Послание Василия Великого к епископу Диодору Тарскому Вступление

A letter has reached us bearing the signature of Diodorus, yet everything else in it is more befitting of someone else than Diodorus. For it seems to me that one of the cunning ones, having taken on your face, wanted through this to make himself worthy of faith before those listening. He, having been asked by someone whether it was permissible to take the sister of his deceased wife into marriage, was not horrified by this question: but he indifferently accepted what he heard, and very bravely and strongly assisted the questioner in his jelly desire. If I had this scripture, I would send it to you, and you would be quite strong in defending yourself and the truth. But since the one who showed it took it back, as if it were some sign of victory over me, who had previously forbidden such marriages, he wore it everywhere, saying that he had written permission: I am now writing to you, so that we can arm ourselves with our own hands against this forged letter, and we will not leave him any power, so that it cannot easily harm those who read it. You might be interested in: