[LATIN COLUMN] 611 S. JOANNIS CHRYSOSTOMI ARCHIEP. CONSTANTINOP. ...[this is the first page of the chain]... with all treating us with the utmost benevolence, even though this place is otherwise completely deserted. But by some chance my lord Dioscorus was here, who also sent a servant to Caesarea for this very purpose, to ask and entreat that I should not prefer another house to his own; and many others likewise did the same. But I thought it necessary to prefer this one to the others: and so we stayed with him. And he is everything to us, so much so that because of his immense generosity and liberality, which he wishes to exercise toward us, we are constantly expostulating with him. For our sake he even moved from his own house to a villa, that he might embrace us with every kind of service; and furthermore he builds for us a house suitable for enduring the winter, and for this reason he leaves nothing undone or unattempted; in short, no kind of service toward us is omitted by him. Besides these, many other agents and administrators of his affairs, since their masters command it to them by letters, come hither continually, ready in every way to refresh and recreate us. But I have related all these things for this reason, and some, that is, the former, I have lamented, but others, that is, the happy and pleasant ones, I have set forth to you, so that no one may rashly move us from here. For if those who wish to confer a benefit upon us make this dependent on our will, so that it may be permitted us to be in whatever place we desire, and they are not about to assign another place to us again according to their own judgment and pleasure, accept this benefit. But if they are about to send us away from here to another place, and it is necessary for us to undergo a journey again and to go into exile, this would certainly be far more grievous and bitter to me—for first of all, it is to be feared that they might lead us to a more distant or more rugged place: then, I consider the hardship of the journey to be more burdensome than a thousand exiles. Since the difficulty of this journey brought us to the very gates of death: and now, dwelling in Cucusus, we recreate ourselves in perpetual rest and quiet, and we are healed of the afflictions of so long a time, and of our broken bones, and of our fatigued flesh, by the aid and assistance of rest. Also my lady Sabiniana the deaconess A was present on that very day on which we came, though she herself was broken and cast down, and afflicted with miseries, since she is already at that age in which it is difficult even to move; yet she is endowed with a youthful spirit, and feels nothing of adversity. For she said she was ready to set out even for Scythia, since this rumor was constant, that I was going to be deported there. But she is resolved, as she says, not to return to her own, but to stay where we are. And the alumni of the Church received her also with great humanity and zeal, and with much benevolence. Certainly, my lord Constantius, the most religious priest, would have been here long ago. For he had also treated with me by letters, that I might grant him the power of coming hither: for he said that he did not dare to do it without my will and judgment, although he was otherwise burning with a great desire for this thing; he added also that he could not remain there either: for he seeks shadows, and hides himself. Therefore I contend with prayers from you, that you should not act otherwise concerning the place. But if you think that the matter of what they have in mind should be tested, you yourself say nothing, but according to your prudence, explore whither they have decided to lead me: for you can do this. And if you see that they have it in mind to carry me off to some maritime city not far from here, say, Cyzicus, or not far from Nicomedia, accept this. But if anywhere further from here, or as far as this place is, do not accept it: for this would truly be grave and very troublesome to me. For here we live in great quiet and relief of mind, so that we have washed away in two days all the annoyance contracted from the journey.
To the same letter, in which he commemorates what happened to him at Caesarea. XIV.
Ba'. Tiρnνeῖς; Why do you strike yourself, and demand recompense which even your enemies could not force from you, thus delivering your soul to the tyranny of despondency? For that letter which you sent to us via Patricius revealed to us the very wounds of your mind. Wherefore I grieve and am tormented exceedingly, because although you ought to do and attempt everything C to drive grief from your soul, yet you yourself turn hither and thither, collecting troublesome and bitter thoughts, and fashioning in your mind things which do not exist (for you said this too), and you are afflicting yourself in vain and to no purpose, nay, with the greatest detriment. For why are you angry that you were not able to transfer us from Cucusus elsewhere? Although you did transfer us in some way, while nothing was left untried and undone by you for that end. Yet if the matter could not be performed, one should not on that account be angry. For perhaps for this reason God wished longer courses to be proposed to us, that we might obtain more splendid D crowns. Why then are you in pain over those things for which we are praised? When, on the contrary, it is fitting for you to exult and dance and bind your head with garlands, because by divine benefit we have obtained a result so great and far superior to our merits. But does the solitude of this place bring you grief? And what, finally, is more pleasant than this abode? Solitude, immense tranquility, rest, soundness of body. For although this city has neither a forum nor anything for sale: yet that makes no difference to me. For to me all things flow as if from a fountain. Since I have my lord the bishop of this place, and my lord Dioscorus, who seem to have no other duty or work than to recreate me. Nay, the illustrious man Patricius will also tell you in what state of cheerfulness of mind, in delight, and with many services we live, as far as this commemoration is concerned. But if those things which happened to me at Caesarea cast you into mourning, in this too you do not act worthily of yourself. For there too glorious crowns were again woven for us: so that all praise us, proclaim us, and admire us to the point of astonishment, because having received grave injuries we were cast out.