Letter 125: Chrysostom consoles the exiled bishop Cyriacus with examples of endurance and urges him to cast off despondency.

Come, let me once again drain the wound of despondency and scatter the thoughts that make this cloud. What is it that grieves and troubles you? Is it the fierce storm and the bitter shipwreck that has overtaken the church? I know it too, and no one denies it. But beg our Master Christ, who overcomes storms not by skill but by a command. Even if you have prayed often and have not been heard, do not grow careless. God often waits until everything seems hopeless, and then shows his power. He could have kept the three young men from the furnace, but when they had been captured, cast into a foreign land, stripped of their inheritance, and abandoned by everyone, then Christ worked the wonder. The fire could not bear the virtue of the righteous. The furnace became a church, and they summoned all creation to bless the Lord. Do not lose heart. When I was driven from the city I said to myself: if the empress wants to exile me, let her exile me; the earth is the Lord's. If she wants to saw me apart, Isaiah is my pattern. If she casts me into the sea, I remember Jonah. If she throws me into a furnace, I have the three young men. If she gives me to beasts, I remember Daniel. If she stones me, I have Stephen. If she takes my head, I have John the Baptist. If she takes my possessions, naked I came from my mother's womb and naked I shall depart. They have invented many charges against me. They say I gave communion to people after they had eaten. If I did this, may my name be erased from the book of bishops. But if they make this a charge, let them depose Paul too, who baptized a whole household after supper, and the Lord himself, who gave communion to the apostles after supper. They say I slept with a woman. Strip my body and you will find my members deadened. All this was done from envy. Perhaps you are distressed that those who exiled us speak freely in the marketplace and move with attendants around them. Remember the rich man and Lazarus. What did poverty harm Lazarus, who was carried as a victorious athlete into Abraham's bosom? What did wealth profit the man clothed in purple? Where were his attendants, his golden-bridled horses, his parasites, his royal table? Because he did not share crumbs with the poor man, he did not receive a drop of water. In the day of judgment the wicked will see the righteous rejoicing and will not be able to share the royal table. Each martyr will recognize his own tyrant, and each tyrant the martyr he tormented. Do not fear human mockery or be overcome by their contempt. Remember the Master, persecuted from infancy, driven into a foreign land, insulted, spat upon, crowned with thorns, struck, given vinegar and gall, abandoned by his disciples, crucified among criminals, and even slandered after burial. Remember also the apostles, hunted everywhere and forced into hiding. Later everything became level for them. So do not be despondent. I have heard about that nonsense of Arsacius, whom the empress set on the throne, and how he afflicted the brothers who refused communion with him. The wolf in sheep's clothing has the form of a bishop, but he has seized the throne of the church while I am still alive. I write this from Cucusus, where the empress ordered me to be exiled. Many troubles met us on the road, but I cared for none of them. What troubled me was seeing holy men, monks, and virgins pour out tears when they met us, saying it would have been better for the sun to withdraw its rays than for John's mouth to be silenced. The bishop of this city received us with great affection and would have yielded his own throne if we had allowed it. So I beg you, and take hold of your knees: throw away the grief of despondency. Remember us before God, and please write back to us.

ΡΚΕʹ. ΠΡΟΣ ΚΥΡΙΑΚΟΝ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΝ ΕΝ ΕΞΟΡΙΑ ΟΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΥΤΟΝ. Φέρε δὴ πάλιν ἀπαντλήσω τῆς ἀθυμίας τὸ ἕλκος, καὶ διασκεδάσω τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοὺς τὸ νέφος τοῦτο συνιστῶντας. Τί γάρ ἐστιν ὃ λυπῇ καὶ ἀδημονεῖς; ∆ιότι χαλεπὸς ὁ χειμὼν καὶ πικρὸν τὸ ναυάγιον τὸ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν καταλαβόν; Τοῦτο οἶδα κἀγὼ, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀντερεῖ· ἀλλ' εἰ βούλει, εἰκόνα σοι ἀναπλάττω τῶν γινομένων. Θάλατταν ὁρῶμεν ἀπ' αὐτῆς κάτωθεν ἀναμοχλευομένην τῆς ἀβύσσου, τοὺς ναύτας ἀντὶ τῶν οἰάκων καὶ τῶν κωπῶν τὰς χεῖρας τοῖς γόνασι περιπλέξαντα καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀμηχανίαν τοῦ χειμῶνος ἀπορηθέντας, οὐκ οὐρανὸν βλέποντας, οὐ πέλαγος, οὐ ξηρὰν, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῶν στρωμάτων κειμένους, καὶ ὀλοφυρομένους, καὶ κλαίοντας. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τῆς θαλάσσης οὕτω συμβαίνει· νῦν δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας θαλάσσης χείρων ὁ θόρυβος, καὶ χείρω τὰ κύματα. Ἀλλὰ παρακάλει τὸν ∆εσπότην ἡμῶν Χριστὸν, ὃς οὐ τέχνῃ περιγίνεται χειμῶνος, ἀλλὰ νεύματι λύει τὴν ζάλην. Ἀλλ' εἰ καὶ πολλάκις παρεκάλεσας, καὶ οὐκ εἰσηκούσθης, μὴ ὀλιγωρήσῃς· τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἔθος ἔχει ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεός. Μὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἠδύνατο ἐκείνους τοὺς τρεῖς παῖδας λυτρώσασθαι, ἵνα μὴ εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς ἐμπέσωσιν; Ἀλλ' ὅτε ᾐχμαλωτεύθησαν, ὅτε εἰς βάρβαρον χώραν ἀπεῤῥίφησαν, καὶ τῆς πατρῴας κληρονομίας ἐξέπεσον, καὶ παρὰ πάντων ἀπεγνώσθησαν, καὶ οὐδὲν λοιπὸν οὐκ ἀπελίπετο, τότε Χριστὸς ὁ ἀληθινὸς Θεὸς ἡμῶν τὴν θαυματοποιίαν εἰργάσατο, καὶ διεσκόρπισε τὸ πῦρ. Μὴ φέρον γὰρ τὴν ἀρετὴν τῶν δικαίων τὸ πῦρ, ἐξεπήδησεν ἔξω, καὶ ἐνεπύρισεν οὓς εὗρε περὶ τὴν κάμινον τῶν Χαλδαίων. Καὶ λοιπὸν ἐκκλησία αὐτοῖς ἦν ἡ κάμινος, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν προσεκαλοῦντο, τά τε ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, ἀγγέλους καὶ δυνάμεις, καὶ οὕτω πάντα συλλαβόμενοι ἔλεγον· Εὐλογεῖτε, πάντα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου, τὸν Κύριον. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἡ ὑπομονὴ τῶν δικαίων καὶ τὸ πῦρ εἰς δρόσον μετέβαλε, καὶ τὸν τύραννον ἐδυσώπησε, καὶ κατὰ πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐκπέμπει γράμματα; Μέγας ὁ Θεὸς, φησὶ, Σεδρὰχ, Μισὰχ, καὶ Ἀβδεναγώ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ πόσην ἀποτομίαν ἐνέθηκεν, εἴ τις λόγον εἴπῃ κατ' αὐτῶν, τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ταμιεύεσθαι, καὶ τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτοῦ διαρπάζεσθαι. Μὴ οὖν ἀθυμήσῃς, μηδὲ ὀλιγωρήσῃς. Καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ ὅτε ἐξηλαυνόμην ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως, οὐδὲν τούτων οὐκ ἐφρόντιζον, ἀλλ' ἔλεγον πρὸς ἐμαυτόν· Εἰ μὲν βούλεται ἡ βασίλισσα ἐξορίσαι, ἐξορίσῃ με· Τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ γῆ, καὶ τὸ πλήρωμα αὐτῆς. Καὶ εἰ βούλεται πρῖσαι, πρίσῃ με· τὸν Ἡσαΐαν ἔχω ὑπογραμμόν. Εἰ θέλει εἰς τὸ πέλαγος ἀκοντίσαι με, τὸν Ἰωνᾶν ὑπομιμνήσκομαι. Εἴ με θέλει εἰς κάμινον ἐμβαλεῖν, τοὺς τρεῖς παῖδας ἔχω τοῦτο πεπονθότας. Εἴ με θέλει τοῖς θηρίοις βαλεῖν, τὸν ∆ανιὴλ ἐν λάκκῳ τοῖς λέουσι βεβλημένον ὑπομιμνήσκομαι. Εἰ θέλει με λιθάσαι, λιθάσῃ με· τὸν Στέφανον ἔχω τὸν πρωτομάρτυρα. Εἰ θέλει τὴν κεφαλήν μου λαβεῖν, λάβῃ· ἔχω Ἰωάννην τὸν Βαπτιστήν. Εἰ θέλει τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου λαβεῖν, λάβῃ αὐτά· Γυμνὸς ἐξῆλθον ἐκ κοιλίας μητέρος μου, γυμνὸς καὶ ἀπελεύσομαι. Ἐμοὶ παραινεῖ ὁ Ἀπόστολος· Πρόσωπον ἀνθρώπου ὁ Θεὸς οὐ λαμβάνει· καὶ, Εἰ ἔτι, φησὶν, ἀνθρώποις ἤρεσκον, Χριστοῦ δοῦλος οὐκ ἂν ἤμην. Καὶ ὁ ∆αυῒδ καθοπλίζει με λέγων, Ἐλάλουν ἐν τοῖς μαρτυρίοις σου ἐναντίον βασιλέων, καὶ οὐκ ᾐσχυνόμην. Πολλὰ κατ' ἐμοῦ ἐσκευάσαντο, καὶ λέγουσιν, ὅτι τινὰς ἐκοινώνησα μετὰ τὸ φαγεῖν αὐτούς. Καὶ εἰ μὲν τοῦτο ἐποίησα, ἐξαλειφθείη τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐκ τῆς βίβλου τῶν ἐπισκόπων, καὶ μὴ γραφείη ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ τῆς ὀρθοδόξου πίστεως, ὅτι ἰδοὺ ἐὰν τοιοῦτον ἐγὼ ἔπραξα, καὶ ἀποβαλεῖ με Χριστὸς ἐκ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ἅπαξ καὶ τοῦτό μοι λέγουσι, καὶ φιλονεικοῦσι, καθελέτωσαν καὶ τὸν Παῦλον, ὃς μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι ὁλόκληρον τὸν οἶκον ἐβάπτισε· καθελέτωσαν καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν Κύριον, ὃς μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι τοῖς ἀποστόλοις τὴν κοινωνίαν ἔδωκε. Λέγουσιν, ὅτι μετὰ γυναικὸς ἐκοιμήθην. Ἀποδύσατέ μου τὸ σῶμα, καὶ εὑρήσετε τὴν νέκρωσιν τῶν μελῶν μου. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα διὰ τὸν φθόνον ἐποίησαν. Ἀλλὰ πάντως λυπῇ, ἀδελφὲ Κυριακὲ, ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι οἱ ἡμᾶς ἐξορίσαντες ἐπὶ τῆς ἀγορᾶς παῤῥησιάζονται, καὶ πλῆθος ἀκολουθεῖ δορυφόρων αὐτοῖς; Ἀλλὰ πάλιν ὑπομνήσθητι τὸν πλούσιον καὶ τὸν Λάζαρον, ποῖος μὲν ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι ἐθλίβη, ποῖος δὲ ἀπήλαυσε. Τί ἔβλαψεν αὐτὸν ἡ πενία; Οὐχὶ ὁ ἀθλητὴς καὶ νικητὴς εἰς τοὺς κόλπους Ἀβραὰμ ἀπηνέχθη; Τί δὲ ὠφέλησεν ἐκεῖνον ὁ πλοῦτος τὸν ἐν πορφύρᾳ καὶ βύσσῳ ἀναπαυόμενον; Ποῦ οἱ ῥαβδοῦχοι; ποῦ οἱ δορυφόροι; ποῦ οἱ χρυσοχάλινοι ἵπποι; ποῦ οἱ παράσιτοι, καὶ ἡ βασιλικὴ τράπεζα; Οὐχὶ ὡς λῃστὴς δεδεμένος ἀπήγετο ἐν τῷ μνήματι, γυμνὴν τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἐκφέρων, καὶ κράζει κενῇ τῇ φωνῇ, Πάτερ Ἀβραὰμ, πέμψον Λάζαρον, ἵνα βρέξῃ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ δακτύλου αὐτοῦ, καὶ καταψύξῃ τὴν γλῶττάν μου, διότι δεινῶς ἀποτηγανίζομαι; Τί πατέρα καλεῖς τὸν Ἀβραὰμ, οὗ τὸν βίον οὐκ ἐμιμήσω; Ἐκεῖνος πάντα ἄνθρωπον εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ ἐξένιζεν, σὺ δὲ ἑνὸς πτωχοῦ φροντίδα οὐκ ἐποιήσω. Οὐκ ἔστι πενθῆσαι καὶ κλαῦσαι, ὅτι ὁ τοσοῦτον πλοῦτον ἔχων, σταγόνος ὕδατος ἄξιος οὐκ ἐγένετο. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ψιχίων οὐ μετέδωκε τῷ πτωχῷ, σταγόνα ὕδατος οὐ λαμβάνει. Τῷ χειμῶνι οὐκ ἔσπειρεν ἔλεος· ἦλθε τὸ θέρος, καὶ οὐκ ἐθέρισε. Καὶ τοῦτο τοῦ ∆εσπότου οἰκονομία, ὅτι ἐξ ἐναντίας ἐποίησε τὴν κόλασιν τοῖς ἀσεβέσι, καὶ τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν τοῖς δικαίοις, ἵνα βλέπωσιν ἀλλήλους, καὶ ἀλλήλους γνωρίζωσι. Καὶ γὰρ ἕκαστος τότε μάρτυς τὸν ἴδιον τύραννον ἐπιγνώσεται, καὶ ἕκαστος τύραννος τὸν ἴδιον μάρτυρα, ὃν ἐκόλασε. Καὶ οὐκ ἐμὰ τὰ ῥήματα· ἄκουσον τῆς Σοφίας λεγούσης· Τότε ἐν πολλῇ παῤῥησίᾳ στήσεται ὁ δίκαιος κατὰ πρόσωπον τῶν θλιψάντων αὐτόν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁδοιπόρος ἐν καύματι περιπατῶν, ἡνίκα εὕρῃ καθαρὰν πηγὴν τῇ δίψῃ φλεγόμενος, καὶ πολλῷ τῷ λιμῷ συνεχόμενος παρακαθέζηται τραπέζῃ ἐχούσῃ παντοῖα τὰ ἐδέσματα, παρά τινος δὲ δυνατωτέρου κωλύηται μὴ ἅψασθαι τῆς τραπέζης, μηδὲ ἀπολαῦσαι τῶν ἐδεσμάτων, σφοδρὰν ἔχει τὴν ὀδύνην καὶ τὴν κόλασιν, ὅτι τῇ τραπέζῃ παρακαθέζεται, καὶ τῶν βρωμάτων ἀπολαῦσαι οὐ δύναται, καὶ ὁ τῇ πηγῇ παρακαθεζόμενος, τοῦ ὕδατος ἀπολαῦσαι οὐ δύναται· οὕτως ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως, βλέπουσι τοὺς ἁγίους εὐφραινομένους οἱ ἀσεβεῖς, καὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς τραπέζης ἀπολαῦσαι οὐ δύνανται. Καὶ γὰρ τὸν Ἀδὰμ ὁ Θεὸς κολάσαι βουλόμενος, ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν ἐξ ἐναντίας τοῦ παραδείσου ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν γῆν, ἵνα καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν καὶ ὥραν βλέπων ἐκεῖνο τὸ ποθητὸν χωρίον, ὅθεν ἐξῆλθεν, ἔχῃ πάντοτε τὴν ὀδύνην ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὧδε ἀλλήλοις μὴ συντύχωμεν, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖ οὐδεὶς ὁ κωλύων ἡμᾶς τότε μετ' ἀλλήλων διάγειν· καὶ ὀψόμεθα τοὺς ἐξορίσαντας ἡμᾶς, ὥσπερ ὁ Λάζαρος τὸν πλούσιον, καὶ οἱ μάρτυρες τοὺς τυράννους. Μὴ οὖν ἀθύμει, ἀλλὰ μνημόνευε τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· Μυκτηρισμὸν ἀνθρώπων μὴ φοβεῖσθε, καὶ τῷ φαυλισμῷ αὐτῶν μὴ ἡττᾶσθε· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἔριον ὑπὸ σητὸς, οὕτω βρωθήσονται, καὶ ὡς ἱμάτιον παλαιωθήσονται. Κατανόησον δὲ τὸν ∆εσπότην, πῶς εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῶν σπαργάνων ἐδιώκετο, καὶ εἰς βάρβαρον γῆν ἀπεῤῥίπτετο, ὁ τὸν κόσμον κατέχων, τύπος ἡμῖν γενόμενος τοῦ μὴ ἐκκακεῖν ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς. Ἀνάμνησαι τὸ πάθος τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ὅσας ὕβρεις δι' ἡμᾶς ὑπέμεινεν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν Σαμαρείτην ἐκάλουν, οἱ δὲ δαιμονιῶντα καὶ γαστρίμαργον καὶ ψευδοπροφήτην. Λέγουσι γάρ· Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος φάγος καὶ οἰνοπότης, καὶ, ὅτι Ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια. Τί δὲ ὅτε ἦγον αὐτὸν κρημνίσαι, καὶ ὅτε εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐνέπτυον; τί δὲ ὅτε τὴν χλαμύδα αὐτῷ περιετίθουν, καὶ ὅτε ἀκάνθαις αὐτὸν ἐστεφάνουν, καὶ προσέπιπτον αὐτῷ ἐμπαίζοντες, καὶ πᾶν εἶδος χλεύης αὐτῷ ἐπάγοντες, τί δὲ ὅτε ῥαπίσματα αὐτῷ ἐδίδουν; ὅτε ὄξος καὶ τὴν χολὴν αὐτὸν ἐπότιζον; ὅτε τῷ καλάμῳ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ ἔτυπτον, καὶ ὅτε περιῆγον αὐτὸν οἱ αἱμοβόροι ἐκεῖνοι κύνες; τί δὲ ὅτε ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος ἤγετο γυμνὸς, καὶ πάντες αὐτὸν κατέλιπον οἱ μαθηταὶ, καὶ ὁ εἷς μὲν αὐτὸν προέδωκεν, εἷς δὲ ἠρνήσατο, οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι ἐδραπέτευσαν, καὶ μόνος εἱστήκει γυμνὸς ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ὄχλων ἐκείνων; ἑορτὴ γὰρ ἦν ἡ ἅπαντας συνάγουσα τότε· καὶ ὅτε ὡς πονηρὸν ἐν μέσῳ κακούργων αὐτὸν ἐσταύρωσαν, καὶ ἄταφος ἐκρέματο, καὶ οὔτε κατήνεγκαν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἕως οὗ τις αὐτὸν ἐξητήσατο, ἵνα αὐτὸν θάψῃ; Μνήσθητι ὅτι ταφῆς οὐκ ἠξιώθη, καὶ ὅτι ψόγον πονηρὸν κατ' αὐτοῦ ἀπεφήναντο, καὶ ὅτι οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ ἔκλεψαν αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστη. Ὑπομνήσθητι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀποστόλους, ὅτι πανταχόθεν ἐδιώκοντο, καὶ κατεκρύπτοντο, ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι μὴν δυνάμενοι φανῆναι· πῶς ὁ Πέτρος παρὰ Σίμωνι τῷ βυρσεῖ κατεκρύπτετο, καὶ ὁ Παῦλος παρὰ τῇ πορφυροπώλιδι γυναικὶ, ὅτι οὐκ εἶχον παρὰ τοῖς πλουσίοις παῤῥησίαν. Ἀλλ' ὕστερον πάντα ὁμαλὰ ἐγένετο αὐτοῖς. Οὕτω καὶ νῦν μὴ ἀθυμήσῃς. Ἤκουσα γὰρ κἀγὼ περὶ τοῦ λήρου ἐκείνου τοῦ Ἀρσακίου, ὃν ἐκάθισεν ἡ βασίλισσα ἐν τῷ θρόνῳ, ὅτι ἔθλιψε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὅλους μὴ θέλοντας αὐτῷ κοινωνῆσαι· πολλοὶ δὲ αὐτῶν δι' ἐμὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ ἐναπέθανον. Ὁ γὰρ προβατόσχημος ἐκεῖνος λύκος, ὁ σχῆμα μὲν ἔχων ἐπισκόπου, μοιχὸς δὲ ὑπάρχων· ὡς γὰρ ἡ γυνὴ μοιχαλὶς χρηματίζει, ἡ ζῶντος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἑτέρῳ συναφθεῖσα· οὕτω καὶ οὗτος μοιχός ἐστιν, οὐ σαρκὸς, ἀλλὰ πνεύματος· ζῶντος γὰρ ἐμοῦ ἥρπασέ μου τὸν θρόνον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Καὶ ταῦτά σοι ἐπέστειλα ἀπὸ Κουκουσοῦ, ὅπου ἐκέλευσεν ἡμᾶς ἡ βασίλισσα ἐξορισθῆναι. Πολλαὶ δὲ θλίψεις κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν συνέβησαν ἡμῖν, ἀλλ' οὐδενὸς ἐφροντίσαμεν. Ὅτε δὲ ἤλθομεν πρὸς τὴν χώραν τῶν Καππαδόκων, καὶ ἐν τῇ Ταυροκιλικίᾳ, πολλοὶ χοροὶ ἡμῖν ὑπήντων πατέρων ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ πλήθη μοναχῶν καὶ παρθένων, τὰς ἀθανάτους πηγὰς τῶν δακρύων ἐκχέοντες. Καὶ ἔκλαιον θεωροῦντες ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ ἐξορίᾳ ἀπερχομένους, καὶ ἔλεγον πρὸς ἐαυτοὺς, Συνέφερεν ἵνα ὁ ἥλιος συνέστειλε τὰς ἀκτῖνας αὐτοῦ, ἢ ἵνα τὸ στόμα Ἰωάννου ἐσιώπησε. Ταῦτά με ἐθορύβησε καὶ ἔθλιψεν, ἐπειδὴ ἔβλεπον πάντας κλαίοντας περὶ ἐμοῦ. Ἐπεὶ τῶν ἄλλων πάντων, ὅσα συνέβη μοι, φροντίδα οὐκ ἐποίησα. Πάνυ δὲ ἡμᾶς ἐδεξιώσατο ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τῆς πόλεως ταύτης, καὶ πολλὴν ἀγάπην ἔδειξεν εἰς ἡμᾶς· ὥστε, εἰ δυνατὸν, καὶ τὸν θρόνον αὑτοῦ παρεχώρησεν ἡμῖν, εἰ μὴ τὸν ὅρον ἐφυλάττομεν. ∆έομαι οὖν καὶ ἀντιβολῶ, καὶ τῶν γονάτων ἅπτομαι τῶν σῶν, ἀπόῤῥιψον τὸ πένθος τῆς ἀθυμίας σου, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν μνείαν ἔχων πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ ἀντιγράψαι ἡμῖν παρακλήθητι.