν, ἐπεστείλαμεν καὶ τὸν συμπρεσβύτερον ἡμῶν Διόδωρον ἔχομεν κοινωνικόν. Ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολινάριον μὲν ἐχθρὸν οὐδέποτε ἡγησάμην, ἀλλ' ἔστιν ἐφ' οἷς καὶ αἰδοῦμαι τὸν ἄνδρα: οὐ μὴν οὕτως ἐμαυτὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ συνῆψα ὡς τὰ ἐκείνου ἐγκλήματα αὐτὸς ὑποδέχεσθαι, ὅπου γε ἔχω τινὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγκαλεῖν αὐτῷ ἐντυχών τισι τῶν συνταγμάτων αὐτοῦ. Οὐ μὴν περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ Ἁγίου ἢ αἰτήσας αὐτὸν οἶδα βιβλίον ἢ ἀποσταλὲν ὑποδεξάμενος. Ἀλλὰ πολυφωνότατον μὲν αὐτὸν ἀκούω πάντων συγγραφέων γεγενῆσθαι, ὀλίγοις δὲ ἐντετυχηκέναι τῶν συνταγμάτων αὐτοῦ: οὐδὲ γὰρ σχολή μοί ἐστι τὰ τοιαῦτα διερευνᾶσθαι, καὶ ἅμα δυσχερής τίς εἰμι πρὸς τὴν τῶν νεωτέρων παραδοχήν, ᾧ γε τὸ σῶμα οὐδὲ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν φιλοπόνως καὶ καθ' ὃν ἔδει τρόπον συγχωρεῖ παραμένειν. Τί οὖν πρὸς ἐμὲ τοῦτο, εἴ τις συνέγραψέ τι μὴ ἀρέσκον τῷ δεῖνι; Καίτοι εἰ δεῖ ἄλλον τὰς ὑπὲρ ἄλλου εὐθύνας ὑπέχειν, ὁ ἐμοὶ ἐγκαλῶν ὑπὲρ Ἀπολιναρίου ἀπολογείσθω ἡμῖν ὑπὲρ Ἀρείου τοῦ ἰδίου διδασκάλου καὶ ὑπὲρ Ἀετίου τοῦ ἰδίου ἑαυτοῦ μαθητοῦ. Ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲ ἐδιδάχθημέν τι οὐδὲ ἐμαθητεύθημεν τῷ ἀνδρὶ οὗ τὰ ἐγκλήματα ἡμῖν περιτρέπουσι. Διόδωρον δὲ ὡς θρέμμα τοῦ μακαρίου Σιλουανοῦ τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑπεδεξάμεθα, νῦν δὲ καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν καὶ περιέπομεν διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν αὐτῷ τοῦ λόγου χάριν δι' ἧς πολλοὶ τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων βελτίους γίνονται.

[4] Ἐπὶ τούτοις τοῖς γράμμασι διατεθείς, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν, καὶ ἐκπλαγεὶς πρὸς τὴν οὕτω παράλογον καὶ ἀθρόαν μεταβολὴν οὐδὲ ἀντιφθέγξασθαι ἠδυνήθην. Συνδέδετο μὲν γάρ μοι ἡ καρδία, παρεῖτο δὲ ἡ γλῶσσα, νεναρκήκει δὲ ἡ χείρ, καὶ ἔπαθον πάθος ψυχῆς ἀγεννοῦς (εἰρήσεται γὰρ τἀληθές, πλὴν ἀλλὰ συγγνώμης ἄξιον): μικροῦ καὶ εἰς μισανθρωπίαν ἐξέπεσον καὶ πᾶν μοι ἦθος ὕποπτον ἐνομίσθη καὶ μὴ εἶναι ἐν ἀνθρώπου φύσει τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης καλόν, ἀλλὰ ῥῆμα εἶναι εὐπρόσωπον καλλωπισμόν τινα παρέχον τοῖς κεχρημένοις, οὐ μὴν ἐνυπάρχειν κατ' ἀλήθειαν καρδίᾳ ἀνθρώπου τὴν διάθεσιν ταύτην. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ δοκῶν ἐκ παιδὸς εἰς γῆρας βαθὺ ἐπιμέλειαν ἑαυτοῦ πεποιῆσθαι ἐκ τοιούτων προφάσεων οὕτω ῥᾳδίως ἐξηγριώθη, μηδὲν τῶν ἡμετέρων ὑπολογισάμενος μηδὲ τὴν ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι πεῖραν τῆς οὕτως εὐτελοῦς διαβολῆς κυριωτέραν θέμενος, ἀλλ', οἷόν τις πῶλος ἀδάμαστος οὔπω φέρειν καλῶς τὸν ἀναβάτην δεδιδαγμένος, ἐκ μικρᾶς ὑποψίας ἀνεχαίτισε καὶ ἀπεσείσατο καὶ χαμαὶ ἔρριψεν οἷς πρότερον ἐπηγάλλετο, τί χρὴ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑπονοεῖν, πρὸς οὓς οὔτε ἡμῖν τοσαῦτα τῆς φιλίας ἐστὶν ἐνέχυρα οὔτε παρ' αὐτῶν τοιαύτη τῆς τῶν τρόπων ἐπιμελείας ἐπίδειξις; Ταῦτα κατ' ἐμαυτὸν ἀνελίσσων ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ καὶ συνεχῶς στρέφων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναστρεφόμενος ὑπ' αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, οὕτω δακνόντων με καὶ ἀμυσσόντων διὰ τῆς μνήμης, οὐδὲν ἐκείνοις ἀπεκρινάμην τοῖς γράμμασιν, οὐχ ὑπεροψίᾳ σιωπήσας (μὴ τοῦτο οἰηθῇς, ἀδελφέ: οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώποις ἀπολογούμεθα, ἀλλὰ κατενώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν), ἀπορίᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀμηχανίᾳ καὶ τῷ μὴ ἔχειν εἰπεῖν τι τῆς λύπης ἄξιον.

[5] Ἕως ἐν τούτοις ἦμεν, ἐπικατέλαβεν ἡμᾶς ἕτερα γράμματα πρὸς Δαζίζαν τινὰ γεγραμμένα δῆθεν, τῇ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐπεσταλμένα, ὡς δηλοῖ αὐτῶν ἡ οὕτως ὀξεῖα διάδοσις ὡς ἐν ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις ἐν παντὶ μὲν τῷ Πόντῳ κατασπαρῆναι καὶ τὴν Γαλατίαν ἐπιδραμεῖν. Φασὶ δέ τινες ὅτι καὶ Βιθυνοὺς διεξελθόντες οἱ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τούτων ἄγγελοι μέχρις αὐτοῦ ἔφθασαν Ἑλλησπόντου. Τίνα δὲ ἦν τὰ καθ' ἡμῶν πρὸς Δαζίζαν ἐπεσταλμένα πάντως μὲν οἶδας. Οὐ γὰρ οὕτω σε μακρὰν τῆς ἑαυτῶν φιλίας τίθενται ὥστε σε μόνον ἀγέραστον τῆς τιμῆς ἐκείνης καταλιπεῖν. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἦλθεν εἰς σὲ τὰ γράμματα, ἀλλ' ἐγώ σοι ἀποστέλλω. Ἐν οἷς εὑρήσεις ἡμᾶς κατηγορουμένους δόλον καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίαν, φθορὰν Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ ψυχῶν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ τὸ πάντων, ὡς αὐτοὶ νομίζουσιν, ἀληθέστατον, ὅτι ἐγκάθετον ἐκείνην τὴν προβολὴν τῆς πίστεως ἐποιησάμεθα οὐ Νικοπολίταις διακονούμενοι, ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ λαβεῖν δολερῶς ὁμολογίαν ἐπινοήσαντες. Τούτων μὲν οὖν κριτὴς Κύριος. Καὶ γὰρ τίς ἂν γένοιτο τῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ λογισμῶν ἐναργὴς ἀπόδειξις; Ἐκεῖνο δὲ αὐτῶν ἐθαύμασα, εἰ ὅτι μὲν τῷ παρ' ἡμῶν ἐπιδοθέντι βιβλίῳ ὑπέγραψαν, τοσαύτῃ κέχρηνται διαστάσει ὥστε καὶ ὄντα καὶ μὴ ὄντα εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐγκαλούντων αὐτοῖς πληροφορίαν συμφύρειν: ὅτι δὲ ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ ἔγγραφος αὐτῶν ὁμολογία τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστεως ἀπόκειται, τοῦτο οὐκ ἐννοοῦσιν, οὐδὲ ὅτι διὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν χειρὸς ἐπέδωκαν τῇ ἐν Τυάνοις συνόδῳ τὸ ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥώμης βιβλίον, ὃ παρ' ἡμῖν κατάκειται, τὴν αὐτὴν ταύτην πίστιν ἔχον. Καὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἑαυτῶν δημηγορίας ἐπελάθοντο, ἥν, εἰς τὸ μέσον καταστάντες τότε, ὠδύροντο μὲν τὴν ἀπάτην δι' ἧς ὑπήχθησαν συνθέσθαι τῷ τόμῳ τῷ παρὰ τοῦ συστήματος Εὐδοξίου συντεταγμένῳ: διότι ταύτην ἐπενόησαν τοῦ σφάλματος ἐκείνου ἀπολογίαν, τό, ἀπελθόντας εἰς Ῥώμην, ἐκεῖθεν λαβεῖν τὴν τῶν Πατέρων πίστιν, ἵνα ἣν ἐποίησαν βλάβην ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τῇ πρὸς τὸ κακὸν συνθήκῃ, ταύτην ἐπανορθώσωνται τῇ ἐπεισαγωγῇ τοῦ βελτίονος. Ἀλλ' οἱ τὰς μακροτάτας ἀποδημίας ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ὑποστάντες καὶ τὰ σοφὰ ταῦτα δημηγορήσαντες νῦν λοιδοροῦνται ἡμᾶς ὡς δολίως πορευομένους καὶ ἐν σχήματι ἀγάπης τὰ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ποιοῦντας. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τὰ νῦν περιφερόμενα κατεγνωκέναι αὐτοὺς τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστεως. Εἶδον γὰρ Κύζικον καὶ μετ' ἄλλης πίστεως ἐπανῆλθον.

[6] Καὶ τί τὸ ἐν τοῖς ῥήμασιν εὐμετάθετον λέγω, πολλῷ μείζονας ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων τῆς ἐπὶ τἀναντία περιτροπῆς ἔχων τὰς ἀποδείξεις; Οἱ γὰρ πεντακοσίων ἐπισκόπων δόγματι κατ' αὐτῶν ἐξενεχθέντι μὴ εἴξαντες μηδὲ καταδεξάμενοι τῆς οἰκονομίας τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἀποστῆναι, τοσούτων εἰς τὴν τῆς καθαιρέσεως αὐτῶν γνώμην συμφωνησάντων, διότι, φησίν, οὐκ ἦσαν Πνεύματος Ἁγίου μέτοχοι οὐδὲ Θεοῦ χάριτι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομοῦντες, ἀλλ' ἀνθρωπίνῃ δυναστείᾳ κατ' ἐπιθυμίαν δόξης κενῆς τὰς προστασίας ἁρπάσαντες: οὗτοι νῦν τοὺς παρ' ἐκείνων χειροτονηθέντας ὡς ἐπισκόπους δέχονται. Οὓς ἐρώτησον ἀντ' ἐμοῦ, εἰ καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πάντων καταφρονοῦσιν ὡς οὔτ' ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐχόντων οὔτ' ὦτα οὔτε καρδίαν αἰσθητικήν, ὅσον γοῦν δύνασθαι συνιδεῖν τῶν γινομένων τὸ ἀνακόλουθον, ἐν τῇ ἑαυτῶν καρδίᾳ τίνα διάνοιαν ἔχουσι; Πῶς δύνανται δύο εἶναι ἐπίσκοποι, ὅ τε καθῃρημένος παρὰ Εὐιππίου καὶ ὁ παρὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ κεχειροτονημένος; Τῆς γὰρ αὐτῆς χειρὸς ἔργον ἀμφότερα. Ὃς εἰ μὴ εἶχε τὴν δεδομένην τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ χάριν, κατασκάπτειν καὶ ἀνοικοδομεῖν, ἐκριζοῦν καὶ καταφυτεύειν, οὔτ' ἂν ἐξερρίζωσε τοῦτον οὔτ' ἂν ἐκεῖνον ἐφύτευσεν. Εἰ δὲ τὸ ἕτερον αὐτῷ δίδως, συγχωρήσεις αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἕτερον. Ἀλλ' εἷς ὁ σκοπός, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ ἑαυτῶν ζητεῖν πανταχοῦ, καὶ φίλον μὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν συνεργοῦντα, πολέμιον δὲ κρίνειν καὶ μηδεμιᾶς κατ' αὐτοῦ διαβολῆς φείδεσθαι τὸν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν ἀνθιστάμενον.

[7] Οἷαι γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ νῦν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομίαι; Φρικταὶ μὲν διὰ τὴν τῶν ποιούντων εὐκολίαν, ἐλεειναὶ δὲ διὰ τὴν τῶν πασχόντων ἀναισθησίαν. Εὐιππίου τέκνα καὶ Εὐιππίου ἔκγονα, διὰ πρεσβείας ἀξιοπίστου ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίας μετακληθέντες εἰς τὴν Σεβάστειαν, ἐπιστεύθησαν τὸν λαόν. Παρέλαβον τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ζύμη ἐγένοντο τῆς ἐκεῖ Ἐκκλησίας. Παρ' ὧν ἡμεῖς μὲν ὡς ὁμοουσιασταὶ διωκόμεθα: Εὐστάθιος δέ, ὁ βαστάσας ἐν τῷ χάρτῃ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης μέχρι Τυάνων τὸ ὁμοούσιον, οὗτος νῦν αὐτοῖς ἀνακέκραται, εἰ καὶ ὅτι παραδεχθῆναι εἰς τὴν πολυπόθητον αὐτῶν κοινωνίαν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη, ἢ φοβηθέντων τὸ πλῆθος τῶν κατ' αὐτοῦ συμφωνησάντων, ἢ αἰδεσθέντων τὸ ἀξιόπιστον. Τίνες γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ συνειλεγμένοι καὶ πῶς μὲν χειροτονηθεὶς ἕκαστος, ἀπὸ ποίου δὲ τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς βίου ἐπὶ ταύτην παρελθὼν τὴν δυναστείαν νῦν, ἐγὼ μὲν μή ποτε οὕτω σχολάσαιμι ὥστε τὰ ἐκείνων ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι. Ἔμαθον γὰρ προσεύχεσθαι »Ὅπως ἂν μὴ λαλήσῃ τὸ στόμα μου τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων«. Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐρευνήσας μαθήσῃ: κἄν σε διαφύγῃ, τὸν Κριτὴν πάντως οὐ λήσεται.

[8] Ὃ μέντοι πέπονθα πάθος οὐ παραιτήσομαι καὶ πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐξειπεῖν ἀγάπην, ὅτι πέρυσιν ἀσθενήσας πυρετῷ βαρυτάτῳ καὶ ἐγγίσας σχεδὸν μέχρις αὐτῶν τῶν πυλῶν τοῦ θανάτου, εἶτα ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἀνακληθείς, δυσχερῶς εἶχον πρὸς τὴν ἐπάνοδον λογιζόμενος εἰς οἷα ἔρχομαι πάλιν κακά: καὶ κατ' ἐμαυτὸν ἐσκόπουν τί ποτε ἄρα ἐστὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς σοφίας ἀποκείμενον τοῦ Θεοῦ, δι' ὃ ἐμοὶ πάλιν τῆς ἐν σαρκὶ ζωῆς ἡμέραι συνεχωρήθησαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνων ταῦτα, ἐλογισάμην ὅτι ἐβουλήθη ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος ἰδεῖν παυσαμένας τοῦ σάλου τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, ὃν ἔπαθον πρὸ τούτου ἐπὶ τῷ χωρισμῷ τῶν διὰ τὴν περιπεπλασμένην αὐτοῖς σεμνότητα πάντα πιστευομένων. Ἢ καὶ τάχα τονῶσαί μου τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ νηπτικωτέραν πρός γε τὸ ἐφεξῆς καταστῆσαι ὁ Κύριος ἐβουλήθη, ὡς μὴ προσέχειν ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἐντολῶν καταρτίζεσθαι, αἳ οὔτε καιροῖς οὔτε περιστάσεσιν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων συμμεταβάλλονται, ἀλλ' αἱ αὐταὶ διαμένουσιν, ὡς προηνέχθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀψευδοῦς καὶ μακαρίου στόματος οὕτω διαιωνίζουσαι.

[9] Ἄνθρωποι δὲ ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐοίκασι, πρὸς τὰς τῶν πνευμάτων μεταβολὰς ἄλλοτε κατ' ἄλλο μέρος τοῦ ἀέρος ἐμφερομέναις: καὶ μάλιστα δὴ οὗτοι περὶ ὧν ὁ λόγος πολυτροπώτατοι τῶν εἰς ἡμετέραν πεῖραν ἡκόντων ἐφάνησαν. Εἰ μὲν καὶ εἰς τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα, εἴποιεν ἂν οἱ συμβεβιωκότες: ὃ δ' οὖν ἐμοὶ ἐφάνη, τὸ περὶ τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εὐμετάθετον, οὐκ οἶδα μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ἐν ἄλλοις, οὔτε αὐτὸς ἱστορήσας οὔτε ἀκούσας ἑτέρων. Ἀρείῳ κατηκολούθουν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς: μετέθεντο πρὸς Ἑρμογένην τὸν κατὰ διάμετρον ἐχθρὸν ὄντα τῆς Ἀρείου κακοδοξίας, ὡς δηλοῖ αὐτὴ ἡ πίστις ἡ κατὰ Νίκαιαν παρ' ἐκείνου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐκφωνηθεῖσα ἐξ ἀρχῆς. Ἐκοιμήθη Ἑρμογένης, καὶ πάλιν μετέστησαν πρὸς Εὐσέβιον, ἄνδρα κορυφαῖον τοῦ κατὰ Ἄρειον κύκλου, ὡς οἱ πειραθέντες φασίν. Ἐκεῖθεν ἐκπεσόντες, δι' ἃς δήποτε αἰτίας, πάλιν ἀνέδραμον εἰς τὴν πατρίδα καὶ πάλιν τὸ Ἀρειανὸν ὑπέκρυπτον φρόνημα. Παρελθόντες εἰς τὴν ἐπισκοπήν, ἵνα τὰ ἐν μέσῳ παραλείπω, ὅσας ἐξέθεντο πίστεις; Ἐπ' Ἀγκύρας ἄλλην, ἑτέραν ἐν Σελευκείᾳ, ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, τὴν πολυθρύλητον, ἐν Λαμψάκῳ ἑτέραν, μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν ἐν Νίκῃ τῆς Θράκης, νῦν πάλιν τὴν ἀπὸ Κυζίκου, ἧς τὰ μὲν ἄλλα οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι, τοσοῦτον δὲ ἀκούω ὅτι τὸ ὁμοούσιον κατασιγάσαντες, τὸ κατ' οὐσίαν ὅμοιον νῦν περιφέρουσι καὶ τὰς εἰς τὸ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα βλασφημίας μετ' Εὐνομίου συγγράφουσι. Τούτων δὲ τῶν πίστεων ἃς ἀπηριθμησάμην, εἰ καὶ μὴ πᾶσαι πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἔχουσιν ἐναντίως, ἀλλ' οὖν τὸ εὐμετάβολον τοῦ τρόπου ὁμοίως συνιστῶσι διὰ τὸ μηδέποτε αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἑστάναι ῥημάτων. Ταῦτά ἐστιν ἀληθῆ μυρίων ἑτέρων ἀποσιωπηθέντων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς διέβησαν νῦν, ἀξιοῦμεν ἀντιγράψαι διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀνδρὸς (λέγω δὴ τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου ἡμῶν Στρατηγίου), εἴτε ὁ αὐτὸς διέμεινας πρὸς ἡμᾶς, εἴτε καὶ ἠλλοιώθης ἀπὸ τῆς συντυχίας. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐκείνους εἰκὸς ἦν σιωπῆσαι, οὔτε αὐτὸν σέ, τὸν ἡμῖν τοιαῦτα γράψαντα, μὴ οὐχὶ καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνους τῇ παρρησίᾳ χρήσασθαι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν μένοις ἐν τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίᾳ, τοῦτο ἄριστον καὶ εὐχῆς τῆς ἀνωτάτω ἄξιον. Εἰ δέ σε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς μετέθηκαν, λυπηρὸν μέν. Πῶς γὰρ οὔ; Ἀδελφοῦ τοιούτου χωρισμός. Πλὴν εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο, τὸ γοῦν φέρειν τὰς τοιαύτας ζημίας παρ' αὐτῶν ἐκείνων ἱκανῶς ἐγυμνάσθημεν.