Letter 9: Chrysostom rebukes Olympias for surrendering to grief, recounts his illness, violent expulsion from Caesarea, and dangerous flight, then asks her to keep working quietly on Maruthas, the Gothic bishopric, and Hilary's letters.

Why are you mourning? Why do you strike yourself and demand from yourself punishments that even your enemies could not force on you, handing your soul over to the tyranny of despondency? The letters you sent through Patricius showed me the wounds in your mind. That is why I am deeply grieved and pained. You should be doing everything you can to drive despondency out of your soul, but instead you collect painful thoughts, invent things that are not true, as you yourself said, and torment yourself rashly, uselessly, and to your own great harm. What is it that grieves you? That you were not strong enough to move me away from Cucusus? But as far as your own effort was concerned, you did move me. You set everything in motion and took every possible trouble. If the matter did not reach its end, that is no reason for grief. Perhaps it seemed good to God that the course set for me should be longer, so that the crowns might also become brighter. Why, then, are you grieving over the very things for which I am being proclaimed? You ought to leap for joy, dance, and be crowned, because I have been counted worthy of so great a matter, far beyond my own merit. Does the solitude here distress you? What could be more pleasant than this life? There is quiet, calm, abundant leisure, and bodily health. If the city has no market and few supplies, that is nothing to me. Everything flows to me as if from springs. My lord the bishop and my lord Dioscorus have made my rest their whole concern. The good Patricius too will tell you how we live here: in good spirits, in joy, and with much comfort, at least as far as this place is concerned. If you are grieving over what happened at Caesarea, that too is unworthy of you. There also, brilliant crowns were woven for me again, so that everyone proclaims me, reports my case, marvels, and is astonished at the evils I suffered when I was driven out. But for the moment let no one know these things, even if many people are already spreading them abroad. My lord Paeanius has told me that the presbyters of Pharetrius himself are there, and that they say they are in communion with us, have nothing in common with our opponents, do not associate with them, and do not share communion with them. So, in order not to disturb them, let no one learn these things. What happened to me was very grievous. If I had suffered no other terrible thing, that alone would have been enough to win me countless prizes, so great was the danger that came upon me at the edge of death. But I beg you, keep these matters secret with yourself. I will tell them to you briefly, not to grieve you, but to gladden you. These are the materials of my trade. This is my wealth. This is payment for my sins: to keep passing through such trials, and to have them brought on me by people from whom I never expected them. When I was about to enter Cappadocia, having escaped from Galatia and from the man who had nearly threatened me with death, many people met me on the road. They said, "The lord Pharetrius is waiting for you. He is looking everywhere for you, so that he will not miss meeting you. He is doing and arranging everything so that he may see you, embrace you, and show you every kindness. He has stirred up the monasteries of men and women." When I heard this, I expected none of it. I imagined the opposite, though I said nothing to those who reported it. When I finally entered Caesarea, worn down, wasted away, lying in the very height of the fever's flame, distressed and suffering terribly, I reached a lodging at the edge of the city and hurried to find doctors and quench that furnace. It was the peak of a tertian fever. There was also the hardship of the journey, the weariness, the exhaustion, the lack of people to care for me, the shortage of necessities, the absence of any doctor on the road, the toil, the heat, and the sleeplessness. I entered the city almost a corpse. Then all the clergy came, along with the people, monks, nuns, and doctors. I received much care, with everyone serving and helping me in every way. Even so, overcome by the heavy stupor of the fever, I was in the worst condition. At last, little by little, the illness began to slacken and withdraw. But Pharetrius was nowhere to be seen. He was waiting for my departure; I do not know what seemed good to him. When I saw the illness easing gently, I began to think about leaving, so that I might reach Cucusus and rest a little from the miseries of the journey. While we were arranging this, word suddenly came that a countless multitude of Isaurians was overrunning the countryside around Caesarea. They had burned a large village and committed the worst atrocities. When the tribune heard this, he took the soldiers he had and went out. Everyone feared that the Isaurians might attack the city too. All were afraid, all were in anguish, fearing for their very homeland, so that even the old men took up guard on the walls. While matters stood like this, suddenly at dawn a band of monks, for I must use that word to mark their madness, stood at the house where I was staying. They threatened to burn the house, set it on fire, and do the worst to me if I did not come out. Neither fear of the Isaurians, nor the illness pressing on me so severely, nor anything else made them more reasonable. They pressed on, breathing such fury that even the provincial officials were frightened. They threatened those officials with blows and boasted that they had already shamefully beaten many of them. When the officials heard these threats, they fled to me. They urged and begged me, saying, "Even if we must fall among the Isaurians, deliver us from these wild men." When the governor heard what was happening, he came down to the house, wishing to help me. The monks did not yield even when he urged them, and he too was powerless. Seeing that matters were in great difficulty, and not daring to advise me either to go out to certain death or to remain inside because of their great madness, he sent to Pharetrius, begging him to grant a few days because of both the illness and the danger hanging over the city. Even that accomplished nothing. The next day they came back more violently. None of the presbyters dared stand by me or help me. They were ashamed and blushed, for they said this was happening according to the will of Pharetrius; so they hid themselves, kept out of sight, and when I called them, they did not answer. Why say more? With so many terrors pressing on me, death almost certain, and the fever wearing me down, for I had not yet been freed from the sickness there, at high noon I threw myself into the litter and was carried away. All the people were wailing, crying aloud, cursing the one who had done these things, and everyone lamented and mourned. When I left the city, some of the clergy came out and quietly escorted me, lamenting. I heard some people say, "Where are you taking him, to certain death?" Another, one of those who loved me dearly, said to me, "Go, I beg you. Fall among the Isaurians, only be rid of us. Wherever you fall, you will fall into safety if you can escape our hands." Hearing and seeing these things, the good Seleucia, the freedwoman of my master Rufinus, who had cared for me very much, urged and begged me to lodge at her suburban estate, five miles from the city. She sent men with me, and we went there. But not even there was this plot going to leave me alone. When Pharetrius found out, he made many threats against her, as she said. When she first received me into her estate, I knew nothing of this. She came out to me and hid these matters from me, but she instructed her steward to provide me every comfort. If any monks came intending to insult or harm me, he was to gather farmhands from her other properties and set them in line against them. She also urged me to take refuge in her house, which had a fortress and could not be taken, so that I might escape the hands of the bishop and the monks. I would not agree to this, but remained in the estate, knowing nothing of the things being plotted afterward. Even this was not enough to stop their madness against me. In the middle of the night, while I knew none of these things, for Pharetrius was pressing her hard with threats, compelling her and driving her to expel me even from the estate, the woman, unable to bear his odious pressure and ashamed to tell me what compulsion she had endured, announced suddenly, without my knowledge, that the barbarians had arrived. At midnight the presbyter Euethius came in to me and woke me as I slept, shouting, "Get up, I beg you. Barbarians have arrived nearby." Imagine what I was like when I heard this. I asked what had to be done. "We cannot take refuge in the city," I said, "or we will suffer worse things than the Isaurians are about to do to us." But he forced me to go out. It was a moonless night, midnight, gloomy and dark. That too was full of difficulty for me. No one was present, no one was there to help; everyone had abandoned me. Still, driven on by fear and expecting immediate death, I got up in my wretched condition and ordered torches to be lit. But the presbyter ordered even these to be put out, saying that the barbarians might be drawn toward us by the light and attack us. So the torches were extinguished. Then the mule carrying my litter, because the road was very rough, steep, and rocky, sank down on its knees and brought me down while I was inside it. I was on the point of perishing. I jumped out and went on foot, dragged along by the presbyter Euethius, who had also jumped down from his animal. Led by the hand, I walked, or rather, I was dragged. It was not possible to walk through such a difficult place and rugged mountains in the middle of the night. Imagine what I was likely suffering, surrounded by so many evils, with the fever still on me, knowing nothing of the plot, fearing barbarians, trembling, and expecting to fall into their hands. Do these sufferings alone not seem to you able, even if nothing else had happened to me, to wash away many of my sins and provide me a great occasion for confidence? The cause, I think, was this: as soon as I entered Caesarea, everyone saw me. People in high office, men from the vicariate and the governor's staff, sophists, officers, the whole populace, all came every day. They honored me and carried me, as the saying goes, on the apple of their eye. These things, I think, irritated Pharetrius. The envy that drove me from Constantinople did not leave me even there, at least as I suspect. I do not state this as certain; I only suspect it. What could anyone say about the other things along the road, the fears and dangers? When I remember them each day and turn them over in my mind, I fly with pleasure. I leap for joy as if a great treasure had been laid up for me. Such is my state and disposition. Therefore I urge your honor also to rejoice at these things, to be glad, to leap for joy, and to glorify God, who has counted me worthy to suffer such things. And I beg you to keep them to yourself and tell no one, even though the provincials have filled the whole city with the story, having themselves also been in extreme danger. Let no one learn it from your piety, and silence those who speak of it. If you are grieving because of the remains of my ill-treatment, know clearly that I have been completely delivered from all of it, and that my body is stronger than it was when I lived there. Why are you afraid of the cold? Suitable lodging has been prepared for me, and my lord Dioscorus is doing and arranging everything so that I may not feel even a slight touch of cold. If one may judge from the first signs, the air here now seems to me like eastern air and no worse than Antioch's, so great is its warmth and good temper. But you grieved me exceedingly when you said, "Perhaps you are also angry with us, as if we had been negligent." Yet many days ago I wrote to your honor, begging you not to move me from here. I thought this would require a long defense from you, much sweat and labor, if you were going to defend yourself against such a charge. Perhaps you partly made your defense by saying, "I am only thinking this in order to increase the affliction." But that again is a very serious accusation: to say, "I add pains to my thoughts deliberately." When you should be doing and arranging everything to end the affliction, you are doing the devil's will by increasing despondency and grief. Do you not know how great an evil despondency is? As for the Isaurians, fear nothing from now on. They have returned to their own country, and the governor has done everything needed for this. I am in far greater safety here than I was in Caesarea. From now on I fear no one so much as bishops, except a few. So do not fear the Isaurians at all. They have withdrawn, and now that winter has set in they are shut up at home, unless perhaps they come out again after Pentecost. How can you say that you do not enjoy my letters? I have already sent you three: one through the provincials, another through Antonius, and another through your servant Anatolius, all of them long. Two especially are saving medicine, able to restore anyone who is despondent or scandalized and lead that person into pure cheerfulness. Receive them, go over them continually and at every moment, and you will see their power. You will gain much experience of their healing and benefit, and you will show me that you have gained something more from them. I also have a third letter ready, like those, which I did not want to send now because I was so deeply grieved by your words: "I gather painful thoughts for myself, inventing things that are not." You said something unworthy of yourself. I am ashamed of it and hide my face. Read those letters, and you will not say such things again, even if you are ten thousand times determined to be despondent. You also wrote to me about Bishop Heracleides. If he wishes, it is possible for him to give up his post and be rid of everything; nothing else remains. Even if I accomplished nothing great, I did tell my lady Pentadia to show every diligence, if she could devise some comfort for the trouble. You said you dared to tell me painful things because you were ordered by him. What sort of daring is that? Have I not stopped saying, and will I ever stop saying, that sin alone is the one painful thing? All other things are dust and smoke. What is so grievous about living in prison and wearing a chain? What is grievous about suffering wrong, when suffering wrong becomes the foundation of so great a profit? What is grievous about exile? What about confiscation? These are words empty of terrible realities; they are only names of grief. If you speak of death, you speak of the debt of nature, which one must pay in any case even if no one inflicts it. If you speak of exile, you say only that one sees other lands and many cities. If you speak of confiscation, you speak of freedom and of being unburdened. Do not neglect Bishop Maruthas. Tend to him as far as you can, so that he may be drawn up from the pit. I need him especially for the affairs in Persia. Learn from him, if it is possible for you, what has been accomplished there through him and why he has come. Let me know whether you have delivered the two letters I sent him. If he wishes to write to me, I will write to him again. If he does not wish to do that, let him at least indicate to your piety whether anything more has happened there and whether he is going to accomplish anything when he goes back down. That was why I was eager to meet him. Let everything be done by you. Even if all are swept headlong, fulfill your own part; your reward will be complete. So make him very much your own, as far as possible. I beg you, do not pass over what I am about to say, but show great diligence in it. The Marsian monks, the Goths among whom Bishop Sarapion was always hidden, have informed me that the deacon Moduarius came announcing that Unilas the bishop, that wonderful man whom I formerly ordained and sent to Gothia, after accomplishing many great things, has fallen asleep. He came carrying letters from the king of the Goths, asking that a bishop be sent to them. Since I see nothing else that can help correct the threatened disaster except delay and postponement, for it is not possible now for them to sail either to the Bosphorus or to those regions, persuade them to put it off for the present because of the winter. Do not simply pass over this. It is a very great matter. There are two things that would especially grieve me if they happened, may they not happen: first, that this should be done by these men, who work so many evils and by whom it should not be done; and second, that just anyone should be appointed. You yourself know that they are not eager to appoint a noble man. If that happens, may it not, you know what follows. So that none of this may happen, make every effort quietly. If it is possible for Moduarius to slip away to me secretly, the greatest things would be accomplished. If that is not possible, let what can be done be done from the resources available. What happens with money, and what happened with the widow, also happens with affairs. Just as she, by putting in two small coins, surpassed all those who put in more because she emptied her whole substance, so those who strive in affairs with all their strength have completed the whole, at least as far as it depended on them, even if nothing further comes of it. Their reward is complete. I owe many thanks for Bishop Hilary. He wrote to me asking to be allowed to go to his own see, set matters right there, and then come back again. Since his presence is of great benefit, for he is devout, steadfast, and zealous, I urged him to go and return quickly. See, then, that the letter is given to him quickly and safely and not set aside. He asked for it from me with much desire and eagerness, and his presence is very helpful. So take great care with the letters. If the presbyter Helladius is not there, have it given to our friends by some intelligent man, someone with good sense.

9.t ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ Θʹ 9.1 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. 9.2 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, ἐπαρω μένου 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. 9.3 Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐκεῖ ἔμελλεν ἡμῶν ἀποστήσεσθαι ἡ ἐπι9.3 βουλὴ 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. 9.4 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. 9.5 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.