Letters 89–95
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 89
89PG 32:469a–476a
Μελετίῳ ἐπισκὸπῳ Ἀντιοχείας. 1. ὀ ἀγαθός Θεὸς, παρασχόμενος ἡμῖν προφάσεις προσηγοριῶν πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα, τὸ σφοδρόν τοῦ πόθου παραμυθεῖται. Μάρτυς γὰρ αὐτὸς τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἡμῶν, ἣν ἔχομεν εἰς τὸ θεάσασθαί σου τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ἀγαθῆς σου καὶ ψνχωφελοῦς διδασκαλίας. Καὶ νῦν δε διὰ τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου καὶ σπουδαιοτάτου ἀδελφοῦ Δωροθέου τοῦ συνδακὸνου ἐρχομένου παρακαλοῦμεν σε προηγουμένως προσεύχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ πρόσκομμα ὦμεν τῷ λαῷ, μηδὲ ἐμπόδιον παῖς ὑμετέραις εὐχαῖς πρὸς τό δυσωπῆσαι τὸν Κύριον· ἔπειτα καὶ ὑπομιμνήσκομεν καταξιῶσαι σε πάντα τυπῶσαι διὰ τοῦ προειρημένου ἀδελφοῦ ° καὶ εἰ τι tisi ἐπίσταλῆναι τοίς κατὰ τὴν δύσιν, διὰ τὸ ὀφείλειν ἀναγκαίως καὶ δ ιʼ ips-iper: αὐτοῖς ἀπενεχθῆναι γράμματα, αὐτὸν ὑπανίορεῦσαι τὰς ἐπιστολάς. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἐπιτυχόντες Ξαβίνου, τοῦ παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀποσταλέντος ιακὸνον, ἑπεστείλαμῖν πρὸς τε τούς Ἰλλυριοὺς καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κατά τὴν Ἰταλίαν καὶ Γαλλίαν ἐπισκόπους, καί τινας τῶν ἰδίως πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἐπιστειλάντων. Εὖλογον 2. Καὶ περὶ τοῦ αἰδεσίμωτάτον ἐπισκόπου Ἀθανασίου ἀκριβῶς γινώσκουσαν τὴν τελείαν σου φρόνησιν υττομιμνὶέονκομεν ὅτι ἀμήχανον τοῖς παρʼ ἐμοῦ γράμμασιν ἐπιδοῦναι ἦ ποιῆσαί τι τῶν ὀφειλομένων, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ παρʼ ὑμῶν, τῶν τότε τὴν κοινωνίαν αὖ· τοῦ ἀναβαλλομένων, ὃέξηταί τινα τρόπον. Αὐτὸς γὰρ λέγεται πάνυ ὡρμῆσθαι πρὸς τὸ συναφθῆναι ἡμῖν, καὶ τά κατά δύναμιν συμβαλέσΰαι, λυπεῖσθαι δὲ, ὅτι καὶ τότε παρεπέμφθη ἀκοινώνητος, καὶ ἔτι νῦν ἀτελεῖς μένουσιν αἱ ὑποσχέσεις.Τά δὲ κατά τὴν Ἀνατολὴν ὅπως διάκειται οὐκ ἔλαθε πάντως τάς ἀκοάς τῆς Θεοσεξείας σουο καὶ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ δὲ ἀκριβέστερον πάντα ὁπροειρημένος ἀδελφὸς διηγήσεται. Ὀν καταξίωσον εὐθὺς ἐκπέμψαι μετά τὸ Πάσχα, διὰ τὸ ἀναμένειν τὰς ἀπὸ Σαμοσάτων ἀποκρίσειςο οὗ καὶ τὴν προθυμίαν ἀπὸ· δέξαι, καί εὖχαῖς αὑτὸν ἐνισχύσας, πρόπεμψον εἰς τὰ προκείμενα. παρʼ ὑμῖν καλά διηγησάμενος ἀκριβῶς, ἔθρεψεν ἡμῶν τὰς ψυχάς· καὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα δὲ, τῇ πείρα μαἐναργῶς θὼν, ύμῖν ἀναγγελεῖ, ἵνα προηγουμένως μὲν διὰ τῆς ἐκτενοῦς καὶ φιλοπόνου δεήσεως τῆς πρὸς τόν Κύριον συναγωνίζησθε ἡμῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐνδεχομένην ύμῖν παραμυθίαν ταῖς καταπονουμίναις Ἐκκλησίαις εἰσενέγκασθαι μὴ παραιτήσησθε. Κέκμηκε γὰρ τὰ ἐνταῦθα, ἀδελφοὶ τιμιώτατοι, καὶ ἀπείρηκε πρὸς τὰς συνεχεῖς προσβολὰς τῶν ἐναντίων ἡ Ἐκκλησία, ὥσπερ τι πλοῖον ἐν πελάγει μέσῳ ταῖς ἐπαλλήλοις πληγαῖς τῶν κυμάτων βασανιζόμενον, εἰ μή τις γένοιτο ταχεῖα ἐπισκοπη τῆς ἀλαθότητος του Κυρίου. ’Ὠσπερ οὖν ἡμεῖς ἴδιον ἐαυτῶν ἀγαθόν ποιούμεθα τὴν ὑμετέραν προς ἀλλήλους σύμπνοιάν τε καὶ ἑνότητα, οὕτω καὶ ὑμᾶς παρακαδ λούμεν συμπαθῆσαι ἡμῶν ταῖς διαιρέσεσι· καὶ μὴ, εἰς την ἑνός σώματος ἡμᾶς συμφωνίαν ἀναλαμβάνειν. 2. Γνὼριμα δε τά θλίβοντα ἡμᾶς, κᾶν ἡμεῖς μὴ λέγωμεν· εἰς πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν οἰκουμένην λοιπὸν ἐξήχηται. Καταπεφρόνηται τὰ τῶν Πατίρων δογματα· ἀποστολικαὶ παραδόσεις ἐξουδένωνται νεωτεροποιῶν ἀνθρώπων ἄφευρίματα ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις ἐμπολιτεῡεταιο τεχνολογοῦσι λοιπόν, ού θεολογοῦσιν οἱ ἂνθρωποι· ἠ τοῦ κοσμου σοφία τὰ πρωτεῖα φέρεται, παρωσαμένη τὸ καύχημα τοῦ σταυροῦ. Ποιμένες ἀπελαύνονται, ἀντεισάγονται δε λύκοι βαρεῖς, διασπῶντες τό ποίμνιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ Οἷκοι εύκτήριοι, ἔρημοι τῶν ἐκκλησιαζόντων· αί ίρημίαι πλήρεις τῶν ὀδυρομένων. Οἱ πρεσβύτεροι ὀδύρονται, τὰ παλαιὰ συγκρίνοντες τοῖς παροῦσινο οἱ νίοι ἐλεεινότεροι, μὴ εἰδότες οίων ἐστέρηνται. Ταῦτα ἱκανὰ μὲν κινῆσαι πρὸς συμπάθειαν τούς τὴν Χριστοῦ ἀγάπην πεπαιδευμνους· συγκρινόμενος δε τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τῶν πραγμάτων 6 λόγος παρά πολὺ τῆς ἀξίας αὐτῶν ἀπολείπεται. Εἴ τι οὖν παραμύθιον ἀγάπης, εἰ τις κοινωνία Πνεύματος, εἲ τινα σπλάγχνα οἰκτιραῶν, κινήθητε πρὸς τὴν ἀντίληψιν ἡμῶν. Λάβετε ζῆλον εὐσεβείας, ἕξελεσθε ἡμᾶς τοῦ χειμῶνος τούτου. Λαλείσθω καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν μετά παρῥησίας τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἰκεῖνο κήρυγμα τῶν Πατίρων, τὸ καταστρέφον μὲν τὴν δυσώνυμον αἰρεσιν τὴν Ἀρείου, οἰκοδομοῦν δε τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἓν τῇ ὑγιαινούση διδασκαλία ἓν ᾖ 6 Υἱός όμοούσιος ὁμολογεῖται τῷ Πατρί, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τό ἅγιον όμοτίμως συναριθμεῖταί τε καὶ συλλατρεύεται· ἵνα ἣν ὑμῖν ἔδωκεν 6 Κύριος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας παρῥησίαν, καὶ τό ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ τῆς θείας καὶ σωτηρίου Τριάὸος καύχημα, τοῦτο καὶ ἡμῖν διὰ τῶν ὑμετέρων εὐχῶν καὶ τῆς συνεργίας ύμῷν χαρίσηται. Τό δε καθίκαι-τον αυτος ὀ προειρημενος συνδιάκονος iuvem. λιῖ ὑμῶν τῇ ἀγάπῃ. Καὶ πᾶσι δε τοῖς γινομένοις
Meletiǭ episkopǭ Antiocheias. 1. o agathos Theos, paraschomenos hēmin prophaseis prosēgoriōn pros tēn sēn timiotēta, to sphodron tou pothou paramytheitai. Martys gar autos tēs epithymias hēmōn, hēn echomen eis to theasasthai sou to prosōpon, kai apolausai tēs agathēs sou kai psnchōphelous didaskalias. Kai nyn de dia tou eulabestatou kai spoudaiotatou adelphou Dōrotheou tou syndakonou erchomenou parakaloumen se proēgoumenōs proseuchesthai hyper hēmōn, hina mē proskomma ōmen tǭ laǭ, mēde empodion pais hymeterais euchais pros to dysōpēsai ton Kyrion; epeita kai hypomimnēskomen kataxiōsai se panta typōsai dia tou proeirēmenou adelphou ° kai ei ti tisi epistalēnai tois kata tēn dysin, dia to opheilein anankaiōs kai d iʼ ips-iper: autois apenechthēnai grammata, auton hypanioreusai tas epistolas. Hēmeis gar epitychontes Xabinou, tou parʼ autōn apostalentos iakonon, hepesteilamin pros te tous Illyrious kai pros tous kata tēn Italian kai Gallian episkopous, kai tinas tōn idiōs pros hēmas episteilantōn. Eulogon 2. Kai peri tou aidesimōtaton episkopou Athanasiou akribōs ginōskousan tēn teleian sou phronēsin yttomimnieonkomen hoti amēchanon tois parʼ emou grammasin epidounai ē poiēsai ti tōn opheilomenōn, ean mē kai parʼ hymōn, tōn tote tēn koinōnian au; tou anaballomenōn, hoexētai tina tropon. Autos gar legetai pany hōrmēsthai pros to synaphthēnai hēmin, kai ta kata dynamin symbalesÿai, lypeisthai de, hoti kai tote parepemphthē akoinōnētos, kai eti nyn ateleis menousin hai hyposcheseis.Ta de kata tēn Anatolēn hopōs diakeitai ouk elathe pantōs tas akoas tēs Theosexeias souo kai diʼ heautou de akribesteron panta hoproeirēmenos adelphos diēgēsetai. On kataxiōson euthys ekpempsai meta to Pascha, dia to anamenein tas apo Samosatōn apokriseiso hou kai tēn prothymian apo; dexai, kai euchais hauton enischysas, propempson eis ta prokeimena. parʼ hymin kala diēgēsamenos akribōs, ethrepsen hēmōn tas psychas; kai ta hēmetera de, tę̄ peira maenargōs thōn, ymin anangelei, hina proēgoumenōs men dia tēs ektenous kai philoponou deēseōs tēs pros ton Kyrion synagōnizēsthe hēmin, epeita de kai tēn endechomenēn ymin paramythian tais kataponouminais Ekklēsiais eisenenkasthai mē paraitēsēsthe. Kekmēke gar ta entautha, adelphoi timiōtatoi, kai apeirēke pros tas synecheis prosbolas tōn enantiōn hē Ekklēsia, hōsper ti ploion en pelagei mesǭ tais epallēlois plēgais tōn kymatōn basanizomenon, ei mē tis genoito tacheia episkopē tēs alathotētos tou Kyriou. ’Ōsper oun hēmeis idion eautōn agathon poioumetha tēn hymeteran pros allēlous sympnoian te kai henotēta, houtō kai hymas parakad loumen sympathēsai hēmōn tais diairesesi; kai mē, eis tēn henos sōmatos hēmas symphōnian analambanein. 2. Gnōrima de ta thlibonta hēmas, kan hēmeis mē legōmen; eis pasan gar tēn oikoumenēn loipon exēchētai. Katapephronētai ta tōn Patirōn dogmata; apostolikai paradoseis exoudenōntai neōteropoiōn anthrōpōn apheurimata tais Ekklēsiais empoliteuetaio technologousi loipon, ou theologousin hoi anthrōpoi; ē tou kosmou sophia ta prōteia pheretai, parōsamenē to kauchēma tou staurou. Poimenes apelaunontai, anteisagontai de lykoi bareis, diaspōntes to poimnion tou Christou Hoikoi euktērioi, erēmoi tōn ekklēsiazontōn; ai irēmiai plēreis tōn odyromenōn. Hoi presbyteroi odyrontai, ta palaia synkrinontes tois parousino hoi nioi eleeinoteroi, mē eidotes oiōn esterēntai. Tauta hikana men kinēsai pros sympatheian tous tēn Christou agapēn pepaideumnous; synkrinomenos de tę̄ alētheią tōn pragmatōn 6 logos para poly tēs axias autōn apoleipetai. Ei ti oun paramythion agapēs, ei tis koinōnia Pneumatos, ei tina splanchna oiktiraōn, kinēthēte pros tēn antilēpsin hēmōn. Labete zēlon eusebeias, hexelesthe hēmas tou cheimōnos toutou. Laleisthō kai parʼ hēmin meta parrhēsias to agathon ikeino kērygma tōn Patirōn, to katastrephon men tēn dysōnymon airesin tēn Areiou, oikodomoun de tas Ekklēsias hen tę̄ hygiainousē didaskalia hen ę̄ 6 Huios omoousios homologeitai tǭ Patri, kai to Pneuma to hagion omotimōs synarithmeitai te kai syllatreuetai; hina hēn hymin edōken 6 Kyrios hyper tēs alētheias parrhēsian, kai to epi tę̄ homologią tēs theias kai sōtēriou Triaoos kauchēma, touto kai hēmin dia tōn hymeterōn euchōn kai tēs synergias ymǭn charisētai. To de kathikai-ton autos o proeirēmenos syndiakonos iuvem. lii hymōn tę̄ agapę̄. Kai pasi de tois ginomenois
To Meletius, bishop of Antioch. 1. The good God, by giving us occasions to greet your Honor, soothes the vehemence of our longing. For he himself is witness of the desire we have to see your face and enjoy your good and soul-profiting teaching. And now, through our most pious and zealous brother Dorotheus, the deacon, who is coming to you, we urge you first to pray for us, that we may not be a stumbling block to the people nor a hindrance to your prayers in prevailing on the Lord; and then we remind you to deign to arrange everything through the aforesaid brother; and if anything is to be written to those in the West, since letters must of necessity be carried to them by one of ours, to dictate the letters yourself. For we, having found Sabinus, the deacon sent by them, have written to the Illyrians and to the bishops in Italy and Gaul, and to some who wrote to us personally. It is reasonable … 2. And concerning the most reverend bishop Athanasius, we remind your perfect prudence, which knows it exactly, that it is impossible for anything due to be advanced or done by my letters, unless he is in some way received by you too, who at that time postponed communion with him. For he is said to be very eager to be united with us and to contribute what he can, but to be grieved that then too he was sent away out of communion, and that the promises still remain unfulfilled. How things stand in the East has surely not escaped the ears of your Godliness; and the aforesaid brother will tell all more exactly himself. Deign to send him off immediately after Easter, since he is waiting for the replies from Samosata; welcome his zeal, and, strengthening him with prayers, send him on to the tasks before him. [Letter 90] … having told exactly the good things among you, he nourished our souls; and he will report our affairs to you, having learned them clearly by experience, so that first you may contend with us by earnest and diligent prayer to the Lord, and then not refuse to bring what consolation you can to the oppressed churches. For things here are exhausted, most honored brothers, and the Church has given up under the continual assaults of the enemies, like a ship in the open sea tormented by successive blows of the waves, unless some swift visitation of the Lord's goodness should come. As, then, we count your agreement and unity with one another our own good, so we urge you to sympathize with our divisions, and not … but to take us into the harmony of one body. 2. What afflicts us is known even if we do not speak; for it has now sounded out into the whole world. The doctrines of the Fathers are despised; the apostolic traditions are set at nought; the inventions of innovating men are established in the churches; men now practice logic-chopping, not theology; the wisdom of the world carries off the first prizes, having pushed aside the boast of the cross. Shepherds are driven away, and grievous wolves are brought in their place, tearing apart the flock of Christ. Houses of prayer are empty of those who assemble; the deserts are full of mourners. The old men lament, comparing the past with the present; the young are more pitiable, not knowing what they have been deprived of. These things are enough to move to sympathy those taught the love of Christ; yet our word, compared with the reality of things, falls far short of their worth. If, then, there is any comfort of love, any fellowship of the Spirit, any affection and compassion, be moved to help us. Take up zeal for godliness; rescue us from this storm. Let that good preaching of the Fathers be spoken among us too with boldness, which overthrows the ill-named heresy of Arius and builds up the churches in sound teaching, in which the Son is confessed to be of the same essence as the Father, and the Holy Spirit is numbered and worshiped with equal honor; so that the boldness for the truth that the Lord has given you, and the boast in the confession of the divine and saving Trinity, he may grant to us too through your prayers and cooperation. The rest the aforesaid fellow deacon himself will tell your Love. And in all that happens …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Rom 14:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 20:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 2:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 1:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 6:14 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil asks Meletius to direct Dorotheus's mission to the West and to receive Athanasius into communion; a second letter, to the Western bishops, describes the ruin of the Eastern churches and asks for help.
- This staged ref holds two letters. Letter 89 (Benedictine), to Meletius: a sentence is lost after “It is reasonable” (“…”). Meletius's party had declined communion with Athanasius. [Letter 90], to the holy brethren the bishops of the West: its heading and opening are lost in the scan, and its end is lost too (“…”); the subject of “he nourished our souls” is the deacon Sabinus. A phrase is also missing in section 1 (“not …”). ὁμοούσιος: “of the same essence.” Scripture: Rom 14:13; Acts 20:29; Ezek 34; Phil 2:1; 1 Cor 1:17–18; Gal 6:14.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR junk): ἐνδεχομένην ύμῖν (Η) παραμυθίαν → ἐνδεχομένην ύμῖν παραμυθίαν.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 89 (PG 32:469a–476a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/89/#p-89). (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 91
91PG 32:476a–476d
Οὐαλεριανῷ, ἕπισκόπῳ Ἰλλυριῶν. Χάρις τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῷ δόντι ἡμῖν ἀρχαίας ἀγάπης καρπὸν ἰδεῖν ἓν τῇ σῇ καθαρότητι· ὃς γε τοσοῡτον διεστὼς τῷ σώματι, συνῆψας ἡμῖν σεαυτὸν διὰ γράμματος, καὶ τῷ πνευματικῷ σου καὶ ἁγίῳ πόθῳ περιπτυξοὶμινος ἡμᾶς, ἀμύθητόν τι φίλτρον ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν ἓνιποίησας. Ἐργῳ γὰρ ἐμάθομεν τῆς παροιμίας τὴν δύναμιν, ὅτιὨσπιρ ψυχῇ διψώσῃ ψυχρόν ὕδωρ, οὕτως ἀγγελία ἀγαθὴ ἂ τῆς μακρόθεν. Δεινὸς γὰρ ἔστι παρʼ ἡμῖν λιμὸς ἀγάπης, ἀδελφὴ τιμιώτατε. Καὶ ἡ αἰτία πρόδηλος, ὅτι διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν stays τῶν πολλῶν ὁ Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ πολλοῦ ἄξιον ἑμῖν ίςοάνη τὸ γράμμα,,καὶ ἀμειβόμεθοὶ σε διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀνδρός τοῦ εὐλαβεστάτου συνδιακόνου ἡμῶν καὶ ἀδελφοῦ Σαβίνουο διʼ οὗ καὶ γνωρίζομέν σοι teuτοὺς, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν σε ἐπαγρυπνεῖν ταῖς ὐπὶρ ἡμῶν προσευχαῖς· ἶνα δῷ ποτε 6 ἅγιος Θεὸς καί τοῖς ἐνταῦθα πράγμασι γαλήνην καὶ ἡσυχίαν, καὶ immuto?) τῷ ἀνέμῳ τούτῳ καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ· ὥστε παύσασθαι ἡμᾶς τοῦ σάλου καὶ τῆς ἀνατροπῆς, ἓν ᾖ νῦν καθεστήκαμεν, ἀεὶ καταποντισθήσισθαι παντελῶς ἀναμένοντες. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μεγάλως ἓν τοῖς παροῦσιν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῖν ἐχαρίσατο, τό ὑμᾶς ἀκούειν ἕν ἀκριβεῖ συμφωνίᾳ καὶ ἑνότητι εἶναι πρὸς ἄλη· λους, καὶ ἀκωλύτως παρʼ ὑμῖν τὸ κήρυγμα τῆς σθʼ σεβείας περιαγγέλλεσθαι· ὁτιδήποτε γὰρ (εἰπερ μὴ συγκέκλεισται λοιπὸν ὁ χρόνος τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, ἀλλʼ επὶ ἡμέραι τῆς strepitum; ζωῆς ὑπολείπονται) ἀνάγκη παρʼ ὑμῶν ἀνανεωθῆναι τὴν πίστιν τῇ Ἀνατολῇ· καὶ ὧν ἐλάβετε παρʼ αὐτῆς ἀγαθῶν, τούξ των ἐν καιρῷ παρασχέσθαι aut; τὴν inrideame γὰρ ὑγιαῖνον ενταῦθα μέρος, καὶ τήν τῶν πατέρων εὐσέβειαν ἂκδικοῦν, ἱκανῶς unum, πολλαῖς καί ποικίλαις μηχανημάτων προσβολαῖς ἐν cauto-l2 μεθοδεία τοῦ διαβόλου αὐτὸ κατασείσαντος. Ἀλλ εὐχαῖς ὑμετέραις τῶν ἀγαπώντων τὸν Κύριον, ’Δρείου κακοδοξίας· ἀναλάμψει δὶῖ ἦ ἀγαθὴ τῷν
Oualerianǭ, hepiskopǭ Illyriōn. Charis tǭ Kyriǭ, tǭ donti hēmin archaias agapēs karpon idein hen tę̄ sę̄ katharotēti; hos ge tosouton diestōs tǭ sōmati, synēpsas hēmin seauton dia grammatos, kai tǭ pneumatikǭ sou kai hagiǭ pothǭ periptyxoiminos hēmas, amythēton ti philtron tais psychais hēmōn henipoiēsas. Ergǭ gar emathomen tēs paroimias tēn dynamin, hotiŌspir psychę̄ dipsōsę̄ psychron hydōr, houtōs angelia agathē a tēs makrothen. Deinos gar esti parʼ hēmin limos agapēs, adelphē timiōtate. Kai hē aitia prodēlos, hoti dia to plēthynthēnai tēn anomian stays tōn pollōn ho Dia touto kai pollou axion hemin isoanē to gramma,,kai ameibomethoi se dia tou autou andros tou eulabestatou syndiakonou hēmōn kai adelphou Sabinouo diʼ hou kai gnōrizomen soi teutous, kai parakaloumen se epagrypnein tais ypir hēmōn proseuchais; ina dǭ pote 6 hagios Theos kai tois entautha pragmasi galēnēn kai hēsychian, kai immuto?) tǭ anemǭ toutǭ kai tę̄ thalassę̄; hōste pausasthai hēmas tou salou kai tēs anatropēs, hen ę̄ nyn kathestēkamen, aei katapontisthēsisthai pantelōs anamenontes. Alla touto megalōs hen tois parousin ho Kyrios hēmin echarisato, to hymas akouein hen akribei symphōnią kai henotēti einai pros alē; lous, kai akōlytōs parʼ hymin to kērygma tēs sthʼ sebeias periangellesthai; hotidēpote gar (eiper mē synkekleistai loipon ho chronos tou kosmou toutou, allʼ epi hēmerai tēs strepitum? zōēs hypoleipontai) anankē parʼ hymōn ananeōthēnai tēn pistin tę̄ Anatolę̄; kai hōn elabete parʼ autēs agathōn, toux tōn en kairǭ paraschesthai aut? tēn inrideame gar hygiainon entautha meros, kai tēn tōn paterōn eusebeian akdikoun, hikanōs unum, pollais kai poikilais mēchanēmatōn prosbolais en cauto-l2 methodeia tou diabolou auto kataseisantos. All euchais hymeterais tōn agapōntōn ton Kyrion, ’Dreiou kakodoxias; analampsei dii ē agathē tǭn
To Valerianus, bishop of the Illyrians. Thanks be to the Lord, who has given us to see the fruit of ancient love in your Purity; you who, so far separated in body, have joined yourself to us by letter, and, embracing us with your spiritual and holy longing, have produced an unspeakable affection in our souls. For we have learned by experience the force of the proverb, “As cold water to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.” For there is a terrible famine of love among us, most honored brother. And the cause is plain: because lawlessness has multiplied, the love of many has grown cold. For this reason your letter seemed of great value to us, and we reply to you through the same man, our most pious fellow deacon and brother Sabinus, through whom we also make ourselves known to you, and urge you to be watchful in prayers for us, that the holy God may one day grant calm and quiet to affairs here too, and rebuke this wind and sea, so that we may cease from the tossing and upheaval in which we now are, always expecting to be completely sunk. But in the present circumstances the Lord has granted us this great favor: to hear that you are in exact agreement and unity with one another, and that the preaching of godliness is proclaimed among you without hindrance. For at some time (unless the time of this world has already been closed, and there remain still days of human life) the faith must be renewed for the East by you, and you must in due season give back to it the good things you received from it. For the sound part here, which defends the godliness of the Fathers, is sufficiently … , the devil's craft having shaken it with many and various assaults of contrivances. But by your prayers, who love the Lord, … the evil doctrine of Arius; and the good … will shine out again …
Prov 25:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 24:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 8:26 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil thanks Valerianus of Illyricum for his letter, laments the famine of love in the East, and hopes the West will renew the faith there.
- Staged as 90; this is Letter 91 (Benedictine). The OCR is garbled toward the end and the letter breaks off (“…”). Scripture: Prov 25:25; Matt 24:12; Matt 8:26. The East had given the faith to the West, which now must give it back.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 91 (PG 32:476a–476d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/89/#p-91). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-91) · 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 92
92PG 32:477a–484b
Ηρός Ἰταλοὺς καὶ Γάλλους. 1. Τοῖς θεοφιλεστάτοις καὶ ὁσιωτάτοις ἀδελροῖς συλλειτουργοῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἰταλίαν καὶ Γαλλίαν ὀμοψύχοις ἐπισκόποις Μελέτιος, Εὖσέβειος, Βασίλειος, Βάσσος, Γρηγόριος, Πελάγιος, Παῦλος, Ἄνθιμος, Θεοδοτος, Βίθος, Ἀβραάμιος, Ἰοβἰνος Ζήνων, Θεοδώρητος, Μαρκιανὸς, Βάραχος, Ἀςραάμιος, Λιβάνιος, Θαλάσσιος, Ἰωσὴφ, Βοηθὸς, Ἰάτριος, Θεόδοτος, Εὗστάθιος, Βαρσούμας, Ἰωάννης, Χοσρόης, Ἰωσάκης, Νάρσης, Μάρις, Γρηγόριος, Δάφνος, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Φέρει μέν τινα παραμυθίαν ταῖς ὄδυνωμέναις ψυχαῖς καὶ στεναγμὸς πολλάκις ἐκ βάθους τῆς καρδίας ἀναπεμπὸμενος, καὶ που καὶ δάκρυον ἀποστάξαν τὸ πολύ τῆς θλίψεως διεφόρησεν ο ἡμῖν δὲ οὐχ, ὅσον στεναγμὸς καὶ δάκρυον, παραμυθίαν ἔχει τὸ ἐξειπεῖν ἡμῶν τὰ πάθη πρὸς την ἀγάπην ὑμῶν ἀλλά τις ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐλπὶς χρηστοτέρα θάλπει, ὡς τάχα ἂν, εἰ ἐξαγγείλαιμεν ὑμῖν τὰ λυποῦντα ἡμᾶς, διαναστήσαιμεν ὑμᾶς πρὸς τὴν ἀντίληψιν ἡμῶν, ἣν πάλαι μὲν προσεδοκήσαμεν παρʼ ὑμῶν ταῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολην Ἐκκλησίαις ’γενὴ σεσθαι, οὐδέπω δὲ τετυχήκαμεν, πάντως τοῦ ἐν σοφίᾳ τὰ ἡμέτερα διοικοῦντος Θεοῦ, κατὰ τὰ ἆθεώρητα αὐτοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης κρίματα, πλείονι χρόνῳ παραταθῆναι ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς τούτοις οἰκονομήσαντος. Οῦ γὰρ δήπου ἡγδοὴσατε τὰ καθʼ ἡμᾶς, ἀδελφοὶ τιμιώτατοι, ὧν ὴ ἀκοὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἔσχατα τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐξέδραμεν ' οὐδε ἀσυμπαθεῖς που ὑμεῖς πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοψῦχους τῶν ἀδελφῶν, μαθηταὶ ὑπάρχοντες τοῦ Ἀποστο).ου, τοῦ πλήρωμα εἶναι τοῦ νόμον την πρὸς τὸν πλησίον ἀγάπην διδάσκοντος. Ἀλλʼ ὅπερ εἴπαμεν, ἐπέσχεν ὑμῶν τὴν ὁρμὴν ἡ δικαία τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσις, ἐκπληρωθῆ ναι ἡμῖν τὴν διατεταγμένην ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀμαρτίαις η μῶν θλίψιν ἔπιμετροῦσα. Ἀλλά νῦν γοῦν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁλεθείας ζῆλον, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν συμπάθειαν, διαναστῆναι ὑμᾶς παρακαλοῦμεν, πάντα μαθόντας, καὶ ὅσα πρὸ τούτου τὰς ἀκοὰς ὑμῶν διέφυγε, παρὰ τοῦ εὖλαβεστάτου ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ σῦνδιακὸνου Σαβίνου, ὃς δυνήσεται ὑμῖν καὶ ὅσα τὴν ἐπιστολὴν δ ιαφεύγει παρʼ ἑαυτοῦ διηγήσασθαι· διʼ οὗ παρακαλούμεν ὑμᾶς ἐνδύσασθαι σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, καὶ ἀποθέσθαι μὲν πάντα ὄκνον, ἀναλαβεῖν δὲ τον κόπον τῆς ἀγάπης· καὶ μήτε ὀδοῦ μῆκος, μήτε τὰς κατ οἷκον ἀσχολίας, μήτʼ (illo τι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ύπολογίσασθαι. 2. Ού γὰρ περὶ μιᾶς Ἐκκλησίας ὁ κίνδυνος, οὐδὲ δύο ἦ τρεῖς αἱ τῷ χαλεπῷ τούτῷ χειμῶνι παραπεσοῦσαι Σχεδὸν γὰρ ἀπό τῶν ὅρων τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ μέχρι Θηβαίδος τό τῆς αἱρέσεως κακόν ἐπινέμεται. Ἤς τὰ πονηρὰ σπέρματα πρότερον μὲν ό δυσώνυμος. ’Ἄρειος κατεβάλετοο ῥιζωθέντα δὲ δια βάθους ὑπὸ πολλῶν τῶν ἐν μέσῳ φιλοπόνως τήν ἀσέβειαν γεωργησαντων, νῦν τοὺς φθοροποιοὺς καρπούς ἐξεβλάστησεν. Ἀνατέτραπται μεν γὰρ τα τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγματα, συγκέχυνται δῖε Ἐκκλησίας Θεσμοί.Φιλαρχίαι δὲ τῶν μὴ φοβουμένων τόν Κύριον ταῖς προστασίαις ἐπιπηδῶσι· καὶ ἐκ τοῦ προφανοῦς λοιπὸν ἆθλον δυσσεβείας ἡ προεδρία πρόκειται · ὥστε ό τὰ χαλεπώτερα βλασφημήσας εἰς ἐπισκοπὴν λαοῦ προτιμότερος. Οἶχεται σεμνότης ἱερατικήο ἐπιλελοίπασιν οἱ ποιμαίνοντες μετʼ ἐπιστήμης ποςανιον τοῦ Κυρίουο οἰκονομίας πτωχῶν εἰς ἰδίας ἀπολαύσεις καὶ δώρων διανομὰς παραναλισκόντων ἀεὶ τῶν φιλαρχούντων. Ἢμαύρωται κανόνων ἁκρίβειαί ἐξουσία τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν πολλή. Oi γὰρ διὰ σπουδῆς ἀνθρωπίνης παρελθόντες ἐπὶ τὸ ἄρχειν ἐν αύτῷ τούτῳ τῆς σπουδῆς τὸν χάριν ἀνταναπληροῦσι, τῷ πάντα πρὸς ἡδονήν ἐνδιδόναι τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν. Ἀπόλωλε κρῖμα δίκαιον· πᾶς τις τῷ θελήματι τῆς ιαρδίας αὐτοῦ πορεύεται. Ὀ πονηρία ἄμετρος, οἱ λαοί ἀνουθέτητοι, οἱ προεστῶτες ἁπαῤῥησίαστοι. Δούλοι γὰρ τῶν δεδωκότων τήν χάριν, οἱ διʼ ἀνθρὼπων ἑαυτοῖς τήν δυναστείαν κατακτησάμενοι. Ἤδη δὲ καὶ ὅπλον τισὶ τοῦ πρὸς ἀλλήλους πολέμου ἡ Exδίκησις δῆθεν τῆς ὁρθοδοξίας, ἐπινενόηται· καὶ τὰς ἰδίας ἔχθρας ἐπικρυψάμενοι, ὑπὲρ τῆς εύσεβείας ἓχθραίνειν κατασχηματίζοντοιι. Ἀλλοι δὲ, τὸν ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἐκκλίνοντες ἔλεγχον, τοὺς λαοὺς εἰς τὴν κατʼ ἀλλήλων φιλονεικίαν ἐκμαίνουσιν, ἶνα τοῖς κοινοῖς κακοῖς τὸ καθʼ ἑαυτοὺς συσκιασωσι. Διὸ καὶ ἄσπονδός ἐστιν ὀ πόλεμος οὗτος, τῶν τὰ πονηρὰ εἰργασμένων τὴν κοινὴν εἰρήνην, ὡς ἀποκαλύπτουσα-ι αὐτῶν τὰ κρυπτὰ τῆς αἰσχύνης, ὑφορωμένων. Ἐπὶ τούτοις γελῶσιν οἱ ἄπιστοι, σαλεύονται ὀἱ ὀλιγόπια TTOL ο ἀμφίβολος ἡ πίστις, ἄγνοια κατακέχυται τῶν ψυχῶν, διὰ τὸ μιμεῖσθαι τήν ἀλήθειαν τοὺς δολοῦντας τόν λόγον ἕν κακουργίᾳ. Σὶγᾷ μεν γαρ τὰ τῶν εὐσεβούντων στόματω ἀνεῖταε δὲ πᾶσα βλασsuae; γλωσσα ἐβεβηλὼθη τὰ οἶγια, φεύγουσι τοὺς ιῦκτηρίους οἴκους οἰ ὑγιαίνοντες τῶν λαῶν, ὡς ἀσεβείας διδασκαλεῖα · κατὰ δέ τὰς ἐρημίας τρός τὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς Δεσπότην μετὰ στεναγμῶν καὶ δακρύων τὰς χεῖρας αἴρουσιν. Ἔφθασε γὰρ πάντως καὶ μέχρις ὑμῶν τὰ γινόμενα ἓν ταῖς πλείσταις τῶν πόλεων · ὅτι οἱ λαοί σὺν γυναιξὶ καὶ παιδίοις καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς 3. Τίς θρῆνος τῶν συμφορῶν τούτων ἄξιος; ποῖαι πηγαὶ δακρύων κακοῖς τοσούτοις ἀρκέσουσιν; Ἐως οὖν ἔτι δοκοῦσιν ἑστάναι τινες, ἕως ἔτι ἴχνος τῆς παλαιᾶς καταστάσεως διασώζεται, πρὶν τέλεον ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις ἐπέλθῃ τὸ ναυάγιον, ἑπείχθητε πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἐπείχθητε ἤδη, ναὶ δεόμεθα, ἀδελφοὶ δότε χεῖρα τοῖς εἰς γόνυ κλιθεῖσι. Β γνησιώτατοι · Συγκινηθήτω ἐφʼ ἡμῖν τὰ ἀδελφικὰ ὑμῶν σπλάγχνα, προχυθήτω δάκρυα συμπαθείας. Μὴ περιίδητε τὸ ἣμισυ τῆς οἰκουμένης ῦπό τῆς πλάνης καταποθέν · μὴ ἀνάσχησθε ἀποσβεσθῆναι τὴν πίστιν, παρʼ οἷς πρῶτον ἐξέλαμψε. Τί οὖν ποιήσαντες ἀντιλήψεσθε τῶν πραγμάτων, καὶπῶς τὸ πρὸς τοὺς θλιβομένους συμπαθὲς ἓπιδείξεσθε, οὔ παρʼ ἡμῶν πάντως δεήσει μαθεῖν,ὑμᾶς- ἀλλʼ οὖτό τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ὑμῖν ὑποθήσεται. Πλήν γε ὃτι τάχους χρεία πρὸς τὸ περισώσασθαι τοὺς περιλείφθέντας, καὶ παρουσίας ἀδελφῶν πλειόνων, ὥστε πλήρωμα εἶναι συνόδου τοὺς ἐπιδημοῦντας, ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀποστειλάντων σεμνότητος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ οἰκείου ἀριθμοῦ τό ἀξιόπιστον ἔχωσιν εἰς διόρθωσιν οἱ καὶ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ γραφεῖσαν παρὴ τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν πίστιν ἆνανεώσονται, καὶ τὴν αἳρεσιν ἐκηρύξωσι, καὶ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τὰ εἰρηνικά διαλέξονται, τοὺς τὰ αὖτᾲ φρονοῦντας συνάγοντες εἷς ὁμόνοιαν. Τοῦτο γὰρ δήπου τὸ πάντων ἐλεεινότατον ὅτι καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν ιὑγιαίνειν ἐφʼ ἑαυτὸ ἐμερίσθη καὶ περιέστηκεν ἡμᾶς, ὡς ἔοικε, παραπλήσια πάθη τοῖς ποτε κατὰ τήν, Οὐεσπασιανοῦ πολιορκίαν τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα περισχοῦσιν. Ἐκεῖνοι τε γὰρ ὁμοῦ μὲν τῷ ἕξων θεν συνειχοντο nolim», ὁμοῦ δε καὶ τῇ ἐνδοθεν στάσει τῶν ὁμογύλων κατανηλίσκοντο. Ἡμῖν δι πρὸς τῷ φανερῷ πολέμῳ τῶν αἱρετικῶι ἔτι καὶ ὁ παρὰ τῶν δοκούντων ὁρθοδοξεῖν ἐπαναστὰς, πρὸς ἔσχατον ἀσθενείας τὰς Ἐκκλησίας κατήγαγεν. Ἐφʼ οἱπερ καὶ ’μάλιστα τῆς παρʼ ὑμῶν χρῄζομεν βοηθείας, ὥστε τοὺς τήν ἀποστολικὴν ὁμολογοῦνται Α πίστιν, ἆ παρεπενὸησαν σχίσματα διαλῦσαντας, ὑποταγῆναι τοῦ λοιποῦ τῇ αὐθεντίᾳ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας· ἱνα ἄρτιον γένηται τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, πᾶσι τοῖς μέλεσιν εἰς ὁλοκληρίαν ἐπανελθόνο και μὴ μόνον τά παρʼ ἑτέροις μακαρίζωμεν ἀγαθὰ, ὅπερ νῦν ποιοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἡμετέρας αὐτῶν ἑπίδωμεν Ἐκκλησίας τὸ ἀρχαῖον καύχημα τῆς ὁρθοδοξίας ἀπολαβούσας. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ τοῦ ἀνωτάτω μακαρισμοῦ ἄξιον τό τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ θεοσεβείᾳ χαρισθὲν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ι ι.Ιί“ ι 9 ι - Ω ο 1 Λ ν ἢ τὸ μὲν κίβδηλον ἀπὸ τοῦ δοκίμου καὶ καθαροῦ διακρίνειν, τήν δι τῶν Πατέρων πίστιν ἄνευ τινος ὑπο- --.,.. _ η υ, λ... στολῆς κηρύσσειν ° ἦν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐδεξάμεθα, καὶ ἐπέγνωμεν ἐκ τῶν ἆποστολικῶν χαρακτηρων μεμορφωμένιςν, -... κ. - - ν.. a. “ml συνθέμενοι καὶ αὐτῇ καὶ πᾶσι τοίς ἐν τῷ συνοδικῷ γράμματι κανονικῶς καὶ ἐνθέσμως δ εδογματισμίνοις.
Ēros Italous kai Gallous. 1. Tois theophilestatois kai hosiōtatois adelrois sylleitourgois kata tēn Italian kai Gallian omopsychois episkopois Meletios, Eusebeios, Basileios, Bassos, Grēgorios, Pelagios, Paulos, Anthimos, Theodotos, Bithos, Abraamios, Iobinos Zēnōn, Theodōrētos, Markianos, Barachos, Asraamios, Libanios, Thalassios, Iōsēph, Boēthos, Iatrios, Theodotos, Heustathios, Barsoumas, Iōannēs, Chosroēs, Iōsakēs, Narsēs, Maris, Grēgorios, Daphnos, en Kyriǭ chairein. Pherei men tina paramythian tais odynōmenais psychais kai stenagmos pollakis ek bathous tēs kardias anapempomenos, kai pou kai dakryon apostaxan to poly tēs thlipseōs diephorēsen o hēmin de ouch, hoson stenagmos kai dakryon, paramythian echei to exeipein hēmōn ta pathē pros tēn agapēn hymōn alla tis hēmas kai elpis chrēstotera thalpei, hōs tacha an, ei exangeilaimen hymin ta lypounta hēmas, dianastēsaimen hymas pros tēn antilēpsin hēmōn, hēn palai men prosedokēsamen parʼ hymōn tais kata tēn Anatolēn Ekklēsiais ’genē sesthai, oudepō de tetychēkamen, pantōs tou en sophią ta hēmetera dioikountos Theou, kata ta atheōrēta autou tēs dikaiosynēs krimata, pleioni chronǭ paratathēnai hēmas en tois peirasmois toutois oikonomēsantos. Ou gar dēpou hēgdoēsate ta kathʼ hēmas, adelphoi timiōtatoi, hōn ē akoē kai epi ta eschata tēs oikoumenēs exedramen ' oude asympatheis pou hymeis pros tous homopsychous tōn adelphōn, mathētai hyparchontes tou Aposto).ou, tou plērōma einai tou nomon tēn pros ton plēsion agapēn didaskontos. Allʼ hoper eipamen, epeschen hymōn tēn hormēn hē dikaia tou Theou krisis, ekplērōthē nai hēmin tēn diatetagmenēn epi tais amartiais ē mōn thlipsin epimetrousa. Alla nyn goun, kai pros ton hyper tēs haletheias zēlon, kai tēn hēmeteran sympatheian, dianastēnai hymas parakaloumen, panta mathontas, kai hosa pro toutou tas akoas hymōn diephyge, para tou eulabestatou adelphou hēmōn tou syndiakonou Sabinou, hos dynēsetai hymin kai hosa tēn epistolēn d iapheugei parʼ heautou diēgēsasthai; diʼ hou parakaloumen hymas endysasthai splanchna oiktirmou, kai apothesthai men panta oknon, analabein de ton kopon tēs agapēs; kai mēte odou mēkos, mēte tas kat hoikon ascholias, mētʼ (illo ti tōn anthrōpinōn ypologisasthai. 2. Ou gar peri mias Ekklēsias ho kindynos, oude dyo ē treis hai tǭ chalepǭ toutǭ cheimōni parapesousai Schedon gar apo tōn horōn tou Illyrikou mechri Thēbaidos to tēs haireseōs kakon epinemetai. Ēs ta ponēra spermata proteron men o dysōnymos. ’Areios katebaletoo rhizōthenta de dia bathous hypo pollōn tōn en mesǭ philoponōs tēn asebeian geōrgēsantōn, nyn tous phthoropoious karpous exeblastēsen. Anatetraptai men gar ta tēs eusebeias dogmata, synkechyntai die Ekklēsias Thesmoi.Philarchiai de tōn mē phoboumenōn ton Kyrion tais prostasiais epipēdōsi; kai ek tou prophanous loipon athlon dyssebeias hē proedria prokeitai ; hōste o ta chalepōtera blasphēmēsas eis episkopēn laou protimoteros. Oichetai semnotēs hieratikēo epileloipasin hoi poimainontes metʼ epistēmēs posanion tou Kyriouo oikonomias ptōchōn eis idias apolauseis kai dōrōn dianomas paranaliskontōn aei tōn philarchountōn. Ēmaurōtai kanonōn hakribeiai exousia tou hamartanein pollē. Oi gar dia spoudēs anthrōpinēs parelthontes epi to archein en autǭ toutǭ tēs spoudēs ton charin antanaplērousi, tǭ panta pros hēdonēn endidonai tois hamartanousin. Apolōle krima dikaion; pas tis tǭ thelēmati tēs iardias autou poreuetai. O ponēria ametros, hoi laoi anouthetētoi, hoi proestōtes haparrhēsiastoi. Douloi gar tōn dedōkotōn tēn charin, hoi diʼ anthrōpōn heautois tēn dynasteian kataktēsamenoi. Ēdē de kai hoplon tisi tou pros allēlous polemou hē Exdikēsis dēthen tēs horthodoxias, epinenoētai; kai tas idias echthras epikrypsamenoi, hyper tēs eusebeias hechthrainein kataschēmatizontoii. Alloi de, ton epi tois aischistois ekklinontes elenchon, tous laous eis tēn katʼ allēlōn philoneikian ekmainousin, ina tois koinois kakois to kathʼ heautous syskiasōsi. Dio kai aspondos estin o polemos houtos, tōn ta ponēra eirgasmenōn tēn koinēn eirēnēn, hōs apokalyptousa-i autōn ta krypta tēs aischynēs, hyphorōmenōn. Epi toutois gelōsin hoi apistoi, saleuontai hoi oligopia TTOL o amphibolos hē pistis, agnoia katakechytai tōn psychōn, dia to mimeisthai tēn alētheian tous dolountas ton logon hen kakourgią. Sigą men gar ta tōn eusebountōn stomatō aneitae de pasa blassuae? glōssa ebebēlōthē ta oigia, pheugousi tous iyktērious oikous oi hygiainontes tōn laōn, hōs asebeias didaskaleia ; kata de tas erēmias tros ton en ouranois Despotēn meta stenagmōn kai dakryōn tas cheiras airousin. Ephthase gar pantōs kai mechris hymōn ta ginomena hen tais pleistais tōn poleōn ; hoti hoi laoi syn gynaixi kai paidiois kai autois tois 3. Tis thrēnos tōn symphorōn toutōn axios? poiai pēgai dakryōn kakois tosoutois arkesousin? Eōs oun eti dokousin hestanai tines, heōs eti ichnos tēs palaias katastaseōs diasōzetai, prin teleon tais Ekklēsiais epelthę̄ to nauagion, hepeichthēte pros hēmas, epeichthēte ēdē, nai deometha, adelphoi dote cheira tois eis gony klitheisi. B gnēsiōtatoi ; Synkinēthētō ephʼ hēmin ta adelphika hymōn splanchna, prochythētō dakrya sympatheias. Mē periidēte to hēmisy tēs oikoumenēs ypo tēs planēs katapothen ; mē anaschēsthe aposbesthēnai tēn pistin, parʼ hois prōton exelampse. Ti oun poiēsantes antilēpsesthe tōn pragmatōn, kaipōs to pros tous thlibomenous sympathes hepideixesthe, ou parʼ hēmōn pantōs deēsei mathein,hymas- allʼ outo to Pneuma to hagion hymin hypothēsetai. Plēn ge hoti tachous chreia pros to perisōsasthai tous perileiphthentas, kai parousias adelphōn pleionōn, hōste plērōma einai synodou tous epidēmountas, hina mē monon ek tēs tōn aposteilantōn semnotētos, alla kai ek tou oikeiou arithmou to axiopiston echōsin eis diorthōsin hoi kai tēn en Nikaią grapheisan parē tōn Paterōn hēmōn pistin ananeōsontai, kai tēn hairesin ekēryxōsi, kai tais Ekklēsiais ta eirēnika dialexontai, tous ta autą phronountas synagontes heis homonoian. Touto gar dēpou to pantōn eleeinotaton hoti kai to dokoun hiygiainein ephʼ heauto emeristhē kai periestēken hēmas, hōs eoike, paraplēsia pathē tois pote kata tēn, Ouespasianou poliorkian ta Hierosolyma perischousin. Ekeinoi te gar homou men tǭ hexōn then syneichonto nolim», homou de kai tę̄ endothen stasei tōn homogylōn katanēliskonto. Hēmin di pros tǭ phanerǭ polemǭ tōn hairetikōi eti kai ho para tōn dokountōn horthodoxein epanastas, pros eschaton astheneias tas Ekklēsias katēgagen. Ephʼ hoiper kai ’malista tēs parʼ hymōn chrę̄zomen boētheias, hōste tous tēn apostolikēn homologountai A pistin, a parepenoēsan schismata dialysantas, hypotagēnai tou loipou tę̄ authentią tēs Ekklēsias; hina artion genētai to sōma tou Christou, pasi tois melesin eis holoklērian epanelthono kai mē monon ta parʼ heterois makarizōmen agatha, hoper nyn poioumen, alla kai tas hēmeteras autōn hepidōmen Ekklēsias to archaion kauchēma tēs horthodoxias apolabousas. Tǭ onti gar tou anōtatō makarismou axion to tę̄ hymeterą theosebeią charisthen para tou Kyriou i i.Ii“ i 9 i - Ō o 1 L n ē to men kibdēlon apo tou dokimou kai katharou diakrinein, tēn di tōn Paterōn pistin aneu tinos hypo- --.,.. _ ē y, l... stolēs kēryssein ° ēn kai hēmeis edexametha, kai epegnōmen ek tōn apostolikōn charaktērōn memorphōmenisn, -... k. - - n.. a. “ml synthemenoi kai autę̄ kai pasi tois en tǭ synodikǭ grammati kanonikōs kai enthesmōs d edogmatisminois.
To the Italians and Gauls. 1. To our most God-beloved and most holy brothers and fellow ministers, the like-minded bishops in Italy and Gaul, Meletius, Eusebius, Basil, Bassus, Gregory, Pelagius, Paul, Anthimus, Theodotus, Bithus, Abramius, Jovinus, Zeno, Theodoret, Marcianus, Barachus, Abramius, Libanius, Thalassius, Joseph, Boethus, Iatrius, Theodotus, Eustathius, Barsumas, John, Chosroes, Iosaces, Narses, Maris, Gregory, Daphnus: greeting in the Lord. A groan sent up from the depth of the heart often brings some consolation to afflicted souls, and a tear, when it falls, sometimes disperses much of the affliction; but for us, telling our sufferings to your Love brings more consolation than groans and tears. A better hope warms us too: that perhaps, if we report to you what grieves us, we may rouse you to help us, help which we long expected to come from you to the churches of the East, but have not yet received, God, who orders our affairs in wisdom, having surely arranged, according to the inscrutable judgments of his righteousness, that we should be drawn out longer in these trials. For surely you are not ignorant of our affairs, most honored brothers, the report of which has run out to the ends of the world; nor are you unsympathetic toward your like-minded brothers, being disciples of the Apostle who teaches that love of neighbor is the fulfillment of the law. But, as we said, the just judgment of God held back your impulse, measuring out to us the full affliction appointed for our sins. But now at least we urge you to rise up, both in zeal for the truth and in sympathy for us, having learned everything, including whatever escaped your hearing before, from our most pious brother and fellow deacon Sabinus, who will be able to tell you himself even what escapes the letter; through whom we urge you to put on hearts of compassion, to put aside all hesitation, and to take up the labor of love, taking no account of the length of the road, or business at home, or any other human thing. 2. For the danger is not about one church, nor are two or three the only ones fallen in this grievous storm. For almost from the borders of Illyricum to the Thebaid the evil of the heresy is spreading. Its evil seeds the ill-named Arius sowed first; but, rooted deeply by many in between who diligently cultivated the impiety, they have now sprouted their destructive fruits. For the doctrines of godliness have been overturned and the ordinances of the Church thrown into confusion. The ambition of those who do not fear the Lord leaps at the offices of leadership; and now openly the chief seat is set forth as the prize of impiety, so that he who has blasphemed the more grievously is preferred for the oversight of the people. Priestly dignity is gone; there are no longer those who shepherd the Lord's flock with knowledge, since the ambitious continually spend the funds of the poor on their own enjoyment and on the distribution of gifts. The exactness of the canons has been obscured; there is great license to sin. For those who have come to rule through human effort repay the favor of that effort in this very way, by indulging sinners in everything to please them. Just judgment has perished; everyone walks according to the will of his own heart. Wickedness is beyond measure; the peoples are without admonition; the leaders without freedom of speech. For those who have acquired power for themselves through men are slaves of those who gave them the favor. Already the vindication of orthodoxy, so called, has been devised by some as a weapon of war against one another; and hiding their private enmities, they pretend to hate for the sake of godliness. Others, to avoid conviction for the most shameful things, madden the peoples into contention against one another, so that they may overshadow their own case with the common evils. So this war is truceless, since those who have done evil suspect common peace as something that would uncover the hidden things of their shame. At this the unbelievers laugh, those of little faith are shaken, faith is doubtful, ignorance is poured over souls, because those who adulterate the word with mischief imitate the truth. For the mouths of the godly are silent, and every blaspheming tongue is let loose; holy things are profaned; the sound among the peoples flee the houses of prayer as schools of impiety, and in the deserts raise their hands with groans and tears to the Master in heaven. For what is happening in most of the cities has surely reached even you: that the peoples, with women and children and the very … 3. What lament is worthy of these calamities? What springs of tears will suffice for such evils? While, then, some still seem to stand, while a trace of the ancient state is still preserved, before shipwreck comes completely upon the churches, hasten to us, hasten now, yes, we beg you, most genuine brothers; give a hand to those who have fallen to their knees. Let your brotherly hearts be moved for us; let tears of sympathy be poured out. Do not overlook half the world swallowed up by error; do not allow the faith to be extinguished among those with whom it first shone. What you must do to take hold of affairs, and how you will show your sympathy toward the afflicted, you will surely not need to learn from us, but the Holy Spirit himself will suggest to you. Only there is need of speed, to save those who are left, and of the presence of more brothers, so that those who come may make up a full synod, in order that they may have credibility for correction not only from the dignity of those who sent them but also from their own number; who will renew the creed written by our Fathers at Nicaea, proscribe the heresy, and speak peace to the churches, bringing those who think alike into concord. For this is surely the most pitiable thing of all: that even what seems sound has been divided against itself; and sufferings have come upon us, it seems, like those that once befell Jerusalem in the siege of Vespasian. For they were at once held by the war from outside and consumed by the internal strife of their own people. And for us, besides the open war of the heretics, the war that has risen from those who seem to be orthodox has brought the churches to the last extremity of weakness. For this especially we need your help, so that those who confess the apostolic faith, having dissolved the schisms they have devised, may in future be subject to the authority of the Church; that the body of Christ may become complete, all its members restored to wholeness; and that we may not only call blessed the good things of others, as we do now, but also see our own churches recover their ancient boast of orthodoxy. For truly worthy of the highest blessing is what the Lord has granted your Godliness: to distinguish the counterfeit from the approved and pure, and to proclaim the faith of the Fathers without any reserve; which we too have received, and have recognized as stamped with the apostolic marks, assenting both to it and to all that was canonically and lawfully decreed in the synodal letter.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Rom 13:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 11:33 (echo, medium confidence) · Col 3:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 3:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Judg 21:25 (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 2:17 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:27 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A joint letter of thirty-two Eastern bishops to the bishops of Italy and Gaul describing the Arian ruin of the Eastern churches and begging them to send a synod to restore the Nicene faith and heal the schisms.
- Staged as 91; this is Letter 92 (Benedictine), written by Basil in the name of the Eastern bishops headed by Meletius and Eusebius of Samosata. A line is lost at the end of section 2 (“…”). Scripture: Rom 13:10; Rom 11:33; Col 3:12; Acts 20:29; Jer 3:15; Judg 21:25; 2 Cor 2:17; 1 Cor 12:12–27. The siege of Jerusalem under Vespasian (and Titus) is told by Josephus, J.W. 5–6.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): συνοὸ lxviγράμματι → συνοδικῷ γράμματι.
Extrabiblical texts: Josephus, J.W. 5-6 (Josephus (works); allusion)
Topics: Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 92 (PG 32:477a–484b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/89/#p-92). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-92) · 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 93
93PG 32:484c–485b
Β Πρὸς Καισαρίαν πατρικίοεν, περὶ κοινωνίας. Καὶ τὸ κοινωνεῖν δὲ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν, καὶ μεταλαμβάνειν τοῦ ἁγίου σώματος καὶ αἳματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καλὸν καὶ ἐπωφελές αὐτοῦ σαφῶς λέγουτος · Ὀ τρώγων μου τήν σάρκα, καὶ πίνων μον τὸ αἷμα, ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον. Ti; γὰρ ἀμφιβαλλει, ὅτι τὸ μετέχειν συνεχῶς τῆς ζωῆς οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἔστὶν ἦ ζῇν πολλαχῶς; Ἡμεῖς μέντοιγε τέταρτον καθʼ ἑκάστην ἑβδομάδα κοινωνοῦμεν, ἓν τῇ κυριακῇ. ἐν τῇ τετράδι, καὶ ἐν τῇ παρασκευῇ, καὶ τῷ Σαββάτῳ καὶ ἐν ταῖς οὓ.λαι; ἡμέραις, εὰν ᾗ μνήμη οἱγίου τινος. Τὸ δε ἓν τοῖς τοῦ διωγμοῦ καιροῖς ἀναγκάζεσθαί τινα, μὴ παρόντος ἱερέως ᾖ λειτουρτοῦ, τὴν κοινωνίαν λαμβάνειν τῇ ἱδιᾳ χειρὶ, μηδαμῶς εἶναι βαρὺ περιττόν ἔστι ἀποδεικνύναι, διὰ τὸ καὶ τήν μακρὰν συνήθειαν τοῦτο διʼ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων πιστώσασθαι. Πάντες γὰρ οἱ κατὰ τὰς ἐρήμους μονάζοντες, ἔνθα μὴ ἔστιν ἱερεὺς, κοινωνίαν οἶκοι κατέχοντες, ἀφʼ ἑαυτῶν μεταλαμβάνουσιν. Ἕν ’Δλεξανδρείᾳ δε καὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἕκαστος καὶ τῶν ἓν λαῷ τελούντων ὡς ἰπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον ἕχεικοινωνίαν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ, καί ὅτε βούλεται, μεταλαμβάνει διʼ ἑαυτοῦ. Ἀπαξ γὰρ τὴν θυσίαν τοῦ ἱερέως τελειώσαντος καὶ δεδωκότος, ό λαβὼν αὐτὴν ὡς ὃλην ὁμοῦ, καθʼ ἑκάστην μεταλαμβάνων, παρὰ τοῦ δεδωκότος εἰκότως μεταλαμβάνειν καὶ ὑποδίχεσθαι πιστεύειν ὀφείλει. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησία ὁ ἱερεὺς ἐπιδίδωσι τὴν μερίδα, καὶ κατέχει αὖ· τὴν ὁ ὑποδεχόμενος μετʼ ἐξουσίας ἁπάσης, καὶ οὕτω προσάγει τῶ στόματι τῇ ἰδίᾳ χειρί. Ταυτὸν τοίνυν ἐστὶ τῇ δυνάμει, εἴτε μίαν μερίδα δέξεταιητις παρὰ τοῦ ἱερέως, εἶτε πολλὰς, μερίδας ὁμοῦ.
B Pros Kaisarian patrikioen, peri koinōnias. Kai to koinōnein de kathʼ hekastēn hēmeran, kai metalambanein tou hagiou sōmatos kai haimatos tou Christou, kalon kai epōpheles autou saphōs legoutos ; O trōgōn mou tēn sarka, kai pinōn mon to haima, echei zōēn aiōnion. Ti? gar amphiballei, hoti to metechein synechōs tēs zōēs ouden allo estin ē zę̄n pollachōs? Hēmeis mentoige tetarton kathʼ hekastēn hebdomada koinōnoumen, hen tę̄ kyriakę̄. en tę̄ tetradi, kai en tę̄ paraskeuę̄, kai tǭ Sabbatǭ kai en tais hou.lai? hēmerais, ean hę̄ mnēmē hoigiou tinos. To de hen tois tou diōgmou kairois anankazesthai tina, mē parontos hiereōs ę̄ leitourtou, tēn koinōnian lambanein tę̄ hidią cheiri, mēdamōs einai bary peritton esti apodeiknynai, dia to kai tēn makran synētheian touto diʼ autōn tōn pragmatōn pistōsasthai. Pantes gar hoi kata tas erēmous monazontes, entha mē estin hiereus, koinōnian oikoi katechontes, aphʼ heautōn metalambanousin. Hen ’Dlexandreią de kai en Aigyptǭ hekastos kai tōn hen laǭ telountōn hōs ipi to pleiston hecheikoinōnian en tǭ oikǭ autou, kai hote bouletai, metalambanei diʼ heautou. Apax gar tēn thysian tou hiereōs teleiōsantos kai dedōkotos, o labōn autēn hōs holēn homou, kathʼ hekastēn metalambanōn, para tou dedōkotos eikotōs metalambanein kai hypodichesthai pisteuein opheilei. Kai gar kai en tę̄ Ekklēsia ho hiereus epididōsi tēn merida, kai katechei au; tēn ho hypodechomenos metʼ exousias hapasēs, kai houtō prosagei tō stomati tę̄ idią cheiri. Tauton toinyn esti tę̄ dynamei, eite mian merida dexetaiētis para tou hiereōs, eite pollas, meridas homou.
To the patrician Caesaria, on communion. To communicate every day, and to partake of the holy body and blood of Christ, is good and beneficial, since he himself says plainly, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.” For who doubts that to share continually in life is nothing else than to live abundantly? We, however, communicate four times each week: on the Lord's day, on Wednesday, on Friday, and on the Sabbath, and on the other days if there is a commemoration of some saint. That it is in no way a grave matter if someone is compelled, in times of persecution, when no priest or minister is present, to take communion with his own hand, it is superfluous to demonstrate, because long custom has confirmed this by the facts themselves. For all the solitaries in the deserts, where there is no priest, keep communion at home and partake of it by themselves. And in Alexandria and in Egypt each of those belonging to the laity, for the most part, keeps communion in his own house, and partakes of it by himself when he wishes. For once the priest has completed the sacrifice and given it, he who has received it as a whole at once, and partakes of it each day, ought reasonably to believe that he partakes and receives from him who gave it. For in the church too the priest gives the portion, and the one who receives it holds it with full authority, and so brings it to his mouth with his own hand. It is the same in power, then, whether one receives one portion from the priest or many portions at once.
John 6:54 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil approves frequent and daily communion, describes his church's practice of communicating four times a week, and defends receiving communion by one's own hand at home when no priest is present.
- Staged as 92; this is Letter 93 (Benedictine), to the patrician Caesaria. Basil's description of eucharistic practice (communion on Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday; lay people in Egypt keeping the consecrated elements at home) is translated exactly; “the sacrifice” renders θυσία. Scripture: John 6:54.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR junk): μεταλαμβάνειν {58) καὶ → μεταλαμβάνειν καὶ.
Topics: Eucharist, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 93 (PG 32:484c–485b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/89/#p-93). (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 94
94PG 32:485c–489a
Ἠλίᾳ ἄρχοντι τῆς ἐπαρχίας, Ὦρμησα μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς καταλαβεῖν σου τὴν τιμιότητα, ὡς ἂν μὴ τῇ ἀπολείψει ἔλαττόν τι ἔχοιμι τῶν διαβαλλόντων ' ἀλλʼ ἔπειδὴ ἠ ἆῤῥωστία τοῦ σώματος διεκώλυσε, σφοδρότερον πολλῷ τῆς συνηθείας ἓπιθεμένη, ἀναγκαίως ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ γράμμα. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, συντυχὼν πρώην τῇ τιμιότητί σου, ὥρμησα μεν καὶ περὶ πάντων τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον μου πραγμάτων ἁνακοινώσασθαί σον τῇ φρονὰ σει · ὥρμησα δὲ καὶ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἕνεκα ποιησασθαί τινα λόγον, ὡς ἂν μὴ ταῖς μετά ταῦτα διαβολαῖς χώρα τις ὑπολείποιτο. Ἀλλʼ ἐπέσχον ἐμαυτόν, λογιζόμενος περίεργον εἶναι παντελῶς, καὶ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου φιλότιμον, ἀνδρὶ τοσοῦτον πλῆθος πραγμάτων ἐξηρτημένῳ ἔτι καὶ τὰς ἔξω τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐπιβάλλειν φροντίδας. Ὀμοῦ τε (εἰρήσεται γὰρ τάληθὲς), καὶ ἄλλως ὤκνησα μήποτε εἰς ἀνάγκην ἂοωμεν ταῖς κατʼ ἀλλήλων ἀντιλογίαις τρῶσαι τὴν ψυχὴν σου, ὀφείλουσαν ἐν τῇ καθαρᾲ περὶ τὸν Θεὸν εὐλαβείᾳ τέλειον τὸν μισθὸν τῆς Θεοσεβείας καρποῦσθαι. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ, ἐάν σε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιστρέψωμεν ἡμεῖς, ὀλίγην σοι σχολήν πρὸς τα δημόσια καταλείψομεν· καὶ παραπλήσιον ποιήσομεν, ὧσπερ ἂν εῖ τις κυβερνήτην, νεοπαγῇ ναῦν ἐν μεγάλῳ κλύδωνι ὃιευΟύνοντα, τῇ προσθήκῃ τοῦ φόρτου καταβαρύνςιι, δέον ἀφαιρεῖν τι τῶν ἀγω· γίμων, καὶ συνεπικουφίζειν ὡς δυνατόν. Ὀθεν μοι δοκεῖ καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ μέγας, τὴν πολυπραγμοσύνην ἡμῶν ταύτην καταμαθὼν, ἐᾶσαι ἡμᾶς Eg} ἑαυτῶν τὰς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομεῖν. Τούς μέντοι ταῖς ἀδόλοις ἀκοαῖς σου παρενοχλοῦντας ἐρωτηθῆναι βούλομαι, τί χεῖρον ἔχει τὰ δημόσια παρʼ ἡμᾶς ᾖ τί μικρὸνῇ μεῖζον τῶν κοινῶν ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας περὶ τὰς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομίας ἠλάττωται; πλην εἰ μή τις λέγοι βλάβην τοίς πράγμασι φέρειν, οἰκον εύκτήριον μεγαλοπρεπῶς κατεσκευασμένον ἀναστῆσαι τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ περὶ αύτὸν οἰκησιν, τὴν μὲν ἐλευθέριον ἐξῃρημένην τῷ κορυφαίω, τὰς δε ύποβεβηκυίας τοῖς Θεραπευταίς τού θείου διανενεμημένας ἐν τάξει, ὧνὴ χρῆσις κοινὴ πρὸς τε ὑμᾶς τοὺς ἄρχονταςκαὶ τούς παρεπομένους ύμῖν. Τίνα δὲ ἀδικοῦμεν, καταγώγια τοῖς ξένοις οἰκοδομοῦντες, τοῖς τε κατά παροδον ἐπιφοιτῶσι καὶ τοῖς Θεραπείας τινὸς διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν δεομένοις, καὶ την ἀναγκαίαν τούτοις παράμνοίαν ἐγκαθιστῶντες, τούς νοσοκομούντας, τοὺς ἰατρεύοντας, τὰ νωτοφὸρα, τούς παραπέμπονταςἰ Τούτοις ἀνάγκη καὶ τέχνας ἔπεσθαι, τάς τε πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀναγκαίας, καὶ ὅσαι πρὸς εὐσχήμονα βίον διαγωγὴν ἐφευρέοησαν · οἴκους πάλιν ἐτέρους ταῖς ἔργα· σίαις ἐπιτηδείους, ἀπερ πάντα τῷ μὲν τόπῳ κόσμος, τῷ δὲ ἄρχοντι ἡμῶν σεμνολόγημα, ἐπ αὐτὸν τῆς εν· φημίας ἐπανιούσης. ’ος γε ούδε τούτου ἕνεκεν προς τὴν ἐπιστασίαν ἡμῶν ἐξεβιάσθης, ὡς μόνος ἐξαρκῶν τῷ μεγέθει τῆς γνώμης τά τε κατερρυηκότος τῶν ἔργων ἀναλαβεῖν, καὶ οἰκίσαι τὰς ἀοικήτους» καὶ ὣιως εἰς πόλεις τὰς ἐρημίας μετασκευάσαι. TW οὖν εἰς ταῦτα συνεργοῦντα ἐλαύνειν καὶ ὑβρίζειν, ἡ τιμᾴν καὶ περιέπειν, ἀκολουθοῖ-ερον iv; Καὶ μη οἰηθῇς, ὧ ἄριστε, λόγον μόνον εἶναι τά παρʼ ἡμῶν ἤδη γὰρ ἐσμεν ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ, τὰς ὕλας τέως συμποριζομενοι· Τά μεν οὖν πρὸς τήν τοῦ οῐρχοντος απο λογίαν τοιαῦτα. Ἀ di δεῖ πρὸς τὰς τῶν φιλαιτίων μέμψεις, ὡς Χριστιανῷ καὶ φίλῳ πεφροντικοτι ἡμῶν τῆς ὑπολήψεως ἀποκρίνασθαι, ἀναγκαῖον νῦν ἀποσιωπῆσαι, ὡς καὶ μακρότερα τοῦ μέτρου τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, καὶ ὧλως οὐκ ἀσφαλῆ γράμμασιν ἀψύχοις καταπιστεῦεσθαι. Ἵνα δε μὴ τόν πρὸτῆς συντυχίας χρόνον, ταῖς διαβολαῖς τινων ὑπαχθεις, ὑφεῖναι τι τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς εὐνοίας ἀναγκασθῆς, τό τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου ποίησον. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνόν φασι, διαβαλλομένου τινός τῶν συνήθων, τὴν μὲν ἑτέραν τῶν ἀκοῶν ἀνεῖναι τῷ διαβάλλοντι, τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν ἐπιμελῶς ἐπιφράξασθαι τῇ χειρί ο ἐνδεικνύμενον, ὅτι δέοι τόν ὀρθῶς κρίνειν μέλλοντα μὴ όλον εὐθὺς τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἀπάγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τό ἣμισυ τῆς ἀκροάσεως ἀκέραιον διασώζειν πρὸς ἀπολογίαν τῷ μὴ παγ ρόντι.
Ēlią archonti tēs eparchias, Ōrmēsa men kai autos katalabein sou tēn timiotēta, hōs an mē tę̄ apoleipsei elatton ti echoimi tōn diaballontōn ' allʼ epeidē ē arrhōstia tou sōmatos diekōlyse, sphodroteron pollǭ tēs synētheias hepithemenē, anankaiōs ēlthon epi to gramma. Egō toinyn, ō thaumasie, syntychōn prōēn tę̄ timiotēti sou, hōrmēsa men kai peri pantōn tōn kata ton bion mou pragmatōn hanakoinōsasthai son tę̄ phrona sei ; hōrmēsa de kai tōn Ekklēsiōn heneka poiēsasthai tina logon, hōs an mē tais meta tauta diabolais chōra tis hypoleipoito. Allʼ epeschon emauton, logizomenos periergon einai pantelōs, kai pera tou metrou philotimon, andri tosouton plēthos pragmatōn exērtēmenǭ eti kai tas exō tōn anankaiōn epiballein phrontidas. Omou te (eirēsetai gar talēthes), kai allōs ōknēsa mēpote eis anankēn aoōmen tais katʼ allēlōn antilogiais trōsai tēn psychēn sou, opheilousan en tę̄ katharą peri ton Theon eulabeią teleion ton misthon tēs Theosebeias karpousthai. Tǭ onti gar, ean se pros heautous epistrepsōmen hēmeis, oligēn soi scholēn pros ta dēmosia kataleipsomen; kai paraplēsion poiēsomen, hōsper an ei tis kybernētēn, neopagę̄ naun en megalǭ klydōni hoieuOunonta, tę̄ prosthēkę̄ tou phortou katabarynsii, deon aphairein ti tōn agō; gimōn, kai synepikouphizein hōs dynaton. Othen moi dokei kai basileus ho megas, tēn polypragmosynēn hēmōn tautēn katamathōn, easai hēmas Eg} heautōn tas Ekklēsias oikonomein. Tous mentoi tais adolois akoais sou parenochlountas erōtēthēnai boulomai, ti cheiron echei ta dēmosia parʼ hēmas ę̄ ti mikronę̄ meizon tōn koinōn ek tēs hēmeteras peri tas Ekklēsias oikonomias ēlattōtai? plēn ei mē tis legoi blabēn tois pragmasi pherein, oikon euktērion megaloprepōs kateskeuasmenon anastēsai tǭ Theǭ hēmōn, kai peri auton oikēsin, tēn men eleutherion exę̄rēmenēn tǭ koryphaiō, tas de ypobebēkuias tois Therapeutais tou theiou dianenemēmenas en taxei, hōnē chrēsis koinē pros te hymas tous archontaskai tous parepomenous ymin. Tina de adikoumen, katagōgia tois xenois oikodomountes, tois te kata parodon epiphoitōsi kai tois Therapeias tinos dia tēn astheneian deomenois, kai tēn anankaian toutois paramnoian enkathistōntes, tous nosokomountas, tous iatreuontas, ta nōtophora, tous parapempontasi Toutois anankē kai technas epesthai, tas te pros to zę̄n anankaias, kai hosai pros euschēmona bion diagōgēn epheureoēsan ; oikous palin eterous tais erga; siais epitēdeious, aper panta tǭ men topǭ kosmos, tǭ de archonti hēmōn semnologēma, ep auton tēs en; phēmias epaniousēs. ’os ge oude toutou heneken pros tēn epistasian hēmōn exebiasthēs, hōs monos exarkōn tǭ megethei tēs gnōmēs ta te katerryēkotos tōn ergōn analabein, kai oikisai tas aoikētous» kai hōiōs eis poleis tas erēmias metaskeuasai. TW oun eis tauta synergounta elaunein kai hybrizein, hē timąn kai periepein, akolouthoi-eron iv? Kai mē oiēthę̄s, hō ariste, logon monon einai ta parʼ hēmōn ēdē gar esmen en tǭ ergǭ, tas hylas teōs symporizomenoi; Ta men oun pros tēn tou oirchontos apo logian toiauta. A di dei pros tas tōn philaitiōn mempseis, hōs Christianǭ kai philǭ pephrontikoti hēmōn tēs hypolēpseōs apokrinasthai, anankaion nyn aposiōpēsai, hōs kai makrotera tou metrou tēs epistolēs, kai hōlōs ouk asphalē grammasin apsychois katapisteuesthai. Hina de mē ton protēs syntychias chronon, tais diabolais tinōn hypachtheis, hypheinai ti tēs peri hēmas eunoias anankasthēs, to tou Alexandrou poiēson. Kai gar ekeinon phasi, diaballomenou tinos tōn synēthōn, tēn men heteran tōn akoōn aneinai tǭ diaballonti, tēn de heteran epimelōs epiphraxasthai tę̄ cheiri o endeiknymenon, hoti deoi ton orthōs krinein mellonta mē olon euthys tois prolabousin apagesthai, alla to hēmisy tēs akroaseōs akeraion diasōzein pros apologian tǭ mē pag ronti.
To Elias, governor of the province. I was eager to come to your Honor myself, so as not to be at any disadvantage against my slanderers through my absence; but since bodily illness prevented me, attacking me much more severely than usual, I have had of necessity to resort to a letter. When I met your Honor the other day, my admirable friend, I was eager both to share with your prudence everything about the affairs of my life, and also to say something on behalf of the churches, so that no room might be left for slanders afterward. But I held myself back, reckoning it altogether officious and beyond measure ambitious to lay further cares, outside what is necessary, on a man on whom so great a mass of affairs depends. At the same time (for the truth shall be told) I also shrank from being forced into disputes with one another that might wound your soul, which ought to reap the full reward of godliness in pure reverence toward God. For truly, if we turn you to ourselves, we shall leave you little leisure for public affairs; and we shall be doing something like a man who burdens a helmsman, steering a newly built ship in a great storm, by adding to its cargo, when he ought to remove some of the freight and lighten it as far as possible. For this reason, I think, the great emperor too, knowing this busy concern of ours, allowed us to manage the churches by ourselves. But I should like those who pester your guileless ears to be asked what harm the public affairs suffer from us, or what, small or great, of the common interests has been diminished by our administration of the churches; unless someone says that it harms affairs to raise to our God a magnificently built house of prayer, and around it dwellings, one generously set apart for the leader, the lesser ones assigned in order to the servants of the divine, the use of which is common to you rulers and to those who attend you. And whom do we wrong by building lodgings for strangers, both for those who visit in passing and for those who need some treatment because of illness, and by establishing for them the necessary comforts: nurses, physicians, beasts of burden, escorts? With these there must also follow trades, both those necessary for living and those invented for a seemly way of life; and again other buildings suited for workshops; all of which are an ornament to the place, and a boast for our governor, since the renown goes back to him. Indeed you were not pressed into governing us for this reason, as one who alone is sufficient by the greatness of his mind to restore ruined works, to people the uninhabited places, and so to change wildernesses into cities? Is it more consistent, then, to drive away and insult one who works with you in these things, or to honor and cherish him? And do not think, my excellent friend, that what we say is only words; for we are already at work, gathering the materials meanwhile. So much for our defense before the governor. What must be answered to the complaints of the faultfinders, as to a Christian and a friend who cares for our reputation, must now be passed over in silence, as too long for the measure of a letter and in no way safe to entrust to lifeless letters. But so that you may not, in the time before our meeting, be led by some people's slanders to relax any of your goodwill toward us, do what Alexander did. For they say that when one of his intimates was being slandered, he left one of his ears open to the slanderer and carefully stopped the other with his hand, showing that one who means to judge rightly must not at once be carried away wholly by those who speak first, but must keep half of his hearing intact for the defense of the one not present.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil defends to the governor Elias his building of a great church complex with a hospice, hospital, and workshops outside Caesarea against his slanderers.
- Staged as 93; this is Letter 94 (Benedictine). The buildings are the “new city” later called the Basileias. The Alexander anecdote: cf. Letter 24 and Plutarch, Alex. 42.
Extrabiblical texts: Plutarch, Alex. 42 (Plutarch; allusion)
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 94 (PG 32:485c–489a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/89/#p-94). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-basil-epistulae-94) · 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 95
95PG 32:489b–492d
Εὖσεβίῳ, ἐπισκὸπῳ Σαμοσάτων. Πάλαι ἐπιστειλας τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ σου ἄλλων τέ τινων ἕνεκεν καὶ του συντυχεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀλλήλοις, διήμαρτον τῆς ἐλπίδος, οὐκ ἀφικομένων τῶν γραμμάτων εἰς τὰς χεῖρας τῆς σῆς τιμιότητος, τοῦ μακαρίου διακόνου Θεοφράστου δεξαμένου μὲν τὰ γράμματα ἡμῶν ἐπί τινα περιοδείαν ἀναγκαίως ἀποδημούντων, μὴ ὃιαπεμψαμένου δὲ θεοσεβείᾳ σου, τῷ προκαταληφθῆναι τῇ ἀρρωστία ὑφʼ ἧς ἐτελεύτησεν, Ὀθεν τοσοῦτον ὕστερος ἦλθον τοῦ καιροῦ πρὸς τό γράφειν, ὥστε μηδὲ ὄφελός τι ἐλπίζειν ἑκτῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔσεσθαι ταύτης, εἰς στενόν παντελῶς κατακλεισθέντος τοὺ χρόνου. Ὀ γαρ τοι θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος Μελέτιος και Θεόδοτος ἐπέταξαν ἡμῖν πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαξῆναι, ἀγάπης τε ἐπίδειγμα τὴν συντυχίαν ποιούμενοι, καὶ τινα καὶ διόρθωσιν γενέσθαι τῶν νῦν παραλυπούντων βουλόμενοι. Ἀπέὸειξάν τε ἡμῖν χρόνον μεν τῆς συντυχίας τὰ μέσα του προσιόντος μηνός Ἰουνίου, τόπον δὲ Φαργαμοῡν τό χωρίον, ἐπίσημον μαρτύρων περιφανείᾳ καὶ πολυανθρωπίᾳ συνόδου τῆς κατὰ ἔτος ἕκαστον παρʼ αὐτοῖς τελουμένης. Ἐπεὶ δε ἔδει με, μετά τὴν ἐφάνοὸον μαθόντα τὴν ἢ. κοίμησιν τοῦ μακαρίου διακόνου, καὶ τας ἐπιστολὰς ἀργάς παρʼ ἡμῖν κειμένας, μὴ ἡσυχάσαι, διὰ τό ἔτι ἡμέρας ἡμῖν τριάκοντα καὶ τρεῖς ἐπὶ τὴν προθεσμίαν ὑπολελεῖφθαι, ἀπέστειλα κατα σπουδὴν τῷ αἰδεσιμωτάτῳ αδελφῷ Εὐσταθίῳ τῷ συλλειτουργῷ ἡμῶν τὰ γράμματα ταῦτα, ὥστε διʼ αὐτόν παραπεμφθῆναί σου τῇ σεμνότητι, καὶ πάλιν ἐν τάχει ἀνακομισθῆναι ἡμῖν τας ἀποκρίσεις. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ritur/3:02,}, άλλως ἀρέσκον σοι, παραγενέσθαι, καὶ αὐτοὶ παρεσόμεθα · εἰ δὲμὴ, αὐτοὶ μεν, ἂν ό Θεός θέλῃ, τό περυσινὸν ἀποτίσομεν χρέος τῆς συντυχίας - ἐὰν μή τι πάλιν ἐπιγένηται ἡμῖν ἁμαρτιῶν κώλυμα, τὴν δὲ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἔντευξιν εἰς ἕτερον χρόνον ὑπερθησόμεθα. A Σωφρονίῳ μαγίστῳ. Καὶ τίς οὕτω φιλόπολις, ὃς τὴν ἑνηκοῦσαν καὶ Θρεψαμένην πατρίδα ἶσοι γονεῦσι τιμῶν, ὡς αὐτὸς σὺ, κοινῇ τε πάση τῇ πόλει καὶ ἰδίᾳ ἑκάστῳ τὰ ἀγαθὰ συνευχόμενος, καὶ οὐκ εὐχόμενος μόνον, ἀλλα καὶ βεβαιῶν τὰς εὐχὰς διὰ acturo-3; Δύνασαι γάρ που σὺν Θεῷ τὰ τοιαῦτα, καὶ δύναιό γε ἐπὶ μήκιστον, οὕτω χρηστός ὧν. Ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἐπὶ σοῦ ὄναρ ἐπλούτησεν ἡ πατρὶς ἡμῶν, ἄνδρα μὲν ἔχουσα τὸν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν αὐτῆς ἐπιτραπέντα, οἷον οὗ φασιν ἄλλον οἶ τὰ παλαιότατα τῶν παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐπιστάμενοι ἰπὶ τῶν ἁρχικῶν θρόνων πρότερον ἀναβῆναι· ἐπηρείᾳ δέ τινων ἀφαιρεθεῖσα ταχέως, οἳ τὸ ὲλεῡθερον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ ἀθωπευτον τοῦ πρὸς αὐτὸν πολέμου ἀφορμήν ἐποιήσαντο, καὶ διαβολὰς αὐτῷ κατεσκεύασαν, λαθόντες Β τὰς ἀκοὰς τῆς σῆς τελειότητος. Διό πανδημεὶ πάντες σκυθρωπάζομεν, ζημιωθέντες ἄρχοντα, μόνον δυνάμινον εὶς γόνυ meam» ἤδη τὴν πόλιν ἡμῶν ἀνορθῶσαι, ἀληθῆ φύλακα τοῦ δικαίου, εὐπρόσιτον τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις, φοβερὸν τοῖς παρανομοῦσιν, ἴσον καὶ πένησι καὶ πλουσίοις, καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, τὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πράγματα πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἐπανάγοντα τιμήν. Τὸ γὰρ, ὅτι ἀδωρότατος ὧν ἴσμεν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ οὐδενὶ παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον χαριζόμενος, ὡς μικρότερα τῆς λοιπῆς αρετῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς παρελίπομεν. Ταῠνα ὀψε μὶν του καιρου μαρτυροῦμεν, ὥσπερ οἱ μονῳδοῢντες ἑαυτοὺς παραμυθούμενοι, οὐχὶ τοῖς πράγμασί τι ποιοῦντες χρήσιμον ο πλὴν οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἄχρηστον, ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ σου ψυχῇ τὴν μνήμην τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀποκεῖσθαι, χάριν τε εἰδέναι ὡς εὐεργέτῃ τῆς ἐνεγκούσης · καὶ εἶ τις ἐπιφύοιτο αὐτῷ τῶν διὰ τό μὴ προτιμηθῆναι τοῦ δικαίου χαλιπαινόντων, ὑπἐρμαχέῐν καὶ προὶστασθαι, πᾶσι ποιήσαντα φανερὸν, ὅτι οἰκεῖον σεαυτῷ τὸν ἄνδρα τίθεσαι, ἀρκοῦσαν ἀφορμὴν εἰς οἰκειότητα, τὴν ἀγαθὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν τιθέμενος, καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων πεῖραν, οὗ κατά τὴν τῶν χρόνων ἀναλογίαν ὑπάρχουσαν. Ἀ γὰρ οὐδʼ ἂν ἓν πολλοῖς ἔτεσι παρʼ ἄλλον γένοιτο, ταῦτα ἐν ὀλίγῳ παρʼ αὐτοῦ κατώρθωται. Ἀρκοῡσα δʼἡμῖν χάρις, καὶ τῶν συμβάντων παραμυθία, ἐὰν καὶ βασίλεῖ συστήσῃς αὐτὸν, καὶ τὰς ἐπενεχθείσας αὐτῷ διαβολὰς ἀποσκευάσῃ. Ταῦτά σθι πᾶσαν οἴου τὴν πατρίδα διὰ μιᾶς τῆς ἡμετέρας φωνῆς διαλέγεσθαι, καὶ κοινὴν εἶναι πάντων καὶ κοινὴν εὐχὴν, γενέσθαι τι τῷ ἀνδρὶ δʼιά τῆς σῆς τελειότητος δεξιόν,
Eusebiǭ, episkopǭ Samosatōn. Palai episteilas tę̄ theosebeią sou allōn te tinōn heneken kai tou syntychein hēmas allēlois, diēmarton tēs elpidos, ouk aphikomenōn tōn grammatōn eis tas cheiras tēs sēs timiotētos, tou makariou diakonou Theophrastou dexamenou men ta grammata hēmōn epi tina periodeian anankaiōs apodēmountōn, mē hoiapempsamenou de theosebeią sou, tǭ prokatalēphthēnai tę̄ arrōstia hyphʼ hēs eteleutēsen, Othen tosouton hysteros ēlthon tou kairou pros to graphein, hōste mēde ophelos ti elpizein hektēs epistolēs esesthai tautēs, eis stenon pantelōs katakleisthentos tou chronou. O gar toi theophilestatos episkopos Meletios kai Theodotos epetaxan hēmin pros autous diaxēnai, agapēs te epideigma tēn syntychian poioumenoi, kai tina kai diorthōsin genesthai tōn nyn paralypountōn boulomenoi. Apeoeixan te hēmin chronon men tēs syntychias ta mesa tou prosiontos mēnos Iouniou, topon de Phargamoun to chōrion, episēmon martyrōn periphaneią kai polyanthrōpią synodou tēs kata etos hekaston parʼ autois teloumenēs. Epei de edei me, meta tēn ephanooon mathonta tēn ē. koimēsin tou makariou diakonou, kai tas epistolas argas parʼ hēmin keimenas, mē hēsychasai, dia to eti hēmeras hēmin triakonta kai treis epi tēn prothesmian hypoleleiphthai, apesteila kata spoudēn tǭ aidesimōtatǭ adelphǭ Eustathiǭ tǭ sylleitourgǭ hēmōn ta grammata tauta, hōste diʼ auton parapemphthēnai sou tę̄ semnotēti, kai palin en tachei anakomisthēnai hēmin tas apokriseis. Ei men gar ritur/3:02,}, allōs areskon soi, paragenesthai, kai autoi paresometha ; ei demē, autoi men, an o Theos thelę̄, to perysinon apotisomen chreos tēs syntychias - ean mē ti palin epigenētai hēmin hamartiōn kōlyma, tēn de tōn episkopōn enteuxin eis heteron chronon hyperthēsometha. A Sōphroniǭ magistǭ. Kai tis houtō philopolis, hos tēn henēkousan kai Threpsamenēn patrida isoi goneusi timōn, hōs autos sy, koinę̄ te pasē tę̄ polei kai idią hekastǭ ta agatha syneuchomenos, kai ouk euchomenos monon, alla kai bebaiōn tas euchas dia acturo-3? Dynasai gar pou syn Theǭ ta toiauta, kai dynaio ge epi mēkiston, houtō chrēstos hōn. Allʼ homōs epi sou onar eploutēsen hē patris hēmōn, andra men echousa ton tēn epimeleian autēs epitrapenta, hoion hou phasin allon oi ta palaiotata tōn parʼ hēmin epistamenoi ipi tōn harchikōn thronōn proteron anabēnai; epēreią de tinōn aphairetheisa tacheōs, hoi to eleutheron tou andros kai athōpeuton tou pros auton polemou aphormēn epoiēsanto, kai diabolas autǭ kateskeuasan, lathontes B tas akoas tēs sēs teleiotētos. Dio pandēmei pantes skythrōpazomen, zēmiōthentes archonta, monon dynaminon eis gony meam» ēdē tēn polin hēmōn anorthōsai, alēthē phylaka tou dikaiou, euprositon tois adikoumenois, phoberon tois paranomousin, ison kai penēsi kai plousiois, kai to megiston, ta tōn Christianōn pragmata pros tēn archaian epanagonta timēn. To gar, hoti adōrotatos hōn ismen anthrōpōn, kai oudeni para to dikaion charizomenos, hōs mikrotera tēs loipēs aretēs tou andros parelipomen. Tauna opse min tou kairou martyroumen, hōsper hoi monǭdoÿntes heautous paramythoumenoi, ouchi tois pragmasi ti poiountes chrēsimon o plēn oude touto achrēston, en tę̄ megalę̄ sou psychę̄ tēn mnēmēn tou andros apokeisthai, charin te eidenai hōs euergetę̄ tēs enenkousēs ; kai ei tis epiphyoito autǭ tōn dia to mē protimēthēnai tou dikaiou chalipainontōn, hypermachein kai proistasthai, pasi poiēsanta phaneron, hoti oikeion seautǭ ton andra tithesai, arkousan aphormēn eis oikeiotēta, tēn agathēn peri autou martyrian tithemenos, kai tēn tōn pragmatōn peiran, hou kata tēn tōn chronōn analogian hyparchousan. A gar oudʼ an hen pollois etesi parʼ allon genoito, tauta en oligǭ parʼ autou katōrthōtai. Arkousa dʼhēmin charis, kai tōn symbantōn paramythia, ean kai basilei systēsę̄s auton, kai tas epenechtheisas autǭ diabolas aposkeuasę̄. Tauta sthi pasan oiou tēn patrida dia mias tēs hēmeteras phōnēs dialegesthai, kai koinēn einai pantōn kai koinēn euchēn, genesthai ti tǭ andri dʼia tēs sēs teleiotētos dexion,
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. Long ago I wrote to your Godliness about several matters and about our meeting each other, but I was disappointed in my hope, since the letter did not reach your Honor's hands: the blessed deacon Theophrastus received our letter when we were away of necessity on a tour, but did not send it on to your Godliness, having been overtaken by the illness of which he died. So I have come to write so much later than the right time that I do not even hope for any benefit from this letter, the time having been completely narrowed. For the most God-beloved bishop Meletius and Theodotus have bidden us cross over to them, making the meeting a token of love and wishing some correction to be made of what now troubles us. They appointed as the time of the meeting the middle of the coming month of June, and as the place Phargamus, a spot famous for the renown of its martyrs and for the crowds at the synod held there every year. Since, after my return, on learning of the falling asleep of the blessed deacon and that the letters were lying idle with us, I could not keep quiet, as thirty-three days still remained to us before the appointed date, I sent this letter in haste to our most reverend brother and fellow minister Eustathius, so that it might be forwarded through him to your Reverence and the replies brought back to us quickly. If it pleases you to come, we too will be present; if not, we ourselves, God willing, will pay last year's debt of a meeting, unless some hindrance of our sins arises again, and we shall put off the conference with the bishops to another time. [Letter 96] To Sophronius the master. And who is such a lover of his city as you are, who honor the homeland that bore and nourished you equally with parents, praying for good things for the whole city in common and for each individually, and not only praying but confirming your prayers by deeds? For you are able, with God, to do such things, and may you be able to the longest time, being so good. Yet under you our homeland has been rich only in a dream, having had as the man entrusted with its care one such as those who know our most ancient history say none other ever mounted the seats of government before; but it was quickly deprived of him by the spite of certain people, who made the man's freedom and refusal to flatter an occasion of war against him and contrived slanders against him, escaping the notice of your Perfection. So we are all, the whole people, downcast at the loss of a governor who alone was able to raise our city, already fallen to its knees: a true guardian of justice, easy of access to the wronged, formidable to lawbreakers, equal to poor and rich, and, greatest of all, restoring the affairs of the Christians to their ancient honor. That he was the most incorruptible of men we know, and favored no one against justice, we have passed over as less than the rest of the man's virtue. We bear this witness late, like those who sing laments to console themselves, doing nothing useful for affairs; yet even this is not useless: that the memory of the man should be laid up in your great soul, that you should feel grateful to him as a benefactor of your native city, and that if anyone attacks him, of those angered at not being preferred to justice, you should fight for him and defend him, making it plain to all that you count the man your own, taking as sufficient ground for intimacy the good testimony about him and his experience in affairs, which exceeds what his years would suggest. For what would not be achieved by another in many years has been achieved by him in a short time. It would be a sufficient favor to us, and consolation for what has happened, if you would also commend him to the emperor and dispel the slanders brought against him. Be sure that the whole homeland speaks this through our one voice, and that it is the common prayer of all that some good may come to the man through your Perfection.
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil invites Eusebius of Samosata to a meeting with Meletius at Phargamus; a second letter asks Sophronius to defend the dismissed governor Elias before the emperor.
- This staged ref holds two letters. Letter 95 (Benedictine), to Eusebius of Samosata; a sentence near the end is garbled and partly repeated in the scan, and has been translated by sense. Theodotus was bishop of Nicopolis. [Letter 96], to Sophronius the master, whose heading stands in the text; the governor praised is Elias (Letter 94).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip and repeated words): ἐπιγένηται ἠαῐν αμαρτιῶν κώλυμα, τὴν δὲ ἐξ uxr/.07sz7 κώλυαα. τὴν δὲ → ἐπιγένηται ἡμῖν ἁμαρτιῶν κώλυμα, τὴν δὲ.
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 95 (PG 32:489b–492d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/89/#p-95). (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.