Basil of Caesarea → Libanius
Tradução moderna em inglês
Your annoyance is over. Let that be the beginning of my letter. Go ahead -- mock me and my people, whether in jest or in earnest. Why bother talking about frost or snow when you could be enjoying yourself at our expense?
For my part, Libanius, to give you a good laugh, I have written this letter wrapped in a snow-white veil. When you take it in your hand, you will feel how cold it is, and how perfectly it captures the condition of its sender -- imprisoned at home, unable to put his head out of doors.
My house is a tomb until spring arrives and brings us back from death to life, granting us once more, like plants, the simple gift of being alive.
Texto latino / grego
[Πρός: Βασίλειος Λιβανίῳ] Λέλυταί σοι τὸ δύσθυμον. τοῦτο γὰρ ἔστω τῆς ἐπιστολῆς τὸ προοίμιον. σὺ δὲ σκῶπτε καὶ διάσυρε τὰ ἡμέτερα, εἴτε γελῶν εἴτε σπουδάζων. τί δὲ χιόνος ἢ γριτῆς ἐμνημόνευσας, παρὸν ἐντρυφᾷν ἡμῶν τοῖς σκώμμασιν; ἐγὼ δέ, ὦ Λιβάνιε, ἵνα σοι καὶ πλατὺν κινήσω τὸν γέλωτα, ὑπὸ παραπετάσματι καλυπτόμενος χιόνος, τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἔγραψα, ἣν δεξάμενος ψαύων χερσί, γνώσῃ ὡς κρυερά τις αὐτὴ καὶ τὸν πέμψαντα χαρακτηρίζει ἐμφωλεύοντα, καὶ μὴ δυνάμενον ἔξω τῶν δωματίων προκύπτειν. τάφους γὰρ τοὺς οἴκους κεκτήμεθα, μέχρις ἐπιλάβοι τὸ ἔαρ καὶ νεκροὺς ἡμᾶς ὄντας πρὸς ζωὴν ἐπανάξῃ, πάλιν τὸ εἶναι, ὥσπερ φυτοῖς, χαριζόμενον.
Texto inglês de origem
ST. BASIL OF CAESAREA Basil to Libanius. Your annoyance is over. Let this be the beginning of my letter. Go on mocking and abusing me and mine, whether laughing or in earnest. Why say anything about frost or snow, when you might be luxuriating in mockery? For my part, Libanius, that I may rouse you to a hearty laugh, I have written my letter enveloped in a snow-white veil. When you take the letter in your hand, you will feel how cold it is, and how it symbolizes the condition of the sender — kept at home and not able to put head out of doors. For my house is a grave till spring comes and brings us back from death to life, and once more gives to us, as to plants, the boon of existence.