Letter 94: I too have been very anxious to meet your excellency, lest by my failure to do so I might come off worse than my accusers; but bodily sickness has prevented me, attacking me even more seriously than usual, and so I am perforce reduced to address you by letter. When, not long ago, most excellent sir, I had the pleasure of meeting your excellency,...

To Elias, Governor of the Province I've been eager to meet with you in person, so my accusers don't get to tell their side without me there to answer. But I've been seriously ill — worse than usual — so a letter will have to do. When we last met, I wanted to discuss both my own situation and the state of the Churches, to cut off any future slander before it starts. But I held back. You're already overwhelmed with responsibilities, and I didn't want to pile on. Honestly, I also didn't want us to get dragged into trading accusations when your soul deserves better — you should be reaping the rewards of genuine devotion to God, not refereeing church politics. If I monopolize your attention, I'll be like a man loading extra cargo onto a boat already struggling through rough seas. I think even the Emperor [Julian, who as a pagan was no friend to Christian bishops] recognized how busy I am and decided to leave me alone to manage the Churches myself. But I'd love for you to ask my critics one simple question: **what actual harm has my work done to the government?** Name one public interest — large or small — that has suffered because of how I run the Churches. The worst they can point to, I suppose, is that I built a magnificent church, along with a residence for the bishop, housing for church staff, and facilities open to you and your officials as well. [This is Basil's famous *Basiliad* — a massive charitable complex outside Caesarea that included a hospital, hospice, and poorhouse, one of the first institutions of its kind.] Is that really a crime? We built a place that welcomes travelers, treats the sick, and provides doctors, nurses, transportation, and escorts for those in need. The people who work there are learning trades essential for a dignified life. The buildings are an honor to the city — and since the city's reputation reflects on its governor, they bring glory to you. Not that you needed any persuading to govern us. Your qualities alone are enough to rebuild what's fallen, repopulate abandoned districts, and turn wastelands into thriving towns. So ask yourself: is it better to harass someone who shares these goals, or to support him? And this isn't just talk — we've already started gathering materials for the next phase of construction. That covers my defense before you as governor. As for answering my accusers' specific charges — what I'd say to you as a fellow Christian and a friend who values my perspective — that's too long for a letter and too sensitive to put in writing. But until we can meet face to face, please don't let anyone's slander erode your goodwill toward me. Do what Alexander the Great did. You remember the story: when someone was being slandered in his presence, he covered one ear with his hand and left the other open. His point was clear — anyone whose job is to judge should keep one ear free for the person who isn't in the room to defend himself.

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To Elias, Governor of the Province. I too have been very anxious to meet your excellency, lest by my failure to do so I might come off worse than my accusers; but bodily sickness has prevented me, attacking me even more seriously than usual, and so I am perforce reduced to address you by letter. When, not long ago, most excellent sir, I had the pleasure of meeting your excellency, I was anxious to communicate with your wisdom about all my affairs; and I was also anxious to address you on behalf of the Churches, that no ground might be left for future calumnies. But I restrained myself, thinking it altogether superfluous and importunate to add troubles outside his own necessary business to a man charged with so many responsibilities. At the same time (for the truth shall be told) I did shrink from being driven to wound your soul by our mutual recriminations, when it ought in pure devotion to God to reap the perfect reward of piety. For really, if I attract your attention to me, I shall leave you but scant leisure for your public duties; shall act something like a man overloading with additional luggage some boatmen managing a new boat in very rough water, when all the while he ought to lessen the cargo and do his best to lighten the craft. For this very reason, I think, our great Emperor, after seeing how fully occupied I am, leaves me to manage the Churches by myself. Now I should like those who are besieging your impartial ears to be asked what harm the government suffers from me? What depreciation is suffered by any public interests, be they small or great, by my administration of the Churches? Still, possibly, it might be urged that I have done damage to the government by erecting a magnificently appointed church to God, and round it a dwelling house, one liberally assigned to the bishop, and others underneath, allotted to the officers of the Church in order, the use of both being open to you of the magistracy and your escort. But to whom do we do any harm by building a place of entertainment for strangers, both for those who are on a journey and for those who require medical treatment on account of sickness, and so establishing a means of giving these men the comfort they want, physicians, doctors, means of conveyance, and escort? All these men must learn such occupations as are necessary to life and have been found essential to a respectable career; they must also have buildings suitable for their employments, all of which are an honour to the place, and, as their reputation is credited to our governor, confer glory on him. Not indeed that for this reason you were unwillingly induced to accept the responsibility of ruling us, for you alone are sufficient by your high qualities to restore our ruins, to people deserted districts and turn wildernesses into towns. Would it be better to harrass and annoy, or to honour and reverence an associate in the discharge of these duties? Do not think, most excellent sir, that what I say is mere words. We have already, in the meanwhile, begun providing material. So much for our defense, before our ruler. As to what is to be said in answer to the charges of our accusers, to a Christian and to a friend who cares for my opinion, I must now say no more; the subject is too long for a letter, and cannot, besides, be safely committed to writing. But lest, before we have an opportunity of meeting, you are driven by the inducement of some men's calumnies to give up any of your good will towards me, do as Alexander did. The story is, as you remember, that, when one of his friends was being calumniated, he left one ear open to the slanderer, and carefully closed the other with his hand, with the object of showing that he whose duty is to judge ought not to be easily and wholly given over to the first occupants of his attention, but should keep half his hearing open for the defense of the absent.

[Πρός: Ἡλίᾳ ἄρχοντι τῆς ἐπαρχίας] Ὥρμησα μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς καταλαβεῖν σου τὴν τιμιότητα, ὡς ἂν μὴ τῇ ἀπολείψει ἔλαττόν τι ἔχοιμι τῶν διαβαλλόντων· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἀρρωστία τοῦ σώματος διεκώλυσε, σφοδρότερον πολλῷ τῆς συνηθείας ἐπιθεμένη, ἀναγκαίως ἦλθον ἐπὶ τὸ γράμμα. ἐγὼ τοίνυν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, συντυχὼν πρώην τῇ τιμιότητί σου, ὥρμησα μὲν καὶ περὶ πάντων τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον μου πραγμάτων ἀνακοινώσασθαί σου τῇ φρονήσει, ὥρμησα δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἕνεκα ποιήσασθαί τινα λόγον, ὡς ἂν μὴ ταῖς μετὰ ταῦτα διαβολαῖς χώρα τις ὑπολείποιτο. ἀλλʼ ἐπέσχον ἐμαυτόν, λογιζόμενος περίεργον εἶναι παντελῶς, καὶ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου φιλότιμον, ἀνδρὶ τοσοῦτον πλῆθος πραγμάτων ἐξηρτημένῳ ἔτι καὶ τὰς ἔξω τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐπιβάλλειν φροντίδας. ὁμοῦ τε, εἰρήσεται γὰρ τἀληθές, καὶ ἄλλως ὤκνησα μήποτε εἰς ἀνάγκην ἔλθωμεν ταῖς κατʼ ἀλλήλων ἀντιλογίαις τρῶσαι τὴν ψυχήν σου, ὀφείλουσαν ἐν τῇ καθαρᾷ περὶ τὸν Θεὸν εὐλαβείᾳ τέλειον τὸν μισθὸν τῆς θεοσεβείας καρποῦσθαι. τῷ ὄντι γάρ, ἐάν σε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιστρέψωμεν ἡμεῖς, ὀλίγην σοι σχολὴν πρὸς τὰ δημόσια καταλείψομεν, καὶ παραπλήσιον ποιήσομεν, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις κυβερνήτην, νεοπαγῆ ναῦν ἐν μεγάλῳ κλύδωνι διευθύνοντα, τῇ προσθήκῃ τοῦ φόρτου καταβαρύνοι, δέον ἀφαιρεῖν τι τῶν ἀγωγίμων καὶ συνεπικουφίζειν ὡς δυνατόν. ὅθεν μοι δοκεῖ καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ μέγας, τὴν πολυπραγμοσύνην ἡμῶν ταύτην καταμαθών, ἐᾶσαι ἡμᾶς ἐφʼ ἑαυτῶν τὰς ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομεῖν. Τοὺς μέντοι ταῖς ἀδόλοις ἀκοαῖς σου παρενοχλοῦντας ἐρωτηθῆναι βούλομαι, τί χεῖρον ἔχει τὰ δημόσια παρʼ ἡμᾶς; ἢ τί μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον τῶν κοινῶν ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας περὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομίας ἠλάττωται; πλὴν εἰ μή τις λέγοι βλάβην τοῖς πράγμασι φέρειν, οἶκον εὐκτήριον μεγαλοπρεπῶς κατεσκευασμένον ἀναστῆσαι τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν, καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν οἴκησιν, τὴν μὲν ἐλευθέριον ἐξῃρημένην τῷ κορυφαίῳ, τὰς δὲ ὑποβεβηκυίας τοῖς θεραπευταῖς τοῦ θείου διανενεμημένας ἐν τάξει, ὧν ἡ χρῆσις κοινὴ πρός τε ὑμᾶς τοὺς ἄρχοντας καὶ τοὺς παρεπομένους ὑμῖν. τίνα δὲ ἀδικοῦμεν, καταγώγια τοῖς ξένοις οἰκοδομοῦντες, τοῖς τε κατὰ πάροδον ἐπιφοιτῶσι καὶ τοῖς θεραπείας τινὸς διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν δεομένοις, καὶ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τούτοις παραμυθίαν ἐγκαθιστῶντες, τοὺς νοσοκομοῦντας, τοὺς ἰατρεύοντας, τὰ νωτοφόρα, τοὺς παραπέμποντας; τούτοις ἀνάγκη καὶ τέχνας ἕπεσθαι, τάς τε πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀναγκαίας, καὶ ὅσαι πρὸς εὐσχήμονα βίου διαγωγὴν ἐφευρέθησαν· οἴκους πάλιν ἑτέρους ταῖς ἐργασίαις ἐπιτηδείους, ἅπερ πάντα τῷ μὲν τόπῳ κόσμος, τῷ δὲ ἄρχοντι ἡμῶν σεμνολόγημα, ἐπʼ αὐτὸν τῆς εὐφημίας ἐπανιούσης. ὅς γε οὐδὲ τούτου ἕνεκεν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιστασίαν ἡμῶν ἐξεβιάσθης, ὡς μόνος ἐξαρκῶν τῷ μεγέθει τῆς γνώμης τά τε κατερρυηκότα τῶν ἔργων ἀναλαβεῖν, καὶ οἰκίσαι τὰς ἀοικήτους, καὶ ὅλως εἰς πόλεις τὰς ἐρημίας μετασκευάσαι. τὸν οὖν εἰς ταῦτα συνεργοῦντα ἐλαύνειν καὶ ὑβρίζειν, ἢ τιμᾷν καὶ περιέπειν, ἀκολουθότερον ἦν; καὶ μὴ οἰηθῇς, ὦ ἄριστε, λόγον μόνον εἶναι τὰ παρʼ ἡμῶν· ἤδη γάρ ἐσμεν ἐν τῷ ἔργῳ, τὰς ὕλας τέως συμποριζόμενοι. Τὰ μὲν οὖν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἄρχοντος ἀπολογίαν τοιαῦτα. ἃ δὲ δεῖ πρὸς τὰς τῶν φιλαιτίων μέμψεις, ὡς Χριστιανῷ καὶ φίλῳ πεφροντικότι ἡμῶν τῆς ὑπολήψεως ἀποκρίνασθαι, ἀναγκαῖον νῦν ἀποσιωπῆσαι, ὡς καὶ μακρότερα τοῦ μέτρου τῆς ἐπιστολῆς, καὶ ἄλλως οὐκ ἀσφαλῆ γράμμασιν ἀψύχοις καταπιστεύεσθαι. ἵνα δὲ μὴ τὸν πρὸ τῆς συντυχίας χρόνον ταῖς διαβολαῖς τινῶν ὑπαχθείς, ὑφεῖναί τι τῆς περὶ ἡμᾶς εὐνοίας ἀναγκασθῇς, τὸ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου ποίησον. καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνόν φασι, διαβαλλομένου τινὸς τῶν συνήθων, τὴν μὲν ἑτέραν τῶν ἀκοῶν ἀνεῖναι τῷ διαβάλλοντι, τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν ἐπιμελῶς ἐπιφράξασθαι τῇ χειρί, ἐνδεικνύμενον ὅτι δέοι τὸν ὀρθῶς κρίνειν μέλλοντα μὴ ὅλον εὐθὺς τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν ἀπάγεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἥμισυ τῆς ἀκροάσεως ἀκέραιον διασώζειν πρὸς ἀπολογίαν τῷ μὴ παρόντι.