Letter 195: Chrysostom playfully rebukes Claudianus for a long silence and demands a letter.

What is this? You, our ardent friend, almost mad in love, who have enjoyed so much affection from us and are so closely bound to us, have not thought us worthy of a letter for so long? How have you endured such a silence? What could be the reason? Have you cast us out of your mind since your departure and become careless about our love? I do not believe it; may such a change never come upon so warm a soul. Has illness seized you? Even that could not prevent a letter. Since we do not know the reason, break the silence and tell us why it happened. Send a letter quickly with good news of your health. If after this letter you still remain silent, we will no longer grant forgiveness but will accuse you of the greatest thoughtlessness. I know that this will be more bitter to you than any punishment.

ΡΕʹ. Κλαυδιανῷ. Τί τοῦτο; Ὁ θερμὸς ἡμῶν ἐραστὴς, ὁ μανικὸς, τοσαύτης παρ' ἡμῶν ἀπολαύσας ἀγάπης, ὁ διηνεκῶς ἡμῖν συνδεδεμένος, οὐδὲ γραμμάτων ἡμᾶς ἐν οὕτω χρόνῳ μακρῷ ἠξίωσας, ἀλλ' ἠνέσχου σιγῆσαι σιγὴν οὕτω μακράν; Τί ποτε ἄρα τὸ αἴτιον; Ἆρα μετὰ τὴν ἀποδημίαν ἐξέβαλες ἡμᾶς τῆς διανοίας τῆς σῆς, καὶ ῥᾳθυμότερος περὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν γέγονας ἀγάπην; Οὐκ ἔγωγε οἶμαι· μὴ γάρ ποτε τοῦτο γένηται, ἀπὸ φιλικῆς οὕτω ψυχῆς καὶ θερμῆς τοσαύτην γενέσθαι μεταβολήν. Ἀλλ' ἄρα μὴ ἀῤῥωστία σε κατέσχεν; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἠδύνατο αὕτη γενέσθαι κώλυμα τῷ γράφειν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀγνοοῦμεν τὴν αἰτίαν, μετὰ τοῦ λῦσαι τὴν σιγὴν καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπὲ τῆς σιγῆς, καὶ πέμπε ταχέως ἡμῖν ἐπιστολὴν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς εὐαγγελιζομένην ἡμᾶς. Οὕτω γὰρ τὰ μέγιστα ἡμῖν χαριῇ, καὶ τῆς ἐρημίας πολλὴν παρέξεις παράκλησιν, ἃν τοιαῦτα δεξώμεθα γράμματα. Ἀλλὰ μὴ ῥᾳθυμήσῃς· εἰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ταύτην μένεις σιγῶν, οὐκ ἔτι σοι συγγνώμην δώσομεν, ἀλλὰ γραψόμεθά σε τῆς ἐσχάτης ἀγνωμοσύνης. Οἶδα δὲ ὅτι πάσης σοι τιμωρίας τοῦτο πικρότερον.