Letter 38: Letters console across absence, but Evagrius asks to remain in the desert for spiritual cautery.

I know truly that it is so. How could the voice of letters surpass the voice of a soul present in the body? Yet we also write through friends to those who love us, imitating people who greet one another nobly: a kiss of the mouth alone is not enough for them, but they put their arms around one another's bodies, and each longs to be joined to his companion. I admit that you remember me in this way. You write to me about things that seem contrary to nature, though in themselves they are according to nature; they only appear contrary to nature because of those who walk in vice. For a little while, then, leave me in the desert, I ask you. My wounds do not need soft ointments, but cautery. Pray for us, that we may bear the burning heat with endurance, put our enemies to shame, and see the Lord.

Greek retroversion from Syriac transmission (Frankenberg 1912, TAN/TEI CC BY 4.0): αληθως οιδα οτι ουτως εχει· πως γαρ δυνατον φωνην γραμματων υπερεχειν φωνης της εν σωματι ψυχης; αλλα και δια φιλων γραφομεν τοις ημας αγαπωσιν ομοιουμενοι τοις γενναιως ασπαζομενοις οις δη ουκ αρκει η δια στοματος κολλησις μονη αλλα δια των κειρων περιλαμβανονται τα σωματα αλληλων και ουτως εκαστος αυτων τον εταιρον αυτωι συμμιξαι επιποθει· εγω δε ομολογω οτι ουτως με μνημονευεις. και μοι γραφεις παρα φυσιν, οντων αυτων κατα φυσιν φανεντων δε παρα φυσιν δια τους εν κακιαι περιπατουντας· προς ωραν δη αφες με εν ερημωι δεομαι σου· τα γαρ τραυματα μου ουκ εγενετο μαλαγματων αλλα καυσεων. προσευχου δε υπερ ημων ινα τον καυσωνα υπομενοντως βασταζωμεν χαι τους εχθρους ημων καταισχυνωμεν και τον κυριον ιδωμεν Syriac transmission available in the linked TAN/TEI source. The complete corpus is Syriac-transmitted; Greek survives only fragmentarily, so this display text is a retroversion witness.