To the heretic Simplicia. The Ben. E. note that in the imperial codex No. lxvii. appears an argument of this letter wanting in the editions of St. Basil.  It is as follows:  “Letter of the same to Simplicia about her eunuchs.  She was a heretic.  The blessed Basil being ill and entering a bath to bathe, Simplicia told her eunuchs and maids to throw his towels out.  Straightway the just judgment of God slew some of them, and Simplicia sent money to the blessed Basil to make amends for the injury.  Basil refused to receive it, and wrote this Letter.”  This extraordinary preface seems to have been written by some annotator ignorant of the circumstances, which may be learnt from Greg. Naz. Letter xxxviii.  It appears that a certain Cappadocian church, long without a bishop, had elected a slave of Simplicia, a lady wealthy and munificent, but of suspected orthodoxy.  Basil and Gregory injudiciously ordained the reluctant slave without waiting for his mistress’s consent.  The angry lady wrote in indignation, and threatened him with the vengeance of her slaves and eunuchs.  After Basil’s death she returned to the charge, and pressed Gregory to get the ordination annulled.  cf. Maran, Vit. Bas. chap. xxv.