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

Basil to Libanius.Letter CCCXXXIX.Basil to Libanius.What could not a sophist say? And such a sophist! One whose peculiar art is,whenever he likes, to make great things small, and to give greatness to small things! Thisis what you have shewn in my case. That dirty little letter of mine, as, perhaps, you who livein all luxury of eloquence would call it, a letter in no way more tolerable than the one youhold in your hands now, you have so extolled as, forsooth, to be eaten by it, and to beyielding me the prize for composition! You are acting much as fathers do, when they joinin their boys’ games, and let the little fellows be proud of the victories which they have letthem win without any loss to themselves, and with much gain to the children’s emulation.Really and truly the delight your speech must have given, when you were joking about me,must have been indescribable! It is as though some Polydamas 3270 or Milo 3271 were to declinethe pancratium or a wrestling bout with me! 3272 After carefully examining, I havefound no sign of weakness. So those who look for exaggeration are the more astonished atyour being able to descend in sport to my level, than if you had led the barbarian in full sailover Athos. 3273 I, however, my dear sir, am now spending my time with Moses and Elias,and saints like them, who tell me their stories in a barbarous tongue, 3274 and I utter what Ilearnt from them, true, indeed, in sense, though rude in phrase, as what I am writing testifies.If ever I learned anything from you, I have forgotten it in the course of time. But do youcontinue to write to me, and so suggest other topics for correspondence. Your letter willexhibit you, and will not convict me. I have already introduced to you the son of Anysius,as a son of my own. If he is my son, he is the child of his father, poor, and a poor man’sson. What I am saying is well known to one who is wise as well as a sophist. 32753270 A famous athlete of Scotussa. Paus. vi. 5.3271 The athlete of Crotona, who was crowned again and again at the Pythian and Olympian games.3272 ὁ θλίβειν καὶ κατέχειν δυνάμενος, παλαιστικός· ὁ δὲ ὦσαι τῇ πληγῇ, πυστικός· ὁ δὲ ἀμφοτέροις τούτοις,παγκρατιαστικός. Arist., Rhet. i. v. 14.3273 The story that Xerxes had made a canal through the isthmus of Athos was supposed to be an instanceof gross exaggeration. cf. Juv. x. 174: Creditur olim Velificatus Athos et quidquid Græcia mendax Audet in historia,”and Claudian iii. 336: “Remige Medo solicitatus Athos.” But traces of the canal are said to be still visible.3274 This might lead to the idea that Basil knew some Hebrew, but the close of the sentence indicates that hemeans the Greek of the LXX., in which he always quotes Scripture.3275 σοφῷ τε καὶ σοφιστῇ.906