Letter 146: I cannot accuse you of carelessness and inattention, because, when an opportunity of writing occurred, you said nothing. For I count the greeting which you have sent me in your own honoured hand worth many letters. In return I salute you, and beg you earnestly to give heed to the salvation of your soul, disciplining all the lusts of the flesh by...
To Antiochus,
I can't blame you for not writing — the greeting you sent in your own hand is worth more than many letters.
I send my greetings in return, and urge you: take care of your soul. Keep your physical desires in check through reason, and let the thought of God live in your heart as though it were a holy temple. In everything you do and say, remember that Christ will judge it all — so that when that day comes, every action will stand up to examination and bring you honor before all creation.
If that distinguished man is able to visit me, I would love to see you come along with him.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
[Πρός: Ἀντιόχῳ]
Οὐκ ἔχω μέμψασθαί σοι ἀργίαν οὐδὲ ῥᾳθυμίαν, ὅτι καιροῦ παραπεσόντος γραμμάτων ἀπεσιώπησας. ἣν γὰρ διὰ τῆς τιμίας ἐμοὶ χειρὸς διεπέμψω προσηγορίαν πολλῶν ἐπιστολῶν τιμιωτέραν ποιοῦμαι. ἀντὶ οὖν ταύτης προσαγορεύω σε, καὶ παρακαλῶ σπουδαίως ἀντέχεσθαι τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν σωτηρίας, πάντα τὰ πάθη τῆς σαρκὸς παιδαγωγοῦντα τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ διηνεκῶς τὴν περὶ Θεοῦ ἔννοιαν, οἷον ἐν ναῷ τινὶ ἁγιωτάτῳ, τῇ σαυτοῦ ψυχῇ ἐνιδρυμένην ἔχοντα· ἐπὶ πάσης δὲ πράξεως καὶ παντὸς λόγου πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν λαμβάνειν τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δικαστήριον, ὥστε σοι τὰς κατὰ μέρος ἐνεργείας συναχθείσας ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκριβοῦς ἐκείνης καὶ φοβερᾶς ἐξετάσεως δόξαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως ἐνεγκεῖν, ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως τῶν ἐπαίνων ἀξιουμένῳ. εἰ δὲ καταδέχοιτο τὴν μέχρις ἡμῶν ὁδὸν ὁ μέγας, οὐ μικρὸν κέρδος ἰδεῖν σε μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας.
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