T H E IN FL U EN C E O F PLATO

"

O N S A IN T B AS IL

T H EO D ORE L E S L I E S HEA R

fl E iss cr ta t i o n

S U M I TT E D
B TO TH E I ER S I T S T UD I ES T H E H S H KI S
B O A R D O F UN V Y OF JO N OP N I E RSI T
UN V Y

IN CON FOR M I TYWI T H T H E R E Q UI R E M E T S F

N T H E D E R EE
OR G OF

D T R F HI S H
OC O O P LO O P Y

B AL T IM ORE

J . H . FU R S T COMPAN Y

1 906
 C O NTENTS .

I INTR ODUCTI ON
.

1 I fl e ce of
. n u n Pl a t o on th e Fa th e r s
2 . Li fe of S a i n t B a si l

IN FL UENCE OF PL ATO ON B AS IL I N TH EOLO G Y AN D ETH I CS

1 E i te c e
. x s me a d a t tr i b u t
n , o f Go d
na n es .

N N a tu r e of Ma n
E S u p e r i o r i ty o f so u l o v e r b o dy
S I mm o r ta li ty Of th e so u l

E V i r t u es a n d v i c es

Q Sc h e me o f the fo ur vi r tu es

IN FL UEN CE OF PLATO ON BASIL I N PH I L OSOPH Y

1 . V o l u n ta r y a nd i n vo l u n t a r y a c ti o n .

2 . R e la t i o n of the H ex a em e r o n to Pl a to
’
s Ti ma e u s .

a . Ex i ste n c e o f c r ea t o r .

b C ea ti o n Of u n i ver s e
. r .

0 Th eo y Of el e m e t s
. r n

d N a t u e a d fo m o f u
. r n r n i v er s e

e Begi i g o f ti me
. nn n

f . Fo r m a ti o n o f c r e a tu r e s , ma n , b e a st , etc

IV . IN FL UENCE OF PL ATO ON BASIL I N LAN G UAG E

1 . Di r ec t q u o ta ti o n .

2 . Co m pa r i s o n a nd m e ta p ho
3 . G r a mm a ti c a l sta t e m e n t s
4 . Li t er a r y a ll u si o n s

V . CONCL USION 5 9 — 60
TH E INFLUENC E O F PLATO O N S AINT B AS IL .

IN T R O D UC TI O N .

TH E I N F LU E N CE OF P L AT O ON T H E C H UR C H F AT H E R S .

The relation Of P lato to the Church Fathers is a subject that “

has received considerable attention in special treatises as well as

in general works A brief surv ey of some of the results O btai ned
.

will be given to S ho w how widespread this influence was .

Justin M artyr ( 0 1 0 0— 1 6 5 A the earliest apologist whose

. .

works have been preser v ed even in part was a P latonist before ,

he was a Christian and P latonic quotations abound in his works .

H u ber however points out Di e Phi lo sop hi e der Ki r c hen vci ter
‘

, , , ,

p 1 4 the di fficulty of harmoni z ing Justin s pro-Platonic and

.
,
’

anti -Pl a tonic views I n Ap o l II 1 3 ( M igne P a t G r V I . .

, , ,
.
f
.
, ,

p 4 65 B 1 1 ) he states th a t the teachings of Plato are not

.
,
.

foreign to Christ and then a gain in many places we find th a t he

,

attacks the heathen philosophers P lato Aristotle et c see Co b o r , , ,

. .

’
a d Gr a ec o s chap 5 Hi and declares Pl a to s inconsistencies in
,
.
,
’
chap B u t whether as an advocate or an opponent of Plato s
doctrines he s hows a thorough knowledge of his works quoting ,

from the R epublic Timaeus M eno and Phaedrus , ,

.

S imilar views of the importa nce of P la t o were likewise held

by Athenagoras a contemporary Of Justin and a man who like
, , ,

Justin was trained in the Greek philosophy see Huber op c i t

, , ,
.
,

p 2 4 and Ackermann Da s Chr i stli che i m P la to a n d i n d er

.
, ,

la to n i s chen P hi lo s o hi e p 3
p p ,
. .

The theological nature of the work of I re n aeus ( c 13 0 .

2 0 2 A D ) that has been preserved to us Co n tr a H a c r es es does

. .
, ,

1
S ee a tta c k on J u s ti n
’
s a ut h o r s h i p o f t h is wo r k by A . Puec h i n Mél a n ges H en r i

Wei l ,
1898 , p p 3 95—40 6 . .
2 T he I nfluen ce f
o Pla to on S a i n t B a s il .

no t o ff er very much Opportunity for reference to Plato but even ,

i n I renaeus two quotations from P lato are cited from the Laws ,

and the T imaeus T hese quotations are in the same section .

,

M i g n e V I I 3 2 5 5 and are cited by I renaeus in praise and

, , , , ,

defence of P lato .

T ertullian ( 0 1 5 0 — 2 2 0 A D ) quotes P lato frequently but con

. . .

d e m n s h im He says that P lato ha s become the source Of all

.

heresies that the philosopher serves only for his own glory and
, ,
l
therefore between him and the Christian a great diff erence exists
,
.

Clement of Alexandria ( 1 50 2 1 5 A D ) and his pupil O rigen —

. .

( 1 8 5 -2 5 4 A D
) were both .great admirers. of P l a to B oth quote .

Plato frequently though Clement very much more frequently ,

than O rigen and both emphasi z e the Christian element in his

,
2
works in their attempt to harmoni z e P latonism and Christianity .

P assing over others we may mention further Hippolytus who

flourished early in the third century and who wrote a work ,

against Plato and Ar n o b i u s c 2 0 0 A D who calls Pla t o the

, ,
. . .
,

“
sublime head and pillar of philosophy Adv G en t 1 8 and ,
”
.
, , ,

quotes him several times .

We come next to the fourth century and to two authors ,

contemporaries of S t B asil whose relation to Plato has been .

,
’
di scussed in special dissertations Gregory of N yssa B asil s .
,

brother is shown to be dependent on Plato for many of hi s

,

s ta tements on the immortality Of the soul by A M Ak u la s . .

,

75 7r e i a da va m a s
’ ' ’
7 739 « v fi e O
'

f
’

p px o a 7 0 6 Il k a r co vo s e u O v /c t a et
y p
f
'
f

WpOS T ifl/ I p ny o p t o v 7 0 6 N fi a a ns Athens 1 8 8 8

‘ ’
.
, ,

The second author i s Julian the fellow-student of B asil and , ,

afterwards the Emperor Julian P rof Gildersleeve in hi s essay . .

on the Emperor Julian Essa ys a n d S tu di es p 3 73 remarks that , ,

.
,
“
hi s prodigious memory seems to have held in solution all Plato .
”

And further W C France in a dissertation entitle d

,
. . T he ,
“

Emperor Julia n s relation to t he new S ophistic a n d neo -Platon

’

i s m with a study of his style

, Chicago 1 8 9 6 m a kes the ,
”
, ,

sta t ement p 7 1 that Plato is Julian s favorite prose author I n

,
.
’
.

l
See H u be
p 106, a n d Ac ke r ma n n , p 1 1
r , . . .

2
Ac ke r m a n n , p p 6 a n d 7 . .
 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on S a in t B a si l . 3

support of this she cites statistics from S chwar z Phi lo lo g u s 5 1 , ,

1 8 9 2 p 6 4 2 which sho w that in Julian there are fi ft -o n e

y
.
, ,

quotations from P lato a number that grea tly exceeds the quota ,

tions of all the other prose authors combined To this France .

also adds a list of some thirty —fi v e cases of Platonic reminiscence .

From this brief statement of a few facts bearing on the rel a tion
of P lato to the leaders Of early Ch r istian thought it is plain that
’
Ackermann s observation is entirely correct when he remarks o n
p 8 that it seems very difficult for the Christian Fathers of the
.

first centuries to escape the influen ce of Plato .

N o w the purpose of the present study is to S how how far the

i nfluence of P lato is manifested in the works of B asil but before ,

proceeding to the subj ect proper it is desirable to take a rapid

'

review of B asil s early life and education in order to S how the

’

tendency of his preliminary training .

O UT LIN E OF L I FE OF ST . B A SIL .
1

The ’
period of B asil s life that wa s devoted mainly to education
comes before the time of hi s decision to consecrate himself to the
work Of the Church and falls naturally into four divisions : 1 his ,

term Of study under his father ; 2 his term at Caesarea ; 3 at , ,

Constantinople and 4 at Athens , ,

.

B asil the elder was a famous teacher of Pontus Th e b i o g r a .

p he r s devote much space to eu logy of the two fa mi lies that were

u n ited in this B asil and S t Emm el ia a n d describe this couple as .
,

endowed with the highest attainments and most excellent virtues .

I f we may j udge from the history of their children this record

must be true for the Oldest daughter M acrina has been canonized
,

a saint and three so n s were bishops in their life-time and were

aft erwards made saints If it is a great thing to receive glory .

hief a utho
1
Th e c r i t i es c o n su l te d fo r t h e li fe of St . B asil a r e : Bh o r i n ge r , Die
d i K pp d i p
re a a o z er , G r e go r i us N a z i a n z e n u s , Or a l i o i n la u dem B a si li i M a gn i ,
. 1fi
'

M i gn e , v. 36, 4 94 , A 1 If M a r a n u s , Vi ta S a n c ti B a szli i , r e fa c e o f Mi gn e , v 29,

. P .

p . v ii .
4 The I nflu e n c e o
f Pla to on S a i n t B a si l .

from one s a ncestors much greater is it to add glory to them

’
, ,

says Gregory p 5 0 4 ,
. .

B y this father then an a y/c i nema s wa tSeva t s was given to B asil

i
r
, , ,

s e e G r eg 5 0 9 B 1 4 and of this education P aul Allard says that

.
, ,

it consisted of instruction in the art of writing well and speaking '

well but the study of this comprehends that Of the ancient

,
1
classics with their immense repertoire of prose and verse The .

”
phra se ancient classics here refers only to Greek literature as
“

2
the Greek Fathers did not condescend to learn L atin .
”

’
The dates Of the events of B asil s early life are all very
un certain but it seems probable that he did not go to Caesarea
,

until compelled by the death Of his father to seek a teacher

elsewhere This is the reasoning of M a r a n u s who est i mates the
.

date at about 3 4 2 A D when B asil was thirteen At what time . . .

he left Caesarea and the extent of hi s residence in Constanti nople

it is impossible to determine but he reached Athen s probably in ,

3 5 1 and re m ained there five yea rs Vi t B a a X I I The Vi ta also ,

.
,
.

mentions the teachers Of B asil at Athens as H i m er i u s and

Pr o ha er eses H e syc hi u s and T erence among others while Gregory
, , ,

p 5 2 8 A describes B asil a s ex c elli n g in his various bra nches of

.
,
.

study in rhetoric in Greek literature and in philosophy

, ,
.

S oon after his return from Athens B asil entered eagerly into
church work and wa s ordained presbyter i n 3 6 2 He was an .

assistant to Eusebius upon whose dea th he was elected to succeed

,

to the bishopric of Caesarea in 3 70 an Offi ce which he lived to ,

hold for only nine years .

’
B asil s wide knowledge of Greek is shown in his works by
many references to th e Greek legends and in many quotations
from the Greek authors from Homer down and we sh a ll now ,

pass to the consi deration of the extent of hi s indebtedness to

Plato .

Q ues tio ns H i s to r iq ues , 18 98 N S

1
R evue ( I .
, . . 20, p 1 0
. .

2
Fa r r a r , I/ i zes of the Fa ther s, II , p 3
'
. .
 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

I N F LU E N CE OF P L AT O ON B A SIL IN T H E O LOG Y
AN D E TH ICS .

The question of th e resemblance of the theology of Plato to

the Christian theology has been discussed by Ackerm a nn on
p 3 8 ff of the work already cited Ackermann shows that this
. . .

resemblance is very close in reg a rd to the doctrines of the exist

ence essence name attributes and works of God These topics
, , , .

will be taken up in order here in so far as S imilarities in B asil

1
lead to their consideration .

B asil assumes naturally the existence of God since for , , .

example before the creation of the universe there must have

,

been an existing cause and that was God see p 2 5 for this , ,
.

statement and its parallel in P lato .

As the un ity of the Godhead was one of the fundamental

tenets of Christianity it is also assumed everywhere in B asil for ,

P lato s belief in monotheism Ackermann refers to P o li t 2 70 A

’
.

and Ti m 3 1 A . .

I n regard to th e compositeness of the divine nature B asil

- ’
says 4 1 0 5 B 1 : x a da p a a vvdea ews 75 He la (t ri o i s with which
, ,
.
,

Johnston edition of B asil s De Spi r i tn S a n o to p 4 8 note com

,
’
,
.
,

pares Plato S R ep u bli c 6 1 1 B : 0 13 fié dt o v c tlOt o v ell/ a t 0 1 51 96 7 0 11 eic

’
,
’ '

1
’

7 0 70 x031) TO this may be added P ha edo 8 0 A 7 93 [Lev 96 590 rea l

.
, ,
9 \
8
c I l A

8t a X v r cp
, r
6a
’
Ka o no t o r a r o v s w a t “
P00 1 2” 7
9 e
)
' ' '
va r tp t a
'
a ;

m)
Q 9
91 m
A A I
a v dpwn t vc
p Ka t [c a t St a k vr m op o w ra '
r o v s wa t
'

c Compare also p
al /t a . 381 A f . .

’
N ext in regard to the name for God deo s both make attempts , ,

at etymologies B a s 4 2 6 5 A 5 : 7r a p ct y ap T O T efleuc eva t T a ‘ '

.
, , ,

7r a
'
'

.
-
m a i) Hed o da t T a m Li m a 6 96 59 dvo na éer a t
’ ’

’ '
Ka i a eM j I/ nv ma i 7 731} Ka i ci cr r pa fea t o zxpa vo v
’

Or a t .i5v .
' '

Bpo ngo tea t deo v r a , a n ?

' ’
i dpéi vr es i
'
ti r e a e i i o vr a
3 i
0 1 1} m n
'
n a l/ 7 a )
'

-
( tri o ems Tn 6 96 2V 96 0 139 -
imo i}? en o vo ndo a c
’

77 9 7 ? 70 a .

These explanations are qui te far apart and cannot be connected

1
All f
r e e r e n c es a re to th e Te u b n e r t e x t Of P la to , a nd to M i gu e ’
s e d i t io n o f
B as i l, v o ls . I — Iv ( P a tr o lo g Gr . a c e. c u r sus , v o l s . 29 ex c lu di n g vo l . II a nd o t erh
po rt io ns c o n si d e e d Sp
r ur i o us by M i gn e .
6 The I nflu e n c e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

in any way S i m ilarly with reference to the titles a n d attributes

.

of God though as Ackermann points out Plato s phraseology in

,
’

various passages is identical with that of the Fathers it would be

utterly ridiculous to suggest that in this subject the Fathers or ,

particularly B asil were influenced by Pla to ,

.

i l 2 ci
For example B a s 1 5 5 B 1 4 savs : ct da p r o v yct p lc a t — ’
r
‘ ‘

, , , ,

cu e vm 7 o v e lva t 7 511 (96 511 7 c 37m m Aéy o p ev a n d 5 3 2 C 1 : 96 59

’ '

y y , ,

20 1) 6 ci cpda pm s, 6 a ddva m s , 6 a o p a 7 o s
’ '
0 .

S uc h state m ents as these are paralleled by P lato s ’

description
of God in Tim 2 7 D a s 7 6 {i v a et ye veo w 86 O hio
. 7b
’

,
r
'

u 6v 87
) vmj a et p en t Ao y o v d ei Ka n t 7 a i/ 7 a 61 but O f
'
f 1
, ,

course there i s no connection between the references .

T here are also several similar statements in the two authors in

regard to God as the creator of the universe B u s 3 2 0 1 A 1 2 ,
.
, ,

n a
p e}. 7 0 13 7 d wai l/ 7 a
, 96 0 6 .

I6 . 2 1 2, B 7 : 7 013 96 0 6 701 7 7 d wai l/ 7 a

. .

Ti m 2 9 . D : 7 5 7 636 d f ur/ t a n k gu m-
50 7 770 6 11
,
and I b 30 B .

f vvw n s
i
'

Also 4 1 I) 5 3 B etc , ,
.

Another parallelism that may be added here has reference to

God a s the protector of m a n B u s 3 3 2 9 C 7 : a u ct t w t . .
, ,
’

y lv o v7 a t 6 L GO T L 9 6 59 é n t nex o é ue vo s 7 631) 7 386

'

2 1 .

P ha ed 6 2 D : 3 vfi v 3 ) 6K6 yo uev e zzX o yws ex et 7 6 96 611 7 6 e ll/ a t

' ’ ' '
7 f f
.
,

7 51)
na di r} .

These and S imilar r eferences are interestin g as showing the

“

relation bet ween Plato and a Christian writer like B asil but they ,

are merely the points in which Plato approaches the Christian

doctrine of which in the present instance B asil happens to be the
expositor and they might be paralleled easily in any doctrinal
,

Ch ristia n writer ancient or modern ,

.

I t i s hardly conceiv a ble that S t B asil the great theologian the .

, ,

mighty lea der Of orthodox y during t he fourth century was ,

dependent on P l a to for any part of his theology I t happens .

that some of Plato s state ments a pproach the Christian ideal and ’

were inte rp reted from the Christian point of v iew but the ,

Christian d octrines w ere not moulded to the Platonic form .

Atte m pts w ere m a de to p r ove Pla t o a Christian but the Church ,

would hardly mainta in that Christ wa s a Plato nist a s the impious ,

 The I nflu en c e o
f P la to on S a i nt B a s i l . 7

Celsus seems to suggest when he declares that Jesus borro wed

from P lato pervert ing hi s words se e O rigen Co n tr a Celsu m , , ,

V I, 16 .

E T H I CS .

We pass next to the consideration of man and hi s relation t o

his fellow-man to the study of the connection of Plato and B asil
,

on the ethical side And fi rst in regard to the n a ture of m a n and .

the reason why he was made to stand upright in contra st to the

other creatures B a s 3 2 1 6 C 4 sa ys : 6p 9t 0 v 67r X a o -6 no vo v 7 6311
,
.
, , ,
’ ’

’
{0360 11 7 31} ci v dpa m o v i v 65 a 137 0 i3 7 0 0
’ ’

GZ B Q 67 t 616 7 779
fi
'

ii i/ 60 96 1} a v yyeve t a s 6 0 7 i v 75 {Ico n
’ ’ ‘
76 n6u yczp 7 6 7 p a 7r o 3a n a v7 a
'
' '
r f 1 r '

'
3 i7v fyij v Bk evr et , i 0 i7v 7 a
' ' ’ ’

p 9 7 lc a 7r
p 9 ve vev/c ew wdpa n r o) 36
'

7r 7 0 76
p a c

p
'
7r o é pa vc v i 7
5 a va Bx exjr t s .

Ti m A 0 36 i
’

. 90 : 7 70 6 xv
p t w7 0 7 o v vr a
p 7
5v arv
l xfi e
530 0 9 3t a 9a t 36 2 3 dpa
‘
7 fi , i 3a t p 0 va 96 09 6x a 0 7 gn
i
' ’ '
v0 6 i a C) ?
'

6 7 6 a z7 o
'

36 3w/c e, 67 0 6 31} -
i /c ei v 7 ) o a m
'

p 61) nné w 67r £0 c

’ '

4
' ‘

70 o a n
,

d 36 611 é pa é f a n d yij s fi n d s a i pew (be 0v7 a 9

' ’ '
‘
n
p s o v ) y evet a v
v fye «

’'

050 7 0 3K 0p 90 7 a
'
an d fi pa mo v, M g 0 11 7 6 8
’
f
1) O1 s
c
y
f f
yeto v o 7 a / “
6x 6 296 v
' '

ya p, 696 V
'
r 7
3 7r pa >7 77 7 139 alr vx ij s f
ye veo
'

ts 6¢ v, 7 0 96 20 1) 7 9711 xe b
g a k
nv

i fi t {fa d
/
Ka y 7 v
5 a va /c pena vvbv dp flo i 7 o r b /t a .

The essential points in these statem ents are obviously the sa m e .

The Creator made the body of man to stand in an upright

position and therefore the soul of m a n S hould be naturally
, ,

inclined to ward the things of heaven ra ther th a n toward the

th i ngs of earth To be particularly emphasi z ed i s the si m il a r u se
.

'
of f uy yevet a in B asil s phra se 6x 7 73? ci vmdev o v y y eve t a s 60 7 i v 75
r f
’ ’
t t
'

{703 75 a o u a n d i t s P latonic parallel 7r po s 7 i) v O U a I c i fv

j
‘ '
et a v
p / f f
y yev

fi n d s ci t pet v
’

I t may be mentioned also that the comp a rison with t he beasts

is not lack in g in the Ti ma eu s but i n 9 1 E appea rs in a somewhat ,

similar form see p 3 3 ,

. .

S till further on the nature of man may be ci te d B u s 3 9 1 7 ,

.
, ,
‘ ‘
A 6 na 6 po u [c a t Ic o w wvuc o v {030 1 6 ci vdpwn o s Ka i o fix i p o va a w x o v }
’

01 336 a ypt o v
'
.

i dpwwo s 36 3 6
'
Legg 7 6 6 . A: ’
c v
'

iyuepo v, 7r a L 6 t a s p 1)
 8 The I nfl uen c e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

' '
0p 9ij 9 7 ux0u fea t 07 vx 0 i39 96 t 0 7 a {é
'

fiy epa
'

( p v a e ws 6 70v wa m v 76 ov

i a fla t
d
'
r
y y
f
ve uk e i .

And a gain B a s 3 5 8 1 C 5 0 0 7 0 0pci>u6 vdv 60 7 w 0 ci vflpan r o s

,
.
, ,
’

Are 3 6 5 E : 7 779 «Ir vxiis 69 7 0V o i/c ei o v i 3p0 06 t 0 779 7 077 0 1 7 0

’ '

. 1

67 0 X 6 t ¢ 96u c hi n a 7 6 6336 9 01 x a i ci l o yo v c ine 60 7 W 0 dvdpa wr m

,
! ,
r
,
.

This reference to the pseudo -P lato nic Ax i o c hu s is suggested by

Padelford Ess a ys o n the S tu dy a n d Us e of P o etr y by P lu ta r ch a n d
,

B a s i l the G r ea t p 1 1 5 and the S imilarity in thought is certainly

,
.
,

note wo r thy B oth mai nta in that we must n o t be over-solicitous

j
.

about the body to t he n eglect of the so u l because without the soul ,

th e body i s nothing E R M aloney in his edition Of B asil s . . .

,
’

homily on Greek literature n ote on this passage p 5 6 also says , ,

.
, ,
”
“
this sentence i s taken from P lato but he gives no reference ,
.

O ther parallel passages cited in this connection are Cicero S o mn ,

.

S e ip 8 and La c t a n t i u s Di o i n I n sti t 2 3 8
.
,
The phrase O f ,
. .
, ,
.

La c ta n t i u s i s interesting enough to add ho e enim quod O c u l i s ,

s u b i e c t u m e s t non homo s ed hominis receptaculum .

T his separation of body and soul is indeed even more distinctly

stated for we are told that man s nature is not simple but two
,
’

fold consisting o f a body and a soul as in B a s 4 2 4 8 D 6

, , , , ,

mi x i
c 7r 7\0 i39 7 t9
’
60 7
'

w ( SC . 0 6x a m
a d 7o9 lc a i
.

I xfi s
«r v G U I/ 6 0 7 0 9 3 .

'
Ti m . 34 B : «rv
I x iyv 36 6 59 7 0 ( so . 70 6 a vdpon r o v )
96 29 3t h 67 u m i 67 t 62300 96 11 0 i 7t mjr 6
' '
7r a I/ 7 0 9 76 Ka 7 B/La
OT 7r 6
p t 6 /c c

7a 67 y .

And a further subdivision is made into 1 0 09 ‘PUX’I and mil/I a 2

,

in B u s 3 2 0 4 A 9 and Ti m 3 0 A but on these two statements

.
, , ,
.
,

there i s no particular comment to be made except that shortly

afte r ward s B asil seems to draw from the Ti ma eu s again as indi
VVa n d i n ge r Edi ti o n of B a s i l s H o mi ly
’
c a t e d in the next citation .
,

to the Yo u th o n Cla s s i c a l Li ter a tu r e p 4 4 in a note on t his ,

.
,

pass a ge of B a sil compares P ha edo 7 5 a n d Tima eus 5 2 but these ,

refe rences seem little to the point .

Another ph ra se of B asil which i s not far removed from the ,

one ju s t cited i s the echo of the Tima eu s to which reference is

,

made above B us 3 2 1 6 A 1 5 : 7 69 «pvxfi s 0 0 v

. 315va p w
.
, ,
'

7r 0
p 9 7 0 J ib/t a (T UV é OUO GV '

.
 The I nflu en c e o
f P la to on S a i nt B a si l . 9

Tim 73 B ma 7 t fvv3o v/t 6 v779

'
?) 0
'
: 3 v fis
77 9 « 7
g a
'

. .

T he idea of the binding of the soul to the body is so striking

that its repetition would at once suggest borrowing .

We next pass to the subj ect of the di ff erence of the soul from
the body and the superiority of the one to the other .

B a s 3 6 44 C 1 0 : 50 0 1) yap 3La ¢ ép6 t 0 o i pa v09 01 77 0 7 739 7 739

.
, ,
f z
,

3t a
’
7 0 0 0 07 0 1)
¢p I 6 6 t «r v i
x; 0

L egg 9 5 9 A: 7 0 « r v iyv a di a a 7 o 9 6 i va t
3t a ¢ épo v o a u
.
I x
An d the statement of the superiority of the soul also i s to be
noted in both authors
B us 3 5 6 5 D 1 : ma d 50 0 1! 0 t
'

fc a i ti va 7 6 m a xndé w
’ ’
‘

.
, , p
’

y a k h o v 36 i f o i /c et o r ep cp xpn
’ '
a 36 t yua 7 t
'
cwr o k e t n fl a t o wu a t 7r a
'
' '

p
f
, ,

« v iy 7 0 29 77 6 0 1 mi ni a 7 0 9
I x r .

Ti m 3 4 C : 0 36 ( 06 09 ) [c a t yev6 0 6 t [c a t
’ ’
7r 0 7 6 a v fea t f
p p
'

7r 6 0 Bv 7 6 a v a v i v a aSp a 7 o 9
' ' '
3 6 0 7r o 7 w [c a t a f o vo a v a f o ju evo v
'

p t x
'

p
'

y r
p p
f vv6 0 7 730 a 7 0
' ’

B asil uses this fact of the soul s superiority a s a famili a r ’

comparison to ill ustrate the di fference between l i fe in heaven and

life on earth and he remarks in 5 6 5 C 9 that if one should
, , ,

gat h er together and comprehend into a unit all blessings that have
been since the world began not in the smallest degree would that ,

unit be equal to the good thin gs which he will find in heaven .

P a delford op c i t p 1 0 3 i n a note on this passage refers to

,
.
,
.
,

P lato s R ep u b li c 6 1 4 A where after reciting the benefits that

’
, , ,

accrue to the j ust man in his lifetime the d flxa mo da l and 3&7pa , ,

from gods and m en P lato adds that th ese are nothing either in
number or magnitude compared to those which await a man when
he i s dea d .

S in ce now the soul is superior to the body we must cherish the

soul but neglect the body
B us 3 5 8 1 A 1 7 739 «Ir vxij 9 é n t ué k et a v
.
, ,
w d o a v 0 950 79 731}

30 v7t 6 v7 6 0 v
'

3 0 1 1 7 33
3
7 631} ct co v ci yo v7 a 9 0 13 37
’ ’
f }
.
,
'
00 0 9 0 3 1,DUX73 7 07 Bel mo vr o
p t0 7 60 v
'

. 77 . n t .

i 36 va 601 1} 37 L fl dALO T a
'

67 A
'
P ha ed 6 yyv n i 7 w 60 0 n6 9a 0
'

70 6 t
'
f f
. : ,

nn36v dut k éI/Aw 7 3 lc o w co véi ne v, 00 0 9 01

’

9
xa da pe fi w/I ev a n
”
a 07 0 i} . Al so Ti m . 18 B shoul d be compared
t 67
' ’

here ,
é n t p é k et a v 6x0 v7 a 9 ape7 73s 3t h wa r/ 7 0 s
,
7 0311 e a u n
 O The I nflu en ce o
f P la to on Sa int B a sil .

3 d7 wv ci yo v7 a 9
’
7 77 evn where the expression in each clause
f

is obvio u sly identical wi th that of B asil but from a study of the ,

conte xt it would seem that this whole section of B asil is dependent

rather on the discussion in the P ha e d o c p B a s A 5 and P ha ed , . .
, .

67 D .

A n other parall elism from t h e same sections ma y be mentioned

in this connection .

B us 3 5 8 1 C 9 Edda /70 19 xlr vx 39

.
,
2m0 130 0730 6 071)
7 09 3t h 7 6 ,
7
,

7 30 1 0 9
3 2
m3 ¢0 9a 7t a 0 09 60 7 t p37 7 60 1! 037 m l! 7
,

n6 M0 3t a
’
v xa 7a 6 2v.
‘ x
65 C ( 3 96 3)
3 k o y t ée n d 57 a
’ ’
P ha ed . : 1 0
7 7 r
u Xt 0 '

7a
,
v

7 19 m 7 e 0 7 773071}
3 3
a 7 7 7 1/ 7 0 1 7 60 11 5 p k vn
fi ( mo i) 031 3 0 7
'

n a a
,
-
3 61} 3 3 ¢t 7t o a d¢ o v Ir vxiy i mbu e 7 a
’

un36 7 t9 0 1 x0 7 7 01 « .

wmci éet 0 m il /t a
’ '

c 7 .

The
idea expressed in these state men ts is practically the sa me ,

that i s the m o r t ifi c a t io n of the fles h and the abstract sight and

, ,

hea rin g of P lato are simply transferred by B asil to the concrete

eyes and ears .

T here is also another pair of references to be add ed B us 3 ,

.
,

5 8 4 D 3 and Pha ed 6 6 C where both atta ck the body as the

, , , ,

cause that leads to the acquisition of wealth All these quotations .

then are sufficient to Sho w the sim i larity between these two dis
eussions and to indicate the Pha edo as the probabl e source of B a sil .

7 0 p 61) X o yuc o v 60 7 1 [c a t v0 6 0v 7 73
'
B a s 3 2 1 3 C 8 Gl/ (Bet
.
, , p 9 i f
.

0 36 n
'
dnn l ci x o vy o v
’

xr v
j ii
x , 9 7 a x o v 7 6 re a . .

0 p 61} M yt lc o v
‘ '
Ti m Lo c E w dr vxci s
’
99 6 y p a vflpwn
'

: n u r ci t vc 7
'

. .

i 70 3 00 90 7 0 11 lc a i ci gbpo v
' ’
60
’
7i lc a v0 6 p0 v, .

T his
reference from the Lo cr i a n summary is given because of
the identity of phraseology I t is plainly an abridgment of the .

discussion in Ti m 6 9 O ff of the two parts O f the so n ] the divine . .

,

and the mortal and we find it stated that the mortal part was ,

subject to 3ew 0t lc a t a va y/c a i a 7r a 973/t a 7 a among others 9dppo 9 Ka i f

,
.

cto Bo v dctpo ve Su nflo é k w and that these were all mingled a i a flé o et

’

, ,

czM yp
’
’
a description that justifies the adjectives used by B asil and
r
,

the L ocrian Whether B asil i s borrowing from this summa r y

.

1
which was made before the se c ond centu ry A D or is abstracting . .

‘
See Chr is t , Gr Li t .
,
4th ed , p 461,
. n . 3 .
 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 11

directly from P lato it is impossible to tell but in any case the ,

ultimate source is P lato .

Again in connection with the soul B asil borrows from this

, ,

same chapter of the Ti ma eu s when he describes the body as the

chariot of the soul .

B a s 3 5 4 9 A 1 «I rv i
-
Ken 7 73 7 t 9 0 50 7 1 [c a t v0 6p a
'
.
xy
, , ,

i m il/t a , 7 0 30 9611 0 011

Bt o v
’
Ka 7r
p 9 7 .

Ti m 6 9 C . : a pxiyv « r v fiS
I x a fldva m v
‘

,
7 0 u.6 7 t
,
0
’
912 777 01} 3
'
37 0
7 01 a 117
3 776 L6 7 0 I/ 6 v0 a v
P p
'

dxn/t d 76 77 6 11 7 0
Cf Ti m 4 4 E . . .

The next to pic to be considered is the immortality of the soul .

T his subj ect appears frequently in B asil though nowhere is it ,

treate d as a matter for argum ent V arious passages might be .

cited here where there is some similarity Of statement between

P lato and B asil as many passages of P lato are quoted atte sting
,

his approach to the Christian views on this subject but it seems ,

useless to accumulate references when there is no evidence that

B asil is in any way infl u enced by P lato Therefore only a few .
,

passages will be cited .

Co o k er Chr i s ti a n i ty a n d Gr eek P hi lo s op hy p 3 74 points out

, ,
.
,

that Plato teaches that the immortal p a rt of the soul wa s created

or generate d by God and was not always exis te nt I n regard ,
.

then to the creation of the soul and the body and the relati on ,

one to the other B asil says 1 1 6 8 A 1 2 : m3 vo nt ée

’ ‘

Of , , ,

11 la m0312 a é ua 7 0 9
7r ea 8 v 7 6 p a v elva t
( 1 t
7 73V 3 1 )
) 7 739 7 00
'
7 6
0 /
p ,
/

mi n i m 077 0 0 7 ci 0 6 w9 un36 67r t 3t a u6 vo vo a v ILGT CI 7 731) 7 69 o a p/c 09

' '
' '

3t ci 7t vo w '

While this attests the fact Of the creation Of the soul it is a

clear contradiction Of P lato s theory of the priority in creation of ’

the soul Ti m 3 4 B : 7 7311 36 373 «Ir vxiyv mi x ( 39 vii i} 730 7 6 pa v - '

.
,

67 nx6t p0 i3a 6 v Ké yew 0 157 a 79 6nnxa m30 a 7 0 Ka i 0 96 09 v6 w7 6 pa v o i;

' '
' '
f .
,
'

e o da t 7r 6 0 8 157 6 p 0 v 7577 0 V6 03 7 6 p 0 v f vvép f a s ela o 6 u

'

ci ci v ii
’ '
'

p
'

y p px
v
,

e a v « v iyv
’

0 36 [c a l y evea et [c a t ap6 7 33 7r p0 7 6 pa v Ka i n peo px

' '
o
p
a m 7 t v [c a t ci p f o va a v a p f o p é uo v v 6 0 7 73 S
’

0 3 0 ee
'
0 a 70
'

p o 9 ( 9 6 0 77
'

a 7 .

also Ti m 6 9 C quoted above and L egg 9 6 7 D : «P0 903 ( 69 60 7 i

.
, ,
.

> 6 v czdci va m v 7 6
’

7r 6 0 8 67 a 7 0 v Ci n di / 7 00 1) 30 a 7 0 1169 p 6 7 e l7t 77<f

’

p
'
. .
,

The emphatic sta te ment of B asil and the way in which he

12 The I nflu en c e o
f P la to on S a in t B a si l .

introduces it by the words [2 73 would suggest that he had in

mind such arg u ments on the other side as are given by Plato and
wished to belittle them .

O ther state ments on immortal ity are B us 3 20 4 B 1 2 y v éi dt ,

.
, ,
f

d
' '
O a v7 o ii 7 73V
'

¢ 75T LV 07i u ev o o v 7 0 G ali n a

<
°
a d va 7 o 9 36 73 f
'

« i/ 73
pX .

2 4 5 C : «P0 703 77 ci o a afldva 7 0 9

’
P ha edr yct p d ea t h/ 777 0 1
'

70 1
'
f
.

and IIIen o 8 1 B a n d P ha ed 70 A . .

We may add finally B u 3 5 8 8 C 7 and R19 0 6 0 8 D s

.
, , ,
. .

V I RT UE AN D V I CE .

The next subdivision of this subj ect deals with the considera
tion of some vices and virtues in connection with which various
parallel references will be cited .

T he definition of evil is given by B asil 3 3 4 1 B 1 4 : 0 7 630 770 79 , ,

'

7 030 cvya flo ii 60 7 2 7 0 x a x o v by the side of which is to be placed

’

the state ment in the Ax i o c hu s 3 6 9 E : 7 fi 0 7 6p 30 6 L 7 031; a y a dd w

‘
' ' '

1
,

a v7 6 t 0 ci ywv [c a /C601! a i a flna w

’
'
f
.

Then B asil continuing , in 3 4 1 C draws an illustration from ,

the eye After the creation of the eye blindness came to exist
.

th rough the loss of the eyes s o that if the eye had not been of a ,

corruptible nature there could have been no bl in dness 0 67 0 7 [c a t .

f
'
7 0 fc a /c 0v 0 01C 612 i 372 i177 a c 7 0 29 7 739 « r v fi S n n é ua a w
’ ’
et 6 0 7 Lv 0
; p 0 I x p ,
»

’
67r t f yt v6 7 a t .

P lato too uses the eye as an illustration though in a slightly ,

different way and in support of his statement that that which

destroys a n d corrupts i s evil R10 0 6 0 8 E For a s Ophthalmia to
, . .

the eyes and disease to the whole body as mildew to grain rot , ,

to wood and rust to iron s o 7 0 f fi a cfiv m v [Ca /C01! 61c cio 7 o v fea t 73
,

6x a a n dxxv a w
'
0 7 0v
p
'

vr o vn t a .

these two statements are not as far apart as might appear

No w
’
at a glance and in fact Plato s thesis that the innate evil i n each
,

thing destroys it ha s been followed in the main by B a sil B lind .

n ess he says destroys the eyes but surely blindness i s the inborn
, , ,

evil O f the ey es , for if the eyes ha d not b een Of a corruptible

14 The I nfluenc e o
f P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

a pe7 739 631 7 0 70 67n 7 7336t 0 0 7 739 0 9 0 /I o et 369 , is almost i d en ti

'
7

cal with Pla t o S 7 07 7 739 100 9039 o lo v 36 2 7 00 ( vX a /c a 373M ) ,

’
( p
'

so .

37 2 7 6 90 /2 0 6 t 3 3 Then B asil says 0 00 7 7p 0 w ( SC 7 730 l vx iyz ox a i

7 .
,
7 . «r

c w3 6 ta v 60 0 7370 6 0 0 which is parallel to the question of

’

p
6 20 0 2 690 30 6 2 0 p 3 914 1 0 6 1 0 3
’
Pla t o cw 3pei o 9 9 ; also B asil s
’
9 7 7 7
,

description of anger vefi po v 60 7 1 7 739 «10 x 39 0 ,

'
and 700 730 01 0 9 . 7 7

0 are balanced by the characteriz ation in the R ep ublic ,

050 0 d 7 6 Ka i 01 0 270 77 0 0
.

B u t the most notable point of resemblance between the two

passa ges is the use of the same comparison i n the same way .

This is the figure of the watch -dog which is gentle toward its
master and acqua i nta nces but ferocious to ward the stranger ,
.

T his comparison is considered in its place under the subj ect of

comparison p 4 4 but the si mil a r expressions may be poin te d
,
.
,

out here .

B asil describes one side O f the dog s nature as 7r pci o 9 fea t

’ '

et 0 3
x p 9779 7 0 29 07 6 A0 00 t
7
¢ which is the Plato n i,
c 7r
p 09 7 0 09 0 0 0 396 29 7

0 0 0 3
'
76 xa i v 9 79 bein g also used by B asil in
’
0 0 9 vr a O 7 a 7 0 0 9
p u p
f i 7 7
,

the same sense in another clause 7 0 9 36 0 0 0 7390 0 9 0 07 90 fea t ct t M v ,

’

6p 8 0 30 a 0 7 0 9 00 0 77 7 730 0 00 0
,
7 B u t the dog has another S ide to his
.

nature as well which i s indicated by B asil i n the words 7r p09 7 30 ,

7

2 (001 0 730 t 011

m ) é fa ypt o fi /i m, 0 0 96 p a f 9X 6 “ !
’
ak k o r pt a v
'
16 0 [c a t
ev x
'

71 6 1a v

3o x fi , and this corresponds to the sentence in 3 76 A of P lato ,

p . where
,
he says of the d e g 0 0 0 3
0 2
37 6
0 0 637 0
7 , ,

0 0360 36 79 0 7 00 7r 0 7r e77 0 0 9a39 T hus then the s i m ilarity of phrase

p .

ology together with the u s e of the same comparison woul d te nd

to prove that one passage is the source of the other .

Another vice th a t is assailed by B asil is the insatiable desire

for wealth and in connection with this t opic there are several
references to be cited B asil 3 2 9 2 C 7 speaking of the dis.
, , ,

sati sfaction O f people with their possessions says that they are ,

always unhappy because no m a tter how wealthy they become they

c o n t i n u a llv envy the man who is still wealthier This sa me idea .

is expressed in L69 9 9 18 D O ther references are B a s 3

. . .
,

2 93 A 8 and L 69 9 8 70 A B u t there is no particular comment

. .

to be made on these pass a ges for while the thought is similar ,

there i s no resembla nce in t he phraseology .

 The Influ en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 15

No w one excuse that the avaricious give for their practice of

accumulating wealth is the necessity of making provision for their
children and thi s idea therefore is the subject of atta ck by both
, ,

our authors s ee B a s 3 2 8 4 B 1 1 and 2 9 7 C 8 with which com

, .
, ,

pare Legg 72 9 A . .

Another topic in this connection deals with the relation of

wea lth to war B asil maintai n s that wealth is conducive of war
.
,

as by it the sinews of war are supplied 3 2 9 7 B 1 1 60 79 7707 6 , , 3

3 7 0 0 W OASMOU 077 096 0 19 32 00 X a k x 6 06 7 0 2 077 X a 32 00

’ '
77 7t 0 07 0 9
’
7
, , ,

0 0 0 0 0 7 0 2 £ 21077 S O in the R ep u bli c 4 2 2 A the same point is

.
, ,

recognized 77 039 7312 20 73 77 01 29 0 20 7 60 7 0 7 wo k e/2 6 20 6 776 t 30 0

,
’

,
’

90073 0 0 7 0 0 73 79 6 0 7 7712 60 77 33 6270 0 79 7 6 n a v 7r p 09 0 6 7 0 1 770 7 6 [c a l

,
9

’
77 7
t o v0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 16 0 0 933 7r o 7\6 0 6 20 .

In reply to this S ocrates from a diff erent po i nt of View argues , ,

that wea lth i s a hi n drance to w a r as it i ntroduces into a state

'

luxur y and eflem in a n c y and this also is the view sta ted in the ,

La ws 8 3 1 E .

Envy is another Vice that is considered by S t B asil in a .

separa t e sermon and some of his statements are not far removed
,

from passages of the Phi leb u s though t he resemblances seem due ,

to the n ature of the subj ect as in the ca se of the stock definition

of en vy given in B a s 3 3 73 A 2 : 0 (0900 0 9 7 730 6360 0 0 0 0 0 07 00
.
,
’
73 and A ci
& 5
’
«170
96 0 6 0 0 0 7t t 0 x 62 6 3 1,
77 77
y p 7 09 7 0 0 7r 7 t 730 2 0 0 t

6 071 70
1 7 20 9 0 ( 900 0 9
0 to be compared
,
with P hi l 5 0 A : 7 00 y 0 p .
r

(0900 0 0 3 157 730 7 739 30 0 x739 n d xa t and I b ,

.
,

7 30 0 7 0 3 7 00 90 S e also
3 3 6 677 0 7 0 29 7 630 ct tx wv lea /6 0 29 43 000 e .

B a s 3 3 73 C 8 and Phi l 4 8 B
.
,
. .

N ext we have to c onsider attempts to place the responsibility

for the infliction Of misfort u ne P eople blame the gods for their .

troubles a practice that is reprehended by both authors B a s

, ,
.

3 3 3 2 B 10 and I b C 1 5 and p
,
. 619 C For God ,
. .

is not the cau se of evils B asil makes t his thought the .

subj ect of a special homily 3 3 2 9 A 1 and it i s treated at

, ,
’
some length in the R ep u bli c 3 79 B f B a s 3 3 4 1 B 1 0 : 0s ,
. .
,

l32a v
' ’
36 [2 737 6 96 00 0 27 t 0 0 737 0 0 7 739 077 0 pf ew9 7 0 0 lea /6 0 0
'

07700 7 0 0 20 7 0 0 lea /C0 0 6 20 0 2 ( 00 0 7 0 60 0 Compare also 3 3 2 A 1 5 . .

T his same idea is expressed in the R ep ub li c 3 8 0 B : lea /« 130 36 ,

16 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

¢ dy a 9 a t 0 7 0 9 00 00 7 0 , 320 0 0 966 7 60 0 7 0 0 7 0
'
0 27 20 0 t 96 00 f
y y tf ve 0

and C : 12 73 77 0 0 7 070 0 77 20 0 7 00 96 00 0 70 9 0 7 600 0 7 0 90 0 .

Compare also p 3 79 C and Ti m 4 2 D . . .

While the section of th e R ep u bli c from which these quotations ,

have been t a ken was used freely by B asil ( see p ,

and while .

he may have had th is section in mind here it is impossible to ,

make any definite assertion Of this as the subject is so purely

theological and the most we can do is to point out the similarity
,

in the state m ents where the same explanation is given God is , ,

good and therefore He cannot be the cause O f evil

,
.

If then God is not the cause of evil but man brings it u pon ,

himself the question arises as to the extent of the freedom of t he

,

will B asil i n 3 3 3 7 D 9 holds that S i n waits on our choice

.
, ,

and tha t it is in o u r power to be evil or to abstain from it .

Further on 3 4 5 A 1 he draws a n illustration from the history

, ,

Of Adam who on account of sin was excluded from Paradise and

,

3t 0 7 0 07 0 0 60 32 0 12 0 x 977p0 0 77 p0 0 1fp6 0 t 0 B asil is thus .

plai n and i v o c a l in h i s statement of the absolute n ess of the

‘

’
freedom of the will and this i s in harmony with Plato s teaching ,

in the Rep u bli c 6 1 7 E that our lot does not choose u s but we
, ,

choose our lot 0p 6 7 73 36 0 360 77 0 7 0 0 730 ,

x 0 2 0 7 20 0 10 70 77 3 60 0 ,

i 679 0 27 20
’ '
Ka 770 0 0 07 739 60 0 0 709 6 62
,
0 6A0 /2 6 0 0 0 ’
96 09
B ut on the other hand he makes a contrary sta tement in Ti m .

8 6 D when he remarks that no one is voluntarily evil but that ,

the evil man becomes so 31 0 77 0 0 77p0 0 7 20 0 7 0 0 0 030 0 7 0 9 16 0 0

0 7 0 536 0 7 0 0 7 p 0 <f> 730 see p 3 2 O n this confusion in P lato about ,

. . .

necessity and free—will comment is made by J o wet t Tr a n s la ti o n of ,

P la to 3 d c d vol III I n t to Ti ma eu s pp 4 0 8 and 4 2 5

,
.
,
. S ee , ,
. .

also G o mp er z Gr i echis che Den ker II pp 2 3 7 fl

'

, , ,
. .

V i rtu e i s
the next te pic to be considered on the basis of t reat
ment by our two authors S everal parallel passages that S how a .

decided rese m blance are from B asil s sermon to young men on ’

education and the second a n d third books O f the R ep u bli c which

, ,

B a sil has used fr equently in this homily First then in regard .

, ,

to the impressionability of the young B 0 9 3 5 72 A 4 says : 0 0 .

, ,
I

ump o v ya p 7 0 0¢ 6 A0 9 0 t x 6 20 7 77 0 m m 76 0 0 0 0 0 73
96 70 0 7 0 29 7 0 70 0 60 70
7 a a
f 7
 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 17

1
0 x 290 0 77 9 3 0p6 7 739 67 7 6 0 60 90 2, 677 6 277 6 30 0 0 6 7 00 70 70 0 6470 0 6 0 2
6 00 2

7 0 7 030 7 0 20 07 60 0 0 0 9730 0 70 .

3 78 D 0 «ydp 2
’ '

p 0x 0 209 7 6 p t 0 6 20 0 077 0 0 0 t 0
’ ’
. 0 1c 7 2 76 0 0

0 0 73 ,
0 70 0 0 0 0 7 77790 6 0 07 0 9 030 A06 3; 60 7 0 29 301 30 29
,
30 0 636 0 277 7 0 76

16 0 2 0 0 6 7 00 ¢ 70 70 i7te i 7 93112 6 0 961 6 1 .

I t is shown on p 5 5 that this

passage of B asil is probably an
.

echo of the R ep u bli c 3 7 7 A The section immediately following , .

in B asil is p a rallel to p 3 64 A , and the citatio n s before .

us simply furn ish more evidence that B asil is drawing from this
p a rt of the R epublic S O Jahn supports Hess who alters the .

of B a s i l to 7 70 20 0 07 60 0 after the analogy of the text of 9

-
P lato , N eu e J a hr b i c her 4 9, 1 8 4 7 p 3 8 9 Anoth er pair of . .
, ,

passages bearing on this subject may be cited from about the same
sections in both works B a s 3 5 73 D 1 and p 3 60 D
,
B ut .
,
. .

I n still another case there is even a grea ter si m il a rity B a s 3 ,

.
,

5 72 C 3 7 0 0 0 157 0 0 36 20 0 20 0 n0 0 31 730 0 2 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 0960 7 0 677 6 1 373

x 0 4 9 9
,

07 00 O 30 0 030 6 7 73 0 0 7 2 50 0 4 677 0 5730

’ '
7r e
p 0
( SC . 0 60
) 7 00 0 Ic e/6 0 0 0 7 1 79 50 1) 6 .

p . 457 A : 0 77 0 30 7 60 0 373 70 29 7 030 ( 0 0 70 06 070 01 0

3 3 3
v , 677 6 237 630
2 ICO LVtDVflT éO I/
’
0 33 6 7 730 0 0 7 2 20 0 7 50 70 0 0 4060 0070
0 16 0
'
77 0 7L6 0 o v .

T he resemblan ce here is between the wo men exercising nude in

order to receive the greatest benefit and the naked O dysseus ,

appealing to N ausicaa for help P ractically the same phrase is .

’
used in each case virtue covered him instead of Clothes and ,
‘
,

equally well in regard to O dysseus might be used th e su mma ry

of this matter in the R ep u bli c 4 5 7 B : 7 0 0 60 07gt> é 7 u0 0 0 0 0 70 30 , ,
'
7 0 36 BAa Be 00 0 20
p Xp o0 T his quotation as has been shown
. is , ,

found in B asil in connection w ith many reminiscences from the

R ep u bli c and there is no doubt of the relation in the present
,

instance .

Again on the subj ect of virtue B asil says 3 5 72 D 5 : 0 00 77

, , , ,

36 0 7 770 07 00 0 73 dp6 7 73 0 0 0 950 13 0 67 0 0 16 0 2 £070 7 1 0 0 2 7 6 7t 6 0 7 73

0 0 072 .

his is quite S imilar to the s atement of the p

’
77 0
p 0 0 60 0 0 0 0 T . t .

6 1 8 E in con n ection with the s t ory O f Er The choice of lots .

should be made in the line Of virtue which leads to that which i s

more j ust 60470 16 0 0 6 0 yotp 07 2 {7030 7 5 7 6 16 0 2 7 0 96 0 7 730 0 0 7 2 0 07 7)
,
1
,

0 3
1 0 0 7 50 7 73 0 27 6 0 29 T here may be compared . here too B a s 4 69 C 6 .
,

and Legg 73 0 B . .
18 The I nflu enc e o
f P la t o on S a i n t B a si l .

B asil further in 1 3 1 6 C 2 makes a sum m arized statement i n

, , ,

regard to the four great Virtues (3730 00 730 29 0 070 0 0 0 00 73 320 0 20 0 150 7) , , ,

and 0 0 3p6 20 which he defines in terms quite Si milar to those used

’

in the elaborate discussion of these vir tues found in the Rep ubli c ,

4 2 7 E ff Plato in 4 3 0 B gives the definition of 0 0 3p6 t0 as 300 0 0 29

. ,

306779 0p9739 36 20 630 77 63 0 2 0 0 2 0 73 wh ich is followed closely by B asil

, ,

who calls it the principle 77 630 2 36 20 600 0 0 2 0 0 36 20 070 Another close .

parallelism may be indicate d in the definition of 320 0 20 0 00 7) as the

allotment of good and evil to each according to his due B 0 8 3 ,
.
,

320 0 20 0 150 73 60 7 20 6 29 0 0 0 0 6 0 737 20 73 7 0 0 0 0 7 0 550 0 and

’
401 B 9 ’
,

P lato p 332 D 3 3 0 2 7 2 0 7 0 32 30 00 0 7 6x0 7) 320 0 20 0 00 7)

7 0 00 37 7 2
’
.
,

0 0 0 0 A0 27 0 7
3 7 0 29 ¢ txo 29 7 6 0 0 2 6x 9p0 29 ( 0956 706 20 9 7 6 0 0 2
0 77 0 3230 00 0 .

T hese examples cited S how the greatest resemblances, but on

the whole there is no great difference between the two sets of
definitions I t is true that th e doctrine of the four cardinal
.

virtues was enunciated for the first time in the R ep u bli c but it ,

must be remembered that this doctrine gained great popularity

and was used much by th e church writers so the question Of ,

connection in the present i n stance is a very doubtful one This .

is also true when B asil again seems to have reference to this

scheme of the four virtues in 3 3 8 1 B 3 with which Wytt e n b a c h 1
, ,

compares R ep u bli c 5 60 D for the resemblance here is in form of

, ,

expression only and is very slight while there i s no similarity O f ,

context .

Finally i n this connection there are two parallel referen c es

which relate the misfortunes Of a virtuous man who holds a
public office B asil i n 4 1 0 4 1 D 3 tells how it is a n Old story
.
,

that those who aspire to virtue refrain from accepti n g public

o fli c e wh ereas the venal man considers O ffi ce as the greatest good
,

since it will enable him to benefit his friends take vengeance on ,

hi s foes and acquire great possessions Plato in the same line of .

thought says p 3 4 3 E that if a just man takes o ffice he

,
.
,

neglects his own business can get nothing from the public ,

treasury and has trouble with his family and friends because he
,

N o te on Plu ta r c h ’
s de di s c er n . a d ul . a b a mi c o , 5 6 B .
 The Influ en c e o
f P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 19

w ill not assist them unj ustly ; b u t in t he c a se o f the unjust man ~

~ .

the O pposite i s tru e While these descriptions are given f rom .

di ff erent points Of View the first from the point of view Of the ,

rascal and the second from that of the honest man there i s ,

considerable similarity in the general tone and arrangement .

B oth e m phasi z e the fact that a m a gistra cy held b y a dishonest

man is used by him to advance his own in terests and to benefit
his friends The resemblance i s worth noting and is su fficient to
.

suggest the possibility that B asil had in mind the passage of

P lato .

We now pass to the presentation of some miscellaneous parallel

isms connected with the general subject of ethics A similar .

statement in regard to friendship namely that it is produced by , ,

association is given by both authors B a s 3 3 4 8 C 3 and ,

.
, ,

P ha edr 2 4 0 C . .

Another similarity in the line of definition is found in B a s 3 .

,

2 1 7 C 1 2 : 7 29 7 03) 60 7 20 0p6 7 73 0 0 0 7 09 0 0 2 730 63 0 0 9 60 320

, x 0 0 0

7 9 ( 0 2 3 700 0 0 2 6 7 0 0 20 0 60 0 0 32 07 6 20
0x
1 0 3 0 3 7
1
.

Gr a t 4 1 9 C : xa p 0 36 7 33 320 9600 6 2 0 0 2 6 077 0 p 20 7 39 00 39 7 739

’
. 7 7

’
110 3
7 9 0 6 0 A770 6 0 7
1
x 3 .

I t is to be noted here that the same phrase 32 0730 0 29 7 739 11 r u

x 39 ,
7
,

is u se d by B asil in the same connection in which it is found in

P lato that is in definition or explanation O f xa p d
, ,
I n fact .
,

shortly before the sentence quoted above he asks 7 2 0 60 0 00 7 0 ,

’

’
a t ew 0 07 0
X p which he then proceeds to explain I t is there .
,

fore not unlikely that there is a connection between these two

,

passages .

T here is a m ore striking resembl a nce in the next pair of cita

tions B a s 3 5 8 8 A 2 0 00 60 7 20 0 0 0 70 0 0 (06 0 0 7 60 0 7 233 0 w¢p0 0 0 00 7 2
,
.
,
0

7 0 0 7r 09 3050 0 {730 0 0 2 7 0 7 0 29 77 0 0 0 29 30 0 0 00 7 0 77p 0 0 0 0 77 6 20

p 9 .

A 7 0 o v0 2 7 00 0 320 0 0 0 00 30 5 0 0 $70 7 0
p 3 62 .
¢3 7 6
, ,

0 0 30 0 6 20 0 320 00 0 70 0 2
6 00 2 696706 20 .

devotes considerable space in the R ep u bli c 3 6 2 ff to the

P lato ,
.
,

discussion of this matter O f appearances making Adim a n t u s argue ,

in opposition to S ocrates for the necessity Of employing such a

veil before one s real self There is no doubt that B as il had this
’
.
20 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a s il .

trea tment in mind when he wrote the present passage I n 3 6 5 C .

Ad i m a n t u s says : S ince appearance overwhelms actuality and i s

‘

master of happiness to thi s I must turn my whole attention , ,

before me and around me I must trace out the sketch of vi r tue

but behind I must drag the cunning and crafty fox of Archilochus .

S O B asil in th e sentence immediately precedi ng the one quote d

,

above uses this meta phor of the fox of Archilochus repeating

,

even the words of P lato and again shortly afte rwards in 5 8 8 B 4 , , ,

’
he gives the phrase to trace out the sketch of virtue ‘
For the .

identification of these phrases see p 4 9 The passage under . .

di scussion then is simply a fu rther reference to the same section

of the R ep u bli c .

Furt her on the subject of justice each author maintains that it

is worse to do wron g than to su ffer it B a s 3 3 6 4 D 1 and Go r g ,
.
,
.

4 73 A B u t he who does the evil is in danger of future punish

.

ment B as i l 3 5 8 0 C 1 4 ur ges us not to waste our time lest we

.
, , ,

be called to account 0 0 7 2 7 0 29 0 0 9 70377 0 29

3 0 7OU 60 7 0 29 6 27 6 , ,

077 0 7 730 , 2 077 0 0 373 7 0 0 7 350 0 6 2 320

'
2
6 76 0 0 77 0 0 7 0 9 00 7 0 70 0 220 7 73 2 0 29
p ,

with which is to be compared P ha edr . 24 9 A ( 0 2xjr vx a i ) 0

p29et0 a 2

36 0 2 0 60 2
6 9 7 3p20 670 90 00 0 2 320 70 60 7 20 0 0 0 20
0 00 0 7 739 320 0 20 77 7 .

B asil seems to have borrowed ver ba ti m P lato s phra se 7 0 071 0 - ’

7 739 320 0 2w7 73p20 a n d then to have thought it wise to add some
~

modification in regard to the sta te ment of the location of the

320 0 203 7 730 0 This parallelism is noted by Jahn N eu e J a h7 b
.
,
'

.
,

S uppl B and 1 3 1 8 4 7, p 4 6 1
.
,
. .

B u t those who are s o deeply dyed in wickedness as to be

themselves beyond th e hope of cure must not be destroyed but ,

are to be left as examples to others T his thou ght i s presente d .

by B asil 3 3 4 0 C 9 in a way that is s i milar to that of th e

, , ,

G o r g ia s 5 2 5 C ,
I n fa c t with variations in the line of ph rase
.

ology and vocabulary excepte d the passages are practically

identical The mea ning and context are the same in each case
.

and it seems ce rt ain th a t the first i s an imita tion of the second .

S ee also Wyt t en b a c h s note on Plutarch s de s c r n u m vi n d

’ ’
. . .

5 64 E .

Finally under this heading we may refer to a pair of sta te

,

ments on the duties of children to parents B a s 3 9 1 2 B 6 and ,

.
, ,
22 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on S a i nt B a s i l .

also H ipp M i n 3 75 D B asil fu rther illustrates hi s sta tement

. . .

in 4 0 4 B 1 f by a comparison of two prostitutes one of whom is

.
,
’
sold to a n o pvo Bo o x o s and s o is compelled to sin wh ile the ,

second volunta rily gives herself u p to that form of life Then in .

4 0 4 B 6 he declares that punish m ent varies as early training

tended to virtue or vice S o in the P r o ta g o r a s 3 2 3 f
. Plato , .
,

mainta ins that no man is held responsible for what occurs by

nature or by chance .

B u t the most i mportant passage on this subj ect in B asil is

4 6 7 6 A 1 1 if which shows some similarities to L egg 8 6 5 f
,
. . .

B asil begins with the sentence 0 5: 5t 7r a

p a 7 00 x a 7 0 7 159
' '
cm nevo s m/ 6 15 6 and further on i n
6 0 v7 0 i)
Xp n ch 9 0 72
, ,

6 76 C 2 f he takes up the discussion of homicide done under the

.
,

impulse of anger and decides that if the instrument is a club or a

stone it is involuntary as there is a chance that the assailant
,

intended only to inj ure and not to kill but if a sword or axe is ,

used the murder is voluntar y Plato devo t es considerable space .

to this same question of homicide arising from passion Legg ,

.

8 66 E f . He describes two kinds of such homicide one when the ,

act is done in the moment of rage and is followed by immedi ate

repentance which is involuntary ; and the other when the anger
,

is restrained for the moment and the murder is the result of a

premeditated plan of revenge in which case the deed is voluntary , .

I n 8 6 8 D among the involuntary crimes which are to receive a

,

comparatively light punishment h e mentions the following which ,

’
recalls the opening sentence of B asil s discussion cited above , ,

7 0 0 0 212 0 86 60 0 0 0 i7p 82 0py i70 ICT GLVy 7 20 0 7 29 i} 7 0 0 7)

’ /
‘
f ‘

60 0 7 139 B asil also gives other i llustrations of involuntary

homicide a s for example when a stone is hurled at a dog and
, , ,

hits a man when a man dies under blows administered in chastise

,

ment etc which are n o t the same as those given in the La ws ,

,
.
,

8 6 5 A f bu t a r e similarly used
.
,
Finally then the treatment in .

the La ws i s very elaborate while that of B asil is qui t e brief, but

,

the general similarity is worth notin g .

 The I nflu enc e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 23

R E LAT I O N OF P L AT O ’
S TI M AE US TO B AS IL ’
s H E X AE M ER O N .

The nine hom i lies of S aint B asil on the H ex a emer o n a treatise ,

o n the creation of the world constitute one of his most importa nt

,

pieces of work a n d one that received much praise from the

1
Fath ers Gregory of N a z i a n z u s says of this work :
. Wh e n I ‘

ta ke up and consider his H ex a emer o n I walk with the Creator

and I learn to know the theory of creation and I admire the ,

Creator more than before when I used my sight alone as my

’
instructor The praise of B asil s brother Grego r y of N yss a
’
.
, ,

verges on the extravagant when he connects the name of B asil

with that of M oses in regard to their descriptions of the crea tion .

I n his treatise on the Hexaemeron he writes to his brother P eter

2
as follows You have directed me to present in order the theory
of the creation of the universe elaborate d by the great M oses with
di vine inspiration and to point o u t how Holy S cripture is consist
,

en t with itself and that too though you have before you the divinely
,

i n spired treatise of our Father (i e B asil ) which all who know . .

,

admire no less than the work of M oses himself and rightly in my ,

Opinio n Gregory writes at considerable length in this eulo

’
.

i s t i c way and points out that B asil has completely elucidated

g
by his reflections the difficult work on the creation of the world
a
so that there is n o one who can not easily u n derstand i t .

This treatise of B asil was afterwards used freely and worked

over by Ambrosius (d 3 9 9 A and was translated i n to Latin
. .

by Eu s t a t hi u s .

I t is not necess a ry here to make any preliminary statement on

the line of argument of B asil in the presentation of his views on
the creation I n the main he ta kes hi s outline from Genesis and
.

for much of his matter he is dependent on his training in the

scriptures B u t in part again he seems to be indebted to Aris
.

t o t le
.
4
We shall proceed at once to the question of his relation to

1
Or a l 43 , p 5 85 A 9 ( Mi gn e )
. . .

2
P 6 1 , A 6 ( M i gn e )
. .

a
S ee Ti l le mo nt , H i s t o i r e Ec c les i a st i q u e, I X , p 2 88 . .

‘
S ee M ii l len h o fi , H e r mes, II , 2 5 2 f .
24 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on Sa in t B a sil .

Plato and i n this case from the nature of the subj ect chiefly the
T imaeus of Plato .

At the very beginning the sta t ement of the subject even seems
to recall the T imaeus I t is to be a treatise vr 6p t ¢ 00 6 w9 ( B 0 8 1
. . .

8 A as the subject of the T ima eus is also declared to be 7r 6 pt

6 -
0 6 03 9 in T i m 2 7 A where the company decide that T imaeus
43 .

should be first speaker as he had taken the most pains to gain

-
knowledge 776 0 t (tri o 6 0 9 7 0 0 77 0 0 7 09 S o it is ve r y probable that
,
.

B asil had Plato in mind when he said ( lo c c i t ) ma n t el 7T€p l .

,

E
c
o i 7 030
¢ 150 6 w9 67r 0
p w 2 0 7 6 00 0 0 7 o 7t 7
u j 0 0 0 4ml and the state
'

vc0
,

ment immediately following on the di fficulty of the subj ect and the
variety of views is clearly a reflection from the T imaeus B asil .

says that among the wise men no theory remains immovable but
one always displaces another though there i s no similarity i n
,

expression the same thought is fou nd in Tim 2 9 C . .

N o w in beginning a treatise on the creation O f the universe it

must necessarily be assumed that the universe was not ever-ex i s
tent but at some time had to be brought into bei n g B as il then .

sounds this note of warning in 1 9 A 8 p i) 0 1 0 ci va pxa ¢ 0 0 7 0 §o v 3 ’

70 a n d this is also one of the first points of the T imaeus ,

‘
given in 2 8 B 0 16 00 0 0 9 7 67 0 0 6 0 0 77 0pxfi 9 7 t 0 0 9 000 500 6 0 0 9
, ,
’

O n the other hand we are informed of that which is e v er—exis t

ent wi thout beginning and without end B a s 1 1 2 A 1 0
, ,
. .

96 00 ci va pxo v 7 6 16 0 2 0 7 6 7t 6 157 777 0 0 and Ti m 3 4 A : 0 57 0 9 Si) 77 0 9

’ '
.

‘
30 7 0 9 0 6 2 X 0 7 L0 p 0 9 96 0 0 .

If then the universe i s a thing crea ted there arises at once the
q uestion as to what was previous t o the creation B asil 1 1 3 A . .

4 says that there was a certain x a 7 do 7 a cn 9 7r p6 0 8 0 7 6 pa 7 739 7 0 9

’

0 60 6 0 9 0 l
’
6 which w a s 09 wv la This
7 ,
7 r e
pxp 0 0 a
, ,

view seems to be significant a s showin g the influenc e of philosophy

in Opposition to the sta tement of Genesis 60 0pm} 677 0 2970 6 0 0 96 09 ,
‘
7 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 x 0 ) 7 9 0 7 730 which o ffers no suggestion of any p o s s ib i l
p 7.
,

ity antecedent to t he beginning The T imaeus makes several

.

statements on this point First it gives the View of primaeval

.

chaos and asserts th a t the chief reason for the crea tion of the uni
verse was the desire o f God to bring order out of that chaos in 3 0 ,

A and then in 5 2 D i s specified what was before the universe

, ,
 The I nfluen ce o
f P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 25

i xcépa i yeveo w elva

'
7 6 16 0 [ l
P Xl tea t 7r t0 0 0 0 0 00 0 90
v 16 0 f
'

2 7
, .
p 0 T L
p p 6
7 60 2.

S ee also 4 8 B 53 A and 6 9 B , .

N o w proceeding with the development of the theory before there ,

can be any creation there must be a cause and this accordingly is also
one of the early questions discussed B asil 1 4 A 6 asserts that .
, .
,

the creatio n of the hea v en and earth did not take place a u t o m a ti
cally but there wa s a moving cause which was God a n d then he ,

adds : what sense of hearing is worthy of the magnitude of these

’
words what soul pre pared for the reception of such tidi ngs
,
T he .

necessity of a cause preceding is similarly state d i n the T imaeus

which also adds the suggestion of the immensity and greatness of
that cause which is the father God Tim 2 8 A and C 7 00
, ,
. .

77 0 2777 00 16 0 1 7r a 7 e a 7 0 086 7 0 0 77 0 0 7 09 6 0 6 20 7 6 ee y o 0 16 0 1 6 0 360 7 0

’ ’'

p p p 1
f

5
6 9 77 00 7 0 9 0 8150 0 700

After th e sta tement that God is the cause of existen ce the im

po r tant point here is of course this remark on the nature of God ,

that He is difficult to fi n d and when found can not be appreciated

by all This is clearly followed by B asil in the sentence quoted
.

above and i n regard to i ts importance in general there is a note

,

by Ackermann op c i t p 4 0 n 1 ,
N o passage was so fr e
. .
, .
,
.

quently cite d by the church Fathers now with praise and now ,
’
with blame according as they understood
,
.

From this the next ste p in the theory comes naturally in the
expansion of the idea of God as creator of the universe I n B a s . .

1 9 A 1 it is the highly -honored n ame of God 75 ua rc a p la ¢ 60 t 9

.
, ,

5 px )
7 0 ? 7 030 30 7 60 0 etc and this idea i s expressed or inferred sev
.
,

eral times in the Timaeus and is summarized conveniently in 3 0

B . I t may deserve mention here in passi n g that of the attributes
of God given in the list which has partly been quoted in the pass ,

age o f B asil j ust cited one is 75 0 7 0 907 779 which may be a

,

reminiscence from Ti m 2 9 E : 0 7 0 609 730 (so 0 0 7 0 003 86. .

8677 0 7 6 67 7 57 0 6 7 0
3
86 0 69
3
0 05629 pi
vr e 01 01 1,

After the statement of the creation some characteristics are noted

specifying the grade of the thing created I t was the product of .

the wisdom of God says B asil 1 1 7 B 9 while the Ti maeus 30 B .

,

O ther state
’
asser ts that it was formed 820 7 0 13 9 6 a i} 7r po 0 0 2 0 0 .

ments of the perfection of the creation are B a s 1 1 7 C 8 and Tim . . .

26 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a s il .

28 C in whic h there is p a r ti c u la r lv n oticeable the similarity in

,

the two remarks on the relation of the creator to hi s work ea ch ,

a fli r m i n g the beauty of the creature as a consequence of th e excel

le n c y of the creato r . I n this co n nection co m pare also B a s 1 1 3 . .

B 3 and Ti m 2 9 E . .

The next question that presents itself concern s the n ature of the
substance of the creation P la to bases his theory absol u tely on
.

the Empedoclean doctrine of the four elements and the discussion

of the matter in the Timaeus i s clearly the source of B asil I n .

comment i ng on the thesis of Genesis that God created the heavens

a n d the earth B asil ,
1 2 0 A 9 shows how the theory of the ele
.

ments lies implicit in this statement and is necessarily assumed .

I f t he existenc e of the earth be grante d the other elements fire , ,

water and air are easily found for fire leaps from stone a n d iron
,

which are of the earth the well -diggers have proved the presence
,

of water in the earth and finally the winds from the south are su ffi
cient proof of the air Thus it is apparent that B asil is trying to
.

harmonize the s tatement of Genesis with the theory of the Ti m a e

us expressed in 3 1 B and 3 2 B that the crea ted body consiste d
, ,

first of fire and earth and that later between these constit u ents the
god added water and air binding all together into a whole B as il
,
.

then accepts the doctrine of the elements and insists that this d o c
trine is in herent i n the O ld T estament teaching for though earth ,

alone is mentioned common sense only is n eeded to show that

earth comprehends all the other elements and therefore the state
ment of the existence of earth is no less than the statement of th e
existence of the elements .

As a proof of the importance that B asil attaches to this point

he reverts to it again in 3 3 C 5 and selecting the element water , ,

for particular emphasis explains that while n othing is said about ,

God creating the water we are told that the earth was invisible and
,

therefore must assume that water as a veil covered the face O f the
earth .

I n s t ill another passage of B a sil the reference to the Timaeus i s

even more plain and the language is practically repeated B a s 1 ,
. .

’
2 5 A 14 fea t o i 0 1 50 96 7 0 0 0 07 00
( s o 7 00 x o a uo v 62C 7 030
.
)
-
7 6 0 0 0 w0 0 7 0 2 6 lw0 50 75 ( 09 0 0 5 Ka i 5 0 0 7 03 Ka i
p X 6
1 0 0 0 20
,
7 7 0 0 7 0
1 1
,
 The I nflu en ce o
f P la to on S a i n t B a s il . 27

7 39 0 60 020 00 0 0 7 t 7 0 7r l0 0 77 0 p09 06 020 7 0 x a flo p ci o fla i ,

’

7 7 ,

7 22
70 06 .
020 7 00 0 2820 Compare also B a s 4 2 4 8 D 2
. . . .

Ti m . 31 B 0 0 0 0 7 0 6 2069 06 07} 16 0 6 0pa 7 00 0 77 7 00 7 6 06 2 7 0

7 6 0 00 6 0 0 0 2
6 00 2 w
x p 20 9 60 06
'

7r v 0
p 9 0 0 060 0 0 77 0 7 6 0pa 7 00 7 60 0 27 0 ,
0 006 0 77 7 00 0 0 6 0 7 20 09 0 76
p 60 0, '

0 76
p 0
60 06 0 016 0 0 6 0 7 779 .

The similarity here is so obvious that it is hardly necessary to

emphasize it B oth state ments agree that the universe is visible
.

a n d tangible 0 0 7 09 0 0 2 0 77 7 09 and both explain these terms in

p , ,

the identical manner but with di fferent words asserting that the ,

visibility is due to fire the t angibility to the hardness of the earth

,
.

S ince thus the theory of the elements has been established the
next step in advance is the notice of the harmony among these con
s t i tu e n t s which i s set fort h in B a s 1 33 A 9 and Ti m 3 2 C
,
. . .
,

where there is a striking similarity in the repetitio n of the idea of

t h e bond of friendship as that which yokes the elements together ,

a bond unbreakable that can not be unloosed save by him that

,
-
bound B asil s phrase 01 0 0 06 7 00 16 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 o t o 0 6 pij 7 0 7 960 0 0 0 7 0
,
’
,

0 007516 7 90 7 2vi <f> t 7kl0 9 86 0 /M? 9 0 40 0 Ko w wma v fea t 0 p0 0 0 20 0 0 0 0 6 0770 6 0

'
) 62
’
.
,
-
corresponding to the following sentence of Plato 7 0 7 0 0 [6 00 0 0 0
30 0 67 6 0 0 75977 0t 0 0 0 7t 0 7 l0 9 ( 00 0 0 0 7 6 go x6 0 6k: 7 0 07 00 0 030 7 6 l9
’
071 ,
,

0 0 0
' ’
7 0 07 00 “ 737 3 £ 0 0 6 7 0 0 0 6
9 t 0 0 7 w7 00 77 0 700 70 00 77 7 70 7 7 7 00 6

50 0 0750 0 0 7 0 9 7 6 0 60 90 2 Further at this same point in each work

.

there is discussed the subj ect of the completeness of the creatio n ,

the complete employment of the elements B a s 1 3 3 B 5 and ,

. .

Tim 3 2 C
. .

Finally before leaving the matter of the elements a question

arises in regard to their relations to each other and the passage of
o n e to another T his is mentioned by B asil 1 6 1 B 1 3 and elab
.
,
.

orated shortly afte rwards in 8 9 C 4 it is discussed by P lato Tim ,

.

49 C . The idea presented here of the close interrelation of the

elements is the same in each case and in fa ct the pass a ge of B asil
might be viewed as a commentary on that of the Timaeus giving ,

a fu ller explanation Plato state s that water when con gealed.

becom es earth B asil unites water and earth by the quality of cold
,

ness Water melted says Pl a to passes into air wate r and air are
.
, , ,

connecte d in B asil by the quality of moistness Finally beside .

’
P l a to s statement that air when inflamed becomes fire stands B asil s
’
,
28 The I nflu en ce f
o P la t o on S a i nt B a si l .

union of fire and air in the quality of heat Thus both sections .

are seen to be very similar and both are concluded by a similar

sentence in summ a ry B asil s x a i 0 07 0 7 t 0 6 7 0 t x i i /c h m x a i xo p09
,
’ ’

6 0 0 p0 o 0 20 9 corresponding to x 0/c 7t o v 7 6 0 07 0 020 02 000 7 0 6 l9 0 70 0 0 0

’ '

70 70 7 60 6 0 10 of the T imaeus .

B u t in the course of transition as one element is dissolved into

another it loses its characteristic form and therefore is practically
,

destr oyed B a s 1 6 4 C 1 4 and Ti m 5 6 D ,

. . . .

N ext in both authors the power of fire is emphasized as surpass

ing that of all the other elements B a s 1 6 5 C 1 and Ti m 5 8 A ; ,
. . .

and further the nature of fire is characterized as a nature that is

double on the one hand being the flame that b u rn s on the other
, ,

the flame that provides light to the eyes B a s 1 1 2 1 C 1 4 2 9 7 ,

. .

B 1 4 and Ti m 5 8 C. We also find parallel notes in regard to

. .

the co n densation and precipitation of wa ter in B a s 1 6 9 A 1 3 . .

and Ti m 4 9 C . .

From the substance of the universe the elements we pass to the , ,

nature and form of the universe which is the next poi n t that is
developed similarly in each work B a s 1 3 3 A 2 and Ti m 3 2 D ,
. . .
,

where to be p a rticularly note d is the emphasis that both authors

lay on 7 0 7r p6 7r o 0 which brings these two passages in to close
’

relationship Compare for example the phrase of B asil 0 0p0 0 0

.
,

0 60 p 0 p
0 0 0 0 7r é n 0 0 0 0 0
0 00 2 0 with the words 0
70 70 0
' '

06 600 0 6 0 0 07 03 7 0 7r p6 7r o v of the Ti maeus

’
B asil thus declares .

that God dete rm i ned for the heaven the n ature that was proper
for the heaven and for the ea rth to o its own proper nature which
, ,

is identical with the s ta tement of Plato that God gave to the

universe the form th a t was proper and natural .

The expression i s also notably similar in the follo wing extr acts ,

Bas 1 60 B 12 :
. 0 00 . 0
7 0 07 0 0 0 7 0 ) [c t 7 0
1 a
70 6 210 96
0 6 77 2
0 0 0 6 20 0

2
'
0
0 0
4 3216 0 9 0 7r np7 l0 90 ‘

2
,
[c a t 07t o v 60 7 o p0 0 0 6 0 0 2 16 0 6 X6 l0 9

77 6
0 77
7 0 60 0 0 .

07 0
' ’
Ti m 3 3 B . : 00 0 0 10 0 p
0 2 0 62 069 , 1c v/c 7 w7 6 p69 0 67 o
p 06 00 '

a 7o

M 20 0 06 01) x i /C i M » 77 0 0 650 96 0 0 07 0 0 77 770 0 18 0 07 0 7r o 7t 7t 00

'

x p w
a .

Of
course the subject here discussed is the same in each case and
i n this sente nce of his descriptio n B as il has apparently borrowed
30 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i nt B a s i l .

B asilfurther does not fail to touch on the etymology of the

word 0 0p0 0 09 which i s mentioned several times in P l a to B a s l 72 ,
.
,

B 7 ; 1 8 0 C 2 and Ti m 3 2 B ; p 50 9 D ; Or a t 3 9 6 B in all
. . .
,

of which there is the same underlying thought of i t s derivation from

the verb Compare B a s 1 1 8 0 C 2 0 00 0 0 0 0 60 7 0 090 . .

7r a p 0 7 0 0 0 0 90 2 700 0 6p o 9 77p o 0 6 2p770 60 0 0 and Cr a t 3 9 6 B

p .

0p a dp 0 0 0 00 0
'
o v 2a a 7
, .

The Ti maeus
'
however does not discuss 0 0pa vo 9 in th e sense in
which it i s ofte n used by B asil that is the heaven of Genes i s as ,

contras ted with the earth I n Plato it is primarily the universe .

and therefore B asil resorts to the O ld Testament for his description

of the nature and form of the vault of heaven referring in 1 2 0 C ,
.

1 4 to the verses of I saiah 5 1 6 for its nature and 4 0 2 2 for its ,

. .

form .

B u t the earth receives attention in both works particularly in

regard to the question of i t s immobility or rotation There has .

been much discussion of the passage of the T imaeus 4 0 B bea ring , ,

on this point 7 730 6 27t 7t o 0 6 0 170 06 77 6 pi 7 00 0i 0 77 0 0 7 09

'

7 6 7 0 0 60 0 0 60 77960 0 00 0 7 0 The di fficulty lies i n the considera

.

' ’
tion of 6 2 70 t 0 0 6 0 770 and whether this word should be inte rpreted as
conveying the idea of rest or motion B u t B o ec kh S ta llbaum .
, ,

J o wet t and others in spite of opposition principally on the part of

,

Grote stoutly maintain their belief that Plato here had n o i n ten
,

tion of asse r ti ng the theory of the rotation of the earth I n a pas .

sage i n th e Phaedo indeed he clearly sta te s i ts i mmobility 10 8 E ,

6 2 75 7 73 60 0 60 0 7 0 o 0p0 0 0 77 6p2<f> 6pi) 9 0 00 0 , 0 77060 0 07 33 06 20

0 75 7 0 0 0 7T6 0 GLV 0 0 0 7 10 79 0 7706 0 2 0 9
5
’ ’
7 0 6po 9 7r 09
p 0 7 7 7
t 7t 7y9 0 '

7 0 20 07 779 , 20 0000 77 0 0 7 0p 77p 0 7 0 0 00 0 60 0 7 L0 09 60 0 60 0 7 6 960

M 9ij va 00 0 60 0 6x 0 0
’
0x 656 2 0 0 70 00 000 0 00
’
0 00 0 777 7 0 0 0 6 ic 2, 9

0 70 0 0 69 0 6 0 6 2 .

sta tements of B asil d ifle r little fr om those of Plato s ee 1

'

T he ,
.

24 A 1 2 and particularly B 1 0 ff where B asil seems to have .

some particular treatment in m ind for he sa ys th a t certain of the

¢ v0 uc o l declare the earth to be immovable on the following
grounds whi ch are quite the same a s those given in the Phaedo
, ,

0 9 0p 0 020 7 0 7 070 0 60 770 7 0 0 77 0 0 7 09 6 0 17060 0 2 xtbpa v, 16 0 0 020

7 00 60 770 77 0 0 7 0 96 0 7r p09 7 0 0100 0 0 0 77 00 7 0 0 20 , 0 016 6x 0 0 0 0 0 077 0 0
 The I nflu en ce o
f P la to on S a i nt B a s i l . 31

. 0 77 0 0 7 096, 0 0 0 7 0 0 90 9 0 60 6 20
0 a 70 t 0 0 60 0 7 739 Attention is .

especially di rected to the relation to each other of the final phrase

in each quotation but the similarity is marked throughout The
, .

idea expressed that motion of the earth is impossible because it

,

would destroy the condition of the equipoise and equality in space ,

is practically the same although the form of expression is somewhat

diff erent except that P lato s phrase o zzx é fet 0 0 XX 0 0 0 00 57 7 0 0
,
’ ’ ’ ’

0 0 00 0 00 6 10 0 9730 0 2 has been followed by B asil almost ver ba ti m in

h is 0 016 6960 0 0 0 0 077 0 0 0 0 K7t 0 0

T hus the i m mobility of the earth is declared but that the ,

un iverse as a whole has a c i rcular movement is the assertion of

B a s 1 9 A 9 and Ti m 3 4 B
. . . .

The next point that comes up for consideration is the question

of the beginn ing of time and the distinction bet- ween day and '

nigh t as presente d by B a s 1 1 3 B 7 and Ti m 3 7 E Each of. . . .

these passages consists of two sentences which are respectively

similar th e first sentence in each case stating that time wa s not
,

existent before the creation of the universe but began instantly with
the universe while the second sentence describes time as that
,

which is divisible into the past the present and the future The , .

general thought and arrangement are the same the details of ,

vocabulary and phraseology are quite diff erent P erhaps B asil .

a gain has in mind thi s p a ssage of the T imaeus when he says

emphatical ly in 1 5 60 B 8 that a child would know that t he

.

days m onths and years W ere

,
7 00
xpo vo v oi where '

, m .

a s the T imaeus in the passage cited calls them 0 60 7 xpo vo v

'
.

Further resemblances of expression are found in other sta te

ments on this subj ect particularly B a s 1 1 2 1 B 5 and Ti m 3 9
,
. . .

B where there is a similar expression of the i d ea that God kindled

,

the sun and made it of sufficient brightness to sh i ne on the whole

universe To be also compared with this same passage of the
.

T im a eus and the L ocrian su mm ary 9 7 B are B a s 1 1 6 B 3 4 8 ,

. .
,

B 1 1 and 4 9 B 1 2
,
.

I mmediate ly subsequent to the question of the division of night

a n d da y comes the theory regarding the arrangement of month

and year in the sta tement of which there is a general resemblance

,

to b e noted between B a s 1 13 7 B 7 and Ti m 3 9 B . . . .

32 The Influ en c e f
o P la t o on S a in t B a s il .

Further in connection with this same subj ect of time comes the
discussion of the stars and their orbits B asil is clearly quoting .

some authori ty for he s a ys 1 5 7 B 1 3 that it i s granted by all .

,

that seven sta rs are borne in the seven orbits which they sa y are ,

in h a rmony one with another I t seems probable that B asil has .

reference to the elaborate presen ta tion of this m atter in the Timaeus

36 C The fundamental points are the same but B asil s treat
’
.
,

ment i s much simpler than that of Plato and his statemen ts might ,

easily be deduced from the T im a eus M oreover it has been .

,

shown on p 2 9 a bove that B asil may have introduced this matter

.
,

in order to support his theory of the 0 0p 0 0 o l in opposition to Plato .

Finally i n regard to the stars both works have notes on their

,

wide di stribution B a s 1 1 4 1 A 6 and Tim 4 0 A

,
. . . .

From this consideration of the universe and its creation we now

pass to a fe w parallel state ments in regard to the creatures First .
,

concerning the ethical nature of the creatu re it is agreed by both

authors that s i n did not come from the creator for evil by the ,

la w of opposites can not have its source in the good B a s 1 3 7 C 4 ,

. .

and Ti m 2 9 E B u t on the other hand that s i n is a growth

. .
,

within the m a n himself i s asserted by B a s 1 3 7 D 1 and Ti m . . .

86 D .

There i s also some space devo te d to the consideration of the

subj ect of the sensations in the Timaeus 6 1 D if Cold and heat ,
.

a r e discussed in 6 1 D the heavy and light in 62 C the hard and

, ,

soft in 6 2 C taste in 6 5 C color in 6 7 C etc and this treatment

, , , ,

would be an admirable source for such a summarized note as that

of B asil 1 2 1 A 1 2 to the eff ect that if the world were deprived
.
,

of the sensations of the black the cold the heavy the thick and , , , ,

of taste nothing would remain Compare here also B a s 3 2 1 6 C

,
. . .

1 3 and Legg 9 6 1 D
,
. .

Furthe r the r e a r e several notes on voice and hearing given by

both a u t hors a s B 0 3 1 5 6 B 1 2 and Ti m 4 7 B but in form of
,
. . .
,

expression and content the passages show very little similarity .

There i s however some parallelism in the treatment of the p h enom

enon of color as both decl a re that color exists a s far a s our pjr gb ep
,

tion i s concern ed only throug h the sight B a s 1 8 1 A 1 and , . .

,

Ti m 6 7 C
. .
 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on Sa in t B a si l . 33

’
Again B asil s statement in rega rd to the formation of flesh
,

seems to be repeated from Plato B a s 1 1 6 8 A 4 : 0 270 0 06 770 7 60

,
. .

6 i 9 fl i /c a
p 0 6 7 0 5 07t 7t 6 i 0 Ti m 8 2 C : 0 0 7 0
.
7 000
.

0 0 0 6 9 0 60 [c a t 0 6 0 0 6
'

0 p 6 0 10 0 7 0 9 7 00 6 7 0 2 0 a
p/c e9 06 0 77 0 7 0 13 ,

77 0 7 60 7 0 9 0 77 757 0 0 7 0 2 xwp2 §d0 6 0 0 0 130 030

, .

N o w the T imaeus says very little about the creatures other than
m a n but even the few statements made are found also i n part in
B asil . I n regard to the beast B a s 1 1 9 2 A 4 repea ts in almost
,
. .

the same words the description given in 3 2 1 6 C 4 ff which i s . .

quoted above on p 7 B oth of these references then give the

. .

idea of the P latonic passages Ti m 9 0 A and 9 1 E that the , .

,

degradation of beasts is shown i n the fact that their h ea ds a r e

brought low and their looks are toward the earth .

The fish also receive some attention i n both works as B a s 1 . .

1 4 9 B 5 and Tim 9 2 A where ho wever the resemblance is lim ite d

.
,

to similar n otes on their peculiar n ature which allows breathing in

wate r but not in air An d finally there are similar notes declaring
.

that trees plan t s etc were create d to be food for men , B 0 3

, ,
.
,
.

1 9 6 C 1 and Ti m 7 6 E 77 C
. .
, .

I n conclusion n o w it must be clear th a t in hi s treatment of the

creation B asil ha s followed very closely the outline and reason in g
of the Timaeus From the very statement of the subject not o n lv
.

are the main doctrin es of Plato repeated but even at times there
appear notable parallelisms i n expre s sion which compel one to the
bel ief that i n the preparation of these sermon s S aint B asil made
free use of the Timaeus as o n e of his books of reference .

T h i s dependence is shown chiefly in the first four sermons

which deal more particularly with the creation of the universe in
contrast to the fo r mation of the creatures In these are found the .

parallel references which we have discussed developin g logically ,

th e theory of the creation from the matter preexisting through a

preceding cause to the fact of the creation followed by the di scus ,

sion of the nature of its substance and the theory of the elements .

The nature and form of the universe are then considered presently ,

leading to the question of the divisions of time a n d finally is ,

state d the theo ry of the formation of the creatures .

The last three homilies of B asil discuss respectively the c reepin g

34 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a s il .

things the c r ea tu r e s o f the air and creatures of the waters the

,
‘

creatures of the land S ince it has been pointed out that the .

T imaeus devotes very slight attention to these subjects it is not ,

surprising that we find hardly a single P latonic parallel in this

section B asil was compelled to l o ok to other sources and M ii llen
.

ho tf has shown in Hermes II p 2 5 2 f that for these matters he , ,

. .
,

has drawn largely on Aristotle .

There is on the other hand one subject that occupies a large

section of the T imaeus about which B asil has practically nothing
to s a y T his is the subj ect of the formation of man the presen ta
.
,

tion of his characteristics a nd his att ributes I t is evident that .

B asil did not intend to neglect this subject for at the conclusion of ,

the n inth homil y the last one in this series of which we have any
,

knowledge he says 1 20 8 A 1 3 ,
I n what then man has the
,
.
“

characteristics of the image of God and how he partakes of His

”
likeness will be told i n the succeeding books by the grace of God .

That he wrote no more than nine homilies on the Hexaemeron is

atte ste d by the Fathers for example Cassiodorus ole i n s ti t di vi n , ,
. .

I 2
li t I
. And S ocrates I V 2 6 affirms that the work of B asil was
.
, , ,

fi nished by his brother Gregory who also in his turn asserts , ,

d e ho m op if p 1 2 5 C 1 (M igne) that the reason for his work on

. .
,
.
,

the formation of man was not to convict B asil of error because he

had neglected this subj ect in his sermons on the creation , but
rather to communicate to others the great light that he had r e
c e i v e d from him He completed this work immediately after the
.

death of B asil s ee Ti llem o n t op c i t I X p 2 8 9 f , and V ita

, ,
. .
, ,
. .

3
B a s ilii of the Garnier c d .

T he sermons 7r epl 7 739 7 0 0 0 0 9p037r o v 0 0 7 0 0 0 6 0 739 ( 2 p 9 , ,

.
,

M igne) attributed by some to B asil are considered by Ti lle m o n t

, , ,

l c as the work of some ancient writer who possessed someth i ng

. .
,

of the style and genius of B asil and who wrote merely for exercise ,

and not to impose on others or to deceive the church .

S o we observe that without doubt it wa s the inte n tion of B asil

l
M i gn e , Pa t r o lo g La t , v 70 , p 1 1 1 0
. . . .

2
M i gn e , Pa t G r , v 67, p 536 A 2
. . . . .

3
Re p r i n te d i n Mi gn e , S t B a s . .
,
I Pr efa c e , Ch a p X LI, p
. . c lx i i i .
 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on Sa i n t B a si l . 35

to discuss also this subj ect which is so extensively trea ted in the
Timaeus but for some reason he was prevented from completing
,

his plans The main subject of the T imaeus then wa s not of pur
.

pose neglected and so the lack of the presentation of this matter i n

B as i l c a n not be considered as a serious break in the parallelism
between the two works .

I n his History of Classical S cholarship p 3 4 3 S andys makes ,

.
,

the s tatemen t that B asil in hi s H e x a é m e r o n imitates P hilo

J u da eu s and in his turn is im ita te d by Ambrose N o w i n s o far .
”
,

as it would suggest that the degree of imita tion is the same this ,

n o t e is rather inaccurate as will be briefly indicated The depend

, .

ence of Ambrose on B asil in this work is pointed out by all the

editors For example M igne Pref to Hex B a s 1 p 1 says
.
,
. .
,
. . .
,

N o one I fancy who has read both works will deny t hat
, ,

Ambrose in those sermons of his has performed the o ffi ce of trans

lator and not that of originator I grant to be sure that Ambrose .

added something of his own and altered and transposed but he

, ,

did it as a free translator would Also in the preface to the .

”

homi ly on the P salms p 2 1 0 he declares how every one knows

, .
,
“

that Ambrose when he wrote hi s books on the Hexaemeron took

, ,

many thi n , ver ba ti m from B asil

g
.

The second quotation is fro m the preface of th e B allerini edition

of Ambrosius (M e d ,
where the author maintain s that both
.

Ambrose and B asil probably drew from the lost Hexaemeron of

O rigen a deduction made from a statement of Hieronymus the
,

accuracy of which can not be verified This preface also cites the .

M aurini Patres as giving the O pinion that while Ambrose took

very much from B asil he did not borr ow servilely nor in the manner
of a translato r but frequently altered and sometimes severely c r i t i
,

c i s e d the earlier work T his seems on the whole a very fair

.

statement of the matter although it is obvious that o n almost every

,

page Ambrose does play the part of m ere translator A single .

reference showing the word for word borro wing mentioned above
may be selected from m any that are readily found Ambr o s 2 1 ,
.

and B a s 2 0 C 1 4 where the imitation of Ambrose t a kes the

.
,

form of a literal tra nslation and t he closest parallelism to B asil is

,

marked throughout the entire work , as is shown by Seben kl ed o f ,

.
36 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

St . Ambrose Co r p S cr ip Ec c les La t v 3 2 1 8 9 7 who in his

,
. . . .
,
.
, ,

foot n otes to the Ex a m er o n refers to B asil no less than 3 5 3

times .

M atters are qui te diff erent however when we come to the con
sideration of the relation of B asil to Philo S iegfried in his .
,

P hilo von Alexandria ( Jena devotes a chapter to the sub

, ,

c t of P hilo s influence on the Greek church Fathers but mentions

’
j e

B asil only once incidentally on page 3 6 9 Cohn in the proleg .

, .

to the Cohn -Wendland ed of P hilo p L X f discusses the authors .

,
. .
,

w h o h ave borrowed from Philo referring to Eusebi u s Am brosius , ,

and others but not even suggesting the n ame of B asil I n his
,
.

notes however to P hilo s de op ifi c i o mun di he cites a s in gle

, ,
’
,

parallelism where the same ph r ase appears in both works P hilo , ,

d e op mu n 1 4 9 and B a s H ex I V p 8 0 B I
. .
,
Philo in his
. .
,
. .

treatise draws freely from the T imaeus in fact Philo is satura ted ,

with Plato as the ancients testify H a ci m w ¢ 2M > 0 l§6 i 79 © 0 0 0 0 ,

7r 7t a 7 wv l§6 2 a phrase which the later wri t ers seem not to tire of
,
1
repeating N o w as B asil uses the same source it is natural t o
.
,

expect simi larity in some cases but the di fferences are more ,

marked than the resemblances S o for the sake of example B asil .

, ,

followin g Plato enlarges on the theory of the elements which is

,

not discussed by Philo in this treatise Philo again gives a n .

elaborate treatment of the s i gn i fi c a t i o n s of various numbers devot ,

ing fourte en chapters to the number 7 X X X — X LII I a subj ect , ,

which is not mentioned by B asil And fu rther B asil does not .

en ter in t o the question why man was created last Philo X X V , ,

’
X X I X etc Also i n some cases B asil s statements seem to cor
,
.

rect those of Philo as w h ere Philo remarks ch X X I V and

, ,
.

X X I X that the earth wa s called invisible beca use it was a mo d el

,

percep t ible only by the intellect and incorporeal ; but B asil 2 9 , ,

B 8 says that it wa s invisible either because there was n o man to

,

s ee it or because it was covered by water .

Although these ins tances might be multiplied almost i n de fi

n i te l
y enough has been presente d perha ps to prove that while B asil
,

wa s without doubt acquainted with Philo his reference i n Ep is , .

l
S ee Te st i mo n i a de Phi lo n e i n P r o leg . o f Co h n-We d la d n n ed .
38 The I nflu ence f
o P la to on S a i n t B a s il .

P lato and no hint is given that a quota tion is being presente d .

This manner of giving a quota tion however or presenting a , ,

reminiscence without indicating the source is quite characte ristic ,

of B asil and France op c i t p 7 1 points out tha t this is also

, ,
. .
,
.
,

the rule in Julian .

The third and last direct quotati on from P la to is found in

’
B asil s Epistles 4 2 3 6 A 3 : Ka i 7 759 w ept 0 77 0 0 0759 0 0060
,
. .

0<;bi 6 0 0 IDt a
’ '
0 2 0 X7t 0 7 0 70 7 c0 0 0 9
,
60 X6 20 070 2 0 0 0 £2 n 77pa fy0 0 7 w0 ,
20 0 077 0 c 3 0 77 0 0 7 09 06 0 09 90 7 750 ‘ ’
ll fl
/
0 Te t
X GL 0 70 7 6
5 ,
0 0 0 58 00 ’

00 0
’
77 20 77 7t0 0 a 2 .

p . 496 D : 70 07 0 77 00 7 0 ?) X 0 ,8 0> 0
Ro ry/20 0 g 5
7 0 0
x 0 0 6 w0
2
x 0 0 3
07 0 0 0 20 0 60 0 {0 1 077 0
'

7 0 0 77
p 7 7 w0
,
0
X 6 20 c00 2 0 0 0 2o
p7 0 0 0 0 779

6 0n 0 09 , 00 070 09 0 X7t 0 0 9
’
7 0 6 00 0 7 0 9 ¢ 6
p 0 o000 7 62
x 20 0 0 77 0 0 7 70

0 0 7 0 77 20 7TX 0
0 0 60 0 0 9 0 0 0 0 20 9 0 7 0 77 .

T his is a good example of the way in wh ich B asil borrows from

P lato not giving the passage exactly but as if quot i ng from
, ,

memory he inter w ea ves hi s own words with those of Plato I n .

the other cases then when the name of Plato is not mentioned we
should not require an absolute identity of phraseology before
accepting a passage as a quota tion or reminiscence .

N o w these t hree are the only di rec t assigned quotations from

P lato in the 1 5 4 3 pages of B asil ( M igne) T his i s a remarkably .

small propo r tion compared with the practice of the other Fathers ,

Justin M artyr for instance shows 3 7 direct quota tions in 2 8 6 M igne

pages ; Julian B asil s co n temporary gives 5 1 in 6 1 2 Te u b n e r
,
’
,

pages and with very few exceptions the Fathers all cite Plato
,
1

frequently .

I n addition to these d irect quotations P lato is referred to by

name several times in B asil O nce in the same homily on educa .

’
tion 3 5 8 4 C 7 refe r ence is made to Plato s selection of a n
,
.
,

unhealthy spot for the Academy in order to mortify the flesh .

T hen in th e Epistles there a r e two passages that have to do with

the style o f Plato 4 1 0 9 2 C 1 0 : 7 0 07 70 6X 6 2 7 750 0 70 0 0 i 0 0 75
,
. 7 7
’

'
550 60 7 010 H Xa 5 0 0 900 7 20 75 0 0 0 750 20 77p 0
7 03 0 0 9 0 007 70 0 7

’
G
X P GL LO CLT O
'

,
and most importa nt of all as definitely sta ting B asil s

l
Se e Sc h wa r z , P h il o l 5 1 , 1892, p 64 2
. . f .
 The I nflu en ce o
f P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 39

adm iration for Pla to is a section from 4 5 72 C 8 where he says .

,

that Aristotle and Theophras tus when they had something to dis
cuss went straight a t the subject matter a s they were aware how ,

far they fell short of the grace of P lato B u t P lato thro u gh th e

.

power of his lan guage both discussed philosophy and at the same
time satirized his characters as in co m edy attacking the boldness ,

and i mpudence of Thr a sym a c hu s the fi c klen ess and vanity of

,
”
Hippias and the boastfulness and pompousness of Protagoras
, .

B asil continues with a reference to the arrangement in the L aws ,

and so besides attesting his high regard for P lato this passage
, ,
’
shows too his thorough knowledge of Plato s works and from this
point of View its importa nce can not be too much emphasized .

Co mp a r i s o n a nd M eta p ho r .

S aint B asil , like all wri ters of sermons con t inually has need of
,

i llustrations to clarify expl a in and enlarge topics presented and

,

therefore his works abound in comparison and metaphor T here .

is hardly a page but can show more than one and m any phases ,

of life a n d varied spheres of kno wledge are drawn upon for

their composition I t i s beyond question that B asil must have
.

ta ken m a n v of these from th e classical works that he rea d from ,

P lato as well as from others but there i s no doubt also that many
,

were suggested to him from his own knowledge and experience of

life The line of demarcation is often impo s sible to draw For
. .

instance in th e case of the figures beari n g on the subject of physi

c i a n s or medici n e which B asil uses s o frequently it is impossible ,
’
to i magine that he has in mind Plato s numerous figures on the
same subject They are commonplace figures that would occur to
.

any writer in any language B u t often the u s e of a word or

.

phrase or the similarity of context enables u s to assert with con

,

s i de r a b l e certainty an instance of borrowing and this i s the method ,

t hat we shall aim to pursue in the examples to be presente d in

this section .

In the small number of examples no classification has been pos

sible and they will be cited as a rule in the order in which they
occur in the works of B asil .
40 The Influen ce f
o P la to on S a i nt B a s i l .

B 0 8 . 1 1 16
. D 1 : i ? 7 01) 0 0
( )
3
77 ? 77
p 3 0 7 779 0 07 0 29
57 0
'
3 00 06 t
( 0 wk n'yfi s 7 0s é gbe fij s 77 0 L0 00 7 0 L 7r e i 0 7
p
'

p o qba s, 0

050 0 7 69 0
' '

77 7 0 e0 7
p 0 0 £ 0 ea v7 o i s 77 6
p t ¢ ép 03 0 7 0 0

D : (b e o f y e 3X0 i 5 00 5 00 0 0
p . 4 36 ( 0 7 76 0 0

43 0 07 03 77 7560 0 7 69 7 0 0 é0 7 p 0 0 wept ct ep ww a t
’ '
37 0
’
0 L0 0 00 7 0 L
,
0 e0 7 .

The con t ext in these t wo passages is quite di ff erent B asil uses .

the comparison of the top to illustrate the sta tement that every
thing i n nature su c ee eds in order from the first beg i nning while ,

S ocrates suggests his comparison in support of the th esis that the

same thing can stand still and be in motion at the same t i me I n .

ea ch quota tion the clause im mediately following the word

a
m ga m infers the purpose of th e comparison
al .

The word in the meaning top is very rare I n ‘ ’

.

addition to these examples in the R epublic and B asil but one

other is cited i n the Thesaurus P lutarch Lysa n d 1 2 where the ,
.
,

use is quite different Aristo phanes uses the word Bé/LBLEAves .

,

1461 Homer gives a n d/0 8 0 9 II 1 4 4 1 3 as does Lucian a lso , ,

. .
, ,
-
AS 4 2 77 0 50 0 0 1 0 0 9p0 a 7 5 xei p t 030 7 6 a s 077 0 7 739 77X17yfis 030 77 61)
' '
'
. .
, ,

f
' '
0 7 o p 8 0 0 é a w lvns 0 7 e Sea Ha L
’
'

p , p q Wh i le the word for top in an y .

‘

form is not one that we should expect to find very o fte n i n the
literature the fact that B asil uses the same word as P lato is s ign ifi
,

cant M oreover the word a 7 p eqbea ea i as used by L ucian seems

.
'

’
very much more n a tural in connection with tops than wepccfiepea da i ,
and the use of the lat ter by B asil is an additional sign that the
phrase is borrowed B u t the last clause beyond any question of .

doubt puts the P latonic stamp on B asil s phrase I n the words ’

.

37 0 0 77 7560 0 7 6 9 7 0 0 é0 7 p0 0 (30 00 0 7 0 29 7r epi ¢ épw0 7 0 t B asil h as

repeated with really no change the language of Plato .

T he n ext references use for comparison the brightness of the

s un of which B asil says 1 5 1 6 A 1 4
, (00 0 67 0 7 0 0 el va t 7 6
,
00
.
,
'
0 0p 0 0 00 0 0 7 e co v fi
’
n o v which has its parallel in T hea et
p
'

0 0 7 ,
.

2 0 8 D ij M o s 57 1 7 0 X 0 0 77p0 7 0 7 0 0 e a n 7 500 0 0 7 0 7 00 0 0p0 0 00

' ' ' ’
.
, ,

lo 0 7 w0 7r ep l 7 730
'
B asil employs the comparison of that which is
.

perfectly plain a n d obvious to all while in the Theaetetus it is ,

introd uced a s an illustra tion of a kind of definition that defines by

giving a peculiar charac teristic of an object which distinguishes it
from all others T he description of the s u n however is so similar
.
 The I nfluen c e o
f P la to on S a i n t B a s il . 41

in each case as to suggest the possibility of the phrase being bor

rowed .

B 0 8 3 1 6 4 B 1 0 006 09 0 90 0 500 0 7 0 00 0 0 07 0 0 0 0 06 09 0 7 0 7 0 02 0 0
. .

7 077 0 00 0 70 7 170 0 Compare also 4 4 0 B 8

0 . .

'
Cr i ti a s 1 0 8 C : 0 7t h } yczp 0 90 0 0 00 7 6 9 0 0 0p6 9 0 077 0 )
‘
.
r

60 7 770 0 0 .

T his
is a proverbial expression cited in Le u t sc h and S chneide
wi n Pa r o e m Gr I 3 8 2 as given by S u ida s from the Cr i t i a s
,
. . .

B asil is pla i nly repeating the identical phrase a n d though it is ,

possible that the proverb may ha v e been well -known from the ,

fact that it is not cite d elsewhere for th e literature in th is exact

form it would seem probable that B asil i s consciously borrowin g
,

from P lato .

B asil refers severa l times to the legend of the pun ishment of

the Danaids in 3 1 8 4 A 2 and again in 5 4 5 C 2 and finall y in
,
.
,

Ai 0o v
”
581 A 13 70 0 3 60 0 0 X0 §0 0 60 00 0 3060
01 0 x0 0 7 6?
7 0 0

50 50 0 0 7 6 9 6 0 0 7 69 00w
' '
3
' '
0 0 6 0 7 0 7 epo v, 0 7 ex vc09 6 1 9 770
p ,
0 0 00 00 0 70 )
9 ¢ p p
0 6 59 500 0
'
0 0 7 6 7 p 770 6 0 0 0 0 0 7 X 0 00 7 6 9 77 .

07 0 0 0 9Kt c67 a i
e'

Gor y 4 9 3 B . : 7 600 60 Ai 0o v 0 70t 00 0

6 60 o

0 ¢ 0 p0 26 0 5 00 59 0 0 00a m pp 07 0)
'
0 0 0777 0 0, 0 0 6 9 7 77 é 76 c 7 0 00

Op
'
7 67
p 770 6 0 90 also p 3 6 3 I) . . .

From these repetiti ons it would seem that B asil was much
impressed by this sto ry of the fate of the daughters of Danaus .

With his third reference beside the quotation from the Gorgias
t he parallelisms in language in dicate beyond doubt hi s indebte d
ness to P la to B oth it is to be observed first refer to the severity
.
, ,

of the punishment after which they mention the carr ying of the ,

wate r in a sieve and the cask with holes that i s to receive it There .

are many references to this legend in the literature but in all the
p hr a seology is quite di ff erent O n e that is most similar may be .

cited for the purpose of comparison Lucian Ti m 1 8 : (330 7 6 69 , ,

.

7 00 7 600 Aa va l0w0 00p 0 <f> 0 p7§0 6 w 0 0 0 00 0 03 0 0 0 0 07 770

‘

677 0 0 7 7000 6 00 but here the mention of the daugh t ers by name and
,

the omission of th e circumstances of the sieve and of the desc r i p

tion of the j ar as 7 6 7 10 770 60 0 9 present a n independent ph rase that
coul d n o t be associated with that of Plato O n the other hand .
42 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on S a in t B a si l .

the language and arrangement of B asil are so similar as to forbid

the thought that the resemblance is the result of chan ce .

B 03 3 . . 2 12 B 12 : 70 0 3 7 00 (000 00 0 0 90 p09 .

0 0p6 7r y
000 7 0 0
'
0 0
¢ l0 9 p 0 77 0 a 77 .

I b 4 72 A 7 : el 06 7 09 7 6 7V}, Bh ewwv 7 00
’ '
. 7r e
p 0 7 09 0 v7\7\ 0 8 09
,

0 00 X 6 0 x t 0
'
0
,
0 07 09 00 7 0) 0 0 0 06 7073 70 0 7 6700 00 9

p . 457 B : 0
00 7 6 70030 0 0 0p 677 0 7 0 0 0 0 29 70 0 0 0 50 70 0

Bek 7 t 0 y uva fo uev a w 0 7 6 76 }7 0 0 7 6 7t 0 lo v 0p6 77 0 ) 0

’
30 6 0 0
’ ’
7ov r v

0 0
p77 0 0 0 0000 0 006 0 .

S to b a eu s, Flo r I I I , p 103 cites the phrase 0 7 a m}

. .

‘
77 0 0 0 6 77 6 w as a quota tion from P indar and it is given
'
0 0
¢ la 9 0 0
p p ,

by B o ec kh in Frag 2 2 7 and among the P indaric 0 77 0 90967 0 0 7 0 .

,

with the note coque a llu d it Plato Re p p 4 5 7 B ubi d elen du m

, . .

l
esse 0 0 ¢ l0 9 sei t e n o ta t S c hn ei de r us Adam in his Edition of .
,

the Republic note a d lo cu m follows S chneider in regard i n g 0 0 0050 9

,

in this passa ge as a gloss and excluding it from the text He .

points out that P indar refers to the 0 0 <f> l0 of the physiologis ts as

0 7 6 70 59 i e ,
no real 0 q [0 at all M o r e su o P lato adapts the
. .
“
.

P indaric fragmen t to hi s own p u rpose He atta cks comedy and .

replaces P inda r s 0 0 070 9 by the words 7 0 0 yek o lo v The humour

’
r .

' ”
of his adversary is 0 7 6 X 6 9 — no real humour at all S ee also .

Adam p ,
appendix I I I to book V . .

B asil shows in the first passage quoted that he knows the origi
nal form of the sentence but later when he comes to adapt it we ,

find it changed even as Plato changed it I ndeed t he use of the .

,

phrase in the second passage cited is identical with that of Plato

’
except that the humor of the mocker is 0 0 0 06 X 69 The parallel .

i s m o f the two passages is perfect and the phraseology of B asil ,

that is the omission of 0 0 ¢ la 9 and the substitution of 7 0 0 7 61 0 7 0 9

therefor supports th e reading and interpretation of Adam for the
,

reference in the Republic and helps to confute the view of S tall

baum that the 7 0 0 7 0 0 0 0 is the gloss that crept into th e text 0 .

’
B0 9
. 3 . 2 20 D 5 : o i p i; 6¢ L0 0 0 00 6 0 0 0 3
77 9 0 67 0 X0 0 0 00 9 70 0

h
T is vi e w, h o weve r ,
r et r a c te d by S . in ed . P la t . n o te 0 d 10 0 .
( Le i p .
 The I nflu en ce o
f P la to on S a in t B a s i l . 43

967 0 0 , p0 7 730 0 0 0 0 a p0 a 9 , 00 9
'
0 00 0 7r e 7r e
p 0 0 0 0 670770 6 9 ,
570 0 0 7 030 6 0 0 0 60 7 0 29 7 0 0 0 030 0 7 0 9 77 0 96 0 0 .

P ha ed . 10 9 B 7
50 0 9 030 77 6
p 7r ep i 7 6700 0 0 0p0 7y0 a 9 i)

3 0 7 10 0960 0 9 p0 7 770 9 0 70 0
7r e 770 0 l
0 0 0 00 7 a 9 .

T his passage of the Phaedo is the sole place cited in the litera
t ure Where thi s co m parison is fou n d The tho u ght a n d expression .

in B asil are very similar What di ff erences there are seem to .

strength en the View that B asil is borrowing I n fact this sentence .

when p laced beside that of the P haedo shows rather a crude con
n e c t i o n between assertion and comparison which m akes the com

parison appear not entirely n atural I n Plato the antithetical .

relations a r e obvious We in our i n s i gn ifi c a n c e live round the

.

sea the M editerranean as ants and frogs round a marsh This

, ,
.

permits also a proportionate arrangement as we are in proportion ,

to the ants or frogs so is the sea to a marsh The quotation from .

B as i l compares passionate men crawling round the earth to worms

crawling round a marsh The rel a tions plainly are not as fit as
.

is the case in the Platonic passage I t is easy to assume that .

B asil has worked over a borrowed phrase to suit the exigencies of

a slightly di ff erent connection T he changes are n o t di fficult . .

B asil was an inlander preaching to inlanders the phrase 7r ept 7 770 ,

6 0700 7 7 0 0 was too restricted hence the 7r ep 0 7 730 The verb must
,
.

then of n ecessity be altered and 13700 0 77 0 0 90 0 wa s selecte d perhaps

to increase the obloquy 0 0 a3a is the crawling creature r e q u i r
.

ed by the new verb and i s not a far call from 0 00 0 776

,
.

While this analysis may be rather fanciful for the general ,

reasons sta t ed it seems not unj ustifiable to coun t the phrase of

B asil as an echo of the comparison of the Phaedo .

N ext there are a n umber of comparisons w hich have to do with

the eyes among which particularly to be noted are B a s 4 1 2 8 A
,
. .

2 and p 5 1 6 A which show the greatest resemblances

. Here .

th e first clause of B asil corresponds to the first clause of t he pass

age from the R epublic each stating that eyes accustomed to dark
,

ness when brought suddenly to the light are blinded a n d can not
see actualities T herefore to note the parallelism in the second
.
,

clauses they must look first at the shadows of objects then at

, ,

the refl ections i n water and finally at the objects themselves ,

.
44 The I nflu en c e f
o P la t o on S a in t B a si l .

B oth this cita ti on and B a s 3 2 3 6 B 3 clearly suggest that B asil . .

is drawin g from th e famous cave simile of the R epublic .

B asil frequently makes use of the figure of the steersman in

comparison and meta phor as in 3 2 5 6 C 1 2 and 4 2 1 C 1 which ,
.
, ,

particularly show P lato nic influence when placed beside R epublic

4 8 8 C and D ,
The first passage in each case refers to the steers
.

’
man s neglect of hi s duties and the second details some of those
duties B oth of the sections of Plato are from the famous com
.

parison at th e beginning of the sixth book of the R epublic to ,

which as J o wett po i n ts out in note to 4 8 8 A Plato returns a s to , ,

a familiar im a ge in P o li t 2 9 7 E I n this latter pl a ce it is to be . .

noted that Plato couples in his comparison the s t eersman and the
physician 7 0V yevva i o v lc vfi epmfimv x 0 2 7 61)
,
r i 0 7 p0 v S o it
'

may be an addi tional sign of remi niscence from P lato when B as i l

y ap i 0 7 p 0 v
‘
in the first passage cited 3 2 5 6 C 1 0 says , .
, ,

437 0 e ) l c e vfifl yv
, p
We next come t o a pair of comparisons which centre round the
dog The first one which is used in B 0 3 3 3 6 5 C 1 and R196
.
,
. . .

3 75 E has already been discussed on p 1 4

,
T his comparison . .

in troduces the dog m i ld to its friend and fierce toward its foe i n
each case as an illustration of the benefit of anger under certain
’
circumstances P lato s statement is 0 0 a xo v 7 6 [c a l 0 1 5/0 77 o 0v0 69
.
’
,
'
1
,

I b B and therefore it should be an at tribute of the character of

.
,

the qSfi X a E B asil I b B 3 compares proper anger to the soldier

.
,
. .
,

who bears aid always at the necessary points a n d then summing ,

'
up with the words 0 a 7n o 7 a 96 3750 10 09 6 9v0 0 9 he in troduces the ’

compa r ison of the do g This similarity of the setting added to .

,

th e resemblances of expression i ndicated before on the page cited ,

is strong proof th a t this section of the R epublic has here been

’
B asil s model .

The dog again figures in B a s 3 3 6 9 A 1 Ka i 7r 0 i ei 9 7 0 7 031

'

. . 1

'
x vvéi v o i M9 0 0 9 Sci /w o va i 7 0 0 Ba k h o v7 o 9 o r} vr p0 0 0 7r 7 0 0 ev0 i
'
'

, , .

1219 6 4 6 9 D : o i ei T L Si debo po v Spci v 7 0 139 7 0 07 0 wo co fi w a s 7 6 m

'
‘
.

x v i 631) a i 7 0 29 X i 9 0 i 9 0 29 a v Bk neéi cn B
’
a k e n a i vo v a i 7013 a n t e r/ 7 0 9
x
' '

/
, ,

0 6x 0 7 7 60 6 11 0 1 .

example where a comparison has been borrowed

T his is another
by B asil and poorly fitted to hi s conte xt T he comparison itse lf .
46 The I nflu en c e o
f P la to on Sa in t B a s i l .

language that we should expect it to appear i n B asil even thus

much T he Thes a u r u s s v ép v cn Bn gives but one reference to
.
,
. .
’

where it is found the passage of the R epublic cite d above I n

,
.

addi tion to this the similar connection in thought helps to conv i nce
u s that B asil i s using a borrowed phrase P lato states that every .

th i ng has its natural di sease wheat has mildew iron has rust etc , , , .

S imilarly in B asil envy is the proper disease of friendship as

mildew i s of wheat and again even as mildew of wheat so fawn
,

i n g i s the disease destruction of friendship ,

.

There are several comparisons now that have to do with the

.
-
ship and the sea B a s 3 4 2 1 B 1 3 030 7r ep 7 L n k o i o v 0 vep0 ci 7 i 0 7 o v
. .
'

'
077 0 7 031) 0 6 0 7r p0 0 7r i 7r 7 0 v7 wv 7r epc¢ epd0 evo 9 Compare also I b . .

5 77 C 8 .

Thea et . 14 4 A : x0 0 é
¢p o v7 0 i 030 7r e
p 7 0 0 vep0 ci 7 i 0 ‘

70

7r 7
to ia .

In addition to the identity of phrase in the reference from

B asil and that from the T heaetetus there is also a marked simi
la r i ty of context B oth employ the comparison as an i llustration
.

of those who are under the influence of passion B asil i m m edi .

,

ately preceding the quotation given above exhorts his hearer not ,

to permit the s torm of wrath to overthrow him and the co m parison ,

in Plato i s made directly w ith those clever men of retentive memory

who for the most part are prone to anger This then seems to be .

another example of a borrowed simil e .

I n the same sphere of the sea may be cited B a s 3 4 3 6 A 8 . .

i yfc w 7 p0 v é a
’ '
c f
n 70 0
"
a 7 0 0 le a /c o r) Se X ea
' '
I 0 964 B 5
. 700 11 9 r ci
5 7yp é O TL 7 0 0
‘

y ef p .

G T O V lea /£ 0 0 Be X e a
'
7 00 11 7 11
Ti m 6 9 D 5 5 é Y p
‘

.
fl l ’ .
,

T he first of these fish metaphors where pleasure is the hook , ,

suggests that B asil here may have had the Platonic statement in
mi n d The second reference from B asil is m erely a repetition
.

of the phrase of the T imaeus which is the only example of this ,

meta phor cited in the Thes a u r us As is pointed out i n the com .

m en ta r i e s P l a to i s praised for it by Cicero Ca to M a i 1 3 divine ,

.
,

enim Plato e sc a m m a lo r um appellat v o lu pta te m quod ea videlicet ,

homines c a p ia n t u r u t pisces .

\Ve return aga i n to the thought of the boat and no te that B asil
 The I nfluen ce o
f P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 47

i n 3 5 65 A 14 urges us not to be led of others 7 0

-
(fi a n e
.
p
07 150 0311 7r a 0 00 v7 0 9
'
710 7 0 00 71 9 3 p beside which is to be ,

mentioned Cli t 40 8 A 00 150 91 ) 0i 0

' '
e7t ev 9 6
’
.
pg ye w f

01) Elm} 011 0 ,

'
7 0 10 137 90 7 11: 0 00 71 ep 7r 7t o lo v 0d 0 00 7 00
77 0
p v7 i0 7 77 17
'

7 01 0 v0 i a 9
'
71 9

B ut two occurrences of this simile are cited the reference given ,

from P lato and the same phrase borrowed by Them i st i u s Or a t ,

/ .

3 2 1 B who quotes the entire sen te nce from the C li t Opho beginning
,

with the word 00 15700 T hough B asil has abstracted i n phraseology

.

no more than the simile itself the connection is similar in that it ,

is used as an illustration of one who is under the guidance of

another The resemblance in the context then the identity
.
,

of phrase and if that is not suffi cient the repetition of the fi gu r a

,

tive use of 7 170070 0 all combine to aff ord unquestionable proof of

,

t he relationship of the two pass a ges .

We pass now to an elaborate simile of dyers and dyeing which

is introduced in each case for the purpose of illustra ting the
importa nce of prel i minary education B a s 3 5 6 8 A 9 ff and ,
. . .

p . 4 2 9 D f B asil declares in
. exhorting the Christian youths
that all that we do is in preparation for th e future life and this
end we must prosecute wi t h might and main The scriptures are .

our guide thither but often we are unable to understand them on

accoun t of immaturity and therefore we must acquire prelimin ary
,

trainin g by study of the poets historians and orators just as , ,

dyers prepare the cloth before they dye .

The context of the R epublic here is concerned with the dis

c u s si o n of courage which Plato defines as the salvation of the
opin ion concern i n g the things to be fea red and their character ,

begotten by law through education As therefore cloth must be .

prepared to take a good dye s o the soldier to attain to cou r age ,

must receive a thorough prelimin ary ed u cation .

I n form of expression the simile itself in each case is practically

the same if allowance is made for a certain i nterchan ge of words ,

which m akes it appear indeed as if B asil were deliberate ly alter

ing a borrowed passage to make it more his own S o B asil says .
,

oi
-
Sew 0 77 0 10 0
'
0 0 1c ev 0 0 0 v7 6 9
'
o7e ov 9 6p 0 71 6 i 0 19
'
’
7i0
'

i v, 0 TL
p p
'
7r
p
'

7r 0
'

0 11 fi 0 06 500 6 11 0 1) 1711 B fj 3 0 é71 0 fy o va w, beside

'

7 7 a cn v 0 1 7 0 1 7
,
48 The I nflu enc e o
f P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

the Platonic phrase ,

o i 80, f
< > 6 29 7r
p 0 7r a
p a 0 1c ev d §o v0 w
0711 0 9 0656 7 0
'
96 p0 71 6 00 '
0 0 7 e9
,
1 0 71 0 0 7 00 70 7 0 0 0 90 9 , 11 0 1 0 07 10 015
5 017 7 0 0 0 1 . 06 0 0 0
in the meaning of Ba ¢ s é 9 is cite d by
0 17 0 1 9

S u ida s and H e syc h i u s but no example of such use from the ,

litera ture i s given i n the lexicons B l fi m n e r Tech 0 Ter m 1 .

,
. . . .

2 1 7 6 says :
, ,
das eigentlich von der Farbe gebrauch t e Wort
“

06 0 0 0 0 0 109 fi n de t sich fur Fa rber gebraucht I n support of thi s .

”

statement he cites only three lexical notes from M oeris S u i da s , ,

’
a n d H a r p o c r a t i o n s lexicon of the Attic O rators
’
H a r po c r a t i o n .

note does not seem to bear on the poin t however and the others , ,

simply mention the fact Plato in this passage cited above uses .

t he word twice first in 4 2 9 E 1 with the meaning deeply - dyed ’

,

and hence indelible but on its second appearance the word

‘

shows a metaphorical use of this meaning in 4 30 A 4 06120 0 7 0 10? ,

0 07 10 0 15 002 0
5 14 0 0 1 7 0 11 0 0 77 6 0 06 10 010 11 0 1 we t 7 6
7 7 p
1 1
p 00 070 m m which ,

has i ts parallel in the similar metaphorical use by B asil of

0 0 611 77 7t v7 0 9 in the clause ( lo c c i t ) 0 67 7t e1 0 0 611 71 1 0 7 0 9 150 20 .
,
t

0 0 60 6 10 0050 0 0 611 77 0 0 7 0 9 to o is simply the nega

1
57 0 0 7r a
p .

tive of th e Platonic 611 770 0 7 0 9 i n 4 2 9 E 6 .

’
I t is almost unnecessary to add a no te o n the identity of B asil s
'
9 7 1 0 10
’
7r 0 7 6 0 0
p p 6 0 71 6 10 1 9
p with the P latonic '

0 0 /1 6 0 ci é0 0 0 1 0 96 0 7 6 00 0 0 7 6 9 of 0 6 5 6 0 90 1 7 150 [30 115 0 with

6
'

7r O77 0
p p 0 ,

0666 0 90 1 7 0 0 0 90 9 ‘
.
-
Plato also says 06ge0 9a i 030 71 6p 3 0 10150 in 4 3 0
'

’
A 3 Atte ntion is finally called to the i nterchange in B asil s
.

0656 0 90 1 7 150 0 0 05150 0 07 10 7 0 0 0 90 9 671 07 0 0 0 1 0 and P lato s 0666 0 90 1

’
,

7 0 0 0 90 9 11 0 1 0 07 0 ) 015 6 0 77 7 0 0 0 1 .
,

From these various considerations then from the similarity in ,

form and expression of the comparisons and from their similar

relations to their respective conte xts it seems without doubt that
this is another instance where B asil has drawn extensively from
P lat o A J ahn N e ue J a hr b 4 9 p 3 9 7 agrees to this i den t ifi
. .
,
.
,
.
,

cation and mentions several editors who accept and m ake comment
on it .

630 057 10 0 016 <I

> 90 p 0 60 150 0 6 7 0 010 0
Ba s . 3 . 5 8 1 C 13 : 0 5
1 010 7 0
3
7 0 0
0 0
x 6 0 16 0 7 0
90 320 .

p . 4 11 A : 11 0 7 0
76 2 6 0 71 95 T 001 1 ? 01 0 71 00 037 10 0 , (710 7r e
p 010

3
0 01 9
7 ,
7 0 9 000 0 0 10 9 .
 The I nflu en c e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l . 49

Hiller in the N eu e J a hr b 1 0 9 p 1 74 maintains that this .

,
.
,

p a ssage of Plato a n d part icularly the comparison of the ears to a

fu nn el must have had a common source with Ar i s to ph Thesm .
,
.

1 8 0 16 0 5 00 x 0 0 0 170 0 7 0 016 7 6 7 p1§0 0 7 o

'

, T his source h e suggests .

was a n early philosopher and consequently the phrase i n Plato is ,

a simple remi n iscence N o w although B asil does not mention .

,

the funnel the rest of the clause is so similar as to convince u s

that i n i ts turn this is a reminiscence from Plato I n fact there .

can be little doubt about the identification since B asil uses this
meta phor in the midst of a section where he draws largely from
this identical portion of the Republic see below , .

B 584 C 1 010 5 5 0 00 0 170 010 0 077 77 10 0 i i

’
03 . 3 . : 17 6 5
0 1 0 1o
x o0 1 77 a

05
( 6 00 0 00 010 7r a
p p 0
0 0 v
0 6 0 0 0 07 6 0 00 1.

P ha edr . 2 5 4 E : 0 0 150 00 560 9

’
701 3 {48 1310 7 0 6 616 4 - -
177 71 0 0 7 030
0000 7 0 10 0 77 00 0 9 7 00 x0 k 10 00 , 71 0 5 lea /1 151 0 10 0 7 7
7 1 0 07 70 0

16 0 9150 0
66 .

I n B asil the connection of thought is that as the charioteer is

disregarded by his frenzied steeds so i s the mind disregarded in
the ascendancy of the passions This is the exact point in the .

elaborate comparison of the P haedrus 2 5 3 D fill of the charioteer , ,

and his two horses on which Thompson ed of P ha edr u s p 4 5

, ,
.
,
.

( note to 2 4 6 A ) remarks All commentators ancient and modern

“
: , , ,

have recognized in the chariote er and his pair of steeds the well
known triple division of t he soul into the reasoning the passiona te , ,

and the appete n t principles (h o g 10 7 111 00 90 0 116 00 6 771 9v0 177 1/c 00 ) /
, ,
’

” ’
which lies at the root of P lato s ethical doctrine .

The brief simile of B asil then with the warn ing again st allow
i n g the rational principle to be overcome by the other two seems
to have been taken from the Phaedrus and Wa n d i n ger here , ,

o
p cit
. p . 4,6 n
,
. refers very
,
properly
. to that comp a rison .

The las t example to be presented in this chapter has to do with

the fox of Archilochus to which re ference has already been made
’
B asil says in 3 5 8 5 D 6 : 7 159 Apx 1x0xo v 0 M n r efc o 9
’
on p 20
. . .

7 0 x e 00 7 t 6 0 0 7 6 11 0 2 17 0 111 11 0 0 §17M 30 o 0 6 0
'
-and again in 5 8 8 B 4
p 1

’
90
’

¢ 0 5 0p6 7 159 j
'

77 6 p1fy a xr a 10 6
p
0 x 10 ¢ 71 9
yp 0 10 0 7 10 .

p . 3 65 C : 7111 090 50 0 0 00 11 0 0 0
7050 0 11 15k i
7r ep ,
50 The I nfluen ce f
o P la t o on S a i n t B a si l .

5 ¢ w7 d7 o v Apx17\0xo v
' ’

7p f 0 0pe7 1i 9 06 7 0 0 0
'

0 x 10 0 <> 0 0 0
77 6
p p
1fy 0 77 7 6 0 0 , 7 1 0

0 70 1317 6 11 0 Kep 00 7t e0 0 7r o 1m 7t 170

' '
650771 0 96 0
' '
67
uc 7 6 0 0 0 16 0 .

O bviously B asil i s giv ing a quotation word for word from Plato
and it is interestin g to note ho w he divides the passage of
Plato into two phrases which are separated i n his work by several
pages He probably had read the whole general sectio n of the
.

R epubli c bearing on this subject in prepara t ion for his o wn treat

ment as i s shown above on the page cited S uch a striking
,
.

comparison would remain vividly in his mind and he simply uses

it again a s he sees fit .

There are m a ny other comparisons and metaphors which show

more or less resemblance between B asil and Plato but those cite d ,

here have been selected as among the most important and they
are s u fii c i en t to prove the contention of this chapter that in thi s
department also B asil is heavily indebted to Plato .

G R A M M AT I CA L S TATE M E N T S .

In this section will be presented a small n u mber of passages

relati n g to the gra m matical structure of the sentence in which the ,

language of B asil bears a close resemblance to that of Plato .

First both aut h ors similarly emphasi z e the importance of maste r

,

ing the elements before proceeding to anyth in g more advanced .

T he let ters must be learned before the syllables can be unders t ood
and the syllables lea d up to the 7907 0 9 B a s 4 6 9 C 3 and The a et ,
. . .

203 A T hen comes the definition of the 70 70 9 as that which is

.

‘
composed of 0 v7 790 8 0 1 11 0 1 79056 19 B a s 4 6 9 B 1 0 and thi s is
t , ,
. .
,

practically the same a s that given in Or a t 4 24 E for though it .

,

is t r ue that the Cr a tylu s gives the complete course lette rs sylla , ,

bles words and sentence while B asil mentions only syllables and
, ,

words ,
in this usage apparently including 00 0 0 0 and 0150 0 ,

a s par t s of the sen tence yet immediately afterwards as cited above

,

in 6 9 C 3 he points out the necessity of the lette rs preced ing the

syllables and s o they to o must be assumed in their place in his
an a lysis of the sente nce .

N ext there i s to be noted a similarity in the definition of 00 0 0 0

which B asil gives i n 1 68 1 C 1 0 : 7 600 0 130 1050 0 170 0 0 7 1 16 0 7 0
.
 The I nfluen c e f P la to S a i n t B a si l
“

o on . 51

00 00 0 70 , 0 016 3 0
0 1 7 0 00 00 , which is to be placed beside the Or a l .

C 00 0 0 0 01 00 7910 00
'
388 : 0 0 0 7 1 60 7 10 00 7 0 000 1 010 16 p1 7 116 00
16 0

7 69 N o w the fact that in B asil at the beginn i ng of the

second page followin g there appears a further parallelism to this
section of the Cr a t yl us is additional proof of borrowing B a s 1 ,
. .

6 8 5 A 7 and Or a t 3 8 5 E where the s i milarity of expression and

.
,

conte xt i s noticeable The passage of the Cr a tylu s is a n elaborate

.

treatise on names a n d their relations to obj ects thin gs and it is , ,

the 7110 07 0 0 7 0 tha t have 1903 0 10 0 0 00 00 0 S o B asil in discussing .

the T ri nity says i n the place cited 7 0 7r p 09 0 0 7 0 7 000 00 0 0 0 7 01 0 ,

/

l0 xvp07 6p 0 T hus throughout this section B asil seems clearly

,

to be i ndebted to P lato .

Finally there is given i n each work a d ivision of into

three forms B a s 3 4 7 7 A 2 f and Thea et 2 0 6 O f The first
,
. . . . .

di vis ion of B asil is exactly the same as the first division of the
T heaete tus that is the description of 790 0 9 as the expression of
,

thought in speech The second di v ision of P lato has to do with

.

analysis or as it i s expressed the passage to the whole through the ,

’
elements B asil s state ment of his second category is qui te di ff erent
.

from thi s but i n his elaboration of the subject he has considerable

to say about the 7907 0 9 representin g complete thought B a s 4 77 ,
.

B 15 f T here is no resemblance bet w een the t wo works in the

.

sta te m ents on the third division of but this circumstance

does not destroy the general parallelism of the two passages
whi ch has been i n di cated .

L ITE R A R Y ALLUSI O NS .

T here are to be considered u nder this h eading a few quota tions '

and literary allusions given both by B asil and P lato preceded by ,

the citation of some parallel note s con cerning the poets .

B as il i n his address to Ch ristian youths on education devotes

, ,

one of his ea rly chapte rs to the consideration of the merits and

demerits of the poets basing his remarks on the discussion of the ,

matter b y Plato in the R ep u bli c 3 76 E ff a is noted by Pa delford .

s
,

o
p .cit p . 1 0
,
4 n 5 S ome
. of these parallelisms
,
. w i l l be.indicated .

I n the first place th ere are prelimi n ary statemen ts , B 0 8 3 5 6 8 . .

52 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a s il .

C 10 and R136 3 77 C in regard to the diff erent kinds of poets

.
,

and the decision on what of their works are to be accepte d and

what rej ected wh ich are very similar and especially to be noted
, ,

is the description of the poet as 77 0 0 7 0 80 77 09 in B asil which is to

be compared with p 3 9 8 A where it is stated that the poet has
.

the power of becoming 77 0 0 7 0 80 77 09 13770 0 0 gb10 9 Further on in ’

.

5 69 A 4 B asil says that we should not commend the poets who

represent the gods as scoff ers or railers or in love or intoxicated , ,

nor yet when they define happiness as coincident with the loaded
table and with ribald song This is a condensation of a large .

section of the Republic in the closing chapters of the second and

the opening chapte rs of the third book where many illustration s , ,

chiefly from Homer are presented S ome particularly significant

,
.

passages may be mentioned p 3 7 9 E shows the same form . .

of expression as that used by B asil W e shall not commend the ,

‘

breaking of oaths etc And in regard to the railing and sco ffing
,
’
.

mentioned by B asil reference should be made to p 389 E f . . .

’
where Plato cites among other examples I t 1 2 2 5 o i vo Ba pes . .
,
‘

388 E f
’
éxwv ic p0 31770 8 eh a cpo w and to p
' ’ ’ '
ic vvbs
‘

, ,
. .

-
wit h the quotation from I l 1 5 9 9 eta Bea m s 8 a1p é vé p7 o y ek we .
’ ’’ ’ ’

0 i pe o
0 xc
' '
0 1 96 0 20 ¢
10 , i 80 0 H 0 10 7 0 0 810 3030 0 70 0 0 177 0 150 0 7 0 .

’
Finally the last part of B asil s state ment about happiness and
its connection with the loaded table seems to have its sourc e in
p .3 9 0 A wh ich criticises th e remark o f the wisest ma n ,
O dysseus, when he says that it seems to him most bea utiful when
tables are full to overflowing with flesh 0 d 9 8 ,
. . .

B asil passes next to the family quarrels of the gods , 3 5 69 A .

1 1, among them brother fights against brother, the parent

“

”
against hi s children and the children against their parents On .

this subject too there i s an extensive treatment in the same section

of the R ep u bli c 3 77 E ff , where many concrete examples are given .

’
The last count of B asil s indictment against the po ets ha s
reference to those who describe the loves and adulteries of the gods ,

especi a lly of Z eus the chief of the gods This bears a close .

relationship to p 3 9 0 B f where it i s agreed that it is not

. .

prope r to li sten to a poet describ in g, for example, Z eus who forgets

54 I he I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a si l .

or foes of virtue B asil in B 1 3 declares distinctly that

.

all the poetry of Homer is a praise of virtue and all things in his
poetry lea d up to this end on the other hand Plato is quite as ,

definite in p 60 0 E when he says th a t the poets from Homer

.

on are imitators merely of the image of virtue Plato indeed in .

this whole section of the R ep u bli c 5 9 8 D {f at ta cks the poets and ,

.
,

particularly Homer because though the y are considered masters of

vi r tue i n f act they are only imitators of virtue a n d have no rea l
,

kno wledge of it .

“
I t is clear as Adam remarks note o n p
,
”
598 D that ,
.
,
“

P lato i s refuting a view of poetry which found enthusiastic a dv o

cate s in his own time but Pla t o also in hi s turn is se v erely
,
”

criticised G r éi fe n ha n G es ek d lcla ss P hi l I I I p 23 9 writing

.
,
. . . .
,
.
,

of the period from the time of Augustus to the end of the fourth
century states that in th is period we find frequently an ethical view
,

of the Home r ic poems both in secular and Christian works He .

continues so nennt Dion Chrysostomus in seiner zweiten B ede

,
“

7r e 1 8 0 0 0 0 10 9 den Homer einen r k ii n d e r der T ugend und ’

p V e
‘
,

B asilios der Grosse n ahm gleichfalls an dass Homer mit seinen ,

Gedichten e i n Lo b der T ugend habe geben wollen He refers .

”

here to th e passage of B asil cited above where considerable space

i s devote d to this d iscussion B asil particularly mentions verses
.

of Hesiod a poet who is incl u ded with Homer i n P lato s criticism

,
’

60 0 D a s written to guide m e n to vi rtue as will be shown below

, ,
.

I n general th en it seems probable that B asil in this treatise on the

education of Chri s tian youths is distinctly refuting the Platonic
theories in hi s advocacy of the study of the Homeric poems .

T he p a ssage of Hesiod quoted and discussed by both authors ,

B 0 8 3 5 7 2 A 8 and p
. . 3 6 4 A ff is from the Op et Di es 2 8 7
.
,
.
,

f 7 750 0 00 7 0 1 x 0 1c 07 777 0 x 0 1 i k 0 800 00 7 10 ek e0 90 1 50751 310 9 0X 1 y75

.
' ’
'
’
f

0809 , 0 8 3 i 3p 037 0
’
03
90 0 0 1 0 1 091
77
1
5
77 9 0pe7 759 06 0 1
'
7r 0 7r a o 1 9 6 0 397771 11 0
p p ,

Plato
maintains that such passages of the poe ts a s this from
Hesiod impel the youth s to vice on the contrary says B asil what ,

other mea ning could Hesiod have had except to incite them to
v irtue Again afte r giving the quotation B asil repea t s that in his
.

O pinion Hesiod had no other meanin than to inci t e u s to virtue

g ,
 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a i n t B a s il . 55

plainly emphasi z ing his view of the matter in opposition to that

of some one else and without doubt criticising the statement in
,

the R ep u blic .

V arious circumstances help to support this theory B oth .

authors are dealing with the subject of the education of youths

and B asil immediately before has discussed the degrading influence
in education of the poets with their descriptions of the q u arrels
and debauches of the gods etc a section which a s has been sho w n
,
.
,

on p 5 2 finds its source in several chapters of the R epublic shortly

.

following the reference quoted in this connection N o w again .

P lato in this same passage 3 6 5 C introduces the comparison of , ,

the fox of Archiloch u s which is used by B asil also n ear the end
,

of this same treatise see page 4 9 These facts then prove that
,
.

B asil borrowed freely from this part of the R epublic abstracti n g ,

and condensing a s he pleased and th erefore with the similarity of , ,

quotation and with the tone of B asil s language added there is ’

,

little doubt that he had in mind this particular interpretation of

’
Hesiod s words given here by P lato This view however is not .

accepted by J ahn N J a hr b 4 9 p 4 1 4 who opposes Hess and

,
. .
,
.
,

N ii s sli n in regard to it B u t Jahn s o bj ection that the u se of

’
.
,
f
Hesiod s quotati on in the two places i s s o entirely difi er e n t that
’

B asil could not have had this passage of Plato i n mind has ,

al ready been answered .

Another parallelism may be mentioned here taken from the

same section of each work which gives further evidence in ,

support of this theory of relationship B a s 3 5 72 A 4 and p ,

. . .

3 77 A . I n these sections we have a very similar pair of phrases

which relate to the education of the young The idea state d in .

each case is that particular care must be ta ken with their training
because in the young the characte r i s most impressio n able B asil .

also repeats various words from Plato and there i s no doubt of the
relation of the two passages S ee J ahn N J a hr b 4 9 p 4 0 7 .
,
. .
,
. .

I n conclusion of this ch a pter several other references may be

mentioned B 0 8 3 5 8 8 B 9 and Or a l 4 2 8 A quote and treat
. . . .

similarly another verse of Hesiod 0 c l D 3 6 1 Agai n B 0 3 3 ,

. . . . .

-
5 8 0 C 8 and P r a t 33 9 C quote the saying of P ittacus X a k e n ou
.
,
'

60 9X00 60 0 6 0 0 1 .
56 The I nflu en ce f
o P la to on S a in t B as i l .

M IS CE LLA N E OU S PA R A LL E LIS M S .

Therestill remain several parallel passa ges which could not be

included in a n y of th e foregoing chapters and s o may be grouped
together here O nly the most importa nt examples will be cite d
. .

B a s 3 2 4 1 A 1 6 2 4 D 1 and p
.
,
4 5 5 D consider the ques
,
.

tion Of the equality of w omen with men B asil says that women .

engage in warfare for Christ and do not plead the wea kn ess of their
bodies as excuse for abstaining therefrom and he adds man y , ,

women have far excelled men S O P lato begins his sta tement .

with t he remark that women frequently are bett er than men e tc ,

P lato s advocacy of the equali ty O f wo m en

’
is part Of a well “

reasoned and deliberate attempt by the S ocratic school to improve

”
the position of women in Greece says Adam p note to 4 5 1 , ,
.

C Th e m ovement seems to have been quite widespread and

.

finally to have reached considerable magnitude a s it was savagel y ,

attacked by Aristophanes in hi s Ec c les i a zus a e S ee Adam p .

,
.

App I to bk V on the relation of the fifth book Of th e R epublic to

. .
,

Aristophanes Eccles and I v o B runs Fr a u en ema n c ip a ti o n i n

’
.
, ,

A then .

view O f woman is Of course fu ndamenta l in the Christian

T his
teaching s o we must not emphasize too much the similarity here
, ,
’
but it may be noted that B asil s assignment Of woman to warfare ,
’
in spite Of the weakn ess Of her body is paralleled by Plato s ,

decision that she must take her position beside man whether ,

performing guard duty or engaged in active milita ry expeditio n s .

S ee p 466 C f . .

We come next to cite a pair Of references on the subj ect of envy ,

B 0 8 3 2 5 2 C 1 1 and Thea et 1 74 E
. . B asil is giving a de s c r ip . .

tion o f envy which causes each man to desire the sphere Of life
,

above his o wn the slave desires to be free the free man to be

, ,

well -born etc and in this list of positions desired is placed the
,
.
,
’
nobility which attends the ability to tra ce one s ances tors for seven
generations I n the Theaetetus to o this i s placed beside great
.

accumul a tion of w ealth a s one of the d esirable things O f life which

is scorned by the student O f philosophy there described I t is .
 The I nfluen ce o
f P la to on S a i nt B a s i l . 57

this tone of scorn and general parallelism of trea tment to gether

with the similarity of phrase that would suggest the dependence
of one passa ge on the other S tallbaum in his note on this refer
.

ence of the Theaete tus refers to Welcker Theo g n is P r o leg p LI , ,

. .
,

who gives a brief discussion of this subj ect Of genealogy as a

claim to nobil ity He cites but one parallel passage from the
.

li t erature that bears particularly on our citation and that is from

, ,

M enander M ei n I V p 2 2 9 which is not likely to have aff ected

,
.
,
.
,

here the relation of B asil to Plato .

B oth our authors make declarations against the pamperi n g of

the body which show considerable parallelism B 0 8 3 5 8 4 C 1 1 ,
. .

and p 407 B
. The contexts are somewhat similar
. Plato .

cites various exa m ples as P hocylides and his maxim 86 2 07 0 0 7 0)

, , ,

7 875 B 1 o 9
5 5 67 750
’

3 0 p ,
0 0 x 6 20 4 0 7 A and Asclepius
,
w h o either
,

cured or kil led but did not meddle with dietetics 4 0 8 A S O ,

.

B asil also in troduces some illustrations referring to Pythagoras ,

who rebuked one O f his scholars for growing fat and to P lato ,

who fearing the ascendancy O f the body selec ted an u n healthy

spot for the site Of the Academy .

N ext both treat the subj ect from the poi n t O f view o f the man
of wealth P lato ma i n tai n s that in order to be able to devote
.

such excessive care to his b o dy a man must be wea lthy but that ,

even though wealthy such a man would be an un desirable member

O f society and the sons Of Asclepius would not at t end h im were
,

he richer than M idas S imilarly B asil argues that if a man d i sr e

.

gards this atte ntion to hi s body he ha s no need Of riches ,and

this is the m a n who m akes the go o d citizen As an illustration .

to match the reference to Asclepius i n P lato is mentioned the

example of Di ogenes who in his scorn for the body and its pleas
,

u res showed himself richer than the P ersian king B u t additional .

evidence that B asil i n this section is dependent on the R epublic is

furnished by the fact O f the mention of Plato here t wice by name ,

once as indicated above in connection with the selection Of the

si te of the Academy and again in 5 8 4 B 3 where a quotation is
,

given T his quotation which is to the e ffect that we must pay

.
,

only su ffi cient attention to the body in order to keep it for the
service of philosophy is ta ken from the Republic 4 98 B s ee p
, ,
.
58 The I nflu enc e f
o P la to on S a i n t B a s il .

3 7, and proves at lea st that B asil had the Republic in mind in his
trea tment of this question .

These various considerations then taken together with s i mil ,

a r i ty O f ph raseology the phrase 75 07 0 0 0 07 7; 7 0 13 0 030 0 7 0 9

,
’
6 77 10 61 6 10 O f B asil balancing the 75 n ep 1 7 7 75 0 57 75 GWL/l el é l a
3 ’
7 0 17

0 0311 0 7 0 9 of Plato the 7r p 09 7 750 «00 5050 60 77 081 0 0 of the one

,

correspond i ng to the 7r p09 0p6 7 750 6 0 7r o 81o 9 Of the other give ’ ’

considerable warrant for the belief that the earlier passage was
the source of the late r .

B asil in this same discussion borrows still further from Plato

and from the same book of the R epublic This time it is in .

connection with the subj ect Of the good and bad modes Of music
and the influence which they exert S O the effect of the Phrygi an.

mode is described in 3 5 8 0 A 4 if where it is said of Timotheus

. .

that his s k ill in playin g was so great that he could arouse passion
by the harsh mode and soothe it agai n by playing the gentle mode .

T hus once by the P hrygia n mode b e caused Alexander to lea p to

arms in the midst Of the feast Further in 5 8 1 D 6 the Dorian
.

mode is approved because by it the player once caused a band of

drun ken revelers to cast away their crowns and to flee home
ashamed L ikewise i n th e Republic the Dorian and Phrygian
.

are commended a n d are the o n ly modes to be allowed in the sta te ,

p . 3 9 8 E {f where S ocrates proceeds to describe these two

.
,

modes in explanation of their selection The one the Dorian is .

, ,

fitted for time Of war and gives calmness and endurance in

mi sfortune ; the other the Phrygian is the mode for the time of
, ,

peace which gives mod eration and wisdom The one is the strain
, .

of cou rage the other the strai n of te mperance O bviously this i s

, .

slightly di ff erent from the account of B asil but the fact that B asil
has introduced this discussion in this section of his treatise o n the
education of youths i n connection with borrowings from the same
,

p a ssage of the Republic and with approval of the same modes

p raised by S ocra te s is su ffi cient evidence of his indebted ness to
,

P lato .

Finally reference may be made to B 0 3 3 9 2 8 C 7 and p . . .

3 69 B ; a s well as to the passa ges B 0 8 4 75 2 A 4 a n d p . 3 70 . .

B where there is a certa in degree O f similarity to be noted

, .
 The I nflu en c e o
f P la to on S a i nt B a s i l. 59

C O N C LUSI O N .

This study has not pretended or att empted to give the to tal
in fluence of P lato on S t B asil for such a task would be well -nigh
.
,

impossible We have Observed that B asil was brought up in the

.

S chools and traditions of Greece he wa s trained under Greek ,

influence and was taught by Greek instructors and w ithout doubt

P lato was his model from his earliest days and therefore influenced
the whole formation Of his st yle Fu rther the secondary influence.

of Plato can not be disregarded I t ha s been shown that he was .

the most popu lar of the classical auth o rs with the early Church
writers on accoun t of his m any statements that could be in te rpreted
as bea rin g on Chri stiani ty and B asil by his acquaintance with the
, ,

works of his predecessors was still more imbued with this P lato nic
,

atmosphere .

We have however attempted to show the more immediate and

, ,

the m ore consc i ous i mitati on of P lato with the result that whereas
B asil does not exhibit the exte n t O f imitation to be seen in various
O f the other Fathers who have been mentio n ed the reason for ,

t his is not far to seek Justin M artyr in the Co ho 7 ta ti o a d

.
’

Gr a ec o s ( c p p 1 ) abounds in Platonic quotation i n Plato nic

. .
,

reference a n d in Plato nic imita tion but consider his Dialogue ,

with T r ypho on the doctrines Of the Chri stian and the Jew and ,

the Platonic references are p ractically nil S O i n B asil too the .

subj ect with which he is deal i n g is the determining factor and it is

n o surprise that his theological discussion on the T rinity see m s to

borrow little from the Greek philosophy I n our chapter then on .

the theology Of B asil there is little said O f th e influence of Plato ,

for while some similarities are note d nothin g O f relationship can

be proved B u t in his s t ate m ents on the subject of ethics there is
.

more opportunity for B asil to borrow from Plato and more Of such
borrowings hav e been indicated though B asil is still most practic a l
,

i n his teachings a n d serious in his aim to reach the people and has
therefore nothing to do with th eo ries of ethics .

We have alrea dy s t ate d that B asil was no philosopher a n d s o

he gives no space to purely philosophical discussions B u t in .
60 The I nfluen ce o
f P la to on S a i nt B a s i l.

general througho u t his works here and there a P l a tonic r e mi n i s

, ,

cence or imitation appears especially in the form of a comparison

,

or metaphor which proves that even in his busy and practical life
,

he did not forget his Plato .

I n the corpus O f B asil however there are two works and t wo

, ,

of the most famo u s works in wh ich the nature Of the subj ect
,

gives him a good opportunity to use Plato and where i n deed we

find that P lato is used to t he full The first Of these is the .

Hexaemeron wh ich has been di scussed thoroughly and on which

,

the conclusions are state d on pages 3 3 Hi and the second is the ,

Essa y to youths on the study of classical literature 70 57 0 9 7r p09 ,

7 0 09 0 60 0 9
,
M ig n e 3 5 6 4 C-5 8 9 B
. I n this short work are.

fo u nd two Of the thr ee d i rect quotations from Plato given by

B as i l and on almost every p a ge there is some more or less O bvious
,

reminiscence These cases have been presented and discussed in

.

thei r proper sections througho u t this paper and we need only

mention here that the collectio n O f so many into such a small
compass is proof of the O bservation j ust made that when the ,

n ature of the subject per m itte d B asil drew liberally from his
,

distin guished sourc e .

Finally then the in fluence Of Plato on S t B asil i s exhi bited in

, ,
.

remin iscence i mita tion and rarely quotation sporadically through

, ,

most of his works and while in some there is little s ign Of it i n

, ,

at least two it is most marked and noticeable .

 LI FE.

T he o dore L eslie S hear was born i n N ew London N e w Hamp

,

shir e August 1 1 1 8 8 0 He received hi s preparatory education

, ,
.

at the Halsey Collegiate S chool N e w York City and in the Fall

, ,

of 1 8 9 6 ente r ed N e w York Univers ity where he graduated with

the class Of 1 900 The yea r 1 90 0— 0 1 b e devoted to graduate
.

study in N ew York University under th e supervision of P rofessor

S ihler . I n 1 9 0 1 he entered Joh n s Hopkin s University where he
has since studi ed pursuing work under P rofessors Gildersleeve
, ,

B loo m field K F S mith and A ssociate P rofessors M iller a n d

,
. .
,

Wilson to all of whom he desires to express his deep -felt grati

,

tude and especially to P rofessor Gildersleeve for the inspiration

,

of his tea chin g .

Ma y, 1904 .