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Chapter 9ChrysOlymp.1.9

ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ Θʹ

A Gentle Rebuke for Grieving

Chrysostom gently rebukes Olympias for her excessive mourning and self-inflicted pain, assuring her that his exile is a gift from God meant to increase his crown.

Why are you mourning? Why are you beating yourself and exacting penalties that not even your enemies managed to exact from you, surrendering your soul like this to the tyranny of despondency? For the letter you sent us through Patricius made clear the wounds of your mind. That's why I'm deeply pained and distressed too: when you ought to be moving every lever and taking every step to drive despondency out of your soul, you go about gathering painful thoughts and inventing things that aren't real — for that's what you yourself said — and shredding yourself to pieces pointlessly and for nothing, to your greatest harm.1 What grieves you, that you weren't able to get us transferred from Cucusus? And yet, as far as your part went, you did transfer us — you moved every lever and took every step.2 But if the work didn't come to completion, you still shouldn't grieve even over that. For perhaps it seemed good to God that longer racecourses be set for me, so that the crowns would be more splendid too.3 Why then do you grieve over the very things for which we are proclaimed, when you ought to leap for joy over them and dance and be crowned, because we were counted worthy of something that so far surpasses our desert? But does the solitude of this place grieve you? And what is sweeter than living here? Quiet, calm, deep freedom from busyness, bodily vigor. For even if the town has neither a marketplace nor goods for sale, that means nothing to me. For everything flows in to me as if from springs.

Cheerfulness in Exile and Discretion About Suffering

Chrysostom describes his cheerful state in exile and the bright crowns won through trials, but urges discretion about the harsh events so as not to disturb allies.

For I have my lord the bishop here and my lord Dioscorus making this their constant work: our rest. And good Patricius will also tell you how we live in good spirits, in joy, and with abundant care — at least as far as our stay here is concerned. But if you mourn over what happened in Caesarea, you're doing that unworthily of yourself too. For there too bright crowns were woven for us again, so that everyone proclaims us, acclaims us, admires us, and is astonished at the evils we suffered when we were driven out. But for now let no one know these things, even if many are spreading them around. For my lord Paeanius has made clear to me that Pharetrius's own priests are there — men who said they are in communion with us and have nothing in common with the adversaries, neither associating with them nor sharing communion with them.4 So then, so that we don't upset them, let no one know these things — for what happened to us was extremely harsh. And even if I had suffered no other terrible thing, what happened there would have been enough to win me countless prizes — so extreme was the danger we faced.5 But please keep this confidential, and I'll tell you about it briefly—not to grieve you, but to cheer you. For these are the stock of my trade, this is my wealth, this is the payment for my sins: continually walking through trials like these, and having them brought upon me by people from whom I never expected them.6

The Perilous Journey and Unexpected Betrayal

Chrysostom recounts his arrival in Caesarea, his severe illness, the warm reception by clergy and people, the hostile avoidance of Pharetrius, and the sudden Isaurian raid.

For when we were about to enter Cappadocia, having gotten free of that Galatian—and he had nearly threatened us with death—many people met us along the road saying, "Lord Pharetrius is waiting for you and is going everywhere so he won't miss meeting you, and he is doing everything and taking every trouble to see you, embrace you, and show you every kind of love; and he has stirred up the monasteries of men and of women."7 But when I heard this, I expected none of it; instead I was picturing the opposite to myself. Still, I said nothing of this to any of those who brought the report. And when I finally reached Caesarea late, worn out, parched, and wasted—lying at the very height of the fever's flame, restless and suffering the worst—I found lodging on the city's outermost edge and did all I could to both meet with doctors and quench that furnace, for this was the very peak of the tertian fever.8 And on top of that, there were the hardships of the road, the exhaustion, the crushing weariness, no one to care for me, no necessities, and no doctor with us; I was worn down by fatigue, heat, and sleepless nights—almost a living corpse, I entered the city. Then the whole clergy came, along with the people, monks, nuns, and doctors. I received a great deal of care, with everyone serving and attending to us in every way. But even so, held by the heavy stupor of the flame, I was in extreme distress.9 At last, little by little, the illness was coming to an end and easing off. But Pharetrius was nowhere to be found; instead, he was waiting for us to leave—I don't know what he had decided. So when I saw the illness gently easing, I began planning my departure, so that I might reach Cucusus and rest a little from the disasters of the road. And while we were in this situation, word suddenly came that countless Isaurians were overrunning the territory of Caesarea, and that they had burned a large village and done their worst to it.

The Fury of the Monks and the Flight from Caesarea

Chrysostom describes the violent assault by monks, the complicity of Pharetrius, his forced departure at midday amid public mourning, and the attempted refuge at Seleucia's estate.

When the tribune heard this, he took the soldiers he had and went out. For they were afraid the raiders might also attack the city, and everyone was in fear, everyone in anguish, in danger for the very ground of their homeland—so much so that even the old men themselves were taking up the guard of the walls. While things stood this way, all at once toward dawn a troop of monks—for that is how one has to put it, and show their madness even by the word—came down on the house where we were, threatening to burn it, set it on fire, and do the worst to us if I didn't leave.10 And neither fear of the Isaurians, nor my illness pressing so hard, nor anything else made them more reasonable; instead they kept at us, breathing such rage that even the provincial officials themselves were afraid. For they even threatened those men with beatings and preened themselves over having already shamefully beaten many provincial officials. When the provincial officials heard this, they fled to us and kept begging and pleading: "Even if we're going to fall among the Isaurians, free us from these wild beasts." When the governor heard, he hurried down to the house, meaning to help us. Not even when he pleaded would the monks relent; he too proved powerless.11 Seeing the situation in a desperate bind—not daring to advise us to face open violence or to stay inside under their savage madness—he sent word to Pharetrios, begging him for a few days' delay, both because of the illness and the danger closing in. Even then, nothing came of it. On the contrary, the next day they showed up even more fiercely, and not one of the priests dared to stand by us or help. Instead, ashamed and red-faced—claiming this was all happening by Pharetrios's will—they hid, slipped out of sight, and wouldn't answer when we called. What more is there to say? With so many terrors bearing down, death almost certain, and the fever wearing me out—since I still hadn't shaken off the troubles from that place—at midday I threw myself into the litter and was carried out, while the whole crowd wailed and cried out, cursed the man who had done this, and mourned and lamented. When I left the city, some of the clergy came out too and quietly escorted us, grieving. And when they heard some people saying, "Where are you taking him — to open death?", another man who loved us intensely said to us: "Go, I beg you. Fall among the Isaurians — only get free of us. Wherever you fall, you'll fall into safety — if only you escape our hands." Hearing and seeing this, the excellent Seleucia, a freedwoman of my lord Rufinus—who had cared for us with great devotion—begged and pleaded with us to stay at her suburban estate, five miles outside the city. She sent people along with us, and we went there.12

The Night of Terror and the Joy of Suffering

Chrysostom narrates the terrifying midnight flight under false alarms, the abandonment, the fall from a mule, and concludes by affirming that these trials filled him with joy and are cause for glorifying God.

But even there, this plot wouldn't leave us alone. As she told it, when Pharetrius found out, he sent her many threats. But when she received me into her country estate, I myself knew nothing of any of this; she came out to us and kept these things hidden from us, but told her steward who was there to give us every comfort, and if any monks should come wanting to insult or crush us, to gather farmhands from her other estates and so take a stand against them.13 She also urged me to take refuge in her house—which had a fort and was impregnable—so as to escape the hands of the bishop and the monks.14 But I wouldn't agree to that; I stayed at the country estate, unaware of what was being prepared afterward. And even that wasn't enough for them to drop their frenzy against us. Then, in the middle of the night—I knew nothing of any of this—for Pharetrius was pressing hard, heaping threat upon threat against her, as she says, compelling and pushing her to drive us out even from the country estates—the woman, unable to bear his pressure, without my knowing, announced right there that the barbarians had come, ashamed to admit the compulsion she had endured.15 And in the middle of the night Euethios the priest came in to me, woke me while I was sleeping, and with a great outcry said: "Get up, I beg you—the barbarians have arrived, right nearby." Imagine what I was like when I heard this. Then, when I told him what we had to do — "We can't take refuge in the city, or we'll suffer worse than what the Isaurians are about to do to us" — he forced me to leave.16 It was a moonless night — the middle of the night, murky and dark. And that itself left us full of helplessness again. There was no one with us, no one to help, for everyone had abandoned us.✦ Still, pressed hard by fear and expecting to die at any moment, I got up worn out with suffering and ordered torches lit. But the priest ordered those put out too: "If we don't," he said, "the barbarians may be drawn by the light and attack us." So the torches were extinguished as well. Then the mule carrying our litter — for the road was extremely rough, steep, and rocky — went down on its knee and threw me while I was still inside, and I nearly died. Then I jumped out and went along dragged by Euethius the priest — for he too had leaped down from his mount — and so I walked led by the hand, or rather hauled along. You couldn't really walk through such rough ground and harsh mountains in the middle of the night.17 Imagine what I must have been suffering, hemmed in by so many evils, with the fever pressing on me, knowing nothing of what had been plotted, but terrified of barbarians, trembling, and expecting to fall into their hands.18 Don't these sufferings alone seem enough to you — even if nothing else had happened to me — to wipe away many of our sins and give me a great occasion for approval? And the reason, as I see it: the moment I entered Caesarea, everyone — the men of rank, the former vicars, the rhetoricians of governor rank, the former tribunes, the whole people — saw me every day, treated me with honor, and carried me as the apple of their eye. That, I think, nettled Pharetrius, and the envy that drove us from Constantinople did not leave us alone even here — as I think; for I don't assert it as fact, I only suspect it.✦19 What more could anyone say about the rest of what happened on the road—the fears, the dangers? Every day when I myself recall them and carry them around in my mind, I soar with joy; I leap as if I had a great treasure stored up—for that is truly how I feel and how I'm disposed. And so I urge your Honor as well to rejoice over these things, to be glad, to leap for joy, and to glorify God, who counted us worthy to suffer such things.✦20 And I urge you to keep these things to yourself and not tell them to anyone, even though the provincial officials can fill the whole city with the story—and they themselves came through mortal danger.21 Still, let no one learn of this from your Piety; rather, restrain those who are talking about it.22

Reassurance Against Fears

Chrysostom reassures Olympias about his health and safety, rebukes her for imagining neglect and for deliberately stoking her own distress, and urges her to read his previous letters for healing.

But if you're hurting over the lingering effects of the hardship, know this clearly: I've been completely freed from all of it, and my body is stronger than when I was staying there. And why are you afraid of the cold? Suitable lodgings have been prepared for us, and my lord Dioscorus does and arranges everything so that we don't feel even a little of the cold.23 And if one can judge from these first signs, the air here now seems eastern to me—no less so than Antioch's: such is the warmth, such the mild balance of the climate.24 You hurt me deeply when you said, 'Perhaps you're also upset with us, as if we've neglected you.' And yet many days ago I wrote to your honor, asking you not to move me from here.25 As for me, I took that to mean that you would need a long apology—and plenty of sweat and hard work—before you could ever clear yourself of that remark.26 But perhaps you've partly excused yourself already by saying, 'I simply think this way in order to increase my distress.' But this again is a very serious charge—to say, 'And I even make it my aim to pile the pains higher with my thoughts.'27 For you ought to be doing and arranging everything to put an end to the distress — yet you're doing the devil's will by increasing your despondency and sorrow. Or don't you know how powerful despondency is too? As for the Isaurians, don't fear them any longer; for they've gone back to their own country, and the governor has done everything to that end — and we're far safer here than we were when we were in Caesarea.28 For from now on I fear no one as much as the bishops — except a few. So don't fear the Isaurians at all; for they've withdrawn, and now that winter has set in they're shut up at home — if they do set out again, it won't be until after Pentecost.29 But how can you say you get no letters? I've already sent you three letters — one through the provincial officials, one through Antonius, and one through Anatolius, your household servant — long ones at that; and the two especially are a saving remedy, strong enough to restore anyone despondent or scandalized and lead them into pure cheerfulness. So take these up and go over them again and again, constantly; and you'll see their power, gain much experience of their healing and benefit, and let us know that something more has come to you from them. I also have a third ready, like those, which I was unwilling to send now, deeply grieved because you said, 'And I gather painful thoughts for myself and invent things that aren't real' — a word unworthy of yourself, at which even I am ashamed and cover my face. Still, read those letters, and you won't say these things anymore, even if you insist on being despondent a thousand times over.

True Grief Is Sin Alone

Chrysostom discusses the resignation of Bishop Heracleides and the consolation of Pentadia, then delivers a theological exhortation that only sin is truly grievous, while all else is transient.

Since you also told us about Bishop Heracleides: he can, if he wants, resign and be free of everything — because nothing else is left.30 And even if I accomplished nothing great, I still wrote to my lady Pentadia, urging her to put her whole effort into it if she could invent any comfort for this trouble. And you said you had dared to tell me the painful news because you had been ordered by him.31 What boldness is that? I've never stopped saying, and I won't stop saying, that the only real grief is sin alone; everything else is dust and smoke. For what's so hard about living in prison and wearing chains? And what's so hard about suffering harm, when suffering harm becomes the occasion of such great gain? And what's so hard about exile? Or confiscation? These are words emptied of terrible realities — bare words of grief.32 For if you speak of death, you're only naming nature's debt — something we all have to endure eventually, even with no one bringing it on. If you speak of exile, you're saying nothing more than seeing another country and many cities. And if you speak of confiscation of property, you're naming freedom and being unburdened.

Instructions for the Care of Maruthas

Chrysostom urges Olympias to diligently care for Bishop Maruthas, conveying his importance for Persian affairs and promising a full reward for her efforts.

As far as it depends on you, keep looking after Bishop Maruthas, so he can be pulled out of the pit.33 I especially need him because of the situation in Persia. If you can, find out from him what he’s accomplished there and why he came. Let us know if you delivered the two letters I sent him. If he’s willing to write to us, we’ll write back; but if he isn't, at least have him tell you whether anything else has happened there, and whether he intends to accomplish anything more when he goes back down.3435 That is exactly why I was so eager to meet with him. Still, do everything you can; even if everyone else is being swept away, do your part.36 Your reward will be complete.✦ So, win him over completely, as far as you are able.37 I beg you: don't take what I'm about to say lightly, but show great earnestness about it.38

Urgent Concerns for the Gothic Church

Chrysostom urges Olympias to act discreetly yet urgently to secure a worthy bishop for the Goths, drawing on the widow's offering as a model of wholehearted effort, and gives instructions for Hilarius and letter delivery.

The Marsean monks—the Goths—where Bishop Serapion always used to hide, informed me that the deacon Moduarius had come announcing that Unilas, that wonderful bishop whom I ordained not long ago and sent into Gothia, after accomplishing many great things, has fallen asleep; and he came bringing letters from the king of the Goths requesting that a bishop be sent to them.39 So since I see nothing else that helps correct the threatened disaster except delay and postponement—for they can't sail to the Bosporus now, nor to those regions—get them to put it off for the time being because of winter. But don't simply pass this by; it's a very great accomplishment. For there are two things that would grieve me most if they should happen—may they not!—both that it should come about through these people who work so many evils and from whom it isn't right, and that just anyone should simply be appointed.40 You know yourself that they aren't eager to appoint someone of real worth. And if this should happen—may it not!—you know what will follow. So that none of these things may happen, make every effort without a sound. If it's possible for Moduarius even to slip away to us secretly, the greatest things would be achieved.41 But if that isn't possible, do whatever can be done with the means at hand. What holds true for money, and what happened with the widow, also applies to practical affairs. Just as the woman who gave two copper coins outdid everyone who gave more because she emptied out her whole livelihood, so too those who throw themselves into the work with all their strength have done everything required of them—even if nothing further comes of it—and they have their reward in full.✦ I am very grateful to Bishop Hilarius, as he wrote to me asking if he could return to his own see to set things right there and then come back.42 Since his presence does a great deal of good—for he is devout, a man who can't be shaken, and full of zeal—I urged him to return quickly once he has gone. Make sure the letter is delivered to him quickly and safely, and not set aside; he asked for our letter with great eagerness and urgency, and his presence is of great benefit. So take very careful charge of the letters; if the presbyter Helladius isn't there, have them delivered to our friends through some intelligent person who has a brain.

Read the original Greek

Τί θρηνεῖς; Τί κόπτεις σαυτὴν καὶ δίκας ἀπαιτεῖς ἃς οὐδὲ οἱ ἐχθροί σου ἀπαιτῆσαί σε ἴσχυσαν, οὕτως τῇ τυραννίδι τῆς ἀθυμίας ἐκδοῦσά σου τὴν ψυχήν; Τὰ γὰρ γράμματα ἃ διὰ Πατρικίου ἡμῖν διεπέμψω, ταῦτα ἐδήλωσέ σου τὰ τραύματα τῆς διανοίας. ∆ιὸ καὶ σφόδρα ἀλγῶ καὶ ὀδυνῶμαι ὅτι ὀφείλουσα πάντα κινεῖν καὶ πραγματεύεσθαι ὥστε ἀπελαύνειν σου τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ἀθυμίαν, περιέρχῃ συνάγουσα λογισμοὺς ὀδυνηροὺς καὶ τὰ μὴ ὄντα –τοῦτο γὰρ ἔφης –ἀναπλάττουσα καὶ καταξαίνουσα σαυτὴν εἰκῇ καὶ μάτην καὶ ἐπὶ βλάβῃ μεγίστῃ. Τί γάρ σε λυπεῖ ὅτι Κουκουσοῦ οὐκ ἴσχυσας ἡμᾶς μεταστῆσαι; Καίτοι γε τὸ σὸν μέρος μετέστησας πάντα κινήσασα καὶ πραγματευσαμένη. Εἰ δὲ εἰς τέλος τὸ ἔργον οὐκ ἦλθεν, οὐδὲ διὰ τοῦτο ἀλγεῖν δεῖ. Ἴσως γὰρ ἔδοξε τῷ Θεῷ μακροτέρους μοι τεθῆναι τῶν δρόμων τοὺς διαύλους ὥστε καὶ λαμπροτέρους γενέσθαι τοὺς στεφάνους. Τί τοίνυν ἀλγεῖς ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀφ' ὧν ἡμεῖς ἀνακηρυττόμεθα, δέον σε σκιρτᾶν διὰ ταῦτα καὶ χορεύειν καὶ στεφανοῦσθαι, ὅτι τοσούτου κατηξιώθημεν πράγματος σφόδρα ὑπερβαίνοντος ἡμῶν τὴν ἀξίαν; Ἀλλ' ἡ ἐρημία σε λυπεῖ τῶν ἐνταῦθα; Καὶ τί τῆς διατριβῆς τῆς ἐνταῦθα ἥδιον; Ἡσυχία, γαλήνη, ἀπραγμοσύνη πολλή, σώματος εὐρωστία. Εἰ γὰρ μήτε ἀγορὰν μήτε ὤνιον ἔχει ἡ πόλις, οὐδὲν τοῦτο πρὸς ἐμέ. Πάντα γάρ μοι καθάπερ ἐκ πηγῶν ἐπιρρεῖ.

Καὶ γὰρ τὸν κύριόν μου τὸν ἐπίσκοπον τὸν ἐνταῦθα καὶ τὸν κύριόν μου ∆ιόσκορον ἔχω ἔργον τοῦτο ποιουμένους διόλου, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀνάπαυσιν. Ἐρεῖ δέ σοι καὶ ὁ καλὸς Πατρίκιος ὅπως διάγομεν ἐν εὐθυμίᾳ, ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ, ἐν θεραπείᾳ πολλῇ, τό γε εἰς τὴν διατριβὴν τὴν ἐνταῦθα ἧκον. Εἰ δὲ τὰ ἐν Καισαρείᾳ θρηνεῖς, καὶ τοῦτο ἀναξίως σου ποιεῖς. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ λαμπροὶ πάλιν ἐπλάκησαν ἡμῖν στέφανοι ὡς πάντας ἡμᾶς ἀνακηρύττειν, ἀναγορεύειν, θαυμάζειν, ἐκπλήττεσθαι ἐφ' οἷς κακῶς παθόντες ἐξεβλήθημεν. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μηδεὶς τέως εἰδέτω, εἰ καὶ πολλοὶ αὐτὰ διαθρυλοῦσιν. Ἐδήλωσε γάρ μοι ὁ κύριός μου Παιάνιος ὅτι οἱ πρεσβύτεροι αὐτοῦ τοῦ Φαρετρίου πάρεισιν αὐτόθι οἳ ἔφησαν ἡμῖν κοινωνεῖν καὶ μηδὲν κοινὸν ἔχειν πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους, μηδὲ συγγίνεσθαι αὐτοῖς, μηδὲ κοινωνῆσαι. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ διαταράξωμεν αὐτούς, μηδεὶς ταῦτα εἰδέτω· καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα χαλεπὰ τὰ συμβάντα εἰς ἡμᾶς. Καὶ εἰ μηδὲν ἄλλο ἐπεπόνθειν δεινόν, ἤρκει τὰ ἐκεῖσε γενόμενα μυρία μοι προξενῆσαι βραβεῖα· οὕτως περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων ἡμῖν ὁ κίνδυνος γέγονε.

Παρακαλῶ δέ, ἀπόρρητα ἔστω παρά σοι καὶ ἐν βραχεῖ σοι αὐτὰ διηγήσομαι, οὐχ ἵνα λυπήσω, ἀλλ' ἵνα εὐφρανῶ. Αὗται γάρ μου τῆς ἐμπορίας αἱ ὑποθέσεις, οὗτός μου ὁ πλοῦτος, αὕτη τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων μου ἡ δαπάνη, τὸ συνεχῶς διὰ τοιούτων ὁδεύειν πειρασμῶν, καὶ ἐπάγεσθαί μοι τούτους παρ' ὧν οὐδαμῶς προσεδόκησα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐμέλλομεν ἐπιβαίνειν τῆς Καππαδοκῶν χώρας, ἀπαλλαγέντες τοῦ Γαλάτου, κἀκείνου δὲ σχεδὸν θάνατον ἡμῖν ἀπειλήσαντος, πολλοὶ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἡμῖν ἀπήντων λέγοντες ὅτι «Ὁ κύριος Φαρέτριος ἀναμένει σε καὶ πανταχοῦ μετέρχεται, μὴ ἀποτύχῃ τῆς συντυχίας σου, καὶ πάντα ποιεῖ καὶ πραγματεύεται ὥστε σε ἰδεῖν καὶ περιπτύξασθαι καὶ πᾶσαν ἐπιδείξασθαι ἀγάπην· καὶ τὰ μοναστήρια ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν ἐκίνησεν». Ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα ἀκούων τούτων μὲν οὐδὲν προσεδόκων, ἀλλὰ τἀναντία ἀνετύπουν παρ' ἐμαυτῷ· τῶν μέντοι ταῦτα ἀπαγγελλόντων οὐδενὶ τούτων οὐδὲν ἔλεγον.

Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐπέβην ὀψέ ποτε τῆς Καισαρείας, κατειργασμένος, τεταριχευμένος, ἐν αὐτῇ τῆς φλογὸς τῇ ἀκμῇ τοῦ πυρετοῦ κείμενος, ἀλύων, τὰ ἔσχατα πάσχων, ἐπέτυχον καταγωγίου πρὸς αὐτῇ τῆς πόλεως τῇ ἐσχατιᾷ κειμένου καὶ σπουδὴν ἐποιούμην ὥστε καὶ ἰατροῖς συντυχεῖν καὶ τὴν κάμινον ἐκείνην σβέσαι· ἦν γὰρ αὐτὴ ἡ ἀκμὴ τοῦ τριταίου. Καὶ προσῆν καὶ ἡ τῆς ὁδοῦ ταλαιπωρία, ὁ κάματος, ἡ συντριβή, ἡ τῶν θεραπευσόντων ἐρημία, ἡ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἀπορία, τὸ μηδένα παρεῖναι ἡμῖν ἰατρόν, τὸ καμάτῳ καὶ θάλπει καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις καταταθῆναι, καὶ σχεδὸν αὐτονεκρὸς ὢν εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν πόλιν. Τότε δὴ παρεγένοντο ὁ κλῆρος ἅπας, ὁ δῆμος, μονάζοντες, μονάστριαι, ἰατροί, πολλῆς ἀπήλαυον θεραπείας, πάντων πάντα ἡμῖν διακονουμένων, ὑπηρετουμένων. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως πολλῷ τῷ κάρῳ τῆς φλογὸς κατεχόμενος, ἐν ἐσχάτοις ἤμην δεινοῖς. Τέλος κατὰ μικρὸν ἔληγε καὶ ἐλώφα τὸ νόσημα. Ὁ δὲ Φαρέτριος οὐδαμοῦ· ἀλλ' ἀνέμενεν ἡμῶν τὴν ἔξοδον, οὐκ οἶδα τί δόξαν αὐτῷ. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν εἶδον ἠρέμα λωφῆσαν τὸ κακόν, ἐβουλευόμην λοιπὸν περὶ ἀποδημίας, ὥστε ἐπιλαβέσθαι τῆς Κουκουσοῦ καὶ μικρὸν ἀναπαύσασθαι τῶν τῆς ὁδοῦ συμφορῶν. Καὶ ἐν τούτοις ἡμῶν ὄντων, ἀπαγγέλλονται ἀθρόον Ἴσαυροι πλῆθος ἄπειρον κατατρέχοντες τὴν Καισαρέων χώραν καί τινα κώμην μεγάλην ἐμπρήσαντες καὶ τὰ ἔσχατα διαθέντες.

Τοῦτο ἀκούσας ὁ τριβοῦνος, λαβὼν τοὺς στρατιώτας οὓς εἶχεν ἐξῆλθεν. Ἐδεδοίκεισαν γὰρ μὴ καὶ τῇ πόλει προσβάλωσι καὶ πάντες ἦσαν ἐν φόβῳ, πάντες ἐν ἀγωνίᾳ, περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἐδάφους τῆς πατρίδος κινδυνεύοντες, ὡς καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς πρεσβύτας τὴν φυλακὴν τῶν τειχῶν μεταχειρίζεσθαι. Ἐν τούτοις τῶν πραγμάτων ὄντων, ἀθρόον ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω δροῦγγος μοναζόντων –οὕτω γὰρ δεῖ εἰπεῖν καὶ τῇ λέξει τὴν μανίαν αὐτῶν ἐνδείξασθαι – ἐπέστησαν τῇ οἰκίᾳ ἔνθα ἦμεν, ἀπειλοῦντες αὐτὴν καίειν, ἐμπιμπρᾶν, τὰ ἔσχατα ἡμᾶς διατιθέναι, εἰ μὴ ἐξέλθοιμι. Καὶ οὔτε ὁ τῶν Ἰσαύρων φόβος, οὔτε ἡ ἀρρωστία οὕτω σφοδρῶς ἐπικειμένη, οὔτε ἄλλο οὐδὲν ἐποίησεν ἐπιεικεστέρους αὐτούς, ἀλλ' ἐπέκειντο τοσούτου θυμοῦ πνέοντες ὡς καὶ αὐτοὺς φοβηθῆναι τοὺς ἐπαρχικούς. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτοῖς ἠπείλουν πληγὰς καὶ ἐκαλλωπίζοντο ὡς καὶ ἤδη πολλοὺς αἰσχρῶς τυπτήσαντες ἐπαρχικούς. Ταῦτα οἱ ἐπαρχικοὶ ἀκούσαντες κατέφυγον εἰς ἡμᾶς, παρεκάλουν τε καὶ ἐδέοντο ὅτι «Κἂν εἰς Ἰσαύρους μέλλωμεν ἐμπίπτειν, ἀπάλλαξον ἡμᾶς τῶν θηρίων τούτων». Ἀκούσας ὁ ἡγεμὼν κατέδραμεν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν βουλόμενος ἡμῖν βοηθῆσαι. Οὐδὲ ἐκείνου παρακαλοῦντος ἠνέσχοντο οἱ μονάζοντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἠσθένησεν.

Ὁρῶν τοίνυν τὰ πράγματα ἐν ἀπορίᾳ πολλῇ καὶ οὔτε τολμῶν ἡμῖν συμβουλεῦσαι εἰς φόνον φανερὸν ἐξελθεῖν, οὔτε πάλιν ἔνδον μένειν διὰ τὴν τοσαύτην ἐκείνων μανίαν, ἔπεμψε πρὸς τὸν Φαρέτριον παρακαλῶν ὀλίγων ἐνδοῦναι ἡμερῶν, διά τε τὴν ἀρρωστίαν, διά τε τὸν ἐπικείμενον κίνδυνον. Καὶ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐγένετό τι πλέον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ ἑξῆς σφοδρότεροι παρεγένοντο καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων οὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα παραστῆναι καὶ βοηθῆσαι, ἀλλ' αἰσχυνόμενοι καὶ ἐρυθριῶντες –κατὰ γὰρ γνώμην Φαρετρίου ἔλεγον ταῦτα γίνεσθαι –ἐκρύπτοντο, ἐλάνθανον, καλούμενοι παρ' ἡμῶν οὐχ ὑπήκουον. Τί δεῖ πολλὰ λέγειν; Καὶ φόβων τοσούτων ἐπικειμένων, καὶ θανάτου σχεδὸν δήλου καὶ τοῦ πυρετοῦ με κατεργαζομένου –οὐδὲ γὰρ ἤμην ἀπαλλαγεὶς οὐδέπω τῶν κακῶν τῶν ἐντεῦθεν – μεσημβρίας μέσης ῥίψας ἐμαυτὸν εἰς τὸ λεκτίκιον, ἐξηγόμην ἐκεῖθεν, τοῦ δήμου παντὸς κωκύοντος, ὀλολύζοντος, ἐπαρωμένου τῷ ταῦτα πεποιηκότι, ὀλοφυρομένων πάντων καὶ θρηνούντων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἐξῆλθον, καὶ τῶν κληρικῶν τινες ἐξελθόντες ἠρέμα ἡμᾶς προέπεμψαν ὀδυρόμενοι. Καί τινων λεγόντων ἀκούσαντες· «Ποῦ αὐτὸν ἀπάγετε εἰς φανερὸν θάνατον;» ἕτερος ἔλεγε πρὸς ἡμᾶς τῶν σφόδρα ἡμᾶς φιλούντων· «Ἄπελθε, δέομαί σου· εἰς Ἰσαύρους ἔμπεσον, μόνον ἡμῶν ἀπαλλάγηθι. Ὅπου γὰρ ἂν ἐμπέσῃς, εἰς ἀσφάλειαν ἐμπίπτεις, ἂν τὰς ἡμετέρας διαφύγοις χεῖρας.» Ταῦτα ἀκούσασα καὶ ὁρῶσα ἡ καλὴ Σελευκία, ἡ τοῦ κυρίου μου Ῥουφίνου ἐλευθέρα –καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα ἡμᾶς ἐθεράπευσε –, παρεκάλεσε καὶ ἐδεήθη ὥστε εἰς τὸ προάστειον αὐτῆς καταλῦσαι πρὸ πέντε μιλίων τῆς πόλεως ὂν καὶ συνέπεμψεν ἡμῖν ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἀπήλθομεν ἐκεῖσε.

Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐκεῖ ἔμελλεν ἡμῶν ἀποστήσεσθαι ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ αὕτη. Ὡς γὰρ ἔγνω ὁ Φαρέτριος, ἐδήλωσεν αὐτῇ, καθὼς ἔλεγε, πολλὰς ἀπειλάς. Ἐπεὶ δέ με εἰς τὸ προάστειον αὐτῆς ὑπεδέξατο, κἀγὼ τούτων οὐκ ᾔδειν οὐδέν· ἀλλ' ἐξελθοῦσα πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ταῦτα μὲν ἡμᾶς ἀπέκρυβεν, ἐδήλου δὲ τῷ ἐπιτρόπῳ αὐτῆς ἐκεῖσε ὄντι πᾶσάν τε ἡμῖν ἀνάπαυσιν παρασχεῖν, καὶ εἴ τινες ἐπέλθοιεν μονάζοντες βουλόμενοι ἡμᾶς ἐνυβρίσαι ἢ συντρῖψαι, συναγαγεῖν γεωργοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων αὐτῆς χωρίων καὶ οὕτω παρατάξασθαι πρὸς αὐτούς. Παρεκάλει δὲ καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτῆς κάστελλον ἔχουσαν καὶ ἀχείρωτον οὖσαν καταφυγεῖν ὥστε τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ τῶν μοναζόντων ἐκφυγεῖν τὰς χεῖρας. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἠνεσχόμην, ἀλλ' ἤμην ἐν τῷ προαστείῳ οὐδὲν εἰδὼς τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα κατασκευαζομένων. Οὐδὲ τοῦτο αὐτοῖς ἤρκεσεν εἰς τὸ ἀποστῆναι τῆς καθ' ἡμῶν μανίας. Εἶτα νυκτῶν μέσων, οὐδὲν τούτων εἰδώς – πολὺς γὰρ ἐπέκειτο ὁ Φαρέτριος ἀπειλῇ ἀπειλῶν ἐκείνῃ, καθώς φησι, καταναγκάζων, ὠθῶν, ὥστε ἡμᾶς ἐκβαλεῖν καὶ τῶν προαστείων –, οὐ φέρουσα ἡ γυνὴ τὴν ἐπάχθειαν αὐτοῦ, οὐκ εἰδότος ἐμοῦ, ἐδήλωσεν αὐτόθι ὅτι οἱ βάρβαροι ἐπέστησαν αἰσχυνομένη τὴν ἀνάγκην εἰπεῖν ἣν ὑπέμεινεν. Καὶ μέσων νυκτῶν εἰσελθὼν πρὸς μὲ Εὐήθιος ὁ πρεσβύτερος καθεύδοντά με διεγείρας, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς βοῆς ταῦτα ἔλεγεν· «Ἀνάστηθι, παρακαλῶ, βάρβαροι ἐπέστησαν, ἐνταῦθα πλησίον».

Ἐννόησον τίς ἤμην ταῦτα ἀκούων. Εἶτα ὡς πρὸς αὐτὸν εἶπον καὶ τί δέοι πρᾶξαι· «Εἰς τὴν πόλιν οὐ δυνάμεθα καταφυγεῖν μὴ χαλεπώτερα πάθωμεν ὧν Ἴσαυροι μέλλουσιν ἡμῖν ποιεῖν», ἠνάγκαζεν ἐξιέναι. Νὺξ ἦν ἀσέληνος, ἡ νὺξ μέση, ζοφώδης, σκοτεινή· καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ πάλιν ἀπορίας ἀνάμεστον ἦν ἡμῖν· καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ παρών, οὐδεὶς ὁ βοηθῶν, πάντες γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐγκατέλιπον. Ὅμως ὑπὸ τοῦ φόβου συνωθισθεὶς καὶ προσδοκῶν εὐθέως ἀποθανεῖσθαι, διανέστην τεταλαιπωρημένος κελεύσας λαμπάδας ἀναφθῆναι. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτας ὁ πρεσβύτερος ἐκέλευσε σβέννυσθαι, μήποτε, φησίν, οἱ βάρβαροι τῷ φωτὶ καλούμενοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπιτεθῶσιν ἡμῖν· ἐσβέσθησαν καὶ αἱ λαμπάδες. Εἶτα ὁ βόρδων ὁ φέρων ἡμῶν τὸ λεκτίκιον –τραχεῖα γὰρ ἦν σφόδρα ἡ ὁδὸς καὶ ἀνάντης καὶ λιθώδης –κατενεχθεὶς ἐπὶ γόνυ κατήνεγκέ με ἔνδον ὄντα καὶ μικροῦ ἔμελλον ἀπόλλυσθαι· εἶτα ἐκπηδήσας, συρόμενος περιεπάτουν ὑπὸ Εὐηθίου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου –κατεπήδησε γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ ὑποζυγίου –καὶ οὕτως χειραγωγούμενος ἐβάδιζον, μᾶλλον δὲ ἑλκόμενος· οὔτε γὰρ βαδίζειν ἦν εἰς τοσαύτην δυσχωρίαν καὶ ὄρη χαλεπὰ ἐν νυκτὶ μέσῃ. Ἐννόησον τί με πάσχειν εἰκὸς ἦν τοσούτοις συνεχόμενον κακοῖς καὶ τοῦ πυρετοῦ ἐπικειμένου καὶ μηδὲν εἰδότα τῶν κατεσκευασμένων, ἀλλὰ δεδοικότα βαρβάρους καὶ τρέμοντα καὶ προσδοκῶντα εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ἐμπεσεῖσθαι. Οὐ δοκεῖ σοι μόνα ταῦτα τὰ παθήματα, εἰ καὶ μηδέν μοι ἕτερον συμβεβήκοι, πολλὰ ἡμῶν δύνασθαι διαλύειν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ πολλήν μοι παρέχειν εὐδοκιμήσεως ἀφορμήν; Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, πάντες εὐθέως εἰσελθόντα με ἐν Καισαρείᾳ, οἱ ἐν ἀξιώμασιν, οἱ ἀπὸ βικαρίων, οἱ ἀπὸ ἡγεμονίων σοφισταί, οἱ ἀπὸ τριβούνων, ὁ δῆμος ἅπας καθ' ἑκάστην ἑώρων τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐθεράπευον, ἐπὶ τῆς κόρης τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐβάσταζον· ταῦτα οἶμαι ὑποκνίσαι τὸν Φαρέτριον καὶ τὸν φθόνον τὸν ἐλάσαντα ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἡμῶν ἀποστῆναι, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀποφαίνομαι ἀλλ' ὑποπτεύω.

Τί ἄν τις εἴποι τὰ ἄλλα τὰ κατὰ τὴν ὁδόν, τοὺς φόβους, τοὺς κινδύνους; Ἅπερ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀναμιμνησκόμενος αὐτὸς καὶ ἐν διανοίᾳ περιφέρων, πέτομαι ὑπὸ τῆς ἡδονῆς, σκιρτῶ ὡς θησαυρὸν μέγαν ἔχων ἀποκείμενον· καὶ γὰρ οὕτως ἔχω καὶ διάκειμαι. ∆ιὸ καὶ τὴν σὴν παρακαλῶ τιμιότητα χαίρειν ἐπὶ τούτοις, εὐφραίνεσθαι, σκιρτᾶν, τὸν Θεὸν δοξάζειν τὸν καταξιώσαντα ἡμᾶς τοιαῦτα παθεῖν. Καὶ παρὰ σαυτῇ παρακαλῶ ταῦτα ἔχειν καὶ πρὸς μηδένα ἐξειπεῖν, εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα οἱ ἐπαρχικοὶ πᾶσαν ἐμπλῆσαι τὴν πόλιν ἔχουσι, καὶ αὐτοὶ περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων κινδυνεύσαντες. Πλὴν παρὰ τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας μηδεὶς εἰδέτω τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατάστελλε τοὺς λέγοντας.

Εἰ δὲ διὰ τὰ λείψανα τῆς κακώσεως ἀλγεῖς, μάθε σαφῶς ὅτι καθαρῶς ἁπάντων ἀπηλλάγην καὶ ἐρρωμενέστερον ἔχω τὸ σῶμα ἢ αὐτόθι διατρίβων. Τὸν δὲ κρυμὸν τί δέδοικας; Καὶ γὰρ καὶ οἰκήματα ἐπιτήδεια ἡμῖν κατεσκεύασται, καὶ πάντα ὁ κύριός μου ∆ιόσκορος ποιεῖ καὶ πραγματεύεται ὥστε μηδὲ μικρὰν αἴσθησιν ἡμᾶς λαβεῖν ἀπὸ τοῦ κρυμοῦ. Εἰ δέ ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῶν προοιμίων στοχάζεσθαι, ἐμοὶ ὁ νῦν ἀὴρ ἀνατολικὸς εἶναι δοκεῖ καὶ οὐδὲν ἔλαττον Ἀντιοχείας, τοσοῦτον τὸ θάλπος, τοσαύτη ἡ εὐκρασία τοῦ ἀέρος. Σφόδρα δέ με ἐλύπησας εἰποῦσα ὅτι «Ἴσως καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς λυπῇ ὡς ἀμελήσαντας». Καίτοι γε πρὸ πολλῶν ἡμερῶν ἐπέστειλα πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα παρακαλῶν μὴ κινεῖν με ἐντεῦθεν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτο ἐννοῆσαι εἶχον πολλῆς σοι ἀπολογίας δεῖν καὶ πολλῶν ἱδρώτων καὶ καμάτου, ἵνα δυνηθῇς πρὸς τοῦτο ἀπολογήσασθαι τὸ ῥῆμα. Τάχα δὲ ἐκ μέρους καὶ ἀπολελόγησαι εἰποῦσα ὅτι «Ἁπλῶς λογίζομαι τοῦτο ὑπὲρ τοῦ αὔξειν τὴν θλῖψιν». Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν ἔγκλημα μέγιστον τὸ λέγειν ὅτι «Καὶ προσφιλοτιμοῦμαι τοῖς λογισμοῖς τὰς ὀδύνας».

∆έον γὰρ πάντα σε ποιεῖν καὶ πραγματεύεσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ καταλύειν τὴν θλῖψιν, τὸ θέλημα τοῦ διαβόλου ποιεῖς αὔξουσα τὴν ἀθυμίαν καὶ τὴν λύπην. Ἢ οὐκ οἶσθα πόσον καὶ ἡ ἀθυμία; Τῶν δὲ Ἰσαύρων ἕνεκεν μηδὲν δέδιθι λοιπόν· καὶ γὰρ ὑπέστρεψαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν· καὶ ὁ ἡγεμὼν πάντα ἐποίησεν ὑπὲρ τούτου· καὶ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ἐσμὲν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐνταῦθα ὄντες ἢ ὅτε ἐν Καισαρείᾳ ἦμεν. Οὐδένα γὰρ λοιπὸν δέδοικα ὡς τοὺς ἐπισκόπους πλὴν ὀλίγων. Ὅλως τοίνυν τῶν Ἰσαύρων ἕνεκεν μηδὲν δέδιθι· καὶ γὰρ ἀνεχώρησαν καὶ τοῦ χειμῶνος καταλαβόντος οἴκοι εἰσὶ συγκεκλεισμένοι, ἂν ἄρα λοιπὸν μετὰ τὴν Πεντηκοστὴν ἐξέλθωσιν. Πῶς δὲ λέγεις γραμμάτων οὐκ ἀπολαύειν; Ἤδη σοι τρεῖς ἔπεμψα ἐπιστολάς, τὴν μὲν διὰ τῶν ἐπαρχικῶν, τὴν δὲ δι' Ἀντωνίου, τὴν δὲ δι' Ἀνατολίου τοῦ οἰκέτου σου, πολυστίχους· τὰς δὲ δύο μάλιστα φάρμακον σωτήριον, πάντα ἀθυμοῦντα, πάντα σκανδαλιζόμενον ἱκανὰς ἀνακτήσασθαι καὶ πρὸς καθαρὰν εὐθυμίαν ἀγαγεῖν. Λαβοῦσα τοίνυν ταύτας ἐπέρχου συνεχῶς καὶ διὰ παντός, καὶ ὄψει αὐτῶν τὴν ἰσχὺν καὶ τῆς ἰατρείας πεῖραν λήψῃ πολλὴν καὶ ὠφέλειαν καὶ ἡμῖν δηλώσεις ὅτι γέγονέ σοί τι πλέον ἐκεῖθεν. Ἔχω καὶ τρίτην ἑτοίμην ἐοικυῖαν αὐταῖς ἣν οὐκ ἠβουλήθην πέμψαι νῦν σφόδρα ἀλγήσας διόπερ ἔφης ὅτι «Καὶ συνάγω μοι λογισμοὺς ὀδυνηροὺς καὶ τὰ οὐκ ὄντα ἀναπλάττουσα», ἀνάξιον σεαυτῆς φθεγξαμένη ῥῆμα ἐφ' ᾧ καὶ αὐτὸς αἰσχύνομαι καὶ ἐγκαλύπτομαι. Πλὴν ἀνάγνωθι ἐκείνας καὶ οὐκ ἔτι ταῦτα ἐρεῖς, κἂν μυριάκις φιλονεικῇς ἀθυμεῖν.

Ἐπειδὴ καὶ περὶ Ἡρακλείδου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἡμῖν ἐδήλωσας, ἔξεστιν αὐτῷ, εἰ βουληθείη, δοῦναι ἔκστασιν καὶ πάντων ἀπαλλαγῆναι· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄλλο λείπεται. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἰ καὶ μηδὲν μέγα ἤνυον, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐδήλωσα τῇ κυρίᾳ μου Πενταδίᾳ ὥστε πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ἐπιδείξασθαι, εἴ τινα ἐπινοήσειε τῷ κακῷ παραμυθίαν. Ἔφης δὲ τετολμηκέναι δηλῶσαί μοι τὰ λυπηρὰ διὰ τὸ παρ' ἐκείνου κελευσθῆναι. Ποία τόλμα τοῦτο; Οὔτε ἐπαυσάμην λέγων, οὔτε παύσομαι ὅτι ἓν λυπηρὸν ἁμαρτία μόνον; τὰ δὲ ἄλλα πάντα κόνις καὶ καπνός. Τί γὰρ βαρὺ δεσμωτήριον οἰκῆσαι καὶ ἅλυσιν περικεῖσθαι; Τί δὲ βαρὺ πάσχειν κακῶς, ὅταν τοσαύτης ἐμπορίας τὸ πάσχειν κακῶς ὑπόθεσις γένηται; Τί δὲ ἐξορία βαρύ; Τί δὲ δήμευσις; Ῥήματα ταῦτά ἐστι δεινῶν πραγμάτων ἔρημα, ῥήματα λύπης ψιλά. Ἄν τε γὰρ θάνατον εἴπῃς, τὸ τῆς φύσεως ὄφλημα λέγεις ὃ πάντως ὑπομεῖναι δεῖ καὶ μηδενὸς ἐπάγοντος· ἄν τε ἐξορίαν εἴπῃς, οὐδὲν ἕτερον λέγεις ἢ χώραν καὶ τὰς πολλὰς πόλεις ὁρᾶν· ἄν τε χρημάτων δήμευσιν εἴπῃς, ἐλευθερίαν λέγεις καὶ τὸ εὔλυτον εἶναι.

Μαρουθᾶν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον μὴ διαλείπῃς, τό γε εἰς σὲ ἧκον θεραπεύουσα, ὥστε ἀνιμήσασθαι τοῦ βαράθρου. Μάλιστα γὰρ αὐτοῦ δέομαι διὰ τὰ ἐν Περσίδι. Καὶ μάθε παρ' αὐτοῦ, ἂν δυνατόν σοι γένηται, τί τε κατώρθωται ἐκεῖσε δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν παραγέγονε, καὶ δήλωσον ἡμῖν εἰ τὰς δύο ἐπιστολὰς ἃς ἔπεμψα αὐτῷ ἀπέδωκας· κἂν μὲν βουληθείη ἡμῖν ἐπιστεῖλαι, πάλιν ἐπιστελοῦμεν αὐτῷ· ἂν δὲ μὴ βουληθείη, κἂν τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ σου δηλώσῃ εἴ τι γέγονεν αὐτόθι πλέον καὶ εἰ μέλλοι τι κατορθοῦν πάλιν κατιών. Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐσπούδαζον αὐτῷ συγγενέσθαι. Πλὴν πάντα τὰ παρὰ σοῦ γενέσθω· κἂν πάντες κατακέφαλα φέρωνται, τὰ σαυτῆς πλήρου. Ὁ γὰρ μισθός σου ἔσται ἀπηρτισμένος. Πάνυ οὖν αὐτὸν οἰκείωσαι καὶ ὡς ἐγχωρεῖ. Παρακαλῶ, τοῦτο ὃ μέλλω λέγειν μὴ παραδράμῃς, ἀλλὰ πολλὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ ἐπίδειξαι σπουδήν.

Ἐδήλωσάν μοι οἱ μονάζοντες οἱ Μαρσεῖς, οἱ Γότθοι, ἔνθα ἀεὶ ἐκρύπτετο Σαραπίων ὁ ἐπίσκοπος ὅτι Μοδουάριος ἦλθεν ὁ διάκονος ἀπαγγέλλων ὅτι Οὐνίλας ὁ ἐπίσκοπος ὁ θαυμάσιος ἐκεῖνος ὃν πρώην ἐχειροτόνησα καὶ ἔπεμψα εἰς Γοτθίαν πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα κατορθώσας ἐκοιμήθη· καὶ ἦλθε φέρων γράμματα τοῦ ῥηγὸς τῶν Γότθων ἀξιοῦντα πεμφθῆναι αὐτοῖς ἐπίσκοπον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐδὲν ἄλλο ὁρῶ πρὸς τὴν ἀπειλουμένην καταστροφὴν συντελοῦν εἰς διόρθωσιν, ἢ μέλλησιν καὶ ἀναβολὴν –οὐδὲ γὰρ δυνατὸν αὐτοῖς πλεῦσαι εἰς τὸν Βόσπορον νῦν, οὐδὲ εἰς τὰ μέρη ἐκεῖνα –, ὑπερθέσθαι τέως αὐτοὺς διὰ τὸν χειμῶνα παρασκεύασον· ἀλλὰ μὴ ἁπλῶς αὐτὸ παραδράμῃς· κατόρθωμα γάρ ἐστι μέγιστον. ∆ύο γάρ ἐστιν ἃ μάλιστά με λυπεῖ εἰ γένοιτο, ὃ μὴ γένοιτο, τό τε παρὰ τούτων μέλλειν γίνεσθαι, τῶν τοσαῦτα κακὰ ἐργαζομένων καὶ παρ' ὧν οὐ θέμις, τό τε ἁπλῶς τινα γενέσθαι. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ σπουδάζουσί τινα γενναῖον ποιῆσαι, οἶσθα καὶ αὐτή. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο γένοιτο, ὃ μὴ γένοιτο, τὰ ἑξῆς ἐπίστασαι. Ἵν' οὖν μηδὲν τούτων γένηται, πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ποίησαι ἀψοφητί· εἰ δυνατὸν καὶ λανθανόντως τὸν Μοδουάριον πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐκδραμεῖν, μέγιστα ἂν ἠνύετο. Εἰ δὲ μὴ δυνατὸν, ἐκ τῶν ἐγχωρούντων τὰ δυνατὰ γινέσθω. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν χρημάτων γίνεται καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς χήρας συνέβη, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων.

Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκείνη δύο ὀβολοὺς καταβαλοῦσα πάντας ὑπερηκόντισε τοὺς πλείονα καταβαλόντας τὴν οὐσίαν πᾶσαν κενώσασα, οὕτω καὶ οἱ εἰς τὰ πράγματα πάσῃ δυνάμει σπουδάζοντες τὸ πᾶν ἐπλήρωσαν τό γε εἰς αὐτοὺς ἧκον, κἂν μηδὲν γένηται πλέον, καὶ τὸν μισθὸν ἀπηρτισμένον ἔχουσιν. Ἱλαρίῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ πολλὰς ἔχω χάριτας· ἔγραψε γάρ μοι ἀξιῶν ἐπιτραπῆναι ἀπελθεῖν εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ διορθῶσαι τὰ αὐτόθι καὶ πάλιν παραγενέσθαι. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πολλὰ ὠφελεῖ ἡ παρουσία αὐτοῦ –καὶ γὰρ εὐλαβής ἐστι καὶ ἀνὴρ ἀπερίτρεπτος καὶ ζέων –, παρεκάλεσα αὐτὸν ἀπελθόντα ταχέως ἐπανελθεῖν. Ποίησον τοίνυν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταχέως καὶ ἀσφαλῶς αὐτῷ ἀποδοθῆναι καὶ μὴ παραρριφῆναι· καὶ γὰρ μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ σφοδρότητος ἀπῄτησε τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν γράμματα καὶ πολὺ ὠφελεῖ ἡ παρουσία αὐτοῦ. Πάνυ οὖν φρόντισον τὰς ἐπιστολάς· εἰ μὴ παρείη αὐτόθι Ἑλλάδιος ὁ πρεσβύτερος, διά τινος ἀνθρώπου συνετοῦ, ἐγκέφαλον ἔχοντος, ποίησον ἀποδοθῆναι τοῖς φίλοις.

Scripture echoes

  1. ↩2Tim.4.16 — At my first defense, no one came to stand with me, but all deserted me. May it not be counted against them." Corrects the pronoun error "deserted them.
  2. ↩Deut.32.10;Ps.17.8 — He found him in a desert land, and in the howling waste of the wilderness; he encircled him, he cared for him, he guarded him as the apple of his eye. Ps.17.8 — Keep me as the apple of your eye; hide me in the shadow of your wings.
  3. ↩Acts.5.41 — So they went away from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they had been counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the Name.
  4. ↩Matt.5.12;1Cor.3.8;Rev.22.12 — Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in the heavens; for in this way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 1Cor.3.8 — Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. Rev.22.12 — Look, I am coming soon, and my reward is with me, to repay each one according to their work.
  5. ↩Mark.12.41-Mark.12.44;Luke.21.1-Luke.21.4 — And Jesus sat down opposite the treasury and watched how the crowd was putting money into the treasury. And many rich people were putting in large amounts. Mark.12.42 — And a poor widow came and threw in two small copper coins, which make up a quadrans. Mark.12.43 — And he called his disciples to him and said to them, 'Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.' Mark.12.44 — For they all gave out of their surplus, but she, out of her lack, put in everything she had—her whole livelihood. Luke.21.1 — He looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the treasury. Luke.21.2 — He also saw a certain poor widow casting in two small copper coins there. Luke.21.3 — "Truly I tell you," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all of them." Luke.21.4 — For all these gave their gifts out of their surplus, but she out of her lack gave all the living she had.

Notes

  1. 1 ↩καταξαίνουσα is a carding/wool-combing image: tearing or shredding oneself down. Rendered as 'shredding yourself to pieces' to keep the force of the metaphor.
  2. 2 ↩Κουκουσοῦ is Cucusus (Cocusus), Chrysostom's place of exile in Armenia. Kept as the place-name rather than paraphrased.
  3. 3 ↩διαύλους τῶν δρόμων draws on the athletic diaulos (double-length race): longer courses of the race. Kept as racecourse imagery rather than flattened to 'trials'.
  4. 4 ↩κοινωνεῖν / κοινωνῆσαι here is ecclesiastical communion (fellowship alignment), not primarily the Sacrament; rendered as 'in communion' / 'sharing communion' to keep the ecclesial force.
  5. 5 ↩περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων: rendered as mortal extremity ('so extreme was the danger'); lit. 'danger concerning the last/extreme things,' i.e., danger of the utmost kind.
  6. 6 ↩Commercial metaphor: ὑποθέσεις τῆς ἐμπορίας (stock/capital of trade), πλοῦτος (wealth), and δαπάνη τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων (outlay/expenditure that pays for sins). Rendered to keep Chrysostom's merchant image and the sense that suffering settles a moral debt, not that sin is spent like money.
  7. 7 ↩τοῦ Γαλάτου is masculine singular and is continued by κἀκείνου... ἀπειλήσαντος, so it is rendered as a hostile Galatian person, not the region of Galatia.
  8. 8 ↩τεταριχευμένος literally means salt-cured or pickled (as fish); here it is a fever-wasting metaphor for being dried out and emaciated.
  9. 9 ↩κάρος is heavy torpor/stupor from fever; φλόξ continues the fire metaphor for fever heat.
  10. 10 ↩δροῦγγος (droungos) is a military term for a band/troop; Chrysostom deliberately applies it to monks to brand their frenzy as quasi-military violence.
  11. 11 ↩ἠσθένησεν can mean 'grew weak/ill' or 'proved powerless/failed.' Context (the governor cannot resolve the stand-off) favors 'proved powerless' rather than a sudden physical collapse.
  12. 12 ↩ἐλευθέρα: rendered 'freedwoman' (liberated household client of Rufinus); could also be taken more generally as 'freewoman' of his household.
  13. 13 ↩μονάζοντες rendered 'monks' (monastics); συναγαγεῖν γεωργούς as 'gather farmhands/farmers' from her other properties.
  14. 14 ↩κάστελλον (Lat. loan) rendered 'fort'; ἀχείρωτον as 'impregnable'.
  15. 15 ↩She invents a barbarian raid as cover for expelling Chrysostom under Pharetrius's coercion; αἰσχυνομένη marks her shame at naming the real compulsion.
  16. 16 ↩The quoted counsel is Chrysostom's (εἶπον); ἠνάγκαζεν is Euethius compelling departure from the suburb into the night, not into the city. 'Worse than the Isaurians' points back to Pharetrius and the hostile monks in Caesarea.
  17. 17 ↩βόρδων is a late-antique term for a mule/pack-mule; λεκτίκιον is a litter or sedan-chair. ὑποζύγιον is Euethius's own mount.
  18. 18 ↩τῶν κατεσκευασμένων continues the previous section's sense of a scheme arranged against him (the false barbarian alarm engineered under Pharetrius's pressure), not merely 'circumstances'.
  19. 19 ↩εὐδοκιμήσεως ἀφορμήν: occasion/grounds for approval or good standing (before God), not worldly prestige. οἱ ἀπὸ βικαρίων / τριβούνων are late-antique rank titles (former vicarii; former tribunes). οἱ ἀπὸ ἡγεμονίων σοφισταί may mean rhetoricians who had held provincial governorships, or 'former governors and sophists' in loose apposition; rendered as 'rhetoricians of governor rank'.
  20. 20 ↩τὴν σὴν ... τιμιότητα is an honorific address to Olympias ("your Honor" / "your Dignity"); kept as a formal but natural English honorific.
  21. 21 ↩οἱ ἐπαρχικοὶ rendered as 'provincial officials' (people of the eparchy/provincial administration). περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων κινδυνεύσαντες = they ran risks at the last extremity / of life and death.
  22. 22 ↩τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας is an honorific for Olympias ("your Piety" / "your Reverence"); parallel to τιμιότητα in s2.
  23. 23 ↩ὁ κύριός μου Διόσκορος: honorific 'my lord Dioscorus' (a named patron/host), not a divine title.
  24. 24 ↩ἀνατολικός: 'eastern' in the sense of the mild eastern/Antiochene climate; εὐκρασία = well-tempered mildness of air.
  25. 25 ↩τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα: formal address 'your honor' / 'your dignity' for Olympias; μὴ κινεῖν με = not to have me transferred/relocated.
  26. 26 ↩ἀπολογία / ἀπολογήσασθαι here is self-defense or clearing oneself of a charge, not liturgical apology; τὸ ῥῆμα points back to her quoted remark in s4.
  27. 27 ↩προσφιλοτιμοῦμαι + dative/acc.: competitive self-ambition applied to worsening pain by deliberate rumination; rendered as 'make it my aim to pile the pains higher' to keep the force without archaism.
  28. 28 ↩πόσον καὶ ἡ ἀθυμία is elliptical; rendered as 'how powerful despondency is too' in light of the preceding charge that she is increasing ἀθυμία.
  29. 29 ↩ἂν ἄρα λοιπὸν μετὰ τὴν Πεντηκοστὴν ἐξέλθωσιν is a conditional of remote possibility: any later sortie would only be after Pentecost.
  30. 30 ↩ἔκστασις here is taken as cession/resignation of office (stepping down from the episcopate), not ecstatic rapture; the following πάντων ἀπαλλαγῆναι supports that legal-ecclesiastical sense.
  31. 31 ↩ἐκείνου most naturally points back to Heracleides (s1), not a different third party.
  32. 32 ↩ἐμπορία is commercial 'trade/gain'; rendered as spiritual profit/gain from suffering, not literal commerce.
  33. 33 ↩βαράθρου ('pit/abyss') is almost certainly figurative for ruin or danger; rendered concretely as 'the pit' to keep the Greek image.
  34. 34 ↩τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ σου is Chrysostom's formal honorific address for Olympias ('your devoutness/piety'); kept as 'your devoutness' rather than flattened to bare 'you'.
  35. 35 ↩πάλιν κατιών: 'when he goes down again'—likely of a return journey (down from the capital toward Persia or the provinces); left concrete rather than paraphrased as 'on his next trip'.
  36. 36 ↩κατακέφαλα φέρωνται is a vivid idiom for people being carried headlong / overturned in chaos; rendered 'swept headlong' to keep the force without modern slang.
  37. 37 ↩οἰκείωσαι: make him intimate/your own ally—social and pastoral cultivation, not mere politeness. 'Win him over' carries that force in contemporary English.
  38. 38 ↩περὶ αὐτοῦ most naturally resumes τοῦτο ὃ μέλλω λέγειν ('this matter I'm about to raise'), bridging into the next section; less likely still about Maruthas alone.
  39. 39 ↩ἐκοιμήθη is rendered as the Christian euphemism 'has fallen asleep' for death; Unilas is the bishop recently ordained and sent to Gothia.
  40. 40 ↩ἁπλῶς τινα γενέσθαι is taken as casual/unworthy appointment of 'just anyone' as bishop (context: Gothic succession), not mere existence of a person.
  41. 41 ↩ἀψοφητί = 'noiselessly / without a sound'; rendered as discreet, quiet action rather than literal silence.
  42. 42 ↩εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ leaves the feminine noun implied (land/see/region); rendered as 'his own see' from episcopal context.

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