Letters 5.556–5.569

To Apollonius. I know that some make being reconciled quickly after insults, and others being reconciled slowly, a token that they are conscious of none of the things said. For each thinks one should do whatever accords with his disposition. The braver and nobler make quick yielding a proof of virtue, not considering the facts but ratifying their own preconceptions. If you ask what must be done, I would say: since one must be reconciled in every way, it is better to be so quickly; but if not, then at least slowly; for to rage undyingly is not human. [Letter 5.557] To Isidore the bishop. A report spreads and travels everywhere, announcing the good news of your excellent deeds; you would do right to strengthen it by your daily achievements. For the fame of those who later grow indolent usually sheds its leaves.

To Ophelius the grammarian. The other philosophers defined philosophy as the art of arts and the science of sciences; Pythagoras as zeal for wisdom; Plato as the acquisition of sciences; Chrysippus as the pursuit of correctness of reason. Since even those who seem to be the summits define it so variously, we define true philosophy as that which overlooks nothing of what pertains to piety and virtue.

To Eutonius the deacon. Even if envy has come upon you, which has touched almost all the esteemed, from those who reckon others' virtues their own misfortunes, or rather are more pained at others' good things than at their own evils, do not be troubled; but, thinking this itself the greatest proof of virtue, add it to your own excellence. For so you will be celebrated, while they will be made to pay penalties than which they could pay none greater.

To Peter. I consider the straightest rule of friendship to be the one who without pretext breathes in harmony with his brothers, neither winning friendships by flattery nor handling enmities in secret, but showing his soul bare to all, simple in mind, simple in tongue, and still simpler in life.

To Nilammon the scholasticus. Just as the timid are struck with terror merely at hearing of dangers and cannot bear even the movement of a leaf, since fear creates great suspicions against anything at all, so too those who sin are pelted with refutations from every side, their conscience shooting down the doers from those who praise and those who blame, from those who know and those who do not.

To Zosimus the presbyter. That one must do nothing licentious or childish, but keep a temperate and disciplined regimen throughout one's whole life, is plain to everyone who has a share of mind and prudence. Why, then, do you overlook such a comedy sung against you, when the wise say: "Neither when young were you moderate in your desires because of poverty, nor in old age because of your age"? Why do you rage so much? Why do you overstep the bounds even of desires? Either stop doing such things, or keep yourself away from the altar.

To Serenus the tribune. That the paltry glory of this world is a day-lily, that is, a flower blooming for scarcely a single day, while the fame of virtue is unfading and endless, everyone who has a share of mind and prudence would maintain. If many lay claim to the one and despise the other, it is no wonder; for the sick too refuse healthy foods and delight in unwholesome ones, and the incontinent choose the courtesan instead of a chaste wife. But the sensible must take their verdicts not from the sick but from the healthy.

To the same. I have thought it both impious and cowardly to court those who do not live well but are clothed with power, and to despise those adorned with virtue if they are private persons, praising the former and disparaging the latter. So do not wonder if I put justice before advantage, the fitting before gain, and virtue before power. For if I did not do this, I would seem to have overlooked Eutonius because he is plotted against, and to have courted Eusebius because he plays the tyrant. For the whole clergy is at war with Eutonius, some willingly, others at the signal of the one in power; and of the charge in this war I know nothing at all. They say they hear people saying that he is a conspicuous nursling of virtue. As for the one who gave the signal for the war, even if many who hate and slander him flatter him, I, as an enemy of virtue and a fellow-worker with the devil who sows tares against human souls, cannot even look at him, not even if he threatens countless deaths.

To John the scholasticus. Since wickedness proceeds through things that seem pleasant for the moment and has pleasure keeping step with it, while virtue offers labours and contests, for this reason the one has drawn many and the other few to love it. Whereas they ought to see that the pleasure of wickedness is easily extinguished, but the gladness of virtue is celebrated and immortal; that the one breeds disrepute and shame, the other praise and glory; that the one ends in punishment, the other in honour; that the one has the devil as advocate, the other God, the lawgiver of the noblest things; that the one overturns our life, the other builds it up; that the one is often disparaged even by those who pursue it, while the other is admired even by those who do not; and that fire has been prepared for the one and the kingdom for the other. They ought, then, considering all these things, to turn away from the one as beastlike and snakelike, and to embrace the other as divine and above the world. But they do the opposite, choosing the prostitute instead of the chaste wife, …

To Peter. Truth is strong, and often silent; and dejection and involuntary groaning betray those who wish to hide their secrets. But they do not escape the notice of the wise, who urged us to write, thinking it right to strengthen you. So, friend, considering the perishability of worldly affairs, do not grieve at having left them, nor keep company continually with those who wallow in them and mix many of their own passions into their conversation, but with those who yield to no one in virtue.

To Maron. Your earlier transgression seemed to have a plausible pretext that made it pardonable, since your uncle was thought to have been avenged; but for your present transgression you have had no such covering, for you seemed to have rushed into it from greed. And you have stripped away the excuse for your earlier cruelty, showing your wicked intention naked.

To Dorotheus, a most illustrious man. If the adviser is master of advising and the one advised master of being persuaded, and the one has done his part while the other has not ratified the advice by putting it into practice, what has that to do with the adviser? You act as if, in a court, you demanded a speech from the judges and a verdict from the orator. What I mean is this: the court receives both judges and orator, the one having the vote, the other the speech. So the one is master of speaking, the other of voting. They cast the vote as seems good to them; no orator ever gave himself the vote. If, then, the orator comes in and keeps silent, he does wrong; but if one who speaks justly and with all that is fitting does not persuade, the fault belongs to the judges. Just as it is absurd to demand a speech from those who judge, so it is to demand a vote from the advocate. And if the judges vote against the orator though he spoke ably and justly, they have deprived him of victory, but not at all of virtue. Let something similar be understood of one who has advised but not persuaded.

To Zosimus the presbyter. Many officials especially devoted to the most divine religion continually attack us, bringing up your life, crying out against the man who ordained you, saying that the undefiled sanctuaries are defiled and the priesthood outraged, and asserting that those baptized by your foul hands are wronged as regards the saving symbols. I answered them, not simply but, as I think, with quite sufficient argument, and turned them back; not defending your life (for one must tell the truth; for then I would have been condemned), but showing that the layman is in no way harmed when the priest does not live well. But since I did not silence them even so, they said more loudly: "You have sufficiently persuaded us, but who will persuade all the others, both the learned and the common herd, who ridicule these things every day, spitting out so much of what ought to be kept silent that what he does is now even put on the stage? And, to leave them aside and come to the root of the evils, why do you not persuade the architect of evils himself to come up from such drunkenness? For we are forced to think one of two things: either that you do not wish to persuade him though well able, or that you are not able though well wishing. And if the first cannot be believed of you, that, when it is in your power to undo his wickedness, you do not wish to, it remains that you keep quiet thinking yourself unable." Even if this is so, I did not admit it, blushing; but I said this much: "You talk solemnly of these things, not knowing perhaps that it is impossible to make anyone good by compulsion; but I shall again do my part." So, having sent them away, and having almost mixed the ink with tears, I decided to engrave this letter too. For that I have often written you things that could bend even soulless nature, I call you yourself as witness, who are unwilling to depart from lechery, so as to free both yourself and us from charges and stop the mouths of the accusers. And that even now I do not bid you farewell, but take in hand one who is mastered, and try to master a passion that seems unmasterable, this letter will testify, being sharper than those sent you before. For since you despised the gentler treatment, it is necessary to use the more drastic. Why, then (for I am forced to say what I do not wish), have you raged so much against yourself? Why do you cling tightly to wickedness? Why do you insult virtue, as far as lies with you? Why do you stain the sanctuaries? Why do you not shudder, making a mockery of the divine rite? Why do you make people who look at your life think that they are harmed even as regards the saving symbols? Why do you wrong even those from among the Gentiles who are most ready to come over to the church, by driving them from the door? Why have you filled the stage with new plays? Why do you bring new dramas into life? Why have you eclipsed the ancient tragedies? If you do not fear God, since he is patient for now, at least respect people; if you do not dread judgment, at least lay claim to a good reputation. If you think there is nothing after the departure from here (for your fine deeds proclaim this brilliantly), at least beware of people's ridicule. And if you take no account even of that, at least fear deposition; for it is likely that you will suffer it. For even if now, doing these things, you are not banished (for the man who ordained you seems to rejoice in wickedness), perhaps his successor will do it. And … having made your defence to God, to the altar, to the undefiled mysteries and to the people. Many, wretched Zosimus (I am forced to break out into laments too), have been impious and sinners before you, neither fearing God nor caring for a good life; but you have outstripped them all; you have become the chief of them all; you have become an incredible and inimitable example. For they had some virtues; but you have made a truce with wickedness and pleasures and declared an undeclared war on virtue. You have become a comedy, a laughing-stock and a scandal to all. For seeing you touch the sacred mysteries with foul hands, they leap away, choosing rather to remain uninitiated than to receive the undefiled gifts from impure and foul hands, although they often hear from me at length that they are in no way harmed by this. Some of them are not persuaded; others do not even lend their ears, thinking I am spinning tales about it. I put forward Balaam and Caiaphas, who were most impious and most unjust, and yet the one uttered blessings and the other prophesied. I mentioned the raven too, the unclean bird that hates its young, by which Elijah was fed. But though they are persuaded in everything else and revere it, they will not be persuaded in what is said about you. From the excess of the sins you have committed and are committing they cast the opposite vote, attending not to what I say but to what you do, and shaking off my exhortations. But, what shall I call you to make you take hold of the truth? What shall I say to free you from madness? What shall I write to stop your licentiousness? Either stop doing such things, or separate yourself from the holy table, so that the nurslings of the church may approach the divine mysteries without fear from now on, without which it is impossible to be saved.