Letters 251–259

Basil of Caesarea · Letters · ca. 357–378 · Caesarea · 8 passages

Greek text: PG 32.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895), Letters.

Chapter 251

251PG 32:933a–940a

Τοῖς Εὗαισηνοῖς. Α 1. Εἰ καὶ πολὺ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν περιεχόντων ἡμᾶς πραγμάτων, καὶ φροντίσι μυρίαις συνέχεται ἡμῶν ἡ διάνοια, ὅμως οὐδέποτε τῆς μνήμης ἡμῶν ἐξεβαλομεν τὴν περὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης μέριμναν, δεόμενοι τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν διαμεῖναι ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἓν ᾗ ἑστήκατε καὶ καυχᾶσθε ἐπʼςὲλπίδι τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ δυσεύρετον λοιπόν καὶ πάνυ σπάνιον ἰδεῖν Ἐκκλησίαν εἰλικρινῆ, μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς τῶν καιρῶν χαλεπότητος παραβλαβεῖσαν, ἀλλʼ ἀκεραίαν καὶ ἄθραυστον τήν ἀποστολικὴν διασώζουσαν διδασκαλίαν, οἱαν τὴν καθʼ ὑμᾶς ἔδειξεν ἐν τοῖς παροῦσι καιροῖς ό ἀναδεικνὺς τοὺς καθʼ ἑκάστην γενεὰν ἀξίους τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κλήσεως. Καὶ δῴη Κύριος ὑμῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ Ἰερουσαλὴμ. τῆς ἄνω, ἀνθʼ ὧν τὰς ψευδεῖς καθʼ ἡμῶν διαβολὰς ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν ψευδολόγων κεφαλὰς ἀπεπέμψασθε, μὴ δόντες αὐτοῖς εἴσοδον ἐπὶ τὰς καρδίας ὐμῶν. Καὶ οῖδα καὶ πέπεισμαι ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ό μισθός ὑμῶν πολὺς ἓν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ πράξει ταύτῃ. Ἐλογίσασθε γὰρ τοῦτο σοφῶς παρʼ ἑαυτοῖς, ὅ καὶ ἔστι κατʼ ἀλήθειαν, ὅτι οἱ ἀνταποδιδόντες μοι πονηρά ἀντὶ καλῶν, καὶ μῖσος ἀντὶ τῆς ἀγαπήσεώς μου τῆς εἰς αὐτοὺς, διαβάλλουσί με νῦν ἐπʼ ἐκείνοις, εἰς ἆ αὐτοὶ εὑρίσκονται ἐγγράφους ὁμολογίας ἐκθέμενοι, 2. Καὶ οὐ μόνον εἰς ταύτην ἐνέπεσον τὴν ἐναντίωσιν, ἴδια ἕγγραφα ὑμῖν ἀντὶ κατηγορίας προφέροντες, ἀλλʼ ὁτι καὶ παμψηφὶ παρὰ τῶν συνελθόντων εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν καθαιρεθέντες, οὐκ ἐδέξαντο τήν καθαίρεσιν αὐτῶν, σύνοδον ἆθετούντων προσαγορεύοντες, καὶ μὴ καταδεχόμενοι ἐπισκόπους αὐτοὺς λέγειν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐξενεχθεῖσαν ψῆφον κυρώσωσι. Καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν προσετίθεσαν τοῦ μὴ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐπισκόπους, διότι αἱρέσεως, φησὶ, πονηρᾶς προεστήκασι. Ταῦτα δὲ ἐγένετο πρὸ δέκα καὶ ἑπτὰ οὐχ ὅλων ἐτῶν. Ἦσαν δὲ οἱ ἕξαρχοι τῶν καθελόντων αὐτοὺς, Εὗὃοξιος, Εῦίππιος, Γεώργιος, Ἀκάκιος, καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν ὑμῖν ἀγνοουμένων. Oi δὲ νῦν κρατοῦντες τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, ἐκείνων εἰσὶ διάδοχοι· οἱ μὲν, ἀντʼ αὐτῶν χειροτονηθέντες, oi δὲ, ὑπʼ ἐκείνων αὐτῶν προαχθέντες. 3. Νῦν οὖν οἱ ἡμῖν τήν κακοδοξίαν ἐγκαλοῦντες εἰπάτωσαν ἡμῖν, πῶς μὲν κίρετικοὶ ἦσαν ἐκεῖνοι, ὧν τὴν καθαίρεσιν οῦκ ἐδέξαντο; πῶς δὲ ὀρθόδοξοι οῦτοι οἱ παρʼ ἐκείνων προαχθέντες, καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ φρόνημα τοῖς πατράσιν αὐτῶν διασώζοντιςς Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὀρθὸὃοξος Εῦίππιος, πῶς οὐχὶ λαῑκός Εὐστάθιος, ὁ παρʼ ἐκείνου καθῃρημένου εἰ δὲ αἱρετικὸς ἐκείνος, πως κοινωνικὸς Εὐσταοίου νῦν, ὁ διὰ τῆς ἐκείνου χειρὸς προαχθείς; Ἀλλά παιδιαὶ αὗται, κατά τῶν Ἐκκλησιών τοῦ Θεοῦ παιζόμεναι, πρὸς τὸ ἑαυτῶν συμφέρον, καὶ διαβάλλειν ἀνθρώπους, καὶ πάλιν συνιστᾷν ἐπιχειρούντων. Tit. Βασιλείὸου τοῦ Παφλαγόνος θυσιαστήρια ἀνέτρεψε παριὼν τὴν Παφλαγονίαν Εὐστάθιος, καὶ ἐπὶ ἰδίων τραπεζῶν ἐλειτούργει ο καὶ νῦν ἱκέτης ἐστὶ Βασιλείὸου; ὥστε δεχθῆναι. Ἀφὼρισε τὸν εῦλαβἐστατον ἀδελφὸν Ἐλπίὸιον διὰ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς έν ’Λμασείᾳ συνάφειαν · καὶ νῦν ἱκέτης τῶν Ἀμασέων, ἐπιζητῶν αὐτῶν τὴν συνάφειαν. Τά κατά Εῦιππίου κηρύγματα καὶ ὑμεῖς αὐτοὶ ἐπίστασθε ὅπως ἦν φρικτά. Καὶ νῦν τοὺς τὰ ἐκείνου φρονοῦντας ἐπὶ ὀρθότητι ἀποσεμνύνει, μόνον ἐὰν εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀποκαταστάσεως αὐτοῦ σπουδὴν συνεργή σωσιν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ὃιαβαλλόμεθα, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἡμεῖς ἀδικοῦμεν τι, ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο ἐνόμισεν εῦδοκίμησιν αὐτῷ φέρειν παρά τοῖς ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ. Οὐδὲ πέρυσιν ἐν τῆς Γαλατίας μετεστείλαντο, ὡς διʼ αὐτῶν δυνάμενοι τὴν παρρησίαν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀπολαβεῖν, τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν, οἴους ἴσασι μὶν καὶ οἱ πρὸς ὀλίγον συγγεγονότες αὐτοῖς. Ἐμοὶ δε μὴ παράσχοι ὁ Κύριος τοσαύτην σχολήν ποτε, ὥστε τὰς ἐκείνων πράξεις ἆπαριθμείσθαι. Πλὴν ἀλλʼ ὑπὸ δορυφόροις τοῖς τιμιωτάτοις αὐτῶν καὶ συμμύσταις παραπεμφθέντες, διεξῆλθον μὲν διὰ πάσης αὐτῶν τῆς χώρας τὰς τῶν ἐπισκόπων τιμὰς καὶ θεραπείας ἔχοντες· εἰσήχθησαν δε περιφανῶς εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἕκκλησιάσαντες μετὰ αύθεντίας. Παρεδόθη γὰρ αὐτοῖς ὁ λαὸς, παρεδόθη τὸ θυσιαστήριον. Οἱ, ἐπειδὴ μέχρι Νικοπόλεως προελθόντες οὐδὲν ἠδυνήθησαν, ὧν ἔπηγγεί· λαντο διαπράξασθαι, πῶς ἐπανῆλθον, καὶ πῶς ὤφθησαν κατὰ την ἐπάνοδον, ἴσασιν οἰ παρόντες. Οὕτως ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ ἑαυτῶν συμφέρον πάντα ποιοῦντες φαίνονται. Εἰ δὲ λέγουσιν, ὃτι μετενόησαν, δειξάτωσαν αὐτῶν ἔγγραφον τὴν μετάνοιαν, καὶ ἁναθεματισμὸν τῆς ἓν Κωνσταντινουπόλει πίστεως, καὶ χωρισμὸν τῶν αἱρετικῶν, καὶμὴ ἐξαπατάτωσαν τοὺς ἀκεραιοτέρους. Καὶ τᾲ μεν ἕκείνων τοιαῦτα. 4. Ἡμεῖς δὲ, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, μικροὶ μεν καὶ ταπεινοὶ, οἱ αὐτοὶ δι ἀεὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, οὐδέποτε ταῖς μεταβολαῖς τῶν πραφμάτων συνδιετέθημεν. Πίστις παρʼ ἡμῖν οὐκ ἄλλη μὲν ἐν Σελευκείᾳ, άλλη δε ἄν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, καὶ ἄλλη ἐν Ζὴλοις, καὶ ἓν Λαμψάκῳ ἄλλη, καὶ ἰπὶ Ῥώμης ἑτέρα · καὶ ἡ νῦν περιφερομένη ού διάφορος παρὰ τὰς προτέρας, ἀλλὰ μία καὶ ἡ αύτὴ ἀεί. Ὠς γὰρ παρελάβομεν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, οὕτω βαπτιζόμεθα ὡς -βαπτιζόμεθα, οὕτω πιστεύομεν · ὡς πιστεύομεν, οὕτω καὶ 605mγοῦμιν οὔτε χωρίζοντες Πατρός καὶ Υἰοῦ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, οὔτε προτιθέντες Πατρός, ἡ πρεσβύτερον εἶναι τοῦ Υὶοῦ τό Πνεῦμα λέγοντες · ὡς αἰ τῶν βλασφήμων γλῶσσαι κατασκευάζουσι. Τίς γὰρ οὕτω τολμηρός, ὃς, τὴν Δεσποτικήν παρωσάμενος νου μοθεσὶαν, ἰδίαν τολμᾲ τοῖς ὀνόμασι τάξιν,ἐπινοείν; Ἀλλʼ οὔτε κτιστόν Αέγομεν τὸ Πνεῦμα, τό μετὰ llaτρός καὶ Υἱοῦ τεταγμένον · οὔτε δουλικὸν τολμῶμεν εἰπεῖν τό ἡγεμονικόν. Καὶ ὑμᾶς παρακαλοῦμεν μεμνημένους τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπειλῆς, τοῦ εἰπόντος, Πᾶσα ἁμαρτία καὶ βλασφημία ἀφεθήσεται τοῖς ἀνθρώποις · ἡ δὲ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον βλασφημία οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται, οὔτε ἐν τῷ νῦν αἰῶνι οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι· φυλάξατε ἑαυτούς τῶν βλαβερῶν κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος διδαγμάτων. Στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει, περιβλέψατε εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην ιʼ "' ι 'l"' 'l"" ““ ““”’““”Γʼ””’ καὶ ἴδετε, ὅτι μικρόν ἐστι τοῦτο τό μέρος τό νενοσηί κός · ἡ δε λοιπὴ πᾶσα Ἐκκλησία, ἡ ἀπὸ περάτων εἰς πέρατα δεξαμένη τό Εὖαγγέλιον, ἐπὶ τῆς ὑγιοῦς ἔστι τιοτηξιιιι summa» “mmo ιιιῆιὴι εὐχόμεθατῆςιιοινωνίας μῦ unm, ut ομυ ρίον ὑμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τῇ δ adq; ωτι Ωον m ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν αὑτοῦ.

Tois Heuaisēnois. A 1. Ei kai poly to plēthos tōn periechontōn hēmas pragmatōn, kai phrontisi myriais synechetai hēmōn hē dianoia, homōs oudepote tēs mnēmēs hēmōn exebalomen tēn peri tēs hymeteras agapēs merimnan, deomenoi tou theou hēmōn diameinai hymas en tę̄ pistei, hen hę̄ hestēkate kai kauchasthe epʼselpidi tēs doxēs tou Theou. Tǭ onti gar dyseureton loipon kai pany spanion idein Ekklēsian eilikrinē, mēden ek tēs tōn kairōn chalepotētos parablabeisan, allʼ akeraian kai athrauston tēn apostolikēn diasōzousan didaskalian, hoian tēn kathʼ hymas edeixen en tois parousi kairois o anadeiknys tous kathʼ hekastēn genean axious tēs heautou klēseōs. Kai dǭē Kyrios hymin ta agatha Ierousalēm. tēs anō, anthʼ hōn tas pseudeis kathʼ hēmōn diabolas epi tas tōn pseudologōn kephalas apepempsasthe, mē dontes autois eisodon epi tas kardias ymōn. Kai oida kai pepeismai en Kyriǭ, hoti o misthos hymōn polys hen tois ouranois, kai epi tę̄ praxei tautę̄. Elogisasthe gar touto sophōs parʼ heautois, ho kai esti katʼ alētheian, hoti hoi antapodidontes moi ponēra anti kalōn, kai misos anti tēs agapēseōs mou tēs eis autous, diaballousi me nyn epʼ ekeinois, eis a autoi heuriskontai engraphous homologias ekthemenoi, 2. Kai ou monon eis tautēn enepeson tēn enantiōsin, idia hengrapha hymin anti katēgorias propherontes, allʼ hoti kai pampsēphi para tōn synelthontōn eis tēn Kōnstantinoupolin kathairethentes, ouk edexanto tēn kathairesin autōn, synodon athetountōn prosagoreuontes, kai mē katadechomenoi episkopous autous legein, hina mē tēn katʼ autōn exenechtheisan psēphon kyrōsōsi. Kai tēn aitian prosetithesan tou mē einai autous episkopous, dioti haireseōs, phēsi, ponēras proestēkasi. Tauta de egeneto pro deka kai hepta ouch holōn etōn. Ēsan de hoi hexarchoi tōn kathelontōn autous, Heuooxios, Euippios, Geōrgios, Akakios, kai hoi loipoi tōn hymin agnooumenōn. Oi de nyn kratountes tōn Ekklēsiōn, ekeinōn eisi diadochoi; hoi men, antʼ autōn cheirotonēthentes, oi de, hypʼ ekeinōn autōn proachthentes. 3. Nyn oun hoi hēmin tēn kakodoxian enkalountes eipatōsan hēmin, pōs men kiretikoi ēsan ekeinoi, hōn tēn kathairesin ouk edexanto? pōs de orthodoxoi outoi hoi parʼ ekeinōn proachthentes, kai to auto phronēma tois patrasin autōn diasōzontiss Ei men gar orthoooxos Euippios, pōs ouchi laikos Eustathios, ho parʼ ekeinou kathę̄rēmenou ei de hairetikos ekeinos, pōs koinōnikos Eustaoiou nyn, ho dia tēs ekeinou cheiros proachtheis? Alla paidiai hautai, kata tōn Ekklēsiōn tou Theou paizomenai, pros to heautōn sympheron, kai diaballein anthrōpous, kai palin synistąn epicheirountōn. Tit. Basileioou tou Paphlagonos thysiastēria anetrepse pariōn tēn Paphlagonian Eustathios, kai epi idiōn trapezōn eleitourgei o kai nyn hiketēs esti Basileioou? hōste dechthēnai. Aphōrise ton eulabestaton adelphon Elpioion dia tēn pros tous en ’Lmaseią synapheian ; kai nyn hiketēs tōn Amaseōn, epizētōn autōn tēn synapheian. Ta kata Euippiou kērygmata kai hymeis autoi epistasthe hopōs ēn phrikta. Kai nyn tous ta ekeinou phronountas epi orthotēti aposemnynei, monon ean eis tēn tēs apokatastaseōs autou spoudēn synergē sōsin. Hēmeis de hoiaballometha, ouk epeidē hēmeis adikoumen ti, allʼ epeidē touto enomisen eudokimēsin autǭ pherein para tois en Antiocheią. Oude perysin en tēs Galatias metesteilanto, hōs diʼ autōn dynamenoi tēn parrēsian tēs episkopēs apolabein, toioutoi eisin, oious isasi min kai hoi pros oligon syngegonotes autois. Emoi de mē paraschoi ho Kyrios tosautēn scholēn pote, hōste tas ekeinōn praxeis aparithmeisthai. Plēn allʼ hypo doryphorois tois timiōtatois autōn kai symmystais parapemphthentes, diexēlthon men dia pasēs autōn tēs chōras tas tōn episkopōn timas kai therapeias echontes; eisēchthēsan de periphanōs eis tēn polin hekklēsiasantes meta authentias. Paredothē gar autois ho laos, paredothē to thysiastērion. Hoi, epeidē mechri Nikopoleōs proelthontes ouden ēdynēthēsan, hōn epēngei; lanto diapraxasthai, pōs epanēlthon, kai pōs ōphthēsan kata tēn epanodon, isasin oi parontes. Houtōs aei pros to heautōn sympheron panta poiountes phainontai. Ei de legousin, hoti metenoēsan, deixatōsan autōn engraphon tēn metanoian, kai hanathematismon tēs hen Kōnstantinoupolei pisteōs, kai chōrismon tōn hairetikōn, kaimē exapatatōsan tous akeraioterous. Kai tą men hekeinōn toiauta. 4. Hēmeis de, agapētoi adelphoi, mikroi men kai tapeinoi, hoi autoi di aei tę̄ tou Theou chariti, oudepote tais metabolais tōn praphmatōn syndietethēmen. Pistis parʼ hēmin ouk allē men en Seleukeią, allē de an Kōnstantinoupolei, kai allē en Zēlois, kai hen Lampsakǭ allē, kai ipi Rhōmēs hetera ; kai hē nyn peripheromenē ou diaphoros para tas proteras, alla mia kai hē autē aei. Ōs gar parelabomen para tou Kyriou, houtō baptizometha hōs -baptizometha, houtō pisteuomen ; hōs pisteuomen, houtō kai 605mgoumin oute chōrizontes Patros kai Uiou to hagion Pneuma, oute protithentes Patros, hē presbyteron einai tou Uiou to Pneuma legontes ; hōs ai tōn blasphēmōn glōssai kataskeuazousi. Tis gar houtō tolmēros, hos, tēn Despotikēn parōsamenos nou mothesian, idian tolmą tois onomasi taxin,epinoein? Allʼ oute ktiston Aegomen to Pneuma, to meta llatros kai Huiou tetagmenon ; oute doulikon tolmōmen eipein to hēgemonikon. Kai hymas parakaloumen memnēmenous tēs tou Kyriou apeilēs, tou eipontos, Pasa hamartia kai blasphēmia aphethēsetai tois anthrōpois ; hē de eis to Pneuma to hagion blasphēmia ouk aphethēsetai, oute en tǭ nyn aiōni oute en tǭ mellonti; phylaxate heautous tōn blaberōn kata tou Pneumatos didagmatōn. Stēkete en tę̄ pistei, periblepsate eis tēn oikoumenēn iʼ "' i 'l"' 'l"" ““ ““”’““”Gʼ””’ kai idete, hoti mikron esti touto to meros to nenosēi kos ; hē de loipē pasa Ekklēsia, hē apo peratōn eis perata dexamenē to Euangelion, epi tēs hygious esti tiotēxiiii summa» “mmo iiiēiēi euchomethatēsiioinōnias my unm, ut omy rion hymōn Iēsou Christou tę̄ d adq? ōti Ōon m hekastǭ kata tēn praxin hautou.

To the people of Evaesae. 1. Even though the number of affairs surrounding us is great, and our mind is held fast by countless cares, we have never cast out of our memory our concern for your love, praying our God that you may remain in the faith in which you stand and boast in hope of the glory of God. For truly it is now hard to find and very rare to see a Church that is pure, not harmed at all by the difficulty of the times, but preserving the apostolic teaching unharmed and unbroken, such as he has shown yours to be in the present times, he who shows forth in each generation those worthy of his calling. And may the Lord give you the good things of the Jerusalem above, in return for your sending back the false slanders against us upon the heads of the liars, giving them no entry into your hearts. And I know and am persuaded in the Lord that your reward is great in heaven, for this deed too. For you reasoned wisely among yourselves, as is indeed the truth, that those who repay me evil for good, and hatred for my love toward them, are now slandering me for things to which they themselves are found to have set out written confessions. 2. And not only have they fallen into this contradiction, bringing forward their own documents to you as an accusation; but also, though they were deposed unanimously by those who assembled at Constantinople, they did not accept their deposition, calling it a synod of the godless, and refusing to call those men bishops, so as not to ratify the vote passed against themselves. And they added the reason why those were not bishops: because, they say, they lead an evil heresy. This happened not quite seventeen years ago. The leaders of those who deposed them were Eudoxius, Euippius, George, Acacius, and others who are unknown to you. Those who now hold power over the Churches are their successors: some ordained in their place, others promoted by those very men. 3. Now then, let those who accuse us of false belief tell us how those men were heretics whose deposition they did not accept, and how these are orthodox who were promoted by them and preserve the same mind as their fathers? For if Euippius is orthodox, how is Eustathius, who was deposed by him, not a layman? But if Euippius is a heretic, how is one who was promoted by his hand now in communion with Eustathius? But these are games, played against the Churches of God by men who, for their own advantage, set about now slandering people and now commending them. Eustathius, passing through Paphlagonia, overturned the altars of Basilides the Paphlagonian and ministered on his own tables; and now he is a suppliant of Basilides, to be received by him. He excommunicated the most reverent brother Elpidius for his union with those in Amasea; and now he is a suppliant of the Amaseans, seeking union with them. How dreadful his proclamations against Euippius were, you yourselves know. And now he extols as orthodox those who think as Euippius did, provided only they cooperate in his eagerness to be restored. We are slandered, not because we do any wrong, but because he thought this would win him favor with those in Antioch. And those whom they sent for last year from Galatia, thinking that through them they could recover the freedom of the episcopate, are such men as even those who have been with them a little while know. May the Lord never give me so much leisure as to enumerate their deeds. However, escorted by their most honored bodyguards and fellow initiates, they passed through their whole country receiving the honors and attentions due to bishops; and they were brought into the city with great display and held assembly with authority. For the people was handed over to them; the altar was handed over. And when they had advanced as far as Nicopolis and could accomplish none of what they had promised, how they returned, and how they were seen on the way back, those who were present know. So they always appear to do everything for their own advantage. And if they say that they have repented, let them show their repentance in writing, and an anathema of the creed of Constantinople, and their separation from the heretics; and let them not deceive the simpler. Such, then, are their affairs. 4. But we, beloved brothers, though small and lowly, are always the same by the grace of God, and have never changed along with the changes of affairs. With us there is not one creed at Seleucia, another at Constantinople, another at Zela, another at Lampsacus, and yet another at Rome; and the one now carried about is not different from the earlier ones, but is one and the same always. For as we received from the Lord, so we are baptized; as we are baptized, so we believe; as we believe, so we also give glory: neither separating the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, nor putting him before the Father, nor saying that the Spirit is older than the Son, as the tongues of the blasphemers make out. For who is so daring as to thrust aside the Lord's ordinance and dare to devise his own order for the names? But neither do we call the Spirit created, who is ranked with the Father and the Son; nor do we dare to call servile him who is sovereign. And we urge you, remembering the threat of the Lord, who said, "Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men; but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, neither in this age nor in the age to come," to guard yourselves against the harmful teachings against the Spirit. Stand fast in the faith; look around the world and see that this part which is sick is small; but the whole rest of the Church, which from end to end has received the Gospel, is in the sound … [doctrine] …

Rom 5:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 4:26 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 5:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 109:5 (108:5 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 28:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 12:31 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 12:32 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 16:13 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil thanks the church of Evaesae for rejecting slanders against him, exposes the inconsistency of Eustathius and his party, who now court the very bishops whose deposition they once rejected, and states that his own faith, baptism, and doxology in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have never changed.

Letter 251. The end of the letter is garbled in the scan and only scraps can be read ("…"; "doctrine" is supplied by sense). The synod of Constantinople is that of 360. Basil's charges against Eustathius and his party are translated as he writes them. The order "as we are baptized, so we believe; as we believe, so we give glory" is Basil's rule for the Trinity, from Matt 28:19. Quotations and allusions: Rom 5:2; Gal 4:26; Matt 5:12; Ps 35:12 / 109:5 (evil for good, 34:12, 108:5 LXX); Matt 28:19; Matt 12:31–32 (quoted); 1 Cor 16:13.

Topics: Trinity, Heresy, Baptism

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 251 (PG 32:933a–940a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-251). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 32 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 8, which gives only summaries from Letter 296 and omits some letters; those were re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 252

252PG 32:940a–940c

Ἐπισχόποις τῆς Ποντικῆς διοικήσεως. Μαρτύρων τιμαὶ πᾶσι μὶν περισπούδαστοι τοῖς επὶ Κύριον ἠλπικόσιν, ἐξαιρέτως δί ὑμῖν, τοῖς ὄφιτῆς ἀντιποιουμένοις, οἱ διὰ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς εὐδοκιμους τῶν ὁμοδούλων διαθέσεως τὴν πρὸς τὸν κοινόν Δεσπότην εὔνοιαν ἓπιδείχνυσθε · ἄλλως τι καὶ διὰ ἷὸ συγγενές τι ἔχειν τὸν ἐν ἀκριβείᾳ βίον πρὸς τούς διὰ καρτερίας τελειωθέντας. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὶπισημότατοι μαρτύρων Εὗψύχιος καὶ Δάμας, καὶ ὁ περὶ αὐτοὺς χορὸς, ὧν ἡ μνήμη διʼ ἔτους παρὰ τῆς πόλεως ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς περιοικίδος πάσης τελεῖται, ὑπομιμνήσκει ὑμᾶς, τὸν ἴδιον ἑαυτῆς κόσμον, ἡ Ἐκκλησία, διὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας φωνῆς παρακαλοῦσα, τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀπολαβεἰν τῆς ἐπισκέψεως ὑμῶν συνήθειαν. Ὠς οὖν ἐργασίας μεγάλης προκειμένης ὑμῖν ὲν λαῷ ἆπιζηο τοῦντι τὴν παρʼ ὑμῶν οἰκοδομὴν, χαὶ μισθόν ἐν τῇ τιμῇ τῶν μαρτύρων ἀποκείμενον, δέξασθε ἡμῶν τὴν ποιράχλησιν, καὶ ἐπινεύσατι πρὸς τὴν χάριν μικρῷπονῳ

Epischopois tēs Pontikēs dioikēseōs. Martyrōn timai pasi min perispoudastoi tois epi Kyrion ēlpikosin, exairetōs di hymin, tois ophitēs antipoioumenois, hoi dia tēs pros tous eudokimous tōn homodoulōn diatheseōs tēn pros ton koinon Despotēn eunoian hepideichnysthe ; allōs ti kai dia hio syngenes ti echein ton en akribeią bion pros tous dia karterias teleiōthentas. Epei oun ipisēmotatoi martyrōn Heupsychios kai Damas, kai ho peri autous choros, hōn hē mnēmē diʼ etous para tēs poleōs hēmōn kai tēs perioikidos pasēs teleitai, hypomimnēskei hymas, ton idion heautēs kosmon, hē Ekklēsia, dia tēs hēmeteras phōnēs parakalousa, tēn archaian apolabein tēs episkepseōs hymōn synētheian. Ōs oun ergasias megalēs prokeimenēs hymin en laǭ apizēo tounti tēn parʼ hymōn oikodomēn, chai misthon en tę̄ timę̄ tōn martyrōn apokeimenon, dexasthe hēmōn tēn poirachlēsin, kai epineusati pros tēn charin mikrǭponǭ

To the bishops of the Pontic diocese. The honors paid to martyrs are eagerly sought by all who have hoped in the Lord, but especially by you, who lay claim to virtue, and who by your disposition toward the approved among your fellow servants show your good will toward the common Master; and above all because the life of strictness has a certain kinship with those who were perfected through endurance. Since, then, Eupsychius and Damas and the company with them are the most illustrious of martyrs, and their memorial is celebrated every year by our city and the whole surrounding district, the Church reminds you, her own adornment, through our voice, calling on you to resume the ancient custom of your visit. As, then, a great work lies before you among a people that seeks edification from you, and a reward is stored up in the honor of the martyrs, accept our invitation, and consent to the favor at the cost of a little labor …

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil invites the bishops of the Pontic diocese to the annual festival of the martyrs Eupsychius and Damas at Caesarea.

Letter 252. The scan breaks off before the end ("…"). Eupsychius was martyred at Caesarea under Julian (362).

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 252 (PG 32:940a–940c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-252). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 253

253PG 32:940c–940d

Πρεσβυτιροις Ἀντιοχείας. Τήν μέριμναν, ἢν ἔχετε ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἐιχλησῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐν μέρει μὶν διαναπαύσει ό ποθεινότατος καὶ εὐλαβέστατος ἡμῶν ἀδελφὸς Σαγκτίσσιμος ὁ συμπρεσβύτερος, διηγησάμενος πάσης τῆς nam τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην τι καὶ διάθεσιν · ἓν μέρει δὲ καὶ διαναστήσει καὶ πλέον παροξυνεῖ, ὅσην σπονδὴν ἐπιζητιί τὰ παρόντα πράγματα, ὶναργῶς ῠμδ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ παραστήσας. Καὶ γὰρ τῶν μὶν alere ἕκαστος, ὥσπερ ἐξ ἡμισείας, ἡμῖν iuranti): καὶ τὰς γνώμας τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἀνδρῶν, καὶ τὴν κατάστάσιν τῶν πραγμάτων · αὐτὸς δὶ, ἱκανὸς ὢν καὶ προαίρεσιν ἀνδρῶν καταμαθεῖν, καὶ κατάστασιν πραγμάτων ἀκριβῶς διερευνήσασθαι, πάντα ὑμῖν ἐρεῖ, καὶ πρὸς πάντα χειραγωγήσει τὴν ἀγαθὴν σπουδὴν ὑμῶν. Ὥστε ἔχετε (ὸέίῦλ-ηννπρίπουσαντῇ τελείᾳ ὑμῶν προαιρέσει ἢν ἀεὶ ἐν ταῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ θεοῦ μορὶμναις ἐδείξατε.

Presbytirois Antiocheias. Tēn merimnan, ēn echete hyper tōn Eichlēsōn tou Theou, en merei min dianapausei o potheinotatos kai eulabestatos hēmōn adelphos Sanktissimos ho sympresbyteros, diēgēsamenos pasēs tēs nam tēn peri hēmas agapēn ti kai diathesin ; hen merei de kai dianastēsei kai pleon paroxynei, hosēn spondēn epizētii ta paronta pragmata, inargōs ymd diʼ heautou parastēsas. Kai gar tōn min alere hekastos, hōsper ex hēmiseias, hēmin iuranti): kai tas gnōmas tōn ekeise andrōn, kai tēn katastasin tōn pragmatōn ; autos di, hikanos ōn kai proairesin andrōn katamathein, kai katastasin pragmatōn akribōs diereunēsasthai, panta hymin erei, kai pros panta cheiragōgēsei tēn agathēn spoudēn hymōn. Hōste echete (oeiyl-ēnnpripousantę̄ teleią hymōn proairesei ēn aei en tais hyper tōn Ekklēsiōn tou theou morimnais edeixate.

To the presbyters of Antioch. The anxiety you have for the Churches of God our most longed-for and most reverent brother Sanctissimus, the fellow presbyter, will in part relieve, by telling you of the love and good disposition of the whole West toward us; and in part he will rouse you and stir you up further, by setting before you vividly, in person, how much zeal the present situation requires. For of the others each has told us, as it were, only half of both the opinions of the men there and the state of affairs; but he, being able both to learn men's purposes and to examine the state of affairs exactly, will tell you everything, and will guide your good zeal in everything. So you have an occasion befitting your perfect purpose, which you have always shown in your anxieties for the Churches of God.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil commends the presbyter Sanctissimus, returning from the West, to the presbyters of Antioch as a reliable reporter of Western goodwill and of what the situation requires.

Letter 253. A phrase in the last sentence is garbled in the scan and translated by sense.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 253 (PG 32:940c–940d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-253). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 254

254PG 32:941d–941b

Πελαγίῳ, ἐπισκόπει Λαοδικείας Συρίας. Παράσχοι ὁ Κύρίος ποτε και αὐτῷ μοι εἰς ὄψιν aea» τῇ ἀληθινῇ σου θεοσεβείᾳ, καὶ ὅσα ἑιελίπομιν τῷ γράμματι, ταῦτα ἀναπληρῶσαι ἡμᾶς τῇ παρουσίᾳ. Ὀψί γὰρ τοῦ γράφειν ἠρξάμεθα, καὶ πολλή ἡμῖν τῆς ἀπολογίας χρεία. Ἐπειδὴ δε πάρεστιν ὀ ποθεινότατος καί ιιῦωίέέστατοξΔ ἁδελφὸς Σαγκτίσσιμος ὁ συμπρισβὐτιρος, αὐτὸς πάντα διηγήσεταί σοι, τοί τι ἡμέτερα καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς Δύσεως. Καὶ ἐπʼ ἐκείνοις μὲν εὐφρανεί ο τὰς δὴ ἡμᾶς κατασχούσας ταραχὰς εἰπὼν, ῖσως προσθήσει τινὰ λύπην καὶ φροντίδα τοῖς ἤδη ἐναποκειμένας τῇ ἀγαθῇ σου καρδίᾳ. Οὐ μὴν ἄχρηστον τό λυπεῖσθαι ὑμᾶς τοὺς δυναμένους δυσωπεῖν τὸν Κύριον, Εἰς δέον γὰρ ἡμῖν ἀποβήσεται ἠ ὑμετέρα μέριμνα καὶ οἶδα ὅτι τευξόμεθα τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀντιλήψεως, ἔχον· τες τὴνπαρὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν συνεργίαν. Ἐὰν δὲ σννεύξῃ ἡμῖν ἀπαλλαγὴν τῶν φροντίδων, καὶ προσθήκην τινὰ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν αἰτήσῃ, κατενοὸωσει ἡμᾶς ὀ Κύριος πρὸς τὸ τὴν επιθνμίαν ἡμῖν ἐκπληρωθῆναι, ’καὶ εἰς ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν τῇ κοσμιότητι σου (ωʼ ειιιΣΤοΑΗ me. Βίτῳ, ἐπισκοπῳ Καρρῶν. Εῖθε ἦν μοι δυνατὸν καὶ καθʼ exacta ἡμέραν ἐπιστέλλειν τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ σον. Ἀφʼ οὗ γὰρ εἰς πεῖραν ἦλθον τῆς ἀγάπης σον, πολὺν ἔχω τὸν ποθον μάλιστα μὲν τον συνὸιάγειν σοι, εὶ δέ μή, amant. Ο... α. Α.. -, λειν γοῦν καὶ δέχεσθαι γράμματα, ἱνα ἔχω και σε· μαίνειν τὰ κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν, καὶ μανθάνειν τὰ περὶ τῆς amoma; σον. Ἐπειδὴ δε οὐχ ὅσοι βουλομεθα ὑπάρχει ἡμῖν, ἀλλʼ ὅσα ο Κύριος δίδωσι, ταντα ὀφείλομεν δέχεσθαι μετʼ εὐχαριστίας· ηὐχαριστησαμιν τῷ ἁγιῳ Θεῷ παρασχομένῳ ἡμῖν ὑποθεσιν γραμμάτων πρὸς τὴν εὐλάβειαν σον, την ἄφιξιν τον ποθεινοτάταν και coniectat-ou ἁδελφον ἡμῶν Σαγατισσίμον τοῦ σομπρεσβυτίρον ὃς, πολὺν ὑποστὰς ἐν τῇ ὁδοιπορίᾳ τὸν κοπον, πάντα διηγήσεταί σοι μετ-ἀκριβείας ὅσα κανέὶαβεν ἐν τῇ Δνσει· ’Υπὲρ ὧν καί εὐχαριστεῖν ὀφείλομεν τῲ Rupta», καὶ προσκυνεῖν αὑτὸν, ἱνα ὃς» καὶ ἡμῖν τὴν αὐτὴν εἰρηνην, καὶ ἀπολάβωμεν ἀλλήλους μετʼ ἐλευθερίας. Πᾶσα-ι τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφότητα ἄσπασαί παρʼ ὴμῶν.

Pelagiǭ, episkopei Laodikeias Syrias. Paraschoi ho Kyrios pote kai autǭ moi eis opsin aea» tę̄ alēthinę̄ sou theosebeią, kai hosa heielipomin tǭ grammati, tauta anaplērōsai hēmas tę̄ parousią. Opsi gar tou graphein ērxametha, kai pollē hēmin tēs apologias chreia. Epeidē de parestin o potheinotatos kai iiyōieestatoxD hadelphos Sanktissimos ho symprisbytiros, autos panta diēgēsetai soi, toi ti hēmetera kai ta apo tēs Dyseōs. Kai epʼ ekeinois men euphranei o tas dē hēmas kataschousas tarachas eipōn, isōs prosthēsei tina lypēn kai phrontida tois ēdē enapokeimenas tę̄ agathę̄ sou kardią. Ou mēn achrēston to lypeisthai hymas tous dynamenous dysōpein ton Kyrion, Eis deon gar hēmin apobēsetai ē hymetera merimna kai oida hoti teuxometha tēs para tou Theou antilēpseōs, echon; tes tēnpara tōn proseuchōn hymōn synergian. Ean de snneuxę̄ hēmin apallagēn tōn phrontidōn, kai prosthēkēn tina tę̄ dynamei tou sōmatos hēmōn aitēsę̄, katenooōsei hēmas o Kyrios pros to tēn epithnmian hēmin ekplērōthēnai, ’kai eis opsin elthein tę̄ kosmiotēti sou (ōʼ eiiiSToAĒ me. Bitǭ, episkopǭ Karrōn. Eithe ēn moi dynaton kai kathʼ exacta hēmeran epistellein tę̄ eulabeią son. Aphʼ hou gar eis peiran ēlthon tēs agapēs son, polyn echō ton pothon malista men ton synoiagein soi, ei de mē, amant. O... a. A.. -, lein goun kai dechesthai grammata, hina echō kai se; mainein ta katʼ emauton, kai manthanein ta peri tēs amoma? son. Epeidē de ouch hosoi boulometha hyparchei hēmin, allʼ hosa o Kyrios didōsi, tanta opheilomen dechesthai metʼ eucharistias; ēucharistēsamin tǭ hagiǭ Theǭ paraschomenǭ hēmin hypothesin grammatōn pros tēn eulabeian son, tēn aphixin ton potheinotatan kai coniectat-ou hadelphon hēmōn Sagatissimon tou sompresbytiron hos, polyn hypostas en tę̄ hodoiporią ton kopon, panta diēgēsetai soi met-akribeias hosa kaneiaben en tę̄ Dnsei; ’Yper hōn kai eucharistein opheilomen tǭ Rupta», kai proskynein hauton, hina hos» kai hēmin tēn autēn eirēnēn, kai apolabōmen allēlous metʼ eleutherias. Pasa-i tēn en Christǭ adelphotēta aspasai parʼ ēmōn.

To Pelagius, bishop of Laodicea in Syria. May the Lord one day grant me too to come into the sight of your true piety, and to fill up in person what we have left out in our letter. For we have begun to write late, and we have great need of excuse. But since our most longed-for and most reverent brother Sanctissimus, the fellow presbyter, is here, he will tell you everything, both our affairs and those from the West. With the latter he will gladden you; but in telling of the troubles that have held us fast he will perhaps add some grief and anxiety to those already stored up in your good heart. Yet it is not useless for you to grieve, since you are able to prevail upon the Lord. For your anxiety will turn out to our good; and I know that we shall obtain help from God, having the cooperation of your prayers. And if you pray with us for release from our anxieties, and ask for some addition to the strength of our body, the Lord will direct us so that our desire may be fulfilled and we may come into the sight of your decency. [Letter 255] To Vitus, bishop of Carrhae. Would that it were possible for me to write to your reverence every day. For since I came to know your love by experience, I have a great longing, above all to live with you; but if not, at least to send and receive letters, so that I may show you my affairs and learn about your own. But since we do not have as much as we wish, but ought to accept with thanksgiving whatever the Lord gives, we have thanked the holy God for giving us an occasion for a letter to your reverence: the arrival of our most longed-for and most reverent brother Sanctissimus, the fellow presbyter, who, having endured much toil on the journey, will tell you exactly everything he found in the West. For this we ought to give thanks to the Lord and to worship him, that he may give us too the same peace, and that we may receive one another again with freedom. Greet from us all the brotherhood in Christ.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil sends Sanctissimus with news of the West to Pelagius of Laodicea, asking his prayers; a second short letter, to Vitus of Carrhae, does the same.

Staged ref 254 holds Letter 254 (to Pelagius of Laodicea) and, from "[Letter 255]", Letter 255 (to Vitus of Carrhae). A few words in Letter 255 are garbled in the scan and translated by sense.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 254 (PG 32:941d–941b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-254). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 256

256PG 32:944a–945a

ὀῖς ποθεινοτάτοις καὶ εὐλαβεστάτοις ἀδελφοῖς συμπρεσβυτέροις Ἀκακίῳ, Ἀετίῳ, Παρλῴ καὶ Σιλουάνῳ, καὶ ἓνιλουίνιρεςῖ9),καὶ Λουκίῳ ιακόνοις καὶ λοιποῖς μονάζουσιν ἀδελφοῖς, Βασίλειος ἐπίσκοπος. Ἐγὼ, ἀκούσας τὸν βαρὺν ἐκεῖνον διωγμὸν ἐπαναστάντα sua, και ὅτι εὐθέως μετά τὸ Πάσχα οἱ εἱς κρίσεις καὶ μάχας νηστεύσαντες, ἐπελθόντες ὑμῶν ταῖς σκηναῖς, πυρὶ παρέδωκαν τοὺς πόνους ὑμῶν, ὑμῖν μὲν τὴν,ἐκ οὐρανοῖς οἰκίαν την ἀχειροποίητον εὐτρεπίζοντες, ἑαυτοῖς δὲ τὸ πῦρ θησαυρίζοντες, ᾧ εἰς τὴν καθʼ ὑμῶν ἐχρήσαντο βλάβην, ἐστέναξα μεν ἐπὶ τῷ συμβάντι, οὐχ ὑμῖν συναλγῶν, ἀδελφοὶ, μὴ γένοιτοῑ ἀλλὰ τοῖς οὕτω καταβαπτισθεῖρ σιν ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας, ὥστε μεχρι τοσούτου τὴν ἑαυτῶν πονηρίαν ἐκτεῖναι προσεδόκησα δι εὐθέως ἐφʼ ἑτοίμην καταφυγὴν τήν ἡμετέραν ταπείνωσιν πάντας ὑμᾶς δραμεῖσθαι καὶ ἄν ἰλπίδι εἶχον, ὅτι δώσει μοι ὁ Κύριος ἀνάπνευσιν τῶν συνεχῶν ὀδυνῶν ἐκ τοῦ περιπτύξασθαι ὑμᾶς, καὶ τὸν καλὸν ἱδρῶτα, ὃν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας στάςετε, τῷ ἀργῷ τούτῳ σώματι ὑποδεξάμενος, ἕξειν τινὰ κοινωνίαν τῶν ἀποκειμένων ὑμῖν ἄθλων παρά τοῦ κριτοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας. Ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο μὲν οὐδʼ εἰς ἔννοιαν ὑμῖν ἦλθεν, οὐδε προσεδοκήσατέ τινα ἀνά.. παυσιν ἕξειν παρ;ἠμῶν, ἐπεθύμουν ὑποθέσεις γοῦν εὑρίσκειν συνεχεῖς τῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς γραμμάτων, ἶνʼ, ὥσπερ οἱ τοῖς ἀγωνιζομένοις ὑποφθεγγομενοι, καὶ αὐτὸς τινα ὑμῖν διὰ γραμμάτων είς προτροπὴν τῆς ἀγαθῆς ὑμῶν ἀθλήσεως ἐνεβόησα. Ἐγένετο δί ἡμῖν οὐδὲ τοῦτο ῥᾴδιον δʼιά δύο προφάσεις μίαν μὲν, ὅτι οὐκ ᾔδειμεν ὅπου διάγετε · ἑτέραν δὲ, ὅτι οὐδὲ πολλοί εἰσιν παρʼ ἡμῶν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀπαίρονο τες. Ἀλλά νῦν ὁ Κύριος ἤγαγεν ἡμῖν τὸν ποθεινότατον καὶ εὐλαβέστατον ἀδελφὸν Σαγκτίσσιμον τὸν συμπρεσβύτερον, διʼ οὗ καὶ προσφθεγγόμεθα ὑμῶν τὴν ἀγάπ-ην, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν προσεύχεσθαι ὑμᾶς ὕπερ ἡμῶν, χαίροντας καὶ ἀγαλλιωμένονς, ὅτι ὀ μισθὸς ὐμῶν πολὺς ἓν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ ὡς ἔχοντας παρρησίαν πρὸς τὸν Κύριον, μὴ ἀνεῖναι νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας βοῶντας πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ παύσασθαι μὲν τὸν σάλον τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦτον, ἀποδοθῆναι δὲ τοῖς λαοῖς τοὺς ποιμένας, ἐπανελθεῖν δὲ τήν Ἐκκλησίαν εἰς τὸ οἰκεῖον αὐτῆς ἀξίωμα. Πέπεισμαι γὰρ, ὅτι, ἐὰν εὑρεθῇ φωνή δυσωποῦσα τὸν ἀγαθὸνζβη, οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν ποιήσει τὰ ἒλέη αὐτοῦʼ ἀδελφότητα ἀσπάσασθε ἐξ ἡμῶν.

ois potheinotatois kai eulabestatois adelphois sympresbyterois Akakiǭ, Aetiǭ, Parlǭ kai Silouanǭ, kai henilouiniresi9),kai Loukiǭ iakonois kai loipois monazousin adelphois, Basileios episkopos. Egō, akousas ton baryn ekeinon diōgmon epanastanta sua, kai hoti eutheōs meta to Pascha hoi heis kriseis kai machas nēsteusantes, epelthontes hymōn tais skēnais, pyri paredōkan tous ponous hymōn, hymin men tēn,ek ouranois oikian tēn acheiropoiēton eutrepizontes, heautois de to pyr thēsaurizontes, hǭ eis tēn kathʼ hymōn echrēsanto blabēn, estenaxa men epi tǭ symbanti, ouch hymin synalgōn, adelphoi, mē genoitoi alla tois houtō katabaptistheir sin hypo tēs kakias, hōste mechri tosoutou tēn heautōn ponērian ekteinai prosedokēsa di eutheōs ephʼ hetoimēn kataphygēn tēn hēmeteran tapeinōsin pantas hymas drameisthai kai an ilpidi eichon, hoti dōsei moi ho Kyrios anapneusin tōn synechōn odynōn ek tou periptyxasthai hymas, kai ton kalon hidrōta, hon hyper tēs alētheias stasete, tǭ argǭ toutǭ sōmati hypodexamenos, hexein tina koinōnian tōn apokeimenōn hymin athlōn para tou kritou tēs alētheias. Allʼ epeidē touto men oudʼ eis ennoian hymin ēlthen, oude prosedokēsate tina ana.. pausin hexein par?ēmōn, epethymoun hypotheseis goun heuriskein synecheis tōn pros hymas grammatōn, inʼ, hōsper hoi tois agōnizomenois hypophthengomenoi, kai autos tina hymin dia grammatōn eis protropēn tēs agathēs hymōn athlēseōs eneboēsa. Egeneto di hēmin oude touto rhądion dʼia dyo prophaseis mian men, hoti ouk ę̄deimen hopou diagete ; heteran de, hoti oude polloi eisin parʼ hēmōn pros hymas apairono tes. Alla nyn ho Kyrios ēgagen hēmin ton potheinotaton kai eulabestaton adelphon Sanktissimon ton sympresbyteron, diʼ hou kai prosphthengometha hymōn tēn agap-ēn, kai parakaloumen proseuchesthai hymas hyper hēmōn, chairontas kai agalliōmenons, hoti o misthos ymōn polys hen tois ouranois, kai hōs echontas parrēsian pros ton Kyrion, mē aneinai nyktos kai hēmeras boōntas pros auton, hyper tou pausasthai men ton salon tōn Ekklēsiōn touton, apodothēnai de tois laois tous poimenas, epanelthein de tēn Ekklēsian eis to oikeion autēs axiōma. Pepeismai gar, hoti, ean heurethę̄ phōnē dysōpousa ton agathonzbē, ouk eis makran poiēsei ta eleē autouʼ adelphotēta aspasasthe ex hēmōn.

To the most longed-for and most reverent brothers, the fellow presbyters Acacius, Aetius, Paulus, and Silvanus, and Silvinus and Lucius, deacons, and the rest of the brothers, the monks, Basil the bishop. When I heard of that heavy persecution that rose up against you, and that immediately after Easter those who fast for quarrels and strife came upon your dwellings and gave your labors to the fire, preparing for you the house in the heavens not made with hands, while storing up for themselves the fire they used to harm you, I groaned at what had happened; not grieving for you, brothers (God forbid!), but for those so drowned in wickedness as to carry their evil so far. And I expected that you would all at once run to our lowliness as to a ready refuge; and I was in hope that the Lord would give me some breathing space from my continual pains through embracing you, and that, by receiving into this idle body the noble sweat that you shed for the truth, I would have some share in the prizes stored up for you by the Judge of truth. But since this did not even enter your minds, nor did you expect any rest from us, I wished at least to find frequent occasions for letters to you, so that, like those who shout encouragement to contestants, I too might call out something to you by letter to urge on your good contest. But not even this was easy for us, for two reasons: one, that we did not know where you were living; the other, that not many people set out from us to you. But now the Lord has brought us our most longed-for and most reverent brother Sanctissimus, the fellow presbyter, through whom we both address your love and urge you to pray for us, rejoicing and exulting because your reward is great in heaven; and, as having boldness before the Lord, not to cease crying to him night and day, that this storm of the Churches may cease, that the shepherds may be restored to the peoples, and that the Church may return to its own dignity. For I am persuaded that, if a voice is found to prevail upon the good God, he will not delay to show his mercies … Greet the brotherhood from us.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Isa 58:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 2:5 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 5:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 18:7 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil sympathizes with a group of monks whose dwellings were burned after Easter by Arian opponents, and asks them to pray night and day for the peace of the Churches.

Staged ref 255 is Benedictine Letter 256. Words are lost in the scan before the final greeting ("…"). Quotations and allusions: Isa 58:4 (fast for quarrels and strife); 2 Cor 5:1 (house not made with hands); Rom 2:5 (storing up); Matt 5:12; Luke 18:7 (crying day and night).

Topics: Persecution, Prayer

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 256 (PG 32:944a–945a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-256). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 257

257PG 32:945a–948d

Μονάζονσι καταπονηθεῖσιν ύπὸ τῶν ’Λρειανῶν. *Λ κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἐφθεγξάμην, ἀκούσας περὶ του πειρασμοῦ τοῦ ἐπαχθέντος ὑμῖν παρά τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ταῦτα δὴ διὰ γράμματος ἀπαγγεῖλαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς καλῶς ἔχειν ἐνόμισα, ὅτι ἐν καιρῶ νομιζομένῳ εἰρηνεύεσθαι ἐκτήσασθε ἑαυτοῖς μακαρισμὸν, τόν ὑπὲρ τῶν διωκομένων ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀποκείμενον. Ού γὰρ ἐπειδὴ ὄνομα προσηνὲς καὶ ἤπιον περίκειται τοῖς τά πονηρὰ ἐργαζομένοις, τούτου ἕνεκεν καὶ τὰ πράγματα νομίζειν χρὴ μη πολεμίων εἶναι. Χαλεπῶτερον γὰρ κρίνω ἐγὼ τὸν παρά τῶν ὁμοφύλων πόλεμον διότι τοὺς μὲν προκεκηρυγμένους ἐχθροὺς καὶ φυλάξασθαι ιον, τοῖς δὲ ἀναμεμιγμένοις ἡμῖν ἀνάγκη ἐκδόιόυς εἶναι πρὸς πᾶσαν βλάβην · ὂ καὶ ὑμεῖς πεπόνθατε. Ἐδιώχθησαν μεν γὰρ καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν, ἀλλά παρὰ τῶν εἰδωλολατρούντων· καὶ διηρπάγη αὐτῶν ὁ βίος, καὶ οἶκοι ἀνετράπησαν, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐφυγαδεύθησαν, παρὰ τῶν φανερῶς πολεμούντων ἡμῖν διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Οἱ δὲ νῦν ἀναφανέντες διῶκται μισοῦσι μὲν ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν ἧττον ἦ ἐκεῖνοι, εἰς δὲ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ἀπάτην τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ προβάλλονται ὅνονα, ἱνα μηδὲ τὴν ἐκ τῆς ὁμολογίας παραμυθίαν ἔχωσιν οἱ διωκόμενοι, τῶν πολλῶν καὶ ἀκεραιοτέρων ἀδικεῖσθαι μὲν ἡμᾶς ὁμολογούντων, εἰς μαρτύριον δὲ ἡμῖν τόν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας θάνατον μὴ λογιζομένων. Διόπερ ἐγὼ πέεπεισμαι μείζονα ὑμῖν ᾖ τοῖς τότε μαρτυροῦσι τὸν παρά τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ μισθὸν ἀποκεῖσθαι, εἴπερ ἐκεῖνοι καὶ τὴν παρά τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀποδοχὴν ὁμολογουμένην εἶχον, καὶ τὸν παρά τοῦ Θεοῦ μισθὸν ἐξεδέχοντο, ύμῖν δὲ ἐπʼ ἴσοις τοῖς κατορθώμασιν αἱ παρά τῶν λαῶν τιμαὶ οὐχ ὑπάρχουσινο ὥστε εἰκός πολυπλασίονα ἀποκεῖσθαι ἓν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας πόνων τὴν ἀντιμισθίαν. 2. Διό παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμᾶς μὴ ἔκκακεῖν ἓν ταῖς θλίψεσιν9 ἀλλʼ ἀνανεοῦσθαι τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπῃ, καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν προστιθέναι τῇ σπουδῇ, εἰδότας, ὅτι ἐν ὑμῖν ὀφείλει τὸ λείψανον τῆς εὐσεβείας σωθῆναι, ὃ ἐλθὼν ό Κύριος εὑρήσει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Καὶ εἴτε ἀπεδιώχθὴσαν ἐπίσκοποι τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, τοῦτο ὑμᾶς μή σαλενέτω · εἴτε προδόται ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐφύησαν τῶν κληρικῶν, μηδὲ τοῦτο τὴν πεποίθησιν ὑμῶν τὴν εἰς Θεὸν σαθρούτω. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ ὀνόματά ἐστι τά σώζοντα ἡμᾶς, ἀλλʼ αἱ προαιρέσεις, καὶ ἡ ἀληθινὴ περὶ τόν κτίσαντα ἡμᾶς ἀγάπη. Ἐνθυμήθητε, ὅτι καί ἐν τῇ κατά τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἐπιβουλῇ ἀρχιερεῖς μὲν καὶ γραμματεῖς καὶ πρεσβύτεροι τὸν δόλον συνεσκευάσαντο, ὀλίγοι δε τῶν ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ εὑρίσκοντο οι γνησίως τὸν λόγον καταδεχόμενοι · καὶ ὅτι οὗ τὸ πλῆθος ἐστι τὸ σωζόμενον, ἀλλʼ oi ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ὥστε μηδέποτε ὑμᾶς πτοείτω λαοῦ πολυοχλία, οι ὧσπερ ὕδωρ θαλάσσης ὑπὸ πνευμάτων μεταφερόμενοι. Ἐὰν γὰρ καὶ εἷς σωθῇ ὥσπερ Λὼτ ἐν Σοδόμοις, μένειν ὀφείλει ἐπὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς κρίσεως, ἀμετακίνητον ἔχων τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ ἐλπίδα, διότι οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει Κύριος τοὺς όσίους αὐτοῦ. Πᾶσαν τὴν ἐν Χριστῲ ἀδελφότητα ἀσπάσασθε ἐξ ἐμου ο προσεύχεσθε γνησίως ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς μου τῆς ἐλεεινῆς.

Monazonsi kataponētheisin ypo tōn ’Lreianōn. *L katʼ emauton ephthenxamēn, akousas peri tou peirasmou tou epachthentos hymin para tōn echthrōn tou Theou, tauta dē dia grammatos apangeilai pros hymas kalōs echein enomisa, hoti en kairō nomizomenǭ eirēneuesthai ektēsasthe heautois makarismon, ton hyper tōn diōkomenōn heneken tou onomatos tou Christou apokeimenon. Ou gar epeidē onoma prosēnes kai ēpion perikeitai tois ta ponēra ergazomenois, toutou heneken kai ta pragmata nomizein chrē mē polemiōn einai. Chalepōteron gar krinō egō ton para tōn homophylōn polemon dioti tous men prokekērygmenous echthrous kai phylaxasthai ion, tois de anamemigmenois hēmin anankē ekdoious einai pros pasan blabēn ; o kai hymeis peponthate. Ediōchthēsan men gar kai hoi pateres hēmōn, alla para tōn eidōlolatrountōn; kai diērpagē autōn ho bios, kai oikoi anetrapēsan, kai autoi ephygadeuthēsan, para tōn phanerōs polemountōn hēmin dia to onoma tou Christou. Hoi de nyn anaphanentes diōktai misousi men hēmas ouden hētton ē ekeinoi, eis de tēn tōn pollōn apatēn to tou Christou proballontai honona, hina mēde tēn ek tēs homologias paramythian echōsin hoi diōkomenoi, tōn pollōn kai akeraioterōn adikeisthai men hēmas homologountōn, eis martyrion de hēmin ton hyper tēs alētheias thanaton mē logizomenōn. Dioper egō peepeismai meizona hymin ę̄ tois tote martyrousi ton para tou dikaiou kritou misthon apokeisthai, eiper ekeinoi kai tēn para tōn anthrōpōn apodochēn homologoumenēn eichon, kai ton para tou Theou misthon exedechonto, ymin de epʼ isois tois katorthōmasin hai para tōn laōn timai ouch hyparchousino hōste eikos polyplasiona apokeisthai hen tǭ mellonti aiōni tōn hyper tēs eusebeias ponōn tēn antimisthian. 2. Dio parakaloumen hymas mē ekkakein hen tais thlipsesin9 allʼ ananeousthai tę̄ pros Theon agapę̄, kai kathʼ hēmeran prostithenai tę̄ spoudę̄, eidotas, hoti en hymin opheilei to leipsanon tēs eusebeias sōthēnai, ho elthōn o Kyrios heurēsei epi tēs gēs. Kai eite apediōchthēsan episkopoi tōn Ekklēsiōn, touto hymas mē salenetō ; eite prodotai ex autōn ephyēsan tōn klērikōn, mēde touto tēn pepoithēsin hymōn tēn eis Theon sathroutō. Ou gar ta onomata esti ta sōzonta hēmas, allʼ hai proaireseis, kai hē alēthinē peri ton ktisanta hēmas agapē. Enthymēthēte, hoti kai en tę̄ kata tou Kyriou hēmōn epiboulę̄ archiereis men kai grammateis kai presbyteroi ton dolon syneskeuasanto, oligoi de tōn ek tou laou heuriskonto oi gnēsiōs ton logon katadechomenoi ; kai hoti hou to plēthos esti to sōzomenon, allʼ oi eklektoi tou Theou. Hōste mēdepote hymas ptoeitō laou polyochlia, oi hōsper hydōr thalassēs hypo pneumatōn metapheromenoi. Ean gar kai heis sōthę̄ hōsper Lōt en Sodomois, menein opheilei epi tēs orthēs kriseōs, ametakinēton echōn tēn en Christǭ elpida, dioti ouk enkataleipsei Kyrios tous osious autou. Pasan tēn en Christǭ adelphotēta aspasasthe ex emou o proseuchesthe gnēsiōs hyper tēs psychēs mou tēs eleeinēs.

To the monks harassed by the Arians. What I said to myself on hearing of the trial brought upon you by the enemies of God, this I thought it good to report to you by letter: that at a time thought to be one of peace you have gained for yourselves the blessedness stored up for those who are persecuted for the name of Christ. For we must not think that, because a gentle and mild name is attached to those who do evil, their deeds are therefore not those of enemies. For I judge war from those of our own race to be harder, because enemies openly declared can easily be guarded against, but those mingled with us necessarily leave us exposed to every harm; which is what you have suffered. For our fathers too were persecuted, but by idolaters; their livelihood was plundered, their homes overturned, and they themselves banished, by those who openly made war on us for the name of Christ. But the persecutors who have now appeared hate us no less than those did, but put forward the name of Christ to deceive the many, so that the persecuted may not even have the consolation of confession, since the many and simpler people acknowledge that we are wronged, but do not count death for the truth as martyrdom for us. Therefore I am persuaded that a greater reward is stored up for you by the just Judge than for those who bore witness then; since they both had the acknowledged approval of men and awaited the reward from God, while you, for equal achievements, have no honors from the peoples; so it is likely that a recompense many times greater is stored up in the age to come for your labors for godliness. 2. Therefore we urge you not to lose heart in your afflictions, but to be renewed in love for God and to add daily to your zeal, knowing that in you must be preserved the remnant of godliness which the Lord will find on the earth when he comes. And if the bishops of the Churches have been driven out, let this not shake you; and if traitors have sprung up from among the clergy themselves, let not this either weaken your confidence in God. For it is not names that save us, but purposes and true love for him who created us. Consider that in the plot against our Lord, too, high priests and scribes and elders contrived the deceit, and few from the people were found who genuinely received the word; and that it is not the multitude that is saved, but the elect of God. So never let the great crowd of the people frighten you, who are carried about by the winds like the water of the sea. For if even one is saved, like Lot in Sodom, he must remain in right judgment, holding his hope in Christ immovable, because the Lord will not forsake his holy ones. Greet all the brotherhood in Christ from me; pray genuinely for my pitiable soul.

Matt 5:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 18:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 26:3 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 22:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 19:29 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 37:28 (36:28 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil tells monks persecuted by the Arians that their reward will be greater than that of the martyrs under pagan persecutors, because their sufferings are not even honored as martyrdom, and urges them to stand firm though bishops are exiled and clergy betray the faith.

Staged ref 256 is Benedictine Letter 257. Basil's comparison of the Arian persecutors with pagan ones is translated as written. Allusions: Matt 5:10–11; Luke 18:8 (whether the Lord will find faith on earth); Matt 26:3–4; Matt 22:14; Gen 19:29 (Lot); Ps 37:28 (36:28 LXX).

Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 257 (PG 32:945a–948d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-257). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-257) · Report an error

Chapter 258

258PG 32:949a–953b

καὶ οἱ ἓν τοῖς καιριωτάτοις ματι, ἔπιτείνομεν, ἔχοντες συμφωνίαν ενί γέ τινι πάντως διεστήκασιν ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων. Πῶς οὖν μὴ θαυμάσομεν τὸν ἐν τοιούτοις πράγμασι καθαρὰν καὶ ἄδολον τὴν πρὸς τοὺς πλησίον ἀγάπην ἐπιδεικνύμενον, καὶ διὰ τοσαύτης θαλάσσης καὶ ἠπείρου, τῆς χωριζούσης ἡμᾶς σωματικῶς, την ἐνδεχομένην ἐπιμέλειαν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν χαριζόμενον ; 2. Ἑθαύμασα δέ σου κάκεῖνο, ὅτι καὶ τὴν ἐν τῷ Ἐλαιῶνι τῶν ἀδελφῶν διάστασιν λυπηρῶς ἐδέξω, καὶ βούλει τινὰ αὐτοῖς γενέσθαι πρὸς ἀλλήλους συμβιβασμόν. Καὶ ὅτι σε οὐδὲ τὰ παρευρεθίντα ὑπὸ τινῶν, καὶ ταραχὰς ἆμποιήσαντα τῇ ἀδελφότητι, παρέλαθεν, ἀλλά καὶ την ἰπὶ τούτοῖς με· ριμναν ὼιὸςέξω, καὶ ταῦτα ἀπεδεξάμην. Ἐκεῖνο .ἳέ οὐκέτι τῆς σῆς ἐνόμισα εἶναι συνέσεως ἄξιον, τό ἡμῖν τὴν περὶ τῶν τηλικούτων διόρθωσιν ἐπιτρέπειν, ἀνθρώποις οὔτε χάριτι Θεοῦ ἀγομένοις, διὰ τό ἁμαρτίαις συζῇν, οὔτε τινὰ κεκτημένοις περὶ τοὺς λόγους δύναμιν, διὰ τὸ τῶν μὲν ματαίων ἀγαπητῶς ἀποστῆναι, τῶν δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας δογμάτων μήπω τὴν προσήκουσαν ἕξιν ἀναλαβεῖν. Ἐπεστείλαμεν οὖν ἤδη τοῖς ἀγαπητοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ἡμῶν, τοῖς κατά τὸν Ἐλαιῶνα, Παλλαδίῳ τῷ ἡμετέρῳ καὶ Ἰννοκεντίῳ τῷ Ἰταλῷ, πρὸς τὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν ἡμῖν ἔπεσταλμένα· ὅτε ούδὶν δυνάμεθα τῇ κατά Νίκαιαν πίστει προστιθέναι ἡμεῖς, οὐδε τὸ βραχύτατον, πλὴν τῆς εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα 1'6 ἅγιον δοξολογίας, διὰ 1'6 ἐν παραδρομῇ τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν τούτου τοῦ μέρους ἕπιμνησθῆναι ο οὔπω τοῦ κατʼ αὐτὸ ζητηματος τότε κεκινημένου. Τὰ δὲ προσυφαινόμενα τῇ πίστει ἒκείνη δόγματα περὶ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἕνανθρωπησεως, ὡς βαθύτερα τῆς ἡμετέρας καταλήψεως, οὔτε ὶβασανίσαμεν, οὔτε παρεδεξάμεθα εἰδότες, ὅτι, ἐπειδὰν τὴν ἁπλότητα τῆς πίστεως ἅπαξ παρακινήσομεν, οὔτε τι πέρας τῶν λόμεν (ὅ) τῇ παρεισαγωγῇ τῶν ξενιζόντων. 3. Τὴν δὲ κατά Ἀντιόχειαν Ἐκκλησίαν, λέγω δὴ τὴν τῷ αὐτῷ φρονήματι συμβαίνουσαν, δῴη ποτε ὀ Κύριος ἰδεῖν αὐτὴν ἡνωμένην. Κινδυνεύει γὰρ αὕτη μάλιστα δεδεχθαι τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, μνησικακοῦντος αὐτῇ διὰ τὸ πρῶτον τοῖς ἐκεῖ τὴν τῶν Χριστιανῶν προσηγορίαν ἄμπολιτεύσασθαι. Καὶ τέτμηται μεν ἠ αἵρεσις πρὸς τηπ ὁρθοδοξίαν · τέτμηται δε καὶ αύτὴ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἡ ὀρθότης. Ἡμεῖς δὲ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ πρῶτος παρρησιασάμενος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ τὸν καλὸν ἐκεῖνον διαθλήσας ἀγῶνα ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν Κωνσταντίου, ὀ αἰδεσιμώτατος Meλέτιός ἐστιν ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ ἔσχεν αὐτὸν ἠ ἐμὴ Ἐκκλησία κοινωνικὸν, ύπεραγαπὴσασα αὐτόν διὰ τὴν καρτερὰν ἐκείνην καὶ ἀνὲεδδοτον ἔνστασιν- ἔχομεν αὐτὸν κοινωνικὸν μέχρι τοῦ νῦν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, καὶ ἕξομέν γε, ἐὰν ὁ Θεὸς θελῇ. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ μακαριώτατος παπ-ας Ἀθανοίσιος, ἐπιστὰς ἀπὸ Ἀλεξανδρείας, πάνυ ἐβούλετο αύτῷ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν κοινωνίαν καταπραχθῆναι ι ἀλλὰ κακίᾳ συμβούλων εἰς ἕτερον καιρὸν ὑπεμετέθη αὐτῶν ἠ συνἀφεια ὡς ούκ ὤφειλεῑ Τῶν δε τελευταῖον ἐπεισελθοντων οὐδενὸς οὐδέπω τὴν κοινωνίαν προσηκάμεθα ούκ ἐκείνους κρίνοντες ἀναξίους, ἀλλά μηδὲν ἔχοντες τούτου καταγινώσκειν. Καίτοι πολΑά μὲν ἠκούσαμεν περὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἀλλʼ οὐ προσηκά- ο μεθα, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀντικαταστῆναι τοῖς κατηγόροις τοὺς ἕγκαλουμένους κατά τὸ γεγραμμένον, ὃτι Μή ὁ νόμος ἡμῶν κρίνει τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐὰν μή πρῶτον αὐτοῦ ἀκούσῃ, καὶ γνῷ τί ποιεῖ. Ὠστε οὔπω δυνάμεθα αὐτοῖς ἐπιστέλλειν, τιμιώτατε ἀδελφε, οὔτε ἀναγκάζεσθαι εἰς τοῦτο ὀφείλομεν. Πρέπον δʼ ἂν εἴη τῇ εἰρηνικῇ σον προθέσει μὴ τὸ μὲν συνάπτειν, τὸ δὲ διασπᾷ-δ, ἀλλὰ τῇ προϋπαρχούσῃ ἐνώσει τὰ κεχωρεσμένα κροσάγειν. Ὠστε πρῶτον μὲν εὖξαι, ἔπειτα καὶ, ὅση δύναμις, παρακάλεσον, ῥίψαντας αύτούς ἐκ τῶν ψυχῶν τὸ φιλότιμον, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀποδοῦναι τὴν ἰσχὺν τῇ Ἐκκλησία, καὶ καθελεῖν τὸ φρύαγμα τῶν ἐχθρῶν, συμβῆναι αύτούς πρὸς ἀλλήλους. Ἰκανῶς δέ μου κάκεῖνο τὴν ψυχὴν παρεκάλεσε, τὸ προστεθὲν παρὰ τῆς σῆς ἀκριβείας τοῖς λοιποῖς καλῶς καὶ ἀκριβῶς θεολογηθεῖσι · τὸ τρεῖς ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι τὰς ὑποστάσεις ὁμολογεῖν. ’Ὥστε τοῦτο καὶ οἱ κατά Ἀντιόχειαν ἀδελφοὶ διδαπάντως δέ που καὶ ἐδιδάσκέσθωσαν παρὰ σοῦ χθησαν. 0-3 γὰρ ἂν εἵλου δηλονότι τὴν πρὸς αύτούς κοινωνίαν, μὴ τοῦτο αὐτῶν μάλιστα τὸ μέρος ἀσφαλισάμενος. 4. Τὸ ὃε τῶν Μαγουσαίων ἔθνος (ὅπερ διὰ τῆς ἑτέρας ἐπιστολῆς σημῆται ἡμῖν κατηξίωσας) πολύ ἐστι παρʼ ἡμῖν κατὰ πᾶσαν σχεδὸν τὴν χώραν διεσπαρμένον, ἀποίκων τὸ παλαιὸν ἐκ τῆς Βαβυλωνίας ἡμῖν ἐπεισαχθέντων. Οἱ ἔθεσιν ἰδιάζοντι κέχρηνται, ἄμικτοι ὄντες πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἀνθρωπονς· λόγῳ δὲ πρὸς αὐτούς κεχρῆσθαι, καθο (Η) εἰσιν ἐζωγρημένοι ὑπό τοῦ διαβόλου εἰς τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα, παντελῶς ἔστιν ἀδύνατον. Οὔτε γάρ βιβλία ἔστι παρʼ αὐτοῖς, οὔτε διδάσκαλοι δογμάτων, ἀλλά ἔθει ἀλόγῳ συντρέφονται, παῖς παρὰ πατρὸς διαδεχόμενοι τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Ἐκτός δὴ τούτων, ἃ ὑπὸ πάντων ὁρᾶται, τὴν ζωοθυσίαν παραιτοῦνται ὡς μίασμα, διʼ ἀλλοτρίων χειρῶν τὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν ζῶα κατασφάττοντεςʼ γάμοις ἐπιμαίνονται παέρανόμοιςο καὶ τό πῦρ ἡγοῦνται θεόνʼ καὶ εἰ τι τοιοῦτο. Τὰς δὲ ἐκ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ γενεαλογίας οὐδεὶς ἡμῖν μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος τῶν μάγων ἐμυθολόγησεν ο ἀλλὰ Ζαρνοῦοίν τινα ἑαυτοῖς ἀρχηγὸν τοῦ γένους ἐπιφημίζουσι. Διόπερ οὐδὲν ἔχω πλέον ἔπιστέλ) ειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τῇ τιμιότητί σου.

kai hoi hen tois kairiōtatois mati, epiteinomen, echontes symphōnian eni ge tini pantōs diestēkasin apʼ allēlōn. Pōs oun mē thaumasomen ton en toioutois pragmasi katharan kai adolon tēn pros tous plēsion agapēn epideiknymenon, kai dia tosautēs thalassēs kai ēpeirou, tēs chōrizousēs hēmas sōmatikōs, tēn endechomenēn epimeleian tais psychais hēmōn charizomenon ? 2. Hethaumasa de sou kakeino, hoti kai tēn en tǭ Elaiōni tōn adelphōn diastasin lypērōs edexō, kai boulei tina autois genesthai pros allēlous symbibasmon. Kai hoti se oude ta pareurethinta hypo tinōn, kai tarachas ampoiēsanta tę̄ adelphotēti, parelathen, alla kai tēn ipi toutois me; rimnan ōiosexō, kai tauta apedexamēn. Ekeino .hie ouketi tēs sēs enomisa einai syneseōs axion, to hēmin tēn peri tōn tēlikoutōn diorthōsin epitrepein, anthrōpois oute chariti Theou agomenois, dia to hamartiais syzę̄n, oute tina kektēmenois peri tous logous dynamin, dia to tōn men mataiōn agapētōs apostēnai, tōn de tēs alētheias dogmatōn mēpō tēn prosēkousan hexin analabein. Epesteilamen oun ēdē tois agapētois adelphois hēmōn, tois kata ton Elaiōna, Palladiǭ tǭ hēmeterǭ kai Innokentiǭ tǭ Italǭ, pros ta parʼ autōn hēmin epestalmena; hote oudin dynametha tę̄ kata Nikaian pistei prostithenai hēmeis, oude to brachytaton, plēn tēs eis to Pneuma 1'6 hagion doxologias, dia 1'6 en paradromę̄ tous pateras hēmōn toutou tou merous hepimnēsthēnai o oupō tou katʼ auto zētēmatos tote kekinēmenou. Ta de prosyphainomena tę̄ pistei ekeinē dogmata peri tēs tou Kyriou henanthrōpēseōs, hōs bathytera tēs hēmeteras katalēpseōs, oute ibasanisamen, oute paredexametha eidotes, hoti, epeidan tēn haplotēta tēs pisteōs hapax parakinēsomen, oute ti peras tōn lomen (ho) tę̄ pareisagōgę̄ tōn xenizontōn. 3. Tēn de kata Antiocheian Ekklēsian, legō dē tēn tǭ autǭ phronēmati symbainousan, dǭē pote o Kyrios idein autēn hēnōmenēn. Kindyneuei gar hautē malista dedechthai tas epiboulas tou echthrou, mnēsikakountos autę̄ dia to prōton tois ekei tēn tōn Christianōn prosēgorian ampoliteusasthai. Kai tetmētai men ē hairesis pros tēp horthodoxian ; tetmētai de kai autē pros heautēn hē orthotēs. Hēmeis de, epeidē kai ho prōtos parrēsiasamenos hyper tēs alētheias, kai ton kalon ekeinon diathlēsas agōna epi tōn kairōn Kōnstantiou, o aidesimōtatos Meletios estin ho episkopos, kai eschen auton ē emē Ekklēsia koinōnikon, yperagapēsasa auton dia tēn karteran ekeinēn kai aneeddoton enstasin- echomen auton koinōnikon mechri tou nyn tę̄ tou Theou chariti, kai hexomen ge, ean ho Theos thelę̄. Epei kai ho makariōtatos pap-as Athanoisios, epistas apo Alexandreias, pany ebouleto autǭ tēn pros auton koinōnian kataprachthēnai i alla kakią symboulōn eis heteron kairon hypemetethē autōn ē synapheia hōs ouk ōpheilei Tōn de teleutaion epeiselthontōn oudenos oudepō tēn koinōnian prosēkametha ouk ekeinous krinontes anaxious, alla mēden echontes toutou kataginōskein. Kaitoi polAa men ēkousamen peri tōn adelphōn, allʼ ou prosēka- o metha, dia to mē antikatastēnai tois katēgorois tous henkaloumenous kata to gegrammenon, hoti Mē ho nomos hēmōn krinei ton anthrōpon, ean mē prōton autou akousę̄, kai gnǭ ti poiei. Ōste oupō dynametha autois epistellein, timiōtate adelphe, oute anankazesthai eis touto opheilomen. Prepon dʼ an eiē tę̄ eirēnikę̄ son prothesei mē to men synaptein, to de diaspą-d, alla tę̄ proÿparchousę̄ enōsei ta kechōresmena krosagein. Ōste prōton men euxai, epeita kai, hosē dynamis, parakaleson, rhipsantas autous ek tōn psychōn to philotimon, kai hyper tou apodounai tēn ischyn tę̄ Ekklēsia, kai kathelein to phryagma tōn echthrōn, symbēnai autous pros allēlous. Ikanōs de mou kakeino tēn psychēn parekalese, to prostethen para tēs sēs akribeias tois loipois kalōs kai akribōs theologētheisi ; to treis anankaion einai tas hypostaseis homologein. ’Hōste touto kai hoi kata Antiocheian adelphoi didapantōs de pou kai edidaskesthōsan para sou chthēsan. 0-3 gar an heilou dēlonoti tēn pros autous koinōnian, mē touto autōn malista to meros asphalisamenos. 4. To hoe tōn Magousaiōn ethnos (hoper dia tēs heteras epistolēs sēmētai hēmin katēxiōsas) poly esti parʼ hēmin kata pasan schedon tēn chōran diesparmenon, apoikōn to palaion ek tēs Babylōnias hēmin epeisachthentōn. Hoi ethesin idiazonti kechrēntai, amiktoi ontes pros tous allous anthrōpons; logǭ de pros autous kechrēsthai, katho (Ē) eisin ezōgrēmenoi hypo tou diabolou eis to ekeinou thelēma, pantelōs estin adynaton. Oute gar biblia esti parʼ autois, oute didaskaloi dogmatōn, alla ethei alogǭ syntrephontai, pais para patros diadechomenoi tēn asebeian. Ektos dē toutōn, ha hypo pantōn horatai, tēn zōothysian paraitountai hōs miasma, diʼ allotriōn cheirōn ta pros tēn chreian zōa katasphattontesʼ gamois epimainontai paeranomoiso kai to pyr hēgountai theonʼ kai ei ti toiouto. Tas de ek tou Abraam genealogias oudeis hēmin mechri tou parontos tōn magōn emythologēsen o alla Zarnouoin tina heautois archēgon tou genous epiphēmizousi. Dioper ouden echō pleon epistel) ein hyper autōn tę̄ timiotēti sou.

[To Epiphanius the bishop.] … and those who in the most crucial matters … are in agreement are entirely at variance with one another on at least some one point. How then shall we not admire one who in such circumstances shows a pure and guileless love toward his neighbors, and across so great a sea and land, which separate us bodily, bestows on our souls all the care he can? 2. I admired this too in you, that you were grieved at the division of the brothers on the Mount of Olives, and wish for some reconciliation among them. And that the things introduced by some, which caused disturbance in the brotherhood, did not escape you, but that you took on the care of them too, this also I approved. But this I did not think worthy of your understanding: to entrust the correction of such great matters to us, men neither led by the grace of God, because we live with sins, nor possessing any power in speech, because we were glad to withdraw from vain studies and have not yet acquired the proper habit in the doctrines of the truth. We have therefore already written to our beloved brothers on the Mount of Olives, our own Palladius and Innocent the Italian, in reply to what they wrote to us: that we can add nothing to the faith of Nicaea, not even the smallest thing, except the glorifying of the Holy Spirit, because our fathers mentioned this part only in passing, the question about it not having then been raised. But the doctrines woven into that faith about the Lord's becoming man, as being deeper than our comprehension, we have neither examined nor accepted, knowing that once we disturb the simplicity of the faith, we shall find no end of words, being drawn on ever further by the introduction of strange things. 3. As for the Church at Antioch (I mean the one that agrees in the same mind), may the Lord grant us one day to see it united. For it is in danger of receiving the plots of the enemy above all, since he bears it a grudge because the name of Christians first came into use there. And heresy has been cut off from orthodoxy; but orthodoxy too has been cut against itself. We, since the first to speak boldly for the truth, and to fight that good fight in the times of Constantius, is the most reverend Meletius the bishop, and my Church held him in communion, loving him exceedingly for that steadfast and unyielding resistance, hold him in communion until now by the grace of God, and will hold him, if God wills. For indeed the most blessed pope Athanasius, when he came from Alexandria, greatly wished communion between him and Meletius to be brought about; but through the wickedness of counselors their union was put off to another time, as it ought not to have been. Of those who came in afterwards we have not yet accepted the communion of any, not because we judge them unworthy, but because we have nothing to condemn in him. And yet we have heard many things about the brothers, but we did not accept them, because the accused were not set face to face with the accusers, according to what is written: "Does our law judge a man unless it first hears him and knows what he does?" So we cannot yet write to them, most honored brother, nor ought we to be compelled to this. It would befit your peaceful purpose not to join the one and tear away the other, but to bring the separated back to the union that existed before. So first pray, and then, as far as you can, urge them to throw the love of honor out of their souls, and, both to restore strength to the Church and to put down the arrogance of the enemies, to come to agreement with one another. And this too greatly comforted my soul, what your exactness added to the rest that was well and exactly said about God: that it is necessary to confess three hypostases. So let the brothers at Antioch too teach this; surely they have been taught it by you. For you would clearly not have chosen communion with them unless you had secured this point above all. 4. As for the nation of the Magusaeans (which you deigned to tell us of in your other letter), it is numerous among us, scattered over almost the whole country, colonists brought in among us long ago from Babylonia. They follow peculiar customs, not mixing with other people; and to reason with them, inasmuch as they have been taken captive by the devil to do his will, is altogether impossible. For they have neither books nor teachers of doctrine, but are brought up in irrational custom, son receiving the impiety from father. Besides the things that are seen by all, they refuse the sacrifice of animals as a pollution, slaughtering the animals they need by the hands of others; they rage after unlawful marriages; and they consider fire a god, and the like. Of genealogies from Abraham none of the Magi has told us any tale until now; but they claim a certain Zarnuas as the founder of their race. Therefore I have nothing more to write to your honor about them.

1 Tim 6:12 (echo, medium confidence) · Acts 11:26 (allusion, high confidence) · John 7:51 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:26 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil thanks Epiphanius for his concern about the divided monks on the Mount of Olives, says he will add nothing to the Nicene creed but the glorifying of the Spirit, explains his loyalty to Meletius in the Antiochene schism, welcomes Epiphanius's confession of three hypostases, and describes the Magusaeans of Cappadocia.

Staged ref 257 is Benedictine Letter 258 (to Epiphanius). The scan has lost the heading and the opening, and the first surviving sentence is garbled ("…"). "Those who came in afterwards" at Antioch are Paulinus and his party. The "Magusaeans" are Zoroastrian Magi settled in Cappadocia; Basil's description of their customs is translated as he gives it, and "Zarnuas" is probably Zoroaster or Zurvan. Allusions: 1 Tim 6:12 (the good fight); Acts 11:26 (Christians first at Antioch); John 7:51 (quoted); 2 Tim 2:26 (taken captive by the devil).

Topics: Trinity, Christology, Church office

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 258 (PG 32:949a–953b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-258). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 259

259PG 32:953b–953d

Παλλαδίῳ καὶ ’ῐννοκεντίῳ μονάζουσιν. Ἐγὼ πόσον μὶν ὑμᾶς ἀγαπῶ, εἰκάζειν ὀφείλετε ἐξ ὧν ἡμᾶς αὐτοὶ ἀγαπᾶτε. Καὶ εἰρήνης μὲν ἕπεθύμησα ἀεὶ γενισθαι βραβευτὰς, ἀποτυγχάνων δε λυποῡμαι μέν. Πῶς γάρ οʼ3; Οὐ μὴν ἑχθραίνειν δύναμαί τισι τούτου γε ἕνεκεν, εἰδὼς, ὄτι πάλαι ἀφʼ ἡμῶν ἤρθη τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης καλὸν. Εἰ δὲ παρʼ ἄλλοις ἡ αἰτία τῆς διαστάσεως, παράσχοι Κύριος παύσασθαι τοὺς τάς διχοστασίας ποιοῦντας. Οὐ μέν· τοι οὐδὲ ἐπιζητῶ συνεχῆ ὑμῶν τὴν ἐπιδημίαν · ὥστε τούτου ἕνεκεν μηδὲ ἀπολογεῖσθαί μοι. Οἶδα γὰρ, ὅτι ἄνδρες τὸν πεπονημένον προελόμενοι βίον, καὶ ἀεὶ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν ἑαυτοῖς τὰ ἀναγκαῖα συμποριζόμενοι, πολὺν ἀποδημεῖν χρόνον τῶν ἰδίων οὐ δύνανται. Ἀλλʼ ὅπουπερ ἂν ἦτε, μέμνησθε ἡμῶν· καὶ προσεύχεσθε ὑπερ ἡμῶν, ἱνα αὐτοὶ γοῦν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς εἰρήνην ἔχωμεν καὶ πρὸς, τόν Θεὸν, μηδεμιᾶς τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἡμῶν παραχῆν ἑνοικοὺσης.

Palladiǭ kai ’innokentiǭ monazousin. Egō poson min hymas agapō, eikazein opheilete ex hōn hēmas autoi agapate. Kai eirēnēs men hepethymēsa aei genisthai brabeutas, apotynchanōn de lypoumai men. Pōs gar oʼ3? Ou mēn hechthrainein dynamai tisi toutou ge heneken, eidōs, oti palai aphʼ hēmōn ērthē to tēs eirēnēs kalon. Ei de parʼ allois hē aitia tēs diastaseōs, paraschoi Kyrios pausasthai tous tas dichostasias poiountas. Ou men; toi oude epizētō synechē hymōn tēn epidēmian ; hōste toutou heneken mēde apologeisthai moi. Oida gar, hoti andres ton peponēmenon proelomenoi bion, kai aei dia tōn cheirōn heautois ta anankaia symporizomenoi, polyn apodēmein chronon tōn idiōn ou dynantai. Allʼ hopouper an ēte, memnēsthe hēmōn; kai proseuchesthe hyper hēmōn, hina autoi goun pros heautous eirēnēn echōmen kai pros, ton Theon, mēdemias tois logismois hēmōn parachēn henoikousēs.

To the monks Palladius and Innocent. How much I love you, you ought to guess from your own love for us. And I always desired to become an arbiter of peace; and when I fail, I grieve; how could I not? Yet I cannot be hostile to anyone on this account, knowing that the good of peace was long ago taken away from us. If the cause of the division lies with others, may the Lord grant that those who cause dissensions may cease. Nor do I seek your frequent visits; so you need not excuse yourselves to me on this account. For I know that men who have chosen the life of labor, and always provide their necessities for themselves with their own hands, cannot be away from their own places for long. But wherever you may be, remember us, and pray for us, so that we at least may have peace with ourselves and with God, with no disturbance dwelling in our thoughts.

Rom 16:17 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Thess 4:11 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil assures the monks Palladius and Innocent of his love, regrets that he could not make peace among the brothers, and asks for their prayers.

Staged ref 258 is Benedictine Letter 259. Palladius and Innocent were monks on the Mount of Olives (compare Letter 258). Allusion: Rom 16:17 (those who cause dissensions); 1 Thess 4:11 (working with their hands).

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 259 (PG 32:953b–953d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/251/#p-259). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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