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NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

NPNF2-08. Basil: Letters and Select Works - Holy Bible Institute

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Education.At Annesi his mother Emmelia erected a chapel in honour of the Forty Martyrs of Sebasteto which their relics were translated. It is possible that <strong>Basil</strong> was present at the dedicationservices, lasting all night long, which are related to have sent his brother Gregory to sleep. 26Here, then, <strong>Basil</strong> was taught the rudiments of religion by his gr<strong>and</strong>mother, 27 <strong>and</strong> by hisfather, 28 in accordance with the teaching of the great Gregory the Wonder-worker. 29 Herehe learned the Catholic faith.At an early age he seems to have been sent to school at Cæsarea, 30 <strong>and</strong> there to haveformed the acquaintance of an Eusebius, otherwise unknown, 31 Hesychius, 32 <strong>and</strong> Gregoryof Nazianzus, 33 <strong>and</strong> to have conceived a boyish admiration for Dianius the archbishop. 34From Cæsarea <strong>Basil</strong> went to Constantinople, <strong>and</strong> there studied rhetoric <strong>and</strong> philosophywith success. Socrates 35 <strong>and</strong> Sozomen 36 say that he worked at Antioch under Libanius. Itmay be that both these writers have confounded <strong>Basil</strong> of Cæsarea with the <strong>Basil</strong> to whomChrysostom dedicated his De Sacerdotio, <strong>and</strong> who was perhaps the bishop of Raphanea,who signed the creed of Constantinople. 37xvto the district of Neocæsarea is doubtless only comparative. <strong>Basil</strong>’s usual residence was at Cæsarea. Moreover,as Ibora has now been placed, its territory probably touched that of Neocæsarea.” Hist. Geog. of A.M. p. 328.26 Greg. Nyss., Orat. in xl. Mart.27 Greg. Naz., Or. xliii.28 Ep. ccxxiii.29 See Ep. cciv. <strong>and</strong> note on p. 250.30 i.e. the Cappadocian Cæsarea. The theory of Tillemont that Cæsarea of Palestine was the scene of <strong>Basil</strong>’searly school life seems hardly to deserve the careful refutation of Maran (Vit. Bas. i. 5). cf. Ep. xlv. p. 148, <strong>and</strong>p. 145, n. cf. also note on p. 141 on a possible intercourse between the boy <strong>Basil</strong> <strong>and</strong> the young princes Gallus<strong>and</strong> Julian in their seclusion at Macellum. The park <strong>and</strong> palace of Macellum (Amm. Marc. “fundus”) was nearMt. Argæus (Soz. v. 2) <strong>and</strong> close to Cæsarea. If <strong>Basil</strong> <strong>and</strong> Julian did ever study the <strong>Bible</strong> together, it seems moreprobably that they should do so at Macellum, while the prince was still being educated as a Christian, than afterwardsat Athens, when the residence at Nicomedia has resulted in the apostasy. cf. Maran, Vit. Bas. ii. 4.31 Ep. cclxxi.32 Ep. lxiv.33 Greg. Naz. Or. xliii.34 Ep. li.35 Ecc. Hist. iv. 26.36 Ecc. Hist. vi. 17.37 Maran, Vit. Bas. ii., Fabricius, Ed. Harles. vol. ix.12

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