Letter 22: The person who professes the ascetic life must give up everything that belongs to it — not just wealth, but...

To Zosimos. Certain people say that you desire the priesthood, a thing beyond the reach of many, and especially beyond yours. Either correct your way of life, then, or desist from your desire for sanctuaries that are untouchable to you. To Maron. For what reason your war against virtue is without truce and without herald, I would gladly learn from you. For if you admire Epicurus and paint your own life while looking at him, why do you pretend to be a Christian? But if you wish to bear the name of Christian, for what reason do you live an Epicurean life? To Theodoros. Since truth in its entirety, even with its remnants, has persuaded you that these things belong to it, no one of simple mind would look merely to what appears on the surface... To Serenos the Tribune Notary. True nobility is naturally constituted from good character, and sure dignity comes from virtue. But if someone, sprung neither from illustrious ancestors nor adorned by upright character, should purchase a dignity for himself — which eunuchs sell and perhaps not even the hands of noble-born kings bestow — such a person would have no right to pride himself. And if he should not only revel in his title but also spit upon those who possess the supremely bright dignity of virtue, he causes not only himself but also his ancestors, as being obscure and unknown, to be mocked. Therefore, lest you suffer any such thing, know yourself. To Isidore the Deacon. Just as — to use a vivid example — Jerusalem, when it was armed with the divine alliance, stood upright and without effort and without bloodshed set up its trophies; but when it was deprived of this alliance, because it raged against itself, the fire of the enemy easily laid it low — so also the soul, when it is protected by the heavenly favor through the steadfastness of its character, will easily overcome its enemies; but when it sins, here it shall be captured by the fire of the passions, and there it shall be punished by the fire of judgment. To Athanasios the Presbyter. I sing what is called the palinode. For I have missed the mark — or, to speak more truthfully, I missed the judgment — not finding you to be such as I, thinking you were, attempted to praise. But this is not my fault, but the accusation belongs to your change, which has veered toward the worse. For since I believe those who give praise, and I support those who are praised (for I have a certain inclination toward the good), I believed those who praised you. For I wish all to be of good repute. But you, having changed, have convicted yourself, not me. Yet if I were despairing, I would not write these things. But since I expect a most excellent change, I both write and exhort you to bring yourself back to your former virtue. To Zenon. On Philippians: "Each esteeming others as surpassing themselves," and what is meant by: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." Noble and manifest is the apostolic intent; but if it seems to you deep and hard to reach, I shall attempt to clarify it briefly. The apostle, exhorting to humility of mind and having said, "Each esteeming others as surpassing themselves," said: "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant." Now if he were not equal, the example would be superfluous, if indeed he obeyed a greater one who commanded and did what he did. But if he is equal — as indeed he is equal — then the saying is fitting and points toward humility. If he had considered equality as a windfall, he would not have humbled himself, lest his superiority create prejudice against his dignity. But since he was equal by nature and possessed his nobility essentially, not as a gift of grace, he did not refuse to humble himself. For a slave who has been freed and honored by adoption, considering the dignity as a seizure or a lucky find, would not endure to perform a menial task; but the genuine son, who has his nobility and his dignity as inborn qualities, would not refuse to perform such a task, since all suspicion departs. For in the former case, his original slavery breeds a suspicion of lowliness; but in the latter, his inborn nobility does not even admit the suspicion as it arises. For the one can fall from adoption; but the other will never fall from his inborn nobility and dignity. To Daniel the Presbyter. Even if the one who owes you an apology is neither demanded of nor distressed by you — and therefore you yourself think you have an excuse for not forgiving him the debt of offenses against you — yet of your own accord, even without his asking, even without his requesting pardon, grant it to him. To Candidianus the Count. One must wonder if some chafe under difficulties; for those who are destined to be brought to good should not despair.

Τῷ Ζωσίμῳ Τινές σε φασιν ἱερωσύνης ἐρᾶν, πράγματος ἀνεφ- ἱκτου πολλοῖς, σοὶ δὲ καὶ μάλιστα· ἢ τοίνυν τὸν σαυ- τοῦ βίον διόρθωσαι, ἢ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀψαύστων σοι ἀνακτόρων ἀπόστηθι. Τῷ Ζωσίμῳ Aiunt nonnulli te sacerdotii cupiditate teneri, hoc est rei, quam multis, ac præsertim tibi, attingere nefas est. Quare aut mores tuos corrige, aut a templorum, quæ tibi attingere minime licet, cupiditate absiste. ΚΒ΄. - ΜΑΡΩΝΙ. Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἄσπονδός σοι “καὶ ἀκήρυκτος ὁ πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν τυγχάνει πόλεμος, ἠδέως ἂν σου πυθοίμην ἐγώ. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ Ἐπίκουρον θαυμά- ζεις, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ὁρῶν τὸν σαυτοῦ ζωγραφεῖς βίον, τίνος ἕνεκεν Χριστιανὸς εἶναι προσποιῇ; Εἰ δὲ η Χριστιανὸς χρηματίζειν βούλει, δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν (10) · Ἐπικούρειον διαζῇς βίον; Γ΄. ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ. Επειδὴ ἡ ἀλήθεια πᾶσα, ἔτι καὶ μετὰ λειψάνω ταῦτά σοι ἀναπεπείκασιν ὡς αὐτοῦ, οὐκ οὐχ τις ἀφελὴς πρὸς τὸ φαινόμενον μάλι ΣΑ΄. – ΣΕΡΗΝΟ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΟ ΝΟΤΑΡΙΩ. Ἡ μὲν ἀληθὴς εὐγένεια ἀπὸ τρόπων χρηστών συνίστασθαι πέφυκε, καὶ τὸ βέβαιον ἀξίωμα ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς προσγίνεται. Εἰ δὲ τις μήτε ἐκ προγόνων λαμπρῶν φὺς, μήτε ὑπὸ τρόπων ὀρθῶν κοσμούμενος, ἀξίωμα ἑαυτῷ ἀγοράσειεν, ὅπερ εὐνοῦχοι πιπράσκουσι (86), καὶ βασιλέων ἴσως οὐδ᾽ εὐγενῶν χαρίζονται χεῖρες· οὗτος οὐκ ἂν εἴη δίκαιος σεμνύνεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἐναβρύνοιτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἔχοντας τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπέρλαμπρον ἀξίωμα διαπτύει· οὗτος οὐ μόνον ἑαυτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς προγόνους ἄτε ἀσήμους καὶ ἀφανεῖς κωμῳδεῖσθαι παρασκευάζει. Οὐκοῦν ἵνα μηδὲν τοιοῦτο πάθοις, γνῶθι σαυτόν. ΚΒ. – ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ. Ὥσπερ, ἵνα καὶ ἐναργεῖ παραδείγματι χρήσωμαι, Ἱερουσαλήμ, ὅτε μὲν τῇ θείᾳ συμμαχία ώπλιστο, ὀρθὴ ἑστῶσα ἀπονητὶ καὶ ἀναιμακτὶ τὰ τρόπαια ἴστης ὅτε δὲ ταύτης διὰ τὸ ἐπιλυτεῆσαι κατ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἐστά ρητο, πῦρ πολέμιον αὐτὴν βαδίως ἔκλινεν οὕτω καὶ ψυχή, ὅταν μὲν τῇ ἄνωθεν ῥοπῇ δι' εὐστάθειαν πρό- πων περιφράττηται, ῥᾳδίως τοὺς πολεμίους κατάγων νιεῖται · ὅταν δ᾽ ἁμάρτῃ, ἐνταῦθα μὲν τῷ πυρὶ τῶν παθῶν ἀλώσεται, ἐκεῖσε δὲ τῷ τῆς κρίσεως τιμωρη- θήσεται. ΣΒ΄. – ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. "Αδω τὴν καλουμένην παλινῳδίαν. "Ημαρτον γὰρ σκοποῦ, ἡ, τόγε ἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν, γνώμης, μὴ εὐρών σε τοιοῦτον οἷον νομίζων ἐγκωμιάζειν ἐπ- εχείρουν. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἐμὸν, ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς μεταβολῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω νευσάσης ἐστὶν ἔγκλημα. Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ, ἐπειδήπερ καὶ πιστεύω τοῖς ἐγκωμιάζουσι, καὶ τοὺς ἐπαινουμένους συγκροτῶ (ἔχω γάρ τινα ροπὴν πρὸς τὸ καλόν), πεπίστευκα τοῖς σε ἐπαινέσασι. Βού λομαι γὰρ πάντας εὐδοκίμους εἶναι· αὐτὸς δὲ μετα βληθείς σαυτὸν, οὐκ ἐμὲ ἥλεγξας. ᾿Αλλ' εἱ μὲν ἀπὸ λαγίνωσχον, οὐκ ἂν ταῦτ᾽ ἔγραφον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀρίστην μεταβολὴν προσδοκῶ, καὶ γράφω, καὶ προτρέπω, ὥστε εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ίαν ἀρετὴν σαυτὸν ἐπαναγαγεῖν. ΚΒ. ΖΗΝΩΝΙ. Πρὸς Φιλιππησίους. Εἰς τὸ· · ᾿Αλλήλους ἡγού μενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν· · καὶ τὶ ἐστι· • Τοῦτο φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, ὁ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. ᾿Αριπρεπὲς μὲν καὶ ἀρίδηλον τὸ βούλημα τὸ ἀπο στολικόν εἰ δὲ σοι βαθὺ καὶ δυσέφικτον φαίνεται, συντόμως αὐτὸ σαφηνίσαι πειράσομαι. Ὁ ἀπόστολος εἰς μετριοφροσύνην παρακαλῶν (90), καὶ εἰπῶν • ᾿Αλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν, » ἔφη « Τοῦτο φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, ὁ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἑκένωσε μορφὴν δούλου λαβών. » Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἦν ἴσος, περιῖτὸν τὸ ὑπό- δειγμα, εἴγε τῷ μείζονι ὑπακούσας κελεύσαντι, πε- ποιήκεν ὁ πεποίηκεν. Εἰ δὲ ἴσος, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἴσος, ἁρμόδιον τὸ ῥηθὲν, καὶ πρὸς ταπεινοφροσύνην βλέπον. Εἰ ἔρμαιον ἡγήσατο (91) τὸ εἶναι ἔσον, οὐκ ἂν ἑαυτὸν ἐταπείνωσεν, ἵνα μὴ ἡ ὑπερισσεία (92) πρόκριμα ποιήσῃ τῇ ἀξίᾳ. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἐκ φύσεως ἴσος ἦν, καὶ οὐσιώδη εἶχε τὴν εὐγένειαν, καὶ οὐ κατὰ χάριν δωρηθεῖσαν, ταπεινῶσαι ἑαυτὸν οὐ παρ- ῃτήσατο. Δοῦλος μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἐλευθερωθεὶς, καὶ υἱο- θεσίᾳ τιμηθεὶς, ἄτε ἄρπαγμα ἢ εὔρεμα τὴν ἀξίαν ἡγησάμενος, οὐκ ἂν ὑποσταίη οἰκετικὸν ἔργὸν ἀνῦ σαι· ὁ δὲ γνήσιος υἱὸς, ὁ σύμφυτον ἔχων καὶ τὴν εὐγένειαν, καὶ τὴν ἀξίαν, οὐκ ἂν παραιτήσαιτο τοιοῦτὸν τι ἀνῦσαι, πάσης ὑποψίας ἐκποδῶν οἰχου μένης. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ ἡ ἀρχαία δουλεία ὑποψίαν τίκτει εὐτελείας - τῷ δὲ ἡ ἔμφυτος εὐγένεια οὐδὲ τικτομέ νην τὴν ὑπόνοιαν προσίεται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ δύναται τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἐκπεσεῖν· ὁ δὲ τῆς ἐμφύτου εὐγενείας τε καὶ ἀξίας οὐδέποτε ἀποπεσεῖται. ΚΒ΄. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ Δέον καταρτίζειν τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῖς σπουδάζουσι μαθεῖν τὸν θεῖον ἐκεῖνον, ἵνα μὴ αὐτοῖς προσῆκον εἶναι δοκῇ ὀλιγωρεῖν πᾶσι. ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΟ Εἰ καὶ ὁ χρεωστῶν σοι ἀπολογίαν οὔτε ἀπαιτεῖται ἀπὸ σοῦ, οὔτε ἄγχεται· διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπολογίαν ἡγῇ ἔχειν τοῦ μὴ ἐκείνῳ συγκεχωρηκέναι τὸ τῶν εἰς σὲ πταισμάτων χρέος, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς καὶ μὴ παρακαλοῦντι, μηδὲ συγγνώμην αἰτοῦντε δίδου ταύτην, εἰ ΡΛΘ΄. – ΚΑΝΔΙΔΙΑΝΩ ΚΟΜΙΤΙ Θαυμάζειν χρὴ, εἴ τινες ἐν ταῖς δυσχερείαις δυσχεραίνουσιν· οὐ γὰρ χρὴ ἀθυμεῖν τοὺς εἰς ἀγαθὸν μέλλοντας ἀναγαγεῖν. P. 507, lit. C, lin. 3. P. ῥηθὲν, cat. ληχθέν. ibid. 4. τοῦτον deest in cat, fuid. 5. τινα deest in cat. ibid. 6. ἔπαθλον προυτ., cat. προυτ. έπαθλ. - Lit. Đ, lin. 5, 6. βαθ. καὶ τρ., cal. τρ. καὶ ῥαθ. ibid. 6. μὲν deest in cat, ibid. 6. Inter κατὰ εἰ ἀποκλή- ρωσιν inserit τὴν cat. auct. ibid. 9. οὐδεὶς ὁ δώ σων. ult. ep. vocab. Quibus adduntur a catene auctore hæc, ἔστι δὲ ἡ μὲν παρθενία θειοτάτη καὶ ὑπερφ., κ.τ.λ. Cfr. lib. V, ep. 255.