Letter 244: 1. I have read, and read with pleasure, the letter which you have sent by Strategius the presbyter. How should I not so read it, written as it is by a wise man, and dictated by a heart which has learned to observe the universal love taught by the commandment of the Lord?

I read your letter with real pleasure -- how could I not, coming as it does from a wise man whose heart has learned the universal love commanded by the Lord? I think I understand the reasons for your long silence. You were, as it were, stunned by the apparent transformation of the notorious Basil. "Ever since he was a boy he served such-and-such a person; at such-and-such times he did such-and-such things; he waged war against countless enemies out of loyalty to one man. Now he has become a completely different person -- he has traded love for war." And so you expressed considerable astonishment at this very unexpected turn of affairs. If you have found fault with me, I do not take it badly. I am not so far gone as to be offended by the loving correction of my brothers. Indeed, far from being annoyed by your letter, it nearly made me laugh -- because I would have thought the many strong bonds that already tie our friendship together would make you less susceptible to shock over the trivialities that have been reported to you. You have fallen into the trap of all those who skip the investigation of facts and listen instead to the people being discussed, who judge by personalities rather than by truth, forgetting the command: "You shall not show partiality in judgment." Since God does not judge by appearances, I will not refuse to lay out my defense -- the same defense I am preparing for the great tribunal. From my side, from the beginning, there has been no cause for quarrel, small or great. But men who hate me -- for reasons best known to themselves -- have slandered me without ceasing. I cleared myself again and again, but there was no end to it. My continued defense did no good, because I was far away while my accusers, being on the spot, were able to wound a trusting heart that had never learned to keep one ear open for the absent party. I ask only this: examine the facts, not the rumors. If you do, you will find that I have not changed. The men around me have changed. And I refuse to follow them into error, no matter what it costs.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Patrophilus, bishop of Ægæ. 1. I have read, and read with pleasure, the letter which you have sent by Strategius the presbyter. How should I not so read it, written as it is by a wise man, and dictated by a heart which has learned to observe the universal love taught by the commandment of the Lord? Possibly I am not unaware of the reasons which have hitherto kept you silent. You have been, as it were, amazed and astounded, at the idea of the change in the notorious Basil. Why, ever since he was a boy he did such and such service to such an one; at such and such times he did such and such things; he waged war against foes innumerable for the sake of his allegiance to one man; now he has become a totally different character; he has exchanged love for war; he is all that you have written; so you naturally show considerable astonishment at the very unexpected turn of affairs. And if you have found some fault, I do not take it ill. I am not so beyond correction as to be amazed at the affectionate rebukes of my brothers. Indeed so far was I from being vexed at your letter that it really almost made me laugh to think that when there were, as I thought, so many strong causes already existing to cement our friendship, you should have expressed such very great astonishment at the trifles which have been reported to you. So truly have you suffered the fate of all those who omit to enquire into the nature of circumstances, and give heed to the men who are being discussed; of all who do not examine into the truth, but judge by the distinction of persons, in forgetfulness of the exhortion You shall not respect persons in judgment. Deuteronomy 1:17 2. Nevertheless, since God in judgment of man does not accept persons, I will not refuse to make known to you the defense which I have prepared for the great tribunal. On my side, from the beginning, there has been no cause of quarrel, either small or great; but men who hate me, for what reason is best known to themselves (I must not say a word about them), incessantly calumniated me. I cleared myself again and again of slanders. There seemed no end to the matter, and no good came of my continual defense, because I was far away, and the authors of the false statements, being on the spot, were able by their calumnies against me to wound a susceptible heart, and one which has never learned to keep one ear open for the absent. When the Nicopolitans, as you yourself are partly aware, were asking for some proof of faith, I determined to have recourse to the written document. I thought that I should fulfil two objects at once; I expected both to persuade the Nicopolitans not to think ill of the man, and to shut the mouths of my calumniators, because agreement in faith would exclude slander on both sides. Indeed the creed had been drawn up, and it was brought from me, and signed. After it had been signed, a place was appointed for a second meeting, and another date fixed, so that my brethren in the diocese might come together and be united with one another, and our communion for the future be genuine and sincere. I, for my part, arrived at the appointed time, and, of the brethren who act with me, some were on the spot, and others were hurrying there, all joyous and eager as though on the high road to peace. Couriers and a letter from myself announced my arrival; for the spot appointed for the reception of those who were assembling was mine. But nobody appeared on the other side; no one came in advance; no one to announce the approach of the expected bishops. So those who had been sent by me returned with the report of the deep dejection and the complaints of those who were assembled, as though a new creed had been promulgated by me. They were moreover said to be for deciding, that they certainly would not suffer their bishop to go over to me. Then came a messenger bringing me a letter hastily drawn up, and containing no mention of the points originally agreed on. My brother Theophilus, a man worthy of all respect and honour at my hands, sent one of his adherents, and made certain announcements, which he thought it not improper for him to utter, nor unbecoming in me to hear. He did not condescend to write, not so much because he was afraid of being convicted on written evidence, as because he was anxious not to be compelled to address me as bishop. Assuredly his language was violent, and came from a heart a vehemently agitated. Under these circumstances I departed abashed and depressed, not knowing what to answer to my questioners. Then, without any long interval of time, there was the journey into Cilicia, the return thence, and immediately a letter repudiating communion with me. 3. The cause of the rupture was the allegation that I wrote to Apollinarius and was in communion with the presbyter Diodorus. I never regarded Apollinarius as an enemy, and for some reasons I even respect him. But I never so far united myself to him as to take upon me the charges against him; indeed I have myself some accusations to bring against him after reading some of his books. I do not know that I ever asked him for a book on the Holy Spirit, or received it on his sending: I am told that he has become a most copious writer, but I have read very few of his works. I have not even time to investigate such matters. Indeed I shrink from admitting any of the more recent works, for my health does not even allow of my reading the inspired Scriptures with diligence and as I ought. What, then, is it to me, if some one has written something displeasing to somebody else? Yet if one man is to render an account on behalf of another, let him who accuses me for Apollinarius' sake defend himself to me for the sake of Arius his own master and of Aetius his own disciple. I never learned anything from, nor taught anything to this man whose guilt is laid at my door. Diodorus, as a nursling of the blessed Silvanus, I did receive from the beginning: I love him now and respect him on account of his grace of speech, whereby many who meet him are made the better men. 4. At this letter I was affected in such a manner as might be expected, and astounded at so sudden and pleasant a change. I felt quite unable to reply. My heart could hardly beat; my tongue failed me, and my hand grew numb. I felt like a poor creature (for the truth shall be told; yet it is pardonable); I all but fell into a state of misanthropy; I looked on every one with suspicion and thought that there was no charity to be found in mankind. Charity seemed a mere specious word, serving as a kind of decoration to those who use it, while no such sentiment was really to be found in the heart of man. Could it really be that one who seemed to have disciplined himself from boyhood to old age, could be so easily brutalized on such grounds, without a thought for me, without any idea that his experience of bygone years ought to have more weight than this wretched slander? Could he really, like an unbroken colt as yet untaught to carry his rider properly, on some petty suspicion rear and unseat his rider and fling to the ground what was once his pride? If so, what must be thought of the rest with whom I had no such strong ties of friendship, and who had given no such proofs of a well trained life? All this I turned over in my soul and continually revolved in my heart, or, shall I rather say my heart was turned over by these things fighting and pricking me at the recollection of them? I wrote no answer; not that I kept silence from contempt; do not think it of me my brother, for I am not defending myself to men but I speak before God in Christ. I kept silence from utter inability to say a word commensurate with my grief. 5. While I was in this position another letter came to me, addressed to a certain Dazizas, but in reality written to all the world. This is obvious from its very rapid distribution, for in a few days it was delivered all over Pontus, and was travelling about Galatia; indeed it is said that the carriers of this good news traversed Bithynia, and reached the Hellespont itself. What was written against me to Dazizas you are very well aware, for they do not reckon you as so far beyond the bounds of their friendship as to have left you alone undistinguished by this honour. However, if the letter has not reached you, I will send it to you. In it you will find me charged with craft and treachery, with corruption of Churches and with ruin of souls. The charge which they think the truest of all is, that I made that exposition of the faith for secret and dishonest reasons, not to do service to the Nicopolitans, but with the design of disingenously extracting a confession from them. Of all this the Lord is Judge. What clear evidence can there be of the thoughts of the heart? One thing I do wonder at in them, that after signing the document presented by me, they show so much disagreement, that they confuse truth and falsehood to satisfy those who are accusing them, quite forgetful that their written confession of the Nicene Creed is preserved at Rome, and that they with their own hand delivered to the council at Tyana the document brought from Rome which is in my hands, and contains the same creed. They forgot their own address, when they came forward and bewailed the deceit by which they had been tricked into giving their adhesion to the document drawn up by the faction of Eudoxius, and so bethought them of the defense for that error, that they should go to Rome and there accept the creed of the Fathers, that so they might make amends, for the mischief they had done the Church by their agreement in evil, by their introduction of something better. Now the very men who undertook long journeys for the faith's sake, and made all these fine speeches, are reviling me for walking craftily, and for playing the plotter under the cloke of love. It is plain from the Letter, now being carried about, that they have condemned the faith of Nicæa. They saw Cyzicus, and came home with another creed. 6. But why say anything of mere verbal inconsistency? The practical proofs of their change of position afforded by their conduct are far stronger. They refused to yield to the sentence of fifty bishops passed against them. They declined to resign the government of their Churches although the number of bishops assenting to the decree for their deposition was so many, on the alleged ground that they were not partakers of the Holy Ghost, and were not governing their Churches by the grace of God, but had clutched their dignity by the aid of human power, and through lust of vain glory. Now they are for receiving the men consecrated by these same persons as bishops. I should like you to ask them in my stead, (although they despise all mankind, as bereft of eyes, ears, and common sense), to perceive the inconsistency of their conduct, what sentiments they do really entertain in their own hearts. How can there be two bishops, one deposed by Euippius, and the other consecrated by him? Both are the actions of the same man. Had he not been endowed with the grace bestowed upon Jeremiah to pull down and build again, to root out and to plant, he certainly would not have rooted the one out and planted the other. Grant him the one and you must grant him the other. Their one object, as it seems, is everywhere to look to their own advantage, and to regard every one who acts in accordance with their own wishes as a friend, while they treat any one who opposes them as an enemy, and spare no calumny to run him down. 7. What measures are they now taking against the Church? For the shiftiness of their originators, shocking; for the apathy of all who are affected by them, pitiable. By a respectable commission the children and grandchildren of Euippius have been summoned from distant regions to Sebasteia, and to them the people have been entrusted. They have taken possession of the altar. They have been made the leaven of that Church. I am persecuted by them as a Homoousiast. Eustathius, who brought the Homoousion in the script from Rome to Tyana, although he was not able to get admitted into their much to be coveted communion, either because they feared, or respected the authority of, the large number of persons who had agreed in condemning him, is now in intimate alliance with them. I only hope that I may never have time enough on my hands to tell of all their doings — who were gathered together, how each one had been ordained, and from what kind of earlier life each arrived at his present dignity. I have been taught to pray that my mouth may not utter the works of the men. If you enquire you will learn these things for yourself, and, if they are hidden from you, they will not assuredly continue hidden from the judges. 8. I will not, however, omit to tell you, my dear friend, in what a state I have been. Last year I suffered from a very violent fever, and came near to the gates of death. When, by God's mercy, I was restored, I was distressed at coming back to life, as I bethought me of all the troubles before me. I considered with myself for what reason, hidden in the depths of the wisdom of God, yet further days of life in the flesh had been allowed me. But when I heard of these matters I concluded that the Lord wished me to see the Churches at rest after the storm which they had previously suffered from the alienation of the men in whom, on account of their fictitious gravity of character, every confidence had been placed. Or perhaps the Lord designed to invigorate my soul, and to render it more vigilant for the future, to the end that, instead of giving heed to men, it might be made perfect through those precepts of the Gospel which do not share in the changes and chances of human seasons and circumstances, but abide for ever the same, as they were uttered by the blessed lips that cannot lie. 9. Men are like clouds, shifting here and there in the sky with the change of the winds. And of all men who have ever come within my experience these of whom I am speaking are the most unstable. As to the other business of life, those who have lived with them may give evidence; but as to what is within my own knowledge, their inconsistency as regards the faith, I do not know that I have ever myself observed it or heard from any one else, of anything like it. Originally they were followers of Arius; then they went over to Hermogenes, who was diametrically opposed to the errors of Arius, as is evinced by the Creed originally recited by him at Nicæa. Hermogenes, fell asleep, and then they went over to Eusebius, the Coryphæus, as we know on personal evidence, of the Arian ring. Leaving this, for whatever reasons, they came home again, and once more concealed their Arian sentiments. After reaching the episcopate, to pass by what occurred in the interval, how many creeds did they put forth? One at Ancyra; another at Seleucia; another at Constantinople, the famous one; another at Lampsacus, then that of Nike in Thrace; and now again the creed of Cyzicus. Of this last I know nothing, except that I am told that they have suppressed the homoousion, and are supporting the like in essence, while they subscribe with Eunomius the blasphemies against the Holy Spirit. Although all of the creeds which I have enumerated may not be opposed to one another, yet they alike exhibit the inconsistency of the men's minds, from their never standing by the same words. I have said nothing as to countless other points, but this that I do say is true. Now that they have gone over to you, I beg you to write back by the same man, I mean our fellow presbyter Strategius, whether you have remained in the same mind towards me, or whether you have been alienated in consequence of your meeting them. For it was not likely that they would be silent, nor that you yourself, after writing to me as you have, would not use free speaking to them too. If you remain in communion with me, it is well; it is what I would most earnestly pray for. If they have drawn you over to them, it is sad. How should separation from such a brother not be sad? If in nothing else, at least in bearing losses like this, we have been considerably tried at their hands.

[Πρός: Πατροφίλῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ τῆς ἐν Αἰγεαῖς ἐκκλησίας.] Ἐνέτυχόν σου τοῖς γράμμασιν, ἃ διὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν Στρατηγίου τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου ἀπέστειλας, καὶ ἐνέτυχον ἡδέως. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον, καὶ παρὰ ἀνδρὸς συνετοῦ γεγραμμένοις, καὶ παρὰ καρδίας τὴν πρὸς πάντας ἀγάπην ἐκ τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ Κυρίου κατορθοῦν δεδιδαγμένης; καὶ σχεδὸν ἐγνώρισα τῆς ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι χρόνῳ σιωπῆς τὴν αἰτίαν. ἀποροῦντι γὰρ ἐῴκεις καὶ ἐκθαμβουμένῳ, εἰ Βασίλειος ἐκεῖνος, ὁ τοιῶσδε δουλεύσας ἐκ παιδὸς τῷ δεῖνι, ὁ τάδε ποιήσας ἐπὶ τῶν καιρῶν τῶνδε καὶ τάδε, ὁ τὸν πρὸς τοὺς μυρίους πόλεμον τῆς πρὸς τὸν ἕνα θεραπείας ἕνεκεν καταδεξάμενος· οὗτος νῦν ἕτερος γέγονεν ἐξ ἑτέρου, καὶ πόλεμον ἀντὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀνῄρηται, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα ἐπέστειλας, ἱκανῶς τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ἔκπληξιν ἐν τῇ παραλόγῳ τῶν πραγμάτων μεταβολῇ ἐνδεικνύμενος. καὶ εἴ τι ἡμῶν καὶ καθήψω, οὐκ ἐδεξάμην τοῦτο δυσκόλως. οὐ γὰρ οὕτως εἰμὶ ἀνουθέτητος, ὡς πρὸς τὰς ἀγαπητικὰς ἐπιπλήξει τῶν ἀδελφῶν δυσχεραίνειν. τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέχω τοῖς ἐπεσταλμένοις ἄχθεσθαι, ὥστε μικροῦ καὶ ἐγέλασα ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς, εἴ τοσούτων ὄντων καὶ τηλικούτων, ἃ ἡμῖν ἐδόκει τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλίαν πρότερον βεβαιοῦν, αὐτὸς ἐπὶ μικροῖς τοῖς μέχρι σοῦ φθάσασι τηλικαύτην ἔγραψας τὴν ἔκπληξιν πεπονθέναι. ἄρʼ οὖν καὶ σὺ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν πέπονθας, οἳ καταλιπόντες τῶν πραγμάτων ἐξετάζειν τὴν φύσιν, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις προσέχουσι, περὶ ὧν οἱ λόγοι, καὶ γίνονται, οὐχὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξετασταί, ἀλλὰ τῆς διαφορᾶς τῶν προσώπων δοκιμασταί, ἐπιλαθόμενοι τῆς παραινέσεως, ὅτι Ἐπιγινώσκειν πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει, οὐ καλόν. Πλὴν ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ Θεὸς πρόσωπον ἐν κρίσει ἀνθρώπου οὐ λαμβάνει, ἣν πρὸς τὸ μέγα δικαστήριον ἀπολογίαν παρεσκεύασα, ταύτην καὶ σοὶ γνωρίσαι οὐ παραιτήσομαι. ὅτι οὐδὲν παρʼ ἡμῶν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς, οὔτε μικρὸν οὔτε μεῖζον, γέγονε τῆς διαστάσεως αἴτιον· ἀλλʼ ἄνθρωποι μισοῦντες ἡμᾶς, δι’ ἃς ἴσασιν προφάσεις αὐτοὶ (οὐ γὰρ ἐμὲ χρὴ λέγειν περὶ αὐτῶν οὐδέν), συνεχεῖς ἐποιοῦντο τὰς διαβολάς, καὶ ἅπαξ μὲν ταύτας καὶ δὶς ἀπεδυσάμεθα, ὡς δὲ ἀπέραντον ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ οὐδὲν ὄφελος τῆς συνεχοῦς ἀπολογίας. ἡμῶν μὲν μακρὰν ἀπῳκισμένων, τῶν δὲ ψευδολόγων ἐγγύθεν ἐχόντων ταῖς καθʼ ἡμῶν τιτρώσκειν διαβολαῖς καρδίαν εὐκαταγώνιστον καὶ οὐ δεδιδαγμένην τὴν ἑτέραν τῶν ἀκοῶν ἀκεραίαν φυλάττειν τῷ μὴ παρόντι· τῶν Νικοπολιτῶν ἀπαιτούντων τινὰ πληροφορίαν πίστεως, ὃ πάντως οὐδὲ ὑμεῖς ἠγνοήσατε, ἔδοξεν ἡμῖν τὴν διακονίαν τοῦ γράμματος ὑποδέξασθαι. ἐλογισάμεθα γὰρ δύο κατορθώσειν ἐν ταὐτῷ· τούς τε Νικοπολίτας πείσειν μὴ κακῶς φρονεῖν περὶ τοῦ ἀνδρός, καὶ τῶν διαβαλλόντων ἡμᾶς ἐμφράξειν τὰ στόματα, τῆς κατὰ τὴν πίστιν συμφωνίας τὰς ἑκατέρωθεν συκοφαντίας ἀποκλειούσης. καὶ δὴ καὶ συγγέγραπτο μὲν ἡ πίστις, προσηνέχθη δὲ παρʼ ἡμῶν· ὑπεγράφη δέ ὡς ὑπεγράφη, καὶ χωρίον ὑπεδείχθη συνόδου δευτέρας, καὶ καιρὸς ἕτερος, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν παροικίαν ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν συνελθόντας ἑνωθῆναι ἀλλήλοις, καὶ γνησίαν καὶ ἄδολον τοῦ λοιποῦ εἶναι τὴν κοινωνίαν. Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὖν ἀπηντήσαμεν κατὰ τὴν προθεσμίαν, καὶ οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν ἀδελφοὶ οἱ μὲν παρῆσαν, οἱ δὲ ἐπέρρεον, φαιδροὶ πάντες καὶ πρόθυμοι, ὡς ἐπὶ εἰρήνην τρέχοντες· καὶ γράμματα παρʼ ἡμῶν, καὶ ἡμεροδρόμοι σημαίνοντες, ὅτι πάρεσμεν· καὶ γὰρ ἡμέτερον ἦν τὸ χωρίον τὸ ἀποδεδειγμένον εἰς ὑποδοχὴν τῶν συντρεχόντων. ὡς δὲ ἐκ τοῦ ἑτέρου μέρους οὐδεὶς ἦν, οὔτε προτρέχων, οὔτε εὐαγγελιζόμενος τὴν παρουσίαν τῶν προσδοκωμένων, οἱ δὲ παρʼ ἡμῶν ἀποσταλέντες ἐπανῆλθον κατήφειαν πολλὴν καὶ γογγυσμὸν τῶν ἐκεῖ διηγούμενοι, ὡς καινῆς πίστεως παρʼ ἡμῶν καταγγελθείσης· καὶ ἐλέγοντο διορίζεσθαι, ἦ μὴν μὴ ἐπιτρέψειν τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ αὐτῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαβῆναι· ἦλθε δέ τις καὶ γράμμα φέρων ἡμῖν, ἀφωσιωμένον καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔχον μνήμην τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς συγκειμένων. καὶ ὁ πάσης δέ μοι αἰδοῦς καὶ τιμῆς ἄξιος ἀδελφὸς Θεόφιλος, ἕνα τῶν αὐτῷ συνόντων ἀποστείλας, ἐδήλωσέ τινα, ἃ ἐνόμισε καὶ αὐτῷ ἐπιβάλλοντα εἶναι εἰπεῖν καὶ ἡμῖν ἀκοῦσαι πρέποντα. ἐπιστεῖλαι γὰρ οὐκ ἠξίωσεν, οὐ τὸν ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων ἔλεγχον ὑφορώμενος τοσοῦτον, ὅσον φροντίζων τοῦ μὴ εἰς ἀνάγκην ἐλθεῖν προσειπεῖν ἡμᾶς ὡς ἐπισκόπους· πλήν γε δή, ὅτι σφοδρὰ ἦν τὰ ῥήματα, καὶ ἀπὸ καρδίας ἐκθερμανθείσης ἐξενεχθέντα. ἐπὶ τούτοις διελύθημεν κατῃσχυμμένοι, καὶ συμπεπτωκότες τῇ γνώμῃ, οὐκ ἔχοντες ὅ τι τοῖς ἐρωτῶσιν ἀποκρινούμεθα. χρόνος δὲ οὐ πολὺς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ, καὶ ἀποδημία μέχρι Κιλίκων· κἀκεῖθεν ἐπάνοδος. καὶ γράμματα εὐθύς, ἀπαγόρευσιν ἔχοντα τῆς πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίας. Ἡ δὲ αἰτία τῆς ἀπορρήξεως, ὅτι Ἀπολλιναρίῳ, φησίν, ἐπεστείλαμεν, καὶ τὸν συμπρεσβύτερον ἡμῶν Διόδωρον ἔχομεν κοινωνικόν. ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολλινάριον μὲν ἐχθρὸν οὐδέποτε ἡγησάμην, ἀλλʼ ἔστιν ἐφʼ οἷς καὶ αἰδοῦμαι τὸν ἄνδρα· οὐ μὴν οὕτως ἐμαυτὸν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ συνῆψα, ὥστε τὰ ἐκείνου ἐγκλήματα αὐτὸς ὑποδέχεσθαι· ὅπου γε ἔχω τινὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγκαλεῖν αὐτῷ, ἐντυχών τισι τῶν συνταγμάτων αὐτοῦ. οὐ μὴν περὶ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ἢ αἰτήσας αὐτὸν οἶδα βιβλίον, ἢ ἀποσταλὲν ὑποδεξάμενος. ἀλλὰ πολυφωνότατον μὲν αὐτὸν ἀκούω πάντων συγγραφέων γεγενῆσθαι, ὀλίγοις δὲ ἐντετύχηκα τῶν συνταγμάτων αὐτοῦ· οὐδὲ γὰρ σχολή μοί ἐστι τὰ τοιαῦτα διερευνᾶσθαι, καὶ ἅμα δυσχερής τις εἰμὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν νεωτέρων παραδοχήν, ᾧ γε τὸ σῶμα οὐδὲ τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν φιλοπόνως καὶ καθʼ ὃν δεῖ τρόπον συγχωρεῖ παραμένειν. τί οὖν πρὸς ἐμὲ τοῦτο, εἴ τις συνέγραψέ τι μὴ ἀρέσκον τῷ δεῖνι; καίτοι εἰ δεῖ ἄλλον ὑπὲρ ἄλλου τὰς εὐθύνας ὑπέχειν, ὁ ἐμοὶ ἐγκαλῶν ὑπὲρ Ἀπολλιναρίου ἀπολογείσθω ἡμῖν ὑπὲρ Ἀρείου τοῦ ἰδίου διδασκάλου. καὶ ὑπὲρ Ἀετίου τοῦ ἰδίου αὐτοῦ μαθητοῦ. ἡμεῖς δὲ οὔτε ἐδιδάχθημέν τι, οὔτε ἐμαθητεύθημεν τῷ ἀνδρί, οὗ τὰ ἐγκλήματα ἡμῖν περιτρέπουσι. Διόδωρον δέ, ὡς θρέμμα τοῦ μακαρίου Σιλουανοῦ, τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὑπεδεξάμεθα· νῦν δὲ καὶ ἀγαπῶμεν καὶ περιέπομεν διὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν αὐτῷ τοῦ λόγου χάριν, δι’ ἧς πολλοὶ τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων βελτίους γίνονται. Ἐπὶ τούτοις τοῖς γράμμασι διατεθεὶς ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν, καὶ ἐκπλαγεὶς πρὸς τὴν οὕτω παράλογον καὶ ἀθρόαν μεταβολήν, οὐδὲ ἀντιφθέγξασθαι ἠδυνήθην. συνδέδετο μὲν γάρ μοι ἡ καρδία, παρεῖτο δὲ ἡ γλῶσσα, νεναρκήκει δὲ ἡ χείρ· καὶ ἔπαθον πάθος ψυχῆς ἀγεννοῦς (εἰρήσεται γὰρ τἀληθές, πλὴν ἀλλὰ συγγνώμης ἄξιον)· μικροῦ καὶ εἰς μισανθρωπίαν ἐξέπεσον, καὶ πᾶν μοι ἦθος ὕποπτον ἐνομίσθη, καὶ μὴ εἶναι ἐν ἀνθρώπου φύσει τὸ τῆς ἀγάπης καλόν, ἀλλὰ ῥῆμα εἶναι εὐπρόσωπον καλλωπισμόν τινα παρέχον τοῖς κεχρημένοις, οὐ μὴν ἐνυπάρχειν κατʼ ἀλήθειαν καρδίᾳ ἀνθρώπου τὴν διάθεσιν ταύτην, εἰ γὰρ ὁ δοκῶν ἐκ παιδὸς εἰς γῆρας βαθὺ ἐπιμέλειαν ἑαυτοῦ πεποιῆσθαι ἐκ τοιούτων προφάσεων οὕτω ῥᾳδίως ἐξηγριώθη, μηδὲν τῶν ἡμετέρων ὑπολογισάμενος, μηδὲ τὴν ἐν τῷ παρελθόντι πεῖραν τῆς οὕτως εὐτελοῦς διαβολῆς κυριωτέραν θέμενος, ἀλλʼ οἷόν τις πῶλος ἀδάμαστος, οὔπω φέρειν καλῶς τὸν ἀναβάτην δεδιδαγμένος, ἐκ μικρᾶς ὑποψίας ἀνεχαίτισε καὶ ἀπεσείσατο καὶ χαμαὶ ἔρριψεν οἷς πρότερον ἐπηγάλλετο· τί χρὴ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὑπονοεῖν, πρὸς οὓς οὔτε ἡμῖν τοσαῦτα τῆς φιλίας ἐστὶν ἐνέχυρα οὔτε παρʼ αὐτῶν τοιαύτη τῆς τῶν τρόπων ἐπιμελείας ἐπίδειξις; ταῦτα κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἀνελίσσων ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ συνεχῶς στρέφων ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναστρεφόμενος ὑπʼ αὐτῶν τὴν καρδίαν, οὕτω δακνόντων με καὶ νυσσόντων διὰ τῆς μνήμης, οὐδὲν ἐκείνοις ἀπεκρινάμην τοῖς γράμμασιν, οὐχ ὑπεροψίᾳ σιωπήσας (μὴ τοῦτο οἰηθῇς, ἀδελφέ· οὐ γὰρ ἀνθρώποις ἀπολογούμεθα, ἀλλὰ κατενώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν Χριστῷ λαλοῦμεν), ἀπορίᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀμηχανίᾳ καὶ τῷ μὴ ἔχειν εἰπεῖν τι τῆς λύπης ἄξιον. Ἕως ἐν τούτοις ἦμεν, ἐπικατέλαβεν ἡμᾶς ἕτερα γράμματα πρὸς Δαζίζαν τινὰ γεγραμμένα δῆθεν, τῇ δὲ ἀληθείᾳ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἐπεσταλμένα, ὡς δηλοῖ αὐτῶν ἡ οὕτως ὀξεῖα διάδοσις, ὡς ἐν ὀλίγαις ἡμέραις ἐν παντὶ μὲν τῷ Πόντῳ κατασπαρῆναι καὶ τὴν Γαλατίαν ἐπιδραμεῖν. φασὶ δέ τινες, ὅτι καὶ Βιθυνοὺς διεξελθόντες οἱ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τούτων ἄγγελοι μέχρις αὐτοῦ ἔφθασαν Ἑλλησπόντου. τίνα δὲ ἦν τὰ καθʼ ἡμῶν πρὸς Δαζίζαν ἐπεσταλμένα, πάντως μὲν οἶδας. οὐ γὰρ οὕτω σε μακρὰν τῆς ἑαυτῶν φιλίας τίθενται, ὥστε σε μόνον ἀγέραστον τῆς τιμῆς ἐκείνης καταλιπεῖν. εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἦλθεν εἰς σὲ τὰ γράμματα, ἀλλʼ ἐγώ σοι ἀποστέλλω. ἐν οἷς εὑρήσεις ἡμᾶς κατηγορουμένους, δόλον καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίαν, φθορὰν ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ ψυχῶν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ τὸ πάντων, ὡς αὐτοὶ νομίζουσιν, ἀληθέστερον, ὅτι ἐγκάθετον ἐκείνην τὴν προβολὴν τῆς πίστεως ἐποιησάμεθα, οὐ Νικοπολίταις διακονούμενοι, ἀλλʼ αὐτοὶ λαβεῖν δολερῶς ὁμολογίαν ἐπινοήσαντες. τούτων μὲν οὖν κριτὴς Κύριος· καὶ γὰρ τίς ἂν γένοιτο τῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ λογισμῶν ἐναργὴς ἀπόδειξις; ἐκεῖνο δὲ αὐτῶν ἐθαύμασα, εἰ ὅτι μὲν τῷ παρʼ ἡμῶν ἐπιδοθέντι βιβλίῳ ὑπέγραψαν τοσαύτῃ κέχρηνται διαστάσει, ὥστε καὶ ὄντα καὶ μὴ ὄντα εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐγκαλούντων αὐτοῖς πληροφορίαν συμφύρειν, ὅτι δὲ ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ ἔγγραφος αὐτῶν ὁμολογία τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστεως ἀπόκειται, τοῦτο οὐκ ἐννοοῦσιν, οὐδὲ ὅτι διὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν χειρὸς ἐπέδωκαν τῇ ἐν Τυάνοις συνόδῳ τὸ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης βιβλίον, ὃ παρʼ ἡμῖν κατάκειται, τὴν αὐτὴν ταύτην πίστιν ἔχον. καὶ τῆς ἰδίας ἑαυτῶν δημηγορίας ἐπελάθοντο, ἣν εἰς τὸ μέσον καταστάντες τότε, ὠδύροντο μὲν τὴν ἀπάτην, δι’ ἧς ὑπήχθησαν συνθέσθαι τῷ τόμῳ τῷ παρὰ τοῦ συστήματος Εὐδοξίου συντεταγμένῳ· διότι ταύτην ἐπενόησαν τοῦ σφάλματος ἐκείνου ἀπολογίαν, τὸ ἀπελθόντας εἰς Ῥώμην, ἐκεῖθεν λαβεῖν τὴν τῶν πατέρων πίστιν, ἵνα ἣν ἐποίησαν βλάβην ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τῇ πρὸς τὸ κακὸν συνθήκῃ, ταύτην ἐπανορθώσωνται τῇ ἐπεισαγωγῇ τοῦ βελτίονος. ἀλλʼ οἱ τὰς μακροτάτας ἀποδημίας ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως ὑποστάντες, καὶ τὰ σοφὰ ταῦτα δημηγορήσαντες, νῦν λοιδοροῦνται ἡμᾶς, ὡς δολίως πορευομένους, καὶ ἐν σχήματι ἀγάπης τὰ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ποιοῦντας. δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ τὰ νῦν περιφερόμενα κατεγνωκέναι αὐτοὺς τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστεως. εἶδον γὰρ Κύζικον, καὶ μετʼ ἄλλης πίστεως ἐπανῆλθον. Καὶ τί τὸ ἐν τοῖς ῥήμασιν εὐμετάθετον λέγω, πολλῷ μείζονας ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ ἐναντία περιτροπῆς ἔχων τὰς ἀποδείξεις; οἱ γὰρ πεντακοσίων ἐπισκόπων δόγματι κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐξενεχθέντι μὴ εἴξαντες, μηδὲ καταδεξάμενοι τῆς οἰκονομίας τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἀποστῆναι, τοσούτων εἰς τὴν τῆς καθαιρέσεως αὐτῶν γνώμην συμφωνησάντων· διότι, φασίν, οὐκ ἦσαν Πνεύματος ἁγίου μέτοχοι, οὐδὲ Θεοῦ χάριτι τὰς ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομοῦντες, ἀλλʼ ἀνθρωπίνῃ δυναστείᾳ καὶ ἐπιθυμίᾳ δόξης κενῆς τὰ προστασίας ἁρπάσαντες· οὗτοι νῦν τοὺς παρʼ ἐκείνων χειροτονηθέντας ὡς ἐπισκόπους δέχονται. οὓς ἐρώτησον ἀντʼ ἐμοῦ, εἰ καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πάντων καταφρονοῦσιν, ὡς οὔτʼ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐχόντων, οὔτʼ ὦτα, οὔτε καρδίαν αἰσθητικήν, ὅσον γοῦν δύνασθαι συνιδεῖν τῶν γενομένων τὸ ἀνακόλουθον, ἐν τῇ ἑαυτῶν καρδίᾳ τίνα διάνοιαν ἔχουσι; πῶς δύνανται δύο εἶναι ἐπίσκοποι, ὅ τε καθῃρημένος ὑπὸ Εὐιππίου, καὶ ὁ παρʼ αὐτοῦ κεχειροτονημένος; τῆς γὰρ αὐτῆς χειρὸς ἔργον ἀμφότερα. ὃς εἰ μὴ εἶχε τὴν δεδομένην τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ χάριν, κατασκάπτειν καὶ ἀνοικοδομεῖν, ἐκριζοῦν καὶ καταφυτεύειν, οὔτʼ ἂν ἐξερρίζωσε τοῦτον, οὔτʼ ἂν ἐκεῖνον ἐφύτευσεν. εἰ δὲ τὸ ἕτερον αὐτῷ δίδως, συγχωρήσεις αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ ἕτερον. ἀλλʼ εἷς σκοπός, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ ἑαυτῶν ζητεῖν πανταχοῦ, καὶ φίλον μὲν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν συνεργοῦντα, πολέμιον δὲ κρίνειν, καὶ μηδεμιᾶς κατʼ αὐτοῦ διαβολῆς φείδεσθαι, τὸν ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις αὐτῶν ἀνθιστάμενον. Οἷαι γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ νῦν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομίαι. φρικταὶ μὲν διὰ τὴν τῶν ποιούντων εὐκολίαν, ἐλεειναὶ δὲ διὰ τὴν τῶν πασχόντων ἀναισθησίαν. Εὐιππίου τέκνα καὶ Εὐιππίου ἔκγονα, διὰ πρεσβείας ἀξιοπίστου ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίας μετακληθέντες εἰς τὴν Σεβάστειαν, ἐπιστεύθησαν τὸν λαόν. παρέλαβον τὸ θυσιαστήριον, ζύμη ἐγένοντο τῆς ἐκεῖ ἐκκλησίας. παρʼ ὧν ἡμεῖς μὲν ὡς ὁμοουσιασταὶ διωκόμεθα. Εὐστάθιος δὲ ὁ βαστάσας ἐν τῷ χάρτῃ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης μέχρι Τυάνων τὸ ὁμοούσιον, οὗτος νῦν αὐτοῖς ἀνακέκραται, εἰ καὶ ὅτι παραδεχθῆναι εἰς τὴν πολυπόθητον αὐτῶν κοινωνίαν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη, ἢ φοβηθέντων τὸ πλῆθος τῶν κατʼ αὐτοῦ συμφωνησάντων, ἢ αἰδεσθέντων τὸ ἀξιόπιστον. τίνες γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ συνειλεγμένοι, καὶ πῶς μὲν χειροτονηθεὶς ἕκαστος, ἀπὸ ποίου δὲ τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς βίου ἐπὶ ταύτην παρῆλθε τὴν δυναστείαν νῦν, ἐγὼ μὲν μή ποτε οὕτω σχολάσαιμι, ὥστε τὰς ἐκείνων πράξεις ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι. ἔμαθον γὰρ προσεύχεσθαι· Ὅπως ἂν μὴ λαλήσῃ τὸ στόμα μου τὰ ἔργα τῶν ἀνθρώπων. αὐτὸς δὲ ἐρευνήσας μαθήσῃ· κἄν σε διαφύγῃ, τὸν κριτὴν πάντως οὐ λήσεται. Ὃ μέντοι πέπονθα πάθος οὐ παραιτήσομαι καὶ πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐξειπεῖν ἀγάπην, ὅτι πέρυσιν, ἀσθενήσας πυρετῷ λαβροτάτῳ, καὶ ἐγγίσας μέχρις αὐτῶν τῶν πυλῶν τοῦ θανάτου, εἶτα ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἀνακληθείς, δυσχερῶς εἶχον πρὸς τὴν ἐπάνοδον, λογιζόμενος εἰς οἷα πάλιν ἔρχομαι κακά· καὶ κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἐσκόπουν, τί ποτε ἄρα ἐστὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ βάθεῖ τῆς σοφίας ἀποκείμενον τοῦ Θεοῦ, δι’ ὃ ἐμοὶ πάλιν τῆς ἐν σαρκὶ ζωῆς ἡμέραι συνεχωρήθησαν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνων ταῦτα, ἐλογισάμην, ὅτι ἐβουλήθη ἡμᾶς ὁ Κύριος ἰδεῖν παυσαμένας τοῦ σάλου τὰς ἐκκλησίας, ὃν ἔπαθον πρὸ τούτου ἐπὶ τῷ χωρισμῷ τῶν διὰ τὴν περιπεπλασμένην αὐτοῖς σεμνότητα πάντα πιστευομένων. ἢ καὶ τάχα τονῶσαί μου τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ νηπτικωτέραν πρός γε τὸ ἐφεξῆς καταστῆσαι ὁ Κύριος ἐβουλήθη, ὡς μὴ προσέχειν ἀνθρώποις, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἐντολῶν καταρτίζεσθαι, αἳ οὔτε καιροῖς οὔτε περιστάσεσιν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων συμμεταβάλλονται, ἀλλʼ αἱ αὐταὶ διαμένουσιν, ὡς προηνέχθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ ἀψευδοῦς καὶ μακαρίου στόματος, οὕτω διαιωνίζουσαι. Ἄνθρωποι δὲ ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐοίκασι, πρὸς τὰς τῶν πνευμάτων μεταβολὰς ἄλλοτε κατʼ ἄλλο μέρος τοῦ ἀέρος ἐμφερομέναις. καὶ μάλιστα δὴ οὗτοι, περὶ ὧν ὁ λόγος, πολυτροπώτατοι τῶν εἰς ἡμετέραν πεῖραν ἡκόντων ἐφάνησαν. εἰ μὲν καὶ εἰς τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα εἴποιεν ἂν οἱ συμβεβιωκότες, ὃ δʼ οὖν ἐμοὶ ἐφάνη, τὸ περὶ τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εὐμετάθετον, οὐκ οἶδα μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ἐν ἄλλοις οὔτε αὐτὸς ἱστορήσας οὔτε ἀκούσας ἑτέρων. Ἀρείῳ κατηκολούθουν τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς· μετέθεντο πρὸς Ἑρμογένην, τὸν κατὰ διάμετρον ἐχθρὸν ὄντα τῆς Ἀρείου κακοδοξίας, ὡς δηλοῖ αὐτὴ ἡ πίστις ἡ κατὰ Νίκαιαν παρʼ ἐκείνου τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐκφωνηθεῖσα ἐξ ἀρχῆς. ἐκοιμήθη Ἑρμογένης, καὶ πάλιν μετέστησαν πρὸς Εὐσέβιον, ἄνδρα κορυφαῖον τοῦ κατὰ Ἄρειον κύκλου, ὡς οἱ πειραθέντες φασίν. ἐκεῖθεν ἐκπεσόντες δι’ ἃς δήποτε αἰτίας, πάλιν ἀνέδραμον εἰς τὴν πατρίδα, καὶ πάλιν τὸ Ἀρειανὸν ὑπέκρυπτον φρόνημα. παρελθόντες εἰς τὴν ἐπισκοπήν, ἵνα τὰ ἐν μέσῳ παραλίπω, ὅσας ἐξέθεντο πίστεις. ἐπʼ Ἀγκύρας ἄλλην, ἑτέραν ἐν Σελευκείᾳ, ἑτέραν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, τὴν πολυθρύλλητον, ἐν Λαμψάκῳ ἑτέραν, μετὰ ταῦτα τὴν ἐν Νίκῃ τῆς Θράκης, νῦν πάλιν τὴν ἐν Κυζίκῳ· ἧς τὰ μὲν ἄλλα οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι, τοσοῦτον δὲ ἀκούω, ὅτι τὸ ὁμοούσιον κατασιγάσαντες, τὸ κατʼ οὐσίαν ὅμοιον νῦν ἐπιφέρουσι, καὶ τὰς εἰς Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον βλασφημίας μετʼ Εὐνομίου συγγράφουσι. τούτων δὲ τῶν πίστεων ἃς ἀπηριθμησάμην, εἰ καὶ μὴ πᾶσαι πρὸς ἀλλήλας ἔχουσιν ἐναντίως, ἀλλʼ οὖν τὸ εὐμετάβολον τοῦ τρόπου ὁμοίως συνιστῶσι, διὰ τὸ μηδέποτε αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἑστάναι ῥημάτων. ταῦτά ἐστιν ἀληθῆ, μυρίων ἑτέρων ἀποσιωπηθέντων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς διέβησαν νῦν, ἀξιοῦμεν ἀντιγράψαι διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ἀνδρὸς (λέγω δὲ τοῦ συμπρεσβυτέρου ἡμῶν Στρατηγίου), εἴτε ὁ αὐτὸς διέμεινας πρὸς ἡμᾶς, εἴτε καὶ ἠλλοιώθης ἀπὸ τῆς συντυχίας. οὔτε γὰρ ἐκείνους εἰκὸς ἦν σιωπῆσαι, οὔτε αὐτὸν σέ, τὸν ἡμῖν τοιαῦτα γράψαντα, μὴ οὐχὶ καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνους τῇ παρρησίᾳ χρήσασθαι. εἰ μὲν οὖν μένοις ἐν τῇ πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίᾳ τοῦτο ἄριστον καὶ εὐχῆς τῆς ἀνωτάτω ἄξιον· εἰ δέ σε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς μετέθηκαν, λυπηρὸν μέν. πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἀδελφοῦ τοιούτου χωρισμός; πλὴν εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἄλλο, τὸ γοῦν φέρειν τὰς τοιαύτας ζημίας παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων ἱκανῶς ἐγυμνάσθημεν.