Letter 1568: Virtue must be practiced with all one's strength — not merely admired from a distance.
To Lampetius the Deacon.
On the distinction between priesthood and tyranny.
I marvel greatly how some of the ancients transformed tyrannies into fatherly care, while some of today's innovators have transformed pastoral affection into tyrannical self-rule — thinking they have been entrusted not with an accountable office, but have been allotted autocratic power.
To Cyrus the Monk.
Certain people, not studying the matter rightly, have turned pastoral love toward the flock into tyranny, as if they were in a position of absolute power — not as those entrusted with an accountable authority, but as though they had obtained autocratic dominion by lot.
To Ouran the Monk. On evil envy.
Those who lack mind and prudence continually hate those whom they suspect of being better than themselves. They nourish their hatred not from injuries they have suffered — for that would perhaps be a lesser evil — but from falling short of the glory of virtue.
To Zosimus the Presbyter.
Those who mind prudence and are discerning are able to become perpetually better. Those who lack discernment continually hate whomever they suspect of being superior — not on account of injuries suffered, for that might perhaps be a lesser evil, but from falling short of virtue's glory.
To Zosimus the Presbyter. An invitation to goodness and to following the counsel of the healthy.
Do not consider the verdict of your own laziness — confirmed by those who do the same things as you — to be more trustworthy than the truth. For even if the disease of vice that has conquered you legislates these things to you, and even though you have those who share your sickness as approvers, still, if you have not reached incurable negligence, you should not take your judgments about matters from the sick — for if you follow them, you will condemn both medicine and philosophy — but from the healthy. If no one seems healthy to you, then you are most certainly sick. But if you doubt it, take up the divine Scriptures, and you will learn both the evil of the disease and the deliverance from that evil.
To Adamantius. The precepts of eloquence.
Know that your friend, the boaster and word-hunter, came intending to return home, but remained, having been captured by the love of philosophy. And now, bridling his tongue, he devotes himself to his character, having been taught that eloquence is a small thing compared to philosophy.
To Diogenes the Deacon.
Know that your friend, the grandiloquent word-chaser, came intending to return home but stayed, caught by the love of true wisdom. Now restraining his tongue, he attends to his character, having learned that eloquence is a small thing compared to philosophy.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek below for scholarly use.
Latin / Greek Original
ἀδπάογυπι ; ΠΠππ ΒΥ οΟρ]απίϑγυπι δου αυδάγυμ!- (οτσιη!. Ἐλ Π06 4υΐ π σΟγΟ δι πιδγοίυγ ; Πππ ὼΔ μ60- οδίογυπι 6ϑὶ ἸΠ6ΓΟ65 ᾿] υϑαυς ἀδυ!ον Πομ5 6βὶ ; 1ΠυἋ4 γοργὸ ἀθυϊίογυπι ἀ͵]υ . ΓΟΙΠΥ͂. --- ΠΑΜΡΕΤΙΟ ΡΙΑΟΟΝΟ. Περσὶδ εἰ ψναπηΐ αἰδξοτίπιεη. Οολίτα [αεἴππι φμοταπιάαηι ορῖδο. (Υ͵ἱ46 ορῖδι. .) Δίαν θαυμαζω, πῶς τινὲς μὲν τῶν ἀρχαίων τὰς πυραννίδας εἰς πατριχὴν χηδεμονίαν ἔτρεψαν" τινὲς δὲ τῶν νυνὶ νεωτεριζόντων, χαὶ τὴν ποιμενιχὴν φι- δλοστοργίαν εἰς τυραννιχὴν αὐτονομίαν μετέθδαλον" οὐχ ὑπεύθυνον ἀρχὴν ἐμπεπιστεῦθαι, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοχρα- τοριχὴν ἐξουσίαν χεχληρῶσθαι νομίσαντες. ΣΝ α΄. --- ΚΥ͂ΡΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ. Αὐπῖγοῦ δαφυϊάσηι υἱ δηι αυΐ πβοηϑυ γγδημὶ - ἄδην οαπῃ ρδίγίο ρογιυ ται οἴ εἶο. Ουϊάδιη το τὸ ἢυς γαῦυ8 ΠΟΥ͂ ϑιυάοηί65, ἃ6 ρ48ίογδίθιη διηογοιν οΓᾷὰ φτοζοπὶ ] ΘΟΠΊῚΠ ἴῃ (Υγϑη Ἰ ἀ6Ππὶ σϑγίοιι- ( ΠΟ ταχογυηΐ, 4υΔ8] ογαί : θὲ 6886ὶ ἱπι ρο- γΐυ, 56ι νείυιϊ ἱπιρογδηϊ ροϊοβίδί πὶ 8ογί6 Οὐ] ίϑμι δἷηϊ ϑόοιὶ. ΟΟΕΚΥ͂Ϊ. --- ΟΥΒΔῸ ΜΟΝΆΓΗΟ. δε πιαίᾷ ἱπυὶαΐς. Οἱ νοῦ χαὶ φρονήσεως ἀμοιροῦντες, ἐχείνους δια- τελοῦσι μισοῦντες, οὖς ἂν ὑποπτεύσωσι βελτίους ἑαυτῶν ὄντας" χαὶ τὸ μῖσος τρέφουσιν οὐχ ἀφ᾽ ὧν ἠδιχήθησαν (ἧττον γὰρ ἂν ἦν ἴσως χαχὸν), ἀλλ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ὧν τῆς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν εὐχλείας ἀπολιμπάνονται, ΣΝΖ΄, --- ΖΩΣΙΜΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. θΘυΐ πιοη6 ρῥγυάοηιϊίαᾳι6 ὀάγοιῖ, οὐΐθ86 5βοϊθοξ ρογροίυο ΠΙΘΙΪΟΓΟΒ ΒΡ, ΔΉ ΙΓ, δι ίαυδ οὐΐυπ δρᾷ , ΠΟ0ἢ ἃ αυΐδυ8 «ἴδοι! [η - γὶὰ δυηὶ (πη δηΐηι ἰὰ πιᾶὶυηὶ [ΟΓί84856 ([Ὁτ6 ), ἃ αυΐθυδ5 νἱγίυ! οἰογία ρ ΓΔΠ ΙΓ, ΟΟΠΥ͂ΙΙ. --- ΖΟΘΙΜῸ ΡῬΠΕΘΒΥ͂ΤΒΒΟ. Αἀ δοπαπι ἱπυΐίαἱ [γεσέηι, αὐφιυϊθεοοπάμηι οοη δἰ ϑοποταπι. ( μρτ. δρίεί. .) Μὴ τὴν ἐχ τῆς οἰχείας ῥᾳθυμίας ψῆφον, τὴν ὑ πὸ τῶν τὰ αὐτά σοι δρώντων χυρουμένην, τῆς ἀληθείας εἶναι νομίσῃς ἀξιοπιστοτέραν (εἰ γὰρ χαὶ ἡ χειρω- σαμένη σε τῆς χαχίας νότος ταῦτά σοι νομοθετεῖ, Νο ργοργίῷ ἱξηᾶνία: βαπιθηιίδπι , . η] ἰη θδάδηι ἰδου οὐρᾷ διιηϊ, οσοητιηαῖξη) νοῦ αἴ ἤκα ἀϊι!ογθηι Ρυ . ] δι οἱ πηδ δι . τοῦ - θυδν γϑρϑὺῦί8, ἰδὲς [] ργωβογὶ ὲῖ, ἢδυθώβαιο χαὶ τοὺς τὰ αὑτά σοι νοσοῦντας ἐπαινέτας ἔχει)" ἀλλ᾽ Ὁ ᾿λνἀλίογας. [υἱ, φαΐ δοιίδιη ἰδουπὴ τηογῦο Ἰαυογη!, εἴ χε μὴ εἰς ἀνήχεστον ἦλθες ῥᾳθυμίαν, οὐχ ἀπὸ τῶν νοσούντων δίχαιος ἂν εἴης λαθεῖν τὰς περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ψήφους (εἰ γὰρ τούτοις ἕψοιο. χαὶ ἰατριχῇς χαὶ φιλοσοφίας χαταψηφίσῃ), ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ πῶν ὑγιαινόντων. Εἰ δ᾽ οὐδείς σοι ὑγιαίνειν δοχεΐ, μάλιστα μὲν νοσεῖς () εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, ταῖς ᾿θείαις Γραφαῖς ἐντυχὼν, εἴσῃ χαὶ τοῦ νοσήματος τὴν καχίαν, καὶ τῆς χαχίας τὴν ἀπαλλαγήν. “ μ . νΥ, ὅ; ὉοΪο058. ", ὃ (ηἶ δὶ ἰ) Ἰηουγδθ]θηὶ Δογία τοι πὶ πο ,. ἤθε δἷῖϊ φαυυ φοργὶ5 δοοίρογα γογυπὶ ἰυδγπ) ἢ ἐ- εἷυπη (πΠ8Π δἷ : , ΘΟΠ ΘΠ Δ πη Γἴ10 ἃ τη ἀϊοὶ5 ἃς ΡΠ ) ἃ γϑοία ναί θη! " 88η18. Θυοά 5ἱ πΠαπιὸ γἈ] 0ὲ] νυἱάθαιυγ (φεγοῖδβ Θηΐπη γ4 ἃς ' ποὴ ἐρϑαΐἷβ ΓΟ δυλ δι, - ᾿ ογδπὶ ϑογίριυγαη) γαοίρί , μὲ πιου! ΘΟφηοϑοᾶ5. ν᾽ οἱ πη! ἶ μδυΓὶ8 σΟΥΓγΘΟ οι ΘΝ, ! ΥΑΠΙΔ ΓΕΟΤΙΟΌΝΕΒ ΕΤ ΝΟΤΑ͂Σ. () Οοἀά. 4ι. οἱ ἈΠι., φθόνος" ρ] ἰδ οη δ φυϊάδιη πιαρὶβ οὐ ἰ ἰοςι]ο. ΡΟΒΞΙΝ. () Εάϊι. Ῥαγὶ5., ἄμεινον τὸ ἀδίχως " τὸ μὲν γὰρ φιλοσόφων ἐστί. Ποσὺβ Βυρρ οι οσ οοά. ΑΪ1. δρι ῬΡοϑϑ᾽" . ΡΙΤ. () Εὰ. Ραγῖβ8.. εἰσί, μορσοηδπη) : νοσεῖς 6τ - ηυθιἶθι8 ἀρρογοῖ, οἱ ΒῈ0Γ. 6Ρ. , ρᾳᾳ. , νοι8. ὅ, ὅσῳ οὖν χείρων ὁ μὴ αἰσθόμενος τέως τῆς νόώ» σον, 6ἰς, Υἱὰβ οἱ ορὶοι. οἱ . ΘΟΗυΤΤ. ΓΩΙΥ͂ΙΠ. - ΘΑ ΜΑΝΤΙΟ. ΙΒΙΌΟΕΒΙ ΡΕΓΌΒΙΟΤΈ ΣΝΗ’. --- ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΩ. Εἰοηιοηιὶ Ῥγαείαὶ ρυδορίιϊα. ἀπιίουι Ἡΐυπν ἰθαπ τηϑφηϊοαυσπι σοῦῦο- Γι] Υδϑηδίογοιη δὰ τὴη6 υἱ ἀοιηυσιη ΡῬαγοΓι ηἰοιὴ ὙθηἾ , Τη] Δη Υ6Γ0 οΔρίαπλ διυἀϊο οὶ : ; οι Οἰδ πλοπίθπὶ ΘΧΟο ἃ μοι δι υ, Θὐθσίιη ἦε πὶ ὕυθι6 ἰοχυδιὰϊ υἱπὶ ὀχίφυσι αυϊὰ δὰ ΡΠ ΠΟϑορ δι σομραγαίιπι . ΟΟΗΧ, -- ὈΙΟΘΕΝΙ ΡΙΔΓΟΝΟ. "Ἴσθι, ὡς ὁ φίλος ὁ σὸς μεγαλήγορος χαὶ λεξι--, θήρας ἦλθε μὲν ὡς ἀνααστρέψων οἴχαδε, παρέμεινε δὲ ἁλοὺς τῷ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἔρωτι" χαὶ νῦν τὴν γλῶτ- ταν ἐπιστομίζων, τῆς γνώμης ἐπιμελεῖται" μικρὸν πρᾶγμα τὴν εὐγλωττίαν πρὸς τὴν φιλοσοφίαν εἶναι παιδευθείς.
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