{"slug":"tlg2040.tlg002","id":"greek:tlg2040.tlg002","title":"De legendis gentilium libris","author":"Basil, Saint, Bishop of Caesarea","genre":"other","date":"","tradition":"greek","coverage":"none","publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:35:42Z","cost_usd":0.039647},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:tlg2040.tlg002","work_id":"tlg2040.tlg002","edition":"perseus","language":"","license":"CC BY-SA 4.0","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"},"stats":{"passages":81,"english_words":17733,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":477,"commentary_kinds":9,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":129,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"tlg2040.tlg002","abstract":"Basil of Caesarea's address to young men on the value of pagan literature, likely composed in the 370s, argues for the selective use of classical Greek texts in Christian education. The work is a single continuous discourse, later given the Latin title De legendis gentilium libris. It became a foundational statement on Christian appropriation of classical learning, widely copied and translated in Byzantine and Western humanist circles. The Greek text survives in numerous manuscripts; the Perseus edition is based on the 1894 Teubner edition by J. P. Migne, relying on earlier printed editions. The work lacks a critical apparatus of manuscript variants and a full commentary on Basil's classical quotations.","historical_context":"Basil of Caesarea (c. 330–379) wrote this address in the 370s, during his episcopacy in Cappadocia. The work reflects the 4th-century Christian engagement with Hellenic culture, a period when church leaders debated the compatibility of pagan learning with Christian faith. Basil's audience was likely young men in his community, possibly those training for ecclesiastical or civic roles. The text was transmitted in Greek through numerous Byzantine manuscripts, often as part of Basil's corpus. It was later translated into Latin and other languages, influencing medieval and Renaissance educators. The work's genre is a homily or protreptic discourse, not a formal treatise. Its survival in multiple manuscript families indicates wide circulation, though the earliest witnesses do not divide it into chapters. The title De legendis gentilium libris is a later Latin editorial addition.","significance":"This text is a key document in the history of Christian humanism, providing a model for integrating classical literature into Christian education. It influenced later figures such as Erasmus and the Renaissance humanists, who admired Basil's balanced approach. The work also illustrates the 4th-century Christian appropriation of Greek moral philosophy, particularly through allusions to Hesiod and other classical authors.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 330","event":"Basil of Caesarea born"},{"date":"370s","event":"Composition of the address to young men"},{"date":"379","event":"Death of Basil of Caesarea"},{"date":"4th–15th c.","event":"Manuscript transmission in Greek"},{"date":"15th–16th c.","event":"Latin translations and humanist reception"},{"date":"1894","event":"Teubner edition by J. P. Migne used by Perseus"}],"relations":[{"work":"Hesiod, Works and Days","relation":"Alluded to in the text (lines 293–297) as a topos in Greek moral education","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Erasmus, De ratione studii","relation":"Influenced by Basil's integration of pagan learning","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Basil of Caesarea, Homiliae in Hexaemeron","relation":"Another work by Basil showing his engagement with classical learning","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Gregory of Nazianzus, Orations","relation":"Contemporary Cappadocian Father with similar educational views","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Augustine, De doctrina Christiana","relation":"Later Latin work on Christian use of pagan culture, comparable in theme","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The title De legendis gentilium libris is a later Latin editorial addition, not original to Basil.","The exact date of composition is uncertain; the 370s is a scholarly estimate based on Basil's life and career.","The Perseus edition lacks a critical apparatus of manuscript variants and a full commentary on classical quotations.","The work's genre is debated; it is often called a homily but may be a protreptic discourse."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000494,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:35:41Z"},"checks":{"work":"tlg2040.tlg002","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":81,"translated":81,"commentary_passages":81,"commentary_units":477,"english_words":17733,"source_letters":74544,"commentary_kinds":9},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Basil of Caesarea (c. 330–379) wrote this address to young men on the value of pagan literature. The work is securely dated to the later part of his life, likely the 370s.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This text became a foundational statement on the Christian appropriation of classical learning, widely copied and translated in Byzantine and later Western humanist circles.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text survives in numerous manuscripts; the edition used here (Perseus) is based on the 1894 Teubner edition by J. P. Migne, itself relying on earlier printed editions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The title De legendis gentilium libris is a Latin rendering; the Greek original has no formal title. The work is a single continuous discourse, not divided into chapters in the earliest witnesses.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This edition does not include a critical apparatus of manuscript variants, nor does it provide a full commentary on Basil’s classical quotations. Readers should consult the TLG for textual details.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: other in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 81 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: perseus — CC BY-SA 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":81},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:tlg2040.tlg002":{"label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΝΕΟΥΣ ὍΠΩΣ ἌΝ ἘΞ ἙΛΛΗΝΙΚΩΝ ὨΦΕΛΟΙΝΤΟ ΛΟΓΩΝ ὁμιλία εἰς τοὺς etc. Reg.\n\nΠολλά με τὰ παρακαλοῦντά ἐστι ξυμβουλεῦσαι ὑμῖν, ὦ παῖδες, ἃ βέλτιστα εἶναι κρίνω, καὶ ἃ ξυνοίσειν ὑμῖν ἑλομένοις πεπίστευκα. τό τε γὰρ ἡλικίας οὕτως ἔχειν καὶ τὸ διὰ πολλῶν ἤδη γεγυμνάσθαι πραγμάτων καὶ μὴν καὶ τὸ τῆς πάντα παιδευούσης ἐπ’ ἄμφω μεταβολῆς ἱκανῶς μετασχεῖν, ἔμπειρόν με εἶναι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πεποίηκεν, ὥστε τοῖς ἄρτι καθισταμένοις τὸν βίον ἔχειν ὥσπερ ὁδῶν τὴν ἀσφαλεστάτην ὑποδεικνύναι.\n\nτῇ τε παρὰ τῆς φύσεως οἰκειότητι εὐθὺς μετὰ τοὺς γονέας ὑμῖν τυγχάνω, ὥστε μήτε αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui. ἔλαττόν τι πατέρων εὐνοίας νέμειν ὑμῖν· ὑμᾶς δὲ νομίζω, εἰ μή τι ὑμῶν διαμαρτάνω τῆς γνώμης, μὴ ποθεῖν τοὺς τεκόντας, πρὸς ἐμὲ βλέποντας.\n\nεἰ μὲν οὖν προθύμως δέχοισθε τὰ λεγόμενα, τῆς δευτέρας τῶν ἐπαινουμένων ἔσεσθε παρ’ Ἡσιόδῳ τάξεως· εἰ δὲ μή, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδὲν ἂν εἴποιμι δυσχερές, αὐτοὶ δὲ μέμνησθε τῶν ἐπῶν δηλονότι, ἐν οἷς ἐκεῖνός φησιν ἄριστον μὲν εἶναι τὸν παρ’ ἑαυτοῦ τὰ δέοντα ξυνορῶντα, ἐσθλὸν δὲ κἀκεῖνον τὸν τοῖς παρ’ ἑτέρων ὑποδειχθεῖσιν ἑπόμενον, τὸν δὲ πρὸς οὐδέτερον ἐπιτήδειον, ἀχρεῖον εἶναι πρὸς ἅπαντα.","english":"Many things urge me to advise you, O children, what I judge to be best and what I believe will benefit you if you choose it. For both being of such an age and having already been exercised in many affairs, and also having sufficiently partaken of the change that educates in all things, has made me experienced in human matters, so that I can point out to those just beginning their life the safest path, as it were, of ways.\n\nAnd by the natural affinity, immediately after your parents, I happen to be such that I myself, according to the ancient editions, grant you no less goodwill than fathers; and I think that you, unless I am mistaken about your opinion, do not long for your parents when you look to me.\n\nIf, then, you eagerly accept what is said, you will be of the second rank of those praised by Hesiod; but if not, I would say nothing unpleasant, but you yourselves will remember the verses, evidently, in which he says that the best is the one who perceives the necessary things by himself, and that the one who follows the indications of others is also noble, but the one fit for neither is useless for everything.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ΠΡΟΣ ΤΟΥΣ ΝΕΟΥΣ ὍΠΩΣ ἌΝ ἘΞ ἙΛΛΗΝΙΚΩΝ ὨΦΕΛΟΙΝΤΟ ΛΟΓΩΝ","severity":"info","text":"The title is a later editorial addition, not original to Basil. The work is a homily (ὁμιλία) addressed to young men on the proper use of Greek literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς δευτέρας τῶν ἐπαινουμένων ... παρ’ Ἡσιόδῳ τάξεως","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to Hesiod, Works and Days 293–297, which ranks three types of men: the self-perceptive, the follower of good advice, and the useless. This is a classic topos in Greek moral education.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Hesiod Works and Days"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς πάντα παιδευούσης ἐπ’ ἄμφω μεταβολῆς","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'the change that educates in all things' likely refers to experience gained through life's vicissitudes, a common theme in Greek moral philosophy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui' is a marginal note in the manuscript, not part of Basil's text. It indicates a variant reading in older editions, possibly 'αὐτὸς αὑτὸν' (himself).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Πολλά με τὰ παρακαλοῦντά ἐστι ξυμβουλεῦσαι ὑμῖν","severity":"info","text":"This opening establishes Basil's paternal authority, a rhetorical stance that influenced later Christian humanist educators, such as Erasmus, who admired Basil's integration of pagan learning.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui' is ambiguous: it may be a scribal gloss or a corruption. The reading adopted here treats it as a marginal note."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Μὴ θαυμάζετε δὲ εἰ καὶ καθ’ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν εἰς διδασκάλους φοιτῶσι, καὶ τοῖς ἐλλογίμοις τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν, δι’ ὧν καταλελοίπασι λόγων, συγγινομένοις ὑμῖν αὐτός τι παρ’ ἐμαυτοῦ λυσιτελέστερον ἐξευρηκέναι φημί.\n\nτοῦτο μὲν οὖν αὐτὸ καὶ ξυμβουλεύσων ἥκω, τὸ μὴ δεῖν εἰς ἅπαξ τοῖς ἀνδράσι τούτοις, ὥσπερ πλοίου, τὰ πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν παραδόντας, ᾗπερ ἂν ἄγωσι, ταύτῃ συνέπεσθαι· ἀλλ’ ὅσον ἐστὶ χρήσιμον αὐτῶν δεχομένους, εἰδέναι τί χρὴ καὶ παριδεῖν. τίνα οὖν ἐστι ταῦτα, καὶ ὅπως διακρινοῦμεν, τοῦτο δὴ καὶ διδάξω ἔνθεν ἑλών.\n\nἩμεῖς, ὦ παῖδες, οὐδὲν εἶναι χρῆμα παντάπασι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον τοῦτον ὑπολαμβάνομεν, οὔτ’ ἀγαθόν τι νομίζομεν ὅλως, οὔτ’ ὀνομάζομεν, ὃ τὴν συντέλειαν ἡμῖν ἄχρι τούτου παρέχεται.\n\nοὔκουν προγόνων οὐκοῦν προγόνων editi, οὐκοῦν οὐ προγόνων Colb. tertius. περιφάνειαν, οὐκ ἰσχὺν σώματος, οὐ κάλλος, οὐ μέγεθος, οὐ τὰς παρὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων τιμάς, οὐ βασιλείαν αὐτήν, οὐχ ὅ τι ἂν εἴποι τις τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων μέγα, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ εὐχῆς ἄξιον κρίνομεν, ἢ τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀποβλέπομεν, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ μακρότερον πρόϊμεν ταῖς ἐλπίσι, καὶ πρὸς ἑτέρου βίου παρασκευὴν κατασκευὴν unus Reg. ἅπαντα πράττομεν.","english":"Do not be surprised if, even though you attend teachers daily and associate with the distinguished men of old through the words they have left behind, I claim to have discovered something more beneficial from myself for you.\n\nI have come to advise you of this very thing: that you must not once and for all hand over the rudders of your mind to these men, as if to a ship, and follow wherever they lead; but rather, receiving from them what is useful, you must know what to accept and what to disregard. What these things are, and how we will distinguish them, I will teach, taking up this point.\n\nWe, O children, consider this human life to be nothing at all, nor do we regard or name anything as good that provides us with its fulfillment only up to this point.\n\nTherefore, we do not judge as great, nor do we look upon those who possess, such things as the distinction of ancestors, bodily strength, beauty, stature, honors from all people, or even kingship itself, nor anything else that one might call great among human affairs—not even worthy of prayer. But we advance further in our hopes, and do everything for the preparation of another life.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Μὴ θαυμάζετε","severity":"info","text":"The passage opens with a rhetorical appeal (μὴ θαυμάζετε) that signals a shift from the preceding narrative to a direct address, framing the author's claim to offer superior advice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'rudders of the mind' (πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας) is a metaphor for intellectual guidance, common in Greek moral philosophy, here warning against uncritical surrender to pagan authors.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"ἐλλογίμοις τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν","severity":"info","text":"Basil refers to distinguished ancient authors, likely including classical Greek poets and philosophers, whose works were standard in late antique education and which Basil himself studied.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδὲν εἶναι χρῆμα παντάπασι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον","severity":"info","text":"Basil asserts that human life is of no ultimate value, a stance that reorients the purpose of education toward preparation for an afterlife, contrasting with pagan eudaimonism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸς ἑτέρου βίου παρασκευὴν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'preparation for another life' echoes Pauline and early Christian eschatological themes (cf. 1 Cor 15:19, 2 Cor 5:17), though not a direct quotation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"οὔκουν προγόνων","severity":"caution","text":"The text shows a variant: some manuscripts read 'οὔκουν προγόνων' while others have 'οὐκοῦν οὐ προγόνων', affecting the negation of ancestral distinction. The edition follows the former.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'οὔκουν προγόνων' is textually uncertain; the reading adopted here negates ancestral distinction, but a variant would double the negation, possibly intensifying the rejection."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"ἃ μὲν οὖν ἂν συντελῇ πρὸς τοῦτον ἡμῖν, ἀγαπᾶν τε καὶ διώκειν παντὶ σθένει χρῆναί φαμεν, τὰ δὲ οὐκ ἐξικνούμενα πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, ὡς οὐδενὸς ἄξια παρορᾶν. τίς δὴ οὖν οὗτος τίς δὲ οὗτος unus Combef. ὁ βίος καὶ ὅπη καὶ ὅπως αὐτὸν βιωσόμεθα, μακρότερον μὲν ἢ κατὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ὁρμὴν ἐφικέσθαι, μειζόνων δὲ ἢ καθ’ ὑμᾶς ἀκροατῶν ἀκοῦσαι.\n\nτοσοῦτόν γε μὴν εἰπὼν ἱκανῶς ἂν ἴσως ὑμῖν ἐνδειξαίμην, ὅτι πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ τὴν ἀφ’ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, τῷ λόγῳ τις συλλαβὼν καὶ εἰς ἓν ἀθροίσας εὐδαιμονίαν, οὐδὲ πολλοστῷ μέρει τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων εὑρήσει παρισουμένην, ἀλλὰ πλεῖον τοῦ ἐν ἐκείνοις ἐλαχίστου τὰ σύμπαντα τῶν τῇδε καλῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀφεστηκότα, ἢ καθ’ ὅσον σκιὰ καὶ ὄναρ τῶν ἀληθῶν ἀπολείπεται.\n\nμᾶλλον δὲ ἵν’ οἰκειοτέρῳ χρήσωμαι παραδείγματι, ὅσῳ ψυχὴ τοῖς πᾶσι τιμιωτέρα σώματος, τοσούτῳ καὶ τῶν βίων ἑκατέρων ἐστὶ τὸ διάφορον. εἰς δὴ τοῦτον ἄγουσι μὲν ἱεροὶ λόγοι, δι’ ἀπορρήτων ἡμᾶς ἐκπαιδεύοντες.\n\nἕως γε μὴν ὑπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἐπακούειν τοῦ βάθους τῆς διανοίας αὐτῶν οὐχ οἷόν τε, ἐν ἑτέροις οὐ πάντη διεστηκόσιν, ὥσπερ ἐν σκιαῖς τισι καὶ κατόπτροις, τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμματι τέως προγυμναζόμεθα, τοὺς ἐν τοῖς τακτικοῖς τὰς μελέτας ποιουμένους μιμούμενοι, οἵ γε ἐν χειρονομίαις καὶ ὀρχήσεσι τὴν ἐμπειρίαν κτησάμενοι, ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγώνων τοῦ ἐκ τῆς παιδιᾶς ἀπολαύουσι κέρδους.","english":"Now, we say, we must love and pursue with all our strength whatever contributes to this end, and disregard as worthless what does not reach it. What then is this life, and where and how we shall live it, is too long for the present impulse to attain, and requires hearers greater than you.\n\nYet perhaps if I say this much, I might sufficiently indicate to you that if someone were to gather together all the happiness that has existed since humans came to be, and unite it into one, he would find it not even equal to a small fraction of those goods, but all the beauties here fall short of the least of those by as much as shadow and dream fall short of reality.\n\nOr rather, to use a more fitting example, as much as the soul is more valuable than the body in every respect, so great is the difference between each of these lives. Now sacred writings lead to this life, instructing us through mysteries.\n\nBut as long as our age does not allow us to hear the depth of their meaning, we are trained beforehand in other things not entirely different, as if in shadows and mirrors, for the eye of the soul, imitating those who practice exercises in tactical arts, who, having gained experience in gestures and dances, enjoy the profit from the play in the contests.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἃ μὲν οὖν ἂν συντελῇ πρὸς τοῦτον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'whatever contributes to this end' refers to the ultimate goal of Christian life, which Basil is about to define but defers for a later occasion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"σκιαῖς","severity":"info","text":"The term 'shadows' (σκιαῖς) echoes Platonic epistemology, where shadows are inferior copies of true reality; Basil adapts this to describe pagan literature as a preliminary training for Christian truth.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τοῖς ἐν τοῖς τακτικοῖς τὰς μελέτας ποιουμένους","severity":"info","text":"The reference to 'those who practice exercises in tactical arts' alludes to military training in ancient Greek warfare, where preliminary drills (χειρονομίαι, ὀρχήσεις) prepared soldiers for actual combat.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὅσῳ ψυχὴ τοῖς πᾶσι τιμιωτέρα σώματος","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of soul to body as a measure of difference between two lives parallels a common Platonic and Christian topos, found also in Origen and later patristic authors.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἕως γε μὴν ὑπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἐπακούειν","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a transition: Basil explains that because of the hearers' youth, they must first train with pagan literature (the 'other things not entirely different') before approaching sacred writings directly.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"De legendis gentilium libris","severity":"info","text":"This passage became a key text in the Christian reception of classical education, cited by Renaissance humanists to justify the study of pagan authors as preparatory for Christian theology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τίς δὴ οὖν οὗτος τίς δὲ οὗτος' is textually uncertain; the edition notes 'unus Combef.' indicating a possible scribal or editorial intervention. The reading adopted follows the main manuscript tradition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"καὶ ἡμῖν δὴ οὖν ἀγῶνα προκεῖσθαι πάντων ἀγώνων μέγιστον νομίζειν χρεών, ὑπὲρ οὗ πάντα ποιητέον ἡμῖν καὶ πονητέον εἰς δύναμιν ἐπὶ τὴν τούτου παρασκευήν, καὶ ποιηταῖς καὶ λογοποιοῖς καὶ ῥήτορσι καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὁμιλητέον, ὅθεν ἂν μέλλῃ πρὸς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν ὠφέλειά τις ἔσεσθαι.\n\nὥσπερ οὖν οἱ δευσοποιοὶ παρασκευάσαντες πρότερον θεραπείαις τισὶν ὅ τι ποτ’ ἂν ᾖ τὸ δεξόμενον τὴν βαφήν, οὕτω τὸ ἄνθος ἐπάγουσιν, ἄν τε ἁλουργὸν ἄν τέ τι ἕτερον ᾖ, τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τρόπον, εἰ μέλλοι ἀνέκπλυτος ἡμῖν ἡμῖν add. editi antiqui et MSS. sed non Colb. secundus et tertius. ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ἡ τοῦ καλοῦ παραμένειν δόξα, τοῖς ἔξω δὴ τούτοις προτελεσθέντες, τηνικαῦτα τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ ἀπορρήτων ἐπακουσόμεθα παιδευμάτων· καὶ οἷον ἐν ὕδατι τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾶν ἐθισθέντες, οὕτως αὐτῷ προσβαλοῦμεν τῷ φωτὶ τὰς ὄψεις.\n\nΕἰ μὲν οὖν ἐστί τις οἰκειότης πρὸς ἀλλήλους τοῖς λόγοις, προὔργου προὔργον editi antiqui. ἂν ἡμῖν αὐτῶν ἡ γνῶσις γένοιτο· εἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλὰ τό γε παράλληλα θέντας καταμαθεῖν τὸ διάφορον, οὐ μικρὸν εἰς βεβαίωσιν τοῦ βελτίονος.","english":"And so we must consider that a contest is set before us, the greatest of all contests, for which we must do and endure everything to the best of our ability for its preparation, and we must associate with poets, storytellers, orators, and all people, from whom any benefit for the care of the soul may come.\n\nJust as dyers, having first prepared with certain treatments whatever is to receive the dye, then apply the color, whether it be purple or something else, so too we, if the reputation of the beautiful is to remain unfading for all time, having been initiated beforehand by these external things, will then listen to the sacred and secret teachings; and as if accustomed to see the sun in water, we will thus direct our eyes to the light itself.\n\nIf, then, there is some affinity between the various discourses, knowledge of them would be advantageous to us; but if not, at least by placing them side by side and learning the difference, this is no small thing for confirming the better.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγῶνα προκεῖσθαι πάντων ἀγώνων μέγιστον","severity":"info","text":"Basil frames the Christian life as the 'greatest contest,' a metaphor common in Greek moral philosophy and athletic imagery, here adapted to spiritual preparation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"δευσοποιοί","severity":"info","text":"The dyer analogy (δευσοποιοί) is a traditional philosophical topos, used by Plato (Republic 429d–e) to illustrate how preliminary training fixes moral character before deeper instruction.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato Republic"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ οὖν ... οὕτω","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a formal analogy (ὥσπερ ... οὕτω) to argue that pagan learning serves as a preparatory dye for the soul before receiving sacred teachings.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"προτελεσθέντες","severity":"info","text":"προτελεσθέντες ('having been initiated beforehand') borrows language from mystery cults, suggesting pagan paideia as a preliminary initiation into Christian truth.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡμῖν add. editi antiqui et MSS. sed non Colb. secundus et tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The repeated ἡμῖν in the Greek is an editorial addition found in early editions and some manuscripts but absent from two Colbertine codices, indicating a textual variant.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"οἷον ἐν ὕδατι τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾶν ἐθισθέντες","severity":"info","text":"The sun-in-water image echoes Plato's Republic 516a–b, where prisoners in the cave first see shadows and reflections before turning to the sun itself.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato Republic"],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The repeated 'ἡμῖν' may be a scribal duplication or an intentional emphasis; the manuscript evidence is divided.","The phrase 'προὔργου' is marked as an editorial variant in early editions, but the sense ('advantageous') is clear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"τίνι μέντοι καὶ παρεικάσας τῶν παιδεύσεων ἑκατέραν, τῆς εἰκόνος ἂν τύχοις; ἦπου καθάπερ φυτοῦ οἰκεία μὲν ἀρετὴ τῷ καρπῷ βρύειν ὡραίῳ, φέρει δέ τινα κόσμον καὶ φύλλα τοῖς κλάδοις περισειόμενα, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ψυχῇ προηγουμένως μὲν καρπὸς ἡ ἀλήθεια, οὐκ ἄχαρί γε μὴν οὐδὲ τὴν θύραθεν σοφίαν περιβεβλῆσθαι, οἷόν τινα φύλλα σκέπην τε τῷ καρπῷ καὶ ὄψιν οὐκ ἄωρον παρεχόμενα.\n\nλέγεται τοίνυν καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐκεῖνος ὁ πάνυ, οὗ μέγιστόν ἐστιν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὄνομα, τοῖς Αἰγυπτίων μαθήμασιν ἐγγυμνασάμενος τὴν διάνοιαν, οὕτω προσελθεῖν τῇ θεωρίᾳ τοῦ Ὄντος.\n\nπαραπλησίως δὲ τούτῳ, κἀν τοῖς κάτω χρόνοις, τὸν σοφὸν Δανιὴλ ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνός φασι φησὶ unus Reg. τὴν σοφίαν Χαλδαίων καταμαθόντα, τότε τῶν θείων ἅψασθαι παιδευμάτων.\n\nἈλλ’ ὅτι μὲν οὐκ ἄχρηστον ψυχαῖς μαθήματα τὰ ἔξωθεν δὴ ταῦτα ἱκανῶς εἴρηται· ὅπως γε μὴν αὐτῶν μεθεκτέον ὑμῖν ἑξῆς ἂν εἴη λέγειν. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τοῖς παρὰ τῶν ποιητῶν, ἵν’ ἐντεῦθεν ἄρξωμαι· ἐπεὶ παντοδαποί τινές εἰσι εἰσί. Μή editi antiqui. κατὰ τοὺς λόγους, μὴ πᾶσιν ἐφεξῆς προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν· ἀλλ’ ὅταν μὲν τὰς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν πράξεις ἢ λόγους ὑμῖν διεξίωσιν, ἀγαπᾶν τε καὶ ζηλοῦν, καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα πειρᾶσθαι τοιούτους εἶναι·","english":"To which of the two kinds of education might you compare each, to obtain an image? Just as a plant’s proper excellence is to bear ripe fruit, yet it also carries some ornament in the leaves that rustle on its branches, so for the soul the fruit is truth first and foremost, but it is not without grace to be clothed also with external wisdom, like leaves that provide shelter for the fruit and a not unseasonable appearance.\n\nIt is said, then, that even that famous Moses, whose name is greatest in wisdom among all men, after training his mind in the studies of the Egyptians, approached the contemplation of Being in this way.\n\nSimilarly, in later times, the wise Daniel is said to have learned the wisdom of the Chaldeans in Babylon, and then to have touched upon divine teachings.\n\nBut that these external studies are not useless for souls has been sufficiently stated; how you should partake of them must be said next. First, then, concerning the poets—for I will begin here—since they are of various kinds in their words, do not attend to all of them in order; but when they recount the deeds or words of good men, love and emulate them, and try as much as possible to be such men.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς εἰκόνος ἂν τύχοις","severity":"info","text":"Basil asks which image would fit each kind of education, introducing the plant metaphor that follows. The image is not a visual illustration but a conceptual comparison.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"θύραθεν σοφίαν","severity":"info","text":"θύραθεν σοφίαν, 'external wisdom', is a key term for pagan learning. Basil uses it to distinguish secular studies from Christian truth, which he calls the fruit.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μωϋσῆς","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Moses as a precedent for using pagan learning, referencing the tradition that Moses was educated in Egyptian wisdom. This is not a direct biblical quotation but a haggadic expansion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δανιὴλ","severity":"info","text":"Daniel is similarly presented as having studied Chaldean wisdom before divine teachings. The allusion is to Daniel 1:4, where he and his companions are trained in Babylonian literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἑξῆς ἂν εἴη λέγειν","severity":"info","text":"Basil signals a transition from justification to practical instruction. The phrase 'how you should partake of them must be said next' marks the beginning of the prescriptive section of the work.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Μή editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text includes the editorial note 'Μή editi antiqui', indicating a textual variant. The negative μή may be an ancient insertion; the sense requires a prohibition against attending to all poets indiscriminately.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'Μή editi antiqui' in the Greek is a marginal note from an early edition, not part of Basil's original text; its presence may confuse readers about the intended negation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"ὅταν δὲ ἐπὶ μοχθηροὺς ἄνδρας ἔλθωσι, τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταῦτα Colb. duo et Reg. primus; ἔλθωσι, τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην codex a Combefisio collatus; ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταύτην editi antiqui. δεῖ φεύγειν, ἐπιφρασσομένους τὰ ὦτα, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα φασὶν ἐκεῖνοι τὰ τῶν Σειρήνων μέλη. ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς φαύλους τῶν λόγων συνήθεια, ὁδός τίς ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα.\n\nδιὸ δὴ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τὴν ψυχὴν τηρητέον, μὴ διὰ τῆς τῶν λόγων ἡδονῆς παραδεξάμενοί τι λάθωμεν τῶν χειρόνων, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰ δηλητήρια μετὰ τοῦ μέλιτος προσιέμενοι.\n\nοὐ τοίνυν ἐπαινεσόμεθα τοὺς ποιητὰς οὐ λοιδορουμένους, οὐ σκώπτοντας, οὐκ ἐρῶντας ἢ μεθύοντας μιμουμένους, οὐχ ὅταν τραπέζῃ πληθούσῃ καὶ ᾠδαῖς ἀνειμέναις τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν ὁρίζωνται. ὁρίζονται editi antiqui. πάντων δὲ ἥκιστα περὶ θεῶν τι διαλεγομένοις προσέξομεν, καὶ μάλισθ’ ὅταν ὡς περὶ πολλῶν τε αὐτῶν διεξίωσι καὶ τούτων οὐδὲ ὁμονοούντων.\n\nἀδελφὸς γὰρ δὴ παρ’ ἐκείνοις διαστασιάζει πρὸς ἀδελφὸν καὶ γονεὺς πρὸς παῖδας καὶ τούτοις αὖθις πρὸς τοὺς τεκόντας πόλεμός ἐστιν ἀκήρυκτος. μοιχείας δὲ θεῶν καὶ ἔρωτας καὶ μίξεις ἀναφανδόν, καὶ ταῦτάς γε μάλιστα τοῦ κορυφαίου πάντων καὶ ὑπάτου Διός, ὡς αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν, ἃ ἃς editi antiqui. κἂν περὶ βοσκημάτων τις λέγων ἐρυθριάσειε, τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς καταλείψομεν.","english":"But when they come to wicked men, they must flee this imitation, stopping their ears no less than they say Odysseus did to the songs of the Sirens. For familiarity with base words is a kind of path to base deeds.\n\nTherefore we must guard the soul with every precaution, lest through the pleasure of words we unwittingly admit something worse, like those who take poisons mixed with honey.\n\nWe shall not, then, praise the poets when they revile, mock, or imitate lovers or drunkards, nor when they define happiness by a full table and licentious songs. Least of all shall we attend to those who speak about the gods, especially when they go on about them as many and not even in agreement with one another.\n\nFor among them brother quarrels with brother, parent with children, and these in turn wage an undeclared war against their begetters. And they openly describe adulteries, loves, and unions of the gods, and especially those of the highest and supreme Zeus, as they themselves say—things that would make a man blush even if he were speaking about cattle. These we shall leave to the stage.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text shows a textual crux: several manuscripts read 'τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην' while others have 'τῇ μιμήσει, ταύτην'. The edition follows the former, taking 'imitation' as the object of 'flee'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"background","lemma":"τὸν Ὀδυσσέα ... τὰ τῶν Σειρήνων μέλη","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to Homer, Odyssey 12.39-54, where Odysseus stops his crew's ears with wax to resist the Sirens' song. The parallel reinforces the need to avoid harmful pagan literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Homer Odyssey"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μοχθηροὺς ἄνδρας","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'wicked men' refers to morally corrupt characters in pagan poetry, not to all pagans. Basil distinguishes between useful and harmful content within the same literary tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τὰ δηλητήρια μετὰ τοῦ μέλιτος","severity":"info","text":"The image of poison mixed with honey is a common ancient metaphor for dangerous ideas disguised by pleasant form, found in Lucretius and later patristic authors. Basil adapts it to warn against pagan poetry's allure.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ τοίνυν ἐπαινεσόμεθα","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a shift from general principle to specific prohibitions: Basil lists what in poetry must be rejected (mockery, erotic themes, drunkenness, and especially false theology).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"τοῦ κορυφαίου πάντων καὶ ὑπάτου Διός","severity":"info","text":"Basil singles out Zeus's adulteries as particularly shameful, a standard patristic critique of pagan mythology. This passage influenced later Christian humanists like Erasmus in their selective use of classical texts.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The textual variant at 'τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην' / 'τῇ μιμήσει, ταύτην' affects the syntax: the edition takes 'imitation' as direct object of 'flee', but some manuscripts read 'by imitation, this' as an adverbial phrase. The sense is not materially different."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"Ταὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα λέγειν καὶ περὶ συγγραφέων ἔχω, καὶ μάλισθ’ ὅταν ψυχαγωγίας ἕνεκα τῶν ἀκουόντων λογοποιῶσι. καὶ ῥητόρων δὲ τὴν περὶ τὸ ψεύδεσθαι τέχνην οὐ μιμησόμεθα. οὔτε γὰρ ἐν δικαστηρίοις οὔτ’ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις πράξεσιν ἐπιτήδειον ἡμῖν τὸ ψεῦδος, τοῖς τὴν ὀρθὴν ὁδὸν καὶ ἀληθῆ προελομένοις τοῦ βίου, οἷς τὸ μὴ δικάζεσθαι νόμῳ προστεταγμένον ἐστίν.\n\nἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνα αὐτῶν μᾶλλον ἀποδεξόμεθα, ἐν οἷς ἀρετὴν ἐπῄνεσαν ἢ πονηρίαν κακίαν unus MS. διέβαλον. ὡς γὰρ τῶν ἀνθέων τοῖς μὲν λοιποῖς ἄχρι τῆς εὐωδίας ἢ τῆς χρόας ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπόλαυσις, ταῖς μελίτταις δ’ ἄρα καὶ μέλι λαμβάνειν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ὑπάρχει, οὕτω δὴ κἀνταῦθα τοῖς μὴ τὸ ἡδὺ καὶ ἐπίχαρι μόνον τῶν τοιούτων λόγων διώκουσιν, ἔστι τινὰ καὶ ὠφέλειαν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποθέσθαι.\n\nκατὰ πᾶσαν δὴ οὖν τῶν μελιττῶν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν λόγων ὑμῖν μεθεκτέον. ἐκεῖναί τε γὰρ οὔτε ἅπασι τοῖς ἄνθεσι παραπλησίως ἐπέρχονται, οὔτε μὴν οἷς ἂν ἐπιπτῶσιν, ὅλα φέρειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, ἀλλ’ ὅσον αὐτῶν ἐπιτήδειον πρὸς τὴν ἐργασίαν λαβοῦσαι, τὸ λοιπὸν χαίρειν ἀφῆκαν.","english":"The same things I have to say concerning prose writers, and especially when they compose stories for the sake of charming their hearers. And we will not imitate the art of lying practiced by rhetoricians. For falsehood is not suitable for us either in law courts or in other actions, we who have chosen the straight and true path of life, to whom it is commanded by law not to go to law.\n\nBut we will rather accept those passages in which they have praised virtue or denounced vice. For just as in the case of flowers, for most people the enjoyment extends only to the fragrance or the color, but for bees there is also the possibility of taking honey from them, so here for those who do not pursue only the pleasant and charming aspect of such writings, it is possible to store up some benefit for the soul from them.\n\nTherefore, in accordance with the whole image of the bees, you must partake of literature. For they neither approach all flowers alike, nor do they attempt to carry off whole those on which they alight, but taking from them only what is suitable for their work, they let the rest go.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ψυχαγωγίας","severity":"info","text":"The term ψυχαγωγίας (psychagōgias) means 'soul-leading' or 'charming', often used of rhetorical persuasion. Basil contrasts this with moral benefit, a key theme in the treatise.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ῥητόρων","severity":"info","text":"Ῥητόρων (rētorōn) refers to rhetoricians, professional speakers in the Greco-Roman world. Basil criticizes their 'art of lying' (τὴν περὶ τὸ ψεύδεσθαι τέχνην), a standard Christian polemic against pagan rhetoric.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τὸ μὴ δικάζεσθαι νόμῳ προστεταγμένον","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to the Christian ideal of avoiding litigation, possibly referencing 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, which discourages Christians from taking disputes to pagan courts. This reflects early Christian legal ethics.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"μελιττῶν τὴν εἰκόνα","severity":"info","text":"The bee simile, drawn from classical sources (e.g., Seneca, Epistles 84; Lucretius, De Rerum Natura 3.11-13), is adapted by Basil to advocate selective reading of pagan literature. The bee becomes a model for Christian appropriation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ πᾶσαν δὴ οὖν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase κατὰ πᾶσαν δὴ οὖν (kata pāsan dē oun) marks a concluding summary of the bee analogy, reinforcing the argument that Christians should selectively extract moral benefit from pagan writings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"πονηρίαν κακίαν unus MS","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase πονηρίαν κακίαν (ponērian kakian) is marked 'unus MS' in the edition, indicating a textual variant. The standard reading is πονηρίαν (vice) alone; the addition may be a scribal gloss or corruption.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'πονηρίαν κακίαν' in one manuscript may be a scribal expansion or corruption; the intended text likely reads only 'πονηρίαν'.","The reference to 'law' (νόμῳ) in 'τὸ μὴ δικάζεσθαι νόμῳ προστεταγμένον' could be to Mosaic law, Christian custom, or a specific ecclesiastical canon; Basil does not specify."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"ἡμεῖς τε, ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus. σωφρονῶμεν, ὅσον οἰκεῖον ἡμῖν καὶ συγγενὲς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ παρ’ αὐτῶν κομισάμενοι, ὑπερβησόμεθα τὸ λειπόμενον. καὶ καθάπερ τῆς ῥοδωνιᾶς τοῦ ἄνθους δρεψάμενοι τὰς ἀκάνθας ἐκκλίνομεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων λόγων ὅσον χρήσιμον καρπωσάμενοι, τὸ βλαβερὸν φυλαξώμεθα.\n\nφυλαξόμεθα editi antiqui. εὐθὺς οὖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπισκοπεῖν περισκοπεῖν Colb. tertius. ἕκαστον τῶν μαθημάτων καὶ συναρμόζειν τῷ τέλει προσῆκε, κατὰ τὴν Δωρικὴν παροιμίαν τὸν λίθον ποτὶ τὰν σπάρτον ἄγοντας.\n\nΚαὶ ἐπειδήπερ δι’ ἀρετῆς ἡμᾶς ἡμιν editio Basil. et duo MSS. ἐπὶ τὸν βίον καθεῖναι δεῖ τὸν ἡμέτερον, εἰς ταύτην δὲ πολλὰ μὲν ποιηταῖς, πολλὰ δὲ συγγραφεῦσι, πολλῷ δὲ ἔτι πλείω φιλοσόφοις ἀνδρᾶσιν ὕμνηται, τοῖς τοιούτοις τῶν λόγων μάλιστα προσεκτέον.\n\nοὐ μικρὸν γὰρ τὸ ὄφελος οἰκειότητά τινα καὶ συνήθειαν ταῖς τῶν νέων ψυχαῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐγγενέσθαι, ἐπείπερ ἀμετάστατα πέφυκεν εἶναι τὰ τῶν τοιούτων μαθήματα, δι’ ἁπαλότητα τῶν ψυχῶν εἰς βάθος ἐνσημαινόμενα.","english":"We, if we are prudent, having taken from them what is akin and congenial to the truth, will pass over the rest. And just as we pluck the flower of the rose and avoid the thorns, so too in such writings we will take what is useful and guard against what is harmful.\n\nTherefore, from the beginning, it is fitting to examine each of the disciplines and to harmonize them with the end, according to the Doric proverb, bringing the stone to the rope.\n\nAnd since we must direct our life through virtue, and much has been sung by poets, much by prose writers, and even more by philosophers concerning this, we must pay most attention to such words.\n\nFor it is no small benefit that some affinity and familiarity with virtue be engendered in the souls of the young, since such lessons, by reason of the tenderness of their souls, are impressed deeply and remain unchangeable.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν λίθον ποτὶ τὰν σπάρτον ἄγοντας","severity":"info","text":"The Doric proverb 'bringing the stone to the rope' refers to a builder's technique of adjusting a stone to fit a measuring line, here used as a metaphor for adapting pagan learning to Christian ends.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀρετή","severity":"info","text":"ἀρετή ('virtue') is a central term in Basil's argument, denoting the moral excellence that is the goal of Christian life and the criterion for selecting pagan writings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τῆς ῥοδωνιᾶς τοῦ ἄνθους δρεψάμενοι τὰς ἀκάνθας ἐκκλίνομεν","severity":"info","text":"The image of plucking the rose while avoiding thorns is a common classical trope for selective appropriation, found in Plutarch and later Christian authors like Clement of Alexandria.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plutarch Moralia","Clement Stromateis"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εὐθὺς οὖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπισκοπεῖν","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a transition from the general principle of selective reading to the practical method of examining each discipline and harmonizing it with the ultimate goal of virtue.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ἀμετάστατα πέφυκεν εἶναι","severity":"info","text":"Basil's claim that lessons learned in youth are 'unchangeable' because they are impressed deeply on tender souls echoes a common pedagogical topos, later influential in Christian education theory.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Quintilian Institutio Oratoria","John Chrysostom"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"φυλαξόμεθα","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows variation between φυλαξόμεθα and φυλαξώμεθα; the former is a future indicative, the latter a subjunctive. The sense is not materially affected, but the reading is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἡμεῖς τε, ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus' in the Greek is garbled in the source; the translation follows the emended text. The Doric proverb is cited without explanation, assuming reader familiarity."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"ἢ τί ποτε ἄλλο διανοηθέντα τὸν Ἡσίοδον ὑπολάβωμεν ταυτὶ ποιῆσαι τὰ ἔπη ἃ πάντες ᾄδουσιν, ἢ οὐχὶ προτρέποντα τοὺς νέους ἐπ’ ἀρετήν; ὅτι τραχεῖα μὲν πρῶτον καὶ δύσβατος, καὶ ἱδρῶτος συχνοῦ καὶ πόνου πλήρης ἡ πρὸς ἀρετὴν φέρουσα καὶ ἀνάντης ὁδός.\n\nδιόπερ οὐ παντὸς οὔτε προσβῆναι αὐτῇ διὰ τὸ ὄρθιον, οὔτε προσβάντι ῥᾳδίως ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον ἐλθεῖν. ἄνω δὲ γενομένῳ ὁρᾶν ὑπάρχει ὡς μὲν λεία τε καὶ καλή, ὡς δὲ ῥᾳδία τε καὶ εὔπορος καὶ τῆς ἑτέρας ἡδίων τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν κακίαν ἀγούσης, ἣν ἀθρόαν ἀθρόον aliqui MSS. εἶναι λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς, ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος ποιητὴς ἔφησεν.\n\nἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ δοκεῖ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ προτρέπων ἡμᾶς ἐπ’ ἀρετὴν καὶ προκαλούμενος ἅπαντας ἀγαθοὺς εἶναι, ταῦτα διελθεῖν, καὶ ὥστε μὴ καταμαλακισθέντας πρὸς τοὺς πόνους, προαποστῆναι τοῦ τέλους. καὶ μέντοι καὶ εἴ τις ἕτερος ἐοικότα τούτοις τὴν ἀρετὴν ὕμνησεν. ὡς εἰς ταὐτὸν ἡμῖν φέροντας τοὺς λόγους ἀποδεχώμεθα. δεχόμεθα aliqui MSS.\n\nὩς δ’ ἐγώ τινος ἤκουσα δεινοῦ καταμαθεῖν ἀνδρὸς ποιητοῦ διάνοιαν, πᾶσα μὲν ἡ ποίησις τῷ Ὁμήρῳ ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἔπαινος, καὶ πάντα αὐτῷ πρὸς τοῦτο φέρει, ὅ τι μὴ πάρεργον, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ ἐν οἷς τὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Κεφαλλήνων πεποίηκε γυμνὸν ἐκ τοῦ ναυαγίου περισῳθέντα, πρῶτον μὲν αἰδέσαι τὴν βασιλίδα φανέντα μόνον· τοσούτου δεῖν αἰσχύνην ὀφλῆσαι γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα μόνον, μόνον om. codex Oliv. et Colb. tertius. ἐπειδήπερ αὐτὸν ἀρετῇ ἀντὶ ἱματίων κεκοσμημένον ἐποίησε·","english":"or what else are we to suppose Hesiod had in mind when he composed those verses which everyone sings, if not to exhort the young to virtue? For the path that leads to virtue is at first rough and hard to travel, full of much sweat and toil, and steep.\n\nTherefore it is not for everyone either to set foot on it because of its steepness, or, having set foot, to reach the summit easily. But when one has reached the top, one sees that it is smooth and beautiful, and easy and well-trodden, and more pleasant than the other path that leads to vice, which, as the same poet said, can be taken all at once from nearby.\n\nFor it seems to me that he has set forth these things for no other purpose than to exhort us to virtue and to challenge everyone to be good, and so that we may not, becoming soft in the face of labors, abandon the goal beforehand. And indeed, if anyone else has sung of virtue in terms similar to these, let us accept their words as bearing upon the same point for us.\n\nAs I once heard from a man skilled in understanding the thought of a poet, all of Homer's poetry is a praise of virtue, and everything in him tends toward this, except what is incidental, and not least in the passage where he has made the leader of the Cephallenians, after being saved naked from shipwreck, first cause the queen to feel shame merely by appearing; so far was he from incurring disgrace by being seen naked, since he made him adorned with virtue instead of garments.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἢ τί ποτε ἄλλο διανοηθέντα τὸν Ἡσίοδον ὑπολάβωμεν","severity":"info","text":"Basil interprets Hesiod's Works and Days (lines 287–292) as a protreptic to virtue, reading the myth of the two paths as an allegory for moral choice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τραχεῖα μὲν πρῶτον καὶ δύσβατος","severity":"info","text":"The description of the steep, toilsome path to virtue echoes Prodicus' Choice of Heracles (Xenophon, Memorabilia 2.1.21–22), a common moral exemplum in Greek literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"πᾶσα μὲν ἡ ποίησις τῷ Ὁμήρῳ ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἔπαινος","severity":"info","text":"Basil reports an anonymous critic's view that Homer's entire poetry is an encomium of virtue, citing Odysseus' naked appearance before Nausicaa (Odyssey 6) as proof; this reflects a late antique allegorical reading.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"δεχόμεθα","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows variants at this point: some MSS read δεχόμεθα ('we accept') while others have δεχόμεθα or similar; the text is stable in meaning but the exact form is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὡς δ’ ἐγώ τινος ἤκουσα δεινοῦ καταμαθεῖν ἀνδρὸς ποιητοῦ διάνοιαν","severity":"info","text":"Basil shifts from Hesiod to Homer by introducing an anonymous authority, marking a new illustrative example within the protreptic argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'man skilled in understanding the thought of a poet' is not specified; he may be a contemporary grammarian or a rhetorical source.","The phrase 'ἀθρόαν ἀθρόον' is marked as a variant in some MSS, indicating textual uncertainty in the Hesiod quotation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς Φαίαξι τοσούτου ἄξιον νομισθῆναι, ὥστε ἀφέντας τὴν τρυφὴν ᾗ συνέζων, ἐκεῖνον εἰς ἐκεῖνον Colb. duo. ἀποβλέπειν καὶ ζηλοῦν ἅπαντας καὶ μηδένα Φαιάκων ἐν τῷ τότε εἶναι ἄλλο τι ἂν εὔξασθαι μᾶλλον ἢ Ὀδυσσέα γενέσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα ἐκ ναυαγίου περισῳθέντα.\n\nἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἔλεγεν ὁ τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῆς διανοίας ἐξηγητὴς μόνον οὐχὶ βοῶντα λέγειν τὸν Ὅμηρον· ὅτι ἀρετῆς ὑμῖν ἐπιμελητέον, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, ἣ καὶ ναυαγήσαντι συνεκνήχεται καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς χέρσου γενόμενον γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα Colb. tertius. γυμνὸν τιμιώτερον ἀποδείξει τῶν εὐδαιμόνων Φαιάκων.\n\nκαὶ γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει. τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τῶν κτημάτων, οὐ μᾶλλον τῶν ἐχόντων ἢ καὶ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν ἐπιτυχόντων ἐστὶν ὥσπερ ἐν παιδιᾷ κύβων τῇδε κἀκεῖσε μεταβαλλόμενα· μόνη δὲ κτημάτων ἡ ἀρετὴ ἀναφαίρετον καὶ ζῶντι καὶ τελευτήσαντι παραμένουσα. ὅθεν δὴ καὶ Σόλων μοι δοκεῖ πρὸς τοὺς εὐπόρους εἰπεῖν τό· Ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς αὐτοῖς οὐ διαμειψόμεθα Τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἔμπεδον αἰεί, Χρήματα δ’ ἀνθρώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.","english":"and then, moreover, to be considered so worthy by the rest of the Phaeacians that, abandoning the luxury in which they lived, they all looked to that man and emulated him, and no one among the Phaeacians at that time would have prayed for anything else rather than to become Odysseus, and that after being saved from a shipwreck.\n\nFor in these things the interpreter of the poet's thought said that Homer was almost crying out: that you must take care of virtue, O men, which swims out with a man even when shipwrecked, and when he appears naked on dry land, makes him more honored than the prosperous Phaeacians.\n\nAnd indeed it is so. Other possessions belong no more to their owners than to any chance person, like dice in a game shifting here and there; but virtue alone among possessions is inalienable, remaining with one both in life and after death. Hence Solon seems to me to have said to the wealthy: \"But we will not exchange our virtue for their wealth, since virtue is always steadfast, while wealth among men changes from one to another.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῆς διανοίας ἐξηγητής","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'interpreter of the poet's thought' likely refers to a specific allegorical commentator on Homer, possibly a Stoic or Neoplatonic exegete, though Basil does not name him.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀρετῆς ὑμῖν ἐπιμελητέον","severity":"info","text":"Basil's reading of Homer as a moral exhortation to virtue parallels the allegorical tradition of interpreting epic poetry for ethical instruction, as seen in Stoic and Middle Platonic commentaries.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Σόλων ... τό· Ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς αὐτοῖς οὐ διαμειψόμεθα Τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον","severity":"info","text":"The quotation from Solon (fr. 15 West) contrasts the permanence of virtue with the instability of wealth, echoing themes in Proverbs and Wisdom literature, though Basil cites a classical source.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Φαίακες","severity":"info","text":"The Phaeacians, from Homer's Odyssey, are depicted as a prosperous but luxury-loving people; Basil uses them as a foil to Odysseus, whose virtue is proven through suffering.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἔλεγεν ... μόνον οὐχὶ βοῶντα λέγειν τὸν Ὅμηρον","severity":"info","text":"Basil frames his argument by attributing a direct moral message to Homer through an interpreter, then reinforces it with a general maxim and a Solonian quotation, creating a layered rhetorical proof.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀρετὴ ἀναφαίρετον","severity":"info","text":"The idea that virtue is inalienable and survives death became a key theme in Christian ascetic literature, influencing later writers like Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'interpreter of the poet's thought' is not specified; it may be a known allegorist or a generic figure.","The phrase 'Colb. duo' and 'Colb. tertius' in the Greek apparatus suggest manuscript variants, but the reading is not critically uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"Παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ Θεόγνιδος, ἐν οἷς φησι τὸν θεόν, ὅντινα δὴ καί φησι, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸ τάλαντον ἐπιρρέπειν ἄλλοτε ἄλλως· ἄλλοτε μὲν πλουτεῖν, ἄλλοτε δὲ μηδὲν ἔχειν.\n\nΚαὶ μὴν καὶ ὁ Κεῖός που σοφιστὴς Πρόδικος τῶν ἑαυτοῦ συγγραμμάτων ἀδελφὰ τούτοις εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν ἐφιλοσόφησεν· ᾧ δὴ καὶ αὐτῷ τὴν διάνοιαν προσεκτέον· οὐ γὰρ ἀπόβλητος ὁ ἀνήρ.\n\nἔχει δὲ οὕτω πως ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ, ὅσα ἐγὼ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τῆς διανοίας μέμνημαι, ἐπεὶ τά γε ῥήματα οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι ἁπλῶς οὕτως εἴρηκεν ἄνευ μέτρου, ὅτι νέῳ ὄντι τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ κομιδῇ καὶ σχεδὸν ταύτην ἄγοντι τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἣν καὶ ὑμεῖς νῦν, βουλευομένῳ ποτέραν τράπηται τῶν ὁδῶν, τὴν διὰ τῶν πόνων ἄγουσαν πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἢ τὴν ῥᾴστην, προσελθεῖν δύο γυναῖκας, ταύτας δὲ εἶναι Ἀρετὴν καὶ Κακίαν·\n\nεὐθὺς μὲν οὖν καὶ σιωπώσας ἐμφαίνειν ἀπὸ τοῦ σχήματος τὸ διάφορον· εἶναι γὰρ τὴν μὲν ὑπὸ κομμωτικῆς διεσκευασμένην εἰς κάλλος, καὶ ὑπὸ τρυφῆς διαρρεῖν, καὶ πάντα ἐσμὸν ἡδονῆς ἐξηρτημένην ἄγειν· ταῦτά τε οὖν δεικνύναι, καὶ ἔτι πλείω τούτων ὑπισχνουμένην, ἕλκειν ἐπιχειρεῖν τὸν Ἡρακλέα πρὸς ἑαυτήν·","english":"Similar to these are the words of Theognis, where he says that the god—whomever he means—tilts the scale for men now one way, now another: at one time to be wealthy, at another to have nothing.\n\nAnd indeed the sophist Prodicus of Ceos somewhere in his writings philosophized about virtue and vice in terms akin to these; and one must attend to his thought as well, for the man is not to be rejected.\n\nHis account runs something like this, as far as I remember the man’s thought—since I do not know the exact words, except that he spoke simply, without meter—that when Heracles was quite young and just about at the age you are now, and was deliberating which of the two roads to take, the one leading through toils to virtue or the easiest one, two women approached him, and these were Virtue and Vice.\n\nImmediately, even in silence, they revealed the difference by their appearance: for one was adorned by cosmetics for beauty, and was overflowing with luxury, and led a whole swarm of pleasure attached to her; and she displayed these things, and promising still more than these, she attempted to draw Heracles to herself.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Πρόδικος","severity":"info","text":"Prodicus of Ceos was a fifth-century BCE sophist known for his moral fable of Heracles at the crossroads, preserved in Xenophon's Memorabilia 2.1.21–34. Basil here adapts that tradition, likely from memory, as he notes he does not recall the exact words.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Xenophon Memorabilia"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"Θεόγνιδος","severity":"info","text":"Theognis of Megara (6th cent. BCE) wrote elegiac poetry on divine caprice. Basil's paraphrase of the 'tilted scale' echoes Theognis 157–158, where Zeus gives wealth or poverty. This aligns with Basil's argument that pagan poets teach moral lessons.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Theognis Elegies"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις","severity":"info","text":"This phrase links the preceding discussion of Homer's Odysseus to Theognis and Prodicus, forming a chain of pagan authorities that Basil uses to support his moral exhortation. The structure is cumulative, not argumentative.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κομμωτικῆς","severity":"info","text":"κομμωτικῆς (from κομμόω, 'to adorn') refers to cosmetic embellishment. Basil uses it pejoratively to characterize Vice's artificial allure, contrasting with Virtue's unadorned appearance. The term is rare in patristic Greek.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ὅντινα δὴ καί φησι","severity":"caution","text":"Basil's parenthetical 'whomever he means' suggests uncertainty about the identity of the god in Theognis. The text may be corrupt or Basil may be deliberately vague, as the original Theognis passage does not specify a named deity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["Basil's source for Prodicus' fable is unclear; he may rely on oral tradition or a lost text, as he admits not knowing the exact words.","The phrase 'ὅντινα δὴ καί φησι' could indicate a textual variant in Basil's copy of Theognis or a rhetorical hedge."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"τὴν δ’ ἑτέραν κατεσκληκέναι καὶ αὐχμεῖν καὶ σύντονον βλέπειν καὶ λέγειν τοιαῦτα ἕτερα· ὑπισχνεῖσθαι γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀνειμένον οὐδὲ ἡδύ, ἀλλ’ ἱδρῶτας μυρίους καὶ πόνους καὶ κινδύνους διὰ πάσης ἠπείρου τε καὶ θαλάσσης· ἆθλον δὲ τούτων εἶναι θεὸν γενέσθαι, ὡς ὁ ἐκείνου λόγος· ᾗπερ δὴ οὖν add. unus Colb. καὶ τελευτῶντα τὸν Ἡρακλέα ξυνέπεσθαι.\n\nΚαὶ σχεδὸν ἅπαντες, ὧν δὴ καὶ λόγος τίς ἐστιν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ, ἢ μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον εἰς δύναμιν ἕκαστος ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτῶν συγγράμμασιν ἀρετῆς ἔπαινον διεξῆλθον, οἷς πειστέον καὶ πειρατέον ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου δεικνύναι τοὺς λόγους. ὡς ὅ γε τὴν ἄχρι ῥημάτων παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις φιλοσοφίαν ἔργῳ βεβαιῶν, οἶος πέπνυται, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι.\n\nΚαί μοι δοκεῖ τὸ τοιοῦτον παραπλήσιον εἶναι, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ ζωγράφου θαυμαστόν τι οἷον κάλλος ἀνθρώπου μιμησαμένου, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς τις add. Colb. tertius. εἴη τοιοῦτος ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας, οἷον ἐπὶ τῶν πινάκων ἐκεῖνος ἔδειξεν.\n\nἐπεὶ τό γε λαμπρῶς μὲν ἐπαινέσαι ἐπαινεῖν Colb. tertius. τὴν ἀρετὴν εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ μακροὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀποτείνειν λόγους, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τὸ ἡδὺ πρὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης καὶ τὸ πλέον ἔχειν πρὸ τοῦ δικαίου τιμᾶν, ἐοικέναι φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ὑποκρινομένοις τὰ δράματα, οἳ ὡς βασιλεῖς καὶ δυνάσται πολλάκις εἰσέρχονται, οὔτε βασιλεῖς ὄντες οὔτε δυνάσται, οὐδὲ μὲν οὖν τυχὸν ἐλεύθεροι τὸ παράπαν.","english":"The other path is withered, squalid, and strained to look, and speaks such other things; for it promises nothing relaxed or pleasant, but countless sweats, labors, and dangers across every continent and sea; and the prize for these is to become a god, as his account says; and finally Heracles accompanies him.\n\nAnd nearly all who have any reputation for wisdom, each to a greater or lesser extent according to his ability, have in their own writings set forth praise of virtue, whom we must trust and attempt to demonstrate their words in our lives. For he who confirms in deed the philosophy that among others is only in words—such a one is wise, while the others are flitting shadows.\n\nAnd such a thing seems to me to be similar to what would happen if a painter had imitated some wonderful beauty of a man, and the same person were in reality such as he showed on the panels.\n\nFor to praise virtue splendidly in public and to spin out long speeches about it, but in private to value pleasure over temperance and gain over justice, I would say is like those who act in dramas on the stage, who often enter as kings and rulers, though they are neither kings nor rulers, nor indeed even free men at all.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἡρακλέα","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Heracles accompanying the figure on the hard path alludes to Prodicus' 'Choice of Heracles' (Xenophon, Memorabilia 2.1.21–34), where Heracles chooses Virtue over Vice.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Xenophon Memorabilia"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"οἶος πέπνυται, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'such a one is wise, while the others are flitting shadows' echoes Homer, Odyssey 10.495, where the dead are described as 'flitting shadows' (σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι).","cites":[],"named_sources":["Homer Odyssey"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καί μοι δοκεῖ","severity":"info","text":"This passage introduces a simile comparing the philosopher who lives virtuously to a painter whose self-portrait matches reality, reinforcing the theme of consistency between word and deed.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ὑποκρινομένοις","severity":"info","text":"The critique of those who praise virtue publicly but act otherwise, likened to stage actors, reflects a common patristic trope against hypocrisy, seen also in John Chrysostom's homilies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"add. unus Colb. ... add. Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The source edition notes variant readings from the Colbertinus manuscript (Colb.), indicating textual uncertainty in the transmission of this passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'the god' in Theognis (previous passage) is unspecified; Basil may leave it ambiguous.","The phrase 'as his account says' (ὡς ὁ ἐκείνου λόγος) could refer to Prodicus or to the personified path of virtue."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"εἶτα μουσικὸς μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἑκὼν δέξαιτο ἀνάρμοστον αὐτῷ τὴν λύραν εἶναι, καὶ χοροῦ κορυφαῖος μὴ ὅτι μάλιστα συνᾴδοντα τὸν χορὸν ἔχειν· αὐτὸς δέ τις ἕκαστος διαστασιάσει πρὸς ἑαυτόν, καὶ οὐχὶ τοῖς λόγοις ὁμολογοῦντα τὸν βίον παρέξεται ;\n\nἀλλ’ ἡ γλῶττα μὲν ὀμώμοκεν, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος, κατ’ Εὐριπίδην ἐρεῖ, καὶ τὸ δοκεῖν ἀγαθὸς πρὸ τοῦ εἶναι διώξεται. ἀλλ’ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἔσχατος τῆς ἀδικίας ὅρος, εἴ τι δεῖ Πλάτωνι πείθεσθαι, τὸ δοκεῖν δίκαιον εἶναι μὴ ὄντα.\n\nΤοὺς μὲν οὖν τῶν λόγων, οἳ τὰς τῶν καλῶν ἔχουσιν ὑποθήκας, οὕτως ἀποδεχώμεθα· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πράξεις σπουδαῖαι τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν ἢ μνήμης ἀκολουθίᾳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς διασῴζονται, ἢ ποιητῶν ἢ συγγραφέων φυλαττόμεναι λόγοις, μηδὲ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ὠφελείας ἀπολειπώμεθα.\n\nοἷον, ἐλοιδόρει τὸν Περικλέα τῶν ἐξ ἀγορᾶς τις ἀνθρώπων· ὁ δὲ οὐ προσεῖχε· καὶ εἰς πᾶσαν διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν Colb. tertius. τὴν ἡμέραν, ὁ μὲν ἀφειδῶς πλύνων αὐτὸν τοῖς ὀνείδεσιν, ὁ δέ, οὐ μέλων αὐτῷ. εἶτα, ἑσπέρας ἤδη καὶ σκότους ἀπαλλαττόμενον μόλις ὑπὸ φωτὶ παρέπεμψε Περικλῆς, ὅπως αὐτῷ μὴ διαφθαρείη τὸ πρὸς φιλοσοφίαν γυμνάσιον.","english":"Then a musician would not willingly accept a lyre that is out of tune with him, nor would a chorus leader wish to have his chorus not singing in harmony as much as possible; but each individual will be at variance with himself, and will he not present a life that is not in agreement with his words?\n\nBut he will say, according to Euripides, \"The tongue has sworn, but the mind is unsworn,\" and will pursue the appearance of being good before actually being so. But this is the extreme limit of injustice, if one must believe Plato, to seem just without being so.\n\nLet us therefore accept those discourses which contain the precepts of noble things. But since also the worthy deeds of ancient men are preserved for us either through the continuity of memory or are guarded in the words of poets or historians, let us not fall short of the benefit from this source either.\n\nFor example, a certain man from the marketplace was reviling Pericles; but Pericles paid no attention. And he persisted the whole day, the one unsparingly washing him with insults, the other not caring. Then, when evening and darkness were already coming on, Pericles barely escorted him away by torchlight, so that his training in philosophy might not be ruined.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ ἡ γλῶττα μὲν ὀμώμοκεν, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes Euripides' Hippolytus (line 612) to illustrate the disjunction between speech and intention, a theme he uses to critique hypocrisy.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Euripides"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ δοκεῖν δίκαιον εἶναι μὴ ὄντα","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to Plato's Republic (361a–362c), where the unjust man who appears just is deemed the extreme of injustice.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Περικλέα","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote about Pericles enduring a day of abuse and escorting his reviler home by torchlight is a stock example of philosophical self-control, found in Plutarch's Life of Pericles (ch. 5) and other sources.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plutarch"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Τοὺς μὲν οὖν τῶν λόγων","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks a transition from critiquing pagan literature to a positive program of selective appropriation, introducing the principle of using pagan texts for moral benefit.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"μουσικὸς μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἑκὼν δέξαιτο ἀνάρμοστον αὐτῷ τὴν λύραν","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of the musician and chorus leader echoes Plato's Republic (349e–350b), where harmony and internal consistency are metaphors for justice.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a variant: the manuscript Colb. tertius reads 'διήρκεσαν' (they persisted) instead of 'διήρκεσε' (he persisted), creating ambiguity about the subject of the verb.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The variant reading in the manuscript tradition (διήρκεσε vs. διήρκεσαν) leaves unclear whether the subject of 'persisted' is the reviler alone or both Pericles and the reviler."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"πάλιν τις Εὐκλείδῃ τῷ Μεγαρόθεν παροξυνθεὶς θάνατον ἠπείλησε καὶ ἐπώμοσεν· ὁ δὲ ἀντώμοσεν ἦ μὴν ἱλεώσασθαι αὐτόν, καὶ παύσειν χαλεπῶς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχοντα. πόσου ἄξιον τῶν τοιούτων τι παραδειγμάτων εἰσελθεῖν τὴν μνήμην ἀνδρὸς ὑπὸ ὀργῆς ἤδη κατεχομένου;\n\nτῇ τραγῳδίᾳ γὰρ οὐ πιστευτέον ἁπλῶς λεγούσῃ, ἐπ’ ἐχθροὺς θυμὸς ὁπλίζει χεῖρα· ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν μηδὲ διανίστασθαι πρὸς θυμὸν τὸ παράπαν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ῥᾴδιον τοῦτο, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ χαλινὸν αὐτῷ τὸν λογισμὸν ἐμβάλλοντας, μὴ ἐᾶν ἐκφέρεσθαι περαιτέρω.\n\nἘπαναγάγωμεν δὲ τὸν λόγον αὖθις πρὸς τὰ τῶν σπουδαίων πράξεων παραδείγματα. ἔτυπτέ τις τὸν Σωφρονίσκου Σωκράτην εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐμπεσὼν ἀφειδῶς· ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἀντῆρεν, ἀλλὰ παρεῖχε τῷ παροινοῦντι τῆς ὀργῆς ἐμφορεῖσθαι, ὥστε ἐξοιδεῖν ἤδη καὶ ὕπουλον αὐτῷ τὸ πρόσωπον ὑπὸ τῶν πληγῶν ἃς ἔλαβεν add. Colb. tertius. εἶναι.\n\nὡς δ’ οὖν ἐπαύσατο τύπτων, ἄλλο μὲν οὐδὲν ὁ Σωκράτης ποιῆσαι, ἐπιγράψαι δὲ τῷ μετώπῳ λέγεται, ὥσπερ ἐν add. Colb. tertius. ἀνδριάντι τὸν δημιουργόν· Ὁ δεῖνα ἐποίει·","english":"Again, when someone was provoked against Eucleides of Megara and threatened him with death, even swearing an oath to that effect, Eucleides swore in return that he would appease him and put an end to his harshness toward him. How valuable it is for such examples to enter the memory of a man already seized by anger!\n\nFor one must not simply trust tragedy when it says, \"Wrath arms the hand against enemies.\" Rather, it is best not to be roused to anger at all; but if this is not easy, then, as if placing reason as a bit in its mouth, one should not allow it to be carried further.\n\nLet us bring our discourse back again to examples of serious deeds. Someone struck Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, falling upon his face without restraint; but he did not resist, but allowed the one raging to glut his anger, so that his face became swollen and bruised from the blows he received.\n\nWhen the man stopped striking him, Socrates is said to have done nothing else but to inscribe on his forehead, as on a statue, the craftsman: \"So-and-so made this.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Εὐκλείδῃ τῷ Μεγαρόθεν","severity":"info","text":"Eucleides of Megara was a Greek philosopher, a follower of Socrates and founder of the Megarian school, known for his dialectical skill.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ ... λεγούσῃ, ἐπ’ ἐχθροὺς θυμὸς ὁπλίζει χεῖρα","severity":"info","text":"The line 'Wrath arms the hand against enemies' is likely from a lost tragedy, possibly Euripides, reflecting a common theme in Greek drama.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Σωφρονίσκου Σωκράτην","severity":"info","text":"Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, is the classical Athenian philosopher. The anecdote of his non-retaliation is attested in other sources, e.g., Diogenes Laertius.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπαναγάγωμεν δὲ τὸν λόγον αὖθις","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a structural return to the main theme of examples of virtuous deeds after a digression on anger.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"add. Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'add. Colb. tertius' indicates a manuscript addition from the third hand of the Colbertinus codex, suggesting textual uncertainty in the transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"εἶναι","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text includes 'εἶναι' after the Colbertinus addition, which may be a scribal error or interpolation, as it disrupts the syntax.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the person threatening Eucleides is unspecified; the text assumes a known anecdote.","The source of the tragic line is not identified; it may be a paraphrase or a lost play."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"καὶ τοσοῦτον τοσούτου editi antiqui et Reg. tertius. ἀμύνασθαι. ταῦτα σχεδὸν εἰς ταὐτὸν τοῖς ἡμετέροις φέροντα, πολλοῦ ἄξιον εἶναι μιμήσασθαι τοὺς τηλικούτους φημί. τουτὶ μὲν γὰρ τὸ τοῦ Σωκράτους ἀδελφὸν ἐκείνῳ τῷ παραγγέλματι, ὅτι τῷ τύπτοντι κατὰ τῆς σιαγόνος, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν παρέχειν προσῆκε·\n\nτοσούτου τοσοῦτον editi antiqui. δεῖν ἀπαμύνασθαι. τὸ δὲ τοῦ Περικλέους ἢ τὸ Εὐκλείδου, τῷ τοὺς διώκοντας ὑπομένειν καὶ πρᾴως αὐτῶν τῆς ὀργῆς ἀνέχεσθαι, καὶ τῷ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς εὔχεσθαι τὰ ἀγαθά, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπαρᾶσθαι. ὡς ὅ γε ἐν τούτοις προπαιδευθεὶς οὐκ ἔτ’ ἂν ἐκείνοις ὡς ἀδυνάτοις διαπιστήσειεν.\n\nοὐκ ἂν παρέλθοιμι τὸ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου, ὃς τὰς θυγατέρας Δαρείου αἰχμαλώτους λαβὼν θαυμαστόν τι τι om. editi antiqui. οἷον τὸ κάλλος παρέχειν μαρτυρουμένας, οὐδὲ προσιδεῖν ἠξίωσεν, αἰσχρὸν εἶναι κρίνων τὸν ἄνδρας ἑλόντα γυναικῶν ἡττηθῆναι. τουτὶ γὰρ εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐκείνῳ φέρει, ὅτι ὁ ἐμβλέψας πρὸς ἡδονὴν γυναικὶ κἂν μὴ τῷ ἔργῳ τὴν μοιχείαν ἐπιτελέσῃ, ἀλλὰ τῷ γε τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῇ ψυχῇ παραδέξασθαι, οὐκ ἀφίεται τοῦ ἐγκλήματος.","english":"And so much for that. These things, almost converging with our own teachings, I say are well worth imitating for such great men. For this saying of Socrates is akin to that precept, that when struck on the jaw, one ought to offer the other cheek as well.\n\nThe saying of Pericles or of Eucleides, to endure those who pursue and bear their anger gently, and to pray for good things for enemies rather than to curse them. For one trained in these things would no longer disbelieve those other teachings as impossible.\n\nI would not pass over the example of Alexander, who, when he took the daughters of Darius captive, though they were said to possess remarkable beauty, did not deign even to look at them, judging it shameful for the conqueror of men to be conquered by women. This corresponds to that teaching, that one who looks with pleasure at a woman, even if he does not actually commit adultery, yet by admitting desire into his soul, is not free from blame.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ τύπτοντι κατὰ τῆς σιαγόνος, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν παρέχειν προσῆκε","severity":"info","text":"Basil attributes to Socrates a precept about offering the other cheek when struck, which is not attested in classical Socratic sources but echoes a Christian teaching (cf. Matthew 5:39).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Περικλέους ἢ τὸ Εὐκλείδου","severity":"info","text":"Pericles and Eucleides of Megara are classical Greek figures; Eucleides was a philosopher of the Megarian school, known for dialectic and moral anecdotes, as in the previous passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ τοὺς διώκοντας ὑπομένειν καὶ πρᾴως αὐτῶν τῆς ὀργῆς ἀνέχεσθαι","severity":"info","text":"Basil draws a parallel between the forbearance of Pericles/Eucleides and Christian teaching on enduring anger and praying for enemies, aligning pagan virtue with Christian ethics.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τὸ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote of Alexander the Great refusing to look at Darius’ daughters is a well-known exemplum of self-control, used by Basil to support Christian sexual ethics.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ γε τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῇ ψυχῇ παραδέξασθαι","severity":"info","text":"Basil uses παραδέξασθαι (admit) to stress that even internal desire, without action, incurs moral blame—a key point in his argument for training the soul against temptation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τοσούτου τοσοῦτον editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a variant reading (τοσούτου τοσοῦτον) in older editions, indicating possible scribal confusion; the sense is that the examples are of equal value.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τοσοῦτον τοσούτου' in the Greek is textually uncertain; older editions read 'τοσούτου τοσοῦτον', but the meaning is not materially affected.","The attribution of the 'other cheek' saying to Socrates is not historically verifiable and may be Basil's rhetorical adaptation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"τὸ δὲ τοῦ Κλεινίου, τῶν Πυθαγόρου γνωρίμων ἑνὸς χαλεπὸν πιστεῦσαι ἀπὸ ταὐτομάτου συμβῆναι τοῖς ἡμετέροις, ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ μιμησαμένου σπουδῇ. τί δὲ ἦν ὃ ἐποίησεν ἐκεῖνος; ἐξὸν δι’ ὅρκου τριῶν ταλάντων ζημίαν ἀποφυγεῖν, ὁ δὲ ἀπέτισε μᾶλλον ἢ ὤμοσε, καὶ ταῦτα εὐορκεῖν μέλλων· ἀκούσας, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, τοῦ προστάγματος τὸν ὅρκον ἡμῖν ἀπαγορεύοντος.\n\nἈλλ’ ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλεγον, πάλιν εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐπανίωμεν. οὐ πάντα ἑξῆς παραδεκτέον ἡμῖν, ἀλλ’ ὅσα χρήσιμα. καὶ γὰρ αἰσχρὸν τῶν μὲν σιτίων τὰ βλαβερὰ διωθεῖσθαι, τῶν δὲ μαθημάτων, ἃ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν τρέφει, μηδένα λόγον ἔχειν, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ χειμάρρουν παρασύροντας ἅπαν τὸ προστυχὸν ἐμβάλλεσθαι.\n\nκαίτοι τίνα ἔχει λόγον κυβερνήτην μὲν οὐκ εἰκῆ τοῖς πνεύμασιν ἐφιέναι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὅρμους εὐθύνειν τὸ σκάφος· καὶ τοξότην κατὰ σκοποῦ βάλλειν· καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ χαλκευτικόν τινα ἢ τεκτονικὸν ὄντα τοῦ κατὰ τὴν τέχνην ἐφίεσθαι τέλους· ἡμᾶς δὲ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων δημιουργῶν ἀπολείπεσθαι, πρός γε τὸ συνορᾶν δύνασθαι τὰ ἡμέτερα;","english":"The saying of Cleinias, one of the disciples of Pythagoras, is difficult to believe as having happened by chance to coincide with our own teachings, and not as having been imitated with earnestness. What was it that he did? When it was possible for him to avoid a penalty of three talents by means of an oath, he paid the fine rather than swear, and this though he was about to swear truly; having heard, as it seems to me, the commandment that forbids us to swear.\n\nBut let us return again to the same point I was making from the beginning. We must not accept everything indiscriminately, but only what is useful. For it is shameful to reject harmful foods, but to take no account of the teachings that nourish our soul, but like a torrent to sweep along and swallow everything that comes our way.\n\nAnd yet what reason is there that a helmsman does not yield carelessly to the winds, but directs the ship toward harbors; and an archer shoots at the target; and indeed a smith or a carpenter aims at the end proper to his craft; but that we should fall short of such craftsmen in being able to discern our own concerns?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Κλεινίου","severity":"info","text":"Cleinias is a Pythagorean disciple otherwise little known; the anecdote about his refusal to swear an oath even when truthful is not widely attested outside this passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"τριῶν ταλάντων ζημίαν","severity":"info","text":"The penalty of three talents is a large sum, suggesting a legal or commercial context; the anecdote parallels Christian prohibitions on swearing, e.g., Matthew 5:33-37.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ προστάγματος τὸν ὅρκον ἡμῖν ἀπαγορεύοντος","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to the commandment forbidding oaths, likely referring to the Decalogue (Exodus 20:7) or the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:33-37).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλ’ ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλεγον, πάλιν εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐπανίωμεν","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a return to the main argument after the exemplum of Cleinias, reinforcing the selective appropriation of pagan learning.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ χειμάρρουν παρασύροντας ἅπαν τὸ προστυχὸν ἐμβάλλεσθαι","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of a torrent sweeping away everything in its path warns against uncritical acceptance of all pagan teachings, a key theme in Basil's work.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"κυβερνήτην ... τοξότην ... χαλκευτικόν ... τεκτονικόν","severity":"info","text":"The analogies of helmsman, archer, smith, and carpenter are common in Greek moral philosophy (e.g., Plato, Republic 1.332c-333e) to illustrate purposive action.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of Cleinias is uncertain; he may be a Pythagorean otherwise unknown or a conflation with a historical figure.","The phrase 'τῶν Πυθαγόρου γνωρίμων ἑνὸς' could mean 'one of the acquaintances of Pythagoras' or 'one of the disciples of Pythagoras'; the translation opts for 'disciples'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"οὐ γὰρ δὴ τῶν μὲν χειρωνακτῶν ἐστί τι πέρας τῆς ἐργασίας, τοῦ δὲ ἀνθρωπίνου βίου σκοπὸς οὐκ ἔστι, πρὸς ὃν ἀφορῶντα πάντα ποιεῖν καὶ λέγειν χρὴ τόν γε μὴ τοῖς ἀλόγοις παντάπασι προσεοικέναι μέλλοντα; ἢ οὕτως ἂν εἴημεν ἀτεχνῶς κατὰ τῶν πλοίων τὰ ἀνερμάτιστα, οὐδενὸς ἡμῖν νοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς οἰάκων καθεζομένου, εἰκῆ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιφερόμενοι.\n\nἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσιν, εἰ δὲ βούλει, τῆς μουσικῆς· ἐκείνων εἰσὶ τῶν ἀγώνων αἱ μελέται, ὧνπερ οἱ στέφανοι πρόκεινται, καὶ οὐδείς καὶ οὐδεὶς add. editi antiqui. γε πάλην ἀσκῶν ἢ παγκράτιον, εἶτα κιθαρίζειν ἢ αὐλεῖν μελετᾷ.\n\nοὔκουν ὁ Πολυδάμας γε· ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνος πρὸ τοῦ ἀγῶνος τοῦ Ὀλυμπιάσι, τὰ ἅρματα ἵστη τρέχοντα, καὶ διὰ τούτων τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐκράτυνε. καὶ ὅ γε Μίλων ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληλειμμένης ἀσπίδος οὐκ ἐξωθεῖτο, ἀλλ’ ἀντεῖχεν ὠθούμενος, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ οἱ ἀνδριάντες οἱ τῷ μολύβδῳ συνδεδεμένοι.\n\nκαὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς αἱ μελέται αὐτοῖς παρασκευαὶ τῶν ἄθλων ἦσαν. εἰ δὲ τὰ Μαρσύου ἢ τὰ Ὀλύμπου τῶν Φρυγῶν περιειργάζοντο κρούματα, καταλιπόντες τὴν κόνιν καὶ τὰ γυμνάσια, ταχύ γ’ ἂν στεφάνων ἢ δόξης ἔτυχον ἢ διέφυγον τὸ μὴ καταγέλαστοι εἶναι κατὰ τὸ σῶμα;","english":"For is there not, in the case of manual laborers, some limit to their work, while the goal of human life has none, toward which one must look in doing and saying everything, if one is not to be altogether like the irrational animals? Or would we then be exactly like unballasted ships, with no mind sitting at the tiller of our souls, but driven aimlessly up and down through life?\n\nBut just as in athletic contests, or, if you will, in music: the practices belong to those contests for which the crowns are set, and no one who is training for wrestling or the pancratium practices playing the cithara or the flute.\n\nNot so Polydamas; but before the Olympic contest, he stopped the chariots as they ran, and through this strengthened his strength. And Milo, from the oiled shield, was not pushed off, but held his ground when pushed, no less than statues bound with lead.\n\nAnd in a word, their practices were preparations for the contests. If they had busied themselves with the tunes of Marsyas or Olympus the Phrygians, abandoning the dust and the gymnasia, would they quickly have obtained crowns or glory, or escaped being ridiculous in body?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν μὲν χειρωνακτῶν ἐστί τι πέρας τῆς ἐργασίας, τοῦ δὲ ἀνθρωπίνου βίου σκοπὸς οὐκ ἔστι","severity":"info","text":"Basil contrasts manual labor, which has a limit, with human life, which has an ultimate goal (σκοπός). This goal is the telos toward which all actions should be directed, a key ethical concept in Greek philosophy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πολυδάμας","severity":"info","text":"Polydamas of Skotoussa was a legendary Thessalian athlete, victor in the pancratium at the Olympic Games of 408 BCE, known for feats of strength such as stopping a chariot.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Μίλων","severity":"info","text":"Milo of Croton was a famous 6th-century BCE wrestler, six-time Olympic victor, known for training by holding an oiled shield to improve his grip and strength.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Μαρσύου ἢ τὰ Ὀλύμπου τῶν Φρυγῶν","severity":"info","text":"Marsyas and Olympus were legendary Phrygian musicians; Marsyas was a satyr who challenged Apollo, and Olympus was a mythical aulos player. Their music symbolizes frivolous pursuits irrelevant to athletic training.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσιν","severity":"info","text":"Basil uses a series of analogies from athletics to argue that pagan literature should be studied only as preparation for Christian virtue, mirroring the structure of his earlier argument about the bee and the rose.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ οὐδεὶς καὶ οὐδεὶς add. editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'καὶ οὐδεὶς' is repeated in the manuscript tradition; the edition notes an addition by early editors, indicating a textual variant or scribal duplication that does not affect the sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'καὶ οὐδεὶς καὶ οὐδεὶς' may be a scribal dittography; the translation omits the repetition, following the sense of the passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"ἀλλ’ οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ ὁ Τιμόθεος τὴν μελῳδίαν ἀφεὶς ἐν ταῖς παλαίστραις διῆγεν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοσοῦτον ὑπῆρξεν αὐτῷ διενεγκεῖν ἁπάντων τῇ μουσικῇ· ᾧ γε τοσοῦτον περιῆν τῆς τέχνης, ὥστε καὶ θυμὸν ἐγείρειν διὰ τῆς συντόνου καὶ αὐστηρᾶς ἁρμονίας, καὶ μέντοι καὶ χαλᾶν καὶ μαλάττειν ἐκμαλάττειν Colb. tertius. πάλιν διὰ τῆς ἀνειμένης, ὁπότε βούλοιτο.\n\nταύτῃ τοι καὶ ταῦτά τοι καὶ τὸ ἐναγώνιον Colb. tertius. Ἀλεξάνδρῳ ποτὲ τὸ Φρύγιον ἐπαυλήσαντα, ἐξαναστῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα λέγεται μεταξὺ δειπνοῦντα, καὶ ἐπαναγαγεῖν πάλιν πρὸς τοὺς συμπότας, τὴν ἁρμονίαν χαλάσαντα. τοσαύτην ἰσχὺν ἔν τε μουσικῇ καὶ τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσι, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ τέλους κτῆσιν ἡ μελέτη παρέχεται.\n\nἘπεὶ δὲ στεφάνων καὶ ἀθλητῶν ἐμνήσθην, ἐκεῖνοι μυρία παθόντες ἐπὶ μυρίοις, καὶ πολλαχόθεν τὴν ῥώμην ἑαυτοῖς συναυξήσαντες, πολλὰ μὲν γυμναστικοῖς ἐνιδρώσαντες πόνοις, πολλὰς δὲ πληγὰς ἐν παιδοτρίβου λαβόντες, δίαιταν δὲ οὐ τὴν ἡδίστην, ἀλλὰ τὴν παρὰ τῶν γυμναστῶν αἱρούμενοι, καὶ τἄλλα, ἵνα μὴ διατρίβω λέγων, οὕτω διάγοντες, ὡς τὸν πρὸ τῆς ἀγωνίας βίον μελέτην εἶναι τῆς ἀγωνίας, τηνικαῦτα ἀποδύονται πρὸς τὸ στάδιον, καὶ πάντα πονοῦσι καὶ κινδυνεύουσιν, ὥστε κοτίνου λαβεῖν στέφανον ἢ σελίνου ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν τοιούτων καὶ νικῶντες ἀναρρηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ κήρυκος.","english":"But Timotheus did not abandon his music to spend his time in the wrestling schools; for he would not have so far surpassed all others in music, since he had such an excess of skill that he could arouse passion through tense and harsh harmony, and also relax and soften it again through relaxed harmony, whenever he wished.\n\nThus it is said that once, by playing the Phrygian mode to Alexander at dinner, he roused him to arms, and then led him back to the banqueters by relaxing the harmony. Such is the power in both music and gymnastic contests: practice is provided for the attainment of the end.\n\nSince I have mentioned crowns and athletes, those men, after countless sufferings and many efforts, having increased their strength from many sources, having sweated through many gymnastic labors, having received many blows from the trainer, and having chosen not the most pleasant regimen but that prescribed by the trainers, and, to avoid digression, living in such a way that the life before the contest is a preparation for the contest, then they strip for the stadium and endure every toil and danger in order to receive a crown of wild olive or celery or some such thing and to be proclaimed victors by the herald.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Τιμόθεος","severity":"info","text":"Timotheus of Miletus, a celebrated aulos-player and composer of the late 5th–early 4th century BCE, was known for his innovative and expressive music. The anecdote about rousing Alexander with the Phrygian mode is a stock example of music's ethical power.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"Φρύγιον","severity":"info","text":"The Phrygian mode (harmonia) was associated in Greek musical theory with ecstatic, passionate, or warlike effects. Basil uses it to illustrate how music can directly influence emotion and action.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"κοτίνου ... σελίνου","severity":"info","text":"Crowns of wild olive (kotinos) were awarded at the Olympic Games, and celery (selinon) at the Isthmian Games. Basil lists these as examples of the modest prizes for which athletes endure extreme hardship.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπεὶ δὲ στεφάνων καὶ ἀθλητῶν ἐμνήσθην","severity":"info","text":"This transitional phrase signals a shift from the musical analogy to the athletic analogy, both serving as illustrations of disciplined preparation for a higher goal.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν πρὸ τῆς ἀγωνίας βίον μελέτην εἶναι τῆς ἀγωνίας","severity":"info","text":"The idea that the athlete's entire life before the contest is a preparation (meletē) for it parallels Basil's earlier argument that pagan literature should be a preparation for Christian virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκμαλάττειν","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a variant reading: the manuscript tradition (Colb. tertius) adds 'ἐκμαλάττειν' after 'μαλάττειν', which may be a gloss or dittography. The sense is not materially affected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The precise identity of 'Colb. tertius' (a manuscript or collation) is unclear; the reading is accepted as a minor variant.","The phrase 'ταύτῃ τοι καὶ ταῦτά τοι' is garbled in the transmitted text; the translation follows the likely sense."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":19,"ref":"p19","source":"ἡμῖν δέ, οἷς ἆθλα τοῦ βίου πρόκειται οὕτω θαυμαστὰ πλήθει τε καὶ μεγέθει, ὥστε ἀδύνατα εἶναι ῥηθῆναι λόγῳ, ἐπ’ ἄμφω καθεύδουσι καὶ κατὰ πολλὴν διαιτωμένοις ἄδειαν, τῇ ἑτέρᾳ λαβεῖν τῶν χειρῶν ὑπάρξει;\n\nπολλοῦ μέντ’ ἂν ἄξιον ἦν ἡ ῥᾳθυμία τῷ βίῳ, καὶ ὅ γε Σαρδανάπαλος τὰ πρῶτα πάντων εἰς εὐδαιμονίαν ἐφέρετο, ἢ καὶ ὁ Μαργίτης, Μαργαρίτης Colb. tertius. εἰ βούλει, ὃν οὔτ’ ἀροτῆρα οὔτε σκαπτῆρα οὔτε ἄλλο τι τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐπιτηδείων εἶναι Ὅμηρος ἔφησεν, εἰ δὴ Ὁμήρου ταῦτα.\n\nἀλλὰ μὴ ἀληθὴς μᾶλλον ὁ τοῦ Πιττακοῦ λόγος, ὃς χαλεπὸν ἔφησεν φησιν Colb. tertius. ἐσθλὸν ἔμμεναι; διὰ πολλῶν γὰρ δὴ τῷ ὄντι πόνων διεξελθοῦσι μόλις ἂν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων τυχεῖν ἡμῖν περιγένοιτο, ὧν ἐν τοῖς ἄνω λόγοις οὐδὲν εἶναι παράδειγμα τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐλέγομεν.\n\nοὐ δὴ οὖν ῥᾳθυμητέον ἡμῖν, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐν βραχεῖ ῥᾳστώνης μεγάλας ἐλπίδας ἀνταλλακτέον, εἴπερ μὴ μέλλοιμεν ὀνείδη τε ἕξειν καὶ τιμωρίας ὑφέξειν, οὔ τι παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐνθάδε, καίτοι καὶ τοῦτο οὐ μικρὸν τῷ γε νοῦν ἔχοντι, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς, εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν, εἴτε καὶ ὅπου δὴ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντα τυγχάνει,","english":"For us, for whom the prizes of life are so wondrous in number and magnitude that they cannot be expressed in words, will it be possible, while we sleep on both sides and live in great license, to take hold of them with one hand?\n\nGreat indeed would be the value of indolence in life, and Sardanapalus would be considered first of all in happiness, or even Margites—or Margarites, if you will—whom Homer said was neither a plowman nor a digger nor anything else useful in life, if indeed these are Homer’s words.\n\nBut is not rather the saying of Pittacus true, who said it is difficult to be good? For indeed, after passing through many labors, we might barely succeed in attaining those goods, of which we said in the earlier discourses there is no example among human things.\n\nTherefore we must not be indolent, nor exchange great hopes for brief ease, unless we are to incur reproaches and undergo punishments, not only here among men—though this too is no small matter for one who has sense—but in those places, whether beneath the earth or wherever in the universe they happen to be.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Σαρδανάπαλος","severity":"info","text":"Sardanapalus, a legendary Assyrian king, was a byword in Greek literature for luxury and indolence. Basil uses him as a foil to the Christian ideal of strenuous virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Μαργίτης","severity":"info","text":"Margites was the protagonist of a lost comic epic, sometimes attributed to Homer, who was proverbially inept at every practical skill. Basil cites him as another example of uselessness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"background","lemma":"Πιττακοῦ λόγος","severity":"info","text":"Pittacus of Mytilene, one of the Seven Sages, famously said 'It is difficult to be good' (χαλεπὸν ἐσθλὸν ἔμμεναι). Basil adapts this to his argument that virtue requires great effort.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τοῖς ἄνω λόγοις","severity":"info","text":"This phrase refers back to an earlier part of the discourse (not in this passage), where Basil argued that the highest goods have no parallel in human experience. It marks a logical link in his argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Μαργαρίτης","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript variant Μαργαρίτης (instead of Μαργίτης) is noted in the Colb. tertius. This may be a scribal error or a deliberate pun (margaritēs means 'pearl'), but the intended reference is to the same proverbial fool.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to pagan conceptions of the afterlife (e.g., Hades) without endorsing them. This reflects his strategy of using classical references while subordinating them to Christian teaching.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'εἰ δὴ Ὁμήρου ταῦτα' expresses doubt about Homeric authorship of the Margites poem, a debated point in antiquity.","The location of post-mortem punishments is left vague ('εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν, εἴτε καὶ ὅπου δὴ τοῦ παντὸς'), reflecting Basil's avoidance of precise eschatological detail in this context."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":20,"ref":"p20","source":"δικαιωτηρίοις. δικαστηρίοις editi antiqui. ὡς τῷ μὲν ἀκουσίως τοῦ προσήκοντος ἁμαρτόντι κἂν συγγνώμη τις ἴσως παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ γένοιτο· τῷ δὲ ἐξεπίτηδες τὰ χείρω προελομένῳ οὐδεμία παραίτησις, τὸ μὴ οὐχὶ πολλαπλασίω τὴν κόλασιν ὑποσχεῖν.\n\nΤί οὖν ποιῶμεν; φαίη τις ἄν. τί ἄλλο γε ἢ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχειν, πᾶσαν σχολὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἄγοντας;\n\nἄγοντες antiqui duo libri. οὐ δὴ οὖν τῷ σώματι δουλευτέον, ὅτι μὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη· ἀλλὰ τῇ ψυχῇ τὰ βέλτιστα ποριστέον, ὥσπερ ἐκ δεσμωτηρίου, τῆς πρὸς τὰ τοῦ σώματος πάθη κοινωνίας πρὸς τὸ σῶμα κοινωνίας Colb. tertius. αὐτὴν διὰ φιλοσοφίας λύοντας, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα τῶν παθῶν κρεῖττον ἀπεργαζομένους, γαστρὶ μέν γε τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ὑπηρετοῦντας, οὐχὶ τὰ ἥδιστα, ὡς οἵ γε τραπεζοποιούς τινας καὶ μαγείρους περινοοῦντες, καὶ πᾶσαν διερευνώμενοι γῆν τε καὶ θάλασσαν, οἷόν τινι χαλεπῷ δεσπότῃ φόρους ἀπάγοντες, ἐλεεινοὶ τῆς ἀσχολίας, τῶν ἐν ᾄδου κολαζομένων οὐδὲν πάσχοντες ἀνεκτότερον, ἀτεχνῶς εἰς πῦρ ξαίνοντες, καὶ κοσκίνῳ φέροντες ὕδωρ, καὶ εἰς τετρημένον τετριμμένον Colb. tertius, editi antiqui. ἀντλοῦντες πίθον,","english":"with justifications. For those who have sinned involuntarily against what is proper, perhaps some pardon might come from God; but for one who deliberately chooses the worse, there is no excuse, and the punishment is not merely multiplied.\n\nWhat then should we do? someone might say. What else but to care for the soul, taking every leisure from other things?\n\nWe must not serve the body, except under absolute necessity; but we must provide the best for the soul, as if from a prison, releasing it from communion with the body's passions through philosophy, and at the same time making the body superior to its passions, serving the belly only what is necessary, not what is most pleasant, as those who devise various table-setters and cooks, and search every land and sea, as if paying tribute to a harsh master, pitiable in their busyness, suffering nothing more tolerable than those punished in Hades, literally carding fire, carrying water in a sieve, and drawing water into a perforated jar.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"δικαιωτηρίοις","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text begins with δικαιωτηρίοις, but the source edition notes that earlier printed editions read δικαστηρίοις. The latter means 'courts' or 'judgments', which fits the context of divine pardon and punishment.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"παραίτησις","severity":"info","text":"παραίτησις means 'excuse' or 'plea for pardon'. Basil uses it to emphasize that deliberate sin admits no justification, contrasting with involuntary error where some pardon (συγγνώμη) might be possible.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰς τετρημένον πίθον","severity":"info","text":"The image of drawing water into a perforated jar (εἰς τετρημένον πίθον) is a well-known ancient metaphor for futile labor, found in Plato (Gorgias 493a–b) and in the myth of the Danaids. Basil uses it to condemn those enslaved by bodily pleasures.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato Gorgias"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τραπεζοποιούς","severity":"info","text":"τραπεζοποιούς refers to 'table-setters' or 'stewards' who arrange lavish banquets. This term, along with 'cooks' (μαγείρους), reflects the Greco-Roman culture of elaborate dining that Basil criticizes as a form of servitude to the body.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"τετρημένον","severity":"caution","text":"The source edition notes that the Colb. tertius and earlier printed editions read τετριμμένον ('worn') instead of τετρημένον ('perforated'). The latter is the standard reading in the metaphor, but the variant suggests scribal confusion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Τί οὖν ποιῶμεν;","severity":"info","text":"This rhetorical question ('What then should we do?') marks a transition from the preceding discussion of divine justice to practical exhortation. It introduces a series of imperatives and contrasts between soul and body, typical of Basil's protreptic style.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The opening word δικαιωτηρίοις is likely a scribal error for δικαστηρίοις, but the intended sense is clear from context.","The variant τετριμμένον for τετρημένον in some manuscripts does not affect the overall meaning of the metaphor."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":21,"ref":"p21","source":"οὐδὲν πέρας τῶν πόνων ἔχοντες. κουρὰς δὲ καὶ ἀμπεχόνας ἔξω τῶν ἀναγκαίων περιεργάζεσθαι, ἢ δυστυχούντων ἐστί, κατὰ τὸν Διογένους λόγον, ἢ ἀδικούντων. ὥστε καλλωπιστὴν εἶναι καὶ ὀνομάζεσθαι ὁμοίως αἰσχρὸν ἡγεῖσθαί φημι δεῖν τοὺς τοιούτους, ὡς τὸ ἑταιρεῖν ἢ ἀλλοτρίοις γάμοις ἐπιβουλεύειν.\n\nτί γὰρ ἂν διαφέροι τῷ γε νοῦν ἔχοντι, ξυστίδα ἀναβεβλῆσθαι ἤ τι τῶν φαύλων ἱμάτιον φέρειν, ἕως ἂν μηδὲν ἐνδέῃ ἐνδέει, om. ἂν editi antiqui. τοῦ πρὸς χειμῶνά τε εἶναι καὶ θάλπος ἀλεξητήριον;\n\nκαὶ τἄλλα δὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον μὴ περιττότερον τῆς χρείας κατεσκευάσθαι, μηδὲ περιέπειν τὸ σῶμα πλέον ἢ ὡς ἄμεινον τῇ ψυχῇ. οὐχ ἧττον γὰρ ὄνειδος ἀνδρὶ τῷ γε ὡς ἀληθῶς τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης ἀξίῳ, καλλωπιστὴν καὶ φιλοσώματον εἶναι, ἢ πρὸς ἄλλο τι τῶν παθῶν ἀγεννῶς διακεῖσθαι.\n\nτὸ γὰρ τὴν πᾶσαν σπουδὴν εἰσφέρεσθαι, ὅπως ὡς κάλλιστα αὐτῷ αὐτοῦ Colb. tertius. τὸ σῶμα ἕξοι, οὐ διαγινώσκοντός γινώσκοντος Colb. tertius. ἐστιν ἑαυτόν, οὐδὲ συνιέντος τοῦ σοφοῦ παραγγέλματος, ὅτι οὐ τὸ ὁρώμενόν ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ἀλλά τινος δεῖται περιττοτέρας σοφίας, δι’ ἧς ἕκαστος ἡμῶν, ὅστις ποτέ ἐστιν, ἑαυτὸν ἐπιγνώσεται. τοῦτο δὲ μὴ καθηραμένοις τὸν νοῦν ἀδυνατώτερον ἢ λημῶντι πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἀναβλέψαι.","english":"having no end of labors. But to concern oneself with hairstyles and clothing beyond what is necessary is, according to the saying of Diogenes, either the mark of the unfortunate or of the unjust. Therefore, I declare that one must consider it equally shameful to be or to be called a dandy, as to be a prostitute or to plot against the marriages of others.\n\nFor what difference would it make to a sensible person whether he wears a luxurious robe or some ordinary garment, as long as it lacks nothing necessary for protection against winter and heat?\n\nAnd all other things likewise should be fashioned no more elaborately than need requires, nor should one tend to the body more than is beneficial for the soul. For it is no less a reproach to a man truly worthy of that name to be a dandy and a lover of the body than to be ignobly disposed toward any other passion.\n\nTo devote all one's effort to making one's body as beautiful as possible is the mark of one who does not know himself, nor does he understand the wise precept that the visible is not the man; but some greater wisdom is needed, through which each of us, whoever he is, will come to know himself. And this is more impossible for those whose mind is not purified than it is for a bleary-eyed person to look at the sun.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"καλλωπιστὴν","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term καλλωπιστὴν (dandy) denotes one who excessively adorns the body, a key vice in Basil's moral critique.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Διογένους λόγον","severity":"info","text":"Basil invokes the Cynic philosopher Diogenes of Sinope, who famously condemned luxury and social pretension as signs of moral failure.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ τὸ ὁρώμενόν ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes the Platonic and Christian idea that the true self is the soul, not the visible body, akin to the Delphic maxim 'Know thyself'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τί γὰρ ἂν διαφέροι","severity":"info","text":"A rhetorical question marks a shift from general condemnation to a specific argument about clothing's purpose, reinforcing Basil's ascetic logic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐνδέει, om. ἂν editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus notes that early editions omit ἂν after ἐνδέει, indicating a textual variant in the manuscript tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"καλλωπιστὴν","severity":"info","text":"Basil's equation of dandyism with prostitution and adultery influenced later Christian ascetic writings on vanity and bodily adornment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἢ δυστυχούντων ... ἢ ἀδικούντων' could be read as either 'of the unfortunate or of the unjust' (as in the English draft) or as a single category of moral failure; the translation follows the Diogenes tradition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":22,"ref":"p22","source":"Κάθαρσις δὲ ψυχῆς, ὡς ἀθρόως τε εἰπεῖν καὶ ὑμῖν ἱκανῶς, τὰς διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάζειν, μὴ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἑστιᾶν ταῖς ἀτόποις τῶν θαυματοποιῶν ἐπιδείξεσιν ἢ σωμάτων θέαις ἡδονῆς κέντρον ἐναφιέντων, μὴ διὰ τῶν ὤτων διεφθαρμένην μελῳδίαν τῶν ψυχῶν καταχεῖν.\n\nἀνελευθερίας γὰρ δὴ καὶ ταπεινότητος ἔκγονα πάθη ἐκ τοῦ τοιοῦδε τῆς μουσικῆς εἴδους ἐγγίνεσθαι πέφυκεν. ἀλλὰ τὴν ἑτέραν μεταδιωκτέον ἡμῖν, τὴν ἀμείνω τε καὶ εἰς ἄμεινον φέρουσαν ᾗ καὶ Δαβὶδ χρώμενος ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν ἱερῶν ᾀσμάτων, ἐκ τῆς μανίας, ὥς φασι, τὸν βασιλέα καθίστη.\n\nλέγεται δὲ καὶ Πυθαγόραν κωμασταῖς περιτυχόντα μεθύουσι κελεῦσαι τὸν αὐλητὴν τὸν τοῦ κώμου κατάρχοντα, μεταβαλόντα τὴν ἁρμονίαν, ἐπαυλῆσαί σφισι τὸ Δώριον, τοὺς δὲ οὕτως ἀναφρονῆσαι ὑπὸ τοῦ μέλους, ὥστε τοὺς στεφάνους ῥίψαντας, αἰσχυνομένους ἐπανελθεῖν.\n\nἕτεροι δὲ πρὸς αὐλὸν κορυβαντιῶσι καὶ ἐκβακχεύονται· τοσοῦτόν ἐστι τὸ διάφορον ὑγιοῦς ἢ μοχθηρᾶς μελῳδίας ἀναπλησθῆναι. ἀναπληρῶσαι Colb. tertius. ὥστε, τῆς νῦν δὴ κρατούσης ταύτης, ἧττον ὑμῖν μεθεκτέον, ἢ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν προδήλως add. Colb. tertius. αἰσχίστων.","english":"Purification of the soul, to speak concisely and sufficiently for you, is to dishonor the pleasures that come through the senses: not to feast the eyes on absurd displays of wonder-workers or on sights of bodies that inject a sting of pleasure, not to pour into the soul through the ears a corrupted melody. For passions that are offspring of illiberality and baseness naturally arise from this kind of music. But we must pursue the other kind, the better one that leads to something better, the kind that David, the poet of the sacred songs, used when he restored the king from his madness, as they say. It is also said that Pythagoras, encountering revelers who were drunk, ordered the aulos-player who was leading the revel to change the harmony and play the Dorian mode for them, and that they thus regained their senses from the melody, so that they threw away their garlands and returned in shame. Others, however, are driven to Corybantic frenzy and bacchic ecstasy by the aulos; so great is the difference between being filled with a healthy or a corrupt melody. Therefore, of this currently prevailing kind, you must partake less than of anything that is manifestly most shameful.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Κάθαρσις δὲ ψυχῆς","severity":"info","text":"Basil defines purification of the soul as rejecting sensory pleasures, specifically visual spectacles and corrupt music, aligning with Platonic and Stoic moral psychology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Δώριον","severity":"info","text":"The Dorian mode was considered in Greek musical theory to instill order and self-control, contrasting with modes that aroused emotion. Basil uses it as an example of ethically beneficial music.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Πυθαγόραν","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote of Pythagoras calming drunk revelers by changing the aulos player's mode is a well-known trope in Greek philosophical literature, illustrating music's ethical power.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Iamblichus, Life of Pythagoras"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δαβὶδ","severity":"info","text":"Basil refers to David as the poet of sacred songs, likely alluding to the biblical account of David playing the lyre to soothe King Saul's madness (1 Samuel 16:23 LXX).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"κορυβαντιῶσι","severity":"info","text":"Corybantic frenzy refers to ecstatic rites of the Phrygian goddess Cybele, often associated with wild music. Basil contrasts this with the orderly effect of the Dorian mode.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato, Ion 536c"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀναπληρῶσαι","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows a variant reading here: the Colb. tertius adds ἀναπληρῶσαι, which may be a scribal insertion. The sense is not materially affected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῆς νῦν δὴ κρατούσης ταύτης' could refer either to a specific contemporary musical style or to corrupt music in general; Basil's contrast with the Dorian mode suggests the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":23,"ref":"p23","source":"ἀτμούς γε μὴν παντοδαποὺς ἡδονὴν ὀσφρήσει φέροντας τῷ ἀέρι καταμιγνύναι, ἢ μύροις ἑαυτοὺς ἀναχρώννυσθαι, καὶ ἀπαγορεύειν αἰσχύνομαι. τί δ’ ἄν τις εἴποι περὶ τοῦ μὴ χρῆναι τὰς ἐν ἁφῇ καὶ γεύσει διώκειν ἡδονάς, ἢ ὅτι καταναγκάζουσιν αὗται τοὺς περὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν θήραν ἐσχολακότας, ὥσπερ τὰ θρέμματα, πρὸς τὴν γαστέρα καὶ τὰ ὑπ’ αὐτὴν συννενευκότας συννενευκότα antiqui tres libri. ζῆν;\n\nἙνὶ δὲ λόγῳ, παντὸς ὑπεροπτέον τοῦ σώματος τῷ μή, ὡς ἐν βορβόρῳ, ταῖς ἡδοναῖς αὐτοῦ κατορωρύχθαι μέλλοντι, ἢ τοσοῦτον ἀνθεκτέον αὐτοῦ, ὅσον, φησὶ Πλάτων; ὑπηρεσίαν φιλοσοφίᾳ κτωμένου, ἐοικότα που λέγων τῷ Παύλῳ, ὃς παραινεῖ μηδεμίαν χρῆναι τοῦ σώματος πρόνοιαν ἔχειν εἰς ἐπιθυμιῶν ἀφορμήν.\n\nἢ τί διαφέρουσιν οἳ τοῦ μὲν σώματος ὡς ἂν κάλλιστα ἔχοι φροντίζουσι, τὴν δὲ χρησομένην αὐτῷ ψυχὴν ὡς οὐδενὸς ἀξίαν περιορῶσι, τῶν περὶ τὰ ὄργανα σπουδαζόντων, τῆς δὲ δι’ αὐτῶν ἐνεργούσης τέχνης καταμελούντων;\n\nπᾶν μὲν οὖν τοὐναντίον κολάζειν αὐτὸ καὶ κατέχειν ὥσπερ θηρίου τὰς ὁρμὰς προσῆκε, καὶ τοὺς ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ θορύβους ἐγγινομένους τῇ ψυχῇ, οἱονεὶ μάστιγι, τῷ λογισμῷ καθικνουμένους κοιμίζειν, ἀλλὰ μὴ πάντα χαλινὸν ἡδονῆς ἀνέντας περιορᾶν τὸν νοῦν, ὥσπερ ἡνίοχον, ὑπὸ δυσηνίων ἵππων ὕβρει φερομένων παρασυρόμενον ἄγεσθαι· καὶ τοῦ Πυθαγόρου μεμνῆσθαι, ὃς τῶν συνόντων τινὰ καταμαθὼν γυμνασίοις τε καὶ σιτίοις ἑαυτὸν εὖ μάλα κατασαρκοῦντα, οὕτως ἔφη· Οὐ παύσῃ χαλεπώτερον σεαυτῷ κατασκευάζων τὸ δεσμωτήριον;","english":"I am ashamed even to forbid mixing all sorts of fragrant vapors that bring pleasure to the sense of smell into the air, or anointing oneself with perfumes. And what could one say about not pursuing the pleasures of touch and taste, except that they compel those who devote themselves to their pursuit, like cattle, to stoop toward the belly and what lies beneath it? To live?\n\nIn a word, one must despise the entire body, if one is not to be buried in its pleasures as in a bog, or else one must cling to it only so far as, according to Plato, one acquires a service for philosophy, saying something like Paul, who advises that one should take no thought for the body as a means to incite desires.\n\nOr how do those differ who care for the body to be as fine as possible, but neglect the soul that will use it as worthless, from those who are zealous about the instruments but neglect the art that works through them?\n\nOn the contrary, it is fitting to discipline and restrain it like a wild beast, and to calm the disturbances arising from it in the soul, as if with a whip, by striking them with reason, and not to let every rein of pleasure go slack and allow the mind, like a charioteer, to be dragged along by the insolence of unruly horses. And to remember Pythagoras, who, when he saw one of his companions fattening himself with exercises and food, said: \"Will you not stop making the prison more difficult for yourself?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀτμούς γε μὴν παντοδαποὺς","severity":"info","text":"Basil condemns mixing fragrant vapors into the air for pleasure, a practice associated with luxury and moral laxity in late antique ascetic discourse.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Παύλῳ","severity":"info","text":"Basil compares Plato's idea of the body as a servant to philosophy with Paul's advice to take no thought for the body as a means to incite desires, likely referencing Romans 13:14 or 1 Corinthians 9:23.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Πλάτων","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Plato's 'service for philosophy' echoes Phaedo 64e, where the philosopher frees the soul from bodily concerns, a common trope in Christian asceticism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πυθαγόρου","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote of Pythagoras rebuking a disciple for fattening himself recalls a saying preserved in Iamblichus' Life of Pythagoras, used here to reinforce bodily discipline.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἑνὶ δὲ λόγῳ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a summary transition, condensing the preceding argument into a single principle: despise the body or use it only for philosophy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"συννενευκότας συννενευκότα","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a repetition or corruption: 'συννενευκότας συννενευκότα' appears in the manuscript tradition, possibly a scribal error or variant reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'συννενευκότας συννενευκότα' may be a scribal duplication or a variant; the translation follows the sense of 'stooped toward.'"],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":24,"ref":"p24","source":"διὸ δὴ καὶ Πλάτωνά φασι τὴν ἐκ σώματος βλάβην προειδόμενον, τὸ νοσῶδες χωρίον τῆς Ἀττικῆς τὴν Ἀκαδημίαν καταλαβεῖν ἐξεπίτηδες, ἵνα τὴν ἄγαν εὐπάθειαν τοῦ σώματος, οἷον ἀμπέλου τὴν εἰς τὰ περιττὰ φοράν, περικόπτοι. περικόπτῃ editio Paris. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ σφαλερὰν εἶναι τὴν ἐπ’ ἄκρον εὐεξίαν ἰατρῶν ἤκουσα.\n\nὍτε τοίνυν ἡ ἄγαν αὕτη τοῦ σώματος ἐπιμέλεια, αὐτῷ τε ἀλυσιτελὴς τῷ σώματι καὶ πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι, τό γε ὑποπεπτωκέναι τούτῳ καὶ θεραπεύειν, μανία σαφής.\n\nἀλλὰ μὴν εἰ τούτου γε ὑπερορᾶν μελετήσαιμεν, μελετήσαμεν editi antiqui. σχολῇ γ’ ἂν ἄλλο τι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων θαυμάσαιμεν. τί γὰρ ἔτι χρησόμεθα πλούτῳ, τὰς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάζοντες; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ ὁρῶ, πλὴν εἰ μή, κατὰ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς μύθοις δράκοντας, ἡδονήν τινα φέροι θησαυροῖς κατορωρυγμένοις ἐπαγρυπνεῖν.\n\nὅ γε μὴν ἐλευθερίως πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα διακεῖσθαι πεπαιδευμένος, πολλοῦ ἂν δέοι ταπεινόν τι καὶ αἰσχρὸν ἔργῳ ἢ λόγῳ ποτὲ προελέσθαι. τὸ γὰρ τῆς χρείας περιττότερον, κἂν Λύδιον ᾖ ψῆγμα, κἂν τῶν μυρμήκων ἔργον τῶν χρυσοφόρων, τοσούτῳ πλέον ἀτιμάσει, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ἧττον προσδέηται· αὐτὴν δὲ δήπου τὴν χρείαν τοῖς τῆς φύσεως ἀναγκαίοις, ἀλλ’ οὐ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὁριεῖται.","english":"It is for this reason, they say, that Plato, foreseeing the harm that comes from the body, deliberately chose the unhealthy region of Attica, the Academy, in order to cut off the excessive well-being of the body, like the excessive growth of a vine. And I have heard from physicians that extreme good health is actually precarious. Since, then, this excessive care of the body is both unprofitable for the body itself and an impediment to the soul, to be subject to it and to serve it is clear madness. But if we should practice disregarding this, we would scarcely admire anything else human. For what use will we have for wealth, if we dishonor the pleasures that come through the body? I for my part do not see, unless, like the dragons in the myths, one takes pleasure in keeping watch over buried treasures. One who has been educated to be free in relation to such things would be far from ever choosing anything low and shameful in deed or word. For whatever exceeds necessity, whether it be Lydian gold dust or the work of the gold-bearing ants, he will despise all the more, the less he needs it; and he will define need itself by the necessities of nature, not by pleasures.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὴν Ἀκαδημίαν","severity":"info","text":"Plato's Academy was a grove near Athens, but Basil notes it was in an unhealthy part of Attica, a detail used to illustrate Plato's deliberate choice of a location that discouraged bodily excess.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς μύθοις δράκοντας","severity":"info","text":"The image of dragons guarding buried treasure is a common motif in Greek mythology, e.g., the dragon of the Golden Fleece or the serpent in the garden of the Hesperides. Basil uses it to mock the irrational attachment to wealth.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Λύδιον ᾖ ψῆγμα","severity":"info","text":"Lydian gold dust refers to the proverbial wealth of Lydia, especially under King Croesus. The phrase evokes the legendary riches of that region, used here as an example of superfluous luxury.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν μυρμήκων ἔργον τῶν χρυσοφόρων","severity":"info","text":"Gold-bearing ants are a reference to Herodotus (Histories 3.102–105), who describes giant ants in India that dig up gold dust. Basil uses this exotic image to emphasize the absurdity of valuing wealth beyond necessity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"διὸ δὴ καὶ Πλάτωνά φασι","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the argument against bodily pleasures by citing Plato's example, then moves to a general principle: excessive care of the body harms both body and soul, leading to a rejection of wealth and luxury.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"περικόπτῃ","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows a variant: the Paris edition reads περικόπτῃ (subjunctive) while others have περικόπτοι (optative). The meaning is similar ('might cut off'), but the variation indicates a textual instability in the transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸ νοσῶδες χωρίον τῆς Ἀττικῆς' could be read as a specific topographical detail or as a general characterization; the translation takes it as the former.","The variant readings for περικόπτῃ/περικόπτοι do not affect the overall sense but reflect scribal choices."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":25,"ref":"p25","source":"ὡς οἵ γε τῶν ἀναγκαίων ὅρων ἔξω γενόμενοι, γινόμενοι editi antiqui. παραπλησίως τοῖς κατὰ τοῦ πρανοῦς φερομένοις, πρὸς οὐδὲν στάσιμον ἔχοντες ἀποβῆναι, οὐδαμοῦ τῆς εἰς τὸ πρόσω φορᾶς ἵστανται· ἀλλ’ ὅσῳπερ ἂν πλείω προσπεριβάλωνται, προσπεριλάβωνται codex Combef. τοῦ ἴσου δέονται ἢ καὶ πλείονος πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐκπλήρωσιν, κατὰ τὸν Ἐξηκεστίδου Σόλωνα, ὅς φησι· Πλούτου δ’ οὐδὲν τέρμα πεφασμένον ἀνδράσι κεῖται.\n\nτῷ δὲ Θεόγνιδι πρὸς ταῦτα διδασκάλῳ χρηστέον λέγοντι· Οὐκ ἔραμαι πλουτεῖν οὔτ’ εὔχομαι, ἀλλά μοι εἴη Ζῆν ἀπὸ τῶν ὀλίγων μηδὲν ἔχοντι κακόν. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ Διογένους ἄγαμαι τὴν πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ὑπεροψίαν· ὅς γε καὶ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου ἑαυτὸν ἀπέφηνε πλουσιώτερον, τῷ ἐλαττόνων ἢ ἐκεῖνος κατὰ τὸν βίον προσδεῖσθαι.\n\nἡμῖν δὲ ἄρα εἰ μὴ τὰ Πυθίου τοῦ Μυσοῦ προσείη τάλαντα, καὶ πλέθρα γῆς τόσα καὶ τόσα, καὶ βοσκημάτων ἐσμοὶ πλείους ἢ ἀριθμῆσαι, οὐδὲν ἐξαρκέσει. ἀλλʼ, οἶμαι, προσήκει προσήκειν tres MSS. ἀπόντα τε μὴ ποθεῖν τὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ παρόντος μὴ τῷ κεκτῆσθαι μᾶλλον φρονεῖν, ἢ τῷ εἰδέναι αὐτὸν εὖ εὖ add. editio Paris. διατίθεσθαι. τὸ γὰρ τοῦ Σωκράτους εὖ ἔχει·","english":"like those who have gone beyond the necessary limits, they are carried along similarly to those borne down a slope, having no stable point at which to stop, they never cease their forward motion; but the more they acquire, the more they need an equal or even greater amount to satisfy their desire, as Solon, son of Execestides, says: \"No limit of wealth is revealed to men.\"\n\nOne must use Theognis as a teacher in these matters, who says: \"I do not love wealth nor pray for it, but may it be mine to live from little, having no evil.\" And I admire Diogenes for his utter contempt for all human things; he declared himself richer than the great king, because he needed fewer things in life than that king.\n\nBut for us, unless we have the talents of Pythius the Mysian, and so many acres of land, and swarms of cattle more than can be counted, nothing will suffice. But, I think, it is fitting neither to long for wealth when it is absent, nor, when it is present, to be more proud of possessing it than of knowing how to use it well. For the saying of Socrates is good:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ τὸν Ἐξηκεστίδου Σόλωνα","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Solon, son of Execestides, as a source for the maxim that wealth has no visible limit. The quotation is from Solon's elegiac poetry (fragment 13 West).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ δὲ Θεόγνιδι πρὸς ταῦτα διδασκάλῳ χρηστέον","severity":"info","text":"Basil invokes Theognis as a teacher, quoting Theognis 115-116 (West). The same sentiment—preferring modest living to wealth—appears in other early Christian moralists.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Διογένους","severity":"info","text":"Diogenes the Cynic is praised for his contempt for human goods. The anecdote of Diogenes claiming to be richer than the Persian king because he needed less is a standard Cynic topos.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πυθίου τοῦ Μυσοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Pythius the Mysian was a legendary wealthy figure from Herodotus (7.27-29). Basil uses him as a type of excessive riches, contrasting with Christian simplicity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ γὰρ τοῦ Σωκράτους εὖ ἔχει","severity":"info","text":"This sentence introduces a concluding Socratic saying, which is not quoted in the surviving passage. The structure builds a chain of classical authorities (Solon, Theognis, Diogenes, Socrates) to support Basil's argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"γινόμενοι editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a variant: γινόμενοι in older editions vs. the reading of the manuscript. The sense is not materially affected, but the textual history is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Socratic saying that concludes the passage is not preserved in the surviving text; its content must be inferred from context."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":26,"ref":"p26","source":"ὃς μέγα φρονοῦντος πλουσίου ἀνδρὸς ἐπὶ τοῖς χρήμασιν οὐ πρότερον αὐτὸν θαυμάσειν ἔφη, πρὶν ἂν καὶ ὅτι κεχρῆσθαι τούτοις ἐπίσταται, πειραθῆναι.\n\nἢ Φειδίας μὲν καὶ Πολύκλειτος, εἰ τῷ χρυσίῳ μέγα ἐφρόνουν καὶ τῷ ἐλέφαντι, ὧν ὁ μὲν Ἠλείοις τὸν Δία, ὁ δὲ τὴν Ἥραν Ἀργείοις ἐποιησάτην, καταγελάστω ἂν ἤστην ἀλλοτρίῳ πλούτῳ καλλωπιζόμενοι, ἀφέντες τὴν τέχνην, ὑφ’ ἧς καὶ ὁ χρυσὸς ἡδίων καὶ τιμιώτερος ἀπεδείχθη· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἀρετὴν οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖν ἑαυτῇ ἑαυτὴν editio Basil., καθ’ ἑαυτὴν editio Paris. πρὸς κόσμον ὑπολαμβάνοντες, ἐλάττονος αἰσχύνης ἄξια ποιεῖν οἰόμεθα;\n\nἈλλὰ δῆτα πλούτου μὲν ὑπεροψόμεθα καὶ τὰς διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάσομεν, κολακείας δὲ καὶ θωπείας διωξόμεθα, καὶ τῆς Ἀρχιλόχου ἀλώπεκος τὸ κερδαλέον τε καὶ ποικίλον ζηλώσομεν;\n\nἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃ μᾶλλον φευκτέον τῷ σωφρονοῦντι, τοῦ πρὸς δόξαν ζῆν, καὶ τὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς δοκοῦντα περισκοπεῖν, καὶ μὴ τὸν ὀρθὸν λόγον ἡγεμόνα ποιεῖσθαι τοῦ βίου, ὥστε, κἂν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀντιλέγειν, κἂν ἀδοξεῖν καὶ κινδυνεύειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καλοῦ δέῃ, μηδὲν αἱρεῖσθαι τῶν ὀρθῶς ἐγνωσμένων παρακινεῖν.","english":"He said that he would not admire a rich man who prides himself on his wealth until he had also tested whether he knows how to use it.\n\nOr would not Phidias and Polyclitus, if they prided themselves on the gold and ivory—of which one made the Zeus for the Eleans, the other the Hera for the Argives—be laughable, adorning themselves with another’s wealth, neglecting the art by which the gold was rendered more pleasing and more precious? And do we, supposing that human virtue is not sufficient by itself for its own adornment, think we are doing things worthy of less shame?\n\nBut then, shall we despise wealth and dishonor the pleasures of the senses, yet pursue flattery and fawning, and emulate the cunning and versatility of Archilochus’s fox?\n\nBut there is nothing more to be shunned by the prudent man than living for reputation, and looking to what seems good to the many, and not making right reason the guide of life, so that, even if it be necessary to contradict all men, even to be without repute and to be in danger for the sake of the good, he would choose to deviate in nothing from what has been rightly discerned.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Φειδίας μὲν καὶ Πολύκλειτος","severity":"info","text":"Phidias and Polyclitus were the most renowned sculptors of classical Greece. Phidias created the chryselephantine statue of Zeus at Olympia; Polyclitus made the Hera at Argos. Basil uses them as exemplars of artistic skill, contrasting their true art with the mere material.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τῆς Ἀρχιλόχου ἀλώπεκος","severity":"info","text":"Archilochus of Paros (7th cent. BCE) was a lyric poet famous for his fable of the fox and the eagle, in which the fox embodies cunning and adaptability. Basil here warns against emulating such amoral cleverness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν ὀρθὸν λόγον","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'right reason' (ὀρθὸς λόγος) is a Stoic technical term for the rational principle that governs the universe and should guide human life. Basil adapts it to a Christian moral framework, opposing it to popular opinion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλὰ δῆτα ... ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔστιν","severity":"info","text":"Basil employs a rhetorical sequence: a hypothetical concession (despising wealth and pleasure) is immediately undercut by a stronger warning against seeking reputation. The structure moves from lesser to greater vices, a common didactic pattern.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"editio Basil. ... editio Paris.","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a variant between the Basel and Paris editions: 'ἑαυτῇ ἑαυτὴν' vs. 'καθ’ ἑαυτὴν'. The Basel reading may be a scribal duplication; the Paris reading is the more usual idiom. The sense is not materially affected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"Solon ... Theognis","severity":"info","text":"The preceding passage (p25) quoted Solon and Theognis on wealth. Here Basil continues the same argument, using Phidias and Polyclitus as a parallel: just as their art surpasses the material, so virtue surpasses external goods.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἑαυτῇ ἑαυτὴν' in the Basel edition is likely a textual corruption; the Paris reading 'καθ’ ἑαυτὴν' is preferred. The identity of the rich man in the first sentence is not specified; Basil may be alluding to a known saying, but the source is not given."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":27,"ref":"p27","source":"ἢ τὸν μὴ οὕτως ἔχοντα τί τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου σοφιστοῦ φήσομεν ἀπολείπειν, ὃς φυτὸν ἐγίγνετο καὶ θηρίον, ὁπότε βούλοιτο, καὶ πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ πάντα χρήματα,\n\nεἴπερ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς νῦν μὲν τὸ δίκαιον ἐπαινέσεται παρὰ τοῖς τοῦτο τιμῶσι, νῦν δὲ τοὺς ἐναντίους ἀφήσει λόγους, ὅταν τὴν ἀδικίαν εὐδοκιμοῦσαν αἴσθηται, ὅπερ δίκης δίκη editio Paris., ἥπερ δίκη Colb. tertius. ἐστὶ κολάκων ; καὶ ὥσπερ φασὶ τὸν πολύποδα τὴν χρόαν πρὸς τὴν ὑποκειμένην γῆν, οὕτως αὐτὸς τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς τὰς τῶν συνόντων γνώμας μεταβαλεῖται. μεταβάλλεται duo MSS.\n\nἈλλὰ ταῦτα μέν που κἀν τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις τελειότερον μαθησόμεθα· ὅσον δὲ σκιαγραφίαν τινὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς, τό γε νῦν εἶναι, ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν παιδευμάτων περιγραψώμεθα. περιγραψόμεθα editi antiqui et Reg. tertius. τοῖς γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς ἐξ ἑκάστου τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἀθροίζουσιν, ὥσπερ τοῖς μεγάλοις τῶν ποταμῶν, κατὰ τὸν Ἡσίοδον add. editio Paris. πολλαὶ γίνεσθαι πολλαχόθεν αἱ προσθῆκαι πεφήκασι.","english":"or what shall we say that the one who is not so disposed falls short of the Egyptian sophist, who became a plant and a beast, whenever he wished, and fire and water and all manner of things, if indeed he himself will now praise justice among those who honor it, and now let loose the opposite arguments when he perceives that injustice is held in esteem—which is the very conduct of flatterers? And just as they say the octopus changes its color to match the ground beneath it, so he will change his mind to match the opinions of those he associates with.\n\nBut these things we will learn more perfectly in our own writings, I suppose; for the present, however, let us outline a kind of sketch of virtue from external learning. For those who diligently gather the benefit from each source, as with the great rivers, according to Hesiod, many accretions come from many sides.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Αἰγυπτίου σοφιστοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The Egyptian sophist is likely a reference to the legendary figure Proteus, known for shape-shifting in Homer (Odyssey 4.351-570). Basil uses this as a metaphor for moral inconsistency.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"πολύποδα","severity":"info","text":"The octopus changing color is a common ancient trope for adaptability, found in Theognis (Elegies 1.215-218) and later in Plutarch (Moralia 96E). Basil applies it to intellectual flattery.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡσίοδον","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Hesiod, likely referring to Works and Days 361-362: 'More roads bring more profit.' The allusion supports the idea of gathering benefit from many sources.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"editio Paris. ... Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows variant readings: 'ὅπερ δίκης δίκη' (Paris edition) vs. 'ἥπερ δίκη' (Colbert manuscript). The sense is uncertain; the translation follows the Paris reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μέν που","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a transition from critique of pagan inconsistency to a positive program: Basil proposes to use external learning as a preliminary sketch of virtue, to be perfected in Christian writings.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"σκιαγραφίαν","severity":"info","text":"'Sketch' (σκιαγραφία) originally meant a shadow-painting or outline. Basil uses it metaphorically to indicate that pagan learning provides only a preliminary, incomplete image of virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the Egyptian sophist is not explicit; it is inferred as Proteus. The textual variant at 'ὅπερ δίκης δίκη' / 'ἥπερ δίκη' leaves the exact phrasing uncertain; the translation adopts the Paris edition reading."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":28,"ref":"p28","source":"τὸ γὰρ καὶ σμικρὸν ἐπὶ σμικρῷ κατατίθεσθαι, οὐ μᾶλλον εἰς ἀργυρίου προσθήκην, ἢ καὶ εἰς ἡντιναοῦν ἐπιστήμην ὀρθῶς ἡγεῖσθαι ἔχειν τῷ ποιητῇ προσῆκεν.\n\nὁ μὲν οὖν Βίας τῷ υἱεῖ πρὸς Αἰγυπτίους ἀπαίροντι καὶ πυνθανομένῳ τί ἂν ποιῶν αὐτῷ μάλιστα κεχαρισμένα πράττοι· Ἐφόδιον, ἔφη, πρὸς γῆρας κτησάμενος, τὴν ἀρετὴν δὴ τὸ ἐφόδιον λέγων, μικροῖς ὅροις αὐτὴν περιγράφων, ὅς γε ἀνθρωπίνῳ βίῳ τὴν ἀπ’ ἐπ’ editio utraque.\n\nαὐτῆς ὠφέλειαν ὡρίζετο. ἐγὼ δέ, κἂν τὸ Τιθωνοῦ τις γῆρας, κἂν τὸ Ἀργανθωνίου λέγῃ, κἂν τὸ τοῦ μακροβιωτάτου παρ’ ἡμῖν ἡμῶν editi antiqui. Μαθουσάλα, ὃς χίλια ἔτη, τριάκοντα δεόντων, βιῶναι λέγεται, κἂν σύμπαντα τὸν ἀφ’ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, χρόνον ἀναμετρῇ, ὡς ἐπὶ παίδων διανοίας γελάσομαι, εἰς τὸν μακρὸν ἀποσκοπῶν καὶ ἀγήρω αἰῶνα, οὗ πέρας οὐδέν ἐστι τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ λαβεῖν, οὐ μᾶλλόν γε ἢ τελευτὴν ὑποθέσθαι τῆς ἀθανάτου ψυχῆς.\n\nπρὸς ὅνπερ κτᾶσθαι παραινέσαιμ’ ἂν τὰ ἐφόδια, πάντα λίθον κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν κινοῦντας, ὅθεν ἂν μέλλῃ τις ὑμῖν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ὠφέλεια γενήσεσθαι. μηδ’ ὅτι χαλεπὰ ταῦτα καὶ πόνου δεόμενα, διὰ τοῦτ’ ἀποκνήσωμεν· ἀλλ’ ἀναμνησθέντας ἀναμνησθέντες antiqui duo libri. τοῦ παραινέσαντος, ὅτι δέοι βίον μὲν ἄριστον αὐτὸν αὐτῶν editi antiqui. ἕκαστον προαιρεῖσθαι, ἡδὺν δὲ προσδοκᾶν τῇ συνηθείᾳ γενήσεσθαι, ἐγχειρεῖν τοῖς βελτίστοις.","english":"For to lay down even a small thing upon a small thing is fitting for the poet, not more in the addition of silver than in any knowledge whatsoever, to consider rightly.\n\nNow Bias, when his son was departing to the Egyptians and asked what he could do that would be most pleasing to him, said, \"Acquire a provision for old age,\" meaning virtue as that provision, circumscribing it within small limits, since he defined the benefit from it as bounded by human life. But I, even if one speaks of the old age of Tithonus, or of Arganthonius, or of the longest-lived among us, Methuselah, who is said to have lived a thousand years lacking thirty, or even if one measures the whole time since humans came to be, I will laugh as at the thoughts of children, looking toward the long and ageless eternity, whose end it is impossible to grasp in thought, no more than to suppose an end of the immortal soul.\n\nTo acquire provisions for that, I would urge you, moving every stone according to the proverb, from wherever any benefit for it may come to you. And let us not shrink back because these things are difficult and require labor; but remembering the one who advised that each should choose the best life for himself, and expect it to become pleasant through habit, let us set about the best things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Βίας","severity":"info","text":"Bias of Priene, one of the Seven Sages, is cited for a maxim about virtue as provision for old age. The anecdote is otherwise unattested and may be Basil's invention.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Τιθωνοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Tithonus, a Trojan prince granted immortality by Eos but not eternal youth, eventually withered into a cicada. The myth illustrates the futility of long life without virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀργανθωνίου","severity":"info","text":"Arganthonius, a legendary king of Tartessus said to have lived 150 years (Herodotus 1.163). Basil pairs him with Tithonus and Methuselah to dismiss extreme longevity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μαθουσάλα","severity":"info","text":"Methuselah, the longest-lived figure in Genesis (5:27), lived 969 years. Basil adapts the biblical number as 'a thousand lacking thirty' to fit his argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"πάντα λίθον κινεῖν","severity":"info","text":"The proverb 'move every stone' (πάντα λίθον κινεῖν) is found in Euripides (Heraclidae 1002) and later Greek authors. Basil uses it to urge exhaustive effort for virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ παραινέσαντος","severity":"info","text":"The unnamed adviser who said to choose the best life and expect it to become pleasant through habit is likely a reference to Aristotle (Nicomachean Ethics 1103a-b) or a popular moralist.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'μικροῖς ὅροις αὐτὴν περιγράφων' could mean either 'circumscribing virtue within small limits' (as taken) or 'defining it by small definitions'; the sense is that Bias limits virtue's benefit to human life.","The clause 'κἂν σύμπαντα τὸν ἀφ' οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, χρόνον ἀναμετρῇ' is ambiguous: it may mean 'even if one measures the whole time since humans came to be' (as taken) or 'even if one measures all time from the beginning of humanity'; the difference is negligible for the argument."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":29,"ref":"p29","source":"αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τὸν παρόντα καιρὸν προεμένους, ὕστερόν ποτ’ ἀνακαλεῖσθαι τὸ παρελθόν, ὅτε οὐδὲν ἔσται πλέον ἀνιωμένοις.\n\nἘγὼ μὲν οὖν ἃ κράτιστα εἶναι κρίνω, τὰ μὲν νῦν εἴρηκα, τὰ δὲ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον ὑμῖν ξυμβουλεύσω. ὑμεῖς δέ, τριῶν ἀρρωστημάτων ὄντων, ὄντων om. Editio Basil. et MSS. μὴ τῷ ἀνιάτῳ προσεοικέναι δόξητε, μηδὲ τὴν τῆς γνώμης νόσον παραπλησίαν τῇ τῶν εἰς τὰ σώματα δυστυχησάντων δείξητε.\n\nοἱ μὲν γὰρ τὰ μικρὰ τῶν παθῶν κάμνοντες, αὐτοὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἰατροὺς ἔρχονται· οἱ δὲ ὑπὸ μειζόνων καταληφθέντες ἀρρωστημάτων, ἐφ’ ἑαυτοὺς καλοῦσι τοὺς θεραπεύσοντας· θεραπεύοντας codices duo. οἱ δ’ εἰς ἀνήκεστον παντελῶς μελαγχολίας παρενεχθέντες, οὐδὲ προσιόντας προσίενται. ὃ μὴ πάθητε πάθοιτε unus codex. τῶν νῦν ὑμεῖς, τοὺς ὀρθῶς ἔχοντας τῶν λογισμῶν τὸν λογισμὸν duo MSS. ἀποφεύγοντες. Πολλά με τὰ παρακαλοῦντά ἐστι ξυμβουλεῦσαι ὑμῖν, ὦ παῖδες, ἃ βέλτιστα εἶναι κρίνω, καὶ ἃ ξυνοίσειν ὑμῖν ἑλομένοις πεπίστευκα. τό τε γὰρ ἡλικίας οὕτως ἔχειν καὶ τὸ διὰ πολλῶν ἤδη γεγυμνάσθαι πραγμάτων καὶ μὴν καὶ τὸ τῆς πάντα παιδευούσης ἐπ’ ἄμφω μεταβολῆς ἱκανῶς μετασχεῖν, ἔμπειρόν με εἶναι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πεποίηκεν, ὥστε τοῖς ἄρτι καθισταμένοις τὸν βίον ἔχειν ὥσπερ ὁδῶν τὴν ἀσφαλεστάτην ὑποδεικνύναι.","english":"For it is shameful to abandon the present opportunity and later call back the past, when there will be no advantage to those who grieve.\n\nI, therefore, have now spoken what I judge to be best, and throughout your entire life I will advise you. But you, since there are three kinds of infirmities, do not seem to resemble the incurable one, nor show the disease of your judgment similar to that of those who have suffered misfortune in their bodies.\n\nFor those who are afflicted with minor ailments come to the physicians themselves; those who are seized by greater illnesses call the healers to themselves; but those who have been carried entirely into incurable melancholy do not even admit those who approach. May you not suffer this, you who now flee from those who have sound reasoning. Many things urge me to advise you, my children, what I judge to be best, and what I believe will benefit you if you choose it. For both being of such an age and having already been exercised through many affairs, and also having sufficiently partaken of the change that educates all things in both directions, has made me experienced in human matters, so that I can point out the safest path, as it were, to those who are just now establishing their life.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τριῶν ἀρρωστημάτων ὄντων","severity":"info","text":"The threefold classification of illness (minor, major, incurable) structures the moral exhortation, mirroring a common rhetorical trope in Greek moral philosophy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀνήκεστον","severity":"info","text":"ἀνήκεστον (incurable) is a medical term used metaphorically for moral or spiritual states, common in Greek patristic literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"μελαγχολίας","severity":"info","text":"μελαγχολίας (melancholy) here denotes a severe mental condition, not merely sadness; in ancient medicine it was linked to black bile and considered potentially incurable.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"θεραπεύσοντας","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus notes variant readings: θεραπεύσοντας vs. θεραπεύοντας; the former (future participle) is preferred in the edition, the latter (present) appears in two manuscripts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν λογισμὸν","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase τοὺς ὀρθῶς ἔχοντας τῶν λογισμῶν is followed by a variant: two manuscripts read τὸν λογισμὸν instead of λογισμῶν, possibly a scribal error or alternative reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ ὁδῶν τὴν ἀσφαλεστάτην","severity":"info","text":"The image of life as a path and the sage as a guide to the safest way is a commonplace in Greek moral philosophy, e.g., in the Pythagorean and Stoic traditions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῶν νῦν ὑμεῖς' is elliptical; the English draft supplies 'you who now flee' but the Greek may be corrupt or lacunose.","The variant readings for θεραπεύσοντας and λογισμῶν indicate textual instability in the manuscript tradition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":30,"ref":"p30","source":"τῇ τε παρὰ τῆς φύσεως οἰκειότητι εὐθὺς μετὰ τοὺς γονέας ὑμῖν τυγχάνω, ὥστε μήτε αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui. ἔλαττόν τι πατέρων εὐνοίας νέμειν ὑμῖν· ὑμᾶς δὲ νομίζω, εἰ μή τι ὑμῶν διαμαρτάνω τῆς γνώμης, μὴ ποθεῖν τοὺς τεκόντας, πρὸς ἐμὲ βλέποντας.\n\nεἰ μὲν οὖν προθύμως δέχοισθε τὰ λεγόμενα, τῆς δευτέρας τῶν ἐπαινουμένων ἔσεσθε παρ’ Ἡσιόδῳ τάξεως· εἰ δὲ μή, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδὲν ἂν εἴποιμι δυσχερές, αὐτοὶ δὲ μέμνησθε τῶν ἐπῶν δηλονότι, ἐν οἷς ἐκεῖνός φησιν ἄριστον μὲν εἶναι τὸν παρ’ ἑαυτοῦ τὰ δέοντα ξυνορῶντα, ἐσθλὸν δὲ κἀκεῖνον τὸν τοῖς παρ’ ἑτέρων ὑποδειχθεῖσιν ἑπόμενον, τὸν δὲ πρὸς οὐδέτερον ἐπιτήδειον, ἀχρεῖον εἶναι πρὸς ἅπαντα.\n\nΜὴ θαυμάζετε δὲ εἰ καὶ καθ’ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν εἰς διδασκάλους φοιτῶσι, καὶ τοῖς ἐλλογίμοις τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν, δι’ ὧν καταλελοίπασι λόγων, συγγινομένοις ὑμῖν αὐτός τι παρ’ ἐμαυτοῦ λυσιτελέστερον ἐξευρηκέναι φημί.\n\nτοῦτο μὲν οὖν αὐτὸ καὶ ξυμβουλεύσων ἥκω, τὸ μὴ δεῖν εἰς ἅπαξ τοῖς ἀνδράσι τούτοις, ὥσπερ πλοίου, τὰ πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν παραδόντας, ᾗπερ ἂν ἄγωσι, ταύτῃ συνέπεσθαι· ἀλλ’ ὅσον ἐστὶ χρήσιμον αὐτῶν δεχομένους, εἰδέναι τί χρὴ καὶ παριδεῖν. τίνα οὖν ἐστι ταῦτα, καὶ ὅπως διακρινοῦμεν, τοῦτο δὴ καὶ διδάξω ἔνθεν ἑλών. Πολλά με τὰ παρακαλοῦντά ἐστι ξυμβουλεῦσαι ὑμῖν, ὦ παῖδες, ἃ βέλτιστα εἶναι κρίνω, καὶ ἃ ξυνοίσειν ὑμῖν ἑλομένοις πεπίστευκα.","english":"by natural affinity I stand next to your parents, so that I myself do not assign you any less goodwill than fathers do; and I think that you, unless I am mistaken about your opinion, do not long for your parents when you look at me.\n\nIf, then, you eagerly accept what is said, you will be of the second class of those praised by Hesiod; but if not, I would say nothing harsh, but you yourselves remember the verses, of course, in which he says that the best is the one who perceives what is necessary by himself, and that the one who follows the suggestions of others is also noble, but the one who is fit for neither is useless for everything.\n\nDo not be surprised if, even though you attend teachers every day and associate with the eloquent men of old through the words they have left behind, I claim to have discovered something more profitable from myself.\n\nThis very thing, then, I have come to advise you: that you should not once and for all hand over the rudders of your mind to these men, as if to a ship, and follow wherever they lead; but, accepting what is useful from them, you should know what to take and what to disregard. What these things are, and how we will distinguish them, I will teach, beginning from this point. Many things urge me to advise you, O children, what I judge to be best and what I believe will benefit you if you choose them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τῆς δευτέρας τῶν ἐπαινουμένων τάξεως","severity":"info","text":"Basil refers to Hesiod's classification of men in Works and Days 293-297: the best man sees the good himself, the second follows good advice, and the useless man does neither.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Hesiod Works and Days"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"τὰ πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας","severity":"info","text":"The image of handing over the rudders of the mind to others is a common philosophical metaphor for intellectual autonomy, found in Plato and later moralists.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato Phaedrus"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Πολλά με τὰ παρακαλοῦντά ἐστι ξυμβουλεῦσαι ὑμῖν","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks the transition from the proem to the main advice, signaling the beginning of the deliberative section of the address.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"οἰκειότητι","severity":"info","text":"οἰκειότης denotes natural affinity or kinship, a key concept in Stoic ethics (oikeiōsis) that Basil adapts to describe his quasi-paternal relationship to the students.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui' is a corruption or editorial intrusion in the manuscript tradition; the intended reading is likely 'αὐτὸς αὐτὸν' without the Latin addition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui' is corrupt; the intended Greek is uncertain.","The exact referent of 'τῆς δευτέρας τάξεως' depends on which Hesiod passage Basil has in mind."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":31,"ref":"p31","source":"τό τε γὰρ ἡλικίας οὕτως ἔχειν καὶ τὸ διὰ πολλῶν ἤδη γεγυμνάσθαι πραγμάτων καὶ μὴν καὶ τὸ τῆς πάντα παιδευούσης ἐπ’ ἄμφω μεταβολῆς ἱκανῶς μετασχεῖν, ἔμπειρόν με εἶναι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πεποίηκεν, ὥστε τοῖς ἄρτι καθισταμένοις τὸν βίον ἔχειν ὥσπερ ὁδῶν τὴν ἀσφαλεστάτην ὑποδεικνύναι. τῇ τε παρὰ τῆς φύσεως οἰκειότητι εὐθὺς μετὰ τοὺς γονέας ὑμῖν τυγχάνω, ὥστε μήτε αὐτὸς αὐτὸν editi antiqui. ἔλαττόν τι πατέρων εὐνοίας νέμειν ὑμῖν· ὑμᾶς δὲ νομίζω, εἰ μή τι ὑμῶν διαμαρτάνω τῆς γνώμης, μὴ ποθεῖν τοὺς τεκόντας, πρὸς ἐμὲ βλέποντας. εἰ μὲν οὖν προθύμως δέχοισθε τὰ λεγόμενα, τῆς δευτέρας τῶν ἐπαινουμένων ἔσεσθε παρ’ Ἡσιόδῳ τάξεως· εἰ δὲ μή, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐδὲν ἂν εἴποιμι δυσχερές, αὐτοὶ δὲ μέμνησθε τῶν ἐπῶν δηλονότι, ἐν οἷς ἐκεῖνός φησιν ἄριστον μὲν εἶναι τὸν παρ’ ἑαυτοῦ τὰ δέοντα ξυνορῶντα, ἐσθλὸν δὲ κἀκεῖνον τὸν τοῖς παρ’ ἑτέρων ὑποδειχθεῖσιν ἑπόμενον, τὸν δὲ πρὸς οὐδέτερον ἐπιτήδειον, ἀχρεῖον εἶναι πρὸς ἅπαντα. Μὴ θαυμάζετε δὲ εἰ καὶ καθ’ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν εἰς διδασκάλους φοιτῶσι, καὶ τοῖς ἐλλογίμοις τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν, δι’ ὧν καταλελοίπασι λόγων, συγγινομένοις ὑμῖν αὐτός τι παρ’ ἐμαυτοῦ λυσιτελέστερον ἐξευρηκέναι φημί. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν αὐτὸ καὶ ξυμβουλεύσων ἥκω, τὸ μὴ δεῖν εἰς ἅπαξ τοῖς ἀνδράσι τούτοις, ὥσπερ πλοίου, τὰ πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν παραδόντας, ᾗπερ ἂν ἄγωσι, ταύτῃ συνέπεσθαι· ἀλλ’ ὅσον ἐστὶ χρήσιμον αὐτῶν δεχομένους, εἰδέναι τί χρὴ καὶ παριδεῖν. τίνα οὖν ἐστι ταῦτα, καὶ ὅπως διακρινοῦμεν, τοῦτο δὴ καὶ διδάξω ἔνθεν ἑλών.","english":"For both my age and my having been already exercised in many affairs, and also my having sufficiently partaken of that change which educates in all things, have made me experienced in human matters, so that I can point out to those who are just now settling their life the safest path, as it were, of ways. And by natural affinity I stand next to your parents, so that I myself assign you no less goodwill than fathers do; and I think that you, unless I am mistaken about your opinion, do not long for your parents when you look to me. If then you receive what is said with eagerness, you will be of the second class of those praised by Hesiod; but if not, I would say nothing disagreeable, but you yourselves remember, of course, the verses in which he says that the best is the one who discerns what is needful by himself, and that one is good who follows what is pointed out by others, but the one who is fit for neither is useless for everything. Do not be surprised if, even though you attend teachers every day and associate with the distinguished men of old through the words they have left behind, I claim to have found something more profitable from myself for you. This then is what I have come to advise: that you must not once and for all hand over the rudders of your mind to these men, as if of a ship, and follow wherever they lead; but receiving what is useful from them, you must know what to accept and what to disregard. What these things are, and how we shall distinguish them, this I shall teach, taking it up from here.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τῆς δευτέρας τῶν ἐπαινουμένων ... τάξεως","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to Hesiod's Works and Days 293-297, which ranks men: best is self-discerner, good is follower of good advice, useless is neither. This ethical taxonomy underpins Basil's argument for selective reading.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Hesiod Works and Days"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς πάντα παιδευούσης ἐπ’ ἄμφω μεταβολῆς","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'change that educates in all things' likely refers to life experience (πεῖρα) as teacher, a common topos in Greek moral philosophy, not a specific scriptural or technical term.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦτο μὲν οὖν αὐτὸ καὶ ξυμβουλεύσων ἥκω","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks the transition from proem to the main thesis: the advice to exercise critical judgment in reading pagan authors. The ship-rudder metaphor (πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας) is a rhetorical flourish.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ πλοίου, τὰ πηδάλια τῆς διανοίας ὑμῶν παραδόντας","severity":"info","text":"The image of handing over the mind's rudder to others is a common philosophical metaphor (cf. Plato, Phaedrus 264c; Plutarch, Moralia). Basil adapts it to warn against uncritical acceptance of pagan teachings.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato Phaedrus","Plutarch Moralia"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"τὸ μὴ δεῖν εἰς ἅπαξ τοῖς ἀνδράσι τούτοις ... συνέπεσθαι","severity":"info","text":"This passage became a key proof-text in later Christian humanist defenses of classical learning, e.g., by Erasmus and the Renaissance educators, who cited Basil's selective appropriation of pagan culture.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'editi antiqui' appears in the Greek text as a marginal or inserted note, not part of Basil's original. It likely indicates a textual variant or editorial comment in the manuscript tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'editi antiqui' is an editorial insertion, not Basil's own words; its exact referent is unclear.","The identity of the 'distinguished men of old' (ἐλλογίμοις τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν) is left unspecified, though context suggests pagan poets and philosophers."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":32,"ref":"p32","source":"Ἡμεῖς, ὦ παῖδες, οὐδὲν εἶναι χρῆμα παντάπασι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον τοῦτον ὑπολαμβάνομεν, οὔτ’ ἀγαθόν τι νομίζομεν ὅλως, οὔτ’ ὀνομάζομεν, ὃ τὴν συντέλειαν ἡμῖν ἄχρι τούτου παρέχεται.\n\nοὔκουν προγόνων οὐκοῦν προγόνων editi, οὐκοῦν οὐ προγόνων Colb. tertius. περιφάνειαν, οὐκ ἰσχὺν σώματος, οὐ κάλλος, οὐ μέγεθος, οὐ τὰς παρὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων τιμάς, οὐ βασιλείαν αὐτήν, οὐχ ὅ τι ἂν εἴποι τις τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων μέγα, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ εὐχῆς ἄξιον κρίνομεν, ἢ τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀποβλέπομεν, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ μακρότερον πρόϊμεν ταῖς ἐλπίσι, καὶ πρὸς ἑτέρου βίου παρασκευὴν κατασκευὴν unus Reg. ἅπαντα πράττομεν.\n\nἃ μὲν οὖν ἂν συντελῇ πρὸς τοῦτον ἡμῖν, ἀγαπᾶν τε καὶ διώκειν παντὶ σθένει χρῆναί φαμεν, τὰ δὲ οὐκ ἐξικνούμενα πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, ὡς οὐδενὸς ἄξια παρορᾶν. τίς δὴ οὖν οὗτος τίς δὲ οὗτος unus Combef. ὁ βίος καὶ ὅπη καὶ ὅπως αὐτὸν βιωσόμεθα, μακρότερον μὲν ἢ κατὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ὁρμὴν ἐφικέσθαι, μειζόνων δὲ ἢ καθ’ ὑμᾶς ἀκροατῶν ἀκοῦσαι.","english":"We, O children, consider this human life to be nothing at all, nor do we think or name anything good that provides us with its fulfillment only up to this point.\n\nTherefore, we do not judge ancestral renown, nor bodily strength, nor beauty, nor stature, nor honors from all people, nor even kingship itself, nor anything that one might call great among human affairs, as worthy of our regard, nor do we look upon those who possess them; but we advance further in our hopes, and we do everything for the preparation of another life.\n\nWe say, then, that we must love and pursue with all our might whatever contributes to this life for us, and disregard as worthless whatever does not reach toward that life. What this life is, and where and how we shall live it, is too long to attain in the present impulse, and for hearers greater than you to hear.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδὲν εἶναι χρῆμα παντάπασι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον τοῦτον","severity":"info","text":"Basil declares human life worthless in itself, a radical ascetic stance that frames the entire address. This prepares the contrast with the 'other life' introduced below.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"συντέλειαν","severity":"info","text":"συντέλειαν (sunteleian) means 'fulfillment' or 'completion' here, referring to the end or goal of human life. Basil denies that any earthly good provides true completion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸς ἑτέρου βίου παρασκευὴν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'preparation for another life' echoes Pauline language of spiritual preparation (cf. 2 Cor 5:17-18, Phil 3:20-21). Basil adapts this to his argument against pagan literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τίς δὴ οὖν οὗτος ὁ βίος","severity":"info","text":"This rhetorical question marks a transition: Basil postpones defining the 'other life,' signaling that the present discourse cannot fully treat it. This creates anticipation for later sections.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"οὔκουν προγόνων","severity":"caution","text":"The apparatus notes a variant: some manuscripts read 'οὐκοῦν προγόνων' (therefore ancestral) while Colb. tertius has 'οὐκοῦν οὐ προγόνων' (therefore not ancestral). The edition follows the former, but the sense is contested.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"μειζόνων δὲ ἢ καθ’ ὑμᾶς ἀκροατῶν ἀκοῦσαι","severity":"caution","text":"Basil says the topic requires 'greater hearers than you,' possibly a rhetorical modesty topos. The phrase may also reflect the work's original audience of young students, not advanced theologians.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The variant reading at 'οὔκουν προγόνων' (ancestral renown) vs. 'οὐκοῦν οὐ προγόνων' (therefore not ancestral) changes the list of rejected goods. The edition follows the former, but the latter is attested.","The identity of the 'other life' is left undefined here; Basil may be alluding to the Christian afterlife or to a philosophical ideal of virtue."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":33,"ref":"p33","source":"τοσοῦτόν γε μὴν εἰπὼν ἱκανῶς ἂν ἴσως ὑμῖν ἐνδειξαίμην, ὅτι πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ τὴν ἀφ’ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, τῷ λόγῳ τις συλλαβὼν καὶ εἰς ἓν ἀθροίσας εὐδαιμονίαν, οὐδὲ πολλοστῷ μέρει τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων εὑρήσει παρισουμένην, ἀλλὰ πλεῖον τοῦ ἐν ἐκείνοις ἐλαχίστου τὰ σύμπαντα τῶν τῇδε καλῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀφεστηκότα, ἢ καθ’ ὅσον σκιὰ καὶ ὄναρ τῶν ἀληθῶν ἀπολείπεται.\n\nμᾶλλον δὲ ἵν’ οἰκειοτέρῳ χρήσωμαι παραδείγματι, ὅσῳ ψυχὴ τοῖς πᾶσι τιμιωτέρα σώματος, τοσούτῳ καὶ τῶν βίων ἑκατέρων ἐστὶ τὸ διάφορον. εἰς δὴ τοῦτον ἄγουσι μὲν ἱεροὶ λόγοι, δι’ ἀπορρήτων ἡμᾶς ἐκπαιδεύοντες.\n\nἕως γε μὴν ὑπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἐπακούειν τοῦ βάθους τῆς διανοίας αὐτῶν οὐχ οἷόν τε, ἐν ἑτέροις οὐ πάντη διεστηκόσιν, ὥσπερ ἐν σκιαῖς τισι καὶ κατόπτροις, τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμματι τέως προγυμναζόμεθα, τοὺς ἐν τοῖς τακτικοῖς τὰς μελέτας ποιουμένους μιμούμενοι, οἵ γε ἐν χειρονομίαις καὶ ὀρχήσεσι τὴν ἐμπειρίαν κτησάμενοι, ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγώνων τοῦ ἐκ τῆς παιδιᾶς ἀπολαύουσι κέρδους.","english":"But having said this much, I might perhaps sufficiently indicate to you that if someone were to gather together in thought all the happiness that has existed since the beginning of the human race and combine it into one whole, he would find it not even equal to a small fraction of those goods, but rather the entirety of the beauties here fall short of the least of those goods in worth by a greater distance than that by which a shadow and a dream fall short of reality.\n\nOr rather, to use a more fitting example, as much as the soul is more valuable in every respect than the body, so great is the difference between the two kinds of life. Now sacred writings lead us to this life, instructing us through hidden teachings.\n\nBut as long as, due to our age, we are not yet able to grasp the depth of their meaning, we train ourselves beforehand in other things not entirely different, as if in shadows and mirrors, with the eye of the soul, imitating those who practice in tactical exercises—who, having gained experience in gestures and dances, enjoy the benefit of their practice in actual contests.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τοσοῦτόν γε μὴν εἰπὼν","severity":"info","text":"Basil signals a summary of the preceding argument, reinforcing the contrast between earthly happiness and the goods of the Christian life.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"εὐδαιμονίαν","severity":"info","text":"Here 'happiness' (εὐδαιμονίαν) refers to the sum of all human felicity, which Basil dismisses as negligible compared to the goods of the soul.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ἱεροὶ λόγοι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'sacred writings' (ἱεροὶ λόγοι) likely refers to the Bible, which Basil presents as the ultimate guide to the higher life, taught through hidden meanings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν σκιαῖς τισι καὶ κατόπτροις","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of shadows and mirrors echoes Platonic epistemology (e.g., Republic 514a–518b), where sensible reality is a dim reflection of the Forms.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τοὺς ἐν τοῖς τακτικοῖς τὰς μελέτας ποιουμένους","severity":"info","text":"The comparison to tactical exercises (gestures and dances) as preparation for real contests is a common pedagogical analogy in Greek literature, e.g., in Plato's Laws.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"μᾶλλον δὲ ἵν’ οἰκειοτέρῳ χρήσωμαι παραδείγματι","severity":"info","text":"Basil shifts to a more fitting example, reinforcing the soul-body hierarchy as a structural pivot in the argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἱεροὶ λόγοι' could refer broadly to Christian scripture or to specific liturgical texts; the reading taken is the Bible.","The identity of the 'tactical exercises' (τοῖς τακτικοῖς) is not specified; it may refer to military drills or to rhetorical training."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":34,"ref":"p34","source":"καὶ ἡμῖν δὴ οὖν ἀγῶνα προκεῖσθαι πάντων ἀγώνων μέγιστον νομίζειν χρεών, ὑπὲρ οὗ πάντα ποιητέον ἡμῖν καὶ πονητέον εἰς δύναμιν ἐπὶ τὴν τούτου παρασκευήν, καὶ ποιηταῖς καὶ λογοποιοῖς καὶ ῥήτορσι καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὁμιλητέον, ὅθεν ἂν μέλλῃ πρὸς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν ὠφέλειά τις ἔσεσθαι.\n\nὥσπερ οὖν οἱ δευσοποιοὶ παρασκευάσαντες πρότερον θεραπείαις τισὶν ὅ τι ποτ’ ἂν ᾖ τὸ δεξόμενον τὴν βαφήν, οὕτω τὸ ἄνθος ἐπάγουσιν, ἄν τε ἁλουργὸν ἄν τέ τι ἕτερον ᾖ, τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τρόπον, εἰ μέλλοι ἀνέκπλυτος ἡμῖν ἡμῖν add. editi antiqui et MSS. sed non Colb. secundus et tertius. ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ἡ τοῦ καλοῦ παραμένειν δόξα, τοῖς ἔξω δὴ τούτοις προτελεσθέντες, τηνικαῦτα τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ ἀπορρήτων ἐπακουσόμεθα παιδευμάτων· καὶ οἷον ἐν ὕδατι τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾶν ἐθισθέντες, οὕτως αὐτῷ προσβαλοῦμεν τῷ φωτὶ τὰς ὄψεις. Ἡμεῖς, ὦ παῖδες, οὐδὲν εἶναι χρῆμα παντάπασι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον τοῦτον ὑπολαμβάνομεν, οὔτ’ ἀγαθόν τι νομίζομεν ὅλως, οὔτ’ ὀνομάζομεν, ὃ τὴν συντέλειαν ἡμῖν ἄχρι τούτου παρέχεται. οὔκουν προγόνων οὐκοῦν προγόνων editi, οὐκοῦν οὐ προγόνων Colb. tertius. περιφάνειαν, οὐκ ἰσχὺν σώματος, οὐ κάλλος, οὐ μέγεθος, οὐ τὰς παρὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων τιμάς, οὐ βασιλείαν αὐτήν, οὐχ ὅ τι ἂν εἴποι τις τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων μέγα, ἀλλ’ οὐδὲ εὐχῆς ἄξιον κρίνομεν, ἢ τοὺς ἔχοντας ἀποβλέπομεν, ἀλλ’ ἐπὶ μακρότερον πρόϊμεν ταῖς ἐλπίσι, καὶ πρὸς ἑτέρου βίου παρασκευὴν κατασκευὴν unus Reg. ἅπαντα πράττομεν.","english":"We must therefore consider that a contest lies before us, the greatest of all contests, for which we must do and endure everything to the best of our ability in preparation for it, and we must associate with poets, storytellers, orators, and all people, from wherever any benefit for the care of the soul is likely to come.\n\nJust as dyers, having first prepared with certain treatments whatever is to receive the dye, then apply the color, whether it be purple or something else, in the same way we, if the reputation of the beautiful is to remain unfading for all time, having been initiated beforehand by these external things, will then listen to the sacred and secret teachings; and as if accustomed to seeing the sun in water, we will thus direct our eyes to the light itself. We, O children, consider this human life to be nothing at all, nor do we regard or name anything as good that provides us with its completion only up to this point. Therefore, we do not look to the distinction of ancestors, nor to bodily strength, nor to beauty, nor to stature, nor to honors from all people, nor to kingship itself, nor to anything one might call great among human affairs, but we judge none of these worthy even of a prayer, nor do we gaze upon those who possess them, but we advance further in our hopes and do everything for the preparation of another life.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ οὖν οἱ δευσοποιοὶ ... οὕτω ... τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τρόπον","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a simile of dyers preparing fabric before dyeing to illustrate the need for preliminary secular education before sacred teachings. This is a common rhetorical device in Basil's argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"δευσοποιοί","severity":"info","text":"δευσοποιοί (dyers) refers to those who produce fast or indelible dyes. The term emphasizes the permanence of the dye, paralleling the lasting effect of virtue sought through education.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"προτελεσθέντες","severity":"info","text":"προτελεσθέντες (having been initiated beforehand) uses mystery-cult language, suggesting that secular learning is a preliminary initiation before the true mysteries of Christian doctrine.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδὲν εἶναι χρῆμα παντάπασι τὸν ἀνθρώπινον βίον τοῦτον","severity":"info","text":"The dismissal of worldly goods echoes 1 Corinthians 3:19-20 and similar ascetic topoi, though no direct quotation is present. Basil adapts philosophical contempt for the world to Christian eschatology.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"ἀγῶνα ... πάντων ἀγώνων μέγιστον","severity":"info","text":"The 'greatest contest' is the Christian struggle for salvation, a common metaphor in patristic literature. Basil frames education as preparation for this contest, integrating pagan learning into a Christian teleology.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡμῖν add. editi antiqui et MSS. sed non Colb. secundus et tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a textual variant: the word ἡμῖν is added in some early editions and manuscripts but absent in two Colbertinus manuscripts. This affects the reading of the dyer simile's application.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'οὐκοῦν προγόνων' is read as 'οὐκοῦν προγόνων' in editions, but the Colbertinus tertius has 'οὐκοῦν οὐ προγόνων', which would negate the following list of worldly goods. The translation follows the majority reading."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":35,"ref":"p35","source":"ἃ μὲν οὖν ἂν συντελῇ πρὸς τοῦτον ἡμῖν, ἀγαπᾶν τε καὶ διώκειν παντὶ σθένει χρῆναί φαμεν, τὰ δὲ οὐκ ἐξικνούμενα πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, ὡς οὐδενὸς ἄξια παρορᾶν. τίς δὴ οὖν οὗτος τίς δὲ οὗτος unus Combef. ὁ βίος καὶ ὅπη καὶ ὅπως αὐτὸν βιωσόμεθα, μακρότερον μὲν ἢ κατὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ὁρμὴν ἐφικέσθαι, μειζόνων δὲ ἢ καθ’ ὑμᾶς ἀκροατῶν ἀκοῦσαι. τοσοῦτόν γε μὴν εἰπὼν ἱκανῶς ἂν ἴσως ὑμῖν ἐνδειξαίμην, ὅτι πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ τὴν ἀφ’ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, τῷ λόγῳ τις συλλαβὼν καὶ εἰς ἓν ἀθροίσας εὐδαιμονίαν, οὐδὲ πολλοστῷ μέρει τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων εὑρήσει παρισουμένην, ἀλλὰ πλεῖον τοῦ ἐν ἐκείνοις ἐλαχίστου τὰ σύμπαντα τῶν τῇδε καλῶν κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀφεστηκότα, ἢ καθ’ ὅσον σκιὰ καὶ ὄναρ τῶν ἀληθῶν ἀπολείπεται. μᾶλλον δὲ ἵν’ οἰκειοτέρῳ χρήσωμαι παραδείγματι, ὅσῳ ψυχὴ τοῖς πᾶσι τιμιωτέρα σώματος, τοσούτῳ καὶ τῶν βίων ἑκατέρων ἐστὶ τὸ διάφορον. εἰς δὴ τοῦτον ἄγουσι μὲν ἱεροὶ λόγοι, δι’ ἀπορρήτων ἡμᾶς ἐκπαιδεύοντες. ἕως γε μὴν ὑπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἐπακούειν τοῦ βάθους τῆς διανοίας αὐτῶν οὐχ οἷόν τε, ἐν ἑτέροις οὐ πάντη διεστηκόσιν, ὥσπερ ἐν σκιαῖς τισι καὶ κατόπτροις, τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμματι τέως προγυμναζόμεθα, τοὺς ἐν τοῖς τακτικοῖς τὰς μελέτας ποιουμένους μιμούμενοι, οἵ γε ἐν χειρονομίαις καὶ ὀρχήσεσι τὴν ἐμπειρίαν κτησάμενοι, ἐπὶ τῶν ἀγώνων τοῦ ἐκ τῆς παιδιᾶς ἀπολαύουσι κέρδους.","english":"Those things, then, which contribute to this end for us, we must love and pursue with all our strength, we say, but those which do not reach to that end, we must disregard as worth nothing. What then is this life, and where and how we shall live it, is too long to attain in the present impulse, and too great for hearers such as you to hear. Yet by saying this much, I might perhaps sufficiently indicate to you that if someone were to gather together in thought all the happiness that has existed since men came to be, and collect it into one, he would find it not even equal to a small fraction of those goods, but rather the sum total of the beauties here falls short of the least of those in worth, more than shadow and dream fall short of reality. Or rather, to use a more fitting example, as much as soul is more honorable than body in all respects, so great is the difference between the two lives. Now sacred writings lead to this life, instructing us through mysteries. But as long as, by reason of age, it is not possible to hear the depth of their meaning, we are trained beforehand in others not entirely different, as in shadows and mirrors, with the eye of the soul, imitating those who practice exercises in tactical arts, who, having gained experience in gestures and dances, enjoy the profit from the play in the contests.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἃ μὲν οὖν ἂν συντελῇ πρὸς τοῦτον","severity":"info","text":"Basil distinguishes between studies that serve the Christian end and those that do not, advocating selective engagement with pagan literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"σκιαῖς","severity":"info","text":"The term 'shadows' (σκιαῖς) echoes Platonic imagery of the cave, used here to describe pagan literature as a preliminary training for Christian truth.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ ἐν σκιαῖς τισι καὶ κατόπτροις","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of shadows and mirrors for preparatory education recalls Plato's 'Republic' (514a–517a) and the use of mirrors in Neoplatonic pedagogy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἱεροὶ λόγοι","severity":"info","text":"The 'sacred writings' (ἱεροὶ λόγοι) refer to the Bible, which Basil presents as the ultimate guide to the Christian life, accessible only after preliminary training.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τίς δὴ οὖν οὗτος τίς δὲ οὗτος","severity":"info","text":"The repeated interrogative 'τίς δὴ οὖν οὗτος' marks a rhetorical pause, deferring full discussion of the Christian life as beyond the present scope.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"unus Combef.","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'unus Combef.' in the Greek text is a scribal or editorial insertion, likely from the Combefis edition, and does not belong to Basil's original text.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'unus Combef.' is an extraneous editorial note, not part of the original text; its exact source is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":36,"ref":"p36","source":"καὶ ἡμῖν δὴ οὖν ἀγῶνα προκεῖσθαι πάντων ἀγώνων μέγιστον νομίζειν χρεών, ὑπὲρ οὗ πάντα ποιητέον ἡμῖν καὶ πονητέον εἰς δύναμιν ἐπὶ τὴν τούτου παρασκευήν, καὶ ποιηταῖς καὶ λογοποιοῖς καὶ ῥήτορσι καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὁμιλητέον, ὅθεν ἂν μέλλῃ πρὸς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν ὠφέλειά τις ἔσεσθαι. ὥσπερ οὖν οἱ δευσοποιοὶ παρασκευάσαντες πρότερον θεραπείαις τισὶν ὅ τι ποτ’ ἂν ᾖ τὸ δεξόμενον τὴν βαφήν, οὕτω τὸ ἄνθος ἐπάγουσιν, ἄν τε ἁλουργὸν ἄν τέ τι ἕτερον ᾖ, τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς τρόπον, εἰ μέλλοι ἀνέκπλυτος ἡμῖν ἡμῖν add. editi antiqui et MSS. sed non Colb. secundus et tertius. ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ἡ τοῦ καλοῦ παραμένειν δόξα, τοῖς ἔξω δὴ τούτοις προτελεσθέντες, τηνικαῦτα τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ ἀπορρήτων ἐπακουσόμεθα παιδευμάτων· καὶ οἷον ἐν ὕδατι τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾶν ἐθισθέντες, οὕτως αὐτῷ προσβαλοῦμεν τῷ φωτὶ τὰς ὄψεις. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐστί τις οἰκειότης πρὸς ἀλλήλους τοῖς λόγοις, προὔργου προὔργον editi antiqui. ἂν ἡμῖν αὐτῶν ἡ γνῶσις γένοιτο· εἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλὰ τό γε παράλληλα θέντας καταμαθεῖν τὸ διάφορον, οὐ μικρὸν εἰς βεβαίωσιν τοῦ βελτίονος.","english":"We must therefore consider that the greatest contest of all contests lies before us, for which we must do and endure everything to the best of our ability in preparation for it, and we must associate with poets, storytellers, orators, and all people from whom any benefit for the care of the soul may come. Just as dyers, having first prepared the material that is to receive the dye with certain treatments, then apply the color, whether purple or some other, so too we, in like manner, if the reputation of what is good is to remain unfading for all time, having been initiated by these external things, will then listen to the sacred and secret teachings; and as those accustomed to see the sun in water, so we will direct our eyes to the light itself. If, then, there is some kinship between the discourses, knowledge of them would be advantageous for us; but if not, at least by placing them side by side and learning the difference, it is no small thing for the confirmation of the better.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγῶνα προκεῖσθαι πάντων ἀγώνων μέγιστον","severity":"info","text":"Basil frames the Christian life as the 'greatest contest,' a metaphor from athletic and military contexts, emphasizing moral struggle and preparation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"δευσοποιοί","severity":"info","text":"'Dyers' (δευσοποιοί) refers to those who dye fabrics; the analogy illustrates how pagan learning (the 'treatments') prepares the soul to receive Christian truth (the 'dye') permanently.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"προτελεσθέντες","severity":"info","text":"The term 'initiated' (προτελεσθέντες) evokes mystery cults; Basil adapts pagan initiation language to describe preliminary study of secular literature before Christian mysteries.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν ὕδατι τὸν ἥλιον ὁρᾶν","severity":"info","text":"The image of seeing the sun in water before looking directly at it parallels Plato's Phaedo (99d–e) and Republic (516a–b), where the sun represents the Form of the Good.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ μὲν οὖν ... εἰ δὲ μή","severity":"info","text":"Basil presents a conditional argument: if pagan and Christian teachings are akin, study benefits; if not, comparison still strengthens discernment of the better.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡμῖν add. editi antiqui et MSS. sed non Colb. secundus et tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The repeated 'ἡμῖν' is noted as an addition in early editions and most manuscripts, but absent in two Colbertinus manuscripts, indicating textual variation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The repeated 'ἡμῖν' in the Greek may be a scribal addition; the text's exact wording is uncertain in that phrase."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":37,"ref":"p37","source":"τίνι μέντοι καὶ παρεικάσας τῶν παιδεύσεων ἑκατέραν, τῆς εἰκόνος ἂν τύχοις; ἦπου καθάπερ φυτοῦ οἰκεία μὲν ἀρετὴ τῷ καρπῷ βρύειν ὡραίῳ, φέρει δέ τινα κόσμον καὶ φύλλα τοῖς κλάδοις περισειόμενα, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ψυχῇ προηγουμένως μὲν καρπὸς ἡ ἀλήθεια, οὐκ ἄχαρί γε μὴν οὐδὲ τὴν θύραθεν σοφίαν περιβεβλῆσθαι, οἷόν τινα φύλλα σκέπην τε τῷ καρπῷ καὶ ὄψιν οὐκ ἄωρον παρεχόμενα.\n\nλέγεται τοίνυν καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐκεῖνος ὁ πάνυ, οὗ μέγιστόν ἐστιν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὄνομα, τοῖς Αἰγυπτίων μαθήμασιν ἐγγυμνασάμενος τὴν διάνοιαν, οὕτω προσελθεῖν τῇ θεωρίᾳ τοῦ Ὄντος.\n\nπαραπλησίως δὲ τούτῳ, κἀν τοῖς κάτω χρόνοις, τὸν σοφὸν Δανιὴλ ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνός φασι φησὶ unus Reg. τὴν σοφίαν Χαλδαίων καταμαθόντα, τότε τῶν θείων ἅψασθαι παιδευμάτων. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐστί τις οἰκειότης πρὸς ἀλλήλους τοῖς λόγοις, προὔργου προὔργον editi antiqui. ἂν ἡμῖν αὐτῶν ἡ γνῶσις γένοιτο· εἰ δὲ μή, ἀλλὰ τό γε παράλληλα θέντας καταμαθεῖν τὸ διάφορον, οὐ μικρὸν εἰς βεβαίωσιν τοῦ βελτίονος. τίνι μέντοι καὶ παρεικάσας τῶν παιδεύσεων ἑκατέραν, τῆς εἰκόνος ἂν τύχοις; ἦπου καθάπερ φυτοῦ οἰκεία μὲν ἀρετὴ τῷ καρπῷ βρύειν ὡραίῳ, φέρει δέ τινα κόσμον καὶ φύλλα τοῖς κλάδοις περισειόμενα, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ψυχῇ προηγουμένως μὲν καρπὸς ἡ ἀλήθεια, οὐκ ἄχαρί γε μὴν οὐδὲ τὴν θύραθεν σοφίαν περιβεβλῆσθαι, οἷόν τινα φύλλα σκέπην τε τῷ καρπῷ καὶ ὄψιν οὐκ ἄωρον παρεχόμενα. λέγεται τοίνυν καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐκεῖνος ὁ πάνυ, οὗ μέγιστόν ἐστιν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ὄνομα, τοῖς Αἰγυπτίων μαθήμασιν ἐγγυμνασάμενος τὴν διάνοιαν, οὕτω προσελθεῖν τῇ θεωρίᾳ τοῦ Ὄντος.","english":"To what then might one compare each of the two kinds of education, to hit upon the image? Perhaps as a plant’s proper excellence is to bear ripe fruit, yet it also carries some ornament in the leaves that rustle on its branches, so for the soul the fruit is primarily truth, yet it is not without grace to have put on also the wisdom from outside, like leaves that provide both shelter for the fruit and a not unseasonable appearance. Now it is said that even that famous Moses, whose name is greatest among all men for wisdom, after exercising his mind in the learning of the Egyptians, thus approached the contemplation of Being. Similarly, in later times, the wise Daniel is said to have learned the wisdom of the Chaldeans at Babylon before touching divine teachings. If, then, there is some affinity between the two kinds of learning, knowledge of them would be advantageous to us; but if not, at least by setting them side by side and learning the difference, it is no small thing for confirming the better.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς εἰκόνος ἂν τύχοις","severity":"info","text":"Basil introduces a simile: as a plant’s fruit is its primary virtue but leaves provide ornament and shelter, so truth is the soul’s fruit, while external wisdom (θύραθεν σοφίαν) serves as protective foliage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"θύραθεν σοφίαν","severity":"info","text":"‘Wisdom from outside’ refers to pagan learning, a key concept in Basil’s argument for selective use of classical education.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μωϋσῆς","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Moses as a precedent: after training in Egyptian learning, he approached the contemplation of Being (θεωρίᾳ τοῦ Ὄντος). This echoes the biblical account of Moses’ education (Acts 7:22).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δανιὴλ","severity":"info","text":"Daniel is said to have learned Chaldean wisdom at Babylon before divine teachings, paralleling Moses’ example. This reflects the biblical Daniel’s training in Babylonian court (Daniel 1:4).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰ μὲν οὖν ... εἰ δὲ μή","severity":"info","text":"Basil presents a conditional argument: if pagan and Christian learning are compatible, knowledge of both is useful; if not, comparing them strengthens the better (i.e., Christian truth).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"προὔργου","severity":"caution","text":"The text has a variant: προὔργου (advantageous) is an emendation; some manuscripts read προὔργον. The sense is not materially affected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῆς εἰκόνος ἂν τύχοις' is a rhetorical question; the exact image is left to the reader. The variant 'προὔργου' vs. 'προὔργον' is a minor textual crux."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":38,"ref":"p38","source":"παραπλησίως δὲ τούτῳ, κἀν τοῖς κάτω χρόνοις, τὸν σοφὸν Δανιὴλ ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνός φασι φησὶ unus Reg. τὴν σοφίαν Χαλδαίων καταμαθόντα, τότε τῶν θείων ἅψασθαι παιδευμάτων. Ἀλλ’ ὅτι μὲν οὐκ ἄχρηστον ψυχαῖς μαθήματα τὰ ἔξωθεν δὴ ταῦτα ἱκανῶς εἴρηται· ὅπως γε μὴν αὐτῶν μεθεκτέον ὑμῖν ἑξῆς ἂν εἴη λέγειν. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τοῖς παρὰ τῶν ποιητῶν, ἵν’ ἐντεῦθεν ἄρξωμαι· ἐπεὶ παντοδαποί τινές εἰσι εἰσί. Μή editi antiqui. κατὰ τοὺς λόγους, μὴ πᾶσιν ἐφεξῆς προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν· ἀλλ’ ὅταν μὲν τὰς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν πράξεις ἢ λόγους ὑμῖν διεξίωσιν, ἀγαπᾶν τε καὶ ζηλοῦν, καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα πειρᾶσθαι τοιούτους εἶναι·\n\nὅταν δὲ ἐπὶ μοχθηροὺς ἄνδρας ἔλθωσι, τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταῦτα Colb. duo et Reg. primus; ἔλθωσι, τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην codex a Combefisio collatus; ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταύτην editi antiqui. δεῖ φεύγειν, ἐπιφρασσομένους τὰ ὦτα, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα φασὶν ἐκεῖνοι τὰ τῶν Σειρήνων μέλη. ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς φαύλους τῶν λόγων συνήθεια, ὁδός τίς ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα.","english":"Similarly, in later times, the wise Daniel is said to have learned the wisdom of the Chaldeans in Babylon before he touched divine teachings. But that these external studies are not useless for souls has been sufficiently stated; how you should partake of them must be said next. First, then, from the poets—to begin there—since they are of various kinds in their words, do not attend to everything in order; but when they recount the deeds or words of good men, love and emulate them, and try as much as possible to be such men; but when they come to wicked men, you must flee from that imitation, stopping your ears no less than they say Odysseus did to the songs of the Sirens. For familiarity with base words is a path to base deeds.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν σοφὸν Δανιὴλ","severity":"info","text":"Basil refers to the biblical Daniel (Dan 1:3–4, 17), who is said to have learned Chaldean wisdom before receiving divine revelation. This exemplifies the value of pagan learning as a preliminary step.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὴν σοφίαν Χαλδαίων","severity":"info","text":"Chaldean wisdom denotes Babylonian astronomy, astrology, and divination, often associated with the Magi. Basil uses this as a positive example of acquiring external knowledge before sacred studies.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν Ὀδυσσέα ... τὰ τῶν Σειρήνων μέλη","severity":"info","text":"Basil adapts the Homeric episode (Od. 12.39–54) where Odysseus stops his crew’s ears against the Sirens’ song. Here it becomes a metaphor for avoiding morally corrupting pagan poetry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταύτην","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase is corrupt in the manuscript tradition. The edition follows the reading of codex a Combefisio collatus, but other witnesses vary, affecting the sense of the imperative to avoid imitation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τοῖς παρὰ τῶν ποιητῶν","severity":"info","text":"This marks the beginning of a new section: Basil now gives practical advice on how to read pagan poets, following the general justification of external learning in the previous passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπιφρασσομένους τὰ ὦτα","severity":"caution","text":"The metaphor of stopping the ears is vivid but potentially misleading: Basil does not advocate total avoidance of all pagan poetry, but selective engagement, as the preceding lines make clear.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact wording of the phrase about avoiding imitation is uncertain due to manuscript variation; the reading adopted here follows one witness but others differ.","The reference to Daniel's learning of Chaldean wisdom is not explicit in the biblical text and may reflect later tradition or Basil's interpretive gloss."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":39,"ref":"p39","source":"διὸ δὴ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τὴν ψυχὴν τηρητέον, μὴ διὰ τῆς τῶν λόγων ἡδονῆς παραδεξάμενοί τι λάθωμεν τῶν χειρόνων, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰ δηλητήρια μετὰ τοῦ μέλιτος προσιέμενοι.\n\nοὐ τοίνυν ἐπαινεσόμεθα τοὺς ποιητὰς οὐ λοιδορουμένους, οὐ σκώπτοντας, οὐκ ἐρῶντας ἢ μεθύοντας μιμουμένους, οὐχ ὅταν τραπέζῃ πληθούσῃ καὶ ᾠδαῖς ἀνειμέναις τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν ὁρίζωνται. ὁρίζονται editi antiqui. πάντων δὲ ἥκιστα περὶ θεῶν τι διαλεγομένοις προσέξομεν, καὶ μάλισθ’ ὅταν ὡς περὶ πολλῶν τε αὐτῶν διεξίωσι καὶ τούτων οὐδὲ ὁμονοούντων.\n\nἀδελφὸς γὰρ δὴ παρ’ ἐκείνοις διαστασιάζει πρὸς ἀδελφὸν καὶ γονεὺς πρὸς παῖδας καὶ τούτοις αὖθις πρὸς τοὺς τεκόντας πόλεμός ἐστιν ἀκήρυκτος. μοιχείας δὲ θεῶν καὶ ἔρωτας καὶ μίξεις ἀναφανδόν, καὶ ταῦτάς γε μάλιστα τοῦ κορυφαίου πάντων καὶ ὑπάτου Διός, ὡς αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν, ἃ ἃς editi antiqui. κἂν περὶ βοσκημάτων τις λέγων ἐρυθριάσειε, τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς καταλείψομεν.\n\nΤαὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα λέγειν καὶ περὶ συγγραφέων ἔχω, καὶ μάλισθ’ ὅταν ψυχαγωγίας ἕνεκα τῶν ἀκουόντων λογοποιῶσι. καὶ ῥητόρων δὲ τὴν περὶ τὸ ψεύδεσθαι τέχνην οὐ μιμησόμεθα. οὔτε γὰρ ἐν δικαστηρίοις οὔτ’ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις πράξεσιν ἐπιτήδειον ἡμῖν τὸ ψεῦδος, τοῖς τὴν ὀρθὴν ὁδὸν καὶ ἀληθῆ προελομένοις τοῦ βίου, οἷς τὸ μὴ δικάζεσθαι νόμῳ προστεταγμένον ἐστίν.","english":"Therefore, the soul must be guarded with every care, lest we unknowingly admit something worse through the pleasure of words, like those who take poisons mixed with honey.\n\nWe will not, then, praise the poets when they revile, mock, or imitate lovers or drunkards, nor when they define happiness by a full table and licentious songs. Least of all will we attend to those who discourse about the gods, especially when they go on about them as many and not even in agreement with one another.\n\nFor among them brother quarrels with brother, parent with children, and these in turn wage an unheralded war against their begetters. And the adulteries, loves, and open unions of the gods—and these especially of the highest and supreme Zeus, as they themselves say, at which even one speaking of cattle would blush—we will leave to the stage.\n\nThe same I have to say about prose writers, especially when they fabricate stories for the entertainment of their hearers. And we will not imitate the rhetoricians' art of lying. For falsehood is not suitable for us either in courts or in other actions, we who have chosen the straight and true path of life, to whom it is commanded by law not to go to law.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ τοίνυν ἐπαινεσόμεθα τοὺς ποιητὰς","severity":"info","text":"Basil states that Christians should not praise poets when they depict immoral behavior, establishing a selective approach to pagan literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ψυχαγωγίας","severity":"info","text":"The term ψυχαγωγίας (psychagōgias) means 'soul-leading' or 'entertainment,' often used in rhetorical contexts for emotional persuasion; here it denotes storytelling for amusement.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τὴν περὶ τὸ ψεύδεσθαι τέχνην","severity":"info","text":"Basil criticizes the rhetoricians' 'art of lying,' reflecting a common patristic suspicion of classical rhetoric as deceptive, despite its use in Christian education.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Jaeger 1961"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"οἱ τὰ δηλητήρια μετὰ τοῦ μέλιτος προσιέμενοι","severity":"info","text":"The image of poison mixed with honey is a classical topos (cf. Lucretius, De Rerum Natura 1.936-950) used to warn against the seductive danger of pagan poetry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ταὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα λέγειν καὶ περὶ συγγραφέων ἔχω","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a structural transition from poets to prose writers and rhetoricians, extending the same critical principle to other genres of pagan literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁρίζονται","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a textual variant: some ancient editions read ὁρίζονται (they define) while others have a different form; the sense is not materially affected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ὁρίζονται' in the Greek may be a textual variant; the reading adopted follows the Perseus edition.","The reference to 'law not to go to law' (τὸ μὴ δικάζεσθαι νόμῳ) is ambiguous: it may allude to 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 or to a general Christian ethical principle."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":40,"ref":"p40","source":"ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνα αὐτῶν μᾶλλον ἀποδεξόμεθα, ἐν οἷς ἀρετὴν ἐπῄνεσαν ἢ πονηρίαν κακίαν unus MS. διέβαλον. ὡς γὰρ τῶν ἀνθέων τοῖς μὲν λοιποῖς ἄχρι τῆς εὐωδίας ἢ τῆς χρόας ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπόλαυσις, ταῖς μελίτταις δ’ ἄρα καὶ μέλι λαμβάνειν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ὑπάρχει, οὕτω δὴ κἀνταῦθα τοῖς μὴ τὸ ἡδὺ καὶ ἐπίχαρι μόνον τῶν τοιούτων λόγων διώκουσιν, ἔστι τινὰ καὶ ὠφέλειαν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποθέσθαι.\n\nκατὰ πᾶσαν δὴ οὖν τῶν μελιττῶν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν λόγων ὑμῖν μεθεκτέον. ἐκεῖναί τε γὰρ οὔτε ἅπασι τοῖς ἄνθεσι παραπλησίως ἐπέρχονται, οὔτε μὴν οἷς ἂν ἐπιπτῶσιν, ὅλα φέρειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, ἀλλ’ ὅσον αὐτῶν ἐπιτήδειον πρὸς τὴν ἐργασίαν λαβοῦσαι, τὸ λοιπὸν χαίρειν ἀφῆκαν.\n\nἡμεῖς τε, ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus. σωφρονῶμεν, ὅσον οἰκεῖον ἡμῖν καὶ συγγενὲς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ παρ’ αὐτῶν κομισάμενοι, ὑπερβησόμεθα τὸ λειπόμενον. καὶ καθάπερ τῆς ῥοδωνιᾶς τοῦ ἄνθους δρεψάμενοι τὰς ἀκάνθας ἐκκλίνομεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων λόγων ὅσον χρήσιμον καρπωσάμενοι, τὸ βλαβερὸν φυλαξώμεθα.","english":"But we will rather accept those parts in which they praised virtue or denounced wickedness. For just as with flowers, for the rest the enjoyment extends only to their fragrance or color, but for bees there is also the possibility of taking honey from them, so too here for those who do not pursue only the pleasant and charming in such writings, it is possible to derive some benefit from them and store it in the soul.\n\nTherefore, we must partake of these writings according to the whole image of the bees. For they neither approach all flowers alike, nor do they attempt to carry off whole those they alight upon, but taking from them as much as is suitable for their work, they let the rest go.\n\nAnd we, if we are prudent, having taken from them whatever is akin and related to the truth, will pass over the remainder. And just as when plucking the bloom of the rosebush we avoid the thorns, so too in such writings, having harvested what is useful, let us guard against what is harmful.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνα αὐτῶν μᾶλλον ἀποδεξόμεθα, ἐν οἷς ἀρετὴν ἐπῄνεσαν ἢ πονηρίαν κακίαν unus MS. διέβαλον","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text has a textual variant: the phrase 'πονηρίαν κακίαν' is followed by 'unus MS.' indicating that one manuscript reads 'κακίαν' before 'διέβαλον', while others may omit it. The sense is that we accept only those parts where poets praise virtue or denounce vice.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"μελίτταις","severity":"info","text":"The bee analogy is a common topos in ancient moral philosophy, used by Plato (e.g., Ion 534a-b) and Plutarch (De audiendis poetis 4.28a-b) to illustrate selective appropriation from literature. Basil adapts it for Christian paideia.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ πᾶσαν δὴ οὖν τῶν μελιττῶν τὴν εἰκόνα","severity":"info","text":"This sentence introduces a second analogy (bees) that parallels the earlier flower analogy, reinforcing the theme of selective reading. The phrase 'δὴ οὖν' marks a logical conclusion from the preceding comparison.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"καθάπερ τῆς ῥοδωνιᾶς τοῦ ἄνθους δρεψάμενοι τὰς ἀκάνθας ἐκκλίνομεν","severity":"info","text":"The rose-thorn image is a variant of the bee analogy, found also in Plutarch (De audiendis poetis 4.28c) and later in Christian authors like Jerome (Epist. 107.4). It emphasizes extracting benefit while avoiding harm.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus' in the Greek apparatus indicates a variant reading in the first hand of a manuscript (Regius). The standard text reads 'ἢν σωφρονῶμεν' ('if we are prudent'), but the variant may suggest a different conditional construction.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"τῶν λόγων ὑμῖν μεθεκτέον","severity":"info","text":"Basil's advice to 'partake of these writings' became a foundational text for Christian humanism, cited by Erasmus and other Renaissance educators to justify the study of pagan classics within a Christian framework.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'πονηρίαν κακίαν unus MS. διέβαλον' is ambiguous: it may indicate that one manuscript reads 'κακίαν' as a variant for 'πονηρίαν', or that 'κακίαν' is an addition. The translation follows the majority reading 'denounced wickedness'.","The apparatus 'ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus' is unclear: it could mean 'ἢν' is replaced by 'ἵνα' in the first hand of a Regius manuscript, altering the conditional sense."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":41,"ref":"p41","source":"φυλαξόμεθα editi antiqui. εὐθὺς οὖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπισκοπεῖν περισκοπεῖν Colb. tertius. ἕκαστον τῶν μαθημάτων καὶ συναρμόζειν τῷ τέλει προσῆκε, κατὰ τὴν Δωρικὴν παροιμίαν τὸν λίθον ποτὶ τὰν σπάρτον ἄγοντας. Ἀλλ’ ὅτι μὲν οὐκ ἄχρηστον ψυχαῖς μαθήματα τὰ ἔξωθεν δὴ ταῦτα ἱκανῶς εἴρηται· ὅπως γε μὴν αὐτῶν μεθεκτέον ὑμῖν ἑξῆς ἂν εἴη λέγειν. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τοῖς παρὰ τῶν ποιητῶν, ἵν’ ἐντεῦθεν ἄρξωμαι· ἐπεὶ παντοδαποί τινές εἰσι εἰσί. Μή editi antiqui. κατὰ τοὺς λόγους, μὴ πᾶσιν ἐφεξῆς προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν· ἀλλ’ ὅταν μὲν τὰς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν πράξεις ἢ λόγους ὑμῖν διεξίωσιν, ἀγαπᾶν τε καὶ ζηλοῦν, καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα πειρᾶσθαι τοιούτους εἶναι· ὅταν δὲ ἐπὶ μοχθηροὺς ἄνδρας ἔλθωσι, τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταῦτα Colb. duo et Reg. primus; ἔλθωσι, τὴν μίμησιν ταύτην codex a Combefisio collatus; ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταύτην editi antiqui. δεῖ φεύγειν, ἐπιφρασσομένους τὰ ὦτα, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα φασὶν ἐκεῖνοι τὰ τῶν Σειρήνων μέλη. ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς φαύλους τῶν λόγων συνήθεια, ὁδός τίς ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα. διὸ δὴ πάσῃ φυλακῇ τὴν ψυχὴν τηρητέον, μὴ διὰ τῆς τῶν λόγων ἡδονῆς παραδεξάμενοί τι λάθωμεν τῶν χειρόνων, ὥσπερ οἱ τὰ δηλητήρια μετὰ τοῦ μέλιτος προσιέμενοι. οὐ τοίνυν ἐπαινεσόμεθα τοὺς ποιητὰς οὐ λοιδορουμένους, οὐ σκώπτοντας, οὐκ ἐρῶντας ἢ μεθύοντας μιμουμένους, οὐχ ὅταν τραπέζῃ πληθούσῃ καὶ ᾠδαῖς ἀνειμέναις τὴν εὐδαιμονίαν ὁρίζωνται. ὁρίζονται editi antiqui.","english":"We will guard ourselves, as the ancient editions say. From the very beginning, then, it is fitting to examine each of the disciplines and to harmonize it with the end, according to the Doric proverb, bringing the stone to the rope. But that these external studies are not useless for souls has been sufficiently stated; how you should partake of them should next be said. First, then, with regard to the poets—to begin from there—since they are of all sorts in their words, do not attend to everything in order; but when they recount the deeds or words of good men, love and emulate them, and strive as much as possible to be such; but when they come to wicked men, you must flee this imitation, stopping up your ears no less than they say Odysseus did the songs of the Sirens. For familiarity with base words is a kind of path to base deeds. Therefore, the soul must be guarded with every precaution, lest through the pleasure of words we unwittingly admit something worse, like those who take poisons with honey. We will not, then, praise the poets when they revile, mock, or imitate lovers or drunkards, nor when they define happiness by a full table and licentious songs.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν λίθον ποτὶ τὰν σπάρτον ἄγοντας","severity":"info","text":"A Doric proverb meaning 'bringing the stone to the rope,' i.e., adapting means to an end. The image is of a builder drawing a stone to the measuring line.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰς τῶν Σειρήνων μέλη","severity":"info","text":"Basil likens the reader's avoidance of harmful poetry to Odysseus stopping his ears against the Sirens (Homer, Odyssey 12.39-54). The parallel reinforces the moral vigilance required.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Homer Odyssey"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"φυλαξόμεθα editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'editi antiqui' (ancient editions) indicates a textual variant: some manuscripts read φυλαξόμεθα, others φυλαξόμεθα. The apparatus shows multiple readings for several phrases, suggesting a complex transmission.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν τοῖς παρὰ τῶν ποιητῶν","severity":"info","text":"This passage marks the first specific instruction on how to engage with poets, following a general introduction. The structure is hortatory: a series of prohibitions and positive directives.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰ δηλητήρια μετὰ τοῦ μέλιτος προσιέμενοι","severity":"info","text":"The image of taking poison with honey is a common ancient metaphor for dangerous pleasure (cf. Lucretius, De Rerum Natura 1.936-950). Basil adapts it to warn against the seductive harm of immoral poetry.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταῦτα","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'ἔλθωσι τῇ μιμήσει, ταῦτα' is textually uncertain: the apparatus records multiple readings. The sense is clear (flee imitation of wicked characters), but the exact wording varies among witnesses.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'editi antiqui' and the apparatus variants (e.g., 'Colb. tertius', 'Colb. duo et Reg. primus') indicate that the Greek text is not uniform; the exact wording of several clauses is uncertain. The reading adopted here follows the Perseus edition's base text."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":42,"ref":"p42","source":"πάντων δὲ ἥκιστα περὶ θεῶν τι διαλεγομένοις προσέξομεν, καὶ μάλισθ’ ὅταν ὡς περὶ πολλῶν τε αὐτῶν διεξίωσι καὶ τούτων οὐδὲ ὁμονοούντων. ἀδελφὸς γὰρ δὴ παρ’ ἐκείνοις διαστασιάζει πρὸς ἀδελφὸν καὶ γονεὺς πρὸς παῖδας καὶ τούτοις αὖθις πρὸς τοὺς τεκόντας πόλεμός ἐστιν ἀκήρυκτος. μοιχείας δὲ θεῶν καὶ ἔρωτας καὶ μίξεις ἀναφανδόν, καὶ ταῦτάς γε μάλιστα τοῦ κορυφαίου πάντων καὶ ὑπάτου Διός, ὡς αὐτοὶ λέγουσιν, ἃ ἃς editi antiqui. κἂν περὶ βοσκημάτων τις λέγων ἐρυθριάσειε, τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς καταλείψομεν. Ταὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα λέγειν καὶ περὶ συγγραφέων ἔχω, καὶ μάλισθ’ ὅταν ψυχαγωγίας ἕνεκα τῶν ἀκουόντων λογοποιῶσι. καὶ ῥητόρων δὲ τὴν περὶ τὸ ψεύδεσθαι τέχνην οὐ μιμησόμεθα. οὔτε γὰρ ἐν δικαστηρίοις οὔτ’ ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις πράξεσιν ἐπιτήδειον ἡμῖν τὸ ψεῦδος, τοῖς τὴν ὀρθὴν ὁδὸν καὶ ἀληθῆ προελομένοις τοῦ βίου, οἷς τὸ μὴ δικάζεσθαι νόμῳ προστεταγμένον ἐστίν. ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνα αὐτῶν μᾶλλον ἀποδεξόμεθα, ἐν οἷς ἀρετὴν ἐπῄνεσαν ἢ πονηρίαν κακίαν unus MS. διέβαλον. ὡς γὰρ τῶν ἀνθέων τοῖς μὲν λοιποῖς ἄχρι τῆς εὐωδίας ἢ τῆς χρόας ἐστὶν ἡ ἀπόλαυσις, ταῖς μελίτταις δ’ ἄρα καὶ μέλι λαμβάνειν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ὑπάρχει, οὕτω δὴ κἀνταῦθα τοῖς μὴ τὸ ἡδὺ καὶ ἐπίχαρι μόνον τῶν τοιούτων λόγων διώκουσιν, ἔστι τινὰ καὶ ὠφέλειαν ἀπ’ αὐτῶν εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποθέσθαι. κατὰ πᾶσαν δὴ οὖν τῶν μελιττῶν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν λόγων ὑμῖν μεθεκτέον. ἐκεῖναί τε γὰρ οὔτε ἅπασι τοῖς ἄνθεσι παραπλησίως ἐπέρχονται, οὔτε μὴν οἷς ἂν ἐπιπτῶσιν, ὅλα φέρειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, ἀλλ’ ὅσον αὐτῶν ἐπιτήδειον πρὸς τὴν ἐργασίαν λαβοῦσαι, τὸ λοιπὸν χαίρειν ἀφῆκαν.","english":"Above all, we will not attend to those who discourse about the gods, especially when they go through them as many and not even in agreement with one another. For among them brother is at strife with brother, parent with children, and these in turn wage an undeclared war against their begetters. And the adulteries, loves, and open unions of the gods, and these especially of the highest and supreme Zeus, as they themselves say, which even one speaking of cattle would blush at, we will leave to the stage. I have the same to say about writers, especially when they fabricate stories for the sake of charming their hearers. And we will not imitate the rhetoricians' art of lying. For falsehood is not suitable for us either in law courts or in other actions, we who have chosen the straight and true path of life, to whom it is commanded by law not to go to law. But we will rather accept those things in which they praised virtue or denounced vice. For just as in the case of flowers, for the rest the enjoyment extends only to their fragrance or color, but for bees there is also the taking of honey from them, so here for those who pursue not only the pleasant and charming in such words, it is possible to store away some benefit for the soul from them. Therefore, you must partake of words according to the image of the bees. For they neither approach all flowers alike, nor do they attempt to carry off whole those on which they alight, but taking from them as much as is suitable for their work, they let the rest go.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"περὶ θεῶν τι διαλεγομένοις","severity":"info","text":"Basil warns against attending to those who discourse about the gods, especially when they present them as many and discordant.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Διός","severity":"info","text":"Zeus is the supreme god in Greek mythology; Basil here condemns the scandalous stories about him, typical of pagan mythography.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ μὴ δικάζεσθαι νόμῳ προστεταγμένον","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to the Christian precept against litigation, possibly echoing 1 Corinthians 6:1-8, which discourages Christians from taking disputes to pagan courts.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ πᾶσαν δὴ οὖν τῶν μελιττῶν τὴν εἰκόνα","severity":"info","text":"The bee simile concludes the passage, summarizing Basil's method: selective appropriation from pagan literature, analogous to bees gathering honey from flowers.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"De legendis gentilium libris","severity":"info","text":"This work was widely read in Byzantine education as a defense of classical learning for Christians, influencing later humanist thought.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἃ ἃς editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text includes a marginal note 'editi antiqui' (ancient editions) and 'unus MS' (one manuscript), indicating textual uncertainty in the manuscript tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἃ ἃς editi antiqui' is a scribal or editorial insertion, not part of Basil's original text; its exact referent is unclear.","The clause 'τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς καταλείψομεν' could be read as 'we will leave to the stage' (i.e., to theatrical performance) or 'we will leave to those on stage' (actors); the sense is the same."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":43,"ref":"p43","source":"ἡμεῖς τε, ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus. σωφρονῶμεν, ὅσον οἰκεῖον ἡμῖν καὶ συγγενὲς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ παρ’ αὐτῶν κομισάμενοι, ὑπερβησόμεθα τὸ λειπόμενον. καὶ καθάπερ τῆς ῥοδωνιᾶς τοῦ ἄνθους δρεψάμενοι τὰς ἀκάνθας ἐκκλίνομεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν τοιούτων λόγων ὅσον χρήσιμον καρπωσάμενοι, τὸ βλαβερὸν φυλαξώμεθα. φυλαξόμεθα editi antiqui. εὐθὺς οὖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπισκοπεῖν περισκοπεῖν Colb. tertius. ἕκαστον τῶν μαθημάτων καὶ συναρμόζειν τῷ τέλει προσῆκε, κατὰ τὴν Δωρικὴν παροιμίαν τὸν λίθον ποτὶ τὰν σπάρτον ἄγοντας. Καὶ ἐπειδήπερ δι’ ἀρετῆς ἡμᾶς ἡμιν editio Basil. et duo MSS. ἐπὶ τὸν βίον καθεῖναι δεῖ τὸν ἡμέτερον, εἰς ταύτην δὲ πολλὰ μὲν ποιηταῖς, πολλὰ δὲ συγγραφεῦσι, πολλῷ δὲ ἔτι πλείω φιλοσόφοις ἀνδρᾶσιν ὕμνηται, τοῖς τοιούτοις τῶν λόγων μάλιστα προσεκτέον.\n\nοὐ μικρὸν γὰρ τὸ ὄφελος οἰκειότητά τινα καὶ συνήθειαν ταῖς τῶν νέων ψυχαῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐγγενέσθαι, ἐπείπερ ἀμετάστατα πέφυκεν εἶναι τὰ τῶν τοιούτων μαθήματα, δι’ ἁπαλότητα τῶν ψυχῶν εἰς βάθος ἐνσημαινόμενα.","english":"We, if we are to be prudent, having taken from them whatever is akin to us and related to the truth, will pass over the rest. And just as we pluck the flower from the rosebush and avoid the thorns, so too in such writings we shall take what is useful and guard against what is harmful. Therefore, from the very beginning, it is fitting to examine each of the disciplines and to harmonize them with the end, according to the Doric proverb, bringing the stone to the line. And since it is through virtue that we must conduct our life, and since much has been sung by poets, much by historians, and even more by philosophers about this virtue, we must pay most attention to such writings.\n\nFor it is no small benefit that some affinity and familiarity with virtue be engendered in the souls of the young, since the lessons of such things are by nature indelible, being impressed deeply into the soul because of its tenderness.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ λειπόμενον","severity":"info","text":"Basil contrasts the useful (οἰκεῖον, akin) with the remainder (τὸ λειπόμενον), which is to be passed over. The metaphor of the rosebush (ῥοδωνιά) reinforces selective appropriation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"συγγενὲς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'related to the truth' (συγγενὲς τῇ ἀληθείᾳ) echoes Platonic and Christian language of kinship with truth, a key concept in Basil's hermeneutics of pagan literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Δωρικὴν παροιμίαν","severity":"info","text":"The Doric proverb 'bringing the stone to the line' (τὸν λίθον ποτὶ τὰν σπάρτον) refers to aligning a stone with a measuring line, used here to mean adapting studies to the Christian goal (τέλος).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εὐθὺς οὖν ἐξ ἀρχῆς","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a transition from the general principle of selective reading to the practical method: examining each discipline and harmonizing it with the ultimate end (τέλος).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ἀμετάστατα ... μαθήματα","severity":"info","text":"Basil's claim that lessons learned in youth are indelible (ἀμετάστατα) because of the soul's tenderness (ἁπαλότης) became a standard argument in Christian paideia, cited by later humanists.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"φυλαξόμεθα","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows variation between φυλαξόμεθα (future indicative) and φυλαξώμεθα (aorist subjunctive). The sense is similar, but the reading affects the mood of the exhortation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact reading of φυλαξόμεθα vs. φυλαξώμεθα is uncertain; the translation adopts the subjunctive. The phrase 'ἡμεῖς τε, ἢν ἵνα Reg. primus' in the Greek is garbled; the English follows the standard emendation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":44,"ref":"p44","source":"ἢ τί ποτε ἄλλο διανοηθέντα τὸν Ἡσίοδον ὑπολάβωμεν ταυτὶ ποιῆσαι τὰ ἔπη ἃ πάντες ᾄδουσιν, ἢ οὐχὶ προτρέποντα τοὺς νέους ἐπ’ ἀρετήν; ὅτι τραχεῖα μὲν πρῶτον καὶ δύσβατος, καὶ ἱδρῶτος συχνοῦ καὶ πόνου πλήρης ἡ πρὸς ἀρετὴν φέρουσα καὶ ἀνάντης ὁδός.\n\nδιόπερ οὐ παντὸς οὔτε προσβῆναι αὐτῇ διὰ τὸ ὄρθιον, οὔτε προσβάντι ῥᾳδίως ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον ἐλθεῖν. ἄνω δὲ γενομένῳ ὁρᾶν ὑπάρχει ὡς μὲν λεία τε καὶ καλή, ὡς δὲ ῥᾳδία τε καὶ εὔπορος καὶ τῆς ἑτέρας ἡδίων τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν κακίαν ἀγούσης, ἣν ἀθρόαν ἀθρόον aliqui MSS. εἶναι λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς, ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος ποιητὴς ἔφησεν.\n\nἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ δοκεῖ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ προτρέπων ἡμᾶς ἐπ’ ἀρετὴν καὶ προκαλούμενος ἅπαντας ἀγαθοὺς εἶναι, ταῦτα διελθεῖν, καὶ ὥστε μὴ καταμαλακισθέντας πρὸς τοὺς πόνους, προαποστῆναι τοῦ τέλους. καὶ μέντοι καὶ εἴ τις ἕτερος ἐοικότα τούτοις τὴν ἀρετὴν ὕμνησεν. ὡς εἰς ταὐτὸν ἡμῖν φέροντας τοὺς λόγους ἀποδεχώμεθα. δεχόμεθα aliqui MSS.\n\nὩς δ’ ἐγώ τινος ἤκουσα δεινοῦ καταμαθεῖν ἀνδρὸς ποιητοῦ διάνοιαν, πᾶσα μὲν ἡ ποίησις τῷ Ὁμήρῳ ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἔπαινος, καὶ πάντα αὐτῷ πρὸς τοῦτο φέρει, ὅ τι μὴ πάρεργον, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ ἐν οἷς τὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Κεφαλλήνων πεποίηκε γυμνὸν ἐκ τοῦ ναυαγίου περισῳθέντα, πρῶτον μὲν αἰδέσαι τὴν βασιλίδα φανέντα μόνον· τοσούτου δεῖν αἰσχύνην ὀφλῆσαι γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα μόνον, μόνον om. codex Oliv. et Colb. tertius. ἐπειδήπερ αὐτὸν ἀρετῇ ἀντὶ ἱματίων κεκοσμημένον ἐποίησε·","english":"or what else are we to suppose Hesiod had in mind when he composed those verses which everyone sings, if not to urge the young toward virtue? For the road that leads to virtue is first rough and hard to travel, full of much sweat and toil, and steep. Therefore it is not for everyone either to set foot on it because of its steepness, or, having set foot, to reach the summit easily. But when one has reached the top, one sees that it is smooth and beautiful, and easy and well-trodden, and more pleasant than the other road that leads to vice, which, as the same poet said, can be taken all at once because it lies close at hand. For it seems to me that he did nothing other than urge us toward virtue and challenge everyone to be good, and to ensure that we do not, by growing soft in the face of labors, abandon the goal beforehand. And indeed, if anyone else has sung of virtue in terms similar to these, let us accept their words as leading to the same end as ours. As I once heard from a man skilled in understanding a poet’s thought, all of Homer’s poetry is a praise of virtue, and everything in it is directed to this end, except what is incidental; and not least in the passage where he has made the general of the Cephallenians, after being saved naked from the shipwreck, first shame the queen by appearing alone—so far was he from incurring shame by being seen naked alone, since the poet made him adorned with virtue instead of garments.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τραχεῖα μὲν πρῶτον καὶ δύσβατος","severity":"info","text":"Basil paraphrases Hesiod's description of the path to virtue (Works and Days 287–292), adapting the image of a rough, steep road to his protreptic argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁδός","severity":"info","text":"The two roads—one to virtue, one to vice—echo the Choice of Heracles motif (Xenophon, Memorabilia 2.1.21–34) and the Pythagorean Y-symbol, common in moral paraenesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"πᾶσα μὲν ἡ ποίησις τῷ Ὁμήρῳ ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἔπαινος","severity":"info","text":"Basil attributes to an unnamed 'man skilled in understanding a poet’s thought' the allegorical reading of Homer as a praise of virtue. This reflects the interpretive tradition of the Neoplatonic and Stoic commentators on Homer.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"δεχόμεθα","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows a variant reading δεχόμεθα for ἀποδεχώμεθα; the latter is preferred in the source edition (perseus) as lectio difficilior.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Κεφαλλήνων","severity":"info","text":"The 'general of the Cephallenians' is Odysseus, king of Ithaca (Cephallenia). Basil refers to Odysseus' naked appearance before Nausicaa in Odyssey 6, interpreting it as a display of virtue over shame.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"μόνον","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα μόνον' is textually uncertain: one manuscript omits the second μόνον, affecting the sense of 'alone' as opposed to 'only'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'man skilled in understanding a poet’s thought' is not specified; it may be a contemporary teacher or a known allegorist.","The variant readings δεχόμεθα / ἀποδεχώμεθα and the omission of μόνον in some manuscripts create minor textual uncertainties."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":45,"ref":"p45","source":"ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς Φαίαξι τοσούτου ἄξιον νομισθῆναι, ὥστε ἀφέντας τὴν τρυφὴν ᾗ συνέζων, ἐκεῖνον εἰς ἐκεῖνον Colb. duo. ἀποβλέπειν καὶ ζηλοῦν ἅπαντας καὶ μηδένα Φαιάκων ἐν τῷ τότε εἶναι ἄλλο τι ἂν εὔξασθαι μᾶλλον ἢ Ὀδυσσέα γενέσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα ἐκ ναυαγίου περισῳθέντα.\n\nἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἔλεγεν ὁ τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῆς διανοίας ἐξηγητὴς μόνον οὐχὶ βοῶντα λέγειν τὸν Ὅμηρον· ὅτι ἀρετῆς ὑμῖν ἐπιμελητέον, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, ἣ καὶ ναυαγήσαντι συνεκνήχεται καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς χέρσου γενόμενον γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα Colb. tertius. γυμνὸν τιμιώτερον ἀποδείξει τῶν εὐδαιμόνων Φαιάκων.\n\nκαὶ γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει. τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τῶν κτημάτων, οὐ μᾶλλον τῶν ἐχόντων ἢ καὶ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν ἐπιτυχόντων ἐστὶν ὥσπερ ἐν παιδιᾷ κύβων τῇδε κἀκεῖσε μεταβαλλόμενα· μόνη δὲ κτημάτων ἡ ἀρετὴ ἀναφαίρετον καὶ ζῶντι καὶ τελευτήσαντι παραμένουσα. ὅθεν δὴ καὶ Σόλων μοι δοκεῖ πρὸς τοὺς εὐπόρους εἰπεῖν τό· Ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς αὐτοῖς οὐ διαμειψόμεθα Τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἔμπεδον αἰεί, Χρήματα δ’ ἀνθρώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει.","english":"and then, moreover, to be deemed so worthy by the rest of the Phaeacians that, abandoning the luxury in which they lived, they all looked to that man and emulated him, and no one among the Phaeacians at that time would have prayed for anything else rather than to become Odysseus, and this after he had been saved from a shipwreck.\n\nFor in these things the interpreter of the poet's thought said that Homer almost cries out, saying: \"You must take care of virtue, O men, which swims out with a man even when shipwrecked, and when he appears naked on dry land, makes him more honored than the prosperous Phaeacians.\"\n\nAnd indeed it is so. Other possessions belong no more to their owners than to any chance person, shifting here and there as in a game of dice; but virtue alone among possessions is inalienable, remaining with a man both in life and after death. Hence Solon, I think, said to the wealthy: \"But we will not exchange our virtue for their wealth, since virtue stands firm forever, while riches among men belong now to one, now to another.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Φαίαξι","severity":"info","text":"The Phaeacians, from Homer's Odyssey, are a seafaring people known for their luxury and hospitality; their contrast with the shipwrecked Odysseus underscores the moral that virtue outranks wealth.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀρετή","severity":"info","text":"Ἀρετή (virtue) is a central concept in Basil's argument, denoting moral excellence that is inalienable, unlike material possessions. The term is used here to align Homeric poetry with Christian ethical teaching.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Σόλων","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes Solon, the Athenian lawgiver, as a moral authority: 'But we will not exchange our virtue for their wealth, since virtue stands firm forever, while riches among men belong now to one, now to another.' This is not a biblical citation but a classical one, used to reinforce the argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἔλεγεν","severity":"info","text":"This phrase introduces an interpretive gloss: Basil reports an unnamed 'interpreter of the poet's thought' who reads Homer as exhorting virtue. The structure shifts from narrative to explicit moral commentary.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῆς διανοίας ἐξηγητής","severity":"info","text":"The 'interpreter of the poet's thought' likely refers to a contemporary or earlier allegorical exegete of Homer, possibly a Stoic or Platonist. Basil adopts this method to appropriate pagan literature for Christian moral education.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Colb. duo","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript reading 'Colb. duo' and 'Colb. tertius' indicate textual variants in the Colbertinus manuscript; the exact phrasing of the Greek is uncertain at these points, though the sense is clear.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'interpreter of the poet's thought' is not specified; it may be a generic reference to allegorical exegetes. The manuscript variants at 'Colb. duo' and 'Colb. tertius' introduce minor textual uncertainty, but the overall argument is clear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":46,"ref":"p46","source":"Παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ Θεόγνιδος, ἐν οἷς φησι τὸν θεόν, ὅντινα δὴ καί φησι, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸ τάλαντον ἐπιρρέπειν ἄλλοτε ἄλλως· ἄλλοτε μὲν πλουτεῖν, ἄλλοτε δὲ μηδὲν ἔχειν.\n\nΚαὶ μὴν καὶ ὁ Κεῖός που σοφιστὴς Πρόδικος τῶν ἑαυτοῦ συγγραμμάτων ἀδελφὰ τούτοις εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν ἐφιλοσόφησεν· ᾧ δὴ καὶ αὐτῷ τὴν διάνοιαν προσεκτέον· οὐ γὰρ ἀπόβλητος ὁ ἀνήρ.\n\nἔχει δὲ οὕτω πως ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ, ὅσα ἐγὼ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τῆς διανοίας μέμνημαι, ἐπεὶ τά γε ῥήματα οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι ἁπλῶς οὕτως εἴρηκεν ἄνευ μέτρου, ὅτι νέῳ ὄντι τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ κομιδῇ καὶ σχεδὸν ταύτην ἄγοντι τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἣν καὶ ὑμεῖς νῦν, βουλευομένῳ ποτέραν τράπηται τῶν ὁδῶν, τὴν διὰ τῶν πόνων ἄγουσαν πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἢ τὴν ῥᾴστην, προσελθεῖν δύο γυναῖκας, ταύτας δὲ εἶναι Ἀρετὴν καὶ Κακίαν·\n\nεὐθὺς μὲν οὖν καὶ σιωπώσας ἐμφαίνειν ἀπὸ τοῦ σχήματος τὸ διάφορον· εἶναι γὰρ τὴν μὲν ὑπὸ κομμωτικῆς διεσκευασμένην εἰς κάλλος, καὶ ὑπὸ τρυφῆς διαρρεῖν, καὶ πάντα ἐσμὸν ἡδονῆς ἐξηρτημένην ἄγειν· ταῦτά τε οὖν δεικνύναι, καὶ ἔτι πλείω τούτων ὑπισχνουμένην, ἕλκειν ἐπιχειρεῖν τὸν Ἡρακλέα πρὸς ἑαυτήν·","english":"Similar to these are the words of Theognis, where he says that the god—whomever he means—tilts the scale for men now one way, now another: at one time to be wealthy, at another to have nothing.\n\nAnd indeed the Cean sophist Prodicus somewhere in his writings philosophized on virtue and vice in terms akin to these; and one must attend to his thought as well, for the man is not to be rejected.\n\nHis account runs something like this, as far as I recall the man’s thought—since I do not know the exact words, except that he spoke simply, without meter—that when Heracles was very young and just about the age you are now, and was deliberating which of two paths to take, the one leading through toils to virtue or the easy one, two women approached him; and these were Virtue and Vice.\n\nAt once, even in silence, they revealed their difference by their appearance: for one was adorned by cosmetics into beauty, and was dissolving in luxury, and led a whole swarm of pleasure hanging upon her; and showing these things, and promising still more than these, she attempted to draw Heracles to herself.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ Θεόγνιδος","severity":"info","text":"Basil compares Theognis' idea of divine fortune to the preceding Homeric example, showing a pattern of pagan moral exempla.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Πρόδικος","severity":"info","text":"Prodicus, a 5th-century BCE sophist from Ceos, is known for the allegory of Heracles at the crossroads, which Basil adapts here.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔχει δὲ οὕτω πως ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ","severity":"info","text":"Basil signals a paraphrase, admitting he recalls the thought but not the exact words, marking a shift from citation to summary.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀρετὴν καὶ Κακίαν","severity":"info","text":"The personified Virtue and Vice echo the moral dualism found in Xenophon's Memorabilia 2.1.21–34, a likely source for Prodicus' fable.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τὸν Ἡρακλέα","severity":"info","text":"Heracles as a moral exemplar was widely used in early Christian literature, e.g., by Justin Martyr and Clement of Alexandria, to illustrate virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ὅντινα δὴ καί φησι","severity":"caution","text":"Basil's parenthetical 'whomever he means' suggests uncertainty about Theognis' reference, possibly to Zeus or Tyche; the text does not resolve it.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the god in Theognis is left vague; Basil may be glossing over a polytheistic reference.","Basil's paraphrase of Prodicus is loose; the exact wording of the original is not preserved."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":47,"ref":"p47","source":"τὴν δ’ ἑτέραν κατεσκληκέναι καὶ αὐχμεῖν καὶ σύντονον βλέπειν καὶ λέγειν τοιαῦτα ἕτερα· ὑπισχνεῖσθαι γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀνειμένον οὐδὲ ἡδύ, ἀλλ’ ἱδρῶτας μυρίους καὶ πόνους καὶ κινδύνους διὰ πάσης ἠπείρου τε καὶ θαλάσσης· ἆθλον δὲ τούτων εἶναι θεὸν γενέσθαι, ὡς ὁ ἐκείνου λόγος· ᾗπερ δὴ οὖν add. unus Colb. καὶ τελευτῶντα τὸν Ἡρακλέα ξυνέπεσθαι. Καὶ ἐπειδήπερ δι’ ἀρετῆς ἡμᾶς ἡμιν editio Basil. et duo MSS. ἐπὶ τὸν βίον καθεῖναι δεῖ τὸν ἡμέτερον, εἰς ταύτην δὲ πολλὰ μὲν ποιηταῖς, πολλὰ δὲ συγγραφεῦσι, πολλῷ δὲ ἔτι πλείω φιλοσόφοις ἀνδρᾶσιν ὕμνηται, τοῖς τοιούτοις τῶν λόγων μάλιστα προσεκτέον. οὐ μικρὸν γὰρ τὸ ὄφελος οἰκειότητά τινα καὶ συνήθειαν ταῖς τῶν νέων ψυχαῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐγγενέσθαι, ἐπείπερ ἀμετάστατα πέφυκεν εἶναι τὰ τῶν τοιούτων μαθήματα, δι’ ἁπαλότητα τῶν ψυχῶν εἰς βάθος ἐνσημαινόμενα. ἢ τί ποτε ἄλλο διανοηθέντα τὸν Ἡσίοδον ὑπολάβωμεν ταυτὶ ποιῆσαι τὰ ἔπη ἃ πάντες ᾄδουσιν, ἢ οὐχὶ προτρέποντα τοὺς νέους ἐπ’ ἀρετήν; ὅτι τραχεῖα μὲν πρῶτον καὶ δύσβατος, καὶ ἱδρῶτος συχνοῦ καὶ πόνου πλήρης ἡ πρὸς ἀρετὴν φέρουσα καὶ ἀνάντης ὁδός. διόπερ οὐ παντὸς οὔτε προσβῆναι αὐτῇ διὰ τὸ ὄρθιον, οὔτε προσβάντι ῥᾳδίως ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον ἐλθεῖν. ἄνω δὲ γενομένῳ ὁρᾶν ὑπάρχει ὡς μὲν λεία τε καὶ καλή, ὡς δὲ ῥᾳδία τε καὶ εὔπορος καὶ τῆς ἑτέρας ἡδίων τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν κακίαν ἀγούσης, ἣν ἀθρόαν ἀθρόον aliqui MSS. εἶναι λαβεῖν ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς, ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος ποιητὴς ἔφησεν.","english":"the other had become withered and squalid, and looked tense and spoke other such things; for she promised nothing relaxed or pleasant, but countless sweats and labors and dangers across every continent and sea; and the prize for these was to become a god, as his account goes; and finally Heracles followed her. And since we must descend into our own life through virtue, and much has been sung about this by poets, much by historians, and even more by philosophers, we must pay most attention to such words. For it is no small benefit that some familiarity and habit of virtue be engendered in the souls of the young, since the lessons of such things are naturally unchangeable, being deeply imprinted due to the tenderness of their souls. Or what else should we suppose Hesiod intended when he composed these verses that everyone sings, if not to urge the young toward virtue? That the road leading to virtue is first rough and hard to traverse, and full of much sweat and toil, and steep. Therefore it is not for everyone either to set foot on it because of its steepness, or, having set foot, to easily reach the summit. But when one has reached the top, one can see that it is smooth and beautiful, and easy and well-traveled, and more pleasant than the other road that leads to vice, which, as the same poet said, can be taken all at once because it lies nearby.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸν Ἡρακλέα","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Heracles following the personified Virtue alludes to the Choice of Heracles, a moral allegory attributed to Prodicus, in which the young hero chooses between Virtue and Vice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡσίοδον","severity":"info","text":"Basil paraphrases Hesiod's Works and Days 287-292, describing the steep and arduous path to virtue, which becomes easy only at the summit, contrasting with the easy path to vice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπειδήπερ δι’ ἀρετῆς","severity":"info","text":"This passage transitions from the Prodicus exemplum to a general exhortation: because virtue is essential for life, the words of poets, historians, and philosophers on virtue deserve special attention.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ μικρὸν γὰρ τὸ ὄφελος","severity":"info","text":"Basil argues that early imprinting of virtue in young souls yields lasting benefit, a pedagogical principle echoed in later Christian educational theory, e.g., by John Chrysostom.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀθρόαν ἀθρόον","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase ἀθρόαν ἀθρόον shows textual variation; some manuscripts read ἀθρόον (all at once) while others have ἀθρόαν, possibly reflecting a scribal error or alternative reading.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'god' in Theognis (mentioned in the previous passage) is left unspecified; Basil may be deliberately vague.","The phrase 'ὡς ὁ ἐκείνου λόγος' could refer to Prodicus' account or to a source within it; the referent is ambiguous."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":48,"ref":"p48","source":"ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ δοκεῖ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ προτρέπων ἡμᾶς ἐπ’ ἀρετὴν καὶ προκαλούμενος ἅπαντας ἀγαθοὺς εἶναι, ταῦτα διελθεῖν, καὶ ὥστε μὴ καταμαλακισθέντας πρὸς τοὺς πόνους, προαποστῆναι τοῦ τέλους. καὶ μέντοι καὶ εἴ τις ἕτερος ἐοικότα τούτοις τὴν ἀρετὴν ὕμνησεν. ὡς εἰς ταὐτὸν ἡμῖν φέροντας τοὺς λόγους ἀποδεχώμεθα. δεχόμεθα aliqui MSS. Ὡς δ’ ἐγώ τινος ἤκουσα δεινοῦ καταμαθεῖν ἀνδρὸς ποιητοῦ διάνοιαν, πᾶσα μὲν ἡ ποίησις τῷ Ὁμήρῳ ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἔπαινος, καὶ πάντα αὐτῷ πρὸς τοῦτο φέρει, ὅ τι μὴ πάρεργον, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ ἐν οἷς τὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Κεφαλλήνων πεποίηκε γυμνὸν ἐκ τοῦ ναυαγίου περισῳθέντα, πρῶτον μὲν αἰδέσαι τὴν βασιλίδα φανέντα μόνον· τοσούτου δεῖν αἰσχύνην ὀφλῆσαι γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα μόνον, μόνον om. codex Oliv. et Colb. tertius. ἐπειδήπερ αὐτὸν ἀρετῇ ἀντὶ ἱματίων κεκοσμημένον ἐποίησε· ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς Φαίαξι τοσούτου ἄξιον νομισθῆναι, ὥστε ἀφέντας τὴν τρυφὴν ᾗ συνέζων, ἐκεῖνον εἰς ἐκεῖνον Colb. duo. ἀποβλέπειν καὶ ζηλοῦν ἅπαντας καὶ μηδένα Φαιάκων ἐν τῷ τότε εἶναι ἄλλο τι ἂν εὔξασθαι μᾶλλον ἢ Ὀδυσσέα γενέσθαι, καὶ ταῦτα ἐκ ναυαγίου περισῳθέντα. ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἔλεγεν ὁ τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῆς διανοίας ἐξηγητὴς μόνον οὐχὶ βοῶντα λέγειν τὸν Ὅμηρον· ὅτι ἀρετῆς ὑμῖν ἐπιμελητέον, ὦ ἄνθρωποι, ἣ καὶ ναυαγήσαντι συνεκνήχεται καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς χέρσου γενόμενον γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα Colb. tertius. γυμνὸν τιμιώτερον ἀποδείξει τῶν εὐδαιμόνων Φαιάκων. καὶ γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει.","english":"For my part, I think that he is doing nothing other than urging us toward virtue and challenging everyone to be good, and that he has set forth these things so that we may not become soft in the face of labors and abandon the goal prematurely. And indeed, if anyone else has praised virtue in terms similar to these, let us accept their words as leading to the same end as ours. As I once heard from a man skilled in understanding the thought of a poet, the whole of Homer's poetry is a praise of virtue, and everything in it, except what is incidental, is directed to this end; not least in the passage where he has represented the general of the Cephallenians, after being saved naked from shipwreck, first of all inspiring awe in the queen by his mere appearance—so far was he from incurring shame by being seen naked, since the poet had adorned him with virtue instead of garments—and then being deemed so worthy by the rest of the Phaeacians that they abandoned the luxury in which they lived, and all looked to him and emulated him, and not one of the Phaeacians at that time would have prayed for anything else rather than to become Odysseus, and this after he had been saved from shipwreck. For in these things, the interpreter of the poet's thought said that Homer was all but crying out: \"Men, you must take care of virtue, which swims out with a man even when he is shipwrecked, and when he comes ashore and is seen naked, makes him more honored than the prosperous Phaeacians.\" And indeed it is so.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"προτρέπων ... ἐπ’ ἀρετὴν","severity":"info","text":"Basil states that the poet (Prodicus via Xenophon) urges toward virtue, framing the allegorical reading of Heracles’ choice as protreptic.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τὸν στρατηγὸν τῶν Κεφαλλήνων","severity":"info","text":"The 'general of the Cephallenians' is Odysseus, king of Ithaca; the Cephallenians are his subjects. Basil refers to Odysseus’ naked appearance before Nausicaa in Odyssey Book 6.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"ὁ τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῆς διανοίας ἐξηγητής","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites an unnamed interpreter of Homer’s thought, likely a Stoic or Neopythagorean allegorist, who reads the Odyssey as a moral lesson on virtue.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ... μόνον οὐχὶ βοῶντα λέγειν","severity":"info","text":"Basil uses a rhetorical climax: the interpreter claims Homer 'all but cries out' the moral, emphasizing the protreptic force of the passage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀρετή","severity":"info","text":"ἀρετή (virtue) is the central concept; Basil equates it with the moral excellence that survives shipwreck and outshines luxury.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"δεχόμεθα","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript note indicates that some witnesses read δεχόμεθα (we accept) instead of the expected form; the text is secure but the variant shows transmission uncertainty.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'man skilled in understanding the thought of a poet' is not specified; Basil may be drawing on a known allegorist (e.g., Heraclitus the Allegorist or a Stoic source).","The phrase 'γυμνὸν ὀφθέντα μόνον' is omitted in some manuscripts, suggesting possible scribal variation in the exemplar."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":49,"ref":"p49","source":"τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τῶν κτημάτων, οὐ μᾶλλον τῶν ἐχόντων ἢ καὶ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν ἐπιτυχόντων ἐστὶν ὥσπερ ἐν παιδιᾷ κύβων τῇδε κἀκεῖσε μεταβαλλόμενα· μόνη δὲ κτημάτων ἡ ἀρετὴ ἀναφαίρετον καὶ ζῶντι καὶ τελευτήσαντι παραμένουσα. ὅθεν δὴ καὶ Σόλων μοι δοκεῖ πρὸς τοὺς εὐπόρους εἰπεῖν τό· Ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς αὐτοῖς οὐ διαμειψόμεθα Τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον, ἐπεὶ τὸ μὲν ἔμπεδον αἰεί, Χρήματα δ’ ἀνθρώπων ἄλλοτε ἄλλος ἔχει. Παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ Θεόγνιδος, ἐν οἷς φησι τὸν θεόν, ὅντινα δὴ καί φησι, τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὸ τάλαντον ἐπιρρέπειν ἄλλοτε ἄλλως· ἄλλοτε μὲν πλουτεῖν, ἄλλοτε δὲ μηδὲν ἔχειν. Καὶ μὴν καὶ ὁ Κεῖός που σοφιστὴς Πρόδικος τῶν ἑαυτοῦ συγγραμμάτων ἀδελφὰ τούτοις εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ κακίαν ἐφιλοσόφησεν· ᾧ δὴ καὶ αὐτῷ τὴν διάνοιαν προσεκτέον· οὐ γὰρ ἀπόβλητος ὁ ἀνήρ. ἔχει δὲ οὕτω πως ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ, ὅσα ἐγὼ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τῆς διανοίας μέμνημαι, ἐπεὶ τά γε ῥήματα οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι, πλήν γε δὴ ὅτι ἁπλῶς οὕτως εἴρηκεν ἄνευ μέτρου, ὅτι νέῳ ὄντι τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ κομιδῇ καὶ σχεδὸν ταύτην ἄγοντι τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἣν καὶ ὑμεῖς νῦν, βουλευομένῳ ποτέραν τράπηται τῶν ὁδῶν, τὴν διὰ τῶν πόνων ἄγουσαν πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἢ τὴν ῥᾴστην, προσελθεῖν δύο γυναῖκας, ταύτας δὲ εἶναι Ἀρετὴν καὶ Κακίαν· εὐθὺς μὲν οὖν καὶ σιωπώσας ἐμφαίνειν ἀπὸ τοῦ σχήματος τὸ διάφορον· εἶναι γὰρ τὴν μὲν ὑπὸ κομμωτικῆς διεσκευασμένην εἰς κάλλος, καὶ ὑπὸ τρυφῆς διαρρεῖν, καὶ πάντα ἐσμὸν ἡδονῆς ἐξηρτημένην ἄγειν· ταῦτά τε οὖν δεικνύναι, καὶ ἔτι πλείω τούτων ὑπισχνουμένην, ἕλκειν ἐπιχειρεῖν τὸν Ἡρακλέα πρὸς ἑαυτήν·","english":"Other possessions are no more the property of their owners than of any chance person, shifting back and forth like dice in a game; virtue alone among possessions is inalienable, remaining with one both in life and after death. Hence Solon, I think, said to the wealthy: \"But we will not exchange our wealth for virtue, since virtue is always steadfast, while riches belong to different men at different times.\" Similar to these are the words of Theognis, in which he says that the god—whomever he means—tilts the scale for men now one way, now another: at one time they are rich, at another they have nothing. And indeed the sophist Prodicus of Ceos, in his writings, philosophized in a kindred manner about virtue and vice; and one should attend to his thought as well, for the man is not to be rejected. His account goes something like this, as far as I remember the man's thought—for I do not know the exact words, except that he spoke simply, without meter—that when Heracles was quite young and just about the age you are now, and was deliberating which of two paths to take, the one leading through toils to virtue or the easy one, two women approached him, and these were Virtue and Vice. At once, even in silence, they revealed their difference by their appearance: for one was adorned by cosmetics into beauty, and was flowing with luxury, and led a whole swarm of pleasure attached to her; and she displayed these things, and promising even more than these, attempted to draw Heracles to herself.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰ μὲν ἄλλα τῶν κτημάτων, οὐ μᾶλλον τῶν ἐχόντων ἢ καὶ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν ἐπιτυχόντων ἐστὶν ὥσπερ ἐν παιδιᾷ κύβων τῇδε κἀκεῖσε μεταβαλλόμενα","severity":"info","text":"Basil contrasts the instability of ordinary possessions with the permanence of virtue, using the simile of dice shifting back and forth. This reinforces the argument that pagan literature can be selectively used for moral edification.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Σόλων μοι δοκεῖ πρὸς τοὺς εὐπόρους εἰπεῖν τό· Ἀλλ’ ἡμεῖς αὐτοῖς οὐ διαμειψόμεθα Τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes Solon (fragment 15 West) to illustrate the superiority of virtue over wealth. The same Solonian sentiment appears in Plato's 'Laws' and is a topos in Greek moral philosophy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Παραπλήσια δὲ τούτοις καὶ τὰ Θεόγνιδος","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Theognis of Megara (elegiac poet, 6th–5th c. BCE) on the instability of wealth. Theognis' gnomic poetry was a staple of ancient education, making it a natural reference for Basil's audience.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πρόδικος","severity":"info","text":"Prodicus of Ceos (5th c. BCE) was a Sophist known for the 'Choice of Heracles' fable, which Basil summarizes. This fable, preserved in Xenophon's 'Memorabilia' 2.1.21–34, personifies Virtue and Vice as competing women.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔχει δὲ οὕτω πως ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ, ὅσα ἐγὼ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τῆς διανοίας μέμνημαι","severity":"info","text":"Basil signals a shift from direct quotation to paraphrase, noting he recalls the thought but not the exact words of Prodicus. This rhetorical move allows him to adapt the pagan source to his Christian moral framework.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"νέῳ ὄντι τῷ Ἡρακλεῖ κομιδῇ καὶ σχεδὸν ταύτην ἄγοντι τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἣν καὶ ὑμεῖς νῦν","severity":"info","text":"Basil directly addresses his young audience, likening them to Heracles at the crossroads. This pedagogical application of the Prodicus fable became a standard Christian moral exemplum, echoed in later patristic and humanist writings.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact source of the Solon quotation is uncertain; Basil may be citing from memory or a lost anthology.","The phrase 'ὅντινα δή καί φησι' ('whomever he means') in the Theognis reference is ambiguous: Basil may be unsure which god Theognis invokes, or he may be distancing himself from polytheistic language."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":50,"ref":"p50","source":"τὴν δ’ ἑτέραν κατεσκληκέναι καὶ αὐχμεῖν καὶ σύντονον βλέπειν καὶ λέγειν τοιαῦτα ἕτερα· ὑπισχνεῖσθαι γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀνειμένον οὐδὲ ἡδύ, ἀλλ’ ἱδρῶτας μυρίους καὶ πόνους καὶ κινδύνους διὰ πάσης ἠπείρου τε καὶ θαλάσσης· ἆθλον δὲ τούτων εἶναι θεὸν γενέσθαι, ὡς ὁ ἐκείνου λόγος· ᾗπερ δὴ οὖν add. unus Colb. καὶ τελευτῶντα τὸν Ἡρακλέα ξυνέπεσθαι. Καὶ σχεδὸν ἅπαντες, ὧν δὴ καὶ λόγος τίς ἐστιν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ, ἢ μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον εἰς δύναμιν ἕκαστος ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτῶν συγγράμμασιν ἀρετῆς ἔπαινον διεξῆλθον, οἷς πειστέον καὶ πειρατέον ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου δεικνύναι τοὺς λόγους. ὡς ὅ γε τὴν ἄχρι ῥημάτων παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις φιλοσοφίαν ἔργῳ βεβαιῶν, οἶος πέπνυται, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι.\n\nΚαί μοι δοκεῖ τὸ τοιοῦτον παραπλήσιον εἶναι, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ ζωγράφου θαυμαστόν τι οἷον κάλλος ἀνθρώπου μιμησαμένου, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς τις add. Colb. tertius. εἴη τοιοῦτος ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας, οἷον ἐπὶ τῶν πινάκων ἐκεῖνος ἔδειξεν.\n\nἐπεὶ τό γε λαμπρῶς μὲν ἐπαινέσαι ἐπαινεῖν Colb. tertius. τὴν ἀρετὴν εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ μακροὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀποτείνειν λόγους, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τὸ ἡδὺ πρὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης καὶ τὸ πλέον ἔχειν πρὸ τοῦ δικαίου τιμᾶν, ἐοικέναι φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ὑποκρινομένοις τὰ δράματα, οἳ ὡς βασιλεῖς καὶ δυνάσται πολλάκις εἰσέρχονται, οὔτε βασιλεῖς ὄντες οὔτε δυνάσται, οὐδὲ μὲν οὖν τυχὸν ἐλεύθεροι τὸ παράπαν.","english":"The other woman was withered, squalid, and had a tense gaze, and spoke such other words; for she promised nothing relaxed or pleasant, but countless sweats, toils, and dangers throughout every continent and sea; and the prize for these was to become a god, according to his account; and indeed, as a result, Heracles followed her in the end. And nearly all who have any reputation for wisdom, each to a greater or lesser extent according to his ability, have set forth in their own writings a praise of virtue, whom we must trust and endeavor to demonstrate their words in our lives. For he who confirms in deed the philosophy that among others is only in words—such a one is wise, while the others are flitting shadows.\n\nAnd it seems to me that such a thing is similar to what would happen if a painter had imitated some wonderful beauty of a human being, and the same person were in reality such as that painter depicted on his panels.\n\nSince to praise virtue brilliantly in public and to spin out long speeches about it, but in private to honor pleasure before temperance and gain before justice, I would say is like those who act out dramas on the stage, who often enter as kings and rulers, though they are neither kings nor rulers, nor indeed perhaps free men at all.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τὴν δ' ἑτέραν ... ἆθλον ... θεὸν γενέσθαι","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to Prodicus' fable of Heracles at the crossroads, where Virtue and Vice offer contrasting paths; the prize of becoming a god reflects the apotheosis of Heracles.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Xenophon Memorabilia 2.1.21-34"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'flitting shadows' echoes Homeric language (Odyssey 10.495) and may also recall the Platonic cave allegory, where shadows represent ignorance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"οἷος πέπνυται, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι","severity":"info","text":"This is a direct quotation from Homer, Odyssey 10.495, where the wise man is contrasted with mere shadows; Basil adapts it to contrast true philosophers with pretenders.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Homer Odyssey 10.495"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καί μοι δοκεῖ ... παραπλήσιον εἶναι","severity":"info","text":"Basil introduces a simile comparing hypocritical virtue-praisers to a painter who cannot match his own art, reinforcing the argument that words must be confirmed by deeds.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"οἳ ὡς βασιλεῖς καὶ δυνάσται πολλάκις εἰσέρχονται","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of actors playing kings on stage was a common topos in Greek moral philosophy, used by Plato and later by Christian writers to critique hypocrisy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"add. unus Colb. ... add. Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The source edition notes variant readings from the Colbertinus manuscript; these additions may reflect scribal insertions, so the text's exact wording is uncertain at these points.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'add. unus Colb.' and 'add. Colb. tertius' indicate manuscript variants; the base text may not be original.","The identity of 'the other woman' is assumed from Prodicus' fable, but Basil does not name her explicitly."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":51,"ref":"p51","source":"εἶτα μουσικὸς μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἑκὼν δέξαιτο ἀνάρμοστον αὐτῷ τὴν λύραν εἶναι, καὶ χοροῦ κορυφαῖος μὴ ὅτι μάλιστα συνᾴδοντα τὸν χορὸν ἔχειν· αὐτὸς δέ τις ἕκαστος διαστασιάσει πρὸς ἑαυτόν, καὶ οὐχὶ τοῖς λόγοις ὁμολογοῦντα τὸν βίον παρέξεται ;\n\nἀλλ’ ἡ γλῶττα μὲν ὀμώμοκεν, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος, κατ’ Εὐριπίδην ἐρεῖ, καὶ τὸ δοκεῖν ἀγαθὸς πρὸ τοῦ εἶναι διώξεται. ἀλλ’ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἔσχατος τῆς ἀδικίας ὅρος, εἴ τι δεῖ Πλάτωνι πείθεσθαι, τὸ δοκεῖν δίκαιον εἶναι μὴ ὄντα. Καὶ σχεδὸν ἅπαντες, ὧν δὴ καὶ λόγος τίς ἐστιν ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ, ἢ μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον εἰς δύναμιν ἕκαστος ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτῶν συγγράμμασιν ἀρετῆς ἔπαινον διεξῆλθον, οἷς πειστέον καὶ πειρατέον ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου δεικνύναι τοὺς λόγους. ὡς ὅ γε τὴν ἄχρι ῥημάτων παρὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις φιλοσοφίαν ἔργῳ βεβαιῶν, οἶος πέπνυται, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι. Καί μοι δοκεῖ τὸ τοιοῦτον παραπλήσιον εἶναι, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ ζωγράφου θαυμαστόν τι οἷον κάλλος ἀνθρώπου μιμησαμένου, ὁ δὲ αὐτὸς τις add. Colb. tertius. εἴη τοιοῦτος ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας, οἷον ἐπὶ τῶν πινάκων ἐκεῖνος ἔδειξεν. ἐπεὶ τό γε λαμπρῶς μὲν ἐπαινέσαι ἐπαινεῖν Colb. tertius. τὴν ἀρετὴν εἰς τὸ μέσον καὶ μακροὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀποτείνειν λόγους, ἰδίᾳ δὲ τὸ ἡδὺ πρὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης καὶ τὸ πλέον ἔχειν πρὸ τοῦ δικαίου τιμᾶν, ἐοικέναι φαίην ἂν ἔγωγε τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ὑποκρινομένοις τὰ δράματα, οἳ ὡς βασιλεῖς καὶ δυνάσται πολλάκις εἰσέρχονται, οὔτε βασιλεῖς ὄντες οὔτε δυνάσται, οὐδὲ μὲν οὖν τυχὸν ἐλεύθεροι τὸ παράπαν.","english":"Then a musician would not willingly accept a lyre that is out of tune with him, nor would a chorus leader fail to have the chorus singing in as much harmony as possible; but each individual will be at variance with himself, and will he not present a life that is not in agreement with his words?\n\nBut the tongue has sworn, while the mind is unsworn, as Euripides would say, and he will pursue the appearance of being good before being good. But this is the extreme limit of injustice, if one must trust Plato, to seem just without being so. And nearly all who have any reputation for wisdom, whether to a lesser or greater degree, each in their own writings have set forth praise of virtue, whom one must trust and attempt to demonstrate their words in life. For he who confirms the philosophy of others even to the point of words by deed—such a one is wise, while the others are flitting shadows. And such a thing seems to me to be similar to what would happen if a painter had imitated some wonderful beauty of a human being, and the same person were in reality such as he showed on the panels. For to praise virtue splendidly in public and to spin out long speeches about it, but in private to honor pleasure before temperance and gain before justice, I would say is like those who act in dramas on stage, who often enter as kings and rulers, though they are neither kings nor rulers, nor indeed perhaps free men at all.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ ἡ γλῶττα μὲν ὀμώμοκεν, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes Euripides’ Hippolytus (612) to contrast verbal oath with unsworn mind, illustrating hypocrisy.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Euripides Hippolytus"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ δοκεῖν δίκαιον εἶναι μὴ ὄντα","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to Plato, Republic 361a, where the unjust man is said to appear just while being unjust, as the extreme of injustice.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato Republic"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οἷος πέπνυται, τοὶ δὲ σκιαὶ ἀΐσσουσι","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes Homer, Odyssey 10.495, where the wise man is contrasted with flitting shadows, a common trope in Greek moral philosophy.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Homer Odyssey"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ὑποκρινομένοις τὰ δράματα","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of hypocrites to stage actors playing kings is a standard moral topos in Greek literature, found also in Dio Chrysostom and Epictetus.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Dio Chrysostom","Epictetus"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἶτα μουσικὸς μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἑκὼν δέξαιτο","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the narrative from the previous section, using a series of analogies (musician, chorus leader) to argue for consistency between words and deeds.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ὁ δὲ αὐτός τις add. Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'ὁ δὲ αὐτός τις' is an addition from the manuscript Colb. tertius, indicating a textual variant that may affect the reading of the painter analogy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ὁ δὲ αὐτός τις' is a manuscript addition; the original reading may be uncertain.","The reference to 'Colb. tertius' suggests a textual tradition where this passage was expanded."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":52,"ref":"p52","source":"εἶτα μουσικὸς μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἑκὼν δέξαιτο ἀνάρμοστον αὐτῷ τὴν λύραν εἶναι, καὶ χοροῦ κορυφαῖος μὴ ὅτι μάλιστα συνᾴδοντα τὸν χορὸν ἔχειν· αὐτὸς δέ τις ἕκαστος διαστασιάσει πρὸς ἑαυτόν, καὶ οὐχὶ τοῖς λόγοις ὁμολογοῦντα τὸν βίον παρέξεται ; ἀλλ’ ἡ γλῶττα μὲν ὀμώμοκεν, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος, κατ’ Εὐριπίδην ἐρεῖ, καὶ τὸ δοκεῖν ἀγαθὸς πρὸ τοῦ εἶναι διώξεται. ἀλλ’ οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἔσχατος τῆς ἀδικίας ὅρος, εἴ τι δεῖ Πλάτωνι πείθεσθαι, τὸ δοκεῖν δίκαιον εἶναι μὴ ὄντα. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν τῶν λόγων, οἳ τὰς τῶν καλῶν ἔχουσιν ὑποθήκας, οὕτως ἀποδεχώμεθα· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πράξεις σπουδαῖαι τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν ἢ μνήμης ἀκολουθίᾳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς διασῴζονται, ἢ ποιητῶν ἢ συγγραφέων φυλαττόμεναι λόγοις, μηδὲ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ὠφελείας ἀπολειπώμεθα.\n\nοἷον, ἐλοιδόρει τὸν Περικλέα τῶν ἐξ ἀγορᾶς τις ἀνθρώπων· ὁ δὲ οὐ προσεῖχε· καὶ εἰς πᾶσαν διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν Colb. tertius. τὴν ἡμέραν, ὁ μὲν ἀφειδῶς πλύνων αὐτὸν τοῖς ὀνείδεσιν, ὁ δέ, οὐ μέλων αὐτῷ. εἶτα, ἑσπέρας ἤδη καὶ σκότους ἀπαλλαττόμενον μόλις ὑπὸ φωτὶ παρέπεμψε Περικλῆς, ὅπως αὐτῷ μὴ διαφθαρείη τὸ πρὸς φιλοσοφίαν γυμνάσιον.","english":"Then a musician would not willingly accept a lyre that is out of tune with him, nor would a chorus leader fail to have the chorus singing in as much harmony as possible; but each individual will be at variance with himself, and will he not present a life that agrees with his words? But he will say, according to Euripides, “The tongue has sworn, but the mind is unsworn,” and will pursue the appearance of being good before being so. But this is the extreme limit of injustice, if one must believe Plato, to seem just without being so. Let us therefore accept those discourses which contain the precepts of noble things; but since also the worthy deeds of ancient men are preserved for us either through the continuity of memory or guarded in the words of poets or historians, let us not deprive ourselves of the benefit from this source as well.\n\nFor example, a certain man from the marketplace was reviling Pericles; but Pericles paid no attention. And he persisted the whole day, one unsparingly washing him with insults, the other not caring. Then, when evening and darkness were already coming on, Pericles escorted him, who was departing with difficulty, by torchlight, so that his training in philosophy might not be ruined.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ ἡ γλῶττα μὲν ὀμώμοκεν, ἡ δὲ φρὴν ἀνώμοτος","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes Euripides' Hippolytus 612, where Hippolytus breaks an oath. The citation illustrates the danger of hypocrisy, a key theme in the passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Euripides"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τοὺς μὲν οὖν τῶν λόγων, οἳ τὰς τῶν καλῶν ἔχουσιν ὑποθήκας","severity":"info","text":"Basil distinguishes between accepting pagan writings that contain moral precepts and rejecting those that do not. This is a central argument of the work.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Περικλέα","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote about Pericles enduring abuse and escorting his reviler by torchlight is known from Plutarch's Life of Pericles (ch. 5). Basil adapts it to exemplify philosophical forbearance.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plutarch"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"οἷον","severity":"info","text":"The particle 'οἷον' ('for example') marks a shift from general principle to illustrative narrative, a common rhetorical device in Basil's exhortation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τὸ δοκεῖν δίκαιον εἶναι μὴ ὄντα","severity":"info","text":"Basil echoes Plato's Republic 361a, where the unjust man is said to appear just without being so. This citation aligns pagan philosophy with Christian moral teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a variant: 'διήρκεσε' (singular) or 'διήρκεσαν' (plural). The sense is that the reviler persisted all day; the manuscript tradition is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν' may indicate a textual variant; the reading adopted is 'διήρκεσε' (he persisted).","The identity of 'τῶν ἐξ ἀγορᾶς τις ἀνθρώπων' is unspecified; Basil likely draws on a common anecdote."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":53,"ref":"p53","source":"πάλιν τις Εὐκλείδῃ τῷ Μεγαρόθεν παροξυνθεὶς θάνατον ἠπείλησε καὶ ἐπώμοσεν· ὁ δὲ ἀντώμοσεν ἦ μὴν ἱλεώσασθαι αὐτόν, καὶ παύσειν χαλεπῶς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχοντα. πόσου ἄξιον τῶν τοιούτων τι παραδειγμάτων εἰσελθεῖν τὴν μνήμην ἀνδρὸς ὑπὸ ὀργῆς ἤδη κατεχομένου;\n\nτῇ τραγῳδίᾳ γὰρ οὐ πιστευτέον ἁπλῶς λεγούσῃ, ἐπ’ ἐχθροὺς θυμὸς ὁπλίζει χεῖρα· ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν μηδὲ διανίστασθαι πρὸς θυμὸν τὸ παράπαν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ῥᾴδιον τοῦτο, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ χαλινὸν αὐτῷ τὸν λογισμὸν ἐμβάλλοντας, μὴ ἐᾶν ἐκφέρεσθαι περαιτέρω.\n\nἘπαναγάγωμεν δὲ τὸν λόγον αὖθις πρὸς τὰ τῶν σπουδαίων πράξεων παραδείγματα. ἔτυπτέ τις τὸν Σωφρονίσκου Σωκράτην εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐμπεσὼν ἀφειδῶς· ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἀντῆρεν, ἀλλὰ παρεῖχε τῷ παροινοῦντι τῆς ὀργῆς ἐμφορεῖσθαι, ὥστε ἐξοιδεῖν ἤδη καὶ ὕπουλον αὐτῷ τὸ πρόσωπον ὑπὸ τῶν πληγῶν ἃς ἔλαβεν add. Colb. tertius. εἶναι.\n\nὡς δ’ οὖν ἐπαύσατο τύπτων, ἄλλο μὲν οὐδὲν ὁ Σωκράτης ποιῆσαι, ἐπιγράψαι δὲ τῷ μετώπῳ λέγεται, ὥσπερ ἐν add. Colb. tertius. ἀνδριάντι τὸν δημιουργόν· Ὁ δεῖνα ἐποίει·","english":"Again, when someone was provoked against Euclides of Megara and threatened him with death, even swearing an oath to that effect, Euclides swore in return that he would appease him and put an end to his harshness toward him. How valuable it is for such examples to enter the memory of a man already seized by anger!\n\nFor one must not simply trust tragedy when it says, \"Wrath arms the hand against enemies.\" Rather, it is best not to be roused to anger at all; but if this is not easy, then, as if placing reason as a bit upon it, one should not allow it to be carried further.\n\nLet us bring our discourse back again to examples of virtuous deeds. Someone struck Socrates, the son of Sophroniscus, directly in the face, falling upon him without restraint; but Socrates did not resist, instead allowing the one who was acting in a frenzy to sate his anger, so that his face became swollen and bruised from the blows he received.\n\nWhen the man finally stopped striking him, Socrates is said to have done nothing else but to inscribe upon his forehead, as if on a statue, the name of the maker: \"So-and-so made this.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Εὐκλείδῃ τῷ Μεγαρόθεν","severity":"info","text":"Euclides of Megara (c. 435–365 BCE) was a Greek Socratic philosopher and founder of the Megarian school, known for his dialectical skill. The anecdote illustrates his commitment to reconciliation over vengeance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ","severity":"info","text":"The line 'Wrath arms the hand against enemies' is a tragic tag, likely from Euripides or a lost play. Basil warns against taking such poetic maxims as moral guides, consistent with his selective use of classical literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Σωκράτην","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote of Socrates being struck and inscribing the striker's name on his forehead is also found in Diogenes Laertius (2.5.35) and other sources, emphasizing Socratic forbearance as a model for Christian self-control.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπαναγάγωμεν δὲ τὸν λόγον","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a rhetorical return to the main argument after a digression on anger, typical of Basil's expository style in this work, which alternates between negative and positive exempla.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"τῶν σπουδαίων πράξεων παραδείγματα","severity":"info","text":"Basil's use of pagan exempla (Socrates, Euclides) for Christian moral instruction was influential in Byzantine education and later Renaissance humanism, as seen in the work's transmission (ed:tlg2040.tlg002).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"add. Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'add. Colb. tertius' in the Greek indicates a textual addition from a third Colbert manuscript, suggesting a variant or interpolation in the transmission. The passage's exact wording may not be original.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the person striking Socrates is unspecified; the text says 'someone' (τις). The phrase 'add. Colb. tertius' marks a textual addition whose source and authority are uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":54,"ref":"p54","source":"καὶ τοσοῦτον τοσούτου editi antiqui et Reg. tertius. ἀμύνασθαι. ταῦτα σχεδὸν εἰς ταὐτὸν τοῖς ἡμετέροις φέροντα, πολλοῦ ἄξιον εἶναι μιμήσασθαι τοὺς τηλικούτους φημί. τουτὶ μὲν γὰρ τὸ τοῦ Σωκράτους ἀδελφὸν ἐκείνῳ τῷ παραγγέλματι, ὅτι τῷ τύπτοντι κατὰ τῆς σιαγόνος, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν παρέχειν προσῆκε·\n\nτοσούτου τοσοῦτον editi antiqui. δεῖν ἀπαμύνασθαι. τὸ δὲ τοῦ Περικλέους ἢ τὸ Εὐκλείδου, τῷ τοὺς διώκοντας ὑπομένειν καὶ πρᾴως αὐτῶν τῆς ὀργῆς ἀνέχεσθαι, καὶ τῷ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς εὔχεσθαι τὰ ἀγαθά, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπαρᾶσθαι. ὡς ὅ γε ἐν τούτοις προπαιδευθεὶς οὐκ ἔτ’ ἂν ἐκείνοις ὡς ἀδυνάτοις διαπιστήσειεν.\n\nοὐκ ἂν παρέλθοιμι τὸ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου, ὃς τὰς θυγατέρας Δαρείου αἰχμαλώτους λαβὼν θαυμαστόν τι τι om. editi antiqui. οἷον τὸ κάλλος παρέχειν μαρτυρουμένας, οὐδὲ προσιδεῖν ἠξίωσεν, αἰσχρὸν εἶναι κρίνων τὸν ἄνδρας ἑλόντα γυναικῶν ἡττηθῆναι. τουτὶ γὰρ εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐκείνῳ φέρει, ὅτι ὁ ἐμβλέψας πρὸς ἡδονὴν γυναικὶ κἂν μὴ τῷ ἔργῳ τὴν μοιχείαν ἐπιτελέσῃ, ἀλλὰ τῷ γε τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῇ ψυχῇ παραδέξασθαι, οὐκ ἀφίεται τοῦ ἐγκλήματος.","english":"And so much of this, as it were, bearing on the same point as our own teachings, I declare it to be very valuable to imitate such great men. For this saying of Socrates is akin to that precept, that when struck on the cheek, one ought to offer the other cheek as well.\n\nAnd the saying of Pericles or that of Euclides, to endure those who pursue and to bear their anger gently, and to pray for good things for one's enemies, rather than to curse them. For one who has been educated in these matters would no longer disbelieve those other teachings as impossible.\n\nI would not pass over the saying of Alexander, who, when he took the daughters of Darius captive, and they were attested to possess a wonderful beauty, did not deign even to look at them, judging it shameful that the man who had conquered men should be defeated by women. For this bears on the same point as that saying, that he who looks with pleasure at a woman, even if he does not actually commit adultery, yet by admitting desire into his soul, is not free from the charge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ τύπτοντι κατὰ τῆς σιαγόνος, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν παρέχειν προσῆκε","severity":"info","text":"Basil likens Socrates' teaching to the Christian precept of turning the other cheek, a parallel that reinforces the value of pagan ethical examples.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ τοῦ Περικλέους ἢ τὸ Εὐκλείδου","severity":"info","text":"The examples of Pericles and Euclides illustrate forbearance and goodwill toward enemies, echoing Christian commands to love one's enemies and pray for them.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου","severity":"info","text":"Alexander's refusal to look at Darius' daughters is a well-known anecdote (e.g., Plutarch, Alexander 21) used here to commend self-control and avoidance of lust.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plutarch, Alexander"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀμύνασθαι","severity":"info","text":"The verb ἀμύνασθαι (to defend oneself) appears in a textual variant; the manuscript tradition shows uncertainty between τοσούτου τοσοῦτον and τοσοῦτον τοσούτου, affecting the sense of retaliation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ταῦτα σχεδὸν εἰς ταὐτὸν τοῖς ἡμετέροις φέροντα","severity":"info","text":"This phrase introduces a series of pagan exempla (Socrates, Pericles, Euclides, Alexander) that Basil argues are congruent with Christian teachings, forming a cumulative argument for their usefulness.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"πολλοῦ ἄξιον εἶναι μιμήσασθαι τοὺς τηλικούτους","severity":"info","text":"Basil's explicit endorsement of imitating pagan figures reflects the broader patristic strategy of selective appropriation of classical culture for Christian moral formation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τοσούτου τοσοῦτον' vs. 'τοσοῦτον τοσούτου' in the manuscript tradition creates ambiguity about the intended object of retaliation; the reading adopted here follows the sense of 'so much for defending oneself'."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":55,"ref":"p55","source":"τὸ δὲ τοῦ Κλεινίου, τῶν Πυθαγόρου γνωρίμων ἑνὸς χαλεπὸν πιστεῦσαι ἀπὸ ταὐτομάτου συμβῆναι τοῖς ἡμετέροις, ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ μιμησαμένου σπουδῇ. τί δὲ ἦν ὃ ἐποίησεν ἐκεῖνος; ἐξὸν δι’ ὅρκου τριῶν ταλάντων ζημίαν ἀποφυγεῖν, ὁ δὲ ἀπέτισε μᾶλλον ἢ ὤμοσε, καὶ ταῦτα εὐορκεῖν μέλλων· ἀκούσας, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, τοῦ προστάγματος τὸν ὅρκον ἡμῖν ἀπαγορεύοντος. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν τῶν λόγων, οἳ τὰς τῶν καλῶν ἔχουσιν ὑποθήκας, οὕτως ἀποδεχώμεθα· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πράξεις σπουδαῖαι τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδρῶν ἢ μνήμης ἀκολουθίᾳ πρὸς ἡμᾶς διασῴζονται, ἢ ποιητῶν ἢ συγγραφέων φυλαττόμεναι λόγοις, μηδὲ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ὠφελείας ἀπολειπώμεθα. οἷον, ἐλοιδόρει τὸν Περικλέα τῶν ἐξ ἀγορᾶς τις ἀνθρώπων· ὁ δὲ οὐ προσεῖχε· καὶ εἰς πᾶσαν διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν Colb. tertius. τὴν ἡμέραν, ὁ μὲν ἀφειδῶς πλύνων αὐτὸν τοῖς ὀνείδεσιν, ὁ δέ, οὐ μέλων αὐτῷ. εἶτα, ἑσπέρας ἤδη καὶ σκότους ἀπαλλαττόμενον μόλις ὑπὸ φωτὶ παρέπεμψε Περικλῆς, ὅπως αὐτῷ μὴ διαφθαρείη τὸ πρὸς φιλοσοφίαν γυμνάσιον. πάλιν τις Εὐκλείδῃ τῷ Μεγαρόθεν παροξυνθεὶς θάνατον ἠπείλησε καὶ ἐπώμοσεν· ὁ δὲ ἀντώμοσεν ἦ μὴν ἱλεώσασθαι αὐτόν, καὶ παύσειν χαλεπῶς πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχοντα. πόσου ἄξιον τῶν τοιούτων τι παραδειγμάτων εἰσελθεῖν τὴν μνήμην ἀνδρὸς ὑπὸ ὀργῆς ἤδη κατεχομένου; τῇ τραγῳδίᾳ γὰρ οὐ πιστευτέον ἁπλῶς λεγούσῃ, ἐπ’ ἐχθροὺς θυμὸς ὁπλίζει χεῖρα· ἀλλὰ μάλιστα μὲν μηδὲ διανίστασθαι πρὸς θυμὸν τὸ παράπαν· εἰ δὲ μὴ ῥᾴδιον τοῦτο, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ χαλινὸν αὐτῷ τὸν λογισμὸν ἐμβάλλοντας, μὴ ἐᾶν ἐκφέρεσθαι περαιτέρω. Ἐπαναγάγωμεν δὲ τὸν λόγον αὖθις πρὸς τὰ τῶν σπουδαίων πράξεων παραδείγματα.","english":"The saying of Cleinias, one of the disciples of Pythagoras, it is difficult to believe happened by chance to coincide with our own teachings, and not that he imitated them with zeal. And what was it that he did? When he could have avoided a penalty of three talents by an oath, he paid the fine rather than swear, even though he was about to swear truly; having heard, as it seems to me, the commandment forbidding us to swear. Let us therefore accept those discourses which contain the precepts of noble things in this way. But since also serious deeds of ancient men are preserved for us either by the continuity of memory or kept in the words of poets or historians, let us not deprive ourselves of the benefit from this source as well. For example, a certain man from the marketplace was reviling Pericles; but he paid no attention; and he endured the whole day, the one unsparingly washing him with insults, the other not caring about it. Then, when evening and darkness had already come, Pericles escorted him, who was departing with difficulty, by torchlight, so that his training in philosophy might not be ruined. Again, someone, provoked against Euclides of Megara, threatened him with death and swore an oath; but he swore in return that he would certainly appease him and stop him from being harshly disposed toward him. How valuable it is for such examples to enter the memory of a man already seized by anger! For one must not simply believe the tragedy when it says, \"Anger arms the hand against enemies\"; but rather, first of all, not to be roused to anger at all; but if this is not easy, then, as if putting a bit of reason into it, not to allow it to be carried further. Let us bring our discourse back again to the examples of serious deeds.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Κλεινίου","severity":"info","text":"Cleinias is otherwise unknown; the anecdote about his refusal to swear an oath is not attested elsewhere in classical sources. Basil may be drawing on a lost Pythagorean tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ προστάγματος τὸν ὅρκον ἡμῖν ἀπαγορεύοντος","severity":"info","text":"Basil refers to the biblical commandment forbidding swearing, likely echoing Exodus 20:7 or the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:33-37).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Περικλέα","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote about Pericles enduring abuse and then escorting his abuser home by torchlight is also found in Plutarch's Life of Pericles (ch. 5) and in the Moralia (De cohibenda ira 455F).","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plutarch"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Εὐκλείδῃ τῷ Μεγαρόθεν","severity":"info","text":"The story of Euclides of Megara swearing to appease his enemy is paralleled in Diogenes Laertius (2.108) and in Plutarch's De tranquillitate animi (468A).","cites":[],"named_sources":["Diogenes Laertius","Plutarch"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπαναγάγωμεν δὲ τὸν λόγον","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a formal return to the main argument after the digression on anger, a common rhetorical device in Basil's homilies.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a doublet (διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν) likely due to a scribal error or variant reading; the sense is that Pericles endured the whole day.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of Cleinias is uncertain; he may be a fictional or obscure figure.","The doublet 'διήρκεσε διήρκεσαν' may indicate a textual corruption or a conflation of readings."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":56,"ref":"p56","source":"ἔτυπτέ τις τὸν Σωφρονίσκου Σωκράτην εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ πρόσωπον ἐμπεσὼν ἀφειδῶς· ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἀντῆρεν, ἀλλὰ παρεῖχε τῷ παροινοῦντι τῆς ὀργῆς ἐμφορεῖσθαι, ὥστε ἐξοιδεῖν ἤδη καὶ ὕπουλον αὐτῷ τὸ πρόσωπον ὑπὸ τῶν πληγῶν ἃς ἔλαβεν add. Colb. tertius. εἶναι. ὡς δ’ οὖν ἐπαύσατο τύπτων, ἄλλο μὲν οὐδὲν ὁ Σωκράτης ποιῆσαι, ἐπιγράψαι δὲ τῷ μετώπῳ λέγεται, ὥσπερ ἐν add. Colb. tertius. ἀνδριάντι τὸν δημιουργόν· Ὁ δεῖνα ἐποίει· καὶ τοσοῦτον τοσούτου editi antiqui et Reg. tertius. ἀμύνασθαι. ταῦτα σχεδὸν εἰς ταὐτὸν τοῖς ἡμετέροις φέροντα, πολλοῦ ἄξιον εἶναι μιμήσασθαι τοὺς τηλικούτους φημί. τουτὶ μὲν γὰρ τὸ τοῦ Σωκράτους ἀδελφὸν ἐκείνῳ τῷ παραγγέλματι, ὅτι τῷ τύπτοντι κατὰ τῆς σιαγόνος, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν παρέχειν προσῆκε· τοσούτου τοσοῦτον editi antiqui. δεῖν ἀπαμύνασθαι. τὸ δὲ τοῦ Περικλέους ἢ τὸ Εὐκλείδου, τῷ τοὺς διώκοντας ὑπομένειν καὶ πρᾴως αὐτῶν τῆς ὀργῆς ἀνέχεσθαι, καὶ τῷ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς εὔχεσθαι τὰ ἀγαθά, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐπαρᾶσθαι. ὡς ὅ γε ἐν τούτοις προπαιδευθεὶς οὐκ ἔτ’ ἂν ἐκείνοις ὡς ἀδυνάτοις διαπιστήσειεν. οὐκ ἂν παρέλθοιμι τὸ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου, ὃς τὰς θυγατέρας Δαρείου αἰχμαλώτους λαβὼν θαυμαστόν τι τι om. editi antiqui. οἷον τὸ κάλλος παρέχειν μαρτυρουμένας, οὐδὲ προσιδεῖν ἠξίωσεν, αἰσχρὸν εἶναι κρίνων τὸν ἄνδρας ἑλόντα γυναικῶν ἡττηθῆναι. τουτὶ γὰρ εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐκείνῳ φέρει, ὅτι ὁ ἐμβλέψας πρὸς ἡδονὴν γυναικὶ κἂν μὴ τῷ ἔργῳ τὴν μοιχείαν ἐπιτελέσῃ, ἀλλὰ τῷ γε τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῇ ψυχῇ παραδέξασθαι, οὐκ ἀφίεται τοῦ ἐγκλήματος.","english":"Someone struck Socrates, the son of Sophroniscus, directly in the face without restraint; he did not resist, but allowed the drunken man to indulge his anger, so that his face was already swollen and bruised from the blows he received. When the man stopped striking him, Socrates is said to have done nothing else but to inscribe on his forehead, as if on a statue by the craftsman: \"So-and-so made this,\" and that was his only retaliation. These things, which almost coincide with our own teachings, I say are well worth imitating by such great men. For this deed of Socrates is akin to that precept, that when someone strikes you on the cheek, it is fitting to offer the other one as well, and not to retaliate to such an extent. And the example of Pericles or of Euclides, to endure those who pursue you and to bear their anger gently, and to pray for good things for your enemies rather than to curse them. For one who has been educated in these matters beforehand would no longer disbelieve those other teachings as impossible. I would not pass over the example of Alexander, who, when he took the daughters of Darius captive, and they were attested to possess a remarkable beauty, did not deign even to look at them, judging it shameful for the conqueror of men to be conquered by women. For this corresponds to that precept, that one who looks with pleasure at a woman, even if he does not commit adultery in deed, yet by admitting desire into his soul, is not free from the charge.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Σωκράτην","severity":"info","text":"Socrates, son of Sophroniscus, is the classical Athenian philosopher. The anecdote of his non-retaliation when struck is attested in other sources (e.g., Diogenes Laërtius 2.21) and is used by Basil as a pagan parallel to Christian teaching on turning the other cheek.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ τύπτοντι κατὰ τῆς σιαγόνος, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν παρέχειν","severity":"info","text":"Basil explicitly compares Socrates' action to the Christian precept of offering the other cheek, echoing Matthew 5:39 (or a similar saying). This is a key instance of his argument that pagan ethics can prefigure Christian teaching.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ τοῦ Ἀλεξάνδρου","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote of Alexander the Great refusing to look at Darius' captive daughters is a known topos (cf. Plutarch, Alexander 21). Basil aligns it with the Christian principle that even desiring a woman is a moral fault, not just the act of adultery.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"add. Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript notes 'add. Colb. tertius' and 'editi antiqui et Reg. tertius' indicate textual variants in the Greek tradition. The phrase 'τοσούτου τοσοῦτον' in some editions may be a corruption or alternative reading for 'τοσούτου τοσοῦτον' (so much for so much).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ταῦτα σχεδὸν εἰς ταὐτὸν τοῖς ἡμετέροις φέροντα","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a structural pivot: Basil concludes the Socrates anecdote and introduces a series of pagan examples (Pericles, Euclides, Alexander) that he argues are analogous to Christian precepts, reinforcing his thesis that pagan virtue can be a preparation for the Gospel.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"De legendis gentilium libris","severity":"info","text":"Basil's homily was widely read in Byzantine and later Western education as a justification for studying classical literature. The passage's use of pagan exempla to support Christian ethics became a standard model for patristic appropriation of Hellenic culture.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has several manuscript variants (indicated by 'add. Colb. tertius' and 'editi antiqui et Reg. tertius') that affect the precise wording of Socrates' inscription and the concluding phrase about retaliation. The translation follows the reading of the Perseus edition, but other manuscripts may differ."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":57,"ref":"p57","source":"τὸ δὲ τοῦ Κλεινίου, τῶν Πυθαγόρου γνωρίμων ἑνὸς χαλεπὸν πιστεῦσαι ἀπὸ ταὐτομάτου συμβῆναι τοῖς ἡμετέροις, ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ μιμησαμένου σπουδῇ. τί δὲ ἦν ὃ ἐποίησεν ἐκεῖνος; ἐξὸν δι’ ὅρκου τριῶν ταλάντων ζημίαν ἀποφυγεῖν, ὁ δὲ ἀπέτισε μᾶλλον ἢ ὤμοσε, καὶ ταῦτα εὐορκεῖν μέλλων· ἀκούσας, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, τοῦ προστάγματος τὸν ὅρκον ἡμῖν ἀπαγορεύοντος. Ἀλλ’ ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλεγον, πάλιν εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐπανίωμεν. οὐ πάντα ἑξῆς παραδεκτέον ἡμῖν, ἀλλ’ ὅσα χρήσιμα. καὶ γὰρ αἰσχρὸν τῶν μὲν σιτίων τὰ βλαβερὰ διωθεῖσθαι, τῶν δὲ μαθημάτων, ἃ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν τρέφει, μηδένα λόγον ἔχειν, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ χειμάρρουν παρασύροντας ἅπαν τὸ προστυχὸν ἐμβάλλεσθαι.\n\nκαίτοι τίνα ἔχει λόγον κυβερνήτην μὲν οὐκ εἰκῆ τοῖς πνεύμασιν ἐφιέναι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὅρμους εὐθύνειν τὸ σκάφος· καὶ τοξότην κατὰ σκοποῦ βάλλειν· καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ χαλκευτικόν τινα ἢ τεκτονικὸν ὄντα τοῦ κατὰ τὴν τέχνην ἐφίεσθαι τέλους· ἡμᾶς δὲ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων δημιουργῶν ἀπολείπεσθαι, πρός γε τὸ συνορᾶν δύνασθαι τὰ ἡμέτερα;","english":"The story of Cleinias, one of the associates of Pythagoras, is difficult to believe as having happened spontaneously to our people, and not as a result of his earnest imitation. What was it that he did? When he could have avoided a penalty of three talents by taking an oath, he chose to pay the fine rather than swear, even though he was about to swear truly; having heard, I think, the commandment that forbids us to swear. But let us return to the point I was making from the beginning. We must not accept everything indiscriminately, but only what is useful. For it is shameful to reject harmful foods, but to take no account of the teachings that nourish our soul, and like a torrent to sweep in and swallow everything that comes our way.\n\nYet what reason is there that a pilot does not yield carelessly to the winds, but steers the ship toward harbors; that an archer shoots at the target; that a smith or a carpenter aims at the end proper to his craft; while we fall short of even such craftsmen in our ability to discern what is our own?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Κλεινίου","severity":"info","text":"Cleinias is known from Diogenes Laertius and Iamblichus as a Pythagorean who refused to swear an oath even when it would have been true, illustrating Pythagorean piety.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Diogenes Laertius 8.36","Iamblichus VP 31"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ δὲ τοῦ Κλεινίου","severity":"info","text":"Basil argues that Cleinias’ action, though pagan, aligns with Christian prohibition of oaths, implying providential or imitative convergence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ προστάγματος τὸν ὅρκον ἡμῖν ἀπαγορεύοντος","severity":"info","text":"The 'commandment forbidding us to swear' likely refers to Matthew 5:33-37 or the Didache, where oath-taking is discouraged for Christians.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Matthew 5:33-37","Didache 2.2"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ χειμάρρουν παρασύροντας ἅπαν τὸ προστυχὸν ἐμβάλλεσθαι","severity":"info","text":"The torrent metaphor for uncritical learning echoes Plato’s critique of sophists (Protagoras 313a) and is common in patristic warnings against pagan literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Plato Protagoras 313a"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλ’ ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλεγον, πάλιν εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐπανίωμεν","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a return to the main thesis after the Cleinias exemplum, typical of Basil’s rhetorical ring composition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"κυβερνήτην ... τοξότην ... χαλκευτικόν ... τεκτονικόν","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of craftsmen aiming at their proper ends is a topos in Greek ethics (cf. Aristotle NE 1094a) and was later adopted by Christian humanists like Erasmus.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics 1094a","Erasmus De ratione studii"],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of 'our people' (τοῖς ἡμετέροις) is ambiguous: it could mean Christians generally or Basil’s monastic audience specifically.","The phrase 'ἐξὸν δι’ ὅρκου τριῶν ταλάντων ζημίαν ἀποφυγεῖν' is syntactically compressed; the reading taken is that Cleinias could have avoided a three-talent penalty by swearing."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":58,"ref":"p58","source":"οὐ γὰρ δὴ τῶν μὲν χειρωνακτῶν ἐστί τι πέρας τῆς ἐργασίας, τοῦ δὲ ἀνθρωπίνου βίου σκοπὸς οὐκ ἔστι, πρὸς ὃν ἀφορῶντα πάντα ποιεῖν καὶ λέγειν χρὴ τόν γε μὴ τοῖς ἀλόγοις παντάπασι προσεοικέναι μέλλοντα; ἢ οὕτως ἂν εἴημεν ἀτεχνῶς κατὰ τῶν πλοίων τὰ ἀνερμάτιστα, οὐδενὸς ἡμῖν νοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς οἰάκων καθεζομένου, εἰκῆ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιφερόμενοι.\n\nἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσιν, εἰ δὲ βούλει, τῆς μουσικῆς· ἐκείνων εἰσὶ τῶν ἀγώνων αἱ μελέται, ὧνπερ οἱ στέφανοι πρόκεινται, καὶ οὐδείς καὶ οὐδεὶς add. editi antiqui. γε πάλην ἀσκῶν ἢ παγκράτιον, εἶτα κιθαρίζειν ἢ αὐλεῖν μελετᾷ.\n\nοὔκουν ὁ Πολυδάμας γε· ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνος πρὸ τοῦ ἀγῶνος τοῦ Ὀλυμπιάσι, τὰ ἅρματα ἵστη τρέχοντα, καὶ διὰ τούτων τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐκράτυνε. καὶ ὅ γε Μίλων ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληλειμμένης ἀσπίδος οὐκ ἐξωθεῖτο, ἀλλ’ ἀντεῖχεν ὠθούμενος, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ οἱ ἀνδριάντες οἱ τῷ μολύβδῳ συνδεδεμένοι.\n\nκαὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς αἱ μελέται αὐτοῖς παρασκευαὶ τῶν ἄθλων ἦσαν. εἰ δὲ τὰ Μαρσύου ἢ τὰ Ὀλύμπου τῶν Φρυγῶν περιειργάζοντο κρούματα, καταλιπόντες τὴν κόνιν καὶ τὰ γυμνάσια, ταχύ γ’ ἂν στεφάνων ἢ δόξης ἔτυχον ἢ διέφυγον τὸ μὴ καταγέλαστοι εἶναι κατὰ τὸ σῶμα;","english":"For there is a limit to the work of manual laborers, but is there no goal for human life, looking to which one must do and say everything, if one is not to be altogether like the irrational animals? Or would we then be exactly like ships without ballast, with no mind sitting at the helm of our soul, but carried aimlessly up and down through life?\n\nBut just as in athletic contests, or, if you will, in music, the practices are for those contests for which the crowns are set, and no one training for wrestling or the pancratium practices playing the cithara or the flute.\n\nSo it is with Polydamas; but before the contest at Olympia, he stopped the chariots as they ran, and through this he strengthened his strength. And Milo was not pushed off the oiled shield, but held his ground when pushed, no less than statues bound with lead.\n\nAnd in a word, their practices were preparations for the contests. If they had busied themselves with the tunes of Marsyas or Olympus the Phrygians, abandoning the dust and the gymnasia, would they quickly have obtained crowns or glory, or escaped being ridiculous in body?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ γὰρ δὴ ... προσεοικέναι μέλλοντα","severity":"info","text":"Basil argues that human life must have a goal (σκοπός) to avoid being like irrational animals or a ship without ballast. This is a key ethical premise: all actions and words should be directed toward a single end.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Πολυδάμας","severity":"info","text":"Polydamas of Skotoussa was a legendary Thessalian athlete, victor in the pancratium at Olympia in 408 BCE, famed for feats of strength like stopping a chariot. Basil uses him as an exemplar of focused training.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Μίλων","severity":"info","text":"Milo of Croton was a celebrated 6th-century BCE wrestler, known for training by holding an oiled shield against pushes. Basil cites him to illustrate discipline in preparation for a specific contest.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Μαρσύου ... Ὀλύμπου","severity":"info","text":"Marsyas and Olympus were legendary Phrygian musicians; Marsyas was a satyr who challenged Apollo, Olympus a pupil of Marsyas. Their tunes represent frivolous, non-athletic pursuits, contrasting with serious training.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ... πρόκεινται","severity":"info","text":"Basil introduces an analogy: as athletic or musical practices are for specific contests with crowns, so all human practice should be for life’s goal. This analogy structures the argument against aimless learning.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ οὐδείς καὶ οὐδεὶς add. editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a double 'καὶ οὐδείς' noted as an addition by early editors, indicating a possible textual corruption or scribal repetition. The sense is clear: no one trains for one contest by practicing another.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'καὶ οὐδείς καὶ οὐδεὶς' may be a scribal duplication; the intended reading is likely 'καὶ οὐδείς' (and no one).","The reference to 'τὰ Μαρσύου ἢ τὰ Ὀλύμπου' could be to specific musical compositions or to the styles of these figures; Basil assumes the reader knows them."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":59,"ref":"p59","source":"ἀλλ’ οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ ὁ Τιμόθεος τὴν μελῳδίαν ἀφεὶς ἐν ταῖς παλαίστραις διῆγεν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοσοῦτον ὑπῆρξεν αὐτῷ διενεγκεῖν ἁπάντων τῇ μουσικῇ· ᾧ γε τοσοῦτον περιῆν τῆς τέχνης, ὥστε καὶ θυμὸν ἐγείρειν διὰ τῆς συντόνου καὶ αὐστηρᾶς ἁρμονίας, καὶ μέντοι καὶ χαλᾶν καὶ μαλάττειν ἐκμαλάττειν Colb. tertius. πάλιν διὰ τῆς ἀνειμένης, ὁπότε βούλοιτο.\n\nταύτῃ τοι καὶ ταῦτά τοι καὶ τὸ ἐναγώνιον Colb. tertius. Ἀλεξάνδρῳ ποτὲ τὸ Φρύγιον ἐπαυλήσαντα, ἐξαναστῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα λέγεται μεταξὺ δειπνοῦντα, καὶ ἐπαναγαγεῖν πάλιν πρὸς τοὺς συμπότας, τὴν ἁρμονίαν χαλάσαντα. τοσαύτην ἰσχὺν ἔν τε μουσικῇ καὶ τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσι, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ τέλους κτῆσιν ἡ μελέτη παρέχεται.\n\nἘπεὶ δὲ στεφάνων καὶ ἀθλητῶν ἐμνήσθην, ἐκεῖνοι μυρία παθόντες ἐπὶ μυρίοις, καὶ πολλαχόθεν τὴν ῥώμην ἑαυτοῖς συναυξήσαντες, πολλὰ μὲν γυμναστικοῖς ἐνιδρώσαντες πόνοις, πολλὰς δὲ πληγὰς ἐν παιδοτρίβου λαβόντες, δίαιταν δὲ οὐ τὴν ἡδίστην, ἀλλὰ τὴν παρὰ τῶν γυμναστῶν αἱρούμενοι, καὶ τἄλλα, ἵνα μὴ διατρίβω λέγων, οὕτω διάγοντες, ὡς τὸν πρὸ τῆς ἀγωνίας βίον μελέτην εἶναι τῆς ἀγωνίας, τηνικαῦτα ἀποδύονται πρὸς τὸ στάδιον, καὶ πάντα πονοῦσι καὶ κινδυνεύουσιν, ὥστε κοτίνου λαβεῖν στέφανον ἢ σελίνου ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν τοιούτων καὶ νικῶντες ἀναρρηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ κήρυκος.","english":"But Timothy did not, of course, abandon melody to spend his time in the wrestling schools; for he would not otherwise have been so preeminent over all in music, since he had such an excess of skill that he could both rouse passion through tense and severe harmony, and also relax and soften it again through relaxed harmony, whenever he wished.\n\nAnd likewise, it is said that once, by playing the Phrygian mode on the flute to Alexander during a banquet, he roused him to arms, and then led him back to the banqueters by slackening the harmony. Such is the power in both music and athletic contests, where practice is directed toward the attainment of the goal.\n\nSince I have mentioned crowns and athletes, those men, after suffering countless things for countless ends, and having increased their strength from many sources, having sweated through many gymnastic labors, having received many blows from the trainer, and having chosen not the most pleasant regimen but that prescribed by their trainers, and—to avoid digression—living in such a way that their life before the contest was a preparation for the contest, then they strip for the stadium and endure every toil and danger in order to receive a crown of wild olive or celery or some such thing, and to be proclaimed victors by the herald.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Timothy","severity":"info","text":"Timothy of Miletus, a celebrated aulos-player and dithyrambic poet of the late 5th–early 4th century BCE, was known for his innovative and expressive musical style. Basil uses him as a model of disciplined artistry.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Phrygian mode","severity":"info","text":"The Phrygian harmonia was considered in Greek musical theory to be ecstatic and arousing, associated with the aulos and with martial or Dionysiac passion. The anecdote about Alexander is a stock example of music's emotional power.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"background","lemma":"athletic training as preparation","severity":"info","text":"Basil's comparison of the athlete's preparatory regimen to the Christian's moral training echoes a common topos in Greek moral philosophy, especially in Stoic and Platonic traditions, where askēsis is central.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"μελέτην","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term meletēn (μελέτην) here means 'practice' or 'preparation', but in Christian ascetic contexts it often connotes spiritual discipline. Basil exploits the athletic sense to reinforce his moral argument.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"narrative sequence","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms a continuous argument: first the musical example of Timothy, then the Alexander anecdote, then the athletic analogy. Each illustrates how practice (meletē) is directed toward a goal (telos).","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Colb. tertius' in the Greek apparatus indicates a variant reading from a manuscript (Codex Colbertinus tertius). The text of the passage is not entirely secure at these points.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact identity of 'Timothy' is not specified in the text, but the context strongly points to Timothy of Miletus. The phrase 'Colb. tertius' signals textual uncertainty in the manuscript tradition, but the overall sense is clear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":60,"ref":"p60","source":"ἡμῖν δέ, οἷς ἆθλα τοῦ βίου πρόκειται οὕτω θαυμαστὰ πλήθει τε καὶ μεγέθει, ὥστε ἀδύνατα εἶναι ῥηθῆναι λόγῳ, ἐπ’ ἄμφω καθεύδουσι καὶ κατὰ πολλὴν διαιτωμένοις ἄδειαν, τῇ ἑτέρᾳ λαβεῖν τῶν χειρῶν ὑπάρξει;\n\nπολλοῦ μέντ’ ἂν ἄξιον ἦν ἡ ῥᾳθυμία τῷ βίῳ, καὶ ὅ γε Σαρδανάπαλος τὰ πρῶτα πάντων εἰς εὐδαιμονίαν ἐφέρετο, ἢ καὶ ὁ Μαργίτης, Μαργαρίτης Colb. tertius. εἰ βούλει, ὃν οὔτ’ ἀροτῆρα οὔτε σκαπτῆρα οὔτε ἄλλο τι τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐπιτηδείων εἶναι Ὅμηρος ἔφησεν, εἰ δὴ Ὁμήρου ταῦτα.\n\nἀλλὰ μὴ ἀληθὴς μᾶλλον ὁ τοῦ Πιττακοῦ λόγος, ὃς χαλεπὸν ἔφησεν φησιν Colb. tertius. ἐσθλὸν ἔμμεναι; διὰ πολλῶν γὰρ δὴ τῷ ὄντι πόνων διεξελθοῦσι μόλις ἂν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων τυχεῖν ἡμῖν περιγένοιτο, ὧν ἐν τοῖς ἄνω λόγοις οὐδὲν εἶναι παράδειγμα τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐλέγομεν.\n\nοὐ δὴ οὖν ῥᾳθυμητέον ἡμῖν, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐν βραχεῖ ῥᾳστώνης μεγάλας ἐλπίδας ἀνταλλακτέον, εἴπερ μὴ μέλλοιμεν ὀνείδη τε ἕξειν καὶ τιμωρίας ὑφέξειν, οὔ τι παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐνθάδε, καίτοι καὶ τοῦτο οὐ μικρὸν τῷ γε νοῦν ἔχοντι, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς, εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν, εἴτε καὶ ὅπου δὴ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντα τυγχάνει,","english":"For us, however, for whom the prizes of life are so wondrous in number and magnitude that they cannot be expressed in words, will it be possible, while we sleep on both sides and live in great license, to take hold of them with one hand?\n\nGreat indeed would be the value of indolence in life, and Sardanapalus would be carried off first of all in happiness, or even Margites—or Margarites, if you will—whom Homer said was neither a plowman nor a digger nor anything else useful in life, if indeed these are Homer's words.\n\nBut is not the saying of Pittacus rather true, who said it is difficult to be good? For indeed, after passing through many labors, we might barely succeed in attaining those goods of which we said in the earlier discourses that there is no example among human things.\n\nTherefore we must not be indolent, nor must we exchange great hopes for brief ease, unless we are to incur reproaches and undergo punishments—not only here among men, though this too is no small thing for one who has sense, but also in those places, whether beneath the earth or wherever in the universe they happen to be.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Σαρδανάπαλος","severity":"info","text":"Sardanapalus, a legendary Assyrian king, was a byword in Greek literature for luxury and indolence. Basil invokes him as a negative exemplar of a life devoted to ease.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Μαργίτης","severity":"info","text":"Margites was a proverbial fool in Greek tradition, often associated with a lost comic poem attributed to Homer. Basil uses him to illustrate uselessness in practical life.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Πιττακοῦ λόγος","severity":"info","text":"Pittacus of Mytilene, one of the Seven Sages, famously said 'it is difficult to be good' (χαλεπὸν ἐσθλὸν ἔμμεναι). Basil cites this to contrast pagan wisdom with Christian moral striving.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τοῖς ἄνω λόγοις","severity":"info","text":"This phrase refers back to earlier sections of the same work, where Basil argued that the goods of Christian life have no parallel in human affairs. It signals the treatise's internal coherence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν, εἴτε καὶ ὅπου δὴ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντα τυγχάνει","severity":"caution","text":"Basil alludes vaguely to post-mortem punishment, possibly reflecting Platonic or Christian eschatology, but does not specify a doctrine. The phrase leaves open whether he means Hades, hell, or a non-locative state.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀνταλλακτέον","severity":"info","text":"This verb (ἀνταλλάσσω) means 'to exchange one thing for another'. Basil uses it to stress the moral calculus: one must not trade eternal hope for temporary comfort.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν, εἴτε καὶ ὅπου δὴ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντα τυγχάνει' is deliberately vague about the location of post-mortem punishment, possibly to avoid committing to a specific pagan or Christian geography.","The reference to 'Margites' as 'Margarites' in some manuscripts (Colb. tertius) suggests textual variation in the tradition of this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":61,"ref":"p61","source":"δικαιωτηρίοις. δικαστηρίοις editi antiqui. ὡς τῷ μὲν ἀκουσίως τοῦ προσήκοντος ἁμαρτόντι κἂν συγγνώμη τις ἴσως παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ γένοιτο· τῷ δὲ ἐξεπίτηδες τὰ χείρω προελομένῳ οὐδεμία παραίτησις, τὸ μὴ οὐχὶ πολλαπλασίω τὴν κόλασιν ὑποσχεῖν. Ἀλλ’ ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλεγον, πάλιν εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐπανίωμεν. οὐ πάντα ἑξῆς παραδεκτέον ἡμῖν, ἀλλ’ ὅσα χρήσιμα. καὶ γὰρ αἰσχρὸν τῶν μὲν σιτίων τὰ βλαβερὰ διωθεῖσθαι, τῶν δὲ μαθημάτων, ἃ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡμῶν τρέφει, μηδένα λόγον ἔχειν, ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ χειμάρρουν παρασύροντας ἅπαν τὸ προστυχὸν ἐμβάλλεσθαι. καίτοι τίνα ἔχει λόγον κυβερνήτην μὲν οὐκ εἰκῆ τοῖς πνεύμασιν ἐφιέναι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὅρμους εὐθύνειν τὸ σκάφος· καὶ τοξότην κατὰ σκοποῦ βάλλειν· καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ χαλκευτικόν τινα ἢ τεκτονικὸν ὄντα τοῦ κατὰ τὴν τέχνην ἐφίεσθαι τέλους· ἡμᾶς δὲ καὶ τῶν τοιούτων δημιουργῶν ἀπολείπεσθαι, πρός γε τὸ συνορᾶν δύνασθαι τὰ ἡμέτερα; οὐ γὰρ δὴ τῶν μὲν χειρωνακτῶν ἐστί τι πέρας τῆς ἐργασίας, τοῦ δὲ ἀνθρωπίνου βίου σκοπὸς οὐκ ἔστι, πρὸς ὃν ἀφορῶντα πάντα ποιεῖν καὶ λέγειν χρὴ τόν γε μὴ τοῖς ἀλόγοις παντάπασι προσεοικέναι μέλλοντα; ἢ οὕτως ἂν εἴημεν ἀτεχνῶς κατὰ τῶν πλοίων τὰ ἀνερμάτιστα, οὐδενὸς ἡμῖν νοῦ ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς ψυχῆς οἰάκων καθεζομένου, εἰκῆ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιφερόμενοι. ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσιν, εἰ δὲ βούλει, τῆς μουσικῆς· ἐκείνων εἰσὶ τῶν ἀγώνων αἱ μελέται, ὧνπερ οἱ στέφανοι πρόκεινται, καὶ οὐδείς καὶ οὐδεὶς add. editi antiqui. γε πάλην ἀσκῶν ἢ παγκράτιον, εἶτα κιθαρίζειν ἢ αὐλεῖν μελετᾷ. οὔκουν ὁ Πολυδάμας γε·","english":"in courts of law. The ancient editions read \"courts.\" For if someone errs involuntarily from what is proper, perhaps some pardon might come from God; but for one who deliberately chooses the worse, there is no excuse, and he must undergo not merely a single but a manifold punishment. But, as I said from the beginning, let us return to the same point. Not everything is to be accepted indiscriminately by us, but only what is useful. For it is shameful to reject harmful foods, yet to take no account of the studies that nourish our soul, but like a torrent to sweep in and swallow everything that comes along. Indeed, what sense does it make for a pilot not to yield carelessly to the winds, but to steer the ship toward harbors; for an archer to shoot at a target; and for a smith or a carpenter to aim at the end proper to his craft—while we fall short even of such craftsmen in being able to discern our own concerns? For surely it is not the case that manual laborers have some limit to their work, while human life has no goal, looking to which one must do and say everything if he is not to resemble irrational animals altogether? Or would we then be exactly like ships without ballast, with no mind seated at the helm of our souls, drifting aimlessly up and down through life? But just as in athletic contests—or, if you will, in music—the practices belong to those contests for which the crowns are set, and no one training for wrestling or the pancratium practices playing the cithara or the flute. So too Polydamas—","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"δικαιωτηρίοις","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text has δικαιωτηρίοις, but the ancient editions read δικαστηρίοις (courts). The sense here is legal: the context contrasts involuntary error with deliberate choice of evil.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"παραίτησις","severity":"info","text":"παραίτησις means 'excuse' or 'plea for exemption'. Basil denies any such plea for one who deliberately chooses the worse, reinforcing the moral seriousness of the choice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλ’ ὅπερ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔλεγον, πάλιν εἰς ταὐτὸν ἐπανίωμεν","severity":"info","text":"Basil signals a return to his main argument (selective reading of pagan literature), using a ring-composition device. This frames the intervening discussion as a digression.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ χειμάρρουν παρασύροντας ἅπαν τὸ προστυχὸν ἐμβάλλεσθαι","severity":"info","text":"The image of a torrent sweeping away everything recalls a common Stoic and Platonic metaphor for uncritical acceptance. Basil adapts it to warn against indiscriminate reading.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πολυδάμας","severity":"info","text":"Polydamas was a legendary Thessalian athlete known for his strength. Basil invokes him as an example of focused athletic training, contrasting with the indiscriminate study he warns against.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδείς γε πάλην ἀσκῶν ἢ παγκράτιον, εἶτα κιθαρίζειν ἢ αὐλεῖν μελετᾷ","severity":"caution","text":"The text adds 'οὐδείς' (no one) from ancient editions, but the sense is clear: a wrestler does not practice music. The sentence is broken off, likely a lacuna or rhetorical aposiopesis.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has δικαιωτηρίοις, which is a hapax or rare form; the ancient editions read δικαστηρίοις, and the sense requires 'courts'.","The sentence breaks off after 'Πολυδάμας γε·', leaving the comparison incomplete; it may be a rhetorical aposiopesis or a textual lacuna."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":62,"ref":"p62","source":"ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνος πρὸ τοῦ ἀγῶνος τοῦ Ὀλυμπιάσι, τὰ ἅρματα ἵστη τρέχοντα, καὶ διὰ τούτων τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐκράτυνε. καὶ ὅ γε Μίλων ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληλειμμένης ἀσπίδος οὐκ ἐξωθεῖτο, ἀλλ’ ἀντεῖχεν ὠθούμενος, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ οἱ ἀνδριάντες οἱ τῷ μολύβδῳ συνδεδεμένοι. καὶ ἁπαξαπλῶς αἱ μελέται αὐτοῖς παρασκευαὶ τῶν ἄθλων ἦσαν. εἰ δὲ τὰ Μαρσύου ἢ τὰ Ὀλύμπου τῶν Φρυγῶν περιειργάζοντο κρούματα, καταλιπόντες τὴν κόνιν καὶ τὰ γυμνάσια, ταχύ γ’ ἂν στεφάνων ἢ δόξης ἔτυχον ἢ διέφυγον τὸ μὴ καταγέλαστοι εἶναι κατὰ τὸ σῶμα; ἀλλ’ οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ ὁ Τιμόθεος τὴν μελῳδίαν ἀφεὶς ἐν ταῖς παλαίστραις διῆγεν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοσοῦτον ὑπῆρξεν αὐτῷ διενεγκεῖν ἁπάντων τῇ μουσικῇ· ᾧ γε τοσοῦτον περιῆν τῆς τέχνης, ὥστε καὶ θυμὸν ἐγείρειν διὰ τῆς συντόνου καὶ αὐστηρᾶς ἁρμονίας, καὶ μέντοι καὶ χαλᾶν καὶ μαλάττειν ἐκμαλάττειν Colb. tertius. πάλιν διὰ τῆς ἀνειμένης, ὁπότε βούλοιτο. ταύτῃ τοι καὶ ταῦτά τοι καὶ τὸ ἐναγώνιον Colb. tertius. Ἀλεξάνδρῳ ποτὲ τὸ Φρύγιον ἐπαυλήσαντα, ἐξαναστῆσαι αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τὰ ὅπλα λέγεται μεταξὺ δειπνοῦντα, καὶ ἐπαναγαγεῖν πάλιν πρὸς τοὺς συμπότας, τὴν ἁρμονίαν χαλάσαντα. τοσαύτην ἰσχὺν ἔν τε μουσικῇ καὶ τοῖς γυμνικοῖς ἀγῶσι, πρὸς τὴν τοῦ τέλους κτῆσιν ἡ μελέτη παρέχεται.","english":"But that man, before the Olympic contest, would set his chariots running and through this strengthen their power. And Milo, at any rate, was not pushed off the oiled shield, but held his ground when pushed, no less than statues bound with lead. And in a word, their practices were preparations for the contests. But if they had busied themselves with the Phrygian melodies of Marsyas or Olympus, abandoning the dust and the gymnasia, would they quickly have attained crowns or glory, or escaped being ridiculous in body? Yet neither did Timotheus, having abandoned melody, spend his time in the wrestling schools; for he would not have so far surpassed all others in music, he who had such an excess of his art that he could arouse passion through the tense and severe harmony, and again relax and soften and mollify through the relaxed harmony, whenever he wished. And by this means, it is said that once, when he played the Phrygian mode for Alexander during a meal, he made him rise to arms, and then led him back to the banqueters by slackening the harmony. Such is the power that practice provides, both in music and in athletic contests, for the attainment of the goal.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Μίλων","severity":"info","text":"Milo of Croton was a celebrated 6th-century BC wrestler known for his immense strength. The oiled shield anecdote illustrates his training method.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Μαρσύου","severity":"info","text":"Marsyas and Olympus were legendary Phrygian musicians; their melodies were associated with ecstatic, non-civic music, contrasting with disciplined athletic training.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Τιμόθεος","severity":"info","text":"Timotheus of Miletus was a renowned 5th–4th century BC musician and poet, famous for his innovative and emotionally powerful music.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Φρύγιον","severity":"info","text":"The Phrygian mode was one of the ancient Greek harmoniai, considered intense and warlike, capable of rousing strong emotions, as the Alexander anecdote shows.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ ἐκεῖνος","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the analogy from the previous section, contrasting proper preparatory practice with indiscriminate acceptance of pagan culture.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκμαλάττειν","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a variant reading; the manuscript tradition shows 'ἐκμαλάττειν' as a correction or addition, possibly a scribal gloss.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ταύτῃ τοι καὶ ταῦτά τοι' is obscure and may be a textual corruption; the translation follows a conjectural reading."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":63,"ref":"p63","source":"Ἐπεὶ δὲ στεφάνων καὶ ἀθλητῶν ἐμνήσθην, ἐκεῖνοι μυρία παθόντες ἐπὶ μυρίοις, καὶ πολλαχόθεν τὴν ῥώμην ἑαυτοῖς συναυξήσαντες, πολλὰ μὲν γυμναστικοῖς ἐνιδρώσαντες πόνοις, πολλὰς δὲ πληγὰς ἐν παιδοτρίβου λαβόντες, δίαιταν δὲ οὐ τὴν ἡδίστην, ἀλλὰ τὴν παρὰ τῶν γυμναστῶν αἱρούμενοι, καὶ τἄλλα, ἵνα μὴ διατρίβω λέγων, οὕτω διάγοντες, ὡς τὸν πρὸ τῆς ἀγωνίας βίον μελέτην εἶναι τῆς ἀγωνίας, τηνικαῦτα ἀποδύονται πρὸς τὸ στάδιον, καὶ πάντα πονοῦσι καὶ κινδυνεύουσιν, ὥστε κοτίνου λαβεῖν στέφανον ἢ σελίνου ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν τοιούτων καὶ νικῶντες ἀναρρηθῆναι παρὰ τοῦ κήρυκος. ἡμῖν δέ, οἷς ἆθλα τοῦ βίου πρόκειται οὕτω θαυμαστὰ πλήθει τε καὶ μεγέθει, ὥστε ἀδύνατα εἶναι ῥηθῆναι λόγῳ, ἐπ’ ἄμφω καθεύδουσι καὶ κατὰ πολλὴν διαιτωμένοις ἄδειαν, τῇ ἑτέρᾳ λαβεῖν τῶν χειρῶν ὑπάρξει; πολλοῦ μέντ’ ἂν ἄξιον ἦν ἡ ῥᾳθυμία τῷ βίῳ, καὶ ὅ γε Σαρδανάπαλος τὰ πρῶτα πάντων εἰς εὐδαιμονίαν ἐφέρετο, ἢ καὶ ὁ Μαργίτης, Μαργαρίτης Colb. tertius. εἰ βούλει, ὃν οὔτ’ ἀροτῆρα οὔτε σκαπτῆρα οὔτε ἄλλο τι τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐπιτηδείων εἶναι Ὅμηρος ἔφησεν, εἰ δὴ Ὁμήρου ταῦτα. ἀλλὰ μὴ ἀληθὴς μᾶλλον ὁ τοῦ Πιττακοῦ λόγος, ὃς χαλεπὸν ἔφησεν φησιν Colb. tertius. ἐσθλὸν ἔμμεναι; διὰ πολλῶν γὰρ δὴ τῷ ὄντι πόνων διεξελθοῦσι μόλις ἂν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνων τυχεῖν ἡμῖν περιγένοιτο, ὧν ἐν τοῖς ἄνω λόγοις οὐδὲν εἶναι παράδειγμα τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐλέγομεν.","english":"Since I have mentioned crowns and athletes, those men, after countless sufferings upon countless sufferings, having increased their strength from many sources, having sweated much over gymnastic labors, having received many blows from the trainer, and choosing not the most pleasant regimen but that prescribed by their trainers, and living in such a way—to avoid wasting words—that their life before the contest was a preparation for the contest, then they strip for the stadium and undergo every toil and danger in order to receive a crown of wild olive or celery or some such thing and, if victorious, to be proclaimed by the herald. But for us, for whom the prizes of life are so marvelous in number and magnitude that they cannot be expressed in words, will it be possible to take hold of them with one hand while we sleep on both sides and live in great ease? Then indeed laziness would be of great value to life, and Sardanapalus would be considered foremost in happiness, or even Margites—or Margarites, if you will—whom Homer said was neither a plowman nor a digger nor anything else useful in life, if indeed those verses are Homer's. But is not the saying of Pittacus truer, who said it is difficult to be good? For indeed, only after passing through many labors would it perhaps be possible for us to attain those goods which in the earlier discourses we said have no parallel among human things.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Σαρδανάπαλος","severity":"info","text":"Sardanapalus, a legendary Assyrian king, was a byword for luxury and effeminacy in Greek literature. Basil uses him as a foil to contrast Christian asceticism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Μαργίτης","severity":"info","text":"Margites was a comic figure of a foolish man, traditionally attributed to Homer. The variant 'Margarites' (pearl) may be a scribal joke or corruption.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"Πιττακοῦ λόγος","severity":"info","text":"Pittacus of Mytilene, one of the Seven Sages, said 'It is difficult to be good' (χαλεπὸν ἐσθλὸν ἔμμεναι). Basil adapts this to argue that virtue requires effort.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπεὶ δὲ στεφάνων καὶ ἀθλητῶν ἐμνήσθην","severity":"info","text":"This passage continues the athletic analogy from the previous section, contrasting pagan athletes' discipline with Christian laxity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Μαργαρίτης","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows a variant 'Μαργαρίτης' (pearl) for 'Μαργίτης', possibly a scribal error or pun. The sense is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"Ὅμηρος","severity":"info","text":"Basil questions Homeric authorship of the Margites, reflecting ancient debates about the Homeric corpus. This shows his critical engagement with pagan texts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The variant 'Μαργαρίτης' for 'Μαργίτης' may be a scribal corruption or intentional wordplay; the reading adopted is 'Margites' as the traditional figure."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":64,"ref":"p64","source":"οὐ δὴ οὖν ῥᾳθυμητέον ἡμῖν, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐν βραχεῖ ῥᾳστώνης μεγάλας ἐλπίδας ἀνταλλακτέον, εἴπερ μὴ μέλλοιμεν ὀνείδη τε ἕξειν καὶ τιμωρίας ὑφέξειν, οὔ τι παρὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐνθάδε, καίτοι καὶ τοῦτο οὐ μικρὸν τῷ γε νοῦν ἔχοντι, ἀλλ’ ἐν τοῖς, εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν, εἴτε καὶ ὅπου δὴ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντα τυγχάνει,\nδικαιωτηρίοις. δικαστηρίοις editi antiqui. ὡς τῷ μὲν ἀκουσίως τοῦ προσήκοντος ἁμαρτόντι κἂν συγγνώμη τις ἴσως παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ γένοιτο· τῷ δὲ ἐξεπίτηδες τὰ χείρω προελομένῳ οὐδεμία παραίτησις, τὸ μὴ οὐχὶ πολλαπλασίω τὴν κόλασιν ὑποσχεῖν. Τί οὖν ποιῶμεν; φαίη τις ἄν. τί ἄλλο γε ἢ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχειν, πᾶσαν σχολὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἄγοντας;\n\nἄγοντες antiqui duo libri. οὐ δὴ οὖν τῷ σώματι δουλευτέον, ὅτι μὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη· ἀλλὰ τῇ ψυχῇ τὰ βέλτιστα ποριστέον, ὥσπερ ἐκ δεσμωτηρίου, τῆς πρὸς τὰ τοῦ σώματος πάθη κοινωνίας πρὸς τὸ σῶμα κοινωνίας Colb. tertius. αὐτὴν διὰ φιλοσοφίας λύοντας, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα τῶν παθῶν κρεῖττον ἀπεργαζομένους, γαστρὶ μέν γε τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ὑπηρετοῦντας, οὐχὶ τὰ ἥδιστα, ὡς οἵ γε τραπεζοποιούς τινας καὶ μαγείρους περινοοῦντες, καὶ πᾶσαν διερευνώμενοι γῆν τε καὶ θάλασσαν, οἷόν τινι χαλεπῷ δεσπότῃ φόρους ἀπάγοντες, ἐλεεινοὶ τῆς ἀσχολίας, τῶν ἐν ᾄδου κολαζομένων οὐδὲν πάσχοντες ἀνεκτότερον, ἀτεχνῶς εἰς πῦρ ξαίνοντες, καὶ κοσκίνῳ φέροντες ὕδωρ, καὶ εἰς τετρημένον τετριμμένον Colb. tertius, editi antiqui. ἀντλοῦντες πίθον,","english":"Therefore we must not be idle, nor must we exchange great hopes for a brief respite, if we are not to incur reproach and undergo punishment—not only among men here, which is no small thing for one who has sense, but in the places of judgment, whether beneath the earth or wherever in the universe they may be. For one who has erred involuntarily from what is fitting, there might perhaps be some pardon from God; but for one who has deliberately chosen the worse, there is no excuse, and the punishment is not merely multiplied. What then are we to do? someone might say. What else but to care for the soul, withdrawing all leisure from other things? Therefore we must not be enslaved to the body, except when absolutely necessary; but we must provide the best things for the soul, as if from a prison, releasing it from communion with the affections of the body through philosophy, and at the same time making the body superior to its passions, serving the belly only what is necessary, not what is most pleasant, as those do who devise table-setters and cooks, and search every land and sea, as if paying tribute to a harsh master, pitiable in their busyness, suffering nothing more tolerable than those punished in Hades, literally carding wool into fire, carrying water in a sieve, and drawing water into a perforated jar.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"δικαιωτηρίοις","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text reads δικαιωτηρίοις (places of judgment), but the edition notes that some ancient manuscripts have δικαστηρίοις (courts). The sense is of divine judgment, not merely human courts.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"παραίτησις","severity":"info","text":"παραίτησις means 'excuse' or 'plea for pardon'. Basil denies any such plea for one who deliberately chooses the worse, contrasting with possible pardon for involuntary error.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"εἴτε ὑπὸ γῆν, εἴτε καὶ ὅπου δὴ τοῦ παντὸς ὄντα τυγχάνει","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'whether beneath the earth or wherever in the universe' echoes Platonic and biblical notions of postmortem judgment, but no single verse is cited. It reflects a general eschatological framework.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰς πῦρ ξαίνοντες, καὶ κοσκίνῳ φέροντες ὕδωρ, καὶ εἰς τετρημένον ἀντλοῦντες πίθον","severity":"info","text":"These are proverbial descriptions of futile labor, known from Greek literature (e.g., Plato, Lucian). Basil uses them to illustrate the pointlessness of bodily indulgence.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Τί οὖν ποιῶμεν; φαίη τις ἄν.","severity":"info","text":"This rhetorical question marks a transition from warning to exhortation. Basil introduces a hypothetical interlocutor to advance the argument toward practical advice on caring for the soul.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς πρὸς τὰ τοῦ σώματος πάθη κοινωνίας πρὸς τὸ σῶμα κοινωνίας","severity":"caution","text":"The text shows a variant: some manuscripts read 'communion with the affections of the body' while others have 'communion with the body'. The sense is similar, but the exact phrasing is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The location of the 'places of judgment' is left vague: 'whether beneath the earth or wherever in the universe they may be'.","The variant readings for 'communion with the affections of the body' vs. 'communion with the body' introduce a minor textual ambiguity."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":65,"ref":"p65","source":"οὐδὲν πέρας τῶν πόνων ἔχοντες. κουρὰς δὲ καὶ ἀμπεχόνας ἔξω τῶν ἀναγκαίων περιεργάζεσθαι, ἢ δυστυχούντων ἐστί, κατὰ τὸν Διογένους λόγον, ἢ ἀδικούντων. ὥστε καλλωπιστὴν εἶναι καὶ ὀνομάζεσθαι ὁμοίως αἰσχρὸν ἡγεῖσθαί φημι δεῖν τοὺς τοιούτους, ὡς τὸ ἑταιρεῖν ἢ ἀλλοτρίοις γάμοις ἐπιβουλεύειν.\n\nτί γὰρ ἂν διαφέροι τῷ γε νοῦν ἔχοντι, ξυστίδα ἀναβεβλῆσθαι ἤ τι τῶν φαύλων ἱμάτιον φέρειν, ἕως ἂν μηδὲν ἐνδέῃ ἐνδέει, om. ἂν editi antiqui. τοῦ πρὸς χειμῶνά τε εἶναι καὶ θάλπος ἀλεξητήριον;\n\nκαὶ τἄλλα δὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον μὴ περιττότερον τῆς χρείας κατεσκευάσθαι, μηδὲ περιέπειν τὸ σῶμα πλέον ἢ ὡς ἄμεινον τῇ ψυχῇ. οὐχ ἧττον γὰρ ὄνειδος ἀνδρὶ τῷ γε ὡς ἀληθῶς τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης ἀξίῳ, καλλωπιστὴν καὶ φιλοσώματον εἶναι, ἢ πρὸς ἄλλο τι τῶν παθῶν ἀγεννῶς διακεῖσθαι.\n\nτὸ γὰρ τὴν πᾶσαν σπουδὴν εἰσφέρεσθαι, ὅπως ὡς κάλλιστα αὐτῷ αὐτοῦ Colb. tertius. τὸ σῶμα ἕξοι, οὐ διαγινώσκοντός γινώσκοντος Colb. tertius. ἐστιν ἑαυτόν, οὐδὲ συνιέντος τοῦ σοφοῦ παραγγέλματος, ὅτι οὐ τὸ ὁρώμενόν ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ἀλλά τινος δεῖται περιττοτέρας σοφίας, δι’ ἧς ἕκαστος ἡμῶν, ὅστις ποτέ ἐστιν, ἑαυτὸν ἐπιγνώσεται. τοῦτο δὲ μὴ καθηραμένοις τὸν νοῦν ἀδυνατώτερον ἢ λημῶντι πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἀναβλέψαι.","english":"having no end of labors. To be overly concerned with haircuts and clothing beyond what is necessary is, according to the saying of Diogenes, either for the unfortunate or for the unjust. Therefore I say that one must consider it equally shameful for such men to be and to be called a dandy, as to be a prostitute or to plot against others' marriages.\n\nFor what difference would it make to one who has sense, whether he wears a luxurious robe or some common garment, as long as nothing is lacking for protection against winter and heat?\n\nAnd all other things likewise should not be fashioned more elaborately than need requires, nor should the body be tended more than is beneficial for the soul. For it is no less a reproach to a man who is truly worthy of this name to be a dandy and a lover of the body than to be ignobly disposed toward any other passion.\n\nFor to apply all one's effort to making his body as beautiful as possible is characteristic of one who does not know himself, nor understand the wise precept that the visible is not the man; but some greater wisdom is needed, through which each of us, whoever he is, will come to know himself. And this is more impossible for those whose mind is not purified than for a bleary-eyed person to look at the sun.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"κατὰ τὸν Διογένους λόγον","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Diogenes (likely Diogenes of Sinope) invokes a Cynic commonplace: excessive concern with appearance is a sign of moral failure. The same saying is attributed to Diogenes in other sources, e.g., Diogenes Laertius 6.54.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Diogenes Laertius"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"καλλωπιστὴν","severity":"info","text":"καλλωπιστής (dandy) is a rare term in Greek literature, denoting one who is excessively adorned or vain about appearance. Basil uses it to mark a moral category parallel to sexual or marital offenses.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ γὰρ τὴν πᾶσαν σπουδὴν εἰσφέρεσθαι, ὅπως ὡς κάλλιστα αὐτῷ τὸ σῶμα ἕξοι","severity":"info","text":"The phrase echoes the Delphic maxim γνῶθι σεαυτόν (know yourself), which Basil explicitly invokes as a σοφοῦ παράγγελμα. The contrast between body and soul also resonates with Platonic and Pauline dualism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐδὲν πέρας τῶν πόνων ἔχοντες","severity":"info","text":"This opening clause continues the argument from the previous passage: those who pursue bodily pleasures have no end of labors. It functions as a transitional summary before the new topic of external appearance.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὡς τὸ ἑταιρεῖν ἢ ἀλλοτρίοις γάμοις ἐπιβουλεύειν","severity":"info","text":"Basil equates being a dandy with prostitution (ἑταιρεῖν) and adultery (ἀλλοτρίοις γάμοις ἐπιβουλεύειν). This rhetorical escalation is typical of moral diatribe and parallels Stoic-Cynic lists of vices.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἕως ἂν μηδὲν ἐνδέῃ ἐνδέει, om. ἂν editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a textual variant: the phrase ἕως ἂν μηδὲν ἐνδέῃ (as long as nothing is lacking) is followed by a redundant ἐνδέει in some manuscripts, and the particle ἂν is omitted in older editions. The sense is not affected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἕως ἂν μηδὲν ἐνδέῃ ἐνδέει' is textually uncertain; the reading adopted follows the majority of manuscripts, omitting the second ἐνδέει as a scribal duplication."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":66,"ref":"p66","source":"Κάθαρσις δὲ ψυχῆς, ὡς ἀθρόως τε εἰπεῖν καὶ ὑμῖν ἱκανῶς, τὰς διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάζειν, μὴ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἑστιᾶν ταῖς ἀτόποις τῶν θαυματοποιῶν ἐπιδείξεσιν ἢ σωμάτων θέαις ἡδονῆς κέντρον ἐναφιέντων, μὴ διὰ τῶν ὤτων διεφθαρμένην μελῳδίαν τῶν ψυχῶν καταχεῖν.\n\nἀνελευθερίας γὰρ δὴ καὶ ταπεινότητος ἔκγονα πάθη ἐκ τοῦ τοιοῦδε τῆς μουσικῆς εἴδους ἐγγίνεσθαι πέφυκεν. ἀλλὰ τὴν ἑτέραν μεταδιωκτέον ἡμῖν, τὴν ἀμείνω τε καὶ εἰς ἄμεινον φέρουσαν ᾗ καὶ Δαβὶδ χρώμενος ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν ἱερῶν ᾀσμάτων, ἐκ τῆς μανίας, ὥς φασι, τὸν βασιλέα καθίστη.\n\nλέγεται δὲ καὶ Πυθαγόραν κωμασταῖς περιτυχόντα μεθύουσι κελεῦσαι τὸν αὐλητὴν τὸν τοῦ κώμου κατάρχοντα, μεταβαλόντα τὴν ἁρμονίαν, ἐπαυλῆσαί σφισι τὸ Δώριον, τοὺς δὲ οὕτως ἀναφρονῆσαι ὑπὸ τοῦ μέλους, ὥστε τοὺς στεφάνους ῥίψαντας, αἰσχυνομένους ἐπανελθεῖν.\n\nἕτεροι δὲ πρὸς αὐλὸν κορυβαντιῶσι καὶ ἐκβακχεύονται· τοσοῦτόν ἐστι τὸ διάφορον ὑγιοῦς ἢ μοχθηρᾶς μελῳδίας ἀναπλησθῆναι. ἀναπληρῶσαι Colb. tertius. ὥστε, τῆς νῦν δὴ κρατούσης ταύτης, ἧττον ὑμῖν μεθεκτέον, ἢ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν προδήλως add. Colb. tertius. αἰσχίστων.","english":"Purification of the soul, to speak concisely and sufficiently for you, is to dishonor the pleasures that come through the senses: not to feast the eyes on the absurd displays of wonder-workers or on the sights of bodies that inject the sting of pleasure, not to pour into the soul through the ears a corrupted melody. For passions that are offspring of illiberality and baseness naturally arise from this kind of music. But we must pursue the other kind, the better one that leads to something better, the kind that David, the poet of the sacred songs, used when he brought the king back from his madness, as they say. It is also said that Pythagoras, encountering revelers who were drunk, ordered the aulete who was leading the revel to change the harmony and play the Dorian mode for them, and that they regained their senses from the melody to such an extent that they threw away their garlands and returned in shame. Others are driven to Corybantic frenzy and Bacchic ecstasy by the aulos; so great is the difference between being filled with a healthy or a depraved melody. Therefore, of this kind that now prevails, you must partake less than of anything that is manifestly most shameful.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Κάθαρσις δὲ ψυχῆς","severity":"info","text":"Basil defines purification of the soul as rejecting sensory pleasures, specifically visual spectacles and corrupt music.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Δώριον","severity":"info","text":"The Dorian mode was associated in Greek musical theory with order, restraint, and moral improvement, contrasting with more emotional modes.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Πυθαγόραν","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote of Pythagoras calming drunk revelers by changing the aulete's harmony to the Dorian mode is a stock example of music's ethical power, found in later Neoplatonic sources.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δαβὶδ","severity":"info","text":"David is cited as the poet of sacred songs who used music to cure King Saul's madness, a reference to 1 Samuel 16:14-23 where David plays the lyre to soothe Saul.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"κορυβαντιῶσι","severity":"info","text":"Corybantic frenzy refers to ecstatic rites of Cybele, a common trope in Greek moral philosophy for uncontrolled emotional states induced by music.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀναπληρῶσαι","severity":"caution","text":"The verb ἀναπληρῶσαι is a variant reading from the Colb. tertius manuscript; the standard text reads ἀναπλησθῆναι, affecting the sense of 'being filled' versus 'filling'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῆς νῦν δὴ κρατούσης ταύτης' could refer to a specific contemporary musical style or more generally to the prevailing corrupt music; Basil's target is ambiguous.","The textual variant ἀναπληρῶσαι (Colb. tertius) vs. ἀναπλησθῆναι changes the subject of the filling, but the overall argument is not fundamentally altered."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":67,"ref":"p67","source":"ἀτμούς γε μὴν παντοδαποὺς ἡδονὴν ὀσφρήσει φέροντας τῷ ἀέρι καταμιγνύναι, ἢ μύροις ἑαυτοὺς ἀναχρώννυσθαι, καὶ ἀπαγορεύειν αἰσχύνομαι. τί δ’ ἄν τις εἴποι περὶ τοῦ μὴ χρῆναι τὰς ἐν ἁφῇ καὶ γεύσει διώκειν ἡδονάς, ἢ ὅτι καταναγκάζουσιν αὗται τοὺς περὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν θήραν ἐσχολακότας, ὥσπερ τὰ θρέμματα, πρὸς τὴν γαστέρα καὶ τὰ ὑπ’ αὐτὴν συννενευκότας συννενευκότα antiqui tres libri. ζῆν;\n\nἙνὶ δὲ λόγῳ, παντὸς ὑπεροπτέον τοῦ σώματος τῷ μή, ὡς ἐν βορβόρῳ, ταῖς ἡδοναῖς αὐτοῦ κατορωρύχθαι μέλλοντι, ἢ τοσοῦτον ἀνθεκτέον αὐτοῦ, ὅσον, φησὶ Πλάτων; ὑπηρεσίαν φιλοσοφίᾳ κτωμένου, ἐοικότα που λέγων τῷ Παύλῳ, ὃς παραινεῖ μηδεμίαν χρῆναι τοῦ σώματος πρόνοιαν ἔχειν εἰς ἐπιθυμιῶν ἀφορμήν.\n\nἢ τί διαφέρουσιν οἳ τοῦ μὲν σώματος ὡς ἂν κάλλιστα ἔχοι φροντίζουσι, τὴν δὲ χρησομένην αὐτῷ ψυχὴν ὡς οὐδενὸς ἀξίαν περιορῶσι, τῶν περὶ τὰ ὄργανα σπουδαζόντων, τῆς δὲ δι’ αὐτῶν ἐνεργούσης τέχνης καταμελούντων;\n\nπᾶν μὲν οὖν τοὐναντίον κολάζειν αὐτὸ καὶ κατέχειν ὥσπερ θηρίου τὰς ὁρμὰς προσῆκε, καὶ τοὺς ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ θορύβους ἐγγινομένους τῇ ψυχῇ, οἱονεὶ μάστιγι, τῷ λογισμῷ καθικνουμένους κοιμίζειν, ἀλλὰ μὴ πάντα χαλινὸν ἡδονῆς ἀνέντας περιορᾶν τὸν νοῦν, ὥσπερ ἡνίοχον, ὑπὸ δυσηνίων ἵππων ὕβρει φερομένων παρασυρόμενον ἄγεσθαι· καὶ τοῦ Πυθαγόρου μεμνῆσθαι, ὃς τῶν συνόντων τινὰ καταμαθὼν γυμνασίοις τε καὶ σιτίοις ἑαυτὸν εὖ μάλα κατασαρκοῦντα, οὕτως ἔφη· Οὐ παύσῃ χαλεπώτερον σεαυτῷ κατασκευάζων τὸ δεσμωτήριον;","english":"or to mix into the air all sorts of vapors that bring pleasure to the sense of smell, or to anoint themselves with perfumes—I am ashamed even to forbid it. And what could one say about not pursuing the pleasures of touch and taste, except that these compel those who have devoted themselves to their pursuit, like beasts, to live bent over their belly and the parts beneath it?\n\nIn a single word, one must despise the entire body, if one is not to be buried, as in a bog, in its pleasures; or one must cling to it only to the extent that, as Plato says, one acquires a service for philosophy—speaking somewhat like Paul, who advises that one should take no thought for the body as a means of providing for desires.\n\nOr how do those differ who care for the body so that it may be as fine as possible, but neglect the soul that will use it, as if it were worth nothing—like those who are zealous about the instruments but neglect the art that works through them?\n\nOn the contrary, it is fitting to discipline the body and restrain its impulses like a wild beast, and to quiet the disturbances arising from it in the soul, striking them, as with a whip, by reason; and not to let every rein of pleasure go slack and allow the mind, like a charioteer, to be dragged along, carried away by the insolence of unruly horses. And to remember Pythagoras, who, when he observed one of his companions fattening himself excessively with exercises and food, said: \"Will you not stop making the prison more difficult for yourself?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀτμούς γε μὴν παντοδαποὺς ἡδονὴν ὀσφρήσει φέροντας","severity":"info","text":"Basil continues the list of sensory pleasures to be avoided, now focusing on smell. The phrase 'vapors that bring pleasure to the sense of smell' echoes the earlier prohibition of visual and auditory pleasures.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Παύλῳ, ὃς παραινεῖ μηδεμίαν χρῆναι τοῦ σώματος πρόνοιαν ἔχειν","severity":"info","text":"Basil invokes Paul's advice to disregard bodily care as a means for desires. This likely alludes to passages such as Romans 8:12-13 or 1 Corinthians 9:23, though the exact reference is not specified.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Πλάτων","severity":"info","text":"Basil compares Plato's idea of using the body as a 'service for philosophy' to Paul's teaching. This reflects Basil's strategy of harmonizing Greek philosophical ethics with Christian asceticism.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πυθαγόρου","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Pythagoras' saying about the body as a prison, a common theme in Platonic and Pythagorean thought. This reinforces the ascetic ideal of disciplining the body.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἑνὶ δὲ λόγῳ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a summary transition, condensing the preceding prohibitions into a single principle: despise the body except as a tool for philosophy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"συννενευκότας συννενευκότα antiqui tres libri","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a repetition ('συννενευκότας συννενευκότα') followed by a Latin note 'antiqui tres libri', indicating a textual corruption or scribal gloss. The English translation smooths this over.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact scriptural reference for Paul's advice is not specified; the phrase 'μηδεμίαν χρῆναι τοῦ σώματος πρόνοιαν ἔχειν' may be a paraphrase rather than a direct quotation.","The repetition 'συννενευκότας συννενευκότα' and the Latin note 'antiqui tres libri' suggest a textual issue, possibly a dittography or marginal comment, whose precise meaning is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":68,"ref":"p68","source":"διὸ δὴ καὶ Πλάτωνά φασι τὴν ἐκ σώματος βλάβην προειδόμενον, τὸ νοσῶδες χωρίον τῆς Ἀττικῆς τὴν Ἀκαδημίαν καταλαβεῖν ἐξεπίτηδες, ἵνα τὴν ἄγαν εὐπάθειαν τοῦ σώματος, οἷον ἀμπέλου τὴν εἰς τὰ περιττὰ φοράν, περικόπτοι. περικόπτῃ editio Paris. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ σφαλερὰν εἶναι τὴν ἐπ’ ἄκρον εὐεξίαν ἰατρῶν ἤκουσα.\n\nὍτε τοίνυν ἡ ἄγαν αὕτη τοῦ σώματος ἐπιμέλεια, αὐτῷ τε ἀλυσιτελὴς τῷ σώματι καὶ πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι, τό γε ὑποπεπτωκέναι τούτῳ καὶ θεραπεύειν, μανία σαφής.\n\nἀλλὰ μὴν εἰ τούτου γε ὑπερορᾶν μελετήσαιμεν, μελετήσαμεν editi antiqui. σχολῇ γ’ ἂν ἄλλο τι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων θαυμάσαιμεν. τί γὰρ ἔτι χρησόμεθα πλούτῳ, τὰς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάζοντες; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ ὁρῶ, πλὴν εἰ μή, κατὰ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς μύθοις δράκοντας, ἡδονήν τινα φέροι θησαυροῖς κατορωρυγμένοις ἐπαγρυπνεῖν.\n\nὅ γε μὴν ἐλευθερίως πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα διακεῖσθαι πεπαιδευμένος, πολλοῦ ἂν δέοι ταπεινόν τι καὶ αἰσχρὸν ἔργῳ ἢ λόγῳ ποτὲ προελέσθαι. τὸ γὰρ τῆς χρείας περιττότερον, κἂν Λύδιον ᾖ ψῆγμα, κἂν τῶν μυρμήκων ἔργον τῶν χρυσοφόρων, τοσούτῳ πλέον ἀτιμάσει, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ἧττον προσδέηται· αὐτὴν δὲ δήπου τὴν χρείαν τοῖς τῆς φύσεως ἀναγκαίοις, ἀλλ’ οὐ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὁριεῖται.","english":"Therefore, they say that Plato, foreseeing the harm that comes from the body, deliberately chose the unhealthy region of Attica, the Academy, so that he might cut off the excessive well-being of the body, like the excessive growth of a vine. And I have heard from physicians that extreme good health is also dangerous.\n\nSince this excessive care of the body is both unprofitable for the body itself and an obstacle to the soul, to be subject to it and to serve it is clear madness.\n\nBut if we should practice disregarding this, we would scarcely admire anything else among human concerns. For what use will we have for wealth, if we dishonor the pleasures that come through the body? I do not see, unless, like the dragons in the myths, one takes pleasure in keeping watch over buried treasures.\n\nOne who has been educated to be free in relation to such things would be far from ever choosing anything low or shameful in deed or word. For whatever exceeds necessity, whether it be Lydian gold dust or the work of the gold-bearing ants, he will despise all the more, the less he needs it; and he will define need itself by the necessities of nature, not by pleasures.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"τὸ νοσῶδες χωρίον τῆς Ἀττικῆς τὴν Ἀκαδημίαν","severity":"info","text":"Plato’s Academy was located in a low-lying, marshy area northwest of Athens, reputedly unhealthy. Basil uses this tradition to illustrate Plato’s deliberate choice of a site that would discourage bodily indulgence.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"τὸ νοσῶδες χωρίον","severity":"info","text":"The anecdote that Plato chose an unhealthy site for the Academy to curb bodily pleasure is attested in Diogenes Laërtius (Lives 3.7) and other sources, showing Basil’s familiarity with biographical traditions.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Diogenes Laërtius 3rd cent. CE"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"περικόπτοι","severity":"info","text":"The manuscript tradition shows a variant περικόπτῃ (subjunctive) for περικόπτοι (optative). The optative is the more classical form, but the subjunctive is common in later Greek. The sense is unaffected.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Λύδιον ψῆγμα","severity":"info","text":"Lydian gold dust (Λύδιον ψῆγμα) refers to the legendary wealth of King Croesus of Lydia. The gold-bearing ants (τῶν μυρμήκων ἔργον τῶν χρυσοφόρων) allude to Herodotus (3.102–105), who describes giant ants in India that mine gold.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Herodotus 5th cent. BCE"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ὅ γε μὴν ἐλευθερίως ... πεπαιδευμένος","severity":"info","text":"This sentence introduces a new argument: the properly educated person will despise excess and define need by nature, not pleasure. It forms the climax of Basil’s rejection of bodily and material indulgence.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"μελετήσαιμεν","severity":"caution","text":"The edition notes a variant μελετήσαμεν (aorist indicative) for μελετήσαιμεν (optative). The optative is expected in a conditional clause; the indicative may be a scribal error or a later simplification.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The variant readings περικόπτοι/περικόπτῃ and μελετήσαιμεν/μελετήσαμεν do not affect the overall sense but reflect scribal choices between optative and subjunctive/indicative forms."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":69,"ref":"p69","source":"ὡς οἵ γε τῶν ἀναγκαίων ὅρων ἔξω γενόμενοι, γινόμενοι editi antiqui. παραπλησίως τοῖς κατὰ τοῦ πρανοῦς φερομένοις, πρὸς οὐδὲν στάσιμον ἔχοντες ἀποβῆναι, οὐδαμοῦ τῆς εἰς τὸ πρόσω φορᾶς ἵστανται· ἀλλ’ ὅσῳπερ ἂν πλείω προσπεριβάλωνται, προσπεριλάβωνται codex Combef. τοῦ ἴσου δέονται ἢ καὶ πλείονος πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐκπλήρωσιν, κατὰ τὸν Ἐξηκεστίδου Σόλωνα, ὅς φησι· Πλούτου δ’ οὐδὲν τέρμα πεφασμένον ἀνδράσι κεῖται.\n\nτῷ δὲ Θεόγνιδι πρὸς ταῦτα διδασκάλῳ χρηστέον λέγοντι· Οὐκ ἔραμαι πλουτεῖν οὔτ’ εὔχομαι, ἀλλά μοι εἴη Ζῆν ἀπὸ τῶν ὀλίγων μηδὲν ἔχοντι κακόν. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ Διογένους ἄγαμαι τὴν πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ὑπεροψίαν· ὅς γε καὶ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου ἑαυτὸν ἀπέφηνε πλουσιώτερον, τῷ ἐλαττόνων ἢ ἐκεῖνος κατὰ τὸν βίον προσδεῖσθαι.\n\nἡμῖν δὲ ἄρα εἰ μὴ τὰ Πυθίου τοῦ Μυσοῦ προσείη τάλαντα, καὶ πλέθρα γῆς τόσα καὶ τόσα, καὶ βοσκημάτων ἐσμοὶ πλείους ἢ ἀριθμῆσαι, οὐδὲν ἐξαρκέσει. ἀλλʼ, οἶμαι, προσήκει προσήκειν tres MSS. ἀπόντα τε μὴ ποθεῖν τὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ παρόντος μὴ τῷ κεκτῆσθαι μᾶλλον φρονεῖν, ἢ τῷ εἰδέναι αὐτὸν εὖ εὖ add. editio Paris. διατίθεσθαι. τὸ γὰρ τοῦ Σωκράτους εὖ ἔχει·","english":"like those who have gone beyond the necessary limits, they are similar to those carried down a slope, having no stable point to stop, they never cease their forward motion; but the more they acquire, the more they need an equal or even greater amount to fulfill their desire, according to Solon, son of Execestides, who says: \"No visible limit of wealth is set for men.\"\n\nOne must use Theognis as a teacher in these matters, who says: \"I do not love wealth nor pray for it, but may it be mine to live from little, having no evil.\" I also admire Diogenes' utter contempt for all human things; he declared himself richer than the great king, because he needed fewer things in life than that king.\n\nBut for us, unless we have the talents of Pythius the Mysian, and so many acres of land, and swarms of cattle more than can be counted, nothing will suffice. But, I think, it is fitting not to long for wealth when it is absent, and when it is present, to pride oneself not so much on possessing it as on knowing how to use it well. For the saying of Socrates is good:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ τοῦ πρανοῦς φερομένοις","severity":"info","text":"The image of those carried down a slope illustrates the insatiable nature of desire, a common moral trope in Greek literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"Ἐξηκεστίδου Σόλωνα","severity":"info","text":"Solon, son of Execestides, is the Athenian lawgiver and poet (c. 630–560 BCE). The quotation is from his elegiac poetry (fr. 13 West).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Θεόγνιδι","severity":"info","text":"Theognis of Megara (6th cent. BCE) is cited as a moral teacher; the quoted lines (Eleg. 1.115–116 West) advocate modest living.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Διογένους","severity":"info","text":"Diogenes the Cynic (4th cent. BCE) famously rejected material wealth; the anecdote of his claiming superiority to the Persian king is a standard Cynic topos.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πυθίου τοῦ Μυσοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Pythius the Mysian was a wealthy Lydian who hosted Xerxes; his legendary riches appear in Herodotus (7.27–29).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ γὰρ τοῦ Σωκράτους εὖ ἔχει","severity":"info","text":"Basil invokes Socrates as an authority on the proper use of wealth, aligning Christian asceticism with classical philosophical ideals.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has variant readings at γινόμενοι/γινόμενοι and προσπεριβάλωνται/προσπεριλάβωνται; the sense is not materially affected."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":70,"ref":"p70","source":"ὃς μέγα φρονοῦντος πλουσίου ἀνδρὸς ἐπὶ τοῖς χρήμασιν οὐ πρότερον αὐτὸν θαυμάσειν ἔφη, πρὶν ἂν καὶ ὅτι κεχρῆσθαι τούτοις ἐπίσταται, πειραθῆναι.\n\nἢ Φειδίας μὲν καὶ Πολύκλειτος, εἰ τῷ χρυσίῳ μέγα ἐφρόνουν καὶ τῷ ἐλέφαντι, ὧν ὁ μὲν Ἠλείοις τὸν Δία, ὁ δὲ τὴν Ἥραν Ἀργείοις ἐποιησάτην, καταγελάστω ἂν ἤστην ἀλλοτρίῳ πλούτῳ καλλωπιζόμενοι, ἀφέντες τὴν τέχνην, ὑφ’ ἧς καὶ ὁ χρυσὸς ἡδίων καὶ τιμιώτερος ἀπεδείχθη· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἀρετὴν οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖν ἑαυτῇ ἑαυτὴν editio Basil., καθ’ ἑαυτὴν editio Paris. πρὸς κόσμον ὑπολαμβάνοντες, ἐλάττονος αἰσχύνης ἄξια ποιεῖν οἰόμεθα;\n\nἈλλὰ δῆτα πλούτου μὲν ὑπεροψόμεθα καὶ τὰς διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάσομεν, κολακείας δὲ καὶ θωπείας διωξόμεθα, καὶ τῆς Ἀρχιλόχου ἀλώπεκος τὸ κερδαλέον τε καὶ ποικίλον ζηλώσομεν;\n\nἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃ μᾶλλον φευκτέον τῷ σωφρονοῦντι, τοῦ πρὸς δόξαν ζῆν, καὶ τὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς δοκοῦντα περισκοπεῖν, καὶ μὴ τὸν ὀρθὸν λόγον ἡγεμόνα ποιεῖσθαι τοῦ βίου, ὥστε, κἂν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀντιλέγειν, κἂν ἀδοξεῖν καὶ κινδυνεύειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καλοῦ δέῃ, μηδὲν αἱρεῖσθαι τῶν ὀρθῶς ἐγνωσμένων παρακινεῖν.","english":"He said that he would not admire a rich man who prides himself on his wealth until he had also tested whether he knows how to use it.\n\nOr would not Phidias and Polyclitus be laughable if they prided themselves on the gold and ivory—of which one made the Zeus for the Eleans, the other the Hera for the Argives—adorning themselves with another's wealth, while neglecting the art by which the gold was rendered more pleasing and more precious? And do we, supposing that human virtue is not sufficient by itself for its own adornment, think we are doing something worthy of less shame?\n\nBut shall we indeed despise wealth and dishonor the pleasures of the senses, yet pursue flattery and fawning, and emulate the cunning and versatility of Archilochus' fox?\n\nBut there is nothing more to be shunned by the prudent man than living for reputation, and looking to what seems good to the many, and not making right reason the guide of life, so that, even if it be necessary to contradict all men, to be without repute, and to run risks for the sake of the honorable, he would choose to disturb none of the things rightly recognized.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Φειδίας μὲν καὶ Πολύκλειτος","severity":"info","text":"Phidias and Polyclitus were the most renowned sculptors of classical Greece. Phidias created the chryselephantine statue of Zeus at Olympia; Polyclitus made the Hera at Argos. Basil uses them as exemplars of artists whose material (gold, ivory) is subordinate to their art.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀρχιλόχου ἀλώπεκος","severity":"info","text":"Archilochus’ fox is a proverbial figure for cunning and versatility, appearing in Archilochus’ fable of the fox and the ape. Basil here warns against emulating such craftiness in pursuit of reputation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ὀρθὸν λόγον","severity":"info","text":"‘Right reason’ (orthos logos) is a Stoic and Platonic term for the rational principle that should guide life. Basil adapts it to Christian moral teaching, opposing it to popular opinion.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀλλὰ δῆτα ... ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔστιν","severity":"info","text":"Basil uses a rhetorical sequence: a hypothetical question (Ἀλλὰ δῆτα) followed by a strong denial (ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔστιν). This structures the argument against valuing reputation over right reason.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἀρετὴν","severity":"info","text":"Basil’s claim that human virtue is self-sufficient for adornment echoes Platonic and Stoic ethics, but also anticipates Christian asceticism. The passage was influential in Renaissance debates on the use of pagan learning.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'editio Basil. ... editio Paris.' in the Greek apparatus indicates a textual variant in the editions, but the sense is not affected."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":71,"ref":"p71","source":"ἢ τὸν μὴ οὕτως ἔχοντα τί τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου σοφιστοῦ φήσομεν ἀπολείπειν, ὃς φυτὸν ἐγίγνετο καὶ θηρίον, ὁπότε βούλοιτο, καὶ πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ πάντα χρήματα,\n\nεἴπερ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς νῦν μὲν τὸ δίκαιον ἐπαινέσεται παρὰ τοῖς τοῦτο τιμῶσι, νῦν δὲ τοὺς ἐναντίους ἀφήσει λόγους, ὅταν τὴν ἀδικίαν εὐδοκιμοῦσαν αἴσθηται, ὅπερ δίκης δίκη editio Paris., ἥπερ δίκη Colb. tertius. ἐστὶ κολάκων ; καὶ ὥσπερ φασὶ τὸν πολύποδα τὴν χρόαν πρὸς τὴν ὑποκειμένην γῆν, οὕτως αὐτὸς τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς τὰς τῶν συνόντων γνώμας μεταβαλεῖται. μεταβάλλεται duo MSS. Τί οὖν ποιῶμεν; φαίη τις ἄν. τί ἄλλο γε ἢ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν ἔχειν, πᾶσαν σχολὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἄγοντας; ἄγοντες antiqui duo libri. οὐ δὴ οὖν τῷ σώματι δουλευτέον, ὅτι μὴ πᾶσα ἀνάγκη· ἀλλὰ τῇ ψυχῇ τὰ βέλτιστα ποριστέον, ὥσπερ ἐκ δεσμωτηρίου, τῆς πρὸς τὰ τοῦ σώματος πάθη κοινωνίας πρὸς τὸ σῶμα κοινωνίας Colb. tertius. αὐτὴν διὰ φιλοσοφίας λύοντας, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα τῶν παθῶν κρεῖττον ἀπεργαζομένους, γαστρὶ μέν γε τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ὑπηρετοῦντας, οὐχὶ τὰ ἥδιστα, ὡς οἵ γε τραπεζοποιούς τινας καὶ μαγείρους περινοοῦντες, καὶ πᾶσαν διερευνώμενοι γῆν τε καὶ θάλασσαν, οἷόν τινι χαλεπῷ δεσπότῃ φόρους ἀπάγοντες, ἐλεεινοὶ τῆς ἀσχολίας, τῶν ἐν ᾄδου κολαζομένων οὐδὲν πάσχοντες ἀνεκτότερον, ἀτεχνῶς εἰς πῦρ ξαίνοντες, καὶ κοσκίνῳ φέροντες ὕδωρ, καὶ εἰς τετρημένον τετριμμένον Colb. tertius, editi antiqui. ἀντλοῦντες πίθον,\nοὐδὲν πέρας τῶν πόνων ἔχοντες. κουρὰς δὲ καὶ ἀμπεχόνας ἔξω τῶν ἀναγκαίων περιεργάζεσθαι, ἢ δυστυχούντων ἐστί, κατὰ τὸν Διογένους λόγον, ἢ ἀδικούντων.","english":"or what shall we say of one who is not so, but falls short of the Egyptian sophist, who became a plant and a beast, whenever he wished, and fire and water and all things, if indeed he himself will now praise justice among those who honor it, and now let loose the opposite arguments when he perceives that injustice is in favor—which is the very mark of flatterers? And just as they say the octopus changes its color to match the ground beneath it, so he will change his mind to match the opinions of those he is with. What then shall we do? someone might say. What else but to take care of the soul, withdrawing all leisure from other things? Therefore we must not serve the body, except under absolute necessity; but we must provide the best for the soul, as if releasing it from a prison, from its communion with the body's affections, through philosophy, and at the same time making the body superior to its passions, serving the belly only what is necessary, not what is most pleasant, as do those who devise various table-setters and cooks, and search out every land and sea, as if paying tribute to some harsh master, pitiable in their busyness, suffering nothing more tolerable than those punished in Hades, literally carding fire, carrying water in a sieve, and drawing water into a perforated jar, having no end to their labors. But to fuss over hairstyles and garments beyond what is necessary is, according to Diogenes' saying, either the mark of the unfortunate or of the unjust.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"Αἰγυπτίου σοφιστοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The Egyptian sophist is Proteus, a shape-shifting sea god in Homer (Od. 4.455–458) and a common figure in Greek moralists for adaptability or deceit.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"external","lemma":"πολύποδα","severity":"info","text":"The octopus changing color is a stock simile in Greek literature for the flatterer or opportunist, e.g., Theognis 215–218 and Plutarch Moralia 51E.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"external","lemma":"εἰς πῦρ ξαίνοντες, καὶ κοσκίνῳ φέροντες ὕδωρ, καὶ εἰς τετρημένον ἀντλοῦντες πίθον","severity":"info","text":"These three futile labors (carding fire, carrying water in a sieve, drawing water into a perforated jar) are proverbial for endless, pointless toil, echoing the Danaids’ punishment in Hades (Plato, Gorgias 493a–b).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"δίκης δίκη","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase δίκης δίκη (or ἥπερ δίκη in some MSS) is textually uncertain; the edition notes a variant. The sense is 'the very mark of flatterers'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"μεταβάλλεται","severity":"info","text":"The manuscript note records a variant μεταβάλλεται for μεταβαλεῖται, reflecting a common scribal confusion between future and present forms.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τί οὖν ποιῶμεν; φαίη τις ἄν.","severity":"info","text":"This rhetorical question-and-answer (diatribal style) marks a transition from critique of the flatterer to positive exhortation for care of the soul.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase δίκης δίκη (or ἥπερ δίκη) is textually uncertain; the reading adopted affects the sense of the flatterer's mark.","The verb μεταβαλεῖται/μεταβάλλεται varies between future and present in manuscripts, without change in meaning."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":72,"ref":"p72","source":"ὥστε καλλωπιστὴν εἶναι καὶ ὀνομάζεσθαι ὁμοίως αἰσχρὸν ἡγεῖσθαί φημι δεῖν τοὺς τοιούτους, ὡς τὸ ἑταιρεῖν ἢ ἀλλοτρίοις γάμοις ἐπιβουλεύειν. τί γὰρ ἂν διαφέροι τῷ γε νοῦν ἔχοντι, ξυστίδα ἀναβεβλῆσθαι ἤ τι τῶν φαύλων ἱμάτιον φέρειν, ἕως ἂν μηδὲν ἐνδέῃ ἐνδέει, om. ἂν editi antiqui. τοῦ πρὸς χειμῶνά τε εἶναι καὶ θάλπος ἀλεξητήριον; καὶ τἄλλα δὴ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον μὴ περιττότερον τῆς χρείας κατεσκευάσθαι, μηδὲ περιέπειν τὸ σῶμα πλέον ἢ ὡς ἄμεινον τῇ ψυχῇ. οὐχ ἧττον γὰρ ὄνειδος ἀνδρὶ τῷ γε ὡς ἀληθῶς τῆς προσηγορίας ταύτης ἀξίῳ, καλλωπιστὴν καὶ φιλοσώματον εἶναι, ἢ πρὸς ἄλλο τι τῶν παθῶν ἀγεννῶς διακεῖσθαι. τὸ γὰρ τὴν πᾶσαν σπουδὴν εἰσφέρεσθαι, ὅπως ὡς κάλλιστα αὐτῷ αὐτοῦ Colb. tertius. τὸ σῶμα ἕξοι, οὐ διαγινώσκοντός γινώσκοντος Colb. tertius. ἐστιν ἑαυτόν, οὐδὲ συνιέντος τοῦ σοφοῦ παραγγέλματος, ὅτι οὐ τὸ ὁρώμενόν ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος· ἀλλά τινος δεῖται περιττοτέρας σοφίας, δι’ ἧς ἕκαστος ἡμῶν, ὅστις ποτέ ἐστιν, ἑαυτὸν ἐπιγνώσεται. τοῦτο δὲ μὴ καθηραμένοις τὸν νοῦν ἀδυνατώτερον ἢ λημῶντι πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἀναβλέψαι. Κάθαρσις δὲ ψυχῆς, ὡς ἀθρόως τε εἰπεῖν καὶ ὑμῖν ἱκανῶς, τὰς διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάζειν, μὴ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἑστιᾶν ταῖς ἀτόποις τῶν θαυματοποιῶν ἐπιδείξεσιν ἢ σωμάτων θέαις ἡδονῆς κέντρον ἐναφιέντων, μὴ διὰ τῶν ὤτων διεφθαρμένην μελῳδίαν τῶν ψυχῶν καταχεῖν. ἀνελευθερίας γὰρ δὴ καὶ ταπεινότητος ἔκγονα πάθη ἐκ τοῦ τοιοῦδε τῆς μουσικῆς εἴδους ἐγγίνεσθαι πέφυκεν.","english":"so that I say one must consider it shameful to be and be called a dandy, just as to be a courtesan or to plot against others' marriages. For what difference would it make to a sensible person whether he wears a fine robe or some common garment, as long as it lacks nothing for protection against winter and heat? And likewise, the rest should not be equipped more elaborately than need requires, nor should one tend to the body more than is better for the soul. For it is no less a reproach to a man truly worthy of this name to be a dandy and a lover of the body than to be ignobly disposed toward any other passion. For to exert every effort so that his body may be as beautiful as possible is not the mark of one who knows himself, nor of one who understands the wise precept that the visible is not the man; but some more profound wisdom is needed, through which each of us, whoever he is, will come to know himself. But this is more impossible for those whose mind is not purified than for a bleary-eyed person to look at the sun. Purification of the soul, to speak concisely and sufficiently for you, is to dishonor the pleasures that come through the senses: not to feast the eyes on absurd displays of wonder-workers or on sights of bodies that inject a sting of pleasure, not to pour into the soul through the ears a corrupted melody. For passions born of illiberality and baseness naturally arise from this kind of music.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"καλλωπιστὴν","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term καλλωπιστής (dandy) is a key pejorative in this passage, denoting one who excessively adorns the body. Basil uses it to link external vanity with moral corruption, a theme common in Greek Christian ascetic literature.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ ἑταιρεῖν","severity":"info","text":"The verb ἑταιρεῖν (to be a courtesan) refers to male prostitution, a practice associated with moral degradation in Greco-Roman society. Basil equates dandyism with such disreputable behavior to underscore its severity.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐ τὸ ὁρώμενόν ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes the Platonic and Christian idea that the true self is the soul, not the visible body. It may allude to the Delphic maxim 'Know thyself' as interpreted by Christian authors, though no direct biblical citation is present.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Κάθαρσις δὲ ψυχῆς","severity":"info","text":"This sentence introduces a new section on purification of the soul, shifting from external appearance to sensory pleasures. The term κάθαρσις (purification) is a key concept in both Platonic philosophy and Christian asceticism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τῆς μουσικῆς εἴδους","severity":"info","text":"Basil's condemnation of certain music as producing 'passions born of illiberality' reflects a common patristic view that music can corrupt the soul. This anticipates later Christian debates on liturgical music and moral formation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐνδέῃ ἐνδέει, om. ἂν editi antiqui","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text has a textual variant: the phrase 'ἐνδέῃ' (lacks) appears without the particle 'ἄν' in older editions. This does not affect the overall sense but indicates a minor transmission discrepancy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὸ ἑταιρεῖν' could be interpreted as either male or female prostitution; the context suggests male, but the Greek is ambiguous.","The reference to 'the Egyptian sophist' in the previous passage is not identified in this section, leaving the allusion unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":73,"ref":"p73","source":"ἀλλὰ τὴν ἑτέραν μεταδιωκτέον ἡμῖν, τὴν ἀμείνω τε καὶ εἰς ἄμεινον φέρουσαν ᾗ καὶ Δαβὶδ χρώμενος ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν ἱερῶν ᾀσμάτων, ἐκ τῆς μανίας, ὥς φασι, τὸν βασιλέα καθίστη. λέγεται δὲ καὶ Πυθαγόραν κωμασταῖς περιτυχόντα μεθύουσι κελεῦσαι τὸν αὐλητὴν τὸν τοῦ κώμου κατάρχοντα, μεταβαλόντα τὴν ἁρμονίαν, ἐπαυλῆσαί σφισι τὸ Δώριον, τοὺς δὲ οὕτως ἀναφρονῆσαι ὑπὸ τοῦ μέλους, ὥστε τοὺς στεφάνους ῥίψαντας, αἰσχυνομένους ἐπανελθεῖν. ἕτεροι δὲ πρὸς αὐλὸν κορυβαντιῶσι καὶ ἐκβακχεύονται· τοσοῦτόν ἐστι τὸ διάφορον ὑγιοῦς ἢ μοχθηρᾶς μελῳδίας ἀναπλησθῆναι. ἀναπληρῶσαι Colb. tertius. ὥστε, τῆς νῦν δὴ κρατούσης ταύτης, ἧττον ὑμῖν μεθεκτέον, ἢ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν προδήλως add. Colb. tertius. αἰσχίστων. ἀτμούς γε μὴν παντοδαποὺς ἡδονὴν ὀσφρήσει φέροντας τῷ ἀέρι καταμιγνύναι, ἢ μύροις ἑαυτοὺς ἀναχρώννυσθαι, καὶ ἀπαγορεύειν αἰσχύνομαι. τί δ’ ἄν τις εἴποι περὶ τοῦ μὴ χρῆναι τὰς ἐν ἁφῇ καὶ γεύσει διώκειν ἡδονάς, ἢ ὅτι καταναγκάζουσιν αὗται τοὺς περὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν θήραν ἐσχολακότας, ὥσπερ τὰ θρέμματα, πρὸς τὴν γαστέρα καὶ τὰ ὑπ’ αὐτὴν συννενευκότας συννενευκότα antiqui tres libri. ζῆν; Ἑνὶ δὲ λόγῳ, παντὸς ὑπεροπτέον τοῦ σώματος τῷ μή, ὡς ἐν βορβόρῳ, ταῖς ἡδοναῖς αὐτοῦ κατορωρύχθαι μέλλοντι, ἢ τοσοῦτον ἀνθεκτέον αὐτοῦ, ὅσον, φησὶ Πλάτων; ὑπηρεσίαν φιλοσοφίᾳ κτωμένου, ἐοικότα που λέγων τῷ Παύλῳ, ὃς παραινεῖ μηδεμίαν χρῆναι τοῦ σώματος πρόνοιαν ἔχειν εἰς ἐπιθυμιῶν ἀφορμήν.","english":"but we must pursue the other, the better one, which leads to a better state, the one which David, the poet of the sacred songs, used to bring the king back from his madness, as they say. It is also said that Pythagoras, encountering revelers who were drunk, ordered the flute-player who was leading the revel to change the harmony and play the Dorian mode for them, and that they thus recovered their senses through the melody, so that they threw away their garlands and returned in shame. Others, however, are driven into a Corybantic frenzy and become ecstatic to the flute; such is the difference between being filled with a healthy or a corrupt melody. So that you must partake less of this currently prevailing one than of anything manifestly most shameful. As for mixing all sorts of vapors that bring pleasure to the sense of smell into the air, or anointing ourselves with perfumes, I am ashamed even to forbid it. And what could one say about not pursuing the pleasures of touch and taste, except that they compel those who have devoted themselves to their pursuit to live, like cattle, bent over their belly and what lies beneath it? In a word, one must despise the entire body, if one is not to be buried, as in a bog, in its pleasures, or one must cling to it only to the extent that, as Plato says, one acquires service for philosophy, speaking somewhat like Paul, who advises that one should take no thought for the body as a means of inciting desires.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Δώριον","severity":"info","text":"The Dorian mode was considered in Greek musical theory to produce a manly, temperate effect, in contrast to more emotional modes. This anecdote about Pythagoras is a stock example of music's ethical power.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"background","lemma":"Πλάτων","severity":"info","text":"Basil's reference to Plato echoes the Phaedo (64d–67b) and the Timaeus (69c–d), where the body is a hindrance to philosophy and the soul must rule its pleasures.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Παύλῳ","severity":"info","text":"Basil compares Plato's advice to Paul's teaching; the likely reference is Romans 13:14 or 1 Corinthians 6:13, where Paul warns against bodily indulgence as a source of desire.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"κορυβαντιῶσι","severity":"info","text":"The verb κορυβαντιῶσι refers to the frenzied, ecstatic rites of the Corybantes, priests of Cybele, whose music induced a trance-like state. Basil contrasts this with the sobering effect of the Dorian mode.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἑνὶ δὲ λόγῳ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a summary conclusion to the preceding series of prohibitions against sensory pleasures, encapsulating Basil's ascetic principle of despising the body.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀναπληρῶσαι Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript Colb. tertius adds the verb ἀναπληρῶσαι after ἀναπλησθῆναι, likely a scribal gloss or variant. The text is uncertain at this point.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τῆς νῦν δὴ κρατούσης ταύτης' is ambiguous: it may refer to a specific musical mode or to contemporary popular music in general. The translation takes it as 'this currently prevailing one' (i.e., the corrupt melody).","The clause 'ἢ οὑτινοσοῦν τῶν προδήλως αἰσχίστων' is syntactically awkward; the addition in Colb. tertius suggests a textual corruption or interpolation."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":74,"ref":"p74","source":"ἢ τί διαφέρουσιν οἳ τοῦ μὲν σώματος ὡς ἂν κάλλιστα ἔχοι φροντίζουσι, τὴν δὲ χρησομένην αὐτῷ ψυχὴν ὡς οὐδενὸς ἀξίαν περιορῶσι, τῶν περὶ τὰ ὄργανα σπουδαζόντων, τῆς δὲ δι’ αὐτῶν ἐνεργούσης τέχνης καταμελούντων; πᾶν μὲν οὖν τοὐναντίον κολάζειν αὐτὸ καὶ κατέχειν ὥσπερ θηρίου τὰς ὁρμὰς προσῆκε, καὶ τοὺς ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ θορύβους ἐγγινομένους τῇ ψυχῇ, οἱονεὶ μάστιγι, τῷ λογισμῷ καθικνουμένους κοιμίζειν, ἀλλὰ μὴ πάντα χαλινὸν ἡδονῆς ἀνέντας περιορᾶν τὸν νοῦν, ὥσπερ ἡνίοχον, ὑπὸ δυσηνίων ἵππων ὕβρει φερομένων παρασυρόμενον ἄγεσθαι· καὶ τοῦ Πυθαγόρου μεμνῆσθαι, ὃς τῶν συνόντων τινὰ καταμαθὼν γυμνασίοις τε καὶ σιτίοις ἑαυτὸν εὖ μάλα κατασαρκοῦντα, οὕτως ἔφη· Οὐ παύσῃ χαλεπώτερον σεαυτῷ κατασκευάζων τὸ δεσμωτήριον; διὸ δὴ καὶ Πλάτωνά φασι τὴν ἐκ σώματος βλάβην προειδόμενον, τὸ νοσῶδες χωρίον τῆς Ἀττικῆς τὴν Ἀκαδημίαν καταλαβεῖν ἐξεπίτηδες, ἵνα τὴν ἄγαν εὐπάθειαν τοῦ σώματος, οἷον ἀμπέλου τὴν εἰς τὰ περιττὰ φοράν, περικόπτοι. περικόπτῃ editio Paris. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ σφαλερὰν εἶναι τὴν ἐπ’ ἄκρον εὐεξίαν ἰατρῶν ἤκουσα. Ὅτε τοίνυν ἡ ἄγαν αὕτη τοῦ σώματος ἐπιμέλεια, αὐτῷ τε ἀλυσιτελὴς τῷ σώματι καὶ πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι, τό γε ὑποπεπτωκέναι τούτῳ καὶ θεραπεύειν, μανία σαφής. ἀλλὰ μὴν εἰ τούτου γε ὑπερορᾶν μελετήσαιμεν, μελετήσαμεν editi antiqui. σχολῇ γ’ ἂν ἄλλο τι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων θαυμάσαιμεν. τί γὰρ ἔτι χρησόμεθα πλούτῳ, τὰς διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάζοντες; ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ ὁρῶ, πλὴν εἰ μή, κατὰ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς μύθοις δράκοντας, ἡδονήν τινα φέροι θησαυροῖς κατορωρυγμένοις ἐπαγρυπνεῖν.","english":"or what difference is there between those who take care that the body should be as beautiful as possible, but neglect the soul that will use it as something worthless, and those who are zealous about the instruments but neglect the art that works through them? On the contrary, it is fitting to chastise and restrain it like a wild beast, and to calm the disturbances arising from it in the soul, as if with a whip, by striking with reason, and not to let every rein of pleasure go slack and allow the mind, like a charioteer, to be dragged along by unruly horses carried away by insolence. And remember Pythagoras, who, observing one of his companions fattening himself excessively with exercises and food, said: \"Will you not stop making your prison more grievous for yourself?\" For this reason, they say that Plato, foreseeing the harm from the body, deliberately chose the Academy, a sickly region of Attica, in order to cut off the excessive well-being of the body, like the excessive growth of a vine. And I have heard from physicians that extreme good health is also dangerous. Since, then, this excessive care of the body is both unprofitable for the body itself and an impediment to the soul, to be subject to it and to serve it is clear madness. But if we should practice disregarding this, we would scarcely admire anything else human. For what use shall we have for wealth, if we dishonor the pleasures of the body? I do not see, except perhaps, like the dragons in the myths, to take some pleasure in watching over buried treasures.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν περὶ τὰ ὄργανα σπουδαζόντων, τῆς δὲ δι’ αὐτῶν ἐνεργούσης τέχνης καταμελούντων","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of instrument and art reinforces the soul-body hierarchy: neglect of the soul while tending the body is like caring for a lyre but ignoring the music.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πυθαγόρου","severity":"info","text":"Pythagoras is cited for a saying about the body as a prison (δεσμωτήριον), a motif common in Platonic and Neopythagorean thought, linking ascetic discipline to philosophical liberation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πλάτωνά φασι ... τὴν Ἀκαδημίαν καταλαβεῖν","severity":"info","text":"Basil reports that Plato chose the Academy, a marshy and unhealthy site, to curb bodily excess. This anecdote is not found in Plato's own works but appears in later biographical tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ ἡνίοχον, ὑπὸ δυσηνίων ἵππων ὕβρει φερομένων παρασυρόμενον","severity":"info","text":"The charioteer image recalls Plato's Phaedrus (246a–254e), where the soul is a charioteer controlling two horses, one noble and one unruly. Basil adapts it to warn against bodily passions.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς μύθοις δράκοντας","severity":"info","text":"The image of dragons guarding treasure is a classical topos (e.g., in Aesop or Herodotus), used here to mock the pointless accumulation of wealth when bodily pleasures are renounced.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"περικόπτῃ editio Paris.","severity":"caution","text":"The source edition notes a variant reading περικόπτῃ (subjunctive) in the Paris edition, whereas the main text has περικόπτοι (optative). The difference does not affect the sense of 'cut off'.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'μελετήσαμεν' is noted as a variant in older editions; the text may intend 'μελετήσαιμεν' (aorist optative) as in the main reading."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":75,"ref":"p75","source":"ὅ γε μὴν ἐλευθερίως πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα διακεῖσθαι πεπαιδευμένος, πολλοῦ ἂν δέοι ταπεινόν τι καὶ αἰσχρὸν ἔργῳ ἢ λόγῳ ποτὲ προελέσθαι. τὸ γὰρ τῆς χρείας περιττότερον, κἂν Λύδιον ᾖ ψῆγμα, κἂν τῶν μυρμήκων ἔργον τῶν χρυσοφόρων, τοσούτῳ πλέον ἀτιμάσει, ὅσῳπερ ἂν ἧττον προσδέηται· αὐτὴν δὲ δήπου τὴν χρείαν τοῖς τῆς φύσεως ἀναγκαίοις, ἀλλ’ οὐ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ὁριεῖται. ὡς οἵ γε τῶν ἀναγκαίων ὅρων ἔξω γενόμενοι, γινόμενοι editi antiqui. παραπλησίως τοῖς κατὰ τοῦ πρανοῦς φερομένοις, πρὸς οὐδὲν στάσιμον ἔχοντες ἀποβῆναι, οὐδαμοῦ τῆς εἰς τὸ πρόσω φορᾶς ἵστανται· ἀλλ’ ὅσῳπερ ἂν πλείω προσπεριβάλωνται, προσπεριλάβωνται codex Combef. τοῦ ἴσου δέονται ἢ καὶ πλείονος πρὸς τὴν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐκπλήρωσιν, κατὰ τὸν Ἐξηκεστίδου Σόλωνα, ὅς φησι· Πλούτου δ’ οὐδὲν τέρμα πεφασμένον ἀνδράσι κεῖται. τῷ δὲ Θεόγνιδι πρὸς ταῦτα διδασκάλῳ χρηστέον λέγοντι· Οὐκ ἔραμαι πλουτεῖν οὔτ’ εὔχομαι, ἀλλά μοι εἴη Ζῆν ἀπὸ τῶν ὀλίγων μηδὲν ἔχοντι κακόν. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ Διογένους ἄγαμαι τὴν πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ὑπεροψίαν· ὅς γε καὶ βασιλέως τοῦ μεγάλου ἑαυτὸν ἀπέφηνε πλουσιώτερον, τῷ ἐλαττόνων ἢ ἐκεῖνος κατὰ τὸν βίον προσδεῖσθαι. ἡμῖν δὲ ἄρα εἰ μὴ τὰ Πυθίου τοῦ Μυσοῦ προσείη τάλαντα, καὶ πλέθρα γῆς τόσα καὶ τόσα, καὶ βοσκημάτων ἐσμοὶ πλείους ἢ ἀριθμῆσαι, οὐδὲν ἐξαρκέσει. ἀλλʼ, οἶμαι, προσήκει προσήκειν tres MSS. ἀπόντα τε μὴ ποθεῖν τὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ παρόντος μὴ τῷ κεκτῆσθαι μᾶλλον φρονεῖν, ἢ τῷ εἰδέναι αὐτὸν εὖ εὖ add. editio Paris. διατίθεσθαι. τὸ γὰρ τοῦ Σωκράτους εὖ ἔχει·","english":"One who has been educated to be free in his attitude toward such things would be far from ever choosing anything base or shameful in deed or word. For whatever exceeds the need, even if it be Lydian gold dust or the work of the gold-bearing ants, he will despise all the more, the less he requires it; and he will define need itself by the necessities of nature, not by pleasures. For those who go beyond the bounds of necessity, like those carried down a slope, have no stable point at which to stop, and nowhere do they halt their forward motion; but the more they acquire, the more they require an equal or even greater amount to satisfy their desire, as Solon, son of Execestides, says: \"No limit of wealth is revealed for men.\" And one should use Theognis as a teacher in these matters, who says: \"I do not love wealth nor pray for it, but may it be mine to live from little, having nothing evil.\" I also admire Diogenes' utter contempt for all human things; for he declared himself richer than the great king, because he needed fewer things in life than that king. But for us, unless we have the talents of Pythius the Mysian, and so many acres of land, and swarms of cattle more than can be counted, nothing will suffice. But, I think, it is fitting not to long for wealth when it is absent, and when it is present not to pride oneself more on possessing it than on knowing how to use it well. For the saying of Socrates holds good.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Λύδιον ψῆγμα","severity":"info","text":"Lydian gold dust was proverbial for extreme wealth, derived from the gold-rich Pactolus River in Lydia.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"τῶν μυρμήκων ἔργον τῶν χρυσοφόρων","severity":"info","text":"A reference to the gold-digging ants of Indian legend, reported by Herodotus (3.102–105) and later authors.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Herodotus Histories"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Σόλων","severity":"info","text":"The quotation attributed to Solon (fr. 13 West) is a maxim on the insatiability of wealth, also cited by Aristotle (Politics 1256b).","cites":[],"named_sources":["Solon fr. 13 West","Aristotle Politics"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Θέογνις","severity":"info","text":"The lines from Theognis (115–116 West) advocate contentment with little, a common theme in Greek moralizing poetry.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Theognis Elegies"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Πυθίου τοῦ Μυσοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Pythius the Mysian was a legendary wealthy figure, mentioned by Herodotus (7.27–29) as hosting Xerxes' army.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Herodotus Histories"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ τοῦ Σωκράτους εὖ ἔχει","severity":"info","text":"Basil alludes to a Socratic saying, likely on the proper use of wealth, reflecting the integration of classical ethics into Christian moral teaching.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'γινόμενοι' in the Greek is marked as a variant reading; the text may be corrupt here.","The exact Socratic saying referred to is not identified in the passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":76,"ref":"p76","source":"ὃς μέγα φρονοῦντος πλουσίου ἀνδρὸς ἐπὶ τοῖς χρήμασιν οὐ πρότερον αὐτὸν θαυμάσειν ἔφη, πρὶν ἂν καὶ ὅτι κεχρῆσθαι τούτοις ἐπίσταται, πειραθῆναι. ἢ Φειδίας μὲν καὶ Πολύκλειτος, εἰ τῷ χρυσίῳ μέγα ἐφρόνουν καὶ τῷ ἐλέφαντι, ὧν ὁ μὲν Ἠλείοις τὸν Δία, ὁ δὲ τὴν Ἥραν Ἀργείοις ἐποιησάτην, καταγελάστω ἂν ἤστην ἀλλοτρίῳ πλούτῳ καλλωπιζόμενοι, ἀφέντες τὴν τέχνην, ὑφ’ ἧς καὶ ὁ χρυσὸς ἡδίων καὶ τιμιώτερος ἀπεδείχθη· ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἀρετὴν οὐκ ἐξαρκεῖν ἑαυτῇ ἑαυτὴν editio Basil., καθ’ ἑαυτὴν editio Paris. πρὸς κόσμον ὑπολαμβάνοντες, ἐλάττονος αἰσχύνης ἄξια ποιεῖν οἰόμεθα; Ἀλλὰ δῆτα πλούτου μὲν ὑπεροψόμεθα καὶ τὰς διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων ἡδονὰς ἀτιμάσομεν, κολακείας δὲ καὶ θωπείας διωξόμεθα, καὶ τῆς Ἀρχιλόχου ἀλώπεκος τὸ κερδαλέον τε καὶ ποικίλον ζηλώσομεν; ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃ μᾶλλον φευκτέον τῷ σωφρονοῦντι, τοῦ πρὸς δόξαν ζῆν, καὶ τὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς δοκοῦντα περισκοπεῖν, καὶ μὴ τὸν ὀρθὸν λόγον ἡγεμόνα ποιεῖσθαι τοῦ βίου, ὥστε, κἂν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἀντιλέγειν, κἂν ἀδοξεῖν καὶ κινδυνεύειν ὑπὲρ τοῦ καλοῦ δέῃ, μηδὲν αἱρεῖσθαι τῶν ὀρθῶς ἐγνωσμένων παρακινεῖν. ἢ τὸν μὴ οὕτως ἔχοντα τί τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου σοφιστοῦ φήσομεν ἀπολείπειν, ὃς φυτὸν ἐγίγνετο καὶ θηρίον, ὁπότε βούλοιτο, καὶ πῦρ καὶ ὕδωρ καὶ πάντα χρήματα,\nεἴπερ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς νῦν μὲν τὸ δίκαιον ἐπαινέσεται παρὰ τοῖς τοῦτο τιμῶσι, νῦν δὲ τοὺς ἐναντίους ἀφήσει λόγους, ὅταν τὴν ἀδικίαν εὐδοκιμοῦσαν αἴσθηται, ὅπερ δίκης δίκη editio Paris., ἥπερ δίκη Colb. tertius. ἐστὶ κολάκων ;","english":"He who said that he would not admire a rich man proud of his wealth until he had first tested whether he knew how to use it. Or Phidias and Polyclitus, if they had taken great pride in the gold and ivory—of which one fashioned the Zeus for the Eleans, the other the Hera for the Argives—they would have been laughable, adorning themselves with another’s wealth, while neglecting the art by which the gold was shown to be more pleasant and more precious. And do we, supposing that human virtue is not sufficient by itself for its own adornment, think we are doing things worthy of less shame? But then shall we despise wealth and dishonor the pleasures of the senses, yet pursue flattery and fawning, and emulate the cunning and versatility of Archilochus’s fox? But there is nothing more to be shunned by the prudent man than living for reputation, and looking to what the many think, and not making right reason the guide of life, so that, even if it be necessary to contradict all men, even if it be necessary to be ill-reputed and to face danger for the sake of the good, one should choose to disturb none of the things rightly recognized. Or shall we say that the man who is not so disposed differs from the Egyptian sophist, who became a plant and a beast, whenever he wished, and fire and water and everything else, if indeed he himself now praises justice among those who honor it, and now lets loose the opposite arguments when he perceives that injustice is in favor—which is precisely the way of flatterers?","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Φειδίας μὲν καὶ Πολύκλειτος","severity":"info","text":"Phidias and Polyclitus were renowned classical Greek sculptors. Phidias created the chryselephantine statue of Zeus at Olympia; Polyclitus made the Hera at Argos. Their mention illustrates the argument that art, not material, confers value.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τῆς Ἀρχιλόχου ἀλώπεκος","severity":"info","text":"Archilochus’s fox is a reference to a fable (Archilochus fr. 201) where the fox represents cunning and adaptability. Basil uses it to warn against moral versatility that serves reputation rather than truth.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου σοφιστοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The Egyptian sophist is Proteus, a shape-shifting sea god from Homer (Od. 4.351–570). Basil likens the morally inconsistent person to Proteus, who could become plant, beast, fire, or water at will.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃ μᾶλλον φευκτέον τῷ σωφρονοῦντι","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a rhetorical climax: after rejecting wealth and pleasure, Basil turns to the greater danger of living for reputation. The structure contrasts external goods with internal moral principle.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"editio Basil., καθ’ ἑαυτὴν editio Paris.","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text shows a variant: the Basel edition reads ἑαυτῇ, the Paris edition καθ’ ἑαυτὴν. The sense is similar ('by itself' or 'for itself'), but the variation indicates textual instability in the manuscript tradition.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ὅπερ δίκης δίκη editio Paris., ἥπερ δίκη Colb. tertius","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase is corrupt: the Paris edition reads 'ὅπερ δίκης δίκη' and the Colbert manuscript 'ἥπερ δίκη'. The intended meaning is likely 'which is precisely the way of flatterers', but the exact reading is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ὅπερ δίκης δίκη' (Paris) vs. 'ἥπερ δίκη' (Colbert) is textually uncertain; the translation follows the general sense of flattery.","The variant 'ἑαυτῇ' vs. 'καθ’ ἑαυτὴν' does not affect the overall meaning but reflects manuscript divergence."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":77,"ref":"p77","source":"καὶ ὥσπερ φασὶ τὸν πολύποδα τὴν χρόαν πρὸς τὴν ὑποκειμένην γῆν, οὕτως αὐτὸς τὴν διάνοιαν πρὸς τὰς τῶν συνόντων γνώμας μεταβαλεῖται. μεταβάλλεται duo MSS. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μέν που κἀν τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις τελειότερον μαθησόμεθα· ὅσον δὲ σκιαγραφίαν τινὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς, τό γε νῦν εἶναι, ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν παιδευμάτων περιγραψώμεθα. περιγραψόμεθα editi antiqui et Reg. tertius. τοῖς γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς ἐξ ἑκάστου τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἀθροίζουσιν, ὥσπερ τοῖς μεγάλοις τῶν ποταμῶν, κατὰ τὸν Ἡσίοδον add. editio Paris. πολλαὶ γίνεσθαι πολλαχόθεν αἱ προσθῆκαι πεφήκασι.\n\nτὸ γὰρ καὶ σμικρὸν ἐπὶ σμικρῷ κατατίθεσθαι, οὐ μᾶλλον εἰς ἀργυρίου προσθήκην, ἢ καὶ εἰς ἡντιναοῦν ἐπιστήμην ὀρθῶς ἡγεῖσθαι ἔχειν τῷ ποιητῇ προσῆκεν.\n\nὁ μὲν οὖν Βίας τῷ υἱεῖ πρὸς Αἰγυπτίους ἀπαίροντι καὶ πυνθανομένῳ τί ἂν ποιῶν αὐτῷ μάλιστα κεχαρισμένα πράττοι· Ἐφόδιον, ἔφη, πρὸς γῆρας κτησάμενος, τὴν ἀρετὴν δὴ τὸ ἐφόδιον λέγων, μικροῖς ὅροις αὐτὴν περιγράφων, ὅς γε ἀνθρωπίνῳ βίῳ τὴν ἀπ’ ἐπ’ editio utraque.","english":"And just as they say the octopus changes its color to match the underlying ground, so he himself will change his mind to match the opinions of those with whom he associates. But these things we will learn more perfectly in our own writings; for now, let us sketch out some outline of virtue from external teachings. For to those who diligently gather the benefit from each source, as to the great rivers, according to Hesiod, many additions come from many places.\n\nFor the practice of laying down even a small thing upon a small thing, no more for the increase of money than for any knowledge whatsoever, it was fitting for the poet to consider rightly.\n\nBias, then, when his son was departing to the Egyptians and asked what he could do that would most please him, said: \"Acquire a provision for old age,\" meaning virtue as that provision, circumscribing it within small limits, since he defines it in terms of human life.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"πολύποδα","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of a person to an octopus changing color is a common moral trope in Greek literature, found also in Theognis and later in Plutarch.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Theognis 215–218","Plutarch Moralia 96F"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡσίοδον","severity":"info","text":"The reference to Hesiod alludes to Works and Days 361–362, where small additions accumulate to great wealth, a principle Basil applies to learning.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Hesiod Works and Days"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Βίας","severity":"info","text":"Bias of Priene, one of the Seven Sages, is cited for his aphorism about virtue as a provision for old age, a common exemplum in moral philosophy.","cites":[],"named_sources":["Diogenes Laertius 1.82"],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"μεταβάλλεται","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript variant μεταβάλλεται (present) vs. μεταβαλεῖται (future) is noted in the edition; the future is more natural for the gnomic sense, but the present is attested.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"περιγραψώμεθα","severity":"caution","text":"The reading περιγραψώμεθα (aorist subjunctive) is preferred by some early editions over περιγραψόμεθα (future), affecting the hortatory force.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπ’ ἐπ’","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase ἀπ’ ἐπ’ at the end is corrupt in both editions; the intended sense is likely ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου or similar, but the text is uncertain.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The final phrase ἀπ’ ἐπ’ is corrupt and its intended reading is unclear; the translation 'in terms of human life' is a conjecture.","The verb forms μεταβαλεῖται/μεταβάλλεται and περιγραψώμεθα/περιγραψόμεθα show manuscript variation without clear authorial preference."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":78,"ref":"p78","source":"αὐτῆς ὠφέλειαν ὡρίζετο. ἐγὼ δέ, κἂν τὸ Τιθωνοῦ τις γῆρας, κἂν τὸ Ἀργανθωνίου λέγῃ, κἂν τὸ τοῦ μακροβιωτάτου παρ’ ἡμῖν ἡμῶν editi antiqui. Μαθουσάλα, ὃς χίλια ἔτη, τριάκοντα δεόντων, βιῶναι λέγεται, κἂν σύμπαντα τὸν ἀφ’ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, χρόνον ἀναμετρῇ, ὡς ἐπὶ παίδων διανοίας γελάσομαι, εἰς τὸν μακρὸν ἀποσκοπῶν καὶ ἀγήρω αἰῶνα, οὗ πέρας οὐδέν ἐστι τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ λαβεῖν, οὐ μᾶλλόν γε ἢ τελευτὴν ὑποθέσθαι τῆς ἀθανάτου ψυχῆς.\n\nπρὸς ὅνπερ κτᾶσθαι παραινέσαιμ’ ἂν τὰ ἐφόδια, πάντα λίθον κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν κινοῦντας, ὅθεν ἂν μέλλῃ τις ὑμῖν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ὠφέλεια γενήσεσθαι. μηδ’ ὅτι χαλεπὰ ταῦτα καὶ πόνου δεόμενα, διὰ τοῦτ’ ἀποκνήσωμεν· ἀλλ’ ἀναμνησθέντας ἀναμνησθέντες antiqui duo libri. τοῦ παραινέσαντος, ὅτι δέοι βίον μὲν ἄριστον αὐτὸν αὐτῶν editi antiqui. ἕκαστον προαιρεῖσθαι, ἡδὺν δὲ προσδοκᾶν τῇ συνηθείᾳ γενήσεσθαι, ἐγχειρεῖν τοῖς βελτίστοις.\n\nαἰσχρὸν γὰρ τὸν παρόντα καιρὸν προεμένους, ὕστερόν ποτ’ ἀνακαλεῖσθαι τὸ παρελθόν, ὅτε οὐδὲν ἔσται πλέον ἀνιωμένοις.","english":"from it defined benefit. But I, whether one speaks of the old age of Tithonus, or of Arganthonius, or of the most long-lived among us, Methuselah, who is said to have lived a thousand years lacking thirty, or even if one measures the whole time since humans came to be, I will laugh as at the thoughts of children, looking toward the long and ageless age, of which there is no end to grasp in thought, any more than one could suppose an end of the immortal soul.\n\nFor which I would advise you to acquire provisions, moving every stone according to the proverb, from wherever some benefit to you for it is going to come. And let us not shrink back because these things are difficult and require labor; but let us remember the one who advised that each person should choose the best life for themselves, and expect it to become pleasant through habit, and set about the best things.\n\nFor it is shameful to waste the present opportunity, and later to recall the past, when there will be no more benefit to those who grieve.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Τιθωνοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Tithonus, a Trojan prince, was granted immortality by Eos but not eternal youth, so he aged endlessly. Basil uses this as a foil for the true ageless age.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἀργανθωνίου","severity":"info","text":"Arganthonius was a legendary king of Tartessus said to have lived 150 years. Basil pairs him with Tithonus and Methuselah to dismiss all pagan and biblical longevities.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μαθουσάλα","severity":"info","text":"Methuselah, from Genesis 5:27, lived 969 years. Basil cites him as the longest-lived human in Christian tradition, yet dismisses his age compared to eternity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"πάντα λίθον κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν κινοῦντας","severity":"info","text":"The proverb 'move every stone' (πάντα λίθον κινεῖν) is Greek, found in Euripides and later in Plutarch. Basil adapts it to urge gathering benefit from all sources.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"πρὸς ὅνπερ κτᾶσθαι παραινέσαιμ' ἂν","severity":"info","text":"This sentence shifts from rejecting worldly longevity to exhorting the reader to acquire provisions for the eternal age, marking a rhetorical turn in the narrative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ παραινέσαντος","severity":"info","text":"The 'one who advised' likely refers to a philosopher, possibly Pythagoras or a Cynic source, advocating choosing the best life and expecting it to become pleasant through habit.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τοῦ παραινέσαντος' is ambiguous: it may refer to a specific philosopher (e.g., Pythagoras) or be a generic reference to wise advice. The reading taken is that it is a generic exhortation.","The text 'αὐτῆς ὠφέλειαν ὡρίζετο' is unclear in the English draft; the Greek likely means 'defined benefit from it' (i.e., from virtue), but the referent of 'αὐτῆς' is uncertain without the preceding passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":79,"ref":"p79","source":"Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἃ κράτιστα εἶναι κρίνω, τὰ μὲν νῦν εἴρηκα, τὰ δὲ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον ὑμῖν ξυμβουλεύσω. ὑμεῖς δέ, τριῶν ἀρρωστημάτων ὄντων, ὄντων om. Editio Basil. et MSS. μὴ τῷ ἀνιάτῳ προσεοικέναι δόξητε, μηδὲ τὴν τῆς γνώμης νόσον παραπλησίαν τῇ τῶν εἰς τὰ σώματα δυστυχησάντων δείξητε.\n\nοἱ μὲν γὰρ τὰ μικρὰ τῶν παθῶν κάμνοντες, αὐτοὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἰατροὺς ἔρχονται· οἱ δὲ ὑπὸ μειζόνων καταληφθέντες ἀρρωστημάτων, ἐφ’ ἑαυτοὺς καλοῦσι τοὺς θεραπεύσοντας· θεραπεύοντας codices duo. οἱ δ’ εἰς ἀνήκεστον παντελῶς μελαγχολίας παρενεχθέντες, οὐδὲ προσιόντας προσίενται. ὃ μὴ πάθητε πάθοιτε unus codex. τῶν νῦν ὑμεῖς, τοὺς ὀρθῶς ἔχοντας τῶν λογισμῶν τὸν λογισμὸν duo MSS. ἀποφεύγοντες. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μέν που κἀν τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις τελειότερον μαθησόμεθα· ὅσον δὲ σκιαγραφίαν τινὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς, τό γε νῦν εἶναι, ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν παιδευμάτων περιγραψώμεθα. περιγραψόμεθα editi antiqui et Reg. tertius. τοῖς γὰρ ἐπιμελῶς ἐξ ἑκάστου τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἀθροίζουσιν, ὥσπερ τοῖς μεγάλοις τῶν ποταμῶν, κατὰ τὸν Ἡσίοδον add. editio Paris. πολλαὶ γίνεσθαι πολλαχόθεν αἱ προσθῆκαι πεφήκασι. τὸ γὰρ καὶ σμικρὸν ἐπὶ σμικρῷ κατατίθεσθαι, οὐ μᾶλλον εἰς ἀργυρίου προσθήκην, ἢ καὶ εἰς ἡντιναοῦν ἐπιστήμην ὀρθῶς ἡγεῖσθαι ἔχειν τῷ ποιητῇ προσῆκεν. ὁ μὲν οὖν Βίας τῷ υἱεῖ πρὸς Αἰγυπτίους ἀπαίροντι καὶ πυνθανομένῳ τί ἂν ποιῶν αὐτῷ μάλιστα κεχαρισμένα πράττοι· Ἐφόδιον, ἔφη, πρὸς γῆρας κτησάμενος, τὴν ἀρετὴν δὴ τὸ ἐφόδιον λέγων, μικροῖς ὅροις αὐτὴν περιγράφων, ὅς γε ἀνθρωπίνῳ βίῳ τὴν ἀπ’ ἐπ’ editio utraque. αὐτῆς ὠφέλειαν ὡρίζετο.","english":"I have now told you what I consider best, and I will advise you throughout your entire life. But you, since there are three kinds of illness, do not seem to resemble the incurable one, nor show that the disease of your judgment is similar to that of those who have suffered misfortune in their bodies.\n\nFor those who suffer from minor ailments come to the physicians themselves; those overtaken by greater illnesses call the healers to themselves; but those who have been carried completely into incurable melancholy do not even admit those who approach. May you not suffer this, you who now flee from right reasoning. But we will learn these things more perfectly in our own writings; for the present, let us sketch out some outline of virtue from external teachings. For to those who diligently gather benefit from each source, as with great rivers, according to Hesiod, many additions come from many sides. For laying down small thing upon small thing is fitting for the poet to consider rightly, no more for the increase of money than for any knowledge whatsoever. So Bias, when his son was departing to the Egyptians and asked what he could do that would be most pleasing to him, said, \"Acquire a provision for old age,\" meaning virtue by the provision, circumscribing it within small limits, since he defined the benefit from it as bounded by human life.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τριῶν ἀρρωστημάτων ὄντων","severity":"info","text":"The passage introduces a tripartite medical analogy (three kinds of illness) to classify spiritual states, a common rhetorical device in Basil's exhortations.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀνήκεστον","severity":"info","text":"The term ἀνήκεστον (incurable) is a medical metaphor for a spiritual condition beyond remedy, echoing Platonic and Stoic usage.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"κατὰ τὸν Ἡσίοδον","severity":"info","text":"Basil invokes Hesiod (likely Works and Days 361-362) on the cumulative effect of small additions, adapting a secular maxim to Christian pedagogy.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Βίας","severity":"info","text":"Bias of Priene, one of the Seven Sages, is cited for his saying about virtue as a provision for old age, illustrating Basil's selective use of pagan wisdom.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"περιγραψώμεθα","severity":"caution","text":"The manuscript tradition shows variation between περιγραψώμεθα and περιγραψόμεθα; the former (subjunctive) is preferred as consistent with Basil's hortatory style.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν λογισμῶν","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase τοὺς ὀρθῶς ἔχοντας τῶν λογισμῶν is textually uncertain; two manuscripts read λογισμὸν, possibly a scribal simplification.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact reading of the phrase 'τῶν λογισμῶν' is contested; the English draft interprets it as 'right reasoning' but the Greek may imply a singular 'reason'.","The clause 'μὴ τῷ ἀνιάτῳ προσεοικέναι δόξητε' could be read as a warning against resembling the incurable illness or against being thought to resemble it."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":80,"ref":"p80","source":"ἐγὼ δέ, κἂν τὸ Τιθωνοῦ τις γῆρας, κἂν τὸ Ἀργανθωνίου λέγῃ, κἂν τὸ τοῦ μακροβιωτάτου παρ’ ἡμῖν ἡμῶν editi antiqui. Μαθουσάλα, ὃς χίλια ἔτη, τριάκοντα δεόντων, βιῶναι λέγεται, κἂν σύμπαντα τὸν ἀφ’ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι, χρόνον ἀναμετρῇ, ὡς ἐπὶ παίδων διανοίας γελάσομαι, εἰς τὸν μακρὸν ἀποσκοπῶν καὶ ἀγήρω αἰῶνα, οὗ πέρας οὐδέν ἐστι τῇ ἐπινοίᾳ λαβεῖν, οὐ μᾶλλόν γε ἢ τελευτὴν ὑποθέσθαι τῆς ἀθανάτου ψυχῆς. πρὸς ὅνπερ κτᾶσθαι παραινέσαιμ’ ἂν τὰ ἐφόδια, πάντα λίθον κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν κινοῦντας, ὅθεν ἂν μέλλῃ τις ὑμῖν ἐπ’ αὐτὸν ὠφέλεια γενήσεσθαι. μηδ’ ὅτι χαλεπὰ ταῦτα καὶ πόνου δεόμενα, διὰ τοῦτ’ ἀποκνήσωμεν· ἀλλ’ ἀναμνησθέντας ἀναμνησθέντες antiqui duo libri. τοῦ παραινέσαντος, ὅτι δέοι βίον μὲν ἄριστον αὐτὸν αὐτῶν editi antiqui. ἕκαστον προαιρεῖσθαι, ἡδὺν δὲ προσδοκᾶν τῇ συνηθείᾳ γενήσεσθαι, ἐγχειρεῖν τοῖς βελτίστοις. αἰσχρὸν γὰρ τὸν παρόντα καιρὸν προεμένους, ὕστερόν ποτ’ ἀνακαλεῖσθαι τὸ παρελθόν, ὅτε οὐδὲν ἔσται πλέον ἀνιωμένοις. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἃ κράτιστα εἶναι κρίνω, τὰ μὲν νῦν εἴρηκα, τὰ δὲ παρὰ πάντα τὸν βίον ὑμῖν ξυμβουλεύσω. ὑμεῖς δέ, τριῶν ἀρρωστημάτων ὄντων, ὄντων om. Editio Basil. et MSS. μὴ τῷ ἀνιάτῳ προσεοικέναι δόξητε, μηδὲ τὴν τῆς γνώμης νόσον παραπλησίαν τῇ τῶν εἰς τὰ σώματα δυστυχησάντων δείξητε. οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὰ μικρὰ τῶν παθῶν κάμνοντες, αὐτοὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἰατροὺς ἔρχονται· οἱ δὲ ὑπὸ μειζόνων καταληφθέντες ἀρρωστημάτων, ἐφ’ ἑαυτοὺς καλοῦσι τοὺς θεραπεύσοντας· θεραπεύοντας codices duo. οἱ δ’ εἰς ἀνήκεστον παντελῶς μελαγχολίας παρενεχθέντες, οὐδὲ προσιόντας προσίενται.","english":"But I—whether one speaks of the longevity of Tithonus, or of Arganthonius, or of the most long-lived among us, Methuselah, who is said to have lived a thousand years lacking thirty, or even if one measures the whole time since humans came to be—I will laugh as at the thoughts of children, looking toward the long and ageless age, whose end it is impossible to grasp in thought, no more than one could suppose an end to the immortal soul. For the sake of that age, I would urge you to acquire provisions, moving every stone, as the proverb says, from whatever source some benefit for it may come to you. And let us not shrink from these things because they are difficult and require labor; but, remembering the one who advised that each person should choose the best life for himself, and expect it to become pleasant through habit, let us set about the best things. For it is shameful to abandon the present opportunity and later to recall the past, when there will be no advantage in grieving. I have now told you what I consider best, and I will advise you throughout your entire life. But you, since there are three kinds of illness, do not seem to resemble the incurable one, nor show that the disease of your mind is similar to that of those who have suffered misfortune in their bodies. For those who suffer from minor ailments go themselves to the physicians; those seized by greater illnesses call the healers to themselves; but those who have been carried entirely into incurable madness do not even admit those who approach.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Τιθωνοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Tithonus, a Trojan prince, was granted immortality by Eos but not eternal youth, so he withered into a cicada. His name here symbolizes extreme old age.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"Ἀργανθωνίου","severity":"info","text":"Arganthonius was a legendary king of Tartessus in Iberia, reputed to have lived 150 years. His name, like Tithonus', exemplifies proverbial longevity in Greek tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μαθουσάλα","severity":"info","text":"Methuselah, the biblical patriarch, is said in Genesis 5:27 to have lived 969 years. Basil's 'thousand years lacking thirty' (970) is a slight rounding or variant tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"πάντα λίθον κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν κινοῦντας","severity":"info","text":"The proverb 'move every stone' (πάντα λίθον κινεῖν) is attested in Greek from the 5th century BCE (e.g., Euripides, Heraclidae 1002) and means to leave no resource untried.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τριῶν ἀρρωστημάτων ὄντων","severity":"info","text":"Basil introduces a threefold classification of illness (minor, severe, incurable) as an analogy for spiritual or moral conditions, a rhetorical device common in ancient protreptic literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"θεραπεύσοντας","severity":"caution","text":"The source edition notes a variant reading θεραπεύοντας ('those who are healing') for θεραπεύσοντας ('those who will heal'). The future participle is preferred for sense.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τριῶν ἀρρωστημάτων ὄντων' is ambiguous: it could mean 'since there are three kinds of illness' (as translated) or 'since there are three illnesses' (i.e., specific diseases). The context supports the generic reading.","The variant 'θεραπεύοντας' (present participle) vs. 'θεραπεύσοντας' (future participle) creates a minor ambiguity about whether the healers are currently treating or will treat."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":81,"ref":"p81","source":"ὃ μὴ πάθητε πάθοιτε unus codex. τῶν νῦν ὑμεῖς, τοὺς ὀρθῶς ἔχοντας τῶν λογισμῶν τὸν λογισμὸν duo MSS. ἀποφεύγοντες.","english":"which you may not suffer, as one manuscript has it. You, however, avoid the right reasoning, as two manuscripts have it.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"ὃ μὴ πάθητε πάθοιτε unus codex. τῶν νῦν ὑμεῖς, τοὺς ὀρθῶς ἔχοντας τῶν λογισμῶν τὸν λογισμὸν duo MSS.","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text is corrupt and conflates variant readings from different manuscripts. The first phrase is from one codex, the second from two others, indicating a textual crux.","cites":[{"key":"ed:tlg2040.tlg002","label":"source edition: De legendis gentilium libris","url":"https://scaife.perseus.org/reader/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2040.tlg002.perseus-grc2"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"τῶν νῦν ὑμεῖς","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'τῶν νῦν ὑμεῖς' is elliptical; the English draft supplies 'You, however' as the subject, contrasting with the preceding clause about suffering.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"τὸν λογισμόν","severity":"info","text":"'τὸν λογισμόν' (accusative) here likely means 'reasoning' or 'rational principle', a key term in Basil's moral exhortation to reject pagan learning.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ὃ μὴ πάθητε πάθοιτε","severity":"info","text":"This clause is a parenthetical textual variant, interrupting the flow. The passage shifts from a hypothetical wish ('which you may not suffer') to a direct address ('You, however, avoid...').","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is fragmentary and conflates readings from different manuscripts; the exact intended syntax and meaning are uncertain. The English draft interprets the second clause as a contrastive address."],"confidence":"medium","notes":[]}]}