Letter 116: Chrysostom rejoices in Valentinus's promotion but rebukes his silence.

What is this? You know how we rejoice in your good fortune and leap for joy at your successes. You should have been the first to tell us of the great honor to which you have now risen, yet you allowed us to learn it first from others. Do you not owe us a serious apology for depriving us so long of such joy? Your true dignity and highest office is the virtue of your soul. Because you have made a habit of using worldly rank for the benefit of that virtue, and because the more powerful you become the wider a harbor you become for those in need, we rejoice greatly. Still, we do not release you from the charge of silence. How will you defend yourself? By writing often, and by continually telling us about your health and that of your whole household. Now that we have shown you the method of your defense, do not delay to use it.

ΡΙʹ. Βαλεντίνῳ. Τί τοῦτο; Εἰδὼς ὅπως σου χαίρομεν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς, καὶ σκιρτῶμεν ἐπὶ ταῖς σαῖς εὐδοκιμήσεσι, καὶ πρὸ πάντων ὀφείλων ἡμῖν δηλῶσαι τῆς τιμῆς τὸ μέγεθος, εἰς ὃ νῦν ἀνέβης, ὑπέμεινας ἡμᾶς πρότερον παρ' ἑτέρων μαθεῖν τοῦτο, καὶ οὐ νομίζεις δεῖσθαί σοι πολλῆς εἰς τοῦτο ἀπολογίας, ὅτι ἠνέσχου, τό γε σὸν μέρος, τοσοῦτον χρόνον ἡμᾶς ζημιῶσαι εὐφροσύνης μέγεθος τηλικοῦτον; Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀξίωμά σου τὸ ἀληθὲς, καὶ ἡ μεγίστη σου ἀρχὴ, τῆς ψυχῆς σού ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετή. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ τούτοις τοῖς βιωτικοῖς εἰς τὴν ἐκείνης ὠφέλειαν κεχρῆσθαι μεμελέτηκας, καὶ ὅσῳ ἂν γένῃ δυνατώτερος, τοσούτῳ λιμὴν εὐρύτερος τοῖς δεομένοις καθίστασαι, διὰ τοῦτο νῦν χαίρομεν, καὶ σκιρτῶμεν, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐκ ἀφίεμέν σε τοῦ τῆς σιγῆς ἐγκλήματος. Πῶς οὖν ἡμῖν ἀπολογήσῃ καλῶς; Τῇ πυκνότητι τῶν ἐπιστολῶν, καὶ τῷ συνεχῶς τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας ἡμῖν δηλοῦν τῆς σῆς καὶ τοῦ οἴκου σου παντός. Ἐπεὶ οὖν σε καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς ἀπολογίας ἐδιδάξαμεν, προστίθει τὰ παρὰ σαυτοῦ λοιπόν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην μένεις σιγῶν, γραψόμεθά σε ῥᾳθυμίας πολλῆς, καὶ ἀλγήσομεν. Οἶδα δὲ σαφῶς ὅτι πικροτάτην ταύτην ἡγήσῃ διδόναι δίκην, τὸ ἀλγεῖν ἐπὶ τούτοις ἡμᾶς, ἐπειδὴ οἶδα πῶς καὶ φιλεῖν ἡμᾶς γνησίως καὶ θερμῶς ἐσπούδακας.