Letters 268–288

Basil of Caesarea · Letters · ca. 357–378 · Caesarea · 17 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 268

268PG 32:997a–1001c

Εὗσεβίῳ ἓν ἐξορίᾳ ὄντι. ,Εδειξε καὶ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ὁ Κύριος, ὄτι οὐκ ἔγκατα-τ λείπει τοὺς ὁσίους αὐτοῦ, τῇ μεγάλη καὶ κραταιᾲ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ περισκεπάσας τὴν ζωὴν τῆς ὁσιότητός σου, Σχεδὸν γὰρ παραπλήσιον τοῦτο τιθέμεθα τῷ ἐν κοιλίᾳ κήτους ἀπαθῆ διαμεῖναι τόν ἅγιον, καὶ ἐν πυρὶ λάβρῳ ἀβλαβῶς διαιτᾶσθαι τοὺς φοβουμένους τόν Κύριον· ὅπου γε καὶ τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν πανταχόθεν ὑμῖν, ὡς ἀκούω, τοῦ πολέμου περιχυθέντος, ἀβλαβῆ διεφύλαξε. Καὶ φυλάξειέ γε πρὸς τὸ ἑξῆς ὁ δυνατός Θεὸς ἡμῖν, ἐὰν ἔτι ζῶμεν, τό πολύευκτον θέαμα· ᾖ τοῖς γοῦν ἄλλοις, οἶ σὴν ἐπάνοδον οὕτως ἀναμένουσιν, ὡς οἰκείαν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν. Πέπεισμαι γὰρ, ὅτι τοίς δάκρυσι τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ τοῖς στεναγμοῖς οἷς ἐπὶ σοὶ πάντες στενάζουσι προσχὼν ό φιλάνθρωπος, διαφυλάξει σε τῷ βίῳ, ἕως ἃν δῷ τήν χάριν τοῖς νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας δεομένοις αὑτοῦ. Τὰ μὲν οὖν μέχρι τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν Λιβανίου τοῦ συνδιακόνου πεπραγμένα καθʼ ὑμῶν διʼ αὐτοῦ κατὰ τήν πάροδον ἱκανῶς ἓδιδάχθημεψ τὰ δὲ ἀπʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ χρόνου δεόμεθα μαθεῖν. Μείζονα γὰρ ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ καὶ χαλεπώτερα ἀκούομεν γεγενῆσθαι πάθη περὶ τοὺς τόπους· άπερ, ἐὰν μὲν δ υνατόν, καὶ θᾶττον, εἰ δὲ μὴ, διὰ γοὺν τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου ἀδελφοῦ Παύλου τοῦ συμπρεσβυτίρου ἐπανιόντος μάθοιμεν, ὡς εὐχάμεθα, ὅτι ἀβλαβὴς καὶ ἆνεπηρέαστος ὑμῶν φυλάττεται ἡ ζωή.ιΔιὰ δὲ τό ἀκοῦσαι πάντα λῃστῶν καὶ δησερτόρων πεπληρῶσθαι τὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ, ἐφοβήθημέν τι εἰς χεῖρας ἐμβαλεῖν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ, μὴ καὶ αὑτῷ (το) παραίτιοι θανάτου γενώμεθα. Ἐὰν δὲ δῷ ὁ Κύριος μετρίαν γαλήνην, ὡς ἀκούομεν τοῦ στρατοπέδου τὴν πάροδον, σπουδάσομεν μαὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐκπέμψαι τινὰ, τόν ἐπισκεψόμενον καὶ ἕκαστα ἡμῖν τῶν παρʼ ὑμῖν ἆναγγέλλοντα. Εῧεθυμος. Editi καὶ εὔθυμος. Deest conjun- 1) Τῇ ὁμοζύγῳ Ἀρινθαίου στρατηλάτου παραμυθητιχή, 1. Τὸ μὲν ἀκόλουθον ἦν καὶ ὀφειλόμενόν σου τῇ διαθέσει, ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς παρεῖναι, καὶ συμμετέχειν τῶν γινομένων. Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἑαυτῶν τι τὴν λύπην χατιπραῦναμεν, καὶ τῇ σεμνότητί σου τῆς παροικλὴσεως τό εἰκὸς ἀπεπληρώσαμεθ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐκέτι μου φέρει τὸ σῶμα τὰς μακροτέρας κινήσεις, ἐπὶ τὴν διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἤλθομεν ὁμιλίαν ὡς ἂν μὴ παντάπασι δόξαιμεν (alorci/ii; ἔχειν πρὸς τὰ συμβάντα. Τίς μεν οὖν τὸν ἄνδρα Euius-1 οὐχ ἐστέναξε; τίς δὲ οὕτω λίθινος τὴν καρδίαν, ὡς μὴ θερμὸν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ (Τὸ) ἀφεῖναι ὃάκρυονς Ἐμὲ δὲ καὶ διαφερόντως κατηφείας ἐπλήρωσε, τας τε ἰδίας περί ἔμε τιμὰς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς λογιζόμενον καὶ τήν κοινὴν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ προσ-τασῑαν, Ἀλλʼ ὅμως Βέλογισαμεθα, ὅτι, ἄνθρωπος ὧν, καὶ λῃτουργήσεις τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ τὰ ἐπιβάλλοντα, τοῖς καθήκουσι χρὰνοις πάλιν παρὰ τοῦ οὶκονομοῦντος τὰ ἡμέτεροι Θεοῦ προσελήφθη. Ἃ καὶ τὴν σὴν φρόνησιν ἐνθυμουμένην πράως ἔχειν ἐπὶ τῷ συμβάντι παρακοιλοῡμεν, καὶ, ὡς οἷον τε, μετρίως φέρειν τὴν συμφοράν, Ἱκανὸς μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ χρόνος μαλάξαι τὴν καρδίαν σου, καὶ πάροδον δοῦναι τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἀλλʼ ὅμως ὗποπτον ἡμῖν ἐστι τὸ ἄγαν σου φίλανδρον, καὶ περὶ πάντας χρηστὴν, μή ποτε ἔκδοτον δῷς σεαυτὴν τῷ πάθει, διʼ ἁπλότητα ἡοῶν βαθεῖαν τήν πληγὴν δεξαμένα τῆς λύπης. Πάντοτε μὶν οὖν χρήσιμον τὸ τῶν Γραγρῶν διδασκαῖιον, μαʼλιστα δὲ επὶ τῶν τοιούτων καιρῶν. Μνήσθητι τοίνυν τῆς τοῦ κτίσαντος ἡμᾶς ἀτοφιὶσεως, διʼ ἧς πάνοἱ ἐκ τῆς γῆς φύντες πάλιν εἰς γῆν ὑποστρέφμεν- καὶ οὐδεὶς οὕτω μέγας, ὥστε βελτίων φανῆναι τῆς διαὶ-3 σεως, 2. Καλὸς μεν οὖν καὶ μέγας ὁ θαυμαστὸς ἐκεῖνος, καὶ ἐφάμιλλος τῇ ῥώμῃ τοῦ σώματος τήν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀρετὴν, φημὶ κάγὼ, οὐμενοῦν ἔχων ὑπερβολήν εἰς ἑκάτερον, ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἅνθρωπος, καὶ τέθνηκενμὺς, Ἀδὰμ, ὡς Ἅβελ, ὡς Νῶε, ὡς Ἀβρααμ, ὡς Μωσῆς, ὡς ὅντινα ἄν εἴποις τῶν τῆς αὐτῆς φύσεως μετασχόντων. Μὴ οὖν, ἐπειδὴ ἀφῃρέθημεν αὐτὸν. ἀγανακτῶμεν· id? ὅτι τήν ἀρχὴν συνῳκήσαμπ δῷς σαυτήν τῷ. llarl. δῷ σεαυτῆς τῷ. βάθει αὖτέὴν. Διδασκαλιον. llarl. διδασκα).εῐον. αὐτῷ, χάριν ἔχωμεν τῷ συζεύξαντι. Τό μὲν γὰρ στερηθῆναι ἀνδρὸς κοινόν σοι πρὸς τὰς ἄλλοις γυναῖκας ἐπὶ δὲ τοιαύτη συνοικήσει οὐκ οἶμαι ἄλλην γυναικῶν τὰ ἶσα ἔχειν σεμνύνεσθαι.Ἐν γὰρ τῷ ὅντι ὑπόδειγμα τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως τόν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον ό κτίσας ἡμᾶς ἐδημιούργησεν ο ὥστε πάντες μὲν ὀφθαλμοὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐφέροντο, πᾶσα δὲ γλῶσσα τὰ κατʼ αὐτὸν διεξῄει · γραιεἰς δὲ καὶ πλάσται τῆς ἀξίας ἀπελιμπάνοντο ἱστορικοὶ δὲ ἄνδρες, τα κατά τοὺς πολέμους ἀνδραγαθήματα ὃιηγούμενοι, πρὸς τὴν τῶν μύθων ἐκπίπτουσιν ἀπιστίαν. ὈΘεν οὐδὲ πιστεύειν ἠνείχοντο οἱ πολλοὶ φήμη τὴν σκυθρωπὴν ἐκείνην ἀηελίαν περιαγούση, οὐδὲ καταδέχεσθαι ὅλως, ὅτι τέθνηκεν Ἀρινθαίος. Ἀλλʼ ὅμως πέπονθεν ἂ οὐρανῷ καὶ ἡλίῳ καὶ γῇ συμβήσεται. Οἵχεται καταλύσας λαμπρῶς, μὴ ὑπὸ γήρως κατακαμφθεὶς, μὴ καθυφεές τι τῆς περιφανείας - μέγας μὲν ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ, μέγας δὲ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι σμηδεν ἐκ τῆς παρούσης λαμπρότητος πρὸς τὴν ἐλπιζομένην δόξαν ζημιωθεὶς, διὰ τὸ πᾶσαν κηλῖδα τῆς ψυχῆς πρὸς αὑταῖς ταῖς ἐξόδοις τοῦ βίου τῷ λουτρῷ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας ἀποκαθῆρασθαι. Ὧν αῦτη πρόξενος αὐτῷ καὶ συνεργός γενομένη, μεγίστην ἔχει παραμυθίαν · καὶ μετάθες τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν μελλόντων μέριμναν, ὥστε καταξιωθῆναι διʼ ἔργων ἀγαθῶν τὸν ὅμοιον αὐτῷ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως τόπον καταλαβεῖν. Φείόου μητρός γηραιᾶς, φείδου Θυγατρός νεαρᾶς, αἷς μόνη πρὸς παραμυθίαν λέλειψαι· Γινοῦ ὑπόδειγμα ἀνδρείας ταῖς λοιπαῖς γυναιξὶ ο καὶ οὕτω τό πάθος μέτρησον, ὡς μήτε ἐκβαλεῖν τῆς καρδίας, μήτε καταποθῆναι ὑπὸ τῆς λύπης. Ἐπὶ πᾶσι πρὸς τὸν μέγαν τῆς ὑπομονῆς μισθὸν ἀπόβλεψον, τὸν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀντα· ποδὸσει τῶν βεβιωμένων ἡμῖν ἐπηγγελμένον.

Heusebiǭ hen exorią onti. ,Edeixe kai ephʼ hēmōn ho Kyrios, oti ouk enkata-t leipei tous hosious autou, tę̄ megalē kai krataią cheiri autou periskepasas tēn zōēn tēs hosiotētos sou, Schedon gar paraplēsion touto tithemetha tǭ en koilią kētous apathē diameinai ton hagion, kai en pyri labrǭ ablabōs diaitasthai tous phoboumenous ton Kyrion; hopou ge kai tēn sēn theosebeian pantachothen hymin, hōs akouō, tou polemou perichythentos, ablabē diephylaxe. Kai phylaxeie ge pros to hexēs ho dynatos Theos hēmin, ean eti zōmen, to polyeukton theama; ę̄ tois goun allois, oi sēn epanodon houtōs anamenousin, hōs oikeian heautōn sōtērian. Pepeismai gar, hoti tois dakrysi tōn Ekklēsiōn, kai tois stenagmois hois epi soi pantes stenazousi proschōn o philanthrōpos, diaphylaxei se tǭ biǭ, heōs han dǭ tēn charin tois nyktos kai hēmeras deomenois hautou. Ta men oun mechri tēs epidēmias tou agapētou adelphou hēmōn Libaniou tou syndiakonou pepragmena kathʼ hymōn diʼ autou kata tēn parodon hikanōs hedidachthēmeps ta de apʼ ekeinou tou chronou deometha mathein. Meizona gar en tǭ metaxy kai chalepōtera akouomen gegenēsthai pathē peri tous topous; aper, ean men d ynaton, kai thatton, ei de mē, dia goun tou eulabestatou adelphou Paulou tou sympresbytirou epaniontos mathoimen, hōs euchametha, hoti ablabēs kai anepēreastos hymōn phylattetai hē zōē.iDia de to akousai panta lę̄stōn kai dēsertorōn peplērōsthai ta tēs hodou, ephobēthēmen ti eis cheiras embalein tou adelphou, mē kai hautǭ (to) paraitioi thanatou genōmetha. Ean de dǭ ho Kyrios metrian galēnēn, hōs akouomen tou stratopedou tēn parodon, spoudasomen mai tōn hēmeterōn ekpempsai tina, ton episkepsomenon kai hekasta hēmin tōn parʼ hymin anangellonta. Eÿethymos. Editi kai euthymos. Deest conjun- 1) Tę̄ homozygǭ Arinthaiou stratēlatou paramythētichē, 1. To men akolouthon ēn kai opheilomenon sou tę̄ diathesei, hēmas autous pareinai, kai symmetechein tōn ginomenōn. Houtō gar an heautōn ti tēn lypēn chatipraunamen, kai tę̄ semnotēti sou tēs paroiklēseōs to eikos apeplērōsameth. Epei de ouketi mou pherei to sōma tas makroteras kinēseis, epi tēn dia tou grammatos ēlthomen homilian hōs an mē pantapasi doxaimen (alorci/ii? echein pros ta symbanta. Tis men oun ton andra Euius-1 ouch estenaxe? tis de houtō lithinos tēn kardian, hōs mē thermon epʼ autǭ (To) apheinai hoakryons Eme de kai diapherontōs katēpheias eplērōse, tas te idias peri eme timas tou andros logizomenon kai tēn koinēn tōn Ekklēsiōn tou Theou pros-tasian, Allʼ homōs Belogisametha, hoti, anthrōpos hōn, kai lę̄tourgēseis tǭ biǭ toutǭ ta epiballonta, tois kathēkousi chranois palin para tou oikonomountos ta hēmeteroi Theou proselēphthē. Ha kai tēn sēn phronēsin enthymoumenēn praōs echein epi tǭ symbanti parakoiloumen, kai, hōs hoion te, metriōs pherein tēn symphoran, Hikanos men oun kai ho chronos malaxai tēn kardian sou, kai parodon dounai tois logismois allʼ homōs hypopton hēmin esti to agan sou philandron, kai peri pantas chrēstēn, mē pote ekdoton dǭs seautēn tǭ pathei, diʼ haplotēta hēoōn batheian tēn plēgēn dexamena tēs lypēs. Pantote min oun chrēsimon to tōn Gragrōn didaskaiion, maʼlista de epi tōn toioutōn kairōn. Mnēsthēti toinyn tēs tou ktisantos hēmas atophiiseōs, diʼ hēs panoi ek tēs gēs phyntes palin eis gēn hypostrephmen- kai oudeis houtō megas, hōste beltiōn phanēnai tēs diai-3 seōs, 2. Kalos men oun kai megas ho thaumastos ekeinos, kai ephamillos tę̄ rhōmę̄ tou sōmatos tēn tēs psychēs aretēn, phēmi kagō, oumenoun echōn hyperbolēn eis hekateron, allʼ homōs hanthrōpos, kai tethnēkenmys, Adam, hōs Habel, hōs Nōe, hōs Abraam, hōs Mōsēs, hōs hontina an eipois tōn tēs autēs physeōs metaschontōn. Mē oun, epeidē aphę̄rethēmen auton. aganaktōmen; id? hoti tēn archēn synǭkēsamp dǭs sautēn tǭ. llarl. dǭ seautēs tǭ. bathei auteēn. Didaskalion. llarl. didaska).eion. autǭ, charin echōmen tǭ syzeuxanti. To men gar sterēthēnai andros koinon soi pros tas allois gynaikas epi de toiautē synoikēsei ouk oimai allēn gynaikōn ta isa echein semnynesthai.En gar tǭ honti hypodeigma tēs anthrōpeias physeōs ton andra ekeinon o ktisas hēmas edēmiourgēsen o hōste pantes men ophthalmoi pros auton epheronto, pasa de glōssa ta katʼ auton diexę̄ei ; graieis de kai plastai tēs axias apelimpanonto historikoi de andres, ta kata tous polemous andragathēmata hoiēgoumenoi, pros tēn tōn mythōn ekpiptousin apistian. OThen oude pisteuein ēneichonto hoi polloi phēmē tēn skythrōpēn ekeinēn aēelian periagousē, oude katadechesthai holōs, hoti tethnēken Arinthaios. Allʼ homōs peponthen a ouranǭ kai hēliǭ kai gę̄ symbēsetai. Hoichetai katalysas lamprōs, mē hypo gērōs katakamphtheis, mē kathyphees ti tēs periphaneias - megas men en tǭ paronti biǭ, megas de en tǭ mellonti smēden ek tēs parousēs lamprotētos pros tēn elpizomenēn doxan zēmiōtheis, dia to pasan kēlida tēs psychēs pros hautais tais exodois tou biou tǭ loutrǭ tēs palingenesias apokathērasthai. Hōn autē proxenos autǭ kai synergos genomenē, megistēn echei paramythian ; kai metathes tēn psychēn apo tōn parontōn epi tēn tōn mellontōn merimnan, hōste kataxiōthēnai diʼ ergōn agathōn ton homoion autǭ tēs anapauseōs topon katalabein. Pheioou mētros gēraias, pheidou Thygatros nearas, hais monē pros paramythian leleipsai; Ginou hypodeigma andreias tais loipais gynaixi o kai houtō to pathos metrēson, hōs mēte ekbalein tēs kardias, mēte katapothēnai hypo tēs lypēs. Epi pasi pros ton megan tēs hypomonēs misthon apoblepson, ton para tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou en tę̄ anta; podosei tōn bebiōmenōn hēmin epēngelmenon.

To Eusebius, in exile. The Lord has shown in our case too that he does not forsake his holy ones, by covering the life of your holiness with his great and mighty hand. For we reckon this almost equal to the holy man's remaining unharmed in the belly of the sea monster, and to those who fear the Lord living unharmed in the raging fire; since he has kept your piety unharmed, though war, as I hear, poured round you on every side. And may the mighty God keep for us hereafter, if we still live, the sight we have so much prayed for; or at least for the others, who await your return as their own salvation. For I am persuaded that the Lover of humankind, attending to the tears of the Churches and the groans that all groan for you, will keep you in life until he grants the favor to those who entreat him night and day. What had been done against you up to the visit of our beloved brother Libanius, the fellow deacon, we learned sufficiently from him as he passed through; but we ask to learn what has happened since then. For we hear that greater and harsher sufferings have occurred in those places in the meantime. May we learn, if possible sooner, but if not, at least through the most reverent brother Paul, the fellow presbyter, on his return, that your life, as we pray, is being kept unharmed and unmolested. Because we heard that the roads are all full of robbers and deserters, we were afraid to put anything into the brother's hands, lest we become a cause of death for him too. But if the Lord grants a moderate calm, as we hear of the passing of the army, we will try to send one of our own people to visit you and report to us all your affairs one by one. [Letter 269] Consolatory, to the wife of Arinthaeus the general. 1. The consistent and due thing for your affection would have been for us to be present ourselves and share in what happened. For so we would have soothed our own grief somewhat, and given your dignity the comfort that was fitting. But since my body no longer bears longer journeys, we have come to conversation by letter, so as not to seem altogether insensible to what has happened. Who did not groan for the man? Who is so stony-hearted as not to shed a warm tear for him? And it filled me with dejection above all, when I considered the man's own honors toward me and his protection of the Churches of God in common. Yet we have reckoned that, being a man, and having done in this life what fell to him, at the appointed time he was taken back by God who orders our affairs. Considering this, we urge your prudence to bear what has happened gently, and as far as possible to bear the calamity with moderation. Time is indeed able to soften your heart and give entrance to reasonable thoughts; but still your great love for your husband and your kindness toward all make us fear lest you give yourself over to the grief, receiving the wound of sorrow deeply through the simplicity of your character. The teaching of the Scriptures is useful always, but especially at such times. Remember, then, the sentence of him who created us, by which all of us who sprang from the earth return again to the earth; and no one is so great as to prove superior to dissolution. 2. That admirable man was indeed noble and great, and I too say that the virtue of his soul matched the strength of his body, the highest excellence in both; but still he was a man, and he has died, like Adam, like Abel, like Noah, like Abraham, like Moses, like anyone you might name who shared the same nature. Let us not then be indignant because he has been taken from us, but let us be grateful to him who joined us that we lived with him at all. For to be deprived of a husband you have in common with other women; but I do not think any other woman can boast of an equal marriage. For truly he who created us fashioned that man as a pattern of human nature, so that all eyes were turned to him, and every tongue recounted his deeds; painters and sculptors fell short of his worth; and historians, in recounting his brave deeds in the wars, fall into the incredibility of myths. Hence the many could not bring themselves to believe the report carrying that gloomy news, nor to accept at all that Arinthaeus had died. Yet he has suffered what will happen to heaven and sun and earth. He has gone, ending his life splendidly, not bowed down by old age, not abated at all in his distinction; great in the present life, great in the life to come, losing nothing of his present splendor in exchange for the hoped-for glory, because at the very departure from life he cleansed every stain of the soul by the washing of regeneration. Since you were the one who brought this about for him and helped him to it, you have the greatest consolation; and transfer your soul from present things to the care of things to come, so as to be deemed worthy through good works to reach a place of rest like his. Spare your aged mother, spare your young daughter, for whose comfort you alone are left. Be an example of courage to the other women; and so measure your grief that you neither cast it out of your heart nor are swallowed up by sorrow. Above all look to the great reward of endurance promised by our Lord Jesus Christ in the recompense for the lives we have lived.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Ps 37:28 (36:28 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Jonah 2:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 3:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 18:7 (echo, medium confidence) · Gen 3:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Titus 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 24:35 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil rejoices that the exiled Eusebius of Samosata has been kept safe and asks for news; a second letter consoles the widow of the general Arinthaeus, who was baptized at the end of his life.

Staged ref 268 holds Letter 268 (to Eusebius of Samosata, in exile) and, from "[Letter 269]", Letter 269 (to the wife of Arinthaeus). Migne's footnotes on variant readings leaked into the scan text at the start of Letter 269 and inside its section 2, and are not translated. Allusions: Ps 37:28 (does not forsake his holy ones); Deut 5:15 (mighty hand); Jonah 2:1; Dan 3:23–27; Luke 18:7; Gen 3:19 (dust to dust); Titus 3:5 (washing of regeneration); Ps 102:26 / Matt 24:35 (heaven and earth passing).

Topics: Baptism, Persecution

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 268 (PG 32:997a–1001c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-268). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-268) · Report an error

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 270

270PG 32:1001d–1004a

Πάνυ λυποῦμαι, ὅτι οὐχ εὑρίσκω ὑμᾶς ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀπη- ’ γορευμένοις οὔτε ἀγανακτοῦντας, οὔτε δυναμένους λογίο ζεσθαι, ὅτι εἰς αὐτὸν τόν βίον καὶ τὴν ζωὴν τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην παρανομία ἐστὶ καὶ τυραννὶς ἡ γινομένη αὕτη ἁρπαγὴ, καὶ ὕβρις κατά τῶν ἐλευθέρων. Οἶδα γὰρ, ὅτι, εἰ τοιαύτην εἴχετε γνώμην πάντες, οὐδὲν ἐκώλυε πάλαι τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν συνήθειαν τούτου ἐξελαθῆναι τῆς πατρίδος ἡμῶν· Ἀνάλαβε τοίνυν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ζῆλον Χριστιανοῦ ο καὶ va/36an ἀξίως τοῦ ἀδικήματος. Καὶ τὴν μὲν παῖδα, ὅπουπερ ἂν εὕρῃς, ἀφελόμενος πάσῃ εὐτονία, ἀποκατάστησον τοῖς γονεῦσι· καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ ἐκεῖνον ἐξόρισον τῶν εὐχῶν, καὶ ἐκκηρυκτον ποίησον καὶ τοὺς συνεπελθόντας αὐτῷ, κατὰ τό ἤδη προλαβὸν παρʼ ἣμῶν κήρυγμα, τριετίαν πανοικεὶ τῶν τύχῶν ἔξόρισόν. Καὶ τὴν κώμην τὴν ὑποδεξαμένην τὴν ἁρπαγεῖσαν, καὶ φυλάξασαν, ἤτοι ὑπερμαχῆσασαν, καὶ αὐτὴν ἔξω τῶν εὐχῶν πανδημεὶ ποίησον ἵνα μοί- Θωσι πάντες, ὡς ὅφιν, ὡς ἄλλο τι θηρίον, κοινὸν ἕχθρόν ἡγούμενοι τὸν ἅρπαγα, οὕτως ὰποδιὼκειν αὐτὸν, καὶ «paterae-9a: τῶν ἄδικον μένων.

Pany lypoumai, hoti ouch heuriskō hymas epi tois apē- ’ goreumenois oute aganaktountas, oute dynamenous logio zesthai, hoti eis auton ton bion kai tēn zōēn tēn anthrōpinēn paranomia esti kai tyrannis hē ginomenē hautē harpagē, kai hybris kata tōn eleutherōn. Oida gar, hoti, ei toiautēn eichete gnōmēn pantes, ouden ekōlye palai tou kakou tēn synētheian toutou exelathēnai tēs patridos hēmōn; Analabe toinyn epi tou parontos zēlon Christianou o kai va/36an axiōs tou adikēmatos. Kai tēn men paida, hopouper an heurę̄s, aphelomenos pasę̄ eutonia, apokatastēson tois goneusi; kai auton de ekeinon exorison tōn euchōn, kai ekkērykton poiēson kai tous synepelthontas autǭ, kata to ēdē prolabon parʼ hēmōn kērygma, trietian panoikei tōn tychōn exorison. Kai tēn kōmēn tēn hypodexamenēn tēn harpageisan, kai phylaxasan, ētoi hypermachēsasan, kai autēn exō tōn euchōn pandēmei poiēson hina moi- Thōsi pantes, hōs hophin, hōs allo ti thērion, koinon hechthron hēgoumenoi ton harpaga, houtōs apodiōkein auton, kai «paterae-9a: tōn adikon menōn.

[Without address, concerning abduction.] I am very much grieved that I do not find you indignant at forbidden deeds, nor able to reckon that this abduction which is taking place is a lawlessness and a tyranny against life itself and human existence, and an outrage against the free. For I know that, if you all had such a mind, nothing would have prevented the custom of this evil from being driven out of our homeland long ago. Take up, then, at the present time the zeal of a Christian, and be moved as the wrong deserves. And the girl, wherever you find her, take her away with all vigor and restore her to her parents; and exclude the man himself from the prayers and make him an outcast; and those who joined in the attack with him, according to the proclamation already issued by us, exclude from the prayers for three years with their whole households. And the village that received the abducted girl and guarded her, or fought to keep her, make that too, with all its people, outside the prayers; so that all may learn to regard the abductor as a common enemy, like a serpent or some other wild beast, and so drive him away and help those who are wronged.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil orders that a girl carried off by force be returned to her parents, that her abductor be excommunicated, and that his accomplices and the village that sheltered her be excluded from the prayers.

Staged ref 269 is Benedictine Letter 270; its heading is lost in the scan, and the bracketed heading supplies its subject. "Excluding from the prayers" means excommunication from the Church's common prayer. The penalties are translated exactly as Basil sets them.

Topics: Marriage, Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 270 (PG 32:1001d–1004a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-270). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 271

271PG 32:1004b–1005b

Εὖσιβίῳ ἑταίρῳ συστατιχὴ ἐπὶ κυριακῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ. Εὐθὺς καὶ κατὰ πόδας τῆς σῆς ἀναχωρήσεως ἔτι-’στὰς τῇ πόλει, ὅσον ὴθύμησα διαμαρτών σου, τι δεῖ καὶ λέγειν πρὸς ἄνδρα οὐ λόγου δεόμενον, ἀλλὰ πείρᾳ εἰδότα, τῷ τὰ ὅμοια πεπονθόναις Ὀσου γὰρ ἦν ἀξιον ἐμοὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν πάντα ἄριστον Εὐσέβιον, καὶ περιμτύξασθαι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν νεότητα πάλιν τῇ μνήμῃ ἐπανελθεῖν, καὶ ὑπομνησθῆναι ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων, ἐν αἶς καὶ δωμάτιον ἡμῖν ἓν, καὶ ἱστία μία, καὶ παιδαγωγός ό αὐτὸς, καὶ ἄνεσις, καὶ σπονδὴ, καὶ τρυφὴ, καὶ ἔνδεια, καὶ πάντα ὑμῖν ἐξ ἴσου πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὑπῆρχε. Πόσον οἴει τίοισθαι με ἀξιον πάντα ταῦτα διὰ τῆς σῆς συντυχίας ἆναλαβιῑν τῇ μνήμῃ, καὶ τὸ βαρύ τοῦτο ’γῆρας arma ξυσάμενον, νέον δοκεῖν πάλιν ἐκ γέροντος γὲγενῆσθαι; Ἀλλʼ ἐκείνων μέν με διέφυγεν ἦ ἀπόλαυσις ’ τὸ δὲ διὰ γράμματος ἰδεῖν σου τὴν λογιότητα, xli τὸν ἐνόντα τρόπον ἑαυτὸν παραμυθήσασθαι, οὐκ ἀφῃρέθην τῇ συντυχίᾳ τοῦ αἰὸεσίμωτάτου Κυρινεκοῦ τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου · ὃν αἰσχύνομαι συνιστῶν σοι καὶ οἰκεῖον ποιῶν διʼ ἐμαυτοῦ, μή ποτε δόξω περίεργόν τι ποιεῖν, σοὶ προσάγων τὰ ἴδιά σου καὶ ἓξαίρετα. Ἀλλʼ ἔπιιδή μα δεῖ καὶ μάρτυρα εἶναι τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ τοῖς σννημμένοις πνευματικῶς τά με. γιστα τῶν ἆμοὶ προσόντων χαρίζεσθαι· τὸ μὲν περὶ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀνεπηρέαστον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἠγοῦμαι καί σοὶ φανερὸν εἶναι· βεβαιῶ δὲ κάγώ, οὐδε. μίαν γνωρίζων κατʼ αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῶν πᾶσιν ἐπιβαλλόντων τὰς χεῖρας, τῶν μὴ φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον, ἐπήρειαν Καίτοιγε εἳ τι ἐγεγόνει παρʼ αὐτῶν, δύʼθῖ οὕτως ἀνάξιος ἧν ὀ ἀνήρ. Οἱ δε ἰχθροὶ τοῦ Κνρίου βεβαιοῦσι τοὺς βαθμοὺς μᾶλλον οἷς ἄν προσ-ποι λεμῶσιν, ἢ ἀφαιροῦνταί τι τῆς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριτος. Πλὴν ἀλλʼ, ὅπερ ἔφην, οὐδὲ κατεπενοή θη τι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς. Ως οὖν πρεσβύτερον ἀνεπηρέαστον, καὶ ἡμῖν συνημμένον, καὶ πάσης αἰδοῦς, ἀξιον, οὕτω καταξίου αὐτὸν ὀρᾷν, σαυτόν τε ὠφελῶν) καὶ ἡμῖν χαρίζομενος.

Eusibiǭ hetairǭ systatichē epi kyriakǭ presbyterǭ. Euthys kai kata podas tēs sēs anachōrēseōs eti-’stas tę̄ polei, hoson ēthymēsa diamartōn sou, ti dei kai legein pros andra ou logou deomenon, alla peirą eidota, tǭ ta homoia peponthonais Osou gar ēn axion emoi idein ton panta ariston Eusebion, kai perimtyxasthai, kai pros tēn neotēta palin tę̄ mnēmę̄ epanelthein, kai hypomnēsthēnai hēmerōn ekeinōn, en ais kai dōmation hēmin hen, kai histia mia, kai paidagōgos o autos, kai anesis, kai spondē, kai tryphē, kai endeia, kai panta hymin ex isou pros allēlous hypērche. Poson oiei tioisthai me axion panta tauta dia tēs sēs syntychias analabiin tę̄ mnēmę̄, kai to bary touto ’gēras arma xysamenon, neon dokein palin ek gerontos gegenēsthai? Allʼ ekeinōn men me diephygen ē apolausis ’ to de dia grammatos idein sou tēn logiotēta, xli ton enonta tropon heauton paramythēsasthai, ouk aphę̄rethēn tę̄ syntychią tou aioesimōtatou Kyrinekou tou sympresbyterou ; hon aischynomai synistōn soi kai oikeion poiōn diʼ emautou, mē pote doxō periergon ti poiein, soi prosagōn ta idia sou kai hexaireta. Allʼ epiidē ma dei kai martyra einai tēs alētheias, kai tois snnēmmenois pneumatikōs ta me. gista tōn amoi prosontōn charizesthai; to men peri tēn hierōsynēn anepēreaston tou andros ēgoumai kai soi phaneron einai; bebaiō de kagō, oude. mian gnōrizōn katʼ autou para tōn pasin epiballontōn tas cheiras, tōn mē phoboumenōn ton Kyrion, epēreian Kaitoige hei ti egegonei parʼ autōn, dyʼthi houtōs anaxios hēn o anēr. Hoi de ichthroi tou Knriou bebaiousi tous bathmous mallon hois an pros-poi lemōsin, ē aphairountai ti tēs hyparchousēs autois para tou Pneumatos charitos. Plēn allʼ, hoper ephēn, oude katepenoē thē ti tou andros. Ōs oun presbyteron anepēreaston, kai hēmin synēmmenon, kai pasēs aidous, axion, houtō kataxiou auton orąn, sauton te ōphelōn) kai hēmin charizomenos.

To Eusebius, my comrade, commendatory, on behalf of Cyriacus the presbyter. I arrived in the city immediately on the heels of your departure; how dejected I was at missing you, why need I tell a man who needs no words, but knows it by experience, having suffered the like? For how much it would have been worth to me to see Eusebius, excellent in every way, and to embrace him, and in memory to go back again to our youth, and to be reminded of those days in which we had one room, one hearth, the same tutor, and leisure and study, luxury and want, and everything alike between us! How much do you think I would value recovering all this in memory through meeting you, and, shaking off this heavy old age, seeming to have become young again instead of old? But the enjoyment of those things has escaped me; yet I have not been deprived of seeing your eloquence through a letter, and of consoling myself in the way that remains possible, through the meeting with the most venerable Cyriacus, the fellow presbyter. I am ashamed to commend him to you and to make him your friend through me, lest I seem to do something superfluous, in bringing to you what is your own and especially yours. But since I must be a witness to the truth, and must grant to those spiritually joined to me the greatest things I have: the blamelessness of the man in his priesthood I think is plain to you too; and I confirm it, knowing of no harassment against him by those who lay hands on everyone, those who do not fear the Lord. And yet, even if anything had been done by them, the man would not on that account be unworthy. For the enemies of the Lord confirm the ranks of those on whom they make war rather than take away anything of the grace given them by the Spirit. But, as I said, nothing was even devised against the man. So deign to regard him as a blameless presbyter, joined to us, and worthy of all respect, both benefiting yourself and gratifying us.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil, sorry to have missed his old schoolfellow Eusebius, recalls their shared youth and commends to him the presbyter Cyriacus as blameless in his priesthood.

Staged ref 270 is Benedictine Letter 271. Eusebius here is a schoolfellow of Basil's youth, not the bishop of Samosata.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 271 (PG 32:1004b–1005b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-271). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 272

272PG 32:1005b–1008b

Σωφρονίῳ μαγίσίτρφ- 1- ’Δπήγγειλέ μοι Ἀχτίακος ὀ διάκονος, ὅτι σί τινες ἰλὺπησαν καθʼ ὀμῶν, δ ιαβάλλοντες ἡμᾶς ὡς οὐκ εὖνοῐκῶςνπσὸς τήν σὴν διακειμένους σεμνότητα, Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἐθαυμασα εἰ τινές εἰσιν ἀνδρὶ τοσούτῳ παρεπόμενοι κόλακες. Πεφύκασι γάρ πως ταῖς μεγάλαις δυναστείαις αἱ ἀνελεύθεροι αὐταὶ παραφύεσθαῖ θεραπεῖαι· οὶ διὰ τὸ ἀπορεῖν οἰκείου ἀγαθοῦ, δι οὗ ψωρισθῶσιν, ἔκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων κακῶν iuno τοὺς συνιστῶσι. Καὶ σχεδὸν, ὥσπερ ἡ ἂρυσίβη τοῦ σίτου ἐστὶ φθορᾶ ἂν αὐτῷ γινομένη τῷ σίτῳ, οὕτω καὶ ἠ κολακεία τὴν φιλίαν ὑποδυομένη, λύμη ἐστὶ τῆς φιλίας. Οὔ τοίνυν ἐθαύμασα, ὡς ἔφην, εἴ τινες, ὥσπερ οὶ κηφῆνες τὰ σμήνη, οὕτως αὐτοὶ τήν λαμπράν σου καὶ θαυμαστὴν ἑστίαν περιβομβοῦσιν. Ἀλλʼ εκεῖνό μοι θαυμαστὸν ἐφάνη καὶ παντελῶς παράλογον, τὸ ai, ἄνδρα ἐπὶ τῷ βάρει τοῦ ἤθους μάλιστα διαφανῆ, ἀνασχέσθαι αὐτοῖς ἀμφοτέροις ἂνεῖναι τὰς ἀκοὰς, καὶ διαβολὴν κατʼ ἐμοῦ παρα· δέξασθαι· ὃς πολλοὺς ἀγαπήσας ἐκ τῆς πρώτης ἡλικίας μέχρι τοῦ γήρως τούτου, οὐδένα οἶδα εἰς φιλίαν τῆς σῆς τελειότητος προτιμήσας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ εἰ μὴ ὁ λόγος ἔπεισέ με ἀγαπᾷν τοιοῦτον ὄντα, ἐξήρκει ἢ ἐκ παιδὸς συνήθεια προσδῆ σαί με τῇ ψμχῇ σου. Οἶδας δὲ ὅσον δύναται πρὸς φιλίαν τὸ ἔθος. Εἰ δε οὐδὲν δείκνυμι τῆς προαιρέσεως ταύτης ἀξιον, σύγγνωθί μου τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ. Καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ιγον παρʼ ipsi si; ἀπόδειξιν τῆς ιῦνοίας ἐπιζητή- -.Α mi. an;,ληιηκη Auamma-ri τὰ βέλτιστοί σοι dei;δίὰλλα προαιρεσιν δηλονότι τὰ βέλτιοτοὶ σοι συνευχομένην. Μὴ γάρ ποτε εἰς τοῦτο καταβαίη τά σά, ’ὥστε τῆς παρὰ τῶν οὕτω μικρῶν, ὁποῖος αὐτὸς εἰμι, εὐεργεσίας πκοσδεηθῆναι. 2. -Πῶς οὖν ἔμελλον ὶγώ ὑπεναντίον τί σοι λέγων, ἦ πράττειν ἐν τοῖς κατὰ Μεμνόνιον πράγμασις - κν... Ταῦτα γάρ μοι ἀπήγγειλεν ὁ διάκονος, Πῶς δὶ τήν Υμητίουν εὐπορίαν προτιμοτέραν ἰτιθέμην τῆς σῆς οἱκιιώσεως, ἀνδρὸς οὑτω δαπανῶντος τήν otiolum; Ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστι τούτων οὐδὲν ἁληοέςσ οὔτε τι ιὶρηται παρʼ spat}; οὔτε πέπρακται ὑπεναντίαν. ‘ ι ι δ- «α Ἐκεῖνο δὲ ioci; ἀφορμήν ἔδωκε τοῖςτὰ ψινδῆ λὶγουσι, το παρʼ ἐμοῦ πρὸς τινας τῶν θορυβούντων - - μ, λεχθέν, ὅτι, Εἰ μὲν προείρηταί εἰς ἔργον ἀγαγεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γνώμην ὁ ἄνθρωπος, κᾶν θορυβήσητι ὑμεῖς, κᾶν μὴ, γενήσεται πάντως χαὶ λαλούντων Α - ι ι.. ὑμῶν χαὶ σιωπώντων οὐδὲν ἧττον τὰο σπυδαζὸμσνα· εἰ δὲ μιταβουλεύσιται μή παρασύρητι τὸ σεμνότατον ὅνομα τοῦ φίλου ἡμῶν, μηδὶ ἄν προσχήματι δῆθεν τῆς περὶ τὸν προστάτην ὑμῶν σπουδῆς, ἰαντοίς τι κέρδος ἐντεῦθεν, ἐξ ὧν ἐπανατείνεσθι φόβον καὶ ἀπειλὴν, καταπράττεσθι. Πρὸς di αὑτὸν ὶχσῖνον τόν τὰς διαθήκαςγράφοντα οὔτε διʼ ἐμαυτοῦ οὗτε διʼ ἑτέρου ἐφθεγξάμην ἣ μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον περὶ τοῦ πρά·γματος τουτου ι 3. Καὶ τούτοις άπιστεῖν οὐκ ὀφείλεις, εἰ μὴ παντελῶς με ἀπεγνωσμένον ἡγῇ, καὶ καταφρονεῖν τῆς per/dlis; ἁμαρτίας τοῦ ψεύδους. Ἀλλὰ πάνυ ἡμῖν αὐτὸς καὶ τήν ἐπὶ τῷ πράγματι τούτῳ {uxorum ν - η. η. ς. (ipse, καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ πάσης διαβολῆς ὑψηλοτέραν ποιοῦ τὴν ἐμὴν περὶ σὶ διάθεσιν, τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον μιμούμενος, ὃς, ἱπιστολὴν κατὰ τοῦ ἰατροῦ “- - ι ι - .... δεξάμενος ὡς ἐπιβουλεύοντος, ἐπειδὴ ἔτυχιν ἂν αὐτῷ τῷ καιρῷ φάρμακον λαβὼν ὣστε πιεῖν, τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχε πιστεῦσαι τῷ διαβάλλοντι, ὥστε ὁμοῦ τι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἀνεγίνωσκε, καὶ τὸ φάρμακον ῖπινιν. Οὖδινὸξ γὰρ τῶν ἐπὶ φιλίᾳ γνωρίμων ἀτιμότερον ἱμαντὸν ἁξιῶ τίθεσθαι, τῷ μήτε ἁλῶναί ποτι εἰς φιλίαν ἐξαμαρτὼν, καὶ ἔτι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μου λαβεῖν τὴν ἐντολὴν τῆς ἀγάπης, ἧς χρεώστης εἰμὶ οὗ μόνον κατὰ τὴν κοινὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν, ἁλλʼ ὅτι καὶ ἰδίως εὐεργέτην σι γνωρίζω ὶμαντοῦ τι καὶ τῆς πατρίδος.

Sōphroniǭ magisitrph- 1- ’Dpēngeile moi Achtiakos o diakonos, hoti si tines ilypēsan kathʼ omōn, d iaballontes hēmas hōs ouk eunoikōsnpsos tēn sēn diakeimenous semnotēta, Egō de ouk ethaumasa ei tines eisin andri tosoutǭ parepomenoi kolakes. Pephykasi gar pōs tais megalais dynasteiais hai aneleutheroi autai paraphyesthai therapeiai; oi dia to aporein oikeiou agathou, di hou psōristhōsin, ek tōn allotriōn kakōn iuno tous synistōsi. Kai schedon, hōsper hē arysibē tou sitou esti phthora an autǭ ginomenē tǭ sitǭ, houtō kai ē kolakeia tēn philian hypodyomenē, lymē esti tēs philias. Ou toinyn ethaumasa, hōs ephēn, ei tines, hōsper oi kēphēnes ta smēnē, houtōs autoi tēn lampran sou kai thaumastēn hestian peribombousin. Allʼ ekeino moi thaumaston ephanē kai pantelōs paralogon, to ai, andra epi tǭ barei tou ēthous malista diaphanē, anaschesthai autois amphoterois aneinai tas akoas, kai diabolēn katʼ emou para; dexasthai; hos pollous agapēsas ek tēs prōtēs hēlikias mechri tou gērōs toutou, oudena oida eis philian tēs sēs teleiotētos protimēsas. Kai gar kai ei mē ho logos epeise me agapąn toiouton onta, exērkei ē ek paidos synētheia prosdē sai me tę̄ psmchę̄ sou. Oidas de hoson dynatai pros philian to ethos. Ei de ouden deiknymi tēs proaireseōs tautēs axion, syngnōthi mou tę̄ astheneią. Kai gar oude autos igon parʼ ipsi si? apodeixin tēs iynoias epizētē- -.A mi. an?,lēiēkē Auamma-ri ta beltistoi soi dei?dialla proairesin dēlonoti ta beltiotoi soi syneuchomenēn. Mē gar pote eis touto katabaiē ta sa, ’hōste tēs para tōn houtō mikrōn, hopoios autos eimi, euergesias pkosdeēthēnai. 2. -Pōs oun emellon igō hypenantion ti soi legōn, ē prattein en tois kata Memnonion pragmasis - kn... Tauta gar moi apēngeilen ho diakonos, Pōs di tēn Ymētioun euporian protimoteran itithemēn tēs sēs hoikiiōseōs, andros houtō dapanōntos tēn otiolum? Allʼ ouk esti toutōn ouden halēoess oute ti iirētai parʼ spat}? oute pepraktai hypenantian. ‘ i i d- «a Ekeino de ioci? aphormēn edōke toista psindē ligousi, to parʼ emou pros tinas tōn thorybountōn - - m, lechthen, hoti, Ei men proeirētai eis ergon agagein tēn heautou gnōmēn ho anthrōpos, kan thorybēsēti hymeis, kan mē, genēsetai pantōs chai lalountōn A - i i.. hymōn chai siōpōntōn ouden hētton tao spydazomsna; ei de mitabouleusitai mē parasyrēti to semnotaton honoma tou philou hēmōn, mēdi an proschēmati dēthen tēs peri ton prostatēn hymōn spoudēs, iantois ti kerdos enteuthen, ex hōn epanateinesthi phobon kai apeilēn, kataprattesthi. Pros di hauton ichsinon ton tas diathēkasgraphonta oute diʼ emautou houte diʼ heterou ephthenxamēn hē mikron ē meizon peri tou pra;gmatos toutou i 3. Kai toutois apistein ouk opheileis, ei mē pantelōs me apegnōsmenon hēgę̄, kai kataphronein tēs per/dlis? hamartias tou pseudous. Alla pany hēmin autos kai tēn epi tǭ pragmati toutǭ {uxorum n - ē. ē. s. (ipse, kai tou loipou pasēs diabolēs hypsēloteran poiou tēn emēn peri si diathesin, ton Alexandron mimoumenos, hos, hipistolēn kata tou iatrou “- - i i - .... dexamenos hōs epibouleuontos, epeidē etychin an autǭ tǭ kairǭ pharmakon labōn hōste piein, tosouton apesche pisteusai tǭ diaballonti, hōste homou ti tēn epistolēn aneginōske, kai to pharmakon ipinin. Oudinox gar tōn epi philią gnōrimōn atimoteron himanton haxiō tithesthai, tǭ mēte halōnai poti eis philian examartōn, kai eti para tou Theou mou labein tēn entolēn tēs agapēs, hēs chreōstēs eimi hou monon kata tēn koinēn tōn anthrōpōn physin, hallʼ hoti kai idiōs euergetēn si gnōrizō imantou ti kai tēs patridos.

To Sophronius, master of the offices. 1. Actiacus the deacon reported to me that some had grieved you about us, slandering us as not well disposed toward your dignity. I was not surprised that there are flatterers following so great a man. For somehow these servile attentions naturally grow up alongside great powers; and such people, for lack of any good of their own by which to be recognized, commend themselves through others' ills. And almost, just as mildew is a corruption of the wheat arising in the wheat itself, so flattery, slipping in under friendship, is a ruin of friendship. I was not surprised, then, as I said, if some, like drones round the hives, buzz around your splendid and admirable hearth. But this seemed to me surprising and altogether unaccountable: that you, a man especially distinguished for the gravity of your character, should bear to open both your ears to them and accept slander against me; I who, having loved many from my early youth to this old age, know of no one I have preferred to your perfection in friendship. For even if reason had not persuaded me to love such a man as you are, our familiarity from boyhood would have sufficed to bind me to your soul. You know how much habit can do for friendship. And if I show nothing worthy of this purpose, pardon my weakness. For you yourself do not seek from me any proof of good will … but a purpose, clearly, that prays with you for the best things for you. For may your affairs never come down to needing the benefaction of men so small as I am. 2. How, then, could I have said or done anything against you in the affairs of Memnonius? For this is what the deacon reported to me. And how would I have valued the wealth of Hymetius above your friendship, a man so spending … ? But none of this is true; nothing has been said by me, nor done, against you. But this perhaps gave an occasion to those who tell lies: what I said to some of those causing a disturbance, that "if the man has determined beforehand to carry out his own intention, whether you make a disturbance or not, what he is eager for will certainly happen just the same, whether you speak or keep silent; but if he changes his mind, do not drag about the most venerable name of our friend, nor, under the pretense of zeal for your patron, gain some profit for yourselves by holding out fear and threats." To the man who was writing the will I said nothing, small or great, about this matter, either myself or through another. 3. And you ought not to disbelieve this, unless you consider me altogether desperate and despising the very great sin of falsehood. But do you yourself put away all suspicion about this matter, and for the future make my affection for you higher than all slander, imitating Alexander, who, having received a letter against his physician, saying he was plotting against him, since he happened at that very moment to have taken a potion to drink, was so far from believing the slanderer that at the same time he both read the letter and drank the potion. For I do not think it right to count myself less honorable than any of those known for friendship, since I have never been caught offending against friendship, and besides have received from my God the commandment of love, of which I am a debtor, not only by the common nature of men, but because I recognize you especially as a benefactor both of myself and of my homeland.

Rom 13:8 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil assures his old friend Sophronius, master of the offices, that the reports of his hostility over a disputed will are slanders, and asks him to trust him as Alexander trusted his physician.

Staged ref 271 is Benedictine Letter 272. Several phrases are garbled in the scan and marked "…" or translated by sense. The story of Alexander the Great and his physician Philip is told by Plutarch (Alex. 19) and others. Allusion: Rom 13:8 (debtor of love).

Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Alex. 19 (Plutarch; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 272 (PG 32:1005b–1008b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-272). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 273

273PG 32:1008b–1009a

Ἀνεπίγραφος, περὶ Ἦρα. ’Λαριεῶς πιπεισμένος οὕτως ἡμᾶς ἀγαπᾷν τήν σὴν τιμιότητα, ὥστε τὰ ἡμῖν διαφέροντα οἰκεῖα λογίζεσθαι, τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν Ἥραν, ὃν οὐ κατὰ συνήθειάν τινα ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν προσαγορεύομεν, ἄλλὰ κατὰ ἀκριβεστάτην καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔχουσαν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς φιλίας διάθεσιν, συνιστώ σου τῇ ὑπερφυεί καλοκαγαθίᾳ, καὶ παρακαλῶ οἰκείως {9) τε αὐτὸν θεάσασθαι, καὶ τὴν κατὰ δύναμίν σοι παρασχέσθαι αὐτῷ προστασίαν ἐν οἷς ἂν δέηται τῆς μεγαλονοίας σου· ὥστε με τοῖς πολλοῖς οἷς ἤδη τετύχηκα παρὰλσοὶ ἀγαθοῖς καὶ ταύτην ἔχειν τήν εὐεργεσιαν συναριθ μεῖν.

Anepigraphos, peri Ēra. ’Larieōs pipeismenos houtōs hēmas agapąn tēn sēn timiotēta, hōste ta hēmin diapheronta oikeia logizesthai, ton aidesimōtaton adelphon hēmōn Hēran, hon ou kata synētheian tina adelphon hēmōn prosagoreuomen, alla kata akribestatēn kai oudemian echousan hyperbolēn tēs philias diathesin, synistō sou tę̄ hyperphyei kalokagathią, kai parakalō oikeiōs {9) te auton theasasthai, kai tēn kata dynamin soi paraschesthai autǭ prostasian en hois an deētai tēs megalonoias sou; hōste me tois pollois hois ēdē tetychēka paralsoi agathois kai tautēn echein tēn euergesian synarith mein.

Without address, concerning Hera. Being fully persuaded that your honor so loves us as to count our concerns your own, I commend to your extraordinary goodness our most venerable brother Hera, whom we call brother not by some custom but out of the most exact affection of friendship, which admits of no excess; and I urge you to look upon him as your own, and to give him your protection, as far as you can, in whatever he may need from your magnanimity; so that I may number this kindness too among the many good things I have already received from you.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil commends his close friend Hera to an unnamed official.

Staged ref 272 is Benedictine Letter 273.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 273 (PG 32:1008b–1009a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-273). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 274

274PG 32:1009b–1009c

Ἱμερίῳ μαγίστρῳ. Ἦ πρὸς τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον ἀδελφὸν Ἦραν φιλία μοι καὶ συνήθεια, ὅτι ἔκ πάνυ παιδὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔλαβε, καὶ μέχρι γήρως συμπαρέμεινε τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, παντὸς ἄμεινον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίστασαι. Σχεδὸν γὰρ καὶ τὴν τῆς σῆς μεγαλοφυὶας ἀγάπην ἐξ ἐκείνου ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος ἐχαρίσατο, ἐξ ὅτου καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἡμῖν γνῶσιν προεξένησεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν δεῖται τῆς παρὰ σοῦ προστασίας, παρακαλῶ σε καὶ καθικετεύω, τῇ τε ἀρχαίᾳ περὶ ἡμᾶς διαθέσει χαριζόμενον, καὶ τῇ νῦν κατασχούσῃ ἀνάγκῃ προσχόντα, οὕτως οἰκειώσασθαι τὰ κατʼ αὑτὸν πράο γματα, ὥστε μηδεμιᾶς αὐτὸν ἐτέρας προστασίας δ εηθῆναι, ἀλλʼ ἐπανελθεῖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς πάντα καταπραξάμενον τὰ κατʼ εὐχάς· ὥστε ταῖς πολλαῖς αἶς πεπόνθαμεν παρὰ σοῦ εὐεργεσίαις, καὶ ταύτην ἡμᾶς ἔχειν συναριθμεῖν, ἧς οὐκ ἂν μείζονα ἑαυτοῖς, οὐδὲ μᾶλλον ἡμῖν διαφέρουσαν εὑρίσκοντες οἰκειούμεθα.

Himeriǭ magistrǭ. Ē pros ton aidesimōtaton adelphon Ēran philia moi kai synētheia, hoti ek pany paidos tēn archēn elabe, kai mechri gērōs symparemeine tę̄ tou Theou chariti, pantos ameinon kai autos epistasai. Schedon gar kai tēn tēs sēs megalophuias agapēn ex ekeinou hēmin ho Kyrios echarisato, ex hotou kai tēn pros allēlous hēmin gnōsin proexenēsen. Epei oun deitai tēs para sou prostasias, parakalō se kai kathiketeuō, tę̄ te archaią peri hēmas diathesei charizomenon, kai tę̄ nyn kataschousę̄ anankę̄ proschonta, houtōs oikeiōsasthai ta katʼ hauton prao gmata, hōste mēdemias auton eteras prostasias d eēthēnai, allʼ epanelthein pros hēmas panta katapraxamenon ta katʼ euchas; hōste tais pollais ais peponthamen para sou euergesiais, kai tautēn hēmas echein synarithmein, hēs ouk an meizona heautois, oude mallon hēmin diapherousan heuriskontes oikeioumetha.

To Himerius, master of the offices. My friendship and familiarity with the most venerable brother Hera, which began in early boyhood and has lasted by the grace of God into old age, you yourself know better than anyone. For the Lord granted us the love of your nobility almost from the time when he also brought about our acquaintance with each other. Since, then, he needs your protection, I urge and entreat you, both as a favor to your old affection for us and in view of the present necessity, so to make his affairs your own that he may need no other protection, but may return to us having accomplished everything as he prays; so that we may number this too among the many kindnesses we have received from you, than which we could find none greater for ourselves nor one that concerns us more.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil asks Himerius, master of the offices, to protect his old friend Hera in his affairs.

Staged ref 273 is Benedictine Letter 274.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 274 (PG 32:1009b–1009c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-274). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 275

275PG 32:1009c–1012a

’Δνεπίγραφος, περὶ Ἥρα. Προέλαβες τὰς παρʼ ἡμῶν παρακλήσεις ἐν τῇ πρὸς τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον ἀδελφὸν ἡμῶν Ἥραν διαθέσει, καὶ γέγονας αὐτῷ εὐχῆς ἀμείνων τῶν τε τιμῶν ταῖς ὑπερβολαῖς αἶς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπεδείξω καὶ ταῖς ἐφʼ ἑκάστου καιροῦ προστασίαις. Ὀμως δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἐπειδὴ σιωπῇ φέρειν τὰ κατʼ αὐτὸν οὗ δυνάμεθα, παρακαλοῡμέν σου τὴν ἀνυπέρβλητον.τιμιότητα καὶ εὶς ἡμετέραν χάριν προσθεῖναι τῇ εἰς τὸν ἄνδρα σπουδῇ, καὶ ἀποπέμψαι αὐτὸν τῇ πατρίδι κρείττονα τῆς παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὑτοῦ ἐπηρείας· ἐπεὶ νῦν γε οὐκ ἔξω ἐστὶ βελῶν τοῦ φθόνου, πολλῶν αὐτοῦ (ιθ) ὶπηριάζειν ἔπιχειρούντων τῇ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ τοῦ βίον. Πρός οὓς μίαν εύρή cian ἀσφάλειαν ἀρῥηκτοιέ, εἰ αὐτὸς ὑπερσχεῖν τήν χεῖρα τοῦ ἀνδρὸς Balneum.

’Dnepigraphos, peri Hēra. Proelabes tas parʼ hēmōn paraklēseis en tę̄ pros ton aidesimōtaton adelphon hēmōn Hēran diathesei, kai gegonas autǭ euchēs ameinōn tōn te timōn tais hyperbolais ais eis auton epedeixō kai tais ephʼ hekastou kairou prostasiais. Omōs de kai hēmeis, epeidē siōpę̄ pherein ta katʼ auton hou dynametha, parakaloumen sou tēn anyperblēton.timiotēta kai eis hēmeteran charin prostheinai tę̄ eis ton andra spoudę̄, kai apopempsai auton tę̄ patridi kreittona tēs para tōn echthrōn hautou epēreias; epei nyn ge ouk exō esti belōn tou phthonou, pollōn autou (ith) ipēriazein epicheirountōn tę̄ apragmosynę̄ tou bion. Pros hous mian eurē cian asphaleian arrhēktoie, ei autos hyperschein tēn cheira tou andros Balneum.

Without address, concerning Hera. You anticipated our requests in your disposition toward our most venerable brother Hera, and have proved better to him than he could have prayed, both by the excess of honors you showed him and by your protection on each occasion. Nevertheless we too, since we cannot bear his affairs in silence, urge your unsurpassable honor to add, for our sake, to your zeal for the man, and to send him back to his homeland stronger than the abuse of his enemies; since now he is not out of reach of the arrows of envy, many trying to harass his quiet way of life. Against these he would find one unbreakable safety, if you yourself would hold your hand over the man.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil asks an unnamed official, who has already shown favor to Hera, to protect him further against envious enemies.

Staged ref 274 is Benedictine Letter 275. The last sentence is partly garbled in the scan and translated by sense.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 275 (PG 32:1009c–1012a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-275). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 276

276PG 32:1012a–1012d

Ἀρματίῳ τῲ μεγάλῳ. Καὶ ό κοινὸς πάντων ἀνθρώπων νόμος κοινσῧς πατερας ποιεῖ τοὺς ἐν ἡλικίᾳ πρεσβύτας, και ὁ ἡμέτερος δὲ τῶν Χριστιανῶν Etim; τοὺς γέροντας ἡμᾶς ἐν γονέων τάξει καθίστησι τοῖς τηλικούτοις. Ὠστε μὴ περιττόν με ἡγήσῃ, μηδὲ ἐξω τῶν ἀναγο καίων rapit-9771:5791“ εὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδός ὶγὼ ι ι 1 ’ Δ γʼ Ἴ δ ’1 ’- πρεσξεύω τοῦ σου πρὸς σέ, Οὗ τὴν μὲν ἐν τοῖς ἆλ- ).οις ὑπακοὴν ἀξιοῦμέν σε ἀπαιτεῖν· ὑπεύθυνος ἐστιν εἰς τὸ σῶμα, καὶ τῷ νόμῳ τῆς φύσεως,κᾳὶ τῷ πολιτικῷ τούτῳ καθʼ ὃν οἰκονομούμιοα· τήν μέν· τοι ψυχὴν, ὡς ἐκ θειοτέρων ἔχων ἧκεν, ἄλλῳ νομίζειν ὑποκεῖσθαι προσῆκον, καὶ Θεῷ ὀφείλεσθαι παρʼ αὐτῆς χρέα τὰ πάντων χρεῶν πρεσβύτατα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸν Θεὸν τόν ἡμέτερον τῶν Χριστιανῶν, τὸν ἀληθινὸν, πρὸ τῶν παρʼ ὑμῖν πολλῶν, καὶ διʼ illud» συμβόλων θεραπευομένων προείλετο, μὴ δυσχεραινείν αὐτῷ, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ θαυμάζειν τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ γενναῖον, ὅτι καὶ φόβου καὶ Θεραπείας πατρικῆς προτιμότερον ἔθετο διὰ τὴς ἀληθοῦς ἐπιγνώσεως καὶ τοῦ κατʼ ἀρετὴν βίου οἰκειωοῆναι Θεῷ. Δυσαωπήσει μὲν οὖν σε καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ φύσις, καὶ τὸ τοῦ τρὸο ι Ι ν νιν που πρᾱην περὶ πάντα καὶ ἧμερον, οὐδὲ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐπιτρέψαι σοι τήν ἐπʼ αὐτῷ λύπην· πάντως δὲ οὐδὲ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀτιμάσεις πρεσβείαν μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν τῆς σῆς πόλεως διʼ ἡμῶν πληρουμένην, οἳ τῷ περὶ σὲ φίλτρῳ, καὶ τῷ πάντα σοι εὔχεσθαι τὰ καλὰ, καὶ victuro-1 οἴονται Χριστιανὸν ὑποδέξασθαι. Οὕτως αὐτοὺς περιχαρεῖς διέθηκε φήμη ἀθρόως σοῦσα τῇ πόλει.

Armatiǭ tǭ megalǭ. Kai o koinos pantōn anthrōpōn nomos koinsÿs pateras poiei tous en hēlikią presbytas, kai ho hēmeteros de tōn Christianōn Etim? tous gerontas hēmas en goneōn taxei kathistēsi tois tēlikoutois. Ōste mē peritton me hēgēsę̄, mēde exō tōn anago kaiōn rapit-9771:5791“ ei hyper tou paidos igō i i 1 ’ D gʼ I d ’1 ’- presxeuō tou sou pros se, Hou tēn men en tois al- ).ois hypakoēn axioumen se apaitein; hypeuthynos estin eis to sōma, kai tǭ nomǭ tēs physeōs,kąi tǭ politikǭ toutǭ kathʼ hon oikonomoumioa; tēn men; toi psychēn, hōs ek theioterōn echōn hēken, allǭ nomizein hypokeisthai prosēkon, kai Theǭ opheilesthai parʼ autēs chrea ta pantōn chreōn presbytata. Epei oun ton Theon ton hēmeteron tōn Christianōn, ton alēthinon, pro tōn parʼ hymin pollōn, kai diʼ illud» symbolōn therapeuomenōn proeileto, mē dyscherainein autǭ, mallon de kai thaumazein tēs psychēs to gennaion, hoti kai phobou kai Therapeias patrikēs protimoteron etheto dia tēs alēthous epignōseōs kai tou katʼ aretēn biou oikeiōoēnai Theǭ. Dysaōpēsei men oun se kai autē hē physis, kai to tou troo i I n nin pou praēn peri panta kai hēmeron, oude pros oligon epitrepsai soi tēn epʼ autǭ lypēn; pantōs de oude tēn hēmeteran atimaseis presbeian mallon de tēn tēs sēs poleōs diʼ hēmōn plēroumenēn, hoi tǭ peri se philtrǭ, kai tǭ panta soi euchesthai ta kala, kai victuro-1 oiontai Christianon hypodexasthai. Houtōs autous perichareis diethēke phēmē athroōs sousa tę̄ polei.

To the great Harmatius. The common law of all men makes those who are older in years common fathers; and our law, that of Christians, sets us old men in the rank of parents to those of such an age. So do not think me officious, or meddling in what is not necessary, if I plead with you on behalf of your son. In other things we think it right for you to demand his obedience; he is subject in body both to the law of nature and to this civil law by which we are governed; but his soul, since he has it from a diviner source, it is fitting to consider subject to another, and to God are owed by it the oldest of all debts. Since, then, he has chosen our God, the God of the Christians, the true God, before your many gods worshiped through material symbols, do not be vexed with him, but rather admire the nobility of his soul, that he has set being made God's own, through true knowledge and a life of virtue, before fear and his duty to his father. Nature itself will move you, and the gentleness and mildness of your character in all things, not to allow yourself even a little grief over him; and surely you will not dishonor our plea, or rather that of your city, fulfilled through us, who in their affection for you and their prayer for every good for you think that they have welcomed you too as a Christian. So greatly has the report, suddenly spreading through the city, filled them with joy.

Matt 10:37 (echo, low confidence) · Acts 5:29 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil asks the pagan Harmatius not to be angry with his son, who has become a Christian, since the soul owes its first debt to the true God.

Staged ref 275 is Benedictine Letter 276. A word near the end is garbled in the scan and translated by sense ("you too"). The contrast between the true God and the gods "worshiped through material symbols" is Basil's own. Allusion: Matt 10:37 (preferring God to father); Acts 5:29.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 276 (PG 32:1012a–1012d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-276). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 277

277PG 32:1013a–1013d

περὶ τῆς σεμνότητός σου, καὶ ἕνεποίησέ μοι πόθον τῆς σῆς συντυχίας, ἐναργῶς ὑπογράφων τῷ λόγῳ τῆς ψυχῆς σου τόν χαρακτῆρα καὶ τοσοῦτον έξέκαυσέ μοι τό περὶ σε φίλτρον, ὥστʼ, εἰ μὴ καὶτῷ γήρᾳ ἑβαρυνὸμην, καί τῇ συντρόφῳ κατειχόμην ἀσθενείᾳ, καὶ μυρίαις ταῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν φροντίσιν ἤμην πεπεδημένος, οὐδὲν ἅν με κατέσχεν αὐτὸν γενέσθαι παρὰ σέ. Καὶ γὰρ οὐ μικρὸν τῷ ὄντι κέρδος, έξ οἰκίας μεγάλης καὶ γένους περιφανοῦς πρὸς τόν εὖαγγελικὸν μεταστάντα βίον, χαλινῶσαι μὲν λογισμῷ τὴν νεότητα, τὰ δε τῆς σαρκὸς πάθη δοῦλα τῷ λόγω ποιῆσαι. ταπεινοφροσύνῃ δε κεχρῆσθαι, τῇ ὄφειλομένῃ Χριστιανῷηιρονοῦντι περὶ έαυτοῦ,νοῖα εἰκὸς, ὅθεν ἔφυ, καὶ οἵ πορεύεται. Ἠ γὰρ τῆς φύσεως ἔννοια καταστέλλει μεν τῆς ψυχῆς τό φλεγμαῖνον, ἀλαζονείαν δε πᾶσαν καὶ αὐθάδειαν ὑπερορίζει. καὶ τὸ ὅλον, μαθητὴν τοῦ Kvpiou καθίστησι, τοῦ εἰπόντος· Μάθετε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ. Τῶ ὄντι γὰρ, φίλτατε παίδων, μόνον περισπούδαστον καὶ έπαινετὸν τό δ ιαρκές ἀγαθόν. Τοῦτο δέ ἔστιν ἠ παρὰ Θεοῦ τιμή. Τὰ δε ἀνθρώπινα ταῦτα σκιᾶς ἔστιν ἀμυδρότερα, καὶ ὀνείρων ἅπατηλότερα. Ἠ τε γὰρ νεότης τῶν ἠρρνῶν ἀνθέων ὀξύτερον καταρῥεῐ, καὶ ὥρα σώματος ἦ νόσῳ ἦ χρόνῳ καταμαραίνεται. Καὶ πλοῦτος μὶν ἄπιστος, δόξα δι εὐπερίτρεπτοςο Αἰ τε περι τὰς τέχνας διαπονήσεις τῷ χρόνῳ τούτῳ συναπαρτίζονται. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ περισπούδαστον ἅπασιν, οἱ λόγοι ἄχρι τῆς ἀκοῆς χάριν ἔχουσιν. ’Λρετῆς δι ἄσκησις τίμιον μεν κτῆμα τῷ ἲχοντε,ἤδιστον δέ θεαμοίτων τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν. Ὧν ἐπιμελούμενος, ἄξιον σεαυτόν καταστήσεις τῶν ἰν ἐπαγγελίαις ἀποκειμένων παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀγαθῶν. Τίνι δʼ ἄν τρόπῳ ἴλθοις πρὸς τὴν τῶν καλῶν ἀνάληψιν καὶ ὅπως ἄν τὰ κτηθέντα διασώσαιο, μακρότερον εἰπεῖν ἣ κατὰ τήν παροῦσαν ὁρμὴν τοῦ λόγου. Ἐπῆλθε δʼ οὖν ἐμοὶ καὶ αὐτὰ ταῦτα σοι ποροοη νοεγξασθαι, ἐξ ὧν ἤκουσα παρά τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ Θεοτέκνου θ ὄν πάντοτε μεν εὔχομαι ἀληθεύειν, μάλιστα δὲ ἓν τοῖς περὶ σοῦ λόγοις, ἵνα πλέον δοξάζηται ἐπὶ σοὶ ό Κύριος, ἀπὸ ῥίζης ἀλλοτρίας τοῖς πολυτιμήτοις καρποῖς τῆς εὐσεβείας βρύοντι.

peri tēs semnotētos sou, kai henepoiēse moi pothon tēs sēs syntychias, enargōs hypographōn tǭ logǭ tēs psychēs sou ton charaktēra kai tosouton exekause moi to peri se philtron, hōstʼ, ei mē kaitǭ gērą hebarynomēn, kai tę̄ syntrophǭ kateichomēn astheneią, kai myriais tais kata tēn Ekklēsian phrontisin ēmēn pepedēmenos, ouden han me kateschen auton genesthai para se. Kai gar ou mikron tǭ onti kerdos, ex oikias megalēs kai genous periphanous pros ton euangelikon metastanta bion, chalinōsai men logismǭ tēn neotēta, ta de tēs sarkos pathē doula tǭ logō poiēsai. tapeinophrosynę̄ de kechrēsthai, tę̄ opheilomenę̄ Christianǭēironounti peri eautou,noia eikos, hothen ephy, kai hoi poreuetai. Ē gar tēs physeōs ennoia katastellei men tēs psychēs to phlegmainon, alazoneian de pasan kai authadeian hyperorizei. kai to holon, mathētēn tou Kvpiou kathistēsi, tou eipontos; Mathete apʼ emou, hoti praos eimi kai tapeinos tę̄ kardią. Tō onti gar, philtate paidōn, monon perispoudaston kai epaineton to d iarkes agathon. Touto de estin ē para Theou timē. Ta de anthrōpina tauta skias estin amydrotera, kai oneirōn hapatēlotera. Ē te gar neotēs tōn ērrnōn antheōn oxyteron katarrhei, kai hōra sōmatos ē nosǭ ē chronǭ katamarainetai. Kai ploutos min apistos, doxa di euperitreptoso Ai te peri tas technas diaponēseis tǭ chronǭ toutǭ synapartizontai. Alla kai to perispoudaston hapasin, hoi logoi achri tēs akoēs charin echousin. ’Lretēs di askēsis timion men ktēma tǭ ichonte,ēdiston de theamoitōn tois entynchanousin. Hōn epimeloumenos, axion seauton katastēseis tōn in epangeliais apokeimenōn para tou Kyriou agathōn. Tini dʼ an tropǭ ilthois pros tēn tōn kalōn analēpsin kai hopōs an ta ktēthenta diasōsaio, makroteron eipein hē kata tēn parousan hormēn tou logou. Epēlthe dʼ oun emoi kai auta tauta soi porooē noenxasthai, ex hōn ēkousa para tou adelphou Theoteknou th on pantote men euchomai alētheuein, malista de hen tois peri sou logois, hina pleon doxazētai epi soi o Kyrios, apo rhizēs allotrias tois polytimētois karpois tēs eusebeias bryonti.

[To the learned Maximus.] … about your dignity, and created in me a longing to meet you, vividly drawing in his account the character of your soul; and he so kindled my affection for you that, if I were not weighed down by old age, and held fast by the weakness that has grown up with me, and fettered by countless cares of the Church, nothing would have kept me from coming to you myself. For it is truly no small gain for one who has passed from a great house and a famous family to the life of the Gospel to bridle youth with reason, to make the passions of the flesh slaves to reason, and to practice the humility owed by a Christian who considers, as is fitting, where he came from and where he is going. For the thought of our nature calms the inflammation of the soul, and banishes all boastfulness and self-will, and in short makes one a disciple of the Lord, who said, "Learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart." For truly, dearest of young men, the only thing worth eager pursuit and praise is the good that lasts. And this is the honor that comes from God. These human things are fainter than a shadow and more deceptive than dreams. For youth fades faster than spring flowers, and the bloom of the body withers by disease or time. Wealth is untrustworthy, glory easily overturned; labors in the arts end along with this life. And even what all eagerly pursue, eloquence, has its charm only as far as the hearing. But the practice of virtue is a precious possession to its owner and a most pleasant sight to those who meet him. If you care for these things, you will make yourself worthy of the good things stored up by the Lord in his promises. By what way you might come to gain these good things, and how you might keep them once gained, would take longer to say than the present impulse of my words allows. But it occurred to me to address these very things to you, from what I heard from brother Theotecnus, who I pray always speaks the truth, but especially in his words about you, so that the Lord may be the more glorified in you, who from an alien root are bursting with the precious fruits of godliness.

Matt 11:29 (quotation, high confidence) · John 5:44 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 102:11 (101:12 LXX) (echo, low confidence) · Jas 1:10 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 6:17 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil, moved by a friend's report, praises a young man of noble family who has turned to the life of the Gospel, urging humility and the pursuit of the lasting good over youth, wealth, glory, and eloquence.

Staged ref 276 is Benedictine Letter 277 (to the learned Maximus). The scan has lost the heading and the opening ("…"). "From an alien root" suggests that Maximus came from a pagan family. Quotations and allusions: Matt 11:29 (quoted); John 5:44 (honor from God); Ps 102:11; Jas 1:10–11; 1 Tim 6:17.

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 277 (PG 32:1013a–1013d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-277). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 278

278PG 32:1016a–1017b

Ἐγὼ τὴν εὐγένειάν acc, καὶ κατὰ τὴνορφαθῧέι νην γενόμενος, ἐπεθύμουν ἰδιῑνζ ’Πρω-ιδῶἑῶ γάρ σε ἓν Κορσαγαίνοις διάγοντα μὴ ὀκνῆσιιν ἡμᾶς διαβῆναι ἐν Ἀτταγαίνοις τελοʼῧύτὶιξʼ)ἧῦ σύνοδον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔχεὶκης διήμαρτον τῆς ἔπεθυμουν ἰδεῖν ἐν τῷ (ἧοει. Πάλιν γὰρ ἂιῖ σος, πλησίον οὖσα, ’τὴν ἑλπίδι. τῆς ἐπέτεινεν. Ὡς 6": ἀμφοτέρων διήμαρτον, ἦλθονγῖἒῆ τὸ γράφειν, ἳνα χαταξιώσῃς μιξνκάταλαβιῖν· ὁμέῦ μὲν τὸ εἰκὸς ποιῶν, νέος φοιτῶνπαρὰ γέρόντιίὸμοῗ δὲ καὶ διὰ τῆς συντυχίας. δεχόμένόξ nimi «ap; tingit συμβουλὴν, διὰ τὸ εἷναί σοι πράγματα πρός τινας τῶν ἐν Καισαρείᾳ, τὰ δεόμενα-τῆξ ἡμετέρας μεσιτείας πρὸς τὴν διόρθωσιν. ἘὰνΔ οὖν ἀνεπαχθὲς ᾗ, μὴ κατοκνήσῃς ἡμᾶς καταλαβεῖν, ’ Μοδέστῳ ὑπάρχῳ. Κᾶν πολλοὶ ὦσιν οἱ γράμματα πορ ἡμῶν προσκομίζοντες τῇ τιμιότητί σου, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ 53:96aλον τῆς σῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς τιμῆς ἡγοῦμαι τὸ nliθος τῶν γραμμάτων ὀχλον μηδένα παρέχεινλτῇ γαλοφυῖα σου· Διὰ τοῦτο προθύμως καὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ τούτῳ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔδωκα ταύτην· εἰδὼς καὶ αὐτὸς πάντων τεύξεται τῶν σπουδαζομένων, ἡμεῖς ἐν τοῖς εὐεργέταις λογισθησόμεθα παρὰ ἀφορμὰς εὐποιιῶν προξενοῦντες τῇ ἀγαθῇ προαιρῇ ι ιι ' ι ' ' Ι Ι IN" Τ σει σου. Τὸ μὲν οὖν πρᾶγμα εἰς ὃ δεῖται τῆς στασίας σου, αὐτὸς ἐρεῖ, ἐὰν αὑτὸν εὐμενεῖ auram-'5σῃς προσιδεῖν τῷ βλέμματι, καὶ δῷς αὑτῷ Θάρσος ὥστε φωνῆν ῥῆξαι ἐπὶ τῆς μεγάλης σου καὶῦπαρφυοῦς ἐξουσίας · ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ ἡμέτερον διά rei γρᾶμιματος παριστῶμεν, ὅτι τὸ εἰς αὑτὸν γινόμενον οξκείον ἡγούμεθα κέρδος-ν διὰ τό πάλιστα, ἐκ Δτῆς Τυανέων αὑτὸν ἀναστάντα, τούτου ἕνεκεν ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὼς μέγα τι ἕξονταλκέρδος, εἰ ἧμιτέραν ἐπιστολὴν ἀνθʼ ἱκετηρίας προβάλοιτό. Ἵνά οὖν μήτε αὐτὸς τῶν ἐλπίδων ἐκπέσῃ, καὶ ἡμεῖς iii; συνήθους τιμῆς ἀπολαύσωμεν, καὶ σοὶ ἡ περὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ σπουδὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς παρούσης ﬁat-eamut πληρωθῇ, ἀξιοῦμεν δεχθῆναι mit-6v εὐμενῶς, καὶ Μοδέστῳ ὑπᾶρχῳ. Ei καὶ τολμηρὸν ἀνδρὶ τοσούτῳ,διὰ γρᾳμμτῷτοιν ν ἱκεσίας προσάγειν, ἀλλ”οὗν ἡ προϋπάρχουσα περὶ ἡμᾶς παρὰ σοῦ τιμὴ ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν τὸ δειλὸν, καὶ καταθαρῥοῦμεν ἐπιστέλλειν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρώπων, οἰκείων μὲν ἡμῖν κατά γένος, τιμῆς δὲ ἀξίων ὀδιά την δεξότητα τῶν ἠθῶν. Ὀ τοίνυν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἡμῶν ταύτην ἐπιδιδούς ἐν υἱοῦ μοι τάξει καθέστηκεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν δεῖται μόνης τῆς παρά σοῦ εὐμενείας εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι αύτῳ τὰ. ἐπιζητούμενα, και-ἀξίωσον δέξασθαί μου τὸ γράμμα, ὃ ἀνθʼ ἱκετηρίας προτείνεται σοι ὁ προειρημένος· καὶ δοῦναι αύτῷ καιρὸν διηγήσασθαι τὰ καθʼ ἑαυτὸν, καὶ διαλεχθῆναι τοῖς δυναμένοις αύτῷ συνεργῆσαι, ἶνα τῷ προστάγματί σου ταχέως τύχῃ τῶν σπουδαζομένων, καὶ ἐμοὶ ὑπάρξῃ καλλωπίσασθαι ὅτι μοι δέδοται τοιοῦτος

Egō tēn eugeneian acc, kai kata tēnorphathÿei nēn genomenos, epethymoun idiinz ’Prō-idōeō gar se hen Korsagainois diagonta mē oknēsiin hēmas diabēnai en Attagainois teloʼÿytiixʼ)hēu synodon. Epei de echeikēs diēmarton tēs epethymoun idein en tǭ (hēoei. Palin gar aii sos, plēsion ousa, ’tēn helpidi. tēs epeteinen. Hōs 6": amphoterōn diēmarton, ēlthongieē to graphein, hina chataxiōsę̄s mixnkatalabiin; homeu men to eikos poiōn, neos phoitōnpara gerontiiomoï de kai dia tēs syntychias. dechomenox nimi «ap? tingit symboulēn, dia to heinai soi pragmata pros tinas tōn en Kaisareią, ta deomena-tēx hēmeteras mesiteias pros tēn diorthōsin. EanD oun anepachthes hę̄, mē katoknēsę̄s hēmas katalabein, ’ Modestǭ hyparchǭ. Kan polloi ōsin hoi grammata por hēmōn proskomizontes tę̄ timiotēti sou, alla dia to 53:96alon tēs sēs peri hēmas timēs hēgoumai to nlithos tōn grammatōn ochlon mēdena parecheinltę̄ galophuia sou; Dia touto prothymōs kai tǭ adelphǭ toutǭ tēn epistolēn edōka tautēn; eidōs kai autos pantōn teuxetai tōn spoudazomenōn, hēmeis en tois euergetais logisthēsometha para aphormas eupoiiōn proxenountes tę̄ agathę̄ proairę̄ i ii ' i ' ' I I IN" T sei sou. To men oun pragma eis ho deitai tēs stasias sou, autos erei, ean hauton eumenei auram-'5sę̄s prosidein tǭ blemmati, kai dǭs hautǭ Tharsos hōste phōnēn rhēxai epi tēs megalēs sou kaiyparphyous exousias ; hēmeis de to hēmeteron dia rei gramimatos paristōmen, hoti to eis hauton ginomenon oxkeion hēgoumetha kerdos-n dia to palista, ek Dtēs Tyaneōn hauton anastanta, toutou heneken elthein pros hēmas, ōs mega ti hexontalkerdos, ei hēmiteran epistolēn anthʼ hiketērias probaloito. Hina oun mēte autos tōn elpidōn ekpesę̄, kai hēmeis iii? synēthous timēs apolausōmen, kai soi hē peri ta agatha spoudē kai epi tēs parousēs ﬁat-eamut plērōthę̄, axioumen dechthēnai mit-6v eumenōs, kai Modestǭ hyparchǭ. Ei kai tolmēron andri tosoutǭ,dia grąmmtǭtoin n hikesias prosagein, all”houn hē proÿparchousa peri hēmas para sou timē aphaireitai tēs kardias hēmōn to deilon, kai katatharrhoumen epistellein hyper anthrōpōn, oikeiōn men hēmin kata genos, timēs de axiōn odia tēn dexotēta tōn ēthōn. O toinyn tēn epistolēn hēmōn tautēn epididous en huiou moi taxei kathestēken. Epei oun deitai monēs tēs para sou eumeneias eis to genesthai autǭ ta. epizētoumena, kai-axiōson dexasthai mou to gramma, ho anthʼ hiketērias proteinetai soi ho proeirēmenos; kai dounai autǭ kairon diēgēsasthai ta kathʼ heauton, kai dialechthēnai tois dynamenois autǭ synergēsai, ina tǭ prostagmati sou tacheōs tychę̄ tōn spoudazomenōn, kai emoi hyparxę̄ kallōpisasthai hoti moi dedotai toioutos

[To Valerianus.] I desired to see your nobility when I was in Orphanene. For I hoped that, while you were living at Corsagaena, you would not hesitate to cross over to us at Attagaena for the synod we were holding. But since I failed of this, I desired to see you in the hill country; for there again Evesus, being near you, raised my hope. But since I failed of both, I have come to writing, so that you may deign to visit me, both doing what is fitting, a young man visiting an old one, and at the same time receiving some counsel from me at our meeting, since you have affairs with certain people in Caesarea that need our mediation to be set right. If, then, it is not burdensome, do not hesitate to visit us. [Letter 279] To Modestus the prefect. Even if many bring letters from us to your honor, yet because of the greatness of your honor toward us I think that the number of letters causes no annoyance to your magnanimity. Therefore I have gladly given this letter too to this brother, knowing both that he will obtain everything he is eager for, and that we shall be counted by you among benefactors, since we provide occasions of beneficence for your good purpose. The matter for which he needs your protection he will tell you himself, if you deign to look on him with a kindly eye and give him courage to speak out before your great and extraordinary authority. We present our own part by letter: that we consider whatever is done for him our own gain, especially because he set out from Tyana and came to us for this purpose, thinking it a great gain if he could put forward our letter as a suppliant's plea. So that he may not fail of his hopes, that we may enjoy our accustomed honor, and that your zeal for good things may be fulfilled on this occasion too, we ask that he be received kindly, and … [Letter 280] To Modestus the prefect. Even if it is bold to bring entreaties by letter to so great a man, yet the honor you have shown us before takes the timidity out of our heart, and we venture to write on behalf of men related to us by family and worthy of honor for the uprightness of their character. The bearer of this letter stands to me in the place of a son. Since, then, he needs only your favor to obtain what he seeks, deign to receive my letter, which the aforesaid holds out to you as a suppliant's plea; and give him opportunity to tell you his affairs and to speak with those who can help him, so that by your command he may quickly obtain what he is eager for, and I may have occasion to pride myself that such a … has been given me …

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil invites the young Valerianus to visit him for advice on his affairs at Caesarea; two short letters to the prefect Modestus commend a petitioner from Tyana and a relative of Basil's.

Staged ref 277 holds three letters: Letter 278 (to Valerianus), whose heading is lost in the scan; from "[Letter 279]", Letter 279 (to Modestus the prefect); and from "[Letter 280]", Letter 280 (to Modestus), which breaks off before the end ("…"). The opening of Letter 278 is badly garbled in the scan; the place names (Orphanene, Corsagaena, Attagaena) and the name Evesus are read by sense. Letter 279 also breaks off in its last sentence ("…").

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 278 (PG 32:1016a–1017b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-278). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 281

281PG 32:1017b–1017c

Μοδέστῳ ὑπάρχῳ. Μίμνημαι τῆς μεγάλης σου τιμῆς, ὅτι μοι μετὰ τῶν ἀλλων ἔδωκας καὶτὸ θαρσεῖν ἕπιστέλλειν σου τῇ μηαλοφυῖᾳ. Κέχρημαι τοίνῦν τῇ δωρεᾷ, καὶ ἀπολαύω τῆς φιλανθρωποτάτης χάριτος, ὁμοῦ ἐμαυτὸν εύφραίνων ἑκ τοῦ διαλέγεσθαι ἀνδρὶ. τοσούτῳ, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τῇ σῇ μεγαλονοίακαιρόν ἐνδιδοὺς σεμνύνειν ἂμᾶς ταῖς ἀποκρίσεσιν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἱκέτευσα τὴν σὴν ἡμερότητα ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑταίρου ἡμῶν Ἐλλαδίου τοῦ πρωτεύοντος, ὥστε, τῆς ἒπῖ τῇ ἐξισώσει φροντίδος αὐτὸν ἀνεθέντα, ἄν τοῖς πράγμασι τῆς πατρίδος ἡμῶν συγχωρηθῆναι μοχθεῖν, καί τινος εὐμενοῦς νεύματος ἠξιώθην, ἀνανεοῦμαι τὴν αὐτὴν πρεσβείαν, καί σε καθικετεύω καταπεμφθῆναι πρόσταγμα τῷ ἄρχοντι τῆς ἐπαρχίας συγχωρῆσαι αύτῷ τὴν ἐνόχλησιν.

Modestǭ hyparchǭ. Mimnēmai tēs megalēs sou timēs, hoti moi meta tōn allōn edōkas kaito tharsein hepistellein sou tę̄ mēalophuią. Kechrēmai toinyn tę̄ dōreą, kai apolauō tēs philanthrōpotatēs charitos, homou emauton euphrainōn hek tou dialegesthai andri. tosoutǭ, homou de kai tę̄ sę̄ megalonoiakairon endidous semnynein amas tais apokrisesin. Epei de hiketeusa tēn sēn hēmerotēta hyper tou hetairou hēmōn Elladiou tou prōteuontos, hōste, tēs epi tę̄ exisōsei phrontidos auton anethenta, an tois pragmasi tēs patridos hēmōn synchōrēthēnai mochthein, kai tinos eumenous neumatos ēxiōthēn, ananeoumai tēn autēn presbeian, kai se kathiketeuō katapemphthēnai prostagma tǭ archonti tēs eparchias synchōrēsai autǭ tēn enochlēsin.

To Modestus the prefect. I remember your great honor, that among other things you gave me the boldness to write to your magnanimity. I am using the gift, then, and enjoying your most humane favor, both delighting myself by conversing with so great a man and giving your magnanimity an occasion to honor us with your replies. Since I entreated your gentleness on behalf of our friend Helladius, a leading citizen, that, released from the care of the tax assessment, he might be allowed to labor at the affairs of our homeland, and was deemed worthy of a kindly nod, I renew the same plea, and entreat you that an order be sent down to the governor of the province to release him from the burden.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil renews his request to the prefect Modestus that his friend Helladius be released from the duty of tax assessment.

Staged ref 278 is Benedictine Letter 281. "Tax assessment" renders ἐξίσωσις, the equalization of tax burdens.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 281 (PG 32:1017b–1017c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-281). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 282

282PG 32:1017c–1017d

Πρὸς ἐπίσκοπον. Μὴ καλούμενος ἐγκαλεῖς, καὶ καλούμενος οὐχ ύπακούεις. Ἐκ δὲ τῶν δευτέρων δῆλος εἶ καὶ τῇ προτέρᾳ σκέψει μάτην-χρησάμενος. Ού γὰρ ἀν ἧκες, ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων, οὐδὲ τότε κληθείς. Ἐπάκουσον οὖν καλοῦσι νῦν, καὶ μὴν γένη πάλιν ἀγνώμων εἰδὼς, ὡς ἐγκλήματι προστιθέμενον ἔγκλημα βεβαιοῖ καὶ πιστοτέραν ἐργάζεται τοῦ προτέρου τὴν κατηγορίαν τὸ δεύτερον. Ἀεὶ δέ σε καὶ ἡμῶν ἀνέχεσθαι παρακαλῶ* εἰ δι ἡμῶν ούκ ἀνέχῃ, ἀλλʼ οὺ τῶν μαρτύρων ἀμελῆσαι δίκαιον· ὧν ταῖς μνείαις κοινωνήσων καλῇ. Δὸς οὖν πρῶτον ἀμφοτέροις, εἰ δὲ τοῦτο σοι μὴ δοκεῖ, τοῖς γοῦν τιμιωτέροις τήν χάριν.

Pros episkopon. Mē kaloumenos enkaleis, kai kaloumenos ouch ypakoueis. Ek de tōn deuterōn dēlos ei kai tę̄ proterą skepsei matēn-chrēsamenos. Ou gar an hēkes, ek tōn eikotōn, oude tote klētheis. Epakouson oun kalousi nyn, kai mēn genē palin agnōmōn eidōs, hōs enklēmati prostithemenon enklēma bebaioi kai pistoteran ergazetai tou proterou tēn katēgorian to deuteron. Aei de se kai hēmōn anechesthai parakalō* ei di hēmōn ouk anechę̄, allʼ ou tōn martyrōn amelēsai dikaion; hōn tais mneiais koinōnēsōn kalę̄. Dos oun prōton amphoterois, ei de touto soi mē dokei, tois goun timiōterois tēn charin.

To a bishop. When not invited you complain, and when invited you do not obey. From the second it is clear that you made the first complaint for nothing. For in all likelihood you would not have come even then, if invited. Obey, then, now that you are invited, and do not again be unfeeling, knowing that a charge added to a charge confirms the first and makes the accusation more credible. I always urge you to bear with us; but if you do not bear with us, it is not right to neglect the martyrs, to share in whose memorials you are invited. Grant the favor, then, first to both; but if this does not seem good to you, at least to those more worthy of honor.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil chides a bishop who complained of not being invited and then ignored an invitation, and urges him to come at least for the martyrs' festival.

Staged ref 279 is Benedictine Letter 282.

Topics: Martyrdom

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 282 (PG 32:1017c–1017d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-282). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 283

283PG 32:1020a–1020b

Ἐλευθέρᾳ. Ἡμέραν μὲν ἐπιτηδείαν τῆς συνόδου ἔλπιζομεν εὑρίσκειν μετὰ τὰς κατὰ τὴν ὀρεινὴν σας παρʼ ἡμῶν τυποῦσθαι · συντυχίας δέ κα ἄνευ τῆς κατὰ τήν σύνοδον λειτουργίας ἄλλος ᾖμδ οὐχ ὑποφαίνεται· πλὴν ἐὰν μή τι ἔξω τῶν amto— μένων ὁ Κύριος οἰκονομὴσῃ. Στοχάζεσθαι δὴ ὄφσῢιιις ἐν τῶν κατὰ σεαυτὴν πραγμάτων. Εἰ γάρ τῇ τῇ εὐγενείᾳ μιᾶς φροντιζούσῃ τοσοῦτος repletum ὄχλος μεριμνῶν, πόσας νομίζεις ἡμᾶς τὰς ἔφʼ ιτιάστης ἡμέρας ἀσχολίας, ἔχεινς Τὸ δὲ σὸν ὄναρ ἠγοῦμαι τελειότερον ἐνδείκνυσθαι, ὡς ἄρα δέοι περὶ τῆς κατὰ ψυχὴν θεωρίας ποιεῖσθαί τινα ἐπιμέλειαν, κάκείνους τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς θεραπεύειν οἷς ὀ Θεὸς ὁρᾶσθαι πέφυκεν. Ἐχουσα δὲ τὴν ἐκ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν παράκλησιν, οὒτε ἡμῶν οὔτε ἄλλου τινὸς δωθήσῃ πρὸς τὸ τὰ δέοντα ωνορᾴν, αὐτάρκη τήν ἐκ τοῦ ἁγίου Ιῐνεύματος ἰχουσαι συμβουλίαν ut ὁδηγίας πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον.

Eleutherą. Hēmeran men epitēdeian tēs synodou elpizomen heuriskein meta tas kata tēn oreinēn sas parʼ hēmōn typousthai ; syntychias de ka aneu tēs kata tēn synodon leitourgias allos ę̄md ouch hypophainetai; plēn ean mē ti exō tōn amto— menōn ho Kyrios oikonomēsę̄. Stochazesthai dē ophsÿiiis en tōn kata seautēn pragmatōn. Ei gar tę̄ tę̄ eugeneią mias phrontizousę̄ tosoutos repletum ochlos merimnōn, posas nomizeis hēmas tas ephʼ itiastēs hēmeras ascholias, echeins To de son onar ēgoumai teleioteron endeiknysthai, hōs ara deoi peri tēs kata psychēn theōrias poieisthai tina epimeleian, kakeinous tous ophthalmous therapeuein hois o Theos horasthai pephyken. Echousa de tēn ek tōn theiōn Graphōn paraklēsin, oute hēmōn oute allou tinos dōthēsę̄ pros to ta deonta ōnorąn, autarkē tēn ek tou hagiou Iineumatos ichousai symboulian ut hodēgias pros to sympheron.

To Eleuthera. We hope to find a suitable day for the synod after the days we have fixed for the hill country; but no other occasion for meeting appears apart from the service at the synod, unless the Lord arranges something beyond what is expected. You ought to judge from your own affairs. For if your nobility, caring for one household, has such a crowd of anxieties, how many occupations do you think we have each day? Your dream I think points to something more perfect: that one should take some care for the contemplation of the soul, and tend those eyes by which God is naturally seen. Since you have the encouragement of the divine Scriptures, you will need neither us nor anyone else to see what is necessary, having the sufficient counsel and guidance of the Holy Spirit toward what is profitable.

Eph 1:18 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Tim 3:16 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil tells a woman that he can meet her only at the coming synod, interprets her dream as a call to care for the contemplation of the soul, and points her to the Scriptures and the Spirit's guidance.

Staged ref 280 is Benedictine Letter 283. The heading Ἐλευθέρᾳ may be the name Eleuthera or mean "to a free woman"; the letter is addressed to a widow. Allusions: Eph 1:18 (eyes of the heart); 2 Tim 3:16.

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 283 (PG 32:1020a–1020b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-283). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 285

285PG 32:1021a–1021b

’Δνεπίγραφος, ἰπὶ τῇ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προστασίᾳ. '0 τῆς Ἐκκλησίας φροντίζων, καὶ διὰ χειρός ἔχων τῶν κτήσεων τὴν ἕπιμέλειαν, αύτός ἐστιν ό τὴν ἄπισταλὴν ἄπιδιδούς σοι ταύτην, ὁ ἀγαπητός υἱὸς ὁ δεῖνα. Τούτῳ καταξίωσον, περὶ ὧν ἀναφέρει κοσμιότητί σου, δοῦναι καί λόγου παρῥησίαν, καὶ περὶ ὧν διαβεβαιοῦται προσχεῖν ο ἶνα ἀπὸ γοῦν τοῦ νῦν δυνηθῇ ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἑαυτὴν ἀναλαβεῖν, καὶ τῆς πολυκεφάλου ταύτης ὕδρας ἀπαλ).αγῆναι.Τοιαύτη γὰρ ἠ τῶν πτωχῶν κτῆσις, ὥστε ἀεὶ ἡμᾶς ζητῆσαι τὸν ὑποδεχόμενον αύτῆν, διὰ τὸ προσαναλίσκειν μᾶλλον τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἦ τινα καρπὸν ἔχειν διπό τῶν κτημᾶτων.

’Dnepigraphos, ipi tę̄ tēs Ekklēsias prostasią. '0 tēs Ekklēsias phrontizōn, kai dia cheiros echōn tōn ktēseōn tēn hepimeleian, autos estin o tēn apistalēn apididous soi tautēn, ho agapētos huios ho deina. Toutǭ kataxiōson, peri hōn anapherei kosmiotēti sou, dounai kai logou parrhēsian, kai peri hōn diabebaioutai proschein o ina apo goun tou nyn dynēthę̄ hē Ekklēsia heautēn analabein, kai tēs polykephalou tautēs hydras apal).agēnai.Toiautē gar ē tōn ptōchōn ktēsis, hōste aei hēmas zētēsai ton hypodechomenon autēn, dia to prosanaliskein mallon tēn Ekklēsian, ē tina karpon echein dipo tōn ktēmatōn.

Without address, about the protection of the Church. He who cares for the Church and has the management of its property in hand is the one delivering this letter to you, our beloved son So-and-so. Deign to give him freedom of speech about the matters he refers to your decency, and to attend to what he affirms; so that from now on at least the Church may be able to recover itself and be freed from this many-headed hydra. For such is the property of the poor that we are always looking for someone to take it on, because the Church spends more on it than it gets any fruit from the properties.

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil commends to an official the steward of his Church's property, asking a hearing for him so that the Church may be freed from its burdensome estates.

Staged ref 282 is Benedictine Letter 285. The letter to the assessor about monks (Benedictine 284) is not in the staged text.

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 285 (PG 32:1021a–1021b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-285). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 286

286PG 32:1021b

Κομενταρησίῳ. Β Ἐπειδή τινες ἓν τῇ συνόδῳ τῇδ ε συνελήφθησαν τῶν τὰ πονηρά ἐργαζομένων, καί κλεπτόντων παρά τήν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἱμάτια εὐτελῆ πτωχῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὓς ἂνδύειν μᾶλλον ἐχρῆν ἣ ἀποδύειν ο συνελάβοντο μὲν αύτούς οἱ τῆς εὐταξίας ἐπιμελόμενοι τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς. νομίσας δὲ αύτῷ σοι διαφέρειν, ὡς τὰ δημόσιοι πράττοντι, τήν τῶν τοιούτων ὑποδοχὴν, ἐπέστειλά σοι, γνωρίζων, ὅτι τὰ ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἁμαρτανόμενα ὑφʼ ἡμῶν προσήκει τῆς πρεπούσης τυγχάνειν διορθώσεως, δικαστὰς δὲ περὶ τούτων μὴ παρενοχλεῖσθαι. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ σῦλα αὐτῶν, ά δηλοῖ τό παρα σοὶ κείμενον, καὶ ἡ ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν παρόντων γε· νομένη ἀντιγραφή, ὑποδεχθῆναι προσέταξα, καὶ τὰ ταμιωθῆναι τοῖς ἐπερχομένοις, τὰ δὲ διαδοθῆναι τοῖς παροῦσι ’ τοὺς ὁδέ ἀνθρώπους ἐπιστρέψαι ἓν παιδείᾳ καὶ c νουθεσίᾳ Κυρίου, οὓς οἶμαι ἕν τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Θεοῦ βελτίους ποιήσειν πρὸς τὸ ἔφεξῆ ς. Ἀ γὰρ αἱ τῶν δικαστηρίων πληγαὶ ούκ ἐργάζονταιL ταῦτα ἔγνωμεν πολλάκις τὰ φοβερά κρίματα τοῦ Κυρίου κατορθοῦντα· Εἰ δὲ δοκεῖ σοι καὶ περὶ τούτων ἀνενεγκεῖν τῷ κόμητι, τοσοῦτον θαρροῦμεν τοῖς δικαίοις καὶ τῇ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὀρθότητι, ὅτι ἐπιτρέπομιν σοι ποιεῖν ὃ βούλει.

Komentarēsiǭ. B Epeidē tines hen tę̄ synodǭ tę̄d e synelēphthēsan tōn ta ponēra ergazomenōn, kai kleptontōn para tēn entolēn tou Kyriou himatia eutelē ptōchōn anthrōpōn, hous andyein mallon echrēn hē apodyein o synelabonto men autous hoi tēs eutaxias epimelomenoi tēs ekklēsiastikēs. nomisas de autǭ soi diapherein, hōs ta dēmosioi prattonti, tēn tōn toioutōn hypodochēn, epesteila soi, gnōrizōn, hoti ta en tais ekklēsiais hamartanomena hyphʼ hēmōn prosēkei tēs prepousēs tynchanein diorthōseōs, dikastas de peri toutōn mē parenochleisthai. Dia touto kai ta syla autōn, a dēloi to para soi keimenon, kai hē epi pantōn tōn parontōn ge; nomenē antigraphē, hypodechthēnai prosetaxa, kai ta tamiōthēnai tois eperchomenois, ta de diadothēnai tois parousi ’ tous hode anthrōpous epistrepsai hen paideią kai c nouthesią Kyriou, hous oimai hen tǭ onomati tou Theou beltious poiēsein pros to ephexē s. A gar hai tōn dikastēriōn plēgai ouk ergazontaiL tauta egnōmen pollakis ta phobera krimata tou Kyriou katorthounta; Ei de dokei soi kai peri toutōn anenenkein tǭ komēti, tosouton tharroumen tois dikaiois kai tę̄ tou andros orthotēti, hoti epitrepomin soi poiein ho boulei.

To the Commentariensis. Since some of those who do evil were caught at this assembly stealing, contrary to the Lord's command, the cheap clothes of poor people, whom they ought rather to clothe than strip, those who take care of the Church's good order arrested them. But since you thought that the custody of such men belongs to you, as one who deals with public affairs, I have written to you, making known that offenses committed in the churches ought to receive fitting correction from us, and that judges should not be troubled about them. Therefore I have ordered their spoils, which the list lying with you shows, and the inventory made in the presence of all who were present, to be received, and some to be stored for those who come later and some distributed to those present; and the men to be turned back in the discipline and admonition of the Lord, whom I think I shall make better for the future in the name of God. For what the blows of the law courts do not effect, we have often known the fearful judgments of the Lord to accomplish. But if you think it good to refer these matters too to the count, we so trust in justice and in the man's uprightness that we permit you to do what you wish.

Exod 20:15 (echo, low confidence) · Eph 6:4 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil tells a court official that thieves caught stealing poor people's clothes at a church festival should be corrected by the Church rather than by the courts, though he leaves him free to refer the case to the count.

Staged ref 283 is Benedictine Letter 286. The commentariensis was the officer in charge of prisoners and court records. Allusions: Exod 20:15; Eph 6:4 (discipline and admonition of the Lord).

Topics: Ethics

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 286 (PG 32:1021b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-286). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 287

287PG 32:1024a–1024b

Ἀνεπίγραφος, ἐπὶ ἐκδικηταῖς, Δυσμεταχείριστον ἔοικεν εἶναι τὸ κατὰ τόνδε. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν τί χρησόμεθα οὕτω πολυτρόπῳ ἤθει, ὡς ἐκ τῶν ὁρωμένων ἔστιν εἰκάζειν, ἁπεγνωσμένῳ. Εἰς κρίσιν μὶν γὰρ καλούμενος, οὐχ ὑπακούει· κᾶν ἀπαντήσῃ, τοσαύτη χρῆται περιουσίᾳ λόγων καὶ ὅρκον, ὡς ἁγαπηο τὸν ἡμῖν ποιεῖν τὸ ταχέως αὐτοῦ χωρισθῆναι. Εἶδον δε αὐτὸν πολλάκις καὶ περιτρέψαντα τὰς αἰτίας τοῖς ἔγκαλούσι. Καὶ ὅλως οὐδεμία φύσις τῶν ὅσα τὴν γῆν ἐπιβὁσκεται οὕτω ποικῦιη καὶ πρὸς κακίαν εὐπλαστος, ὡς ἠ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τούτου ο ὡς ἐξ ὀλίγης τῆς πείρας ἔστὶ τὸ κατʼ αὐτὸν τεκμηρασθαι. Τί δ ι ἐρωτᾶτε με, καὶ οὐ πείθετε ἑαυτούς ὑπομένειν τὰς παρʼ αὐτοῦ ἁδικίας, ὡς ὀργήν τινα θεήλατονς ’Υπὶρ δι τοῦ μὴ ὑμᾶς μολύνεσθαι ἰν κοινωνία τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων, πανοικεὶ τῶν εὐχῶν κεχωρίσθω, καὶ τῆς ἁλληςτῆς τρός τούς ἱερατικοὺς κοινωνίας. Ἴσως παραφύλαγμα γενόμενος, ἕντραπήσεται.

Anepigraphos, epi ekdikētais, Dysmetacheiriston eoiken einai to kata tonde. Ou gar echomen ti chrēsometha houtō polytropǭ ēthei, hōs ek tōn horōmenōn estin eikazein, hapegnōsmenǭ. Eis krisin min gar kaloumenos, ouch hypakouei; kan apantēsę̄, tosautē chrētai periousią logōn kai horkon, hōs hagapēo ton hēmin poiein to tacheōs autou chōristhēnai. Eidon de auton pollakis kai peritrepsanta tas aitias tois enkalousi. Kai holōs oudemia physis tōn hosa tēn gēn epibosketai houtō poikuiē kai pros kakian euplastos, hōs ē tou anthrōpou toutou o hōs ex oligēs tēs peiras esti to katʼ auton tekmērasthai. Ti d i erōtate me, kai ou peithete heautous hypomenein tas parʼ autou hadikias, hōs orgēn tina theēlatons ’Ypir di tou mē hymas molynesthai in koinōnia tōn hamartēmatōn, panoikei tōn euchōn kechōristhō, kai tēs hallēstēs tros tous hieratikous koinōnias. Isōs paraphylagma genomenos, hentrapēsetai.

Without address, concerning the church advocates. The case of this man seems hard to handle. For we do not know what to do with so shifty a character, and, as one may guess from what is seen, a desperate one. When summoned to judgment, he does not obey; and if he does appear, he uses such an abundance of words and oaths that we count ourselves happy to be quickly rid of him. I have often seen him turn the charges round on his accusers. In short, no nature among all that feed on the earth is so variable and so easily moulded to wickedness as this man's, as one may judge from a little experience of him. Why do you ask me, and not persuade yourselves to endure his wrongs as a wrath sent by God? But so that you may not be defiled by sharing in his sins, let him be separated with his whole household from the prayers and from all other communion with the clergy. Perhaps, being made a warning to others, he will be ashamed.

1 Tim 5:22 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Thess 3:14 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil orders that a slippery offender who evades church judgment be excommunicated with his household, in the hope that he will be ashamed.

Staged ref 284 is Benedictine Letter 287. "Church advocates" renders ἐκδικηταί (defensores). Allusions: 1 Tim 5:22 (share in others' sins); 2 Thess 3:14 (that he may be ashamed).

Topics: Ethics, Church office

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 287 (PG 32:1024a–1024b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-287). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Chapter 288

288PG 32:1024c–1025a

Ἀνεπίγραφος, ἐπὶ ἔκδικηταῖς. Οὓς τὰ κοινὰ ἐπιτίμια οὐ σωφρονίζει, οὐτε ηινὁ εἱρχθῆναι τῶν εὐχῶν ἄγει εἰς μετάνοιαν, ἀνάγκη τοῖς παρά τοῦ Κυρίου δοθεῖσι κανόσιν ὑποβάλλειν, Γέγραπται γάρ ο Ἐὰν ὁ ἁδελφός σου ἁμάρτῃ, ’ἂεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξύ σοῦ καὶ αὐτοῦ ο ἐάν σοι μὴ ἀκούσῃ παράλαβε μετὰ σεαυτοῦ ἄλλον ο ἐὰν δὲ μηδι οὕτως, εἰπὶ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳο ἐὰν δέ καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας παρακούσῃ ἔστω σοι λοιπὸν ὧς ἐθνικὸς καὶ ὁ τελώνης ο ὃ οὐν ἐγενετο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦδε. Ἀπαξ ἐνεκλήθη · arma; καὶ δε-νο τίρου διηλέγχθη · τρίτον ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ἐπεὶ οὐν διεμαρτυράμεθα αὐτῷ, καὶ οὐ κατεδέξατο, λοιπὸν ἔστω ίκκήρυκτος. Καὶ διαγγελθητω πείσῃ τῇ κώμῃ ἀπρόσδεκτον αὐτὸν εἶναι πρὸς πᾶσαν κοιο νωνίαν χρήσεως βιωτικῆς, ὣς, ix τοῦ μὴξ συναναολ μίγνυσθαι ἡμᾶς αύτῷ, γένηται παντελῶς κατάόρωμα τοῦ δ ιαβόλόυ.

Anepigraphos, epi ekdikētais. Hous ta koina epitimia ou sōphronizei, oute ēino heirchthēnai tōn euchōn agei eis metanoian, anankē tois para tou Kyriou dotheisi kanosin hypoballein, Gegraptai gar o Ean ho hadelphos sou hamartę̄, ’aenxon auton metaxy sou kai autou o ean soi mē akousę̄ paralabe meta seautou allon o ean de mēdi houtōs, eipi tę̄ Ekklēsiąo ean de kai tēs Ekklēsias parakousę̄ estō soi loipon hōs ethnikos kai ho telōnēs o ho oun egeneto kai epi toude. Apax eneklēthē ; arma? kai de-no tirou diēlenchthē ; triton epi tēs Ekklēsias. Epei oun diemartyrametha autǭ, kai ou katedexato, loipon estō ikkēryktos. Kai diangelthētō peisę̄ tę̄ kōmę̄ aprosdekton auton einai pros pasan koio nōnian chrēseōs biōtikēs, hōs, ix tou mēx synanaol mignysthai hēmas autǭ, genētai pantelōs kataorōma tou d iabolou.

Without address, concerning the church advocates. Those whom the common penalties do not bring to their senses, and whom exclusion from the prayers does not lead to repentance, must be subjected to the canons given by the Lord. For it is written: "If your brother sins, rebuke him between you and him alone; if he does not listen to you, take another with you; if not even so, tell it to the Church; and if he refuses to listen even to the Church, let him be to you thereafter as a Gentile and a tax collector." This is what has happened in his case too. Once he was accused; a second time he was convicted before witnesses; a third time before the Church. Since, then, we have solemnly warned him and he did not accept it, let him henceforth be excommunicated. And let it be announced to the whole village that he is not to be received into any fellowship of everyday dealings, so that, through our not mixing with him, he may become wholly the devil's prey.

Matt 18:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 5:5 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Basil excommunicates an unrepentant offender after the three steps of Matt 18:15–17, and orders the village to shun him in everyday dealings.

Letter 288. The penalty is translated exactly as written. Quotations and allusions: Matt 18:15–17 (quoted); 2 Thess 3:14 (not to mix with him); 1 Cor 5:5.

Topics: Ethics, Church office

Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 288 (PG 32:1024c–1025a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/268/#p-288). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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