E00774: Basil of Caesarea, in his Letter 282 of the 370s to a fellow bishop, reproaches him for not attending a martyr’s festival in Kaisareia/Caesarea of Cappadocia (central Asia Minor), despite having been invited. Written in Greek at Kaisareia.
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posted on 2015-10-13, 00:00 authored by erizosBasil of Caesarea, Letters (CPG 2900), Letter 282
ΠΡΟΣ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΝ
Μὴ καλούμενος ἐγκαλεῖς καὶ καλούμενος οὐχ ὑπακούεις. Ἐκ δὲ τῶν δευτέρων δῆλος εἶ καὶ τῇ προτέρᾳ σκήψει μάτην χρησάμενος. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἧκες, ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων, οὐδὲ τότε κληθείς. Ἐπάκουσον οὖν καλοῦσι νῦν καὶ μὴ 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, ἀλλ’ οὐ τῶν μαρτύρων ἀμελῆσαι δίκαιον, ὧν ταῖς μνείαις κοινωνήσων καλῇ. Δὸς οὖν πρῶτον μὲν ἀμφοτέροις, εἰ δὲ τοῦτό σοι μὴ δοκεῖ, τοῖς γοῦν τιμιωτέροις τὴν χάριν.
'To a Bishop
When you are not invited, you complain, but, when invited, you do not give heed. Yet from your behaviour in the latter case, it is clear that you employed an empty excuse also on the first occasion. For you would not have come then either, as it seems, if you had been invited. Give heed, therefore, to those who now invite you, and do not again be unreasonable, remembering that, when a charge is added to a charge, the second confirms and makes more credible the accusation contained in the first. And I urge you always to bear with us, but, if you do not bear with us, at any rate, it is not right to neglect the martyrs, in whose commemoration you are invited to join. Therefore grant the favour to both, but, if it does not please you, at least to those held in the higher honour.'
Text: Courtonne, vol. 3 (1966), 154.
Translation: Deferrari, vol. 4, p. 168-171 (modified).
ΠΡΟΣ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΝ
Μὴ καλούμενος ἐγκαλεῖς καὶ καλούμενος οὐχ ὑπακούεις. Ἐκ δὲ τῶν δευτέρων δῆλος εἶ καὶ τῇ προτέρᾳ σκήψει μάτην χρησάμενος. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἧκες, ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων, οὐδὲ τότε κληθείς. Ἐπάκουσον οὖν καλοῦσι νῦν καὶ μὴ 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, ἀλλ’ οὐ τῶν μαρτύρων ἀμελῆσαι δίκαιον, ὧν ταῖς μνείαις κοινωνήσων καλῇ. Δὸς οὖν πρῶτον μὲν ἀμφοτέροις, εἰ δὲ τοῦτό σοι μὴ δοκεῖ, τοῖς γοῦν τιμιωτέροις τὴν χάριν.
'To a Bishop
When you are not invited, you complain, but, when invited, you do not give heed. Yet from your behaviour in the latter case, it is clear that you employed an empty excuse also on the first occasion. For you would not have come then either, as it seems, if you had been invited. Give heed, therefore, to those who now invite you, and do not again be unreasonable, remembering that, when a charge is added to a charge, the second confirms and makes more credible the accusation contained in the first. And I urge you always to bear with us, but, if you do not bear with us, at any rate, it is not right to neglect the martyrs, in whose commemoration you are invited to join. Therefore grant the favour to both, but, if it does not please you, at least to those held in the higher honour.'
Text: Courtonne, vol. 3 (1966), 154.
Translation: Deferrari, vol. 4, p. 168-171 (modified).
History
Evidence ID
E00774Saint Name
Anonymous martyrs : S00060Related Saint Records
Type of Evidence
Literary - LettersLanguage
- Greek
Evidence not before
370Evidence not after
379Activity not before
370Activity not after
379Place of Evidence - Region
Asia MinorPlace of Evidence - City, village, etc
Kaisareia/Caesarea in CappadociaPlace of evidence - City name in other Language(s)
Kaisareia/Caesarea in Cappadocia Nicomedia Νικομήδεια Nikomēdeia Izmit Πραίνετος Prainetos NicomediaMajor author/Major anonymous work
Basil of CaesareaCult activities - Festivals
- Saint’s feast
