Letter CIV.626    Placed in 372.

To the prefect Modestus.627    On the rating of the clergy.

Merely to write to so great a man, even though there be no other reason, must be esteemed a great honour.  For communication with personages of high distinction confers glory upon all to whom it is permitted.  My supplication, however, is one which I am driven by necessity to make to your excellency, in my great distress at the condition of my whole country.  Bear with me, I beg you, kindly and in accordance with your own characters and reach a helping hand to my country, now beaten to the knee.  The immediate object of my entreaty is as follows.  By the old census, the clergy of God, presbyters and deacons,628    τοῦς τοῦ θεοῦ ἱερωμένους, πρεσβυτέρους καὶ διακόνους.  The Ben. note points out that the words priests and deacons probably crept into the mss., in all of which it is found, from the margin, inasmuch as by ἱερωμένους and cognate words Basil means the whole clergy.  cf. Letter liv. and note on p. 157. were left exempt.  The recent registrars, however, without any authority from your lordship, have enrolled them, except that in some cases a few were granted immunity on the score of age.  I ask, then, that you will leave us this memorial of your beneficence, to preserve through all coming time your good fame; that in accordance with the old law the clergy be exempt from contribution.  I do not ask the remission to be conceded personally and individually to those who are now included, in which case the grace will pass to their successors, who may not always be worthy of the sacred ministry.  I would suggest that some general concession be made to the clergy, according to the form in the open register, so that the exemption may be given in each place to ministers by the rulers of the Church.  This boon is sure to bring undying glory to your excellency for your good deeds, and will cause many to pray for the imperial house.  It will also really be profitable to the government, if we afford the relief of exemption, not generally to all the clergy, but to those who from time to time are in distress.  This, as any one who chooses may know, is the course we actually pursue when we are at liberty.

ΜΟΔΕΣΤῼ ΕΠΑΡΧῼ

[1] Αὐτὸ τὸ γράφειν πρὸς ἄνδρα τοσοῦτον, κἂν μηδεμία πρόφασις ἑτέρα προσῇ, μέγιστόν ἐστι τῶν εἰς τιμὴν φερόντων τοῖς αἰσθανομένοις, διότι αἱ πρὸς τοὺς παμπληθὲς τῶν λοιπῶν ὑπερέχοντας ὁμιλίαι μεγίστην τοῖς ἀξιουμένοις τὴν περιφάνειαν προξενοῦσιν. Ἐμοὶ δ' ὑπὲρ πατρίδος πάσης ἀγωνιῶντι ἀναγκαία πρὸς τὴν σὴν μεγαλόνοιαν ἡ ἔντευξις, δι' ἧς ἱκετεύω πράως καὶ κατὰ τὸν σεαυτοῦ τρόπον ἀνασχέσθαι καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέξαι τῇ πατρίδι ἡμῶν εἰς γόνυ ἤδη κλιθείσῃ. Ἔστι δὲ ὑπὲρ οὗ ἱκετεύομέν σε τὸ πρᾶγμα τοιοῦτον. Τοὺς τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἱερωμένους, πρεσβυτέρους καὶ διακόνους, ὁ παλαιὸς κῆνσος ἀτελεῖς ἀφῆκεν. Οἱ δὲ νῦν ἀπογραψάμενοι, ὡς οὐ λαβόντες παρὰ τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς σου ἐξουσίας πρόσταγμα, ἀπεγράψαντο, πλὴν εἰ πού τινες ἄλλως εἶχον ὑπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας τὴν ἄφεσιν. Δεόμεθα γοῦν μνημόσυνον τῆς σῆς εὐεργεσίας τοῦτο ἡμῖν ἐναφεθῆναι παντὶ τῷ ἐπιόντι χρόνῳ ἀγαθὴν περὶ σοῦ μνήμην διαφυλάττον καὶ συγχωρηθῆναι κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν νόμον τῆς συντελείας τοὺς ἱερατεύοντας, καὶ μὴ εἰς πρόσωπον τῶν νῦν καταλαμβανομένων γενέσθαι τὴν ἄφεσιν (οὕτω γὰρ εἰς τοὺς διαδόχους ἡ χάρις μεταβήσεται οὓς οὐ πάντως συμβαίνει τοῦ ἱερατεύειν ἀξίους εἶναι), ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν ἐν τῇ ἐλευθέρᾳ ἀπογραφῇ τύπον κοινήν τινα συγχώρησιν κληρικῶν γενέσθαι, ὥστε ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκονομούντων τὰς Ἐκκλησίας τοῖς ἑκάστοτε λειτουργοῦσι τὴν ἀτέλειαν δίδοσθαι. Ταῦτα καὶ τῇ σῇ μεγαλοφυΐᾳ ἀθάνατον τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς δόξαν διαφυλάξει καὶ τῷ βασιλικῷ οἴκῳ πολλοὺς τοὺς ὑπερευχομένους παρασκευάσει καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς δημοσίοις μέγα παρέξει ὄφελος, ἡμῶν οὐ πάντως τοῖς κληρικοῖς, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀεὶ καταπονουμένοις τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀτελείας παραμυθίαν παρεχομένων, ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ποιοῦμεν, ὡς ἔξεστι γνῶναι τῷ βουλομένῳ.