Letter 64: Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol.

I've had much in common with you for a long time, Hesychius — your love of learning, which everyone who knows you talks about, and our shared friendship with the excellent Terentius. But recently my dear brother Elpidius came to see me and told me everything about you. No one is better than Elpidius at recognizing good character and describing it well. His account has made me genuinely eager to meet you in person. I hope you'll visit me here at home someday [in Cappadocia, modern central Turkey], so I can experience your good qualities firsthand — not just hear about them.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Hesychius. From the beginning I have had many points in common with your excellency, your love of letters, everywhere reported by all who have experienced it, and our old friendship with the admirable Terentius. But since that most excellent man, who is to me all that friendship could require, my worthy brother Elpidius, has met me, and told me all your good qualities, (and who more capable than he at once to perceive a man's virtue and to describe it?) he has kindled in me such a desire to see you, that I pray that you may one day visit me in my old home, that I may enjoy your good qualities, not merely by hearing of them, but by actual experience.

[Πρός: Ἡσυχίῳ] Ἐμὲ πολλὰ μὲν ἦν καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὰ συνάπτοντά σου τῇ τιμιότητι, ὅ τε περὶ λόγους κοινὸς ἔρως, πολλαχοῦ παρὰ τῶν πεπειραμένων περιφερόμενος, ἥ τε πρὸς τὸν θαυμάσιον ἄνδρα Τερέντιον ἡμῖν ἐκ παλαιοῦ φιλία. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ὁ πάντα ἄριστος, καὶ πάσης ἡμῖν οἰκειότητος ὄνομα ἐκπληρῶν, ὁ αἰδεσιμώτατος ἀδελφὸς Ἐλπίδιος εἰς λόγους ἀφίκετο, καὶ ἕκαστα τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν διηγήσατο (δυνατώτατος δέ, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος, καὶ ἀρετὴν ἀνθρώπου καταμαθεῖν, καὶ παραστῆσαι ταύτην τῷ λόγῳ), τοσοῦτον ἡμῖν τὸν ἐπὶ σοὶ πόθον ἐξέκαυσεν, ὥστε εὔχεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἐπιστῆναί σέ ποτε τῇ παλαιᾷ ἑστίᾳ ἡμῶν, ἵνα μὴ ἀκοῇ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πείρᾳ τῶν ἐν σοὶ καλῶν ἀπολαύσωμεν.