Letter CCCL.

Basil to Libanius.

Your annoyance is over.  Let this be the beginning of my letter.  Go on mocking and abusing me and mine, whether laughing or in earnest.  Why say anything about frost1550    γριτή, an unknown word.  Perhaps akin to κρίοτη.  cf. Duncange s.v. or snow, when you might be luxuriating in mockery?  For my part, Libanius, that I may rouse you to a hearty laugh, I have written my letter enveloped in a snow-white veil.  When you take the letter in your hand, you will feel how cold it is, and how it symbolizes the condition of the sender—kept at home and not able to put head out of doors.  For my house is a grave till spring comes and brings us back from death to life, and once more gives to us, as to plants, the boon of existence.

ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΣ ΛΙΒΑΝΙῼ

[1] Λέλυταί σοι τὸ δύσθυμον. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἔστω τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὸ προοίμιον. Σὺ δὲ σκῶπτε καὶ διάσυρε τὰ ἡμέτερα εἴτε γελῶν εἴτε σπουδάζων. Τί δὲ χιόνος ἢ γριτῆς ἐμνημόνευσας, παρὸν ἐντρυφᾶν ἡμῶν τοῖς σκώμμασιν; Ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ Λιβάνιε, ἵνα σοι καὶ πλατὺν κινήσω τὸν γέλωτα, ὑπὸ παραπετάσματι καλυπτόμενος χιόνος τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔγραψα, ἣν δεξάμενος ψαύων χερσὶ γνώσει ὡς κρυερά τις αὕτη καὶ τὸν πέμψαντα χαρακτηρίζει ἐμφωλεύοντα καὶ μὴ δυνάμενον ἔξω τῶν δωματίων προκύπτειν. Τάφους γὰρ τοὺς οἴκους κεκτήμεθα, μέχρις ἐπιλάβοι τὸ ἔαρ καὶ νεκροὺς ἡμᾶς ὄντας πρὸς ζωὴν ἐπανάξει πάλιν τὸ εἶναι ὥσπερ φυτοῖς χαριζόμενον.