Letter 176: Chrysostom asks Hesychius for letters because travel is hard but writing can substitute for presence.

We greatly desire to see you present and to enjoy your sweetest company. But because this is difficult, partly from the season and partly from the fear of robbers, we do what remains possible: we write to you and ask you to write back. Do not think letters are a small thing. For people separated by such distance, they are a form of meeting. They bring the absent near and give consolation where bodily presence cannot. So send us news of your health and of your household. Let your letters come as often as possible, and be assured that we remember your love continually. Even a brief note from you will bring much comfort to us in exile.

ΡΟʹ. Ἡσυχίῳ. Ἡμεῖς ἐπιθυμοῦμεν καὶ παρόντα σε θεάσασθαι, καὶ τῆς γλυκυτάτης καὶ ἡδίστης σου ἀπολαῦσαι συνουσίας. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο ἐργῶδες, καὶ διὰ τὴν τῆς ὁδοῦ δυσκολίαν καὶ διὰ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀσχολίαν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἀσθένειαν, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων ζητοῦμεν παράκλησιν, ἣν οὔτε σώματος ἀῤῥωστία, οὐδὲ ὁδοῦ τραχύτης διακωλῦσαι δύναται. ∆ίδου δὴ τὴν χάριν ἡμῖν κούφην τε οὖσαν καὶ ἀνεπαχθῆ, καὶ πολλὴν κομίζουσαν ἡμῖν τὴν ἡδονὴν, καὶ οὐ μικρὸν τῆς ἀθυμίας, τῆς ἐκ τοῦ σωματικοῦ χωρισμοῦ, ὑποτεμνομένην. Ἂν γὰρ ταύτης ἀπολαύσωμεν τῆς παρακλήσεως, καὶ πλησίον ἡγησόμεθα εἶναι, καὶ ἀεὶ μετὰ τῆς τιμιότητός σου. Ἀρκεῖ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τοῦτο ποιῆσαι· πλείονα δὲ αὐτὴ ἡ φαντασία λαμβάνει προσθήκην, ὅταν καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων ἔχῃ συμμαχίαν.