To Eusebius, bishop of Samosata.²⁴⁵¹

2451 The translation of Sec. 1, down to “medical men,” is partly Newman’s.

1.  What was my state of mind, think you, when I received your piety’s letter?  When I thought of the feelings which its language expressed, I was eager to fly straight to Syria; but when I thought of the bodily illness, under which I lay bound, I saw myself unequal, not only to flying, but even to turning on my bed.  This day, on which our beloved and excellent brother and deacon, Elpidius, has arrived, is the fiftieth of my illness.  I am much reduced by the fever.  For lack of what it might feed on, it lingers in this dry flesh as in an expiring wick, and so has brought on a wasting and tedious illness.  Next my old plague, the liver, coming upon it, has kept me from taking nourishment, prevented sleep, and held me on the confines of life and death, granting just life enough to feel its inflictions.  In consequence I have had recourse to the hot springs, and have availed myself of help from medical men.

But for all these the mischief has proved too strong.  Perhaps another man might endure it, but, coming as it did unexpectedly, no one is so stout as to bear it.  Long troubled by it as I have been, I have never been so distressed as now at being prevented by it from meeting you and enjoying your true friendship.  I know of how much pleasure I am deprived, although last year I did touch with the tip of my finger the sweet honey of your Church.

2.  For many urgent reasons I felt bound to meet your reverence, both to discuss many things with you and to learn many things from you.  Here it is not possible even to find genuine affection.  And, could one even find a true friend, none can give counsel to me in the present emergency with anything like the wisdom and experience which you have acquired in your many labours on the Church’s behalf.  The rest I must not write.  I may, however, safely say what follows.  The presbyter Evagrius,²⁴⁵²

2452 On Evagrius, known generally as Evagrius of Antioch, to distinguish him from Evagrius the historian, see especially Theodoret, Ecc. Hist. v. 23.  He had travelled to Italy with Eusebius of Vercellæ.  His communication to Basil from the Western bishops must have been disappointing and unsatisfactory.  On his correspondence with Basil, after his return to Antioch, see Letter clvi.  His consecration by the dying Paulinus in 388 inevitably prolonged the disastrous Meletian schism at Antioch.

2453 i.e. that Basil, as primate, should either consecrate them an orthodox bishop, or, if this was impossible under Valens, should take them under his own immediate episcopal protection.

Iconium is a city of Pisidia, anciently the first after the greatest,²⁴⁵⁴

2454 i.e. Antioch.

2455 He was succeeded by John I.  cf. Letter clxi. and note.

E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH