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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 CCXCIII.
To Julianus.
How fare you this long while? Have you altogether recovered the use of your hand? And how do other things prosper? According to your wishes and my prayers? In accordance with your purposes?
Where men are readily disposed to change, it is only natural that their lives are not well ordered: but where their minds are fixed, steadfast and unalterable, it follows that their lives should be conformable to their purposes.
True, it is not in the helmsman’s power to make a calm when he wishes; but with us, it is quite easy to render our lives tranquil by stilling the storms of passion that surge within, by rising superior to those that assail us from without. The upright man is touched by neither loss, nor sickness, nor the other ills of life; for he walks in heart with God, keeps his gaze fixed upon the future, and easily and lightly weathers the storms that rise from earth.
Be not troubled with the cares of earth. Such men are like fat birds, in vain endowed with flight, that creep like beasts upon the ground. But you—for I have witnessed you in difficulties—are like swimmers racing out at sea.
A single claw reveals the whole lion: so from a slight acquaintance I think I know you fully. And I count it a great thing, that you set some store by me, that I am not absent from your thoughts, but constantly in your recollection.
Now writing is a proof of recollection; and the oftener you write, the better pleased I am.
ΙΟΥΛΙΑΝῼ
[1] Πῶς σοι τὸν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τοῦτον χρόνον τὸ σῶμα ἔσχεν, εἰ καθαρῶς ἀπέλαβες τῆς χειρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν; Πῶς δὲ τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα, εἰ κατὰ γνώμην χωρεῖ σοι, ὥσπερ εὐχόμεθα καὶ ὡς ἔστιν ὀφειλόμενον τῇ σῇ προαιρέσει; Καὶ γὰρ οἷς μὲν εὔκολος πρὸς μεταβολὴν ἡ διάνοια, τούτοις οὐδὲν ἀπεικὸς καὶ τὸν βίον εἶναι μὴ τεταγμένον: οἷς δὲ πεπηγυῖα ἡ γνώμη καὶ ἀεὶ ἑστῶσα καὶ ἡ αὐτή, τούτους ἀκόλουθον συμφώνως τῇ προαιρέσει τὴν ζωὴν διεξάγειν. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ κυβερνήτῃ μὲν οὐκ ἐφίεται γαλήνην ποιεῖν ὅτε βούλεται: ἡμῖν δὲ ἀκύμονα ἑαυτοῖς καθιστᾶν τὸν βίον καὶ πάνυ ῥᾴδιον, ἐὰν τοὺς ἔνδοθεν ἐκ τῶν παθῶν ἐπανισταμένους ἡμῖν θορύβους κατασιγάσωμεν καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν προσπιπτόντων ὑψηλοτέραν τὴν γνώμην καταστησώμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ οὔτε ζημίαι οὔτε ἀρρωστίαι οὔτε αἱ λοιπαὶ δυσχέρειαι τοῦ βίου ἅψονται τοῦ σπουδαίου, ἕως ἂν ἔχῃ τὴν διάνοιαν Θεῷ συμπορευομένην καὶ τὸ μέλλον ἀποσκοποῦσαν καὶ τῆς χαμόθεν ἐγειρομένης ζάλης κούφως καὶ εὐσταλῶς ὑπεραίρουσαν. Ἐπεὶ οἵ γε σφοδρῶς ταῖς τοῦ βίου μερίμναις κατειλημμένοι, οἷον ὄρνιθες πολύσαρκοι εἰκῆ τὸ πτερὸν ἔχοντες, κάτω που σύρονται μετὰ τῶν βοσκημάτων. Σὲ δὲ τοσοῦτον μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων ἰδεῖν ἐπετράπημεν ὅσον οἱ ἐν πελάγει ἀλλήλους παραμειβόμενοι. Πλὴν ἀλλ', ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐξ ὄνυχος ἔστιν ὅλον γνωρίσαι τὸν λέοντα, ἐκ βραχείας τῆς πείρας ἡγούμεθά σε ἱκανῶς ἐγνωκέναι. Ὅθεν καὶ μέγα ποιούμεθα τὸ ἐν λόγῳ σε τὸ καθ' ἡμᾶς τίθεσθαι καὶ μὴ ἀπεῖναί σου τῆς διανοίας, ἀλλὰ διηνεκῶς σοι συνεῖναι διὰ τῆς μνήμης. Δεῖγμα δὲ μνήμης τὸ γράφειν: ὅπερ ὅσῳ ἂν συνεχέστερον ποιῇς, τοσούτῳ πλέον ἡμῖν χαριεῖ.