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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 CLXXII.832 Placed in 374.
To Sophronius, the bishop.833 This Sophronius is distinguished by Maran from the Sophronius, magister officiorum, to whom Letters xxxii., lxxvi., and xcvi. have already been addressed, and who is also the recipient of clxxvi., clxxx., cxcii., cclxii. Nothing else is known of him.
There is no need for me to say how much I was delighted by your letter. Your own words will enable you to conjecture what I felt on receiving it. You have exhibited to me in your letter, the first fruits of the Spirit, love. Than this what can be more precious to me in the present state of affairs, when, because iniquity abounds, the love of many has waxed cold?834 Matt. xxiv. 12. Nothing is rarer now than spiritual intercourse with a brother, a word of peace, and such spiritual communion as I have found in you. For this I thank the Lord, beseeching Him that I may have part in the perfect joy that is found in you. If such be your letter, what must it be to meet you in person? If when you are far away you so affect me, what will you be to me when you are seen face to face? Be sure that if I had not been detained by innumerable occupations, and all the unavoidable anxieties which tie me down, I should have hurried to see your excellency. Although that old complaint of mine is a great hindrance to my moving about, nevertheless in view of the good I expect, I would not have allowed this to stand in my way. To be permitted to meet a man holding the same views and reverencing the faith of the Fathers, as you are said to do by our honourable brethren and fellow presbyters, is in truth to go back to the ancient blessedness of the Churches, when the sufferers from unsound disputation were few, and all lived in peace, “workmen” obeying the commandments and not “needing to be ashamed,”835 2 Tim. ii. 15. serving the Lord with simple and clear confession, and keeping plain and inviolate their faith in Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
ΣΩΦΡΟΝΙῼ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠῼ
[1] Ὅπως ηὔφρανας ἡμᾶς τοῖς γράμμασιν οὐδὲν δεόμεθα γράφειν. Εἰκάζεις γὰρ πάντως αὐτοῖς οἷς ἐπέστειλας τοιούτοις οὖσι. Τὸν γὰρ πρῶτον καρπὸν τοῦ Πνεύματος, τὴν ἀγάπην, ἔδειξας ἡμῖν διὰ τοῦ γράμματος. Τούτου δὲ τί ἂν γένοιτο τιμιώτερον ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ παρούσῃ τῶν καιρῶν καταστάσει, ἡνίκα διὰ τὸ πληθυνθῆναι τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐψύγη τῶν πολλῶν ἡ ἀγάπη; Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω σπάνιον νῦν ὡς ἀδελφοῦ συντυχία πνευματικοῦ καὶ ῥῆμα εἰρηνικὸν καὶ πνευματικὴ κοινωνία, ἣν εὑρόντες ἐν τῇ σῇ τελειότητι ὑπερηυχαριστήσαμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ δεόμενοι καὶ τῆς τελείας ἐπὶ σοὶ μετασχεῖν εὐφροσύνης. Εἰ γὰρ αἱ ἐπιστολαὶ τοιαῦται, ὁποία ἡ συντυχία; Καὶ εἰ πόρρωθεν οὕτως αἱρεῖς, πόσου ἄξιος ἔσῃ ἐγγύθεν ἡμῖν ἐπιφανείς; Εὖ δὲ ἴσθι, εἰ μὴ μυρίων ἀσχολιῶν περιεῖχε πλῆθος καὶ αἱ ἀπαραίτητοι αὗται ἀνάγκαι αἷς ἐνδεδέμεθα, αὐτόν με ἐπειχθῆναι πρὸς τὴν σὴν τελειότητα. Καίτοιγε μέγα μοι ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι πρὸς τὰς κινήσεις ἡ παλαιὰ αὕτη τοῦ σώματος ἀρρωστία, ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐκ ἂν ὑπελογισάμην τοῦτο ἐμπόδιον τῆς προσδοκωμένης ἕνεκεν ὠφελείας. Τὸ γὰρ ἀνδρὶ τὰ αὐτὰ φρονοῦντι καὶ τὴν τῶν Πατέρων πρεσβεύοντι πίστιν, ὡς ὁ τῶν τιμίων ἀδελφῶν καὶ συμπρεσβυτέρων λόγος, καταξιωθῆναι περιτυχεῖν ὄντως ἐστὶν εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν μακαριότητα τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπανελθεῖν, ὅτε ὀλίγοι μὲν ἦσαν οἱ νοσοῦντες περὶ ζητήσεις, ἐν ἡσυχίᾳ δὲ ἦσαν πάντες ἐργάται ὄντες τῶν ἐντολῶν ἀνεπαίσχυντοι, διὰ τῆς ἁπλῆς καὶ ἀπεριέργου ὁμολογίας λατρεύοντες τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἄσυλον τὴν πίστιν καὶ ἀπερίεργον τὴν εἰς Πατέρα καὶ Υἱὸν καὶ Ἅγιον Πνεῦμα διαφυλάσσοντες.