Letter 259: Source. Translated by Blomfield Jackson. From Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol.
Basil of Caesarea→monks harassed by Arians|c. 372 AD|basil caesarea
grief deathmonasticism
From your affection for me, you should be able to guess my affection for you. I have always wanted to be a messenger of peace, and when I fail in that purpose, it grieves me. How could it not?
I cannot be angry with anyone over this, because I know that the blessing of peace was withdrawn from us long ago. If the responsibility for division lies with others, may the Lord grant that those who cause it may stop. I cannot even ask you to visit me often -- I know that men who have committed themselves to a life of manual labor and who provide for their own needs with their own hands cannot be away from home for long.
But wherever you are, remember me, and pray for me -- that no source of unrest may lodge in my heart, and that I may be at peace with myself and with God.
ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA
To the monks Palladius and Innocent.
From your affection for me you ought to be able to conjecture my affection for you. I have always desired to be a herald of peace, and, when I fail in my object, I am grieved. How could it be otherwise? I cannot feel angry with any one for this reason, because I know that the blessing of peace has long ago been withdrawn from us. If the responsibility for division lies with others, may the Lord grant that those who cause dissension may cease to do so. I cannot even ask that your visits to me may be frequent. You have therefore no reason to excuse yourselves on this score. I am well aware that men who have embraced the life of labour, and always provide with their own hands the necessities of life, cannot be long away from home; but, wherever you are, remember me, and pray for me that no cause of disturbance may dwell in my heart, and that I may be at peace with myself and with God.
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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/3202259.htm>.
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From your affection for me, you should be able to guess my affection for you. I have always wanted to be a messenger of peace, and when I fail in that purpose, it grieves me. How could it not?
I cannot be angry with anyone over this, because I know that the blessing of peace was withdrawn from us long ago. If the responsibility for division lies with others, may the Lord grant that those who cause it may stop. I cannot even ask you to visit me often -- I know that men who have committed themselves to a life of manual labor and who provide for their own needs with their own hands cannot be away from home for long.
But wherever you are, remember me, and pray for me -- that no source of unrest may lodge in my heart, and that I may be at peace with myself and with God.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.