Letter 47: (The division of the civil Province of Cappadocia into two Provinces in the year 372 was followed by ecclesiastical troubles. Anthimus, the Bishop of Tyana, the civil metropolis of the new division of Cappadocia Secunda, maintained that the Ecclesiastical divisions must necessarily follow the civil, and by consequence claimed for himself that th...
I hear you're being troubled by this latest innovation — harassed by the same old sophisticated scheming from those in power. I'm not surprised. I was never blind to their envy, or to the fact that many of the people around you are using you to further their own interests, fanning the spark of pettiness.
But I have no fear of seeing you respond to this in any way unworthy of yourself — or of me. On the contrary, I think this is exactly the moment when my Basil will be revealed, when the philosophy you've spent your whole life cultivating will show itself and rise above the abuse like a great wave, and you'll stand unmoved while everyone around you is shaken.
If you think it would help, I'll come in person. Perhaps I can offer some useful counsel — though suggesting the sea needs more water is absurd. But at the very least, I'll benefit from the visit: I'll learn philosophy by sharing in the trouble.
Human translation — New Advent (NPNF / ANF series)
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