Letter 167: I am delighted at your remembering me and writing, and, what is yet more important, at your sending me your blessing in your letter. Had I been but worthy of your labours and of your struggles in Christ's cause, I should have been permitted to come to you and embrace you, and to take you as a model of patience. But since I am not worthy of this,...
I am delighted that you remember me and write, and what matters even more, that you send me your blessing in your letter. Had I been worthy of your labors and your struggles for Christ's cause, I would have been allowed to come to you, embrace you, and take you as a model of patience. But since I am not worthy of this, and am held back by many afflictions and much business, I do the next best thing: I greet your excellency and beg you not to grow tired of remembering me.
The honor and pleasure of receiving your letters is not only a benefit to me personally -- it is something I can boast of before the world: that I am held in regard by a man whose virtue is so great, and whose communion with God is so close, that by both his teaching and his example he draws others into that same communion.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
[Πρός: Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων]
Καὶ γράφων καὶ μεμνημένος εὐφραίνεις ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸ τούτου μεῖζον, εὐλογῶν ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν. ἡμεῖς δέ, εἰ μὲν ἄξιοι τῶν σῶν παθημάτων καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ἀθλήσεως, κατηξιώθημεν ἂν καὶ μέχρι σου γενόμενοι περιπτύξασθαί σου τὴν θεοσέβειαν καὶ τύπον λαβεῖν τῆς ἐν τοῖς παθήμασι καρτερίας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀνάξιοι τούτου τυγχάνομεν, πολλαῖς θλίψεσι καὶ ἀσχολίαις ἐνεχόμενοι, ὃ δεύτερόν ἐστι ποιοῦμεν· προσαγορεύομεν τὴν σὴν τελειότητα, καὶ ἀξιοῦμεν μὴ κάμνειν σε μεμνημένον ἡμῶν. οὐ γὰρ ὠφέλεια μόνον ἡμῖν τῶν σῶν καταξιοῦσθαι γραμμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ καύχημα πρὸς τοὺς πολλοὺς καὶ καλλώπισμα, ὅτι λόγος ἡμῶν ἐστὶ παρὰ ἀνδρὶ τοσούτῳ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ τοσαύτην ἔχοντι πρὸς Θεὸν οἰκειότητα, ὥστε καὶ ἄλλους οἰκειοῦν δύνασθαι καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ὑποδείγματι.
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