Letter 179: Your natural nobility of character and your general accessibility have taught me to regard you as a friend of freedom and of men. I have, therefore, no hesitation in approaching you in behalf of one who is rendered illustrious by a long line of ancestry, but is worthy of greater esteem and honour on his own account, because of his innate goodnes...
Basil of Caesarea→Arinthæus|c. 367 AD|basil caesarea
From: Basil, Bishop of Caesarea
To: Arinthaeus [a high-ranking military commander]
Date: ~367 AD
Context: A short, polished letter of recommendation asking a powerful general to support a well-born man facing a legal charge.
Your natural nobility of character and your openness to all have taught me to think of you as a friend of freedom and of people. So I have no hesitation in approaching you on behalf of a man who is distinguished by a long and illustrious ancestry, but who deserves even greater esteem on his own account, because of the goodness of his character.
I ask you, at my request, to lend him your support against a legal charge that is, in reality, ridiculous -- but difficult to meet because of how serious the accusation sounds. It would make an enormous difference to his case if you would say a kind word on his behalf. You would be helping the right. And you would also be showing your usual respect and kindness to me, your friend.
ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA
To Arinthæus.
Your natural nobility of character and your general accessibility have taught me to regard you as a friend of freedom and of men. I have, therefore, no hesitation in approaching you in behalf of one who is rendered illustrious by a long line of ancestry, but is worthy of greater esteem and honour on his own account, because of his innate goodness of disposition. I beg you, on my entreaty, to give him your support under a legal charge, in reality, indeed, ridiculous, but difficult to meet on account of the seriousness of the accusation. It would be of great importance to his success if you would deign to say a kind word in his behalf. You would, in the first place, be helping the right; but you would further be showing in this your wonted respect and kindness to myself, who am your friend.
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Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 8. Edited by Philip Schaff and Henry Wace. (Buffalo, NY: Christian Literature Publishing Co., 1895.) Revised and edited for New Advent by Kevin Knight. <https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/3202179.htm>.
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From:Basil, Bishop of Caesarea
To:Arinthaeus [a high-ranking military commander]
Date:~367 AD
Context:A short, polished letter of recommendation asking a powerful general to support a well-born man facing a legal charge.
Your natural nobility of character and your openness to all have taught me to think of you as a friend of freedom and of people. So I have no hesitation in approaching you on behalf of a man who is distinguished by a long and illustrious ancestry, but who deserves even greater esteem on his own account, because of the goodness of his character.
I ask you, at my request, to lend him your support against a legal charge that is, in reality, ridiculous -- but difficult to meet because of how serious the accusation sounds. It would make an enormous difference to his case if you would say a kind word on his behalf. You would be helping the right. And you would also be showing your usual respect and kindness to me, your friend.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.