Letters 244–250
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 244
244PG 32:912b–924d
ιιατροφίλῳ, ἐπισκὸπῳ τῆς ἐν Αἰγεαῖς Ἐκκλησίας. 1. Ἐνέτυχόν σου τοῖς γράμμασιν, ἆ διὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν Στρατηγίου τοῦ συμπρέσβυτέρου ἀπἐστειλας, καὶ ἐνέτυχον ἡδέως. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον, καὶ παρά ἀνδρὸς συνετοῦ γεγραμμνοις, καὶ παρά καρδίας τὴν πρὸς πάντας ἀγάπην ἐκ τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ Κυρίου κατορθοῦν δεδιδαγμένηςς. Καὶ σχεδὸν ἐγνώρισα τῆς ἒν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ σιωπῆς τήν αἰτίαν. Ἀποροῦντι γὰρ ἐῴκεις καὶ ἓκθαμβουμὲνῳ, εἰ Βασίλειος, ἐκεῖνος, ὀ τοιῶσδε δουλεύσας ὲκ παιδὸς τῷ δεῖνι, ὀ τάδε ποιήσας ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν τῶνδε καὶ τάδε, ὁ τὸν πρὸς τοὺς μυρίους πόλεμον τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἕνα θεραπείας ἕνεκεν καταδεξάμενος· οὗτος νῦν ἔτερος γέγονεν ἐξ ἐτέρου, καὶ πόλεμον ἀντὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ἁνήρηται, καὶ ὅσα σῦλα ἐπέστειλας, ἱκανῶς τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ἔκπληξιν ἐν τῇ παραλόγῳ τῶν πραγμάτων μεταβολῇ ἐνδεικνύμενος. Καὶ εἴ τι ἡμῶν καὶ καθήψω:on ἐδεξάμην τοῦτο δυσκόλως. Ού γὰρ οὕτως εἰμὶ ἀνονθέτητος, ὠς πρὸς τὰς ἀγαπητικάς ἐπιπλήξεις τῶν ἀδελφῶν δυσχεραίνειν. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέχω τοῖς ἐπεσταλμένοις ἄχθεσθαι, ὥστε μικροῦ καὶ ἐγέλασα ἐπʼ αύτοῖς· εἱ, τοσούτων ὄντων καὶ τηλικούτων, ἃ ἡμῖν ἐδόκει τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλίαν πρότερον βεβαιοῦν, αὐτὸς ἐπὶ μικροῖς τοῖς μέχρι σοῶ φθάσασι τηλικαύτην ἔγραψας τὴν ἔκπληξιν πεπονθέναι. Ἆρʼ οὖν καὶ σὺ τὸ τῶν πολι λῶν πέπονθας, οἶ, καταλιπόντες τῶν πραγμάτων ἐξετάζειν τὴν φύσιν, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσέχουσι, περὶ ὡν οἱ λόγοι, καὶ γίνονται οὐχὶ τῆς ἀληθείας πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει, οὐ καλόν. 2. Πλὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ Θεὸς πρόσωπον έν κρίσει ἀνθρώπου οὐ λαμβάνει, ἢν πρός τό μέγα δικαστήριον ἀπολογίαν παρεσκεύασα, ταύτην καὶ σοὶ γνωρίσαι οὗ παραιτήσομαι. Ὀτι οὐδὲν παρʼ ἡμῶν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, οὔτε μικρὸν οὔτε μεῖζον γέγονε τῆς διαστάσεως αἴτιον* ἀλλʼ ἅνθρωποι μισοῦντες ἡμᾶς, διʼ ἃς ἴσασιν προφάσεις αὐτοὶ (οὗ γὰρ ἐμὲ χρὴ λέγειν περὶ αὖτῶν οὐδὲν), συνεχεῖς ἐποιοῦντο τὰς διαβολάς. Καὶ ἅπαξ μὶν ταύτας καὶ δὶς ἀπεδυσάμεθαο. ὡς δε ἀπέραντον ἧν τό πρᾶγμα, καὶ οὐδὲν ὄφελος τῆς συνεχοῦς ἀπολογίας, ἡμῶν μὲν μακρὰν ἀπῳκισμένων, τῶν δὲ ψευδολόγων ἐγγύθεν ἐχόντων ταῖς καθʼ ἡμῶν τιτρώσκειν διαβολαῖς καρδίαν εὐκαταγώνιστον, καὶ οὗ δεδιδαγμένην τὴν ἑτέραν τῶν ἀκοῶν ἀκεραίαν φυλάττειν τῷ μὴ παρόντι· τῶν Νικοπολιτῶν ἀπαιτούντων τινὰ πληροφορίαν πίστεως (ὅ πάντως οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς ἠγνοῆσατε), ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ γράμματος ὑποδέξασθαι. Ἐλογισάμεθα γὰρ δύο κατορθώσειν έν ταυτῷ· τούς τε Νικοπολίτας πείσειν μὴ κακῶς φρονεῖν πέρὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, καὶ τῶν διαβαλλόντων ἡμᾶς ἐμφράξειν τά στόματα, τῆς κατά τὴν πίστιν συμφωνίας τάς ἑκατέρωθεν συκοφαντίας ἀποκλειούσης. Καὶ δὴ καὶ συγγέγραπτο μὲν ἠ πίστις, προσηνέχθη δε παρʼ ἡμῶν· ὑπεγράφη δέ· Ὠς ὑπεγράφη, καὶ χωρίον ὑπεδείχθη συνόδου δευτέρας, καὶ καιρὸς ἔτεροςο ὥστε καὶ τοὺς κατά τὴν παροικίαν ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν συνελθόντας ἑνωθῆναι ἀλλήλοις, καὶ γνησίαν καὶ ἄδολον τοῦ λοιποῦ εἶναι τήν κοινωνίαν. Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν ἀπηντήσαμεν κατά τὴν προθεσμίαν, καὶ οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν ἀδελφοὶ οἱ μὲν παρῆσαν, οἱ δὲ ἐπέρρεον, φαιδροὶ πάντες καὶ πρόθυμοι, ὡς έπὶ εἰρήνην τρέχοντες· καὶ γράμματα παρʼ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡμεροδρόμοι σημαίνοντες, ὅτι πάρεσμενο καὶ γὰρ ἡμέτερον ἧν τὸ χωρίον τὸ ἀποδεδειγμένον εἰς ὑποδοχὴν τῶν συντρεχόντων, Ὠς δε ἐκ τοῦ έτέρου μέρους οὐδεὶς ἧν, οὔτε προτρέχων, οὔτε εὐαγγελιζόμενος τὴν παρουσίαν τῶν προσδοκωμένων οἱ δὲ παρʼ ἡμῶν ἀποσταλέντες ἐπανῆλθον κατήφειαν πολλὴν καὶ γογγνσμὸν τῶν ἐκεῖ διηγούμενοι, ὡς καινῆς πίστεως παρʼ ἡμῶν καταγγελθείσης· καὶ έλέγοντο διορίζεσθαι, ἧ μὴν μη ἐπιτρέψειν τῷ έπισκόπῳ αὐτῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαβῆναι ο ἦλθε δέ τιςρκαὶ γράμμα φέρων ἡμῖν ἀφωσιωμένον, καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἕχον μνήμην τῶν ἕξ ἀρχῆς συγκειμένων· καὶὸ πάσης δέ μοι αἰδοῦς καὶ τιμῆς ἄξιος ἀδελφὸς Θεόφιλος, ἕνα τῶν αὐτῷ συνόντων ἀποστείλας, ἐδήλωσέ τινα, ἂ ἐνόμισε καὶ αὐτῷ ἐπιβάλλοντα εἶναι εἰπεῖν, καὶ ἡμῖν ἀκοῦσαι τρέποντα. Ἐπιστιῑλαι γὰρ οὔκ ἠξίωσεν, οὐ τὸν εκ τῶν γραμμάτων ἔλεγχον ὑφορώμενος τοσοῦτον, ὅσον φροντίζων τοῦ μή εὶς ἀνάγκην ἐλθεῖν προσειπεῖν ἡμᾶς ὡς ἐπισκόπους· πλὴν γε δὴ, ὅτι σφοδρὰ ἦν τὰ ῥήματα, καὶ ἀπὸ καρδίας ἔκθερμανθείσης ἐξενεχθέντα. Ἐπὶ τούτοις διελύθημεν κατησχυμμένοι, καὶ συμπεπτωκότες τῇ γνώμη, οὐκ ἔχοντες ὃ τι τοῖς ἄρωτῶσιν ἀποκρινούμεθα. Χρόνος δὲ οὐ πολὺς δν τῷ μέσῳ, καὶ ἀποδημία μέχρι Κιλίκων κάκεῖθεν ἐπάνοδος, καὶ γράμματα εὐθὺς, ἀπαγόρευσιν ἔχονῒὰ τῆς προς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίας. 3. Ἠ δὲ αἰτία τῆς ἆπορῥήξεως, ὅτι Ἀπολινᾶριῳ, φησιν, ἐπεστείλαμεν, καὶ τὸν ουρ-πρεσβύτερον ἡμῶν Διόδωρον ἔχομεν κοινωνικόν. Ἐγὼ δὴ ’Ᾱπολινάριον μὲν ἐχθρὸν οὐδέποτε ἡγησάμην, ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἔφʼ οἶς καὶ αἰδοῦμαι τὸν οἶνδρα οὐ μὴν οὕτως ἐμαυτὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ συνῆψα, ὥστε τὰ ἐκείνου ἓγκλὴματά αὐτὸς ὑποδέχεσθαι· ὅπου γε ἔχω τινὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔγκαλεῐν αὐτῷ, ἐντυχών τισι τῶν συνταγμάτων αὐτοῦ. Οὔ μὴν περὶ τοῦ [Ινεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ἢ αἰτήσας αὐτὸν οἶδα βιβλίον, ἦ ἁποσταλὲν ὑποδεξάμενος, Ἀλλὰ πολυφωνότατον μὲν αὐτὸν ἀκούω πάντων συγγραφέων γεγενῆσθαι” ὀλίγοις δὲ ἐντετύχηκα τῶν συνταγμάτων αὐτοῦ· οὐδὲ γὰρ σχολή μοὶ ἔστι τᾶ τοιαῦτα διερευνᾶσθαι, καὶ ἅμα δυσχερὴς τις εἰμὶ πρόζ τὴν τῶν νεωτέρων παραδοχὴν, γε τὸ σῶμα οπλδὲ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῶν θεοπνεὺο-των Flauo/Iw φιλοπόνως iul καθʼ ὄν δεῖ τρὸπον συγχωρεί παραμένειν. Τί 0ὖᾷ πρὸς ἐμὲ τοῦτο, εἴ τις συνέγραψέ τι μὴ ἀρέσκον τῷ δεῖνι; Καίτοι εἰ δεῖ ἄλλον ὑπὲρ ἄλλου τὰς dedit“ ὑπέχειν, ὁ ἐμοὶ ἐγκαλῶν ὑπὲρ Ἀπολιναριου ambio”γείσθω ἡμῖν, ὑπὲρ ’Λρείου τοῦ ἰδίου διδασκάλοις καὶ ὑπὲρ Ἀετίου τοῦ ἱὸίου αὐτοῦ μαθητοῦ. ’Πμεῖς δὲ οὔτε ἐδιδάχθημεν τι, οὔτε ἐμαθητεύθημεν τῷ δρὶ, οὗ τὰ ἐγκλήματα ἡμῖν πειοιτρέπουσι. MM: ρον δὲ, ὡς θρέμμα τοῦ μακαρίου Σιλουανοῦ, τό ἒξ ἀρχῆς ὑπεδεξάμεθα- νῦν δὲ καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν καὶ πέριέπομεν διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν αὖτῷ τοῦλόγου χάριῦέ διʼ ἧς πολλοὶ τῶν ὶντυγχανόντων βελτίους γίνονται. 4. Ἐπὶ τούτοις τοῖς γράμμασι διατεθεὶς, ὣς εἰκὸς ἦν, καὶ ἐκπλαγεὶς πρὸς τήν οὕτω παράλογον κᾶε ἀθρόαν μεταβολὴν, οὐδὲ ἀντιφθέγξασθαι ἦδυνῆδῆῦ. Συνδέδετο μὲν γάρ μοι ἡ καρδία, παρεῖτο δὲ ᾗ γλῶπζ νεναρκήκει δὲ ἡ χείρ· καὶ ἔπαθον πάθος ψυχῆξ ἀγεννοῦς (εἰρήσεται γὰρ τάληθὲς, πλὴν ἀλλὰ, γνώμης ἄξιον)· μικροῦ καὶ εἰς μισανθρωπιῶ ‘9ἐπες-ον, καὶ πᾶν μοι ἦθος ὕποπτον ὲιομίσθη, καὶ εἶναι ἐν ἀνθρώπου φύσει τὸ τῆς ἁγῶπηζκαλδνξ ἀλλὰ ῥῆμα εἶλαι εὐπροσωπον καλλωπισμόν τινα παρέχον τοῖς κεχρημένοις, οὐ μὴν ἐνυπάρχειν κᾶθʼ ἀλήθειαν καρδίᾳ ἀνθρώπου τὴν διάθεσιν ταύτὴν. Εἰ γάρό δοκῶν ἐκ παιδὸς εἰς γῆρας βαθὺ Ἑπιμὲλὶιᾶῧ λογησάσοω. ἐαυτοῦ πεποιῆσθαι ἐκ τοιούτων προφάσεων οὕτω ῥᾳδίως ἐξηγριώθη, μηδὲν τῶν ἡμετέρων ὑπολογισάμενος, μηδὲ τὴν ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι πεῖραν τῆς οὕτως εὐτελοῦς διαβολῆς κυριωτέραν θέμενος· ἀλλʼ οἷόν τις πῶλος ἀδάμαστος, οὔπω φέρειν καλῶς τὸν ἀναβάτην δεδιδαγμένος, ἐκ μικρᾶς ὑποψίας ἀνεχαίτισε καὶ ἀπεσείσατο, καὶ χαμαὶ ξόῥιψεν οἷς πρότερον ἔπηγάλλετο · τί χρὴ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑπονοεῖν, πρὸς οὓς οὔτε ἡμῖν τοσαῦτα τῆς φιλίας ἐστὶν ἐνέχυρα, οὔτε παρʼ αὐτῶν τοιαύτη τῆς τῶν τρόπων ἐπιμελείας ἐπίδειξις Ταῦτα κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνελίσσων ἓν τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ συνεχῶς στρέφων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναστρεφόμενος ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, οὕτω δακνόντων με καὶ νυσσόντων διὰ τῆς μνήμης, οὐδὲν ἐκείνοις ἀπεκρινάμην τοῖς γράμμασιν · ούχ ὑπεροψία σιωπήσας (μὴ τοῦτο οἰηθῇς, ἀδελφέ · ού γὰρ ἀνθρώποις ἀπολογούμεθα, ἀλλὰ κατενώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν) ἀπορίᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀμηχανίᾳ καὶ τῷ μὴ ἔχειν εἰπεῖν τι τῆς λύπης ἄξιον. 5. Ἐως ἐν τούτοις ἦμεν, ἐπικατὲλαβεν ἡμᾶς ἕτερα γράμματα πρὸς Δαζίζαν τινὰ γεγραμμένα δῆθεν, τῇ δι ἔληθεία πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἑπεσταλμενα, ὡς δηλοῖ αὐτῶν ἠ οὕτως ὀξεῖα διάδοσις, ὡς ἐν ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις ἐν παντὶ μὲν τῷ Πόντῳ κατασπαρῆναι καὶ τὴν Γαλατίαν ἐπιδραμεῖν. Φασὶ δέ τινες, ὅτι καὶ Βιθυνούς διελελθόντες οἱ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τούτων ἄγγελοι μέχρις αὐτοῦ ἔφθασαν Ἑλλησπόντου. Τίνα δὲ ἧν τὰ καθʼ ἡμῶν πρὸς Δαζίζαν ἐπεσταλμένα, πάντως μὲν οἶδας. Ού γὰρ οὕτω σε μακρὰν τῆς ἑαυτῶν φιλίας τίθενται, ὥστε σε μόνον ἀγέραστον τῇς τιμῆς ἐκείνης καταλιπεῖν, Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἦλθεν εἰς σε τὰ γράμματα, ἀλλʼ ἐγώ σοι ἀποστέλλω. Ἐν οἷς εὑρήσεις ἡμᾶς κατηγορουμένους, δόλον καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίαν, φθορὰν Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ ψυχῶν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ τὸ πάντων, ὡς αὐτοὶ νομίζουσιν, ἀληθέστερον, ὅτι ἔγκάθετον ἐκείνην την προβολὴν τῆς πίστεως ἐποιησάμεθα, ού Νικοπολίταις διακονούμενοι, ἀλλʼ αὐτοὶ λαβεῖν δολερῶς ὁμολογίαν ἐπινοήσαντες. Τούτων μὲν οὖν κριτὴς Κύριος. Καὶ γὰρ τίς ἂν γένοιτο τῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ λογισμῶν ἐναργὴς ἀποδειξις; Ἐκεῖνο δὲ αύτῶν ἐθαύμασα, εἰ, ὅτι μὲν τῷ παρʼ ἡμῶν ἐπιδοθέντι βιβλίῳ ὑπέγραψαν, τοσαύτῃ κέχρηνται διαστάσει, ὥστε καὶ ὄντα καὶ μὴ ὄντα εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐγκαλούντων αὐτοῖς πληροφορίαν συμφύρειν· ὃτι δε ἐν τῇ Ῥώμη ἔγγραφος αὐτῶν ὁμολογία τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστεως ἀπόκειται, τοῦτο οὐκ ἐννοοῦσιν· ούδέ ὅτι διὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν χειρὸς ἐπέδωκαν τῇ ἐν Τυάνοις συνόδῳ τὸ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης βιβλίον, ὃ παρʼ ἡμῖν κατακειται, τὴν αὐτὴν ταύτην πίστιν ἔχον. Καὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἑαυτῶν δημηγορίας ἐπελάθοντο, ἣν εἰς τὸ μεσον καταστάντες τότε, ὠδύροντο μὲν την ἀπάτην, διʼ ἧς funale“. σαν συνθέσθαι τῷ τόμῳ τῷ παρά τοῦ nominare; Ευδοξίου συντεταγμένῳ διότι ταύτην ἐπενόησαν τοῦ σφάλματος ἐκείνου ἀπολογίαν, τό, ἀπελθόντας εἰς Ῥώμην, ἐκεῖθεν λαβεῖν τὴν τῶν Πατέρων πίστινε ἱνα, ἢν ἐποίησαν βλάβην ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τῇ πρὸς τό κακὸν συνθήκη, ταύτην ἐπανορθὼσωνται τῇ ἑπεισαγωγῇ τοῦ βελτίονος. Ἀλλʼ οἱ τὰς μακροτάτας Euroo δημίοις ὑπὲρ τῇς πίστεως ὑποσταντες, καὶ τὰ σοφὰ ταῦτα δημηγορήσαντες, νῦν λοιδοροῦνται ἡμᾶς, ὡς δολίως πορευομενους, καὶ ἐν σχήματι ἀγάπης τὰ τῶν ἕπιβουλευόντων ποιοῦντας. Δηλοί δὲ καὶ τά νῦν περιφερόμενα κατεγνωκέναι αὐτοὺς τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστεως. Εἶδον γὰρ Κύζικον, καὶ μετʼ ἀλλης πίστεως ὶπανῆλθον, Β 6. Καὶ τί τὸ ἐν τοῖς ῥήμασιν εὖμετάθετον λέγω, πολλῷ μείζονας ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ ἐναντία περιτροπῆς ἔχων τὰς ἀποδείξεις; Οἱ γὰρ πεντακοσίων ἐπισκόπων δόγματι κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐξενεχθέντι μὴ εἴξαντες, μηδὲ καταδεξάμενοι τῆς οἰκονομίας τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἀποστῆναι, τοσούτων εἰς τὴν τῆς καθαιρέσεως αὐτῶν γνώμην συμφωνησάντων, διότι, φησὶν, οὐκ ἦσαν ΙΙνεύματος ἀγίου μέτοχοι, οὐδὲ Θεοῦ χάριτι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομοῦντες, ἀλλʼ ἀνθρωπίνῇ δυναστεία καὶ ἐπιθυμίᾳ δόξης κενῆς tr}. προστασίας ἁρπάσαντες· οὗτοι νῦν τούς παρʼ ἐκείνων χειροτονηθέντας ὡς ἐπισκόπους δέχονται. Οὓς ἐρώτησον ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ, εἰ καὶ τῶν ανθρώπων πάντων καταφρονοῦσιν, ὦς οὔτʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐχόντων, οὔτʼ ὦτα, οὔτε καρδίαν αἰσθητικὴν, ὅσον γοῦν δύνασθαι συνιδεῖν τῶν γενομένων τὸ ἀνακόλουοον, ἐν τῇ ἑαυτῶν καρδίᾳ τίνα διάνοιαν ἔχουσι, Πῶς δύνανται δύο εἶναι ἐπίσκοποι, ὃ τε καθῃρημέ· νος ὑπὸ Εὗιππίου, καὶ ὀ παρʼ αὑτοῦ κεχειροτοο νημένος; τῆς γὰρ αὐτῆς χειρὸς ἔργον ἀμφότερα. “Ος, εἰ μὴ εἶχε την δεδομένην τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ χάριν, κατασκάπτειν καὶ ἀνοικοδομεῖν, ἐκριζοῡν καὶ κατα· φυτεύειν, οὔτʼ ἂν ἐξερρίζωσε τοῦτον, οὔτʼ ἆν ἐκεῖνον ἐφύτευσεν. Εἰ δὲ τὸ ἕτερον αὐτῷ δίδως, συγχω· ρήσεις αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἕτερον. Ἀλλʼ εἷς σκοπὸς, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ ἑαυτῶν ζητεῖν πανταχοῦ, καὶ φίλον μὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν συνεργοῦντα, πολέμιον δὲ κρίνειν, καὶ μηδεμιᾶς κατʼ αὐτοῦ διαβολῆς φείδεσθαι, τὸν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν ἀνθιστάμενον. 7. Οἷαι γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ αἰ νῦν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομίαι; Φρικταὶ μὲν διὰ τὴν τῶν ποιούντων εὐκολίαν, ἐλεειναὶ δὲ διὰ τὴν τῶν πασχόντων ἀναισθησίαν. Εὐιππίου τέκνα, καὶ Εῦιππίου ἔκγονα διὰ πρεσβείας ἀξιοπίστου ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίας μετακληθέντες εἰς τὴν Σεβάστειαν, ἐπιστεύθησαν τὸν λαὸν. Παρέλαβον τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ζύμη ἐγένοντο τῆςέκεῑ Ἐκκλησίας. Παρ ὧν ἡμεῖς μὲν ὡς ὀμοουσιασταὶ διωκόμεθα. Εὖστάθιος δὲ ὁ βαστάσας ἐν τῷ χάρτη ἀπὸῬώμῃς μέχρι Τυάνων τὸ ὁμοούσιον, οὗ· τος νῦν αὐτοῖς ἀνακέκραται ει καὶ ὃτι παραδεχθὴναι εἰς τὴν πολυπόθητον αὐτῶν κοινωνίαν οὐκ ἠδυνήθηο ἣ φοβηθέντων τὸ πλῆθος τῶν κατʼ αὐτοῦ συμφωνησάντων, ἧ αἰδεσθέντων τὸ ἀξιόπιστον. Τίνες γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ συνειλεγμένοι, καί πῶς μὲν χειροτονηθεὶς ἕκαστος, ἁπό ποίου δὲ τοῦ ἐξ ἁρχῆςβίου ἐπὶ ταύτην παρη ἦλθε τὴν δυναστείαν νῦν, ἐγὼ μεν μὴ ποτε οὕτω σχολάσαιμι, ὥστε τὰς ἐκείνων πράξεις ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι Ἔμαθον γὰρ προσεύχεσθαι Ὀπως ἂν μὴ λαλήσῃ τὸ στόμα μου τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων αὐτὸς δὲ ἐρευνήσας μαθήσῃ· κᾶν σε διαφύγῃ, τὸν κριτὴν πάντως οὐ λὴ σεται. 8.Ὀ μέντοί πέπονθα πάθος, οῦ παραιτήσομαι και πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐξειπεῖν ἀγάπην, ὄτι πέρυσιν, ἀσθὶνήσας πυρετῷ λαβροτάτῳ, καὶ ἐγγίσας μέχρις αὐτῶν τῶν πυλῶν τοῦ θανάτου, εἶτα ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ ἀνακληθεὶς, δυσχερῶς εἶχον Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας πρὸς τὴν ἐπάνοδον, λογιζόμενος εἰς οἷα πάλιν ἔρχομαι κακά· καὶ κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἐσκόπουν, τί ποτε ἄρα ἐστὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς σοφίας ἀποκείμενον τοῦ Θεοῦ, διʼὃ ἐμοὶ πάλιν τῆς ἐν σαρκὶ ζωῆς ἠμέραι συνεχωρήθησαν, Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνων ταῦτα, ἐλογισάμην, ὅτι ἐβουλήθη ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος ἰδεῖν παυσαμένας τοῦ σάλού τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, ὃν ἔπαθον πρὸ τούτου ἐπὶ τῷ χωρισμῷ τῶν διὰ τὴν περιπεπλασμένην αὐτοῖς σεμνότητα πάντα πίστευομένων. ’Ἡ καὶ τάχα τονῶσαι μου τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ νηπτικωο τέραν πρὸς γε τὸ ἐφεξῆς καταστῆσαι ὁ Κύριος ἐβουλήθη,ὡς μὴ προσέχειν ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλά διὰ τῶνῡ εὐαγγελικῶν ἐντολῶν καταρτίζεσθαι, αἱ οὔτε καιροῖς οὔτε περιστάσεσιν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων συμμεταβάλλονται, ἀλλʼ αἱ αὑταὶ διαμένουσιν, ὡς προηνέχθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀψευδοῦς καὶ μακαρίου στὸματος, οὕτω δ ιαιωνίζου σαι. 9, Ἀνθρωποι δὲ ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐοίκασι, πρὸς τὸς τῶν πνευμάτων μεταβολὰς οὒιλοτε κατʼ ἄλλο μέρος τοῦ ἀέρος ἔμφερομέναις. Καὶ μάλιστα δὴ οὗτοι, περὶ ὧνὸ λόγος, πολυτροπώτατοι τῶν εἰς ἡμετέραν πεῖραν ἡκόντων ἐφάνησαν. Εἰ μὲν καὶ εἰς τᾶ λοιπὰ τοῦ βίον πράγματα, εἴποιεν ἂν οὶ συμβεβιωκότες· ὃ δʼ οὖν ἐμοὶ ἐφάνη, τὸ περὶ τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν ιύμετάθετον, οὐκ οῖδα μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ἓν ἄλλοις, οὕτε αὐτὸς ἱστορήσας, οὔτε ἀκούσας ἐτέρων. Ἀρείῳ κατηκολούθουν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆςδ μετέθεντο πρὸς Ἕρμογένην,τὸν κατὰ διάμετρον ἐχθρὸν ὄντα τῆς Ἀρείου κακοδοξίας, ὡς δηλοῖ αὒτὴ ἡ πίστιςῆ κατὰ Νίκαιαν παρʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐκφωνηθεῖσα ἒξ ἀρχῆς. Ἐκοιμηθη Ἑρμογένης, καὶ πάλιν μετέστησαν πρός Εύσέβιον, ἄνδρα κορυφαῖον τοῦ κατὰ Β”Ᾱρειον κύκλον, ὡς οἱ πειραθέντες φασίν, Ἐκεῖθεν ἐκπεσοντες διʼ ἃς δήποτε αἰτίας, πάλιν ἀνέδραμον εἰς τὴν πατρίδα, καὶ πάλιν τὸ Ἀρειανὸν ὑπεκρυπτον φρόνημα. Παριλθόντες εἰς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν, ἶνα τὰ ἐν μέσῳ παραλίπω, ὅσας ἐξέθεντο πίστειςς Ἐπʼ Ἀγκύρας ἀλλην, ἑτέραν ἂν Σελευκείᾳ, ἑτέραν έν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, τὴν πολυθρύλλητον, ἂν Λαμψάκῳ ὶτέραν, (Ι) μετὰ ταῦτα τήν ἔν Νίκῃ ’ἧς Θράκης, νῦν πάλιν τὴν ἐν Κυζίκῳ· ἧς τὰ μὲν ἄλλα οὔκ ἐπίσταμαι, τοσοῦτον δὲ ἀκούω τὸ ὁμοούσιον κατασιγάοοωτες, τὸ κατʼ οὐσίαν ὅμοιον νῦν ἐπιφέρουσι, καὶτὰς εἰς Πνεῦμα τὸ οἷγιον βλασφημίας μετʼ Εὖνο‹ μίου συγγράφουσι. Τούτων δί τῶν πίστεων ἃς ἆπ· ηΡίθμησάμ-ην, εἶ καὶ μὴ πᾶσαι πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἔχουσιν ἐναντίως, ἀλλʼ οὖν τὸ εὐμετάβολον τοῦ τρόπον ὁμοίως συνιστῶσι, διὰ τὸ μηδέποτε αὐτούς ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἱστάναι ῥημάτων. Ταῦτά ἔστιν ἀληθῆ, μυρίων ἑτέρων innatantes-irem. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πρὸς {hu-ii δίέβησαν νῦν (Ην ἀξιοῦμεν ἀντιγράψαι διὰ τοῦ αύτοῦ ἀνδρὸς (λέγω δὲ τού συμπρεσβυτέρου ἡμῶν Στρατηyield, εἴτε ό αὐτὸς διέμεινας πρὸς ἦμᾶς, εἴτε καὶ ἡλλοιώθης ἀπὸ τῆς συντυχίας. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐκείνους εἰκὸς ἦν σιωπῆσαι, οὔτε αὐτὸν σὲ, τὸν ἡμῖν τοιαῦτα γράψαντα, μὴ οὐχὶ καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνους τῇ παρῥησίᾳ χρήςασθαι. Ei μὲν οὖν μένοις ἐν τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίᾳ. τοῦτο ἄριστον, καὶ εὗχῆς τῆς ἀνωτάτω ᾰίξιον εἰ δέ σε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς μετέθηκαν, λυπηρὸν μέν· πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἀθελφοῦ τοιούτου χωρισμὸςῖ Πλὴν εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο, τὸ γοῦν φέρειν τὰς τοιαύτας ξπ· μίας παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων ἱκανῶς ἐγυμνάσθημεν.
iiatrophilǭ, episkopǭ tēs en Aigeais Ekklēsias. 1. Enetychon sou tois grammasin, a dia tou adelphou hēmōn Stratēgiou tou sympresbyterou apesteilas, kai enetychon hēdeōs. Pōs gar ouk emellon, kai para andros synetou gegrammnois, kai para kardias tēn pros pantas agapēn ek tēs entolēs tou Kyriou katorthoun dedidagmenēss. Kai schedon egnōrisa tēs en tǭ parelthonti chronǭ siōpēs tēn aitian. Aporounti gar eǭkeis kai hekthamboumenǭ, ei Basileios, ekeinos, o toiōsde douleusas ek paidos tǭ deini, o tade poiēsas epi tōn kairōn tōnde kai tade, ho ton pros tous myrious polemon tēs pros ton hena therapeias heneken katadexamenos; houtos nyn eteros gegonen ex eterou, kai polemon anti tēs agapēs hanērētai, kai hosa syla epesteilas, hikanōs tēs psychēs tēn ekplēxin en tę̄ paralogǭ tōn pragmatōn metabolę̄ endeiknymenos. Kai ei ti hēmōn kai kathēpsō:on edexamēn touto dyskolōs. Ou gar houtōs eimi anonthetētos, ōs pros tas agapētikas epiplēxeis tōn adelphōn dyscherainein. Tosouton gar apechō tois epestalmenois achthesthai, hōste mikrou kai egelasa epʼ autois; hei, tosoutōn ontōn kai tēlikoutōn, ha hēmin edokei tēn pros allēlous philian proteron bebaioun, autos epi mikrois tois mechri soō phthasasi tēlikautēn egrapsas tēn ekplēxin peponthenai. Arʼ oun kai sy to tōn poli lōn peponthas, oi, katalipontes tōn pragmatōn exetazein tēn physin, tois anthrōpois prosechousi, peri hōn hoi logoi, kai ginontai ouchi tēs alētheias prosōpon en krisei, ou kalon. 2. Plēn allʼ epeidē Theos prosōpon en krisei anthrōpou ou lambanei, ēn pros to mega dikastērion apologian pareskeuasa, tautēn kai soi gnōrisai hou paraitēsomai. Oti ouden parʼ hēmōn to ex archēs, oute mikron oute meizon gegone tēs diastaseōs aition* allʼ hanthrōpoi misountes hēmas, diʼ has isasin prophaseis autoi (hou gar eme chrē legein peri autōn ouden), synecheis epoiounto tas diabolas. Kai hapax min tautas kai dis apedysamethao. hōs de aperanton hēn to pragma, kai ouden ophelos tēs synechous apologias, hēmōn men makran apǭkismenōn, tōn de pseudologōn engythen echontōn tais kathʼ hēmōn titrōskein diabolais kardian eukatagōniston, kai hou dedidagmenēn tēn heteran tōn akoōn akeraian phylattein tǭ mē paronti; tōn Nikopolitōn apaitountōn tina plērophorian pisteōs (ho pantōs oude hymeis ēgnoēsate), edoxen hēmin tēn diakonian tou grammatos hypodexasthai. Elogisametha gar dyo katorthōsein en tautǭ; tous te Nikopolitas peisein mē kakōs phronein peri tou andros, kai tōn diaballontōn hēmas emphraxein ta stomata, tēs kata tēn pistin symphōnias tas hekaterōthen sykophantias apokleiousēs. Kai dē kai syngegrapto men ē pistis, prosēnechthē de parʼ hēmōn; hypegraphē de; Ōs hypegraphē, kai chōrion hypedeichthē synodou deuteras, kai kairos eteroso hōste kai tous kata tēn paroikian adelphous hēmōn synelthontas henōthēnai allēlois, kai gnēsian kai adolon tou loipou einai tēn koinōnian. Hēmeis men oun apēntēsamen kata tēn prothesmian, kai hoi syn hēmin adelphoi hoi men parēsan, hoi de eperreon, phaidroi pantes kai prothymoi, hōs epi eirēnēn trechontes; kai grammata parʼ hēmōn, kai hēmerodromoi sēmainontes, hoti paresmeno kai gar hēmeteron hēn to chōrion to apodedeigmenon eis hypodochēn tōn syntrechontōn, Ōs de ek tou eterou merous oudeis hēn, oute protrechōn, oute euangelizomenos tēn parousian tōn prosdokōmenōn hoi de parʼ hēmōn apostalentes epanēlthon katēpheian pollēn kai gongnsmon tōn ekei diēgoumenoi, hōs kainēs pisteōs parʼ hēmōn katangeltheisēs; kai elegonto diorizesthai, hē mēn mē epitrepsein tǭ episkopǭ autōn pros hēmas diabēnai o ēlthe de tisrkai gramma pherōn hēmin aphōsiōmenon, kai oudemian hechon mnēmēn tōn hex archēs synkeimenōn; kaio pasēs de moi aidous kai timēs axios adelphos Theophilos, hena tōn autǭ synontōn aposteilas, edēlōse tina, a enomise kai autǭ epiballonta einai eipein, kai hēmin akousai treponta. Epistiilai gar ouk ēxiōsen, ou ton ek tōn grammatōn elenchon hyphorōmenos tosouton, hoson phrontizōn tou mē eis anankēn elthein proseipein hēmas hōs episkopous; plēn ge dē, hoti sphodra ēn ta rhēmata, kai apo kardias ekthermantheisēs exenechthenta. Epi toutois dielythēmen katēschymmenoi, kai sympeptōkotes tę̄ gnōmē, ouk echontes ho ti tois arōtōsin apokrinoumetha. Chronos de ou polys dn tǭ mesǭ, kai apodēmia mechri Kilikōn kakeithen epanodos, kai grammata euthys, apagoreusin echonïa tēs pros hēmas koinōnias. 3. Ē de aitia tēs aporrhēxeōs, hoti Apolinariǭ, phēsin, epesteilamen, kai ton our-presbyteron hēmōn Diodōron echomen koinōnikon. Egō dē ’Apolinarion men echthron oudepote hēgēsamēn, allʼ estin ephʼ ois kai aidoumai ton oindra ou mēn houtōs emauton tǭ anthrōpǭ synēpsa, hōste ta ekeinou henklēmata autos hypodechesthai; hopou ge echō tina kai autos enkalein autǭ, entychōn tisi tōn syntagmatōn autou. Ou mēn peri tou [Ineumatos tou hagiou ē aitēsas auton oida biblion, ē hapostalen hypodexamenos, Alla polyphōnotaton men auton akouō pantōn syngrapheōn gegenēsthai” oligois de entetychēka tōn syntagmatōn autou; oude gar scholē moi esti ta toiauta diereunasthai, kai hama dyscherēs tis eimi proz tēn tōn neōterōn paradochēn, ge to sōma oplde tę̄ anagnōsei tōn theopneuo-tōn Flauo/Iw philoponōs iul kathʼ on dei tropon synchōrei paramenein. Ti 0yą pros eme touto, ei tis synegrapse ti mē areskon tǭ deini? Kaitoi ei dei allon hyper allou tas dedit“ hypechein, ho emoi enkalōn hyper Apolinariou ambio”geisthō hēmin, hyper ’Lreiou tou idiou didaskalois kai hyper Aetiou tou hioiou autou mathētou. ’Pmeis de oute edidachthēmen ti, oute emathēteuthēmen tǭ dri, hou ta enklēmata hēmin peioitrepousi. MM: ron de, hōs thremma tou makariou Silouanou, to ex archēs hypedexametha- nyn de kai agapōmen kai periepomen dia tēn prosousan autǭ toulogou chariye diʼ hēs polloi tōn intynchanontōn beltious ginontai. 4. Epi toutois tois grammasi diatetheis, hōs eikos ēn, kai ekplageis pros tēn houtō paralogon kae athroan metabolēn, oude antiphthenxasthai ēdynēdēu. Syndedeto men gar moi hē kardia, pareito de hę̄ glōpz nenarkēkei de hē cheir; kai epathon pathos psychēx agennous (eirēsetai gar talēthes, plēn alla, gnōmēs axion); mikrou kai eis misanthrōpiō ‘9epes-on, kai pan moi ēthos hypopton eiomisthē, kai einai en anthrōpou physei to tēs hagōpēzkaldnx alla rhēma eilai euprosōpon kallōpismon tina parechon tois kechrēmenois, ou mēn enyparchein kathʼ alētheian kardią anthrōpou tēn diathesin tautēn. Ei garo dokōn ek paidos eis gēras bathy Hepimeliiaÿ logēsasoō. eautou pepoiēsthai ek toioutōn prophaseōn houtō rhądiōs exēgriōthē, mēden tōn hēmeterōn hypologisamenos, mēde tēn en tǭ parelthonti peiran tēs houtōs eutelous diabolēs kyriōteran themenos; allʼ hoion tis pōlos adamastos, oupō pherein kalōs ton anabatēn dedidagmenos, ek mikras hypopsias anechaitise kai apeseisato, kai chamai xorhipsen hois proteron epēgalleto ; ti chrē peri tōn allōn hyponoein, pros hous oute hēmin tosauta tēs philias estin enechyra, oute parʼ autōn toiautē tēs tōn tropōn epimeleias epideixis Tauta katʼ emauton anelissōn hen tę̄ psychę̄, kai synechōs strephōn en tę̄ kardią, mallon de anastrephomenos hypʼ autōn tēn kardian, houtō daknontōn me kai nyssontōn dia tēs mnēmēs, ouden ekeinois apekrinamēn tois grammasin ; ouch hyperopsia siōpēsas (mē touto oiēthę̄s, adelphe ; ou gar anthrōpois apologoumetha, alla katenōpion tou Theou en Christǭ laloumen) aporią de kai amēchanią kai tǭ mē echein eipein ti tēs lypēs axion. 5. Eōs en toutois ēmen, epikatelaben hēmas hetera grammata pros Dazizan tina gegrammena dēthen, tę̄ di elētheia pasin anthrōpois hepestalmena, hōs dēloi autōn ē houtōs oxeia diadosis, hōs en oligais hēmerais en panti men tǭ Pontǭ katasparēnai kai tēn Galatian epidramein. Phasi de tines, hoti kai Bithynous dielelthontes hoi tōn agathōn toutōn angeloi mechris autou ephthasan Hellēspontou. Tina de hēn ta kathʼ hēmōn pros Dazizan epestalmena, pantōs men oidas. Ou gar houtō se makran tēs heautōn philias tithentai, hōste se monon ageraston tę̄s timēs ekeinēs katalipein, Ei de ouk ēlthen eis se ta grammata, allʼ egō soi apostellō. En hois heurēseis hēmas katēgoroumenous, dolon kai rhądiourgian, phthoran Ekklēsiōn kai psychōn apōleian, kai to pantōn, hōs autoi nomizousin, alēthesteron, hoti enkatheton ekeinēn tēn probolēn tēs pisteōs epoiēsametha, ou Nikopolitais diakonoumenoi, allʼ autoi labein dolerōs homologian epinoēsantes. Toutōn men oun kritēs Kyrios. Kai gar tis an genoito tōn en kardią logismōn enargēs apodeixis? Ekeino de autōn ethaumasa, ei, hoti men tǭ parʼ hēmōn epidothenti bibliǭ hypegrapsan, tosautę̄ kechrēntai diastasei, hōste kai onta kai mē onta eis tēn tōn enkalountōn autois plērophorian symphyrein; hoti de en tę̄ Rhōmē engraphos autōn homologia tēs en Nikaią pisteōs apokeitai, touto ouk ennoousin; oude hoti dia tēs heautōn cheiros epedōkan tę̄ en Tyanois synodǭ to apo Rhōmēs biblion, ho parʼ hēmin katakeitai, tēn autēn tautēn pistin echon. Kai tēs idias heautōn dēmēgorias epelathonto, hēn eis to meson katastantes tote, ōdyronto men tēn apatēn, diʼ hēs funale“. san synthesthai tǭ tomǭ tǭ para tou nominare? Eudoxiou syntetagmenǭ dioti tautēn epenoēsan tou sphalmatos ekeinou apologian, to, apelthontas eis Rhōmēn, ekeithen labein tēn tōn Paterōn pistine hina, ēn epoiēsan blabēn tais Ekklēsiais tę̄ pros to kakon synthēkē, tautēn epanorthōsōntai tę̄ hepeisagōgę̄ tou beltionos. Allʼ hoi tas makrotatas Euroo dēmiois hyper tę̄s pisteōs hypostantes, kai ta sopha tauta dēmēgorēsantes, nyn loidorountai hēmas, hōs doliōs poreuomenous, kai en schēmati agapēs ta tōn hepibouleuontōn poiountas. Dēloi de kai ta nyn peripheromena kategnōkenai autous tēs en Nikaią pisteōs. Eidon gar Kyzikon, kai metʼ allēs pisteōs ipanēlthon, B 6. Kai ti to en tois rhēmasin eumetatheton legō, pollǭ meizonas ex autōn tōn pragmatōn tēs epi ta enantia peritropēs echōn tas apodeixeis? Hoi gar pentakosiōn episkopōn dogmati katʼ autōn exenechthenti mē eixantes, mēde katadexamenoi tēs oikonomias tōn Ekklēsiōn apostēnai, tosoutōn eis tēn tēs kathaireseōs autōn gnōmēn symphōnēsantōn, dioti, phēsin, ouk ēsan IIneumatos agiou metochoi, oude Theou chariti tas Ekklēsias oikonomountes, allʼ anthrōpinę̄ dynasteia kai epithymią doxēs kenēs tr}. prostasias harpasantes; houtoi nyn tous parʼ ekeinōn cheirotonēthentas hōs episkopous dechontai. Hous erōtēson antʼ emou, ei kai tōn anthrōpōn pantōn kataphronousin, ōs outʼ ophthalmous echontōn, outʼ ōta, oute kardian aisthētikēn, hoson goun dynasthai synidein tōn genomenōn to anakolouoon, en tę̄ heautōn kardią tina dianoian echousi, Pōs dynantai dyo einai episkopoi, ho te kathę̄rēme; nos hypo Heuippiou, kai o parʼ hautou kecheirotoo nēmenos? tēs gar autēs cheiros ergon amphotera. “Os, ei mē eiche tēn dedomenēn tǭ Hieremią charin, kataskaptein kai anoikodomein, ekrizoun kai kata; phyteuein, outʼ an exerrizōse touton, outʼ an ekeinon ephyteusen. Ei de to heteron autǭ didōs, synchō; rēseis autǭ kai to heteron. Allʼ heis skopos, hōs eoike, to heautōn zētein pantachou, kai philon men hēgeisthai ton tais epithymiais autōn synergounta, polemion de krinein, kai mēdemias katʼ autou diabolēs pheidesthai, ton tais epithymiais autōn anthistamenon. 7. Hoiai gar autōn kai ai nyn kata tēs Ekklēsias oikonomiai? Phriktai men dia tēn tōn poiountōn eukolian, eleeinai de dia tēn tōn paschontōn anaisthēsian. Euippiou tekna, kai Euippiou ekgona dia presbeias axiopistou ek tēs hyperorias metaklēthentes eis tēn Sebasteian, episteuthēsan ton laon. Parelabon to thysiastērion, zymē egenonto tēsekei Ekklēsias. Par hōn hēmeis men hōs omoousiastai diōkometha. Eustathios de ho bastasas en tǭ chartē apoRhōmę̄s mechri Tyanōn to homoousion, hou; tos nyn autois anakekratai ei kai hoti paradechthēnai eis tēn polypothēton autōn koinōnian ouk ēdynēthēo hē phobēthentōn to plēthos tōn katʼ autou symphōnēsantōn, hē aidesthentōn to axiopiston. Tines gar ēsan hoi syneilegmenoi, kai pōs men cheirotonētheis hekastos, hapo poiou de tou ex harchēsbiou epi tautēn parē ēlthe tēn dynasteian nyn, egō men mē pote houtō scholasaimi, hōste tas ekeinōn praxeis ekdiēgeisthai Emathon gar proseuchesthai Opōs an mē lalēsę̄ to stoma mou ta erga tōn anthrōpōn autos de ereunēsas mathēsę̄; kan se diaphygę̄, ton kritēn pantōs ou lē setai. 8.O mentoi pepontha pathos, ou paraitēsomai kai pros tēn sēn exeipein agapēn, oti perysin, asthinēsas pyretǭ labrotatǭ, kai engisas mechris autōn tōn pylōn tou thanatou, eita hypo tēs tou anaklētheis, dyscherōs eichon Theou philanthrōpias pros tēn epanodon, logizomenos eis hoia palin erchomai kaka; kai katʼ emauton eskopoun, ti pote ara esti to en tǭ bathei tēs sophias apokeimenon tou Theou, diʼho emoi palin tēs en sarki zōēs ēmerai synechōrēthēsan, Epeidē de egnōn tauta, elogisamēn, hoti eboulēthē hēmas ho Kyrios idein pausamenas tou salou tas Ekklēsias, hon epathon pro toutou epi tǭ chōrismǭ tōn dia tēn peripeplasmenēn autois semnotēta panta pisteuomenōn. ’Hē kai tacha tonōsai mou tēn psychēn kai nēptikōo teran pros ge to ephexēs katastēsai ho Kyrios eboulēthē,hōs mē prosechein anthrōpois, alla dia tōny euangelikōn entolōn katartizesthai, hai oute kairois oute peristasesin anthrōpinōn pragmatōn symmetaballontai, allʼ hai hautai diamenousin, hōs proēnechthēsan apo tou apseudous kai makariou stomatos, houtō d iaiōnizou sai. 9, Anthrōpoi de tais nephelais eoikasi, pros tos tōn pneumatōn metabolas ouilote katʼ allo meros tou aeros empheromenais. Kai malista dē houtoi, peri hōno logos, polytropōtatoi tōn eis hēmeteran peiran hēkontōn ephanēsan. Ei men kai eis ta loipa tou bion pragmata, eipoien an oi symbebiōkotes; ho dʼ oun emoi ephanē, to peri tēn pistin autōn iymetatheton, ouk oida mechri tou nyn hen allois, houte autos historēsas, oute akousas eterōn. Areiǭ katēkolouthoun to ex archēsd metethento pros Hermogenēn,ton kata diametron echthron onta tēs Areiou kakodoxias, hōs dēloi autē hē pistisē kata Nikaian parʼ ekeinou tou andros ekphōnētheisa ex archēs. Ekoimēthē Hermogenēs, kai palin metestēsan pros Eusebion, andra koryphaion tou kata B”Areion kyklon, hōs hoi peirathentes phasin, Ekeithen ekpesontes diʼ has dēpote aitias, palin anedramon eis tēn patrida, kai palin to Areianon hypekrypton phronēma. Parilthontes eis tēn episkopēn, ina ta en mesǭ paralipō, hosas exethento pisteiss Epʼ Ankyras allēn, heteran an Seleukeią, heteran en Kōnstantinoupolei, tēn polythryllēton, an Lampsakǭ iteran, (I) meta tauta tēn en Nikę̄ ’hēs Thrakēs, nyn palin tēn en Kyzikǭ; hēs ta men alla ouk epistamai, tosouton de akouō to homoousion katasigaooōtes, to katʼ ousian homoion nyn epipherousi, kaitas eis Pneuma to hoigion blasphēmias metʼ Euno‹ miou syngraphousi. Toutōn di tōn pisteōn has ap; ēRithmēsam-ēn, ei kai mē pasai pros allēlas echousin enantiōs, allʼ oun to eumetabolon tou tropon homoiōs synistōsi, dia to mēdepote autous epi tōn autōn histanai rhēmatōn. Tauta estin alēthē, myriōn heterōn innatantes-irem. Epeidē de kai pros {hu-ii diebēsan nyn (Ēn axioumen antigrapsai dia tou autou andros (legō de tou sympresbyterou hēmōn Stratēyield, eite o autos diemeinas pros ēmas, eite kai hēlloiōthēs apo tēs syntychias. Oute gar ekeinous eikos ēn siōpēsai, oute auton se, ton hēmin toiauta grapsanta, mē ouchi kai pros ekeinous tę̄ parrhēsią chrēsasthai. Ei men oun menois en tę̄ pros hēmas koinōnią. touto ariston, kai heuchēs tēs anōtatō aixion ei de se pros heautous metethēkan, lypēron men; pōs gar ouk athelphou toioutou chōrismosi Plēn ei kai mēden allo, to goun pherein tas toiautas xp; mias parʼ autōn ekeinōn hikanōs egymnasthēmen.
To Patrophilus, bishop of the Church at Aegae. 1. I read the letter that you sent through our brother Strategius, the fellow presbyter, and I read it with pleasure. How could I not, since it was written by a man of understanding, and by a heart that has been taught to practice love toward all according to the Lord's command? And I almost recognized the reason for your silence in the past. For you seemed like someone at a loss and astonished, wondering whether Basil, the man who from boyhood had served So-and-so in such a way, who had done this and that at such and such times, who had accepted war with countless people for the sake of his devotion to one man, has now become another person instead of the one he was, and has taken up war in place of love; and all the other things you wrote, showing sufficiently the astonishment of your soul at the unaccountable change of affairs. And if you also rebuked us somewhat, I did not take it hard. For I am not so incapable of correction as to be vexed at the loving reproofs of the brothers. Indeed I am so far from being annoyed at what you wrote that I almost laughed at it: that, when there were so many and such great things which we thought had earlier confirmed our friendship with one another, you yourself should write that you had been so astonished at the small matters that have reached you. Have you then also suffered what happens to the many, who, giving up examining the nature of things, pay attention to the people the talk is about, and become respecters not of the truth but of persons, though "to respect persons in judgment is not good"? 2. Nevertheless, since God does not respect a man's person in judgment, I will not refuse to make known to you too the defense I have prepared for the great tribunal: that nothing, small or great, was done by us from the beginning to cause the separation; but men who hate us, for reasons they themselves know (for it is not for me to say anything about them), were continually slandering us. Once and again we cleared ourselves of these slanders. But when the matter had no end, and there was no use in continual defense, since we lived far away while the liars were close at hand to wound with their slanders against us a heart easily overcome, and not taught to keep one of its ears untouched for the one who is absent; when the Nicopolitans demanded some assurance about the faith (which surely you too were not unaware of), it seemed good to us to accept the service of writing the document. For we reckoned that we would achieve two things at once: persuade the Nicopolitans not to think badly of the man, and stop the mouths of those who slandered us, since agreement in faith would shut out the slanders on both sides. And so the creed was drawn up, it was presented by us, and it was signed. When it had been signed, a place was appointed for a second synod, and another time, so that the brothers of our district too might meet and be united with one another, and that their communion from then on might be genuine and without guile. We, then, came at the appointed time, and of the brothers with us some were present and others were streaming in, all cheerful and eager, as hurrying to peace; and letters went from us, and couriers announcing that we were there; for the place appointed for receiving those who were gathering was our own. But from the other side there was no one, neither coming ahead nor bringing news of the arrival of those we expected; and those we had sent returned telling of much gloom and murmuring among them, as though a new creed had been proclaimed by us; and they were said to have declared on oath that they would not allow their bishop to cross over to us. And someone came bringing us a letter that was a mere formality, with no mention of what had been agreed at the beginning; and our brother Theophilus, worthy of all respect and honor from me, sent one of those with him and made known certain things which he thought it fell to him to say and fitting for us to hear. For he did not think fit to write, not so much because he feared being convicted by a letter, as because he was anxious not to be obliged to address us as bishops; except that the words were violent, and uttered from a heated heart. Upon this we broke up, ashamed and dejected in mind, having no answer to give those who asked us. Not much time passed in between: a journey as far as Cilicia, the return from there, and at once a letter declaring the renunciation of communion with us. 3. And the cause of the breach is, he says, that we wrote to Apollinarius and have our fellow presbyter Diodorus in communion with us. Now Apollinarius I never considered an enemy; indeed there are respects in which I even respect the man; but I have not so joined myself to him as to take on myself the charges against him; since I myself also have something to charge him with, having read some of his writings. Yet I do not know that I either asked him for a book about the Holy Spirit or received one he sent. I hear that he has become the most voluminous of all writers; but I have read few of his writings; for I have no leisure to search into such things, and at the same time I am somewhat averse to accepting what is new, since my body does not even allow me to persevere diligently and in the proper way in reading the divinely inspired Scriptures. What has this to do with me, if someone has written something that does not please So-and-so? And yet, if one man must give account for another, let him who accuses me on behalf of Apollinarius give account to us on behalf of Arius, his own teacher, and on behalf of Aetius, his own disciple. But we were neither taught anything by, nor were we disciples of, the man whose charges they put upon us. Diodorus, as a nursling of the blessed Silvanus, we received from the beginning; and now we both love and cherish him for the grace of speech that is in him, through which many of those who meet him become better. 4. Affected by this letter as was natural, and astonished at so unaccountable and sudden a change, I could not even reply. For my heart was bound, my tongue failed, my hand was numbed; and I suffered the feeling of an ignoble soul (for the truth shall be told, though it deserves pardon): I almost fell into misanthropy, and every character seemed to me suspect; and I thought that the good of love did not exist in human nature, but was a fine-sounding word providing a kind of ornament to those who use it, and that this disposition did not truly dwell in the heart of man. For if he who seemed from boyhood to deep old age to have taken care of himself has been so easily turned savage on such pretexts, without taking any account of our affairs, nor counting the experience of the past as weightier than so cheap a slander, but, like an untamed colt not yet taught to carry its rider well, has reared up from a small suspicion, and thrown off and cast to the ground those in whom he formerly took pride, what must one suspect of others, with whom we have neither such pledges of friendship nor such display on their part of care for their character? Turning these things over in my soul, and constantly revolving them in my heart, or rather having my heart turned over by them, since they so bit and pricked me through memory, I made no reply to that letter; not keeping silent out of contempt (do not think that, brother; for we are not defending ourselves before men, but we speak in Christ in the sight of God), but out of perplexity and helplessness, and because I could say nothing equal to my grief. 5. While we were in this state, another letter overtook us, written supposedly to a certain Dazizas, but in truth addressed to all people, as is shown by its very rapid distribution, so that in a few days it was sown over the whole of Pontus and ran through Galatia. And some say that the messengers of these good tidings went through Bithynia too and reached as far as the Hellespont itself. What was written against us to Dazizas you surely know. For they do not set you so far from their friendship as to leave you alone without the honor of it. But if the letter did not come to you, I am sending it to you. In it you will find us accused of deceit and knavery, of corrupting the Churches and destroying souls, and, what they think the truest charge of all, that we put forward that creed as a trap, not serving the Nicopolitans, but devising to get a confession from them by deceit. Of these things the Lord is judge. For what clear proof could there be of the thoughts in the heart? But this I marveled at in them: that because they signed the book presented by us, they are in such a state of alienation as to mix up things true and false in order to satisfy those who accuse them; but they do not consider that their written confession of the faith of Nicaea is laid up at Rome; nor that with their own hands they handed to the synod at Tyana the book from Rome, which is preserved with us, containing this same faith. And they have forgotten their own public speech, in which, standing up in the midst at that time, they lamented the deception by which they were led to agree to the tome drawn up by the party of Eudoxius; for they devised this defense of that error: that they would go to Rome and receive the faith of the Fathers from there, so that the harm they had done the Churches by their agreement with evil they might set right by bringing in what is better. But those who endured the longest journeys abroad for the faith, and made those wise speeches, now revile us as walking in deceit, and doing the work of plotters under the guise of love. And what they are now carrying about shows that they have condemned the faith of Nicaea. For they have seen Cyzicus and come back with another creed. 6. And why do I speak of their changeability in words, when I have much greater proofs of their turning to opposites from their actions themselves? For those who would not yield to the decree of five hundred bishops issued against them, nor consent to withdraw from the governance of the Churches, though so many had agreed in the judgment for their deposition, because, they said, those bishops were not partakers of the Holy Spirit, nor governed the Churches by the grace of God, but had seized the leadership by human power and desire for empty glory: these men now receive as bishops those ordained by them. Ask them, instead of me, even if they despise all people as having neither eyes nor ears nor a heart able to perceive, at least so far as to see the inconsistency of what has been done, what thought they have in their own heart. How can there be two bishops, the one deposed by Euippius, and the one ordained by him? For both are the work of the same hand. Unless he had the grace given to Jeremiah, to pull down and to build up, to root out and to plant, he would neither have rooted out the one nor planted the other. And if you grant him the one, you will grant him the other too. But their one aim, it seems, is to seek their own everywhere, and to consider as a friend him who works with their desires, and to judge as an enemy, sparing no slander against him, him who opposes their desires. 7. For what are their present dealings against the Church like? Horrible because of the ease of those who do them, pitiable because of the insensibility of those who suffer them. Children of Euippius and descendants of Euippius, recalled from abroad to Sebaste by a trustworthy embassy, have been entrusted with the people. They have taken over the altar; they have become the leaven of the Church there. By these men we are persecuted as homoousiasts; and Eustathius, who carried the homoousion in the document from Rome as far as Tyana, is now blended with them; even though he could not be received into their much-desired communion, either because they feared the multitude of those who had agreed against him, or because they respected his credibility. For who those assembled were, and how each was ordained, and from what manner of life at the beginning he has now come to this power, may I never have such leisure as to recount their deeds. For I have learned to pray "that my mouth may not speak of the works of men"; but you, if you investigate, will learn; and even if it escapes you, it will certainly not escape the Judge. 8. But what I have felt I will not refuse to tell your love: that last year, having fallen ill of a most violent fever and come near to the very gates of death, and then being recalled by the love of God for humankind, I was distressed at my return, reckoning what evils I was coming back to; and I considered within myself what it could be that is stored up in the depth of the wisdom of God, for which days of life in the flesh were again granted to me. But when I learned these things, I reckoned that the Lord wished us to see the Churches at rest from the agitation they suffered before this at the separation of men who were trusted in everything because of the solemnity they had put on. Or perhaps the Lord wished to strengthen my soul and make it more watchful for the future, so as not to attend to men, but to be perfected by the commandments of the Gospel, which do not change with the times or with the circumstances of human affairs, but remain the same, as they were uttered from that truthful and blessed mouth, enduring forever. 9. But men are like clouds, carried now to one part of the sky and now to another by the changes of the winds. And these men of whom we speak have shown themselves the most changeable of all who have come within our experience. Whether in the other affairs of life, those who have lived with them could say; but such changeability about the faith as I have seen in them I know of in no others until now, neither having seen it myself nor heard of it from others. At first they followed Arius; they went over to Hermogenes, who was the diametrical enemy of the false belief of Arius, as is shown by the very creed that was first pronounced at Nicaea by that man. Hermogenes fell asleep, and again they went over to Eusebius, a leader of the circle of Arius, as those who have experience say. Having fallen from there, for whatever reasons, they ran back again to their homeland, and again kept the Arian opinion hidden. Having attained the episcopate, to omit what lies between, how many creeds have they set forth? Another at Ancyra, another at Seleucia, another at Constantinople, the much-talked-of one, another at Lampsacus, after that the one at Nike in Thrace, and now again the one at Cyzicus; of which I do not know the rest, but I hear only so much: that, passing over the homoousion in silence, they now bring in "like in essence," and write blasphemies against the Holy Spirit together with Eunomius. Of these creeds that I have listed, even if not all are contrary to one another, yet they all alike show the changeableness of their character, because they never stand by the same words. This is the truth, and countless other things are passed over. But since they have now gone over to you too, we ask you to write back through the same man (I mean our fellow presbyter Strategius) whether you have remained the same toward us, or have been altered by meeting them. For it was not likely that they would keep silent, nor that you, who wrote such things to us, would not use the same frankness toward them. If, then, you remain in communion with us, this is best, and worthy of our highest prayer; but if they have brought you over to themselves, it is grievous; for how could separation from such a brother not be? Yet, if nothing else, we have been well enough trained by those very men to bear such losses.
Prov 24:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 2:6 (echo, medium confidence) · Deut 1:17 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 2:17 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:5 (echo, low confidence) · Jer 1:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:21 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 17:4 (16:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Jude 1:12 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Cor 5:6 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil explains to Patrophilus of Aegae how his breach with Eustathius of Sebaste came about, rebutting the charges of communion with Apollinarius and of deceit over the Nicopolitan creed, and listing the many creeds Eustathius has accepted, before asking whether Patrophilus remains in communion with him.
- Letter 244. The "one man" Basil had long served and who turned against him is Eustathius of Sebaste. Basil's account of Eustathius and his party is translated as he gives it. In section 5 the words before "Eudoxius" are garbled in the scan and translated by sense. In section 6 the scan reads "five hundred bishops" (πεντακοσίων); the number is uncertain. "Homoousiasts": compare Letter 226. The creeds listed in section 9 are those of the synods of Ancyra (358), Seleucia (359), Constantinople (360), Lampsacus (364), Nike (359), and Cyzicus (376). Quotations and allusions: Prov 24:23 (LXX, quoted); Matt 22:16 / Gal 2:6 (respect of persons); Deut 1:17; 2 Cor 2:17; 1 Cor 4:5; Jer 1:10; Phil 2:21 (seek their own); Ps 17:4 ("that my mouth may not speak of the works of men", 16:4 LXX); Jude 12 (clouds carried by winds); 1 Cor 5:6 (leaven).
Topics: Heresy, Trinity, Church office
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 244 (PG 32:912b–924d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/244/#p-244). (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 245
245PG 32:925a–928a
Θεοφίλῳ ἕπισκόπῳ. Α Πάλαι δεξάμενος τὰ παρά τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης γράμματα, ἀνέμενον διὰ γνησίου προσώπου eum» στεῖλαι, ἵνα καὶ ὅσα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν διαφύγῃ ό διακονος τῶν γραμμάτων ἀναπληρώσῃ. Ἐπεὶ οὖν παρεγένετο ἡμῖν ὁ ποθεινότατος καὶ εὖλαβἐστατος ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν Στρατηγιος, αὐτῷ ἔνόμίσα δίκαιον εἶναι χρήσασθαι διακόνῳ, τῷ καὶ εἰδότι τὴν ἡμετέραν γνώμην, καὶ δυναμένῳ γνησίως τε ἅμα καὶ εὐλαβῶς διακονῆσαι τὰ παρʼ ἡμῶν. Γίνωσκε τοίνυν, ποθεινότατε ἡμῖν καὶ τιμιώτατε,- πολλοῦ ἀξίαν τίθεσθαι ἡμᾶς τὴν πρὸς σὲ ἀγάπην, ἧς, ἕνεκα μὲν τῆς κατά ψυχὴν διαθέσεως, οὐδεμίαν ὤραν ἀπολειφθεῖσιν ἑαυτοῖς συνεγνώκαμεν, εί καὶ ὅτι πολλα) καί μεγάλαι λυπης εὐλόγου γε· γόνασιν ἀφορμαί. Ἀλλʼ οὖν ἐκρίναμεν τοῦτο, ὥσπερ ἓν τρυτάνῇ, τὰ χρηστότερα τοῖς ἀηδεστέροις ἂντιτιθέν· τις, τῇ τῶν ἀμεινόνων ῥοπῇ προσθέσθαι τὴν γνώμην. Ἐπειδὴ δι τὰ πράγματα ἠλλοιώθη παρʼ ὧν ἣκιστα ίχρῆν τοῦτο γενέσθαι, συγγίνωσκε καὶ ἡμῖν ὀύχί τὴν γνώμην ἀλλοιωθείσιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τάξιν μεταθεμένοις. Μᾶλλον δὲ ἡμεῖς μὲν ἰπὶ τῆς αὐτῆς μενοῦμεν τάξεως, ἕτεροι δὲ εἰσιν οἱ συνεχῶς μετοιτίθέμενοι, νῦν δῖ καὶ φανερῶς πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους αὑτομο· λοῦντες ὧν ὅσου ἀξίαν ἐτιθέμεθα τὴν κοινωνίαν, ἕως ἦσαν ἐπὶ τῆς ὑγιαινούσης μερίδος, οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀγνοεῖς. Νῦν δὲ, εἰ μήτε ἐκείνοις συνεπόμεθα, καὶ τοὺς τὰ αὖτά φρονοῦντας αὐτοῖς ἐκκλίνομεν, συγγνώμης ἂν δικαίως τύχοιμεν, μηδὲν προτιμότερον τῆς ἀληθείας καὶτῆς οἰκείας ἑαυτῶν ἀσφαλείας τιθέμενοι. ’ ΕΠΙΣἸὉΛΗ ΕΜς. Νικοπολίταις. Ὀταν ίδω Rati τὸ κακόν εὐοδούμενον, καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν εὐλάβειαν κεκμηκυῖαν καὶ ἀπαγορεύου-ει σαν πρὸς τό συνεχὲς τῶν ἕπηρειῶν, ἀθυμίας πληροῦμαι. Ὀταν δὲ πάλιν τὴν μεγάλην χεῖρα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐννοήσω, καὶ ὅτι οἶδεν ἀνορθοῦν τοὺς κατερῥαγμένονς, καὶ ἀγαπᾷν δικαίους, συντρίβειν δὲ ὑπερηφάνους, καὶ καθαιρεῖνἀπὸ θρόνων δυνάστάς· πάλιν μεταβαλών κουφότερος γίνομαι ταῖς ἐλπίσι καὶ οἶδα, ὅτι διὰ τῶν προσευχῶν ὑμῶν ταχεῖαν δείξει ἡμῖν 6 Κύριος τήν γαλήνην. Μόνον μὴ ἁποκάμητε ’προσευχόμενον ἀλλʼ ὧν λόγοις ἐστὶ διδάσκαλοι, τούτων ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος καιροῦ ἔργῳ πᾶσιν ἐναργῆ σπουδάσατε προθεῖναι τὰ ὑποδείγματα.
Theophilǭ hepiskopǭ. A Palai dexamenos ta para tēs sēs agapēs grammata, anemenon dia gnēsiou prosōpou eum» steilai, hina kai hosa tēn epistolēn diaphygę̄ o diakonos tōn grammatōn anaplērōsę̄. Epei oun paregeneto hēmin ho potheinotatos kai eulabestatos adelphos hēmōn Stratēgios, autǭ enomisa dikaion einai chrēsasthai diakonǭ, tǭ kai eidoti tēn hēmeteran gnōmēn, kai dynamenǭ gnēsiōs te hama kai eulabōs diakonēsai ta parʼ hēmōn. Ginōske toinyn, potheinotate hēmin kai timiōtate,- pollou axian tithesthai hēmas tēn pros se agapēn, hēs, heneka men tēs kata psychēn diatheseōs, oudemian ōran apoleiphtheisin heautois synegnōkamen, ei kai hoti polla) kai megalai lypēs eulogou ge; gonasin aphormai. Allʼ oun ekrinamen touto, hōsper hen trytanę̄, ta chrēstotera tois aēdesterois antitithen; tis, tę̄ tōn ameinonōn rhopę̄ prosthesthai tēn gnōmēn. Epeidē di ta pragmata ēlloiōthē parʼ hōn hēkista ichrēn touto genesthai, synginōske kai hēmin ouchi tēn gnōmēn alloiōtheisin, alla tēn taxin metathemenois. Mallon de hēmeis men ipi tēs autēs menoumen taxeōs, heteroi de eisin hoi synechōs metoitithemenoi, nyn di kai phanerōs pros tous enantious hautomo; lountes hōn hosou axian etithemetha tēn koinōnian, heōs ēsan epi tēs hygiainousēs meridos, oude autos agnoeis. Nyn de, ei mēte ekeinois synepometha, kai tous ta auta phronountas autois ekklinomen, syngnōmēs an dikaiōs tychoimen, mēden protimoteron tēs alētheias kaitēs oikeias heautōn asphaleias tithemenoi. ’ EPISIOLĒ EMs. Nikopolitais. Otan idō Rati to kakon euodoumenon, kai tēn hymeteran eulabeian kekmēkuian kai apagoreuou-ei san pros to syneches tōn hepēreiōn, athymias plēroumai. Otan de palin tēn megalēn cheira tou Theou ennoēsō, kai hoti oiden anorthoun tous katerrhagmenons, kai agapąn dikaious, syntribein de hyperēphanous, kai kathaireinapo thronōn dynastas; palin metabalōn kouphoteros ginomai tais elpisi kai oida, hoti dia tōn proseuchōn hymōn tacheian deixei hēmin 6 Kyrios tēn galēnēn. Monon mē hapokamēte ’proseuchomenon allʼ hōn logois esti didaskaloi, toutōn epi tou parontos kairou ergǭ pasin enargē spoudasate protheinai ta hypodeigmata.
To Theophilus the bishop. Having received the letter from your love long ago, I was waiting to reply by a genuine person, so that whatever escaped the letter the bearer might fill in. Since, then, our most longed-for and most reverent brother Strategius has come to us, I thought it right to use him as minister, since he both knows our mind and is able to deliver our message genuinely and reverently. Know, then, most longed-for and most honored friend, that we value our love for you highly; as to the disposition of our soul we are not conscious of having fallen short of it for a single hour, even though many and great grounds for reasonable grief have arisen. Yet we decided this: setting, as on a balance, the better things against the more unpleasant, to add our judgment to the weight of the better. But since things have been changed by those by whom this should least of all have happened, forgive us too, not for having changed our judgment, but for having shifted our position. Or rather, we shall remain in the same position; it is others who are constantly shifting, and are now even openly deserting to the opponents. How highly we valued communion with them while they were on the sound side, you yourself know. But now, if we do not follow them, and avoid those who think as they do, we may justly obtain pardon, counting nothing more precious than the truth and our own safety. [Letter 246] To the Nicopolitans. When I see wickedness prospering, and your reverence weary and giving up before the continual abuse, I am filled with dejection. But when again I consider the great hand of God, and that he knows how to set up those who are cast down, and to love the righteous, but to crush the proud and to put down the mighty from their thrones, I change again and become lighter in my hopes; and I know that through your prayers the Lord will soon show us calm. Only do not grow weary in praying; but what you teach in words, strive at the present time to set before all as clear examples in deed.
Ps 146:8 (145:8 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 1:52 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Pet 5:6 (echo, medium confidence) · Luke 18:1 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil assures Theophilus that he still values his friendship, though he cannot follow those who have gone over to the opposing party; a second short letter encourages the Nicopolitans not to lose heart.
- Staged ref 245 holds Letter 245 (to Theophilus) and, from "[Letter 246]", Letter 246 (to the Nicopolitans). Those "constantly shifting" are Eustathius of Sebaste and his party. Allusions: Ps 146:8; Luke 1:51–52; 1 Pet 5:6 (mighty hand of God); Luke 18:1.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 245 (PG 32:925a–928a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/244/#p-245). (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 247
247PG 32:928a–928c
Νικοπολίταις. Ὀτε ἐνέτυχον τοῖς γράμμασι τῆς ὁσιότητος ὑμῶν, ὅσον ἐστέναξα καὶ ὠδυράμην, ὅτι καὶ ταῦτα τὰ κακὰ ταῖς ἐμαυτοῦ ἀκοαῖς ὑπεδεξάμην, πληγὰς μεν καὶ ὕβρεις εἰς ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς, πόρθησιν δὲ οἴκων, καὶ ἐρήμωσιν πόλεως, καὶ πατρίδος ὅλης ἀνατροπὴν, διωγμὸν Ἐκκλησίας καὶ φυγὴν ἱερέων, ἐπανάστασιν λύκων, καὶ ποιμνίων διασποράν. Ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ ἐπαυσάμην τοῦ στεναγμοῦ καὶτῶν δακρύων, πρός τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς Δεσπότην ἀποβλέψας, οἶδα καὶ πέπεισμαι, ὃ καί ὑμᾶς γινώσκειν βούλομαι, ὄτι ταχεῖα ἔσται ἡ ἀντίληψις, καὶ οὐκ εἰς τέλος ἔσται ἡ ἐγκατάλειψις. Ὃ μὶν γὰρ πεπόνθαμεν, διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν πεπόνθαμεν· τὴν δε αὑτοῦ βοήθειαν διὰ τήν περὶ τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἑαυτοῦ ἀγάπην καὶ εὐσπλαγχίαν 6 φιλάνθρωπος ἐπιδ είξεται. Οὐ μέντοι παρελίπομεν καὶ παρόντες τοὺς ἐν δυνάμει καθικετεύοντες, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν ἡμᾶς ἐπιστέλλοντες ἐπισχεθῆναι τῆς ὀργῆς τὸν λυσσῶντα. Καὶ οἶμαι παρά πολλῶν ἣξειν αὐτῷ κατάγνωσιν, ἐὰν μὴ ἄρα 6 καιρὸς θορύβου πεπληρωμένος μηδεμίαν δῷ σχολὴν περί ταῦτα τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμὰτων.
Nikopolitais. Ote enetychon tois grammasi tēs hosiotētos hymōn, hoson estenaxa kai ōdyramēn, hoti kai tauta ta kaka tais emautou akoais hypedexamēn, plēgas men kai hybreis eis hymas autous, porthēsin de oikōn, kai erēmōsin poleōs, kai patridos holēs anatropēn, diōgmon Ekklēsias kai phygēn hiereōn, epanastasin lykōn, kai poimniōn diasporan. Allʼ epeidē epausamēn tou stenagmou kaitōn dakryōn, pros ton en ouranois Despotēn apoblepsas, oida kai pepeismai, ho kai hymas ginōskein boulomai, oti tacheia estai hē antilēpsis, kai ouk eis telos estai hē enkataleipsis. Ho min gar peponthamen, dia tas hamartias hēmōn peponthamen; tēn de hautou boētheian dia tēn peri tas Ekklēsias heautou agapēn kai eusplanchian 6 philanthrōpos epid eixetai. Ou mentoi parelipomen kai parontes tous en dynamei kathiketeuontes, kai epi tou stratopedou tois agapōsin hēmas epistellontes epischethēnai tēs orgēs ton lyssōnta. Kai oimai para pollōn hēxein autǭ katagnōsin, ean mē ara 6 kairos thorybou peplērōmenos mēdemian dǭ scholēn peri tauta tois epi tōn pragmatōn.
To the Nicopolitans. When I read the letter of your holiness, how I groaned and lamented that these evils too reached my ears: blows and insults to yourselves, plundering of houses and the desolation of a city, the overturning of a whole homeland, persecution of the Church and flight of priests, an uprising of wolves and scattering of flocks. But when I ceased from groaning and tears and looked up to the Master in heaven, I knew and am persuaded, and I want you also to know, that help will come swiftly and that the abandonment will not be to the end. For what we have suffered, we have suffered for our sins; but the Lover of humankind will show his help because of his love and compassion for his Churches. Yet we have not failed both to entreat those in power when present, and to write to those at court who love us, that the raging man may be checked in his anger. And I think that condemnation will come upon him from many, unless perhaps these times, full of turmoil, give those in charge of affairs no leisure for these things.
Acts 20:29 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 10:12 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 9:18 (9:19 LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil grieves over the violence suffered by the Nicopolitans, assures them that God's help will come soon, and tells them he has appealed to friends at court.
- Letter 247. "The raging man" is probably the vicar Demosthenes. Allusions: Acts 20:29 (wolves); John 10:12 (scattered flock); Ps 9:18 (not forgotten to the end).
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 247 (PG 32:928a–928c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/244/#p-247). (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 248
248PG 32:928d–929b
Ἀμφιλοχίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Ἰκονίου. Ὀταν μεν πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν αὐτῶν ἓπιθυμίαν ἀπίδωμεν, ἀχθόμεθα τοσοῦτον διῳκισμένοι τῆς εὐλοι- 6είας σου· ὅταν δὲ πρὸς τὸ εἰρηνικόν τῆς σαυτοῦ διαγωγῆς, εὐχαριστοῦμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῶ ἑξελο-. μένῳ τὴν εὐλάβειαν σου ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐμπρησμοῦ τούτου, ὃς πλέον ἐπενείματο τὴν καθʼ ἧμας παροικίαν. Ἔδωκε γὰρ ἡμῖν κατὰ τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν 6 δικαιὸκρίτης ἄγγελον Σατάν, ἱκανῶς ἡμᾶς κατακονδυλίζοντα, καὶ σφοδρῶς μὲν ἐκδικοῦντα τήν αἵρεσινο μέχρι τοσούτου δ 's τὸν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐξαγαγόντα πόλεμον, ὥστε μηδὲ αἵματος φείσασθαι τῶν εἰς Θεὸν πεπιστευκότων. Πάντως γὰρ οὐκ ἔλαθέ σου τὴν ἀγάπηνίβτι Ἀσκλὴπιός τις, διὰ τὸ μὴ ελέσθαι τὴν πρὸς τὸν Δωὴκ κοινωνίαν, τυπτόμενος παρʼ αὐτῶν ταῖς πληγαῖς ἐναπεθανε, μᾶλλον δε διὰ τῶν πληγῶν εἰς τὴς ζωὴν μετετέθη. ’Δκὸλουθα δε ἕκείνῳ πάντα οἴου γίνεσθαι τά λοιπά διωγμοὺς πρεσβυτέρων καὶ διδασκάλων, τά ἄλλάὸσα ἂν ποιήσειαν ἅνθρωποι τῇ ἔκ τῆς ἀρχῆς δυναστείᾳ πρὸς τὸ ἑαυτῶν βούλημα κεχρημένοι. Ἀλλὰ τούτων μεν τήν λύσιν ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος ταῖς σαις εὐχαῖς δώσει, καὶ τὴν ὑπομονὴν· ὣστε βαστάσαι ἡμᾶς τὸ βάρος τῶν πειρασμῶν ἀξίως τῆς ἐπʼ αὐτὸν ἐλπίδος αὐτὸς δε καταξίου και ἐπιστέλλειν ἡμῖν συνεχῶς περὶ τῶν κατὰ σεαυτὸν. Κᾶν εὕρῃς τινά τὸν πιστῶς σοι δυνάμενον διακομίσαι τὸ πονηθεν ἡμῖν βιβλίον, καταξίωσον μεο ταστείλασθαι, ἶνα, τῇ σῇ ἐπικρίσει θαρρήσαντες, καὶ εἰς ἀλλων χεῖρας αὐτό διαπεμψώμεθα, Ἐῥρωμένος, εὔθυμος τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὖπερευχόμενος, χαρισθείης μοι καὶ τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου Ἐκκλησία χάριτι τοῦ Ἀγίου.
Amphilochiǭ, episkopǭ Ikoniou. Otan men pros tēn hēmeteran autōn hepithymian apidōmen, achthometha tosouton diǭkismenoi tēs euloi- 6eias sou; hotan de pros to eirēnikon tēs sautou diagōgēs, eucharistoumen tǭ Kyriǭ, tō hexelo-. menǭ tēn eulabeian sou apo tou emprēsmou toutou, hos pleon epeneimato tēn kathʼ hēmas paroikian. Edōke gar hēmin kata ta erga hēmōn 6 dikaiokritēs angelon Satan, hikanōs hēmas katakondylizonta, kai sphodrōs men ekdikounta tēn hairesino mechri tosoutou d 's ton pros hēmas exagagonta polemon, hōste mēde haimatos pheisasthai tōn eis Theon pepisteukotōn. Pantōs gar ouk elathe sou tēn agapēnibti Asklēpios tis, dia to mē elesthai tēn pros ton Dōēk koinōnian, typtomenos parʼ autōn tais plēgais enapethane, mallon de dia tōn plēgōn eis tēs zōēn metetethē. ’Dkoloutha de hekeinǭ panta oiou ginesthai ta loipa diōgmous presbyterōn kai didaskalōn, ta allaosa an poiēseian hanthrōpoi tę̄ ek tēs archēs dynasteią pros to heautōn boulēma kechrēmenoi. Alla toutōn men tēn lysin hēmin ho Kyrios tais sais euchais dōsei, kai tēn hypomonēn; hōste bastasai hēmas to baros tōn peirasmōn axiōs tēs epʼ auton elpidos autos de kataxiou kai epistellein hēmin synechōs peri tōn kata seauton. Kan heurę̄s tina ton pistōs soi dynamenon diakomisai to ponēthen hēmin biblion, kataxiōson meo tasteilasthai, ina, tę̄ sę̄ epikrisei tharrēsantes, kai eis allōn cheiras auto diapempsōmetha, Erhrōmenos, euthymos tǭ Kyriǭ, ypereuchomenos, charistheiēs moi kai tę̄ tou Kyriou Ekklēsia chariti tou Agiou.
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium. When we look to our own desire, we are vexed at being so far separated from your piety; but when we look to the peacefulness of your life, we thank the Lord who has rescued your reverence from this conflagration, which has spread most over our district. For the righteous Judge has given us, according to our works, an angel of Satan, who buffets us sufficiently and champions the heresy vehemently, carrying his war against us so far as not to spare even the blood of those who have believed in God. For surely it has not escaped your love that a certain Asclepius, because he would not choose communion with Doeg, died under the blows they gave him, or rather was translated through the blows into life. Suppose that all the rest follows consistently with that: persecutions of presbyters and teachers, and whatever else men would do who use the power of office for their own will. But the Lord will give us release from these things through your prayers, and endurance, so that we may bear the weight of the trials worthily of our hope in him. And do you deign to write to us constantly about your affairs. And if you find someone who can faithfully carry the book we have labored over, deign to send for it, so that, emboldened by your judgment, we may also send it into other hands. In health and good spirits in the Lord, praying for us, may you be granted to me and to the Church of the Lord by the grace of the Holy One.
2 Cor 12:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Tim 4:8 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 22:18 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil thanks God that Amphilochius is spared the persecution raging in his own district, where a man named Asclepius died under blows for refusing communion with the intruded bishop, and offers to send him his book.
- Letter 248. "Doeg" (compare 1 Sam 22; Ps 52) is Basil's name for the intruded Arian bishop; the "angel of Satan" is probably the vicar Demosthenes. "The book" is probably On the Holy Spirit. Allusions: 2 Cor 12:7 (angel of Satan buffeting); 2 Tim 4:8 (righteous Judge).
Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 248 (PG 32:928d–929b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/244/#p-248). (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 249
249PG 32:929b
’Δνεπίγραφος, ἐπʼ ἀνδρὶ εὖλαβεῖ. Συγχαίρω τῷ ἀδελφῷ τῷδε, καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα θορύβων ἀπαλλασσομένῳ, καὶ τὴν σῆν εὐλάβειαν καταλαμβάνοντι. Ἀγαθὸν γὰρ αὐτῷ ἕφόδιον πρὸς τὸν ἐφεξῆς αἰῶνα, τὴν μετά τῶν φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον ἀγαθὴν διαγωγὴν,ἕξελέξατο.ον καὶ παρατιθέμεθά σου τῇ τιμιότητι, καὶ παρακαλῶ διʼ αὐτοῦ εὔχεσθαι ὑπερζτῆς ἐλεεινῆς ἡμῶν ζωῆς, ἶνα, ῥυσθέντες τῶν πειρασμῶν τούτων, ἀρξώμεθα δουλεύειν τῷ Κυρίῳ κατά τὸ Εὐαγγίλιον.
’Dnepigraphos, epʼ andri eulabei. Synchairō tǭ adelphǭ tǭde, kai tōn entautha thorybōn apallassomenǭ, kai tēn sēn eulabeian katalambanonti. Agathon gar autǭ hephodion pros ton ephexēs aiōna, tēn meta tōn phoboumenōn ton Kyrion agathēn diagōgēn,hexelexato.on kai paratithemetha sou tę̄ timiotēti, kai parakalō diʼ autou euchesthai hyperztēs eleeinēs hēmōn zōēs, ina, rhysthentes tōn peirasmōn toutōn, arxōmetha douleuein tǭ Kyriǭ kata to Euangilion.
Without address, about a devout man. I rejoice with this brother, both that he is being freed from the turmoil here and that he is reaching your reverence. For he has chosen a good provision for the age to come: good living with those who fear the Lord. We commend him to your honor, and through him I urge you to pray for our pitiable life, so that, delivered from these trials, we may begin to serve the Lord according to the Gospel.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil commends a devout man who is moving to the addressee and asks for prayer.
- Letter 249.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 249 (PG 32:929b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/244/#p-249). (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 250
250PG 32:932a–932d
ἀποκρίνεσθαι, τοσοῦτον λόγον εἷς, τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης καλὸν εἰ ἄν τῷ ὀνόματι τῆς εἰρήνης περίγροίφεται μόνῳ, καταγέλαστόν ἐστι, τόν ὃείνα καὶ τόν δεῖνα ἐκλεγομένους, τούτοις μόνον μεταδιδόναι τοῦ εἰρηνεύειν, ἑτέρους δὲ μυρίους ᾁποκλείειν τῆς πρὸς τὸ καλὸν κοινωνίας· εἰ ci": πρὸς τούς βλαβεροὺς συμφωνία ἕν εἰρήνης προσχήματι τᾲ τῶν πολεμίων τοὺς προσδεχομένους ἐργάζεται, σκόπει τίνες εἰσὶν, οἷς ἀνέμιξαν ἑαυτοὺς, οἳ τό ἄδικον μῖσος ἐμίσησαν ἡμᾶς, ἀλλʼ οἱ τῆς μερίδος τῶν ἀκοινωνήτων ἡμῖν· οὐδε γὰρ δέομαι νῦν ὀνομαστὶ μεμνῆσθαι. Οὗτοι καὶ ἐκλήθησαν παρʼ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν Σιβάστιιαν, καὶ παρέλαβον τήν Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ἐλειτούργησαν ἐπὶ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, καὶ τοῦ ἰδίου ἄρτου παντὶ μετέδωκαν τῷ λαῷ, ἐπίσκοποι κηρυσσόμενοι παρὰ τῷ κλήρῳ, καὶ διὰ πάσης τῆς χώρας, ὡς ἅγιοι παρʼ αὖ· τῶν καὶ κοινωνικοὶ παραπεμπόμενοι. Ὧν εί χρὴ έλέσθαι τὴν μερίδα, καταγέλαστον ἐστιν ἐκ τῶν ὀνύχων ἄρχεσθαι, καὶ μή αὐταῖς αὐτῶν ταῖς κεραλαῐς προσδιαλέγεσθαι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐδένα δεῖ καθόλου αἱρετικὸν νομίζειν, οὐδὲ ἐκτρέπεσθαι, ἀντὶ τίνος, εἰπέ μοι, σεαυτὸν ἀφορίζεις συ, καὶ ὑποστέλλῃ τήν τινων κοινωνίαν; εἰ δέ εἰσί τινες φευκτοὶ, κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀκριβείας λόγον, εἰπάτωσαν ἡμῖν, οἱ -πάντα ἆκριεβῐς, τῆς ποίας εἰσὶ μερίδος, οὓς ἐκ τῆς Γαλατίας πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς προσηγάγοντο; Ταῦτα εἰ μὲν ἄξια λύπης σοι καταφαίνεται, τοῖς αἰτίοις τούτων λογίζου τὸν χωρισμόνο εἰ δὲ ἀδιάφορα κρίνεις, σύγγνωθι ἡμῖν μὴ καταδεχομένοις τῆς ζύμης γενέσθαι τῶν ἑτεροδιδασκαλούντων. Ὠστε, εἰ δοκεῖ, τῶν εὐπροσώπων ἐκείνων ἀφέμενος λόγων, ἓν πάσῃ παῤῥησίᾳ ἔλεγχε τοὺς μὴ ὀρθοποδοῦντας πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῦ Εὐαγγελὶου. “in; ᾁσεβειας, καὶ πυρὶ, καὶ σιδήρῳ, καὶ καιροῖς, καὶ desuetum, καὶ πᾶσι πρότερον ὁμόσε χωρητέον, ἦ τῆς ζύμης μεθεκτέον τῆς, πονηράς, καὶ συᾲιῐισὶταθετέεν τοῖς uoragi ἔχουσι· καὶ οὐδὲν οὕτω τῶν utiuti-raw φοβητέον, ὡς ἄλλο τι πρὸ Θεοῦ φοβηθῆναι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προδοῦως eum τι προ ωεου acclamatur, και οια τουτο προσου- aut ’περὶ τῆς πίστεως όγους, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας. ἀληθείᾳ δουλεύοντας· οὗ δε τὸ λυποῦν ὑπόνοια καὶ φόβος ἀνεξέε ταστοης, βελτίων τοῦ τάχους ᾖ* μακροθυμία, καὶ τῆς αὗθαᾷξείαξ ἡ- συγκαταβασις Virmn ubi aperte 86’
apokrinesthai, tosouton logon heis, to tēs eirēnēs kalon ei an tǭ onomati tēs eirēnēs perigroiphetai monǭ, katagelaston esti, ton hoeina kai ton deina eklegomenous, toutois monon metadidonai tou eirēneuein, heterous de myrious hąpokleiein tēs pros to kalon koinōnias; ei ci": pros tous blaberous symphōnia hen eirēnēs proschēmati tą tōn polemiōn tous prosdechomenous ergazetai, skopei tines eisin, hois anemixan heautous, hoi to adikon misos emisēsan hēmas, allʼ hoi tēs meridos tōn akoinōnētōn hēmin; oude gar deomai nyn onomasti memnēsthai. Houtoi kai eklēthēsan parʼ autōn eis tēn Sibastiian, kai parelabon tēn Ekklēsian, kai eleitourgēsan epi tou thysiastēriou, kai tou idiou artou panti metedōkan tǭ laǭ, episkopoi kēryssomenoi para tǭ klērǭ, kai dia pasēs tēs chōras, hōs hagioi parʼ au; tōn kai koinōnikoi parapempomenoi. Hōn ei chrē elesthai tēn merida, katagelaston estin ek tōn onychōn archesthai, kai mē autais autōn tais keralais prosdialegesthai. Ei men oun oudena dei katholou hairetikon nomizein, oude ektrepesthai, anti tinos, eipe moi, seauton aphorizeis sy, kai hypostellę̄ tēn tinōn koinōnian? ei de eisi tines pheuktoi, kata ton tēs akribeias logon, eipatōsan hēmin, hoi -panta akriebis, tēs poias eisi meridos, hous ek tēs Galatias pros heautous prosēgagonto? Tauta ei men axia lypēs soi kataphainetai, tois aitiois toutōn logizou ton chōrismono ei de adiaphora krineis, syngnōthi hēmin mē katadechomenois tēs zymēs genesthai tōn heterodidaskalountōn. Ōste, ei dokei, tōn euprosōpōn ekeinōn aphemenos logōn, hen pasę̄ parrhēsią elenche tous mē orthopodountas pros tēn alētheian tou Euangeliou. “in? hąsebeias, kai pyri, kai sidērǭ, kai kairois, kai desuetum, kai pasi proteron homose chōrēteon, ē tēs zymēs methekteon tēs, ponēras, kai syąiiisitatheteen tois uoragi echousi; kai ouden houtō tōn utiuti-raw phobēteon, hōs allo ti pro Theou phobēthēnai, kai dia touto prodouōs eum ti pro ōeou acclamatur, kai oia touto prosou- aut ’peri tēs pisteōs ogous, kai tēs alētheias. alētheią douleuontas; hou de to lypoun hyponoia kai phobos anexee tastoēs, beltiōn tou tachous ę̄* makrothymia, kai tēs hauthaąxeiax hē- synkatabasis Virmn ubi aperte 86’
[To Patrophilus, bishop of Aegae.] … to answer, I say only this much: if the good of peace is confined to the mere name of peace, it is ridiculous to pick out So-and-so and So-and-so and share peace with them alone, while shutting out countless others from fellowship in the good. But if agreement with harmful men under the pretext of peace does the work of enemies to those who receive them, consider who those are with whom they have mingled themselves, who have hated us with an unjust hatred: are they not those of the party that is not in communion with us? For I need not now mention them by name. These were invited by them to Sebaste, took over the Church, ministered at the altar, and gave of their own bread to all the people, being proclaimed bishops among the clergy and escorted through the whole country as holy and in communion. If one must choose their party, it is ridiculous to begin with the nails, and not to converse with the very heads. If, then, one must consider no one at all a heretic nor shun anyone, why, tell me, do you separate yourself and hold back from communion with some? But if some are to be shunned according to the principle of strictness, let them tell us, those who are strict in everything, to what party those belong whom they have brought over to themselves from Galatia. If these things seem to you worthy of grief, count the separation against those who caused it; but if you judge them indifferent, forgive us for not consenting to become part of the leaven of those who teach otherwise. So, if you please, drop those fair-seeming words, and with all frankness rebuke those who do not walk straight according to the truth of the Gospel.
1 Cor 5:6 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 1:3 (echo, medium confidence) · Gal 2:14 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil tells Patrophilus that peace with men who have taken in heretical bishops at Sebaste is no real peace, and urges him to rebuke openly those who do not walk according to the truth of the Gospel.
- Letter 250. The scan has lost the heading and the opening of the letter ("…"). After the end of the letter the scan has a badly garbled passage on choosing fire and sword rather than sharing in evil leaven, with Migne's Latin mixed in; it is not part of Letter 250 in the standard text and is not translated. Those Basil refers to are Eustathius of Sebaste and his party. Allusions: 1 Cor 5:6–8 (leaven); 1 Tim 1:3 (teach otherwise); Gal 2:14 (walk straight according to the truth of the Gospel).
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 250 (PG 32:932a–932d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/244/#p-250). (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.