Letter 194: Chrysostom writes from besieged Cucusus asking Gemellus for health news.

We live in a desolate place, Cucusus, the most desolate place in our whole world. Yet even if we were carried to the ends of the earth, we could not forget your love. Living in a foreign land and a wilderness, still carrying the remains of illness, and besieged by fear of bandits, since the Isaurians keep blocking the roads and filling everything with blood, we still carry you continually in our thoughts. We picture your courage, your boldness, your sweet and genuine disposition, and we delight in that memory. Write to us often, most wonderful master, about your health, about how the hot baths have helped you, and about the state of your affairs. Though we are far away, let us know your situation as clearly as those who are always with you. You know how eager we are for news of your health, because we love you deeply and are bound closely to your Magnificence.

Ρ∆ʹ. Γεμέλλῳ. Ἔρημον μὲν οἰκοῦμεν χωρίον τὴν Κουκουσὸν, καὶ πάσης τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης ἐρημότατον. Πλὴν κἂν πρὸς αὐτὰ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ πέρατα ἀπενεχθῶμεν, ἐπιλαθέσθαι σου τῆς ἀγάπης οὐ δυνάμεθα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ καὶ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ διατρίβοντες, καὶ ἔτι λείψανα ἀῤῥωστίας περιφέροντες, καὶ φόβῳ λῃστῶν πολιορκούμενοι οὐ γὰρ ἀφίστανται τὰς ὁδοὺς ἀποτειχίζοντες καὶ πάντα αἱμάτων πληροῦντες οἱ Ἰσαῦροι, διηνεκῶς σε ἐπὶ διανοίας περιφέρομεν, τὴν ἀνδρείαν σου, τὴν παῤῥησίαν, τὴν γλυκεῖαν καὶ γνησίαν διάθεσιν παρ' αὐτοῖς ἀναπλάττοντες, καὶ τούτων τῶν λογισμῶν ἐντρυφῶντες τῇ μνήμῃ. Γράφε δὲ αὐτὸς ἡμῖν συνεχῶς, δέσποτα θαυμασιώτατε, τὰ περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς, καὶ πῶς σοι τὰ θερμὰ ἐχρήσατο, καὶ ἐν τίσιν ὁρμᾷ τὰ σὰ νῦν· ἵνα καὶ πόῤῥωθεν ὄντες, μηδὲν ἔλαττον ἔχωμεν τῶν ἀεί σοι συγγινομένων, εἰς τὸ σαφῶς εἰδέναι τὰ σά. Οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως ἡμῖν περισπούδαστον περὶ τῆς ῥώσεως τῆς σῆς μανθάνειν, διὰ τὸ σφόδρα σου ἐρᾷν, καὶ συνδεδέσθαι μετὰ ἀκριβείας τῇ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ τῇ σῇ.