Letter 46: You ask why the law entrusted its sacrifices to blood, when blood seems repulsive rather than holy.

To the same [Orion the Monk]. Whether you have such a thought in mind, or whether, as you said, by persevering constantly you deserve to be deemed worthy, or how one will preserve what is his own, or whether becoming altogether helpless he might show contempt — it is not fitting to think in this way. To Eutonios the Deacon. That all who fall into trials are accustomed to see their own misfortunes more clearly in the good fortunes of their neighbors is obvious. But that those who consider their own healing or their winning of good repute (for some pay the penalty for their sins, while others struggle in order to obtain more glorious crowns) ought to bear their trials more easily, and not only not be distressed but even be filled with gladness — this I would boldly affirm. For that some are healed here below, Paul guarantees when he cries out: "When we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned along with the world." And that some struggle for the sake of crowns, the divine oracle spoken to Job attests: "Do you think I have dealt with you for any other reason than that you might be shown to be righteous?" Therefore, whether we suffer in this way or in that, let us hold fast to good hopes. To Andronikos the Count. One must not let slip the opportunities that arise on behalf of the truth.

ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΝ ΥΠΑΤΟΝ ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟΝ. Εἴ τοίνυν μάλιστα οἶμαι προσήκειν εἰς τοὺς τοι ΡΙΖ΄. – ΗΣΑΙΑ Περὶ ἀθυμίας (Γ. ῥαθυμίας). Ἐπειδὴ ἃ μὲν προσεῖναι ἑαυτοῖς βουλόμεθα, ``` ΜΕ'. - ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ, Κανόνα σε φιλίας εὐθύτατον λέγων τις οὐκ ἂν διαμάρτοι τῆς ἀληθείας. ᾿Απλοῦς γὰρ εἴ τὴν γλῶτ ταν, ἀπλούστερος δὲ τὴν γνώμην, ἁπλούστατος δὲ τὸν βίον. Μϛ΄. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ Εἴτε ἐν ἐννοίᾳ τι τοιοῦτον, εἴτε δ᾿ ὃν ἔφης προσκαρτεροῦντα ἀεὶ ἀξιοῦσθαι, ἢ πῶς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ διαφυλάξει, ἢ καὶ ὅλως ἄπορος γινόμενος καταφρονήσειεν, οὐ πρέπον οὕτως εἶναι φρονεῖν. Λς. - ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Ὅτι μὲν ἐν ταῖς τῶν πέλας εὐπραγίαις τὰς οἰκείας σαφέστερον καθορᾶν εἰώθασι πάντες οἱ πειρασμοῖς περιπίπτοντες συμφορὰς, δῆλον· ὅτι δὲ ἐννοοῦντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἢ θεραπείαν, ἢ εὐδοκίμησιν (οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν τιννύουσι δίκας, οἱ δὲ ἀγωνίζονται, ἵνα λαμπροτέρων τύχωσι στεφάνων), βᾷον ὀφείλουσι τοὺς πειρασμοὺς ἐνεγκεῖν, καὶ μὴ μόνον μὴ ἀλύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θυμηδίας ἐμφορεῖσθαι, θαρρούντως ίσχυρισαίμην. Ὅτι γάρ τινες ἐνταῦθα θεραπεύονται, ἐγγυᾶται ὁ Παῦλος κράζων· « Κρινόμενοι δὲ ὑπὸ Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ σὺν τῷ κόσμῳ κατακριθῶμεν. » Ὅτι δὲ τινες καὶ στεφάνων ἕνεκεν ἀγωνίζονται, μαρτυρεῖ ὁ θεῖος χρησμός, ὁ πρὸς τὸν Ἰὼβ εἰρημένος· « Οίει με ἄλλως σοι κεχρηματικέναι, ἢ ἵνα ἀναφανῇς δίκαιος; » Οὐκοῦν εἴτε οὕτως, εἴτε ἐκείνως πάσχομεν, χρηστὰς ἔχωμεν ἐλπίδας. ΡΞΓ΄. – ΑΝΔΡΟΝΙΚΩ ΚΟΜΙΤΙ Χρὴ τὰς ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀφορμὰς μὴ προΐεσθαι.