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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 CCCI.
To Maximus.
[Consolatory on the death of his wife.]
ΠΑΡΑΜΥΘΗΤΙΚΗ
[1] Ὅπως διετέθημεν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀκοῇ τοῦ πάθους οὐδεὶς ἂν ἡμῖν λόγος εἰς παράστασιν τῆς ἐναργίας ἀρκέσειε, νῦν μὲν τὴν ζημίαν λογιζομένοις ἣν τὸ κοινὸν τῶν εὐλαβῶν ἐζημιώθη τὴν προστάτιν τοῦ καθ' ἑαυτὴν τάγματος ἀπολέσαν, νῦν δὲ τὴν φαιδρότητα τῆς σῆς σεμνότητος εἰς οἵαν μετέπεσε κατήφειαν ἐννοοῦντες, οἶκον τοῖς πᾶσι μακαριστὸν εἰς γόνυ κλιθέντα καὶ συμβίωσιν διὰ τῆς ἄκρας ἁρμονίας συμπεφυκυῖαν ὀνείρου θᾶττον διαλυθεῖσαν βλέποντες τῇ διανοίᾳ. Πῶς οὐκ ἄν, καὶ εἰ ἀδαμάντινοι ἦμεν, τὰς ψυχὰς κατεκάμφθημεν; Ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῆς πρώτης ὁμιλίας οἰκειότης τις ἐγένετο πρὸς τὴν σὴν σεμνοπρέπειαν, καὶ τοσοῦτόν σου τῇ ἀρετῇ προσετέθημεν ὥστε ἐπὶ πάσης ὥρας διὰ γλώττης ἔχειν τὰ σά. Ὅτε δὲ καὶ τῆς μακαρίας ψυχῆς ἐκείνης ἐγενόμεθα ἐν συνηθείᾳ, ὄντως ἐπείσθημεν τὸν τῆς Παροιμίας λόγον ἐφ' ὑμῖν βεβαιούμενον, ὅτι παρὰ Θεοῦ ἁρμόζεται γυνὴ ἀνδρί. Οὕτω πρὸς τρόπου ἀλλήλοις ἦτε: ὥσπερ ἐν κατόπτρῳ ἕκαστος τὸ τοῦ ἑτέρου ἦθος ἐν ἑαυτῷ προεδείκνυ. Καὶ πολλὰ ἂν εἰπών τις οὐδὲ πολλοστοῦ μέρους τῆς ἀξίας ἐφίκοιτο. Ἀλλὰ τί δεῖ παθεῖν πρὸς νόμον Θεοῦ πάλαι κεκρατηκότα, τὸν ἐλθόντα εἰς γένεσιν τοῖς καθήκουσι χρόνοις πάλιν ὑπεξελθεῖν καὶ ψυχὴν ἑκάστην λειτουργήσασαν τῷ βίῳ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα εἶτα τῶν δεσμῶν τοῦ σώματος ἀπολύεσθαι; Οὔτε πρῶτοι πεπόνθαμεν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, οὔτε μόνοι, ἀλλ' ὧν γονεῖς πεπείρανται καὶ πάπποι καὶ οἱ ἄνω τοῦ γένους ἅπαντες, τούτων καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν πείρᾳ γεγόναμεν. Καὶ πλήρης ὁ παρὼν βίος τῶν τοιούτων παραδειγμάτων. Σὲ δὲ τοσοῦτον τῇ ἀρετῇ τῶν λοιπῶν διαφέροντα καὶ ἐν μέσοις τοῖς πάθεσι προσῆκε τὸ τῆς σῆς ψυχῆς μεγαλοφυὲς ἀταπείνωτον διασῶσαι μὴ τὴν νῦν ζημίαν δυσχεραίνοντα, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἐξ ἀρχῆς δωρεᾶς χάριν εἰδότα τῷ δεδωκότι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀποθανεῖν κοινὸν τῶν τῆς αὐτῆς μετεσχηκότων φύσεως, τὸ δὲ ἀγαθῇ συνοικῆσαι ὀλίγοις τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν μακαρισθεῖσιν ὑπῆρξεν, ἤπου καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ λυπηρῶς ἐνεγκεῖν τὴν διάζευξιν ἕν ἐστι τῶν ἐκ Θεοῦ δωρεῶν τοῖς εὐγνωμόνως λογιζομένοις. Πολλοὺς γὰρ ἔγνωμεν ὥσπερ βάρους ἀπόθεσιν τὴν διάλυσιν τῆς ἀκαταλλήλου συνοικήσεως δεχομένους. Ἀπόβλεψον εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῦτον καὶ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ πᾶσαν περίσκεψαι τὴν κτίσιν ἐν κύκλῳ, ὅτι ταῦτα μὲν τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα ὄντα μικρὸν ὕστερον οὐ φανήσεται: ἐκ πάντων τούτων συνάγαγε ἐκεῖνο ὅτι μέρος ὄντες τῆς ἀποθνησκούσης κτίσεως τὸ ἐκ τῆς κοινῆς φύσεως ἐπιβάλλον ἡμῖν ὑπεδεξάμεθα, ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ γάμος αὐτὸς τοῦ ἀποθνήσκειν ἐστὶ παραμυθία. Διότι γὰρ εἰς τὸ παντελὲς παραμένειν οὐκ ἐνῆν, τῇ διαδοχῇ τοῦ γένους τὸ πρὸς τὸν βίον διαρκὲς ὁ Δημιουργὸς ἐμηχανήσατο. Εἰ δὲ ὅτι θᾶττον προαπῆρεν ἡμῶν ἀνιώμεθα, μὴ βασκαίνωμεν τῇ μὴ ἐπὶ πολὺ τῶν ὀχληρῶν τοῦ βίου ἀναπλησθείσῃ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν τῶν ἀνθῶν ἔτι ποθοῦντας ἡμᾶς ἀπολειπούσῃ. Πρὸ πάντων δέ σε τὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως δόγμα ψυχαγωγησάτω χριστιανὸν ὄντα καὶ ἐπ' ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν τὴν ζωὴν διεξάγοντα. Οὕτως οὖν διανοεῖσθαι προσῆκεν ὡς ὁδόν τινα παρελθούσης ἣν καὶ ἡμᾶς δεήσει πορεύεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ ὅτι πρὸ ἡμῶν, οὐκ ὀδυρμῶν τοῦτο ἄξιον. Μικρὸν γὰρ ὕστερον τυχὸν τὸ ἡμέτερον ἐλεεινότερον, εἰ ἐπὶ πλεῖον παραταθέντες πλείοσι γενοίμεθα τιμωρίαις ὑπόχρεοι. Ἀλλὰ τῆς λύπης τὸ βάρος ὁ λογισμὸς ἡμῶν ἀποσεισάμενος τὴν περὶ τοῦ πῶς ἡμᾶς προσῆκε πρὸς τὸ ἐφεξῆς εὐαρεστεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ φροντίδα μεταλαβέτω.