Ep. XL.  To the Great Basil.

Do not be surprized if I say something strange, which has not been said before by anyone.  I think you have the reputation of being a steady safe and strong-minded man, but also of being more simple than safe in much that you plan and do.  For that which is free from evil is also in proportion slow to suspect evil, as is shewn by what has just occurred.  You have summoned me to the Metropolis at the moment when a council has been called for the election of a Bishop, and your pretext is very seemly and plausible.  You pretend to be very ill, indeed at your last breath, and to long to see me and to bid me a last farewell; I do not know with what object, even what my presence can effect in the matter.  I started in great grief at what had happened; for what could be of higher value to me than your life, or more distressing than your departure?  And I shed a fountain of tears; and I wailed aloud; and I felt myself now for the first time unphilosophically disposed.  What did I leave unperformed of all that befits a funeral?  But as soon as I found that the Bishops were assembling at the City, at once I stopped short in my course; and I wondered first that you had not perceived what was proper, or guarded against people’s tongues, which are so given to slander the guileless; and secondly that you did not think the same course to be fitting for me as for yourself, though our life and our rule and everything is common to us both, who have been so closely associated by God from the first.  Thirdly, for I must say this also, I wondered whether you remembered that such nominations are worthy of the more religious, not of the more powerful, nor of those most in favour with the multitude.  For these reasons then I backed water, and held back.  Now, if you think as I do, come to this determination, to avoid these public turmoils and evil suspicions.  I shall see your Reverence when the matters are settled and time allows, and I shall have more and graver reproaches to address to you.

[40] ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΩΙ

Μὴ θαυμάσῃς, ἐάν τι παράδοξον λέγειν δόξω καὶ μὴ πρότερόν τισιν εἰρημένον. Ἐμοὶ δοκεῖς σὺ δόξαν μὲν ἔχειν ἀνδρὸς βεβηκότος καὶ ἀσφαλοῦς καὶ στερροῦ τὴν διάνοιαν, πολλὰ δὲ βουλεύεσθαι καὶ πράττειν ἁπλούστερον ἢ ἀσφαλέστερον. Τὸ γὰρ κακίας ἐλεύθερον, καὶ ὑφορᾶσθαι κακίαν ἀργότερον: οἷόν τι καὶ τὸ νῦν παρόν. Ἐκάλεσας ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὴν μητρόπολιν, περὶ ἐπισκόπου βουλῆς προκειμένης: καὶ τὸ πλάσμα, ὡς εὐπρεπές τε καὶ πιθανόν: ἀρρωστεῖν ἔδοξας καὶ ἀναπνεῖν τὰ τελευταῖα καὶ ποθεῖν ἰδεῖν τε ἡμᾶς καὶ τὰ ἐξόδια φθέγξασθαι, _οὐκ οἶδα ἵνα τί γένηται καὶ τί παρόντες τῷ πράγματι συντελέσωμεν. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὥρμησα μέν, τῷ πράγματι περιαλγήσας: τί γὰρ ἐμοὶ τῆς σῆς ζωῆς ὑψηλότερον ἢ καὶ τῆς ἐκδημίας ἀνιαρότερον; καὶ δακρύων ἀφῆκα πηγὰς καὶ ἀνῴμωξα καὶ ᾐσθόμην ἐμαυτοῦ νῦν πρῶτον ἀφιλοσόφως διακειμένου: καὶ τί γὰρ οὐ τῶν ἐπιταφίων ἐπλήρωσα; Ἐπεὶ δ' ᾐσθόμην ἐπισκόπους συντρέχειν ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν, ἀνεκόπην μὲν τῆς ὁρμῆς, ἐθαύμασα δὲ πρῶτον μὲν εἰ μὴ συνεῖδες τὸ εὔσχημον μηδὲ τὰς τῶν πολλῶν ἐφυλάξω γλώσσας, αἳ τάχιστα τοῖς ἀκεραιοτέροις ἐπηρεάζουσι: δεύτερον δέ, εἰ μὴ ταὐτά σοί τε καὶ ἡμῖν πρέπειν ὑπολαμβάνεις, οἷς καὶ λόγος καὶ βίος καὶ τὰ πάντα κοινά, οὕτως ἐκ Θεοῦ τὰ πρῶτα συναρμοσθεῖσι: τρίτον (ἔστω γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο εἰπεῖν), εἰ τῶν εὐλαβεστέρων ἐνόμισας εἶναι τὰς τοιαύτας προβολάς, ἀλλὰ μὴ τῶν δυνατωτέρων καὶ τοῖς πλήθεσιν οἰκειοτέρων. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν διὰ ταῦτα πρύμναν ἐκρουσάμην καὶ ἀναδύομαι. Σοὶ δὲ εἰ δοκεῖ καὶ αὐτῷ, τοῦτο δεδόχθω φυγεῖν τοὺς ἐν μέσῳ θορύβους καὶ τὰς πονηρὰς ὑπονοίας. Τὴν δὲ σὴν εὐλάβειαν τηνικαῦτα ὄψομαι ἡνίκ' ἂν τά τε πράγματα καταστῇ καὶ καιρὸς ᾖ, καὶ ὀνειδίσω γε πλείονα καὶ βαρύτερα.