151 (81). To Eustathius, the Physician
SAINT BASIL
by day, he had time to say but little, considering the importance of the subject, but I would prefer for you to have learned this from the man himself. For, it is not reasonable for me to mar the exactness of his teachings. But, I have prayed to visit him some day with you, in order that you, while preserving accurately in your memory what is said, may also by your own intelligence find out what is left unsaid. For, from the many things I heard I remember this-that instruction on how the Christian should live is not so much in need of speech as of daily example. And I know that, if the bond of responsibility for your aged father did not hold you back, you yourself would have preferred nothing to a conference with the bishop, nor would you have advised me to leave him and wander into the solitude. For, the caves and the rocks await us, but the advantages accruing to us from men are not always at hand. Therefore, if you would permit me to advise you, you would impress upon your father that he should allow you to depart from him for a little while and to meet the man who knows much both from the experience of others and from his own intelligence, and is able to offer it to those who come to him.
151. To Eustathius, the Physician l If there is any benefit from our letters, do not for any length of time cease writing to us and rousing us to write, for we ourselves are certainly made happier by reading the letters of intelligent men who love the Lord. And, whether you yourself really find something deserving of esteem in our letters, it is for you who read them to know. By all means, if we
1 Letter 189 is also addressed to this Eustathius. This letter was written in 373.
LETTERS
were not drawn away by the press of business engagements, we would not refrain from the pleasure of writing continuously. But you, whose cares are less, charm us as often as it may be possible with your letters. For, they say that wells become better by being used. But, your counsels drawn from the art of medicine are apparently beside the point, since we are not employing the knife, but they who have become corrupted are falling upon one another.2 Now, there is a Stoic saying: 'When,' it is said, 'matters do not happen as we wish, we wish them as they happen.' But, on my part, I cannot conform my will to the matter in hand; yet, I do not condemn men who perform a necessary act against their will. For, you physicians do not wish to cauterize the sick or otherwise cause them to suffer; nevertheless, you permit it frequently in consequence of the seriousness of the condition. Neither do those who go to sea willingly throw out their cargo,3 but, in order to escape shipwreck, they submit to the jettisoning, preferring a life of poverty to death. And, so, believe that we also endure with pain and with countless lamentations the separation from those who withdraw; nevertheless, we bear it, since nothing is more precious to the lovers of truth than God and our hope in Him.
2 Eustathius the bishop and his followers are using the knife upon each other.
3 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 237.