Letter 177: Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol.

To reckon up everyone who has received kindness at your excellency's hands on my account would be no easy task -- so many have benefited through your generous help, a blessing the Lord has given me in these very difficult times. Worthiest of all these is the man now introduced to you by this letter: the reverend brother Eusebius, who faces a ridiculous accusation that only you, in your uprightness, have the power to destroy. I beg you, therefore, both out of respect for justice and out of your natural humanity, to grant me your usual favor: take up Eusebius's cause as your own and champion both the man and the truth. It is no small thing that right is on his side. If he is not crushed by the present crisis, he will have no difficulty proving this plainly and beyond any contradiction.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Saphronius the Master. To reckon up all those who have received kindness at your excellency's hand, for my sake, is no easy task; so many are there whom I feel that I have benefited through your kind aid, a boon which the Lord has given me to help me in these very serious times. Worthiest of all is he who is now introduced to you by my letter, the reverend brother Eusebius, attacked by a ridiculous calumny which it depends upon you alone in your uprightness, to destroy. I beseech you, therefore, both as respecting the right and as being humanely disposed, to grant me your accustomed favours, by adopting the cause of Eusebius as your own, and championing him, and, at the same time, truth. It is no small thing that he has the right on his side; and this, if he be not stricken down by the present crisis, he will have no difficulty in proving plainly and without possibility of contradiction.

[Πρός: Σωφρονίῳ μαγίστρῳ] Καταλέγειν μὲν πάντας τοὺς δι’ ἡμᾶς εὐεργετηθέντας παρὰ τῆς σῆς μεγαλονοίας οὐ ῥᾴδιον· οὕτω πολλοὺς μὲν σύνισμεν ἑαυτοῖς εὐπεποιηκόσι διὰ τῆς μεγάλης σου χειρός, ἣν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῖν σύμμαχον ἐπὶ τῶν μεγίστων καιρῶν ἐχαρίσατο. δικαιότατος δὲ πάντων καὶ ὁ νῦν προσαγόμενος διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἡμῶν τυγχάνει, ὁ αἰδεσιμώτατος ἀδελφὸς Εὐσέβιος, παραλόγῳ συκοφαντίᾳ περιπεσών, ἣν ἀποσκεδάσαι μόνης ἐστὶ τῆς σῆς ὀρθότητος. διὸ παρακαλοῦμεν, καὶ τῷ δικαίῳ χαριζόμενον, καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἀφορῶντα, καὶ ἡμῖν τὰς συνήθεις παρεχόμενον χάριτας, ἀντὶ πάντων γενέσθαι τῷ ἀνδρί, καὶ προστῆναι αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῆς ἀληθείας. ἔχει γὰρ οὐ μικρὰν συμμαχίαν τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ δικαίου· ἣν εἰ μὴ ὀ παρὼν καιρὸς καταβλάψειε, πάνυ ῥᾴδιον σαφῶς καὶ ἀναντιρρήτως ἐπιδειχθήσεσθαι.