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to olympias.
Nothing strange or
unnatural has befallen your Piety, but only what is quite natural
and consonant to reason, that by a constant succession of trials
the sinews of your soul should become more braced, and your zeal
and energy for the struggle increased, and that you should
therefrom derive much joy. For such is the nature of
affliction;—when it lays hold of a brave and noble soul, this is
what it is wont to effect. And as the fire makes the piece of gold,
when it is applied to it, of better proof: so also affliction when
it visits golden characters renders them purer and more proven.
Wherefore also Paul said “affliction worketh patience, and
patience probation.”958
For these reasons I also rejoice
and leap for joy, and derive the greatest consolation of this my
solitude from a consideration of thy fortitude. On this account,
even though innumerable wolves encompass thee, and many crowds of
wicked doers, I fear nothing; but I pray both that existing
temptations may be suppressed, and that others may not occur, thus
fulfilling the Lord’s precept who bids us pray that we may not
enter into temptation; but if it should be permitted to happen
again I have good confidence concerning thy golden soul, which
acquires therefrom the greatest riches for itself. For by what
means will they be able to terrify you, who dare everything to
their own destruction? Will it be by loss of goods? But I know well
that these are counted by thee as dust and cheaper than dirt. Or
shall it be by expulsion from country and home. But you know how to
dwell in great and populous cities as if they were uninhabited,
spending the whole of your time in quietness and rest, and treading
worldly ambitions under foot. Or do they threaten death? This also
you have constantly practiced by anticipation, and if they should
drag you to slaughter, they will be dragging a body which is
already dead. What need to speak more at length? No one will be
able to do anything to thee of this kind which he will not find you
have already abundantly made yourself undergo. For by always
walking in the narrow and strait path, you have trained yourself in
all these things. Wherefore having practised this most beautiful
art in the course of your training, you now shine forth the more
gloriously in the contest itself, not only being in no wise
disturbed by the things which are happening, but rather elated, and
leaping and dancing for joy. For the contests which you have
anticipated in your training you now undertake with much ease,
although it be in a woman’s body, feebler than a cobweb, treading
under foot with derisive scorn the fury of lusty men gnashing their
teeth upon you; being ready to suffer even worse things than they
prepare for you. Happy and thrice happy are you by reason of the
crowns of victory to be won, but even more by reason of the contest
itself. For such is the nature of these struggles, even before the
prizes are given even in the midst of strife they have their
recompense and reward;—the pleasure which you are now enjoying,
the cheerfulness, the courage, the endurance, the patience, the
power which is proof against capture and conquest and rises
superior to all things; the perfect training which renders you
insensible to any terror at the hands of any one, the power of
standing on a rock in the midst of mighty billows of tribulation,
and sailing in a calm with a favourable breeze when the sea is
raging around you. These are the prizes of affliction even in this
world before the kingdom of heaven is won. For I know very well
that, even at this present time, being elated with joy, thou dost
not consider thyself clothed with a body, but if an opportunity
should summon thee to do it, thou wouldst divest thyself of it more
readily than others do of the raiment which they wear. Rejoice
therefore and be glad both for thyself, and for those who have died
a blessed death, not in a bed, nor in a house, but in prison, and
chains, and torment; and bewail those only who do these things, and
grieve for them. But since you also wish to be informed concerning
my bodily health, let me tell you that I have been relieved for the
present from the infirmity which was lately oppressing me, and am
now in a more comfortable condition: the only fear is lest the
winter on its return should again make havoc of my feeble
digestion; and as far as the Isaurians are concerned we now enjoy
great security.
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