Letter 47

Isidore of PelusiumVouserius; and to Nicanor Scholastic|isidore pelusium
From: Isidore of Pelusium, monk
To: Vouserius; and to Nicanor the Scholastic
Date: ~410 AD
Context: Short letters of advice on moderation and justice.

To Vouserius: Some things are good, others dangerous — and the key is knowing which is which. That which is common to all should be moderated by reason. Those who spend lavishly without thought are as foolish as those who hoard without purpose.

To Nicanor the Scholastic: The teaching of the gospel was established so that everything in us might be governed by reason and moderation. What certain people spend recklessly on luxury, others — who know nothing of proper proportion — accumulate through theft and injustice. Both are wrong. The middle path is not mediocrity — it is wisdom.

Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.