Letter 12: Before you did write me a few words: now not even a few. Your brevity will soon become silence. Return to your old ways, and do not let me have to scold you for your laconic behaviour.
You used to write me a few words. Now not even that. Keep this up and your brevity will turn into silence altogether. Get back to your old habits — don't make me lecture you about going quiet on me. I'll take even a short note as proof that you still care. Just write.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
[Πρός: Ὀλυμπίῳ]
Ἔγραφες ἡμῖν πρότερον μὲν ὀλίγα, νῦν δὲ οὐδὲ ὀλίγα· καὶ ἔοικεν ἡ βραχυλογία προϊοῦσα τῷ χρόνῳ παντελὴς γίνεσθαι ἀφωνία. ἐπάνελθε τοίνυν ἐπὶ τὸ ἔθος, ὡς οὐκ ἔτι σοι μεμψόμεθα λακωνίζοντι πρὸς ἡμᾶς διὰ γραμμάτων· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ μικρὰ γράμματα, σύμβολα ὄντα τῆς μεγάλης σου διαθέσεως, πολλοῦ ἄξια ποιησόμεθα. μόνον ἐπίστελλε ἡμῖν.
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