Letter 194: What are you about, most excellent sir, in anticipating me in humility? Educated as you are, and able to write such a letter as you have sent, you nevertheless ask for forgiveness at my hands, as though you were engaged in some undertaking rash and beyond your position. But a truce to mockery.

What are you doing, my excellent friend, outstripping me in humility? Educated as you are, capable of writing such a fine letter, you still ask my forgiveness -- as though you had done something rash or above your station. But enough of that game. Keep writing to me at every opportunity. Am I not practically illiterate? It is a delight to read the letters of an eloquent writer. Have I not learned from Scripture how good a thing love is? I count the companionship of a loving friend beyond all value. And I hope you will be able to tell me of all the good things I pray for you: the best of health and prosperity for your entire household. As for my own affairs, my condition is no more bearable than usual. That much is enough to tell you -- you will understand how bad my health is. It has indeed reached such a pitch of suffering that it is as hard to describe as to endure (assuming your own experience has not matched mine). But it is the work of our good God to give me the strength to bear patiently whatever trials are sent for my benefit by our merciful Lord.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Zoilus. What are you about, most excellent sir, in anticipating me in humility? Educated as you are, and able to write such a letter as you have sent, you nevertheless ask for forgiveness at my hands, as though you were engaged in some undertaking rash and beyond your position. But a truce to mockery. Continue to write to me on every occasion. Am I not wholly illiterate? It is delightful to read the letters of an eloquent writer. Have I learned from Scripture how good a thing is love? I count intercourse with a loving friend invaluable. And I do hope that you may tell me of all the good gifts which I pray for you; the best of health, and the prosperity of all your house. Now as to my own affairs, my condition is not more endurable than usual. It is enough to tell you this and you will understand the bad state of my health. It has indeed reached such extreme suffering as to be as difficult to describe as to experience, if indeed your own experience has fallen short of mine. But it is the work of the good God to give me power to bear in patience whatever trials are inflicted on me for my own good at the hands of our merciful Lord.

[Πρός: Ζωΐλῳ.] Οἷα ποιεῖς, ὦ θαυμάσιε, προλαμβάνων ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ τῆς ταπεινώσεως μέτρον; ὅς γε τοιοῦτος ὢν τὴν παίδευσιν, καὶ οὕτως εἰδὼς ἐπιστέλλειν, ὡς δηλοῖ τὰ γράμματα, ὅμως ἀξιοῖς ὡς ἐπὶ τολμηροτέρᾳ τινὶ ἐγχειρήσει καὶ ὑπερβαινούσῃ σου τὴν ἀξίαν, συγγνώμης παρʼ ἡμῶν τυγχάνειν. ἀλλὰ τῆς εἰρωνείας ταύτης ἀφέμενος, ἐπίστελλε ὑμῖν διὰ πάσης προφάσεως. εἴτε γὰρ ἡμῖν λόγων μέτεστιν, ἥδιστα λογίου ἀνδρὸς γράμμασιν ἐντευξόμεθα· εἴτε καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης καλὸν ὅσον ἐστὶ παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς πεπαιδεύμεθα, τοῦ παντὸς ἀξίαν τιθέμεθα ἀνδρὸς ἀγαπῶντος ἡμᾶς ὁμιλίαν. εἴη δέ σε γράφειν ἃ εὐχόμεθά σοι ἀγαθά, ὑγείαν σώματος καὶ εὐθηνίαν οἴκου παντός. Τὰ δὲ ἡμέτερα μηδὲν ἀνεκτότερα γίνωσκε τῆς συνηθείας εἶναι. ἀρκεῖ δὲ τοσοῦτον εἰπεῖν, καὶ ἐνδείξασθαί σοι τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν τὴν ἀσθένειαν. τὴν γὰρ νῦν κατέχουσαν ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ ἀρρωστεῖν ὑπερβολήν, οὔτε λόγῳ ἐνδείξασθαι ῥᾷδιον, οὔτε ἔργῳ πεισθῆναι, εἴπερ ἐκείνων, ὧν αὐτὸς ᾔδεις, εὑρέθη τι πλεῖον παρʼ ἡμῖν εἰς ἀρρωστίαν. Θεοῦ δὲ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἔργον δοῦναι ἡμῖν δύναμιν, πρὸς τὸ ἐν ὑπομονῇ φέρειν τὰς ἐπὶ συμφέροντι ἡμῖν ἐπαγομένας εἰς τὸ σῶμα πληγὰς παρὰ τοῦ εὐεργετοῦντος ἡμᾶς Κυρίου.