Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series • VOLUME 8
Basil — Letters and Select Works
SECTION 121
Letter LII. [2184]
Letter LII. [2184] To the Canonicæ. [2185] 1. I have been very much distressed by a painful report which reached my ears; but I have been equally delighted by my brother, beloved of God, bishop Bosporius, [2186] who has brought a more satisfactory account of you. He avers by God's grace that all those stories spread abroad abo…
1,557 wordsSECTION 122Letter LIII. [2192]
Letter LIII. [2192] To the Chorepiscopi. [2193] 1. My soul is deeply pained at the enormity of the matter on which I write, if for this only, that it has caused general suspicion and talk. But so far it has seemed to me incredible. I hope then that what I am writing about it may be taken by the guilty as medicine, by the innoc…
709 wordsSECTION 123Letter LIV. [2199]
Letter LIV. [2199] To the Chorepiscopi. I am much distressed that the canons of the Fathers have fallen through, and that the exact discipline of the Church has been banished from among you. I am apprehensive lest, as this indifference grows, the affairs of the Church should, little by little, fall into confusion. According to…
884 wordsSECTION 124Letter LV. [2203]
Letter LV. [2203] To Paregorius, the presbyter. I have given patient attention to your letter, and I am astonished that when you are perfectly well able to furnish me with a short and easy defence by taking action at once, you should choose to persist in what is my ground of complaint, and endeavour to cure the incurable by wr…
972 wordsSECTION 125Letter LVII. [2208]
Letter LVII. [2208] To Meletius, Bishop of Antioch. [2209] If your holiness only knew the greatness of the happiness you cause me whenever you write to me, I know that you would never have let slip any opportunity of sending me a letter; nay, you would have written me many letters on each occasion, knowing the reward that is k…
1,212 wordsSECTION 126Letter LIX. [2216]
Letter LIX. [2216] To Gregory, his uncle. [2217] 1. "I have long time holden my peace. Am I to hold my peace for ever? [2218] Shall I still further endure to enforce against myself the hardest punishment of silence, by neither writing myself, nor receiving any statement from another? By holding fast to this stern determination…
921 wordsSECTION 127Letter LX. [2221]
Letter LX. [2221] To Gregory his uncle. Formerly I was glad to see my brother. Why not, since he is my brother and such a brother? Now I have received him on his coming to visit me with the same feelings, and have lost none of my affection. God forbid that I should ever so feel as to forget the ties of nature and be at war wit…
723 wordsSECTION 128Letter LXII. [2225]
Letter LXII. [2225] To the Church of Parnassus. [2226] Following an ancient custom, which has obtained for many years, and at the same time shewing you love in God, which is the fruit of the Spirit, I now, my pious friends, address this letter to you. I feel with you at once in your grief at the event which has befallen you, a…
770 wordsSECTION 129Letter LXV. [2232]
Letter LXV. [2232] To Atarbius. [2233] If I continue to insist on the privileges to which my superior age entitles me, and wait for you to take the initiative in communication , and if you, my friend, wish to adhere more persistently to your evil counsel of inaction, what end will there be to our silence? However, where friend…
1,518 wordsSECTION 130Letter LXVII. [2242]
Letter LXVII. [2242] To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria. In my former letter it seemed to me sufficient to point out to your excellency, that all that portion of the people of the holy Church of Antioch who are sound in the faith, ought to be brought to concord and unity. My object was to make it plain that the sections, now …
1,733 wordsSECTION 131Letter LXX. [2251]
Letter LXX. [2251] Without address. [2252] To renew laws of ancient love, and once again to restore to vigorous life that heavenly and saving gift of Christ which in course of time has withered away, the peace, I mean, of the Fathers, is a labour necessary indeed and profitable to me, but pleasant too, as I am sure it will see…
1,467 wordsSECTION 132Letter LXXII. [2257]
Letter LXXII. [2257] To Hesychius. [2258] I know your affection for me, and your zeal for all that is good. I am exceedingly anxious to pacify my very dear son Callisthenes, and I thought that if I could associate you with me in this I might more easily achieve my object. Callisthenes is very much annoyed at the conduct of Eus…
962 wordsSECTION 133Letter LXXIV. [2260]
Letter LXXIV. [2260] To Martinianus. [2261] 1. How high do you suppose one to prize the pleasure of our meeting one another once again? How delightful to spend longer time with you so as to enjoy all your good qualities! If powerful proof is given of culture in seeing many men's cities and knowing many men's ways, [2262] such …
1,459 wordsSECTION 134Letter LXXV. [2266]
Letter LXXV. [2266] To Aburgius. [2267] You have many qualities which raise you above the common run of men, but nothing is more distinctly characteristic of you than your zeal for your country. Thus you, who have risen to such a height as to become illustrious throughout all the world, pay a righteous recompense to the land t…
851 wordsSECTION 135Letter LXXVIII. [2273]
Letter LXXVIII. [2273] Without inscription, on behalf of Elpidius. I have not failed to observe the interest you have shown in our venerable friend Elpidius; and how with your usual intelligence you have given the prefect an opportunity of showing his kindness. What I am now writing to ask you is to make this favour complete a…
1,212 wordsSECTION 136Letter LXXXII. [2281]
Letter LXXXII. [2281] To Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria. When I turn my gaze upon the world, and perceive the difficulties by which every effort after good is obstructed, like those of a man walking in fetters, I am brought to despair of myself. But then I direct my gaze in the direction of your reverence; I remember that ou…
953 wordsSECTION 137Letter LXXXIV. [2289]
Letter LXXXIV. [2289] To the President. [2290] 1. You will hardly believe what I am about to write, but it must be written for truth's sake. I have been very anxious to communicate as often as possible with your excellency, but when I got this opportunity of writing a letter I did not at once seize the lucky chance. I hesitate…
727 wordsSECTION 138Letter LXXXV. [2291]
Letter LXXXV. [2291] That the oath ought not to be taken. [2292] It is my invariable custom to protest at every synod and to urge privately in conversation, that oaths about the taxes ought not to be imposed on husbandmen by the collectors. It remains for me to bear witness, on the same matters, in writing, before God and men,…
826 wordsSECTION 139Letter LXXXVIII. [2298]
Letter LXXXVIII. [2298] Without address on the subject of the exaction of taxes. Your excellency knows better than any one else the difficulty of getting together the gold furnished by contribution. [2299] We have no better witness to our poverty than yourself, for with your great kindness you have felt for us, and, up to the …
782 wordsSECTION 140Letter XC. [2302]
Letter XC. [2302] To the holy brethren the bishops of the West. [2303] 1. The good God Who ever mixes consolation with affliction has, even now in the midst of my pangs, granted me a certain amount of comfort in the letters which our right honourable father bishop Athanasius has received from you and sent on to me. For they co…
1,145 wordsSECTION 141Letter XCII. [2309]
Letter XCII. [2309] To the Italians and Gauls. 1. To our right godly and holy brethren who are ministering in Italy and Gaul, bishops of like mind with us, we, Meletius, [2310] Eusebius, [2311] Basil, [2312] Bassus, [2313] Gregory, [2314] Pelagius, [2315] Paul, Anthimus, [2316] Theodotus, [2317] Bithus, [2318] Abraamius, [2319…
1,668 wordsSECTION 142Letter XCIII. [2328]
Letter XCIII. [2328] To the Patrician Cæsaria, [2329] concerning Communion. It is good and beneficial to communicate every day, and to partake of the holy body and blood of Christ. For He distinctly says, "He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life." [2330] And who doubts that to share frequently in life, …
1,308 wordsSECTION 143Letter XCV. [2336]
Letter XCV. [2336] To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. I had written some while since to your reverence about our meeting one another and other subjects, but I was disappointed at my letter not reaching your excellency, for after the blessed deacon Theophrastus had taken charge of the letter, on my setting out on an unavoidable j…
810 wordsSECTION 144Letter XCVII. [2340]
Letter XCVII. [2340] To the Senate of Tyana. [2341] The Lord, Who reveals hidden things, and makes manifest the counsels of men's hearts, has given even to the lowly knowledge of devices apparently hard to be understood. Nothing has escaped my notice, nor has any single action been unknown. Nevertheless I neither see nor hear …
1,278 wordsSECTION 145Letter XCIX. [2347]
Letter XCIX. [2347] To Count Terentius. [2348] I have had every desire and have really done my best to obey, if only in part, the imperial order and the friendly letter of your excellency. I am sure that your every word and every thought are full of good intentions and right sentiments. But I have not been permitted to show my…
1,394 wordsSECTION 146Letter C. [2351]
Letter C. [2351] To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata. When I saw your affectionate letter, in the country bordering on Armenia, it was like a lighted torch held up at a distance to mariners at sea, especially if the sea happen to be agitated by the wind. Your reverence's letter was of itself a pleasant one, and full of comfort; bu…
897 wordsSECTION 147Letter CII. [2357]
Letter CII. [2357] To the citizens of Satala. [2358] Moved by your importunity and that of all your people, I have undertaken the charge of your Church, and have promised before the Lord that I will be wanting to you in nothing which is within my power. So I have been compelled, as it is written, to touch as it were the apple …
902 wordsSECTION 148Letter CV. [2365]
Letter CV. [2365] To the deaconesses, the daughters of Count Terentius. [2366] On coming to Samosata I expected to have the pleasure of meeting your excellencies, and when I was disappointed I could not easily bear it. When, I said, will it be possible for me to be in your neighbourhood again? When will it be agreeable to you …
835 wordsSECTION 149Letter CVIII. [2371]
Letter CVIII. [2371] To the guardian of the heirs of Julitta. I am very much astonished to hear that, after the kind promises which you made and which were only such as might be expected from your generous character, you have now forgotten them and are putting violent and stern pressure on our sister. What to think, under the …
867 wordsSECTION 150Letter CXI. [2375]
Letter CXI. [2375] To Modestus, the prefect. Under any ordinary circumstances I should have lacked courage to intrude upon your excellency, for I know how to gauge my own importance and to recognise dignities. But now that I have seen a friend in a distressing position at having been summoned before you, I have ventured to giv…
1,140 wordsSECTION 151Letter CXIII. [2380]
Letter CXIII. [2380] To the presbyters of Tarsus. [2381] On meeting this man, I heartily thanked God that by means of his visit He had comforted me in many afflictions and had through him shewn me clearly your love. I seem to see in one man's disposition the zeal of all of you for the truth. He will tell you of our discourses …
938 wordsSECTION 152Letter CXV. [2387]
Letter CXV. [2387] To the heretic Simplicia. [2388] We often ill advisedly hate our superiors and love our inferiors. So I, for my part, hold my tongue, and keep silence about the disgrace of the insults offered me. I wait for the Judge above, Who knows how to punish all wickedness in the end, even though a man pour out gold l…
937 wordsSECTION 153Letter CXVII.
Letter CXVII. Without address. [2392] For many reasons I know that I am a debtor to your reverence, and now the anxiety in which I find myself necessarily puts me in the way of services of this kind, although my advisers are mere chance comers, and not like yourself joined to me by many and different ties. There is no need to …
899 wordsSECTION 154Letter CXX. [2397]
Letter CXX. [2397] To Meletius, bishop of Antioch. [2398] I have received a letter from the very God-beloved bishop Eusebius, in which he enjoins that a second letter be written to the Westerns about certain Church matters. He has expressed a wish that the letter should be drawn up by me, and signed by all those who are in com…
1,028 wordsSECTION 155Letter CXXIII. [2404]
Letter CXXIII. [2404] To Urbicius, the monk. [2405] You were to have come to see me (and the blessing was drawing near) to cool me, aflame in my temptations, with the tip of your finger. What then? My sins stood in the way and hindered your start, so that I am sick without a remedy. Just as when the waves are round us, one sin…
2,204 wordsSECTION 156Letter CXXVI. [2418]
[2412] I give the creed in the original Greek. The passages in brackets indicate the alterations of the Constantinopolitan revision according to the text of Chalcedon. [2413] "Deum de Deo" is inserted in the Sarum Breviary. [2414] cf. pp. 27 and 39, notes. [2415] cf. De Sp. S. § 25, p. 17. On those who described the Spirit as…
1,384 wordsSECTION 157Letter CXXIX. [2427]
Letter CXXIX. [2427] To Meletius Bishop of Antioch. [2428] 1. I knew that the charge which had lately sprung up against the loquacious Apollinarius would sound strange in the ears of your excellency. I did not know myself, till now, that he was accused; at the present time, however, the Sebastenes, after search in some quarter…
826 wordsSECTION 158Letter CXXX. [2430]
Letter CXXX. [2430] To Theodotus bishop of Nicopolis. 1. You have very rightly and properly blamed me, right honourable and well beloved brother, in that ever since I departed from your reverence, conveying to Eustathius those propositions about the faith, I have told you neither much nor little about his business. This neglec…
1,249 wordsSECTION 159Letter CXXXII. [2439]
Letter CXXXII. [2439] To Abramius, bishop of Batnæ. [2440] Ever since the autumn I have been quite ignorant of the whereabouts of your reverence; for I kept hearing uncertain rumours, some saying that you were stopping at Samosata, and some in the country, while others maintained that they had seen you at Batnæ. This is the re…
1,223 wordsSECTION 160Letter CXXXVI. [2445]
Letter CXXXVI. [2445] To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata. [2446] 1. In what state the good Isaaces has found me, he himself will best explain to you; though his tongue cannot be tragic enough to describe my sufferings, so great was my illness. However, any one who knows me ever so little, will be able to conjecture what it was. F…
835 wordsSource & rights
Historical text source: Christian Classics Ethereal Library. The downloaded text itself records Public Domain.