150 ST BASIL TAXES THE BISHOP OF ROME. they are.1 For if the Lord be propitious to us, what else do we need? But if the anger of God continue, what help can we have from the Western superciliousness? men who, in truth, neither know nor can bear to learn; but, prepossessed with false suspicions, now do what they did before in the cause of Marcellus, affecting to con- tend with those who report the truth to them, and establishing heresy by themselves."' Would that excellent person (the greatest man of his time in reputation for wisdom and piety), have thus, unbowelling his mind in an epistle to a very eminent bishop, smartly reflected on the qualities and proceedings of the western clergy, charging them with pride and haughtiness,with a suspiciousand contentious humour, with incorrigible ignorance and indisposition to learn, if he had taken himwho was the leader in all these matters to have been his supe- rior and sovereign? would he have added the following words, irn, mediately touching him : " I would in thecommon name have writ- ten to their chief, nothing indeed about ecclesiastical affairs, except only to intimate that they neither know the truthwith us, nor admit theway by which theymay understand it, but in general about their being bound not to fall upon those who were humbled with afflic- tions, nor should judge themselves dignified by pride, a sin which alone suffices to make one God's enemy."3 Surely this great man knew better what belonged to government and manners than in such rude terms to accost his sovereign. Nor would he have given him that character which he does elsewhere, when, speaking of his brother, St Gregory Nyssen, he says he was an unfit agent to Rome, because, " although his address with a sober man would find much reverence and esteem, yet to a haughty and reserved man, sitting aloft, I know not where, and thence not able to hear those below speaking the truth to him, what profit can there be to the public from the converse of such a man, whose disposition is alien to slavishflattery ?"4 But these speeches suit with that conceit which St Basil (as Baronius, I know not whence, reports) s expressed by saying, 1 Tv" 14,77 yáp Stpaatuópttva vá úrapvirpava i76n iauvwv úvtpavrvrxw'vspa yíved. crí Uxt. Bas., Ep. x. ad Euseb. Samos. Ep. F noia ßovíAtra ;21,47v r Svrxñç ¿ púoç; cáyt axnAiç pcaAtïv z,vral, 4.sairri Si úvrovoiay vrpos Xnpapaivar, ixs va vroroüor vüv, ä vrpór'pav IT; MapraiAXe vrpáç /AL, vobç c;», áxvePtrav dvrayyi?.3avvaç (órx.ovuxr'ioavTaç' 74,7v Si taper, L iauvmv ßtCaroi- oavvtç. Ibid. 3 'Eyúv pciv 1,áp abvóç ant, TO; zorvoü oV21.,v res 1C60.4cnv at''" ivrrovt:r.ar Tïy xopuQaiy, vrtpi ptiv vwv izxx»oraovrxS, obLv, ti (.d, öoov ca¡arvípaoâar, ¿'r, art Team r v vrap' vipcïv vti]v icxv'Atrav, olio 7411, óóá, Si ñç äv peóJorty zavaSixovvar xaAá,ou Si vropl voi pd, V11. voiç Vvrò . nriry csrpaapemv vavr'sry do ory ivrrv,AtoBar, pent iTiorpta xpivtry úvrspnfaviav, lepeápvnpea, xai peávoe ápzoüv'i Ppav vrortialat tiç ®táv. .Ibid. f Kai ei,yvmptovr pciv a'dp) aiLatpcov abvou xai vro&Xoü 4íav 'AV auvvu;Ciav vnJ.iy Si xai p yrsripy, áva crop zaAapoivy zai Srá oofOo r¿xoÚtry Daly xapad600 aboli .76 aa.bltrav (oyyopcivav pci7 Suvapaivvy, vi äv yivarvo ä(psXoç voïç xorvo7Ç, vrapá o`nç voui coroúvou eivSpóç ópc,Xíaç, öç áx?.ó r, ivy éxt Savrtiac oiviXsaipou vá i70os Bas., Ep. eeL 5 Anast. ad Joh. Hier., apud Hier.
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