Letter 193: I am not able to flee from the discomforts of winter so well as cranes are, although for foreseeing the future I am quite as clever as a crane. But as to liberty of life the birds are almost as far ahead of me as they are in the being able to fly. In the first place I have been detained by certain worldly business; then I have been so wasted by ...
I cannot escape the discomforts of winter as well as cranes can, though when it comes to foreseeing trouble I am quite as shrewd as any crane. But in freedom of life the birds are almost as far ahead of me as they are in their ability to fly.
First, I have been detained by various worldly business. Then I have been so wasted by constant, violent attacks of fever that there now seems to be something thinner even than I was -- and I was thin before. On top of all that, bouts of quartan ague [a malarial fever recurring every four days] have continued for more than twenty cycles. I do seem to be free of fever at the moment, but I am in such a feeble state that I am no stronger than a cobweb. The shortest journey is too far for me, and every gust of wind is more dangerous to me than a great wave is to sailors at sea.
I have no choice but to hide in my hut and wait for spring -- if I can last that long and am not carried off first by the internal illness that never leaves me. If the Lord saves me with his mighty hand, I will gladly make my way to your remote corner of the world and gladly embrace a friend so dear. Only pray that my life may be ordered in whatever way is best for my soul.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
Latin / Greek Original
[Πρός: Μελετίῳ ἀρχιάτρῳ.]
Ἡμῖν οὐδʼ ὅσον ταῖς γεράνοις ὑπάρχει τὰ δυσχερῆ τοῦ χειμῶνος διαφυγεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἕνεκα μὲν τοῦ προϊδέσθαι τὸ μέλλον οὐδὲν ἴσως τῶν γεράνων χείρους ἐσμέν· τῷ δὲ κατὰ τὸν βίον αὐτεξουσίῳ τοσούτον τῶν ὀρνίθων ἀπολιμπανόμεθα, ὅσον καὶ τοῦ πέτεσθαι δύνασθαι, μικροῦ δεῖν. πρῶτον μὲν γάρ με ἀσχολίαι τινὲς τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον πραγμάτων ἐπέσχον· ἔπειτα δὲ πυρετοὶ συνεχεῖς καὶ λάβροι οὕτω μου τὸ σῶμα κατεδαπάνησαν, ὥστε ἐφάνη τι καὶ ἐμοῦ λεπτότερον, αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ἐμαυτοῦ· εἶτα τεταρταίων προσβολαὶ πρὸς πλεῖον ἢ εἴκοσι διαρκέσασαι κύκλους. νυνὶ δὲ ὅτε δοκῶ τῶν πυρετῶν ἀπηλλάχθαι, οὕτως ὑπὸ τῆς ἀδυναμίας διάκειμαι, ὥστε μηδὲν ἐν τούτῳ ἀποδεῖν ἀραχνίου. ὅθεν μοι πᾶσα μὲν ὁδὸς ἄβατος, πᾶσα δὲ πνεύματος προσβολὴ πλείονα φέρει τὸν κίνδυνον ἢ αἱ τρικυμίαι τοῖς πλέουσιν. ἀνάγκη τοίνυν ὑπὸ δωματίῳ κεκρύφθαι, καὶ ἀναμένειν τὸ ἔαρ, ἐάνπερ διαρκέσαι πρὸς αὐτὸ δυνηθῶμεν, ἀλλὰ μὴ προδιαμάρτοιμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ τοῦ τοῖς σπλάγχνοις ἐνιδρυμένου. ἐὰν δὲ διασώσῃ ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος τῇ μεγάλῃ αὐτοῦ χειρί, ἀσμενέστατα μὲν τὴν ἐσχατιὰν ὑμῶν καταληψόμεθα, ἀσμενέστατα δὲ σὲ τὴν φίλην ἡμῖν κεφαλὴν περιπτυξόμεθα. μόνου εὔχου πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν οἰκονομεῖσθαι.
Related Letters
1. I knew that the charge which had lately sprung up against the loquacious Apollinarius would sound strange in the ears of your excellency. I did not know myself, till now, that he was accused; at the present time, however, the Sebastenes, after search in some quarter or another, have brought these things forward, and they are carrying about a ...
1. The eagerness of my longing is soothed by the opportunities which the merciful God gives me of saluting your reverence. He Himself is witness of the earnest desire which I have to see your face, and to enjoy your good and soul-refreshing instruction.
I wished to detain the reverend brother Dorotheus, the deacon, so long at my side, with the object of keeping him until the end of the negociations, and so by him acquainting your excellency with every detail. But day after day went by; the delay was becoming protracted; now, the moment that some plan, so far as is possible in my difficulties, h...
I have received a letter from the very God-beloved bishop Eusebius, in which he enjoins that a second letter be written to the Westerns about certain Church matters. He has expressed a wish that the letter should be drawn up by me, and signed by all those who are in communion. Having no means of writing a letter about these wishes of his, I have...
Many other journeys have taken me from home. I have been as far as Pisidia to settle the matters concerning the brethren in Isauria in concert with the Pisidian bishops. Thence I journeyed into Pontus, for Eustathius had caused no small disturbance at Dazimon, and had caused there a considerable secession from our church.