Ep. XLVII.  To Basil.

I hear that you are being troubled by this fresh innovation, and are being worried by some sophistical and not unusual officiousness on the part of those in power; and it is not to be wondered at.  For I was not ignorant of their envy, or of the fact that many of those around you are making use of you to further their own interests, and are kindling the spark of meanness.  I have no fear of seeing you unphilosophically affected by your troubles, or in any way unworthy of yourself and me.  Nay, I think that it is now above all that my Basil will be known, and that the philosophy which all your life you have been collecting will shew itself, and will overcome the abuse as with a high wave; and that you will remain unshaken while others are being troubled.  If you think it well, I will come myself and perhaps shall be able to give you some assistance by my counsel (if the sea needs water, you do counsel!); but in any case I shall derive benefit, and shall learn philosophy by bearing my part of the abuse.

[47] ΤΩΙ ΑΥΤΩΙ

Πυνθάνομαί σε ταράσσεσθαι παρὰ τῆς νέας καινοτομίας καὶ πράγματα ἔχειν ἀπό τινος σοφιστικῆς τῶν κρατούντων καὶ συνήθους περιεργίας: καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Οὐ γὰρ ἠγνόουν τὸν φθόνον καὶ ὅτι πολλοὶ τῶν περὶ σὲ τὰ ἑαυτῶν διὰ σοῦ θεραπεύοντες καὶ τὸν σπινθῆρα τῆς μικροψυχίας ἀνάπτοντες. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν οὖν οὐ δέδοικα, μή τι πάθῃς ἀφιλόσοφον ἐν τοῖς λυπηροῖς καὶ σεαυτοῦ καὶ ἡμῶν ἀνάξιον. Ἀλλ' ἡγοῦμαι νῦν δὴ καὶ μάλιστα γνωρισθήσεσθαι τὸν ἐμὸν Βασίλειον, καὶ ἣν ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ συνελέξω φιλοσοφίαν, διαδειχθήσεσθαι, καὶ ὑπερσχήσειν τὰς ἐπηρείας, ὥσπερ ὑψηλῷ κύματι, καὶ μενεῖν ἄσειστον, ἄλλων τινασσομένων. Εἰ δὲ δοκεῖ, καὶ αὐτὸς παρέσομαι, τυχὸν μὲν καὶ γνώμης τινὸς κοινωνήσων (εἴπερ ὕδατος δεῖται θάλασσα καὶ σὺ τοῦ συμβουλεύσοντος): πάντως δέ, ὠφεληθησόμενος καὶ φιλοσοφήσων τὸ συνυβρίζεσθαι.