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 CXCIII.943 Placed in 375.
To Meletius the Physician.
I am not able to flee from the discomforts of winter so well as cranes are, although for foreseeing the future I am quite as clever as a crane. But as to liberty of life the birds are almost as far ahead of me as they are in the being able to fly. In the first place I have been detained by certain worldly business; then I have been so wasted by constant and violent attacks of fever that there does seem something thinner even than I was,—I am thinner than ever. Besides all this, bouts of quartan ague have gone on for more than twenty turns. Now I do seem to be free from fever, but I am in such a feeble state that I am no stronger than a cobweb. Hence the shortest journey is too far for me, and every breath of wind is more dangerous to me than big waves to those at sea. I have no alternative but to hide in my hut and wait for spring, if only I can last out so long, and am not carried off beforehand944 προδιαρπασθῶμεν with two mss. προδιαμάρτοιμεν has better authority, but is bad Greek, and makes worse sense. by the internal malady of which I am never rid. If the Lord saves me with His mighty hand, I shall gladly betake myself to your remote region, and gladly embrace a friend so dear. Only pray that my life may be ordered as may be best for my soul’s good.
ΜΕΛΕΤΙῼ ΑΡΧΙΑΤΡῼ
[1] Ἡμῖν οὐδ' ὅσον ταῖς γεράνοις ὑπάρχει τὰ δυσχερῆ τοῦ χειμῶνος διαφεύγειν, ἀλλ' ἕνεκεν μὲν τοῦ προϊδέσθαι τὸ μέλλον οὐδὲν ἴσως χείρους τῶν γεράνων ἐσμέν, τῷ δὲ κατὰ τὸν βίον αὐτεξουσίῳ τοσοῦτον τῶν ὀρνίθων ἀπολιμπανόμεθα ὅσον καὶ τοῦ πέτεσθαι δύνασθαι μικροῦ δεῖν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἀσχολίαι μέ τινες τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον πραγμάτων κατέσχον, ἔπειτα δὲ πυρετοὶ συνεχεῖς καὶ λάβροι οὕτω μου τὸ σῶμα κατεδαπάνησαν, ὥστε ἐφάνη τι καὶ ἐμοῦ λεπτότερον, αὐτὸς ἐγὼ ἐμαυτοῦ. Εἶτα τεταρταίων προσβολαὶ πρὸς πλεῖον ἢ εἴκοσι διαρκέσασαι κύκλους. Νυνὶ δέ, ὅτε δοκῶ τῶν πυρετῶν ἀπηλλάχθαι, οὕτως ὑπὸ τῆς ἀδυναμίας διάκειμαι ὥστε μηδὲν ἐν τούτῳ ἀποδεῖν ἀραχνίου. Ὅθεν μοι πᾶσα μὲν ὁδὸς ἄβατος, πᾶσα δὲ πνεύματος προσβολὴ πλείονα φέρει τὸν κίνδυνον ἢ αἱ τρικυμίαι τοῖς πλέουσιν. Ἀνάγκη τοίνυν ὑπὸ δωματίῳ κεκρύφθαι καὶ ἀναμένειν τὸ ἔαρ, ἐάνπερ διαρκέσαι πρὸς αὐτὸ δυνηθῶμεν, ἀλλὰ μὴ προδιαμάρτωμεν ὑπὸ τοῦ κακοῦ τοῦ τοῖς σπλάγχνοις ἐνιδρυμένου. Ἐὰν δὲ διασώσῃ ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος τῇ μεγάλῃ ἑαυτοῦ χειρί, ἀσμενέστατα μὲν τὴν ἐσχατιὰν ὑμῶν καταληψόμεθα, ἀσμενέστατα δὲ σὲ τὴν φίλην ἡμῖν κεφαλὴν περιπτυξόμεθα. Μόνον εὔχου πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν οἰκονομεῖσθαι.