Letter 169

169. Basil to Gregory

You have undertaken a mild and gentle and humane task in gathering up the captives of that contemptible Glycerius (for so, for the present, I write of him), and in covering over, as far as you could, our common disgrace. But your Reverence ought nonetheless, having learned the facts about him, so to undo the dishonour.

This Glycerius, now so haughty and grave in your eyes, was ordained by me a deacon of the church at Venesa, to minister to the presbyter and to take care of the work of the church. For the man, though otherwise of difficult temper, is not without skill at his task. But when he was appointed, he neglected the work so much as though it had never come about at all; and, gathering up some wretched virgins by his own authority and self-will — some who came running to him willingly (you know how ready the young are for such things), others against their will — he undertook to act as their flock-leader, and, putting about himself the name and dress of a patriarch, he suddenly grew insolent — having come to this not from any orderly course and piety, but having set it up as a means of livelihood, as another man might some other thing. And he has all but turned the whole church upside down, despising his own presbyter, a man venerable both in conduct and in age, despising the chorepiscopus and me as worthy of nothing, and forever filling the city and the whole body of clergy with disturbances and tumults.

And at last, that he might not be even slightly rebuked in word by me and the chorepiscopus, so as not to despise us (for he was training the young men too into the same folly), he conceived a very bold and inhuman plan. Plundering as many virgins as he could, and watching for night, he became a runaway. These things will seem very dreadful to you. Consider too the occasion. The synod there was being held, and a great multitude, as was likely, was streaming in from every quarter. But he led out in opposition his own troupe, following young men and dancing around, stirring up much dejection in the godly, and much laughter in the unrestrained and those readier with the tongue. And this is not enough, great as it is in its enormity; but, as I learn, the parents of the virgins, unable to bear their childlessness, and wishing to bring back the scattered flock, falling, as was likely, with laments before their own daughters — these the admirable young man, with his band of brigands, insults and dishonours.

Let these things not seem bearable to your Reverence; for the laughter falls on us all in common. But above all, command him to return with the virgins; for he might meet with some kindness if he came back with letters from you. But if not, at least send the virgins back to their mother, the church. But if not, at least do not allow those who wish to be tyrannized to remain so, but order them to return to me. Otherwise, we call you to witness, before God and men, that these things are not rightly done, nor according to the ordinances of the church. As for Glycerius, if he returns with discretion and the fitting steadiness, that is best; but if not, let him be stopped from his ministry.