Letter 153: Ep. CLIII. To Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia.

You have tripped me up twice now, and twice deceived me — you know what I mean. If it was just, may the Lord receive from you a sweet-smelling offering. If it was not just, may the Lord forgive it — for this is how reason tells me to speak of you, since we are commanded to be patient when injuries are done to us. But as you are master of your own opinions, so I am master of mine. That troublesome Gregory will trouble you no longer. I will withdraw to God, who alone is pure and guileless. I will retire into myself. This is my resolve. The proverb says that only fools stumble twice on the same stone.

Ep. CLIII. To Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia. (S. Gregory had to carry out his threat. He resigned the care of Nazianzus, and nothing would induce him to withdraw his resignation. Bosporius wrote him an urgent letter with this object, but he replied as follows:) Twice I have been tripped up by you, and have been deceived (you know what I mean), and, if it was justly, may the Lord smell from you an odour of sweet savour; Genesis 8:21 if unjustly, may the Lord pardon it. For so it is reasonable for me to speak of you, seeing we are commanded to be patient when injuries are inflicted on us. But as you are master of your own opinions, so am I of mine. That troublesome Gregory will no longer be troublesome to you. I will withdraw myself to God, Who alone is pure and guileless. I will retire into myself. This I have determined; for to stumble twice on the same stone is attributed by the proverb to fools alone.