Letter 345: It is, I think, more needful for me to defend myself for not having begun to write to you long ago, than to offer any excuse for beginning now. I am that same man who always used to run up whenever you put in an appearance, and who listened with the greatest delight to the stream of your eloquence; rejoicing to hear you; with difficulty tearing ...

[From Libanius to Basil] I think it is more necessary for me to defend myself for not having written to you long ago than to apologize for starting now. I am the same man who always used to rush over whenever you appeared, who listened with the greatest delight to the stream of your eloquence -- rejoicing to hear you, struggling to tear myself away, telling my friends: "This man is superior even to the daughters of Achelous [the Sirens], because like them he enchants, but unlike them he does no harm. Indeed, his words are a positive benefit to the listener." That I should feel this way, should believe myself to be held in your affection, should be capable of eloquence myself, and yet should not venture to write -- this is the mark of a man guilty of extreme laziness and at the same time inflicting punishment on himself. For clearly you will repay my poor little letter with a magnificent one, and will take care not to wrong me again. At this, I imagine, many will cry: "What! Basil has done wrong -- even a small wrong? Then so have Aeacus and Minos and his brother!" In all other respects I admit you have excelled. Who has met you and not envied you? But in one thing you have wronged me. And if I remind you of it, persuade those who are outraged not to make a public scene. No one has ever come to you and asked a favor which it was easy for you to grant, without receiving it. And yet you failed to grant me the one thing I most wanted: a letter. Until now.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA Libanius to Basil. It is, I think, more needful for me to defend myself for not having begun to write to you long ago, than to offer any excuse for beginning now. I am that same man who always used to run up whenever you put in an appearance, and who listened with the greatest delight to the stream of your eloquence; rejoicing to hear you; with difficulty tearing myself away; saying to my friends, This man is thus far superior to the daughters of Achelous, in that, like them, he soothes, but he does not hurt as they do. Truly it is no great thing not to hurt; but this man's songs are a positive gain to the hearer. That I should be in this state of mind, should think that I am regarded with affection, and should seem able to speak, and yet should not venture to write, is the mark of a man guilty of extreme idleness, and, at the same time, inflicting punishment on himself. For it is clear that you will requite my poor little letter with a fine large one, and will take care not to wrong me again. At this word, I fancy, many will cry out, and will crowd round with the shout, What! Has Basil done any wrong — even a small wrong? Then so have Œacus, and Minos and his brother. In other points I admit that you have won. Who ever saw you that does not envy you? But in one thing you have sinned against me; and, if I remind you of it, induce those who are indignant thereat not to make a public outcry. No one has ever come to you and asked a favour which it was easy to give, and gone away unsuccessful. But I am one of those who have craved a boon without receiving it. What then did I ask? Often when I was with you in camp, I was desirous of entering, with the aid of your wisdom, into the depth of Homer's frenzy. If the whole is impossible, I said, do you bring me to a portion of what I want. I was anxious for a part, wherein, when things have gone ill with the Greeks, Agamemnon courts with gifts the man whom he has insulted. When I so spoke, you laughed, because you could not deny that you could if you liked, but were unwilling to give. Do I really seem to be wronged to you and to your friends, who were indignant at my saying that you were doing a wrong? About this page Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202345.htm>. Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is feedback732 at newadvent.org. (To help fight spam, this address might change occasionally.) Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.