Letter 364

364. Apollinaris to Basil

To my master, the most longed-for brother, Basil, Apollinaris sends greeting in the Lord. Where was I myself, master, and where the most longed-for voice and the accustomed letter? Why, when present, do you not come to my defence, or, even when absent, exhort me, now that so great a war has broken out against true religion, and we are as it were crying out in the midst of the battle-line to our companions, because of the violence from the enemy? And we have no means even of seeking you, since we cannot even find where you happen to be staying. I sought you, indeed, in the land of the Cappadocians, since those in Pontus who fell in with you reported thus — that you had announced you would return rather soon; but I did not find you where I had hoped. Now, however, having heard that you are still passing your time in that same region, I have at once entrusted this letter to the messenger. When you receive it, do not refrain from writing back, since this man too is travelling along with him.

Know, too, that in the meantime there has been a visit of bishops from Egypt, and letters have been circulated in agreement with the old writings — with the divine writings themselves, and with those written at Nicaea in concord with the divine ones. A repetition of these, with exposition, was necessary, on account of the unsound misinterpretation of the texts which was being introduced by men who once openly contradicted them, but now have contrived their contradiction in the guise of exposition. Here was the malicious abolition of "of one essence," as though it ought not to be understood in any Greek sense of denial; and in place of "of one essence" they brought in "like in essence" — a thing devised, named in a vulgar way and conceived in a malevolent one; since the likeness is of things in essence, of things essential, so that an essence thus made like might be conceived as essence, such as a statue might be in relation to a king.

Against these things it was written, by those who know how and wish to be religious, that "of one essence" signifies not "like to God" but "God," as a genuine offspring and of the same essence as the one who begot. There was brought in together with this also the doctrine concerning the Spirit — that, as laid down by the Fathers in the same faith with God and the Son, it is within the same Godhead.

Who, then, was it fitting should take part in this embassy of true religion, but the most zealous of men, together with my master Gregory — who himself, however, writes from nowhere, nor gives any sign whatever? Farewell, most longed-for master.