This Theophrastus may be identified with the deacon Theophrastus who died shortly after Easter a.d. 372.  (cf. Letter xcv.)  The secret instructions given him “seem to refer to Basil’s design for giving peace to the Church, which Basil did not attempt to carry out before his tranquilization of Cappadocia, but may have had in mind long before.”  Maran, Vit. Bas. chap. xvi.