Letter 282: You blame me for not inviting you; and, when invited, you do not attend. That your former excuse was an empty one is clear from your conduct on the second occasion. For had you been invited before, in all probability you would never have come.

You blame me for not inviting you. Then, when invited, you do not come. Your first excuse was clearly hollow, as your behavior on the second occasion proves. For if you had actually been invited before, in all probability you would never have come then either. Do not act so rashly again. Obey this present invitation. You should know that repeating such behavior strengthens an indictment, and a second offense lends credibility to a previous accusation. I urge you always to bear with me. But even if you cannot do that, at least you ought not to neglect the Martyrs, to whose commemoration you are now invited. Render your service to both of us -- or if you will not consent to that, at least to the more worthy.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To a bishop. You blame me for not inviting you; and, when invited, you do not attend. That your former excuse was an empty one is clear from your conduct on the second occasion. For had you been invited before, in all probability you would never have come. Act not again unadvisedly, but obey this present invitation; since you know that its repetition strengthens an indictment, and that a second lends credibility to a previous accusation. I exhort you always to bear with me; or even if you cannot, at any rate it is your duty not to neglect the Martyrs, to join in whose commemoration you are invited. Render therefore your service to us both; or if you will not consent to this, at any rate to the more worthy.

[Πρός: Πρὸς ἐπίσκοπον] Μὴ καλούμενος ἐγκαλεῖς, καὶ καλούμενος οὐχ ὑπακούεις. ἐκ δὲ τῶν δευτέρων δῆλος εἶ καὶ τῇ προτέρᾳ σκέψει μάτην χρησάμενος. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἧκες, ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων, οὐδὲ τότε κληθείς. ἐπάκουσον οὖν καλοῦσι νῦν, καὶ μὴν γένῃ πάλιν ἀγνώμων, εἰδὼς ὡς ἐγκλήματι προστιθέμενον ἔγκλημα βεβαιοῖ καὶ πιστοτέραν ἐργάζεται τοῦ προτέρου τὴν κατηγορίαν τὸ δεύτερον. ἀεὶ δέ σε καὶ ἡμῶν ἀνέχεσθαι παρακαλῶ, εἰ δὲ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀνέχῃ, ἀλλʼ οὐ τῶν μαρτύρων ἀμελῆσαι δίκαιον, ὧν ταῖς μνείαις κοινωνήσων καλῇ. δὸς οὖν πρῶτον μὲν ἀμφοτέροις, εἰ δὲ τοῦτο σοι μὴ δοκεῖ, τοῖς γοῦν τιμιωτέροις, τὴν χάριν.