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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 CCCXXXVI.
Libanius to Basilius.
1. After some little time a young Cappadocian has reached me. One gain to me is that he is a Cappadocian. But this Cappadocian is one of the first rank. This is another gain. Further, he brings me a letter from the admirable Basil. This is the greatest gain of all. You think that I have forgotten you. I had great respect for you in your youth. I saw you vying with old men in self-restraint, and this in a city teeming with pleasures. I saw you already in possession of considerable learning. Then you thought that you ought also to see Athens, and you persuaded Celsus to accompany you. Happy Celsus, to be dear to you! Then you returned, and lived at home, and I said to myself, What, I wonder, is Basil about now? To what occupation has he betaken himself? Is he following the ancient orators, and practising in the courts? Or is he turning the sons of fortunate fathers into orators? Then there came those who reported to me that you were adopting a course of life better than any of these, and were, rather, bethinking you how you might win the friendship of God than heaps of gold, I blessed both you and the Cappadocians; you, for making this your aim; them, for being able to point to so noble a fellow-countryman.
2. I am aware that the Firmus, whom you mention, has continually won everywhere;1532 πανταχοῦ διετέλεσε κρατῶν. “Ubique constantem perdurasse.” Ben. Ed. “Ubique firma memoria fuerit.” Combefis. Firmus may possibly be the father of the young student. hence his great power as a speaker. But with all the eulogies that have been bestowed on him, I am not aware that he has ever received such praise as I have heard of in your letter. For what a credit it is to him, that it should be you who declare that his reputation is inferior to none!
Apparently, you have despatched this young man to me before seeing Firminus; had you done so, your letters would not have failed to mention him. What is Firminus now doing or intending to do? Is he still anxious to be married? Or is all that over now? Are the claims of the senate heavy on him? Is he obliged to stay where he is? Is there any hope of his taking to study again ? Let him send me an answer, and I trust it may be satisfactory. If it be a distressing one, at least it will relieve him from seeing me at his door. And if Firminus had been now at Athens, what would your senators have done? Would they have sent the Salaminia1533 The allusion is to the “Salaminia,” one of the two sacred or state vessels of the Athenian government. The “Paralus” and the “Salaminia” were both Triremes, the latter being called also “Delia” and “Theoris,” because it was used to convey the θεωροὶ to Delos. State criminals were conveyed by them. after him? You see that it is only by your fellow-countrymen that I am wronged. Yet I shall never cease to love and praise the Cappadocians. I should like them to be better disposed to me, but, if they continue to act as they do, I shall bear it. Firminus was four months with me, and was not a day idle. You will know how much he has acquired, and perhaps will not complain. As to his being able to come here again, what ally can I call in? If your senators are right-minded, as men of education ought to be, they will honour me in the second case, since they grieved me in the first.
ΛΙΒΑΝΙΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙῼ
[1] Διὰ χρόνου πρὸς ἡμᾶς Καππαδόκης ἥκει νέος. Ἓν τοῦτο κέρδος ὅτι Καππαδόκης. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ πρώτου γένους οὗτος ὁ Καππαδόκης. Δεύτερον τοῦτο κέρδος. Ἀλλὰ καὶ γράμμα τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ Βασιλείου κομίζων ἡμῖν. Τουτὶ μὲν ὅτου τίς εἴποι μεῖζον; Ἐγὼ γὰρ ὃν ἐπιλελῆσθαί σου νομίζεις, καὶ πάλαι νέον ὄντα ᾐδούμην, σωφροσύνῃ τε πρὸς τοὺς γέροντας ἁμιλλώμενον ὁρῶν (καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ πόλει τῇ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς βρυούσῃ) καὶ λόγων ἤδη μοῖραν κεκτημένον μεγάλην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ᾠήθης δεῖν καὶ τὰς Ἀθήνας ἰδεῖν καὶ τὸν Κέλσον ἔπειθες, συνέχαιρον τῷ Κέλσῳ τῆς σῆς ἐξηρτημένῳ ψυχῆς. Ἐπανήκοντος δέ σου καὶ ἔχοντος τὴν πατρίδα, ἔλεγον πρὸς ἐμαυτόν: »Τί νῦν ἡμῖν ὁ Βασίλειος δρᾷ καὶ πρὸς τίνα βίον ὥρμηκεν; Ἆρ' ἐν δικαστηρίοις τρέπεται τοὺς παλαιοὺς ῥήτορας ζηλῶν, ἢ ῥήτορας εὐδαιμόνων πατέρων ἀπεργάζεται παῖδας;« Ὡς δὲ ἧκόν τινες ἀπαγγέλλοντες ἀμείνω σε πολλῷ τουτωνὶ τῶν ὁδῶν πορεύεσθαι καὶ σκοπεῖν ὅπως ἂν γένοιο Θεῷ μᾶλλον φίλος ἢ συλλέξεις χρυσίον, εὐδαιμόνισά σέ τε καὶ Καππαδόκας: σὲ μὲν τοιοῦτον βουλόμενον εἶναι, ἐκείνους δὲ τοιοῦτον δυναμένους δεικνύναι πολίτην.
[2] Φίρμος δὲ ἐκεῖνος ὡς πανταχοῦ διετέλεσε κρατῶν εὖ οἶδα: ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ αὐτῷ τῶν λόγων ἡ δύναμις. Πολλῶν δὲ ἐπαίνων ἀπολαύσας, οὐκ οἶδα ὅτι πώποτε τηλικούτων ἡλίκων νῦν ἐν τοῖς σοῖς ἀκήκοα γράμμασι. Τὸ γὰρ μηδένα ἂν τὴν ἐκείνου δόξαν ὑπερβαλέσθαι σε τὸν λέγοντα εἶναι πόσον τι χρὴ νομίζειν ἐκείνῳ; Δοκεῖς δέ μοι καὶ τούτους ἀπεσταλκέναι πρὶν ἢ τὸν Φιρμῖνον ἰδεῖν. Ἦ γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸν οὐκ εἶχε τὰ γράμματα; Καὶ νῦν τί ποιεῖ ἢ τί μέλλει Φιρμῖνος; Ἔτ' ἔστιν ἐν τοῖς τῶν γάμων πότοις, ἢ ἐκεῖνα μὲν πάλαι πέπαυται, βαρεῖα δὲ ἡ βουλὴ καὶ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη μένειν, ἢ τίνες εἰσὶν ἐλπίδες ὡς αὖθις ἔσται Λόγων κοινωνός; Ἀποκρινάσθω τι ἡμῖν καὶ εἴη μέν τι χρηστόν. Εἰ δ' οὖν τι καὶ λυπήσει, τοῦ βλέπειν γε ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὰς πύλας ἀπαλλάξει. Εἰ δὲ Ἀθήνῃσι νῦν ὁ Φιρμῖνος ἐτύγχανεν ὤν, τί ἂν ἔδρων οἱ βουλεύοντες παρ' ὑμῖν; Ἢ τὴν Σαλαμινίαν ἔπεμπον ἂν ἐπ' αὐτόν; Ὁρᾷς ὅτι καὶ μόνον ὑπὸ τῶν σῶν ὑβρίζομαι πολιτῶν. Οὐ μὴν ἔγωγε τοῦ φιλεῖν καὶ ἐπαινεῖν Καππαδόκας παύσομαι. Ἀλλ' εὔχομαι μὲν αὐτοὺς ἀμείνους γενέσθαι περὶ ἐμέ, μένοντας δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν οἴσω. Φιρμῖνος δὲ μῆνας ἡμῖν συνεγένετο τέτταρας, ἡμέραν δὲ ἤργησεν οὐδεμίαν. Τὸ δὲ συνειλεγμένον ὅσον ἐστὶν αὐτὸς εἴσῃ καὶ ἴσως οὐ μέμψῃ. Πρὸς δὲ τὸ πάλιν αὐτὸν δεῦρο δυνηθῆναι ἐλθεῖν τίνα χρὴ προσπαρακαλεῖν σύμμαχον; Εἴπερ γὰρ εὖ φρονοῦσιν οἱ βουλεύοντες (πρέποι δ' ἂν ἀνθρώποις πεπαιδευμένοις), τιμήσουσι τοῖς δευτέροις, ἐπειδὴ τοῖς πρώτοις ἐλύπησαν.