ABSTRACT
The article highlights the importance of the choice between virtue and vice, that is, between good and evil, between following the Will of God and one’s own will, according to the thought of St. Basil of Caesarea. It is assumed that a philosophical perspective exists behind his view. The article seeks to summarize the main lines of argument used by the Cappadocian saint, and emphasizes preeminently the concept of virtue. This concept refers to the genuine human good, which differs from the rest of the perishable goods insofar as it leads eminently to God. It is necessary to choose between two kinds of life: the heavenly and the terrestrial one. Certainly, a true Christian will choose the former. In a second moment, the article examines the relevance that St. Basil gives to pagan literature (which highlights how important it was for Basil the formation of youth), which is essential in order for young people to be educated in the choice between virtue and vice.
KEYWORDS
Saint Basil of Caesarea; Classical Ethics; Moral Virtue; Pagan Literature; Christian Paideia