Sketch of the Life and Works of Saint Basil the Great

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Page 10

Stimulated to carry out his purpose of embracing the ascetic life by what he saw of the monks and solitaries during his travels, Basil first of all thought of establishing a monastery in the district of Tiberina. [72] Here he would have been in the near neighbourhood of Arianzus, the home of his friend Gregory. But the attractions of Tiberina were ultimately postponed to those of Ibora, and Basil's place of retreat was fixed in the glen not far from the old home, and only separated from Annesi by the Iris, of which we have Basil's own picturesque description. [73] Gregory declined to do more than pay a visit to Pontus, and so is said to have caused Basil much disappointment. [74] It is a little characteristic of the imperious nature of the man of stronger will, that while he would not give up the society of his own mother and sister in order to be near his friend, he complained of his friend's not making a similar sacrifice in order to be near him. [75] Gregory [76] good-humouredly replies to Basil's depreciation of Tiberina by a counter attack on Caesarea and Annesi.

[72] Ep. xiv. ad fin.

[73] Ep. xiv.

[74] Greg. Naz., Ep. i. or xliii. S: 25.

[75] On the latter difference between the friends at the time of Basil's consecration, De Broglie remarks: "Ainsi se trahissait a chaque pas cette profords diversite de caractere qui devait parfois troubler, mais plus sonnent ranimer et resserrer l'union de ces deux belles ames: Basile, ne pour le gouvernement des hommes et pour la lutte, prompt et precis dans ses resolutions, embrassant a coup d'oeil le but a poursuivre et y marchant droit sans s'inquieter des difficultes et du jugement des spectateurs; Gregoire, atteint de cette delicatesse un peu maladive, qui est, chez les esprits d'elite, la source de l'inspiration poetique, sensible a la moindre renonce d'approbation ou de blame, surtout a la moindre blessure de l'amitie, plus finement averti des obstacles, mais aussi plus aisement decourage, melant a la poursuite des plus grands interets un soin peut etre excessif de sa dignite et toutes les inquietudes d'un coeur souffrant." L'Eglise et l'Empire Romain au IVme Siecle, v. p. 89.

[76] Greg. Naz., Ep. ii.

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