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 CXXIV.670 Placed in 373.
To Theodorus.
It is sometimes said that slaves to the passion of love, when by some inevitable necessity they are separated from the object of their desire, are able to stay the violence of their passion by indulging the sense of sight, if haply they can look at the picture of the beloved object. Whether this be true or not I cannot say; but what has befallen me in your case, my friend, is not very different. I have felt a disposition towards your godly and guileless soul, somewhat, if I may so say, of the nature of love; but the gratification of my desire, like that of all other blessings, is made difficult to me by the opposition of my sins. However, I have seemed to see a very good likeness of you in the presence of my very reverend brothers. And if it had been my lot to fall in with you when far away from them, I should have fancied that I saw them in you. For the measure of love in each of you is so great, that in both of you there is a plain contest for the superiority. I have thanked God for this. If any longer life be left me, I pray that my life may be made sweet through you, just as now I look on life as a wretched thing to be avoided, because I am separated from the companionship of those I love best. For, in my judgment, there is nothing in which one can be cheerful when cut off from those who truly love us.
ΘΕΟΔΩΡῼ
[1] Λέγουσί τινες τοὺς ἑαλωκότας τῷ πάθει τοῦ ἔρωτος, ὅταν κατά τινα βιαιοτέραν ἀνάγκην τῶν ποθουμένων ἀπάγωνται, εἰ πρὸς τὴν εἰκόνα τῆς ἀγαπηθείσης μορφῆς ἀποβλέψειαν, τὸ σφοδρὸν ἀναπαύειν τοῦ πάθους διὰ τῆς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἀπολαύσεως. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἀληθῆ ταῦτα ἢ μή, λέγειν οὐκ ἔχω: ὃ δέ μοι πρὸς τὴν σὴν συμβέβηκεν ἀγαθότητα οὐ πόρρω τῶν εἰρημένων ἐστίν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ γέγονέ τις διάθεσις ἐμοὶ πρὸς τὴν ἱερὰν καὶ ἄδολόν σου ψυχήν, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ἐρωτική, τὸ δὲ ἀπολαύειν τῶν ποθουμένων, ὡς οὐδὲ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἐν εὐκολίᾳ ἡμῖν ἐστι διὰ τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐναντίωσιν, ἐνόμισα εἰκόνα τῆς ἀγαθότητός σου ἐναργεστάτην ἐν τῇ τῶν εὐλαβεστάτων ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν παρουσίᾳ ἑωρακέναι. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ δίχα τούτων συνέβη τῇ σῇ με περιτυχεῖν γνησιότητι, ἐλογισάμην ἂν ἐν σοὶ κἀκείνους ἑωρακέναι, διότι τῆς ἀγάπης, λέγω, τοσοῦτον ἐν ἑκάστῳ ὑμῶν τὸ μέτρον ἐστὶν ὡς ἐπίσης τὴν περὶ τοῦ πλείονος ἑκάστῳ φιλονεικίαν ἐμφαίνεσθαι. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ καὶ εὔχομαι, εἴπερ ἔτι ὑπολείπεταί τις χρόνος ζωῆς, γενέσθαι μοι διὰ σοῦ τὴν ζωὴν ἡδεῖαν, ὡς, τό γε νῦν, ἄθλιον πρᾶγμα τὸ ζῆν καὶ φευκτὸν εἶναι ἡγοῦμαι τῆς τῶν φιλτάτων συνουσίας κεχωρισμένον. Οὐ γάρ ἐστι, κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν κρίσιν, ἐφ' ᾧ τις ἂν εὐθυμήσειε τῶν ἀληθῶς ἀγαπώντων διεζευγμένος.