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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 CCLXXI.1488 Placed at the end of Basil’s life.
To Eusebius,1489 Apparently a schoolfellow of Basil, not to be identified with any of the others of the name.my comrade, to recommend Cyriacus the presbyter.
At once and in haste, after your departure, I came to the town. Why need I tell a man not needing to be told, because he knows by experience, how distressed I was not to find you? How delightful it would have been to me to see once more the excellent Eusebius, to embrace him, to travel once again in memory to our young days, and to be reminded of old times when for both of us there was one home, one hearth, the same schoolmaster, the same leisure, the same work, the same treats, the same hardships, and everything shared in common! What do you think I would not have given to recall all this by actually meeting you, to rid me of the heavy weight of my old age, and to seem to be turned from an old man into a lad again? But I have lost this pleasure. At least of the privilege of meeting your excellency in correspondence, and of consoling myself by the best means at my disposal, I am not deprived. I am so fortunate as to meet the very reverend presbyter Cyriacus. I am ashamed to recommend him to you, and to make him, through me, your own, lest I seem to be performing a superfluous task in offering to you what you already possess and value as your own. But it is my duty to witness to the truth, and to give the best boons I have to those who are spiritually united to me. I think that the man’s blamelessness in his sacred position is well known to you; but I confirm it, for I do not know that any charge is brought against him by those who do not fear the Lord and are laying their hands upon all. Even if they had done anything of the kind, the man would not have been unworthy, for the enemies of the Lord rather vindicate the orders of those whom they attack than deprive them of any of the grace given them by the Spirit. However, as I said, nothing has even been thought of against the man. Be so good then as to look upon him as a blameless presbyter, in union with me, and worthy of all reverence. Thus will you benefit yourself and gratify me.
ΕΥΣΕΒΙῼ ΕΤΑΙΡῼ ΣΥΣΤΑΤΙΚΗ ΕΠΙ ΚΥΡΙΑΚῼ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡῼ
[1] Εὐθὺς κατὰ πόδας τῆς σῆς ἀναχωρήσεως ἐπιστὰς τῇ πόλει ὅσον ἠθύμησα διαμαρτών σου: τί δεῖ καὶ λέγειν πρὸς ἄνδρα οὐ λόγου δεόμενον, ἀλλὰ πείρᾳ εἰδότα τῷ τὰ ὅμοια πεπονθέναι; Ὅσου γὰρ ἦν ἄξιον ἐμοὶ ἰδεῖν τὸν πάντα ἄριστον Εὐσέβιον καὶ περιπτύξασθαι καὶ πρὸς τὴν νεότητα πάλιν τῇ μνήμῃ ἐπανελθεῖν καὶ ὑπομνησθῆναι ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων ἐν αἷς καὶ δωμάτιον ἡμῖν ἓν καὶ ἑστία μία καὶ παιδαγωγὸς ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ ἄνεσις καὶ σπουδὴ καὶ τρυφὴ καὶ ἔνδεια καὶ πάντα ἡμῖν ἐξ ἴσου πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὑπῆρχε. Πόσου οἴει τίθεσθαί με ἄξιον πάντα ταῦτα διὰ τῆς σῆς συντυχίας ἀναλαβεῖν τῇ μνήμῃ καὶ τὸ βαρὺ τοῦτο γῆρας ἀποξυσάμενον νέον δοκεῖν πάλιν ἐκ γέροντος γεγενῆσθαι; Ἀλλ' ἐκείνων μέν με διέφυγεν ἡ ἀπόλαυσις, τὸ δὲ διὰ γράμματος ἰδεῖν σου τὴν λογιότητα καὶ τὸν ἐνόντα τρόπον ἑαυτὸν παραμυθήσασθαι οὐκ ἀφῃρέθην, τῇ συντυχίᾳ τοῦ αἰδεσιμωτάτου Κυριακοῦ τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου: ὃν αἰσχύνομαι συνιστῶν σοι καὶ οἰκεῖον ποιῶν δι' ἐμαυτοῦ, μή ποτε δόξω περίεργόν τι ποιεῖν σοι προσάγων τὰ ἴδιά σου καὶ ἐξαίρετα. Ἀλλ', ἐπειδή με δεῖ καὶ μάρτυρα εἶναι τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τοῖς συνημμένοις πνευματικῶς τὰ μέγιστα τῶν ἐμοὶ προσόντων χαρίζεσθαι, τὸ μὲν περὶ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀνεπηρέαστον τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἡγοῦμαι καὶ σοὶ φανερὸν εἶναι, βεβαιῶ δὲ κἀγὼ οὐδεμίαν γνωρίζων κατ' αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῶν πᾶσιν ἐπιβαλλόντων τὰς χεῖρας τῶν μὴ φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον ἐπήρειαν. Καίτοιγε, εἴ τι ἐγεγόνει παρ' αὐτῶν, οὔθ' οὕτως ἀνάξιος ἦν ὁ ἀνήρ. Οἱ δὲ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ Κυρίου βεβαιοῦσι τοὺς βαθμοὺς μᾶλλον οἷς ἂν προσπολεμῶσιν ἢ ἀφαιροῦνταί τι τῆς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτοῖς παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάριτος. Πλὴν ἀλλ', ὅπερ ἔφην, οὐδὲ κατεπενοήθη τι τοῦ ἀνδρός. Ὡς οὖν πρεσβύτερον ἀνεπηρέαστον καὶ ἡμῖν συνημμένον καὶ πάσης αἰδοῦς ἄξιον, οὕτω καταξίου αὐτὸν ὁρᾶν σαυτόν τε ὠφελῶν καὶ ἡμῖν χαριζόμενος.