Much distressed as I was by the flouts of what is called fortune, who always seems to be hindering my meeting you, I was wonderfully cheered and comfo

 Basil to Gregory .

 To Candidianus .

 To Olympius .

 To Nectarius .

 To the wife of Nectarius .

 To Gregory my friend .

 To the Cæsareans .  A defence of his withdrawal, and concerning the faith .

 To Maximus the Philosopher .

 To a widow .

 Without address.  To some friends .

 To Olympius .

 To Olympius .

 To Gregory his friend .

 To Arcadius, Imperial Treasurer .

 Against Eunomius the heretic .

 To Origenes .

 To Macarius and John .

 To Gregory my friend .

 To Leontius the Sophist .

 To Leontius the Sophist .

  Without address.  On the Perfection of the Life of Solitaries .

 To a Solitary .

 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 of Samosata .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Sophronius the Master .

 To Aburgius .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 Without address .

 Without address .

 Without address .

 To his Brother Gregory, concerning the difference between οὐσία and ὑπόστασις.

 Julian to Basil .

 Julian to Basil .

 Basil to Julian .

 To Chilo, his disciple .

 Admonition to the Young .

  To a lapsed Monk .

 To a lapsed Monk .

 To a fallen virgin .

 To Gregory .

 To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata .

 To Arcadius the Bishop .

 To Bishop Innocentius .

 To Bishop Bosporius .

 To the Canonicæ .

 To the Chorepiscopi .

 To the Chorepiscopi .

 To Paregorius, the presbyter .

 To Pergamius .

 To Meletius, Bishop of Antioch .

 To Gregory my brother .

 To Gregory, his uncle .

 To Gregory his uncle .

 To Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria .

 To the Church of Parnassus .

 To the Governor of Neocæsarea .

 To Hesychius .

 To Atarbius .

 To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .

 To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .

 To Meletius, bishop of Antioch .

 To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .

 Without address .

 Basil to Gregory .

 To Hesychius .

 To Callisthenes .

 To Martinianus .

 To Aburgius .

 To Sophronius the Master .

 Without inscription:  about Therasius .

 Without inscription, on behalf of Elpidius .

 To Eustathius bishop of Sebastia .

 To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .

 To Bishop Innocent .

 To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria .

 To a Magistrate .

 To the President .

 That the oath ought not to be taken .

 To the Governor .

 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 Italians and Gauls.

 To the Patrician Cæsaria , concerning Communion .

 To Elias, Governor of the Province .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Sophronius, the master .

 To the Senate of Tyana .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Count Terentius .

  To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata .

 Consolatory .

 To the citizens of Satala .

  To the people of Satala .

 To the prefect Modestus .

 To the deaconesses, the daughters of Count Terentius .

 To a soldier .

 To the Widow Julitta .

 To the guardian of the heirs of Julitta .

 To the Count Helladius .

 To the prefect Modestus .

  To Modestus, the prefect .

 To Andronicus, a general .

 To the presbyters of Tarsus .

 To Cyriacus, at Tarsus .

 To the heretic Simplicia .

 To Firminius .

 Letter CXVII.

 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 Urbicius, the monk .

 To Theodorus .

 1.  Both men whose minds have been preoccupied by a heterodox creed and now wish to change over to the congregation of the orthodox, and also those wh

 To Atarbius .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Meletius Bishop of Antioch .

 To Theodotus bishop of Nicopolis .

 To Olympius .

 To Abramius, bishop of Batnæ .

 Letter CXXXIII.

 To the presbyter Pœonius .

 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 the Alexandrians .

 To the Church of Antioch .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To the prefects’ accountant .

 To another accountant .

 To the prefects’ officer .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Antiochus .

 To Aburgius .

 To Trajan .

 To Trajan .

 To Amphilochius in the name of Heraclidas .

 To Eustathius the Physician .

 To Victor, the Commander .

 To Victor the Ex-Consul .

 To Ascholius, bishop of Thessalonica .

 Without address .   In the case of a trainer

 To the Presbyter Evagrius .

 To Amiochus .

 To Antiochus .

 To Eupaterius and his daughter .

 To Diodorus .

 To Amphilochius on his consecration as Bishop .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Count Jovinus .

 To Ascholius .

 To Ascholius, bishop of Thessalonica .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 To Antiochus .

 Basil to Gregory .

 To Glycerius .

 To Gregory .

 To Sophronius, the bishop .

 To Theodora the Canoness .

 To a Widow .

 To Count Magnenianus .

 To Amphilochius, Bishop of Iconium .

 To Saphronius the Master .

 To Aburgius .

 To Arinthæus .

 To the Master Sophronius, on behalf of Eunathius .

 To Otreius, bishop of Melitene .

 To the presbyters of Samosata .

 To the Senate of Samosata .

 To Eustathius, bishop of Himmeria .

 To Theodotus, bishop of Beræa .

 To Antipater, the governor .

 Letter CLXXXVII.

 (CanonicaPrima.)

 To Eustathius the physician .

 To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .

 To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .

 To Sophronius the Master .

 To Meletius the Physician .

 To Zoilus .

 To Euphronius, bishop of Colonia Armeniæ .

 To Aburgius .

 To Ambrose, bishop of Milan .

 To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata .

 CanonicaSecunda.

 To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .

 To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .

 To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium .

 To the bishops of the sea coast .

 To the Neocæsareans .

 To Elpidius the bishop .

 To Elpidius the bishop. Consolatory .

 To the clergy of Neocæsarea .

 To Eulancius .

 Without address .

 To the notables of Neocæsarea .

 To Olympius .

 To Hilarius .

 Without address .

 1. When I heard that your excellency had again been compelled to take part in public affairs, I was straightway distressed (for the truth must be told

 To the Presbyter Dorotheus.

 To Meletius, bishop of Antioch.

 Letter CCXVII.

 To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.

 To the clergy of Samosata.

 To the Beræans .

 To the Beræans.

 To the people of Chalcis .

 Against Eustathius of Sebasteia .

 To the presbyter Genethlius.

 I am always very thankful to God and to the emperor, under whose rule we live, when I see the government of my country put into the hands of one who i

 To the ascetics under him.

 Consolatory, to the clergy of Colonia .

 To the magistrates of Colonia.

 To the clergy of Nicopolis.

 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 the same Amphilochius.

 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 Westerns .

 To the bishops of Italy and Gaul concerning the condition and confusion of the Churches.

 To Patrophilus, bishop of Ægæ .

 To Theophilus the Bishop .

 To the Nicopolitans.

 To the Nicopolitans.

 To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium.

 Without address.  Commendatory.

 To Patrophilus, bishop of Ægæ.

 1.  My occupations are very numerous, and my mind is full of many anxious cares, but I have never forgotten you, my dear friends, ever praying my God

 The honours of martyrs ought to be very eagerly coveted by all who rest their hopes on the Lord, and more especially by you who seek after virtue.  By

 The anxious care which you have for the Churches of God will to some extent be assuaged by our very dear and very reverend brother Sanctissimus the pr

 May the Lord grant me once again in person to behold your true piety and to supply in actual intercourse all that is wanting in my letter.  I am behin

 Would that it were possible for me to write to your reverence every day!  For ever since I have had experience of your affection I have had great desi

 News has reached me of the severe persecution carried on against you, and how directly after Easter the men who fast for strife and debate attacked yo

 To the monks harassed by the Arians.

 1.  It has long been expected that, in accordance with the prediction of our Lord, because of iniquity abounding, the love of the majority would wax c

 To the monks Palladius and Innocent.

 To Optimus the bishop .

 To the Sozopolitans .

 1.  You have done well to write to me.  You have shewn how great is the fruit of charity.  Continue so to do.  Do not think that, when you write to me

 To the Westerns.

 To Barses the bishop, truly God-beloved and worthy of all reverence and honour, Basil sends greeting in the Lord.  As my dear brother Domninus is sett

 To Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, bishops of Egypt, in exile.

 1.  You have very properly rebuked me, and in a manner becoming a spiritual brother who has been taught genuine love by the Lord, because I am not giv

 To Barses, bishop of Edessa, in exile.

 To Eusebius, in exile.

 To the wife of Arinthæus, the General.  Consolatory.

 I am distressed to find that you are by no means indignant at the sins forbidden, and that you seem incapable of understanding, how this raptus , whic

 At once and in haste, after your departure, I came to the town.  Why need I tell a man not needing to be told, because he knows by experience, how dis

 1.  It has been reported to me by Actiacus the deacon, that certain men have moved you to anger against me, by falsely stating me to be ill-disposed t

 Without address.  Concerning Hera.

 To Himerius, the master.

 Without address.  Concerning Hera.

 To the great Harmatius.

 To the learned Maximus.

 To Valerianus.

 To Modestus the Prefect.

 To Modestus the Prefect.

 To Modestus the Prefect.

 To a bishop.

 To a widow.

 To the assessor in the case of monks.

 Without Address.

 To the Commentariensis .

 Without address.

 Without address.  Excommunicatory.

 Without address.  Concerning an afflicted woman.

 To Nectarius.

 To Timotheus the Chorepiscopus .

 Letter CCXCII.

 Letter CCXCIII.

 Letter CCXCIV.

 Letter CCXCV.

 Letter CCXCVI.

 Letter CCXCVII.

 Letter CCXCVIII.

 Letter CCXCIX.

 Letter CCC.

 Letter CCCI.

 Letter CCCII.

 Letter CCCIII.

 Letter CCCIV.

 Letter CCCV.

 Letter CCCVI.

 Letter CCCVII.

 Letter CCCVIII.

 Letter CCCIX.

 Letter CCCX.

 Letter CCCXI.

 Letter CCCXII.

 Letter CCCXIII.

 Letter CCCXIV.

 Letter CCCXV.

 Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.

 Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.

 Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.

 Letters CCCXVI., CCCXVII., CCCXVIII., CCCXIX.

 Letter CCCXX.

 Letter CCCXXI.

 Letter CCCXXII.

 Letter CCCXXIII.

 Letter CCCXXIV.

 Letter CCCXXV.

 Letter CCCXXVI.

 Letter CCCXXVII.

 Letter CCCXXVIII.

 Letter CCCXXIX.

 Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.

 Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.

 Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.

 Letters CCCXXX., CCCXXXI., CCCXXXII., CCCXXXIII.

 Letter CCCXXXIV.

 Letter CCCXXXV.

 Letter CCCXXXVI.

 Letter CCCXXXVII.

 Letter CCCXXXVIII.

 Letter CCCXXXIX.

 Letter CCCXL.

 Letter CCCXLI.

 Letter CCCXLII.

 Letter CCCXLIII.

 Letter CCCXLIV.

 Letter CCCXLV.

 Letter CCCXLVI.

 Letter CCCXLVII.

 Letter CCCXLVIII.

 Letter CCCXLIX.

 Letter CCCL.

 Letter CCCLI.

 Letter CCCLII.

 Letter CCCLIII.

 Letter CCCLIV.

 Letter CCCLV.

 Letter CCCLVI.

 Letter CCCLVII.

 Letter CCCLVIII.

 Letter CCCLIX.

 Of the Holy Trinity, the Incarnation, the invocation of Saints, and their Images.

 Letters CCCLXI. and CCCLXIII., to Apollinarius, and Letters CCCLXII. and CCCLXIV., from Apollinarius to Basil, are condemned as indubitably spurious,

 Letters CCCLXI. and CCCLXIII., to Apollinarius, and Letters CCCLXII. and CCCLXIV., from Apollinarius to Basil, are condemned as indubitably spurious,

 Letters CCCLXI. and CCCLXIII., to Apollinarius, and Letters CCCLXII. and CCCLXIV., from Apollinarius to Basil, are condemned as indubitably spurious,

 Letters CCCLXI. and CCCLXIII., to Apollinarius, and Letters CCCLXII. and CCCLXIV., from Apollinarius to Basil, are condemned as indubitably spurious,

 Letters CCCLXI. and CCCLXIII., to Apollinarius, and Letters CCCLXII. and CCCLXIV., from Apollinarius to Basil, are condemned as indubitably spurious,

 Basil to Urbicius the monk, concerning continency.

Letter XXIX.264    Placed in 368.

To the Church of Ancyra.  Consolatory.265    cf. Letters xxiv. and xxv., and note.

My amazement at the most distressing news of the calamity which has befallen you for a long time kept me silent.  I felt like a man whose ears are stunned by a loud clap of thunder.  Then I somehow recovered a little from my state of speechlessness.  Now I have mourned, as none could help mourning, over the event, and, in the midst of my lamentations, have sent you this letter.  I write not so much to console you,—for who could find words to cure a calamity so great?—as to signify to you, as well as I can by these means, the agony of my own heart.  I need now the lamentations of Jeremiah, or of any other of the Saints who has feelingly lamented a great woe.  A man has fallen who was really a pillar and stay of the Church or rather he himself has been taken from us and is gone to the blessed life, and there is no small danger lest many at the removal of this prop from under them fall too, and lest some men’s unsoundness be brought to light.  A mouth is sealed gushing with righteous eloquence and words of grace to the edification of the brotherhood.  Gone are the counsels of a mind which truly moved in God.  Ah! how often, for I must accuse myself, was it my lot to feel indignation against him, because, wholly desiring to depart and be with Christ, he did not prefer for our sakes to remain in the flesh!266    cf. Phil. i. 23, 24.  To whom for the future shall I commit the cares of the Churches?  Whom shall I take to share my troubles?  Whom to participate in my gladness?  O loneliness terrible and sad!  How am I not like to a pelican of the wilderness?267    cf. Ps. cii. 6.  Yet of a truth the members of the Church, united by his leadership as by one soul, and fitted together into close union of feeling and fellowship, are both preserved and shall ever be preserved by the bond of peace for spiritual communion.  God grants us the boon, that all the works of that blessed soul, which he did nobly in the churches of God, abide firm and immovable.  But the struggle is no slight one, lest, once more strifes and divisions arising over the choice of the bishop, all your work be upset by some quarrel.

Τῌ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙᾼ ΑΓΚΥΡΑΣ ΠΑΡΑΜΥΘΗΤΙΚΗ

[1] Πολὺν ἡμῖν χρόνον σιωπὴν ἐνεποίησεν ἡ ἔκπληξις τῆς βαρυτάτης ἀγγελίας τοῦ συμβάντος κακοῦ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ μικρόν πως τῆς ἀφασίας ἀνηνέγκαμεν ἥν, ὡς οἱ βροντῇ μεγάλῃ τὰς ἀκοὰς ἐκπλαγέντες, πεπόνθαμεν, ἀναγκαίως ἐπεστενάξαμεν τῷ συμβάντι καὶ μεταξὺ ὀδυρόμενοι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὑμῖν ἐξεπέμψαμεν, οὐ παρακλήσεως ἕνεκεν (τίς γὰρ ἂν καὶ λόγος εὑρεθείη τοσαύτης συμφορᾶς ἰατρός;), ἀλλὰ τὴν ὀδύνην τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν, καθ' ὅσον δυνατόν, ἐκ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης ὑμῖν διασημαίνοντες. Νῦν ἐδεόμην τῶν Ἱερεμίου θρήνων καὶ εἰ δή τις ἄλλος τῶν μακαρίων ἀνδρῶν συμφορὰς μεγίστας ἐμπαθῶς ἀπωδύρατο. Πέπτωκεν ἀνήρ, στῦλος τῷ ὄντι καὶ ἑδραίωμα τῆς ἀληθείας: μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸς μὲν πρὸς τὴν μακαρίαν ζωὴν ἀρθεὶς ἀφ' ἡμῶν οἴχεται, κίνδυνος δὲ οὐ μικρὸς μὴ πολλοὶ τῷ ἐρείσματι τούτῳ ὑπεξαιρεθέντι συγκαταπέσωσι καὶ τὰ σαθρά τινων φανερὰ γένηται. Κέκλεισται στόμα παρρησίας τε δικαίας καὶ λόγοις χάριτος ἐπ' οἰκοδομῇ τῆς ἀδελφότητος βρύον. Οἴχεται δὲ φρενὸς βουλεύματα τῆς ὄντως ἐν Θεῷ κινουμένης Ὢ ποσάκις μοι (κατηγορήσω γὰρ ἐμαυτοῦ) ἐπῆλθεν ἀγανακτῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ ἀνδρός, ὅτι, ὅλος γενόμενος τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τοῦ ἀναλῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι, τὸ ἐπιμεῖναι ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ οὐ προετίμησε δι' ἡμᾶς. Πρὸς τίνα λοιπὸν τὰς φροντίδας τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ὑπερθώμεθα; Τίνα κοινωνὸν τῶν λυπηρῶν λάβωμεν; Τίνα μερίτην τῆς εὐφροσύνης; Ὢ τῆς δεινῆς ὄντως καὶ σκυθρωπῆς ἐρημίας. Πῶς ἀκριβῶς ὡμοιώθημεν πελεκᾶνι ἐρημικῷ; Ἀλλὰ μὴν τά γε συναφθέντα μέλη τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, οἷον ὑπὸ ψυχῆς τινος, τῆς ἐκείνου προστασίας εἰς μίαν συμπάθειαν καὶ ἀκριβῆ κοινωνίαν συναρμοσθέντα, καὶ φυλάσσεται διὰ τοῦ συνδέσμου τῆς εἰρήνης πρὸς τὴν πνευματικὴν ἁρμολογίαν παγίως καὶ φυλαχθήσεται εἰς ἀεί, τοῦτο τοῦ Θεοῦ χαριζομένου, ἑδραῖα μένειν καὶ ἀμετακίνητα τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης ψυχῆς τὰ ἔργα, ὅσα ἐνήθλησε ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πλὴν ἀλλ' ὁ ἀγὼν οὐ μικρὸς μή τινες πάλιν ἔριδες καὶ διχοστασίαι, ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκλογὴν τοῦ μεταστάντος ἀναφυεῖσαι, πάντα ὁμοῦ τὸν κόπον ἐκ τῆς τυχούσης ἔριδος ἀνατρέψωσιν.