Letter 73

From: Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus To: Apollonius Date: ~440 AD Context: Theodoret praises a talented pagan's natural gifts and education, then gently suggests that the one thing missing from his excellence is knowledge of God. To Apollonius, Themistocles, son of Neocles -- that famous and admirable general -- is described by his admiring historian as endowed with natural virtue alone. Pericles, son of Xanthippus, however, is said to have supplemented his native gifts with an education that enabled him to charm his listeners through persuasive eloquence: he could both see what needed to be done and articulate it in words. I see no impropriety in borrowing his own words to describe your case. These examples illustrate your magnificence, for God our Creator has given you natural ability, and your education makes its brilliance all the more conspicuous. Nothing is lacking to complete the full measure of your fine qualities -- save only the knowledge of their Author. Let that be added, and the catalog of virtues will be complete. I write this on hearing of your arrival, praying the Giver of all good things to send a beam of light to your mind's eye -- to reveal to you the greatness of his gift, to kindle your love for that treasure, and to grant the longed-for blessing to one who longs for it.

Letter 73 Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99... To Apollonius. Themistocles the son of Neocles, the far-famed and admirable general, is described by the admiring historian as endowed with natural virtue alone. Of Pericles, however, the son of Xanthippus, it is said that he also derived ability from his education to charm his hearers by his persuasive eloquence, and was gifted with the power alike of knowing what measures should be taken and of enforcing them by word of mouth. In writing about him there is no impropriety in my using his own words. These things illustrate your magnificence, for God, our Creator, has given you natural capacity, and your education makes its brilliance the more conspicuous. Nothing then is wanting to the full complement of your high qualities save only knowledge of their Author; be but this added, and the tale of virtues which we shall have will be complete. Thus I write to you on receiving news of your arrival, beseeching the Giver of all good to grant a beam of light to your soul's eye, to show you the greatness of His boon, to kindle your love of that possession, and to grant the longed for favour to him that longs for it.