Letter 278: I desired, when in Orphanene, to see your excellency; I had also hoped that while you were living at Corsagæna, there would have been nothing to hinder your coming to me at a synod which I had expected to hold at Attagæna; since, however, I failed to hold it, my desire was to see you in the hill-country; for here again Evesus, being in that ne...

When I was in Orphanene [a district in Cappadocia], I longed to see your Nobility. For I expected that, since you were residing at Corsagena, you would not hesitate to cross over to us while we were holding the synod [a regional church council] at Attagena. But when I missed that synod, I longed to see you in the hill country, for Evesus, being nearby, heightened the hope of our meeting. When I was disappointed on both occasions, I resorted to writing, so that you might deign to come to me — at once doing what is fitting, a younger man visiting an elder, and at the same time receiving through our meeting some counsel from us, since you have dealings with certain people in Caesarea that require our mediation for their resolution. If, then, this is not burdensome, do not hesitate to come to us.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Valerianus. I desired, when in Orphanene, to see your excellency; I had also hoped that while you were living at Corsagæna, there would have been nothing to hinder your coming to me at a synod which I had expected to hold at Attagæna; since, however, I failed to hold it, my desire was to see you in the hill-country; for here again Evesus, being in that neighbourhood, held out hopes of our meeting. But since I have been disappointed on both occasions, I determined to write and beg that you would deign to visit me; for I think it is but right and proper that the young man should come to the old. Furthermore, at our meeting, I would make you a tender of my advice, touching your negotiations with certain at Cæsarea: a right conclusion of the matter calls for my intervention. If agreeable then, do not be backward in coming to me.

[Πρός: Οὐαλεριανῷ] Ἐγὼ τὴν εὐγένειάν σου καὶ κατὰ τὴν Ὀρφανήνην γενόμενος ἐπεθύμουν ἰδεῖν. προσεδόκων γάρ σε ἐν Κορσαγαίνοις διάγοντα μὴ ὀκνήσειν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαβῆναι ἐν Ἀτταγαίνοις τελοῦντας τὴν σύνοδον. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐκείνης διήμαρτον τῆς συνόδου, ἐπεθύμουν ἰδεῖν ἐν τῷ ὄρει. πάλιν γὰρ ἐκεῖ ἡ Εὔησος, πλησίον οὖσα, τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς συντυχίας ἐπέτεινεν. ὡς δὲ ἀμφοτέρων διήμαρτον, ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν, ἵνα καταξιώσῃς με καταλαβεῖν, ὁμοῦ μὲν τὸ εἰκὸς ποιῶν, νέος φοιτῶν παρὰ γέροντι, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ διὰ τῆς συντυχίας δεχόμενός τινα παρʼ ἡμῶν συμβουλήν, διὰ τὸ εἶναί σοι πράγματα πρός τινας τῶν ἐν Καισαρείᾳ, τὰ δεόμενα τῆς ἡμετέρας μεσιτείας πρὸς τὴν διόρθωσιν. ἐὰν οὖν ἀνεπαχθὲς ᾖ, μὴ κατοκνήσῃς ἡμᾶς καταλαβεῖν.