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 THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY

EDITED BY

ΤΠ H. PAGE, .irt.p.
ΗΠ ΟΡ 2a... τῆν. W. Η Ὁ. ROUSE, τὰὐτ.}.

SAINT BASIL
THE LETTERS
SINT ΒΆΡΗ,
THE LETTERS

WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY

ROY J. DEFERRARI, Pa.D.
OF THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

IN FOUR VOLUMES

LONDON : WILLIAM HEINEMANN

NEW YORK <= ΟΡ PUTNAM’S SONS
MCMXXVIII
 PREFATORY NOTE
Sr. Basiu’s letters in the present volume include
numbers LIX to CLXXXYV, and in nearly every case
are of great human interest. Highly technical
letters, as, for example, on the Trinity or on the
Canons, (ὁ ποῦ appear.
All of the letters included here, with the
exception of numbers LXIV and CII, appear in the
MS. known as Coislinianus 237 (sig.=E). No letter
of this volume, however, appears in any of the other
MSS. collated by the author, 1.6. Parisinus 506 (A),
Parisinus 763 S (B), Parisinus 967 (C), Parisinus
1021 S (D), and Parisinus 1020 S (F). The last-
named MS. (F), noted in the Benedictine edition as
Harlaeanus, has since the time of that edition been
greatly curtailed, a large portion at the end having
been destroyed. This accounts for the appearance
of readings from that MS. as noted by the Bene-
dictine editors, and not as my own collations.
Other important or interesting readings from the
edition of the Benedictines have also been included
in the critical apparatus. One probably important
fact has been noted in the process of this work:
the Benedictine editors frequently quoted readings
as found only in the earlier editions (edztz antiqu),
and apparently without any MS. authority, but our
collation of E has shown most of these readings to
exist also in that MS.
 PREFATORY NOTE

I am greatly indebted to the members of my

Greek seminar of the years 1925-26 and 1926-27,
with whom many of these letters were made an
object of special study, for much assistance in bring-
ing this second volume to a completion. In a
special manner, I wish to acknowledge my indebted-
ness also to Mr. Martin R. McGuire, Instructor in
Greek and Latin of the Catholic University of
America.
Roy J. Dererrarti.

NOTE ON LETTER VIII

Although the question of the authenticity of Letter
VIII had been raised at times, and Abbé Bessiéres
had called attention to a rather weak manuscript
tradition for it in the Basilian corpus, no one had
given the matter any serious attention. It remained
for Robert Melcher in an article entitled “Der 8
Brief des hl, Basilius, ein Werk des Evagrius
Pontikus ” (Mimsterische Beitrige zur Theologie, Heft 1,
1923),! to treat the subject for the first time in a
definitive manner. The Very Reverend Melcher not
only demonstrates convincingly that the letter does
not belong to St. Basil, but makes a strong case for
assigning it to Evagrius and for dating it toward the
end of the fourth century. He approaches his
problem from the strictly philological and historical
point of view, and especially from the view-point of
theological content.
11 regret that this important monograph did not come to
my attention until Vol. I was well through press.

vi
 CONTENTS
PAGE
ΒΕ ΘΉ ΝΟΤΕ Ὁ Ὁ... 2 © © @ © «© ο΄. ὦ

LETTER
LIX. TO GREGORY, HIS UNCLE ay Pere δεν
LX. TO GREGORY, HIS UNCLE ot RGR Pe me face
LXI. TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXII. CONSOLATION TO THE CHURCH OF PARNASSUS
LXIII. TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEOCAESAREA. .
LXIV. TO HESYCHIUS Oe) eos pal Ce Oe Be ee 21
ΠΣ ὙΠΟ AMAR BUU SiMe teri: of) is hes) οὐ 4
LXVI. TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXVII. TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXVIII. TO MELETIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH ws
LXIX. TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXX. WITHOUT ADDRESS, CONCERNING A SYNOD
ἘΣ ΤΣ BASIN) TO GREGORY ς « «© «o ww «= ς
LXXII. TO HESYCHIUS Stet MEE, ee RE” Ce ἐν
LXXIII. TO CALLISTHENES oe able oOo) Arey, © οὐλὰς
τ χανν TO MARTINIANUS . 2. «© « Ὁ « & «&
TXSKVe LOVABURGHUS: τ Ὁ 6 “6 νι ‘ie (fe) je, 0
LXXVI. TO SOPHRONIUS, THE MASTER... .
LXXVII. WITHOUT ADDRESS, ABOUT THERASIUS .
LXXVIII. WITHOUT ADDRESS, IN BEHALF OF ELPIDIUS
LXXIX. TO EUSTATHIUS, BISHOP OF SEBASTE. .
LXXX. TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
‘
 CONTENTS
LETTER PAGE
LXXXI. TO BISHOP INNOCENT Preyer yf 91
LXXXII. TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA δ 97
LXXXIII. TO) A CENSITOR: “si 3 τὸ 3 du, ΠΟ 101
LXXXIV. TO THE GOVERNOR «© τς <= πον 103
LXXXV. ABOUT THERE BEING NO NECESSITY OF TAKING
THE OATH «> i ἢ! fe (ee Sauer 109
LXXXVI. TO THE GOVERNOR (eo τς %e | cel eure 113
LXXXVII. WITHOUT ADDRESS, ON THE SAME SUBJECT . 115
LXXXVIII. WITHOUT ADDRESS, FOR A TAX-COLLECTOR 4. iy
LXXXIX. TO MELETIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH >) ae 119
XC. TO THE MOST HOLY BRETHREN AND BISHOPS
OF THE WES. «= ie eee) eo 123
ΧΟΙ. TO VALERIAN, BISHOP OF THE ILLYRIANS . 129
XCII. TO THE ITALIANS AND GAULS . ... =. 133
XCIII. TO THE PATRICIAN CAESARIA, ON COMMUNION 145
XCIV. TO ELIAS, GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE. . 149
XCV. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA . . . 155
XCvI. TO SOPHRONIUS, MASTER Pee 157
XCVII. TO THE SENATE OF TYANA. «© . «© «@ «& 161
XCVIII. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA . . . 165
XCIX,. TO COUNT TERENTIUS «. Mel Ae eee 171
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA . . .- 183
CONSOLATORY . « « 6 © =) is) | yenieianenee 187
TO THE CITIZENS OF SATALA ς . «© a «ὁ 191
TO THE PEOPLE OF SATADA . «|e S)eueueee 193
TO THE PREFECT MODESTUS «ol Ro ae 195
CV. TO THE DEACONESSES, DAUGHTERS OF COUNT
TERENTIUS κ΄ «sos. + 0) (ste 199
cVi. TO A SOLDIER. >» « ve »<))sioneeneeennnS 201
CVII. TO THE WIDOW, JULITTA \(: nee 203
CVIil. TO THE GUARDIAN OF THE HEIRS OF JULITTA 205
CIX. TO COUNT HELLADIUS οὐ νορὌἘοσἔορσΦἕοΐΨἍοέΕᾳἝ στ ν- 209
 CONTENTS
LETTER
CX. TO THE PREFECT MODESTUS sv deg ee

CXI. TO THE PREFECT MODESTUS eit Oh «cs

CXII. TO ANDRONICUS, GENERAL, . : .

CXIII, TO THE PRESBYTERS AT TARSUS . .

CXIV. TO CYRIACUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS AT TARSUS

CXV. TO THE HERETIC SIMPLICIA Ce noe eo

CXVI. OSE ER MINUS: 6, ssp ei Sel en) 2 ς

CXVII. WITHOUT INSCRIPTION, ON ASCETICISM

CXVIII. TO JOVINUS, BISHOP OF PERRHA . -

CXIX. TO EUSTATHIUS, BISHOP OF SEBASTE .

CXX. TO MELETIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH .

CXXI. TO THEODOTUS, BISHOP OF NICOPOLIS

CXXII. TO POEMENIUS, BISHOP OF SATALA .

CXXIII. TO URBICIUS, A MONK . ...- .

CXXIV. TO, THEODORUS ἘΠ Νὴ iret | 8

CXXV. A TRANSCRIPT OF FAITH DICTATED BY THE

MOST HOLY BASIL, TO WHICH EUSTATHIUS,
THE BISHOP OF SEBASTE, SUBSCRIBED .

CXXVI. TO ASD AUL DIU: τὸ 0 | ‘el, sine iy he

CXXVII. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA . .

CXXVIII. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA .

CXXIX. TO MELETIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH .

CXXxX. TO THEODOTUS, BISHOP OF NICOPOLIS

CXXXI. TO OLYMPIUSH ss fs ee is
CXXXII. TO ABRAMIUS, BISHOP OF BATNAE .

CXXXIII. TO PETER, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA .

CXXXIV. TO THE PRESBYTER PAEONIUS . . .

CXXXV. TO DIODORUS, PRESBYTER OF ANTIOCH

CXXXVI. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA .-

CXXXVII. TO ANTIPATER Ἐπ ds: Sel are

CXXXVIII. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA .
CXXXIX, TC THE ALEXANDRIANS . 5 .
 CONTENTS
LETIER PAGE
CXL. TO THE CHURCH OF ANTIOCH “5 τ τὸ πὰ 333
CXLI. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA .. . 339
CXLII. TO THE PREFECTS’ ACCOUNTANT <3 ae 345
CXLIII. TO THE OTHER ACCOUNTANT . . . « «o 347
CXLIV. TO THE PREFECTS’ OFFICER “Ὁ ΠΣ 349
CXLV. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA .. . 349
CXLVI. TO ANTIOCHUS eT MME or 351
CXLVII. TO ABURGIUS 2. s © @ «6 ΠΝ 353
CXLVIII. TO TRAJAN “- Ὁ ὁ ee, a 355
CXLIX. TO TRAJAN MC OME. Ok 359
OL. TO AMPHILOCHIUS, AS IF FROM HERACLEIDAS 361
CLI. TO EUSTATHIUS, A PHYSIOIAN . . « « « 371
cLII. TO VICTOR, THE GENERAL . . . «. κὸν 375
CLIII. TO VICTOR, THE EX-CONSUL Ce ee π“ " 377
CLIV. TO ASCHOLIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA . 377
CLY. WITHOUT ADDRESS. ON THE CASE OF A
TRAINER ς ἃ δ ὁ Φ Φ τσ 381
CcLVI. TO EVAGRIUS, THE PRESBYTER Pir Oe 385
cLVII. TO ANTIOCHUS . ἡ 8 8 es 391
CLVIII. TO ANTIOCHUS Pree rc 393
CLIX. TO EUPATERIUS AND HIS DAUGHTER. . . 393
CLX. TO: DIODORUS 2. « « «- © je) ene 399
CLXI. TO AMPHILOCHIUS, ON HIS CONSECRATION AS
BISHOP «= « ὦ « (6 Joe con 411
CLXII. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA . . . 417
CLXIII. TO COUNT JOVINUS 2 . τ "oy στ ον 419
CLXIV. TO ASCHOLIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA . 421
CLXY. TO ASCHOLIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA . 429
CLXVI. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA . « - 431
CLXVII. TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA . . - 435
CLXVIII. TO THE PRESBYTER ANTIOCHUS, EUSEBIUS’
NEPHEW WHO WAS WITH HIM IN EXILE . 437
 CONTENTS
LETTER PAGE

CLXIX, BASIL TO GREGORY . . . 439

CLXX. TO GLYCERIUS somes ΤΠ otras 5 G28)
CLXXI. TO GREGORY .... ὁ . 445
CLXXII, TO SOPHRONIUS, BISHOP . . 445
CLXXIII. TO THEODORA, A CANONESS . 449
CERT. LOA WIDOW = =. «= «2 « 453
CLXXV. TO COUNT MAGNENIANUS . ΖΝ
CLXXVI. TO AMPHILOCHIUS, BISHOP OF . 459
CLXXVII. TO SOPHRONIUS, MASTER . . 461
CEXXVITIT, TO -ABURGIUS ». « . « ο« 463
CLXXIX. TO ARINTHAEUS . .. . . 465
CLXXX. TO SOPHRONIUS, THE MASTER, IN BEHALF OF
EUMATHIUS . ... . . 467
CLXXXI, TO OTREIUS OF MELETINE . 7 469
CLXXXII. TO THE PRESBYTERS OF SAMOSATA of 40 . 469
CLXXXIII. TO THE SENATE OF SAMOSATA . 471
CLXXXIV. TO EUSTATHIUS, BISHOP OF HIMMERIA . 475
CLXXXV. TO THEODOTUS, BISHOP OF BERRHOEA . . 475

MAP—ASIA MINOR UNDER THE ROMANS At end

"ΓΔἼ
δι
in
aut
 ΠΟΤΕ LETTERS OF
SAINT BASIL

VOL, II, Gb
TOY EN ATIOIS ΠΑΤΡῸΣ Bie
BASIAEIOY EIIISTOAAI

ΤΙΝ
Τρηγορίῳ θείῳ
᾿Εσιώπησα. μὴ καὶ ἀεὶ σιωπήσομαι, καὶ ἀνέ-
ξομαι ἐπὶ πλεῖον τὴν δυσφορωτάτην ζημίαν τῆς
σιωπῆς κυρῶσαι κατ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ μήτε αὐτὸς ἐπι-
στέλλων, μήτε ἀκούων προσφθεγγομένου ; ἐγὼ
μὲν γὰρ μέχρι, τοῦ παρόντος ἐγκαρτερήσας τῷ
σκυθρωπῷ τούτῳ δόγματι, ἡγοῦμαι πρέπειν
κἀμοὶ τὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγειν: ὅτι ᾿Εκαρτέρησα
ὡς ἡ τίκτουσα, ἀεὶ μὲν ἐπιθυμῶν ἢ συντυχίας
ἢ λόγων,Ξ ἀεὶ δὲ ἀποτυγχάνων διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας
τὰς ἐμαυτοῦ. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἄλλην τινὰ αἰτίαν
ἔχω τοῖς γινομένοις ἐπινοεῖν, πλήν γε δὴ τοῦ
1 Paulo post Harl. τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ προφήτῃ.
2 λόγου E. 3 εἰπεῖν duo MSS.

1 Written at about the same time as the preceding letter,

in 371. The subject matter is likewise the same as that of
Letter LVIII. Basil’s uncle Gregory, bishop of an unknown
gee, was in sympathy with the disaffected bishops of Basil’s
province. Gregory of Nyssa, in an effort to bring about a
reconciliation between his uncle and brother, went so far
as to forge more than one letter in the name of the uncle.
This crude counterfeit, when discovered, naturally increased
2
 ΠΟ ΒΟΤΕΪ LETTERS OF
SAINT BASIL

LETTER LIX

To Gregory, nis UNcite!

I nave kept silence. But shall I always keep
silence, and shall I endure? still longer to impose
upon myself the most unbearable punishment of
silence, by neither writing myself nor hearing the
greeting of another? For having up to the present
time persevered in this sullen resolution, I believe
that it is fitting to apply the words of the prophet3
to myself also: “I have been patient as a woman in
labour,’ always longing for an interview or a dis-
cussion with you, but always failing to obtain them
on account of my sins, For I certainly cannot
imagine any other reason for what is happening,
except that, as I am convinced, I am paying the
the bitter feeling between the two, which was overcome
later only with difficulties.
2 Cf. Isa. 42. 14. The reading of the Septuagint according
to Swete (Cambridge, 1912) is: ἐσιώπησα, μὴ καὶ ἀεὶ σιωπήσομαι
καὶ ἀνέξομαι; ὡς ἣ τίκτουσα ἐκαρτέρησα, ἐκστήσω καὶ ξηρανῶ
ἅμα. The Douay Version, which is clearly based on ἃ
different text, reads: ‘‘I have always held my peace, I have
kept silence, I have been patient, I will speak now as a
woman in labour: I will destroy, and swallow up at
once,”
3 Cf. note 2 above,

& bo
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

πεπεῖσθαι παλαιών ἁμαρτημάτων ἐκτιννύειν

δίκας, ἐν τῷ χωρισμῷ τῆς ἀγάπης σου" εἰ δὴ
καὶ ὀνομάζειν χωρισμὸν ὅσιον ἐπὶ σοῦ καὶ οὗτι-
νοσοῦν τῶν τυχόντων, μὴ ὅτι γε ἡμῶν, οἷς ἐξ
ἀρχῆς ἐν “πατρὸς “γέγονας “χώρᾳ.
᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡ “ἁμαρτία μου νῦν, οἷα νεφέλη Babeia
τις ἐπισχοῦσα, πάντων ἐκείνων ἄγνοιαν ἐνεποίη-
σεν. ὅταν γὰρ ἀπίδω, πλὴν τοῦ ἐμοὶ λύπην
τὸ γινόμενον φέρειν, μηδὲν ἕτερον ἐξ αὐτοῦ
κατορθούμενον 1 πῶς οὐχὶ εἰκότως ταῖς ἐμαυτοῦ
κακίαις ἀνατίθημι τὰ παρόντα; ἀλλ᾽ εἴτε
ἁμαρτίαι τῶν συμβάντων αἰτίαι, τοῦτό μοι
πέρας ἔστω τῶν δυσχερῶν" εἴτε TL” οἰκονομού-
μενον ἦν, ἐξεπληρώθη πάντως τὸ σπουδαζόμενον.
οὐ γὰρ ὀλίγος ὁ τῆς ζημίας χρόνος. διό, μηκέτι
στέγων, πρῶτος ἔρρηξα φωνήν, παρακαλῶν ἡμῶν
τε αὐτῶν ἀναμνησθῆναι καὶ σεαυτοῦ, ὃς πλέον
ἢ κατὰ τὸ τῆς συγγενείας εἰκὸς παρὰ πάντα τὸν
βίον τὴν κηδεμονίαν ἡμῶν ἐπεδείξω, καὶ τὴν
πόλιν νῦν ἡμῶν ἕνεκεν ἀγαπᾷν, ἀλλὰ μὴ Ov
ἡμᾶς ἀλλοτριοῦν σαυτὸν τῆς πόλεως.
Ei τις οὖν παράκλησις ἐν Χριστῷ, εἴ τις
κοινωνία Πνεύματος, εἴ τινα ὃ σπλάγχνα καὶ
οἰκτιρμοί, πλήρωσον. ἡμῶν τὴν εὐχήν" ἐνταῦθα
στῆσον τὰ κατηφῆ, ἀρχήν͵ τινα δὸς τοῖς φαιδρο-
τέροις πρὸς τὸ ἑξῆς, αὐτὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις καθη-
γούμενος ἐπὶ τὰ βέλτιστα, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ ἀκολουθῶν
ἑτέρῳ
3. ἐφ’ ἃ μὴ δεῖ. καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ σώματος
1 κατορθούμενον, πῶς οὐχί] κατορθούμενος, πῶς οὐκ editi
antiqi.
2 τό add. editi; om. Εἰ. 3 twa] tus E.
4 ἑτέροις ΗΔ].
 LETTER LIX

penalty for my old offences in this separation from

your love—if indeed it is not sacrilege to use the
word “separation” in connexion with you and any-
body in the world, much less in connexion with
ourself, for whom, from the first, you have taken a
father’s place.
But now my guilt, having spread over me like
a heavy cloud, has caused me to be ignorant of
all this, For when 1 consider that no other result
of what is happening, except its bringing sorrow
to me, is satisfactory, how can I in all reason help
ascribing the present state of affairs to my own
wickedness? But if sins are answerable for what
has taken place, let this be the end of my diffi-
culties; or if some sort of discipline was intended,
the object has been completely fulfilled. For not ~
short is the time of my punishment. Therefore,
containing myself no longer, I have been the first
to speak out, exhorting you to be mindful both ot
us and of yourself, who throughout our whole life
have shown greater solicitude for us than the nature
of our relationship requires, and also at this time to
cherish the city for our sake, instead of alienating
yourself from the city on account of us.
If, then, there is any consolation in Christ, if
there is any communion of the Spirit, if there is
any compassion and pity, fulfil our prayer: Here and
now put an end to our dejection, grant some be-
ginning to greater cheerfulness for the future, your-
self guiding the rest of us to the best course, but
not following another to what is wrong. For indeed
1 7.c. Caesarea. Basil, on being elevated to the metro-
politan see of Caesarea, was very anxious to secure the
support of the various bishops, among them his uncle Gregory,
who was in sympathy with the bishops of the opposition.
5
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

χαρακτὴρ ἴδιος οὕτω τινὸς ἐνομίσθη, ὡς τῆς σῆς

ψυχῆς τὸ εἰρηνικόν τε καὶ ἥμερον. πρέποιϊ δ᾽
ἂν οὖν τῷ τοιούτῳ τοὺς ἄλλους ἕλκειν πρὸς
ἑαυτόν, καὶ παρέχειν πᾶσι τοῖς ἐγγίξουσί σοι,
ὥσπερ “μύρου τινὸς εὐωδίας, τῆς τοῦ σοῦ τρόπου
χρηστότητος ἀναπίμπλασθαι. καὶ γὰρ εἴ τι
καὶ ἀντιτεῖνόν ἐστι νῦν, ἀλλὰ μικρὸν ὕστερον
καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης ἀγαθὸν ἐπιγνώσεται.
ἕως δ᾽ ἂν ἐκ τῆς διαστάσεως αἱ διαβολαὶ χώραν
ἔχωσιν, ἀνάγκη ἀεὶ τὰς ὑποψίας ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον
συναύξεσθαι. ἔστι μὲν οὖν οὐδὲ ἐκείνοις πρέπον
ἀμελεῖν ἡμῶν, πάντων δὲ πλέον τῇ τιμιότητί
σου. καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὲν ἁμαρτάνομέν τι, βελτίους
ἐσόμεθα νουθετούμενοι. τοῦτο δὲ ἄνεν συντυχίας
ἀμήχανον. εἰ δὲ οὐδὲν ἀδικοῦμεν, ἀντὶ τίνος
μισούμεθα ; ταῦτα τ δὴ οὖν" τὰ τῆς ἰδίας
ἐμαυτοῦ δικαιολογίας 8 προΐσχομαι.
Α δ᾽ ἂν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν αἱ ἐκκλησίαι εἴποιεν, οὐκ
ay rN e \ ς an ce 3 , » »

εἰς καλὸν τῆς διαστάσεως ἡμῶν ἀπολαύουσαι,

βέλτιον μὲν, σιωπᾷν. οὐ γὰρ ἵνα λυπήσω τοῖς
λόγοις κέχρημαι τούτοις, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα παύσω τὰ
λυπηρά. τὴν δὲ σὴν σύνεσιν πάντως οὐδὲν δια-
πέφευγεν" ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μείζω καὶ τελειότερα
ὧν ἡμεῖς νοοῦμεν αὐτὸς ἂν ἐξεύροις τῇ διανοίᾳ,
καὶ ἄλλοις εἴποις, ὅς ye® καὶ εἶδες πρὸ ἡμῶν
τὰς βλάβας τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν Ἴ καὶ λυπῇ μᾶλλον
ἡμῶν πάλαι δεδιδαγμένος 8 παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου
1 πρέπει ΕἸ. 2 δὴ οὖν om. E,
3 διστολογίας editi antiqi. 4 με E.
5 τούτοις add. E; om. editi. 8 ὅς ye] ὥστε EK.
7 τὰς βλάβας τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν] τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τὴν (ζημίαν
alii MSS.
6
 LETTER LIX

no trait of any man’s body has been considered so

characteristic of him as peacefulness and gentleness
are characteristic of your soul. It would be meet,
therefore, for a man of your character to draw others
to himself, and to afford to all who approach you
an opportunity of being filled with the excellence
of your character as with the fragrance of some
perfume. For even if there is now a certain opposi-
tion, still, in a little while, the goodness of peace
will of itself be recognized. But so long as, because
of the present dissension, slanders are given room,
suspicions will necessarily ever increase for the
worse. It is accordingly not becoming even for the
men I have in mind to ignore us, but still less for
your Honour. For if we do anything sinful, we
shall become better by being admonished. But this
is impossible without an interview. And if we do
no wrong, why are we hated? Such, then, are the
statements which I submit in my own justification.
What the churches might say in their own defence
for the advantage they are basely taking of our
dissension, it is better to pass over in silence. For
it is not to cause pain that I have employed these
words, but to put an end to that which causes pain.
Your sagacity is such that nothing has escaped it;
but you might, by using your powers of discernment,
discover for yourself and relate to others much
greater and more serious instances than those which
we know, seeing that you must have noticed, before
we did, the harm being done to the churches, and
by a distress greater than ours must long since have

8 προδεδιδαγμένος editi antiqi.

 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

μηδενὸς τῶν ἐλαχίστων καταφρονεῖν. νυνὶ δὲ

ἡ βλάβη οὐκ εἰς ἕνα ἢ δεύτερον περιορίζεται,
>

ἀλλὰ πόλεις ὅλαι καὶ δῆμοι τῶν ἡμετέρων

παραπολαύουσι συμφορῶν. τὴν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς
ὑπερορίας φήμην τί χρὴ Kal λέγειν ὁποία τις
΄ , , , \ \ / c /

ἔσται περὶ ἡμῶν; πρέπει οὖν ἂν! τῇ σῇ μεγα-

λοψυχίᾳ TO μὲν φιλόνεικον ἑτέροις παραχωρεῖν
/, \ \ , € / r

μᾶλλον δὲ κἀκείνων ἐξελεῖν τῆς ψυχῆς, εἴπερ

er δ. Ὁ Ἃ \ 31 ΤΆ ΄, A \
οἷόν te αὐτὸν δὲ δι᾿ ἀνεξικακίας νικῆσαι τὰ
λυπηρά. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀμύνεσθαι παντός ἐστι
,ὔ Ν Ν \ > / , »

τοῦ ὀργιζομένου, τὸ δὲ καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς ὀργῆς

ὑψηλότερον εἶναι, τοῦτο δὴ μόνου σοῦ, Kal εἰ
id , 3 lal \ / -“ \ v

τίς σοι τὴν ἀρετὴν παραπλήσιος. ἐκεῖνο δὲ οὐκ

ἐρῶ, ὅτι ὁ ἡμῖν χαλεπαίνων εἰς τοὺς μηδὲν
ἀδικήσαντας τὴν ὀργὴν ἐπαφίησιν.
> 7] Ν τ A , /

Εἴτε οὖν παρουσίᾳ, εἴτε γράμματι, εἴτε κλήσει

τῇ πρὸς ἑαυτόν, εἴτε ᾧπερ ἂν ἐθέλοις τρόπῳ,
-“ \ € / ” e A θέλ ,

παραμύθησαι ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχήν.2 ἡμῖν μὲν yap

΄ ς fal \ 7 ΡῚ con \ \

εὐχὴ ἐπὶ τῆς ᾿ακκλησίας φανῆναι τὴν θεοσέβειάν

» My > \ tal - Ὦ ml 7 fal Ἁ 7 ’,’

σου, καὶ ἡμᾶς τε ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸν λαὸν θεραπεῦσαι

αὐτῇ τε τῇ ὄψει καὶ τοῖς λόγοις τῆς χάριτός
σου. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν τοῦτο ἢ δυνατόν, τοῦτο κρά-
τίστον" ἐὰν δέ τι ἕτερον δόξῃ, κἀκεῖνο δεξόμεθα.
μόνον παγίως γνωρίσαι ἡμῖν τὸ παριστάμενον
τῇ φρονήσει σου παρακλήθητι.
rs)
 LETTER LIX

been taught by the Lord to despise not even the

least. Now, however, the harm is not confined to
one or two men, but whole cities and peoples get
the benefit, indirectly, of our misfortunes. For as
to what the talk concerning us will be beyond our
borders, why need I speak of it? Therefore it
would be becoming in your Magnanimity to leave
contentiousness to others; nay rather, to pluck it
even from their hearts if it is at all possible, and
yourself through your forbearance to vanquish this
painful state of affairs. For whereas the taking of
revenge is appropriate to anyone who is aroused to
anger, yet to rise superior to anger itself belongs in
truth to you alone or to any man who may be like
you in virtue. This, however, I shall forbear to
say—that he who is wroth with us is letting his
rage fall on those who have done nothing wrong.
Accordingly, either by your presence, or by a
letter, or by an invitation to visit you, or by what-
ever way you may wish, pray comfort our soul. For
our prayer is that your Reverence may be seen in
our Church, and that you may heal at once both
ourselves and the people by your very presence and
by the words of your grace. If this, then, is
possible, it will be best; but if something else may
seem best to you, we shall accept it also. Only
yield to our request to inform us exactly as to what
your prudence decides,
1 Cf. Matt. 18.10. ὁρᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς τῶν μικρῶν
τούτων. ‘See that you despise not one of these little
ones.”

1 ἄν οἵη. Εἰ.
2 παραμύθησαι ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχήν] παραμυθῆσαι ἡμῶν τὴν ψυχὴν
καταξίωσον editi antiqi, Harl.
9
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LX
Γρηγορίῳ θείῳ
Καὶ πρότερον ἡδέως εἶδον τὸν ἀδελφόν μου.
τί γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον, ἀδελφόν τε ὄντα ἐμαυτοῦ,
καὶ τοιοῦτον ; καὶ vov! τῇ αὐτῇ διαθέσει προσε-
δεξάμην ἐπιδημήσαντα, unde τι τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ
στοργῆς παρατρέψας. μηδὲ γὰρ γένοιτό τι
τοιοῦτο παθεῖν μηδέν, ὅ με τῆς φύσεως ἐπιλα-
θέσθαι καὶ ἐκπολεμωθῆναι πρὸς τοὺς οἰκείους
ποιήσει. ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἀρρω-
στημάτων, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀλγεινῶν τῆς ψυχῆς,
παραμυθίαν ἡγησάμην 5 εἶναι τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς
παρουσίαν" τοῖς τε παρὰ τῆς τιμιότητός 3 σου
δι’ αὐτοῦ κομισθεῖσι γράμμασιν ὑπερήσθην: ἃ
καὶ ἐκ πολλοῦ μοι ἐπεθύμουν ἐλθεῖν, οὐκ ἄλλου
τινὸς ἕνεκεν ἢ τοῦ μὴ καὶ ἡμᾶς τι σκυθρωπὸν
διήγημα τῷ Bio προσθεῖναι, ὡς ἄρα τις εἴη
τοῖς οἰκειοτάτοις πρὸς ἀλλήλους διάστασις,
ἡδονὴν μὲν ἐχθροῖς παρασκευάζουσα, φίλοις δὲ
συμφοράν, ἀπαρέσκουσα δὲ Θεῷ, 7? ἐν τῇ
τελείᾳ ἀγάπῃ τὸν χαρακτῆρα τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μα-
θητῶν θεμένῳ. διὸ καὶ ἀντιφθέγγομαι ἀναγκαίως
εὔχεσθαι σε ὑπὲρ, ἡμῶν παρακαλῶν, καὶ τὰ
ἄλλα κήδεσθαι ἡμῶν ὡς οἰκείων.
Τὸν δὲ νοῦν τῶν γινομένων ὃ ἐπειδὴ αὐτοὶ
ὑπὸ ἀμαθείας συνιέναι οὐκ ἔχομεν, ἐκεῖνον ἐ-
1 δέ editi et MSS., om. E.
2 αὐταρκεστάτην add. Med. et Harl.
8 κοσμιότητος EK. 4 7.0m. Εἰ.
5 τῶν γεγραμμένων alii MSS. 6 ἀμαθίας συνεῖναι E.
10
 LETTER LX

LETTER LX

To Grecory, His UNciE!

In times past I have always been glad to see my

brother. Why should I not have been, since he is
not only my brother but such aman! And at the
present time I have welcomed him on his visit in
the same mind, having in no wise altered my
affection for him. May no such misfortune ever
befall me as would cause me to forget the ties of
nature, and be set at enmity with my own kindred.
On the contrary, I have considered the man’s pre-
sence to be a consolation both for the ills of the
body and for the afflictions of the soul as well; and
I was exceedingly pleased with the letter from your
Honour which he delivered, a letter which 1 had long
been eager to receive, for one sole reason—that we
might not, as others have done, attach to our lives a
melancholy story of a quarrel which divided the
nearest and dearest from one another, a quarrel
which would afford pleasure to our enemies and be
a calamity to our friends, and would also be dis-
pleasing to God, who has defined the distinguishing
mark of His disciples as perfect love. Therefore I
feel myself constrained to repeat my request that
you pray for us, and that you in general care for us
as your kinsman.
As for the significance of what has happened,?
since we ourselves through our ignorance cannot
1 Of the same date and on the same general topic as the
preceding letter.
2 Cf. Letter LIX, note 1.
tr
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

κρίναμεν ἀληθῆ εἶναι νομίζειν, ὃν ἂν αὐτὸς ἡμῖν

ἐξηγήσασθαι καταξιώσῃς. ἀνάγκη δὲ καὶ τὰ
λειπόμενα παρὰ τῆς σῆς μεγαλονοίας ὁρισθῆναι,
τὴν συντυχίαν ἡμῶν. τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ και-
ρὸν τὸν πρέποντα, καὶ τόπον ἐπιτήδειον. εἴπερ οὖν
ὅλως ἀνέχεται καταβῆναι πρὸς τὴν ταπείνωσιν.
ἡμῶν ἡ σεμνότης σου, καὶ λόγου τινὸς μεταδοῦναι
ἡμῖν, εἴτε μετ᾽ ἄλλων, εἴτε κατὰ σεαυτὸν βούλει
γενέσθαι τὴν συντυχίαν, ὑπακουσόμεθα, τοῦτο
ἅπαξ ἑαυτοῖς συμβουλεύσαντες, δουλεύειν 5 σοι
ἐν ἀγάπῃ καὶ ποιεῖν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου τὰ εἰς
δόξαν Θεοῦ παρὰ τῆς εὐλαβείας σου ἡμῖν ἐπι-
τασσόμενα.3
Τὸν δὲ αἰδεσιμώτατον ἀδελφὸν οὐδὲν Ἰναγκάσα-
μεν ἀπὸ γλώττης εἰπεῖν ἡμῖν" διότι οὔτε“ πρότερον
μεμαρτυρημένον εἶχε τὸν λόγον ὑπὸ τῶν ἔργων.

LXI
᾿Αθανασίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ὃ
᾿Ενέτυχον τοῖς γράμμασι τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος, δι᾽
ὧν τοῦ ἡγεμόνος τῆς Λιβύης, τοῦ δυσωνύμου
ἀνδρός, κατεστέναξας. καὶ ὠδυράμεθα. μὲν τὴν
ἡμετέραν ὃ πατρίδα, ὅτι τοιούτων κακῶν μήτηρ
ἐστὶ καὶ τροφός" ὠδυράμεθα δὲ καὶ τὴν γείτονα
1 καί add, E. 2 δουλεύσειν editi antiqi.
3 γραφόμενα EK. 4 τό add. E.
5 τῷ μεγάλῳ ᾿Αθανασίῳ editi antiqi.
8 ἡμετέραν] ἑαυτοῦ editi antiqi.

1 Written about the year 371. This is the first of six

extant letters written by St. Basil to the famous St.
12
 LETTER LXI

comprehend it, we have decided to accept as true

whatever explanation you have deigned to give us.
But the matters which still remain must also be
determined by your Magnanimity—our interview
with each other, a suitable occasion, and a con-
venient place. So if your lofty dignity can at all
endure to descend to our lowliness and to grant us
some speech with you, then, whether you desire our
interview to be private or in the presence of others,
we shall answer the summons, inasmuch as we have
decided once and for all upon this course for ourself—
to serve you in love and in every way to do whatever,
to the glory of God, your Reverence enjoins upon us.
As to our most venerable brother, we have not
constrained him to tell us anything by word of
mouth ; the reason is that his words on a former
occasion were not attested by the facts.

LETTER LXI
To Aruanasius, BisHor oF ALEXANDRIA 1
I wave read the letters of your Holiness, in which
you have expressed your gr ief at the conduct of the
governor of Libya, that man of evil name. We also
have mourned for our country? because she is the
mother and nurse of such evils; and we _ have
Athanasius. Basil is here answering a letter in which
Athanasius announced that he had excommunicated a vicious
governor of Libya, a native of Cappadocia. The remaining
five letters from Basil to Athanasius (LX VI, LX VII, LXIX,
LXXX, LXXXII) deal with the much more important
matter of the union of the churches.
2 Cf. Homer, Od. 13. 219: ὁ δ᾽ ὀδύρετο πατρίδα γαῖαν.
13
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τῆς ἡμετέρας . Λιβύην, τῶν ἡμετέρων κακῶν

fo! e / 1 / Lo id / La)

ἀπολαύουσαν," καὶ θηριώδει ἤθει παραδοθεῖσαν

ἀνδρὸς ὠμότητί τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀκολασίᾳ συζῶντος.
«ς fa a

τοῦτο ἣν apa τοῦ ᾿Εκκλησιαστοῦ τὸ σοφόν' Ova

fal i ” aw) r Ν , > /

Peal , , ’ a
σοι, πόλις, ἧς ὁ βασιλεύς σου νεώτερος (ἐνταῦθα
δέ ἐστί τι καὶ χαλεπώτερον), καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντές σου
οὐκ 3 ἀπὸ νυκτὸς ἐσθίουσιν, ἀλλὰ μεσούσης τῆς
> 3 > Ν Ν 5 / > \ 7 fal

ἡμέρας ἀκολασταίνουσι, βοσκημάτων ἀχογώτερον

ἀλλοτρίοις γάμοις emipawopmevor! ἐκεῖνον μὲν
οὖν αἱ μάστιγες μένουσι παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ,
\ an / fol

τῷ ἴσῳ μέτρῳ ἀντιμετρηθησόμεναι, ἃς αὐτὸς

A Μ > / ἃ > Ν

προλαβὼν ἐπέθηκε τοῖς ἁγίοις αὐτοῦ.

Ν ΕῚ / a Y / > “

ἘΕγνωρίσθη δὲ καὶ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἡμῶν ἐκ τῶν

> / δὲ \ a > , € an > a

γραμμάτων τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας, καὶ ἀποτρόπαιον

rn nr i

αὐτὸν πάντες ἡγήσονται, μὴ πυρός, μὴ ὕδατος,

,

μὴ σκέπης αὐτῷ κοινωνοῦντες, εἴπερ τι ὄφελος

τοῖς οὕτω κεκρατημένοις κοινῆς καὶ ὁμοψήφου
al na id

καταγνώσεως. ἀρκοῦσα δὲ αὐτῷ στήλη, καὶ

, ᾽ la \ > lal / Ν

αὐτὰ τὰ γράμματα ἀναγινωσκόμενα πανταχοῦ.

οὐ γὰρ διαλείψομεν πᾶσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ οἰκείοις καὶ
φίλοις καὶ ἕένοις ἐπιδεικνύντες" πάντως δέ, κἂν
/ \ / , / / / x

μὴ ἅψωνται αὐτοῦ παραχρῆμα τὰ ἐπιτίμια, ὥσπερ

nr ie 3, 2 ’ ef / a > lol
τοῦ Φαραώ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ὕστερόν ποτε βαρεῖαν αὐτῷ
\ 3 \ \ > (ὃ 6 ”
Kal ἀλγεινὴν τὴν ἀναδοσιν" οἰσει.

1 ὑμετέρας KE. 2 ἀπολαύσασαν E.

3 οὐχί KE. 4 ἡγήσαντο EK.
δ. δέ add. E (supra m 14), ὁ ἀντίδοσιν editi antiqi.
14
 LETTER LXI

mourned, too, for our neighbouring land of Libya,

which shares in these evils of ours, and has been
delivered over to the brutal character of a man who
spends his life equally in cruelty and licentiousness.
This, then, it would seem, was the meaning of the
wise saying of Ecclesiastes :+ ‘‘ Woe to thee, O land,
when thy king is a child, and’”’—here is something
even more severe—“ when thy princes eat’’ not at
night, but they revel licentiously at mid-day, being
mad after the wives of others, more irrationally than
cattle! Now as for him, the scourges of a just Judge
await him, and they shall be meted out to him in
an equal measure with those which he himself has
already inflicted upon His saints.
He has become known to our Church also through
the letter of your Reverence, and all men will
account him abominable, sharing with him neither
fire, nor water, nor shelter; if in truth anything can
be of avail to those who have thus won for them-
selves a common and unanimous condemnation. But
sufficient for him is a published bulletin, and your
letter itself read everywhere. For we shall not cease
to show it to everyone who has to do with him, to
relatives or family or strangers. At all events, even
if the penalties imposed do not lay hold upon him
immediately, even as upon the Pharaoh,? never-
theless at some later time they will bring upon him
a heavy and grievous increment.
1 Keclesiastes 10. 16. Basil greatly expands the last part
of this quotation. oval σοι, πόλις, ἣς ὃ βασιλεύς σου νεώτερος,
καὶ οἱ ἄρχοντές σου πρωὶ ἐσθίουσιν. ‘* Woe to thee, O land,
when thy king is a child, and when the princes eat in the
morning.”
2 An allusion to the plagues and the final destruction of
the Pharaoh as described in Exodus,
15
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXII
TH ᾿Εκκλησίᾳ Ἰ]αρνασσοῦ παραμυθητική
Καὶ ἔθειἑἑπόμενοι παλαιῷ ἐκ μακρᾶς τῆς ἀκο-
λουθίας KEKPATNKOTL, |Kal TOV καρπὸν τοῦ ΤΙνεύμα-
τος, τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν ἀγάπην, ὑμῖν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι,
διὰ τοῦ γράμματος τὴν εὐλάβειαν. ὑμῶν ἐπισκεπ-
τόμεθα, κοινωνοῦντες ὑμῖν τῆς τε ἐπὶ τῷ συμβάντι
λύπης, καὶ τῆς φροντίδος τῶν ἐν χερσίν. ὑπὲρ
μὲν οὖν τῶν λυπηρῶν τοσοῦτον λέγομεν, ὅτι καιρὸς
ἡμῖν ἀποβλέψαι πρὸς τὰ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου παραγ-
γέλματα, καὶ μὴ λυπεῖσθαι Ὥς καὶ οἱ λοιποί, οἱ
μὴ ἔχοντες ἐλπίδα: οὐ μὴν οὐδ᾽ ἀπαθῶς ἔχειν
πρὸς τὸ συμβάν, ἀλλὰ τῆς μὲν ζημίας αἰσθάνεσθαι,
ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς λύπης μὴ καταπίπτειν, τὸν μὲν ποι-
μένα τοῦ τέλους μακαρίζοντας, ὡς ἐν γήρᾳ πίονι
τὴν ζωὴν καταλύσαντα, καὶ ταῖς μεγίσταις παρὰ
τοῦ Κυρίου τιμαῖς ἐναναπαυσάμενον.
Περὶ δὲ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐκεῖνα παραινεῖν ἔχομεν,
ὅτι προσήκει, πᾶσαν ἀποθεμένους κατήφειαν,
ἑαυτῶν γενέσθαι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν πρό-
νοιαν τῆς ᾿Εκκλησίας διαναστῆναι, ὅπως ἂν ὁ
ἅγιος Θεὸς ἐπιμεληθείη τοῦ ἰδίου ποιμνίου, καὶ
παράσχοιτο ὑμῖν ποιμένα κατὰ τὸ αὐτοῦ θέλημα,
ποιμαίνοντα ὑμᾶς MET ἐπιστήμης.
1 This letter, written ostensibly to console the people of
Parnassus on the loss of their bishop, was composed, accord-
ing to Maran (Vita S. Basilii, xvi), before the visit of
Valens in 372, which gave the Arians of this church such
power. Parnassus was a town in Northern Cappadocia, on
the right bank of the Halys, at a ford a few miles higher up
than modern Tchikin Aghyl. The real purpose of this letter
was to urge the Parnassenes to elect an orthodox bishop.
16
 LETTER LXII

LETTER LXII
CoNSOLATION TO THE CHuRCH ΟΕ Parnassus!
Fotiowine an old custom which has become pre-
valent through a long observance, and also making
manifest to you the fruit of the Holy Ghost, which
is the divine love, we visit your Piety by letter,
sharing with you both your grief at what has
befallen and your anxiety concerning the matters
now at hand. In regard to these painful circum-
stances, then, we have only this to say—that it is
seasonable for us to fix our gaze upon the exhorta-
tions of the Apostle,? and not to be sorrowful “even
as others who have no hope”’; we should not, how-
ever, be indifferent to what has occurred, but while
being sensible of our loss, we should not be overcome
by our grief, accounting our shepherd happy for his
end, as having left this life at a ripe old age,? and as
having gone to rest amid the highest honours the
Lord can give.
As for the rest, we must admonish you that, after
you have put away all sorrow, you should become
your own masters, and should rise up and face your
unavoidable duty of providing for the Church, to the
end that the holy God may assume charge over His
flock, and, in accordance with His will, may supply
you with a shepherd who will tend you wisely.
This they did in the person of Hypsis (or Hypsinus), whom
the Arians expelled in 375 in favour of a certain Ecdicius,
Cf. Letter CCXXXVII.
2 Thess. 4. 13.
3 Cf. Homer, Odyssey, 19. 367-8: ἀρώμενος elos ἵκοιο | γῆράς
τε λιπαρὸν θρέψαιό τε φαίδιμον υἱόν. ‘‘ With prayer that thou
mightest reach a sleek old age and rear thy glorious son.”
17
VOL, Il σ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXIlI
᾿Ηγεμόνι Νεοκαισαρείας
Τὸν σοφὸν ἄνδρα, κἂν ἑκὰς ναίῃ χθονός, κἂν
μήποτ᾽ αὐτὸν ὄσσοις προσίδω, κρίνω φίλον" Βύρι-
πίδου ἐστὶ τοῦ τραγικοῦ λόγος. ὥστε, εἰ, μήπω
τῆς κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμῖν συντυχίας τὴν γνῶσίν
σου τῆς μεγαλοφυΐας χαρισαμένης, φαμὲν εἶναι
φίλοι σου καὶ συνήθεις, μὴ κολακείαν εἶναι τὸν
λόγον κρίνῃς. ἔχομεν γὰρ φήμην πρόξενον τῆς
φιλίας, μεγαλοφώνως τὰ σὰ πᾶσιν ® ἀνθρώποις
aaa ἀφ᾽ οὗ μέντοι καὶ τῷ αἰδεσιμωτάτῳ
᾿Ελπιδίῳ ὃ συνετύχομεν, τοσοῦτόν σε ἐγνωρίσαμεν,
καὶ οὕτω κατ᾽ ἄκρας ἑαλώκαμέν σου, ὡσανεὶ
πολὺν χρόνον συγγεγονότες, καὶ διὰ μακρᾶς τῆς
πείρας τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν τὴν γνῶσιν ἔχοντες.
οὐ γὰρ ἐπαύσατο ὁ ἀνὴρ ἕκαστα ἡμῖν τῶν περὶ σὲ
διηγούμενος, το “μεγαλοπρεπὲς τῆς ψυχῆς, τοῦ
φρονήματος τὸ ἀνάστημα, τῶν τρόπων τὴν “ἧμε-
ρότητα, ἐμπειρίαν πραγμάτων, σύνεσιν γνώμης,
σεμνότητα βίου φαιδρότητι * “κεκραμένην, λόγου
δύναμιν, τἄλλα ὅσα αὐτὸς μὲν διὰ “πολλῆς τῆς
πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁμιλίας ἀπηριθμήσατο, ἡἡμῖν δὲ γράφειν
οὐκ ἣν δυνατόν, ἵνα μὴ ἔξω Tod μέτρου τὴν

1 εἶναι om. 10. 2 τὰ σὰ πᾶσιν] ἅπασιν Εἰ.

ὃ “Ελλαδίῳ E, Harl. 4 φαιδρότητα E.

1 Written about 371. Cf. Maran, Vita S. Basilii, xvi.

2 From an unknown play of E uripides, Cr Nauck, Traq.
Graec. Frag., No. 902: τὸν ἐσθλὸν ἄνδρα, κἂν ἑκὰς ναίῃ ‘xlovds,
κἂν μήποτ᾽ ὄσσοις εἰσίδω, κρίνω φίλον. Note that Basil has
σοφόν for ἐσθλόν For similar expressions, cf. Iamblichus,
18
 LETTER LXIII

LETTER LXIII
To THE GoveRNor or ΝΕΟΘΑΕΒΑΒΕΑΪ
“THE wise man, e’en though he dwell in a distant
land, though I may never behold him with my eyes,
I account my friend,” is a saying of the tragic poet
Euripides.2 If, therefore, in spite of the fact that
no face-to-face meeting has as yet given us the
pleasure of acquaintance with your Magnanimity,
we say that we are your friend and associate, do
not consider this assertion to be flattery. For as
the promoter of our friendship we have Fame, who
with mighty voice proclaims your deeds to all man-
kind. Ever since the day, moreover, on which we
met the most reverend Elpidius,? we have known you
to be so great a man, and we have been so utterly
captivated by you, as if we had been associated with
you for a long time, and had knowledge of your
noble qualities through long experience. For Elpidius
did not cease recounting to us your every character-
istic—your magnanimity, the loftiness of your spirit,
the gentleness of your manners, experience in aflairs,4
sagacity of judgment, dignity of life mingled with
affability, ability as an orator, and the many other
qualities which he enumerated to us in the course
of a long conversation, but which we cannot mention
to you now without carrying the letter beyond its
de vita Pythag. 33. 237; Procop. Gaz., Epist., 154; and Cicero,
de nat. deorum, 1. 44. 121.
3 Note that some MSS. read Helladius. In the following
letter, however, all MSS. agree on Elpidius. Cf. also
Letters LXXVII and LXXVIII. The Elpidii mentioned
herein may or may not be the same man.
4 For the same expression, cf. Antiphon 5. 1: τὴν ἐμπειρίαν
τῶν πραγμάτων.
19
c 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπιστολὴν προαγάγωμεν. πῶς οὖν οὐκ ἔμελλον

ἀγαπᾷν τὸν τοιοῦτον ; “πῶς γοῦν ἠδυνάμην
ἐμαυτοῦ κρατῆσαι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ οὐχὶ καὶ ἐκβοῶν
τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐμαυτοῦ πάθος διασημαΐίνειν ;;
Aéyou τοίνυν τὴν προσηγορίαν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἐκ
φιλίας ἀληθινῆς καὶ ἀδόλου σοι προσαγομένην"
πόρρω γὰρ θωπείας δουλοπρεποῦς τὰ ἡμέτερα"
καὶ ἔχε ἡμᾶς τῷ καταλὄγῳ τῶν σεαυτοῦ φίλων
ἐναριθμίους, γράμμασι συνεχέσι σαυτόν τε δεικνὺς
καὶ παραμυθούμενος τὴν ἀπόλειψιν.

LXIV

‘Hovyie
De πολλὰ μὲν ἦν καὶ ἐξἀρχῆς
a τὰ συνώπτοντά
σου τῇ τιμιότητι, ὅ τε περὶ λόγους κοινὸς ἔρως,
πολλαχοῦ παρὰ τῶν πεπειραμένων περιφ ἐρόμενος,"
ἥ τε πρὸς τὸν θαυμάσιον ἄνδρα Τερέντιον 5 ἡμῖν
ἐκ παλαιοῦ φιλία. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ὁ πάντα ἄριστος,
καὶ πάσης ἡμῖν οἰκειότητος ὄνομα ἐκπληρῶν, ὁ
αἰδεσιμώτατος ἀδελφὸς ᾿Ελπίδιος εἰς λόγους ἀφί-
κετο, καὶ ἕκαστα τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν διηγήσατο
(δυνατώτατος δέ, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος, καὶ ἀρετὴν
ἀνθρώπου καταμαθεῖν, καὶ παραστῆσαι ταύτην
1 συμπεριφερόμενος Codex Medicaeus.
2 Tepevrivoy editi antiqi.

a 7,6. of ““ friends?
2 2.6. for the lack of the Governor’s personal presence,
3. Dated with the preceding letter. Nothing is known of
this Hesychius, except such information as may be gathered
from the present letter and Letter LX XII.
20
 LETTER LXIV

proper limits. How, then, could 1 help loving such

a man? How, at any rate, could I so far control
myself as not with loud voice to make known my
soul’s emotion ?
Accept, therefore, admirable sir, the appellation,*
which is applied to you out of a friendship that is
true and genuine; for our character is far removed
from servile adulation ; and do you keep us numbered
in the roll of your friends, by frequent letters, both
showing yourself to us and consoling us for the lack.”

LETTER LXIV
To Hesycutus?

Even from the beginning there have been many

things which have bound me to your Honour—your
love of letters, common to me also, which is every-
where bruited abroad by men who have had ex-
perience of it, and our long-time friendship for that
admirable man Terentius.4 But when, too, that
most excellent man, who satisfies the title of every
intimate relationship with us,> our most venerated
brother Elpidius,§ conversed with us and described
each of your noble qualities (and he, if any man, has
superlative ability both to discern a man’s virtues
4 Terentius: a general and count of the orthodox faith.
Cf. Letters XCIX, CCXIV, CCXVI. For a letter from Basil
to the daughters of Terentius, deaconesses at Samosata, cf.
Letter CV.
5 Cf. Iliad, 6. 429-30: Ἕκτορ, ἀτὰρ σύ μοί ἐσσι πατὴρ καὶ
πότνια μήτηρ | nde κασίγνητος, σὺ δέ μοι θαλερὺς παρακοίτης.
** Hector, truly thou art to me father and revered mother,
and brother, as thou art to me a goodly husband,”
6 Cf. Letter LXIII, note 3.
21
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

TO λόγῳ), τοσοῦτον ἡμῖν τὸν ἐπὶ σοὶ πόθον ἐξέ-

καυσεν, ὥστε εὔχεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἐπιστῆναί σέ ποτε
τῇ παλαιᾷ ἑστίᾳ ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀκοῇ μόνον, ἀλλὰ
καὶ πείρᾳ τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν ἀπολαύσωμεν.

LXV
᾿Αταρβίῳ 1
Καὶ τί πέρας ἔσται τῆς σιωπῆς, εἰ ἐγὼ μέν, τὰ ἐκ
τῆς ἡλικίας πρεσβεῖα ἀπαιτῶν, ἀναμένοιμι παρὰ
σοῦ γενέσθαι τὴν ἀρχὴν τῆς προσφωνήσεως, ἡ δὲ
σὴ ἀγάπη ἐπὶ πλεῖον βούλοιτο τῇ βλαβερᾷ κρίσει
τῆς ἡσυχίας " ἐγκαρτερεῖν ;; ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐγώ, τὴν
ἐν τοῖς φιλικοῖς ἧτταν νίκης ἔχειν δύναμιν ἡγησά-
μενος, ὁμολογῶ σοι μὲν παραχωρεῖν τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ
δοκεῖν περιγεγενῆσθαι τῆς οἰκείας κρίσεως φιλοτι-
μίας. αὐτὸς δὲ πρῶτος ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν ἦλθον,
εἰδὼς ὅτι ἡ ἀγάπη πάντα στέγει, πάντα ὑπομένει,
οὐδαμοῦ ζητεῖ τὸ ἑαυτῆς" διόπερ οὔτε3 ἐκπίπτει
ποτέ. ἀταπείνωτος γὰρ ὁ κατὰ ἀγάπην τῷ πλη-
1 Αὐταρκίῳ cod. Claromontanus.
2 συκοφαντίας quinque MSS. 3 οὐδέ Εἰ.

1 Of the year 371, or, according to Maran, some time

before 373, when the enmity between Atarbius and Basil
became manifest. Atarbius was a bishop of Neocaesarea,
and probably related to Basil. Cf. Letter CCX. Letters
LXI, CXXVI, CCIV, CCVII, and CCX contain information
on this break, and subsequent effort on the part of Basil to
mend the breach and to rescue Atarbius from the errors of
Sabellianism. Tillemont wrongly makes Atarbius an Ar-
menian bishop, but he belongs clearly to Neocaesarea, since
(1) he is so designated in some MSS. of St. Basil’s letters;
22
 LETTER LXV

and to make them known by speech), he enkindled

in us such a longing for you, that we pray that you
may some day visit this old fireside of ours, so that
not only by report but by actual experience also we
may derive pleasure from the noble qualities which
reside in you.

ΕΣ Ree Lavy

To Ararsius 1!
Wuat end indeed would there be of our silence,
if I should claim the prerogative of my age, and
wait for you to take the initiative in salutation, but
your Affection should wish to persevere still longer
in its baneful resolution of keeping silent? How-
ever, since I consider that in matters of friendship
defeat has the force of victory, I acknowledge that
I am conceding to you what you make a point of—
the appearance of having seemingly prevailed over
my own judgment. But I myself have been the
first to begin writing because I know well that
“charity beareth all things, endureth all things,
seeketh not her own,” and so “never falleth
away.” For he who subjects himself to his neigh-
(2) the character and circumstances of Atarbius, as depicted
in Letters LXI and CXXVI, entirely agree with those of
the unnamed bishop of Neocaesarea referred to in Letters
CCIV, CCVII, and CCX; (3) in the Acts of the Council of
Constantinople he represents the province of Pontus Pole-
moniacus, of which Neocaesarea was the Metropolis.
2 A rather loose quotation of 1 Cor. 13. 5, 7, and 8: ἡ
ἀγάπη. .. οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς. .. πάντα στέγει, πάντα
πιστεύει, πάντα ἐλπίζει, πάντα ὑπομένει. ἢ ἀγάπη οὐδέποτε
ἐκπίπτει. ‘‘Charity . . . seeketh not herown. . . beareth
all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth
all things. Charity never falleth away.”
23
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

σίον ὑποτασσόμενος. ὅπως οὖν Kal αὐτὸς πρὸς

γοῦν τὸ ἑξῆς τὸν! πρῶτον καὶ μέγιστον καρπὸν
τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐπιδεικνύμενος," τὴν ἀγάπην, ἀπορ-
ρίψῃς μὲν τὸ τῶν ὀργιζομένων σκυθρωπόν, ὅὅπερ
ἡμῖν διὰ τῆς σιωπῆς ὃ ὑποφαίνεις, ἀναλάβῃς δὲ
χαρὰν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, εἰρήνην πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοψύχους
τῶν ἀδελφῶν, σπουδὴν καὶ μέριμναν ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν
ἐκκλησιῶν ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου διαμονῆς. γίνωσκε γάρ,
ὅτι, εἰ μὴ τὸν ἴσον ἡμεῖς ἀγῶνα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλη-
σιῶν ἀναλάβοιμεν, ὁπόσον ἔχουσιν οἱ ἀντικείμενοι
τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ εἰς καθαίρεσιν αὐτῶν καὶ
παντελῆ ἀφανισμόν, οὐδὲν τὸ κωλῦον οἴχεσθαι
μὲν παρασυρεῖσαν ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿ ἐχθρῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν,
παραπολαῦσαι δέ τι καὶ ἡμᾶς τοῦ κρίματος, μὴ
πάσῃ σπουδῇ καὶ προθυμίᾳ ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ τῇ πρὸς
ἀλλήλους καὶ συμπνοίᾳ TH κατὰ τὸν Θεὸν τὴν
ἐνδεχομένην μεριμνᾶν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἑνώσεως τῶν ἐκκλη-
σιῶν ἐπιδειξαμένους."
Παρακαλῶ οὗν, ἔκβαλε τῆς σεαυτοῦ ψυχῆς τὸ
οἴεσθαι μηδενὸς ἑἑτέρου εἰς κοινωνίαν προσδεῖσθαι.
οὐ γὰρ κατὰ ἀγάπην περιπατοῦντος οὐδὲ πληροῦν-
TOS ἐστι τὴν ἐντολὴν ὃ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς
ἀδελφοὺς συναφείας ἑαυτὸν ἀποτέμνειν. ἅμα δὲ
κἀκεῖνο λογίζεσθαι τὴν ἀγαθήν σου προαίρεσιν
βούλομαι, ὅτι τὸ τοῦ πολέμου κακὸν κύκλῳ
περιιὸν καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰσέλθοι ποτέ, κἂν μετὰ
τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ἡμεῖς τῆς ἐπηρείας παραπολαύ-
1 τόν om. E. 2 ἐνδεικνύμενος Εἰ.
3 ἀγάπης EK. 4 τοῦ Θεοῦ add. Harl.
5 ἐπιδεξαμένους Med. 6 τὸν νόμον editi antiqi.

a Cf. Gal. 5. 22ἢ.: ὁ δὲ καρπὸς τοῦ πνεύματός ἐστιν ἀγάπη,

χαρά, εἰρηνή, ἘΣ μη Ναὶ χρηστότης, ἀγαθωσύνη, πίστις, πραότης,
24
 LETTER LXV

bour in a spirit of charity is not humbled. There-

fore, for the future at any rate, see to it that
you too exhibit the first and greatest fruit of the
Spirit, charity,1 and cast aside that sullen look of a
man in anger—which we can infer from the silence
you maintain—and once more take up joy into your
heart, peace toward brothers of kindred spirit, and
zeal and solicitude for the perpetuity of the churches
of the Lord. For be assured that, unless we assume
a labour in behalf of the churches equal to that
which the enemies of sound doctrine have taken
upon themselves for their ruin and total obliteration,
nothing will prevent truth from being swept away
to destruction by our enemies, and ourselves also
from sharing in the condemnation, unless with all
zeal and good will, in harmony with one another
and in unison with God, we show the greatest
possible solicitude for the unity of the churches.
I exhort you, therefore, to cast from your mind
the thought that you have no need of communion
with another. For it does not befit the character
of one who walks in charity, nor of one who fulfils
the command of Christ, to cut himself off from all
connexion with his brethren. At the same time
also I wish your good will to consider this—that
if the evil of the war? which now goes on all about
us should sometime come upon ourselves likewise,
and if we too along with the others shall receive
ἐγκράτεια: κατὰ τῶν τοιούτων οὐκ ἔστι νόμος. ‘* But the fruit
of the Spirit is, charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity,
goodness [longanimity], mildness, faith, modesty, continency
[chastity]. Against such there is no law.” The bracketed
words of the Douay version do not appear in the Greek.
The word order is also slightly changed.
2 i.e, the persecutions of Valens.
25
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

σωμεν, οὐδὲ TOUS συναλγοῦντας εὑρήσομεν, διὰ TO

ἐν καιρῷ τῆς εὐθυμίας ἡμῶν μὴ προκαταβαλέσ-
θαι τοῖς ἠδικημένοις τὸν τῆς συμπαθείας ἔρανον.

LXVI
᾿Αθανασίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας
Οὐδένα τοσοῦτον ἡγοῦμαι λυπεῖν τὴν παροῦσαν
τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν κατάστασιν, μᾶλλον δὲ σύγχυσιν,
εἰπεῖν ἀληθέστερον, ὃὅσον τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα' συγ-
κρίνοντα μὲν τοῖς ἀρχαίοις τανῦν, καὶ παρὰ πόσον
ταῦτα ἐκείνων ἐξήλλακται λογιζόμενον, καὶ ὅτι εἰ
κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁρμὴν ὑπορρέοι ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον τὰ
πράγματα, οὐδὲν ἔσται" τὸ κωλῦον, εἴσω ὀλίγου
χρόνου πρὸς ἄλλο τι σχῆμα παντελῶς μεθαρμοσ-
θῆναι τὰς ἐκκλησίας. ταῦτα πολλάκις ἐπ᾽ ἐμαυ-
τοῦ γενόμενος διενοήθην, ὅτι εἰ ἡμῖν οὕτως ἐλεεινὴ
τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἡ παρατροπὴ καταφαίνεται, ποίαν
τινὰ εἰκὸς ἐπὶ τούτοις ψυχὴν ἔχειν τὸν τῆς
ἀρχαίας εὐσταθείας καὶ ὁμονοίας περὶ τὴν πίστιν
τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Κυρίου ὃ πεπειραμένον ; ἀλλ᾽
ὥσπερ τὸ πολὺ τῆς λύπης τὴν σὴν τελειότητα περι-
ίσταται, οὕτως ἡγούμεθα προσήκειν καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ
τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν μερίμνης τὸ πλέον τῇ σῇ δια-
φέρειν φρονήσει. πάλαι οἶδα καὶ αὐτός, κατὰ τὴν
ἐνυπάρχουσάν μοι μετρίως τῶν πραγμάτων κατά-
ληψιν, μίαν ἐπιγνοὺς ὁδὸν βοηθείας ταῖς καθ᾽

1 εὐθηνίας editi antiqi. 2 ἔστι EE.

3 Θεοῦ editi antiqi.

26
 LETTER LXVI

a share of its spitefulness, we shall find none to

sympathize with us, because in the season of our
tranquillity we failed to pay betimes our contribution
of sympathy to the victims of injustice.

LETTER LXVI
To Aruanasius, BisHop or ALExANpDRIA
I consipeR that no one is so pained as your
Honour at the present condition of the churches,
or rather, to speak more truthfully, at their utter
ruin; for you can compare the present with the
past, and reflect on the extent of the change that
has taken place between them, and also on the
thought that, if our affairs should continue to ebb
for the worse at this same speed, there will be
nothing to prevent the churches from being com-
pletely changed into some other form within a brief
period of time. Many a time, while by myself, I
have reflected upon this thought, wondering what,
if to us the error of the churches appears so pitiable,
the emotion must be in regard to the present state
of affairs of a man who has experienced the pristine
tranquillity and concord of the churches of the Lord
touching the faith.2 But just as greater sorrow
devolves upon your Excellency, so we hold that it
is proper for your prudence also to bear a greater
solicitude for the churches. I also have long since
been aware, from the moderate comprehension of
events which I possess, that I recognize but one
1 Written in 371. Cf. Letter LXI, note 1.
2 Athanasius, born about 25 years before Basil, could well
remember the peace of the Church preceding the outbreak of
Arianism.
27
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡμᾶς ἐκκλησίαις, τὴν Tapa τῶν δυτικῶν ἐπισκό-

πων σύμπνοιαν. εἰ γὰρ βουληθεῖεν, ὃν ἀνέλαβον
ὑπὲρ ἑνὸς ἢ δύο τῶν κατὰ τὴν δύσιν ἐπὶ
ἐ κακοδοξίᾳ
φωραθέντων ζῆλον, τοῦτον καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς παροικίας
τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς μερῶν ἐπιδείξασθαι, τάχα ἄν τι
γένοιτο τοῖς κοινοῖς ὄφελος, τῶν τε κρατούντων τὸ
ἀξιόπιστον τοῦ πλήθους δυσωπουμένων, καὶ τῶν
ἑκασταχοῦ λαῶν ἀκολουθούντων αὐτοῖς ἀναντιρ-
ρήτως.
Tis οὖν ταῦτα διαπράξασθαι τῆς σῆς συνέσεως
δυνατώτερος; τίς συνιδεῖν τὸ δέον ὀξύτερος; τίς ἐνερ-
γῆσαι τὰ χρήσιμα πρακτικώτερος ; τίς πρὸς τὴν
καταπόνησιν τῶν BoE aeσυμπαθέστερος; τίς τῆς
σεμνοτάτης cou πολιᾶς 1 πάσῃ τῇ δύσει αἰδεσι-
μώτερος ; 2.κατάλιπέ τι μνημόσυνον τῷ βίῳ τῆς
σῆς ἐπάξιον πολιτείας, τιμιώτατε πάτερ. τοὺς
μυρίους ἐκείνους ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἄθλους ἑνὶ
τούτῳ κατακόσμησον ὃ᾿ ἔργῳ. ἔκπεμψοόν τινας ἐκ
τῆς ἁγίας τῆς ὑπὸ σὲ ἐκκλησίας “ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς
ἐν τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ τὴν
δύσιν ἐπισκόπους" διήγησαι αὐτοῖς τὰς κατασχού-
σας ἡμᾶς συμφοράς" ὑπόθου τρόπον ἀντιλήψεως"
γενοῦ Σαμουὴλ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις" πολεμουμένοις
τοῖς λαοῖς συγκακοπάθησον' ἀνένεγκε εἰρηνικὰς
1 πολιτείας tres MSS. et Medicaeus sec. man.
2 αἰδεσιμώτατος KH.
3 κατάστησον editi antiqi.

1 παροικία :primarily ‘‘a sojourn in a foreign land” ; then

applied, as here, to groups of Christians in general, since
Christians regarded themselves merely as sojourners in this
world. From this arose the meaning of ‘‘an ecclesiastical
district,” ‘‘a diocese,” and later “ἃ parish. é
28
 LETTER LXVI

avenue of assistance to the churches in our part of

the world—agreement with the bishops of the West.
For if they should be willing to exhibit in the case
of the ecclesiastical districts! of our region that zeal
which they have assumed in behalf of one or two
persons? in the West who were discovered to be in
heterodoxy, perhaps some benefit would result to our
common interests, since our rulers are timid about
the fidelity of the masses, and the peoples every-
where follow their bishops ? unquestionably.
Who, then, is more capable of accomplishing this
than a man of your wisdom? Who is keener to
perceive what is needed? Who is more successful
in working out useful projects? Who is more
sympathetic towards the suffering of his fellow-men?
What is more venerated in the entire West than
the white hair of your majestic head? Most
honoured father, bequeath to the living some
memorial worthy of your polity. By this one work
embellish those innumerable labours which you have
performed for the sake of the true faith. Send
forth from the holy church under your care to the
bishops of the West a number of men who are
mighty in the true doctrine. Describe to these
bishops the misfortunes which afflict us. Suggest
a method of assistance. Become a Samuel to the
churches. Share in the sufferings of our people
who are feeling the miseries of war. Offer prayers
2 On the margin of the codex Regius Secundus is found
this scholion: περὶ τῶν κατὰ Ῥώμην ἐπισκόπων Αὐξεντίου, καὶ
τῶν περὶ αὐτόν. ““(ὉΠΟΘΓΠΙησ the bishops at Rome, Auxentius,
and those with him.”
8 According to the Benedictine editors, Valens is meant
by τῶν κρατούντων, and the bishops, not the rulers, by αὐτοῖς.
I have so interpreted the passage.
29
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

προσευχάς" αἴτησον χάριν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου,

εἰρήνης TL μνημόσυνον ἐναφεῖναι 1 ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις.
οἶδα ὅτι ἀσθενεῖς αἱ ἐπιστολαὶ πρὸς συμβουλὴν τοῦ
τοσούτου πράγματος. ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε αὐτὸς τῆς παρ᾽
ἑτέρων παρακλήσεως χρήξεις, οὐ μᾶλλόν. γε ἢ
τῶν ἀγωνιστῶν οἱ γενναιότατοι. τῆς παρὰ τῶν
παίδων ὑποφωνήσεως" οὔτε ἡμεῖς ἀγνοοῦντα δι-
δάσκομεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐσπουδακότι τὴν ὁρμὴν ἐπιτείνο-
μεν.
Πρὸς μὲν οὖν τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς ἀνατολῆς ἴσως σοι
καὶ πλειόνων συνεργίας προσδεῖ, καὶ ἀνάγκη
ἀναμένειν τοὺς ἐκ τῆς δύσεως. ἡ μέντοι τῆς κατὰ τὴν
᾿Αντιόχειαν ἐκκλησίας εὐταξία προδήλως τῆς σῆς
ἤρτηται θεοσεβείας: ὥστε τοὺς μὲν οἰκονομῆσαι,
τοὺς δὲ καθησυχάσαι, ἀποδοῦναι δὲ τὴν ἰσχὺν
τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, διὰ τῆς συμφωνίας. καὶ γὰρ ὅτι
ὀφείλεις, κατὰ τοὺς σοφωτάτους τῶν ἰατρῶν, τῆς
ἐπιμελείας ἐκ τῶν καιριωτάτων ἄρχεσθαι, παντὸς
ἀκριβέστερον. αὐτὸς ἐπίστασαι. τί δ᾽ ἂν γένοιτο
ταῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐκκλησίαις τῆς ᾿Δν-
τιοχείας ἐπικαιριώτερον;5 ἣν εἰ συνέβη πρὸς
1 ἐναφεθῆναι editi antiqi.
* ἔτι καιριώτερον alii mss. καιριώτερον editi antiqi.

1 Combefisius observes the following scholion on the

margin of Codex Regius 25: ὅτι τούτων τῶν εἰρηνικῶν προσευ-
χῶν μέμνηται καὶ ἐν ταῖς μυστικαῖς εὐχαῖς THs θείας λειτουργίας ὁ
μέγας πατήρ. ‘‘The great father also recalls these prayers
for peace in the mystic prayers of the divine liturgy.”
* Reference is made here to the schism caused by the
refusal of the Eustathian or Old Catholic party to recognize
Meletius as bishop of the whole orthodox party. After the
death of Kustathius himself, under whom the church of
Antioch had been a bulwark of orthodoxy, several bishops
entirely unequal to the task were elected to take his place,
30
 LETTER LXVI

for peace.t Ask as a grace from the Lord that He

may send upon the churches some memories of
peace. I know that letters are weak as regards
giving advice in a matter of this character. Still,
you yourself do not need exhortation from others
any more than the best athletes require encourage-
ment from boys, nor are we teaching one who is
ignorant on these points, but, on the contrary, we
are urging an additional effort on the part of one
who is already earnestly at work.
Regarding the rest of the affairs of the East, you
perhaps need the co-operation of a larger number also,
and it is necessary to await those from the West.
The good condition of the Church at Antioch, how-
ever, clearly depends upon your Piety, so that it is
your duty to use forbearance toward some, to tran-
quillize others, and through concord to restore
strength to the Church.?_ For you yourself under-
stand more exactly than anyone else that, after the
manner of the most learned physicians, you must
give your first care to the most vital parts. Now
what could be more vital to the churches of the
world than the Church of Antioch? If it came to
and the church was rent with dissension. Finally, Meletius
was elected as a compromise candidate. He seems to have
been neither a thorough Nicene nor a decided Arian, although
he was esteemed by such men as St. John Chrysostom, St.
Gregory Nazianzen, St. Gregory of Nyssa, St. Basil, and
even his adversary St. Epiphanius. The churches of the
West and of Kgypt for the most part supported Paulinus
who had been ordained by Lucifer of Cagliari, bishop of the
Old Catholics. The East supported Meletius. The Benedic-
tine editors suppose the word οἰκονομῆσαι, which is rendered
“control,” to refer to Paulinus, and Basil may here be
urging the dismissal of Paulinus as bishop. Cf. St. Ambrose,
Letter XIII, which deals with this same general topic.
31
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὁμόνοιαν ἐπανελθεῖν, οὐδὲν ἐκώλυεν, ὥσπερ!

κεφαλὴν ἐρρωμένην, παντὶ τῷ σώματι ἐπιχορη-
γεῖν τὴν ὑγίειαν. τῷ ὄντι δὲ τῆς σῆς δεῖται
σοφίας καὶ εὐαγγελικῆς συμπαθείας τὰ ἐκείνης
τῆς πόλεως ἀρρωστήματα" ἥ γε οὐχ ὑπὸ τῶν
αἱρετικῶν διατέτμηται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν
τὰ αὐτὰ φρονεῖν ἀλλήλοις λεγόντων διασπᾶται.
ταῦτα δὲ ἑνῶσαι
ἑ καὶ εἰς ἑνὸς ὃ σώματος συναγα-
γεῖν ἁρμονίαν ἐκείνου μόνου ἐστί, τοῦ καὶ τοῖς
ξηροῖς ὀστέοις τὴν εἰς νεῦρα καὶ σάρκα πάλιν
ἐπάνοδον τῇ ἀφάτῳ αὐτοῦ δυνάμει χαριζομένου.
πάντως δὲ τὰ μεγάλα ὁ Κύριος διὰ τῶν ἀξίων
αὐτοῦ ἐνεργεῖ. πάλιν οὖν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τῇ σῇ
μεγαλοφυΐᾳ πρέπειν τὴν τῶν τηλικούτων διακο-
νίαν ἐλπίζομεν, ἁὥστε καταστορέσαι μὲν τοῦ λαοῦ
τὸν τάραχον, παῦσαι δὲ τὰς μερικὰς προστασίας,
ὑποτάξαι δὲ πάντας ἀλλήλοις ἐν ἀγάπῃ, καὶ τὴν
ἀρχαίαν ἰσχὺν ἀποδοῦναι τῇ ᾿Εκκλησίᾳ.

LXVII
᾿Αθανασίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας
᾿Εμοὶ μὲν ἐξαρκοῦν ἐφάνη ἐν τοῖς “προτέροις
γράμμασι πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα τοσοῦτον ἐνδεί-
ξασθαι, ὅτι
ὅ πᾶν τὸ 4 κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ἐρρωμένον
τοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἁγίαν ἐκκλησίαν ᾿Αντιοχείας λαοῦ
εἰς μίαν συμφωνίαν καὶ ἕνωσιν χρὴ ἐναχθῆναι,
πρὸς τὸ δηλῶσαι, ὅτι τῷ θεοφιλεστάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ
1 ὡσπερεί K, 2 μίαν ὦ,
3 60m, E. 4 ὅτιπερ τό editi antiqi.
32
 LETTER LXVII

pass that this church returned to a state of concord,

nothing would prevent its affording health, in the
manner of a sound head, to the whole body. And
verily the ills of that city stand in need of your
wisdom and evangelical sympathy; for it has not
only been completely divided by heretics, but it is
also being torn asunder by those who affirm that they
hold identical opinions with one another. But to
unite these parts and to bring them together into
the harmony of a single body belongs to Him alone,
who by his ineffable power grants even to dry bones
a return once more to flesh and muscles. Certainly,
however, the Lord performs His mighty deeds through
those who are worthy of Him. Again, therefore, on
this occasion also we express the hope that the con-
duct of such important matters may seem fitting to
the nobility of your nature, so that you may calm
the confusion of the people, put an end to factional
usurpations of authority, subject all men to one
another in charity, and restore to the Church her
pristine strength.

LETTER LXVII
To ATHANnasius, Bishop of ALEXANDRIA ὦ
Ir seemed to me sufficient in my former letter to
point out so much to your Honour—that all that
section of the people of the holy church of Antioch
which is strong in its faith ought to be brought into
a single harmony and union, my purpose being to
show clearly that those who are now divided into
1 Written at about the same time as the preceding, and on
the same general topic.
33
VOL, II. D
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Μελετίῳ δέοι τὰ εἰς μέρη πλείονα viv διῃρημένα

συνάψαι.
΄
ἐπεὶ
> \
δὲNearὁ αὐτὸς
aN
οὗτος
@
ὁε ἀγαπητὸς
b \

συνδιάκονος ἡμῶν Δωρόθεος ἐναργεστέραν τὴν

a \

περὶ τούτων ἐπεζήτησε μνήμην, ἀναγκαίως ἐπιση-

/

μαινόμεθα, ὅτι Kal πάσῃ TH ἀνατολῇ Ov εὐχῆς,

’ ti na an > a

καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς παντοίως αὐτῷ συνημμένοις ἐπιθυ-

μητόν, αὐτὸν ἰδεῖν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν διέποντα τοῦ +
Κυρίου, τῇ τε πίστει ἀνεπίληπτον ὄντα, καὶ τῷ
βίῳ» οὐδεμίαν
οὐδεμίαν πρὸς πρὸς τοὺςτοὺς ἄλλους ς ἐπιδεχόμενον
χόμ
/ ny fa) / e > a ,
σύγκρισιν, Kal τῷ ὃ τοῦ παντός, ὡς εἰπεῖν, σώμα-
τος τῆς ἐκκλησίας αὐτὸν προεστάναι, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ
οἷον μερῶν ἀποτμήματα εἶναι.
“- “.

"“Oote
Ἵ
πανταχόθεν ἀναγκαῖόν
na
τε ὁμοῦ
e a
καὶ
σύμφερον τῷ ἀνδρὶ τούτῳ συναφθῆναι τοὺς ἄλλους,
’ὔ A; 9 \ / na \ ες

ὥσπερ τοῖς μεγάλοις τῶν ποταμῶν τοὺς ἐλάττους:

περὶ δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους γενέσθαι τινὰ οἰκονομίαν,
\ \ \ ” / \ > /

τὴν κἀκείνοις πρέπουσαν, καὶ τὸν λαὸν εἰρη-

νεύουσαν, καὶ τῇ σῇ συνέσει Kal περιβοήτῳ
΄, \ a lel / \ /

ἐντρεχείᾳ καὶ σπουδῇ ἐπιβάλλουσαν. πάντως δὲ

οὶ / \ ae? / / ‘

οὐκ ἔλαθέ σου τὴν ἀνυπέρβλητον φρόνησιν, ὅτι

> ” ΄ \ bl / / μέ

ἤδη καὶ τοῖς ὁμοψύχοις σου τοῖς κατὰ THY δύσιν

Yd \ lal € A

Ta αὐτὰ ταῦτα συνήρεσεν,Σ ὡς δηλοῖ τὰ γράμ-

\ \ “ al

ματα τὰ διὰ τοῦ μακαρίου Σιλονανοῦ κομισθέντα

\ \ a a

ἡμῖν.
1 τοῦ ;om. E. ΞΕ 2 lsτό editiοτος antiqi.
συνήρεσκεν sex MSS, et editi antiqi.

34
 LETTER LXVII

several parties should unite with the bishop Mele-

tius, dearly beloved of God. But since this same
beloved deacon of ours, Dorotheus,! has requested that
our memorial regarding these matters be made clearer,
we perforce are now indicating to you that it is both
the desire of the entire East in its prayers and
our own also, who are completely in union with
Meletius, to see the latter directing the Church of
the Lord, since he is a man not open to censure as
regards his faith, and in respect to his life admits no
comparison with the rest, as also in this respect, that
he stands at the head of the whole body of the
Church, so to speak, while the residue are, as it
were, segments of its limbs.
Accordingly it is for every reason necessary and at
the same time expedient that all the rest should
unite with this man, just as smaller streams unite
with mighty rivers ; and respecting these others also,
that some sort of an arrangement should be adopted
which will be proper to them, will reconcile the
people, and will be in accord with your own wisdom,
your far-famed industry and zeal. Moreover, it
surely has not escaped the notice of your unsurpassed
wisdom that this same course of action has already
been pleasing to your co-religionists in the West, as
is evident from the letter which was brought to
us by the blessed Silvanus.”
1 Dorotheus, a deacon of the church of Antioch, attached
to the communion of Meletius, and employed on several
occasions by Basil to carry letters. Cf. Letters XLVIII, L,
111, LXI, LXIT, CCLXXIII.
2 Silvanus: his identity here cannot be determined
exactly.

35
p2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXVIII
Μελετίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αντιοχείας
Τέως μὲν ἐβουλήθημεν κατασχεῖν παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς
τὸν εὐλαβέστατον ἀδελφὸν “Δωρόθεον τὸν συνδιά-
κονον, ὥστε, ἐπὶ τῷ τέλει τῶν πραγμάτων
ἀποπεμψάμενοι, γνωρίσαι δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἕκαστα τῶν
πεπραγμένων τῇ τιμιότητί σου. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡμέραν
ἐξ ἡμέρας ὑπερτιθέμενοι εἰς πολὺ τοῦ χρόνου
παρετάθημεν, καὶ ἅμα, ὡς ἐν ἀπόροις, βουλή τις
ἡμῖν ἐνέπεσε περὶ τῶν πρακτέων,3 ἀπεστείλαμεν
τὸν προειρημένον ἄνδρα καταλαβεῖν ὑμῶν τὴν
ὁσιότητα, καὶ Ov ἑαυτοῦ τε ἀνενεγκεῖν ἕκαστα,
καὶ τὸ ὑπομνηστικὸν ἡμῶν ἐπιδεῖξαι, ἵνα, εἰ
φανείη χρησίμως ἔχειν τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐννοηθέντα,
εἰς ἔργον ἐλθεῖν παρὰ τὴς ὑμετέρας τελειότητος
σπουδασθείη.
Ὥς δὲ συντόμως εἰπεῖν, γνώμη ἐκράτησεν ἐπὶ
τὴν “Ῥώμην διαβῆναι τὸν αὐτὸν τοῦτον ἀδελφὸν
ἡμῶν Δωρόθεον, διαναστῆσαί 5 τινας τῶν ἀπὸ ἢ
THS [ταλίας, πρὸς τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν ἡμῶν θαλάσσῃ
-“ ᾽ / \ \ > / ig a ,

χρησαμένους, ἵνα τοὺς ἐμποδίζοντας διαφύγωσι.

τοὺς γὰρ παραδυναστεύοντας τοῖς κρατοῦσιν εἶδον
μηδὲν βουλομένους μήτε δυναμένους ὑπομιμνή-
σκειν αὐτὸν" περὶ τῶν ἐκβεβλημένων, ἀλλὰ τὸ
μή τι χεῖρον ἰδεῖν ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις γινόμενον
κέρδος τιθεμένους. εἰ οὖν καὶ τῇ σῇ φρονήσει
χρήσιμον εἶναι τὸ βούλευμα παρασταίη, κατα-
ξιώσεις καὶ ἐπιστολὰς τυπῶσαι, καὶ ὑπομνηστικὰ
1 ἐβουλήθημεν E, ἡβουλήθημεν editi antiqi.
2 προκειμένων tres MSS. 8 διαστῆσαι EK,
4 ἐκ EK. 5 αὐτούς editi antiqi.
36
 LETTER LXVIII

LETTER LXVIII
To Me tetivus, Bishop or Antiocu!
For a time we wished to keep with us the most
reverend brother Dorotheus,? our deacon, so that,
sending him back at the conclusion of our business,
we might use him to inform your Honour of our
transactions in detail. But when we kept putting
off this conclusion from day to day and found our-
selves delayed for a considerable period of time,
and when, too, in our perplexity a plan occurred
to us regarding the course of action to be adopted,
we despatched the aforementioned deacon to meet
your Holiness, to report all the facts in person, and
to present our memorandum, in order that, if our
ideas should appear expedient, they might speedily
be put into effect by your Perfection.
To put it briefly, this view prevailed: that this
same brother of ours, Dorotheus, should cross over
to Rome, and should urge that some of our brethren
in Italy should visit us, travelling by sea, so as to
avoid any who might seek to hinder them. For I
have noticed that those who are very powerful at
court are neither willing nor able to bring to the
Emperor’s attention the question of the exiles, but
rather count it as gain that they see nothing worse
happening to the churches. If, therefore, the plan
should also seem expedient to your wisdom, you will
deign to have letters written, and to dictate memo-

1 Of the same date as the preceding. For the identity of

Meletius, cf. Letter LX VI, note 4. For a description of his
character by Basil, see the previous letter.
2 Cf. letter above.
37
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὑπαγορεῦσαι περὶ ὧν χρὴ διαλεχθῆναι αὐτὸν καὶ

πρὸς τίνας. ὥστε δὲ ἐἔχειν ἀξιοπιστίαν τινὰ τὰ
γράμματα, συμπαραλήψῃ πάντως τοὺς “ὁμογνώ-
μονας, κἂν μὴ παρῶσι. τὰ δ᾽ ἐνταῦθα ἔτι ἐστὶν
ἐν ἀδήλῳ, τοῦ Εὐϊππίου παραγενομένου μέν,
μηδὲν δὲ τέως ἐκφήναντος. ἀπειλοῦσι μέντοι καὶ
συνδρομήν τινα ὁμογνωμόνων αὐτοῖς ἔκ τε τῆς
᾿Αρμενίας
; τῆς Τετραπόλεως, καὶ ἐκ τῆς Κιλι-
κίας.

LXIX
᾿Αθανασίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας
a b Ad \
Hy ἐκ παλαιοῦ περὶ τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος
ὑπόληψιν ἔσχομεν, ταύτην ὁ χρόνος προϊὼν ἀεὶ
βεβαιοῖ: μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ συναύξει ταῖς προσθή-
καις τῶν κατὰ μέρος ἐπιγινομένων. ὅτι τῶν μὲν
ἄλλων τοῖς πλείστοις ἐξαρκεῖ τὸ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν
ἕκαστον περισκοπεῖν, σοὶ δὲ οὐχ ἱκανὸν τοῦτο,
ἀλλ᾽ ἡ μέριμνά σοι πασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν το-
σαύτη, ὅση καὶ τῆς ἰδίως παρὰ τοῦ κοινοῦ
Δεσπότου ἡμῶν ἐμπιστευθείσης ἐπίκειται" ὅς γε
οὐδένα χρόνον διαλείπεις διαλεγόμενος, νουθετῶν,
ἐπιστέλλων, ἐκπέμπων τινὰς ἑκάστοτε τοὺς ὑπο-
τιθεμένους τὰ βέλτιστα. καὶ νῦν δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ
ἱεροῦ πληρώματος τοῦ ὑπὸ σὲ κλήρου τὸν αἰδε-
1 καὶ ὅτε (‘‘ and when”) add. editi antiqi.
2 ἔκπαλαι tres MSS. recentiores.

1 7,¢., the deacon, Dorotheus,

 LETTER LXIX

randa regarding what matters he! must discuss and

with what persons. In order, too, that your letters
may possess a certain sanction, you will, of course,
include the names of all those who are of like mind
with yourself, even if they are not present. The
state of affairs here is as yet not certain, for, although
Euippius” is present, up to now he has made no
disclosure. However, they are threatening to hold
some sort of a meeting of those who are in sympathy
with their views both from the Tetrapolis of Armenia
and from Cilicia.

LETTER LXIX
To Atuanasius, Bishop or ALEXANDRIA 2
Tue opinion of your Honour which we long ago
conceived is being ever confirmed by the passage of
time; or rather, it is even being enhanced by the
new evidence of particular events. Athough most
men deem it sufficient to look each to his own
particular charge, this is not enough for you, but, on
the contrary, you have as great solicitude for all the
churches as for the one especially entrusted to you
by our common Master ; for at no time do you cease
to discourse, to admonish, to write, and on each
occasion to send out men who give the best advice.
Even now we have received with great joy the most
2 Kuippius: a bishop with Arianizing tendencies, from
whom in the cause of truth Basil felt obliged to separate.
Cf. Letter CXXVIII. Eustathius of Sebaste, in 360,
declaimed against Euippius as not worthy of the name of
bishop, but in 376 he united with Euippius, and recognized
the bishops and presbyters Euippius had ordained. Cf.
Letters CCXXVI, CCXXXIX, CCXLIV, CCLI.
3 Written at the same time as the preceding.
39
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

σιμώτατον ἀδελφὸν Πέτρον. ἐκπεμφθέντα μετὰ

πολλῆς χαρᾶς ἐδεξάμεθα, καὶ τὸν ἀγαθὸν αὐτοῦ -
τῆς ἀποδημίας σκοπὸν ὃ ἀπεδεξάμεθα, ὃν ἐπι-
δείκνυται κατ᾽ ἐντολὰς τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος, τὰ
ἀντιτείνοντα προσαγόμενος, καὶ τὰ διεσπασμένα
συνάπτων. ὅθεν τι καὶ ἡμεῖς συμβαλέσθαι τῇ
περὶ τοῦτο σπουδῇ βουληθέντες, ἐνομίσαμεν
ἐπιτηδειοτάτην ἀρχὴν τοῖς πράγμασι δώσειν, εἰ,
ὥσπερ ἐπὶ κορυφὴν τῶν ὅλων, ἐπὶ3 τὴν σὴν
ἀναδράμοιμεν τελειότητα, καὶ σοὶ συμβούλῳ τε
χρησαίμεθα καὶ ἡγεμόνι τῶν “πράξεων. ὅθεν
καὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν Δωρόθεον, τὸν διάκονον τῆς
ὑπὸ τὸν τιμιώτατον ἐπίσκοπον Μελέτιον
ἐκκλησίας, ἀγαθῷ κεχρημένον περὶ τὴν τῆς
πίστεως ὀρθότητα ξήλῳ, καὶ ἐπιθυμοῦντα καὶ
αὐτὸν τὴν εἰρήνην τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπιδεῖν, πρὸς
τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν ἀνεπέμψαμεν,Σ ὥστε, ταῖς
σαῖς ὑποθήκαις ἀκολουθοῦντα (ἃς καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ
καὶ τῇ τῶν πραγμάτων πείρᾳ, καὶ τῷ ὑπὲρ τοὺς
ἄλλους ἔχειν τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύματος συμβουλίαν,
ἀσφαλεστέρας ποιεῖσθαι δύνασαι), οὕτως ἐγχειρεῖν
τοῖς σπουδαζομένοις.
Ὃν καὶ ὑποδέξῃ δηλονότι, καὶ προσβλέψεις
εἰρηνικοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, στηρίξας τε αὐτὸν τῇ διὰ
τῶν προσευχῶν βοηθείᾳ, καὶ ἐφοδιάσας “γράμμασι,
μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ παραζεύξας τινὰς ὃ τῶν αὐτόθεν
σπουδαίων, ἐἐπὶ τὰ προκείμενα ὁδηγήσεις. ἐφάνη
δὲ ἡμῖν ἀκόλουθον ἐπιστεῖλαι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ
“Ῥώμης, ἐπισκέψασθαι τὰ ἐνταῦθα, καὶ “δοῦναι
γνώμην, ἵν᾿ ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ κοινοῦ καὶ συνοδικοῦ
1 αὐτοῦ om. FE. 2 κόπον Hi. 3 ἐπί add. Capps.
4 ἀνεπέμψαμεν Capps, ἀναπέμψαι MSS. 5 τισί editi antiqi.
40
 LETTER LXIX

reverend brother Peter, sent from the holy company

of the clergy under your care, and we have approved
the noble object of his journey, which he explains
according to the commands of your Honour, winning
over the recalcitrant and uniting what has been torn
asunder. Wherefore we also, wishing to make
some contribution to the general enthusiasm for
this matter, have thought we should be supplying a
most suitable initiative to our undertaking if we
should again have recourse to your Perfection, as to
the highest of all, and should make use of you as
both adviser and director of our actions. Wherefore
we have again sent to your Piety our brother
Dorotheus, the deacon of the church under the
jurisdiction of the most honoured bishop Meletius,
he being a man of good zeal regarding orthodoxy in
faith, and like yourself eager to see peace in the
churches, to the end that he, following your counsels
(which you, by reason of your years and your
experience in affairs, and of your possessing beyond
the rest of us the guidance of the Spirit, are able
to make more nearly unerring), may with such
help from you take in hand the matters which are
the objects of our zeal.
You will no doubt give him welcome, and you will
regard him with the eyes of peace; and when you
have buttressed him with the support of your prayers
and have furnished him with letters for his journey
—or better, have attached to him some competent
men from this region as companions—you will give
him directions for his mission. It has seemed to us
advisable in the circumstances, moreover, to write
to the bishop, of Rome, that he may examine into
the state of affairs here, and give us his opinion, so
41
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

δόγματος ἀποσταλῆναί twas δύσκολον τῶν

ἐκεῖθεν, αὐτὸν αὐθεντῆσαι περὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα,
ἐκλεξάμενον ἄνδρας ἱκανοὺς μὲν ὁδοιπορίας πόνους
ὑπενεγκεῖν, ἱκανοὺς δὲ πραότητι καὶ εὐτονίᾳ
ἤθους τοὺς ἐνδιαστρόφους τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν νουθε-
τῆσαι, ἐπιτηδείως δὲ καὶ “οἰκονομικῶς κεχρημένους
τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ πάντα ἔχοντας, μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν τὰ
μετὰ ᾿Αριμῖνον πεπραγμένα ἐπὶ λύσει τῶν KAT
ἀνάγκην ἐκεῖ γενομένων καὶ τοῦτο μηδενὸς
εἰδότος, ἀψοφητὶ διὰ θαλάσσης ἐπιστῆναι τοῖς
ὧδε, ὑὑπὲρ τοῦ φθάσαι τὴν αἴσθησιν τῶν ἐχθρῶν
τῆς εἰρήνης.
᾿Επιζητεῖται δὲ κἀκεῖνο παρά τινων τῶν ἐν-
τεῦθεν, ἀναγκαίως, ὡς καὶ αὐτοῖς ἡμῖν κατα-
1 διενεγκεῖν editi antiqi.

1 On the Council of Ariminum or Rimini the Catholic

Encyclopaedia says: ‘‘ The Council of Rimini was opened
early in July, 359, with over four hundred bishops. About
eighty Semi-Arians, including Ursacius, Germinius, and
Auxentius, withdrew from the orthodox bishops, the most
eminent of whom was Restitutus of Carthage ; Liberius,
Eusebius, Dionysius, and others were still in exile. The
two parties sent separate deputations to the Emperor, the
orthodox asserting clearly their firm attachment to the faith
of Nicaea, while the Arian minority adhered to the Imperial
formula. But the inexperienced representatives of the
orthodox majority allowed themselves to be deceived, and
not only entered into communion with the heretical delegates,
but even subscribed, at Nice in Thrace, a formula to the
effect merely that the Son is like the Father according to the
Scriptures (the words ‘in all things’ being omitted). On
their return to Rimini, they were met with the unanimous
protests of their colleagues. But the threats of the consul
Taurus, the remonstrances of the Semi-Arians against hinder-
ing peace between East and West for a word not contained
42
 LETTER LXIX

that, as it is difficult to send men from Rome by a

general synodical decree, he may himself exercise
full authority in this matter, selecting men capable
of enduring the hardships of a journey, and at the
same time capable, by the gentleness and vigour of
their character, of admonishing those among us who are
perverted, men who possess the power of appropriate
and effective speech and are fully cognizant of all
that has been done since the Council of Ariminum!
for the undoing of the actions taken there under
compulsion; and when all this has been done
without the knowledge of anyone, our thought is
that the bishop of Rome shall quietly, through a
mission sent by sea, assume charge of affairs here so
as to escape the notice of the enemies of peace.
It is also demanded by certain people here—quite
necessarily, as it seems to us as well—that they?

in Scripture, their privations and their home-sickness—all

combined to weaken the constancy of the orthodox bishops.
And the last twenty were induced to subscribe when
Ursacius had an addition made to the formula of Nice,
declaring that the Son is not a creature like other creatures.
Pope Liberius, having regained his liberty, rejected this
formula, which was thereupon repudiated by many who had
signed it. In view of the hasty manner of its adoption and
lack of approbation by the Holy See, it could have no
authority.”
2 i.e. the Romans, particularly the proposed commissioners.
Basil bore it ill that Marcellus, whom he regarded as a
trimmer, was in the words of St. Jerome ‘‘fortified by
communion with Julius and Athanasius, popes of Rome and
Alexandria.” Cf. De Vir. Iilust. 86: ‘‘ se communione Julii
et Athanasii, Romanae et Alexandrinae urbis pontificum,
esse munitum.” St. Athanasius, however, according to
Cardinal Newman, upheld him ‘‘to about a.p. 360,” but
attacked his tenets pointedly, though without naming him,
in his fourth oration against the Arians,
43
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

φαίνεται, τὸν τὴν Μαρκέλλου. αἵρεσιν αὐτοὺς *

ὡς ὙΠ καὶ βλαβερὰν καὶ τῆς ὑγιαινούσης
πίστεως " ἀλλοτρίως ἔχουσαν, ἐξορίσαι.ὅ ἐπεὶ
μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ἐν πᾶσιν οἷς ἐπιστέλλουσι γράμ-
μασι, τὸν μὲν δυσώνυμον "A petov ἄνω καὶ κάτω
ἀναθεματίζοντες καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐξορίξοντες
οὐ διαλείπουσι, Μαρκέλλῳ δέ, τῷ κατὰ διάμετρον
ἐκείνῳ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἐπιδειξαμένῳ, καὶ εἰς αὐ-
τὴν τὴν ὕπαρξιν τῆς τοῦ Μονογενοῦς θεότητος
ἀσεβήσαντι καὶ κακῶς τὴν τοῦ Λόγου προση-
γορίαν ἐκδεξαμένῳ, οὐδεμίαν μέμψιν ἐπενεγκόντες
φαίνονται. ὃς Λόγον μὲν εἰρῆσθαι τὸν Μονογενῆ
δίδωσι, κατὰ χρείαν καὶ ἐπὶ καιροῦ προελθόντα,
πάλιν δὲ εἰς τὸν ὅθεν ἐξῆλθεν ἐπαναστρέψαντα,
οὔτε πρὸ τῆς ἐξόδου εἶναι, οὔτε μετὰ τὴν ἐπάνοδον
ὑφεστάναι. καὶ τούτου ἀπόδειξις ὁαἱ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν
ἀποκείμεναι βίβλοι τῆς ἀδίκου ἐκείνης συγγραφῆς
ὑπάρχουσιν. ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως τοῦτον οὐδαμοῦ διαβα-
λόντες ° ἐφάνησαν, καὶ ταῦτα αἰτίαν ἔχοντες ὡς,
τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατ᾽ ἄγνοιαν τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ εἰς
κοινωνίαν αὐτὸν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν παραδεξάμενοι.
ἐκείνου τε οὖν μνησθῆναι πρεπόντως ἀπαιτεῖ τὰ
παρόντα, ὥστε μὴ ἔχειν ἀφορμὴν τοὺς θέλοντας
ἀφορμήν, ἐκ τοῦ τῇ on ὁσιότητι συνάπτειν “τοὺς
ὑγιαίνοντας καὶ τοὺς πρὸς τὴν ἀληθῆ πίστιν
1 αὐτοῖς EK. 2 διδασκαλίας ὡς BE, Harl.
3 ἐξορίζεσθαι editi antiqi. 4 ἀποδείξεις KE.
5 οὐδαμοῦ diaBaddytes] οὐδαμῶς διαβάλλοντες editi antiqi.

1 On Basil’s opinion of the heretical doctrines of Marcellus

of Ancyra, cf. Letters CX XV and CCLXIII. Marcellus had
upheld the cause of orthodoxy at Nicaea. Later, however,
while attacking the errors of Asterius, he was supposed to
44
 LETTER LXIX

should themselves exterminate the heresy of Mar-

cellus! as being both dangerous and harmful, and
foreign to the true faith. For up to the present, in
all the letters which they send, while they do not
cease anathematizing the abominable Arius up and
down and banishing him from the churches, yet
against Marcellus, who has exhibited an impiety
diametrically opposed to that of Arius, who has in
fact been impious concerning the very existence of
the Only-begotten Godhead, and has accepted a
false signification of “the Word,’ they have
manifestly brought no censure whatever. He gives
it as his opinion that the Only-begotten was called
“the Word,” that He made His appearance in time
of need and in due season, but returned again whence
He came, and that neither before His coming did
He exist nor after His return does He still subsist.?
And as proofs of this there exist the documents in
our possession containing that wicked essay of his.
But nevertheless, they have nowhere come out with
a repudiation of this man, and that too although
they are open to the charge of having (at the
beginning in ignorance of the truth) even received
him into ecclesiastical communion. Of this man,
therefore, the present circumstances demand that
appropriate mention be made, so that those who
seek an opportunity? may have no opportunity,
in consequence of our uniting with your Holiness
all who are sound in the faith, and of our reveal-
have taught that the Son had no real personality, but was
merely an external manifestation of the Father.
2 ὑφεστάναι, i.e. does not exist in essence.
3 2,6. of following the heresy of Marcellus, as they could
safely do so long as he remained in good standing for
orthodoxy.
45
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὀκλάζοντας φανεροὺς πᾶσι ποιῆσαι: ὥστε τοῦ

» 7 \ “-“ “Ὁ Ὁ“ “Ὁ

λοιποῦ γνωρίζειν ἡμᾶς τοὺς ὁμόφρονας, καὶ μή,

ὡς ἐν νυκτομαχίᾳ, μηδεμίαν φίλων καὶ πολε-
μίων ἔχειν διάκρισιν. μόνον παρακαλοῦμεν
/ r

εὐθὺς ὑπὸ τὸν πρῶτον πλοῦν ἐκπεμφθῆναι τὸν

> \ e \ \ la lal 2 a \

προειρημένον διάκονον, iva δυνηθῇ κατὰ γοῦν τὸ

A \ a

ἐφεξῆς ἔτος γενέσθαι τι, ὧν προσευχόμεθα.

Εκεῖνο δὲ καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων' λόγων
x -“ τ -“ ’

συνιεῖς τε αὐτὸς καὶ φροντιεῖς δηλονότι, ὅπως

ἐπιστάντες, ἐὰν ὁ Θεὸς θέλῃ, μὴ ἐναφῶσι ταῖς
» ΄ ΥΝ ς \ / \ > n Lal

ἐκκλησίαις “ τὰ σχίσματα, ἀλλὰ TOUS τὰ αὑτὰ

3 Ly: 2 Ἂς / > X \ X > \

φρονοῦντας παντὶ τρόπῳ εἰς ἕνωσιν συνελάσωσι,

κἄν τινας ἰδίας τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαφορῶν
Ψ ’ / » Ν > / lal

ἀφορμὰς εὕρωσιν 3 ἔχοντας, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ τὸν δ \ \

ὀρθοδοξοῦντα λαὸν εἰς πολλὰ κατατέμνεσθαι μέρη

τοῖς προεστῶσι συναφιστάμενον. πάντα yap δεῖ
a a \ a

σπουδάσαι δεύτερα ἡγήσασθαι τῆς εἰρήνης, καὶ

πρὸ πάντων τῆς κατὰ ᾿Αντιόχειαν ἐκκλησίας
Ἃ “ /

ἐπιμεληθῆναι, ws μὴ ἀσθενεῖν ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν ὀρθὴν

> a e \ J Lal > > a \ > 07;

μερίδα περὶ Ta πρόσωπα σχιζομένην. μᾶλλον

/ a

δέ, τούτων ἁπάντων καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς ὕστερον ἐπι-

>

μελήσῃ, ἐπειδάν, ὅπερ εὐχόμεθα, Θεοῦ συνεργοῦν-

τός σοι, πάντας λάβῃς τὰ τῆς καταστάσεως τῶν
ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπιτρέποντας.
1 εἰρημένων editi antiqi. 2 τὰς ἐκκλησίας E,
8 τύχωσιν Vat. Cod. ac Reg. secund, et Coisl. see.

46
 LETTER LXIX

ing to all men those who are slack in the true

faith. The result will be that henceforth we shall
be able to recognize those who are of one mind with
us, instead of being like those who fight a battle at
night—unable to distinguish between friends and
foes. We only urge now that the deacon whom we
have spoken of be sent away immediately, by the
first boat, in order that some of the objects for
which we pray may possibly be realized next year at
least.
Our next observation you will both understand
of yourself even before we make it, and will doubtless
see to it that these men assuming charge, it
God wills it, do not let schisms loose among the
churches, but that they by every means urge into
unity those who hold identical doctrines with us, even
though they find some who have private reasons for
differing with one another, in order that the orthodox
laity be not cut up into many factions, by following
their leaders into revolt. For they must zealously
endeavour to count all things secondary to peace,
and above all they must be solicitous for the Church
at Antioch, lest the orthodox section of it be
weakened by being divided on the question of
the persons.t Or rather, you yourself will henceforth
assume care of all these things, as soon as, according
to our prayers, God being your helper, you shall
have everyone entrusting into your care whatever
pertains to the restoration of peace among the
churches.
1 je. of the Godhead.

47
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXX
᾿Ανεπίγραφος περὶ συνόδου
᾿Αρχαιας “ἀγάπης θεσμοὺς ἀνανεοῦσθαι, καὶ
πατέρων εἰρήνην τὸ οὐράνιον δῶρον Χριστοῦ καὶ
σωτήριον, ἀπομαρανθὲν τῷ χρόνῳ, πάλιν πρὸς
τὴν ἀκμὴν ἐπαναγαγεῖν, ἀναγκαῖον μὲν ἡμῖν καὶ
ὠφέλιμον, τερπνὸν δὲ εὖ οἷδα ὅτι καὶ τῇ σῇ
φιλοχρίστῳ διαθέσει καταφανήσεται. τί γὰρ
ἂν γένοιτο χαριέστερον, ἢ τοὺς τοσούτῳ τῷ
πλήθει τῶν τόπων διῃρημένους * τῆ διὰ τῆς
ἀγάπης ἑνώσει καθορᾷν εἰς μίαν μελῶν ἁρμονίαν
ἐν σώματι Χριστοῦ δεδέσθαι ;; ἡ ἀνατολὴ πᾶσα
σχεδόν, “τιμιώτατε πάτερ (λέγω δὲ ἀνατολὴν τὰ
ἀπὸ τοῦ ᾿[λλυρικοῦ μέχρις “Αἰγύπτουλ), μεγάλῳ
χειμῶνι καὶ κλύδωνι κατασείεται, τῆς πάλαι μὲν
σπαρείσης αἱρέσεως ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ τῆς ἀληθείας
᾿Αρείου, νῦν δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἀναίσχυντον ἀναφανείσης
καὶ οἱονεὶ ῥίζης πικρᾶς καρπὸν ὀλέθριον ἀναδι-
δούσης, κατακρατούσης λοιπὸν διὰ τὸ τοὺς μὲν
καθ᾽ ἑκάστην παροικίαν προεστῶτας τοῦ ὀρθοῦ
λόγου ἐκ συκοφαντίας καὶ ἐπηρείας τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν
ἐκπεσεῖν, παραδοθῆναι δὲ τοῖς αἰχμαλωτίζουσι
τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀκεραιοτέρων τὴν τῶν πρωγμάτων
ἰσχύν. τούτων μίαν προσεδοκήσαμεν λύσιν τὴν
τῆς ὑμετέρας “εὐσπλαγχνίας ἐπίσκεψιν" καὶ
ἐψυχαγώγησεν. ἡμᾶς ἀεὶ τὸ παράδοξον τῆς ὑμε-
τέρας ἀγάπης ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ, καὶ φήμῃ
1 διειργμένους editi antiqi.

1 Written in the autumn of 371. All, including Tillemont

48
 LETTER LXX

LETTER LXX
Witnout Appress, ConcERNING A Synop ὦ
To renew the ties of an old affection and to
restore into full bloom the peace of the Fathers,
that heavenly and salutary gift of Christ which has
become withered by time, is for us both necessary
and expedient, and I know well that it will seem
delightful to your Christ-loving disposition also. For
what could be more pleasant than to behold men
who are separated from one another by so vast a
diversity of places of residence, bound by the unity
of love into asingle harmony of members in the body
of Christ? Almost the whole East, most honoured
Father (by “‘ East ” I mean everything from Illyricum
to Egypt),? is being shaken by a mighty storm and
flood, since the heresy, sown long ago by Arius, the
enemy of truth, and now already grown up into
shamelessness, and, like a bitter root, producing a
deadly fruit, at last prevails, because the champions
of orthodox teaching in every diocese have been
banished from their churches through slander and
insult, and the administration of affairs has been
surrendered to men who are making prisoners of
the souls of those more pure in faith. As the one
solution of these difficulties we have looked forward
to the visitation 5 of your sympathetic heart ; for in
times gone by your marvellous affection has always
refreshed us, and we were strengthened in our souls
and the Benedictine editors, are agreed that this letter is
addressed to Pope Damasus.
2 2,6. roughly, the two eastern prefectures of Diocletian
and his successors.
8 2.6. an official visit of a bishop.
49
VOL. 11. E
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

φαιδροτέρᾳ πρὸς βραχὺ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀνερρώσθημεν,

ὡς ἐσομένης ἡμῖν τινὸς ἐπισκέψεως Tap ,ὑμῶν.
ὡς δὲ διημάρτομεν τῆς ἐλπίδος, μηκέτι στέγοντες
ἤλθομεν ἐπὶ τὴν διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἡμῶν
παράκλησιν, διαναστῆναι ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὴν ἀντί-
ληψιν ἡ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀποστεῖλαί τινας τῶν ὁμοψύχων,
ἢ τοὺς συμβιβάξοντας τοὺς διεστῶτας, ἢ εἰς
φιλίαν τὰς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπανάγοντας, ἢ
τοὺς γοῦν αἰτίους τῆς ἀκαταστασίας φανερωτέρους"
ὑμῖν καθιστῶντας" ὥστε καὶ ὑμῖν φανερὸν εἶναι
τοῦ λοιποῦ, πρὸς τίνας ἔχειν τὴν κοινωνίαν
προσῆκε.
Πάντως δὲ οὐδὲν καινὸν 38ἐπιζητοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ
τοῖς τε λοιποῖς τῶν πάλαι μακαρίων καὶ θεοφίλων
ἀνδρῶν σύνηθες, καὶ διαφερόντως ὑμῖν. οἴδαμεν
γὰρ μνήμης ἀκολουθίᾳ, παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν
αἰτηθέντων καὶ ἀπὸ “γραμμάτων τῶν ἔτι καὶ νῦν
πεφυλαγμένων παρ᾽ ἡμῖν, διδασκόμενοι, Διονύσιον
ἐκεῖνον, τὸν μακαριώτατον ἐπίσκοπον, παρ᾽ ὑμῖν
ἐπί τε ὀρθότητι πίστεως καὶ τῇ λοιπῇ ἀρετῇ δια-
πρέψαντα, ἐπισκεπτόμενον διὰ γραμμάτων τὴν
ἡμετέραν ἐκκλησίαν τῶν Καισαρέων, καὶ παρα-
καλοῦντα τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν διὰ γραμμάτων,
καὶ πέμπειν τοὺς ἀπολυτρουμένους ἐκ τῆς αἰχ-
μαλωσίας τὴν ἀδελφότητα. ἐν χαλεπωτέρῳ
1 τοῦ γράμματος] γραμμάτων editi antiqi.
φανερώτερον editi antiqi.
> ἄκαιρον EK, editi antiqi, δεινόν Clarom.

1 i.e bishops of Rome. The Benedictine edition points out

that the kindness of the bishops of Rome, here mentioned
by Basil, is borne out by the evidence both of Dionysius,
5°
 LETTER LXX

for a brief space by the joyful report that we should

receive a visitation from you. But since we have
been cheated of our hope, unable to contain our-
selves longer, we have had recourse to urging you
by this letter to rouse yourself to our assistance, and
te send us men of like mind with us, who will either
reconcile the dissenters, or restore the churches
of God to friendship, or will at least make more
manifest to you those who are responsible for the
confusion. It will thus be clear to you also for
the future, with what men it is proper to have
communion.
And the request we make is by no means a novel
one, but, on the contrary, has been habitual not
- only with all the blessed and God-beloved men of the
past, but also and especially with yourself.! For we
know through a continuous tradition, by the teach-
ing received from our Fathers in answer to our
questions and from letters which even to this day
are preserved among us, that Dionysius,” that most
blessed bishop, who was pre-eminent among you
both for the orthodoxy of his faith and for his
virtue in general, was wont to visit our Church of
Caesarea by letter, and to exhort our fathers by
letter, and to send men to ransom the brethren
from captivity. But our present state of affairs is
bishop of Corinth (cf. Eusebius, Hist. Heed. 4, 23), of Dionysius
of Alexandria (Dionysius to Sixtus II, in Euseb., Hist. Zecd.
7, 5), and of Eusebius himself in his history. The troubles
referred to here took place in the time of Gallienus, when
the Scythians plundered Cappadocia and the neighbouring
countries (cf. Sozomen, Hecl. Hist. 2, 6).
2 A Greek by birth, and consecrated July 22, a.p. 259, on
the death of Sixtus IT, during the persecution of Valerian.
Nothing is recorded of him except his efforts against heresy.
51
E 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

δὲ νῦν καὶ σκυθρωποτέρῳ τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, καὶ

πλείονος δεόμενα τῆς ἐπιμελείας. οὐ γὰρ οἰκοδο-
μημάτων γηΐνων καταστροφήν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκκλησιῶν
ἅλωσιν ὀδυρόμεθα" οὐδὲ δουλείαν σωματικήν,
ἀλλ᾽ αἰχμαλωσίαν ψυχῶν καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν
ἐνεργουμένην παρὰ τῶν ὑπερμαχούντων τῆς
αἱρέσεως καθορῶμεν. ὥστε εἰ μὴ ἤδη διανα-
σταίητε πρὸς τὴν ἀντίληψιν, μικρὸν ὕστερον
οὐδὲ οἷς ὀρέξετε τὴν χεῖρα, εὑρήσετε, πάντων
ὑπὸ τὴν ἐπικράτειαν τῆς αἱρέσεως γενομένων.
/

LXXI
Τρηγορίῳ Βασίλειος 1
KéeEaunv τὰ γράμματα τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας
᾽ /, \ ΄ lal an > / 2

διὰ Tov αἰδεσιμωτάτου ἀδελφοῦ ᾿Ελληνίου" καὶ

ὅσα ἐνέφηνας ἡμῖν, αὐτὸς ταῦτα γυμνῶς διηγή-
σατο. ἀκούσαντες δὲ ὅπως 3 διετέθημεν, οὐκ ἀμφι-
Barres πάντως.
»Ὦ: /
πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἐκρίναμεν
\ 3 ᾽ > \ > /

πάσης λύπης ἀνωτέραν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν πρὸς σὲ

ἀγάπην ἐδεξάμεθα καὶ ταῦτα ὡς ἣν προσῆκον,
1 ΓΤρηγορίῳ ἑταίρῳ alii MSS.
2 τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας] τῆς εὐλαβείας σου editi antiqi.
3 αὐτὸς ταῦτα... ὅπω5] καὶ ταῦτα διηγησαμένου ἀκούσαντες
ὅπως editi antiqi.

1 Written in the year 371. Gregory Nazianzene had

already refused to aid in effecting the election of Basil as
Archbishop of Caesarea. He later refused to support him
in his throne, by refusing to accept any high responsibilities
such as ΕΙΣ τῆς καθέδρας τιμὴν (cf. Greg. Naz., Or. XLIII),
possibly the coadjutorebishopric at Caesarea. Gregory’s
52
 LETTER LXXI

more difficult and more gloomy, and requires greater

solicitude. Indeed, it is not the destruction of
earthly buildings that we mourn, but the seizure of
churches ; nor is it corporeal slavery that we behold,
but the captivity of souls which is being brought
about daily by the champions of the heresy. Accord-
ingly, unless you immediately rouse yourself to our
assistance, you will shortly not even find men to
whom to stretch forth your hand, since all will have
come under the dominion of the heresy.

LETTER LXXI
Basit To Gregory !

I recetvep the letter of your Reverence through

our most reverend brother Hellenius,? who in person
related in plain language what you had intimated
to us. How we were affected in hearing this, you
certainly can be in no doubt. However, since we
have decided to put our love for you above any
grievance, we have received even these communica-
tions in a becoming manner, and we pray the holy

plea was that it was better for Basil’s own sake that there be
no suspicion of favour to personal friends, and he begged to
be excused for staying at Nazianzus. Cf. Greg. Naz., Letter
XLV. The present letter is partly an answer to the letter
from Gregory which announced this stand, partly a plea that
Gregory pay no attention to certain Nazianzene scandal-
mongers who had charged Basil with heterodoxy.
2 Hellenius: a surveyor of customs at Nazianzus, the
confidential friend both of Basil and Gregory Nazianzene.
Besides delivering to Basil the message here referred to, we
find him in 372 conveying a message from the bishops of
Lesser Armenia. Cf. Letter XCVIII.
53
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

καὶ εὐχόμεθα τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ, Tas λειπομένας

ἡμέρας ἢ ὥρας! οὕτω3 διαφυλαχθῆναι ἐν τῇ
περὶ σὲ διαθέσει, ὡς καὶ ἐν τῷ κατόπιν χρόνῳ,
ἐν ᾧ οὐδὲν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς οὔτε μικρὸν οὔτε μεῖζον
ἐλλελοιπόσι συνέγνωμεν.
Ei δὲ ὁ δεῖνα ἄρτι, παρακύψαι φιλοτιμούμενος
πρὸς τὸν βίον τῶν Χριστιανῶν, εἶτα οἰόμενος
αὐτῷ σεμνότητά τινα φέρειν τὸ ἡμῖν συνανατρί-
βεσθαι, ἅ τε οὐκ ἤκουσε κατασκευάζει, καὶ ἃ
μὴ ἐνόησεν ἐξηγεῖται, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. ἀλλ᾽
ἐκεῖνο θαυμαστὸν καὶ παράδοξον, ὅτι τούτων
ἀκροατὰς ἔχει τοὺς γνησιωτάτους μοι τῶν παρ᾽
ὑμῖν ἀδελφῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἀκροατὰς μόνον, ἀλλὰ
καὶ μαθητάς, ὡς ἔοικεν. εἴ ye® καὶ ἄλλως Hv
παράδοξον τοιοῦτον μὲν εἶναι τὸν διδάσκοντα,"
ἐμὲ δὲ τὸν διασυρόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν τῶν καιρῶν
ἡ καταστροφὴ ἐπαίδευσεν ἡμᾶς πρὸς μηδὲν
δυσκολαίνειν. πάλαι γὰρ τὰ τούτων ἀτιμότερα
συνήθη ἡμῖν “γέγονε διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν.
ἐγὼ τοίνυν, εἰ μὲν οὐδέπω τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἀδελφοῖς
δέδωκα πεῖραν τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ περὶ τὸν Θεὸν
αἱρέσεως," οὐδὲ νῦν ἔχω τι ἀποκρίνασθαι" οὗς
γὰρ οὐκ ἔπεισεν ὁ μακρὸς χρόνος, πῶς συμπείσει
ἐπιστολὴ βραχεῖα; εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνα αὐτάρκη, λῆροι
νομιζέσθωσαν τὰ παρὰ τῶν διαβαλλόντων. πλήν
γε ὅτι, ἐὰν ἐπιτρέψωμεν στόμασιν ἀχαλινώτοις
καὶ καρδίαις ἀπαιδεύτοις λαλεῖν περὶ ὧν ἂν
1 ἡμῶν add. Harl. 2 οὕτω om. E. 3 γάρ E.
4 πριούτους δὲ τοὺς avexouevous add. editi antiqi.
5 προαιρέσεως Harl., Vat., et Clarom.

1 Basil avoids mentioning the slanderer by name.

54
 LETTER LXXI

God that for the days or hours that are left to us

we may be preserved in the same disposition toward
you as in the past, during which we have been
conscious of having fallen short in nothing, be it
small or great.
But if the person we have in mind,! aspiring to
peer into the life of the Christians,” and also thinking
that his being associated with us may bring him a
certain degree of prestige, has recently proceeded
to trump up things which he has not heard and to
relate things of which he has gained no knowledge,
there is nothing surprising in that. But the sur-
prising and indeed incredible thing is this—that he
finds as hearers of these slanders the truest to me of
the brethren among you, and not merely as hearers,
but even, it seems, as disciples. Even though, on
general grounds, it was incredible that such a man
as he should be the teacher and I the object of his
disparagement, yet the topsy-turvy condition of the
times has taught us to be vexed at nothing. For
charges more ignominious than these have for a
long time become familiar to us in punishment for
our sins. As for me, therefore, if I have never yet
given this fellow’s brethren a proof of my opinions
regarding God, I certainly have no answer to give
now; for how will a brief letter persuade those
whom a long life has not convinced? But if that
life is in itself sufficient, let that which emanates
from the slanderers be considered mere nonsense.
Yet we must remember that if we suffer unbridled
mouths and uneducated minds to prattle about
2 The intimation is that he cannot really enter into the
brotherhood of Christians, much as he would like to do so,
but can only peer at it.
25
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐθέλωσιν," καὶ ἕτοιμα ἔχωμεν. πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν

τὰ ὦτα, οὐ μόνον. ἡμεῖς τὰ τῶν ἄλλων παρα-
δεξόμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτεροι τὰ ἡμέτερα.
Τούτων δὲ αἴτιον ἐκεῖνο, ὃ πάλαι μὲν παρεκά-
λουν μὴ γίνεσθαι, νῦν δὲ ἀπαγορεύσας σιωπῶ,
τὸ μὴ συντυγχάνειν ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις. εἰ γὰρ κατὰ
τὰς ἀρχαίας συνθήκας, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ὀφειλομέ-
νὴν νῦν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐπιμέλειαν,
τὰ πολλὰ τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων διή-
γομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐδώκαμεν πάροδον τοῖς διαβάλ-
λουσι. σὺ 3 δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τούτους μὲν ἔα χαίρειν,
αὐτὸς δὲ παρακλήθητι συγκάμνειν ἡμῖν εἰς τὸν
προκείμενον ἀγῶνα καὶ συντυχεῖν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν τῷ
καθ᾽ ἡμῶν -στρατευομένῳ. εἰ γὰρ ὀφθῇς μόνον,
ἐφέξεις ὃ αὐτοῦ τὴν ὁρμὴν καὶ τοὺς συγκροτου-
μένους ἐπὶ τῷ καταστρέψασθαι τὰ τῆς πατρίδος
πράγματα διαλύσεις, γνώριμον αὐτοῖς κατα-
στήσας, ὅτι αὐτὸς τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι τοῦ καθ᾽
ἡμᾶς συλλόγου κατάρχεις, καὶ φράξεις πᾶν
ἄδικον στόμα τῶν λαλούντων κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ
ἀνομίαν. ἂν ταῦτα γένηται, αὐτὰ τὰ πράγματα
δείξει, τίς μὲν ὁ κατακολουθῶν σοι ἐπὶ τὰ καλά,
τίς δὲ ὁ μετοκλάζων καὶ προδιδοὺς δειλίᾳ τὸν
λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας. ἐὰν δὲ τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας
προδιδόμενα 7, ὀλίγος ὅ μοι λόγος διὰ ῥημάτων
πείθειν τοὺς τοσούτου pe ® τιθεμένους ἄξιον, ὅσον
ἂν τιμήσωνται ἄνθρωποι οὔπω ἑαυτοὺς ὃ μετρεῖν
δεδιδαγμένοι. μετ᾽ οὐ πολὺ γάρ, τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ
1 θέλωσι E. 2 σοι E, editi antiqi.
3 ὑφέξεις Εἰ. 4 κατάρξεις editi antiqi.
δ οὐδείς ΕἸ. δ σε editi antiqi.
56
 LETTER LXXI

whatever they please, and if we hold our ears ready

to receive, not only shall we receive a false idea of
the affairs of the others, but they will do the same
as to ours.
Now the cause of the present state of affairs is one
which I have long urged you not to permit to arise,
but which I now through very weariness of repe-
tition pass over in silence—the fact that we do not
meet one another. For if we, living up to our old
agreements and to the responsibility which we now
owe to the churches, were in the habit of spending
the greater part of the year together, we should
not have given access to these calumniators, But
do you, if you approve, disregard these men, and of
your own accord be pleased to co-operate with us in
the struggle now at hand and to meet, in company
with us, the enemy who is arrayed against us. For
if you are merely seen, you will stop his attack and
will utterly disperse those who are organizing them-
selves to overthrow their country, by making it
known to them that you yourself by the grace of
God are the leader of our forces, and that you will
close every wicked mouth of such as utter lawlessness
against God. If this is done, the facts themselves
will show who it is that follows you to the goal of
honour, and who it is that shifts hither and thither
and in his cowardice betrays the word of truth.
But if the interests of the Church are once be-
trayed, little need be said by me with the idea of
persuading by words those who estimate my worth
at what men may estimate it who have not yet
learned to measure their own selves. For in no

7 ὅσου E. 8 ἑαυτοῖς Εἰ,

57
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

χάριτι, ἡ διὰ TOV ἔργων ἀπόδειξις τὰς συκοφαν-

τίας ἐλέγξει, dtoTe! προσδοκῶμεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ λόγου
τῆς ἀληθείας τάχα μέν τι καὶ μεῖζον πείσεσθαι"
εἰ δὲ μή, πάντως γε τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ τῶν
πατρίδων ἀπελαθήσεσθαι. ἐὰν δὲ καὶ μηδὲν τῶν
ἐλπιζομένων γένηται, οὐ μακράν ἐστι τὸ τοῦ
Χριστοῦ δικαστήριον. ὥστε, εἰ μὲν τὴν συντυ-
χίανκ διὰ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐπιξητεῖς, ἕτοιμος
ἔ συν-
δραμεῖν ὅπουπερ ἂν προκαλῇ" εἰ δέ, ἵνα τὰς
συκοφαντίας διαλύσω, οὐ σχολή μοι νῦν ἀπο-
κρίνασθαι περὶ τούτων.

LXXII
Ἡσυχίῳ
ida σου καὶ τὴν πρὸς 5 ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην, Kal
Οἱὸ / \ \ \ 3 e al » , \

τὴν περὶ τὰ καλὰ σπουδήν. διόπερ χρήζων

δυσωπῆσαι τὸν ποθεινότατον υἱὸν Καλλισθένην,
ἡγησάμην, εἰ κοινωνόν σε λάβοιμι τῆς φροντίδος,
ῥᾷον κατορθώσειν. τὸ σπουδαζόμενον. λελύπηται
ὁ ἀνὴρ κατὰ τοῦ λογιωτάτου Εὐστοχίου, καὶ
λελύπηται δικαίαν λύπην. ἐγκαλεῖ αὐτοῦ τοῖς
οἰκέταις θράσος κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπόνοιαν. τοῦ-
1 ὅτι E. 2 προσκαλῇ editi antiqi. 3 περί editi antiqi.

1 Perhaps Basil is referring to martyrdom.

2 Basil probably refers here both to Caesarea, the place of
his birth, and the Pontus, the region of his bringing-up.
Cf. Vol. I, p. 48, note 1.
% Written at about the same time as the preceding. On
Hesychius, ef. Letter XLIV.
58
 LETTER LXXII

great while, by the grace of God, the evidence of

our deeds will refute their slanders, because we
expect to suffer very soon some even greater mis-
fortune! for the sake of the doctrine of truth; or,
if not that, then at least certainly to be banished
from the churches and from our countries.2, But even
if none of these things to which we confidently look
forward comes to pass, the judgment of Christ is not
far off. Therefore, if you ask for the conference it
is for the churches’ sake that I am ready to meet
with you wherever you summon me; but if it is in
order that I may refute these calumnies, then at
present I have no leisure to make any reply about
them.

PETEER ἼΣΧ ΧΙ

To Hesycuivs 3

I am fully conscious both of your love for us and

of your zeal for what is honourable. Therefore, since
I am anxious that our most beloved son Callisthenes *
be placated, I have thought that, if I were to take
you as an associate in my design, I should more
easily bring to pass what I so strongly desire. He
has conceived a grievance against the most eloquent
Eustochius, and he has just grounds for his griev-
ance. He accuses the servants of Eustochius of
insolence toward him, aye, and of madness. We
think it proper that he should be exhorted, being

* Callisthenes and Kustochius, mentioned below, were

both laymen of Cappadocia. Nothing is known about them
except such information as may be obtained from the present
and the following letters.
59
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τον ἀξιοῦμεν παρακληθῆναι, ἀρχεσθέντα * τῷ

φόβῳ, ὃν “ἐφόβησεν αὐτούς τε" τοὺς θρασυνο-
μένους καὶ τοὺς τούτων δεσπότας, καταλῦσαι
τὴν φιλονεικίαν, δόντα τὴν χάριν. οὕτω γὰρ
ἀμφότερα ὑπάρξει" καὶ τὸ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις
σεμνόν, καὶ τὸ παρὰ Θεῷ εὐδόκιμον, ἐὰν τῷ φόβῳ
θελήσῃ τὸ μακρόθυμον ᾿ἀναμίξαι. αὐτός τε οὗν,
εἴ tis σοι" προὕὔπάρχει φιλία πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα
καὶ συνήθεια, αἴτησον παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τὴν χάριν
ταύτην" καὶ ovs ἐὰν γνῷς ἐν TH πόλει δυναμένους
αὐτὸν δυσωπῆσαι, κοινωνοὺς λάβε τῆς φροντίδος,
εἰπὼν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι τὸ γινόμενον ἐμοὶ μάλιστα
κεχαρισμένον ἔσται.
Καὶ ἀπόπεμψαι τὸν συνδιάκονον πράξαντα "
ὧν ἕνεκεν ἀπεστάλη. αἰσχύνομαι γάρ, κατα-
φυγόντων πρός με τῶν ἀνθρώπων, μὴ δυνηθῆναι
αὐτοῖς γενέσθαι τι χρήσιμον.

LXXIII
Καλλισθένει
Ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ Θεῷ® τοῖς γράμμασιν ἐν-
τυχὼν τῆς εὐγενείας σου" πρῶτον μέν, ὅτι ἀνδρὸς
τιμᾷν ἡμᾶς προαιρουμένου ἀφίκετό μοι προση-
yopia: καὶ γὰρ πολλοῦ μὲν ἀξίαν τιθέμεθα
τῶν ἀρίστων ἀνδρῶν τὴν συντυχίαν' δεύτερον
δὲ εἰς εὐφροσύνην, τὸ μνήμης ἀγαθῆς τυγχάνειν.
σύμβολον δὲ μνήμης γράμματα, ἅπερ ἐπειδὴ
- ἀρκεσθῆναι παρακληθέντα K, Med. 2 reom. E.
3 ὑπάρχει Harl. 4 σοι om. E.
5 τι add. E, editi antiqi. 6 τῷ ἁγίῳ add. editi antiqi.
60
 LETTER LXXIII

content with the fear which he has instilled into

the insolent servants themselves and into their
masters, to grant them forgiveness and put an end
to the quarrel. For in this way he will obtain two
things—the respect of men and the approval of
God—if he will consent to mingle forbearance with
the fear which he inspires. Do you, then, if you
have any well-established friendship or intimacy
with the man, ask this favour of him; and if you
happen to know those persons in the city who are
able to appease his anger, receive them as associates
in this design, telling them that the doing of this
thing will give me the greatest pleasure.
Send back our deacon, also, but only after he has
accomplished the purpose for which he was sent.
For I am ashamed, when the men in question have
taken refuge with me, that the rendering of some
service to them should prove beyond my powers.

LETTER LXXIII
To CaLuisTHENEs

Wuen I had read the letter of your Nobility, I

gave thanks to God: first, because greetings came
to me from a man who desired to honour us (for we
value highly association with the best men), and
secondly, because of the pleasure I received from
such kind remembrance. A letter, indeed, is a
token of remembrance, and when I received yours
1 Of the same date as the preceding and on the same
subject. On Callisthenes, cf. the previous letter, note 2.

7 μέν om. E.
61
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐδεξάμην καὶ κατέμαθον τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς νοῦν,

ἐθαύμασα ὅπως τῷ ὄντι κατὰ τὴν πάντων ὑπό-
ληψιν πατρικὴν * ἀπένειμε 3 τὴν αἰδῶ. τὸ γὰρ
φλεγμαίνοντα καὶ ὠργισμένον καὶ ὁρμήσαντα
πρὸς τὴν τῶν λελυπηκότων ἄμυναν, παραλῦσαι
μὲν τὸ πολὺ τῆς σφοδρότητος, ἡμᾶς δὲ τοῦ
πράγματος κυρίους ποιήσασθαι, ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν
εὐφρανθῆναι ὡς 3 ἐπὶ τέκνῳ πνευματικῷ. ἀντὶ
οὗν τούτων τί ἄλλο λειπόμενόν ἐστιν ἢ εὔχεσθαί
σοι τὰ ἀγαθώ; φίλοις μέν σε ἥδιστον εἶναι,
ἐχθροῖς δὲ φοβερόν, πᾶσι δὲ ὁμοίως αἰδέσιμον,
ἵνα καὶ οἱ τῶν προσηκόντων τι ἐλλελουπότες,
αἴσθησιν λαβόντες τῆς ἐν σοὶ πραότητος, ἑαυτῶν
καθάψωνται, ὅτι εἰς τοιοῦτόν σε ὄντα ἐξή-
μαρτον.
Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ὃ προσέταξας τοὺς οἰκέτας ἐπὶ τὸν
τόπον ἐν ᾧ τὴν ἀταξίαν ἐπεδείξαντο διαχθῆναι,"
ἀξιῶ τὸν σκοπὸν μαθεῖν, καθ᾽ ὃν ἐπιζητεῖ τοῦτο
ἡ χρηστότης σου. εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς παρέσῃ καὶ
αὐτὸς εἰσπράξη * τῶν τετολμημένων τὴν δίκην,
παρέσονται μὲν οἱ παῖδες. τί γὰρ ἄλλο δεῖ
γενέσθαι, εἰ τοῦτό σοι κέκριται; πλὴν ἀλλ᾽
ἡμεῖς οὐκ οἴδαμεν ποίαν ἔτι χάριν εἰληφότες
ἐσόμεθα, ἐάν περ μὴ ἐξαρκέσωμεν ὃ ἐξελέσθαι
τοὺς παῖδας τῆς τιμωρίας. εἰ δὲ αὐτόν σε ἡ
ἐπὶ τῆς λεωφόρου ἀσχολία καθέξει, τίς ὁ ὑποδε-
χόμενος ἐκεῖ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ; τίς δὲ ὁ μέλλων
αὐτοὺς ἀντὶ σοῦ ἀμύνεσθαι; ἀλλ᾽ εἰ δοκεῖ σοι
1 ἡμῖν add. Τὴ, editi antiqi. 2 ἀπένειμες editi antiqi.
3 ὡς om. EK. 4 τοσοῦτόν editi antiqi.
5 δέ editi antiqi. ὁ διαδεχθῆναι KH,
? εἰσπράξεις editi antiqi. 8. ἐξαρκέσομεν editi antiqi.
62
 LETTER LXXIII

and learned its purport, I marvelled that the respect

you accorded to me was in very truth, according to
the conception which all men have, that of a son to
a father. For the fact that a man who is blazing
with indignation and eager to take vengeance on
those who have injured him, should abandon for the
most part the vehemence of his emotions, and give
us full authority in the matter, afforded us such cause
for rejoicing as though it were in a spiritual son. In
return for this, therefore, what else is left than to
invoke blessings upon you—that you may be most
pleasing to your friends, formidable to your enemies,
and respected by all alike—in order that those who
have at all failed in their duties towards you, per-
ceiving the forbearance of your character, may blame
themselves for having wronged so admirable a man
as yourself ?
Since, therefore, you have given orders that the
slaves be taken to the place in which they exhibited
their rebellious attitude, I feel that I must learn
the object for which your Excellency demands this.
For if you are to be there in person and in person
to exact the penalty for their audacious deeds, the
slaves will indeed be there (for what other course is
possible, if this is your decision 9), yet as for ourselves,
on the other hand, we do not perceive what extra
favour we shall have received if our influence does
not suffice to secure for the slaves a remission of their
punishment. But if you yourself shall be detained
by the demands upon your time during the journey,
who is to receive the men at the designated place,
and who is to punish them in your stead? But
if it is your wish that they be brought into your
presence and this is your absolute decision, then give
63
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐλθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς ὄψιν καὶ τοῦτο πάντως κέκριται,

μέχρι Lacipov κέλευσον γενέσθαι αὐτῶν τὴν
παράστασιν, καὶ αὐτοῦ δεῖξον σεαυτοῦ τὸ πρᾶον
τοῦ ἤθους καὶ μεγαλόθυμον. λαβὼν γὰρ ὑπο-
χειρίους τοὺς παροξύναντας, καὶ ἐν τούτῳ τὸ
εὐκαταφρόνητον τῆς σεαυτοῦ 5 ἀξίας ἐπιδειξά-
μενος, ἄφες αὐτοὺς ἀβλαβεῖς, ὡς ἐν τοῖς προτέροις
γράμμασι παρεκαλέσαμεν, ἡμῖν μὲν διδοὺς τὴν
χάριν, παρὰ δὲ Θεοῦ τὴν ἐφ᾽ οἷς ποιεῖς ἀντίδοσιν
ἐκδεχόμενος.
Καὶ ταῦτα λέγω, οὐχ ὡς οὕτως ὀφείλοντος
τελεσθῆναι τοῦ πράγματος, ἀλλὰ συνενδιδοὺς TH
ὁρμῇ σου, καὶ φοβούμενος μή τι ὑπολείπηται3
ἄπεπτον τοῦ θυμοῦ, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν φλεγμαι-
νόντων ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ τὰ ἁπαλώτατα τῶν Bon-
θημάτων ὀδυνηρὰ φαίνεται, οὕτω καὶ νῦν ὁ
ἡμέτερος λόγος ἐξαγριάνῃ σε μᾶλλον ἢ κατα-
στείλῃ. ἐπεὶ τὸ εὐπρεπέστατον ἦν, καὶ σοὶ
μέγιστον κόσμον ἐνεγκεῖν δυνάμενον καὶ ἐμοὶ
ἀρκοῦν πρὸς τοὺς ἐμαυτοῦ φίλους καὶ ἡλικιώτας
εἰς σεμνολόγημα, τὸ ἡμῖν ἐπιτραπῆναι τὴν
ἐκδίκησιν. πάντως δὲ εἰ καὶ ὀμώμοσται σοὶ
δοῦναι αὐτοὺς 4 εἰς τιμωρίαν κατὰ τοὺς νόμους,
οὔτε ἡ Tap ἡμῶν ἐπιτίμησις ἐλάττων ἐστὶν εἰς
ἐκδίκησιν, οὔτε ὁ θεῖος νόμος ἀτιμότερος τῶν
ἐμπολιτευομένων τῷ βίῳ νομίμων.
᾿Αλλ᾽ ἦν δυνατὸν αὐτούς, ἐνταῦθα ἐπιστρα-
φέντας τοῖς ἡμετέροις νομίμοις, ἐν οἷς καὶ αὐτὸς
τὴν ἐλπίδα ἔχεις τῆς σωτηρίας, καὶ σὲ τῆς ἐπὶ
τῷ ὅρκῳ ἀνάγκης ἐλευθερῶσαι, καὶ αὐτοὺς
1 ἀκαταφρόνητον EB, 2 σῆς editi antiqi.
3 ὑἑπολίπηται EK. 4 αὐτοῖς E. 5 eisom. EK,
64
 LETTER LXXIII

orders that their appearance take place no farther

away than Sasima, and there show the gentleness
and magnanimity of your character. For having
once taken into your power those who have angered
you, and having by that act clearly indicated that
your dignity is not to be made the object of con-
tempt, send them away unharmed, as we besought
you in our previous letter, to us granting that favour,
but at God’s hands awaiting the recompense for
your deeds.
I say these things, moreover, not because I think
the incident ought to be closed in this way, but
by way of conceding something to your impetuous
spirit, and because 1 am afraid that some part of your
anger may remain undigested, and that just as, in
the case of inflammation of the eyes, even the
mildest remedies seem painful, so now our words
may arouse your fury instead of calming it. For
the fact is that the most befitting solution—the one
which is capable of bringing you the greatest credit
and is sufficient to enhance the dignity of my stand-
ing with my friends and contemporaries—would have
been to entrust the punishment into our hands,
And certainly, even if you have bound yourself by
oath to give them over to the vengeance of the laws,
a stern reprimand by us is no less effective in
vindicating justice, nor is God’s law held in slighter
honour than the civil usages which play a part in the
lives of men.
Nay, it would have been possible for them to
be converted here in this place through the usages
of our Church, in which you yourself have your
hope of salvation, and thus to set you free from the
obligation of your oath, and at the same time
65
VOL. II, F
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

σύμμετρον τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις ἐκπληρῶσαι τὴν

ίκην. ᾿
᾿Αλλὰ πάλιν μακρὰν ποιῶ τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
ὑπὸ γὰρ τοῦ σφόδρα σπουδάζειν πιθανός σοι
γενέσθαι, οὐδὲν τῶν εἰς διάνοιαν ἐρχομένων
ἀποσιωπῆσαι ἀνέχομαι, φοβούμενος μὴ παρὰ
τοῦτο ἄπρακτός μοι ἡ αἴτησις γένηται, ἐλλιπῶς
μου τὴν διδασκαλίαν ποιησαμένου. ἀλλ᾽, ὦ
τιμιώτατον καὶ γνήσιον θρέμμα τῆς ᾿Εκκλησίας,
βεβαίωσον καὶ ἐμοὶ τὰς ἐλπίδας, ἃς ἔχω νῦν
ἐπὶ σοὶ καὶ τὰς πάντων συμφώνως περὶ τῆς
ons ἐμμελείας καὶ πραότητος μαρτυρίας, καὶ
ἐπίστειλον τῷ στρατιώτῃ ἀπαλλαγῆναι ἡμῶν ἐν
τάχει, ὃς νῦν γε οὐδὲν ἐπαχθείας οὐδὲ ὕβρεως
ἐλλέλοιπε, μᾶλλον αἱρούμενος σε μὴ λυπῆσαι ἢ
πάντας ἡμᾶς οἰκείους ἔχειν καὶ φίλους.
LXXIV
Μαρτινιανῷ
μὲ τί οἴει πόσου ποτ᾽ ἂν τιμήσασθαι τὸ
Ἦ \ , Μ , ᾽ a / θ \

εἰς ταὐτὸν ποθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις ἐλθεῖν καὶ ἐπὶ >

1 Of the year 371, and addressed to Martinianus, a personal

friend of Basil but otherwise unknown. There seems no
good reason for calling Martinianus an official of Cappadocia,
as Mr. B. Jackson does. On the other hand, the profusion of
literary allusions in the letter, and the compliments to the
knowledge of history and of mankind that Martinianus
possessed, suggest that he was a philosopher or man of letters,
Cf. W. M. Ramsay, Basil of Caesareia, Expositor, 5 Series,
Vol. III (1896), 54.
The policy of the Byzantine government had been uniformly
directed to subdividing the great provinces with a view to
diminishing the power of the provincial governors. Cappa-
docia was to be thus divided in 371 by the Emperor Valens,
resolved on this step probably by his enmity towards the
“orthodox” bishop. In any case, this subdivision would
naturally have been made sooner or later by an ‘‘ orthodox ”
66
 LETTER LXXIV

themselves to pay the penalty commensurate with

their crimes.
But again I am making my letter long. For
since I am exceedingly anxious to convince you, I
cannot allow myself to pass over in silence any of
the ideas that come into my mind, fearing lest other-
wise my request may prove unsuccessful,—if I fail to
furnish an adequate presentation of the case. But,
most honoured and true son of* the Church, confirm
both the hopes which I now have in you and the
unanimous testimony of all to your moderation and
gentleness, and command to depart from us at once
the soldier, who up to now has omitted nothing in
the way of annoyance and insolence, since he chooses
rather to avoid offending you than to have us all as
his devoted friends.

ΕΒ ΣΤΥ
To Martinianus }
How highly, think you, would I for my part
prize the privilege of our some day meeting one
bishop, solely as a political policy ; and as a matter of fact
Cappadocia was later divided into three parts by Justinian.
Valens’ hatred for Basil, however, was exhibited by his
leaving the smaller part of Cappadocia to the metropolis,
Caesarea, and making the new province of Second Cappa-
docia decidedly larger. Caesarea was seriously affected by
this change, and shrank to less than half its former size.
Basil exerted himself to the utmost in its behalf, but the
three letters (the present and two following) which he wrote
entreating the intercession of certain influential persons with
Valens in favour of Caesarea, are among the poorest in the
collection. They are inflated and exaggerated in their de-
scription of the loss that would result to Caesarea, and show
no appreciation of the causes that recommend the subdivision.
The true greatness of Basil, however, appeared immediately
afterwards, when Valens came to Caesarea.
67
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

πλεῖον σοὶ συγγενέσθαι, ὥστε πάντων ἀπολαῦσαι

τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν ; καὶ γὰρ εἰ μέγα πρὸς μαρ-
τυρίαν παιδεύσεως τὸ πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων ἰδεῖν
ἄστεα, καὶ νόον γνῶναι, τοῦτο οἶμαι δι’ ὀλίγου
χαρίζεσθαι τὴν σὴν ὁμιλίαν. τί γὰρ διαφέρει
πολλοὺς ἰδεῖν κατὰ μέρος, ἢ ἕνα τὸν πάντων
ὁμοῦ τὴν πεῖραν ἀναδεξάμενον ; μᾶλλον δὲ ἐγὼ
καὶ πλεῖστον ἂν ἔχειν εἴποιμι τὸ διάφορον, ὅσα
ἀταλαίπωρον τὴν γνῶσιν τῶν καλῶν προξενεῖ,
καὶ καθαρὰν τῆς πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον ἐπιμιξίας συνά-
yet τὴν ἱστορίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς. εἴτε γὰρ πρᾶξις
ἀρίστη, εἴτε λόγος μνήμης ἄξιος, εἴτε πολιτεῖαι 3
ἀνδρῶν ὑπερπεφυκότων τοὺς ἄλλους, πάντα τῷ
σῷ ταμιείῳ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐναπόκειται. ὥστε οὐκ
εἰς ἐνιαυτὸν μόνον, ὡς ὁ ᾿Αλκίνοος ® τοῦ ᾽Οδυσ-
σέως, GAN εἰς πάντα μου τὸν βίον εὐξαίμην ἄν
σου ἀκούειν, καὶ μακρὸν ἄν μοι γενέσθαι τούτου
γε ἕνεκα τοῦτον, καὶ ταῦτα δυσκόλως πρὸς αὐτὸν
διακείμενος. τί δήποτ᾽ οὖν ἐπιστέλλω νῦν,
παρεῖναι δέον; ὅτι μεῖ κάμνουσα ἡ πατρὶς
ἐπείγει πρὸς ἑαυτήν. οἷα γὰρ πέπονθεν, οὐκ
ἀγνοεῖς, ὦ ἄριστε ὅτι Ἰ]ενθέως τρόπον Μαινάδες
ὄντως τινές, δαίμονες, αὐτὴν διεσπᾶσαντο.
διαιροῦσι γὰρ αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπιδιαιροῦσιν: ὥσπερ
1 τῶν editi antiqi. 2 πολιτεῖα I.
3 »Αλκίνους ΕἸ, editi antiqi. 4 κἀμέ HK, MSS. Med.
5 Perhaps a marginal gloss.

1 Cf. Odyssey, I. 3 ff.: πολλῶν δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων ἴδεν ἄστεα καὶ νόον

ἔγνω, | πολλὰ δ᾽ ὅ γ᾽ ἐν πόντῳ πάθεν ἄλγεα ὃν κατὰ θυμόν, etc,
ΚΜ δὴν were the men whose cities he saw and whose mind
he learned, aye, and many the woes he suffered in his heart
upon the sea, seeking to win his own life and the return of
68
 LETTER LXXIV

another and of having for myself a longer association

with you, so as to enjoy all the noble qualities that
are yours? For if it is important as a proof of
education “to have seen the cities of many men
and to have learned their minds,” 1! this boon is, I
think, conferred in a short time by converse with
you. For what superiority is there in seeing many
men one by one over seeing one single person who
has taken to himself the experience of all mankind ?
Nay, rather should I say that there is the greatest
superiority in whatever provides without hardship
an acquaintance with what is noble, and brings
together, unsullied by any admixture of evil, the
entire record of virtue. For whether it be a noble
deed, or a saying worthy of remembrance, or the
polities of men who have surpassed all their fellows
in natural endowments, all these things are stored
away in the treasure-house of your soul. Therefore
not merely for a year, like Alcinous listening to
Odysseus,” but for my whole life I should pray that
I might listen to you, and that my life might be
prolonged on that account at least, even though
I am discontented with it. Why in the world, for
instance, am I now writing, when I ought to be
with you? It is because my afflicted country urges
me to hurry to succour her. For you are not unaware,
my good friend, of what she has suffered—that like
Pentheus she has been torn asunder by veritable
Maenads, demons in fact. They are dividing her,
and again dividing her, just as incompetent physicians

his comrades.” Cf. also the imitation of Horace in De

Arte Poetica, 142: Qui mores hominum multorum vidit et
urbes.
2 Cf. Odyssey, Bks. 7, 8, 9.
69
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

οἱ e κακοὶ \ τῶνa ἰατρῶν,

bd a
χαλεπώτερα
,
τὰ\ ἕλκη
μὰ

ποιοῦντες τῇ Tap ἑαυτῶν ἀπειρίᾳ. ἐπεὶ οὖν

lal nn ᾿] ΄ lal , \

κέκμηκε κατατεμνομένη, λείπεται αὐτὴν θερα- \

πεύειν, ὡς ἀρρωστοῦσαν. ἐπέστειλαν οὖν

nr ἐξ

ἐπείγοντες ἡμᾶς οἱ πολῖται" καὶ ἀνάγκη ἀπαντᾷν,

οὐχ ὥς τι ὄφελος ἐσομένους τοῖς πράγμασιν,
¢i / “-“

ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀπολείψεως μέμψιν ἐκκλίνοντας.

\ an

οἶσθα yap, ὡς εὔκολοι μὲν ἐλπίσαι οἱ ἀμηχα-

3 e /

νοῦντες, εὔκολοι δέ που καὶ καταμέμψασθαι,

ἐπὶ τὸ παρεθὲν ἀεὶ τρέποντες τὰς αἰτίας.
Καίτοι ἔγωγε καὶ αὐτοῦ τούτου ἕνεκεν ἐδεόμην
/ fol

σοι συνελθεῖν καὶ δοῦναι γνώμην" μᾶλλον δὲ παρα-

καλέσαι ἐνθυμηθῆναί τι νεανικὸν καὶ πρέπον τῷ
σεαυτοῦ φρονήματι, καὶ εἰς γόνυ κλιθεῖσαν τὴν
πατρίδα ἡμῶν μὴ περιιδεῖν, ἀλλὰ καταλαβόντα
’ e lal \ a 2 Ν “4

TO στρατόπεδον εἰπεῖν μετὰ παρρησίας τῆς σῆς

\ / r fol lol

μήτοι νομίζειν αὐτοὺς δύο κεκτῆσθαι ἀντὶ μιᾶς

/ \ a n

ἐπαρχίας. ov yap ἐξ ἄλλης τινὸς οἰκουμένης

\ /

ἐπεισήγαγον τὴν ETEPAV,” ἀλλὰ παραπλησίιον TL

2 / \ € / 2 ’ \ / ,

πεποιήκασιν, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ἵππον ἢ βοῦν

vA Ἃ

κεκτημένος, εἶτα διχῆ διελὼν δύο νομίζοι ἔχειν

/ ἊΨ fol \ / / ”

ἑνὸς ἄντι" 3 οὔτε yap δύο ἐποίησε, καὶ Tov ἕνα

\ / \ \

διέφθειρεν" εἰπεῖν δὲ καὶ τοῖς παραδυναστεύουσι,

μὴ τοῦτον αὔξειν τὸν τρόπον THY βασιλείαν, οὐ
fal \ / la

\ bs ’ lal eg \ / > ’ » a
yap ἐν ἀριθμῷ εἶναι τὴν δύναμιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς
πράγμασιν" ἐπεὶ νῦν γε ἡγούμεθα τοὺς μὲν ἀγνοίᾳ
“ \ » te

τῆς ἀληθείας ἴσως, τοὺς δὲ TH μὴ βούλεσθαι

fol > 4 ” \ \ lal \ /

1), οὖν K. 2 ἡμέραν EK. 3 ἀντὶ ἑνός E.

7°
 LETTER LXXIV

who make wounds worse because of their own in-

experience. Therefore, since she has become ill
under such dissection, the task remains to heal her
as a patient weakened by sickness. Accordingly
our fellow-citizens have written urging us to hasten
to them, and we must answer the summons, not
with the thought that we shall be of any help to
them in their difficulties, but in order to avoid the
censure that would be occasioned by our failing them.
For you know how prone to hope are those who are in
distress, but prone, methinks, also to find fault, ever
directing their charges against what has been left
undone.
And yet for this very reason I wanted to meet
you and express my mind to you; or rather to beg
you to devise some vigorous measure, worthy of
your wisdom, and not to ignore our country when
she has fallen to her knees, but going to the court
to bid them with your characteristic frankness to
give up the notion that they possess two provinces
instead of one. For not from some other portion of
the earth have they brought in the second province,
but what they have done is about the same as if a
man, possessing a horse or an ox, should divide it into
two parts, and then consider that he had two animals
instead of one he had. For he has not created two
and he has destroyed the one. I wanted to urge you
also to tell those in authority not to try to increase
their kingdom in this fashion, for power consists,
not in numbers, but in actual things. And they
should be told, since we are of the opinion that they
now—some perhaps through ignorance of the truth,
others through their unwillingness to give offence
by their words, and others still through their un-
7Ὲ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

λυπεῖν τοῖς ῥήμασι, τοὺς | δὲ Kal οὐ μέλον αὐτοῖς,

περιορᾷν τὰ γινόμενα. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἣν 5 δυνατὸν
αὐτὸν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς βασιλέα, τοῦτο κράτιστον μὲν
τοῖς πράγμασι, πρέπον δέ σου τῇ καλῇ 5 τοῦ βίου
προαιρέσει. εἰ δὲ βαρὺ ἄλλως καὶ διὰ τὴν ὥραν
τοῦ ἔτους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, ὡς αὐτὸς ἔφης,
σύντροφον ἔχουσαν ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὸν ὄκνον, ἀλλὰ τό
γε ἐπιστεῖλαι πόνος οὐδείς. ὥστε, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν
γραμμάτων βοήθειαν χαριζόμενος ὅ τῇ πατρῖΐδι,
πρῶτον μὲν σαυτῷ συνειδήσεις μηδὲν τῶν εἰς
δύναμιν ἡκόντων ἐλλελοιπότι, ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ
τοῖς κάμνουσιν, αὐτῷ τῷ φαίνεσθαι συναλγῶν,
ἀρκοῦσαν δώσεις παραμυθίαν. ἀλλ᾽ εἴθε γὰρ ἣν ὃ
οἷόν τε, αὐτὸν ἐπιστάντα τοῖς πράγμασιν, ὄψει
λαβεῖν αὐτὰ τὰ σκυθρωπά. οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἴσως,
ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς τῆς ἐναργείας ἴ τῶν ὁρωμένων συγκι-
νηθείς, ἀφῆκάς τινα φωνὴν πρέπουσαν καὶ τῇ σῇ
μεγαλονοίᾳ καὶ τῇ κατηφείᾳ τῆς πόλεως. σὺ δὲ
ἀλλ᾽ ἡμῖν διηγουμένοις μὴ ἀπιστήσῃς. ἢ) ὅτι Σι-
μωνίδου ὄντως ἤ τινος τοιούτου μελοποιοῦ ἐδεό-
μεθα, ἐναργῶς εἰδότος ἐπιστενάζειν τοῖς πάθεσι;
καίτοι τί A€yw Σιμωνίδην ; δέον Αἰσχύλον εἰπεῖν,
ἢ εἰ δή τις ἕτερος, παραπλησίως ἐκείνῳ συμ-
φορᾶς μέγεθος ἐναργῶς διαθέμενος, μεγαλοφώνως
ὠδύρατο.
1 τοῖς KE. 2 ἣν om, E. 5 ὅλη editi antiqi.
4 τό γε] τότε editi antiqi. 5 χαρισάμενος editi antiqi.
6 ἣν om. E. 7 ἐνεργείας KE,
72
 LETTER LXXIV

concern for such matters—are permitting these

things to happen. Now if it were possible for you
to go to the Emperor himself, this would be the
best thing in the circumstances, and would be in
keeping with your noble course of life. But if it
is difficult on general grounds and because of the
season of the year and your age, which, as you
yourself have said, is subject to an_ indwelling
slothfulness, still there is no labour in writing a
letter at least. Accordingly, if you do your country
the service of helping her by letter, you will, in the
first place, have the consciousness of not having
failed her in anything within your power, and, in
the second place, you will be giving, by the very
fact that you show sympathy, sufficient consolation
to those who are afflicted. But would that it had
been possible for you to be present on the scene
in person, and to see with your own eyes the
melancholy sight as it is. For thus, perhaps, stirred
by the very vividness of what you had seen, you
would have sent forth a ery of protest befitting both
your magnanimity and the sorrow of the city. Never-
theless, when we tell you the facts, do not refuse to
believe us. Or is it that we had need of a Simonides !
in very truth, or a poet of his powers, with skill to
bewail in impressive language great disasters? Yet
why do I say Simonides? I should have said
Aeschylus,? or someone else who, setting forth im-
pressively as he did a mighty disaster, with mighty
voice made lamentation.

1 Basil is probably thinking of Simonides’ lament on those

who died at Thermopylae.
? Basil probably has in mind Aeschylus’ ‘‘Seven Against
Thebes” and the Orestean trilogy.
73
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Σύλλογοι μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ λόγοι, ail κατ᾽

ἀγορὰν συντυχίαι τῶν ἐλλογίμων ἀνδρῶν, καὶ ὅσα
πρότερον ἐποίει τὴν ἡμετέραν ὀνομαστὴν πόλιν 3
ἡμᾶς ἐπιλελοίπασιν: ὥστε τῶν περὶ παιδείαν καὶ
λόγους ἧττον ἂν φανείη νῦν τις ἐμβαλὼν τῇ
ἀγορᾷ ἢ ᾿Αθήνησι πρότερον οἱ ἀτιμίαν κατεγνωσ-
μένοι, ἢ 3 τὰς χεῖρας ὄντες μὴ 4 καθαροί. ἀντει-
σῆκται δὲ τούτοις Σκυθῶν τινῶν ἢ Μασσαγετῶν
ἀμουσία: μία δὲ φωνὴ ἀπαιτούντων καὶ ἀπαιτου-
μένων καὶ ἕξαινομένων ταῖς μάστιξι. στοαὶ δ᾽
ἑκατέρωθεν σκυθρωπὸν ἐπηχοῦσαιδ᾽ οἷον οἰκείαν
δοκοῦσιν ἀφιέναι φωνὴν τοῖς γινομένοις eT
νάξουσαι. γυμνάσια, δὲ κεκλεισμένα καὶ νύκτας ὁ
ee οὐκ ἐᾷ ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν λογίξεσθαι ἡ περὶ
τοῦ ἕῇν ἀγωνία. κίνδυνος γὰρ οὐχ ὁ τυχών, τῶν
κρατούντων ὑφαιρεθέντων, ὥσπερ
ὥ ἐρείσμασι ὃ πε-
σοῦσι συγκατενεχθῆναι τὰ πάντα. καὶ τίς ἂν
λόγος τῶν κακῶν τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐφίκοιτο ;7 ae μὲν
οἴχονται φεύγοντες, μέρος τῆς βουλῆς ἡμῶν, οὐ
τὸ φαυλότατον, τὴν ἀειφυγίαν Ἰ]Ποδανδοῦ 3 προτι-
μήσαντες. ὅταν δὲ Ποδανδὸν εἴπω, τὸν Κεάδαν
με οἴου λέγειν τὸν Λακωνικόν, ἢ εἴ που1" τῆς
οἰκουμένης εἶδες βάραθρον αὐτοφυές, ἃ δὴ καὶ
Χαρώνειά τισι προσαγορεύειν αὐτομάτως ἐπῆλθεν,
ἀέρα νοσοποιὸν1"!ἀναπνέοντα. τοιούτῳ τινὶ ἐοικὸς
1 re add. E. 3 πάλαι H, editi antiqi.
3 4) of (καί ante of in marg. m. recen.) ΕἸ. 4 οὐ E.
5 ἀπηχοῦσαι Med. δ νύκτες editi antiqi.
7 τό editi antiqi. 8 ἐρείσματι EK. ® Ππροδανδοῦ E.
10 εἴ που) ὕπου EH. 11 φθοροποιόν editi antiqi.

1 Modern Podando, in southern Cappadocia. Established

by Valens as the capital of the new division of the province.
74
 LETTER LXXIV

For the gatherings of old, the orations, the con-

versations of learned men in the market-place, and
all that formerly made our city famous, have left us;
in consequence there is now less likelihood of a
learned or eloquent man’s entering our Forum than
that in former days at Athens men would appear in
public who had been convicted of dishonour or were
impure of hand. Instead of such men the unre-
finement of Scythians or Massagete tribes has come
in; we hear but one sound—the voices of men
dunning and being dunned, of men lacerated with
whips. The porticoes resounding on either side
with melancholy echoes seem, as it were, to give
forth a voice of their own as they lament over what
is being done. As for our closed gymnasia and
lampless nights, we cannot take thought of them at
all because of our struggle to keep alive. For the
danger is not slight that, since those in authority
have been removed, the whole edifice will collapse,
as it were, together with the falling of its props.
What words, indeed, could match our misfortunes?
Some have gone into exile, a part of our Council, and
that not the most ignoble, preferring exile for life
to Podandus.1 But when I say Podandus, imagine
that I say Laconian Ceades,? or any other pit made
by nature which you may have seen anywhere in
the world, such places as men have been led to
designate instinctively as Charonian, since they
exhale a deadly vapour. Like some such place
as these I would have you consider this accursed

2 The name given by the Spartans to the pit into which

condemned criminals were thrown; cf. Pausanias, 4, 18, 4;
Thucydides, 1, 134; Strabo, 8, 367.

us
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

νόμισον καὶ τὸ Llodavd00 κακόν' τριῶν τοίνυν μοι-

ρῶν, οἱ μὲν φεύγουσιν αὐταῖς γυναιξὶ καὶ ἑστίαις
ἀπαναστάντες" οἱ δὲ ἀπάγονται ὥσπερ αἰχμάχω-
τοι, οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἄριστοι, ἐλεεινὸν
φίλοις θέαμα, ἐχθροῖς δὲ εὐχὴν ἐκπληροῦντες, εἰ
δή τις γέγονεν ὅλως τοσοῦτον ἡμῖν ἐπαρασάμενος.
τριτάτη δέ που μοῖρα λέλειπται" οὗτοι δέ, τήν τε
ἀπόλειψιν τῶν συνήθων οὐ φέροντες, καὶ ἅμα
τῆς χρείας ἀτονώτεροι5 ἀπελεγχόμενοι, πρὸς
αὐτὸ τὸ ζῆν ἀπειρήκασι.
Ταῦτά σε φανερὰ ποιῆσαι πᾶσι παρακαλοῦμεν
τῇ σεαυτοῦ φωνῇ καὶ τῇ σεαυτοῦ παρρησίᾳ τῇ
δικαίᾳ, ἣν ἔχεις ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου, ἐκεῖνο σαφῶς
προειπόντα, ὅτι, ἐὰν μὴ ταχὺ μεταβουλεύσωνται,
οὐδ᾽ ἕξουσιν εἰς ods τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν ἐνδείξονται.3
ἢ γὰρ γενήσῃ τι ὄφελος τοῖς κοινοῖς, ἢ τό γε τοῦ
Σόλωνος πεποιηκὼς ἔσῃ, ὃς τοῖς ἀπολειφθεῖσι τῶν
πολιτῶν ἀμύνειν ὁ οὐκ ἔχων, τῆς ἀκροπόλεως ἤδη
κατεχομένης, τὰ ὅπλα ἐνδὺς πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν ὅ
ἐκαθέζετο, εὔδηλος ὧν τῷ σχήματι τοῖς γινομένους
οὐ συντιθέμενος. ἐκεῖνο δ᾽ ἀκριβῶς οἶδα, ὅτι, καὶ
εἴ τίς σου νῦν τὴν γνώμην μὴ ἀποδέχοιτο, μικρὸν
ὕστερόν σοι εὐνοίας τε ὁμοῦ καὶ συνέσεως τὴν
μεγίστην! δόξαν προσθήσει ὅταν ἴδη τὰ πράγ-
ματα κατὰ τὴν πρόρρησιν ἀπαντήσαντα.
συνοίκων Med. Harl. 2 ἀπονώτερον Hi,
ἐνδείξωνται editi antiqi.
μὰ
ὦ.
~
τῆς ἐλευθερίας add. editi antiqi.
πυλῶν EK. ὁ σοι om, H, editi antiqi.
ai
>
μεγάλην ΕἸ.
76
 LETTER LXXIV

Podandus. Well then, of the three sections of our

city, some are going into exile, departing with their
wives and hearths; some are being led away as
captives, the majority of the best citizens of the
state, a miserable spectacle to their friends, but thus
fulfilling their enemies’ prayers, if indeed any enemy
that ever lived has called down so terrible a curse
upon us. About a third part of the citizens is still
left here; and these, because they cannot endure
the separation from their old acquaintances, and
being at the same time too weak to cope with the
necessities of their situation, despair of life itself.
We exhort you to make these circumstances known
to all with that voice of yours and with that righteous
boldness of speech which your condition of life con-
fers upon you, proclaiming this fact clearly—that
unless they quickly change their policies, they will
not have any to whom they may show their
benevolence. For you will either be of some as-
sistance to the commonweal, or you will do as
Solon?! did, who, being unable, when the Acropolis
already had been captured, to protect his fellow-
citizens who were left behind, put on his armour
and sat before the gates, making it clear by his
attitude that he was not a party to the things being
done. Moreover, I am absolutely certain of this,
that, even though there may be one who will not
now accept your decision in the matter, yet in a
short time he will assign to you the greatest renown
for both benevolence and wisdom, when he sees
events turning out in accordance with your pre-
dictions.
1 This story is related in Plutarch, Solon, 30, and Diogenes
Laertius, 1, 49.
77
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXXV
᾿Αβουργίῳ 1
Πολλῶν ὄντων ἃ τὸ σὸν ἦθος ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἄλλους
εἶναι πεποίηκεν, οὐδὲν οὕτως ἴδιόν ἐστι σὸν ὡς ἡ
περὶ τὴν πατρίδα σπουδή, δικαίας αὐτῇ ἀποδι-
δόντος σου τὰς ἀμοιβάς, ἐξ 7)
ἧς “ὁρμηθεὶς τοσοῦτος
ἐγένου, ὥστε διὰ πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης γνώριμον
εἶναί σου τὴν “περιφάνειαν. αὕτη τοίνυν ἡ πατρίς,
ἡ σὲ ἐνεγκοῦσα καὶ θρεψαμένη, εἰς τὴν τῶν
παλαιῶν διηγημάτων ἀπιστίαν περιελήλυθε""
καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις ἐπιστὰς ἡμῶν τῇ πόλει, οὐδὲ τῶν
πάνυ συνήθων, αὐτὴν 3 γνωρίσειεν" οὕτως εἰς
πᾶσαν ἐρημίαν ἀθρόως μετεσκεύασται, πολλῶν
μὲν καὶ πρότερον αὐτῆς 3 ἀφαιρεθέντων τῶν
πολιτευομένων, νῦν δὲ σχεδὸν ἁπάντων εἰς τὴν
Ποδανδὸν μετοικισθέντων. ὧν ἀκρωτηριασθέντες
οἱ λειπόμενοι καὶ αὐτοὶ εἰς πᾶσαν ἀπόγνωσιν
μεταπεπτώκασι," καὶ πᾶσι τοσοῦτον ἐνεποίησαν *
τῆς ἀθυμίας τὸν ὄγκον, ὥστε σπανίζειν λοιπὸν
καὶ τῶν οἰκητόρων τὴν πόλιν, καὶ γεγενῆσθαι ὃ
τὰ τῇδε ἐρημίαν δεινήν, ἐλεεινὸν μὲν φίλοις θέαμα,
πολλὴν δὲ χαρὰν καὶ εὐθυμίαν φέρον τοῖς πάλαι
ἐφεδρεύουσιν ἡμῶν τῷ πτώματι. τίνος οὖν ἐστὶ
χεῖρα ἡμῖν ὀρέξαι ; ἢ τίνος συμπαθὲς ὃ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν
ἀφεῖναι δάκρυον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ τῆς σῆς ἡμερότητος,
1 ᾿Αβουρτίῳ editi antiqi. 2 ἐλήλυθε tres MSS.
3 αὐτῇ E, Med. 4 αὐτῆς om. EK, 5 τῶν om. E.
6 καταπεπτώκασι editi antiqi. 7 ἐνεποίησε E.
8 γενέσθαι EK. 9 συμπαθεῖς ἘΣ, editi antiqi.

1 Written at about the same time as the preceding letter;

78
 LETTER LXXV

GETTER ULXXV
To Asuraius?
Waite there are many qualities which have made
your character superior to that of others, yet there
is no trait so peculiarly your own as your zeal for your
homeland, seeing that you render a just recompense
to her from whom you were sprung and have reached
so high an estate that your fame is known through-
out the whole world. But now this very homeland
herself, which bore and reared you, has reverted to
the incredible condition of early legend; and no one
of us, on revisiting the city, even one who had
known her well, would recognize her, so completely
has she been suddenly transformed into an utter
solitude, since many of her citizens were even before
this taken from her, and now almost all of them
have emigrated to Podandus.? Mutilated by the loss
of these, the remnants have themselves fallen into
utter despair, and have produced in all the rest such
an extreme measure of despondency, that the city now
suffers a shortage even of inhabitants, and this dis-
trict has become a terrible solitude, a spectacle
inspiring pity in our friends, but affording great joy
and satisfaction to those who have long waited for
our fall. Whose privilege, therefore, is it to reach
out a hand to us, whose is it to shed a tear of sym-
pathy over us, if not your Clemency’s, since you
another appeal to save Cappadocia from being divided into
two provinces. Cf. Letter LXXIV, note 1. Letters XX XIII,
CXLVII, CLX XVIII, CXCVI, and CCCIV are also addressed
to Aburgius, an important layman, friend and compatriot of
Basil.
2 See previous letter, note 3.
79
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὃς καὶ ἀλλοτρίᾳ συμπαθοῖς πόλει τοιαῦτα καμ-

νούσῃ, μὴ ὅτι γετῆσε παραγαγούσῃ εἰς τὸν Biov ;:
εἴ τις οὖν δύναμις, ταύτην νῦν ἐπὶ τῆς παρούσης
χρείας ἡμῖν ἐπίδειξαι." πάντως δὲ μεγάλην ἐἔχεις
τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ῥοπήν, ὃς ἐπ᾽ οὐδενὸς “καιροῦ
καταλέλοιπέ σε, καὶ πολλὰς ἔδωκέ σοι τῆς παρ᾽
ἑαυτοῦ 2 εὐμενείας τὰς ἀποδείξεις" μόνον ἐὰν
θελήσῃς ὅλως διαναστῆναι πρὸς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν
ἡμῶν, καὶ τῇ προσούσῃ σοι δυνάμει χρήσασθαι
εἰς τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν πολιτῶν βοήθειαν.

LXXVI
Σωφρονίῳ μαγίστρῳ
Τὸ μὲν μέγεθος τῶν καταλαβουσῶν συμφορῶν
τὴν πατρίδα ἡμῶν αὐτὸν ἐμὲ ἠνάγκαξε," καταλα-
βόντα τὸ στρατόπεδον, τῇ Te δὴ μεγαλοφυΐᾳ
διηγήσασθαι τὴν κατέχουσαν ἡμῶν τὴν πόλιν
κατήφειαν, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ὅσοι ἐπὶ μεγίστης
ἐστὲ δυνάμεως τῶν πραγμάτων. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἥ τε
τοῦ σώματος ἀρρωστία, καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν
ἐπιμέλεια κατέχει, με, τέως διὰ γράμματος ἀπο-
δύρασθαι πρὸς τὴν σὴν μεγαλόνοιαν ἐπείχθην,
γνωρίζων, ὅτι οὔτε σκάφος ἐν πελάγει πνεύμασι
βιαίοις καταβαπτισθὲν οὕτως ἀθρόως ἠφανίσθη
ποτέ, οὐ σεισμοῖς ἐκτριβεῖσα πόλις, οὐχ ὕδασιν
ἐπικλυσθεῖσα, els ἀθρόον * ἀφανισμὸν ἐχώρησεν
οὕτως, ὡς ἡ ἡμετέρα τῇ καινῇ ταύτῃ τῶν πραγ-
1 ἐπίδειξε EH. 2 αὐτοῦ editi antiqi.
3 ἄν add. editi antiqi.
4 εἰς ἀθρόον. . . παντελῇ] εἰς ἀπώλειαν ἐχώρησε παντελῶς
οὕτως ὡς ἣ ἡμετέρα... εἰς ἀθρόον ἦλθεν ἀφανισμόν editi antiqi.
80
 LETTER LXXVI

would sympathize even with a foreign city labouring

under such misfortune, to say nothing of the city
that brought you into life? If, therefore, you have
any power to act, show it to us now in our present
need. But assuredly you do possess great strength
from God, who in no time of need has abandoned
you, and who has given you many proofs of His
goodwill—but only if you consent whole-heartedly
to rise up and take us under your care, and to
exercise the power which has come to you for the
assistance of your fellow-citizens.

LETTER LXXVI
To Sopuronius, THE Master 1
THe magnitude of the misfortunes which have
fallen upon our country was constraining me to go to
court and in person to describe the miseries which
now afflict our city, not only to your noble self, but
likewise to all others who, like you, are in positions
of greatest influence in the state. But since both
bodily ill-health and my solicitude for the churches
detains me, I have been compelled meanwhile to
pour out to your Magnanimity by letter my bitter
lamentations, making known to you that no
boat submerged on the high seas by violent winds
has ever disappeared so quickly, no city destroyed
by earthquakes or buried by floods of water has met
with such sudden effacement from the earth, as our
own, swallowed up by this new administration of our
1 Of about the same date as the preceding, and on the
same general topic. For Sophronius, magister offciorum, cf.
Letter XXXII, note 1. Cf. also Letters XLVI, CLX XVII,
OLXXX, CXCIII, CCLXXII.
δὲ
VOL. IT. G
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

μάτων οἰκονομίᾳ καταποθεῖσα εἰς ἀπώλειαν

ἐχώρησε παντελῆ. καὶ μῦθος γέγονε τὰ ἡμέτερα.
οἴχεται μὲν γὰρ τὸ πολίτευμα" πᾶν δὲ τὸ
πολιτικὸν σύνταγμα, τῇ περὶ τοὺς κρατοῦντας
ἀθυμίᾳ καταλιπὸν 3 τὴν ἐν τῇ πόλει οἴκησιν, διὰ
τῆς ἀγροικίας πλανᾶται. ἐπιλέλοιπε δὲ λοιπὸν
καὶ ἡ τῶν ἀναγκαίων διάθεσις, καὶ ὅλως ἀωρότα-
τον θέαμα γεγένηται ἡ πρότερον ἀνδράσι τε
λογίοις ἐπαγαλλομένη καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς, οἷς
evOnvodvrar πόλεις ἀνευδεῶς διάγουσαι.
Μίαν δὲ ἐνομίσαμεν ὡς ἐν δεινοῖς παραμυθίαν
εἶναι, τὸ ἐπιστενάξαι τοῖς πάθεσινἡ
ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν
σὴν ἡμερότητα, καὶ παρακαλέσαι, εἴ τις δύναμις,
χεῖρα ὀρέξαι τῇ πόλει ἡμῶν εἰς γόνυ κλιθείσῃ.
τὸν δὲ τρόπον δι οὗ ἂν γένοιο ἐν καιρῷ 5 τοῖς
πράγμασιν, αὐτὸς μὲν εἰσηγεῖσθαι οὐκ ἔχω, σοι
δὲ πάντως καὶ εὑρεῖν διὰ τὴν σύνεσιν ῥάδιον, καὶ
χρήσασθαι τοῖς εὑρεθεῖσι, διὰ τὴν παρὰ Θεοῦ
σοι δεδομένην δύναμιν, οὐ χαλεπόν.

LXXVII
᾿Ανεπίγραφος περὶ Θηρασίου .
“Ev καὶ τοῦτο τῆς ἀγαθῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ μεγάλου
ἀπηλαύσαμεν Θηρασίου, τῆς σῆς λογιότητος τὴν

1 πολιτῶν Vat.
2 καταλιπόντες KH, Harl., Reg. secundus, Clarom.
3 σωτήρ add. editi antiqi. 4 χρῆσθαι editi antiqi.

1 Written at about the same time as the preceding, per-

haps to the Elpidius mentioned in the following letter. The
82
 LETTER LXXVII

affairs, has gone to utter destruction. And all that

was ours has become no more than a legend. For
gone is our government; and the whole body politic,
having abandoned its domicile in the city through de-
spondency over the fate of its magistrates, is wander-
ing aimlessly through the countryside. Aye, even
the marketing of the necessities of life has now
ceased, and the city, which formerly was wont to
glory both in its men of learning and in all else in
which cities abound which enjoy freedom from fear,
has become altogether a most unlovely spectacle.
Our sole consolation, considering the terrible
plight we are in, has seemed to be to bewail our
sufferings to your Clemency, and to urge you, if you
have influence, to stretch a hand to our city now
fallen to her knees. As to the means by which you
may opportunely intervene in the situation, I cannot
myself suggest them to you, but you by means of your
sagacity can assuredly discover them readily and,
once discovered, employ them without difficulty,
through the influence which God has given you.

LETTER LXXVII
Witnour Appress, asouT THerastus !
Tus one advantage we enjoyed from the good
administration of the great Therasius—the visits
Therasius mentioned here appears to have been a governor of
Cappadocia, who was removed from his office after a brief
tenure of it, as the result of calumnious charges brought
against him by certain corrupt persons to whom his excellent
administration had caused annoyance. Therasius may be the
governor in whose behalf Basil wrote to Sophronius, the
prefect of Constantinople, in 372. Cf. Letter XCVI.
83
a2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπιδημίαν συνεχῶς ἡμῖν γινομένην. τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ

τοῦτο ἐζημιώθημεν στερηθέντες τοῦ ἄρχοντος.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἅπαξ ἡμῖν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ
χαρισθέντα μένει βέβαια καὶ ταῖς ψυχαῖς
ἀλλήλων ἐνοικούμενα διὰ τῆς μνήμης, εἰ καὶ τοῖς
σώμασι διωρίσμεθα, γράφωμεν γοῦν συνεχῶς καὶ
φθεγγώμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους τὰ ἀναγκαῖα, καὶ
μάλιστα νῦν, ὅτε ὁ χειμὼν THY ὀλιγοχρόνιον
ταύτην ἐκεχειρίαν ἐσπείσατο.
᾿Ελπίζομεν δὲ μὴ ἀπολείψεσθαί σε τοῦ θαυ-
μασιωτάτου ἀνδρὸὲ Θηρασίου, πρέπον εἶναι
κρίναντα κοινωνεῖν τῷ ἀνδρὶ τοιούτων φροντίδων,
ἤ γ᾽ οὐ μὲν οὖν 5 καὶ μάτην πρόφασιν ἀσμενίζοντα
παρέχουσάν σοι ἰδεῖν τε τοὺς φίλους, καὶ Tap
αὐτῶν θεαθῆναι. πολλὰ δὲ ἔχων εἰπεῖν καὶ περὶ
πολλῶν, εἰς τὴν συντυχίαν ὑπερεθέμην, οὐκ
ἀσφαλὲς εἶναι ἡγούμενος ἐπιστολαῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα
καταπιστεύειν.

LXXVIII
᾿Ανεπίγραφος ὑπὲρ ᾿Ελπιδίου
Οὐκ ἔλαθεν ἡμᾶς ἡ ἀγαθή σου σπουδὴ περὶ τὸν
αἰδεσιμώτατον ἑταῖρον ἡμῶν ᾿Ελπίδιον, ὅπως τῇ
συνήθει σεαυτοῦ συνέσει ἔδωκας καιρὸν φιλανθρω-
πίας τῷ ἄρχοντι. ταύτην οὖν τὴν χάριν νῦν σε
τελειῶσαι παρακαλοῦμεν διὰ τοῦ γράμματος,
1 φθεγγόμεθα E,
2 ἤ γ᾽ οὐ μὲν οὖν Capps, οὐ μὲν οὖν ed, Ben., ἡγούμενον
omnes MSS. οὖ editi.
3 ge K, Reg. secundus, Clarom.
4 παρακαλῶ μέν editi antiqi.
84
 LETTER LXXVIII

which your Excellence used continually to make to

us. But we have been robbed of even this, now that
we have been deprived of our governor. However,
since favours we have once received from God abide
steadfast and dwell through memory in the souls of
both of us, even though we have been separated in ~
body, let us at least write frequently and tell each
other of our necessities, and particularly at this
time when the storm has consented to this very
brief period of truce.
We hope, however, that you will not forsake that
most admirable man, Therasius, deeming it proper
to share with him matters of such concern, or
rather not without purpose availing yourself of an
excuse which provides you an opportunity to see
your friends and to be seen by them, However,
though I have much to say on various topics, I have
put them off until our meeting, not judging it safe
to entrust such matters to letters.

LETTER LXXVIII
Witnour Appress, IN BEHALF OF Exprpius!
We have not failed to notice your kind interest in
our most venerable friend Elpidius, how in accord-
ance with your usual sagacity you have given the
prefect an occasion for exercising his benevolence.
Therefore, we now urge you by this letter to complete
this favour and to remind the Prefect to place over

1 Of the same date as the preceding. It is difficult to

identify this Elpidius. The cause of Basil’s uneasiness seems
to be the general situation spoken of in the several letters
above.
85
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Kal ὑπομνῆσαι τὸν ἄρχοντα οἰκείῳ προστάγματι

ἐπὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἡμῶν καταστῆναι τὸν ἄνδρα
πᾶσαν σχεδὸν τὴν φροντίδα τῶν δημοσίων
ἐξηρτημένον. ὥστε πολλὰς ἕξεις καὶ εὐπροσώ-
πους ὑποβάλλειν προφάσεις τῷ ἄρχοντι, ἐξ ὧν
ἀναγκαίως ἐπιμένειν αὐτὸν τῇ πατρίδι ἡμῶν
προστάξει. οἷα δὲ τὰ ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ὅσου ἄξιος
τοῖς πράγμασιν ὁ ἀνήρ, πάντως οὐδὲν δεήσῃ παρ᾽
ἡμῶν διδαχθῆναι, αὐτὸς τῇ ἑαυτοῦ συνέσει
ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος.

LXXIX
Evotabio,! ἐπισκόπῳ Σεβαστείας
Καὶ πρὸ τοῦ δέχεσθαι τὰ γράμματα, ἤδειν τὸν
πόνον ὃν ἔχεις ὑπὲρ πάσης ψυχῆς, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ
ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμετέρας ταπεινώσεως, διὰ τὸ προβε-
βλῆσθαι ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι τούτῳ' καὶ δεξάμενος3
παρὰ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου ᾿Εἰλευσινίου τὰ γράμ-
1 "Εὐσταθίῳ tantum habent E et Harl.
9
2 δέ add. H, editi antiqi.

1 Written in the year 371. Eustathius was bishop of

Sebaste or Sebasteia (modern Sivas), a town of the Pontus on
the northern bank of the Halysand capital of Armenia Minor
(c. A.D. 357-380). By his frequent changes of opinion,
Eustathius naturally lost the confidence of the rival schools
of theology, and was regarded with suspicion by all. How-
ever, he secured and for many years retained the affection
and respect of St. Basil.
On Basil’s elevation to the episcopate in A.D. 370,
Kustathius showed the greatest joy, and expressed an
earnest desire to aid his friend in his new and responsible
office. The present letter exhibits the same kindly feeling
between the two bishops. On the plea that Basil would have
86
 LETTER LXXIX

our country by an appropriate order the man who

has dependent upon him nearly the whole care of its
public affairs. Consequently you will be able to
submit many fair-seeming reasons to the Prefect,
which will of necessity induce him to order this man
to remain in charge of our country. But what the
situation is there, and how valuable the man is in
the circumstances, you will certainly not need to be
informed by us, since of your own sagacity you have
accurate knowledge thereof.

LETTER LXXIX
To Eusratuius, Bishop or SesasTe!
Even before receiving your letter, I was fully
aware of the toil which you undergo for every soul,
and especially for our own Humility,? because you
must bear the brunt in this conflict; and when I
received the letter from the most reverend Eleu-
sinius,> and saw his very presence before me, I
need of fellow-helpers and counsellors, Eustathius recom-
mended certain persons to his notice, who, as Basil later
bitterly complained (Letter CCIII, 3), turned out to be spies
of his actions and watchers of his words, interpreting all in a
malevolent sense, and reporting his supposed heretical lean-
ings to their chief. From the moment that Basil made this
discovery until his death a bitter struggle was waged between
the two. Basil was harassed continually until he died in
A.D. 379, Eustathius himself dying soon after. Strangely
enough, Peter, St. Basil’s brother, succeeded Eustathius on
the episcopal throne of Sebaste.
2 A common title in Byzantine times.
3 Known only from this letter. He was sent with the
present letter, apparently to warn Basil of the approach of
the Emperor Valens, and to express the apprehension he felt
for the safety of Catholics, and especially for Basil himself.
87
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

pata, Kal αὐτὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν παρουσίαν θεασάμενος,

ἐδόξασα τὸ θεῖον: τὸ τοιοῦτον παραστάτην καὶ
συνασπιστήν διὰ τῆς πνευματικῆς βοηθείας ἐν
τοῖς ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀγῶσι χαρισάμενον ἡμῖν.
γινωσκέτω δὲ ἡ ἀνυπέρβλητός σου θεοσέβεια
μέχρι νῦν προσβολὰς μέν τινας παρὰ τῶν
μεγάλων ἀρχόντων "ἡμῖν γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ ταύτας
σφοδράς, τοῦ τε ἐπάρχου καὶ τοῦ περὶ τὸν κοιτῶνα
διαλεχθέντων ἰδιοπαθῶς " ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐναντίων"
τέως δὲ ἀτρέπτως ἡμᾶς πᾶσαν προσβολὴν ὑπο-
μεῖναι τῷ ἐλέει τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῷ χαριζομένῳ 3 ἡμῖν
τὴν συνεργίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος καὶ ἐνδυναμώσαντι *
ἡμῶν δι’ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀσθένειαν.

LXXX
᾿Αθανασίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας
Ὅσον τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τὰ ἀρρωστήματα ἐπὶ
τὸ μεῖζον πρόεισι, τοσοῦτον πάντες ἐπὶ τὴν σὴν
ἐπιστρεφόμεθα τελειότητα, μίαν ἑαυτοῖς ὑπολεί-
πεσθαι τῶν δεινῶν παραμυθίαν τὴν σὴν προστα-
σίαν πεπιστευκότες" ὃς ὅ καὶ τῇ δυνάμει τῶν
προσευχῶν καὶ τῷ εἰδέναι τὰ βέλτιστα ϊ τοῖς
πράγμασιν ὑποτίθεσθαι, διασώσασθαι ἡμᾶς ἐκ
1 τὸ θεῖον Capps (on account of the following τό), τὸν Θεόν
MSS. et editi.
καί add. E.
τοῦ χαριζομένου Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus.
ἐνδυναμώσαντος Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus.
ὦ
=
σι
ὡς K, Med. 6 τῷ] τό EK. 7 καὶ τό add. E.
»"»
A title commonly applied to bishops in Byzantine
times.
838
 LETTER LXXX

glorified God, who, through His spiritual help, has

blessed us with such an assistant and comrade-in-
arms in our battles for the Faith. Let your un-
surpassed Godliness! rest assured that up to the
present time some attacks, and these violent ones,
have been made upon us by high dignitaries, since
both the Prefect? and the High Chamberlain? have
spoken from peculiarly personal motives in favour of
our enemies; but so far we have fearlessly sustained
every attack through God’s mercy, which is blessing
us with the assistance of the Spirit, and through
Him has strengthened our weakness.

LETTER LXXX
To ArnaNasius, Bishop or ALEXANDRIA 4
Tue more serious the maladies of the churches
become, the more we all turn to your Perfection,
firmly convinced that the sole consolation left to us
in our misfortunes is your patronage; for you,
through the efficacy of your prayers and through
your knowing how to offer the best suggestions in
difficulties, are believed by all alike, who are even
2 The Praefectus Practorio. During the later Empire, 7.e.
after Diocletian, the praefecti praetorio lost their military
power with the suppression of the Praetorian Guards by Con-
stantine. Four prefects continued to be created, who
governed the same provinces as before. Their sphere was
essentially civil at this time, 1.6. supreme administration of
justice and the finances.
3 In the charge of the private apartments of the Imperial
palace was placed a favourite eunuch, who was styled prae-
positus, or praepositus sacri cubiculi, Prefect of the Sacred
Bed-chamber.
4 Written in 371. Cf. Letter LXI, note 1.
89
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τοῦ φοβεροῦ τούτου χειμῶνος παρὰ πάντων

ὁμοίως τῶν καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν ἢ ἀκοῇ ἢ πείρᾳ
γνωριξόντων τὴν τελειότητα σοῦ mated) 1 διὸ
μὴ ἀνῇς καὶ προσευχόμενος ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν
ἡμῶν καὶ διεγείρων ἡμᾶς τοῖς γράμμασιν' ὧν εἰ
NOELS ὁπόσον ἐστὶ τὸ ὠφέλιμον, οὐκ av ποτε
παραπεσοῦσάν σοι γραμμάτων ἀφορμὴν πρὸς
ἡμᾶς ὑπερέβης. εἰ δὲ καταξιωθείημεν τῇ συνεργίᾳ
τῶν προσευχῶν τοῦ ἰδεῖν σε καὶ ἀπολαῦσαι τῶν
ἐν col ἀγαθῶν, καὶ προσθεῖναι τῇ ἱστορίᾳ τοῦ
ἡμετέρου βίου τὴν συντυχίαν τῆς μεγάλης σου
ὄντως καὶ ἀποστολικῆς ψυχῆς, πάντως ἂν ἑαυτοῖς 5
ἐλογισάμεθα, ὧν ἐθλίβημενϑ ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ζωῇ
ἡμῶν, ἀντίρροπον παρὰ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλαν-
θρωπίας ἐσχηκέναι παραμυθίαν.

LXXXI
’ , ΕῚ ͵ 4
Ἱννοκεντίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ
“Ὅσον εὐθύμησα δεξάμενος γράμματα τῆς ἀγά-
πης σου, τοσοῦτον ἐλυπήθην, ὅτι βάρος ἐπέθηκας
ἡμῖν φροντίδος τῆς ὑπερβαινούσης ἡμᾶς. πῶς γὰρ
δυνηθῶμεν ἀπὸ τοσούτου διαστήματος τοσαύτης
ἡμεῖς οἰκονομίας περιγενέσθαι ;; ἕως μὲν γὰρ
ὑμᾶς ἔχει ἡ ᾿Εκκλησία, ὡς ἰδίοις στηρίγμασιν
ἐπαναπαύεται, ἐὰν δέ τι περὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας ζωῆς
ὁ Κύριος οἰκονομήσῃ, τίνας δύναμαι ὁμοτίμους
1 πιστεύειν EH. 2 αὐτοῖς editi antiqi.
3 ἐθλίβομαι editi antiqi. 4 “Ῥώμης add. absurde Clarom.
5 δύναται Εἰ.

1 Of the year 372. According to the supposition of

go
 LETTER LXXXI

slightly acquainted with your Perfection either by

hearsay or by personal experience, to have saved us
from the present fearful tempest. Therefore do
not cease praying for our souls and arousing us by
your letters; for if you had known how helpful
these latter were, you would never have let pass any
opportunity that was offered to you of writing to
us. And if, through the co-operation of your
prayers, we should be accounted worthy of seeing
you, of enjoying the noble qualities that exist in you,
and of adding to the experiences of our life a
meeting with your truly great and apostolic soul, we
should assuredly consider that we had received from
the benevolence of God a consolation counter-
balancing the afHlictions which we have endured
during our whole lifetime.

ΕΗ 9, ©.9|
To ΒΙΒΗΟΡ INNocEeNt4

Mucu as I rejoiced on receiving a letter from your

Affection,? even so I was troubled, because you have
put upon us a burden of care which surpasses our
strength. For how shall we be able, at so great a
distance, to prove equal to so important an adminis-
tration? For although, so long as the Church has
you, it rests, as it were, upon its own foundations,
yet if the Lord make some dispensation regarding
Wittig, this letter belongs to St. John Chrysostom and is
addressed to Pope Innocent 1. Cf. his ‘‘ Studien zur Geschi-
chte des Papstes Innocenz I,” in Theologische Quartulschrift,
84, 1902.
2 “* Your Affection ”’ (ἀγάπη) was frequently used as a title
at this time.
gt
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐντεῦθεν ὑμῖν εἰς τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν TOV ἀδελφῶν

ἐκπέμπειν ; ὅπερ σὺ ἐπεζήτησας διὰ τῶν γραμμά-
των, καλῶς ποιῶν καὶ ἐμφρόνως, βουλόμενος ζῶν
ἰδεῖν τὸν μετὰ σὲ μέλλοντα “κυβερνᾷν τὸ ἐκλεκτὸν
ποίμνιον τοῦ Κυρίου" ὃ καὶ ὁ μακάριος Μωῦσῆς
καὶ ἐπεθύμησε καὶ εἶδεν" ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ ὁ τόπος
μέγας καὶ περιβόητος, καὶ τὸ σὸν ἔργον παρὰ
πολλοῖς ὀνομαστόν, καὶ οἱ καιροὶ χαλεποί, μεγάλου
χρείαν ἔχοντες κυβερνήτου διὰ τὰς συνεχεῖς ζάλας
καὶ τοὺς ἐπανισταμένους κλύδωνας τῇ ᾿Εκκλησίᾳ,
οὐκ ἐνόμισα ἀσφαλὲς εἶναι τῇ ἐμῇ ψυχῇ ἀφωσιω-
μένως τῷ πράγματι χρήσασθαι, μάλιστα μεμνη-
μένος ὧν ἔγραψας, ὅτι μέλλεις ἐπὶ τοῦ Κυρίου
ἀντικαθίστασθαί μοι, δικαζόμενος πρός με ὑπὲρ
τῆς ἀμελείας τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
=| να οὖν
ὧν μὴμὴ εἰσέ
εἰσέλθω εἰςεἰς κρίσι
κρίσιν μετὰ a σοῦ,σοῦ, aἀλλὰ
μᾶλλον κοινωνόν σε εὕρω τῆς ἀπολογίας μου
τῆς ἐπὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, περιβλεψάμενος ἐν τῷ
συνεδρίῳ τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου τοῦ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν,
ἐξελεξάμην τὸ τιμιώτατον“ σκεῦος, τὸν ἔκγονον
τοῦ μακαρίου “Ἑρμογένους, τοῦ τὴν μεγάλην καὶ
ἄρρηκτον 3 πίστιν γράψαντος ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ
συνόδῳ: πρεσβύτερον τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκ πολλῶν
ἤδη ἐτῶν, εὐσταθῆ τὸν τρόπον, ἔμπειρον κανόνων,
ἀκριβῆ “τὴν πίστιν, ἐν ἐγκρατείᾳ καὶ ἀσκήσει
μέχρι νῦν διάγοντα" εἰ καὶ ὅτι τὸ εὔτονον αὐτοῦ

1 ἕξω editi antiqi. 2 τίμιον Harl., Med., et Clarom.

3 ἄρρητον E, Harl., Clarom.

1 He was the spiritual offspring of Hermogenes, having

been ordained by him. Hermogenes was bishop of Caesarea
92
 LETTER LXXXI

your life, whom of like worth with yourself can I

send hence to care for our brethren? As to what
you have requested by your letter, acting rightly and
wisely in your desire, while still living, to behold
the one destined after you to guide the chosen flock
of the Lord—even as the blessed Moses both desired
and saw—since, now, your place is important and
famous, and your achievements renowned among
many, and the times are difficult, having need of a
great helmsman because of the continual storms and
the floods which rise against the Church, I have not
thought it safe for my soul to treat the matter per-
functorily, especially when I remember what you
have written, that you intend to oppose me before
the Lord, and charge me with neglect of the
churches.
In order, therefore, that I may not come into
litigation with you, but rather may find in you an
associate in my defence before Christ, having looked
about in the assembly of the presbyters belonging to
this city, I have chosen that most worthy vessel, the
offspring ! of the blessed Hermogenes—who, in the
great Synod,” wrote the great and invincible creed.
The man of whom I speak has been a presbyter of
the Church already for many years, is firm of
character, well learned in the canons, strict in the
faith, and till now passing his life in continence
and asceticism—though in truth the rigour of his

in Cappadocia and predecessor of Dianius. Cf. Letters

OCXLIV, CCLXIITI,
2 7.e., at Nicaea. Basil seems to forget that it was
Leontius who was present at Nicaea as bishop of Caesarea,
although Hermogenes may have been present in lower orders,
and may have written the creed.
93
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τῆς σκληραγωγίας λοιπὸν κατεδαπάνησε! τὴν

σάρκα" πτωχὸν καὶ μηδένα πορισμὸν " “ἔχοντα
ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ, ὡς μηδὲἄ
ἄρτου αὐτὸν εὐπορεῖν,
ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν ἐκπλέκειν τὸν βίον μετὰ τῶν
ἀδελφῶν τῶν συνόντων αὐτῷ. τοῦτον ἐμοὶ βου-
λητόν ἐστιν ἀποστεῖλαι.
Ei οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς τοιούτου χρήζεις ἀνδρός,
ἀλλὰ μὴ αὐτὸ τοῦτο νεωτέρου 3 τινὸς ἐπιτηδείου
μόνον πρὸς τὸ πέμπεσθαι καὶ τὰς βιωτικὰς
ἐξανύειν χρείας, ταχύ μοι διὰ πρώτης ἀφορμῆς
ἐπιστεῖλαι καταξίωσον, ἵνα πέμψω σοι τοῦτον
τὸν ἄνδρα, ἐκλεκτὸν ὄντα τοῦ3 Θεοῦ, καὶ τῷ
πράγματι ϑ ἐπιτήδειον, αἰδέσιμον τοῖς ἐντυγχά-
νουσι, καὶ ἐν πραότητι παιδεύοντα τοὺς ἀντι-
διατιθεμένους. ὃν ἠδυνάμην καὶ εὐθὺς ἐκπέμψαι"
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς προλαβὼν ἐπεζήτησας ἄνθρω-
πον, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα καλὸν καὶ ἀγαπητὸν ἡμῖν, τοῦ
δὲ προειρημένου ἀνδρὸς παραπολὺ ἀποδέοντα,
ἠβουλήθην σοι φανερὰν γενέσθαι τὴν “ἐμαυτοῦ
γνώμην ἵν᾽, εἰ ᾿χρήξεις ἀνδρὸς τοιούτου, ἢ
ἐκπέμψῃς, τινὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὸν συμπαραληψύ-
μενον αὐτὸν περὶ τὰς νηστείας, ἢ ἐπιστείλῃς ἡμῖν,
ἐὰν μηδένα 8ἔχης τὸν δυνάμενον τῆς μέχρις ἡμῶν
ὁδοιπορίας τὸν κάματον ὑποστῆναι.
1 κατεδάμασε K, Harl., Clarom.
* παρισπασμόν Harl., Med., Clarom.
3 rovTo νεωτέρου] αὐτονεωτέρου ΕἸ. 4 τοῦ om, KE.

94
 LETTER LXXXI

austere living has by now consumed his flesh—a

mendicant and possessed of no means in this world,
so that he cannot even provide himself with bread,
but through the labour of his hands ekes out his
existence in company with the brethren who are
with him. This is the man I propose to send you.
If,then, you yourself feel the need of such a man,
and not, in very truth, of some younger person, fit
only for messenger service and to perform the
common duties of life, be kind enough to write to
me at the very earliest opportunity, that I may
send you this man, who is the elect of God and
fitted for this duty, inspiring the respect of those
who meet him and schooling in gentleness his
opponents. I might have sent him to you at once,
but since you yourself anticipated me by asking for
a certain person, a man who, though in general
virtuous and beloved by us, yet falls far short of the
one whom I have just mentioned, I wished to make
my purpose clear to you, in order that, if you need a
person of this character, you may either send one of
the brethren at the time of the fast to escort him
hence, or write to us, if you have no one able to
undergo the labour of the journey all the way to
us.

5 γράμματι KH. ὃ καταστῆσαι editi antiqi.

1 τηλικούτου KE. 8 ἐὰν μηδένα] ἐάν τινα Εἰ.

99
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXXXII
᾿Αθανασίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας
Ὅταν μὲν πρὸς τὰ πράγματα ἀποβλέψωμεν
καὶ τὰς δυσκολίας κατίδωμεν, ὑφ᾽ ὧν πᾶσα ἀγαθὴ
ἐνέργεια οἷον ὑπό τινος δεσ μοῦ ἐμποδιζομένη κατέ-
χεται, εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἑαυτῶν ἐρχόμεθα παντελῆ"
ὅταν δὲ πάλιν πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἀπίδωμεν σεμνοπρέ-
πειαν, καὶ λογισώμεθα, ὅτι σὲ ἰατρὸν τῶν ἐν ταῖς
ἐκκλησίαις ἀρρωστημάτων ὁ Ἰζύριος ἡμῶν ἐτα-
μιεύσατο, ἀναλαμβάνομεν ἑαυτῶν τοὺς λογισμούς,
καὶ ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἀπόγνωσιν πτώματος πρὸς
τὴν ἐλπίδα! τῶν χρηστοτέρων διανιστάμεθα.
λέλυται πᾶσα ᾿ακκλησία, ὡς οὐδὲ ἡ σὴ φρόνησις
ἀγνοεῖ. καὶ ὁρᾷς πάντως τὰ ἑκασταχοῦ, οἷον
ἀφ᾽ ὑψηλῆς τινὸς σκοπιᾶς τῆς τοῦ νοῦ θεωρίας"
ὅπως, καθάπερ ἐν πελάγει, πολλῶν ὁμοῦ συμ-
πλεόντων, ὑπὸ τῆς βίας τοῦ κλύδωνος πάντες ὁμοῦ
ἀλλήλοις προσρήγνυνται" καὶ γίνεται τὸ ναυάγιον,
πῆ μὲν ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν. αἰτίας βιαίως κινούσης τὴν
θάλατταν, πῆ δὲ ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἐμπλεόντων Ξ ταραχῆς
ἀντιβαινόντων ἀλλήλοις καὶ διωθουμένων. ἀρκεῖ

1 πρὸς τὴν ἐλπίδα] τῇ ἐλπίδι Vat., Reg. uterque, Coisl.

secundus.
2 πλεόντων KH, Harl.

1 Written late in the year 371. Cf. Loofs. According to

Tillemont (Note LX), the bishops referred to here by Basil,
as not in communion with him, are in all probability the
Macedonians.
2 σεμνοπρέπεια, as frequently in Basil, is used here as a
title.
96
 LETTER LXXXII

LETTER LXXXII
To Arnanasius, BisHop ΟΕ ALEXANDRIA!
WHENEVER we regard our affairs and perceive the
difficulties by which every virtuous activity is held in
check, hindered as it were by fetters, we arrive at
absolute despair of ourselves; but when, on the
other hand, we look at your Holiness ? and consider
that our Lord has appointed you the physician to
heal the maladies of the churches, we resume our
reflections and from the depths of our despair we
rise to the hope of better things. The whole Church
has been disrupted, as your Wisdom? is also not
unaware. Furthermore, you assuredly can see, from
the lofty watch-tower,* so to speak, of your mental
vision, what is happening on every hand—how, as
on the deep when many ships are sailing together,
all are dashed together the one against the other by
the violence of the waves, and the shipwreck occurs,
partly, it is true, by reason of the external cause
which violently agitates the sea, but partly from the
confusion that reigns among the sailors, who jostle
against and oppose one another. It is enough to

ο Hila also a title, found in both Athanasius and

asil.
4 Note the fitness of this figure as applied to the Bishop of
Alexandria, who could still see the marble lighthouse erected
at the eastern extremity of the island of Pharos by Ptolemy
If. Note also the sophistic manner in which Basil develops
this figure. In general we may say that sophistic influence
is seen more in the development of the metaphor by Basil
than in his frequent use of it. Cf. Campbell, 108 f° For a
similar use of this nautical metaphor, cf. De Spiritu Sancto,

97
VOL. II.
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπὶ τῆς εἰκόνος ἐᾶσαι τὸν λόγον, οὔτε τῆς σῆς

σοφίας ἐπιτρεπούσης τι πλέον, οὔτε τῆς κατα-
στάσεως ἐπιτρεπούσης ἡμῖν τὴν παρρησίαν. καὶ
πρὸς ταῦτα τίς ἱκανὸς κυβερνήτης ; τίς ἀξιό-
πίστος διαναστῆσαι τὸν Κύριον ἐπιτιμῆσαι τῷ
ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ ; τίς ἕτερος ἢ ὁ ἐκ παιδὸς
τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐναθλήσας ἀγῶσιν;
᾿Επεὶ οὖν ὥρμηται νῦν γνησίως πᾶν τὸ περὶ
ἡμᾶς ὑγιαῖνον κατὰ τὴν πίστιν εἰς τὴν πρὸς
τοὺς ὁμοδόξους κοινωνίαν καὶ ἕνωσιν, θαρρούντως 5
ἤλθομεν εἰς τὴν παράκλησίν σου τῆς ἀνεξικακίας,
ἐπιστεῖλαι πᾶσιν ἡμῖν ἐπιστολὴν μίαν, παραί-
νεσιν ἔχουσαν τῶν πρακτέων. οὕτω γὰρ βού-
λονται παρὰ σοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὑπάρξαι αὐτοῖς τῶν
κοινωνικῶν διαλέξεων. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἴσως ὕποπτοι
καταφαίνονταί 3 σοι τῇ μνήμῃ τῶν παρελθόντων,
ἐκεῖνο ποίησον, θεοφιλέστατε πάτερ' ἐμοὶ τὰς
πρὸς τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἐπιστολὰς διάπεμψαι ἢ
διά τινος τῶν αὐτόθεν πιστῶν, ἢ καὶ διὰ τοῦ
ἀδελφοῦ Δωροθέου τοῦ συνδιακόνου ἡμῶν, ἃς
ὑποδεξάμενος οὐ ρότερον δώσω, μὴ λαβὼν τὰς
παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἀποκρίοεις: ἐὰν δὲ μή, «Ἡμαρτηκὼς
ἔσομαι εἰς σὲ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς μου.
πάντως δὲ οὐδ πλείονος ἄξιον φόβου τοῦτο τῷ
1 ταύτας EK.
2 θαρροῦντες editi antiqi, sed ed. Haganoenis θαρροῦντας.
2 καταφανήσονται K, editi antiqi. 4 αὐτόθι KE.
5 ἢ editi antiqi. ® οὐδέ editi antiqi.

1 Cf, Luke 8. 24: ὁ δὲ ἐγερθεὶς ἐπετίμησε τῷ ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῷ

κλύδωνι τοῦ ὕδατος. ‘‘ But he arising rebuked the wind and
the rage of the water.”
2 The story of St. Athanasius, as a ‘‘boy bishop,” is
related by Socrates, Hee. Hist. 1, 15, and Rufinus, Ecc. Hist.
98
 LETTER LXXXII

dismiss the topic with this simile, since your wisdom

permits nothing more and the situation permits us
no freedom of speech. But who is the helmsman
capable of meeting these dangers? Who can be
trusted to arouse the Lord that He may rebuke the
wind and the sea?! Who other than he who from
childhood? has struggled in the contests in defence
of the faith ?
Since, therefore, all about us that is sound as
regards the faith is already nobly moving toward
communion and unity with those of like belief, with
confidence have we resorted to this appeal to urge
your Patience® to write to us all one general letter,
containing advice on the course of action we should
adopt. For in this manner they wish the initiative
in their discussions regarding their communion to be
provided by you. But since perhaps they seem to
you suspicious because of your recollection of the
past, most God-beloved father, act as follows: Send
to me the letters intended for the bishops, either by
one of your own faithful there, or even by our
brother, the deacon Dorotheus,4 and when I have
received them 1 shall not give them out until I am
in possession of the bishops’ answers ; for, otherwise,
“Twill be guilty of sin against thee all the days of
my life’’5 Assuredly these words could not have
1,14. While playing a game of baptism with his companions,
Athanasius was noticed by Alexander, who thereupon had
him educated at the episcopal palace.
3 ἀνεξικακία, used as a title here; Patience or Forbearance.
4 The deacon used so frequently by Basil in the service of
a messenger.
5 Cf. Gen. 43. 9: ἡμαρτηκὼς ἔσομαι πρὸς σὲ πάσας τὰς
ἡμέρας. “1 will be guilty of sin against thee for ever.”
Judah is speaking to his father Jacob, Basiladds τῆς ζωῆς μου.
99
H 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰπόντι πρὸς τὸν πατέρα ἢ ἐμοὶ νῦν

πρὸς σὲ τὸν πνευματικὸν πατέρα λέγοντι. εἰ δὲ
τοῦτο παντὶ τρόπῳ ἀπηγόρευται παρὰ col, ἀλλ᾽
ἡμᾶς γε τῆς ἐπὶ τῇ διακονίᾳ αἰτίας ἄφες, ἀδόλως
καὶ ἀκατασκεύως, ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ τῆς
πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἡμῶν συναφείας τῶν ὁμονοούντων
εἰς τὰ πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, ἐπὶ τὴν πρεσβείαν ταύτην
καὶ μεσιτείαν 5 ἀφικομένους.

LXXXIII
Κηνσίτορι
BE
μοὶ πρὸς THY σὴν εὐγένειαν συνήθεια μὲν Kal
ἣν \ \ \ > /, 50 Ν \

ἡ κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς συντυχία πάνυ βραχεῖα γέγονε,

γνῶσις δὲ ἡ ἐξ ἀκοῆς, δι’ ἧς πολλοῖς συναπτόμεθα
τῶν ἐπιφανῶν, οὐκ ὀλίγη τε οὐδὲ εὐκαταφρόνητος.
εἰ δὲ καὶ σοί τις ἐκ τῆς φήμης περὶ ἡμῶν ὑπάρχει
λόγος, αὐτὸς ἂν εἰδείης ἄμεινον. τὸ δ᾽ οὖν σὸν
παρ᾽ ἡμῖν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν οἷον εἴπομεν. ἐπειδὴ
δὲ ἐκάλεσέ σε ὁ Θεὸς εἰς πρᾶγμα φιλανθρωπίας
ἐπίδειξιν ἔχον, δι’ οὗ δυνατόν ἐστι διορθωθῆναι
ἡμῶν τὴν πατρίδα παντελῶς ἐδαφισθεῖσαν, ἡγοῦ-"
μαι πρέπειν μοι ὑπομνῆσαί σου τὴν χρηστότητα,
ἵνα ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι τῆς παρὰ Θεοῦ ἀνταποδόσεως
τοιοῦτον σεαυτὸν καταξιώσῃς παρασχέσθαι, ὥστε
1 στόν om. FE. 2 καὶ μεσιτείαν om. EB.
3 εἴποιμεν KH, editi antiqi. 4 δέ om. EK.

1 Written in 372. The valuation of property and levying of

taxes were based on the census books (libri censwales) prepared
100
 LETTER LXXXIII

inspired greater fear in the one who first addressed

them to his father than they inspire now in me as I
address them to my spiritual father. But if this idea
of communion has been entirely rejected by you, still
absolve us at least from all blame for our efforts,
since honestly and frankly, through a desire for peace
and mutual union among those who hold the same
beliefs about the Lord, have we entered upon this
embassy and mediation.

ΕΗ =GPO
NG UBL
To a Cens!Tor1

My acquaintance and personal association with

your Nobility ? has been very brief, but my know-
ledge of you by report, through which we are
brought in contact with many illustrious men, is
neither slight nor inconsiderable. But whether we
too have any reputation by report with you, you
yourself would be the better judge. However, your
reputation with us is what we have said. But since
God has called you to an office which affords oppor-
tunities of displaying kindness, one through which it
is possible to set upright again our country now
completely levelled with the earth, I think it proper
for me to bring a matter to your Excellency’s 3 con-
sideration, that in the hope of reward from God you
may deign so to conduct yourself as to be held
under the supervision of the censitores. The latter were
appointed by the Emperor, one for each province or smaller
unit of territory. The method of procedure was that followed
by the censor at Rome.
2 A Byzantine title.
3 Or ‘* Goodness,” also a Byzantine title.
IOI
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀθανάτου μὲν τῆς μνήμης ἀξιοῦσθαι, γενέσθαι δὲ

αἰωνίων ἀναπαύσεων κληρονόμον, ἐκ τοῦ ἐλαφρο-
τέρας ποιῆσαι τοῖς καταπονουμένοις τὰς θλίψεις.
᾿Επειδὴ δὲ κἀμοί τίς ἐστι κτῆσις περὶ Χαμα-
νηνήν,, ἀξιῶ σε3 προστῆναι αὐτῆς ὡς οἰκείας.
μὴ θαυμάξης ὃ δέ, εἰ ἐμαυτοῦ λέγω τὰ τῶν φίλων,
μετὰ τῆς ἄλλης ἀρετῆς καὶ φιλίαν πεπαιδευμένος,
καὶ μεμνημένος τοῦ σοφῶς εἰπόντος, ἄλλον 3
ἑαυτὸν εἶναι τὸν φίλον. τὴν τοίνυν κτῆσιν τὴν
διαφέρουσαν τῷδε, ταύτην ὡς ἐμαυτοῦ παρατί-
θεμαι τῇ τιμιότητί, σου" καὶ παρακαλῶ, ἐπισκεψά-
μενον τὰ τῆς οἰκίας δυσχερῆ, δοῦναι αὐτοῖς καὶ
τῶν παρελθόντων “χρόνων “παραμυθίαν, καὶ πρὸς
τὸ μέλλον αἱρετὴν αὐτοῖς κατασκευάσαι τὴν
οἴκησιν, τὴν “φευκτὴν καὶ ἀπηγορευμένην διὰ τὸ
πλῆθος τῆς ἐπικειμένης αὐτῇ συντελείας. σπου-
δάσω δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς περιτυχών σου τῇ κοσμίότητι
ἐντελέστερον περὶ ἑκάστου διαλεχθῆναι.

LXXXIV
“Hryepnove
Σχεδὸν μὲν ἄπιστόν ἐστιν ὃ μέλλω γράφειν,
A \ v “ > ἃ , Zz

γεγράψεται δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας ἕνεκεν. ὅτι, πᾶσαν

1 μηχανήν Med. 2 ἀξιῶ oe] ἀξιῶσαι EK.
3 θαυμάσῃς E. 4 ἄλλων E,

1 Pythagoras is supposed to have been the first to utter

these words. They occur also in Aristotle, Magna Moralia,
II. 15 (ἕτερος ἐγώ), and in Cicero, Laelius, 21, 80 (alter
idem).
102
 ΤΕΤΤΕΡ LXXXIV

worthy of undying remembrance, and as to become

an heir to eternal peace, for having lightened the
burdens of such as are afflicted.
Since I too have a certain property in the vicinity
of Chamanene, I request you to take care of it as you
would of your own. But do not think it strange, if
I call the property of my friends my own, since along
with other virtues I have learned friendship, and have
been mindful of the wise saying that a friend is
another self.1 This property, therefore, which
belongs to him, I entrust to your Honour’s® care
just as if it were my own; and I urge you, after
examining into the misfortunes of this household, to
offer them both consolation for the past, and for the
future to render desirable for them the residence
which now is being shunned and abandoned on
account of the multitude of taxes imposed upon it.
I myself, moreover, shall be eager to meet your
Decorum? and talk at greater length about each
particular.

ICRAVEER Uke
To a GoveRNor 4
Wuart I am about to write is almost incredible,
but it shall be written for the sake of truth. It

2 A Byzantine title.
3. Also a Byzantine title.
4 Written in 372. The person addressed is probably
Elias, governor of Cappadocia. Basil here writes in behalf
of an old man, whose four-year-old grandson has been placed
on the senatorial roll, thus compelling his grandfather to
serve again. Cf. also Letters XCIV and XCVI.
103
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἔχων ἐπιθυμίαν ὡς οἷόν τε ἣν πυκνότατα διαλέ-

γεσθαί σου τῇ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ, ἐπειδὴ εὗρον ταύτην ᾿
γραμμάτων τὴν “ἀφορμήν, οὐκ ἐπέδραμον τῷ
ἑρμαίῳ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπώκνησα καὶ ἀνεδύην. τὸ οὖν
παράδοξον ἐἐν τούτῳ, ὅτι ἅπερ ηὐχόμην ὑπάρξαι,"
ταῦτα γενόμενα οὐκ ἐδεχόμην. αἴτιον δέ, ὅτι
αἰσχύνομαι δοκεῖν, μὴ φιλίας γε ἕνεκεν καθαρῶς,
ἀλλὰ χρείαν τινὰ θεραπεύων ἑκάστοτε, γράφειν.
ἀλλά με ἐκεῖνο εἰσῆλθεν (ὃ καὶ σὲ βούλομαι
διανοηθέντα, μήτοι νομίζειν ἡμᾶς ἐμπορικῶς μᾶλ-
λον ἢ φιλικῶς ποιεῖσθαι τὰς διαλέξεις), ὅτι “Χρή
τι διάφορον ἔχειν τὰς τῶν ἀρχόντων προσρήσεις
παρὰ τοὺς ἰδιώτας. οὐ γὰρ ὁμοίως ἐντευκτέον
ἡμῖν ἰατρῷ τε ἀνδρὶ καὶ τῷ τυχόντι, οὔτε ἄρχοντι
δηλονότι καὶ ἰδιώτῃ" ἀχλὰ πειρατέον τοῦ μὲν ἐκ
τῆς τέχνης, τοῦ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξουσίας ἀπολαύειν
εἰς τὰ ἡμέτερα. ὥσπερ οὖν τοῖς ἐν ἡλίῳ βαδί-
ξουσιν ἕπεται πάντως ἡ σκιά, κἂν αὐτοὶ μὴ
προέλωνται, οὕτω καὶ ταῖς πρὸς τοὺς ἄρχοντας
ὁμιλίαις ἀκολουθεῖ τι καὶ παρεμπόρευμα, ἡ τῶν
καμνόντων βοήθεια.
Τὴν μὲν οὖν πρώτην αἰτίαν τῆς ἐπιστολῆς
πληρούτω αὐτὸ τὸ προσειπεῖν σου τὴν μεγα-
λόνοιαν. ὅ, κἂν μηδεμία πρόφασις τῷ “ γράφειν
προσῇ, ἀγαθὸν κεφάλαιον αὐτὸ χρὴ νομίζεσθαι.
προσείρησοὔ τοίνυν ἡμῖν, ὦ ἄριστε, καὶ φυλάττοιο

1 χήν add. E. 2 τήν om. E. 3 ὑπάρξειν EK, Med.

4 τοῦ Harl., Med. 5 προσείποιο editi antiqi.

1 A Byzantine title, as also ‘‘ your Magnanimity’’ below.

104
 LETTER LXXXIV

is this,—that although I had every desire to con-

verse with your Nobility? as often as possible, when
I found this present occasion for writing, I did not
rush at my good fortune, but hesitated and drew
back. Now the strange part of all this is that,
when that very opportunity came for which 1
prayed, I was not inclined to take it. And the
reason is that I am ashamed to seem to write, not
disinterestedly out of friendship, but serving some
advantage on every occasion. However, the thought
occurred to me (I want you as well to reflect on this
point, and thus refrain from considering that we carry
on our discussions with you after the manner of mer-
chants rather than of friends), that some distinction
should be made between words addressed to officials
and those addressed to private persons. For we
ought not to converse in the same manner with a
physician as with any ordinary person, nor, obviously,
with a magistrate in the same way as with a person
in private station, but from the skill of the one and
from the authority of the other we should try to
derive some benefit for ourselves. Therefore, just
as a shadow always pursues those who walk in the
sun, even though they themselves do not so wish,
so too in intercourse with magistrates there is an
attendant incident of trafticking—assistance for the
afflicted.
Accordingly, let our very salutation of your Mag-
nanimity fulfil the primary cause of our letter; this,
even if no other pretext for writing were at hand,
should be considered a good subject in itself. Re-
ceive, then, our salutation, most excellent Sir, and
may you be protected in every act of your life, as
you pass from office to office and as you confer
105
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τῷ βίῳ παντί, ἀρχὰς ἐξ ἀρχῶν ἀμειβων καὶ

ἄλλοτε ἄλλους ταῖς ἐπιστασίαις εὐεργετῶν. τοῦτο
γὰρ ἐμοί τε ποιεῖν σύνηθες, καὶ σοὶ ὀφειλόμενον
παρὰ τῶν καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν πεπειραμένων τῆς
περὶ τὸ ἄρχειν σου ἀρετῆς.
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν εὐχήν, δέξαι καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ
ἀθλίου γέροντος ἱκεσίαν, ὃν ἀφῆκε μὲν τῶν δημο-
σίων γράμμα βασιλικόν: μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ
βασιλέως αὐτὸ τὸ γῆρας ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀναγ-
καίαν ἀτέλειαν. ἐβεβαίωσας δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν
ἄνωθεν χάριν αἰδοῖ τῆς φύσεως, καὶ “προμηθείᾳ
τῶν δημοσίων, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, ὡς ἂν μὴ ἀνθρώπῳ
παρανοοῦντι ' διὰ τὸν χρόνον κινδυνεύοι 3 τι τῶν
κοινῶν.
Av’ ἑτέρας δὲ ὁδοῦ πάλιν πῶς αὐτὸν ἔλαθες, ὦ
θαυμάσιε, παραγαγὼν εἰς τὸ μέσον ; τὸν γὰρ
ὑϊδοῦν ὃ αὐτοῦ, οὔπω τέταρτον ἔτος ἀπὸ γενέσεως
ἄγοντα, κελεύσας τοῦ βουλευτηρίου μετέχειν, τί
ἄλλο καὶ οὐχὶ τὸν πρεσβύτην διὰ τοῦ ἐκγόνου
πάλιν ἐξ «ἀρχῆς παράγεις εἰς τὰ δημόσια ;; ἀλλὰ
νῦν ἱκετεύομεν ἀμφοτέρων σε λαβεῖν τῶν ἡλικιῶν
οἶκτον, καὶ ἀμφοτέρους ἀνεῖναι διὰ τὰ προσόντα
ἑκατέρῳ ἐλεεινά. ὁ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ εἶδε“ γονέας,
οὐδ᾽ ἐγνώρισε, ἀλλὰ δι ἀλλοτρίων χειρῶν εἰς τὸν
βίον τοῦτον εἰσῆλθεν, εὐθὺς ὅ ἐκ σπαργάνων ®
ἀμφοτέρων ὀρφανισθείς" ὁ δὲ τοσοῦτον ἐταμιεύθη
τῷ βίῳ, ὡς μηδὲν αὐτὸν εἶδος συμφορᾶς παρελ-
θεῖν: ἐπεῖδε μὲν γὰρ υἱοῦ τελευτὴν ἄωρον' εἶδε δὲ
οἶκον ἔρημον διαδόχων" ὄψεται δὲ νῦν, ἐὰν μή τι

1 παρανομοῦντι editi antiqi. 2 κινδυνεύῃ editi antiqi.

3 υἱὸν γοῦν editi antiqi. 4 olde editi antiqi.
106
 LETTER LXXXIV

benefits now on some and now on others by your

government. For it is my custom to speak
thus, and it is due to you from those who have
experienced, even in small measure, the excellence
of your administration.
After my prayer, receive also my petition in behalf
of an unfortunate old man, whom an Imperial decree
has exempted from public burdens; nay, rather, old
age itself, even before the Emperor, had granted
him the inevitable exemption. You yourself, also,
have confirmed the Imperial favour by your respect
for Nature, and by your prudent care of the public
interests, as it seems to me, lest any public interest
should be endangered by a man whose mind is
becoming deranged through age.
But how, respected Sir, did you inadvertently
drag him again into the midst of public affairs by
another way? For when you commanded his grand-
son, not yet in his fourth year, to take his place in
the municipal senate, what else are you doing than
to drag the old man into public affairs afresh in the
person of his grandchild? But now we beseech you
to take pity upon the ages of both, and to exempt
both on account of what is worthy of pity in each.
For the one has not seen his parents, nor has he
known them, but he entered this life through alien
hands, having been bereft of both parents from his very
swaddling clothes; and the other has been granted
so long a period of life that he has escaped no form
of calamity. For he saw a son's untimely death;
he saw a house made destitute of its succession;
and he will now see (unless you yourself hit upon

5 εὐθύς om. E. 6 ἐπ᾽ add. E.

107
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

αὐτὸς ἄξιον τῆς σεαυτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας διανοηθῆς,

τὴν “παραμυθίαν τῆς ἀπαιδίας, ταύτην ἀφορμὴν
αὐτῷ μυρίων “γενησομένην κακῶν. οὐ γὰρ δήπου
τὸ παιδίον εἰς βουλευτὰς συντελέσει, ἢ ἐκλέξει
τὰς εἰσφοράς, ἢἢ στρατιώταις χορηγήσει τὸ σιτη-
ρέσιον, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνάγκη πάλιν τοῦ ἀθλίου γέροντος
τὴν πολιὰν καταισχύνεσθαι. δὸς οὖν χάριν καὶ
τοῖς νόμοις ἀκόλουθον καὶ τῇ φύσει. συμβαί-
νουσαν, τῷ μὲν προστάξας μέχρι τῆς τῶν ἀνδρῶν
ἡλικίας συγχωρηθῆναι, τὸν δὲ ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης
ἀναμένειν τὸν θάνατον. πραγμάτων δὲ συνέχειαν
καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἀπαραίτητον ἄλλοι προβαλ-
λέσθωσαν. οὐ γὰρ δὴ τοῦ σοῦ τρόπου ἢ κακῶς
πράττοντας περιιδεῖν, ἢ νόμων ᾿ὀλιγωρῆσαι, ἢ
φίλοις μὴ εἶξαι καθικετεύουσι, κἂν τὰ ἐξ ἀνθρώ-
πων σε περιεστήκει 3 πράγματα.

LXXXV
Περὶ τοῦ μὴ δεῖν ὁρκοῦν 3
Οὐ παυόμεθα κατὰ πᾶσαν σύνοδον διαμαρτυ-
ρόμενοι καὶ ἰδίᾳ ἐν ταῖς συντυχίαις περὶ τῶν
αὐτῶν διαλεγόμενοι, ὥστε τοὺς ὅρκους ἐπὶ τοῖς
δημοσίοις τελέσμασι μὴ ἐπάγεσθαι παρὰ τῶν
ἀπαιτητῶν τοῖς ἀγροίκοις. λειπόμενον ἣν3 καὶ

1 περιέστηκε editi antiqi.

5 ὥστε παύσασθαι τοὺς τῶν δημοσίων πράκτορας τοὺς ὕρκους
τοῖς ὑποτελέσιν ἐπάγοντας Harl., Reg. secundus, Coisl.
secundus.
3 οὖν add. Reg. secundus,
108
 LETTER LXXXV

some remedy worthy of your kindness) that this

consolation of his childlessness is destined to become
the cause of countless troubles. For of course the
child will not be counted among the senators, or
collect taxes, or furnish provision-money for soldiers,
but it will be necessary for the white locks of the
wretched old man again to be put to shame. Grant,
therefore, a favour both consistent with the laws
and in agreement with Nature, ordering that ex-
emption be granted to the one until he reach man’s
estate, and that the other be allowed to await his
death in his bed. Let others offer the excuse of
pressing business and inexorable necessity! For
indeed it is not in keeping with your character
either to allow men to suffer hardships, or to belittle
the laws, or to refuse to yield to the petitions of
your friends, even if the personal affairs of your
subjects crowd upon your attention.

LETTER LXXXV
ABouT THERE Betnc No Necessity or TAKING THE
Oatu 1
We do not cease protesting solemnly at every
synod and arguing on the same matter in our private
conversations, namely, that in regard to the public
taxes oaths should not be required of the farmers by
the collectors. It was left to us, also by letter on
1 Written in the year 372. For the distress of the
Cappadocians under the heavy burden of taxation, cf.
Letter LXXIV and note 1. A very disagreeable feature
of the system of taxation was the practice of putting the
people of the country under oath as to their inability to
pay. The Church condemned the taking of oaths.
109
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

διὰ τοῦ γράμματος περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐνώπιον Θεοῦ

καὶ ἀνθρώπων διὰ μαρτύρασθᾶι, ὅτι προσήκει
παύσασθαι ὑμᾶς} τὸν θάνατον ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν
ἀνθρώπων ἐπάγοντας, καὶ ἄχλους ἐπινοῆσαί τινας
τρόπους τῶν ἀπαιτήσεων, τὰς δὲ ψυχὰς συγχω-
ρῆσαι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀτρώτους ἔχειν. ταῦτα
πρὸς σὲ γράφομεν, οὐχ ὡς σοῦ δεομένου τῆς ἐκ
τῶν λόγων παρακλήσεως (οἴκοθεν γὰρ ἔχεις τὰς
περὶ τὸ φοβεῖσθαι τὸν Κύριον " ἀφορμάς), ἀλλ᾽
ἵνα διὰ σοῦ πάντες οἱ ᾿ἀνεχόμενοί σου διδαχθῶσι
μὴ παροργίζειν τὸν ἅγιον, μηδὲ ἀπηγορευμένον
πρᾶγμα τῇ πονηρᾷ συνηθείᾳ εἰς ἀδιαφορίαν
κατάγειν. καὶ γὰρ οὔτε “ὄφελός τι αὐτοῖς πρὸς
τὰς ἀπαιτήσεις ἐκ τῶν ὅρκων ἐστί, καὶ ὁμολο-
γούμενον κακὸν τῇ ψυχῇ προσλαμβάνουσιν.
ἐπειδὰν γὰρ καταμελετήσωσιϑ τὰς ἐπιορκίας οἱ
ἄνθρωποι, οὐκέτι ἑαυτοὺς ὅ ἐπείγουσι πρὸς τὴν
ἔκτισιν, ἀλλὰ ἀπάτης ὅπλον καὶ ἀναβολῆς
ἀφορμὴν ἐξευρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς τὸν ὅρκον οἴονται.
Εἴτε οὖν ὀξεῖαν ἐπάγει τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν τοῖς
ἐπιωρκηκόσιν ὁ Κύριος, οὐχ ἕξουσι τοὺς ὑπα-
κούοντας, τῶν ὑπευθύνων ὑπὸ τῆς τιμωρίας
ἀναλωθέντων: εἴτε διὰ μακροθυμίας ἀνέχεται ὁ
Δεσπότης (ὃ προλαβὼν εἶπον, OTL οἱ πεπειρα-
μένοι τῆς ἀνοχῆς τοῦ Κυρίου καταφρονοῦσιν
αὐτοῦ τῆς χρηστότητος), μὴ ἀνομείτωσαν δια-
κενῆς, μηδὲ παροξυνέτωσαν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς τὸν Θεόν.
Εἴρηται ἡμῖν τὰ ἡμῖν ἐπιβάλλοντα ὄψονται
οἱ ἀπειθοῦντες.
1 ἡμᾶς Εἰ, 2 τὸν Θεόν editi antiqi.
3 καταμελήσωσι 1, editi antiqi.
 LETTER LXXXV

this same subject, to protest before God and men,

that you should cease bringing death upon men’s
souls, but should think out some other methods of
tax-exaction, and permit men to keep their souls
uninjured. These things we are writing to you,
not with the thought that you are in need of our
written exhortation (for you have reasons at home
for fearing the Lord), but in order that through you
all who are subject to you may be taught not to
rouse the Holy One to anger, and not to render a
forbidden act a matter of indifference through evil
habit. For the people derive no help from the oaths
in combating the demand for taxes, but they do
receive into their soul an acknowledged evil. For
whenever men become fully practised in perjury,
they no longer exert themselves to make payment,
but think that the oath has been devised for them
as an instrument of deception and a pretext for
delay.
Now if the Lord brings swift retribution upon the
perjured, the collectors will have none to answer
their summons, for those will have been destroyed by
God’s punishment who have committed the perjury;
and if the Master endures with patience (and as I
have said before, those who have experienced the
Lord’s forbearance scorn His goodness), let them not
transgress the law for no benefit,! nor yet provoke
God against themselves.
We have spoken what is in keeping with our duty ;
those who do not obey will see to it.
1 2, 6. they will not escape their taxes even if they swear to
their inability to pay them.
4 τὰς] τῆς E. 5 αὐτούς EK,
ἘΓῚ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXXXVI
Τῷ ἡγεμόνι
Οἶδα μεγίστην καὶ πρώτην σπουδὴν οὖσαν τῇ
τιμιότητί σου πάντα * τρόπον χαρίξεσθαι τῷ
δικαίῳ, δευτέραν δὲ τὸ καὶ τοὺς ἢ φίλους εὖ ποιεῖν
καὶ τῶν προσφευγόντων τῇ προστασίᾳ τῆς σῆς
μεγαλονοίας ἀντιποιεῖσθαι. πάντα τοίνυν εἰς
ταὐτὸν συνέδραμεν ἐπὶ τῆς παρούσης ὑποθέσεως.
καὶ γὰρ δίκαιόν ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὑπὲρ οὗ τὴν
πρεσβείαν ποιούμεθα, καὶ ἡμῖν κεχαρισμένον, ods
ἐν τοῖς φίλοις ἀριθμεῖν τοῖς σεαυτοῦ 8κατηξίωσας,
καὶ ὀφειλόμενον τοῖς τὴν στερρότητά σου εἰς τὴν
ὑπὲρ ὧν πεπόνθασι βοήθειαν ἐπικαλουμένοις.
Litov γάρ, ὃν μόνον εἶχε πρὸς ἃτὴν ἀναγκαίαν
τοῦ βίου διαγωγὴν ὁ ποθεινότατος ἀδελφὸς
Δωρόθεος, διήρπασάν τινες ἐν Βηρίσοις ὃ τῶν τὰ
δημόσια διοικεῖι' πεπιστευμένων, εἴτε ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν
ἐλθόντες ἐπὶ τὴν βίαν, εἴτε καὶ ἑτέρων αὐτοῖς
ὑποθεμένων. πλὴν οὐδαμόθεν αὐτοῖς τὸ πρᾶγμα
ἀνέγκλητον, τί γὰρ ἧττον ἀδικεῖ ὁ οἴκοθεν πονηρὸς
ἢ ὁ ἑτέρων κακίᾳ ὑπηρετούμενος ; καὶ τοῖς πεπον-
θόσιν ἡ ζημία ὁμοία. τοῦτον ἀξιοῦμεν, δι᾽ ὧν
ἀφηρέθη ee) 6 ἀπολαβεῖν, καὶ μὴ ἐξεῖναι αὐτοῖς
ἐπὶ ἑτέροις ? τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν τετολμημένων
ἀναφέρειν"8 ὅσου δὲ ἄξιον τὸ τὴν ἐκ τῆς σιτοδείας
1 κατά Εἰ. 2 τούς om. E. 3 ἑαυτοῦ E, Med.
4 pds] εἰς EK. 5 Βηρίσσοις E.
6 ἐξ αὐτῶν τὸ ἀφαιρεθέν add. editi Paris.
7 ἑτέρους EK. 8 φέρειν EH.
9 doov . . . τοσούτου] ὅσον. . . τοσοῦτον editi autiqi.
112
 LETTER LXXXVI

JRE MINERS ΧΧΧΥΙ

To THE Governor !

I know that the first and greatest object of your

Honour’s zeal is to favour the cause of justice in
every way, and the second, to benefit your friends
and to take action in the interests of those who flee
to the protection of your Magnanimity. Hence we
are completely in accord in the present case. For
the thing for which we plead is just, and a favour to
us, whom you have deigned to number among your
friends, and an obligation due to those who implore
your Constancy for assistance in alleviating their
sufferings. ν᾽
For the grain, which alone our very dear brother
Dorotheus possessed for meeting the necessities of
life, has been stolen by certain persons at Brisi of
those who are entrusted with the administration
of public affairs, whether they resorted to this act
of violence of their own accord, or were instigated
thereto by others. From no point of view, however,
is their action blameless. For in what respect does
he who is evil in himself commit less wrong than
he who serves the wickedness of others? To the
victims, moreover, the injury inflicted is the same.
We ask that Dorotheus shall get back the grain
from those by whom it was taken from him, and
that they should not be allowed to put the blame
for their audacity upon others. And as much as it
1 Of the same year as the preceding. Some MSS. (Reg.
secundus and Bigot.) add to the present title: παραθετικὴ
ὑπὲρ πρεσβυτέρων περὶ καθαρπαγῆς σίτου, ‘‘of recommendation
in behalf οὗ presbyters on the stealing of grain.”
112
VOL, II. I
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

διαφυγεῖν ἀνάγκην, τοσούτου τὴν χάριν τιμη-

σόμεθα τὴν παρὰ τῆς σῆς μεγαλοφυΐας, ἐὰν ἄρα
δοῦναι καταξιώσῃς.

LXXXVII
᾿Ανεπίγραφος ὑπὲρ τῶν αὐτῶν 1
᾿Εθαύμασα πῶς, σοῦ μεσιτεύοντος, τοσοῦτον
ἐτολμήθη κακὸν κατὰ τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου * ὥστε
ἣν μόνην εἶχεν ἀφορμὴν τοῦ βίου, ταύτην διαρπασ-
θῆναι, καὶ τὸ δεινότατον, ὅτι οἱ τοῦτο τετολμη-
κότες ἐπὶ σὲ τὴν αἰτίαν ὧν πεποιήκασιν ἀνα-
φέρουσιν" ὃν οὐχ ὅπως ἐπιτρέπειν τὰ τοιαῦτα
γίνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ παντὶ σθένει διακωλύειν
ἀκόλουθον ἦν, μάλιστα μὲν κατὰ πάντων, εἰ δ᾽
ἄρα, κατὰ γοῦν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ τούτων
ὅσοι ἡμῖν ὁμόψυχοι, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας
ὁδὸν πορευύμενοι. el TL ovv φροντίζεις τοῦ
ἀναπαῦσαι ἡμᾶς, ταχέως διορθωθῆναι τὰ γενόμενα
ποίησον. δύνασαι γὰρ σὺν Θεῷ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ
ἔτει μείζω τούτων κατορθοῦν, οἷς ἂν ἐθέλῃς.
ἐπέστειλα δὲ καὶ τῷ ἄρχοντι τῆς “πατρίδος, iἵνα,
a ἀφ᾽ : ἑαυτῶν μὴ ᾿θελήσωσι ποιῆσαι τὰ δίκαια,
ἐκ ® τῆς κινήσεως τῶν δικαστηρίων ἀναγκασθῶσι
ποιῆσαι.

1 ἐπὶ κήσει Es ἐπὶ ἐκδικήσει alii ΜΕΝ. ; ἐπὶ οἰκήσει editi

antiqi.
2 πρεσβυτέρου KE, Med. 8 ἐπὶ σέ om. E,
4 eis add. H, editi antiqi.
5 ἐφ᾽ editi antiqi. ὃ διά E

114
 LETTER LXXXVII

is worth to escape the privations of a famine, at so

much shall we value the favour bestowed by your
Magnanimity, if you deign to grant it.

LETTER LXXXVII
WirnouT AppREss, ON THE SAME SuBsEcT}

I am surprised that, with you acting as mediator,

so great an outrage has been perpetrated against
our presbyter ?—that he has been plundered of the
sole support of life which he possessed, and, worst
of all, that the perpetrators of this deed lay the
blame for the act which they have committed on
you; for it was incumbent on you, not only not to
allow such things to be done, but also, with all
your power, to prevent their being done, if possible
against any man, but if such things must be, against
any presbyter at least, or, of presbyters, against such
as are of like mind with us and are journeying along
the same road of piety. If, therefore, you are at
all concerned to put us at ease, see to it that what
has been done be quickly rectified. For with God’s
help you can succeed in these and in still greater
things for whomsoever you will. I have written also
to the governor of my native land® in order that, if
they do not wish to do what is right of themselves,
they may be forced to do so under pressure of the
courts.
1 Of the same date and on the same subject as the
preceding.
3 7.e. Dorotheus. Cf. preceding letter.
3 Cf, Letter VIII, Vol. I, p. 48, note 1,

11
12
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

LXXXVITI
᾿Ανεπίγραφος, ἐπὶ ἀπαιτητῇ χρημάτων
Τὴν δυσκολίαν τῆς συγκομιδῆς τοῦ πραγ-
ματευτικοῦ χρυσίου πάντων μάλιστα ἡ σὴ
τιμιότης κατέμαθε' καὶ τῆς πενίας ἡμῶν οὐδένα
μάρτυρα τοιοῦτον ἔχομεν, οἷον σέ, ὃς ἐκ τῆς
μεγάλης φιλανθρωπίας καὶ συνέπαθες ἡμῖν καὶ
συμπεριηνέχθης μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος τὰ δυνατά,
οὐδαμοῦ τὸ πρᾶον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ τῶν τρόπων κατα-
στάσεως ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἄνωθεν ἐπικειμένων ταραχῆς
παρακινήσας. ἐπεὶ οὖν ὑπολείπεται ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ
παντὸς σταθμοῦ ὀλίγον ἔτι χρυσίον, καὶ τοῦτο
ἀνάγκη ἐκ τοῦ ἐράνου, εἰς ὃν προετρεψάμεθα
πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν, συγκομισθῆναι, παρακαλοῦμέν
σου τὴν ἡμερότητα μικρόν TL ἐκτεῖναι ἡμῖν τὴν
e “ e a

προθεσμίαν, πρὸς τὸ καὶ τοὺς ἔξω τῆς πόλεως

ὑπομνησθῆναι. ἐν ἀγροῖς γάρ ἐστι τὸ πολὺ τῶν
ἐν τέλει, ὡς οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀγνοεῖς. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν ἡ
δυνατὸν παρὰ τοσάσδε λίτρας ἐκπεμφθῆναι,
τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἡμῖν ὑπολέλειπται, τοῦτο γενέσθαι
παρακαλοῦμέν σε' κἀκεῖνο ἐπαποσταλήσεται
ὕστερον: ἐὰν δὲ πᾶσα ἢ ἀνάγκη ἀθρόον αὐτὸ
παραπεμφθῆναι τοῖς θησαυροῖς, ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς
ἠξιώσαμεν, πλατυτέραν ἡμῖν γενέσθαι τὴν προ-
ΡΆΡΗΣ

1 Of the same year as the preceding.

* The Benedictine editors remark on χρυσίον πραγμα-
τευτικόν (aurum comparatitium), that it was so called because
it was collected for the purpose of providing troops with
equipment, according to Gothofredus on Cod. Theod., 7, 6, 3.
The boa of the East, with the exception of ’Osroene
and Isauria, contributed gold instead of actual equipment.
116
 LETTER LXXXVIII

LETTER LXXXVIII
Witrnout Appress, For A TAx-coLLector ὦ
Tue difficulty of collecting gold furnished by
contribution? your Honour has learned better than
anyone else; moreover, we have no witness of
our poverty better qualified than yourself, who out
of your great kindness have both sympathized with
us and, up to the present, have shown us indulgence
as far as possible, never allowing the mildness of
your disposition to be altered by the distraction
oceasioned by those in high authority who be-
set you. Since, therefore, a small amount of the
whole sum we owe is still lacking, and this must
be got together from the general contribution
which we have urged the city as a whole to make,
we beseech your Clemency to favour us by extend-
ing the period of grace a little in order that those
who are absent from the city may be notified. For
most of the magistrates are in the country, as you
yourself are not unaware. Now, if it is possible that
the money, less this particular number of pounds (for
this is the sum we still lack), be sent, we ask you
that this be done; and the above-named shortage
will be dispatched later; but if it is absolutely
necessary that the stated sum be forwarded to the
treasury all at once, then grant us what we asked in
the first place, namely, that the period of grace be
extended for us.
A law by Valens on this subject and dated 368 reads: Omnem
canonem vestiuin ex Kal. Sept. ad Kal. Aprilis largitionibus
trade, proposita Rectori provinciae vel eius officio condem-
nationis poena ; that is, the gold must be paid between Sept.
land April 1. Since Basil is here pleading for an extension
of time, if not exemption, this letter may be dated shortly
before April 1.
11}
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASII.

LXXXTX
Μελετίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αντιοχείας
ὋὉ ἀγαθὸς eos, παρασχόμενος ἡμῖν προ-
φάσεις προσηγοριῶν πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα, τὸ
σφοδρὸν τοῦ πόθου παραμυθεῖται. μάρτυς γὰρ
αὐτὸς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἡμῶν ἣν ἔχομεν εἰς τὸ
θεάσασθαί σου τὸ! πρόσωπον, καὶ ἀπολαῦσαι
τῆς ἀγαθῆς σου καὶ ψυχωφελοῦς διδασκαλίας.
καὶ νῦν δὲ διὰ τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου καὶ σπουδαιο-
τάτου ἀδελφοῦ Δωροθέου τοῦ συνδιακόνου ἐρχο-
ἐ
μένου παρακαλοῦμέν σε προηγουμένως προ-
σεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ πρόσκομμα ὦμεν
τῷ λαῷ, μηδὲ ἐμπόδιον. ταῖς ὑμετέραις εὐχαῖς
πρὸς τὸ δυσωπῆσαι τὸν Κύριον. ἔπειτα καὶ
ὑπομιμνήσκομεν καταξιῶσαί σε πάντα τυπῶσαι
διὰ τοῦ προειρημένου ἀδελφοῦ, καὶ εἴ τι δεῖ
ἐπισταλῆναι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν δύσιν, διὰ τὸ ὀφείλειν
ἀναγκαίως καὶ δι ἡμετέρου αὐτοῖς ἀπενεχθῆναι
γράμματα, αὐτὸν ὑπαγορεῦσαι τὰς ἐπιστολάς.
ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἐπιτυχόντες Σαβίνου, τοῦ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν
ἀποσταλέντος διακόνου, ἐπεστείλαμεν πρός τε
τοὺς ᾿[λλυριοὺς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ τὴν ᾿Ιταλίαν

1 gov τὸ] τοῦτο editi antiqi.

2 ἀπεστείλαμεν H, editi antiqi.

1 Written before Easter 372. On Meletius, bishop of

Antioch, cf. Letters LVII and LXVIII.
2 A deacon of the church of Antioch, and attached to the
communion of Meletius. The year before (371) he had been
the bearer of two letters from Basil to Athanasius, entreating
him to use his influence with the Western Church to inter-
118
 LETTER LXXXIX

LETTER LXXXIX
To Metetius, Bishop or Antiocu!
Tue good God, by affording us opportunities of
addressing your Honour, assuages the intensity of
our longing. For He Himself is a witness of the
desire which we have to behold your countenance
and to enjoy your good and soul-profiting instruc-
tion. And now through our most pious and zealous
brother, the deacon Dorotheus,? who is setting out,
we beseech you, primarily, to pray for us that we
may not be a stumbling-block to the people, nor
a hindrance to your own prayers for the placation
of the Lord. And, secondly, we suggest that you
deign to arrange all things through the brother
just mentioned, and if there is any need of writing
to those in the West, it being an urgent obligation
that letters be sent to them from our side also, that
you yourself dictate the letters. For we, on meet-
ing the deacon Sabinus, who had been sent by
them, have written to the Illyrians and to the
pose and heal the schism of the Church of Antioch, by
inducing all the orthodox to join with Meletius and his
party. Cf. Letters XLVIII, L, and LII. At the close of
371 Basil again sent Dorotheus to Athanasius, with letters
to Pope Damasus and the Western bishops, asking for assist-
ance in his efforts to unite the East. Cf. Letter 117.
Dorotheus spent the winter in Italy negotiating to no
purpose, and returned in 372 to Athanasius and Basil,
bringing letters from Damasus which bore witness to the
community of their faith, but offered no real assistance.
Cf. Letters LXI, LXII, and CCLXXIII. Basil is now
sending Dorotheus to Meletius requesting him to draw up
more urgent letters to the bishops of the West These
letters, however, are to be sent to Rome, not by Dorotheus,
but by the deacon Sabinus.
119
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

καὶ Γαλλίαν ἐπισκόπους, καί τινας τῶν ἰδίως

πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπιστειλάντων. εὔλογον δὲ ὡς ἀπὸ
κοινοῦ Tis συνόδου ἀποσταλῆναί τινα τὸν
κομίζοντα δεύτερα γράμματα, ἅπερ αὐτὸς κέλευσον
τυπωθῆναι.
Καὶ περὶ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου ἐἐπισκόπου ᾽Αθανα-
σίου ἀκριβῶς γινώσκουσαν τὴν τελείαν σου
φρόνησιν ὑπομιμνήσκομεν, ὅτι ἀμήχανον τοῖς
παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ γράμμασιν ἐπιδοῦναι ie ποιῆσαί τι
τῶν ὀφειλομένων, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ παρ᾽ ὑμῶν, τῶν τότε
τὴν κοινωνίαν αὐτοῦ ἀναβαλλομένων, δέξηταί
τινα τρόπον. αὐτὸς γὰρ λέγεται πάνυ ὡρμῆσθαι
πρὸς τὸ συναφθῆναιἡἡμῖν, καὶ τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν συμ-
βαλέσθαι, λυπεῖσθαι δέ, ὅτι καὶ τότε παρεπέμφθη
ἀκοινώνητος, καὶ ἔτι νῦν 1 ἀτελεῖς μένουσιν αἱ
ὑποσχέσεις.
Τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἀνατολὴν ὅπως διάκειται οὐκ
ἔλαθε πάντως τὰς ἀκοὰς τῆς θεοσεβείας σου, καὶ
δι’ ἑαυτοῦ δὲ ἀκριβέστερον πάντα ὁ προειρημένος
ἀδελφὸς διηγήσεται. ὃν καταξίωσον εὐθὺς ἐκπέμ-
ψαι μετὰ τὸ Πάσχα, διὰ τὸ ἀναμένειν τὰς ἀπὸ
Σαμοσάτων ἀποκρίσεις" οὗ καὶ τὴν προθυμίαν
ἀπόδεξαι, καὶ εὐχαῖς αὐτὸν ἐνισχύσας, πρόπεμ-
ψον εἰς τὰ προκείμενα.

1 καὶ Γαλλίαν om. Vat., Reg. secundus.

2 κοινῆς editi antiqi. 3 «at editi antiqi. 4 yovom. E.

1 Tillemont holds that this cannot apply to Athanasius

the Great, because it is unlikely that Meletius would refuse
him communion. Maran (Vita Basilii, xxii), however,

120
 LETTER LXXXIX

bishops in Italy and Gaul, and to certain ones who

had sent letters to us privately. It would be
prudent that a messenger be sent carrying a second
letter from the common synod, and do you yourself
command this letter to be written.
Now regarding the most reverend bishop Atha-
nasius, we must remind your perfect wisdom, which
knows all accurately, that it is impossible to promote
or accomplish any of those things which are neces-
sary by means of letters from me, unless he receives
his communion in some way from you also, who
once deferred giving it. For he himself is said to
have made every effort to unite with us, and, on
his part, to have done all in his power; but he is
now grieving, they say, because on the occasion in
question he was sent away without communion, and
because the promises which were made to him
remain even yet unfulfilled.t
How conditions are in the East has assuredly not
escaped the ears of your Holiness, and the brother
whom we have mentioned above will in person
relate everything more accurately. Be kind enough
to send him away immediately after Easter, since
he is awaiting the replies of the Samosatians;
approve his zeal, and having fortified him with
your prayers send him forth upon his present
business.

shows not only that the circumstances fit in, but that the
statement of Meletius’ refusal is borne out by Letter
CCLVIII, 3. It seems that Athanasius himself was so far
committed to the other side in the Antiochene dispute that
he could not recognize Meletius,

I2I
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ΧΟ
Τοῖς ἁγιωτάτοις ἀδελφοῖς καὶ ἐπισκόποις τοῖς ἐν
τῇ δύσει
ὋὉ ἀγαθὸς Θεός, ὁ ἀεὶ ταῖς θλίψεσι τὰς παρα-
κλήσεις παραζευγνύς, ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ "
τῷ πλήθει τῶν ὀδυνῶν εὑρέσθαι τινὰ μετρίαν
παράκλησιν ex? τῶν γραμμάτων, ἃ παρὰ τῆς
ὑμετέρας ὀρθότητος ὁ τιμιώτατος πατὴρ ἡμῶν
᾿Αθανάσιος * ὁ ἐπίσκοπος δεξάμενος διεπέμψατο
ἡμῖν, ὑγιοῦς πίστεως μαρτυρίαν, καὶ τῆς ἀνε-
πηρεάστου ὑμῶν ὁμονοίας καὶ συμπνοίας ἀπόδει-
Ei ἔχοντα, ὥστε καὶ ποιμένας ἀναδεικνύναι
τοῖς ἴχνεσι τῶν πατέρων ἀκολουθοῦντας καὶ τὸν
λαὸν τοῦ Κυρίου μετ᾽ ἐπιστήμης ποιμαίνοντας.
ταῦτα πάντα ηὔφρανεν ὃ ἡμᾶς τοσοῦτον, ὥστε
λῦσαι ἡμῶν τὴν “κατήφειαν, καὶἡ μειδίαμά τι βραχὺ
ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἐμποιῆσαι ἀπὸ τῆς σκυθρωπῆς
ταύτης τῶν πρωγμάτων καταστάσεως," ἐν ἧ νῦν
καθεστήκαμεν.
᾿Επέτεινε δὲ ἡμῖν τὴν παράκλησιν ὁ Κύριος
διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου συνδιακόνου
Σαβίνου, ὃς καὶ τὰ Tap’ ὑμῖν καλὰ διηγησάμενος
ἀκριβῶς ἔθρεψεν ἡμῶν τὰς ψυχάς: καὶ τὰ ἡμέ-
τερα δέ, τῇ πείρᾳ μαθών, ἐναργῶς ὑμῖν ἀναγγε-
λεῖ, ἵνα προηγουμένως μὲν διὰ τῆς ἐκτενοῦς καὶ
φιλοπόνου δεήσεως τῆς πρὸς τὸν Κύριον συνα-
1 ἐπισκόποις δυτικοῖς συνοδική, ‘‘A synodical letter to the
bishops of the West,” EK.
ev EK. τε add. E. 4 ᾿Αθανάσιος Om. Regii duo.
5 ἀποδειχθῆναι Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus. τούς add, E,
editi antiqi.
122
 LETTER XC

LETTER XC
To tHe Mosr Hoty Breruren anv BisHops OF THE
West 1}
Tue good God, who always yokes consolations
with afflictions, has granted us even now amid the
present multitude of woes that we should find a
certain measure of consolation in the letters which
our most honoured father, Bishop Athanasius, re-
ceived from your orthodox selves and forwarded to
us, being as they are a testimony to your sound
faith, giving proof of your unalterable unanimity
and concord, so that they show clearly that the
shepherds are following the footsteps of the fathers
and with knowledge are feeding the people of the
Lord. All this has delighted us to such a degree
as to dissolve our dejection and to engender in our
souls a faint smile, as it were, after the gloom of the
state of affairs in which we at present find ourselves.
And the Lord has increased our consolation
through our son, the most reverend deacon Sabinus,
who by his accurate account of the goodly situation
among you has nourished our souls ; and our condition
in turn he.will report to you plainly when he becomes
familiar with it through experience, in order that,
in the first place, you may unite with us in our
struggle by your earnest and untiring prayer to the

1 Written before Easter of 372. Newman takes this letter

and also Letter XCII in close connexion with Letter LXX,
which appears to be addressed to Pope Damasus.

6 εὔφρανεν HK, κινήσεως quattuor MSS. 8 δέ om, E.

123
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

γωνίζησθε ἡμῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ THY ἐνδεχομένην

ὑμῖν! παραμυθίαν ταῖς καταπονουμέναις ἐκκλη-
σίαις εἰσενέγκασθαι μὴ παραιτήσησθε. κέκμηκε
γὰρ τὰ ἐνταῦθα, ἀδελφοὶ τιμιώτατοι, καὶ ἀπείρη-
κε πρὸς τὰς συνεχεῖς προσβολὰς τῶν ἐναντίων
ἡ ᾿Εκκλησία, ὥσπερ τι πλοῖον ἐν πελάγει: μέσῳ
ταῖς ἐπαλλήλοις πληγαῖς τῶν κυμάτων βασα-
νιζόμενον, εἰ μή τις γένοιτο ταχεῖα ἐπισκοπὴ
τῆς ἀγαθότητος τοῦ Κυρίου. ὥσπερ οὖν ἡμεῖς
ἴδιον ἑαυτῶν ἀγαθὸν ποιούμεθα τὴν ὑμετέραν *
πρὸς ἀλλήλους σύμπνοιάν τε καὶ ἑνότητα, οὕτω
καὶ ὑμᾶς παρακαλοῦμεν συμπαθῆσαι ἡμῶν ταῖς
διαιρέσεσι, καὶ μή, ὅτι τῇ θέσει τῶν τόπων
διεστήκαμεν, χωρίξειν ἡμᾶς ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι
ἑνούμεθα τῇ κατὰ τὸ Πνεῦμα κοινωνίᾳ, εἰς τὴν
ἑνὸς σώματος ἡμᾶς συμφωνίαν ἀναλαμβάνειν.
Γνώριμα δὲ τὰ θλίβοντα ἡμᾶς, κἂν ἡμεῖς μὴ
λέγωμεν: εἰς πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν οἰκουμένην λοιπὸν
ἐξήχηται. καταπεφρόνηται τὰ τῶν πατέρων
δογματα' ἀποστολικαὶ παραδόσεις ἐξουδένωνται"
νεωτεροποιῶν 3 ἀνθρώπων ἐφευρέματα ταῖς ἐκ-
κλησίαις ἐμπολιτεύεται' τεχνολογοῦσι λοιπόν,
οὐ! θεολογοῦσιν, οἱ ἄνθρωποι: ἡ τοῦ κόσμου
sopla Ta πρωτεῖα φέρεται, παρωσαμένη τὸ
καύχημα τοῦ σταυροῦ. ποιμένες ἀπελαύνονται,
ἀντεισάγονται δὲ λύκοι βαρεῖς, διασπῶντες τὸ
ποίμνιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. οἶκοι εὐκτήριοι ἔρημοι
τῶν ἐκκλησιαζόντων: αἱ ἐρημίαι πλήρεις τῶν
ὀδυρομένων. οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὀδύρονται, τὰ παλαιὰ
1 ἡμῖν KE. 2 ἡμετέραν HK,
3 ἐξουδένωνται: νεωτεροποιῶν] etovI€vnvTat, νεωτέρων tres
Regii, Cois], secundus,
124
 LETTER XC

Lord, and secondly, that you may not refuse to

bring all the consolation in your power to our suffer-
ing churches. For here all things are sick, most
reverend brethren, and in the face of the continuous
attacks of her enemies the church has given up the
struggle—like a ship in mid-sea when it is buffeted
by the successive blows of the waves—unless it
receive some speedy visitation of the goodness of
the Lord. Therefore, just as we consider your
agreement and unity with one another as a special
blessing for us, so too we beg you to sympathize
with our dissensions and not, because we are
separated by our respective geographical positions,
to sever us from yourselves, but, inasmuch as we are
united in the communion of the Spirit, to take us
into the harmony of one single body.
The evils which afflict us are well known, even
if we do not now mention them, for long since have
they been re-echoed through the whole world. The
teachings of the Fathers are scorned; the apostolic
traditions are set at naught; the fabrications of
innovators are in force in the churches; these men,
moreover, train themselves in rhetorical quibbling
and not in theology; the wisdom of the world
takes first place to itself, having thrust aside the
glory of the Cross. The shepherds are driven away,
and in their places are introduced troublesome
wolves who tear asunder the flock of Christ. The
houses of prayer are bereft of those wont to assemble
therein; the solitudes are filled with those who
weep. The elders weep, comparing the past with

4. οὐ] καὶ οὐχί EK.

125
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

συγκρίνοντες τοῖς παροῦσιν' οἱ νέοι ἐλεεινότεροι,

μὴ εἰδότες οἵων ἐστέρηνται.
Ταῦτα ἱἱκανὰ μὲν κινῆσαι πρὸς συμπάθειαν
τοὺς τὴν Χριστοῦ ἀγάπην πεπαιδευμένους"
συγκρινόμενος δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τῶν πραγμάτων
ὁ λόγος παρὰ πολὺ τῆς ἀξίας αὐτῶν ἀπολείπεται.
εἴ τι οὖν παραμύθιον ἀγάπης, εἴ τις κοινωνία
Πνεύματος, εἴ τιναΞ σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμῶν,"
κινήθητε πρὸς τὴν ἀντίληψιν ἡμῶν. λάβετε
ζῆλον εὐσεβείας, ἐξέλεσθε ἡμᾶς τοῦ χειμῶνος
τούτου. λαλείσθω καὶ Tap ἡμῖν “μετὰ παρρησίας
τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐκεῖνο κήρυγμα τῶν πατέρων, τὸ
καταστρέφον μὲν τὴν δυσώνυμον αἵρεσιν τὴν
᾿Αρείου, οἰκοδομοῦν" δὲ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐν τῇ
ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ ἐν Ἢ ὁ Ὑἱὸς ὁμοούσιος
ὁμολογεῖται τῷ Πατρί, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον
ὁμοτίμως -συναριθμεῖταί τε καὶ συλλατρεύεται'
ἵνα ἣν ὑμῖν ἡ ἔδωκεν ὁ
ὁ Κύριος ὑὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας
παρρησίαν, καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ τῆς Betas’
Kal σωτηρίου Τριάδος καύχημα, τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν
διὰ τῶν ὑμετέρων εὐχῶν. καὶ τῆς συνεργίας ὑμῶν
χαρίσηται. τὸ δὲ καθέκαστον αὐτὸς ὁ προειρη-
μένος συνδιάκονος ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῶν τῇ ἀγάπη.
καὶ πᾶσι δὲ τοῖς γενομένοις κανονικῶς παρὰ τῆς
ὑμετέρας τιμιότητος συνεθέμεθα, τὸν ἀποστολικὸν
ὑμῶν ζῆλον ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀποδεξάμενοι.
1 εἰς editi antiqi. 2 τινα] τι Ἐὶ
3 καὶ οἰκτιρμοί 1", 4 τοῦ E.
5 στερεοῦν editi antiqi, οἰκονομοῦν Harl., Regius.

126
 LETTER XC

the present; the young are more to be pitied, since

they know not of what they have been deprived.
These facts are sufficient to move to sympathy
those who have been taught the love of Christ;
yet my speech in comparison with the true state
of things falls far short of a worthy presentation
of them. If, then, there is any consolation of love,
if there is any communion of the Spirit, if there
are any bowels of mercy, be moved to our assistance.
Take up the zeal of piety, and rescue us from this
storm. And let us also pronounce with boldness
that good dogma! of the Fathers, which overwhelms
the accursed heresy of Arius, and builds the churches
on the sound doctrine, wherein the Son is confessed
to be consubstantial with the Father, and the Holy
Spirit is numbered with them in like honour and
so adored; in order that the Lord through your
prayers and your co-operation may also bestow upon
us that fearlessness in the cause of truth, and that
glory in the confession of the divine and saving
Trinity, which He has given to you. The deacon
whom we have mentioned will himself announce
everything in detail to your Affection. Moreover,
with all that has been done canonically by your
Honours we are in agreement, having welcomed
your apostolic zeal for orthodoxy.

1 Basil in general seems to use δόγματα in the sense of

doctrines and practices privately and tacitly sanctioned in
the Church, and he reserves κηρύγματα for what is now
usually understood as δόγματα.

ὁ ἡμῖν BE. 7 ἀληθείας editi antiqi.

127
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

XCI
Οὐαλεριανῷ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Ιλλυριῶν
Χάρις τῷ Κυρίῳ," τῷ δόντι ἡμῖν ἀρχαίας
ἀγάπης “καρπὸν ἰδεῖν ἐν τῇ σῇ καθαρότητι, ὅς
γε τοσοῦτον διεστὼς τῷ σώματι, συνῆψας ἡμῖν
σεαυτὸν διὰ γράμματος, καὶ τῷ πνευματικῷ
σου καὶ ἁγίῳ πόθῳ περιπτυξάμενος ἡμᾶς, ἀμύ-
θητόν τι φίλτρον ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἐνεποίησας.
ἔργῳ γὰρ ἐμάθομεν τῆς παροιμίας τὴν δύναμιν,
ὅτι “Ὥσπερ ψυχῇ Soon ψυχρὸν ὕδωρ, οὕτως
ἀγγελία ἀγαθὴ ἐκ γῆς ἢ μακρόθεν.
Δεινὸς γάρ ἐστι παρ᾽ ἡμῖν λιμὸς ἀγάπης,
ἀδελφὲ τιμιώτατε. καὶ ἡ αἰτία πρόδηλος, ὅτι
διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐψύγη τῶν
πολλῶν ἡ ἀγάπη. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πολλοῦ ἄξιον
ἡμῖν ἐφάνη τὸ γράμμα, καὶ ἀμειβόμεθά σε διὰ
τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀνδρὸς τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου συνδιακόνου
ἡμῶν καὶ ἀδελφοῦ Σαβίνου: δι’ οὗ καὶ γνωρί-
ζομέν σοι ἑαυτούς καὶ παρακαλοῦμέν σε ἐπα-

1 Ἰλλυρικοῦ Harl., Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus.

2 Θεῷ nonnulli MSS. 3 ἑαυτόν EK. 4 τό HK, Med.
5 γῆς] sic E, Med., Harl. τῆς alii MSS. et δά],
ὁ ψυγήσεται ΕἸ.

1 Before Easter of 372, St. Valerianus, bishop of Aquileia,

is first mentioned as being present at the council of Rome
in 371. Cf. Theodoret, H.#. 2, 17. He presided at the
council held in 381 at Aquileia against the Arian bishops
Palladius and Secundinus, although he took small part in
the discussion, St. Ambrose being the leader of the Catholics,
He was also at the council at Rome in 382, Cf, Theodoret,
128
 LETTER XCI

REDIER XCI
To VaLeriaAN, BisHop oF THE ILtyRianst
Tuanks be unto the Lord, who has permitted us
to see in your Purity the fruit of pristine love ;?
for you, though so far separated in body, have
united yourself to us by letter, and embracing us
with your spiritual and holy yearning you have
engendered in our souls an ineffable affection. For
by experience we have learned the force of the
proverb that: “ As cold water to a thirsty soul, so
is good tidings from a far country.” 3
For terrible among us is the famine of love, most
honoured brother. And the cause is manifest:
“because iniquity has abounded, the charity of
many has grown cold.” * For this reason, indeed,
your letter has seemed of great worth to us, and we
are answering you through the same person, our
most reverend deacon and brother, Sabinus; and
through him, moreover, we both make our own con-

H.E. 5,9. The date of his death is uncertain. He is com-

memorated on Nov. 27. Under his rule there grew up at
Aquileia that group of people of whom Jerome was the most
famous, and which he ealls in his chronicle (a.D. 378) “ἃ
company of the blessed.” Dorotheus or Sabinus had brought
letters from Athanasius, and Sabinus one fron Valerianus,
and Basil is here taking the opportunity to reply.
2 7.e. an exemplification of Christian love as taught in the
early Church.
3 Of. Prov. 25.25: ὥσπερ ὕδωρ ψυχρὸν ψυχῇ διψώσῃ προσηνές)
οὕτως ἀγγελία ἀγαθὴ ἐκ γῆς μακρόθεν.
4 Cf. Matt. 94. 19: καὶ διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν,
ψυγήσεται ἣ ἀγάπη τῶν πυλλῶν.
** And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of
many shall grow cold.”
129
VOL. II, K
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

γρυπνεῖν ταῖς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν προσευχαῖς, wa δῷ

ποτὲ ὁ ἅγιος Θεὸς καὶ τοῖς ἐνταῦθα πράγμασι
γαλήνην καὶ ἡσυχίαν, καὶ ἐπιτιμήσῃ τῷ ἀνέμῳ
τούτῳ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ, ὥστε παύσασθαι ἡμᾶς
τοῦ σάλου καὶ τῆς ἀνατροπῆς, ἐν ἡ νῦν καθεστή-
καμεν, ἀεὶ καταποντισθήσεσθαι | παντελῶς
ἀναμένοντες.
᾿Αλλὰ τοῦτο μεγάλως " ἐν τοῖς παροῦσιν ὁ
Κύριος ἡμῖν ἐχαρίσατο, τὸ ὑμᾶς ἀκούειν ἐν
ἀκριβεῖ συμφωνίᾳ καὶ ἑνότητι εἶναι πρὸς ἀλλή-
λους, καὶ ἀκωλύτως Tap ὑμῖν τὸ κήρυγμα τῆς
εὐσεβείας περιαγγέλλεσθαι. ὁτεδήποτε γὰρ
(εἴπερ μὴ ,»συγκέκλεισται, λοιπὸν ὁ χρόνος τοῦ
κόσμου τούτου, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι ἡμέραι τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης
ζωῆς ὑπολείπονται) “ἀνάγκη παρ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀνανεω-
θῆναι τὴν πίστιν τῇ ἀνατολῇ, καὶ ὧν ἐλάβετε
Tap αὐτῆς ἀγαθῶν, τούτων ἐν καιρῷ παρα-
σχέσθαι αὐτῇ τὴν ἀντίδοσιν. τὸ γὰρ ὑγιαῖνον
ἐνταῦθα μέρος καὶ τὴν τῶν πατέρων εὐσέβειαν
ἐκδικοῦν ἱκανῶς κέκμηκε, πολλαῖς καὶ ποικίλαις
μηχανημάτων προσβολαῖς ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ μεθοδείᾳ
τοῦ διαβόλου αὐτὸ κατασείσαντος. ἀλλ᾽ εὐχαῖς
ὑμετέραις τῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸν Κύριον σβεσθείη
μὲν ἡ πονηρὰ καὶ λαοπλάνος αἵρεσις τῆς ᾿Αρείου
κακοδοξίας: ἀναλάμψειε δὲ ἡ ἀγαθὴ τῶν πατέρων
ἡμῶν διδασκαλία τῶν συνελθόντων κατὰ τὴν
Νίκαιαν, ὥστε σύμφωνον τῷ σωτηρίῳ βαπτίσ-
ματι τὴν δοξολογίαν ἀποπληροῦσθαι τῇ μακαρίᾳ
Τριάδι.

130
 LETTER XCI

dition known to you and beseech you to be vigilant

in your prayers for us, in order that the holy God
may some day grant calm and repose to our concerns
here, and may rebuke this wind and sea, so that we
can find rest from the tempest-tossing and confusion
in which we now find ourselves, ever waiting to be
plunged utterly into the deep.
But this great blessing the Lord has bestowed
upon us in our present situation—that we hear that
you are in strict harmony and unity with one
another, and that without hindrance the proclama-
tion of the true faith is being made among you.
For at some time (unless the period of this world is
now closed, but if days of human existence alone still
remain) there must come from you a renewal of the
faith for the East, and in due time you must render
her a recompense for the blessings which you have
received from her. For that portion of us here that
is sound and that guards the true doctrine of our
fathers has become quite weary, since the devil in
his craftiness has struck it down by the many and
cunning assaults of his machinations. But by the
prayers of you who love the Lord may that wicked
and deceiving heresy, the false doctrine of Arius,
be extinguished; may the good teaching of our
fathers who met at Nicaea shine forth again, so that
the doxology in harmony with saving baptism may
be duly rendered to the Blessed Trinity.

1 καταποντίζεσθαι editi antiqi. 2 μέγας editi antiqi.

3 ἀναπληροῦσθαι KE.

121
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

SONNE

Πρὸς ᾿Ιταλοὺς καὶ T'adXovus

Τοῖς θεοφιλεστάτοις καὶ ὁσιωτάτοις ἀδελφοῖς1
συλλειτουργοῖς 5κατὰ τὴν ᾿Ιταλίαν καὶ Ταλλίαν
€ / 5 , / 5 ͵
ὁμοψύχοις ἐπισκόποις Μελέτιος, Εὐσέβειος,
Βασίλειος, Βάσσος, Τ᾽ρηγόριος, ]ελάγιος, ΠΠαῦ-
ros, ἴάνθιμος, Θεόδοτος, Βῖθος, ᾿Αβραάμιος,
‘ToBivos,? Ζήνων, Θεοδώρητος, Μαρκιανός, Ba-
payos, Αβραάμιος, Λιβάνιος, Θαλάσσιος, Ἰωσήφ,
Βοηθός, ᾿Ιάτριος,, Θεόδοτος, Εὐστάθιος, Bap-
σούμας, ᾿Ιωάννης, Χοσρόης," ᾿Ιωσάκης, Napons,
ἊΝ οἷ / , 5 > / 6 N 4

Μάρις, Γρηγόριος, Δαφνός, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν.

Φέρει μέν τινα παραμυθίαν ταῖς ὀδυνωμέναις
ψυχαῖς καὶ στεναγμὸς πολλάκις ἐκ βάθους τῆς
καρδίας ἀναπεμπόμενος, καί που καὶ δάκρυον
ἀποστάξαν τὸ πολὺ τῆς θλίψεως διεφόρησεν.
> / \ \ n / /

ἡμῖν δὲ οὐχ, ὅσον ὃστεναγμὸς καὶ δάκρυον, παρα-

μυθίαν ἔχει τὸ ἐξειπεῖν ἡμῶν τὰ πάθη πρὸς τὴν
ἀγώπην ὑμῶν' ἀλλά τις ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐλπὶς χρηστο-
τέρα θάλπει, ὡς τάχα ἄν, εἰ ἐξαγγείλαιμεν ὑμῖν
τὰ λυποῦντα ἡμᾶς, διαναστήσαιμεν3 ὑμᾶς πρὸς
ἀδελφοῖς om. I. 2 τοῖς add. E.
*lovBivos Vat, ; Σαβῖνος editi antiqi.
᾿Ατρεῖος Vat., Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus.
Χρυσορόης Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus.
"»
ὦ
Ἰσαάκης
οι.»
Reg. secundus; Ἰσάακις Coisl, secundus ;
᾿Ιώσακις Harl.
7 καὶ of λοιποί add. ed. antiqi; καὶ of σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀδελφοί
add. Med.
8 ὅσην Regii duo, Coisl. secundus.
9 διαναστήσωμεν duo MSS.; διαναστήσαντες Harl.; δια-
ναστήσομεν editi antiqi.
122
 LETTER XCII

LETTER XCII
To THE ITALIANS AND Gauts!

To our most God-beloved and holy brethren,

co-workers in Italy and Gaul, bishops of like mind
with us, we, Meletius,? Eusebius,® Basil, Bassus,°
Gregory,® Pelagius,? Paul, Anthimus,’ Theodotus,®
Vitus Abraham," Jobinus,!* Zeno, Theodoretus,
Marcianus, Barachus, Abraham,!4 Libanius, Thalas-
sius, Joseph, Boethus, Iatrius,!° Theodotus, Eusta-
thius,!® Barsumas, John, Chosroes, Iosaces,!? Narses,
Maris, Gregory,!§ Daphnus, send you greetings in
the Lord.
Even a groan repeatedly uttered from the depths
of the heart brings some degree of consolation to souls
in affliction, and doubtless, too, a falling tear has
swept away the greater portion of our anguish.
But the telling of our woes to your Charity means
for us, not consolation such as groans and _ tears
may bring; nay, there is also hope for better things
that warms us, a hope that perhaps, if we should
announce to you the causes of our affliction, we
might rouse you to take those measures for our
1 Written in 372. 2 Of Antioch.
3 Of Samosata. 4 Of Caesarea.
5 Tillemont (Basi/, Note LII) suggests Barses of Edessa.
δ. The elder, of Nazianzus. * Of Laodicea,
8 Of Tyana. ® Of Nicopolis. 10 Of Carrhae.
11 Of Batnae. 1 Of Perrha. 18 Of Tyre.
14 Of Urimi in Syria.
15 Maran would read (treius of Melitine for Iatrius,
16 Of Sebasteia.
17 Maran would read Isaaces, identifying him with the
Isacoces of Armenia Major.
18 Probably Gregory of Nyssa, lately consecrated.
£33
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τὴν ἀντίληψιν ἡμῶν, ἣν πάλαι μὲν προσεδο-

κήσαμεν Tap ὑμῶν ταῖς κατὰ τὴν ἀνατολὴν
ἐκκλησίαις γενήσεσθαι, οὐδέπω 2 δὲ τετυχήκαμεν,
πάντως τοῦ ὃ ἐν σοφίᾳ τὰ ἡμέτερα διοικοῦντος
Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὰ ἀθεώρητα αὐτοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης
κρίματα, πλείονι χρόνῳ παραταθῆναι ἡμᾶς * ἐν
τοῖς πειρασμοῖς τούτοις οἰκονομήσαντος. οὐ γὰρ
δήπου ἠγνοήσατε τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ τιμιώτα-
τοι, ὧν ἡ ἀκοὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔσχατα τῆς οἰκου-
μένης ἐξέδραμεν"" οὐδὲ ἀσυμπαθεῖς που ὑμεῖς
πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοψύχους τῶν ἀδελφῶν, μαθηταὶ
ὑπάρχοντες τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου, τοῦ πλήρωμα εἶναι
τοῦ νόμου τὴν πρὸς τὸν πλησίον ἀγάπην διδά-
σκοντος. ἀλλ᾽ ὅπερ εἴπαμεν, ἐπέσχεν ὑμῶν τὴν
ὁρμὴν ἡ δικαία τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσις, ἐκπληρωθῆναι
ἡμῖν τὴν διατεταγμένην ἐπὶ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν
θλίψιν ἐπιμετροῦσα. ἀλλὰ νῦν γοῦν, καὶ πρὸς
τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ζῆλον καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν
συμπάθειαν, διαναστῆναι ὑμᾶς παρακαλοῦμεν,
πάντα μαθόντας, καὶ ὅσα πρὸ τούτου τὰς ἀκοὰς
ὑμῶν διέφυγε, παρὰ τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου ἀδελφοῦ
ἡμῶν τοῦ συνδιακόνου Σαβίνου, ὃς δυνήσεται
ὑμῖν καὶ ὅσα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν διαφεύγει παρ᾽
ἑαυτοῦ διηγήσασθαι: δι’ οὗ παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμᾶς
ἐνδύσασθαι σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, καὶ ἀποθέσθαι
μὲν πάντα ὄκνον, ἀναλαβεῖν δὲ τὸν κόπον τῆς
ἀγάπης" καὶ μήτε ὁδοῦ μῆκος, μήτε τὰς κατ᾽
οἶκον ἀσχολίας, μήτ᾽ ἄλλο τι τῶν “ἀνθρωπίνων
ΠΡ wage?
1 μέν om, Εἰ, 2 οὐδέποτε editi antiqi.
3 χὰ πάντα add. HE, editi antiqi. 4 ὑμᾶς EK.
5 εἰς editi antiqi. 6 διέδραμεν editi antiqi.
134
 LETTER XCII

relief which we have long been expecting would

come from you to the churches in the East, but
which we have not yet received—surely for the
reason that God, who in His wisdom disposes our
affairs, has ordained according to the inscrutable
judgments of His justice that we should be racked
in these trials for a still longer period. For you
surely have not remained ignorant how affairs are
amongst us, most honoured brethren, whereof the
rumour has gone forth to the uttermost parts of the
world; nor are you, methinks, without sympathy
for brethren of like mind with yourselves, being
disciples of the Apostle, who teaches that the love
of neighbour is the fulfilling of the law. But, as
we have said, it is the righteous judgment of God,
meting out to us for fulfilment the suffering ap-
pointed for our offences, that has restrained your
interest in our behalf. But now at least, by your
zeal for the truth and by the sympathy you have for
us, we implore you to rouse yourselves, when you
have learned the whole story, even what has hitherto
escaped your ears, from our most revered brother,
the deacon Sabinus, who will be able to relate to you
by word of mouth whatever is not contained in our
letter. Through him we beseech you to put on the
bowels of mercy, to cast aside all hesitation, and to
take up the labour of love ; and to take into considera-
tion neither length of journey, nor the business you
may have at home, nor any other concern of man.
1 Cf. Rom. 13, 10: 7 ἀγάπη τῷ πλησίον κακὸν οὐκ ἐργάζεται:
πλήρωμα οὖν νόμου ἣ ἀγάπη.
“ΠῊ6. love of our neighbour worketh no evil. Love
therefore is the fulfilling of the law.”

7 ἐπιμετρήσασα editi antiqi.

13
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Ov yap περὶ μιᾶς ἐκκλησίας ὁ κίνδυνος, οὐδὲ

δύο ἢ τρεῖς αἱ τῷ χαλεπῷ τούτῳ χειμῶνι παρα-
πεσοῦσαι.1 “σχεδὸν γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν ὅρων τοῦ
Ἰλλυρικοῦ μέχρι Θηβαΐδος. τὸ τῆς αἱρέσεως κακὸν
ἐπινέμεται. ἧς τὰ πονηρὰ σπέρματα πρότερον
μὲν ὁ δυσώνυμος Αρειος κατεβάλετο, ῥιζωθέντα
δὲ διὰ βάθους ὑπὸ πολλῶν τῶν ἐν μέσῳ φιλο-
πόνως τὴν ἀσέβειαν γεωργησάντων, νῦν τοὺς
φθοροποιοὺς καρποὺς ἐξεβλάστησεν." ἀνατέ-
τραπται μὲν γὰρ τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγματα,
συγκέχυνται δὲ ἐκκλησίας θεσμοί. φιλαρχίαι
δὲ τῶν μὴ φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον ταῖς προ-
στασίαις ἐπιπηδῶσι" καὶ ἐκ τοῦ προφανοῦς λοιπὸν
ἄθλον δυσσεβείας ἡ προεδρία πρόκειται" ae
ὁ τὰ χαλεπώτερα βλασφημήσας εἰς ἐπισκοπὴν 5
λαοῦ προτιμότερος. οἴχεται σεμνότης ἱερατική'
ἐπιλελοίπασιν οἱ ποιμαίνοντες μετ᾽ ἐπιστήμης
ποίμνιον τοῦ Κυρίου, οἰκονομίας πτωχῶν εἰς
ἰδίας ἀπολαύσεις καὶ δώρων διανομὰς παρανα-
λισκόντων ἀεὶ 5 τῶν φιλαρχούντων. ἠμαύρωται
κανόνων ἀκρίβεια. ἐξουσία τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν
πολλή" οἱ yap διὰ σπουδῆς “ἀνθρωπίνης ὃ παρελ-
θόντες ἐἐπὶ τὸ ἄρχειν ἐν αὐτῷ τούτῳ τῆς σπουδῆς
τὴν χάριν ἀνταναπληροῦσι, τῷ πάντα πρὸς
ἡδονὴν ἐνδιδόναι 7 τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν. ἀπόλωλε
κρῖμα δίκαιον" πᾶς τις τῷ θελήματι τῆς καρδίας
αὐτοῦ πορεύεται. ἡ πονηρία ἄμετρος, οἱ λαοὶ
περιπεσοῦσαι editi antiqi.
ἐξεβλάστησαν HK, editi antiqi.
ἐπίσκοπον alii MSS. 4 τό add. E.
ἀεὶ] πάντα Med., Harl.
σ᾽
pep
ὦδ
&
διὰ σπουδῆς ΙΕ ΣΙ ΠΕ σπουδαῖς ἀνθρωπίναις editi antiqi.
136
 LETTER XCII

For the danger is not confined to a single church,

nor are there two or three only which have been
overthrown by this fierce tempest. For we can
almost say that the curse of this heresy is spreading
out from the borders of Illyricum to the Thebaid;
its baneful seeds were formerly scattered by the
infamous Arius, and, taking deep root through the
efforts of many who have cultivated them assiduously
in the meantime, they have now produced their
death-dealing fruits. For the teachings of the true
faith have been overthrown and the ordinances of
the Church have been set at naught. The lust for
office on the part of men who do not fear the Lord
leaps upon the positions of high authority, and quite
openly now the foremost place is offered as a prize
for impiety; and consequently that man who has
uttered the more horrible blasphemies is accounted
the more worthy of the episcopal direction of the
people. Gone is the dignity of the priesthood.
None are left to tend the flock of the Lord with
knowledge, while ambitious men ever squander the
sums collected for the poor on their own pleasures
and for the distribution of gifts. The strict
observance of the canons has been weakened.
Licence to commit sin has become widespread; for
those who have come into office through the favour
of men take this very means of returning thanks
for the favour—conceding to sinners whatever will
conduce to their pleasure. Just judgment is dead;
each and every one proceeds according to the whim
of his own heart. Wickedness goes beyond all

7 διδόναι E, editi antiqi.

137
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀνουθέτητοι, οἱ προεστῶτες ἀπαρρησίαστοι"

δοῦλοι γὰρ τῶν δεδωκότων τὴν χάριν, οἱ δι
ἀνθρώπων ἑαυτοῖς τὴν δυναστείαν κατακτη-
σάμενοι. ἤδη δὲ καὶ ὅπλον τισὶ τοῦ πρὸς ἀλλή-
λους πολέμου ἡ ἐκδίκησις δῆθεν τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας
ἐπινενόηται, καὶ τὰς ἰδίας ἔχθρας ἐπικρυψάμενοι:
ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας. ἐχθραίνειν κατασχηματί-
ζονται. ἄλλοι δέ, τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἐκ-
κλίνοντες ἔλεγχον, τοὺς λαοὺς εἰς τὴν κατ᾽
ἀλλήλων φιλονεικίαν. ἐκμαίνουσιν, ἵνα τοῖς κοινοῖς
κακοῖς τὸ καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς συσκιάσωσι.
Διὸ καὶ ἄσπονδός ἐστιν ὁ πόλεμος οὗτος, τῶν
Ta πονηρὰ εἰργασμένων τὴν κοινὴν εἰρήνην, ὡς
ἀποκαλύπτουσαν αὐτῶν τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης,
ὑφορωμένων. ἐπὶ τούτοις γελῶσιν οἱ ἄπιστοι,
σαλεύονται οἱ ὀλιγόπιστοι" ἀμφίβολος ἡ πίστις,
ἄγνοια κατακέχυται τῶν ψυχῶν, διὰ τὸ μιμεῖσθαι"
τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοὺς δολοῦντας τὸν λόγον ἐν κα-
κουργίᾳ. σιγᾷ μὲν γὰρ τὰ τῶν εὐσεβούντων
στόματα, ἀνεῖται δὲ πᾶσα βλάσφημος γλῶσσα.
ἐβεβηλώθη τὰ ἅγια, φεύγουσι τοὺς εὐκτηρίους
οἴκους οἱ ὑγιαίνοντες τῶν λαῶν ὡς ἀσεβείας
διδασκαλεῖα, κατὰ δὲ τὰς ἐρημίας πρὸς τὸν ἐν
οὐρανοῖς Δεσπότην μετὰ στεναγμῶν. καὶ δακρύων
τὰς χεῖρας αἴρουσιν. ἔφθασε γὰρ" πάντως καὶ
μέχρις ὑμῶν τὰ γινόμενα ὃ ἐνἐ ταῖς πλείσταις τῶν
πόλεων, ὅτι οἱ λαοὶ σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ παιδίοις3
καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς πρεσβύταις, πρὸ τῶν τειχῶν
ἐκχυθέντες, ἐν τῷ ὑπαίθρῳ τελοῦσι τὰς προ-
σευχάς, φέροντες πάσας τὰς ἐκ τοῦ ἀέρος κακο-
1 μισεῖσθαι Med, 2 δέ editi antiqi.
138
 LETTER XCII

bounds, the laity are deaf to admonition, their

leaders are without freedom of speech; for those
who have obtained power for themselves through
the favour of men are the slaves of those who have
conferred the favour. And already, to serve them
as a weapon in their warfare with one another,
“the vindication of orthodoxy,” forsooth, has been
devised by some, and they, concealing their private
enmities, pretend that they hate one another for
religion’s sake! Still others, to avoid exposure for
their shameful deeds, inflame the laity to mutual
strife in order that they may use the public ills to
screen their own conduct.
Hence this is a truceless war, for the perpetrators
of these evil deeds dread a general peace on the
ground that it will lay bare their hidden acts of
shame. At this state of affairs unbelievers laugh,
those of little faith waver; the true faith is am-
biguous ; ignorance is poured down upon souls by
reason of the fact that those who maliciously falsify
doctrine imitate the truth. For the lips of the
pious are silent, yet every blasphemous tongue is let
loose. Holy things have been profaned, those of
the laity who are sound in faith flee the houses of
prayer as schools of impiety, and in the solitudes
they raise their hands with groans and tears to the
Master in heaven. For surely what is happening in
most of our cities has already reached even you—
that the laity with their wives, their children, and
even their aged, having poured forth in front of
the walls, offer up their prayers under the open
sky, enduring all the discomforts of the weather
3 γενόμενα editi antiqi. 4 παισί editi antiqi.
5 πρεσβυτέροις KE.
139
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

παθείας σὺν πολλῇ TH μακροθυμίᾳ, τὴν παρὰ

τοῦ Κυρίου ἀντίληψιν ἀναμένοντες.
Τίς θρῆνος τῶν συμφορῶν τούτων ἄξιος ;; ποῖαι
πηγαὶ δακρύων κακοῖς τοσούτοις ἀρκέσουσιν ;os
ἕως οὖν ETL δοκοῦσιν ἑστάναι τινές, ἕως ETL ἴχνος
τῆς παλαιᾶς καταστάσεως διασώζεται,5 πρὶν
τέλεον ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἐπέλθῃ 3 τὸ ναυάγιον,
ἐπείχθητε πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἐπείχθητε, ἤδη, ναὶ δεόμεθα,
ἀδελφοὶ yunowwtato δότε χεῖρα τοῖς εἰς γόνυ
κλιθεῖσι. συγκινηθήτω ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν τὰ ἀδελφικὰ
ὑμῶν σπλάγχνα, προχυθήτω δάκρυα, συμπαθείας.
μὴ περιίδητε τὸ ἥμισυ τῆς οἰκουμένης ὑπὸ τῆς
πλάνης καταποθέν: μὴ ἀνάσχησθε ἀποσβεσθῆναι
τὴν πίστιν, παρ᾽ οἷς πρῶτον ἐξέλαμψε.
Ti οὖν ποιήσαντες ἀντιλήψεσθε τῶν πραγμά-
των, καὶ πῶς τὸ πρὸς τοὺς θλιβομένους συμπαθὲς
ἐπιδείξεσθε, οὐ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν πάντως δεήσει μαθεῖν
ὑμᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὑμῖν ὑπο-
θήσεται. πλήν γε ὅτι τάχους χρεία πρὸς τὸ
περισώσασθαι τοὺς περιλειφθέντας, καὶ πα-
ρουσίας ἀδελφῶν πλειόνων, ὥστε πλήρωμα εἶναι
συνόδου τοὺς ἐπιδημοῦντας, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐκ τῆς
τῶν ἀποστειλάντων σεμνότητος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ
οἰκείου ἀριθμοῦ τὸ ἀξιόπιστον εἰς, διόρθωσιν 7,8
καὶ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ γραφεῖσαν παρὰ τῶν᾿ πατέρων
ἡμῶν πίστιν ἀνανεώσωνται,ἷ καὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν ἐκ-
κηρύξωσι,) καὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τὰ εἰρηνικὰ
διαλέξονται, τοὺς τὰ αὐτὰ φρονοῦντας συνά-
yovtes® εἰς ὁμόνοιαν. τοῦτο γὰρ δήπου τὸ
1 ἐπαρκέσουσι editi antiqi. 2 διασώζηται E.
3 ἐπελθεῖν Reg. duo. 4 ἐπιδείξησθε E, Harl.
5 μανθάνειν editi antiqi. 5 7 Capps, of MSS. et editi.
7 ἀνανεώσωνται Capps: ἀνανεώσονται MSS. et editi.
140
 LETTER XCII

with great patience, while they await assistance

from the Lord.
What song of lamentation can do justice to such
calamities as these? What fountains of tears will
be adequate for such misfortunes? Therefore, while
some still seem to keep their feet, while a trace of
the old order of things is still preserved, before
complete shipwreck comes upon our churches,
hasten to us, yes, hasten to us at once, we implore
you, most true and dear brethren; stretch forth
your hands to us who have fallen to our knees.
Let your fraternal hearts be moved in our behalf,
let your tears of sympathy be poured forth. Do
not suffer half the world to be swallowed up by
error; do not allow the faith to be extinguished in
those lands where it first flashed forth.
What action you must take, then, to assist us,
and how you are to show sympathy to those in
affliction, surely you will not need to learn from us,
but the Holy Spirit himself will direct you. But
remember that there is need of haste, if those who
are still left are to be saved, and of the presence
of several brethren, that they in visiting us may
complete the number of the synod, so that by
reason not only of the high standing of those who
have sent them, but also of the number of the
delegates they themselves constitute, they may have
the prestige to effect a reform; and may restore the
creed which was written by our fathers at Nicaea,
may banish the heresy, and may speak to the churches
a message of peace by bringing those of like convic-
tions into unity. For this, clearly, is the most pitiful

8 ἐκκηρύξουσι tres MSS. ; ἐκριζώσουσι editi antiqi.

9 συναγαγόντες Εἰ, Harl.
141
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

πάντων ἐλεεινότατον OTL καὶ TO δοκοῦν ὑγιαίνειν

΄ > , ed \ ἊΝ “ e ,

ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸ ἐμερίσθη: καὶ περιέστηκεν ἡμᾶς, ὡς

ἔοικε, παραπλήσια πάθη τοῖς ποτὲ κατὰ τὴν
Οὐεσπασιανοῦ πολιορκίαν τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα περι-
ἴω €

σχοῦσιν. ἐκεῖνοί Te γὰρ ὁμοῦ μὲν τῷ ἔξωθεν

a a e an “

συνείχοντο
,
πολέμῳ,
Va
ὁμοῦ
ς “
δὲ\ Kal\ TH- ἔνδοθεν
”

στάσει τῶν ὁμοφύλων κατανηλίσκοντο. ἡμῖν δὲ

πρὸς τῷ φανερῷ πολέμῳ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἔτι καὶ
0? παρὰ τῶν δοκούντων ὀρθοδοξεῖν 3 ἐπαναστὰς
«Ὁ Ν an ὃ / > θ Lal 3 > \

πρὸς ἔσχατον ἀσθενείας τὰς ἐκκλησίας κατή-

\ Μ > θ / ἊΝ 4 a / /

γαγεν. ἐφ᾽ ἅπερ καὶ μάλιστα τῆς παρ᾽ ὑμῶν

χρήζομεν βοηθείας, ὥστε τοὺς THY ἀποστολικὴν
, ,ὔ . \ \ » \

ὁμολογοῦντας πίστιν, ἃ παρεπενόησαν ὃ σχίσματα

€ nr ἃ ῇ

διαλύσαντας, ὑποταγῆναι τοῦ λοιποῦ τῇ αὐθεντίᾳ

τῆς ᾿Εκκλησίας, ἵνα ἄρτιον γένηται τὸ σῶμα τοῦ
Χριστοῦ, πᾶσι τοῖς μέλεσιν εἰς ὁλοκληρίαν
n lal cal €

ἐπανελθόν, Kal μὴ μόνον τὰ παρ᾽ ἑτέροις μακαρί-

᾽ /

ζἕωμεν ἀγαθά, ὅπερ νῦν ποιοῦμεν, GANA καὶ τὰς

δ la) - \

ἡμετέρας αὐτῶν ἐπίδωμεν ἐκκλησίας TO ἀρχαῖον

lal Ν lal

καύχημα τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας ἀπολαβούσας. τῷ ὄντι

΄ an 3 / 2 / a

yap τοῦ ἀνωτάτου μακαρισμοῦ ἄξιον τὸ TH

ἴον le} \ lal

ὑμετέρᾳ θεοσεβείᾳ χαρισθὲν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ

e / / \ \ A , ‘\

μὲν κίβδηλον ἀπὸ τοῦ δοκίμου καὶ καθαροῦ δια-

\ / » \ ἴω , \ “

κρίνειν, τὴν δὲ τῶν πατέρων πίστιν ἄνευ τινὸς

an , \

ὑποστολῆς κηρύσσειν: ἣν Kal ἡμεῖς ἐδεξάμεθα,

ε aA , aA Oe BG a ᾽ ,

Kal ἐπέγνωμεν ἐκ TOV ἀποστολικῶν χαρακτήρων

a a /

μεμορφωμένην, συνθέμενοι καὶ αὐτῇ καὶ πᾶσι

142
 LETTER XCII

condition of all—that even that group of us which

is apparently sound has become divided against
itself; and we are encircled, as it seems, by like
calamities to those which once fell on Jerusalem
during the siege of Vespasian. For the inhabitants
of that city were at one and the same time being
hemmed in by the war waged from outside and
wasted by the dissension of their own people inside.
And so it is with us: in addition to the open war
waged by heretics, the other war that has come
upon us from those who are supposed to be orthodox
has reduced the churches to the last degree of
weakness. It is against this that we are especially
in need of your assistance, that those who confess
the apostolic faith, having put an end to the schisms
of their own devising, may henceforth become subject
to the authority of the Church, that the body of
Christ, having returned to unity in all its parts, may
be made perfect, and that we may not only felicitate
the good fortunes of others, as we now do, but
may also see our own churches recover their ancient
glory of orthodoxy. For truly it is a thing that calls
for the highest felicitation, that it has been granted
by the Lord to your piety to distinguish the spurious
from the approved and the pure, and to proclaim
the faith of the fathers without any evasion. This
faith we too have received, and we recognized it
from the apostolic traits with which it was char-
acterized, having submitted ourselves both to it and

1a K. 2 δ] ἡ EK.
3 ὁμοδοξεῖν Harl., Vat., Reg. primus.
4 γῆς EK.
ὃ ἃ παρεπενόησαν] ἅπερ ἐπενόησαν editi antiqi.
143
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τοῖς ἐν τῷ συνοδικῷ γράμματι κανονικῶς Kal

ἐνθέσμως δεδογματισμένοις.
/

XCHI
Πρὸς Καισαρίαν ' πατρικίαν, περὶ κοινωνίας
Καὶ τὸ κοινωνεῖν δὲ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, καὶ
μεταλαμβάνειν τοῦ ἁγίου σώματος καὶ αἵματος
τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καλὸν καὶ ἐπωφελές, αὐτοῦ σαφῶς
λέγοντος: ὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα, καὶ πίνων
μου τὸ αἷμα, ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον. τίς γὰρ ἀμφι-
βάλλει, ὅτι τὸ μετέχειν συνεχῶς τῆς ζωῆς οὐδὲν
ἄλλοξ ἐστὶν ἢ ζῆν πολλαχῶς ; ἡμεῖς μέντοιγε
τέταρτον καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἑβδομάδα κοινωνοῦμεν, ἐν
τῇ Κυριακῇ, ἐν τῇ τετράδι, καὶ ἐν τῇ παρασκευῆ,
καὶ τῷ Σαββάτῳ, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις ἡμέραις ἐὰν
ἢ μνήμη ἁγίου3 τινός.
Τὸ δὲ ἐν τοῖς τοῦ διωγμοῦ καιροῖς ἀναγκάζεσθαί
1 πρὺς Καισάριον πατρίκιον περὶ κοινωνίας Colbertinus MS. ;
in quodam codice Regio occurrit fragmentum huius epistolae
sic inscriptum: ἐκ τῆς πρὸς Καισάριον ἐπιστολῆς.
2 τι add. quidam MSS. 3 μάρτυρος editi antiqi.

1 For this synodical letter, cf. Theodoret 1, 8 and Socrates

1,9. The Benedictine editors are surprised that Basil shows
agreement with this synodical letter, since it defines the Son
as τῆς αὐτῆς ὑποστάσεως καὶ οὐσίας (of the same essence and
substance). It is, however, not in the synodical letter, but
in the anathemas originally appended to the creed, that it is
denied that He is of a different substance or essence. Even
here it is not said positively that He is of the same substance
or essence. For a discussion of these theological terms, cf.
Letters VIII and XX XVIII with notes,
144
 LETTER XCIII

to all the doctrines which have been canonically and

legally promulgated in the synodical letter.t

LETTER XCIII
To Tue Patrician, Caksaria,2 oN CoMMUNION
Anp also to take communion every day, that is to
say, to partake of the holy body and blood of Christ,
is good and beneficial, since He himself clearly says:
“He that eateth My flesh, and drinketh My blood,
hath everlasting life.”* For who can doubt that
sharing continually in the life is nothing else than
living in many ways? We for our part, however,
take communion four times each week—on Sunday,
on Wednesday, on Friday, and on Saturday #—and
on the other days only when there is a com-
memoration of a saint.®
On the question of a person being compelled, in
3 Written in 372. Note that some MSS. read Caesarius.
Tillemont (Basil, Note XXXIV) says that Arnaud does not
consider this letter as Basil’s, but that he gives no reason for
denying its authenticity. Tillemont himself thinks that it
is a fragment of a letter, and indeed the first words appear
to be a continuation. Although it is lacking in many
manuscripts, there appears no worthy reason for doubting its
authorship.
3 John 6. 54.
4 The Greek meanings are literally: Lord’s Day, the
Fourth, Preparation, and Sabbath.
5 Note the variant reading μάρτυρος, ““οὗ a martyr.”
Basil in a letter to Saint Ambrose (CXCVII) says the same
honour was accorded to Saint Dionysius of Milan at his place
of burial as to a martyr. Gregory Thaumaturgus at
Neocaesarea, Athanasius, and Basil, all received like honour
soon after death.
145
VOL. 1. L
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τινα, μὴ παρόντος ἱερέως ἢ λειτουργοῦ, THY κοινω-

\ , e / a

νίαν λαμβάνειν τῇ ἰδίᾳ χειρί, μηδαμῶς εἶναι βαρὺ

Xx 8 id -“ ἰδί , ὃ an “- \

περιττόν ἐστιν ἀποδεικνύναι, διὰ τὸ Kal! τὴν

/

μακρὰν συνήθειαν τοῦτο δι’ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων

\ a A a

πιστώσασθαι. πάντες γὰρ οἱ κατὰ τὰς ἐρήμους3

μονάζοντες, ἔνθα μὴ ἔστιν ἱερεύς, κοινωνίαν οἴκοι
κατέχοντες ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν μεταλαμβάνουσιν. ἐν
ανδρείᾳ ὃ δὲ καὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ
Αλεξανδρείᾳ Airy ? ἕκαστος καὶ
2

τῶν ἐν λαῷ τελούντων ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον ἔχει

lal DJ A 4 e > \ \ lal »

κοινωνίαν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, Kal ὅτε βούλεται

, > A » > “ \ Ὁ ΄ 3 :

μεταλαμβάνει δι’ ἑαυτοῦ. ἅπαξ γὰρ τὴν θυσίαν

TOU ἱερέως τελειώσαντος Kal δεδωκότος, ὁ λαβὼν
cal € f , ἣν / ς \

hae | e “ e a 1) ee / /
αὐτὴν ὡς ὅλην ὁμοῦ, καθ᾽ ἑκάστην μεταλαμβάνων,
Tapa τοῦ δεδωκότος εἰκότως peTadauBavey* Kal
X\ fal ὃ ὃ ’ > , Ψ 4 \

ὑποδέχεσθαι
΄ ΄
πιστεύειν
΄
ὀφείλει.
> ,
Kal\ yap
\
Kal ee!ἐν
τῇ7) ἐκκλησίᾳ
σι ὁ ἱερεὺς
ip ἐπιδίδωσι τὴν
nv PEPμερίδα καὶ
κατέχει αὐτὴν ὁ ὑποδεχόμενος μετ᾽ ἐξουσίας
, > \ e e /

ἁπάσης, καὶ οὕτω προσάγει τῷ στόματι τῇ ἰδίᾳ

χειρί. ταὐτὸν τοίνυν ἐστὶ τῇ δυνάμει, εἴτε μίαν
μερίδα δέξεταί τις παρὰ τοῦ ἱερέως, εἴτε πολλὰς
, / / \ ne, 4 » \

μερίδας ὁμοῦ.
1 καί οτη. E. 2 ἐρημίας multi MSS.
3 καὶ ὅτε... ἑαυτοῦ om. K, editi antiqi.
4 μεταλαμβάνει EK, alii MSS.

1 Cf. Catholic Encyclopaedia, under ‘“‘ Eucharist.” In

general it is by Divine and ecclesiastical right that the laity
should as a rule receive communion only from the consecrated
hand of the priest. Cf. 7’rent Sess. XIII, cap. VIII. The
146
 LETTER XCIII

times of persecution when no priest or ministrant

is present, to take communion with his own hand, it
is superfluous to point out that this is in no wise sin-
ful, since long custom has sanctioned this practice
from the very force of circumstances. For all who
live the monastic life in the solitudes, where there is
no priest, keep the communion at home and partake
of it from their own hands. At Alexandria also and
in Egypt, each person, even those belonging to the
laity, as a rule keeps the communion in his own
home, and partakes of it with his own hands when
he so wishes. For when the priest has once con-
summated the offering and has given it, he who has
received it ought confidently to believe that he is
partaking of it, even as he has received it, all at
once, even when he partakes of it daily. So it is
when the rite is performed in the church also—the
priest hands over the portion, and the recipient in
receiving it has complete right of possession, and by
such right raises it to his mouth with his own hand.
It is, therefore, in respect of authority, one and the
same thing, whether a communicant receives a single
portion from the priest or many portions at once.!
practice of the laity giving themselves Holy Communion was
formerly, and is to-day, allowed only in case of necessity. In
early Christian times it was customary for the faithful to
take the Blessed Sacrament to their homes and communicate
privately, a custom to which Basil refers above. Cf. also
Justin Martyr, Apol. I, 85; Tertullian, De Orat. XTX, and
Ad Uxor. Il, 5; Cyprian, De Lapis, CXXXII; and Jerome,
Letter CXXV. Up to the ninth century it was usual for the
priest to place the Sacred Host in the right hand of the
recipient, who kissed it and then placed it in his own mouth.
Women, from the fourth to the ninth centuries, were
required to have a cloth wrapped about their right hand in
this ceremony.
147
1)
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

XCIV
‘Hila ἄρχοντι τῆς émapxias}
“Ὥρμησα μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς καταλαβεῖν σου τὴν
τιμιότητα, ὡς ἂν μὴ τῇ ἀπολείψει ἔλαττόν τι
ἔχοιμι τῶν διαβαλλόντων: ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴἡ ἀρρωστία
τοῦ σώματος διεκώλυσε, σφοδρότερον πολλῷ τῆς
συνηθείας ἐπιθεμένη, ἀναγκαίως ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ
γράμμα. ἐγὼ τοίνυν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, συντυχὼν
πρώην τῇ τιμιότητί σου, ὥρμησα μὲν καὶ περὶ
πάντων τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον μου πραγμάτων
ἀνακοινώσασθαί σου τῇ φρονήσει," ὥρμησα δὲ
καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἕνεκα ὃ ποιήσασθαί τινα λόγον,
ὡς ἂν μὴ ταῖς μετὰ ταῦτα διαβολαῖς χώρα τις
ὑπολείποιτο. ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέσχον ἐμαυτόν, λογιξόμενος
περίεργον εἶναι παντελῶς, καὶ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου
φιλότιμον, ἀνδρὶ τοσοῦτον ὃ πλῆθος πραγμάτων
ἐξηρτημένῳ ἔτι καὶ τὰς ἔξω τῶν ἀναγκαίων
ἐπιβάλλειν φροντίδας. ὁμοῦ τε, εἰρήσεται, γὰρ
τἀληθές, καὶ ἄλλως WKYNTA μήποτε εἰς ἀνάγκην
ἔλθωμεν ταῖς κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων ἀντιλογίαις τρῶσαι
τὴν ψυχήν σου, ὀφείλουσαν ἐν τῇ καθαρᾷ περὶ
τὸν Θεὸν εὐλαβείᾳ τέλειον τὸν μισθὸν THS θεοσε-
Betas” καρποῦσθαι. τῷ ὄντι γάρ, ἐάν σε πρὸς
ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιστρέψωμεν ὃ ἡμεῖς, ὀλίγην σοι σχολὴν
πρὸς τὰ δημόσια καταλείψομεν, καὶ παραπλήσιον
ποιήσομεν, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις κυβερνήτην, νεοπαγῆ
1 τῷ ἄρχοντι τῆς ἐπαρχίας Ἐ, Med. 2 φροντίσει E.
3 τοῦ add. editi antiqi. 4 ὑπολίποιτο E.
5 τοσούτῳ EK. 6 re] δέ Ε΄.
7 θεότητος EK. 8 ἐπιστρέψομεν editi antiqi.
 LETTER XCIV

LETTER XCIV
To Exias, Governor oF THE Province!
I myseLr have been eager to visit your Honour,
lest through failure to do so I should fare worse
than my calumniators; but since the ill-health of
my body has prevented it, besetting me much more
violently than usual,of necessity I have had recourse
to writing. When, therefore, respected Sir, I
recently met your Honour, I strongly desired to
communicate with your wisdom concerning all my
temporal affairs, and I desired, too, to hold converse
with you in behalf of the churches, so that no room
should be left for slanders hereafter. But I checked
myself, deeming it altogether officious and unduly
zealous to load additional and unnecessary cares on
a man already weighed down with such a multitude
of duties. At the same time—for the truth must
be told—I hesitated especially through fear of being
forced, by any controversy we might have with one
another, to wound your soul, which in its pure piety
toward God is entitled to reap the perfect reward
of religion. For truly, if we turn your attention to
ourselves, we shall leave you scant leisure for your
public duties, and we shall be acting like a man
who would burden with an additional cargo a pilot
who guides a newly-built ship in the midst of a great
1 Written in 372, at the departure of Valens. On Elias,
governor of Cappadocia, cf. also Letters LXXXIV, XCVI.
In the present letter, Basil defends himself from the calumnies
brought against him by his enemies regarding the church and
the hospital he had recently established in the suburbs of
Caesarea. Cf. Greg. Naz., Oratio XX ; Theodoret, Ecc. Hist.
IV, 19; and Sozomen, VI, 34.
149
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ναῦν ἐν μεγάλῳ κλύδωνι διευθύνοντα, τῇ προσ-

θήκῃ τοῦ φόρτου καταβαρύνοι, δέον ἀφαιρεῖν τί
τῶν ἀγωγίμων καὶ συνεπικουφίξειν ὡς δυνατόν.
ὅθεν μοι δοκεῖ καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ μέγας, τὴν πολυ-
πραγμοσύνην ἡμῶν ταύτην καταμαθών, ἐᾶσαι
ἡμᾶς ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν τὰς ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομεῖν.
Τοὺς μέντοι ταῖς ἀδόλοις ἀκοαῖς σου παρε-
νοχλοῦντας ἐρωτηθῆναι βούλομαι, τί χεῖρον ἔχει
τὰ δημόσια παρ᾽ ἡμᾶς ;3 ἡ τί μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον τῶν
κοινῶν ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας περὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας
οἰκονομίας ἠλάττωται; πλὴν εἰ μή τις λέγοι
βλάβην τοῖς πράγμασι φέρειν, οἶκον εὐκτήριον
μεγαλοπρεπῶς κατεσκευασμένον 5ἀναστῆσαι τῷ
Θεῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν οἴκησιν, τὴν μὲν ἐλευ-
θέριον ἐξῃρημένην ὃ τῷ κορυφαίῳ, τὰς δὲ ὑποβε-
βηκυίας τοῖς θεραπευταῖς τοῦ θείου διανενεμη-
μένας ἐν τάξει," ὧν ἡ χρῆσις κοινὴ πρός τε ὑμᾶς
τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ τοὺς παρεπομένους ὑμῖν. τίνα
δὲ ἀδικοῦμεν, καταγώγια τοῖς ξένοις οἰκοδομοῦντες,
τοῖς τεῦ κατὰ πάροδον ἐπιφοιτῶσι καὶ τοῖς θερα-
πείας τινὸς διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν δεομένοις, καὶ τὴν
ἀναγκαίαν τούτοις παραμυθίαν ἐγκαθιστῶντες,
τοὺς νοσοκομοῦντας, τοὺς ἰατρεύοντας, τὰ νωτο-
φόρα, τοὺς παραπέμποντας ;5 τούτοις ἀνάγκη καὶ
τέχνας ἕπεσθαι, τάς τε πρὸς τὸ ζῆν ἀναγκαίας, καὶ
ὅσαι πρὸς εὐσχήμονα βίου διαγωγὴν ἐφευρέθησαν'"
οἴκους πάλιν ἑτέρους ταῖς ἐργασίαις ἐπιτηδείους,
ἅπερ πάντα τῷ μὲν τόπῳ κόσμος, τῷ δὲ ἄρχοντι
ἃ
ἡμῶν σεμνολόγημα, ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν τῆς εὐφημίας ἐπα-
1 μεγαλοπρεπές editi antiqi. ? κατασκευασμένον EK.
3 ἐξηρτημένην alii MSS. 4 ἐν τάξει] ἐντάξαι editi antiqi.
δ re om. E,
150
 LETTER XCIV

storm, when he ought rather to relieve him of a

portion of his freight and lighten the vessel as far
as possible. It is for this reason, it seems to me,
that the great Emperor, on his part, having learned
about this officious tendency of ours, has allowed us
to govern the churches ourselves.
I wish, however, that those who keep annoying
your honest ears be asked what harm the state
receives at our hands; or what, either small or
great, of the public interests has suffered injury
through our government of the churches; unless,
indeed, someone may say that it inflicts injury upon
the state to raise in honour of our God a house of
prayer built in magnificent fashion, and, grouped
about it, a residence, one portion being a generous
home reserved for the bishop, and the rest sub-
ordinate quarters for the servants of God’s worship
arranged in order—access to all of which is alike free
to you magistrates yourselves and to your retinue.
And whom do we wrong when we build hospices for
strangers, for those who visit us while on a journey,
for those ἘΠΕ require some care because of sickness,
and when we extend to the latter the necessary
comforts, such as nurses, physicians, beasts for
travelling and attendants?! There must also be
occupations to go with these men, both those that
are necessary for gaining a livelihood, and also such
as have been discovered for a decorous manner of
living. And, again, they need still other buildings
equipped for their pursuits, all of which are an
ornament to the locality, and a source of pride to
our governor, since their fame redounds to your
1 One of the duties of the clergy at this time was to act as
guides and escort. Cf. Letters ΧΟΥ ΠῚ and CCXLIII.
151
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

νιούσης. ὅς γε οὐδὲ τούτου ἕνεκεν πρὸς τὴν

ἐπιστασίαν ἡμῶν ἐξεβιάσθης, ὡς μόνος ἐξαρκῶν
τῷ μεγέθει τῆς γνώμης τώ τε κατερρυηκότα τῶν
ἔργων ἀναλαβεῖν, καὶ οἰκίσαι τὰς ἀοικήτους,
καὶ ὅλως εἰς πόλεις τὰς ἐρημίας μετασκευάσαι.
τὸν οὖν εἰς ταῦτα συνεργοῦντα ἐλαύνειν καὶ
ὑβρίζειν, ἢ τιμᾷν καὶ περιέπειν, ἀκολουθότερον
ἣν; καὶ μὴ οἰηθῆς, ὦ ἄριστε, λόγον μόνον εἶναι
τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν: ἤδη γάρ ἐσμεν ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ, τὰς
ὕλας τέως συμποριζόμενοι.
Τὰ μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἄρχοντος ἀπολογίαν
τοιαῦτα. ἃ δὲ δεῖ πρὸς τὰς τῶν φιλαιτίων μέμψεις,
ὡς Χριστιανῷ καὶ φίλῳ TepPOVTLKOTL ἡμῶν τῆς
ὑπολήψεως ἀποκρίνασθαι, ἀἀναγκαῖον νῦν ἀποσιω-
πῆσαι, ὡς καὶ μακρότερα τοῦ μέτρου τῆς ἐπι-
στολῆς, καὶ ἄλλως οὐκ ἀσφαλῆ " γράμμασιν
ἀψύχοις καταπιστεύεσθαι. ἵνα δὲ μὴ τὸν πρὸ
τῆς συντυχίας χρόνον ταῖς διαβολαῖς τινῶν ὑπαχ-
θείς, ὑφεῖναί τι τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς εὐνοίας ἀναγκασθῇς,
τὸ τοῦ ᾿Αλεξάνδρου ποίησον. καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνόν
φασι, διαβαλλομένου τινὸς τῶν συνήθων, τὴν
μὲν ἑτέραν τῶν ἀκοῶν ἀνεῖναι τῷ διαβάλλοντι,
τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν ἐπιμελῶς ἐπιφράξασθαι τῇ χειρί,
ἐνδεικνύμενον ὅτι δέοι τὸν ὀρθῶς κρίνειν μέλλοντα
μὴ ὅλον εὐθὺς τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἀπάγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ
τὸ ἥμισυ τῆς ἀκροάσεως ἀκέραιον διασώζειν πρὸς
ἀπολογίαν τῷ μὴ παρόντι.
1 τῶν ἔργων] τῷ χρόνῳ sex alii MSS.; τῷ χρόνῳ add. editi
antiqi.
2 ἀσφαλές BK,

1 Of this story about Alexander cf. Letter XXIV.

152
 LETTER XCIV

credit. Nor was it, indeed, on this account that

you have been forced to give attention to our affairs
—that, namely, you, by reason of the magnitude of
your wisdom, are competent single-handed to restore
the works which have fallen into ruin, to people the
uninhabited areas, and in general to transform the
solitudes into cities! Was it, therefore, the more
consistent course to harass and insult the man who
co-operates with you in these works, or rather to
honour him and show him every consideration? And
do not think, most excellent Sir, that our protest
consists of words alone; for we are already in action,
being engaged meanwhile in getting our materials
together.
So much, then, for our defence to you as the
governor. But as to the answer which we ought
to make to you as a Christian and as a friend
solicitous of our reputation, in reply to the criticisms
of the censorious, this we must pass over in silence
at this time as being not only too long for the
compass of this letter, but also unsafe to be trusted
to soulless written characters. But in order that
during the time before our meeting you may not,
being gradually influenced by the slanders of certain
persons, be forced to relinquish to some extent your
goodwill toward us, do what Alexander did. For
they say that when a friend of his was being
slandered he gave the slanderer free access to one
ear, but carefully obstructed the other with his
hand, showing that he who intends to judge justly
ought not to be at once wholly carried away by
those who get at him first, but should keep half
his hearing uncontaminated for the plea of the
absent party.?
153
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

XCV
LiceBio, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσατωι
Πάλαι ἐπιστείλας τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ σου ἄλλων τέ
τίνων ἕνεκεν καὶ τοῦ συντυχεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις,
διήμαρτον τῆς ἐλπίδος, οὐκ ἀφικομένων τῶν γραμ-
μάτων. εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος, τοῦ
μακαρίου διακόνου Θεοφράστου δεξαμένου μὲν τὰ
γράμματα ἡμῶν ἐπί τινα περιοδείαν ἀναγκαίως
ἀποδημούντων,᾿ μὴ διαπεμψαμένου δὲ τῇ θεοσε-
βείᾳ σου, τῷ προκαταληφθῆναι τῇ ἀρρωστίᾳ ὑφ᾽
ἧς ἐτελεύτησεν. ὅθεν τοσοῦτον ὕστερος ἦχθον
τοῦ καιροῦ πρὸς τὸ γράφειν, ὥστε μηδὲ ὄφελός
τί ἐλπίζειν ἐκ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔσεσθαι ταύτης, εἰς
στενὸν παντελῶς κατακλεισθέντος τοῦ χρόνου.
ὁ γάρ τοι θεοφιλέστατος ἐἐπίσκοπος Μελέτιος καὶ
Θεόδοτος ἐπέταξαν ἡμῖν πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαβῆναι,
ἀγάπης τε ἐπίδειγμα THY? συντυχίαν ποιούμενοι,
καί τινα καὶ διόρθωσιν γενέσθαι τῶν νῦν παρα-
λυπούντων βουλόμενοι. ἀπέδειξάν τε ἡμῖν χρόνον
μὲν τῆς συντυχίας τὰ μέσα τοῦ προσιόντος “μηνὸς
Ἰουνίου, τόπον δὲ Φαργαμοῦν 3 τὸ χωρίον, ἐπίση-
μον μαρτύρων περιφανείᾳ " καὶ πολυανθρωπίᾳ
συνόδου τῆς κατὰ ἔτος ἕκαστον Tap αὐτοῖς τελου-

1 ἀποδημοῦντος editi antiqi. 2 σήν add, EF.

3 Φαρμαγοῦν HK. 4 ἐπιφανεία Εἰ.

1 Placed by Loofs in May of 372, For Eusebius ef. earlier

letters.
2 Probably the bearer of a letter from Basil to Meletius in
154
 LETTER XCV

LETTER XCV
To Eusesius, Bishop or Samosata !

A.tHoucH I long ago wrote to your Piety in

regard both to other matters and especially our
meeting each other, I was disappointed in my hope,
since my letters did not reach the hands of your
Honour; for the blessed deacon Theophrastus?
received the letters from us as we were setting out
upon an unavoidable journey abroad,®? but did not
deliver them to your Piety on account of his being
seized beforehand by the illness whereof he died.
For this reason I have set about writing to you so
tardily in comparison with the proper moment that
I do not even hope that any benefit will come from
this letter, since the time has been reduced to abso-
lutely the scantiest margin. For the most God-
beloved bishops, Meletius and Theodotus,* bade us
go over to them, making such a visit a proof of my
love, and also desiring that some amendment might
be formed of the things which now trouble them.
Moreover, they set as the time of our meeting the
middle of the approaching month of June, and as
the place, Phargamos, made illustrious by the glory
of martyrs and by the largely attended synod held
371. Cf. Letter LVII. μακάριος, “blessed,” as usual in
Christian Greek, here means ‘‘ deceased.”
3 περιοδεία may here mean the regular tour of a bishop to
the parishes of his diocese.
* Theodotus of Nicopolis was disturbed about Basil’s being
in communion with Eustathius. On Meletius, bishop of
Antioch, cf. Letters LVII, LXVIII, LXXXIX, CXX,
CXXIX, CCXVI and notes.
155
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

μένης. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔδει με, μετὰ τὴν ἐπάνοδον μαθόντα

τὴν κοίμησιν τοῦ μακαρίου διακόνου, καὶ τὰς
ἐπιστολὰς ἀργὰς παρ᾽ ἡμῖν κειμένας, μὴ ἡσυ-
χάσαι, διὰ τὸ ἔτει ἡμέρας ἡμῖν τριάκοντα καὶ τρεῖς
ἐπὶ τὴν προθεσμίαν ὑπολελεῖφθαι, ἀπέστειλα κατὰ
σπουδὴν τῷ αἰδεσιμωτάτῳ ἀδελφῷ Εὐσταθίῳ τῷ
συλλειτουργῷ ἡμῶν τὰ γράμματα ταῦτα, ὥστε
αὐτοῦ παραπεμφθῆναί σου τῇ σεμνότητι," καὶ
πάλιν ἐν τάχει ἀνακομισθῆναι ἡμῖν τὰς ἀπο-
κρίσεις. εἰ μὲν γὰρ δυνατὸν ἢ ἄλλως ἄρεσκον
σοι παραγενέσθαι, καὶ αὐτοὶ παρεσόμεθα' εἰ δὲ
μή, αὐτοὶ μέν, ἂν ὁ Θεὸς θέλῃ, τὸ περυσινὸν
ἀποτίσομεν Χρέος τῆς συντυχίας, ἐὰν μή͵τι πάλιν
ἐπιγένηται ἡμῖν ἐξ ἁμαρτιῶν κώλυμα' τὴν δὲ τῶν
ἐπισκόπων ἔντευξιν εἰς ἕτερον χρόνον ὑπερθησό-
μεθα.

XCVI
Σωφρονίῳ μαγίστρῳ
Καὶ τίς οὕτω φιλόπολις, ὃς τὴν ἐνεγκοῦσαν. καὶ
θρεψαμένην πατρίδα ἴἴσα γονεῦσι τιμῶν, ὡς αὐτὸς
σύ, κοινῇ τε πάσῃ τῇ πόλει καὶ ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ τὰ
ἀγαθὰ συνευχόμενος, καὶ οὐκ εὐχόμενος μόνον,
ἀλλὰ καὶ βεβαιῶν τὰς εὐχὰς διὰ σαυτοῦ ΓΘ ;
δύνασαι γάρ που σὺν Θεῷ τὰ τοιαῦτα, καὶ δύναιό
γε ἐπὶ μήκιστον, οὕτω χρηστὸς ὦν.
᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐπὶ σοῦ ὄναρ ἐπλούτησεν ἡ πατρὶς
1 πτιμιότητι
LOT] editi antiqi.
1 2 διὰ σαυτοῦ] δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ EF.

Written in 372, ? on the removal of Elias as 8governor of

156
 LETTER ΧΟΥῚ

there every year. And since it was imperative for

me, after learning on my return home that the now
blessed deacon had fallen asleep, and that the letters
were still lying here untouched, not to be idle,
seeing that only thirty-three days are still left before
the appointed time, I have sent this letter in all haste
to our most reverend brother and fellow-worker,
Eustathius, that through him it may be forwarded
to your Majesty and that your reply may be
speedily returned to us. For if it is possible or,
in general, pleasing to you to come, we ourselves
also shall be there; but if not we shall, God willing,
ourselves discharge last year’s debt and meet you,
unless some obstacle again arise, on account of our
sins, to prevent it; and we shall defer the meeting
of the bishops to another time.

EETLER XCvi
To Sopuronius, Master?
WuatT man is so patriotic, honouring equally with
his parents the fatherland which gave him birth
and reared him, as are you yourself, who invoke
blessings for the whole city in common and for each
individual citizen, and not praying only, but also
confirming your prayers by your personal efforts?
For it is doubtless by God’s aid that you are able to
do such things, and may you for the longest time
continue to be able, excellent man that you are.
But nevertheless it was under you that our city
Cappadocia. Cf. Letters LXXXIV and XCIV, which Basil
addresses to Elias.
157
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡμῶν, ἄνδρα μὲν ἔχουσα τὸν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν

αὐτῆς ἐπιτραπέντα, οἷον οὔ φασιν ἄχλον οἱ τὰ
παλαιότατα τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἐπιστάμενοι ἐπὶ τῶν
ἀρχικῶν ᾿ θρόνων πρότερον ἀναβῆναι, ἐπηρείᾳ δέ
τίνων ἀφαιρεθεῖσα ταχέως, οἱ τὸ ἐλεύθερον τοῦ
ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἀθώπευτον τοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν πολέμου
ἀφορμὴν ἐποιήσαντο, καὶ διαβολὰς αὐτῷ κατε-
σκεύασαν, λαθόντες τὰς ἀκοὰς τῆς σῆς τελειότη-
Tos. διὸ πανδημεὶ πάντες σκυθρωπάζομεν,
ζημιωθέντες ἄρχοντα μόνον δυνάμενον εἰς γόνυ
κλιθεῖσαν ἤδη τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἀνορθῶσαι, ἀληθῆ 5
φύλακα τοῦ δικαίου, εὐπρόσιτον τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις,
φοβερὸν τοῖς παρανομοῦσιν, ἴσον καὶ πένησι καὶ
πλουσίοις, καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, τὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν
πράγματα πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἐπανάγοντα τιμήν.
τὸ γάρ, ὅτι ἀδωρότατος ὧν ἴσμεν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ
οὐδενὶ παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον χαριζόμενος, ὡς μικρότερα
τῆς λοιπῆς ἀρετῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς παρελίπομεν.
Ταῦτα ὀψὲ μὲν τοῦ καιροῦ μαρτυροῦμεν,
ὥσπερ οἱ μονῳδοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς > παραμυθούμενοι,
οὐχὶ τοῖς πράγμασί τι ποιοῦντες χρήσιμον.
πλὴν οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἄχρηστον, ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ σου
ψυχῆ τὴν μνήμην τοῦ ΤΉ ΡῈΣῈ ἀποκεῖσθαι," χάριν
τε εἰδέναι ὡς εὐεργέτῃἴτῆς ἐνεγκούσης, καὶ εἴ τις
ἐπιφύοιτο αὐτῷ τῶν διὰ τὸ μὴ προτιμηθῆναι τοῦ
δικαίου χαλεπαινόντων, ὑπερμαχεῖν καὶ προΐ-
στάσθαι, πᾶσι ποιήσαντα φανερόν, ὅτι οἰκεῖον
σεαυτῷ τὸν ἄνδρα τίθεσαι, ἀρκοῦσαν ἀφορμὴν εἰς
1 τῶν ἀρχικῶν θρόνων] τὸν ἀρχικὸν θρόνον editi antiqi.
ἢ2 ἀκριβῆ editi antiqi. 3 οὐδέν multi MSS.
. μέν οἵη. FE. 5 ἑαυτοῖς KE, editi antiqi.
8 καί add. E.
158
 LETTER XCVI

became rich as in a dream, because it had in charge

of its administration a man whose like never before
ascended the governor's seat, as those declare who
are familiar with our ancient history, and then,
through the malicious spite of a certain man, was
speedily deprived of him—men who made _ the
generosity of the man and his immunity from
flattery an excuse for their war upon him, and
trumped up against him calumnies, deceiving the
ears of your Perfection. Therefore we are one
and all, the entire people, dejected at having been
deprived of a governor who alone is able to raise
again our city, which had already been brought to
its knees, who is a true guardian of justice, easy of
access for the victims of injustice, terrible to law-
breakers, fair to both poor and rich, and, greatest
of all, who was restoring Christianity to its ancient
honour. For the fact that he was the most incor-
ruptible man we know, and that he never granted
a favour in violation of justice, we have passed over
as of less significance than the man’s other virtues.
But to these things we are bearing witness too
late, when the proper season is past, just like those
who console themselves by singing dirges but do
nothing useful to better their condition. Yet this
is not useless—that the recollection of the man
should be stored up in your great soul, and that
you should feel grateful to him as the benefactor of
the land that bore you; and, if any of those who are
angry at not having been preferred to this just man
should attack him, that you should fight for him
and defend him, making it clear to all that you hold
this man as one closely bound to you, considering
7 εὐεργέτην E.
159
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

οἰκειότητα τὴν ἀγαθὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν

τιθέμενος καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων πεῖραν, οὐ
κατὰ τὴν τῶν χρόνων ἀναλογίαν ὑπάρχουσαν.
ἃ γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐν πολλοῖς ἔτεσι παρ᾽ ἄλλου
γένοιτο, ταῦτα ἐμ ὀλίγῳ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ κατώρθωται.
ἀρκοῦσα, δ᾽ ἡμῖν" χάρις καὶ τῶν συμβάντων παρα-
μυθία, ἐὰν καὶ βασιλεῖ συστήσῃς αὐτόν, καὶ τὰς
ἐπενεχθείσας αὐτῷ διαβολὰς ἀποσκευάσῃ. ταῦτά
σοι πᾶσαν" οἴου τὴν πατρίδα διὰ μιᾶς τῆς ἡμε-
τέρας 3 φωνῆς διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ κοινὴν εἶναι πάν-
των εὐχήν, γενέσθαι τι τῷ ἀνδρὶ διὰ τῆς σῆς
τελειότητος δεξιόν.

XCVII
Τῇ βουλῇ Τυάνων
‘O ἀνακαλύπτων βαθέα καὶ φανερῶν βουλὰς
καρδιῶν Κύριος ἔδωκε καὶ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς σύνεσιν
τῶν δυσθεωρήτων, ὥς τινες οἴονται, τεχνασμάτων.
οὐδὲν οὖν ἡμᾶς ἔλαθεν, οὔτε τῶν πεπραγμένων τι
κεκρυμμένον. ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἡμεῖς οὔτε ὁρῶμεν οὔτε
ἀκούομεν. ἄλλο τι ἢ τὴν εἰρήνην τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ὅσα 3
πρὸς αὐτὴν φέρει. εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἕτεροι δυνατοί, καὶ
ἜΣ καὶ ἑαυτοῖς πεποιθότες, ANN ἡμεῖς οἱ μη-
1 ἢ add. E. 2 πᾶσαν om. HK.
3 ἡμέρας HK. 4 τοιαῦτα Εἰ, editio Paris.

1 Written in 372. Valens was ever hostile to Cappadocia.

Partly to vent his wrath upon it, and partly to obtain a
greater amount of revenue, he had in 370 determined to
divide it into two provinces. Podandus, an insignificant
160
 LETTER XCVII

as sufficient grounds for the attachment the excellent

testimony you receive concerning him and also your
experience of his deeds—an experience which is not
in accordance with the example of the times. For
that which could not have been brought about by
another in many years has been accomplished in a
short time by him. It will be a sufficient favour to
us, and a consolation for our afflictions, if you will
recommend him to the Emperor, and will do away
with the slanders that have been brought against
him. Consider that your whole country is address-
ing these words to you through our single voice, and
that it is the common prayer of all that something
favourable may come to the man through your
Perfection.

LETILER. XCVT
To THE SenaTE ΟΕ Tyanal
Her who reveals hidden things and makes manifest
the counsels of the heart, even the Lord, has
bestowed upon the lowly a knowledge of artifices
which some think are difficult to understand.
Therefore nothing has escaped our notice, nor has
anything that has been done remained concealed
from us. Yet we ourselves, nevertheless, neither see
nor hear anything but the peace of God and whatso-
ever leads to it. For even if others are powerful,
and great, and confident in themselves, we, on the
town at the foot of Mt. Taurus, was to be the chief seat of
the new province, and half of the executive was transferred
there. The resulting dismay and dejection of Caesarea are
depicted vividly by Basil in Letters LXXIV, LXXV, and
LXXVI.
161
VOL, Il. M
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

έν, καὶ τοῦ μηδενὸς ἄξιοι" ὥστε οὐκ ἄν ποτεῖ TO-

δέ \ fal ὃ Ν A ee > »” 1

σοῦτον ἑαυτοῖς λάβοιμεν, ὡς ἐν τῇ μονώσει

δύνασθαι νομίσαι περιέσεσθαι τῶν πραγμάτων,
ἀκριβῶς εἰδότες, ὅτι πλέον ἡμεῖς τῆς ἑνὸς ἑκάστου
> A ? / “ / ¢ - a e Xv e /

τῶν
fal
ἀδελφῶν
5 a
ἐπικουρίας
> /
δεόμεθα
/
ἢxn ὅσον
ὦ
ἡ᾿ς ἑτέρα
Ἄς

τῶν χειρῶν THs ἑτέρας. ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς

a a aA \ “ ~

τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν κατασκευῆς τὸ ἀναγκαῖον τῆς

κοινωνίας ὁ Κύριος ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξεν.
’ὔ
ὅταν yap « Ἂ e ca) X»Q/ “ \

Ν SF SX > (ὃ 2 \ / ς fal “ ἃ
πρὸς αὑτὰ ταῦτα ATLOW~ τὰ μέλη ἡμῶν, OTL ἕν
οὐδὲν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς ἐνέργειαν αὔταρκες, πῶς ἐμαυτὸν
λογίσομαι ἐξαρκεῖν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς Ta τοῦ βίου
, > lal e a \ \ n ,

πράγματα ; οὔτε yap ἂν ποῦς ἀσφαλῶς βαδίσειε,

4 yw \ A lol > n bu

μὴ συνυποστηρίζοντος τοῦ ἑτέρου, οὔτε ὀφθαλμὸς

rn \

ὑγιῶς ἴδοι, μὴ κοινωνὸν ἔχων τὸν ἕτερον καὶ μετ

a b

αὐτοῦ συμφώνως προσβάλλων τοῖς ὁρατοῖς. ἡ

- “ « a

ἀκοὴ ἀκριβεστέρα ἡ δι’ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν πόροιν τὴν a a , \

φωνὴν δεχομένη, καὶ ἀντίληψις κραταιοτέρα τῇ f / el

κοινωνίᾳ Tov δακτύλων. Kal ἁπαξαπλῶς οὐδὲν

7 a , \ e n »Q\

οὔτε τῶν ἐκ φύσεως οὔτε τῶν ἐκ προαιρέσεως

a a ,

κατορθουμένων ὁρῶ ἄνευ τῆς τῶν ὁμοφύλων

lal ~ lal c

συμπνοίας ἐπιτελούμενον" ὅπου γε καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ

προσευχὴ μὴ ἔχουσα τοὺς συμφωνοῦντας ἀδρανεσ-
τέρα ἐστὶ πολλῷ ἑαυτῆς, καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἐπηγ-
/ b] \ n € fol \ e 4 >

γείλατο μέσος γενήσεσθαι μεταξὺ δύο ἢ τριῶν

/ ‘ 4 A al

ἐπικαλουμένων αὐτὸν ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ. καὶ αὐτὴν δὲ

τὴν οἰκονομίαν ὁ Κύριος κατεδέξατο, iva eipnvo-
\ >

1 ὥστε οὐκ ἄν. .. ὡς] μηδενὸς οὐκ ἄν ποτε τοσοῦτον ἑαυτοὺς

ὑπολάθοιμεν, ὥστε editi antiqi.
162
 LETTER XCVII

contrary, are nothing, and worth nothing; con-

sequently we would never attribute so much to
ourselves as to consider that single-handed we could
surmount our difficulties, for we know very clearly
that we need the help of each and every brother
more than one hand needs the other. Indeed, from
the very constitution of our bodies the Lord has
taught us the necessity of the community. For
whenever I look upon these very limbs of ours, and
see that no one of them is sufficient in itself to
produce action, how can I reason that I of myself
suffice to cope with the difficulties of life? For one
foot could not make a stride safely unless the other
supported it, nor could the eye see accurately unless
it had the other as its partner and, working in
harmony with it, cast its glance upon the objects
of sight. ‘The hearing is more exact when it re-
ceives sound through both its channels; and the
grasp of the hand is stronger through the combined
efforts of the fingers. And to sum up, I see that
none of those things which are accomplished either
by nature or by deliberate choice is completed with-
out the union of the related forces; since, in truth,
even prayer itself, if it be not voiced by many
together, is much less efficacious than it might be,
and the Lord has promised that He would be in
the midst of two or three who should invoke Him
together.! And indeed the reason why the Lord
' took up his very stewardship was that He might
1 Cf. Matt. 18, 20: οὗ yap εἰσι δύο ἢ τρεῖς συνηγμένοι εἰς τὸ
ἐμὸν ὄνομα, ἐκεῖ εἰμὶ ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῶν. ‘‘ For where there are two
or three gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst
of them.”

2 ἀπίδωμεν editi antiqi.

163
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ποιήσῃ διὰ TOU αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ αὐτοῦ εἴτε

τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.
“Ὥστε, διὰ ταῦτα πάντα, ἐν εἰρήνῃ μένειν τὰς
λειπομένας ἡμῶν “ἡμέρας εὐχόμεθα, ἐν εἰρήνῃ δὲ
γενέσθαι τὴν κοίμησιν ἡμῶν αἰτοῦμεν. ὑπὲρ
ταύτης οὐδὲ πόνον ἐλλείπειν ὅντινα οὖν ἔγνωκα,
οὐ ταπεινόν τι φθέγξασθαι ἢ ποιῆσαι, οὐχ ὁδοι-
πορίας μῆκος ὑπολογίσασθαι, οὐκ ἄχλο τι τῶν
ὀχληρῶν * ὑποστείλασθαι, ὥστε τῶν μισθῶν τῆς
εἰρηνοποιίας ἐπιτυχεῖν. κἂν μὲν ἕπηταί 3 τις
ταῦτα καθηγουμένοις ἡμῖν, τοῦτο ἄριστον, καὶ
εὐχὴ *τυγχάνει πέρας" ἐὰν δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἐναντίαν
ἀφέλκῃ," ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδὲ οὕτω τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ κρίσεως
ἀποστήσομαι. αὐτὸς δὲ ἕκαστος τῆς οἰκείας
ἐργασίας ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως τοὺς καρ-
ποὺς ἐπιγνώσεται.

ΧΟΥΠῚ
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
Πάνυ ὡρμημένος καταλαβεῖν τὴν Νικόπολιν,
μετὰ τὸ δέξασθαι τὰ παρὰ τῆς ὁσιότητός ® σου
γρώμματα ἄρνησιν ἔχοντα τῆς ἀφίξεως, παρείθην
ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας 8 καὶ πάσης ὁμοῦ τῆς ἀσθε-
νείας ἀνεμνήσθην. ἦλθε δέ μοι εἰς ἔννοιαν καὶ ἡ
τῶν κεκληκότων ἀφοσίωσις, ὅτι, παροδικὴν πρὸς
λείπειν EK. 2 μοχθηρῶν ΕἸ, Harl., Vat.
ἕποιτο editi antiqi.
εὐχή Capps; εὐχῆς MSS. et editi.
ἐφέλκοι τῆς αὐτῆς editi antiqi.
κοσμιότητος vulgata.
or
aar 7 ὑπό E, editi antiqi.
164
 LETTER XCVIII

through the blood of His cross establish peace both

on earth and in heaven.!
Therefore, on account of all this, we pray that we
may abide in peace for the rest of our days, and in
peace we ask that our last sleep may come upon us.
For the sake of this peace, therefore, I have deter-
mined to neglect no effort whatever, not to omit
anything as too humble to say or do, not to take into
account the length of any journey, and not to
shrink before any irksome thing, if so I may obtain
the rewards of peace-making. And if anyone follows
us who are leading the way in this matter, that is
excellent, and my prayer is fulfilled; but if anyone
pulls in an opposite direction, I will not be moved
thereby to renounce my decision. But each one
himself on the day of retribution will acknowledge
the fruits of his own works,

LETTER XCVIII
To KEusesius, BisHop oF SaMosaTa ἢ
A.tuouGH I had been exceedingly eager to visit
Nicopolis, yet, after receiving the letter of your
Holiness containing the statement that you were
not going there, I relinquished my desire, and at the
same time remembered all my infirmities of health.
Moreover, the perfunctory manner of those who had
invited me came to my mind—that after extending
1 7.e., by His Incarnation, the community of Man and God.
2 According to Loofs (p. 25), this letter was written at
Sebaste in the middle of June 372.
8 ἀθυμίας EK, Harl., editi antiqi.
165
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡμᾶς ποιησάμενοι τὴν κλῆσιν διὰ TOD αἰδεσιμω-

τάτου ἀδελφοῦ ᾿Ἑλληνίου τοῦ ἐξισοῦντος Να-
ξιανζόν, δεύτερον περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ὑπομιμνήσκοντα -
ἢ ὁδηγοῦντα ἡμᾶς οὐ “κατηξίωσαν 5 ἀποστεῖλαι.
ἐπεὶ οὖν ὕποπτοι αὐτοῖς ἐσμὲν διὰ τὰς3 ἁμαρτίας
ἡμῶν, ἐφοβήθημεν μή που τὸ φαιδρὸν αὐτοῖς τῆς
πανηγύρεως Th παρουσίᾳ ἡμῶν ἐπιθολώσωμεν.
μετὰ μὲν γὰρ τῆς σῆς μεγαλοφυΐας καὶ πρὸς τοὺς
μεγάλους ἀποδύσασθαι πειρασμοὺς οὐκ ὀκνοῦμεν,
ἄνευ δὲ σοῦ οὐδὲ ταῖς τυχούσαις θλίψεσιν
ἀντιβλέψαι αὐτάρκως ἔχομεν. ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐκκλη-
σιαστικῶν ἕνεκεν γίνεσθαι ἡμῶν ἡ πρὸς αὐτοὺς
ἔντευξις ἔμελλε, τὸν μὲν τῆς πανηγύρεως καιρὸν
παρελίπομεν, εἰς ἡσυχίαν δὲ καὶ ἀτάραχον δια-
γωγὴν τὴν συντυχίαν ὑπερεθέμεθα, καὶ προῃρή-
μεθα καταλαβόντες τὴν Νικόπολιν διαλεχθῆναι
περὶ τῶν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἀναγκαίων τῷ θεοφι-
λεστάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Μελετίῳ, εἰ μέλλοι, παραι-
τεῖσθαι τὴν ἐπὶ Σαμόσατα ἃ ὁδόν" εἰ δὲ μή, αὐτῷ
συνδραμούμεθα, ἐὰν παρ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων τοῦτο ἡμῖν
κατάδηλον γένηται, παρά τε αὐτοῦ ἐκείνου
ἀντιγράψαντος ἡμῖν περὶ τούτων (ἐπεστείλαμεν
γάρ), καὶ παρὰ τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας.
᾿Επισκόποις δὲ τοῖς ἐκ τῆς δευτέρας Καππα-
δοκίας συντυγχάνειν ἐμέλλομεν" οἵ, ἐπειδὴ ἑτέρας
1 ὑπομνήσκοντα Harl. 2 οὐ κατηξίωσαν οὐκ ἠξίωσαν KH.
3 ras] τῆς E. 4 Σαμοσάτων δι].
5 αὐτοῦ HK, editi antiqi.

1 A surveyor of Customs at Nazianzus, and confidential

friend of both Basil and Gregory Nazianzene. He was an
Armenian by race, was married, and the father of a family.
166
 LETTER XCVIII

to us a passing invitation through our most reverend

brother, Hellenius,! regulator of taxes at Nazianzus,
they did not think it worth while to send a messenger
to remind us of this same matter again or to act as
our escort. Since, then, because of our sins we are
suspected by them, we feared lest perchance by our
presence we might disturb their joy of the festival.
For in company with your Magnanimity we do not
shrink from stripping ourselves for even great trials,
but without you we are not self-reliant enough to
face even ordinary afflictions. Hence, inasmuch as
our meeting with them was to be concerned with
ecclesiastical matters, we have let pass the occasion
of the festival, we have postponed our meeting to a
period of peace and tranquillity, and we have deter-
mined to visit Nicopolis and to take up the question
of the needs of the churches with the most God-
beloved bishop Meletius,? in case he should decline
to make the journey to Samosata. But if he should
not decline, we shall travel thither with him,
provided this be made clear to us by you both—by
him through a letter written to me in reply regard-
ing this matter (for we have written to him), and by
your Piety.
It was also our intention to meet the bishops of
Cappadocia Secunda; but they, when they had been
He had a brother who, like himself, had acquired reputation
by his eloquence. Both were employed in the administration
of justice. In 371 Hellenius conveyed a letter from Gregory
to Basil ; cf. Basil, Letter LX XI. Hellenius’ official title was
ἐξισωτής (peraequator), whose chief duty was to conduct extra-
ordinary local revisions of taxes. Such ofhcials were directly
responsible to the praetorian prefects.
2 For this Meletius, cf. Letters LVII, LX VIII, LXXXIX,
CXX, CXXIX, and CCXVI.
167
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὠνομάσθησαν. ἐπαρχίας, ἐνόμισαν ἀθρόως καὶ

ἀλλοεθνεῖς καὶ ἀλλόφυλοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς γεγενῆσθαι
οἱ τοσοῦτον ἡμᾶς ἠγνόησαν, ὅσον οἱ μηδὲ τὴν
ἀρχὴν πεπειραμένοι, μηδὲ εἰς λόγους ποτὲ
ἀφικόμενοι.5 προσεδοκᾶτο δὲ καὶ ἑτέρα συντυχία
τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου ἐπισκόπου Εὐσταθίου, ἡ καὶ
γενομένη ἡμῖν. διὰ γὰρ τὸ παρὰ πολλῶν κατα-
βοᾶσθαι αὐτὸν ὡς περὶ τὴν πίστιν παραχα-
ράσσοντά τι, ἀφικόμεθα αὐτῷ εἰς λόγους, καὶ
εὕρομεν σὺν Θεῷ πρὸς πᾶσαν ὀρθότητα εὐγνωμόνως
ἀκολουθοῦντα. τὰ δὲ τῶν ἐπισκόπων γράμματα
παρὰ τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτῶν ἐκείνων οὐκ ἐκομίσθη τῇ
τιμιότητί σου, οὺς ἐχρῆν τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν δια-
πέμψασθαι" ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμὲ παρῆλθε, τῇ συνεχείᾳ
τῶν φροντίδων ἘΠΕ τΣ Ρ ae τῆς μνήμης.
Τὸν δ᾽ ἀδελφὸν * Πρηγόριον͵ κἀγὼ ἠβουλόμην 4
οἰκονομεῖν ἐκκλησίαν τῇ αὐτοῦ φύσει ioe
αὕτη δὲ ἦν πᾶσα εἰς ἕν συναχθεῖσα ἡ ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ.
ἐπειδὴ ° δὲ τοῦτο ἀδύνατον, ἔστω ἐπίσκοπος, μὴ
ἐκ τοῦ τόπου σεμνυνόμενος, ἀλλὰ τὸν τόπον
σεμνύνων ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ. ὄντως γὰρ μεγάλου ἐστὶν
οὐ τοῖς μεγάλοις μόνον ἀρκεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ μικρὰ
μεγάλα ποιεῖν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμει.
1 πεπειρασμένοι editi antiqi. 2 ἀφικνούμενοι editi antiqi.
8νέμων, τόν, add, editiantiqi. 4 ἐβουλόμηνE.
ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ] ὑφήλιος Med. ; ὑφ᾽ ἥλιον Bigot., Reg. secundus,
Coial secundus.
6 ἐπεί editi antiqi.

1 Cf. previous letter and note.

2 According to Tillemont, this reference is to Basil’s own
brother, Gregory of Nyssa. Maran, however (Vita Basilit,
xxiv), thinks this false, due partly to the introduction into
the text of the word ἐμόν, which he eliminates. He points
168
 LETTER XCVIII

named as of another province,’ immediately thought

that they had become of a different race and stock
from us, and they ignored us as thoroughly as would
those who have never had acquaintance with us at
all and have never come into converse with us.
Another meeting, too, with the most reverend bishop
Eustathius was expected by us, and this actually
took place. For since he was being denounced by
many on the ground that he was falsifying the faith
in some way, we entered into conference with him,
and we found him, by God’s grace, candidly in
harmony with all orthodoxy. The letter of the
bishop was not delivered to your Honour through
the fault of those same persons who should have
forwarded the letter from us; but the matter
escaped my attention, having been driven from my
memory by continual cares.
I also had wished that my brother Gregory? were
governing a church commensurate with his talents.
But such a church would be the whole church under
the sun merged into one! But since this is impossible,
let him be a bishop, not receiving dignity from his
see, but himself conferring dignity upon the see.
For it is the part of a truly great man not merely to
be equal to great things, but also to make little
things great by his own power.
out also that Gregory of Nyssa, although unwilling to accept
consecration, never objected after it took place, and was
even sent to Nazianzus to console the younger Gregory, who
was in distress under like circumstances. Furthermore,
Gregory of Nyssa was consecrated in the regular manner, on
the demand of the people and clergy with the assent of the
bishops of the province. Cf. Letter CCXXV. On the other
hand, Gregory the younger was consecrated to Sasima without
these formalities, Hence it is probably the latter who is
here referred to.
169
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Τί δὲ δεῖ! ποιῆσαι τῷ Παλματίῳ, μετὰ

τοσαύτας παρακλήσεις τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἔτι ὑπηρε-
τοῦντι τῷ Μαξίμῳ πρὸς τοὺς διωγμούς ; ἀλλ᾽
ὅμως οὐδὲ νῦν ὀκνοῦσιν ἐπιστεῖλαι' παραγενέσθαι
γὰρ καὶ ὑπὸ ἀσθενείας σώματος καὶ ὑπὸ ἀσχο-
λιῶν οἰκειακῶν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπονται.
Γίνωσκε μέντοι, θεοφιλέστατε πάτερ, ὅτι πάνυ 3
χρήζει τῆς παρουσίας σου τὰ ἡμέτερα, καὶ
ἀνάγκη σε τὸ τίμιον γῆρας ἔτι ἅπαξ κινῆσαι,
ὑπὲρ τοῦ στῆσαι περιφερομένην λοιπὸν καὶ ἐγγὺς
πτώματος οὖσαν τὴν Καππαδοκίαν.

XCIX
Tepevtio Κόμητι
Πάνυ πολλὴν σπουδὴν ἐνστησάμενος πειθαρ-
χῆσαι μερικῶς γοῦν Kal τῷ βασιλικῷ προστάγματι
- lal fal \ A a ys

1 ποιῆσαι Med. 2 τοῦ add. E.

3 πᾶν editi antiqi.

1 Otherwise unknown.
2 Governor of Cappadocia, successor of Elias, and himsel
succeeded by Antipater. Cf. Tillemont, note 58. Although,
as here indicated, he persecuted the orthodox, in the next
year, when he was removed from office and accused of
embezzlement of public funds, he had no warmer advocate
than Basil. There are three letters of Basil in his behalf to
influential laymen, begging them to befriend him in his
extremity ; to Aburgius (Letter CXLVII) ; to Trajan (Letter
CXLVIII), and another inscribed, probably falsely, to Trajan
(Letter CXLIX). The persecutions here mentioned may
not be persecutions in the ecclesiastical sense, but severe
exactions of tribute.
170
 LETTER XCIX

But what is to be done in the case of Palmatius,!

who after so many admonitions from his brethren
still supports Maximus? in his persecutions? Yet
even now they do not hesitate to write to him ; for
they are not permitted to visit him on account of
bodily ill-health * and their pressing duties at home.
Now be assured, most God-beloved father, that
our situation needs your presence exceedingly, and
you must bestir your venerable age once again, that
you may give support to Cappadocia, which is even
now tottering and near its fall.

LETTER XCEX

To Count Terentivus4

ALTHOUGH at the outset I felt very great eager-

ness to obey, in part at least, both the Imperial
3 Probably of Palmatius himself.
4 Written from Satala in July or August 372. Cf. Loofs,
27. Terentius was general and count under Valens, and,
though orthodox, held the Arian emperor’s favour. Am-
mianus Marcellinus (27, 12; and 30, 1) belittles him because
of his Christianity. Basil addresses the present letter to
Terentius, who is in Iberia, in command of twelve legions,
and details the difficulties, caused chiefly by Theodotus, in
the way of carrying out the Emperor’s order to supply
Armenia with bishops. The Emperor’s order had been en-
forced by a private letter from Terentius himself.
A still longer letter from Basil to Terentius, written
during the Antiochene schism, A.D. 375, seeking to divert
him from the side of Paulinus to that of Meletius, is Letter
CCXIV.
Another letter of Basil’s (CV) is addressed to the daughters
of Terentius, who were deaconesses at Samosata.
171
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

καὶ τῷ φιλικῷ τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος γράμματι, οὗ

ἐγὼ πάντα λόγον καὶ πᾶσαν γνώμην γέμειν ὀρθῆς
προαιρέσεως καὶ ἀγαθῆς διανοίας πεπίστευκα, εἰς
ἔργον ἀγαγεῖν τὴν προθυμίαν οὐκ ἐπετράπην.1
αἴτιον δὲ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον καὶ ἀληθέστατον αἱ ἐμαὶ
ἁμαρτίαι, πανταχοῦ μοι προαπαντῶσαι καὶ
ὑποσκελίζουσαί μου τὰ διαβήματα: ἔπειτα καὶ ἡ
τοῦ δοθέντος ἡμῖν εἰς συνεργίαν ἐπισκόπου πρὸς
ἡμᾶς ἀλλοτρίωσις. οὐκ οἶδα γὰρ ὅ τι παθὼν ὁ
αἰδεσιμώτατος ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν Θεόδοτος, ὁ ἐπαγ-
γειλάμενος ἡμῖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς πάντα συμπράξειν, καὶ
προθύμως ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ Τητασῶν ἐπὶ Νικόπολιν
καταγαγών," ἐπειδὴ εἶδεν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τῆς πόλεως,
οὕτως ἡμᾶς ἐβδελύξατο, καὶ οὕτως ἐφοβήθη τὰς
ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν, ὡς μήτε εἰς ἑωθινὴν εὐχὴν μήτε
εἰς ἑσπερινὴν ἀνασχέσθαι ἡἡμᾶς παραλαβεῖν'
δίκαια μὲν ποιῶν, ὡς πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ πρέποντα
τῷ ἐμῷ βίῳ, οὐ λυσιτεχλοῦντα δὲ τῇ κοινῇ κατα-
στάσει τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν βουλευόμενος. τὴν δὲ
αἰτίαν πούτων προέφερεν ἡμῖν, ὅτι ἠνεσχόμεθα εἰς
κοινωνίαν τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον ἐἐπίσκοπον Εὐστάθιον
παραδέξασθαι. τὸ μέντοι γενόμενον Tap ἡμῶν
τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν.
Ἡμεῖς, κληθέντες εἰς σύνοδον παρὰ τοῦ
ἀδελφοῦ Θεοδότου τελουμένην ὃ καὶ ὁρμήσαντες
δι᾽ ἀγάπην ὑπακοῦσαι τῇ κλήσει,ἵἵνα μὴ δόξωμεν
ἄπρακτον καὶ ἀργὴν ποιεῖσθαι τὴν συντυχίαν,
1 ἐτράπην editi antiqi. 2 καταγαγεῖν editi antiqi.
3 τελειουμένην editi antiqi.

1 Bishop of Nicopolis in Lesser Armenia, an aged prelate

of high character and unquestioned orthodoxy. Theodotus
was greatly respected by St. Basil, but he was extremely
172
 LETTER XCIX

ordinance and the friendly letter of your Honour,

whose every word and every thought I am convinced
is filled with right purpose and good intentions,
I was not permitted to turn my desire into action.
And the reason, the primary and the truest one, is
my sins, which come forth to meet me on every
side and trip my steps; and, secondly, our alienation
from the bishop assigned to co-operate with us.
For I do not know what has happened to our most
reverend brother Theodotus,! that after promising
us in the beginning to help in every way, and
eagerly bringing us down from Getasa to Nicopolis,
yet when he saw us in the city he so loathed us,
and so feared our sins, that he could not bring
himself to take us with him to either morning or
evening prayers; what he did was just, so far as we
are concerned, and befitting my life, but was not
working for the best interests of the common
organization of the churches. But he alleged to us
as the cause of this treatment the fact that we had
received the most reverend bishop Eustathius into
communion. What we have done, however, is this:
When we were summoned to a synod which was
being held by our brother Theodotus, and for
charity's sake were eager to obey the summons, in
order that we should not seem to render the meeting
futile and of no effect, we made a special effort to
annoyed at Basil’s reluctance to sever connexions with
Eustathius of Sebaste. On this very account he refused to
co-operate with Basil in giving bishops to Lesser Armenia,
and he virtually excommunicated Basil on the latter’s arrival,
by invitation, at Nicopolis, Brotherly relations between the
two, however, were later re-established. Two of Basil’s
extant letters are addressed to Theodotus: Letters CXXI
and CXXX,
173
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐσπουδάσαμεν εἰς λόγους ἐλθεῖν τῷ προειρημένῳ

ἀδελφῷ Εὐσταθίῳ. καὶ προετείναμεν αὐτῷ τὰ
περὶ τῆς πίστεως ἐγκλήματα, ὅσα προφέρουσιν
αὐτῷ οἱ περὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν Θεόδοτον, καὶ ἠξιώσα-
μεν, εἰ μὲν ἕπεται τῇ ὀρθῇ πίστει, φανερὸν ἡμῖν
καταστῆσαι, ὥστε ἡμᾶς εἶναι κοινωνικούς" εἰ δὲ
ἀλλοτρίως ἔχει, ἀκριβῶς εἰδέναι, ὅτι καὶ ἡμεῖς
ἕξομεν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀλλοτρίως. πολλῶν τοίνυν
γενομένων. λόγων πρὸς ἀλλήλους, καὶ πάσης
ἐκείνης τῆς ἡμέρας ἐν τῇ περὶ τούτων σκέψει
δαπανηθείσης, καταλαβούσης λοιπὸν τῆς ἑσπέ-
pas, διεκρίθημεν ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων, εἰς οὐδὲν ὁμο-
λογούμενον πέρας τὸν λόγον1 προαγαγόντες. τῇ
δὲ ἑξῆς πάλιν, ἕωθεν σνγκαθεσθέντες, περὶ τῶν
αὐτῶν διελεγόμεθα, ἐπελθόντος ἤδη καὶ τοῦ
ἀδελφοῦ “Ποιμενίου, τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τῆς Σεβασ-
τείας, καὶ σφοδρῶς ἡἡμῖν τὸν ἐναντίον γυμνάξοντος
λόγον. κατὰ μικρὸν οὖν ἡμεῖς τε, ὑπὲρ ὧν ἔδοξεν
ἡμῖν ἐγκαλεῖν, ἀπελυόμεθα, κἀκείνους εἰς THY?
τῶν ἐπιξητουμένων ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν συγκατάθεσιν
προηγάγομεν,5 ὥστε χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου εὑρεθῆναι
eas μηδὲ εἰς TO σμικρότατον πρὸς ἀλλήλους
διαφερομένους. οὕτω τοίνυν περὶ ἐννάτην που
ὥραν ἀνέστημεν ἐπὶ τὰς προσευχάς, εὐχαριστή-
σαντες τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ δόντι ἡμῖν τὸ αὐτὸ φρονεῖν
καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ λέγειν. ἐπὶ τούτοις ἔδει με καὶ
ἔγραφόν τινα παρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὁμολογίαν λαβεῖν,
ὥστε καὶ τοῖς ἐναντιουμένοις αὐτῷ φανερὰν
1 τῶν λόγων E, τὸν λόγον in marg. manu recente.
2 ὑπέρ add, E. 3 προσηγάγομεν editi antiqi.

1 Otherwise unknown.

174
 LETTER XCIX

enter into conference with our brother Eustathius

just mentioned. And we presented to him the
charges regarding his faith, such as our brother
Theodotus and his followers bring against him, and
we asked him, in case he followed the orthodox
Faith, to make this fact manifest to us so that we
might be in communion with him; but if he was
otherwise disposed, we asked him to know clearly
that we too should be otherwise disposed toward
him. Thereupon, after we had conversed much with
each other, and after the whole of that day had been
consumed in the examination of these matters,
evening having now fallen, we parted from each
other without having brought our discussion to any
conclusion to which we could both agree. But after
we had again assembled on the morning of the
following day, we were entering upon a discussion
of the same subject, when our brother, Poimenius,*
presbyter of Sebasteia, entered our conference also,
and began vigorously to press the opposing doctrine
against us.2_ Little by little we for our part, accord-
ingly, kept clearing away the charges upon the
strength of which they seemed to accuse us, and
we brought them to such an assent regarding the
subjects of our investigation that by the grace of
the Lord we found ourselves to be differing from
one another not even in the smallest point. Thus,
therefore, somewhere about the ninth hour we arose
for prayer, thanking the Lord who had given us to
think and speak the same things. In confirmation
of this I ought to have obtained also a written
confession from the man, so that his assent might
2 “Us” and ‘‘we” here mean the writer, St. Basil, and
not Basil and Eustathius.
175
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

γενέσθαι τὴν συγκατάθεσιν, Kal τοῖς λοιποῖς

ἱκανὴν εἶναι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τῆς προαιρέσεως τὴν
ἀπόδειξιν. ἀλλ᾽ ἐβουλήθην αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ' πολλῆς
ἀκριβείας, τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς συντυχὼν τοῖς περὶ
Θεόδοτον, παρ᾽ αὐτῶν λαβεῖν γραμματεῖον
πίστεως, καὶ αὐτὸ " προτεῖναι τῷ προειρημένῳ"
ἵνα ἀμφότερα γένηται, ἥ τε ὀρθὴ πίστις παρ᾽
αὐτοῦ ὁμολογηθῇ" καὶ αὐτοὶ πληροφορηθῶσι,
μηδεμίαν ἔ
ἔχοντες ἀντιλογίας ὑπόθεσιν ἐκ τοῦ τὰς
παρ᾽ αὐτῶν προτάσεις παραδεχθῆναι. ἀλλὰ
πρὶν μαθεῖν τίνος ἕνεκεν συνετύχομεν, καὶ τί
ἡμῖν ἐκ τῆς ὁμιλίας “κατώρθωται, οἱ περὶ τὸν
ἐπίσκοπον Θεόδοτον οὐκέτι ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν σύνοδον
προτρέψασθαι ᾿κατηξίωσαν. ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ μέσης
ἀνεζεύξαμεν 4 τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἀθυμήσαντες, ὃὅτι ἀτελεῖς
ἡμῖν ποιοῦσι τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰρήνης τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν
καμάτους.
Μετὰ ταῦτα τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ κατέλαβεν ἡμᾶς ἡ
ἀνάγκη τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Αρμενίαν ὁδοῦ, εἰδὼς τοῦ
ἀνδρὸς τὸ ἰδιότροπον καὶ βουλόμενος ὑπὸ 5 μάρ-
τυρι ἀξιοπίστῳ αὐτός τε ὑπὲρ τῶν πεπραγμένων
ἀπολογήσασθαι κἀκεῖνον πληροφορῆσαι, ἦλθον
ἐπὶ ta Τήτασα τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου
ἐπισκόπου Μελετίου, συμπαρόντος por® καὶ
αὐτοῦ τοῦ προειρημένου Θεοδότου" καὶ οὕτως
ἐκεῖ, ἐπειδὴ ἐνεκλήθημεν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ
πρὸς Εὐστάθιον συναφείᾳ, εἶπον τὸ ὃ ἐκ τῆς συν-
1 ὑπέρ R.J.D., ὑπό MSS. et editi. 2 οὗτοι E.
3 ὁμολογῆται tres MSS. recen. 4 ἀνέζευξαν editi antiqi.
5 ἐπί nonnulli MSS. ὁ μου K.
7 ἐπὶ
>
Ti... συναφείᾳ] περὶ τῆς. . . συναφείας nonnulli
MSS.
176
 LETTER XCIX

be made clear also to those who oppose him and

might be for the rest a sufficient demonstration of
the man’s convictions. But I desired on my own
account, for the sake of complete accuracy, to meet
our brothers, the followers of Theodotus, receive from
them a written testimonial of faith, and present this
to the afore-mentioned Theodotus ; my purpose was
that two things might be accomplished, namely,
that the orthodox Faith should be confessed by him,
and that his followers should themselves be fully
informed, they having thus no ground for con-
troversy by reason of the fact that the propositions
had been accepted by themselves. But before
learning for what reason Eustathius and I had met,
and what success had been achieved by us as a
result of our conference, the followers of the bishop
Theodotus no longer deemed it proper to invite us
to the synod. But in the middle of our journey we
turned back, disheartened that they were rendering
of no avail our labours in behalf of the peace of the
churches.
After this, therefore, when the necessity of a
journey to Armenia fell upon us, being well ac-
quainted with the peculiar character of the man
and desirous of having the support of a most trust-
worthy witness in defending myself for my actions
and of giving him full information, I came to Getasa,
the field of the most God-beloved bishop Meletius,
the afore-mentioned Theodotus being also present
at the time ; and thus in that place, when we were
accused by him on the ground of our connexion with
Eustathius, I told him of the happy outcome of our

87d... κατόρθωμα] Ta . . . κατορθώματα EK.

177
VOL. II. ΝΝ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τυχίας κατόρθωμα, ὅτι ἔλαβον αὐτὸν εἰς πάντα

ἡμῖν ὁμοδοξοῦντα. ὡς δὲ διεβεβαιοῦτο ἔξαρνον
γεγενῆσθαι μετὰ τὴν ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀναχώρησιν, καὶ
διαβεβαιοῦσθαι αὐτὸν τοῖς ἰδίοις αὐτοῦ1 »μαθη-
ταῖς, ἢ μὲν εἰς μηδὲν ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς πίστεως
συντεθεῖσθαι, ἀπήντων ἐγὼ πρὸς ταῦτα (καὶ
σκόπει, θαυμασιώτατε, εἰ μὴ δικαιοτάτας " Kal
ἀναντιρρήτους ἐποιούμην πρὸς τοῦτο τὰς ἀποκρί-
σεις), OTL ἐγὼ μὲν πέπεισμαι, εἰκάζων ἐκ τῆς
λοιπῆς εὐσταθείας τοῦ ἀνδρός, μὴ οὕτως αὐτὸν
κούφως περιτρέπεσθαι πρὸς τὰ ἐναντία, μηδὲ νῦν
μὲν ὁμολογεῖν νῦν δὲ ὑπὲρ ὧν εἶπεν ἀρνεῖσθαι,
ἄνδρα καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ τῶν τυχόντων ψεῦδος ὡς
φοβερὸν ἀποφεύγοντα, μὴ ὅτι γε περὶ τῶν
τηλικούτων πραγμάτων καὶ οὕτω παρὰ πᾶσι
βεβοημένων,5 ἑλέσθαι ἄν ποτε ἐναντιωθῆναι τῇ
ἀληθείᾳ. εἰ δὲ ἄρα καὶ ἀληθῆ εἶναι συμβῇ τὰ
θρυλλούμενα παρ᾽ ὑμῶν, προτεῖναι αὐτῷ γραμμα-
τεῖον πᾶσαν ἔχον τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως τὴν ἀπό-
δειξιν χρή. ἐὰν μὲν οὖν εὕρω αὐτὸν συντιθέμενον
ἐγγράφως, ἐπιμενῶ τῇ κοινωνίᾳ" ἐὰν δὲ λάβω
ἀναδυόμενον, ἀποστήσομαι
a αὐτοῦ τῆς συναφείας.
ἀποδεξαμένου τὸν λόγον τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Μελετίου
καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Διοδώρου τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου
(παρῆν γὰρ τοῖς γινομένοις), συνθέμενος ὁ αἰδεσι-
μώτατος ἀδελφὸς Θεόδοτος ἐκεῖ, καὶ παρακα-
λέσας ἡμᾶς κατελθεῖν ἐπὶ Νικόπολιν, ἵνα καὶ
τὴν ἐκκλησίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπισκεψώμεθα, καὶ αὐτὸν
λάβωμεν τῆς μέχρι Σατάλων ὁδοιπορίας συνέμ-
πορον, καταλιπὼν ἡμᾶς ἐν Γητάσοις, ἐπειδὴ
1 ἑαυτοῦ E.
2 δικαιοτάτως καὶ ἀναντιρρήτως Reg. primus et Bigot.
178
 LETTER XCIX

meeting, that I found him agreeing with us in

every belief. But as he kept maintaining that
Eustathius had denied all this after taking his de-
parture from us, and had personally declared to his
own disciples that in truth he had not come into
any agreement whatever on the question of faith,
I met these charges (and observe, most respected
Sir, whether I did not make the most just and
irrefutable replies thereto) by saying that I was
convinced, basing my judgment on the general
stability of the man’s character, that he would not
be so lightly turned to opposite views, that he would
not now agree and now deny what he had just
said, and that a man who shuns falsehood even in
trivial affairs as a fearful thing, to say nothing of
matters of such importance and so talked of by all,
would never choose to gainsay the truth. But if he
did do this, and if what is common talk among you
should turn out to be true, we ought to propose
to him a written statement containing a complete
proof of his orthodox faith. If, then, I find that
he affirms his agreement in writing, I shall remain
in communion with him; but if I catch him drawing
back, I shall sever all connexions with him. Al-
though the bishop Meletius and our brother Diodorus,
the presbyter (for he was present while all this was
going on), accepted this decision, and although our
most reverend brother Theodotus agreed on that
occasion, and urged us to go down to Nicopolis in
order that we should not only visit his church but
also take him as a fellow-traveller on our journey
as far as Satala, yet he left us at Getasa, and when
3 βεβοημένον Εἰ ; διαβεβοημένων editi antiqi. d oe:
4 συνέμπορον, καταλιπών] συνέκπορον καταλιπόντα editi antiqi.
179
ν 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

κατελάβομεν τὴν Νικόπολιν, ἐπιλαθόμενος ὧν

τε παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ! ἤκουσεν. ὧν τε συνέθετο ἡμῖν,
ἐκείναις ταῖς ὕβρεσι καὶ ταῖς ἀτιμίαις, ἃς
μικρῷ πρόσθεν διηγησάμην, καταισχύνας ἡμᾶς
ἀπέπεμψε.
Πῶς οὖν ἦν δυνατόν μοι, τιμιωτάτη κεφαλή,3
ποιῆσαί τι τῶν προστεταγμένων, καὶ δοῦναι
ἐπισκόπους τῇ ᾿Αρμενίᾳ, οὕτω πρός με τοῦ
κοινωνοῦ τῆς φροντίδος διατεθέντος, παρ᾽ οὗ ἐγὼ
προσεδόκων τοὺς ἐπιτηδείους ἄνδρας “εὐρήσειν ;
διὰ τὸ εἶναι ἐν τῇ παροικίᾳ αὐτοῦ καὶ εὐλαβεῖς
καὶ συνετοὺς καὶ τῆς γλώττης “ἐμπείρους καὶ τὰ
λοιπὰ ἰδιώματα τοῦ ἔθνους ἐπισταμένους" ὧν
εἰδὼς τὰ ὀνόματα, ἑκὼν σιωπήσομαι, ἵνα μή
τι ἐμπόδιον γένηται πρὸς τὸ ἐν ἑτέρῳ γοῦν χρόνῳ
χρησιμευθῆναι τὴν ᾿Αρμενίαν.
Καὶ νῦν γενόμενος μέχρι Σατάλων ἐν τοιούτῳ
σώματι, τὰ μὲν λοιπὰ ἔδοξα τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ “χάριτι
καθιστᾷν, εἰρηνεύσας τοὺς τῆς ᾿Δρμενίας ἐπισκό-
πους, καὶ διαλεχθεὶς αὐτοῖς τὰ πρέποντα, ὥστε
ἀποθέσθαι τὴν “συνήθη ἀδιαφορίαν ® καὶ ἀνα-
λαβεῖν τὴν γνησίαν τοῦ Kupiov ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλη-
σιῶν σπουδήν, δοὺς αὐτοῖς καὶ τύπους περὶ τῶν
ἀδιαφόρως κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αρμενίαν παρανομουμένων,
ὅπως αὐτοῖς προσῆκεν ἐπιμελεῖσθαι. ἐδεξάμην
δὲ καὶ ψηφίσματα παρὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας Σατάλων,
παράκλησιν ἔχοντα δοθῆναι αὐτοῖς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν
ἐπίσκοπον. ἐπιμελὲς δέ μοι τοῦτο ἐγένετο, καὶ
τὴν περιχυθεῖσαν βλασφημίαν τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἡμῶν

1 τε παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ] παρ᾽ ἡμῶν Ἰὰ. 2 ἥκουσαν editi antiqi.

3 κεφαλῇ EH. 4 ἑκουσίως editi antiqi.
180
 LETTER XCIX

we arrived at Nicopolis, forgetful alike of what he

had heard from me and what he had agreed to with
us, he put us to shame with those acts of insolence
and indignity which I mentioned a little while ago,
and sent us away.
How then was it possible for me, most honoured
Sir, to perform any of the commands laid upon me,
and to furnish bishops to Armenia, when my associate
in the business was thus disposed towards me, the
man through whom I expected to discover the
suitable men? The reason is that in his parish
there are pious and sagacious persons, who are
skilled in the language and are well versed in the
other peculiarities of that nation. Although I know
their names, I shall willingly remain silent, lest
anything should arise to prevent their being of
service to Armenia at another time.
And now having come to Satala in such a state of
body, I seem, by the grace of God, to have settled
all other questions; for I have established peace
among the bishops of Armenia, and have argued
with them in befitting terms to put aside their
customary indifference, and to take up again the
true zeal of the Lord in behalf of the churches;
I have also given them rules regarding those acts,
due to indifference, which are committed throughout
Armenia in violation of the law, to show them how
it is fitting that they should take heed of those
things. I have received, too, a voted decision from
the church of Satala, with the request that a bishop
be given them by us. This matter has concerned
me, and also to investigate the slander which has

5 διαφοράν Bigot., Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus.

181
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Κυρίλλῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αρμενίας ἀνερευνῆσαιυ"

καὶ διὰ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ εὕρομεν αὐτὴν
ψευδῶς κινηθεῖσαν ἐκ διαβολῆς τῶν μισούντων
αὐτόν" ἣν καὶ φανερῶς ὡμολόγησαν ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν.
καὶ ἐδόξαμεν μετρίως ἡμεροῦν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὸν ἐν
Σατάλοις λαόν, ὥστε μηκέτι αὐτοῦ τὴν κοινωνίαν
φεύγειν. εἰ δὲ μικρὰ ταῦτα καὶ οὐδενὸς ἄξια,
ἀλλὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν οὐδὲν ἦν πλέον δυνατὸν γενέσθαι,
διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ διαβόλου περιεργίας ἡμῶν
αὐτῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀσυμφωνίαν. ταῦτά με
ἔδει 1 σιωπῶν, ἵνα μὴ δόξω δημοσιεύειν ἐμαυτοῦ
τὰ ὀνείδη" ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἦν dros ἀπολογή-
σασθαί σου τῇ μεγαλοφυΐᾳ, εἰς ἀνάγκην ἦλθον
πᾶσαν τῶν γεγονότων τὴν ἀλήθειαν διηγήσασθαι.

C
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
Οὕτως εἶδον τὰ γράμματα τῆς ἀγάπης σου ἐν
τῇ γείτονι χώρᾳ τῆς "Appevias,” ὡς ἂν ἴδοιεν οἱ
θαλαττεύοντες πυρσὸν ἐν “πελάγει, πόρρωθεν
φρυκτωρούμενον, ἄχλως τέ κἂν ἀγριαίνουσά πως
τύχοι ὃ ἡ θάλασσα ὑπ᾽ ἀνέμων. καὶ γὰρ φύσει
μὲν ἡδὺ καὶ παρηγορίαν ἔχον πολλὴν τὸ τῆς σῆς
σεμνότητος γράμμα, τότε δὲ μάλιστα. τὴν ἀπ᾽
αὐτοῦ χάριν ὁ καιρὸς συνηύξησεν," ὃν ὁποῖος
ταῦτά με ἔδει)ταῦτα ἔδει μέν editi antiqi.
τῶν ᾿Αρμενίων editi antiqi. 3 τύχῃ editi antiqi.
ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ] ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ EK, Harl.
σι
eH
wm
ὦ
προσηύξησεν editi antiqi.
182
 LETTER C

been heaped upon our brother, Cyril, the bishop of

Armenia; and through the grace of God we have
found that it was falsely fomented by the calumny
of his enemies, and this the latter have openly
confessed before us. And it seems that ina measure
we have reconciled the laity in Satala to him, so that
they no longer avoid his communion. Now if these
things are trivial and of no importance, on the other
hand there was nothing further which we could do,
owing to our discord between one and another,
caused by the busy activity of the devil. I ought
to have kept silent on these matters, that I may
not appear to be spreading abroad the reproaches
against myself; but since I could make my defence
to your Magnanimity in no other way, I have found
it necessary to relate the whole truth of what has
taken place.

LETTER C
To Eusesius, Bishop or Samosata }
I seneEcp the letter of your Charity in this neigh-
bouring country of Armenia, with the same feelings
with which men at sea would behold a beacon fire
shining from afar upon the deep, especially if the sea
should chance to be in an angry state by reason of
the winds. For the letter of your August Reverence,
though naturally possessing sweetness and great
consolation, then especially had its charm enhanced
by the occasion of its arrival. What the occasion
1 According to Loofs (30), written from Armenia in July
or August 372. Previous letters addressed by Basil to
Eusebius of Samosata are XX VII, XXX, XXXI, XXXIV,
Vit XLVIEG XCV, XCVIL.
183
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἣν, Kal ὅπως ἡμᾶς λυπήσας, ἔγω μὲν οὐκ ἂν

= \ ef e a 7 > \ \ > xX

εἴποιμι, κρίνας ἅπαξ ἐπιλαθέσθαι τῶν λυπηρῶν"

v , .“ > θέ θ lal »“

ὁ μέντοι συνδιάκονος ἡμῶν διηγήσεταί σου TH

lol , r

θεοσεβείᾳ. [

Εμὲ δὲ ἐπέλιπε παντελῶς TO σῶμα, ὥστε μηδὲ

> \ \ li “ \ Lal “ \

τὰς σμικροτάτας κινήσεις δύνασθαι ἀλύπως

φέρειν. πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ εὔχομαι δυνηθῆναί μοι τὴν
, \ 3 > ” rn , \

παλαιὰν ἐπιθυμίαν νῦν γοῦν διὰ τῆς βοηθείας

\ I , fe lel \ a ,

τῶν σῶν προσευχῶν ἐκπληρωθῆναι" εἰ καὶ ὅτι

/ / \ ΄ ΜΌΝ ,
πολλήν μοι πεποίηκε τὴν δυσκολίαν ἡ ἀποδημία
αὕτη, τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ ἀμεληθέντων τῶν κατὰ τὴν
ἡμετέραν ἐκκλησίαν πραγμάτων. ἐὰν δὲ ὁ Θεός,
e / > , / x\ \ e ,

ἕως ἐσμὲν ὑπὲρ γῆς, καταξιώσῃ ἡμᾶς ἰδεῖν ἐπὶ

τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡμῶν τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν, ὄντως
> \ > / ἈΠ ΥΩ ΣΝ a , ef
ἀγαθὰς ἐλπίδας καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς μέλλουσιν ἕξομεν,
ὡς οὐ πάντη ἐσμὲν 5 ἀπόβλητοι τῶν δωρεῶν τοῦ
Θεοῦ. τοῦτο γοῦν, ἐὰν ἢ δυνατόν, παρακαλοῦμεν
ἐπὶ τῆς συνόδου γενέσθαι, ἣν δι’ ἔτους ἄγομεν ἐπὶ
> oe an , , A bp kf ” «ὁ ΝΜ,

τῇ μνήμῃ τοῦ μακαρίουϑ μάρτυρος Εὐψυχίου

προσεγγιζούσῃ λοιπὸν κατὰ THY ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν
/ \ \ A € , € la

τοῦ Σεπτεμβρίου μηνός. καὶ γὰρ καὶ φροντίδος

ἄξια ἡμῖν περίκειται ὁ πράγματα τῆς παρὰ σοῦ
δεόμενα συνεργίας, εἴς τε κατάστασιν ἐπισκόπων
καὶ εἰς βουλὴν καὶ σκέψιν τῶν μελετωμένων καθ᾽
’ nr

ἡμῶν παρὰ τῆς χρηστότητος Τρηγορίου τοῦ

lal Ν fol lal

1 ἐκλαθέσθαι E. 2 γενησόμεθα editi antiqi.

> μακαριωτάτου
L editi
diti antiqi.
antiqi 4 πρόκειται
πρό EHB,
184
 LETTER C

was, and how it pained us, I should not myself

speak, having determined once and for all to forget
my grievances. Our deacon, however, will relate
everything to your Piety.
My body has failed me so completely that I am
unable to make even the slightest movement without
pain. However, I pray that now, at any rate, my
old desire can be fulfilled through the assistance of
your prayers ; although it is true that this absence
abroad has caused me great difficulties, since the
affairs of our own church have been neglected for so
long a time. Yet if God, while we are still on
earth, will deem us worthy to see your Piety in our
church, we shall have truly bright hopes for the
future also, that we shall not be wholly excluded
from the gifts of God. This, then, if it be possible,
we beg you to have take place at the synod which
we convene every year on the seventh of September
in memory of the blessed Eupsychius,! an event
which is now approaching. Moreover, we are en-
compassed by matters worthy of serious attention
which stand in need of your assistance, namely, the
question of establishing bishops, and the matter of
investigating and deliberating about the actions
meditated against us by Gregory of Nyssa in his
1 Kupsychius appears in the Roman calendar, and his
martyrdom is celebrated on April 9 (Boll. Acta, SS. April 9).
He suffered in the reign of Julian for the part he took in
the demolition of a temple to Fortune. Cf. Sozomen, cc.
Hist. V,11. Julian gave orders that the temple should be
rebuilt. This order was never fulfilled, but a church was
erected on the spot, dedicated to the memory of Eupsychius.
Basil here entreats Eusebius of Samosata to be present at
the festival of Kupsychius, and in Letter CCLII he summons
we pitops of Pontus to the festival of the dedication of this
enuren,
185
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Νυσσαέως ὃς συνόδους συγκροτεῖ κατὰ τὴν

᾿Αγκύραν καὶ οὐδένα τρόπον ἐπιβουλεύων ἡμῖν
ἀφίησιν.

CI
Παραμυθητική "
Εὐχῆς ἄξιον ἣν, πρώτην διαπεμπομένους
ἐπιστολήν, εὐθυμοτέραν ἔχειν 5 τὴν τῶν γραμμά-
των ὑπόθεσιν. οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἡμῖν τὰ κατὰ
γνώμην ὑπῆρξε, διότι πᾶσι βουλόμεθα τοῖς ἐν
εὐσεβείᾳ ζῆν προαιρουμένοις πάντα τὸν βίον εἰς
ἀγαθὸν ᾿εὐοδοῦσθαι. ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὁ διοικῶν τὴν
ζωὴν ἡμῶν Κύριος, κατὰ τὴν ἄρρητον αὐτοῦ
σοφίαν πάντως πρὸς τὸ σύμφερον τῶν ψυχῶν
τῶν ἡμετέρων ταῦτα φκονόμησε γενέσθαι, δι’ ὧν
σοι μὲν ὀδυνηρὰν κατέστησε τὴν ζωήν, ἡμᾶς δέ,
τοὺς τῇ κατὰ Θεὸν ἀγάπῃ συνημμένους, εἰς
συμπάθειαν ἤγαγε, μαθόντας παρὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν
ἡμῶν ἐν οἷς γέγονας, ἀναγκαῖον ἡμῖν ἐφάνη τὴν
ἐνδεχομένην παράκλησιν προσαγαγεῖν σοι. εἰ
μὲν οὖν ἣν δυνατὸν καὶ διαβῆναι μέχρι τοῦ τόπου
ἐν ᾧ συμβαίνει διάγειν σου τὴν εὐγένειαν, περὶ
παντὸς ἂν τοῦτο ἐποιησάμην. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ἡ τοῦ
σώματος ἀρρωστία καὶ τῶν συνεχόντων ἡμᾶς
πραγμάτων τὸ πλῆθος καὶ αὐτὴν ταύτην ἣν
ὑπέστημεν ὁδὸν ἐπὶ πολλῇ τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς
ἐκκλησιῶν ξημίᾳ παρεσκεύασε, διὰ γραμμάτων
1 τῇ ὁμοζύγῳ ᾿Αρινθαίου add. editi antiqi; πρὸς τινὰ θλίψεσιν
ἀδικήτοις περιπεσόντα Regius secundus ; τινὶ θλίψεσιν ἀδικήτοις
περιπεσόντι Bigot.
2 σχεῖν E.
186
 LETTER ΟἹ

simplicity, who convenes synods at Ancyra, and in

no way ceases to plot against us.

LETTER ΟἹ
ConsoLaTory 2

Ir were worthy of prayer that in sending our first

letter to you we might have had a more cheerful
subject about which to write. If that had been so,
everything would have been as we wished, for we
desire that the whole life of all who choose to live in
true religion should prosper well. But since the Lord
who dispenses our lives has surely arranged these
things according to His ineffable wisdom for the
good of our souls, and so has made your life a life of
sorrow, and has brought us, who are joined to you
by the love of God, to feel sympathy for your plight,
on hearing from our brothers in what troubles you
were, it seemed that we must send you all possible
consolation. Now if it had been possible to cross
over to where your Nobility happens to live, I
should have considered it of the greatest importance
to do so. But since our bodily weakness and the
manifold duties which occupy us caused even this
journey which we had in mind to involve great harm
to the churches under our care, we were eager to
1 As the Benedictine edition points out, this opposition
was due not to want of affection but to want of tact. For
a similar display of lack of tact on the part of Gregory
of Nyssa, cf. Letter LVIII.
3 Written in 372. Editions anterior to the Benedictine
add to the title τῇ ὁμοζύγῳ ᾿Αρινθαίου, ‘‘to the wife of
Arinthaeus,” but no manuscript known to us contains it.
187
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπισκέψασθαί σου τὴν σεμνότητα προεθυμήθημεν,

ὑπομιμνήσκοντες, ὅτι αἱ θλίψεις αὗται οὐκ ἀργῶς
τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ Θεοῦ παρὰ τοῦ ἐπισκοποῦντος
ἡμᾶς Κυρίου γίνονται, ἀλλὰ ἐπὶ δοκιμασίᾳ τῆς
ἀληθινῆς πρὸς τὸν κτίσαντα ἡμᾶς Θεὸν ἀγάπης.
ὡς γὰρ τοὺς ἀθλητὰς οἱ τῶν ἀγώνων κάματοι τοῖς
στεφάνοις προσ ογου δ.) οὕτω καὶ τοὺς Χριστια-
νοὺς ἡ ἐν τοῖς * πειρασμοῖς δοκιμασία πρὸς τὴν
τελείωσιν ἄγει, ἐὰν μετὰ τῆς πρεπούσης ὑπομονῆς
ἐν εὐχαριστίᾳ πάσῃ τὰ οἰκονομούμενα παρὰ τοῦ
Κυρίου καταδεξώμεθ α.
᾿Αγαθότητι Δεσπότου διοικεῖται τὰ πάντα.
οὐδὲν τῶν συμβαινόντων ἡμῖν ὡς λυπηρὸν ὑπο-
δέχεσθαι χρή, κἂν “πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἅπτηται τῆς
ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν. εἰ γὰρ. καὶ τοὺς λόγους ἀγνοοῦ-
μεν, καθ᾽ ods ἕκαστον τῶν γινομένων 3 ὡς καλὸν
παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου ἡμῖν ἐπάγεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο
πεπεῖσθαι ὀφείλομεν, ὅτι πάντως συμφέρει τὸ
γινόμενον ἢ ἡμῖν διὰ τὸν τῆς ὑπομονῆς μισθὸν ἢ
τῇ παραληφθείσῃ ψυχῇ, ἵνα μή, ἐπὶ πλέον τῇ
So ταύτῃ ἐπιβρα ύνασα τῆς ἐμπολιτευομένης
τῷ βίῳ, κακία ᾿ἀναπλησθῇ. εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῇ
ζωῇ ταύτῃ ἡ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐλπὶς περιώριστο,
εἰκότως χαλεπὸν ἂν ἐνομίσθη τὸ θᾶττον δια-
ξευχθῆναι τοῦ σώματος" εἰ δὲ ἀρχὴ
a τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ
βίου τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν ζῶσίν ἐστι τὸ τῶν δεσμῶν
τούτων τῶν σωματικῶν τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκλυθῆναι, τί
λυπούμεθα, ὡς καὶ 3 οἱ μὴ ἔχοντες ἐλπίδα ; παρα-
κλήθητι οὖν μὴ ὑποπεσεῖν τοῖς ndpent ἀλλὰ
δεῖξαι ὅτι ὑπέρκεισαι καὶ ὑπερῆρας.
1 αὐτοῖς add, editi antiqi. 2 γιγνομένων ἘΠ.
8. καί οτη, F.
188
 LETTER Cl

visit your August Reverence by letter, and to remind

you that these afflictions do not come in vain to
God’s servants from the Lord who watches over us,
but as a test of their genuine love for the God who
created us. For as the toils of their contests bring
athletes their crowns, so the test which comes to
Christians through their tribulations leads them
on to perfection, if with fitting patience in all
thanksgiving we accept the Lord’s dispensations.
By the goodness of God are all things disposed.
Nothing that happens to us should be accepted as
grievous, even if for the present it touches our
weakness. For even if we are ignorant of the words
according to which everything that happens is
brought to us as a blessing from God, yet we should
at least be convinced of this—that assuredly what-
ever happens is good, either for us through the reward
won by our patience or for the soul which we have
received, lest by tarrying longer in this world the
soul be contaminated by the wickedness which in-
heres in human life. For if the hope of Christians
were limited to this life, the early separation from
the body would reasonably be thought hard; but if
for those who live according to God the beginning
of the true life is the release of the soul from
these bodily bonds, why then are we sorrowful even
as those who have no hope?! Therefore, I beg of
you, do not succumb to your woes, but show that
you stand above them and have transcended them.
1 Cf. 1 Thess. 4, 12: οὐ θέλω δὲ ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, περὶ τῶν
κεκοιμημένων, ἵνα μὴ λυπῆσθε, καθὼς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ of μὴ ἔχοντες
ἐλπίδας. ““Απᾶ we will not have you ignorant, brethren,
concerning them that are asleep, that you be not sorrowful,
even as others who have no hope.”
189
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CII
Σαταλεῦσι πολίταις
᾿Εγὼ τάς τε ἰδίας ὑμῶν παρακλήσεις καὶ τὰς
τοῦ λαοῦ παντὸς δυσωπηθείς, καὶ ἐδεξάμην 1 τὴν
φροντίδα τῆς καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ὑπε-
σχόμην ὑμῖν ἐνώπιον Κυρίου μηδὲν ἐλλείψειν τῶν
εἰς δύναμιν ἐμὴν ἡκόντων. διὸ ἠναγκάσθην, κατὰ
τὸ γεγραμμένον," οἷον τῆς κόρης τοῦ ἐμοῦ ὀφθαλ-
μοῦ ἅψασθαι. οὕτως τὸ ὑπέρβαλλον τῆς καθ᾽
ὑμᾶς τιμῆς οὐδενός μοι συνεχώρησεν εἰς μνήμην
ἐλθεῖν, οὐ συγγενείας, οὐ τῆς ἐκ παιδὸς συνηθείας
τῆς ὑπαρχούσης μοι πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα, πρὸ τῶν
παρ᾽ ὑμῶν αἰτηθέντων" ἀλλὰ πάντων μὲν τῶν
ἰδίᾳ μοι ὑπαρχόντων πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰς οἰκειότητος
λόγον ἐπιλαθόμενος, μὴ ὑπολογισάμενος δὲ μηδὲ
τοῦ στεναγμοῦ τὸ πλῆθος, ὃ ᾿καταστενάξει μου
ὁ λαὸς ὁ τὴν προστασίαν αὐτοῦ ζημιωθείς, μὴ
πάσης αὐτοῦ τῆς συγγενείας, τὸ δάκρυον, μὴ
μητρὸς αὐτοῦ γηραιᾶς καὶ ἐπὶ μόνῃ τῇ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ
θεραπείᾳ σαλευούσης τὴν θλίψιν εἰς καρδίαν
λαβών: πάντων ὁμοῦ τοιούτων ὄντων ὃκαὶ τοσού-
των ἀλογήσας, ἑνὸς ἐγενόμην, τοῦ τὴν ὑμετέραν
ἐκκλησίαν κατακοσμῆσαι μὲν τῇ τοῦ “τηλικούτου
ἀνδρὸς προστασίᾳ, βοηθῆσαι δὲ αὐτῇ ἐκ τῆς
χρονίας ἀπροστασίας εἰς γόνυ λοιπὸν κλιθείσῃ,
1 κατεδεξάμην Harl, 2 εἰρημένον Harl., Med,
3 ἀλγεινῶν Med.

1 Placed by the Benedictine edition in 372, but by Loofs

(20 f.) in 373, This letter concerns the appointment of a
190
 LETTER CII

LETTER CII
To THE Citizens oF SatTatal

StirreED to shame by your own pleadings as well

as by those of all the laity, I have taken over the
eare of your church, and have promised you before
the Lord to leave nothing undone which is within my
power. Therefore, as it is written, I was forced to
touch, as it were, the apple of my eye.2 Thus my
overwhelming respect for you has ‘not permitted me
to call to mind either ties of relationship or my
intimacy with the man which dates from childhood,
before what has been requested by you; but, for-
getting all that passed privately between him and
me in the nature of friendship, paying no heed to
the multitude of lamentations which the people
uttered against me when deprived of his rule, or
to the tears of all his relatives, not taking to heart
the affliction of his aged mother whose only anchor
is his care of her; disregarding one and all the
many and serious considerations of this sort, I
became engrossed with but one concern—to adorn
your church with the leadership of such a man, and
to succour it, bowed to its knees as it was from
the long lack of leadership, and standing in need

bishop for the see of Satala in the north-east of Armenia

Minor.
2 Cf. Zech. 2, 8: διότι τάδε λέγει Κύριος Παντοκράτωρ ᾽Οπίσω
δόξης ἀπέσταλκέν με ἐπὶ τὰ ἔθνη τὰ σκυλεύσαντα ὑμᾶς, διότι
ὁ ἁπτόμενος ὑμῶν ὡς ἁπτόμενος τῆς κόρης τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ
αὐτοῦ. ‘For thus saith the Lord of hosts: After the glory
he hath sent me to the nations that have robbed you: for
he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of my eye.”
IQI
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Kal πολλῆς Kal δυνατῆς χειραγωγίας εἰς TO

διαναστῆναι δεομένῃ."
Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἡμέτερα τοιαῦτα. τὰ δὲ παρ᾽ ὑμῶς
ἀπαιτοῦμεν λοιπὸν μὴ ἐλάττονα φανῆναι τῆν
ἡμετέρας ἐλπίδος καὶ τῶν ὑποσχέσεων ἃς πε-
ποιήμεθα τῷ ἀνδρί, ὅτιπρὸς οἰκείους καὶ φίλους
αὐτὸν ἐξεπέμψαμεν, €ἑκάστου ὑμῶν ὑπερβαλέσθαι
τὸν ἕτερον ἐν τῇ περὶ τὸν ἄνδρα σπουδῇ καὶ
ἀγάπῃ προθυμουμένου. ὅπως οὗν ἐπιδείξησθε"
τὴν καλὴν ταὕὔτην φιλοτιμίαν, καὶ τῷ ὑπερβάλ.-
λοντι τῆς ,"θεραπείας παρακαλέσητε αὐτοῦ τὴν
καρδίαν, ὥστε λήθην μὲν αὐτῷ ἐγγενέσθαι πα-
τρίδος, λήθην δὲ συγγενῶν, λήθην δὲ λαοῦ
τοσοῦτον ἐξηρτημένου τῆς προστασίας αὐτοῦ
ὅσον παιδίον νεαρὸν τῆς μητρῴας θηλῆς.
Ἡροαπεστείλαμεν δὲ Νικίαν, ὥστε τὰ γενόμενα
φανερὰ καταστῆσαι τῇ τιμιότητι ὑμῶν, καὶ
προλαβόντας ὑμᾶς ἑορτάζειν καὶ εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ
Κυρίῳ τῷ δι ἡμῶν 4 καταξιώσαντι τὴν εὐχὴν
~ a >

ὑμῶν ἐκπληρωθῆναι.

CIIl
Σαταλεῦσιν ὃ
Ἤνγαγεν εἰς ἔργον ὁ Κύριος τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτοῦ °
τὰ αἰτήματα, καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας
ταπεινώσεως ποιμένα ἄξιον μὲν τοῦ ὀνόματος,
καὶ οὐ κατὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς καπηλεύοντα τὸν
1 δεομένης editi antiqi. 2 ἐπιδείξεσθε editi antiqi.
3 συγγενείας editi antiqi. 4 ἡμᾶς editi antiqi.
5 ἀνεπίγραφος ἐπὶ ἐκκλησίᾳ KE. 5 αὐτοῦ om, E.
192
 LETTER CIII

of some great and powerful guidance to enable it

to rise again,+
So much regarding ourselves. And now we beg
you, on your part, not to fall short of our hopes,
or of the assurances which we made the man, that
you to whom we sent him are devoted friends,
each one of you being eager to surpass the other in
zeal for him and in love. Therefore see that you
display that noble rivalry, and cheer his heart by
the overwhelming force of your solicitude, that he
may come to forget his fatherland, his relatives, and
his people, who have been as dependent on his
protection as is a young child on its mother’s
breast.
We have sent Nicias? on ahead to tell your
honourable selves what has happened, and that you
on receiving the news may hold festival and give
thanks to the Lord who has seen fit through us to
fulfil your prayer,

LETTER CIII
To THE ΡΕΟΡΙΕ or Satara?
Tue Lord has brought the prayers of His
people to a fulfilment, and through our humble
instrumentality has given them a shepherd worthy
of the name, one who does not, like most men,
1 The person Basil has in mind is Poemenius. Cf. Letter
CXXII.
2 Otherwise unknown.
3 Of the same date as the preceding, and on the same
general topic. -
193
VOL, II. ο
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

λόγον, δυνάμενον δὲ καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς τὴν ὀρθότητα

τοῦ κηρύγματος ἀγαπῶσι καὶ τὴν κατ᾽ ἐντολὰς5
τοῦ Κυρίου ζωὴν καταδεξαμένοις ἀρέσκειν καθ᾽
ὑπερβολὴν ἐν τῷ ὀνύματι3 τοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ
πληρώσαντος αὐτὸν τῶν πνευματικῶν αὐτοῦ
χαρισμάτων.

CIV
Μοδέστῳ ὑπάρχῳ
Αὐτὸ τὸ γράφειν πρὸς ἄνδρα τοσοῦτον, κἂν
μηδεμία πρόφασις ἑτέρα προσῇ, μέγιστόν ἐστι
τῶν εἰς τιμὴν φερόντων τοῖς αἰσθανομένοις. διότι
αἱ πρὸς τοὺς παμπληθὲς ἃ τῶν λοιπῶν ame pe
χοντας ὁμιλίαι μεγίστην τοῖς ἀξιουμένοις ° περι-
φάνειαν προξενοῦσιν. ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ πατρίδος
πάσης “ἀγωνιῶντι ἀναγκαία πρὸς τὴν σὴν μεγαλό-
νοιαν ἡ ἔντευξις, ἧς ἱκετεύω πράως καὶ κατὰ τὸν
σεαυτοῦ τρόπον ἀνασ έσθαι, καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέξαι
τῇ πατρίδι ἡμῶν εἰς γόνυ ἤδη © κλιθείσῃ.ἵ ἔστι
δὲ ὑπὲρ οὗ ἱκετεύομέν © σε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοιοῦτον.
Τοὺς τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἱερωμένους, πρεσβυτέρους
1 ἡμῖν editi antiqi. 5 ἐντολήν Εἰ.
3 ῥήματι editi antiqi. 4 παμπληθεῖς editi antiqi.
5 τήν add. E. 6 ἤδη om. Εἰ.
1 ἐχλθούσῃ editi antiqi. 8 ἱκετεύωμεν HK.

1 Written in 372; on the taxation of the clergy. Modestus

was Prefect of the Praetorium, and a persecutor of Catholics
under Valens. At the command of Valens, he offered Basil
the choice between deposition and communion with the
Arians. Shortly after this, Modestus fell seriously ill, which
104
 LETTER CIV

make traffic of the title, but who is capable in the

extreme of satisfying you who love the orthodox
doctrine and have accepted the life that is in
accordance with the Lord’s commands, in the name
of the Lord who has filled him with His spiritual
blessings.

LETTER CIV
To tHe Prerecr Mopestus1t

TuHE very act of writing to so great a man, even

if there be no other excuse, is most conducive to
honour in the eyes of the discerning ; for intercourse
with men who are overwhelmingly superior to the
rest of mankind affords the greatest distinction to
such as are deemed worthy of it. As for me, as
I strive earnestly for my country as a whole, I must
needs address to your Magnanimity this petition
(which I entreat you to suffer calmly even according
to your character), that you stretch forth a helping
hand to our fatherland now bowed to its knees.
And the matter regarding which we seek your help
is this.
Those who are consecrated to our God, that is
he regarded as divine judgment for his insolence towards
Basil. Modestus at once summoned the holy man to his
sick bed, and, humbly begging pardon for his behaviour,
commended himself to his prayers. Modestus soon recovered,
which he attributed to Basil’s intercessions, and he accord-
ingly regarded him with the greatest reverence. Henceforth
Basil’s influence with Modestus was so great that he was
constantly importuned for letters of favour to the Prefect.
Six of these letters of St. Basil are extant: the present one,
CX, CXI, CCLXXIX, CCLXXX, and CCLXXXI.
195
ο 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

καὶ διακόνους, ὁ παλαιὸς κῆνσος ἀτελεῖς ἀφῆκεν.

οἱ δὲ νῦν ἀπογραψάμενοι, ὡς οὐ λαβόντες παρὰ
τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς σου ἐξουσίας πρόσταγμα," ἀπε-
γράψαντο, πλὴν εἰ μὴ πού τινες ἄλλως εἶχον
ὑπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας τὴν ἄφεσιν. δεόμεθα οὖν
μνημόσυνον τῆς σῆς εὐεργεσίας τοῦτο ἡμῖν ἀφε-
θῆναι, 5 παντὶ τῷ ἐπιόντι “χρόνῳ ἀγαθὴν περὶ
σοῦ μνήμην. διαφύλαττον, καὶ συγχωρηθῆναι κατὰ
τὸν παλαιὸν νόμον τῆς συντελείας τοὺς ἱερα-
τεύοντας" καὶ μὴ εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν νῦν κατα-
λαμβανομένων γενέσθαι τὴν ἄφεσιν (οὕτω. γὰρ
els τοὺς διαδόχους ἡ χάρις μεταβήσεται, οὺς οὐ
πάντως συμβαίνει τοῦ ἱερατεύειν ἀξίους εἶναι),
ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν ἐν τῇ ἐλευθέρᾳ ἀπογραφῇ τύπον
κοινήν τινα συγχώρησιν κληρικῶν γενέσθαι, ὥστε
ὥ
ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκονομούντων τὰς ἐκκλησίας τοῖς ἑκάσ-
τοτε λειτουργοῦσι τὴν ἀτέλειαν δίδοσθαι.
Ταῦτα καὶ τῇ σῇ μεγαλοφυΐᾳ ἀθάνατον τὴν
ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς δόξαν διαφυλάξει, καὶ τῷ
βασιλικῷ οἴκῳ πολλοὺς τοὺς ὑπερευχομένους
παρασκευάσει, καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς δημοσίοις μέγα
παρέξει ὄφελος, ἡμῶν οὐ πάντως τοῖς κληρικοῖς,
ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀεὶ καταπονουμένοις τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀτε-
λείας παραμυθίαν παρεχομένων" ὅπερϑ οὖν καὶ
ἐπὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ὃποιοῦμεν, ὡς ἔξεστι γνῶναι
τῷ βουλομένῳ.
1 ἀφῆκαν editi antiqi. 2 προστάματα KH, Harl.
3 ἐναφεθῆναι editi antiqi.
4 ris... ἱερατεύοντας] τὴν συντελείαν τοῖς ἱερατεύουσι ΕἸ.
5 ὥσπερ editi antiqi. 5 ἐλευθέρας Ey

1 The Benedictine edition notes that the words ‘‘ presbyters

and deacons” are probably a marginal gloss, which crept
196
*
 LETTER CIV

presbyters and deacons,' the earlier census left

immune from taxation. But the present registrars,
alleging that they had received no authorization
from your high Lordship, have enrolled them, with
the exception perhaps of some who are otherwise
exempt because of old age. Therefore we ask that
this exemption be granted us as a memorial of your
beneficence, which will protect your good name for
all future time, and that according to the old law
those who act as priests be exempt from contri-
bution, and that the exemption be not granted to the
persons of those who now receive it (for in that case
the favour would pass to their heirs, who might
not be at all worthy of priestly duties), but that a
general concession be granted the clergy according
to the draft of the open register,” so that exemption
may be given by those who regulate the affairs of
the churches to such as on each occasion are in the
service.
This will not only keep the glory of the good
deeds of your great Lordship immortal, but it will
also increase the number of those who pray for the
Imperial house, and will confer a great benefit even
upon the public revenues, since we give the relief
which is derived from our immunity from taxation,
not altogether to the clergy, but to those who are
at any time in distress; indeed, this is just what
we do when we are free to do so, as anyone who
wishes may find out.
into the text early in the MSS. tradition, since all the MSS.
seem to have it. Moreover, by ἱερωμένους and all cognate
words Basil always means the whole clergy. Cf. Letter IV
and note.
2 Probably the public census list.
197
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CV
Διακόνοις θυγατράσι Tepevtiov Κόμητος 1
᾿Εγὼ καὶ Σαμοσάτοις ἐπιστὰς προσεδόκησα
συντεύξαθαι. τῇ κοσμιότητι ὑμῶν' καὶ ἐπειδὴ
διήμαρτον τῆς συντυχίας, οὐ “μετρίως ἤνεγκα τὴν
ζημίαν, λογιζόμενος πότε εἴη ἢ ἐμοὶ δυματον πάλιν
πλησιάσαι τοῖς καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς χωρίοις ἢ ὑμῖν8
αἱρετὸν τὴν ἡμετέραν καταλαβεῖν. ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνα
μὲν κείσθω ἐν τῷ θελήματι τοῦ Κυρίου.
Τὸ δὲ νῦν ἔχον, ἐπειδὴ εὗρον τὸν υἱὸν Σωφρόνιον
πρὸς ye ἐξορμῶντα, ἡδέως αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν
ἐπέθηκα * ταύτην, προσηγορίαν ὑμῖν κωμίξουσαν᾽
καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν γνώμην δηλοῦσαν, ὅτι οὐ
διαλιμπάνομεν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι μεμνημένοι
ὑμῶν, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντες ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ
ὅτι ἀγαθῆς ῥίζης ἀγαθὰ βλαστήματά ἐστε,
ἔγκαρπα τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἔργοις, καὶ τῷ ὄντι ὡς
κρίνα ἐν μέσῳ ἀκανθῶν. τὸ γὰρ ὑπὸ τοσαύτης
διαστροφῆς τῶν παραφθειρόντων τὸν λόγον τῆς
ἀληθείας περικυκλουμένας μὴ ἐνδοῦναι πρὸς τὰς
ἀπάτας, μηδὲ τὸ ἀποστολικὸν τῆς πίστεως
κήρυγμα καταλιπούσας πρὸς τὴν νῦν ἐπιπολά-
ζουσαν καινοτομίαν ° μετατεθῆναι, πῶς οὐχὶ
μεγάλης μὲν “πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εὐχαριστίας ἄξιον,
μεγάλους δὲ ὑμῖν ἐπαίνους δικαιότατα προξενεῖ;

1 Φερεντίου κόμητος editi antiqi. περὶ πίστεως add, quidam

MSS.
2 εἰ add. E. 3 ἢ ὑμῖν] ἢ εἰ ὑμῖν editi antiqi.
4 ἐπέδωκα editi antiqi. 5 κενοφωνίαν ἘΝ,
198
 LETTER CV

LETTER CV
To THE Deaconesses, DauGuters oF CouNT
TeRENTIUvs ἢ
Wuen I visited Samosata I expected to meet your
Modesties; and when I missed this meeting, I did
not bear the disappointment lightly, wondering
when it might either be possible for me to visit your
country again or convenient for you to visit ours.
However, let all this rest with the will of the
Lord.
As to the present, when I found that my son
Sophronius? was setting out in your direction, I
gladly entrusted him with this letter, which conveys
to you our greetings, and makes known our mind—
that by God’s grace we never cease to be mindful of
you, and to thank the Lord for you that you are goodly
scions of a goodly stock, fruitful in good works, and
in very truth like lilies among thorns.? For that you
have not given way to deceptions, surrounded as you
are by the gross perversity of men who destroy the
word of truth, and that you have not abandoned the
apostolic proclamation of faith and gone over to the
popular novelty of the day—does this not call for
great thanksgiving to God, and does it not most
justly bring you great commendation? You have

1 Written in the autumn of 372. Cf. Loofs 33. For

Count Terentius, cf. Letter XCIX and note.
2 Perhaps the disciple of Eustathius, noted in Letter
CXIX.
3 Cf. Cant. 2, 2: ‘Os κρίνον ἐν μέσῳ ἀκανθῶν, οὕτως ἣ πλησίον
μοῦ ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν θυγατέρων. ‘* As the lily among thorns, so is
my love among the daughters.”
499
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

εἰς Πατέρα καὶ Tiov καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα πεπιστεύ-

KATE μὴ προδῶτε ταύτην τὴν παρακαταθήκην"
πατέρα τὴν πάντων ἀρχήν" Tiov μονογενῆ,
αὐτοῦ γεννηθέντα, ἀληθινὸν Θεόν, τέλειον ἐκ τε-
λείου, εἰκόνα ζῶσαν, ὅλον δεικνύντα ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν
Πατέρα" Uvedpa ἅγιον, ἐκ Θεοῦ τὴν ὕπαρξιν ἔχον,"
τὴν πηγὴν τῆς ἁγιότητος, δύναμιν ζωῆς παρεκτι-
κήν, χάριν τελειοποιόν, δι᾽ οὗ υἱοθετεῖται ἄνθρωπος,
καὶ ἀπαθανατίξεται" τὸ θνητόν, συνημμένον Πατρὶ
καὶ Tid κατὰ πάντα ἐν δόξῃ καὶ3 ἀϊδιότητι, ἐἐν
δυνάμει καὶ βασιλείᾳ, ἐνἐ δεσποτείᾳ καὶ θεότητι,
ὡς καὶ ἡ τοῦ σωτηρίου βαπτίσματος παράδοσις
μαρτυρεῖ.
Οἱ δὲ κτίσμα λέγοντες ἢ τὸν Tiov ἢ τὸ Πνεῦμα,
Ἂν 53.: ἀν ΚΑΚΌΣ \ \ \ \
ἢ ὅλως adTO* εἰς THY λειτουργικὴν Kal δουλικὴν
κατάγοντες τάξιν, μακράν εἰσι τῆς ἀληθείας, ὧν
φεύγειν προσήκει τὰς κοινωνίας καὶ ἐκτρέπεσθαι
τοὺς λόγους ὡς δηλητήρια ὄντα ὅ ψυχῶν' ἐὰν δέ
ποτε δῷ ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος γενέσθαι κατὰ ταὐτόν,
πλατύτερον ὑμῖν τοὺς περὶ τῆς πίστεως ἐκθησό-
μεθα λόγους, ὥστε μετ᾽ ἀποδείξεων. γραφικῶν καὶ
τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἰσχυρὸν καὶ τὸ σαθρὸν τῆς
αἱρέσεως ὑμᾶς ἐπιγνῶναι.

CVI
Στρατιώτῃ
Ὑπὲρ πολλῶν ἔχοντες εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ,
ὧν καὶ ἠξιώθημεν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐπιδημίας
1 ὕπαρξιν ἔχον] ὕπαρχον quidam MSS.
2 ἐπαθανατίζεται editi antiqi. 3 ἐν add. E.
200
 LETTER CVI

believed in Father, Son, and Holy Ghost; do not

prove false to this sacred trust: Father, the be-
ginning of all things; only begotten Son, born from
Him, true God, Perfect from Perfect, living image,
displaying the Father entirely in Himself; Holy
Spirit, with His subsistence from God, fount of Holi-
ness, power that gives life, grace that gives perfection,
whereby man is adopted, and the mortal made im-
mortal, joined to the Father and the Son in every
phase of glory and eternity, of power and royalty,
of sovereignty and divinity, as even the tradition of
the baptism of salvation doth testify.
Those who speak of the Son or the Spirit as a
creature, or who in general place the Spirit in the
category of servile and slavish things, are far from
the truth, and we should avoid communion with
these and turn away their words as being snares for
the soul. But if ever the Lord grants that we be
together again, we shall so set forth to you at greater
length the doctrine of the Faith, that by proofs taken
from Scripture you may recognize the strength of
the truth and the rottenness of the heresy.

BEELER. CVI
To a ΘΟΕ ὦ
ALTHOUGH we can thank the Lord for many things
of which in our travels we have been considered
1 Written in 372.

4 αὐτούς editi antiqi. 5 ὄντας ΕἸ. 6 δώῃ E.

201
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡμῶν," μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν ἐκρίναμεν τὴν γνῶσιν

τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος, τὴν παρὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ Δεσ-
πότου παρασχεθεῖσαν ἡμῖν. ἔγνωμεν γὰρ ἄνδρα
δεικνύντα, ὅὅτι καὶ ἐν τῷ στρατιωτικῷ βίῳ δυνατὸν
τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπης τὸ τέλειον διασῶσαι, καὶ
ὅτι οὐκ ἐν τῇ περιβολῇ τῆς ἐσθῆτος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν TH
διαθέσει τῆς ψυχῆς ὁ Χριστιανὸς ὀφείλει χαρακ-
τηρίζεσθαι.
Καὶ τότε οὖν μετὰ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας συνετύ-
χομέν σοι, καὶ νῦν, ὁσάκις ἂν εἰς μνήμην ἔλθωμεν,
μεγίστης ᾿ἀπολαύομεν εὐφροσύνης. ἀνδρίξου
τοίνυν, καὶ ἴσχυε, καὶ τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπην
τρέφειν καὶ πολυπλασιάζειν ἀεὶ σπούδαζε, ἵνα
σοι καὶ ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ χορηγία ἐπὶ
μεῖζον προΐῃ. ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἡμῶν μέμνησαι, οὐδε-
μιᾶς ἑτέρας ἀποδείξεως προσδεόμεθα, τὴν ἐκ τῶν
πραγμάτων ἔχοντες μαρτυρίαν.

CVII
᾿ἸΙουλίττῃ ἐλευθέρᾳ
Πάνυ ἠθύμησα τοῖς γράμμασιν “ἐντυχὼν τῆς
εὐγενείας σου, ὅτι σε πάλιν αἱ αὐταὶ περιέχουσιν
ἀνάγκαι. καὶ τί δεῖ ποιεῖν πρὸς ἀνθρώπους οὕτω
παλίμβολον 3 ἐπιδεικνυμένους τὸ ἦθος, καὶ ἄλλοτε
ἄλλα λέγοντας, καὶ ταῖς ἰδίαις ὁμολογίαις μὴ
5, / \ lal > / ς if \

ἐμμένοντας ; εἰ yap μετὰ τὰς ἐπ᾽ 3 ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ

+) n nr

1 ὑμῶν BK, 2 παλίμβουλον E.

3 ἀπ᾽ editi antiqi.

* Written in 372. Julitta, a widew lady of Cappadocia, is

being harassed by the guardian of her heirs, Basil writes
202
 LETTER CVII

worthy by Him, yet we have counted as the greatest

blessing that acquaintance with your Honour which
was granted us by the good Master. For we have
come to know a man who proves that even in mili-
tary life one may preserve the perfection of love for
God, and that a Christian should be marked, not by
the fashion of his clothing, but by the disposition of
his soul.
Now at the time we were quite eager to meet you,
and now, as often as we call you to memory, we experi-
ence the greatest pleasure. ‘Therefore play the man,
and be strong, and always strive to foster and increase
your love of God, that the supply of the blessings
He bestows upon you may grow greater and greater.
Moreover, that you on your part are mindful of us
we need no further proof, for we have the witness of
your deeds.

LETTER CVII
To THE Wipow Jutirra1!
1 was very angry when I read in the letter of
your Nobility that the same difficulties again beset
you. And how should we deal with men who dis-
play such perverse natures, and say one thing on one
occasion and another on another, and never abide
by their agreements? For if, after making such
promises in the presence of myself and the ex-
this and the next two letters in an effort to relieve her of
these troubles. ‘Tillemont, though on insufficient grounds, is
inclined to identify her with other widows (ἐλευθέραι), to
whom Basil addressed letters.
203
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀπὸ ὑπάρχων ὑποσχέσεις, νῦν, ὡς μηδενὸς εἰρη-

μένου, οὕτω στενοχωρεῖ τὴν προθεσμίαν, ἔοικε
παντελῶς ἀπηρυθριακέναι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ ἀνήρ.
Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέστειλα αὐτῷ, ἐντρέπων αὐτὸν
καὶ ὑπομιμνήσκων τῶν αὐτοῦ ὑποσχέσεων. ἐπέ-
στειλα δὲ καὶ ᾿Ἑλλαδίῳ, τῷ οἰκείῳ τοῦ ὑπάρχου,
ἵνα δι᾽ αὐτοῦ διδαχθῇ τὰ κατὰ σὲ ὁ ὕπαρχος.
αὐτὸς γὰρ μέχρι τοσούτου θαρρῆσαι δικαστῇ
τοσούτῳ οὐκ ἐνόμισα ἐπίβαλλον 3 εἶναί μοι, δι ἃ
τὸ μηδέ πω περὶ ἰδιωτικοῦ πράγματος αὐτῷ
ἐπεσταλκέναι, καὶ ὑφορᾶσθαι κατάγνωσίν τινα,
ὡς οἶδας, εὐκόλως τῶν μεγάλων ἀνδρῶν ἀγριαι-
νόντων πρὸς Ta τοιαῦτα' εἰ μέντοι τι ἔσται
ὄφελος, ἔσται τοῦτο διὰ “λλαδίου, ἀνθρώπου
καὶ χρηστοῦ καὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς διακειμένου, καὶ Θεὸν
φοβουμένου, καὶ παρρησίαν ἀμύθητον ἔχοντος
πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα. δυνατὸς δὲ ὁἅγιος διαγαγεῖν 5
σε πάσης θλίψεως, μόνον ἐὰν ἀληθινῇ καὶ γνησίᾳ
καρδίᾳ ἐπελπίσωμεν ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν.

CVIII
Τῷ κηδεμόνι TOY κληρονόμων ᾿Ιουλίττης
᾿Εθαύμασα ἀκούσας ὅτι, τῶν χρηστῶν ἐκείνων
καὶ πρεπόντων τῇ σῇ ἐλευθερίᾳ ὑποσχέσεων ἐπι-
λαθόμενος, νῦν σφοδροτάτην καὶ ἀπαραίτητον
ἐπάγεις τὴν ἀπαίτησιν τῇ ἀδελφῇ τῇδε: καὶ τί
εἰκάσω ἐκ τῶν λεγομένων οὐκ ἔχω. σοί τε γὰρ
1 ἔπαρχος Hi. 2 ἐπιβάλλειν KE.
3 διάγειν editio Paris,
204
 LETTER CVIII

prefects, the man now, as if nothing had been said,

shortens the time of grace as you report, he seems
to have utterly lost all sense of shame before us.
However, I did write to him, rebuking him and
reminding him of his promises. And I wrote also to
Helladius,! one of the Prefect’s household, that the
Prefect might be informed of your affairs through
him, For I did not think that it was incumbent
upon me to make bold to such an extent myself with
so important an officer, because I had never written
to him about a matter of private business, and I
feared some censure—for, as you know, men of high
station are easily incensed over such matters. If,
however, there is to be any assistance forthcoming,
it will be through Helladius, a good man, well dis-
posed towards us, God-fearing, and enjoying untold
freedom of speech with the Prefect. But the Holy
One can guide you through every affliction, if only
with a true and sincere heart we place our hopes in
Him.

LETTER CVIII
To THE GuaRDIAN OF THE Hetrs or JuLittTa2
I nave been surprised to hear that you, forgetting
those excellent promises which were so becoming to
your generosity, now place a very harsh and rigorous
demand on this sister of ours; and I do not know
what to think of these reports. For I am not only
1 This Helladius, except for the present letter and Letter
CIX, is unknown.
2 Of the same date as the preceding and on the same
general topic.
205
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

πολλὴν παρὰ τῶν πεπειραμένων σου μαρτυρου-

μένην ἐλευθερίαν σύνοιδα, καὶ τῶν ᾿ὑποσχέσεών
σου μέμνημαι ὧν ἐποίησας ἐπ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦδε,
λέγων ἐλάττονα μὲν γράφειν χρόνον, πλείονα δὲ
συγχωρήσειν διὰ TO? βούλεσθαι συμπεριφέρεσθαι
τῇ ἀνάγκῃ τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ συγγνώμην παρέ-
χειν τῇ ἐλευθέρᾳ ἀναγκαξομένῃ τοσοῦτον ἀθρόως
ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας προΐεσθαι χρῆμα.
Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία ov ἣν ἡ τοσαύτη μεταβολὴ
γέγονεν ἐγὼ νοεῖν οὐκ ,ἔχω. πλὴν ὅπερ ἂν ἢ,
παρακαλῶ σε, μεμνημένον τῆς σεαυτοῦ ἐλευ-
θεριότητος καὶ πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ἀπιδόντα τὸν
ἀμειβόμενον τὰς χρηστὰς προαιρέσεις, δοῦναι τὸν
καιρὸν ὃν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑπέσχου τῆς ἀνέσεως, ἵνα
δυνηθῶσι συμπωλήσαντες τὰ ἑαυτῶν διαλῦσαι
τὸ χρέος. δῆλον δὲ ὅτι κἀκείνων μέμνημαι, ὅτι
ὑπέσχου, εἰ λάβοις τὸ ὁμολογηθὲν χρυσίον, πάντα
τὰ ὁμολογηθέντα χαρτία, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρχόν-
των πραχθέντα καὶ τὰ ἰδιωτικῶς γενόμενα, παρα-
δώσειν τῇ προειρημένῃ.
Παρακαλῶ οὖν, καὶ ἡμᾶς τίμησον καὶ κτῆσαι
παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ μεγάλην ἑαυτῷ εὐλογίαν, ἀνα-
μνησθεὶς τῶν σεαυτοῦ ὑποσχέσεων, γινώσκων ὅτι
ἄνθρωπος εἶ καὶ αὐτὸς 4 ἀναμένειν ὀφείλεις τοὺς
καιροὺς ἐν οἷς δεηθήσῃ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀντι-
λήψεως" ἣν μὴ ἀποκλείσῃς σεαυτῷ διὰ τῆς
παρούσης σκληρότητος, ἀλλ᾽ εὐτρέπισον τοὺς
οἰκτιρμοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ σαυτόν, πᾶσαν χρηστότητα
καὶ ἐπιείκειαν τοῖς καταπονουμένοις ἐπιδειξάμενος.
1 καὶ τοῦδε] τοῦ δὲ λόγου conj. Combefisius,
2 διὰ τὸ] δεῖ τῷ ἘΣ, editi antiqi.
3 γινόμενα editi antiqi. 4 καί add. BE,
206
 LETTER CVIII

acquainted with your great liberality, to which those

who have experienced it bear witness, but I also re-
member the promises made by you in the presence of
myself and this man ;! for you said that, though you
were naming a shorter time in writing, you would
grant a longer term because you w ished ἨῈ meet the
necessities of the case, and that you were showing
indulgence to the widow in view of her being under
the necessity of paying out so great a sum of money
from her substance all at once.
Now what the cause is of this great change that
has taken place in you I cannot understand. But
whatever it is, I beg you, remembering your own
generosity, and gazing upon the Lord who requites
good resolutions, to grant the term of grace which
you promised in the beginning, that they may be
able to sell their property and discharge the debt.
And it is evident that I remember this also very
well—that you promised, if you should receive the
sum agreed upon, to give back to the aforesaid
widow all the stipulated documents, both those that
were done in the presence of the magistrates and
those that were executed privately.
Do you, accordingly, I pray, both honour us and
obtain great praise for yourself with the Lord by
being mindful of your promises, realizing that you
are a man and must expect occasions when you will
yourself need help from God; and do not exclude
yourself from this help by persisting in your present
severity, but make ready God’s mercies for yourself
by showing every kindness and clemency to those
who are in distress.

1 7,e. the ex-prefect.

207
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CIX
“Ελλαδίῳ Κόμητι
Πάνυ παραιτούμενος δι᾽ ὄχλου εἶναι τῇ χρηστό-
τητί σου διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς περὶ ὑμᾶς ἀρχῆς, ἵνα
μὴ δόξω ἀμέτρως ἐμφορεῖσθαι τῆς φιλίας, ὑμῶν,
ὅμως ὑπὸ τῶν ἀναγκῶν ἡσυχάξειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέ-
πομαι. τὴν γοῦν ἀδελφὴν τήνδε, καὶ πρὸς γένος
ἡμῖν οὖσαν καὶ διὰ χηρείαν καταπονουμένην καὶ
παιδὸς ὀρφανοῦ πράγματος * φροντίξουσαν, ἐπεὶ
εἶδον λοιπὸν ὑπὲρ δύναμιν ἀφορήτοις ἀνάγκαις
συνεχομένην, κατελεήσας καὶ παθὼν τὴν ψυχὴν
ἔσπευσα παρακαλέσαι σε, ἵνα, εἴ τις δύναμις, τῷ
ἀποσταλέντι Tap αὐτῆς ἀνθρώπῳ καταξιώσῃς
συμπρᾶξαι, πρὸς τὸ ὅπερ αὕτη παριοῦσα" ὑπέ-
σχετο ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἤδη τοῦτο αὐτὴν ἀποδοῦσαν τῆς
εἰς τὸ πλέον ἐπηρείας ἀπαλλαγῆναι. ὑπέσχετο
γὰρ τὸ κεφάλαιον δοῦσα συγχωρεῖσθαι τοὺς
τόκους.
Νῦν τοίνυν οἱ φροντίζοντες αὐτῆς τῶν κληρο-
νόμων μετὰ τὸ κεφάλαιον καὶ τὴν τῶν τόκων
εἴσπραξιν ἐἐπιχειροῦσι ποιήσασθαι. ὡς οὖν εἰδὼς
ὅτι Κύριός ἐστιν ὁ τὰ τῶν χηρῶν καὶ ὀρφανῶν
ἰδιοποιούμενος, οὕτω σπούδασον χρήσασθαι ἑἑαυ-
τὸν τῇ σπουδῇ τῇ ὑπὲρ τοῦ πράγματος ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι
τῆς Tap αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμών μισθαποδοσίας.
οἶμαι γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἡμερότητα τοῦ θαυμασιωτάτου
ἐπάρχου 38μαθοῦσαν ὅτι τὸ κεφάλαιον ἐκτέτισται,
Ε πραγμάτων EK.
® παριοῦσα Bigot. alter secunda manu, περιοῦσα alii MSS. et
editi. 5 ὑπάρχου conj. ed. Ben.
208
 LETTER CIX

LETTER CIX
To Count Hettapius!
AttHoueH I must earnestly beg pardon ἴοι
troubling your Excellency in view of the magnitude
of the office you hold, lest I shall seem to be making
an immoderate use of your friendship, yet I am not
permitted by my necessities to hold my peace. At
any rate, when I beheld this sister (a relative of ours,
suffering the affliction of widowhood, and anxious
about the substance of her fatherless son)—when, I
say, I beheld her beset beyond her strength with
intolerable hardships, being filled with pity for her
and sick at heart, I have hastened to urge you, if it
is in any way possible, to deign to co-operate to this
end with the messenger whom she has sent, that,
namely, since this woman has already paid the
amount she promised in person and in our presence,
she may be freed from all further spiteful annoy-
ance. For she promised to pay the principal on
condition of being relieved of the interest.
Now, then, those who act as guardians of her heirs,
the principal having been paid, are trying to exact
payment of the interest also. Therefore, do you, as
one who knows that the Lord makes the affairs of
widows and orphans His own, yourself strive to
employ all your zeal in this matter in the hope of
the reward which our God Himself will give. For I
think that our kind and most admirable Prefect, on
learning that the principal has been paid, will
1 On the same subject as the two preceding letters, and of
the same time. Except for the present letter and Letter
CVII, this Helladius is unknown,
209
VOL. Il. Ἡ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

συμπαθήσειν τῷ ἐλεεινῷ λοιπὸν καὶ ἀθλίῳ οἴκῳ

εἰς γόνυ κλιθέντι καὶ οὐκέτι ἀρκοῦντι ταῖς ἔξωθεν
αὐτῷ ἐπαγομέναις ἐπηρείαις. a pe οὖν, καὶ
τῇ ἀνάγκῃ σύγγνωθι bv ἣν ὥχλησά!" σοι, καὶ τῷ
πράγματι σύμπραξον κατὰ τὴν δύναμιν, ἣν ἣ ἔδωκέ
σοι ὁ Χριστὸς χρηστῷ καὶ ἀγαθῷ τὸν τρόπον
ὄντι, καὶ εἰς ἀγαθὸν οἷς ἔλαβες κεχρημένῳ.

CX

Μοδέστῳ ὑπάρχῳ

“Oons ἡμῖν τιμῆς καὶ παρρησίας μεταδίδως, τῇ

ἡμερότητι τοῦ τρόπου καταβαίνειν πρὸς ἡμᾶς. ἀνε-
χόμενος, τοσαύτην σοι καὶ ἔτι πλείω ἐν παντὶ
τῷ βίῳ παρὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἡμῶν Δεσπότου τὴν
αὔξησιν γενέσθαι * τῆς περιφανείας εὐχόμεθα.
ἐμὲ δὲ καὶ πάλαι ἐπιθυμοῦντα γράφειν καὶ ἀπο-
λαύειν τῆς παρὰ σοῦ τιμῆς, κατεῖχεν ἡ πρὸς τὸ
ὑπερέχον αἰδώς, εὐλαβούμενον μήποτε νομισθῶ
pectin ἐμφορεῖσθαι THS παρρησίας.
Νῦν δὲ ὁμοῦ μὲν καὶ τὸ λαβεῖν τὴν ἐξουσίαν3
τοῦ ἐπιστέλλειν παρὰ TIS ἀπαραβλήτου σου
μεγαλοφυΐας, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ χρεία τῶν καταπονου-
μένων ἐξεβιάσατό με πρὸς τὸ θαρσεῖν. εἶ τίς οὖν
καὶ παρὰ τῶν μικρῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς μεγίστοις* ἱκετηρίας
ἰσχύς, παρακλήθητι, θαυμασιώτατε, φιλανθρώπῳ
νεύματι ἐλεεινῇ ἀγροικίᾳ τὴν σωτηρίαν χαρίσασ-
1 ηνόχλησα conj. ed. Ben. 2 γεγενέσθαι EK.
ὃ Νῦν. ἐξουσίαν om. EK. 4 μεγάλοις K,
210
 LETTER CX

sympathize with this pitiful and wretched household,

which is now bowed to its knee and is no longer able
to cope with the spitefulness which is visited upon
it from the outside. Therefore, I entreat you (and
pardon the necessity which forces me to trouble you),
lend your assistance to this matter also according to
the power which Christ has given to you, who are
noble and of good character and have always
employed for a good end what you have received.

EE ΕΗ CX

To tHe Prerecr Mopestus 1

Wuat measure of honour and of frankness in

speech you bestow upon us, when in the kindness
of your heart you consent to condescend to us, may
that same measure and still more of enhancement of
your fame be given to you throughout your life by
our good Master, we pray. Although I have long
wished to write and to take advantage of the honour
you show me, yet respect for your higher station
restrained me, careful as I was lest I be thought to
avail myself unduly of the freedom you accord me.
But now two things—my having received per-
mission from your incomparable Magnanimity to
write, and likewise the need of those who are in
distress—have constrained me to be bold. So if the
prayers of the small are of any avail with the great,
be pleased, most admirable Sir, by your benign assent
to bestow salvation upon a pitiful rustic people, and
give orders that the tax on iron be made tolerable
1 Written in 372, on the tribute of iron paid at Mount
Taurus. On Modestus, cf. Letter CIV and note.
2k
P 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

θαι, καὶ τοῖς τὸν Ταῦρον οἰκοῦσι τὸν σιδηροφόρον

φορητὴν προστάξαι “γενέσθαι τὴν τοῦ σιδήρου
συντέλειαν, ὡς μὴ εἰς ἅπαξ αὐτοὺς ἐκτριβῆναι,
ἀλλὰ διαρκῇ αὐτῶν εἶναι τὴν ὑπηρεσίαν τοῖς
δημοσίοις" οὗ μάλιστα πάντων μέλειν τῇ ἀξια-
γάστῳ σου φιλανθρωπίᾳ πεπείσμεθα.

ΟΧΙ
Μοδέστῳ ὑπάρχῳ
ἔἤλλλως μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐθάρρησα͵ δι᾽ὄχλου γενέσθαι
τῇ μεγαλοφυΐᾳ σου, εἰδὼς καὶ ἐμαυτὸν μετρεῖν
καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας γνωρίξειν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἶδον
ἄνδρα φίλον ἐναγωνίως διακείμενον ἐπὶ τῷ μετα-
κληθῆναι, ἀπετόλμησα anne δοῦναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν
ταύτην, ἵνα ἀνθ᾽ ἱκετηρίας αὐτὴν προβαλλόμενος
τύχῃ τινὸς φιλανθρωπίας. πάντως δέ, εἰ καὶ
ἡμεῖς οὐδενὸς λόγου ἄξιοι, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸ τὸ μέτριον"
ἱκανὸν δυσωπῆσαι τὸν φιλανθρωπότατον τῶν
ὑπάρχων ὃ καὶ ἡμῖν δοῦναι συγγνώμην, ἵνα, εἰ
μὲν μηδὲν “πεπλημμέληται τῷ ἀνδρί, σωθῆναι
αὐτὸν δι’ αὐτὴν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, εἰ δὲ καὶ ἥμαρτεν,
ἀφεθῆναι αὐτῷ δι’ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἱκετεύσαντας.
Oia δὲ τὰ ἐνταῦθα τῶν πραγμάτων ἐστί, τίς
μᾶλλον ἐπίσταται σοῦ, τοῦ καὶ ἐπιβλέποντος τὰ
map ἑκάστῳ ὁ σαθρὰ καὶ τῇ θαυμασίᾳ προμηθείᾳ
τὰ πάντα διακρατοῦντος ;;
ry
ἱκεσίας Reg. uterque, Coisl. secundus,
μέτρον editi antiqi.
ἐπάρχων KH, Med,
τ
©
Ὡ
ἑκάστου editi antiqi.
212
 LETTER ΟΧῚ

for the inhabitants of the iron-bearing Taurus, so

that they may not be ruined once for all, but that
their service to the treasury of the state may con-
tinue to be rendered—an object in which beyond
all others we are convinced that your admirable
Benevolence is concerned,

LETTER CXI
To THE Prerect Mopestus1!

In other circumstances I should not have made

bold to trouble your Excellency, knowing both
how to measure my own importance and how to
estimate the powers of others. But when I saw a
friend in great distress of mind by reason of a
summons, I ventured to give him this letter, that by
casting it before you in lieu of the suppliant’s token 2
he might obtain a measure of kindness. But in any
case, even if we are of no account, yet our very
restraint will suffice to placate the most ‘kind-hearted
of prefects and to secure us forgiveness, to the end
that, if the man has done no wrong, he may be
saved through the influence of the truth itself, but
if he has indeed sinned, that his sin may be forgiven
him through us who make supplication.
But as to our own situation here, who is better
informed than you, who both observe what is corrupt
in every man and by your wonderful forethought
keep all things under your control?
1 Of the same date as the preceding. For Modestus, cf.
Letter CIV and note.
2 An olive-branch held in the hands of a suppliant, as a
symbol of his condition and claim.
213
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CXII
᾿Ανδρονίκῳ ἡγεμόνι ϊ
Εἰ μὲν οὕτως εἶχον σώματος, ὥστε ῥᾳδίως ὑπο-
μένειν ὁδοιπορίας δύνασθαι καὶ τὰ τοῦ χειμῶνος
δυσχερῆ φέρειν, οὐκ ἂν ἐπέστελλον, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς
Tapa” τὴν σὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν ἐβάδιξον δυοῖν ὃ
ἕνεκεν" τοῦ τε παλαιὸν * “ὑποσχέσεως ἐκτίσαι
χρέος (οἶδα γὰρ ὁμολογήσας παρέσεσθαι τῇ
Σεβαστείᾳ καὶ ἀπολαῦσαί ὃ σου τῆς τελειότητος"
ὅπερ ἐποίησα μέν, διήμαρτον δὲ τῆς συντυχίας,
μικρὸν κατόπιν τῆς σῆς “καλοκἀγαθίας παραγενό-
μενος), ἑτέρου δέ, τοῦ τὴν πρεσβείαν δι’ ἐμαυτοῦ
πληρῶσαι, ἣν ἀποστεῖλαι, 6 τέως ἀπώκνουν, μικρό-
τερον ἐμαυτὸν κρίνων ἢ ὥστε τοιαύτης τυγχάνειν
χάριτος, καὶ ἅμα λογιζόμενος, ὃὅτι οὔτε ἄρχοντα "
οὔτε ἰδιώτην ὑὑπὲρ οὐδενὸς ἄν τις λέγων διὰ γραμ-
μάτων πείσειεν οὕτως, ὡς αὐτὸς παρών, καὶ τὰ
μὲν ἀπολυόμενος8 τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, τὰ δὲ ἱκε-
τεύων, τοῖς δὲ συγγνώμην παραιτούμενος ἔχειν"
ὧν οὐδὲν av® ῥᾳδίως Ov ἐπιστολῆς γένοιτο. πᾶσιν
οὖν τούτοις ἕν ἀντιθείς, σὲ τὴν θείαν κεφαλήν,
καὶ ὅτι “ἐξαρκέσει τὴν γνώμην ἐνδείξασθαί σοι,
ἣν περὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἔχομεν, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ
προσθήσεις παρὰ σεαυτοῦ,19 πρὸς τὴν ἐγχείρησιν
οὐκ ἀπώκνησα.
1 ὑπὲρ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου add. Ε, mpd πρεσβυτέρου add. Vat.,
Med.
2 πρός editi antiqi. 3 δυαῖν KE. 4 παλαιάς E.
5 ἀπολαύσειν editi antiqi. ὃ ὑποστῆναι KH, editi antiqi.
7 ἄρχονται BH. 8 ἀποδυόμενος E. 9. ἄν om. E.
214
 LETTER CXII

LETTER CXIlI
To ANprRonicus, GENERAL!
Ir I were strong enough in body to be able easily
to endure travelling and to bear the hardships of
winter, I should not now be writing to you, but
should be proceeding to your Magnanimity in person
with two purposes in view—to discharge the long-
standing debt of a promise (for I know that I agreed
to visit Sebasteia and enjoy the company of your
Perfection; and I did go there, but missed meeting
you, since 1 arrived a little too late for your noble
self), and, secondly, to perform in person the mission
which I have thus far hesitated to fulfil by a com-
munication, since I judged myself too insignificant
a person to obtain such a favour, and at the same
time considered that no one in pleading another's
cause could win over an official or a private citizen
so well by stating his case in writing as by being
present in person, orally disposing of some of his
client’s charges, pleading excuse for others, and
asking pardon for the rest—none of which things
could easily be done by letter. So, weighing against
these disadvantages one single advantage—yourself,
a god-like man—and considering that it will suffice
to indicate to you the judgment we have concerning
the affair, to which you will add out of your own
knowledge what is lacking, I have not shrunk from
making this attempt.
1 Written in 372. Andronicus, to whom this letter is
addressed, and Domitian, an offender, in whose behalf the
letter is written, are otherwise unknown.

10 παρὰ σεαυτοῦ] map’ ἑαυτοῦ HK.

215
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

"AAW ὁρᾷς ὅπως κύκλῳ περίειμι ὀκνῶν καὶ

ἀναδυόμενος τὴν αἰτίαν ἐκφαίνειν ὑὗὑπὲρ ὧν ποιοῦμαι
τοὺς λόγους. Δομετιανὸς οὗτος ἐπιτήδειος ἡμῖν
ἐστὶν 1 ἐκ τῶν γονέων ἄνωθεν, ὥστε ἀδελφοῦ μηδ᾽
ὁτιοῦν διαφέρειν. τί γὰρ ἄν τις μὴ τἀληθῆ λέγοι ;
εἶτα τὴν αἰτίαν μαθόντες ad’ ἧς ταῦτα πέπονθεν,
ἄξιον εἶναι τοῦ “παθεῖν οὕτως ἔφαμεν. μηδὲ 5 γὰρ
ἔστω μηδείς, ὃς μικρὸν ἢ μεῖξον εἰς τὴν σὴν
ἀρετὴν ἀμελήσας * τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐκφύγοι. ἀλλ᾽
ὁρῶντες τοῦτον περιδεῶς καὶ ἀδόξως ζῶντα, καὶ
ἐπὶ τῇ σῇ ψήφῳ κειμένην αὐτοῦ τὴν σωτηρίαν,
ἀρκοῦσαν αὐτὸν ἔχειν τὴν δίκην ἐκρίναμεν.
μεγαλόψυχόν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ φιλάνθρωπον διανοη-
θῆναί σε περὶ αὐτοῦ ἱκετεύομεν. τὸ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς
ἀντιτείνοντας ὑπὸ χεῖρα λαμβάνειν ἀνδρείου τε
καὶ ἄρχοντος ὡς ἀληθῶς, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ὑποπεπτωκόσι
χρηστὸν εἶναι καὶ πρᾶον μεγαλοφροσύνῃ πάντων
καὶ ἡμερότητι διαφέροντος. ὥστε ὑπάρξει σοι
βουληθέντι ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ τήν τε πρὸς τὸ ἀμύνασθαι
καὶ τὴν εἰς τὸ σώζειν, ὡς ἂν ἐθέλοις," ἐπιδείξασθαι
μεγαλοψυχίαν. τοῦτο μέτρον ἀρκοῦν Δομετιανῷ
τῆς κολάσεως, τῶν προσδοκωμένων ὁ
0 φόβος καὶ
ὧν ἄξιον οἶδεν ἑαυτὸν παθεῖν ὄντα. τούτοις
μηδὲν εἰς τιμωρίαν προσθεῖναι αὐτῷ ἱκετεύομεν.
καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο σκόπει, OTL κύριοι μὲν τῶν ἠδικη-
κότων πολλοὶ τῶν πρότερον ὅ ἤδη γεγόνασιν, ὧν
οὐδεὶς πρὸς τοὺς ὕστερον διεπέμφθη λόγος"
ἀφῆκαν δὲ τὴν ὀργὴν οἱ φιλοσοφίᾳ τοὺς πολλοὺς
ὑπεράραντες, ὧν ἀθάνατος ἡ μνήμη τῷ χρόνῳ®
1 ἐστίν om. EK. ae 2 μή EB.
3 ἁμαρτήσας editi antiqi. 4 ἐθέλῃς editi antiqi.
5 προτέρων Hi,
216
 LETTER CXII

But you see how I go about in a circle, hesitating

and shrinking from making known the reason why I
am writing this letter. This man Domitian is a
friend of ours, as our parents were friends long
before, so that he differs not at all from a brother.
For why should one not tell the truth? Then on
learning the reason why he is in bis present plight,
we declared that he deserved to suffer so. For let
there be no man who, after slighting your Virtuous
Self in any matter small or great, shall escape the
penalty. But when we saw that this man lived in
fear and ignominy, and that his salvation rested with
your decision, we judged that he had received sufh-
cient punishment; and we now beg you to consider
his case with both magnanimity and kindness. For
to keep the rebellious under one’s hand is truly the
part of a strong man and a ruler, but to be kind and
gentle to the fallen is the mark of one who surpasses
all men in magnanimity and kindness. And thus it
will be within your power, if you so wish, to exhibit
with the same person magnanimity both in exacting
punishment and, as you would prefer, in granting
succour. This isa sufficient measure of chastisement
for Domitian—his fear of what lies in store for him,
and of the punishment which he well knows he
deserves to suffer. To all this we beg you to add
nothing by way of vengeance. And consider this
also, that there have been many among those who
have gone before us who have exercised power over
wrong-doers, of these no record has been passed on
to posterity; but of those who, transcending the
many through philosophy, have abated their wrath,
an immortal remembrance has been handed down to
ὃ. βίῳ Vat., Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus,
217
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

παντὶ παραδέδοται. προσκείσθω δὲ καὶ τοῦτο

τοῖς περὶ σοῦ διηγήμασι. δὸς ἡμῖν, τοῖς ὑμνεῖν
προαιρουμένοις τὰ σά, Tas! ἐν τοῖς ἄνω χρόνοις
ἀδομένας ὃ φιλανθρωπίας ὑπερβαλέσθαι. οὕτω
καὶ Κροῖσος τῷ παιδοφόνῳ τὴν ὀργὴν ἀφεῖναι
λέγεται, ἑαυτὸν παραδόντι εἰς τιμωρίαν' καὶ
Κῦρος ὁ μέγας αὐτῷ τούτῳ τῷ Κροίσῳ φίλος
γενέσθαι μετὰ τὴν νίκην. τούτοις σε συναριθ-
μήσομεν, καὶ, ὅση δύναμις ἡμετέρα, ταῦτα
ἀναγορεύσομεν, εἴπερ μὴ μικροί τινες εἶναι
παντάπασιν ἀνδρὸς τοσούτου κήρυκες νομισ-
θείημεν.
᾿Εκεῖνο δὲ ἐπὶ πᾶσιν εἰπεῖν ἀναγκαῖον, ὅτι τοὺς
ὁτιοῦν ἀδικοῦντας οὐχ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἤδη γεγενημένων
κολάξομεν (τίς 5 γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο μηχανὴ μὴ γεγε-
νῆσθαι τὰ πεπραγμένα 3), ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως ἂν ueαὐτοὶ
πρὸς τὸ λοιπὸν ἀμείνους γένοιντο, ἢ ἑτέροις
ὑπάρξειαν τοῦ προ} παράδειγμα." τούτων
τοίνυν οὐθέτερον ἐνδεῖν ° ἄν τις ἐν τῷ παρόντι
φήσειεν" αὐτός τε γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὸν θάνατον
τούτων μεμνήσεται, τούς τε λοιποὺς τεθνάναι τῷ
δέει πρὸς τοῦτον ἀφορῶντας οἴομαι. ὥσθ᾽ ὅπερ
ἂν προσθῶμεν τῇ τιμωρίᾳ, τὴν ὀργὴν ἡμῶν αὐτῶν
ἀποπιμπλάναι δόξομεν" ὃ πολλοῦ δεῖν ἐπὶ σοῦ
ἀληθὲς εἶναι φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε, καὶ οὐδὲν ἂν τούτων
τῶν λόγων προήχθην εἰπεῖν, εἰ μὴ μείζονα τῷ
διδόντι τὴν χάριν ἐνεώρων ἢ τοῖς λαμβάνουσιν.
οὐδὲ γὰρ ὀλίγοις ἔσται καταφανὴς ἡ
ἢ μεγαλοψυχία
τοῦ τρόπου. Καππαδόκαι γὰρ ἅπαντες ἀποσκο-
ποῦσι τὸ μέλλον, οἷς εὐξαίμην ἂν μετὰ τῶν
1 τά HK. 2 ἀδόμενα Kh. 3 rt E.
ὁ παραδείγματα Reg. uterque et Coisl. secundus.
218
 LETTER CXII

all time. And let this also be added to the reports

about you. Grant to us, who would fain hymn your
praises, to surpass the songs of good deeds sung in
previous ages. Thus even Croesus! is said to have
abated his wrath against the slayer of his son who
had given himself up for punishment; and Cyrus
the Great is said to have become friendly to this
very Croesus” after his victory over him. With
these shall we number you, and with all our power
shall we proclaim these deeds, unless we be con-
sidered as an altogether too insignificant herald of
so great a man.
And this plea we must always utter on every
occasion, that we punish those who do any wrong,
not for what has already taken place (for what means
can there be of undoing what has been done ὃ), but
that they may either become better themselves in
future, or may be an example to teach wisdom to
others. So one might say that neither of these
conditions is lacking in the present case ; for Domitian
himself will remember these things even after his
death, and I imagine that his fellows are frightened
to death through looking at him, Thus if we add
anything to his punishment, we shall seem to be
glutting our own anger, which I would say is far
from being the truth in your case, and I could not
have induced myself to say any of these things, did
I not see that the reward is greater for him who
gives than for those who receive. For not to a
mere few will the magnanimity of your character
be known. For all the Cappadocians are regarding
the future, and it would be my prayer that they
1 Cf. Herodotus 1, 45. 2 Cf. Herodotus 1, 88.

5 δεῖν EB.
219
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

λοιπῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν προσόντων σοι Kal ταύτην 1

ἀπαριθμήσασθαι.
᾿κνῷ δὲ τοῦ γράφειν παύσασθαι, ἡγούμενός
μοι ζημίαν οἴσειν τὸ παρεθέν. τοσοῦτόν γε μὴν
προσθήσω, ὃ
ὅτι πολλῶν ἐπιστολὰς " ἔχων ἐξαιτου-
μένων αὐτὸν πασῶν ἡγήσατο προτιμοτέραν͵ εἶναι
τὴν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, οὐκ οἶδά που ὃ μαθὼν εἶναί τινα
ἡμῶν λόγον παρὰ τῇ σῇ τελειότητι. ὅπως οὗν
μήτε αὐτὸς ψευσθῇ τῶν ἐλπίδων, ἃς ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν
ἔσχε, καὶ ἡμῖν ὑπάρξῃ πρὸς τοὺς ἐνταῦθα σεμνο-
λογεῖσθαι, παρακέκλησο, δέσποτα ἀνυπέρβλητε,
ἐπινεῦσαι πρὸς τὴν αἴτησιν. πάντως δὲ οὐδενὸς
χεῖρον τῶν πώποτε φιλοσοφησάντων ἐπέσκεψαι
τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, καὶ οἶδας ὡς καλὸς θησαυρὺς πᾶσι
τοῖς δεομένοις ὑπουργεῖν προαποκείμενος.“

CXIII
Tots ev Ταρσῷ πρεσβυτέροις
uvtuxer τῷδε, πολλὴν ἔσχον τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ
τὴν χάριν, ὅτι με καὶ διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας
ἀπὸ πολλῶν θλίψεων παρεμυθήσατο, καὶ τὴν
ὑμετέραν. ἀγάπην. ἐναργῶς ἔδειξε δι’ αὐτοῦ.
σχεδὸν γὰρ τὸν πάντων ὑμῶν περὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν
ζῆλον ἐἐν τῇ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς προαιρέσει κατέμαθον.
ἃ μὲν οὖν ἰδίᾳ διελέχθημεν πρὸς ἀλλήλους αὐτὸς
ὑμῖν ἀπαγγελεῖ ἃ δὲ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ γνωρισθῆναι
ὑμῶν προσῆκε τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ταῦτά ἐστιν.
1 τοῦτο editi antiqi. 2 ἐπιστολῶν KH,
3 οἷδά που] οἶδ᾽ ὅπως editi antiqi.
4 προαποκείμενός ἐστι editi antiqi.
220
 LETTER CXIII

might number this also with the rest of the virtues

which you possess.
Yet I hesitate to cease writing, thinking that what
has been omitted will cause me harm. So much
at any rate I shall add, that although he had letters
from many who were interceding for him, he con-
sidered the one from us to be more valuable than
them all, having learned, I know not where, that a
word from us was of weight with your Perfection.
Therefore that he on his part may not be deceived
in the hopes which he has placed in us, and that
there may be for us some occasion for glorification
before our people, be pleased, most_ illustrious
master, to assent to our request. And assuredly
you, no less than any of the philosophers of the past,
have studied human life, and you know how goodly
a treasure is laid up for all who help the needy.

LETTER CXIII
To THE PressyTers aT Tarsust
On meeting this man, I was very grateful to the
Holy God, because by sending him to me after many
aflictions He comforted me, and through him gave
clear proof of your love. For I can almost say that
in the purpose of this one man I learned the zeal for
the truth which all of you possess. Now, what we
discussed privately with one another he himself will
report to you; but what your charity may fittingly
learn from me is the following.
1 Written in 372, and maintaining that the Nicene Creed
alone should be required of the brethren.

5 ἐπαγγελεῖ editi antiqi.

ς
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

‘O καιρὸς πολλὴν ἔχει

ἐ ῥοπὴν πρὸς καταστροφὴν
τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ τοῦτο πολὺν ἔχομεν ἤδη
χρόνον ἐξ οὗ “καταμανθάνομεν. οἰκοδομὴ δὲ Ἔκ-
κλησίας, καὶ σφαλμάτων διόρθωσις, καὶ συμ-
πάθεια μὲν πρὸς τοὺς ἀσθενοῦντας ὑπερασπισμὸς
δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας τῶν ἀδελφῶν οὐδὲ εἷς.
ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε βοήθημα ἢ θεραπευτικὸν 1 τῆς προ-
κατασχούσης νόσου, ἢ “προφυλακτικὸν τῆς προσ-
δοκωμένης οὐδέν. καὶ ὅλως ἔοικε λοιπὸν ἡ τῆς
᾿Εκκλησίας κατάστασις (ἵνα ἐναργεῖ Fie
TO ὑποδείγματι, κἂν εὐτελέστερον εἶναι δοκῇ)
ἱματίῳ παλαιῷ, ὑπὸ τῆς τυχούσης προφάσεως
ῥᾳδίως καταρρηγνυμένῳ, ὃ πρὸς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς
ἰσχὺν ἐπανελθεῖν πάλιν ἀδυνατεῖ. ὡς οὖν ἐν
καιρῷ τοιούτῳ, μεγάλης χρεία τῆς σπουδῆς καὶ
πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιμελείας εὐεργετηθῆναί τι τὰς ἐκ-
κλησίας. εὐεργεσία δέ ἐστιν ἑνωθῆναι τὰ τέως
διεσπασμένα.Σ ἕνωσις δ᾽ ἂν γένοιτο, εἰ βουλη-
θείημεν, ἐν οἷς μηδὲν βλάπτομεν τὰς ψυχάς,
συμπεριενεχθῆναι τοῖς ἀσθενεστέροις.
᾿Επεὶ οὖν πολλὰ στόματα ἤνοικται κατὰ τοῦ
ΠΠνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ πολλαὶ γλῶσσαι
ἠκόνηνται εἰς τὴν κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ βλασφημίαν,
ἀξιοῦμεν ὑμᾶς, ὅσον ἐστὶν ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν,3 εἰς ὀλίγον
ἀριθμὸν περιστῆσαι τοὺς βλασφημοῦντας" καὶ
τοὺς μὴ λέγοντας κτίσμα τὸ , Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον
δέχεσθαι εἰς κοινωνίαν, ἵνα μόνοι καταλειφθῶσιν
οἱ βλάσφημοι, καὶ ἢ καταισχυνθέντες ἐπανέλθωσι
πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἢ ἐπιμένοντες τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ
ἀναξιόπιστοι ὦσι διὰ τὴν ὀλιγότητα. μηδὲν
προθε ATEVTLKOV M ed. 2 διεσπαρ ενα duo MSS.
ρ μ
 LETTER CXIII

The spirit of the times is much inclined to the

destruction of the churches, and it is now a long
time since we have learned this. As for the establish-
ment of the Church, the correction of errors, sympathy
for the brethren who are weak and protection of
those who are sound—of these things not one!
Nay, there is neither remedy nor cure for the
disease which is already upon us, nor means of
precaution against that which we await. And,
short, the condition of the Church now (to use a
vivid example, even if it seems to be rather mean) is
like that of an old cloak, which, being easily torn by
an ordinary strain, cannot be again restored to its
original strength. In such times, therefore, as these
there is need of great diligence and much care that
the churches may be in some way benefited. And
a benefit it is that the parts which have hitherto
been broken apart be united again. And a union
might be effected if we should be willing to show
indulgence to the weaker, whenever we can do so
without causing harm to souls.
Since, therefore, the mouths of many have been
opened against the Spirit, and many tongues have
been whetted to utter blasphemy against Him,
we believe that you ought, in so far as it is in your
power, to reduce the number of blasphemers to a
small number; those who do not call the Holy
Spirit a creature should be received in communion
with you, that the blasphemers may be left alone, and
either, being put to shame, may return to the truth,
or, abiding in their error, may be considered un-
worthy of belief by reason of the smallness of their

® ἡμῖν editi antiqi.

223
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τοίνυν πλέον ἐπιζητῶμεν, ἀλλὰ προτεινωμεθα

τοῖς βουλομένοις ἡμῖν συνάπτεσθαι ἀδελφοῖς
τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν: κἂν ἐκείνῃ συνθῶνται,
ἐπερωτῶμεν καὶ τὸ μὴ δεῖν λέγεσθαι κτίσμα τὸ
Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, μηδὲ κοινωνικοὺς αὐτῶν εἶναι
τοὺς λέγοντας. πέρα δὲ τούτων! ἀξιῶ μηδὲν
ἐπιξητεῖσθαι παρ᾽ ἡμῶν. πέπεισμαι γάρ, ὅτι τῇ
χρονιωτέρᾳ συνδιαγωγῇ καὶ τῇ ἀφιλονείκῳ συγ-
γυμνασίᾳ, καὶ εἴ τι δέοι πλέον προστεθῆναι εἰς
τράνωσιν, δώσει ὁὁ Κύριος ὁ πάντα συνεργῶν εἰς
ἀγαθὸν τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν.

CXIV
Tots ἐν Ταρσῷ περὶ Κυριακόν 5
Οσον ἐστὶ τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης. ἀγαθόν, τί χρὴ
“

λέγειν πρὸς ἄνδρας υἱοὺς τῆς εἰρήνης ;; ἐπεὶ οὖν

τὸ μέγα τοῦτο καὶ θαυμαστὸν καὶ πᾶσι περι-
σπούδαστον τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι τὸν Κύριον κινδυνεύει
λοιπὸν εἰς ὄνομα ψιλὸν περιστῆναι διὰ τὸ
πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν, ψυγείσης λοιπὸν ἐν
~ \ > id / Ἂς >

τοῖς πολλοῖς τῆς ἀγάπης, οἶμαι προσήκειν μίαν

ταύτην εἶναι σπουδὴν τοῖς γνησίως καὶ ἀληθινῶς
δουλεύουσι τῷ Κυρίῳ, τὸ ἐπαναγαγεῖν πρὸς
ἕνωσιν τὰς ἐκκλησίας τὰς πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυ-
1 πέρα δὲ τούτων. . παρ᾽ ἡμῶν] παρὰ δὲ τούτων. . . Tap’
ὑμῶν editi antiqi.
2 τοῖς αὐτοῖς περὶ Kupiaxdy παραπλήσια editi antiqi.

1 Cf. Rom. 8, 28: οἴδαμεν δὲ ὅτι τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι τὸν θεὸν πάντα
συνεργεῖ εἰς ἀγαθὸν τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσιν. ““Απὰ
we know that to them that love God, all things work
224
 LETTER CXIV

number. Let us thenseek nothing more, but merely

propose the Creed of Nicaea to the brethren who wish
to join us; and if they agree to this, let us demand
also that the Holy Spirit shall not be called a
creature, and that those who do so call Him shall
not be communicants with them. But beyond these
things I think nothing should be insisted upon by
us. For I am convinced that by longer association
together and by mutual experience without strife,
even if there should be need of some addition being
made for clarification, the Lord who worketh all
things together unto good to such as love Him? will
concede this.

ΕΝ CxXTV

To Cyriacus AND HIS FoLtLowers AT Tarsus 2

Way need 1 tell men who are the sons of peace
how great is the blessing of peace? So, since this
boon, great and wonderful and eagerly sought by
all who love the Lord, is now in danger of being
reduced to a mere name, “because iniquity hath
abounded, the charity in many having now grown
eold,’? I think that those who really ani truly
hers for the Lord should have this one aim—to
bring back into union the churches that have been
severed from one another “at sundry times and in
together unto good, to such as, according to His purpose, are
called to be saints.’
2 Written in 372, and, like the preceding letter, on the
sufficiency of the Nicene Creed. The Cyriacus to whom this
letter is addressed has not been identified.
3 Cf. Matt. 24, 12: καὶ διὰ τὸ πλιηθυνθῆναι Thy ἀνομίαν,
ψυγήσεται ἣ ἀγάπη τῶν πολλῶν. ** And because iniquity hath
abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold.”
225
VOL. 11. Q
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

TpoT@s ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων διατμηθείσας. ὃ δὴ Kal

αὐτὸς ἐπιχειρῶν ποιεῖν οὐκ ἂν δικαίως πολυ-
πράγμονος αἰτίαν λάβοιμι. οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως
ἴδιόν ἐστι
ἐ Χριστιανοῦ ὡς τὸ εἰρηνοποιεῖν" διὸ καὶ
τὸν ἐπ αὐτῷ μισθὸν μέγιστον ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος
ἐπηγγείλατο. συντυχὼν τοίνυν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς
καὶ θεασάμενος αὐτῶν πολὺ μὲν τὸ φιλάδελφον
καὶ τὸ περὶ ὑμᾶς ἀγαπητικόν, πολλῷ δὲ ἔτι πλέον
τὸ φιλόχριστον καὶ τὸ περὶ τὴν πίστιν ἀκριβές
τε καὶ εὔτονον, καὶ ὅτι πολλὴν ἀμφοτέρων ποιοῦν-
ται σπουδήν, τῆς τε ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης μὴ χω-
ρίζεσθαι καὶ τὴν ὑγιαίνουσαν πίστιν μὴ κατα-
προδοῦναι, ἀποδεξάμενος αὐτῶν τὴν ἀγαθὴν
προαίρεσιν ἐπιστέλλω τῇ σεμνότητι ὑμῶν, παρα-
καλῶν πάσῃ ἀγάπῃ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς ἡνωμένους
γνησίως καὶ πάσης ἐκκλησιαστικῆς φροντίδος
κοινωνούς" ἐγγυησάμενος καὶ αὐτοῖς τὴν ὑμετέραν
ὀρθότητα, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι τῷ
ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ζήλῳ πρὸς πάντα ἐστὲ παρα-
τεταγμένοι, ὅσαπερ ἂν δέῃ 3 παθεῖν ὑπὲρ τοῦ
λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας.
Ἔστι δέ, ὡς ἐμαυτὸν πείθω, τὰ οὔτε ὑμῖν
ὑπεναντία, καὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις τῶν ἀδελφῶν
αὐτάρκη πρὸς πληροφορίαν, ταῦτα, ὁμολογεῖν
ὑμᾶς τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν ἐκτεθεῖσαν
πίστιν τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ ποτὲ συνελθόντων, καὶ
μηδεμίαν τῶν ἐκεῖ λέξεων ἀθετεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰδέναι
ὅτι τριακόσιοι δέκα καὶ ὀκτώ, ἀφιλονείκως συνιόν-
τες, οὐκ ἄνευ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐνεργείας
1 φιλόχρηστον E. 2 δέοι editi antiqi.

1 Cf. Heb. 1, 1: πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως πάλαι ὃ Θεὲς

226
 LETTER XCIV

divers manners.” 1 When I myself also attempt to

accomplish this result I could not justly be accused
of officiousness. For no activity is so peculiarly
Christian as making peace; wherefore the reward
for this which the Lord has promised us is the
highest. So, after meeting the brethren, and
observing how great is their brotherly love,” and their
affection towards you, and how much greater still is
their love for Christ and their strictness and vigour
in the faith, and seeing that they were very zealous
for two things—not to be separated from your
charity and not to betray the sound faith—
accepting their good purpose I am writing to your
August Reverence, urging with all charity that you
hold them truly united and sharing in all the
solicitude of the Church; I have vouched to them
also for your orthodoxy, saying that you likewise, by
the grace of God, have in your zeal for the truth
made yourselves ready to suffer whatever may be
needful in behalf of the doctrine of truth.
The following conditions, I am convinced, are not
contrary to your own feelings, and are satisfactory
to the above-mentioned brothers by way of informa-
tion—that you profess the faith as set forth by the
Fathers who once assembled at Nicaea, and deny no
one of the statements made there, but realize that
three hundred and eighteen, coming together without
strife, spoke not without the agency of the Holy

λαλήσας τοῖς πατράσιν ἐν τοῖς προφήταις. ‘*God, who at

sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times past to
the fathers by the prophets.”
* Cf. Matt. 5, 9: μακάριοι of εἰρηνοποίοι ὅτι αὐτοὶ viol Θεοῦ
κληθήσονται. ““ Blessed are the peace-makers : for they shall
be called the children of God.”
227
Q 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐφθέγξαντο" προσθεῖναι, δὲ τῇ πίστει ἐκείνῃ καὶ

τὸ μὴ χρῆναι λέγειν κτίσμα τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον,
μὴ μέντοι μηδὲ τοῖς λέγουσι κοινωνεῖν, ἵνα καθαρὰ
ἢ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἢ ᾿Εκκλησία, μηδὲν ξιξάνιον. ἑαυτῇ
παραμεμιγμένον ἔχουσα. ταύτης αὐτοῖς τῆς
πληροφορίας παρὰ τῆς εὐσπλαγχνίας ὑμῶν
προτεθείσης, καὶ αὐτοὶ πρέπουσαν ὑμῖν ὑποταγὴν
ἕτοιμοί εἰσι παρασχέσθαι. αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐγγυῶμαι
τὸ μέρος τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ὡς εἰς οὐδὲν ἀντεροῦσιν,
ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν ὑμῖν ἐπιδείξονται εὐταξίας ὑπερ-
βολήν, ἑἑνὸς τούτου αὐτοῖς τοῦ ἐπιξητουμένου map
αὐτῶν ὑπὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας τελειότητος ἑτοίμως
παρασχεθέντος.
CXV
> , e al
ἐμπλικίᾳ αἱρετικῇ
᾿Αβούλως οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ μισοῦσι τοὺς κρείτ-
tovas καὶ φιλοῦσι τοὺς χείρονας. διὸ δὴ καὶ
1 Βασίλειος add. E.

1 Written in 372 or 373. The tone of this letter is wholly

unworthy of St. Basil, and not at all like that of the other
letters. There is, however, no other reason for doubting its
authenticity. The circumstances which led to the writing of
this letter may be learned from Gregory Nazianzenus, Letter
XXXVIII. It seems that a certain church in Cappadocia,
long without a bishop, had elected a slave of a certain
Simplicia, a wealthy and generous lady but of suspected
orthodoxy. Basil and Gregory unwisely ordained the man
without the consent of his owner, who threatened Basil
with the vengeance of her slaves and eunuchs. In the
present letter, Basil replies to her threats. After Basil died,
she harassed Gregory iin an effort to get the ordinationannulled.
Cf. Maran, Vita Basilii, XXV. The Migne edition states
that the codex Caesareus LXVII contains the following
prefatory note for this letter:
228
 LETTER CXV

Spirit ; and that you add to the aforesaid Creed that

one must not speak of the Holy Spirit as a creature,
nor have communion with those who so speak of
Him, in order that the Church of God may be pure,
having no darnel mixed with it. When this
assurance has been given them from the goodness of
your heart, they in turn are ready to offer you fitting
obedience. For I myself vouch to you in behalf of
the brethren that they will offer no opposition, but
will show you a full abundance of good discipline,
provided that this one thing which is demanded by
them be readily granted by your Perfection.

LEDPLER CXV
To THe Heretic Simpuictia ὦ

Foo.isu it is for men both to hate their superiors

and to love their inferiors. Wherefore I myself now
τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς Σιμπλικίαν περὶ εὐνούχων αὐτῆς.
αἱρετικὴ ἣν αὕτη. ἀρρωστήσαντος δὲ τοῦ μακαρίου Βασιλείου,
καὶ εἰσιόντος ἔν τινι λουτρῷ λούσασθαι, ἣ αὐτὴ Σιμπλικία προσ-
τάττει εὐνούχοις καὶ κορασίοις ῥιφῆναι τὰ σάβανα αὐτοῦ ἔξω" καὶ
παρευθὺς ἡ δικαία κρίσις τοῦ θεοῦ ἀνεῖλέ τινας ἐὲ αὐτῶν: καὶ ἣ
αὐτὴ Σιμπλικία ἔπεμψε χρήματα τῷ αὐτῷ μακαρίῳ βασιλείῳ ἐξι-
λεουμένη τὸ πταῖσμα" ὁ δέ, μὴ δεξάμενος, ἔγραψεν αὐτῇ ταῦτα.
‘* Letter of the same to Simplicia, about her eunuchs. She
was a heretic. Now when Basil was ill, and was entering a
bath to wash, the same Simplicia ordered her eunuchs and
maids to throw his towels outside ; and straightway the just
judgment of God destroyed some of them; and the same
Simplicia sent money to the same blessed Basil to make
amends for her insult ; but he would not receive them and
wrote this to her.” The writer of this comment was evidently
pac laine with the letter of Gregory of Nazianzus quoted
above.
229
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

αὐτὸς κατέχω τὴν γλῶτταν, σιωπῇ τῶν ἐμῶν

ὕβρεων πνίγων τὸν ὄνειδον. ἐγὼ δὲ μενῶ τὸν
ἄνωθεν δικαστήν, ὃς οἷδε πᾶσαν κακίαν ἐν τέλει
ἀμύνεσθαι. κἂν γὰρ ὑπὲρ ψάμμον ἐκχέῃ τις
χρήματα, βλάπτει ψυχήν, πατήσας τὸ δίκαιον.
ἀεὶ γὰρ θυσίαν Θεός, οὐχ ὡς χρή ζων, οἶμαι, ζητεῖ,
ἀλλὰ θυσίαν πολυτελῆ τὴν εὐσεβῆ καὶ δικαίαν
γνώμην δεχόμενος. ὅταν δέ τις ἑαυτὸν παρα-
βαίνων πατῇ, κοινὰς λογίξεται, τὰς εὐχάς.
Σαυτὴν οὖν τῆς ἐσχάτης ἡμέρας ὑπόμνησον,
καὶ ἡμᾶς, εἰ βούλει, μὴ δίδασκε. ἴσμεν σου
πλείονα, Kal” ταῖς ἔνδοθεν ἀκάνθαις οὐ τοσοῦτον
συμπνυγόμεθα: οὔτε ἐν ὀλίγοις καλοῖς δεκα-
πλασίονα κακίαν ἐπιμίγνυμεν. ἐπήγειρας ἡμῖν
σαύρας τε καὶ φρύνους, ἐαρινὰ δῆθεν θηρία, πλὴν
ὅμως ἀκάθαρτα. arr ἥξει πτερὸν ὃ ἄνωθεν τὸ
ταῦτα νεμόμενον. ἐμοὶ γὰρ λόγος, οὐχ ὡς σὺ
νομίζεις, GAN ὡς οἷδε κρίνειν Θεός. εἰ δὲ καὶ
μαρτύρων χρεία, οὐ δοῦλοι στήσονται, οὐδὲ
εὐνούχων γένος ἄτιμον καὶ πανώλεθρον τοῦτο δὴ
τοῦτο, ἄθηλυ, ἄνανδρον, γυναικομανές, ἐπίζηλον,
κακόμισθον, ὀξύθυμον, θηλυδριῶδες, γαστρίδου-
λον, χρυσομανές, ἀπηνές, κλαυσίδειπνον, εὐμετά-
βλητον, ἀμετάδοτον, πάνδοχον, ἀπροσκορές, μανι-
κὸν καὶ ζηλότυπον' καὶ τί γὰρ ἔτι εἰπεῖν ; σὺν
αὐτῇ τῇ γενέσει σιδηροκατάδικον. πῶς οὗν
τούτων ὃ γνώμη ὀρθή, ὧν καὶ οἱ πόδες στρεβλοί;
οὗτοι σωφρονοῦσι μὲν ἄμισθα διὰ σιδήρου"
μαίνονται δὲ ἄκαρπα δι’ οἰκείαν αἰσχρότητα.
οὐχ οὗτοι στήσονται τῆς κρίσεως μάρτυρες, ἀλλ᾽
1 ἐκχέει editi antiqi. 2 ἐν add. E.
3 πτηνόν Regius secundus et Coisl. secundus,
4 θηλυδρῶδες EH. 5 χτρύτῳ EK.
230
 LETTER XCV

check my tongue, by silence smothering the in-

dignity of the insults offered me. But I shall await
the Judge above, who knows how in the end to
avenge all evil. For even if anyone pour out money
like sand, he but harms his soul, having trampled on
justice. For God always demands a sacrifice, not, I
think, because He needs it, but because He accepts
the pious and just mind as a costly sacrifice. But
when anyone by transgression tramples upon himself,
He considers his prayers profane.
Therefore be mindful of the last day, and, if you
please, do not try to teach us. We know more than
you, and are not so choked up within by thorns, nor
do we mingle a tenfold evil with a few virtues. You
have roused against us lizards and toads,! beasts of
spring forsooth, but nevertheless unclean. But there
will come a bird from above to feed on these. For
it matters to me, not how you think, but how God
knows how to judge. And if there be need also of
witnesses, slaves will not stand forth, nor any dis-
reputable and utterly accursed race of eunuchs,—
yes, I mean just that—a race, neither feminine nor
masculine, woman-mad, envious, of evil wage, quick
to anger, effeminate, slaves to the belly, money-mad,
coarse, grumbling about their dinner, fickle, stingy,
ready to accept anything, disgusting, crazed, jealous
—and yet why say more?—at their very birth
doomed to the knife! How then can these possess
true judgment, whose very feet are twisted? They
are chaste without reward—thanks to the knife;
and they rave with passion without fruition—thanks
to their own lewdness. These will not stand as
witnesses at the judgment, but the eyes of just
1 Apparently the slaves and eunuchs.
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὀφθαλμοὶ δικαίων, καὶ ὄψεις ἀνδρῶν. τελείων' ὅσοι

τότε ὁρῶσι, πρὸς ἃ βλέποντες νῦν εἰσὶ συνέσει.

CXVI
Pippive
Kal σπάνιά cov τὰ γράμματα, καὶ μικρὰ
ταῦτα, ἢ ὄκνῳ τοῦ γράφειν, ἢ ἄλλως, τὸν ἐκ
τοῦ πλήθους κόρον διαφεύγειν οἰκονομοῦντος,
ἤπου καὶ πρὸς βραχυλογίαν ἑαυτὸν συνεθίζοντος.
ἡμῖν μέντοι οὐδὲν ἐξαρκεῖ, ἀλλὰ κἂν ὑπερβάλλῃ
τῷ πλήθει, τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐστὶν ἐλάττω διὰ τὸ
βούλεσθαι: ἕκαστα περὶ σοῦ μανθάνειν, πῶς μέν
σοι τὸ σῶμα ἔχει, ὅπως δέ σοι τὰ τῆς ἀσκήσεως,
καὶ πότερον ἐπιμένεις τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐγνωσμένοις
ἤ τι καὶ μετεβουλεύσω, πρὸς τὰ συμπίπτοντα
τὴν γνώμην μετατιθέμενος."
Ei μὲν οὖν ὁ αὐτὸς διέμεινας ὃσεαυτῷ, οὐκ ἂν
πλῆθος γραμμάτων ἐπεζητοῦμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξήρκει
ἡμῖν τοσοῦτον" ὁ δεῖνα τῷ δεῖνι" ὑγιαίνειν ἡμᾶς
ἴσθι, καὶ ἔρρωσο. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀκούομεν a4 καὶ
λέγειν αἰσχυνόμεθα, καταλιπόντα σε τὴν τῶν
μακαρίων προγόνων τάξιν, ἐπὶ τὸν πρὸς πατρὸς
πάππον αὐτομολεῖν καὶ Βρεττάνιον σπουδάξειν
γενέσθαιἀντὶ Φιρμίνου, ἐπιζητοῦμεν αὐτὰ ταῦτα
1 πάνθ᾽ add. editi antiqi. 2 μεταθέμενος editi antiqi.
8. διέμενες Med. ἀκούομεν ἃ] τὰ ἀκουόμενα EK.
, A > ry)
4 >

1 Written about 372. Firminus, his father of like name,

and his grandfather, Bretannius, are known only from this
letter. It seems that Firminus had at one time resolved to
232
 LETTER CXVI

men and the countenances of whole men—all who

then see with their eyes that which they now gaze
upon with their understanding.

LETTER CXVI
To Firminust
Your letters are rare, and these brief, either
through reluctance to write, or for some other
reason—because you plan to avoid the satiety that
comes from numbers, or perhaps are even accustom-
ing yourself to brevity of speech. We, however, are
not at all satisfied, but even if there is an exceedingly
great number, it falls short of our desire because we
wish to know everything about you—how your health
is, how it is with your practice of asceticism, and
whether you abide by your original determination,
or have made some change, altering your purpose to
suit the circumstances.
Now if you had remained consistent with yourself,
we should not be asking for a great number of letters,
but so much would be enough for us: ‘‘So-and-so
to So-and-so; rest assured that we are well, and good
health to you.” But since we hear what we are
ashamed even to mention,—that you, forsaking the
ranks of your blessed forefathers, have deserted to
your paternal grandfather and are ambitious to
become a Bretannius rather than a Firminus, these
become an ascetic. Later, however, he abandoned asceticism
and joined the army, intent upon a military career. Basil,
on hearing this, wrote the present letter. He exhorts him
to abandon army life and imitate his father, who distinguished
himself in civic duties, rather than his grandfather, Bre-
taunius, who won military fame.
233
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀκοῦσαι, καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς μαθεῖν καθ᾽ ods

a \ A

ἐπὶ ταύτην ἐλθεῖν τοῦ βίου τὴν ὁδὸν ὑπήχθης.

ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ἀπεσιώπησας αἰδοῖ τοῦ βου-
λεύματος, ἡμεῖς σε παρακαλοῦμεν μήτε βου-
λεύεσθαι αἰσχύνης ἄξια, καὶ εἴ te? ὑπέδραμέ
σου τὸν νοῦν, ἀπελάσαντα τοῦτο τῆς διανοίας
σεαυτοῦ γενέσθαι πάλιν, καὶ μακρὰ χαίρειν
εἰπόντα στρατείᾳ καὶ ὅπλοις καὶ ταῖς ἐπὶ * στρα-
τοπέδου ταλαιπωρίαις, καταλαβεῖν τὴν πα-
τρίδα, ἀρκοῦν πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν βίου καὶ πρὸς
πᾶσαν περιφάνειαν τὸ ἐξίσου τοῖς προγόνοις
κρατῆσαι τῆς πόλεως ἡγησάμενον" ὅπερ ἀπόνως
σοι παραγενήσεσθαι πεπιστεύκαμεν, πρός τε τὴν
ἐκ φύσεως ἐπιτηδειότητα ἀφορῶντες καὶ πρὸς τὴν
ἐρημίαν τῶν ἐνισταμένων. εἴτε οὖν μὴ γέγονεν
ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἡ γνώμη, εἴτε γενομένη πάλιν ἐκβέ-
βληται, γνώρισον > ἡμῖν ἐν τάχει" εἰ δέ, ὃ μὴ
γένοιτο, τὰ αὐτὰ μένει βουλεύματα, αὐτάγγελτος
ἡμῖν ἡκέτω ἡ συμφορά" γραμμάτων δὲ οὐ
δεόμεθα.

CXVII
᾿Ανεπίγραφος, ἐπὶ ἀσκήσει
᾿Εγὼ καὶ ἄλλως ὀφείλεσθαι τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ τεμιό-
τητι ἐμαυτὸν νομίζω, καὶ τὸ νῦν δὲ τοῦτο φρόν-
1 παρὰ σοῦ add. editio Paris. 2 μήποτε KE.
3 καί add. Εἰ. 4 τοῦ add. E.
5 δήλωσον editi antiqi.

1 Written about 372. This is clearly the answer of

234
 LETTER CXVII

very things we want to hear from you, and to learn

the considerations that have influenced you to enter
upon this manner of life. But because you yourself
have been silent through shame of your plan, we
exhort you never to plan things which call for shame,
and if any such thing has entered your mind, to
expel it from your thoughts and regain the mastery
over yourself, and, bidding a long farewell to military
life and to arms and to the toils of the camp, to
return to your native country, since as regards
security of life and all glory it is enough to be the
ruler, like your forefathers, of your own city through
your leadership; and in this we are confident that
you can succeed without difficulty, as we observe,
not only the fitness for rule which nature has given
you but also the absence of opponents. Whether,
therefore, this has not been your intention from the
beginning, or, having once been in your mind, has
been rejected again, inform us at once; but if, on
the other hand (and may it not come to pass), your
plans remain the same, let the misfortune come to
us self-announced, and we need no letters.

LETTER CXVII
Wirnout Inscription, oN AsceticisM?
For other reasons I consider myself indebted to
your Honour, and now the present anxiety in which
Firminus to the preceding letter, and there appears no
reason for doubting its authenticity. This and all the other
unaddressed letters do not appear in MSS. of the Aa family,
but this is probably due to their having been unknown. Cf.
Bessiéres 156, 159, 160,
235
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τίσμα, ἐν ᾧ ἐσμέν, ἀναγκαίως ἡμᾶς ὑπευθύνους

ταῖς τῶν τοιούτων πραγμάτων ὑπηρεσίαις καθί-
στησι, κἂν οἱ τυχόντες ὦσιν! οἱ ἐπιτάττοντες,
μὴ ὅτι ὑμεῖς οἱ πολλοῖς δικαίοις καὶ ἄλλοις πρὸς
ἡμᾶς συναπτόμενοι. τὰ μὲν οὖν παρελθόντα εἰς
ἐξέτασιν ἀγαγεῖν οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον" ἐπεὶ ἐνῆν εἰπεῖν,
ὅτι ἡμεῖς ἐγενόμεθα ἑαυτοῖς τῶν 3 ταράχων αἴτιοι,
τῆς ἀγαθῆς ἐκείνης ἀσκήσεως καὶ μόνης ἀγούσης
πρὸς σωτηρίαν φιλονεικήσαντες ἀποστῆναι" διὸ
τάχα καὶ τῷ ταράχῳ τούτῳ εἰς πειρασμὸν
παρεδόθημεν.
᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνα μὲν γέγονε καὶ ὑπομνήσεως ἠξιώθη,
ὥστε μὴ δεύτερον ἡμᾶς τοῖς ὁμοίοις περιπεσεῖν.
τὰ δὲ ἐφεξῆς, πάνυ βούλομαι πληροφορεῖσθαί
σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν, ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ συγχωροῦντος
ῥᾷστα ἡμῖν προσχωρήσει, τοῦ πράγματος καὶ
ἐννόμου ὄντος καὶ οὐδὲν ἔχοντος βαρύ, καὶ τῶν
φίλων ἡμῶν πολλῶν ὃ ἑτοίμως χαριζομένων, ὄντων
ἐν τῷ στρατοπέδῳ. τυπωθήσεται οὖν Tap ἡμῶν
δέησις, κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα τοῦ προσδοθέντος
λιβέλλου τῷ βικαρίῳ, ἐν ἧ ἐὰν μή τις γένηται
παρολκή, εὐθέως ἀποπεμψόμεθα τὴν ἐκ τοῦ
γράμματος ὁ ἄδειαν παρεχόμενοι. πέπεισμαι δὲ
1 εἰσίν ἘΣ, editi antigi. 2 τῶν om. E. ἢ
3 πολλῶν om. Vat., Med. 4 πράγματος E. )

1 The civil government of the Empire was distributed into

thirteen dioceses. The first of these was subject to the
jurisdiction of the court of the East. The place of the
Augustal pracfect of Egypt was no longer filled by a Roman
236
 LETTER CXVII

we find ourselves also of necessity places us under

obligation for services in troubles of this kind, even
if those who lay their commands upon us are ordinary
persons and not, like yourself, men who are joined
to us by many other just claims. Now it is not
necessary to bring the past into review; for I might
say that we were the cause of our own disturbances,
since we strove to abandon that goodly practice of
asceticism which alone leads to salvation; and so
perhaps we were given over to this disturbance also
by way of temptation.
But those matters are past, and have been con-
sidered worthy of mention only that we may not a
second time fall into the same difficulties. As to the
next step, however, I am quite anxious that your
Reverence be informed that, God granting, it will
easily turn out as we wish, the matter being lawful
and involving no difficulty, and our friends at court,
who are many, are glad to do us a favour. So a
petition will be drawn up by us, modelled on the
document that has been handed to the Vicar,}
according to which, if there is no delay, we shall be
quickly sent home by merely producing the permit
based upon the writ.2. And I am convinced that in
knight ; but the name was retained. The eleven remaining
dioceses—Asiana, Pontica, Thrace, Macedonia, Dacia, Pan-
nonia or Western Illyricum, Italy, Africa, Gaul, Spain, and
Britain—were governed by twelve vicars or vice-prefects.
2 That a written discharge was necessary is plainly seen
from Letter CXXIII of Gregory Nazianzenus, who thus
addressed a certain Ellelichus: ‘‘ Mamanta, the slave
Reader, whose father was a soldier, was consecrated to God
on account of his noble character. Give him to God and to
us, but do not let him be numbered among vagabond soldiers.
Give him his freedom in writing, so that he may not be
threatened by others.” Cf. Migne, Vol. 32, 534, note 99.
2597
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐν τοιούτοις μεῖζον τῶν βασιλικῶν προσταγμά-

των τὴν προαίρεσιν ἡμῶν ἰσχύειν, ἣν ἐὰν ἄτρεπτον
/, lal

καὶ ἀκλινῆ ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ THY ἀκμὴν βίου ἐπιδει-

\ ’ a b] la) \ \ ᾽ \ , 3

ξώμεθα, ἀνεπιχείρητος ἡμῖν Kal ἄσυλος διὰ THs

, ᾽ , e a \ yy \ an

τοῦ Θεοῦ βοηθείας τῆς παρθενίας ἡ φυλακὴ εἴη.

Τὸν δὲ ἐγχειρισθέντα ἡμῖν παρὰ σοῦ ἀδελφὸν
καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα ἡδέως, Kal ἔχομεν ἐν τοῖς γνω-
Ἂ, 3 / - / ἌΝ b] rn

ρίμοις, εὐχόμενοι ἄξιον εἶναι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς

’ / rn “ fol

σῆς μαρτυρίας.

ΟΧΥΠῚ
᾽
Ιοβίνῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Ἱϊ]έρρης
/ > , ,

Ἔχω σε χρεώστην ὀφλήματος ἀγαθοῦ. ἐδά-

νείσα γάρ σοι χρέος ἀγάπης, ὃ χρή με ἀπολαβεῖν
σὺν τόκῳ, ἐπειδὴ Kal ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν τὸ τοιοῦτον
e Lal r

εἶδος τῶν τόκων οὐ παραιτεῖται. ἀπόδος τοίνυν,

ὦ φίλη κεφαλή, ἐπιστὰς ἡμῶν τῇ πατρίδι. τοῦτο
μὲν οὖν ἐστὶν αὐτὸ τὸ κεφάλαιον.
\ = ,
τίς δὲ ἡ
\ > Ν \ / / \ €

προσθήκη ; τὸ σὲ εἶναι τὸν παραγινόμενον, ἄνδρα

Ψ,

τοσοῦτον ἡμῶν διαφέροντα ὅσῳ πατέρες εἰσὶ

βελτίους παίδων.
4 /

1 ὅσον K.
238
 LETTER CXVIII

such matters our principles are more powerful than

the royal mandates, and that if we show them to be
unswerving and without deviation from the very
highest life, with the help of God the keeping of our
celibacy would be unassailable and inviolate.
We were not only glad to see the brother whom
you entrusted to us, but we also count him among
our friends, praying that he may be worthy of God
and of your testimony.

LETTER CXVIII
To Jovinus, BisHop ΟΕ Perrual
I constpER you a debtor for a goodly debt. For I
made you a loan, an obligation of love, which I ought
to get back with interest, since even our Lord does
not deprecate usury of this kind. Therefore, pay it
back, my dear friend, by a visit to our land. That
would be, to be sure, only the principal itself. But
what would be the increase? The fact that it is
you who pay the visit, a man so far superior to us
as parents are better than their children.
1 Written at the end of 372, or at the beginning of 373.
This letter is an excellent example of the spirit of the Second
Sophistic period of Greek rhetoric. The entire letter is
a rather far-fetched metaphor. Basil has already visited
Jovinus, and his visit is compared to a loan out at interest.
That Jovinus repaid the visit we learn from Letter CXXVII.
The MSS. vary between Jovinus and Jobinus. Further-
more, all do not agree in qualifying Jovinus as Bishop of
Ferrha. Some MSS read Κέρρης, and others Πέργης. Tille-
mont and Maran, however, prefer the reading Πέρρης of six
MSS. (4 Vat. Reg., 2nd Coisl., and Paris). Perrha was in
Syria and not far from the seat of Eusebius of Samosata.
239
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CXIX
Εὐσταθίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σεβαστείας
Καὶ διὰ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου καὶ εὐλαβεστάτου
ἀδελφοῦ pou! ἹΠέτρου προσφθέγγομαί σου τὴν
ἀγάπην," παρακαλῶν σε ὡς διὰ πάσης προφάσεως
καὶ νῦν ππρθο εὐχεῦ θαι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα, μεταβαλ-
λόμενος ὃ ἀπὸ τοῦ φευκτοῦ * τούτου καὶ βλαβεροῦ
τρόπου, γένωμαί ποτε ἄξιος τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ
Χριστοῦ. πάντως δέ, κἂν ἐγὼ μὴ λέγω, διαλεχ-
θήσεσθε πρὸς ἀχλήλους περὶ τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, καὶ
γνωρίσει σοι τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τῶν πεπραγμένων,
ὥστε μὴ παραδεχθῆναι ἀβασανίστως τὰς πονηρὰς
καθ᾽ ἡἡμῶν ὑπονοίας, ἃς εἰκὸς κατασκευάξειν τοὺς
καὶ παρὰ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβον καὶ παρὰ τὴν τῶν
ἀνθρώπων ὑπόληψιν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐξυβρίσαντας. οἷα
γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐνεδείξατο ὁ γενναῖος Βασίλειος, ὃν
ἀντὶ φυλακτηρίου τῆς ἐμῆς ζωῆς παρὰ τῆς σῆς
εὐλαβείας ὑπεδεξάμην, ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ εἰπεῖν αἰσ-
χύνομαι" εἴσῃ δὲ τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον παρὰ τοῦ
ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν διδαχθείς. καὶ τοῦτο λέγω οὐκ
ἐκεῖνον ἀμυνόμενος (εὔχομαι γὰρ αὐτῷ μὴ λογισ-
1 μου om, 10. 2. καί editi antiqi.
3 μεταβαλόμενος E, Reg. secundus, Bigot. alter.
4 ἀπευκτοῦ editi antiqi.

1 Written at the end of 372 or beginning of 373, 10 deals

with the untrustworthiness of a certain Basil and Sophronius,
two henchmen of Eustathius, by whom they had been recom-
mended to Basil. Kustathius was ruined by his love of
power and self-aggrandizement, which was probably the
source of his hypocrisy. Basil was loath to break with
Eustathius because of their mutual interest in asceticism,
240
 LETTER CXIX

LETTER CXIX
To Evsratuius, Bishop or Sepastet
I appress you, my dear friend, through my most
reverend and pious brother Peter,? urging you on
every occasion and especially now to pray for me,
that, being transformed from this present abhorrent
and harmful nature, I may one day become worthy
of the name of Christ. But assuredly, even if I do
not speak, you and he will converse with one another
about our affairs, and he will make known to you
every detail of what has happened, so that you may
not admit without investigation the base suspicions
against us, which these men are likely to trump up,
who, regardless of the fear of God or of our repu-
tation among men, have heaped insults upon us,
For what sort of charges the noble 53. Basil has
brought against us, the man whom I received from
your Reverence as a guard of my life, I am indeed
ashamed to say; but you will know every detail on
being informed by our brother. And this I say, not
to avenge myself upon this Basil (for I pray that it
and for a long time was blind to Eustathius’ duplicity and
Arian proclivities. As subsequent letters show, the present
letter records the first of a series of events that eventually
brought about a break betweenthetwo. Cf. Letter LXXXIX
(and note), which is also addressed to Eustathius. For
Eustathius’ persistent heresy, cf. Letters CXXX, CCXXIII
and CCXLIV.
2 The present letter and Letter CCIII, written to the
bishops of the Pontus, were carried by one named Peter,
whom St. Basil designates as brother. It is uncertain
whether this Peter is Basil’s own brother or a spiritual
brother.
8 Tronical. For this Basil, οὗ, note 1.
241
VOL, II. R
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

θῆναι παρὰ tod Κυρίου), ἀλλὰ βεβαίαν μοι τὴν

a lal \

παρὰ σοῦ ἀγάπην μεῖναι ἡμῖν διοικούμενος, ἣν

φοβοῦμαι μὴ διασαλεύσωσι ταῖς ὑπερβολαῖς τῶν
διαβολῶν, ἃς εἰκὸς αὐτοὺς κατασκευάσαι εἰς
ἀπολογίαν τοῦ πταίσματος. ὅπερ! δ᾽ ἂν κατη-
γορήσωσιν ἡμῶν, ἐκεῖνο παρὰ τῆς σῆς ἀγχινοίας
ἐξεταζέσθωσαν, εἰ ἐνεκάλεσαν ἡμῖν, εἰ τὴν ὅ διόρ-
> / θ > > / « “Ὁ > Ἂν 2 ὃ /

θωσιν τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος οὗ νῦν ἡμῖν ἐπάγουσιν

ἐπεζήτησαν, εἰ ὅλως φανερὰν ἑαυτῶν τὴν πρὸς
ἡμᾶς λύπην κατέστησαν. νῦν δέ, ἐν φαιδρῷ τῷ
προσώπῳ καὶ πεπλασμένοις 3 ἀγάπης ῥήμασιν
ἀμύθητόν τινα δόλου καὶ πικρίας βυθὸν τῇ ψυχῆ
συγκαλύπτοντες, διὰ τῆς ἀνελευθέρου φυγῆς *
ἐφανέρωσαν. ἐφ᾽ ᾧ ὅσον μὲν ἡμῖν ὃ ἐποιήσαντο
πένθος, ὅσον δὲ τὸν “γέλωτα τοῖς ἀεὶ τὸν εὐλαβῆ
/ a \ \ / a een Ν > ~

βίον ἐν τῇ ἀθλίᾳ ταύτῃ πόλει βδελυσσομένοις καὶ

τέχνην πρὸς τὸ πιστευθῆναι καὶ σχηματισμὸν
εἰς ἀπάτην τὸ πλάσμα τῆς σωφροσύνης “ διαβε-
βαιουμένοις ἐπιτηδεύεσθαι, πάντως, κἂν ἡμεῖς
μὴ διηγησώμεθα, γνώριμον τῇ συνέσει σου. ὡς
μηδὲν ἐπιτήδευμα. οὕτως ὕποπτον εἶναι πρὸς
κακίαν λοιπὸν τοῖς ἐνταῦθα, ὡς τὸ ἐπάγγελμα
τοῦ ἀσκητικοῦ βίου.
“A TOS χρὴ θεραπευθῆναι, τῆς σῆς ἂν εἴη
συνέσεως φροντίσαι. τὰ γὰρ παρὰ Zed poviou
συρραπτόμεναϑ ἐγκλήματα ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀγαθῶν
ἐστὶ προοίμια, ἀλλ’ ἀρχὴ διαιρέσεως καὶ χωρισ-
1 οὗπερ Medicaeus, Regius primus, Bigot. alter.
2 εἰτὴν. .-. εἰ dAws|] THY... ἢ ὅλως editi antiqi.
3 χετιμημένοις tres MSS. 4 σιωπῆς Εἰ, editi antiqi.
5 jpiv .. . δὲ] προξενοῦμεν BK.
5 ταπεινοφροσύνης KH, Harl., Reg. secundus.
7 ἃ πῶς] ὅπως οὖν KH, editi antiqi.
242
 LETTER CXIX

may not be laid to his account by our Lord), but to

make sure that your love for me shall abide stead-
fast, since I fear that these men may shake it by the
exaggerated slanders which they have _ probably
trumped up in defence of their error. But whatever
accusation these persons may bring against us, let
them be examined by you with all your acumen as to
this—-first, whether they have brought a formal com-
plaint against us, secondly, whether they have sought
the rectification of the error for which they now attack
us, and, finally, whether they have made their griev-
ance against us entirely clear. But as the case now
stands, though they conceal within their souls, under
their beaming countenances and their counterfeit
expressions of affection, a depth of treachery and
bitterness that defies description, yet through their
ignoble flight they have made their grievance mani-
fest. How much sorrow they have brought upon us
in this matter, and how much oceasion for ridicule
they have furnished to those in this unhappy city
who constantly express their contempt for the pious
life and assert that our pretended practice of
chastity is but a trick to get ourselves trusted and
a pose intended to deceive, assuredly all this, even if
we refrain from stating it, is well known to your
sagacity ; and the result is that no mode of life is so
suspected as vicious by the people here as is the pro-
fession of asceticism.
How these things should be remedied would be
the proper concern of your sagacity to devise. For
the charges concocted against us by Sophronius are
not a prelude of good things, but a beginning of

8 φροντίς Vat.; καὶ φροντίδος tres alii MSS.

9. συνερραμμένα editi antiqi.
243
R 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

μοῦ Kal σπουδὴ τοῦ Kal τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπην

ἀποψυγῆναι. ὃν ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς εὐσπλαγχνίας
παρακαλοῦμεν κατασχεθῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς βλαβερᾶς
ταύτης ὁρμῆς, καὶ πειραθῆναι τῇ παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ
ἀγάπῃ κατασφίγγειν μᾶλλον τὰ διιστάμενα καὶ
μὴ τοῖς πρὸς διάστασιν 5 ὡρμημένοις συνεπι-
τείνειν τὸν χωρισμόν.

ΟἾΝΟΝ:
Μελετίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αντιοχείας
Γράμματα ἐδεξάμην παρὰ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου
ἐπισκόπου Εὐσεβίου, προστάσσοντα πάλιν γρα-
φῆναι τοῖς δυτικοῖς περί τινων ἐκκλησιαστικῶν.
καὶ ἐβουλήθη παρ᾽ ἡμῶν τυπωθῆναι τὴν ἐπι-
στολὴν ὑπογραφῆναι δὲ παρὰ πάντων τῶνὃ
κοινωνικῶν. ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐχ εὗρον ὅπως ἐπιστείλω
περὶ ὧν ἐπέταξε, παρέπεμψα τὸ ὑπομνηστικὸν
τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ σου, ἵνα καὶ αὐτῷ ἐντυχὼν καὶ
τοῖς ἀναφερομένοις παρὰ τοῦ ποθεινοτάτου ἀδελ-
1 καὶ μὴ] HE. 2 τὺ διαστασιάζειν editi antiqi.
3 τῶν om. E.

1 Probably written in A.D. 372. Letters CXX, CXXI,

CXXII, CX XIX, and CXXX are all related in the matter
of chronology. Tillemont and the Benedictine editors agree
in the actual dating, although they differ in the identity of
certain persons. Loofs (p. 29), in treating of these letters,
244
 LETTER ΟΧΧ

division and separation and an incentive to the cool-

ing even of the charity within us. We urge that
this man be restrained by your kindness of heart
from this hurtful impulse of his, and that your
affection rather strive to tighten that which is falling
apart and not to increase the tendency to schism in
those who are eager for disagreement.

LETTER CXX
To Metetius, Bisnop or ANTIocH !
I nave received a letter from the most God-
beloved bishop Eusebius, enjoining that we write
again to the Westerners concerning certain ecclesi-
astical affairs. He wished, furthermore, that the
letter be drawn up by us but signed by all those
in communion. Since, therefore, I have not dis-
covered how to write about those things which he
has enjoined, I am sending his memorandum to your
Godliness in order that when you have read it and
given heed to the matters reported by our most
raises questions which he does not himself answer satis-
factorily. Indeed in several places his arrangement seems to
be contradicted by certain facts contained in the letters
themselves. I have retained the chronology of Tillemont and
the Benedictines.
For the identity of Meletius, cf. Letter LXVI, note 4.
Previous letters addressed to Meletius are LVII, LX VIII,
and LXXXIX. In this letter Basil continues his support of
the claims of Meletius, now exiled in Armenia, as the regular
Catholic bishop of Antioch, and he complains of the irregular
ordination of Faustus as bishop of an Armenian see by
Anthimus of Tyana, one of his opponents.
245
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

φοῦ Σαγκτισσίμου Tov συμπρεσβυτέρου προσέ-

χων, αὐτὸς καταξιώσῃς ὡς παρίσταταί cou?
περὶ τούτων τυπῶσαι, ἡμῶν ἑτοίμως ἐχόντων
καὶ 3αὐτῷ συνθέσθαι καὶ ταχέως ποιῆσαι περι-
κομισθῆναι 4 τοῖς κοινωνικοῖς, ὥστε TAS πάντων
-“ » ev \

ὑπογραφὰς ἔχοντα ἀπελθεῖν τὸν μέλλοντα ὁρμᾶν

πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ τὴν δύσιν ἐπισκόπους. ταχέως
ἡμῖν τὸ παριστάμενον τῇ ὁσιότητί σου γνωρισ-
θῆναι κέλευσον, ἵνα μὴ ἀγνοῶμεν τὰ δόξαντά
a Id “ \ ᾽ A \ / /

ool.

Περὶ δὲ τῶν τυρευομένων ὃ ἢ Kal ἤδη ἐσκευωρη-

μένων καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐν τῇ ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ ἀνοίσει ὁ
“ fal hi,

αὐτὸς ἀδελφὸς TH τιμιότητί σου, ἐάν περ μὴ

, \ > \ -“ , , Sf \

προλαβοῦσαa
ἡς φήμη
/
τῶν
a
γενομένων
7
φανερὰ\
ποιήσῃ τὰ πεπραγμένα. καὶ γὰρ ἐγγύς ἐστιν
ἡ ἐλπὶς τῆς ἐκβάσεως τῶν ἀπειλουμένων.
e ? \ “ > / na > /

γινώσκειν δὲ βούλομαι τὴν εὐλάβειάν σου, ὅτι

ὁ ἀδελφὸς Ανθιμος Φαῦστον, τὸν συνόντα τῷ
1 προσχών ἘΝ.
2 παρίσταταί σοι] καταξιώσαις editi antiqi.
3 σοι add. editi antiqi. 4 παρακομισθῆναι Ki.
> οὖν add. editi antiqi. 6 πορευομένων alii editi.
‘
ἀνύσει Ἰὼ, Med., Reg. secundus.

1 Tillemont argues that Sanctissimus because of his Latin

name was a priest from the West. The Benedictine editor,
however, prefers to consider him a presbyter of Antioch,
since Roman names were at this time quite commonly given
246
 LETTER CXX

beloved brother Sanctissimus,! our presbyter, you

may yourself deign to write as seems best to you
about these affairs ;for we are ready both to agree to
this and to cause it to be sent quickly around to
those in communion with us, so that the messenger
who is about to set out to visit the bishops of the
West may have the signatures of all when he departs.
Order whatever seems best to your Holiness to be
quickly made known to me, in order that we may not
be ignorant of your decisions.
And as regards what is being devised or even
what has already been fabricated against us at
Antioch, the same brother will inform your Honour,
unless previously the report of what has happened
shall have made clear what has been done. For in
truth hope is at hand that these threats will pass
away. But I wish your Reverence to know that our
brother Anthimus? has ordained and made a bishop
to Greeks. The latter seems correct, because Sanctissimus
displays unusual interest in Eastern affairs, and Basil calls
him his ‘‘ most beloved,” and ‘‘ fellow-presbyter,” and sends
him on several important missions. The following is a
chronology of his known journeys:
374. The Easterners send Sanctissimus and Dorotheus to
the West in the early spring.
375. Sanctissimus and Dorotheus return to the Kast through
Thrace. They probably visit Eusebius of Samosata, who was
exiled to Thrace in 374.
376. Sanctissimus makes an extensive tour of the East.
377. The Easterners communicate with the Westerners
through Sanctissimus to procure the condemnation of
Apollinarius and Eustathius.
2 In 371 Anthimus, a contentious and ambitious prelate,
claimed to be metropolitan of Cappadocia Secunda with his
diocese Tyana as a metropolitan see. He was joined by
those prelates who opposed Basil’s election to the see of
Caesarea.
247
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

πάπᾳ, ἐπίσκοπον ἐχειροτόνησε, μηὸς ψήφους

, 1 > , > / δὲ ψΨψ ip v

δεξάμενος, καὶ τῷ τόπῳ χειροτονήσας “ τοῦ αἱ-

΄,΄ ᾽ ὡ κ᾿ 7 ,
δεσιμωτάτου ἀδελφοῦ Κυρίλλου: ὥστε στάσεων
ἐμπλῆσαι τὴν “Appeviav. iva? τοίνυν μὴ κατα-
a / \

ψεύσωνται ἡμῶν, μηδὲ αὐτοὶ τὴν αἰτίαν σχῶμεν

τῆς ἀταξίας τῶν γενομένων, ἐγνώρισα ταῦτα TH
“- fal ’ ἴω fol

σεμνότητί σου. δῆλον δέ, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς κατα-

ξιώσεις γνώριμα ποιῆσαι τοῖς λοιποῖς. ἡγοῦμαι
γὰρ πολλοὺς λυπήσειν τὴν ἀταξίαν ταύτην.
’

ΟΧΧΙ
Θεοδότῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Νικοπόλεως ὃ
Πολὺς ὁ χειμὼν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ μακρότατον παρα-
ταθείς, ὡς μηδὲ τὰς διὰ γραμμάτων παραμυθίας
ῥᾳδίως ἡμῖν ὑπάρχειν. ὅθεν ὀλιγάκις οἶδα καὶ
a“ εἰ >]

ἐπιστείλας τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ σου καὶ δεξάμενος γράμ-

ματα. ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὁ ποθεινότατος ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν
» ἼΤΩ Vee ‘ > \ ς -

1 πάππῳ Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus.

275 τόπῳ χειροτονήσας. . . ἐμπλῆσαι] καταχειροτονήσας
οὖς ἐμπληρῶσαι editi antiqi.
3 ὅρα editi antiqi. 4 ὑμῶν E.
5 ᾿Αρμενίας add. Harl. ᾿Αρμενίας μικρᾶς add. editi antiqi,
nonnulli MSS.
1 All information about Faustus is procured from Letters
CXX, CXXI, and CXXII of St. Basil. Smith and Wace
infer that he was Bishop of Satala, but Tillemont and the
Benedictine editors prove this to be untenable.
2 The title pope (papa) was originally employed with great
latitude. In the East it has always been used to designate
simple priests. In the West, however, it seems from the
beginning to have been restricted to bishops. It was probably
in the fourth century that it became a distinctive title of the
248
 LETTER CXXI 5

of Faustus,! him who associates with the pope? with-

out having received votes, and having appointed him
in the place of our most reverend brother Cyril; and
in consequence Armenia has become filled with
schisms. Therefore, that they may not lie against
us, and that we ourselves may not be held respon-
sible for the confusion produced by what has
happened, I have made these things known to your
August Reverence. And obviously you yourself will
deign to make this known to the rest. For I think
that the present confusion will distress many.

LETTER CXxXI
To Tueopotus, BisHorp or Nicopo.is ὃ
Tue winter is severe and very long drawn out, so
that it is not easily within our power to have the
consolation of even a letter. It is for this reason,
I realize, that I have seldom either written to your
Reverence or received a letter from you. But since
Roman Pontiff. Gregory VII finally prescribed that it be
confined to the successors of Peter. To whom Basil here
refers is an enigma.
3 On the same subject, and of the same date as_ the
preceding ; one of the two (cf. CX XX) extant letters of St.
Basil to Theodotus. Theodotus, Bishop of Nicopolis and
Metropolitan of Lesser Armenia, was an aged prelate of
noble character and unquestioned soundness of faith, and
was highly esteemed by Basil. Theodotus, however, sus-
pected Eustathius of Sebaste of unsound doctrine, and when
“Basil, who at first felt a warm friendship for Eustathius,
was reluctant to give credence to these suspicions and even
endeavoured to clear them away, he turned his suspicions
upon Basil himself. Theodotus then became openly cold and
discourteous, and refused to co-operate with Basil in the
appointing of bishops to Lesser Armenia.
249
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Laykrioo pos? ὁ ,συμπρεσβύτερος. τὴν μέχρις

ὑμῶν ὁδοιπορίαν ὑπέστη, δι᾽ αὐτοῦ καὶ προσ-
φθέγγομαί 5 σου τὴν κοσμιότητα, 3 καὶ παρακαλῶ
προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ καὶ χρῆσαι τὴν ἀκοὴν
τῷ προειρημένῳ," ὥστε map’ αὐτοῦ διδαχθῆναι
τὰ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐν οἵοις ὃ ἐστὶ
ἐ καὶ τὴν δυνατὴν
σπουδὴν εἰσενέγκασθαι εἰς τὰ προκείμενα.
Γίνωσκε δὲ ὅτι Φαῦστος γράμματα ἔχων ἧκε
πρὸς ἡμᾶς παρὰ πάπα, ἀξιοῦντα αὐτὸν γενέσθαι
ἐπίσκοπον. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡτήσαμεν nets,” μαρτυ-
ρίαν τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας. καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐπισκό-
πων, καταφρονήσας ἡμῶν πρὸς Ανθιμον @XETO,
Kal Tap αὐτοῦ λαβὼν τὴν χειροτονίαν χωρὶς
ἡμετέρας ὑπομνήσεως ἐπανῆκε.

CXXII
, / /
Ποιμενίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σατάλων
Πάντως ἐπεξήτησας © γράμματα. παρὰ τῶν
᾿Αρμενίων, ὅτε ἐπανῆκαν διὰ σοῦ, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν
ἔμαθες, δι ἣν οὐκ ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐπιστολήν.
εἰ μὲν οὖν εἶπον φιλαλήθως, ἔδωκας ἡμῖν αὐτόθεν
Σαγκτήσιμος ἘΣ, editi antiqi.
apordbeyyucta EK, Med.
τιμιότητα ΗΕ. - εἰρημένῳ K. 5 ois E.
τοῦ add. F. 1 ἡτησάμην ἡμεῖς om. Εἰ, Med.
δ.
μ᾿
ι.9
ὦ
ο
ἐπιζητήσας editi antiqi.

1 Cf, note1, p. 246.

3. Ci. note 1, p. 248.
ΞΡ note 2, p. 248.
4 Cf. note 2, p. 247.
250
 LETTER CXXII

our most beloved brother Sanctissimus,! the pres-

byter, has undertaken the journey to you, through
him I salute your Decorum, and beseech you to pray
for me and to lend audience to the aforesaid, that
you may be informed by him in what condition the
affairs of the churches are and bring all possible zeal
to bear upon the matters aforementioned.
But be informed that Faustus ? came to us with a
letter from a pope,’ asking that he be made bishop.
But when we asked for a testimonial from your
Reverence and from the rest of the bishops, showing
contempt for us, he went to Anthimus,‘ and after
receiving the election from him without any mention
being made of us, he returned.

LETTER CXXII
To Pormenius, Bishop or Sataua5
You must certainly have asked the Armenians for
a letter as they returned through your country, and
must have learned the reason why 1 had not given
them the letter. Now if they spoke with regard for
the truth, you granted us forgiveness on the spot;
5 Written at the end of 372 or beginning of 373. Poemenius,
Bishop of Satala in Armenia, wasa near relation of Basil, and
had been brought up with him in close intimacy. In 372
Valens commissioned Basil to appoint bishops to the vacant
sees in Armenia, among which was Satala. In compliance
with Imperial orders and the earnest petitions of both
magistrates and people, St. Basil appointed Poemenius to
the see in Satala. Cf. Letter CII, where Basil earnestly
commends his friend to the good offices of his new flock. In
the present letter reference is also made to the uncanonical
appointment of Faustus by Anthimus, on which οἵ, the
letters immediately preceding.
251
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τὴν συγγνώμην" εἰ δὲ ἀπεκρύψαντο ἐκεῖνοι, ὅπερ

οὐκ" εἰκάζω---ἀλλὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἄκουε.
Ὁ τὰ πάντα γενναῖος ἼΛνθιμος, ὁ διὰ μακροῦ
χρόνου τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς εἰρήνην σπεισάμενος,
ἐπειδὴ εὗρε καιρὸν ἑαυτοῦ Te? κενοδοξίαν ἐκ-
πληρῶσαι καὶ ἡμῖν λύπην τινὰ προξενῆσαι,
ἐχειροτόνησε τὸν Φαῦστον ἰδίᾳ αὐθεντίᾳ καὶ
ἰδίᾳ χειρί, οὐδενὸς ὑμῶν ἀναμείνας ψῆφον καὶ
ἡμῶν καταγελάσας ἀκριβολογουμένων περὶ τὰ
τοιαῦτα. ἐπεὶ οὖν συνέχεε, μὲν παλαιὰν εὐτα-
ξίαν, κατεφρόνησε δὲ καὶ ὑμῶν, παρ᾽ ὧν ἀνέμενον
ἐγὼ τὴν μαρτυρίαν δέξασθαι, ἐποίησε δὲ πρᾶγμα
οὐκ οἶδα εἰ εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ, τούτου ἕνεκεν3
λυπηθεὶς πρὸς αὐτούς, οὐδεμίαν ἔδωκα, ἐπιστολὴν
πρὸς οὐδένα τῶν ᾿Δρμενίων, 0οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν σὴν
εὐλάβειαν. ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ εἰς κοινωνίαν ἐδεξάμην
τὸν Φαῦστον, φανερῶς διαμαρτυρόμενος, ὅτι εἰ
μὴ ,ὑμέτερά μοι κομίσειε γράμματα, πάντα τὸν
χρόνον ἔσομαι καὶ αὐτὸς ἠλλοτριωμένος καὶ τοὺς
ὁμοψύχους μοιά οὕτω διαθήσω πρὸς αὐτὸν
ἔχειν.
Ei μὲν οὖν ἰάσιμα τὰ γενόμενα, σπούδασον
αὐτός τε ἐπιστεῖλαι μαρτυρῶν αὐτῷ, εἰ ὁρᾷς
ἀγαθὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τὴν ζωήν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους
προτρέψασθαι" εἰ δὲ ἀνίατα, καὶ τοῦτό μοι
φανερὸν ποίησον, ὥστε μηκέτι με αὐτοῖς καθόλου
προσέχειν, εἰ καὶ ὅτι, ὡς ἔδειξαν, ὥρμηνται
λοιπὸν πρὸς τὸν ᾿Άνθιμον ἑαυτῶν ὃ μεταθεῖναι
τὴν κοινωνίαν, ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ταύτης,
ὡς ἑώλων εἰς φιλίαν, καταφρονήσαντες.
1 οὖν KB. 2 τὴν add. EK. 3 ἕνεκα Ki.
252
 LETTER CXXII

but if they concealed the facts, which I do not

suppose—well, hear our story :
The in all respects noble Anthimus, he who long
ago made his peace with us, when he found an
opportunity of satisfying his own conceit and of
causing some vexation to us, consecrated Faustus by
his own authority and with his own hand, waiting
for the vote of no one of you and ridiculing us for
being scrupulous about such matters. Since, then,
he was violating an ancient orderly practice and
had showed contempt even for you, from whom I
was waiting to receive the testimonial, and had
committed an act which I am inclined to consider
displeasing to God, I, feeling aggrieved at the
Armenians on this account, gave them no letter to
anyone in Armenia, not even to your Reverence.
Moreover, I did not even receive Faustus into
communion, plainly giving witness that unless he
should bring me a letter from you, I myself would
be permanently estranged and would dispose those
of like mind with me also to be so disposed toward
him.
Now, if what has happened admits of a remedy,
do you yourself hasten to write, bearing witness for
him, if you see that the life of the man is good, and
to urge the rest to do likewise. But if the situation
is incurable, make this also clear to me, that I may
no longer pay any attention to them at all—even it
you must say that they have undertaken, as they
have indicated, to transfer their communion to
Anthimus, in contempt of us and this church, having
grown stale as regards friendship.

4 μου Εἰ. 5 ἑαυτόν E.

253
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

OXXIII
Οὐρβικίῳ μονάζοντι
Ἔμελλες ἡμῖν παρέσεσθαι (καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν
ἐγγὺς) ἄκρῳ γοῦν δακτύλῳ καταψύξαι' ἡἡμᾶς ἐν
τοῖς πειρασμοῖς φλεγομένους. εἶτα τί; αἱ ἁμαρ-
τίαι ἡμῶν ἀντέβησαν καὶ διεκώλυσαν τὴν ὁρμήν,
ἵν᾽ ἀθεράπευτα κάμνωμεν. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς
κύμασι τὸ μὲν λήγει, τὸ δὲ ἀνίσταται, τὸ δὲ
ἤδη φρίκῃ μελαίνεται, οὕτω καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων
κακῶν τὰ μὲν πέπαυται, τὰ δὲ πάρεστι, τὰ δὲ
προσδοκᾶται" καὶ μία τῶν κακῶν ἡμῖν, ὡς ἐπὶ
τὸ πλεῖστον, ἀπαλλαγή, εἶξαι τῷ καιρῷ καὶ
ὑπεξελθεῖν τοῖς διώκουσιν.
᾿Αλλὰ καὶ πάρεσο ἡμῖν, ἢ παραμυθούμενος,
ἢ καὶ γνώμην δώσων, ἢ καὶ προπέμψων," πάντως
δὲ αὐτῷ τῷ ὀφθῆναι ῥάους ποιήσων. καὶ τὸ
μέγιστον, εὔχου, καὶ ὑπερεύχου, μὴ καὶ τοὺς
λογισμοὺς ἡμῶν βαπτισθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ
καὶ τοῦ κλύδωνος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πᾶσι διαφυλάσσειν
τῷ Θεῷ τὸ εὐχάριστον, ἵνα μὴ ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς
δούλοις ἀριθμηθῶμεν, ἀγαθύνοντι μὲν ἐξομολο-
γούμενοι, παιδεύοντε δὲ διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων μὴ
καταψύξων editi antiqi,
πάρεσο ἡμῖν] ἡμῖν ἧκε μόλις editi antiqi.
προσπέμψων editi antiqi.
μ"
τ
ὦ
»
καὶ τοῦ om. quinque MSS,

1 Written in 373, to Urbicius, a monk, about whom

nothing is known, except for the present letter and Letter
CCLXII. Basil here writes for consolation and advice. The
period 372-374 was one of intense personal suffering for
254
 LETTER CXXIII

LETTER CXXIII
To Ursicius, a Monk!
You were on the point of visiting us (and the
blessing was near), to cool us with but the tip of
your finger as we burned in the midst of temptations.
Then what? Our sins stood in the way and pre-
vented your setting out, that in our sickness we
might find no healing. For just as among the waves
one sinks, another rises, and a third is already turn-
ing black with rippling, so too with our troubles—
some have ceased, others are at hand, and others
are being awaited ; and the one relief from our evils
is, for the most part, to yield to the occasion and to
withdraw from before our pursuers.
But pray do visit us, either to console us, or
to give advice, or to send us on our way, but in
any case by the very sight of you to make us easier
at heart. And——most important of all—pray, and
pray again, that our reason be not submerged by
the flood of evil, but that in all things we may
keep ourselves pleasing to God, in order that we
may not be humbered among the wicked servants
who thank Him when He grants blessings, but
when He chastises through the opposite means do
St. Basil. He and his lifelong friend Gregory of Nazianzus
had become estranged ; Theodotus, Bishop of Nicopolis, for
whom Basil had great esteem, had suspected him of heresy,
and refused to co-operate with him in appointing bishops in
Lesser Armenia; he had at last been forced to see the
treachery and ingratitude of his former friend, Eustathius
of Sebaste ; and, finally, Eusebius of Samosata, his intimate
and confidential counsellor, had been exiled to Thrace by the
Emperor Valens.
255
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
4 > \ \ bf 8) κ᾿ ἥμς A na
προστιθέμενοι: ἀλλὰ καὶ δι’ αὐτῶν τῶν δυσχερῶν
ὠφελώμεθα, μᾶλλον αὐτῷ πιστεύοντες, OTE Kal
’ “Ὁ ~

μᾶλλον χρήζομεν.

CXXIV
Θεοδώρῳ ἢ
Λέγουσί τινες τοὺς ἑαλωκότας τῷ πάθει τοῦ
ἔρωτος, ὅταν κατά τινα βιαιοτέραν ἀνάγκην τῶν
ποθουμένων ἀπάγωνται, εἰ πρὸς τὴν εἰκόνα τῆς
ἀγαπηθείσης μορφῆς ἀποβλέψειαν, τὸ σφοδρὸν
ἀναπαύειν τοῦ πάθους διὰ τῆς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς
ἀπολαύσεως. εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀληθῆ ταῦτα ἢ" μὴ
λέγειν οὐκ ἔχω" ὃ δέ μοι πρὸς τὴν. σὴν συμβέ-
βηκεν ἀγαθότητα οὐ πόρρω τῶν εἰρημένων. ἐστίν.
ἐπειδὴ γὰρ γέγονέ τις διάθεσις. ἐμοὶ πρὸς τὴν
ἱερὰν καὶ ἄδολόν σου ψυχήν, ἵἵν’ οὕτως εἴπω,
ἐρωτική, τὸ δὲ ἀπολαύειν τῶν ποθουμένων, ὡς
οὐδὲ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἀγαθῶν, οὐκ ἐν εὐκολίᾳ ἡμῖν
ἐστὶ διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐναντίωσιν, ἐνόμισα
εἰκόνα τῆς ἀγαθότητός σου ἐναργεστάτην ἐν τῇ
τῶν εὐλαβεστάτων ἡμῶν ἀδελφῶν παρουσίᾳ
ἑωρακέναι. καὶ εἰ δίχα τούτων συνέβη τῇ σῇ
με περιτυχεῖν γνησιότητι, ἐλογισάμην ἂν ἐν σοὶ
κἀκείνους ἑωρακέναι" διότι τῆς “ἀγάπης, λέγω,
τοσοῦτον ἐν ἑκάστῳ ὑμῶν τὸ μέτρον ἐστίν, ὡς
ἐπίσης τὴν περὶ τοῦ πλείονος ἑκάστῳ φιλονεικίαν
ἐμφαίνεσθαι. ἐπὶ τούτοις ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ ἁγίῳ
Θεῷ, καὶ εὔχομαι, εἴπερ ἔτι ὑπολείπεταί τις
1 ἀσπαστική add, Reg. secundus, Coisl, secundus, editi
antiqi.
256
 LETTER CXXIV

not submit. Nay, let us derive benefit even from

our very difficulties, trusting in Him the more when
we stand the more in need.

ΕΝ CXXIV
To THeEoporust
Some say that those who are seized with the
passion of love, whenever through some unusually
urgent necessity they are parted from the object of
their desire, if they can look upon the semblance of
the beloved form in a picture, can check the violence
of their passion through the pleasure they derive
from the sight. Now whether this is true or not
I cannot say; but that which has happened to me
regarding your Goodness is not far from what I
have described. For since I had conceived with
respect to your holy and guiless soul what I may
call an amatory disposition, but the enjoyment of
the object of our desire, like all other blessings, is
made difficult for us by the opposition of our sins, I
thought that I saw a very distinct image of your
Goodness in the presence of our very reverend
brothers. And if, in their absence, I had fallen
in with your Nobility, I should have considered that
in you I had seen them also; for the measure of my
love, I mean, is so great in the case of each of you
that there appears in me an eager desire for the
advantage of each in equal degree. For this I have
thanked the holy God, and I pray, if any period of
1 Written in a.p. 373. The identity of this Theodorus is
quite unknown.

2 7 editi antiqi.
591
VOL. Il. 5
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

χρόνος ζωῆς, γενέσθαι por διὰ σοῦ τὴν ζωὴν

ἡδεῖαν, ὡς τό γε νῦν ἄθλιον πρᾶγμα τὸ ζῆν καὶ
φευκτὸν εἶναι ἡγοῦμαι, τῆς τῶν φιλτάτων συ-
νουσίας κεχωρισμένον. οὐ γάρ ἐστι, κατὰ τὴν
ἐμὴν κρίσιν, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τις ἂν εὐθυμήσειε, τῶν ἀληθῶς
ἀγαπώντων διεζευγμένος.

CXXV
᾿Αντίγραφον Ilictews ὑπαγορευθείσης παρὰ τοῦ
ἁγιωτάτου 5 Βασιλείου, ἣ ὑπέγραψεν Εὐστά-
θιος ὁ Σεβαστείας ἐπίσκοπος.
Τοὺς προληφθέντας ἑτέρᾳ πίστεως ὁμολογίᾳ
καὶ μετατίθεσθαι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὀρθῶν συνάφειαν
1 κεχωρισμένος editio secunda Paris.
2 μεγάλου editi antiqi.

1 Written in 373. This letter represents but one step in

Basil’s gradual disillusionment as to the character of
Eustathius of Sebaste. On Eustathius, cf. Letters LX XIX,
and CXIX with notes. The series of incidents leading up
to Basil’s break with Eustathius may be described briefly as
follows :
Theodotus, bishop of Nicopolis, had invited St. Basil to
attend a Synodical meeting at Nicopolis. Basil, on his way
there, interviewed Eustathius, which at once barred him
from attending the synod. Grieved and humiliated at this
treatment from Theodotus, Basil returned home and sought
counsel from Eusebius of Samosata. This occurred in May
of 372. In the following June or July he again returned to
Armenia, not only to confer with Meletius but also to comply
with an order from the Emperor to place bishops in the
vacant sees of that province. On account of the coolness
between himself and Theodotus, Basil went first to Getasa,
the home of Meletius, and there, in the presence of reliable
258
 LETTER CXXV

life be yet left to me, that my life be made sweet

through you, since for the present, at least, I con-
sider life a wretched thing and to be avoided,
separated as it is from association with those most
dear. For, in my opinion, there is nothing for
which a man may be joyful if he be separated from
those who truly love him.

LETTER CXXV
A Transcript oF ΕἌΙΤΗ DicTaTeED BY THE MOST
Hoty Basit, ro Wuicn EustaTuius, THE BisHop
oF SEBASTE, SUBSCRIBED !
Tuose who have formerly been committed to an
unorthodox confession of Faith and wish to pass
witnesses, he justified his conduct with Eustathius and
refuted the accusations of Theodotus. The latter, who was
present, maintained that Eustathius had denied any agree-
ment with Basil’s propositions. Accordingly, to satisfy
Theodotus, Basil offered to make Eustathius sign a pro-
fession of faith containing all the articles of the Nicene
Creed. Theodotus accepted the plan, and promised to assist
Basil in appointing bishops in Armenia. However, upon his
arrival in Nicopolis, Theodotus forgot all that had passed
and virtually excommunicated Basil. Under these circum-
stances, Basil was prevented from making the appointments.
Fatigued, disappointed, and grieved over the turn of affairs,
he returned home only to find sadly neglected conditions in
his own diocese.
St. Basil made a third visit to Armenia in the year 373,
probably on account of the ordination of Faustus. It was
on this trip that the people of Armenia demanded an assur-
ance of the orthodoxy of Eustathius. St. Basil willingly
offered to go in person to Eustathius and have him sign
a profession of faith. The present letter was accordingly
drafted. Some think it is written by St. Basil together
with Theodotus, while others believe that it has the tone of a
259
5.2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
βουλομένους, 4)
ἢ καὶ νῦν πρῶτον ἐν TH κατηχήσει
τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπιθυμοῦντας γενέσθαι,
χρὴ τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν μακαρίων πατέρων ἐν τῇ κατὰ
Νίκαιάν ποτε συγκροτηθείσῃ συνόδῳ γραφεῖσαν
πίστιν. τὸ δὲ αὐτὸ τοῦτο χρήσιμον ἂν εἴη καὶ
πρὸς τοὺς ὑπονοουμένους ἐναντίως ἔχειν τῇ
ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ καὶ συσκιάξοντας ἑἑαυτῶν
ἀποφυγαῖς εὐπροσώποις τὸ τῆς κακοδοξίας
φρόνημα. καὶ μ᾿ καὶ τούτοις αὐτάρκης ἡ
ἐγκειμένη πίστις. ἢ γὰρ διορθώσαιντο ἑαυτῶν
τὴν ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ νόσον, ἢ συγκαλύπτοντες
αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ βάθει, αὐτοὶ μὲν τὸ κρῖμα τῆς
ἀπάτης βαστάσουσιν, ἡμῖν δὲ τὴν ἀπολογίαν
κούφην ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς κρίσεως παρασκευά-
σουσιν, ὅτε ἀποκαλύψει ὁ Κύριος τὰ κρυπτὰ
τοῦ σκότους, καὶ φανερώσει τὰς βουλὰς τῶν
καρδιῶν. λαμβάνειν τοίνυν αὐτοὺς ὁμολογοῦντας
προσήκει, ὅτι πιστεύουσι κατὰ τὰ ῥήματα τὰ
ὑπὸ τῶν “Πατέρων ἡμῶν ἐκτεθέντα ἐν τῇ Νικαίᾳ
καὶ κατὰ τὴν ὑγιῶς ὑπὸ τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων
ἐμφαινομένην διάνοιαν.
Εἰσὶ γάρ τινες οἱ καὶ ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ πίστει
1 ἑαυτήν EK.

synodical decree. At any rate, a meeting was arranged and

the transcript signed in the presence of witnesses. For Basil’s
own account of the signing, cf. Letter CCXLIV, sec. 2. But
Basil’s suspicions, once aroused, were not easily ‘allayed. He
accordingly proposed another meeting so that the prelates of
Caesarea and Sebaste might be united with one another and
their communion for the future be sincere. Both the place
and the date were decided upon, but Eustathius and his
colleagues failed to keep the appointment.
In spite of all efforts on the part of Eusebius of Samosata
to effect a reconciliation and finally to win Eustathius to the
260
 LETTER CXXV

over into unity with the orthodox, or those who now

for the first time wish to be instructed in the doctrine
of truth, must be taught in the articles of Faith as
drawn up by the blessed Fathers in the synod once
convened at Nicaea. And this same thing would
also be useful for those who are suspected of being
opposed to the sound doctrine and who seek to
cloak with specious subterfuges their unorthodox
views. For even for these the creed embodied
therein suffices. For either they may correct their
hidden malady, or, if they still conceal it in the
depth of their hearts, they will themselves bear the
responsibility for their deception, but for us they will
make easy our defence on the Day of Judgment,
when the Lord “ will reveal the hidden things of
darkness and will make manifest the counsels of the
heart.”1 It is therefore fitting to receive them
when they confess that they believe according to
the words set forth by our Fathers at Nicaea and
according to the meaning disclosed by those words
when soundly interpreted.
For there are some who even in this creed pervert
Nicene faith, Eustathius, shortly after signing the present
letter, renounced communion with Basil and openly attacked
him on the ground of Apollinarism. Although pained at the
duplicity of his former friend, and distressed over his false
charges, Basil for about three years maintained a discreet
silence. He then for the first time openly defended himself
against the slanders of Eustathius. Cf. Letter CCX XIII.
1.1 Cor. 4,5: ὥστε μὴ mpd καιροῦ τι κρίνετε, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ
Κύριος, ὃς καὶ φωτίσει τὰ κρυπτὰ τοῦ σκότους, καὶ φανερώσει τὰς
βουλὰς τῶν καρδιῶν: καὶ τότε ὃ ἔπαινος γενήσεται ἑκάστῳ ἀπὸ τοῦ
Θεοῦ. ““ΤΠΘγοίογθ judge not before the time ; until the Lord
come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of dark-
ness, and will make manifest the counsels of the heart ;
and then shall every man have praise from God.”
261
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

δολοῦντες τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ πρὸς TO

ἑαυτῶν βούλημα τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ ῥημάτων
Ὁ ve x te S40 >
ἕλκοντες. ὅπου ye καὶ Μάρκελλος ἐτόλμησεν, ἀσε-
βῶν eis τὴν ὑπόστασιν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ
lal fal an ? lal

Χριστοῦ καὶ ψιλὸν αὐτὸν ἐξηγούμενος λόγον,

fal \ \ ’ \ > ΄ ig

ἐκεῖθεν προφασίσασθαι * τὰς ἀρχὰς εἰληφέναι,

lal /

τοῦ ὁμοουσίου τὴν διάνοιαν κακῶς ἐξηγούμενος."

καί τινες τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς δυσσεβείας τοῦ Λίβυος
Σαβελλίου, ὑπόστασιν καὶ οὐσίαν ταὐτὸν εἶναι
ὑπολαμβάνοντες, ἐκεῖθεν ἕλκουσι τὰς ἀφορμὰς
ς ΄, > ° \ ’ \

πρὸς τὴν κατασκευὴν τῆς ἑαυτῶν βλασφημίας, ἐκ

τοῦ ἐγγεγράφθαι τῇ πίστει, ὅτι ᾿Βὰν δέ τις λέγῃ ὃ
ἐξ ἑτέρας οὐσίας ἢ ὑποστάσεως τὸν Ὑἱόν, ἀνα-
θεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ ἐκκλησία.
οὐ yap ταὐτὸν εἶπον éxel* οὐσίαν Kal ὑπόστασιν.
3 - /

εἰ γὰρ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐδήλουν ἔννοιαν ai

povat, τίς χρεία ἣν ἑκατέρων ;; ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὅτι,
ὡς τῶν μὲν ἀρνουμένων. τὸ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας εἶναι
τοῦ Πατρός, τῶν δὲ “λεγόντων οὔτε ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας
ἀλλ᾽ ἐ ἄλλης τινὸς ὑποστάσεως, οὕτως ἀμφότερα,
ὡς ἀλλότρια τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ φρονήματος,
ἀπηγόρευσαν. ἐπεὶ ὅπου γε τὸ ἑαυτῶν ἐδήλουν
1 προφασίζεσθαι Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus.
2 ἐξηγούμενος om. EH.
3 χέγει Harl. ; λέξῃ editi antiqi.
* ἐκεῖνοι editi antiqi.

1 Marcellus of Ancyra was one of the bishops present at

the Councils of Ancyra and Nicaea. He was a strong
opponent of Arianism, but in his zeal to combat Arius
adopted the opposite extreme of modified Sabellianism. He
was several times condemned, dying deprived of his see in
374. Marcellus confused the Personality of God, declaring
that God was originally only one Personality, but at the
262
 LETTER CXXV

the doctrine of truth and stretch the sense of the

words in it to suit their own purpose. For instance,
even Marcellus,! acting impiously toward the person 5
of our Lord Jesus Christ and explaining Him as
‘mere “ Word,” had the effrontery to profess that he
had taken his principles from that creed, perversely
explaining the meaning of “consubstantial.”” And
some of those from the impious sect of the Libyan
Sabellius,? understanding person and substance to
be-the same, draw from that creed the beginnings
they use for the establishment of their own blasphemy,
from the fact of its having been written in the creed
that “if anyone says the Son is of a different sub-
stance or person, the Catholic and Apostolic Church
anathematizes him.’’ For it is not said therein that
the substance and the person are the same. For if
the words revealed one and the same meaning, what
was the need of each separately? But it is evident
that, since some denied that the Son is of the
substance of the Father, and others said that He
was not of the substance but of some other person,
thus they condemned both positions as foreign to
the opinion of the Church. For, when they came
creation of the universe the Word or Logos went out from
the Father and was God’s activity in the world. This Logos
became incarnate in Christ and was thus constituted Son of
God. The Holy Ghost likewise went forth as the third
Divine Personality from the Father and from Christ accord-
ing to St. John 20, 22. At the consummation of all things,
however, Christ and the Holy Ghost will return to the
Father, and the Godhead will be again an absolute Unity.
Cf. Cath. Encycl. under Marcellus of Ancyra, Cf. also
Jerome, De Vir. Ill. 86.
2 For a definition of the theological terms used in this
letter, cf. Letter VIII and note.
3 For Sabellius, cf. Introduction, Vol. I.
263
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

φρόνημα, εἶπον ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Πατρὸς τὸν

Υἱόν, οὐκέτι προσθέντες καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς ὑποστά-
σεως. ὥστε ἐκεῖνο μὲν ἐπ᾽ ἀθετήσει κεῖται τοῦ
πονηροῦ φρονήματος, τοῦτο δὲ φανέρωσιν ἐ
ἔχει τοῦ
σωτηρίου δόγματος. δεῖ τοίνυν ὁμολογεῖν ὁμοούσιον
τὸν Ὑἱὸν τῷ Πατρί, καθὼς γέγραπται, ὁμολογεῖν
δὲ ἐνἐ ἰδίᾳ μὲν ὑποστάσει τὸν Πατέρα, ἐἐν ἰδίᾳ δὲ
τὸν Υἱόν, καὶ ἐν ἰδίᾳ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, καθὰ
καὶ αὐτοὶ PDUs” ἐκδεδώκασιν. αὐτάρκως γὰρ
καὶ σαφῶς " ἐνεδείξαντο εἰπόντες, φῶς ἐκ φωτός,
ὅτι ἕτερον μὲν τὸ γεννῆσαν φῶς, ἕτερον δὲ τὸ
γεννηθέν, φῶς μέντοι καὶ pas ὥστε ἕνα Kal
τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν τῆς οὐσίας λόγον. ἐγκείσθω
δὴ ἡμῖν καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ πίστις ἡ κατὰ Νίκαιαν
συγγραφεῖσα.
Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν Πατέρα ὃ παντοκρά-
TOpa, πάντων ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητήν.
καὶ εἰς ἕνα ἸΚύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν Tiov
τοῦ ὅ Θεοῦ, γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ ἸΤατρὸς Μονογενῆ,
τουτέστιν, ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Ἰ]ατρός" Θεὸν ἐκ
Θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτός, Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ
ἀληθινοῦ: γεννηθέντα, οὐ ποιηθέντα' ὁμοούσιον
τῷ Πατρί, δι’ οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, τά τε ἐν τῷ
οὐρανῷ καὶ Ta’ ἐν τῇ γῇ" τὸν δι’ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώ-
πους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα,
καὶ σαρκωθέντα, ἐνανθρωπήσαντα, παθόντα, καὶ
ἀναστάντα τῇ, τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς ®
οὐρανούς, ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ξῶντας καὶ νεκρούς.
καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας: Ἦν
1 εὐσεβῶς Harl., Regius.
2 σοφῶς Harl, secunda manu, editi antiqi.
3 Πατέρα om. E. 4 ἡμῶν add, editi antiqi.
264
 LETTER CXXV

to revealing their opinion, they said that the Son

was of the substance of the Father, not going on
to add “of the person.” Thus the former statement
is laid down as a rejection of faulty opinion, while
the latter contains the declaration of the doctrine
of salvation. It is necessary, therefore, to confess
the Son as of the same substance as the Father, as it
is written, and to confess the Father in His own
proper person, and the Son in His own, and the
Holy Ghost in His own, according as the Fathers
themselves have clearly set forth. For sufficiently
and clearly have they shown this when they said,
“Light of Light, the One which begot Light aa
the Other which was begotten, and yet Light and
Light,” so that the definition of the substance is
one and the same. Now let the creed itself, com-
posed at Nicaea, be added by us.
We believe in one God the Father Almighty,
maker of all things, visible and invisible, and in
one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born of the
Father, the only Begotten, that is, of the substance
of the Father ;God of God, Light of Light, true God
of true God; begotten not made; consubstantial
with the Father, by whom all things were made,
both in heaven and on earth; who for us men and
for our salvation came down and was incarnate, and
was made Man. He suffered and arose on the third
day, and He ascended into heaven and shall come
to judge the living and the dead. And in the Holy
Ghost. And as for such who say “ There was a time

5 τοῦ om. E. 8 καὶ τὰ] τά τε KE.

7 ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν add. editiones Paris. et secunda Basil.
8 τούς om. Εἰ,
265
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ποτέ, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, Kal πρὶν γεννηθῆναι οὐκ Hr,

Kat ὅτι ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐγένετο, ἐξ ἑτέρας
\ Ὁ > > v > , ἢ 5» « /

ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας φάσκοντας εἶναιἢ τρεπτὸν

ἢ ἀλλοιωτὸν τὸν Ὑἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοὺς τοιούτους
ἀναθεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ ᾿Εκ-
κλησία.
᾿Επεὶ οὖν ἐνταῦθα Ta μὲν ἄλλα ἀρκούντως
fal \

καὶ ἀκριβῶς διώρισται, τὰ μὲν ἐπὶ διορθώσει

\ > lal / \ \ > \ ,

τῶν βλαβέντων, τὰ δὲ εἰς προφυλακὴν τῶν

a / \ \ > \ -

προσδοκωμένων ὑποφυήσεσθαι' ὁ δὲ περὶ τοῦ

4 lal

Πνεύματος λόγος ἐν παραδρομῇ κεῖται οὐδεμιᾶς

ἐξεργασίας ἀξιωθεὶς διὰ τὸ μηδέπω τότε τοῦτο
A \ ΄ > , > /
κεκινῆσθαι TO ζήτημα, ἀλλ, ἀνεπιβούλευτον
ἐνυπάρχειν * ταῖς τῶν πιστευόντων ψυχαῖς τὴν
περὶ αὐτοῦ διάνοιαν κατὰ μικρὸν δὲ προϊόντα
τὰ πονηρὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας σπέρματα, ἃ πρότερον
μὲν ὑπὸ ᾿Αρείου τοῦ προστάτου τῆς αἱρέσεως
κατεβλήθη, tὕστερον δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν τὰ ἐκείνου κακῶς
διαδεξαμένων, ἐπὶ λύμῃ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐξετράφη,
καὶ ἡ ἀκολουθία τῆς ἀσεβείας εἰς ΤὴΝ κατὰ τοῦ
Πνεύματος νυ ο Ἀτ ἀπέσκηψεν" 3 ἀναγκαῖον
πρὸς τοὺς μὴ φειδ ομένους ἑαυτῶν, μηδὲ προορω-
μένους τὴν ἄφυκτον ἀπειλήν, ἣν “τοῖς βλασφη-
μοῦσιν εἰς τὸ ΠΠνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν
ἐπανετείνατο,3 ἐκεῖνο προτείνειν, ὅτι χρὴ αὐτοὺς
ἀναθεματίξειν τοὺς λέγοντας κτίσμα τὸ Πνεῦμα
τὸ ἅγιον, καὶ τοὺς νοοῦντας οὕτω, καὶ τοὺς μὴ
ὁμολογοῦντας αὐτὸ φύσει ἅγιον εἶναι, ὡς ἔστι
φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Ilatnp, καὶ φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Tios,
/ fod e / \ / Ὁ“ ig ee

arn ἀποξενοῦντας ὁ αὐτὸ τῆς θείας καὶ μακαρίας

lal lol /

φύσεως. ἀπόδειξις δὲ τοῦ ὀρθοῦ φρονήματος τὸ

1 ὑπάρχειν E. 2 ἐπέσκηψεν KE, Regius,
266
 LETTER CXXV

when He was not,’ and “ Before He was begotten

He was not,” or that “ He came into existence from
what was not,” or who profess that the Son of God
is of a different person or substance, or that He
changeth, or is variable, such as these the Catholic
and Apostolic Church anathematizes.
Since, therefore, all points with but one exception
have been sufficiently and accurately defined herein,
some as an emendation for what had been per-
verted, and others as a precaution against what was
expected to arise—for the doctrine of the Holy
Ghost was laid down cursorily, not being considered
as necessary of elaboration, because at that time
this question had not yet been agitated, but the
sense of it was unassailably inherent in the souls
of the faithful—but since, coming forth little by
little, the baneful seeds of impiety, which had been
sown before by Arius, the author of the heresy, and
later by those who wickedly succeeded to his opinions,
have been nurtured to the harm of the churches,
and the succession of impiety has broken forth into
blasphemy against the Spirit, in view of these things
it is necessary to hold before those who have no
pity for themselves nor foresee the inevitable threat
which our Lord held over those who blaspheme the
Holy Ghost, this conclusion—that we must anathe-
matize those who call the Holy Spirit a creature,
both those who think so, and those who will not
confess that He is holy by nature, even as the
Father is holy by nature, and as the Son is holy
by nature, but deprive Him of His divine and
blessed nature. And the proof of orthodox opinion

3 ἐπανετείνετο H, 4 ξενοῦντας EK.

26]
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

μὴ χωρίζειν αὐτὸ
\ “ > \
Ilatpos καὶ Ὑἱοῦ (δεῖ yap
Ν \ Nie! a Ἀ

ἡμᾶς βαπτίζεσθαι μέν, ὡς παρελάβομεν πισ-

τεύειν δέ, ὡς βαπτιζόμεθα: δοξάζειν δέ, ὡς
πεπιστεύκαμεν, Ἰ]ατέρα καὶ Ὑἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον
Πνεῦμα), ἀφίστασθαι δὲ τῆς κοινωνίας τῶν
κτίσμα λεγόντων, ὡς φανερῶς βλασφημούντων'
ἐκείνου διωμολογημένου (ἀναγκαία γὰρ ἡ ἐπιση-
μείωσις διὰ τοὺς συκοφάντας), ὅτι οὔτε ἀγέννητον
λέγομεν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον: ἕνα γὰρ οἴδαμεν
ἀγέννητον καὶ μίαν τῶν ὄντων ἀρχήν, τὸν
Πατέρα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ" οὔτε
γεννητόν" ἕνα γὰρ μονογενῆ ἐν τῇ παραδύσει τῆς
πίστεως δεδιδάγμεθα" τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας
ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορεύεσθαι διδαχθέντες, ἐκ τοῦ
Θεοῦ εἶναι ὁμολογοῦμεν ἀκτίστως. ἀναθεμα-
τίζειν δὲ καὶ τοὺς λειτουργικὸν λέγοντας τὸ
Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὡς διὰ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης εἰς
τὴν τοῦ κτίσματος κατάγοντας τάξιν. τὰ γὰρ
λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα κτίσματα ἡμῖν ἡ Ῥραφὴ
παρέδωκεν, εἰποῦσα, ὅτι ΤΠὰντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ
πνεύματα εἰς διακονίαν “ἀποστελλόμενα. διὰ δὲ
τοὺς πάντα φύροντας καὶ μὴ φυλάσσοντας τὴν ἐν
τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις διδασκαλίαν, ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι καὶ
τοῦτο “προσδιαστείλασθαι" ὅτι φεύγειν δεῖ καὶ
τοὺς τὴν ἀκολουθίαν ἣν παρέδωκεν ἡἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος
ἐναμείβοντας, ὡς “φανερῶς μαχομένους τῇ εὐσε-
Bela,” καὶ Υἱὸν μὲν προτάσσοντας 5 τοῦ Ilatpos,
Υἱοῦ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον προτιθέντας.
ἀκίνητον γὰρ καὶ ἀπαρεγχείρητον φυλάσσειν
1 προδιαστείλασθαι E. 2 ἀληθείᾳ editi antiqi.
3 προστάσσοντας HK.
268
 LETTER CXXV

is not to separate Him from the Father and the Son

(for we must be baptized as we have received the
words of baptism, and we must believe as we are
baptized, and we must give glory as we have believed,
. to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost), but to
abstain from communion with those, as open blas-
phemers, who call Him a creature; since this point
is agreed upon (for comment is necessary because of
the slanders), that we neither speak of the Holy
Spirit as unbegotten—for we recognize One un-
begotten and One Beginning of all existing things,
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ—nor speak of
Him as begotten—for we have been taught One
only begotten in the tradition of our Faith; and
having been taught that the Spirit of Truth pro-
ceeds from the Father, we confess it to be from
God without any act of creation. And we must
anathematize also those who speak of the Holy
Ghost as ministering, on the ground that by this
expression they lower Him to the order of creatures.
For Scripture has handed down to us the ministering
spirits as creatures, saying, “All are ministering
spirits sent to minister.”"}_ And on account of those
who confuse everything and do not preserve the
teaching of the Gospel, it is necessary to lay down
this principle also—that we must avoid those who
change the order which our Lord had left us, as
being clearly enemies of religion, and place the Son
before the Father and put the Holy Spirit before
the Son. For it is meet that we keep unaltered
1 Cf. Heb. 1, 14: οὐχὶ πάντες εἰσὶ λειτουργικὰ πνεύματα, εἰς
διακονίαν ἀποστελλόμενα διὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας κληρονομεῖν σωτηρίαν;
** Are they not all ministering spirits, sent to minister for
them who shall receive the inheritance of salvation ?”
269
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

προσήκει τὴν ἀκολουθίαν, ἣν ἐξ αὐτῆς τοῦ Κυρίου

τῆς φωνῆς παρελάβομεν, εἰπόντος" ἸΠορευθέντες,
μαθητεύσατε πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, βαπτίζοντες αὐτοὺς
εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Ἰ]ατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Ὑἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ
ἁγίου Ivevpatos.
Ὑπογραφὴ Ἐὐσταθίου ἐπισκόπου.1
Εὐστάθιος ἐπίσκοπος σοὶ Βασιλείῳ ἀναγνοὺς
ἐγνώρισα, καὶ συνήνεσα τοῖς προγεγραμμένοις.
ὑπέγραψα δὲ συμπαρόντων μοι τῶν ἀδελφῶν, τοῦ
ἡμετέρου Φρόντωνος, καὶ τοῦ χωρεπισκόπου
Σεβήρου, καὶ ἄλλων τινῶν κληρικῶν.

CXXVI
᾿Αταρβίῳ 5
Παραγενόμενος μέχρι τῆς Νικοπόλεως ἐπ᾽
ἐλπίδι τοῦ καὶ τὰς κινηθείσας ταραχὰς ἐπανορ-
θώσασθαι καὶ τὴν ἐνδεχομένην ἐπαγαγεῖν παρα-
μυθίαν τοῖς ἀτάκτως καὶ παρὰ τὸν ἐκκλησια-
στικὸν θεσμὸν γενομένοις, σφόδρα ἠθυμήσαμεν
μὴ καταλαβόντες σου τὴν χρηστότητα, ἀλλὰ
μαθόντες ἐξεληλακέναι σε πρὸς πᾶσαν ἔπειξιν,,"
καὶ ταῦτα μεσούσης σχεδὸν τῆς συνόδου τῆς παρ᾽
ὑμῶν τελουμένης. διὸ ἀναγκαίως ἐπὶ τὸ γράμμα
ἤλθομεν, OL οὗ ὑπομιμνήσκομεν ἀπαντῆσαι πρὸς
1 «πογραφὴ Εὐσταθίου ἐπισκόπου] καὶ ὑπέγραψεν Εὐστάθιος ὃ
Σεβαστείας ἐπίσκοπος Harl., Regius.
2 Νικοπόλεως add, Clar. Νεοκαισαρείας add. KE, Med.
3 γεγενημένοις K, Med. 4 ἐπίδειξιν EK.

1 Matt. 28, 19.

2 Fronto was a priest under the jurisdiction of Theodotus,
3ishop of Nicopolis, to whose see he was elevated after the
270
 LETTER CXXVI

and untampered with that order which we received

from the very words of Our Lord, when He said,
“Going teach ye all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the-Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost.” 1

Signature of Eustathius, Bishop.

I, Eustathius, bishop, after reading to you, Basil,
have understood, and have approved what has been
written above. And I have signed in the presence
of my brothers, our Fronto,? the suffragan-bishop
Severus,’ and certain other members of the clergy.

LETTER: CXXVI
To Ararsius4
Arriving at Nicopolis in the hope of setting
right the troubles which had been stirred up and
of providing all possible relief for what had hap-
pened irregularly and contrary to ecclesiastical law,
we were greatly disappointed when we did not meet
your Goodness, but learned that you had departed in
all haste and indeed almost in the middle of the synod
which was being held by you. ‘Therefore we must
have recourse to writing, through which we bid you
latter’s death. However, he did not possess Theodotus’
firmness of character, for he fell into heresy.
3 Known only from this passage.
4 Of the year 373. For Atarbius, Bishop of Neocaesarea,
ef. Letter LXV. He was a relative of Basil, and the leader
of the Neocaesareans in their revolt against Basil. Cf.
Letter CCVII. The present letter is an excellent example
of the firm and tactful way in which Basil dealt with such
as wandered from the orthodox faith and as even had
wronged himself,
271
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡμᾶς, ἵνα αὐτὸς διὰ σαυτοῦ παραμυθήσῃ ἡμῶν

τὴν λύπην, ἣν μέχρι θανάτου λελυπήμεθα,
ἀκούσαντες ἐπὶ μέσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας τετολμῆσθαι
πράγματα οὔπω μέχρι τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης εἰς
ἀκοὴν ἡμετέραν ἐλθόντα. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰ καὶ
λυπηρὰ καὶ βαρέα, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι φορητά, διὰ τὸ εἰς
ἄνθρωπον γεγενῆσθαι, ὃς ὃ τὴν ὑπὲρ ὧν πέπονθεν
ἐκδίκησιν τῷ Θεῷ ἐπιτρέψας, ὅλος ἐστὶ τῆς
εἰρήνης καὶ τοῦ μηδὲν παρὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ αἰτίαν
βλαβερὸν γίνεσθαι 3 τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ.
᾿Επειδὴ δέ τινες τῶν τιμίων καὶ πάσης πίστεως
ἀξίων ἀδελφῶν ἀπήγγειλαν ἡμῖν, ὡς περὶ τὴν
πίστιν καινοτομουμένων τινῶν καὶ λαλουμένων
παρὰ σοῦ ὑπεναντίως τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ,
ἐπὶ τούτοις 3 πλέον συγκινηθέντες, καὶ πολὺν
ἀγῶνα ἀγωνιάσαντες τοῦ μὴ πού TL® πρὸς τοῖς
μυρίοις τραύμασιν, οἷς πέπονθεν ἡ ᾿Εκκλησία
παρὰ τῶν εἰς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου
ἐξαμαρτόντων," ἔτι καὶ ἄλλο ἀναφυῇ κακόν, ἀνα-
νεωθείσης τῆς παλαιᾶς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ τῆς Ἔκκλη-
σίας Σαβελλίου αἱρέσεως (τούτοις γὰρ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ
ἀπήγγειλαν 7 ἡμῖν συγγενῆ εἶναι τὰ εἰρημένα),
τούτου ἕνεκεν ἐπεστείλαμεν, ἵνα μὴ ὀκνήσῃς
μικρὸν διάστημα κινηθεὶς καταλαβεῖν ὃ ἡμᾶς, καὶ
τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις πληροφορίαν παρασχόμενος, ἡμῶν
τε τὴν ὀδύνην καταπραῦναι, καὶ τὰς ὃ τοῦ Θεοῦ
ἐκκλησίας παραμυθήσασθαι, τὰς νῦν ἀφορήτως
καὶ βαρέως ἐπί τε τοῖς πεπραγμένοις καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς
θρυλλουμένοις εἰρῆσθαι παρὰ σοῦ λυπουμένας.
1 ἑαυτοῦ E. 2 γενέσθαι E, editi antiqi.
3 τούτῳ EK. 4 τοῦ om. E.
5 τε editi antiqi. 5 ἐξαμαρτανόντων Med. et Bigot.
272
 LETTER CXXVI

to meet us, that you yourself in person may console

our grief, which has distressed us unto death, for
we heard that in the midst of the Church you dared
a thing which has never before this day come to our
hearing. But even these things, even if they are
painful and severe, are yet endurable, because they
have happened to a man who has entrusted to God
the requital of his sufferings and is wholly desirous
of peace and of having nothing harmful happen,
through any fault of his, to the people of God.
But since some of our honoured brothers who are
worthy of every trust have announced to us that
certain innovations in regard to the faith are being
made by you, and that things are being said by you
contrary to sound teaching, being aroused the more
on this account, and being in great distress lest per-
chance, in addition to the countless wounds which the
Church has suffered at the hands of those who have
erred against the truth of the Gospel, still another
evil may spring up, if there be a renewal of the
ancient heresy of Sabellius,| the enemy of the
Church (for our brothers announced that the words
‘spoken by you were akin to his), on this account we
have written, that you may not hesitate to rouse
yourself and undertake a short journey to us, and,
by furnishing us full information on these points, to
assuage our grief and to solace the churches of God,
which are now unbearably and seriously grieved at
what has been done and at what is generally
reported to have been said by you.
1 Vol. I, Introduction.

1 ἀπήγγελον editi antiqi. 8 παραλαβεῖν HK.

® τοῦ add. E.
273
VOL. II, T
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CXXVII
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
Ὃ φιλάνθ wros Θεὸς ὁ συμμέτρους ταῖς
θλίψεσι τὰς παρακλήσεις συνάπτων καὶ παρα-
καλῶν τοὺς ταπεινούς, ἵνα μὴ λάθωσιν ὑπὸ τῆς
περισσοτέρας λύπης καταποθέντες, ἴσην ταῖς
ἐπιγενομέναις ἡμῖν κατὰ τὴν Νικόπολιν ταραχαῖς
τὴν παραμυθίαν ἐπήγαγε, τὸν θεοφιλέστατον
ἐπίσκοπον ᾿Ιοβῖνον ἐν καιρῷ ἐπιστήσας" ὃς ὅπως
εὐκαίρως ἡμῖν ἐπεφάνη, αὐτὸς διηγησάσθω.
ἡμεῖς γὰρ φειδόμενοι τοῦ μήκους τῆς ἐπιστολῆς
σιωπήσομεν, καὶ ἵνα μὴ δόξωμεν τοὺς ἐκ μετα-
βολῆς ἀγαπητοὺς ἡμῖν γενομένους ἢ οἱονεὶ τῇ
ὑπομνήσει τοῦ σφάλματος στηλιτεύειν.
᾿Αλλὰ παράσχοι ὁ ἅγιος Θεὸς ἐπιστῆναί σε
τοῖς ἡμετέροις τόποις, ὥστε περιπτύξασθαι μὲν
τὴν σὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν, διηγήσασθαι δὲ τὰ καθ᾽
ἕκαστον. πέφυκε γάρ πως τὰ κατὰ τὴν πεῖραν
λυπήσαντα ψυχαγωγίαν τινὰ 2 ἔχειν ἐν διηγή-
μασι.3 πλὴν adr ὑπὲρ ὧν τελείως μὲν ὡς πρὸς
τὴν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην, προηγουμένως δὲ καὶ
1 γινομένους ΒΕ), Med. 2 τινά om. E.
3 πολλήν add. editi antiqi.

1 Written about June 373. All that is definitely known

of Eusebius of Samosata is learned from the letters of St.
Basil the Great and St. Gregory of Nazianzus. He was
instrumental in the consecration of Meletius as Bishop of
Antioch, and was his staunch supporter during the long
274
 LETTER CXXVII

LETTER CXXVII
To Evusesius, BisHop or SamosaTa!
Our merciful God, who applies consolations com-
mensurate with our afflictions and consoles the
downhearted, lest unaware they be overwhelmed
by excessive grief, has brought to us a solace equal
to the troubles that befell! us at Nicopolis, having
caused the most God-beloved bishop, Jovinus, to
come opportunely; and how very opportunely he
appeared to us, let him himself tell. For we, to
spare a long letter, shall say nothing ourselves,
and also that we may not seem to denounce as it
were publicly by the mention of their error those
who by a change of heart have become dear to us.
But may the holy God grant that you may come
to our region, so that I may embrace your August
Reverence, and recount to you every particular.
For it is natural somehow that matters which have
grieved us when we experienced them can afford a
certain gratification when we recount them. How-
ever, as regards those matters in which our most
God-beloved bishop has been active—with complete
years of schism and exile. It was likewise through his
efforts that Basil was elevated to the see of Caesarea. This
was the beginning of a mutual and unbroken friendship.
After Easter in 374, Eusebius was exiled to Thrace. He was
recalled in 378, and on his return to Samosata was martyred.
Previous letters addressed to him are XX VII, XXX, XXXI,
XXXIV, XLVII, XLVI, XCV, XCVIII, and C.
Shortly after Basil’s return from Nicopolis, whither he
had gone to investigate the trouble caused by the uncanonical
consecration of Faustus, Jovinus paid him a visit and rallied
to his support. Jovinus himself is apparently the bearer of
this letter, telling the good news to Eusebius.
275
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

στιβαρῶς ὡς πρὸς τὴν τῶν κανόνων ἀκρίβειαν ὁ

θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος ἐκινήθη, ἐπαίνεσον
αὐτόν, καὶ εὐχαρίστησον τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι τὰ σὰ
θρέμματα πανταχοῦ τὸν χαρακτῆρα τῆς σῆς
σεμνότητος δείκνυσιν.

CXXVIII
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
᾿Εγὼ τὴν περὶ τὸ εἰρηνεύεσθαι τὰς ἐκκλησίας
τοῦ Κυρίου | σπουδὴν ἔργῳ μὲν ἐνδείξασθαι ἀξίως
οὔπω δεδύνημαι, ἐν δὲ τῇ καρδίᾳ μου τοσαύτην
ἔχειν ἐπιθυμίαν φημί, ὥστε ἡδέως ἂν καὶ τὴν
ζωὴν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ προέσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ τὴν ὑπὸ
τοῦ πονηροῦ ἐξαφθεῖσαν φλόγα τοῦ μίσους κατα-
σβεσθῆναι. καὶ εἰ μὴ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἕνεκεν τῆς
κατὰ τὴν εἰρήνην ἠνεσχόμην ἐγγίσαι τοῖς κατὰ
Κολώνειαν τόποις, μὴ εἰρηνευθείη μοι“ ἡ ξωή.
εἰρήνην μέντοι τὴν ἀχηθινὴν τὴν UT αὐτοῦ τοῦ
Κυρίου καταλειφθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἐπιξητῶ" καὶ ὃ
παρεκάλεσά * μοι εἰς πληροφορίαν ὑπάρξαι, οὐκ
ἄλλο τι ἐπιθυμοῦντός ἐστιν ἢ τῆς ἀληθινῆς
εἰρήνης, κἂν ἄλλως τινὲς διαστρέφοντες τὴν
ἀλήθειαν ἐξηγῶνται. ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὖν κεχρήσθω.
1 Θεοῦ quattuor MSS. 2 μοῦ KE.
8 ὃ παρεκάλεσα] ὕπερ ἐκάλεσα editi antiqi.

1 Written in 373. For Eusebius, see preceding letters.

This letter is Basil’s reply to a letter from Eusebius, in
which Eusebius attempted to effect a reconciliation between
Basil and Eustathius of Sebaste. On Eustathius of Sebaste,
see preceding letters. ν
276
 LETTER CXXVIII

success as far as his love towards us is concerned,

and especially and with great vigour so far as the
exact observance of the canons is concerned—give
him praise, and thank the Lord, that your disciples
everywhere display the character of your Holiness.

LETTER CXXVIII
To Eusesius, BisHop or SamMosatat
I HAVE not yet been able in a worthy manner to
give practical proof of my zeal for establishing peace
among the churches of the Lord, but in my heart I
cherish, I affirm, so great a desire that I would
gladly even lay down my life to extinguish this
flame of hatred that has been stirred up by the
evil one. And if it was not on account of this
desire of peace that I consented to visit the region
of Colonia,? may my life enjoy no peace. But it is
the true peace left us by the Lord Himself that
I am seeking ; and what I demanded should be put
into my hands as a guarantee,® is the act of one
who desires nothing other than the true peace,
even though certain persons# distort the truth and
2 Letters CCXXVII and CCXXVIII are addressed to the
clergy and magistrates of Colonia in Armenia. This was
probably the place at which, in the presence of Basil and
others, Eustathius was to subscribe to the Creed as defined
in Letter CX XV.
3 7.e. of the orthodoxy of Eustathius of Sebaste.
4 Probably the two monks, Basil and Euphronius, who
had been recommended to St. Basil’s service by Eustathius,
and who had busied themselves spreading calumnies about
St. Basil. Cf. Letter CXIX.
277
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

σαν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐφ᾽ ἃ βϑθούλονται".

πάντως γὰρ αὐτοῖς ποτὲ τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων
μεταμελήσει.
Τὴν δὲ σὴν ὁσιότητα παρακαλῶ μεμνῆσθαι τῶν
ἐξ ἀρχῆς προτάσεων, καὶ μὴ παράγεσθαι ἄλλας
ἀποκρίσεις ἀντ᾽ ἄλλων ἐρωτημάτων “δεχόμενον, '
μηδὲ ποιεῖν ἐνεργὰ τὰ σοφίσματα τῶν ἄνευ τῆς
περὶ τὸ λέγειν δυνάμεως ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς μόνης τῆς
γνώμης δεινότατα πάντων τὴν ἀλήθειαν κακουρ-
γούντων. προέτεινα γὰρ ἁπλᾶ, καὶ σαφῆ καὶ
εὐμνημόνευτα ῥήματα: εἰ τοὺς μὴ δεχομένους τὴν
ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν παραιτούμεθα εἰς κοινωνίαν,
καὶ εἰ μετὰ τῶν κτίσμα λέγειν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ
ἅγιον ἀποτολμώντων τὸ μέρος ἔχειν οὐκ ἀνε-
χόμεθα. ὁ δέ," ἀντὶ τοῦ πρὸς ἔπος ταῖς ἐρωτήσε-
σιν ἀποκρίνασθαι, ἐκεῖνα ἡμῖν ἐρραψῴδησεν
ἅπερ ἀπέστειλας" καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀφελείᾳ 8 γνώμης,
ὡς ἄν τῳ δόξαι," οὐδὲ τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι συνορᾷν τὸ
ἀκόλουθον. ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο λογίζεται, OTL
ὅ ἀρνούμενος
μὲν ἡμῶν τὴν πρότασιν, τοῖς λαοῖς ἑαυτὸν κατάδη-
λον ποιήσει, συντιθέμενος δὲ ἡμῖν, τῆς μεσότητος
ἀποστήσεται, ἧς οὐδὲν αὐτῷ > μέχρι τοῦ νῦν γέγονε
προτιμότερον. μὴ τοίνυν ἡμᾶς κατασοφιξέσθω,
μηδὲ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τὴν σὴν παρακρουέσθω
φρόνησιν' ἀλλὰ ,»σύντομον ἡμῖν λόγον ἀποστει-
λάτω πρὸς τὸ ἐρώτημα, ἢ ὁμολογῶν τὴν κοινωνίαν
πρὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τῆς πίστεως, ἢ ἀρνούμενος.
ἐὰν ταῦτα ,»συμπείσῃς αὐτὸν καὶ πέμψῃς μοι
ὀρθὰς καὶ οἵας εὔχομαι τὰς ἀποκρίσεις, ἐγώ εἰμι
1 δεχομένην editi antiqi. 2 ὃ δέ] οὐδέ E.
3 ἀφελείᾳ HE.
4 ἄν τῳ δόξαι] αὐτῷ δόξαι H, editi antiqi.
278
 LETTER CXXVIII

interpret it otherwise. So let them employ their

tongues as they will, for assuredly they will some
day regret such words.
But I urge your Holiness! to be mindful of the
primary propositions, and not to be led astray by
accepting answers which do not correspond to the
questions, and not to render effective the quibbles
of men who, lacking all ability to speak on the
strength of their mere opinions, corrupt the truth
most dreadfully of all men. For I set forth pro-
positions in terms which were simple, clear, and
easily remembered :—whether we shall forbid the
admission to our communion of those who do not
accept the Nicaean Creed, and whether we shall
refuse to have any participation with those who
dare to call the Holy Spirit a creature. But he,
instead of answering my questions word for word,
recited the very same statements that you have
written us; and this he did with no simplicity of
mind, as one might think, nor through any in-
ability to realize the outcome. On the contrary,
he has this in mind,—that if he denies our proposi-
tion, he will make his true self clear to the people,
but that if he agrees with us, he will be withdrawing
from the middle course, which has thus far been de-
cidedly preferable to him. So donot let him outwit
us,and donot let him deceive your wisdom as he has
done with the rest; but let him send us a succinct
answer to the question, either confessing communion
with the enemies of the faith or denying it. If you
win him over to this and the answers you send me
are direct and such as I pray for, I am the one who
1 A title given in Byzantine times to bishops and monks,
and sometimes to emperors.
279
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὁ τὰ κατόπιν πάντα ,“ἡμαρτηκώς" ἐγὼ δέχομαι

e

πᾶσαν τὴν αἰτίαν ἐκείνην ἐπ᾽ ἐμαυτόν" τότε με

ἀπαίτει ταπεινοφροσύνης ἐπίδειξιν. ἕως δ᾽ ἂν
μηδὲν γένηται τούτων, σύγγνωθι, θεοφιλέστατε
πάτερ, μὴ δυναμένῳ μετὰ ὑποκρίσεως. θυσια-
στηρίῳ Θεοῦ παρεστάναι." εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο
ἐφοβούμην, τίνος ἕνεκεν ἐμαυτὸν ἐχώριξον Εὐϊπ-
πίου, Τρ αν μὲν τὰ περὶ λόγους, ττοσοῦτον δὲ
χρόνῳ " προήκοντος, τοσαῦτα δὲ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς
φιλίας δίκαια κεκτημένου ; εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνα καλῶς καὶ
προσηκόντως ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπράξαμεν, γε-
λοῖον δή που τοῖς τὰ αὐτὰ ἐκείνῳ λέγουσι διὰ
τῆς τῶν εὐφυῶν τούτων καὶ χαριέντων μεσότητος
συναπτόμενον φαίνεσθαι.
Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ παντελῶς μοι δοκεῖ τῶν μὴ δεχο-
μένων τὴν πίστιν ἀλλοτριοῦν ἑαυτούς, ἀλλὰ
ποιήσασθαί τίνα TOV ἀνδρῶν ἐπιμέλειαν κατὰ
τοὺς παλαιοὺς θεσμοὺς τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ ἐπι-
στεῖλαι αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ μιᾶς γνώμης, πᾶσαν παρά-
κλησιν μετ᾽ εὐσπλαγχνίας προσάγοντας, καὶ τὴν
τῶν πατέρων πίστιν προτεινομένους προκαλεῖσθαι
αὐτοὺς εἰς συνάφειαν: κἂν μὲν πείσωμεν, κοινῶς
αὐτοῖς ἑνωθῆναι" ἐὰν δὲ ἀποτύχωμεν, ἀρκεῖσθαι
ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις, τὸν δὲ ἐπαμφοτερισμὸν τοῦτον
ἐξορίσαι τοῦ ἤθους, ἀναλαβόντας τὴν εὐαγγε-
λικὴν καὶ ἄδολον πολιτείαν, ἣ συνέζων οἱ ἐξ

1 παριστάναι
ρ editi antiqi.
1 2 xP χρόνον editi antiqi.
1

1 The superlative form of this adjective was used in

Christian times as a title applied to bishops, monks,
deacons, and emperors.
280
 LETTER CXXVIII

have been utterly at fault inthe past; I take all

the blame upon myself; then you may demand of
me a proof of humility. But as long as none of
these things comes to pass, forgive me, most god-
beloved ! father, if I cannot as a hypocrite stand at
God’s altar. For if it were not for my fear of
hypocrisy, why did I separate myself from Euippius,”
so eminent in letters, so advanced in years, possess-
ing so many claims to friendship with us? And if
on that occasion we acted nobly and properly in
support of the truth, surely it would be ridiculous
for me to appear to be united with those who,
through the mediation of these clever and charming
persons, make the same assertions as he made.
And yet it does not seem best to me to estrange
ourselves entirely from those who do not accept the
faith, but we should show some concern for these
men according to the old laws of charity and should
with one accord write letters to them, offering every
exhortation with kindliness, and proffering to them
the faith of the Fathers we should invite them to
join us; and if we convince them, we should be
united with them in communion; but if we fail, we
should ourselves be content with one another, and
should remove this present uncertainty from our
way of life, taking up again that evangelical and
guileless polity in which they lived who from the
2 Kuippius: a bishop of Arianizing doctrines, from whom
Basil felt it necessary for the cause of truth to separate
altogether. Cf. Letter LVI. Eustathius of Sebaste, in
A.D. 360, violently declaimed against Euippius as not de-
serving the name of bishop, but in a.p. 376, Eustathius
united with him and recognized the bishops and presbyters
he had ordained. Cf. Letters CCXXVI, CCXXXIX,
CCXLIV, CCLI.
281
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀρχῆς προσελθόντες τῷ λόγῳ. ἣν γάρ, φησί,

τῶν πιστευσάντων καρδία. καὶ , Ψυχὴ μία. ἐὰν
μὲν οὖν πεισθῶσί σοι, ταῦτα ἄριστα. εἰ δὲ μή,
γνωρίσατε τοὺς πολεμοποιούς, καὶ παύσασθε
ἡμῖν τοῦ λοιποῦ περὶ διαλλαγῶν ἐπιστέλλοντες.
ς nA - lol \ a > /

CXXIX
Μελετίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Αντιοχείας
Ἤ
Hodew 6OTL ξενίσει τὴν ἀκοὴν τῆς τελειότητός
σου τὸ νῦν ἐπιφυὲν ἔγκλημα τῷ πάντα εἰπεῖν
εὐκόλῳ ᾿Απολιναρίῳ. καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ αὐτὸς τὸν
πρὸ τούτου ὙΠ ἤμην ἐπιστάμενος ἔχειν"
ἀλλὰ νῦν οἱ Σεβαστηνοὶ διερευνησάμενοί ποθεν
αὐτὰ εἰς τὸ μέσον ἤνεγκαν, καὶ περιφέρουσι
σύνταγμα, ἐξ οὗ μάλιστα καὶ ἡμᾶς καταδικά-
Covow, ὡς τὰ αὐτὰ φρονοῦντας, ἔχον ῥήσεις

1 Cf. Acts, 4, 32: τοῦ δὲ πλήθους τῶν πιστευσάντων ἣν 7

καρδία καὶ ἣ ψυχὴ μίας ‘* And the multitude of believers had
but one heart and one soul.”
2 The Benedictine edition has assigned the composition of
this letter to A.D. 373. | Loofs presents rather unconvincing
arguments for both this letter and the following (CXXX)
being written in the summer of 375.
The addressee of this letter, St. Meletius, Bishop of
Antioch, was born in Melitene, Lesser Armenia, and died at
Antioch in 381. He apparently believed that truth lay in
delicate distinctions, but his formula was so indefinite that it
is difficult even to-day to grasp it clearly. He was neithera
thorough Nicene nor a decided Arian, and he passed alter-
nately as an Anomean, a Homoiousian, a Homoian, or a
Neo-Nicene, seeking always to remain outside any inflexible
classification. After his death his name long remained for the
282
 LETTER CXXIX

beginning adhered to the Word.! “For,” he says,

“the believers had but one heart and one soul.”
If, then, they obey you, that will be best. But if
not, recognize the instigators of the trouble, and
henceforth cease writing to me about a recon
ciliation.

LETTER CXXIX
To Me tetius, Bisnop ΟΕ ANTIOCH 2
I knew that the charge which has now sprung up
against Apollinaris,® that man who is so ready to say
anything, would surprise the ears of your Perfection.4
For in fact not even I myself was aware until the
present time that the situation was as it is; but now
the Sebastenes, having sought out these matters
from some source, have brought them before the
public, and they are circulating a document from
which they bring accusations chiefly against us as
well, on the ground that we hold the same views as
those expressed in the document. It contains such

Eastern faithful a rallying sign and a synonym of orthodoxy.

Basil here writes to refute the charges made against him of
teaching heresy, and he names Apollinaris as the real author
of the heretical document used as evidence. He considers
other matters also, including the action taken upon his case
at the court.
3 Apollinaris (᾿Απολινάριος) the Younger, Bishop of Lao-
dicea, flourished during the first half of the fourth century.
He was highly esteemed by Basil, it seems, until the year
376. He taught that Christ hada human body and a human
sensitive soul, but no rational mind, the Divine Logos taking
the place of this last,
* Byzantine title.
283
 COLLECTED LETTERS ΟΕ SAINT BASIL

τοιαύτας" ὥστε πανταχῆ συνεξευγμένως, μᾶλλον

δὲ ἡνωμένως τῇ ἑτερότητι νοεῖν ἀναγκαῖον τὴν
πρώτην ταυτότητα, καὶ δευτέραν καὶ πρίτην
λέγοντας τὴν αὐτήν. ὅπερ γάρ ἐστι πρώτως ὁ
Πατήρ, τοῦτό ἐστι δευτέρως ὁ Υἱός, καὶ τρίτως
τὸ Πνεῦμα. αὖθις δὲ ὅπερ ἐστὶ πρώτως τὸ
Πνεῦμα τοῦτο δευτέρως τὸν Ὑἱόν, καθὸ δὴ καὶ ὁ
Κύριός ἐστι τὸ ΠΙνεῦμα' καὶ τρίτως τὸν Ἰ]ατέρα
καθὸ δὴ Πνεῦμα ὁ Θεός. καὶ ὡς βιαιότερον
σημᾶναιϊ τὸ ἄρρητον, τὸν Πατέρα πατρικῶς Ὑἱὸν
εἶναι, τὸν δὲ Tiov υἱικῶς Πατέρα. καὶ ὡσαύτως
ἐπὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καθὸ δὴ εἷς Θεὸς ἡ Τριάς.
Ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ θρυλλούμενα, ἃ οὐδέποτε
δύναμαι πιστεῦσαι πλάσματα εἶναι τῶν περι-
φερόντων," εἰ καὶ ὅτι ἐκ τῆς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν8 συκο-
φαντίας οὐδὲν λογίξομαι αὐτοῖς ἀτόλμητον εἶναι.
ypapoures yap τισι τῶν καθ᾽ ἑαυτούς, καὶ προσ-
θέντες 4 τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν διαβολήν, ἐπήγαγον
ταῦτα, ῥήματα μὲν αἱρετικῶν ὀνομάσαντες, τὸν
δὲ πατέρα τῆς συγγραφῆς ἀποκρυψάμενοι, ἵνα
τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡμεῖς νομισθῶμεν εἶναι οἱ λογο-
γράφοι." πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἂν μέχρι τοῦ Kal?
ῥήματα συνθεῖναι προῆλθεν αὐτῶν ἡ ἐπίνοια, ὥς
γε ἐμαυτὸν πείθω. ὅθεν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ καὶ τὴν καθ᾽
ἡμῶν κρατοῦσαν βλασφημίαν ἀπώσασθαι, καὶ
δεῖξαι πᾶσιν, ὡς οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἐστὶ 8 κοινὸν πρὸς
τοὺς ἐκεῖνο λέγοντας, ἠναγκάσθημεν μνησθῆναι

σημαίνει KE.
προφερόντων editi antiqi.
ἡμᾶς Εἰ, Regius primus.
προθέντες Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus.
ef
σι
μὸ
ἢ
ὦ
ὀνομάζοντες editi antiqi.
284
 LETTER ΟΧΧΙΧ

statements as these : “‘ Consequently it is necessary to

conceive of the first identity in every case conjointly,
or rather unitedly with the dissimilarity, saying that
the second and the third arethesame. For what the
Father is first, the Son is secondly, and the Spirit
thirdly. And again, what is first the Spirit, this
is secondly the Son—inasmuch as the Lord is the
Spirit—and thirdly the Father—inasmuch as the
Spirit is God.” And in order to express this
unspeakable thought more forcefully: “That the
Father is paternally the Son, and the Son is filially
the Father. And in like manner with the Holy
Ghost, inasmuch as the Trinity is one God.”
These are the things that are being noised about,
but I can never believe that these are fabrications of
those who are spreading them abroad, although, on
account of their slanderous charges against us, 1
consider that nothing is beyond the limits of their
effrontery. For when writing to some of their own
adherents, and after making this false accusation
against us, they added the words mentioned above,
calling them the expressions of heretics, but con-
cealing the name of the father of the document, in
order that to people at large we might be considered
the author. However, their intelligence could not
have carried them tothe point of actually composing
these statements, as I am convinced. Hence, for
the sake of repudiating the charge of blasphemy
that is prevalent against us, and of showing to all
that we have nothing in common with those who say
such things, we have been forced to mention this

8 ὀλιγογράφοι ΕἸ. 7 μέχρι τοῦ καὶ] τοῦ μέχρι EB.

8 ἐστί om. E
285
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τοῦ ἀνδρός, ws “προσεγγίξοντος τῇ ἀσεβείᾳ τοῦ

Σαβελλίου. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον.
᾿Απὸ δὲ τοῦ στρατοπέδου ἧκέ τις ἀγγέλλων,
ἐπὶ τῇ πρώτῃ κινήσει τοῦ κρατοῦντος, ἣν ἐκίνη-
σαν αὐτὸν οἱ τὰς διαβολὰς ἡμῶν } KATAXEOUTES,
γεγενῆσθαί τινα καὶ δευτέραν γνώμην, ὥστε μὴ
δοθῆναι ἡμᾶς ἐκδότους τοῖς κατηγόροις, μήτε
παραδοθῆναι ἡμᾶς τῷ ἐκείνων θελήματι, ὅπερ ἣν
ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὁρισθέν' ἀλλά τινα γενέσθαι τέως
ἀναβολήν. ἐὰν οὖν ἢ ταῦτα μένῃ, ἢ τούτων
τι δόξῃ φιλανθρωπότερον, σημανοῦμέν σου τῇ
θεοσεβείᾳ. ἐὰν δὲ κρατῇ τὰ πρότερα, οὐδὲ τοῦτό
σε λήσεται.
Ὁ μέντοι ἀδελφὸς Σαγκτίσσιμος πάντως ἐστὶ
παρ᾽ ὑμῖν πάλαι, καὶ ἃ ἐπιζητεῖ δῆλα γέγονε τῇ
τελειότητί σου. εἰ οὖν φαίνεται ἀναγκαῖόν TL
ἔχειν ἡ πρὸς τοὺς δυτικοὺς ἐπιστολή, καταξίωσον
τυπώσας αὐτὴν διαπέμψασθαι 5" ἡμῖν, ὥστε
ποιῆσαι ὑπογραφῆναι παρὰ τῶν ὁμοψύχων καὶ
ἑτοίμην ἔχειν τὴν ὑπογραφήν, ἐν χάρτῃ κεχωρισ-
μένῳ ἐντετυπωμένην,Σ ὃν δυνάμεθα συνάψαι τῷ
παρὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου
1 ἡμῖν editi antiqi.
2 καταξίωσον ... διαπέμψασθαι καταϊίαν. . , διαπέμψαι
editi antiqi.
3 ἐγχετυπωμένην om. Εἰ.

1 2,6. Apollinaris.
* Sabellius affirmed that there exists in God only a single
person, and that this unity or monad (movds) constitutes the
absolute being of God. When the divine essence departed
from its quiet and inactivity, manifesting itself and acting,
286
 LETTER CXXIX

man’s name ! as one who is approaching the impiety

of Sabellius.2_ But let so much suffice on this matter.
But a messenger has come from the court, saying
that after the first excitement of the Emperor,
to which he wasimpelled by those who were pouring
out their slanders against us, a second resolution was
determined upon—that we should not be surrendered
to our accusers, nor should we be placed at the
mercy of their will, as was decreed in the first place ;
but that up to the present there has been delay.
Therefore, if these matters remain as they are, or if
some more kindly action is decided on, we shall
inform your Godliness.? And if the former course
prevail, this also will not be concealed from you.
But our brother Sanctissimus, at all events, has
been with you for a long time, and your Perfection
has become fully aware of what he hasin mind. So,
if the letter to the people of the West appears to
contain anything that is important for us, be pleased
to draft it and send it to us, in order that we may
get it subscribed to by those of the same mind as
ourselves, and that we may have the subscription
ready, written upon a separate sheet of paper,
which we can fasten to the sheet which is being
carried around to us by our brother the pres-
it was called the Word (λόγος). It is the Word which
created the world; and again it is the Word which under-
took the salvation of humanity. For this work it took
three successive modes of existence: three aspects (πρόσωπα),
three denominations (ὀνόματα), corresponding to the three
economies which succeed each other in the order of salvation :
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. But these three modes of
existence are transitory and accidental. Each of them is to
cease at the same time as the object which necessitates each.
3 A title usually given to the bishops in Byzantine times.
287
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

περικομιζομένῳ.: ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν εὑρὼν

, τὶ 3 Ἂν, \ οὗ ὑδὲ e Ν 4

συνεκτικὸν ἐν τῷ ὑπομνηστικῷ, οὐκ ἔσχον ὑπὲρ

οὗ ἐπιστείλω τοῖς ἐν τῇ δύσει. τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀναγ-
Kata προείληπται' τὰ δὲ περιττὰ γράφειν παν-
τελῶς μάταιον. περὶ δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐνοχλεῖν μὴ
ἐξ rn a a A

καὶ γελοῖον εἴη ;

Εκείνη
>
΄
δέ΄ μοι ἔδοξεν
»
ὥσπερ
Ὁ
ἀγύμναστος
> ΄
εἶναι
“

ἡ ὑπόθεσις καὶ χώραν παρέχειν γράμμασι, τὸ

παρακαλέσαι αὐτοὺς μὴ ἀκρίτως δέχεσθαι τὰς
κοινωνίας τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἀνατολῆς ἀφικνουμένων,
ἀλλ᾽ ἅπαξ μίαν μερίδα ἐκλεξαμένους, τοὺς λοιποὺς
᾽

ἐκ τῆς μαρτυρίας τῶν κοινωνικῶν προσλαμ-

βάνεσθαι" καὶ μὴ παντὶ τῷ πίστιν γράφοντι ἐπὶ
προφάσει δὴ τῆς ὀρθοδοξίας προστίθεσθαι. οὕτω
γὰρ εὑρεθήσονται τοῖς μαχομένοις κοινωνοῦντες,
οἱ τὰ μὲν ῥήματα πολλάκις τὰ αὐτὰ προβάλλον-
“Δδ \ \ ey 4 / \ > \ 2 SetZ

Tal, μάχονται δὲ ἀλλήλοις ὅσον οἱ πλεῖστον

/ Ν > / Ὁ“ e a

διεστηκότες. ἵν᾽ οὖν μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἡ αἵρεσις

a3 5 \ 5» Ν lal « vA

ἐξάπτηται τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαστασιαζόντων

rn ,

ἀντιπροβαλλομένων τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν γράμματα,

παρακληθῆναι αὐτοὺς ἔδει κεκριμένας ποιεῖσθαι
καὶ τὰς τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων αὐτοῖς κοινωνίας καὶ
τὰς ἐγγράφως γινομένας κατὰ τὸν τύπον τῆς
᾿Ἐκκλησίας.
κομιζομένου BH,
to
=
οὐδὲν εὑρὼν] οὐδὲν εὗρον Harl. ; οὐχ εὑρών editi antiqi.
ω
γράμματι editi antiqi.
288
 LETTER CXXIX

byter. For since I found in the memorandum

nothing especially important, I had no grounds for
writing to those in the West. For those things
which were necessary have been anticipated ; and to
write what is superfluous is wholly vain. And
would it not even be ridiculous to trouble them
about the same matters?
But the following subject seemed to me to be as
it were undeveloped and to offer grounds for writing
—the matter of urging them not to receive indis-
criminately the communion of those coming from the
East, but after once choosing a single portion of
them, to accept the rest on the testimony of these
already in communion ; and of urging themnot to take
into communion everyone who writes down the
Creed as a supposed proof of orthodoxy. For thus
they will find themselves to be in communion with
men prone to fight, who often put forward state-
ments of doctrine which are identical, but then
proceed to fight with one another as violently as
the men who are of diametrically opposite opinions,
In order, then, that heresy may not flame out still
more on the part of those who in their conflict with
one another bring forward their opposing formulae,
the people of the West ought to be urged to
exercise discrimination as regards both communion
with those who come to them by chance and
communion based upon a written document accord-
ing to the law of the Church.?
1 From this passage and from Letter CCX XIV the Bene-
dictine editors perceive two kinds of communion : (1) personal,
in the Eucharist and prayer, and (2) by letter.

4 ἐξαπατῆται editi antiqi.

289
VOL, II. U
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

OXXX
Θεοδότῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Νικοπόλεως
Ψ , /

Καλῶς καὶ προσηκόντως ἡμῶν καθήψω, τιμιώ-

τατε ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ ποθεινότατε ἀδελφέ, ὅτι ἐξ
οὗ ἀνεχωρήσαμεν τότε τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας τὰς
, aA a /,

περὶ τῆς πίστεως ἐκείνας προτάσεις τῷ Εὐσταθίῳ

φέροντες, οὐδέν σοι οὔτε μικρὸν οὔτε μεῖζον τῶν
κατ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐδηλώσαμεν. ἐγὼ δὲ οὐχ ὡς εὐκατα-
φρονήτων ' τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γενομένων εἰς ἡμᾶς
ὑπερεῖδον,
ς a
ἀλλ᾽
b)
ὡς εἰς2 πάντας
Jee ΄
λοιπὸν\ τοὺς\ ἀνθρώ-
b ΄

mous διαβοηθείσης τῆς φήμης, Kal οὐδενὸς τῆς

/ an / \ > ‘ fol

παρ᾽ ἡμῶν διδασκαλίας εἰς τὸ τὴν προαίρεσιν τοῦ

a \ “

ἀνδρὸς διδαχθῆναι προσδεομένου. τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ

αὐτὸς ἐπενόησεν, ὥσπερ φοβούμενος μὴ ὀλίγους
σχῆ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γνώμης μάρτυρας, εἰς πᾶσαν
ἐσχατιὰν Tas ἐπιστολὰς ἃς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν συνέγραψε
2 \ \ 5 \ a Sa: lal f

διαπεμψάμενος. τῆς μὲν οὖν κοινωνίας ἡμῶν~ la nr

αὐτὸς ἀπέρρηξεν ἑαυτόν, μήτε κατὰ τὸν ὡρισ-

μένον τόπον συνδραμεῖν ἡμῖν ἀνασχόμενος, μήτε
τοὺς μαθητὰς ἑαυτοῦ παραγαγών, ὅπερ ὑπέσχετο"
ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς στηλιτεύων ἐν πανδήμοις συνό-
> \ ἣν e la) / > / ,

1 καταφρονήτων editi antiqi.

1 For the date of this letter, see note 1 of the preceding

letter, Theodotus, Bishop of Nicopolis, a staunch friend of
Basil, died in A.D. 375. He is mentioned in Letters XCII,
XCV, XCIX, CXXI, CCXXIX, and CCXXXYVILI.
290
 LETTER ΟΧΧΧ

LETTER ΟΧΧΧ
To Tueopotus, Bishop or ΝΙΘΟΡΟΙΠΙ5 ὦ
Nosty and fittingly have you upbraided us, most
honoured in very truth and beloved brother, because,
since the time when we departed from your
Reverence, bringing those propositions concerning
the Faith to Eustathius,? we have informed you of
nothing either small or great in regard to his affairs.
But as for me, it was not because I regarded as
contemptible the charges which have been instigated
by him against us that I have overlooked the matter,
but because the report has now been noised abroad
to the whole world, and because nobody needs any
instruction from us as regards the purposes of this
man. For he contrived this result himself—as if
he were afraid that he would have but a few
witnesses of his opinicn—by sending to most distant
parts the letters which he wrote against us. He of
his own accord has thus severed himself from
communion with us, for he did not fulfil his
intention of meeting us at the appointed place,
nor did he bring his disciples as he had promised;
but he denounced us in the general synods,
2 Kustathius of Sebaste, 300-377. He was bishop of
Sebaste in 356, and was one of the founders of monasticism.
He had studied under Arius, and wavered between semi-
Arianism throughout his life. He was a close friend of
Basil until the latter recognized his true character in 372 or
373. He had once signed the Nicene Creed, for he together
with Theophilus and Silvanus went on a mission to Rome in
365-6, and acknowledged their adherence to the Nicene
Creed before Pope Liberius. Cf. Letter CCXLV. Heseems to
have been a vacillating character, and it is said that he
signed practically all the creeds of his age,
201
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

dois, μετὰ τοῦ Κίλικος Θεοφίλου, γυμνῇ καὶ

ἀπαρακαλύπτῳ τῇ βλασφημίᾳ ὡς ἀλλότρια τῆς
ἑαυτοῦ 1 διδασκαλίας ταῖς ψυχαῖς τοῦ λαοῦ
ἐνσπείραντας δόγματα. ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν ἦν καὶ
ταῦτα πᾶσαν ἡμῶν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν συνάφειαν
διαλῦσαι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ εἰς Κιλικίαν ἐλθών, καὶ
συντυχὼν Γελασίῳ τινί, πίστιν αὐτῷ ἐξέθετο, ἣν
ἣ
μόνου " ἣν ᾿Αρείου συγγράψαι καὶ εἴ τις αὐτοῦ
γνήσιος μαθητής, τότε δὴ καὶ πλέον πρὸς τὸν
χωρισμὸν ἐβεβαιώθημεν, Χογισάμενοι, OTL οὔτε
Αἰθίοψ. ἀλλάξει ποτὲ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ, οὔτε
πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆς, οὔτε ὁ ἐν διαστρό-
φοις δόγμασι συντραφεὶς ἀποτρίψασθαι δύναται
τὸ κακὸν τῆς αἱρέσεως.
᾿Επενεανιεύσατο δὲ τούτοις καὶ γράψας καθ᾽
ἡμῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ συγγράψας λόγους μακροὺς
πάσης λοιδορίας καὶ συκοφαντίας γέμοντας" ὑπὲρ
ὧν οὐδὲν ἀπεκρινάμεθα τέως, διὰ τὸ διδαχθῆναι
παρὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου, μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικεῖν, ἀλλὰ
διδόναι τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ" καὶ ἅμα ἐννοήσαντες τὸ
βάθος τῆς ὑποκρίσεως, μεθ᾽ ἧς πάντα τὸν χρόνον
ἡμῖν προσηνέχθη, ἀφασίᾳ τινὶ ὑπ᾽ ἐκπλήξεως
κατεσχέθημεν.
Ki δὲ καὶ μηδὲν ἣν
ἢ ἐκείνων, τὸ ὑπόγυον τοῦτο,
τὸ τολμηθὲν αὐτῷ, τίνει οὐκ ἂν φρίκην καὶ
1 αὐτοῦ editi antiqi. 2 μόνον editi antiqi.

1 Theophilus was bishop of Castabala (also called Hiero-

polis) on the river Pyramis in Cilicia, whither he was trans-
lated from Eleutheropolis. Cf. Letters CCXLIV, and
CCXLY. He was on friendly terms with St. Basil at one
time, and was sent to Rome on an embassy. See note
above.
292
 LETTER CXXX

he along with the Cilician Theophilus,’ saying

with bare and undisguised slander that we were
sowing a different doctrine from his in the souls
of the people. Accordingly, these circumstances
sufficed for our severing all connexions with him.
And when, having come into Cilicia and having met
there a certain Gelasius, 2 he set forth his creed to
him, a creed to which only an Arius could subscribe
or a real disciple of Arius, then in truth were we
more strongly confirmed in our separation from him,
considering that neither will an Ethiopian ever
change his skin, nor a leopard her spots,’ nor is a
man who has been nourished on perverted doctrines
able to rid himself of the evil of heresy.
He has added to these acts of effrontery by
writing against us, or rather by composing long
tracts filled with every abuse and calumny ; regard-
ing which we have hitherto made no reply, because
we have been taught by the apostle not to avenge
ourselves, but to give place unto wrath;? and,
moreover, having considered the depth of the
hypocrisy which has characterized his dealings with
us at all times, we have been seized with a sort of
speechlessness through astonishment.
But evenif none of these things had been, in whom
would not this last piece of audacity on his part
2 This Gelasius is otherwise unknown.
3 Cf. Jer. 13, 23: εἰ ἀλλἄξεται Αἰθίοψ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ καὶ
πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆς ; καὶ ὑμεῖς δυνήσεσθε εὖ ποιῆσαι
μεμαθηκότες τὰ κακά, ‘If the Ethiopian can change his skin,
or the leopard his spots: you also may do well, when you
have learned τ 5 τ
4 Cf. Rom. 12, 19: μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικοῦντες, ἀγαπητοί, ἀλλὰ
δότε τόπον τῇ eg. ‘“Revenge not yourselves, my dearly
beloved ; but give place unto wrath,”
205
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀποστροφὴν παντελῆ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐνεποίησεν;

’ \ a a ’ 4 > ,

ὅς γε, ὡς ἀκούω (el ye ἀληθὴς ὁ λόγος Kal μὴ

ev e > ’ ΕΣ » \ e , \ A

/ » \ 2 \ -“ fe [τὲ \
πλάσμα ἐστὶν ἐπὶ διαβολῇ συντεθέν), OTL καὶ
ἀναχειροτονῆσαί τινας ἐτόλμησεν, ὃ μέχρι σήμερον
οὐδεὶς τῶν αἱρετικῶν ποιήσας φαίνεται. πῶς
οὖν δυνατὸν πράως φέρειν ἡμᾶς τὰ τοιαῦτα καὶ
ἰάσιμα εἶναι νομίζειν τοῦrn ἀνδρὸς τὰ\ ἁμαρτήματα
/
;
μὴ τοίνυν ψευδέσι λόγοις παράγεσθε, μηδὲ
Ἀ , / , / A

ὑπονοίαις ἀνδρῶν πάντα εὐκόλως πρὸς τὸ κακὸν

ἐκλαμβανόντων πείθεσθε, ws apa ἡμεῖς ἀδιά-
» , 4 ΄ ΝΜ e tal ’ /

φοραὶ τιθέμεθα τὰ τοιαῦτα. γίνωσκε γάρ,

, a
ποθεινότατε ἡμῖν Kal τιμιώτατε, OTL οὔπω οἶδα
τοσοῦτον πένθος ἄλλοτε τῇ ψυχῇ μου παραδεξά-
μενος, ὅσον νῦν, ὅτε ἤκουσα τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν
θεσμῶν τὴν σύγχυσιν. ἀλλὰ μόνον εὔχου, ἵνα
lal “

don ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος μηδὲν κατὰ θυμὸν ἐνεργεῖν,

, Ὃ τὰ ς ΄, \ \ \ > a

αλλ ἔχειν τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣτις οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, οὐ

> ᾿ ΝΜ \ J / Ὁ“ > ’ a >

φυσιοῦται. ὅρα yap ὅπως οἱ μὴ ἔχοντες Tav-

fol id e \ 4

τὴι ἐπήρθησαν μὲν ὑπὲρ τὰ μέτρα τὰ4 ἀνθρώ-

πινα, ἐνασχημονοῦσι δὲ τῷ βίῳ, κατατολμῶντες
la) lal / a

πράξεων, ὧ ὁ παρελθὼν χρόνος

΄ e e \ /
οὐκ >
ἔχει τὰ
ΝΜ \

ὑποδείγματα.
1 ἀδιάφορα Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus,
5 πῶς editi antiqi.

τ Τ Cor, 13, 4 and 5: 7 ἀγάπη μακροθυμεῖ, χρηστεύεται'

οὐ φυσιοῦται, οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, οὐ ζητεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς. ἣ ἀγάπη οὐ

294
 LETTER CXXX

have produced a chill of horror and a complete

aversion for the man? For he, as I hear (if the
report be true and not a figment made up for the
purpose of calumny), has presumed also to re-ordain
certain men, a thing which up to the present no one
of the heretics appears to have done. How, then, is
it possible for us to endure such things mildly and to
consider that the errors of the man are curable?
Therefore, do not be led astray by his false words ;
nor give credence to the suspicions of men who are
easily inclined to understand everything in a bad
sense, who assume, for instance, that we regard such
matters as of indifferent importance. For we wish
you to know, most beloved and honoured friend,
that I do not recall having ever received such deep
grief in my soul as at this moment, when I have
heard of the confusion in the ecclesiastical laws. But
only pray that the Lord may grant us to do nothing
in anger, but to have charity, which does not act
unseemly, and is not puffed ἀρ. For, behold how
those who do not have this charity have been raised
above the bounds proper to men, and are now living
a most unseemly life, daring to commit deeds of
which the past possesses no examples.”

ζηλοῖ: ἡἣ ἀγάπη οὐ περπερεύεται, ov παροξύνεται, οὐ λογίζεται

τὺ κακόν. ‘*Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not,
dealeth not perversely ; is not puffed up; is not ambitious,
seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no
evil.”
2 The Benedictine editors remark that Basil is not correct
in maintaining that there was no heretical precedent for such
actions. The Arians are charged with it in the Book of the
Prayers of Faustus and Marcellinus, Bib. Patr. V, 655. Cf.
also Constantius’ letter to the Ethiopians against Fru-
mentius; Athan., Apol. ad Const. 31.
295
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CXXXI
᾿Ολυμπίῳ
Ovtas ἡ τῶν ἀπροσδοκήτων ἀκοὴ ἱκανή ἐστι
ποιῆσαι ἀνθρώπου ἡἠχῆσαι «ἀμφότερα. τὰ ὦτα.
ὃ καὶ ἐμοὶ νῦν συνέβη. εἰ γὰρ" καὶ τὰ μάλιστα
γεγυμνασμέναις μου λοιπὸν ταῖς ἀκοαῖς προ-
σέπεσε 5 τὰ περιφερόμενα καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ταῦτα
συντάγματα, διὰ τὸ καὶ πρότερον αὐτὸν ἐμὲ
δεδέχθαι τὴν ἐπιστολήν, πρέπουσαν μὲν ταῖς
ἐμαῖς ἁμαρτίαις, οὐ μὴν προσδοκηθεῖσάν ποτε
γραφήσεσθαι παρὰ τῶν ἐπιστειλάντων: ἀλλ᾽
ὅμως τὰ δεύτερα τοσαύτην ὑπερβολὴν ἐφάνη
ἡμῖν ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τῆς πικρίας, ὥστε ἐπι-
σκοτῆσαι τοῖς προλαβοῦσι. πῶς yap ov μικροῦ
τῶν φρενῶν ἔξω ἐγενόμην τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ, ἐντυχὼν
τῇ πρὸς τὸν εὐλαβέστατον ἀδελφὸν Δαξίναν *
ἐπιστολῇ, μυρίων μὲν ὕβρεων καὶ κατηγοριῶν
ἀφορήτων γεμούσῃ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν καὶ ἐπαναστάσεων,
ὡς ἐν τοῖς χαλεπωτάτοις ἡμῶν κατὰ τῆς ᾿Εκκλη-
σίας βουλεύμασιν εὑρεθέντων ; εὐθὺς δὲ καὶ
ἀποδείξεις τοῦ ἀληθεῖς εἶναι τὰς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν
βλασφημίας ἐπήχθησαν ἀπὸ συγγράμματος οὐκ
οἶδα ὑπὸ τίνος γραφέντος. μέρη μὲν γὰρ ἐπέγνων,
ὁμολογῶ, παρὰ τοῦ Λαοδικέως ᾿Απολιναρίου
1 ἄνθρωπον Reg. secundus, Bigot., Coisl. secundus.
2 yap om. EH. “8 προσέπεσον editi antiqi.
4 Δεζίναν Med., Clarom. 5 περί editi antiqi.

1 Written in about 373, to Olympius, a wealthy layman of

Neocaesarea and intimate friend of Basil. The subject of
the letter is the same as that of the several preceding.
296
 LETTER CXXXI

PEL EER CXX Xi

To Otymptus1t
Truty the hearing of unexpected news is enough
to make both ears of a man ring. This has now
happened to me also. For although the reports of
those writings which are being circulated against us
have reached my ears, already ‘exceedingly well prac-
tised in such matters (for even before that I myself
had received the letter, which indeed befitted my
sins, but which I never thought would be written by
those who sent it), nevertheless the later reports
have proven to have in them so great an excess of
bitterness as to obscure all that has gone before.
For how could I help becoming almost out of my
senses when I read the letter addressed to our very
reverend brother Dazinas,? a letter teeming with
countless insults, with intolerable accusations against
us and assaults, as though I had been detected in
the most shameful plans against the Church? For
example, proofs of the truth of the slanders against
me were drawn from a work written by someone, I
know not whom. For I did indeed recognize, I
confess, that parts had been written by Apollinarius 8
Other letters addressed to this Olympius are IV, XII, XIII,
and CCXI.
2 In this letter Eustathius accused Basil of bad faith and
of Apollinarian errors.
8 Apollinarius the Younger flourished in the latter half of
the fourth century, and was at first highly esteemed by
Athanasius and Basil, for his classical culture, piety, and
steadfastness to the Nicene Creed during the Arian con-
troversy. Later he became the author of the Christological
heresy which bears his name.
297
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

γεγράφθαι, καὶ αὐτὰ οὐδὲ ἀναγνοὺς ἐξ ἔργου

, \ » \ > \ > \ > yy

ποτέ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀκούσας ἑτέρων ἀπαγγειλάντων" ἄλλα

δέ τινα εὗρον “ἐγγεγραμμένα,, ἃ μήτε “ἀνέγνων
ποτέ, μήτε 3 ἑτέρου λέγοντος ἤκουσα" καὶ τούτων
ὁ μάρτυς ἐν οὐρανῷ πιστός. πῶς οὖν οἱ τὸ
ψεῦδος ἀποστρεφόμενοι, οἱ τὴν ἀγάπην πλήρωμα
εἶναι τοῦ νόμου δεδιδαγμένοι, οἱ τὰ ἀσθενήματα
τῶν ἀδυνάτων βαστάζειν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, ταύτας
ἡμῖν κατεδέξαντο τὰς συκοφαντίας ἐπενεγκεῖν
καὶ ἀπ ἀλλοτρίων συγγραμμάτων ἡμᾶς κατα-
κρῖναι," πολλὰ λογισάμενος κατ᾽ ἐμαυτόν, ἐπινοεῖν
τὴν αἰτίαν οὐκ «ἔχω, εἰ μή, ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἶπον,
μέρος ἔκρινα εἶναι τῶν ὀφειλομένων μοι διὰ τὰς
ἁμαρτίας κολάσεων καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις λύπην.
Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ κατεπένθησα τῇ ψυχῇ, ὅτι
ὠλιγώθησαν. αἱ ἀλήθειαι ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῶν
ἀνθρώπων" ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἐφοβήθην αὐτὸς περὶ
ἐμαυτοῦ, μή ποτε πρὸς ταῖς ἄλλαις ἁμαρτίαις
καὶ τὴν μισανθρωπίαν πάθω, οὐδὲν πιστὸν ἐν
οὐδενὶ λογιζόμενος εἶναι, εἴπερ οἱ εἰς τὰ μέγιστα
παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ πιστευθέντες τοιοῦτοι μὲν περὶ ἐμέ,
τοιοῦτοι δὲ περὶ αὐτὴν ἐφάνησαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν.
γίνωσκε τοίνυν, ἀδελφέ, καὶ πᾶς ὅστις τῆς
ἀληθείας φίλος, μήτε ἐμὰ εἶναι τὰ συντάγματα,
οὔτε ἀρέσκεσθαιὃ αὐτοῖς, ἐπεὶ μὴ τῇ ἐμῇ γνώμῃ
συγγεγράφθαι. εἰ δὲ ἐπέστειλά ποτε πρὸ
πολλῶν ἐνιαυτῶν ° ᾿Απολιναρίῳ ἢ ἄλλῳ τινί,
ἐγκαλεῖσθαι οὐκ ὀφείχω, οὔτε γὰρ αὐτὸς 1 ἐγκαλῶ,
εἴ τις ἐκ τῆς ἑταιρίας τινὸς εἰς αἵρεσιν ἀπεσχίσθη

1 γεγραμμένα EK. 2 4 KE. 3 ἐπ’ BE.

4 κατακρίνειν K, Harl., Reg. primus, Clarom.
298
 LETTER CXXXI

of Laodicea, although I had never read them in his

book but had merely heard others relate them; but
I found certain other things written therein which I
have never read nor heard anybody else state, and of
these the faithful Witness isin heaven. How, there-
fore, those who scorn falsehood, who have been taught
that charity is the fulfilment of the law, who profess
to bear the infirmities of the weak, could have
brought themselves to assail us with these calumnies
and to condemn us from the writings of other men,
this is a thing for which, though I have pondered
deeply, I cannot discover the reason, unless, as I said
in the beginning, I must conclude that the sorrow
caused me by these things is a part of the punish-
ments due me on account of my sins.
For, in the first place, I grieved in my soul, that
truths had been made of little account by the sons of
men; and, in the second place, I was also afraid
for myself, lest some time, in addition to my other sins,
I should also experience a hatred of mankind,
reflecting that no trust is to be placed in any man, in-
asmuch as those who were most freely trusted by me
have shown themselves so false to me and so false to
truth itself. Know then, brother, and everyone who
is a lover of truth, that these writings are not mine,
nor are they pleasing to me, for they have not been
composed according to my convictions. And if I
ever wrote, many years ago, to Apollinarius or to
any other person, I ought not to be blamed. For I,
on my part, do not find fault, if any member of any-
body’s group has detached himself to go into heresy

5 ἀρκεῖσθαι editi antiqi. δ. ἐτῶν editi antiqi

ἐγώ add, editi antiqi.
299
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

(οἴδατε δὲ πάντως τοὺς ἄνδρας, κἂν ὀνομαστὶ μὴ

λέγω), διότιἕκαστος
ἕ τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἁμαρτίᾳ
ἁ ἀποθανεῖται.
Ταῦτα νῦν μὲν ἀπεκρινάμην πρὸς τὸν ἀπο-
σταλέντα τόμον, ἵνα αὐτός τε εἰδείης τὴν ἀλήθειαν
καὶ τοῖς βουλομένοις μὴ κατέχειν ὡς ἐν ἀδικίᾳ
τὴν ἀλήθειαν φανερὰν καταστήσῃς. ἐὰν δὲ δέῃ
καὶ πλατύτερον ὑπὲρ ἑκάστου τῶν ἐπενεχθέντων
ἡμῖν ἀπολογήσασθαι, καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσομεν, τοῦ
Θεοῦ συνεργοῦντος. ἡμεῖς, ἀδελφὲ Ὀλύμπιε,
οὔτε τρεῖς θεοὺς λέγομεν, οὔτε ᾿Απολιναρίῳ
κοινωνοῦμεν.

ΟΧΧΧΤ
᾿Αβραμίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Βατνῶν
Πάντα τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ μετοπώρου χρόνον ἠγνόησα
περὶ τῆς εὐλαβείας σου, ὅπου 2 διάγεις. καὶ γὰρ
πεπλανημένας τὰς φήμας εὕρισκον, τῶν μὲν
ἀπαγγελλόντων ἐν Σαμοσάτοις διατρίβειν σου
τὴν εὐλάβειαν, τῶν δὲ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ, ἄλλων δὲ περὶ
τὰς βάτνας αὐτὰς διαβεβαιουμένων ἑωρακέναι"
διὸ οὐδὲ συνεχῶς ἐπέστειλα. νῦν δὲ μαθὼν ἐν
᾿Αντιοχείᾳ διάγειν, ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου
Σατορνίνου τοῦ κόμητος, ἔδωκα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν
προθύμως τῷ ποθεινοτάτῳ καὶ εὐλαβεστάτῳ
1 ἀλλά add. editi antiqi. 2 ὅπως E.

1 Cf. Letter CX XV ; also Greg. Naz. Orat. land XXIX.

2 Placed by the Benedictines in 373. Loofs prefers the
spring of 375 as the date of composition ; cf. pp. 28 ff. and
46 ff. Abramius or Abraham was bishop of Batnae in
300
 LETTER CXXXII

(and you certainly know the men, even if I do not

call them by name), for each one will perish by his
own sin.
These answers I have made at the present time
regarding the book that was sent, in order that you
yourself may know the truth and may make it clear
to such as do not wish to restrain the truth as guilty
of an injustice. Butif it is necessary to defend myself
even more extensively regarding each of the charges
brought against us, this also shall we do, God being
our helper. As for us, Brother Olympius, we
neither say that there are three Gods, nor do we
keep communion with Apollinarius.*

LETTER CXXXII
To Asramius, Bisnor or Barnar?
Durine the whole time since late autumn 1 have
been ignorant of the whereabouts of your Reverence.
For I kept receiving misleading rumours, some
saying that your Reverence was sojourning in Samo-
sata, others that you were in the country, while
others maintained that they had seen you near
Batnae itself. On this account I did not write regu-
larly. But having just learned that you are staying
in Antioch at the house of the most venerable
Count Saturninus,? I have eagerly entrusted this
letter to our most beloved and revered brother,
Osrhoene near the Euphrates. His name appears with those
of Meletius, Eusebius, Basil, and others in the letter written
by the bishops of the East to those of Italy and Gaul. Cf.
Letter XCII. He also was present at the Council of Con-
stantinople in 381.
3 This Saturninus is not otherwise known.
301
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀδελφῷ Σαγκτισσίμῳ τῷ συμπρεσβυτέρῳ, 1 δ οὗ

προσφθέγγομαί σου τὴν ἀγάπην, “παρακαλῶν
ὅπουπερ ἂν ἧς μεμνῆσθαι μάλιστα μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ,
εἶτα καὶ ἡμῶν, ods ἀγαπᾶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς προείλου, καὶ
ἔχειν ἐν τοῖς οἰκειοτάτοις ἀριθμουμένους.

CXXXIII
Πέτρῳ, émiucxdtrm’ Ἀλεξανδρείας
ὙΠ: μὲν σωματικῆς φιλίας ὀφθαλμοὶ πρόξενοι
γίνονται, καὶ ἡ διὰ μακροῦ χρόνου ἐγγινομένη
συνήθεια βεβαιοῖ: τὴν δὲ ἀληθινὴν ἀγάπην ἡ τοῦ
Πνεύματος δωρεὰ συνίστησι, συνάπτουσα μὲν τὰ
μακρῷ διεστῶτα τόπῳ, γνωρίζουσα δὲ ἀλλήλοις
τοὺς ἀγαπητούς, οὐ διὰ σωματικῶν χαρακτήρων,
ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς" ἰδιωμάτων. ὃ δὴ καὶ
ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου “χάρις ἐποίησε, παρασχο-
μένη ἡμᾶς ἰδεῖν σε τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμοῖς,
καὶ περιπτύξασθαί σε τῇ ἀγάπῃ τῇ ἀληθινῇ, καὶ
οἱονεὶ συμφυὴναί σοι καὶ πρὸς μίαν ἐλθεῖν ἕνωσιν
ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πίστιν κοινωνίας. “πεπείσμεθα
γάρ σε ἀνδρὸς τοσούτου θρέμμα ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ
τὴν ἐκ παλαιοῦ διατριβὴν μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ λαχόντα,
τῷ αὐτῷ πορεύεσθαι πνεύματι, καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς
στοιχεῖν τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγμασι.
Διὸ καὶ προσφθεγγόμεθά σου τὴν τιμιότητα,
καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τὴν περὶ
1 ἡμῶν add. editi antiqi. 2 ἀρετῆς editi antiqi.

1 Cf. Letters CXX and CXXI,

302
 LETTER CXXXIII

Sanctissimus,* our presbyter, through whom I salute

your Charity, begging that wherever you are you
will be mindful especially of God, then also of us,
whom from the beginning you chose to cherish and
to number among your most intimate friends.

LETTER CXXXIII
To Prrer, Bishop ΟΕ ALEXANDRIA 2
Eyes are promoters of bodily friendship, and the
intimacy engendered through long association
strengthens such friendship. But true love is
formed by the gift of the Spirit, which brings to-
gether objects separated by a wide space, and
causes loved ones to know each other, not through
the features of the body, but through the peculiarities
of the soul. This indeed the favour of the Lord has
wrought in our case also, making it possible for us to
see you with the eyes of the soul, to embrace you with
the true love, and to grow one with you, as it were,
and to enter into a single union with you through
communion according to faith. For we are con-
vineed that you, having been the spiritual nursling
of so great a man, and having been favoured with
long association with him, walk in the same spirit as
he and are guided by the same dictates of piety.
Therefore we salute your Honour, and entreat
you to take over from him, among other things, the
2 Written in 373, to Peter, Bishop of Alexandria. This
Peter had succeeded Athanasius in May 373, by the latter’s
request, who died on May 2 of that year. Basil begs him to
follow in the footsteps of Athanasius: in love for God, for
the brotherhood, and for Basil himself,
393
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡμᾶς διάθεσιν τοῦ μεγάλου ἀνδρὸς διαδέξασθαι"

ἐπιστέλλειν τε ἡμῖν συνήθως τὰ κατὰ σαυτόν,
καὶ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τῆς πανταχοῦ ἀδελφότητος τοῖς
αὐτοῖς σπλάγχνοις καὶ τῇ αὐτῇ προθυμίᾳ, ἡ καὶ
ὁ μακαριώτατος * ἐκεῖνος περὶ πάντας ἐχρῆτο
τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας τὸν Θεὸν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ.

CXXXIV
Παιονίῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ
Ὅσον ηὔφρανας ἡμᾶς τοῖς γράμμασιν εἰκάξεις
που πάντως αὐτοῖς οἷς ἐπέστειλας" οὕτω τὸ καθα-
ρὸν τῆς καρδίας, ἀφ᾽ ἧς προῆλθεν ἐκεῖνα, τὰ
ῥήματα, ἀκριβῶς ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων κατεμηνύετο.
καὶ γὰρ 3 ὁλκὸς μὲν ὕδατος δείκνυσι τὴν οἰκείαν
πηγήν, λόγου δὲ φύσις τὴν προενεγκοῦσαν. αὐτὸν
καρδίαν χαρακτηρίζει. ὥστε ἄτοπόν τε καὶ πολὺ
τοῦ εἰκότος παρηλλαγμένον πεπονθέναι ὁμολογῶ.
σπουδάξων γὰρ ἀεὶ γράμμασιν ἐντυγχάνειν τῆς
τελειότητός σου, ἐπειδὴ ἔλαβον εἰς χεῖρας τὴν
ἐπιστολὴν καὶ ἀνέγνων αὐτήν, οὐχ ἥσθην μᾶλλον
τοῖς ἐπεσταλμένοις, ἢ ἠνιάθην τὴν ζημίαν, ὁπόση
γέγονεν ἡμῖν κατὰ τὸν τῆς σιωπῆς χρόνον,
διαλογιζόμενος.
᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἤρξω γράφειν, μὴ διαλίπῃς8
1 μακάριος E. 2 καί add. editi antiqi.
3 διαλίποις multi MSS. non vetustissimi.

1 Written in 373. Paeonius is, otherwise unknown.

Letters CKXXIV, CXXXV, CCX i OCCXXxIII and
CCCXXXIV have been quoted in certain studies of the
history of stenography, A. Schramm (Korrespondenzblatt,
304
 LETTER CXXXIV

great man’s disposition toward us, to send me word

_of your affairs regularly, and to take care of the
brotherhood everywhere with the same kindliness
and the same zeal which that most blessed one
employed toward all those who in truth love God.

LEFEER: CXXXIV
To THE PresspyTer Paronius?
How much pleasure you gave us by your letter you
no doubt fully surmise from the very tones you used
in writing it; so accurately was the purity of heart
whence those words proceeded revealed by what you
wrote. For as a rill of water reveals its own true
source, so the nature of one’s speech shows the
character of the heart that brought it forth. So I
confess that I have experienced a strange and very
unusual thing. For though always eager to read a
letter from your Perfection,” when I had taken the
letter in my hands and read it, I was not so much
delighted by the message you had sent as I was
vexed at the thought of how great a loss I had
sustained during your period of silence.
But since you have begun to write, do not cease
Amtliche Zeitschr. des k. Stenographischen Instituts zu
Dresden, 1903 (XLVIII), 221 and 241 ff.) would conclude
from the present letter that Basil himself was a master of
tachygraphy, and did not scorn to give instruction init. ἘΝ
Maier (idem, 1904 (XLIX) 42 ff.) rightly objects to this con-
clusion. In any case Basil employed tachygraphy, and had
his difficulties with it. Cf. the present letter, and Letter
CXXX.
2 A Byzantine title, used usually of priests.
999
VOL, Il. x
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

TOUTO ποιῶν. εὐφρανεῖς γὰρ πλέον ἢ οἱ τὰ

πολλὰ χρήματα τοῖς φιλοπλούτοις διαπεμπό-
μενοι" τῶν δὲ γραφέων οὐδείς μοι παρῆν, οὔτε
τῶν καλλιγραφούντων οὔτε τῶν ταχυγράφων.
ods yap? ἔτυχον ἐξασκήσας, οἱ μὲν ἀνέδραμον
ἐπὶ τὴν πρώτην τοῦ βίου συνήθειαν, οἱ δὲ ἀπειρή-
a
κασι πρὸς τοὺς πόνους, χρονίαις ἀρρωστίαις
κεκακωμένοι.

CXXXV
Διοδώρῳ,Σ πρεσβυτέρῳ ᾿Αντιοχείας
᾿Ενέτυχον τοῖς ἀποσταλεῖσι βιβλίοις παρὰ τῆς
τιμιότητός σου. καὶ τῷ μὲν δευτέρῳ ὑπερήσθην,
οὐ διὰ τὴν βραχύτητα μόνον, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν τὸν
ἀργῶς πρὸς πάντα καὶ ἀσθενῶς λοιπὸν διακεί-
μενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι πυκνόν τε ἅμα ἐστὶ ταῖς ἐννοίαις,
καὶ εὐκρινῶς ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχουσιν αἵ τε ἀντιθέσεις
τῶν ὑπεναντίων καὶ αἱ πρὸς αὐτὰς ἀπαντήσεις"
καὶ τὸ τῆς λέξεως ἁπλοῦν τε καὶ ἀκατάσκευον
πρέπον ἔδοξέ μοι εἶναι προθέσει Χριστιανοῦ, οὐ
πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν μᾶλλον ἢ κοινὴν ὠφέλειαν συγ-
γράφοντος ὃ τὸ δὲ πρότερον, τὴν μὲν δύναμιν
ἔχον τὴν αὐτὴν ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι, λέξει δὲ πολυ-
1 καί add. E. 2 Θεοδώρῳ Εἰ, Med.
3 γράφοντος editi antiqi.

1 Written in 373. Cf. previous letter and note. This is

an exceedingly interesting letter, especially for the student
of the history of literary criticism. It contains Basil’s ideas
on the rhetoric of his day, which were exactly such as a
person of good taste would hold to-day, although in all
probability a unique position in Basil’s time. And we must
306
 LETTER CXXXV

doing so. For you give more pleasure than do those

who distribute large sums of money to the avari-
cious. But no one of my scribes has been at hand,
either caligraphist or shorthand writer. For of
those whom I have trained, some have gone back to
their former manner of life, and the others have
abandoned their labours, having been afflicted with
chronic maladies.

LETTER CXXXV
To Dioporus, PressyTer or ANTIOCH?
I nave read the books sent me by your Honour.
And with the second I was exceedingly pleased, not
only because of its brevity, which was likely to
please a man who is inactive in all matters and in
poor health besides, but because it is at once close-
packed with ideas, and both the objections of our
opponents and our answers to them are set forth in
the work with the utmost clarity; and its simple
and unlaboured style seemed to me to befit the
purpose of a Christian, who writes not so much for
display as for general edification. But the former
work, which is of the same importance as to subject-
matter, but is adorned with richer diction, with
say that St. Basil in his own works was consistent with this
theory. He also characterizes at some length Plato’s style
and that of Aristotle and Theophrastus,
This Diodorus was a pupil of Silvanus, bishop of Tarsus.
Cf. Theodoret, Hist. Eccl. 4, 24. In Letter XVI Theodoret
speaks of his obligations to him as a teacher. In 378,
Diodorus became bishop of Tarsus. Only a few fragments of
his works are extant, for the major portion, it is said, was
destroyed by the Arians. Cf. also Basil’s Letter CLX.
307
Χ 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS. OF SAINT BASIL

TENET TEPE Kal σχήμασι ποικίλοις καὶ διαλογικαῖς

/ \ / , \ al

χάρισι κεκομψευμένον, πολλοῦ μοι ἐφάνη καὶ

χρόνου πρὸς τὸ ἐπελθεῖν καὶ πόνου διανοίας
πρὸς τὸ καὶ συλλέξαι τὰς ἐννοίας καὶ παρα-
κατασχεῖν αὐτὰς τῇ μνήμῃ δεόμενον. αἱ γὰρ
“ an ld

ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ παρεμβαλλόμεναι διαβολαὶ τῶν

ὑπεναντίων καὶ συστάσεις τῶν ἡμετέρων, εἰ
καὶ [ae πα: τινας ἐπεισάγειν δοκοῦσι διαλεκ-
τικὰς ἢ τῷ συγγράμματι, arr’ οὖν τῷ 8 σχολὴν
καὶ διατριβὴν ἐμποιεῖν διασπῶσι μὲν τὸ “συνεχὲς
τῆς ἐννοίας καὶ τοῦ ἐναγωνίου λόγου τὸν τόνον
ὑποχαυνοῦσιν.
Ἐκεῖνο yap πάντως συνεῖδέ σου ἡ ἀγχίνοια,
> al \ , “ ΄4 e > ,

ὅτι Kal τῶν ἔξωθεν φιλοσόφων οἱ τοὺς διαλόγους

“ \ an ΝΜ , e \ /

συγγράψαντες, "A ριστοτέλης μὲν καὶ , Θεόφραστος,

/

εὐθὺς αὐτῶν ἥψαντο τῶν πραγμάτων, διὰ τὸ

συνειδέναι ἑαυτοῖς τῶν ἸΠλατωνικῶν χαρίτων «τὴν
ἔνδειαν. Πλάτων δὲ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τοῦ λόγου ὁμοῦ
μὲν τοῖς δόγμασι μάχεται, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ παρα-
κωμῳδεῖ τὰ πρόσωπα, Θρασυμάχου μὲν τὸ θρασὺ
καὶ ἰταμὸν διαβάλλων, Ἱππίου δὲ τὸ κοῦφον
τῆς διανοίας καὶ χαῦνον, καὶ ὅ I pwtayopou τὸ
nr n 5 f

ἀλαζονικὸν καὶ ὑπέρογκον. ὅπου δὲ ἀόριστα

πρόσωπα ἐπεισάγει τοῖς διαλόγοις, τῆς μὲν
εὐκρινείας ἕνεκεν τῶν πραγμάτων κέχρηται τοῖς
προσδιαλεγομένοις," οὐδὲν δὲ ἕτερον ἐκ τῶν
προσώπων ἐπεισκυκλεῖ ταῖς ὑποθέσεσιν' ὅπερ
ἐποίησεν ἐν τοῖς Νόμοις.
Δεῖ οὖν καὶ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ov κατὰ φιλοτιμίαν
-“ ΓΙ \ ς lal \ > x /

1 ἐξελθεῖν editi antiqi.

2 , ΄ , ,
γλυκύτητας ... διαλεκτικάς}] γλυκυτάτας . . . διαλέξεις
Med., Harl.
308
 LETTER CXXXV

figures of divers kinds, and with charms peculiar to

the dialogue, seemed to me to require a great deal
of time to peruse and much mental labour to grasp
its ideas and to retain them in the memory. For
the accusations of our opponents and the arguments
in defence of our own side which have been worked
into the context, even though they do seem to add
some dialectic attractions to the work, yet by causing
delay and waste of time disrupt the continuity of the
thought and loosen the tension of the argumentative
attack.
For assuredly your quick wit realizes this—that
those philosophers outside the faith who wrote
dialogues, Aristotle and Theophrastus for instance,
at once grappled with the facts themselves, because
they realized their own lack of the literary graces of
Plato. But Plato with the power of his eloquence at
one and the same time both attacks opinions and
ridicules the persons who represent them, attacking
the rashness and recklessness of Thrasymachus, the
levity and conceit of Hippias, and the boastfulness
and pompousness of Protagoras.t But whenever he
introduces indefinite characters into his dialogues, he
uses his interlocutors merely for the sake of giving
clarity to his subject matter, and brings nothing else
from the characters into the arguments; just as he
did in the Laws.
So it is necessary also for us, who do not set out

1 2,6... in the Republic, the Hippias, and the Protagoras

respectively.

3 ro EK. 4 συνοῖδε Harl., secunda manu.

5 καὶ] τοῦ δέ Ey δ᾽ προδιαλεγομένοις tres MSS.

699
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν, ἀλλ ὑποθήκας κατα-

’ / 9248 \ / > 2 ee ,

λιμπάνειν ὠφελίμων λόγων τῇ ἀδελφότητι προε-

λομένους, ἐὰν μέν τι πᾶσι προκεκηρυγμένον ἐπὶ
αὐθαδείᾳ τρόπου πρόσωπον ὑποβαλλώμεθα,"
τινὰ καὶ ἀπὸ Ξ προσώπου ποιότητος παραπλέκειν
τῷ λόγῳ, εἴπερ ὅλως ἐπιβάλλει ἡμῖν διαβάλλειν
ἀνθρώπους, τῶν πραγμάτων ἀφεμένους ὃ ἐὰν δὲ
ἀόριστον ἢ τὸ διαλεγόμενον, αἱ πρὸς τὰ πρόσωπα
διαστάσεις τὴν μὲν συνάφειαν διακόπτουσι,
πρὸς οὐδὲν δὲ πέρας χρήσιμον ἀπαντῶσι.
Ταῦτα εἶπον ἵνα δειχθῇ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰς κόλακος
χεῖρας ἀπέστειλάς σου τοὺς πόνους, ἀλλὰ ἀδελφῷ
τῷ γνησιωτάτῳ ἐκοινώνησας τῶν καμάτων.
εἶπον δὲ οὐ πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν τῶν γεγραμμένων,
ἀλλὰ πρὸς “φυλακὴν τῶν μελλόντων. πάντως
γὰρ ὁ τοσαύτῃ περὶ τὸ γράφειν ἕξει καὶ σπουδῇ
κεχρημένος οὐκ ἀποκνήσει γράφων' ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ
οἱ τὰς ὑποθέσεις “παρέχοντες ἀπολήγουσιν. ἡμῖν
δὲ ἀρκέσει μὲν ἀναγινώσκειν Ta ὑμέτερα" τοῦ δὲ
δύνασθαι γράφειν τι τοσοῦτον ἀποδέομεν, ὅσον
μικροῦ δέω λέγειν, καὶ τοῦ ὑγιαίνειν, ἢ καὶ τοῦ
μετρίαν σχολὴν ἄγειν ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων.
᾿Απέστειλα δὲ νῦν διὰ τοῦ ἀναγνώστου τὸ
μεῖζον καὶ πρότερον, ἐπελθὼν αὐτὸ ὡς ἐμοὶ
δυνατόν. τὸ δὲ δεύτερον : παρακατέσχον, βουλό-
μενος αὐτὸ μεταγράψαι, καὶ μὴ εὐπορῶν τέως 7
τινὸς τῶν εἰς τάχος “γραφόντων. μέχρι γὰρ
τοσαύτης ἦλθε πενίας τὰ ἐπίφθονα Καππαδοκῶν.
1 χρή add. E. 2 τῆς τοῦ add, E.
3 apeuevors editi antiqi. 4 διατάσεις editi antiqi.
5 rod λόγου add. editi antiqi.

310
 LETTER CXXXV

to write for worldly honour, but propose to bequeath

to the brethren admonitions on edifying subjects, if
we introduce a character already well known to the
world for rashness of conduct, to weave something
derived from the quality of the character into the
treatise, if it is at all incumbent upon us to
censure men who neglect their duties. But if the
material brought into the dialogue be indefinite,
digressions against persons break its unity and tend
to no useful end.
All this I have said that it might be shown that
you have not sent your work into the hands of a
flatterer, but that you have given to a most sincere
brother a share in your toils. And I have spoken,
not to correct what has been written, but as a
warning for future writings. For assuredly a man
who has employed such aptitude and enthusiasm for
writing will not refrain from writing; since there
is no shortage of persons to supply you with subjects.
For us it will suffice to read what you write; but we
fall as far short of being able to write anything our-
selves, as, 1 may almost say, of enjoying good health,
or of having even a modicum of leisure from active
affairs.
I have now sent back to you through the lector the
first and larger of your works, after reading it to the
best of my ability. The second, however, I have
kept, wishing to copy it, although as yet I am not
provided with any fast copyist. For to such a state
of poverty has the once envied condition of the
Cappadocians come !

ὁ καὶ μικρότερον add. editi Paris. 7 réos KB.

41ι
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CXXXVI
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
Ἔν οἵοις ἡμᾶς ὄντας κατέλαβεν ὁ χρηστὸς
᾿Ισαάκης * αὐτός σοι ἄμεινον διηγήσεται, εἰ καὶ
μὴ ἀρκοῦσαν ἔχει τὴν γλῶσσαν, ὥστε τραγικῶς
ἐξαγγεῖλαι τὸ ὑπεραῖρον τῶν παθῶν, τοσοῦτον
ἣν τῆς ἀρρωστίας τὸ “μέγεθος. καὶ τὸ εἰκὸς δὲ
παντὶ γνώριμον. τῷ ἐμὲ καὶ κατὰ βραχὺ ἐπιστα-
μένῳ. εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῇ δοκούσῃ εὐεξίᾳ τῶν ἀπε-
γνωσμένων πρὸς τὸ ζῇν.ἀσθενέστερον. διεκείμην,
γινώσκειν ἔξεστι τίς ἂν ἤμην ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρρωστίας.
καίτοιγε ἐχρῆν (δὸς γὰρ τῷ πυρετῷ συγγνώμην
ἐρεσχελοῦντι), ἐπειδή μοι κατὰ φύσιν ἣν τὸ
νοσεῖν, ἐν τῇ μεταβολῇ ταύτῃ " τῆς ἕξεως ὑγείας3
μοι νῦν τὸ κράτιστον περιεῖναι. ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ
μάστιξ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐστὶ προσθήκαις ταῖς κατὰ
τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀξίαν τὸ ἀλγεινὸν ἐπιτείνουσα,
ἀσθένειαν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ προσεκτησάμην, ὥστε
τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου καὶ παιδὶ φανερὸν εἶναι, ὅτι πᾶσα
ἀνάγκη οἰχήσεσθαι * ἡμῖν τὸ ἔλυτρον τοῦτο,
πλὴν εἰ μή που ἄρα ἡ τοῦ oe φιλανθρωπία
ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ αὐτοῦ5 χρόνους εἰς μετά-
νοιαν χαριζομένη, ποιήσειε καὶ νῦν, ὡς καὶ
πολλάκις πρότερον, λύσιν τινὰ καὶ πόρεν ἐκ
τῶν ἀμηχάνων δεινῶν. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἕξει ὡς
αὐτῷ φίλον καὶ ἡμῖν συμφέρον.
1 Ἰσαάκιος editi antiqi. 2 ταύτης quattuor MSS.
3 ὑγιείας KE. 4 οἰχήσεται E, Harl., Med.
5 τούτου editi antiqi. ὁ καί add. HK,
7 χαριζομένου EK. 8 καί add. K, 9. κακῶν Τὰ,
312
 LETTER ΟΧΧΧΥῚ

LETTER CXXXVI
To Evsesius, Bishop ΟΕ Samosata !
In what condition the excellent Isaac? has found
us he himself will relate to you better, even though
his tongue is inadequate to proclaim in tragic fashion
the transcendence of my sufferings, such was the
seriousness of my illness. But probably this was
known to everyone who was never so slightly acquain-
ted with me. For if when in apparent good health
I was really weaker than those of whose lives we
despair, one may understand what I must have been
during that illness. And yet I really ought (for you
must grant indulgence to the fever that harasses
me), since sickness used to be my natural state, in
my present change of condition to be enjoying the
best of health. But since it is the scourge of the
Lord that goes on extending our bad health by new
additions according to our deserts, I have acquired
one infirmity after another, so that the result is
plain to a child—that this shell of ours must quite
certainly depart, unless perchance the mercy of God,
in His magnanimity granting us the grace of a period
of time for repentance, should now also, as on so
many former occasions, bring about some release and
some means of escape from our desperate straits.
These things, however, shall be according to His
pleasure and our own profit.
1 Written in 373. This Eusebius was Bishop of Samosata
on the Euphrates from 360 to 373. He was orthodox of faith,
and a friend of Basil, Gregory Nazianzene, and Meletius,
Bishop of Antioch. Cf. Letters XXVIII, XXX, XXXI,
XXXIV, etc.
2 Otherwise unknown.
313
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Ta δὲ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ὅπως οἴχεται καὶ προπέ-

ποται, ἡμῶν τῆς οἰκείας ἀσφαλείας ἕνεκεν TA τῶν
πλησίον TEPLOPOVTOV Kal οὐδὲ τοῦτο συνορᾷν
δυναμένων, ὅτι τῇ τοῦ κοινοῦ κακοπραγίᾳ * καὶ
τὸ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον συναπόχλλυται, τί χρὴ καὶ
λέγειν ; ἄλλως τε καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρα, ὃς πόρρωθεν
ἕκαστα προειδώς, καὶ προδιεμαρτύρω καὶ προε-
κήρυξας, καὶ αὐτός τε προεξανέστης, καὶ τοὺς
λοιποὺς συνεπήγειρας, ἐπιστέλλων, αὐτὸς παρα-
γινόμενος, τί οὐ ποιῶν, τίνα φωνὴν οὐκ ἀφιείς!
ὧν μεμνήμεθα μὲν 3 ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἐκβαινόν-
των, ὠφελούμεθα δὲ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν οὐκέτι. καὶ νῦν
εἰ μὴ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἀντέστησάν μοι, καὶ τὸ μὲν
πρῶτον ὁ εὐλαβέστατος καὶ ἀγαπητὸς ἀδελφὸς
ἡμῶν ὐστάθιος ὁ συνδιάκονος, εἰς νόσον χαλεπὴν
καταπεσών, εἰς ὅλους pe δύο παρέτεινε, μῆνας,
ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτοῦ περι-
μένοντα" ἔπειτα δὲ οἱ σὺν Ἐμοὶ πάντες ἠσθένησαν,
ὧν τὰ μὲν καταλείμματα ὃ ἐξαριθμήσεται. ὁ
ἀδελφὸς ᾿Ισαάκης" τὸ δὲ τελευταῖον αὐτὸς ἐγὼ
τῇ νόσῳ κατεσχέθην ταύτῃ! ἐπεὶ πάλαι ἂν ἤμην
παρὰ “Thy σὴν τιμιότητα, οὐκ ὄφελός τι τοῖς
κοινοῖς παρεχόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐμαυτῷ μέγα κέρδος
ἐκ τῆς συντυχίας σου κτώμενος. καὶ yap
ἐγνώκειν ἔξω τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν γενέσθαι
βελῶν διὰ τὸ ἀφύλακτον ἡμῶν πρὸς τὰ σκευω-
ρούμενα Ἴ παρὰ τῶν ἐναντίων. σώζοι σε τῷ βίῳ
1 δυσπραγίᾳ Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus.
2 μέν om. EK, 3 ἐγκαταλείμματα Eh.
4 ἐξαριθμηθήσεται ΕἸ, 5 πρός EK.
5 gov om. KE. 7 σκαιωρούμενα Harl., Paris., Clarom.

1 Cf. Dem. Olynth. 3, 22, 34: προπέτοται τῆς αὐτίκα χάριτος

314
 LETTER ΟΧΧΧΥῚ

As for the interests of the churches—how they

have gone to ruin and have been lightly sacrificed,!
while we, consulting our own personal safety, neglect
the good of our neighbours and are unable to see
even this, that the ruin of each of us is involved in
the common disaster—why need I say a word?
And especially so to a man like you who, foreseeing
everything long in advance, made protest and issued
proclamation beforehand, and not only was the first
to rise up yourself, but also helped to rouse the rest,
writing them letters, visiting them in person,
omitting what act, leaving what word unspoken!
These things we do indeed remember after each event
happens, but we no longer derive profit from them.
And now if my sins had not stood in my way,—that
is, first of all, our most reverend and beloved brother
and deacon, Eustathius,? falling grievously ill, caused
me no great anxiety for two whole months as I
waited day after day for his return to health; and
next, all my associates fell ill (of which things our
brother Isaac will enumerate all that I omit); and,
last of all, I myself was seized by this present
illness—but for these things I should long ago have
been by the side of your Honour, not lending you.
any aid in the common cause, but deriving great
gain for myself from your company. For I had
decided to get out of the way of the missiles of the
ecclesiastics because I had no means of protecting
myself against the contrivances of my adversaries.
May the mighty hand of God preserve you unto
τὰ τῆς πόλεως πράγματα. ‘The interests of the state have
been lightly sacrificed for mere present pleasure.”
2 This deacon enjoyed Basil’s confidence, and once con-
veyed another letter for him to Eusebius of Samosata, Cf.
Letter XLVII.
315
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

παντὶ ἡ μεγάλη τοῦ Θεοῦ yelp, τὸν γενναῖον

φύλακα τῆς πίστεως καὶ νήφοντα τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν
προστάτην" καὶ καταξιώσειεν ἡμᾶς πρὸ τῆς
ἐξόδου τῆς συντυχίας σου ἐπ᾽ ὠφελείᾳ τῶν
ψυχῶν ἡμῶν.

OXX VEL
᾿Αντιπάτρῳ
Nov μοι δοκῶ μάλιστα ἐπαισθάνεσθαι τῆς
ζημίας, ἣν ὑπομένω διὰ τὸ ἀρρωστεῖν, ὁπότε,
ἀνδρὸς τοιούτου τὴν πατρίδα ἡμῶν ἐφέποντος,
αὐτὸς ἀπεῖναι διὰ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τοῦ σώματος
ἀναγκάζομαι. μῆνα γὰρ ὅλον 7 προσκαθέζο-
μαι᾿ τῇ ἐκ τῶν αὐτοφυῶς θερμῶν 5 ὑδάτων θερα-
πείᾳ ὡς δή τι ὄφελος. ἐντεῦθεν ἕξων. ἔοικα δὲ
διακενῆς πονεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐρημίας, ἢ καὶ γέλωτος
τοῖς πολλοῖς ἄξιος εἶναι. φαίνεσθαι, μηδὲ τῆς
παροιμίας ἀκούων τῆς οὐδὲν ἀπὸ θερμῶν ὄφελος
εἶναι τοῖς τεθνηκόσι λεγούσης.
Διόπερ καὶ οὕτως ἔχων βούλομαι πάντα παρεὶς
καταλαβεῖν σου τὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν, ὥστε τῶν ἐν
σοὶ καλῶν ἀπολαύειν καὶ τὰ κατὰ τὸν οἶκον τὸν
ἐμαυτοῦ πράγματα διὰ τῆς σῆς ὀρθότητος εὐπρε-
πῶς διαθέσθαι. ἐμὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἴδιος ὁ τῆς σεμνο-
τάτης μητρὸς ἡμῶν Παλλαδίας οἶκος, ἣν οὐ μόνον ἡ
τοῦ γένους οἰκειότης ἡμῖν συνάπτει, ἀλλὰ καὶτὸ τοῦ
1 μῆνα. . . προσκαθέζομαι om. KH; ἤδη om, Harl., Med.,
editi antiqi. προσκαθέσομαι editi antiqi.
2 αὐτοφυῶς θερμῶν om. EK.

1 Written in 373. Antipater, governor of Cappadocia,

316
 LETTER CXXXVII

all mankind, you who are the noble guardian of the

faith and the vigilant champion of the churches;
and before our departure from this life may He
deem us worthy of an interview with you for the
good of our soul.

LETTER CXXXVII
To ANTIPATER ἢ
At this time I seem to be most sensible of the
loss which I suffer in being sick, when, on the
occasion of a man like you succeeding to the
governorship of our country, I am myself compelled
to be absent because of the care I must take of my
body, For during a whole month already have I
been assiduously undergoing the treatment of the
naturally hot waters, expecting to receive some
benefit therefrom. But it seems that I toil quite
uselessly in this solitary place, or that I even show
myself deserving of ridicule in the eyes of the many
for not heeding the proverb which says, “ Warm
baths are of no use to the dead.”
Wherefore, in spite of my present condition, I
desire, putting aside everything else, to go to your
gracious self, that I may have the benefit of your
excellent qualities and through your uprightness
may fittingly arrange the affairs of my own house.
For my very own is the house of our most revered
mother Palladia, whom not only the kinship of
family binds to us, but also the goodness of her
to whom Basil recommends the protection of Palladia, his
old friend and relative. Cf. Letters CLXXXVI and
CLXXXVII, Palladia is otherwise unknown.

91}
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τρόπου δεξιὸν ἀντὶ μητρὸς ἡμῖν εἶναι πεποίηκεν.

ἐπεὶ οὖν κεκίνηταί τις ταραχὴ περὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς,
ἀξιοῦμέν σου τὴν μεγαλόνοιαν μικρὸν ὑπερθέσθαι
τὴν ἐξέτασιν καὶ ἀναμεῖναι ἡμῶν τὴν παρουσίαν,
οὐχ ὥστε διαφθαρῆναὶ τὸ δίκαιον (μυριάκις γὰρ
ἂν ἀποθανεῖν ἑλοίμην ἢ τοιαύτην αἰτῆσαι χάριν
παρὰ δικαστοῦ φίλου τοῖς ψόμοις καὶ τῷ δικαίῳ),
ἀλλ᾽ ὥστε ἃ οὐκ εὐπρεπὲς ἐμοὶ γράφειν, ταῦτα
ἀπὸ στόματος ᾿ἀπαγγέλλοντός μου μαθεῖν. οὕτω
γὰρ οὔτε αὐτὸς τῆς ἀληθείας διαμαρτήσῃ, οὔτε
ἡμεῖς πεισόμεθά τί τῶν ἀβουλήτων. δέομαι οὗν,
τοῦ προσώπου ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ὄντος καὶ KATEXO-
μένου παρὰ τῆς τάξεως, ἀνεπαχθῆ ταύτην χάριν
καὶ ἀνεπίφθονον ἡμῖν καταθέσθαι.

CXXXVIII
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
Τίνα με οἴει ψυχὴν ἐσχηκέναι, ὅτε τὴν ἐπιστο-
λὴν ἐδεξάμην. τῆς θεοσεβείας σου; εἰ μὲν γὰρ
πρὸς τὴν ἐν τῷ γράμματι ἀπεῖδον διάθεσιν, εὐθὺς
ὥρμων πέτεσθαι τὴν εὐθὺς 1 Σύρων, εἰ δὲ πρὸς τὴν
ἀρρωστίαν τοῦ σώματος, ὑφ᾽ ἧς πεπεδημένος
ἐκείμην, ἠσθανόμην οὐχὶ τοῦ πέτεσθαι μόνον
ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς κλίνης στρέφεσθαι
ἐνδεῶς “ἔχων. πεντηκοστὴν γὰρ, ταύτην ἡμέραν
ἦγον ἐν τῇ ἀρρωστίᾳ, καθ᾽ ἣν ἐπέστη ἡμῖν

ὁ ἀγαπητὸς καὶ σπουδαιότατος ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν

συνδιάκονος ᾿Ελπίδιος" πολλὰ μὲν τῷ πυρετῷ

1 εὐθύ EK.
318
 LETTER CXXXVIII

character has caused to be a second mother to us.

So, since some trouble has been stirred up concerning
her house, we ask your Magnanimity to postpone
your inquiry a little while, and to await our presence,
not that justice may be foiled (for I should prefer
to die ten thousand times than to ask such a favour
of a judge who is a lover of the laws and of justice),
but that you may learn from me by word of mouth
those things which it does not become me to write.
For thus you yourself will neither fail of the truth
nor shall we suffer anything we would fain avoid. I
therefore ask you, since the person in question is
in safe custody and is held by the soldiers, to grant
us this favour as one that can give no offence or
cause any odium.

LETTER CXXXVIII
To Eusesius, Bishop or Samosatal
Into what state of mind, think you, did I come
when I received the letter of your Holiness?? For
if Ilooked at the spirit of your letter, Iwas straight-
way eager to fly straight to Syria, but if at the
weakness of my body, because of which I lay
fettered, I realized that I was incapable not only
of flying but even of turning over on my bed. For
that day on which Elpidius,? our beloved and most
excellent brother and deacon, arrived was the fiftieth
1 Written in 373. On Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata, cf.
Letters XX VII, XXX, XXXI, XXXIV, XLVII, etc.
2 Byzantine title, commonly given to bishops.
3 Elpidius, a deacon at whose hands Basil received the
present letter from Eusebius of Samosata, and by whom
Basil sent a letter of consolation to the Egyptian bishops in
exile for the faith in Palestine (Letter CCLXYV),
359
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

δαπανηθείς, ὃὃς ἀπορίᾳ τῆς Tpepovons αὐτὸν

ὕλης, τῇ ξηρᾷ ταύτῃ σαρκὶ dies θρυαλλίδι
κεκαυμένῃ περιειλούμενος, μαρασμὸν καὶ χρονίαν
ἐπήγαγεν ἀρρωστίαν" τὰ δὲ ἐφεξῆς, ἡ ἀρχαία
πληγή μου, τὸ ἧπαρ τοῦτο διαδεξάμενον, ἀπέ-
κλεισε μέν μεϑ τῶν σιτίων, ἀπεδίωξε δὲ τῶν
ὀμμάτων τὸν ὕπνον, ἐν μεθορίοις δὲ κατέσχε
ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου, τοσοῦτον ζῆν ἐπίτρεπον,3
ὅσον τῶν ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ δυσχερῶν ἐπαισθάνεσθαι.
ὥστε καὶ ὕδασιν ἐχρησάμην αὐτοφυῶς θερμοῖς
καί τινας παρ᾽ἐἰατρῶν ἐπιμελείας κατεδεξάμην.
ἅπαντα δὲ ἤλεγξε τὸ νεανικὸν τοῦτο κακόν" ὅ, τοῦ
μὲν ἔθους παρόντος, κἂν ἄλλος ἐνέγκοι, ἀμελε-
τήτως δὲ προσπεσόντος οὐδεὶς οὕτως ἀδαμάντινος
ὥστε ἀντισχεῖν.
‘Td’ οὗ πολὺν ὀχληθεὶς χρόνον, οὐδέποτε οὕτως
ἠνιάθην ὅσον νῦν, ἐμποδισθεὶς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ πρὸς
τὴν συντυχίαν τῆς ἀληθινῆς ἀγάπης σου. οἵας
γὰρ ἀπεστερήθημεν 4 θυμηδίας οἶδα καὶ αὐτός, εἰ
καὶ ἄκρῳ δακτύλῳ τοῦ γλυκυτάτου μέλιτος τῆς
παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ἐκκλησίας ἀπεγευσάμην πέρυσιν.
᾿Εγὼ δὲ καὶ ἄλλων ἀγα. ταν ἕνεκεν πραγμά-
τῶν ἐδεόμην εἰς ταὐτὸν 5 γενέσθαι τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ σου
καὶ περὶ πολλῶν μὲν ἀνακοινώσασθαι, πολλὰ δὲ
μαθεῖν. καὶ γὰρ οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα οὐδὲ ἀγάπης
ἀληθινῆς ἐπιτυχεῖν. ὅταν δὲ καὶ πάνυ τις ἀγα-
πῶντα εὕροι," οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ δυνάμενος παραπλησίως
τῇ τελείᾳ σου φρονήσει καὶ τῇ ἐμπειρίᾳ, ἣν ἐκ

1 μαρασμώδη EK, Harl., Med., editi antiqi,

2 ue om. EK, 3 ἐπιτρέπων editi antiqi.
4 ἀπεστερήθην editi antiqi, δ els ταὐτό Harl.
320
 LETTER CXXXVIII
e

I had spent in this illness; I was greatly wasted by

the fever which, through lack of fuel to nourish it,
enfolded this withered flesh of mine as though it
were a burnt wick and brought on languor and pro-
longed weakness; and then next this liver of mine
(my ancient scourge), following the fever, barred me
from foods, drove sleep from my eyes, and kept me
on the verge of life and death, allowing me only so
much of life as to keep me sensible of its discom-
forts. Therefore I resorted to the use of naturally
hot waters and received some attention from
physicians. But all these things were put to shame
by this lusty malady, which, if one were accustomed
to it, anybody might endure, but when it attacks
without warning, no one is so hardy as to withstand.
Though I have been troubled by this disease for
a long time, never have I been so distressed as now,
since I have been prevented by it from meeting with
your true Charity. Of what gladness of heart we
have been deprived I myself also know, even though
it was with but my finger-tip that I tasted last year
of the very sweet honey of your church.
Because of other pressing matters as well I wanted
to meet with your Holiness and both to consult with
you about many things and to learn many things
from you. For here it is not possible to meet with
even genuine charity. But though one may at times
find a person who shows even very great charity,
there exists no one who is able, in a manner com-
parable with your perfect wisdom and the experience

1 Byzantine title.

S εὕρῃ editi antiqi.

321
VOL. II. i
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
e

πολλῶν τῶν περὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας συνελέξω καμά-

των, δοῦναι γνώμην ἡμῖν περὶ τῶν προκειμένων.
Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα οὐκ ἐνῆν γράφειν" ἃ δ᾽ οὖν
καὶ ἐξενεγκεῖν ἀσφαλὲς ταῦτά ἐστιν. ὁ΄πρεσβύ-
τερος" Εὐάγριος, ὁ υἱὸς Πομπηϊανοῦ τοῦ ᾽᾿Αντιο-
χέως, ὁ συναπώρας ποτὲ ἐπὶ τὴν δύσιν τῷ
μακαρίῳ Εὐσεβίῳ ἐπανῆκε νῦν ἐκ τῆς Ῥώμης,
ἀπαιτῶν ἡμᾶς ἐπιστολὴν αὐτὰ τὰ παρ᾽ ἐκείνων
γεγραμμένα ἔχουσαν αὐτολεξεὶ (ἀνεκόμισε δὲ
ἡμῖν εἰς τοὐπίσω τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, ὡς οὐκ ἀρέσαντα
τοῖς ἀκριβεστέροις τῶν ἐκεῖ), καὶ πρεσβείαν τινὰ
δι ἀνδρῶν ἀξιολόγων ἤδη κατεπείγεσθαι, ὑπὲρ
τοῦ εὐπρόσωπον ἔχειν ἀφορμὴν τοὺς ἄνδρας τῆς
ἐπισκέψεως ἡμῶν.
Οἱ κατὰ Σεβάστειαν τὰ ἡμέτερα φρονοῦντες,
Εὐσταθίου τὸ ὕπουλον τῆς κακοδοξίας ἕλκος
ἀπογυμνώσαντες, ἀπαιτοῦσί τινα Tap ἡμῶν ἐκ-
κλησιαστικὴν ἴ ἐπιμέλειαν.
1 αὐτῶν add. Εἰ.

1 Evagrius, known as of Antioch, the dates of whose birth

and death are uncertain. He was consecrated bishop over
one of the parties at Antioch in 888-389. He went to Italy
with Eusebius, Bishop of Vercelli, and at the death of that
prelate returned to Antioch in company with St. Jerome.
He was probably the ascetic who trained St. John Chrysostom
in monastic discipline. He belonged to the Eustathian
division of the orthodox church at Antioch. He also aided
Pope Damasus in getting the better of his rival Ursinus.
After nine or ten years he returned to the East, stopping
en route at Caesarea to visit Basil (373). Later, from
Antioch, Evagrius wrote Basil a harsh letter, accusing him
of love of strife and controversy. Basil’s reply iis a model
of courteous sarcasm. Later Evagrius became the instru-
ment for prolonging the schism. Cf. Theodoret, Ecc. Hist.
5, 23; and St, Basil, Letter CLVI.
322
 LETTER CXXXVIII

which you have gathered from your many labours

for the churches, to offer advice on the matters
which lie before us.
Now there are some things which I cannot put in
writing; the things which I can set forth with safety
are these: The presbyter Evagrius,! son of Pom-
peianus? of Antioch, who formerly went to the
West in company with Eusebius 5 of blessed memory,
has now returned from Rome, demanding from us
a letter containing the very things written by them
word for word (and our own letter he has brought
back to us again on the ground that it was not
pleasing to the more strict of the people there),
and he also asks that a sort of embassy of influential
men be sent in haste, that the men may have a
reasonable occasion for visiting us.
Those at Sebaste who feel as we do, having laid
bare the festering ulcer of Eustathius’ 4 evil doctrine,
demand from us some ecclesiastical attention.
2 Pompeianus of Antioch, the father of Evagrius, was,
according to St. Jerome, a descendant of the officer of that
name who accompanied Aurelian against Zenobia of Palmyra
(273).
3 St. Eusebius, Bishop of Vercelli, 283-371. According
to St. Ambrose, he was the first bishop of the West to
unite the monastic with the clerical life; cf. Ambrose,
Letter LXIII, Ad Vercellenses. Entirely orthodox, at the
synod of Milan (355), he refused to sign the document
condemning St. Athanasius. In 363, on his return to
Vercelli from exile, he became one of the chief opponents
of. the Arian bishop Amentius of Milan. The Church
honours him as a martyr on December 16.
4 Eustathius of Sebaste (circ. 300-377), one of the chief
founders of monasticism in Asia Minor and for a time the
intimate friend of St. Basil. He hesitated all his life
between the various forms of Arianism, and finally became
the leader of the Pneumatomachians condemned by the
First Council of Constantinople.
323
y 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

᾿Ικόνιον πόλις ἐστὶ τῆς Πισιδίας, τὸ μὲν παλαιὸν

μετὰ τὴν μεγίστην ἡ πρώτη, νῦν δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ
προκάθηταιϊ μέρους, ὅ, ἐκ διαφόρων τμημάτων
συναχθέν, ἐπαρχίας ἰδίας οἰκονομίαν ἐδέξατο.
αὕτη καλεῖ 3 καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς ἐπίσκεψιν, ὥστε αὐτῇ
δοῦναι ἐπίσκοπον. τετελευτήκει γὰρ ὁ Φαυστῖνος.
Εἰ οὖν δεῖ "μὴ κατοκνεῖν τὰς ὑπερορίους χειίροτο-
νίας, καὶ ποίαν τινὰ χρὴ δοῦναι τοῖς Σεβαστηνοῖς
ἀπόκρισιν, καὶ πῶς πρὸς τὰς τοῦ Εὐαγρίου διατε-
θῆναι γνώμας, ἐδεόμην διδαχθῆναι αὐτὸς δι᾽ ἐμαυ-
τοῦ συντυχὼν τῇ τιμιότητί σου, ὧν 3 πάντων ἀπε-
στερήθην. διὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ἀσθένειαν. ἐὰν μὲν
οὖν 7) τινὸς ἐπιτυχεῖν ταχέως πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀφικνου-
μένου, καταξίωσον περὶ πάντων ἀποστεῖλαί μοι
τὰς ἀποκρίσεις" εἰ δὲ μή, εὖξαι ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ νοῦν
μοι, ὅπερ εὐώρεστον ἢ τῷ Κυρίῳ. ἐν δὲ τῇ
συνόδῳ μνήμην ἡμῶν κέλευσον γενέσθαι, καὶ
αὐτὸς δὲ πρόσευξαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν λαὸν
συμπαράλαβε, ἵνα τὰς λειπομένας ἡμέρας ἢ ὥρας
τῆς παροικίας ἡμῶν καταξιωθῶμεν δουλεῦσαι, ὡς
ἔστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ Κυρίῳ.

CXX XIX
Τοῖς ᾿Αλεξανδρεῦσιν
Ἡμᾶς μὲν ἡ ἀκοὴ τῶν γεγενημένων κατά τε τὴν
᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν Αἴγυπτον διωγμῶν
1 προκάθηται] πρώτη κάθηται tres MSS. 2 καλεῖ om. EK.
3 κεκλήκει add. EK. 4 ὡς Harl., Med.

1 2,6. Antioch.
2 For Faustinus cf. Letter CLXI. He was succeeded by
John I, who in turn was succeeded by Amphilochius.
324
 LETTER CXXXIX

Iconium is a city of Pisidia, in olden times the

first after the greatest,! and now also it is the capital
of that territory which, made up of different sections,
has received the management of its own government.
This city urges me to make it a visit, that we may
give it a bishop. For Faustinus? has died.
Whether, therefore, 1 should not decline these
ordinations beyond our borders, and what sort of
an answer I should give to the Sebastines, and how
I should be disposed toward the propositions of
Evagrius, on all these matters I need to be in-
structed by a personal meeting with your Honour,
but I have been deprived of all this by my present
ill-health. If, then, it is possible to find anyone who
is coming to us soon, deign to send me your answers
on all these questions; but if not, pray that there
may come to my mind that thing which is most
pleasing to the Lord. And order that remembrance
of us be made in the synod, and do you yourself
pray for us, and join the people with you in prayer,
that we may be thought worthy to serve during the
remaining days or hours of our sojourn as is accept-
able to the Lord.

EE TTRER -CXXXlX
To THE ALEXANDRIANS 3
Lone since has the rumour reached us of the
persecutions that have taken place throughout
Alexandria and the rest of Egypt, and it has rent
3 Written in 373 to the Alexandrians to console them and
to encourage them to great constancy, harassed as they were
by a terrible persecution. The persecution referred to is the
one caused by Valens, who tortured the Eastern Catholics
from 369 to the end of his reign.
325
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
/ \ Ν
πάλαι κατέλαβε, καὶ διέθηκε τὰς ψυχάς, ὡς εἰκὸς
ἦν. ἐλογισάμεθα yap τὸ ἔντεχνον τοῦ διαβολικοῦ
. > / \ Noo: “ fal

πολέμου: ost ἐπειδὴ εἶδεν ἐν τοῖς παρὰ τῶν

> κι "Ξ ΄ \ ᾽ ,
ἐχθρῶν διωγμοῖς πληθυνομένην τὴν ᾿ακκλησίαν
καὶ μᾶλλον θάλλουσαν, μετέστρεψεν ἑαυτοῦ
\ / 2 \ >’ / > lal la) lal
τὴν βουλήν," καὶ οὐκέτι ἐκ τοῦ προφανοῦς πολεμεῖ,
: \ f CARR EX \ ὦ ὃ 3 fe ΄
ἀλλὰ κεκρυμμένα ἡμῖν τὰ ἔνεδρα 8 τίθησι, καλύπ-
των αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος ὃ
a “- a

περιφέρουσιν, ἵνα καὶ πάθωμεν τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς \ a

πατράσιν ἡμῶν, καὶ μὴ δόξωμεν πάσχειν ὑπὲρ

cal \ ,

Χριστοῦ, διὰ τὸ Χριστιανῶν ὄνομα ἔχειν Kal τοὺς

a an \

διώκοντας. ταῦτα λογιζόμενοι πολὺν χρόνον

nr \ /

ἐκαθέσθημεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀγγελίᾳ “τῶν γεγενημένων

>? / pS a > / Lal / 4

ἐκπεπληγμένοι. καὶ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι ἤχησαν ἡμῶν

ἀμφότερα Ta ὦτα μαθόντα THY ἀναιδῆ καὶ μισάν-
4 / ἣν a

θρωπον αἵρεσιν τῶν διωξάντων ὑμᾶς, ὅτι οὐχ

ἡλικίαν ἠδέσθησαν, οὐ τοὺς ἐν TH πολιτείᾳ
e / > / > \ b] an / 6

καμάτους, οὐ λαῶν ἀγάπην' ἀλλὰ καὶ ἠκίσαντο

- \ /

Ta σώματα, καὶ ἠτίμωσαν, καὶ ἐξορίαις παρέδωκαν, / /

καὶ διήρπασαν tas ὑπάρξεις ὧν εὑρεῖν ἠδυνήθη-

a ’ 4

σαν, οὔτε τὴν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων κατάγνωσιν

ἐντρεπόμενοι, οὔτε τὴν φοβερὰν τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ
» “ ΄ -“

ἀνταπόδοσιν προορώμενοι. ταῦτα ἡμᾶς ἐξέπληξε

a a 5."

καὶ μικροῦ ἔξω ἐποίησε τῶν λογισμῶν. συνεισῆλθε

δὲ τούτοις τοῖς διαλογισμοῖς κἀκείνη ἡ ἔννοια"
\ “-“ “ ’ it

dpa μὴ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἑαυτοῦ Tas ἐκκλησίας παν-

“ id

τελῶς ὁ Κύριος ; ἄρα μὴ ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστί, καὶ ἡ

“- e "στῆς a \ 5 Ue Ὁ » ΄ Ἀν

ἀποστασία διὰ τούτων λαμβάνει τὴν εἴσοδον, ἵνα

> / \ / / \ " vA

\ ᾽ “Διὸ 4 e ey “ » ,
λοιπὸν ἀποκαλυφθῇ ὁ ἄνομος, ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀπωλείας,
226
 LETTER CXXXIX

our hearts, as was natural. For we took thought of

the ingenuity of the devil’s warfare,—how the devil,
when he saw the Church multiplying and flourishing
still more amid the persecutions of its enemies,
changed his plan, and no longer fights openly, but
places hidden snares for us, concealing his plot by
means of the name which his followers bear, that we
may suffer as our fathers did and yet not seem to
suffer for Christ, because of the fact that our perse-
cutors also bear the name of Christians. Consider-
ing these things we sat for a long time amazed at the
report of what had happened. For in truth both
our ears rang on learning of the shameless and cruel
heresy of your persecutors, in that they showed no
respect for age, nor for the labours of a life well
spent, nor for charity toward the people; nay, they
even tortured their bodies, and dishonoured them,
and gave them over to exile, and plundered the
property of whomsoever they could find, neither
giving heed to the condemnation of men nor looking
forward to the fearful requital of the just Judge.
These things have stricken us and have almost put
us out of our senses. And along with these reflec-
tions there comes into our mind this thought also:
Has not the Lord abandoned His churches utterly?
Is not this the last hour, when apostasy uses these
means to gain entrance, “so that at length the man
of sin may be revealed, the son of perdition, who

1 πῶς editi antiqi.

2 ἑαυτοῦ τὴν βουλὴν] αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπιβουλήν editi antiqi.
3 κεκρυμμένα ἡμῖν τὰ ἔνεδρα] κεκρυμμένας ἡμῖν τὰς ἔνεδρας WH.
4 γενομένων Coisl. secundus, tres Regii.
5 ἤχησεν Τὰ 8 πολιᾷ editi antiqi.
7 κατάκρισιν K, Med.
327
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὁ ἀντικείμενος, Kal ὑπεραιρόμενος ἐπὶ πάντα

/ \ /

λεγόμενον Θεὸν ἢ σέβασμα ;

/ Ν A /

Πλὴν εἴτε πρόσκαιρός ἐστιν ὁ πειρασμός,

« he

βαστάσατε αὐτόν, οἱ καλοὶ TOU Χριστοῦ ἀγωνισ-

a nes

ταί: εἴτε Kal τῇ παντελεῖ φθορᾷ τὰ πράγματα

A lal a \ /

παραδίδοται, μὴ ἀκηδιάσωμεν πρὸς τὰ\ παρόντα,

ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμείνωμεν τὴν ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἀποκάλυψιν
b) ’ >’ / \ ’ » - ᾽ ΄

καὶ ἐπιφάνειαν τοῦ μεγάλου Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος

ἡμῶν ᾿Ιησοῦ Χριστοῦ. εἰ yap πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις
a fal fal a /

λυθήσεται καὶ μεταποιηθήσεται τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ

κόσμου τούτου, τί θαυμαστὸν καὶ ἡμᾶς, μέρος
, “-

ὄντας τῆς κτίσεως, παθεῖν τὰ κοινὰ πάθη καὶ

a a \ \ x

παραδοθῆναι θλίψεσιν, ἃς κατὰ TO μέτρον τῆς

n , ἃ ἧς Ν fy fol

δυνάμεως ἡμῶν ἐπάγει ἡμῖν ὁ δίκαιος κριτής, οὐκ

a , rn « / /

ἐῶν ἡμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δυνάμεθα, ἀλλὰ

a7: e a rn e \ A ὃ / > \

διδοὺς σὺν TO πειρασμῷ Kal τὴν ἔκβασιν, τοῦ

\ A a \

δυνηθῆναι" ὑπενεγκεῖν;
ναμένουσιν ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, οἱ τῶν μαρτύρων
oN / e a 10 ἮΝ , e a ve

στέφανοι" ἕτοιμοί εἰσιν οἱ χοροὶ τῶν ὁμολογητῶν

“ ς rn

προτεῖναι ὑμῖν τὰς χεῖρας καὶ ὑποδέξασθαι ὑμᾶς

els τὸν ἴδιον ἀριθμόν. μνήσθητε τῶν πάλαι ἁγίων,
, \ ” > / fe lal / e /

ὅτε οὐδεὶς τρυφῶν οὐδὲ κολακευόμενος τῶν

a 1) \ a WY: 3 / an

στεφάνων τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἠξιώθη, ἀλλὰ πάντες,

/, fol e fol ] / > \ /

διὰ μεγάλων θλίψεων πυρωθέντες, τὸ δοκίμιον

ἐπεδείξαντο. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μασ-
τίγων πεῖραν ἔλαβον, ἄλλοι δὲ ἐπρίσθησαν, οἱ
’ὔ lal », A \ b] / e

1 παραδίδονται editi antiqi. 2 ἡμᾶς add. EK.

3 οὐ editi antiqi. 4 ὑπεδείξαντο HK.
328
 LETTER CXXXIX

opposeth and is lifted up above all that is called

God or that is worshipped” ?!
Yet if the trial be momentary, bear it, brave
champions of Christ; or even if all has been given
over to utter destruction, let us not grow listless in
the face of present circumstances, but let us await
the revelation from heaven and the epiphany of our
great God and Saviour, Jesus Christ. For if all
creation shall be dissolved and the scheme of this
world be transformed, what wonder is it that we also,
being a part of creation, should suffer the common
doom and be given over to afflictions, which the
just Judge brings upon us according to the measure
of our strength, “not permitting us to be tempted
above that which we are able, but granting also with
temptation issue, that we may be able to bear it” ??
There await you, brothers, the martyrs’ crowns;
the choirs of the confessors are ready to extend to
you their hands and to receive you among their own
number. Remember the saints of old, that no one
of them who indulged himself or yielded to flattery
was thought worthy of the crown of patient endur-
ance, but that they all, having through great afflictions
been tried by fire, proved their metal. For some
“had trial of mockeries and stripes,’ while others
“were cut asunder,’ and still others “were put to
1 2 Thess. 2. 4.
2 Cf. 1Cor. 10. 13: πειρασμὸς ὑμᾶς οὐκ εἴληφεν εἰ μὴ ἀνθρώπινος"
πιστὸς δὲ ὁ Θεός, ὃς οὐκ ἐάσει ὑμᾶς πειρασθῆναι ὑπὲρ ὃ δύνασθε,
ἀλλὰ ποιήσει σὺν τῷ πειρασμῷ καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑμᾶς
ὑπενεγκεῖν. ““ Let no temptation take hold on you, but such
asishuman. And God is faithful, who will not suffer you to
be tempted above that which you are able; but will make
also with temptation issue, that you may be able to bear
it.”
329
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

be} ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον. TavTad ἐστι

τὰ σεμνολογήματα τῶν ἁγίων. μακάριος ὁ
καταξιωθεὶς τῶν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ παθημάτων.
μακαριώτερος δὲ ὁ πλεονάσας ἐν τοῖς παθήμασι"
διότι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς
τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι 5. εἰς
ἡμᾶς.
Ei μὲν οὖν ἦν δυνατὸν αὐτόν με παραγενέσθαι,
οὐδὲν ἂν προετίμησα τῆς συντυχίας ὑμῶν, ὥστε
καὶ ἰδεῖν τοὺς ἀθλητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ περι-
πτύξασθαι, καὶ κοινωνῆσαι τῶν “προσευχῶν καὶ
τῶν πνευματικῶν ἐν ὑμῖν χαρισμάτων. ἐπειδὴ δὲ
τὸ σῶμά μοι λοιπὸν ὑπὸ χρονίας νόσου κατανά-
λωται, ὡς μηδὲ ἀπὸ τῆς κλίνης δύνασθαί με
καταβαίνειν, καὶ οἱ ἐφεδρεύοντες ἡμῖν
ἡ πολλοί, ὡς
λύκοι ἅρπαγες, ἐπιτηροῦντες καιρὸν πότε δυνη-
θῶσι διαρπάσαι τὰ πρόβατα τοῦ Χριστοῦ,
ἀναγκαίως ἐπὶ τὴν διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἐπίσκεψιν
ἦλθον, παρακαλῶν προηγουμένως μὲν ἐκτενεῖς
τὰς ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ ποιεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς δεήσεις, ἵνα
καταξιωθῶ τὰς γοῦν λειπομένας ἡμέρας ἢ ὥρας
δουλεῦσαι τῷ Κυρίῳ κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς
βασιλείας, ἔπειτα καὶ συγγνώμην ἔχειν μου τῇ
ἀπολείψει καὶ τῇ βραδυτῆτι ταύτῃ τῶν γραμ-
μάτων. μόλις γὰρ ηὐπορήσαμεν ἀνθρώπου τοῦ
δυναμένου ἐξυπηρετήσασθαι ἡμῶν τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ
λέγομεν δὲ τὸν υἱὸν ἡμῶν Εὐγένιον τὸν ᾿μονά-
ζοντα, δι’ οὗ παρακαλῶ εὔξασθαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν καὶ
τῆς Εκκλησίας πάσης, καὶ ἀντιγράψαι ἡμῖν τὰ
περὶ ὑμῶν, ἵνα γνόντες εὐθυμότερον διατεθῶμεν.
1 ἐπρίσθησαν, οἱ δὲ] ἐπειράσθησαν. ἐπρίσθησαν HK.
* ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι ΕἸ.
399
 LETTER CXXXIX

death by the sword.” 1 These are the proud boasts

of the saints. Blessed is he who is deemed worthy
of suffering for Christ! And more blessed is he
who abounds in sufferings; for “the sufferings of
this time are not worthy to be compared with the
glory to come that shall be revealed in us.’ 5
Now if it had been possible for me to be with you
in person, I should have preferred nothing to such
meeting with you, that I might see the athletes of
Christ, and embrace you, and to share in your prayers
and in your spiritual acts of grace. But since my
body has been wasted by a long sickness, so that I
am not even able to leave my bed, and since they are
many who lie in wait for us, like rapacious wolves,
watching for an opportunity when they may be able
to seize the sheep of Christ, of necessity have I been
reduced to visit you by letter, urging you above all
to make earnest supplications for me, that I may be
thought worthy to spend at least the remaining days
or hours in serving the Lord according to the Gospel
of His kingdom, and, in the second place, asking you
to grant me pardon for my absence and for the tardi-
ness of this letter. For with difficulty have we
found a man who is able to carry out our desire; we
mean our son Eugenius, the monk, through hon I
ask you to pray for us and for the entire Church, and
to write us in answer about your affairs, that on
being informed we may be of better cheer.
1 Cf. Heb. 11. 36-37: ἕτεροι δὲ ἐμπαιγμῶν καὶ μαστίγων
πεῖραν ἔλαβον ἔτι δὲ δεσμῶν kal φυλακῆς" ἐλιθάσθησαν, ἐπρίσθησαν,
ἐπειράσθησαν, ἐν φόνῳ μαχαίρας ἀπέθανον. “ And others had
trial of mockeries and stripes, moreover also of bonds and
prisons. They were stoned, they were cut asunder, they
were tempted, they were put to death by the sword.”
2 Rom. 8. 18.
351
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CXL
Τῇ ᾿Αντιοχέων ’Exxdyaia }
Tis δώσει μοι πτέρυγας, ὡσεὶ περιστερᾶς ; Kal
πετασθήσομαι 5 πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ καταπαύσω τὸν
πόθον ὃν ἔχω ἐπὶ τῇ συντυχίᾳ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγά-
πης. νυνὶ δὲ οὐχὶ πτερύγων ἐνδεῶς ἔχω μόνον,
ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ σώματος, πάλαι μέν μοι ὑπὸ
μακρᾶς Tis ° ἀρρωστίας πεπονηκότος, νῦν δὲ ὑπὸ
τῶν συνεχῶν θλίψεων παντελῶς συντετριμμένου.
τίς γὰρ οὕτως ἀδαμάντινος τὴν ψυχήν, τίς οὕτω
παντελῶς ἀσυμπαθὴς καὶ ἀνήμερος, ὡς * ἀκούων
τοῦ πανταχόθεν ἡἡμᾶς ° προσβάλλοντος στεναγμοῦ,
οἷον ἀπό τινος χοροῦ κατηφοῦς κοινόν τινα
θρῆνον καὶ σύμφωνον. προσηχοῦντος, μὴ οὐχὶ
παθεῖν τὴν ψυχήν, καὶ κατακαμφθῆναι εἰς γῆν,
καὶ ταῖς ἀμηχάνοις ταύταις «μερίμναις παντελῶς
ἐκτακῆναι; ἀλλὰ δυνατὸς ὁ ἅγιος Θεὸς δοῦναί
τινα λύσιν τῶν “ἀμηχάνων καὶ χαρίσασθαι ἡμῖν
τινὰ τῶν μακρῶν πόνων ἀναπνοήν. ὥστε καὶ
ὑμᾶς τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχειν ἀξιῶ παράκλησιν καὶ τῇ
ἐλπίδι τῆς παρα Κλ Hee χαίροντας ὑμᾶς τὸ παρὸν
ἀλγεινὸν τών θλίψεων ὑπομένειν. εἴτε γὰρ
ἁμαρτημάτων ἀποτίννυμεν δίκας, ἱκαναὶ αἱ
μάστιγες πρὸς παραίτησιν “ λοιπὸν τῆς ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν
ὀργῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ" εἴτε εἰς τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας
ἀγῶνας διὰ τῶν πειρασμῶν τούτων κεκλήμεθα,
δίκαιος ὁ ἀθλοθέτης μὴ ἐᾶσαι ἡμᾶς πειρασθῆναι
1 τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ᾿Αντιοχείας παραμυθητική EK.
2 πεταἄνθήσομαι Regius. 3 τῆς om. KE. 4 gs EK.
5 ἡμῖν Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus.
33?
 LETTER CXL

LETTER CXL
To THE CuuRcH or ANTIOocH!
“ Wuo will give me wings like a dove, and I will
fly” 2 to you and end the longing which I have for
converse with your Charity? But as it is I lack, not
only wings, but my very body also, for it has suffered
for a long time from my chronic illness and is now
quite crushed by its continuous afflictions. For who
is so hard of heart, who so wholly without sympathy
and kindness, that, when he hears the lamentations
which assail us from all sides, issuing as it were from
a doleful choir intoning in unison a kind of universal
dirge, does not suffer at heart, and is not bowed
down to earth, and is not utterly wasted away by
their present desperate anxieties? But the holy
God has power to grant relief from our desperate
straits and to bless us with a respite from our pro-
longed labours. So I feel that you also may well
possess the same consolation, and, rejoicing in the
hope of that consolation, endure the present pain of
your afflictions. For if we are paying a penalty for
sins, our scourging will suffice to appease henceforth
God’s wrath towards us, or if through these trials we
have been called into the contest on behalf of the
true religion, the arbiter of the contest is just and
1 Written in 373.
2 Cf. Psal. 54. 7: καὶ εἶπα Τίς δώσει μοι πτέρυγας ὡσεὶ περισ-
τερᾶς, καὶ πετασθήσομαι καὶ καταπαύσω; ‘And I said: Who
will give me wings like a dove, and I will fly and be at
rest ?”’

§ παρέκτισιν editi antiqi. 7 βεβχαιούμεθα editi antiqi.

333
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὑπὲρ ὃ δυνάμεθα ὑπενεγκεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῖς mpo-

πεπονημένοις ἀποδοῦναι ἡμῖν τὸν τῆς ὑπομονῆς
καὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλπίδος στέφανον. μὴ οὗν
ἀποκάμωμεν ἐναθλοῦντες εἰς τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσε-
βείας ἀγῶνας, μηδὲ Ov ἀνελπιστίας τὰ πονηθέντα
ἡμῖν προώμεθα. οὐ γὰρ μία πρᾶξις ἀνδρείας οὐδὲ
βραχὺς πόνος τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς καρτερὸν διαδείκνυ-
σιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ δοκιμάζων ἡμῶν τὰς καρδίας διὰ μακ-
ρᾶς καὶ παρατεταμένης τῆς δοκιμασίας βούλεται
ἡμᾶς τῆς δικαιοσύνης στεφανίτας ἀποδειχ-
θῆναι.
Μόνον ἀνένδοτον φυλασσέσθω τὸ φρόνημα
ἡμῶν, ἄσειστον τὸ στερέωμα τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν
πίστεως διατηρείσθω, καὶ ἥξει ἐν τάχει ὁ ἀντι-
ληψόμενος ἡμῶν" ἥξει καὶ οὐ χρονιεῖ. προσδέχου
γὰρ θλίψιν ἐπὶ "θλίψει, ἐλπίδα ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι, ἔτι
μικρόν, ἔτι μικρόν. οὕτως οἶδε ψυχαγωγεῖν τῇ
ἐπαγγελίᾳ τοῦ μέλλοντος τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ τροφίμους
τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. μετὰ γὰρ τὰς θλίψεις ἡ
ἐλπίς, ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς δὲ πάρεστι τὰ ἐλπιζό-
μενα. κἂν γὰρ ὅλον τις εἴποι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον
βίον, σμικρότατόν ἐστι διάστημα παντελῶς,
συγκρίσει ἐκείνου τοῦ ἀπεράντου αἰῶνος τοῦ ἐν
ταῖς ἐλπίσιν ἀποκειμένου.
Πίστιν δὲ ἡμεῖς οὔτε παρ᾽ ἄλλων γραφομένην
ἡμῖν νεωτέραν παραδεχόμεθα, οὔτε αὐτοὶ τὰ τῆς
ἡμετέρας διανοίας γεννήματα παραδιδόναι τολμῶ-
μεν, ἵνα μὴ ἀνθρώπινα ποιήσωμεν ᾿ τὰ τῆς εὖσε-
βείας ῥήματα: ἀλλ᾽ ἅπερ παρὰ τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων
δεδιδάγμεθα, ταῦτα τοῖς ἐρωτῶσιν ἡμᾶς διαγγέχλο-
μεν. ἔστι τοίνυν ἐκ πατέρων ἐμπολιτευομένη τῇ
1 ἀναδειχθῆναι editi antiqi.
334
 LETTER CXL

will not permit us to be tried beyond what we can

endure,! nay, for what we have already endured He
will give us the crown of patience and of our hope
in Him. So let us not weary of the contest in the
struggle for the true religion, and let us not in
despair give up the fruits of our labours. For it is
not a single act of courage nor yet a labour for a
brief space that proves the soul’s strength, but He
who makes trial of our hearts wishes by means of a
long and protracted trial that we may be appointed
winners of the crown of righteousness.
Only let our spirits be kept unyielding, the stead-
fastness of our faith in Christ maintained unshaken,
and presently He will come who will take our part ;
He will come and not delay. For you must look
forward to affliction upon affliction, hope upon hope,
for yet a little while, yet a little while. Thus does
the Holy Spirit know how to beguile his nurslings
by the promise of the futures For beyond the
afflictions is hope, and near at hand are the objects
of our hope. For even if one should speak of the
whole of human life, it is indeed a very short span
altogether as compared with that endless eternity
which lies yonder in our hopes.
As to creed, we accept no newer creed written for
us by others, nor do we ourselves make bold to give
out the product of our own intelligence, lest we make
the words of our religion the words of man; but
rather that which we have been taught by the holy
Fathers do we make known to those who question
us. We have, then, enfranchised in our church
1 Cf. 1 Cor. 10. 13. See previous letter, p. 329, note 2.

* λογίζωνται editi antiqi.

335
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐκκλησίᾳ ἡμῶν ἡ γραφεῖσα Tapa τῶν ἁγίων

πατέρων πίστις τῶν κατὰ τὴν Νίκαιαν συνελθόν-
των" ἣν ἡγούμεθα μὲν διὰ στόματος εἶναι καὶ
παρ᾽ ὑμῖν, οὐ παραιτούμεθα δέ, ἵνα μὴ ὄκνου
ἔγκλημα ἀπενεγκώμεθα, καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ ῥήματα
ἐνσημᾶναι τῷ γράμματι. ἔστι δὲ ταῦτα. πισ-
τεύομεν εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν Πατέρα παντοκράτορα,
ὁρατῶν τε πάντων καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητήν. καὶ εἰς
ἕνα Κύριον ᾿Ιησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν Ὑἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ,
γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ ἸΙατρὸς μονογενῆ" τουτέστιν,
ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ Ilatpos: φῶς ἐκ φωτός, Θεὸν
ἀληθινὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ: γεννηθέντα οὐ ποιη-
θέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ Ἰ]ατρί, δι’ οὗ τὰ πάντα
ἐγένετο, τά τε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ γῆ. τὸν
du’ ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν
σωτηρίαν κατελθόντα" 5 σαρκωθέντα, ἐνανθρωπή-
σαντα, παθόντα, καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ"
ἀνελθόντα εἰς οὐρανούς, ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι ζῶντας
καὶ νεκρούς. καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. τοὺς δὲ
λέγοντας, ἣν ποτέ, ὅτε οὐκ ἦν' καί, πρὶν γεννη-
θῆναι οὐκ ἦν" καί, ὅτι ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων ἐγένετο" ἢ
ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας φάσκοντας εἶναι,
ἢ τρεπτόν, ἢ ἀλλοιωτὸν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τούτους
ἀναθεματίζει ἡ καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ ὥκκλη-
σία.
Πιστεύομεν τούτοις. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀδιόριστός
1 ἡμῖν add. E.

336
 LETTER CXL

from the time of the Fathers the creed which

was written by the holy Fathers convened at
Nicaea; and this we believe is repeated among you
also, but, in order that we may not incur the
charge of reluctance, we do not refuse to put into
writing the very words themselves. They are as
follows: “We believe in one God, the Father
Almighty, Maker of all things visible and invisible.
And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, born
of the Father, the only begotten, that is, the substance
of the Father. Light of light, true God of true
God ; begotten, not made, consubstantial with the
Father, by whom all things were made both in
heaven and on earth. Who for us men and for
our salvation came down; and was incarnate and
was made man; suffered and rose again on the third
day. He ascended into heaven, and shall come to
judge the living and the dead. And (we believe) in
the Holy Ghost. But as for those who say ‘There
was when He was not, and ‘ Before He was begotten
He was not,’ or that ‘He came into existence from
what was not,’ or who profess that the Son of God is
of a different person or substance, or that the Son of
God is changeable or variable, these the Catholic and
Apostolic Church anathematizes.”’ 1
This do we believe. But since the doctrine of the
1 The Benedictine editors point out that Saint Léontius
brought the Nicene Creed to Caesarea, and that Hermogenes,
the successor of Leontius, bravely defended it, according to
Letter LXXXI. Hermogenes’ successor, Dianius, however,
signed several Arian formulae, but the Nicene Creed con-
tinued to be maintained. Furthermore, in Letter LI Dianius
is described as supporting it.

2 ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν add, editi antiqi.

337
VOL, Il. Ζ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐστιν ὁ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος λόγος, οὔπω

τότε τῶν πνευματομάχων ἀναφανέντων, τὸ χρῆ-
ναι ἀναθεματίξεσθαι τοὺς λέγοντας τῆς κτιστῆς
εἶναι καὶ δουλικῆς φύσεως τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον
ἐσίγησαν. οὐδὲν γὰρ ὅλως τῆς θείας καὶ μακαρίας
Τριάδος κτιστόν.

CXLI
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
᾿Εδεξάμην ἤδη δύο ἐπιστολὰς παρὰ τῆς ἐνθέου
καὶ τελειοτάτης “φρονήσεώς σου, ὧν ἡ μὲν ὑπέγρα-
φεν ἡμῖν ἐναργῶς, ὅπως μὲν προσεδοκήθημεν ὑὑπὸ
τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖρα τῆς ὁσιότητός σου,
ὅσον δὲ ἐλυπήσαμεν ἀπολειφθέντες τῆς ἁγιωτάτης
συνόδουι ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα, ἡ παλαιοτέρα μέν, ὡς
εἰκάζω τῷ γράμματι, ὕστερον δὲ ἡμῖν ἀποδοθεῖσα,
διδασκαλίαν περιεῖχε πρέπουσάν σοι καὶ ἡμῖν
ἀναγκαίαν, μὴ καταρρᾳθυμεῖν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ
Θεοῦ, μηδὲ κατὰ μικρὸν προΐεσθαι τοῖς ὑπεναν-
τίοις τὰ πράγματα, ἀφ᾽ ὧν τὰ μὲν ἐκείνων αὐξήσει,
1 They flourished in the countries adjacent to the Helles-
pont. They denied the divinity of the Holy Ghost, hence
the name Pneumatomachi or Combators against the Spirit.
Macedonius, their founder, was intruded into the see of
Constantinople by Arians (4.D. 342) and enthroned by
Constantius, who had for a second time expelled Paul, the
Catholic bishop. They are sometimes called Macedonians,
after the name of their founder.
2 7.e. the Fathers of Nicaea.
3 Written in 373. In this letter Basil answers two com-
plaints of Eusebius: that Basil had not come to him, and
that Basil should take up more energetically the defence of
orthodoxy.
338
 LETTER CXLI

Holy Spirit had not yet been defined, for no Pneu-

matomachi! had as yet arisen at that time, they”
were silent about the need of anathematizing those
who say that the Holy Spirit is of a created and
servile nature. For nothing at all in the divine and
blessed Trinity is created.

LETTER CXLI
To Eusesrus, Bishop or SamosatTa ®
I nave already received two letters from your
divine and consummate Wisdom,‘ and one of these
vividly described to us how we had been expected
by the people under the episcopal sway of your
Holiness, and how much disappointment we occa-
sioned by being absent from the most holy synod.
The other letter, of an earlier date, as 1 judge by the
writing, but delivered to us after the first-mentioned,
contained an admonition which does credit to your-
self and is necessary for us—not to neglect the
churches of God nor little by little to surrender the
control of affairs to our adversaries, with the result
that their interests will increase and ours will be
St. Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata (Commagene), died in 379.
His feast is celebrated on June 22 by the Greeks and June
21 by the Latins. His life reflects more than any other the
unrest and troubles of the Mastern Church between 361 and
379. Eusebius was a moderate partisan of the Creed of
Nicaea. He was threatened by Constantius, and, under
Valens, could only traverse his diocese in disguise in order
to sustain the faith of his people. A decree of 373 banished
him to Thrace. Finally, when after the death of Valens
(376) he returned to Commagene, an Arian woman killed him
by hitting him witha stone. Cf, Tillemont, note 64.
4 A title in Byzantine times.
339
Z2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τὰ \
δὲ \
ἡμέτερα
e /
μειωθήσεται. /
καὶ a
οἶμαι 3
πρὸς \

« / > / \ > \ \ Lal

εκατεραν ἀποκεκρίσθαι" πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν,
ἐπειδὴ ἄδηλον εἰ οἱ πιστευθέντες τὴν διακονίαν
> \ ΝΜ, > e / \ /

διέσωσαν ἡμῶν τὰς ἀποκρίσεις, περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν

ἀπολογοῦμαι' πρὸς μὲν τὴν ἀπόλειψιν ἀληθεσ-
> fal 5 \ \ \ > / 3

τάτην πρόφασιν γράφων, ἧς οἶμαι τὴν ἀκοὴν

καὶ μέχρι τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος διαβεβηκέναι, ὅτι
ὑπὸ ἀρρωστίας κατεσχέθην τῆς μέχρις αὐτῶν με
τῶν πυλῶν τοῦ θανάτου καταγαγούσης. καὶ ἔτι
\ ἴω id / > / \ / /,
καὶ νυν, ἡνίκα ἀπέστελλον περὶ τούτων, λείψανα
φέρων τῆς ἀρρωστίας ἔγραφον. ταῦτα δέ ἐστι
τοιαῦτα, ὥστε ἐξαρκεῖν ἑτέρῳ νοσήματα εἶναι
lal A 3

δύσφορα.
Πρὸς\ δὲ\ τό,I ὅτι
e
ovπον ῥᾳθυμίᾳ
Ὁ, ,
ἡμετέρᾳ
ς ΄
τὰ\ τῶν
a

> n a , Τὰ γὼ
ἐκκλησιῶν τοῖς ἐναντίοις προδέδοται, εἰδέναι
βούλομαι τὴν θεοσέβειάν σου, ὅτι οἱ κοινωνικοὶ
δῆθεν ἡμῖν τῶν ἐπισκόπων, ἢ ὄκνῳ, ἢ TO πρὸς
“ “ A A aA \

ἡμᾶς ὑπόπτως ἔχειν ETL καὶ μὴ καθαρῶς, ἢ τῇ

la) / \ lal an

Tapa\ τοῦn διαβόλου

,
ἐγγινομένῃ
’ /
πρὸς\ Tas\ ἀγαθὰς
3 \

πράξεις ἐναντιώσει, συνάρασθαι 3 ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀνέχον- an /

ται. ἀλλὰ σχήματι μὲν δῆθεν οἱ πλείους ἐσμὲν

> \ / \ rn « / > \

μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων, προστεθέντος ἡμῖν καὶ τοῦ χρη-

’ > / / ς Lad \ Ὁ

στοῦ Βοσπορίου, ἀληθείᾳ δὲ πρὸς οὐδὲν ἡμῖν τῶν

> ἢ ᾿ 7 Z Ae a \
ἀναγκαιοτάτων συναίρονται: ὥστε με καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς
/ Ul οἱ a

ἀθυμίας ταύτης τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος πρὸς a / \

τὴν ἈΝ

ἀνάληψιν ἐμποδίζεσθαι, συνεχῶς μοι τῶν ap-

2 / > / a n >

1 ἑτέρων νοσήματα FE; ἑτέρῳ νοσήματα Harl., Med. ; ἑτέρων

νοσήματι editi antiqi.
340
 LETTER CXLI

diminished. I think I have answered both letters;

but since it is not clear whether those entrusted
with the mission succeeded in delivering our replies,
I shall now defend myself once more as regards
these same matters. As regards my absence, I am
writing a most truthful excuse, the report of
which, I think, has travelled even to your Holiness
—that I was detained by an illness which brought
me down to the very gates of death. And again
even now, as I tell you about these things, I am
writing while still suffering the after-effects of my
illness. And these are of such a character that for
another man they would pass for maladies not easy
to endure.
As to the other matter, to explain that it is through
no negligence on our part that the interests of the
churches have been surrendered to our adversaries,
I wish your Reverence to know that the bishops who
pretend to be in communion with us, either because
of reluctance, or again on account of being suspicious
of us and not frank and open towards us, or finally
on account of the opposition to good works which is
fomented by the devil, do not permit themselves to
assist us. But while ostensibly the majority of us
are united with one another, the excellent Bosporius !
also having been added to our number, yet in reality
they render us no assistance in the most urgent
matters ; consequently my recovery is being hindered
for the most part by my discouragement, since all

1 Bosporius, an intimate friend of Basil, was Bishop of

Colonia in Cappadocia Secunda. Cf. Letter LI.

2 συναίρεσθαι editi antiqi.

341
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ρωστημάτων ἐκ τῆς σφοδρᾶς λύπης ἀποστρε-

/ > - al iA >

φόντων.1
/

Τί δ᾽ ἂν ποιήσαιμι μόνος, τῶν κανόνων, ὡς καὶ

αὐτὸς οἶδας, ἐνὶ τὰς τοιαύτας οἰκονομίας μὴ συγ-
7 /

χωρούντων ; καίτοι τίνα θεραπείαν οὐκ ἐθερά-

πευσα; ποίου κρίματος αὐτοὺς οὐκ ἀνέμνησα τὰ
μὲν διὰ γραμμάτων, τὰ δὲ καὶ διὰ τῆς συντυ-
\ a / \ δ \ \ an

, a \ \ / foe 1 ’ \
χίας ; ἦλθον yap καὶ μέχρι τῆς 5 πόλεως κατὰ
ἀκοὴν τοῦ ἐμοῦ θανάτου. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔδοξε τῷ Θεῷ
ζῶντας ἡμᾶς παρ᾽ αὐτῶν καταληφθῆναι, διελέχθη-
μεν αὐτοῖς τὰ εἰκότα. καὶ παρόντα μὲν αἰδοῦνται,
καὶ ὑπισχνοῦνται τὰ εἰκότα πάντα, ἀπολειφθέντες
δὲ πάλιν πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀνατρέχουσι γνώμην.
ταῦτα καὶ ἡμεῖς τῆς κοινῆς καταστάσεως τῶν
πραγμάτων ἀπολαύομεν, προδήλως τοῦ Κυρίου
΄ > 7 / lal /

ἐγκαταλιπόντος ἡμᾶς, τοὺς διὰ TO πληθυνθῆναι

> , e A \ \ ΑΝ n

τὴν ἀνομίαν ψύξαντας τὴν ἀγάπην. ἀλλὰ

πρὸς πάντα ἡμῖν ἀρκεσάτω ἡ μεγάλη σου καὶ
δυνατωτάτη πρὸς Θεὸν ἱκεσία. τάχα γὰρ ἂν
ἢ γενοίμεθά τι τοῖς πράγμασι χρήσιμοι, ἢ
͵ a
διαμαρτόντες ὃ τῶν σπουδαζομένων, φύγοιμεν τὴν
κατάκρισιν.
1 ὑποστρεφόντων E.
2 τῆς om. E.

342
 LETTER CXLI

the symptoms of my disease continually recur as the

result of my exceeding grief.
But what can I do single-handed, when the Canons,!
as you yourself well know, do not grant to one man
the appropriate administrative powers? And yet
what remedy is there that I have not applied?
What decision have I failed to bring to their atten-
tion, partly by letters, and partly by personal inter-
views? For they even came to the city at a report
of my death. But since it was pleasing to God that
they should find us still alive, we addressed them in
language proper to such an occasion. They are
reverent in my presence, and promise all that they
should, but on leaving me they once more return to
their own opinion. In all this we, as well as others,
are but feeling the effect of the general condition of
affairs, for the Lord has clearly abandoned us, seeing
that we have grown cold in our love on account of
the widespread increase of lawlessness. But to com-
bat all this let your great and most powerful suppli-
cation to God assist us. For perhaps we may be of
some use in the situation, or, if we fail in what we
desire, may escape condemnation.
1 These canons, which were falsely ascribed to the apostles,
are sometimes cited by Basil among the canonical epistles.
He seems here to refer to the 27th, where it is ordained that
in each province the bishops should not initiate anything of
an important character without the opinion or consent of
him who is first in rank among them, and that each one
should be content with those things which belong to his own
district ;but he should not do anything without the good-
will of all. Basil was very scrupulous in observing this
canon. Cf. the note of the Benedictine editors,

3 διαμαρτάνοντες editi antiqi.

343
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

OXLII
Novpepapio ἐπάρχων
Συνήγαγον. bev? πάντας ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ τοῦ
μακαρίου μάρτυρος Εὐψυχίου τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς
ἡμῶν τοὺς χωρεπισκόπους, ὥστε γνωρίμους
ποιῆσαι τῇ τιμιότητί, σου. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀπελείφθης,
διὰ γραμμάτων αὐτοὺς ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστι προσαχ-
θῆναί σου τῇ τελειότητι. γνώριζε τοίνυν τὸν
ἀδελφὸν τόνδε ἄξιον ὄντα τοῦ πιστεύεσθαι παρὰ
τῆς σῆς φρονήσεως διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦ Κυρίου.
καὶ ἅπερ ἂν τῶν πτωχῶν ἕνεκεν ἀναφέρῃ σου τῇ
ἀγαθῇ προαιρέσει, καταξίωσον ὡς ἀχηθεύοντι
πείθεσθαι καὶ τὴν δυνατὴν ἐἐπικουρίαν παρέχεσθαι
τοῖς καταπονουμένοις. καταξιώσεις δὲ “δηλονότι
καὶ πτωχοτροφίαν τῆς συμμορίας τῆς ὑπ᾽ αὐτὸν
ἐπισκέψασθαι καὶ πάντη ἀνεῖναι τῆς συντελείας.
τοῦτο γὰρ ἤδη καὶ τῷ ἑταίρῳ σου συνήρεσε τὴν
μικρὰν κτῆσιν τῶν πενήτων ἀλειτουργητον κατα-
στῆσαι.

1 ἐπαρχιῶν Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus.

2 συνήγαγον
Yayov μ'ὶμὲν] συνηγάγομεν
YAY or E, ᾽ Reg.8 secundus.

1 Written in 373. Νουμεραρίῳ is merely the transcription

of a Latin title. There were two Numerarii in every pro-
vince. The Benedictine editors remark that Valens had
decreed in 365 that the Numerarii of the Consulares and
Praesides should henceforth be called tabellarii. But
perhaps that law was little observed, or, as has happened in
many other letters of Basil, the heading has been added
since Basil’s time by the scribes,
344
 LETTER CXLII

LETTER CXLII
To THE Prerects’ AccouNnTANT?!
I convENED all our brethren, the Chorepiscopi,? at
the synod of the blessed martyr Eupsychius,? in
order to introduce them to your Honour. But
since you were absent, it is now necessary that they
be introduced to your Perfection by letter. Know,
then, that this present brother is worthy of being
trusted by your Wisdom through his fear of the
Lord. Moreover, whatever matters he may refer
to your goodwill as regards the welfare of the poor,
deign to believe him as a man who speaks the truth
and to offer to the afflicted the greatest assistance
possible. In particular, you will have the kindness
to inspect the home for the poor in the district
under his care, and to exempt it entirely from taxa-
tion. For it has already pleased your colleague also
to make the small property of the poor immune
from assessment.
2 Cf. Letter LIII and note.
3 Eupsychius appears in the Roman calendar, and his
martyrdom is celebrated on April 9. During the reign of
Julian he assisted in the demolition of a temple of Fortune
in the city of Caesarea in Cappadocia. All who took part
in this affair were condemned either to death or banishment
(cf. Sozomen, H. Δ. 5, 11). Eupsychius was beheaded, but
the temple of Fortune was never rebuilt. In its place a
church in memory of Eupsychius was erected. To the
festival of the dedication of this church Basil summoned all
the bishops of Pontus by a letter which is still extant
(Letter CCLII). Furthermore, we find Basil eagerly entreat-
ing Eusebius of Samosata to be present at the festival of
Eupsychius on Sept. 7, 372 (cf. Basil, Letter C ; also Greg.
Naz., Letters XX VI and XXVII).
345
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CXLIII
‘Erép@ voupepapio
Ei μὲν αὐτῷ μοι δυνατὸν. ἦν συμπαρεῖναι τῇ
τιμιότητί σου, ov ἐμαντοῦ ἂν πάντως ἀνήνεγκα
περὶ ὧν ἐβουλόμην καὶ προέστην τῶν καταπονου-
μένων. ἐπεὶ δέ με ἀρρωστία σώματος καὶ ἀσχο-
λίαι πραγμάτων ἀφέλκουσιν,. ἀντ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ σοι
τὸν ἀδελφὸν τόνδε τὸν χωρεπίσκοπον συνίστημι,
ὥστε σε αὐτῷ γνησίως προσχόντα χρήσασθαι
συμβούλῳ, ὡς φιλαλήθως καὶ ἐμφρόνως δυναμένῳ
συμβουλεῦσαι περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων. τὸ γὰρ
πτωχοτροφεῖον τὸ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ οἰκονομούμενον
ἐπειδὰν καταξιώσῃς θεάσασθαι (ὄψει γάρ, εὖ
οἶδα, καὶ οὐ παραδραμῇ, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ ἄπειρος3 εἶ
τοῦ ἔργου, ἀλλ᾽, ὡς ὁ δεῖνά μοι ἀνήνεγκεν, ἕν τῶν
ἐν τῇ ᾿Αμασείᾳ ἐξ ὧν ἔδωκέ σοι ὁ Κύριος δια-
τρέφεις), ἐπειδὰν οὖν ἴδῃς καὶ τοῦτο, πάντα αὐτῷ
παρέξῃ 3 τὰ ἐπιζητούμενα. ἤδη γάρ μοι καὶ ὁ
ἑταῖρός σου κατεπηγγείλατο φιλανθρωπίαν τινὰ
περὶ τὰ πτωχοτροφεῖα. τοῦτο δὲ λέγω, οὐχ ἵνα
ἄλλον αὐτὸς μιμήσῃ (σὲ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἑτέροις εἶναι
1 ἀνθέλκουσιν editi antiqi. 2 ἄπορος K, Reg. secundus.
5 παρέξεις editi antiqi.

1 Written in 373. Cf. previous letter, note 1.

2. Of. Letter LIII and note.
3 A city in the Pontus, situated on the Iris.
‘ By the word ‘‘colleague” here is not meant the other
accountant to whom the previous letter is addressed, because
in that letter also Basil remarks that he has been promised
346
 LETTER CXLIII

LETTER CXLIII
To THE OTHER AccounTANT 1

Ir it had been possible for me to call upon your

Honour, I should certainly have brought to your
attention in person the matters about which I wished
to consult you, and I should have championed the
cause of the afflicted. Since, however, illness of
body and the pressure of affairs detain me, I am
now recommending to you in my place this brother,
the chorepiscopus,? that you, paying him sincere
attention, may treat him as your counsellor, since he
is able truthfully and prudently to advise you con-
cerning our affairs. For instance, when you are
kind enough to look at the home for the poor that
is administered by him (for you will see it, I am
sure, and will not pass it by, since you are not
unfamiliar with the work, but, as a certain person
has informed me, you are supporting one of the
homes at Amasea® with the means which the Lord
has bestowed upon you)—when, therefore, you see
this home also, you will furnish him with whatever
he requests. For already your colleague * has also
promised me some beneficence for the homes for
the poor. But I am saying this, not to induce you
to imitate another (for there is every reason why
help for the poor by the addressee’s colleague. Since there
were but two accountants, this probably refers to another
officer who had very similar duties. The Benedictine editors
conjecture him to be the prefects’ officer (τρακτευτὴς τῶν
ἐπάρχων), to whom the next letter is addressed, and who is
asked to fulfil certain promises he has made. However, it
may be that Basil, to gain his end, is craftily telling each of
the two what the other has promised.
347
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
a A ς , 5) 3. (re a 4 \ ‘
TOV καλῶν ἡγεμόνα), GAN ἵνα γνῷς OTL δὴ περὶ
αὐτῶν τούτων καὶ ἄλλοι ἡμᾶς ἐδυσωπήθησαν."

CXLIV
Τρακτευτῇ τῶν ἐπάρχων
Ρνωρίξεις πάντως τόνδε ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πόλιν
συντυχίας, ὅμως δέ σοι αὐτὸν καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐπι-
στολῆς προσάγομεν συνιστῶντες, ὅτι εἰς πολλά
σοι τῶν σπουδαζομένων χρήσιμος ἔσται, διὰ τὸ
καὶ συνετῶς καὶ εὐλαβῶς δύνασθαι ὑποτίθεσθαι
τὰ πρακτέα. ἃ δὲ ἐμοὶ εἰς τὸ οὖς διελέχθης,
ταῦτα νῦν ἐστὶ καιρὸς ἐπιδείξασθαι, ἐπειδάν σοι
ὁ προειρημένος ἀδελφὸς τὰ τῶν πτωχῶν ὕπο-
δείξῃ.

CXLV
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
Οἶδα τοὺς μυρίους πόνους5 σου, ods ἀνέτλης
ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἀσχολιῶν
τὸ πλῆθος οὐκ ἀγνοῶ, ἃς ἔχεις, τὴν οἰκονομίαν οὐ
παρέργως ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Κυρίου
διατιθέμενος. καὶ τὸν ἐκ γειτόνων ὑμῖν ἐπικα-
θήμενον évv0d,® ᾧ ἀνάγκη ὑμᾶς, ὥσπερ ὄρνιθας
1 ἐδυσώπησαν Τὶ, editi antiqi.
2 κόπους quattuor MSS. 3 ἐννοῶ om. E.

1 Written in 373 and on the same occasion.

348
 LETTER CXLV

you should be the leader of the rest in noble deeds),

but in order that you may know that others also
regarding these very matters have shown us a
reverent respect.

LETTER CXLIV
To THE Prerects’ Orricer ὦ
You are surely acquainted with this man through
your interview with him in the city, but neverthe-
less we are introducing and commending him to
you also by letter, because he will be useful to you
in many matters which now engage your attention,
as he is a man capable of advising you intelligently
and piously as to what must be done. And now
you will have the opportunity of giving proof of the
things you once whispered into my ear, when the
brother whom we have mentioned shall have laid
before you the condition of the poor.

LETTER CXLV
.To Eusesius, BisHor or SamosatTa?
I know the innumerable tasks which you have
taken upon yourself in defence of the churches
of God, and I am not unaware of the multitude of
activities which occupy you, since you conduct your
administration in no cursory manner but in accord-
ance with the will of the Lord. And I bear in mind
him 3 who besieges you from close at hand, to avoid
whom each one of you must, like birds cowering before
2 Written in 373. For this Eusebius, cf. Letter CXLI,
p. 339, note 3.
3 ze, Valens.
349
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀετῷ ὑποπτήσσοντας, μὴ πόρρω τῆς σκέπης

ἕκαστον ἀποτρέχειν. τούτων με οὐδὲν λέληθεν.
ἀλλ᾽ ὁ πόθος πρᾶγμα βίαιον, καὶ ἐλπίσαι τὰ μὴ
ἐνδεχόμενα καὶ ἐγχειρῆσαι τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις" μᾶλλον
δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ Κύριον ἐλπὶς ἰσχυρότατον πάντων. οὐ
γὰρ ἀλόγῳ ἐπιθυμίᾳ, arn’ ἰσχύϊ πίστεως προσ-
δοκῶ καὶ πόρον ἐν ἀμηχάνοις φανήσεσθαι καὶ
πάντων ῥᾳδίως σεῦ τῶν κωλυμάτων περιγε-
νήσεσθαι, πρὸς τὸ ἰδεῖν oe τὴν φιλτάτην τῶν
ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὃ ὀφθῆναι παρ᾽ αὐτῆς"
ὃ πάντων αὐτῇ τῶν ἀγαθῶν προτιμότατον, τῷ σῷ
προσβλέψαι προσώπῳ καὶ τῆς σῆς ἀκοῦσαι
φωνῆς. μὴ τοίνυν αὐτῇ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἀτελεῖς
καταστήσῃς. καὶ γὰρ πέρυσιν ἀπὸ τῆς Συρίας
ἐπανελθών, ἣν ἐδεξάμην ἐπαγγελίαν, ταύτην
διακομίσας, πῶς οἴει μετέωρον αὐτὴν κατέστησα
ταῖς ἐλπίσι ; μὴ οὖν εἰς ἄλλον καιρὸν ὑπέρθῃ τὴν
ἐπίσκεψιν αὐτῆς, ὦ θαυμάσιε. καὶ γὰρ ἐὰν 7
δυνατὸν ἰδεῖν αὐτήν ποτε, adr οὐχὶ καὶ μεθ᾽
ἡμῶν, Os ἐπείγει ἡ νόσος ἀπᾶραι λοιπὸν τοῦ
ὀδυνηροῦ τούτου βίου.

CXLVI
᾿Αντιόχῳ ὃ
Οὐκ ἔχω μέμψασθαί σοι ἀργίαν οὐδὲ ῥᾳθυ-
μίαν, ὅτι καιροῦ παραπεσόντος ἴγραμμάτων ἀπε-
1 ποιεῖ add. editi antiqi.
2 ῥαδίως ce] περιγενέσθαι editi antiqi.
καὶ] κἄν K. 4 αὐτῶν Harl.
a
©
τῷ αὐτῷ ἐπισκόπῳ KE. 5 gov K.
ΠῚ
παρεμπεσόντος editi antiqi.
359
 LETTER CXLVI

an eagle, never stray far from your place of shelter.

None of these facts has escaped me. However,
desire is a powerful thing, forcing one both to hope
for that which is unattainable and to undertake that
which is impossible; nay, rather, our hope in the
Lord is the strongest of all.1_ For not by means
of unreasoning desire but through the strength of
faith I expect that a way will appear in desperate
straits and that you will easily surmount all obstacles,
so that you may see your most beloved church, and,
moreover, may also be seen by her; and this she
holds in esteem above all blessings—to gaze upon
your countenance, and to listen to your voice.
Therefore do not cause her hopes to be unfulfilled.
For when, returning from Syria last year, I brought
with me the promise which I had received, to what
pitch of hopeful expectation do you think I raised
her? Accordingly, do not defer to another occasion
your visit to her, admirable sir. For even if it is
possible to see her some day, it may not, however,
be possible to see her and also us, since our sickness
is urging us soon to depart from this painful life.

LECLTER CXELVI
To ANTIocHus 2
I cannot blame you for laziness or indifference,
because when an opportunity for writing was at
1 Cf. St. Augustine in Ps. 3: ‘‘ Vita vere mortalis spes
est vitae immortalis” ; and St. Greg., Moral.: ‘‘Spes in
aeternitatem animum erigit, et idcirco nulla mala sentit.”
Cf. also Ovid, Pont. 1, 7.
2 Written in 373 to Antiochus, the nephew of Eusebius,
Bishop of Samosata. Letters CLVII, CLVIII, and CLXVIII
are also addressed to him,
35!
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

σιώπησας. ἣν γὰρ διὰ τῆς τιμίας ἐμοὶ χειρὸς

διεπέμψω προσηγορίαν πολλῶν ἐπιστολῶν τιμιω-
τέραν ποιοῦμαι. ἀντὶ οὖν ταύτης προσαγορεύω
σε, καὶ παρακαλῶ σπουδαίως ἀντέχεσθαι τῆς
κατὰ ψυχὴν σωτηρίας, πάντα τὰ πάθη τῆς
σαρκὸς παιδαγωγοῦντα τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ διηνεκῶς
τὴν περὶ Θεοῦ ἔννοιαν, οἷον ἐν ναῷ τινὶ ἁγιωτάτῳ,
τῇ σαυτοῦ ψυχῇ ἐνιδρυμένην ἔχοντα" ἐπὶ πάσης
δὲ πράξεως καὶ παντὸς λόγου πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν
λαμβάνειν τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ 1 δικαστήριον, ὥστε
σοι τὰς κατὰ μέρος ἐνεργείας συναχθείσας ἐπὶ
τῆς ἀκριβοῦς ἐκείνης καὶ φοβερᾶς ἐξετάσεως
δόξαν ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀνταποδόσεως ἐνεγκεῖν,
ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως τῶν ἐπαίνων ἀξιουμένῳ.
εἰ δὲ καταδέχοιτο τὴν μέχρις ἡμῶν ὁδὸν ὃὁ μέγας,
οὐ μικρὸν κέρδος ἰδεῖν σε μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς
ἡμετέρας.

CXLVII
"A Boupyio
Μῦθον ἐνόμιζον τέως τὰ τοῦ Ὁμήρου, ὅτε
ἐπήειν αὐτοῦ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος τῆς ποιήσεως, ἐν ᾧ
τὰ τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως πάθη μεταδιδάσκει. ἀλλ᾽
ἐκεῖνα τὰ μυθικὰ τέως καὶ ἄπιστα πάνυ ἡμᾶς
πιθανὰ νομίζειν ἐδίδαξεν ἡἡ περὶ τὸν πάντα ἄριστον
Μάξιμον περιπέτεια. καὶ γὰρ Kal? οὗτος ἄρχων
1 Κυρίου editi antiqi. 2 καί om. E.

1 7.e. Eusebius of Samosata.

2 Written in 373. Basil asks his friend Aburgius to use
his influence in behalf of Maximus, former governor of
Cappadocia, who has been unjustly accused of embezzlement,
352
 LETTER CXLVII

hand you kept your silence. For the greeting

which you sent me in your honoured hand I hold
in greater esteem than many letters. I therefore
in turn send my greetings to you, and I exhort you
to cleave zealously to the salvation of your soul,
moderating all the affections of the flesh by reason,
and constantly keeping the thought of God firmly
established in your soul, as in a oanee holy temple;
and in every word and in every deed hold before
your eyes the judgment of Christ, so that, when all
your several activities have been brought “Sane that
strict and terrible scrutiny, they may bring you
glory on the day of reward, when you are accounted
worthy of praise in the presence of every creature.
And if that great man? should take upon himself
a journey to us, it would be no small gain to see you
with him in our country.

LETTER CXLVII
To Asuratius 2
I usep to think the works of Homer fable, when-
ever I read the second part of his poem in which he
gives his strange version of the sufferings of Odys-
seus. But what formerly seemed to me fabulous and
incredible the calamity which has befallen our most
excellent Maximus has taught me to consider as
altogether probable. For Maximus was a ruler over
stripped of his office and property, and forced to fiee to
Caesarea. Aburgius was a wealthy layman, to whom Basil
often appealed in behalf of his unfortunate acquaintances and
friends. Other letters to Aburgius are XXXIII, LXXV,
CXCVI, CLX XVIII, and CCCIV. On Maximus, οἵ. Letter
XCVIII.
353
VOL. 11. AA
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐγένετο ἔθνους οὐ φαυλοτάτου, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος ὁ

στρατηγὸς τῶν Κεφαλλήνων. καὶ πολλὰ χρήματα
ἄγων ἐκεῖνος γυμνὸς ἐπανῆλθε, καὶ τοῦτον οὕτως
ἡ συμφορὰ διέθηκεν, ὡς κινδυνεῦσαι ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις
ῥάκεσιν ὀφθῆναι τοῖς οἴκοι. καὶ ταῦτα πέπονθε,
Λαιστρυγόνας τάχα που ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸν παροξύνας,
καὶ θυ περιπεσὼν ἐν γυναικείᾳ μορφῇ
κυνείαν ἐχούσῃ ἀπανθρωπίαν καὶ ἀγριότητα.
ἐπεὶ οὖν μόλις αὐτῷ ὑπῆρξε τὸν ἄφυκτον
τοῦτον διανήξασθαι κλύδωνα, σὲ δι’ ἡμῶν ἱκετεύει,
ἀξιῶν αἰδεσθῆναι τὴν κοινὴν φύσιν καὶ ἐπὶ ταῖς
παρ᾽ ἀξίαν αὐτοῦ συμφοραῖς ἀλγήσαντα, μὴ
σιωπῇ κρύψαι τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτόν, ἀλλὰ διαγγεῖλαι
τοῖς ἐν δυνάμει, ὥστε μάλιστα μὲν καὶ γενέσθαι
τινὰ αὐτῷ βοήθειαν πρὸς τὴν σκευωρηθεῖσαν "
ἐπήρειαν" εἰ δὲ μή, δημοσιευθῆναι γοῦν τὴν
προαίρεσιν τοῦ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐμπαροινήσαντος.
ἀρκοῦσα γὰρ τῷ ἠδικημένῳ παραμυθία ἡ τῶν
ἐπιβουλευσάντων αὐτῷ τῆς πονηρίας φανέρωσις.

OXLVIII
Tpaiave
Πολλὴν φέρει τοῖς καταπονουμένοις παρα-
μυθίαν καὶ τὸ ἔχειν ἀποδύρασθαι τὰς ἑαυτῶν
συμφοράς, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ἀνδρῶν ἐπιτύχωσι
δυναμένων ἐκ τῆς τοῦ τρόπου καλοκἀγαθίας
1 οἰκείοις editi antiqi. 5. σκαιωρηθεῖσαν Harl., Clarom.

1 Written in 373. Another appeal in behalf of Maximus ;

cf. preceding letter. The Trajan addressed here may be the
354
 LETTER CXLVIII

no mean people, just as Odysseus was the war-chief

of the Cephallenians. Odysseus took with him
great riches, but on his return was empty-handed,
and Maximus has been reduced by his misfortune to
such a plight that he is very likely to appear to his
people at home in borrowed rags, And all this he
has suffered, perhaps because he has aroused some
Laestrygones against himself, or has fallen in with a
Scylla, woman in shape but dog in savagery and
fierceness. Since, then, he has barely been able to
swim out of this present engulfing sea of trouble, he
supplicates you through us, asking you to respect our
common kind and out of compassion for his unmerited
sufferings not to hide his affairs in silence, but bring
them to the notice of those in authority, in order, if
possible, that he may have some assistance to
combat the malice that has been worked up against
him, or, if this is not possible, that at least the
intention of the man who has dealt outrageously
with him may be made known to the public. For it
is satisfying comfort to a man who has suffered from
injustice to have the wickedness of his persecutors
brought to light.

ELLER CLV
To Trasgan!}
Ir brings great comfort to men in trouble to be
able to lament their misfortunes, especially when
they meet with those who by reason of the nobility
of their character are able to sympathize with suffer-
commander-in-chief of the army under Valens; but this is
by no means certain.
355
AAD
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

δυμπαθῆσαι τοῖς adyewots. ὅθεν καὶ ὁ aidect-

μώτατος ἀδελφὸς Μάξιμος, ὁ τῆς πατρίδος ἡμῶν
ἡγησώμενος, παθὼν οἷα οὐδέπω 1 τις ἀνθρώπων
ἕτερος, καὶ πάντων μὲν γυμνωθεὶς τῶν προσόντων,
ὅσα τε ἣν αὐτῷ πατρῷα καὶ ὅσα ἐκ προτέρων
πόνων ὑπῆρχε * συνειλεγμένα, κακοπαθήσας δὲ τῷ
σώματι μυρία ταῖς ἄνω καὶ κάτω πλάναις, καὶ
οὐδὲ αὐτὴν τὴν ἐπιτιμίαν ἀνεπηρέαστον διασώσας,
ἧς ἕνεκα πάντα πονεῖν τοῖς ἐλευθέροις σύνηθες,
πολλὰ μὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς 3 περὶ τῶν συμβάντων
αὐτῷ ἀπωλοφύρατο, ἠξίωσε δὲ δ ἡμῶν ὡς ἐν
κεφαλαίῳ φανερὰν γενέσθαι σοι τὴν περιστᾶσαν
αὐτῷ τῶν κακῶν ᾿Ιλιάδα. κἀγώ, ἐπειδὴ ἄλλως
οὐδὲν ἀφελεῖν αὐτοῦ τῶν δεινῶν ἠδυνήθην, ἑτοίμως
ταύτην ἔδωκα τὴν χάριν" τὸ ὀλίγα ἐκ πολλῶν ὧν
ἤκουσα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ διαγγεῖλαι τῇ κοσμιότητί σου,
ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ἐρυθριᾷν μοι ἐδόκει τὰς ἑαυτοῦ
συμφορὰς ἐναργῶς διηγήσασθαι.
Εἰ γὰρ καὶ οὐ: πονηρὸν σὸν ἠδικηκότα συνί-
στησι τὰ γενόμενα, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε τὸν πεπονθότα
τῆς ἐλεεινοτάτης ὄντα μερίδος δείκνυσιν, ἐπειδὴ
αὐτὸ τὸ περιπεσεῖν τοῖς θεηλάτοις κακοῖς ἀπόδει-
ξίν πως ἔχειν δοκεῖ τοῦ παραδεδόσθαι τοῖς πάθε-
σιν. ἀλλ᾽ ἀρκεῖ αὐτῷ πρὸς παραμυθίαν τῶν
συμβάντων τὸ εὐμενεῖ αὐτὸν προσβλέψαι τῷ
ὄμματί σε καὶ τὴν πολυαρκῆ χάριν, ἧς πάντες
ἀπολαύοντες δαπανᾷν οὐ δύνανται, τὴν τῆς σῆς
ἡμερότητος λέγω, καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν ἀφεθῆναι. ὅτι
δὲ καὶ ἐν δικαστηρίοις “μεγάλη αὐτῷ ἀφορμὴ
πρὸς τὴν νίκην ἡ παρὰ σοῦ pom πάντες ἀκριβῶς
1 οὔπω KE, editi antiqi. 2 ὑπῆῤχε om. E.
8. ὑμᾶς E.
356
 LETTER CXLVIII

ing. For this reason our most honourable brother

Maximus, the late governor of our country, after
experiencing such misfortunes as no other man ever
did, having been stripped of all his possessions, both
those which he had inherited and those that had
been amassed by his former labours, and having
endured a thousand bodily sufferings because of his
wanderings from place to place, and having been
unable to keep unassailed by malice even his civil
rights, in defence of which freemen are wont to en-
dure everything— after all this he has bewailed to us
at length what has happened to him, and has asked
that through us there be made known to you in
summary the Iliad of woes which envelops him.
And as I was unable to relieve him of his distress in
any other way, I readily granted this favour—to
report to your Decorum an account of a few of the
many things I have heard from him, inasmuch as he
seemed to me to be too modest to give you a plain
account of his troubles himself.
For even if the facts of the case do not prove the
author of the injustice to be a wicked man, yet they
at least show the victim’s lot to be the most pitiful
of all, since the very fact of his having fallen into
divinely inflicted distress seems somehow to be proof
of his having been delivered over to his sufferings. But
it suffices to console him for what has befallen if you
but look upon him with a kindly eye and extend to
him that abundant grace which all men draw upon but
cannot exhaust—I mean the grace of your leniency.
And that the weight of your influence in the
tribunal will be a great step towards victory we are -

4 οὐ add. Capps. ὃ γεγονότα editi antiqi.

357
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

πεπείσμεθα. δικαιότατος δὲ πάντων Kal αὐτὸς

οὗτος, ὁ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἡμῶν, ὥς τι ὄφελος αὐτῷ
ἐσομένην, ἐπιζητήσας" ὃν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων
ἴδοιμεν τῇ κατὰ δύναμιν αὐτοῦ! φωνῇ τὴν σὴν
εὐφημοῦντα σεμνότητα.

CXLIX

Tpaiava
Kai αὐτὸς ὑπέβαλες ὀφθαλμῷ τὴν κακοπάθειαν
τοῦ πρότερον μὲν εὐδοκίμου, νῦν δὲ ἐλεεινοτάτου
πάντων Μαξίμου, τοῦ ἄρξαντος τῆς πατρίδος
ἡμῶν, ὡς οὐκ ὦφελεν !? οἶμαι γὰρ ἂν πολλοῖς
ἀπευκτὴν ἔσεσθαι τὴν τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀρχήν, εἰ πρὸς
τοιοῦτον ὃ πέρας μέλλουσι καταστρέφειν αἱ προ-
στασίαι. ὥστε τί δεῖ ἡμᾶς τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον
ἀπαγγέλλειν, ὧν τε εἴδομεν, ὧν τε ἠκούσαμεν,
ἀνδρὶ διὰ πολλὴν τῆς διανοίας ὀξύτητα ἱκανῷ ἐξ
ὀλίγων τῶν πραχθέντων στοχάσασθαι τὰ λει-
πόμενα ; πλὴν ἐκεῖνό γε εἰπών, ἴσως οὐ περιττός
σοι φανήσομαι, ὅτι πολλῶν ὄντων καὶ δεινῶν τῶν
εἰς αὐτὸν τολμηθέντων πρὸ τῆς σῆς παρουσίας,
τοιαῦτα γέγονε τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα, ὡς φιλανθρωπίαν
ποιῆσαι νομισθῆναι τὰ φθάσαντα. τοσαύτην
εἶχεν ὑπερβολὴν ὕβρεως καὶ ζημίας καὶ τῆς
εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ σῶμα κακοπαθείας, τὰ δὴ ὕστερον
αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ κρατοῦντος ἐξευρεθέντα. καὶ νῦν
1 αὐτοῦ om. EH. 2 ὄφειλεν editi antiqi.
3 χριοῦτο K.

1 Written in 373. Another appeal for Maximus. The

358
 LETTER CXLIX

all convinced with certainty. And this man who has

asked the present letter of us, in the hope that it
would be of some help to him, is himself also the
most upright of men; and may we see him among
the rest voicing with all his might the praises of
your August Reverence.

LETTER CXLIX
To Trasan}
You yourself have seen with your own eyes the
distress of Maximus, once held in high repute,
but now the most pitiful of all mortals, the late
Prefect of our country—would that he had never
been such! For I think that the governorship of
peoples would be avoided by many if their high
position were likely to come to such an end. So
what need is there of our relating in detail what we
have seen and heard to aman who by great keenness
of mind is able to conjecture from a few events all
that is left untold? But in saying the following
perhapsI shall not seem to you to be going too far—
that although many and terrible were the outrages
perpetrated upon him before your arrival, those
which followed were of such a character that the
earlier must be reckoned as acts of kindness. Such
was the excess of abuse and loss of property and
even bodily injury in the measures lately devised
against him by the ruler. And now he has come
MSS. give this letter as to the same Trajan; cf. previous
letters. If this Trajan is the one suggested in note 1 of the
previous letter, he could have had no personal knowledge of
the troubles of Maximus. However, the identity of this
Trajan is by no means certain.
359
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἔμφρουρος ἥκει τὰ λείψανα τῶν ὧδε κακῶν αὐτοῦ

ἀποπληρώσων, ἐὰν μὴ σὺ τὴν μεγάλην σαυτοῦ
χεῖρα ὑπερσχεῖν ἐθελήσῃς τῷ καταπονουμένῳ.
περιττὸν μὲν οὖν οἶδα ποιῶν, τὴν σὴν χρηστότητα
εἰς φιλανθρωπίαν παρακαλῶν. πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ
βούλομαι γενέσθαι χρήσιμος τῷ ἀνδρί,ἱἱκετεύω
σου τὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν προσθεῖναί τι τῇ ἐκ
φύσεως περὶ τὸ καλὸν σπουδῇ δι’ ἡμᾶς, ὥστε
ἐναργὲς τῷ ἀνδρὶ γενέσθαι τῆς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ παρα-
κλήσεως ἡμῶν τὸ ὄφελος.

CL
᾿Αμφιλοχίῳ, ὡς παρὰ Ἡρακλείδου
᾿γὼ καὶ τῶν ὁμιληθέντων ἡμῖν πρὸς ἀλλήλους
ποτὲ μέμνημαι, καὶ ὧν τε αὐτὸς εἶπον, ὧν τε
ἤκουσα παρὰ τῆς εὐγενείας σου, οὐκ ἐπιλέλησμαι.
καὶ νῦν βίος μέν με δημόσιος οὐ κατέχει. εἰ γὰρ
καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳὁ αὐτός εἰμι καὶ οὔπω τὸν παλαιὸν
ἀπεδυσάμην ἄνθρωπον, πλὴν τῷ γε σχήματι, καὶ
τῷ μακρὰν ἐμαυτὸν ποιῆσαι τῶν τοῦ βίου πραγ-
μάτων, ἔδοξα λοιπὸν οἷον ἐπιβεβηκέναι τῆς ὁδοῦ
τῆς κατὰ Χριστὸν πολιτείας. καθέζομαι δὲ ἐπ᾽
ἐμαυτοῦ, ὥσπερ οἱ εἰς πέλαγος ἀφιέναι μέλλοντες
ἀποσκοπεύων τὸ μέλλον. οἱ μὲν γὰρ πλέοντες
1 σκοπεύων Kh.
/

1 Written in 373. Amphilochius, later consecrated Bishop

of Iconium, had abandoned his practice of the law and was
living in retirement at Ozizala, not far from Nazianzus, the
see of his uncle Gregory. The following letters of St. Basil
addressed to Aimphilochius have been preserved: CLXI,
CLXXVI, CXC, CXCI, CC, CCL, CCL, COxyilie@cxour
360
 LETTER CL

under guard to finish off the remnants of the evils

suffered here, unless you are willing to stretch out
your mighty hand to protect the victim of misfortune.
I know that I am doing a superfluous thing when I
exhort your Excellency to do an act of kindness.
But as I desire to be of some service to the man, I
beg your Grace to add something to your natural
zeal for the good, and this on our account, that the
man may know clearly the benefit derived from our
intercession in his behalf

LETTER CL
To AmpuiLocuius, AS IF FRoM Heracveipas!
I remember the matter which we once discussed
together, and I have not forgotten both what I
myself said and what I heard from your Nobility.
And now public life does not hold me back. For
although I am the same at heart and have not yet
put off the old man—except at least ostensibly, that
is, by having removed myself far from the affairs of
life—I seem to have entered, as it were, upon the
way that is in accordance with Christ’s polity. And
I sit by myself, scanning the future as do those who
are about to put out to sea. For those who sail
CCXXXII, CCX XXIII, CCXXXIV, CCXXXV, CCXXXVI,
and CCXLVIII, besides those dealing with the canons.
Heracleidas, a young friend of Amphilochius and also a
retired lawyer, was living at St. Basil’s famous hospital at
the time this letter was written. This letter was written to
Amphilochius in the name of Heracleidas to explain why
Heracleidas had not joined him in his retirement, to describe
what Heracleidas was doing at Caesarea, and to urge Amphi-
lochius to get in touch with St. Basil, if possible, so that he
might learn from him many needed lessons.
461.
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀνέμων χρήζουσι πρὸς τὴν εὔπλοιαν, ἡμεῖς δὲ

τοῦ χειραγωγήσοντος ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀσφαλῶς διὰ τῶν
ἁλμυρῶν κυμάτων τοῦ βίου παραπέμψοντος.
χρήζειν γὰρ ἐμαυτὸν λογίξομαι πρῶτον μὲν
χαλινοῦ πρὸς τὴν νεότητα, ἔπειτα κέντρων "πρὸς
τὸν δρόμον τῆς εὐσεβείας. τούτων δὲ πρόξενος
λόγος 1 δηλονότι, νῦν μὲν παιδαγωγῶν ἡμῶν τὸ
ἄτακτον, νῦν δὲ τὸ νωθρὸν τῆς “ψυχῆς διεγείρων.
πάλιν μοι χρεία φαρμάκων ἑτέρων, ὥστε τὸν ἐκ
τῆς συνηθείας ἀποπλύνασθαι ῥύπον. οἶδας γὰρ
ὅτι ἡμεῖς, οἱ πολὺν χρόνον ἐνεθισθέντες τῇ ἀγορᾷ,
ἀφειδῶς μὲν ἔχομεν τῶν ῥημάτων,ἀφυλάκτως
a δὲ
πρὸς τὰς ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ συνισταμένας ἐκ τοῦ
πονηροῦ " φαντασίας. ᾿ἡττήμεθα δὲ καὶ τιμῆς
καὶ τὸ ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς τι φρονεῖν οὐ ῥᾳδίως ἀποτιθέ-
μεθα. πρὸς ταῦτα μεγάλου μοι δεῖν καὶ ἐμπείρου
λογίζομαι διδασκάλου. ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τὸν
ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀποκαθαρθῆναι, ὥστε
ὥ πᾶσαν
τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγνοίας ἐπισκότησιν, οἱονεί τινα
λήμην, ἀφαιρεθέντα, δύνασθαι ἐνατενίζειν τῷ
κάλλει τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐ μικροῦ ἔργου
κρίνω, οὐδ᾽ ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον τὴν ὠφέλειαν φέρειν.
“A καὶ τὴν σὴν λογιότητα συνορᾷν, καὶ ἐπιθυ-
μεῖν ὑπάρξαι τινὰ A ταύτην τὴν βοήθειαν
ἀκριβῶς ἐπίσταμαι καὶ ἐάν ποτε δῷ ὁ Θεὸς
εἰς ταὐτὸν ἀφικέσθαι τῇ κοσμιότητί σου, δηλονότι
πλείονα μαθήσομαι ὑπὲρ ὧν φροντίζειν με χρή.
νῦν γὰρ ὑπὸ πολλῆς ἀμαθίας οὐδὲ ὅσων 3 ἐνδεής
εἰμι γνωρίζειν. δύναμαι" πλήν γε ὅτι οὐδὲν μετε-
μέλησέ μοι τῆς πρώτης ὁρμῆς, οὔτε ὀκλάζει μου
1 τις add. K.
3 τοῦ πονηροῦ] τῆς πονηρίας quinque MSS.
262
 LETTER CL

require winds for a fine voyage, while we require

someone to lead us by the hand and escort us safely
over the briny billows of life. For I consider that I
myself require, first of all a bridle to restrain my
youth, then spurs for the race of piety. And that
which provides these two things is manifestly reason,
at one time schooling our insubordination, at another
rousing up the sluggishness of our souls. Again,
I have need of other nies to wash away the stains
contracted from habit. For you know that we who
have been for a long time accustomed to public life are
unsparing of speech and are not on our guard against
the images which are stirred up in our minds by the
evil one. And we are easy victims to preferment
and cannot easily lay aside some degree of pride in
ourselves. In guard against these things I think that
I have need also of a great and experienced teacher.
Then, moreover, the task of cleansing the eye of the
soul, so that, when once freed, as from a kind of
rheum, from all the darkness of ignorance, it may be
able to look steadily upon the beauty of the glory of
God, calls, I judge, for no small labour and brings no
small benefit.
I know full well that your Eloquence perceives all
this, and that you desire that someone shall be at
hand to render such aid; that if ever God grants
that I have a meeting with your Decorum, 1 shall
certainly learn more regarding those matters about
which I must needs be concerned. For now, on
account of my great ignorance, 1 cannot even know
how many things I lack; and yet I by no means
regret this first attempt, nor does my soul sink at the

3 πέπεισμαι Εἰ, Med. 4. ὅσον KE,

363
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡ ψυχὴ πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν TOD κατὰ Θεὸν βίου,

ὅπερ ἠγωνίασας ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί, καλῶς καὶ προσηκόντως
ἑαυτῷ ποιῶν, μήποτε στραφεὶς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω
στήλη γένωμαι ἁλός, ὅπερ γυνή τις ἔπαθεν,
ὥσπερ ' ἀκούω. ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι μέν με3 καὶ αἱ ἔξωθεν
ἀρχαὶ συστέλλουσιν, ὥσπερ λειποτάκτην τινὰ
τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀναζητούντων ὃ ἐπέχει δέ με
μάλιστα ἡ ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ καρδία, ἐκεῖνα μαρτυροῦσα
ἑαυτῇ ἅπερ εἴρηκα.
᾿Επειδὴ δὲ συνθηκῶν ἐμνήσθης, καὶ “κατηγο-
ρεῖν ἐπηγγείλω, γελάσαι με ἐποίησας ἐν ταύτῃ
τῇ κατηφείᾳ μου, ὅτι ἔτι ῥήτωρ εἶ καὶ τῆς
δεινότητος οὐκ ,ἀφίστασαι. ἐγὼ γὰρ οὕτω4
νομίζω, εἰ μὴ πάντη ὡς ἀμαθὴς διαμαρτάνω τῆς
ἀληθείας, μίαν εἶναι ὁδὸν τὴν πρὸς Κύριον
ἄγουσαν, καὶ πάντας τοὺς πρὸς αὐτὸν πορευο-
μένους συνοδεύειν ἀλλήλοις καὶ κατὰ μίαν συνθή-
Knv τοῦ βίου πορεύεσθαι. ὥστε ποῦ ἀπελθὼν
χωρισθῆναί σου δύναμαι καὶ μὴ μετὰ σοῦ ζῆν
καὶ μετὰ σοῦ δουλεύειν Θεῷ, ᾧ κοινῇ προσε-
φύγομεν; τὰ μὲν γὰρ σώματα ἡμῶν τόποις
διασταθήσεται, ὁ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀφθαλμὸς κοινῇ
ἀμφοτέρους ἐφορᾷ “δηλονότι, εἴπερ οὖν ἄξιος
καὶ ὁ ἐμὸς βίος ὑπὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ
ἐποπτεύεσθαι: ἀνέγνων γάρ που ἐν Ψαλμοῖς, ὅτι
1 ὥς K. 2 με om. Εἰ.
3 ἀνεπιζητούντων editi antiqi. 4 οὕτως HK.
5 ὁρᾷ HK.

1 Cf. Gen. 19. 26; καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἡ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω,
καὶ ἐγένετο στήλη adds. ““ And his wife, looking behind her,
was turned into a statue of salt.”
364
 LETTER CL

prospect of the life that is in accordance with God—

the matter which caused you, rightly and in a
manner befitting yourself, to be anxious about me,
lest turning back I might become a “ statue of salt,”
as I hear happened to a certain woman.t And yet
it is true that powers from without still hamper me,
like officers who seek to bring back a deserter; but
most of all it is my own heart which restrains me,
bearing witness to itself to the very things that I
have mentioned.
But when you mentioned agreements, and
announced that you would be the accuser, you made
me laugh in spite of my present dejection, because
you still play the réle of a public man and have not
given up cleverness.2 As for me, this is my opinion
—that, unless in my ignorance I have altogether
missed the truth, there is only one way leading to
the Lord, and all who travel toward Him are
companions of one another and travel according to
one agreement as to life. Consequently, where can
I go and yet be separated from you, and not live
with you and with you serve God, to whom we have
both together fled? For though our bodies will be
separated in space, yet the eye of God is assuredly
gazing upon us both in common—if indeed my life is
worthy to be looked upon by the eyes of God; for I
have read somewhere in the Psalms that “the eyes of

2 Apparently Amphilochius and Heracleidas had made an

agreement with each other to abstain from public life.
Heracleidas having broken this agreement, Amphilochius
threatened to bring action against him. The parallel in Attic
law is in cases of ἀτιμία (loss of civil rights), when a public
man is debarred from δημοσία (public service) ; and ἀγγέλλειν
is the technical term for the denunciation.
365
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

᾿Οφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους. ἐγὼ μὲν "yap

εὔχομαι Kal σοὶ καὶ παντὶ τῷ παραπλησίως *
σοι προαιρουμένῳ καὶ τῷ σώματι συνεῖναι, καὶ
πᾶσαν νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν μετὰ σοῦ κλίνειν τὰ
γόνατα πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἡμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς
οὐρανοῖς, καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος ἀξίως ἐπικαλούμενος
τὸν Θεόν. οἶδα γὰρ τὴν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς
κοινωνίαν πολὺ τὸ “κέρδος φέρουσαν.32 ἐὰν δέ,
ὁσάκις ὑπάρξῃ μοι ἐν διαφόρῳ γωνιδίῳ8 παρερ-
ριμμένῳ ὁ στενάζειν, ἀκολουθήσει μοι πάντως τὸ
ψεύδεσθαι, μάχεσθαι μὲν" πρὸς τὸν λόγον οὐκ
ἔχω, ἤδη δὲ ὡς ψεύστου" ἐμαυτὸν κατακρίνω,
εἴ τι τοιοῦτον κατὰ τὴν παλαιὰν ἀδιαφορίαν
ἐφθεγξάμην, 67 με τῷ κρίματι τοῦ ψεύδους
3 / “7 “ / fal ΄

ὑπόδικον καθιστᾷ.
Devopevos δὲ πλησίον Καισαρείας, ὥστε ᾿γνωρί-
σαι τὰ πράγματα, καὶ αὐτῇ παραβαλεῖν τῇ πόλει
μὴ ἀνασχόμενος, τῷ πλησίον προσέφυγον πτωχο-
τροφείῳ, ὥστε ἐκεῖ μαθεῖν περὶ ὧν ἐβουλόμην.
εἶτα κατὰ συνήθειαν ἐπιδημήσαντι τῷ θεοφιλεσ-
τάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ ἀνήνεγκα περὶ ὧν ἐπέταξεν
ἡμῖν ἡ λογιότης σου. καὶ ἃ μὲν. ἀπεκρίνατο,
οὔτε τῇ μνήμῃ φυλαχθῆναι Tap ἡμῶν δυνατὸν
ἣν, καὶ ἐπιστολῆς ὑπερέβαινε "μέτρον". ὡς ἐν
κεφαλαίῳ δὲ περὶ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης ἐκεῖνο ἔφη
τὸ μέτρον εἶναι, ὥστε εἰς τὸν ἔσχατον χιτῶνα
ἕκαστον ἑαυτῷ “περιιστάναι ° τὴν κτῆσιν. καὶ
παρείχετο ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τὰς ἀποδείξεις"
μίαν μέν, ὡς ᾿Ιωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ εἰπόντος"
1 παραπλήσιον editi antiqi. * ἔχουσαν tres MSS. recent.
3 γονιδίῳ editi antiqi. 4 παρερριμένως BE.
5 μέν add. EH, editi antiqi. 6 ψεύστης Εἰ.
366
 LETTER CL

the Lord are upon the just.” 1 For I do indeed pray

to be with you in the body also, as well as with every-
one who makes a choice similar to yours, and every
night and day to bend my knees with you before
our Father who is in heaven, as well as with anyone
else who worthily calls upon God. For I know that
association in prayer brings great gain. But if,
whenever I happen to utter a complaint as I lie cast
aside in a corner different from yours, the charge of
falsehood is certain to follow me, [ cannot fight
against the accusation, but forthwith condemn
myself as a liar, if I ever during my earlier period of
indifference said anything which makes me liable to
the charge of falsehood.”
But when I came near enough to Caesarea to
observe the situation, refraining, however, from visit-
ing the city itself, I took refuge in the neighbouring
poor-house, that I might gain there the informationI
wished. Then I laid before the most God-beloved
bishop, who had come to visit the place according to
custom, the matters as to which your Eloquence had
instructed us. And though it was impossible for us to
keep in memory what he said in reply, and it passed
beyond the limits of a letter, yet in general on the
subject of poverty he said that this was the measure,
—that each should limit his possession to the last
tunic. And he furnished us with proofs from the
Gospel—one from John the Baptist, who said: “ He
1 Cf. Psal. 33. 16: ὅτι ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους, καὶ ὦτα
αὐτοῦ εἰς δέησιν αὐτῶν. ‘* The eyes of the Lord are upon the
just : and His ears unto their prayers.”
2 Amphilochius had apparently found fault with Heracleidas
in consequence of a complaint, and had accused him of
repenting having entered upon the ascetic life.
74H. 8 παριστῆσαι KE, Med.
367
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

‘O ἔχων δύο χιτῶνας μεταδότω τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι"

ἑτέραν δέ, Ὡς τοῦ Κυρίου τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἀπε ΤῈ:
ρεύσαντος pen} ἔχειν δύο χιτῶνας. προσετίθει δὲ 3
τούτοις καὶ 3 τό: Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι, ὕπαγε,
πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς.
ἔλεγε δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ μαργαρίτου παραβολὴν
εἰς τοῦτο φέρειν" ὅτι ὁ ἔμπορος ὁ εὑρὼν τὸν
πολύτιμον μαργαρίτην ἀπελθὼν ἐπώλησεν ἑαυτοῦ
πάντα τὰ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ ἠγόρασεν ἐκεῖνον. προσε-
τίθει δὲ τούτοις, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἑαυτῷ τινὰ ἐπιτρέπειν
χρὴ τὴν τῶν χρημάτων διανομήν, ἀλλὰ τῷ τὰ τῶν
πτωχῶν οἰκονομεῖν ᾿πεπιστευμένῳ." καὶ τοῦτο
ἀπὸ τῶν Πράξεων ἐπιστοῦτο" ὅτι πωλοῦντες τὰ
προσόντα αὐτοῖς, φέροντες ἐτίθουν παρὰ τοὺς
πόδας τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ παρ᾽ ἐκείνων διεδίδοτο
ἑκάστῳ, καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν. ἔλεγε γὰρ
ἐμπειρίας xpn Serv THY διάγνωσιν τοῦ ἀληθῶς δεο-
μένου καὶ τοῦ κατὰ πλεονεξίαν αἰτοῦντος. καὶ ὁ
μὲν τῷ θλιβομένῳ διδοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδωκε, καὶ
παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ λήψεται τὸν μισθόν. ὁ δὲ τῷ περίερ-
χομένῳ παρασχόμενος παντὶ προσέρριψε κυνί,
φορτικῷ μὲν διὰ τὴν ἀναίδειαν, οὐκ ἐλεεινῷ δὲ
διὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν.
Περὶ δὲ τοῦ πῶς χρὴ βιοῦν ἡμᾶς καθ᾽ ἡμέραν,
1 uh om. EK. 2 καί add. EK.
3 καί om. Εἰ. 4 ἐμπεπιστευμένῳ editi antiqi.

1 Luke 3. 11.
2" Cf. Matt. 10: 9 and’ 10: μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσόν, μηδὲ
ἄργυρον, μηδὲ χαλκὺν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν, μὴ πήραν εἰς ὅδόν, μηδὲ
δύο χιτῶνας, μηδὲ ὑποδήματα μηδὲ ῥάβδαν. ‘* Do not possess
gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses: nor scrip for
your journey, es two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff,”
3 Matt. 19.2
368
 LETTER CL

that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath
none’ ;! and another from our Lord, who warns His
disciples not to have two tunics.2, He added to
these this also: “If thou wilt be perfect, go sell
what thou hast and give it to the poor.’? And he
said too that the parable of the pearl referred to
this—that the merchant who found the precious
pearl went away, sold all his possessions and bought
it. And he added to these words that it was not
necessary for anyone to take upon himself the
distribution of his goods, but only to commit this
task to him to whom the management of the alms of
the poor had been entrusted. And he proved this
from the Acts,? to wit: “Selling their goods they
took and laid the price of the things before the feet
of the Apostles, and distribution was made by them
to everyone according as he had need.” For he said
that experience was necessary for distinguishing
between the man who is truly in need and the man
who begs through avarice. And while he who gives to
the afflicted has given to the Lord, and will receive
his reward from Him, yet he who gives to every
wanderer casts it to a dog, that is troublesome on
account of his shamelessness, but not pitiable because
of his need.
And as to how we should live day by day, he had
4 Cf. Acts 4. 34.and 35: οὐδὲ yap ἐνδεής τις ὑπῆρχεν ἐν αὐτοῖς"
boot yap κτήτορες χωρίων ἢ οἰκιῶν ὑπῆρχον, πωλοῦντες ἔφερον τὰς
τιμὰς τῶν πιπρασκομένων, καὶ ἐτίθουν παρὰ τοὺς πόδας τῶν
ἀποστόλων- διεδίδοτο δὲ ἑκάστῳ καθότι ἄν τις χρείαν εἶχεν.
‘*For neither was there anyone needy among them. For as
many as were owners of lands or houses, sold them, and
brought the price of the things they sold, and laid it down
before the feet of the apostles. And distribution was made
to everyone, according as he had need.’ It is to be noted
that Basil’s ‘‘by them ” does not appear in the Acts.
369
VOL. II. BB
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὀλίγα μὲν ἔφθη εἰρηκὼς ws πρὸς TO τῆς ὑποθέσεως

μέγεθος" πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐβουλόμην παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐκείνου
σε μαθεῖν. ἐμὲ γὰρ ἀφανίζειν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τῶν
διδαγμάτων οὐκ εὔλογον. ηὐχόμην δὲ μετὰ σοῦ
ποτὲ καταλαβεῖν αὐτόν, ἵνα καὶ τῇ μνήμῃ ἀκριβῶς
φυλάξας τὰ λεχθέντα, καὶ τῇ σεαυτοῦ συνέσει
προσεξεύρῃς τὰ λείποντα. ἐκεῖνο γὰρ μέμνημαι
ἐκ τῶν πολλῶν ὧν ἤκουσα, ὅτι ἡ περὶ τοῦ πῶς
χρὴ ζῆν τὸν Χριστιανὸν διδασκαλία οὐ τοσοῦτον
δεῖται λόγου ὅσον τοῦ καθημερινοῦ ὑποδείγματος.
καὶ οἶδα ὅτι, εἰ μή σε κατεῖχεν ὁ δεσμὸς τῆς
γηροκομίας τοῦ πατρός, οὐκ ἂν οὔτε αὐτὸς ἄχλο
τι προετίμησας τῆς συντυχίας τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, οὔτ᾽
ἂν ἐμοὶ συνεβούλευσας καταλιπόντι τοῦτον εἰς
ἐρημίας πλανᾶσθαι. τὰ μὲν γὰρ σπήλαια καὶ
αἱ πέτραι ἀναμένουσιν ἡμᾶς, αἱ δὲ παρὰ τῶν
ἀνδρῶν “ὠφέλειαι οὐκ ἀεὶ ἡμῖν παραμένουσιν.
ὥστε, εἰ ᾿ἀνέχῃ μου συμβουλεύοντος, τυπώσεις
τὸν πατέρα μικρὸν ἐπιτρέπειν σοι ἀναχωρεῖν
αὐτοῦ καὶ περιτυγχάνειν * ἀνδρὶ πολλὰ καὶ ἐκ
τῆς ἑτέρων πείρας καὶ ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας συνέσεως
καὶ εἰδότι καὶ παρέχειν τοῖς προσιοῦσιν 3 αὐτῷ
δυναμένῳ.

CLI
Εὐσταθίῳ eK
Ei τι ὄφελος ἡμετέρων 4 γραμμάτων, μηδένα
χρόνον διαλίπῃς ἐπιστέλλων ἡμῖν καὶ διεγείρων ὃ
ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸ γράφειν. αὐτοὶ μὲν γὰρ προδήλως
1 συντυγχάνειν Med. 2 προσοῦσιν EK,
3 ἀρχιητρῷ Harl., E. 4 ὑμετέρων Εἰ, Vat. © ἐγείρων ἘΝ.
379
 LETTER CLI

time enough to say only a little considering the

importance of the subject; but 1 should prefer you
to have learnt about this from the man himself. For
it is not fitting that I should spoil the precision of
his instructions. But I prayed that I might some
time visit him in company with you, in order that
you, guarding his words carefully in your memory,
might by the application of your own intelligence
find out in addition whatever he left unsaid. For of
the many things that I heard, I remember this—
that teaching a Christian how he ought to live does
not call so much for words as for daily example.
And I know that, if you were not chained by the
obligation of caring for your aged father, you your-
self would have preferred nothing to a talk with the
bishop, nor would you have counselled me to leave
this person and go wandering in the desert. For
while the caves and the rocks will wait for us, yet
the aid which true men can give will not always
abide with us. Wherefore, if you will permit me to
advise you, you will press upon your father to permit
you to leave him for a little while and to betake
yourself to aman who both knows much from the
experience of others, as well as from his own wisdom,
and can impart it to those who come to him.

LETTER CLI
To Eusratuius, a Puysictan ὦ
Ir there is any profit in our letters, at no time
cease writing to us and urging us to write. For we
1 Written in 373. Cf. also Letter CLXXXIX, which is
addressed to the same Eustathius but may well belong to
Gregory of Nyssa.
371
ΒΒ2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἡδίους γινόμεθα ἐντυγχάνοντες ἐπιστολαῖς συνε-

τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸν Κύριον" εἰ δὲ καὶ
αὐτοί τι ἄξιον σπουδῆς εὑρίσκετε ϊ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν,
ὑμέτερον εἰδέναι τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων. εἰ μὲν οὖν
μὴ ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ἀσχολιῶν ἀπηγόμεθα,
οὐκ ἂν τῆς ἐκ τοῦ γράφειν συνεχῶς εὐφροσύνης
ἀπειχόμεθα. ὑμεῖς δέ, οἷς ἐλάττους αἱ φροντίδες,
ὁσάκις ἂν οἷόν. τε ἢ κατακηλεῖτε ἡμᾶς τοῖς γράμ-
μασι. καὶ γὰρ τὰ φρέατά φασιν ,ἀντλούμενα
βελτίω γίνεσθαι. ἐοίκασι δέ cov? αἱ ἐξὶἰατρικῆς
παραινέσεις εἰς πάρεργον χωρεῖν, οὐχ ἡμῶν. ἐπα-
γόντων τὸν σίδηρον, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς ἐκπιπτόντων
τῶν ἀπαχρειουμένων.
‘O “μὲν οὖν τοῦ Στωϊκοῦ λόγος" ἐπειδή, φησί,
μὴ γίνεται τὰ πράγματα ὡς βουλόμεθα, ὡς γίνεται
βουλόμεθα.) ἐγὼ δὲ τοῖς μὲν πράγμασι τὴν
γνώμην συγκατατίθεσθαι, οὐ καταδέχομαι, τὸ
δὲ ἀβουλήτως τινὰς ποιεῖν TL τῶν ἀναγκαίων οὐκ
ἀποδοκιμάζω. οὔτε γὰρ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἰατροῖς τὸ
καίειν τὸν ἄρρωστον ἢ ἄλλως ποιεῖν ἀλγεῖν
βουλητόν: ἀλλ᾽ οὖν καταδέχεσθε πολλάκις τῇ
δυσχερείᾳ τοῦ πάθουςἑἑπόμενοι: οὔτεϑ οἱ πλέοντες
ἑκουσίως ἐκβάλλουσι τὰ ἀγώγιμα, ἀλλ’ ὥστε
διαφυγεῖν τὰ ναυάγια ὑφίστανται τὴν ἐκβολήν,
τὸν ἐν πενίᾳ βίον τοῦ ἀποθανεῖν προτιμῶντες.
ὥστε καὶ ἡμᾶς οἴου ἀλγεινῶς μὲν καὶ μετὰ μυρίων
ὀδυρμῶν φέρειν τὸν χωρισμὸν τῶν ἀφισταμένων,
φέρειν δ᾽ οὖν ὅμως: ἐπειδὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς
εὑρήσετε editi antiqi. 2 σοι KE.
βουλώμεθα editi antiqi.
συμμετατίθεσθαι Harl., Reg. primus, et Vat.
μ
οὔτε] of τε EK.
cro

372
 LETTER CLI

on our part are certainly made more happy by read-

ing letters from wise men who love the Lord, and if
you on your part find anything worth while in ours,
it is for you who read them to know. If, then, we
were not distracted by our manifold duties, we should
not refrain from the pleasure of writing constantly;
but do you, whose cares are less, console us as often
as is possible by writing. For, as they say, “ Wells
become better for being used.” And your advice
drawn from the art of medicine seems to go for
naught, since it is not we who are applying the
knife, but those who resort to its use are being
driven out by each other.?
Now a Stoic saying goes: “Since things do not
happen as we wish, we wish them as they happen.”
But as for me, though I cannot accommodate my
mind to things as they are, yet I do not object to
men in certain situations doing unwillingly a thing
that is inevitable. For neither is it the wish of you
physicians to cauterize the sick or cause them pain
in any other way (although you do often consent to
it in recognition of the seriousness of the malady),
nor do navigators willingly throw overboard their
cargo,” but with a view to escaping shipwreck they
submit to this throwing overboard, preferring life in
poverty to death. So pray believe that we also,
while enduring with sorrow and countless lamenta-
tions the separation from those who leave our ranks,
yet endure it nevertheless; because to the lavers of
1 Eustathius, the bishop, and his followers are using the
knife upon each other.
2 According to the Benedictine editors the cargo thrown
overboard represents the loss of unity suffered by the
Sebastenes when they left the communion of Eustathius.
Cf. Letter CCXXXVII. a
Sie
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν! ἐλπίδος οὐδὲν τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας

ἐρασταῖς προτιμότερον.

CLII
Οὐΐκτορι στρατηλάτῃ
Ἄλλῳ μέν τινι μὴ ἐπιστέλλων, τάχα ἂν
δεξαίμην δικαίως ἔγκλημα ῥᾳθυμίας ἢ λήθης.
σοῦ δὲ πῶς ἔστιν ἐπιλαθέσθαι, οὗ παρὰ πᾶσιν
ἀνθρώποις. λαλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα; ; πῶς δὲ καταρρᾷ-
θυμῆσαι," ὃς πάντων σχεδὸν τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκου-
μένην τῷ ὕψει τῶν ἀξιωμάτων ὑπερανέστηκας ;
ἀλλὰ δήλη ἡμῶν ἡ αἰτία τῆς σιωπῆς" ᾿ὀκνοῦμεν
δι᾽ ὄχλου γίνεσθαι ὃ ἀνδρὶ τοσούτῳ. εἰ δὲ πρὸς
τῇ λοιπῇ σου ἀρετῇ καὶ τοῦτο κατεδέξω, οὐ μόνον
πεμπόμενα Tap ἡμῶν δέχεσθαι γράμματα, ἀλλὰ
καὶ ἐλλειφθέντα ἐπιζητεῖν, ἰδοὺ καὶ γράφομεν
νῦν τεθαρρηκότως * καὶ γράψομέν γε εἰςὅ τὸ
ἐφεξῆς, εὐχόμενοι τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ δοθῆναί σοι τὴν
ἀμοιβὴν τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς τιμῆς. ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς
᾿Εκκλησίας προέλαβες ἡμῶν τὰς παρακλήσεις,
πάντα ποιήσας ὅσα ἂν ἡμεῖς ἐπεζητήσαμεν. ποιεῖς
δὲ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις χαριζόμενος, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ τῷ
τιμήσαντί σε, ὃς τὰ μὲν ἔδωκεν ἐν τῇ νῦν ton
ἀγαθά, τὰ δὲ δώσει ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι, ἀνθ᾽
ὧν μετὰ ἀληθείας ἐπορεύθης τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτοῦ,
ἀκλινῆ τὴν καρδίαν ἐν τῇ ὀρθότητι τῆς πίστεως
ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς εἰς τέλος διασωσάμενος.
1 ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν] ἑαυτῶν EK.
5 οὗ mapa... καταρρᾳθυμῆσαι om. HK.
3 γενέσθαι multi MSS.
4 τεθαρρηκότες editi antiqi. 5 πρός editi antiqi.
374
 LETTER CLII

truth “ nothing is to be preferred to God and to our

hope in Him.”

LETTER CLII
To Victor, THE GENERAL!
Were I to neglect writing to any other man, I
should perhaps justly incur the charge of carelessness
or forgetfulness. But in your case how is it possible
to forget one whose name is on the lips of everyone,
or to become careless about one who surpasses in
the loftiness of his honours almost all who dwell on
earth? But the reason for our silence is clear: we
hesitate to disturb so greata man. But if in addition
to your other virtues you possess this one also,—that
you not only accept such letters as we do send but
also miss those which we have failed to send, behold !
we write now with confidence and in the future too
shall write, praying to the holy God that recompense
be given you for the honour you show us. Moreover,
you have anticipated our appeals on behalf of the
Church, having done all that we could have asked.
And in what you do you seek to win favour, not with
men, but with God who has honoured you, who has
given you some blessings in this present life and
will give you others in the world to come, in recom-
pense for your travelling His way with truth, keeping
your heart unswervingly in the orthodox faith from
the beginning to the end.
1 Written in 373. Victor wasa distinguished general under
Valens, a man of high character, consul in 369, and an orthodox
Christian. Cf. Gregory Nazianzene, Letters CXXXIII and
CXXXIV. In 378 he united with Trajanus, Arintheus, and
other generals in remonstrating with Valens on his Arianism,
Cf. Theod., H. Z,, 4, 30; and Amm. Marc. 31, 7.
375
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CLIII
Βίκτορι ἀπὸ ὑπάτων
Ὁσάκις ἂν ἡμῖν ὑπάρξῃ γράμμασιν, ἐντυχεῖν
τῆς κοσμιότητός σου, τοσαυτάκις χάριν ὁμολογοῦ-
μεν τῷ Θεῷ, ὅτι διαμένεις καὶ μεμνημένος ἡμῶν
καὶ ὑπ᾽ οὐδεμιᾶς διαβολῆς τὴν ἀγάπην ἐλαττῶν,
ἣν ἅπαξ κρίσει τῇ ὀρθοτάτῃ ἢ συνηθείᾳ χρηστῇ
ἀναλαβεῖν κατεδέξω. εὐχόμεθα οὖν τῷ ἁγίῳ
Θεῷ καὶ σὲ διαμεῖναι ἐν τῇ ὁμοίᾳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς
διαθέσει, καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀξίους εἶναι τῆς παρὰ σοῦ
τιμῆς, ἣν τιμᾷς ἡμᾶς διὰ τοῦ γράμματος.

CLIV
᾿Ασχολίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Θεσσαλονίκης|
Καλῶς ἐποίησας, καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῆς πνευματικῆς
ἀγάπης νόμον, κατάρξας τῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς γραμ-
μάτων καὶ τῷ ἀγαθῷ ὑποδείγματι πρὸς τὸν
ὅμοιον ζῆλον ἡμᾶς ἐκκαλεσάμενος. καὶ γὰρ ἡ μὲν
τοῦ κόσμου φιλία. ὀφθαλμῶν δεῖται καὶ συντυχίας,
ὥστε ἐκεῖθενaἀρχὴν͵ τῆς συνηθείας γενέσθαι, οἱ δὲ
πνευματικῶς ἀγαπᾷν εἰδότες οὐ τῇ σαρκὶ προξένῳ
κέχρηνται τῆς φιλίας, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῆς πίστεως

1 ᾿Ασχολίῳ μονάζοντι καὶ πρεσβυτέρῳ Coisl. secundus, Reg.

secundus, Vat. et Paris. ᾿Ασχολίῳ μονάζοντι Reg. primus,
Bigot.

1 Written in 373, and in all probability to the same Victor

as is addressed in the previous letter.
376
 LETTER CLIV

LETTER CLIII
To Victor, THE Ex-Consut!
As often as it falls to our lot to read a letter from
your Decorum, so often do we acknowledge our
thanks to God, that you both continue to be mindful
of us and that you maintain undiminished by any
slander the love which once for all through sound
judgment or through excellent habit you deigned
to assume for us. We therefore pray to the holy
God that you may persist in the same disposition
towards us, and that we on our part may be worthy
of the honour which you show us by writing to us.

LETTER CLIV
To Ascuo.tius, Bishop ΟΕ THESSALONICA 2
You have acted rightly, and according to the law
of spiritual charity, in writing to us first and in
challenging us by your good example to the like
zeal. For while worldly love needs the eyes and
personal contact that there may arise thence a be-
ginning of intimacy, yet those who know how to
love in the spiritual way do not depend upon the
flesh to promote their love, but through the fellow-
2 Written in 373. St. Ambrose (Letter XV, 12) says of
Ascholius : Ad summum sacerdotium a Macedonicis obsecratus
populis, electus a sacerdotibus. Letter XV of St. Ambrose
was written to the church at Thessalonica on the occasion of
Ascholius’ death. Ascholius baptized Theodosius at Thessa-
lonica in 380, before his Gothic war, and was present at the
Council of Constantinople in 381. Cf. Letters CLXIV and
CLXV, also Socrates, Ecc. Hist. V, 6 and 8.

377
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

κοινωνίᾳ “πρὸς τὴν πνευματικὴν συνάφειαν ἄγὸνται.

χάρις οὖν τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ παρακαλέσαντι ἡμῶν
τὰς καρδίας €ἐν τῷ δεῖξαι ὅτι οὐκ ἐν πᾶσι κατέ-
ψυκται ἡ ἀγάπη, ἀλλ᾽ εἰσί που τῆς οἰκουμένης οἱ
τῆς Χριστοῦ μαθητείας τὸν χαρακτῆρα δεικνύντες.
καὶ τοίνυν ἔδοξέ μοι τὸ καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐοικέναι πρᾶγμα
ἄστροις ἐν νυκτερινῇ συναφείᾳ" " ἄλλοις κατ᾽
ἄχλα μέρη τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διαλάμπουσιν, ὧν
χαρίεσσα μὲν ἡ λαμπρότης, χαριέστερον |δὲ δήπου
τὸ ἀπροσδόκητον. τοιοῦτοι δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς οἱ τῶν
ἐκκλησιῶν φωστῆρες, ὀλίγοι παντελῶς καὶ
εὐαρίθμητοι ἐν τῇ σκυθρωπῇ ταύτῃ καταστάσει,
οἷον ἐν σκοτομήνῃ διαφαινόμενοι, πρὸς τῷ ἐκ τῆς
ἀρετῆς χαρίεντι, ἔτι καὶ τῷ σπανίῳ τῆς εὑρέσεως
τὸ “περιπόθητον ἐἔχοντες.
᾿Βγνώρισε δέ σου τὴν διάθεσιν ἡμῖν τὸ γράμμα
αὐτάρκως. εἰ γὰρ καὶ μικρὸν ἣν τῷ πλήθει τῶν
συλλαβῶν, ἀλλὰ τῇ γε ὀρθότητι τῆς διανοίας
ἀρκοῦσαν ἡμῖν τῆς προαιρέσεως τὴν ἀπόδειξιν
ἔδωκε. τὸ γὰρ περὶ τὸν μακαριώτατον ᾿Αθανά-
σιον ἐσπουδακέναι. δεῖγμα ἐναργέστατον τοῦ
ὑγιῶς * ἔχειν περὶ τὰ μέγιστα. ἀντὶ οὖν τῆς ἐπὶ
τοῖς γράμμασιν εὐφροσύνης πολλὴν οἴδαμεν
χάριν τῷ τιμιωτάτῳ υἱῷ ἡμῶν Evdnpio ᾧ
καὶ αὐτὸς εὔχομαι πᾶσαν ὑπάρχειν βοήθειαν
ἐξ ἁγίου: καὶ σὲ συνεύχεσθαι ἡμῖν παρα-
καλῶ, ὅπως ἂν ἀπολάβοιμεν αὐτὸν ἐν τάχει
μετὰ τῆς κοσμιωτάτης ὁμόζξυγος αὐτοῦ, θυγα-
τρὸς δὲ ἡμῶν ἐν Κυρίῳ. παρακλήθητι δὲ
καὶ αὐτὸς μὴ ἐν προοιμίοις ἡμῖν στῆσαι τὴν
1 ἐκ τοῦ δεῖξαι editi antiqi. * συννεφείᾳ E.
3 ἁγίως editi antiqi.
378
 LETTER CLIV
ship of the faith are brought to the union of the
spirit. So thanks be to the Lord who has consoled
our hearts by showing that charity has grown cold
in all men, but that there exist somewhere in the
world men who display the mark of Christ’s teach-
ing! And indeed your function has seemed to me
like that of the stars in nightly concurrence: they
illuminate one portion of the heavens after another,
and while their brightness is delightful, more de-
lightful still, methinks, is the suddenness of their
coming. Suchare you who are lights of the churches,
very few and easily numbered in this present gloomy
state of affairs, shining as in a moonless night, not
only giving delight through your virtue, but also
arousing, by the rarity with which you are found,
our deep affection.
Your letter made known sufficiently your dis-
position towards us. For even if it was brief in
the number of its syllables, yet in the integrity of
its sentiments it gave us an adequate proof of your
purpose. For the zeal you have shown for the most
blessed Athanasius gives the clearest possible evi-
dence of your soundness in the matters of greatest
importance. In return, then, for the joy received
from your letter we express our great thanks to our
most honoured son Euphemius,! for whom I also pray
that all assistance may be at hand from the Holy
One. I urge you also to join us in our prayer, that
we may soon receive him back accompanied by his
most discreet wife, our daughter in the Lord. And
as for yourself, we beg you not to stop our happiness
1 The bearer of the letter from Ascholius to Basil.

4 συζύγου editi antiqi.

379
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

εὐφροσύνην, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἀεὶ παραπιπτούσης

προφάσεως ἐπιστέλλειν καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διά-
θεσιν τῷ πυκνῷ τῆς ὁμιλίας αὔξειν, καὶ τὰ περὶ
τῶν αὐτοῦ ἐκκλησιῶν, ὅπως ἔχει κατὰ τὴν
συμφωνίαν, σημαίνειν" περὶ δὲ 3 τῶν ἐνταῦθα
προσεύχεσθαι, ὥστε γενέσθαι καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν
γαλήνην μεγάλην, ἐπιτιμήσαντος τοῦ Κυρίου
ἡμῶν τῷ ἀνέμῳ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ.

CLV
᾿Ανεπίγραφος ἐπὶ ἀλείπτῃ
Πρὸς πολλὰς τὰς διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἣν πρώτην
καὶ μόνην κατηξίωσεν ἡμῖν ἡ εὐγένειά σου δια-
πέμψασθαι ἐγγεγραμμένας κατηγορίας ἀπορῶ3
ἀπολογήσασθαι, οὐ διὰ τὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἔνδειαν,
ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐν πλήθει τῶν ἐπιφερομένων δύσκο-
λον εἶναι τῶν καιριωτέρων τὴν προτίμησιν, καὶ
ὅθεν δεῖ πρῶτον ἡμᾶς ἄρξασθαι. τῆς θεραπείας.
ὴ τάχα, δεῖ αὐτῇ “ τῇ τάξει τῶν γεγραμμένων
χρησαμένους ὁδῷ πρὸς ἕκαστον ἀπαντᾷν.
Τοὺς ἐπὶ Σκυθίαν ἀπαίροντας ἐντεῦθεν “μέχρι
σήμερον οὐκ ἐγνωρίσαμεν: ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τῶν ἐκ τῆς
οἰκίας ὑπέμνησαν ἡμᾶς, ὥστε προσειπεῖν σεϑ
1 σαυτοῦ editi antiqi. 2 re K. 3 ἀπορῶν E.
4 δεῖ αὐτῇ] δι᾽ αὐτήν Εἰ. 5 οἰκείας editi antiqi.
6 ge om. EK.

1 Written in 373. According to the Benedictine edition

the person addressed is Julius Soranus, a relative of Basil
and a duke of Scythia. The sub-title may have been added
by a copyist. It applies to Soranus, inasmuch as he was ‘‘a
380
 LETTER CLV

at its beginning, but on every pretext that arises to

write and thus enhance your disposition towards us
by frequent communication, and to keep us informed
about the condition of your churches as regards
harmony ; and as for our own affairs, we beg you to
pray that a great calm may come about among us also,
after our Lord has rebuked the wind and the sea.

LETTER CLV
WirHour ApprEss, ON THE Case oF A TRAINER!
As regards the many accusations which are con-
tained in the first and only letter which your Nobility
has deigned to send us, 1 am at a loss how to defend
myself, not through lack of a just cause, but through
the fact that in the multitude of the charges brought
it is difficult to make a choice of the more apposite
and to know at what point we should first begin
our healing treatment. of the matter. Or perhaps we
should employ the very order of the written items
and methodically meet them one by one.
Until to-day we had no knowledge of those who
are departing hence for Scythia; in fact, no member
even of your household suggested to us that we
trainer” (ἀλείπτης) and encourager of martyrs. In Letter
CLXIV Basil calls Ascholius ‘‘ trainer” of the martyr Sabas.
On the present letter and Letters CLV, CLXIV, and CLXV,
which have to do with transferring the remains of the Gothic
martyr Sabas (died April 372) to Caesarea in Cappadocia, οἵ.
G. Pfeilschefter, Hin neues Werk des Wulfila, Veriffentlichungen
aus dem Kirchenhistor, Seminar, Miinchen, 1907, pp. 192-224.
This letter is one of the earliest references to the preserva-
tion of the relics of martyrs.
381
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

δι’ αὐτῶν, καίτοι πάνυ διὰ σπουδῆς τιθεμένους ἐπὶ

πάσης προφάσεως προσφθέγγεσθαί σου τὴν τιμιό-
τητα. ἐπιλαθέσθαι δέ σου ἐν προσευχαῖς ἀδύνατον,
εἰ μὴ πρότερον τοῦ ἔργου ἡμῶν ἐπιλαθώμεθα, els ὃ
ἔταξεν ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος. μέμνησαι γὰρ πάντως τῶν
κηρυγμάτων τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν, πιστὸς ὧν τῇ
τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, ὅτι καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν ἀποδημίαις
ἀδελφῶν δεόμεθα, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐν ταῖς] στρατείαις
ἐξεταζομένων, καὶ ὑπὲρ παρρησιαζομένων διὰ τὸ
ὄνομα Κυρίου, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν τοὺς πνευματικοὺς
καρποὺς ἐπιδεικνυμένων, ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ ᾿Εκκλησίᾳ
τὰς εὐχὰς ποιούμεθα" ὧν πάντως ἐντοῖς πλείοσιν 2
ἢ Kal ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι νομίξομεν καὶ τὴν σὴν ἐμπερι-
λαμβάνεσθαι τιμιότητα. ἰδίᾳ δέ σου ἡμεῖς πῶς
ἂν “ἐπιλαθώμεθα, τοσαῦτα ἔχοντες τὰ κινοῦντα
ἡμᾶς πρὸς μνήμην, ἀδελφὴν τοιαύτην, ἀδελφιδοὺς 5
τοιούτους, συγγένειαν οὕτω χρηστήν, οὕτως
ἀγαπῶσαν ἡμᾶς, οἶκον, οἰκέτας, φίλους, ἐξ ὧν, κἂν
μὴ βουλώμεθα, aἀναγκαίως ὑπομιμνησκόμεθά σου
τῆς ἀγαθῆς προαιρέσεως ;
Περὶ δὲ τοῦδε ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ δεῖνα οὐδὲν ἡμῖν
ἤνεγκεν ἐπαχθές, οὐδὲ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν βλάπτουσα
αὐτόν τις κρίσις ἐξενήνεκται οὐδεμία. τρέψον οὖν
τὴν λύπην ἐπὶ τοὺς τὰ ψευδῆ διηγησαμένους,
ἀπολύσας πάσης μέμψεως καὶ τὸν χωρεπίσκοπον
καὶ ἐμέ. εἰ δέ τινα δίκην γυμνάζειὁ σχολαστικὸς
ὁ δεῖνα, ἔχει δικαστήρια δημόσια καὶ νόμους.
ἀξιῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τούτοις μηδεμίαν ἔχειν
μέμψιν.

1 ταῖς om. E. 2 χρόνοις KH, editi antiqi.

3 ἀδελφικήν E.
382
 LETTER CLV

should salute you through them, although we are

eagerly disposed to salute your Honour on every
occasion. And we cannot forget you in our prayers,
unless we first forget the labours to which the Lord
has appointed us. For you surely remember, since
by the grace of God you are faithful, the invocations *
of the Chureh—that we both make supplication for
our brethren who are sojourning abroad, and offer
prayers in the Holy Church for those who are
enrolled in military service, and for those who speak
out boldly for the sake of the name of the Lord,
and for those who show the fruits of the Spirit; and
certainly in the greater number of these prayers, or
even in all of them, we consider that your Honour
also is included. And in private how can we forget
you when we have so many things to prompt us to
remember you—such a sister, such nephews, a kins-
folk so good, so affectionate towards us, house, house-
hold, and friends, on account of whom, even if we
do not wish it, we are constrained to remember
your goodwill ?
But in regard to this present matter a certain
brother has brought us no unpleasant news, nor has
any decision whatever been given out by us which
might cause injury to him, Therefore turn your
indignation against those who have made the false
statements, absolving the chorepiscopus and myself
from all blame. And if this certain learned fellow is
making ready any legal action, he has public courts
and laws. Therefore I request you to put no blame
on us in these matters.
1 κηρύγματα here seems to denote an appointed liturgy.
For a similar meaning of the word, cf. Cyprian, Letter
LXXV, from Firmilianus.
383
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Αὐτὸς δὲ ὅσα ποιεῖς ἀγαθά, σεαυτῷ Onoaupi fers:

καὶ ἣν παρέχῃ ἀνάπαυσιν τοῖς διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ
Κυρίου διωκομένοις, ταύτην σεαυτῷ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς
μισθαποδοσίας προετοιμάζξεις. καλῶς δὲ ποιήσεις,
ἐὰν καὶ λείψανα μαρτύρων τῇ πατρίδι ἐκπέμψῃς,}
εἴπερ, ὡς ἐπέστειλας ἡμῖν, ὁ ἐκεῖ διωγμὸς ποιεῖ
καὶ νῦν μάρτυρας τῷ Κυρίῳ.

CLVI
Evaypio πρεσβυτέρῳ
Τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχον τοῦ δυσχερᾶναι πρὸς τὸ
μῆκος τῶν γραμμάτων, ὥστε καὶ μικρά μοι ἔδοξεν
εἶναι ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ὑπὸ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν
ἡδονῆς. τί γὰρ ἥδιον ἄκουσμα τοῦ τῆς εἰρήνης
ὀνόματος; ἢ" τί τοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν τοιούτων βουλεύεσ-
θαι ἱεροπρεπέστερον͵ καὶ μᾶλλον τῷ Κυρίῳ
κεχαρισμένον ; col μὲν οὖν παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος
τὸν μισθὸν τῆς εἰρηνοποιίας, οὕτω καλῶς προαι-
ρουμένῳ καὶ σπουδαίως ἐγκειμένῳ πράγματι
μακαριστῷ. ἡμᾶς δὲ νόμιζε, τιμία κεφαλή,
ἕνεκα ὃ μὲν τοῦ προῃρῆσθαι καὶ εὔχεσθαι ἰδεῖν
ποτὲ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐν ἣ πάντες τὸν αὐτὸν πληρώ-
σουσι σύλλογον, οἱ ταῖς διανοίαις ἀλλήλων μὴ
ἀπεσχισμένοι, μηδενὶ παραχωρεῖν τῶν εἰς τὴν
σπουδὴν τούτων πρωτείων. καὶ γὰρ ἂν εἴημεν
1 ἐκπέμψῃ EK. * ἥ om. Harl., Med.
3 ἕνεκεν EK.

1 Written in the late autumn of 373; cf. Loofs 31, note 3.

Evagrius, commonly known as of Antioch to distinguish him
384
 LETTER CLVI

As for yourself, whatever good deeds you perform,

you are laying them up as a treasure for yourself;
and whatever alleviation you render to those who
are being persecuted for the sake of the name of
the Lord, this you are preparing for yourself on the
day of reward. And you will do well, if you send
the relics of martyrs to your native land, since, as
you have written us, the persecution which is taking
place there is even now making martyrs to the Lord.

ἘΝ CLV!
To Evaarius, THE PressyTer!
So far was I from being displeased at the length
of your letter, that it seemed even short to me
because of the pleasure I got from reading it. For
what is sweeter to the ears than the name of peace?
Or what is more befitting the sacred office and more
pleasing to the Lord than to deliberate on matters
such as these? Therefore may the Lord render to
you the reward of peace-making, you who so nobly
undertake and so zealously pursue a most blessed
work, But know, honoured sir, that—on account
of the choice we have made and the prayers we offer
that we may yet see the day when all those who
are not divided from one another in mind shall fill
the same assembly—of those foremost in zeal for this
end we yield to none. For we would truly be the
from others of the same name, especially Evagrius the
historian. The dates of his birth and his death are un-
certain, but he is known to have been consecrated by the
dying Paulinus in 388 (an act which prolonged the Meletian
schism at Antioch), and seems to have lived until at least
392; cf. Letter CXX XVIII.

385
VOL. II. cc
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὡς ἀληθῶς πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀτοπώτατοι, σχίσ-

μασι καὶ κατατομαῖς ἐκκλησιῶν ἐφηδόμενοι, 1
καὶ μὴ τὴν συνάφειαν τῶν μελῶν τοῦ σώματος
τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὸ μέγιστον τῶν ἀγαθῶν τιθέμενοι.
ὅσον μέντοι τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἡμῖν περίεστι, τοσοῦτον
γίνωσκε τῆς δυνάμεως. ἐνδεῖν. οὐ γὰρ ἀγνοεῖ σου
ἡ τελεία φρόνησις, ὅτι τὰ χρόνῳ κρατυνθέντα
πάθη πρῶτον μὲν χρόνου δεῖται πρὸς τὴν διόρθω-
σιν, ἔπειτα ἰσχυρᾶς καὶ εὐτονωτέρας ἀγωγῆς," εἰ
μέλλοι 3 τις τοῦ βάθους αὐτοῦ καθικνεῖσθαι, ὥστε
ὥ
mpoppila ἐξελεῖν τῶν καμνόντων τὰ ἀρρωστή-
ματα. οἶδας δὲ ὃ λέγω, καὶ εἰ δεῖ τρανότερον
εἰπεῖν, οὐδεὶς ὁ φόβος.
Τὴν φιλαυτίαν ἔθει μακρῷ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐρριξζω-
θεῖσαν εἷς ἀνὴρ ἀνελεῖν οὐχ οἷός τε, οὐδ᾽ ἐπιστολὴ
μία, οὐδὲ χρόνος βραχύς. τὰς γὰρ ὑπονοίας καὶ
τὰς ἐξ ἀντιλογιῶν παρατριβὰς παντελῶς ἀναιρεθῆ-
ναι, μὴ ἀξιοπίστου τινὸς μεσιτεύοντος τῇ εἰρήνῃ,
ΤΩ καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐπέρρει ἡμῖν τὰ παρὰ τῆς
χάριτος καὶ ἦμεν δυνατοὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ τοῖς
πνευματικοῖς χαρίσμασι δυσωπῆσαι τοὺς ἀντι-
διατιθεμένους, ἔδει κατατολμῆσαι τοῦ τοσούτου
πράγματος. τάχα δὲ οὐδ᾽ ἂν τότε συνεβούλευσας
ἡμῖν μόνοις ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν, ὄντος τοῦ
ἐπισκόπου τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι,ς ᾧ ἡ φροντὶς ἀνῆκε :
προηγουμένως. τῆς ἐκκλησίας" ὃν οὔτε αὐτὸν ἐλ-
θεῖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς οἷόν τε, καὶ ἡμῖν ἀποδημήσειν ὃ
τέως ὑπὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος οὐ ῥάδιον, μᾶλλον. δὲ
παντελῶς ἀδύνατον, οὐ μόνον καθότι τὸ σῶμά
ἐνηδόμενοι Harl., Reg. secundus.
διαγωγῆς editi antiqi. 3 μέλοι EK.
ἀνήκει editi antiqi.
τ"
~
ὃ ἀποδημεῖν editi antiqi.
386
 LETTER CLVI

most unnatural of all men, if we rejoiced in the

schisms and divisions of the churches, and did not
consider the union of the members of the body of
Christ to be the greatest of all blessings. However,
you should know that our power is as deficient as
our desire is abundant. For your perfect wisdom
is not unaware of the fact that evils which have
been strengthened by time need time first of all for
their correction, then a strong and vigorous method
of treatment, if one is to get at the very bottom
of them, so as to tear out by the roots the com-
plaints of the ailing. But you know what I mean,
and if it is necessary to speak more clearly, there
is no cause for fear.
Self-love, when rooted in the mind by long habit,
no one man can eradicate, no one letter, no short
time. For the complete elimination of suspicions
and of the clashes arising from controversies is
impossible, unless there be some trustworthy man
to act as a mediator in the interest of peace. And
if all the strength of divine grace should flow upon
us, and if we were able by word and deed and the
gifts of the Spirit to move our opponents, then it
would be necessary for me to undertake so great
a task. Yet perhaps even in that case you would
not have advised us to set about the work of cor-
rection all alone, since he! who by the grace of
God is the bishop is the man upon whom the care
of his church falls chiefly ;and it is not possible for
him to come to us in person, and because of the
winter it is not easy for us in the meantime to go
abroad, or rather it is altogether impossible, not

1 Meletius of Antioch.

387
cc2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

pow” ὑπὸ “μακρᾶς ἀρρωστίας ἀπείρηκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι

καὶ αἱ τῶν ᾿Αρμενιακῶν ὀρῶν ai? ὑπερβάσεις
μικρὸν ὕστερον ἄβατοι 3 γίνονται καὶ τοῖς πάνυ
καθ᾽ ἡλικίαν, σφριγῶσι. γράμματι δὲ αὐτῷ
σημᾶναι 3 ταῦτα οὐ παραιτήσομαι. οὐ μέντοι
προσδοκῶ τι ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων ἀξιόλογον ἀπο-
βήσεσθαι, τῆς τε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀκριβείας στοχαζό-
μενος καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς φύσεως τῶν γραμμάτων: ὅτι
οὐ πέφυκεν ἐναργῶς δύνασθαι δυσωπεῖν ὁ διαπεμ-
πόμενος λόγος. πολλὰ γὰρ δεῖ εἰπεῖν, πολλὰ καὶ
ἀντακοῦσαι, καὶ λῦσαι τὰ ὑποπίπτοντα, καὶ
ἀνθυπενεγκεῖν > τὰ ὑφορμοῦντα, ὧν οὐδὲν δύναται
ὁ ἐν τοῖς γράμμασι λόγος, ἀργὸς καὶ ἄψυχος ἐν
τῷ χάρτῃ διερριμμένος.
Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽, ὅπερ ἔφην, οὐκ 6ὃἀποκνήσω γράψαι.
γίνωσκε μέντοι, ὧς ἀληθῶς εὐλαβέστατε καὶ
πολυπόθητε ἡμῖν" ἀδελφέ, ὅτι οὐδεμία μοι πρὸς
οὐδένα τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι ἰδιάζουσά ἐστι
φιλονεικία. οὐδὲ γὰρ πολυπραγμονήσας οἶδα τὰ
ἐγκλήματα, οἷς ἕκαστος ὑπεύθυνος ἢ ἔστιν ἢ
ὀνομάζεται. ὥστε οὕτως ὑμᾶς προσέχειν τῇ
ἡμετέρᾳ διανοίᾳ προσήκει, ὡς μηδὲν ἡμῶν δυνα-
μένων ποιῆσαι κατὰ “πρόσκλισιν," μηδὲ προείλημ-
μένων εἰς τὴν κατά τινων διαβολήν. μόνον εἰ
εὐδοκία γένοιτο ὃ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐκκλησιαστικῶς
πάντα καὶ ἀκολούθως πραχθῆναι.
Ἐλύπησε δὲ ἡμᾶς ὁποθεινότατος υἱὸς Δωρόθεος9
ὁ συνδιάκονος, ἀπαγγείλας περὶ τῆς εὐλαβείας
σου. ὅτι ὥκνησας μετασχεῖν αὐτῷ τῆς συνάξεως.

1 nov KE, Med. 2 ai om. E. 3 ἀδύνατοι ΕἸ.

4 σημῆναι tres MSS. 5 ἀντεπενεγκεῖν Εἰ.
388
 LETTER CLVI

only because my body is worn out by long illness,

but also because the passes over the Armenian
mountains become a little later impassable even to
those who are in the very vigour of youth. And I
shall not hesitate to point this out to him in writing.
However, I do not look for anything worth while to
result from letters, judging from the man’s strict-
ness and the very nature of anything written; for
the transmitted word is obviously by nature in-
capable of moving men. For there are many things
to be said, many things to be heard from the other
side, objections to be solved, one’s own reasons to
be advanced, none of which can be accomplished by
the written word, inert and lifeless as it is, spread
out upon the sheet of paper.
However, as I have said, I shall not refrain from
writing. Be assured, however, in truth our most
pious and beloved brother, that by God’s grace I have
no private quarrel with anyone at all. For I have
not even had the curiosity to find out their charges
to which the accused either are severally liable or
are said to be liable. Consequently it is fitting that
you should pay heed to our opinion, knowing that
we are incapable of acting from bias and have not
been prejudiced by the slander directed against any
of the parties. Would only that the approval of the
Lord might be granted, that everything be done in
the Church’s manner and in the proper form.
Our most beloved son Dorotheus, our deacon,
caused us sorrow when he informed me about your
Piety, that you refused to take part with him in

§ οὐδ᾽ editi antiqi. 7 ἡμῶν K.

8 πρόσκλησιν editi antiqi. ® γίγνοιτο editi antiqi.
10 Θεόδωρος unus ex Regiis.
389
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

καίτοι οὐ τοιαῦτα ἡμῖν ἦν TA ὡμιλημένα, εἴ τι ἐγὼ

μέμνημαι. ἀποστεῖλαι μέντοι πρὸς τὴν δύσιν
ἐμοὺ μὲν παντελῶς ἐστὶν ἀδύνατον, οὐδένα ἔχοντι
τῶν εἰς τὴν διακονίαν ταύτην ἐπιτηδείων. τῶν
δὲ αὐτόθεν ἀδελφῶν, ἐάν τις αἱρῆται τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν
ἐκκλησιῶν κόπον ἀναδέξασθαι, οἶδε δηλονότι καὶ
πρὸς τίνας ὁρμήσει, καὶ ἐπὶ ποίῳ σκοπῷ, καὶ παρὰ
τίνων ἐφοδιασθῆ τοῖς γράμμασι, καὶ ποταποῖς
τούτοις. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ἐν κύκλῳ περισκεψάμενος
ὁρῶ μεθ’ ἑαυτοῦ οὐδένα. καὶ εὔχομαι μὲν τοῖς
ἑπτακισχιλίοις ἐναριθμηθῆναι τοῖς μὴ κάμψασι
γόνυ τῇ 5 Βάαλ. πλὴν ὅτι ζητοῦσι καὶ ἡμῶν τὴν
ψυχὴν οἱ πᾶσι τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐπιβάλλοντες χεῖρας.
οὐ μέντοι τούτου γε ἕνεκεν ἐλλείψομέν TL τῆς
ὀφειλομένης σπουδῆς ταῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησίαις.

CLVII
᾿Αντιόχῳ
,

Πῶς οἴει βαρέως ἤνεγκα διαμαρτών cov τῆς

συντυχίας κατὰ τὸ θέρος ; καίτοι οὐδὲ ἡ τῶν
ἄλλων τοιαύτη γέγονεν, ὥστε μέχρι κόρου ἡμῖν
προελθεῖν" ἀλλ᾽ οὖν καὶ ὄναρ ἰδεῖν τὰ ποθούμενα
φέρει τινὰ τοῖς ἀγαπῶσι παραμυθίαν. σὺ δὲ
οὐδὲ ἐπιστέλλεις, οὕτως ἀργὸς εἶ, ὥστε μηδὲ τὴν
1 ὡμολογημένα editi antiqi. 2 τῷ editi antiqi.
3 ἡ τῶν] ἐτῶν K.

1 Written in 373. Other letters to Antiochus, nephew

of Eusebius, are CXLVI, CLVIII, and CLXVIII. Letter
CCXX XIX makes reference to Antiochus. Since the present
390
 LETTER CLVII

his religious service. And yet such were not the

matters which were discussed by you and me, if I
recollect at all. To send a representative to the
West, however, is absolutely impossible for us, since
I have no one suitable for this mission. But if any
one of the brothers with you chooses to take upon
himself this task in behalf of the churches, he
knows, doubtless, to what person he shall proceed,
for what purpose, and by whom he shall be furnished
with letters, and by what sort of letters. For when
I look about me, 1 see in my own followers no one
at all. And I pray to be numbered amongst the
seven thousand who have not bent the knee to Baal.
I will only add that those who are laying their
hands on all are seeking our soul also. But not on
this account shall we be at all remiss in the zeal that
is due to the churches of God.

LETTER CLVII
To Anrtiocuus 1
You can imagine how disappointed I was at
failing to meet you during the summer! And yet
our meeting in other years was also not of such a
character as to reach the point of satiating us.
However, to see even in dreams the objects of one’s
desire brings some little comfort to those who love.
But you do not even write, so slothful are you; con-
and the following letters are both couched in similar terms,
the Benedictine editors are inclined to believe that they are
really addressed to different people. Furthermore, the
slothfulness of which Basil complains would befit Eusebius
much better than Antiochus, who could not travel without
his uncle’s permission.
391
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὑπόλειψιν ἢ ἄλλῃ τινὶ αἰτίᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ τῷ ἀργῶς

ἔχειν πρὸς τὰς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀποδημίας λογῖ-
ἕεσθαι. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν πεπαύσθω ἡμῖν. εὔχου
δὲ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν καὶ παρακάλει τὸν Κύριον μὴ
ἐγκαταλιπεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐκ τῶν ἐπελθόντων
παρήγαγεν ἡμᾶς πειρασμῶν, οὕτω καὶ ἐκ τῶν
προσδοκωμένων ῥύσασθαι εἰς δόξαν τοῦ ὀνόματος
αὐτοῦ, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ ἠλπίσαμεν.

CLVIII
Base
᾿Επειδὴ ἀντέστησάν μοι αἵ ἁμαρτίαι μου πρὸς
τὸ μὴ δυνηθῆναί με ἣν πάλαι εἶχον ἐπιθυμίαν
τῆς ὑμετέρας συντυχίας ἀγαγεῖν εἰς πέρας,
γράμμασι γοῦν παρα μυΠοῦ τας τὴν ἀπόλειψιν"
καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν * μὴ διαλιπεῖν ® μεμνημένους
ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, ἵνα, ἐὰν ζῶμεν, κατα-
ξιωθῶμεν ὑμῶν ἀπολαῦσαι, εἰ δὲ μή, διὰ τῆς
βοηθείας τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν μετὰ ἀγαθῆς
ἐλπίδος μεταναστεύσωμεν ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου
τούτου. τὸν δὲ ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς καμήλοις ὃ
παρατιθέμεθα ὑμῖν.

CLIX
Evzratepio,® καὶ τῇ Ove
i Οσην εὐφροσύνην παρέσχε μοι τὸ γράμμα τῆς.
κοσμιότητός σου εἰκάζεις πάντως αὐτοῖς 1 τοῖς
1 ἀπόλειψιν EK. 2 ὑμᾶς add. editi antiqi.
3 διαλείπειν editi antiqi. 4 μεταναστῶμεν editi antiqi.
5 ταῖς καμήλοι5] τὰς καμήλους editi antiqi.
5 Εὐπατρίῳ K, Med. 7 αὐτός editi antiqi.
392
 LETTER CLIX

sequently your failure to visit me is likewise to be

attributed to no other reason than that you are
slothful about undertaking journeys to gratify your
affection. However, let us say no more about this.
But pray for us and beg the Lord not to desert us,
but just as He has led us out of past trials, so to
deliver us also from those which are imminent, unto
the glory of His name wherein we have placed our
hope.

LETTER CLVIII
To AnTiocuus 1
Since my sins have risen up against me, rendering
it impossible for me to realize the desire which I
have long had of visiting you, by letter at least I
can palliate my failure to appear; and we exhort
you not to leave off making mention of us in your
prayers, so that, if we live, we may be deemed
worthy of enjoying you, and if not, that by the aid
of your prayers we may pass on from this world with
good hope. And we put in your care the brother
who is in charge of the camels.

LETTER CLIX
To EupaTertus AND HIS DauGHTER2
How much pleasure the letter of your Decorum
afforded me you certainly can infer from the very
1 Written in 373. Cf. the previous letter with note.
* Written about 373, on the Nicene Creed and the Holy
Ghost. Eupaterius and his daughter are otherwise unknown.
393
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπεσταλμένοις. τί γὰρ ἂν ἥδιον γένοιτο ἀνθρώπῳ

εὐχὴν ποιουμένῳ φοβουμένοις Θεὸν ἀεὶ προσο-
μιλεῖν καὶ τοῦ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν κέρδους μεταλαμ-
βάνειν, γραμμάτων. τοιούτων, δι᾽ ὧν ἡ Θεοῦ γνῶσις
ἐπιζητεῖται ; εἰ γὰρ τὸ Shy ἡμῖν Χριστός, ἀκο-
λούθως καὶ ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν περὶ Χριστοῦ ὀφείλει
εἶναι, καὶ ἡ ἔννοια καὶ πᾶσα πρᾶξις τῶν ἐντολῶν
αὐτοῦ aa ae Kal ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν κατ᾽ αὐτὸν
μεμορφῶσθ αι. χαίρω τοίνυν περὶ τοιούτων ἐρω-
τώμενος καὶ συγχαίρω τοῖς ἐρωτῶσιν. ἡμῖν
/

τοίνυν ἑνὶ μὲν λόγῳ ἡ τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντων

πατέρων πίστις πασῶν τῶν ὕστερον ἐφευρε-
θεισῶν 1 προτετίμηται" ἐν 7 “ὁμοούσιος ὁμολο-
γεῖται ὁ Tids TO Πατρί, καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑπάρχων
φύσεως ἧς ὁ γεννήσας. φῶς γὰρ ἐκ φωτός, καὶ
Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἀγαθὸν ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ, καὶ τὰ
τοιαῦτα πάντα, ὑπό τε τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων ὧμολο-
γήθη: καὶ ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν νῦν, τῶν εὐχομένων κατ᾽
ἴχνη βαίνειν ἐκείνοις,
ἐ προσμαρτυρεῖται.
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ νῦν ἀνακύψαν παρὰ τῶν ἀεὶ3
καινοτομεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων ζήτημα, παρασιωπηθὲν
τοῖς πάλαι διὰ τὸ ἀναντίρρητον, ἀδιάρθρωτον κατε-
λείφθη (λέγω δὴ τὸ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος).
προστίθεμεν τὸν περὶ τούτου λόγον ἀκολούθως τῇ
τῆς Γραφῆς ἐννοίᾳ" ὅτι ὡς βαπτιξόμεθα, οὕτω
καὶ πιστεύομεν" ὡς πιστεύομεν, οὕτω καὶ δοξο-
λογοῦμεν. ἐπειδὴ οὖν βάπτισμα ἡμῖν δέδοται
παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰς ὄνομα Πατρὸς καὶ Tiod καὶ
1 εὑρεθεισῶν EK. 2 τι add. editi antiqi.

1 Cf. Phil, 1. 21: ἐμοὶ yap τὸ ζῇν, Χριστός: καὶ τὸ ἀπο-

θανεῖν κέρδος. ““ἘῸΓ to me, to live is Christ: to die is gain.’
394
 LETTER CLIX

tenor of your letter. For what could be sweeter to

a man who prays that he may ever associate with
God-fearing men and derive some of the profit such
association yields than such letters as help us in our
search for the knowledge of God? For if “to us,
to live is Christ,’ } accordingly also our speech ought
to be about Christ, and our thoughts and all our
actions should depend upon His commands, and our
souls should be moulded according to Him. I there-
fore rejoice when I am questioned about such
matters and congratulate those who put the ques-
tions. As for us, then, to state it in a word, the
creed of the Fathers who assembled at Nicaea has
been honoured by us before all those formulated
later, and in this the Son is confessed to be con-
substantial with the Father, and to be of the same
nature as the One who begot Him. For Light of
Light, and God of God, and Good of Good (and
all descriptions of this kind) has He been con-
fessed to be by those holy men; and by us now,
who pray that we may walk in their footsteps,
witness to this is also borne.
But since the question which has now been
brought up by those who are always attempting to
make innovations, and which was passed over in
silence by the men of former times because there
was no dispute about it, has remained unexplained
(I mean the question concerning the Holy Ghost),
we are adding the explanation of this according to
the sense of the Scriptures: namely, that as we are
baptized, so also do we believe; as we believe, so
also do we recite the doxology. Since, then, baptism
has been given to us by our Saviour in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
395
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἁγίου Πνεύματος, ἀκόλουθον τῷ βαπτίσματι τὴν

ὁμολογίαν τῆς πίστεως παρεχόμεθα, ἀκόλουθον
δὲ καὶ τὴν δοξολογίαν τῇ πίστει, συνδοξάζοντες
Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, τῷ πεπεῖσθαι
μὴ ἀλλότριον εἶναι τῆς θείας φύσεως. οὐ γὰρ ἂν
τῶν αὐτῶν μετέσχε τιμῶν τὸ ἀπεξενωμένον κατὰ
τὴν φύσιν. τοὺς δὲ κτίσμα λέγοντας τὸ [Πνεῦμα
τὸ ἅγιον ἐλεοῦμεν, ὡς εἰς τὸ ἀσυγχώρητον πτῶμα 1
τῆς εἰς αὐτὸ βλασφημίας διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης φωνῆς
καταπίπτοντας. ὅτι γὰρ διώρισται κτίσις rae
TOS οὐδενὸς λόγου προσδεῖ τοῖς κατὰ μικρὸν * ταῖς
Γραφαῖς ἐγγεγυμνασμένοις. ἡ μὲν γὰρ κτίσις
δουλεύει, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ἐλευθεροῖ" ἡἡ κτίσις ζωῆς
προσδεής ἐστι, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ ΩΡ ΡΣ ἡ
κτίσις διδασκαλίας προσδεῖται, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι
τὸ δίδασκον" ἡ κτίσις ἁγιάζεται, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι
τὸ ἁγίαζον. κἂν ἀγγέλους εἴπῃς, κἂν ἀρχαγ-
γέλους, κἂν πάσας τὰς ὑπερκοσμίους 3 δυνάμεις,
διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν ἁγιωσύνην λαμβάνουσιν.
αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα φυσικὴν ἔχει τὴν “ἁγιότητα,
οὐ κατὰ χάριν λαβόν, ἀλλὰ συνουσιωμένην αὐτῷ"
ὅθεν καὶ τῆς προσηγορίας τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου ἐξαιρέτως
τετύχηκεν. ὃ τοίνυν φύσει ἅγιον, ὡς φύσει ἅγιος

πταῖσμα duo MSS.

κατὰ μικρὸν] κἂν μικρόν editi antiqi.
ὑπερκοσμίας editi antiqi.
he
or

1 Cf. Rom. 8. 2: ὁ yap νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν

Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσέ με ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ
θανάτου. ““ For the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus,
hath delivered me from the law of sin and death.”
2 John 6. 64.
396
 LETTER CLIX

we offer the confession of our faith in accordance

with our baptism, and in accordance with our faith
we also recite the doxology, glorifying the Holy
Spirit along with the Father and the Son, because
we are convinced that He is not foreign to the
divine nature. For that which had been alienated by
its nature could not have shared in the same honours.
And we pity those who call the Spirit a creature,
because they fall into the unpardonable error of
blasphemy against Him by the use of such language.
For the fact that any creature is distinct and
separate from the Godhead needs no argument for
those who are even a little versed in the ‘Scriptures.
For the creature is a slave, but the Spirit sets free ;1
the creature is in need of life, and “ it is the Spirit
that quickeneth”’;? the creature needs teaching,
and it is the Spirit that teaches ;* the creature is
sanctified, and it is the Spirit that sanctifies.4 And
if you name angels, and archangels, and all the
heavenly powers, it is through the Holy Spirit that
they receive their holiness. But the Spirit of Him-
self has natural sanctity, not receiving it by grace,
but by being joined substantially to Ban : whence
also He has come the distinctive title of “holy.”
And He therefore is holy by nature, as the Father

3 Cf. John 14. 26: ὁ δὲ Παράκλητος, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ “Ἅγιον,

ὃ πέμψει ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου, ἐκεῖνος ὑμᾶς διδάξει πάντα,
καὶ ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα ἃ εἶπον ὑμῖν. ‘* But the Paraclete,
the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in My name, he
will teach you all things, and bring all things to your mind,
whatsoever I shall have said to you.”
4 Cf. Rom. 15. 16: ἵνα γένηται ἢ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν
εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν Πνεύματι Αγίῳ, ““ὑπαῦ the oblation
of the Gentiles may be made acceptable and sanctified in the
Holy Ghost.”
397
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὁ Πατήρ, καὶ φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Tios, οὔτε αὐτοὶ τῆς

θείας καὶ μακαρίας Τριάδος χωρίσαι καὶ διατεμεῖν
ἀνεχόμεθα, οὔτε τοὺς εὐκόλως τῇ κτίσει συναριθ-
μοῦντας ἀποδεχόμεθα.
Ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἐν κεφαλαίῳ, ἀρκούντως τῇ εὐ-
λαβείᾳ ὑμῶν εἰρήσθω. ἀπὸ γὰρ μικρῶν σπερ-
μάτων γεωργήσετε τὸ πλεῖον τῆς εὐσεβείας,
συνεργοῦντος ὑμῖν " τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. δίδου
γὰρ σοφῷ ἀφορμήν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται. τὴν
δὲ τελειοτέραν διδασκαλίαν εἰς τὴν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλ-
μοὺς συντυχίαν ὑπερθησόμεθα, δι’ ἧς καὶ τὰ
ἀντικείμενα ἐπιλύσασθαι, καὶ πλατυτέρας τὰς ἐκ
τῶν Τραφῶν παρασχέσθαι μαρτυρίας, καὶ πάντα
τύπον τὸν ὑγιῆ τῆς πίστεως βεβαιώσασθαι
δυνατόν. τὸ δὲ νῦν “ἔχον συγγνώμην νείματε τῇ
βραχύτητι. καὶ γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐπέστειλα τὴν
ἀρχήν, εἰ μὴ μείζονα ἡγούμην τὴν βλάβην
ἀρνήσασθαι τὴν αἴτησιν παντελῶς, ἢ ἐλλιπῶς
παρασχέσθαι.
CLX
Διοδώρῳ
᾿Αφίκετο ἡμῖν γράμματα τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν ἐἔχοντα
Διοδώρου, τὰ δὲ ἐφεξῆς ἄλλου τινὸς πρέποντα
εἶναι μᾶλλον ἢ Διοδώρου. δοκεῖ γάρ μοί τις τῶν
τεχνικῶν," τὸ σὸν πρόσωπον ὑποδύς, οὕτως
ἑαυτὸν ἀξιόπιστον ἐθελῆσαι ποιῆσαι τοῖς ἀκροω-
μένοις. ὅς γε, ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπό τινος, εἰ θεμιτὸν
1 ἡμῖν Harl.
2 τις τῶν τεχνικῶν] τάχα τις τῶν βαναύσων τεχνιτῶν Harl.
398
 LETTER CLX

is holy by nature, and the Son is holy by nature; and

neither do we, for ourselves, tolerate the separation
and severance of any member from the divine and
blessed Trinity, nor do we receive those who are
ready to reckon any member as a part of creation.
Let these statements, as a summary, be sufficient
for your Piety. For from small seeds you will
produce by cultivation the greater part of piety, the
Holy Spirit co-operating in you. For “give an
occasion to a wise man, and wisdom shall be added
to him.” 1 But we shall postpone a fuller explanation
until we shall have a meeting face to face, which
will enable us to resolve objections, and to furnish
fuller testimony from the Scriptures, and to confirm
every sound article of faith. But for the present
grant pardon to my brevity. For I should not have
written in the beginning, had I not thought it a
greater harm to refuse the request altogether than
to comply with it imperfectly.

REL CER CLX.

To Droporus 2
A LETTER has come to us bearing the superscription
of Diodorus, but all that follows is more appropri-
ately to be ascribed to anyone rather than to Diodorus.
For it seems to me that some cunning fellow, having
put on the mask of your personality, wished in this
way to make himself seem trustworthy to his hearers.
This person, when asked by someone whether it was
SDETOW. 9: 9:
5 Written in 373 or 374, on marriage with ἃ deceased wife’s
sister. Cf. Letter CKXXV and note.
399
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

αὐτῷ" πρὸς γάμον ἀγαγέσθαι τῆς γυναικὸς τελευ-

τησάσης τὴν “ἀδελφήν, οὐκ ἔφριξε τὴν ἐρώτησιν,
ἀλλὰ καὶ πράως ἤνεγκε τὴν Seo, Kal TO ἀσελγὲς
ἐπιθύμημα πάνυ γενναίως 5 καὶ ἀγωνιστικῶς
συγκατέπραξεν. εἰ μὲν οὖν παρῆν μοι τὸ γράμμα,
αὐτὸ ἂν ἀπέστειλα καὶ ἐξήρ κεις> σαυτῷ τε
ἀμῦναι καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ δείξας πάλιν
ἀφείλετο καὶ ὥσπερ TL τρόπαιον καθ᾽ ἡμῶν
περιέφερε, κεκωλυκότων τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἔγγραφον
ἔχειν λέγων τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἐπέστειλα νῦν σοι,
ὥστε διπλῇ τῇ χειρὶ ἡμᾶς ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὸν νόθον
ἐκεῖνον λόγον καὶ μηδεμίαν αὐτῷ ἰσχὺν κατα-
λιπεῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἔχῃ βλάπτειν ῥᾳδίως τοὺς ἐντυγ-
χάνοντας.
Πρῶτον μὲν οὗν, ὃ μέγιστον ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων
ἐστί, τὸ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἔθος, ὃ ἔχομεν προβάλλειν,
νόμου δύναμιν ἔχον, διὰ τὸ ὑφ᾽ ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν τοὺς
θεσμοὺς "ἡμῖν παραδοθῆναι. τοῦτο δὲ τοιοῦτόν
ἐστιν" ἐάν τίς πάθει ἀκαθαρσίας ποτὲ κρατηθεὶς
ἐκπέσῃ πρὸς δυεῖν ἀδελφῶν ἄθεσμον κοινωνίαν,
μήτε γάμον ἡγεῖσθαι τοῦτον, pun? ὅλως εἰς
ἐκκλησίας πλήρωμα παραδέχεσθαι. πρότερον ἢ
διαλῦσαι αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων. ὥστε, εἰ καὶ
μηδὲν ἕτερον εἰπεῖν ἣν, ἐξήρκει τὸ ἔθος πρὸς τὴν
τοῦ καλοῦ ὃ φυλακήν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν
γράψας ἐπιχειρήματι κιβδήλῳ κακὸν τοσοῦτον
ἐπειράθη τῷ βίῳ ἐπαγαγεῖν, ἀνάγκη μηδὲ ἡμᾶς
τῆς ἐκ τῶν λογισμῶν βοηθείας ὑφέσθαι" καίτοι γε

1 αὐτόν editi antiqi. 3 αὐτῷ add. editi antiqi.

3 ἐξήρκει editi antiqi. 4 τοῦτο editi antiqi.
5 κακοῦ KE,
400
 LETTER CLX

lawful for him to take in marriage the sister of his

deceased wife, did not shudder in horror at the
question, but, on the contrary, he even listened to it
calmly, and quite gallantly and boldly gave his
support to the licentious desire! Now, if the letter
were actually at hand, I should have forwarded it to
you, and you would be quite competent to defend
both yourself and the truth. But since the person who
showed me the letter took it away with him again
and carried it about as a sort of trophy won from us
who had forbidden this practice from the beginning,
saying that he had a written permission, I am now
writing to you that we may attack that spurious
document with our combined strength and that we
may leave it no validity, lest it should be the means
of harming, as it easily might, those who chance to
read it.
In the first place, then—a consideration that is
very important in such matters—there is the custom
observed among us, which we can cite in defence of
our position, a custom having the force of a law,
because our ordinances have been handed down to
us by holy men. And this custom is as follows: If
any man, overcome by a passion of impurity, shall
fall into unlawful intercourse with two sisters, we do
not consider this a marriage, nor do we receive them
into the membership of the Church at all until they
separate from one another. Therefore, even if
nothing further were to be said, the custom is
sufficient to safeguard what is right. But since the
writer of the letter has attempted by his deceitful
argumentation to introduce such an abomination into
our lives, we on our part must not omit any argu-
ment that may be of assistance to us, although in
4ο1
VOL. 11. DD
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπὶ τῶν σφόδρα ἐναργῶν μείζων ἐστὶ τοῦ λόγου ἡ

ΕῚ \ fal / ’ r / > \ lal , id

παρ᾽ ἑκάστου πρόληψις.

Γέγραπται, φησίν, ἐν τῷ Λευιτικῷ" Γυναῖκα ἐπ᾽
ἀδελφῇ αὐτῆς οὐ λήψῃ ἀντίζηλον, ἀποκαλύψαι
τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτῆς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῇ, ἔτι ζώσης αὐτῆς.
δῆλον δὴ οὖν ἐκ τούτου εἶναί φησιν ὅτι συγ-
χωρεῖται λαμβάνειν τελευτησάσης. πρὸς δὴ
τοῦτο πρῶτον μὲν ἐκεῖνο ἐρῶ: ὅτι, ὅσα ὁ νόμος
λέγει, τοῖς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ: ἐπεὶ οὕτω γε καὶ
περιτομῇ, καὶ Σαββάτῳ, καὶ ἀποχῇ βρωμάτων
a \ / \ >’ a ve

ὑποκεισόμεθα. οὐ γὰρ δή, ἐὰν μέν. τι εὕρωμεν

συντρέχον ἡμῶν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς, τῷ ξυγῷ τῆς
δουλείας τοῦ νόμου ἑαυτοὺς ὑποθήσομεν, ἐἐὰν δέ τι
φανῇ βαρὺ τῶν νομίμων, τότε πρὸς τὴν ἐν Χρισ-
τῷ ἐλευθερίαν ἀποδραμούμεθα. ἠρωτήθημεν εἰ
γέγραπται λαμβάνειν γυναῖκα ἐπ᾽ ἀδελφῇ. εἴπο-
μεν, ὅπερ ἀσφαλὲς ἡμῖν καὶ ἀληθές, ὅτι οὐ
ee \ id a \ > / “ >

γέγραπται. τὸ δ᾽ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ἀκολούθου ἐπιφορᾶς

τὸ σιωπηθὲν συλλογίζεσθαι νομοθετοῦντός ἐστιν,
οὐ τὰ τοῦ νόμου λέγοντος" ἐπεὶ οὕτω γε ἐξέσται
τῷ βουλομένῳ κατατολμῆσαι καὶ ἔτι ζώσης τῆς
: \ ἥ / \ ? / \ \ > ei.’
γυναικὸς λαμβάνειν τὴν ἀδελφήν. TO yap αὐτὸ
τοῦτο σόφισμα καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνου ἁρμόζει. γέγραπ-
ται yap, φησίν: ov λήψῃ ἀντίζηλον, ὡς 2 τήν γε
΄ὔ / > / » / ¢ 2 /

» a , a > ΡΣ ε \
ἔξω τοῦ ζήλου λαβεῖν οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν. ὁ δὴ συνη-
γορῶν τῷ πάθει ἀζηλότυπον εἶναι διοριεῖται τὸ
1 γάρ add. E. 2 ὥστε E.

1 Lev. 18. 18.

2 i.e. the Levitical law does not apply to Christians; if it
did, they would have to practise circumcision, ete.
402
 LETTER CLX

matters which are perfectly obvious the instinctive

sentiment of the individual is of greater weight than
formal reasoning.
It is written, he says, in Leviticus :1 ‘Thou shalt
not take thy wife’s sister for a harlot, to rival her,
neither shalt thou discover her nakedness while the
wife is yet living.” He therefore insists that it is
evident from this passage that it is lawful to take her
when the wife is deceased. In reply I have this to
say in the first place: that whatever the law says, it
says to those who are within the law ;? since, if the
law is interpreted in this way, we shall be subject to
circumcision also, to the observance of the Sabbath,
and to abstinence from meats. For surely it cannot
be that, if we find anything in the law which fits in
with our pleasures, we can subject ourselves to the
yoke of servility to the law, but if any of the pro-
visions of the law appears harsh, we can have recourse
to the freedom which is in Christ! We were asked
whether it is written that a man may take a woman
as a wife after her sister. We said what in our opinion
is incontestable and true—that it is not so written.
But to reason out by the application of logical inference
a point which has been passed over in silence in the
law is a matter for the lawgiver and not for him
who recites the provisions of the law; for in the
latter event it will be possible for anyone who so
wishes to presume to take the sister even while the
wife is still living. For he applies this same sophism
in the following argument also. For it is written, he
says, “Thou shalt not take thy wife’s sister for a
harlot to rival her,” so that the law did not prohibit
taking the woman who is outside of rivalry. So the
man who pleads for his passion will take the position
403
Dpb2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἦθος τῶν ἀδελφῶν. ἀνῃρημένης οὖν τῆς αἰτίας,

δι᾿ ἣν ἀπηγόρευσε τὴν ἀμφοτέρων συνοίκησιν, τί
τὸ κωλῦον ἔσται ' λαμβάνειν τὰς ἀδελφάς ; GAN
οὐ γέγραπται ταῦτα, φήσομεν. ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνα
ὥρισται. ἦν δὲ ἔννοια τοῦ ἀκολούθου ὁμοίως
ἀμφοτέραις " τὴν ἄδειαν δίδωσιν. ἔδει δέ, καὶ
μικρὸν ἐπὶ τὰ κατόπιν τῆς νομοθεσίας ἐπαναδρα-
μόντα, ἀπηλλάχθαι πραγμάτων.
Ἔοικε γὰρ οὐ πᾶν εἶδος ἁμαρτημάτων περι-
λαμβάνειν ὁ νομοθέτης, ἀλλ᾽ ἰδίως ἀπαγορεύειν
τὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, ὅθεν ἀπῆρεν ὁ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ
τὰ τῶν Χαναναίων, πρὸς οὺς μεθίσταται. ἔχει
γὰρ οὕτως ἡ λέξις. κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα γῆς
Αἰγύπτου, ἐν ἡ παρῳκήσατε ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς, οὐ
ποιήσετε: καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα γῆς Χαναάν,
εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάξω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ, οὐ ποιήσετε, καὶ ἐν
τοῖς νομίμοις αὐτῶν οὐ πορεύσεσθε. ὥστε τοῦτο
εἰκός 3 που τὸ εἶδος τῆς ἁμαρτίας μὴ ἐμπολι-
τεύεσθαι τότε παρὰ τοῖς ἔθνεσι: διὸ μηδὲ τῆς ἐπ᾽
αὐτῷ φυλακῆς προσδεηθῆναι τὸν νομοθέτην, ἀλλ᾽
ἀρκεσθῆναι τῷ ἀδιδάκτῳ ἔθει πρὸς τὴν τοῦ μύσους
διαβολήν. πῶς οὖν, τὸ μεῖζον ἀπαγορεύσας, τὸ
ἔλαττον ἐσιώπησεν; ὅτι ἐδόκει πολλοὺς 4 τῶν
φιλοσάρκων, πρὸς τὸ ἔτι ζώσαις ἀδελφαῖς συνοι-
κεῖν, τὸ ὑπόδειγμα βλάπτειν. τοῦ πατριάρχου.
Ἡμᾶς δὲ τί χρὴ ποιεῖν ; τὰ γεγραμμένα λέγειν,
ἢ τὰ σιωπηθέντα προσεξεργάζεσθαι ; αὐτίκα τὸ

1 ἐστί editi antiqi. 2 ἀμφοτέροις editi antiqi.

3 εἰκός] εἰ καί editi antiqi. 4 πολλοῖς editi antiqi.

1 Lev. 18. 3. 2 Probably Jacob ; cf. Gen, 29 ff.

404
 LETTER CLX

that the disposition of sisters precludes jealousy

between them. Therefore, he will argue, if the
cause is removed which led the law to forbid co-
habitation with two women, what will there be to
prohibit a man’s taking the sisters? But we shall
say, this is not what is written. But the former
matter likewise is not defined. The logicalinference,
however, gives the permission to both sisters alike.
But what we ought to do in order to get rid of the
difficulty is to go back a little to the state of affairs
preceding the promulgation of the law.
For the lawgiver does not seem to be covering all
sorts of sin, but to be forbidding particularly the sins
of the Egyptians, from whom Israel had gone forth,
and those of the Canaanites, to whom Israel was
migrating. The words read as follows: ‘ You shall not
do according to the custom of the land of Egypt, in
which you dwelt: neither shall you act according to
the manner of the country of Canaan, into which I
will bring you, nor shall you walk in their ordin-
ances.’ + Therefore it is likely that the form of sin
here referred to was not at that time being practised
among the Gentiles; and that, for this reason, it was
not incumbent upon the lawgiver to provide against
it, but that he was satisfied with the custom, which
came from no instruction, for discrediting the abomin-
ation. How was it, then, that while forbidding the
greater, he kept silent about the less? It was be-
cause the example of the patriarch? seemed to harm
many of those who were given over to the flesh,
inducing them to cohabit with sisters still living.
But as for us, what ought we to do? To say what
is written or to work out for ourselves such questions
as are passed over in silence? For instance, it is not
405
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

μὴ δεῖν pd ἑταίρᾳ κεχρῆσθαι πατέρα καὶ υἱὸν ἐν

μὲν τοῖς νόμοις τούτοις οὐ γέγραπται, παρὰ δὲ τῷ
προφήτῃ μεγίστης κατηγορίας ἠξίωται. Υἱὸς
γάρ, φησί, καὶ πατὴρ πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν παιδίσκην
εἰσεπορεύοντο. πόσα δὲ εἴδη ἄλλα τῶν ἀκα-
θάρτων παθῶν τὸ μὲν τῶν δαιμόνων διδασκαλεῖον
ἐξεῦρεν, ἡ δὲ θεία ᾿ραφὴ ἀπεσιώπησε, τὸ σεμνὸν
ἑαυτῆς ταῖς τῶν αἰσχρῶν ὀνομασίαις καταρρυ-
παίνειν οὐχ αἱρουμένη, ἀλλὰ γενικοῖς ὀνόμασι τὰς
ἀκαθαρσίας διέβαλεν ὡς καὶ ἀπόστολος Παῦλός
φησι; ἸΠΠορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα μηδὲ
ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, τῷ τῆς
ἀκαθαρσίας ὀνόματι τάς τε τῶν ἀρρένων ἀρρητο-
ποιίας καὶ τὰς τῶν θηλειῶν περιλαμβάνων. ὥστε
οὐ πάντως ἡ σιωπὴ ἄδειαν φέρει τοῖς φιληδόνοις.
᾿Εγὼ δὲ οὐδὲ σεσιωπῆσθαι τὸ μέρος τοῦτό
φημι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ σφοδρῶς ἀπηγορευκέναι τὸν
νομοθέτην. τὸ γάρ, Οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ “πρὸς πάντα
οἰκεῖον σαρκός σου, ἀποκαλύψαι ἀσχημοσύνην
αὐτῶν, ἐμπεριεκτικόν ἐστι καὶ τούτου τοῦ εἴδους
τῆς οἰκειότητος. τί γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο οἰκειότερον
ἀνδρὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γυναικός, μᾶλλον δὲ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ
σαρκός ; οὐ γὰρ ἔτι εἰσὶ δύο, ἀλλὰ σὰρξ μία.
ὥστε διὰ τῆς γυναικὸς ἡ ἀδελφὴ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ
ἀνδρὸς οἰκειότητα μεταβαίνει. ὡς γὰρ μητέρα
γυναικὸς οὐ λήψεται, οὐδὲ θυγατέρα τῆς γυναικός,
διότι μηδὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ μητέρα, μηδὲ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ
θυγατέρα, οὕτως οὐδ᾽ ἀδελφὴν γυναικός, διότι

1 Amos 2. 7.
2 Eph. 5. 3. Basil omits, after ὀκαθαρσία, ἢ πλεονεξία, ‘or
covetousness.”
3 Ley. 18. 6.
406
 LETTER CLX

written, in these laws, that father and son may not

live with the same concubine, but in the prophet
such a case is thought worthy of explicit mention.
“For the son and his father,’ he says, “ have gone
to the same young woman.” And how many other
forms of impure passions has the instruction of the
demons discovered, though the divine Scripture has
passed them over in silence, not choosing to sully its
dignity with the naming of shameful things, but,
instead, has censured impurities in general terms!
As the Apostle Paul? says: “ But fornication and all
uncleanness, let it not so much as be named among
you, as becometh saints,’ thus comprehending under
the term “uncleanness”’ all abominable actions of
both males and females, Therefore silence does not
at all give licence to lovers of pleasure.
I assert, however, that this class of actions has not
been passed over in silence, but that the lawgiver
has forbidden them in very strong terms. That
passage:3 “No man shall approach to her that is
near of kin to him, to uncover her nakedness,” also
includes this form of relationship. For what could
be more closely related to a man than his wife, or
rather than his own flesh? For “they are not two,
but one flesh.”4 Therefore, through the wife the
sister passes into relationship with the husband. For
just as he will not take to himself his wife’s mother,
nor his wife’s daughter, because he does not take his
own mother nor his own daughter, so he will not
take his wife’s sister, because he does not take his
4 Cf. Matt. 19. 5 and 6: καὶ προσκολληθήσεται τῇ γυναικὶ
αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται of δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν ὥστε οὐκέτι εἰσὶ δύο,
ἀλλὰ σὰρξ μία. ““Απα shall cleave to his wife, and they two
shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but
one flesh.”
407
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

μηδὲ ἀδελφὴν ἑαυτοῦ. Kal TO ἀνάπαλιν, οὐδὲ TH

γυναικὶ ἐξέσται τοῖς οἰκείοις τοῦ ἀνδρὸς συνοικεῖν.
κοινὰ γὰρ ἐπ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων τῆς συγγενείας τὰ
δίκαια. ἐγὼ δὲ παντὶ τῷ περὶ γάμου βου-
λευομένῳ διαμαρτύρομαι, ὅτι παράγει τὸ σχῆμα
τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος
ἐστίν, “Iva καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες
ὦσιν. ἐὰν δέ μοι παραναγινώσκῃ τὸ Αὐξάνεσθε
καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καταγελῶ τοῦ τῶν νομοθεσιῶν
τοὺς καιροὺς μὴ διακρίνοντος. πορνείας παρα-
μυθία ὁ δεύτερος γάμος, οὐκ ἐφόδιον εἰς ἀσέλγειαν,
εἰ οὐκ ἐγκαρτερεύονται, γαμησάτωσαν, φησίν,
οὐχὶ δὲ 1 καὶ γαμοῦντες παρανομείτωσαν.
Οἱ δὲ οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν φύσιν ἀποβλέπουσιν οἱ
τὴν Ψυχὴν λημῶντες τῷ πάθει τῆς ἀτιμίας, πάλαι
διακρίνασαν τὰς τοῦ γένους προσηγορίας. ἐκ
ποίας γὰρ συγγενείας τοὺς γεννηθέντας προσαγο-
ρεύσουσιν ; 5 ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοὺς ἀλλήλων ἢ ἀνεψιοὺς
προσεροῦσιν ; ἀμφότερα γὰρ αὐτοῖς προσαρμόσει
διὰ τὴν σύγχυσιν. μὴ ποιήσῃς, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, τὴν
θείαν μητρυιὰν τῶν νηπίων" μηδὲ τὴν ἐν μητρὸς
τάξει θάλπειν ὀφείλουσαν, ταύτην ἐφοπλίσῃς ταῖς
ἀμειλίκτοις ζηλοτυπίαις. μόνον γὰρ τὸ γένος3
τῶν μητρυιῶν καὶ μετὰ θάνατον ἐλαύνει τὴν
ἔχθραν. μᾶλλον δὲ οἱ μὲν ἄλλως πολέμιοι τοῖς
δέ om. E. 2 προσαγορεύουσιν H.
3 μίσος editi antiqi.

1 1 Cor, 7, 3).
408
 LETTER CLX

own sister. And, conversely, it will not be permitted

to the wife to cohabit with the relatives of her
husband. For the laws governing relationship are of
common application to both. But I earnestly declare
to everyone who is concerning himself about mar-
riage, that “the fashion of this world passeth away ”’ 1
and that ‘the time is short” ; and “that they also
who have wives, be as if they had none.’’? And if
he reads this passage to me:* “Increase and
multiply,’ I laugh at him, because he does not
distinguish the times of the promulgations of the
law. Second marriage is a relief from fornication,
not a means to lasciviousness. “ But if they do not
contain themselves, let them marry,’ * he says, but
not “even though they are married let them break
the law.”
But those whose souls are blinded by their in-
famous passion do not look even at nature, which
long ago distinguished the several titles of kinship.
Under what heading of relationship will those who
marry sisters name their sons? Will they call them
brothers or cousins of one another? For both names
will be appropriate to them on account of the con-
fusion. Do not, sir, make the aunt the stepmother of
your little ones; do not arm with implacable jealousy
her who ought to cherish them in the place of their
mother. For it is the race of stepmothers alone
which carries its hatred even after death; or rather,
those who are in any other manner hostile to the
2 Cf. 1 Cor. 7. 29: τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλ-
μένος" τὸ λοιπόν ἐστιν ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας, ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες
ὦσι. ‘*This therefore I say, brethren, the time is short; it
remaineth, that they also who have wives, be as if they had
none.”
= Gen. 1, 28, ΑΘ οτι 7: 9:
409
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τεθνηκόσι σπένδονται, αἱ δὲ μητρυιαὶ τοῦ μίσους

μετὰ τὸν θάνατον ἄρχονται.
Κεφάλαιον δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων, εἰ μὲν νόμῳ τίς
ὁρμᾶται πρὸς τὸν γάμον, ἤνοικται πᾶσα ἡ οἰκου-
μένη" εἰ δὲ ἐμπαθὴς αὐτῷ ἡ σπουδή, διὰ τοῦτο
καὶ πλέον ἀποκλεισθήτω, “Iva μάθῃ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ
σκεῦος κτᾶσθαι ἐν ἁγιασμῷ καὶ τιμῇ, μὴ ἐν πάθει
ἐπιθυμίας. πλείονά pel λέγειν ὡρμημένον τὸ
μέτρον ἐπέχει 5 τῆς ἐπιστολῆς" εὔχομαι δὲ ἢ τὴν
παραίνεσιν ἡμῶν ἰσχυροτέραν τοῦ πάθους ἀπο-
δειχθῆναι, ἢἢ μὴ ἐπιδημῆσαι τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ τὸ ἄγος
τοῦτο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν οἷς ἂν ἐτολμήθη τόποις ἐναπο-
μεῖναι.

CLXI
᾿Αμφιλοχίῳ, χειροτονηθέντι ἐπισκόπῳ
Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεός, ὁ τοὺς καθ᾽ ἑκάστην γενεὰν
εὐαρεστοῦντας αὐτῷ ἐκλεγόμενος, καὶ γνωρίξων
τὰ σκεύη τῆς ἐκλογῆς, καὶ κεχρημένος αὐτοῖς
πρὸς τὴν λειτουργίαν τῶν ἁγίων' ὁ καὶ νῦν σε
φεύγοντα, ὡς αὐτὸς φής, οὐχ ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ τὴν
δι’ ἡμῶν προσδοκωμένην κλῆσιν, τοῖς ἀφύκτοις
δικτύοις τῆς χάριτος σαγηνεύσας, καὶ ἀγαγὼν
εἰς τὰ μέσα τῆς Πισιδίας, ὥστε ἀνθρώπους
1 μοι EK. 2 ἐπέσχε editi antiqi.

1 Cf. Herodotus 4, 154, and Euripides, A/cestis 309, where

stepmothers are said to be as dangerous to their predecessor’s
children as vipers. In antiquity the unkindness of step-
mothers was proverbial.
410
 LETTER CLXI

dead make their peace with them, but stepmothers

begin their hatred after death.!
The summing up of what has been said is this: If
anyone is bent upon lawful marriage, the whole
world is opened to him; but if his ecre is due to
passion, let him be πὸ Σ᾿ all the more, “ that
every one of you should know how to possess his
vessel in sanctification and honour, not in the passion
of lust.” The limits of the letter forbid me, though
eager, from speaking further. But I pray that either
our exhortation may be proved stronger than passion,
or that this abomination may not visit our district,
but that it may be confined to the places where it
has been ventured !

LETTER CLXI
To AMPHILOCHIUS, ON HIS CoNSECRATION As BtsHop 3
B.Essep is God, who selects those in each genera-
tion who are pleasing to Him and makes known the
vessels of His election, and uses them for the
ministry of the saints; He who even now has
ensnared you with the inescapable nets of His grace,
when, as you yourself admit, you are trying to
escape, not us, but the expected call through us, and
who has brought you into the midst of Bide so that
2 1 Thess. 4. 4 and 5.
3 Written in 374. Cf. Loofs, 46, note 5. For Amphi-
lochius, οἵ, Letter CL and note.
4 Cf. Acts 9. 15: εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν 5 Κύριος, Πορεύου, ὅτι
σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μοί ἐστιν οὗτος, etc. ““Απᾶ the Lord said to
him : Go thy way : for this man is to me a vessel of election,”
etc.
AII
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ζωγρεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἕλκειν ἀπὸ τοῦ βυθοῦ

εἰς τὸ φῶς τοὺς ἐζωγρημένους ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου
εἰς τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα. λέγε οὖν καὶ σὺ τὰ τοῦ
μακαρίου Δαβίδ' Ποῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύ-
ματός σου; καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου, ποῦ
φύγω ;; τοιαῦτα γὰρ θαυματουργεῖ ὁ ΓΝ 57...
πος ἡμῶν Δεσπότης. ὄνοι 3 ἀπόλλυνται, ἵνα
βασιλεὺς ᾿Ισραὴλ γένηται. ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος μὲν
᾿Ισραηλίτης ὧν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἐδόθη: σὲ δὲ ἡ
θρεψαμένη καὶ πρὸς τοσοῦτον ἀναβιβάσασα τῆς
ἀρετῆς ὕψος οὐκ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ τὴν γείτονα ὁρᾷ τῷ
ἰδίῳ κόσμῳ σεμνυνομένην. ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἷς λαὸς
πάντες οἱ εἰς Χριστὸν ἠλπικότες καὶ μία ᾿Εκκλη-
σία νῦν οἱ Χριστοῦ, κἂν ἐκ διαφόρων τόπων
προσαγορεύηται, χαίρει καὶ ἡ “πατρὶς καὶ εὐφραί-
νεται ταῖς τοῦ Κυρίου οἰκονομίαις, καὶ οὐχ ἡγεῖται
ἕνα ἄνδρα ἐζημιῶσθαι, ἀλλὰ δι᾿ ἑνὸς ἐκκλησίας
ὅλας προσειληφέναι. μόνον παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος
καὶ παρόντας ὁρᾶν ἡμᾶς ὃ καὶ ἀπόντας ἀκούειν
τὴν προκοπήν σου τὴν ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ καὶ τὴν
εὐταξίαν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
᾿Ανδρίξζου τοίνυν καὶ ἴσχυε, καὶ προπορεύου
τοῦ λαοῦ, ὃν ἐπίστευσε τῇ δεξιᾷ σου ὁ Ὕψιστος.
καὶ ὡς νοήμων κυβέρνησιν ποιησάμενος, πάσης
ζάλης ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρετικῶν πνευμάτων ἐγειρομένης
1 τοῦ om. E. 2 ἐχθροί editi antiqi.
3 ὑμᾶς editi antiqi.

1 Pgal. 138. 7.
2 Cf. 1 Kings 9. 3: καὶ ἀπώλοντο αἱ ὄνοι Kels πατρὸς Σαούλ."
καὶ εἶπεν Kels πρὸς Σαοὺλ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ Λάβε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἕν
τῶν παιδαρίων, καὶ ἀνάστητε καὶ πορεύθητε καὶ ζητήσατε τὰς
412
 LETTER CLXI

you may take men captive for the Lord and bring
those who had already been taken captive by the
devil from the depths into the light according to
His will. Therefore you also may speak the words
of the blessed David: ““ Whither shall I go from the
spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy face?” ?
For such wonders does our kind-hearted Master
work. “ Asses are lost’’? in order that a king may
be given to Israel. But that man, being an Israelite,
was given to Israel; yet the country which nurtured
you and brought you up to such a height of virtue
does not possess you, but beholds her neighbour
priding herself upon her own ornament. But since
all who have placed their hopes in Christ are one
people and the followers of Christ are now one
Church, even though He is called upon from divers
places, your fatherland both rejoices and is made
happy by the dispensations of the Lord, and she does
not believe that she has lost one man, but that
through one man she has acquired whole churches.
May the Lord only grant that we being present may
see, and also being absent may hear of, your
progress in the Gospel and of the good discipline of
your churches.
Play the man, then, and be strong, and go before
the people whom the Most High has entrusted to
your right hand, And like a wise helmsman who
has assumed the command of a ship, rise superior in
your resolution to every blast that is stirred up by
ὄνους. ‘* And the asses of Cis, Saul’s father, were lost : And
Cis said to his son Saul: Take one of the servants with thee,
and arise, go, and seek the asses.”” Basil may mean that the
predecessors of Amphilochius in the see of Iconium, 1.6. Faus-
tinus and John, were not very wise bishops. Cf. Letter
CXXXVIII.
413
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ὑψηλότερος γενόμενος τῇ γνώμῃ, ἀβάπτιστον

τοῖς ἀλμυροῖς καὶ πικροῖς τῆς κακοδοξίας κύμασι
διαφύλασσε! τὴν ὁλκάδα, ἀναμένων τὴν γαλήνην,
ἣν. ποιήσει ὁ Κύριος, ἐπειδὰν εὑρεθῇ φωνὴ ἀξία
τοῦ διαναστῆσαι αὐτὸν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιτίμησιν τῶν
πνευμάτων καὶ τῆς θαλάσσης. εἰ δὲ βούλει
ἡμᾶς λοιπὸν ὑπὸ τῆς μακρᾶς ἀρρωστίας ἐπειγο-
μένους 5 πρὸς τὴν ἀναγκαίαν ἔξοδον ἐπισκέψασθαι,
μήτε καιρὸν ἀναμείνῃς, μήτε τὸ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν
σύνθημα, εἰδὼς ὅτι πατρικοῖς σπλάγχνοις πᾶσα
εὐκαιρία ἐστὶ περιπτύσσεσθαι τέκνον ἀγαπητὸν
καὶ λόγου παντὸς κρείττων ἡ κατὰ ψυχὴν
διάθεσις.
Βάρος δὲ ὑπερβαῖνον τὴν δύναμιν. μὴ ὀδύρου.
εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸς ἧς ὁ“μέλλων φέρειν τὸ βάσταγμα
τοῦτο, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἂν ἣν βαρύ, arn ἀφορητὸν
παντελῶς. εἰ δὲ Κύριος ὁο συνδιαφέρων, ᾿Επίρρι-
pov ἐπὶ Κύριον τὴν μέριμνάν σου, καὶ αὐτὸς
ποιήσει. μόνον ἐκεῖνο “παραφυλάσσειν ἐν πᾶσι
παρακλήθητι, μὴ αὐτὸς τοῖς μοχθηροῖς ἔθεσι
συμπεριφέρεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὰ κακῶς προειλημμένα
διὰ τῆς δεδομένης σοι παρὰ Θεοῦ σοφίας μετα-
τιθέναι πρὸς τὸ χρήσιμον. καὶ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέ
σε Ὁ ΤΣ οὐχ ἑτέροις κατακολουθεῖν, ἀλλ᾽
αὐτὸν 3 καθηγεῖσθαι τῶν σωζομένων. καὶ παρα-
καλοῦμεν προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα, ἐὰν μὲν
ἔτι ὧμεν ἐπὶ τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης, ἰδεῖν σε μετὰ τῆς
ἐκκλησίας καταξιωθῶμεν' ἐὰν δὲ ἀπελθεῖν λοιπὸν
προσταχθῶμεν, ἐκεῖ ὑμᾶς ἴδωμεν παρὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ,

1 διαφύλαξαι editi antiqi. 2 ἀπαγομένους HK.

3 αὐτῶν K.
414
 LETTER CLXI

the winds of heresy, and preserve your ship unsub-

merged by the briny and bitter waves of error,
awaiting the calm which the Lord will cause as soon
as a voice is found worthy of rousing Him to rebuke
the winds and the sea, And if you wish to visit us
soon, driven on as we are by our long sickness
towards the inevitable departure, do not await a
suitable occasion nor the summons from us, knowing
that to a father’s heart every occasion is good for ane
embracing of a well- beloved child and that his soul’s
affection is a better summons than any spoken word.
Do not lament that the weight is beyond your
strength. For if it were you alone that were to
bear this burden, it would not be merely heavy but
utterly unendurable. But if it is the Lord who helps
you bear it, “ cast thy care upon the Lord,” 1 and He
himself shall do it. Only, I beg you, be on your
guard on ev ery occasion against this—against being
yourself carried aw ay by w icked customs, but , through
the wisdom granted you by God, transforming the
evil customs which have ΠΕΣ had sway into
something good. For Christ sent you forth, ‘not to
follow others, but yourself to guide those who are on
the way to salvation. And we urge you to pray for
us, in order that, if we are still in this life, we may
be thought worthy of beholding you and your church ;
but if we are ordered soon to go hence, may we
behold all of you there with ihe, Lord, your church
1 Cf. Psal. 55, 23: ἐπίρριψον ἐπὶ Κύριον τὴν μέριμνάν σου, καὶ
αὐτός σε διαθρέψει: οὐ δώσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα σάλον τῷ δικαίῳ.
**Cast thy care upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee:
he ‘shall not suffer the just to waver for ever,’ Also 1 Peter
5. 7 : πᾶσαν τὴν κέριμναν ὑμῶν ἐπιρρίψαντες ἐπ᾽ αὐτόν, ὅτι αὐτῷ
μέλει περὶ ὑμῶν. ““ Casting all your care upon him, for he
hath care of you.”
415
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τὴν μὲν ὡς ἄμπελον εὐθηνοῦσαν ἐπ᾽ ἀγαθοῖς

ἔργοις, σὲ δέ, ὡς σοφὸν γεωργὸν καὶ ἀγαθὸν
δοῦλον ἐν καιρῷ διδόντα τοῖς ὁμοδούλοις τὸ
σιτομέτριον, πιστοῦ καὶ φρονίμου οἰκονόμου τὸν
μισθὸν κομιζόμενον.
Οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν πάντες ἀσπάζονταί σου τὴν
εὐλάβειαν. ἐρρωμένος καὶ εὔθυμος ἐν Κυρίῳ
εἴης" εὐδοκιμῶν ἐπὶ χαρίσμασι Πνεύματος καὶ
σοφίας φυλαχθείης.

CLXII
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
"Ἑοικέ μοι τοῦτο καὶ ὄκνον ἐμποιεῖν πρὸς τὸ
γράφειν καὶ ἀναγκαῖον αὐτὸ πάλιν ὑποδεικνύναι.
ὅταν μὲν γὰρ πρὸς τὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ
ἀπίδω χρέος καὶ τὸ τῆς συντυχίας ὑπολογίσω-
μαι ὄφελος, πάνυ μοι" τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ὑπερορᾶν
ἔπεισιν ὡς οὐδὲ σκιᾶς λόγον ἐκπληροῦν δυναμένων
πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν: ὅταν δὲ πάλιν λογίσωμαι,
ὅτι μόνη παραμυθία ἐστὶ τῶν μεγίστων καὶ
πρώτων διαμαρτόντα προσειπεῖν ἄνδρα τοσοῦτον,
καὶ ἱκετεῦσαι συνήθως 8 ὥστε μὴ ἐπιλανθάνεσθαι
ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τῶν προσευχῶν, οὐ μικρόν τί μοι κρίνειν
τὸ τῶν ἐπιστολών ἔπεισι. τὴν μὲν οὖν ἐλπίδα
τῆς παρουσίας οὔτε αὐτὸς ῥίψαι τῆς ψυχῆς
βούλομαι, οὔτε τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν ἀπογνῶναι.
αἰσχύνομαι γὰρ εἰ μὴ ταῖς σαῖς εὐχαῖς τοσοῦτον
1 ἐπίδω editi antiqi. 2 we editi antiqi.
3 τὰ συνήθη editi antiqi.
416
 LETTER CLXII

flourishing like a vine in good works, and you yourself,

like a wise husbandman and a good servant who gives
meat in due season to your fellow-servants, procuring
the reward of a faithful and wise overseer.
All those who are with us send greetings to yom
Piety. May you be strong and cheerful in the Lord
and enjoying good repute for the blessings of the
Spirit and of wisdom, may you be preserved.

LETTER CLXII
To Eusesius, Bishop oF Samosata 1
Tue following consideration, it seems to me, both
induces hesitation as to writing and again indicates
that writing is necessary. Whenever, that is, I
contemplate my obligation to remain at home and
then consider the advantage of a personal meeting,
I am inclined to despise letters utterly as being
incapable of amounting to even a shadow’s worth
as regards the truth; but when, on the other hand,
I consider that the only consolation for one who is
deprived of the greatest and the foremost men is to
address so great a man, and regularly to beg him
not to forget us in his prayers, I am inclined to
judge correspondence by letter to be of no small
importance. I do not wish, however, either to
banish from my mind all hope of a visit, or to give
up my acquaintance with your Holiness. For 1 am
ashamed of not seeming to be encouraged by your
1 Written after Easter of 374. Cf. Loofs, 46, note 5.
Basil is still hopeful of being able to visit Eusebius.
417
VOL, 1]. EE
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

φανείην θαρσῶν, ws καὶ νέος ἐκ γέροντος ἔσεσθαι,

εἰ τούτου γένοιτο χρεία, οὐχ ὅπως ἐρρωμενέστερος
μικρὸν ἐξ ἀσθενοῦς καὶ ἐξιτήλου παντάπασιν,
ὁποῖος δὴ νῦν εἰμί.
Τοῦ δὲ μὴ ἤδη παρεῖναι τὰ αἴτια λόγῳ “μὲν
εἰπεῖν οὐ ῥάδιον, οὐ μόνον ὑπὸ τῆς παρούσης
ἀσθενείας ἐξειργομένῳ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ σχόντι" ποτὲ
τοσαύτην τοῦ λόγου δύναμιν, ὥστε παντοδαπὴν
καὶ ποικίλην νόσον ἐναργῶς ἐξαγγεῖλαι. πλὴν
ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας τοῦ Πάσχα μέχρι ® νῦν
πυρετοὶ καὶ διάρροιαι, καὶ σπλάγχνων ἐπανα-
στάσεις, ὥσπερ, κύματά pee4 ἐπιβαπτίξοντα
ὑπερσχεῖν οὐκ ἐᾷ. τὰ δὲ παρόντα οἷα καὶ τίνα
ἦν, εἴποι ἂν καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς Bapaxos,° εἰ καὶ μὴ
τῆς ἀληθείας ἀξίως, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον μαρτυρῆσαι τῇ
αἰτίᾳ τῆς ὑπερθέσεως. πάνυ δὲ πέπεισμαι, εἰ
γνησίως ἡμῖν συνεύξαιο, πάνθ᾽ ἡμῖν λυθήσεσθαι 5
ῥᾳδίως τὰ δυσχερῆ.

CLXIII
᾿Ιοβίνῳ κόμητι
Εἶδόν σου τὴν ψυχὴν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασι. καὶ
γὰρ τῷ ὄντι οὐδεὶς γραφεὺς χαρακτῆρα σώματος
οὕτως ἀκριβῶς ἐκλαβεῖν δύναται ὡς λόγος
tants τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ ἀπόρρητα. τότε γὰρ
ὁ7 τοῦ ἤθους εὐσταθές, καὶ τὸ τῆς τιμῆς
1 τούτου γένοιτο χρεία] καὶ τοῦτο γένοιτο χρεῖος editi antiqi.
2 οὐδὲ σχόντι] οὐδ᾽ ἔχοντι EH, 3 τοῦ add. E
4 re K. 5 Βάρουχος editi antiqi.
ὁ λυθήσεται editi antiqi. 7 τό 0m. E.
418
 LETTER CLXIII

prayers to such an extent as even to expect to

become young instead of old, if there should be
need of that—to say nothing of becoming a little
bit stronger instead of the weak and altogether
powerless creature that I now am,
The reason why I am not already present with
you is not easy to explain in words, not only because
I am hampered by my present infirmity, but also
because I never gained a command of language
sufficient to enable me to describe clearly my varied
and complex sickness. But the truth is that, from
the day of Easter until now, fevers, dysenteries, and
rebellions of my bowels, drenching me like recurring
waves, have not permitted me toemerge. As for my
present condition, our brother Barachus can tell you
what it is in detail, if not adequately to the truth,
at least sufficiently to attest the reason for my delay.
But I am entirely convinced that, if you should really
join your prayers to ours, we should easily be freed
from all our troubles.

LEEPER CLAIM

To Count Jovinus!

I saw your soul in your letter. For truly no

painter can grasp so accurately the characteristics
of the body as words can portray the secrets of
the soul. For when I read your letter, its words
adequately delineated to us the soundness of your
1 Written after Easter of 374. Cf. Loofs, 46, note 5.
Jovinus, a count of the Empire, appears from this letter to
have been on intimate terms with Basil. Nothing more is
known of him.
, 419
EE ἃ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀληθινόν," καὶ τὸ τῆς γνώμης ἐν πᾶσιν ἀκέραιον a

ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν ὁ ἐν τοῖς γράμμασι λόγος ἐχα-
ρακτήρισεν" ὅθεν καὶ μεγάλην ἡμῖν παραμυθίαν
τῆς ἀπολείψεώς σου παρέσχετο. μὴ τοίνυν
διαλίπης τῇ ἀεὶ παραπιπτούσῃ προφάσει χρώ-
μενος πρὸς τὸ ἐπιστέλλειν καὶ τὴν διὰ “μακροῦ
ταύτην ὁμιλίαν χαρίζεσθαι: ἐπειδὴ τῆς κατ᾽
ὀφθαλμοὺς συντυχίας 5 ἀπόγνωσιν ἡμῖν λοιπὸν
ἡ ἀσθένεια τοῦ σώματος ἐμποιεῖ. ἣν ὁπόση
ἐστὶν ἐρεῖ σοι ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος ᾽Αμφει-
λόχιος, ὁ καὶ γνωρίσας τῷ ἐπὶ πλεῖον συγγε-
γενῆσθαι ἡἡμῖν καὶ δυνατὸς ὧν λόγῳ παραστῆσαι
τὰ θεαθέντα. γνωρίζεσθαι δὲ βούλομαι τὰ
ἐμαυτοῦ δυσχερῆ οὐκ ἄλλου τινὸς ἕνεκεν ἢ τῆς
πρὸς τὸ ἐφεξῆς συγγνώμης, ὡς μὴ ῥᾳθυμίας ἔχειν
κατάγνωσιν ἐὰν ἄρα ἐλλίπωμεν 4 τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν
ὑμῶν. καίτοιγε οὐκ ἀπολογίας μᾶλλον ἢ παρα-
μυθίας δεῖ πρὸς τὴν ζημίαν ταύτην. εἰ γὰρ ἦν
μοι δυνατὸν συνεῖναί σου τῇ σεμνότητι, πολλῷ
ἂν ἐγὼ τῶν παρ᾽ ἄλλοις σπουδαζομένων ταύτην,
ἐμαυτῷ προτιμοτέραν ἐθέμην.

CLXIV
᾿Ασχολίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Θεσσαλονίκης
“Oons pas εὐφροσύνης ἐνέπλησε τὰ γράμματα
τῆς ὁσιότητός σου ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐκ ἂν ῥᾳδίως
1 ἀληθές editi antiqi. 2 καίριον Τὰ, editi antiqi.
3 ὁμιλίας editi antiqi. 4 ἐλλείπωμεν E.

1 The visit of Amphilochius in 374 was probably the first

of a series of frequent visits. Basil was his spiritual father.
Amphilochius preferred to make his visits to Basil in the
420
 LETTER CLXIV

character, the genuineness of your worth, and the

integrity of your mind in everything; and so it
brought to us great consolation for your absence.
Therefore do not leave off availing yourself of any
excuse that arises from time to time for writing
me and for conferring on me the boon of this too
long interrupted conversation ; for our bodily weak-
ness causes us now to despair of a personal inter-
view. How serious an illness it is will be explained
to you by our most God-beloved bishop Amphi-
lochius,t_ who possesses both the knowledge by
reason of having been much with us, and the ability
to set forth in speech whatever he has seen. And
I wish my difficulties to be known for no other
object than your pardon in the future, that we
may not be condemned for indifference if we do
fail to pay you the visit, And yet there is not
so much need of a defence as of some consolation
to me for my loss therein. For if it had been
possible for me to be with your August Reverence,
I should have considered this as worth far more to
me than the objects for which others earnestly strive.

LETTER CLXIV
To Ascuotius, Bishop or THEssaLonica2
How great was the joy with which the letter
of your Holiness filled us we cannot easily describe,
autumn, because the anniversary of Basil’s hospital was cele-
brated at that time. This hospital had a special interest for
him, because it was here that he and Heracleidas had passed
a solemn crisis in their lives. Cf. Letter CL.
2 Written in 374. For this Ascholius, cf. Letter CLIV.
The following letter is also addressed to him.
421
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐνδείξασθαι δυνηθείημεν, ἀσθενοῦντος τοῦ λόγου

πρὸς τὴν ἐνάργειαν" αὐτὸς δὲ καὶ παρὰ σεαυτῷ *
εἰκάζειν ὀφείλεις, τεκμαιρόμενος τῷ κάλλει τῶν
ἐπεσταλμένων. τί γὰρ οὐκ εἶχε τὰ γράμματα;
οὐ τὴν πρὸς Κύριον ἀγάπην ; οὐ τὸ “περὶ τοὺς
μάρτυρας θαῦμα, οὕτως ἐναργῶς τὸν τρόπον
τῆς ἀθλήσεως ὑπογράφοντα, ὥστε ὑπ᾽ ὄψιν
ἡμῖν ἀγαγεῖν τὰ πράγματα; οὐ τὴν περὶ
ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς τιμήν τε καὶ διάθεσιν ; οὐχ 6 τι ἂν
εἴποι τις τῶν καλλίστων ; ὥστε, ὅτε εἰς χεῖρας
τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐδεξάμεθα, καὶ ἀνέγνωμεν αὐτὴν
πολλάκις, καὶ τὴν βρύουσαν ἐν αὐτῇ χάριν τοῦ
Πνεύματος κατεμάθομεν, νομίσαι ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τῶν
ἀρχαίων καιρῶν γεγενῆσθαι, ἡνίκα ἤνθουν αἱ
ἐκκλησίαι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐρριζωμέναι τῇ πίστει,
ἡνωμέναι τῇ ἀγάπῃ, ὥσπερ ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι μιᾶς
συμπνοίας διαφόρων μελῶν ὑπαρχούσης" ὅτε
φανεροὶ μὲν οἱ διώκοντες, φανεροὶ δὲ οἱ διωκόμενοι"
πολεμούμενοι δὲ οἱ λαοὶ πλείους ἐγίνοντο, καὶ τὸ
αἷμα τῶν μαρτύρων ἄρδον τὰς ἐκκλησίας πολυ-
πλασίονας τοὺς ἀγωνιστὰς τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐξέτρεφε,
τῷ ζήλῳ τῶν προλαβόντων ἐπαποδυομένων τῶν
ἐφεξῆς. τότε Χριστιανοὶ μὲν πρὸς ἀλλήλους
εἰρήνην ἤγομεν," εἰρήνην ἐκείνην, ἣν ὁ Κύριος
ἡμῖν κατέλιπεν, ἧς νῦν οὐδ᾽ ἔχνος ἡμῖν λοιπὸν
ὑπολέλειπται, οὕτως αὐτὴν ἀπηνῶς aT’ ἀλλήλων
ἀπεδιώξαμεν. πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι αἱ ψυχαὶ ἡμῶν
πρὸς τὴν παλαιὰν ἐκείνην μακαριότητα. ἐπανῆλθον,
ἐπειδὴ γράμματα μὲν ἦλθεν ἐκ τῆς ° μακρόθεν,
ἀνθοῦντα τῷ τῆς ἀγάπης κάλλει, μάρτυς δὲ ἡμῖν
1 ἐνέργειαν E. 2 σεαυτοῦ Harl.
422
 LETTER CLXIV

words being too weak to set it clearly forth, but

you ought to be able to guess it by yourself,
deducing it from the beauty of what you wrote.
For what did the letter not contain? Did it not
contain love for the Lord? And admiration for the
martyrs, describing so clearly the manner of their
struggle that you brought the incidents before our
eyes? And respect and love for ourselves? Did it
not contain whatever one might mention of the most
noble attributes? Consequently, when we took the
letter in our hands, and read it again and again,
and perceived the grace of the Spirit that abounded
therein, we thought that we were back in the olden
times, when the churches of God flourished, taking
root in the faith, united by charity, there being,
as in a single body, a single harmony of the various
members; when the persecutors indeed were in
the open, but in the open were also the persecuted ;
when the laity, though harassed, became more
numerous, and the blood of the martyrs watering
the churches nurtured many times as many cham-
pions of religion, later generations stripping them-
selves for combat in emulation of their predecessors.
Then we Christians had peace among ourselves,
that peace which the Lord left to us, of which
now not even a trace any longer remains to us, so
ruthlessly have we driven it away from one another.
But the fact is that our souls had already returned
to that old-time happiness when a letter came
from far away, blossoming with the beauty of
charity, and a witness had arrived among us from

3 ἡμῶν editi antiqi. 4 εἴχομεν editi antiqi.

5 γῆς HE, Harl., Med., Reg. primus, Vat., Bigot. alter.

423
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐπεδήμησεν ἐκ τῶν ἐπέκεινα Ἴστρου βαρβάρων,

δι ἑαυτοῦ κηρύσσων τῆς ἐκεῖ πολιτευομένης
πίστεως τὴν ἀκρίβειαν. τίς ἂν τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις
εὐφροσύνην τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν διηγήσαιτο ;1 τίς
ἂν ἐπινοηθείη δύναμις λόγου ἐναργῶς ἐξαγγεῖλαι
τὴν ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν διάθεσιν
δυναμένη; ὅτε μέντοι εἴδομεν τὸν ἀθλητήν,
ἐμακαρίσαμεν αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀλείπτην, ὃς παρὰ τῷ
δικαίῳ κριτῇ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανον καὶ
αὐτὸς ἀπολήψεται, πολλοὺς εἰς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς
εὐσεβείας ἐπιρρώσας ἀγῶνα.
᾿Επεὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦ μακαρίου ἀνδρὸς Εἰὐτυχοῦς
εἰς μνήμην ἡμᾶς ἤγαγες, καὶ ἐσέμνυνας ἡμῶν τὴν
πατρίδα ὡς αὐτὴν παρασχομένην τῆς εὐσεβείας
τὰ σπέρματα, εὔφρανας μὲν ἡμᾶς τῇ ὑπομνήσει
τῶν παλαιῶν, ἐλύπησας δὲ τῷ ἐλέγχῳ τῶν
ὁρωμένων. οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἡμῶν Ἐὐτυχεῖ τὴν ἀρετὴν
παραπλήσιος, οἵ γε τοσοῦτον ἀπέχομεν βαρβά-
ρους ἐξημερῶσαι τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ [Πνεύματος καὶ
τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τῶν Tap αὐτοῦ χαρισμάτων, ὥστε
καὶ τοὺς ἡμέρως ἔχοντας τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν
ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν ἐξηγριῶσθαι. ἑαυτοῖς yap λογι-
ζόμεθα καὶ ταῖς ἡμετέραις ἁμαρτίαις τὴν αἰτίαν
τοῦ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον χυθῆναι τὴν τῶν αἱρετικῶν
δυναστείαν. σχεδὸν γὰρ οὐδὲν μέρος 5 τῆς οἰκου-
μένης διαπέφευγε τὸν ἐκ τῆς αἱρέσεως ἐμπερησμόν.
1 διηγήσηται H. 2 ἔτι add, editi antiqi.

424
 LETTER CLXIV

the barbarians beyond the Danube,! proclaiming in

person the strictness of the faith which is practised
in that region. Who could describe the joy our
souls felt at this? What power of speech could be
devised that would be capable of announcing in
clear terms the emotion hidden in our hearts?
When, however, we saw the athlete, we blessed
his trainer,? who will likewise receive at the hands
of the just Judge the crown of righteousness, since
he has strengthened many for the struggle in detence
of our religion.
But since you have recalled to our minds the
blessed man Eutyches,? and have exalted our
fatherland for having by itself furnished the seeds
of our religion, you cheered us indeed by calling up
the past, but distressed us by exposing the conditions
which we see to-day. For no one of us is comparable
to Eutyches in virtue, since we are so far from having
tamed the barbarians by the power of the Spirit and
by the operation of His graces, that we have even
by the enormity of our sins made savage those who
were gentle. For we must impute to ourselves and
to our sins the blame that the domination of the
heretics has become so widespread. For almost no
part of the world has escaped the conflagration of

1 Basil regularly calls the Danube by the name Ister; cf.

Letter XL.
2 Ascholius is here called the trainer of the martyr Sabas ;
cf. the title of Letter CLV.
3 A Christian of Cappadocia who was taken prisoner by
the Goths in 260, and with some of his fellow-captives
became a martyr for the faith, but only after he had already
sown the seeds of the gospel in the land of his captivity. Cf.
Philost. ἢ... 2, 5.
425
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

τὰ δὲ σὰ διηγήματα, ἐνστάσεις aOXnTLKaL,! σώ-

ματα ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας καταξαινόμενα, θυμὸς
βαρβαρικὸς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκαταπλήκτων 5 τὴν καρδίαν
καταφρονούμενος, αἱ ποικίλαι βάσανοι τῶν διωκόν-
τῶν, αἱ διὰ πάντων ἐνστάσεις τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων,
τὸ ξύλον, τὸ ὕδωρ, τὰ τελειωτικὰ τῶν μαρτύρων.
τὰ δὲ ἡμέτερα οἷα ; ἀπέψυκταιϑἡ ἀγάπη" πορθεῖ-
ται ἡ τῶν πατέρων διδασκαλία" ναυάγια περὶ τὴν
πίστιν πυκνά' σιγᾷ τῶν εὐσεβούντων τὰ στό-
ματα" λαοὶ τῶν εὐκτηρίων οἴκων ἐξελαθέντες ἐν
τῷ ὑπαίθρῳ πρὸς τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς Δεσπότην τὰς
χεῖρας αἴρουσι. καὶ αἱ μὲν θλίψεις βαρεῖαι,
μαρτύριον δὲ οὐδαμοῦ, διὰ τὸ τοὺς κακοῦντας
ἡμᾶς τὴν αὐτὴν ἡμῖν ἔχειν. προσηγορίαν. ὑπὲρ
τούτων αὐτός τε δεήθητι τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ πάντας
τοὺς γενναίους ἀθλητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς τὴν
ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν 4 προσευχὴν συμπαράλαβε,
ἵνα εἴπερ ἔτι χρόνοι τινὲς ὑπολείπονται τῇ
συστάσει τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ μὴ πρὸς τὴν ἐναντίαν
φορὰν συνελαύνεται τὰ πάντα, διαλλαγεὶς ὁ
Θεὸς ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ ἐκκλησίαις ἐπαναγάγῃ αὐτὰς
πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν εἰρήνην.
1 ἐνστάσεις ἀθλητικαί] ἔντασις ἀθλητική 6101 antiqi.
2 ἀπλήκτων Εἰ. 3 ἔψυκται K.
4 τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν] τῆς Ἐκκλησίας EK.

1 i.e. the gladiatorial contests in which Christians were

made to fight.
2 The following words from the Benedictine note, which
illustrate this mode of martyrdom, are from a letter of the
Gothic Church which was supposed to have been sent to the
Church of Caesarea along with the body of the martyr
426
 LETTER CLXIV

heresy. But your story—contestants confronting

each other,! bodies torn to pieces for religion’s sake,
barbarian rage treated with contempt by men
undaunted of heart, the various tortures applied by
the persecutors, the firm resistance of the con-
testants throughout, the beam, the water,?— these
are the instruments for the perfecting of martyrs!
But of what sort are ours? Charity has grown cold.
The teaching of the Fathers is being destroyed;
shipwrecks in the faith are frequent; the mouths
of the pious are silent; the laity driven from the
houses of prayer raise in the open their hands to the
Master in heaven. And though grievous are our
afflictions, yet nowhere is martyrdom, because those
who harm us have the same appellation as ourselves.
On behalf of these do you yourself beseech our
Lord, and unite all the noble athletes of Christ in
prayer on behalf of the churches, in order that, if
there is still some time left for the existence of the
world, and the universe is not being driven in the
opposite direction,? God may become reconciled
with His churches and lead them back to their
ancient peace.
Sabas: τότε κατάγουσιν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ εὐχαριστοῦντα καὶ
δοξάζοντα τὸν Θεόν... καὶ ῥίψαντες αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπιθέντες αὐτῷ
ξύλον κατὰ τοῦ τραχήλου, ἐπίεζον εἰς τὸ βάθος. καὶ οὕτω τε-
λεωθεὶς διὰ ξύλου καὶ ὕδατος, ἄχραντον ἐφύλαξεν τῆς σωτηρίας τὸ
σύμβολον, ὧν ἐτῶν τριάκοντα ὀκτώ. ‘‘ Then they bring him
down to the water, as he gives thanks and glorifies God,
. and having thrown him down, and placed a beam of
wood upon his neck, they cast him into the deep. And so
having met his end by beam and water, he kept the symbol
of salvation undefiled, at the age of thirty-eight years.” St.
Sabas suffered martyrdom under Athanaricus, king of the
Goths, towards the end of the fourth century.
3 7.e. to destruction.
427
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CLXV
᾿Ασχολίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Θεσσαλονίκης
Παλαιὰν ἡμῖν. εὐχὴν ὁ ἅγιος Θεὸς ἐξεπλήρωσε,
καταξιώσας ἡμᾶς “γράμμασι τῆς ἀληθινῆς σου
θεοσεβείας ἐντυχεῖν. τὸ μὲν γὰρ μέγιστον καὶ
τῆς μεγίστης σπουδῆς ἄξιον αὐτόν σε ἰδεῖν καὶ
ὀφθῆναί σοι, καὶ τῶν ἐν σοὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος χαρισ-
μάτων δι’ ἑαυτῶν ἀπολαῦσαι" ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο ἥ
τε τοῦ τόπου διάστασις ἀφαιρεῖται, καὶ αἱ ἰδίᾳ
ἑκάτερον ἡμῶν κατέχουσαι περιστάσεις, δευτέρας
εὐχῆς ἄξιον γράμμασι συνεχέσι τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ
cou! ἀγάπης τρέφεσθαι τὴν ψυχήν. ὃ καὶ νῦν
ἡμῖν ὑπῆρξεν, ὅτε ἐλάβομεν εἰς χεῖρας τὴν ἐπι-
στολὴν τῆς συνέσεώς σου: πλέον γὰρ ἢ διπλασίους
ἐγενόμεθα τῇ ἀπολαύσει τῶν ἐπεσταλμένων. καὶ
γὰρ ἦν τῷ ὄντι καὶ αὐτήν. σου καθορᾷν τὴν ψυχήν,
οἷον δι᾿ ἐσόπτρου τινὸς τῶν λόγων διαφαινομένην.
πολυπλασίονα δὲ ἡμῖν τὴν εὐφροσύνην ἐποίει οὐ
μόνον τὸ τοιοῦτον εἶναί σε ὁποῖον ἡ πάντων
μαρτυρία παρίστησιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι τὰ ἐν σοὶ καλὰ
τῆς πατρίδος ἡμῶν ἐστὶ σεμνολογήματα. οἷον
γὰρ εὐθαλής τις κλάδος ῥίξης γενναίας ἀφορμηθεὶς
τῶν πνευματικῶν καρπῶν τὴν ὑπερορίαν ἐνέπλη-
σας. ὥστε εἰκότως ἡ πατρὶς ἡμῶν τοῖς οἰκείοις
βλαστήμασιν ἐπαγάλλεται. καὶ ἡνίκα τοὺς ὑπὲρ
τῆς πίστεως ἀγῶνας διήθλεις,Σ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν,
1 σου om. EH. 2 διῆλθες editi antiqi.

1 Written in 374. Cf. Letters CLIV and CLV with

notes. According to the Benedictine edition this letter is
428
 LETTER CLXV

LETTER CLXV
To Ascno.ius, BisHop or THEssALonica !
Tue holy God has fulfilled for us a prayer of long
standing, having deemed us worthy to receive a
letter from your true Holiness. For although the
most important thing and worthy of our greatest
zeal is to see you yourself and to be seen by you,
and to enjoy at first hand the graces of the Spirit
that are in you; yet since both distance in space
and the preoccupations which detain each of us
severally deprive us of this, it is worthy of a sec-
ondary prayer that our spirits may be nourished by
frequent letters of your charity in Christ. And this
is what has happened to us now, when we have
taken into our hands the letter of your Sagacity ;
for our spirits have increased to more than double
through the enjoyment of your communication. For
it was possible actually to observe even your very
soul reflected by your words as by a mirror. And
our joy was increased many fold, not only by the fact
that you are such a man as the testimony of all
asserts, but also because the noble qualities in you
are a source of pride to our own country. For like a
vigorous branch sprung from a noble root you have
filled with spiritual fruits the country beyond our
own borders. Rightly, therefore, does our country
glory in her own offshoot. And when you were
struggling in the contests for the faith, she glorified
undoubtedly not addressed to Ascholius, but to Soranus,
duke of Scythia. In Letter CLV Basil requested his relative
Julius Soranus to send him relics of the Gothic martyrs.
The present letter is an answer to Soranus for his prompt
compliance in sending the relics of Saint Sabas.
429
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀκούουσα τὴν τῶν πατέρων ἀγαθὴν κληρονομίαν

διαφυλαττομένην ἔἔν σοι.
Oia δέ cout Kal Ta παρόντα ;; μάρτυρι, νέον 2
ἀθλήσαντι ᾿ ἐπὶ τῆς γείτονος ὑμῖν βα ρβαρου, τὴν
ἐνεγκοῦσαν ἐτίμησας, οἷόν τις εὐγνώμων γεωργὸς
τοῖς παρασχομένοις τὰ σπέρματα τὰς ἀπαρχὰς
τῶν καρπῶν ἀποπέμπων. ὄντως 3 πρέποντα
ἀθλητῇ Χριστοῦ τὰ δῶρα' μάρτυς τῆς ἀληθείας
ἄρτι τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἀναδησάμενος στέφανον"
ὃν καὶ ὑπεδεξάμεθα χαίροντες, καὶ ἐδοξάσαμεν
τὸν Θεὸν τὸν ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσι πληρώσαντα
λοιπὸν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ αὐτοῦ. παρα-
κέκλησο δὲ καὶ ἡμῶν τῶν ἀγαπώντων σε μεμνῆσ-
θαι ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, καὶ σπουδαίως ὑπὲρ τῶν
ψυχῶν ἡμῶν προσεύχεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἵνα
καταξιωθῶμέν ποτε ἄρξασθαι καὶ αὐτοὶ δουλεύειν
τῷ Θεῷ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃς
ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν εἰς σωτηρίαν.

CLXVI
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων 7
Τὰ πάντα τίμιος ὧν ἡμῖν καὶ τῶν φίλων ἐν
τοῖς γνησίοις ὁ αἰδεσιμώτατος ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν
1 σοι Med.
2 μάρτυρι νέον] μαρτυρεῖ νέῳ editi antiqi.
3 ἀνθήσαντι K. * γάρ add. editi antiqi.
5 Κυρίῳ E. ὁ αὐτοῦ add. EK.
7 πρεσβύτερος ὥν add. HE, editi antiqi.

1 Written in the late summer of 374. Cf. Loofs 46, note

5. For Eusebius, cf. previous letters addressed to him in
this volume. The present letter seems to be correctly
assigned to Gregory of Nazianzus by the Benedictine edition.
The style is quite unlike Basil’s epistolary style, but very
430
 LETTER CLXVI

God, having heard that the goodly heritage of the

Fathers was being preserved in you.
But of what nature also are your present deeds!
With a martyr, who but lately finished his struggle
in the barbarian land neighbouring your own, you
have honoured the land which bore you, sending, like
a grateful husbandman, the first fruits back to those
who supplied the seed. Truly worthy of Christ’s
athlete are the gifts; a martyr of the truth who has
just been wreathed with the crown of righteousness;
and we not only received him with joy, but also
glorified the God who among all the Gentiles has
already fulfilled the gospel of His Christ. But let
me beg you to remember in your prayers us who
love you, and for our souls’ sake earnestly to pray
to the Lord that we also may be thought worthy
one day to begin to serve God according to the way
of the commandments which He has given us unto
salvation.

LETTER CLXVI
To Eusenius, Bishop or Samosata 4
TnouGH our most reverend brother Eupraxius 2 has
been held in honour by us in every respect and
counted among our true friends, he has been looked
similar to that of Gregory. Moreover, Eusebius had written
to Gregory at the time assigned to this letter, and since
Eupraxius was passing through Cappadocia on his way to
Eusebius, it gave Gregory an opportunity to send his answer.
Furthermore, the present letter is found in only four MSS.
of Basil, Coislinianus 237, Vaticani 713 and 435, and Mar-
cianus 79. This is a small proportion of the many extant
MSS. of Basil, and no one of these four is included in the
most ancient group.
2 A disciple and intimate friend of Eusebius of Samosata.
431
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Εὐπράξιος τιμιώτερος ὦφθη Kal γνησιώτερος ἐκ

τῆς περὶ σὲ διαθέσεως" ὅς γε καὶ νῦν οὕτως
ὥρμησε πρὸς τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν (ἵν᾽ εἴπω TO TOD
ef \ \ \ / [re 1} ” \ a

Δαβίδ), ὡς ἔλαφος πολὺ δίψος καὶ οὐ φορητὸν

ποτίμῳ καὶ καθαρᾷ πηγῇ καταψύχουσα. καὶ
’ὔ a a

μακώριος ὅ σοι πλησιάζειν ἠξιωμένος. καὶ

΄ “ ,

μακαριώτερος δὲ ὁ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ παθήμασι καὶ

τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἱδρῶσι τοιαύτην ἐπιθεὶς
κορωνίδα, ἧς ὀλίγοι τῶν φοβουμένων τὸν Θεὸν
τετυχήκασιν. οὐ γὰρ ἀβασάνιστον ἐπεδείξω τὴν
ἀρετήν, οὐδὲ ἐν εὐδίας καιρῷ μόνον ὀρθῶς ἔπλευσας
καὶ τὰς τῶν ἄλλων ψυχὰς ἐκυβέρνησας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν
ταῖς δυσχερείαις τῶν πειρασμῶν διεφάνης," καὶ
τῶν διωκόντων γέγονας ὑψηλότερος τῷ γενναίως
μεταστῆναι τῆς ἐνεγκούσης.
Καὶ ἄλλοι μὲν τὸ πατρῷον ἔδαφος ἔχουσιν,
ἡμεῖς O€ τὴν ἄνω πολιν" ἄλλοι τὸν ἡμέτερον LOWS
e a δὲ \ a / 3 ” \ ς i ΝΜ

θρόνον, ἡμεῖς δὲ Χριστόν. ὦ τῆς πραγματείας

οἵων ὑπεριδόντες, οἷα κεκομίσμεθα" διήλθομεν
“ c , , 3 ΄,

διὰ πυρὸς καὶ ὕδατος" πιστεύω δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἐξελευ-

\ \ ΝΕ / Nie \ >

σόμεθα εἰς ἀναψυχήν. ov yap* ἐγκαταλείψει

/ ’ > / > \ 4 2 /

ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τέλος, οὐδὲ περιόψεται τὸν ὀρθὸν

fd a id \ > / ° \ iA \ > Ν

λόγον δεδιωγμένον: ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν

ὀδυνῶν ἡμῶν αἱ παρακλήσεις αὐτοῦ εὐφρανοῦσιν
ms = 5 ,
ἡμᾶς. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν καὶ πιστεύομεν καὶ εὐχό-
μεθα. σὺ δέ, παρακαλῶ, ὑπερεύχου τῆς ταπεινώ-
1 καὶ μακάριος. . . ἠξιωμένος] om. ΕἸ,
432
 LETTER CLXVI

upon as more honoured and truer as the result of his

affection for you; for he has now also hastened to
your Holiness in like manner, to use the words of
David,! as a hart which quenches a great and un-
endurable thirst at a sweet and a pure fountain.
And blessed is he who has been thought worthy to
associate with you. But even more blessed is he
who has crowned his sufferings for Christ’s sake and
his labours for truth’s sake with such a crown as few
of those who fear God have obtained. For the
virtue you have shown has not been untested, nor in
a time of calm only have you correctly sailed your
course and guided the souls of the others, but amid
the difficulties of your trials you have shone forth,
and you have risen superior to your persecutors by
nobly departing from the land which bore you.
And others indeed possess the land of their
fathers, but we the heavenly city; others perhaps
have our throne, but we have Christ! Oh, profitable
exchange! For disdaining what things, what things
have we gained! We have gone through fire and
water; but I trust that we shall also come out into a
place of refreshment. For God will not forsake us
for ever, nor will He suffer the orthodox doctrine to
be persecuted ; nay, according to the multitude of
our pains His comforts shall gladden us. This at
any rate we both believe and pray. But do you, I
beseech you, pray for our humility, and as often as
1 Cf. Psal. 41. 2: ὃν τρόπον ἐπιποθεῖ ἣ ἔλαφος ἐπὶ τὰς πηγὰς
τῶν ὑδάτων, οὕτως ἐπιποθεῖ ἣ ψυχή μου πρὸς σέ, 6 θεός. ““Α5
the hart panteth after the fountains of water ; so my soul
panteth after thee, O God.”

2 ἀνεφάνης EK. 3 katadd. E. , 4 eis τέλος add. E.

433
VOL, I, FF
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

σεως ἡμῶν, καὶ ὁσάκις ἂν ἐμπίπτῃ καιρύς, εὐλογεῖν

ἡμᾶς διὰ γραμμάτων μὴ κατόκνει, καὶ εὐθυμοτέρους
ποιεῖν τὰ κατὰ σεαυτὸν δηλῶν, ὃ ποιῆσαι νῦν
κατηξίωσας.

CLXVII
Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων
Καὶ γράφων καὶ μεμνημένος εὐφραίνεις ἡμᾶς,
καὶ τὸ τούτου μεῖξον, εὐλογῶν ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς γράμ-
μασιν. ἡμεῖς δέ, εἰ μὲν ἄξιοι τῶν σῶν παθη-
μάτων καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ “Χριστοῦ ἀθλήσεως, κατη-
ξιώθημεν ἂν καὶ μέχρι σου3 γενόμενοι περι-
πτύξασθαί σου τὴν 3 θεοσέβειαν καὶ τύπον λαβεῖν
τῆς ἐν τοῖς παθήμασι καρτερίας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ
ἀνάξιοι τούτου τυγχάνομεν, πολλαῖς θλίψεσι καὶ
ἀσχολίαις ἐνεχόμενοι, ὃ δεύτερόν ἐστι ποιοῦμεν"
προσαγορεύομεν τὴν σὴν τελειότητα, καὶ ἀξιοῦμεν
μὴ κάμνειν σε μεμνημένον ἡμῶν. οὐ γὰρ ὠφέ-
λεία μόνον ἡμῖν τῶν σῶν καταξιοῦσθαι γραμμά-
των, ἀλλὰ καὶ “καύχημα πρὸς τοὺς πολλοὺς καὶ
καλλώπισμα, ὅτι λόγος ἡμῶν ἐστὶ παρὰ ἀνδρὶ
τοσούτῳ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ τοσαύτην ἔχοντι πρὸς
Θεὸν οἰκειότητα, ὥστε καὶ ἄλλους οἰκειοῦν
, ;
δύνασθαι καὶ λόγῳ Kal ὑποδείγματι.
1 εἰ μὲν] ἐσμέν editi antiqi.
2 κατηξιώθημεν . .. σου] εὐχόμεθα ἰδεῖν Εἰ,
8 σήν EK.

1 Written in the late summer of 374. Cf. Loofs 46, note

5. On Eusebius of Samosata see previous letters. The
Benedictine edition rightly assigns this letter to Gregory of
434
 LETTER CLXVII

an occasion shall present itself, do not hesitate to

bless us by letter and to make us more joyful by
informing us of your own affairs, as you have just
now deigned to do.

LETTER CLXVII
To EKusesius, BisHop or Samosata ἢ
By writing and by being mindful of us you cause
us pleasure, and, even more important than this, by
blessing us in your letters. As for us, if we had
been worthy of your sufferings and of your struggle
for Christ’s sake, we should have been permitted,
coming to visit you, to embrace your Piety and to
take you as a model of patience in sufferings. But
since we are doubtless unworthy of this, being
subject to many afHictions and cares, we are doing
what is next best: we salute your Perfection, and
we beg you not to become weary of remembering us.
For not only is it a benefit to us to be thought
worthy of your letters, but it is also a boast in the
eyes of people at large and an ornament that some
acéount is taken of us by a manso eminent in virtue,
and who enjoys such intimacy with God that he is
able to win others also over to Him by both word
and example.
Nazianzus. Tillemont’s objection that ‘‘aftlictions and
cares” fit Basil better than Gregory does not seem worthy.
Gregory also had much to occupy him at this time. Further-
more, the fact that this letter is found regularly among the
MSS. of Gregory, and in only Coislinianus 237, Vaticanus
713, Marcianus 79, and Mediceus TV. 14 of the MSS. of
Basil, would in itself seem sufficient reason for assigning the
letter to Gregory.
435
FF 2
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CLXVIII
᾿Αντιόχῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ, ἀδελφιδῷ συνόντι ἐν τῇ
ἐξορίᾳ
“Ὅσον ὀδύρομαι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν στερηθεῖσαν
τῆς τοῦ τοιούτου ποιμένος ἐπιστασίας, τοσοῦτον
μακαρίξω ὑμᾶς καταξιωθέντας ἐν τοιούτῳ καιρῷ
συνεῖναι ἀνδρὶ τὸν μέγαν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας 1
διαθλοῦντι ἀγῶνα.
ἀ πέπεισμαι γὰρ ὅτι ὁ Κύριος
καὶ ὑμᾶς τῆς αὐτῆς μερίδος καταξιώσει τοὺς
καλῶς ἀλείφοντας καὶ ἐπεγείροντας αὐτοῦ τὴν
προθυμίαν. ἡλίκον δὲ κέρδος ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ βαθείᾳ
ἀπολαύειν ἀνδρὸς τοσαῦτα μὲν ἐκ τῆς μαθήσεως
τοσαῦτα δὲ ἐκἐ τῆς πείρας τῶν πραγμάτων συνειλη-
χότος! ὥστε πέπεισμαι ὑμᾶς νῦν ἐγνωκέναι
τὸν ἄνδρα, ἡλίκος ἐστὶ τὴν σύνεσιν" διότι ἐν τῷ
παρελθόντι χρόνῳ καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν διάνοιαν εἶχεν
εἰς πολλὰ σχιζομένην καὶ ὑμεῖς οὐκ ἤγετε σχολὴν
ἀπὸ τῶν τοῦ βίου πραγμάτων, ὥστε ὅλοι προσ-
κεῖσθαι τῷ πνευματικῷ νάματι τῷ ἀπὸ καθαρᾶς
καρδίας τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προχεομένῳ. ἀλλὰ παράσχοι
ὁ Κύριος ὑμᾶς καὶ αὐτῷ παράκλησιν εἶναι kal
αὐτοὺς μὴ δεῖσθαι τῆς ἑτέρων παρηγορίας" ὅπερ
οὖν καὶ πέπεισμαι περὶ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν, τεκ-
μαιρόμενος τῇ τε ἐμαυτοῦ πείρᾳ, ἣν πρὸς ὀλίγον
ὑμῶν ἐπειράθην, καὶ τῇ μεγάλῃ διδασκαλίᾳ τοῦ
καλοῦ καθηγητοῦ, οὗ “μιᾶς ἡμέρας συνουσία αὐταρ-
κές ἐστιν ἐφόδιον πρὸς σωτηρίαν.
1 ἐκκλησίας tres MSS. recentiores.

1 Written in the late summer of 374. Cf. Loofs 46, note 5.

436
 LETTER CLXVIII

LETTER CLXVIII
To THE PressyTer ANTIocHus, Eusesius’ NEPHEW,
WHO WAS WITH HIM IN ExiLte?}
Mucu as I lament the Church’s having been
deprived of the care of such a shepherd,? equally do
I congratulate you for having been accounted worthy
at such a crisis to be present with a man who is
fighting in the great contest in defence of our
religion. For I am convinced that the Lord will
account you also, who anoint him for the contest and
stimulate his zeal, worthy of the same lot. But what
an advantage it is to enjoy now in profound peace a
man who has accumulated both so much from his
learning and so much from his experience in affairs!
I am therefore persuaded that you have now come
to know the man, how great he is in wisdom;
because in the past he on his own part kept his
mind distracted on many things, and you on yours
lacked the leisure from the affairs of life which would
enable you to devote yourself wholly to the spiritual
stream which flows from the pure heart of the man.
But may the Lord grant that you may be a comfort
to him in turn and may not yourself require consola-
tion from others. And indeed I am convinced that
this will be the case so far as the hearts of you both
are concerned, judging not only from my experience,
wherein I made trial of you both for a short time,
but also by the great instruction of the Good
Teacher, whose company for a single day is a
sufficient viaticum for salvation.
Theodoret, IV. 12 and 13, describes the scene of Eusebius’
forced departure into exile at the command of Valens,
2 2.6. Eusebius.
437
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CLXIX
Γρηγορίῳ Βασίλειος
Πρᾶγμα μὲν ὑπέστης ἐπιεικὲς καὶ ἥμερον καὶ
φιλάνθρωπον τὴν τοῦ καταφρονητοῦ LAuKepiou
(τέως γὰρ οὕτω γράφομεν) αἰχμαλωσίαν συναγα-
γών, καὶ τὴν κοινὴν ἀσχημοσύνην ἡμῶν, ὡς οἷόν
τε ἦν, συγκαλύψας. δεῖ δὲξ ὅμως τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν
μαθοῦσαν τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν οὕτω λῦσαι τὴν ἀτιμίαν.
Οὗτος ὁ νῦν σοβαρὸς καὶ σεμνὸς ὑμῖν Γλυκέριος
ἐχειροτονήθη μὲν map ἡμῶν τῆς κατὰ Οὐήνεσαν ὃ
ἐκκλησίας διάκονος, ὡς καὶ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ δια-
κονήσων καὶ τοῦ ἔργου τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπιμελησό-
μενος. καὶ γάρ ἐστιν, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα δύστροπος
ὁ ἀνήρ, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐπίχειρα οὐκ ἀφυής. ἐπεὶ δὲ
κατέστη, τοῦ μὲν ἔργου ἠμέλησε τοσοῦτον ὅσον
οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν γεγονότος" παρθένους δὲ ἀθλίας
συναγαγὼν κατ᾽ ἰδίαν ἐξουσίαν καὶ αὐθεντίαν, τὰς
μὲν ἑκούσας προσδραμούσας αὐτῷ (οἶσθα δὲ τὸ
τῶν νέων περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρόχειρον), τὰς δὲ
ἀκούσας ,ἀγελαρχεῖν ἐπεχείρησε, καὶ πατριαρχίας
ὄνομα ἑαυτῷ καὶ σχῆμα περιθείς, ἐξαίφνης
ἐσοβαρεύσατο, οὐκ ἔκ τινος ἀκολουθίας 4 καὶ
εὐσεβείας ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἐλθών, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφορμὴν βίου
1 ἐπιεικὲς καὶ] ἐπιεικῶς Harl.
2 συγκαλύψας. δεῖ δέ om. Εἰ.
3 Σύγνασαν Harl. 4 δικαίας add. editi antiqi.

1 Written about 374. Letters CLXIX, CLXX, and

CLXXI treat of the strange doings of the deacon Glycerius.
Cf. W. M. Ramsay, The Church in the Roman Empire before
A.D. 170, 2nd ed., London, 1893, pp. 443-464.
438
 LETTER CLXIX

LETTER CLXIX
Basi, To Gregory ?

You have, it is true, undertaken a kind, clement,

and humane work in collecting the captive band of
the contemptible Glycerius (for at the present time
we must use this term) and in hiding our common
shame as far as possible: but your Reverence ought,
nevertheless, first to learn the facts about him and
then to wipe out this dishonour.
This Glycerius, who is at present looked upon by
you as merely an impetuous and swaggering fellow,
was ordained by us as deacon of the church of
Venesa,? with the idea that he should both serve the
presbyter and look after the work of the church.
For, however intractable the man is in other respects,
yet he is not without natural talent as regards odd
errands. But after he was appointed, he neglected
his work as if it had not existed at all, but collecting
some unfortunate virgins on his own authority and
responsibility, some running to him willingly (and
you know the tendency of young people in such
matters) and others against their will, he undertook
to be the leader of the company, and having invested
himself with the name and apparel of a patriarch, he
suddenly began to give himself airs, adopting this
course, not from any motive of obedience or of piety,
but because he preferred this source of livelihood,
The Gregory addressed is either of Nyssa or Nazianzus.
Manuscript evidence favours Gregory of Nazianzus, but
there are arguments in favour of Gregory of Nyssa. Cf. Vita
Basilit, XX XI, 4.
2. Other spellings are Veésa, Venata, and Synnasa.
439
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ταύτην ὥσπερ ἄλλος τινὰ προστησάμενος" Kal

μικροῦ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν πᾶσαν ἀνάστατον πεποίηκε,
περιφρονῶν μὲν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πρεσβύτερον, ἄνδρα
καὶ πολιτείᾳ καὶ ἡλικίᾳ αἰδέσιμον, περιφρονῶν δὲ
τὸν χωρεπίσκοπον 1 καὶ ἡμᾶς ὡς οὐδενὸς ἀξίους,
θορύβων δὲ ἀεὶ καὶ ταραχῶν πληρῶν τὴν πόλιν
καὶ σύμπαν τὸ ἱερατεῖον.
Καὶ τέλος, ἵνα τι μὴ "λόγῳ ἐπιτιμηθῇ μικρὸν
παρ᾽ ἡμῶν καὶ τοῦ χωρεπισκόπου πρὸς τὸ "μὴ
καταφρονεῖν αὐτὸν (καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοὺς νέους
ἐγύμναζεν εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ἀπόνοιαν), πρᾶγμα
διανοεῖται λίαν τολμηρὸν καὶ ἀπάνθρωπον.
συλήσας νῶν παρθένων ὅσας ἠδύνατο, καὶ νύκτα
τηρήσας, δραπέτης γίνεται. πάνυ σοι δεινὰ ταῦτα
φανεῖται. σκόπει καὶ τὸν καιρόν. ἤγετο μὲν ἡ
ἐκεῖσε σύνοδος καὶ πολὺ πανταχόθεν, ὡς εἰκός,
ἐπέρρει τὸ πλῆθος. ὁ δὲ ἀντεξῆγε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ χορὸν
νέοις ἑπόμενον καὶ περιχορεύοντα, καὶ πολλὴν
μὲν κατήφειαν κινοῦντα τοῖς εὐλαβέσι, πολὺν δὲ
γέλωτα τοῖς ἀκρατέσι καὶ τὴν γλῶσσαν ἑτοιμο-
τέροις. καὶ οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ταῦτα, καίπερ τηλικαῦτα
ὄντα τὸ μέγεθος: ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι καὶ τοὺς γονεῖς, ὡς
πυνθάνομαι, τῶν παρθένων τὴν ἀτεκνίαν οὐ
φέροντας, καὶ τὴν διασπορὰν ἐπαναγαγεῖν
βουλομένους, καὶ μετ᾽ ὀδυρμῶν προσπίπτοντας,
ὡς εἰκός, ταῖς ἑαυτῶν θυγατράσι, περιυβρίζξει καὶ
ἀτιμοῖ ὁ θαυμαστὸς νεανίσκος μετὰ τοῦ λῃστρι-
κοῦ συντάγματος.
Ταῦτα μὴ ἀνεκτὰ φανήτω τῇ σῇ εὐλαβείᾳ" καὶ
1 ἐπίσκοπον Εἰ, Med.
* μή Combefisius, who would thus replace τι.
3 φαίνεται Harl,
440
 LETTER CLXIX

just as another man would choose one or another

occupation ; and he has all but overturned the whole
Church, scorning his own presbyter, a man who is
venerated for both his conduct and his age, and
scorning his chorepiscopus and ourselves as if
deserving no consideration at all, and continually
filling the city and the whole sanctuary with tumults
and disturbances.
And at last, in order to avoid receiving some slight
verbal rebuke from us and from his chorepiscopus so
that he should cease treating us with contempt (for
he proceeded to train the young men also to the
same folly), he is now planning an exceedingly daring
and abominable thing. Having stolen from us two
as many of the virgins as he could, and having
watched for a night, he has become a fugitive.
These things will seem quite dreadful to you. Con-
sider also the occasion he chose. The local festival
was being held, and a great crowd from all sides, as
was natural, was gathering. And he led out his own
troop in turn, following young men and dancing
about them, and causing great shame to the pious,
but much laughter to the boisterous and the more
glib-tongued. And these acts are not enough,
although they are such in enormity, but he goes still
further, as I hear, when the parents of the virgins,
finding the loss of their children intolerable, wish to
bring home the scattered company and_ throw
themselves with tears, as is natural, at their daughters’
feet, this admirable young fellow and his predatory
band even insult and float them.
Let not these things appear tolerable to your

4 ἀτιμάζει Harl.
44:
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

yap κοινὸς πάντων ἡμῶν ὁ γέλως: ἀλλὰ μάλιστα

μὲν αὐτὸν κέλευσον μετὰ τῶν παρθένων ἐπανεὰ-
θεῖν' τύχοι γὰρ ἄν τινος φιλανθρωπίας εἰ μετὰ
σῶν ἐπανήκοι γραμμάτων" εἰ δὲ μή, τάς γέ
παρθένους ἀπόπεμψον τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν τῇ ἐκκλη-
σίᾳ. εἰ δὲ μή." τάς γε βουλομένας τυραννεῖσθαι
μὴ ᾿συγχωρήσῃς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπανελθεῖν τύπωσον πρὸς
ἡμᾶς. ἢ μαρτυρόμεθά σοι3 ὡς καὶ Θεῷ καὶ
ἀνθρώποις, OTL μὴ καλῶς ταῦτα γίνεται μηδὲ
θεσμοῖς ἐκκλησίας. Τλυκέριος δὲ εἰ μὲν ἐπανέλ-
θοι μετ᾽ ἐπιστήμης καὶ τῆς πρεπούσης εὐστα-
θείας, τοῦτο ἄριστον, εἰ δὲ μή, ἔστω πεπαυμένος
τῆς ὑπηρεσίας.

CLOCK
Γλυκερίῳ
Μέχρι Tivos atrovon, καὶ κακῶς μὲν βουλεύῃ
/ “- an 4

περὶ σεαυτοῦ, κινεῖς δὲ ἡμᾶς, αἰσχύνεις δὲ TO

lal - an > \

κοινὸν τάγμα τῶν μοναστῶν; ἐπάνελθε οὖν τῷ

Θεῷ θαρρῶν καὶ ἡμῖν, οὗ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν
lol fal a /

μιμούμεθα. εἰ yap Kal πατρικῶς ἐπετιμήσαμεν,

/ > \ \ fal b] /

ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνωσόμεθα πατρικῶς. ταῦτά σοι

Cha Rit wag > \ , ς ΄ ”
παρ ἡμῶν, ἐπειδὴ πολλοί τε ἱκετεύουσιν ἄλλοι,
καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ σὸς πρεσβύτερος, οὗ τὴν
lal id

πολιὰν αἰδούμεθα Kal τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν. εἰ δὲ

\ > ΄ \ \ > / > \

μακρύνεις 8 ad’ ἡμῶν, τοῦ βαθμοῦ μὲν πάντως ὃ

Ε] lal nr fa)

1 κοινόν editi antiqi. 2 τοῦτο add. editi antiqi.

σοι] Θεὸν καὶ ἀνθρώπους Harl.; σε E.
παρούσης Ki, editi antiqi. 5 μέν om, Εἰ.
δὲ] μέν Εἰ, editi antiqi.
δ᾽
&
»
1
πνευματικῶς apud Gregorium.
442
 LETTER CLXX

Reverence ; for the ridicule affects us all in common ;

but if possible command him to return with the
virgins; for he would meet with some consideration
if he should come back with a letter from you; but
if this cannot be, at least send back the virgins to
their mother the Church. And if this is impossible,
do not allow those at least who wish to return to be
tyrannized over, but order them to come back to us.
Otherwise we protest to you and also to God and
men that these things are not done rightly nor in
accord with the laws of the Church. Yetif Glycerius
should return with understanding and with the
becoming steadiness of mind, this would be best, but
if not, let him be deposed from his ministry.

LETTER CLXX
To Gtycerivus1!
How far will you go in your folly, and while
acting unwisely concerning your own self, stir us
to anger and put to shame the whole order of
monks? Return, therefore, putting your confidence
in God and in us who imitate His benevolence.
For even though we have rebuked like a father, yet
we shall also grant pardon like a father. This is
the treatment you will receive at our hands, since
many others are making pleas on your behalf and
above the rest your own presbyter, whose grey hairs
and kindness of heart we revere. But if you con-
tinue to hold aloof from us, then you have fallen
1 For the date and content see the preceding letter.

8 μακρύνοις Harl, ® παντός Reg. secundus.

443
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἐκπέπτωκας, ἐκπεσῇ δὲ καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ peta τῶν

μελῶν σου καὶ τῆς στολῆς, οἷς ἄγεις τὰς νέας,
ov πρὸς Θεόν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς βάραθρον.
> \ “ J , >] /

CLXXI
Πρηγορίῳ 1
/

᾿Επέσταλκά σοι καὶ πρώην περὶ Γλυκερίου καὶ

τῶν παρθένων. οἱ δὲ οὐδέπω καὶ τήμερον ἐπανή-
κασιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι μέλλουσιν, οὐκ οἶδα ὅθεν καὶ
2 ’ ” / > be e Ἂν

ὅπως. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐκεῖνό σου καταγνοίην, ὡς ἐφ᾽

ἡμετέρᾳ διαβολῇ τοῦτο ποιεῖς, ἢ αὐτὸς πάσχων
τι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἢ ἄλλοις χαριξόμενος. ἡκέτωσαν
οὖν μηδὲν δεδοικότες" σὺ γενοῦ τούτου
3ἐἐγγυητής.
καὶ γὰρ ἀλγοῦμεν τεμνομένων 8 τῶν μελῶν, εἰ καὶ
an 4 ᾽ Aa) ’ δὲ b / Sar:
καλῶς “ ἐτμηθησαν. εἰ O€ ἀντιτείνοιεν, ἐπ ἄλλους
τὸ βάρος, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀποπλυνόμεθα.

CLXXII
Σωφρονίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ
/

“Ὅπως ηὔφρανας ἡμᾶς τοῖςὃ γράμμασιν οὐδὲν

δεόμεθα γράφειν. εἰκάζεις γὰρ πάντως αὐτοῖς
1 ἑταίρῳ add. K.
2 σὺ γενοῦ τοὐτου] συγγένου τούτων editi antiqi. τούτων
apud Gregorium.
8 τεμνομένων τεμνόμενοι τῶν μελῶν apud Gregorium.
4 κακῶς KH, editi antiqi. 5 rots om. K.

1 Cf. Tim. 3. 13: of yap καλῶς διακονήσαντες, βαθμὸν ἑαυτοῖς

καλὸν περιποιοῦνται, Kal πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἐν πίστει τῇ ἐν

444
 LETTER CLXXII

entirely from your grade,’ and you will also fall

from God with your songs and your finery, by which
you are leading the young women, not to God, but
to the pit.

LETTER CLXXI
To Grecory 2
I HAvE written to you recently about Glycerius
and his virgins. And they have not yet to this
day returned, but are still delaying; why and how
I know not. For I could not lay the blame for this
matter against you and say that you are doing this
to discredit us, either because you have some
grievance against us yourself, or are doing it as a
favour for others. Therefore let them come, fearing
nothing; do you become surety for this. For we
are pained when our members are cut off, even if
they have been justly cut off. But if they resist, the
burden will rest upon others, and we are absolved.

LETTER CLXXII
To Sopuronius, ΒΙΒΗῸΡ
How you have pleased us by your letter we need
not write. For you can certainly surmise it from
Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. ‘‘For they that have ministered well shall
purchase to themselves a good degree, and much confidence
in the faith which is in Christ Jesus.” The ‘‘degree” men-
tioned by Basil here is the diaconate.
2 For date and content cf. Letter CLXIX and note.
3 Written in 374. This Sophronius is distinguished by the
Benedictine edition from the Sophronius, magister officiorwm,
to whom Letters XXXII, LXXVI, XCVI and others are
addressed. The present Sophronius is otherwise unknown.
445
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

οἷς ἐπέστειλας τοιούτοις οὖσι. τὸν γὰρ πρῶτον

καρπὸν τοῦ Πνεύματος, τὴν ἀγάπην, ἔδειξας ἡμῖν
διὰ τοῦ γράμματος. τούτου δὲ τί ἂν γένοιτο
τιμιώτερον ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ τῶν καιρῶν κατα-
στάσει, ἡνίκα διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν,
ἐψύγη τῶν πολλῶν ἡ ἀγάπη; οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω
σπάνιον νῦν ὡς ἀδελφοῦ συντυχία, πνευματικοῦ,
καὶ ῥῆμα εἰρηνικόν, καὶ πνευματικὴ κοινωνία, ἣν
εὑρόντες ἐν τῇ σῇ τελειότητι ὑπερευχαριστήσαμεν
τῷ Κυρίῳ, δεόμενοι καὶ τῆς τελείας ἐπὶ σοὶ
μετασχεῖν εὐφροσύνης. εἰyap ἐπιστολαὶ τοιαῦται,
ὁποία ἡ συντυχία ;; καὶ εἰ πόρρωθεν οὕτως αἱρεῖς,
πόσου ἄξιος ἔσῃ ἐγγύθεν ἡμῖν ἐπιφανείς ; εὖ δὲ
ἴσθι," εἰ μὴ μυρίων ἀσχολιῶν περιεῖχε πλῆθος 3
καὶ αἱ ἀπαραίτητοι αὗται “ἀνάγκαι αἷς ἐνδεδέ-
μεθα, αὐτόν με ἐπειχθῆναι πρὸς τὴν σὴν τελειότητα.
καίτοιγε * μέγα μοι ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι πρὸς τὰς κινή-
σεις ἡ παλαιὰ αὕτη τοῦ σώματος ἀρρωστία, ἀλλ’
ὅμως οὐκ ἂν ὑπελογισάμην τοῦτο ἐμπόδιον τῆς
προσδοκωμένης ἕνεκεν ὠφελείας. τὸ γὰρ ἀνδρὶ τὰ
αὐτὰ “φρονοῦντι καὶ τὴν τῶν πατέρων πρεσβεύον-
τι πίστιν, ὡς ὁ τῶν τιμίων ἀδελφῶν καὶ συμ-
πρεσβυτέρων λόγος, καταξιωθῆναι περιτυχεῖν,
ὄντως ἐστὶν εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν "μακαριότητα τῶν
ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπανελθεῖν, ὅτε ὀλίγοι μὲν ἦσαν οἱ
νοσοῦντες περὶ ξητήσεις, ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ δὲ ἦσαν
πάντες, ἐργάται ὄντες τῶν ἐντολῶν ὃ ἀνεπαίσ-
τοιούτοις οὖσι om. Εἰ.
εὖ δὲ ἴσθι] ὥστε με EF; ὥστε μοι Med.
ἡμᾶς add. editi antiqi. 4 καίτοι EK,
περὶ cov add. editi antiqi.
μ᾿
ἢ
ὦ
on
τοῦ Θεοῦ add. editi antiqi.
446
 LETTER CLXXII

the very nature of the things you said in your letter.

For you have shown us the first fruit of the Spirit,
charity, through your letter. And what could be
more precious to us than this in the present con-
dition of the times, when, “ because iniquity hath
abounded, the charity of many hath grown cold” ?1
For nothing is so rare now as a meeting with a
spiritual brother, and peaceful discourse, and spiritual
communion; and since we have found this com-
munion in your Perfection, we have rendered ex-
ceeding thanks to the Lord, beseeching also that
we may share in the perfect joy that is in you. For
if your letters are such, what would a meeting be!
And if you can move me so from a distance, how
estimable will you be when you appear to us from
near at hand! But be assured that if we were not
encompassed about by a multitude of countless pre-
occupations and by the present inexorable necessities
by which we are constrained, I should have hastened
to your Perfection in person. And yet a great
obstacle to my moving about is this old infirmity
of my body; but nevertheless I should have paid
no heed to this obstacle for the sake of the antici-
pated profit. For to be thought worthy of meeting
a man who holds the same opinions as myself and
who reverences the faith of the Fathers, according
to the account of our honoured brethren and fellow-
presbyters, is in truth to return to the old-time
blessedness of the churches, when those were few
who suffered from the malady of inquiry, and all
were in peace, being workmen fulfilling the com-
1 Cf. Matt. 24. 12: καὶ διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν,
ψυγήσεται ἣ ἀγάπη τῶν πολλῶν. ““Απα because iniquity hath
abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold.”
447
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

χυντοι, διὰ τῆς ἁπλῆς καὶ ἀπεριέργου ὁμολογίας

λατρεύοντες τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἄσυλον τὴν πίστιν
καὶ ἀπερίεργον τὴν εἰς Πατέρα καὶ Tiov καὶ
ἅγιον IIvedua διαφυλάσσοντες.

CLXXIII
IIpos Θεοδώραν κανονικήν “
᾿Οκνηροὺς ἡμᾶς ποιεῖ πρὸς τὸ ΡΟΣ τὸ μὴ
πεπεῖσθαι τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἡμῶν πάντως 3 ἐγχειρί-
ζεσθαι τῇ σῇ ἀγάπῃ ἀλλὰ κακίᾳ τῶν διακονούντων
μυρίους προεντυγχάνειν ἑτέρους" καὶ μάλιστα νῦν
οὕτω τεταραγμένων τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην
πραγμάτων. διόπερ ἀναμένω ὃ τρόπον τινὰ μεμφ-
θῆναι" καὶ y ἀπαιτηθῆναι βιαίως τὰς ἐπιστολάς,
ὥστε αὐτῷ τούτῳ τεκμηρίῳ χρήσασθαι τῆς ἀπο-
δόσεως. καὶ γράφοντες μὲν οὖν καὶ σιωπῶντες
ἕν ἔργον ἔχομεν ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν, φυλάσσειν
τὴν μνήμην τῆς κοσμιότητός σου, καὶ προσεύ-
χεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ δοῦναί σοι τελέσαι τὸν δρόμον
τῆς ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας καθὰ προείχλου.. τῷ ὄντι
1 λατρεύοντες τῷ Κυρίῳ, καί om. E, Med.
2 Θεοδώρᾳ κανονικῇ editi antiqi.; περὶ βίου κανονικοῦ add.
Harl.
3 πάντας editi antiqi. 4 τεταγμένων editi antiqi.
5 ἀναμένομεν editi antiqi. 6 πεμφθῆναι EK.
7 καί om. ΕἸ.

1 Cf. 2 Tim. 2. 15: σπούδασον σεαυτὸν δόκιμον παραστῆσαι

τῷ OG, ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς
ἀληθείας. ‘Carefully study to present thyself approved
448
 LETTER CLXXIII

mandments and needing not to be ashamed,! serving

the Lord through a simple and not too elaborate
confession, and preserving inviolate and not too
elaborate their faith in the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost.

LEITER CLXXIII
To THeopora, A CANoNneEss?
We are rendered hesitant about writing by the
fact that we are not entirely assured that our letters
are placed in the hands of your Charity, but instead,
through the baseness of our messengers, iadomerble
ethers read them first; and especially now when
throughout the world things are so disturbed.
Therefore I am waiting to be found fault with in
a measure and to have my letters forcefully de-
manded, so that I may treat this as itself a proof
of their delivery. However, both when writing and
when silent we keep in our hearts one duty—to
guard the memory of your Decorum and to pray
ΤΕΣ Lord to grant that you may complete the course
of good conduct of life even as you have chosen.
unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly
handling the word of truth.”
2 Written about the year 374. Canonicae were women
who devoted themselves to education, district visiting,
funerals, and various charitable works, and living in com-
munity apart from men, Cf. Socrates 1. 17 ; Sozomen 8. 23.
Rules were laid down for their guidance, as Basil here sets
forth, but St. Augustine in 423 drew up the first general
rules for such communities of women. They were dis-
tinguished from nuns in not being bound by vows, and from
deaconesses as not so distinctly discharging ministerial
duties.
449
VOL. II. GG
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

yap οὐ μικρὸς ἀγὼν ὁμολογοῦντι 1 τῆς ἐπαγγελίας

τὰ ἐφεξῆς ἐπάγειν. τὸ μὲν γὰρ προελέσθαι τὴν
κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πολιτείαν παντός, τὸ δὲ καὶ
μέχρι τῶν μικροτάτων ἄγειν τὴν παρατήρησιν,
καὶ μηδὲν τῶν ἐκεῖ γεγραμμένων παρορᾷν, τοῦτο
πάνυ ὀλίγοις τῶν εἰς ἡμετέραν γνῶσιν ἡκόντων
κατώρθωται:' ὥστε καὶ γλώσσῃ πεπεδημένῃ κε-
χρῆσθαι" καὶ ὀφθαλμῷ πεπαιδαγωγημένῳ κατὰ
τὸ βούχημα τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, καὶ χερσὶν ἐνεργεῖν
κατὰ τὸν σκοπὸν τῆς εὐαρεστήσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ,
καὶ πόδας κινεῖν καὶ ἑκάστῳ τῶν μελῶν οὕτω
κεχρῆσθαι ὡς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὁ Δημιουργὸς ἡμῶν
φκονόμησε' τὸ ἐν τῇ καταστολῇ κόσμιον, τὸ ἐν
ταῖς συντυχίαις τῶν ἀνδρῶν πεφυλαγμένον, τὸ
ἐν βρώμασιν αὔταρκες, τὸ ἐν τῇ κτήσει ὃ τῶν
ἀναγκαίων ἀπέριττον. ταῦτα πάντα μικρὰ μὲν
ἁπλῶς οὕτω λεγόμενα, μεγάλου δὲ ἀγῶνος εἰς τὸ
κατορθωθῆναι χρήζοντα, ws ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς 2 τῆς ἀλη-
θείας εὕρομεν. καὶ μὲν καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ ταπεινο-
φροσύνῃ τέλειον, ὡς μήτε προγόνων περιφανείας
μεμνῆσθαι, μήτε, εἴ τι ὑπάρχει ἡμῖν ἐκ ὃ φύσεως
πλεονέκτημα ἢ κατὰ σῶμα ἢ κατὰ ψυχήν, τούτῳ
ἐπαίρεσθαι, μήτε τὰς ἔξωθεν περὶ ἡμῶν ὑπολήψεις
ἀφορμὴν ἐπάρσεώς τε καὶ φυσιώσεως ποιεῖσθαι,
ταῦτα τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ ἔχεται βίου. τὸ ἐν
ἐγκρατείᾳ εὔτονον, τὸ ἐν προσευχαῖς φιλόπονον,
τὸ ἐν φιλαδελφίᾳ συμπαθές, τὸ πρὸς τοὺς δεο-
μένους κοινωνικὸν,7 τὸ τοῦ φρονήματος κατα-
βεβλημένον, ὁ συντριμμὸς τῆς καρδίας, τὸ τῆς
πίστεως ὑγιές, TO ἐν σκυθρωπότητι ὁμαλόν, μηδέ-
1 ὁμολογοῦντά τι editi antiqi. > χρῆσθαι editi antiqi.
450
 LETTER CLXXIII

For truly it is no slight struggle for one who makes

a profession to carry out the consequences of his
promise. For choosing the evangelical life is in the
power of anyone, ἘΣ carrying -“" its observance
even to the smallest details, pad overlooking none
of the written rules—this has been accomplished
successfully by very few who have come to our
knowledge; as, for example, to keep the tongue
fettered and the eye disciplined according to the
intent of the Gospel, and to work with the hands
with a view to pleasing God, and to move the feet
and so to use each of the limbs as our Creator
ordained from the beginning; modesty in dress,
circumspection in the society of men, moderation in
food, simplicity in the acquisition of necessities.
All these things are small when thus simply men-
tioned, but require a great struggle to be observed
successfully, as in very truth we have discovered.
And, furthermore, perfection in humility, so that we
shall neither remember any distinction of ancestry,
nor, if we possess by nature any advantage whether
of body or of mind, be elated by this, nor to make
others’ opinions of ourselves an occasion of exalta-
tion and pride—these things belong to the evangelical
life. Also constancy in self-control, assiduity in
prayer, sympathy in fraternal charity, generosity
toward the needy, subjection of pride, contrition
of heart, soundness of faith, equability in despond-

κτήσει Τὸ ; κυήσει editi.

ὡς ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς] εὑρήκαμεν editi antiqi.
ἐνυπάρχει editi antiqi. ὁ ἐκ om. EK.
τὺ πρὸς τοὺς δεομένους κοινωνικόν om. HK.
τὸ πρὸς τοὺς δεομένους κοινωνικόν add. E.
ον
Oa
ὦ ‘\ Ἐ Δ

451
αα 2
 COLLECTED. LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ποτε τῆς ἐννοίας ἡμῶν λειπούσης τοῦ φοβεροῦ

καὶ ἀπαραιτήτου δικαστηρίου τὴν μνήμην πρὸς ὃ
ἐπειγόμεθα μὲν ἅπαντες, μέμνηνται δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ
τὴν aT αὐτοῦ ἔκβασιν ἀγωνιῶσιν ἐλάχιστοι.

CLXXIV
IIpos ἐλευθέραν
᾿Εγώ, καὶ πάνυ βουλόμενος συνεχῶς ἐπιστέλ-
λειν τῇ εὐγενείᾳ. ὑμῶν, ἐπέσχον" ἐμαυτὸν ἀεί,
μήπως δόξω τινὰς ὑμῖν πειρασμοὺς ἐπεγείρειν
διὰ τοὺς φιλέχθρως " πρὸς ἡμᾶς διακειμένους καί,
ὡς ἀκούω, μέχρι καὶ τούτων τὴν ἔχθραν ἐλαύ-
νοντᾶς, ὥστε πολυπραγμονεῖν 3 εἴ πού τις καὶ
γράμμα ἡμέτερον δέχοιτο. ἐπειδὴ δὲ αὐτή, καλῶς
ENT κατῆρξας τοῦ γράμματος καὶ ἐπέστειλας
ἡμῖν ἃ 3 ἐχρῆν περὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ,Ψυχήν σου
πραγμάτων ἀνακοινουμένη, προετράπην εἰς τὸ
ἀντεπιστεῖλαι, ὁμοῦ μὲν τὰ ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι "
χρόνῳ ἐλλειφθέντα ἐπανορθούμενος, ὁμοῦ
ὁ δὲ καὶ
πρὸς τὰ ἐπεσταλμένα παρὰ τῆς σῆς εὐγενείας
ἀποκρινόμενος.
“Ὅτι μακαρία ἐστὶ 7 ψυχὴἡ νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας
μηδεμίαν ἄλλην μέριμναν στρέφουσα 7,TOS ἐπὶ
τῆς μεγάλης ἡμέρας, καθ᾽ ἣν πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις
περιστήσεται τὸν κριτὴν τὰς εὐθύνας τῶν πεπραγ-
μένων ἀποδιδοῦσα, καὶ αὐτὴ δυνηθῇ κούφως ἀπο-
1 ἀπέσχον editi antiqi. 2 φιλεχθῶς editi antiqi.
3 φιλοπραγμονεῖν Εἰ, Harl.
452
 LETTER CLXXIV

ency, never letting pass from our minds the rememb-

rance of the awful and inexorable tribunal, towards
which we all indeed are hastening, though very few
are mindful of it or solicitous about hat the issue
therefrom shall be.

|GirBealed(ohBd2D. Χαν

To a Wivow!

I, ALTHOUGH wishing very much to write regularly

to your Nobility, πὲ always checked myself, that
I may not seem to occasion you any trials on account
of those who are ill-disposed toward us, and, as I
hear, push their hatred so far that they make much
ado if anyone perchance receives even a letter from
us. But since you yourself, quite properly, have
taken the initiative in writing and in your letter
have communicated what you should as regards the
affairs of your soul, I have been moved to reply, at
one and the same time both rectifying my omissions
in the past, and replying to the present communica-
tions of your Nobility.
Take note that the soul is blessed which by night
and day revolves no other anxiety than how on the
great day, on which all creation shall stand about
the Judge and give an account of its deeds, it also
shall be able easily to discharge the reckoning otf

1 Written in 374,

4 ὡς EK. 5 τήν om. E.

8 παρόντι EK. 7 ἢ add, EK.

453
᾿ΘΟΙΜΕΟΤΕΡ. LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

θέσθαι τὸν λόγον τῶν βεβιωμένων. ὁ γὰρ ἐκείνην

τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τὴν ὥραν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν τιθέμενος,
καὶ ἀεὶ μελετῶν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀπαραλογίστου *
κριτηρίου ἀπολογίαν, ὁ τοιοῦτος ᾿ οὐδὲν παντελῶς
ἢ ἐλάχιστα ἁμαρτήσεται, διότι 5 τὸ ear
ἡμῖν κατὰ ἀπουσίαν τοῦ φόβου τοῦ Θεοῦ 8 γίνεται.
οἷς δ᾽ ἂν ἐναργὴς παρῇ τῶν ἀπειλουμένων ἡ
προσδοκία, οὐδένα καιρὸν δώσει τοῖς τοιούτοις
ὁ σύνοικος φόβος εἰς ἀβουλήτους πράξεις ἢ
ἐνθυμήσεις ἐκπεσεῖν.
Καὶ μέμνησο τοίνυν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἔχε τὸν
αὐτοῦ φόβον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ πάντας εἰς τὴν
κοινωνίαν τῶν εὐχῶν παραλάμβανε. μεγάλη yap
Kal ἡ τῶν δυναμένων δυσωπεῖν τὸν Θεὸν βοήθεια.
καὶ μὴ διαλίπῃς ταῦτα ποιοῦσα. καὶ γὰρ καὶ
ζῶσιν ἡμῖν τὴν ἐν σαρκὶ ταύτῃ " ζωὴν ἀγαθὴ
ἔσται βοηθὸς ἡ προσευχή, καὶ ἀπερχομένοις
ἐντεῦθεν ἐφόδιον διαρκὲς πρὸς τὸν αἰῶνα τὸν
μέλλοντα. ὥσπερ δὲ ἡ φροντὶς πρᾶγμά ἐστιν
ἀγαθόν, οὕτω πάλιν ἡ “ἀθυμία καὶ ἡ ἀπόγνωσις
καὶ τὸ δυσελπίστως ἔχειν πρὸς σωτηρίαν τῶν
βλαπτόντων ἐστὶ τὴν ψυχήν. ἐπέλπεξε τοίνυν
τῇ ἀγαθότητι τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐκδέχου αὐτοῦ τὴν
ἀντίληψιν, γινώσκουσα ὅτι, ἐὰν καλῶς καὶ γνησίως
πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐπιστραφῶμεν, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπορ-
ρίψει ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ παντελές, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι λαλούντων
ἡμῶν τὰ ῥήματα τῆς προσευχῆς ἐρεῖ: ᾿Ιδοὺ
;
πάρειμι.
1 ἀπαραλογήτου editi antiqi. 2 διόπερ E.

454
 LETTER CLXXIV

the life it has lived. For he who sets that day and
hour before his eyes and ever meditates upon his
defence before the tribunal which cannot be de-
ceived, such a man will sin either not at all or very
little, because sinning comes to pass in us through
absence of the fear of God. But to whomsoever
there is present the vivid expectation of the threatened
punishments, the fear which dwells in such will give
them no opportunity of falling into ill considered
actions or thoughts.
Be mindful, then, of God, and keep the fear of
Him in your heart, and invite all to communion in
your prayers. For great is also the aid of those who
are able to importune God. And do all these things
without ceasing. For both while we live this life in
the flesh will prayer be to us a goodly helper, and
when we depart hence it will be a sufficient viaticum
for the world to come. But just as anxious thought
is a good thing, so again despondency, despair, and
the attitude of misgiving as regards salvation are
things that harm the soul. Hope, then, in the
goodness of God, and expect His help, knowing that,
if we turn to Him rightly and sincerely, not only
will He not cast us off utterly, but will say even as
we are uttering the words of our prayer: “ Behold, I
am with you.”

3 Κυρίου editi antiqi. 4 ταύτην E.

455
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CLXXV
Mayvynviave! κόμητι
Πρώην ἐπέστελλέ μοι ἡ σεμνότης σου ἄλλα
τινὰ καὶ περὶ πίστεως γράψαι ἡμᾶς ἐναργῶς
προστάσσουσα. ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ τὴν μὲν σὴν περὶ τὸ
πρᾶγμα ἄγαμαι σπουδήν," καὶ εὔχομαι τῷ Θεῷ
ἀνενδότως σοι τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν αἵρεσιν ἐνυπάρχειν
καὶ ἀεί σε προκόπτοντα καὶ γνώσει καὶ ἔργοις
ἀγαθοῖς τελειοῦσθαι" διὰ δὲ τὸ μὴ βούλεσθαι
περὶ πίστεως σύνταγμα καταλιμπάνειν μηδὲ
γράφειν διαφόρους πίστεις, παρετηρησάμην μὴ ὃ
ἀποστεῖλαι ἃ ἐπεζητήσατε.
Πλὴν δοκεῖτέ μοι περιηχεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν
αὐτόθι, τῶν μηδὲν ἐργαζομένων, οἱ 4 ἐπὶ διαβολῇ
ἡμετέρᾳ λέγουσί τινα, ὡς ἐκ τούτου ἑαυτοὺς
συστήσοντες," ἐὰν ἡμῶν τὰ αἴσχιστα καταψεύ-
σωνται. ἐκείνους μὲν γὰρ φανεροῖ ὁ παρελθὼν
χρόνος, καὶ προϊοῦσα ἡ πεῖρα φανερωτέρους
ποιήσει. ἡμεῖς δὲ παρακαλοῦμεν τοὺς ἠλπικότας
εἰς Χριστὸν μηδὲν παρὰ τὴν ἀρχαίαν περιεργά-
ζεσθαι πίστιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς πιστεύομεν, οὕτω καὶ
βαπτίξεσθαι, ὡς δὲ βαπτιξζόμεθα, οὕτω καὶ δοξο-
λογεῖν. ὀνόματα δὲ ἡμῖν ἀρκεῖ ἐκεῖνα ὁμολογεῖν,
Μαγνινιανῷ Med. Μαγνημιανῷ editi antiqi.
σπουδήν om. EH. 3 un add, Capps.
6 editi antiqi. 5 συστήσαντες editi antiqi.
τἀρκεῖν Med.
μὰ
Om

1 Written about 374. This Magnenianus may be the one

mentioned in Letter CCCX XV, but he is otherwise unknown.
Another MS. reading is Magninianus.
456
 LETTER CLXXV

DEB R (CLIX:

To Count Macnenianus !

Just recently your Dignity wrote to me about

certain other matters and explicitly commanding
that we should write you concerning the faith. But
while I admire your zeal regarding the matter, and
pray God that you may adhere unswervingly to your
choice of the good and that, always advancing in
both knowledge and good works, you may become
perfect; yet because I do not wish to leave behind
me any work on the faith or to compose sundry
creeds, I have kept to my resolution not to send
what you have sought.?
However, you seem to me to be compassed by the
din of men of that place,? who do no deed but say
things in order to slander us, thinking to get credit
for themselves from this, if they utter the most
shameful lies about us, For the past reveals their
characters and subsequent experience will reveal
them even more clearly. But we exhort those who
have put their hope in Christ not to concern them-
selves too much about any faith except the old, but,
just as we believe, so also to be baptized, and just as
we are baptized, so also to repeat the doxology.4 And
it is sufficient for us to confess those names which we

2 A short time later Basil did this very thing for Amphi-
lochius of leonium, and wrote the treatise De Spiritu Sancto.
8 The Benedictine edition (Vita Basilii XXX) thinks that
the allusion is to Atarbius of Neocaesarea and some of his
presbyters.
4 Cf. Basil, De Spiritu Sancto 26.
457
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἃ παρελάβομεν παρὰ τῆς ἁγιας Πραφῆς καὶ τὴν

ἐπὶ τούτοις καινοτομίαν διαφεύγειν. οὐ γὰρ ἐν
τῇ ἐφευρέσει τῶν προσηγοριῶν 1” σωτηρία. ἡμῶν,
ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ ὑγιεῖ περὶ τῆς θεότητος εἰς ἣν πε-
πιστεύκαμεν ὁμολογίᾳ.

CLXXVI
᾿Αμφιλοχίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ᾿Ικονίου
Παράσχοι ὁ
ὁ ἅγιος Θεὸςἐἐρρωμένῳ σοι τὸ σῶμα,
καὶ ἀπὸ πάσης ἀσχολίας ἀνειμένῳ, καὶ πάντα
πράττοντι κατὰ νοῦν, τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἡμῶν ταύτην
εἰς χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἄπρακτος ἡμῶν ἡ
παράκλησις" γένηται, ἣν παρακαλοῦμεν νῦν
ἐπιφανῆναί σε ἡμῶν τῇ πόλει, ἐπὶ τῷ σεμνοτέραν
γενέσθαι τὴν πανήγυριν, ἣν δι’ ἔτους ἄγειν ἐπὶ
τοῖς μάρτυσιν ἔθος ἐστὶν ἡμῶν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ.
πέπεισο γάρ, τιμιώτατέ μοι καὶ ποθεινότατε ὡς
ἀληθῶς, ὅτι πολλῶν εἰς πεῖραν ἐλθὼν ὁ παρ᾽
ἡμῖν 5 λαὸς τῆς οὐδενὸς οὕτως ἀντέχεται ἐπιτυχίας,
ὡς τῆς σῆς παρουσίας" τοιοῦτον κέντρον ἀγάπης
ἐκ τῆς μικρᾶς ἐκείνης συντυχίας ἐναφῆκας. ἵνα
οὖν καὶ ὁ Κύριος δοξασθῇ, καὶ λαοὶ εὐφρανθῶσι,
καὶ τιμηθῶσι “μάρτυρες, καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ γέροντες τῆς
ὀφειλομένης ἡμῖν παρὰ τέκνου γνησίου τύχωμεν
θεραπείας, καταξίωσον ἀόκνως μέχρις ἡμῶν
διαβῆναι, καὶ προλαβεῖν τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς συνόδου,
ὥστε ἐπὶ σχολῆς ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις συγγενέσθαι
καὶ * συμπαρακληθῆναι διὰ τῆς κοινωνίας τῶν
1 παράκλητιν I. 2 ἡμὼν editi antiqi.
3 καί om, E.
458
 LETTER CLXXVI

have received from the Holy Scripture and to shun

innovation in addition to them. For not in the
invention of appellations lies our salvation, but in the
sound confession of the Divinity in which we have
declared our faith.

LETTER CLXXVI
To Ampuitocuius, Bishop or Icontum }
May the holy God grant that this letter of ours
come into your hands, finding you strong in body,
free from all occupation, and faring in all respects
according to your wish, in order that our invitation
may not be in vain, which we now extend to you to
visit our city, for the purpose of rendering more
impressive the festival which it is the custom of our
church to celebrate annually in honour of the martyrs.”
For be assured, my most honoured and truly cherished
brother, that although our people have had ex-
perience of many visitors, they insist upon the visit
of no one so urgently as they do upon your coming;
so potent was the barb of love which you implanted
in them on the occasion of the former brief visit. In
order, therefore, that the Lord may be glorified, the
people made happy, the martyrs honoured, and we
old men receive the deference due to us from a true
son, deign to come to us without hesitation, and to
anticipate the days of the synod, so that we may
converse at leisure with each other and be mutually
1 Written in 374. Basil invites Amphilochius to a festival
in honour of St. Kupsychius, and asks that he come three
days before the feast.
* i.e. Damas and Eupsychius. For Eupsychius, cf.
Letters, C, CLIT, and CCLII.
459
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

πνευματικῶν χαρισμάτων. ἔστι δὲ ἡ ἡμέρα TH

πέμπτῃ τοῦ Σεπτεμβρίου. διὸ παρακαλοῦμεν
πρὸ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἐπιστῆναι, ἵνα καὶ τοῦ
πτωχοτροφείου τὴν μνήμην μεγάλην ποιήσῃς τῇ
παρουσίᾳ. ἐρρωμένος καὶ εὔθυμος ἐν Κυρίῳ
ὑπερευχύμενός μου διαφυλαχθείης μοι καὶ τῇ τοῦ
Θεοῦ 1 ἐκκλησίᾳ χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου.

CLXXVII
Σωφρονίῳ μαγίστρῳ
Καταλέγειν μὲν πάντας τοὺς δι᾽ ἡμᾶς εὐερ-
γετηθέντας παρὰ τῆς σῆς μεγαλονοίας οὐ ῥάδιον"
οὕτω πολλοὺς μὲν ® σύνισμεν ἑαυτοῖς εὐπεποιη-
κόσι διὰ τῆς μεγάλης σου “χειρός, ἣν ὁ Κύριος
ἡμῖν σύμμαχον ἐπὶ τῶν μεγίστων καιρῶν ἐχαρί-
σατο. δικαιότατος δὲ πάντων καὶ ὁ νῦν προσα-
γόμενος διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἡμῶν τυγχάνει, ὃ ὁ
αἰδεσιμώτατος 4 ἀδελφὸς Εὐσέβιος, παραλόγῳ
συκοφαντίᾳ περιπεσών, ἣν ἀποσκεδάσαι μόνης
ἐστὶ τῆς σῆς ὀρθότητος. διὸ παρακαλοῦμεν, καὶ
τῷ δικαίῳ χαριζόμενον, καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον
1 Χριστοῦ EK. 2 wevom. EK.
3 τυγχάνειν editi antiqi. 4 ἡμῶν add, editi antiqi.

1 This date seems to be a mistake for the seventh, the day

of St. EΡΒ. chius in the Greek calendar.
2 By μνήμη the Benedictine edition understands the ‘*‘ mem-
orial”’ church or chapel erected by Basil in his hospital at
Caesarea, 7.e. the church in the sense of a memorial. Cf.
Letter XCIV. For the use of μνήμη in this sense Du Cange
460
 LETTER CLXXVII

consoled through the communion of spiritual gifts.

The day is the fifth of September. Accordingly
we urge you to arrive three days beforehand, in order
that you may also make great by your presence the
memorial chapel? of the house of the poor. In good
health and joyful in the Lord, praying for me, may
you be preserved to me and to the Church of God by
the grace of the Lord.

LETTER CLXXVII
To Sopuronius, Master ὃ
To enumerate all those who for our sake have
been benefited by your Magnanimity is not easy ; to
sO many are we conscious cf having done good
through your mighty hand, which the Lord has
graciously given to us as an ally in most critical
times. But most worthy of all happens to be the
one now being introduced to you through our letter,
our most reverend brother Eusebius,* who has fallen
under an absurd calumny, which it is in the power
of your uprightness alone to repel. Therefore we
urge you, favouring what is right, considering the
cites Act. Conc. Chalced. 1,144. He explains it as being
equivalent to Latin memoria, i.e. aedes sacra in qua extat
sancti alicuius sepulerum. For such a use of memoria, cf.
Augustine, De Civ. Dei, 22,10: Nos autem martyribus nostris
non templa sicut diis sed memorias sicut hominibus mortuis
Jabricamus.
8 Written in 374. Sophronius, magister oficiorum, was ἃ
fellow-student of Basil at Athens, and a friend of Gregory
of Nazianzus. Other letters to this Sophronius are LX XVI,
XCVI, CLXXVII, CLXXX, CXCII, and CCLXXII.
4 Eusebius of Samosata. Cf. letters addressed to him.
461
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀφορῶντα, καὶ ἡμῖν τὰς συνήθεις παρεχόμενον

-“ lal \

χάριτας, ἀντὶ πάντων γενέσθαι τῷ ἀνδρί, καὶ

προστῆναι αὐτοῦ μετὰ THs! ἀληθείας. ἔχει γὰρ
οὐ μικρὰν συμμαχίαν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ δικαίου: ἣν
> \ e \ \ / / 28
εἰ μὴ ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς καταβλάψειε, πάνυ ῥάδιον
σαφῶς καὶ ἀναντιρρήτως ἐπιδειχθήσεσθαι."

CLXXVIII
"A Boupyio .

Πολλοὺς οἶδα πολλάκις συστήσας TH τιμιότητί

σου καὶ γενόμενος ἐπὶ μεγίστων καιρῶν χρήσιμος
ἱκανῶς τοῖς καταπονουμένοις. οὐ μὴν τιμιώτερόν
γε ἐμοὶ οὐδ᾽ ὑπὲρ μειζόνων ἀγωνιζόμενον οἶδα
πρότερον παραπέμψας τῇ κοσμιότητί σου τοῦ
ποθεινοτάτου υἱοῦ Εὐσεβίου, τοῦ νῦν τὴν ἐπι-
στολὴν ταύτην ἐγχειρίζοντός σοι παρ᾽ ἡμῶν. ὃς
ποταπῷ μὲν συμπέπλεκται πράγματι αὐτός, ἂν
τύχοι τινὸς καιροῦ, διηγήσεταί σου τῇ σεμνότητι.
ἃ δὲ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν λεχθῆναι προσῆκε ταῦτά ἐστι"
μὴ παρασυρῆναι τὸν ἄνδρα, μηδὲ τῷ πολλοὺς
πεφηνέναι τοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς χαλεπωτάταις πράξεσιν
ἑαλωκότας καὶ αὐτόν τι τῆς τῶν πολλῶν ὑπονοίας
παραπολαῦσαι': ἀλλὰ τυχεῖν δικαστηρίου, καὶ
εἰς ἐξέτασιν αὐτοῦ τὸν βίον ἀχθῆναι. ῥᾷστα
γὰρ οὕτω καὶ ἡ συκοφαντία φανερὰ γενήσεται,
1 τῆς om. Εἰ. 2 ἐπιδειχθῆτναι editi antiqi.
462
 LETTER CLXXVIII

lot of man, and conferring your customary favours

upon us, to do your utmost for the man, and in
company with the truth to defend him. For he has
no mean alliance in having justice on his side, and
unless the present crisis should interfere with this,
it will be quite easy to give clear and irrefutable
proof.

LEGER CLXXVIII
To Asuratus!
I know that I have often recommended many men
to your Honour and that in the greatest crises I
have proved sufficiently useful to those in affliction.
But no man more honoured in my eyes or fighting
for more important things have I ever before, 1
know, sent to your Decorum than our most beloved
son Eusebius, who now places in your hands this
letter from us. And in what sort of a difficulty he
is involved he himself, if he should find an oppor-
tunity, will relate to your Dignity. But what is
fitting that we ourselves should say is this: that the
man should not be swept aside nor, because there
are many who have clearly been caught in the most
grievous acts, should he also in any degree inciden-
tally derive disadvantage from the suspicion existing
against the many ; on the contrary, he should obtain
a trial, and his life should be subjected to ex-
amination. For in this way both will the calumny
very easily become manifest, and this man, having
1 Written in 374, on the same subject as the preceding.
Previous letters addressed to Aburgins are XX XIII, LX XV,
and CXLVII.
463
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Kal ὁ ἀνὴρ τυχὼν τῆς δικαιοτάτης προστασίας

κῆρυξ ἔσται διηνεκὴς τῶν ὑπηργμένων αὐτῷ
παρὰ τῆς σῆς ἡμερότητος.

CLXXIX
᾿Αρινθαίῳ
Καὶ φιλελεύθερόν σε εἶναι καὶ φιλάνθρωπον τό
τε τῆς φύσεως. εὐγενὲς καὶ τὸ πρὸς πάντας
κοινωνικὸν ἱκανῶς ἡμᾶς ἐκδιδάσκει. 610 θαρρούν-
τως } πρεσβεύομεν ὑπὲρ ἀνδρὸς λαμπροῦ μὲν
ἄνωθεν καὶ ἐκ προγόνων, πλείονος δὲ δι᾽ ἑαυτὸν
τιμῆς καὶ αἰδοῦς ἀξίου διὰ τὴν ἐνυπάρχουσαν
αὐτῷ τῶν τρόπων ἡμερότητα" ὥστε σε παρακλη-
θέντα ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν παραστῆναι αὐτῷ ἀγωνιζομένῳ
δίκην, τῆς μὲν ἀληθείας ἕνεκεν = εὐκαταφρόνητον,
ἐναγώνιον. δὲ ἄλλως διὰ τὸ τῆς συκοφαντίας βαρύ.
μεγάλη γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο αὐτῷ ῥοπὴ πρὸς σωτηρίαν,
εἰ καταξιώσειάς τι ῥῆμα φιλάνθρωπον ὑπὲρ
αὐτοῦ προέσθαι,5 προηγουμένως μὲν τῷ δικαίῳ
χαριζόμενος, ἔπειτα καὶ ἡμῖν τοῖς ἐξαιρέτοις
σου τὴν συνήθη τιμὴν καὶ χάριν καὶ ἐν τούτῳ
χαριζόμενος.
1 θαρροῦντες tres recent. MSS. 2 ἕνεκα editi antiqi.
3 προΐεσθαι editi antiqi.

1 According to the Benedictine edition, the circumstances

referred to are Valens’ cruelties upon those who were accused
of inquiring by divination as to who were to succeed him on
the throne. Cf. Amm. Marcell. 29, 1,
464
 LETTER CLXXIX

received your most just protection, will be a per-

petual herald of the benefits conferred upon him by
your Clemency.!

LEEPER CLYXXIX
To ARINTHAEUS 2
Tuart you are a lover both of freedom and of man-
kind the nobility of your nature and your accessibility
to all sufficiently informs us. Therefore with confi-
dence do we address you in behalf of a man who is
indeed distinguished through long lineage and
through his ancestors, but worthy through his own
merit of greater honour and respect because of the
inherent gentleness of his character; so that at our
exhortation you may assist him in his fight against a
charge which, so far as the truth is concerned,
deserves nothing but contempt, but for the rest is
dangerous on account of the seriousness of the
calumny. For it would be of great influence towards
his safety if you would deign to say a kind word on
his behalf, since in the first place you would be
assisting justice, and secondly to us your chosen
friends you would be showing in this instance also
your accustomed honour and favour.
2 Written in 374. Arinthaeus was an able general under
Valens. He was a friend of Basil and a staunch protector of
the Church, although, as was usual in that age, he deferred
baptism till his death-bed. Cf. Letter CCLXIX. He was
consul in 372, and must have died before Basil (379). If we
are to believe Theodoret (Eccl. Hist. 4, 30), he seconded the
general Trajan’s rebuke of Valens in 378; so he must have
died but a few months before Basil. Cf. Villemont, Zy-
pereurs, 5, 100.
465
VOL. II. ΗΗ
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CLXXX
Σωφρονίῳ μαγίστρῳ, Evpabiou ἕνεκεν
"A
νδρὶ ἀξιολόγῳ περιτυχὼν περιστάσει οὐκ
ὃ \ > / \ ΄ 9%

ἀνεκτῇ κεχρημένῳ ἔπαθον τὴν ψυχήν. τί γὰρ

οὐκ ἔμελλον, ἄνθρωπος ὦν, ἀνθρώπῳ ἐλευθέρῳ
map ἀξίαν ἐμπεπλεγμένῳ πράγμασι συναλγεῖν ;
καὶ βουλευσάμενος πῶς ἂν γενοίμην αὐτῷ
χρήσιμος, μίαν εὗρον λύσιν τῆς κατεχούσης
αὐτὸν δυσχερείας, εἰ τῇ σῇ κοσμιότητι ποιήσαιμι
γνώριμον. σὸν οὖν τὸ ἐφεξῆς, τὴν cas σπουδήν,
ἣν εἰς, πολλοὺς ἐφ᾽ 2 ἡμῖν μάρτυσιν 3 ἐπιδέδειξαι,
καὶ αὐτῷ παρασχέσ αι.
Τὸ δὲ πρᾶγμα γνωρίσει ἡ ἐπιδοθεῖσα παρ᾽
αὐτοῦ δέησις τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν, ἣν καὶ λαβεῖν εἰς
χεῖρας καὶ συμπρᾶξαι τῷ ἀνδρὶ τὰ δυνατὰ
παρακλήθητι. καὶ γὰρ Χριστιανῷ χαρίζῃ, καὶ
εὐγενεῖ, καὶ ἀπὸ λόγου πολλοῦ τὸ αἰδέσιμον
ἐπαγομένῳ. ἐὰν δὲ προσθῶμεν, ὅτι καὶ ἡμεῖς
μεγάλην διὰ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν εὐποιίας ὑποδεχόμεθα Ξ
χάριν, πάντως, κἂν “μικρὸν ἢ ἄλλως τὸ ἡμέτερον,
ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς σεμνότητος ἀεὶ ἐν λόγῳ ποιεῖσθαι
τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἀνεχομένης, οὐ μικρὸν φανεῖται τὸ
χαρισθὲν ἡμῖν.
᾿ οὖν add. editi antiqi. 2 ὑφ᾽ editi antiqi.
3 μάρτυρας EK. 4 χαρίζει editi antiqi.
5 ἀποδεχόμεθα KE; ἀποδεξόμεθα editi antiqi.

1 Written in 374. Nothing is known about this Eumathius,

except for the present letter.
466
 LETTER CLXXX

LETTER CLXXX
To Sopnronius, THE Master, IN BEHALF OF
Eumatutus.!
On meeting an estimable man who found himself
in an unbearable situation I suffered in my soul.
For why, since I am man,? was I not to sympathize
with a free man involved in troubles beyond his
deserts? And in deliberating how I could be
helpful to him, I found but one solution of the
difficulty that besets him—if I should make him
known to your Decorum. The rest, therefore,
depends upon you—to place at his disposal also that
zeal of yours which on our testimony you have
shown to many.
The petition presented by him to the emperors
will inform you of the facts; and pray be kind
enough to take this into your hands and do all in
your power for the man, For you are doing a
favour to a Christian, to a man of noble birth, and to
one who wins respect through his great learning.
And if we add that we also shall receive a great
kindness through your good offices to him, assuredly,
even though our concerns are in general of small
importance to you, yet, since your August Reverence
always deigns to give consideration to our affairs, the
favour granted to us will not appear small.

2 Cf. Menander, Frag. 602 K : οὐδείς ἐστί, μοι ἀλλότριος, ἂν

ἢ χρηστός: vow μία πάντων, τὸ δ᾽ οἰκεῖον συνίστησιν
τρόπος. ‘‘ For me none is a foreigner if so be he is good.
One nature is in all and it is character that makes the tie of
kin.” Cf. also Terence, ᾽ Heaut. Tim. 77.

467
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

CLXXXI
᾽᾿Οτρηίῳ Merntivys
Οἶδα ὅτι καὶ τῆς σῆς εὐλαβείας τοσοῦτον
ἅπτεται ὁ χωρισμὸς τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἐπισκό-
που EvoeBiov ὅσον καὶ ἡμῶν αὐτῶν. ἐπεὶ οὖν
ἀμφότεροι χρήζομεν παρακλήσεως, ἀλλήλοις
γενώμεθα τ μον καὶ σύ τε ἡμῖν ἐπίστελλε
τὰ ἐκ Σαμοσάτων, ἡμεῖς τε ἅπερ ἂν μάθωμεν
ἀπὸ τῆς Θρᾷκης ἀπαγγελοῦμεν. φέρει γὰρ ἐμοὶ
μὲν τὸ γινώσκειν. τοῦ λαοῦ τὴν ἔνστασιν οὐ
μικρὰν ῥᾳστώνην ἐκ τῶν παρόντων λυπηρῶν, τῇ
δὲ σῇ χρηστότητι τὸ διδάσκεσθαι ἐἐν οἷς ἐστὶν ὁ
κοινὸς ἡμῶν πατήρ. ἀμέλει καὶ νῦν οὐ ᾿ γράμμασι
σημαίνειν ἔχομεν: ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸν παρεστήσαμέν σοι
τὸν ἀκριβῶς εἰδότα ' καὶ ἀπαγγέλλοντα ":ἐν οἷς
αὐτὸν κατέλιπε, καὶ ὅπως καὶ φέροντα τὰ συμ-
πίπτοντα. εὔχου τοίνυν καὶ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ καὶ
ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα ὁ Κύριος ταχεῖαν ἀπαγάγῃ τῶν
δεινών τούτων τὴν λύσιν.

CLXXXII
Τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις Σαμοσάτων ὃ
“Ὅσον λυπο ύμεθα ἐνθυμούμενοι τὴν ἐρημίαν τῆς
ἐκκλησίας, τοσοῦτον μακαρίζομεν ὑμᾶς εἰς τοῦτο
1 ἰδόντα Εἰ.
- ἀπαγγελοῖ ντα Coisl. secundus et Reg. secundus,
3 Παυλίνῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ ἐν ἐξορίᾳ ὄντι Claromontanus. Παυλίνῳ
πρεσβύτῃ editi antiqi.
468
 LETTER CLXXXII

ESE Rie GIG XOXeXcT

To Orretus oF MELeETINE!

I know that the removal of the most God-beloved

bishop Eusebius touches your Reverence as much as
it does even ourselves. Since, then, we both need
consolation, let us be a solace to each other, And
do you write to us the news from Samosata, and we
shall report what we learn from Thrace.? For to
me the knowledge of the steadfastness of your
people brings no small alleviation of our present
miseries, as “does to your Uprightness information
regarding the condition of our common father. To
be sure, even now we cannot inform you by letter;
but we have commended to you one who
accurately knows and reports in what state he left
him and how, moreover, he is bearing his afflictions.
Pray, therefore, both for him and for us, that the
Lord may bring a quick release from these troubles.

JOUER (CLO ΧΙ]

To THE PressyTerRs oF SamosaTa 9

As much as we grieve in considering the desola-
tion * of the Church, equally do we felicitate you on
1 Written in 374. Otreius, one of the leading orthodox
prelates of the fourth century, was at Tyana in 367, and at
Constantinople in 381. Meletine, now Malatia, in Armenia
Minor.
* Eusebius was in exile there at this time.
3 Written in 374.
4 The reference is chiefly to the exile of Eusebius,
469
 COLLECTED~- LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

Pees TO μέτρον THs ἀθλήσεως,ὃ παράσχοι

ὑμῖν" o Κύριος μακροθύμως παρελθεῖν, Iἵνα καὶ
τῆς πιστῆς οἰκονομίας καὶ τῆς γενναίας ἐνστάσεως,
ἣν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπεδείξασθε,
τὸν μέγαν μισθὸν ὑποδέξησθε.

CLXXXIIT
Πολιτευομένοις Σαμοσάτων "
Ὅταν ἀπίδω ὅτι ὁ μὲν πειρασμὸς κατὰ πάσης
ἤδη Be τῆς οἰκουμένης, καὶ αἱ μέγισται τῶν
ἐπὶ Συρίας πόλεων τῶν ἴσων ὑμῖν ὃ πεπείρανται
παθημάτων, οὐ πανταχοῦ δὲ οὕτω δόκιμον καὶ
διαπρεπὲς ἐπ᾽ ἀγαθοῖς ἔργοις τὸ βουλευτήριον, ὡς
τὸ ὑμέτερον νῦν ἐπὶ τῇ σπουδῇ τῶν ἀγαθῶν
ἔργων διαβεβόηται, ἐγγύς εἰμι, καὶ χάριν ἔχειν *
τοῖς οἰκονομηθεῖσιν. εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐγεγόνει ἡ θλίψις
αὕτη, οὐκ ἂν ὑμῶν διεφάνη τὸ δόκιμον. ὥστε
ἔοικεν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ κάμινος χρυσῷ, τοῦτο εἶναι ἡ
ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ἐλπίδος θλίψις τοῖς ἀντι-
ποιουμένοις τινὸς ἀρετῆς.
"Aye οὖν, ὦ θαυμάσιοι, ὅπως τοῖς προπεπονη-
μένοις ἄξια ἐπαγάγητε τὰ ἑπόμενα, καὶ φανῆτε
μεγάλῃ κρηπῖδι ἀξιολογωτέραν ἐπιτιθέντες τὴν
1 ἡμῖν ἢ, Med.
9
2 ἀγαπητικὴ προσφώνησις add. Reg. secundus, Coisl. se-
cundus.
3 ἡμῖν editi antiqi.
4 ἐπί add. E.

1 Written in 374, on Eusebius’ exile.

470
 LETTER CLXXXIII

your having already arrived at this limit of your

struggle, through which may the Lord grant that
you may pass patiently, in order that both for the
faithful stewardship and for the noble steadfastness
which you have shown for Christ’s name, you may
receive the great reward.

LETTER CLXXXIII
To THE SENATE oF SamosatTa1
Wuenever I observe that our trial has now become
spread over the whole earth, and that the greatest
cities of Syria have experienced sufferings the equal
of your own, but that nowhere has the Senate shown
itself so tested and distinguished in good works as
yours has now been proclaimed because of its zeal
for good works, I am almost even thankful for what
has been ordained. For if this affliction had not
come, neither would your probity have been made
manifest. So it seems that what a furnace is to gold,?
such is this affliction, endured on behalf of our hope
in God, to those who lay claim to some degree of
virtue.
Come then, O admirable men, see that to your
labours already accomplished you add others to
follow that are worthy of them, and that on the
great foundation you are seen to place a capstone
2 Cf. Prov. 17.3: ὥσπεῤ δοκιμάζεται ἐν καμίνῳ ἄργυρος καὶ
χρυσός, οὕτως ἐκλεκταὶ καρδίαι παρὰ Κυρίῳ. ‘‘ Assilver is tried
by fire, and gold in the furnace: so the Lord trieth the
hearts.” Cf. also Prov. 27. 21: δοκίμιον ἀργύρῳ καὶ χρυσῷ
πύρωσις, ἀνὴρ δὲ δοκιμάζεται διὰ στόματος ἔγκωμιαζόντων αὐτόν.
‘* As silver is tried in the fining-pot and gold in the furnace:
so a man is tried by the mouth of him that praiseth.”
471
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

κορυφήν, ᾿ καὶ περίστητε μὲν τὸν ποιμένα τῆς

ἐκκλησίας, ὅταν δῷ ὁ Κύριος αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἰδίων a
φανῆναι θρόνων, ἄχλος ἄλλο τι τῶν ὑπὲρ os
᾿Εκκλησίας τοῦ Θεοῦ πεπολιτευμένων ἡμῖν *
διηγούμενοι, ἐν δὲ τῇ μεγάλῃ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμέρᾳ
ἕκαστος κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῶν πεπονημένων
παρὰ τοῦ μεγαλοδώρου Θεοῦ δεχόμενοι τὴν ἀντί-
δοσιν. ἡμῶν δὲ μεμνημένοι καὶ ἐπιστέλλοντες
ὁσάκις ἂν ἡ δυνατόν, δίκαιά τε et ae τοῖς
ἴσοις ἡμᾶς ἀμειβόμενοι, καὶ ἅμα οὐ μικρῶς ὃ ἡμᾶς
εὐφρανεῖτε, τῆς ἡδίστης ἡμῖν φωνῆς ὑμῶν ἐναργῆ
σύμβολα διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων διαπεμπόμενοι.

CLXXXIV
Εὐσταθίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ ἱἹμμερίας ὃ
Οἶδα ὅτι στυγνοποιὸν πρᾶγμα ἡ ᾿ὀρφανία καὶ
πολυάσχολον, διὰ τὸ ἐρημίαν ἐπάγειν τῶν
προεστώτων. ὅθεν λογίζομαι καὶ τὴν σὴν εὐλά-
βειαν ἐπιστυγνάζουσαν τοῖς συμβεβηκόσι μὴ
ἐπιστέλλειν ἡμῖν, καὶ ὁμοῦ ἐν πλείονι εἶναι νῦν
ἀσχολίᾳ, περιτρέχειν τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνια
διὰ τὴν πανταχόθεν τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπανάστασιν.
ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ πάσης λύπης παρηγορία ἡ πρὸς
τοὺς ὁμοψύχους ἐστὶν ὁμιλία, καταξίου ὁσάκις
ἂν δυνατόν σοι ἐπιστέλλειν ἡμῖν, καὶ αὐτός τε
κορωνίδες Reg. secundus, Coisl. secundus, Paris.
τῶν ἰδίων] τὸν ἴδιον Εἰ. - θρόνον. E.
ὑμῖν KE. 5 σμικρῶς EK.
Ἑ μμέρως Coisl, secundus, Reg. secundus.
Ne
Yak
περιέπειν E, Med.

472
 LETTER CLXXXIV

more distinguished still, and that you may stand

about the shepherd! of the Church, whenever the
Lord grants him to appear on his proper throne,
each one relating to us some different act performed
on behalf of the Church of God, and on the great
day of the Lord each one receiving from the bounti-
ful God a reward proportionate to his labours. But
if you are mindful of us and write as often as is
possible, you will do what is just by requiting us
with like for like, and at the same time you will
gladden us not a little by sending us through your
letters vivid symbols of your voice which we find
most sweet.

LETTER CLXXXIV
To Eusratutus, Bishop or Himmerta 2
I Know that orphanhood brings sadness and
causes much concern, because it occasions a loss of
those who are placed over us. Wherefore I consider
that your Piety also, because he is saddened by
what has come to pass, fails to write to us, and at
the same time that he is at this moment still more
preoccupied, in having to visit 5. the flocks of Christ
because of the uprising of the enemy on every side.
But since discourse between those of like minds is a
consolation for every grief, deign as often as you can
1 Kusebius, in exile at this time. Cf. the preceding
letters,
2 Written in 374. Himmeria was in Osrhoene. This
Eustathius is otherwise unknown.
3 The Benedictine edition suggests the reading περιτρέχειν
τε, ‘‘and is visiting.”
473
 COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL

ἀναπαύεσθαι ἐν τῷ φθέγγεσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ

ἡμᾶς παρηγορεῖν ἐν τῷ μεταδιδόναι ἡμῖν τῶν
σεαυτοῦ ῥημάτων. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς. σπου-
δάσομεν ποιῆσαι ὁσάκις ἂν ἡμῖν ἐνδιδῷ τὰ mpay-
ματα. εὔχου δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν
ἀδελφότητα παρακάλεσον σπουδαίως δυσωπεῖν
τὸν Κύριον, ἵνα δείξῃ ποτὲ ἡμῖν λύσιν τῆς περιε-
χούσης ἡμᾶς κατηφείας.

CLXXXV
Θεοδότῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Bepoias
Οἶδα ὅτι, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐπιστέλλεις ἡμῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν
τῇ καρδίᾳ σοὺ ὑπάρχει ἡ μνήμη ἡμῶν. καὶ τοῦτο
τεκμαίρομαι, οὐχ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἄξιός εἰμι μνήμης
τινὸς δεξιᾶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἡ σὴ ψυχὴ πλουτεῖ ἐν τῇ
τῆς ἀγάπης περιουσίᾳ. πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον δυνατόν
σοι ταῖς παρεμπιπτούσαις προφάσεσι κέχρησο
εἰς τὸ ἐπιστέλλειν ἡμῖν, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς μᾶλλον
εὐψυχῶμεν μανθάνοντες τὰ περὶ ὑμῶν, καὶ
ἀφορμὴν "λαμβάνωμεν εἰς τὸ καὶ αὐτοὶ σημαίνειν
ὑμῖν τὰ ἡμέτερα. οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ τρόπος τῆς
ὁμιλίας τοῖς τοσοῦτον διεζευγμένοις τῷ σώματι,
ὁ δι ἐπιστολῶν, οὗ μὴ ἀποστερῶμεν ἀλλήλους,
καθόσον ἂν ἐνδιδῷ τὰ πράγματα. “παράσχοι δὲ
ὁ Κύριος καὶ τὴν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺςἡ ἡμῖν συντυχίαν,
ἵνα καὶ τὴν ἀγάπην αὐξήσωμεν καὶ τὴν εἰς τὸν
Δεσπότην ἡμῶν εὐχαριστίαν πλεονάσωμεν ἐπὶ
μείζοσι ταῖς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ δωρεαῖς.
1 διαζευγνυμένοις editi antiqi.
474
 LETTER CLXXXV

to write to us, and thus both to gain strength for

yourself by speaking to us, and to console us by
making us sharers of your words. And this too we
also shall endeavour to do as often as circumstances
permit us. And do you yourself pray, and exhort
the whole brotherhood earnestly to importune the
Lord, that He may one day show us release from the
sorrow that surrounds us.

LETTER CLXXXV
To Tueopotus, BtsHop or Berruorat
I know that, even though you do not write to us,
yet in your heart there exists the memory of us.
And I judge this, not because I myself am worthy of
any assurance of remembrance, but because your soul
is rich in the abundance of charity. But neverthe-
less, in so far as it is possible for you, do make use
of the opportunities that offer themselves to write to
us, in order that we may be of better courage on
learning of your affairs, and that we too may our-
selves receive an opportunity of making ours known
to you. For this is the means of conversation for
those who are so widely separated in person, | mean
correspondence by letter, and of this let us not
deprive each other, in so far as circumstances may
permit. And may the Lord grant us also a meeting
face to face, in order that we may both increase our
charity and multiply our thanksgiving to our
Master for His still greater gifts.
1 Written in 374. Theodotus was orthodox Bishop of
Berrhoea in Syria under Valens. Nothing more is known
about him,
475
 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES
ABRAHAM, of Batnae, 133, 301 and Armenia, 171 note, 183 and note
note Armenia, Lesser, 173 note, 249 note
Abraham, of Urimi in Syria, 133 Ascholius, Bishop of Thessalonica,
Aburgius, 79 and note, 170 note, 352 377 and note, 381 note, 421, 420,
note, 353, 463 and note 429 and note
Acropolis, of Athens, 77 Asterius, 44 note
Aeschylus, 73 and note Atarbius, of Neocaesarea, 22 note,
Alcinous, 69 23, 271 and note, 457 note
Alexander, 99 note, 152 note, 153 Athanaricus, king of the Goths, 427
Alexandria, 147 note
Amasea, 347 Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria, 13
Ambrose, 31 note, 128 note, 145 note, and note, 27, 33, 39, 43 note, 89, 97
323 note, 377 note and note, 98 note, 118 note, 121 and
Amentius, Arian bishop of Milan, note, 12%, 145 note, 297 note, 303
323 note note, 323 note
Amphilochius, 360 note, 361, 365 note, Athens, 75
367 note, 411, 420 note, 457 note, Augustine, St., 449 note
459 and note Aurelian, 323 note
Ancyra, 187 Auxentius, 29 note, 42 note
Andronicus, general, 215
Anthimus, of Tyana, 133, 245 note, BARSUMAS, 133
247 and note, 251 and note, 253 Basil, henchman of Eustathius, 240
Antioch, church of, 30 note, 31, 33, 47, note, 241
119 note, 333 Bassus, 133
Antiochene schism, 171 note Boethus, 133
Antiochus, nephew of Eusebius, 351 Bosporius, Bishop of Colonia, 341 and
and note, 391 and note, 393, 437 note
Antipater, 170 note, 316 note, 317 Bretannius, 233 and note
Antiphon, 19 note
Apollinarism, 261 note CAESAREA, 5 and note, 51, 58 note,
Apollinarius, of Laodicea, 283 and 247 note
note, 287, 297 and note, 299 Caesaria (or Caesarius), 145 and note
Aquileia, council held at, 128 note Callisthenes, 59 and note, 61 and note
Arians, 16, 194 note Cappadocia, 51 note, 66 note, 67 note,
Ariminum (Rimini), Council of, 42 79 note, 171
note, 43 Cappadocia Secunda, 167, 247 note
Arinthaeus, 187 note, 375 note, 465 Cappadocians, 109 note, 219, 311
and note Ceades, Laconian, 75
Aristotle, 307 note, 308 Censitor, 101 and note
Arius, 45, 49, 127, 131, 137, 267, 291 Chamanene, 103
note, 293 Chosroes, 133

477
 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES
Christians, groups of, 28 note, 189 note, 185 note, 247 note, 255 note,
Cicero, 19 note 258 note, 274 note, 275 and note,
Cilicia, 39 276 note, 277, 313 and note, 319 and
Colonia, 277 and note note, 338 note, 339, 345 note, 349,
Constantinople, Council of, 23 note, 391 note, 417, 431 and note, 435
377 note and note, 437 and note, 461 note,
Constantius, 295 note, 339 note 469, 471, 473
Croesus, 219 Tusebius, letter-carrier of Basil, 463
Oyriacus, 225 Eustathian, or Old Catholic party,
Cyril, Bishop of Armenia, 183, 249 30 note
Cyrus the Great, 219 Eustathius, Bishop of Himmeria,
473 and note
DAMAS, 459 and note Eustathius, of Sebaste, 30 note, 39
Damasus, Pope, 49 note, 119 note, note, 86 note, 87, 133, 157, 169, 173
123 note, 322 note and note, 175, 177, 179, 240 note,
Danube, 425 and note 241, 247 note, 249 note, 255 note,
Daphnus, 133 258 note, 259, 271, 276 note, 281
Dazinas, 297 note, 291, 323 and note, 373 note
Dianius, 93 note, 337 note Eustathius, deacon, 315 and note
Diocletian, 49 note Eustathius, physician, 371 and note
Diodorus, presbyter of Antioch, 307 Eustochius, 59 and note
and note, 179, 399 Eutyches, 425 and note
Dionysius, 42 note Evagrius, of Antioch, 322 note, 385
Dionysius, Bishop of Alexandria, 51 and note
note
Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, 51 note FAUSTINUS, 324 note, 325
Dionysius, of Milan, 145 note Faustus, 248 note, 249, 251 and note,
Domitian, 215, 217, 219 253, 259 note, 295 note, 375 note
Dorotheus, deacon, 35 and note, 37, Firminus, 232 note, 233, 235 note
39, 41, 99 and note, 113, 115, 119 Fronto, 270 note, 271
and note, 129 note, 247 note, 389 Frumentius, 295 note

ECpICctIus, 17 note GALLIENUS, 51 note

Egypt, 49, 147 Gelasius, 293
Elias, governor of Cappadocia, 103 Germinius, 42 note
note, 149, 156 note, 157, 170 note Getasa, 173, 177
Ellelichus, 237 note Glycerius, 439, 443
Elpidius, 19 and note, 82 note, 85 and Governor of Neocaesarea, 19
note, 319 and note Gregory VII, 249 note
Epiphanius, 31 note Gregory, his uncle, 2, 5, 11
Eucharist, 146 note, 147 note, 289 note Gregory of Nazianzus, 31 note, 53
Eugenius, the monk, 331 and note, 228 note, 237 note, 255
Euippius, 39 and note, 281 and note note, 274 note, 313 note, 430 note,
Eumathius, 467 and note 434 note, 439 and note, 445 and note
Eupaterius, 393 and note Gregory of Nyssa, 1 note, 31 note,
Euphemius, 379 133, 168 note, 169, 185, 187 note,
Euphronius, 277 note 439 and note, 445 and note
Eupraxius, 431 note Gregory, the elder, of Nazianzus, 133
Eupsychius, 185 and note, 345 and Gregory, Thaumaturgus, 145 note |
note, 459 and note, 460 note
Euripides, 18 note, 19 HALYs, 16
Eusebius, Bishop of Vercelli, 322 note, Helladius, 19 note, 205, 209
323 note Hellenius, 53 and note, 166 note, 167
Tusebius, Bishop of Samosata, 42 note, Heracleidas, 361 and note, 365 note,
133, 154 note, 155, 165, 183 and 367 note

478
 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES
Hermogenes, 92 note, 93 and note, Maximus, 170 note, 171, 352 note,
337 note 353, 354 note, 359 and note
Hesychius, 20 note, 21 59 and note Meletius, 30 note, 31 note, 35, 37 and
Hippias, 309 note, 41, 118 note, 119, 120 note,
Hypsis (or Hypsinus), 17 note 133, 154 note, 155, 167 and note,
171 note, 177, 179, 245 and note,
IAMBLICHUS, 18 note 258 note, 282 note, 283, 313 note,
Iatrius, 133 387
Iberia, 171 note Modestus, Prefect of the Praetorium,
Illyrians, 119 194 note, 195, 211, 213
Illyricum, 49 note, 137 Moses, 93
Innocent, Bishop, 91 and note
Isaac, 313 > NARES, 133
Isauria, 116 note Nazianzus, 167
Tsosaces, 133 Neocaesarea, 23 note
Ister river, 425 note Nicaea, faith of, 42 note, 44 note, 93
note, 131, 141, 225, 227, 261, 279
JACOB, 404 Nice, in Thrace, 42 note
Jerome, 43 note, 129 note, 322 note Nicias, 193
Jerusalem, 143 Nicopolis, 167, 173 and note
Jobinus, of Perrha, 133 Numerarii, 344 note, 345
John, 133
John Chrysostom, 31 note, 91 note, ODYSSEUS, 69
322 note
Olympius, 296 note, 297
John, the Baptist, 367 Osroene, 116 note
Joseph, 133 Otreius, of Meletine, 469 and note
Jovinus, a count of the Empire, 419
and note
Jovinus (Jobinus), of Perrha, 239 PAEONIUS, presbyter, 304 note, 305
and note, 275 and note Palladia, 317 and note
Julian, 185 note Palladius, Arian bishop, 128 note
Julitta, 202 note, 203, 205 Palmatius, 171
Julius, Pope of Rome, 43 note Parnassus, a town in Northern
Julius Soranus, a duke of Scythia, 380 Cappadocia, 16 note
note, 429 note Parnassus, church of, 17 and note
Justinian, 67 note Paul, 133, 338 note
Paulinus, 31 note, 171 note, 385 note
LEONTIUS, 93 note, 337 note Pelagius, of Laodicea, 133
Lesser Armenia, 53 note Pentheus, 69
Libanius, 133 Peter, reverend brother, 41, 87 note,
Liberius, Pope, 42 note, 291 note 241 and note
Libya, 13, 14 Peter, Bishop of Alexandria, 303 and
Lucifer, of Cagliare, 31 note note
Pharaoh, 15
MACEDONIANS, 96 note Pharmagus, 155
Macedonius, 338 note Pharos, 97 note
Maenads, 69 Plato, 307 note, 308
Magnenianus, Count, 456 note, 457 Pneumetomachians, 323 note, 338
Marcellinus, 295 note note
Marcellus of Ancyra, 43 note, 44 note Podandus (Podando), 75 and note,
45 and note, 262 note, 263 77, 79, 160 note
Marcianus, 133 Poemenius, presbyter of Sebasteia,
Maris, 133 175, 193 note, 251 and note
Martinianus, 67 and note Pompeianus, of Antioch, 323 and note
Massagete tribes, 75 Pontus, 58 note

479
 INDEX OF PROPER NAMES
Pontus Polemoniacus, province of, 23 Terentius, 21 and note, 171 and note;
note daughters of, 199
Praefectus praetorio, 89 and note Tetrapolis of Armenia, 39
Praepositus sacri cubiculi, 89 and note Thalassius, 133
Procopius, 19 note Thebaid, 137
Protagoras, 309 Theodora, a canoness, 449
Ptolemy 11, 97 note Theodoretus, 133
Pythagoras, 102 note Theodorus, 257
Theodosius, Emperor, 377 note
RESTITUTUS, of Carthage, 42 note Thecdotus, 133
Rome, bishops of, 41; council at, Theodotus, of Berrhoea, 475 and note
128 note Theodotus, of Nicopolis, 133, 155 and
note, 171, 172 note, 173, 175, 177,
SABAS, 381 note, 425 note, 427 note, 249 and note, 255 note, 258 note,
429 note 270 note, 290 note, 291
Sabellianism, 22 note Theophilus, 291 note, 292 and note
Sabellius, 263, 273, 286 note, 287 Theophrastus, deacon, 155
Sabinus, 119 and note, 123, 129 and Theoph ea philosopher, 307 note,
note, 135 08
Samosata, 167 Therasius, 83 and note, 84
Samosatians, 121 Thrasymachus, 309
Samuel, 29 Trajan, general, 170 note, 355 and
Sanctissimus, presbyter, 246 note, note, 359 and note, 375 note, 465
247 and note, 251, 287, 303 note
Sasima, 65 Tyana, Senate of, 161, 247
Satala, 171 note, 191, 193
Saturninus, Count, 301 URBICIUS, a monk, 254 note, 255
Scythians, 51 note, 75 Ursacius, 42 note
Sebaste (Sebasteia), 86 note, 165 note, Ursinus, 322 note
215
Secundinus, Arian bishop, 128 note VALENS, 16, 25 note, 29 note, 66 note,
Severus, 271 74 note, 87 note, 117 note, 149 note,
Silvanus, 35 and note, 291 note 160 note, 171 note, 194 note, 255
Simonides, 73 and note note, 325 note, 339 note, 344 note,
Simplicia, heretic, 229 and note 349, 355 note, 375 note, 437 note,
Sixtus IT, 51 note 464 note, 465 note
Solon, 77 Valerian, 51 note
Sophronius, Bishop, 445 and note Valerianus, Bishop of Aquileia, 128
Sophronius, the Master, 81 and note, note, 129
83 note, 157, 199, 240 note, 461 and Vespasian, 143
note, 467 Victor, the general, 375 and note 377
Vitus, of Carrhae, 133
TARSUS, 221, 225
Taurus, Mt., 161 note, 211 ZENO, of Tyre, 123
Tchikin Aghyl, 16 Zenobia, of Palmyra, 323 note

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