Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Fathers Series 2 - The Still Small ...

city, but is even unfrequented by travellers, except a chance hunter. It abounds indeed in
game, as well as other things, but not, I am glad to say, in bears or wolves, such as you have,
but in deer, and wild goats, and hares, and the like. Does it not strike you what a foolish
mistake I was near making when I was eager to change this spot for your Tiberina, 1895 the
very pit of the whole earth?
Pardon me, then, if I am now set upon it; for not Alcmæon himself, I suppose, could
endure to wander further when he had found the Echinades. 1896
1895 Tiberina was a district in the neighbourhood of Gregory’s home at Arianzus. cf. Greg. Naz., Ep. vi. and
vii.
1896 “Alcmæon slew his mother; but the awful Erinnys, the avenger of matricide, inflicted on him a long and
terrible punishment, depriving him of his reason, and chasing him about from place to place without the pos-
sibility of repose or peace of mind. He craved protection and cure from the god at Delphi, who required him
to dedicate at the temple, as an offering, the precious necklace of Kadmus, that irresistible bribe which had ori-
ginally corrupted Eriphyle. He further intimated to the unhappy sufferer that, though the whole earth was
tainted with his crime and had become uninhabitable for him, yet there was a spot of ground which was not
under the eye of the sun at the time when the matricide was committed, and where, therefore, Alcmæon might
yet find a tranquil shelter. The promise was realised at the mouth of the river Achelous, whose turbid stream
was perpetually depositing new earth and forming additional islands. Upon one of these Alcmæon settled per-
manently and in peace.” Grote, Hist. Gr. i. 381.
To Gregory his friend.
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