Letter 462

To Maron the Count [comes, a high official]. The spirit of blasphemy, which troubles your God-loving and good heart rather bitterly, do not in any way cower before; rather rise up against it, driving it out by prayers and good deeds, by coming to the aid of those who are worn down by hardship, and by long-suffering, by humility, and by gentleness toward your own household servants. For these things, and such as these, are able to drive out from your soul that avenging demon, which dares to suggest savage and impious thoughts against yourself, and against God, and against the works of creation, and against the holy and venerable mysteries.

Τὸ τῆς βλασφημίας πνεῦμα, τὸ παρενοχλοῦν πικνότερον τῇ σῇ φιλοθέῳ καὶ ἀγαθῇ καρδίᾳ, μηδόλως ὑποπτήξῃς, μᾶλλον δὲ κατεξανάστηθι τούτου, εἴποιν αὐτὸ εὐχαῖς καὶ εὐποιίαις, ἀντιλήψεσι τε τῶν καταπονουμένων καὶ ταῖς μακροθυμίαις, ταπεινοφροσύνῃ τε καὶ τῇ πρὸς τοὺς οἰκέτας τοὺς σοὺς ἡμερότητι. Ταῦτα γὰρ, καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, τοῦτον δύναται ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς σου ἐξελάσαι τὸν ἀλάστορα δαίμονα, λογισμοὺς ἀγρίους καὶ ἀσεβεῖς ὑποβάλλειν τολμῶντα κατὰ σεαυτοῦ τε, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῶν δημιουργημάτων, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ σεπτῶν μυστηρίων.