Letter 215: I took the earliest opportunity of writing to the most admirable Count Terentius, thinking it better to write to him on the subject in hand by means of strangers, and being anxious that our very dear brother Acacius shall not be inconvenienced by any delay. I have therefore given my letter to the government treasurer, who is travelling by the im...

I wrote to the admirable Count Terentius at the earliest opportunity, thinking it better to use a stranger as courier rather than delay our very dear brother Acacius any further. I gave my letter to a government treasurer who was travelling by the imperial post, and asked him to show it to you first. I cannot understand why no one has told you that the road to Rome is completely impassable in winter -- the territory between Constantinople and our own region is crawling with enemies. If the journey has to go by sea, the season will need to be right. And even then, only if my beloved brother Gregory [probably Gregory of Nazianzus] agrees to make the voyage and take on this commission. For my part, I do not know who could accompany him, and I am well aware that he has no experience whatsoever in ecclesiastical politics. With a man of kind disposition he would get along well enough and be treated with respect. But what good could possibly come from a meeting between a man who is proud and exalted -- someone incapable of hearing the truth from anyone he considers beneath him -- and my brother, who has never in his life stooped to servility?

ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA To the Presbyter Dorotheus. I took the earliest opportunity of writing to the most admirable Count Terentius, thinking it better to write to him on the subject in hand by means of strangers, and being anxious that our very dear brother Acacius shall not be inconvenienced by any delay. I have therefore given my letter to the government treasurer, who is travelling by the imperial post, and I have charged him to show the letter to you first. I cannot understand how it is that no one has told you that the road to Rome is wholly impracticable in winter, the country between Constantinople and our own regions being full of enemies. If the route by sea must be taken, the season will be favourable; if indeed my God-beloved brother Gregory consents to the voyage and to the commission concerning these matters. For my own part, I do not know who can go with him, and am aware that he is quite inexperienced in ecclesiastical affairs. With a man of kindly character he may get on very well, and be treated with respect, but what possible good could accrue to the cause by communication between a man proud and exalted, and therefore quite unable to hear those who preach the truth to him from a lower standpoint, and a man like my brother, to whom anything like mean servility is unknown?

[Πρός: Δωροθέῳ πρεσβυτέρῳ.] Εὐθὺς ἐπιτυχὼν ἀφορμῆς, ἐπέστειλα τῷ θαυμασιωτάτῳ ἀνδρὶ Τερεντίῳ τῷ κόμητι, λογισάμενος ἀνυποπτότερον εἶναι τὸ διὰ ξένων αὐτῷ γράφειν περὶ τῶν προκειμένων, καὶ ἅμα βουλόμενος μηδεμίαν ἐγγενέσθαι διατριβὴν τῷ πράγματι τὸν ποθεινότατον ἀδελφὸν Ἀκάκιον. τῷ διαψηφιστῇ τῆς τάξεως τῶν ἐπάρχων ἔδωκα οὖν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν δημοσίῳ δρόμῳ ὁδεύοντι, ᾧ καὶ ἐνετειλάμην πρώτοις ὑμῖν ἐμφανίσαι τὸ γράμμα. τὴν δὲ ἐπὶ Ῥώμην ὁδὸν οὐκ οἶδα ὅπως οὐδεὶς ἀνήγγειλε τῇ συνέσει ὑμῶν, ὅτι ἐν τῷ χειμῶνι παντελῶς ἐστιν ἄπορος, τῆς μεταξὺ χώρας ἀπὸ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως μέχρι τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς ὅρων πολεμίων πεπληρωμένης. εἰ δὲ δεῖ θαλάσσῃ χρήσασθαι, ἔσται καιρός, μόνον ἐὰν καταδέξηται καὶ τὸν πλοῦν καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν τοιούτων πραγμάτων πρεσβείαν, ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος Γρηγόριος ὁ ἀδελφός. ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ οὔτε τοὺς συναπερχομένους αὐτῷ ὁρῶ, καὶ αὐτὸν γινώσκω παντελῶς ἄπειρον ὄντα τῶν κατὰ τὰς ἐκκλησίας· καὶ εὐγνώμονι μὲν ἀνδρὶ αἰδέσιμον αὐτοῦ καὶ πολλοῦ ἀξίαν τὴν συντυχίαν, ὑψηλῷ δὲ καὶ μετεώρῳ, ἄνω που καθημένῳ, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἀκούειν τῶν χαμόθεν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀλήθειαν φθεγγομένων μὴ δυναμένῳ, τί ἂν γένοιτο ὄφελος τοῖς κοινοῖς παρὰ τῆς τοῦ τοιούτου ἀνδρὸς ὁμιλίας, ὃς ἀλλότριον ἔχει θωπείας ἀνελευθέρου τὸ ἦθος;