Basil of Caesarea, Letters

You were to have come to see me (and the blessing was drawing near) to cool me, aflame in my temptations, with the tip of your finger. What then? My sins stood in the way and hindered your start, so that I am sick without a remedy. Just as when the waves are round us, one sinks and another rises, and another looms black and dreadful, so of my troubles: some have ceased, some are with me, some are before me. As is generally the case, the one remedy for these troubles is to yield to the crisis and withdraw from my persecutors. Yet come to me, to console, to advise, or even to travel with me; in any case you will make me better for the mere sight of you. Above all, pray, and pray again, that my reason be not whelmed by the waves of my troubles; pray that all through I may keep a heart pleasing to God, that I be not numbered with the wicked servants, who thank a master when he gives them good, and refuse to submit when he chastises them by adversity; but let me reap benefit from my very trials, trusting most in God when I need Him most.

ΟΥΡΒΙΚΙῼ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ

[1] Ἔμελλες ἡμῖν παρέσεσθαι (καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐγγὺς) ἄκρῳ γοῦν δακτύλῳ καταψύξων ἡμᾶς ἐν τοῖς πειρασμοῖς φλεγομένους. Εἶτα τί; Αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἡμῶν ἀντέβησαν καὶ διεκώλυσαν τὴν ὁρμήν, ἵν' ἀθεράπευτα κάμνωμεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς κύμασι τὸ μὲν λήγει, τὸ δὲ ἀνίσταται, τὸ δὲ ἤδη φρίκῃ μελαίνεται, οὕτω καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων κακῶν τὰ μὲν πέπαυται, τὰ δὲ πάρεστι, τὰ δὲ προσδοκᾶται, καὶ μία τῶν κακῶν ἡμῖν, ὡς ἐπὶ τὸ πλεῖστον, ἀπαλλαγή, εἶξαι τῷ καιρῷ καὶ ὑπεξελθεῖν τοῖς διώκουσιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμῖν ἧκε μόλις ἢ παραμυθούμενος ἢ καὶ γνώμην δώσων ἢ καὶ προπέμψων, πάντως δὲ αὐτῷ τῷ ὀφθῆναι ῥᾴους ποιήσων. Καὶ τὸ μέγιστον, εὔχου καὶ ὑπερεύχου μὴ καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἡμῶν βαπτισθῆναι ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ κλύδωνος ἀλλ' ἐν πᾶσι διαφυλάσσειν τῷ Θεῷ τὸ εὐχάριστον, ἵνα μὴ ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς δούλοις ἀριθμηθῶμεν ἀγαθύνοντι μὲν ἐξομολογούμενοι, παιδεύοντι δὲ διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων μὴ προστιθέμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' αὐτῶν τῶν δυσχερῶν ὠφελώμεθα μᾶλλον αὐτῷ πιστεύοντες ὅτε καὶ μᾶλλον χρῄζομεν.