and am bound to your soul by love. You have deposited with me such pledges of friendship, having shown me such great honor and goodwill there. Therefore, to whatever place I may have come, I do not cease to give you thanks. And I beg you, that you yourself also write to me as often as possible, and make me aware of your health. For I, having traversed the whole way in tranquility and safety, am passing my time at Cucusus, counting the quiet and leisure of the place among my delights, and enjoying the great regard and benevolence of everyone. B Therefore, so that I may also conceive joy upon knowing of your health, strive to send us frequent, nay, constant letters, which may bring us news of the health of yourself and your whole house. For from this we shall reap the greatest consolation.
OF THE SAME: EPISTLES TO VARIOUS PERSONS
CLXXIV. To the bishops, presbyters, and deacons confined at Chalcedon.
Blessed are you, both for your bonds, and for the spirit with which you endure the bonds, and in these you exhibit a specimen of apostolic fortitude; C since even those men, while being scourged, tormented, and bound, endured these things with much pleasure; nor did they endure them merely with much pleasure, but even when bound in chains, they fulfilled their duty, and were anxious for the whole world. Therefore, I also exhort your love that you do not on this account lose heart, but by as much as you feel greater pain inflicted from the things you suffer, by so much the more show forth greatness of mind, and every day look after the Churches which are in all the world, so that the fitting remedy for the evils may be applied, and do not on this account become more sluggish because you see that you are few in number, and D that you are harassed from every side. For there is no doubt that, since you are procuring for yourselves greater boldness before God from the things you suffer, you will also attain greater strength from thence as well. Therefore, strive that, when the occasion offers itself, you may show zeal and alacrity, and both through yourselves, and through others—whichever it may be permitted—make haste to do and to say those things which will be able to calm the storm that has arisen. For in this way it will be possible to profit most, if you apply zeal: but if nothing can be accomplished, you will nevertheless receive a reward from the benevolent God for this alacrity of mind.
CLXXV. To Agapetus.
My lord, the most reverend and most religious presbyter Elpidius, has undergone many and continuous labors, while striving to free the inhabitants of this mountain—that is to say, the Amanus—from the impiety by which they are held. And he has already liberated them, and led them away from error, he has built churches, and has constructed monasteries, and your nobility will be able to learn these things from others. Since, therefore, I know that pious and generous men are vehemently loved by you, [Index: entries preserved] I know that I shall gain no small favor from you if I make him known to you, whose deeds are so illustrious—at the same time, because I strive to greet you whenever any occasion is given, I have thought it right to add these letters, both to pay you the due salutation, and to commend such a man to your nobility. Wherefore, looking upon him with that regard with which it becomes you, my most observant and highly admirable lord, show him by your deeds themselves that not rashly nor in vain has he come to you protected by our letter, but that through the intervention of these letters he has experienced much benevolence and charity from you. For thus it will come to pass that we also have much gratitude for your solicitude, because, although at so great a distance of places from you, through a letter we are able to conciliate and join to your charity those who greatly desire to possess it: of whom this one is here, inflamed with the highest love for your sweetness; for which reason he has requested these letters from me with the highest zeal.
CLXXVI. To Hesychius.
We desire both to behold you present, and to enjoy your sweetest and most pleasant society. But since this is difficult, both on account of the difficulty of the journey, and on account of business, and the weakness of the body, we seek the consolation which is received from letters, which neither sickness of the body nor the roughness of the journey can interrupt. Therefore, grant us this favor, which is both light and not at all troublesome, and brings us much pleasure, and mitigates not a little the sadness contracted from bodily separation. For if we enjoy this consolation, we shall deem ourselves to be near, and to be conversing with your honor perpetually. For charity alone suffices to provide this: yet the thought of the mind itself will be increased with much accession, if it be helped by the assistance of letters.
CLXXVII. To Artemidorus.
My lord Antiochus thought that you would receive him with great benevolence, if he presented himself to your sweetness with our letters. Strive therefore, my most venerated lord, that he may not be disappointed in his expectation, and when you have received him with the benevolence which is proper, if he asks for anything fair and consistent with reason, I pray that you show yourself prompt and prepared for him, and show him by your deeds themselves that not in vain nor rashly has he come to you with our letters: but that there has resulted something more—