Letter CCXXIII.1140    Placed in 375.

Against Eustathius of Sebasteia.1141    On the mutual relations of Basil and Eustathius up to this time, cf. Prolegomena.

1.  There is a time to keep silence and a time to speak,1142    Eccles. iii. 7. is the saying of the Preacher.  Time enough has been given to silence, and now the time has come to open my mouth for the publication of the truth concerning matters that are, up to now, unknown.  The illustrious Job bore his calamities for a long time in silence, and ever showed his courage by holding out under the most intolerable sufferings, but when he had struggled long enough in silence, and had persisted in covering his anguish in the bottom of his heart, at last he opened his mouth and uttered his well-known words.1143    Job iii. 1, seqq.  In my own case this is now the third year of my silence, and my boast has become like that of the Psalmist, “I was as a man that heareth not and in whose mouth are no reproofs.”1144    Ps. xxxviii. 14.  Thus I shut up in the bottom of my heart the pangs which I suffered on account of the calumnies directed against me, for calumny humbles a man, and calumny makes a poor man giddy.1145    cf. ἡ συκοφαντία περιφέρει σοφόν.  Eccles. vii. 8, LXX.  Calumnia conturbat sapientem et perdet robur cordis illius. Vulg.  If, therefore, the mischief of calumny is so great as to cast down even the perfect man from his height, for this is what Scripture indicates by the word man, and by the poor man is meant he who lacks the great doctrines, as is the view also of the prophet when he says, “These are poor, therefore they shall not hear;…I will get me unto the great men,”1146    Jer. iv. 5, LXX. he means by poor those who are lacking in understanding; and here, too, he plainly means those who are not yet furnished in the inner man, and have not even come to the full measure of their age; it is these who are said by the proverb to be made giddy and tossed about.  Nevertheless I thought that I ought to bear my troubles in silence, waiting for some indication to come out of them.  I did not even think that what was said against me proceeded from ill will; I thought it was the result of ignorance of the truth.  But now I see that hostility increases with time, and that my slanderers are not sorry for what they said at the beginning, and do not take any trouble to make amends for the past, but go on and on and rally themselves together to attain their original object.  This was to make my life miserable and to devise means for sullying my reputation among the brethren.  I, therefore, no longer see safety in silence.  I have bethought me of the words of Isaiah:  “I have long time holden my peace, shall I always be still and refrain myself?  I have been patient like a travailing woman.”1147    Isa. xlii. 14, LXX.  God grant that I may both receive the reward of silence, and gain some strength to confute my opponents, and that thus, by confuting them, I may dry up the bitter torrent of falsehood that has gushed out against me.  So might I say, “My soul has passed over the torrent;”1148    Ps. cxxiv. 5, LXX. and, “If it had not been the Lord who was on our side when men rose up against us,…then they had swallowed us up quick, the water had drowned us.”1149    Ps. cxxiv. 3, 4, LXX.

2.  Much time had I spent in vanity, and had wasted nearly all my youth in the vain labour which I underwent in acquiring the wisdom made foolish by God.  Then once upon a time, like a man roused from deep sleep, I turned my eyes to the marvellous light of the truth of the Gospel, and I perceived the uselessness of “the wisdom of the princes of this world, that come to naught.”1150    1 Cor. ii. 6.  I wept many tears over my miserable life and I prayed that guidance might be vouchsafed me to admit me to the doctrines of true religion.  First of all was I minded to make some mending of my ways, long perverted as they were by my intimacy with wicked men.  Then I read the Gospel, and I saw there that a great means of reaching perfection was the selling of one’s goods, the sharing them with the poor, the giving up of all care for this life, and the refusal to allow the soul to be turned by any sympathy to things of earth.  And I prayed that I might find some one of the brethren who had chosen this way of life, that with him I might cross life’s short1151    Al. deep. and troubled strait.  And many did I find in Alexandria, and many in the rest of Egypt, and others in Palestine, and in Cœle Syria, and in Mesopotamia.  I admired their continence in living, and their endurance in toil; I was amazed at their persistency in prayer, and at their triumphing over sleep; subdued by no natural necessity, ever keeping their souls’ purpose high and free, in hunger, in thirst, in cold, in nakedness,1152    2 Cor. xi. 27. they never yielded to the body; they were never willing to waste attention on it; always, as though living in a flesh that was not theirs, they shewed in very deed what it is to sojourn for a while in this life,1153    cf. Heb. xi. 13. and what to have one’s citizenship and home in heaven.1154    cf. Phil. iii. 20.  All this moved my admiration.  I called these men’s lives blessed, in that they did in deed shew that they “bear about in their body the dying of Jesus.”1155    2 Cor. iv. 10.  And I prayed that I, too, as far as in me lay, might imitate them.

3.  So when I beheld certain men in my own country striving to copy their ways, I felt that I had found a help to my own salvation, and I took the things seen for proof of things unseen.  And since the secrets in the hearts of each of us are unknown, I held lowliness of dress to be a sufficient indication of lowliness of spirit; and there was enough to convince me in the coarse cloak, the girdle, and the shoes of untanned hide.1156    With St. Basil’s too great readiness to believe in Eustathius because of his mean garb contrast Augustine De Serm. Dom. “Animadvertendum est non in solo rerum corporearum nitore atque pompa, sed etiam in ipsis sordibus lutosis esse posse jactantiam, et eo periculosiorem quo sub nomine servitutis Dei decipit.”  And though many were for withdrawing me from their society, I would not allow it, because I saw that they put a life of endurance before a life of pleasure; and, because of the extraordinary excellence of their lives, I became an eager supporter of them.  And so it came about that I would not hear of any fault being found with their doctrines, although many maintained that their conceptions about God were erroneous, and that they had become disciples of the champion of the present heresy, and were secretly propagating his teaching.  But, as I had never at any time heard these things with my own ears, I concluded that those who reported them were calumniators.  Then I was called to preside over the Church.  Of the watchmen and spies, who were given me under the pretence of assistance and loving communion, I say nothing, lest I seem to injure my own cause by telling an incredible tale, or give believers an occasion for hating their fellows, if I am believed.  This had almost been my own case, had I not been prevented by the mercy of God.  For almost every one became an object of suspicion to me, and smitten at heart as I was by wounds treacherously inflicted, I seemed to find nothing in any man that I could trust.  But so far there was, nevertheless, a kind of intimacy kept up between us.  Once and again we held discussions on doctrinal points. and apparently we seemed to agree and keep together.  But they began to find out that I made the same statements concerning my faith in God which they had always heard from me.  For, if other things in me may move a sigh, this one boast at least I dare make in the Lord, that never for one moment have I held erroneous conceptions about God, or entertained heterodox opinions, which I have learnt later to change.  The teaching about God which I had received as a boy from my blessed mother and my grandmother Macrina, I have ever held with increased conviction.  On my coming to ripe years of reason I did not shift my opinions from one to another, but carried out the principles delivered to me by my parents.  Just as the seed when it grows is first tiny and then gets bigger but always preserves its identity, not changed in kind though gradually perfected in growth, so I reckon the same doctrine to have grown in my case through gradually advancing stages.  What I hold now has not replaced what I held at the beginning.  Let them search their own consciences.  Let these men who have now made me the common talk on the charge of false doctrine, and deafened all men’s ears with the defamatory letters which they have written against me, so that I am compelled thus to defend myself, ask themselves if they have ever heard anything from me, differing from what I now say, and let them remember the judgment seat of Christ.

4.  I am charged with blasphemy against God.  Yet it is impossible for me to be convicted on the ground of any treatise concerning the Faith, which they urge against me, nor can I be charged on the ground of the utterances which I have from time to time delivered by word of mouth, without their being committed to writing, in the churches of God.  Not a single witness has been found to say that he has ever heard from me, when speaking in private, anything contrary to true religion.  If then I am not an unorthodox writer, if no fault can be found with my preaching, if I do not lead astray those who converse with me in my own home, on what ground am I being judged?  But there is a new invention!  Somebody,1157    i.e.Apollinarius.  cf. Letters cxxx. p. 198, and ccxxiv. runs the charge, in Syria has written something inconsistent with true religion; and twenty years or more ago you wrote him a letter:  so you are an accomplice of the fellow, and what is urged against him is urged against you.  O truth-loving sir, I reply, you who have been taught that lies are the offspring of the devil; what has proved to you that I wrote that letter?  You never sent; you never asked; you were never informed by me, who might have told you the truth.  But if the letter was mine, how do you know that the document that has come into your hands now is of the same date as my letter?  Who told you that it is twenty years old?  How do you know that it is a composition of the man to whom my letter was sent?  And if he was the composer, and I wrote to him, and my letter and his composition belong to the same date, what proof is there that I accepted it in my judgment, and that I hold those views?

5.  Ask yourself.  How often did you visit me in my monastery on the Iris, when my very God-beloved brother Gregory was with me, following the same course of life as myself?  Did you ever hear anything of the kind?  Was there any appearance of such a thing, small or great?  How many days did we spend in the opposite village, at my mother’s, living as friend with friend, and discoursing together night and day?  Did you ever find me holding any opinion of the kind?  And when we went together to visit the blessed Silvanus,1158    i.e.Silvanus of Tarsus.  cf. Letters xxxiv. p. 136, and lxvii. p. 164. did we not talk of these things on the way?  And at Eusinoe,1159    I have not been able to identify Eusinoe.  There was an Eusene on the north coast of Pontus. when you were about to set out with other bishops for Lampsacus,1160    i.e. in 364, the year after St. Basil’s ordination as presbyter, and the publication of his work against Eunomius.  The Council of Lampsacus, at which Basil was not present, repudiated the Creeds of Ariminum and Constantinople (359 and 360), and reasserted the 2d Dedication Creed of Antioch of 341.  Maran dates it 364 (Vit. Bas. x.). was not our discourse about the faith?  Were not your shorthand writers at my side the whole time while I was dictating my objections to the heresy?  Were not your most faithful disciples there too?  When I was visiting the brotherhood, and passing the night with them in their prayers, continually speaking and hearing of the things pertaining to God without dispute, was not the evidence which I gave of my sentiments exact and definite?  How came you then to reckon this rotten and slender suspicion as of more importance than the experience of such a length of time?

What evidence of my frame of mind ought you to have preferred to your own?  Has there been the slightest want of harmony in my utterances about the faith at Chalcedon, again and again at Heraclea, and at an earlier period in the suburb of Cæsarea?  Are they not all mutually consistent?  I only except the increase in force of which I spoke just now, resulting from advance, and which is not to be regarded as a change from worse to better, but rather as a filling up of what was wanting in the addition of knowledge.  How can you fail to bear in mind that the father shall not bear the iniquity of the son, nor the son bear the iniquity of the father, but each shall die in his own sin?1161    cf. Ezek. xviii. 20.  I have neither father nor son slandered by you; I have had neither teacher nor disciple.  But if the sins of the parents must be made charges against their children, it is far fairer for the sins of Arius to be charged against his disciples; and, whoever begat the heretic Aetius,1162    cf. p. 3, n. for the charges against the son to be applied to the father.  If on the other hand it is unjust for any one to be accused for their sakes, it is far more unjust that I should be held responsible for the sake of men with whom I have nothing to do, even if they were in every respect sinners, and something worthy of condemnation has been written by them.  I must be pardoned if I do not believe all that is urged against them. since my own experience shows me how very easy it is for accusers to slip into slander.

6.  Even if they did come forward to accuse me, because they had been deceived, and thought that I was associated with the writers of those words of Sabellius which they are carrying about, they were guilty of unpardonable conduct in straightway attacking and wounding me, when I had done them no wrong, before they had obtained plain proof.  I do not like to speak of myself as bound to them in the closest intimacy; or of them as being evidently not led by the Holy Spirit, because of their cherishing false suspicions.  Much anxious thought must be taken, and many sleepless nights must be passed, and with many tears must the truth be sought from God, by him who is on the point of cutting himself off from a brother’s friendship.  Even the rulers of this world, when they are on the point of sentencing some evil doer to death, draw the veil aside,1163    ἀφέλκονται .  So the Harl. ms. for ἐφέλκονται.  On the sense which may be applied to either verb cf. Valesius on Am. Marcellinus xviii. 2, whom the Ben. Ed. point out to be in error in thinking that Basil’s idea is of drawing a curtain or veil over the proceedings, and Chrysostom Hom. liv. in Matt.  ᾽Επὶ τοῖς δικασταῖς, ὅταν δημοσί& 139· κρινωσι, τὰ παραπετάσματα συνελκύσαντες οἱ παρεστῶτες πᾶσιν ἀυτοὺς δεικνύουσι.  This meaning of drawing so as to disclose is confirmed by Basil’s πάνδημοι πᾶσι γίγνονται in this passage and in Hom. in Ps. xxxii. and call in experts for the examination of the case, and consume considerable time in weighing the severity of the law against the common fault of humanity, and with many a sigh and many a lament for the stern necessity of the case, proclaim before all the people that they are obeying the law from necessity, and not passing sentence to gratify their own wishes.1164    The Ben. note compares the praise bestowed on Candidianus by Gregory of Nazianzus for trying cases in the light of day (Ep. cxciv) and Am. Marcellinus xvii. 1, who says of Julian, Numerium Narconensis paulo ante rectorem, accusatum ut furem, inusitato censorio vigore pro tribunali palam admissis volentibus audiebat.  How much greater care and diligence, how much more counsel, ought to be taken by one who is on the point of breaking off from long established friendship with a brother!  In this case there is only a single letter and that of doubtful genuineness.  It would be quite impossible to argue that it is known by the signature, for they possess not the original, but only a copy.  They depend on one single document and that an old one.  It is now twenty years since anything has been written to that person.1165    i.e. Apollinarius.  Of my opinions and conduct in the intervening time I can adduce no better witnesses than the very men who attack and accuse me.

7.  But the real reason of separation is not this letter.  There is another cause of alienation.  I am ashamed to mention it; and I would have been for ever silent about it had not recent events compelled me to publish all their mind for the sake of the good of the mass of the people.  Good men have thought that communion with me was a bar to the recovery of their authority.  Some have been influenced by the signature of a certain creed which I proposed to them, not that I distrusted their sentiments, I confess, but because I wished to do away with the suspicions which the more part of the brethren who agree with me entertained of them.  Accordingly, to avoid anything arising from that confession to prevent their being accepted by the present authorities,1166    Though this phrase commonly means the reigning emperor, as in Letter lxvi., the Ben. note has no doubt that in this instance the reference is to Euzoius.  In Letter ccxxvi. § 3. q.v., Basil mentions reconciliation with Euzoius as the real object of Eustathius’s hostility.  Euzoius was now in high favour with Valens. they have renounced communion with me.  This letter was devised by an after-thought as a pretext for the separation.  A very plain proof of what I say is, that after they had denounced me, and composed such complaints against me as suited them, they sent round their letters in all directions before communicating with me.  Their letter was in the possession of others who had received it in the course of transmission and who were on the point of sending it on seven days before it had reached my hands.  The idea was that it would be handed from one to another and so would be quickly distributed over the whole country.  This was reported to me at the time by those who were giving me clear information of all their proceedings.  But I determined to hold my tongue until the Revealer of all secrets should publish their doings by plain and incontrovertible demonstration.

ΠΡΟΣ ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟΝ ΤΟΝ ΣΕΒΑΣΤΗΝΟΝ

[1] Καιρός, φησί, τοῦ σιγᾶν καὶ καιρὸς τοῦ λαλεῖν, τοῦ Ἐκκλησιαστοῦ λόγος. Οὐκοῦν καὶ νῦν, ἐπειδὴ αὐτάρκης ὁ τῆς σιωπῆς ἐγένετο χρόνος, εὔκαιρον λοιπὸν ἀνοῖξαι στόμα εἰς φανέρωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας τῶν ἀγνοουμένων, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ μέγας Ἰὼβ πολὺν χρόνον τὰς συμφορὰς ἤνεγκε σιωπῇ, αὐτῷ τούτῳ τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος τῷ ἐγκαρτερεῖν τοῖς δυσφορωτάτοις πάθεσιν. Ὅτε δὲ ἱκανῶς ἐν τῇ σιωπῇ διῆλθε καὶ διέμεινεν ἐν τῷ βάθει τῆς καρδίας ἀποστέγων τὴν ἀλγηδόνα, τότε ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα ἐφθέγξατο ἐκεῖνα ἃ πάντες ἴσασι. Καὶ ἡμῖν τοίνυν τρίτον τοῦτο ἔτος τῆς σιωπῆς ζηλωτὸν ἐγένετο τοῦ προφήτου τὸ καύχημα λέγοντος: «Ἐγενόμην ὡσεὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἀκούων καὶ οὐκ ἔχων ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ ἐλεγμούς.» Διὸ ἐναπεκλείσαμεν τῷ βάθει τῆς καρδίας ἡμῶν τὴν ἐκ τῆς συκοφαντίας ἡμῖν ἐγγινομένην ὀδύνην. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ συκοφαντία ἄνδρα ταπεινοῖ καὶ συκοφαντία περιφέρει πτωχόν. Εἰ οὖν τοσοῦτον τὸ ἐκ τῆς συκοφαντίας κακὸν ὥστε καὶ τὸν τέλειον ἤδη (τοῦτο γὰρ διὰ τῆς προσηγορίας τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὁ Λόγος αἰνίσσεται) κατάγειν ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕψους, καὶ τὸν πτωχόν, τουτέστι τὸν ἐνδεῶς ἔχοντα τῶν μεγάλων δογμάτων (καθὼς καὶ τῷ προφήτῃ δοκεῖ λέγοντι: «Ἴσως πτωχοί εἰσι, διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀκούουσι, πορεύσομαι πρὸς τοὺς ἁδρούς», πτωχοὺς δὲ τοὺς περὶ τὴν σύνεσιν ἐνδεῶς ἔχοντας λέγων, καὶ ἐνταῦθα, δηλονότι), τοὺς οὔπω κατηρτισμένους τὸν ἔσω ἄνθρωπον, οὐδὲ εἰς τὸ τέλειον ἐφθακότας τῆς ἡλικίας μέτρον (τούτους περιφέρεσθαι καὶ σαλεύεσθαι ἡ παροιμία φησίν), ἀλλ' ὅμως ᾤμην χρῆναι σιωπῇ φέρειν τὰ λυπηρὰ ἐκδεχόμενός τινα δι' αὐτῶν τῶν ἔργων ἐπανόρθωσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ κακίᾳ τινί, ἀλλ' ἀγνοίᾳ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡγούμην ἐκεῖνα καθ' ἡμῶν εἰρῆσθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁρῶ τῷ χρόνῳ συμπροϊοῦσαν τὴν ἔχθραν καὶ μὴ μεταμελομένους ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς λαληθεῖσι, μηδ' ὅπως τὰ παρελθόντα ἐξιάσαιντο ποιουμένους τινὰ φροντίδα, ἀλλ' ἐπεξεργαζομένους καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς σκοπὸν συντεταγμένους ὃν ἐνεστήσαντο, κακῶσαι ἡμῶν τὴν ζωὴν καὶ χρᾶναι τὴν ὑπόληψιν παρὰ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς μηχανώμενοι, οὐκέτι μοι τὸ τῆς σιωπῆς ἀσφαλὲς καταφαίνεται. Ἀλλ' εἰσῆλθέ με τὸ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου λέγοντος: «Ἐσιώπησα, μὴ καὶ ἀεὶ σιωπήσομαι καὶ ἀνέξομαι; Ἐκαρτέρησα ὡς ἡ τίκτουσα». Γένοιτο δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ σιωπῇ μισθὸν δέξασθαι καὶ λαβεῖν τινα ἐν τοῖς ἐλεγμοῖς δύναμιν, ὥστε ἐλέγξαντας ἡμᾶς ξηρᾶναι τὸν πικρὸν τοῦτον τῆς καθ' ἡμῶν ῥυείσης ψευδηγορίας χείμαρρον, ὥστε ἂν εἰπεῖν καὶ ἡμᾶς: «Χείμαρρον διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν», καὶ τό: «Εἰ μὴ Κύριος ἦν ἐν ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ ἐπαναστῆναι ἀνθρώπους ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, ἄρα ζῶντας ἂν κατέπιον ἡμᾶς, ἄρα τὸ ὕδωρ ἂν κατεπόντισεν ἡμᾶς».

[2] Ἐγὼ πολὺν χρόνον προσαναλώσας τῇ ματαιότητι, καὶ πᾶσαν σχεδὸν τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ νεότητα ἐναφανίσας τῇ ματαιοπονίᾳ ἣν εἶχον προσδιατρίβων τῇ ἀναλήψει τῶν μαθημάτων τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μωρανθείσης σοφίας, ἐπειδή ποτε, ὥσπερ ἐξ ὕπνου βαθέος διαναστάς, ἀπέβλεψα μὲν πρὸς τὸ θαυμαστὸν φῶς τῆς ἀληθείας τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, κατεῖδον δὲ τὸ ἄχρηστον τῆς σοφίας τῶν ἀρχόντων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου τῶν καταργουμένων, πολλὰ τὴν ἐλεεινήν μου ζωὴν ἀποκλαύσας ηὐχόμην δοθῆναί μοι χειραγωγίαν πρὸς τὴν εἰσαγωγὴν τῶν δογμάτων τῆς εὐσεβείας. Καὶ πρό γε πάντων ἐπιμελὲς ἦν μοι διόρθωσίν τινα τοῦ ἤθους ποιήσασθαι, πολὺν χρόνον ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τοὺς φαύλους ὁμιλίας διαστραφέντος. Καὶ τοίνυν ἀναγνοὺς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον καὶ θεασάμενος ἐκεῖ μεγίστην ἀφορμὴν εἰς τελείωσιν τὴν διάπρασιν τῶν ὑπαρχόντων καὶ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἐνδεεῖς τῶν ἀδελφῶν κοινωνίαν, καὶ ὅλως τὸ ἀφροντίστως ἔχειν τοῦ βίου τούτου καὶ ὑπὸ μηδεμιᾶς συμπαθείας πρὸς τὰ ὧδε τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπιστρέφεσθαι, ηὐχόμην εὑρεῖν τινα τῶν ἀδελφῶν ταύτην ἑλόμενον τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ βίου, ὥστε αὐτῷ συνδιαπεραιωθῆναι τὸν βαθὺν τοῦτον τοῦ βίου κλύδωνα. Καὶ δὴ πολλοὺς μὲν εὗρον κατὰ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν, πολλοὺς δὲ κατὰ τὴν λοιπὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἑτέρους καὶ τῆς κοίλης Συρίας καὶ τῆς Μεσοποταμίας: ὧν ἐθαύμαζον μὲν τὸ περὶ δίαιταν ἐγκρατές, ἐθαύμαζον δὲ τὸ καρτερικὸν ἐν πόνοις, ἐξεπλάγην τὴν ἐν προσευχαῖς εὐτονίαν ὅπως τε ὕπνου κατεκράτουν ὑπ' οὐδεμιᾶς φυσικῆς ἀνάγκης κατακαμπτόμενοι, ὑψηλὸν ἀεὶ καὶ ἀδούλωτον τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ φρόνημα διασώζοντες ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει, ἐν ψύχει καὶ γυμνότητι, μὴ ἐπιστρεφόμενοι πρὸς τὸ σῶμα, μηδὲ καταδεχόμενοι αὐτῷ προσαναλῶσαί τινα φροντίδα, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ τῇ σαρκὶ διάγοντες ἔργῳ ἔδειξαν τί τὸ παροικεῖν τοῖς ὧδε καὶ τί τὸ πολίτευμα ἔχειν ἐν οὐρανῷ. Ἐκεῖνα θαυμάσας καὶ μακαρίσας τῶν ἀνδρῶν τὴν ζωήν, ὅτι ἔργῳ δεικνύουσι τὴν νέκρωσιν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέροντες, ηὐχόμην καὶ αὐτός, καθόσον ἐμοὶ ἐφικτόν, ζηλωτὴς εἶναι τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων.

[3] Τούτου γοῦν ἕνεκεν θεασάμενός τινας ἐπὶ τῆς πατρίδος ζηλοῦν τὰ ἐκείνων ἐπιχειροῦντας, ἐνόμισά τινα βοήθειαν εὑρηκέναι πρὸς τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ σωτηρίαν, καὶ ἀπόδειξιν ἐποιούμην τῶν ἀφανῶν τὰ ὁρώμενα. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἄδηλα τὰ ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ ἑκάστου ἡμῶν, ἡγούμην αὐτάρκη μηνύματα εἶναι τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης τὸ ταπεινὸν τοῦ ἐνδύματος, καὶ ἤρκει μοι πρὸς πληροφορίαν τὸ παχὺ ἱμάτιον καὶ ἡ ζώνη καὶ τῆς ἀνεψήτου βύρσης τὰ ὑποδήματα. Καὶ πολλῶν ἀπαγόντων με τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς συνηθείας, οὐκ ἠνειχόμην ὁρῶν αὐτοὺς τοῦ ἀπολαυστικοῦ βίου τὸν καρτερικὸν προτιμῶντας, καὶ διὰ τὸ παρηλλαγμένον τῆς πολιτείας ζηλοτύπως εἶχον πρὸς αὐτούς. Ὅθεν οὐδὲ τὰς περὶ τῶν δογμάτων διαβολὰς προσιέμην, καίτοι πολλῶν διαβεβαιουμένων μὴ ὀρθὰς ἔχειν περὶ Θεοῦ τὰς ὑπολήψεις, ἀλλὰ τῷ προστάτῃ τῆς νῦν αἱρέσεως μαθητευθέντας τὰ ἐκείνου λάθρᾳ κατασπείρειν διδάγματα: ὧν ἐπειδὴ οὐδέποτε αὐτήκοος ἐγενόμην, συκοφάντας ἡγούμην τοὺς ἀπαγγέλλοντας. Ἐπεὶ δὲ λοιπὸν ἐκλήθημεν εἰς τὴν προστασίαν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, τοὺς μὲν παραδοθέντας ἡμῖν φύλακας καὶ σκοπευτὰς τοῦ βίου, ἐν προσποιήσει δῆθεν βοηθείας καὶ κοινωνίας ἀγαπητικῆς, σιωπῶ, ἵνα μὴ δόξω ἢ ἄπιστα λέγων ἐμαυτὸν διαβάλλειν, ἢ πιστευόμενος μισανθρωπίας ἀφορμὴν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ἐμποιεῖν. Ὃ καὶ ἐμοὶ μικροῦ συνέβη, εἰ μή με ταχὺ προκατελάβοντο οἱ οἰκτιρμοὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Μικροῦ γὰρ εἰς τὴν κατὰ πάντων ἐξέπεσον ὑποψίαν, οὐδὲν ἡγούμενος εἶναι παρ' οὐδενὶ πιστόν, ἐκ τῶν δολερῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ψυχὴν πεπληγμένος. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐδόκει τέως εἶναί τι ἡμῖν σχῆμα τῆς πρὸς αὐτοὺς συνηθείας. Καὶ προβολαὶ δὲ ἐγένοντο ἡμῖν περὶ δογμάτων ἅπαξ καὶ δίς, καὶ ἐδόξαμεν μὴ διακρίνεσθαι συμφωνήσαντες. Ὡς γὰρ εὕρισκον ἡμᾶς τὰς αὐτὰς ἀφιέντας φωνὰς περὶ τῆς εἰς Θεὸν πίστεως, ἃς παρὰ πάντα τὸν χρόνον ἤκουσαν παρ' ἡμῶν (εἰ γὰρ καὶ τἄλλα ἡμῶν στεναγμῶν ἄξια, ἀλλ' ἕν γε τοῦτο τολμῶ καυχᾶσθαι ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὅτι οὐδέποτε πεπλανημένας ἔσχον τὰς περὶ Θεοῦ ὑπολήψεις, ἢ ἑτέρως φρονῶν μετέμαθον ὕστερον. Ἀλλ' ἣν ἐκ παιδὸς ἔλαβον ἔννοιαν περὶ Θεοῦ παρὰ τῆς μακαρίας μητρός μου καὶ τῆς μάμμης Μακρίνης, ταύτην αὐξηθεῖσαν ἔσχον ἐν ἐμαυτῷ: οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα ἐξ ἄλλων μετέλαβον ἐν τῇ τοῦ λόγου συμπληρώσει, ἀλλὰ τὰς παραδοθείσας μοι παρ' αὐτῶν ἀρχὰς ἐτελείωσα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ αὐξανόμενον μεῖζον μὲν ἀπὸ μικροῦ γίνεται, ταὐτὸ δέ ἐστιν ἑαυτῷ, οὐ κατὰ γένος μεταβαλλόμενον, ἀλλὰ κατ' αὔξησιν τελειούμενον: οὕτω λογίζομαι ἐμοὶ τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον διὰ τῆς προκοπῆς ηὐξῆσθαι) ... ὥστε ἐρευνάτωσαν μὲν τὸ ἑαυτῶν συνειδός, ἐνθυμείσθωσαν δὲ τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δικαστήριον, εἴ ποτε ἄλλο τι ἤκουσαν παρ' ἡμῶν παρ' ὃ νῦν λέγομεν, οἱ νῦν ἡμᾶς διαθρυλήσαντες ἐπὶ κακοδοξίᾳ, καὶ ταῖς στηλιτευτικαῖς ἐπιστολαῖς ἃς συνέγραψαν καθ' ἡμῶν πᾶσαν περικτυπήσαντες ἀκοήν. Ὅθεν καὶ ἡμεῖς πρὸς τὴν ἀνάγκην ἤλθομεν τῆς ἀπολογίας ταύτης.

[4] Ἐγκαλούμεθα γὰρ τὴν εἰς Θεὸν βλασφημίαν οὔτε ἀπὸ συγγραφῆς ἧς προεβαλλόμεθα, ἢ ὅσα ἀγράφως ἀπὸ στόματος ἀεὶ ἐν τῷ φανερῷ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ Θεοῦ διελέχθημεν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ μάρτυς εὑρέθη ὁ λέγων παρ' ἡμῶν ἀκηκοέναι τι τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐν παραβύστῳ φθεγξαμένων. Πόθεν οὖν κρινόμεθα, εἰ μήτε συγγράφομεν ἀσεβῶς, μήτε δημηγοροῦμεν ἐπιβλαβῶς, μήτε ἐν ταῖς κατ' οἶκον ὁμιλίαις τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας διαστρέφομεν; Ὢ τοῦ καινοῦ δράματος. «Ὁ δεῖνα, φησίν, ἐπὶ τῆς Συρίας ἔγραψέ τινα ὡς οὐκ εὐσεβῶς: σὺ δὲ ἐπέστειλας αὐτῷ πρὸ εἴκοσιν ἐτῶν καὶ πλειόνων. Κοινωνὸς ἄρα σὺ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ τὰ ἐκείνου κατηγορήματα καὶ σὰ γινέσθω.» Ἀλλ', ὦ φίλε τῆς ἀληθείας ἄνθρωπε, ὁ τὸ ψεῦδος γέννημα εἶναι τοῦ διαβόλου δεδιδαγμένος, πῶς ἐπείσθης ἐμὴν εἶναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἐκείνην; Οὐ γὰρ ἀπέστειλας, οὐδ' ἠρώτησας, οὐδὲ παρ' ἐμοῦ, τοῦ δυναμένου σοι τἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ἐδιδάχθης. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐμὸν τὸ γράμμα, πόθεν δῆλον ὅτι τοῦτο τὸ νῦν σοι ἐμπεσὸν σύνταγμα σύγχρονον τοῖς ἐμοῖς γράμμασι; Τίς σοι ὁ εἰπὼν ὅτι εἴκοσίν ἐστιν ἐτῶν ἡ συγγραφὴ αὕτη; Πόθεν δὲ δῆλον ὅτι ἐκείνου ἐστὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ σύνταγμα πρὸς ὃν καὶ ἡ παρ' ἐμοῦ ἐπιστολὴ διεπέμφθη; Εἰ δὲ κἀκεῖνος ὁ συγγραφεὺς κἀγὼ ἐκείνῳ ἐπέστειλα καὶ χρόνος εἷς τῶν τ' ἐμῶν γραμμάτων καὶ τοῦ συγγράμματος, ὅτι παρεδεξάμην αὐτὸ τῇ διανοίᾳ καὶ ἔχω ἐν ἐμαυτῷ ἐκεῖνο τὸ φρόνημα, τίς ἡ ἀπόδειξις;

[5] Ἐρώτησον σεαυτόν: ποσάκις ἡμᾶς ἐπεσκέψω ἐπὶ τῆς μονῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ Ἴριδι ποταμῷ, ὅτε δὲ συμπαρῆν μοι ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἀδελφὸς Γρηγόριος τὸν αὐτόν μοι τοῦ βίου σκοπὸν διανύων; Εἰ ἤκουσάς τι τοιοῦτον ἢ ἔλαβες ἔμφασιν μικρὰν ἢ μείζονα; Ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς Εὐσινόης, ὅτε, μετὰ πλειόνων ἐπισκόπων μέλλοντες ὁρμᾶν ἐπὶ Λάμψακον, προσεκαλέσασθέ με, οὐ περὶ πίστεως ἦσαν οἱ λόγοι; Οὐχὶ δὲ πάντα τὸν χρόνον ὅσοι ταχυγράφοι παρῆσαν ἐμοὶ ὑπαγορεύοντι τὰ πρὸς τὴν αἵρεσιν; Οὐ τῶν σῶν μαθητῶν οἱ γνησιώτατοι πάντα μοι τὸν χρόνον συνῆσαν; Οὐ τὰς ἀδελφότητας ἐπισκεπτόμενος καὶ διανυκτερεύων αὐταῖς ἐν ταῖς προσευχαῖς, λέγων καὶ ἀκούων ἀεὶ τὰ περὶ Θεοῦ ἀφιλονείκως, οὐκ ἀκριβεῖς παρεῖχον τῆς ἐννοίας ἐμαυτοῦ τὰς ἀποδείξεις; Πῶς οὖν ἡ ἐν τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ πεῖρα ἐλάττων ἐφάνη τῆς οὕτω σαθρᾶς καὶ ἀδρανοῦς ὑπονοίας; Τίνα δὲ ἔδει πρὸ σοῦ μάρτυρα εἶναι τῆς ἐμῆς διαθέσεως; Τὰ ἐπὶ Καλχηδόνος λαληθέντα ἡμῖν περὶ πίστεως, τὰ ἐν Ἡρακλείᾳ πολλάκις, τὰ πρότερον ἐπὶ τῆς Καισαρείας ἐν τῷ προαστείῳ, εἰ μὴ πάντα σύμφωνα παρ' ἡμῶν; Εἰ μὴ πάντα ἀλλήλοις συμβαίνοντα; Ἐκτὸς τοῦ, ὅπερ εἶπον, ἐκ προκοπῆς τινα αὔξησιν ἐπιθεωρεῖσθαι τοῖς λεγομένοις, ὅπερ οὐχὶ μεταβολή ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ χείρονος πρὸς τὸ βέλτιον, ἀλλὰ συμπλήρωσις τοῦ λείποντος κατὰ τὴν προσθήκην τῆς γνώσεως. Πῶς δὲ κἀκεῖνο οὐκ ἐνθυμῇ ὅτι πατὴρ οὐ λήψεται ἁμαρτίαν παιδός, οὐδὲ υἱὸς λήψεται ἁμαρτίαν πατρός, ἕκαστος ἐν τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀποθανεῖται; Ἐμοὶ δὲ οὔτε πατὴρ ὁ παρὰ σοὶ διαβαλλόμενος οὔθ' υἱός. Οὔτε γὰρ διδάσκαλός μου γέγονεν οὔτε μαθητής. Εἰ δὲ δεῖ τὰς τῶν γεννησάντων ἁμαρτίας ἐγκλήματα τοῖς τέκνοις γίνεσθαι, πολὺ δικαιότερον τὰ Ἀρείου κατὰ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ γίνεσθαι: καὶ εἴ τις Ἀέτιον ἐγέννησε τὸν αἱρετικόν, ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ἀναβαίνει τοῦ παιδὸς τὰ ἐγκλήματα. Εἰ δ' οὐ δίκαιον ἐπ' ἐκείνοις ἐγκαλεῖσθαί τινα, πολλῷ δή που δικαιότερον ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τοῖς μηδὲν ἡμῖν προσήκουσι μὴ λόγων ἔχειν εὐθύνας, εἴ γε καὶ ἥμαρτον ὅλως, εἴ τι καὶ γέγραπται αὐτοῖς ἄξιον κατακρίσεως. Συγγνώμη γάρ μοι ἀπιστοῦντι τοῖς κατ' αὐτῶν λεγομένοις, ἐπειδὴ ἡ κατ' ἐμοῦ πεῖρα τὸ πρὸς συκοφαντίαν εὔκολον τῶν κατηγορούντων συνίστησι.

[6] Καὶ γὰρ εἰ μὲν ἀπατηθέντες καὶ νομίσαντες ἐμὲ κοινωνὸν εἶναι τῆς γνώμης τῶν συγγραψάντων ἐκεῖνα τὰ Σαβελλίου ῥήματα ἅπερ αὐτοὶ περιφέρουσιν, ἐπὶ τὴν κατ' ἐμοῦ διαβολὴν ἦλθον, οὐδ' οὕτω μὲν ἦσαν συγγνώμης ἄξιοι, πρὸ ἐναργῶν ἀποδείξεων εὐθὺς ταῖς βλασφημίαις βάλλοντες καὶ τιτρώσκοντες τοὺς μηδὲ συνδιατρίψαντας, ἵνα μὴ εἴπω ὅτι καὶ τοὺς εἰς τὴν ἄκραν αὐτοῖς φιλίαν συνδεδεμένους, καὶ ὅτι ἀπόδειξις τοῦ μὴ Πνεύματι ἄγεσθαι Ἁγίῳ τὸ ψευδεῖς ἔχειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὰς ὑπολήψεις. Πολλὰ δεῖ μεριμνῆσαι καὶ πολλὰς ἀγρύπνους νύκτας διενεγκεῖν, καὶ μετὰ πολλῶν δακρύων ἐκζητῆσαι παρὰ Θεοῦ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τὸν μέλλοντα φιλίας ἀδελφοῦ διατέμνεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἄρχοντες, ὅταν τινὰ τῶν κακούργων θανάτῳ καταδικάζειν μέλλωσιν, ἐφέλκονται τὰ παραπετάσματα, καλοῦσι δὲ τοὺς ἐμπειροτάτους πρὸς τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν προκειμένων σκέψιν, καὶ πολὺν ἐνσχολάζουσι χρόνον, νῦν μὲν τοῦ νόμου τὸ αὐστηρὸν ὁρῶντες, νῦν δὲ τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς φύσεως δυσωπούμενοι, καὶ πολλὰ στενάξαντες καὶ τὴν ἀνάγκην ἀπολοφυρόμενοι πάνδημοι πᾶσι γίνονται πρὸς ἀνάγκην ὑπηρετοῦντες τῷ νόμῳ, οὐ κατ' οἰκείαν ἡδονὴν ἐπάγοντες τὴν κατάκρισιν: πόσῳ χρὴ πλείονος σπουδῆς ἄξιον ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ μερίμνης καὶ τῆς μετὰ πλειόνων βουλῆς τὸν μέλλοντα φιλίας ἀδελφῶν ἀπορρήγνυσθαι τῆς ἐν πολλῷ χρόνῳ βεβαιωθείσης; Ἀλλὰ μία ἐπιστολὴ καὶ αὐτὴ ἀμφίβολος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν εἴποις ἐκ τῶν τῆς ὑπογραφῆς συμβόλων αὐτὴν ἐπεγνωκέναι, ὅς γε οὔπω τὴν πρώτως γραφεῖσαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν μεταγραφεῖσαν εἰς χεῖρας ἔλαβεν. Ἐξ ἑνὸς τοίνυν γράμματος καὶ τούτου παλαιοῦ. Εἴκοσι γὰρ ἔτη ἐστὶν εἰς τὸν νῦν χρόνον ἀφ' οὗ γέγραπταί τι πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον. Ἐν δὲ τῷ μεταξὺ τούτῳ χρόνῳ οὐδένα τοιοῦτον ἔχω μάρτυρα τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ προαιρέσεως καὶ τοῦ βίου, ὡς τοὺς νῦν ἐφεστῶτάς μοι κατηγόρους.

[7] Ἀλλ' οὐ γὰρ ἡ ἐπιστολὴ τοῦ χωρισμοῦ αἰτία, ἑτέρα δέ ἐστι τῆς διαστάσεως ἡ ὑπόθεσις ἣν ἐγὼ λέγειν αἰσχύνομαι, καὶ ἐσίγησα δὲ πάντα τὸν χρόνον, εἰ μὴ τὰ νῦν πεπραγμένα ἀναγκαίαν μοι καθίστη διὰ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν λυσιτελὲς τῆς ὅλης αὐτῶν προαιρέσεως τὴν φανέρωσιν. Νομιζέτωσαν οἱ χρηστοὶ ἐμπόδιον αὐτοῖς εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τῆς δυναστείας ἀνάληψιν τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίαν. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ὑπογραφῇ τινι πίστεως προελήφθησαν ἣν ἡμεῖς αὐτοῖς προετείναμεν, οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἀπιστοῦντες αὐτῶν τῷ φρονήματι, ὁμολογῶ γάρ, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ὑπονοίας ἃς πολλοὶ τῶν ὁμοψύχων ἡμῶν ἀδελφῶν εἶχον θεραπεῦσαι βουλόμενοι, ἵνα μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς ὁμολογίας ἐκείνης δόξῃ αὐτοῖς ἐμπόδιον ἀπαντᾶν πρὸς τὸ ὑπὸ τῶν νῦν κρατούντων παραδεχθῆναι, ἀπείπαντο τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίαν, καὶ ἡ ὑπόθεσις τῆς ἀπορρήξεως, τὸ γράμμα τοῦτο, ἐπενοήθη. Σημεῖον δὲ τῶν λεγομένων ἐναργέστατον, ὅτι, ἀποστήσαντες ἡμᾶς καὶ συνθέντες τὰς μέμψεις ἃς ἠβούλοντο καθ' ἡμῶν, πρὶν ἡμῖν ἀποστεῖλαι τὰ γράμματα περιέπεμπον πανταχοῦ. Ἑπτὰ γὰρ πρότερον ἡμέραις τοῦ εἰς τὰς ἐμὰς ἀφικέσθαι χεῖρας ἐφάνη ἡ ἐπιστολή, οἳ ἐξ ἑτέρων διαδεξάμενοι ἑτέροις ἔμελλον παραπέμπειν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐπενόησαν ἕνα ἑνὶ παραδιδόναι, ἵνα ταχεῖα αὐτῆς κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν χώραν γένηται ἡ διάδοσις. Καὶ ταῦτ' ἐλέγετο μὲν ἔτι τότε παρὰ τῶν σαφέστατα ἡμῖν τὰ ἐκείνων ἐξαγγελλόντων. Ἐκρίναμεν δὲ σιωπᾶν, ἕως ἂν ὁ ἀποκαλύπτων τὰ βαθέα σαφεστάτοις καὶ ἀναντιρρήτοις ἐλέγχοις δημοσιεύσῃ τὰ κατ' αὐτούς.