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

and signatures from all the men of mark. 3019 What ought to be written by them, or how I
can come to an agreement with those who are writing, I do not know. If you hear of any
one soon travelling my way, be so good as to let me know. I am moved to say, as Diomede
said,
“Would God, Atrides, thy request were yet to undertake;
…he’s proud enough.” 3020
Really lofty souls, when they are courted, get haughtier than ever. If the Lord be propitious
to us, what other thing do we need? If the anger of the Lord lasts on, what help can
come to us from the frown of the West? Men who do not know the truth, and do not wish
to learn it, but are prejudiced by false suspicions, are doing now as they did in the case of
Marcellus, 3021 when they quarrelled with men who told them the truth, and by their own
action strengthened the cause of heresy. Apart from the common document, I should like
to have written to their Coryphæus—nothing, indeed, about ecclesiastical affairs except
gently to suggest that they know nothing of what is going on here, and will not accept the
only means whereby they might learn it. I would say, generally, that they ought not to press
hard on men who are crushed by trials. They must not take dignity for pride. Sin only avails
to produce enmity against God.
3019 Sanctissimus, the envoy of Damasus, seems to have paid two visits to the East. For letters of introduction
given him by Basil, see Letters cxx., ccxxi., ccxxv., ccliv., cxxxii., and ccliii.
3020 Homer, Il. ix. 694–5 (Chapman).
3021 cf. Letter lxix. p. 165.
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.
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