Letter 73

73. To Callisthenes.

I gave thanks to God on reading the letter of your nobility: first, because an address came to me from a man who chooses to honour us — for we count the converse of the best men worth much; and second, as a cause for gladness, that I meet with good remembrance. And the token of remembrance is a letter, which, when I had received it and learned the meaning in it, I marvelled how truly, according to the opinion of all, you rendered me a father's reverence. For that, though inflamed and angered and having set out for vengeance on those who had grieved you, you yet relaxed much of your vehemence, and made us masters of the matter, gave us cause to rejoice as over a spiritual child. In return for these things, then, what else remains but to pray good things for you? That you may be most pleasant to friends, terrible to enemies, and to all alike worthy of reverence; so that those who have failed in any of their duties, perceiving the gentleness in you, may reproach themselves for having sinned against one so good.

Since, then, you have ordered the servants to be led to the place where they displayed their disorderly conduct, I ask to learn the purpose for which your kindness seeks this. For if you yourself will be present, and yourself exact the penalty for what was dared, the slaves will be present. For what else need happen, if this has been decided by you? But we shall not know what favour we shall have received, if we do not avail to rescue the slaves from punishment. But if your business on the highway detains you, who is there to receive the men there? Who is to punish them in your stead? Yet if it seems good to you that they come into your sight, and this has been fully decided, command their appearance to be at Sasima, and there show the gentleness and magnanimity of your character. For having taken in hand those who provoked you, and having in this shown the negligible esteem of your dignity, let them go unharmed, as we asked in our former letter — giving us the favour, and awaiting from God the recompense for what you do.

And I say these things, not as though the matter ought so to be concluded, but yielding to your impulse, and fearing lest something undigested of your anger remain; and just as, in the case of inflamed eyes, even the gentlest of remedies seems painful, so now too our word may exasperate you rather than calm you. For the most seemly thing — able to bring you the greatest honour, and sufficient for me as a matter of dignity before my own friends and contemporaries — would be that the vindication be entrusted to us. But surely, even if it has been sworn by you to give them up for punishment according to the laws, neither is our reproof less effective for vindication, nor is the divine law less honourable than the statutes current in life.

But it was possible that they, being here turned to our laws — in which you yourself too have the hope of salvation — should both free you from the necessity of your oath, and themselves fulfil a penalty proportionate to the offences.

But again I make the letter long. For out of my great eagerness to be persuasive to you, I cannot bear to pass over in silence any of the things that come to mind, fearing lest on this account my request become ineffectual, my instruction having been made deficient. But, O most honoured and genuine nursling of the Church, confirm for me too the hopes which I now have in you, and the testimonies of all, in harmony, concerning your good temper and gentleness; and write to the soldier to depart from us quickly, who has now left nothing undone of grievance and insolence, choosing rather not to grieve you than to have all of us as his own and as friends.