Basil of Caesarea, Letters

Julian313 These Letters are placed in this order by the Ben. Editors as being written, if genuine, before Basil’s episcopate. Maran (Vita S. Bas. Cap. ii.) is puzzled at Basil’s assertion in xli. that he learned the Bible with Julian, and points out that at Athens they devoted themselves to profane literature. But this may have allowed intervals for other work. In 344, when Basil was at Cæsarea, Julian was relegated by Constantius to the neighbouring fortress of Macellum, and there, with his elder half-brother Gallus, spent six years in compulsory retirement. Sozomen tells us that the brothers studied the Scripture and became Readers (Soz. v. 2; Amm. Marc. xv. 2, 7). Their seclusion, in which they were reduced to the society of their own household (Greg. Naz., Or. iii., Julian, Ad. Ath. 271 c.), may not have been so complete as to prevent all intercourse with a harmless schoolboy like Basil. “Malgré l’authorité de dom Maran, nous croyons avec Tillemont, Dupont et M. Albert de Broglie, que cette lettre a été réellement adressée par Julien, non a un homonyme de St. Basile mais à St. Basile lui-même.” Étude historique et littéraire sur St. Basile. Fialon.to Basil.

The proverb says “You are not proclaiming war,”314 i.e.“your words are friendly.” cf. Plat., Legg. 702 D. οὐ πόλεμόν γε ἐπαγγέλλεις, ὦ Κλεινία. and, let me add, out of the comedy, “O messenger of golden words.”315 ὦ χρυσὸν ἀγγείλας ἐπῶν. Aristoph., Plut. 268. Come then; prove this in act, and hasten to me. You will come as friend to friend. Conspicuous and unremitting devotion to business seems, to those that treat it as of secondary importance, a heavy burden; yet the diligent are modest, as I persuade myself, sensible, and ready for any emergency. I allow myself relaxations so that even rest may be permitted to one who neglects nothing. Our mode of life is not marked by the court hypocrisy, of which I think you have had some experience, and in accordance with which compliments mean deadlier hatred than is felt to our worst foes; but, with becoming freedom, while we blame and rebuke where blame is due, we love with the love of the dearest friends. I may therefore, let me say, with all sincerity, both be diligent in relaxation and, when at work, not get worn out, and sleep secure; since when awake I do not wake more for myself, than, as is fit, for every one else. I am afraid this is rather silly and trifling, as I feel rather lazy, (I praise myself like Astydamas316 A playwright of Athens, who put a boastful epigram on his own statue, and became a byword for self-praise. Vide Suidas s.v., σαυτὸν ἐπαινεῖς.) but I am writing to prove to you that to have the pleasure of seeing you, wise man as you are, will be more likely to do me good than to cause any difficulty. Therefore, as I have said, lose no time: travel post haste. After you have paid me as long a visit as you like, you shall go on your journey, whithersoever you will, with my best wishes.

ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙῼ

[1] Ἡ μὲν παροιμία φησίν: »Οὐ πόλεμον ἀγγέλλεις«, ἐγὼ δὲ προσθείην ἐκ τῆς κωμῳδίας: »Ὦ χρυσὸν ἀγγείλας ἐπῶν.« Ἴθι οὖν, ἔργοις αὐτὸ δεῖξον καὶ σπεῦδε παρ' ἡμᾶς. Ἀφίξῃ γὰρ φίλος παρὰ φίλον. Ἡ δὲ περὶ τὰ πράγματα κοινὴ καὶ συνεχὴς ἀσχολία δοκεῖ μὲν εἶναί πως τοῖς πάρεργον αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν ἐπαχθής, οἱ δὲ τῆς ἐπιμελείας κοινωνοῦντές εἰσιν ἐπιεικεῖς, ὡς ἐμαυτὸν πείθω, καὶ συνετοὶ καὶ πάντως ἱκανοὶ πρὸς πάντα. Δίδωμι οὖν μοι ῥᾳστώνην, ὥστε ἐξεῖναι μηδὲν ὀλιγωροῦντι καὶ ἀναπαύεσθαι. Σύνεσμεν γὰρ ἀλλήλοις οὐ μετὰ τῆς αὐλικῆς ὑποκρίσεως μόνης ἧς οἶμαί σε μέχρι τοῦ δεῦρο πεπειρᾶσθαι, καθ' ἣν ἐπαινοῦντες μισοῦσι τηλικοῦτον μῖσος ἡλίκον οὐδὲ τοὺς πολεμιωτάτους, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τῆς προσηκούσης ἀλλήλους ἐλευθερίας ἐξελέγχοντές τε, ὅταν δέῃ, καὶ ἐπιτιμῶντες οὐκ ἔλαττον φιλοῦμεν ἀλλήλους τῶν σφόδρα ἑταίρων. Ἔνθεν ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν (ἀπείη δὲ φθόνος) ἀνειμένοις τε σπουδάζειν καὶ σπουδάζουσι μὴ ταλαιπωρεῖσθαι, καθεύδειν δὲ ἀδεῶς, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐγρηγορὼς οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ μᾶλλον ἢ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, ὡς εἰκός, ἐγρήγορα. Ταῦτα ἴσως κατηδολέσχησά σου καὶ κατελήρησα παθών τι βλακῶδες (ἐπῄνεσα γὰρ ἐμαυτὸν ὥσπερ Ἀστυδάμας), ἀλλ' ἵνα σε πείσω προὔργου τι μᾶλλον ἡμῖν τὴν σὴν παρουσίαν, ἅτε ἀνδρὸς ἔμφρονος, ποιήσειν ἢ παραιρήσεσθαί τι τοῦ καιροῦ ταῦτα ἐπέστειλα. Σπεῦδε οὖν, ὅπερ ἔφην, δημοσίῳ χρησόμενος δρόμῳ. Συνδιατρίψας δὲ ἡμῖν ἐφ' ὅσου σοι φίλον, οἵπερ ἂν θέλῃς ὑφ' ἡμῶν πεμπόμενος, ὡς προσῆκόν ἐστι, βαδιῇ.