Front matter
Theology Library
SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY
AT CLAREMONT
California
_ Miia ἣν
THE LOEB CLASSICAL LIBRARY
FOUNDED BY JAMES LOEB, LL.D.
EDITED BY
TI. E. PAGE, 6.π., Lirr.p.
+E. CAPPS, px.p., LL.D.
+W. H. Ὁ. ROUSE, tirt.p.
= A. POST, L.a.p.
E. H. WARMINGTON, M.a<., F.B.1ST.Soc.
SAINT BASIL
THE LETTERS
ae Ι ne :
| "ὦ.
— ha
Rast Lliws Saints 4 the Ab fof Caesarea )\- 2-
SAINT BASIL
THE LETTERS
eS WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
ROY J. DEFERRARI, Ῥη.}).
2.66) ΤᾺΣ
OF THE CATHOLIO UNIVERSITY
OF AMERICA
IN FOUR VOLUMES
ν, 4"
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
HARVARD
UNIVERSITY
PRESS LONDON
WILLIAM HEINEMANN LTD
MCMLXIT
First printed 1928 Reprinted 1950, 1962 Printed in Great Britain
CONTENTS PAGE
PREFATORY NOTE.)
eo e's) ees LETTER LIX.
TO GREGORY, HIS UNCLE
So are LX.
TO GREGORY,
HIS UNCLE
mal δ τ LXI,
TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
CONSOLATION TO THE CHURCH OF PARNASSUS
LXII.
LXIII.
TO THE GOVERNOR OF NEOCAESAREA
TO HESYCHIUS
Cee Ὁ ΡΟΝ LXIV.
TO ΑἸΑΙ͂ ν᾿ ee ee ek, LXV.
TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXVI.
TO ATHANASIUS,
BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXVII.
TO MELETIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH
LXVIII.
TO ATHANASIUS,
BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXIX.
WITHOUT ADDRESS,
CONCERNING
A SYNOD LXxX.
BASIL TO GREGORY
LXXI.
TO HESYCHIUS
os Ne teen LM LXXHI.
TO CALLISTHENES
ei ais LXXIII.
TO MARTINIANUS.
«© © »© « LXXIV.
70: ABURGIUS.
νὰ...
Ὁ. τς LXXV.
TO SOPHRONIUS, THE MASTER.
LXXVI.
WITHOUT ADDRESS, ABOUT THERASIUS
ὁ LXXVII.
WITHOUT ADDRESS,
IN BEHALF OF ELPIDIUS
LXXVIII.
TO EUSTATHIUS, BISHOP OF SEBASTE.
LXXIX.
TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXXX.
CONTENTS PAGE LKVTER
TO BISHOP INNOCENT
ae aes sy π᾿ LXXXI,
TO ATHANASIUS, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
LXXXII.
TO. A ORBNSEDOR:"
2s <a se ete ee ee LXXXIII,
TO THE GOVERNOR:
© "e) is so (=) = LXXXIV.
ABOUT THERE BEING NO NECESSITY OF TAKING
LXXXyV.
THE OATH 9-Fiset £ Cotreee os ce se os
LXXXVI.
TO. THE GOVERNOR:
ς΄ «9s be) sella sl ie 11ὅ LXXXVII.
WITHOUT ADDRESS, ON THE SAME SUBJECT
WITHOUT ADDRESS,
FOR A TAX-COLLECTOR
LXXXVIII.
LXXXIX.
TO MELETIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH
Ὁ τὶ Aire xc.
TO THE MOST HOLY BRETHREN AND BISHOPS
OF THE WHSL
2's ae ce, cae ee Od
TO VALERIAN,
BISHOP OF THE ILLYRIANS
TO THE ITALIANS AND GAULS
.« « = = «s
TO THE PATRICIAN CAESARIA, ON COMMUNION
TO ELIAS, GOVERNOR OF THE PROVINCE.
XCV.
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
xovi.
TO SOPHRONIUS, MASTER
XCVII.
TO THE SENATE OF TYANA.
XOVIII.
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
TO COUNT TERENTIUS
eo Sy lee we ee .-Ὁ
Cc.
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
cI.
CONSOLATORY
TO THE CITIZENS OF SATALA
OrIl.
TO THE PEOPLE OF SATALA.
.. ὦ
Orv.
TO THE PREFECT MODESTUS
TO THE DEACONESSES, DAUGHTERS OF COUNT
TERENDTIVUS.
ts) eee - .
OVI.
CVI.
TO A SOLDIBR.
« .
TO THE WIDOW, JULITTA
TO THE GUARDIAN OF THE HEIRS OF JULITTA
TO COUNT HELLADIUS
. vi
CONTENTS LETTER PAGE CX.
TO THE PREFECT MODESTUS
Emm see 62d ae
CXI.
TO THE PREFECT MODESTUS
Cees Ae «ASS
CXII,
TO ANDRONICUS,
"GENERAL ὧν τὰ (59 <P otis
CXIII.
TO THE PRESBYTERS
AT) TARSUS
OXIY.
TO CYRIACUS AND HIS FOLLOWERS AT TARSUS
CXV.
TO THE HERETIC SIMPLICIA
Wild
CXVI.
ZO: DUR MENUS
reg West won io Mee MISE PA ΣΤ Vi
CXVII.
WITHOUT INSCRIPTION,
ON ASCETICISM
CXVIII.
LO JOVINUS,
BISHOP OF PERRMAL)
CXIX.
TO EUSTATHIUS, BISHOP OF SEBASTE.
TO MELETIUS, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH
CXXI,
TO THEODOTUS, BISHOP OF NICOPOLIS
TO POEMENIUS, BISHOP OF SATALA
oP ae
CXXIII.
TO) URBICIUS
PARMONEKY
Git ks ΤΟ ΣῪ, ΟΣ nt
CXXIV.
TO THEODORUS
A TRANSCRIPT
OF FAITH DICTATED BY THE
MOST HOLY BASIL, TO WHICH EUSTATHIUS,
THE BISHOP OF SEBASTE, SUBSCRIBED.
CXXVI.
TOUCATARBIUS
«© Wits Wrem'®. wie ae pus
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
CXXVII.
CXXVIII.
TO EUSEBIUS,
BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
TO MELETIUS,
BISHOP OF ANTIOCH
O, =.
=o CXXIX.
OXXX.
TO THEODOTUS,
BISHOP OF NICOPOLIS
ere ὦ
OLY MPIUS
ςς ἃ & "eo a.
TO ABRAMIUS,
BISHOP OF BATNAE
ΩΣ CXXXII.
TO PETER, BISHOP OF ALEXANDRIA
. ὁ .
CXXXIII.
TO THE PRESBYTER PAEONIUS
.. ὁ OXXXIV.
TO DIODORUS, VRESBYTER OF ANTIOCH
CXXXV.
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
CXXXVI.
TO ANTIPATER
SOR τ. peewee er arte CXXXVII.
TO EUSEBIUS,
BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
« -
CXXXVIII.
TO THE ALEXANDRIANS
«© © e «© «= « ΟΧΧΧΙΧ, vii
CONTENTS PAGE LETTER
TO THE CHURCH OF ANTIOCH
ὦ . ὃς CXL.
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSAIA
CXLI.
TO THE PREFECTS ACCOUNTANT
« . ὁ CXLII.
TO THE OTHER) ACCOUNTANTa
Bare τς OXLIII.
TO THE PREFECTS' OFFICER
STS ee ὅτι CXLIV.
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
CXLV.
TO ANTIOCHUS G ων...
ΘΟ Ὁ CXLVI.
TO TRAJAN
PO GM ec CXLVIII.
TO TRAJAN
᾿ς ΟΝ CXLIX.
TO AMPHILOCHIUS, AS IF FROM HERACLEIDAS
TO EUSTATHIUS, A PHYSICIAN
«© ὁ -« CLI.
TO VICTOR, THE) GENERALS)
TO VICTOR, THE EX-CONSUL
oa Sate an tae Chill.
TO ASCHOLIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA
CLIV.
WITHOUT ADDRESS, ON THE CASE UF A TRAINER ἢ ἀφ ΡΣ are Re eh ie OLY.
TO EVAGRIUS, THE PRESBYTER
Ae KS CLVI.
TO ANTIOCHUS
ΓΝ PL . ell a eee won kas ate CLVII.
cLVIII.
TO ANTIOCHUS
ok OR OSes eee eee
TO EUPATERIUS AND HIS DAUGHTER
CLIX.
CLX.
LOL DIODORUS
er ee ee es ee TS
TO AMPHILOCHIUS, ON HIS CONSECRATION AS
CLXI.
BISHOP ete. se eee i ae ee gt eee
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
. ὁ OLXII.
CLXIII.
TO COURT JOVINUS'
οτος Gee BP anes
OLXIYV.
TO ASCHOLIUS, BISHOP OF THESSALONICA
CLXY.
TO ASCHOLIUS,
BISHOP OF THESSALONICA
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
ν΄ ὁ .« CLXVI,
CLXVII.
TO EUSEBIUS, BISHOP OF SAMOSATA
TO THE
PRESBYTER
ANTIOCHUS,
EUSEBIUS'
NEPHEW WHO WAS WITH HIM IN EXILE
, CLXVIII.
viii
CONTENTS LETTER PAGE .
CLXIX.
BASIL TO GREGORY
CLEX «
TO GLYCERIUS
se ὃ' ὁ OLXXI.
TO GREGORY
« Ἢ OLXXII.
TO SOPHRONIUS, BISHOP
CLXXIII.
TO THEODORA, A CANONESS
CLXXIV.
TO) AS WIDOW
sare
ως CLXXV.
CLXXVI.
CLXXVII.
TO COUNT MAGNENIANUS
TO AMPHILOCHIUS,
BISHOP OF ICONIUM
TO SOPHRONIUS, MASTER
_ CLXXVUI.
TO ABURGIUSis.
(2 .
.ς OLXXIX.
TO ARINTHAEUS
.« « .
CLXXX.
TO SOPHRONIUS, THE MASTER, IN BEHALF
EUMATHIUS.
.« « « «© .
CLXXXI.
TO OTREIUS OF MELETINE
OLXXXII.
TO THE PRESBYTERS OF SAMOSATA
ἘΦ 57]
OLXXXIII.
TO THE SENATE OF SAMOSATA
OLXXXIV.
TO EUSTATHIUS,
BISHOP OF HIMMERIA
OLXXXV.
TO THEODOTUS, BISHOP OF BERRHOEA
At end
MAP-—ASIA MINOR UNDER THE ROMANS
ore ΕΝ. ΜΑΣ Εee οι cose: € eee :
᾿ = :
ee τῆ we = 9) ® ᾿ oro, Dr i ay ~< ᾿ το "
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PREFATORY NOTE
Sr. Basix's letters in the present volume include numbers LIX to CLXXXV, and in nearly every case are of great human interest.
Highly technical letters, as, for example, on the Trinity or on the Canons, do not appear.
All of the letters included here, with the exception of numbers 1.XIV 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, z.e. Parisinus 506 (A),
Parisinus 763 S (B), Parisinus 967 (C), Parisinus 1021 5 (D), and Parisinus 1020 S (F).
The lastnamed MS. (I), 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 Benedictine 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 (edilt antiqut), and apparently without any MS. authority, but our collation of E has shown most of these readings to exist also in that MS. x1
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 bringing this second volume to a completion.
In a special manner, | wish to acknowledge my indebtedness also to Mr. Martin R. McGuire, Instructor in Greek and Latin of the Catholic University of America.
Roy J. DEFerRari.
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 " (Miunsterische Beitrige sur Theologie, Heft 1,
1923),1 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.
1 T regret that this important monograph did not come to my attention until Vol. £ was well through press. xii
COLLECTED. LETTERS OF
SAINT BASIL
TOY EN ATIOIS ΠΑΤΡῸΣ HMON
LIX Γρηγορίῳ θείῳ Ἔσιώπησα. μὴ καὶ ἀεὶ σιωπήσομαι, καὶ ἀνέξομαι ἐπὶ πλεῖον τὴν δυσφορωτάτην ξημίαν τῆς σιωπῆς κυρῶσαι κατ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ μήτε αὐτὸς ἐπιστέλλων, μήτε ἀκούων προσφθεγγομένου ; ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ μέχρι, τοῦ παρόντος ἐγκαρτερήσας τῷ σκυ ρωπῷ τούτῳ δόγματι, ἡγοῦμαι πρέπειν κἀμοὶ τὰ τοῦ προφήτου λέγειν" ὅτι ᾿Εκαρτέρησα ὡς ἡ τ ἀεὶ μὲν ἐπιθυμῶν ἢ συντυχίας ἢ "λόγων," ἀεὶ δὲ ἀποτυγχάνων διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας τὰς ἐμαυτοῦ. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἄλλην τινὰ αἰτίαν ἔχω τοῖς γινομένοις ἐπινοεῖν, πλήν γε δὴ τοῦ
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 see, 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