Letter 199: Chrysostom praises Daniel for bearing affliction with joy and asks for frequent news.

Blessed be God, who gives consolation much greater than afflictions and has given you such endurance that you bear painful events even with great joy. This especially doubles your reward: to endure suffering, and to endure it gladly. It also gives us great consolation whenever we hear of your courage, boldness, steadfast mind, vigor, patience, strength, and zeal hotter than fire. For this reason, though we sit in the wilderness, are besieged by fear of robbers, and are now pressed by the winter season, we feel none of these things because of the greatness of your good reputation. We leap for joy, rejoice, and take great pride in your fortitude. So that we may keep rejoicing as we hear these things, write to us often and as frequently as possible, telling us both this news and the good news of your health.

ΡΘʹ. ∆ανιήλῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ πολλῷ μείζονα τῶν θλίψεων παρέχων τὴν παράκλησιν, καὶ ὑμῖν τοσαύτην διδοὺς τὴν ὑπομονὴν, ὡς καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς εὐφροσύνης φέρειν τὰ συμπίπτοντα λυπηρά. Τοῦτο μάλιστα διπλασιάζεται ὑμῖν τὸν μισθὸν, τὸ καὶ φέρειν, καὶ μετὰ χαρᾶς φέρειν· τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν πολλὴν παρέχει τὴν παράκλησιν, ὅταν ἀκούωμεν τὴν ἀνδρείαν ὑμῶν, τὴν παῤῥησίαν, τὸ ἀπερίτρεπτον τῆς γνώμης, τὴν εὐτονίαν, τὴν ὑπομονὴν, τὴν καρτερίαν, τὸν ζῆλον τὸν πυρὸς θερμότερον. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καθήμενοι, καὶ φόβῳ λῃστῶν πολιορκούμενοι, καὶ τῇ τοῦ χειμῶνος ὥρᾳ λοιπὸν κατατεινόμενοι, οὐδενὸς τούτων αἰσθανόμεθα, διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐδοκιμήσεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ σκιρτῶμεν, καὶ χαίρομεν, καὶ μέγα φρονοῦμεν ἐπὶ τῇ τοσαύτῃ ὑμῶν καρτερίᾳ. Ἵν' οὖν διηνεκῶς χαίρωμεν ταῦτα ἀκούοντες, διηνεκῶς ἡμῖν καὶ συνεχέστατα ἐπιστέλλετε, αὐτά τε ταῦτα, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας ὑμῶν εὐαγγελιζόμενοι. Μεγίστην γὰρ ἡμῖν παρέξετε εὐφροσύνην ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἡδονήν.