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considers such a one to be of one soul, of equal weight, of the same zeal, whenever in time of war he should see an opposite turn from such a one, he suffers a certain deadly passion. Such a thing, most beloved, has now appeared to me. the second, with heavy message upon message, or rather, with an evil one, striving to drag down my mind and my wretched soul into Hades, even if, as he says, sparingly; both, indeed, forcefully speaking the things of the second and third most of all, that it is not a heresy (for I understand the words and the dispositions of both), and from there suggesting and reminding me to re-examine what I have written as being in error, and so that, not being ashamed to correct it, I might not be cast out of the church by those who come after, finding my writings alien to God, the first describing me as irascible and ecstatic, and the second, that we are worse than Kendouklas and that "4no one of the brothers keeps your words"5 (covertly attacking my answers given through questions) and that they have been divided into countless opinions, and that the majority, and indeed of the leaders, say these things, even if no one knew that I had written, bringing forward foolish and strange arguments, such as that I contradict myself in what I have written, while teaching with all my might that this is well; since, he says, all the friends and pious ones, by not calling it a heresy but only a transgression of God's commandments, tramplers of the divine canons and unholy, "4flee their communion altogether"5, and rebuking other things in addition to what has been said, so that it is not possible for the letter to report them because of their multitude. What then, humble I? Having shaken off despondency with the help also of brother Euprepianus, and having renounced in disposition all flesh, and looking only to God, for whom these things are for me and through whom is help especially for the weak and infirm, I wrote back, duly resolving their difficulties and objections with scriptural and patristic testimonies in eight and a half quires. Seeing, therefore, that their not bearing the declaration of heresy, the anger of the ruler being the cause of the discord, or an incapacity of mind in some, or perhaps also the goad of envy smouldering beneath, and being at a loss from every side and fearing our own schism, being a joy to the devil and the heretics, and that to join with them would be an apostasy from the truth, with the counsel also of the brother I came to an economy in imitation of our holy fathers, having nothing, as I think, that is harmful or contrary to what is fitting in the law of God; and indeed I set this forth, being as follows. "4Since I see that you have yielded to such an extent that a rupture has occurred among us, it has seemed to me that it is well to think this in the manner of an economy. If someone cannot bear to say 'heresy' because of an incapacity of mind, it is a matter of weakness, even if he who hears does not wish to reckon it so, but nevertheless the term must be conceded for the sake of union, with the other things being preserved, I mean both the complete lack of communion and in no other way any condescension, just as the friends ostensibly praise you; and for me and for those who choose likewise with me, let it be to call it heresy, as we have believed in demonstration of the truth, and if those who see this from the opposite side slander us as being discordant, let it be of no concern to either party; for in the silence a concord is worked out for us in the matters, as we equally abstain from their communion, until God may fully convince us, knowing this, that schism is no less than heresy, as has been said by Chrysostom."5 τ557-564 {1επιστυλαε σπυριαε}1 557 .................... Your letter to us, most holy among monks and our most beloved father, clearly shows the radiance of your soul; for it is full of much pleasure and grace and of spiritual disposition towards our lowliness. In return for which may the Lord give you the good things of the heavenly Zion and may he become your helper and defender against fleshless enemies and a champion and an advocate; and may he not show difficulty before you, but make easy and smooth all your steps through virtue towards him.

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ὑπολαμβάνει τὸν τοιοῦτον ἰσόψυχον, ἰσόρροπον, ταὐτοπρόθυμον, ὁπόταν ἐν καιρῷ πολέμου παρὰ τοῦ τοιούτου τροπὴν ἐπίδοι τὴν ἐναντίαν, θανάσιμόν τι πανθάνει πάθος. Τοιοῦτό μοι, ποθεινότατε, ὤφθη τανῦν. ὁ δεύτερος ἀγγελίᾳ ἐπὶ ἀγγελίᾳ βαρείᾳ, μᾶλλον δὲ πονηρᾷ κατασπᾶν μου τὸν νοῦν καὶ τὴν ἐλεεινήν μου ψυχὴν εἰς ᾅδην ἐναγωνιζόμενος, κἄν, ὥς φησι, φειδοῖ· ἀμφότεροι μὲν ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αἵρεσις δυνάμει λαλοῦντες τὰ τοῦ ˉβ καὶ ˉγ μάλιστα (συνίημι γὰρ τοὺς λόγους καὶ τὰς διαθέσεις ἀμφοτέρων) κἀντεῦθεν ὑποτιθέμενοι καὶ ὑπομιμνήσκοντες ἐπισκέψασθαι τὰ συγγραφέντα μοι ὡς ἐσφαλμένα καὶ ὡς ἵνα μὴ αἰσχυνθεὶς διορθώσασθαι ἐκπέσω τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὑπὸ τῶν μεταγενεστέρων, εὑρισκόντων ἀλλότρια θεοῦ τὰ συγγράμματα, θυμώδη με καὶ ἐκστατικὸν ἐπιγράφων ὁ πρῶτος, ὁ δὲ δεύτερος ὡς τὸν Κενδουκλᾶν χεῖρον ἡμᾶς εἶναι καὶ ὅτι "4οὐδεὶς τῶν ἀδελφῶν φυλάττει τοὺς λόγους σου"5 (καθαπτόμενος λεληθότως τῶν δι' ἐρωτήσεων ἀποκρίσεών μου) καὶ ὅτι εἰς μυρίας δόξας διῃρέθησαν καὶ ὅτι οἱ πλείονες καί γε τῶν προεχόντων ταῦτα λέγουσιν, εἰ καὶ μηδεὶς ἔγνω ὅτι ἐπέστειλα, ἐπιχειρήσεις φέρων ἀσυνέτους καὶ ἀλλοκότους, ὡς ὅτι εἰς ἑαυτὸν περιπίπτω ἐν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις μοι, τοῦτο δὲ διδάσκων παντὶ σθένει εὖ ἔχειν· ἐπεί, φησί, ὅτι πάντες οἱ φίλοι καὶ εὐσεβεῖς τῷ μὴ λέγειν αἵρεσιν ἀλλ' ἢ μόνον παράβασιν τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ θεοῦ, καταπατητὰς τῶν θείων κανόνων καὶ ἀνιέρους, "4φεύγετε αὐτῶν τὴν κοινωνίαν παντάπασι"5, καὶ ἕτερα πρὸς τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐπιπλήττων, ὡς οὐχ οἷόν τε τὸ γράμμα ἀπαγγεῖλαι διὰ τὸ πλῆθος. Τί οὖν ὁ ταπεινὸς ἐγώ; ἀποτιναξάμενος τὴν ἀθυμίαν βοηθείᾳ καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Εὐπρεπιανοῦ καὶ ἀπαρνησάμενος τῇ διαθέσει πᾶσαν σάρκα, πρὸς μόνον δὲ θεὸν ἀποβλέψας, ὑπὲρ οὗ μοι ταῦτα καὶ δι' οὗ ἡ βοήθεια μάλιστα τῷ ἀσθενεῖ καὶ σαθρῷ, ἀντεπέστειλα δεόντως ἐπιλύων τὰς ἀπορίας αὐτῶν καὶ ἐνστάσεις μαρτυρίαις γραφικαῖς καὶ πατρικαῖς ἐν ὀκτὼ τετραδίοις πρὸς ἥμισυ. ὁρῶν οὖν ὅτι τὸ μὴ φέρειν αὐτοὺς τὴν ἐκ τοῦ λέγειν αἵρεσιν ὀργὴν τοῦ κρατοῦντος αἴτιον τῆς ἀσυμφωνίας ἢ νοὸς ἐν τοῖς μὲν ἀχωρησίαν ἢ τάχα καὶ τοῦ φθόνου ὑποσμηχόμενον τὸ κέντρον καὶ πάντοθεν ἀπορῶν τό τε σχίσμα ἡμῶν αὐτῶν δεδιώς, εἰς χαρὰν ὂν τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῶν αἱρετιζόντων, τό τε συνελθεῖν αὐτοῖς ἀποστασίαν εἶναι ἀληθείας, συμβουλίᾳ καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἐπὶ οἰκονομίαν ἦλθον μιμήσει τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων ἡμῶν, μηδὲν ἔχουσαν, ὡς οἶμαι, τὸ βλάπτον καὶ παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς εἰς νόμον θεοῦ· καὶ δὴ ταύτην παρατίθημι, ἔχουσαν ὧδε. "4Ἐπεὶ ὁρῶ ὑμᾶς εἰς τοσοῦτον ὑπενδοῦναι ὥστε ἀπορραγὴν γενέσθαι εἰς ἡμᾶς, τοῦτο φρονεῖν γέγονέ μοι εὖ ἔχειν εἰς οἰκονομίας τρόπον. εἰ μὴ φέροι τις λέγειν αἵρεσιν ἀχωρησίᾳ νοός, ἀσθενείας μέν ἐστι, κἂν οὐ βούληται, λογίζεσθαι οὕτως ὁ ἀκούων, συγχωρητέον δὲ ὅμως τὴν φωνὴν χάριν τῆς συναφείας, τῶν ἄλλων σῳζωμένων, λέγω δὴ τῆς τε ἀκοινωνησίας καθόλου καὶ ἄλλης πως οὐ συγκαταβάσεως, καθὰ καὶ οἱ φίλοι δῆθεν ἐπαινοῦσιν ὑμᾶς· κἀμοὶ καὶ τοῖς ὁμοίως μοι αἱρουμένοις ἔστω τὸ λέγειν αὐτὴν αἵρεσιν, καθὼς πεπιστεύκαμεν ἐν ἀποδείξει τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ εἰ οἱ δι' ἐναντίας τοῦτο ὁρῶντες ἐνδιαβάλλουσιν ἡμᾶς ἀσυμφώνους εἶναι, μηδετέρῳ μέρει μελέτω· ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἀφωνίᾳ συμφωνία ἡμῖν πραγματεύεται τοῖς πράγμασι, ἐξ ἴσου ἀφισταμένοις τῆς κοινωνίας αὐτῶν, ἕως ἂν ὁ θεὸς πληροφορήσῃ ἡμᾶς, τοῦτο εἰδότας, ὡς καὶ τὸ σχίσμα οὐδὲν ἔλαττον αἱρέσεως, ὡς τῷ Χρυσοστόμῳ εἴρηται."5 τ557-564 {1επιστυλαε σπυριαε}1 557 .................... Ἡ πρὸς ἡμᾶς σου ἐπιστολή, ὁσιώτατε ἐν μοναχοῖς καὶ ἡμῖν ποθεινότατε πάτερ, δεικνύει καθαρῶς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς σου λαμπρότητα· πολλῆς γὰρ γέμει τῆς ἡδονῆς τε καὶ χάριτος καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὴν εὐτέλειαν ἡμῶν πνευματικῆς διαθέσεως. ἀνθ' ὧν δῴη σοι Κύριος τὰ ἀγαθὰ τῆς ἄνω Σιὼν καὶ βοηθός σοι γένοιτο καὶ ὑπερασπιστὴς κατ' ἐχθρῶν ἀσάρκων καὶ ὑπέρμαχος καὶ ἀντιλήπτωρ· καὶ μὴ δείξαι δύσκολον ἐνώπιόν σου, ἀλλ' εὔκολα καὶ ὁμαλὰ ποιήσοι πάντα σου τὰ δι' ἀρετῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν διαβήματα.