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

Life at Cæsarea; Baptism; and Adoption of Monastic Life.of sustaining the fatigue of long journeys, and a life prolonged beyond the Council of Constantinople,would or would not have left a larger mark upon the history of the Church.There can be no doubt, that in Basil’s personal conflict with the decadent empire representedby Valens, his own cause was strengthened by his obvious superiority to the hopes and fearsof vulgar ambitions. He ate no more than was actually necessary for daily sustenance, andhis fare was of the poorest. Even when he was archbishop, no flesh meat was dressed in hiskitchens. 77 His wardrobe consisted of one under and one over garment. By night he worehaircloth; not by day, lest he should seem ostentatious. He treated his body, says hisbrother, with a possible reference to St. Paul, 78 as an angry owner treats a runaway slave. 79A consistent celibate, he was yet almost morbidly conscious of his unchastity, mindful ofthe Lord’s words as to the adultery of the impure thought. 80 St. Basil relates in strong termshis admiration for the ascetic character of Eustathius of Sebaste, 81 and at this time wasclosely associated with him. Indeed, Eustathius was probably the first to introduce themonastic system into Pontus, his part in the work being comparatively ignored in later dayswhen his tergiversation had brought him into disrepute. Thus the credit of introducingmonasticism into Asia Minor was given to Basil alone. 82 A novel feature of this monasticismwas the Cœnobium, 83 for hitherto ascetics had lived in absolute solitude, or in groups ofonly two or three. 84 Thus it was partly relieved from the discredit of selfish isolation andunprofitable idleness. 85The example set by Basil and his companions spread. Companies of hard-working asceticsof both sexes were established in every part of Pontus, every one of them an activecentre for the preaching of the Nicene doctrines, and their defence against Arian oppositionand misconstruction. 86 Probably about this time, in conjunction with his friend Gregory,Basil compiled the collection of the beauties of Origen which was entitled Philocalia. Origen’sauthority stood high, and both of the main divisions of Christian thought, the Nicene andthe Arian, endeavoured to support their respective views from his writings. Basil and Gregoryxviii77 Ep. xli.78 1 Cor. ix. 27.79 Greg. Nyss., In Bas. 314 c.80 Cassian, Inst. vi. 19.81 Ep. ccxxiii. § 3.82 cf. Tillemont ix. passim, Walch iii. 552, Schröckh xiii. 25, quoted by Robertson, i. 366.83 κοινόβιον.84 Maran, Vit. Bas. vi.85 cf. Bas., Reg. Fus. Resp. vii., quoted by Robertson, i. 366. His rule has been compared to that of St. Benedict.D.C.B. i. 284. On the life in the Retreat, cf. Epp. ii. and ccvii.86 Soz. vi. 17.19