Letter 198: Chrysostom rebukes Hesychius's silence and asks for frequent letters.

What is this? You love us so strongly, and you did not escape our notice, since a powerful lover can never be hidden from the beloved. Yet you have not thought us worthy of letters and have endured holding your love in silence. What is the reason? I cannot say. It is your part, after breaking the silence, to give the reason for it. For this reason we hastened earlier to write to your Nobility, so that even this refuge would not be open to you. Write to us often, most reverend and noble master, and satisfy our desire. Once we were captured by your reputation alone and bound to your Nobility, we could not remain silent ourselves or endure your silence. Unless you send continuous and frequent letters, we will keep troubling you, using their frequency to create the pleasure of your presence.

ΡΗʹ. Ἡσυχίῳ. Τί τοῦτο; Οὕτως ἡμῶν σφοδρῶς ἐρῶν οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔλαθες ἡμᾶς, ἐπείπερ οὐ δυνατὸν ἐραστήν ποτε σφοδρὸν λαθεῖν τὸν ἐρώμενον, γραμμάτων ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἠξίωσας, ἀλλ' ἠνέσχου σιγῇ κατέχειν τὸν ἔρωτα; Τί ποτε ἄρα τὸ αἴτιον; Ἐγὼ μὲν εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἔχω· σὸν δὲ ἂν εἴη μετὰ τὸ λῦσαι τὴν σιγὴν, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν τῆς σιγῆς. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ πρότερον τοῖς πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐγένειαν ἐπεπηδήσαμεν γράμμασιν, ἵνα μηδὲ εἰς τοῦτό σοι καταφυγεῖν ἐξῇ. Γράφε δὴ συνεχῶς ἡμῖν, δέσποτα αἰδεσιμώτατε καὶ εὐγενέστατε, καὶ πλήρου τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἡμῶν. Καὶ γὰρ ἅπαξ χειρωθέντες ἀπὸ φήμης ψιλῆς μόνης, καὶ συνδεθέντες σου τῇ εὐγενείᾳ, οὐδὲ ἂν αὐτοὶ σιγᾷν δυνηθείημεν λοιπὸν, οὔτε τοῦ σιγῶντος ἀνέχεσθαι, ἀλλὰ μυρία σοι παρέξομεν πράγματα, εἰ μὴ συνεχεῖς καὶ πυκνὰς ἡμῖν πέμπεις τὰς ἐπιστολὰς, τῇ πυκνότητι τῶν γραμμάτων τὴν ἐκ τῆς παρουσίας σοφιζόμενος ἡδονήν.