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

To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.Letter CCXXXVII. 30021. I both wrote to your reverence by the vicar of Thrace, and sent other letters by oneof the officers of the treasury of Philippopolis, who was starting from our country intoThrace, and begged him to take them on his departure. But the vicar never received myletter, for while I was visiting my diocese, 3003 he came into town in the evening and startedearly in the morning, so that the church officers did not know of his coming, and the letterremained at my house. The treasurer, too, on account of some unexpected and urgentbusiness, set out without seeing me or taking my letters. No one else could be found; so Iremained, sorry at not being able to write to you and at not receiving any letter from yourreverence. Yet I was wishful, were it possible, to tell you all that happens to me day by day.So many astonishing things happen as to need a daily narrative, and you may be sure thatI would have written one, unless my mind had been diverted from its purpose by the pressureof events.2. The first and greatest of my troubles was the visit of the Vicar. As to whether he isa man really heretically minded I do not know; for I think that he is quite unversed in doctrine,and has not the slightest interest or experience in such things, for I see him day andnight busy, both in body and soul, in other things. But he is certainly a friend of heretics;and he is not more friendly to them than he is ill-disposed to me. He has summoned asynod of wicked men in mid-winter in Galatia. 3004 He has deposed Hypsinus and set upEcdicius in his place. 3005 He has ordered the removal of my brother on the accusation ofone man, and that one quite insignificant. Then, after being occupied for some little timeabout the army, he came to us again breathing rage and slaughter, 3006 and, in one sentence,delivered all the Church of Cæsarea to the Senate. He settled for several days at Sebaste,separating friends from foes, 3007 calling those in communion with me senators, and condemningthem to the public service, while he advanced the adherents of Eustathius. He has3002 Placed in 376.3003 παροικία. cf. p. 163, n.3004 i.e. at Ancyra.3005 i.e.at Parnassus. Parnassus is placed by Ramsay at a ford a few miles higher up the Halys than TchikinAghyl. (Hist Geog. of Asia Minor, p. 255.)3006 cf. Acts ix. 1.3007 φυλοκρινῶν. The word occurs also in the De Sp. S. § 74, and in Letter cciv. § 2. Another reading in thisplace is φιλοκρινῶν, “picking out his friends.”773