Letters from one of the saints of our father Gregory the Theologian (ed. 2007)

St. Gregory the Theologian conducted extensive correspondence with bishops, priests, monks, rhetoricians, sophists, military leaders, government officials, and representatives of the provincial nobility. Most of the letters were written during the saint's retirement and his lonely life in Arianza (383–389). In total, under the name of St. 249 letters from Gregory the Theologian are known, but not all of them belong to him. Letter 241 belongs to St. Basil the Great, 249 – St. Gregory of Nyssa. Letters 42, 57, 65, 66, 245-248 are included in the corpus of letters to St. Basil the Great. Letter 243 is attributed in manuscripts to St. Gregory the Theologian, and Saints Gregory of Nyssa and Gregory the Wonderworker. The letter to Nikovul (Letter 19) sets out the theory of epistolography: the letter should be short (as necessary), clear (approaching a colloquial syllable), pleasant (not devoid of thoughts, witticisms, intricate expressions, but without excess). St. Gregory himself followed these requirements, and his letters are distinguished by clarity, richness of thoughts, and conciseness, which was already noted by St. Basil the Great as a distinctive feature of the letters of St. Gregory. Also in one of the letters to Nicovul, St. Gregory emphasizes that he considers the letters of St. Vasily is more important than his own, and therefore places them at the beginning of the meeting (Letter 52). Among the letters of St. Gregory, only a few are dogmatic in content. These include: 1. “Message to the monk Evagrius. About the Divinity" (Letter 243). It contains the answer to the question of how the unity of the Godhead is maintained in the existence of three separate Persons. Research questions the attribution of this letter to St. Gregory. 2. “To Nectarius, Bishop of Constantinople” (Letter 202). The letter was probably written in 387. The saint draws attention to the revival of heresy, especially Apollinarianism, points out the need for ecclesiastical excommunication of those who share these opinions, and civil measures against the free dissemination of their teachings by them. 3. Two letters to the presbyter Kledonius (Letters 101,102), who ruled the Nazianzi Church for some time. They were written in 382 and directed against Apollinaris. They reveal the doctrine of the incarnation of the Son of God. These messages laid the foundation for further polemics with Nestorianism and Monophysitism in the era of the Ecumenical Councils. Thus, during the Third Ecumenical Council in Ephesus (431), St. Cyril of Alexandria, who opposed Nestorius, used references to the letters of St. in his argumentation. Gregory the Theologian to Kledonius. Contents 1. To Basil the Great (1) 2. To him (2) 3.* To Evagrius (216) 4. To Basil the Great (3) 5. To him (4) 6. To him (5) 7. To brother Caesarea (7) 8. To Basil the Great (11) 9. To Amphilochius (9) 10. To To Candidian (8) 11. To Gregory of Nyssa (16) 12. To Nicobulus (17) 13. To Amphilochius (10) 14. To Caesarea (30) 15. Lollianus (181) 16. To Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea (12) 17. To him (13) 18. To him (14) 19. To Basil the Great (15) 20. To brother Caesarea (22) 21. To Sophronius the Iparch (25) 22. To him (28) 23. To Caesarea (29) 24. To Themistius (31) 25. To Amphilochius (47) 26. To him (48) 27. To him same (44) 28. To him (45) 29. To Sophronius the Iparch (24) 30. To Philagry (23) 31. To him (180) 32. To him (175) 33. To him (177) 34. To him (176) 35. To him (178) 36. To him (179) 37. To Sophronius (26) 38. To Themistius (32) 39. To Sophronius (27) 40. To Basil the Great (33) 41. To the inhabitants of Caesarea on behalf of the father (34) 42. To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata, on behalf of the father (36) 43. To the bishops on behalf of the father (35) 44. To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata (37) 45. To Basil the Great (38) 46. To him (39) 47. To him (43) 48. To him (50) 49. To Basil the Great (49) 50. To him (51) 51. To Nikovul (19) 52. To him (121) 53. To him (52) 54. To him (18) 55. To him (20) 56. To Thekla (213) 57. To her (237) 58. To Vasily (41) 59. To him (42) 60. To him (40) 61. To Aeria and Alypius (53) 62. To Amphilochius (46) 63. To Amphilochius (55) 64. To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata (59) 65. To him (60) 66. To him (61) 67. To Julian (57) 68. To him (58) 69. To him (56) 70. To Eutropius (63) 71. To him (62) 72. To Gregory of Nyssa (64) 73. To him (65) 74. To him (66) 75. To Vitalian (54) 76. To Gregory of Nyssa (70) 77. To Theodore, Bishop of Tyana (73) 78.* To Theoteknus (234) 79. To Simplicia (72) 80. To Eudoxius the Rhetoric (71) 81. To Gregory of Nyssa (69) 82. To Alypius (74) 83. To to him (75) 84. To him (76) 85. To him (77) 86. To him (21) 87. To Philagrios (84) 88. To Nektarios, Archbishop of Constantinople 89. To Bosporius, Bishop of Colonium (67) 90. To Procopius (108) 91. To Nektarios (85). 100. To Gigantius (79) 101. To the presbyter Kledonius, against Apollinaris first 102. To the presbyter Kledonius, against Apollinaris second 103. To Palladius (78) 104. To Olympius (111) 105. To him (118) 106. To him (120) 107. To Kledonius (95) 108. To him (96) 109. To him (97) 110. To Palladium (99) 111. To Eulalis (91) 112. To Eleusius (93) 113. To him (94) 114. To him (92) 115. To him (145) 116. To Eulalis (103) 117. To him (102) 118. To him (101) 119. To Palladius (98) 120. To Helladius, Bishop of Caesarea (106) 121.* To him (221) 122. To Theodore, Bishop of Tyana (122) 123.* To him (222) 124. To him (142) 125. To Olympius (112) 126. To Olympius (160) 127. To Helladius (159) 128. To Procopius (109) 129. To him (173) 130. To him (107) 131. To Olympius (110) 132. To Saturninus (152) 133. Victor (154) 134. To him (155) 135. To Sophronius the Iparch (87) 136. To Mardarius to the military leader (156) 137. To him (157) 138. To him (68) 139. To Bishop Theodore (90) 140. To Olympius (117) 141. To him (115) 142. To him (116) 143. To him (119) 144. To him (113) 145. To Virian (114) 146. To him (161) 147. To Asterius (162) 148. To him (163) 149.* To George (232) 150. To him (164) 151. To him (148) 152. To him (124) 153. To Vosporius, Bishop of Colonia (80) 154. To Olympius (167) 155. To him (166) 156. To him (165) 157. To Theodore, Bishop of Tyana (140) 158. To Eudabius (104) 159. To Theodore (141) 160. To him (143) 161. To him (144) 162. To him (123) 163.* To him (220) 164. To Timothy (88) 165. To him (137) 166. To him (138) 167. To Helladius (126) 168. To Photius (199) 169. To Strategy (197) 170. To Palladius (196) 171. To him (150) 172. To Helladius, bishop of Caesarea (105) 173. To Postumian (151) 174. To Eudoxius the rhetorician (132) 175. To him (133) 176. To him (134) 177. To him (125) 178. To him (135) 179.* To him (223) 180. * To him (224) 181. To Saturninus (153) 182. To Gregory of Nyssa (146) 183. To Theodore the Bishop (139) 184. To Amphilochius (149) 185. To Nectarius (147) 186. To him (170) 187. To Eudoxius (158) 188. To Stagirius (128) 189. To Eustochius the Sophist (131) 190. To him (129) 191. To him (130) 192. To Stagirius (136) 193. To Procopius (171) 194. To him (172) 195. To Gregory the Archon (168) 196. To Ekivolius (169) 197. To Gregory of Nyssa (182) 198. To Nemesius (184) 199. To him (187) 200. To him (185) 201. To him (186) 202. To Nektarios, Bishop of Constantinople 203. To Valentinian (212) 204. To Adelphius (188) 205. To him (189) 206. To him (190) 207. To To Jacob (194) 208. To him (193) 209. To Castor (198) 210. To him (183) 211. To Cyriacus (211) 212. To Sacerdote (202) 213. To him (204) 214. To him (205) 215. To him (203) 216. To Evdokius (206) 217. To him (208) 218. To him (207) 219. To Helladius (200) 220. To him (201) 221. To Omophronius (209) 222. To Thekla (214) 223. To her (215) 224. To Africanus (127) 225.* To Ellevich (226) 226 * To Anisius (230) 227.* To Ursus (225) 228.* To Pansophius (217) 229.* To him (218) 230.* To Theodosius or Theodore (219) 231. To Eusebius friend (191) 232. To Diocles (192) 233.* To Aulavius (228) 234.* To Olympian (231) 235. To Adamantius (6) 236. To Libanius the Sophist (238) 237.* To Macedonius (227) 238. To the Sannavadain Brotherhood (195) 239. To Epiphanius (100) 240.* To Medetius (229) 241. To Abugrius 242.* To Peter (233) 243. To the monk Evagrius 244. Vasilisa 1. To Basil the Great (1) 1 In failure to fulfill his promise to live with St. Vasily excuses himself by the need to serve his parents and offers a way to reconcile the demands of promise and duty (358). I confess that I betrayed my promise to live and philosophize with you, as I gave my word back in Athens during the friendship there and the merger of hearts there (for I cannot find a more decent expression). But he changed not voluntarily, but because one law prevailed over another, the law commanding to serve parents, over the law of partnership and mutual habit. However, I won’t change this at all, if you agree to the same thing. Sometimes I will be with you, and sometimes you yourself deign to visit me, so that we have everything in common and the rights of friendship remain equal. This way I won’t have to insult my parents and be with you. Because St. Vasily wrote jokingly about the cold and bad weather in Tiberin, the seat of St. Gregory, then speaks with a similar joke about St. himself. Basil and his place of residence - Caesarea. It is unbearable to me that you, a great lover of dirt, accustomed to walking on your toes and trampling the smooth pavements, a soaring, lofty man, carried away with the arrow of Avaris, reproach me with Tiberin, the local cold and bad weather, and although you yourself are a Cappadocian, you nevertheless flee from what is in Cappadocia. Do we really offend you because you turn pale, have difficulty catching your breath, and use the sun in moderation, while we grow fat, become satiated, and do not limit ourselves to narrow limits? But the last one belongs to you. You live in luxury, you get rich, you have markets. I don't praise it. Therefore, either stop reproaching me for the dirt, for it was not you who built the city and it was not I who caused the bad weather, or instead of the dirt I will point out to you the innkeepers and everything that is bad in cities. He expresses his pleasure for the approval of his son Evagrius, who studied under the supervision of St. Gregory. It was pleasant for me to hear praise about myself, because approval of my son Evagrius is approval of myself; Every valor of the children is glory to the father. As for the sciences, for my part I was of little or no use to your son, because my learning is not great; instead of everything (I won’t deny this), he instilled in him one and the most important thing - the fear of God, and also convinced him to despise the present. So, I wished and wish him all the best, so that the firstfruits taken from me would grow into mature fruits, and that my efforts would not remain without fruit. All my thanks to your honesty for deigning to remember me and honor me with monuments of your friendship, which in themselves are not unimportant, but have been accepted by me for even more. 4. To Basil the Great (3) Having visited St. Basil in his Pontic desert, jokingly describes it (after 360). Laugh, denigrate everything we have either as a joke or in truth - that’s not the point - just be cheerful, revel in your learning and enjoy my friendship. But for me, if anything comes from you, no matter what it is and no matter what it is, everything is pleasant. And if I only understand you, it seems to me that you laugh at things here not in order to ridicule, but in order to attract me to you, just as rivers are blocked in order to force them to flow differently. You always do this to me. I will marvel at your Pontus and the Pontic gloom, this dwelling worthy of fugitives, these mountain ridges hanging overhead and the wild animals that test your faith, this desert or wormhole lying below, with the honorable names of a monastery, a monastery, a school, these forests of wild plants, this crown of steep mountains, with which you are not crowned, but locked. I will be amazed that you have plenty of air and a rare sun, which you, Pontic Cimmerians, see through smoke, as if through smoke, sunless people, not only condemned to a six-month night, as they say about others, but even never in their lives without shadow, people whose whole life is one long night and in the full sense (I will say in the words of Scripture) the shadow of death (Luke 1:79). I also praise this narrow and cramped path (Matthew 7:14), which I don’t know where it leads - to the Kingdom or to hell, but for you let it lead to the Kingdom. And what is in the middle, shouldn’t I call it, if you want (but, of course, not really), Eden and the source divided into four principles (Gen. 2:10), from which the universe is watered? Or call it a dry and waterless desert, which will be fertilized by some Moses (Ex. 17:6), who drew water from a stone with a rod? For what is not covered with stones is dug into ravines; and where there are no ravines, everything is overgrown with thorns; and above the thorns there is a cliff, and on the cliff there is a steep and unreliable path, which accustoms the traveler’s mind to composure and exercises caution. The river roars below; and this is you, high-verbed creator of new names, this is the Amphipolis and quiet Strymon, abundant not in fish, but in stones, not pouring into the lake, but being carried into the abyss. The river is great and terrible, drowning out the psalmody of those living above; In comparison, waterfalls and rapids mean nothing, so much stuns you day and night! It is swift, impassable, cloudy and undrinkable; in only one thing is it lenient, which does not carry away your monastery when mountain streams and bad weather enrage it. And that’s all I know about these happy islands or about you, the lucky ones. And don’t praise those moon-shaped curves that suppress rather than protect the approach to your foothills; do not praise this peak hanging above your heads, which makes your life Tantalus; do not praise to me these blowing breezes and this earthly coolness that refresh you, tired to the point of darkness; Do not praise the songbirds, which, although they sing, are hungry; although they flutter, they are in the desert. No one comes to you, unless, you say, to chase the beast; add to this: and look at you, the dead. All this is longer than a letter, perhaps, but shorter than satire. And you, if you accept my joke calmly, will act justly. And if not, I’ll add more to this. Continuation of the same joke. Since you accept my joke calmly, I’ll add the rest. And my beginning is from Homer. “So, go on and sing the inner beauty,” this roof without a roof and doors, this hearth without fire and smoke, these walls dried on fire, so that splashes of dirt do not shower us, who resemble Tantalus and the condemned, thirsty in water, and this poor and innutritious treat, to which, not as to the meager food of lot eaters, but as to the meal of Alcinoe, they invited me from Cappadocia, who had recently been shipwrecked and was in poverty; because I remember, and will continue to remember, these breads and these, as they were called, jams, I remember how my teeth slid over the pieces, and then they got stuck in them and were pulled out with difficulty, as if from a swamp. You yourself will depict all this more majesticly, having drawn eloquence from your own sufferings, from which if the great truly beggar-loving woman (I mean your mother) had not soon delivered us, who appeared to us in good time, like a harbor for those torn at sea, we would have long since been dead, and for our Pontic fidelity we would have aroused others not so much to praise as to regret. How can I keep silent about these gardens, which do not resemble a garden or vegetable gardens? And about the Augean dung, cleared out of the house, with which we filled these gardens, when I - Votrion and you - Lamir 3 drove a cart the size of a mountain on these very shoulders and with these very hands, on which to this day traces of those labors remain, and all this (O earth and sun, O man and virtue! I will say in the words of a tragedian) not in order to connect the banks of the Hellespont, but in order to level the ravine. If stories about this are not offensive to you, then, of course, they are not offensive to me. And if you are sad to hear, then what is the matter? And I will keep silent about many other things out of respect for many other things that I enjoyed. Having abandoned the joke, he recalls with pleasure the time spent at St. Basil in his Pontic desert. What I wrote before about the Pontic way of spending time was a joke, not the truth. And what I’m writing now is already very true. Who will arrange me according to the months of former days (Job.29:2), in which I rejoiced with you in suffering; because what is painful, but voluntary, is preferable to what is pleasant, but involuntary? Who will give me these psalmody, vigils and prayers to God? Who will give life as if immaterial and incorporeal? Who will give the consent and unanimity of the brothers whom you are leading to heights and deification? Who will give competition and encouragement to virtue, which we have protected by written statutes and rules? Who will give diligence in reading God's words and, with the guidance of the Spirit, the light found in them? Who will give (I will say about the smallest and most insignificant) daily and manual labor - carrying firewood, cutting stones, planting, watering? Who will give this golden sycamore, which is more expensive than Xerxes’s, under which sat not a satiated king, but an exhausted monk, which I planted, Apollos, or your honorability, watered, and God increased to my honor, so that it will be preserved by you as a monument of my hard work, as we read and believe that Aaron’s frozen rod was kept in the ark? It is easier to wish for all this, but not so easy to receive it. Come to my aid, join your efforts with me, assist me in virtue; and if we have previously collected something useful, then protect it with your prayers, so that I do not dissipate little by little, as a shadow dissipates with the passing of the day. And I breathe you more than air, and I live only by the fact that whether I am with you together or apart, I am always inseparable in my mind. He expresses his and all his family’s grief that Caesarius remained in the service at court upon Julian’s accession to the throne (361). We have had enough of shame for you. For is it necessary to write to you, who is more sure of this than anyone else, that we are upset? Without speaking about myself and what anxiety, and let me even say, fear, the hearing about you filled us with, I would like you, if it were possible, to listen to what others say about you and about us, both our own and strangers, no matter how many we know, if only they are Christians. And not only do some speak and others not; on the contrary, they still repeat it with one voice; because people find it more pleasant to talk about other people's affairs. And so it turned to them, as if it were a permanent occupation, to say the following: “And the bishop’s son, now already in the service, is striving for worldly ranks and glory, giving up victory over himself to the love of greed, because now everything is inflamed by a passion for money and for them people do not spare their souls, and do not in the least set for themselves the only glory, and security, and enrichment in courageously confronting time and placing themselves as far as possible from all uncleanness and filth! How can bishops now persuade another not to get carried away by time, not to be defiled by communication with idols; How can we now punish those who have misbehaved in something else, when the bishop himself does not dare to say a word because of what happened in his house?” This is what we hear, or much worse, every day, both from those who say this, perhaps out of friendship, and from those who attack out of hostility. With what disposition do you think and with what spirit do we accept this, having decided to serve God and recognizing that the only good is to fix our gaze on future hopes? Our parent sovereign, who is very upset by the rumors and for whom life itself is a burden, I also console and encourage a little, vouching for your way of thinking and assuring that you will no longer cause us sorrow. And the Empress Mother, if she hears something like that about you (and until now we have been hiding this from her with various inventions), rest assured, she will fall into completely inconsolable grief; because, as a woman, she is less strong in spirit, and, moreover, due to extreme reverence, is not able to observe moderation in such cases. Therefore, if you respect yourself and us at all, come up with something better and more reliable for yourself. For, without a doubt, what we have here is enough to lead a free life for a person who is not too insatiable and immoderate in wanting more. Moreover, I don’t see how much more time we should wait for you to arrange your life if we miss the present. But if you hold on to your previous way of thinking and, in order to satisfy your aspirations, everything is not enough for you, then I do not intend to say anything unpleasant for you, but I will only predict and testify that one of two things is necessary: ​​either, remaining a sincere Christian, accept the most humiliated lot of a Christian and act not in accordance with your merits and hopes, or, desiring honor, suffer harm in the most important thing and participate, if not in fire, then in smoke. 8. To Basil the Great (11) St. Basil, who against his own desire was ordained a presbyter, encourages by his example patience and exhorts to zealously fulfill the duties of the new rank (364). I praise the beginning of your letter. And what of yours doesn’t deserve praise? And you are taken prisoner, just as I am included in the list, because both of us were forcibly elevated to the degree of presbytery, although this was not what we sought. For we can testify about each other more reliably than anyone else that we like slow-moving wisdom, which is kept at the bottom. But although, perhaps, it would have been better if this had not happened to us, or I don’t know what to say until I understand the dispensation of the Spirit, however, since this has already happened, it seems to me at least that we must endure, especially taking into account the time that has loosened the tongues of many heretics, we must endure and not disgrace both the hope of those who have placed their trust in us and our own lives. Amphilochius (later, probably, Bishop of Iconium) welcomes him on his assumption of office as a judicial intercessor and asks for his first experience to take over the petition in the case of Euphalios (364) 4 Support your happy palace with golden pillars, as Pindar says, and with a good start in your present position, let us know about yourself that you will also build a wonderful house, appearing glorious in it. How will you let me know about you? Giving honor to God and the divine; for what is this more important and higher for you? How and with what will you honor? The one thing is that you will take care of those who stand before God and the servants of the altar. One of them is our co-servant Euphaly, whom, when he had already entered the highest rank, I don’t know why, the military commanders intended to exclude him from it. Do not tolerate this and stretch out your hand to the deacon and to the entire clergy, and most of all to me, for whom you care. Otherwise, this person will suffer the most bitter fate, alone without taking advantage of the philanthropy of the present time and the honor that kings give to sacred persons. But perhaps he is subjected to insult and deprivation for his friendship with me. And it’s a wonderful thing for you not to let this happen, although others want a not-so-wonderful thing. He praises him both for other virtues, and mainly for the fact that he is not carried away by the spirit of the times, and although he himself is a pagan, he does not antagonize Christians in imitation of Julian, under whom he served. Where are the sophists now? Why are poets silent? What better speeches are sought, or what more brilliant subject? Now it would be necessary for you, just as every musical and harmonic language was set in motion, so every art of oration should announce something lofty and amazing, not only because to honor a good leader with a speech is the most just duty of all debts, but also because it is most characteristic of both to decorate the memory of one who is perfect in both. If I had not stopped my speeches prematurely (I feel it now) and if I had not set (some would say more hastily than wisely) the intention not to speak any more praiseworthy words and had not imputed to myself the wisdom of not attending public assemblies, then perhaps I would have thundered louder than the Tyrrhenian trumpets (I will say this without being afraid, as Pindar says, of the hard Momus stone), unless I had only condemned my immaturity to silence. And now, what I feel in your reasoning and what my position is, perhaps you will more likely understand from some similarity. Like one of the hottest horses, I cut the platform with my feet, gnaw at the bit, raise my ears up, breathe from my nostrils with rage, look menacingly, spew foam, but I remain behind the barrier, because the law does not give me the freedom to escape. So what? When it’s already necessary, what can I do? Should I stop talking altogether and silently marvel at your prowess, leaving others to praise you? No! But let others be among those who praise something else in you, whatever anyone wants and whoever can. Without a doubt, you will provide a sufficient subject for many speeches and words of praise if everyone begins to praise you, choosing for this part of your virtues. Some will choose management of public affairs, and at the same time prudence and hard work; because will anyone with greater insight than you invent what is needed, or will what was invented be carried out more efficiently than you? Others will take for themselves the scales of justice, just as you, in the clear light, sort out litigation and, with your exaltation, deliver high triumph to Themis. Although your sword is terrible because it can strike, yet, since it does not strike anyone, it is a shrine. You do not possess it in order to punish those who have sinned, but with the intention that no one even sins, and that everyone submits to your thoughts more than to the power of others, for whom insolence is the law. Let others be amazed in you at the power of the gift of speech, and, if you like, at all types of this gift, as far as the ability to evaluate what is said and the ability to say it yourself is concerned; because you are able to judge the gift of speech and even more capable of speaking yourself, so that one is likened in you to a golden ball or Homer’s level, which determines the equal height of Eumelus’ horses, and the other surpasses even the winter snows. Now you give out rewards for your exploits with the same skill with which you yourself labored before. Let others praise your severity, fused with meekness, and the fact that in your very pleasantness, as in the lion’s leaps, there is nothing humiliating in you. Others will point out how gold, powerful and revered by others, with other honorary titles, was not respected at your court and fled from there; and this alone is beyond both hearing and probability for everyone. And some poet, free and independent in art, will sing you a rural song, gathering a round dance of farmers, and, having harvested the ripe ears of corn, weave them into the most pleasant wreath, and place grape branches intertwined with ivy and curls on the head. “These,” he will say, “are the beginnings of the offerings of agriculture, which you again returned to people. And let the stones give you milk, and the springs flow honey, and let every plant, both carefully raised and wild, be covered with tender fruits!” These are ordinary images among poets when they want to imagine that the earth is bringing its gifts to someone. When all this, as I said, will be spoken and invented by others (because everything of its own not only delights, as the lyricists believe, but most of all, usually, amuses), then I will say about what I mainly admire and what I admire in your virtues, namely, that you show yourself to be above the difficulties of the time. Although by faith you are a pagan and you pay tribute to the current autocrat to his power, yet you serve not as flatterers who follow the times serve, but as friends of the beautiful and people of a high way of thinking; and as much as you fulfill your duty, you maintain goodwill towards your fatherland and in mortal affairs you acquire immortal glory. One of your commendable qualities is that with such a burden of government, you pay a little respect and friendship and with so many things to do, you find leisure not only to remember your friends, but also to honor them with your letters, to testify to your love for them and to attract everyone to you. For all this, I do not wish you anything great for glorification (because even though your power has received an increase, your virtue cannot receive any increase), but one thing that will replace everything and what is most important, namely, that you finally unite with us and with God, and stand on the side of the persecuted, and not the persecutors; because one is driven by the desire of time, and the other contains immortal salvation. 11. To Gregory of Nyssa (16) He reprimands him for the fact that, having left the position of reader, he intends to devote himself to rhetoric (366). I have something good in my nature (I myself can boast of one thing out of many). For bad advice I am equally annoyed with myself and with my friends. And since those who live according to God and are guided by the same Gospel are all friends and relatives among themselves, then why not listen from me if I speak openly about what everyone is talking about, but only in a whisper? They do not praise your, in your opinion, inglorious glory, your little by little deviation to the worse and this ambition, which, as Euripides says, is more evil than demons. What happened to you, wise husband? Why were you angry with yourself, throwing away the sacred, easily understood books that you once read to the people? Aren't you ashamed hearing this? Or did he put them under the smoke, where they put helms and picks for the winter, and took salty and hard-to-read books in his hands and wanted to be better called a rhetorician than a Christian? But for me, the latter is much better than the former, and all thanks to God for that. And you, excellent one, do not hold on to such thoughts. And if they come, do not indulge in them for a long time, but finally change your mind, come to your senses, justify yourself before the faithful, justify yourself before God, before the altars, before the sacraments from which you have withdrawn. Don’t tell me these elegant and florid words: “Well, wasn’t I a Christian when I studied rhetoric? Wasn’t he faithful when he studied science with children?” Maybe you will become a witness to all of God. No, my wonderful one, this is not entirely fair, although we can cede some of this to you. Is it really unimportant that by your present action you are seducing others who are by nature more prone to evil, and giving them a reason to think and speak ill of you? It may be a lie, but what is the need for it? Everyone lives not for himself alone, but also for his neighbors; It is not enough to be convinced yourself if you do not convince others. Really, having entered into a fist fight in front of people or in a spectacle, taking and distributing slaps in the face, making indecent grimaces and breaking down, can you say that at heart you are chaste? This is the reasoning of an unchaste person; it is frivolous to approve of this. If you change, then I will rejoice now, said one of the Pythagorean philosophers, mourning his friend who had fallen away from him. If not, he wrote, then you are dead to me. But I won’t say this out of love for you. For he, being a friend, became an enemy, although, however, a friend, as the tragedy says. And I will try to heal you if (for it is more modest to say so) you yourself do not see what is due (which is in the first row of praiseworthy deeds) and do not follow the good word of another (which is in the second row of praiseworthy). Here is my admonition! Forgive me for the sake of friendship that I am grieving, I am passionate both for you and for the entire sacred rite, and I will add for all Christians. If you need to pray with you or for you, then may God, who gives life and the dead, help your weakness! In response to the fact that he gave his wife Alipiana, daughter of Gorgonia, sister of St. Gregory, he was criticized for his short stature. You ridicule Alipiana among us, as if she were small and unworthy of your greatness, a long and huge giant in both height and strength! Now I have only learned that the soul is measured, and virtue is valued by weight, that wild stones are more valuable than pearls, and crows are preferable to nightingales. Take for yourself the size and height of several cubits and in no way be inferior to the reapers of Ceres, because you ride a horse, throw a spear, your concern is chasing animals, but she has no such things to do; It doesn’t take much strength to wield a shuttle, handle a spinning wheel and sit at a weaving mill - “and this is an advantage for women.” But if you add how she is bent to the ground in prayer and always converses with God with high movements of her mind, then what do your height and your physical growth mean before that? Look at her timely silence; listen when he speaks; Consider how you are not attached to clothes, how courageous you are like a woman, how you care about your home, how you love your husband, and then you will say in the words of this Lacedaemonian: “Truly, the soul is not measured; and the external man must keep in mind the internal.” If you take this into account, you will stop joking and laughing at her short stature, and call yourself happy for being married to her. He entrusts the case of his nephew Nikovul, the husband of Alipiana, daughter of Gorgonieva, to his petition. I praise the saying of Theognis, who, while not approving of friendship that lasts only while we drink and are together, praises friendship shown in practice. What is he writing? There are many friends at the cup, You and I did not drink from the same cup and were not together often (although, of course, this should have been due to our friendship and the friendship of our fathers), but we demand goodwill from each other in business. There is a feat ahead, and even a very important one, because our son Nikovul is in unexpected troubles, from whom he least thought to have trouble. Therefore, I ask you to come and help, pronouncing judgment as quickly as possible and protecting us if you find us offended. And if not, then at least don’t go over to the other side, giving up your freedom for little gain, which you have always enjoyed, as we know from everyone’s common testimony. He asks to assist his cousins ​​in the sale of the estate, the purchase of which got them into trouble. Do both yourself and me one benefit, which you will not often do, because the occasions for such benefits do not arise often. Give your most fair protection to the gentlemen - my cousins, who saw a lot of trouble with the estate, which they bought as convenient for privacy and represented the opportunity to have some support in its maintenance, but from which, from the very time they bought it, they were subjected to many troubles and partly experience displeasure from ill-intentioned sellers, and partly suffer oppression and insults from neighbors; why would it be profitable for them, taking their price with those costs, however, not small, which they made after the purchase, to free themselves from this estate. If you wish, transfer the purchase to yourself, revising the condition so that it is as good and safe as possible; and it will be pleasant for them and for me. If this is not acceptable, show another kindness: on your own behalf, resist the attachment and ill-intention of this person, so that, due to their inexperience in business, he will certainly take advantage over them in one thing, either by offending while they own the property, or by causing a loss when they decide to get rid of it. But I am ashamed to write about this, because we are equally obliged to take care of them both by kinship and by choice of life. For who should we care more about if not such people? And what could be more shameful than not trying to provide such a benefit? But whether you are for yourself, for me, for them, or for all of this together, just be sure to do them a favor. Greets him on his return and asks for a friendly disposition towards Elladius and Eulalia, nephews of St. Gregory. It’s good that you are returning to us, albeit after a long time; However, it’s even better that your affairs flow according to your desire and you saved me from worrying about you, because you and I have everything in common - both sorrow and joy: this is the property of friendship. And since you have returned, give your friends your happiness, as someone says; You will give, if, as in everything else, you deign to look at the sovereigns of my cousins, Helladius and Eulalius, in a friendly manner (I call it a friendly view, if you do not consider us strangers to you, because I can’t say anything more than that), then you will not tolerate them having the need for other patrons, but you yourself will be everything to them: a good friend, an honest neighbor, and a courageous intercessor, and, not to mention all separately, the noble Lollian, known for his righteousness. I promise that if you talk with them longer and see the height of their wisdom, then you yourself will begin to intercede for them before others. I rely so much on your character and have so many hopes that what I asked for will not remain unfulfilled! 16. To Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea (12) Convinces him to change his disposition towards St. Basil, against whom he was unjustly indignant (365). Since I am addressing a person who does not like lies and who reveals lies in others more insightfully than anyone, no matter how much they are confused by the most cunning and varied twists, besides, I myself (let it be said, although it is not easy to say) do not like cunning, both by my natural disposition and by the inspiration of Scripture, then I write for this reason what is in my heart. Descend to my boldness; otherwise you will offend me, depriving me of freedom and forcing me to hide painful grief within myself, like some kind of purulent and malignant faith. How I rejoice that you do me honor (if I am also a man, as someone said before) and invite me to spiritual conferences and meetings - so hard for me is the insult that the most venerable brother Vasily suffered and still suffers from your reverence, from the very beginning I was chosen and to this day remains for me a companion of life, teaching and the highest philosophy; and I do not condemn myself at all for such an election, because it would be more modest to say so, otherwise they will think that by praising his perfections, I am praising myself. But you, humiliating him and honoring me, in my opinion, act almost the same as if someone began to stroke the same person on the head with one hand and hit him on the cheek with the other, or, having broken the foundation of a house, began to paint its walls and decorate its exterior. Therefore, if you are at all convinced by my word, then you will do it my way. And I ask you to make sure, because this is fair. If you treat him as you should, he will serve you. And my job is to follow him, like shadows following a body, because I am a small person, disposed to the world, and have not yet reached such a pitiful state that, wanting to be wise in other ways and belong to the better side, I lose sight of what is most important in our teaching - namely, love, especially love for the priest, a respectable man, of whom I know that in life, word and rules he is superior to all those known to me. And sorrow itself will not darken the truth in me. Justified by the courage of the previous letter. What I wrote is not so much offensive as you complained about my letter, but spiritual, wise, and fair, unless it also insults the most learned Eusebius. But although you are higher in degree, nevertheless, give me a little freedom and fair boldness, and therefore be more favorable to us. If you judge my letter as the letter of a minister who is obliged to look you in the eye, then in this case I will accept blows and will not cry. Or will this also be blamed on me? But it is more fitting for anyone else than for your reverence to do so, because it is more common for a generous person to accept free speech from friends than flattery from enemies. He expresses his readiness to be with him in Caesarea along with St. Vasily. And in other cases, before your reverence, I did not act basely - do not blame me for this - but, having allowed myself a little freedom and courage, in order to somehow alleviate and heal the grief, I immediately submitted, humbled myself and voluntarily submitted myself to the rule. And how could he not do this, knowing you and the laws of the Spirit? And now, even if I were extremely low and cowardly, time itself does not allow this, and these beasts attacking the Church, as well as your nobility and courage, which so purely and sincerely fights for the Church. Therefore, if you wish, we will come to unite our prayers with you, strive together, and serve you, and, like children who encourage an excellent fighter to act, with our proclamations to inspire you in the struggle. 19. To Basil the Great (15) Notifying about the change in the bishop's disposition towards him. Eusebius, convinces him to write to him and then go to Caesarea, and he himself volunteers to be his companion. Here is an opportunity to show prudence and patience, so that no one turns out to be more courageous than us and so that so much work and effort is not destroyed in a short time! Why and for what reason am I writing this? Our most God-loving Bishop Eusebius (for this is how we need to think and write about him) is very disposed towards reconciliation and friendship with us and is softened by time, like iron by fire. I think that a letter of petition and invitation will come to you, as he informed me about, and many of those who know reliably about his dispositions assure me. Let us warn him either by our arrival, or by letter, or better yet, first by letter, and then by arrival, so that later we do not remain in shame, as if we were defeated, when we could have won ourselves, having beautifully and wisely conceded victory over ourselves, as many are asking us to do. So, listen to me and come, both for the above reason and for the sake of the present time, because a crowd of heretics is attacking the Church: some have already appeared and are causing trouble, while others are heard to appear, and there is a danger that the teaching of the truth may be perverted if the spirit of Bezalel, the wise architect of such teachings and dogmas, is not quickly moved. If you deem it necessary for me to come and be your assistant and companion, then I will not shy away from this either. Having learned about his deliverance from the threat of death during the earthquake that happened in Nicaea, he invites him to his place and convinces him to leave worldly life (368). For right-thinking people, fear is not useless; I will even say that it is extremely beautiful and life-saving. Although we do not wish for ourselves that anything terrible should happen to us, we are nevertheless mindful of what has happened; because the suffering soul is close to God, the wonderfully-verbal Peter says somewhere, and everyone who has escaped danger has a stronger attachment to the Savior. Therefore, let us not be upset that we participated in the disaster, but, on the contrary, let us give thanks that we escaped the disaster, and we will not be different before God during dangers, but different after dangers. But whether we live on a foreign side, whether we lead a private life, whether we perform public service, we will desire one thing (we should always talk about this and never stop talking) - we will desire to follow the One by whom we were saved and belong to His property, not caring much about what is of little value and creeps on the earth. And to those who will live after us, let us leave such a narrative for ourselves, which would greatly serve our glory, and much also for the benefit of our souls. But this is the most useful lesson for many, that danger is better than safety and disaster is preferable to prosperity. If before fear we belonged to the world, then after fear we began to belong to God. But perhaps I seem boring to you, writing many times about the same thing, and you consider my words not as advice, but as grandeur. Therefore, enough about this; however, for me, be sure that I earnestly wish and pray most of all that you and I can be together, arrange what is necessary for your salvation and talk about it finally; and even if this had not been possible, then, having met you here as soon as possible, we would organize a thanksgiving holiday together with you. 21. To Sophronius the Iparch (25) He asks his favor for his nephew Nikovul. Gold, although it is altered and transformed in one way or another, converted into various decorations, undergoing many artificial processings, nevertheless remains gold, and does not change in substance, but only in appearance. So, believing that your rightness remains the same for people, even if you constantly ascend higher and higher, I dare to present you with my next request, not so much fearing your rank as having confidence in your morals. Be merciful to my venerable son Nicovul, who is in close connection with me in everything - both by kinship, and by closeness of contact, and, more importantly, by morals. What and how much does he need your mercy? In everything in which he needs your help and as much as you deem appropriate for your great mind. And I will repay you for this with the best of all that I have. I have the gift of speech and the opportunity to become a herald of your virtue, if not to the extent of your dignity, then to the extent of my strength. Intercedes for Amphilochius, who was accused of taking upon himself the defense of a worthless person, deceived by his friendship. Just as gold and precious stones are recognized by one type, so it would be appropriate that good and bad could be recognized immediately and without a long trial. Then few words would be needed for me, who, to your generosity, am asking for our dearest son Amphilochius. I can rather hope for something incredible and extraordinary than think that he will do or think something ignoble for the sake of money. So much everyone, by general agreement, ascribes to him righteousness and prudence, exceeding even his age! But what to do? Nothing escapes envy when ridicule also touched this person, who was accused of simplicity, and not of depravity of morals. But do not suffer indifferently to see how they torment him with slander; I ask you this for the sake of your sacred and great soul; almost fatherland, help virtue, respect me, who was famous for you and glorified by you, and replace everyone with this man, adding to your power and will; because, as far as I know, everything is inferior to your virtue. Amphilochius is interceding in the same case. Do not be surprised at this if what we ask is important, because we are asking an important person from a person, and the request must be commensurate with the person you are asking. For it is equally indecent to ask for little for something great, and to ask something great for something small: one is inappropriate, the other is petty. With my own hand I bring to you our most honest son Amphilochius, a man very famous for his righteousness, even more than one would expect from his age; why I myself, an elder, a priest and your friend, would like to be understood in the same way about me. If he, caught by the friendship of another, did not foresee slander, is this surprising? Since he himself was not cunning, he did not suspect cunning, thinking about himself that he needed to be more concerned about the correctness of his speech than his character; on this basis entered into cooperation. What's wrong with this for right-thinking people? Therefore, do not place vice above virtue; do not dishonor my gray hair, but, on the contrary, respect my testimony; and lay your love for mankind as the foundation for my blessings, which may have some power with God, Whom I stand before. He asks him, as the king of eloquence, to stand up for Amphilochius. Eloquence is in danger, and now is your time, if you are the king of eloquence. Moreover, my Amphilochius is your friend through your father, and, I will add, he is the kind of person who does not bring shame to either his father’s family or our friendship, unless I am a bad judge in such things. The most important thing for a wise man, like you especially, is that he is involved in affairs without having done anything bad. And although all this in itself is very easy, for me the hardest thing is to appear inattentive to the matter. So I do everything I can; but I can ask those who have the opportunity to do good; because in the situation in which I am now, nothing else is possible for me. And you justify the word of your Plato, who said that evil will not cease in cities until power comes together with wisdom. You have both. Give your hand to someone in need, advising him what he should do, and providing help. There is no better opportunity for you to develop wisdom than now to embark on a feat for truth; and besides this, you will do good to me, your praiser. He asks Ozizala to send some greenery for St. Vasily. We did not ask you for bread, just as we did not ask for water from the inhabitants of Ostrakina. And if we ask the inhabitant of Ozizala for greenery, of which you have an abundance and of which we have a great shortage, then this is not surprising and not out of custom. Therefore, deign to send us more and better greens, or as much as you can, because even a little is great for the poor. And since we also entertain the great Vasily, beware lest you, having already experienced the wisdom of the well-fed Vasily, experience the hungry and indignant one. He reprimands him for sending only quinoa instead of the requested greens. How sparingly the greenery comes to us from you! And what, besides quinoa? Meanwhile, all your wealth is gardens and rivers, groves and meadows, and your side is as abundant in greenery as others’ gold-bearing ones, and you feed on meadow flowers. And your grains of grain are a fabulous blessing, and bread, as they say about the bread of angels, is also desirable and is not always possible. Therefore, supply us with more abundant greens, or we will not make other threats, but will hold back our grain reserves; and then we will find out whether grasshoppers really feed on dew alone. Playfully depicts the Ozizala desert, in which St. Amphilochius, later Bishop of Iconium, pursued asceticism, leaving judicial affairs. You're kidding. And I know the danger of Ozizala, which starves when it is most diligently cultivated. One thing that is commendable about it is that, although they die of hunger there, they nevertheless smell fragrant and have a magnificent coffin ready for themselves. Why is this? Because they are covered in many different colors. Sending the Pamphylian Glaucus to him, he asks to treat him in the Ozizale desert. When I visited the mountains and the cities of Pamphylia lying near the mountains, I caught the sea Glaucus there on the mountains, not with linen nets extracting this fish from the depths, but with the love of friends, drawing the prey into the net. How soon did this Glaucus learn to walk on land, I send him with letters to your kindness; Receive him kindly and be rewarded with the green treat praised in Scripture. 29. To Sophronius the Iparch (24) On the occasion of the death of Caesarea, discussing the vicissitudes of everything human, Sophronius, as a friend of Caesarea, asks not to allow the estate left after his brother to be plundered. You see what our fate is and how the wheel of human life is turned over; today some, tomorrow others bloom and fade; What we call success and what we call failure, all this is impermanent, quickly passes and turns; and therefore you can trust the winds and writings on the water more than human well-being. Why is this so? In order, I think, so that, seeing inconstancy and changeability in this, we would strive more towards God and the future and take some care for ourselves, and care little about shadows and dreams. But why do I say this? It’s not without reason that I wax philosophical, and it’s not without purpose that I express myself highly. Your Caesarea was once not one of the last; even, if I am not deceived, as a brother, he was a very prominent man, famous for his learning, surpassed many in his truthfulness and was famous for his many friends. And that among them you and your nobility were the first, and he himself thought so, and assured us. Of course, this was the case before; and you will add something even more from yourself, giving him funeral honor, because all people by their very nature are disposed to give something more as a gift to the deceased. But even now, do not let this word pass without tears, or shed a tear for good and benefit! Here he lies dead, without friends, abandoned by everyone, pitiful, awarded a small amount of myrrh (if only this is true) and meager, inexpensive covers (which also means a lot, because it was given to him out of pity). Meanwhile, as I hear, enemies have attacked, and some are already plundering his property with complete freedom, others intend to plunder it - what insensitivity! what cruelty! And there is no one to stop this; The most philanthropic person shows that one mercy that calls on the laws to help. And, in short, we, who were once considered lucky, have now become a parable. Don't be indifferent to this; but, on the contrary, share both our grief and our indignation; show mercy to the dead Caesarea, I ask you about this for the sake of friendship itself, for the sake of everything dear to you, for the sake of your hopes, which you make favorable for yourself, showing yourself to be faithful and sincere to the deceased, so that through this you can show mercy to the living and make them trustworthy. Don't you think that we are grieving for property? For us, the most unbearable shame is if they draw the conclusion that only Caesar had no friends - Caesar, who was thought to have many friends. So, this is the request and this is who it is from, because I, too, may be worth something in your attention. And what, how and how you should help, the deeds themselves will tell you about this, but your prudence will consider this. Expresses to him, as a comrade of Caesarea and his own, grief over the death of Caesarea (369). I lost Caesarea. And although passion is not a matter of philosophy, nevertheless, I will say that I love everything that is Caesarea; and whatever I see that reminds me of him, I hug and kiss it, and as if I imagine that I see him himself, I am with him, I am talking with him. So it was with me now, when I received your letter. As soon as I read the inscription of the letter, this sweet name for me, this sweet object - the name of Philagria, suddenly everything that was once pleasant came to my mind, a way of life, a common table, poverty and, as Homer says, kind companionship, or jokes, or practical activities, learned works, common mentors, the sublimity of hopes, finally, everything that can be praised from that time and that mainly makes me happy with one memories. Therefore, in order to talk to us about this even more, do not leave your writing alone and, do me a favor, write to me. Without any doubt, this is not unimportant to me; although envy, having arranged my affairs so sadly, deprived me of the most important thing - to be with you. With his advice he strengthens the feat of patience, sending one of the requested books - Demosthenes, but refuses another - the Iliad, because he did not find it at home. What is regrettable for you is, of course, regrettable for me too, because, as the rules of friendship require, we make common everything that friends have, whether it is good or bad. However, if I think a little about this and talk with you as I should, which, of course, the very law of friendship inspires, then I do not want and do not consider it good that you, being a Philagrius and having studied the divine well, should suffer in this the same thing that many suffer, that is, you would become exhausted along with your body and begin to mourn your suffering as inconsolable. On the contrary, I want you to be wise even in suffering, now especially to purify your thoughts, to show that you are above the bonds and consider illness to be an instruction in useful things, and this means that you despise the body and everything corporeal, everything that is fleeting, impermanent and soon perishes, you completely surrender to the things above, instead of the present you live in the future, turning this life here, as Plato says, into the thought of death, and, to the best of his ability, detaching the soul from the body, or, in Plato’s language, from the tomb. If you are so wise and have such a disposition of spirit, my excellent one, then you will do yourself a very great benefit, and you will take away from us the reason to grieve for you, and you will teach many to be wise in suffering, and besides, you will receive no small benefit (if you care about it at all), making everyone wonder at you. Of the books you asked for, I found one and willingly sent it to you, namely the works of Demosthenes, but the other you demanded, that is, the Iliad, I could not send, not having it with me. For be sure that this is the only thing I can enjoy, and I consider this one thing to be a wonderful property for myself, in which you can also participate and use it as your property. He praises him for his patience and presents examples of patience among the pagans. It is good that you are wise in suffering and for many you serve as an example of patience in sorrow. Just as you used bodily tools for all the best when you were healthy, so now you use them perfectly, although you have become sick, and I will say this: even in inaction you do not remain inactive, because you are wise, and what, as they say, Diogenes called by this name, once suffering from a fever and patiently enduring an illness, you yourself allow us to see, that is, the struggle of the soul with the body. So it was fitting for my Philagrios - not to weaken and not become exhausted in suffering, but to despise the dust; and allow the body to endure, which is natural to it, without fail, according to the law of nature, either now or later, having to collapse, because it will die, exhausted either by illness or by time; and to elevate ourselves in soul, to ascend in thoughts to God and to know that it would be incongruous for us to be wise without danger, but to turn out to be unwise in our needs and to betray our promise. You have exhausted everything with your mind, everything that is ours and everything that is foreign, as a person who has studied both, and as a teacher of others, and from everything you have collected a medicine for humanity. But if you order me to be a little wise with you, then I do not praise the limited concept of Aristotle, who, while defining our bliss, still follows the straight path when he claims that it is an action of the soul consistent with virtue, and even when he adds: action in a perfect life (and in this he acts very wisely, due to the vicissitudes and changeability of our nature); but it ceases to be sublime and becomes extremely low when it adds that bliss is also external abundance. Why, if someone is poor, or sick, or homeless, or expelled from the fatherland, bliss is already forbidden to him. I praise the nobility and lofty thoughts of the Stoics, who say that external things do not in the least hinder bliss and that a valiant man is blessed, even if he were burned in the bull of Phalaris. And therefore, just as I am amazed at those among us who went into danger for a wonderful cause or bravely endured disasters, I am also amazed at those from outside who came close to ours, such as, not to mention many, Anaxarchus, Epictetus, Socrates. Anaxarchus, when, at the order of the tormentor, his hands were pounded in a mortar, he ordered the performers to beat out Anaxarchus’s bag, calling our pitiful flesh by this name, as if the blows did not touch Anaxarchus himself, that is, the soul of the philosopher (and in our country this is distinguished by the names of the external and internal man). Epictetus, when they stretched and twisted his leg, philosophized as if in someone else's body, and they rather broke his leg than noticed that he felt the violence. And Socrates, condemned to death by the Athenians and living, as is known, in prison, first talked with his disciples about the body as about another prison, and when he could escape, he abandoned it; and then, when the hemlock was brought to him, he took the poison with great pleasure, as if not a mortal drink, but a healthy cup. I would add our Job to them if I didn’t know that you yourself, with God’s help, are not far from his suffering now, and will not be far from now on. With this, I think, by calming and healing yourself, O divine and sacred head, you yourself alleviate suffering for yourself, and you make us happy, filled with wonder and love for you, not weakening in illness and not being tempted, as the divine David says, by the world of sinners (Ps. 72:3) and the happy course of their present life, but being cleansed by suffering, if it is allowed to say this about you, and turning weakness into a means to virtue. He asks not to pay attention to those who reproach him, that despite the disorder of his physical health he remains hardworking. Others reproach you, as I guess that you love to decorate your only property and in such a bodily state you do not leave your work. This is not surprising; because it is easier to philosophize about other people's affairs than about one's own. And if I saw that you were exceeding the limit in this, indulging in hard work or out of self-interest, or by force, then, to tell the truth, I would scold you, not ashamed of either friendship or learning. If you love work, but not beyond measure, and what you work on, you use as it should, and an illness is added to this, which does not give you peace even in the midst of worries and assures that the physical is higher than the body for you, then I cannot help but scold those who scold you, but you cannot be freed from accusation. And besides, I assure myself that, just as no one judges your affairs better than you - because everyone, in their affairs, both privately and publicly, takes you as a teacher and adviser - so no one will take care of the soul with greater wisdom. If protecting and restoring bodily health is a matter of medical art alone, who would be so impudent and ignorant as to prescribe rules for you in this? Therefore, do not pay attention to people and let them be jackdaws who judge the flight of eagles, and have yourself and God as an adviser about illness and everything that concerns illness; and you will not sin against duty. She recalls her meeting with him in Mataz and the conversation while reading the 72nd Psalm. I remember our date with you, the last time we were together in my Mataz - for I call you and honor you as mine - I also remember your wisdom, which you indulged in then, which even now I come to tremble when I remember it. I (as you yourself ordered, and it was impossible to contradict you) explained to you the seventy-second psalm, in which David becomes perplexed and indignant, seeing the prosperity of evil people, and then, turning his thoughts to the judgment courts there and to the awaiting reward for the deeds of this life, thus stopping in his confusion and healing his sorrow. As much as possible, I inclined my interpretation to your suffering, borrowing thoughts both from ours and from external scriptures, because I was talking with a learned and experienced person, moreover, such reasoning was inspired by the Spirit and encouraged by grief, which is most inventive. Our speech flowed; suddenly, in the middle of a conversation, as if having received a blow, you stand up, raise your hands to the sky and, turning your gaze to the east, because there was a view there, you cry out: “I thank You, Father and Creator of Your people, that against our will you do good to us, through the external person you cleanse the internal and through misfortunes you bring us to a blissful end by means known to You alone!” And should I repeat all those wise reasonings that you led me to and that you did yourself, as if rejoicing in your illness? Then the teacher became your student. But why did I mention this? One thing I cry out to everyone and preach through you, namely: we should mourn vicious people more for their internal illness than they should mourn us when our outer man is sick; and wise illness is better than unbridled prosperity. Notifies about the extreme disorder of his health. Previously, I wrote letters of comfort to you in your illness, because you were the first to fall into illness; and now, it seems, you already need to console me, who suffer almost equally with you; because we, being friends, should not disagree on this. But it’s better to say that you have already provided consolation, with your patience and exhorting me to be patient. About what he consoles himself with when suffering from illness. I suffer from illness and rejoice not because I suffer, but because I can be a teacher of patience for others. For when I cannot do anything without suffering, I gain from suffering the fact that I endure it and give thanks both in joys and sorrows, being confident that everything that happens to us is not without a reasonable reason in the Word, although it seems to us that there is no such reason. He asks for his protection for Eudoxius, the son of the rhetorician Eudoxius. Honoring your mother is a sacred thing. But everyone has their own mother, and the mother common to all is the homeland. You honored her, however, with the splendor of your life in all respects; but you will also honor me if you now respect me by heeding my request. What is my request? Without a doubt, you know the most eloquent rhetorician in our fatherland, Eudoxius. His son, I will say briefly, a different Eudoxius both in life and in the gift of speech, now appears to you. Therefore, in order to make you even more famous, be merciful to this person, no matter what he asks for your protection. For it is a shame for you, when you have become the general patron of your fatherland and have already done good deeds to many, and I will add that you will do many more, not to honor above all the one who surpasses everyone in the gift of speech, not to honor eloquence itself, which, if for no other reason, then it is right to respect the fact that it praises your virtues. He asks Eudoxius, the son of the rhetorician Eudoxius, to guide him in education. A Spartan is distinguished by a spear, Pelopidas by a shoulder, and the great Themistius by learning. For, although you surpass everyone else in everything, learning, as far as I know, is the most significant of your virtues. She connected us with each other at the very beginning, if only I know anything about the sciences; she has now convinced me to embrace courage. But if you recognize the person I am asking for, then perhaps you will approve of my boldness. I present to you the son of the famous Eudoxius and also my son Eudoxius, who is very worthy of attention both in life and in his gift of speech, as you yourself will find if, according to the proverb, you apply a rope to a stone (what other measure is more accurate than you), and for me, especially amiable both because of his father’s friendship and no less because of his own virtue. Therefore, do a favor to this man, as if you were doing a favor to me, and to the honor of your learning, deign to help your son move forward. He needs to gain fame for himself through sciences and in order to succeed in them in order to earn food for himself. And what and how he needs to learn, he himself will explain to you; your learning and your prudence will subject this to their discretion. Asks for his friendship and protection of the Amazon. I wish my friends that everything will be successful. And when I call someone friends, I mean wonderful, kind people, united with me by bonds of virtue, because I myself strive for virtue. Therefore, now, having looked for the most important thing to give to our venerable brother Amazonia (for I greatly admired him during my recent meeting with him), I decided that instead of everything I should give him one thing - your friendship and your patronage. In a short time he showed great learning - both learning of the kind that I myself aspired to when I still had little sight, and learning of the kind that I care about now, when I have seen the heights of virtue. But whether I mean anything to him in relation to virtue, you will see for yourself; For my part, I show my friend that I have the best thing - friends. And as I recognize you as my first and sincere friend, I want you to appear to him as you should be, both at the request of the common fatherland, and at the request of my word and my love, which promises him your guardianship instead of everything. 40. To Basil the Great (33) Pronouncing St. Vasily, who, under the pretext of his illness, called St. Gregory to Caesarea, when a new bishop was being elected there to replace the deceased Eusebius, explains the reasons why he returned from the road (370). Do not be surprised if it seems that I am saying something strange and that no one has said before. In my opinion, although you have acquired the reputation of a constant person, without sin and with a strong mind, you nevertheless undertake and do many things more simply than infallibly. For he who is free from vice does not suddenly suspect vice. It happened now too. You called me to the metropolis when it was necessary to confer on the election of a bishop. And what a plausible and convincing pretext! You pretended that you were sick, that you were on your last legs, that you wanted to see me and convey to me your last will. I didn’t know where this was going and how I would help the cause with my arrival, but I set off, greatly upset by the news. For what is greater to me than your life, or what is more sorrowful than your departure? I shed springs of tears, sobbed, and for the first time I learned about myself that I had not yet established myself in philosophy. For why was he not filled with funeral sobs? When I learned that bishops were gathering in the city, I stopped on the way and marveled, firstly, at how you did not take care of decency and were not careful about the language of people who are most likely to slander the simple-minded; secondly, do you think that the same thing is not appropriate for both you and me, whom God made such friends at the beginning that life, teaching, and everything we have in common; and thirdly (let this also be said), how did you think that they would present here as reverent people, and not those who were strong in the city and loved by the people? For these reasons, I turned the stern and went back. And you yourself, if you like, I wish to avoid real rebellions and evil suspicions; and then I will see your reverence when things settle down and time allows me; I’ll see you and then I’ll scold you more and harder. 41. To the inhabitants of Caesarea on behalf of the father (34) Parent of St. Gregory the Theologian, explaining to the Caesarea residents how important the election of a bishop is, refuses due to illness to be present at this election and proposes St. Vasily. I am a small shepherd, the head of a small flock and the last of the servants of the Spirit. But grace is not constrained, it is not limited by place. Therefore, let the little ones be allowed to be bold, especially when the conversation is about common and so important matters; and the little ones give advice with such gray hair, which, perhaps, will turn out to be something smarter than many. You are having a meeting not about an unimportant and ordinary matter, but about one that, whether it is thought up well or badly, will necessarily entail that the community will be one or the other. We have a word about the Church for which Christ died, a word about the one who will represent and lead her to God. The lamp of the body, as we hear, is the eye (Matthew 6:22), not only the bodily eye, which sees and is visible, but also the spiritual eye, which contemplates and is contemplated. And the lamp of the Church is the bishop, as you yourself know, even if I didn’t write it. Therefore, just as the eye needs to be clean in order for the body to move correctly, and when the eye is unclean and the body moves incorrectly, so together with the head of the Church, as he will be, the Church is either endangered or saved. Every Church must be taken care of as the Body of Christ, and even more so about yours, which in the beginning was the mother of almost all Churches, and even now is such, and is recognized as such, and to which everyone is turned, like a circle to its center, not only because of Orthodoxy, preached to everyone from ancient times, but also because of the grace of unanimity obviously granted to it by God. So, since you invited me to discuss this, having acted in this correctly and in accordance with the rules, and I am held back by old age and infirmity, then how, if I had appeared personally, with the assistance of the strengthening Spirit (for for believers there is nothing incredible), it would have been better for everyone and more pleasant for me, because I would have helped you in some way, and I myself would have shared the blessings - even though I was unable to fulfill Therefore, due to the illness that has overcome me, I will help the absent person as much as possible. I am sure that there are others worthy of presiding over you, because your city is extensive and from ancient times was governed well and by men of high [life]; but none of those you respect can be preferred to our most God-loving son, Presbyter Basil - a man (I say this before God as a witness), who in life and in teaching has achieved purity more than anyone else (and what is most important), both capable of resisting the present time and the prevailing idle talk of heretics. I am writing this to both priests and monastics, those vested with governmental and advisory powers, as well as to all the people. If there is agreement to this, and my voice prevails, as sound and right as spoken with God himself, then I am spiritually present, and will be present, with you, or better yet, I will lay my hand and dare in spirit. Otherwise, if there is no consent to this, and such cases will be judged by fraternity and kinship, and the hand of the rebellious crowd again violates the justice of the court, do what you please, and I will stay away from it. 42. To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata, on behalf of his father (36) 6 By this letter and through its bearer, Deacon Eustathius, he invites Eusebius to meet with him and to assist in the election of St. Basil, Bishop of Caesarea. Who will give me a krill like a dove (Ps. 54:7)? Or how will my old age be renewed, so that I can reach your love, quench the desire I have to see you, describe to you the sadness of my soul and find from you any consolation in sorrows? From the time when the blessed Bishop Eusebius died, I was not a little afraid that those who from time to time creep into the Church of our metropolis and want to fill it with heretical tares, taking advantage of the time, with their crafty teachings, would not eradicate piety, sown with great difficulty in the souls of men, and would not dissect the unity of the Church, which they have already done in many Churches. Since a letter came to me from the clergy, in which they beg not to leave them at such a time without care, then, looking around me, I remembered your love, the right faith and zeal that you always have for the churches of God. Therefore, I sent to you my beloved co-deacon Eustathius to ask for your dignity and to beg that you and the present one would add to your previous works on the churches, so that by meeting with me you would calm my old age and establish in this Orthodox Church the piety known to all, together with me (if I am worthy to be associated with you in this good work) by giving a shepherd, according to the will of the Lord, capable of ruling the people of God. I have a husband in mind, and he’s not unknown to you. If we had been worthy to acquire it, I know that we would have acquired great boldness before God and would have done a great good deed to the people who invited us. But I beg you more than once, putting aside any slowdown, hit the road and prevent the troubles of the winter road. 43. To the bishops on behalf of the father (35) He also casts his vote for St. to the bishops who gathered in Caesarea to elect a bishop. Vasily, however, pretending to them that the invitation was made by them after the start of the case. How affectionate, humane and abundant in love you are! You invite me to the metropolis, as I think, for a conference about the bishop, for I guess your thought. Without notifying me of what is to appear, why and when, you suddenly announce that you have started something, as if you had the wrong idea to do me honor, or you are not concerned about me being with you, but are trying to reject my presence so that nothing happens against my will. This is your action; and I bear this insult; I’ll explain to you what my opinion is. Others offer, of course, others, each according to their own morals and for their own benefits, which usually happens in such cases. But I cannot (and it would not be fair) to prefer anyone to our most honorable son, co-presbyter Vasily. For who among those known to us will we find either more worthy of approval in life, or in speech more powerful and in all respects adorned with the beauty of virtue? If his physical weakness is an excuse, then you choose not a fighter, but a teacher. And besides, this is already a sign of strength, which strengthens and supports the weak, if they exist. If you accept this voice, then I am ready to be with you and assist you, either spiritually or physically. And if the journey is offered to me with conditions and differences are ready to prevail over the truth, then I am glad that you are despised. This will be your business; pray for me. 44. To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata (37) St. Gregory the Theologian, on his own behalf, thanks for the consent to the election of St. Basil as Bishop of Caesarea and notifies him of his parent’s departure to Caesarea. Where should I start praising you? What word should I use to address you in order to call you more decently? Shall I call you a pillar and foundation (1 Tim. 3:15) of the Church or a light in the world (Phil. 2:15), speaking in the same way as the apostle? Or a crown of praise for the saved part of Christians? Or a gift from God, a support for the fatherland, a rule of faith, a messenger of truth? Or all these names together and many more? And I will confirm such an excess of praise with visible evidence. What timely rain fell on a thirsty land? What plentiful water from a stone is there for those wandering in the desert? What kind of bread of angels (Ps. 77:25) did man eat? To what drowning disciples did the Lord Jesus, common to all, appear at such an opportune time that he could tame the sea and save those overwhelmed (Matthew 14:23-33), just as you appeared to us, exhausted, saddened and, as it were, subjected to shipwreck? Should we talk about others? With what complacency and pleasure have you filled the souls of the Orthodox and how many have you delivered from despair? Yes, and our mother Church (I mean Caesarea), now, when you see her, truly lays aside the garments of widowhood, puts on the robe of joy and will rejoice even more when she has a shepherd worthy of herself, and the previous shepherds, and your hands. For you yourself see what our situation is and how many miracles your zeal, your labors and your boldness in God have produced. Old age is renewed, sickness is overcome, those lying on their beds rise up, and the weak are girded with strength. Therefore, I conclude that our affairs will end according to our wishes. My parent is acting for you and for me, who with this present feat for the Church will put a wonderful end to all life and honest gray hair. And I know for sure that he will return to us with strengthened and renewed strength, through your prayers, from which we can hope for everything. And if he loses his life amid these worries, then it is not a loss to be worthy of such a death in such a matter. I ask you to forgive me if, having yielded somewhat to the tongue of wicked people, I delay a little to appear to you, and hug you, and personally add to the praise what has not been said now. 45. To Basil the Great (38) He expresses his joy at his accession to the throne of Caesarea and explains the reasons why he hesitates to go to him. As soon as I learned that you were elevated to a high throne, the Spirit won, the lamp, which had not previously shone darkly, was placed on a candlestick and in full view of everyone, I confess, I was happy about it. And how could one not be happy, seeing that the common cause of the Church was in a bad situation and needed such leadership? However, I did not suddenly rush to you, and I am not in a hurry, and you yourself do not demand this; firstly, to preserve your honor for me and so that they do not think that you are gathering adherents, out of ignorance of decency and out of ardor, as envious people may say; and secondly, so that I myself could acquire constancy and blamelessness. So when you come, tell me, maybe? And until when will you put it off? Before God commands, and the shadows of those now plotting evil and harboring envy disappear. For I know well that the lepers blocking David’s entry into Jerusalem will not resist for long. To the reproaches of St. Vasily responds for his coldness towards him by praising Vasily. How? As if anything of yours is the same to me as a tossed berry on a grapevine? What word escaped you from the fence of your teeth, O divine and sacred head? Or how did you dare to say this? Is it just so that I can dare a little? How did the thought come, the ink written, the paper accept it? Sciences, Athens, virtues, works raised for the sciences! You see, what you wrote almost makes me a tragic! Do you not know me or yourself? How can something of yours, the eye of the universe, the sonorous voice and trumpet, the chamber of learning, be unimportant for Gregory? Why else would anyone on earth marvel if Gregory does not marvel at you? One spring a year, one sun between the stars, one sky that embraces everything, one voice above all - and this (if I am only able to judge such matters and love does not deceive me, which I do not think), is your voice. And if you blame me for not praising you as I should, then blame all people for this, because no one else has praised or praises as they should, as you would praise, as you would praise your great voice, if you could praise yourself and the law of praiseworthy words allowed it. And if you accuse me of contempt, then why don’t you first accuse me of madness? But if you are indignant at the fact that I am philosophical, then let me say: this is one thing and above your words. Encourages St. Basil to resist the machinations of the enemies of the Church and not be embarrassed by the fact that Anthimus, Bishop of Tyana, becoming independent from the throne of Caesarea, appropriated to himself many dioceses in the Caesarea metropolis (372). I hear that you are embarrassed by the recent innovation and are in difficulty due to some sophistry and the usual inquisitiveness of those prevailing. This is not surprising, because I know envy, and I also know that many of those around you manage their affairs through you and fan the spark of cowardice. Therefore, I am not afraid that in sorrowful circumstances you will suffer something uncharacteristic of wisdom, unworthy of yourself and me. On the contrary, I think that now my Vasily will especially make himself known, now the wisdom that you have constantly been collecting will manifest itself; now, as if with a high wave, you will defeat evil intentions and, when others [are] in confusion, you will remain unshakable. And if you wish, I will appear myself and, perhaps, give some idea, if only the sea needs water, and you need an adviser. In any case, I will gain benefit for myself and learn wisdom, enduring insults with you. He expresses his disappointment that through his ordination as Bishop of Sassim he was introduced into a relationship that was completely contrary to his spirit. Will you really not stop blaspheming me as an uneducated, rude person, unworthy of friendship and even life itself, because you dared to realize what I suffered? For I have not done you another insult, you can confirm this yourself; Yes, and I do not recognize and do not want to realize that I acted badly in front of you in anything unimportant or important, except for this one thing: that I recognized myself as deceived, and although it was too late, I nevertheless recognized it, and I blame the throne for this, which suddenly raised you above me. I am tired of listening to reproaches to you and defending you in front of people who are well aware of our previous and current relationship with you. The funniest thing, or, better said, the most deplorable thing is to experience for yourself that the same person is offended and reproached, as happened now to me. Others reproach both for this and that, each, for whatever they please, but for his own character or according to the extent of his anger at us; and the most philanthropic - in contempt, in disdain, in the fact that after being used, I am thrown into the work, like the most dishonest and worthless vessel or like a support under the vaults, which after the construction of the vault is taken out and considered for nothing. Therefore, let us give these people complete freedom; let them say what they can say; no one can restrain an unauthorized tongue. And you, as a reward, give me those blessed and empty hopes that you came up with against the detractors, because for my honor you offend me, a frivolous person and capable only of something like that. And I will express what’s on my heart; don't be angry with me; for I will say the same thing that I said during the tribulation itself; and then I was not so inflamed with anger or amazed by what happened that I lost my mind and did not know what I said. I will not look for weapons and learn military cunning, which I had not learned before, when, apparently, it was a special time, because everyone was arming themselves, everyone was going berserk (you know the ailments of the weak). I will not expose myself to the attacks of the militant Anfim, although not a very dexterous warrior, being myself unarmed, not warlike and open to wounds. But fight him yourself, if you like; for need often makes the weak warriors; or look for men who will fight when Anthimus captures your mules, guarding the narrow passages and, like the Amalekites, repelling Israel. And in return give me silence. What need is there to enter into a fight for mammals and birds, and for strangers at that, as if it were a matter of souls and the rules of the Church? Why deprive the metropolis of the glorious Sasimov or expose and reveal the secret of the heart that should be hidden? But take courage, overcome and draw everything to your glory, as spring streams are swallowed up by rivers, preferring neither friendship nor habit to virtue and piety, not caring how they will understand you for such an act, but surrendering to the one Spirit; and I will gain one benefit from your friendship: I will not trust my friends and will not prefer anything to God. 49. To Basil the Great (49) He defends himself that it was not out of laziness or negligence that he renounced the bishopric in Sasima, where St. ordained him. Vasily against his will. You reproach me for laziness and negligence, because I did not take your Sasimov, I was not carried away by the episcopal spirit, I do not arm myself with you to fight, as dogs fight among themselves for the piece thrown to them. And for me the most important thing is inaction. And in order to know to you something of my perfections, I boast so much of my carelessness that I consider the greatness of the spirit in this to be a law for everyone; and I think that if everyone imitated me, then there would be no worries for the churches, faith, which everyone now turns into a weapon of their curiosity, would not tolerate desecration. Describes how he and his parent received Anthimus, Bishop of Tyana, and why they corresponded with him. How ardently and like a young horse you gallop in your letters! And this is not surprising: you, who have recently become famous, want to show me what glory you have acquired, in order to make yourself even more respectable through this, like painters who paint only beauties. And if I retell to you all the actions of the bishops and the contents of the letter that worries you, where I started it, where I brought it and how I ended it, then it seems to me that this exceeds the limits of the letter and is not so much a matter of justification as of history. In short, to tell you, the most courageous Anthimus came to us with some bishops either to visit my father (for they thought about it anyway), or to do what he wanted. After many inquiries and about many things, about the parishes, about the Sasima swamps, about my ordination, after he caressed, and asked, and threatened, and exposed his rights, condemned, praised, circled himself as proof that we should look at him alone and at the new metropolis, which is more important, after all this I said: “Why do you include our city in your circle, when we constitute the Church, this in in the true sense and, moreover, from ancient times, the Mother of Churches?” Finally, having failed to do anything and with great arrogance reproaching us for our adherence to Vasily, as if to some Philip 7, he left. Do you really think that we have offended you by doing this? I don't think so. Consider the contents of the letter, is it really written to offend you? A cathedral invitation was drawn up in our name. I argued, said that this was an insult, but for the second time they demanded that you be invited through me for a meeting about this; and I agreed to this; but so that the former does not happen, I leave everything to your will; Will it please you to gather them, where and when? And this showed me as a respectful person, not an offender. When I did this without any offense, then tell me the rest. If you should know this from me, then I will read to you [the] very letter that Anthimus, when, despite our prohibitions and threats, seized the swamps into his power, he sent to us, both insulting and blaspheming us, and as if singing a victory song over us, who had suffered defeat from him. What is this reason? And we are exposed to his wrath because of you, and you are not liked as those who please him? But it was necessary to know about this first, wonderful man, and then not to offend, if not for anything else, then as elders. And if you have a greater desire to show yourself and ambition and extend your speech to us from above, like a citizen of the metropolis to the citizens of a small city or even those who do not have a city, then we also have pride that we can contrast with yours. This is not difficult for anyone, and perhaps even more decent. About how to write letters. Of those who write letters (you ask me about this too), some write longer than necessary, while others write too short; but both of them err in measure, like those who shoot at the target, some of whom do not reach the target with the arrow, while others throw it over the target, in both cases they equally miss the target, although the error occurs from opposite reasons. The measure for writing is necessity. There is no need to write a long letter when there are few items; There is no need to shorten it when there are a lot of objects. So what? Should wisdom be measured by a Persian mile or a child's elbows and write so imperfectly that it resembles not a letter, but like midday shadows or like lines laid one on top of the other, the lengths of which coincide and are more mentally imagined than actually found to be separated in some of their limits and in the proper sense, one might say, are similarities of similarities? To maintain the measure, it is necessary to avoid disproportionality in both. Here's what I know about brevity; and in reasoning with clarity, it is known that it is necessary, as much as possible, to avoid the bookish syllable, but rather to approach the colloquial syllable. In short, that writing is perfect and beautiful, which can please both the unlearned and the learned: the first because it is adapted to the concepts of the common people, and the other because it is above the common people; because a solved riddle and a letter requiring interpretation are equally uninteresting. The third property of letters is pleasantness. And we will observe this if we write not completely dry and harsh, not without decorations, not without art and, as they say, not cut clean, that is, when the writing is not devoid of thoughts, proverbs, sayings, as well as witticisms and intricate expressions, because all of this imparts sweetness to speech. However, these embellishments should not be used to the point of excess. Without them, the letter is rude, and with an excess of them, it is inflated. They must be used to the same extent as red threads in fabrics. We also allow allegories, but not in large numbers and, moreover, not taken from shameful objects, but we leave the contrasts, the correspondence of expressions and the uniformity of the parts of speech to the sophists. If we use it somewhere, we will do it as if playing, but not unnaturally. And the end of the word will be what I heard from one eloquent speaker about the eagle. When the birds were arguing about royal power and others came to the meeting in different decorations, then the most beautiful thing about the eagle was that it did not think to be beautiful. The same thing should be strived for most in letters, that is, that the letter should not have unnecessary decorations and should be more natural. This is what I am sending you in a letter about letters! Maybe I didn’t take up my own business, because I’m doing the most important thing. You will complete the rest with your own hard work, as an intelligent person, and people experienced in this matter will also teach you this. Fulfills his request to collect and send his letters to him. In autumn you ask for flowers from the meadow; You force the elderly Nestor to put on weapons, demanding some kind of processing in speeches from me, who has long put aside the desire for differences in any word and in life. However, you are not imposing on me the Euristeis or some Herculean feat, but, on the contrary, a very easy and feasible task for me - to collect for you as much as I can of my letters. Therefore, put this strap in your books, not for love, but for learning, and not so much for indicating, but useful for our pipes. For just as every thing has its own greater or lesser distinctive feature, so my speeches, wherever necessary, have the distinctive property of edification in thoughts and dogmas; and in them, as in a noble offspring, the father is always visible no less than in the physical features of the children the features of those who gave birth are preserved. So, for my part, I did my part; and you reward me both with the writing itself and with the benefit you gain from what I have written. I can neither ask nor demand another reward that would be better than this, more useful for the one asking and more decent for the rewarder. He testifies to him of his respect for St. Vasily. I always preferred the great Vasily to myself, although he had a contrary opinion about it; I still prefer this way, both out of friendship and for the sake of the truth itself. That’s why I put his letters in front, and mine behind them. For I really wish that I had a mutual connection with him in everything, and at the same time I want to show others an example of modesty and subordination. About what it means to write succinctly. Writing succinctly is not how you think about it - not just writing a few syllables, but concluding a lot in a few syllables. So I call Homer the most concise writer, and Antimachus the most verbose. Why? Because I judge the length of a speech by its content, and not by the number of letters. You run away from those who are chasing you, perhaps according to the rules of the science of love, in order to bring yourself more honor. So come and now make up for us the loss of so long a time. And if you were delayed by any of the affairs there, you would again leave us and thereby become even more respectable to us, because again you would be the object of our desires. He assures her of his devotion and consoles her in her sorrows (389). I received your small note like a big letter. And you are mine, and I am yours - this is how the Spirit unites us! Knowing this, pray for me, and rely on me in everything with the confidence that you do not have a person who would be sincere to you and care as much about you as about himself, if our long-standing acquaintance and actual experience have not yet convinced you of this. Should you write to me about your sorrows? Unless I express the desire that you, taking this as an opportunity to show high wisdom, be patient in suffering and thereby resist those who cause you sorrow, because to do otherwise is both impossible and dishonest. He asks to send wine for the builders of the church fence. Last year there was a severe cold in the homeland and it killed the tendrils on the grape vines, which had already branched out to form clusters; remaining fruitless, they also made our cups moist and dry. But what made me describe to you the sterility of plants so pitifully? So that you yourself, according to the word of Solomon, become for us a ripening grape (Song. 2:13) and a fruitful branch, which is not decorated with clusters, but has already poured out moisture from the clusters for those who are thirsty. Who are these thirsty people? Builders of the church fence. Not being able to give them a mountain drink to drink, I resort to your abundant right hand, so that you command your springs to pour out on us like a river. Having done this soon, you will revive the dry lips of many, and above all, you will please me as much as possible, for whom I attically beg for my poverty. He recounts how one of the monks in some meeting, where St. was also present. Gregory, reproached St. Basil and himself, one allegedly in an unhealthy teaching about the Holy Spirit, and the other in timidity, and like the saint himself. Gregory tried, however unsuccessfully, to justify St. Basil (371). The leader of life, the teacher of dogmas and everything that is beautiful, no matter what anyone says, I have long revered you, and now I honor you; and if there is another praiser of your excellences, then, without a doubt, he will stand either next to me or behind me. I am so committed to your reverence and so completely yours! And this is not surprising. For with whom you communicate longer, you see more experience; and where there is more experience, there is more perfect evidence. If there is anything useful to me in life, it is your friendship and communication with you. This is how I think about it, and I would like to always think this way. And what I am writing now, I am not writing of my own free will, however, I will write it. And don't be angry with me; or I myself will be extremely upset if you do not believe me that I am saying and writing this out of goodwill towards you. Many blame us, calling us weak in the faith, namely all those who think that I have everything in common with you, which they do very well. And some of them clearly accuse us of wickedness, and others of timidity: of wickedness - those who are confident that we speak unsensibly, and of timidity - those who attribute evasiveness to us. But what is the need to repeat the speeches of others? So I’ll tell you what happened recently. There was a feast, and at the feast there were many noble people who were well disposed towards us, and among them was someone bearing the name and image of piety. The feasting had not yet begun; the word has spread about us, who, as usually happens at feasts, instead of any other activity during the breaks, we become the subject of general discussion. Everyone is amazed at your perfections, they add me to you, as someone who practices equal wisdom with you, they talk about our friendship, about Athens, about our unanimity and like-mindedness in everything; but this wise man finds this offensive and, crying out with great determination, says: “What is it, my lords, that you lie and flatter so much? Let them be praised for other things, if you wish; I don’t dispute that; but I disagree on the most important thing: Vasily is praised for Orthodoxy in vain, and Gregory in vain: one betrays the faith by what he says, and the other by what he tolerates.” - “Where did you get this, empty man, new Dathan and Aviron 9 in arrogance? - I said. – Where did he come to us with such a right to teach? And how dare you make yourself a judge in such matters?” “I am now,” he said, “from the council that was held by the martyr Eupsychius 10; and he is a witness that this is indeed so. There I heard the great Basil theologize: about the Father and the Son, excellently and very perfectly, and how difficult it would be for anyone else to say; but in the doctrine of the Spirit he deviated from the straight path.” And to this he added one similarity, comparing you to rivers that go around stones and pull out sand. “And you, wonderful one,” he said, looking at me, “are already very clearly theologizing about the Spirit (and at the same time he recalled one of my expressions when, while theologizing in a crowded meeting, I then concluded my speech about the Spirit with these often repeated words: How long shall we hide the lamp under a bushel (Matthew 5:15)? 11); but he does not clearly express the thought, as if casting a shadow over the teaching, does not dare to speak out the truth, throwing into our ears expressions more befitting a resourceful person than a pious one, and covering up double-mindedness with the power of words.” “This is because,” I said, “I am not in plain sight, unknown to many; others almost don’t even know what I say and even whether I say it, and that’s why I speak philosophy safely. There are many speeches about him, as about a person who is known both in himself and in the Church. Everything he said becomes common knowledge. There is a fierce battle around him; heretics are trying to catch every bare utterance from the lips of Vasily himself, so that after everything around has already been captured, this man, the only spark of truth and vitality almost remaining with us, could be expelled from the Church, and evil took root in the city and from this church, as if from some kind of ambush, spread throughout the entire universe. Therefore, it is better for us to be thrifty with the truth, giving in a little time, which has darkened us like a cloud, rather than bring the truth into decline by clear preaching. For there is no harm in knowing that the Spirit is God from other statements that lead to the same conclusion; because truth lies not so much in sound as in thought. But great damage [will be caused] to the Church if the truth is driven out with one person. Those present did not approve of such frugality, calling it untimely and even a mockery of them; They shouted at us that we were defending our timidity more than the teaching of the Church. For it is much better, standing for the truth, to protect one’s own, than by such frugality to render one’s own powerless and not to accept someone else’s.” But to retell now everything in detail, what I said and what I heard, and how, beyond measure and my own custom, I expressed my indignation at those who contradicted, it would take a long time, and perhaps it is not necessary. The end of the word is that at the same time I parted with them. But you, divine and sacred head, teach me to what extent we should extend our theology about the Spirit, what expressions to use and to what extent we should go in our frugality, so that we can have all this ready for our opponents. For if I, who know you and your thoughts better than anyone else and have repeatedly certified and been certified of this, now demanded an explanation for this for myself, I would be the most ignorant and pitiful person. Justifies himself before St. Vasily, who was offended by his previous letter. Someone smarter than me might have suspected this, but I, an extremely simple and empty person, was not afraid of this when I wrote to you. My letter offended you, but I insist that it was not insulting, not fair, but, on the contrary, quite in vain. It is true that you did not express your grief, but (which you did smartly) hid it, as if with some kind of mask, covering the face of sadness with shame. But if I did this with cunning and malicious intent, I will suffer harm not so much from your sorrow as from the truth; If I acted simply, out of ordinary goodwill, then I will blame my sins, and not your disposition, unless I say that it would be better to correct this than to be angry with the advisers. Therefore, you will see for yourself what you should do, being able to give advice on this to others. And I, for my part, am ready, God willing, to be with you, and to strive with you, and to help you to the best of my ability. For under your leadership and with you, who will be unable and who will not dare to speak and fight for the truth? An obstacle to meeting St. Vasily reports his mother’s illness and asks for the Vasilievs’ prayers for her recovery. Fulfilling your order partly depends on me, and partly, and also, I think, more, on your reverence. From me - desire and zeal, because at other times I never shied away from meeting with you, but, on the contrary, I always longed for it, but now I want it even more. It depends on your reverence to put my affairs in order. For I constantly sit at the bedside of the Empress Mother, who has been suffering from illness for a long time now. And if I can leave her out of danger, rest assured, I will not deprive myself of your contemplation. Only with your prayers help her to recover and for me to complete my journey. 61. To Aeria and Alypius (53) He convinces them to fulfill the behest of their mother, who bequeathed part of her estate to the Nazianz Church. It is fair and holy that those who truly love children should bring as a gift to God, from Whom we ourselves and all ours are, both the firstfruits and the threshing floor, the grindstone, and the children themselves, as well as new inheritances, so that the part brought diligently as a gift will bring the rest to safety. Therefore, do not allow your mercy to reach us after everyone else, but first of all, be zealous for God, and through Him for everyone, and, having rejected worldly laws, enslave ourselves to our laws, bearing fruit from yourself with zeal. For, although what is left behind by others is offered, we will accept zeal from you, and God will reward you many times more than what you give now, not only in this temporary and transitory life, but also in the eternal and permanent life, which alone is to be kept in mind and to which to direct all one’s hopes is a safe thing. Since God will be the same towards you as you yourself will be towards the poor, then without petty calculations and stinginess, but with all generosity and zeal, fulfill the will of the deceased. Imagining that she is with you and sees your deeds, reassure her with your generosity so that you receive from her not only property, but also a mother’s blessing that establishes children’s homes. Having considered that, according to what is written, a small share with truth is better than a huge share with stinginess (Sir. 14:3) - just not to say anything offensive - and that many did not prevent entire houses from being donated to the Church, while others sacrificed all their property from themselves, and made this wonderful exchange - they became beggars for the sake of the wealth there - do not sow sparingly in order to reap richly (2 Cor. 9:6), but this is a good inheritance make a gift both to yourself and to those whom you love most, not subtracting anything from what is written in your will, but giving with pleasure and with a bright face, or, better said, returning everything to God as His own, and acquiring for yourself that one thing that can be spent for your souls. For why collect for robbers and thieves, for the vicissitudes of time, which from one to another transfers and transfers fickle wealth, and not invest your property in safe treasuries, inaccessible to evildoers? In others and for others, show your frugality (for I would like you to be powerful with your kindness), but for us, fight the good fight, that is, let one overcome the other with reverence and blessings that God gives to the grateful. So, assure us that you are sincere Christians. It’s better to say, having laid a beautiful, so pious and righteous beginning, combine everything else with it, so that you and we rejoice in each other, both for other reasons, and because by your gratitude in this you have shown a good example for the whole Church. Doesn't approve of some Armenian being praised by St. Amphilohiem. The order of your rightness is not at all barbaric, but Hellenic, or better yet, Christian. But the Armenian, of whom you boast so much, is a complete barbarian and is far from our competition. This Amphilochius, saddened by the separation from his son Amphilochius, who was appointed Bishop of Iconium, informs about the death of his parent (374). Are you grieving? And of course I’m happy! Are you shedding tears? And I, as you can see, celebrate and magnify the present circumstances! It saddens you that your son has been kidnapped and honored for his virtue; Is it unbearable for you that he will not be with you, that he will not look after you in your old age and, according to custom, serve you in what he should? But I’m not sad that my father left me on his last journey, from which he will never return to me, and I will never see him again! After this, I don’t complain at all, I don’t demand proper consolation, knowing that my own misfortunes do not allow me time to take care of others; but there is no person so friendly and wise that he would be above suffering and begin to console another when he himself needs consolation. But you add blow to blow, accusing us, as I hear, and thinking that you did not take care of your son and our brother or (what is most difficult) betrayed him, and we do not even realize the loss that everyone, friends and relatives, suffered, especially you, who most of all believed in him the hope of life, saw in him the only support, the only good adviser, the only accomplice in piety. What do you base your guesses on? If it’s the same, then remember that, alarmed by the rumor, I came to you with the intention and was ready to communicate my opinion when there was still time to consult about it; but you talked to me about everything except this, I don’t know whether because of the same grief or for some other purpose. If you conclude according to the latter, then I was not allowed to see you another time, most of all, my grief, due honor to my father and burial, to which I could not prefer anything else, especially when the grief was so fresh that to philosophize untimely and above human nature would have been not only unpious, but also indecent in other respects. Finally, I thought that the matter itself had warned me, having already received its end, as it pleased the Ruler of our affairs. And enough about this. Now curb your grief, as I assure myself, it is the most unreasonable thing. If anything else appears to you, let me know, so that you do not upset me in part, and yourself, and do not tolerate something that is very unworthy of your nobility, blaming me instead of others, who did not offend you in any way, but, if the truth must be told, experienced the same coercion from our mutual friends, whom you considered your only benefactors. 64. To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata (59) He asks for the prayers of this bishop, who was exiled to prison in Thrace by Emperor Valens and with whom St. Gregory, due to his illness, could not see each other during his passage through Cappadocia (374). When your piety passed through our fatherland, I could not look out of the upper room, being in the extreme state of illness. But it was not so much the illness that brought mortal fear that upset me, but the fact that I was deprived of your sacred and kind conversation. I have such a desire to see your venerable face, which is characteristic of a person who needs healing of spiritual wounds and who hopes to receive it from your perfection. But if the consequence of my sins was that I could not have a meeting with you at that time, now, through your kindness, some consolation in grief is possible for me. For, if you deign to remember me in your prayers available to God, then this will be a parting word for me to every blessing of God, both in this life of mine and in the next century. The very fact that such a man, who struggled so much for the faith of the Gospel, who endured so much persecution and through patience in tribulation prepared for himself such boldness before the just God, deigns to be my intercessor in prayers, this very thing, as I am sure, has the same power for me as the intercession of one of the holy martyrs. Therefore, I beg you to continually remember your Gregory by the means by which I myself wish to become worthy of your remembrance. He praises Eupraxius, who volunteered to serve Eusebius, pleases Eusebius himself, as a sufferer for the Church of Christ, and, thanks for the news about himself, asks to be notified in the future. Precious to us all, one of our sincere friends, our most venerable brother Eupraxius turned out to be even more precious and sincere in his disposition towards you. He has now strived to serve you with such zeal, just as a thirsty tree (I will say in the words of David) quenches its unbearable thirst in a pleasant and pure spring (Ps. 42:2). For the patience of sorrows and for our sake, deign to become this drink for him. Blessed is he who is worthy to be near you. And even more blessed is he who, through suffering for Christ and deeds for the truth, acquires for himself a similar crown, which not many of those who fear God have been granted. For you showed in yourself a virtue that was not without trials: not only did you sail straight during good weather and rule the souls of others, but you also shone in the midst of severe temptations, becoming higher than your persecutors by courageously leaving your homeland. Others have their own land, but we have a mountain city; others, perhaps, began to belong to our throne, but to us – Christ. What a purchase! What we left and what we received! We will go through fire and water, and I am sure that we will enter into peace (Ps. 65:11), because God will not completely abandon us and will not neglect the persecuted right teaching, but because of the multitude of our illnesses, His consolations will make us glad. This is what we believe and pray for. And I ask you to pray for our humility. And if the time comes, do not be lazy to bless me with your writing and give me complacency with news about yourself, which you have now honored. Thanks for the letter and asks not to forget about it. It makes me happy that you write to me and remember me, and what’s more important, you bless me in your letters. I would like (which is what your suffering, your feat for Christ and for Christ deserve) to be worthy of being with you, to kiss your godliness and in your suffering to find for myself a model of patience. But since I am unworthy of this, I am bothered by many sorrows and idle time, I do the second, that is, I salute your perfection and ask you not to make it difficult for yourself to remember me. For it is not only useful for me to be rewarded with your writings, but it will even serve as praise and adornment in front of many, that a man so high in virtue, who has such access to God, draws attention to me that by word and example he can lead others to God. He asks not to impute to him the displeasures that happened between Julian and Nicobulus, and intercedes for the Nazianz clergy. I have many rights to friendship with you; besides everything else, there is a common love for science, which for many deserves respect more than anything else and is conducive to friendship; There is not a single pretext for hostility, and God forbid that there is not one. For what is going on with your brother Nicovul, or why you are upset by Nicovul, is no more of concern to me than what is happening in India; I only know that I did not give my approval to anything that happened between you. Therefore, do not impute this to me and for the sake of such a reason do not conceive anything bad against yourself, but complete the philanthropic deed that you promised to the poor, and also my clergy, for whom I asked, free from the census, judging that it is extremely incredible when others sacrifice all their property to God, you would not want to do good for free, and when other cities are given gifts of all those who serve the altar, I will not receive as a gift those who are with me and serve me, and, moreover, not receive from you, a person very close to me, to whom I myself, perhaps, do not do shame. I should have written to you about this, but I was not able to meet with you, because illness drove me to Tiana to seek treatment there while there was time. Forgive me about this; instead of me you have God, who is always with the poor and helps them, and whom you should respect more than my presence. Due to illness, he refuses to meet with Julian for meetings on tax equalization, but gives him the necessary advice. It was good of you to invite me to the monastery with you to think about equalizing taxes: this matter is worth a lot of care. I would very gladly meet you if I were healthy; and I will come if God wills and makes this possible. And now I’m replacing a personal date with a letter. I know that you came from sacred parents and grew up in the fear of God from childhood. Therefore, whatever you recognize as useful both for your good reputation and for the salvation of your soul, then, of course, you will do, even if I did not write about it. And if I should add something from myself, then I bring to your attention that instead of any other kind of life chosen by Christian souls to serve God, you will now have this service and you will acquire for yourself a great treasure by taking care of the common cause, correcting what was previously poorly distributed. To carry out your business safely, the only and most important means that you, first of all, should think about is to choose as employees people whom you know are distinguished by prudence and good morals; for what good is it if the helmsman is good and the rowers are bad? Reminds Julian of his promise to be philanthropic when taxing the inhabitants of Nazianz. I have your promise, and judging by your disposition, I boldly hope that I will receive the gift. Although the great Debt Resolver knows best the measure of retribution, however, if it is in our will to make similar conditions, then we will proportion the reward: from me - sacrifice, and from you - philanthropy. He rejoices that Eutropius has become a Christian, and at the same time regrets that his illness prevents him from seeing him. What does it mean? The Great Eutropius is among us! And we hear, but we do not enjoy. What else, if not the same thing, happened to the famous Tantalus, who was dying of thirst among the streams? You, as you write, want a date with me, and you are doing well. A person like you should not have despised his friends, but also do good to me in passing, and honor me in the same way after leaving the title of ruler, with which he was honored to honor me while in charge. But what kind of disposition do you think I am in and what is in my heart, wanting to see you no less, if not more than you (which is natural, because what is worthy of respect is coveted), but bound by illness? Be for me that Egyptian medicine (whether it is a word or something else) with which Homer heals souls in sorrow. But how will you practice this medicine? First, by apologizing to me, because good nature is ready to apologize; and then admonishing me with your letters, because when you were the boss, we marveled more at your virtue than at your power. Thanks him for the letter. Let someone else praise something else about you; without a doubt, you are enough for many lips; but I will say what I am most amazed at. There is so much rightness and learning in you that this alone makes your friends everyone who is considered your friend. At least, before all those who were honored by you (no matter how many there were), when you held the highest position, hitherto the subject of harassment, having met me in Asia, if you remember something about this (and I know that you remember, despite perfection in everything, being so constant in friendship), you, as in other things, turned your favorable attention to me, so, doing honor to your learning, you convinced me to write to you, and not only convinced me, but he himself was the first to deign to write to me, imitating good painters who teach students by showing them many examples. You did the same (and quite well) now. But do not be lazy in giving me the same in the future, although you will again be exalted with honors; because they will bring you leadership, and not virtue, in which, having reached the very top, you have nowhere to rise. While engaged in public affairs, do not cease to take care of your friends, following the example of Homer’s knights, who even in the midst of war take care of the duties of friendship. For your Homer also diversifies his creation with this. 72. To Gregory of Nyssa (64) He asks not to mourn his exile, predicting that the triumph of the heretics will not last long (c. 376). Do not be too distressed in sorrows. For the less we grieve, the easier the grief becomes. There is no problem if the heretics have warmed up and with spring dare to crawl out of their holes, as you yourself write. I know very well that they will not hiss for long, then they will hide, overthrown by both truth and time; and the sooner, with greater hope, we present everything to God. Similar to previous content. What you wrote about, I reason like this. Despised, we do not grieve, and honored, we do not rejoice. For we are worthy of one thing, and the other is a matter of our curiosity. Pray for me. Sorry for the brevity; although it is short, it is, without a doubt, longer than silence. Accompanying him with her love, she reassures him that the rising storm will soon end, wishes him a quick return and asks him to inform him of himself. And sitting at home, I accompany you with love, because love makes everything common to us; Trusting in God’s love for mankind and in your prayers, I have great hope that everything will happen according to our wishes. The storm will turn into a quiet breeze, and God, as a reward for Orthodoxy, will allow you to overcome those who do you evil. What is most desirable is to see and host you soon, as we pray for. If you slow down in the course of affairs, then do not refuse, at least, to please us with letters informing us about the progress of your affairs, and, according to custom, to pray for us. And may the good God keep you, as the common support of the Church, healthy and filled with all joy! The reason for his rare meeting with Vitalian is that he is surrounded by bad people. We don’t talk to you often, and the reason is that you’re surrounded by a lot of people, the ones I’m least happy about. If you free yourself from crowds and give shelter to virtue in your home, you will see that, according to the proverb, even the lame will run. This is what I promise, and with God’s help I will fulfill. 76. To Gregory of Nyssa (70) He expresses his grief over the death of St. Vasily and at the same time regret that it could not be at his burial (379). And this was left to my disastrous life - to hear about the death of Vasily, about the departure of the holy soul, by which she moved from us and moved into the Lord, spending her whole life caring for this! And I, since I am still ill in body, and extremely dangerously, am, among other things, deprived of the ability to embrace the sacred ashes, to come to you, who are wise as you should be, and to console our mutual friends. For to see the loneliness of the Church, which has lost such glory, has laid aside such a crown, is both inconceivable to the eye and inconceivable to the ear, especially for those with intelligence. But it seems to me that, although you have many friends and words of consolation, you cannot be consoled by anything more than by yourself and by remembering him. For all others, you and he were a model of wisdom and, as it were, a spiritual level of decorum in happy times and patience in unfortunate cases, because wisdom knows how to do both - to use happiness in moderation, and to maintain decency in disasters. And [accept] this from me to Your Honor. And to me, who am writing this, what time or word will bring consolation, besides your friendship and conversation, which the blessed one left me in return for everything, so that in you, as in a beautiful and transparent mirror, seeing his features, I can remain in the thought that he is still with us? 77. To Theodore, Bishop of Tyana (73) Explains the reasons for meek rather than strict measures with heretics, who, when committing St. Gregory of the priesthood in the Constantinople church of Anastasia, they dared to make a violent attack on him (380). I hear that you are indignant at the insults inflicted on me by the monks and the poor. And it is not surprising that to you, who have never suffered blows or experienced disasters before, such things seem intolerable. And I, as someone who has experienced many calamities and suffered insults, will rightly consider myself worthy of trust if I advise your reverence what my gray hair teaches me and what reason prescribes. What happened is disastrous and the height of disaster. Who will dispute this? The altars were desecrated, the ritual was interrupted; I stood in the midst of the celebrants who were throwing stones at me and used prayers to protect myself from the stones; the modesty of virgins, the modesty of monks, the misery of the beggars, whom cruelty deprived of mercy, are forgotten. But, of course, it is better to be generous and, by tolerating, to show the people an example of generosity, for the common people are not so much convinced by word as by deed - by this silent exhortation. I consider it important to punish those who have offended us; I say important, because this is also useful for the correction of others; but much higher and more divine than this is to patiently endure an insult. The first stops the mouth of vice, and the second convinces people to become good, which is much better and more perfect than not being only evil. Let us imagine that we have before us a great exercise in love for mankind, and let us forgive what has been done against us, so that we ourselves may be worthy of forgiveness, and let us add goodness to goodness. Phinehas was called a zealot because he pierced the Midianite woman with the sword along with the fornicator and took away the reproach of the children of Israel (Num. 25:8). But he is even more commendable for praying for a fallen people. Therefore, we too will stand and appease, so that the flogging will cease, according to what is written, and this will be counted to us as righteousness (Ps. 105:30-31). Moses is also praised for the fact that, being offended by an Israeli, he killed an Egyptian (Ex. 2:12); but more worthy of surprise is that he healed his sister Mariam, who was stricken with leprosy for murmuring, through prayers (Num. 12:13). Note the following: the Ninevites are threatened with destruction, but with their tears they buy salvation (Jonah 3:10). Manasseh was the most lawless of kings, but for his tears he became famous among the saved (2 Chronicles 33:11-13). What will I arrange for you, Ephraim? - says God (Hos.11:8). What an angry word! But protection is also promised. What is more hasty than love of humanity? The disciples ask for the fire of Sodom to lead Jesus, but He rejects vengeance (Luke 9:54). Peter cuts off the ear of Malchus, one of the offenders, but Jesus heals (Luke 22:51). And the one who asked: should a brother who has sinned seven times be forgiven, is he not condemned for stinginess? Instead of seven times it is said: seventy times seven (Matthew 18:22). The debtor mentioned in the Gospel, who has not forgiven what was forgiven him, is not subject to the strictest punishment (Matthew 18:34)? And in sample prayer 12, isn’t it required that we gain forgiveness for ourselves through forgiveness? Having so many examples, let us imitate God’s love for mankind and do not want to experience for ourselves how heavy the reward for sin is. You see the order in which goodness acts. First it legitimizes, then encourages, promises, threatens, reproaches, fights, takes possession, threatens again when forced to do so, strikes, but gradually gives room for correction. Therefore, we ourselves will not strike suddenly, for it is not safe; but, being disciplined by fear, we will overcome with love for mankind and oblige to reverence, torturing more with conscience than with anger; Let us not wither the fig tree (Luke 13:6–9), which may still bear fruit; we will not condemn it as useless and taking up space in vain, such a fig tree as may perhaps be healed by the supervision and care of a skilled cultivator of the land; We will not destroy such a great and glorious cause in such a short time through slander, perhaps even through the envy of the evil one, but we will wish to appear better as lovers of mankind than perfect, more lovers of the poor than lovers of truth. Let us no longer listen to those who incite us to this, and do not restrain us from this, meaning, if nothing else, that, at least, shame - to arouse the opinion of ourselves that we are in conflict with the poor, who have the great advantage that although they do offense, yet with their misfortune they arouse pity for themselves. Imagine now that all the poor and the feeders of the poor are coming to you, that all the monks and virgins are asking for them. Instead of them, show mercy to everyone, because they have already been sufficiently brought to their senses, as this can be seen from the fact that they needed me, and first of all, show mercy to me, who am asking for them. If it seems cruel to you that I suffered dishonor from them, then let it seem even more cruel that you do not listen to me giving such advice. And may God forgive the beautiful Pluto all the insults that he inflicted on me! He admonishes him, as having recently been granted grace, not to take revenge on those who offended him in the person of his wife and daughter. I know that it is difficult not to be embarrassed by thoughts when the resentment is still alive and the anger has not cooled down, because both irritation and sadness can be blind, especially when you can be indignant rightfully. But since I myself am among those offended and insulted, and even indignant no less, I therefore have the right to demand that my advice not be left without respect. What we have suffered is unbearable, and if you wish, add that we have suffered that no other person has ever suffered. But for this reason, let us not offend ourselves and let us not hate piety to the detriment of ourselves. A wife, a road and a daughter mean a lot, but not more than a soul. Think that you have recently been awarded grace; and there is no small danger in desecrating the gift with blood and again having a need for new cleansing. Therefore, let us not think bad things about ourselves, we will not lose boldness before God, finding ourselves upset and overly indignant at those who have offended us. Let us leave man to God and the punishments there, and we will acquire for ourselves a humane Judge, turning out to be humane ourselves; let us make leniency so that leniency may be made to us. Do not be deceived by the vain thought that there is no guilt, it is fair to take revenge and hand over the criminal to the laws. The Romans have their laws, and we have ours; but they are immoderate, cruel, and do not even spare blood; Our laws are merciful, humane and do not allow one to indulge in anger at offenders. We will hold on to them, we will begin to follow them, so that, having shown small mercy, because life here is of little importance and has no price, we will receive in return great things from God Himself, that is, His love for mankind and the hopes there. He earnestly asks her to stop her lawsuit, which began during the life of St. Basil, about the installation of one of the slaves of Simplicia as bishop. You praise our holy and common father, this pillar of faith, this rule of truth and model in the Church, this gray hair full of prudence, this man who surpassed the measure of human life and virtues, this faithful servant and great bishop, mediator between God and man, this abode of the Spirit. In this you act justly, because every word is lower than this holy and blessed soul, unless love or sorrow mixed with love deceives me. But I was extremely surprised in you that, although you praise him as a saint, and have hitherto been honoring him as much as he should, yet you intend to destroy his work, as if it had been done by someone from the unenlightened, such a person who is most worthy of reproach, as someone who lived and ended his life without [realizing] his intended goal. For if you appropriate his fellow shepherd to yourself as your own slave, and pursue this petty gain, then this is very unworthy of your generosity. Is it not foolish to honor God with the offering of gold and silver and the excesses of one’s property (in which, perhaps, there is more desire to show oneself than piety), and to want the Church to completely lose its priest, and to steal from it the most sacred of all offerings? If you are indignant that we did this autocratically, and did not remind your nobility and did not give time to your generosity, then you will say some truth in this, and your weakness will be human, at least human. But know that your alms are now more important than in those days, since it is more generous to allow one to take than to give. By giving it yourself, you apparently bring a gift to God alone, and by allowing it to be taken, you bring it to us, His servants, who are honored to bear His name. So don't be angry with him and me. He acted, it is true, autocratically, but did not do any offense, and was it surprising to me that it came to this, relying on your kindness and together believing the general voice of the whole country, which others gave either out of zeal or maliciously - let it be known to them themselves and let them give an account of this to God, because it is not our business to know this and enter into the disposition of everyone; How easy would it have been for me to refuse, and how would I have despised so many tears or the orphanhood of a country that had been left for so long without care, without a shepherd, without spiritual governance? But you know better than anyone that those who gave their consent then, and now those who renounce, do not act piously and nobly. It would have been much better for them to argue then than to flatter and destroy their own work now, fearing people more than God. And I think that, due to their evasiveness, they will again say that they changed their thoughts, being afraid of you; and this is much more true, because they need to be hasty as always, grasping at false and cunningly invented excuses. And if, in your opinion, this is said fairly, but respect for economic calculations is required (because I hear this too, although you did not show this in your letters), then let this demand be made fairly and philanthropically. We do not reproach them for this, because it is unpleasant for us to lose the favor of the owners. What else remains? They may resort to the fact that a person is unworthy, and therefore they will attack the fact that he has been appointed, because such a complaint is somewhat more plausible. But the answer to this is simple and easy for me. We do not leave anyone accused of anything without investigating the case, even if he was one of our close friends or noble by birth, because God and the law are most honorable. And we will not leave this without research. But if anyone can accuse anyone of anything, then at any time, in your presence and according to your common reasoning with us, and otherwise, even in your absence, after the investigation, if it turns out to be innocent, although a slave, he will be acquitted; because slaves and masters have the same father and God, and truth is not determined by rank. If he is caught, then he will be condemned by his own sin. Thus, the rule will not be broken, and the one who leaves us will not suffer dishonor; for I, as a person worthless, should not, perhaps, be taken into account. And you yourself will avoid the evil suspicion that, alienating us and sound faith, you started this case, acting cunningly, but ignoblely, and, being accused of one thing, you yourself attack another. I advise you not to subject yourself to this (which is both unfair and indecent) and in humiliating our laws not to resort to worldly laws, not to enter into an argument with us, but to forgive if you have done something in simplicity, in the freedom of grace, and to agree that it is better to concede a wonderful victory over oneself than to conquer badly by resisting the Spirit. 80. To Eudoxius the rhetorician (71) He expresses his grief over the death of St. Basil (379). What are we doing, you ask? Extremely bitter. I lost Vasily, I lost Caesarea, I lost both my spiritual and my physical brother. My father and my mother have left me, I will say with David (Ps. 26:10). I am sick in body, old age is over my head, a lot of worries have accumulated, things have been crushed, there is no loyalty in friends, churches without shepherds, the good is dying, the evil is out there; you have to sail at night, there are no guiding lights anywhere, Christ is sleeping. What do I need to endure? For me, there is only one way out of evil: death. But things there are also scary, if you guess from the things here. 81. To Gregory of Nyssa (69) This bishop, who, upon returning from exile, was entrusted with inspecting the distant Churches, asks him not to be bored by frequent travel. You get bored with moving from one place to another, and it seems to you that your life is as impermanent as trees carried on water. No, wonderful husband, don’t think that. Trees do not rush of their own free will, but your journeys from place to place are done for God, and doing good to many is the most constant thing, although you yourself do not stand still. Would anyone blame the sun for walking around, pouring out rays and reviving everything that it illuminates on its way? or, praising the fixed stars, will he blame the planets, whose deviations from the correct flow are so harmonious? He asks this ruler of Cappadocia to protect his house, which was being investigated in court, from the theft of some Palladius. First of all, I am writing a letter to you and with the first request I make, why and for this reason alone it would be fair to receive from you what I am informing you about. What am I informing you about? The beautiful Palladium attacks and plunders, as I hear, our house, which is with you; and there is no one to help. Therefore, a wonderful thing for you to do is to take into your special care a person who is present himself, and even more so someone who is absent, and not allow everything to be completely lost, being broken and taken away, because no one interferes with this at all - it is also lost for the litigants themselves, for whom nothing more remains as a reward except litigation. Thanks for his participation in the matter, he asks to complete the good deed and entrusts Euthymius to his mercy. I praise you for taking care of our business; and then I praise you for the written notice that you are doing this. You bring one as a gift to truth, and the other as a gift to me. But do not refuse to complete your good deed for me and constantly show yourself to be growing in some degree in jealousy, so that I will be more and more amazed at you. Son Euthymius has not yet appeared to you, but is expected; and I think if he appears, it won’t cost you much effort. He entrusts his deacon Fortunatus to his mercy. The bearer of this letter, Fortunatus, is my friend and family man, and if anything else needs to be added, one of the venerable deacons. You needed to know this from me. And I know that you will add the rest from yourself, that is, you will turn a friendly and caring gaze on this person, if he needs anything before your reverence. Whatever good you do for him will be a good deed for me. He asks to be guided by the advice of Presbyter Lucian in the matter of the house of the Grigoriev relatives. Take upon yourself my cause, as you did before and have proven it through experiments. Receive also my beloved brother and co-presbyter Lucian, both by worthy of his favorable view in everything, and by giving him advice to take care of the house of my relatives, which is with you; because with God’s help my affairs had a successful ending, both according to your judgment and through the philanthropy of the most truthful Judge. This Alypius, the husband of his sister Gorgonia, invites him to his holiday. How rulerly you act with me out of friendship! Our ruling on vows is already wavering, although we have set aside only those who wear robes. It is true that we do not transgress the law to the same extent as the pagans, inventive in matters of love, transgress, because they not only sacrifice to passion as to God, but also resolve vows given out of love; and even if we break the law somewhat, then, enduring this for the sake of friendship, we no longer sin in this. Therefore, come to us, if you want, in disguise, so that both things will be fine with us: we have met with you, and we have not violated the regulations. And if you don’t want to, come without a robe at all. Even if someone were to persecute us for breaking the law, we can still defend ourselves by the fact that you are one of those who make a vow, in a good sense called votives. And who among us does not accept this, what will he tell us next? We invite you as an orphan. So, of course, you will rule over me, because now is your time. And thirdly (and this is most important), you can participate in the vow and as the one inviting us to the vow. So we will receive you ready to repel any attack. And no one will blame us for the fact that my sister didn’t come; on the contrary, they would blame both her and me if she came. Therefore, let her go without being called. And you, allow yourself to beg, and come, partly relying on me, and partly by vow; come to make my holiday brighter; because, with the help of God, enough has been prepared for you and what your belly needs; or rather, our preparation is orphan, and I will add, healthy and noble. Complaining about illness, which does not allow him to be with Philagrius, he justifies himself in the fact that he left the rule of the Church. We both have the same reason why we can’t see each other. The body treats you as it always has; I won't say anything more. Know also that I am extremely unwell; otherwise (believe this), returning from absence, I would not have been lazy, first of all, to come to you and embrace you, and to use in real affairs such an adviser and friend, prudent and high in piety. What remained for us, that is, to talk with each other through letters, you have already done, having done very well; and I do the same. What you write about is important to me and requires no little attention; That’s why I, not lightly and not somehow, but with great care, having considered this, began to resolve the matter. I am tired of fighting with envy and with sacred bishops who violate the general unanimity and place the cause of faith below private strife; therefore, I decided, according to the proverb, not to give the stern any more speed, to shrink, as they say about a small boat when it senses a storm, and to watch from afar as others suffer defeat and amaze, and to prepare myself for what will happen there. You write that it is dangerous to leave the Church, but which one? If it’s mine, then I confirm the same, and what you say is true. If the Church does not belong to me and is not assigned to me, then I am not subject to responsibility. But I had to stick to the Church, because for some time I had care about it. Therefore, many others should adhere to someone else’s, just as they once had something alien in their care. It may be that labor is worthy of reward; but refusal is not subject to liability. Therefore, do not be afraid for me in this regard, but fear moreover that no harm will be done to me. 88. To Nektarios, Archbishop of Constantinople 14 It is fitting that a royal image adorn a royal city. Therefore, you should have, as you should, a chest full of virtues, words and other beautiful things with which Divine grace richly enriches you. She threw us out and threw us out like some kind of garbage, foam and a sea wave. But since friends have everything in common, I hope to be a sharer in your success and the well-being of others. Communicate as you should with us - strangers who are here in worries and circumstances. And you were not the only one who had something useful to give us, following the tragedies, but you also helped your friend in his labors. So in everything you were fair, and it is fair and worthy to live in friendship and with friends. And may you remain in prosperity for as long as possible in order to do even more good, especially may you have constant and uninterrupted prosperity here and the same transition to eternity. 89. To Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia (67) Humbly refuses Vosporiev's offer to take over the leadership of the Church. I am ashamed of the difficulties of your invitation, but I would be even more ashamed of myself if I had not written the truth. I'm afraid that my business will end in nothing; I am so ashamed of my gray hairs, and the common meal, and the labors incurred since my youth - I am ashamed, because before you I am lower than the most worthless people and despised by those from whom I would least expect. When asked about his situation, he answers with the words of the Athenian ambassadors who returned from Lacedaemon. You ask: what are my affairs? I will answer you by telling you a story. They say that the Athenians, when oppressed by tyrants, sent an embassy to the Spartans; and the purpose of the embassy was to arouse some philanthropy there. Then, when the ambassadors returned and someone asked: what kind of attitude do the Spartans have towards us? - they answered: “As for slaves, they are very merciful, but as for freemen, they are very arrogant.” This is what I have to write. They treat me more humanely than as outcasts, but more contemptuously than as people preparing to stand before God. The illness still torments me, but my friends do not stop doing evil to me and doing as much harm as possible. But pray that God will be merciful to me and give me one of two things - either to avoid disasters altogether, or to endure them patiently. And this already quite reduces the unhappiness. He greets him on his accession to the throne of the Church of Constantinople and asks a certain Pankratius to help him find a place in the service. Whatever happens to me will happen. I sit without war and without work, preferring the comfortable reward of silence to everything, and I derive some benefit from silence, having, by the grace of God, recovered sufficiently from my illness. And you have time and reign, as the divine David says (Ps. 44:5), and may God, who has honored you with it, rule with you in your priesthood, granting it to be above all slander! And in order to prove to us mutual trust and, standing before God, not to experience anything human, I ask you, and you willingly bow to my request. I worry about Pankratiya, who is very devoted to me, doing this out of necessity, for many reasons. Deign to graciously admit him to yourself and introduce him to the most zealous of friends in order to achieve his goal. His goal is to acquire a comfortable position for himself through any military position; because no kind of life, as you yourself know, is free from the attacks of evil people. Like a person who has been tested in patience by bodily illnesses, he puts his own patience on trial. How is your physical health? Or, of course, is it not of great importance to you, whatever it may be? I won’t ask about the soul, whether it is healthy. For I know that her health is excellent; because through bodily illnesses you are accustomed to noble wisdom, accepting them as a test of virtue, and not as a material disorder; Why is it more blessed for you to suffer than for others to enjoy health? Give this sufficient proof of your wisdom, command me to be the same in the same circumstances. Although I dare to write to others about this, I recognize that it is not safe to subject myself to your judgment; however, I will try not to contradict if you order. 93. To Sophronius the Iparch (86) Expressing grief over separation from him, he asks not to forget him. My removal gives me some benefit, peace and silence. But the benefit is not the same as the disadvantage of being removed from your friendship and communication with you, which is so significant for me. Others enjoy your perfections, but for me it is great if I have even the shadow of a conversation with you through letters. Will I see you again? Will I ever hug you, my decoration? Will this be the case for the rest of my life? If it is given, thanks be to God for everything! And if not, then most of me have already died. But remember your Gregory and do not remain silent about my affairs. Testifies that his removal from Constantinople upsets him only because of the separation from his friends. If one of our mutual friends (and I am sure there are many of them) asks you: where is Gregory now? what does it do? - boldly answer that he philosophizes in silence, thinking as much about the offenders as about those whom he does not know if they ever existed. So he is irresistible! And if the same person asks you: how does he tolerate separation from friends? - then don’t boldly answer that he is wise, but say that in this he is very cowardly. For everyone has his own weakness: and I am weak in relation to friendship and friends, including the amazing Amazonius. The only thing you can do is serve me and make me grieve less for you, namely, if you remember me and assure me with letters that this is really so. Upon returning to Nazians from Constantinople, he expresses joy that he was freed from the worries there. Thanks to the timely illness and slander of the enemies, which made me free, placed me outside the fire of Sodom and the episcopal darkness! How is your work of faith going? It would be good; and everything else, whatever it may be, does not concern us. It won’t be long before I see my offenders when our deeds are tried by fire. We greet you, and through you, mutual friends. Remember the stones they threw at me. He expresses regret that upon his arrival in Constantinople, Hypatia did not enjoy seeing him for long, being forced to leave there himself. For a long time we suffered deprivation, because the first of the cities did not have the first of the people. But it was necessary, I think, for good things to be spread everywhere and useful things to be made common to everyone, so that you would sow justice from on high, as, according to fables and fiction, the seeds were sowed by those who wanted to improve what we eat. But I have more reasons to grieve, because I enjoyed you as much as one can enjoy lightning briefly illuminating the eye, and then I gave in to the victory of envy and shut myself up, leaving to others the government of the church, this glorious disgrace (I will say this) for those who, without difficulty, joke and are not worth a joke. And you, most excellent of all, retain your former disposition towards me, which, like a magnet, attracts iron to itself. He asks Iraklian to write to him. You are always in my memory, wonderful Heraklian, both telling and listening to some lesson; I also remember the city of Konstantinov, beautiful for your sake, although short-lived for me, because envy wanted it so much. And if Gregory is in your memory, then it’s better for both of us. Show this in the letters you write to me; this is one thing that is possible for us. 98.* To civil superiors (235) He reprimands them that Deacon Theoteknos was taxed as a craftsman. It seems to me that you would not have spared the scrip of Diogenes of Sinope if he had lived with you, but you would have laid hands on him, blaming him for his way of life, his philosophical cloak, his staff, and the fact that, due to his wisdom, he has nothing in his possession, but walks from door to door, living in vain, and as it happened, when you intend to impose a tax on brother Theoteknos, which is taken from those engaged in crafts. What is the first and most important of his rights to point out to me? Is it because he is a deacon? Or that he is poor? Or that he is a wanderer and belongs more to others than to us? Or what deserves respect in life, as a priest and cohabitant of martyrs? But you also know what feeds the strange, even beyond their strength, and perhaps the only reason is that one of those living there is strengthened to be beneficent. Which of all this is more important, judge for yourself; for all this, show mercy to the person, and do not give yourself the idea that, while delivering little benefit to society, you yourself are doing great harm, as they say, not by clothing, but by undressing. Rejoices at his ascetic life. I hear that you live like a hermit; Oh, that you would become with us John the Baptist or Elijah the Carmelite! And oh, if only the haters would cause that one insult, that they would bring us to God and force those freed from affairs and rebellion to sincerely devote themselves to heavenly things, and thus unwittingly do us good when they cannot do it of their own free will! He thanks for the invitation to the holiday, assuring that for him, as a preacher of the Trinity, it is most desirable to celebrate with the readers of the Trinity. I am glad to receive the invitation, and even more glad that we are writing; I am glad not because we are praised (this is unimportant), but because you reason sensibly; and the bonds of love for me are for you the same hope and true worship of the Trinity, about which I speak more often than I breathe, I speak even in the midst of dangers, and when there are no dangers, leaving everything else to time to revolve as it pleases, having this one thing unshakable in my soul, this inexhaustible treasure and in the true sense, mine. Why, when I imagine everything else in my mind, how many sorrows surrounded me and now surrounds me, I will imagine this inconstancy of evils that throw me up and down, this battle that everyone raises against me, who has not done any harm to anyone, and, moreover, I will turn my attention to the one thing that I have been worthy of becoming a preacher of the truth, both rejected and despised in the wilderness of sound teaching, according to what is written, and impenetrable and without water (Ps. 62:2), - then (I’ll say briefly) I stop all anxiety, but on the contrary, I rejoice greatly, as having been awarded more than I deserve. Therefore, I am writing this to you, letting you know that my friendship and intimacy are firm only with those who adhere to such rules. What kind of right-thinking person would voluntarily leave such people? And what holiday is more important than the one celebrated by people like you? If illness or bad weather prevents diligence, then I myself will suffer a loss, and you will excuse me and pray that another opportunity will open for a meeting with you. 101. To the presbyter Kledonius, against Apollinaris first 15 Gregory, the most honest, most God-loving brother and co-presbyter, Kledonius, wishes to rejoice in the Lord. I want to know what kind of innovation this is in the Church, according to which anyone who wants and, according to Scripture, who passes by (Ps. 79:13) is allowed to dissolve and plunder a well-trained flock, carrying out furtive invasions on it, or better yet, instilling in it banditry and strange teachings. If those who are attacking us now could condemn us for anything regarding faith, then they should not have dared to do such things without admonishing us first. First, it was necessary either to convince, or to want to be convinced, if only we meant something, as God-fearing people, who worked for the sake of the word and did something useful for the Church; Then, if something new had been introduced, the offenders would perhaps have some kind of excuse for it. But when our faith is preached in writing and not in writing, here and in distant countries, with dangers and without dangers, how do some decide to do such a thing, while others remain silent? And it is not only difficult (although this is not easy) that they pour their false teaching with the help of malicious people into the minds of the simple-minded, but the fact that they slander us, calling us like-minded and agreeing with them, they put bait on a bait and through this deception they maliciously fulfill their will and turn our simplicity, by which we looked at them as brothers, and not as strangers, into an aid to their malice. And not enough of this; but, as I hear, they say that they were adopted by the Western Council 16, which, as everyone knows, previously condemned them. But if the followers of Apollinarius are either now accepted, or were previously accepted, then let them prove this, and we will calm down. Then it will be obvious that they agree with the right teaching; otherwise it would have been impossible for them to achieve this. They will prove it, without a doubt, either by a cathedral scroll, or by sociable messages, for such is the law of councils. If these are just words and fiction, invented by them for appearances sake and in order to gain credibility among the people through the authenticity of their faces, then teach them to be silent and expose them. We consider this to be decent both to your way of life and to your Orthodoxy. Let them not deceive others, and let them not themselves be deceived, accepting that the man of the Lord, as they say, or better yet, our Lord and God, has no mind 17 . We do not separate in Him man from the Divinity, but we teach that one and the same is not first man, but God and the Only Begotten Son, eternal, having neither a body nor anything corporeal, and, finally, man, perceived for our salvation, subject to suffering in the flesh, impassive in Divinity, limited in body, not limited in spirit; one and the same earthly and heavenly, visible and intelligible, contained and incontainable, so that the whole man who fell under sin could be recreated as a whole man and God. If anyone does not recognize Holy Mary as the Mother of God, then he is excommunicated from the Divinity. If anyone says that Christ passed through the Virgin as if through a trumpet, and was not formed in her both divinely and humanly—divinely, as born without a husband, humanly, as born according to the law of pregnancy—then he too is godless. If anyone says that man was formed in the Virgin and then gave way to God, then he is condemned, for this does not mean recognizing the birth of God, but avoiding the birth. If anyone introduces two sons - one from God and the Father, and the other from the Mother, and not one and the same - then let him lose the adoption promised right to believers. For although there are two natures - God and man (as in man there is soul and body), but not two sons, not two Gods (just as here there are not two people, although Paul called both the external and the internal in man man (2 Cor. 4:16)). To put it briefly: in the Savior there is something else and something else, because the invisible is not identical with the visible and the pre-temporal with that which is under time; but the other and the other have no place in Him. This will not happen! For both are in fusion—God became man, and man became deified, or whatever one might call it. When I say: another and another, I mean it differently than what should be understood about the Trinity. There is Another and Another, so as not to merge the Hypostases for us, and not another and another; for the Three [Hypostases] in Divinity are one and identical. If anyone says that in Christ the Divinity, as in the prophet, acted graciously, and was not essentially coupled and is coupled, then let him not have the best inspiration in himself, but, on the contrary, let him be filled with the opposite! If anyone does not worship the Crucified One, then let him be anathema and counted among the deicides. If anyone says that Christ became perfect through works and that He, either by baptism or by resurrection from the dead, was worthy of adoption (just as the pagans admit gods to be numbered) - let him be anathema: for it is not God who received the beginning or succeeds, or is perfected, although this is attributed to Christ (Luke 2:52), relative to the gradual manifestation. If anyone says that He has now laid aside the flesh and the Divinity remains naked from the body, and does not acknowledge that He now remains with the assumed humanity and will come, then let them not see such glory of His coming! For where is the body now, if not with Him who received it? It is not placed in the sun, as the Manichaeans say idlely, in order to be glorified by ignominy; it did not spread and disintegrate in the air, like the nature of a voice, and the outpouring of a smell, and the flight of unstoppable lightning. How else can we explain the fact that He was tangible after the resurrection (John 20:27) and will one day appear to those who pierced Him (John 19:37)? The Divinity itself is invisible. But, as I think, Christ will come, although with a body, however, such as he appeared or appeared to the disciples on the mountain, when the Divinity conquered the flesh. But just as we say this to reject suspicion, so we write the following to correct the innovation. If anyone says that the flesh came down from heaven, and not from the earth and not from us, let him be anathema. For the words of Scripture: the second man is from heaven, and: he who is in heaven, and those who are in heaven (1 Cor. 15:47-48), and: no one ascends into heaven, except the Son of Man who came down from heaven (John 3:13), and the like should be understood as being said because of the union with the heavenly; just as what is said, that all things became Christ (1 Cor. 8:6) and that Christ dwells in our hearts (Eph. 3:17), refers not to what is visible, but to what is intuited in God, because both natures and names are dissolved and pass into one another according to the law of the closest union. If someone puts his trust in a person who does not have a mind, then he [he himself] really does not have a mind and is not worthy of being completely saved; for what is not perceived is not healed; but what is united with God is saved. If Adam fell in one half, then one half was taken up and saved. And if the whole one fell, then he united with the whole Born One and is completely saved. Therefore, let them not envy us for our all-perfect salvation, and let them not attribute to the Savior only the bones, veins and appearance of a human being. If he is a man without a soul, then the Arians also say this in order to attribute suffering to the Divine, since whatever set the body in motion, that is what suffered. If He is a man with a soul, then, without a mind, how could he be a man? Man is not an unreasonable animal. And necessity will require admitting, under the image and cover of a human, the soul of some horse, or ox, or other unreasonable animal. And so will the thing that is saved. So, I am deceived by the Truth itself and am proud when another is honored. If He is a reasonable man, and not devoid of intelligence, then let the madmen be silent. But they say: “Instead of the mind, the Divine is enough.” What do I care about this? A deity with one flesh is not yet a man, and also with one soul or with flesh and soul, but without a mind, which primarily distinguishes man. So, in order to show me a perfect benefit, preserve the whole person and add the Divinity. But you say: “He did not combine two perfect things in Himself.” I didn’t combine it, if you imagine this in a physical way. A vessel the size of one medimn cannot contain two medimni; also, the space occupied by one body cannot accommodate two or more bodies. If you imagine this as mental and incorporeal, then look: I also contain within me the soul, and the word, and the mind, and the Holy Spirit; and even before me, this world, that is, this totality of the visible and invisible, contained within itself the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Such is the nature of everything intelligible that it is not corporeal and is inseparably united with its own kind and with bodies. And many sounds are contained in one hearing, and the sight of many is located on the same visible objects, and the sense of smell - on the same smelled objects; but the senses are not constrained or supplanted by one another, and sensed objects are not diminished by the multitude of senses. Moreover, how can the mind of a person or an Angel be called perfect in comparison with the Divine, so that the presence of the greater supersedes the other? It is impossible to call any lighting perfect in comparison with the sun and a little moisture in comparison with the river. Let's take something unimportant as an example - the lighting of a house and the earth's moisture, so that in this way large and most perfect objects can be combined. For how can two perfect things be combined in themselves, a house - lighting and the sun, and the earth - moisture and a river? Let us consider this, because this subject is truly worthy of great attention. Don’t they know that what is perfect in relation to one can be imperfect in relation to another, as, for example, a hill is imperfect in relation to a mountain, a mustard seed is imperfect in relation to a bean, or to any other large seed, although it itself is called larger in comparison with similar seeds; or, if you like, an Angel in relation to God and a person to an Angel. Therefore, our mind is something perfect and sovereign, but only in relation to the soul and body, and not simply perfect; In relation to God, he is something slavish and subordinate, and not equal in power and unequal in honor. And Moses is a god to Pharaoh and a servant of God, as it is written (Exod. 7:1; Num. 12:7). And the stars shine at night, but in the sun they hide, so that during the day you cannot even notice them. And a small lamp brought to a larger burning fire does not disappear, and is invisible and indistinguishable, but everything appears as one fire, because what prevails prevails. But you say: “Our mind is condemned.” What about the flesh? Isn't she condemned? Either reject the flesh - but because of sin, or admit the mind - for the sake of salvation. If the worst is accepted so that it is sanctified by the incarnation, why should not the better be accepted so that it is sanctified by the incarnation? If the clay absorbed the leaven into itself and became a new mixture, then how, O wise ones, could one not accept the leaven into the image and become one with God, becoming deified through the Divinity? Let's add the following. If the mind, as sinful and condemned, is completely despicable, and therefore the body is taken over and the mind is abandoned, then those who sin with the mind are excusable. For, according to your words, God’s testimony clearly showed the impossibility of healing him. I will say even more: you, most excellent, as one who bows to the flesh, while I bow to man, dishonor my mind in order to connect God with the flesh, as if connected with nothing else, and for this you take away the mediastinum. And how do I reason, a man unwise and unlearned? The mind is united with the mind, as with the closest and more akin, and then with the flesh through the mediation of the mind between the Divine and the fat. What is the reason for their incarnation, or (as they say) incarnation? If God, who otherwise cannot be contained in the flesh, speaks with people, as if under a veil, then it will be one elegant face and a spectacular performance. Not to mention the fact that it was possible to talk to us differently, as before in the bush of fire and in human form. If that, in order to destroy the condemnation of sin, sanctifying like by like, then He needed both flesh for the sake of the condemned flesh and the soul for the sake of the soul, and the mind for the sake of the mind, which in Adam not only fell, but, as doctors say about diseases, was the first to be struck. For whatever received the commandment did not keep the commandment; and what he did not comply with, he also dared to commit a crime; and what transgressed was the most in need of salvation; and whatever needed salvation was accepted. Therefore the mind is perceived. So, this, against their will, is now shown with geometric, as they say, necessity and strict arguments. And you act in the same way as if you healed the leg of a person who injured his eye and then injured his leg; or if, when the painter painted something badly, you replaced what was written with something else, but did not touch the painter, as if he had done his job. If, forced by these conclusions, they resort to the idea that it was possible for God to save a person even without taking on the mind, then let’s say: of course, He could save a person without taking on flesh, by a single will, just like everything else, He produces and produced without a body. Therefore, take away your flesh along with your mind, so that you can reach perfection in your madness. But they are deceived by Scripture and therefore resort to the flesh, not knowing the manner of expression usually characteristic of Scripture. Let us enlighten them on this too. That Christ in Scripture is everywhere called man and the Son of Man, is it necessary to talk about this to people who know? If they rely on the words: The Word became flesh and dwelt in us (John 1:14), and on this basis they cut off the best part of a person, like shoemakers cutting off the thick parts of leather, just to mold God with the flesh, then they should say that God is the God of bodies only, and not souls, on the basis of what is said in Scripture: just as you have given Him authority over all flesh (John 17:2); and: all flesh will come to You (Ps. 64:3); and let all flesh, that is, every man, bless His holy name (Ps. 145:21); or again it would be necessary to tell them that our fathers came to Egypt disembodied and invisible and that only the soul of Joseph was bound in bonds by Pharaoh, also on the basis of what is written: in seventy and five souls he went down into Egypt (Deut. 10:22), and: his soul passed through iron (Ps. 104:18) - such a thing that cannot be bound. Those who assert this do not know that such names are taken together, so that by part they mean the whole. Thus, it is said that the chicks of corvids call on God (Ps. 147:9), to designate a whole genus of birds; The Pleiades and Esperus and Arcturus are mentioned (Job 9:9) to designate all the stars and God’s providence for them. Moreover, God’s love for us could not be expressed in any other way than through mention of the flesh, because for our sake He descended to the worst. For every sane person admits that the flesh is less important than the soul. Therefore, the saying: The Word became flesh, it seems to me, is equivalent to saying that He became sin (2 Cor. 5:21) and a curse (Gal. 3:13), not because the Lord became transformed into this (how is this possible?), but because through the perception of this He accepted our iniquities and suffered illnesses (see: Is. 53:4). So, this is sufficient in the present case, because of the clarity and intelligibility for many. For we write this with the intention not to compose a book, but to stop deception. We will offer a more complete and extensive word about this, if you wish, later. There is, however, no need to ignore what is more important than what has been said so far. Oh that those who disturb you and introduce new Judaism, new circumcision and new sacrifices were cut off from us! If this is so, what prevents their rejection from being born again to Christ, again being betrayed by Judas, and crucified, and buried, and being resurrected, so that everything would be fulfilled in the same order, in accordance with the rotation accepted among the Hellenes, according to which the same movement of the stars leads to the same events. What is this addition, according to which some of what happened then still takes place, and others are left, let these wise men, who boast of many books, explain. Since, puffed up by their book about the Trinity, they slander us, as if our faith is not sound, and deceive many, it is necessary to know that although Apollinaris assigned the name of Divinity to the Holy Spirit, he did not retain the power of Divinity in Him. For to compose the Trinity from the great, greater and greatest, as if from radiance, ray and sun (that is, from the Spirit, Son and Father), which is clearly written in his books, is such a ladder of the Divinity that does not lead to heaven, but brings down from heaven. But we know God the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit; and these are not bare names by which the inequality of merits and powers is distinguished, but one and the same as the name and the nature of the Divine, a single essence and power. If someone believes that we are saying this correctly, and yet accuses us of communicating with heretics, then let this be proven by one of our people: then we will either be justified, or we will retreat from communication. And before the trial, it is unsafe to introduce something new, either in anything else or in a matter so important and concerning such subjects. We have already testified to this both before God and before people, and now we are ready to testify. And rest assured, they would not have written this now if they had not seen that the Church is being torn and dissected both by other monstrous false teachings and by the current host of vanities. If someone, when we say and testify to this, either out of some benefit, or out of human fear, or out of inappropriate cowardice, or out of lack of a shepherd and leader, or out of attachment to oddities and readiness for innovation, despises us as unworthy of attention, turns to such people and tears apart the beautiful Body of the Church, then whoever he is will bear condemnation and give an answer to God on the day of judgment. If extensive books, new psalms that contradict David, and pleasant verses are considered the third testament, then we will begin to sing psalms, write a lot and compose verses: I believe that I also have the Spirit of God (1 Cor. 7:40), if only this is the grace of the Spirit, and not a human innovation. I want you to testify to this before many, so that it does not fall on us that such evil is ignored by us and, through our negligence, the evil teaching spreads and intensifies. 102. To the presbyter Kledonius, against Apollinaris second 18 Since many, coming to your piety, require confirmation in the faith, and therefore you lovingly asked me for a brief definition and rule setting out the way of my thoughts, I wrote to your piety that I (as you knew before my writing) never preferred anything and cannot prefer anything to the Nicene faith, set forth by the holy fathers who gathered in Nicaea to overthrow the Arian heresy, but with the help of God I hold on and will to hold on to this faith, clarifying only what is not fully said in it about the Holy Spirit, because the question did not yet arise that in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit one should recognize one Divinity, confessing the Spirit as God. Therefore, whoever thinks and teaches this way, you, like me, have fellowship with him, but turn away those who hold other teachings and consider them alien to God and the universal Church. Since the question is also proposed about God’s incarnation or incarnation, then assure everyone about me that I bring the Son of God, born of the Father and then of the Holy Virgin Mary, into one and do not call him two sons, but I worship one and the same in indivisible Divinity and in indivisible honor. If anyone either now does not agree, or later does not agree with this, then he will give an answer before God on the Day of Judgment. This, in brief words and with such strength, is my objection and opposition to their insane opinion regarding the mind: for almost alone they, what they teach, actually suffer, cutting off the mind out of madness. And so that they do not accuse me of having previously accepted, but now rejecting, the faith of my beloved Vitaly, which he set out in writing, at the request of Blessed Damasus, Bishop of Rome, I will explain this and that briefly. When they theologize in front of their sincere disciples who are initiated into their mysteries, like the Manichaeans in front of their so-called chosen ones, then, revealing to them all their illness, they barely appropriate the body to the Savior. But when the general concepts of the incarnation, which Scripture presents, are exposed and led into difficulty, then they profess pious expressions, but regarding the mind they resort to cunning; They do not say that Christ is a man who does not have a soul, words 19 and mind and is imperfect, but instead of soul, word and mind they introduce the Divinity itself, as if He were united with the flesh alone, and not something of ours and human, although sinless is higher than our nature and is the purification of our infirmities. Thus, these words: we are the mind of Christ imams (1 Cor. 2:16), they interpret poorly and very absurdly, by the mind of Christ they mean the Divinity, and not as we understand: that those who have the mind of Christ are those who have purified their mind through imitation of the mind that was received by the Savior for our sake, and, if possible, conformed to this mind; just as it could be said that those who have taught their flesh have the flesh of Christ and in this regard have become co-corporeal and partakers (Eph. 3:6) of Christ. And just as we have put on the image of the earthly, so it is said, let us also be clothed in the image of the heavenly (1 Cor. 15:49). In the same way, they teach that a perfect person is not a person tempted in all sorts of ways, which is only akin to us, except sin (Heb. 4:15), but the union of the Divinity and the flesh: this, they say, is perfect. They are also clever in explaining the word “incarnation.” He became man, they interpret, does not mean that He was in man, whom He united most closely with Himself, according to what was said: He Himself knew what was in man (John 2:25), but it means, they say and teach, that He talked and lived with men, and in confirmation of this they resort to the saying: for this reason He appeared on earth and lived with men (Bar.3:38). Why else argue with them? Rejecting man and the internal image through the new and only visible mask they introduce, they purify one of our external ones, contradicting themselves to such an extent that for the sake of the flesh they sometimes explain the other roughly and carnally (hence their new Judaism, the thousand-year, baseless pleasure in paradise and the opinion that we will again accept almost the same thing and for the same use that we have now), and sometimes they introduce more of a ghost of flesh than real flesh, they introduce a flesh that does not experience anything characteristic of us, even that which is free from sin, and in support of this they take the apostolic word, only not understood and spoken by the apostles, namely, that our Savior was in the likeness of humanity, and was found in the image of a man (Phil. 2:7), as if these words meant not a human image, but some kind of deceptive idea and ghost. So, since the same words, if understood well, agree with piety and, if interpreted poorly, contain evil, what is surprising if I, convinced of this by my own desire, accepted Vitali’s writing in a pious sense, while others are offended by the meaning of what was written? It seems to me that Damasus himself, having examined the matter again and heard together that they remained with the same interpretations, excommunicated them from the Church and blotted out their written statement of faith by pronouncing an anathema, being upset with them for the very deception to which they fell through their simplicity. Therefore, having been so clearly convicted, let them not be angry, but let them be ashamed and erase from the doors this great and amazing destiny and proclamation of Orthodoxy, and no longer begin to greet those entering first of all with the question and distinction that they should worship not the God-bearing man, but the flesh-bearing God. Could anything be crazier than this, although these new preachers of truth think highly of this saying? It is nothing more than a sophistical amusement consisting of the speed of transformation, the agile throwing of stones, amusing the ignorant; in fact, it is something from the funny to the funny, from the unreasonable to the unreasonable. For if someone, having changed the words man and flesh, of which we like the first, and the second to them, into the word God, then uses this wonderful and God-loving transformation, what will happen then? That which should be worshiped not by God-bearing flesh, but by God the man-bearer. How absurd! Today they only proclaim to us the wisdom hidden from the times of Christ, which is truly worthy of tears! For if faith began only thirty years before this, and almost four hundred years have passed since the appearance of Christ, then for such a long time our gospel was in vain, our faith was in vain, in vain did the martyrs suffer martyrdom, in vain did so many great leaders rule over people, and grace consists in verses, and not in faith. But who would not marvel at their learning? They themselves clearly distinguish what concerns Christ and the fact that He was born, was tempted, hungered, thirsted, toiled, slept, is attributed to human nature, and the fact that He was glorified by the Angels, defeated the tempter, fed the people in the desert, and fed miraculously, walked on the sea, is attributed to the Divinity; They also say that the words: where will you put Lazarus? (John 11:34), are characteristic of our nature, and what is said: Lazarus, come out (John 11:43), and the resurrection of the four-day-old man belong to that which is above us; likewise, that He mourned, was crucified, and was buried refers to the veil, but that He trusted, and rose again, and ascended into heaven refers to the inner treasure. After this they accuse us of introducing two perfect or opposing natures and dividing a supernatural and miraculous unity. They should either not do what they accuse others of, or not blame them for what they themselves do, if only they knew how to be true to themselves, and not express both their own opinion and the opinions of their opponents. Such is unreason: it is in contradiction both with itself and with the truth, so that they either do not understand or are not ashamed of their predicament. And if anyone thinks that I am writing and saying this voluntarily, and not under extreme compulsion, and that I am averse to unity, and not particularly trying for it, let it be known that he is reasoning incorrectly and has not guessed my desire. For me there is and has never been anything preferable to peace, as the deeds themselves assure me, although unanimity is completely blocked by what they do and undertake against me. Asks for attention and protection to his relative Euthymius (c. 382). If someone asked me: what is the best thing in life? – I would answer: friends. And among them, who should be more revered? I would answer: good ones. And among the good ones, who do you name first? I know that I will not put anyone above your valor. And I write this without flattering power, without respecting morals, for which I, perhaps, am no small herald, at least not silent as long as I have the strength, and even not only a herald, but also a companion, giving you new strength through prayers. With this I wanted to end the letter. But since we not only honor God, but also pray for good deeds, then listen, not being burdened by me (and that my requests are not a burden for you, I can conclude this from what has gone before), but remembering me. Again I present to you petitioner Euthymius and again I ask you not only to kindly accept this young man, but also to excuse his slowness, because, while managing the affairs of orphans, he was of necessity detained at home. But try to give it a good run, both to my honor and to the glory of your rightness. Although there are many people to whom you have done good, nevertheless, this good deed will serve your honor no less than any other, as I myself heard from you personally, and I want you to now assure me of this. This man is both worthy of regret for being an orphan, and I love him for his character, not to mention his blood relationship. He entrusts his love for humanity to the widow Philomena. Other mercies that you bestowed, as far as I know, I received from your condescension; and for them may God reward you with His blessings; and among these blessings is that your leadership will be accomplished with praise and glory for you. But the mercy that I ask now is such that (if it is not arrogant to say this) I intend to show it to you rather than receive it from you. I present to you, on my behalf, the unfortunate Philumena, so that she may fall before your justice and, through your mediation, dry the tears with which she is crushing my soul. What kind of insults she suffers and from whom, she will explain it herself; because it is not safe for me to blame anyone. I myself need to say one thing: widowhood and orphanhood have the right to help, like any prudent person in general, and especially those who have a wife and children - this is a great guarantee of mercy; because we pronounce judgment on people, being ourselves the same people. Forgive me for asking this in a letter; болезнь лишает меня возможности видеть правителя, столько благосклонного и удивительного по своим доблестям, что и начало твоего правления досточестнее, нежели у иных слава, приобретённая к концу правления. The time is short, the subject of debate is important, and the illness is severe, making me almost immobile. What remains but to ask God and implore your love for mankind? Ask God to put better thoughts into your mind; I beg your love for mankind not to reject my request without pity, but with meekness to accept the unfortunate Paul, whom justice delivered into your hands, perhaps in order to glorify you even more with the greatness of meekness, and to attract my prayers, if they mean anything, to your love for mankind. Intercedes for his relative Eustratius. Here is another pretext for the letter, which, if it is necessary to tell the truth, you yourself call for the honor you show me. Here is another petitioner for you, this prisoner of fear, my relative Eustratius, who with me and through me falls to your goodness. He is unable to remain forever stubborn against your power, although just fear has driven him crazy, and he decides to fall to you not through anyone else, but only through me, in order to make your love for mankind more respectable for himself, by using such an intercessor, which, if nothing else does, then you yourself make great, so willingly accepting requests from him. I will say in one word and briefly: you did the previous mercies for me; You will do this same mercy according to your own judgment, since you once decided to console my old age and infirmity with such honors. But I will add that through this you will gain God’s favor towards you. Explains the purpose of the silence he imposed on himself (at the time of Lent 382). You ask: what does my silence require? Requires moderation in speech and silence; because he who prevails in general will conveniently prevail in part; and moreover, it will tame irritability, which does not express itself, but is absorbed in itself. Shows the benefits for himself from silence. I will remain silent in words, learning to say what is necessary, and I will practice overcoming passions. If anyone accepts this, great; and if not, then silence is beneficial for me because I do not answer others. Allows you to come to him during silence. I don't interfere with the date. Although the tongue is silent, the ears are ready to listen with pleasure; because hearing what is needed is just as valuable as saying what is needed. A new way of teaching! Since I did not hold my tongue while speaking, I taught him silence through silence, instructing him in similar ways. Such is Christ’s law! Since Christ, while speaking the law to us, did not cleanse us, he subjects man to human law. Son Euthymius has not yet arrived for Great Week, but he hopes, and I think, that it will not cost much effort when he appears. On imposing a vow of silence on oneself on Holy Pentecost (382). Your wisdom is a desert and such immeasurable fasting, and mine is silence. Let us share our gifts among ourselves. And when we come into unity, we will sing to God together, bearing the fruit of both rational silence and the inspired word. Convicts him of violating his fast by allowing indecent spectacles. I received you silently, so that you would understand the word of silence that speaks through the pen. I will say what is appropriate for friendship and the present circumstances. You are a judge, but you break the law by not maintaining your post. And how will you protect human laws while neglecting God’s law? Clear your judgment seat so that one of two things doesn’t happen, that is, you either really don’t become bad, or you don’t get forced to think bad about yourself. Offering shameful spectacles means exposing yourself to shame. The main rule: know, judge, that you yourself will be judged, and [then] you will sin less. I can't offer you anything better than this. He reprimands for reinterpreting the words of the Apostle Paul about those who eat and those who do not eat. Do not judge me, who keep silence, just as I do not judge you, who speak about what Paul laid down regarding food (Rom. 14:3). If you judge, then be afraid that my tongue will not move against you for the first time if it finds you worthy of silence. Before this Nazianz mayor he justifies himself in accepting him silently, and on this occasion he retells the fable about swallows and swans. Since you, kind and polite, accuse me of silence and discourtesy, then if you please, I will compose for you a not entirely awkward fable. Won't I use it to wean you from talkativeness? The swallows laughed at the swans because they did not want to live with people and show others their art of singing, but spend their lives in meadows and rivers, love solitude, and although they sing occasionally, no matter what they sing, they sing to themselves, as if ashamed of their singing. “And we,” said the swallows, “love cities, people, houses; we chat with people, we tell them this and that about ourselves, what happened in the old days in Attica, about Pandion, about Athens, about Tyreus, about Thrace, about departure, wedding, desecration, cutting of the language, writing, and above all about Itis and how from people we became birds.” The swans, not liking to speak, did not deign to speak to them for a long time; when they deigned to give an answer, they said: “And we reason that someone else will come for us into the desert to listen to singing, when we give our wings to the zephyr for sweet and euphonious inspirations. That’s why we don’t sing a lot and not in front of many people. But this is what constitutes perfection for us, that we present our songs in a measured manner and do not merge our singing with any noise. And you are a burden to the people in whose house you live; they turn away when you sing; and they act justly when you cannot remain silent, although your tongue has been cut out, but you yourself, complaining about your voicelessness and such loss, are more talkative than any other vocal and songbird.” “Understand what I’m saying,” says Pindar, “and if you find that my voicelessness is better than your eloquent speech, then stop reproaching my silence.” Or I’ll tell you a proverb that is as fair as it is short: then the swans will sing when the jackdaws are silent. He sends as a gift the book “Philokalia” by Origen, his joint work with Basil the Great. A holiday for me is your letter. And it’s even better that you anticipate the time of the holiday with your diligence, providing me with the pre-festival. Such is the gift of your reverence; and I repay you with the most important thing I have - prayers. But so that you have something to remember us, I am sending you my and St. Basil’s book of Origen’s “Philokalia,” which contains a selection of useful things for lovers of literature. Deign to accept this and present me with proof of the benefit, aided by diligence and spirit. He promises to be in Lamisa again. Lamis was for me both a place of silence and a school of wisdom; As I looked at him during silence, so I want to see him when I begin to speak, so that I can both fulfill the desire of the brethren and punish you, bad interpreters of my words, for your affection. For I will come to you myself, who I say, I will come not allegorized, not guessed, but purely understood. Upon leaving Lamis, where a vow of silence was fulfilled, he wants to talk with Eulalia through letters. Something strange happened to me: being silent in your presence, I want to speak with the absent one, so that I can convey the word to you, and use the word from you. For it is wonderful to dedicate the first fruits of everything else, as well as words, first to the Word, and then to those who fear the Lord. About ending your vow of silence. There is a time for every thing, says Ecclesiastes (Eccl. 3:1). Therefore I put guard in my mouth when there was time; and this I will not hinder my mouth (Ps. 39:10), when the time has come for this too. Will I remain silent, says Scripture, and will I always remain silent (Is. 42:14)? I was silent for myself, but I will speak to others; If they also say what is necessary, thanks be to God for everything! And if not, we'll block your ears. With Christ I killed my tongue when I fasted, and I resolved it with the Risen One. Such is the secret of my silence, so that just as I sacrifice the innermost mind, so I sacrifice the purified word. 120. To Helladius, Bishop of Caesarea (106) Thanks for the congratulations on Easter and asks to give a bishop to the Nazianza Church. Having learned to see the expected from afar (I will use your beginning), we already enjoy the present. For the holy day of Easter, which we celebrated, as far as I know, is a secret guide to the blessings there, as one of the passing holidays. And you did well to remind me of this with both your parcel and your letter. And I have already experienced many Easters - and this is one of the acquisitions of my long life. But now, having come out of this Egypt - from this difficult and gloomy life, and having freed myself from clay and making bricks (Ex. 1:14), to which we are attached, I more often wish to move to the land of promise. Pray that I may be worthy of this, if you are concerned about providing me with the greatest benefit. And may the Lord grant you, with your long life, to celebrate many times with the entire Church! If you allow me to calmly end my old age, giving this church a bishop whom the Holy Spirit will indicate, then you will do a good deed and, I will say, you will be worthy of fatherly blessings. Expresses his good wishes. I welcome counselors of love, especially at such a time and in the reasoning of a person who has recently been united and at the same time baptized and, in order to treat you with the words of Scripture, planted in his youth (Ps. 143:12). For this is what it calls the superiority of understanding over age. Therefore, just as the ancient fathers, by the way, wished for their children the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth (Gen. 27:28), unless anyone wants to understand this in a higher sense, so I will reward you spiritually for everything. The Lord will fulfill all your requests (Ps. 19:6), and you will be the father of such children (if you have to express your desire in a shorter and closer way) as you yourself showed yourself to your parents, so that, above all else, I may glory in you. 122. To Theodore, Bishop of Tyana (122) Invites him to Arians to celebrate the martyrs and to consider common affairs. And to me, as a sick person, you are obliged to provide your services, because one of the commandments is to visit the sick, and you also owe the holy martyrs an annual honor, which we perform in your Arians on the twenty-second day of our month of Dafus 20. Moreover, there are many church matters that require general consideration. For all these reasons, deign to be with us without any delay. Although the work is great, the reward is equal. Due to the desire to philosophize in silence, poor health and the fickleness of the weather, he refuses the invitation to participate in general prayers. I am glad of your arrival, I love to be with you; however, he thought differently about himself, that is, to sit at home and philosophize in silence. Because I found this most useful for myself. Since the weather is still unstable, and the illness has not left me, I ask you, be a little generous, pray for my health; After some time, I am ready [to be] present at your prayers. He promises to be with him, but not at the cathedral. You call me to you, and I hurry; but I’m in a hurry alone and to get closer to you alone. And I bow to councils and interviews from afar, ever since I experienced a lot (to put it more modestly) of bad things. What else remains? Help my just desire with prayers so that I may be worthy of what I care about. He asks to take action against the Apollinarians, who installed their bishop in Nazianza when St. Gregory was treated in the warm waters of Xanxarides. And gray hair learns differently, and old age is not always, apparently, a reliable evidence of prudence. Especially knowing the thoughts and wickedness of all the Apollinarians and seeing their intolerable arrogance, I thought that with my generosity I would make them meek and soften them little by little, which, apparently, was what they promised to my hopes. But in an imperceptible way, as it turned out, I made them even worse and with untimely wisdom caused harm to the Church, for meekness does not bring worthless people to shame. And now, if I could personally prove this to myself, be sure that, even having risen beyond my strength, I would not be lazy to fall for your honesty. But since the illness has taken me far, and on the advice of doctors I need to use the warm waters of Xanxarides, I replace myself with writing. These evil people who perished in evil, above all else, summoned or (I can’t say this exactly) used the passing bishops who were deposed at the Ecumenical Eastern and Western Council, and opposing all the royal decrees and your orders, they assigned the name of bishop to one person, among them wicked and suspicious, nothing, I think, was as encouraging as (it must be said) my deadness. If this is bearable, may your firmness bear it, so will I, just as I have endured it many times. And if it is difficult and unbearable for the most pious kings themselves, deign to punish them for what they have done, although not as severely as their arrogance would deserve. He informs about himself that, hurrying to meet with him, he is detained by illness in one monastery and asks for Nikovul. My joy passed away like a dream. When I was brought to the monastery to get some relief from the bath there, then harboring the hope of meeting you, I already had this benefit in my hands, and spent several days in the monastery; I was suddenly struck by an illness, which partly already worries me, and partly threatens me. If you need to find some kind of similarity for my illness, then I suffer the same as polyps, which are forcibly torn from stones and who are often in danger of either giving up part of their cells to the stones, or taking something from the stones with them. This is my position. But what I needed to ask your rightness personally, I dared to ask for in absentia. I found that son Nikovul was very worried about both the continuation of the journey and the constant stay in the monastery, like a weak man, not accustomed to this and bored by loneliness. Deign to use it for any other purpose you please; because he is ready to serve your power in everything; but spare me, if possible, from this concern, if for nothing else, then out of respect for the fact that he follows me, the sick one. Just as I asked you for many things and for many and received what I asked, so I need your condescension towards me. He asks to give Nikovul Sr. peace from business. And it is pleasant for others to greet your reverence, but this is even more pleasant for me in my present situation. Since I am losing hope almost every day, this makes me more attached to you, as if I were receiving my last acquisition. But as soon as I recognize this acquisition, I owe the reward to my venerable son Nikobul, from whom I acquired it; and just as the poor act when, seeing the rich before them, they wish to receive a benefit from them, so do I, paying him the debt through you. But he needs rest from business, as a person who is constantly accustomed to it; Therefore, deign to provide him with an opportunity for such repose. He asks for the protection of Anfim, who upset his health by participating in one famous military case. I greet you from afar, who replaces everyone to me and is higher than everyone else for me. And you personally honored me with your great favor, and in absentia, as I know, you honor me with the same. And for this great thing, let a great reward be given to the bearer of this letter, my son Anfim. What kind of reward is this? Take advantage of your patronage in everything he needs. My request is given special strength both by this man himself, who participated in a famous military affair and, perhaps, known to important people, and by the disaster that upset his physical composition, which clearly speaks of itself, and as hard as it would be for anyone, it is, as is natural, more painful for him, who suffered this not according to his deserts. Added to this, my petition, as I am sure, will even more help the success of what we are striving for. Due to a serious illness, not being able to see him in person, he asks through a letter to show generosity to Deacon Eugene. If my physical health were not so bad, and I was not in danger of despairing in life itself, then the first and most important benefit for myself would be to see you, to be with you, to personally present this request. But since I do not raise my head, completely bound by illness, and against my will, deprived of the opportunity to fulfill my desire, I take up the second means and write to you with a letter; with it I greet and kiss you, with it I dare to ask for our deacon Eugene, for whom I appeal to your generosity. If acquaintance with the worthless Rigian is not yet a crime, and in other respects he seems to be innocent of anything, then for the sake of justice itself, of which you are the support and protector, and if you consider this a crime, then for the sake of God, to whom he is facing, and for the sake of my gray hair, which, as you know, is respected by many who fear the Lord, I beg you, show this mercy to me and the entire clergy and, having freed this man from misfortune, do so that you may have good hope from God. In return for what you have done, you will receive no less than something (if not much, so to speak) - my prayers. The invitation of Emperor Theodosius, made through Procopius, to attend the council in Constantinople was decisively refused. If I must write the truth, then my thought is to avoid any meeting of bishops, because I have not yet seen a single meeting that would have a beneficial end in all respects and would more relieve evils than increase them. Curiosity and arrogance (I don’t think it’s almost impolite for me to write like this) are beyond any description; and whoever judges the vice of others will rather be accused himself than put an end to the vice. Therefore, I closed myself in and recognized silence as the only security for the soul. And now I am prompted to such a decision by illness, from which I am always almost on my last legs and cannot use myself for anything. Therefore, may your lofty mind forgive me, and through you may the most pious king be convinced not to condemn my laziness, but to excuse my weakness, for which he allowed me to leave, which I asked for myself as a benefit. He welcomes him to take over the administration of the second Cappadocia and asks him to write to Constantinople about the reality of his illness. This is more painful for me than illness: they don’t believe me that I’m sick, but they prescribe such a long journey and force me to rush into the midst of riots, from which I like to avoid, almost giving thanks for this to bodily disorder. For carefree silence is preferable to the celebrity of public officials. I wrote about this before to the venerable Icarius, having received the same order. And now may your generosity deign to write for me, because I have in you a reliable witness of my illness. You are confirmed in it by the very loss that I now bear, not being able to come and enjoy the sight of such a leader, so amazing in his virtues that your very accession to leadership is more worthy of the glory that others acquire throughout their service. Similar with the same content. I know very well that you demand from me what is characteristic of friendship, otherwise you would not have dared to write. For you will give power to the worldly, but to me, who is worthy to approach God as a good fellow worker, boldness. Therefore, I greet you and, at your request, I will present my case. With God’s help, everything is going well for me, except for one thing: I’m worried about the churches, which are in such turmoil. And if you can help them in any way, do not be lazy in both word and deed to restore general harmony; because again there is a council of bishops, and it is dangerous that even now we will not remain in shame if this council has almost the same end as the previous one. For I left my business to be examined and judged by the omniscient God, although I willingly gave in to envy, giving room to those who wanted it and refusing not something, as many people think, useful, but, on the contrary, something extremely dangerous, and as if after a terrible and cruel storm, having encountered a calm and safe haven. From solitude, where he was improving his health, he asked to try to pacify the Church at the council that opened. If I write now, it does not mean that I am impudent; and if you didn’t write it sooner, it means you’re lazy. Better to say, it doesn’t even mean that; because there was no one to send me a letter with, although (as you yourself suppose) I wanted it. I spend time in the fields, far from residential areas, and there I improve my physical health. But now, when there is an opportunity, I greet you and ask you to honor me, who is absent, with the same honor that you did when I was with you, and do not be lazy to console me with letters, who are very upset by the separation. And since there is again a council and again a struggle, moreover, among enemies who are carefully watching everything that concerns us, then give your hand to the general meeting, being yourself not the last member of the Church, and do not allow everyone to be destroyed by the fire that has now spread in the Church; but as many fire extinguishing agents as you can find, use them; encourage others to do the same, so that your affairs will also be successful when the common cause goes better. Hyperechia represents him. Truly you are a winner, my wonderful one, and a valiant winner in everything; for while it was possible, you defeated your enemies with weapons, but now you conquer everyone with kindness. That is why I dared to present this greeting to you, and with greetings to the most venerable son of Iperechius, whom, as I know, you will honor for his character, when you get to know this man, you will honor him for my sake, as he decided to do everything to please me. Tell him to rely on you in memory of our friendship, which, I am sure, you respect very much. 135. To Sophronius the Iparch (87) He asks him to use his efforts for mutual agreement and reconciliation of the bishops at the council. I philosophize in silence; This is what an insult my haters did to me! Oh, that they would offend me and others like that, so that I would recognize them even more as my benefactors. For there are many cases in which, apparently, those who are offended receive a benefit, and those who receive a benefit suffer an insult. This is my position. And if I don’t convince others of this, then I want you to know this for everyone, to whom I am pleased to give an account of my affairs. It’s better to say, I’m sure that you know and will assure those who don’t know. But I ask you to use every care so that now, at least, if not before, parts of the universe, which have been divided to their detriment, come into harmony and unity, especially if you realize that their discord is not over the word of faith, but over private petty claims, as I noted. And success in this will not be without reward for you; and my departure will be more carefree if it turns out that I did not love it in vain, but voluntarily threw myself into the sea, like Jonah, so that the storm would stop and the swimmers would be saved safely. If they are nevertheless overwhelmed, then at least my job is done. 136. To Mardarius the military leader (156) He asks to try to pacify the Church at the council of bishops. You are my relative, and your own, and everything that can be called in a similar meaning; because we were united by piety and the glory of virtue, which we recognized in you, who clearly showed that to be a Hellenic and to be a barbarian is the whole difference in the body, and not in the soul, and the distance is in place, and not in morals and wills. If many of our kind began to object to your rightness, then, I very much know, everything would be fine with us, both public and private. I ask you, just as you stop fighting with external enemies with your right hand and your prudence, so stop our fighting; and as much as you have the strength, try to ensure that the matter ends peacefully among the bishops gathered today; because, as you yourself know, it is very shameful to gather together many times and not find a limit to the disasters, but to constantly add new turmoil to the previous turmoil. Presents the warrior Theodore to his gracious attention. I have long wanted to greet your honorability; and thanks be to God, who gave the occasion! Considering how to reward the person who handed you this letter, I decided that it would be best to hand it over to your authority. Partly for my sake, honor him with favorable attention, because he is both mine and yours: as he who lives with me is mine, and as a warrior he is yours, I mean Theodore, who now comes to you from me. Let him know what honor I have always enjoyed from you and still do. Upon urgent demands, Vosporia agrees to devote herself to the service of the Church. I thought, however, that I had the right to your apology for the previous one; I'm so simple and narrow-minded. But since you do not stop reprimanding me, you still attack me for the past and come up with new ones to add to the old insults, I don’t know for what reason, whether out of hatred towards me or others, pleasing you by dishonoring me, I leave it to God to find out and judge about it, from whom, says the Divine Scripture, nothing is hidden, although we wear the mask of truth out of decency before people, then I now inform you reverence that I am defeated, and will not become lazy, to the best of my ability, as much as God gives, to take care of the Church; because you insist on this, and especially, as you yourself write, due to the need of circumstances, due to the expected attack of opponents. Yes, and this humble body, as long as it lasts and as long as I have the strength, I will dedicate to the service of God, so that just as I do not have a burden on myself, when you condemn, and the entire clergy cries out, showering me with all sorts of complaints, and I myself see that the Church is left without care, and many scold me, as a person who puts church affairs at nothing, so you should not work further, humiliating me. And I will do this through your prayers, if you yourself, as you say and as you say, find it difficult to take upon yourself the care of the Church. For it is better to die for those worries than for these, when it is necessary to be in poverty, because this is how God disposes of my affairs. 139. To Bishop Theodore (90) Expresses his agreement, forced by circumstances, to assume the leadership of the Church in Nazianza for the time being. Who raised His servant David from the shepherd to the kingdom, and your reverence from the flock to the shepherd, Who according to His will arranges our affairs and the affairs of all who hope in Him, He Himself will now instruct your perfection in the thought, to find out with what dishonor the sovereign bishops dishonored me, when they voted for my elevation and then rejected me. I will not blame your reverence, because you have recently begun work and, as is natural, you do not know most of my history. So that's enough about this. I don’t want to bother you any longer, so as not to seem unbearable at the very beginning of friendship. But what is possible, with the help of God, according to your desire, I bring to your attention. I left the Nazianza Church not out of forgetfulness of God, not out of contempt for the little flock - my wise soul would not have allowed this - but, firstly, I did this because I was not restrained by any determination, and secondly, because I was crushed by illness and thought to myself that my strength was not enough to bear such worries. Since you also expressed your displeasure, decrying my removal, and I myself could not bear the reproaches that everyone made to me, the time was difficult, we were threatened by the invasion of enemies to the general harm of the entire Church, then, finally, I am defeated and recognize a victory over myself, painful for the body, but not bad, perhaps, for the soul. I give this humble body to the Church as long as it is able, recognizing that it is better for myself to suffer something in the flesh rather than suffer in spirit and bring into suffering many who have a bad opinion of me because they themselves suffer. So, knowing this, pray for me, agree with my thought, and perhaps worse, perhaps, impress upon yourself reverence. He praises his selflessness, impartiality and mercy and intercedes for the warrior Aurelius (summer 382). Again I write when I should have come myself. But I have this courage from you, who resolve private disputes (which is the first, I will say first) and direct public affairs for the better, and do both divinely, having received as a reward for piety that everything goes according to your desire and you alone have access to what is inaccessible to others; because wisdom and courage co-rule with you, and one invents what should be done, and the other easily carries out what is invented, but the most important thing is the cleanliness of hands, with which everything is put in order. Where is your unrighteous gold? It never existed; it is, first of all, condemned to exile as a low tormentor. Where is the enmity? Also convicted. Where is the mercy? Here you bow somewhat (I’ll blame you for this a little), but you bow, imitating God’s love for mankind, which one of your soldiers Aurelius is now asking of you through me, whom I call not a reasonable fugitive, but a prudent petitioner, because he gave himself into my hands, and through mine into yours. Like a certain royal image, pointing out to you my gray hair and my priesthood, which, as you have repeatedly admitted, you respect, here this sacrificial and bloodless hand brings him to you, which has written you many praises and, as far as I know, is ready to write even more if God prolongs your leadership with us, I mean yours and your collaborator in justice. He asks for mercy for the city of Diocaesarea, in which the disturbance occurred. Another opportunity for humanity, and again I boldly entrust to the letter my request for such an important matter. For what makes me brave is illness, which does not allow me to go out and does not give me the opportunity to appear to you in decent form. What kind of request? Accept it from me on this day kindly. Sad (and how could it not be sad?) is the death of one person who is with us now, but tomorrow will not be and will not return to us. But it is much more terrible for an entire city to die, which was founded by a king, developed over time and preserved for many years. I have a word about Diocaesarea, hitherto a city, but now it is no longer a city, unless there is your meek wave. Imagine that in my face he falls at your feet. Let him raise his voice, put on sad clothes, cut his hair, as if performing at a spectacle, and say to you the following words: “Give your hand to me, the prostrate one, help the weak, do not attack me along with time, do not destroy what is left behind by the Persians: it is more decent for you to build cities, and not to destroy those already ready for destruction. Become a city planner, either by adding something to what is in it, or by preserving it as it is. Do not allow a city to exist before your reign and then no longer exist after you; do not leave time a bad legend that, accepting you as ruler, I was among the cities, and after you, in the place of the city, an uninhabited country remained, recognized only by mountains, rapids and ruins.” This is what let the city personified by me do and say to your love for mankind. And from me, as from a friend, take advice. Suppose you want to punish those who have violated the command of your authority; I don’t dare say anything against this, although, as they say, this insolence is not from a general intention, but only a reckless impulse of some young people. However, put aside most of the anger, use more reasoning. They grieved over their dying mother, could not bear to be called citizens and not have a city, they became very agitated, acted illegally, and despaired of their salvation; the extraordinary grief drove them to madness. Doesn’t a city need to be a city for this? No! Wonderful husband, don’t write such a definition. Respect the requests of all citizens, all city employees and senior officials; think that this disaster affects everyone equally, and if others remain silent before your greatness, they groan in the depths of their hearts. Respect my gray hair too: it is bitter for me if, having hitherto had a great city, from now on I will not have any city and the church of God that I built with all its splendor after your leadership will turn into the dwelling of animals. It is not that it is bitter that several statues will be crushed, although this in other cases is regrettable; and do not think that we, who care about the best, will begin to talk about this. But the sad thing is that with them an entire city that produced something famous will be overthrown; will be overthrown while we are alive and we see this, who are honored by you and think of ourselves that we have some strength from you. But I will conclude a word about this; because if I say more, I will not find anything stronger than your reason, which governs so many people, and yes, it is governed even more fully at the highest levels of management. But even then, it is necessary for your great mind to know about those who come to you, that these people are completely pitiful, abandoned and did not participate with the criminals in any disorder, as many of the self-witnesses assure us. Give in this matter such a definition as you can recognize as useful both for the local glory and for the hopes there. And we will endure everything that comes to your mind, although we will endure it not without sadness, nevertheless, we will endure it. For what else can we do? And if the worst prevails over you, then we will be the only ones who are upset and will shed a tear over the city that was before. He apologizes that due to illness he cannot see him and asks to respect his petition for the citizens of Nazianz. And the desire to see you is ardent, and the need of the petitioners is great, but the illness is insurmountable, so I dared to state this request in a letter. Respect my gray hair, which you (which is wonderful) have already respected, and not even rarely; Respect this ailment, which was partly (if it is necessary to boast) caused by labors undertaken for the sake of God; and therefore spare the citizens who look at me as a person who can boldly speak to you; spare also others under my care. For there will be no harm from philanthropy; You can do more with fear than others can do with punishment. And in return for everything I wish you to have the same Judge as you yourself will be to the petitioners and to me, who intercedes for them. He asks for leniency towards Leontius, who was deprived of the priesthood. Does experiencing many things on oneself and experiencing benefits from others bring any benefit to people? This teaches humanity and makes one lenient towards those in need, because taking advantage of mercy first is the best lesson of mercy. This happened to me too. What I have experienced in life has taught me compassion; and do you see my generosity? Having my own affairs in need of your condescension, I intercede for others and am not afraid of depleting your philanthropy in the affairs of others. I am writing this about Leontius the presbyter, or, better to say, who was once a presbyter. If he has already suffered everything that his deeds were worth, then let’s stop there, so that excess does not become injustice. And if anything else needs to be added to the punishment and his crimes require great humiliation, then give it up to me, and to God, and to the altar, and to the general council of priests, to which he was once numbered, although now he has shown himself unworthy both by what he did and by what he suffered. If I convinced you, that’s great; and if not, then I present to you, a more worthy mentor, your partner in both rule and good glory. About the divorce from the husband of Virian's daughter. Haste is not commendable everywhere. That is why I have delayed until now in answering about the daughter of the most venerable Virian, giving me some time to correct other things, and at the same time, because you entrusted me with the investigation of the matter, which you know how slow and prudent I am in such cases, guessing that your kindness does not approve of this divorce. That’s why I held out until now, and I think not without reason. Since the circumstances have reached the extreme and it is necessary to make known what turned out to be through research and what I found out, I inform you that the daughter apparently vacillates between one side and the other, is divided between respect for her parents and the habit of her husband, in words she is at one with her parents, but in her heart, I don’t know, almost on the side of her husband, as her tears show. You, of course, will act as your justice decides and as it pleases God, who controls you in everything. For my part, with great pleasure I would advise my son Virian to ignore many things, if only a divorce would not be approved, which is completely contrary to our laws, although Roman laws define otherwise. For it is necessary to maintain justice, which I wish you to always preserve in both words and deeds. The executioners are not doing evil, because they are serving the laws; The sword with which we execute the wicked is not lawless. But, however, they do not praise the executioner, and they do not greet the murderous sword with pleasure. Likewise, I do not want to become hated by approving a divorce with my own hand and my word; because it is better to be a mediator of union and friendship than of discord and severance of worldly ties. It seems to me that, having this same idea, the amazing city governor instructed me to interrogate your daughter; because I am not capable of proceeding with the dissolution of the marriage in all severity and without heartfelt participation; and, of course, not as an investigator, but as a bishop, he appointed me to this and made me a mediator in what happened between you. Therefore, I ask you to leave the matter to me, the servant of your will; and although I am glad that I have such an assignment, however, if you entrust me with something worse and more unpleasant, which I have never touched and will not touch now, then look for someone else more capable of this. But I (although I know that you are very dear to me in everything) do not have the courage to offend God, to whom I give an account of every movement and thought, to please your friendship. I will believe your daughter (to tell the truth) when, having ceased to be ashamed of you, she is able to tell the truth; because now she is in a pitiful situation and devotes words to you, and tears to her husband. He asks for Nikovul, who is involved in the case of the indignant slaves. What I spoke about, as if prophetically, is what happened. Namely, finding you ready to do everything for me and taking advantage of your condescension without satiety, I was afraid so as not to exhaust your love for humanity with other people's affairs. For this is my own business, if only what concerns mine is already mine. And I do not speak with the same courage as before, firstly, because it’s my business, and asking for yourself, if it’s more profitable, is more humiliating; secondly, I suspect in you satiety, which destroys pleasantness and opposes everything beautiful. Although this is indeed so, and my guess is fair, nevertheless, in my trust in God, Whom I stand before, and in your generosity to do good, I dare to make this request. Let us suppose that the worst of all is Nikovul, guilty of the one crime that for my sake he arouses envy of himself and behaves more freely than he should; Let us assume that the person who is now arguing with us is the most truthful person; because I am ashamed before your love of truth to accuse someone whom I myself recently defended; But I don’t know whether it will seem fair to you to punish others for the sins of some, and to punish others for the sins of others and involuntary ones, who did not even encourage the slaves to do so, and were so indignant with them that they handed them over to the accuser more readily than as he himself wished? Should Nicobulus or his children go into slavery, as his enemies please? Should he increase the number of those who have cases in court now, when his domestic affairs upset him? No, wonderful husband, let this not even enter your pure mind! On the contrary, in a quick flight of thought, having penetrated into the malice from which this comes, and, having respected me, who is zealous in praising you, show yourself to be a humane judge towards the indignant, now pronouncing judgment not only on people, but on virtue and on vice, about which, more than about private individuals, leaders like you in virtue and active leaders should take care. From me you will be rewarded for this not only with prayers, which, as I know, you do not despise, like many, but also by the fact that your reign will become glorious among all who know me. Nikovul, calling him the support of his old age, asks this official Olympiev about the same thing. Who is fairer than God? But He, the Creator and Ruler of everything, makes and calls Israel His chosen people and is not ashamed that for this they will be considered unjust. Therefore, is it surprising if I, having care for everyone who is in my arms and under my care, love my son Nicobulus more than others, whom I consider to be my guardian in old age and illness and use instead of a support and a rod of my weakness? I give him into your hands, and through you into the hands of the mayor, recognizing it as very painful for myself that others have been freed through you from the greatest troubles and now the first have become cruel accusers, but I cannot free this one from violence and for myself I will not achieve the honor that I sought for strangers; but I endure the same thing that happens to eyes, which, seeing everything else, do not see themselves, or to springs located in the depths, which, without watering places close to them, water distant places. Let us assume that what the slaves dared to do is terrible, and even more than terrible, so that nothing, or little, will be revealed if severity is not used with them during interrogation. But what does this have to do with the gentlemen who did not participate in the matter at all? And what is the basis for being punished for the crimes of others and now caring about public affairs when one is upsetting one’s own? What is this? - you say, maybe. Gregory writes to us again; more letters, more requests? What gluttony, which I myself am the cause of! No, wonderful husband, don't say that. For whom are the harbours, if not for the overwhelmed? For whom are medicines if not for the sick? May we not be deprived of them, and all the more so the more we are confident that we have strength from you. I no longer ask, but I demand; because mercy calls for mercy. Nikovul is subjected to violence, and this is the same as (what?) I myself am subjected to, because he is my resting place. How is it possible to remain silent and not be bothersome, even with all wisdom? Give your hand to those who are oppressed, so that you yourself may be rewarded with the same from God, which, of course, you need as a person. Use your friendship, wisdom, and power with God in favor of our cause. It is not necessary to hit hot iron much with flint to reveal the fire hidden in it; but as soon as you strike, the fire begins to shine. Likewise, you will not require me to beg you for a long time, and, moreover, for yourself, so strong in conviction and such a sincere accomplice in power. I will say one thing briefly: others have received other mercies through me, but I have need of this mercy for myself. This will put your learning to shame! He asks for an explanation in the case of Deacon Euphalia, who imprisoned and beat some Philadelphian. Demands that the culprit himself be held accountable. The sick are healed, not crushed. Therefore, how did our co-deacon Euphalius, without respecting his rank or honoring his property, subject poor Philadelphia to chains and beatings, as the signs of beatings show? I marvel at this. Therefore, do not ignore this incident, but when you come, explain to me what happened. Let the deacon also appear to answer the accusation and bear an exemplary punishment for the life of the one he oppressed. For I will not tolerate such indecencies being dared almost before my eyes. He asks for his colleague Georgiy. I am glad that I am writing to you, and I am also glad that you reproach me for not writing, if this sometimes happens. Your reproaches are full of kindness. But I know that I wrote to you often and about many things and received from you everything I asked for. And if nothing else, then the very multitude of blessings you have received testifies to my letters. But if you are more generous than we would even like from you, and I am more fearful of requests, then let the primacy in virtue remain with you; but let me also be given an excuse for refusing to be burdensome; because the word of the wise in everything recognizes the best in the middle. However, thanks be to God for giving you the opportunity to do good, making you our common benefactor and co-leader. Why, now, through this letter of mine, I entrust you with our brother and co-servant George, a man both distinguished and very useful for the Church, recognizing him as worthy to have the right to trust, even if he does not agree with some, and not to be oppressed along with others. He asks the Comitant Domestik to ask for leniency for some George. Many people are wonderfully guessing about your intelligence, or better yet, they don’t guess, but they believe me, who boast about this, they believe because you honor me with considerable respect and respect. One of these is my most honorable son George, who, having suffered many losses and having taken enough care of his affairs, sees for himself one haven of salvation - to turn through me to you and find some kind of leniency from the most honorable Comite Domestik. Therefore, show mercy, if you want, to him and his need, and if you wish, to me, to whom, as far as I know, you decided to do everything you please, as you confirm with your very deeds. He earnestly requests that a bishop be elected to Nazianza because of his illness and the attack on the Apollinarian Church. By the way, should I say in the words of Scripture: to whom shall I call, being offended? who will stretch out his hand to me, the oppressed (Hab. 1:6)? To whom will the burden of the Church, brought to such a bad state and disorder, pass? I testify before God and before the chosen Angels that this flock of God is unjustly suffering, remaining without a shepherd and without a bishop because of my mortification; because I am held back by an illness that suddenly removed me from church affairs, and now I am good for nothing, I am constantly on my last breath, I am even more burdened with affairs. Therefore, if the diocese had someone else as its head, it should appeal to him and ask for his help; but since your reverence is above all, it is necessary to turn to you. Take care of your church as you please, and do not despise it in a state of disorder that it does not deserve. Not to mention other things; what the Apollinarians who have now rebelled have done to her and what they are threatening, inquire about this from my masters, my co-presbyters, from the chorebishop Eulalis and from Celevsius, whom I sent with the intention of your reverence. This can be stopped not by my years and not by my weakness, but only by your art and your strength; because, among other things, God has given you strength for the general defense of the Church. And if I am not heard, no matter what I say or write, let it be done that there is only one thing left to do, that is, it is publicly proclaimed and made known to everyone that the Church needs a bishop, so as not to suffer harm from my illness; and you will learn about what follows. 153. To Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia (80) He expresses to him his decisive intention to resign from the rule of the Church of Constantinople (381). Another time I will fall into your network and be deceived. You know what I say, and if it is true, may your Lord smell the aroma (Gen. 8:21). And if it is unfair, may the Lord forgive. For this is how I should speak about you; because we are commanded to endure when they offend us. However, just as you are free in your opinion, so I am free in mine. Heavy Gregory will no longer be difficult for you. I will retire to God, Who alone is pure and insidious. I'll go deeper into myself. This is what I came up with about myself. For, according to the proverb, stumbling over the same stone twice is characteristic of some crazy people. He expresses regret that this ruler of Cappadocia is leaving his position. You are our boss even after you leave your leadership, because you have all the leadership virtues united within you. And we judge things differently than how ordinary people judge. For many of those who sit high stand low for me, and such are those whom their own hand makes humiliated and slaves of subordinates. Many are exalted and exalted, although they are also below, and such are those whom virtue places high and makes worthy of the highest degrees of authority. But what do I care about that? The great Olympius is no longer with us, he no longer holds the helm with us. We were destroyed, betrayed, and became for the future the second Cappadocia, whereas under you we were the first. Do I need to say something else? But who will cherish the old age of your Gregory, who will heal his weakness with respect and make me even more honorable for the fact that I could intercede for many of your philanthropy? Now go on your way from us, with the best guidance and accompaniment, leaving us with many tears, and taking with you great wealth - good fame, which not many of the rulers carried away, and the fact that you are written on everyone’s soul - on this unshakable pillar. And if you return to us again at the highest and most brilliant level of leadership, which our love prophesies for us, then, without a doubt, we will bring the most perfect gratitude to God. Expresses regret that Asterius is leaving his position and Cappadocia. What have I suffered! You move away, leaving us, and I'm sick. Envy did not allow me to say a farewell word to you. What a loss! What a shame! I'm in danger of saying something bold. What was the point of receiving a benefit if it was not meant to stay with us forever? Everything pleasant does not amuse us so much when it is with us as it saddens us when it moves away from us. I was honored and glorified by you, enjoyed your leadership, and was saturated with your philanthropy. I have not forgotten and will not forget this; I would rather forget myself than you. How will I repay you for all this? What else, except that we have the best? These are prayers by which may you be preserved, and glorified, and again returned to us, if only the duration of my life lasts until now! He praises him for his like-mindedness and friendship with Olympius. The greatest of men, as they say, is Hercules (as a learned man, I will remind you of something of yours); but he would not have been like that if he had not had Iolaus as his companion, especially in the battle with the hydra, that evil and multi-headed beast, one of whom cut off the heads and burned the other, as you destroy vices. The sons of Actor, as Homer would like to assure, overtook many in chariots, because they were twins both in physical birth and in art; one held the reins, and the other held the whip, and they helped each other in victory. The helmsman saves many swimmers; but he would not have saved him if he had not been helped by a good helmsman who observes the winds, points out pitfalls and serves as an eye for the ship. This, in my opinion, is your business. The mayor, who is famous in himself, is made even more famous by your assistance. And while I praise you for many things, I marvel at this most of all. By maintaining such zeal for public benefits, you give place to the duties of friendship, not showing your severity in the cruelty of your character, following the example of many who do not observe measures, but, on the contrary, softening the severity of the authorities with meekness. 157. To Theodore, Bishop of Tyana (140) He asks for the continuation of friendly relations even after the termination of spiritual relations, as well as for the placement of the Nikovulov children near the church. The spiritual relationship is over; I won't bother you anymore. Unite, defend yourself, hold meetings against me. May my haters win; let the rules that began with me be strictly observed, ignorant in this; I don't envy your accuracy. But friendly relations should not find obstacles in this. The children of my most venerable son Nikovul arrived in the city to learn cursive writing; deign, above all else, to look at them favorably and fatherly (the rules do not prohibit this); also make sure that they live closer to the church. I would like their morals to improve in virtue when they have the opportunity to constantly see your perfection. About the virgin Alipiana, who during interrogation showed St. Gregory has both ardor and senile prudence in his desire to preserve virginity. Truth is stronger than anything else, as Ezra thinks (2Ezra 3:12) and as I think. For the virgin Alipiana, when with all severity we demanded from her a word about her own way of thinking, as you ordered, she dared to speak the pure truth, confessing her intention to preserve her virginity and holding on to this intention more ardently, it is true, than as we expected, but with more firmness than ardor, I will not even say with maiden jealousy, but with senile clarity. And the severity of my interrogation turned out to be useful in its consequences, because it best revealed the firmness of my disposition. Having learned about this, pray for this virgin and cultivate the beginning of salvation that she has received to the glory of God and to the glory of both mine and the entire rank of reverent ones. The maiden Amazonia intercedes for his relative. I present to your reverence my blood, and your pet, a treasure precious to God, our most honorable daughter, the virgin Amazonia; By respecting her faith, by helping her with her bodily illness, and for this reason by extending your hand to her in everything and taking care of her, you will do a noble deed and worthy of your reverence, and I will add, of our friendship. He asks for Evgenia so that she does not suffer damage to the estate left to her by her grandmother. You want, and therefore I also want, that justice be done by your reverence to our daughter Eugenia. But it seems to me that it is not necessary to allow her to lose anything from what her grandmother left to her granddaughter, whom she raised with all her zeal and whom she left with little, instead of the much that she promised and that she then hoped to leave. He asks for satisfaction from the court of those whom he represents in the letter. What I considered fair, I wrote. If something else is on your mind; I am sure that your idea is correct, and I am ready to accept it. Otherwise I would have offended piety itself and acted unlawfully against it. But although I present those who come to me to you as a truthful judge, I still do not agree that you should judge them in the way that many people, extremely pitiful and ignorant, are accustomed to do. Asks to consider the case of women oppressed by a powerful man. What was written for your reverence by the most honorable bishops, recognizing that it is necessary to write on my own behalf, I ask you: give your hand to noble women and do not allow them to be oppressed and persecuted by the power of the person with whom they entered into a [judicial] case, but help them as they should. If you know what they are suffering, help them for the sake of what they are suffering for. And if you don’t know what they are suffering, help them for the reason that not knowing this and not believing it is injustice. If anyone thinks that I am not taking on my own business and am touching upon a dispute that has nothing to do with me, then let him prove this, and I will calm down. But now I’m afraid that things are different, especially because Christ and Christ are not divided and love for mankind has no limits. But if anyone would allow any kind of division, then I know that for two, for your reverence and for me, it would be regrettable if justice in this matter remains neglected, because the defendants are under the supervision of both of us. And it is dangerous that the truth should not be distorted by the plausibility of arguments. Therefore, sort out the matter with me, even precede it with your judgment, and intercede for my weakness, so that I do not reach the point of need and in this state of the body, with greater zeal, enter into a feat for the truth, with God’s help and with the help of your prayers. In the case of the oath given by Georgy Paspasinsky, he expresses his opinion about oaths. May God grant you to the Churches for our glory and for the benefit of many! You are so prudent and firm in spiritual things that you make more firm everyone who thinks about themselves that they have some advantage in their years. So, since you deigned to accept me as a participant in spiritual research, I mean in the matter of the oath that George Paspasinsky apparently took, then I declare to your reverence what my thoughts are [on this matter]. Many, in my opinion, deceive themselves, considering as oaths only those that are given with spells, and those written, but without strong expressions, although they observe them in good conscience, however, they do not recognize them as an oath. For just as any promissory note is more binding than a simple condition, so we will recognize a written oath as something else, and not just an oath. In short, an oath, in my opinion, is a certificate of the one who asked and trusted. He does not say in justification that Nicanor was forced, because the law itself that bound him was forced; or that he subsequently prevailed in court, because the very prosecution by the court was already a crime of perjury. I also convinced Brother George of this, not to invent pretexts for crimes and not to look for reasons justifying misdeeds, but to know that what is written is an oath, and to cry before God and before your reverence for sin, although he had thought differently before, deceiving himself. I myself talked to him about this; and it is obvious that if you talk, you will bring him into greater contrition, like a great physician of souls, and, by subordinating him to some rule, for as long as you please, thus showing him humanity in time. The measure of time will be the measure of repentance. Saying about himself that his work is already over, he asks Timothy to strive for the Trinity. I am always a wonderful catcher of wonderful people (I dare say this somewhat); here is your hidden learning, which is where wisdom was placed in order to remain secret, and I discovered it with my suggestive reasoning, and made it known to others; and to put it in our own way, he made that light that was hidden in secret on the candlestick (Matthew 5:14) common to everyone. For I will not talk about your other perfections - about learning, about piety, about meekness and moderation of character, which is very difficult for one to have everything. But this is your real action! And you remember me, and treat me with letters, and add praise, not to praise (I understand your wisdom), but to make me better and move me forward, shaming me because I turn out to be not what you expect. But my business is over; I gave in to envy; in silence I philosophize about God, I offer prayers in private, I have gotten rid of worldly worries and rebellions. And you, take heart, be strong, and strive for the Trinity to the best of your ability, and be a meek warrior, as you saw me do; for I do not want the monkeys to be in glory and the lions to rest. Pray also for me, who am very exhausted, so that I may be worthy of a peaceful outcome, for I am already heading towards this. He advises him to endure his suffering wisely. I hear that you do not behave wisely in suffering, and I do not praise it; for one must write the truth, especially to a friend and a person who is distinguished by righteousness. About this, as I assure myself, I reason very correctly: I do not praise either extreme insensibility or strong sensitivity to suffering; the former is inhuman, the latter is not wise. But you must follow the middle path and show that you are more wise than those who are very impatient and closer to humanity than those who are too wise. And if I were writing to someone else, then perhaps a longer word would be required: in other things I would have to express my compassion, give advice about others, and perhaps reprimand for others; because condolences are a sufficient means of consolation, and the sick need the services of the healthy. But since I am speaking with an educated person, it will be enough to say the following: take care of yourself and the books with which you are familiar, in which many lives are written, many ways of life, many pleasures and softening remedies; because God connects all this with one another, so that, as it seems to me, sorrow does not remain unhealed and joy does not remain unadmonished, and so that we, seeing in this inconstancy and deviation from order, turn our gaze to Him alone. Therefore, I offer this to your suffering as a rule and guide. And if you know that someone who has fallen deeply under the burden of sorrow is praised or has gained something through lamentation, then take advantage of the sorrow and enjoy the tears. No one will envy the fact that misfortune is mourned. And if you know that such people are blamed and slandered, then, as the proverb says, the one who is wounded will heal, but now it would be wonderful to say: the one who is wounded will heal. But for other reasons and according to our law, we are ashamed to imitate many in such matters; because the word of God raises us above the present and convinces us, bypassing all this, like shadows and riddles, to consider neither sorrowful nor joyful as reality, but to live in something else and direct our gaze there, to know both only one sorrowful thing - sin, and one pleasant thing - virtue and close communication with it. Here is a charming medicine with which you can assuage your sorrows and it will be easier for you. But I think that you have already quenched and will quench, even if I didn’t write. Continuation of the same subject. From my letter, wonderful one, I see some benefit, perhaps not even a small one, as a powerful healer of such ailments. My reprimand drove sorrow out of you, and the place of this weakness was taken by shame and the desire to rebuff me in a very witty and courageous manner. And it seems to me that you, like Achilles’ horses in Homer, when the days of mourning for Patroclus are over, raising your head and shaking off the dust, again long for the plains, weapons and opportunities to distinguish yourself. So your letter to me is both brilliant and noble, although somewhat caustic, if I understand you at all. But just take courage and wisely overcome suffering; I agree that it is not an important matter to judge those who swim from the shore and it is much more important to be in the fight yourself than to encourage another to fight against disasters, unless someone says that there was no need for you to either join the fight or go to sea, especially if your wisdom is, at least somewhat, higher than what you now had. I have been fighting with many and many times, even, I think, my whole life, in which I certainly encourage others not at all skillfully and not without courage, and I myself struggle, as many can appreciate this. He asks for supervision of the same Nikovul. Here is a reminder of our friendship - dear son Nikovul, whom I care about above all my relatives! You will do me a great favor by presenting him as the most zealous of mentors; and you will show even greater mercy by accustoming his character to virtue. And this will happen if you force him to be near you often, especially if he knows that you do not leave him without attention; because even the eye of a mentor is already a silent lesson. You are not in my debt (if there is too much to say), both spiritually, as a bishop owes to a priest, and academically, as a literary scholar to a lover of literature. The same Sacerdote entrusts him to his care. Everything you have is mine (John 16:15), - I will begin my speech with the word of God; I say: mine, not because of the communion of the spirit alone, but also because I contributed a lot to the present state of the Church while I was still in charge of affairs and in control of the course of circumstances. For now I have one thing to worry about – the departure for which I am gathering and preparing. May what is also yours, through the fellowship of love; and the best of my acquisitions is my most honest co-presbyter Sacerdote, through whom I greet you and, as it were, see you myself. Oh, how we have become divided among ourselves, because God wants to arrange our affairs this way! O sacred house, and common dwelling, and common haven of all who fear the Lord! Others enjoy our benefits. But I was left with only one memory and jealousy for those who joined. But in order for you to have a share in our blessings, I introduce you to our most honest brother and co-presbyter Sacerdote, whom when you see, I know this very well, you will say: Gregory is truly a lover of all that is beautiful. Introduces him to Presbyter Sacerdote. If I dare to write so often, the reason for this is not my insolence, but your meekness. I don’t even know enough to talk with you through letters, because I can’t do otherwise when God has arranged my affairs this way. To my most venerable son and co-presbyter Sacerdotus, whom I especially loved and love, who sincerely philosophizes and lives in unity with God, now going on household business to the city that became great for your sake, I don’t know what greater service to render than by making him known to your kindness. Asks for his prayers for himself. As soon as I freed myself from the labors with which illness burdened me, I flow to you, the provider of healing. For the tongue of the priest, philosophizing about the Lord, glorifies those who are sick. Therefore, perform the best sacred act and resolve my great sins by touching the sacrifices of the Resurrection. For whether I am awake or asleep, I am concerned about your affairs, and you have become for me a kind bow and a harmonious lyre, settling in my soul, after having written me thousands of letters, you have improved in the knowledge of my soul. But, most godly, do not be lazy to pray and intercede for me, when you attract the Word with a word, when you cut through the Master’s Body and Blood with a bloodless section, using your voice instead of a sword. 172. To Helladius, Bishop of Caesarea (105) He thanks for the letters and for the holiday symbols sent, and also asks for his prayers for himself. Am I glad to see your letter? How could you not be happy when you remember the dead? And even greater gratitude for the attached holiday symbols. But to what you give, add what you ask for. Pray for me, so that, if it is useful, you will again receive a reminder for me and remember the holiday yourself, and if it is not useful, move there and meet or see the true holiday where those who rejoice have their homes (Ps. 86:7), because I am already fed up with the vicissitudes of this life. 173. To Postumian 21 (151) As a strong man at court, he asks him to pacify the Church during the proposed council of bishops. You are highly educated, and in whatever kind of science you want, in whatever kind of science you want. I know about one of these only by hearsay, because I am not familiar with the Roman language and I am not strong in Italian teachings; and I learned another thing from experience, why I can bring it to the attention of others, if only I have the right to judge such things in any way, and there are many people who say that they have the right. You have risen to considerable honors, or, if it is necessary to use a more correct expression, you have received considerable honors upon yourself. You have reached the extreme limit of power, having received this not as a gift of happiness, which many would like to say, but as a reward for virtue, so that it would become more honorable, and the king would gain praise with such a judgment about you, and that’s not enough; I'll add some of my own. Having been first instructed in piety, you later accepted it. For I remember your words, and my ears are still filled with surprise. If you add to this the memory of friends (I know that you will add it, and I guess about it from what happened before), then we will marvel at you even more. This is the final limit of human well-being or bliss. What is beyond Hades is impassable for people, as we believe in the wise Pindar. But since you have achieved great things, you are committed to great things. The beneficent God first made you ours, and then made you a leader over us; and it would be inappropriate not to demand the most from such a husband; therefore, take the following advice from me: since now there is again a council of bishops, I don’t know why and how they are being assembled, then do not consider anything so befitting of your leadership as this one thing, so that under your leadership and your labors the churches should be pacified, even if for this it would be necessary to punish the rebellious ones with special severity. And if it seems strange that, having retired from business, I do not abandon my worries, do not be surprised at this. Although I gave up the throne and high rank to those who wished, I did not, however, give up piety with this; but I think that now I will seem to you worthy of trust, even more than before, as serving not my own, but the common good. 174. To Eudoxius the rhetorician (132) He begins correspondence with him because Nikovulov’s children came to study with him. I prevail over you in the matter of friendship, because, as you see, I write first. And be sure that I would not boast (this is not my custom) if I did not value your friendship so highly, and if it did not seem necessary to me, like a young horse with a whip, to induce you to correspond with me. It will especially incite you to this if you think about who, to whom, and about what matter is writing to you, who has not yet written; You will also think that it is fitting for children to inherit both their father’s estate and, of course, their father’s friendship. Beyond this, it is not bad to judge that the time has just come for you to be wise, and I am already the father of the wise; and therefore you must show your valor before me, as brave fighters show before their mentors. I will say something that is more important than what has been said so far. You have a pledge of wisdom that is not unimportant for me. You teach my blood and the blood of those closest to me; you know who I’m talking about, that is, the children of my most sincere and honorable son Nikovul. If you help them in any way, it (assuming it’s true) will not leave my memory, who, no worse than anyone else (if my words are to be believed in anything), can judge the sciences, and evaluate diligence, and with my praise elevate the mentors themselves. He asks him to encourage Nikovul the Younger to study, who, despite his happy talents, is sometimes lazy. Again my Nikovul comes to you, and again I bother you with my excess, urging you on when you yourself are really running. But since this young man has naturally happy talents, unless my desire to see him like this deceives me, but, as often happens with gifted people, he is somewhat negligent, and he needs encouragement, then replace this with your own efforts and (I’ll say it your way), imitating the grasshopper mentioned in the fable, using your voice instead of the broken string, finish the song. Thus, I think, you will gain fame through this young man and show the greatest favor to me, who does not much prefer you and your learning. He reproaches him for his silence and again asks him to look after Nikovul Jr. What should I call your disposition towards me, O wonderful one? What is the reason for not writing? I will not blame you for arrogance, or laziness, or for the fact that you have nothing to write about. It’s not for you to reach such poverty. Do you remember the evil for those iambs that Valentin, worthy of evil to perish, spewed out, and did it at your request? For, was it not required of a rhetorician, a skilled man, to take revenge on the one who first dared to write about such a subject in iambics? “But tame the great anger, Achilles,” and again move your pen for us, this spear of yours, so that they don’t think that, having suffered something unimportant, you are going against the most important thing, that is, the episcopal throne. Scour on horses, chase animals, behave as you please in my judgment; I won’t write or joke anymore. And that's enough. I value your friendship so much. So, as for the jokes, they had their place and they are over. And what happens next is no longer a joke, but extremely important. Again I entrust you with my dearest son Nikovul. And I would like you to accept it from me, just as from me, and bestow upon your father the rhetorical and me the sophistic fleece. For I know that if you want, it is available to you. The only thing left to the wonderful sophists is arrogance and the desire to achieve great benefits. Entrusts him with Nikovul Jr., the son of Nikovulov. What are your achievements in virtue and have we managed to achieve anything according to God? I reason that it is most decent to ask you about this, because it pleases me to both ask about it and hear it; and the rest, for me, let it be as it is. Even though I would wish that this too would be successful for you, I would wish it solely so that you would have something to despise, and so that it would be possible to show you more wisdom in what is more important. Let this be said from me instead of a greeting; and for the beautiful Nikovul, be as we hope. If we demand more, satisfy our insatiability, like one who loves generously. Convinces him to a wise life. The Athenians had an ancient, and, in my opinion, beautiful law - to send children, as soon as they reached adolescence, to study the arts, and to do it in this way: openly lay out the tools of each art and lead young people to them; What kind of tool will someone look at with pleasure and run up to it, the art of that tool and teach it; because most often we succeed in what is by nature, and sometimes we fail in what is not by nature. Where is my story going? So that you also use the same means, and, having the ability for wisdom, do not leave it in negligence, and do not get used to anything else that is not characteristic of you, but rather engage more in philosophy, to which you are inclined, not only because of its own superiority, but also because it is similar to you. And the proverb teaches: “Do not block the flow of the river.” And poetry requires that those learning to ride not sing. To prevent what? So that you don’t become a bad rider and singer. But what is your ability? As it seems to me from an [external] glance, firstly, you have your own rules of life, a quiet and simple disposition, incapable of this resourcefulness in the world; then, a gifted and sublime soul, easily given to speculation; thirdly, morbidity and bodily infirmity, and this, to Plato, seems not unimportant in the matter of philosophy. Moreover, you are already at such an age when passions begin to be subdued; and it seems to me that you are not burdened by poverty, but rather boast, and this is no longer in the rhetorical custom, that you know shame, that your tongue is not evil, that your family is not bad, and that you are not at all a person for the public square. I will say briefly: you do not have any of those properties that Aristophanes endows Democritus with in order to control the people in the squares. On the contrary, if you call yourself a rhetorician, you are more likely to be a rhetorician in every way, just not in your morals. Therefore, in your wisdom, do not stop at what you have already acquired, and do not prefer being second in a secondary matter to being first in a most important matter. And if we concede primacy to you in this, then do not agree to have superiority among the jackdaws when you are able to be an eagle. How long can we be puffed up about something that is unimportant and crawls on the earth? How long does it take to play with dolls with children and be delighted by applause? Let us pass from here (Mark 14:42); Let's become men, let's give up dreams, let's not dwell on the shadows, let's leave to others the pleasures or, more often, the sorrows of life. Let others be mocked, others be played with and tossed around by envy, time and chance, as they call the impermanence and irregularity of everything human. Away from us high ranks, power, wealth, splendor, exaltation, fall - this worthless and despised glory, the one extolled by which suffers more disgrace than the one ridiculed! Away from us these children's games and performances on this great disgrace! We will adhere to the Word and in return for everything we will desire to have God - the only eternal good that is characteristic of us, in order to earn us approval even here for the fact that, while still so small, we are looking for something so great, or certainly there. Since the reward of virtue is to become a god, to be illuminated by the purest light, contemplated in the Trinity Unit, from Which we now have barely a few rays; then move towards this, succeed in this, be inspired by thought, grab hold of eternal life. Do not stop your hopes at anything until you reach the desired and blissful peak. And I know very well that you will not praise me much now, but soon incomparably more, when you see yourself in the state that I promise, and you find that this is not empty bliss, not a fantasy of the mind, but reality itself. That he who wishes not to sin in his duties must consult with God in everything. What are you saying? Do I convince you with these words, and will you change the subject of study, will you become at one with me, who was once on a par with you, and now, if I may say so, has become higher than you? Or should I hum to you for much longer? No, wonderful, don't wait for that. For it is a shame for the one who has most of it not to acquire everything; the beginning is already half of the whole thing, and where there is more than half, what else can there be if not the whole? Therefore, if my advice is enough, then great; nothing more is required. If you still need an adviser, and the best one at that, then just as Solomon tells you to drink wine with advice (Prov. 31:4) so ​​as not to fall from drunkenness and dizziness, so I, changing the advice a little, say: consult with God, and you will not sin in your duties. About the fact that hiding your wisdom is the highest degree of wisdom. You, dear son, had a kind father, as I hear about you. Just rise up, succeed and reign (Ps. 45:5); we are ready to praise you, although you still do not admit your wisdom. For we no longer look at what you say, but at what you do. And this very thing is not to admit one’s wisdom in a very wise way, as the critic Dionysius says about the rhetorician Lysias, that his artlessness was extremely artificial. He entrusts it to the patronage of one scientist, Eudoxia. Although the height of superior power is unapproachable, friendship is philanthropic; It is for this reason that I dared to present this request to you. To all the good things you have done for me, add this too. Our most learned son Eudoxius, a man worthy of your valor both in life and in mind, do not deprive him of your pleasant attention, as in anything else, and so honor him with patronage if he needs your rightness in anything. And I will reward for this with prayers, which is the only way I can reward benefactors. 182. To Gregory of Nyssa (146) He notifies that Eulalius has been elected bishop of Nazianza, in whose arms he would like to die, and explains that his election is not contrary to church statutes. Woe to me, for my coming continues (Ps. 119:5), and the main disaster is that we have war and rebellion! We have not kept the peace that we inherited from the holy fathers. Therefore, since I know that you yourself will restore this world by the power of the Spirit, which rules you and your affairs, I ask you not to slander me and the sovereign bishops, as if another bishop was proclaimed among you without my will. For I am not in such contempt with them, and they are not so hostile to me. On the contrary, begging a lot for the sake of my deadness and at the same time being afraid to take on the burden of governing a church that was left without supervision, I asked them for this mercy, which was not contrary to the rules and was reassuring for me, to give the Church a shepherd; and through your prayers a shepherd has been given, worthy of your piety, whom I place in your hands: this is the venerable Eulalis, the God-loving bishop, in whose arms I would like to die. And if anyone thinks that during the life of a bishop one should not ordain another, then let him know that this will not overcome me. For everyone knows that I was appointed bishop not of Nazianza, but of Sasimov, although for a short time, out of respect for my father and for those who asked me, and took over the rule of the Nazianza church as an outsider. 183. To Theodore the Bishop (139) He complains about Helladius, Bishop of Caesarea, presents the reasons why he himself refused to rule the Nazianzi Church and wanted the election of a bishop to Nazianzu (who had already been elected), and asks not to believe the slander against Bosporius, Bishop of Colonium (383). And among us, envy has found something for itself, which no one avoids without difficulty. So we, the Cappadocians, rebelled, so to speak, - an evil hitherto unheard of and incredible! Let not all flesh boast before God (1 Cor. 1:29), but let us know that we are all human, and let us not be quick to judge others. But for me there are several benefits from misfortune (if it is necessary to say something strange), and, truly, as the proverb goes, I gather roses from thorns. I, who had not previously met personally with your reverence and did not talk with you through letters, but was only illuminated by hearing about you, am now forced to communicate in writing; and great thanks to Him who granted this! I will not write about this to other bishops, not having time for that; and at the same time, my illness makes me lazy about it. But what I write to you, through you I write to them. Let my lord, the most God-loving Bishop Helladius, cease to enter into research about my affairs, for he seeks this not by spiritual means, but by roundaboutness, showing quarrelsomeness not according to the strictness of church rules, but in satisfaction of anger, which time reveals and many things brought into action over time without any reason for it. Because it is necessary to say so and not to upset. If I had such physical health that I could rule the Church in Nazianza, where I was originally proclaimed, and not in Sasima, as some incorrectly assure you, then I am not so pathetic and ignorant of Divine decrees that I would either despise the Church or pursue the conveniences of life, having in mind the rewards that are prepared for those who work according to God and use the talent entrusted to them. For what good will my great labors and great hopes be to me if I mismanage the most important things? But since I am sick in body, as everyone knows, and for the reason I have said, I am not afraid of the important consequences of this removal, but I see that the Church under my rule is suffering harm in the most important things and, due to the disruption of my health, is almost in disarray, then I asked before, and now I ask the most God-loving bishops, I mean domestic ones, to give the Church a head (as with God’s help they have given), worthy of both my desire and your prayers. And so let this be known to you, my most honorable lord; and inspire the other bishops to do the same, so that they agree, cast their votes and not burden my old age by believing slander. But I will add to the letter the following about my sovereign, Bishop Vosporius. If your research finds him to be weak in faith (which is inadmissible to say, not to mention the longevity and my testimony), then judge about it for yourself. And if the search for those living nearby produces a bad reputation about him and there is a new accusation, then do not get carried away by slander, and I ask you not to give it more power than the truth, so as not to dishearten many who have decided to do well. Be healthy, good-natured, prosper according to God, to the pleasure of me and the whole Church, as our common adornment. Thanks for the journey to Parnassus and for discovering the slander against the bishop; He also asks to go further, testify about this to the bishops and sort out with them the remaining perplexities in this matter. The Lord will fulfill all your requests (Ps. 19:6), and may you not despise your father’s prayer. You have quite reassured our old age by going even as far as Parnassus, as we were invited, and by denouncing the slander leveled against the most honorable and most God-loving bishop. Vicious people love to lay their blame on those who accuse them. It is true that the years and life of this man refuted every accusation, I also refuted it, to whom I often heard and retold about his deeds to others, and they also refuted those who were removed from error by him and joined to the common Body of the Church; however, the current evil time, due to slanderers and evil people, required more accurate proof, and you presented this proof to us, or, better said, to frivolous people who are not difficult to deceive with such slander. If you deign, having taken upon yourself the labor of the further path, to personally testify to this and with the other bishops you will sort out what is perplexing, then you will do a spiritual work worthy of your perfection. I and everyone who is with me welcome your brotherhood. He asks not to believe the slander against Bishop Vosporius. When everyone praises something about you and everyone, as in a marketplace, spreads good fame about you, I add something from myself, and no less than anyone else, because you honor me and, like a beloved son, you console your father’s old age. Therefore, now I have dared to bring you my request for the venerable Bishop of Vosporia. It is a shame to have the need for my letter to such a husband, for whom the respect of both his life and summer is strengthened. But it is no less shameful to remain silent and not say a word about him to someone who has a voice, honors the faith and knows this man more than anyone else. Of course, you yourself will resolve any confusion regarding your neighbors by the grace of the Spirit indwelling you and on the basis of church rules. But let not your reverence suffer to be exposed to shame in the courts of the people; for although the judges there will be Christians, just as Christians really are by the goodness of God, what is the same between the sword and the spirit? If this is allowed, then how and in what respect is it fair to confuse the word about faith with other perplexities? Now our most God-loving Bishop Bosporius has become unorthodox! Nowadays the gray hair of a man who distracted so many from error, who presented such proof of his Orthodoxy, who was a teacher to all of us, has no weight among us! No, I beg you, do not give room for such slander. But if it is possible to reconcile what is divided, then add this to your glory. And if this is impossible, then at least do not allow all of us, with whom he lived and grew old, to be offended by such an insult; we, as you know, are strict preachers of the Divine, both in danger and without danger, who did not allow anything to be taken away from the One and Unapproachable Divinity. I ask you to pray for me, who is very weak from illness. Both I and all my friends welcome the brotherhood that is with you. May God grant us that you, the common support of the Church, will be healthy, complacent and well-praised in the Lord! He asks for a speedy end to his niece’s case. What would you do if I personally had to deal with it? As is obvious, he would have made every effort to save me from offense, if we conclude this from what has gone before. Show me the same mercy now in the person of my most well-behaved niece, who, through my mediation, herself falls to you; respect the age of the petitioner, respect her morals and reverence, how she is unlike many women; Besides this, respect her woman’s inexperience in business and the fact that she is now dealing with her own, and most of all, respect my request. The greatest mercy for her is the speed of the benefit I ask for. For the unrighteous judge mentioned in the Gospel showed kindness to the widow (Luke 18:5), but he did so after a long and persistent request. And she asks you for speed, so that she does not languish for a long time with the worries and disadvantages of life on someone else’s side, although most of all I know clearly that your piety will make the other side her own for her. Replies to a letter in which Photius praised Nikovulus for his successes. You ask why I don’t write? And I think that you yourself have sent no more letters (unless illness drives me crazy and makes me forget even the kindness shown to me), although you, who master the art of speaking and writing, if not otherwise, then at least as a deceased person, owe me a funeral oration. So here is my reproof; because whoever accuses in a friendly manner should not go beyond the limits of friendship. And what you write about your dearest son Nikovul is very important, surprising and enough to captivate the good nature of the father, who is ready to believe everything that is desirable for him. But then I will accept this as truth when the young man, having presented me with experiments, turns out to be not unworthy either of your promises or of our hopes. He praises him for his learning and entrusts him to the care of the same Nikovul. You have reached Attic perfection in learning, and so have I. You preside over young people, and I preside over people of all ages. You formulate in words, and I - in morals. I have a lot in common with you, but one thing replaces everything and is higher than everything else - this is our dearest son Nikovul, who is placed between us. By doing good to him, you will prove both your learning and our friendship, if only you care about it, but I think that you do; because the old fighters are honored by the young, and in such honor that the young, if they present them with their victorious awards, then, according to the laws of wrestling, are then recognized as grateful. 189. To Eustochius the Sophist (131) He entrusts him with a young man, Pronoius, to arouse in him a zeal for eloquence. Imitate Alexander, wonderful husband; and just as he made every effort to please the Athenians, and in the end he always called Athens the theater of his kingdom, so you, too, considered me to mean something, although I mean nothing at all, both for the sake of eloquence, and for the sake of Athens itself, and moreover, having respected the common parents of our eloquence, take care to double the zeal for eloquence in the beautiful Pronoia. Whatever you do for this young man, you will, without a doubt, do for me, who is both worth it to receive a benefit from you, and can be a good praiser of your speeches, although I sit lower than the sophists, having assigned myself the safe reward of silence. He is justified in the fact that Nikovol was entrusted not to him, but to Stagirius, by the will of his father, and attacks Eustochius for engaging in sophistry until old age. You struck me greatly, Ulysses, by reproaching me for stagyrism and using all your efforts to overthrow me with sophisms. I praise your freedom with which you write your letter. It is better to express what upsets you than to remain silent, so that later you can exact punishment from those who do not know. However, I also have something to accuse; but in order to comply with the law of legal proceedings, I will first justify myself and then accuse, and I will do both with equal favor. My Nikobulus did not become an apprentice to the excellent Stagirius at all on my advice - do not suspect it; I have not yet forgotten to this extent Athens, your friendship and your camaraderie; on the contrary, he acted in this of his own free will and because his father wanted it; and with my letters I conveyed it only from hand to hand. What is unfriendly and inhumane about this? But since you have my justification, then listen to the accusation. I do not praise your Puppeteers and Telkhins, with which you attack your opponent evilly, because I have overcome the custom of calling those engaged in the same art rivals. How long will we have this? Will we stop at anything in our sophistical battles? When will it end? Will death ever separate us from this vice? While a person is still young, enslaved by ambition, chasing benefits, it is excusable for him to somehow engage in this, but even then with moderation, I will say, for your convenience, somewhat in Demosthenian style; and at such an age and with such activities, butting and butting is completely inappropriate and is pure stubbornness, not only because it is obscene and ignoble, but also because the matter is very easy. Whatever word you utter, you will hear the same in response 22 as a returning wave; because (I’ll also use Homer’s expression) “to shave one who has shaved” is not at all reprehensible. What kind of wisdom is this when you can excel in virtue, then be overcome by vice, or even conquer in vice, which is much worse? I don’t praise judges either (the truth must be told) because they punish the same thing when pronouncing a decision, and praise it when listening, and not only praise it themselves, but find many others who praise it in the same way, and encourage them to commit vice, and challenge each other in their zeal for it. One must do either this: if it is incredible, do not praise, but if it is reliable, judge publicly; or this way: if the accusation is false, convict the accusers, and if it is true, convict those on whom the accusation fell, but do not joke so frivolously about a very important matter - the opinion of noble people. Therefore, if you listen to me (I say to both), then leave such speeches and squabbles, if for nothing else, then ashamed of your gray hair or tired of doing such a shameful thing. Give yourself good advice - to respect the ancient admonition, which commands, when you have something to live for, to practice virtue, and do not deceive both yourself and the hope of young people, who, of course, will suffer very cruelly if, while practicing the sciences, they learn vice, and not for nothing, because they have in you teachers not of virtue, but of vice. If I seem unbearable to you when I write this, then take revenge on me in the same way, that is, give me some useful advice yourself, so that you can either praise me if I obey, or blame me if I resist. Since the sophist was offended by the previous letter, he expresses his regret that he irritated him. And I didn’t know that I was extremely rudely and ignorantly giving advice to a highly learned man! What arrogance! One cannot understand the popular proverb: “If you are bald, do not lean your forehead towards the ram and do not tease the wasps,” that is, a tongue that is ready to speak badly. It’s true that I’m not very upset about this; because, as I hear, I am placed along with many, and if you live, I will stand in front of many; but what is more bitter to me is your distrust in the fact that I am doing this with a friendly disposition. At the very least, be healthy in body and soul, and in the future, if possible, restrain your tongue; and this time we will endure our fate. Convinces him to abandon the usual exercise of sophists to fight with the tongue. I will speak to you somewhat boldly; That’s how I’m used to it and that’s how I want it. And if you don’t allow me this, you will offend both me and Nikovul; because I will annoy my friend, and I won’t get anything more from you. If you allow it, as I hope, then you will show a noble way of thinking, and both of us will work out as best as possible, because I will justify myself to him and I will praise you. But if you allow me to give you fatherly advice, then, out of the habit of ruling, do not neglect the proposal that a person makes to you who is not ignorant of such things. Finally, put down your weapons, and slings, and these terrible spears, I mean your tongues, with which you strike and wound each other, and, moreover, resound with the praises of your followers; put it down because of all the weapons this is the most readily available, put it down so that you don’t lead young people to vice rather than to virtue, if not with words, then with deeds; because whatever deeds someone admires, he gives his advice to such, albeit silently. If you do this, you will benefit yourself, and you will have me as a friend, and you will not deceive the hopes of those who have trusted you. And all this will be my reward for my work about Nikovul. But if I see more perfect experiments, then I will reward them with the most perfect praise. He apologizes for not being at the wedding of Olympias, Prokopieva’s daughter. I know your accusations, although you are silent. You say correctly: “Behold, we celebrated the marriage (the marriage of the golden one and your Olympiad), we had many bishops; and you, good husband, were not with us, either without gracing us with your presence, or because you were lazy.” Neither one nor the other, my wonderful one. But I think that for those who are in a sad situation, it is impossible for them to celebrate cheerfully; and, moreover, it is completely inappropriate to carry two sick legs at a wedding feast and see them laughing among those jumping, so that you can make a few wedding jokes. And with my desire I am with you and celebrate with you; I join your young hands one with the other and place them both in the right hand of God. For just as everything else is good for you, it follows that this marriage should lead to everything that is best and correspond to our common desires. Congratulates him on the marriage of his other daughter. Here you have another son-in-law; and you are doing a great job of laying aside this pleasant burden. And I’m lazy (you might say about me in yourself); It would be fairer to say: I am sick, not lazy. At least we have in good condition what is from God 23 . Therefore, let us give in to rebellion to others, and we ourselves will enjoy wisdom when you are enclosed in God and completely overcome by grief, not held back by any bonds. Now, if the best gift should be given to a marriage, I offer my prayers. 195. To Gregory the Archon (168) Olympiev greets this successor with his assumption of office and asks for his mercy to Nikovul the Younger with his brothers and mother, who remained a widow after the death of Nikovul the Elder (384). I do not praise Hesiod for calling those engaged in the same craft opponents in their craft, saying: “And the potter looks askance at the potter, and the carpenter at the carpenter” 24 . For, in my opinion, they do not hate each other so much as they run to each other, kiss each other and embrace each other, like relatives. And the singer runs to the singer all the more because they are occupied by one object - the word. I feel the same attraction to your scholarship. If my body were in such a state that it could serve my spiritual aspirations, then no one would have warned me to come, hug you and welcome you to take office. But a cloud casts a shadow on the sun, and on me is illness and this envious flesh and my prison. Instead of visiting me, will you accept this letter from me? Of course, you will accept it as an educated and forgiving person; I know this for sure, and I’m not judging by guesswork. And so that you know how much I rely on your rightness, here I offer you a request, which is very necessary for me, and I ask your friendship for help to my friends. I hand over to you my Nikovul and his brothers, not so that he will be put on trial, but so that he will receive satisfaction at the trial. I hand over their mother, an elderly widow, and a house that was once glorious and prominent while Nicovul, who meant a lot to us, was alive, but now has no freedom to cry because of the disasters that have already befallen and are expected, unless it is pleasing to you and your justice to stand in defiance of the evil demon, to honor me, to respect humanity and to make a brilliant beginning for yourself with the benefit shown to us. This official Grigoriev asks the same thing. It is pardonable for the one who complains to say what is characteristic of those who complain; and I will cry out to myself: “Oh, evil and malicious flesh, what are you doing to me, how much trouble are you causing me! Near is a man whom, even if he were far away, it would be necessary to follow for the sake of his commanding valor and in all other respects his meekness. And you are sick, almost immobile and do not take into account that others enjoy the benefit that I am deprived of.” This is my complaint. But since it is not enough for me to mourn only my suffering, but I also need some kind of healing for my wounds, I invent this too, I dare to write this letter and use it to replace a meeting with you. And if you, who abundantly exude goodness, are looking for an opportunity to do me a good deed, then I boldly present to you a house worthy of pity and philanthropy - a widow and orphans with tears still raw in their eyes, I mean my sister 25 and her children; they had a good father who served the kings a lot with arms in hand, and not ingloriously, but with great honor, and also provided many services to you, the commanders, if you know the name of Nicobulus. But now they are in danger of being subjected to the most difficult circumstances. For after the announcement of their friends and after the oaths they made during interrogation, they now again intend to harm the orphans. 197. To Gregory of Nyssa (182) He condoles the death of Theosevia, whom he calls the sister of Nyssa and the priest’s cohabitant; he informs about himself that he was traveling to meet him, but was detained in Euthymia by a festival in honor of the martyrs (385). Having hurried to you with all diligence and having already reached the Euthymiada, I was delayed by the meeting that you are holding at this time in honor of the holy martyrs, because just as I could not participate in it due to illness, I did not want to be a burden to you by my untimely arrival. I hurried to you to see you after such a long time and to marvel together at your patience and wisdom, which, I hear, after the death of your holy and blessed sister, you observe, like a good, perfect husband, standing before God, more knowledgeable than anyone else about both the Divine and human and recognizing as very easy that which is most difficult for others in such cases, that is, to live together with such a sister and send her away from you, to accommodate her in safe abodes, I will say in the words of Divine Scripture, like a haystack of a threshing floor, brought down in time (Job 5:26), when she, although she tasted the pleasures of life, nevertheless, by her very age, avoided sorrows and, before she mourned you, was honored by you with a wonderful burial, which should be like that of wives. But I myself, believe me on this, desire death, if not to the same extent as you (to say a lot about myself), then not much less than you. But what should we do against God’s law, which has prevailed since ancient times, which stole my Theosevia, - for I call the one who lived according to God my own, because spiritual kinship is higher than the physical - Theosevia, the praise of the Church, the adornment of Christ, the need of our age, the boldness of women, - Theosevia, and with such beauty of her brothers, distinguished by her beauty and beauty, - Theosevia, truly sacred, cohabitant priest, equal to him and worthy of great sacraments - Theosevia, about whom the memory and future time will find preserved on the immortal pillars, that is, in the souls of all those who knew her until now and who will recognize her later? And don’t be surprised if I repeat her name many times, because I enjoy the memory of the blessed one. And this is my funeral word for her, and my comforting word for you, which contains a lot in a little! This is comforting to you, although in your own wisdom you can give advice to others in everything in similar cases. And the date with you that I wanted, I am now deprived of for the reason mentioned above. But let us unite our prayers while we still remain on earth, and may the common end to which we are approaching unite us. That is why we need to endure everything, as if we have not had much time to rejoice and grieve. He asks this ruler of Cappadocia to relieve one of his relatives, Valentinian, from a fine (386). Others praise Pythagoras of Samos that when he had to make a sacrifice, he sacrificed a clay bull, because he did not approve of other sacrifices and said that it is not necessary to cleanse the dead with the dead, calling the body that way. You, wonderful one, imitate him perfectly. Since it is forbidden for you to impose fines, and you alone, or with very few of your superiors, have instilled unprofitable fear in your subordinates, then do not cause your and my Valentinian to suffer a loss either; because I ask for a relative; but, having verbally threatened with recovery, do not allow it to result in actual loss; because he is being punished, if he must dare to say this, not for his own carelessness. Therefore, if I convince you as a judge, then this is best. And if not, then I will resort to you as a friend. And I will tell your learning the same thing that, they say, someone wrote to his friend: “Forgive such and such, if he did nothing wrong, for the sake of the truth itself, and if he did, forgive for the sake of our friendship.” But, in any case, forgive, considering, among other things, that the collection of two horses will not add much to the public property, but this mercy will be written on our hearts. I will also add this: help a person in misfortune who is greatly distressed by this incident. Intercedes for some Theodosius. If I seem discourteous to you because I write often, then do not be surprised if I cry out to the righteous Judge against you; and I know that you will forgive me for my guilt. You yourself are to blame for my courage, by diligently fulfilling my requests, inviting new requests. And this is not at all surprising. For there is much in me for which you willingly do mercy - my old age, illness, general pursuit of science (if I have any significance in science), even the very fact that my desire to meet with you meets an obstacle in illness and does not succeed in such an important matter. But what is my request? If she were unjust, I would be ashamed of such a husband; and if it is fair, willingly bow to it. Again our most venerable son Theodosius comes to you, together mine and yours: mine by intention, and yours as a petitioner, he comes to you with a request for a deed worthy of regret. Orphans are in poverty; and since it is unknown in the midst of human affairs how they will end, and we are afraid that the father who alleviated the orphanhood of many will not be expelled, then show one mercy to everyone. Extend a helping hand to a misfortune that you yourself would respect. Although your reign does not need any increase in good glory, like the morning dawn in lordship, however, if you wished for any increase, then be sure that nothing can be greater and more glorious than that many who love to speak the truth recognize your rightness. Expresses a desire to have a date with him in order to continue the previous conversation about Christianity. Although you have made sure that your very rule we have is wisdom, and I know that you will continue to do so if God cares about us in any way - however, it was best for me to meet with you now, when you are free from public affairs and when in silence I can enjoy your mind, of which I have few traces, like lightning, not restrained by my gaze, and most of which I have not yet experienced. But as important as it is to wish for this, it is so difficult to obtain it in the state of the body that I have. Therefore, if I am worthy of this, I will have everything for myself; because you remain in my debt for one date, by promising to continue the conversation about our teaching, which you once left unfinished. And if I fail in this, then I myself will suffer a loss against my will. However, know that you are always with us, wherever you are; and we wish that our prayers guide you! Know also that as long as we breathe, you will always be with us, because you yourself have inscribed yourself in us, who are no less valuable than some pillar; and you will draw it even deeper when you become God’s and clearly ours, or, if it’s more pleasant for you to say this, when we become yours. He expresses regret that he did not see him during his visit. What does it mean? You are passing by, but I did not know and could not catch you, just as an echo is elusive for those who think that it is close to them and are deceived by the echoes. Otherwise, in this one thing I would have acted imperiously towards you. But at least, my wonderful one, send me a letter; although I will have him instead of you, that is, as they say, instead of a body - a shadow. 202. To Nectarius, Bishop of Constantinople Apparently, our present life has been left in everything without God’s care, which protected the churches in the times before us. And my spirit has fallen so low from the disasters that I do not consider my own sorrows in my life to be misfortunes, although they are very difficult and numerous and, if they happened to anyone else, would seem unbearable, but I look at the general suffering of the churches, the healing of which, if we do not take care at the present time, then things will gradually reach complete hopelessness. The heretics Arians and Eudoxians, I don’t know by whom, driven to madness, as if having received freedom to do so, flaunt their illness, gathering churches, as if they were doing it by right. And the contentious followers of Macedonius have reached such madness that, having appropriated the name of bishops, they appear in our places, calling Eleusius their ordainer. Our domestic evil - Eunomius is not content with something ordinary, but considers it a loss for himself if he has not carried everyone along with him to destruction. But it's still bearable; Most painful of all in the church disasters is the insolence of the Apollinarians, whom, I don’t know how, your holiness allowed to arrogate to themselves, on an equal basis with us, the power to have their own meetings. Without a doubt, you, by God's grace, are very knowledgeable in the Divine mysteries, you can not only defend the right teaching, but you also know what the heretics have invented against sound faith; however, from our, perhaps, humility, it will not be untimely for your honor to hear that in my hands I have an Apollinarian work, in which what is presented surpasses any heretical teaching. For it affirms that the flesh received by the Only Begotten Son of God in the work of economy for the renewal of our nature was not subsequently imparted, but from the beginning this bodily nature was in the Son, and as proof of such absurdity, making bad use of one saying of the Gospel, Apollinaris cites: no one ascended into heaven, except the Son who descended from heaven Human (John 3:13), as if He was already the Son of Man even before descending to earth and descended, bringing with Him His own flesh, the one that He had in heaven, pre-eternal and belonging to the essence. He also cites one apostolic saying, tearing it out of the entire composition of the speech: the second man is from heaven (1 Cor. 15:47). Then he proves that this man coming from above does not have a mind and the Divinity of the Only Begotten, filling the place of the mind in Him, constitutes part of the human composition, and precisely the third, because in Him there is a soul and a body according to humanity, but there is no mind, but the place of the mind is filled by God’s Word. And that's not the worst part; On the contrary, what is most intolerable is that, according to Apollinaris’ reasoning, the Only Begotten God himself, the Judge of all, the Author of life and the Destroyer of death, is mortal, accepted suffering through His own Divinity, and during the three-day mortification of the flesh, the Divinity was mortified along with it, and thus resurrected again from death by the Father. It would take a long time to retell everything else that he adds to such absurdities. Therefore, if those who think in this way have the right to have their own assemblies, let your wisdom, tested in Christ, judge that when we disagree with them in the way of thinking, giving them the right to have their own assemblies means nothing more than admitting that their teaching is truer than ours. For if they are allowed, as pious ones, to teach in accordance with their way of thinking and to freely preach the teaching they contain, then isn’t this clearly condemning the teaching of the Church, as if the truth is on their side? For it is unnatural for two contradictory teachings about the same thing to be true. How did your highly gifted and lofty mind suffer so as not to take advantage of the usual freedom to heal such evil? But if this was not done before, at least now let your perfection, impeccable in virtue, rise up and convince the most pious king that there will be no benefit from all his concern for the churches if such evil, striving to overthrow the sound faith, increases because of the freedom given to him. 203. To Valentinian (212) Complains about the need to leave Karvala, a monastery dedicated to martyrs; because Valentinian placed some women opposite her. They are driving us out of Karvala in the most wicked way (I will use the word tragedy, changing it a little), not in word, but in deed, and very cruelly. For it would be much better to declare the order of removal as an explicit command, rather than to violate the sanctity of our life by settling women directly opposite us and adding daily shame and blasphemy from those who freely abuse those who have chosen such a life as ours. If it is not bold to say, then through Eve you cast us out of paradise. It is true that it is not difficult to find some plausible excuse and say, apparently, as something similar to the deed, namely that you are not persecuting us, but are also showing us honor by desiring our neighborhood, and perhaps you will add to this that you want to receive us in a friendly and kindred manner and enjoy our friendship to some extent, but words are not deeds. When you come to this place, we receive you and kiss you; but we are just as hastening to get away from the housekeeping of women as we are from the raid of vipers. Therefore our matter is over. We were outwitted, gave ourselves up to flight, subjected ourselves to punishment, abandoning both the work of our hands and our hopes, bringing many justifications before the holy martyrs. Although, of course, this is difficult and not bearable, however, it is part of the philosophy of our chosen life and is no more painful than what we are commanded to endure, that is, to move from city to city (Matthew 10:23). And you should inhabit this place longer than those who lived before you, and more chastely than we hope, so as not to offend the holy martyrs and not to suffer anything from your close residence. First of all, use caution in order to spare what is dedicated to the martyrs and not to do anything bad both for yourself and for yours, introducing defilement into your property through unjust appropriation. Encourages him to have an inner life. So be it! 26 We have done the first, and very well; We both praise virtue, strive for God, do not become attached to the earthly things - because there is no absolute need for it - we kiss the best and most divine friendship, we give each other hands and trust one another. And now I will ask you about what constitutes the second condition of friendship, starting again with God and with His help getting down to business, since we have chosen Him for ourselves as the patron of every word and deed. If I entrust such an important subject to a letter, then do not be surprised at this; because your righteousness, simplicity and nobility of your morals, which are rare and can be found in few people, most of all encouraged me to dare to do a good deed. Moreover, I don’t trust everything to writing; I am not so ignorant, I do not do great things lightly and require attention - somehow. But now, as Pindar says, let us place golden pillars in the well-appointed vestibule of the palace, and later, if God willing, we will build with our own hands a palace worthy of astonishment, and by the way, as they say, let’s put the work to work. Many noble people come to you. For I am sure that there are many who come. Who doesn't love you and your community? Many very arrogant people come, showing off money, kinship, friends, their power in the cities, their power at court, and everything that serves as a game of bizarre vicissitudes and time and falls out now one way or another, like different positions of a dice, now this way, now that way, and flipped over and overturned. Instead of all this, I offer you one thing - myself, and from you in return I demand only one thing - yourself. Therefore, although you are the best of the best (I concede this to you, because this is our business), but (let it be said with God) you will not surpass me in one thing - in loyalty and sincerity of friendship. And a reasonable person should respect this more than everything else in total. This is enough for your perfection. And this, perhaps, exceeds the measure of writing. Finally, I wish something for myself and you. May God, Who arranges this and everything else for those who love Him, Himself put into your mind what is best and most useful for you and for me, especially when we reason with ourselves about such subjects! He apologizes for not being in Navila and at the cathedral. The son is not dishonored, but the father is not deprived of his trust either. Therefore, do not deprive me of confidence, who makes the excuse that I was prevented from being in Navila and participating in the council, despite the fact that I was invited with such zeal, by lack of time and mental weakness, and not some kind of laziness or contempt, as perhaps you suspected. Therefore, although I am still overcome by weakness, however, as soon as God allows me to recover, I will try to justify myself by doing this: I will come to your honor and give complete blessing to my house. For I pray and desire that yours be mine. He reproaches him for his unclean treatment of wives who have taken a vow of virginity to God. Until now I call you honorable, although you are planning something dishonest. Accept generously the boldness of a man who is driven by paternal compassion and who cannot be patient out of goodwill. For it is much better when someone who saddens for a short time brings great benefit, than when someone who laughs in order to give pleasure causes major harm. Eli was a priest, and although he reprimanded his ungodly sons, saying: “My hearing is not good, children, what I hear about you” (1 Samuel 2:24), but since he did not give strong reprimands, he himself fell under strong accusations, and the pious father was punished for the iniquity of his children. Frightened by this example, I began this exhortation. I don’t know what happened to you, what kind of darkness has taken over you? How you shame your family, you shame my gray hair and the hopes that I had about you when I was in Navila, talked with you about all the good things and, as I thought, convinced you of this! How do you not hear what the Scripture says: do not give to your wives your wealth and your possessions at the last counsel (Proverbs 31:3)? Believe that you will soon repent of this, when, according to what is written, the flesh of your body is worn out (Proverbs 5:11) and your mind, as if breaking through a cloud, will be able to look to God and purely think about what is useful. Beware of the snare, and do not let your eyes be caught (Proverbs 6:25); and if caught, wake up; and do not confirm what is being said, that your mind has been darkened by some kind of drugs; because depravity is skilled at inventing evil. It is also regrettable that such a house, enriched by so much labor, in such a short time you upset and ruined, and especially at the beginning of life, when everyone lays the foundation for good or bad fame about himself. But it is much more terrible that you sacrilegiously take and kidnap virgin wives, whom your parents and yourself, as you assured, are dedicated to God, and some have already become yours, and you bring others into fear that they will suffer the same. Fear God Whom you serve, be ashamed of me, and finally refrain from all evil will. If you could, by taking a closer look, find out the rumor you are giving rise to about all of us, then perhaps you would not need any other admonition, but you would use shame itself as an adviser on what you should do. I would find something more pleasant to write to you than this, but I would not find anything more useful; I won’t write much, knowing that if the fear of God does not enlighten you, then words will do little or nothing at all. Because it’s easy to draw features on wax with iron, but it’s difficult to draw on iron, but you can’t draw on a diamond [and even] with anything the hardest, due to the rigidity of its composition. If I had so much bodily strength that I could take on the work, I would come to you myself and satisfy my desire to see you and talk about what I wanted, because we are not talking about unimportant things. But since illness holds me back, out of necessity I resorted to writing. And our most venerable mother Simplicia, the former wife of the beautiful and kind Alypius - this adornment of our entire homeland, I present to your nobility under the pitiful names of widowhood and orphanhood; I present in order for justice to be found in you, what it will need. Pay attention to the significance of the disaster: she has not yet dried her tears, worries about orphans, undertakes long journeys, with such a weak body, with such inexperience in business, not accustomed to looking out of the house. What's worse than this? There is no place for tears; suffering forces one to put aside the shame of nobility. Therefore, having judged all this and shown respect to my request, do not wait for another judge to stand over you, the great and good Jacob; do not put her in the need to undertake an even further trip, because she relies heavily on the justice of her cause, as she assures many and me. On the contrary, after reading the letter and thoroughly examining her rights, return her to us with a calmer spirit. And first of all, think about the fact that God gave you great power, property, glory, a free path to even greater happiness. Protect all this for yourself with real love for humanity; and, like a father to children, who has freed himself from some dangers and goes to meet others halfway, keep this in mind and take advantage of the present opportunity to make your hopes in God successful. Upon his assumption of office as ruler of Cappadocia, he asks to intercede for Simplicia, the widow of Alypius (387). Although I only know your honorability from hearing, I nevertheless marvel at you, like few of those who have lived with you for a long time. Everyone has so many things to say about your kindness! Therefore, I myself dared to make this request. The wonderful Alypius, the common protector of the wise and guardian of orphans, has left us; This is no small misfortune for us; and to this was added another misfortune: his most honorable wife takes care of orphans. Comfort her with your love for humanity in this case, bring safety to your children by doing good to orphans, prove that your own are better than strangers. And to this will be added the fact that you will please me; If you honor me in any way, you will honor God Himself, Whom I was honored to be primate and servant, although I am not worthy of such a rank. He sends Sacerdote to him to share wisdom with him. Oh, how autocratic and violent you are! Your letter has barely appeared, and I am despised. But here is the valuable Sacerdote, your brother, and my son and accomplice of suffering. But so that I do not be completely defeated, provide this consolation of life as soon as possible, so that I can be wise both to the one being taught and to the one teaching. For just as it is most conducive to unity of mind if we suffer together, so unanimity is more important for the consultation of all things. He complains about his illness and asks that their common sister be returned to him as soon as possible. A foreign country, apparently, is kinder to me than my fatherland. For one gave me the pleasure of your friendship, and the other did not endow me with anything like that. And the reason for this is illness, which keeps me on a leash and for many reasons makes me immobile or, to tell the truth, completely immobile. Why will I bear this loss, although with sorrow? And why can’t a person endure sorrow? Just be healthy and successful in your affairs; and in God's hand may all yours be preserved; and it will be observed if you sincerely grasp at God. But deign to send our common sister to me as quickly as possible, as a common support for both the pious and my weakness. Otherwise I will complain a lot about your Sacerdotis, from whom I am suffering this loss, and I will call her by her own name; and you’ll find out which one by asking her herself. She asks him to strengthen the land donated to her at the almshouse where Sacerdote was the caretaker. I know that you honor the reverent and do good to the poor. Now you have a case for both. Because here's the thing. My most honorable and most God-loving son, co-presbyter Sacerdote, for his piety and zeal for his work, was made the caretaker of one of the well-known populous almshouses. And among those helping the almshouse with money is Lyriand. And the Kiverins, adjacent to the place where the house and deposits of the most honorable Castor, somewhat help the almshouse. Having freed all this from any claim, you will also contribute an important part from yourself, both in helping the poor and in rewarding yourself, which, as you know, awaits the pious. But it goes without saying that, once you have been inspired to do good, and in the future, so that no one, even if they wish, can do anything bad in thinking about these places, you will take care to protect them in such a way as your prudence will come up with. Congratulates this priest. Congratulations to you, my new hope, adorned with gray hair in your youth; I wish and pray all the best for you. And you are not unaware of the first of the blessings - to always acquire God, and through approaching and ascending to Him to become His acquisition. As far as I know, you will make this a law to yourself. Encourages one to be patient. If you did not expect any troubles for yourself when you began a wise life, then the beginning was not wise, and I blame your mentors. If you were expecting trouble, you haven’t encountered it yet – thank God! and when you meet it, either endure it with patience, or you will become a violator of your vow. He also convinces by his own example. What has not been tested cannot be assigned a price, but what has actually been tested has a completely determined price, like gold in a crucible. And if you are sufficiently established in this wisdom, then thanks be to God for this! And if it’s not perfect yet, then I present you with myself and my position as an example. I was insulted, I was hated; for what misfortunes did I not suffer, how much did it depend on those who were evil? And then I got rid of those who grieved me, and who could show me a greater benefit than they? Imagining this, give thanks for the temptation, if not to those who caused you the temptation, then to God. He consoles him with the fact that Bishop Elladius took away from him the position of caretaker of the almshouses. What is scary for us? Nothing but deviation from God and from the divine. And the rest, as God directs, so be it! Whether He arranges our affairs with the weapons of righteousness to be right and merciful or to be cruel (2 Cor. 6:7) and hard for us - the Master of our life knows the reasons for this. And we will be afraid only so as not to tolerate anything contrary to wisdom. We fed the poor, practiced brotherly love, and enjoyed psalmody while this was possible. And if the opportunity for this is taken away, let us devote ourselves to another kind of wisdom. Grace is not scarce. Let us choose solitude, a contemplative life, and begin to purify the mind with divine visions; and this may be even higher than what was calculated before. But that's not how we do it; As soon as one thing fails, we think that we have already lost everything. No; Let's see if there is still any good hope left for us. And we will not allow the same thing to happen to us as happens to young horses, who, not accustomed to fear, become furious at any noise and throw off their riders. Calls him to her place for personal reconciliation with Sacerdote. Like-minded and compassionate; and compassion is sincere; sincerity, if it gives advice, is worthy of trust. Therefore, since I am older than you in piety, have experienced many people and their morals (and experience is the mother of prudence), but you are like young horses who have recently learned the harness, and are barely beginning your exploits according to God (and everything that begins is ardent, and just as through the ardor of the spirit it is able to successfully fulfill many of its duties, so through ignorance it may not achieve success in many ways), then deign to come to me, honor me as an old man, respect me as father, and to use him as a mediator in a quarrel with my venerable brother and co-presbyter Sacerdotus (because I have him too), so that, having settled the matter between you, you and the bishop can serve and stop the temptation of many, and most importantly, appease God and the cause, so important and glorious - I mean your unanimity and your mutual conditions to live according to God - will not be destroyed in such a short time. He reproaches for not keeping his promise, but does not refuse to accept it if he comes. After the war, help! And although we must first think, then do, we have perverted the order: having done, we think; therefore, if you need to flatter and do something bad, then I have found many ways of flattery, and this matter is easy and many people now succeed. But since it is not my business to do harm, especially to harm a soul that is still newly sanctified and just embarking on virtue, then listen to the truth. A wise man does not seek leadership. And your servants showed you bad love, ridiculing their own deeds under a different face. Therefore, if you change now and heal the sin, then perhaps the wound will heal, although not without difficulty; If you remain the same and begin to boast of a bad victory, then my ulcer is painful, says Scripture, how will I be healed (Jer. 15:18)? because I consider yours mine. But although I think so and write so, nevertheless, if you wish to meet with me, I will not renounce this. Justifying himself for the harshness of the previous letter, he asks to fulfill his promise to meet with Sacerdote. I confess that the wonderful and kind co-presbyter Sacerdote is my friend, and let him be a friend, especially since he is attached to you. For even in accusing you, he did not put aside his affection, but made a brotherly reproach rather than a hostile accusation. However, I am not so simple and rash as to pronounce judgment before I have heard both; and don't suspect it. And in the letter itself, which you condemned for insolence (if only you read it with some attention), I was not so much concerned with you as with those who excite you and benefit from our cowardice by having something to amuse themselves. In what mood I wrote to you, you can find out this way: those who ride young horses practice their riding in places where there are bright colors, something scary, steep slopes and slopes; and this is not necessary to frighten them, but to teach them not to be frightened. Having the same thing in mind, I made my letter somewhat harsh. For there are many ways to practice wisdom. And thanks be to God that I found you not alien to wisdom and not attached to substance, but meek and belonging to our court, which is why you write modestly and wish for a date! Therefore, if you give it to us, you will do well; and rest assured, we will receive you with a fatherly eye. And if winter still holds you back, then for now we will treat you with this admonition: do not prefer anything, even now, to friendship and like-mindedness with brother Sacerdote and, believe me in this, recognize what happened between you as nothing other than the temptation of the evil one, who envies your wisdom. But you fight boldly and courageously at the first temptation, so that he does not make a second, then a third, and after this many temptations; on the contrary, he withdraws from you defeated and ashamed. For I know what battles he raises; I learned this both by long-term and by fighting it. He asks this Caesarea bishop to return to Sacerdote the position of caretaker of almshouses, given to him by Basil the Great, or at least not to deprive him of another position - caretaker of monasteries (388). Whatever I tell you, I will say everything from a good disposition; and therefore it would be fairest for you to listen to my advice, or at least to forgive me for giving advice. Not many approve of our action with our venerable brother and co-presbyter Sacerdote, as based more on some kind of slander, and not on a fair trial. And it is precisely those who praise who, although perhaps they do not know the whole matter, nevertheless see the end as it is in itself. Perhaps you will see this yourself, because it is not my business to enter into your affairs, since you yourself have the right to prescribe to others what to do. But I beg your kindness, firstly, that you provide this man with all the care of the matters that he has hitherto taken care of. For, no matter how patient or firm one is in wisdom, it is not easy for him to stretch his wisdom to the point of generously enduring when he is deprived of so much work and so many of his usual activities. If this is impossible, then, secondly, I ask that regarding the care of the poor, you decide as you please, entrusting it to people whom you yourself recognize as suitable, but leave the care of the monasteries and the brethren to him, so as not to upset him with a new order, and even more not to upset the brethren who are tied to him by habit and for whom his removal is as painful as the dissolution of a single body or member. For some of them have already come to me and mourned this. If you find that this person in himself has something worthy of respect, which is fair, then respect him for his own sake, for the sake of his gray hair and for the sake of the labors, both those that he undertook for God, showing in himself reverence even above his age, and those that he bore, being a feeder of the poor and an intercessor for the brethren. And if this seems small to you, then, of course, you will not leave me and my request without respect. And first of all, I ask you, put aside your anger and grief towards him, and I beg you, bring him closer to you, like a father to his son. If he upset you in any way, which, however, I don’t think, then forgive him for me. Do not write or say anything about him that is unworthy of both his and your meekness. And if something is written, having erased it, do not bring out your grief, which is better to hide than to announce to strangers; for by such an example, among other things, you will teach him generosity. Having not received what he asked for in the previous letter, he sends Sacerdote himself to him for personal justification. Your message is partly very meek and humane, and partly I don’t know how to say it, at least for me it’s upsetting; and not without reason, as I assure myself of this. For either our brother and co-presbyter Sacerdotus is being accused fairly (which, however, I don’t think) - and this is regrettable (and how can one not grieve when such reverence and so much work are destroyed in such a short time?), or it is slander, orchestrated by envious people - and in this case it is bitter to see that, through slander, a person so close to you in life is alienated by you. Therefore, accept my reasoning, which in the present circumstances I recognize as the best and most useful. I sent my brother himself to you, or better yet, accompanied me when he himself was already on his way to you, in order to heal grief himself and reveal everything to you in the very truth. He claims that he is ready to justify himself in one case, and to prove in another that he was wrongly accused. He assured me of this, as a man who speaks with the fear of God. He apologizes for not being at his party, as promised, and asks him to strengthen Sacerdote in patience. You invite me to the cathedral. I would like to have enough bodily strength to come to you without an invitation and see your sacred home - this shelter of Christ, the root of the holy branches, truly like a mother rejoicing over her children, who also rejoice (Ps. 112:9). I know this, I am confident about the Lord, and therefore, even if something regrettable happened to you today, I boldly say that the lamp of Israel will not be extinguished, although it is extinguished by the breath of the evil one, and the goodness of God will no longer be hidden, although the Lord, according to the ineffable laws of His Economy, hides it from those who fear Him; but, on the contrary, she will be even more glorified and will arouse amazement at your patience and unashamed trust. Instill this in my most honorable son Sacerdote, that is, not to lose heart and not to be subjected to anything unworthy of oneself, but to manage circumstances in such a way as to turn even sorrowful things into an object of wisdom. Let him still serve our most honorable bishop; Let him also strengthen the brethren, so that above all, my work, which I have proposed in the Lord and which is so important and glorious, does not collapse. And if this is impossible, then let us show ourselves to be moderate and overcome envy, so as not to give any reason against ourselves to the evil ones who are fighting against us in vain. In response to her invitation to the monastery, he replies that he has a desire to visit her and see the patience with which he endures the death of brother Sacerdote, and consoles her with the general reasoning that one should not grieve for dead relatives. I myself was eager for your reverence, despite the ailments of my body, wanting to visit you and at the same time praise you for the patience with which you are wise, having lost your most blessed brother, because this is certain. But since I was delayed by one circumstance, it became necessary to write to you; and now I’m going to have a little chat with you about your loss. From whom was the good Sacerdote given to us - this, now and before, the true representative of God? From God. Where is Sacerdote now? With God; and not reluctantly, as far as I know, he yielded to the envy and struggles of the evil one. Who are we from? Is it not from the same God? And where will we move? Isn’t that the same for the Lord? And oh, if, with equal boldness as worshipers of the same Lord, we were recalled from here and resettled there, having endured a few sufferings here in comparison with the future hope and, perhaps, in order to know grace through the very local suffering! What are father, mother, brother who went before us? They make up the number of praiseworthy travelers, who will soon be followed by Thekla, the servant of God and the firstfruits of perfections; will follow after a short wait, which is necessary in order to honor those with patience and for many to serve as an example of wisdom in the same thing. Therefore let us praise the same dominion and understand the economy higher than others. Accept this in exchange for a date with me and constantly hold on to these thoughts, although you will invent better ones yourself. And if I am worthy to see you personally and everyone who is with you and around you, then all the more thanks to the Benefactor! Upon returning from her, he admonishes her that her grief will be a violation of the vow of wisdom given to God. You complain, as probably, about my removal; but for me the separation from your reverence is even more regrettable. However, I thank God that I could reach you, and I do not complain about the extra work. For I saw the firmness of your faith in Christ, and your praiseworthy solitude, and your wise hermitage; I saw that you, having withdrawn from all the pleasures of the world, lead a reclusive life with the one God and with the holy martyrs, with whom you settled, offered yourself, and offered your beloved children to God as a living, acceptable sacrifice. Let this be a consolation for you in your sorrows. For the great David also hides the local sorrows in future blessings, to which he raises his thoughts when he says: for he hid me in his village in the day of evil (Ps. 27:5). And it is not sadness that only postpones when he remembers God and rejoices (Ps. 77:4). Those who are devoted to the world also complain, even those who work much more for God. But their lamentation remains unrewarded; and we are promised a reward for suffering when we endure for the sake of God. For let us weigh sorrows and pleasures, the present and the future; then we will find that the former do not constitute even the slightest part in comparison with the latter - what is best for us is so abundant! Therefore, when we are sick, a wonderful healing for us is to remember God, about future hopes and to come to David’s disposition of spirit - to spread out in sorrow (Ps. 4:1), and not to be cold with thoughts (2 Cor. 4:8), not to be covered with sadness like a cloud, but [it is] then especially to hold on to hope and keep in mind the bliss there that is prepared for the patient. It will not be especially difficult for us to endure adversity with patience and to rise above many during the tribulation if we think about what we promised to God and what we hoped for when we entered into a wise life. Is there wealth, fun, prosperity in this life? Or the opposite of this: sorrow, suffering, hardship, having to endure everything, endure everything in the hope of future blessings? I know that this, and not the first, was what we expected. Therefore, I am afraid that we are breaking our covenants with God, when we strive to have one thing and hope for another. Let us not give up our purchase; let us bear one thing in order to be worthy of another. Did the haters cause us grief? And we will protect the soul from servility to passions. Through this, I gain the upper hand over those who insulted me. Consider also those for whom we grieve—is it not those who have passed away? But how can we please them? Is it not our patience? Therefore, we will bring this as a gift. For I am sure that the souls of the saints see our deeds. And above all, and first of all, let us consider that it is inappropriate both to be wise without need, and to be unwise in suffering and not serve as an example for others of both gratitude in complacency and patience in grief. I am writing this not to teach you as one who does not know, but to remind you as one who is knowledgeable. And may the God of consolation keep you invulnerable in suffering and grant me to see your reverence and be convinced by my very deeds that my labor was not in vain, but that I mean to you somewhat more than others, and that just as we shared grief, so in wisdom you will be my accomplice, which perhaps our gray hair and our labors for the sake of God require. Congratulates him on taking office and asks him to take Nikovul Jr. into his attention. Who enjoys horses the most? Without a doubt, horses. And the eagles? None other than the eagles. “And the jackdaw sits next to the jackdaw,” as you know from the proverb. So believe that someone who speaks Attic is happy with those who know this dialect, and someone who claims to be right is a lover and patron of rightness. To be a boss, it seems to me, means the same thing as to be a helper of virtue and an opponent of vice, whether someone has a bloodless boss, like us, or commands with a sword and a military belt. I will not force you to shed blood, knowing that you overcome with virtue, and do not force with violence, you punish the evil more with fear than with deeds, which is the law of the best leadership. Therefore, although I strongly sought a meeting with you, and now I still seek, however, due to illness, not being able to fulfill this, I, of necessity, get down to business and, what is best of all, I greet you through a person close to me, and a friend and relative, in all respects very dear to me Nikovul, who will justify me before you. This is a man, as far as I know, worthy of trust no less than any other, and for my sake he will show himself to your superiority. He asks him, as a military commander, to dismiss the reader Mamant from military service. What losses I suffer from illness! It was necessary to come to you, hug you, remember the old friendship and close friendship; but this is not the state of my body. That’s why I write to you and greet you with greetings. And since it is necessary to give something, here is my gift - the reader Mamant, whose father is a warrior, but who is dedicated to God for his character. Give him over to God and me, and do not count him among the fugitives. Give him a written dismissal so that others will not be disturbed; and thereby you will give yourself successful hopes both in war and in military leadership. Yes, I beg you, take care of this. Those who have the most important things in their hands and on whom everything depends, should especially care about God and His help. He thanks God that Anisiev’s trip was successful and wishes the same for himself. Your letter came to me with news about your health and that your trip was successful. And for all this thanks be to God! And if I could write something similar about myself, then I would be even more grateful! Explains the reasons why he cannot have it. It is pleasant to greet friends, and even more pleasant to greet through friends, among whom is the most honorable son Anisius. He will also inform you about my health, if you can only call health a short-term change for the better. He will also tell you what he was asked about, namely, that although being with you, what you demand in a friendly and sincere manner, and enjoying your love is very pleasant for me and even, rest assured, pleasant no less than anything else that constitutes the object of my desires, as those to whom I describe your cordial treat know, let your prudence judge whether this is possible, and, moreover, decent, and whether they will accuse me of untimeliness, will I not seem burdensome to others, as if I appeared without reason and without any apparent reason; because it is impossible to convince many that my philosophy is not feigned and that I give everything I have to God? He rejoices at the success of Evagrius in philosophy and the fact that this brings him Pansophius’s friendship. Who doesn’t praise a plant that’s just bursting with flowers? Who is not pleased by the harvest that is just starting and promising a timely harvest? Who is not pleased by the newborn soul, as soon as it is prepared for God, beginning to cast off its earthly shackles in order to enter into unity with God and see the very truth of what it now sees only shadows? That is why I especially rejoice, looking at my beloved brother and co-servant Evagrius, who is not weakly successful in philosophy, because the business of philosophy is to love wisdom. But I also rejoice in the fact that your friendship brings me this. And I will rejoice even more if you write to me more often and reward me with even greater evidence of friendship. Thank you for the holiday symbols you sent, for the invitation and the desire to see each other. The distance between the Ivirs and us is a journey of no small number of days. But friendship makes distant things close. How pleasant are the holiday symbols you sent, how pleasant is your invitation and desire to meet me! What, in return for this, do I wish you something equally significant? Be kind as well. And if you need to say something more, then surpass yourself. 230.* To Theodosius or Theodore (219) About the proposed marriage of his daughter with Euthymius. We imitate painters who first sketch out outlines of what they are depicting, and then, with the second and third hand, they finally finish them and apply paint. What is my point with this example? Moreover, there was already a pure and unfeigned friendship between us, which is especially rare now and not many people have, and this friendship was produced in us not so much by kinship, and a common homeland, and, as Homer says, “amiable companionship,” but by similarity in morals and the fact that we liked the same things. This is what strengthens friendship most of all and makes it firm. And now our families are being united (God bless this word!), so that our friendship will increase and we will belong to each other more. And God arranges this, promoting righteous love. Therefore, you also consider me yours for the sake of our dear son Euthymius, and I appropriate you to myself through your dear daughter. And therefore I don’t know for whose benefit and to whom I should speak more—whether your honorability about this young man, or to him about you; because the father's favor towards children is equal. At the very least, I wish you that this marriage will be most prosperous in everything and as it should be when God Himself combines. 231. To Eusebius, a friend (191) He blesses his marriage with Evopia in absentia, apologizing for his illness that he could not be there. Ebopia is your beloved; The time has come for marriage, the foundation of life has been laid, parental vows have been fulfilled. But I am not with you, who especially should have been with you and united my prayers with yours, as I promised, because hope followed desire, and desire is enough to deceive oneself. And repeatedly getting ready to set off and repeatedly postponing the journey until the time was right, I finally overcame the illness. So, let others call upon you Eros, because at a wedding it is customary to joke; let others depict the beauty of the maiden, magnify the courtesy of the groom, and shower the wedding bed with flowers and words of greetings. And I will sing to you a wedding song: The Lord will bless you from Zion, He Himself will unite your marriage, and the sons will see your sons (Ps. 127:6-7), there will not be much to say, even better than you. This is what I would wish for you if I were with you; I wish this now too. Let the rest be left to your care, may your father place crowns on you, as he wished; I prescribed this, as if I myself were at the wedding. Their crowns will be, and my prayers, which, as far as I know, are not limited to place. On the occasion of the marriage, he teaches his daughter how Christian marriages should be celebrated. I was not invited to our daughter’s wedding; however, I came, and I celebrate together, and I take part, and I wish you all the best. And one of the best things is for Christ Himself to be present at the wedding - because where Christ is, there is decency - and for water to become wine, that is, everything is transformed into the best; and therefore the incompatible were not mixed together, and bishops and laughers, prayers and applause, psalmody and the sounds of pipes were not brought together; because just like everything else, Christian marriages must have decency, and sedateness makes them decency. This is what we bring as a gift to the wedding; and you reward us with humility. And if this is followed, we will have a son as a son-in-law, and if not, a warrior. Convicts him of excessive attachment to sophistry. I hear that you fell in love with the art of sophistry and it has become a wonderful thing for you, for example, to talk down, to look significantly, to speak with your head raised and arrogantly. I hear that your desire is directed there - to Marathon and Salamis, these decorations of yours, and that you are thinking about nothing more than to equip the Miltiades and the Cynogirs, the Callimachus and the Telemachus - everything according to the rules of sophistry and as close to your goal as possible. If at the same time you value virtue in something, you are already ours; and whatever serves for your glorification, let it go forward in its own way. But if you are a complete sophist, and forget about my friendship and what we have repeatedly said among ourselves about the beautiful, then I will not say anything else unpleasant, but to say the following, perhaps, will not be immodest: know that, having amused yourself for a short time in front of young people, you will laugh a lot at yourself when the time comes to come to your senses, but [it will be] too late. He demands the book “Aristotle’s Letters” back, noting that he could have given it as a gift if he had not been afraid that he, as an incorruptible judge, would take it for bribery. The book that you took from me, namely “Aristotle’s Letters,” I could not demand back, but leave you as a gift characteristic of a scientist, and as a decent monument of friendship, but so that you, as a passionate speaker and an excellent judge, do not bring a complaint against me about a crime against my superiors and about insulting them by intending to bribe a judge who is so incorruptible and above any gift, then let it be returned that given to you by me. As a reward from your learning, I ask for nothing else (for what can you give me, who is wise only to have nothing?), but one letter from you, so that this will be literally a reward when you will pay for the loan of letters in letters. Sending him rhetorical books at his request, he informs him that he has stopped dealing with such subjects, bringing all this as a gift to the Word, and advises him to use this for good, so that the fear of God overcomes vanity. You ask me for books because with youthful fervor you are engaged in rhetoric, which I said goodbye to, by God’s admonition and for God’s sake, turning my gaze to grief; because someday I needed to stop playing with toys and babbling like a child, and look into true learning and, together with everything else I had, bring words as a gift to the Word. It would be better if you asked for Divine books, and not these, because, as I know, the first ones are both more useful and more natural for you. But since the worst takes over you and it is impossible to change your mind, then here are the books you ask me and how many of them have survived from moths and the smoke over which they smoked, like a sailor’s rudder handle at the end of a voyage and time capable of sailing. And you pay me for the sophistry, without being stingy or timid, but showing yourself in all your brilliance and courage; because you have a great price for both Kinegir and Callimachi, Marathon and Salamis victory monuments, for the sake of which you honor yourself and think of making young people happy. For us, this, although not in time and not according to our rules, but out of old habit, even if it still serves as just amusement; But I wish for you to both acquire and use what you have acquired for good. But use it in such a way that the fear of God (and everyone should always honor God) overcomes vanity, as far as possible for us, who are not completely getting rid of it. And if, although what has been said seems fair to you, you still do not consider it a matter of wisdom to demand payment for books, then I will say: only money has come, and the beggars will decide the objection. 236. To Libanius the Sophist (238) On behalf of the mother sending her son to Lebanon. I, the mother, sent my child to the father: a mother by nature to a father by lessons in eloquence. Therefore, for me to take care of him, you should take care of him. In gratitude for his good deeds, he sends him the promised singer. I am not such as not to know satiety, receiving good deeds from friends, although you are generous with good deeds; and therefore he sent to you, according to the condition, a singer, a man and in other respects, as much as could be learned in a short time, very good, and for you, perhaps, pleasant and because of his psalmody, constantly reminding of God and salvation. If you also do me a favor, whenever you please and when the opportunity presents itself, then you will do a good deed, especially since it will be a sign of your friendship. 238. To the Sannavadain Brotherhood 27 (195) This brings comfort to the brotherhood, saddened by the death of the abbot Leucadius. Gregory wishes to rejoice in the Lord to the most reverent and all-adorned brotherhood of blessed Leucadius in Christ, to the monastics and virgins consecrated in Christ Jesus. For those who have intelligence, there is no reason for tears in what happened according to God’s vision, namely, that the ascetic, after the good deed in which he struggled, left his field and was taken by the Ascetic to accept the crown of righteousness and multiply with himself the face of the Angels. All this and the like is a cause of joy and gladness for those who, according to the Gospel, see the truth. But since the custom of lamenting the death of saints and desiring consolation from those who love has prevailed, then, although I myself do not undertake to tell you anything sad and depressing, and I do not advise you to incline your ears to such speeches, I nevertheless fulfill my duty and give you consolation, I advise your splendor, looking at each other, to always have before his eyes; for this is what I desire, that each and every one of you would imprint in yourself the life of the blessed one, and therefore, when you look at each other, you would make sure that you fix your gaze on his features. May his purity, non-anger, humility, active wisdom, the incessant striving of the soul for God, the unentertainment of the delights of this world be imprinted in your life, so that you, seeing this in each other, depict a monument to him in yourself and so that neither he nor you become the prey of death; because he will always appear alive in your life, and by your good life you will make yourself alien to communication with death. May the Lord cover you who are mentally healthy and prosperous physically with the power of the Holy Spirit, who have remembered me in your prayers! Reproaches for disrespectful acceptance of his advice. From one law I transfer the matter to another law: from the law commanding the teaching of children to the law commanding to honor the father. Now I am leading you to the most perfect, accept this letter as a hand of friendship. And if you begin to attack and decide to repeat this often, then you will turn the old man into a warrior, not inferior in courage to Nestor. Likening the long-standing cessation of correspondence with him to a dream, he compares himself to Achilles’ horses shaking off their ashes. It’s been so long now, and I haven’t received a single letter from you yet, no matter how desirable it was; and I myself did not write, although I think you also expected letters from me. What inactivity, not to say, what insensibility! As for sleep, Arganphonius can hardly compare with us. So we fell asleep. Where is our old camaraderie? Where are these general speeches and conversations? Where is the sweet and never-ending source from which they were drawn? Therefore, although it’s late, I get up, shake off the dust from myself, following the example of Achilles’ horses, 28 but I’ll wait a while to say: I shake off my mane too, so that you don’t take this for a joke. Whether you care about our friendship will become clear when you write. To live for you is like the stars, little by little rising above the barbarian borders, now delivering military food, now appearing to the king as the brightness of the view, the glory of the good is a messenger - never ceasing to proclaim to us. We pray to God to the extent that you may make this attempt [successfully], come to great honor, and appear [at least] once tired. For we have so much participation in life that we can only breathe. He asks for his prayers for himself, depressed by old age and illness. We became very distant from each other, having neither personal meetings nor written communications. However, I hope that we are separated from each other in body and not in spirit. And now, when an opportunity has opened, I welcome your reverence and ask for prayers for me, burdened by old age, illness and the struggle between life and exile from life. I am very amazed at the clarity of your mind and am in utter amazement that, through your precise questions, you become the originator of such speculation and such important research, when you bring me into the need to speak and work on proofs by offering me necessary and useful questions. Because after your questions, it is absolutely necessary for me to give clear answers to them. So now the question you proposed was the following: how to imagine the nature (others would more correctly call it the essence, and not the nature) of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit? Simple or complex? If it is simple, then how does it contain Three - the number mentioned above? What is simple is monotonous and uncountable; and what is subject to counting is necessarily cut up, even if it is not countable; and what is cut is subject to suffering, for cutting is suffering. So, if the nature of the All-Perfect is simple, then the naming of Names is in vain, and if the naming of Names is true and one must believe in the Names, then monotony and simplicity no longer have a place. Therefore, what is the nature of God, you asked me. The Word of Truth will present explanations for this with all care; due to lack of evidence, it will not unreasonably replace them with the specter of unaccountable faith, it will not attempt to cover up the unsteadiness of its conviction with the evidence of ancient fables, but with accurate research and direct conclusions it will make clear the reliability of speculation. Let our word proceed from this, and let us say how the Divinity should be imagined, whether simple or threefold. For the trinity of names compels us to speak and believe this way. And some, having used these names for evil, composed unsteady and completely inappropriate teachings, believing that with the pronunciation of the names together, the essence already suffers separation. But we, as you yourself say, must leave those who do not firmly prove the teaching acceptable to them; Let us direct our minds to the correct assimilation of knowledge. So, first let us define what God is; Then we will carefully examine the evidence. The essence of God is, without a doubt, simple and inseparable, having in itself simplicity and incorporeality by its very nature. But perhaps the concept of the separateness of names contradicts this, since the number three destroys the uniformity of the All-Perfect. Is it really necessary for us to abandon the confession of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit for the sake of uniformity? No way. For the naming of names will not harm the indivisible unity of the All-Perfect. Although the intelligible has many names (in every nation it is called by very many names), it is nevertheless above any name, because for the intelligible and incorporeal there is not a single proper name. And what exactly should we call that which is not subject to our gaze, which we cannot at all perceive with human senses? But for the most accurate understanding of the whole, let us take the smallest particle of what is intelligible - the soul. The soul is called by the name of the feminine gender, but does not have any feminine properties in itself, since in essence it is neither male nor female. In the same way, the λόγος (word) born by the soul, although it has a masculine name, however, as is known, it consists outside of any, whether male or female, corporeality. And if the last of the intelligibles - the soul and the word - do not have proper names, then how can one say that such objects are called by proper names, which in the series of intelligibles are the first and even higher than the intelligible? But although the use of names is useful out of necessity, since it leads us to formulate a concept of intuited objects, yet some, thinking that together with names the essence itself is roughly divided into parts, imagine in their thoughts something in all respects unworthy of the Divine. We, connoisseurs of truth, should know that the divine and indivisible essence of the All-Perfect is not complex and uniform, but, for the benefit of our spiritual salvation, as we said, it is divided, apparently, by names and allows for the need for division. Just as the soul, which itself is an intelligible being, gives rise to a multitude of boundless thoughts, but is not divided from what is subject to thought, and from the thoughts that preceded it is not exhausted in the wealth of thoughts, but is enriched more than it becomes impoverished; and just as this most pronounced and common word to all is not separate from the soul that pronounces it, but nevertheless exists at the same time in the souls of those listening, so that it is not separated from the first, and is in the latter, producing more unity than the separation of their souls and ours - so you imagine the Son in no way separate from the Father, and again the Holy Spirit inseparable from the Son, like a thought in the mind. Just as it is impossible to imagine any division or section between the mind, thought and soul, so it is equally impossible to imagine any division or section between the Holy Spirit, and the Savior, and the Father, because, as we said, the nature of the intelligible and the Divine is inseparable. Or again: just as it is impossible to find divisions between the circle of the sun and the ray, due to immutability, incorporeality, simplicity and indivisibility, on the contrary: the ray is connected to the circle and, conversely, the circle, like a spring, pours out rays in streams onto everything, as if flooding us with light and suddenly plunging us into a sea of ​​beauty - so, like some rays, the luminous Jesus and the Holy Spirit were sent down to us from the Father. For just as the rays of light, by their nature having an inseparable relationship with each other, are not separated from the light, are not cut off from each other, and bring down the gift of light to us, in the same way our Savior and the Holy Spirit, as the deep ray of the Father, teach us the light of truth, and remain united with the Father. And how from a water source that gives sweet water without depletion, sometimes a plentiful and uncontrollable stream, emerging at the beginning from one spring as a single current, is cut into two streams in the current and, if you look at the resulting streams, has a double flow, in its very essence it suffers nothing from such division, because the current, although divided by the position of the streams, nevertheless retains the same quality of moisture, and each of the above streams, although it seems to be lost in the distance and far removed from the source, but, due to the continuity of the flow in the source, relative to the beginning, it is connected with the source that generates it - in a similar way, the God of all good things, the Builder of truth, the Father of the Savior, the first cause of life, the stem of immortality, the source of everlasting life, sent down to us a special intelligible gift - the Son and the Holy Spirit, but Himself, according to His essence did not suffer any damage from this (for he did not undergo any derogation as a result of Their coming to us). Having descended upon us, they nevertheless remain inseparable from the Father. For, as we said at the beginning, the nature of the All-Perfect is indivisible. Quite a lot, most venerable, and much more than has been said, could be found for a clear presentation of the most necessary question about the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, how exactly it should be understood; but since it is not difficult for you and those like you to learn a lot from a little, for this reason I considered it fair to stop speaking here about this position of the teaching. In order not to unnecessarily encourage [you, who are already] working, to [new] labors, I still will not refuse, for the sake of the common good, so that, if I can, I encourage your zeal, [however] not by adding some other or alien instructions, but by reminding those that have already been often said by us [previously] and were usually carried out by you. And this is the following: to lead the soul above sorrows to a better way of life; alienate from thoughts everything that is alien to virtue, and from will - everything unworthy, and lead oneself to piety and all well-being; to refine your mind so as not to accept or think anything that would not [before] have been [well] researched, to master your thoughts at all times and in every way strive to turn to the thoughts of the saints; to rise above all hatred and love in [doing] justice towards family and strangers; to have chastity as a companion and interlocutor in everything, rooted in the soul without any admixture and firmly planted; do not change your lifestyle in the face of vicissitudes and changes. So that neither in poverty does one diminish the decency of thought, nor in abundance does one become exalted from carelessness, and therefore it is best to practice abstinence during joys, and in patience during sorrows, forgetting the former abundance; seek [internal] self-sufficiency 32; to love what is given, to hope for the best, to endure bodily illness with meekness, not to be indignant at anything and not to complain about one’s lot, but in everything that happens, to be grateful to Providence, which [although] often hides the reasons for what happens, but does not neglect retribution. And think about Him, the rewarder, before you say what you are going to say and do what you are going to do. And if you [do] this way, then everything you say or do will not cause you to repent. Do not strive to adorn yourself with outer clothing, but consider the desire for small things to be true and reliable wealth, for wealth is unreliable in having a lot, but in needing a little. For one is for you, the other is for outsiders. Organize your image with forbearance, your disposition with equanimity, your tongue with brevity of speech. With this you will decorate your head with the [best] covering, you will have a calm expression on your face, your eyes so that you can simultaneously notice everything and [at the same time] look beautifully, your lips so that you do not say anything indecent, your ears so that they are turned only to what is important, and your whole face is adorned with the blush of modesty. Always keep yourself undefiled in everything, like [some] inviolable jewel. The characteristic adornment befitting a woman is dignity, purity, chastity. Consider luxury the most beautiful and at the same time light, healthy food. For it is in itself commendable, and is preferable for a chaste life, and is best for health, moderation, and other beauty, and for learning it does not deprive the mind. The numbering in brackets shows the order of letters in the TCO publication. – Ed. The time of writing this, and subsequent letters, the number of which is marked with an asterisk, cannot be determined even approximately. The words "Votrion" and "Lamir" are left without translation. One can guess that these were the names of St. Basil and St. Gregory was given to each other as a joke, pulling a cart on himself. It can be assumed from some of the expressions in this letter that it was written during the short reign of Jovian. It is impossible to accurately determine the time for this and subsequent letters to Nikovul. But it is likely that they were written by St. Gregory before his bishopric. This letter is read between the letters of St. Basil the Great and slav. the translation of these last ones is 44th. Parallel with the famous speeches of the Athenian orator Demosthenes against the Macedonian king Philip II in the 4th century. BC - the so-called “philippics”, a name that became a common noun in ancient times and denoted any accusatory speech. – Ed. This letter is not in the Billie edition of the works of St. Gregory the Theologian; it was placed in Garnier’s edition of the works of St. Basil the Great and in the series of letters of the latter there are 321st. Rebels against the authority of Moses (Num. 16:1–32). – Ed. Cappadocian martyr. Memory 7 September. – Ed. See: St. Gregory the Theologian, Archbishop of Constantinople. Works: In 2 volumes - M.: Siberian Blagozvonnitsa, 2007. (Complete collection of the works of the holy fathers of the Church and church writers in Russian translation). – T. 1. – Word 12, art. 6. P. 172. We are obviously talking about the words of the Lord’s Prayer “Our Father”: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors (Matthew 6:12; Luke 11:4). – Ed. One thing that is known about the time of this letter is that it was written during the life of Gorgonia. The translation was made for this edition for RS. T. 38. Col. – Ed. Written in 382. – Ed. Convened by Pope Damasus and St. Peter of Alexandria in Rome in 382. – Ed. Also written in 382. – Ed. Word (λόγος) from St. Gregory the Theologian probably has the same meaning that St. ascribes to it. Damascene in the “Exposition of the Orthodox Faith” (book 2, chapter 27), which says: “In a rational being, one ability is contemplative, and the other is active. The contemplative comprehends what a thing is, and the active considers and determines the proper price of what should be done. The contemplative faculty is called νοῦς (mind), and the active faculty is called λόγος (word).” According to the Julian calendar - September 29, as shown by a manuscript found at the beginning of the last century in the Medical Library, under the title Ἡμερολόγιον μηνῶν διαφόρων πόλεων - “Calendar of various countries.” Postumianus and Saturninus were consuls from 383. That is, the soul, which is the breath of God. Ἡσιόδου Ἔργα καὶ ἡμέραι – work of the ancient Greek poet Hesiod “Works and Days”. Alipiana, wife of Nikovul the elder; as can be seen from previous letters, she was the niece of St. Gregory. After the word εἰεσϑ’ (so be it!) in letter 128, Bill has an insertion, obviously made by some scholiast, for it contains an explanation of this expression. This insertion is not in letter 223, which is why it is omitted in the translation. Ming has no name. – Ed. The translation was made for this edition for RS. T. 37. Co1. 383. In TSO: “Message”. – Ed. Translation made for this PG edition. T. 37. Col. 385–388. – Ed. This term αὐταρκία [So in the publication. The usual spelling is αὐτάρκεια. – Editorial of the ABC of Faith. ] - “self-sufficiency”, “self-satisfaction”, in the Christian sense can also be understood as moderation, contentment with little. – Ed.