Letter 178: Stain, pollution, defilement — what should I call it that would be enough?

I know that it was not to display cleverness in words nor to hunt for the glory that comes from it that you set out to advise Zosimus and Palladius and Maron, but that you were moved by goodwill and affection. If they, being mocked by all yet thinking they are mocked by you alone, are ill-disposed toward you, do not fear: you have the testimony of your conscience, which is worth more than the applause of the crowd.

ΡΟΗ'. - ЕРМОΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Οἶδα μὲν ὅτι οὐ δεινότητα λόγων ἐπιδεικνύμενος, οὐδὲ τὴν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς θηρώμενος δόξαν, ἐπὶ τὸ παρ- αινέσαι τοῖς περὶ Ζώσιμον καὶ Παλλάδιον καὶ Μάρωνα, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ εὐνοίας καὶ φιλοστοργίας ὥρμησας. Εἰ δ αὐτοὶ παρὰ πάντων ἐκκωμῳδούμενοι, ὡς παρὰ μένου σοῦ νομίζοντες κεκωμῳδῆσθαι, δυσκόλως ἔχουσι πρὸς σὲ, μὴ δείσῃς· ἔχεις γὰρ τὴν θείαν συμ- μαχίαν, σοῦ μὲν ὑπερασπίζουσαν, ἐκείνους καὶ ἀμυ- νομένην. ΡΟΘ. – ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ. Β Ὁ τὰ πρόδηλα κακὰ φανερῶς δρῶν, καὶ μὴ ἐρυ- θριῶν, οὗτος δῆλον ὅτι λανθάνων οὐδὲν τῶν ἀπορ ῥήτων άπρακτον ἑάσεις καὶ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἐγχειρῶν, οὐκ ἂν δήπου περὶ τὰ εὐτελέστερα ὀκνηρῶς διακεί σεται ὁ δὲ τὰ μικρὰ φυλαττόμενος, καὶ τὰ μὲ γιστα, ὡς εἰκὸς, φυλάξεται.