Theodoret of Cyrrhus → Apollonius

To the Count Apollonius,

The most devout bishops have been driven to travel to the capital by the slanders directed against me. Through their holinesses I send your excellency my greeting and pay the debt of friendship -- not to cancel that cherished obligation, but to increase it. For the debts of friendship grow larger with each payment.

That I should now be reaping the fruits of calumny is hardly extraordinary. Being human, I must expect anything. All troubles of this kind must be borne by those who have learned wisdom. Only one thing is truly distressing: that harm should come to the soul.