Letter 107: I was grieved to find on reading your ladyship's letter that you are involved in the same difficulties. What is to be done to men who show such a shifty character, saying now one thing now another and never abiding in the same pledges? If, after the promises made in my presence, and in that of the ex-prefect, he now tries to shorten the time of ...

To Julitta, I was sorry to read in your letter that you're still dealing with the same problems. What can you do with a man like this? He says one thing, then another, and never keeps his word. After the promises he made — right in front of me and the former prefect — he's now trying to cut short the grace period as if nothing was ever agreed to. Honestly, he seems to have lost all shame, at least as far as I'm concerned. Still, I've written to him — I called him out and reminded him what he promised. I also wrote to Helladius, who works in the prefect's household, so he can bring your case to the prefect's attention through the right channels. I didn't feel comfortable approaching the prefect directly myself, since I've never once written to him about my own private affairs, and I worry he'd react badly. You know how it is — powerful men get irritated easily when people come to them with these things. But if anything good is going to come of this, it will be through Helladius. He's an excellent man — well-disposed toward me, devout, and has easy access to the prefect. God is able to deliver you from all this trouble — if only we truly and sincerely place all our hope in Him. [Context: Basil is intervening in what appears to be a financial or legal dispute on behalf of Julitta, a widow. A man who owed her something — likely related to property or debt — had agreed to a repayment timeline but is now reneging. Basil is working his network of contacts in the provincial government to pressure the man to honor his commitments. The "prefect" was the Roman governor of the province.]

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the Widow Julitta. I was grieved to find on reading your ladyship's letter that you are involved in the same difficulties. What is to be done to men who show such a shifty character, saying now one thing now another and never abiding in the same pledges? If, after the promises made in my presence, and in that of the ex-prefect, he now tries to shorten the time of grace as though nothing had been said, he does seem to have lost, as far as I am concerned, all sense of shame. Nevertheless I wrote to him, rebuking him, and reminding him of his promises. I wrote also to Helladius, who is of the household of the prefect, that information might be given through him about your affairs. I hesitated myself to make so free with an officer of such importance, on account of my never having yet written to him about my own private affairs and my fearing some adverse decision from him, great men, as you know, being easily annoyed about such matters. If, however, any good is to be done in the matter, it will be through Helladius, an excellent man, well disposed towards me, fearing God, and having perfectly free access to the prefect. The Holy One is able to deliver you from all affliction, if only truly and sincerely we fix all our hope on Him.

[Πρός: Ἰουλίττῃ ἐλευθέρᾳ] Πάνυ ἠθύμησα τοῖς γράμμασιν ἐντυχὼν τῆς εὐγενείας σου, ὅτι σε πάλιν αἱ αὐταὶ περιέχουσιν ἀνάγκαι. καὶ τί δεῖ ποιεῖν πρὸς ἀνθρώπους οὕτω παλίμβολου ἐπιδεικνυμένους τὸ ἦθος, καὶ ἄλλοτε ἄλλα λέγοντας, καὶ ταῖς ἰδίαις ὁμολογίαις μὴ ἐμμένοντας; εἰ γὰρ μετὰ τὰς ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἀπὸ ὑπάρχων ὑποσχέσεις, νῦν, ὡς μηδενὸς εἰρημένου, οὕτω στενοχωρεῖ τὴν προθεσμίαν, ἔοικε παντελῶς ἀπηρυθριακέναι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ ἀνήρ. Πλὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπέστειλα αὐτῷ, ἐντρέπων αὐτὸν καὶ ὑπομιμνήσκων τῶν αὐτοῦ ὑποσχέσεων. ἐπέστειλα δὲ καὶ Ἑλλαδίῳ, τῷ οἰκείῳ τοῦ ὑπάρχου, ἵνα δι’ αὐτοῦ διδαχθῇ τὰ κατὰ σὲ ὁ ὕπαρχος. αὐτὸς γὰρ μέχρι τοσούτου θαρρῆσαι δικαστῇ τοσούτῳ οὐκ ἐνόμισα ἐπίβαλλον εἶναί μοι, διὰ τὸ μηδέ πω περὶ ἰδιωτικοῦ πράγματος αὐτῷ ἐπεσταλκέναι, καὶ ὑφορᾶσθαι κατάγνωσίν τινα, ὡς οἶδας, εὐκόλως τῶν μεγάλων ἀνδρῶν ἀγριαινόντων πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα· εἰ μέντοι τι ἔσται ὄφελος, ἔσται τοῦτο διὰ Ἑλλαδίου, ἀνθρώπου καὶ χρηστοῦ καὶ περὶ ἡμᾶς διακειμένου, καὶ Θεὸν φοβουμένου, καὶ παρρησίαν ἀμύθητον ἔχοντος πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα. δυνατὸς δὲ ὁ ἅγιος διαγαγεῖν σε πάσης θλίψεως, μόνον ἐὰν ἀληθινῇ καὶ γνησίᾳ καρδίᾳ ἐπελπίσωμεν ἐπʼ αὐτόν.