LETTER
LETTER CLVII
his religious service.
And yet such were not the matters which were discussed by you and me, if | 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 [ look about me, I 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 t 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; conand 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ὑπόλειψιν 1 ἄλλῃ τινὶ αἰτίᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ τῷ ἀργῶς ἔχειν πρὸς τὰς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀποδημίας λογῖἕεσθαι. 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 > , Αντιόχῳ rss , ΄ ee , κ᾿ Εἰπειδὴ ἀντέστησάν μοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι μου πρὸς τὸ μὴ δυνηθῆναί με ἣν πάλαι εἶχον ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς ὑμετέρας συντυχίας ἀγαγεῖν εἰς πέρας, γράμμασι γοῦν παραμυθοῦμαι τὴν ἀπόλειψιν" καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν 5 μὴ διαλιπεῖν 8 μεμνημένους ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, ἵνα, ἐὰν ζῶμεν, καταξιωθῶμεν ὑμῶν ἀπολαῦσαι, εἰ δὲ μή, διὰ τῆς βοηθείας τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν μετὰ ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος petavactevowpev* ἀπὸ τοῦ κόσμου , \ ae | \ \ 4% A } τούτου. τὸν δὲ ἀδελφὸν τὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς καμήλοις ὃ παρατιθέμεθα ὑμῖν.
CLIX Evrrarepio,® καὶ τῇ θυγατρί / / a "Ὅσην εὐφροσύνην παρέσχε μοι τὸ γράμμα τῆς
2 ὑμᾶς add. editi antiqi.
3 διαλείπειν ecliti antiqi.
7 αὐτός editi antiqi.
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 Euparertus AND His DauGuTer 2 How much pleasure the letter of your Decorum afforded me you certainly can infer from the very
1 Written in 373.
Of. the previous letter with note.
2 Written about 373, on the Nicene Creed and the Holy Ghost.
Eupaterius and his daughter are otherwise unknown.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ἐπεσταλμένοις. τί γὰρ ἂν ἥδιον γένοιτο ἀνθρώπῳ εὐχὴν ποιουμένῳ φοβουμένοις Θεὸν ἀεὶ προσομιλεῖν καὶ τοῦ Tap αὐτῶν κέρδους μεταλαμβάνειν, γραμμάτων. τοιούτων, δι' ὧν ἡ Θεοῦ γνῶσις ἐπιζητεῖται ; εἰ γὰρ τὸ Shy ἡμῖν Χριστός, ἀκολούθως καὶ ὁ λόγος ἡμῶν περὶ Σ Χριστοῦ ὀφείλει εἶναι, καὶ ἡ ἔννοια καὶ πᾶσα πρᾶξις τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτοῦ ἠρτῆσθαι, καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν κατ᾽ αὐτὸν μεμορφῶσθαι. χαίρω τοίνυν περὶ τοιούτων ἐρωτώμενος καὶ συγχαίρω τοῖς ἐρωτῶσιν. ἡμῖν τοίνυν ἑνὶ μὲν λόγῳ ἡ τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντων πατέρων πίστις πασῶν τῶν ὥὕστερον ἐφευρεθεισῶν * προτετίμηται" ἐν ἡ "ὁμοούσιος ὁμολογεῖται 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 @MLOXOyn Kal ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν νῦν, τῶν εὐχομένων κατ᾽ ἴχνη βαίνειν ἐ ἐκείνοις, προσμαρτυρεῖται.
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ νῦν ἀνακύψαν παρὰ τῶν ἀεὶ καινοτομεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων ζήτημα, παρασιωπηθὲν τοῖς πάλαι διὰ τὸ ἀναντίρρητον, ἀδιάρθρωτον κατελείφθη (λέγω δὴ τὸ "περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος). προστίθεμεν τὸν περὶ τούτου λόγον ἀκολούθως τῇ τῆς Ppadis ἐννοίᾳ" ὅτι ὡς βαπτιξόμεθα, οὕτω καὶ πιστεύομεν" ὡς πιστεύομεν, οὕτω καὶ δοξολογοῦμεν. ἐπειδὴ οὖν βάπτισμα ἡμῖν δέδοται παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰς ὄνομα Πατρὸς καὶ Tiod καὶ
2 τι add. editi antiqi.
1 Cf. Phil, 1. 21: ἐμοὶ yap τὸ ζῇν, Χριστός: καὶ τὸ ἄἂποθανεῖν κέρδος, "" For to me, to live is Christ: to die is gain."
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 therefore rejoice when I am questioned about such matters and congratulate those who put the questions.
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 consubstantial 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 confessed 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,
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 Tid 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 θεότητος οὐδενὸς λόγου προσδεῖ τοῖς κατὰ μικρὸν 3 ταῖς
Γραφαῖς ἐγγεγυμνασμένοις. ἡ μὲν γὰρ κτίσις δουλεύει, τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα ἐλευθεροῖ" ἡ κτίσις ζωῆς προσδεής ἐστι, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ ζωοποιοῦν" ἡ κτίσις διδασκαλίας προσδεῖται, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ δίδασκον": ἡ κτίσις ἁγιάζεται, τὸ Πνεῦμά ἐστι τὸ ἁγίαζον. κἂν ἀγγέλους εἴπῃς, κἂν ἀρχαγγέλους, κἂν πάσας τὰς ὑπερκοσμίους 8 δυνάμεις, διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τὴν ἁγιωσύνην λαμβάνουσιν. αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα φυσικὴν ἔχει τὴν ἁγιότητα, οὐ κατὰ χάριν NaBov, 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.
1 Of, Rom. 8, 2: 6 yap νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσέ με ἀπὸ Tod 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."
* John 6, 64.
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 ;3 the creature is sanctified, and it is the Spirit that sanctifies*
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 Himself has natural sanctity, not receiving it by grace, but by being joined substantially to Him; whence also He has received the distinctive title of "holy."
And He therefore is holy by nature, as the Father 3 Cf. John 14. 26: 6 δὲ Παράκλητος, τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ "Αγιον, ὃ πέμψει ὁ Πατὴρ ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί pov, ἐκεῖνος ὑμᾶς διδάξει πάντα, καὶ ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα ἃ εἶπον ὑμῖν.
""Βαῦ 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 ἣ προσφορὰ τῶν ἐθνῶν εὐπρόσδεκτος, ἡγιασμένη ἐν Πνεύματι Αγίῳ, "that the oblation of the Gentiles may be made acceptable and sanctified in the Holy Ghost."
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ὁ Πατήρ, καὶ φύσει ἅγιος ὁ Υἱός, οὔτε αὐτοὶ τῆς θείας καὶ μακαρίας Τριάδος χωρίσαι καὶ διατεμεῖν ἀνεχόμεθα, οὔτε τοὺς εὐκόλως τῇ κτίσει συναριθμοῦντας ἀποδεχόμεθα.
Ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἐν κεφαλαίῳ, ἀρκούντως τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ ὑμῶν εἰρήσθω. ἀπὸ γὰρ μικρῶν σπερμάτων γεωργήσετε τὸ πλεῖον τῆς εὐσεβείας, συνεργοῦντος ὑμῖν 1 τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος. δίδου γὰρ σοφῷ ἀφορμήν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται. τὴν δὲ τελειοτέραν διδασκαλίαν εἰς τὴν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς συντυχίαν ὑπερθησόμεθα, δι' ἧς καὶ τὰ ἀντικείμενα ἐπιλύσασθαι, καὶ πλατυτέρας τὰς ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν παρασχέσθαι μαρτυρίας, καὶ πάντα τύπον τὸν ὑγιῆ τῆς πίστεως βεβαιώσασθαι δυνατόν. τὸ δὲ νῦν «ἔχον συγγνώμην νείματε τῇ βρα ὕτητι. καὶ γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐπέστειλα τὴν ἀρχὴν, εἰ μὴ μείξονα ἡγούμην τὴν βλάβην ἀρνήσασθαι τὴν αἴτησιν παντελῶς, ἢ ἐλλιπῶς παρασχέσθαι.
CLX Διοδώρῳ ᾿Αφίκετο ἡ ἡμῖν γράμματα τὴν ἐπιγραφὴν ἔ ἔχοντα Διοδώρου, τὰ δὲ ἐφεξῆς ἄλλου τινὸς πρέποντα εἶναι μᾶνλον ἢ Διοδώρου. δοκεῖ γάρ μοί τις τῶν τεχνικῶν, 5 τὸ σὸν πρόσωπον ὑποδύς, οὕτως ἑαυτὸν ἀξιόπιστον ἐθελῆσαι ποιῆσαι τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις. ὅς γε, ἐρωτηθεὶς ὑπό τινος, εἰ θεμιτὸν 1 ἡμῖν Harl.
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."
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.
LETTER CLX
To Dioporvs 2 A LeTTeER has come to us bearing the superscription of Diodorus, but all that follows is more appropriately 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 1 Prov. 9. 9.
2 Written in 373 or 374, on marriage with a deceased wife's sister.
Cf. Letter CXXXV and note.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
αὐτῷ" πρὸς γάμον ἀγαγέσθαι τῆς γυναικὸς. τελευτησάσης τὴν ἀδελφήν, οὐκ ἔφριξε τὴν ἐρώτησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πράως ἤνεγκε τὴν see καὶ τὸ ἀσελγὲς ἐπιθύμημα πάνυ γενναίως 5 καὶ ἀγωνιστικῶς συγκατέπραξεν. εἰ μὲν οὖν παρῆν μοι τὸ γράμμα, αὐτὸ ἂν ἀπέστειλα καὶ ἐξήρκεις ὃ σαυτῷ τε ἀμῦναι καὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ. ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ δείξας πάλιν ἀφείλετο καὶ ὥσπερ TL τρόπαιον καθ᾽ ἡμῶν περιέφερε, KEKONUKOTOV τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἔγγραφον ἔχειν λέγων τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἐπέστειλα νῦν gol, ὥστε διπλῇ τῇ χειρὶ ἡμᾶς ἐλθεῖν ἐπὶ τὸν νόθον ἐκεῖνον λόγον καὶ μηδεμίαν αὐτῷ ἰσχὺν καταλιπεῖν, ἵνα μὴ ἔχη βλάπτειν ῥᾳδίως τοὺς ἐντυγχώνοντας.
Πρῶτον μὲν οὗν, ὃ μέγιστον ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἐστί, τὸ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἔθος, ὃ ὃ ἔχομεν προβάλλειν, νόμου δύναμιν ἔ 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, un? ὅλως εἰς ἐκκλησίας πλήρωμα παραδέχεσθαι. πρότερον ἢ διαλῦσαι αὐτοὺς ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων. ὥστε, εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἕ ἕτερον εἰπεῖν ἣν, ἐξήρκει τὸ ἔθος "πρὸς τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ ὃ φυλακήν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν γράψας ἐπιχειρήματι κιβδήλῳ κακὸν τοσοῦτον ἐπειράθη τῴ βίῳ ἐπαγαγεῖν, ἀνάγκη μηδὲ ἡμᾶς τῆς ἐκ τῶν λογισμῶν βοηθείας ὑφέσθαι: καίτοι γε
7 > αὐτὸν editi antiqi.
* αὐτῷ add. editi antiqi.
3 ἐξήρκει editi antiqi.
4 τοῦτο editi antiqi.
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 argument that may be of assistance to us, although in
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
If éyparau,® φησίν, ἐ 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, συγχωρεῖται λαμβάνειν τελευτησάσης. πρὸς δὴ τοῦτο πρῶτον μὲν ἐκεῖνο ἐρῶ" ὅτι, ὅσα ὁ νόμος λέγει, τοῖς ev τῷ νόμῳ λαλεῖ" ἐπεὶ οὕτω γε καὶ περιτομῇ, καὶ Σαββάτῳ, καὶ aT oxi βρωμάτων ὑποκεισόμεθα. οὐ γὰρ δή, ἐὰν μέν. τί εὕρωμεν συντρέχον ἡμῶν ταῖς ἡδοναῖς, τῷ ξυγῷ τῆς δουλείας τοῦ νόμου ἑαυτοὺς ὑποθήσομεν, ἐ ἐὰν δέ τι φανῇ βαρὺ τῶν νομίμων, τότε πρὸς τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ἐλευθερίαν ἀποδραμούμεθα. ἠρωτήθημεν εἰ γέγραπται λαμβάνειν γυναῖκα ἐπ᾽ ἀδελφῇ. εἴπομεν, ὅπερ ἀσφαλὲς ἡμῖν καὶ ἀληθές, ὅτι οὐ 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 γυναικὸς λαμβάνειν τὴν ἀδελφήν. τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ τοῦτο σόφισμα καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνου ἁρμόξει. ψέγραπ: ται γάρ, φησίν" οὐ λήψῃ ἀντίζηλον, ὡς ὃ τήν γε ἔξω τοῦ ζήλου λαβεῖν οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν. ὁ δὴ συνηγορῶν τῷ πάθει ἀζηλότυπον εἶναι διοριεῖται τὸ
1 γάρ add. E, 2 ὥστε EK.
1 Lev.
18. 18.
2 de, the Levitical law does not apply to Christians ; if it did, they would have to practise circumcision, ete.
LETTER CLX
matters which are perfectly obvious the instinctive sentiment of the individual is of greater weight than formal reasoning.
10 is written, he says, in Leviticus: "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 1 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 provisions 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 theapplication 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
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ἦθος τῶν ἀδελφῶν. ἀνῃρημένης οὖν τῆς αἰτίας, δι᾽ ἣν ἀπηγόρευσε τὴν ἀμφοτέρων συνοίκησιν, τί τὸ κωλῦον ἔσται 1 λαμβάνειν τὰς ἀδελφάς ; ; ἀλλ᾽ οὐ γέγραπται ταῦτα, φήσομεν. ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνα ὥρισται. es δὲ ἔννοια τοῦ ἀκολούθου ὁμοίως ἀμφοτέραις " τὴν ἄδειαν δίδωσιν. ἔδει δέ, καὶ μικρὸν ἐπὶ τὰ κατόπιν τῆς νομοθεσίας ἐπαναδραμόντα, ἀπηλλάχθαι πραγμάτων.
Ἔοικε γὰρ οὐ πᾶν εἶδος ἁμαρτημάτων περιλαμβάνειν ὁ νομοθέτης, ἀλλ᾽ ἰδίως ἀπαγορεύειν τὰ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, ὅθεν ἀπῆρεν ὁ ᾿Ισραήλ, καὶ τὰ τῶν Χαναναίων, πρὸς ods μεθίσταται. ἔχει γὰρ οὕτως ἡ λέξις. κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα γῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἐν ἧ παρῳκήσατε ἐπ᾽ αὐτῆς, οὐ ποιήσετε' καὶ κατὰ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα γῆς Χαναάν, εἰς ἣν ἐγὼ εἰσάξω ὑμᾶς ἐκεῖ, οὐ ποιήσετε, καὶ ἐν τοῖς νομΐμοις αὐτῶν οὐ πορεύσεσθε. ὥστε τοῦτο εἰκός 3 που τὸ εἶδος τῆς ἁμαρτίας μὴ ἐμπολιτεύεσθαι 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 6 τῶν φιλοσάρκων, πρὸς τὸ ἔτι ξζώσαις ἀδελφαῖς συνοικεῖν, τὸ ὑπόδειγμα βλάπτειν. τοῦ πατριάρχου.
Ἡμᾶς δὲ τί χρὴ ποιεῖν ; τὰ γεγραμμένα λέγειν, ἢ τὰ σιωπηθέντα προσεξεργάζεσθαι; αὐτίκα τὸ
1 ἐστί editi antiqi.
* ἀμφοτέροις editi antiqi.
3 εἰκός] εἰ καί editi antiqi.
4 πολλοῖς editi antiqi.
1 Teva 8.08; 2 Probably Jacob ; cf. Gen, 29 ff.
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 cohabitation 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 logical inference, 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 ordinances.'1
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 abomination.
How was it, then, that while forbidding the greater, he kept silent about the less?
It was because 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
VOL. 11.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
μὴ δεῖν μιὰ 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 ἀκαθάρτων παθῶν τὸ μὲν τῶν δαιμόνων διδασκαλεῖον ἐξεῦρεν, ἡ δὲ θεία Ῥραφὴ ἀπεσιώπησε, τὸ σεμνὸν ἑαυτῆς ταῖς τῶν αἰσχρῶν ὀνομασίαις καταρρυπαίνειν οὐχ ἜΤ ἢ ἀλλὰ γενικοῖς ὀνόμασι τὰς ἀκαθαρσίας διέβαλεν! ὡς καὶ ἀπόστολος Παῦλός φησι" Πορνεία δὲ καὶ ἀκαθαρσία πᾶσα μηδὲ ὀνομαξέσθω ἐ ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις, τῷ τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας ἐ ὀνόματι τάς τε τῶν ἀρρένων ἀρρητοποιίας καὶ τὰς τῶν θηλειῶν περιλαμβάνων. ὥστε οὐ πάντως ἡ σιωπὴ ἄδειαν φέρει τοῖς φιχηδόνοις.
᾿Εγὼ δὲ οὐδὲ "σεσιωπῆσθαι τὸ μέρος τοῦτό φημι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ σφοδρῶς ἀ 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 ἀκαθαρσία, ἢ πλεονεξία, 'or covetousness."
3 Ley. 18. 6.
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.
""Απᾶ shall cleave to his wife, and they two shall be in one flesh.
Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh."
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
μηδὲ ἀδελφὴν ἑαυτοῦ. καὶ τὸ ἀνάπαλιν, οὐδὲ TH γυναικὶ ἐξέσται τοῖς οἰκείοις τοῦ ἀνδρὸς συνοικεῖν. κοινὰ γὰρ ἐπ᾿ ἀμφοτέρων τῆς συγγενείας τὰ δίκαια. ἐγὼ δὲ παντὶ τῷ περὶ γάμου βουλευομένῳ διαμαρτύρομαι, ὅ ὅτι παράγει τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος ἐστίν, Ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν. ἐὰν δέ μοι παραναγινώσκῃ τὸ Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καταγελῷῶ τοῦ τῶν νομοθεσιῶν τοὺς καιροὺς μὴ διακρίνοντος. πορνείας παραμυθία ὁ δεύτερος γάμος, οὐκ ἐφόδιον εἰς ἀσέλγειαν. εἰ οὐκ ἐγκαρτερεύονται, γαμησάτωσαν, φησίν, οὐχὶ δὲ 1 καὶ γαμήσαντες παρανομείτωσαν.
Οἱ δὲ οὐδὲ πρὸς τὴν φύσιν ἀποβλέπουσιν οἱ τὴν ψυχὴν λημῶντες τῷ πάθει τῆς ἀτιμίας, πάλαι διωκρίνασαν τὰς τοῦ γένους προσηγορίας. ἐκ ποίας γὰρ συγγενείας τοὺς γεννηθέντας προσαγορεύσουσιν ; 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 γένος ὃ τῶν μητρυιῶν καὶ μετὰ θάνατον ἐλαύνει τὴν ἔχθραν. μᾶλλον δὲ οἱ μὲν ἄλλως πολέμιοι τοῖς 1 δέ om. E.
8 μίσος editi antiqi.
Ee Consens le
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 marriage, that "the fashion of this world passeth away " 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," 4 he says, but not "even though they are married let them break the law."
But those whose souls are blinded by their infamous 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 confusion.
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 συνεσταλμένος" τὸ λοιπόν ἐστιν ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας, ws 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."
8 Gen. 1, 28.
£1 Cora7, 9!
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
Κεφάλαιον δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων, εἰ μὲν νόμῳ τίς ὁρμᾶται πρὸς τὸν γάμον, ἤνοικται πᾶσα ἡ οἰκουμένη: εἰ δὲ ἐμπαθὴς αὐτῷ ἡ σπουδή, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πλέον ἀποκλεισθήτω, Ἵνα μάθῃ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σκεῦος κτᾶσθαι ἐν ἁγιασμῷ καὶ τιμῇ, μὴ ἐν πάθει ἐπιθυμίας. πλείονά pet λέγειν ὡρμημένον τὸ μέτρον ἐπέχει 3 τῆς ἐπιστολῆς" εὔχομαι δὲ ἢ ἢ τὴν παραίνεσιν ἡμῶν ἰσχυροτέραν τοῦ πάθους ἀποδειχθῆναι, ἢ ἢ μὴ ἐπιδημῆσαι τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ τὸ ἄγος τοῦτο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν οἷς ἂν ἐτολμήθη τόποις ἐναπομεῖναι.
OLXI ᾿Αμφιλοχίῳ, χειροτονηθέντι ἐπισκοπῷῳ Εὐλογητὸς ὁ Θεύς, 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 χάρυτος σαγηνεύσας, καὶ ἀγαγὼν εἰς τὰ μέσα τῆς Πισιδίας, ὥστε ἀνθρώπους 1 μοι BH.
2 ἐπέσχε editi antiqi.
1 Cf. Herodotus 4, 154, and Euripides, A/cestis 309, where stepmothers are said to be as dan gerous to their predecessor' 5 children as vipers.
In antiquity the unkindness of stepmothers was proverbial.
LETTER CLXI
dead make their peace with them, but stepmothers begin their hatred after death.1
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 haste is due to passion, let him be restrained 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 1 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 BisHop ὃ Biessep is God, who selects those in each generation 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 Pisidia, so that 31 Thess. 4. 4 and 5.
3 Written in 374.
Cf. Loofs, 46, note 5.
For Amphilochius, οὗ, Letter CL and note.
4 Cf, Acts 9. 15: εἶπε δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ζωγρεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἕλκειν ἀπὸ τοῦ βυθοῦ εἰς τὸ φῶς τοὺς ἐξωγρημένους. ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα. λέγε οὖν καὶ σὺ τὰ τοῦ * μακαρίου Δαβίδ' Ποῦ πορευθῶ ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματός σου; καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ προσώπου σου, ποῦ φύγω ; ; τοιαῦτα γὰρ θαυματουργεῖ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος ἡμῶν Δεσπότης. ὄνοι ἀπόλλυνται, ἵνα βασιλεὺς Ἰσραὴλ γένηται. ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος μὲν ᾿Ισραηλίτης ὼν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἐδόθη: σὲ δὲ ἢ θρεψαμένη καὶ πρὸς τοσοῦτον ἀναβιβάσασα τῆς ἀρετῆς ὕψος οὐκ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ τὴν γείτονα ὁρᾷ τῷ ἰδίῳ κόσμῳ σεμνυνομένην. ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἷς λαὸς πάντες ot εἰς Χριστὸν ἠλπικότες καὶ μία ᾿Βκκλησία νῦν οἱ Χριστοῦ, κἂν ἐκ διαφόρων τόπων προσαγορεύηται, χαίρει καὶ ἡ "πατρὶς καὶ εὐφραίνεται ταῖς τοῦ Κυρίου οἰκονομίαις, καὶ οὐχ ἡγεῖται ἕνα ἄνδρα ἐζημιῶσθαι, ἀλλὰ δι᾿ ἑνὸς ἐκκλησίας ὅλας προσειληφέναι. μόνον παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος καὶ παρόντας ὁρᾷν ἡμᾶς 5 καὶ ἀπόντας ἀκούειν τὴν προκοπήν σου τὴν ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ καὶ τὴν εὐταξίαν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν.
᾿Ανδρίξου τοίνυν καὶ ἴσχυε, καὶ προπορεύου τοῦ λαοῦ, ὃ ὃν ἐπίστευσε τῇ δεξιᾷ σου ὁ Ὕψιστος. καὶ ὡς νοήμων κυβέρνησιν ποιησάμενος, πάσης ζάλης ἀπὸ τῶν αἱρετικῶν πνευμάτων ἐγειρομένης
1 τοῦ om. KE.
® ἐχθροί editi antiqi.
3 Suds editi antiqi.
1 Psal. 138. 7.
2 Cf. 1 Kings 9. 3: καὶ ἀπώλοντο αἱ ὄνοι Kels πατρὸς Σαούλ: καὶ εἶπεν Κεὶς πρὸς Σαοὺλ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ Λάβε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἕν τῶν παιδαρίων, καὶ ἀνάστητε καὶ πορεύθητε καὶ ζητήσατε τὰς
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?"1
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, #.¢. Faustinus and John, were not very wise bishops.
Cf. Letter
CXXX VIII.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ὑψηλότερος γενόμενος τῇ γνώμῃ, ἀβάπτιστον τοῖς ἁλμυροῖς 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 λουπὸν ὑπὸ τῆς μακρᾶς ἀρρωστίας ἐπειγομένους " 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, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφορητὸν παντελῶς. εἰ δὲ Κύριος ὁ ὁ συνδιαφέρων, ᾿ Ἐπίρριψον 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 μετατιθέναι πρὸς τὸ χρήσιμον. καὶ γὰρ ἀπέστειλέ σε ὐξρισ τὸς οὐχ ἑτέροις κατακολουθεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸν 8 καθηγεῖσθαι τῶν σωζομένων. καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν 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.
LETTER CLXI
the winds of heresy, and preserve your ship unsubmerged 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 the 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 every occasion against this—against being yourself carried away by wicked customs, but, through the wisdom granted you by God, transforming the evil customs which have hitherto 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 the 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 Thy κέριμναν ὑμῶν ἐπιρρίψαντες ἐπ' αὐτόν, ὅτι αὐτῷ μέλει περὶ ὑμῶν.
'Casting all your care upon him, for he hath care of you."
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
N Ν ς yA We) lo) J. ἃ > θ a τὴν μὲν ὡς ἄμπελον εὐθηνοῦσαν ἐπ᾽ ἀγαθοῖς \ \ > \ ἔργοις, σὲ δέ, ὡς σοφὸν γεωργὸν καὶ ἀγαθὸν r lal lal ς ΄ QA δοῦλον ἐν καιρῷ διδόντα τοῖς ὁμοδούλοις τὸ nr Ψ, > , \ σιτομέτριον, πιστοῦ Kal φρονίμου οἰκονόμου τὸν μισθὸν κομιζόμενον. a δὰ ες \ i σὺν ἡμῖν πάντες ἀσπάζονταί σου τὴν 3 τ 7 ᾽ t \ " oi τ , εὐλάβειαν. ἐρρωμένος καὶ εὔθυμος ἐν Κυρίῳ n / εἴης" εὐδοκιμῶν ἐπὶ χαρίσμασι Πνεύματος καὶ lA σοφίας φυλαχθείης.
CLXII Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων "Βοικέ 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 ὑπολογίσωμαι ὄφελος, πάνυ μοι 3 τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ὑπερορᾷν ἔπεισιν ὡς οὐδὲ σκιᾶς λόγον ἐκπληροῦν δυναμένων πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν: ὅταν δὲ πάλιν λογίσωμαι, ὅτε 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 ἐπιστολῶν ἔπεισι. τὴν μὲν οὖν ἐλπίδα τῆς παρουσίας οὔτε αὐτὸς ῥίψαι τῆς ψυχῆς βούλομαι, οὔτε τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν ἀπογιῶναι. αἰσχύνομαι γὰρ εἰ μὴ ταῖς σαῖς εὐχαῖς τοσοῦτον
1 ἐπίδω editi antiqi.
2 ue editi antiqi. ὃ χὰ συνήθη editi antiqi.
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 your 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 Evsesius, Bishop oF Samosata?!
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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
φανείην θαρσῶν, ὡς καὶ νέος ἐκ γέροντος ἔσεσ θαι, εἰ τούτου γένουτο 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 σχόντι3 ποτὲ τοσαύτην τοῦ λόγου δύναμιν, ὥστε παντοδαπὴν καὶ ποικίλην νόσον ἐναργῶς ἐξαγγεῖλαι. πλὴν ὅτι ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμέρας τοῦ ἸΙάσχα μέχρι νῦν πυρετοὶ καὶ διάρροιαι, καὶ σπλάγχνων ἐπαναστάσεις, ὥσπερ, κύματά pet ἐπιβαπτίζοντα ὑπερσχεῖν. οὐκ ἐᾷ. τὰ δὲ παρόντα οἷα καὶ τίνα ἦν, εἴποι ἂν καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς Bapaxos,° εἰ Kal μὴ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀξίως, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον μαρτυρῆσαι τῇ αἰτίᾳ τῆς ὑπερθέσεως. πάνυ δὲ πέπεισμαι, εἰ γνησίως ἡμῖν συνεύξαιο, πάνθ᾽ ἡμῖν χυθήσεσθαι ὃ 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 ἐξεικονίσαι τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ ἀπόρρητα. τότε γὰρ τὸ τοῦ ἤθους εὐσταθές, καὶ τὸ τῆς τιμῆς 1 τούτου γένοιτο χρεία] καὶ τοῦτο γένοιτο χρεῖος editi antiqi.
4 re H.
5 Βάρουχος editi antiqi. δ λυθήσεται editi antiqi.
7 760m. B
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 metoemerge.
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.
LETTER CLXIII
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 Faster 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
adn Owvov,) καὶ πὸ τῆς γνώμης ἐν πᾶσιν ἀκέραιον 3 ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν ὁ ἐν τοῖς γράμμασι λόγος ἐχαρακτήρισεν" ὅθεν καὶ μεγάλην ἡμῖν παραμυθίαν τῆς ἀπολείψεώς OU παρέσχετο. μὴ τοίνυν διαλίπῃς τῇ ἀεὶ παραπιπτούσῃ προφάσει χρώμενος πρὸς τὸ ἐπιστέλλειν καὶ τὴν διὰ "μακροῦ ταύτην ὁμιλίαν χαρίξεσθαι: ἐπειδὴ τῆς κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς συντυχίας ὃ ἀπόγνωσιν. ἡμῖν λοιπὸν ἡ ἀσθένεια τοῦ σώματος ἐμποιεῖ. ἣν ὁπόση ἐστὶν ἐρεῖ σοι ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος "A udtλόχιος, ὁ Kal γνωρίσας τῷ ἐπὶ πλεῖον συγγεγενῆσθαι ἡ ἡμῖν καὶ δυνατὸς Ov λόγῳ παραστῆσαι τὰ θεαθέντα. γνωρίξεσθαι δὲ βούλομαι τὰ ἐμαυτοῦ δυσχερῆ οὐκ ἄλλου τινὸς ἕνεκεν ἢ͵ τῆς πρὸς τὸ ἐφεξῆς συγγνώμης, ὡς βὴ ῥᾳθυμίας ἐ ἔχειν κατάγνωσιν ἐὰν ἄρα ἐλλίπωμεν ἢ τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν ὑμῶν. καίτοιγε οὐκ ἀπολογίας μᾶλλον ἢ παραμυθίας 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 "Ὅσης ἡ ἡμᾶς εὐφροσύνης ἐνέ πλησε τὰ γράμματα τῆς ὁσιότητός σου ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐκ ἂν ῥᾳδίως 1 ἀληθές editi antiqi.
3. καίριον HK, editi antiqi.
3 ὁμιλίας editi antiqi.
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
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 weakness causes us now to despair of a personal interview.
How serious an illness it is will be explained to you by our most God-beloved bishop Amphilochius,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 Ascuo.ius, Bishop or THEsssLonica?
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 celebrated 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.
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 ὅ 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 πολυπλασίονας 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᾽ ixvos ἡμῖν λοιπὸν ὑπολέλειπται, οὕτως αὐτὴν ἀπηνῶς ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἀπεδιώξαμεν. πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι αἱ ψυχαὶ ἡμῶν πρὸς τὴν παλαιὰν ἐ ἐκείνην μακαριότητα, ἐπανῆλθον, ἐπειδὴ γράμματα μὲν ἦλθεν ἐκ τ μακρόθεν, ἀνθοῦντα τῷ τῆς ἀγάπης κάλλει, μάρτυς δὲ ἡμῖν
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 champions of religion, later generations stripping themselves 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 8 ἡμῶν editi antiqi.
4 εἴχομεν editi antiqi.
5 γῆς E, Harl., Med., Reg. primus, Vat., Bigot. alter.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ἐπεδήμησεν ἐκ τῶν ἐπέκεινα Ἴστρου βαρβάρων, δ' 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.
Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ τοῦ μακαρίου ἀνδρὸς Evtuyods εἰς μνήμην ἡμᾶς ἤγαγες, καὶ ἐσέμνυνας ἡμῶν τὴν πατρίδα ὡς αὐτὴν παρασχομένην τῆς εὐσεβείας τὰ σπέρματα, εὔφρανας μὲν ἡμᾶς τῆ ὑπομνήσει τῶν παλαιῶν, ἐλύπησας δὲ τῷ ἐλέγχῳ τῶν ὁρωμένων. οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἡμῶν Εὐτυχεῖ τὴν ἀρετὴν παραπλήσιος, οἵ γε τοσοῦτον ἀπέχομεν βαρβάρους 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 λογιζόμεθα καὶ ταῖς ἡμετέραις ἁμαρτίαις τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον χυθῆναι τὴν τῶν αἱρετικῶν δυναστείαν. σχεδὸν γὰρ οὐδὲν μέρος 3 τῆς οἰκουμένης διαπέφευγε τὸν ἐκ τῆς αἱρέσεως ἐμπρρησμόν.
1 διηγήσηται BK, 2 ἔτι add. editi antiqi.
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 defence of our religion.
But since you have recalled to our minds the blessed man Eutyches,3 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. H.H. 2, δ.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
τὰ δὲ σὰ διηγήματα, ἐνστάσεις ἀθχητικαί, σώματα ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας καταξαινόμενα, θυμὸς βαρβαρικὸς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀκαταπλήκτων 5 τὴν καρδίαν καταφρονούμενος, αἱ ποικίλαι βάσανοι τῶν διωκόντων, αἱ διὰ πάντων ἐνστάσεις τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων, τὸ ξύλον, τὸ ὕδωρ, τὰ τελειωτικὰ τῶν μαρτύρων. τὰ δὲ ἡμέτερα οἷα ; ἀπέψυκται 3 ἡ ἀγάπη" πορθεῖται ἡ τῶν πατέρων διδασκαλία" ναυάγια περὶ τὴν πίστιν πυκνά: σιγᾷ τῶν εὐσεβούντων τὰ στόpata' λαοὶ τῶν εὐκτηρίων οἴκων ἐξελαθέντες ἐν τῷ ὑπαίθρῳ πρὸς τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς Δεσπότην τὰς
A :
A 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 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 editi antiqi, 2 ἀπλήκτων Wh, 3 ἔψυκται KE.
1 i.e. the gladiatorial contests in which Christians were made to fight.
3 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
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 contestants 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 eis τὸ ὕδωρ εὐχαριστοῦντα καὶ δοξάζοντα τὸν Θεόν... καὶ ῥίψαντες αὐτόν, καὶ ἐπιθέντες αὐτῷ ξύλον κατὰ τοῦ τραχήλου, ἐπίεζον εἰς τὸ βάθος. καὶ οὕτω τελεωθεὶς 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 2,6. to destruction.
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 ἸΪνεύματος χαρισμάτων 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 ἐπιστολὴν τῆς συνέσεώς σου" πλέον γὰρ ἢ διπλασίους ἐγενόμεθα τῇ ἀπολαύσει τῶν ἐπεσταλμένων. καὶ γὰρ ἣν τῷ ὄντι καὶ αὐτήν. σου καθορᾷν τὴν ψυχήν, οἷον δι' ἐσόπτρου τινὸς τῶν λόγων διαφαινομένην. πολυπλασίονα δὲ ἡμῖν τὴν εὐφροσύνην ἐ 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 ἐνέπλησας. ὥστε εἰκότως ἡ πατρὶς ἡμῶν͵ τοῖς οἰκείοις βλαστήμασιν ἐπαγάλλεται. καὶ ἡνίκα τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ἀγῶνας διήθλεις,Σ ἐδόξαζε τὸν Θεόν,
1 σου om. EK.
* διῆλθες editi antiqi.
1 Written in 374.
Cf.
Letters CLIV and CLV with notes.
According to the Benedictine edition this letter is
LETTER CLXV
LETTER CLXV
To Ascno.ius, BisHop or TuEssatonica!
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 secondary 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.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
Οἷα δέ cov! καὶ τὰ παρόντα; μάρτυρι, νέον ἀθχήσαντι 3 ἐπὶ τῆς γείτονος ὑμῖν βαρβάρου, τὴν ἐνεγκοῦσαν ἐτίμησας, οἷόν τις εὐγνώμων γεωργὸς τοῖς παρασχομένοις τὰ σπέρματα τὰς ἀπαρχὰς τῶν καρπῶν ἀποπέμπων. ὄντως 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 μεμνῆσθαι ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, καὶ σπουδαίως ὑπὲρ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν προσεύχεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἵνα καταξιωθῶμέν. ποτε ἄρξασθαι καὶ αὐτοὶ δουλεύειν τῷ Θεῷϑ κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τῶν ἐντολῶν αὐτοῦ, ἃς ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν εἰς σωτηρίαν.5
Τὰ πάντα τίμιος ὧν ἡμῖν καὶ τῶν φίλων ἐν § τοῖς γνησίοις ὁ αἰδεσιμώτατος ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν 1 σοι Med.
* γάρ add. editi antiqi.
7 πρεσβύτερος ὧν add. H, editi antiqi.
1 Written in the late summer of 374.
Cf. Loofs 46, note 5.
For Husebius, 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
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 Evusertus, Bishop or SamosaTa ἢ THouGu our most reverend brother Eupraxius? 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 Kusebius, 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 Marcianus 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 Husebius of Samosata.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
, ἊΣ Εὐπράξιος τιμιώτερος ὠφθη καὶ γνησιώτερος ἐκ fol lal + τῆς περὶ σὲ διαθέσεως." ὅς ye Kal viv οὕτως [4 Ν \ A / Ψ
"» Ν a ὥρμησε πρὸς τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν (ἵν᾽ εἴπω TO τοῦ ᾿ Δαβίδ), ὡς ἔλαφος πολὺ δέψος καὶ οὐ φορητὸν ἐξ \ an A ΄ \ ποτίμῳ καὶ καθαρᾷ πηγῇ καταψύχουσα. καὶ
\ μακαριώτερος δὲ ὁ ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ παθήμασι καὶ τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἱδρῶσι τοιαύτην ἐπιθεὶς lal Ν κορωνίδα, ἧς ὀλίγοι τῶν φοβουμένων τὸν Θεὸν τετυχήκασιν. οὐ γὰρ ἀβασάνιστον ἐπεδείξω τὴν > ͵ > Ν
> ἊΨ A ΄ > a y a ἀρετήν, οὐδὲ ἐν εὐδίας καιρῷ μόνον ὀρθῶς ἔπλευσας fal > καὶ Tas TOV ἄλλων ψυχὰς ἐκυβέρνησας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ταῖς δυσχερείαις τῶν πειρασμῶν διεφάνης,3 καὶ lal Li / L
΄ νιν oP δ δ διὰ πυρὸς καὶ ὕδατος" πιστεύω δὲ ὅτι καὶ ἐξελευt σόμεθα εἰς ἀναψυχήν. οὐ yap* ἐγκαταλείψει ceAte \ > I νῶν li \
\ ἡμᾶς ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τέλος, οὐδὲ περιόψεται τὸν ὀρθὸν n a λόγον δεδιωγμένον: ἀλλὰ κατὰ TO πλῆθος τῶν ὀδυνῶν ἡμῶν αἱ παρακλήσεις αὐτοῦ εὐφρανοῦσιν an lal N ἡμᾶς. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν Kal πιστεύομεν Kal εὐχόἉ δ ων -" μεθα. σὺ δέ, παρακαλῶ, ὑπερεύχου τῆς ταπεινώ1 καὶ μακάριος.
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 unendurable 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 Of. Psal. 41. 2: ὃν τρόπον ἐπιποθεῖ ἣ ἔλαφος ἐπὶ τὰς πηγὰς τῶν ὑδάτων, οὕτως ἐπιποθεῖ ἣ ψυχή μου πρὸς σέ, ὁ θεός.
'As the hart panteth after the fountains of water ; so my soul panteth after thee, Ὁ God."
3 καί add, KE.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
σεως ἡμῶν, καὶ ὁσάκις ἂν ἐμπίπτῃ καιρός, εὐλογεῖν ἡμᾶς διὰ γραμμάτων μὴ κατόκνει, καὶ εὐθυμοτέρους ποιεῖν τὰ κατὰ σεαυτὸν δηλῶν, ὃ ποιῆσαι νῦν κατηξίωσας.
OLXVII Εὐσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων Καὶ γράφων καὶ μεμνημένος εὐφραίνεις ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸ τούτου μεῖξον, εὐλογῶν ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν. ἡμεῖς δέ, εἰ μὲν ἄξιοι τῶν σῶν παθημάτων καὶ τῆς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ἀθλήσεως, κατηξιώθημεν ἂν καὶ μέχρι σου 3 γενόμενοι περιπτύξασθαί 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 ὠφέλεία μόνον ἡμῖν τῶν σῶν καταξιοῦσθαι γραμμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ καύχημα πρὸς τοὺς πολλοὺς καὶ καλλώπισμα, ὅτι λόγος ἡμῶν ἐστὶ παρὰ ἀνδρὶ τοσούτῳ τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ τοσαύτην ἔχοντι πρὸς
1 εἰ μὲν] ἐσμέν editi antiqi.
8 σήν HK.
1 Written in the late summer οὗ 374.
Cf. Loofs 46, note 5. On Kusebius of Samosata see previous letters.
The Benedictine edition rightly assigns this letter to Gregory of
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 Kusesius, Bisnop or Samosata !
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 atHictions 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 account is taken of us by a man so 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 ''afflictions and cares" fit Basil better than Gregory does not seem worthy.
Gregory also had much to occupy him at this time.
Furthermore, the fact that this letter is found regularly among the MSS. of Gregory, and in only Coislinianus 237, Vaticanus
713, Marcianus 79, and Mediceus IV. 14 of the MSS. of Basil, would in itself seem sufficient reason for assigning the letter to Gregory.
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 μακαρίζω ὑμᾶς καταξιωθέντας ἐν τοιούτῳ καιρῷ συνεῖναι ἀνδρὶ τὸν μέγαν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας 1 διαθλοῦντι ἀγῶνα. 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 ἐ ἐκ τῆς πείρας τῶν "πραγμάτων συνειληχότος! ὥστε πέπεισμαι ὑμᾶς νῦν ἐγνωκέναι τὸν ἄνδρα, ἡλίκος ἐστὶ τὴν σύνεσιν" διότι ἐν τῷ παρελθόν". χρόνῳ καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν διάνοιαν εἶχεν εἰς πολλὰ σχιζομένην καὶ ὑμεῖς οὐκ ἤγετε σχολὴν ἀπὸ τῶν τοῦ βίου πραγμάτων, ὥστε ὅλοι προσκεῖσθαι τῷ πνευματικῷ νάματι τῷ ἀπὸ καθαρᾶς καρδίας τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προχεομένῳ. ἀλλὰ παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος ὑμᾶς καὶ αὐτῷ "παράκλησιν εἶναι καὶ αὐτοὺς "μὴ δεῖσθαι τῆς ἑτέρων παρηγορίας" ὅπερ οὖν καὶ πέπεισμαι περὶ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν, τεκμαιρόμενος τῇ τε ἐμαυτοῦ πείρᾳ, ἣν πρὸς ὀλίγον ὑμῶν ἐπειράθην, καὶ τῇ μεγάλῃ διδασκαλίᾳ τοῦ καλοῦ καθηγητοῦ, οὗ "μιᾶς ἡμέρας συνουσία αὐταρκές ἐστιν ἐφόδιον πρὸς σωτηρίαν.
1 ἐκκλησίας tres MSS. recentiores.
1 Written in the late summer of 374.
Cf. Loofs 46, note 5.
LETTER CLXVIII
LETTER CLXVIII
To THe Prespyter Antiocnus, Evusesivus' Nepurw, WHO WAS WITH HIM IN Exire!
Mucn 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 consolation 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 [ 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.
VOL, II.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
CLXIX Τρηγορίῳ Βασίλειος Πρᾶγμα μὲν ὑπέστης ἐπιεικὲς Kal) ἥμερον καὶ φιλάνθρωπον τὴν τοῦ καταφρονητοῦ Γλυκερίου
(τέως γὰρ οὕτω γράφομεν) αἰχμαλωσίαν ouvayaYou, καὶ τὴν κοινὴν ἀσχημοσύνην ἡμῶν, ὡς οἷόν τε ἦν, συγκαλύψας. δεῖ δὲ ὅμως τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν μαθοῦσαν τὰ KAT 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 διακονήσων καὶ τοῦ ἔργου τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπιμελησόμενος. 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 ὁ καὶ εὐσεβείας ἐπὶ τοῦτο ἐλθών, ἀλλ᾽' ἀφορμὴν βίου
3 Sivvacay 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, 1898, pp. 443-464.
LETTER CLXIXx
LETTER CLXIX
Basi: to Grecory 2 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.
Of. Vita Basilii,
XX XI, 4.
2 Other spellings are Veésa, Venata, and Synnasa,
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ταύτην ὥσπερ ἄλλος τινὰ προστησάμενος" καὶ 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 ἱ ἱερατεῖον.
Καὶ τέλος, ἵνα TL μὴ 3 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.3 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 ἑτοιμοτέροις. καὶ οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ταῦτα, καίπερ τηλικαῦτα ὄντα τὸ μέγεθος" ἀλλ᾽ Ett 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, mepwuBpiter Kal ἀτιμοῖ ἢ ὁ θαυμαστὸς νεανίσκος μετὰ τοῦ λῃστρικοῦ συντάγματος.
2 μή Combefisius, who would thus replace τι.
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.
Consider also the occasion he chose.
The local festival was being held, anda 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 flout them.
Let not these things appear tolerable to your 4 ἀτιμάζει Harl.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
yap κοινὸς ῖ πτιάντων ἡμῶν ὁ γέλως" ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν αὐτὸν κέλευσον μετὰ τῶν παρθένων ἐπανεὰλθεῖν: τύχοι yap ἄν τινος φιλανθρωπίας εἰ μετὰ σῶν ἐπανήκοι γραμμάτων: εἰ δὲ μή, τάς γε παρθένους ἀπόπεμψον τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῶν τῇ ἐκκληgia. εἰ δὲ wm," τάς γε βουλομένας τυραννεῖσθαι μὴ συγχωρήσῃς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπανελθεῖν τύπωσον πρὸς ἡμᾶς. ἢ μαρτυρόμεθά σοι8 ὡς καὶ Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις, ὅτι μὴ καλῶς ταῦτα γίνεται μηδὲ θεσμοῖς ἐκκλησίας.
Τλυκέριος δὲ εἰ μὲν ἐπανέλθοι μετ᾽ ἐπιστήμης καὶ τῆς πρεπούσης ὦ εὐσταθείας, τοῦτο ἄριστον, εἰ δὲ μή, ἔστω πεπαυμένος τῆς ὑπηρεσίας.
CLXX Τλυκερίῳ Μέχρι τίνος ἀπονοῇ, καὶ κακῶς pev® βουλεύῃ περὶ σεαυτοῦ, κινεῖς δὲ ἡμᾶς, αἰσχύνεις δὲ τὸ κοινὸν τάγμα τῶν μοναστῶν ; ἐπάνελθε οὖν τῷ
Θεῷ θαρρῶν καὶ ἡμῖν, οὗ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν μιμούμεθα. εἰ γὰρ καὶ πατρικῶς ἐπετιμήσαμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνωσόμεθα πατρικῶς. ταῦτά σοι παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἐπειδὴ πολλοί τε ἱκετεύουσιν ἄλλοι, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ σὸς πρεσβύτερος, οὗ τὴν πολιὰν αἰδούμεθα καὶ τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν. εἰ δὲ μακρύνεις 8 ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν, τοῦ βαθμοῦ μὲν πάντως 9
1 κοινόν editi antiqi.
2 τοῦτο add. editi antiqi.
4 παρούσης H, editi antiqi.
5 μέν om. EB,
δὲ] μέν H, editi antiqi. πνευματικῶς apud Gregorium.
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.
Yet if 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 Gtycertius!
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 continue to hold aloof from us, then you have fallen 1 For the date and content see the preceding letter.
® παντός Reg. secundus.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ἐκπέπτωκας, ἐκπεσῇ δὲ καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ μετὰ τῶν μελῶν σου καὶ τῆς στολῆς, οἷς ἄγεις τὰς νέας, οὐ πρὸς Θεόν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς βάραθρον.
CLXXI Γρηγορίῳ ἢ ᾿Επέσταλκά σοι καὶ πρώην περὶ Γλυκερίου καὶ τῶν παρθένων. οἱ δὲ οὐδέπω καὶ τήμερον ἐπανήκασιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔτι, μέλλουσιν, οὐκ οἶδα ὅθεν καὶ 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 ἐ ἐγγυητής. καὶ γὰρ ἀλγοῦμεν τεμνομένων 8 τῶν μελῶν, εἰ καὶ καλῶς 3 ἐτμήθησαν. εἰ δὲ ἀντιτείνοιεν, ἐπ᾿ ἄλλους τὸ βάρος, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀποπλυνόμεθα.
CLXXII Σωφρονίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ "Ὅπως ηὔφρανας ἡμᾶς τοῖς ® γράμμασιν οὐδὲν δεόμεθα γράφειν. εἰκάζεις γὰρ πάντως αὐτοῖς 1 ἑταίρῳ add. E.
4 κακῶς K, editi antiqi.
5 rots om. KH.
1 Cf. Tim. 3. 13: of yap καλῶς διακονήσαντες, βαθμὺν ἑαυτοῖς καλὸν περιποιοῦνται, Kal πολλὴν παρρησίαν ἐν πίστει τῇ ἐν
LETTER CLXXII
entirely from your grade,t 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 5 I wave 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, ΒΙΒΗΟΡ ὃ 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" mentioned 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 oficiorwm, to whom Letters XXXII, LX XVI, XCVI and others are addressed, The present Sophronius is otherwise unknown.
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
ols ἐπέστειλας τοιούτοις ovat. 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 καταστάσει, 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. εἰ yap ἐπιστολαὶ τοιαῦται, ὁποία ἡ ἡ συντυχία; ; καὶ εἰ πόρρωθεν οὕτως αἱρεῖς, πόσου ἄξιος ἔσῃ ἐγγύθεν ἡμῖν ἐπιφανείς ; εὖ δὲ ἴσθι," εἰ μὴ μυρίων ἀσχολιῶν περιεῖχε πλῆθος ὃ καὶ αἱ ἀπαραίτητοι αὗται «ἀνάγκαι αἷς ἐνδεδέμεθα, αὐτόν με ἐπειχθῆναι πρὸς τὴν σὴν τελειότητα. καίτοιγε ὁ μέγα μοι ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι πρὸς τὰς κινήσεις 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 πρεσβεύονTL πίστιν, ὡς ὁ τῶν τιμίων ἀδελφῶν καὶ συμπρεσβυτέρων 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 ἀνεπαίστοιούτοις οὖσι om. H. εὖ δὲ ἴσθι] ὥστε με H; ὥστε μοι Med. ἡμᾶς add. editi antiqi.
4 καίτοι B, περὶ σοῦ add. editi antiqi. τοῦ Θεοῦ add. editi antiqi. ane we
LETTER CLXXIlI
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 condition 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 communion in your Perfection, we have rendered exceeding 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 preoccupations 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 anticipated 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 fellowpresbyters, 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 com1 Cf, Matt. 24. 12: καὶ διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἄνομίαν, ψυγήσεται ἡ ἀγάπη τῶν πολλῶν.
'* And because iniquity hath abounded, the charity of many shall grow cold."
COLLECTED LETTERS OF SAINT BASIL
XUVTOL, διὰ τῆς ἁπλῆς καὶ ἀπεριέργου ὁμολογίας λατρεύοντες τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ! ἄσυλον τὴν πίστιν καὶ ἀπερίεργον τὴν εἰς Πατέρα καὶ Ὑἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα διαφυλάσσοντες.
CLXXIII Πρὸς Θεοδώραν κανονικήν 3 Ὀκνηροὺς ἡμᾶς ποιεῖ πρὸς τὸ γράφεϊν τὸ μὴ πεπεῖσθαι τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἡμῶν πάντως 3 ἐγχειρίἕεσθαι τῇ σῇ ἀγάπῃ ἀλλὰ κακίᾳ τῶν διακονούντων μυρίους προεντυγχάνειν ἑτέρους" καὶ μάλιστα νῦν οὕτω τεταραγμένων τῶν κατα τὴν οἰκουμένην πραγμάτων. διόπερ ἀναμένω ® τρόπον τινὰ μεμφθῆναι ® καὶ ὕ ἀπαιτηθῆναι, βιαίως τὰς ἐπιστολάς, ὥστε αὐτῷ τούτῳ τεκμηρίῳ χρήσασθαι τῆς ἀποδόσεως. καὶ γράφοντες μὲν οὖν καὶ σιωπῶντες ἕν ἔργον ἔχομεν ἐ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ἡμῶν, φυλάσσειν τὴν μνήμην τῆς κοσμιότητός σου, καὶ προσεύχεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ δοῦναί σοι τελέσαι τὸν δρόμον τῆς ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας καθὰ προείλου. τῷ ὄντι 1 λατρεύοντες τῷ Κυρίῳ, καί οἴη. KH, Med.
3 πάντας editi antiqi.
4 τεταγμένων editi antiqi.
5 ἀναμένομεν editi antiqi.
7 καί om. HE.
1 Cf. 2 Tim, 2. 15: σπούδασον σεαυτὸν δόκιμον παραστῆσαι τῷ Θεῷ, ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον ὀρθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας.
'Carefully study to present thyself approved