"... it is incumbent upon us, for the present, to trace, as it were, the silhouette of virtue in the pagan authors. For those who carefully gather the useful from each book are wont, like mighty rivers, to gain accessions on every hand."

Drawing from his deep understanding of both classical Greek literature and Sacred Scripture, St. Basil the Great—a towering figure of the early Church—advocates for the proper integration of the literary treasures of ancient Greece within the broader formation of young Christian men. Basil challenges those whom he addresses to discern the morally enriching elements of Greek literature while guarding against its pitfalls, particularly its indulgence in more decadent and morally ambiguous themes.

Links

Address to Young Men on the Right Use of Greek Literature full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/basil_litterature01.htm

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