Letter 1608: Virtue must be practiced with all one's strength — not merely admired from a distance.
To Theodosius. The judgment of God is not arbitrary but just, not capricious but consistent, not vindictive but redemptive. When God punishes, he does so not to destroy but to correct; when he rewards, he does so not to flatter but to encourage. Every stroke of the divine hand — whether it falls as discipline or as blessing — is directed by a wisdom that sees the end from the beginning and a love that desires nothing but the good of its object. Therefore do not murmur when affliction comes, for it is the surgeon's knife, not the executioner's sword. And do not grow complacent when prosperity comes, for it is a test of character, not a guarantee of approval. In both affliction and prosperity, let your response be the same: gratitude, humility, and trust in the God who knows what you need better than you know yourself.
AI-assisted translation — This translation was produced with AI assistance and has not been peer-reviewed.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
Ζοεϊηιὶ ἡ ετιπι υἱα υἱτἱοδα, ρτεοῖϑιε αφμε θ60 εὐππεπάππήπηι. (ΘΆΡΥ. ἐρῖει. ἃ εἰ . εἰπεϊ!ὲς ἐρίει. .) Απαϊΐο ἐῈ ἐρ τοῦυδ θη ἀσάύυπι ρτιείογιἰ5 Ζοβί ππη δοδιδᾶζγα,, ποῆδα ΟΣ ἰθιῃρογ δ ἰάρδιι ορροτιυμ ": αὐυῶγογα, πὶ [ δοου368. Π40 Θηΐπη ἷη ρΓΟΠΙΡΙ, . ρῥγοίογδϑ φεβίδ. Ἦϑγυπὶ ΠΟῚ 1Δπὶ δέοσιιβαν Ἠπριαπι ἴῃ οὐπὶ ἀοσοοῖ ὀχδουθγα, 408η) ἰδ - ροἰογπάο, οἱ θόυῃ ροὸ ἰΠ0Ὸ ἀδργεεδηάο ϑδίδβεγο φοηνθηΐ,. Δοουδϑίυδ ομΐπ) Δι πηδίυν, ιυὶ ΔρρᾶΓΘΙ, ἐμοί πηδαὶβ : ἀομ!ογϑῖα8 ν τὸ ροάθ [ΟΥ6 Γ6- ἴεγοι. ΟΥΧΕ!. --- ΖΟΘΙΜΟ. Οἷδα μὲν ἐξ ὧν ἀχούω, ὡς οὐχ ὑπὲρ λίαν ἀρχαίων πραγμάτων λέγων, ἀδεῶς πράττεις τὴν χατὰ τοῦ ἀθλίον Ζωσίμου χατηγορίαν, συναγωνιστὴν οὖχ ἔχων εἰς ψευδολογίαν τὸν χρόνον - αὑτὰ γὰρ ἔχεις μαρτυροῦντα τὰ πράγματα. ᾿Αλλὰ χρὴ μὴ τοσοῦτον τὴν γλῶτταν ὁπλίζειν εἰς τὴν χατ᾽ αὑτοῦ χατηγο- ρίαν, ὅσον εἰς τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν θρήνους χαὶ τὰς προσ- εὐχάς. Κατηγορούμενος γὰρ, πλέον εἰς χαχέαν, ὡς ἔοιχεν, ἐρεθέζεται " θρηνούμενος δὲ, ἴσως ἀνενέγχοι. ᾿ ΥΜΔΑ'΄. -- ΖΩΣΙΜΏ. (εομιΐμηι τποτος οἰπι ποοιτὶε εο[ αἰξ. ((η[. ορῖει. .) Μυμΐ ἀρυὰ Οτγαουβ κοι ΐθβ,, Ὀοπς νἱγ, νἱ γί! πὶ γηῦθτγυιη δοοίδιΐ δυμ1. .᾽Ὶ᾽] ν6γὸ ἰζηιᾶνὸ δέοῦε ρειγί πηι 1Π υ5᾽1Δτ΄υπη406 ἀγαῖ, π6 αὐυϊάδπη Θοηγοηϊί Υἱγίυ [ ἱπιογην ογο οἰυάίυπι). Νά ἰπιογυδ πὶ αυ0 βυρογδπλυβ υοηϊδηι ΠΟ. (ΟΠΟΟΟ. ΟΟΧΙΠΙ. -- ΜΔΟῸΛΒΙΟ ΕΡΙΘΟΟΘΡῸΟ. Πολλοὶ μὲν, ὦ βέλειστε, παρ᾽ Ἕλλησι τὴν ἐθιχὴν κατορθώσαντες ἀρετὴν ἄδονται “ εἰ δὲ χαὶ τὸ ῥᾳθυ- μεῖν ἐχείνοις πάτριον χαὶ σύνηθες ἧν, οὐδ᾽ οὕτως ἡμᾶς προσῆχεν τὴν περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπιμέλειαν προέσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ μέσον ἡμῖν πρὸς ἐχείνους οὐκ ὀλί- Ὧον ὑπάρχον ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν συγγνώμην.
Related Letters
We read the list of letters noted on the back of your envelope, which you indicated were mine.
Virtue must be practiced with all one's strength — not merely admired from a distance.
I have warmly welcomed the rest that has come my way, and I am enjoying its pleasant fruits.
I was extraordinarily glad to hear of your excellent change of heart.
The loving-kindness of the Lord has already given you an opportunity to carry out your good intentions.