Letter 62: Chrysostom asks Antiochene presbyters to protect Constantius from unjust harassment.

I grieve that my lord, the most honored and reverend presbyter Constantius, has left us; but I rejoice that he has reached you, and I rejoice more over this than I grieve over the other. I know well that he will anchor in a waveless harbor: your love. Even if countless troubles surround him from every side and many waves rise up, your qualities are such that he will enjoy calm water even in a storm, because of your inborn courage and your unswerving love and disposition. When you see him, then, as is fitting for you, be entreated to become everything to him. You know what great reward is laid up for those who are eager to support a man being harassed rashly and in vain. We seek nothing except that he not be harassed in any way contrary to justice, and not be dragged around vainly through the courts for things for which he ought to be crowned and proclaimed. We ask these things on his behalf. On our own behalf, we ask that you write to us continually and bring good news about your health. Even though a long road separates us, we do not stop carrying you continually in our mind, being near you and with you each day. Such are the eyes of love in people who know how to love genuinely; and you yourselves know this clearly, since you too know how to love genuinely.

ΞΒʹ. Κάστῳ, Οὐαλερίῳ, ∆ιοφάντῃ, Κυριακῷ, πρεσβυτέροις Ἀντιοχείας. Ὅτι μὲν ἡμᾶς ἀπέλιπεν ὁ κύριός μου ὁ τιμιώτατος καὶ εὐλαβέστατος πρεσβύτερος Κωνστάντιος, ἀλγῶ· ὅτι δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀπείληφε, χαίρω, καὶ μειζόνως χαίρω, ἢ ἐκεῖνο ἀλγῶ. Εὖ γὰρ οἶδ' ὅτι εἰς ἀκύμαντον ὁρμιεῖ λιμένα, τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην. Κἂν γὰρ μυρίαι πανταχόθεν περιεστήκωσι ταραχαὶ, καὶ πολλὰ ἐγείρηται τὰ κύματα, ἀλλὰ τοιαῦτα τὰ ὑμέτερα, ὡς καὶ ἐν χειμῶνι γαλήνης ἀπολαύειν λευκῆς, διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν ὑμῖν ἀνδρείαν, καὶ τὴν ἀπερίτρεπτον ἀγάπην καὶ διάθεσιν. Ἰδόντες τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὡς ὑμῖν πρέπον ἐστὶ, πάντα αὐτῷ γενέσθαι παρακλήθητε. Ἴστε γὰρ ὅσος ὑμῖν κείσεται μισθὸς, εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην ἐπηρεαζόμενον ἀνέχειν σπουδάζουσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἄλλο τι ζητοῦμεν, ἀλλ' ὥστε μηδὲν αὐτὸν παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἐπηρεασθῆναι, καὶ μάτην ἄγεσθαι καὶ περιάγεσθαι, ἐν δικαστηρίοις σπαραττόμενον ὑπὲρ ὧν στεφανοῦσθαι αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνακηρύττεσθαι ἔδει. Καὶ ὑπὲρ μὲν τούτου ταῦτα αἰτοῦμεν· ὑπὲρ δὲ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν, ὥστε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλειν, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐαγγελίζεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλῷ διειργόμεθα τῷ μέσῳ τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐ παυόμεθα διηνεκῶς ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ διανοίας φέροντες, καὶ πλησίον ὑμῶν ὄντες, καὶ καθ' ἑκάστην ὑμῖν συγγινόμενοι τὴν ἡμέραν. Τοιοῦτοι γὰρ οἱ τῆς ἀγάπης ὀφθαλμοὶ τῶν γνησίως εἰδότων φιλεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο ἴστε καὶ αὐτοὶ σαφῶς, ἐπειδὴ καὶ φιλεῖν ἴστε γνησίως.