E01044: Gregory of Nazianzus, in his Letter 58 of 372/373, to Basil of Caesarea, mentions a sermon given by Basil during the festival of the martyr *Eupsychios (martyr of Kaisareia, S00470) at Kaisareia/Caesarea of Cappadocia (central Asia Minor). Written in Greek at Nazianzos (also central Asia Minor).

Gregory of Nazianzus, Letters (CPG 3032)

Letter 58, to Basil

Many accuse Basil and Gregory himself of heresy or laxity with regard to the faith. During a recent banquet, a man accused publicly Basil of having betrayed the faith by the things he had said, and Gregory by the things he had tolerated. Gregory reports a part of their dialogue:

(6.) —«Πόθεν τοῦτο, ἔφην, ὦ μάταιε σὺ καὶ νέε Δαθὰν καὶ Ἀβειρὼν τὴν ἀπόνοιαν; Πόθεν ἡμῖν ἥκεις δογματιστής; Πῶς σεαυτὸν ποιεῖς τηλικούτων κριτήν;» —«Ἐκ τῆς κατ’ Εὐψύχιον, ἔφη, συνόδου νῦν ἥκω τὸν μάρτυρα»—καὶ γὰρ εἶχεν οὕτως—«κἀκεῖσε ἤκουσα τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου θεολογοῦντος τὰ μὲν περὶ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ ἄριστά τε καὶ τελεώτατα καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἄν τις ῥᾳδίως ἄλλος, τὸ Πνεῦμα δὲ παρασύροντος» (……)

‘ "Whence have you got that", I said, "You fool, you young Dathan and Abiram in your madness [Numbers 16.1-40; 26.9-11; Psalm 106.17]? Whence have you emerged to be our tutor? How dare you make of yourself a judge on such matters?" "I have just arrived from the festival of the martyr Eupsychios," he said, and indeed so it was, "And there I heard the great Basil teaching about the Father and the Son, in the most perfect and accomplished way, as no one else would have been able to do easily, but sweeping aside the Spirit (……)" ’

Text: Gallay 1964.
Translation: E. Rizos.