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Basil of Caesarea, Letters
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To the Cæsareans . A defence of his withdrawal, and concerning the faith .
Without address. To some friends .
To Arcadius, Imperial Treasurer .
Against Eunomius the heretic .
Without address. On the Perfection of the Life of Solitaries .
To Athanasius, father of Athanasius bishop of Ancyra .
To Athanasius, bishop of Ancyra .
To Cæsarius, brother of Gregory .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To the Church of Neocæsarea. Consolatory .
To the Church of Ancyra. Consolatory .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To his Brother Gregory, concerning the difference between οὐσία and ὑπόστασις.
To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata .
To Paregorius, the presbyter .
To Meletius, Bishop of Antioch .
To Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria .
To the Governor of Neocæsarea .
To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .
To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .
To Meletius, bishop of Antioch .
To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .
Without inscription: about Therasius .
Without inscription, on behalf of Elpidius .
To Eustathius bishop of Sebastia .
To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .
To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .
That the oath ought not to be taken .
Without address on the same subject .
Without address on the subject of the exaction of taxes .
To Meletius, bishop of Antioch .
To the holy brethren the bishops of the West .
To Valerianus, Bishop of Illyricum .
To the Patrician Cæsaria , concerning Communion .
To Elias, Governor of the Province .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata .
To the deaconesses, the daughters of Count Terentius .
To the guardian of the heirs of Julitta .
To Jovinus, Bishop of Perrha .
To Eustathius, Bishop of Sebasteia .
To Meletius, bishop of Antioch .
To Theodotus, bishop of Nicopolis .
To Pœmenius , bishop of Satala .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Meletius Bishop of Antioch .
To Theodotus bishop of Nicopolis .
To Abramius, bishop of Batnæ .
To Diodorus, presbyter of Antioch .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Antipater, on his assuming the governorship of Cappadocia .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Amphilochius in the name of Heraclidas .
To Ascholius, bishop of Thessalonica .
Without address . In the case of a trainer
To Eupaterius and his daughter .
To Amphilochius on his consecration as Bishop .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Ascholius, bishop of Thessalonica .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium .
To the Master Sophronius, on behalf of Eunathius .
To Otreius, bishop of Melitene .
To the presbyters of Samosata .
To Eustathius, bishop of Himmeria .
To Theodotus, bishop of Beræa .
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .
To Euphronius, bishop of Colonia Armeniæ .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .
To the bishops of the sea coast .
To Elpidius the bishop. Consolatory .
To the notables of Neocæsarea .
To Meletius, bishop of Antioch.
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.
Against Eustathius of Sebasteia .
Consolatory, to the clergy of Colonia .
To the magistrates of Colonia.
To the magistrates of Nicopolis.
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.
To Amphilochius, in reply to certain questions.
To the same, in answer to another question.
To the same, in answer to another question.
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.
To the presbyters of Nicopolis .
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.
To the Presbyters of Nicopolis.
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .
To the bishops of Italy and Gaul concerning the condition and confusion of the Churches.
To Patrophilus, bishop of Ægæ .
To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.
Without address. Commendatory.
To Patrophilus, bishop of Ægæ.
To the monks harassed by the Arians.
To the monks Palladius and Innocent.
To Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, bishops of Egypt, in exile.
To Barses, bishop of Edessa, in exile.
To the wife of Arinthæus, the General. Consolatory.
Without address. Concerning Hera.
Without address. Concerning Hera.
To the assessor in the case of monks.
Without address. Excommunicatory.
Without address. Concerning an afflicted woman.
To Timotheus the Chorepiscopus .
Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.
Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.
Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.
Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.
Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.
Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.
Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.
Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.
Of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, the invocation of Saints, and their Images.
Letter XXIII.241 Written at Cæsarea during his presbyterate.
To a Solitary.
A certain man, as he says, on condemning the vanity of this life, and perceiving that its joys are ended here, since they only provide material for eternal fire and then quickly pass away, has come to me with the desire of separating from this wicked and miserable life, of abandoning the pleasures of the flesh, and of treading for the future a road which leads to the mansions of the Lord. Now if he is sincerely firm in his truly blessed purpose, and has in his soul the glorious and laudable passion, loving the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his strength, and with all his mind, it is necessary for your reverence to show him the difficulties and distresses of the strait and narrow way, and establish him in the hope of the good things which are as yet unseen, but are laid up in promise for all that are worthy of the Lord. I therefore write to entreat your incomparable perfection in Christ, if it be possible to mould his character, and, without me, to bring about his renunciation according to what is pleasing to God, and to see that he receive elementary instruction in accordance with what has been decided by the Holy Fathers, and put forth by them in writing. See too that he have put before him all things that are essential to ascetic discipline, and that so he may be introduced to the life, after having accepted, of his own accord, the labours undergone for religion’s sake, subjected himself to the Lord’s easy yoke, adopted a conversation in imitation of Him Who for our sakes became poor242 2 Cor. viii. 9. and took flesh, and may run without fail to the prize of his high calling, and receive the approbation of the Lord. He is wishful to receive here the crown of God’s loves, but I have put him off, because I wish, in conjunction with your reverence, to anoint him for such struggles, and to appoint over him one of your number whom he may select to be his trainer, training him nobly, and making him by his constant and blessed care a tried wrestler, wounding and overthrowing the prince of the darkness of this world, and the spiritual powers of iniquity, with whom, as the blessed Apostle says, is “our wrestling.”243 Eph. vi. 12. What I wish to do in conjunction with you, let your love in Christ do without me.
ΠΑΡΑΘΕΤΙΚΗ ΠΡΟΣ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΑ
[1] Ὁ δεῖνα, ὡς λέγει, καταγνοὺς τῆς τοῦ βίου τούτου ματαιότητος καὶ καταμαθὼν ὅτι τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης τὰ τερπνὰ ἐνταῦθα τὴν καταστροφὴν ἔχει ὕλας μόνον κατασκευάζοντα τῷ αἰωνίῳ πυρί, ταχεῖαν δὲ ἔχοντα τὴν πάροδον, κατέλαβέ με βουλόμενος ἀποστῆναι μὲν τῆς μοχθηρᾶς καὶ πολυστενάκτου ζωῆς, καταλιπεῖν δὲ τὰς τῆς σαρκὸς ἡδονάς, ἐπελθεῖν δὲ λοιπὸν τῇ ὁδῷ τῇ ἀγούσῃ ἐπὶ τὰς μονὰς τοῦ Κυρίου. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν, εἰ φύσει ἐν ἐπιθυμίᾳ καθέστηκε τῆς μακαρίας ὄντως διαγωγῆς καὶ τὸν καλὸν καὶ ἐπαινούμενον ἔρωτα ἔσχεν ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῇ, ἀγαπήσας Κύριον τὸν Θεὸν ἡμῶν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας καὶ ἐξ ὅλης ἰσχύος καὶ ἐξ ὅλης διανοίας, ὑποδειχθῆναι αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας θεοσεβείας τὰ δυσχερῆ καὶ δυσάντητα τῆς στενῆς καὶ τεθλιμμένης ὁδοῦ, ἐν ἐλπίδι δὲ αὐτὸν καταστῆναι τῶν νῦν τέως μὴ βλεπομένων, ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις δὲ ἀποκειμένων ἀγαθῶν τοῖς ἀξίοις τοῦ Κυρίου: διὸ γράφων παρακαλῶ τὴν ἀσύγκριτον ὑμῶν ἐν Χριστῷ τελειότητα τυπῶσαι, εἰ οἷόν τε εἴη, καὶ δίχα μου ποιῆσαι τήν τε ἀποταγὴν αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸ ἀρέσκον Θεῷ καὶ στοιχειωθῆναι αὐτὸν κατὰ τὰ δόξαντα τοῖς ἁγίοις Πατράσι καὶ ἐγγράφως ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἐκτεθέντα: ἤδη δὲ αὐτῷ προταθῆναι ἅπαντα ὅσα τῇ ἀκριβείᾳ δοκεῖ τῇ ἀσκητικῇ καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸν προσαχθῆναι τῷ βίῳ αὐθαιρέτως ἀναδεξάμενον τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγῶνας καὶ ὑπαγαγόντα ἑαυτὸν τῷ χρηστῷ τοῦ Κυρίου ζυγῷ, καί, κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ δι' ἡμᾶς πτωχεύσαντος καὶ σάρκα φορέσαντος πολιτευσάμενον καὶ κατὰ σκοπὸν δραμόντα πρὸς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως, τυχεῖν τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀποδοχῆς. Ἐγὼ γὰρ σπουδάζοντα αὐτὸν ἐνταῦθα δέξασθαι τὸν τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν ἀγάπης στέφανον ὑπερεθέμην, βουλόμενος μετὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας θεοσεβείας ἀλεῖψαι αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς τοιούτους ἄθλους καὶ ἕνα ὃν ἂν ὑμῶν αὐτὸς ἐπιζητήσῃ ἐπιστῆσαι αὐτῷ ἀλείπτην, καλῶς παιδοτριβοῦντα καὶ παλαιστὴν δόκιμον ἀπεργαζόμενον διὰ τῆς συντόνου καὶ μακαρίας ἐπιμελείας, τιτρώσκοντα καὶ καταβάλλοντα τὸν κοσμοκράτορα τοῦ σκότους τούτου, καὶ τὰ πνευματικὰ δὲ τῆς πονηρίας, πρὸς ἃ ἡμῖν ἐστι κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Ἀπόστολον ἡ πάλη. Ὃ τοίνυν ἐγὼ μεθ' ὑμῶν ἠβουλήθην ποιῆσαι, ἡ ἐν Χριστῷ ὑμῶν ἀγάπη καὶ δίχα μου ποιησάτω.