Letter 84: Chrysostom reports his safe arrival at Cucusus and asks Faustinus for letters.

We have arrived at Cucusus in good health. I begin there because that is exactly where you want the letter to begin. We have found the place free from disturbance, full of quiet and leisure, with no one to annoy us or drive us away. Even the road here, deserted, dangerous, and suspect as it was, we traveled without fear or trouble, with more safety than one might find in the best-governed city. For this good news, give us our reward by writing continually about your health. Here, in this deep quiet, we often picture the nobility of your mind: your generosity, hatred of wickedness, courage, and the whole meadow of your virtues. We carry you everywhere in memory and are kindled with deep affection for you. We would love to see you here, but if that cannot be, at least make yourself present by letters.

Π∆ʹ. Φαυστίνῳ. Ἀφικόμεθα εἰς τὴν Κουκουσὸν ὑγιαίνοντες ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ προοιμιάσομαι, ὅθεν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπιθυμεῖς ἀρχομένης ἀκοῦσαι τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, καὶ εὑρήκαμεν χωρίον θορύβων καθαρὸν, καὶ πολλῆς μὲν ἀπραγμοσύνης, πολλῆς δὲ γέμον ἡσυχίας, καὶ οὐδένα τὸν ἐνοχλοῦντα οὐδὲ ἀπελαύνοντα ἔχον. Καὶ τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ ἐν τῇ πόλει τοῦτο, ὅπουγε τὴν ἐρημοτάτην ὁδὸν καὶ ἐπισφαλῆ καὶ ὕποπτον, τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἐνταῦθα φέρουσαν ἀδεῶς καὶ ἀπραγμόνως διήλθομεν, πλείονος ἀπολαύσαντες ἀσφαλείας ἢ ἐν ταῖς εὐνομουμέναις τῶν πόλεων; Τούτων τοίνυν ἡμῖν τῶν εὐαγγελίων δίδου τὸν μισθὸν, συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιστέλλων περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ πολλῇ διάγοντες ἐνταῦθα διηνεκῶς ἀναπλάττομέν σου τῆς διανοίας τὸ εὐγενὲς, τὸ ἐλευθέριον, τὸ μισοπόνηρον, τὸ πεπαῤῥησιασμένον, ἅπαντα τῶν ἀρετῶν σου τὸν λειμῶνα, καὶ ἐντρυφῶμεν τῇ μνήμῃ, ὅπουπερ ἂν ἀπίωμεν πανταχοῦ σε περιφέροντες, καὶ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἐκκαιόμενοι τῷ φίλτρῳ τῷ περὶ σέ. ∆ιὸ καὶ ἐπιθυμοῦμεν καὶ ἐνταῦθά σε παραγενόμενον ἰδεῖν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦτο ἐργῶδες, ἐπὶ τὸν δεύτερον ἐρχόμεθα πλοῦν, καὶ τὴν διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων αἰτοῦμεν παράκλησιν. Καὶ γὰρ μεγίστη παραψυχὴ ἡμῖν ἔσται τὸ συνεχῶς δέξασθαι ἐπιστολὰς εὐαγγελιζομένας ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς ὑγείας τῆς σῆς.