Отдел III. Письма святого Василия, в которых не видно времени их написания

After meeting with his wife, Palladia expresses a desire to meet with him and asks him to keep clean the robe of incorruption, in which he put on, having recently received Holy Baptism. The Holy God fulfilled half of my desire, giving me an opportunity to meet with our most reverent sister, your roommate. But He is able to grant the rest, so that, seeing your nobility, I give full thanks to God. For this is very desirable to me; especially now, when I heard that you were honored with great honor, the immortal robe, which, having clothed our humanity, destroyed death in the flesh, and the mortal became swallowed up in the robe of incorruptibility. Robe of immortality and incorruption So, since the Lord, by His grace, appropriated you to Himself, freed you from all sin, opened the Kingdom of Heaven to you and showed you the paths leading to that bliss, I ask you, as a person so far superior to others in prudence: accept the grace wisely and be a faithful guardian of the treasure, carefully observing the Royal pledge, so that, keeping the seal intact, you appear before the Lord, shining in the holiness of the saints, on the pure robe of incorruption, not putting on any filth or blemish, but maintaining holiness in all members, as having put on Christ. For it is said: if you were baptized into Christ, you put on Christ (Gal.3:27). Therefore let all your members be holy, so that it is fitting for them to be clothed in holy and bright clothing. Wants to know whether Julian has begun to control his hand; talks about the firmness and constancy of thoughts; asks Julian to write to him more often. What was your physical condition during this time? Have you completely regained control of your hand? How are other things going in life? Is everything fulfilled according to your thoughts, as we wish for you and as it should be according to your will? For those whose minds are prone to change, it is not at all strange if their life is not ordered. But those who have a firm opinion, always constant and the same, should lead their lives in accordance with their will. It is true that the helmsman is not given the power to produce silence when he wants; But it is very convenient for us to make our life worry-free if we silence the rebellions of passions rising within us and become in spirit above everything that attacks us from the outside. For neither loss, nor illness, nor other troubles in life will affect a diligent person, as long as his mind remains in God, penetrates into the future, easily and without difficulty overcomes the storm that rises from the earth; while people, who are strongly devoted to the cares of life, like fat birds, having in vain their wings, drag along the earth along with the cattle. My affairs allowed me to see you as much as one can see each other meeting at sea. However, since you can recognize a whole lion by its claws, I think that I also recognized you sufficiently from a short-term experience. And that is why I highly appreciate that you have some attention to my affairs and do not distance me from your thoughts, but constantly keep me in memory. And the proof of your remembrance are letters, which, the more often you send them, the more pleasure they will give me. 294. To Fist and Magnus 1326 (286) He expresses his strong desire that the piety instilled by St. Basil, even in their young souls, grew to perfection, and proves the benefit of the teaching set out in writing, because it benefits both those who are absent and posterity. It is fitting for fathers to provide providence for their own children, for farmers to take care of plants or seeds, and for teachers to take care of their students, especially when, based on their talents, they show excellent hopes for themselves. And the farmer is glad to work when the ears of corn ripen and the trees grow; Both the students of teachers and the children of fathers amuse themselves, some succeeding in valor, others in age. And I have the greater concern for you and the better hope for you, the more dearer than all art and all kinds of animals and fruits is the piety that was rooted and nurtured by me in your tender and pure souls and which I wish to see reach perfect maturity and bear ripe fruits, in accordance with my desires of your love for learning. For you know that my disposition towards you and God’s assistance depend on your will, how quickly it will take the proper direction, and God is your Helper, whether you call on Him or not, and every God-loving person will call himself to teach you, because the zeal in people who are able to teach something useful is irresistible when the souls of the disciples are pure from all stubbornness. Therefore, physical distance does not interfere with this, because the Creator, out of abundance of wisdom and love for mankind, did not limit our thoughts to bodies, nor the power of speech to language, but gave some advantage to those capable of delivering benefits and in relation to time itself, so that they can transmit the teaching not only to those distant in place, but also to the most recent descendants. And this thought is confirmed to us by experience, because many years before us, those who lived instruct those who are contemporary with the teaching that is preserved in writing. And I, so far removed from you in body, am always inseparable in thought and comfortably converse with you - and neither land nor sea will stop the teachings, if only you have any concern for your own souls. 295. To the monastics 1327 (287) He convinces them to establish a community of people and beware lest anyone shake them in the faith of their fathers. I think that, by the grace of God, you do not need any other conviction after those conversations that I personally had with you, convincing you all to accept the corporate life in imitation of the apostolic way of life, which you accepted as good instruction and thanked the Lord for this. So, since what I said is not just words, but such lessons that must be put into action - for the benefit of you yourself, who accepted them, for the calm of me, to whom this advice was offered, for the glory and praise of the name of Christ, which is called upon you - then for this very reason I sent our beloved brother to you, so that he would recognize the zealous, and arouse the lazy, and bring those who resist to knowledge for me. Right faith and good deeds Because my great desire is to see you united together, and to hear about you that you do not love a life that is not witnessed by anyone, but agree to better all be for each other and guardians of strict adherence to the rules and witnesses of success. In this way, each of you, both for yourself and for your brother’s success, will receive a perfect reward, to obtain which you must all assist each other in word and deed through constant discussions and persuasion. Most of all, I urge you to keep in mind the faith of your fathers and not to be shaken by the suggestions of those trying to seduce you into your silence; for you know that strictness of life, not enlightened by faith in God, is not useful in itself, and right faith without good works is not able to place us before the Lord, but that both must be together, so that the man of God may be perfect (2 Tim. 3:17), and may our life not be weakened by lack of anything, because faith saves us, as the apostle says, aided by love (Gal. 5:5). 296. To one widow 1328 (288) He apologizes for keeping her horses for a long time, and gives her and her daughter useful instructions. Guessing about your disposition towards me and knowing the zeal that you have for the work of the Lord, I recently relied on you as my daughter, and for a long time I had your horses in my use; True, he used them sparingly, as if he were his own, but at the same time he extended the time of their service. I had to write about this to your dignity, so that in what was done you would see evidence of goodwill. But at the same time, with this letter I remind you to remember the Lord and, always having before your eyes the departure from this world, to arrange your life in such a way as to give an answer to the infallible Judge and for your good deeds to have boldness before Him who, on the day of His visitation, will reveal the secrets of our hearts. Through you, I greet your most noble daughter and ask her to spend time teaching the words of the Lord, so that her soul is nourished by good teaching, so that her mind grows and increases more than the body grows by nature. 297. To one widow 1329 (289) He encourages her to lead a pious life and entrusts to her guardianship the woman who delivered this letter. And due to my old age, and the sincerity of my spiritual disposition, recognizing myself as very obliged to visit your incomparable nobility during your personal presence and not to leave the absent, but to make up for the lack of a meeting with letters, since I have found this woman who can deliver a letter to your honesty, then I greet you through her, most of all encouraging you to the work of the Lord, so that the Holy God, honorably continuing the days of your reign in all piety and purity ( 1 Timothy 2:2), made you worthy of future blessings. Then I entrust you with my daughter mentioned above: accept her as my daughter and your sister, and in whatever she requires advice from your noble and pure soul, do not leave her with your participation and help her, firstly, in anticipation of her reward from the Lord, and secondly, as a reassurance to me, who replenish the measure of love for you, according to the compassion of Christ (see Phil. 1:8). 298. Untitled, to one pious man (290) He denounces the deceit of a man who claimed that there was some kind of extraordinary power in water. If you deign to use me in everything as an adviser and participant in your worries, then you act in this in accordance with your perfection, and God will reward you both for your love for me and for your care about life. But I was amazed that this man’s deception affected you and you believed that there was some kind of extraordinary power in the water, while not a single piece of evidence confirms this rumor. Not one of those living there received either small or great benefits for his body, as he had hoped, unless someone accidentally felt some kind of relief, which sometimes happens as a result of sleep and some other vital action. But this destroyer of love [the devil] inspires simple-minded people to attribute accidental things to the properties of water. And that my word is true, you can know this by experience. 299. To the tax collector (291) One man, who voluntarily retired from public service, is persuaded by the hope of receiving a reward from God to accept the position of tax collector in the region of the Ivorites. I myself know (what you wrote about yourself) how difficult it is to take care of public affairs. For it is an old idea that those who are zealous for virtue do not take up public positions with pleasure. For what doctors are obliged to do, the same, as I see, lies with the bosses. They see disasters, experience troubles, and reap sorrow for themselves from the misfortunes of others; at least, these are the true leaders, because selfish people, who have money in mind and are amazed at this glory, consider it the greatest good to seize some kind of power, under which they will be able to do good to friends, take revenge on enemies and have for themselves whatever they want. But you are not like that. How can this be seen? Because you voluntarily retired from a high government position in society, when you could rule the city like one house, you chose a carefree and calm life, so as not to have any business for yourself, and not to cause business for others, valuing this much higher than others value fulfilling their whims. But since the Lord desires that the region of the Ivorites 1330 not fall into the hands of innkeepers and the census does not resemble a slave trade, but that everyone is censused fairly 1331 , then accept a position that, although restless in other respects, can nevertheless gain you God’s favor. And do not be afraid of power, do not disdain poverty, but rather than any scales, show those controlled by you the inflexibility of your reason. For in this way your zeal for justice will become clear to those who have entrusted this matter to you, and they will begin to marvel at you more than at others. And even if this is hidden from them, it will not be hidden from our God, Who has determined great rewards for us for good deeds. 300. Consolation 1332 (292) He consoles his father, who is saddened by the death of his son, who studied at the school. Since the Lord placed us in second place for Christians after the fathers, entrusting us with the education in piety of the children who believed in Him, then the grief that befell you for your blessed son I recognized as my own grief and groaned over the untimely separation from him, most of all sympathizing with you and reasoning: how difficult this illness will be for a father by nature, when there was so much heartfelt sadness in us who became close to him according to the commandment! One should neither feel nor say anything sorrowful about him; but pitiful are those who were deceived in their hopes for him. And indeed, those who sent away their son in the prime of his life to exercise in the sciences, in order to greet him falling silent with this long and not at all desired silence, are worthy of many tears and lamentations. This suddenly struck me as a person; I shed tears without measure, and ignorant sighs came from the depths of my heart, because grief, like a cloud, suddenly enveloped my mind. But as soon as I came to my senses and looked with the eye of my soul at the nature of everything human, I began to ask myself for forgiveness from the Lord in those feelings to which my soul, out of passion, was moved by this event, and convinced myself to patiently endure what, according to the ancient sentence of God, became the fate of human life. A boy the age of his peers, beloved by his teachers, is dying - a boy who, at one meeting, could attract the most ferocious person to his favor, was quick in science, meek in disposition, moderate beyond his years, about whom, if anyone said more than this, he would still say less than the truth and who, however, with all this was a man, born a man. Therefore, what should a father of such a son keep in his thoughts? Nothing more than bringing to mind your father, who died. Therefore, is it surprising if one born mortal became the father of a mortal? And if he died before his time, before he enjoyed life, before he came to the measure of age, before he became known to people and left behind the succession of the family, then (as I assure myself) this is not an increase in grief, but consolation in the grief that has befallen him. This decree of God obliges us to give thanks, that He did not leave orphans on earth, that He did not leave a widow’s wife, who would either give herself over to prolonged grief, or marry another husband and neglect her former children. And if the life of this youth did not continue in this world, then would anyone be so unreasonable as not to recognize this as the greatest of blessings? For a longer stay here leads to greater exposure to evil. He had not yet done evil, had not plotted intrigues against his neighbor, had not reached the point of joining the fellowship of the wicked, had not interfered in all that is worse in the courts, had not fallen under the necessity of sin, knew neither lies, nor ingratitude, nor covetousness, nor lust, nor carnal passions, which usually arise in the souls of self-willed people; he left us without branding our souls with a single stain, but the pure one moved to a better lot. It was not the earth that hid our beloved from us, but the sky that received him. God, who controls our destiny, legitimizes the limits of time for everyone, introduces us into this life - this very God moved him from here. We have a lesson in the very abundance of disasters, this is the famous 1333 saying of the great Job: The Lord is given, the Lord is taken away; As the Lord willed, so it was: blessed be the name of the Lord forever (Job 1:21). 301. To Maxim. Consolation (293) She consoles him, saddened by the death of his wife. In what disposition the news of this grief brought me, to a clear image of this no word can be sufficient for me. I can imagine the loss that the society of pious wives suffered when they lost the primate of their rank; then I imagine this lament into which your sedateness, hitherto enjoying clear days, has been plunged, and in my mind I see a house, pleased by everyone, and now kneeling, I see a marriage, sealed by the highest consent, and now dissolved rather than a dream. How can we not become exhausted in soul, even if we were adamantine? And from the first conversation with you, I developed an attachment to your splendor, and I was so captivated by your virtue that your deeds are on my tongue every hour. When I became acquainted with this blessed soul, then I was truly convinced that the word of the parable was confirmed in you: from the Lord a wife is married to a man (Proverbs 19:14). You were so similar in morals to each other that each of you portrayed the character of the other in yourself, as if in a mirror. And no matter how much someone said, he would not express the slightest part of your dignity. But with what feelings must one submit to the law of God, which has prevailed since ancient times, according to which he who has entered into existence at a certain time for him again departs from here and each soul, after it has completed the necessary service of life, is released from bodily bonds? We were not the first and we were not the only ones, wonderful man, who suffered this - but what our parents, and grandfathers, and all our ancestors experienced, we also experience the same thing. And real life is full of similar examples. For you, who are so much superior to others in virtue, even in the midst of sorrow it is fitting to preserve the loftiness of your soul without being humiliated, not to be upset by the present loss, but to know gratitude to the One who bestowed the gift in the beginning. For to die is the common destiny of all who have shared the same nature, but not many who were blessed for this in life were able to live with a good wife; why the very sorrow with which the rupture of such a union is endured is, for those who think prudently, a considerable gift from God. For we know many who consider the dissolution of a discordant marriage as laying aside a burden. Look at this sky and the sun, look around this whole creature: a little more time - and all these numerous and great creatures will not exist; From all this, draw the conclusion that we, being part of the dying creature, have accepted what is due to us due to our common nature; because marriage itself is a consolation in the need to die. Since it is impossible to remain in life forever, the Creator, through the succession of the family, secured its duration in the world. And if we grieve that she moved away from here sooner than us, then we will not envy her that she no longer tasted the anxieties of life, but left us before we had time to stop admiring her like a pleasant flower. Most of all, let the dogma of the Resurrection draw your attention, because you are a Christian and spend your life in the hope of future blessings. So, we must imagine that she has already walked the path along which we will have to go. And if it has passed before us, then this does not require lamentation; for, perhaps, in the near future our fate will become more disastrous if, by delaying here any longer, we are subject to greater punishments. On the contrary, let our reason, having thrown off the burden of sorrow, take care that in the coming time, as much as we must, please the Lord. 302. To his wife Vrisonova. Consolation (294) He consoles her, saddened by the death of her husband. Need I say how much lamentation I had at the news of the grief caused by the death of that most excellent of men, Vrison? Without a doubt, no one has such a stony heart that, having known such a person from his own experience and then hearing that he was suddenly kidnapped from people, he would not consider his loss a general loss to the world. But my sadness was soon followed by concern for you, when I reasoned that if what happened was so difficult and unbearable for people who were not related to him, then how this grief must have struck your soul, so kind by nature and inclined to compassion by the gentleness of your disposition, and beset by such a disaster that in separation from your husband she felt as if she was cutting herself into pieces! For if spouses, according to the word of the Lord, are really no longer two, but one flesh (Matthew 19:6), then, of course, the dissolution of the union is no less painful than if our body is dissolved in half. But this, or even more, is this sorrow; What will serve as consolation in grief? Firstly, the law (νομοϑεσία) of our God, which had its effect from the beginning, according to which the one who entered into existence must certainly part with life at a certain time. Therefore, if such was the order of human affairs from Adam to us, let us not be indignant at the general laws of nature, but let us accept this order for us from God, Who commanded that this courageous and invincible soul should not be separated from life from the exhaustion of the body by illness or from exhaustion by time itself, but should leave life in the prime of life, amid the splendor of military merits. Therefore, we should not be upset that we were separated from such a husband, but let us thank the Lord that we were honored to be in cohabitation with a man whose loss was felt by almost the entire Roman state, whom the sovereign regretted, the soldiers lamented and the highest dignitaries cried, as if about his own son. So, since he left you a memory of his valor, then admit that you have sufficient consolation in grief. Moreover, you should know that if someone does not fall under sorrow, but in hope of God bears the burden of sorrow, then a great reward from God is ready for him for his patience. For we are forbidden by the Apostolic institution to grieve for the dead on an equal basis with the pagans (1 Thess. 4:13). And may your children, like living images, comfort you in the absence of your beloved. Therefore, let the activity of educating them entertain your soul in sorrow. And also by taking care of how to spend the rest of your life pleasing to the Lord, you will come up with a wonderful activity for your thoughts. For preparing ourselves to answer before our Lord Jesus Christ and striving to be among those who love Him can sufficiently overshadow sadness so that it does not consume us. May the Lord give your heart the consolation of His good Spirit, so that when we hear about you, we can present you as an example, and you yourself serve as a good example of a virtuous life for all your peers! He asks to cancel the horse tax imposed on a false denunciation. The inhabitants of the town, through what I think was a false denunciation, convinced your honor to carry out the extortion by horses 1335. Why, since the matter in itself is unfair, and therefore should be unpleasant to your honorability and distressing for me, due to my closeness with those who have been offended, I hasten to ask your kindness, so that you do not allow those plotting an offense to succeed in their machinations. 304. To Aurgius 1336 (296) Entrusts him to the care of the person he asked for before. This is the same one about which I previously reported to you through the deacon. since he came to you with a letter from me, let him go from you, having received what he desired. 305. Without inscription 1337 (297) Depicts the devotion of those who volunteered to be the bearer of this letter. You already know this man, as can be seen from his stories. For in every case you are on his tongue: in remembrance of the Orthodox, in love for ascetics, in every virtue, he places you in first place. If anyone mentions teachers, he does not tolerate others being preferred to you; If anyone points out champions of piety who are capable of denouncing heretical suggestions, he will not agree to name another before you, testifying that your virtue is invincible in everything and has no rivals. And when he says this, it doesn’t take much effort to convince him of it, because he is telling it out loud to people who know more than the retelling of another could be considered an exaggeration. And he, returning to you, asked for a letter not in order to get closer to you through me, but in order to do me a favor by providing an opportunity to greet my beloved. May the Lord reward him for his good will! And you, to the best of your ability, give thanks to him both with prayers and with your good will for everyone. Notify me about the state of church affairs. 306. To the Sebastian mayor 1338 (298) He asks for popular permission for the citizens of Alexandria to remove the body of a person close to them who died in Sebastia, and for assistance in traveling at public expense. I feel that your honor eagerly receives letters from me, and I know the reason for this. Since you are a lover of kindness and inclined to do good, and I always provide you with the most convenient opportunity to express the high qualities of your will, then you resort to my letters, since they contain reasons for good deeds. So, another new case presents itself, which can imprint on itself the features of your favor towards everyone, and at the same time bring to the forefront the herald of your virtues. For those who came from Alexandria to properly repay the necessary and, in general, duty to the entire human race to the dead, have a need for your patronage, namely: that you, by a publicly announced order, allow them to carry out the body of a person close to them, who ended his life in Sebastia during a military post, and then provide them with possible assistance in traveling at public expense - through this, they will find from your generosity some relief in their distant wanderings. And that this will reach the great Alexandria and will inspire wonder in your honor among the inhabitants there, your prudence knows this, even if I did not say it. Yes, and I, among the many graces that I have already received, will include this one. Advises to accept the position of judge in the case of two litigants. Those who have a grumpy nature often reject even good thoughts, and recognize as good and beneficial not what seems so to everyone else, although this is useful, but what they like, although it is harmful. The reason for this is unreason and lack of education in morals, not paying attention to the advice of others, but trusting only one’s own opinions and thoughts that suddenly come to mind. And those thoughts come that they like; I like whatever. But whoever considers whatever he pleases to be useful is an unreliable judge of the just, and is like blind men led by blind men. Because of this, he is conveniently exposed to losses, and one experience is a teacher of useful things for him. This is the misfortune now suffered by those who have contacted this person. When it was necessary to grant justice to common friends, it is better to say, when many who cared about justice and truth repeatedly gave their justice, he resorted to city governors and to the decision of judicial places and preferred, having lost a lot, to gain a little. And the judgment of the rulers also delivers a not-even-loss victory. Be a helper, dear leader, and most of all, prevent both of those quarreling (which is pious) from having access to the city governor; but instead of him, be their judge. If any of them does not submit, but opposes the verdict, provide assistance to the offended person and use your strength in favor of the right plaintiff. 308. Without inscription 1339 (300) He asks for the poor and oppressed residents of Kapral. And while your honor was with the brethren, I spoke in favor of these residents of the village of Kapraly, presented them to the attention of your condescension (ἡμεϱότης) 1340 and asked you, having before your eyes a reward from the Lord, to stand up for them as for people who are poor and oppressed in everything. And now in the letter I again resume the same request, praying to Holy God that your real celebrity and splendor in the world will remain and increase even more, and with great power you can provide us with significant benefits. For I consider you confident that my only desire is the salvation of your entire house. 309. Without inscription 1341 (301) He is petitioning for an elderly man who has gone from rich to poor, has three children, and is concerned about the inventory of his house. I scolded this brother a lot, preoccupied with the inventory of the house, while poverty first of necessity exempts him from taxes. For the Lord arranged this so well for the benefit of his soul that from a sufficient state he has now reached extreme poverty and barely has enough for his daily food; Of the many slaves he previously owned, he now commands not a single one. He has only his own body left, and that is weak and elderly, as you can see, and three more children - a new increase in worries for a poor man. And although I was well aware that he had no need for my request and that, according to your love for mankind, poverty alone was enough to appease you, however, since it is difficult to satisfy petitioners, I was afraid to leave my duty to him unfulfilled in any way and began to write to you, knowing that the day on which he saw your sedateness for the first time would become for him the beginning of a calm life for the future and would make a change for the better in his affairs. Intercedes for his relatives and for other residents of Ariarathea. I myself would very much like to see your scholarship for many reasons. Firstly, to enjoy your virtues for a long time, and secondly, to ask you for the inhabitants of Ariarathea, who have long been oppressed, to whom the Lord gave worthy consolation, granting them to be under the control of your righteousness. And there is another estate of my relatives, very burdened and occupying almost the first place among the Ariarathian poverty, about which I ask your kindness to help it if possible, so that it will not be burdensome for the owners in the future. 311. To the main boss (303) He asks for relief to the house of the bearer of this letter, burdened with public duties. Many people force me to write letters to Your Honor, not heeding my certificates, but seeking something special and preferential for their business. For I have long since testified to them that you are the common and equal guardian of our rights for all of us, and that no one needs to seek anything more to acquire your love for mankind, unless someone exceeds the measure of desires. However, in satisfaction, I gave him a letter, introducing this man to you and asking you to look at him favorably and, since his house was burdened with public duties for a long time, to deign to relieve him of possible relief. 312. To the tax collector 1342 (304) Entrusts it to the attention of a person who is afraid of incurring losses during a new inventory of property. Do you know the benefits and losses that people experience when making an inventory of property for tax purposes? Therefore, excuse the one who used a lot of effort so as not to suffer any loss; take upon yourself, if possible, to help him in ensuring that justice is given to him. 313. To the tax collector 1343 (305) According to the assessment of the estates of the Galatians, in order to impose taxes on them, he asks him to reduce something in the assessment of the house of Sulpikiev. It is impossible for us to see God’s orders from afar; On the contrary, we people, out of cowardice, look at what is under our feet, and, often guided to a good end, we are indignant, and the Lord, who disposes of everything in His wisdom, tolerates our ignorance. For, of course, you remember how much we were indignant at the position assigned to us 1344, how many friends we used in the business in order to get rid of oppression through them, because that’s what we called the business. But now we see what the real thing is. God has given you the opportunity to make known the correctness of your morals and for the following time to leave incentives for the whole society to remember you kindly. For once this assessment of the estates is made, as usual, the memory of it will remain in the following generations. And I am sure that the Galatians could not have wished for a more philanthropic person. I can’t even call the Galatians alone blessed by your rule, but I will say this about myself, because I also have a house in Galatia, and, by the grace of God, a very noble house. If you give him any help (probably there will be until friendship loses its strength), I will bring great thanks to God. So, if my friendship means anything to your honor, then let me ask you for my sake to provide some undoubted benefit to the house of the admirable mayor Sulpicius 1345, so that from the current inventory he receives some especially remarkable benefit worthy of your generosity, and I will add a request from me, filled with love for you. If not so, then at least as much as current circumstances allow and as much as the very nature of the affairs makes possible, you must certainly reduce taxes and not leave them in the same form, so that for the countless benefits that we enjoy from the good mayor, through your dignity we can give him this one gratitude. 314. Without inscription 1346 (306) For his sake, he asks to increase his love for his brother, who named himself as the bearer of this letter. Can I skip the opportunity that has opened in my house to send a letter and not greet your honor with 1347 leaving for you? He could have retold everything that concerns me himself and replaced the need for a letter, but he wanted to be the presenter of it to you, because he loves me very much and is committed to me with all his soul. It is very desirable for him to bring an answer from you and serve you. Therefore, I gave him a letter in which, firstly, I wish you all the blessings, both what this life has, and what is prepared for us in the blessedness kept for us according to the promise, and then I pray to Holy God to arrange for me a second meeting with you while I am still on earth. I have no doubt that for my sake you will increase your love for the brother mentioned above. Therefore, deign to make sure that he actually experiences this. 315. Without inscription 1348 (307) He asks to help a relative, a widow and a trustee of orphans. Fully confident that I would not be deceived in my hopes if I rightly asked your honor, I willingly agreed to give a letter to this most honest trustee of orphans, who lives in a house that is more unbearable than some many-headed hydra 1349. And above all this, I am close to her by family. Why do I ask your nobility, both out of respect for me and in order to maintain due respect for the orphans’ cause, to provide her with some help and thereby finally make the ownership of this house bearable for them. 316. Without inscription 1350 (308) Represents a person who needs patronage for success in an upcoming undertaking. Fully confident that those who come to your kindness have no need for letters, because you do more good out of the rightness of your character than anyone could prompt you to do with a request, extreme, however, concern for this son, I am forced to write to your pure and unflattering soul, introducing you to this man and asking you to provide all possible assistance in the matter ahead of him. And that he will not need any other patron if you deign to use all the strength that the Lord has given you to intercede for him, this is completely known to me. 317. Without inscription 1351 (309) The friend to whom he writes that he rarely responds to Vasily’s letters, excuses the many things that lie on him and asks the work of the bearer of this letter, accepted by him to deliver it, not to be left unrewarded. The rarity of our letters to your honor makes the answers from yourself rare. For in the fact that I do not receive an answer to each of my letters, I find proof that my letter worries your honor. But, on the other hand, the idea of ​​the multitude of activities you have leads me to a different thought; and it is excusable for a person who has so many things on his hands to forget me, about whom, with all the leisure and peace from business, it is not easy to remember, due to my insignificance in the world. So, may the Saint 1352 elevate you to the highest degrees of celebrity and, by His grace, preserve you in true greatness; and I will take advantage of every opportunity to write to you, nevertheless I will take advantage of the present - on the matter of this clerk, whom I entrust to you; and I ask you to make sure that the work he took upon himself to deliver my letter will not be without good memories for him. 318. Without inscription 1353. About a compatriot (310) He asks you to pay attention to the bearer of this letter both as a compatriot, and as someone who needs protection, and as the saint represented to him. Vasily. Those who come from our homeland are made worthy of your attention by the very right of the homeland; although, due to the kindness of your disposition, you accept everyone who has any need for your protection under your protection. Therefore, accept your son 1354, presenting this letter to your beauty, both as a compatriot, and as someone who needs protection, and as someone introduced to you by me; and let the consequence of all this be one thing for him - in the task ahead of him, to receive all possible help from you. It is known that rewards for good deeds will not come from us, unimportant people, but from the Lord, who rewards good intentions. 319. About one wanderer 1355 (311) He sends with this letter one wanderer who, on a foreign side, is in need of any assistance. Following your departure, this son came to me, handing you this letter, who, as a person living on a foreign side, has a need for all the consolation that Christians owe to strangers. So, he himself will tell you the matter more clearly, and you will give him the help you are able to provide and what he needs in the upcoming matter. Therefore, if the ruler of the region arrives, then, without a doubt, you yourself will introduce this wanderer to him; otherwise, through the city leaders, you will give him what he wants. For I take great care that he returns, having done everything according to his wishes. 320. Without inscription 1356 (312) He testifies that the person sent to collect the debt was not due to negligence in his work, and asks to be notified about the state of church affairs. After a long time, I was able to greet your honour, because the one who brought you the answer lived in our area for a long time, meeting here both unbearable people and difficult affairs, which is why he spent a whole year outside the fatherland. Encouraged by deceptive assurances and payments that if he overcomes the bad deeds done to him in the present, he will receive everything, he saw his entire loss too late, because the deception gradually introduced closed his eyes. So, since he returns to his homeland, freed from the local air changes that are unpleasant for him and from dishonest people, then through him I greet you, asking you to remember me in prayers (because I need the great help of prayers), and at the same time I notify that those who are entrusted with the obligation to pay the debt for the blessed bishop (for in his will he mentioned both the debt and what and who should pay from) friendly memories await judicial enforcement. That is why my comrade returned without doing anything, and asked that this very thing be witnessed by me, so that your honor would not accuse him of inaction and laziness. And that's enough about this. In what state are the churches, is it possible for them to remain in their previous position, or have they reached something worse, or is there any hope for a change for the better, please let me know about this through one of the committed brethren. Explains why he responds to the letter late; In case of long-term winter absence, he asks to arrive with his wife at least by Easter. Having received a letter from your dignity, I rejoiced, as I should have, and thanked the Lord, and was ready to write an answer if someone had reminded me of the answer in time. For the matter that you ordered was settled over time, and before it was completed it was impossible to answer anything for sure. This is the reason for my silence, and not laziness and ignorance of my duty. For even if I were completely lazy, then, without a doubt, I would try to cover up my shortcomings before your honor. And now it is impossible for me to forget you even for the shortest time (unless I first stop recognizing myself), but whether I write to you or not, I always carry you imprinted in my heart and look with discomfort at the duration of winter; Therefore, I pray that if, due to the lack of leisure that we hear about, it is impossible for you to leave the villagers, the opportunity will be opened for me to be in your places and enjoy the true constancy and honesty of your morals. But be sure to try to spend the saving day of Easter with me for you and your most beautiful companion, whom I greet through you and ask you to help me by encouraging you 323. To Philagry Arkinsky 1358 (314) He thanks God that the escape of the Philagrian servants was the reason to receive a letter from Philagrian; asks to write more often about himself, about household and church affairs, to use his efforts for the reconciliation of churches; Finally, he notifies that Kiriak gave him the letter late, having first spent his efforts on the matter, and that he himself wrote about the matter to the local chorebishop. Thanks be to the Holy God! For I will not say that I feel gratitude to those who insulted you, because they gave me the opportunity to have a letter from you, but the Lord who benefits us everywhere knows how to often fill us with consolations even through the very sorrows. Why did He turn the frivolity of those who fled from you into a reason for joy for me? But write to me on any occasion, just write in a similar manner, with the same good disposition and the same pure language. I’m not saying that I myself can acquire a pleasant style, but naturally I am somehow captivated by it, and you, who enchant with words, lead us along with you, as you lure bees with calls (Is. 7:18). So, send more letters, and letters as long as possible; because smallness in writing, almost like in man, is not perfection. Write to me about your household affairs, what their situation is, and about your physical health, and about whether the state of the Church is calm. For you are concerned about this too, in which you do well. And do not refuse, to the best of your ability, to work for reconciliation and unification of those who have been separated. The good Kiriak first used his zeal for the matter and then gave me the letter, and for the rest of the matter he used my possible help. For I wrote to the local chorebishop, who, if he does anything on my orders, these very things will be shown. 324. To the doctor Pasinik 1359 (315) He advises you to beware of Patricius, the most cunning man. Proof 1360 that you do not neglect me is that when you arrive 1361 you greet me right at the very, so to speak, door. And that’s already desirable if you receive friendly letters; but when what is contained in the letter satisfies the most important needs, then, of course, it is worth even more respect. So, let it be well known to you that Patrick, the most excellent in everything, has in his mouth so many charming convictions that not only in this, what you wrote about, but in anything he wanted, he could easily convince him, even if he met a Sauromatus 1362 or a Scythian. However, these pleasant 1363 words do not come from the heart. For this mask (σχῆμα) has been in use for a long time; In words, people are kind, apparently they do not know how to behave in the world, and are ready to submit their deeds to any court; but as soon as they get down to business, it’s better not to start them. But let this be said between us, and try to see for yourself that this person is not easy to deceive; even with your own experience, make sure not to look at specious speeches, but wait for what the deeds themselves will show. He thanks for the letter sent with his daughter Ikelieva, and expresses a desire to see him personally. And your letter of sedateness is enough to fill me with all sorts of joy. And now the most beautiful of wives, Ikelia, our common daughter, handing me a letter, more than doubled my joy, not only because she is a living image of your righteousness, but also because in herself she shows every care for virtue. Therefore, firstly, I gladly accepted her for your sake, and secondly, I pleased you back for her, because you have such a reward from the Lord God for raising your children. But if only I could ever see you, enjoy your kindness, and our meeting would not be hindered by illness or any other difficulty! Taking advantage of the departure of one brother to send a letter with him, he greets and gives advice to remember God throughout his life. Holy God gave me the most convenient opportunity to correspond with you, introducing me to this brother, the very person whom, on the occasion of his return to your honorability, I used as the mediator of this written conversation of ours, praying to God that you, ascending to the highest degrees of nobility and glory, would adorn me and our entire fatherland with your own virtue. I ask you, throughout your entire life, to remember God, who created and honored you, so that, with your splendor in this life, you will also receive heavenly glory, for which we must do everything, organizing our lives in accordance with the blessed hope. One, according to his rank, a famous person, thanking for the honor shown to him, asks to take care of the Church, and also to honor him with his letters. For the fact that you honored me who was present and deigned to remember me who was absent (because a rumor reached me about this), may you be rewarded by the good Lord, and on the great day of the righteous Judgment of our God, may we see you glorified for good deeds, so that you, just as you have been honored with fame here, may also have preference with the King of Heaven! So, I ask you, most of all, to make sufficient efforts about the Church of God, and then to increase your favor towards me and, having honored me with your remembrance and patronage, to honor me with letters; and then, having proof that when I write to you, I do not burden you, I will dare to write even more often to your complacency. Hiperechia greets and informs of his situation that it is no better than usual. And I salute your honorability, and wish you good things; about myself, since, without a doubt, you have the diligence to know about my situation, I inform you that my affairs are no better than usual. For I am careful not to say anything worse, so as not to completely sadden you, who wishes me all the best. Thank you for sending the fish and even more so for the letter. With great pleasure I admired the river fish, punishing them for the escape they indulged in when they went under the ice cover. But writing is more valuable to me. Therefore, send letters rather than send gifts. If it is more pleasant for you to remain silent, then at least do not stop praying for me. He complains about not writing. That I love you, conclude from what I write; and that you hate me, I learned from the fact that you are silent. But at least write from now on, with pen, ink and a piece of paper, testifying your love to those who love you. He complains that he is forced to write about the same matter another time, and asks either to fulfill what is required, or to explain why it has not been fulfilled. It is in vain to write about the same thing twice. Either the matter is of such a nature that it cannot be corrected and the petitioners pester me in vain, or those receiving my letters do not pay attention to me, and in this case I am stupid in writing to people who despise me. So, since you will receive a letter about the same thing, and I was forced to write a second time, then either correct it, if you can, or inform me why it has not been done for a long time, what was ordered. Witty reprimands for long-term silence. One sign of life is the word. How can we think about you that you are still on earth when you don’t say anything? Break your silence by writing to me and letting me know that you are still alive. He advises him to draw out the outline of letters more carefully and pay attention to punctuation marks. Words have a volatile quality; and therefore signs are needed for them, so that the writer can catch them in the speed of flight. And you, my son, draw out the outlines of the letters perfectly and separate the speeches with punctuation marks where necessary; because a small mistake distorts a large word, but with the care of the scribe, what is said is conveyed correctly. Gives rules to write evenly and directly. Write straight and draw the lines straight, so that your hand does not lift up and fall headlong down. Do not force the pen to go in curves, like Aesop’s cancer, but let it go along a straight line, moving forward as if along a thread, with the help of which the carpenter observes evenness in everything and avoids any indirectness. The oblique one is unsightly, but the straight one is pleasing to the eye because it does not force the eyes of the reader, like oceps 1364, to rise up and then fall down, which I happened to do when I began to read what you wrote. since the lines lay in ledges, when it was necessary to move from one line to another, it became necessary to find the end of the previous line. And since there was no order in this, it was necessary to go back and look for order, wandering along the bends back and forth, as they say about Theseus with Ariadne's thread 1365. So, write straight and do not mislead the mind with oblique and crooked writing. 335. To Lebanon 1366 (326) He assures that he would like to convince all young Cappadocians to study with Livanius, and this time he introduces him to the son of his friend, a just-minded man and famous in society. I am ashamed that I am introducing you to the Cappadocians one by one, but I cannot convince everyone of age 1367 to take up literature and science and choose you as a mentor in this activity. But since it is possible for everyone to choose at once what is good for themselves, I send to you whomever I persuade, thereby providing them with as much benefit as the one who leads a thirsty person to the source. And the one who appears to you now in a short time will automatically earn your love when he stays with you. Until now, he is known by his father, who acquired a great name among us for his honesty of life and his strength in society. He is also connected with me through physical friendship, and in rewarding him for it, I show mercy to my son by introducing him to you, which is the object of the strongest desires for those who know how to appreciate your virtues. 336. Libanius to Basil the Great 1369 Livanius declares that he admired the virtue of St. Basil at the time when he was a young man, and glorified the luck that befell Celsus, because he went to Athens with St. Vasily; when he learned that Vasily, having returned to his homeland, had chosen the most excellent kind of life, he considered St. himself blessed. Basil, and the Cappadocians. Confirms the praises of St. Vasily to the Firm. He asks what Firmin is doing, and partly praises him, partly complains about him. After some time, a young Cappadocian arrived to us. And the first benefit is that he is a Cappadocian. However, he is also a Cappadocian of noble family. This is the second benefit. But he arrived, among other things, bringing us a letter from the magnificent Vasily - what could be called more important? After all, I, who, as you believe, forgot about you, knew you for a long time as a youth, watching how you competed with the elders in prudence (and this happened in that very city of 1370, which abounded in pleasures!) and had already gained great fame as an orator. And when you decided that you also needed to see Athens, and convinced Celsus 1371 of the same, I congratulated Celsus on having become close to your heart. When you returned and settled in your native land, I often said to myself: what is Vasily doing now with us and what way of life has he turned to? Doesn't he spend his time in the courts imitating the orators of antiquity? Or does he teach oratory to the children of rich parents? But when some people came and reported that you had turned to a path better than all these, and were more concerned about pleasing God than amassing wealth for yourself, I glorified both you and the Cappadocians. I glorified you for wanting to become such a person, and them for being able to manifest such a citizen in their midst. As for Firm 1373, I know that he still exercised influence everywhere, and for this reason his words carry such weight. And although he received numerous praises, I doubt that they were the same as I read in your letter. What could be a more important recommendation for him than what you yourself write, as if no one could surpass him in good opinion! It seems to me that you sent these people to me even before you met Firmin 1374, otherwise you could not have failed to mention him in the letter. So what is Firmin doing or planning to do now? Does he still dream of marriage? Or has all this been abandoned long ago and now the Senate is weighing him down and extreme necessity forces him not to leave it? Or is there hope that he will soon join scientific research again? Let him answer us something, and let it be something worthy; even if it saddens us, at least it will make us no longer look closely at the gate. And if Firmin were now in Athens, what would your senators do? Did they send Salaminia 1375 for him? As you can see, only your fellow citizens offend me. Nevertheless, I will not cease to love and praise the Cappadocians, but I ask them to treat me better; but if they continue in the same spirit, I’ll put up with it. Firmin stayed with us for four months and did not waste a single day. How many works he managed to compose during this time (τὸ συνειλεγμένον), you will find out for yourself and, perhaps, you will not find a reason for reproaches. And the fact that he should come here again, who should we call as allies? After all, if senators are prudent, as educated people should be, they will honor me in the second case if they saddened me in the first. 337. Basil the Great to Lebanon 1376 (327) He sends to him another Cappadocian, whom he calls his son, as invested with such a dignity that makes him a father to everyone; informs that with this young man another will appear to him, the same age as the first, also a noble man, close to St. Vasily is gifted, but not rich. Now another Cappadocian is coming to you, and this is my son, because the dignity in which I am now invested adopts everyone to me. Therefore, in this regard, let him be a brother to the one who came before him and deserving of the same guardianship as I, the father, and you, the teacher, if it is possible for those who come from me to have any advantage at all. I say this not in the sense that your learning cannot give old friends something greater, but in the sense that the benefit you bring is offered to everyone without any stinginess. For this young man, it will be enough if, without subjecting him to a long-term test, you include him among those close to you, and then send him to us worthy of both our desires and your own glory, which you have in the verbal sciences. He brings with him a peer who has the same zeal for science, who is also noble by birth, and is close to me, and, as I am sure, will be no worse than others, although he will be much inferior to them due to scarcity of money. 338. Libanius to Basil the Great 1377 Livanius thanks St. Vasily for sending the Cappadocians to him. He tells how, after reading to himself a letter from St. Basil, publicly admitted himself defeated by him, and when after this Alypius, among many respectable men, read this letter, everyone recognized the victory of St. Vasily. It testifies to himself that he does not care how wealthy his students are, and at the same time he prefers the poor, if only they are diligent, to the rich. I know that you will often write to me: “Here, another Cappadocian has arrived to you!” Indeed, as I believe, you will send many to me, since, by glorifying me always and everywhere, you excite both fathers and their sons. But it would be wrong not to mention what happened in connection with your wonderful letter. Quite a few men holding government positions sat with me, and among them was the most worthy Alypius 1378, a relative of Hierocles himself. So, when the messengers handed over the letter, I, having read it entirely in silence, said with a joyful smile: “We are defeated!” “In what way were you defeated,” they asked, “and why are you not sad when you are defeated?” I answered: “I am defeated in the beauty of the written style, and the winner is Vasily. This man is my friend, and therefore I rejoice.” When I said this, they wanted to see for themselves your victory from your very letter. So, Alypius read, and those present listened. And it was unanimously decided that I had not lied about anything. And the man who held and read the letter went away, I suppose, to show it to others, and only with great difficulty returned it to me. So continue to write letters like this and win victories, that is, defeat me. You are absolutely right in believing that my services are not valued by money, 1379 on the contrary, it is enough for me to allow an insignificant person to get what he wants. For if I find out that someone who is not rich is devoted to the love of science, such a person is preferable to me than the rich. Although we ourselves have not met such teachers, nothing prevents us from being better than them in this regard. Therefore, let no poor person hesitate to come here, if only he has one quality - the ability to work. 339. Basil the Great to Lebanon 1380 (328) He gives way to glory in eloquence as having forgotten what he learned from the Sophists, and occupied himself with Moses and other prophets; reminds him of Anisiev’s son and asks him not to despise him for his poverty. What is the sophist unable to say, and such a sophist, whose art, as is generally accepted, consists in making the great small when he wants, and clothing the small with greatness? 1381 You also proved something similar in my reasoning; because this letter, as you who demand choice in words would call it, dirty and no more tolerable than the one that is now in your hands, you exalted so much with your words that you recognize yourself defeated and for it you give me primacy in the art of writing, imitating the fathers in this when they jokingly allow their children to be proud of their victory over them, without suffering harm themselves and thereby nourishing children's curiosity. And indeed, how much inexplicable pleasantness is there in this word, in which you make fun of me, like Polydamas 1382 or Milo 1383, dodging me during a competition in a fist fight or in wrestling? For no matter how much I looked, I did not find a sign of weakness 1384; Therefore, those who demand superiority in words are even more surprised here at your strength and the fact that you could condescend to me so much in your jokes, as if you had undertaken to lead a sailing barbarian beyond Athos 1385. And now I, my wonderful one, am talking with Moses, with Elijah and with blessed men like them, who retell to me their thoughts in rough language 1386 - and what I borrowed from them, that’s what I say; all of this is true in thought, but not well-executed in style, as can be seen from this very letter. For even if I learned something from you, it was forgotten over time. But you write to me, choosing something else for the content of your letters, so as to show yourself and not expose me. I have already introduced Anisiev’s son to you as if he were my own. And if he is mine, then he is a child after his father, a beggar after a beggar. And what I say is understandable to a wise man and a sophist. 340. Libanius to Basil the Great 1387 Again Livanius takes the reason for writing [the letter] from the previous letter. If you have been pondering for a long time how best to respond to that letter of mine, which was about your letter, then, I believe, you could not do anything better than write what you have now written. After all, you call me a sophist, and it is typical for such a person, as you claim, to make small things great and, on the contrary, great things small 1388. Therefore, you claim that the intention of my letter was to show yours to be beautiful, although it was not so, and that it is no better than what you have now sent; and also that you have absolutely no ability to compose speeches, since the books you now own do not contribute to this, and the skill that you had before is now lost. Trying to convince me of this, you wrote so beautifully this letter, which you speak of derogatorily, that when reading it, those present could not resist jumping to their feet! So I was not a little surprised that, having tried with this letter to degrade the previous one by indicating that it was similar to the first, you only made the first even more beautiful. If you wanted to do what you said, then in order to slander the first letter, you should have written a second letter worse than the first. But, as I believe, it was impossible for you to sin against the truth. But you would be sinning if you deliberately wrote worse than usual, and without using your inherent talents. Thus, such a person should not blame what deserves praise, so that under such circumstances you do not fall in line with the sophists, wanting to make great things insignificant 1389. Use those books that, as you say, have a bad style but good content, and no one will interfere with you. As for the skills that I have and that you previously had, their foundations remain with you and will remain until the end of your life, and no time can tear them away, even if you do not cultivate them. 341. Livanius to Basil the Great Livanius believes that St. Vasily does not write for the reason that he either did not give up his anger, or wanted to punish Livanius. You still haven't given up your displeasure towards me, so I'm trembling as I write. And if you refused, why don’t you send me letters, dear friend? But if you still hold him back, which is unworthy of any educated soul, including yours, why did you, convincing everyone that you should not give refuge to your irritation until the sun sets (see Eph. 4:26), yourself gave him refuge for so many days? Or perhaps you chose to punish me by excommunicating me from your honey-filled speeches? Do not do this, most noble one, but show meekness and let me enjoy the gold of your speech. 342. Basil the Great to Lebanon 1390 (329) The letter received from Livania compares him to roses and thorns. Rose hunters, as is typical for lovers of beauty, do not express indignation at the thorns among which the flower grows. And I happened to hear that someone, jokingly or in reality, said something similar about roses, namely: just as those inflamed by love have some wounds of love, so nature gave the rose thin needles, with these prickly thorns in the flower that picks it, irritating greater lust for it. What does this mention of a rose mean in my letter? Of course, there is no need to interpret this to you, who remember your own letter. It was like a pink flower, which in its sweetness unfolded before me throughout the whole spring, but, like needles, it pricked me with some reproaches and accusations. However, I also enjoy the thorns of your letters: they ignite in me a greater desire for your friendship. 343. Livanius to Basil the Great 1391 Livanius praises Vasily’s eloquence. If what you wrote was spoken in unskillful and careless language, what kind of person would you be if you practiced it? Indeed, in your mouth are contained sources of speech more powerful than streams of water; in turn, if we do not water ourselves daily, we can only remain silent. 344. Basil the Great to Lebanon (330) He admits that he is inexcusable in not writing to St. Vasily. It is not often that fear and ignorance convince me to write about your scholarship. But what will save you from the reproach that you stubbornly remain silent? And if anyone realizes that you, having devoted your whole life to literature, are too lazy to write a letter, he will say about you that you have forgotten me. For those who do not have action behind their words have something to write; and whoever possesses this talent and remains silent at the same time obviously does this either out of contempt or out of oblivion. But I reward your silence with greetings. So, be healthy, most honorable one, and write if you want, and don’t write if that’s what you want. 345. Libanius to Basil the Great 1392 Now Livanius is the first to write to St. Vasily. He recalls that he himself was previously greatly admired by the eloquence of St. Vasily, but once suffered from him when Vasily did not want to initiate him into the secret of Homer’s fury. I think I should rather apologize for not writing to you long ago than make excuses for starting now. Because I am the same person who strives for you every time you appear, with the greatest pleasure turns his ear to the stream of your speech, rejoices when you say who has great difficulty in parting with you and who says to his friends: “This man is so much more beautiful than the daughters of Achelous 1393 that he enchants just like them, but, unlike them, does not harm anyone 1394. The mere fact that they do no harm does not matter, but those who listen to the melodies of his speeches receive obvious benefits.” Thus, the fact that I, holding this opinion, believing that I was treated with love, who is rumored to be a skillful speaker, did not dare to write a letter, is explained by extreme laziness and at the same time characteristic of a person punishing himself. After all, it is obvious that you will answer my letter, short and inartful, with a beautiful and extensive one and, of course, you will be careful not to offend me a second time. But I believe that many will loudly protest against the word “offend” and will surround me, shouting to express their disagreement: “Did Vasily insult anyone, even in something insignificant? In this case, Aeacus, Minos and the latter’s brother did the same in 1395.” I agree that in your other letter you won a victory - and who, seeing you, would not envy you? But if I remind you of one thing in which you were guilty of me, convince the indignant not to shout at me. Not one of those who came to you asking for favor, which is so easy to grant, left saddened. So, I am one of those who asked for your favor, but did not receive it. What did I ask for? Having often met you in strategy 1396, I wanted, with the help of your learning, to plunge into the depths of Homeric fury. “But if this is impossible in its entirety, at least provide me with an interpretation of the passage that talks about casting lots 1397. After all, I always wanted to understand also that passage in which, when the situation of the Hellenes worsened, Agamemnon began to please with gifts the one to whom he had insulted 1398.” And when I said this, you laughed, not daring to deny that you could do it if you wanted, but at the same time not wanting to show me your favor. So, will it really not seem to you, even if you are indignant at the fact that I called you guilty, that I was really offended? 346. Livanius to Basil the Great Livanius testifies to the good morals of the young men who were sent [to study] by St. Vasily. Whether I was able to convey to the young men you sent anything concerning the art of eloquence, you can judge for yourself. I hope that this very matter, even if it is insignificant, thanks to your love for us, will acquire the glory of greatness. As for those subjects that you praise above eloquence: abstinence and the rejection of pleasures that are unhealthy for the soul, it should be said that they showed the greatest care for them and observed themselves as they should, constantly remembering the one who sent them. So, take back what is yours and glorify those who, with their character, served as an adornment for both you and me. However, encouraging you to support them would be similar to encouraging a father to support his children. 347. Livanius to Basil the Great Livanius reproaches the bishops for greed, and therefore timidly asks St. Vasily to send him beams for construction. Every bishop is an incredibly tenacious person 1399; As for you, you have so far surpassed all others in eloquence that you are all the more worried about me, lest you decide to refuse my request in some way. In the meantime I need rafters. Any other sophist would have said “in poles” or “in stakes,” not because he needs them, but out of a vain desire to use an elegant word, or even out of habit. But if you don’t deliver them to me, I will be forced to spend the winter in the open air. 348. Basil the Great to Lebanon (331) He proves that it is not the bishops who are selfish, but the sophists, and sends three hundred beams. If to extract this benefit is called prying and this is the meaning of this word, which your sophistry found for us in Plato’s hiding places, then look, wonderful one, about whom it would be more accurate to say that you can’t pry him? Is it about us, who are brought into such an ambush by the power of writing, or about this generation of sophists, who have turned to the art of making money with words? Which bishop imposed a tax on words? Who made the students tributaries? It is you who put words up for sale, like mead makers put up gingerbread. You see, you also enticed the old man to kick? And I, who are proud of your speech delivery, ordered the release of the bars - according to the number of soldiers who fought at Thermopylae 1400; they are all long, or, as your Homer puts it, long-shaded 1401; Saint Alpheus promised to deliver them. 349. Libanius to Basil the Great 1402 Livanius sneers at Cappadocian customs and predicts that he himself will soon turn into his Cappadocian students. Won't you stop, Vasily, from turning this sanctuary of the Muses into a stable filled with Cappadocians, and Cappadocians fragrant with garlic 1403, snow and other delights of their homeland? They almost turned me into a Cappadocian, constantly addressing me with the praise “I bow to you” 1404! However, you should come to terms with this, since Vasily asks for it. Know that I strictly observe the customs of this country, but in return I will clothe these men in the nobility and grace of my Calliope, so that you will see them no longer as pigeons, but as tame pigeons 1405. 350. Basil the Great to Lebanon (332) Your grief is over. Let this be the beginning of the letter. And you ridicule and denigrate everything we have - either as a joke or in reality. So what if you reminded us of snow and a fur coat, so long as you could amuse yourself by mocking us? And I, Livanius, in order to arouse more laughter in you, covered with a curtain of snow, wrote this letter, and you, having received it, as soon as you touch it with your hands, you will immediately recognize how cold it is and how correctly it depicts that the sender is sitting in a hole and cannot look out of the house, because our houses have become coffins - unless spring comes and brings us, the real dead, back to life, like plants, giving us a new existence. 351. Basil the Great to Lebanon (333) He asks to send the speech delivered by Livanius at the ceremonial meeting, “About a wayward man.” Many of those here, coming to me, expressed surprise at your superiority in speech. For they said that you presented one very brilliant experience, and, as they said, it was the most majestic spectacle, so that everyone gathered, no one was visible in the city except one acting Libania and people of all ages listening to him. No one agreed not to be there, neither those bearing the burden of power, nor those distinguished in the military lists, nor those engaged in handicrafts, even women were in a hurry to come there. What kind of spectacle is this? What kind of speech was it that prompted such a nationwide gathering? She, as I was informed, portrayed a wayward person. Do not fail to send me this speech, which aroused such surprise, so that I too may become a praiser of your speeches. For I, who praise Libanius, and not having seen his works, what kind of praiser will I become, having now found a reason for praise? 352. Livanius to Basil the Great Livanius sends his speech “On a wayward man”, claims that he trembles and has almost lost his mind, because he is so afraid of the sharpness of his judgment. So I sent the speech, dripping with sweat. And how could one not pour oneself out, sending a speech to such a person who, with his dexterity in composing speeches, is able to prove that both Plato’s wisdom and Demosthenes’ swiftness are extolled in vain? And my speech is the same as a mosquito in comparison with an elephant. Why am I horrified and trembling, imagining the day on which you look at the speech, and even almost lose my mind. 353. Basil the Great to Lebanon (334) Praises the speech sent by Livanius. I read the speech, the wisest one, and I was extremely surprised. O muses! Oh science! O Athens! what do you give to your lovers! What fruits do those who become close to you bring even for a short time! O overflowing fountain! How many takers have appeared from you! I imagined that I saw in the speech in front of me how this man lived together with his talkative wife. For the animated word was written on earth by Libanius, who alone put his soul into speech. 354. Libanius to Basil the Great 1407 Livanius thanks St. Vasily, and in turn asks him to send a sermon against drunkenness. Now I know that I am what they say I am: since Vasily praised me, I won a victory over everyone. And because you gave me your vote, I am now allowed to walk around looking smug, like a braggart who despises everyone. So, since you also wrote a speech denouncing drunkenness 1408, we wish to familiarize ourselves with it. However, I do not at all wish to speak any politeness: after all, this speech, when I see it, will teach me the art of eloquence. 355. Livanius to Basil the Great Livanius declares St. Vasily is the first in eloquence. Do you, Vasily, live in Athens without knowing it? For the children of Caesarea could not be listeners to such speech. After all, my tongue is not accustomed to such speech; Moreover, as if belonging to a man descending from a steep cliff, struck by the novelty of your words, he said to me, his father: “Father, you didn’t teach like that! This man is Homer, or even Plato, and rather even Aristotle, or Susarion 1409; this man who knows everything! So spoke my tongue. Oh, if only you, Vasily, could give me the same kind of praise. 356. Basil the Great to Lebanon (335) Replying to Livanievo’s letter, he calls himself a student of fishermen. Receiving what you wrote is a joy for me, but responding to your letter on demand is a difficult feat. For what can I say in response to such Attic speech? Is it that I am a student of fishermen 1410, which I admit and value. 357. Libanius to Basil the Great 1411 Livanius asks St. Vasily, so that he would resolve his sadness, sown by another of his letters. What feeling made Vasily angry at our letter, a sign of our love for wisdom? We learned to joke from you, but still the jokes themselves were moderate and would have been more suitable for an old man. Nevertheless, for the sake of our very friendship and the scientific studies that we carried out together, free me from the despondency into which your letter plunged me […] 1412 without differing in anything. 358. Livanius to Basil the Great Livanius regrets that he is not with St. Vasily; thanks him for accepting from Alkim, at his request, the care of the young men. Oh the times when we were everything to each other! Now we are separated by sad circumstances, but you have each other, and I have no one instead of you. As I have heard, Alcimus 1413, being in his old age, dares to do the things characteristic of youth, and strives to Rome, leaving you the work of caring for his children. And you, being a gentle person in all respects, will endure this without complaining, since you never experienced irritation towards us, sending letters first. 359. Basil the Great to Lebanon (336) Reprimands Livania for his silence; about himself he says that he would have flown to him, giving himself wax wings, if he had not known that they would melt from the sun; why in return for this she sends him a letter. You, having contained in your mind all the art of the ancients, are so silent that you will not let me use anything in letters. And I, if Daedalus’ art were safe, would fly to you, making Icarus’s wings for myself. But just as you can’t trust the sun with wax, instead of Icarus’s wings I send you words that prove my friendship. The property of words is such that they express heartfelt love. These are the words! And you can lead them wherever you want, and with such power you remain silent! But turn to me the sources of words flowing from your lips. 360. From his letter to Julian the Apostate 1414 According to the immaculate Christian faith, bequeathed to us by God, I confess and acknowledge that I believe in One God the Father Almighty, God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit, I worship and glorify the One God the Trinity. I confess both the Economy of the Incarnation of the Son, and I confess Holy Mary as the Mother of God, who gave birth to Him in the flesh. I also accept the holy apostles, prophets and martyrs and call on them to propitiate God, so that through them, that is, through their mediation, God the Lover of Mankind will be merciful to me and forgiveness of sins will be granted to me. For this reason, I also honor and worship their images on icons, especially those that were handed down from the holy apostles and were not prohibited, but are depicted in all our churches. 361. Basil the Great to Apollinaris 1415 To my most respected lord Apollinaris from Vasily. Previously, we wrote to you about some unclear passages of Scripture and rejoiced at your answers and the promises you made 1416. Now we are captivated by thoughts about more important subjects, to which we cannot attract any of the current people who would be so close to us and at the same time would stand out so much, except you, whom God has given us - both in understanding and in teaching that is accurate and at the same time accessible. So, since those who lead everything into confusion, having flooded the entire universe with their writings and researches, rejected the word “essence” as alien to the Divine Scriptures, deign to indicate to us how the holy fathers used it, and whether you did not find it in the Scriptures. The fact is that the same root expressions are “daily bread” (ὁ ἄϱτος ἐπιούσιος – Matt. 6:11) and “special people” (ὁ λαὸς πεϱιούσιος – Tit. 2:14), as well as and they reject others of this kind in this case as completely irrelevant. And as for the expression “consubstantial” (for the sake of which, as I think, they structured their reasoning in such a way as to leave the expression “essence” completely aside and thereby exclude the possibility of using the word “consubstantial”), then deign to give us a more complete explanation of it in what meaning it has and how it could be correctly applied in relation to objects in which neither a common higher gender, nor a pre-existing material subject, nor emphasis is visible any part of the first in favor of the second 1417. So, try to explain to us how the expression “The Son is consubstantial with the Father” should be used, so as not to fall into any of the listed ideas. Of course, we understand: everything that is assumed about the essence of the Father must absolutely necessarily be assumed about the essence of the Son. Thus, if someone calls the essence of the Father “intelligent, eternal, unborn light,” then in the same way he will call the essence of the Only Begotten Son “intelligent, eternal, begotten light.” But it seems to me that the expression “non-distinctive similar” (ἀπαϱαλλάϰτως ὅμοιος) is more suitable for such an understanding than the expression “consubstantial” (ὁμοούσιος). After all, light, which does not have any difference in illumination either in the degree of decrease or in the degree of increase with another light, although it is not identical with it, since both of them are within the own limits of the illuminated space, but, as I think, it could rightly be called “exactly and indistinguishably similar in essence” (ὅμοιος δὲ ϰατ᾽ οὐσίαν ἀϰϱιβῶς ϰαὶ ἀπαϱαλλάϰτως) 1418 . So, whether we should use such concepts or replace them with other, more significant ones, you, as an experienced doctor (for we really have revealed to you what is in our hearts), heal the sick, strengthen the weak and generally provide us with all kinds of help. I also greet the brothers who share your pious teaching and ask you to pray for us so that we may be saved. Our friend Gregory 1419, who decided to live with his parents, is staying with them. Preserve yourself for us as long as possible in good health, helping us with your prayers and wisdom. 362. Apollinaris to Basil the Great Replies to the previous letter and sets out how the Father and the Son are one, citing examples from human nature. You believe in God lovingly and reason very thoroughly, so that on our part, reciprocal zeal is a duty of love, even if our instruction does not have the necessary strength due to our limitations and the greatness of the subject itself. As you say, the essence is called one not only in number and not only as something that resides within the same limits, but also in the proper sense, when two people or something else are united according to the same genus. So in this way both two people and more are one in essence, like all people, we, being one, are Adam, and just as the son of David, being identical with him, is David, just as you beautifully say, the Son is in essence the same as the Father. After all, otherwise the Son would not be God if the Father were recognized as the only God, just as Adam is the only ancestor of humanity, and David is the only founder of the royal family. In this way, possible suspicions about the existence of a single genus separately from species, or about a single material subject in the Father and the Son, which arise in the case of applying the generic sign of the highest principle and the genera descended from the ancestor to the only-begotten descendant from the single beginning, will be discarded. Indeed, such an understanding in a certain sense leads to the concept of similarity. After all, if Adam was created by the hand of God, and we were born as people, then there cannot be any genus that exists separately from the species, but Adam himself is the beginning of the human race. In the same way, there is no common material subject for us and for him, but he himself is the basis of the existence of all people. And in the same way, nothing before David and the family of David is thought of as about David himself, since what is characteristic of David begins from himself and he himself is the basis for all the descendants descended from him. However, when these characteristics are left aside, there remain other characteristics that are equally common to all people in relation to each other, such as, for example, the characteristics inherent in brothers. In relation to the Father and the Son, the situation is different: the Father is the beginning in the absolute sense, and the Son comes from the beginning. Therefore, we are not talking about giving to the second what is inherent in the first, as in bodies, but about generation. For the Father's own attribute is in no way transferred to the Son, but the attribute of the Son was manifested through the attribute of the Father, namely, identity in difference and difference in identity, since the Father is said to be in the Son and the Son in the Father. For neither the concept of difference as such will preserve the truth of sonship, nor the concept of unity, in turn, will preserve the indivisibility of the hypostasis, but both consist in combination with the other and at the same time in their own determination. The identical is given in difference and the different is taken identically 1420 - if we force words to come together that in themselves do not give a clear idea, after all, the Lord strengthens our idea when in the expression “greater” he pointed to the Father, greater in equality, and to the Son, who has equality, although in order of lesser, since He taught us to think about the Son, although in the same light, but less in order, so that we not to change the essence, but to contemplate the same all-superior being, seen in internal subordination. Some, not allowing any identity in the concept of essence, give the Son an external likeness, which can even be extended to people created in the likeness of God. Others, considering only the similarity that corresponds to created beings, reduce the Son with the Father to an identity, but a weakened identity, so that it is impossible to represent the Son as the Father himself or as a part of the Father, which is fully manifested in the expression “The Son is different,” which means that He is God not like the Father, but as originating from the Father, in other words, not a prototype, but a likeness. So they call Him “another Son,” not the One who is like the One, but the One who is from the One, not a prototype, but an image. [We say that] the Son is consubstantial in an exclusive and special sense in comparison with everything else, not as akin, not as divided, but as one from one kind and species of the Divinity, as the only generation in an indistinguishable and incorporeal origin, according to which the generator, being capable of generation, manifested itself in the property of generation. 363. Basil the Great to Apollinaris To my lord, most venerable brother Apollinaris, from Vasily. We missed the opportunity that presented itself to us to meet personally with your piety, the more willingly we respond to your letter. After all, even if you had remained silent during our meeting, we would still have been completely satisfied with your written statement. You really turned out to be so knowledgeable for us that, when the initial obscurity of the explained objects dissipates, you will be able to bring the interpretation to a reliable understanding. Now my soul was even more possessed by a zeal for the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures 1421. However, I still do not dare to offer you any of my perplexities, fearing that I might seem like a person who has crossed the line of what is permitted in direct communication. At the same time, I cannot silently contain my torment, hoping to receive something more from you. Therefore, I thought it best to ask you, venerable father, whether you would allow us to ask you anything else that concerns us, or whether you would ask us to leave you alone. Whatever you answer us, we will follow this in the future. Remain for us always in strength, good disposition and prayer for us! 364. Apollinaris to Basil the Great Apollinaris, taking this opportunity, greets St. through letters. Vasily, whom he unsuccessfully searched for in Cappadocia. He reports that Egyptian bishops have arrived and that letters have been delivered that are almost necessary to refute those who previously openly contradicted, but now contradict secretly, introducing something similar in essence in order to abolish the consubstantial. Declares that he agrees more with the defense of sound faith than St. Basil and St. Grigory. Apollinaris greets my master and beloved brother Vasily in the Lord. Tell me, my dear, when I was [with you], where did your voice, dear to me, sound and where was your so familiar letter? 1422 Why, if you are nearby, do not come to our defense, and if you are far away, do not deign us with your instructions, while such a difficult war has broken out against Orthodox teaching and we, standing as if in the middle of a battle formation, are calling our friends for help because of the cruelty of the enemy’s attack? And we don’t even know how to find you, because we don’t know the places where you happen to be. Nevertheless, I also looked for you in Cappadocia, since those who saw you in Pontus said that you would soon return, but I did not find you where I hoped. And now, as soon as I heard that you were still there, I immediately instructed you to deliver the letter to the person who informed me about this. As soon as you receive it, do not hesitate to respond, under the pretext that the messenger will personally accompany you [on your journey]. So, know that in the meantime bishops arrived from Egypt, and writings were also spread that were in agreement both with the Holy Scripture itself and with the Nicene Fathers, who compiled [the definition of faith] in accordance with the Scriptures. In fact, it turned out to be necessary to repeat their teaching with an explanation, since the address contained a misinterpretation of these scriptures, written down by those who had previously openly contradicted them, and now, under the guise of interpretation, invented their refutation. Hence the malicious rejection of the concept of “consubstantial” as not subject to clarification in the spirit of some negative definition in pagan philosophy 1423. The expression “consubstantial” was replaced by the expression “similar in essence” (τὸ ὅμοιον ϰατ᾽ οὐσίαν), which was used in a common sense and was misunderstood, since similarity is observed in relation to those objects that relate to the same essence, but are not bearers of this essence. Apparently this expression was coined to represent a likened entity in the same way that a statue of an emperor might be like an emperor. Those knowledgeable in Orthodox theology and zealous for it responded to this in writing, saying that the expression “consubstantial” does not indicate that the Son is like God, but that He Himself is God, as if some kind of native child, possessing the same essence as its parent. To this was also added [the definition] about the Holy Spirit, that He abides in the same Divinity, as the holy fathers spoke about Him in the very Creed, along with the Father and the Son. Who else, if not you, as an exceptionally zealous person, should be the herald of this pious teaching along with my master Gregory, who has never sent us a single message from any country? Be healthy, dearest sir! 365. Basil the Great to Emperor Theodosius the Great 1424 In conditions of extreme distress for Cappadocia, since the flooding of the river did not allow the necessary supplies to be delivered from the nearby provinces, [Basily] asks Theodosius to make the river, like the Red Sea, accessible to pedestrians by building a bridge. Trouble befell our country, but not from physical suffering, but from overflowing waters. But I'll show you why this happened. Our wetlands received significant amounts of snow. And even before it hardens, a warm wind rises and with it the southern rain falls. So, when almost everything had melted, the stormy waters rushed in, mixed with the inexhaustible river Halys and became a rapid stream, surpassing all description for language and never before seen. This river was given to us by fate into our neighborhood; rapidly flowing out of Armenia, it flows into the most sacred Lake Sebaste, into which, when a fierce northern wind arose, forty famous and noble warriors of Christ were thrown 1425. And since then (believe that I am telling the truth, lord), this river, surrounding us like a barbarian people, has given us a lot of anxiety. And since it is now impossible to cross on foot in any way and at any time, it does not allow the necessary goods to be delivered for sale from our most important and most fertile regions. Namely, I mean the lands of the Galatians, Paphlagonians and Hellespontians, thanks to whom and from whom we receive what we need, first of all, an abundance of grain, since the land around us is subject to cold and is constrained both by its inherent climate and by the crushing fury of lightning, thunder, hail and floods. The cause of the local misfortunes, Mount Argeus, which looks at us with contempt, also threatens a lot. So, you, lord, touched by our suffering, wish to honor the land under your control, and thus, having established reliable bridges across the river for crossing, you would reveal it as a new Red Sea, accessible on foot. After all, the Lord, taking pity on the suffering-filled life of the Jews, deigned for them to walk with wet feet in the Red Sea, as if on dry land, giving them Moses as their leader. The character of our river is cruel, and it has become disastrous for people; when it rises and becomes a sea, destroying all the fertile soil, and the arable land is covered with mud, the oxen harnessed to the plow inevitably begin to starve, as well as all the livestock in the surrounding lands. And if a certain person offended us like that, we would immediately go to court. But what measures should be taken to tame a river that does not obey the laws? We have to pray to you, lord, who is capable of averting this threat to travelers overnight. 366. Basil the Great to the monk Urvicius about abstinence 1426 The fruit of abstinence is communion with God Abstinence is like God You are doing the right thing by setting strict boundaries for me so that we can see not only the abstinence itself, but also its fruits. For its fruit is communion with God. For to be free from vice means to be a partaker of God, just as to be subject to vice means to be partaker of the world. For abstinence is renunciation (ἄϱνησις) from the body and confession (ὁμολογία) of God. It is removed from everything mortal, as if having the Spirit of God in its body, and becomes the cause of union with God, having neither envy nor jealousy. For he who loves the body envies another, but he who has not accepted the disease of vice in his heart is strengthened in the future for every work, and although he died in body, he is alive in incorruption. And for me, trying to accurately examine this question, continence seems to be God, since He does not desire anything, but contains everything in Himself, He does not strive for anything, has no passions either characteristic of the eyes or characteristic of the ears, but, having no need for anything, He is complete in everything. Lust is a disease of the soul, while abstinence is its health. The universality of abstinence But we should not consider abstinence as something belonging to one type, for example, to the voluptuous aspirations of the flesh, but to everything that the soul unrighteously desires, not being satisfied with what is necessary. This is how vice is born due to the love of money, as well as tens of thousands [of other vices] due to other lusts. Abstinence is both abstinence from drunkenness and abstinence from excessive satiety. Temperance is also the ability to control one's body, as well as having mastery over evil thoughts, for whenever a thought confuses the soul, being neither good nor true, it divides the heart, causing it to think about many things incorrectly. In general, abstinence gives freedom, being both medicine and strength; for it does not teach chastity, but decorates it. Abstinence is a gift from God. Jesus demonstrated self-control by becoming weightless both on land and at sea. For neither the earth felt His weight, but just as He walked on the waters, so He did not burden the earth. And if from depravity comes death, and from immaculateness immortality, then Jesus demonstrated Divinity, not mortality. He ate and drank in the usual way, without throwing up [processed] food, such was the power of His abstinence that food did not decompose in Him, since He Himself had no blemish. If abstinence is present in us even to the smallest extent, we rise above everyone. For we have heard that the angels also, having become intemperate, were cast out of heaven because of their lust. They were overwhelmed [by lust], but were not torn out of their state, for where could the disease of intemperance come from in heaven if there was no eye suitable for it? Therefore I said: “If we acquire continence even in a small degree and love not the world, but the life above, we will discover there where to direct the eye of the mind.” Because it seems to us that this eye is capable of seeing the invisible. For the proverb says: “The mind contemplates and the mind listens” 1427. All this, which seems little to you, I wrote in many words, since every expression is a thought, and I know that you will understand after reading this. 367. [Gregory the Theologian] to Basil the Great He who is but a mimic actor to you is in our eyes a pious man. He asked for my letter so that you would listen to it carefully. 368. Basil the Great to Gregory the Theologian The one who for us is just a mimic actor, but in your eyes a pious man, having visited us on a fine and bright day, died, as befits a truly pious person. In mss. added: “to encourage more learning” (ὥστε ἐπιτείνειν τὴν πϱὸς τὰ ϰϱείττονα μάϑησιν) (LCL BL. 4. P. 203). – Ed. Probably to the monks of the monastery founded by St. Basil in Pontus in 358, with whom, even as an archbishop, he maintained close communication. Presumably this letter was written around 370 (LCL BL. 4. P. 206). – Ed. Because of the reference to the borrowing of hinnies, this letter was probably written before St. Basil became an archbishop when, as a monk, he was cultivating the land in Pontus and had a need for hinnies, that is, in approximately 370 (LCL BL. 4. P. 211). – Ed. One of the lists added: “Iulitte.” Indications of St.'s advanced age. Basil, and also the fact that St. Vasily died at the age of 49 or 50, which gives reason to attribute this letter to the end of his life, that is, to approximately 378 (LCL BL. 4. P. 212–213). – Ed. Ivora is a diocese and Roman military district in Pontus. In this area St. Vasily was born, here he became a monk (LCL BL. 4. P. 217). – Ed. We are talking about a population census in connection with taxation, during which various power abuses and injustices could occur. – Ed. Probably written between 360 and 365. (LCL BL. 4. P. 218). – Ed. In TSO: “notorious.” – Ed. Here is the manager of the emperor's personal property. This letter was written during the bishopric of St. Vasily (LCL BL. 4. P. 235). – Ed. Cappadocia was famous for its horses, and therefore references to horse taxation of Cappadocia landowners are quite common (LCL BL. 4. P. 235). – Ed. A high-ranking layman, friend and compatriot of St. Basil, to whom St. Vasily, due to his high position, is often addressed. See letters 33, 74, 75, 167, 178 and 196. This letter was most likely written during the bishopric of St. Vasily (LCL BL. 4. P. 236). – Ed. Written after 370 to the monastic community of a monastery other than his own. The purpose of this letter seems to be to return to the bearer the favor of the monks, who were obviously offended in some way (LCL BL. 4. P. 236). – Ed. Probably written after 370 - the year of the accession of St. Basil to the archbishop's see (LCL BL. 4. P. 239). – Ed. Written after 370 (LCL BL. 4. P. 244). – Ed. In Byzantium, an appeal to the emperor and high-ranking laymen (LCL BL. 4. P. 245). – Ed. Probably written after 370, when St. Basil became archbishop (LCL BL. 4. P. 245). – Ed. Wed. letter 313 (LCL BL. 4. P. 249). – Ed. Written after 370 (LCL BL. 4. P. 251). – Ed. Possibly a bishopric (LCL BL. 4. P. 251). – Ed. Another option: “Ulpikia” (Οὐλπιϰίου) (LCL BL. 4. P. 252). – Ed. Written after St. Basil became archbishop (LCL BL. 4. P. 253). – Ed. In list E: “to us” (LCL BL. 4. P. 254). – Ed. Possibly written during the time when St. Basil was an archbishop (LCL BL. 4. P. 255). That is, where troubles have no end, following one after another, as if, like a hydra defeated by Hercules, two heads grew back in place of one severed one (LCL BL. 4. P. 255). – Ed. Possibly written after 370 (LCL BL. 4. P. 257). – Ed. The words “due to my insignificance in the world” in the letter may indicate that it was written when St. Vasily was still a simple monk (LCL BL. 4. P. 257). – Ed. In two lists it is added: “God” (Θεός) (LCL BL. 4. P. 258). – Ed. Probably written after 370 (LCL BL. 4. P. 259). – Ed. Spiritual son of St. Vasily (LCL BL. 4. P. 261). – Ed. Probably written after 370 (LCL BL. 4. P. 261). – Ed. Probably written in 372. Here we are most likely talking about the predecessor of St. Basil at the See of Caesarea - Bishop of Diania (LCL BL. 4. P. 262). – Ed. Letter 321 in Garnier's edition, inscribed to Thecla, belongs to St. Gregory the Theologian and the latter is listed as 57th (see: St. Gregory the Theologian. Creations. T. 2. P. 454). Proof that it does not belong to St. Basil, there is a serious difference in style and the fact that St. Gregory wrote three more letters to Thekla; in addition, this letter is usually found in manuscripts of the works of St. Gregory (LCL BL. 4. P. 264–265). – Ed. Possibly written during the episcopal service of St. Vasily. Philagrios was probably a friend and classmate of Caesarius, the brother of St. Gregory the Theologian (LCL BL. 4. P. 269). – Ed. In Claromon.: “Peonics” (Παιωνίϰῳ) (LCL BL. 4. P. 270). – Ed. Sometimes “important” (μέγιστον) is added (LCL BL. 4. P. 270). – Ed. In TSO: “entry”. Another option: “at the entrance” (ὁδοῦ) (LCL BL. 4. P. 272). – Ed. Sauromatians or Sarmatians are nomadic tribes close to the Scythians and Saks. – Ed. Another option: “reckless” (ἀφϱοσύνης) (LCL BL. 4. P. 272). – Ed. Otsep - a long pole at a well that serves as a lever for raising water, a well crane. – Ed. Ariadne gave Theseus (Theseus) a thread with which he got out of the labyrinth. – Ed. Livanius (314 - end of the 4th century) - a resident of Antioch, an outstanding Greek pagan sophist and rhetorician, respected including by the Cappadocian fathers, who studied with him, for his professionalism and talent. – Ed. Not only the Cappadocians (LCL BL. 4. P. 285). – Ed. In TSO: “straightforward.” – Ed. The translation and notes of letter 336 for this edition were made by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. Here Livanius obviously means Constantinople. – Ed. Celsus is a Cilician, son of Hesychius, student of Libanius. According to Livanius (letter 624), Celsus delivered a speech of praise in honor of the emperor. Julian the Apostate when he arrived in Cilicia. See: LCL BL. 4. P. 289, n. 2. – Ed. In a number of manuscripts (Coisl. secundus, Reg. secundus) instead of τϱέπεται there is a variant reading τϱέφεται, which in translation gives “how Vasily gets his food from us.” – Ed. Perhaps the father of the young Cappadocian who arrived in Lebanon with a letter of recommendation from St. Vasily. – Ed. Firmin's identity has not been established. – Ed. "Salaminia" was one of two sacred triremes maintained at the state expense in ancient Athens (the name of the second was "Paralus", see Suda s. v. Πάϱαλος). These triremes were used for particularly important embassies, especially of a religious nature, and for the delivery of particularly urgent government dispatches. In particular, it was “Salaminia” that was sent to Sicily to recall Alcibiades for trial at the end of 415 BC (see: Aristophanes. Birds, 147; Thucydides. History VI, 53, 1). After this event, the name of the ship and its use to transport people to Athens became a proverb and gave Lebanon the opportunity to use it ironically in this context. See: LCL BL. 4. P. 290–291, n. 3. – Ed. Written during Libanius' stay in Athens (LCL BL. 4. P. 292). – Ed. The translation and notes of letter 338 for this edition were made by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. Alypius, a native of Antioch, brother of Caesarius and nephew of Hierocles of Antioch, brother of Julian (Ammianus Marcellinus. Roman history XXIII, 1, 2; XXIX, 1, 44; Livanius. Letter 327, 1054, 1583). When Julian the Apostate was still Caesar, Alypius served as vicar of Britain and earned Julian's respect and friendship. Having become emperor, Julian summons Alypius to the court, who, being a highly educated pagan, became the emperor's faithful ally in his religious reforms. In particular, it was Alypius who was entrusted with the restoration of the Jerusalem Temple (Ammianus Marcellinus. Roman History XXIII, 1, 2–3). On the restoration of the Jerusalem Temple of the Emperor. Julian see: St. Gregory the Theologian. Word 5, 3–5 // Creations. T. 1. P. 108. In 371, Alypius was accused with his son Hierocles of witchcraft under the emperor. Valente and was expelled. See: LCL BL. 4. P. 294–295, n. 1. – Ed. Rhetorical education throughout antiquity was an analogue of modern higher education, and for this reason, sophists who taught courses in rhetorical sciences charged very high tuition fees already in the early stages of the development of rhetorical education (see, for example, Plato’s dialogue “The Sophist”). Livanius, who was one of the most famous orators in the 4th century, valued his services very highly, as St. himself says. Vasily in letter 348. On the system of rhetorical education that developed during the Hellenistic era, see, for example: A.-I. Marru. History of education in antiquity (Greece). M.: GLK, 1998. P. 137 pp. – Ed. The Greek edition, as well as the Slavic translation, also contains Livanieva’s answers to the letters of St. Vasily. This translation contains the Libanian letters. – Ed. Compare: Plato. Phaedrus, 267ab. – Ed. Polydamantus was a Thracian athlete who lived in the 5th century BC. e. – Ed. Milo was a Greek athlete from Crotona (southern Italy) who lived at the end of the 6th century BC. e. – Ed. In list E: “forces” (εὐσϑενείας) (LCL BL. 4. P. 298). – Ed. The act of Xerxes, who broke a canal through the cape behind Mount Athos, was quite amazing for the Greeks. See: Herodotus. History VII, 22–23. The Greeks later regarded this story as fiction. However, traces of the canal are said to still be visible (LCL BL. 4. P. 299). – Ed. The traditional view among educated pagan Greeks of that time was that the books of the Holy Scriptures, especially the Old Testament, were barbaric and written in a crude language, devoid of elegance and literary pleasantness. – Ed. The translation and notes of letters 340–341 for this edition were made by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. For example, the Athenian sophist Protagoras (about 485–415 BC) spoke in a similar way. Subsequently, this expression became one of the principles of rhetorical skill in disputes and discussions. – Ed. Here St. Vasily perhaps hints at the moral and epistemological relativism of the sophists with their essentially rejection of the possibility of knowledge and proof of truth. – Ed. This and the following letters, especially letter 344, are very unlike the original letters of St. Vasily in style and language. On the other hand, they are very consistent with the spirit of the time in terms of the surface of thought and the great sophistication of the language (LCL BL. 4. P. 305). – Ed. The translation of letter 343 for this edition was made by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. Translation of letters 345–347 and notes by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. In this case, we are talking primarily about the Sirens, who were considered the daughters of Achelous from Melpomene (Lycophron. Alexandra, 722) or Terpsichore (Apollonius of Rhodes. Argonautica 4, 887). However, in Greek mythology, water nymphs are also known, who were also considered the daughters of Achelous from one of the Muses (Plato. Phaedrus, 263d; Ovid. Metamorphoses 5, 552; Apollodorus. Mythological Library I, 3, 4; Hyginus. Myths, 125). – Ed. In manuscript E, βλάπτει… ἐϰεῖναι is omitted, as a result of which the passage “but, unlike them, does no harm” is omitted. – Ed. This refers to Aeacus, Minos and Rhadamanthus, who were represented in Greek mythology as judges in the world of the dead (see: Homer. Iliad XXI, 189; Plato. Gorgias 560e, 523e). According to legend, they achieved such a position in the world of the dead for the reason that during their earthly life they were honest and infallible judges. – Ed. Strategies (στϱατήγιον) in this context is difficult to localize according to the currently known Athenian topography. This was the name of the public building where the strategists met (Aeschines. 2, 85; 3, 146); in the Roman era this term denoted a praetorium, and in later times a military camp. This ambiguity is one of the arguments in favor of the forgery of this letter. See: LCL BL. 4. P. 310, n. 2. – Ed. See: Homer. Iliad VII, 92 ff. – Ed. See: Ibid. XIX, 183 ff. – Ed. The adjective δυσγϱίπιστος used here is a hapax legomenon in ancient literature and is found, apart from this place, only in the “History” of Niketas Choniates. Perhaps this is a deliberate vernacular, admitted by Livaniy as a rhetorical device, since further in the letter the sophistication of rhetoric is contrasted with pragmatic vernacular. In a reply letter to St. Basil defines the verb γϱιπίζειν with reference to Plato, but not a single form of this verb appears in any dialogue. – Ed. Herodotus (“History” VII, 202) indicates 300 Spartans (LCL BL. 4. P. 316). – Ed. That is, casting a long shadow. – Ed. Compare: Homer. Iliad III, 346 and 345 (LCL BL. 4. P. 316). – Ed. Translation of letter 349 and notes by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. The noun γϱιτή is also a hapax legomenon and its meaning is unclear; the publisher suggests the meaning “garlic” (for more information on possible meanings, see: LCL, t. 4, p. 317, n. 4). – Ed. The Cappadocians, inhabitants of the Asian part of the Roman Empire, had more accepted eastern forms of greeting people who had a higher social status, in contrast to the neutral Greek χαῖϱε. They included a deep bow in which the greeter prostrated himself on the ground. See: Taylor L. R. The “Proskynesis” and the Hellenistic Ruler Cult // The Journal of Hellenic Studies. Vol. 47. Pt. 1 (1927). P. 53–62. – Ed. Compare: Plato. Theaetetus, 199b. – Ed. In TSO: “quarrels”, i.e. bickers, argues. – Ed. Translation of letters 354–355 and notes by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. This means St. Vasily Conversation 14, “On the drunken.” Susarion, mentioned in the Parian Chronicle, according to legend, was the founder of Attic comedy, which he transferred to Attica from Megaris in the period from 580 to 564 BC - Ed. That is, the holy apostles. – Ed. Translation of letters 357 and 358 and notes by D. S. Chepel. – Ed. In all manuscripts there is a gap in this place. – Ed. The speaker is a native of Nicomedia, interlocutor of Libanius in Antioch. – Ed. Translation of letter 360 was made by D. S. Chepel. Letter 360 in CPG 2900 is considered inauthentic. – Ed. Translation of letters 361–364 St. Basil the Great and Apollinaris of Laodicea and notes made by P. B. Mikhailov. – Ed. We are talking about an unknown earlier correspondence in which, apparently, questions of interpretation of unclear passages of Scripture were discussed. – Ed. Spassky believes that these misunderstandings are quite natural for a classically educated person, which Vasily was (Spassky A.A. History of dogmatic movements in the era of Ecumenical Councils. Sergiev Posad, 1914. P. 482). – Ed. Similar questions are discussed in one early and, of course, authentic letter from Basil to Maxim the Philosopher (see: St. Basil the Great. Letter 9, 3): “For my part, if I must express my opinion, I affirm that the expression “similar in essence”, when combined with it the concept “without any change,” I take as an expression leading to the same concept as the word “consubstantial”, provided sound understanding of it. And if someone removes the qualification “without change” from the expression “similar,” then such an expression is suspicious to me, since it degrades the glory of the Only Begotten Son.” Wed. also: St. Basil the Great. Against Eunomius I, 18, 27; II, 6 // St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 1. pp. 200–201, 212, 218; "An Statement of Faith" (CPG 2952). – Ed. This refers to Gregory the Theologian, about whom there is a number of evidence that he spent many years with his elderly parents in Nazianza. – Ed. Bolotov calls this passage a play on words, which could not satisfy Vasily’s request (Bolotov V.V. Lectures on the history of the Ancient Church. St. Petersburg, 1917. T. 4. P. 140). Subsequently, Apollinaris, according to St. Basil, will approach in his theology the heresy of Sabellius, who merged the Persons into an indistinguishable unity (see: St. Basil the Great. Letter 129, 1: to Meletius, Bishop of Antioch: “... it is necessary to imagine identity combined with difference...”). – Ed. Τὰ ϑεῖα λόγια here apparently means Holy Scripture. The publisher of the German translation, G. Vogt, believes that in this case the main motive for Basil’s appeal to Apollinaris was not so much a specifically theological interest as an exegetical one (Vogt H. J. Zum Briefwechsel zwischen Basilius und Apollinaris. Übersetzung der Briefe mit Kommentar // Theologische Quartalschrift 175 (1) (1995). S. 53. N. 28). Apollinaris, obviously, did not meet with Vasily and their correspondence was not intensive. This circumstance gives reason to believe that this letter does not belong to Apollinaris (see: Vogt H. J. Op. cit. S. 53. N. 31). – Ed. See the commentary by A. A. Spassky: the word “consubstantial” caused confusion in the minds, “for philosophically developed people it seemed too real, corporeal, introducing material ideas in relation to higher and spiritual beings: to say that the Son is consubstantial with the Father, according to their concepts, meant the same as calling Him comaterial with the Father” (Spassky A. A. History of dogmatic movements in the era of the Ecumenical Councils. Sergiev Posad, 1914 (rep. M., 1995). – Ed. Translation of letters 365–368 and notes by D. S. Chepel. For a number of reasons (stylistic, chronological, paleographic and a number of contradictions with the authentic letters of St. Basil), this letter is considered forged. (See also CPG 2900). Tillemont, however, considers it possible that this letter was written by St. Basil, but still in his youth, and it was not addressed to Emperor Theodosius the Great (who began to rule in 378, i.e., shortly before the death of the saint), but, most likely, to some Cappadocian official (LCL BL. 4. P. 346–347). – Ed. The famous forty martyrs of Sebastia, commemorated in the Orthodox Church - March 22, according to the new style (see: St. Basil the Great. Conversation 19. St. Basil the Great. Creations. T. 1. pp. 1028–1035). – Ed. The letter is considered inauthentic due to the meager manuscript tradition in which it survives (only three late manuscripts) (LCL BL. 4. pp. 350–351; see also CPG 2900, where the letter is considered an excerpt from the Stromata of Clement of Alexandria). In addition, the Christological reflections of the unknown author of this letter raise certain doubts from the point of view of Orthodox “akrivia”. – Ed. See Epicharmus in Plutarch: “The mind contemplates and the mind listens, everything else is deaf and blind” (see: Plutarch. Morals, 961a). – Ed. You might be interested in: