Letter 45: Chrysostom consoles Symmachus that virtue's hard road leads to lasting rewards.

There is nothing new or unfitting in being distressed while traveling a road of affliction. Such is the nature of virtue: it is full of labors, sweat, plots, and dangers. That is the road, but from it come crowns, prizes, unspeakable good things, and things that have no end. Comfort yourself with this. Both the ease and the affliction of the present life pass away and end with life itself. Let neither one puff you up or shrink you down. The best pilot is not overconfident in calm weather and not disturbed in a storm. Knowing this, comfort yourself and draw from it the greatest consolation. Write to us continually about your health. Though we are separated by a long road and for a long time have been deprived of your attention, we have not been deprived of your love. We carry it with us always, unforgettable and flourishing, wherever we may be, for such is the nature of genuine love.

ΜΕʹ. Συμμάχῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Οὐδὲν καινὸν οὐδὲ ἀπεικὸς τεθλιμμένην ὁδεύοντα ὁδὸν στενοχωρεῖσθαι. Τοιαύτη γὰρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἡ φύσις, πόνων γέμει καὶ ἱδρώτων, ἐπιβουλῶν καὶ κινδύνων. Ἀλλ' ἡ μὲν ὁδὸς τοιαύτη· τὰ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν στέφανοι, βραβεῖα, τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα ἀγαθὰ, καὶ τέλος οὐκ ἔχοντα. Τούτοις τοίνυν σαυτὸν παρακάλει· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἄνεσις καὶ ἡ θλίψις ἡ τοῦ παρόντος παροδεύεται βίου, καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ βίῳ συγκαταλύεται. Μηδὲν οὖν μηδὲ ἐκείνων φυσάτω, μηδὲ τούτων ταπεινούτω καὶ συστελλέτω. Ὁ γὰρ ἄριστος κυβερνήτης οὔτε ἐν γαλήνῃ χαυνοῦται, οὔτε ἐν χειμῶνι ταράττεται. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰδὼς παρακάλει σαυτὸν, καὶ παραμυθίαν ἐντεῦθεν καρποῦ τὴν μεγίστην. Γράφε συνεχῶς ἡμῖν τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τῆς σῆς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλῷ τῷ μήκει τῆς ὁδοῦ διειργόμεθα, καὶ πολύν σου τῆς ἐμμελείας ἀπελείφθημεν χρόνον, ἀλλ' οὐ τῆς ἀγάπης, ἀλλ' ἄληστον αὐτὴν ἀεὶ περιφέρομεν καὶ ἀκμάζουσαν, ὅπουπερ ἂν ὦμεν ἐπείπερ τοιαύτη τοῦ φιλεῖν γνησίως ἡ φύσις.