Letter 231: I find few opportunities of writing to your reverence, and this causes me no little trouble. It is just the same as if, when it was in my power to see you and enjoy your society very often, I did so but seldom. But it is impossible for me to write to you because so few travel hence to you, otherwise there is no reason why my letter should not be...

I find so few opportunities to write to you, and it troubles me greatly. If I could, my letters would be a daily journal of my life, telling you everything that happens to me. It comforts me to share my affairs with you, and I know you care about nothing more than what concerns me. But so few people travel from here to your region that I can rarely find a courier. Now, however, Elpidius is heading home to answer the slanders that certain enemies have fabricated against him, and he has asked me for a letter. I therefore greet you through him and commend him to your care -- both for the sake of justice and for my sake. Even if I had nothing else to say on his behalf, the fact that he made such a point of carrying my letter should be enough for you to count him among our friends. You should know that my beloved brother is in exile -- he could no longer endure the harassment of shameless people. Doara is in turmoil, because the "fat sea monster" [Basil's nickname for a troublesome opponent] is throwing everything into chaos. My enemies, I am told by reliable sources, are plotting against me at court. But so far the hand of the Lord has been over me. Pray only that I am not abandoned in the end. My brother is bearing things quietly. Doara has received the "old muleteer" [another of Basil's derisive nicknames] and can do no more. The Lord will scatter the plots of my enemies. The one cure for all my troubles, present and future, would be to see you. If you possibly can, while I am still alive, come to visit me. The book on the Holy Spirit is finished, as you know. My people here would not let me send it to you written on paper -- they told me you had requested it be copied onto parchment. So as not to go against your instructions, I have held it back, but I will send it soon, as soon as I find a trustworthy person to carry it. May the kindness of the Holy One preserve you for me and for God's Church, in health and happiness, praying for me to the Lord.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Amphilochius, bishop of Iconium. I find few opportunities of writing to your reverence, and this causes me no little trouble. It is just the same as if, when it was in my power to see you and enjoy your society very often, I did so but seldom. But it is impossible for me to write to you because so few travel hence to you, otherwise there is no reason why my letter should not be a kind of journal of my life, to tell you, my dear friend, everything that happens to me day by day. It is a comfort to me to tell you my affairs, and I know that you care for nothing more than for what concerns me. Now, however, Elpidius is going home to his own master, to refute the calumnies falsely got up against him by certain enemies, and he has asked me for a letter. I therefore salute your reverence by him and commend to you a man who deserves your protection, at once for the sake of justice and for my own sake. Although I could say nothing else in his favour, yet, because he has made it of very great importance to be the bearer of my letter, reckon him among our friends, and remember me and pray for the Church. You must know that my very God-beloved brother is in exile, for he could not endure the annoyance caused him by shameless persons. Doara is in a state of agitation, for the fat sea monster is throwing everything into confusion. My enemies, as I am informed by those who know, are plotting against me at court. But hitherto the hand of the Lord has been over me. Only pray that I be not abandoned in the end. My brother is taking things quietly. Doara has received the old muleteer. She can do no more. The Lord will scatter the counsels of my enemies. The one cure for all my troubles present and to come is to set eyes on you. If you possibly can, while I am still alive, do come to see me. The book on the Spirit has been written by me, and is finished, as you know. My brethren here have prevented me from sending it to you written on paper, and have told me that they had your excellency's orders to engross it on parchment. Not, then, to appear to do anything against your injunctions, I have delayed now, but I will send it a little later, if only I find any suitable person to convey it. May you be granted to me and to God's Church by the kindness of the Holy One, in all health and happiness, and praying for me to the Lord.

[Πρός: Ἀμφιλοχίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ Ἰκονίου.] Ὀλίγας εὑρίσκω τοῦ γράφειν πρὸς τὴν θεοσέβειάν σου τὰς ἀφορμάς, καὶ λυπεῖ με τοῦτο οὐ σμικρῶς. ὅμοιον γάρ, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ καὶ ἐξὸν πολλάκις ὁρᾷν σε καὶ ἀπολαύειν σου, ὀλιγάκις ἐποίουν τοῦτο. ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔξεστί μοι γράφειν δι’ ἀπορίαν τῶν ἐντεῦθεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀφικνουμένων· ἐπεὶ οὐδὲν ἐκώλυεν, οἱονεὶ ἐφημερίδα τοῦ ἐμοῦ βίου τὰ γράμματα εἶναι, τὰ καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συμπίπτοντα διαγγέλλειν σου τῇ ἀγάπῃ. ἐμοί τε γὰρ κουφισμὸν φέρει τὸ ἀνακοινοῦσθαί σοι τὰ καθʼ ἡμᾶς, σέ τε οἶδα οὐδὲν οὕτω μεριμνῶντα, ὡς τὰ ἡμέτερα. ἀλλὰ νῦν Ἐλπίδιος πρὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ δεσπότην ἐπειγόμενος, τοῦ ἀποδύσασθαι τὰς διαβολὰς τὰς ψευδῶς αὐτῷ παρά τινων ἐχθρῶν κατασκευασθείσας, ᾔτησεν ἡμᾶς τὴν ἐπιστολήν. δι’ οὗ καὶ προσφθεγγόμεθά σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν, καὶ συνιστῶμέν σοι τὸν ἄνδρα διά τε τὸ δίκαιον ἄξιον ὄντα τῆς παρὰ σοῦ προστασίας καὶ δι’ ἡμᾶς· οἳ εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο ἔχομεν αὐτῷ μαρτυρεῖν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι περὶ πολλοῦ ἐποιήσατο γραμμάτων ἡμετέρων γενέσθαι διάκονος, τοῦτόν τε ἔχε ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις, καὶ ἡμῶν μέμνησο, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐκκλησίας εὔχου. Γίνωσκε δέ, ὅτι ὁ μὲν θεοφιλέστατος ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν ὑπερόριός ἐστι, τὰς ὀχλήσεις μὴ φέρων τῶν ἀναισχύντων. Δόαρα δὲ χειμάζεται, τοῦ κήτους τοῦ πολυσάρκου τὰ ἐκεῖ συνταράσσοντος. ἡμῖν δὲ οἱ ἐχθροὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου τυρεύουσιν, ὡς ὁ τῶν εἰδότων λόγος· ἡ δὲ χεὶρ τοῦ Κυρίου τέως ἐστὶ μεθʼ ἡμῶν. μόνον εὔχου μὴ ἐγκαταλειφθῆναι ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος. καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς διάγει ἄνετος· καὶ Δόαρα τὸν παλαιὸν ἀπέλαβε μουλίωνα· πλέον δὲ ἔχει οὐδέν· καὶ τὰς βουλὰς τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡμῶν διασκεδάσει Κύριος. πάντων μέντοι καὶ τῶν παρόντων καὶ τῶν προσδοκωμένων λυπηρῶν λύσις ἡμῖν τὸ σὲ θεάσασθαι. ὥστε ἐὰν γένηταί σοί ποτε δυνατόν, ἕως ἔτι ἐσμὲν ὑπὲρ γῆς, καταξίωσον ἡμᾶς ἰδεῖν. Τὸ περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος βιβλίον γέγραπται μὲν ἡμῖν καὶ ἐξείργασται, ὡς αὐτὸς οἶδας· ἀποστεῖλαι δὲ ἐν χάρτῃ γεγραμμένον ἐκώλυσάν με οἱ μετʼ ἐμοῦ ἀδελφοί, εἰπόντες παρὰ τῆς εὐγενείας σου ἐντολὰς ἔχειν ἐν σωματίῳ γράψαι. ἵνʼ οὖν μή τι δόξωμεν ὑπεναντίον ποιεῖν τῷ προστάγματί σου, ἐπέσχομεν νῦν, ἀποστελοῦμεν δὲ μικρὸν ὕστερον, μόνον ἐάν τινος ἐπιτηδείου τοῦ διακομίζοντος ἐπιτύχωμεν. ἐρρωμένος καὶ εὔθυμος εὐχόμενος τῷ Κυρίῳ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν χαρισθείης μοι καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τῇ τοῦ ἁγίου φιλανθρωπίᾳ.