Ep. XVII.  To Eusebius, Archbishop of Cæsarea.

I did not write in an insolent spirit, as you complain of my letter, but rather in a spiritual and philosophical one, and as was fitting, unless this too wrongs “your most eloquent Gregory.”  For though you are my Superior in rank, yet you will grant me something of liberty and just freedom of speech.  Therefore be kinder to me.  But if you regard my letter as coming from a servant, and from one who has not the right even to look you in the face, I will in this instance accept your stripes and not even shed a tear.  Will you blame me for this also?  That would befit anyone rather than your Reverence.  For it is the part of a high-souled man to accept more readily the freedom of a friend than the flattery of an enemy.

[17] ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ

Οὐχ ὑβριστικῶς ἐπέστειλα μᾶλλον, ὅπερ ἐμέμψω τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, ἢ πνευματικῶς τε καὶ φιλοσόφως, καὶ ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν, εἰ μὴ καὶ τοῦτο λυπεῖ τὸν λογιώτατον Γρηγόριον. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ τῷ βαθμῷ κρατεῖς, ἀλλὰ δώσεις τι καὶ ἡμῖν ἐλευθερίας καὶ παρρησίας δικαίας. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔσο ἡμῖν χρηστότερος. Πλὴν εἰ κρίνοις τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὡς οἰκέτου καὶ οὐδ' ἀντιβλέπειν ὀφείλοντος, οὕτω δὴ καὶ πληγὰς ληψόμεθα καὶ οὐδὲ δακρύσομεν: ἢ καὶ τοῦτο ἐγκληθησόμεθα; Ὃ πάντας μᾶλλον ἢ τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν παθεῖν ἄξιον. Ἔστι γὰρ ἀνδρὸς μεγαλόφρονος φίλων ἀποδέχεσθαι μᾶλλον ἐλευθερίαν ἢ ἐχθρῶν κολακείαν.