Letter CXV

Ep. CXV.

(Sent about Easter a.d. 382 with a copy of the Philocalia, or Chrestomathy of Origen’s works edited by himself and S. Basil.)

You anticipate the Festival, and the letters, and, which is better still, the time by your eagerness, and you bestow on us a preliminary festival.  Such is what Your Reverence gives us.  And we in return give you the greatest thing we have, our prayers.  But that you may have some small thing to remember us by, we send you the volume of the Philocalia of Origen, containing a selection of passages useful to students of literature.  Deign to accept this, and give us a proof of its usefulness, being aided by diligence and the Spirit.