Letter LXXIX.538    Also of the year 371.

To Eustathius bishop of Sebastia.539    cf. Letter cxix.  Sebaste is Siwas on the Halys.  On Eustathius to Basil a type at once of the unwashable Ethiopian for persistent heresy (Letter cxxx. 1) and of the wind-driven cloud for shiftiness and time-serving, (Letter ccxliv. 9.)  Vide proleg.

Even before receiving your letter I knew what trouble you are ready to undergo for every one, and specially for my humble self because I am exposed in this struggle.  So when I received your letter from the reverend Eleusinius, and saw him actually before my face, I praised God for bestowing on me such a champion and comrade, in my struggles on behalf of true religion by the aid of the Spirit.  Be it known to your exalted reverence that I have hitherto sustained some attacks from high magistrates, and these no light ones; while both the prefect and the high chamberlain pleaded with sympathy for my opponents.  But, so far, I have sustained every assault unmoved, by that mercy of God which supplies to me the aid of the Spirit, and strengthens my weakness through Him.

ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙῼ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠῼ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΕΙΑΣ

[1] Καὶ πρὸ τοῦ δέχεσθαι τὰ γράμματα ᾔδειν τὸν πόνον ὃν ἔχεις ὑπὲρ πάσης ψυχῆς, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἡμετέρας ταπεινώσεως, διὰ τὸ προβεβλῆσθαι ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι τούτῳ, καὶ δεξάμενος δὲ παρὰ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου Ἐλευσινίου τὰ γράμματα καὶ αὐτὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν παρουσίαν θεασάμενος ἐδόξασα τὸν Θεόν, τὸν τοιοῦτον παραστάτην καὶ συνασπιστήν, διὰ τῆς πνευματικῆς βοηθείας, ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας ἀγῶσι χαρισάμενον ἡμῖν. Γινωσκέτω δὲ ἡ ἀνυπέρβλητός σου θεοσέβεια μέχρι νῦν προσβολὰς μέν τινας παρὰ τῶν μεγάλων ἀρχόντων ἡμῖν γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ ταύτας σφοδράς, τοῦ τε ἐπάρχου καὶ τοῦ περὶ τὸν κοιτῶνα διαλεχθέντων ἰδιοπαθῶς καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐναντίων: τέως δὲ ἀτρέπτως ἡμᾶς πᾶσαν προσβολὴν ὑπομεῖναι τῷ ἐλέει τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῷ χαριζομένῳ ἡμῖν τὴν συνεργίαν τοῦ Πνεύματος καὶ ἐνδυναμώσαντι ἡμῶν δι' αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀσθένειαν.