SR
← Letters to Olympias (Letters of St. John Chrysostom)/Book 1 · Letters to Olympias (Epistulae ad Olympiadem)
Chapter 11ChrysOlymp.1.11

ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ ΙΑʹ

The Enemy's Fury Is Proof of Victory

Growing persecution and the devil's rage are not signs of ruin but proofs of courage and victory, so the sufferer must rejoice rather than be shaken.

Your affliction has been stretched further, the jumping pits have been set wider again, the racecourses have grown longer, and the fury of those plotting against you is rising into a greater flame.1 But you must not be alarmed or shaken. No—for these very reasons you ought most of all to rejoice and leap and be crowned and dance. For if you had not struck the devil with well-aimed blows in what came before, the beast would not have grown so savage as to press still further.2 So then, the fact that he leaps more fiercely, pounces, shows off greater shamelessness, and pours out his venom more lavishly is itself proof of both your courage and victory and his heavy defeat.

Job's Example: The Devil's Unrelenting Schemes

The pattern of Job's trials shows that when the devil is beaten he presses further, yet affliction makes the one who bears it gently superior to every terror.

For the same pattern held with the blessed Job: when the devil was beaten in the loss of property and the taking of the children, then too he produced proof that he had taken severe wounds, and he rushed upon the crowning point of evils—the siege of the flesh, the spring of worms, the chorus of wounds. For I call that chorus both a crown and a swarm of countless prizes.3 And he did not stop even there. But when no other device of that kind was left to him—for he had brought on that disease as the outermost limit of disasters—he set other schemes in motion again: arming the wife, goading the friends, stirring up the household servants and making them savage, and through them all reopening the wounds. This is exactly what he keeps attempting even now, and he does not stop—but it is against his own head. For as for your affairs, from this they grow brighter and greater and more radiant every day: your wealth increases, your trade becomes more abundant, the crowns come one after another without break, through these very terrors your courage gains a great addition, and the plots of your enemies become an oil that anoints your endurance.4 For such is the nature of affliction: it makes those who bear it gently and nobly superior to the terrors and higher than the devil's arrows; it trains them to despise the plots.

The Sailor's Calm in the Storm

Just as sailors grow fearless through many storms, the faithful who endure repeated trials are trained to despise every plot and to trust only in a firm resolve.

For just as trees that grow in the shade become softer and less useful for bearing fruit, while those that face irregular weather, take the blasts of the wind, and receive the heat of the sun's rays grow stronger, thick with leaves and heavy with fruit—the same thing usually happens at sea. Those who first board a ship, even if they happen to be very brave, are shaken by inexperience; they panic; they're seized by dark dizziness and vertigo. But those who have crossed many seas and endured many storms—reefs, rocks, and crags, attacks of wild beasts, plots of pirates and shipwreckers, holding out through continuous storms—sit on the ship more boldly than people walking on land, not tucked inside below the keel, but settling even along the very sides of the ship and standing without fear at bow and stern. And those who before this were lying facedown with trembling and fear, after long experience of the storm, pull the ropes, raise the sails, take hold of the oars, and run easily all over the ship. So don't let anything that happens to you throw you into a panic. For our enemies, against their will, have put us in this very position: that we cannot really be harmed—having emptied all their arrows, yet achieving nothing more from it than to be put to shame and laughed at, and to appear everywhere as common enemies of the world. These are the plotters' reward; this is the end of their wars.5 Ah, how great virtue is, and contempt for the things at hand! Through plots it gains; through those who plot against it, it is crowned; through those who do harm, it shines more brightly; through those who try to drag it down, it makes those who pursue it stronger, higher, unconquerable, indestructible—needing no weapons, no spears, no walls, no ditches, no towers, no money, no armies, but only a firm resolve and an unshaken soul—and it exposes every human scheme.

Despise Every Fleeting Shadow

The letter urges Olympias to raise the spirits of her fellow contenders by despising the shadows, smoke, spiderwebs, and grass of worldly prosperity, which is pure vanity and brings only harm.

So then, my lady most beloved of God, chanting these things over yourself and over the women contending with you in this noble contest, raise all their spirits and muster your ranks, so that your crown of virtue may become double, triple, even manifold—both through what you yourself suffer and through the other women you lead into these same struggles—persuading them to bear everything gently, to look past the shadows, to despise the deceit of dreams, to trample the mud underfoot, to pay no mind to the smoke, not to think spiderwebs can trouble you, and to run right past the rotting grass.✦✦ For all these things are the vanity of human prosperity—and it is even more worthless than they are.6 And no one would easily find an image that presents its vanity with real accuracy. For along with this nothingness it also brings no small harm to those who gape after it—not only in the age to come, but also in the present life, and even in these very days when they think they are luxuriating in it.

Cain's Shame and Abel's Crown

The strange reversal of Cain and Abel shows that the apparent winner in wickedness is miserable, while the apparent victim is crowned and even his blood accuses the living.

For just as virtue, even at the very moment when it is under attack, leaps and thrives and shows itself more radiant, so also wickedness, even at the very moment when it is courted and flattered, shows its own weakness, its great absurdity, and its unspeakable farce. For tell me—what has ever been more pitiable than Cain, even at the very moment when he seemed to have mastery over his brother and to have gotten the better of him, and to have glutted himself with that unjust and abominable rage and anger? And what more unclean than that right hand that seemed to have won—the right hand that struck the blow and did the murder—and than that most shameful tongue that stitched the deceit and spread the nets? And why do I speak only of the limbs that carried out the murder? For his whole body was being punished, given over continually to groaning and trembling. Oh, what strange affairs! Oh, what a paradoxical victory! Oh, what a strange trophy! The one who was slain and lay dead was crowned and proclaimed the victor; but the one who had won and gotten the upper hand not only went away uncrowned—no, for that very reason he was punished and handed over to unbearable torments and perpetual torture. And the one who had been struck, who was dead and speechless, accused the one still moving and living and speaking. Or rather, not even the dead man—the bare blood alone, separated from the body, was enough for this.

The Crown That Awaits and a Request for News

Since even in this life the virtuous are proven more blessed than the wicked, the future reward from God's generosity is far greater, so Olympias is called to rejoice and to send news of her strength for John's comfort in exile.

The virtuous have such abundance even after they die; the wicked have such misery even while they live. And if the prizes in the arena are already like this, consider how great the rewards will be after the contests — at the time of repayment, in the lavish gift of those goods that surpass every word.✦7 For the painful things, whatever they are, are brought on by human beings and take on the cheapness of those who inflict them; but the gifts and the rewards are given by God — and so they are such as one would expect from that unspeakable generosity.8 So rejoice and be glad — wearing the crown, processing in triumph, trampling the stings of your enemies more than others trample mud. And keep telling us continually how your health is, so that from that too we may harvest great joy. For you know that it will be no small comfort to us, even as we sit in this wilderness, when we continually hear news of your strength.9

Read the original Greek

Ἐπετάθη τὰ τῆς θλίψεως ὑμῖν καὶ πλατύτερα πάλιν ἐτέθη τὰ σκάμματα καὶ μακρότεροι τῶν δρόμων οἱ δίαυλοι καὶ πρὸς μείζονα φλόγα τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ὑμῖν αἴρεται ὁ θυμός. Ἀλλ' οὐ θορυβεῖσθαι οὐδὲ ταράττεσθαι, ἀλλὰ διὰ ταῦτα μὲν οὖν μάλιστα χαίρειν δεῖ καὶ σκιρτᾶν καὶ στεφανοῦσθαι καὶ χορεύειν. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ καιρίας ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐδώκατε τῷ διαβόλῳ τὰς πληγάς, οὐκ ἂν οὕτως ἠγριώθη τὸ θηρίον ὡς καὶ περαιτέρω προελθεῖν. ∆εῖγμα τοίνυν καὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀνδρείας καὶ νίκης καὶ τῆς ἥττης ἐκείνου τῆς πολλῆς, τὸ μειζόνως ἐφάλλεσθαι καὶ ἐπιπηδᾶν καὶ πλείονα ἐπιδείκνυσθαι τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν καὶ δαψιλέστερον ἐκχεῖν τὸν ἰόν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ μακαρίου Ἰώβ, ἐπειδὴ ἐν τῇ τῶν χρημάτων ἀποβολῇ ἡττήθη καὶ τῇ τῶν παίδων ἀφαιρέσει, δεῖγμα καὶ τότε ἐκφέρων τοῦ χαλεπὰ τραύματα δέξασθαι, ἐπὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον ὥρμησε τῶν κακῶν, τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς πολιορκίαν, τὴν τῶν σκωλήκων πηγήν, τὸν τῶν τραυμάτων χορόν· χορὸν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐγὼ καὶ στέφανον καλῶ καὶ μυρίων βραβείων ἐσμόν. Καὶ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἔστη· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ὑπελείπετο ἕτερον αὐτῷ μηχάνημα τοιοῦτον –ὡς γὰρ ἔσχατον ὅρον συμφορῶν, οὕτως τὴν νόσον ἐπήγαγεν ἐκείνην –, καὶ ἕτερα πάλιν ἐκίνει μηχανήματα, γυναῖκα ὁπλίζων, τοὺς φίλους παροξύνων, τοὺς οἰκέτας διεγείρων καὶ θηριώδεις ποιῶν καὶ διὰ πάντων τὰ τραύματα ἀναξαίνων. Ὃ δὴ καὶ νῦν ἐπιχειρῶν οὐ παύεται, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλῆς· ὡς τά γε ὑμέτερα ἐντεῦθεν λαμπρότερα καὶ μείζονα καὶ φαιδρότερα καθ' ἑκάστην γίνεται τὴν ἡμέραν, πλείων ὑμῖν ὁ πλοῦτος, δαψιλεστέρα ἡ ἐμπορία, ἐπάλληλοι καὶ συνεχεῖς οἱ στέφανοι, πολλὴ δι' αὐτῶν τῶν δεινῶν τῆς ἀνδρείας ὑμῖν ἡ προσθήκη, καὶ αἱ ἐπιβουλαὶ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἄλειμμα γίνονται τῆς καρτερίας τῆς ὑμετέρας. Τοιαύτη γὰρ τῆς θλίψεως ἡ φύσις· τοὺς πρᾴως αὐτὴν καὶ γενναίως φέροντας ἀνωτέρους ποιεῖ τῶν δεινῶν, ὑψηλοτέρους τῶν τοῦ διαβόλου βελῶν παιδεύει καταφρονεῖν τῶν ἐπιβουλῶν.

Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ δένδρα τὰ μὲν σκιατροφούμενα μαλακώτερα γίνεται καὶ πρὸς καρπῶν γένεσιν ἀχρηστότερα, τὰ δὲ ἀέρων ἀνωμαλίᾳ ὁμιλοῦντα καὶ πνευμάτων δεχόμενα ἐμβολὰς καὶ θέρμην ἀκτῖνος, αὐτά τε ἰσχυρότερα καθίσταται καὶ τοῖς φύλλοις κομᾷ καὶ τῷ κάρπῳ βρίθεται, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης συμβαίνειν εἴωθεν· οἳ μὲν γὰρ πρῶτον ἐπιβάντες νηός, κἂν σφόδρα γενναῖοί τινες τυγχάνωσιν ὄντες, ὑπὸ τῆς ἀπειρίας ταράττονται, θορυβοῦνται, σκοτοδίνοις ἰλίγγοις κατέχονται· οἱ δὲ πολλὰ διαβάντες πελάγη καὶ πολλοὺς ὑπομείναντες χειμῶνας καὶ ὑφάλους καὶ σκοπέλους καὶ σπιλάδας καὶ θηρίων ἐφόδους καὶ πειρατῶν ἐπιβουλὰς καὶ καταποντιστῶν καὶ συνεχῶν ἀνασχόμενοι χειμώνων, τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς λοιπὸν βαδιζόντων θαρραλεώτεροι ἐπὶ τῆς νηὸς κάθηνται, οὐκ ἔνδον παρὰ τὴν τρόπιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῖς ἐνιζάνοντες τοῖς τοίχοις τῆς νηὸς καὶ ἐπὶ πρώρας καὶ ἐπὶ πρύμνης ἀδεῶς ἱστάμενοι· καὶ οἱ πρὸ τούτου ἐπ' ὄψιν μετὰ τρόμου καὶ φόβου κείμενοι, μετὰ τὴν πολλὴν τοῦ χειμῶνος πεῖραν καὶ σχοῖνον ἕλκουσι καὶ ἱστία ἀνάγουσι καὶ κωπῶν ἅπτονται καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς νηὸς μετὰ εὐκολίας περιτρέχουσι. Μηδὲν τοίνυν ὑμᾶς θορυβείτω τῶν συμπιπτόντων. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἡμᾶς κατέστησαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ ἄκοντες εἰς τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι κακῶς παθεῖν πάντα μὲν αὐτῶν κενώσαντες τὰ βέλη, οὐδὲν δὲ πλέον ἐντεῦθεν ἀνύσαντες ἢ τὸ καταισχύνεσθαι καὶ γελᾶσθαι καὶ ὥσπερ κοινοὺς τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐχθρούς, οὕτω πανταχοῦ φαίνεσθαι. Ταῦτα τῶν ἐπιβούλων τὰ ἐπίχειρα, τοῦτο τῶν πολέμων τὸ τέλος. Βαβαί, πηλίκον ἐστὶν ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ τῶν παρόντων ὑπεροψία πραγμάτων· δι' ἐπιβουλῶν κερδαίνει, διὰ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων στεφανοῦται, διὰ τῶν κακῶς ποιούντων διαλάμπει μειζόνως, διὰ τῶν ἐπισύρειν ἐπιχειρούντων ἰσχυροτέρους ποιεῖ τοὺς μετιόντας αὐτήν, ὑψηλοτέρους, ἀχειρώτους, ἀναλώτους, οὐχ ὅπλων, οὐ δοράτων δεομένους, οὐ τειχῶν, οὐ τάφρων, οὐ πύργων, οὐ χρημάτων, οὐ στρατοπέδων, ἀλλὰ γνώμης στερρᾶς μόνον καὶ ἀπεριτρέπτου ψυχῆς, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνην ἐπιβουλὴν ἐλέγχει.

Ταῦτα οὖν, δέσποινά μου θεοφιλεστάτη, καὶ σαυτῇ καὶ ταῖς μετὰ σοῦ τὸν καλὸν τοῦτον ἀγῶνα ἀγωνιζομέναις ἐπᾴδουσα ἀνίστη τὰ φρονήματα πασῶν συγκροτοῦσά σου τὴν παράταξιν, ὥστε διπλοῦν καὶ τριπλοῦν καὶ πολλαπλασίονα γενέσθαι σοι τὸν στέφανον τῆς ἀρετῆς, δι' ὧν τε αὐτὴ πάσχεις, δι' ὧν τε ἑτέρας εἰς ταῦτα ἐνάγεις, καὶ πείθουσα πάντα πρᾴως φέρειν καὶ ὑπερορᾶν τῶν σκιῶν καὶ καταφρονεῖν τῆς τῶν ὀνειράτων ἀπάτης καὶ καταπατεῖν τὸν πηλὸν καὶ τοῦ καπνοῦ μηδένα ποιεῖσθαι λόγον καὶ τὰς ἀράχνας μὴ νομίζειν ὑμῖν διενοχλεῖν, καὶ παρατρέχειν τὸν σηπόμενον χόρτον. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἅπαντα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης εὐημερίας ἡ ματαιότης καὶ τούτων δὲ εὐτελέστερα. Καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις ῥᾳδίως εἰκόνα εὕροι ἀκριβῶς αὐτῆς τὴν ματαιότητα παριστῶσαν. Μετὰ γὰρ τῆς οὐδενείας ταύτης οὐ μικρὰν φέρει καὶ βλάβην τοῖς πρὸς αὐτὴν κεχηνόσιν, οὐκ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι μόνον αἰῶνι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ καὶ κατὰ ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας ἐν αἷς δοκοῦσιν αὐταῖς ἐντρυφᾶν. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ ἀρετή, καὶ κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν καθ' ὃν πολεμεῖται, σκιρτᾷ καὶ θάλλει καὶ φαιδροτέρα δείκνυται, οὕτω καὶ ἡ κακία, καὶ κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν καθ' ὃν θεραπεύεται καὶ κολακεύεται, δείκνυσιν αὐτῆς τὴν ἀσθένειαν καὶ τὸν πολὺν γέλωτα καὶ τὴν ἄφατον κωμῳδίαν. Τί γάρ, εἰπέ μοι, τοῦ Κάϊν ἐλεεινότερον γέγονε, καὶ κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν καθ' ὃν ἐδόκει κρατεῖν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καὶ περιγεγενῆσθαι καὶ τοῦ θυμοῦ καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς ἐμπεφορῆσθαι ἐκείνης τῆς ἀδίκου καὶ μυσαρᾶς; Τί δὲ τῆς δεξιᾶς ἐκείνης ἀκαθαρτότερον τῆς δοκούσης νενικηκέναι, τῆς δεξιᾶς ἣ τὴν πληγὴν ἐπήγαγεν καὶ τὸν φόνον εἰργάσατο, καὶ τῆς αἰσχίστης γλώσσης ἣ τὸν δόλον ἔρραψε καὶ τὰ δίκτυα ἥπλωσεν; Καὶ τί λέγω τὰ μέλη τὰ τὸν φόνον ἐργασάμενα; Καὶ γὰρ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα ἐκολάζετο, τῷ στεναγμῷ, τῷ τρόμῳ διηνεκῶς παραδοθέν. Ὢ καινῶν πραγμάτων· ὢ παραδόξου νίκης· ὢ ξένου τροπαίου. Ὁ μὲν σφαγεὶς καὶ νεκρὸς κείμενος ἐστεφανοῦτο καὶ ἀνεκηρύττετο· ὁ δὲ νικήσας καὶ περιγεγονὼς οὐ μόνον ἀστεφάνωτος ἀπῄει, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τοῦτο ἐκολάζετο, καὶ ἀφορήτοις παρεδίδοτο τιμωρίαις καὶ διηνεκεῖ βασάνῳ· καὶ τοῦ κινουμένου καὶ ζῶντος καὶ φθεγγομένου ὁ πεπληγὼς καὶ τεθνεὼς καὶ ἄφωνος κατηγόρει· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ὁ τεθνεώς, ἀλλὰ τὸ αἷμα ψιλὸν καὶ τοῦ σώματος χωρισθὲν ἤρκεσεν εἰς τοῦτο μόνον.

Τοσαύτη τῶν ἐναρέτων ἡ περιουσία καὶ τελευτησάντων· τοσαύτη τῶν πονηρῶν ἡ ἀθλιότης καὶ ζώντων. Εἰ δὲ ἐν τοῖς σκάμμασι τοιαῦτα τὰ βραβεῖα, ἐννόησον μετὰ τοὺς ἀγῶνας ἡλίκαι αἱ ἀμοιβαί, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἀντιδόσεως, ἐν τῇ χορηγίᾳ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων τῶν πάντα ὑπερβαινόντων λόγον. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ λυπηρά, οἷα ἂν ᾖ, παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἐπάγεται καὶ μιμεῖται τῶν ἐπιφερόντων τὴν εὐτέλειαν· τὰ δὲ δῶρα καὶ αἱ ἀμοιβαὶ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ δίδονται· διὸ καὶ τοιαῦτά ἐστιν οἷα εἰκὸς παρὰ τῆς ἀφάτου δωρεᾶς ἐκείνης διδόμενα. Χαῖρε τοίνυν καὶ εὐφραίνου, στεφανηφοροῦσα, πομπεύουσα, τὰ κέντρα τῶν ἐχθρῶν καταπατοῦσα μᾶλλον ἢ πηλὸν ἕτεροι. Καὶ δήλου συνεχῶς ἡμῖν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας σου, ἵνα καὶ ἐντεῦθεν πολλὴν καρπωσώμεθα τὴν εὐφροσύνην. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὡς οὐ μικρὰ ἡμῖν ἔσται παραμυθία καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καθημένοις, ὅταν συνεχῶς μανθάνωμεν περὶ τῆς ῥώσεως τῆς σῆς.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩1Tim.6.12;2Tim.4.7 — Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession before many witnesses. 2Tim.4.7 — I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
  2. ↩Isa.40.6-Isa.40.8;1Pet.1.24 — A voice says, "Cry out!" And I said, "What shall I cry?" All flesh is grass, and all its faithfulness is like the flower of the field. Isa.40.7 — The grass withers, the flower fades, for the breath of the LORD blows upon it; truly, the grass is the people. Isa.40.8 — The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever. 1Pet.1.24 — For all flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls,
  3. ↩1Cor.9.24-1Cor.9.27;2Tim.4.7-2Tim.4.8 — Do you not know that those who run in a stadium all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 1Cor.9.25 — Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. 1Cor.9.26 — So then I run not as one who is uncertain; I box not as one beating the air. 1Cor.9.27 — But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, so that after preaching to others, I myself might not be disqualified. 2Tim.4.7 — I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2Tim.4.8 — From now on, there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have loved his appearing.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩σκάμματα and δίαυλοι are athletic images: the sand-pits for the jump and the double-course stadium races. Rendered as 'jumping pits' and 'race courses' to keep the stadium metaphor without archaic sports jargon.
  2. 2 ↩καιρίας ... τὰς πληγάς: 'critical/vital blows'—rendered 'well-aimed blows' to keep the sense of wounds that land where they count.
  3. 3 ↩χορὸν ... στέφανον ... βραβείων ἐσμόν: Chrysostom deliberately renames Job's 'chorus of wounds' as crown and prize-swarm—athletic/agonistic imagery for the merit of endurance, not mere suffering.
  4. 4 ↩ἄλειμμα: athletic oil used to anoint the body for contest. Rendered as 'an oil that anoints' to keep both the concrete training image and the sense that enemy plots strengthen endurance.
  5. 5 ↩ἐπίχειρα can mean wages/recompense, often with ironic force for what schemers earn by their own designs.
  6. 6 ↩καὶ τούτων δὲ εὐτελέστερα: taken as 'human prosperity is even more worthless than these figures' (shadows, dreams, mud, smoke, webs, grass), not as a free-floating comparative without antecedent.
  7. 7 ↩σκάμμασι: the dug wrestling-ground of the stadium; rendered as 'arena' for natural athletic force without archaism.
  8. 8 ↩ἀφάτου δωρεᾶς: 'unspeakable/ineffable gift' rendered as 'unspeakable generosity' to keep the genitive force of the divine giving without stiffness.
  9. 9 ↩ἐρημίᾳ: 'wilderness/desert/solitude' — Chrysostom's exile setting; 'wilderness' keeps the desolation without modern 'deserted place' flatness. ῥώσεως: vigor/strength of recovery, not merely abstract health.

Letters to Olympias (Letters of St. John Chrysostom) companion

Rule yourself daily, not just on retreat

Chosen Portion turns the mirror into a daily practice — a short reading and examining question each morning before you lead anyone.

Chosen Portion makes the mirror daily: the ruler-formation questions this collection preserves become a two-minute morning examination in the app.

  • A daily formation reading drawn from centuries of counsel to those in authority
  • One pointed examination question a day — two minutes, before the meetings start
  • Track your practice over weeks and watch the examined life become a habit
Chosen Portion — Daily Prayer (free iOS app) →