Letter 115: We often ill advisedly hate our superiors and love our inferiors. So I, for my part, hold my tongue, and keep silence about the disgrace of the insults offered me. I wait for the Judge above, Who knows how to punish all wickedness in the end, even though a man pour out gold like sand; let him trample on the right, he does but hurt his own soul.

To Simplicia. We often make the mistake of resenting those above us while flattering those beneath us. For my part, I'll hold my tongue about the insults you've thrown at me. I'm waiting for the Judge above, who knows how to deal with wickedness in the end — even if someone pours out gold like sand. Let them trample on what's right; they only damage their own soul. God always asks for sacrifice — not because he needs it, but because he values a sincere and righteous heart as the most precious offering. But when someone tramples on themselves through their own sins, God considers their prayers worthless. Think about the last day, and please don't try to lecture me. I know more than you do, and my heart isn't choked with thorns the way yours is. I'm not impressed by a mountain of wickedness dressed up with a few good deeds. You've sent lizards and toads against me — springtime creatures, sure, but unclean ones all the same. A bird will come from above to devour them. The account I'll have to give isn't judged by your standards, but by God's. And when witnesses are called before that Judge, it won't be slaves who stand there. It won't be that disgraceful crowd of eunuchs [eunuchs held powerful positions as court officials and household managers in the late Roman world, but were widely despised by Christian writers] — neither woman nor man, lustful, envious, corrupt, hot-tempered, soft, slaves to their stomachs, gold-crazed, ruthless, complaining about their meals, fickle, stingy, greedy, insatiable, brutal, jealous. What more is there to say? They were condemned to the knife at birth. How can their minds be straight when their bodies were mutilated? Their chastity is no virtue — it was forced on them. Their desires are pointless, born from their own degraded nature. No. These won't be the witnesses at the judgment. The witnesses will be the eyes of the just and the clear sight of the faithful — all those who will then see with their eyes what they now see only with their understanding.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the heretic Simplicia. We often ill advisedly hate our superiors and love our inferiors. So I, for my part, hold my tongue, and keep silence about the disgrace of the insults offered me. I wait for the Judge above, Who knows how to punish all wickedness in the end, even though a man pour out gold like sand; let him trample on the right, he does but hurt his own soul. God always asks for sacrifice, not, I think, because He needs it, but because He accepts a pious and right mind as a precious sacrifice. But when a man by his transgressions tramples on himself God reckons his prayers impure. Bethink yourself, then, of the last day, and pray do not try to teach me. I know more than you do, and am not so choked with thorns within. I do not mind tenfold wickedness with a few good qualities. You have stirred up against me lizards and toads, beasts, it is true, of Spring time, but nevertheless unclean. But a bird will come from above who will devour them. The account I have to render is not according to your ideas, but as God thinks fit to judge. If witnesses are wanted, there will not stand before the Judge slaves; nor yet a disgraceful and detestable set of eunuchs; neither woman nor man, lustful, envious, ill-bribed, passionate, effeminate, slaves of the belly, mad for gold, ruthless, grumbling about their dinner, inconstant, stingy, greedy, insatiable, savage, jealous. What more need I say? At their very birth they were condemned to the knife. How can their mind be right when their feet are awry? They are chaste because of the knife, and it is no credit to them. They are lecherous to no purpose, of their own natural vileness. These are not the witnesses who shall stand in the judgment, but rather the eyes of the just and the eyesight of the perfect, of all who are then to see with their eyes what they now see with their understanding.

[Πρός: Σιμπλικίᾳ αἱρετικῇ] Ἀβούλως οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ μισοῦσι τοὺς κρείττονας καὶ φιλοῦσι τοὺς χείρονας. διὸ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς κατέχω τὴν γλῶτταν, σιωπῇ τῶν ἐμῶν ὕβρεων πνίγων τὸν ὄνειδον. ἐγὼ δὲ μενῶ τὸν ἄνωθεν δικαστήν, ὃς οἶδε πᾶσαν κακίαν ἐν τέλει ἀμύνεσθαι. κἂν γὰρ ὑπὲρ ψάμμον ἐκχέῃ τις χρήματα, βλάπτει ψυχήν, πατήσας τὸ δίκαιον. ἀεὶ γὰρ θυσίαν Θεός, οὐχ ὡς χρῄζων, οἶμαι, ζητεῖ, ἀλλὰ θυσίαν πολυτελῆ τὴν εὐσεβῆ καὶ δικαίαν γνώμην δεχόμενος. ὅταν δέ τις ἑαυτὸν παραβαίνων πατῇ, κοινὰς λογίζεται τὰς εὐχάς. Σαυτὴν οὖν τῆς ἐσχάτης ἡμέρας ὑπόμνησον, καὶ ἡμᾶς, εἰ βούλει, μὴ δίδασκε. ἴσμεν σου πλείονα, καὶ ταῖς ἔνδοθεν ἀκάνθαις οὐ τοσοῦτον συμπνιγόμεθα· οὔτε ἐν ὀλίγοις καλοῖς δεκαπλασίονα κακίαν ἐπιμίγνυμεν. ἐπήγειρας ἡμῖν σαύρας τε καὶ φρύνους, ἐαρινὰ δῆθεν θηρία, πλὴν ὅμως ἀκάθαρτα. ἀλλʼ ἥξει πτερὸν ἄνωθεν τὸ ταῦτα νεμόμενον. ἐμοὶ γὰρ λόγος, οὐχ ὡς σὺ νομίζεις, ἀλλʼ ὡς οἶδε κρίνειν Θεός. εἰ δὲ καὶ μαρτύρων χρεία, οὐ δοῦλοι στήσονται, οὐδὲ εὐνούχων γένος ἄτιμον καὶ πανώλεθρον· τοῦτο δὴ τοῦτο, ἄθηλυ, ἄνανδρον, γυναικομανές, ἐπίζηλον, κακόμισθον, ὀξύθυμον, θηλυδριῶδες, γαστρίδουλον, χρυσομανές, ἀπηνές, κλαυσίδειπνον, εὐμετάβλητον, ἀμετάδοτον, πάνδοχον, ἀπροσκορές, μανικὸν καὶ ζηλότυπον· καὶ τί γὰρ ἔτι εἰπεῖν; σὺν αὐτῇ τῇ γενέσει σιδηροκατάδικον. πῶς οὖν τούτων γνώμη ὀρθή, ὧν καὶ οἱ πόδες στρεβλοί; οὗτοι σωφρονοῦσι μὲν ἄμισθα διὰ σιδήρου· μαίνονται δὲ ἄκαρπα δι’ οἰκείαν αἰσχρότητα. οὐχ οὗτοι στήσονται τῆς κρίσεως μάρτυρες, ἀλλʼ ὀφθαλμοὶ δικαίων, καὶ ὄψεις ἀνδρῶν τελείων· ὅσοι τότε ὁρῶσι, πρὸς ἃ βλέποντες νῦν εἰσὶ συνέσει.