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

To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata.To Eusebius, Bishop of Samosata 2164 .Letter XLVIII. 2163I have had considerable difficulty in finding a messenger to convey a letter to your reverence,for our men are so afraid of the winter that they can hardly bear even to put theirheads outside their houses. We have suffered from such a very heavy fall of snow that wehave been buried, houses and all, beneath it, and now for two months have been living indens and caves. You know the Cappadocian character and how hard it is to get us tomove. 2165 Forgive me then for not writing sooner and bringing to the knowledge of yourexcellency the latest news from Antioch. To tell you all this now, when it is probable thatyou learnt it long ago, is stale and uninteresting. But as I do not reckon it any trouble totell you even what you know, I have sent you the letters conveyed by the reader. On thispoint I shall say no more. Constantinople has now for some time had Demophilus, 2166 asthe bearers of this letter will themselves tell you, and as has doubtless been reported to yourholiness. From all who come to us from that city there is unanimously reported about hima certain counterfeit of orthodoxy and sound religion, to such an extent that even the dividedportions of the city have been brought to agreement, and some of the neighbouring bishopshave accepted the reconciliation. Our men here have not turned out better than I expected.They came directly you were gone, 2167 said and did many painful things, and at last wenthome again, after making their separation from me wider. 2168 Whether anything betterwill happen in the future, and whether they will give up their evil ways, is unknown to allbut God. So much for our present condition. The rest of the Church, by God’s grace, stands2163 Placed at the beginning of the episcopate.2164 cf. Letters xxxi., xxxiv.2165 The Cappadocians were of notoriously bad character, and shared with the Cretans and Cilicians thediscredit of illustrating τρία κάππα κάκιστα. cf. note on Theodoret, Ecc. Hist. II. xi. p. 75. It was Phrygians,however, who were specially notorious for cowardice. cf. the proverb: “More cowardly than a Phrygian hare.”cf. Lightfoot, Coloss., etc., p 378 n. But Cappadocia may claim the counter credit of having given birth to threeof the most famous divines, Basil and the two Gregorys.2166 On the death of Eudoxius, in 370, Demophilus was elected by the Arians to fill the vacant see. Eustathius,the deposed bishop of Antioch, ordained Evagrius. Eustathius and Evagrius were both banished by Valens,and their adherents cruelly treated. Soc., Ecc. Hist. iv. 14, 16; Soz., Ecc. Hist. vi. 13, 14, and Philost., Ecc. Hist.ix. 10.2167 After the departure of Eusebius at the close of the visit which he had undertaken, in accordance withthe request of the previous letter, in order to secure Basil’s consecration to the vacant see.2168 On the difficulties thrown in Basil’s way by the bishops who had opposed his election, cf. Letters xcviii.,cxli., and cclxxxii.458