Basil of Caesarea, Letters
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To Eustathius the Philosopher.
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 bishops of the Pontic Diocese.
To the monks harassed by the Arians.
To the monks Palladius and Innocent.
To Barses, bishop of Edessa, in exile.
To Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, bishops of Egypt, in exile.
To Petrus, bishop of Alexandria.
To Barses, bishop of Edessa, in exile.
To the wife of Arinthæus, the General. Consolatory.
Without Address. Concerning Raptus.
To Sophronius the magister officiorum.
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 LVI.470 Placed at the beginning of the Episcopate.
To Pergamius.471 A layman, of whom nothing more is known.
I naturally forget very easily, and I have had lately many things to do, and so my natural infirmity is increased. I have no doubt, therefore, that you have written to me, although I have no recollection of having received any letter from your excellency; for I am sure you would not state what is not the case. But for there having been no reply, it is not I that am in fault; the guilt lies with him who did not ask for one. Now, however, you have this letter, containing my defence for the past and affording ground for a second greeting. So, when you write to me, do not suppose that you are taking the initiative in another correspondence. You are only discharging your proper obligation in this. For really, although this letter of mine is a return for a previous one of yours, as it is more than twice as bulky, it will fulfil a double purpose. You see to what sophisms my idleness drives me. But, my dear Sir, do not in a few words bring serious charges, indeed the most serious of all. Forgetfulness of one’s friends, and neglect of them arising from high place, are faults which involve every kind of wrong. Do we fail to love according to the commandment of the Lord? Then we lose the distinctive mark imprinted on us. Are we puffed to repletion with empty pride and arrogance? Then we fall into the inevitable condemnation of the devil. If, then, you use these words because you held such sentiments about me, pray that I may flee from the wickedness which you have found in my ways; if, however, your tongue shaped itself to these words, in a kind of inconsiderate conventionality, I shall console myself, and ask you to be good enough to adduce some tangible proof of your allegations. Be well assured of this, that my present anxiety is an occasion to me of humility. I shall begin to forget you, when I cease to know myself. Never, then, think that because a man is a very busy man he is a man of faulty character.
ΠΕΡΓΑΜΙῼ
[1] Εἰμὶ μὲν φύσει εὔκολος πρὸς τὴν λήθην, ἐπεγένετο δέ μοι καὶ τὸ τῶν ἀσχολιῶν πλῆθος ἐπιτεῖνον τὴν ἐκ φύσεως ἀρρωστίαν. Ὥστε, καὶ εἰ μὴ μέμνημαι δεξάμενος γράμματα τῆς εὐγενείας σου, πείθομαι ἐπεσταλκέναι σε ἡμῖν: οὐ γὰρ ἂν πάντως ψεῦδος εἰπεῖν σε. Τοῦ δὲ μὴ ἀντιφθέγξασθαι οὐκ ἐγὼ αἴτιος, ἀλλ' ὁ μὴ ἀπαιτήσας τὰς ἀποκρίσεις. Νυνὶ δὲ ἥκει σοι τὰ γράμματα ταῦτα, ὑπέρ τε τῶν φθασάντων ἀπολογίαν πληροῦντα καὶ ἀρχὴν διδόντα προσηγορίας δευτέρας. Ὥστε, ἐπειδὰν ἐπιστέλλῃς ἡμῖν, μὴ ὡς ἄρξας δευτέρας περιόδου γραμμάτων διανοοῦ, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀποπληρώσας ἐπὶ τοῖς παροῦσι τὰ ὀφειλόμενα. Καὶ γάρ, καὶ εἰ ἀντίδοσις προαγόντων ἐστὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα, ἀλλὰ τῷ πλέον ἢ διπλάσιον ὑπερβάλλειν κατὰ τὸ μέτρον ἑκατέρων τὴν τάξιν ἀποπληρώσει. Ὁρᾷς ὁποῖα σοφίζεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἡ ἀργία καταναγκάζει; Σὺ δὲ παῦσαι, ὦ ἄριστε, ἐν μικροῖς ῥήμασι μεγάλας αἰτίας, οὐ μὲν οὖν ἐχούσας ὑπερβολὴν εἰς κακίαν, παρεχόμενος: λήθη γὰρ φίλων καὶ ὑπεροψία ἐκ δυναστείας ἐγγινομένη πάντα ἔχει ὁμοῦ τὰ δεινά. Εἴτε γὰρ οὐκ ἀγαπῶμεν κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου, οὐδὲ τὸν χαρακτῆρα ἐπικείμενον ἡμῖν ἔχομεν: εἴτε φρονήματος κενοῦ καὶ ἀλαζονείας ὑπεπλήσθημεν τυφωθέντες, ἐμπίπτομεν εἰς τὸ ἄφυκτον κρίμα τοῦ διαβόλου. Ὥστε, εἰ μὲν οὕτως ἔχων διανοίας περὶ ἡμῶν τούτοις ἐχρήσω τοῖς ῥήμασιν, εὖξαι φυγεῖν ἡμᾶς τὴν πονηρίαν ἣν ἐξεῦρες ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ τρόπῳ: εἰ δὲ συνηθείᾳ τινὶ ἀνεξετάστῳ ἐπὶ τῶν ῥημάτων ἦλθεν ἡ γλῶττα, ἑαυτοὺς παραμυθησόμεθα καὶ τὴν σὴν χρηστότητα τὰς ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων μαρτυρίας προσθεῖναι παρακαλοῦμεν. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ εὖ ἴσθι, ὅτι ἡ παροῦσα φροντὶς ταπεινώσεως ἡμῖν γέγονεν ἀφορμή. Ὥστε σοῦ τότε ἐπιλησόμεθα, ὅταν καὶ ἑαυτοὺς ἀγνοήσωμεν. Μὴ τοίνυν ποτὲ τὰς ἀσχολίας σημεῖον τρόπου καὶ κακοηθείας ποιήσῃ.