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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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To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.Letter CXCVIII. 2690After the letter conveyed to me by the officiales 2691 I have received one other despatchedto me later. I have not sent many myself, for I have not found any one travelling in yourdirection. But I have sent more than the four, among which also were those conveyed tome from Samosata after the first epistle of your holiness. These I have sealed <strong>and</strong> sent toour honourable brother Leontius, peræquator of Nicæa, urging that by his agency they maybe delivered to the steward of the household of our honourable brother Sophronius, thathe may see to their transmission to you. As my letters are going through many h<strong>and</strong>s, it islikely enough that because one man is very busy or very careless, your reverence may neverget them. Pardon me, then, I beseech you, if my letters are few. With your usual intelligenceyou have properly found fault with me for not sending, as I ought, a courier of my ownwhen there was occasion for doing so; but you must underst<strong>and</strong> that we have had a winterof such severity that all the roads were blocked till Easter, <strong>and</strong> I had no one disposed to bravethe difficulties of the journey. For although our clergy do seem very numerous, they aremen inexperienced in travelling because they never traffic, <strong>and</strong> prefer not to live far awayfrom home, the majority of them plying sedentary crafts, whereby they get their daily bread.The brother whom I have now sent to your reverence I have summoned from the country,<strong>and</strong> employed in the conveyance of my letter to your holiness, that he may both give youclear intelligence as to me <strong>and</strong> my affairs, <strong>and</strong>, moreover, by God’s grace, bring me backplain <strong>and</strong> prompt information about you <strong>and</strong> yours. Our dear brother Eusebius the readerhas for some time been anxious to hasten to your holiness, but I have kept him here for theweather to improve. Even now I am under no little anxiety lest his inexperience in travellingmay cause him trouble, <strong>and</strong> bring on some illness; for he is not robust.2. I need say nothing to you by letter about the innovations of the East, for the brotherscan themselves give you accurate information. You must know, my honoured friend, that,when I was writing these words, I was so ill that I had lost all hope of life. It is impossiblefor me to enumerate all my painful symptoms, my weakness, the violence of my attacks offever, <strong>and</strong> my bad health in general. One point only may be selected. I have now completedthe time of my sojourn in this miserable <strong>and</strong> painful life.2362690 Placed in 375.2691 Clergy engaged in crafts.677

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