50.  Amazed at this language, the prefect said, “No one has ever yet spoken thus, and with such boldness, to Modestus.”  “Why, perhaps,” said Basil, “you have not met with a Bishop, or in his defence of such interests he would have used precisely the same language.  For we are modest in general, and submissive to every one, according to the precept of our law.  We may not treat with haughtiness even any ordinary person, to say nothing of so great a potentate.  But where the interests of God are at stake, we care for nothing else, and make these our sole object.  Fire and sword and wild beasts, and rakes which tear the flesh, we revel in, and fear them not.  You may further insult and threaten us, and do whatever you will, to the full extent of your power.  The Emperor himself may hear this—that neither by violence nor persuasion will you bring us to make common cause with impiety, not even though your threats become still more terrible.”

Τούτοις καταπλαγέντα τὸν ὕπαρχον: »Οὐδείς, φάναι, μέχρι τοῦ νῦν οὕτως ἐμοὶ διείλεκται καὶ μετὰ τοσαύτης τῆς παρρησίας, τὸ ἑαυτοῦ προσθεὶς ὄνομα. _Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπισκόπῳ ἴσως, φησίν, ἐνέτυχες, ἢ πάντως ἂν τοῦτον διειλέχθη τὸν τρόπον, ὑπὲρ τοιούτων ἀγωνιζόμενος. Τἆλλα μὲν γὰρ ἐπιεικεῖς ἡμεῖς, ὕπαρχε, καὶ παντὸς ἄλλου ταπεινότεροι, τοῦτο τῆς ἐντολῆς κελευούσης, καὶ μὴ ὅτι τοσούτῳ κράτει, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τῶν τυχόντων ἑνὶ τὴν ὀφρὺν αἴροντες: οὗ δὲ Θεὸς τὸ κινδυνευόμενον καὶ προκείμενον, τἆλλα περιφρονοῦντες, πρὸς αὐτὸν μόνον βλέπομεν. Πῦρ δὲ καὶ ξίφος καὶ θῆρες καὶ οἱ τὰς σάρκας τέμνοντες ὄνυχες, τρυφὴ μᾶλλον ἡμῖν εἰσιν ἢ κατάπληξις. Πρὸς ταῦτα ὕβριζε, ἀπείλει, ποίει πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἂν ᾖ βουλομένῳ σοι, τῆς ἐξουσίας ἀπόλαυε. Ἀκουέτω ταῦτα καὶ βασιλεύς, ὡς ἡμᾶς γε οὐχ αἱρήσεις οὐδὲ πείσεις συνθέσθαι τῇ ἀσεβείᾳ, κἂν ἀπειλῇς χαλεπώτερα.«