LETTER
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 | 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 perhaps I 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
Eu poupos 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, ἱ ἱκετεύω σου τὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν προσθεῖναί τι τῇ ἐκ φύσεως περὶ τὸ καλὸν σπουδῇ δι ἡμᾶς, ὥστε ἐναργὲς τῷ ἀνδρὶ γενέσθαι τῆς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ παρακλήσεως ἡμῶν τὸ ὄφελος.
CL ᾿Αμφιλοχίῳ, ὡς παρὰ «Ἡρακλείδου ᾿Εγὼ καὶ τῶν ὁμιληθέντων ἡ ἡμῖν πρὸς ἀχλήλους 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 καρδίᾳ ὁ αὐτός εἰμι καὶ οὔπω τὸν παλαιὸν ἀπεδυσάμην ἄνθρωπον, πλὴν τῷ γε σχήματι, καὶ τῷ μακρὰν ἐμαυτὸν ποιῆσαι τῶν τοῦ βίου πραγμάτων, ἔδοξα λοιπὸν οἷον ἐπιβεβηκέναι τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς κατὰ Χριστὸν πολιτείας. καθέζομαι δὲ ἐπ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ, ὥσπερ οἱ εἰς πέλαγος ἀφιέναν μέλλοντες ἀποσκοπεύων τὸ μέλλον. οἱ μὲν γὰρ πλέοντες 1 σκοπεύων HE.
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, CCI, ΟΠ, COXVIII,
COX XXI,
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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 Ampuitocuius, As IF FROM Heracrerpas?
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
CCOXXXII, CCXXXIII, COXXXIV, 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 Amphilochius to get in touch with St. Basil, if possible, so that he might learn from him many needed lessons.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
͵7 / \ S.
" e la] x ἀνέμων χρήξουσι πρὸς τὴν εὔπλοιαν, ἡμεῖς δὲ τοῦ χειραγωγήσοντος ἡμᾶς καὶ ἀσφαλῶς διὰ τῶν ἁλμυρῶν κυμάτων τοῦ βίου παραπέμψοντος. χρήζειν γὰρ ἐμαυτὸν λογίζομαι 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 δὲ πρὸς τὰς ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ συνισταμένας ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ" φαντασίας.
᾿ἡττήμεθα δὲ καὶ τιμῆς καὶ τὸ ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς τι φρονεῖν οὐ ῥᾳδίως ἀποτιθέμεθα. πρὸς ταῦτα μεγάλου μοι δεῖν καὶ ἐμπείρου λογίζομαι διδασκάλου. ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀποκαθαρθῆναι, ὥ ὥστε 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.
ἋΑ καὶ τὴν σὴν λογιότητα συνορᾷν, καὶ ἐπιθυμεῖν ὑπάρξαι τινὰ εἰς "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 4 ἐνδεής εἰμι γνωρίξειν. δύναμαι" πλήν. γε ὅτι οὐδὲν μετεμέλησέ μοι τῆς πρώτης ὁρμῆς, οὔτε ὀκλάζει μου
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 remedies 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, | 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ἡ ψυχὴ πρὸς τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν βίου, ὅπερ ἠγωνίασας ἐ ἐπ᾽ ἐμοί, καλῶς καὶ ᾿ προσηκόντως ἑαυτῷ ποιῶν, μήποτε στραφεὶς εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω στήλη γένωμαι ἁλός, ὅπερ γυνή τίς "ἔπαθεν,
Gomep * ἀκούω.
GAN ἔτι μέν pe? καὶ αἱ ἔξωθεν ἀρχαὶ συστέλλουσιν, ὥσπερ λειποτάκτην τινὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀναξητούντων ὃ ἐπέχει δέ με μάλιστα ἡ ἐμοῦ αὐτοῦ καρδία, ἐκεῖνα μαρτυροῦσα ἑαυτῇ ἅπερ εἴρηκα.
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ συνθηκῶν ἐμνήσθης, καὶ "κατηγορεῖν ἐπηγγείλω, γελάσαι με ἐποίησας ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ κατηφείᾳ μου, ὅτι ἔτι ῥήτωρ εἶ καὶ τῆς δεινότητος οὐκ ἀφίστασαι. ἐγὼ γὰρ οὕτω 4 νομίζω, εἰ μὴ πάντη ὡς ἀμαθὴς διαμαρτάνω τῆς ἀληθείας, μίαν εἶναι ὁδὸν τὴν πρὸς Κύριον ἄγουσαν, καὶ πάντας τοὺς πρὸς αὐτὸν πορευομένους συνοδεύειν ἀλλήλοις καὶ κατὰ μίαν συνθήκην τοῦ βίου πορεύεσθαι. ὥστε ποῦ ἀπελθὼν χωρισθῆναί σου δύναμαι καὶ μὴ μετὰ σοῦ ζῆν καὶ μετὰ σοῦ δουλεύειν Θεῷ, ᾧ κοινῇ προσεφύγομεν; 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 ὅς KE.
2 ue om. KE.
1 Cf. Gen, 19. 26; καὶ ἐπέβλεψεν ἣ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ ἐγένετο στήλη ἁλός.
"" And his wife, looking behind her, was turned into a statue of salt."
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 rdle of a public man and have not given up cleverness.?__ 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,
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
'Op Parpol Κυρίου ἐπὶ δικαίους. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ εὔχομαι καὶ 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 épovaay.2 ἐὰν δέ, ὁσάκις ὑπάρξῃ μοι ἐν διαφόρῳ γωνιδίῳ 8 παρερριμμένῳ ἃ 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 ὑπόδικον καθιστᾷ.
Devopevos δὲ πλησίον Καισαρείας, ὥστε ᾿γνωρίσαι τὰ πράγματα, καὶ αὐτῇ παραβαλεῖν τῇ πόλει μὴ ἀνασχόμενος, τῷ πλησίον προσέφυγον πτωχοτροφείῳ, ὥστε ἐκεῖ μαθεῖν περὶ ὧν ἐβουλόμην. εἶτα κατὰ συνήθειαν ἐπιδημήσαντι τῷ θεοφιλεστάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ ἀνήνεγκα περὶ ὧν ἐπέταξεν ἡμῖν ἡ λογιότης σου. καὶ ἃ μὲν ἀπεκρίνατο, οὔτε τῇ μνήμῃ φυλαχθῆναι παρ᾽ 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 ὐαγγελίου τὰς ἀποδείξεις" μίαν μέν, ὡς Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ εἰπόντος"
2 ἔχουσαν tres MSS. recent.
᾿ is cae ἢ ; γονιδίῳ editi antiqi. mapeppimevws Hi, 5 μέν add. 10, editi antiqi. ὃ ψεύστης EH.
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 everyone 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, I 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 visiting the city itself, I took refuge in the neighbouring poor-house, that 1 might gain there the information I 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.
7 oe By.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
Ὁ , ἔχων δύο χιτῶνας μεταδότω τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι" ἑτέραν δέ, ὡς τοῦ Κυρίου τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἀπτᾶγος ρεύσαντος μὴ" ἐ ἔχειν δύο χιτῶνας. προσετίθει δὲ 5 τούτοις καὶ 3 τό' Ki 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 ἡ ἠγόρασεν ἐκεῖνον. προσετίθει 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 χρἤζξειν τὴν διάγνωσιν τοῦ ἀληθῶς δεομένου καὶ τοῦ κατὰ πλεονεξίαν αἰτοῦντος. καὶ ὁ μὲν τῷ θχιβομένῳ διδοὺς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδωκε, καὶ map αὐτοῦ λήψεται τὸν μισθόν. ὁ δὲ τῷ περιερχομένῳ παρασχόμενος παντὶ προσέρριψε κυνί, φορτικῷ μὲν διὰ τὴν ἀναίδειαν, οὐκ ἐλεεινῷ δὲ διὰ τὴν ἔνδειαν.
2 καί add. EB, 3 καί om. EK.
4 ἐμπεπιστευμένῳ editi antiqis 1 Luke 3. 11.
2 Cf. Matt.
10. 9 and 10: μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσόν, μηδὲ ἄργυρον, μηδὲ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑμῶν, μὴ πήραν εἰς ὁδόν, μηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας, μηδὲ ὑποδήματα μηδὲ ῥάβδαν.,
'* Do ποῦ possess gold, nor silver, nor money in your purses: nor scrip for your journey, nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a staff,"
3 Matt. 19. 21,
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?
He added to these this also: "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast and give it to the poor."'3
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 ris ὑπῆρχεν ἐν αὐτοῖς" ὅσοι 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ὀλίγα μὲν ἔφθη εἰρηκὼς ὡς πρὸς TO THs ὑποθέσεως μέγεθος: πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐβουλόμην Tap αὐτοῦ ἐκείνου σε μαθεῖν. ἐμὲ γὰρ ἀφανίζειν τὴν ἀκρίβειων τῶν διδαγμάτων οὐκ εὔλογον. ηὐχόμην δὲ μετὰ σοῦ ποτὲ καταλαβεῖν αὐτόν, iva, Kal 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 ἄλλο 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 5 αὐτῷ δυναμένῳ.
CLI Εὐὐσταθίῳ ἀρχιάτρῳ 8 Εἰ TL ὄφελος ἡμετέρων * γραμμάτων, μηδένα χρόνον διαλίπῃς ἐπιστέλλων ἡμῖν καὶ διεγείρων ® ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὸ γράφειν. αὐτοὶ μὲν γὰρ προδήλως 1 συντυγχάνειν Med.
3.70
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 yourself 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 a mam 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 EKusraruius, a Puysicran 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 CLXX XIX, which is addressed to the same Eustathius but may well belong to Gregory of Nyssa.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ἡδίους γινόμεθα ἐντυγχάνοντες ἐπιστολαῖς συνετῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸν Κύριον" εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοί τι ἄξιον σπουδῆς εὑρίσκετεϊ 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 ἦ κατακηλεῖτε ἡμᾶς τοῖς γράμμασι. καὶ γὰρ τὰ φρέατά φασιν ,ἀντλούμενα βελτίω γίνεσθαι. ἐοίκασι δέ σου 3 αἱ ἐξὶ ἰατρικῆς παραινέσεις εἰς πάρεργον χωρεῖν, οὐχ ἡμῶν. ἐπαγόντων τὸν σίδηρον, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς ἐκπιπτόντων τῶν ἀπαχρειουμένων.
Ὁ bev οὖν τοῦ Στωϊκοῦ λόγος" ἐπειδή, φησί, μὴ γίνεται τὰ πράγματα ὡς βουλόμεθα, ὡς γίνεται βουλόμεθα. ἐγὼ δὲ τοῖς μὲν πράγμασι τὴν γνώμην συγκατατίθεσθαι 4 οὐ ᾿καταδέχομαι, τὸ δὲ ἀβουλήτως τινὰς ποιεῖν τι 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 πάθους ἑ ἑπόμενοι" οὔτεϑ οἱ πλέοντες ἑκουσίως ἐκβάλλουσι τὰ ἀγώγιμα, GAN 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 1 εὑρήσετε editi antiqi.
2 go EK.
3 βουλώμεθα editi antiqi.
4 συμμετατίθεσθαι Harl., Reg. primus, et Vat.
LETTER CLI
on our part are certainly made more happy by reading 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 lamentations the separation from those who leave our ranks, yet endure it nevertheless; because to the lovers 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
CCXX XVII.
VOL, Il.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
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 καταρρᾳθυμῆσαι," ὃς πάντων σχεδὸν τῶν κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην τῷ ὕψει τῶν ἀξιωμάτων ὑπερανέστηκας ; ἀλλὰ δήλη ἡμῶν ἡ αἰτία τῆς σιωπῆς" oxvodpev δ 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 ἐπιξητεῖν, ἰδοὺ καὶ ΠΟΣΊ νῦν τεθαρρηκότως ἃ καὶ γρώψομέν γε εἰς ὃ τὸ ἐφεξῆς, εὐχόμενοι τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ δοθῆναί σοι τὴν ἀμοιβὴν τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς τιμῆς. ὑπὲρ δὲ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προέλαβες ἡμῶν τὰς παρακλήσεις, πάντα ποιήσας ὅσα ἂν ἡμεῖς ἐπεζητήσαμεν. ποιεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις χαριξόμενος, ἀλλὰ Θεῷ τῷ τιμήσαντί σε, ὃς τὰ μὲν ἔδωκεν ἐν TH vov ton ἀγαθά, τὰ δὲ δώσειν 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.
3 γενέσθαι multi MSS.
5 πρός editi antiqi.
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 recompense 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 was a distinguished general under Valens, a man of high character, consul in 369, and an orthodox
Christian.
Cf. Gregory Nazianzene, Letters CX XXIII and CXXXIV.
In 378 he united with Trajanus, Arintheus, and other generals in remonstrating with Valens on his Arianism,
Cf. Theod., H. #., 4, 30; and Amm. Mare. 31, 7.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
CLUI Βίκτορι ἀπὸ ὑπάτων Ὁσάκις ἂν ἡμῖν ὑπάρξῃ γράμμασιν ἐντυχεῖν τῆς κοσμιότητός σου, τοσαυτάκις χάριν ὁμολογοῦμεν 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, κατώρξας τῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς γραμμάτων καὶ τῷ ἀγαθῷ ὑποδείγματι, πρὸς τὸν ὅμοιον ζῆλον ἡμᾶς ἐκκαλεσάμενος. καὶ γὰρ ἡ μὲν τοῦ κόσμου φιλία ὀφθαλμῶν δεῖται καὶ συντυχίας, ὥστε ἐκεῖθεν a ἀρχὴν. 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.
1 Written in 373, and in all probability to the same Victor as is addressed in the previous letter,
LETTER CLIV
LETTER CLIII
To Vicror, THE Ex-Consu!
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.ius, Bishop or 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 beginning 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 fellow2 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 Thessalonica in 380, before his Gothic war, and was present at the Council of Constantinople in 381.
Cf. Letters CLXIV and CLXYV, also Socrates, Ecc. Hist. V, 6 and 8.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
κοινωνίᾳ πρὸς τὴν πνευματικὴν συνάφειαν ἄγονται. χάρις οὖν τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ παρακαλέσαντι ἡμῶν τὰς καρδίας € ἐν τῷ δεῖξαι ϊ ὅτι οὐκ ἐν πᾶσι κατέψυκται ἡ ἀγάπη, GAN 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 ἐ ἔχοντες.
᾿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 ᾿Αθανάσιον ἐσπουδακέναι δεῖγμα ἐναργέστατον τοῦ ὑγιῶς 3 ἔχειν περὶ τὰ μέγιστα. ἀντὶ οὖν τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς γράμμασιν εὐφροσύνης πολλὴν οἴδαμεν χάριν τῷ τιμιωτάτῳ υἱῷ ἡμῶν Εὐφημίῳ ᾧ καὶ αὐτὸς εὔχομαι πᾶσαν ὑπάρχειν βοήθειαν ἐξ ἁγίου" καὶ σὲ συνεύχεσθαι, ἡμῖν παρακαλῶ, ὅπως ἂν ἀπολάβοιμεν αὐτὸν ἐν τάχει μετὰ τῆς κοσμιωτάτης opotuyos* αὐτοῦ, θυγατρὸς δὲ ἡμῶν ἐν Κυρίῳ. παρακλήθητι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς μὴ ἐν προοιμίοις ἡμῖν στῆσαι τὴν
8 ayiws editi antiqi.
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 teaching!
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 delightful 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 disposition 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 evidence 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
εὐφροσύνην, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἀεὶ παραπιπτούσης προφάσεως ἐπιστέλλειν καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διάθεσιν τῷ πυκνῷ τῆς ὁμιλίας αὔξειν, καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν αὐτοῦϊ 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 διαπέμψασθαι ἐγγεγραμμένας κατηγορίας ἀπορῶ ὃ ἀπολογήσασθαι, οὐ διὰ τὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἔνδειαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐν πλήθει τῶν ἐπιφερομένων δύσκολον εἶναι τῶν καιριωτέρων τὴν προτίμησιν, καὶ ὅθεν δεῖ πρῶτον ἡμᾶς ἄρξασθαι. τῆς θεραπείας. ἢ τάχα δεῖ αὐτῇ 3 τῇ τάξει τῶν γεγραμμένων χρησαμένους ὁδῷ πρὸς ἕκαστον ἀπαντᾶν.
Τοὺς ἐπὶ Σκυθίαν ἀπαίροντας ἐντεῦθεν "μέχρι σήμερον οὐκ ἐγνωρίσαμεν" ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τῶν ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας ὃ ὑπέμνησαν ἡμᾶς, ὥστε προσειπεῖν σεῦ
1 gavrod editi antiqi. τε K, ὃ amopavE.
᾿ Μὴν editi antiqi. ὁ ge om. E.
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
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
WitHout ADDRESS, ON THE Case oF A TraAINER!
As regards the many accusations which are contained 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" (&Aefmrns) 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, cf.
G. Pfeilschefter, Hin newes Werk des Wulfila, Veriffentlichungen aus dem Kirchenhistor, Seminar, Miinchen, 1907, pp. 192-224.
This letter is one of the earliest references to the preservation of the relics of martyrs.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
δι' αὐτῶν, καίτοι πάνυ διὰ σπουδῆς τιθεμένους ἐπὶ πάσης προφάσεως προσφθέγγεσθαί σου τὴν τιμιότητα. ἐπιλαθέσθαι δέ σου ἐν προσευχαῖς ἀδύνατον, εἰ μὴ πρότερον τοῦ ἔργου ἡμῶν ἐπιλαθώμεθα, εἰς 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 παρρησιαξομένων διὰ τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν τοὺς πνευματικοὺς καρποὺς ἐπιδεικνυμένων, ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ ᾿Εκκλησίᾳ τὰς εὐχὰς ποιούμεθα" ὧν πάντως ἐν τοῖς πλείοσιν 2 ἢ καὶ ἐν τοῖς πᾶσι νομίξομεν καὶ τὴν σὴν ἐμπεριλαμβάνεσθαι τιμιότητα. ἰδίᾳ δέ σου ἡμεῖς πῶς ἂν "ἐπιλαθώμεθα, τοσαῦτα ἔχοντες τὰ κινοῦντα ἡμᾶς πρὸς μνήμην, ἀδελφὴν τοιαύτην, ἀδελφιδοὺς ὃ τοιούτους, συγγένειαν οὕτω χρηστήν, οὕτως ἀγαπῶσαν ἡμᾶς, οἶκον, οἰκέτας, φίλους, ἐξ ὧν, κἂν μὴ βουλώμεθα, ἀναγκαίως ὑπομιμνησκόμεθά σου τῆς ἀγαθῆς προαιρέσεως ; Περὶ δὲ τοῦδε ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ δεῖνα οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἤνεγκεν ἐπαχθές, οὐδὲ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν βλάπτουσα αὐτόν τις κρίσις ἐξενήνεκται Stier τρέψον οὖν τὴν λύπην ἐπὶ τοὺς τὰ ψευδῆ διηγησαμένους, ἀπολύσας πάσης μέμψεως καὶ τὸν χωρεπίσκοπον καὶ ἐμέ. εἰ δέ τινα δίκην γυμνάζει ὁ σχολαστικὸς ὁ δεῖνα, ἔχει δικαστήρια δημόσια καὶ νόμους. ἀξιῶ οὖν ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τούτοις μηδεμίαν ἔχειν μέμψιν.
1 ταῖς om. Ἐς 5 χρόνοις K, editi antiqi.
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 Church—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 kinsfolk so good, so affectionate towards us, house, household, 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
Αὐτὸς δὲ ὅσα ποιεῖς ἀγαθά, σεαυτῷ θησαυρίξεις" καὶ ἣν παρέχῃ ἀνάπαυσιν τοῖς διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ
Κυρίου διωκομένοις, ταύτην σεαυτῷ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς μισθαποδοσίας προετοιμάξεις. 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 ὃ τί τοῦ ὑπὲρ τῶν τοιούτων βουλεύεσθαι ἱεροπρεπέστερον καὶ μᾶλλον τῷ Κυρίῳ κεχαρισμένον ; σοὶ μὲν οὖν παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος τὸν μισθὸν τῆς εἰρηνοποιίας, οὕτω καλῶς προαιρουμένῳ καὶ σπουδαίως ἐγκειμένῳ πράγματι μακαριστῷ. ἡμᾶς δὲ νόμιζε, τιμία κεφαλή, ἕνεκα ® μὲν τοῦ προῃρῆσθαι καὶ εὔχεσθαι ἰδεῖν ποτὲ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐν ἡἣ πάντες τὸν αὐτὸν πληρώσουσι σύλλογον, οἱ ταῖς διανοίαις ἀλλήλων μὴ ἀπεσχισμένοι, μηδενὶ παραχωρεῖν τῶν εἰς τὴν σπουδὴν τούτων πρωτείων. καὶ γὰρ ἂν εἴημεν 1 ἐκπέμψῃ KE.
2 # om. Harl., Med.
1 Written in the late autumn of 373; cf. Loofs 31, note 3.
Evagrius, commonly known as of Antioch to distinguish him
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.
LETTER CLVI
To Evaerius, THE PrespyTer ?
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 uncertain, 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
CKX XVIII.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ὡς ἀχηθῶς πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀτοπώτατοι, σχίσμασι 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 δόρθωσιν, ἔπειτα ἰσχυρᾶς καὶ εὐτονωτέρας ἀγωγῆς,3 εἰ μέλλοι ὃ τις τοῦ βάθους αὐτοῦ καθικνεῖσθαι, ὥστε πρόρριζα ἐξελεῖν τῶν καμνόντων τὰ ἀρρωστήματα. οἶδας δὲ ὃ λέγω, καὶ εἰ δεῖ τρανότερον εἰπεῖν, οὐδεὶς ὁ ὁ φόβος.
Τὴν φιλαυτ τίαν ἔθει μακρῷ ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐρριξωθεῖσαν εἷς ἀνὴρ ἀνελεῖν οὐχ οἷός τε, οὐδ᾽ ἐπιστολὴ μία, οὐδὲ χρόνος βραχύς. τὰς γὰρ ὑπονοίας καὶ τὰς ἐξ ἀντιλογιῶν παρατριβὰς παντελῶς ἀναιρεθῆναι, μὴ ἀξιοπίστου τινὸς μεσιτεύοντος τῇ εἰρήνῃ, ἀμήχανον. καὶ εἰ μὲν ἐπέρρει ἡμῖν τὰ παρὰ τῆς χάριτος καὶ ἦμεν δυνατοὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς χαρίσμασι δυσωπῆσαι τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους, ἔδει κατατολμῆσαι τοῦ τοσούτου πράγματος. τάχα δὲ οὐδ᾽ ἂν τότε συνεβούλευσας ἡμῖν μόνοις ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν, ὄντος τοῦ ἐπισκόπου τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, ¢ ᾧ ἡ φροντὶς a ἀνῆκε : προηγουμένως τῆς ἐκκλησίας" ὃν οὔτε αὐτὸν ἐλθεῖν 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 K. ἀνήκει editi antiqi.
5 ἀποδημεῖν editi antiqi.
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