Letter 274: That my friendship and affection for the very reverend brother Hera began when I was quite a boy, and has, by God's grace, continued up to my old age, no one knows better than yourself. For the Lord granted me the affection of your excellency at about the same time that He allowed me to become acquainted with Hera. He now needs your patronage, a...

My friendship and affection for the reverend brother Hera began when I was a boy and has, by God's grace, continued into my old age -- as no one knows better than you, since the Lord granted me your friendship at about the same time He brought Hera into my life. He now needs your patronage, and I beg you earnestly, for the sake of our long friendship and the necessity that now presses upon us: make his cause your own. Let him need no other protector, so that he may return to me having accomplished everything he is praying for. To the many kindnesses I have already received from you, I would then be able to add one more -- and I could not ask for a favor more important to me or more closely touching my own interests.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Himerius, the master. That my friendship and affection for the very reverend brother Hera began when I was quite a boy, and has, by God's grace, continued up to my old age, no one knows better than yourself. For the Lord granted me the affection of your excellency at about the same time that He allowed me to become acquainted with Hera. He now needs your patronage, and I therefore beseech and supplicate you to do a favour for the sake of our old affection, and to heed the necessity under which we now lie. I beg you to make his cause your own, that he may need no other protection, but may return to me, successful in all that he is praying for. Then to the many kindnesses which I have received at your hands I shall be able to add yet this one more. I could not claim any favour more important to myself, or one more nearly touching my own interests.

[Πρός: Ἱμερίῳ μαγίστρῳ] Ἡ πρὸς τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον ἀδελφὸν Ἥραν φιλία μοι καὶ συνήθεια, ὅτι ἐκ πάνυ παιδὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔλαβε, καὶ μέχρι γήρως συμπαρέμεινε τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι, παντὸς ἄμεινον καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπίστασαι. σχεδὸν γὰρ καὶ τὴν τῆς σῆς μεγαλοφυίας ἀγάπην ἐξ ἐκείνου ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος ἐχαρίσατο, ἐξ ὅτου καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἡμῖν γνῶσιν προεξένησεν. ἐπεὶ οὖν δεῖται τῆς παρὰ σοῦ προστασίας, παρακαλῶ σε καὶ καθικετεύω, τῇ τε ἀρχαίᾳ περὶ ἡμᾶς διαθέσει χαριζόμενον καὶ τῇ νῦν κατασχούσῃ ἀνάγκῃ προσχόντα, οὕτως οἰκειώσασθαι τὰ κατʼ αὐτὸν πράγματα, ὥστε μηδεμιᾶς αὐτὸν ἑτέρας προστασίας δεηθῆναι, ἀλλʼ ἐπανελθεῖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς πάντα καταπραξάμενον τὰ κατʼ εὐχάς· ὥστε ταῖς πολλαῖς αἷς πεπόνθαμεν παρὰ σοῦ εὐεργεσίαις καὶ ταύτην ἡμᾶς ἔχειν συναριθμεῖν, ἧς οὐκ ἂν μείζονα ἑαυτοῖς, οὐδὲ μᾶλλον ἡμῖν διαφέρουσαν εὑρίσκοντες οἰκειούμεθα.