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the renowned Josiah, may he become a new David, whether as Saul or as Amon, spurning the things of the most accursed Leo and thereby propitiating God, and with the crown of peaceful rule making the might of his kingdom unconquerable. 420 {1To Stephen the Magister}1 I know, master, to yield to excellences, and especially to your unsurpassable one; but nevertheless your approachability and the moderation of your mind gave us boldness both to write long ago and now to do the same, as the time calls for it and as we sinners have been released from our imprisonment for the Lord's sake, following the cessation of the persecutor. Which, when heard of, rang in both ears of every person, not because it simply came about, but because it happened in such a way. This, then, is the pretext for the letter. But I, before the subject that moved me to write, indicate this: that not without groaning and not without feeling did I bear the news of the death of your good and ever-memorable wife, considering what a great blow your precious soul received by the separation; since the blessed one was among the truly praiseworthy women, as far as can be told from outward report, of which I, the humble one, had a little experience, and my blessed father even more, but in all things you yourself, my lord, are the one who knows. Therefore, may her memory be with the righteous; for I infer that she was also exceedingly right-minded, along with her other virtue. But the reason for the letter is very clear to your great-minded authority. The choir of the persecuted seeks you out, the word of truth calls upon you, the one, as you are pious and a friend to monks, the other, as you are a bold lover of it. Not that you have not been moved until now, championing both, since we have heard what things you have both done and said, moved by God, but that you may continue to do so in the future. Do you see, my master, how great is the evil of heresy? For if it were not so great, there would not be so many suffering, nor so many torments and afflictions, which have spread to the ends of the inhabited world. Do you see also the death of the persecutor? Be entreated, O you who are easily entreated; be moved, O you who are moved by God. Stretch out a hand to our church, which lies on the ground, as far as is possible; as far as you have strength, speak yet good things into the ears of our pious emperor. Your struggle is for Christ, for the Theotokos, for all the saints; for if anyone, while upholding the emperor's image, says or does anything, he bestows the honor of his word upon no one other than the emperor. And if what was said were about one saint, your prize would be very great; but where it is Christ and the action is for Christ, is it not a joy for you, and glory and exultation, to give your whole self with much eagerness? Yes, my ever-longed-for lord, I, wretched one, entreat you, also because in caring for the common good we benefit ourselves, since we are sick together, even if not with a perverse mind, yet nevertheless being stained by communion with the heretics. This is our humble petition, this is our reminder, and that even for a simply good word rewards not to be despised are laid up for you, let alone for one who has given himself to so great a toil, as we have heard. May the mighty hand of God save you, who are truly admirable and first in rank of the senate. 421 {1To the holy confessors, fathers and brothers}1 Now is the time to cry out with David and to say: Rejoice, you righteous, in the Lord; praise befits the upright. Sing to him and make psalm to him, because the Lord has heard your earnest supplication, along with all those of equal renown. And what has happened? The impious one has perished, he who was striking us has been crushed. You have conquered the son of wickedness, you have cast down the beast of wrath, the mind of twisted judgment. O, O thrice-longed-for ones, how powerful is your blood! These things have dashed the avenging punisher, these things have emptied the accursed blood of the murderer, if indeed the unfailing one promised to hearken to those crying out to him night and day, as the scriptures say. Learn, you who insult Christ, how powerful was the cry of those whose flesh you tore. Know, O leader of abomination, how great is your result against Christ; since you were kicking against the goads, you have burst open headlong, your [blood] has been poured out, if not your entrails, then the accursed

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Ἰωσίαν τὸν ἀοίδιμον, γίνοιτο νέος ∆αυὶδ εἴτε ὡς Σαοὺλ εἴτε ὡς Ἀμών, τὰ τοῦ ἐξαγίστου Λέοντος καταπτύων κἀντεῦθεν θεὸν ἐξευμενιζόμενος καὶ τῷ τῆς εἰρηναρχίας στέφει τὸ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ κράτος ἀνίκητον περιποιούμενος. 420 {1Στεφάνῳ μαγίστρῳ}1 Οἶδα, δέσποτα, ταῖς ὑπεροχαῖς ὑποστέλλεσθαι καὶ μάλιστα τῇ σῇ ἀνυπερβλήτῳ· ἀλλ' ὅμως τὸ εὐπρόσιτόν σου καὶ μέτριον τοῦ φρονήματος ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν παρρησίαν καὶ πάλαι ποτὲ ἐπιστεῖλαι καὶ ἄρτι τὸ αὐτὸ ποιῆσαι, καλοῦντος τοῦ χρόνου καὶ ἀφεμένων ἡμῶν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τῆς διὰ Κύριον φυλακῆς κατὰ τὴν τοῦ διώκοντος παῦλαν. ἥτις ἀκουσθεῖσα ἤχησε παντὸς ἀνθρώπου ἀμφότερα τὰ ὦτα, οὐχ ὅτι ἁπλῶς ἤρθη, ἀλλ' ὅτι τοιουτοτρόπως. Αὕτη μὲν οὖν ἡ πρόφασις τῆς ἐπιστολῆς. ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸ τῆς ὁρμηθείσης μοι ὑποθέσεως εἰς τὸ γράψαι ἐκεῖνο ὑποδηλῶ, ὅτι οὐκ ἀστενάκτως καὶ ἀπαθῶς ἤνεγκα τὴν ἀκοὴν τοῦ θανάτου τῆς ἀγαθῆς καὶ ἀειμνήστου ὁμοζύγου σου, ἐνθυμούμενος ἡλίκην πληγὴν ἔλαβεν ἡ τιμία σου ψυχὴ τῇ διαζεύξει· ἐπεὶ ἦν ἡ μακαρία τῶν ὄντως ἐπαινετῶν γυναικῶν ὅσον ἀπὸ τῆς ἔξω ἀκοῆς, ἧς πεῖραν κἀγὼ μικρὰν ὁ ταπεινός, πλέον δὲ μᾶλλον ὁ μακάριός μου πατὴρ εἴληφεν, τὰ δὲ πάντα κατὰ πάντα αὐτὸς εἶ, κύριέ μου, ὁ εἰδώς. Ἐκείνης μὲν οὖν εἴη τὸ μνημόσυνον μετὰ δικαίων· τεκμαίρομαι γὰρ ὅτι καὶ ὀρθόφρων ἦν λίαν μετὰ τῆς ἄλλης ἀρετῆς. οὗ δὲ χάριν τὸ γράμμα, πρόδηλον τῇ μεγαλοφυεῖ σου ἐξουσίᾳ. ἐπιζητεῖ σε ὁ χορὸς τῶν δεδιωγμένων, ἐπικαλεῖταί σε ὁ λόγος τῆς ἀληθείας, ὁ μὲν ὡς φιλευσεβῆ καὶ φιλομόναχον, ὁ δὲ ὡς ἐραστὴν αὐτῆς εὐπαρρησίαστον. οὐχ ὅτι οὐκ ἐκινήθης ἕως τοῦ νῦν, προμαχῶν ἀμφοτέρων, ἐπείπερ ἠκούσαμεν οἷα θεοκινήτως καὶ πέπραχας καὶ λέλεχας, ἀλλ' ὅπως καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἑξῆς. ὁρᾷς, δέσποτά μου, οἷον τὸ κακὸν τῆς αἱρέσεως; οὐδὲ γάρ, εἰ μὴ τηλικοῦτον, τοσοῦτοι οἱ πάσχοντες καὶ τοσαῦτα τὰ αἰκίσματα καὶ θλιπτήρια, ἃ μέχρις ἐσχάτων τῆς οἰκουμένης διέδραμεν. βλέπεις καὶ τὸν τοῦ διώξαντος θάνατον; παρακλήθητι, ὁ εὐπαράκλητος, συγκινήθητι, ὁ θεοκίνητος· ὄρεξον χεῖρα χαμαὶ κειμένῃ τῇ καθ' ἡμᾶς ἐκκλησίᾳ ὅσον ἐνδέχεται, ἐφ' ὅσον ἰσχὺς λάλησον εἰς τὰ ὦτα τοῦ εὐσεβοῦς ἡμῶν βασιλέως ἔτι ἀγαθά. ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ σοι τὸ ἀγώνισμα, ὑπὲρ τῆς Θεοτόκου, ὑπὲρ πάντων ἁγίων· οὐδὲ γὰρ εἴ τις τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως εἰκόνος ἀντεχόμενος λέγει τι ἢ πράσσει, ἄλλῳ τινὶ ἢ τῷ βασιλεῖ χαρίζεται τὸν λόγον. καὶ περὶ ἑνὸς ἁγίου εἰ ἦν τὸ λεγόμενον, μέγιστόν σοι τὸ ἆθλον· ὅπου δὲ Χριστὸς καὶ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ἡ διάπραξις, ἆρα οὐχὶ χαρά σοι, δόξα τε καὶ ἀγαλλίασις σὺν πολλῇ προθυμίᾳ ὅλον σεαυτὸν ἐπιδοῦναι; ναί, κύριέ μου ἀειπόθητε, ἐκδυσωπῶ κἀγὼ ὁ τάλας καὶ ἄλλως ὅτι ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς εὐεργετοῦμεν τοῦ κοινοῦ φροντίζοντες, ἐπείπερ συννοσοῦμεν, κἂν οὐ φρονήματι στρεβλῷ, ὅμως δ' οὖν χραινόμενοι τῇ αἱρετικῇ κοινωνίᾳ. Αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ ταπεινὴ ἡμῶν ἐξαίτησις, τοῦτο τὸ ὑπόμνημα καὶ ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ λόγου ἁπλῶς ἀγαθοῦ οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητοι μισθοί σοι ἀπόκεινται, μὴ ὅτι γε τοσούτῳ μόχθῳ ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδώσαντι, καθὰ ἠκούσαμεν. σῴζοι σε ἡ κραταιὰ χεὶρ τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀξιάγαστον καὶ τῆς συγκλήτου πρωτόβαθρον. 421 {1Τοῖς ἁγίοις ὁμολογηταῖς πατράσι καὶ ἀδελφοῖσ}1 Νῦν καιρὸς ἐκβοῆσαι μετὰ τοῦ ∆αυὶδ καὶ εἰπεῖν· ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, δίκαιοι, ἐν Κυρίῳ, τοῖς εὐθέσι πρέπει αἴνεσις· ᾄσατε αὐτῷ καὶ ψάλατε αὐτῷ, ὅτι ἐπακήκοεν Κύριος σὺν ἅπασι τοῖς ἰσοκλεέσιν ὑμῶν τῆς ἐκτενοῦς ἱκετηρίας. καὶ τί γέγονεν; ὤλετο ὁ ἀσεβής, συνετρίβη ὁ κόπτων ἡμᾶς· νενικήκατε τὸν τῆς πονηρίας υἱόν, κατεβάλετε τὸ θηρίον τῆς ὀργῆς, τὸν σκολιόγνωμον νοῦν. ὤ, ὦ τριπόθητοι, οἷα τὰ αἵματα ὑμῶν δυνατά· τάδε ἔρραξαν τὸν ἀλάστορα κολαστήν, ταῦτα ἐκένωσαν τὸ ἐναγὲς αἷμα τοῦ φονευτοῦ, εἴπερ ὑπακούειν ὁ ἀψευδὴς ἐπηγγείλατο τῶν βοώντων πρὸς αὐτὸν νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας, καθά φησι τὰ λόγια. μάθε, χρίστυβρι, ὅσον ἴσχυσεν ἡ βοὴ ὦν κατέξανας τὰς σάρκας. ἴσθι, μυσάρχα, ἡλίκον σοι τὸ κατὰ Χριστοῦ ἀποτέλεσμα· ἐπειδὴ πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζων ἦς, ἐλάκησας πρηνής, ἐξεχύθη σου, εἰ καὶ οὐ τὰ σπλάγχνα, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐναγὲς