Dai quaderni di Nicobulo. Sull’autore “bizantino” di Ps.-Bas. epp. 40-41 e sulle strane amicizie di Basilio

Ps.-Bas. epp. 40-41 (a letter supposedly written by the emperor Julian to Basil of Caesarea, and the response of the latter) are unanimously regarded as spurious, the work of a byzantine schoolboy. But this schoolboy is extremely well-informed about people, places, and situations. His main source is undoubtedly Gregory of Nazianzus, who is also the inspirer of the main idea the forger wants to credit: that Basil was an enemy of Julian. Such representation is groundless. On the contrary, some clues exist that seem to prove the opposite is true. The apocriphal letters are the product of a milieu determined to clear the famous bishop of Caesarea of blame of having been in good terms with the emperor soon labeled as Apostate.