Letter 40
Theodoret to the Learned Elias.
Your eloquence, which I have long admired from afar, has now been demonstrated to me afresh through your excellent letter. The clarity of your thought, the elegance of your expression, and the warmth of your friendship all conspire to give me delight.
I write to you today not only to reciprocate your kindness, but also to enlist your advocacy on behalf of a matter that concerns the welfare of our community. The details I have entrusted to the bearer of this letter, who will explain them more fully than any written account could.
I have every confidence in your sense of justice and in your willingness to act on behalf of the oppressed. May God reward your labors and keep you in His care.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.
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