Letters 126–138
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 126
126PG 32:552b–553a
Ἀταρβίῳ. Παραγενόμενοι μέχρι τῆς Νικοπόλεως ἐπʼ ἐλπιδι τοῦ καὶ τὰς κινηθείσας ταραχὰς ἐπανορθώσασθαι, καὶ τὴν ἐνδεχομένην ἐπαγαγεῖν παραμυθίαν τοῖς ἀτάκτως καὶ παρά τόν ἐκκλησιαστικὸν Θεσμόν γενομένοις, σφόδρα ηϋυμησαμεν μὴ καταλαβοντες σου την χρηστότητα, ἀλλὰ μαθόντες ἐζεληλακέιαι σε πρὸς πᾶσαν ἔπειξιν, καὶταῦτα μεσούσης σχεδὸν τῆς συνόδου, τῆς παρʼ ὑμῶν τελουμένης.Διό away. καίως ἐπὶ τὸ γράμμα ἤλθομεν, διʼ οὖ ὑπομιμνήσκομεν ἀπαντῆσαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ivx αὐτὸς διὰ σαυτοῦ παραμυῦὴσῃ ἡμῶν τὴν λύπην, ἣν μέχρι Θανάτου λελυπημεθα, ἀκούσαντες ἐπὶ μέσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας τετολμῆσθαι πράγματα οὔπω μέχρι τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης εἰς ἀκοὴν ἡμετέραν ἐλθόντα. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν, εἰ καὶ λυπηρὰ καὶ βαρέα, ἀλλʼ ἔτι φορητὰ, διὰ τὸ εἰς ἄνθρωπον γεγενῆσθαι. ὃς, τὴν ὑπὲρ ὧν πί· πονοεν ἐκδίκησιν τῷ Θεῷ ἐπιτρέψας, ὅλος ἐστὶ τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ τοῦ μηδὲν παρὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ αἰτίαν βλαβερὸν γίνεσθαι τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες τῶν τιμίων καὶ πάσης πίστεως ἀξίων ἀδελφῶν ἀπήγγειλαν ἡμῖν, ὡς περὶ τὴν πίστιν καινοτομουμένων τινῶν, καὶ λαλουμένων παρὰ σοῦ ὑπεναντίως ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ” ἐπὶ τούτοις πλέον συγκινῑσ θέντες, καὶ πολὺν ἀγῶνα ἀγωνιάσαντες τοῦ μή πού τι πρὸς τοῖς μυρίοις τραύμασιν, οἷς πέπονθεν ἡ Ἐκκλησία παρὰ τῶν εἰς τήν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ Εὕαγγελίου ἐξαμαρτόντων, ἔτι καὶ ἄλλο ἁναφυῇ κακόν, ἀνανεωθείσης τῆς παλαιᾶς τοῦ ἐχθροῦ τῆς Ἐκκλη σίας Σαο βελλίου αἱρέσεως (τούτοις γὰρ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ ἀπήγγειλαν (Ἠ) ἡμῖν συγγενῆ εἶναι τὰ εἰρημένα), τούτου ἕνεκεν ἐπεστείλαμεν, ἵνα μή ὀκνήσῃς μικρὸν διάστημα κινηθεὶς καταλαβεῖν ἡμᾶς, καὶ τήν ἐπὶ τούτοις πληροφορίαν παρασχόμενος, ήμῶν τε τήν ὀδύνην καταπραῡναι, τοῖς Θρνλλουμένοις εἰρῆσθαι παρὰ σοῦ λυπουμένας.
Atarbiǭ. Paragenomenoi mechri tēs Nikopoleōs epʼ elpidi tou kai tas kinētheisas tarachas epanorthōsasthai, kai tēn endechomenēn epagagein paramythian tois ataktōs kai para ton ekklēsiastikon Thesmon genomenois, sphodra ēÿymēsamen mē katalabontes sou tēn chrēstotēta, alla mathontes ezelēlakeiai se pros pasan epeixin, kaitauta mesousēs schedon tēs synodou, tēs parʼ hymōn teloumenēs.Dio away. kaiōs epi to gramma ēlthomen, diʼ ou hypomimnēskomen apantēsai pros hēmas, ivx autos dia sautou paramyyēsę̄ hēmōn tēn lypēn, hēn mechri Thanatou lelypēmetha, akousantes epi mesēs tēs ekklēsias tetolmēsthai pragmata oupō mechri tēs hēmeras tautēs eis akoēn hēmeteran elthonta. Kai tauta men, ei kai lypēra kai barea, allʼ eti phorēta, dia to eis anthrōpon gegenēsthai. hos, tēn hyper hōn pi; ponoen ekdikēsin tǭ Theǭ epitrepsas, holos esti tēs eirēnēs kai tou mēden para tēn autou aitian blaberon ginesthai tǭ laǭ tou Theou. Epeidē de tines tōn timiōn kai pasēs pisteōs axiōn adelphōn apēngeilan hēmin, hōs peri tēn pistin kainotomoumenōn tinōn, kai laloumenōn para sou hypenantiōs hygiainousę̄ didaskalią” epi toutois pleon synkinis thentes, kai polyn agōna agōniasantes tou mē pou ti pros tois myriois traumasin, hois peponthen hē Ekklēsia para tōn eis tēn alētheian tou Heuangeliou examartontōn, eti kai allo hanaphyę̄ kakon, ananeōtheisēs tēs palaias tou echthrou tēs Ekklē sias Sao belliou haireseōs (toutois gar hoi adelphoi apēngeilan (Ē) hēmin syngenē einai ta eirēmena), toutou heneken epesteilamen, hina mē oknēsę̄s mikron diastēma kinētheis katalabein hēmas, kai tēn epi toutois plērophorian paraschomenos, ēmōn te tēn odynēn katapraunai, tois Thrnlloumenois eirēsthai para sou lypoumenas.
To Atarbius. Having come as far as Nicopolis in the hope of setting right the disturbances that had arisen and of bringing what comfort we could to the things done in a disorderly way and against the church's ordinance, we were very disheartened not to find your kindness, but to learn that you had driven off in all haste, and that while the synod being held by you was almost at its middle. Therefore we have necessarily resorted to writing, through which we remind you to come and meet us, so that you may yourself in person console our grief, with which we have been grieved to death, on hearing that things have been dared in the midst of the church which until this day had never come to our hearing. And these things, though painful and grievous, are still bearable, because they were done to a man who has committed to God the vengeance for what he suffered and is wholly devoted to peace and to seeing that nothing harmful happens to the people of God on his account. But since some honoured brothers worthy of all trust have reported to us that certain novelties are being introduced concerning the faith and things are said by you contrary to sound teaching, we were the more moved by this, and in great anguish lest, besides the countless wounds which the church has suffered from those who have sinned against the truth of the gospel, yet another evil should spring up, with the renewal of the old heresy of Sabellius, the enemy of the church (for the brothers reported to us that what was said is akin to it); for this reason we have written, that you may not hesitate to make a short journey to meet us, and by giving full assurance on these matters may soothe our pain and … grieved by what is rumoured to have been said by you.
Matt 26:38 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil summons Atarbius of Neocaesarea to meet him and clear himself of reports that he had acted against the church's order and taught something akin to Sabellianism.
- Letter 126. Words are lost near the end of the last sentence (the churches of God are the subject of "grieved"), marked "…". Echo: Matt 26:38 ("grieved to death").
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 126 (PG 32:552b–553a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-126). (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 127
127PG 32:553b–553d
Εὗσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπὼ Σαμοσάτων. Ὀ φιλάνθρωπος Θεὸς συμμέτρους ταῖς θλίψεσι τὰς παρακλήσεις συνάπτων, καὶ παρακαλῶν τοὺς ταπεινοὺς, ἵνα μή λάθωσιν ὑπό τῆς περισσοτέρας λύπης καταποθέντες, ἴσην ταῖς ἓπιγενομέναις ἡμῖν κατὰ τήν Νικόπολιν ταραχαῖς τήν παραμυθίαν ἐπ·ήγαγε, τόν θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον Ἰοβῖνον ἰν καιρῷ ἐπιστήσας· ὃς ὅπως εὐκαίρως ἡμῖν ἐπεφάνη, αὐτὸς ὁιηγησάσθω. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ, φειδόμενοι τοῦ μήκους τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, σιωπήσομεν· καὶ ἶνα μή δόξωμεν τοὺς ἐκ μεταβολῆς ἁγαπητοὺς ήμῖν γενομένους οἱονεὶ τῇ ὑπομνήσει τοῦ σφάλματος mnum». ’Λλλὰ παράσχοι ό ἅγιος Θεὸς ἔπιστῆναί σε τοῖς ἡμετέροις τόποις, ὥστε περιπτύξασθαι μὲν τήν σὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν, διηγήσασθαι δὲ τὰ καθʼ ἕκαστον. Πέφυκε γὰρ πως τὰ κατὰ τήν πεῖραν λυπήσαντα ψυχαγωγίαν τινὰ ἔχειν ἐν διηγήμασι. Πλήν ἀλλʼ ὑπερ ὧν τελείως ὡς πρὸς τήν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην, προῆγουμένως δὲ καί στιβαρῶς ὡς πρὸς τήν τῶν κανόνων ἀκρίβειαν ό θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος ἐκινήθη, ἐπαίνεσον αὐτόν, καὶ εὐχαρίστησον τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι τὰ σὰ θρέμματα πανταχοῦ τὸν χαρακτῆρα τῆς σῆς σεμνότητος δείκνυσιν.
Heusebiǭ, episkopō Samosatōn. O philanthrōpos Theos symmetrous tais thlipsesi tas paraklēseis synaptōn, kai parakalōn tous tapeinous, hina mē lathōsin hypo tēs perissoteras lypēs katapothentes, isēn tais hepigenomenais hēmin kata tēn Nikopolin tarachais tēn paramythian ep;ēgage, ton theophilestaton episkopon Iobinon in kairǭ epistēsas; hos hopōs eukairōs hēmin epephanē, autos hoiēgēsasthō. Hēmeis gar, pheidomenoi tou mēkous tēs epistolēs, siōpēsomen; kai ina mē doxōmen tous ek metabolēs hagapētous ēmin genomenous hoionei tę̄ hypomnēsei tou sphalmatos mnum». ’Llla paraschoi o hagios Theos epistēnai se tois hēmeterois topois, hōste periptyxasthai men tēn sēn semnoprepeian, diēgēsasthai de ta kathʼ hekaston. Pephyke gar pōs ta kata tēn peiran lypēsanta psychagōgian tina echein en diēgēmasi. Plēn allʼ hyper hōn teleiōs hōs pros tēn eis hēmas agapēn, proēgoumenōs de kai stibarōs hōs pros tēn tōn kanonōn akribeian o theophilestatos episkopos ekinēthē, epaineson auton, kai eucharistēson tǭ Kyriǭ, hoti ta sa thremmata pantachou ton charaktēra tēs sēs semnotētos deiknysin.
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. God, who loves mankind, who joins comforts proportioned to afflictions and comforts the humble lest they be swallowed up unawares by excessive grief, has brought us a consolation equal to the disturbances that befell us at Nicopolis, by sending the most God-beloved bishop Jovinus at the right time. How opportunely he appeared to us, let him tell himself. For we, sparing the length of the letter, will keep silent; and also so that we may not seem to brand, as it were, by recalling their fault, those who by their change of mind have become dear to us. But may the holy God grant that you come to our parts, so that we may embrace your reverence and tell you everything in detail. For somehow things that grieved in experience give a certain delight in the telling. However, for the way in which the most God-beloved bishop acted, perfectly as regards his love for us, and above all firmly as regards the exactness of the canons, praise him, and give thanks to the Lord that your nurslings everywhere show the stamp of your reverence.
2 Cor 7:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 2:7 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil tells Eusebius that the timely arrival of bishop Jovinus consoled him for the troubles at Nicopolis.
- Letter 127. One word ("afflictions") is garbled in the scan and supplied by a logged correction; another ("brand") is translated by sense. Echoes: 2 Cor 1:4; 7:6; 2:7.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (Latin letters for θλίψεσι)): ταῖς etiam τὰς → ταῖς θλίψεσι τὰς.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 127 (PG 32:553b–553d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-127). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-127) · 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 128
128PG 32:553d–557d
Εὗσεβίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Σαμοσάτων. 1. Ἐγὼ τήν περὶ τὸ εἰρηνεύεσθαι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Κυρίου σπουδὴν ἔργω μὲν ἐνδείξασθαι ἀξίως οὒπω δεδύνημαι· ἐν δε τῇ καρδίᾳ μου τοσαυτην ilus ἐπιθυμίαν φημὶ, ὥστε ἡδέως ἀν καὶ τὴν ζωὴν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ προέσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ τὴν ύπό τοῦ πονηροῦ ἐξαφθεῖσαν φλόγα τοῦ- μίσους κατασεισθῆναι. Κοιὶεὶ μὴ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἕνεκεν τῆς κατά τὴν εἰρήνην ἠνεσχόμην ἐγγίσαι τοῖς κατά Κολώνειαν τόποις, μὴ εἰρηα νευθείη μοι ἠ ζωή. Εἰρήνην μέντοι τὴν ἀληθινὴν τὴν ὑπʼ αὑτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου καταλειφθεῖσαν ἡμῖν ἐπι· ζητῶ· καὶ ὃ παρεκάλεσά μοι εἰς πληροφορίαν ὑπάρξαι, οὐκ ἀλλο τι ἐπιθυμοῦντός ἰστιν ἦ τῆς ἄληθινῆς εἰρήνης, κᾶν ἄλλως τινες διαστρέφοντες τήν ἀληθειαν ἐξηγῶνται. Ἐκεῖνοι μὶν οὖν κεχρῆσθωσαν ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐφʼ οἱ βούλονται· πάντως γὰρ αὐτοῖς ποτε τῶν ῥημάτων τούτων μεταμελήσει. 2. Τὴν δί σὴν ὁσιότητα παρακαλῶ μεμνῆσθαι τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς προτάσεων, καὶ μη παράγεσθαι ἄλλας ἀπο. κρίσεις ἀντʼ ἄλλων ἐρωτημάτων δεχόμενον, μηδὲ ποιεῖν ἐνεργά τὰ σοφίσματα τῶν ἄνευ τῆς περὶ τὸ λέγειν δυνάμεως ἀπʼ αὐτῆς μόνης τῆς γνώμης δεινότατα πάντων τὴν ἀλήθειαν κακουργούντων. Προο ἐτεινα γὰρ ἀπλᾶ καὶ σαφῆ καὶ εὐμνημόνευτα ῥήματα· εἰ τοὺς μὴ δεχομένους τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν παραιτούμεθα εἰς κοινωνίαν, καὶ εἰ μετά τῶν κτίσμα λέγειν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἀποτολμώντων τὸ μέρος ἔχειν οὐκ ἀνεχόμεθα. Ὀ δὲ, ἀντὶ τοῦ πρὸς ἔπος ταῖς ἱρωτήσεσιν ἀποκρίνασθαι, ἐκεῖνα ἡμῖν ἐρραψῴδησεν ἅπερ ἀπέστειλας - καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ὠφελείᾳ γνώμης, ὡς ἄν τῳ δόξαι, οὐδὲ τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι συνορᾷν τὸ ἀκόλουθον. Ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνο ληίζεται, ὅτι, ἀρνούμενος ἡμῶν τὴν πρότασιν, τοῖς λαοῖς ἑαυτὸν κατάδηλον ποιήσει ο συντιθέμενος δε ἡμῖν, τῆς μεσότητος ἀποστήσεται, ἧς οὐδὲν αὐτῷ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν γέγονε προτιμότερον. Μὴ τοίνυν ἡμᾶς κατασοφιζέσθω, μηδὲ μετά τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τὴνσέν παρακρουὼθω φρόνησιν · ἀλλά σύντομον ἡμῖν λόγον ἀποστειλάτω πρὸς τό ἐρώτημα, ἣ ὁμολογῶν τήν κοί· νωνίαν πρὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τῆς πίστεως, ᾖ ἀρνούμενος. Ἐὰν ταῦτα συμπείσῃς αὐτὸν, καὶ πέμψῃς μοι ὀρθὰς, καὶ οἵας εὔχομαι, τὰς ἀποκρίσεις· ἐγὼ εἰμι ὁ τά κατόπιν πάντα ἡμαρτηκὼς· ἐγὼ δέχομαι πᾶσαν τὴν αἰτίαν ἐκείνην ἐπʼ ἑμαυτόν· τότε με ἀπαίτει ταπεινοφροσύνης ἐπίδειξιν. Ἕως δʼ ἂν μηδὲν 7Mται τούτων, σόγγνωθι, θεοφιλέστατε Πάτερ, μὴ δυνα· μένῳ μετά ὑποκρίσεως θυσιαστηρίῳ Θεοῦ παρεστάναι° El γὰρ μὴ τοῦτο ἐφοβούμην, τίνος ἕνεκα ἐμαυτόν ἓχωριζον Εὐίππίου, τοιούτου μεν τά περὶ λόγους, τοσοῦτον δε χρόνῳ προήκοντος, τοσαῦτα δὲ τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς φιλίας δίκαια* κεκτημένου ; Εἰ δε ἰκεῖνα καλῶς καὶ προσηκόντως ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἔπράα ξαμεν, γελοῖον δήπου τοῖς τὰ αὖτά ἐκείνῳ λέγουσι διὰ τῆς τῶν εὐφυῶν τούτων καὶ χαριέντων μεσότητος συναπτόμενον φαίνεσθαι. 3. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ παντελῶς μοι δοκεῖ τῶν μὴ δεχομένων τὴν πίστιν ἀλλοτριοῦν ἑαυτοὺς, ἀλλὰ ποιήσασθαί τινα τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐπιμέλειαν κατὰ τοὺς παλαιοὺς θεσμοὺς ῆς ς, καὶ ἐπιστεῖλαι αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ μιᾶς γνώμης, πᾶσαν παράκλησιν μετʼ εὐσπλαγχνίας προσάγοντας, καὶ τὴν τῶν Πατέρων πίστιν προτεινομένους, προκαλεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς εἰς συνάφειαν θ κᾶν μὲν πείσωμεν, κοινῶς αὐτοῖς ἔνι-»θῆναι · ἐὰν δ 'e ἆποτύχωμεν, ἀρκεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις, τὸν δέ ἓπαμφοτερισμὸν τοῦτον ἐξορίσαι τοῦ ἤθους, ἁναλαβόντας τὴν sca-77mm καὶ ἄδολον πολιτείαν, συνίζων οἱ ἐξ αρχῆς προσελθόντες τῷ λόγῳ. Ἦν γὰρ, φησὶ, τῶν πιστευσάντων καρδία καὶ ψυχὴ μία, Ἐὰν μὲν οὖν πεισθῶσί σοι, ταῦτα ἄριστα· εἰ δὲ μὴ, γνωρίσατε τοὺς πολεμοποιοὺς, καὶ παύσασθε ἡμῖν τοῦ λοιποῦ περὶ διαλλαγῶν ἔπι στῦλοντες·
Heusebiǭ, episkopǭ Samosatōn. 1. Egō tēn peri to eirēneuesthai tas Ekklēsias tou Kyriou spoudēn ergō men endeixasthai axiōs oupō dedynēmai; en de tę̄ kardią mou tosautēn ilus epithymian phēmi, hōste hēdeōs an kai tēn zōēn tēn emautou proesthai hyper tou tēn ypo tou ponērou exaphtheisan phloga tou- misous kataseisthēnai. Koiiei mē tēs epithymias heneken tēs kata tēn eirēnēn ēneschomēn engisai tois kata Kolōneian topois, mē eirēa neutheiē moi ē zōē. Eirēnēn mentoi tēn alēthinēn tēn hypʼ hautou tou Kyriou kataleiphtheisan hēmin epi; zētō; kai ho parekalesa moi eis plērophorian hyparxai, ouk allo ti epithymountos istin ē tēs alēthinēs eirēnēs, kan allōs tines diastrephontes tēn alētheian exēgōntai. Ekeinoi min oun kechrēsthōsan tais glōssais autōn ephʼ hoi boulontai; pantōs gar autois pote tōn rhēmatōn toutōn metamelēsei. 2. Tēn di sēn hosiotēta parakalō memnēsthai tōn ex archēs protaseōn, kai mē paragesthai allas apo. kriseis antʼ allōn erōtēmatōn dechomenon, mēde poiein energa ta sophismata tōn aneu tēs peri to legein dynameōs apʼ autēs monēs tēs gnōmēs deinotata pantōn tēn alētheian kakourgountōn. Proo eteina gar apla kai saphē kai eumnēmoneuta rhēmata; ei tous mē dechomenous tēn en Nikaią pistin paraitoumetha eis koinōnian, kai ei meta tōn ktisma legein to Pneuma to hagion apotolmōntōn to meros echein ouk anechometha. O de, anti tou pros epos tais hirōtēsesin apokrinasthai, ekeina hēmin errapsǭdēsen haper apesteilas - kai touto ouk ōpheleią gnōmēs, hōs an tǭ doxai, oude tǭ mē dynasthai synorąn to akolouthon. Allʼ ekeino lēizetai, hoti, arnoumenos hēmōn tēn protasin, tois laois heauton katadēlon poiēsei o syntithemenos de hēmin, tēs mesotētos apostēsetai, hēs ouden autǭ mechri tou nyn gegone protimoteron. Mē toinyn hēmas katasophizesthō, mēde meta tōn allōn kai tēnsen parakrouōthō phronēsin ; alla syntomon hēmin logon aposteilatō pros to erōtēma, hē homologōn tēn koi; nōnian pros tous echthrous tēs pisteōs, ę̄ arnoumenos. Ean tauta sympeisę̄s auton, kai pempsę̄s moi orthas, kai hoias euchomai, tas apokriseis; egō eimi ho ta katopin panta hēmartēkōs; egō dechomai pasan tēn aitian ekeinēn epʼ hemauton; tote me apaitei tapeinophrosynēs epideixin. Heōs dʼ an mēden 7Mtai toutōn, songnōthi, theophilestate Pater, mē dyna; menǭ meta hypokriseōs thysiastēriǭ Theou parestanai° El gar mē touto ephoboumēn, tinos heneka emauton hechōrizon Euippiou, toioutou men ta peri logous, tosouton de chronǭ proēkontos, tosauta de tēs pros hēmas philias dikaia* kektēmenou ? Ei de ikeina kalōs kai prosēkontōs hyper tēs alētheias epraa xamen, geloion dēpou tois ta auta ekeinǭ legousi dia tēs tōn euphyōn toutōn kai charientōn mesotētos synaptomenon phainesthai. 3. Ou mēn oude pantelōs moi dokei tōn mē dechomenōn tēn pistin allotrioun heautous, alla poiēsasthai tina tōn andrōn epimeleian kata tous palaious thesmous ēs s, kai episteilai autois apo mias gnōmēs, pasan paraklēsin metʼ eusplanchnias prosagontas, kai tēn tōn Paterōn pistin proteinomenous, prokaleisthai autous eis synapheian th kan men peisōmen, koinōs autois eni-»thēnai ; ean d 'e apotychōmen, arkeisthai hēmas allēlois, ton de hepamphoterismon touton exorisai tou ēthous, hanalabontas tēn sca-77mm kai adolon politeian, synizōn hoi ex archēs proselthontes tǭ logǭ. Ēn gar, phēsi, tōn pisteusantōn kardia kai psychē mia, Ean men oun peisthōsi soi, tauta arista; ei de mē, gnōrisate tous polemopoious, kai pausasthe hēmin tou loipou peri diallagōn epi stylontes;
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. 1. My zeal for the peace of the churches of the Lord I have not yet been able to show worthily in deed; but I say that I have so great a desire for it in my heart that I would gladly give up even my own life so that the flame of hatred kindled by the evil one might be put out. And if it was not for the sake of my desire for peace that I endured to approach the region of Colonia, may my life not be at peace. It is the true peace, however, the one left to us by the Lord himself, that I seek; and what I asked to have given me as assurance is the wish of one who desires nothing other than true peace, even if some, distorting the truth, interpret it otherwise. Let them use their tongues for whatever they want; surely they will one day repent of these words. 2. But I beg your holiness to remember the original proposals, and not to be led astray by accepting answers to other questions instead, nor to make effective the sophistries of men who, without any power of speech, by sheer cunning of mind are the cleverest of all at doing harm to the truth. For I proposed simple, clear, and easily remembered words: whether we refuse communion to those who do not accept the faith of Nicaea, and whether we refuse to have our lot with those who dare to say that the Holy Spirit is a creature. But he, instead of answering the questions word for word, strung together for us those things which you sent; and this not from simplicity of mind, as one might think, nor from inability to see what follows. But this is what he is calculating: that by denying our proposal he will make himself plain to the people, while by agreeing with us he will depart from the middle position, than which nothing has been more valued by him until now. Let him not, then, outwit us, nor mislead your prudence along with the rest; but let him send us a short answer to the question, either confessing communion with the enemies of the faith or denying it. If you persuade him to this and send me right answers, such as I pray for, then I am the one who has done wrong in everything up to now; I take all that blame on myself; then demand of me a display of humility. But as long as none of this happens, forgive me, most God-beloved father, if I cannot stand at the altar of God with hypocrisy. For if I did not fear this, why would I have separated myself from Euippius, a man of such learning, so advanced in years, possessing such claims of friendship with us? And if we acted rightly and fittingly on behalf of the truth in that case, it is surely ridiculous to be seen joined, through the middle position of these clever and charming people, with those who say the same things as he. 3. Yet it does not seem to me that we should altogether estrange ourselves from those who do not accept the faith, but should take some care of the men according to the ancient ordinances of love, and write to them with one mind, offering every exhortation with compassion and proposing the faith of the fathers, and so invite them to union; and if we persuade them, be united with them in common; but if we fail, be content with one another, and banish this double-dealing from our character, taking up again the evangelical and guileless way of life in which those who first came to the word lived. For, it says, 'the heart and soul of those who believed was one.' If, then, they are persuaded by you, that is best; but if not, recognize the warmongers, and stop writing to us any more about reconciliations.
John 14:27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 4:32 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil refuses to be reconciled with Eustathius's party until it answers plainly whether it holds communion with those who reject Nicaea and call the Spirit a creature.
- Letter 128. "He" is probably Eustathius of Sebasteia, whose answer Eusebius had forwarded. Euippius was a bishop with whom Basil had broken communion over doctrine. Two words in section 3 are garbled in the scan and translated by sense ("of love", "evangelical"). Quotation: Acts 4:32; allusion: John 14:27.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 128 (PG 32:553d–557d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-128). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-128) · 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 129
129PG 32:560a–561b
Καὶ ὡσαύτως ἐπὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καθὸ δὴ εἷς Θεὸς ἡ Τριάς. Ταῦτά ἐστι τὰ θρυλλούμενα, ἃ οὐδέποτε δύναμαι πιστεῦσαι πλάσματα εἶναι τῶν περιφερόντων, εἱικαὶ ὅτι ἐκ τῆς καθʼ ἡμῶν συκοφαντίας οὐδὲν λογίζομαι αὐτοῖς ἀτόλμητον εἶναι. Γράφοντες γάρ τισι τῶν καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ προσθέντες τὴν καθʼ ἡμῶν διαβολήν, ἐπήγαγον ταῦτα, ῥή ματα μὲν αἰρετικῶν ὀνομάσαντες, τὸν δὲ πατέρα τῆς συγγραφῆς ἀποκρυψάμενοι, ἱνα τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡμεῖς νομισθώμεν εἶναι οἱ λογογράφοι. Πλὴν ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἂν μέχρι τοῦ καὶ ῥήματα συνθεῖναι προῆλθεν αὐτῶν ἠ ἐπίνοια, ὧς γε ἐμαυτὸν πείθω. Ὀθςν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ καὶ τὴν καθʼ ἡμῶν κρατοῦσαν βλασφημίαν ἀπώσασθαι, καὶ δεῖξαι πᾶσιν, ὡς οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἑστι κοινόν πρὸς τοὺς ἐκεῖνο λέγοντας, ἠναγκάσθημεν μνησθῆναι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ὡς προσεγγίζοντος τῇ ἀσεβείᾳ τοῦ Σαβελλίου. Καὶ ταῦτα μὶν εἰς το σοῡτον. 2. Ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ στρατοπέδου ἧκέ τις ἀγγέλλων, iniri πρώτῃ κινήσει τοῦ κρατοῦντος, ἣν ἐκίνησαν miro-1 oi τὰς διαβολὰς ἡμῶν καταχέοντες, γεγενῆσθαί τινα καί δευτέραν γνώμην, ὥστε μὴ δοθῆναι ἡμᾶς ἐκδότους τοῖς κατηγόροις, μήτε παραδοθῆναι ἡμᾶς τῷ ἐκείνων θελήματι, ὅπερ ἦν ἐξ ἀρχῆς όρισθέν ο ἀλλά τινα γενέσθαι τέως ἀναβολήν. Ἐὰν οὖν ἦ ταῦτα μένῃ, ἦ τούτων τι δόξῃ φιλανθρωπότερον, σημανοῦμεν σου τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ.Ἐάν δὲ κρατῇ τὰ πρότερα, οὐδὲ τοῦτό σε λήσεται. 3. Ὀ μέντοι ἀδελφὸς Σαγκτίσσιμος πάντως ἐστὶ παρʼ ὑμῖν πάλαι, καὶ ἂ ἐπιζητεῖ, δῆλα γέγόνετῇ τελειότητί σου, Εἰ οὖν φαίνεται ἀναγκαῖόν τι ἔχειν ἡ πρὸς τοὺς δυτικοῦς ἐπιστολὴ, καταξίωσον τνπώσας αὐτὴν διαπέμψασθαι ἡμίν, ὥστε ποιῆσαι ὑπογραφῆναι παρὰ τῶν ὁμοψύχων, καὶ ἑτοίμην ἔχειν τὴν ὑπογραφὴν, ἓν χάρτῃ κεχωρισμένῳ ίντιτνο πωμένην, ὃν δυνάμεθα συνάψαι τῷ παρὰ τοῦ ἁδελφοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου περικομιζομίνῳ. Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ, οὐδὲν εὑρὼν συνεκτικὸν ἓν τῷ ὑπομνηστικῷ, οὐκ ἔσχον ὑπὲρ οὗ ἐπιστείλω τοῖς έν τῇ δύσει. Τὰ μεν γὰρ ἀναγκαῖα προείληπται · τὰ δί περιττά γράφειν παντελῶς μάταιον. Περὶ δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐνοχλεῖν μὴ καὶ γελοῖον ein; Ἐκείνη δέ μοι ἔδοξεν ὥσπερ ἀγύμναστος εἶναι ἡ ὑπόθεσις, καὶ χώραν παρέχειν γράμμασι, τὸ παρακαλέσαι αὐτοὺς, μή ἀκρίτως δέχεσθαι τὰς κοινωνίας τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἀνατολῆ ς ἀφικνουμένων ' ἀλλʼ ἅπαξ μίαν μερίδα ἐκλεξαμένους, τοὺς λοιποὺς ἑκ τῆς μαρτυρίας τῶν κοινωνικῶν προσλαμβάνεσθαι ' καὶ μὴ παντι τῷ πίστιν γράφοντι ἐπὶ προφάσει δὴ τῆς όρθοδοξίας προστίθεσθαι. Οὗτω γὰρ εὑρεθήσονται τοῖς μαχομένοις κοιο νωνοῦντες, οἱ τὰ μὲν ῥήματά πολλάκις τὰ αὐτά προβάλλονται, μάχονται δε ἀλλήλοις, ὅσον οἱ πλεῖστον διεστηκότες. Ἱνʼ οὖν μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἡ αἵρεσις ἱξάπτηται τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαστασιαζόντων ἁντιπροβαλλομένων τὰ παρʼ αὐτῶν γράμματα, παρα· κληθῆναι αὐτοὺς εδ ει, κεχριμένας ποιεῖσθαι καὶ τὰς τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων αὐτοῖς κοινωνίας, καὶ τὰς ἐγγράφως γινομένας κατὰ τόν τύπον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας.
Kai hōsautōs epi tou Pneumatos, katho dē heis Theos hē Trias. Tauta esti ta thrylloumena, ha oudepote dynamai pisteusai plasmata einai tōn peripherontōn, heiikai hoti ek tēs kathʼ hēmōn sykophantias ouden logizomai autois atolmēton einai. Graphontes gar tisi tōn kathʼ heautous, kai prosthentes tēn kathʼ hēmōn diabolēn, epēgagon tauta, rhē mata men airetikōn onomasantes, ton de patera tēs syngraphēs apokrypsamenoi, hina tois pollois hēmeis nomisthōmen einai hoi logographoi. Plēn allʼ ouk an mechri tou kai rhēmata syntheinai proēlthen autōn ē epinoia, hōs ge emauton peithō. Othsn, hyper tou kai tēn kathʼ hēmōn kratousan blasphēmian apōsasthai, kai deixai pasin, hōs ouden hēmin hesti koinon pros tous ekeino legontas, ēnankasthēmen mnēsthēnai tou andros, hōs prosengizontos tę̄ asebeią tou Sabelliou. Kai tauta min eis to souton. 2. Apo de tou stratopedou hēke tis angellōn, iniri prōtę̄ kinēsei tou kratountos, hēn ekinēsan miro-1 oi tas diabolas hēmōn katacheontes, gegenēsthai tina kai deuteran gnōmēn, hōste mē dothēnai hēmas ekdotous tois katēgorois, mēte paradothēnai hēmas tǭ ekeinōn thelēmati, hoper ēn ex archēs oristhen o alla tina genesthai teōs anabolēn. Ean oun ē tauta menę̄, ē toutōn ti doxę̄ philanthrōpoteron, sēmanoumen sou tę̄ theosebeią.Ean de kratę̄ ta protera, oude touto se lēsetai. 3. O mentoi adelphos Sanktissimos pantōs esti parʼ hymin palai, kai a epizētei, dēla gegonetę̄ teleiotēti sou, Ei oun phainetai anankaion ti echein hē pros tous dytikous epistolē, kataxiōson tnpōsas autēn diapempsasthai hēmin, hōste poiēsai hypographēnai para tōn homopsychōn, kai hetoimēn echein tēn hypographēn, hen chartę̄ kechōrismenǭ intitno pōmenēn, hon dynametha synapsai tǭ para tou hadelphou hēmōn tou sympresbyterou perikomizominǭ. Egō men gar, ouden heurōn synektikon hen tǭ hypomnēstikǭ, ouk eschon hyper hou episteilō tois en tę̄ dysei. Ta men gar anankaia proeilēptai ; ta di peritta graphein pantelōs mataion. Peri de tōn autōn enochlein mē kai geloion ein? Ekeinē de moi edoxen hōsper agymnastos einai hē hypothesis, kai chōran parechein grammasi, to parakalesai autous, mē akritōs dechesthai tas koinōnias tōn ek tēs anatolē s aphiknoumenōn ' allʼ hapax mian merida eklexamenous, tous loipous hek tēs martyrias tōn koinōnikōn proslambanesthai ' kai mē panti tǭ pistin graphonti epi prophasei dē tēs orthodoxias prostithesthai. Houtō gar heurethēsontai tois machomenois koio nōnountes, hoi ta men rhēmata pollakis ta auta proballontai, machontai de allēlois, hoson hoi pleiston diestēkotes. Hinʼ oun mē epi pleion hē hairesis hixaptētai tōn pros allēlous diastasiazontōn hantiproballomenōn ta parʼ autōn grammata, para; klēthēnai autous ed ei, kechrimenas poieisthai kai tas tōn entynchanontōn autois koinōnias, kai tas engraphōs ginomenas kata ton typon tēs Ekklēsias.
… and likewise in the case of the Spirit, in so far as the Trinity is one God.' These are the things being talked about, which I can never believe to be fictions of those who circulate them, even though, after their slander against us, I think nothing is beyond their daring. For in writing to some of their own party and adding their calumny against us, they appended these things, calling them the words of heretics but concealing the father of the writing, so that most people might think that we were the authors. Yet, as I persuade myself, their invention would not have gone so far as to compose the words as well. Hence, in order to repel the blasphemy prevailing against us and to show everyone that we have nothing in common with those who say such things, we were compelled to mention the man as coming close to the impiety of Sabellius. So much for that. 2. Someone came from the court reporting that, after the first move of the ruler, which those who pour slanders on us had stirred up, a second opinion was reached, so that we should not be surrendered to our accusers nor delivered to their will, as had been decided at first, but there should be a delay for the present. If, then, either this stands or something more humane than this is decided, we will let your piety know; and if the former decision prevails, that too will not escape you. 3. Our brother Sanctissimus has surely long been with you, and what he seeks has been made clear to your perfection. If, then, the letter to the Westerners seems to need anything, deign to draft it and send it to us, so that we may have it signed by those of one mind and have the signature ready, written on a separate sheet which we can attach to the one being carried round by our brother the fellow presbyter. For my part, finding nothing coherent in the memorandum, I had nothing to write about to those in the West. For the necessary things have been said already, and to write superfluous things is altogether vain; and to trouble them about the same things, would it not be ridiculous? But this seemed to me a subject not yet worked over, and one that gives room for a letter: to urge them not to receive indiscriminately the communion of those who come from the East, but, having once chosen one party, to receive the rest on the testimony of those in communion with it, and not to join everyone who writes a creed on the pretext of orthodoxy. For in this way they will be found in communion with those who fight one another, who often put forward the same words but fight one another as much as those who differ most. So that the heresy may not be further inflamed while those quarrelling with one another put forward against each other the letters they have received from the West, they ought to be urged to make discriminating both the communions they grant to those who meet them and those made in writing, according to the pattern of the church.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil tells Meletius why he named Apollinarius as near to Sabellianism, reports a delay in the emperor's action against him, and suggests what the letter to the Western bishops should say.
- This staged ref is Letter 129, to Meletius of Antioch. Its opening (which names Apollinarius and quotes the document attributed to Basil, whose last words begin this ref) is lost in the scan and marked "…". "The man" is Apollinarius of Laodicea.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 129 (PG 32:560a–561b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-129). (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 130
130PG 32:564a–564d
ἃς καθʼ ἡμῶν συνέγραψε διαπεμψάμενος. Τῆς μὶν οὖν κοινωνίας ἡμῶν αὐτὸς ἀπέρρηξεν ἑαυτὸν, μήτε κατὰ τὸν ὡρισμένον τόπον συνδραμεῖν ἡμῖν ἀνασχόμενος, μήτε τοὺς μαθητὰς ἑαυτοῦ παραγαγὼν, ὅπερ ὑπέσχετο ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς στηλιτιύων ἐν πανδήμοις συνόδοις, μετὰ τοῦ Κίλικος Θεοφίλου, γυμνῇ καὶ ἀπαρακαλύπτῳ τῇ βλασφημίᾳ, ὡς ἀλλότρια τῆς ίαντοῡ ὃίὸασκαλίας ταῖς ψυχαῖς τοῦ λαοῦ inmtραντας δόγματα. Ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν ἧν καὶταῦτα πᾶσαν ἡμῶν τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν συνάφειαν διαλῦσαι Ἐπιιο δὴ δὲ καὶ si; Κιλικίαν ἐλθὼν, καὶ συντυχὼν Γιλασίῳ τινὶ, πίστιν αὐτῷ ἐξέθετο, ἢν μόνου ἦν Ἀρείου συγγράψαι, καὶ εἶ τις αὐτοῦ γνήσιος μαθητής· τότε δὴ καὶ πλέον πρὸς τὸν χωρισμὸν ἐβεβαιώθημεν · λογισάμενοι, ὅτι οὔτε Αἰθίοψ ἀλλάξει ποτὶ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ, οὔτε πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆ ς, οὔτε ὁ ίν διαστρόφοις δόγμασι συντραφεὶς ἀποτρίψασθαι δύναται τὸ κα· κόν τῆς ἁὶρίσεως. 2. Ἐπενεανιιύσατο δὲ τούτοις καὶ γράψας καθʼ ἡμῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ συγγράψας λόγους μακραῖς πάσης λοιδορίας καὶ συκοφαντίας γέμοντας· ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐδὲν ἀπεκρινάμεθα τέως, διὰ τὸ διδαχθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικεῖν, ἀλλὰ διδόναι τόπον τῇ ὀργῇ ο καὶ οἶμα ἐννοήσαντες τὸ βάθος τῆς ὑποκρίσεως, μεθʼ ἧς πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἡμῖν προσηνέχθη, ἀφασία τινὶ ὑπʼ ἐκπλήξεως κατεσχέθπμει, Εἰ ὁδε καὶ μηδὲν ἦν ἐκείνων, τὸ ὀπόγυον τοῦτο, τὸ τολμηθὲν αὐτῷ, τίνὶ οὐκ ἆν φρίκην καὶ ἀποστροφὴν παντελῆ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐνεποίησεν; ὃς γε, ὡς ἀκούω (εἴγε ἀληθὴςό λόγος, καὶ μὴ πλάσμα ἐστὶν ἐπὶ δια· βολῇ συντεθὲν), ὅτι καὶ ἀναχειροτονῆσαί τινας ἐτολμησεν, ὁμέχρι σήμερον οὐδεὶς τῶν αἱρετικῶν ποιήσας φαίνεται. Πῶς οὖν δυνατὸν πράως φέρειν ἡμᾶς τὰ τοιαῦτα, καὶ ἰάσιμα εἶναί νομίζειν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τά ἁμαρτήματα; Μὴ τοίνυν ψευδέσι λόγοις παράγεσθε, μηδῆ ὑπονοίαις ἀνδρῶν πάντα εὐκόλως πρὸς τὸ κακὸν ἐκλαμβανὸντων πείθεσθε, ὡς ἄρα ἡμεῖς ἀδιάφορα τιθέμεθα τὰ τοιαῦτα. Γίνωσκε γὰρ, ποθεινότατε ἡμῖν καὶ τιμιώτατε, ὅτι οὔπω οἶδα τοσοῦτον πένθος ἄλλοτε τῇ ψυχῇ μου παραδεξάμενος, ὅσον νῦν, ὅτε ἤκουσα τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν θεσμῶν τὴν σύγχυσιν. Ἀλλὰ μένον εὔχου, ἶνα δῴη ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος μηδὲν κατὰ θυμὸν ἐνεργεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἔχειν τὴν ἀγάπην, ἣτις οὐκ ἀσχημονεῖ, οὐ φυσιοῦται. Ὅρα γὰρ ὅπως οἰ μὴ ἔχοντες ταύτην ἐπήρθησαν μὴν ὑπὲρ τά μέτρα τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, ίνασχημονοῦσι δὲ τῷ βίῳ, κατατολμῶν· τες πράξεων, ὧν ὁ,παρελθὼν χρόνος οὐκ ἔχει τά ὑποδείγματα.
has kathʼ hēmōn synegrapse diapempsamenos. Tēs min oun koinōnias hēmōn autos aperrēxen heauton, mēte kata ton hōrismenon topon syndramein hēmin anaschomenos, mēte tous mathētas heautou paragagōn, hoper hypescheto alla kai hēmas stēlitiyōn en pandēmois synodois, meta tou Kilikos Theophilou, gymnę̄ kai aparakalyptǭ tę̄ blasphēmią, hōs allotria tēs iantou hoioaskalias tais psychais tou laou inmtrantas dogmata. Hikana men oun hēn kaitauta pasan hēmōn tēn pros auton synapheian dialysai Epiio dē de kai si? Kilikian elthōn, kai syntychōn Gilasiǭ tini, pistin autǭ exetheto, ēn monou ēn Areiou syngrapsai, kai ei tis autou gnēsios mathētēs; tote dē kai pleon pros ton chōrismon ebebaiōthēmen ; logisamenoi, hoti oute Aithiops allaxei poti to derma autou, oute pardalis ta poikilmata autē s, oute ho in diastrophois dogmasi syntrapheis apotripsasthai dynatai to ka; kon tēs hairiseōs. 2. Epeneaniiysato de toutois kai grapsas kathʼ hēmōn, mallon de syngrapsas logous makrais pasēs loidorias kai sykophantias gemontas; hyper hōn ouden apekrinametha teōs, dia to didachthēnai para tou Apostolou, mē heautous ekdikein, alla didonai topon tę̄ orgę̄ o kai oima ennoēsantes to bathos tēs hypokriseōs, methʼ hēs panta ton chronon hēmin prosēnechthē, aphasia tini hypʼ ekplēxeōs kateschethpmei, Ei hode kai mēden ēn ekeinōn, to opogyon touto, to tolmēthen autǭ, tini ouk an phrikēn kai apostrophēn pantelē tou andros enepoiēsen? hos ge, hōs akouō (eige alēthēso logos, kai mē plasma estin epi dia; bolę̄ syntethen), hoti kai anacheirotonēsai tinas etolmēsen, homechri sēmeron oudeis tōn hairetikōn poiēsas phainetai. Pōs oun dynaton praōs pherein hēmas ta toiauta, kai iasima einai nomizein tou andros ta hamartēmata? Mē toinyn pseudesi logois paragesthe, mēdē hyponoiais andrōn panta eukolōs pros to kakon eklambanontōn peithesthe, hōs ara hēmeis adiaphora tithemetha ta toiauta. Ginōske gar, potheinotate hēmin kai timiōtate, hoti oupō oida tosouton penthos allote tę̄ psychę̄ mou paradexamenos, hoson nyn, hote ēkousa tōn ekklēsiastikōn thesmōn tēn synchysin. Alla menon euchou, ina dǭē hēmin ho Kyrios mēden kata thymon energein, allʼ echein tēn agapēn, hētis ouk aschēmonei, ou physioutai. Hora gar hopōs oi mē echontes tautēn epērthēsan mēn hyper ta metra ta anthrōpina, inaschēmonousi de tǭ biǭ, katatolmōn; tes praxeōn, hōn ho,parelthōn chronos ouk echei ta hypodeigmata.
… which he wrote against us and sent round. He himself broke away from our communion, neither consenting to meet us at the appointed place nor bringing his disciples, as he had promised; but he even pilloried us in public synods, together with Theophilus the Cilician, with naked and undisguised blasphemy, as having sown in the souls of the people doctrines alien to his own teaching. These things were enough to dissolve all our connection with him. But when he also went into Cilicia and, meeting a certain Gelasius, set out for him a creed which only Arius could have written, or some genuine disciple of his, then indeed we were still more confirmed in the separation, reckoning that neither will the Ethiopian ever change his skin nor the leopard its spots, nor can one brought up in perverse doctrines rub off the evil of heresy. 2. He has further run riot by writing against us, or rather by composing long discourses full of every abuse and calumny; to these we have so far made no reply, because we were taught by the apostle not to avenge ourselves but to give place to wrath; and also because, considering the depth of the hypocrisy with which he has dealt with us all along, we were held by a kind of speechlessness from astonishment. But even if none of those things had happened, this recent deed dared by him, whom would it not fill with horror and complete aversion to the man? For, as I hear (if the report is true and not a fiction composed for slander), he has dared even to re-ordain some, which no heretic up to today appears to have done. How then can we bear such things mildly, and think the man's sins curable? Do not, then, be led astray by false words, nor be persuaded by the suspicions of men who readily take everything in a bad sense, that we treat such things as indifferent. For know, most beloved and most honoured friend, that I do not know that I ever before received so much grief into my soul as now, when I heard of the confusion of the church's ordinances. But only pray that the Lord may grant us to do nothing in anger, but to have the love that does not behave unbecomingly, is not puffed up. For see how those who do not have it have been lifted up beyond human measure and behave unbecomingly in their life, daring deeds of which past time has no examples.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Jer 13:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 12:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:4 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil explains to Theodotus why he has broken with Eustathius of Sebasteia, who has attacked him, offered an Arian creed, and reportedly re-ordained clergy.
- This staged ref is Letter 130, to Theodotus of Nicopolis; its opening sentences are lost in the scan and marked "…". Quotation: Jer 13:23; allusions: Rom 12:19; 1 Cor 13:4–5.
Topics: Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 130 (PG 32:564a–564d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-130). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-130) · 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 131
131PG 32:565a–568d
Ὀλυμπίῳ 1). 1. Ὄντως ἡ τῶν ἀπροσδοκήτων ἀκοὴ ἵκανή ἔστι ποιῆσαι ἀνθρώπου ἠχῆσαι ἀμφότερα τὰ ὦτα. Ὀ καὶ ἐμοὶ νῦν συνέβη. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα γε·γυμνασμέναις μου λοιπὸν ταῖς ἀκοαῖς προσέπεσε τὰ περιφερόμενα καθʼ ἡμῶν ταῦτα συντάγματα, διὰ τὸ καὶ προτερον αὐτὸν ἔμε δεδέχθαι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, πρέπουσαν μὲν ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἁμαρτίαις, οὐ μὴν προσ·δοκηθεῖσοὲν ποτε γραφήσεσθαι παρὰ τῶν ἐπιστειλάντων ἀλλʼ ὅμως τὰ δεύτερα τοσαύτην ὑπερβολὴν ἐφάνη ἡμῖν ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τῆς πικρίας, ὥστε ἔπιποτ-ἧσαι τοῖς προλαβοῦσι. Πῶς γὰρ οὐ μικροῦ τῶν φρενῶν ἔξω ἐγενόμην τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ, ἐντυχὼν τῇ πρὸς τὸν εὐλαβέστατον ἀδελφὸν Δαζίναν ἐπιστολῇ, μυρίων ὕβρεων καὶ κατηγοριῶν ἀγορήτων γεμούσῃ καθʼ ἡμῶν καὶ ἐπαναστάσεων, ὡς ἐν τοῖς χαλεπωτάτοις ἡμῶν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας βουλεύμασιν εὖρεθέντωη Εὐθὺς δε καὶ ἀποδείξεις τοῦ ἁληθεῖς εἶναι τὰς καθʼ ἡμῶν ’βλασφημίας ἐπήχθησαν ἀπὸ συγγράμματος οὐκ οἶδα ὑπὸ τίνος γραφέντος, Μέρη μεν γὰρ ἐπέγνων, ὁμολογῶ, παρὰ τοῦ Λαοδικέας Ἀπὸλιναρίου γεγράφθαι, καὶ αὐτὰ οὐδὲ ἀναγνοὺς ἕξ ἔργου ποτὲ, ἁλλ ἀκούσας ἑτέρων ἀπαγγειλάντων. ’Δλλα δέ τινα εὗρον ἐγγεγραμμένα, ἂ μήτε ἀνέγνων ποτε, μήτε ἑτέρου λέγοντος ἣκουσαʼ καὶ τούτων ὁ μάρτυς ἐν οὐρανῷ πιστός. Πῶς οὖν οἱ τὸ ψεῦδος ἀποστρεφόμενοι, οἱ τὴν ἀγάπην πλήρωμα εἶναι τοῦ νόμου δεδιδαγμένοι, οἱ τὰ ἀσθενὴματα τῶν ἀδυνάτων βαστάζειν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, ταύτας ἠμῖν κατεδέξαντο τὰς συκοφαντίας ἐπενεγκεῖν, ἀπʼ ἀλλοτρίων συγγραμμάτων ἡμᾶς κατακρῖναι, πολλὰ λογισάμενος κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν, ἐπινοεῖν τὴν αἰτίαν οῦκ ἔχω, εἰ μὴ, ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰπον, μέρος ἔκρινα εἶναι τῶν ὀφειλομένων μοι διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας κολάσεων, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τούτοις λύπην. 2. Πρῶτον μεν γὰρ κατεπένθησα τῇ ψυχῇ, ὁτι ὠλιγώθησαν αἱ ἀλήθειαι ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν τῶν ἀνθρὼπωνο ἔπειτα δὲ και ἐφοβήθην αὐτὸς περὶ ἐμαυτοῦ, μή ποτε πρὸς ταῖς ἄλλαις ἁμαρτίαις καὶ τήν μισανθρωπίαν πάθω, οὐδὲν πιστὸν ἐν οὐδενὶ λογιζο· μενος εἶναι, εἰπερ οἱ εἰς τὰ μέγιστα παρʼ ἐμοῦ πιστευθέντες τοιοῦτοι μεν περὶ ἐμὲ, τοιοῦτοι δὲ περὶ αὐτὴν ἐφάνησαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Γίνωσκε τοίνυν, ἀδελφέ, καὶ πᾶς ὅστις τῆς ἀληθείας φίλος, μήτε ἐμὰ Β εἶναι τὰ συντάγματα, οὔτε ἀρέσκεσθαι αὐτοῖς, ἐπεὶ μὴ τῇ ἐμῇ γνώμη συγγεγράφθαι. Εἰ δὲ ἐπέστειλά ποτε πρὸ πολλῶν ἐνιαυτῶν ’Δπολιναρίερ ἡ ἀλλῳ τινὶ, ἐγκαλεῖσθαι οὐκ ὀφείλω, Οὔτε γὰρ αὖ· τὸς ἐγκαλῶ, εἰ τις ἐκ τῆς ἑταιρίας τινὸς εἰς αἰρεσιν ἀπεσχίσθη (οἴδατε δὲ πάντως τοὺς iratos; κᾶν ὀνομαστὶ μὴ λέγω), διότι ἕκαστος ἰδίᾳ ἐξαιφτίᾳ ἀποθανεῖται. Ταῦτα νῦν μὲν ἀπεκρινάμην πρὸς τὸν ἀποσταλέντα τόμονο ἶνα αὐτὸς τε εἰδείης τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ τοῖς βουλομένοις μὴ κατέχειν ὡς έν ἀδικίᾳ τὴν ἀλήθειαν φανερὰν καταστήσῃς ἐὰν δε δέῃ καὶ πλατύτερον ὑπὲρ ἑκάστου τῶν ενεχθέντων ἡμῖν ἀπολογήσασθαι, καὶτοῦτο ποιήσομεν, τοῦ Θεοῦ συνεργοῦντος. ’Πμεῖς, ἁδελφε Ὀλύμπιε, οὔτε τρεῖς θεοὺς λέγομεν, οὗτεο Ἀπολιναρίῳ C κοινωνοῦμεν.
Olympiǭ 1). 1. Ontōs hē tōn aprosdokētōn akoē hikanē esti poiēsai anthrōpou ēchēsai amphotera ta ōta. O kai emoi nyn synebē. Ei gar kai ta malista ge;gymnasmenais mou loipon tais akoais prosepese ta peripheromena kathʼ hēmōn tauta syntagmata, dia to kai proteron auton eme dedechthai tēn epistolēn, prepousan men tais emais hamartiais, ou mēn pros;dokētheisoen pote graphēsesthai para tōn episteilantōn allʼ homōs ta deutera tosautēn hyperbolēn ephanē hēmin echein en heautois tēs pikrias, hōste epipot-hēsai tois prolabousi. Pōs gar ou mikrou tōn phrenōn exō egenomēn tōn emautou, entychōn tę̄ pros ton eulabestaton adelphon Dazinan epistolę̄, myriōn hybreōn kai katēgoriōn agorētōn gemousę̄ kathʼ hēmōn kai epanastaseōn, hōs en tois chalepōtatois hēmōn kata tēs Ekklēsias bouleumasin eurethentōē Euthys de kai apodeixeis tou halētheis einai tas kathʼ hēmōn ’blasphēmias epēchthēsan apo syngrammatos ouk oida hypo tinos graphentos, Merē men gar epegnōn, homologō, para tou Laodikeas Apolinariou gegraphthai, kai auta oude anagnous hex ergou pote, hall akousas heterōn apangeilantōn. ’Dlla de tina heuron engegrammena, a mēte anegnōn pote, mēte heterou legontos hēkousaʼ kai toutōn ho martys en ouranǭ pistos. Pōs oun hoi to pseudos apostrephomenoi, hoi tēn agapēn plērōma einai tou nomou dedidagmenoi, hoi ta asthenēmata tōn adynatōn bastazein epangellomenoi, tautas ēmin katedexanto tas sykophantias epenenkein, apʼ allotriōn syngrammatōn hēmas katakrinai, polla logisamenos katʼ emauton, epinoein tēn aitian ouk echō, ei mē, hoper ex archēs eipon, meros ekrina einai tōn opheilomenōn moi dia tas hamartias kolaseōn, kai tēn epi toutois lypēn. 2. Prōton men gar katepenthēsa tę̄ psychę̄, hoti ōligōthēsan hai alētheiai apo tōn huiōn tōn anthrōpōno epeita de kai ephobēthēn autos peri emautou, mē pote pros tais allais hamartiais kai tēn misanthrōpian pathō, ouden piston en oudeni logizo; menos einai, eiper hoi eis ta megista parʼ emou pisteuthentes toioutoi men peri eme, toioutoi de peri autēn ephanēsan tēn alētheian. Ginōske toinyn, adelphe, kai pas hostis tēs alētheias philos, mēte ema B einai ta syntagmata, oute areskesthai autois, epei mē tę̄ emę̄ gnōmē syngegraphthai. Ei de epesteila pote pro pollōn eniautōn ’Dpolinarier hē allǭ tini, enkaleisthai ouk opheilō, Oute gar au; tos enkalō, ei tis ek tēs hetairias tinos eis airesin apeschisthē (oidate de pantōs tous iratos? kan onomasti mē legō), dioti hekastos idią exaiphtią apothaneitai. Tauta nyn men apekrinamēn pros ton apostalenta tomono ina autos te eideiēs tēn alētheian, kai tois boulomenois mē katechein hōs en adikią tēn alētheian phaneran katastēsę̄s ean de deę̄ kai platyteron hyper hekastou tōn enechthentōn hēmin apologēsasthai, kaitouto poiēsomen, tou Theou synergountos. ’Pmeis, hadelphe Olympie, oute treis theous legomen, houteo Apolinariǭ C koinōnoumen.
To Olympius. 1. Truly the report of unexpected things is enough to make both of a man's ears ring. This has now happened to me too. For although these writings circulating against us fell on ears by now well trained (since I had earlier received the letter myself, which befitted my sins, though I never expected it to be written by those who sent it), still the second writings seemed to us to have such an excess of bitterness as to throw the earlier ones into the shade. For how could I not be almost out of my mind on reading the letter to the most reverent brother Dazinas, full of countless insults and unspeakable accusations against us, and of charges of insurrection, as though we had been caught in the most grievous plots against the church? And at once proofs that the blasphemies against us are true were brought forward from a writing composed by I know not whom. For some parts of it I recognized, I confess, as written by Apollinarius of Laodicea, though I had never actually read them, but had heard others report them; and other things I found written there which I have never read nor heard anyone else say; and of these the faithful witness in heaven knows. How, then, those who turn away from falsehood, who have been taught that love is the fulfilment of the law, who profess to bear the weaknesses of the powerless, consented to bring these calumnies upon us and to condemn us from the writings of others, I cannot, after much reflection, find the cause, unless, as I said from the beginning, I judged the grief over these things to be part of the punishments due to me for my sins. 2. For first I mourned in my soul that truths have diminished from among the sons of men; and then I was afraid for myself, lest besides my other sins I should also fall into misanthropy, counting nothing trustworthy in anyone, if those whom I had trusted in the greatest things proved such toward me and such toward the truth itself. Know, then, brother, and let everyone who is a friend of the truth know, that the writings are not mine, and I do not approve of them, since they were not composed with my judgment. And if I wrote many years ago to Apollinarius or to anyone else, I ought not to be accused. For I do not myself accuse anyone if someone from his company has been split off into heresy (and you surely know whom I mean, even if I do not name them), because each will die in his own sin. This is my answer for now to the tome that was sent, so that you yourself may know the truth and may make it plain to those who do not wish to hold the truth in unrighteousness; and if it is necessary to make a fuller defence about each of the things brought against us, we will do this too, with God's help. We, brother Olympius, neither speak of three gods nor are in communion with Apollinarius.
1 Sam 3:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 89:37 (88:38 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 13:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 15:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 12:1 (11:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 18:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 1:18 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil tells Olympius that the writings used to accuse him are not his, that some are Apollinarius's, and that he neither teaches three gods nor communicates with Apollinarius.
- Letter 131. Allusions: 1 Sam 3:11 (both ears ringing); Ps 89:37 (the faithful witness in heaven); Rom 13:10; Rom 15:1; Ps 12:1 ("truths have diminished from among the sons of men"); Ezek 18:20 (each dies for his own sin); Rom 1:18. The letter to Dazinas was written by Eustathius of Sebasteia's party.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 131 (PG 32:565a–568d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-131). (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 132
132PG 32:568d–569a
’A βραμίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Βατνῶν. Πάντα τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ μετοπώρου χρόνον ἠγνόησα περὶ τῆς εὐλαβείας σου, ὅπου διάγεις. Καὶ γὰρ πεπλανημένας τὰς φήμας εὕρισκον, τῶν μὶν ἀπαγγελλόντων ἐν Σαμοσάτοις δ ιατρίβειν σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν, τῶν δέ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ· ἄλλων δὲ περὶ τὰς βάτνας αὐτὰς διαβεβαιουμένων ἑωρακέναι* διό οὐδὲ συνεχῶς ἐπέστειλα, Νῦν δε, μαθὼν ἓν Ἀντιοχείᾳ διάγειν, ἒν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου Σατορνίνου τοῦ κόμητος, ἔδωκα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν προθύμως τῷ ποθεινοτάτῳ καὶ εὐλαβεστάτῳ ἀδελφῷ Σαγκτισσίμῳ τῷ συμπρεσβυτέρῳ, διʼ οὗ προσφθέγγομαί σου τὴν ἀγάπην, παρακαλῶν, ὅπουπερ ἃν ᾖς, μεμνῆσθαι μάλιστα μὶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἶτα καὶ ἡμῶν, οὖς ἀγαπᾷν ἐξ ἀρχῆς προείλου, καὶ ἔχειν ἓν τοῖς οἰκειοτάτοις ἀριθμουμένους.
’A bramiǭ, episkopǭ Batnōn. Panta ton apo tou metopōrou chronon ēgnoēsa peri tēs eulabeias sou, hopou diageis. Kai gar peplanēmenas tas phēmas heuriskon, tōn min apangellontōn en Samosatois d iatribein sou tēn eulabeian, tōn de en tę̄ chōrą; allōn de peri tas batnas autas diabebaioumenōn heōrakenai* dio oude synechōs epesteila, Nyn de, mathōn hen Antiocheią diagein, en tę̄ oikią tou aidesimōtatou Satorninou tou komētos, edōka tēn epistolēn prothymōs tǭ potheinotatǭ kai eulabestatǭ adelphǭ Sanktissimǭ tǭ sympresbyterǭ, diʼ hou prosphthengomai sou tēn agapēn, parakalōn, hopouper han ę̄s, memnēsthai malista min tou Theou, eita kai hēmōn, ous agapąn ex archēs proeilou, kai echein hen tois oikeiotatois arithmoumenous.
To Abramius, bishop of Batnae. All the time since the autumn I have not known where your reverence is staying. For I found the reports confused: some said that your reverence was at Samosata, others in the country, while others insisted that they had seen you around Batnae itself; so I did not write regularly. But now, having learned that you are staying at Antioch, in the house of the most revered count Saturninus, I gladly gave the letter to the most beloved and pious brother Sanctissimus the fellow presbyter, through whom I greet your love, begging you, wherever you are, to remember above all God, and then us too, whom you chose from the beginning to love, and to keep us numbered among your closest friends.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil, having learned that Abramius is at Antioch, greets him and asks to be remembered.
- Letter 132.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 132 (PG 32:568d–569a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-132). (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 133
133PG 32:569b–569c
Πέτρῳ, ίπισκόπῳ Ἀλεξανδρείας. Τῆς μέν σωματικῆς φιλίας ὀφθαλμοὶ πρόξενοι γίνονται, καὶ ἡ διὰ μακροῦ χρόνου ἐγγίνομένη συνἠθεια βεβαιοῖ· τὴν δε ἀληθινὴν ἀγάπην ἡ τοῦ Πνεῦματος δωρεά συνίστησι, συνάπτουσα μὶν τὰ μακρῷ διεστῶτα τόπῳ, γνωρίζουσα δε ἀλλήλοις τοὺς ἀγαπητῶς, οὗ διὰ σωματικῶν χαρακτήρων, ἀλλά διὰ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς ἰδιωμάτων.0 δὴ καὶ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου χάρις ἕποίησε, παρασχομένη ἡμᾶς ἰδεῖν σε τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ περιπτύξασθαί σε τῇ ἀγάπη τῇ ἀληθινῇ, καὶ οἱονεὶ συμφυῆναί σοι, καὶ πρός ἐλθεῖν ἕνωσίν ἐκ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πίστιν κοινωνίας. Πεπείσμεθα γὰρ σε ἀνδρὸς τοσούτου θρέιιμα ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ τὴν ἐκ παλαιοῦ διατριβὴν μετʼ αὐτοῦ λαχόντα, τῷ αὐτῷ πορεύεσθαι πνεύματι, καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς στοιχεῖν τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγμασι. Διό κοιὶ προσφθεγγόμεθά σου τὴν τιμιότητα, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τήν περὶ ἡμᾶς διάθεσιν τοῦ μεγάλου ἀνδρὸς διαδέξασθαιʼ ἕπιστέλλειν τε ἡμῖν συνήθως τὰ κατὰ σαυτόν, καὶ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τῆς πανταχοῦ ἀδελφότητος τοῖς αὐτοῖς σπλάγχνοις ἰν ἄλη θείᾳ.
Petrǭ, ipiskopǭ Alexandreias. Tēs men sōmatikēs philias ophthalmoi proxenoi ginontai, kai hē dia makrou chronou enginomenē synētheia bebaioi; tēn de alēthinēn agapēn hē tou Pneumatos dōrea synistēsi, synaptousa min ta makrǭ diestōta topǭ, gnōrizousa de allēlois tous agapētōs, hou dia sōmatikōn charaktērōn, alla dia tōn tēs psychēs idiōmatōn.0 dē kai ephʼ hēmōn hē tou Kyriou charis hepoiēse, paraschomenē hēmas idein se tois tēs psychēs ophthalmois, kai periptyxasthai se tę̄ agapē tę̄ alēthinę̄, kai hoionei symphyēnai soi, kai pros elthein henōsin ek tēs kata tēn pistin koinōnias. Pepeismetha gar se andros tosoutou threiima hyparchonta, kai tēn ek palaiou diatribēn metʼ autou lachonta, tǭ autǭ poreuesthai pneumati, kai tois autois stoichein tēs eusebeias dogmasi. Dio koii prosphthengometha sou tēn timiotēta, kai parakaloumen meta tōn allōn kai tēn peri hēmas diathesin tou megalou andros diadexasthaiʼ hepistellein te hēmin synēthōs ta kata sauton, kai epimeleisthai tēs pantachou adelphotētos tois autois splanchnois in alē theią.
To Peter, bishop of Alexandria. Eyes are the agents of bodily friendship, and familiarity formed over a long time strengthens it; but true love is constituted by the gift of the Spirit, joining what is separated by a great distance and making those who love known to one another, not by bodily features but by the characteristics of the soul. This the grace of the Lord has done for us too, granting us to see you with the eyes of the soul, to embrace you with true love, and as it were to grow together with you and come into union through communion in the faith. For we are persuaded that you, as the nursling of so great a man who had long companionship with him, walk in the same spirit and follow the same doctrines of godliness. Therefore we greet your honour and beg you, along with the rest, to inherit the great man's disposition toward us, to write to us regularly about your affairs, and to care for the brotherhood everywhere with the same compassion, in truth.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil greets Peter, Athanasius's successor at Alexandria, and asks him to inherit Athanasius's friendship toward him.
- Letter 133. "So great a man" is Athanasius (d. 373).
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 133 (PG 32:569b–569c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-133). (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 134
134PG 32:569d–572a
Παιονίῲ πρεσβυτέρῳ, Ὀσον ηὔφρανας ἡμᾶς τοῖς γράμμασιν, εἰκάζεις που πάντως αὐτοῖς οἷς ἆπέστειλας· οὕτω τὸ καθαρὸν τῆςκαρδίας, ἀφʼ ἧς προῆλθεν ἐκεῖνα τὰ ῥήματα ἀκριβῶς ἔκ τῶν γραμμάτων κατεμηνύετο. Καὶ γὰρ ὁλκὸς μὶν ὕδατος δείκνυσι τὴν οἰκέίαν πηγὴν, λόγου δέ φύσις τὴν προενεγκοῡσαν αὐτόν καρδίαν χαρακτηρίζει. Ὦστι ἄτοπόν τε καὶ πολὺ τοῦ εἰκότος παρηλλαγμένον πεπονθόθαι ὀμολόγῷ. Σπουδάζων γὰρ ἆεί γράμμασιν ἐντυγχάνειν τῆς τελειότητός σου, ἐπειδὴ ἔλαβον εἰς χεῖρας τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, καὶ ἂν· ἐγνων αὐτὴν, οὐχ ἣσθην μᾶλλον τοῖς ἐπεσταλμένοις,. ἦ ἠνιάθην, τὴν ζημίαν, ὁπόση γέγονεν ἡμῖν κατά τόν τὶς σιωπῆς χρόνον, διαλογιζόμενος. Ἀλλʼ ἐπιιδή ἤρξω γράφειν, μὴ δ ιαλίπῃς τοῦτο ποιῶν. Εὐφρανεῖς γὰρ πλέον ἦ οἱ τὰ πολλὰ χρήματα τοῖς φιλοπλούτοις διαπεμπόμενοι· Τῶν δι γραφέων οὐδεὶς μοί παρῆν, οὔτε τῶν καλλιγράιρούντων οὔτε τῶν ταχυγράφων. Οὓς γὰρ ἔτυχον ἆξασκὴσας, οἱ μιν ἀνέδραμον ἐπὶ τὴν πρωτην τοῦ βίου συνήθειαν, οἱ δε ἀπειρήκασι πρὸς τοὺς πόνους, χρονίαις ὰῤῥωστίαις κεκακωμένοι.
Paioniǭ presbyterǭ, Oson ēuphranas hēmas tois grammasin, eikazeis pou pantōs autois hois apesteilas; houtō to katharon tēskardias, aphʼ hēs proēlthen ekeina ta rhēmata akribōs ek tōn grammatōn katemēnyeto. Kai gar holkos min hydatos deiknysi tēn oikeian pēgēn, logou de physis tēn proenenkousan auton kardian charaktērizei. Ōsti atopon te kai poly tou eikotos parēllagmenon peponthothai omologǭ. Spoudazōn gar aei grammasin entynchanein tēs teleiotētos sou, epeidē elabon eis cheiras tēn epistolēn, kai an; egnōn autēn, ouch hēsthēn mallon tois epestalmenois,. ē ēniathēn, tēn zēmian, hoposē gegonen hēmin kata ton tis siōpēs chronon, dialogizomenos. Allʼ epiidē ērxō graphein, mē d ialipę̄s touto poiōn. Euphraneis gar pleon ē hoi ta polla chrēmata tois philoploutois diapempomenoi; Tōn di grapheōn oudeis moi parēn, oute tōn kalligrairountōn oute tōn tachygraphōn. Hous gar etychon axaskēsas, hoi min anedramon epi tēn prōtēn tou biou synētheian, hoi de apeirēkasi pros tous ponous, chroniais arrhōstiais kekakōmenoi.
To the presbyter Paeonius. How much you delighted us with your letter you can surely guess from the very things you sent; so exactly did the letter disclose the purity of the heart from which those words came. For a channel of water shows its own spring, and the nature of speech marks the heart that brought it forth. So I confess that I had a strange experience, far removed from what one would expect. For though I am always eager to read letters from your perfection, when I took the letter in my hands and read it, I was not more pleased by what was written than pained, reckoning how great a loss we had suffered during the time of your silence. But since you have begun to write, do not stop doing it. For you will gladden me more than those who send great riches to lovers of wealth. None of my scribes was with me, neither of the calligraphers nor of the shorthand writers. For of those whom I happened to train, some have run back to their former way of life, and others have given up the labour, worn down by long illnesses.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil thanks the presbyter Paeonius for his letter, urges him to keep writing, and excuses his own short reply for lack of scribes.
- Letter 134.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 134 (PG 32:569d–572a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-134). (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 135
135PG 32:572b–573d
Διοδώρῳ, πρεσβυτέρῳ Ἀντιοχείας. 1. Ἐνέτυχον τοῖς ἀποσταλεῖσι βιβλίοις παρὰ τῆς τιμιότητός σου. Καὶ τῷ μὲν δευτέρῳ ὑπερήσθην, οὗ διὰ τὴν βραχύτητα μόνον, ὡς εἰκός ἧν τόν ἀργῶς πρὸς πάντα καὶ ἀσθενῶς λοιπὸν διακείμενον, ἀλλ ὅτι πυκνόν τε οἶμα ἐστὶ ταῖς ἐννοίαις, καὶ εᾶιεοινῶς ἓν αὐτῷ ἔχουσιν αἱ τε ἀντιθέσεις τῶν ὑπεναντίων καὶ αἱ πρὸς αὐτὸς ἀπαντήσεις· καὶ rimi-tiam ἁπλοῦν τε καὶ ἀκατάσκευον πρέπον ἔδοξέ μοι εἷναι προθέσει Χριστιανοῦ, οὐ πρὸς επεδειξιν μᾶλλόν ἢ κοινὴν ὠρίλειαν συγγράφοντος. Τὸ ti? πρότερον, τὴν μιν δύναμιν ἕχον τὴν αὐτὴνὲντοῖς πράγμασι, λέξει δι πολυτελεστέρα καὶ σχήμασι ποικίλοις καὶ δ ιαλογικαῖς χάρισι κεκομψευμένονε πολλοῦ μοι ἐφάνη καὶ χρόνον πρὸς τὸ ἐπελθεῖν, καὶ πόνου διανοίας πρὸς τὸ καὶ συλλέξαι τὰς ἐννοίας καὶ παρακατασχεῖν αὐτὰς τῇ μνήμῃ δεόμενον, Αἱ γὰρ ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ παρεμβαλλόμεναι διαβολαὶ τῶν ὑπεναντίων, καὶ συστάσεις τῶν ἡμετέρων, εἰ και γλυκύτητάς τινας ἐπεισάγειν δοκοῦσι διαλεκτικὰς τῷ συγγράμματι* ἀλλʼ οὖν τῷ σχολὴν καὶ διατριβὴ ἐμποιεῖν, διασπῶσι μὲν τὸ συνεχὲς τῆς huius,“ τοῦ ἐναγωνίου λόγου τὸν τόνον ὑποχαυνοῦσιν. Ἐκεῖνξ γὰρ πάντως συνεῖδέ σου ἡ ἀρχίνοιαʼ ὃτικιιι τῶν ἔξωθεν φιλοσόφων οἱ τοὺς διαλόγους sumo: ψαντες, Αρίστοτίλης μὲν καὶ θεόφραστος, αὐτῶν ἥψαντο τῶν πραγμάτων, διὰ τὸ cum??? ἑαυτοῖς τῶν Πλατωνικῶν χαρίτων τὴν fideissim“: των δέ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ τοῦ λόγου όμοῡ μὲν τοῖς ὃογματ μάχεται, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ παρακωμῳδεῑ τα milia“! Θρασυμάχου μὲν τὸ θρασὺ καὶ ἰταμόν διαβάλλωνῗ Ἱππίου δὲ τὸ κοῦφον τῆς διανοίας καὶ χαῦνοξζ Πρωταγόρου τὸ ἀλαζονικὸν καὶ ὑπέρογκον. Οπξί δὲ ἀόριστα πρόσωπα ἐπεισάγει τοῖς διαλόγοις, μὲν εὐκρινείας ἓνεκεν τῶν πραγμάτων κέχρηται τρῖ %???- Si°.mS.S.- δεδι)νο ηεεξηίέμέδέίξέῗ ἱῑίθείἶίὶε ἐξελθεῖν, vel utin editibne 2 Pans. επις 2. Δεῖ οὖν καὶ ἡμᾶς τοὺς οὗ κατὰ φιλοτιμίαν ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν, ἀλλʼ ὑποθήκας καταολιμπάνειν ὠφελίμων λόγων τῇ ἀδελφότητι προελομένους, ἐὰν τι πᾶσι προκεκηρυγμένον ἐπὶ αὐθαδείᾳ τρόπον πρόσωπον ὑποβαλλώμεθα, τινὰ καὶ ἀπὸ προσώπου ποιότητος παραπλέκειν τῷ λόγῳ, εἴπερ ὅλως ἐπιβάλλει ἡμῖν διαβάλλειν ἀνθρώπους, τῶν πραγμάτων ἀφεμένους. Ἐὰν δὲ ἀόριστον ᾖ τὸ διαλεγόμενον, αἱ πρὸς τὰ πρόσωπα διαστάσεις τήν συνάφειαν διακόπτουσι, πρὸς οὐδὲν δε πέρας χρήσιμον ἀπαντῶσι. Ταῦτα εἷπον ἱνα δειχθῇ, ὅτι οὐκ εἰς κόλακος χεῖρας ἀπέστειλάς σον τοὺς πόνους, ἀλλὰ ἀδελφῷ τῷ γνησιωτάτῳ ἰκοινὼνησας τῶν καμάτων. Εἶπον δε οὐ πρὸς ἓπανόρθωσιν τῶν γεγραμμένων, ἀλλὰ πρὸς φυλακὴν τῶν μελλόντων. Πάντως γὰρ ὁ τοσαύτῃ περὶ τὸ γράφειν ἔξει καὶ σπουδῇ κεχρημένος οὐκ ἀποκνήσει γράφωνο ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ οἱ τὰς ὑποθέσεις παρέχοντες ἀπολήγουσιν. Ἡμῖν δὲ ἁρπάσει μεν ἀναγινώσκειν τὰ ὑμέτερα· τοῦ δὲ δύνασθαι γράφειν τι, τοσοῦτον ἀποδέομεν, ὅσον μικροῦ δέω λέγειν, καὶ τοῦ ὑγιαίνειν, ἦ καὶ τοῦ μεῇοίαν σχολὴν ἄγειν ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων. ’Δπέστειλα δὲ νῦν διὰ τοῦ ἀναγνώστου τὸ μεῖζον καὶ πρότερον, ἐπελθὼν αὐτὸ ὡς ἐμοὶ δυνατόν. Τό δε δεύτερον παροαατέσχον, βουλόμενος αὐτὸ μεταγράψαι, καὶ μὴ εὐπορῶν τέως τινὸς τῶν εἰς τάχος γραφόντων. Εἰς γὰρ τοσαύτης ἦλθε πενίας τὰ ἐπίφθονα Καππαδοκῶν.
Diodōrǭ, presbyterǭ Antiocheias. 1. Enetychon tois apostaleisi bibliois para tēs timiotētos sou. Kai tǭ men deuterǭ hyperēsthēn, hou dia tēn brachytēta monon, hōs eikos hēn ton argōs pros panta kai asthenōs loipon diakeimenon, all hoti pyknon te oima esti tais ennoiais, kai eaieoinōs hen autǭ echousin hai te antitheseis tōn hypenantiōn kai hai pros autos apantēseis; kai rimi-tiam haploun te kai akataskeuon prepon edoxe moi heinai prothesei Christianou, ou pros epedeixin mallon ē koinēn ōrileian syngraphontos. To ti? proteron, tēn min dynamin hechon tēn autēnentois pragmasi, lexei di polytelestera kai schēmasi poikilois kai d ialogikais charisi kekompseumenone pollou moi ephanē kai chronon pros to epelthein, kai ponou dianoias pros to kai syllexai tas ennoias kai parakataschein autas tę̄ mnēmę̄ deomenon, Hai gar en tǭ metaxy paremballomenai diabolai tōn hypenantiōn, kai systaseis tōn hēmeterōn, ei kai glykytētas tinas epeisagein dokousi dialektikas tǭ syngrammati* allʼ oun tǭ scholēn kai diatribē empoiein, diaspōsi men to syneches tēs huius,“ tou enagōniou logou ton tonon hypochaunousin. Ekeinx gar pantōs syneide sou hē archinoiaʼ hotikiii tōn exōthen philosophōn hoi tous dialogous sumo: psantes, Aristotilēs men kai theophrastos, autōn hēpsanto tōn pragmatōn, dia to cum??? heautois tōn Platōnikōn charitōn tēn fideissim“: tōn de tę̄ exousią tou logou omou men tois hoogmat machetai, homou de kai parakōmǭdei ta milia“! Thrasymachou men to thrasy kai itamon diaballōnï Hippiou de to kouphon tēs dianoias kai chaunoxz Prōtagorou to alazonikon kai hyperonkon. Opxi de aorista prosōpa epeisagei tois dialogois, men eukrineias heneken tōn pragmatōn kechrētai tri %???- Si°.mS.S.- dedi)no ēeexēiemedeixeï hiiitheiiiie exelthein, vel utin editibne 2 Pans. epis 2. Dei oun kai hēmas tous hou kata philotimian erchomenous epi to graphein, allʼ hypothēkas kataolimpanein ōphelimōn logōn tę̄ adelphotēti proelomenous, ean ti pasi prokekērygmenon epi authadeią tropon prosōpon hypoballōmetha, tina kai apo prosōpou poiotētos paraplekein tǭ logǭ, eiper holōs epiballei hēmin diaballein anthrōpous, tōn pragmatōn aphemenous. Ean de aoriston ę̄ to dialegomenon, hai pros ta prosōpa diastaseis tēn synapheian diakoptousi, pros ouden de peras chrēsimon apantōsi. Tauta heipon hina deichthę̄, hoti ouk eis kolakos cheiras apesteilas son tous ponous, alla adelphǭ tǭ gnēsiōtatǭ ikoinōnēsas tōn kamatōn. Eipon de ou pros hepanorthōsin tōn gegrammenōn, alla pros phylakēn tōn mellontōn. Pantōs gar ho tosautę̄ peri to graphein exei kai spoudę̄ kechrēmenos ouk apoknēsei graphōno epeidē oude hoi tas hypotheseis parechontes apolēgousin. Hēmin de harpasei men anaginōskein ta hymetera; tou de dynasthai graphein ti, tosouton apodeomen, hoson mikrou deō legein, kai tou hygiainein, ē kai tou meę̄oian scholēn agein apo tōn pragmatōn. ’Dpesteila de nyn dia tou anagnōstou to meizon kai proteron, epelthōn auto hōs emoi dynaton. To de deuteron paroaateschon, boulomenos auto metagrapsai, kai mē euporōn teōs tinos tōn eis tachos graphontōn. Eis gar tosautēs ēlthe penias ta epiphthona Kappadokōn.
To Diodorus, presbyter of Antioch. 1. I have read the books sent by your honour. With the second I was greatly delighted, not only for its brevity, as was natural for one now sluggish and weak in everything, but because it is dense in thought, and both the objections of the opponents and the answers to them are set out clearly in it; and its simple and unelaborate style seemed to me fitting for the purpose of a Christian, who writes not for display but for the common benefit. The former book, though it has the same force in its matter, is adorned with more costly diction, varied figures, and the graces of dialogue, and seemed to me to need much time to go through and much labour of mind both to gather its thoughts and to hold them in memory. For the slanders against the opponents and the commendations of our own side inserted in between, even if they seem to bring a certain dialectical sweetness into the work, yet by causing leisure and delay they break the continuity of the thought and slacken the tension of the combative argument. For your sagacity surely knows this: that those of the outside philosophers who wrote dialogues, Aristotle and Theophrastus, went straight to the matters themselves, because they were conscious that they lacked the Platonic graces; whereas Plato, by the power of his speech, at once fights the doctrines and also makes fun of the persons, censuring the boldness and recklessness of Thrasymachus, the lightness and emptiness of mind of Hippias, the boastfulness and pomp of Protagoras. But where he brings unnamed persons into the dialogues, he uses the speakers for the sake of clarity in the matters … 2. We too, then, who come to writing not from ambition but having chosen to leave to the brotherhood counsels of useful words, if we bring forward some person notorious to all for arrogance of manner, ought to weave into the argument something drawn from the character of the person too, if it is fitting for us at all to censure people and leave the matters aside. But if the speaker is unnamed, the digressions against persons break the connection and lead to no useful end. I said this so that it may be shown that you did not send your labours into the hands of a flatterer, but have shared your toils with a most genuine brother. And I said it not to correct what is written, but as a caution for what is to come. For surely one who uses such skill and zeal in writing will not shrink from writing, since those who provide the subjects do not cease either. For us it will be enough to read your works; but we fall as far short of being able to write anything as, I almost say, of being healthy, or of having even moderate leisure from affairs. I have now sent back by the reader the larger and earlier book, having gone through it as far as I could. The second I have kept back, wishing to have it copied, and not yet having any shorthand writer. For to such poverty have the enviable Cappadocians come.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil comments on two books by Diodorus, preferring the plain one to the elaborate dialogue, and observes how Plato's dialogues handle persons.
- Letter 135. Some lines at the end of section 1 are garbled in the scan, with Migne's apparatus mixed in; they are removed by a logged correction and marked "…". The last sentence is ironic.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip: a garbled word and a repeated fragment): Mign: γὰρ τοσαύτης ἦλθε πενίας τὰ ἐπίφθονα Καπ- πα οκων. τταο οκων. → Εἰς γὰρ τοσαύτης ἦλθε πενίας τὰ ἐπίφθονα Καππαδοκῶν..
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Resp. 336b (Plato (works); allusion)
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 135 (PG 32:572b–573d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-135). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-135) · 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 136
136PG 32:576a–576d
k’AD.’ ἐπειδὴ μάστιξ νοῦ Κυρίου ἐστὶ προσθήκαις ταῖς κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀξίαν τὸ ἀλγεινὸν ἐσιτείνουσα, ἀσθένειαν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ προσεκτησάμην, ὥστε τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου καὶ παιδὶ φανερὸν εἶναι, ὅτι πᾶσα ἀνάγκη οἰχήσεσθαι ἡμῖν τὸ ἔλυτρον τοῦτο· πλὴν εἰ μή που ἄρα ἠ τοῦ Θεοῦ γιλανθρωπίαῂμίν ἐν τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ αὐτοῦ χρόνους εἰς μετάνοιαν χαριζομένη, ποιήσειε καὶ νῦν, ὡς καὶ πολλάκις πρὸ· τερον, λύσιν τινὰ καὶ πόρον ἐκ τῶν ἀμηχάνων βεινών. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἕξει, ὡς αὐτῷ φίλον καί ἡμῖν συμφέρον. 2. Τὰ δε τῶν ἕκκλησιῶν ὅπως οἴχεται καὶ προπέποται, ἠμὼν τῆς οἰκείας ἀσφαλείας ἕνεκεν τὰ τῶν πλησίον περιορώντων, καί οὗδέ τοῦτο συνορᾷν δυναμένων, ὅτι τῇ τοῦ κοινοῦ κακοπραγίᾳ καὶ τό Β καθʼ ἕκαστον συναπόλλυται, τί χρὴ καὶ λέγειν; ΑΑλλως τε καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρα, ὅς, πόρρωθεν ἕκαστα προειδὼς, καὶ προδιεμαρτύρω καὶ προεκήρυξας, καὶ αὐτὸς τε προεξανέστης, καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς συνεπήγειρας, ἐπιστελλων, αὐτὸς παραγινόμενος, τί οὐ ποιῶν, τίνα φωνὴν οὐκ ἀφιείςῐ Ὧν μεμνήμεθα μὲν ἐφʼ ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἐκβαινόντων, ὠφελούμεθα δε ἀπʼ αὐτῶν οὐκέτι. Καὶ νῦν εἰ μὴ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἀπέστησάν μοι, καὶ τὸ μὲν πρῶτον 6 εὖλαβίστατος καὶ 67amτὸς ἀδελφός ἡμῶν Εὑστάθιος 6 συνδιάκονος, εἷς νδ· σον χαλεπὴν καταπεσὼν, εἰς ὅλους με δύο παρέτεινε μῆνας, ἡμέραν ἐξ ἡμέρας τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτοῦ περι· μένοντα· ἔπειτα δὲ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πάντες ἠσθένησωί, ὧν τὰ μὲν· καταλείμματα ἐξαριθμήσεται ὁ ἀδελφὸς Ἰσαάκηςε τὸ δε τελευταῖον αὐτὸς ἐγὼ τῃ νόσῳ και C εσχέθην ταύτῃ· ἐπεὶ πάλαι ἂν ἢμην παρὰ τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα, οὐκ ὄφελός τι τοῖς κοινοῖς παρεχόμενος, ἀλλʼ ἐμαυτῷ μέγα κέρδος ἐκ τῆς συντυχίας σον mir μενος- Καὶ γὰρ ἐγνώκειν ἔξω τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῇ γενέσθαι βελῶν διὰ τὸ ἀφύλακτον ἡμῶν πρὸς τῗ σκευωρούμενα παρὰ τῶν ἐναντίων. Σώξοι σε βίῳ παντί ἦ μεγάλη τοῦ Θεοῦ χεὶρ, τὸν γξνναιιν φύλακα τῆς πίστεως, καὶ νήφοντα τῶν Ἐκκλῗσξῶν προστάτην καὶ καταξιὼσειεν ἡμᾶς πρὸ τῆς ιξθδω τῆς συντυχίας σου ἐπʼ ὠφελείᾳ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡμῶν·
k’AD.’ epeidē mastix nou Kyriou esti prosthēkais tais kata tēn hēmeteran axian to algeinon esiteinousa, astheneian epi tę̄ astheneią prosektēsamēn, hōste to apo toutou kai paidi phaneron einai, hoti pasa anankē oichēsesthai hēmin to elytron touto; plēn ei mē pou ara ē tou Theou gilanthrōpiaę̄min en tę̄ makrothymią autou chronous eis metanoian charizomenē, poiēseie kai nyn, hōs kai pollakis pro; teron, lysin tina kai poron ek tōn amēchanōn beinōn. Tauta men oun hexei, hōs autǭ philon kai hēmin sympheron. 2. Ta de tōn hekklēsiōn hopōs oichetai kai propepotai, ēmōn tēs oikeias asphaleias heneken ta tōn plēsion periorōntōn, kai houde touto synorąn dynamenōn, hoti tę̄ tou koinou kakopragią kai to B kathʼ hekaston synapollytai, ti chrē kai legein? AAllōs te kai pros andra, hos, porrōthen hekasta proeidōs, kai prodiemartyrō kai proekēryxas, kai autos te proexanestēs, kai tous loipous synepēgeiras, epistellōn, autos paraginomenos, ti ou poiōn, tina phōnēn ouk aphieisi Hōn memnēmetha men ephʼ hekastǭ tōn ekbainontōn, ōpheloumetha de apʼ autōn ouketi. Kai nyn ei mē hai hamartiai apestēsan moi, kai to men prōton 6 eulabistatos kai 67amtos adelphos hēmōn Heustathios 6 syndiakonos, heis nd; son chalepēn katapesōn, eis holous me dyo pareteine mēnas, hēmeran ex hēmeras tēn sōtērian autou peri; menonta; epeita de hoi syn emoi pantes ēsthenēsōi, hōn ta men; kataleimmata exarithmēsetai ho adelphos Isaakēse to de teleutaion autos egō tę̄ nosǭ kai C eschethēn tautę̄; epei palai an ēmēn para tēn sēn timiotēta, ouk ophelos ti tois koinois parechomenos, allʼ emautǭ mega kerdos ek tēs syntychias son mir menos- Kai gar egnōkein exō tōn ekklēsiastikę̄ genesthai belōn dia to aphylakton hēmōn pros tï skeuōroumena para tōn enantiōn. Sōxoi se biǭ panti ē megalē tou Theou cheir, ton nxnnaiin phylaka tēs pisteōs, kai nēphonta tōn Ekklïsxōn prostatēn kai kataxiōseien hēmas pro tēs ixthdō tēs syntychias sou epʼ ōpheleią tōn psychōn hēmōn;
… but since it is the scourge of the Lord, increasing the pain with additions according to our deserts, I have acquired weakness upon weakness, so that from this it is plain even to a child that this husk of ours must surely depart; unless perhaps the kindness of God, granting us in his long-suffering times for repentance, should now too, as often before, provide some release and way out of helpless difficulties. These things will be as is pleasing to him and profitable to us. 2. As for the state of the churches, how they have gone and been betrayed, while we for the sake of our own safety overlook the affairs of our neighbours and cannot even see this, that in the common misfortune each one's own interest perishes as well, what need is there even to speak? Especially to a man who, foreseeing each thing from afar, both testified and proclaimed it beforehand, and himself rose up first and roused the others with him, writing, coming in person, doing everything, uttering every word. We remember these things at each event, but we no longer profit from them. And now, if my sins had not kept me away (first our most pious and most beloved brother Eustathius the fellow deacon fell into a grievous illness and held me back two whole months, waiting from day to day for his recovery; then all who were with me fell sick, the rest of which brother Isaac will recount; and finally I myself was seized by this illness), I would long ago have been with your honour, not bringing any benefit to the common affairs, but gaining great profit for myself from meeting you. For I had decided to get out of the way of the church's darts, because we are unguarded against the plots devised by our opponents. May the great hand of God keep you all your life, the noble guardian of the faith and vigilant champion of the churches; and may he deem us worthy, before our departure, to meet you for the benefit of our souls.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
2 Cor 5:1 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil, gravely ill, laments the state of the churches and tells Eusebius why illness has kept him from visiting.
- This staged ref is Letter 136, to Eusebius of Samosata; its opening (about Isaac's report of Basil's illness) is lost in the scan and marked "…". One epithet of Eustathius is garbled in the scan and translated by sense.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 136 (PG 32:576a–576d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-136). (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 137
137PG 32:577a–577c
Ἀντιπάτρῳ. Νῦν μοι δοκῶν μάλιστα ἐπαισθάνεσθαι τῆς ζημίας, ἣν ὑπομένω διὰ τὸ ἀῤῥωστείνο ὁπότε, ἀνδρὸς τοιούτου τὴν πατρίδα ἡμῶν ἐφέποντος, αὐτὸς ἀπεῖναι διὰ τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τοῦ σώματος ἀναγκάζομαι. Μῆνα γὰρ ὅλον ἤδη προσκαθέζομαι τῇ ἐκ τῶν αύτοφυῶς θερμῶν ὑδάτων θεραπείᾳ, ὡς δή τι ὄφελος ἐντεῦθεν ἕξων. Ἔοικα δὲ διακενῆς πονεῖν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐρημίας, ἦ καὶ γέλωτος τοῖς πολλοῖς ἄξιος εἶναι φαίνεσθαι, μηδὲ τῆς παροιμίας ἀκούων τῆς οὐδὲν θερμῶν ὄφελος εἶναι τοῖς τεθνηκόσι λεγούσης. Διόπερ και οὕτως ἔχων βούλομαι πάντα παρεὶς καταλαβεῖν σου τὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν ο ὥστε τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν ἀπολαύειν, καὶ τὰ κατά τὸν οἶκον τὸν ἐμαυτοῦ πράγματα διὰ τῆς σῆς ὀρθότητος εὐπρεπῶς διαθέσθαι. Ἐμός γὰρ ἐστιν ἴδιος ὁ τῆς σεμνοτάτης μητρὸς ἡμῶν Παλλαδίας οἶκοςο ἣν ού μόνον ἡ τοῦ ’γένους οἰκειότης ἡμῖν συνάπτει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ τοῦ τρόπου δεξιὸν ἀντὶ μητρὸς ἡμῖν εἶναι πεποίηκεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν κεκίνηταί τίς ταραχὴ περὶ τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς, ἀξιοῦμέν σου τὴν μεγαλόνοιαν μικρὸν ὑπερθέσθαι τὴν ἐξέτασιν, καὶ ἀναμεῖναι ἡμῶν τὴν παρουσίαν, ούχ ὥστε διαφθαρῆναι τὸ δίκαιον (μυριάκις γὴν ἆν ἀποθανεῖν finium, ἦ τοιαύτην αἰτῆσαι χάριν παρὰ δικαστου φίλου τοῖς νόμοις καὶ τῷ δικαίῳ), ἀλλʼ ὥστε ἃ ούκ εὐπρεπὲς ἐμοὶ γράφειν, ταῦτα ἀπὸ στόματος ἐπαγγέλλοντος μου μαθεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ οὔτε αὐτὸς τῆς ἀληθείας διαμαρτήση, οὔτε ἡμεῖς πεισόμεθά τι τῶν ἀβουλήτων. Δέομαι οὖν, τοῦ προσώπου ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ ὄντος καὶ κατεχομένου παρά τῆς τάξεως, ἀνεπαχθῆ ταύτην χάριν καὶ ἀνεπίφθονον ἡμῖν καταθέσθαι.
Antipatrǭ. Nyn moi dokōn malista epaisthanesthai tēs zēmias, hēn hypomenō dia to arrhōsteino hopote, andros toioutou tēn patrida hēmōn ephepontos, autos apeinai dia tēn epimeleian tou sōmatos anankazomai. Mēna gar holon ēdē proskathezomai tę̄ ek tōn autophyōs thermōn hydatōn therapeią, hōs dē ti ophelos enteuthen hexōn. Eoika de diakenēs ponein epi tēs erēmias, ē kai gelōtos tois pollois axios einai phainesthai, mēde tēs paroimias akouōn tēs ouden thermōn ophelos einai tois tethnēkosi legousēs. Dioper kai houtōs echōn boulomai panta pareis katalabein sou tēn semnoprepeian o hōste tōn en soi kalōn apolauein, kai ta kata ton oikon ton emautou pragmata dia tēs sēs orthotētos euprepōs diathesthai. Emos gar estin idios ho tēs semnotatēs mētros hēmōn Palladias oikoso hēn ou monon hē tou ’genous oikeiotēs hēmin synaptei, alla kai to tou tropou dexion anti mētros hēmin einai pepoiēken. Epei oun kekinētai tis tarachē peri ton oikon autēs, axioumen sou tēn megalonoian mikron hyperthesthai tēn exetasin, kai anameinai hēmōn tēn parousian, ouch hōste diaphtharēnai to dikaion (myriakis gēn an apothanein finium, ē toiautēn aitēsai charin para dikastou philou tois nomois kai tǭ dikaiǭ), allʼ hōste ha ouk euprepes emoi graphein, tauta apo stomatos epangellontos mou mathein. Houtō gar oute autos tēs alētheias diamartēsē, oute hēmeis peisometha ti tōn aboulētōn. Deomai oun, tou prosōpou en asphaleią ontos kai katechomenou para tēs taxeōs, anepachthē tautēn charin kai anepiphthonon hēmin katathesthai.
To Antipater. Now I seem to feel most the loss I suffer through being ill, when, with such a man governing our homeland, I am myself compelled to be absent for the care of my body. For a whole month now I have been sitting at the cure of the naturally hot waters, as if I would get some benefit from it. But I seem to be toiling in vain in the solitude, or even to appear to many to deserve laughter, not heeding the proverb which says that hot water is of no use to the dead. Therefore, even in this state, I want to leave everything and reach your dignity, so as to enjoy your good qualities and settle properly through your uprightness the affairs of my own house. For the house of our most revered mother Palladia is my own; she is joined to us not only by kinship of family, but the kindness of her character has made her a mother to us. Since, then, some disturbance has arisen about her house, we ask your magnanimity to postpone the inquiry a little and to wait for our arrival, not so that justice may be perverted (I would choose to die ten thousand times rather than ask such a favour of a judge who is a friend to the laws and to justice), but so that you may learn by word of mouth from me what it is not seemly for me to write. For in this way neither will you miss the truth, nor shall we suffer anything we do not wish. I ask, then, since the person in question is in safety and held by the governor's staff, that you grant us this favour, which is neither burdensome nor invidious.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil, taking the hot-spring cure, asks the new governor Antipater to postpone an inquiry concerning the house of his kinswoman Palladia until he can explain the matter in person.
- Letter 137. The proverb about hot water and the dead is quoted as such; its source is unidentified.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 137 (PG 32:577a–577c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-137). (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 138
138PG 32:580a–581d
Α ὕλης, τῇ ξηρᾷ ταύτῃ σαρκὶ, οἷον θρυαλλίδι κεκαυριίνῃ περιειλούμενος, μαρασμόν καὶ χρονίαν επήγαγεν ἀρρωστίαν· τὰ δὲ ἑφεξῆς, ἡ ἀρχαία πλη· γή μου, τὸ ἧπαρ τοῦτο διαδεξάμενον, ἀπέκλεισε μέν με τῶν σιτίων, ἀπεδίωξε δὲ τῶν ὀμμάτων τὸν fama), εν μεθορίοις δε κατέσχε ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου, τοσοῦτον ζῇν ἑπιτρέπον, ὅσον τῶν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ δυσχερῶν ἑπαισθάνεσθαι. Ὠστε καὶ ὕδασιν ἐχρησάμην αὖτοφυῶς θερμοῖς, καί τινας παρʼ ἰατρῶν ἐπιμελείας κατεδεξάμην. Ἀπαντα δε ἤλεγξε τὸ νεανικὸν τοῦτο κακόν· ὁ, τοῦ μὲν ἔθους παρόντος, κᾶν ἄλλος ἐνέγκοι, ἀμελετήτως δε προσπεσόντος, οὐδεὶς οὑτως ἀδαμάντινος ὥστε ἀντισχεῖν. Ὑφʼ οὗ πολὺν ὁχληθεὶς χρόνον, οὐδέποτε οὕτως ἠνιάθην, ὅσον νῦν, ἑμποδμ σθεὶς παρʼ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν συντυχίαν τῆς, ἀληθινῆς Β ἀγάπης σου. Οῐας γὰρ ἀπεστερήθημεν θυμηδίας, οἴδα καὶ αὐτὸς, εἰ καὶ ἄκρῳ δακτύλῳ τοῦ ’γλυκυτάτου μέλιτος τῆς παρʼ ὑμῖν Ἐκκλησίας ἀντεγενσάμην πέρυσιν. 2. Ἐγὼ δε καὶ ἀλλων ἀναγκαίων ἕνεκεν πραγμάτων ἐδεόμην εἰς ταυτὸν γενέσθαι τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ σου, καὶ περὶ πολλῶν μὲν ἀνακοινώσασθαι, πολλὰ δε μαθεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ οὐδέ ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα οὐδὲ ἀγάπης ἀληθινῆς ἐπιτυχεῖν. Ὀταν δὲ καὶ πάνυ τις ἅναπώντα εὕροι, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ δυνάμενος παραπλησίως τῇ τελείᾳ σου φρονήσει καὶ τῇ ἐμπειρίᾳ, ἣν ἐκ πολλῶν τῶν περὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας συνελέξω καμάτων, δοῦναι γνώμην ἡμῖν περὶ τῶν προκειμένων. Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἄλλα οὐκ ἐνῆν γράφειν ἂ δʼ οὖν καὶ ἐξενεγκεῖν ἀσφαλες, ταῦτά ἐστιν, Ὁ πρεσβύτερος Εὐάγριος, ὁ υἱὸς Πομπηὲανοῡ τοῦ Ἀντιοχέως, ὁ συν· ἀπάρας ποτε ἐπὶ τὴν δύσιν τῷ μακαρίῳ Εὐσεβίῳ ἐπανῆκε νῦν ἐκ τῆς Ῥώμης, ἁπαιτῶν ἡμᾶς ἐπιστολὴν, αὐτά τὰ παρʼ ἐκείνων γεγραμμένα ἔχουσαν αὖ· τολεξεὶ (ἀνεκόμισε δὲ ἡμῖν εἰς τούπίσω τὰ παρʼ fill-5’", ὡς οὐκ ἀρέσαντα τοῖς ἀκριβεστέροις τῶν ἐκεῖ), καί πρεσβείαν τινὰ διʼ ἀνδρῶν ἀξιολόγων ἤδη κατεπείγε. σθαι, ὑπὲρ τοῦ εὐπρόσωπον ἔχειν ἀφορμὴν τοὺς οἶν· δρας τῆς ἐπισκέψεως ἡμῶν. Οἱ κατὰ Σεβάστειαν τὰ ἡμέτερα φρονοῦντες, Εὐσταθίου τὸ ὕπουλον τῆς καʼ κοδοξίας ἕλκος ἁπογυμνὼσαντες, ἀπαιτοῦσι τινα παρʼ ἡμῶν- ἐκκλησιαστικὴν ἐπιμέλειαν, Ἰκόνιον πόλις ἐστὶ τῆς Πισιδίας, τὸ μὲν παλαιὸν μετά τὴν μεγίστην ἦ πρώτη, νῦν δὲ καὶ αὕτη προκάθηται μέρους, ὁ, ἐκ διαφόρων τμημάτων συναχθὲν, ἐπαρχίας ἰδίας οἰκονομίαν ἐδέξατο. Αὕτη καλεῖ καὶ ἡμᾶς εἰς ἐπίσκεψιν, ὥστε αὐτῇ δοῦναι ἐπίσκοπον. Τετελευτήκει γὰρ ὁ Φαυστίνος. Εἰ οὖν δεῖ μὴ κατοκνεῖν τὰς ὑπερορίους χειροτονίας, καὶ ποίαν τινὰ χρὴ δοῦναι τοῖς Σεβαστηνοῖς ἀπόκρισιν, καὶ πῶς πρὸς τὰς τοῦ Εὐαγρίου διατεθῆναι γνώμας · ἐδεόμην διδαχθῆναι αὐτὸς διʼ ἐμαυτοῦ συντυο χὼν τῇ τιμιότητί σου, ὧν πάντων ἀπεστερήθην διὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ἀσθένειαν. ’Ἐὰν μὲν οὖν τινος ἐπιτυχεῖν ταχέως πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀφικνουμένου, καταξίωσον περὶ πάντων ἀποστεῖλαί μοι τὰς ἀποκρίσεις· εἰ δὲ μὴ, εὖξαι ἐλθεῖν ἰπὶ νοῦν μοι, ὅπερ εὐάρεστον τῷ Κυρίῳ. Ἐν δὲ τῇ συνόδῳ μνήμην ἡμων κέλευσον γενέσθαι, καὶ αὐτὸς δέ πρόσευξαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, καὶ τὸν λαὸν συμπαροξλαβε, ἶνα τὰς λειπομένας fiatfiat; ᾖ cii-pag- τῆς εὐάρεστον τῷ Κυρίῳ,
A hylēs, tę̄ xērą tautę̄ sarki, hoion thryallidi kekauriinę̄ perieiloumenos, marasmon kai chronian epēgagen arrōstian; ta de hephexēs, hē archaia plē; gē mou, to hēpar touto diadexamenon, apekleise men me tōn sitiōn, apediōxe de tōn ommatōn ton fama), en methoriois de katesche zōēs kai thanatou, tosouton zę̄n hepitrepon, hoson tōn apʼ autou dyscherōn hepaisthanesthai. Ōste kai hydasin echrēsamēn autophyōs thermois, kai tinas parʼ iatrōn epimeleias katedexamēn. Apanta de ēlenxe to neanikon touto kakon; ho, tou men ethous parontos, kan allos enenkoi, ameletētōs de prospesontos, oudeis houtōs adamantinos hōste antischein. Hyphʼ hou polyn hochlētheis chronon, oudepote houtōs ēniathēn, hoson nyn, hempodm stheis parʼ autou pros tēn syntychian tēs, alēthinēs B agapēs sou. Oias gar apesterēthēmen thymēdias, oida kai autos, ei kai akrǭ daktylǭ tou ’glykytatou melitos tēs parʼ hymin Ekklēsias antegensamēn perysin. 2. Egō de kai allōn anankaiōn heneken pragmatōn edeomēn eis tauton genesthai tę̄ theosebeią sou, kai peri pollōn men anakoinōsasthai, polla de mathein. Kai gar oude estin entautha oude agapēs alēthinēs epitychein. Otan de kai pany tis hanapōnta heuroi, ouk estin ho dynamenos paraplēsiōs tę̄ teleią sou phronēsei kai tę̄ empeirią, hēn ek pollōn tōn peri tas ekklēsias synelexō kamatōn, dounai gnōmēn hēmin peri tōn prokeimenōn. Ta men oun alla ouk enēn graphein a dʼ oun kai exenenkein asphales, tauta estin, Ho presbyteros Euagrios, ho huios Pompēeanou tou Antiocheōs, ho syn; aparas pote epi tēn dysin tǭ makariǭ Eusebiǭ epanēke nyn ek tēs Rhōmēs, hapaitōn hēmas epistolēn, auta ta parʼ ekeinōn gegrammena echousan au; tolexei (anekomise de hēmin eis toupisō ta parʼ fill-5’", hōs ouk aresanta tois akribesterois tōn ekei), kai presbeian tina diʼ andrōn axiologōn ēdē katepeige. sthai, hyper tou euprosōpon echein aphormēn tous oin; dras tēs episkepseōs hēmōn. Hoi kata Sebasteian ta hēmetera phronountes, Eustathiou to hypoulon tēs kaʼ kodoxias helkos hapogymnōsantes, apaitousi tina parʼ hēmōn- ekklēsiastikēn epimeleian, Ikonion polis esti tēs Pisidias, to men palaion meta tēn megistēn ē prōtē, nyn de kai hautē prokathētai merous, ho, ek diaphorōn tmēmatōn synachthen, eparchias idias oikonomian edexato. Hautē kalei kai hēmas eis episkepsin, hōste autę̄ dounai episkopon. Teteleutēkei gar ho Phaustinos. Ei oun dei mē katoknein tas hyperorious cheirotonias, kai poian tina chrē dounai tois Sebastēnois apokrisin, kai pōs pros tas tou Euagriou diatethēnai gnōmas ; edeomēn didachthēnai autos diʼ emautou syntyo chōn tę̄ timiotēti sou, hōn pantōn apesterēthēn dia tēn parousan astheneian. ’Ean men oun tinos epitychein tacheōs pros hēmas aphiknoumenou, kataxiōson peri pantōn aposteilai moi tas apokriseis; ei de mē, euxai elthein ipi noun moi, hoper euareston tǭ Kyriǭ. En de tę̄ synodǭ mnēmēn hēmōn keleuson genesthai, kai autos de proseuxai hyper hēmōn, kai ton laon symparoxlabe, ina tas leipomenas fiatfiat? ę̄ cii-pag- tēs euareston tǭ Kyriǭ,
… of matter, lingering round this dry flesh like a burnt-out wick, brought on wasting and a long illness; and next my old affliction, this liver, taking its turn, shut me off from food, drove sleep from my eyes, and held me on the borders of life and death, allowing me to live only enough to feel its hardships. So I used the naturally hot waters and accepted some treatment from physicians. But this vigorous evil overcame everything; when one is used to it, another man might bear it, but when it falls upon one unprepared, no one is so adamantine as to withstand it. Though I have been troubled by it for a long time, I was never so pained as now, when I have been hindered by it from meeting your true love. For what delight we have been deprived of, I know myself, even if last year I tasted with the tip of a finger the sweetest honey of your church. 2. I needed also, for other necessary matters, to come together with your piety, both to consult with you about many things and to learn many. For here one cannot even find true love. And even when one does find someone who loves, there is no one able, like your perfect prudence and the experience you have gathered from many labours for the churches, to give us counsel about the matters before us. Other things it was not possible to write; but those which are safe to divulge are these. The presbyter Evagrius, son of Pompeianus of Antioch, who once set out for the West with the blessed Eusebius, has now come back from Rome, asking us for a letter containing word for word what was written by them (he brought back to us our own letter, as not having pleased the stricter people there), and pressing for an embassy of men of standing to be sent at once, so that the men may have a plausible pretext for their visit to us. Those at Sebasteia who share our views, having laid bare the festering sore of Eustathius's wrong belief, demand some ecclesiastical care from us. Iconium is a city of Pisidia, in old times the first after the greatest, and now it too presides over a part which, gathered from various sections, has received the administration of a province of its own. It too calls us to a visitation, to give it a bishop; for Faustinus has died. Whether, then, we should not shrink from ordinations beyond our borders, what answer we should give the Sebastenes, and how we should be disposed toward Evagrius's proposals, I needed to be taught by meeting your honour myself, all of which I have been deprived of by the present illness. If, then, you find someone coming to us quickly, deign to send me answers on all points; if not, pray that what is pleasing to the Lord may come into my mind. And order that we be remembered at the synod, and pray for us yourself, and take the people with you in prayer, that we may spend the remaining days … in a way pleasing to the Lord.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil, prevented by illness from visiting Eusebius, asks his counsel about Evagrius's demands from Rome, the orthodox at Sebasteia, and a bishop for Iconium.
- This staged ref is Letter 138, to Eusebius of Samosata; its opening (Basil's eagerness to come and the fiftieth day of his fever) is lost in the scan and marked "…". The end of the last sentence is garbled in the scan and marked "…". "Men of standing" renders a word misprinted in the scan (ἀγιολόγων for ἀξιολόγων).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): ἀνδρῶν ἀγιολὸγων → ἀνδρῶν ἀξιολόγων.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 138 (PG 32:580a–581d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/126/#p-138). (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.