Letter 232

232. To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.

Every day that holds a letter from your Reverence is a festival to us, and the greatest of festivals. And when it carries with it tokens of festival as well, what else must we call it but a festival of festivals, just as the ancient law was wont to name them 'Sabbaths of Sabbaths'? We give thanks, then, to the Lord, having learned that you are well in body and that you have kept the commemoration of the saving dispensation in a church at peace.

But we have been shaken by certain disturbances; nevertheless we have not passed our days without dejection, since our most God-beloved brother has been driven into exile. Yet for him, pray that God may grant him one day to look upon his own church healed of the wounds of the heretics' bitings; and us count very worthy to be visited, while we are still on the earth. Do a deed in keeping with yourself, and to us worthy of the greatest prayer. One may marvel, too, at the meaning of the gifts you sent, that in riddles you wished us a vigorous old age. For you showed that by the carriage-lamps you rouse us to nightly labours, and by the sweetmeats you assure us that we are braced in every part. For chewing is not for me, given my age, since my teeth were long ago worn away both by time and by sickness. To the questions you raised, however, certain answers have been put in the memorandum, such as I was able to give, and as the occasion allowed.