Letter 170: The body was made to serve the soul, not to govern it.

To Eustathius the Presbyter. Since a splendid reputation is justly being raised on all sides in your honor, you would be right to remain vigilant so that you may establish it firmly by your subsequent deeds. To Timothy. You said you feared that the length of time might diminish the glory of your achievement. But you should know that what is accomplished securely through slowness is more profitable than what is done hastily and dangerously. Those who accomplish equal things through prudence and deliberation are no less — indeed even more — illustrious than those who achieve brilliance through speed. For the latter seem to have conquered only by expending both wealth and lives, while the former reap victory without loss. The ones cannot enjoy pleasure free from grief, but the others harvest a pure joy.

Υ΄. – ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΩ ΔΙΚΑΣΤΗ ΡΟ΄. – ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Λαμπρᾶς εὐφημίας παρὰ πάντων [σοι δι- καίως] ἐγειρομένης, ἀγρυπνεῖν ἂν εἴης δίκαιος, ὅπως ταύτην τοῖς μετέπειτὰ πραττομένοις ἱδρύ- σειας. Ρυ. – ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟ. Εδικας δεδοικέναι, μὴ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ κατορθώμα- τος τὸ μῆκος ἐλαττώσῃ τοῦ χρόνου· ἀλλὰ χρὴ εἰδέ- ναι, ὅτι τοῦ μετὰ τάχους σφαλεροῦς τὸ μετὰ βραδυ- & τῆτος ἀσφαλὲς λυσιτελέστερον. Ούχ ήττον γὰρ ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον εὐκλεέστεροι κατὰ τάχος λαμπρῶν οἱ συνέσει καὶ βραδυτῆτι τὰ ἴσα πράξαντες. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ καὶ χρήματα καὶ σώματα ἀναλώσαντες νενικηκέναι δοκοῦσεν· οἱ δὲ ἄνευ ζημίας τὴν νίκην καρποῦνται• καὶ οἱ μὲν οὐκ ἔχουσι καθαρὰν ἀθυμίας ἡδονὴν, οἱ δὲ εἰλικρινῆ καρποῦνται τὴν εὐφροσύνην.