Letter 196: Chrysostom tells Aetius that letters from friends console exile, illness, and danger.

We can never forget your love: fervent, genuine, fiery, sincere, and guileless. We carry you continually in our mind and have you engraved on our conscience. We wished to see you often, but since that is not yet possible, we fulfill our desire through letters and send the greeting owed to your Piety. We ask you too to write to us often. Even if we live in great solitude, are besieged by fear of robbers, and happen to be ill, letters from your Nobility announcing your health will give us great comfort in this foreign land. Knowing what a favor you will grant us and what gladness you will provide, do not deprive us of such pleasure. Be eager to write more often; from this we will receive much joy.

Ρʹ. Ἀετίῳ. Ἡμεῖς σου τῆς ἀγάπης οὐδέποτε ἐπιλαθέσθαι δυνάμεθα, τῆς θερμῆς, καὶ γνησίας, καὶ πεπυρωμένης, τῆς εἰλικρινοῦς καὶ ἀδόλου, ἀλλὰ διηνεκῶς ἐπὶ διανοίας σε περιφέρομεν, καὶ ἔχομεν ἐγκεκολαμμένον ἡμῶν τῷ συνειδότι. Καὶ ἐβουλόμεθα μὲν καὶ ὁρᾷν σε συνεχῶς· ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦτο τέως οὐχ οἷόν τε, διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν πληροῦμεν, τὴν ὀφειλομένην πρόσρησιν ἀποδιδόντες σου τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ, καί σε παρακαλοῦμεν καὶ ἑαυτὸν συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλειν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ διατρίβομεν πολλῇ, καὶ ὑπὸ φόβου λῃστῶν πολιορκούμεθα, καὶ ἐν ἀῤῥωστίᾳ τυγχάνομεν, ἀλλ' ἐὰν δεξώμεθα γράμματα παρὰ τῆς εὐγενείας τῆς σῆς, εὐαγγελιζόμενα ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς ὑγείας σου, πολλὴν καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ ὄντες καρπωσόμεθα τὴν παράκλησιν. Εἰδὼς οὖν ἡλίκα ἡμῖν χαριῇ, καὶ ὅσην ἡμῖν παρέξεις τὴν εὐφροσύνην, μὴ φθονήσῃς ἡμῖν τῆς τοσαύτης ἡδονῆς, ἀλλὰ σπούδαζε ἡμῖν συνεχέστερον ἐπιστέλλειν· πολλὴν γὰρ ἐντεῦθεν καρπωσόμεθα τὴν ἡδονήν.