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Basil of Caesarea, Letters
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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 monks harassed by the Arians.
To the monks Palladius and Innocent.
To Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, bishops of Egypt, in exile.
To Barses, bishop of Edessa, in exile.
To the wife of Arinthæus, the General. Consolatory.
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 CXLV.741 Placed in 373.
To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.742 On a possible visit of Eusebius to Cæsarea.
I know the countless labours which you have undergone for the Churches of God; I know your press of occupation, while you discharge your responsibilities, not as though they were of mere secondary importance, but in accordance with God’s will. I know the man743 i.e. Valens. who is, as it were, laying close siege to you and by whom you are forced, like birds crouching in cover under an eagle, not to go far from your shelter. I know all this. But longing is strong, both in hoping for the impracticable and attempting the impossible. Rather I should say, hope in God is the strongest of all things.744 “Vita vere mortalis spes est vitæ immortalis.” St. Augustine in Ps. iii. “Spes æternitatem animum erigit, et idcirco nulla mala sentit.” St. Greg., Moral. cf. Ovid. i. Pont. 7: Quamvis est igitur meritis indebita nostris, Magna tamen spes est in bonitate Dei. For it is not from unreasonable desire, but from strength of faith, that I expect a way out, even from the greatest difficulties, and that you will find a way to get over all hindrances, and to come to see the Church that loves you best of all, and to be seen by her. What she values most of all good things is to behold your face and to hear your voice. Beware then of making her hopes vain. When last year, on my return from Syria, I reported the promise which you had given me, you cannot think how elated with her hopes I made her. Do not, my friend, postpone your coming to another time. Even if it may be possible for you to see her one day, you may not see her and me too, for sickness is hurrying me on to quit this painful life.
ΕΥΣΕΒΙῼ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠῼ ΣΑΜΟΣΑΤΩΝ
[1] Οἶδα τοὺς μυρίους κόπους σου, οὓς ἀνέτλης ὑπὲρ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῶν ἀσχολιῶν τὸ πλῆθος οὐκ ἀγνοῶ, ἃς ἔχεις: τὴν οἰκονομίαν οὐ παρέργως, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Κυρίου διατιθέμενος, καὶ τὸν ἐκ γειτόνων ὑμῖν ἐπικαθήμενον ᾧ ἀνάγκη ἡμᾶς, ὥσπερ ὄρνιθας ὑποπτήσσοντας, μὴ πόρρω τῆς σκέπης ἕκαστον ἀποτρέχειν. Τούτων με οὐδὲν λέληθεν. Ἀλλ' ὁ πόθος πρᾶγμα βίαιον καὶ ἐλπίσαι τὰ μὴ ἐνδεχόμενα καὶ ἐγχειρῆσαι τοῖς ἀδυνάτοις, μᾶλλον δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ Κύριον ἐλπὶς ἰσχυρότατον πάντων. Οὐ γὰρ ἀλόγῳ ἐπιθυμίᾳ, ἀλλ' ἰσχύϊ πίστεως προσδοκῶ καὶ πόρον ἐν ἀμηχάνοις φανήσεσθαι καὶ πάντων ῥᾳδίως σε τῶν κωλυμάτων περιγενέσθαι πρὸς τὸ ἰδεῖν σε τὴν φιλτάτην τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ μέντοι καὶ ὀφθῆναι παρ' αὐτῆς: ὃ πάντων αὐτῇ τῶν ἀγαθῶν προτιμότατον, τῷ σῷ προσβλέψαι προσώπῳ καὶ τῆς σῆς ἀκοῦσαι φωνῆς. Μὴ τοίνυν αὐτῇ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἀτελεῖς καταστήσῃς. Καὶ γὰρ πέρυσιν ἀπὸ τῆς Συρίας ἐπανελθών, ἣν ἐδεξάμην ἐπαγγελίαν ταύτην διακομίσας, πῶς οἴει μετέωρον αὐτὴν κατέστησα ταῖς ἐλπίσι; Μὴ οὖν εἰς ἄλλον καιρὸν ὑπέρθῃ τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν αὐτῆς, ὦ θαυμάσιε. Ἐὰν ᾖ δυνατὸν ἰδεῖν αὐτήν ποτε, ἀλλ' οὐχὶ καὶ μεθ' ἡμῶν οὓς ἐπείγει ἡ νόσος ἀπᾶραι λοιπὸν τοῦ ὀδυνηροῦ τούτου βίου.