A Reader Questioned

Ἡδέως ἂν ἐροίμην σε Γραφικῶς τὸν Αἰθίοπα τὴν γνώμην· Ἆρα γε γίνώσκεις ἂ ἀναγινώσκεις; Ὥς τινες γάρ φασι, ρήμάτων μνημονεύεις τινῶν τοῦ θεοπνεύστον Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Βασιλείου, οὗ τῶν πραγμάτων κατ' οὐδὲν μνημονεύεις. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθὴς εἶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐραστὴς, ἔογοις τοὺς ἐκείνου λόγους ἐπίδειξαι, δι' ὦν τὰ ἤθη κανόνι φιλοσοφίας ἐῥῥύθμισεν. Εἰ γὰρ τὴν κατὰ μεθυόντων τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μετεχειρίσω πυκτίδα, σαυτὸν εὑρήσεις ἐκεῖ, τὸν μυρίον ἐσμὸν τῶν αἰσχυνῶν ὑπομένοντα. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, ΞΑ' Ζωσιμῳ Source:  Migne PG 78. 221, 224

Cheerfully I might inquire of you who have an Ethiopian mind, 'Do you understand what you read?' 1 For some say that you remember some of the words of our divinely inspired father Basil but have no mind to practice the deeds. If truly you would be a lover of that man, then show his words in deeds, by whom was composed a wisdom loving rule for the direction of life. For if the writings of the man opposed to the drunkenness of men you merely hold in your hands you shall find there but myriad reasons for the tribulations of disgrace. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 61, To Zosimus 1 Act 8.27