Defence before Constantius
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Chapter 2
2PG 25:597a–597b
Περὶ δὲ τῆς διαβολῆς τῆς κατʼ ἐμοῦ γενομένης παρὰ τῇ σῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ διὰ τὸν εὐσεβέστατον Αὕγουστον καὶ μακαρίας μνήμης καὶ αίωνίου Κώνσταντα τόν ἀδελφόν σου (τοῦτο γὰρ οἱ ἐχθροὶ θρυλοῦσι, καὶ γράψαι τετολμήκασιν), ἱκανὰ τὰ πρῶτα δεῖξαι καὶ ταῦτα μή ἀληθῆ. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι τινὲς ἦσαν οἱ τοῦτο λέγοντες, δικάσιμον ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα, χρεία τε πολλῆς ἀποδείξεως, καὶ τῶν εἷς πρόσωπον ἐλέγχων· εἴ δὶ οὶ-τὰ πρῶτα πλάσαντες αὐτοὶ καὶ ταῦτα συνέθηκαν, πῶς οὐκ ἐξ ἐκείνων εἰκότως καὶ ταῦτα πεπλασμένα δείκνυται; Διά τοῦτο γὰρ πάλιν,κατὰ μόνας λαλοῦσι, νομίζοντες ὑφαρπάζειν δύνασθαι τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν. Ἀλλʼ ἐσφάλησαν οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἠθέλησαν ἤκουσας, ἀλλὰ τῆ μακροθυμίᾳ δέδωκας καὶ ἡμῖν χώραν ἀπολογεῖσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ μὴ παραυτίκα κινηθῇ. ναι, καὶ τιμωρίαν ἀπαιτῆσαι, οὐδὲν ἧν ἓτερον, ὡς δίκαιον βασιλέα, περιμεῖναι καὶ τήν τοῦ διαβληθέντος ἀπολογίαν· ᾗς ἐὰν καταξιώσῃς ἀκοῦσαι, τεθάρσηκα, ὡς καὶ ἐν τούτοις καταγνώσῃ τῶν προπετευσαμένων, καὶ μὴ φοβηθέντων τὸν Θεὸν, ἐντειλάμενον μηδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ στόματος βασιλεῖ λέγεσθαι.
Peri de tēs diabolēs tēs katʼ emou genomenēs para tę̄ sę̄ philanthrōpią dia ton eusebestaton Haugouston kai makarias mnēmēs kai aiōniou Kōnstanta ton adelphon sou (touto gar hoi echthroi thrylousi, kai grapsai tetolmēkasin), hikana ta prōta deixai kai tauta mē alēthē. Ei men gar alloi tines ēsan hoi touto legontes, dikasimon ēn to pragma, chreia te pollēs apodeixeōs, kai tōn heis prosōpon elenchōn; ei di oi-ta prōta plasantes autoi kai tauta synethēkan, pōs ouk ex ekeinōn eikotōs kai tauta peplasmena deiknytai? Dia touto gar palin,kata monas lalousi, nomizontes hypharpazein dynasthai tēn sēn theosebeian. Allʼ esphalēsan ou gar hōs ēthelēsan ēkousas, alla tē makrothymią dedōkas kai hēmin chōran apologeisthai. To gar mē parautika kinēthę̄. nai, kai timōrian apaitēsai, ouden hēn heteron, hōs dikaion basilea, perimeinai kai tēn tou diablēthentos apologian; hę̄s ean kataxiōsę̄s akousai, tetharsēka, hōs kai en toutois katagnōsę̄ tōn propeteusamenōn, kai mē phobēthentōn ton Theon, enteilamenon mēden pseudos apo stomatos basilei legesthai.
As for the slander made against me before your humanity concerning the most pious Augustus of blessed and eternal memory, Constans your brother (for this is what my enemies noise abroad and have dared to write), the earlier refutations are enough to show that this too is untrue. For if it were other persons who said it, the matter would be one for trial, needing much proof and confrontation face to face; but if those who invented the first charges have also composed these, how is it not reasonably shown from those that these too are fabricated? This is why they again speak in private, thinking they can take your godliness by surprise. But they have failed; for you did not listen as they wished, but in your long-suffering have given us too an opportunity to defend ourselves. For not to be moved at once and demand punishment was nothing else than to wait, as a just king, for the defense of the one slandered; and if you deign to hear it, I am confident that in this too you will condemn those who acted rashly and did not fear God, who commanded that no lie be spoken to the king from the mouth.
Chapter 3
3PG 25:597b–601b
Αἰσχύνομαι μὲν οὗν ἀληθῶς καὶ ἀπολογούμενος περὶ τδιούτων, περὶ ὧν οὐδὲ αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κατήγορον ἔτι παρόντων ἡμῶν μνημονεύσειν. Οἵδε γὰρ ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι τε αὐτὸς ψεύδεται, καὶ οὔτε ἐμάνην ἐγῶ, οὔτε τῶν φρενῶν ἐξέστηκα, τίνα κᾶν ὡς ἐνθυμηθείς τι τοιοῦτον ὑπονοηθῶ. Διὸ οὐδʼ ἂν ἄλλοις ἐρωτῶσιν ἀπεκρινάμην, ’ίνα μηδὲ ἐν τῷ χρόνῳ τῆς ἀπολογίας οἱ ἀκούοντες κρεμωμένην ἔχωσι τὴν διάνοιαψ τῇ δὲ σῇ εὐλαβείᾳ μεγάλῃ καὶ λαμπρᾷ τῇ φωνῇ ἀπολογοῦμαι, καὶ τήν χεῖρα ἐκτείνας, '6 μεμάθηκα παρὰ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν ἐπικαλοῦμαι ἐπὶ τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ ψυχήνσκαί, ὡς γέσ γραπται ἐν ταῖς Βασιλικαῖς ἱστορίαις· μάρτυς Κύριος, καὶ μάρτυς 6 Χριστὸς αὐτοῦ (κάμοὶ συγχώρησον εἷπεῖν), οὐδέ πώποτε περὶ τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας κακῶς ἐμνημόνευσα παρά τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου τῷ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Κώνσταντι, τῷ εὐσεβεστάτῳ Αὐγούστῳ. οὐ παρώξυνα τοῦτον, ὡς οὗτοι διαβεβλήκασιν· ἀλλʼ εἷʼ ποτε καὶ εἰσελθόντων ἡμῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐμνημόνευσεν αὐτὸς τῆς σῆς φιλανθρωπίας, ἐμνημόνευσε δὲ καὶ ὅτε οἱ περὶ Θάλασσον ἧλσον εἷς τήν Πιτυβίωνα, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν τῇ ’Δκυληίᾳ διετρίβομεν μάρτυς 6 Κύριος, ὅπως ἐμνημόνευον ἐγὼ τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας, καὶ ταῦτα ἔλεγον, ἅπερ 6 Θεὸς ἀποκαλύψῃ τῆ σῇ, ’ἱνα καταγνῷς τῆς συκοφαντίας τῶν με διαβαλόντων παρᾶ σοί. Συγχώρησον εί·πόντι μοι ταῦτα, φιλανθρωπότατε Αὕγουστε, καὶ πολλήν μοι συγγνώμην δός. Ού γὰρ οὕτως ἦν εὐχερὴς 6 φιλόχριστος ἐκεῖνος, οὐδὲ τηλικοῦτος ἤμην ἐγὼ, ἵνα περὶ τοιούτων ἐκοινολογούμεθα, καὶ ἀδελφὸν ἀδελφῷ διέβαλλον, ἢ παρᾷ βασιλεῖ περὶ βασιλέως κακῶς μνημονεύσω. Ού μαίνομαι, βασιλεῖʼ), οὐδὲ ἐπελαθόμην τῆς θείας φωνῆς λεγούσης· Καὶ γε ἐν συνειδήσει σου βασιλέα μή καταράσῃ, καὶ ἐν ταμείοις κοιτῶνός σου μὴ καταράσῃ πλούσιον ο ὅτι πετεινὸν τοῦ ούρανοῦ ἀποίσει σου τὴν φωνῆν, καὶ 6 τὰς πτέρυγας ἀπαγγελεῖ λόγον σου. Εἰ δὲ τὰ κατιδίαν λεγόμενα καθʼ ὑμῶν τῶν βασιλέων ού κρύπτεται, πῶς οὔκ ἄπισπν εἰ παρόντος βασιλὲως, καὶ τοσούτων ἑστώτων, ἔλεγον κατὰ σοῦ ; Οὐ γὰρ μόνος ἓώρακά ποτε τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, οὐδὲ μόνῳ μοί ποτε ἐκεῖνος ὡμίλησεν· ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ μετὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου τῆς πόλεως ἔνθα ἧν, καὶ ἄλλων τῶν ἐκεῖ παρατυγχανόντων εἷʼσηρχόμην· κοινῇ τε αὐτὸν ἐβλέπομεν, καὶ κοινῇ πάλιν ἀνεχωροῦμεν· δύναται Φουρτουνατιανὸς 6 τῆς ’Δκυληΐας ἐπίσκοπος μαρτυρῆσαι περὶ τούτου, ἱκανός ἐστιν 6 Πατήρ ’Ὀσιος είπεῖν, καὶ Κρισπῖνος ὁτῆς Ηατάβων, καὶ Λούκιλλος 6 ἐν Βερωνὶ, καί Διονύσιος 6 ἐν Αηΐδι, καὶ Βικὲντιος 6 ἐν Καμπανίᾳ ἐπίσκοπος. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τετελευτήκασι Μαξιμῖνος 6 Τριβἐρεως, καὶ Προτάσιος 6 τῆς Μεδιολάνου, δύναται καὶ Εὐγὲνιος 6 γενόμενος μάγιστρος μαρτυρῆσαι· αὐτὸς γὰρ εἱστήκει πρὸ τοῦ βηλοῦ, καὶ ἤκουεν ἅπερ ἠξιοῦμεν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἅπερ αὐτὸς κατηξίου λέγειν ἡμῖν. Ταῦτα τοίνυν εί καὶ ἱκανὰ πρὸς ἀπόδειξίν ἐστι, συγχώρησον ὅμως διηγήσασθαι καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν τῆς ἀποδημίας, *ίνα καὶ ἐκ τούτων καταγνῷς τῶν διαβαλλόντων ἡμᾶς … Ἐξελθὼν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας, οὐκ εἷς τὸ στρατόπεδον τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἄλλους τινὰς, ἢ μόνον εἷς τήν Ῥώμην ἀνῆλθον· καὶ τῇ Ἐκκλησία τὰ κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν παραθέμενος (τούτου γὰρ μόνου μοι φροντὶς ἦν), ἐσχόλαζον ταῖς συνάξεσι. Τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου οὐκ ἔγραψα, ἢ μόνον ὅτε οἱπερὶ Εὐσέβιον ἔγραψαν αὐτῷ κατʼ ἐμοῦ, καὶ ἀνάγκην ἔσχον ἔτι ὢν ἐν τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ ἀπολογήσασθαι· καὶ ὅτε, πυκτία τῶν θείων Γραφῶν κελεύσαντος αὐτοῦ μοι κατασκευάσαι, ταῦτα ποιήσας ἀπέστειλα· χρὴ γὰρ ἀπολογούμενόν με ἀληθεύειν τῇ σῇ θεοσεβείᾳ. Τριῶν τοίνυν ἐτῶν παρελθόντων, τετάρτῳ ἐνιζαυτῷ γράφει κελεύσας ἀπαντῆσαί με πρὸς αὐτόν· ἧν δὲ ἐν τῇ Μεδιολάνῳ. Ἐγὼ δὲ, διερωτῶν τὴν αἰτίαν (ού γὰρ ἐγίνωσκον, μάρτυς 6 Κύριος), ἔμαθον ὅτι ἐπίσκοπνί τινες, ἀνελθόντες, ἠξίωσαν αὐτὸν γράψαι τῇ σῇ εὐσεβείᾳ, ὥστε σύνοδον γενέσθαι. Πίστευε, βασιλεῦ, οὕτω γέγονε, καὶού ψεύδομαι. Κατελθὼν τοίνυν εἷς τήν Μεδιόλανον, εἶδον πολλὴν φιλανθρωπίαν · κατηξίωσε γὰρ ἰδεῖν με, καὶ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἔγραψε καὶ ἀπέστειλε πρὸς σὲ, ἀξιῶν σύνοδον γενέσθαι. Διάγοντα δέ με ἐν τῇ προειρημένῃ πόλει, μετεπέμψατο πάλιν εἷς τὰς Γαλλίας, ἐκεῖ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ’Ἡσιος ἤρχετο,ίνα ἐκεῖθεν εἷς τήν Σαρδικὴν ὁδεύσωμεν. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν σύνοδον, έν τῇ Ναϊσσῷ μοι διάγοντι γράφει· καί ἀνελθὼν ἐν Ἀκυληίᾳ λοιπὸν διέτριβον, ἔνθα με τὰ γράμματα τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας κατέλαβεν. Κάκεῖθεν κληθεὶς πάλιν παρά τοῦ μακαρίτου, καὶ ἀνελθὼν εἷς τὰς Γαλλίας, οὕτως ἦλθον παρὰ τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν.
Aischynomai men houn alēthōs kai apologoumenos peri tdioutōn, peri hōn oude auton oimai ton katēgoron eti parontōn hēmōn mnēmoneusein. Hoide gar akribōs, hoti te autos pseudetai, kai oute emanēn egō, oute tōn phrenōn exestēka, tina kan hōs enthymētheis ti toiouton hyponoēthō. Dio oudʼ an allois erōtōsin apekrinamēn, ’ina mēde en tǭ chronǭ tēs apologias hoi akouontes kremōmenēn echōsi tēn dianoiaps tę̄ de sę̄ eulabeią megalę̄ kai lamprą tę̄ phōnę̄ apologoumai, kai tēn cheira ekteinas, '6 memathēka para tou Apostolou, martyra ton Theon epikaloumai epi tēn emautou psychēnskai, hōs ges graptai en tais Basilikais historiais; martys Kyrios, kai martys 6 Christos autou (kamoi synchōrēson heipein), oude pōpote peri tēs sēs eusebeias kakōs emnēmoneusa para tǭ adelphǭ sou tǭ tēs makarias mnēmēs Kōnstanti, tǭ eusebestatǭ Augoustǭ. ou parōxyna touton, hōs houtoi diabeblēkasin; allʼ heiʼ pote kai eiselthontōn hēmōn pros auton emnēmoneusen autos tēs sēs philanthrōpias, emnēmoneuse de kai hote hoi peri Thalasson hēlson heis tēn Pitybiōna, kai hēmeis en tę̄ ’Dkylēią dietribomen martys 6 Kyrios, hopōs emnēmoneuon egō tēs sēs theosebeias, kai tauta elegon, haper 6 Theos apokalypsę̄ tē sę̄, ’hina katagnǭs tēs sykophantias tōn me diabalontōn para soi. Synchōrēson ei;ponti moi tauta, philanthrōpotate Haugouste, kai pollēn moi syngnōmēn dos. Ou gar houtōs ēn eucherēs 6 philochristos ekeinos, oude tēlikoutos ēmēn egō, hina peri toioutōn ekoinologoumetha, kai adelphon adelphǭ dieballon, ē parą basilei peri basileōs kakōs mnēmoneusō. Ou mainomai, basileiʼ), oude epelathomēn tēs theias phōnēs legousēs; Kai ge en syneidēsei sou basilea mē katarasę̄, kai en tameiois koitōnos sou mē katarasę̄ plousion o hoti peteinon tou ouranou apoisei sou tēn phōnēn, kai 6 tas pterygas apangelei logon sou. Ei de ta katidian legomena kathʼ hymōn tōn basileōn ou kryptetai, pōs ouk apispn ei parontos basileōs, kai tosoutōn hestōtōn, elegon kata sou ? Ou gar monos heōraka pote ton adelphon sou, oude monǭ moi pote ekeinos hōmilēsen; allʼ aei meta tou episkopou tēs poleōs entha hēn, kai allōn tōn ekei paratynchanontōn heiʼsērchomēn; koinę̄ te auton eblepomen, kai koinę̄ palin anechōroumen; dynatai Phourtounatianos 6 tēs ’Dkylēïas episkopos martyrēsai peri toutou, hikanos estin 6 Patēr ’Osios eipein, kai Krispinos hotēs Ēatabōn, kai Loukillos 6 en Berōni, kai Dionysios 6 en Aēïdi, kai Bikentios 6 en Kampanią episkopos. Kai epeidē teteleutēkasi Maximinos 6 Tribereōs, kai Protasios 6 tēs Mediolanou, dynatai kai Eugenios 6 genomenos magistros martyrēsai; autos gar heistēkei pro tou bēlou, kai ēkouen haper ēxioumen auton, kai haper autos katēxiou legein hēmin. Tauta toinyn ei kai hikana pros apodeixin esti, synchōrēson homōs diēgēsasthai kai ton logismon tēs apodēmias, *ina kai ek toutōn katagnǭs tōn diaballontōn hēmas … Exelthōn apo tēs Alexandreias, ouk heis to stratopedon tou adelphou sou, oude pros allous tinas, ē monon heis tēn Rhōmēn anēlthon; kai tę̄ Ekklēsia ta katʼ emauton parathemenos (toutou gar monou moi phrontis ēn), escholazon tais synaxesi. Tǭ adelphǭ sou ouk egrapsa, ē monon hote hoiperi Eusebion egrapsan autǭ katʼ emou, kai anankēn eschon eti ōn en tę̄ Alexandreią apologēsasthai; kai hote, pyktia tōn theiōn Graphōn keleusantos autou moi kataskeuasai, tauta poiēsas apesteila; chrē gar apologoumenon me alētheuein tę̄ sę̄ theosebeią. Triōn toinyn etōn parelthontōn, tetartǭ enizautǭ graphei keleusas apantēsai me pros auton; hēn de en tę̄ Mediolanǭ. Egō de, dierōtōn tēn aitian (ou gar eginōskon, martys 6 Kyrios), emathon hoti episkopni tines, anelthontes, ēxiōsan auton grapsai tę̄ sę̄ eusebeią, hōste synodon genesthai. Pisteue, basileu, houtō gegone, kaiou pseudomai. Katelthōn toinyn heis tēn Mediolanon, eidon pollēn philanthrōpian ; katēxiōse gar idein me, kai eipein, hoti egrapse kai apesteile pros se, axiōn synodon genesthai. Diagonta de me en tę̄ proeirēmenę̄ polei, metepempsato palin heis tas Gallias, ekei gar kai ho Patēr ’Hēsios ērcheto,ina ekeithen heis tēn Sardikēn hodeusōmen. Meta de tēn synodon, en tę̄ Naïssǭ moi diagonti graphei; kai anelthōn en Akylēią loipon dietribon, entha me ta grammata tēs sēs theosebeias katelaben. Kakeithen klētheis palin para tou makaritou, kai anelthōn heis tas Gallias, houtōs ēlthon para tēn sēn eusebeian.
I am truly ashamed even to defend myself on such matters, which I think not even the accuser himself would mention any longer in our presence. For he knows well both that he is lying and that I was neither mad nor out of my senses, that I should be suspected of even thinking any such thing. Therefore I would not even have answered others who asked me, lest during the time of my defense my hearers should have their minds in suspense; but to your reverence I make my defense with a loud and clear voice, and stretching out my hand, as I have learned from the Apostle, I call God as witness upon my soul; and, as it is written in the histories of the Kings, the Lord is witness and his Christ is witness (permit me too to say it), that I never spoke ill of your piety before your brother of blessed memory, Constans, the most pious Augustus. I did not provoke him, as these men have slandered; but if ever, when we came in to him, he himself made mention of your humanity—and he made mention of it when Thalassus and his companions came to Pitybion and we were staying at Aquileia—the Lord is witness how I spoke of your godliness, and said such things as God will reveal to your soul, so that you may condemn the false accusation of those who have slandered me to you. Forgive me for saying this, most humane Augustus, and grant me much pardon. For that lover of Christ was not so lightminded, nor was I of such standing, that we should converse about such things, that I should slander a brother to a brother or speak ill of an emperor before an emperor. I am not mad, O emperor, nor have I forgotten the divine voice that says: “Curse not the king, not even in your thought, and in your bedchamber curse not the rich; for a bird of the air shall carry your voice, and that which has wings shall tell your word.” If, then, what is said privately against you emperors is not hidden, is it not incredible that I should have spoken against you in the presence of the emperor and so many standing by? For I never saw your brother alone, nor did he ever converse with me alone; but I always went in with the bishop of the city where he was and others who happened to be there; we saw him together and withdrew together. Fortunatian, bishop of Aquileia, can bear witness to this; father Hosius is able to tell it, and Crispinus of Patavium, Lucillus of Verona, Dionysius of Elis, and Vincent, bishop in Campania. And since Maximinus of Trier and Protasius of Milan have died, Eugenius, who was master of the offices, can bear witness; for he stood before the curtain and heard what we asked of him and what he deigned to say to us. Though this is sufficient proof, permit me nevertheless to recount the course of my travels too, so that from this as well you may condemn those who slander us … [4] When I left Alexandria, I went up not to your brother’s court nor to any others, but only to Rome; and having committed my affairs to the church (for this alone was my concern), I devoted myself to the assemblies. To your brother I did not write, except when Eusebius and his party wrote to him against me and I was obliged, while still at Alexandria, to defend myself; and when he ordered me to prepare volumes of the divine Scriptures, I made them and sent them—for I must tell the truth in my defense before your godliness. Then, three years having passed, in the fourth year he writes ordering me to come to him; he was at Milan. And I, inquiring the reason (for I did not know, the Lord is witness), learned that certain bishops had gone up and asked him to write to your piety that a synod should be held. Believe me, O emperor, so it happened, and I do not lie. So I went down to Milan and met with great kindness; for he deigned to see me and to say that he had written and sent to you asking that a synod be held. While I was staying in that city, he sent for me again to the Gauls, for father Hosius too was coming there, so that we might travel from there to Sardica. After the synod he wrote to me while I was staying at Naissus; and going up, I then stayed at Aquileia, where the letters of your godliness reached me. And being summoned again from there by the blessed one, and going up to the Gauls, so I came to your piety.
Chapter 5
5PG 25:601b–604c
Ποῖον τοίνυν τόπον, τίνα χρόνον φησὶν ὁ κα· τήγορος, έν ᾧ τοιαῦτά με εἰρηκέναι διέβαλλεν ;ἣ τίνος παρόντος έμάνην φθέγξασθαι τοιαῦτα, οἶα ὡς εἰπόντος μου κατεψεύσατο; ἢ τίς ἐστιν ὁ τούτῳ συνηγορῶν καὶ μαρτυρῶν ; ἃ γὰρ εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ αὐτοῦ, ταῦτα καὶ λέγειν ὀφείλει, ὡς ἡ θεία Γραφή παρήγγειλεν. Οὐδένα μὲν οὖν οὗτος εὑρήσει μάρτυρα τῶν μὴ γενομένων· ἐγὼ δὲ, ὅτι οὗ ψεύδομαι, μάρτυρα μετά τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν ἔχω. Ἀξιῶ γὰρ, γινώσκων σε μνημονικώτατον, ἀναμνησθῆναι τῶν λόγων, ὧν ἀνέφερον τότε, ὅτε κατηξίωσας ἰδεῖν με· πρῶτον μὲν ἐν Βιμινακίῳ, δεύτερον δὲ έν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Καππαδοκίας, καὶ τρίτον ἐν ’Δντιοχείᾳ· εἴ κᾶν τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον τῶν με λυπησάντων κακῶς ἐμνημόνευσα παρά σοὶ, εἰ διέβαλλόν τινας τῶν ἀδικησάντων με. El δὲ μηδὲ καθʼ ὧν ἔδει με λέγειν τούτους διέβαλον, ποίαν εἶχον μανίαν βασιλέα βασιλεῖ διαβάλλειν, καὶ ἀδελφὸν ἀδελφῷ συγκροῦσαι ; Παρακαλῶ, ἢ παρόντα με ποίησον ἐλεγχθῆναι, ἢ κατάγνωθι τῶν διαβολῶν· καὶ μίμησαι τὸν Δαβὶδ λέγοντα· Τὸν καταλαλοῦντα λάθρα τοῦ πλησίον, τοῦτον έξεδίωκον Τὸ μὶν γὰρ ὅσον εἷς αὐτοὺς ἧκε ἐφόνευσαν· στόμα γὰρ καταψευσάμενον ἀνεῖλε ψυχήν. Ἡ δὲ σὴ μακροθυμία νενίκηκε, παρασχοῦσα παρρησίαν ἀπολογίας, ’ίνα καὶ καταγνωσθῆναι δυνηθῶσιν, ὡς φιλόνεικοι καὶ συκοφάνται. Περὶ μὲν τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου σου ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ τῆς μακαοίας μνήμης ταῦταʼ δύνασαι γὰρ. κατὰ τήν δοθεῖσάν σοι σοφίαν παρὰ Θεοῦ προλαμβάνειν τὰ πολλά ἐκ τῶν ὀλίγων τούτων, καὶ γινώσκειν τὴν πλασθεῖσαν κατηγορίαν. με, καὶ εἷς πολλὴν ἀσάφειαν ἄγει. Καὶ πίστευε, θεοφικέστατε βασιλεῦ, πολλάκις κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν λογιζόμενος ἠπίστουν, εἴ ἄρα τις ἐμάνη τοσοῦτον, ὥστε καὶ τοιαῦτα ψεύσασθαι. Ἐπειδή δὲ παρὰ τῶν ’Δρειανῶν ἐθρυλεῖτο καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ ὡς αὐτοὶ ἐπιδεδωκότες ἀντίγραφον ἐπιπολῆς έκαυχῶντο, ἐξιστάμην μειζόνως, καὶ ἀύπνους νύκτας διατελῶν, ὡς πρὸς παρόντας τοὺς κατειπόντας ἐμαχόμην· καὶ κραυγὴν ἐξ· απιναίως ἠφίειν μεγάλην, καὶ ηὐχόμην εὐθὺς, στενάζων μετά δακρύων, εὑρεῖν τάς σάς ἀκοὰς εὐμενεῖς. Ἀλλά καὶ οὕτω τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ταύτας εὑρὼν, πάλιν ἀπορῶ, ποίαν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἀπολογίας ποιήσομαι· ὁσάκις γάρ ἂν ἐπιβάλωμαι λέγειν, ἐμποδίζομαι διὰ τήν τοῦ πράγματος ἔκπληξιν. ’Ὀλως μὲν γάρ περὶ τοῦ μακαρίτου σου ἀδελφοῦ πρόφασις ἧν πιθανῆ τοῖς συκοφάνταις, ὅτι τε κατηξιούμεθα βλέπειν αὐτὸν, καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ἠξίου γράφειν πρὸς την σήν ἀδελφικὴν διάθεσιν, καὶ παρόντας μὲν ἐτίμα πολλάκις, καὶ ἀπόντας δὲ μετεπέμπετοο τὸν δὲ διάβολον Μαγνέντιον, μάρτυς 6 Κύριος, καὶ μάρτυς ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτοῦ, οὔτε γινώσκω, οὔτε ὅλως ἠπιστάμην αὐτόν. Ποία τοίνυν συνήθεια τῷ μὴ γινωσκομένῳ πρὸς τὸν μὴ γινώσκοντα ; ποία με πρόφασις εἷλκε γράψαι τῷ τοιούτῳ ; Ποῖον προοίμιον τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔτασσον, γράφων αύτῷ ; Ὅτιʼ Τὸν τιμῶντά με, οὗ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐπιλαθοίμην, τοῦτον φονεύσας καλῶς ἐποίησας ; καὶ ἀποδέχομαί σε τοὺς γνωρίμους ἡμῶν Χριστιανοὺς καὶ πιστοτάτους ἄνδρας ἀνελόντα ; καί ἀποδέχομαί σε σφάξαντα τοὺς έν Ῥώμῃ γνησίως ἡμᾶς ὑποδοξαμένους, τήν μακαρίαν σου θείαν τὴν ἀληθῶς Εὐτρόπιον, καὶ Ἀβουτγίριον τὸν γνήσιον ἐκεῖνον, καὶ Σπειράντιον τὸν πιστότατον, καὶ ἄλλους πολλοὺς καλούς;
Poion toinyn topon, tina chronon phēsin ho ka; tēgoros, en hǭ toiauta me eirēkenai dieballen ?hē tinos parontos emanēn phthenxasthai toiauta, oia hōs eipontos mou katepseusato? ē tis estin ho toutǭ synēgorōn kai martyrōn ? ha gar eidon hoi ophthalmoi autou, tauta kai legein opheilei, hōs hē theia Graphē parēngeilen. Oudena men oun houtos heurēsei martyra tōn mē genomenōn; egō de, hoti hou pseudomai, martyra meta tēs alētheias kai tēn sēn eusebeian echō. Axiō gar, ginōskōn se mnēmonikōtaton, anamnēsthēnai tōn logōn, hōn anepheron tote, hote katēxiōsas idein me; prōton men en Biminakiǭ, deuteron de en Kaisareią tēs Kappadokias, kai triton en ’Dntiocheią; ei kan tōn peri Eusebion tōn me lypēsantōn kakōs emnēmoneusa para soi, ei dieballon tinas tōn adikēsantōn me. El de mēde kathʼ hōn edei me legein toutous diebalon, poian eichon manian basilea basilei diaballein, kai adelphon adelphǭ synkrousai ? Parakalō, ē paronta me poiēson elenchthēnai, ē katagnōthi tōn diabolōn; kai mimēsai ton Dabid legonta; Ton katalalounta lathra tou plēsion, touton exediōkon To min gar hoson heis autous hēke ephoneusan; stoma gar katapseusamenon aneile psychēn. Hē de sē makrothymia nenikēke, paraschousa parrēsian apologias, ’ina kai katagnōsthēnai dynēthōsin, hōs philoneikoi kai sykophantai. Peri men tou eusebestatou sou adelphou tou tēs makaoias mnēmēs tautaʼ dynasai gar. kata tēn dotheisan soi sophian para Theou prolambanein ta polla ek tōn oligōn toutōn, kai ginōskein tēn plastheisan katēgorian. me, kai heis pollēn asapheian agei. Kai pisteue, theophikestate basileu, pollakis katʼ emauton logizomenos ēpistoun, ei ara tis emanē tosouton, hōste kai toiauta pseusasthai. Epeidē de para tōn ’Dreianōn ethryleito kai touto, kai hōs autoi epidedōkotes antigraphon epipolēs ekauchōnto, existamēn meizonōs, kai aupnous nyktas diatelōn, hōs pros parontas tous kateipontas emachomēn; kai kraugēn ex; apinaiōs ēphiein megalēn, kai ēuchomēn euthys, stenazōn meta dakryōn, heurein tas sas akoas eumeneis. Alla kai houtō tę̄ chariti tou Kyriou tautas heurōn, palin aporō, poian archēn tēs apologias poiēsomai; hosakis gar an epibalōmai legein, empodizomai dia tēn tou pragmatos ekplēxin. ’Olōs men gar peri tou makaritou sou adelphou prophasis hēn pithanē tois sykophantais, hoti te katēxioumetha blepein auton, kai peri hēmōn ēxiou graphein pros tēn sēn adelphikēn diathesin, kai parontas men etima pollakis, kai apontas de metepempetoo ton de diabolon Magnention, martys 6 Kyrios, kai martys ho Christos autou, oute ginōskō, oute holōs ēpistamēn auton. Poia toinyn synētheia tǭ mē ginōskomenǭ pros ton mē ginōskonta ? poia me prophasis heilke grapsai tǭ toioutǭ ? Poion prooimion tēs epistolēs etasson, graphōn autǭ ? Hotiʼ Ton timōnta me, hou tōn euergesiōn ouk an pote epilathoimēn, touton phoneusas kalōs epoiēsas ? kai apodechomai se tous gnōrimous hēmōn Christianous kai pistotatous andras anelonta ? kai apodechomai se sphaxanta tous en Rhōmę̄ gnēsiōs hēmas hypodoxamenous, tēn makarian sou theian tēn alēthōs Eutropion, kai Aboutgirion ton gnēsion ekeinon, kai Speirantion ton pistotaton, kai allous pollous kalous?
What place, then, what time does the accuser name in which he slanders me as having said such things? Or before whom was I so mad as to utter such things as he falsely claims I said? Or who is there to support him and bear witness? For what his eyes have seen, that he ought to say, as the divine Scripture enjoined. He will find no witness of things that did not happen; but I have your piety too, together with the truth, as witness that I do not lie. For I ask you, knowing you to have an excellent memory, to recall the words I spoke when you deigned to see me—first at Viminacium, second at Caesarea in Cappadocia, and third at Antioch—whether I spoke ill to you even of Eusebius and his party, who had grieved me, or slandered any of those who had wronged me. And if I did not slander even those against whom I had cause to speak, what madness possessed me to slander an emperor to an emperor and set brother against brother? I beg you, either have me confronted in person, or condemn the slanders; and imitate David, who says, “Him who secretly slanders his neighbor I drove away.” For as far as lay in them they have murdered; for “the mouth that lies slays the soul.” But your long-suffering has prevailed, granting freedom of defense, so that they may be condemned as contentious men and false accusers. So much concerning your most pious brother of blessed memory; for by the wisdom given you by God you can grasp much from these few things and recognize the fabricated accusation. [6] … me, and leads into great perplexity. And believe me, most God-loving emperor, often reasoning with myself I could not believe that anyone was so mad as to tell such lies. But when this too was noised abroad by the Arians, and they boasted of having presented a copy of a letter, I was the more astounded; I passed sleepless nights fighting as with the accusers present; I suddenly let out a great cry, and at once prayed, groaning with tears, to find your ears favorable. And having found them so by the grace of the Lord, I am again at a loss how to begin my defense; for whenever I try to speak, I am hindered by amazement at the matter. For in the case of your brother of blessed memory, the false accusers had a plausible pretext: that we were deemed worthy to see him, that he deigned to write to your brotherly affection about us, that he often honored us when present and sent for us when absent; but the devil Magnentius—the Lord is witness, and his Christ is witness—I neither know nor ever knew. What acquaintance can there be between a man not known and one who does not know him? What pretext could have drawn me to write to such a man? What opening would I have given the letter, writing to him? “You did well to murder the man who honored me, whose kindnesses I could never forget”? And, “I approve of you for killing our friends, Christians and most faithful men”? And, “I approve of you for slaughtering those who genuinely received us at Rome—your blessed aunt, Eutropia, true to her name, the noble Abuterius, the most faithful Spirantius, and many other good men”?
Chapter 7
7PG 25:604c–605a
Ἆρʼ οὐχὶ καὶ τὸ μόνον ὑποπτεύειν περὶ τούτων τὸν κατήγορον, ἐστὶ μανικόν ; Τί γάρ με πάλιν θαρῥεῖν ἔπειθεν αὐτῷ ; Ποίαν αὐτοῦ διάθεσιν ἔβλεπον ἀσφαλῆ; Ὅτι τὸν ἴδιον δεσπότην ἀνεῖλε, καὶ περὶ τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ φίλους ἄπιστος γέγονε, καὶ ὅρκους μὶν παρέβη, εἷς δὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἠσέβησε, φαρμακοὺς καὶ ἐπαοιδοὺς ἐπινοῶν κατά τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ κρίσεως ; Ποίῳ δὲ συνειδότι χαίρειν ἓλεγον τούτῳ, οὗ ἡ μανία καὶ ἡ ὠμότης οὐκ ἐμὲ μόνον, ἀλλά καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν καθʼ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένην ἐλύπησε ; Μεγάλην γε χάριν καὶ πολλὴν ἐκ τούτων ὤφειλον τούτῳ, ὅτι 6 μὲν μακαρίτης ἀδελφός σου τάς ἐκκλησίας ἀναθημάτων ἐπλήρωσεν, οὗτος δὲ αὐτὸν ἀποστέλλοντο πεφόνευκε. Καὶ οὕτε ταῦτα βλέπων ὁ μιαρὸς ᾐδέσθη, οὔτε τὴν δοθεῖσαν χάριν τῷ μακαρίτῃ διά τοῦ βαπτίσματος πεφόβηται· ἀλλʼ ὡς δαίμων τις ἀλάστωρ καὶ διαβολικὸς,έμάνη κατʼ αὐτοῦ. Τῷ μὲν οὖν μακαρίτῃ τοῦτο γέγονεν εἷς μαρτύριον· ἐκεῖνος δὲ λοιπὸν ὡς δέσμιος κατᾶ τὸν Κάΐν στένων καὶ τρέμων ἐδιώκετο, ’ίνα καὶ τὸν Ἰούδαν ἐν τῷ Θανάτῳ μιμησηται, δήμιος καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ γινόμενος, καὶ διπλῆν ἐποίσηται καθʼ ἐαυτοῦ τήν τιμωρίαν ἐν τῇ μετά ταῦτα κρίσει.
Arʼ ouchi kai to monon hypopteuein peri toutōn ton katēgoron, esti manikon ? Ti gar me palin tharrhein epeithen autǭ ? Poian autou diathesin eblepon asphalē? Hoti ton idion despotēn aneile, kai peri tous heautou philous apistos gegone, kai horkous min parebē, heis de ton Theon ēsebēse, pharmakous kai epaoidous epinoōn kata tēs tou Theou kriseōs ? Poiǭ de syneidoti chairein helegon toutǭ, hou hē mania kai hē ōmotēs ouk eme monon, alla kai pasan tēn kathʼ hēmas oikoumenēn elypēse ? Megalēn ge charin kai pollēn ek toutōn ōpheilon toutǭ, hoti 6 men makaritēs adelphos sou tas ekklēsias anathēmatōn eplērōsen, houtos de auton apostellonto pephoneuke. Kai houte tauta blepōn ho miaros ę̄desthē, oute tēn dotheisan charin tǭ makaritę̄ dia tou baptismatos pephobētai; allʼ hōs daimōn tis alastōr kai diabolikos,emanē katʼ autou. Tǭ men oun makaritę̄ touto gegonen heis martyrion; ekeinos de loipon hōs desmios kata ton Kaïn stenōn kai tremōn ediōketo, ’ina kai ton Ioudan en tǭ Thanatǭ mimēsētai, dēmios kathʼ heautou ginomenos, kai diplēn epoisētai kathʼ eautou tēn timōrian en tę̄ meta tauta krisei.
Is it not madness for the accuser even to suspect such things? For what could have persuaded me to trust him? What disposition of his did I see that was safe? That he killed his own master, was faithless to his own friends, broke oaths, and was impious toward God, contriving sorcerers and enchanters against the judgment of God? With what conscience would I bid him rejoice, whose madness and cruelty grieved not only me but the whole world around us? Great and abundant thanks indeed I owed him for these things: that your brother of blessed memory filled the churches with offerings, and this man murdered him! And seeing this, the abominable man was not ashamed, nor did he fear the grace given to the blessed one through baptism; but like some avenging and devilish demon he raged against him. For the blessed one this became a martyrdom; but that man was thereafter hunted like a prisoner, groaning and trembling like Cain, so that he might imitate Judas too in his death, becoming his own executioner and bringing on himself a double punishment in the judgment hereafter.
Chapter 8
8PG 25:605a–608a
Τοιοῦτῳ με φίλον ὁ διαβαλὼν ἐνόμισε γεγενῆσθαιο ἢ τάχα οὐδὲ νενόμικεν, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἐχθρὸς ἀπιθάνως ἐπλάσατο· οἶδε γὰρ ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι κατεψεύσατο. Ἐβουλόμην δὲ αὐτὸν, ὅστις ἐστὶν, ἐνταῦθα παρεῖναι,καῖ ἐπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας ἐρωτῆσαι (ἓι γὰρ ὡς Θεοῦ παρόντος λαλοῦμεν, τοῦτον ὅρκον ἔχομεν ἡμεῖς οἳ Χριστιανοί) πότερος ἡμῶν ἔχαιρε, τοῦ μακαρίτου Κώνπαντος ζῶντος, καὶ τίς μᾶλλον ηὔχετο· καὶὴ πρώτη διαβολή δείκνυσι, καὶ παντὶ τοῦτο δῆλόν ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς οἶδεν ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι τῶν οὕτω διακειμένων, καὶ εἷʼ τις ἦγάπα τὸν μακαρίτηνΙ Κώνσταντα, οὐκ ἐγίγνετο φίλος τῷ κατʼ ἐκείνου γε· νομένῳο εἰ δὲ ἄλλως διέκειτο ἢ ὡς ἡμεῖς, φοβοῦμαι, μὴ ἅπερ ὁ μισῶν ἐκεῖνον ἐντεθύμηται, ταῦτα κατεψεύσατο κατʼ ἐμοῦ. σαι, καὶ ὠς λῃστὴς φονεύσῃ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας καὶ μνημονεύοντας τοῦ μακαρίου ὧν ἐμαυτὸν οὐδενὸς εἶναι δεύτερον τίθημι.
Toioutǭ me philon ho diabalōn enomise gegenēsthaio ē tacha oude nenomiken, allʼ hōs echthros apithanōs eplasato; oide gar akribōs, hoti katepseusato. Eboulomēn de auton, hostis estin, entautha pareinai,kai epʼ autēs tēs alētheias erōtēsai (hei gar hōs Theou parontos laloumen, touton horkon echomen hēmeis hoi Christianoi) poteros hēmōn echaire, tou makaritou Kōnpantos zōntos, kai tis mallon ēucheto; kaiē prōtē diabolē deiknysi, kai panti touto dēlon estin. Ei de kai autos oiden akribōs, hoti tōn houtō diakeimenōn, kai heiʼ tis ēgapa ton makaritēnI Kōnstanta, ouk egigneto philos tǭ katʼ ekeinou ge; nomenǭo ei de allōs diekeito ē hōs hēmeis, phoboumai, mē haper ho misōn ekeinon entethymētai, tauta katepseusato katʼ emou. sai, kai ōs lę̄stēs phoneusę̄ tous agapōntas kai mnēmoneuontas tou makariou hōn emauton oudenos einai deuteron tithēmi.
Such a man the slanderer thought had become my friend; or perhaps he did not even think so, but as an enemy invented it implausibly; for he knows well that he lied. I would wish him, whoever he is, to be present here, and to ask him in the presence of the truth itself (for we speak as in the presence of God; this is the oath we Christians have) which of us rejoiced while the blessed Constans lived, and who prayed for him more. The first slander shows it, and it is plain to everyone. And he himself knows well that, of those so disposed, anyone who loved the blessed Constans did not become a friend of the one who rose against him; but if he was otherwise disposed than we, I fear that what the man who hated him had in mind, this he has falsely laid against me. [9] … and like a robber murder those who love and remember the blessed one, among whom I count myself second to none.
Chapter 10
10PG 25:608a–608c
Τοῦτο οὖν δεδιὼς φρονοῦντας ἐκείνους, καὶ οὐ μᾶλλον ηὐχόμνη περὶ τῆς σῆς φιλανθρωπίας ; καὶτὸν μὲν φονεύσαντα ἐκεῖνον ἠγάπων, είς σὲ δὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὄντα, καὶ ἐκδικοῦντα τὸν ἐκείνου θάνατον ἐλυπούμην ; Ἀλλʼ ἐκείνου μὲν τῆς παρανομίας ἐμνημόνευον, τῆς δὲ σῆς εὐεργέσίας ἐπελανθανόμην, ἦν καὶ μετά θάνατον τοῦ μακαρίτου τοιαύτην ἔσεσθαι περὶ ἐμὲ, οἵα ἦν καὶ περιόντος ἐκείνου, διὰ γραμμάτων δηλῶσαι κατηξίωσας ; Ποίοις ὄμμασι τὸν ἀνδροφόνον ἒβλεπον ; Ἣ πῶς οὐχ, ὑπὲρ σῆς σωτηρίας εὐχόμενος, ἐνόμιζον καὶ τὸν μακαρίτην ἐκεῖνον ὁρᾷν; Ἀδελφοὶ γὰρ διὰ τήν φύσιν ἀλλήλων εἶσὶ κάτοπτρα. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ σὲ βλέπων ἐν. ἐκείνῳ, οὔ ποτε ἂν διέβαλον κάκεῖνον ἐν σοὶ πάλιν ὁρῶν, οὗ ποτε ἂν ἔγραψα τῷ κατʼ ἐκείνου γενομένῳ, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον περὶ τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας ηὐχόμην. Καὶ μάρτυρες τούτων προηγουμένως μὲν ὁ Κύριος, 6 ἐπακούσας καὶ χαρισάμενος ὁλόκληρόν ςοι τήν ἐκ προγόνων βασιλείαν· μάρτυρες δὲ καί οἱ τότε παρόντες, Φιληκτςσιμος ὁ γενόμενος δοὺξ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ Ῥουφῖνος, καὶ Στέφανος, ὧν 6 μὲν καθολικὸς, ὁ δὲ μάγιστρος ἦν ἐκεῖ· καὶ Ἀστέριος 6 κόμης, καὶ Παλλάδιοςὸ γενόμενος τοῦ παλατίου μάγιστρος, ’Δντίοχός τε καὶ Εὐάγριος οἱ ἀγεντισηρίβους. Μόνον γὰρ ἔλεγονο Εύξώμεθα,περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Αὐγούστου Κωνσταντίου· καὶ πᾶς 6 λαὸς εὐθὺς μιᾷ φωνῇ ἐβόα· Χριστὲ, βοήθει Κωνσταντίῳ· καὶ διέμενεν οὕτως εὐχόμενος.
Touto oun dediōs phronountas ekeinous, kai ou mallon ēuchomnē peri tēs sēs philanthrōpias ? kaiton men phoneusanta ekeinon ēgapōn, eis se de ton adelphon onta, kai ekdikounta ton ekeinou thanaton elypoumēn ? Allʼ ekeinou men tēs paranomias emnēmoneuon, tēs de sēs euergesias epelanthanomēn, ēn kai meta thanaton tou makaritou toiautēn esesthai peri eme, hoia ēn kai periontos ekeinou, dia grammatōn dēlōsai katēxiōsas ? Poiois ommasi ton androphonon eblepon ? Hē pōs ouch, hyper sēs sōtērias euchomenos, enomizon kai ton makaritēn ekeinon horąn? Adelphoi gar dia tēn physin allēlōn eisi katoptra. Dia touto kai se blepōn en. ekeinǭ, ou pote an diebalon kakeinon en soi palin horōn, hou pote an egrapsa tǭ katʼ ekeinou genomenǭ, alla mallon peri tēs sēs sōtērias ēuchomēn. Kai martyres toutōn proēgoumenōs men ho Kyrios, 6 epakousas kai charisamenos holoklēron soi tēn ek progonōn basileian; martyres de kai hoi tote parontes, Philēktssimos ho genomenos doux tēs Aigyptou, kai Rhouphinos, kai Stephanos, hōn 6 men katholikos, ho de magistros ēn ekei; kai Asterios 6 komēs, kai Palladioso genomenos tou palatiou magistros, ’Dntiochos te kai Euagrios hoi agentisēribous. Monon gar elegono Euxōmetha,peri tēs sōtērias tou eusebestatou Augoustou Kōnstantiou; kai pas 6 laos euthys mią phōnę̄ eboa; Christe, boēthei Kōnstantiǭ; kai diemenen houtōs euchomenos.
Fearing that they thought this, should I not rather have prayed for your humanity? Should I love the one who murdered him, and be grieved at you, his brother, who avenged his death? Should I remember that man’s lawlessness and forget your kindness, which you deigned to declare to me by letter would be the same toward me after the death of the blessed one as it had been while he lived? With what eyes would I look on the murderer? Or how, when praying for your safety, should I not think I saw that blessed one too? For brothers by nature are mirrors of one another. Therefore, seeing you in him, I would never have slandered you; and seeing him again in you, I would never have written to the one who rose against him, but rather prayed for your safety. And witnesses of this are first the Lord, who heard and granted you the whole kingdom of your ancestors; and witnesses also those then present: Felicissimus, who was duke of Egypt, and Rufinus and Stephen, the one catholicus and the other magister there; Asterius the count, Palladius, who was master of the palace, and Antiochus and Evagrius, the agentes in rebus. For I said only, “Let us pray for the safety of the most pious Augustus Constantius”; and all the people at once cried with one voice, “Christ, help Constantius!”, and went on praying so.
Chapter 11
11PG 25:608c–609a
Ὂτι μὲν οῦν μήτε ἔγραψά ποτε ἐκείνῳ, μήτε ἐδεξάμην ποτέ παρʼ αὐτοῦ, μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τὸν τούτου Λόγον τὸν μονογενῆ αὐτοῦ Υἱὸν τὸν Κύριονἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐπεκαλεσάμην ο τὸν δὲ κατειπόντα, καὶ περὶ τούτου συγχώρησον ἐρωτηθῆναι διʼ ὀλίγων, πόθεν εἷς τοῦτο παρῆλθεν ; Ἐπιστολῆς ἀντίγραφα φήσειεν ἔχειν ; τοῦτο γὰρ ἆπάκαμον οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ θρυλοῦντες. Πρῶτον μὲν οὗν κᾶν τὰ γράμματα τοῖς ἡμετέροις ὅμοια δεικνύῃ, οὔπω τε ἀσφαλὲς ἔχει· πλαστογράφοι γὰρ εἰσὶν οἵτινες καὶτὰς ὑμῶν τῶν βασιλέων χεῖρας πολλάκις ἐμιμήσαντο· καὶ οὐχ ἡ μίμησις παρέχει τοῖς γράμμασι τὸ κῦρος, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα γράφειν εἰωθότες μαρτυρωσι ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ιαὶ τούς διαβαλόντας πάλιν ἐρωτῆσαι βούλομαι, τίς 6 παρασχὼν ταῦτά ποτε, καὶ πόθεν εὑρέθη ταῦτα καὶ γὰρ κάγὼ τοὺς γράφοντας εἶχον, κάκεῖνος πάλιν τούς λαμβάνοντας παρὰ τῶν κομιζόντων καὶ ἐπιδιδόντας αὑτῷ. Ol μὲν οὗν ἡμέτεροι πάρεισι · καταξίωσον δὲ κάκείνους ’καλέσαι ο ζῇν γὰρ πάντως ἔξεστιν αὐτούς· καὶ μάθε περὶ τούτων τῶν γραμμάτων, ἐξέτασον ὡς ἀληθείας σοι συμπαρούσης· αὕτη γὰρ βασιλέων, καί μάλιστα Χριστιανῶν, ἐστὶ φυλακτήριον· μετὰ ταύτης βασιλεύειν ὑμᾶς ἐστιν ἀσφαλὲς, λεγούσης τῆς θείας Γραφῆς· Ἐλεημοσύνη καὶ ἀλήθεια, φυλακὴ βασιλεῖ, καὶ περικυκλώσει ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ταύτην προβαλὼν Ζοροβάβελ ὁ σοιρὸς νενίκηκε· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐφώνησε · Μεγάλη ἠ ἀλήθεια καὶ ὑπερισχύει.
Oti men oun mēte egrapsa pote ekeinǭ, mēte edexamēn pote parʼ autou, martyra ton Theon, kai ton toutou Logon ton monogenē autou Huion ton Kyrionēmōn Iēsoun Christon epekalesamēn o ton de kateiponta, kai peri toutou synchōrēson erōtēthēnai diʼ oligōn, pothen heis touto parēlthen ? Epistolēs antigrapha phēseien echein ? touto gar apakamon hoi Areianoi thrylountes. Prōton men houn kan ta grammata tois hēmeterois homoia deiknyę̄, oupō te asphales echei; plastographoi gar eisin hoitines kaitas hymōn tōn basileōn cheiras pollakis emimēsanto; kai ouch hē mimēsis parechei tois grammasi to kyros, ean mē kai hoi ta toiauta graphein eiōthotes martyrōsi tais epistolais. Touto toinyn iai tous diabalontas palin erōtēsai boulomai, tis 6 paraschōn tauta pote, kai pothen heurethē tauta kai gar kagō tous graphontas eichon, kakeinos palin tous lambanontas para tōn komizontōn kai epididontas hautǭ. Ol men houn hēmeteroi pareisi ; kataxiōson de kakeinous ’kalesai o zę̄n gar pantōs exestin autous; kai mathe peri toutōn tōn grammatōn, exetason hōs alētheias soi symparousēs; hautē gar basileōn, kai malista Christianōn, esti phylaktērion; meta tautēs basileuein hymas estin asphales, legousēs tēs theias Graphēs; Eleēmosynē kai alētheia, phylakē basilei, kai perikyklōsei en dikaiosynę̄ ton thronon autou. Kai tautēn probalōn Zorobabel ho soiros nenikēke; kai pas ho laos ephōnēse ; Megalē ē alētheia kai hyperischyei.
That I never wrote to that man nor received a letter from him, I have called to witness God and his Word, his only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. And permit the accuser to be questioned briefly about this too: whence did he come by this? Will he say he has copies of a letter? For this is what the Arians tirelessly bandy about. First, even if he shows the handwriting to be like ours, that is not yet certain; for there are forgers who have often imitated even the hands of you emperors, and imitation does not give letters validity unless those accustomed to write such things bear witness to them. I wish, then, to ask the slanderers this too: who supplied these, and where were they found? For I had my secretaries, and he too had those who received letters from the bearers and handed them to him. Ours are present; deign to summon those men too—for they are surely living—and learn about these letters; examine as with the truth beside you. For truth is the safeguard of kings, especially Christian ones; with it it is safe for you to reign, as the divine Scripture says: “Mercy and truth are a guard to a king, and they will encircle his throne in righteousness.” Putting forward this, the wise Zerubbabel prevailed, and all the people cried out, “Great is truth, and it prevails!”
Chapter 12
12PG 25:609a–609d
Ei. μὲν οὖν παρʼ ἄλλοις ’ἥμην διαβληθεὶς, τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐπεκαλούμην, ὡς ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐπεκαλέσατο τότε τὸν Καίσαρα, καὶ πέπαυται τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡ κατʼ αὐτοῦ ἐπιβουλή · ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρὰ σοὶ τετολμήκασι κατειπεῖν, τίνα ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπικαλέσομαις τὸν Πατέρα τοῦ λέγοντος, Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια, ’ίνα σου την καρδίαν εἰς εὐμένειαν κλίνῃ. Δέσποτα παντοκράτορ, βασιλεῦ τῶν αἰώνων, ὁ Πατὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, σὺ διά τοῦ σοῦ Λόγου τὴν βασιλείαν ταύτην τῷ σῷ θεράποντι Κωνσταντίῳ δέδωκας· σὺ λάμψον εἰς την καρδίαν αύτοῦ, ἵνα, γνοὺς τὴν καθʼ ἡμῶν συκοφαντίαν, εὐμενῶς μὲν αὖ· τὸς δέξηται τὴν ἀπολογίαν· πάντας δὲ ποιήσῃ γνῶναι, ὅτι αἱ ἀκοαὶ αὐτοῦ ἠσφαλίσθησαν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ. Καὶ κατᾶ τὸ γεγραμμένον · Μόνα βασιλεῖ δεκτὰ χείλη δίκαιά ἐστιν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ κατορθοῦσθαι τὸν θρόνον τῆς βασιλείας διὰ Σολομῶντος λεχθῆναι πεποίηκας. Οὐκοῦν ὅλως ἐρώτησον, μαθέτωσαν οἱ κατειρηκότες, ὅτι σοι μέλει περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας μαη θεῖν. Καὶ εἰ μὴ τῳ χρώματι τοῦ προσώπου δείξουσι τὴν συκοφαντίαν· τοῦτο γὰρ τοῦ συνειδότος ἓλεγχός ἐστι, καὶ γέγραπται· Καρδίας εὐφραινομένης πρόσωπον θάλλει· ἐν δὲ λύπαις οὔσης σκυθρωπάζει. Οὕτω τοὺς μὲν ἐπιβουλεύσαντας τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἡ συνείδησις ’ἤλεγξε · τοῦ δὲ Λάβαν ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ πονηρία ἐκ τοῦ προσώπου δέδεικται. Ὁρᾷς γοῦν ἐκείνων μὲν τήν ὑποψίαν, φευγόντων καὶ κρυπτομένων, ἡμῶν δὲ τήν ἐλευθερίαν ἀπολογουμένων. Ού γὰρ περὶ κτημάτων νῦν ἡ κρίσις, ἀλλὰ περὶ δόξης τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, Ὁ λίθῳ κρουόμενος ζητεῖ τὸν ἷατρόνʼ τῶν δὲ λίθων ὀξύτερα τὰ ἐκ τῆς διαβολῆς ἐστι πλήγματα· Ῥόπαλόν ἐστιν ἡ διαβολὴ, καὶ μάχαιρα, καὶ τόξευμα ἀκιδωτὸν, ὡς εἶπε Σολομών · καὶ ταῦτα μόνη ἡ ἀλήθεια ἰᾶσθαι δύναται ταύτης δὲ παρορωμένης, αὐξάνει δεινότερον τὰ τραύματα.
Ei. men oun parʼ allois ’hēmēn diablētheis, tēn sēn eusebeian epekaloumēn, hōs ho Apostolos epekalesato tote ton Kaisara, kai pepautai tōn echthrōn hē katʼ autou epiboulē ; epeidē de para soi tetolmēkasi kateipein, tina apo sou epikalesomais ton Patera tou legontos, Egō eimi hē alētheia, ’ina sou tēn kardian eis eumeneian klinę̄. Despota pantokrator, basileu tōn aiōnōn, ho Patēr tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, sy dia tou sou Logou tēn basileian tautēn tǭ sǭ theraponti Kōnstantiǭ dedōkas; sy lampson eis tēn kardian autou, hina, gnous tēn kathʼ hēmōn sykophantian, eumenōs men au; tos dexētai tēn apologian; pantas de poiēsę̄ gnōnai, hoti hai akoai autou ēsphalisthēsan en alētheią. Kai kata to gegrammenon ; Mona basilei dekta cheilē dikaia estin. Houtō gar kai katorthousthai ton thronon tēs basileias dia Solomōntos lechthēnai pepoiēkas. Oukoun holōs erōtēson, mathetōsan hoi kateirēkotes, hoti soi melei peri tēs alētheias maē thein. Kai ei mē tǭ chrōmati tou prosōpou deixousi tēn sykophantian; touto gar tou syneidotos helenchos esti, kai gegraptai; Kardias euphrainomenēs prosōpon thallei; en de lypais ousēs skythrōpazei. Houtō tous men epibouleusantas tǭ Iōsēph hē syneidēsis ’ēlenxe ; tou de Laban hē kata tou Iakōb ponēria ek tou prosōpou dedeiktai. Horąs goun ekeinōn men tēn hypopsian, pheugontōn kai kryptomenōn, hēmōn de tēn eleutherian apologoumenōn. Ou gar peri ktēmatōn nyn hē krisis, alla peri doxēs tēs Ekklēsias, Ho lithǭ krouomenos zētei ton hiatronʼ tōn de lithōn oxytera ta ek tēs diabolēs esti plēgmata; Rhopalon estin hē diabolē, kai machaira, kai toxeuma akidōton, hōs eipe Solomōn ; kai tauta monē hē alētheia iasthai dynatai tautēs de parorōmenēs, auxanei deinoteron ta traumata.
If, then, I had been slandered before others, I would have appealed to your piety, as the Apostle then appealed to Caesar, and the plot of his enemies against him ceased. But since they have dared to accuse me before you, to whom shall I appeal from you? To the Father of him who says, “I am the truth,” that he may incline your heart to kindness. O Lord Almighty, King of the ages, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you through your Word have given this kingdom to your servant Constantius; shine into his heart, that, knowing the false accusation against us, he may receive our defense kindly, and make all know that his ears are kept safe in truth; and, as it is written, “Righteous lips alone are acceptable to a king.” For so you caused it to be said through Solomon that the throne of the kingdom is established. So then question them, and let the accusers learn that you care to learn the truth. And see whether they do not show the false accusation by the color of their face; for this is a proof of the conscience, and it is written: “When the heart rejoices the face blooms; but when it is in sorrow it is downcast.” So conscience convicted those who plotted against Joseph, and Laban’s wickedness against Jacob was shown from his face. You see, then, their suspiciousness, as they flee and hide, and our freedom as we make our defense. For the trial now is not about possessions but about the glory of the Church. He who is struck by a stone seeks the physician; but the blows of slander are sharper than stones. “Slander is a club, a sword, and a sharp arrow,” as Solomon said; and truth alone can heal these; but if it is disregarded, the wounds grow worse.
Chapter 13
13PG 25:609d–612b
Διὰ ταῦτα πάντα τὰ πανταχοῦ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τετάρακται, Καὶ προφάσεις μὲν ἐπενόησαν, ἐπίσκοποι δὲ τηλικοῦτοι καὶ πολυετεῖς ἐξωρίσθησαν, διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἐμὲ κοινωνίαν. Καὶ εἰ μὲν μέχρι τοσούτου τοῦτο ἐγίγνετο, προσδοκία τις ἦν ἀγαθή φιλάνθρωπος γὰρ εἷ· τίνα δὲ μη καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα διαβῇ τὸ κακὸν, κρατείτω ἡ ἀλήθεια παρὰ σοί. καί μή ἀφῇς ὑπόνοιαν κατά πάσης Ἐκκλησίας γενέσθαι, ὡς τοιαῦτα βουλευομένων καὶ γραφόντων τῶν Χριστιανῶν, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν ἐπισκόπων. Ἠ εἰ μή βούλει ’κ ἀνακρ-Ϊνειν, δίκαιον καὶ ἡμᾶς πιστεύεσθαι μᾶλλον άπολογουμὲνους τους διαβάλλοντας. Οὗτοι μὲν γὰρ, ὡς ἑχίιροῖ, πονηρεύονται, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀγωνιῶντες τὰς ἀποδείξεις παρέχομεν. Ἀλλὰ θαυμάζω, πῶς ἡμεῖς μὲν μετʼ εὐλαβείας φθεγγόμεθα, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τοσαύτην ἔσχον ἀναισχυντίαν, ὡς καὶ ψεύσασθαι βασιλεῖ. Ἀλλʼ ἐξέτασον διά τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καί ὡσπερ γέγραπται, ἐρευνῶν ἐρεύνης-ον παρόντων ἡμῶν, πόθεν ταῦτα λέγουσιν, ἢ πόθεν ηὑρέθη τὰ γράμματα. Ἀλλʼ οὔτε τῶν ἡμετέρων τις ἐλεγγθήσεται, οὔτε τῶν ἐκείνου φήσειὲ τις ’ πέπλασται γάρ. Καὶ πλέον οὐδὲν τάχα προσήκει ζητεῖν, οὐδὲ γάρ βούλονται, ’ίνα μὴ καὶ ὁ ταυτας γράψας ἐξ ἀνάγκης εὑρεθῇ. Ἴσασι γάρ αὐτὸν οἱ διάβολοι μόνοι, καὶ ἄλλος οὐδείς.
Dia tauta panta ta pantachou tōn Ekklēsiōn tetaraktai, Kai prophaseis men epenoēsan, episkopoi de tēlikoutoi kai polyeteis exōristhēsan, dia tēn pros eme koinōnian. Kai ei men mechri tosoutou touto egigneto, prosdokia tis ēn agathē philanthrōpos gar hei; tina de mē kai meta tauta diabę̄ to kakon, krateitō hē alētheia para soi. kai mē aphę̄s hyponoian kata pasēs Ekklēsias genesthai, hōs toiauta bouleuomenōn kai graphontōn tōn Christianōn, kai malista tōn episkopōn. Ē ei mē boulei ’k anakr-Ïnein, dikaion kai hēmas pisteuesthai mallon apologoumenous tous diaballontas. Houtoi men gar, hōs hechiiroi, ponēreuontai, hēmeis de agōniōntes tas apodeixeis parechomen. Alla thaumazō, pōs hēmeis men metʼ eulabeias phthengometha, ekeinoi de tosautēn eschon anaischyntian, hōs kai pseusasthai basilei. Allʼ exetason dia tēn alētheian, kai hōsper gegraptai, ereunōn ereunēs-on parontōn hēmōn, pothen tauta legousin, ē pothen hēurethē ta grammata. Allʼ oute tōn hēmeterōn tis elengthēsetai, oute tōn ekeinou phēseie tis ’ peplastai gar. Kai pleon ouden tacha prosēkei zētein, oude gar boulontai, ’ina mē kai ho tautas grapsas ex anankēs heurethę̄. Isasi gar auton hoi diaboloi monoi, kai allos oudeis.
For these reasons the churches everywhere have been thrown into turmoil. They invented pretexts, and bishops of such standing and of many years were exiled because of their communion with me. If this had gone only so far, there would be some good hope, for you are humane; but lest the evil go further, let truth prevail with you, and do not allow a suspicion to arise against the whole Church, as though Christians, and especially bishops, plotted and wrote such things. Or, if you do not wish to examine the matter, it is just that we who make our defense should be believed rather than those who slander. For they act wickedly as enemies, while we, in anguish, provide the proofs. But I marvel how we speak with reverence, while they had such shamelessness as even to lie to the emperor. But examine for the sake of truth, and, as it is written, search diligently in our presence, whence they say these things and whence the letters were found. But neither will anyone of ours be convicted, nor will anyone of his say so; for it is fabricated. And perhaps it is not fitting to inquire further, nor do they wish it, lest the one who wrote these letters be found by necessity. For the devils alone know him, and no one else.
Chapter 14
14PG 25:612b–616a
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περὶ τῆς μεγάλης ἐκκλησίας κατειρήκασιν, ὡς συνάξεως ἐκεῖ γενομένης πρὶν αὐτὴν τελειωθῆναι, φέρε καὶ περὶ τούτου πάλιν ἀπολογήσομαι εὐσεβείᾳ · εἷς ταῦτα γάρ ἡμᾶς ἕλκουσιν οἱ φιλέχθρως διακείμενοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς. Ναὶ γέγονεν, ὁμολογώ ' καὶ γάρ καὶ τά πρῶτα λέγων οὐκ ἐψευσάμην, καὶ τοῦτο νῦν οὐκ ἀρνήσομαι. Ἀλλʼ ἄλλως πάλιν ὡς αυτοὶ κατειρτςκασίν ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα. Καί μοι συγχώρησον εἶπεῖν, οὐκ ἐγκαινίων ἡμέραν ἔπετελὲσαμεν, θεοσεβέστατε Δῧγουστε· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀθέμιτον -ιζν ἀληθῶς πρὸ τῆς σῆς προστάξεως ποιῆσαι* οὐδὲ ἐκ παρασκευῆς εἷς τοῦτο παρήλθομεν· οὔδε ἐπίσκοπος τις οὐδὲ ἄλλος κληρικὸς εἰς τοῦτο κεκληται, ἔλειπε δὲ πολλὰ καὶ τῷ ἔργῳ. Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἐκ παραγγελίας γέγονεν συναξις, ’ἱνα πρόφασιν εὕρωσιν οὗτοι τοῦ κατειπεῖν. Ἀλλά τὸ γενόμενον … πάντες· ἄκουσον δὲ ὅμως σαυτοῦ ἐπιεικείᾳ καὶ μακροῦυμίᾳ. Ἑορτή μὲν γάρ ἦν τὸ Πάσχα, ὁ δὲ λαός πάνυ πολὺς καὶ τοσοῦτος ἦν, ὅσον ἂν εὔξαιντο κατὰ πόλιν εἶναι Χριστιανῶν φιλὸχθιστοι βασιλεῖς. Τῶν τοίνυν ἐκκλησιῶν ὀλίγων καί· βραχυτάτων οὐσῶν, θόρυβος ἦν οὐκ ὀλίγος, ἀξιούντων ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ συνελθεῖν, κάκεῖ πάντας εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας, ὅπερ καὶ γέγονεν. Ἀλλʼ ἐμοῦ παρακαλοῦντος τὲως ἐπισγεῖν, καὶ ὅπως δήποτε μετὰ θλίψεως ἐν ταῖς ἄλλαις ἐκκλησίαις συναχθῆναι, οὐχ ὑπήκουσαν, αλλʼ ἕτοιμοι γεγόνασιν ἐξελθεῖν τήν πόλιν, εἷς τοὺς ἐρήμους τόπους ἐν ἡλίῳ συνελθεῖν, βέλτιον ἡγούμενοι κάματον ἐνεγκεῖν ὀδοῦ, μετὰ λύπης τὴν ἑορτὴν ποιῆσαι. … πάλιν μάρτυρα δέξαι την ἀληθειαν · ὅτι συνάξεσι τῆς Τεσσαρακοστῆς, διὰ τό τῶν τόπων στενὸν καὶ τὸ πολῦ πλῆθος τῶν λαῶν, πλεῖστα παιδία, καὶ ούκ ὀλίγαι νεώτεραι γυναῖκες, πλεῖσταί τε γραῖὸες, καὶ οὐκ ὀλίγοι νεανίσκοι θλιβέντες ἀπηνέχΟησαν εἰς τοὺς οἷʼκουςο καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ παρασχόντος, τέθνηκε μὲν οὐδείςʼ πάντες δὲ ἐγύγγυσαν, καὶ ἠξίωσαν διὰ τὴν μεγάλην ἐκκλησίαν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐν ταῖς προεὸρτοις τοιαύτη γέγονε θλίψις, τί ἂν ἐγεγόνει ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἑορτῇ ; Πάντως πάντα ἔοι τούτων χακεπώτερα. Ἀλλʼ ούκ ἔπρεπεν ἀντὶ χαρᾶς λύπην, τῖ τῆς έορτῆς κλαυθμὸν ἀντʼ εὐφροσύνης πένθος, αν ν τοῖς λαοῖς γενέσθαι· εἰδὼς καὶ μάλιστα τύπον ἔχειν τῶν Πατέρων. Ὁ γὰρ μακαρίτης Ἀλέξανδρος, στενῶν ὄντων τῶν ἄλλων τόπων, καὶ οἰκοδομῶν τήν τότε μείζονα νομιζομένην ἐκκλησίαν τὴν καλουμένην θεωνᾶν συνῆγεν ἐκεῖ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος, καὶ συνάγων οὐκ ἡμέλει τῆς οἰκοδομῆς. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν Τριβέροις, καὶ ἐν Ἀκυληίᾳ γενόμενον ἑώρακα · κάκεῖ γαρ ἐν ταῖς ἑορταῖς διὰ τὸ πλῆθος, ἔτι τῶν τόπων οἰκοδομουμένων, συνῆγον ἐκεῖ ' καὶ ούχ εὗρον τοιοῦτον κατήγορον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ μακαρίτης σου ἀδελφὸς, ἐν Ἀκυληίᾳ, τοιαύτης ούσης συνάξειυς, συνήχθη. Οὕτω κάγὼ πεποίηκα, καὶ γέγονεν ούκ ἐγκαίνια, ἀλλὰ σύναξις εὐχῆς. Σὺ μὲν οὖν, εὖ οἶδα, ὅτι, φιλό- Θεος ὢν, τῶν μὲν λαῶν ἀποδέχῃ τὴν προθυμίαν, καὶ συγγινώσκεις ἐμοὶ, μὴ κωλύσαντι τοσούτου λαοῦ τὰς εὐχάς. καὶ πῶς ἦν βέλτιον κατὰ μέρος καὶ διῃρημένοις τὸν λαὸν μετʼ ἒπικινὸυνου συνοχῆς, ἢ ὄντος ἤδη τόπου τοῦ δυναμένου δέξασθαι πάντας, ἐν αύτῷ συνελθεῖν καὶ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν μετὰ συμφωνίας τῶν λαῶν γενέσθαι τήν φωνήν ; Τοῦτο βέλτιον ἦνʼ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τὴν ὁμοψυχίαν ἐδείκνυε τοῦ πλήοοος· οὕτω καὶ ταχέως 6 Θεὸς ἐπακούει. Ei. γὰρ κατὰ τήν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπαγγελίαν, ὢν δύο συμφωνήσαιεν περὶ παντὸς, οὗ ἂν αίτήσωνται, γενήσεται αὐτοῖς· τί ἐὰν τοσούτων λαῶν συνελθόντων μία γενηται φωνὴ, λεγόντων τῷ Θεῷ τὸ ’Δμήν ; Τίς γοῦν οὐκ. ἐθαύμασε ; Τίς οὐκ ἐμακάρισε σε, . _ βλέπων τὸν τοσοῦτον λαὸν ἐν tu συνελθόντα τόπῳ; im; ἔχαιρον οἱ λαοὶ βλέποντες ἀλλήλους τὸ πρότερον ἐν ὃιτξρημὲνοις συνερχόμενοι τόποις ; Τοῦτο πάντας τλῧφροίνεςκαῐ μόνον τὸν διαβαλόντα ἐλύπησε.
Epeidē de kai peri tēs megalēs ekklēsias kateirēkasin, hōs synaxeōs ekei genomenēs prin autēn teleiōthēnai, phere kai peri toutou palin apologēsomai eusebeią ; heis tauta gar hēmas helkousin hoi philechthrōs diakeimenoi pros hēmas. Nai gegonen, homologō ' kai gar kai ta prōta legōn ouk epseusamēn, kai touto nyn ouk arnēsomai. Allʼ allōs palin hōs autoi kateirtskasin esti to pragma. Kai moi synchōrēson eipein, ouk enkainiōn hēmeran epetelesamen, theosebestate Dÿgouste; touto gar athemiton -izn alēthōs pro tēs sēs prostaxeōs poiēsai* oude ek paraskeuēs heis touto parēlthomen; oude episkopos tis oude allos klērikos eis touto keklētai, eleipe de polla kai tǭ ergǭ. Allʼ oude ek parangelias gegonen synaxis, ’hina prophasin heurōsin houtoi tou kateipein. Alla to genomenon … pantes; akouson de homōs sautou epieikeią kai makrouymią. Heortē men gar ēn to Pascha, ho de laos pany polys kai tosoutos ēn, hoson an euxainto kata polin einai Christianōn philochthistoi basileis. Tōn toinyn ekklēsiōn oligōn kai; brachytatōn ousōn, thorybos ēn ouk oligos, axiountōn en tę̄ megalę̄ ekklēsią synelthein, kakei pantas euchesthai hyper tēs sēs sōtērias, hoper kai gegonen. Allʼ emou parakalountos teōs episgein, kai hopōs dēpote meta thlipseōs en tais allais ekklēsiais synachthēnai, ouch hypēkousan, allʼ hetoimoi gegonasin exelthein tēn polin, heis tous erēmous topous en hēliǭ synelthein, beltion hēgoumenoi kamaton enenkein odou, meta lypēs tēn heortēn poiēsai. … palin martyra dexai tēn alētheian ; hoti synaxesi tēs Tessarakostēs, dia to tōn topōn stenon kai to poly plēthos tōn laōn, pleista paidia, kai ouk oligai neōterai gynaikes, pleistai te graioes, kai ouk oligoi neaniskoi thlibentes apēnechOēsan eis tous hoiʼkouso kai tou Theou paraschontos, tethnēke men oudeisʼ pantes de egyngysan, kai ēxiōsan dia tēn megalēn ekklēsian. Ei de kai en tais proeortois toiautē gegone thlipsis, ti an egegonei en autę̄ tę̄ heortę̄ ? Pantōs panta eoi toutōn chakepōtera. Allʼ ouk eprepen anti charas lypēn, ti tēs eortēs klauthmon antʼ euphrosynēs penthos, an n tois laois genesthai; eidōs kai malista typon echein tōn Paterōn. Ho gar makaritēs Alexandros, stenōn ontōn tōn allōn topōn, kai oikodomōn tēn tote meizona nomizomenēn ekklēsian tēn kaloumenēn theōnan synēgen ekei dia to plēthos, kai synagōn ouk hēmelei tēs oikodomēs. Touto kai en Triberois, kai en Akylēią genomenon heōraka ; kakei gar en tais heortais dia to plēthos, eti tōn topōn oikodomoumenōn, synēgon ekei ' kai ouch heuron toiouton katēgoron. Alla kai ho makaritēs sou adelphos, en Akylēią, toiautēs ousēs synaxeiys, synēchthē. Houtō kagō pepoiēka, kai gegonen ouk enkainia, alla synaxis euchēs. Sy men oun, eu oida, hoti, philo- Theos ōn, tōn men laōn apodechę̄ tēn prothymian, kai synginōskeis emoi, mē kōlysanti tosoutou laou tas euchas. kai pōs ēn beltion kata meros kai dię̄rēmenois ton laon metʼ epikinounou synochēs, ē ontos ēdē topou tou dynamenou dexasthai pantas, en autǭ synelthein kai mian kai tēn autēn meta symphōnias tōn laōn genesthai tēn phōnēn ? Touto beltion ēnʼ touto gar kai tēn homopsychian edeiknye tou plēooos; houtō kai tacheōs 6 Theos epakouei. Ei. gar kata tēn autou tou Sōtēros epangelian, ōn dyo symphōnēsaien peri pantos, hou an aitēsōntai, genēsetai autois; ti ean tosoutōn laōn synelthontōn mia genētai phōnē, legontōn tǭ Theǭ to ’Dmēn ? Tis goun ouk. ethaumase ? Tis ouk emakarise se, . _ blepōn ton tosouton laon en tu synelthonta topǭ? im? echairon hoi laoi blepontes allēlous to proteron en hoitxrēmenois synerchomenoi topois ? Touto pantas tlÿphroineskai monon ton diabalonta elypēse.
Since they have also made accusations about the great church, that a synaxis was held there before it was completed, come, I will make my defense about this too to your piety; for those hostile to us drag us even to this. Yes, it happened, I confess; for as I did not lie in saying the former things, so now I will not deny this. But the matter is otherwise than they have alleged. Permit me to say, most God-fearing Augustus, we did not celebrate a day of dedication; for it would truly have been unlawful to do so before your order; nor did we come to it by premeditation; no bishop or other cleric was invited to it, and much was still lacking in the work. Nor was the synaxis held by announcement, so as to give these men a pretext for accusation. But what happened … all …; yet hear it with your gentleness and long-suffering. It was the feast of the Pascha, and the people were very many—as many as Christ-loving emperors might pray to have as Christians in their cities. Since the churches were few and very small, there was no small uproar, as they asked to assemble in the great church and all pray there for your safety, which indeed happened. For when I urged them to wait for a while and to assemble in the other churches, however uncomfortably, they would not listen, but were ready to go out of the city and assemble in desert places in the sun, thinking it better to bear the toil of a journey than to keep the feast in grief. … [15] Again accept the truth as witness: at the assemblies in Lent, because of the narrowness of the places and the great multitude of the people, very many children, not a few young women, very many old women, and not a few young men were crushed and carried home; and by God’s providence no one died; but all murmured, and asked for the great church. And if even in the days before the feast there was such crushing, what would have happened at the feast itself? Surely all would have been far worse. But it was not fitting that the people should have grief instead of joy, weeping instead of the feast, mourning instead of gladness—especially since I knew we had the example of the Fathers. For the blessed Alexander, when the other places were narrow and he was building the church then thought the greater, called that of Theonas, held services there because of the multitude, and while holding them did not neglect the building. This I saw done at Trier and at Aquileia too; for there also, at the feasts, because of the multitude, they held services in places still being built; and they found no such accuser. Indeed your brother of blessed memory, when such a synaxis was held at Aquileia, attended it. So I too did; and it was not a dedication but an assembly for prayer. You, then, I know well, being a lover of God, accept the people’s zeal and pardon me for not preventing the prayers of so great a people. [16] … And how was it better that the people should be divided into parts, with dangerous crowding, than that, since there was already a place able to receive all, they should come together in it and there should be one and the same voice of the people in harmony? This was better; for this showed the unanimity of the multitude, and so God quickly hears. For if, according to the Savior’s own promise, if two agree about anything they ask, it will be done for them, what if, when so many people have assembled, there is one voice, saying to God the Amen? Who then did not marvel? Who did not call you blessed, seeing so great a people assembled in one place? How the people rejoiced, seeing one another, who formerly assembled in separate places! This gladdened all, and grieved only the slanderer.
Chapter 17
17PG 25:616b–620a
Τὴν γοῦν ἑτέραν καὶ ὑπολειπομένην ἀντιλογίαν αὐτοῦ βούλομαι προλαβεῖν. Ὁ μὶν γὰρ κατειρηκώς φησιν· Ούπω τετελείωτο τὸ ἔργον, καὶ οὐκ ἐχρῆν εὐχὰς γενέσθαι· ὁ ὁὶ Κύριος εἶπε. Σὺ δὲ, ὅταν προσεύχῃ, εἴσελθε εἷς τὸ ταμεῖόν σου, καὶ ἀπόκλεισον τὰς θύρας. Τί τοίνυν φήσειεν 6 κατήγορος ; Μᾶλλον δὲ τί ἃν εἷᾎτοιεν οὶ φρόνιμοι καὶ … Χριστιανοί; Τούτους γὰρ ἐρώτησον, βασιλεῦ· ’ἐπειδῆ γέγραπται περὶ μὲν ἐκείνων, ὅτι :0 μωρὸς μωρά λαλήσειʼ περὶ δὲ τούτων Παρὰ παντὸς φρονίμου συμβουλίαν λάμβανε. Τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν στενῶν οὐσῶν, καὶ τῶν λαῶν τοσούτων ὄντων, καὶ βουλομένων εἷς τὰς ἐρήμους ἀπελθεῖν, τί ποιεῖν ἐχρῆν ; Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἔρημος ἄοορος, καὶ τῶν βουλομένων δίοδὸς ἐστιν, ὁ ’δὲ Κυριακὸς τόπος καὶ τετείχισται καὶ τεθύρωται, καὶ τήν διαφορὰν τῶν … καὶ τῶν βεβήλων δείκνυσιν. Ἄρα, βασιλεύ, ού μετὰ τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας πᾶς ὁστισοῦν φρόνιμος ἐπινεύει τούτῳ; Ἴσασι γὰρ, ὅτι ὧδε μὲν νόμιμος εὐχὴ, ἐκεῖ δὲ ἀταξίας … μὴ ὄντων, μόνοι τὴν ἐρημίαν ἓν ιδῖκοῖεν οἱ εύχόμενοι, ὥσπερ ἦν 6 Ἰσραήλ· ἀλλὰ κάκείνοις τῆς σκηνῆς γενομένης περιώριστο λοιπὸν τῆς εὐχῆς ὁ τόπος. Ὦ Δέσποτα καὶ ἀληθῶς βασιλεύ τῶν … Χριστέ, Υἱὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ μονογενὲς, Λόγε … τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὁ λαὸς ηὔξατο, καὶ διὰ σοῦ τὸν σὸν Πατέρα τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων Θεὸν …, περῖ τῆς σωτηρίας τοῦ σού θεράποντος τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Κωνσταντίου, … κατηγοροῦμαι. Ἀλλὰ τῇ σῇ ἀγαθὼ-τρι χάρις, δτι δίὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τοῖς σοῖς νόμοις διαβέβλη μαι. Μειζόνως γὰρ ἂν διεβλήθην, καὶ ἦν ἀληθῶς ἔγκλημα, εἷ ὃν ( ᾠκοδόμησε τόπον 6 βασιλεὺς παρηρχόμεθα, καὶ ἔρημον ἐζητοῦμεν εἷς εὐχήν. Πῶς ἃν 6 κατήγορος ἐφλυάρησε τότεῐ πῶς ἂν ἧν πιθανὸς λέγων · Ἐξουθένησέ σου τὸν τόπον · παρᾶ γνώμην ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ τὸ γινόμενονο ἐγέλασε παρερχόμενος· ἔδειξε τὴν ἔρημον πληροῦσαν τοῦ τόπου την χρείαν ι θέλοντα-ς εὔξασθαι λαοὺς κεκώλυκε. Ταῦτα ἤθελεν εἰπεῖνʼ, ταῦτα ἐζήτει· καὶ μὴ εὑρὼν ἄχθεται, καὶ λοιπὸν λόγους πλάττει. Ταῦτα γὰρ εί ἐλεγεν, ἐδυσώπει κάμέο ὥσπερ νῦν ἀδικεῖ, τὸν διαβόλου τρόπον ἀναλαβὼν, καὶ παρατηρούμενος τοὺς προσευχομένους· διὸ καὶ ἐσφάλη παραγνοὺς τὸ 106 Δανιήλ · ἐνόμισε γὰρ 6 ἀμαθής, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ σοῦ τὰ τῶν Βαβυλωνίων κρατεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἔγνω, ὅτι φίλος εἴ 106 μακαρίου Δανιήλι· καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν αὐτῷ Θεὸν προσκυνεῖς, καὶ ού κωλύεις, ἀλλὰ θέλεις πάντας εὔχεσθαι, εἰδὼς, ὅτι πάντων ἐστὶν εὐχὴ, σώζεσθαί σε καὶ βασιλεύειν ἐν εἰρήνῃ διαπαντός. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν καὶ ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν κατειπόντα ἀποδύρομαι ’ σὺ δὲ, θεοφιλέστατε Αὕγουστε, ζήσειας πολλαῖς ἐτῶν περιόδοις, καὶ τὰ ἐγκαίνια ἐπιτελέσειας. Αἱ γὰρ γενόμεναι παρᾶ πάντων περὶ τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας εὐχαὶ οὐχ ἐμποδίζουσι τὴν τῶν ἐγκαινίων πανήγυριν. Μὴ τοῦτο ψευδέσθωσαν οἱ ἀμαθεῖς ’ ἀλλὰ παρὰ μὲν τῶν Πατέρων μαθέτωσαν, ἀναγνώτωσαν δὲ καὶ τὰς Γραφάς· μᾶλλον δὲ παρᾶ σοῦ μαθέτωσαν, φιλολόγος γὰρ εἴ, ὅτι καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ 106 Ἰωσεδὲκ 6 ἱερεὺς, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ζοροβάβελ 6 Σαλαθιὴλ ὁ σοφὸς, καὶιἜσδρας 6 ἱερεὺς καὶ 106 νόμου γραμματεὺς, 106 ἱεροῦ μετὰ τήν αἰχμαλωσίαν οἰκοδομουμένου, καὶ ἐνστάσης τῆς Σκηνοπηγίας (ἑορτή δὲ ἧν αὕτη καὶ πανήγυρις καὶ εὐχή μεγάλη ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ), συνήγαγον τὸν λαὸν ὁμοθυμαδὸν εἷς τὸ εὐρύχωρον 106 πρώτου πυλῶνος 106 πρὸς τῇ ἀνατολῇ, καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον 106 Θεοῦ ἡτοίμασαν, κάκεῖ προσήνεγκαν, κάκεῖ τὴν ἑορτὴν ἐπετέλεσαν. Καὶ λοιπὸν οὕτως τὰς κατά Σάββατον καὶ νουμηνίαν προσέφερον θυσίας, καὶ οἱ λαοὶ τὰς εὐχὰς αὐτῶν ἀνέφερον. Καὶ φανερῶς φησιν ἡ Γραφὴ, ὅτι ταῦτα ἐγίγνετο, καὶ 6 ναὸς 106 Θεοῦοὕπω ᾠκοδόμητο · ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τούτων οὕτως εὐχομένων 6 οἶκος προέκοπτεν 6 οἰκοδομούμενος καὶ οὔτε διὰ τὴν προσδοκίαν τῶν ἐγκαινίων ἐκωλύθησαν αἱ εὐχαὶ, οὔτε διὰ τὰς γενομένας συνόδους τῶν εὐχῶν ἐμπεπόδισται τὰ ἐγκαίνιαο ἀλλὰ καὶ 6 λαὸς οὕτως ηὔχετο· καὶ ὅτε τετέλεστο πᾶς ὁ οἶκος ἐποίησαν τὰ ἐγκαίνια, καὶ προσήνεγκαν εἷς τὸν ἐγκαινισμὸν, καὶ πάντες ἐώρτασαν ἐπὶ τῇ τελεσιουργίᾳ. Τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν καὶ 6 μακαρίτης Ἀλέξανδρος καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι Πατέρες πεποιήκασι· συναγαγόντες γὰρ καὶ τελειώσαντες τὸ ἔργον, ηὐχαρίστησαν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἐγκαίνια ἐπιτελεσαντες. Τοῦτο καὶ σε ποιεῖν πρέπει, φιλομαθέστατε βασιλεῦ · ἕτοιμος γὰρ ὁ τόπος προαγνισθεὶς ταῖς προγενομέναις εὐχαῖς, ζητῶν παρουσίαν τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας· τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῷ λείπει πρὸς τὸν τέλειον κόσμον. Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν πληρώσειας, καὶ τὴν εὐχὴν ἀποδοίης τῷ Κυρίῳ, ᾧ καὶτὸν οἶκον πεποίηκας · τοῦτο γὰρ πάντων ἐστὶν εὐχή.
Tēn goun heteran kai hypoleipomenēn antilogian autou boulomai prolabein. Ho min gar kateirēkōs phēsin; Oupō teteleiōto to ergon, kai ouk echrēn euchas genesthai; ho hoi Kyrios eipe. Sy de, hotan proseuchę̄, eiselthe heis to tameion sou, kai apokleison tas thyras. Ti toinyn phēseien 6 katēgoros ? Mallon de ti han heiĄtoien oi phronimoi kai … Christianoi? Toutous gar erōtēson, basileu; ’epeidē gegraptai peri men ekeinōn, hoti :0 mōros mōra lalēseiʼ peri de toutōn Para pantos phronimou symboulian lambane. Tōn ekklēsiōn stenōn ousōn, kai tōn laōn tosoutōn ontōn, kai boulomenōn heis tas erēmous apelthein, ti poiein echrēn ? Hē men gar erēmos aooros, kai tōn boulomenōn diodos estin, ho ’de Kyriakos topos kai teteichistai kai tethyrōtai, kai tēn diaphoran tōn … kai tōn bebēlōn deiknysin. Ara, basileu, ou meta tēs sēs eusebeias pas hostisoun phronimos epineuei toutǭ? Isasi gar, hoti hōde men nomimos euchē, ekei de ataxias … mē ontōn, monoi tēn erēmian hen idikoien hoi euchomenoi, hōsper ēn 6 Israēl; alla kakeinois tēs skēnēs genomenēs periōristo loipon tēs euchēs ho topos. Ō Despota kai alēthōs basileu tōn … Christe, Huie tou Theou monogenes, Loge … tou Patros, ho laos ēuxato, kai dia sou ton son Patera ton epi pantōn Theon …, peri tēs sōtērias tou sou therapontos tou eusebestatou Kōnstantiou, … katēgoroumai. Alla tę̄ sę̄ agathō-tri charis, dti dia touto kai en tois sois nomois diabeblē mai. Meizonōs gar an dieblēthēn, kai ēn alēthōs enklēma, hei hon ( ǭkodomēse topon 6 basileus parērchometha, kai erēmon ezētoumen heis euchēn. Pōs han 6 katēgoros ephlyarēse totei pōs an hēn pithanos legōn ; Exouthenēse sou ton topon ; para gnōmēn estin autou to ginomenono egelase parerchomenos; edeixe tēn erēmon plērousan tou topou tēn chreian i thelonta-s euxasthai laous kekōlyke. Tauta ēthelen eipeinʼ, tauta ezētei; kai mē heurōn achthetai, kai loipon logous plattei. Tauta gar ei elegen, edysōpei kameo hōsper nyn adikei, ton diabolou tropon analabōn, kai paratēroumenos tous proseuchomenous; dio kai esphalē paragnous to 106 Daniēl ; enomise gar 6 amathēs, hoti kai epi sou ta tōn Babylōniōn kratei, kai ouk egnō, hoti philos ei 106 makariou Daniēli; kai ton auton autǭ Theon proskyneis, kai ou kōlyeis, alla theleis pantas euchesthai, eidōs, hoti pantōn estin euchē, sōzesthai se kai basileuein en eirēnę̄ diapantos. Egō men oun kai tauta pros ton kateiponta apodyromai ’ sy de, theophilestate Haugouste, zēseias pollais etōn periodois, kai ta enkainia epiteleseias. Hai gar genomenai para pantōn peri tēs sēs sōtērias euchai ouch empodizousi tēn tōn enkainiōn panēgyrin. Mē touto pseudesthōsan hoi amatheis ’ alla para men tōn Paterōn mathetōsan, anagnōtōsan de kai tas Graphas; mallon de para sou mathetōsan, philologos gar ei, hoti kai Iēsous ho 106 Iōsedek 6 hiereus, kai hoi adelphoi autou, kai Zorobabel 6 Salathiēl ho sophos, kaiiEsdras 6 hiereus kai 106 nomou grammateus, 106 hierou meta tēn aichmalōsian oikodomoumenou, kai enstasēs tēs Skēnopēgias (heortē de hēn hautē kai panēgyris kai euchē megalē en tǭ Israēl), synēgagon ton laon homothymadon heis to eurychōron 106 prōtou pylōnos 106 pros tę̄ anatolę̄, kai to thysiastērion 106 Theou hētoimasan, kakei prosēnenkan, kakei tēn heortēn epetelesan. Kai loipon houtōs tas kata Sabbaton kai noumēnian prosepheron thysias, kai hoi laoi tas euchas autōn anepheron. Kai phanerōs phēsin hē Graphē, hoti tauta egigneto, kai 6 naos 106 Theououpō ǭkodomēto ; alla mallon toutōn houtōs euchomenōn 6 oikos proekopten 6 oikodomoumenos kai oute dia tēn prosdokian tōn enkainiōn ekōlythēsan hai euchai, oute dia tas genomenas synodous tōn euchōn empepodistai ta enkainiao alla kai 6 laos houtōs ēucheto; kai hote tetelesto pas ho oikos epoiēsan ta enkainia, kai prosēnenkan heis ton enkainismon, kai pantes eōrtasan epi tę̄ telesiourgią. Touto de palin kai 6 makaritēs Alexandros kai hoi alloi Pateres pepoiēkasi; synagagontes gar kai teleiōsantes to ergon, ēucharistēsan tǭ Kyriǭ, enkainia epitelesantes. Touto kai se poiein prepei, philomathestate basileu ; hetoimos gar ho topos proagnistheis tais progenomenais euchais, zētōn parousian tēs sēs eusebeias; touto gar autǭ leipei pros ton teleion kosmon. Touto men oun plērōseias, kai tēn euchēn apodoiēs tǭ Kyriǭ, hǭ kaiton oikon pepoiēkas ; touto gar pantōn estin euchē.
I wish to anticipate his other, remaining objection. For the accuser says: “The work had not yet been completed, and prayers ought not to have been held there; and the Lord said, ‘But you, when you pray, go into your room and shut the doors.’” What, then, would the accuser say? Or rather, what would wise and … Christians say? Ask them, O emperor; for it is written of those, “The fool will speak foolishness,” but of these, “Take counsel from everyone who is wise.” When the churches were narrow and the people so many, and they wished to go out into the deserts, what ought to have been done? For the desert has no doors and is a thoroughfare for anyone who wishes, but the Lord’s place is walled and has doors, and shows the difference between … and the profane. Does not every wise man, O emperor, together with your piety, assent to this? For they know that here prayer is lawful, but there … disorder … unless there were no places, and those praying had only the desert, as Israel had; but for them too, once the tabernacle had been made, the place of prayer was thereafter defined. O Lord and truly King of …, Christ, only-begotten Son of God, Word of the Father: since … the people prayed, and through you to your Father, God over all, for the safety of your servant, the most pious Constantius, … I am accused. But thanks be to your goodness that it is for this that I have been slandered, even in your laws! For I would have been slandered more, and it would truly have been a charge, if we had passed by the place the emperor built and sought a desert for prayer. How the accuser would then have babbled! How plausible he would have been, saying: “He despised your place; what is done is against his will; he laughed as he passed by; he showed the desert supplying the need for the place; he prevented the people who wished to pray.” This is what he wished to say, this he sought; and not finding it he is vexed and so invents words. For if he had said this, he would have put me to shame; as it is, he does wrong, taking up the devil’s way and spying on those who pray; and so he failed, ignoring the case of Daniel. For the ignorant man thought that with you too the ways of the Babylonians prevail, and did not know that you are a friend of the blessed Daniel and worship the same God as he, and do not hinder but wish all to pray, knowing that the prayer of all is that you may be kept safe and reign in peace always. [18] I, then, lament this too against the accuser; but you, most God-loving Augustus, may you live through many cycles of years and celebrate the dedication. For the prayers made by all for your safety do not hinder the festival of the dedication. Let the ignorant not lie about this, but let them learn from the Fathers and read the Scriptures—or rather let them learn from you, for you are a lover of learning—that Jeshua son of Jozadak the priest and his brothers, and the wise Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, and Ezra the priest and scribe of the law, when the temple was being built after the captivity and the feast of Tabernacles came round (this was a feast and festival and great prayer in Israel), gathered the people with one accord into the open space of the first gate toward the east, prepared the altar of God, and there offered and there kept the feast. And thereafter they offered the sacrifices of the sabbaths and new moons, and the people offered their prayers. And the Scripture says plainly that these things were done when the temple of God was not yet built; rather, while they prayed thus, the house being built made progress; and neither were the prayers hindered by expectation of the dedication, nor was the dedication hindered by the assemblies for prayer; but the people prayed so, and when the whole house was finished they celebrated the dedication, made offerings for the dedication, and all kept festival at its completion. This again the blessed Alexander and the other Fathers did: they held assemblies, and when they had completed the work they gave thanks to the Lord, celebrating a dedication. This it befits you too to do, most learned emperor; for the place is ready, sanctified beforehand by the prayers already offered, and seeking the presence of your piety; for this alone it lacks for its perfect adornment. May you fulfill this, and pay your vow to the Lord, for whom you have built the house; for this is the prayer of all.
Chapter 19
19PG 25:620a–620d
Δὸς δὴ, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἴδωμεν διαβολὴν, καὶ συγχώρησον ἀπολογήσασθαι καὶ περὶ αὐτῆς. Τετολμήκασι γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο διαβάλλειν, ὡς ἀντιστάντος ἐμοῦ τοῖς σοῖς προστάγμασιν, ὥστε μή ἐξελθεῖν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. Ἐκείνους μὲν οὖν θαυμάζω μὴ ἀποκάμνοντας ταῖς συκοφαντίαις· ἐγὼ δὲ ὅμως οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀποκάμνω, χαίρω δὲ μᾶλλον ἀπολογούμενος. Ὀσῳ γὰρ ἀπολογίαι πολλαὶ, τοσούτῳ καὶ πλέον ἐκεῖ· νοι δύνανται καταγινώσκεσθαι. Οὐκ ἀντέστην προστάγματι τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας, μὴ γὲνοιτοί οὐ γὰρ τηλικοῦτος ἤμην, ’ίνα καὶ λογιστῇ πόλεως ἀντιστῶ, μήτιγε τηλικούτῳ βασιλεῖ, καὶ περὶ τούτου τοσούτων πλείστων παρʼ ἐμοῦ λόγων · πᾶσα γὰρ ἡ πό·λις μοι μαρτυρεῖ. Συγχώρησον δὲ ὅμως καὶ τοῦτο πάλιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς διηγήσασθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα· καὶ γὰρ ἀκούσας, θαυμάσεις, εὖ οἷδʼ ὅτι, τῶν ἐχθρῶν τήν εὐχέρειαν. Μοντάνος ὁ Παλατινὸς ἦλθε κομίζων ἐπιστολὴν, ὡς ἐμοῦ γράψαντος, ’ἕνα εἰς τὴν Ἰταλίαν ἔλθω θ καὶ ἃ νομίζω λείπειν τοῖς ἐκκλησίαστικοῖς, ταῦτα πληρωθῆναι δυνηθῇ. Τῇ μὶν οὖν σῇ εὐσεβείᾳ χάρις, ὅτι κατηξίωσεν, ὡς ἐμοῦ γράψαντος, ἐπίνεῦσαι, καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ πρόνοιαν πεποίηκεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ταύτην ἐλθεῖν, καὶ ἀκμητὶ διανῦσαί με· τοὺς δὲ ψευσαμένους τὰς σὰς ἀκοὰς τεθαύμακα πάλιν μὴ φοβηθέντάς, δτι τὸ ψεῦδος ἴδιόν ἐστι τοῦ διαβόλου, καὶ οἱ ψευδόμενοι ἀλλότριοίεῖσιτοῦ λέγοντος· Ἐγώ εἲμι ἡ ἀλήθεια. Οὐ γὰρ ἔγραψα, οὐδὲ τοιαύτην ἐπιστολὴν εὑρεῖν ὁ κατήγορος δυνήσεται. Εἰ καὶ ἔδει με γράφειν καθημὲραν, τίνα τήν ἀγαθήν σου πρόσοψιν θεωρῶ ο ἀλλʼ οὕτε τὰς Ἐκκλησίας καταλιμπάνειν ὅσιον, οὐδὲ διʼ ὄχλου τῇ σῇ εὐσεβείᾳ γίνεσθαι δίκαιον ἦν · μάλιστα ὅτι καὶ ἀπόντων ἡμῶν ἐπινεύεις ταῖς ἐκκλησιαστικαῖς ἀξιώσεσιν. Ἃ μὲν οὖν ἐκέλευσε Μοντάνος, κέλευσον ἀναγνῶναί μεʼ ἐστι γὰρ ταῦτα...
Dos dē, kai tēn allēn idōmen diabolēn, kai synchōrēson apologēsasthai kai peri autēs. Tetolmēkasi gar kai touto diaballein, hōs antistantos emou tois sois prostagmasin, hōste mē exelthein tēn ekklēsian. Ekeinous men oun thaumazō mē apokamnontas tais sykophantiais; egō de homōs oude houtōs apokamnō, chairō de mallon apologoumenos. Osǭ gar apologiai pollai, tosoutǭ kai pleon ekei; noi dynantai kataginōskesthai. Ouk antestēn prostagmati tēs sēs eusebeias, mē genoitoi ou gar tēlikoutos ēmēn, ’ina kai logistę̄ poleōs antistō, mētige tēlikoutǭ basilei, kai peri toutou tosoutōn pleistōn parʼ emou logōn ; pasa gar hē po;lis moi martyrei. Synchōrēson de homōs kai touto palin ex archēs diēgēsasthai to pragma; kai gar akousas, thaumaseis, eu hoidʼ hoti, tōn echthrōn tēn euchereian. Montanos ho Palatinos ēlthe komizōn epistolēn, hōs emou grapsantos, ’hena eis tēn Italian elthō th kai ha nomizō leipein tois ekklēsiastikois, tauta plērōthēnai dynēthę̄. Tę̄ min oun sę̄ eusebeią charis, hoti katēxiōsen, hōs emou grapsantos, epineusai, kai tēs hodou pronoian pepoiēken hyper tou tautēn elthein, kai akmēti dianysai me; tous de pseusamenous tas sas akoas tethaumaka palin mē phobēthentas, dti to pseudos idion esti tou diabolou, kai hoi pseudomenoi allotrioieisitou legontos; Egō eimi hē alētheia. Ou gar egrapsa, oude toiautēn epistolēn heurein ho katēgoros dynēsetai. Ei kai edei me graphein kathēmeran, tina tēn agathēn sou prosopsin theōrō o allʼ houte tas Ekklēsias katalimpanein hosion, oude diʼ ochlou tę̄ sę̄ eusebeią ginesthai dikaion ēn ; malista hoti kai apontōn hēmōn epineueis tais ekklēsiastikais axiōsesin. Ha men oun ekeleuse Montanos, keleuson anagnōnai meʼ esti gar tauta...
Come now, let us look at the other slander too, and permit me to make my defense concerning it. For they have dared to slander this too, that I resisted your orders, so as not to leave the church. I marvel that they do not grow weary of false accusations; yet I do not grow weary even so, but rather rejoice in making my defense; for the more defenses there are, the more those men can be condemned. I did not resist the order of your piety—God forbid! For I was not of such standing as to resist even the curator of a city, let alone so great an emperor; and there is no need for many words from me about this, for the whole city bears me witness. Permit me nevertheless to recount this matter too from the beginning; for when you hear it you will marvel, I know well, at the recklessness of my enemies. Montanus the palatine came bringing a letter, as though I had written asking to come to Italy, so that what I thought lacking in church affairs might be supplied. Thanks be to your piety, that it deigned to agree, as though I had written, and made provision for the journey so that I might come and complete it without fatigue; but I marveled again at those who lied to your ears, not fearing that falsehood is proper to the devil and that liars are strangers to him who says, “I am the truth.” For I did not write, nor will the accuser be able to find such a letter. Even if I ought to write every day, so as to behold your gracious countenance, yet it was neither holy to leave the churches, nor right to be a burden to your piety, especially since even in our absence you assent to church requests. What Montanus ordered, command me to read; it is this …
Chapter 20
20PG 25:620d–621b
Πόθεν δὲ ἀρά καὶ ταύτην τήν ἐπιστολὴν εὗρον οἱ κατειρηκότες; ἐβουλόμην παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀκοῦσαι, τίς αὐτοῖς καὶ ταύτην ἐπιδέδωκε. Ποίησον αὐτοὺς ἀποκρίνασθαὶ. Δυνήσῃ γὰρ ἐκ τούτου μαθεῖν, ὅτι καὶ ταύτην ἔπλασαν, ὥσπερ κάκείνην ἐθρύλησαν περὶ τοῦ δυσωνύμου Μαγνεντῖου. Καταγνωσθέντες δὲ καὶ πει ρὶ τῖούτσς, εἷς ποίαν ἀρα μετά ταῦτα πάλιν ἕλκουσιν ἡμᾶς ἀπολογίαν; Τοῦτο γὰρ μεμελετήκασι, καὶ ταύτην ἔχουσιν, ὡς ὁρῶ, σπουδὴν, πάντα κινεῖν καῖ θοριʼ m' Ἓν ‘.‘.‘ νʼ ’ηιῖ ρυὄεῖν. Tot/1 λέγοντες πολλα παρʼ»ξκκουτί 7‘3} ποτε καθʼ ·ἣς;,(ῖ,ινʼ αν,λᾷ τους τοιοέτους καὶ ατεληῖςθεεσθχι ιι Υ 1 'I θʼ ν Ι η ηʼ V καῖ μισειν δικαιον εστιν, οτι, οῖει εῖσι, ττγολτολς 7.7: μʼ. ι--κηι- _ δ ' ' ν ι ς ν ε υ ρ κ, μμ, 7..Νι 7,ιγ τους ακουοντας αυτων υπτ)Ι.Ίμ.01νο“)Ίὶ, ΆΊᾎ ‘20:}. ςευτι {\r η κ '\ fi\\ ς ι ε γε γ I "._‘ δύνασθαι τας ὃιαῧοᾙις ἷσγ·3ειν καὶ παρα σοί, ’Ἰτχυτε γάρ ποτε ἡ τοῦ Ain-2.7. κατα τῶν ἱερέων του Ηενῦʼ ἀλλʼ ὁ ἀκούσας Σαοὺλ ἦν ο ἄδικος. ἰεζαῖ Ἰεζέὶίλε). δὲ διαδαλοῦσα ἠδυνήθη {flaui/1: τον θεοσξῖξστχτον Ναβουθαῖ]:- ἀλλὰ καὶ iii/Axii} ο πονγιτῦς καὶ ἀπο _\ χῖ) ἶ, ε ο ε r ρ \x ι ο l"\ ν στατης ς) ακουων. (γ) οε αγιτκετατος _\:r.u Ι, ου ρη (ιγ,ν 1 ι \ ' ν η, τήν ειναί σε προσήκει, και παντες ευχονται, λς τοιούτους οὔτε προσῖεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς iuxtim-.1: κ ινας ἀπεστρέʼἑὶτν), λέγων Ἰόν ὶέἰῖῖίκςῖβηίιυνῗῑ λάθρα to“) πλησίον αυτοῦ, τουτον Ξξὶδῖννῖνῖυν. Ἐφυλαττε γὰρ τὴν λέγουσαν ἐντολήν ’ Η) παραδέξῃ ἀκοὴν χααταῖαν. Mai-nua ξε καὶ τα τοζτων ἐστῖ παρὰ σοί· ᾔτησας γαρ, ὡς ὁ Σολομὼν, καὶ σθ) παρα Κυρίου, καὶ silv/sivi: πῖστευε, το ςένατνιον λόγον καὶ ψευδῆ μακρὰν ἀπὸ σου γε γ γενεσθαι προσἥκειν.
Pothen de ara kai tautēn tēn epistolēn heuron hoi kateirēkotes? eboulomēn parʼ autōn akousai, tis autois kai tautēn epidedōke. Poiēson autous apokrinasthai. Dynēsę̄ gar ek toutou mathein, hoti kai tautēn eplasan, hōsper kakeinēn ethrylēsan peri tou dysōnymou Magnentiou. Katagnōsthentes de kai pei ri tioutss, heis poian ara meta tauta palin helkousin hēmas apologian? Touto gar memeletēkasi, kai tautēn echousin, hōs horō, spoudēn, panta kinein kai thoriʼ m' Hen ‘.‘.‘ nʼ ’ēii ryoein. Tot/1 legontes polla parʼ»xkkouti 7‘3} pote kathʼ ;hēs?,(i,inʼ an,lą tous toioetous kai atelēistheesthchi ii Y 1 'I thʼ n I ē ēʼ V kai misein dikaion estin, oti, oiei eisi, ttgoltols 7.7: mʼ. i--kēi- _ d ' ' n i s n e y r k, mm, 7..Ni 7,ig tous akouontas autōn ypt)I.Im.01no“)Ii, AIĄ ‘20:}. seuti {\r ē k '\ fi\\ s i e ge g I "._‘ dynasthai tas hoiaÿoĘ̄is hisg;3ein kai para soi, ’Itchyte gar pote hē tou Ain-2.7. kata tōn hiereōn tou Ēenyʼ allʼ ho akousas Saoul ēn o adikos. iezai Iezeiile). de diadalousa ēdynēthē {flaui/1: ton theosxixstchton Nabouthai]:- alla kai iii/Axii} o pongitys kai apo _\ chi) i, e o e r r \x i o l"\ n statēs s) akouōn. (g) oe agitketatos _\:r.u I, ou rē (ig,n 1 i \ ' n ē, tēn einai se prosēkei, kai pantes euchontai, ls toioutous oute prosietai, alla kai hōs iuxtim-.1: k inas apestreʼheitn), legōn Ion ieiiiiksibēiiynïi lathra to“) plēsion autou, touton Xxidinniniyn. Ephylatte gar tēn legousan entolēn ’ Ē) paradexę̄ akoēn chaataian. Mai-nua xe kai ta toztōn esti para soi; ę̄tēsas gar, hōs ho Solomōn, kai sth) para Kyriou, kai silv/sivi: pisteue, to senatnion logon kai pseudē makran apo sou ge g genesthai prosēkein.
Where, then, did the accusers find this letter too? I would like to hear from them who gave it to them. Make them answer; for you will be able to learn from this that they fabricated this one too, as they bandied about that other one concerning the infamous Magnentius. And when they are condemned in this too, to what defense will they drag us afterwards? For this is what they have practiced, and this, as I see, is their zeal: to stir up and disturb everything … saying many things … such men … it is right to … and to hate, because, being such as they are, … those who listen to them … to be able to make their slanders prevail even with you. For the slander of Doeg once prevailed against the priests of God; but it was Saul, the unjust, who listened. Jezebel too, by her slander, was able to destroy the most God-fearing Naboth; but it was Ahab, the wicked and apostate, who listened. But David, the most holy—whom it befits you to imitate, and all pray that you may—did not admit such men, but even turned away from them as …, saying, “Him who secretly slanders his neighbor, him I drove away.” For he kept the commandment that says, “You shall not receive a vain report.” … these things too are with you; for you asked, like Solomon, from the Lord …; believe that it is fitting that vain and lying words be far from you.
Chapter 21
21PG 25:621b–624b
Δια τοῦτο τοίνυν κάγὼ, ἐπειδῖΙ ἐκ δῖαίολ-ῑλς ἐπιστολὴ, καὶ οὐκ εἷγεν ουδὲ τοῦ ἐλθεῖν πρόσταξιν, ἔγνων, ὅτι πισοαῖρεσις ουκ τῆς σῆς ευσῖοείας ἒν,- Οεῖν ἡμᾶς παρὰ σε. Το γὰρ μὴ κε),;υσαι παντως Ξ),- Θεῗν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γράψαι ρ ἢ ν I ι \ ι ως εμου γραυσντηις, 7.9.: (εελοντος διορθώσασθαι τα δοκοῦντα λεῖπεν), καῖτοι μηδενὸς λεγοντος, φανερὸν ἦν παρα γνώμην εἶναι τὴς σῆς ’ἡμερότητος τὴν κομισθεῖσαν ἐπιστολαί-ι. ’ἱΐηυτο πάντες ἔγνωσαν τοῦτο καὶ γραρων ἐδήλωσεν καὶ οἷ- 33 Μοντάνος, δτι οὗ τὸ ἐλθεῖν παρῃτούμην, ἐι)..λά τὸ ὡς εμοῦ γράψαντος ἐλθεῖν ἀπρεπὲς ἡγοῦςικτμ, Ἵνα μὴ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πρόφασιν εὕρωσιν οἳ συκοωὶνται παλιν, ὡς ὀχληροῦ γενομένου μου σῇ (μοῖείλεῖα. Ἀμέλει παρεσκευασάμην, καὶ τουτο οἰδεν αὖτῗλς, Ἵνα, ἐὰν γράψαι καταξιώσῃῆ εὐθὺς ἐξέλω-ι), καὶ "Liliσω τῇ προθυμίᾳ τὸ προσταχθὲν.τῦ γὰρ ἓίιαινοοκίιν ἀντειπεῖν τοιούτῳ σου προστάγματι. Μὴ “ponto-1177.; τοίνυν ὅντως τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας, πῶς ἀντέστην μὴ ν κελευσθείς ; Ἢ πῶς λέγουσιν, οὐκ ἐπεῖσωην, καῖτοι προστάξεως μὴ οὔσης ; πῶς ου συκοεαντία καὶ τοῦτο τῶν ἐχθρῶν πλαττόντων τὸ μή γενόμενον ri); γενομενον ; Φοβοῦμαι μὴ καὶ νῦν, ἀπολογουμένου μου, θρυλγςσωσιν ὡς μὴ ἀξιώσαντος ἀπολογήσασθαι· οὕτως ἐγὼ μὲν εὐχερής εἶμι παρʼ αὐτοῖς εἷς τὸ κατηγορεῖσθαι παρʼ αὐτῶν· αὐτοὶ δε ταχεῖς εἷς το comem-.319; καὶ καταφρονεῖν τῆς Γραξῆς λεγοῦσῃς· Μὴ ἀγάπα καταλαλεῖν, ’ίνα μὴ ἐξαρθῇς. … οὔτε ὡς προστάξεως οὔσης ἐνετείλατό μοι· ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅτε Συριανὸς ὁ στρατηλάτης εἷʼσὴλθενκεῖς τήν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν, ἐπειδὴ παρὰ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν ἐθρυλεῖτό τινα, καὶ ἅπερ ἐβούλοντο, ἐπηγγέλλοντο γίνεσθαι, ἠρώτων εἰ γράμματα ἔχει περὶ ὧν θρυλοῦσι· γράμματα γὰρ ἀπῄτουν, ὁμολογῶ, τῆς προστάξεως. Ἐπειδή δὲ μή ἔχειν ἔλεγεν, ἠξίουν κᾶν αὐτὸν Συριανὸν, ἢ τὸν ἔπαρχον τῆς Αἰγύπτου Μάξιμον γράψαι μοι περὶ τούτου. Τοῦτο δὲ οὕτως ἀπῄτουν, ἐπειδὴ γάρψασά μοι ἦν ἡ cn) φιλανθρωπία, ὥστε παρὰ μηδενός με ταράττεσθαι, μηδὲ ἀνέχεσθαι τῶν θελόντων ἡμᾶς πτοεῖνβιλλὰ μένειν έν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἀμερίμνως. Ol μὲν οὖν κομίσαντες τὴν τοιαύτην ἐπιστολήν εἶσι Παλλάδιος, ὁ γενόμενος τοῦ παλατίου μάγιστρος, καὶ ’Δστέριος ὁ γενόμενος δοὺξ ’Δρμενίας. Τὸ δὲ ἀντίγραφον τῆς ἐπιπολῆς συγχώρησον ἀναγνῶναί με ἔστι γὰρ τοῦτο·
Dia touto toinyn kagō, epeidiI ek diaiol-ils epistolē, kai ouk heigen oude tou elthein prostaxin, egnōn, hoti pisoairesis ouk tēs sēs eusioeias en,- Oein hēmas para se. To gar mē ke),?ysai pantōs X),- Theïn, alla kai grapsai r ē n I i \ i ōs emou grausntēis, 7.9.: (eelontos diorthōsasthai ta dokounta leipen), kaitoi mēdenos legontos, phaneron ēn para gnōmēn einai tēs sēs ’hēmerotētos tēn komistheisan epistolai-i. ’hiïēuto pantes egnōsan touto kai grarōn edēlōsen kai hoi- 33 Montanos, dti hou to elthein parę̄toumēn, ei)..la to hōs emou grapsantos elthein aprepes hēgousiktm, Hina mē kai en toutǭ prophasin heurōsin hoi sykoōintai palin, hōs ochlērou genomenou mou sę̄ (moieileia. Amelei pareskeuasamēn, kai touto oiden autïls, Hina, ean grapsai kataxiōsę̄ē euthys exelō-i), kai "Lilisō tę̄ prothymią to prostachthen.ty gar heiiainookiin anteipein toioutǭ sou prostagmati. Mē “ponto-1177.? toinyn hontōs tēs sēs eusebeias, pōs antestēn mē n keleustheis ? Ē pōs legousin, ouk epeisōēn, kaitoi prostaxeōs mē ousēs ? pōs ou sykoeantia kai touto tōn echthrōn plattontōn to mē genomenon ri)? genomenon ? Phoboumai mē kai nyn, apologoumenou mou, thrylgssōsin hōs mē axiōsantos apologēsasthai; houtōs egō men eucherēs eimi parʼ autois heis to katēgoreisthai parʼ autōn; autoi de tacheis heis to comem-.319? kai kataphronein tēs Graxēs legousę̄s; Mē agapa katalalein, ’ina mē exarthę̄s. … oute hōs prostaxeōs ousēs eneteilato moi; alla kai hote Syrianos ho stratēlatēs heiʼsēlthenkeis tēn Alexandreian, epeidē para tōn Areianōn ethryleito tina, kai haper eboulonto, epēngellonto ginesthai, ērōtōn ei grammata echei peri hōn thrylousi; grammata gar apę̄toun, homologō, tēs prostaxeōs. Epeidē de mē echein elegen, ēxioun kan auton Syrianon, ē ton eparchon tēs Aigyptou Maximon grapsai moi peri toutou. Touto de houtōs apę̄toun, epeidē garpsasa moi ēn hē cn) philanthrōpia, hōste para mēdenos me tarattesthai, mēde anechesthai tōn thelontōn hēmas ptoeinbilla menein en tais ekklēsiais amerimnōs. Ol men oun komisantes tēn toiautēn epistolēn eisi Palladios, ho genomenos tou palatiou magistros, kai ’Dsterios ho genomenos doux ’Drmenias. To de antigraphon tēs epipolēs synchōrēson anagnōnai me esti gar touto;
For this reason, then, I too, since the letter came from slander and did not contain an order even to come, knew that it was not the intention of your piety that we should come to you. For not to order us to come at all, but to write as though I had written, wishing to correct what seemed lacking—though no one had said so—made it plain that the letter that was brought was contrary to the mind of your clemency. All knew this; and Montanus too made it plain in writing that I did not decline to come, but thought it unbecoming to come as though I had written, lest in this too the false accusers should find a pretext again, as though I had become troublesome to your piety. Indeed I prepared myself—and he knows this too—so that, if you deigned to write, I might set out at once and fulfill the command with eagerness; for I am not so mad as to contradict such an order of yours. Since, then, there was in fact no order of your piety, how did I resist when I was not ordered? Or how do they say “he did not obey,” when there was no command? How is this too not a false accusation of enemies who invent what did not happen as having happened? I fear that even now, as I make my defense, they will bandy about that I did not deign to make a defense; so ready am I, in their eyes, to be accused by them, and so quick are they to accuse, and to despise the Scripture that says, “Do not love to slander, lest you be removed.” [22] … nor did he give me any order as though there were a command; and when Syrianus the general entered Alexandria, since certain things were being bandied about by the Arians, and they announced that what they wished would come about, I asked whether he had letters about what they were noising abroad; for I asked, I confess, for letters containing a command. And when he said he had none, I asked that at least Syrianus himself, or Maximus the prefect of Egypt, should write to me about it. I demanded this because your humanity had written to me that I should be troubled by no one, nor put up with those who wished to frighten us, but remain in the churches without anxiety. Those who brought this letter were Palladius, who was master of the palace, and Asterius, who was duke of Armenia. Permit me to read the copy of the letter; it is this:
Chapter 23
23PG 25:624b–624c
Ἀντίγραφον ἐπιστολῆς οὕτως ἔχον. Κωνστάντιος Νικητὴς Αὔγουστος Ἀθανασίῳ. Εὕχεσθαί με ἀεὶ ὥστε πάντα αἶʼσια ἀποβαίνειν τῷ ποτε ἀδελφῷ ἐμῷ Κωνστάντι, οὐδὲ τὴν σὴν ὑπερέβη σύνεσιν. Ὃντινα ἐπειδή ἐξ ἀπάτης ἀτοπωτάτων ἀνῃρῆσθαι ἔγνων, πόσῃ εἷʼμὶπεριβληθεὶς στυγνότητι, εὐχερῶς ἡ ὑμετέρα φρόνησις δυνήσεται κρίνειν. Καὶ ἐπειδή τινές εἰσιν, οἵτινες ἐν τῷ παρόντι καιρῷ τῷ οὕτω δακρυτικῷ δράματι καταπτοεῖν σε πειράζουσι, διὰ τοῦτο τὰ παρόντα ταῦτα γράμματα πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα στεῖλαι ἔκρινα· προτρέπων σε τίνα, ὥσπερ πρέπει ἐπισκόπῳ, εἰς τὴν κεχρεωστημένην θρησκείαν συντρέχειν διδάξειας τὸν δῆμον, καὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ κατᾶ τὸ ἔθος ταῖς εὐχαῖς σχολάσειαςίὴμῖν γὰρ τοῦτο ἀρέσκει τὸ, σὲ κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν βούλησιν, έν παντῖ καιρῷ ἐν τῷ σῷ τόπῳ, ἐπίσκοπον εἶναι βουλόμεθα. Καὶ ἄλλῃ χειρί· Ἠ Θεότης φυλάξειέ σε πολλοῖς ἐνιαυτοῖς, Πάτερ προσφιλέστατε.
Antigraphon epistolēs houtōs echon. Kōnstantios Nikētēs Augoustos Athanasiǭ. Heuchesthai me aei hōste panta aiʼsia apobainein tǭ pote adelphǭ emǭ Kōnstanti, oude tēn sēn hyperebē synesin. Hontina epeidē ex apatēs atopōtatōn anę̄rēsthai egnōn, posę̄ heiʼmiperiblētheis stygnotēti, eucherōs hē hymetera phronēsis dynēsetai krinein. Kai epeidē tines eisin, hoitines en tǭ paronti kairǭ tǭ houtō dakrytikǭ dramati kataptoein se peirazousi, dia touto ta paronta tauta grammata pros tēn sēn timiotēta steilai ekrina; protrepōn se tina, hōsper prepei episkopǭ, eis tēn kechreōstēmenēn thrēskeian syntrechein didaxeias ton dēmon, kai metʼ autou kata to ethos tais euchais scholaseiasiēmin gar touto areskei to, se kata tēn hēmeteran boulēsin, en panti kairǭ en tǭ sǭ topǭ, episkopon einai boulometha. Kai allę̄ cheiri; Ē Theotēs phylaxeie se pollois eniautois, Pater prosphilestate.
Copy of the letter, as follows: “Constantius Victor Augustus to Athanasius. That I always prayed that everything should turn out favorably for my late brother Constans has not escaped your understanding. How great a gloom enveloped me when I learned that he had been killed through the treachery of most wicked men, your prudence can easily judge. And since there are some who at this present time, in so lamentable a drama, are trying to frighten you, I have decided to send this present letter to your honor, urging you, as befits a bishop, to teach the people to hasten to the religion that is due, and to devote yourself with them to prayers as is customary; for this pleases us, that you, according to our will, should be bishop in your place at all times.” And in another hand: “May the Godhead preserve you for many years, most beloved father.”
Chapter 24
24PG 25:624c–625b
Περὶ ταύτης,έκεῖνοι μὶν καὶ τοῖς δικασταῖς εἰρήκασιν· ἐγὼ δὲ ταύτην τήν ἐπιστολὴν ἔχων, ἂρʼ οὐκ εἷʼκότως ἀπῄτουν γράμματα, καὶ οὗ προσεῖχον προφάσεσιν ἁπλῶς ; Ἐκεῖνοι δὲ μὴ δεικνύοντες πρόσταγμα τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας, οὐκ ἄντικρυς ἐναντία ταύτης τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἔπραττον ; Ἐγὼ δὲ, ὅτι γράμματα οὐ παρεῖχον, οὐκ ἀκολούθως ἡγούμην ἐκτὸς αὐτῶν εἶναι τὰς φάσεις· τοῖς τοιούτοις γὰρ μὴ προσέχειν με προσέταττεν ἡ ἐπιστολή τῆς σῆς φιλανθρωπίας. Δικαίως οὖν τοῦτο ἐποίουν, θεοφιλέστατε Αύγουστε, τίνα, ὥσπερ ἔχων ἐπιστολὰς εἰσῆλθον εἷς τὴν πατρίδα, οὕτως ἔχων πρόσταξιν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ἐξέλθω· καὶ μὴ ὡς φυγὼν τήν Ἐκκλησίαν, ὑπεύθυνός ποτε γένωμαι, ἀλλʼ ὡς κελευσθεὶς ἔχω πρόφασιν τῆς αναχωρήσεως. Τοῦτο καὶ οἱ λαοὶ πάντες μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτερων, καὶ ηλεῖστον δὲ τῆς πόλεως μέρος μετʼ αὖ· τῶν, ’ίνα μή λέγω πλέον, ἀπελθόντες πρὸς Συριανὸν, ἠξίουν · ἐκεῖ δὲ καὶ ὁ ἔπαρχος τῆς Αἰγύπτου Μάξιμος. Ἠ δὲ ἀξίωσις ἦν ἢ γράψαι καὶ ἀποστεῖλαί μοι, ἢ μηκέτι διοχλεῖν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις, ἕως ἂν αὐτοὶ οἳ λαοὲ περὶ τούτου πρεσβεύωνται παρὰ σοί. Ἐπὶ πολὺ τοίνυν αὐτῶν ἀξιούντων, συνιδὼν Συριανὸς τὸ εύλογον, διεβεβαιώσατο μαρτυρόμενος τήν σὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ παρ-ῆν τότε καὶ Ἰλάριος, μηκέτι μὲν διοχλεῖν, ἀναφέρειν δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν. Τοῦτο οἶδεν ἡ τάξις τοῦ δουκὸς, καὶ ἡ τάξις τοῖʼ) ἐπάρχου τῆς Αἰγύπτου. Καὶ ὁ πρύτανις δὲ τῆς πόλεως ἔχει τὰς φωνὰς, καὶ δύνασαι μαθεῖν, ὅτι οὔτε ἐγὼ, οὔτε τις ἕτερος ἀντιλέγων ἦν τῇ σῇ προστάξει.
Peri tautēs,ekeinoi min kai tois dikastais eirēkasin; egō de tautēn tēn epistolēn echōn, arʼ ouk heiʼkotōs apę̄toun grammata, kai hou proseichon prophasesin haplōs ? Ekeinoi de mē deiknyontes prostagma tēs sēs eusebeias, ouk antikrys enantia tautēs tēs epistolēs epratton ? Egō de, hoti grammata ou pareichon, ouk akolouthōs hēgoumēn ektos autōn einai tas phaseis; tois toioutois gar mē prosechein me prosetatten hē epistolē tēs sēs philanthrōpias. Dikaiōs oun touto epoioun, theophilestate Augouste, tina, hōsper echōn epistolas eisēlthon heis tēn patrida, houtōs echōn prostaxin apʼ autēs exelthō; kai mē hōs phygōn tēn Ekklēsian, hypeuthynos pote genōmai, allʼ hōs keleustheis echō prophasin tēs anachōrēseōs. Touto kai hoi laoi pantes meta tōn presbyterōn, kai ēleiston de tēs poleōs meros metʼ au; tōn, ’ina mē legō pleon, apelthontes pros Syrianon, ēxioun ; ekei de kai ho eparchos tēs Aigyptou Maximos. Ē de axiōsis ēn ē grapsai kai aposteilai moi, ē mēketi diochlein tais Ekklēsiais, heōs an autoi hoi laoe peri toutou presbeuōntai para soi. Epi poly toinyn autōn axiountōn, synidōn Syrianos to eulogon, diebebaiōsato martyromenos tēn sēn sōtērian, kai epi toutǭ par-ēn tote kai Ilarios, mēketi men diochlein, anapherein de epi tēn sēn theosebeian. Touto oiden hē taxis tou doukos, kai hē taxis toiʼ) eparchou tēs Aigyptou. Kai ho prytanis de tēs poleōs echei tas phōnas, kai dynasai mathein, hoti oute egō, oute tis heteros antilegōn ēn tę̄ sę̄ prostaxei.
Concerning this letter they said things to the magistrates too; but I, having this letter, was I not right to ask for letters and not to heed mere pretexts? And were not they, showing no order of your piety, acting directly contrary to this letter? And I, since they did not produce letters, thought it consistent that their statements were not of your intention; for the letter of your humanity ordered me not to heed such men. I acted rightly, then, most God-loving Augustus, so that, as I entered my homeland with letters, so I might leave it with an order, and might never be held guilty as having deserted the Church, but, as one ordered, might have a reason for withdrawing. This all the people too, with the presbyters, and the greatest part of the city with them—not to say more—went to Syrianus and asked; Maximus the prefect of Egypt was there too. The request was that he either write and send to me, or no longer trouble the churches until the people themselves sent an embassy to you about it. When they had asked for a long time, Syrianus, seeing the reasonableness of it, affirmed, swearing by your safety—Hilary too was present then—that he would no longer trouble them, but would refer the matter to your godliness. The office of the duke knows this, and the office of the prefect of Egypt; the prytanis of the city has the record of what was said; and you can learn that neither I nor anyone else was opposing your order.
Chapter 25
25PG 25:625b–628a
Πάντες δὲ ἠξίουν γράμματα δειχθῆναι τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας. Καὶ φάσις μὲν γὰρ μόνη παρά βασιλέως τήν αὐτὴν ἔχει δύναμιν τοῖς γραφομένοις, ὅταν μάλιστα ταύτην ὁ κομίζων θαρρῇ καὶ γραφῇ προσταχθέν· ἐπειδή δ”ε οὔτε φανερῶς ἔλεγον εἶναι πρόσταγμα, οὔτε, ὅπερ ἠξίουν, ἐγγράφως ἐπέστελλον, ἀλλʼ ὡς ἀφʼ ἑαυτῶν πάντα πράττοντες ἦσαν · ὁμολογῶ, καὶ τοῦτο λέγω μετὰ παρῥησίας, ὕποπτος ἐγενόμην εἷς αὐτούς. Πολλοὶ γὰρ -Ῑσαν οἱ πε ὶ ’τ Ἀμε ε ‘ νʼ, ρ αυιοδς Ικυιοιθοι, τοδτοις τε συνήσθιεν, καὶ μετὰ τούτων ἐβουλεύοντο · καὶ ούδὶν μὲν μετά παρρησίας ἔπραττον, ἐνέδρας δὲ καὶ δόλους ἐπιχειρεῖν ἐμελέτων κατʼ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ οὐ· ὃὶν μὲν ὡς βασιλέως προστάξαντος ἐποίουν, ὡς δὲ παρʼ ἐχθρῶν ἀξιούμενοι. ἤλεγγον ἑαυτούς. Τοῦτο γάρ με καὶ μᾶλλον ἆπαιτεῖτ γράμματα παρʼ αὐτῶν ἠνάγκαζ,ν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὕποπτα ἦν ἅπερ ἐπεχείρουν καὶ ἐσκέπτοντο · καὶ ὅτι ἀπρεπὲς ἦν, μετὰ τοσούτων γραμμάτων εἰσελθόντα με, χωρὶς γραμμάτων ἀναχωρῆσαι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, Συριανοῦ τοίνυν ἐπαγγειλαμένου, συνήγοντο πάντες ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις μετὰ χαρᾶς καὶ ἀμεριμνίας. Ἀλλὰ μετὰ κʼ καὶ γʼ ἡμέρας τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐπέρχεται μετὰ στρατιωτῶν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν ηὐχόμεθα συνήθως · οὕτω γᾶρ ἑωράκασιν οἱ εἰσελθόντες, ἐπειδὴ παννυχὶς ἦν ἐσομένης συνάξεως. Τοιαῦτα δὲ γέγονε τῇ νυκτὶ ἐκείνῃ, οἷα ἤθελον καὶ ἐπηγγέλλοντο, πρὶν γενέσθαι, οἱ Ἀρειανοί- αὐτοὺς γὰρ ἔχων μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ ἦλθεν ὁ στρατηλάτης· καὶ αὐτοὶ ἦσαν οἱ ἔξαρχοι καὶ σύμβουλοι τῆς τοιαύτης ἐφόδου. Καὶ τοῦτο cli-it ἄπιστον, θεοφιλέστατε Αὕγουστε · ού γὰρἔλαθον, ἀλλᾶ πανταχοῦ κεκήρυκται. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν θεωρῶν τήν ἔφοδον, παρακαλέσας πρότερον ἀναχωρῆσαι ν τοὺς λαοὺς, τότε κάγὼ μετʼ αὐτοὺς, τοῦ Θεοῦ καλύπτοντος καὶ ὁδηγοῦντος (καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ οἱ τότε μοι συνόντες ἑωράκασιν), ἀνεχώρησα καὶ ἐξ ἐκείνου κατʼ ἐμαυτὸν ἔμεινα, ἔχων παρρησίαν καὶ ἀπολογίαν προηγουμένως μὲν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔφυγον καταλείψας τοὺς λαοὺς, ἀλλὰ μάρτυρα τῆς διώξεως ἔχω τὴν ἔφοδον τοῦ στρατηλάτου· ὃ μάλιστα καὶ παντες ἐθαύμασαν. Ἔδει γὰρ ἢ μὴ ἐπαγγείλασθαι, ἢ ἐπαγγειλάμενον μὴ ψεύσασθαι.
Pantes de ēxioun grammata deichthēnai tēs sēs eusebeias. Kai phasis men gar monē para basileōs tēn autēn echei dynamin tois graphomenois, hotan malista tautēn ho komizōn tharrę̄ kai graphę̄ prostachthen; epeidē d”e oute phanerōs elegon einai prostagma, oute, hoper ēxioun, engraphōs epestellon, allʼ hōs aphʼ heautōn panta prattontes ēsan ; homologō, kai touto legō meta parrhēsias, hypoptos egenomēn heis autous. Polloi gar -Isan hoi pe i ’t Ame e ‘ nʼ, r auiods Ikuioithoi, todtois te synēsthien, kai meta toutōn ebouleuonto ; kai oudin men meta parrēsias epratton, enedras de kai dolous epicheirein emeletōn katʼ emou. Kai ou; hoin men hōs basileōs prostaxantos epoioun, hōs de parʼ echthrōn axioumenoi. ēlengon heautous. Touto gar me kai mallon apaiteit grammata parʼ autōn ēnankaz,n, epeidē kai hypopta ēn haper epecheiroun kai eskeptonto ; kai hoti aprepes ēn, meta tosoutōn grammatōn eiselthonta me, chōris grammatōn anachōrēsai tēs Ekklēsias, Syrianou toinyn epangeilamenou, synēgonto pantes en tais ekklēsiais meta charas kai amerimnias. Alla meta kʼ kai gʼ hēmeras tēs epangelias eperchetai meta stratiōtōn tę̄ ekklēsią, kai hēmeis men ēuchometha synēthōs ; houtō gar heōrakasin hoi eiselthontes, epeidē pannychis ēn esomenēs synaxeōs. Toiauta de gegone tę̄ nykti ekeinę̄, hoia ēthelon kai epēngellonto, prin genesthai, hoi Areianoi- autous gar echōn methʼ heautou ēlthen ho stratēlatēs; kai autoi ēsan hoi exarchoi kai symbouloi tēs toiautēs ephodou. Kai touto cli-it apiston, theophilestate Haugouste ; ou garelathon, alla pantachou kekēryktai. Egō toinyn theōrōn tēn ephodon, parakalesas proteron anachōrēsai n tous laous, tote kagō metʼ autous, tou Theou kalyptontos kai hodēgountos (kai touto gar hoi tote moi synontes heōrakasin), anechōrēsa kai ex ekeinou katʼ emauton emeina, echōn parrēsian kai apologian proēgoumenōs men pros ton Theon, epeita de kai pros tēn sēn eusebeian, hoti ouk ephygon kataleipsas tous laous, alla martyra tēs diōxeōs echō tēn ephodon tou stratēlatou; ho malista kai pantes ethaumasan. Edei gar ē mē epangeilasthai, ē epangeilamenon mē pseusasthai.
All asked that letters of your piety be shown. For an oral statement from the emperor alone has the same force as what is written, especially when the bearer is confident of it and it is put in writing as ordered; but since they neither said openly that there was an order nor sent in writing what was asked, but were acting as if everything were on their own account, I confess—and I say it boldly—I became suspicious of them. For there were many … around them, with whom he ate and with whom they took counsel; and they did nothing openly, but planned to attempt ambushes and treachery against me. And they did nothing as though the emperor had ordered it, but convicted themselves of acting at the request of enemies. This compelled me all the more to demand letters from them, since what they attempted and planned was suspicious; and because it was unseemly that I, who had entered with so many letters, should withdraw from the Church without letters. So, Syrianus having given his promise, all assembled in the churches with joy and without anxiety. But twenty-three days after the promise he comes upon the church with soldiers, while we were praying as usual—for so those who entered saw, since there was a night vigil, a synaxis being due. And such things happened that night as the Arians wished and had announced before they happened; for the general came having them with him, and they were the leaders and advisers of such an attack. And this is not incredible, most God-loving Augustus; for they did not escape notice, but it has been proclaimed everywhere. So I, seeing the attack, first urged the people to withdraw, and then I too withdrew after them, God covering and guiding me (for those then with me saw this too); and from then on I have remained by myself, having boldness and a defense first toward God and then toward your piety, that I did not flee leaving the people, but have the general’s attack as witness of the persecution—at which especially all marveled. For he ought either not to have promised, or, having promised, not to have lied.
Chapter 26
26PG 25:628a–628c
Τί τοίνυν οὕτως ἐβουλεύοντο, ἦ διὰ τί μετὰ κ,, λ. - κ ι Ι ““ Ᾰ”’“ δόλου ἐνεδρεύειν ἐπεχείρουν, ἐξὸν καὶ κελεῦσαι, . - Χ“ “ ιʼ, καί vsi'baz; Βασιλέως vita ποόσταῖις λεκαλην ξʼ ει ιι ι ΝΚ ι ι I δ ί ί /~. ο σ y, ι κ ι ι...- ... - ι ι ιΙε.’“ παρςῖησίαν. Ἀλλά τὸ βούλεσθαι λαθεῖν λευκοτέραν ε- ν ι ο - ι - -· ί Χ-ὶ ἐποίει την ὑποψίαν τοῦ μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς πρόσταγμα. 1‘, ’χι πʼ ς ι λ λ 1 -ο Ι ΙΓἽῨῨὟ Τί δὲ ἄτοπον ἀπῄτουν, βασιλΞῦ (palatinum; Πῶς οὐκ . ι ’ Ῐ 7 *,- εῧλογον ἐπισκὸπῳ την τοιαύτην ἀξίωσιν ἄν τις εἶʼποι, γκ ι I ι γκ · ι ι η κ ’ ρʼ α. ς ιμʼ,ι Nn, οιοας, αναγνους ταν Ιραφας, ἡλικον εστι οη εγκληε ' ι Ι μα καταλιμπάνειν ἐπίσκοπον την ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ 3 κ -ο ἀμελεῖν τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ποιμνίιιιν. Ποιμένων γὰρ ἀπ- r ι · ·“ ί , ι ι ι ουσία πρόφασιν iuriam τοῖς λύκοις παρέχει κατᾶ τῆς η I‘. -— -~ ’λλ · Ι Ι ι _..----.,, "0...,1‘... [νισι. ι. Ξιγέλης. Τοὖτο δὲ ἐζήτουν οἳ Ἀρειανοὶ, καί οἳ ἄλ) αγελης. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐζήτουν οἳ Ἀρειανοὶ, καί οἳ ἄλλοι πάντες αἱρετικοὲ, ’ίνα ἡμῶν ἀπουσίᾳ χώραν εὕρω- · ". | Ι σιν απατᾷν τους λαοὺς εἷς ἀσέβειαν, Εἰ τοίνυν ’ἱέμην φυγὼν, ποίαν ἀπολογίαν εἶχον ποιρᾶ τοῖς ἀληθινοῖς η ν γʼ, κ '\'\ κʼ· ι-. -l ι. ς 1" επισκοποις, μαλλον ΟΞ παρα τίς) πεπιστευκοτι την αγε- ‘ υ-- κ,. . - "Iv ληνς Ἔστι δε οὗτος ὁ κρίνων πᾶσαν την γῆν, ὁ ἀλη- n κ ο ‘ ' · \ ρ ε \r ν Ι ~ I 3 ι ι ’ν 7 γʼ Οινος παμοασιλευς και Ιχυριος ἡμων Ιησους Expa- ε ς υτ ι ν η --ι -- -Α - . -- Ι ', “F' στὸς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ. Πῶς οὐκ ἀν τις εὐλόγως τὴν 1 vx ν κ ~ - - ’ ε 1 ν.- υ 9 \ ι νγ Ιγζκῖ '3' αμελειαν των λαων εις εμε μετηνεγκε; Πως οε ουκ ἢκ Ί Ι ι .. - ι ι ’ "" ἂν ἐπέμψατο καὶ σὴ εὐσέβεια δικαίως λέγουσα, Διὰ ., κη, --- τί, μετα γραμμάτων εἰσελθὼν, χωρὶς γραμμάτων ν υ ι ·“ ν ι 1. ι - II'”I"""‘"“' ἀναχιορεῖς, καέ κατέλειψας τοὺς λαούς Πῶς δῖε καί αὐτὸς ὁ λαὸς εἶκὸτως ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως τήν ἑαυτῶν Ι, I‘ "fl" ’ 9 1 ’τ Ι ἐ 9' “iw-‘2' αμίλὶίχν εριῖίψπν είς eiu-3, λεγοντες, Ο επισκεπτομενος ἡμᾶς ἔφυγε, καὶ ἡμελγίθημεν, οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ ὑπομιμνήσκοντος Εἰ ταῦτα ἔλεγον, τί ἂν ἀπεκρινάμην; Τοιαύτην γὰρ μέμψιν ἔσχον διὰ τοῦ Ἰεζεχιὴλ , ση- ' Ιο καὶ οἱ ποιμένες τῶν παλαιῶν. Τοῦτο γινώσκων καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἀπόστολος Παῦλος ἑκάστῳ ἡμῶν διὰ τοῦ μαοητοῦ παρήγγειλε, λέγων ' Μή ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος, ὃ ἐδόθη σοι, μετα ἐπιθέσεως τῶν χειρῶν τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου. Τοῦτο κάγὼ φοβούμενος 1 ι I ’ οὐκ ’ἤθελον φυγεῖν, ἀλλὰ πρόσταξιν ἔχειν, εἶίπερ ἦν n νη ~ -ι -·· · - ν με ι α Ι βούλημα τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας. Ἀλλʼ οὔτε ἔλαβον ὅπερ ΊΣ Ι Ἰ l ις ς ι γι, ιῦλόγως ἀπῄτουν, ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν μάτην κατηγορήοην \ ι ‘I ι - - . - -ι ι ι ι παρὰ σοί· οὔτε γὰρ ἀντέστην ρροστοὶγματι τῆς σῆς 9 ί) l · ι ν - ιι ιι ’ εὐσεβείας, οὔτε νῦν εἷς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν εἰσελθεῖν πειράσω, ἕως ἡ φιλανθρωπία τοῦτο βούληται. ν ι ν ’κι “-- νʼ Γ η, -.-ς., μ, ταωηυμυληιυ. ἰυυῑυ ρυυΛηται ιιι). αἱ τοῦτο δὲ προλαβὼν εἶʼρηκα, ἳνα μηδὲ περὶ τοῦτο πάλιν οἱ συκοφάνται πρόφασιν εὕρωσι κατειπεῖν ἡμῶν.
Ti toinyn houtōs ebouleuonto, ē dia ti meta k,, l. - k i I ““ A”’“ dolou enedreuein epecheiroun, exon kai keleusai, . - Ch“ “ iʼ, kai vsi'baz? Basileōs vita poostaiis lekalēn xʼ ei ii i NK i i I d i i /~. o s y, i k i i...- ... - i i iIe.’“ parsiēsian. Alla to boulesthai lathein leukoteran e- n i o - i - -; i Ch-i epoiei tēn hypopsian tou mē echein autous prostagma. 1‘, ’chi pʼ s i l l 1 -o I IGIYYY Ti de atopon apę̄toun, basilXy (palatinum? Pōs ouk . i ’ I 7 *,- eÿlogon episkopǭ tēn toiautēn axiōsin an tis eiʼpoi, nk i I i nk ; i i ē k ’ rʼ a. s imʼ,i Nn, oioas, anagnous tan Iraphas, hēlikon esti oē enklēe ' i I ma katalimpanein episkopon tēn ekklēsian, kai 3 k -o amelein tōn tou Theou poimniiiin. Poimenōn gar ap- r i ; ;“ i , i i i ousia prophasin iuriam tois lykois parechei kata tēs ē I‘. -— -~ ’ll ; I I i _..----.,, "0...,1‘... [nisi. i. Xigelēs. Touto de ezētoun hoi Areianoi, kai hoi al) agelēs. Touto de ezētoun hoi Areianoi, kai hoi alloi pantes hairetikoe, ’ina hēmōn apousią chōran heurō- ; ". | I sin apatąn tous laous heis asebeian, Ei toinyn ’hiemēn phygōn, poian apologian eichon poira tois alēthinois ē n gʼ, k '\'\ kʼ; i-. -l i. s 1" episkopois, mallon OX para tis) pepisteukoti tēn age- ‘ y-- k,. . - "Iv lēns Esti de houtos ho krinōn pasan tēn gēn, ho alē- n k o ‘ ' ; \ r e \r n I ~ I 3 i i ’n 7 gʼ Oinos pamoasileus kai Ichyrios hēmōn Iēsous Expa- e s yt i n ē --i -- -A - . -- I ', “F' stos, ho Huios tou Theou. Pōs ouk an tis eulogōs tēn 1 vx n k ~ - - ’ e 1 n.- y 9 \ i ng Igzki '3' ameleian tōn laōn eis eme metēnenke? Pōs oe ouk ēk I I i .. - i i ’ "" an epempsato kai sē eusebeia dikaiōs legousa, Dia ., kē, --- ti, meta grammatōn eiselthōn, chōris grammatōn n y i ;“ n i 1. i - II'”I"""‘"“' anachioreis, kae kateleipsas tous laous Pōs die kai autos ho laos eikotōs en hēmerą kriseōs tēn heautōn I, I‘ "fl" ’ 9 1 ’t I e 9' “iw-‘2' amiliichn eriiipspn eis eiu-3, legontes, O episkeptomenos hēmas ephyge, kai hēmelgithēmen, ouk ontos tou hypomimnēskontos Ei tauta elegon, ti an apekrinamēn? Toiautēn gar mempsin eschon dia tou Iezechiēl , sē- ' Io kai hoi poimenes tōn palaiōn. Touto ginōskōn kai ho makarios apostolos Paulos hekastǭ hēmōn dia tou maoētou parēngeile, legōn ' Mē amelei tou en soi charismatos, ho edothē soi, meta epitheseōs tōn cheirōn tou presbyteriou. Touto kagō phoboumenos 1 i I ’ ouk ’ēthelon phygein, alla prostaxin echein, eiiper ēn n nē ~ -i -;; ; - n me i a I boulēma tēs sēs eusebeias. Allʼ oute elabon hoper IS I I l is s i gi, iylogōs apę̄toun, alla kai nyn matēn katēgorēoēn \ i ‘I i - - . - -i i i i para soi; oute gar antestēn rrostoigmati tēs sēs 9 i) l ; i n - ii ii ’ eusebeias, oute nyn heis Alexandreian eiselthein peirasō, heōs hē philanthrōpia touto boulētai. n i n ’ki “-- nʼ G ē, -.-s., m, taōēumylēiy. iyuiy ryyLētai iii). hai touto de prolabōn eiʼrēka, hina mēde peri touto palin hoi sykophantai prophasin heurōsi kateipein hēmōn.
Why, then, did they plan thus, or why did they try to lie in wait with treachery, when they could have given an order and …? The emperor’s order gives … boldness. But their wish to be hidden made the suspicion plainer that they had no order. What unreasonable thing did I ask, O emperor? How would anyone not say that such a request was reasonable for a bishop? For you know, having read the Scriptures, how great a charge it is for a bishop to abandon the church and neglect the flock of God. For the absence of the shepherds gives the wolves an opportunity against the flock. And this is what the Arians and all the other heretics were seeking, that in our absence they might find room to deceive the people into impiety. If, then, I had fled, what defense would I have had before the true bishops, or rather before him who entrusted the flock to me? He is the judge of all the earth, the true King of all, our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. How would anyone not reasonably have laid the neglect of the people to my charge? How would your piety too not justly have blamed me, saying, “Why, having entered with letters, do you withdraw without letters and leave the people?” How would the people themselves not reasonably, on the day of judgment, lay their neglect to my charge, saying, “He who had the oversight of us fled, and we were neglected, with no one to remind us”? If they said this, what would I have answered? For such a reproach the shepherds of old also received through Ezekiel. Knowing this, the blessed apostle Paul too charged each of us through his disciple, saying, “Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given you with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.” Fearing this, I did not wish to flee, but to have an order, if it was the will of your piety. But I did not receive what I reasonably asked, and now I am accused before you in vain; for neither did I resist the order of your piety, nor will I now try to enter Alexandria until your humanity wishes it. This I have said in anticipation, lest the false accusers find a pretext to accuse us on this point too.
Chapter 27
27PG 25:629a–629b
Ταῦτα συνορῶν, ού κατεγίνωσκον ἀλλά καὶ ταύτην ἔχων τήν ἀπολογίαν, ἠπειγόμην πρὸς την σήν εὐσέβειαν, εἰδὼς τὴν σὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, διὰ μνήμης τε ἔχων τὰς σας ἀψευδεῖς ὑποσχέσεις, καὶ οαρέὡν, ὅτι, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν ταῖς θείαις Παροιμίαις· Παρὰ φιλανθρώπῳ βασιλεῖ Παρὰ φιλανθρώπῳ δεκτοί εἰσιν οἰ δίκαιοι λογισμοί. Ἤδη δέ τῆς ὁδοῦ μου ἐπιβάντος, καὶ την ἔρημον ἐξελθόντος, ἀκοή τις γέγονεν ἐξαίφνης ·ἥτις ἄπιστος μέν εἶναι κατά τήν ἀρχὴν ἐδόκει, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα ἀληθὴς ἐδείχθη. Ἐθρυλεῖτο γὰρ πανταχοῦ, ὅτι Λιβέριος ὁ τῆς Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ ὁ τῶν Σπανιῶν Ὅσιος ὁ μέγας, Παυλῖνός τε ὁ τῶν Γαλλιῶν, καῖ Διονύσιος καὶ Εὐσέβιος οἱ τῆς Ἰταλίας, Λουκίιρερός τε απὸ Σαρδινίας, καὶ ἄλλοι τινες ἐπίσκοποι, καὶ πρεσβύτεροι, καὶ διάκονοι, οὗτοι μὲν ἐξωρίσθησαν, Οὐικέντιος δὲ ὁ τῆς Καπύης, καὶ Φουρτουνατιανὸς ὁ τῆς Ἀκυληίας Ἡρέμιὸς τε ὁ τῆς Θεσσαλονίκης, καὶ πάντες οἱ κατα τήν Δύσιν ἐπίσκοποι, βίαν οὐ την τυχοῦσαν, ἀλλα καὶ πλείστην ἀνάγκην καὶ δεινάς ὕβρεις πεπόνθασιν, κ ἕως ἐπαγγείλωντάι μὴ κοινωνεῖν ἡμῖν. Εἶτα, θαυμαζόντων ἡμῶν καὶ διαπορούντων ἐπὶ τούτοις, ἰδοὺ πάλιν ἑτέρα τις κατέλαβεν ἁκοή περὶτῶν κατʼ Αἶγυπτον καὶ τὰς Λιβύας ὅτι οἱ μέν ἐπίσκοποι ἐγγὺς ἐνενήκοντα ἐδιώχθησαν, αἱ δὲ Ἐκκλησίαι τοῖς ὁμολογοῦσι τὰ Ἀρείου παρεδόθησαν · καὶ ἐξωρίσθησαν μὲν δέκα καὶ ἕξ, τῶν δὲ ἄλλων οἱ μὲν ἐφυγαδεύθησαν, οἱ δὲ ἠναγκάσθησαν ὑποκρίνασθαι. Τοσοῦτος γάρ ἐλέγετο διωγμὸς ἐκεῖ, ὡς, ἐν ’Δλεξανδρείᾳ εὐχομένων τῶν ἀδελφῶν έν τῷ Πάσχα καὶ ταῖς κυριακαῖς ἐν ἐρήμῳ τόπῳ πλησίον τοῦ κοιμητηρίου, τὸν στρατηλάτην μετὰ πλήθους στρατιωτῶν πλεῖον τρισχιλίων, ὅπλα καὶ ξίφη γυμνά καὶ βέλη φερόντων, ἐπελθεῖν κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν, καὶ λοιπὸν τοιαῦτα γενέσθαι, οἷα ἂν γένοιτο ἐκ τοιαύτης ἐπιδρομῆς, κατά γυναικῶν καὶ παίδων, οὐδέν πλέον ποιούντων ἢ εὐχομένων τῷ Θεῷ. Διηγεῖσθαι δὲ αὐτὰ νῦν ἴσως ἀπρεπὲς, μή ἄρα καὶ μόνον τούτων ἡ μνήμη δάκρυα πᾶσι κινήσῃ. Καὶ γάρ τοσαύτη ἦν ἡ ὠμότης, ὡς παρθένους μὲν γυμνοῦσθαι, τῶν δε ἀπο- Θανόντων ἐν τῶν πληγῶν μηδὲ τά σώματα παραυτά δοθῆναι εἰς ταφὴν, ἀλλʼ ἔξω ῥιπτεῖσθαι τοῖς κυσὶν, ἕως μετά πολλῆς ζημίας κεκρυμμένως κλέψωσιν οἱ οἰκεῖοι τὰ τῶν ἰδίων σώματα, καὶ πολὺς κάματος γένηται τοῦ μηδένα γνῶναι περὶ τούτων.
Tauta synorōn, ou kateginōskon alla kai tautēn echōn tēn apologian, ēpeigomēn pros tēn sēn eusebeian, eidōs tēn sēn philanthrōpian, dia mnēmēs te echōn tas sas apseudeis hyposcheseis, kai oareōn, hoti, kata to gegrammenon en tais theiais Paroimiais; Para philanthrōpǭ basilei Para philanthrōpǭ dektoi eisin oi dikaioi logismoi. Ēdē de tēs hodou mou epibantos, kai tēn erēmon exelthontos, akoē tis gegonen exaiphnēs ;hētis apistos men einai kata tēn archēn edokei, meta de tauta alēthēs edeichthē. Ethryleito gar pantachou, hoti Liberios ho tēs Rhōmēs episkopos, kai ho tōn Spaniōn Hosios ho megas, Paulinos te ho tōn Galliōn, kai Dionysios kai Eusebios hoi tēs Italias, Loukiireros te apo Sardinias, kai alloi tines episkopoi, kai presbyteroi, kai diakonoi, houtoi men exōristhēsan, Ouikentios de ho tēs Kapyēs, kai Phourtounatianos ho tēs Akylēias Hēremios te ho tēs Thessalonikēs, kai pantes hoi kata tēn Dysin episkopoi, bian ou tēn tychousan, alla kai pleistēn anankēn kai deinas hybreis peponthasin, k heōs epangeilōntai mē koinōnein hēmin. Eita, thaumazontōn hēmōn kai diaporountōn epi toutois, idou palin hetera tis katelaben hakoē peritōn katʼ Aigypton kai tas Libyas hoti hoi men episkopoi engys enenēkonta ediōchthēsan, hai de Ekklēsiai tois homologousi ta Areiou paredothēsan ; kai exōristhēsan men deka kai hex, tōn de allōn hoi men ephygadeuthēsan, hoi de ēnankasthēsan hypokrinasthai. Tosoutos gar elegeto diōgmos ekei, hōs, en ’Dlexandreią euchomenōn tōn adelphōn en tǭ Pascha kai tais kyriakais en erēmǭ topǭ plēsion tou koimētēriou, ton stratēlatēn meta plēthous stratiōtōn pleion trischiliōn, hopla kai xiphē gymna kai belē pherontōn, epelthein kata tōn Christianōn, kai loipon toiauta genesthai, hoia an genoito ek toiautēs epidromēs, kata gynaikōn kai paidōn, ouden pleon poiountōn ē euchomenōn tǭ Theǭ. Diēgeisthai de auta nyn isōs aprepes, mē ara kai monon toutōn hē mnēmē dakrya pasi kinēsę̄. Kai gar tosautē ēn hē ōmotēs, hōs parthenous men gymnousthai, tōn de apo- Thanontōn en tōn plēgōn mēde ta sōmata parauta dothēnai eis taphēn, allʼ exō rhipteisthai tois kysin, heōs meta pollēs zēmias kekrymmenōs klepsōsin hoi oikeioi ta tōn idiōn sōmata, kai polys kamatos genētai tou mēdena gnōnai peri toutōn.
Considering this, I did not condemn myself; but having this defense, I was hastening to your piety, knowing your humanity, keeping in memory your truthful promises, and confident that, as it is written in the divine Proverbs, “With a humane king righteous reasonings are acceptable.” But when I had already set out on my journey and gone out into the desert, suddenly a report came, which at first seemed incredible, but afterwards proved true. For it was noised abroad everywhere that Liberius, bishop of Rome, the great Hosius of the Spains, Paulinus of the Gauls, Dionysius and Eusebius of Italy, Lucifer of Sardinia, and certain other bishops, presbyters, and deacons had been exiled; and that Vincent of Capua, Fortunatian of Aquileia, Heremius of Thessalonica, and all the bishops of the West had suffered no ordinary violence, but very great compulsion and terrible outrages, until they promised not to communicate with us. Then, while we were amazed and perplexed at this, see, another report reached us about Egypt and the Libyas: that nearly ninety bishops had been persecuted and the churches handed over to those who profess the views of Arius; that sixteen had been exiled, and of the others some had been put to flight and others compelled to dissemble. For so great a persecution was said to be there that, when the brothers in Alexandria were praying at Easter and on the Lord’s days in a desert place near the cemetery, the general came upon the Christians with a multitude of more than three thousand soldiers bearing arms, drawn swords, and missiles, and such things happened as would happen from such an attack, against women and children who were doing nothing but praying to God. To recount them now is perhaps unfitting, lest even the memory of them move all to tears. For so great was the cruelty that virgins were stripped, and the bodies of those who died from the blows were not given up at once for burial, but thrown out to the dogs, until their relatives at great cost stole the bodies of their own secretly, taking great pains that no one should know of it.
Chapter 28
28PG 25:629d–632b
Τὰ δὲ ἄλλα τὰ γενόμενα ἴσως μὲν ἄ μισθήσεται, καί πάντας ἐκπλήξει διὰ τήν ὑπερβολήν τοῦ μύσους. ’Δναγκαῖον δὲ ὅμως εἰπεῖν, ’ίνα σή φιλόχριστος σπουδή καὶ θεοσέβεια μάθῃ, ὡς αἱ καθʼ ἡμῶν διαβολαὶ καὶ συκοφαντίαι διʼ οὐδὲν ἕτερον γεγόνασιν ἢ ’ίνα ἡμᾶς μὲν ἐκβάλωσι τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, τήν δὲ ἰδίαν ἀσέβειαν ἀντεισενεγκεῖν δυνηθῶσι. Τῶν γᾶρ ἀληθινῶν καὶ πολυετῶν ἐπισκόπων τῶν μὲν ἐξ· ορισθέντων, τῶν δὲ φυγαδευθέντων, ἐθνικοὶ λοιπὸν, κατηχούμενοι, καὶ οἱ τὰ πρῶτα τῆς βουλῆς ἔχοντες, καὶ οἱ ἐν πλούτῳ διαβόητοι ἀντὶ Χριστιανῶν εὐσεβῆ πίστιν παραγγέλλονται παρὰ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν ὁμιλήσωσι. Καὶ οὐκέτι μὲν, ὡς παρήγγειλεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, εἷʼ τίς ἐστιν ἀνεπίληπτος, ἐζητεῖτο· ὡς δὶὸ ἀσεβέστατος Ὶεροβοᾶμ πεποίηκεν, ὁ πλεῖον διδοὺς χρυσίον ὠνομάσθη ἐπίσκοπος. Καὶ οὐ διέφερεν αὖ· τοῖς, εἷ κᾶν ἐθνικὸς ἐτύγχανε, μόνον εἶ χρυσίον παρεἶχε. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου ἐπίσκοποι, μονάζοντες καὶ ἀσκηταὶ, ἐξωρίσθησαν, οἱ δὲ σοφοὶ περὶ τὰς διαβολὰς διέφθειραν, τὸ ὅσον ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς, τήν ἀποπολικῆν διάταξιν, καὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἀποπολικῆν διάταξιν, καὶ ἐμίαναν, Μεγάλαι γε ἐκέρδησαν αὐτῶν αἱ συκοφαντίαι,“ίνα αὐτοῖς παρανομεῖν, καὶ τοιαῦτα πράττειν ἐν τοῖς σοῖς καιροῖς · ὥστε κατʼ αὐτῶν εἶναι τὸ γεγραμμέεον · Οὐαὶ διʼ οὒς τὸ ἕνομά μου βλασφημεῖται ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν.
Ta de alla ta genomena isōs men a misthēsetai, kai pantas ekplēxei dia tēn hyperbolēn tou mysous. ’Dnankaion de homōs eipein, ’ina sē philochristos spoudē kai theosebeia mathę̄, hōs hai kathʼ hēmōn diabolai kai sykophantiai diʼ ouden heteron gegonasin ē ’ina hēmas men ekbalōsi tōn Ekklēsiōn, tēn de idian asebeian anteisenenkein dynēthōsi. Tōn gar alēthinōn kai polyetōn episkopōn tōn men ex; oristhentōn, tōn de phygadeuthentōn, ethnikoi loipon, katēchoumenoi, kai hoi ta prōta tēs boulēs echontes, kai hoi en ploutǭ diaboētoi anti Christianōn eusebē pistin parangellontai para tōn Areianōn homilēsōsi. Kai ouketi men, hōs parēngeilen ho Apostolos, heiʼ tis estin anepilēptos, ezēteito; hōs dio asebestatos Ieroboam pepoiēken, ho pleion didous chrysion ōnomasthē episkopos. Kai ou diepheren au; tois, hei kan ethnikos etynchane, monon ei chrysion pareiche. Kai hoi men apo Alexandrou episkopoi, monazontes kai askētai, exōristhēsan, hoi de sophoi peri tas diabolas diephtheiran, to hoson epʼ autois, tēn apopolikēn diataxin, kai tas ekklēsias apopolikēn diataxin, kai emianan, Megalai ge ekerdēsan autōn hai sykophantiai,“ina autois paranomein, kai toiauta prattein en tois sois kairois ; hōste katʼ autōn einai to gegrammeeon ; Ouai diʼ ous to henoma mou blasphēmeitai en tois ethnesin.
The other things that happened will perhaps be loathsome, and will astonish everyone by the excess of their abomination. Yet it is necessary to tell them, so that your Christ-loving zeal and godliness may learn that the slanders and false accusations against us were made for no other purpose than to drive us out of the churches and to bring in their own impiety in our place. For when the true bishops of many years had been, some exiled and some put to flight, pagans thereafter, catechumens, those who hold the first places in the council, and men notorious for their wealth, are appointed by the Arians, instead of Christians, to teach the holy faith. No longer was it asked, as the Apostle commanded, whether a man was blameless; but, as the most impious Jeroboam did, he who gave more gold was named bishop. And it made no difference to them even if he happened to be a pagan, provided only that he supplied gold. And the bishops ordained by Alexander, monks and ascetics, were exiled; while these men, clever at slander, corrupted, as far as lay in them, the apostolic order, and defiled the churches. Great indeed is the gain their false accusations have won, that they may break the law and do such things in your times; so that against them stands what is written: “Woe to those through whom my name is blasphemed among the Gentiles.”
Chapter 29
29PG 25:632b–632c
Τοιούτων οὖν ὅντων τῶν θρυλουμένων, καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἅνω καὶ κάτω πάντων ἀνατετραμμένων, ὅμως οὐκ ἀπέστην ἐγὼ τῆς προθυμίας, ἀλλὰ πάλιν εἰχόμην τῆς ὁδοῦ πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν · καὶ τοῦτο μᾶλλον σπουδαιότερον ἔπραττον, …, ὅτι παρὰ γνώμην μὲν τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας ἐπράττετο ταῦτα· εἰ μάθοι δὲ ἡ σὴ φιλανθρωπία τὰ γενόμενα, κωλύσει τοῦ λοιποῦ γενέσθαι· μή γὰρ εἶναι θεοσεβοῦς βασιλέως θέλειν ἐξορίζεσθαι ἐπισκόπους, καὶ γυμνοῦσθαι παρθένονς, ἤ ὅλως τὰς ἐκκλησίας τωράττεσθαι. Ἀλλά τοιαῦτα λογιζομένους ἡμᾶς καὶ σπεύδοντας ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, ἰδοὺ πάλιν τρίτη τις κατέλαβεν ἀκοὴ, ὅτι γέγραπται τοῖς ἐν Δύξούμει τυράννοις, ὥστε Φρουμέντιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον τῆς Αὐξούμεως ἐκεῖθεν ἀχθῆναι, καὶ έμὶ μὶν μέχρι τῆς βαρβάρων ζητεῖσθαι, καὶ εἷς τὰ λεγόμενα Κομεντάρια τῶν ἐπάρχων παραπέμπεσθαι, τοὺς δὲ λαοὺς καὶ τοὺς κληρικοδς πάντας ἀναγκάζεσθαι κοινωνεῖν τῇ ’Δρειανῇ αἱρέσει· ἐὰν δὲ μή ὑπακούσωσιν, ἀποθνήσκειν τοὺς τοιούτους. Καὶ ὅτι οὐ λόγῳ μόνον ἐθρυλεῖτο ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ δὲ αὐτοῖς ἔργοις ἐδείκνυτο · ἐπειδή συνεχώρησεν ἡ εινῆ φιλανθρωπία, ἰδοὺ καὶ ἡ ἐπιστολή · ταύτην γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι συνεχῶς ἀνεγίνωσκον, ἀπειλοῦντες ἑκάστῳ θάνατον.
Toioutōn oun hontōn tōn thryloumenōn, kai tōn pragmatōn hanō kai katō pantōn anatetrammenōn, homōs ouk apestēn egō tēs prothymias, alla palin eichomēn tēs hodou pros tēn sēn eusebeian ; kai touto mallon spoudaioteron epratton, …, hoti para gnōmēn men tēs sēs eusebeias epratteto tauta; ei mathoi de hē sē philanthrōpia ta genomena, kōlysei tou loipou genesthai; mē gar einai theosebous basileōs thelein exorizesthai episkopous, kai gymnousthai parthenons, ē holōs tas ekklēsias tōrattesthai. Alla toiauta logizomenous hēmas kai speudontas en tais hodois, idou palin tritē tis katelaben akoē, hoti gegraptai tois en Dyxoumei tyrannois, hōste Phroumention ton episkopon tēs Auxoumeōs ekeithen achthēnai, kai emi min mechri tēs barbarōn zēteisthai, kai heis ta legomena Komentaria tōn eparchōn parapempesthai, tous de laous kai tous klērikods pantas anankazesthai koinōnein tę̄ ’Dreianę̄ hairesei; ean de mē hypakousōsin, apothnēskein tous toioutous. Kai hoti ou logǭ monon ethryleito tauta, alla de autois ergois edeiknyto ; epeidē synechōrēsen hē einē philanthrōpia, idou kai hē epistolē ; tautēn gar ekeinoi synechōs aneginōskon, apeilountes hekastǭ thanaton.
Though such reports were circulating and all things were turned upside down, I did not give up my resolve, but again held to the road to your piety; and I did this the more earnestly, …, that these things were being done against the mind of your piety, and that if your humanity learned what had happened, it would prevent its happening any more. For it is not the part of a God-fearing emperor to wish bishops to be exiled, virgins to be stripped, or the churches to be troubled at all. But while we were reasoning thus and hastening on our way, see, a third report overtook us: that letters had been written to the rulers in Axum, that Frumentius, the bishop of Axum, should be brought from there, and that I should be sought out even as far as the land of the barbarians and handed over to the so-called Commentaries of the prefects, and that all the people and the clergy should be compelled to communicate with the Arian heresy, and that if they did not obey, such should be put to death. And that these things were not merely bandied about in word but shown in actual deeds—since your humanity has permitted it, here is the letter; for they read it continually, threatening each with death.
Chapter 30
30PG 25:632c–636b
Ἀντίγραφον ἐπιπολῆς Νικητής Κωνστάντιος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς Ἀλεξανδρεῦσιν. Ἠ μὶν πόλις τὸ πάτριον σχῆμα φυλάττουσα, και τῆς τῶν οἰκιστῶν ἀρετῆς μεμνημένη, πειθηνίαν εαυτήν συνήθως καὶ νῦν παρέσχηκεν· ἡμεῖς δὲ,εἱ μὴ καὶ τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον ἀποκρύψαιμεν εὐνοίᾳ τῇ περὶ τήν πόλιν τὴν ὑμετέραν, οὐ τὰ τυχόντα πλημμελεῖν συνεισόμεθα. Ὠς μὲν γὰρ σωφροσύνης ἴδιον, κοσμίαν ἑαυτῷ διὰ πάντων ἄγειν* βασιλείας δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς (δότε δὲ εἰπεῖν) τῆς ὑμετέρας πρὸ ἁπάντων ἀσπάζεσΟαι ο πρώτους μὲν σοφίας ἐξηγητάς καταστάντας, πρώτους δέ Θεὸν τὸν συνιέντας, οἳ καὶ τῶν ἐξηγητῶν τοῦς ἄκρους εʼίλεσΟε, καὶ την ἡμετέραν ψῆφον ἐστέρξατε, τὸν μὲν, ἀπατεῶνα καὶ φένακα ἑκόντες δικαίως ἀποστραφέντες, τοῖς δὲ σεμνοῖς καὶ παντὸς ἐπέκεινα Θαύματος δεόντως προσθέμενοι. Καίτοι τίς ἀγνοεῖ καὶ τῶν τάς ἐσχατιάς οἰκούντων την ἐπὶ τοῖς πραχθεῖσι φιλοτιμίαν ; οἷς ούκ ἴσμεν καὶ τί δεῖ παραβάλλεσθαι ὧν συμβἐβηκεν. Ἐτύρλωττον μὲν γάρ οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν κατά τὴν πόλιν· ἐπεκράτει δε ἀνὴρ βαράθρων ἀπὸ ἐσχάτων ὁρμώμενος, ὥσπερ ἐν σκότῳ τοὺς τῆς ἀληθείας ἐφιεμένους πρὸς τὸ ψεῦδος ἀπατῶν, λόγον μὲν ἔγκαρπον οὐδέποτε παρασχόμενος, τερθρείας δὲ καὶ τηνάλλως τὰς ψυχὰς λι)μαινόμενος· οἱ μὲν κόλακες ἐβόων καὶ ἐκρότουν, δὲ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἀφελεστέρων, πρὸς τὸ τούτων ἔζων σύνθημα· τὰ δὲ πράγματα κατά ῥοῦν ἐφέρετο ὥσπερ ἐν κατακλυσμῷ, πάντων ἄρδην ὀλιγωρουμένων. Ἡγεῖτο δὲ ἀνὴρ τοῦ πλήθους (πῶς ἂν ἀληθέστερον αὐτὸ εἷʼπομι ; ) οὐδὲν τῶν βαναύσων διαφέρων, τοῦτο μόνον τῇ πόλει συναράμενος, τὸ μὴ κατά βαράθρων ωσαι τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ. Ἀλλʼ ὁ γενναῖος καὶ λαμπρὸς οὐδὲ κρίσιν ἔμεινε κατʼ αὐτοῦ, φυγὴν ἐν δίκῃ καταγνούς· ὡς ἔστι γε καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν βαρβάρων ὑφελέσθαι, μή τινας αὐτῶν δυσσεβεῖν ἀναπείσῃ, καθάπερ ἐν δράματι πρὸς τοὺς πρώτους ἐντυγχάνοντας ὀλοφυρόμενος. Τούτῳ μὶν οὖν μακράν χαίρειν εἰρήσεταιι ὑμᾶς δέ με χρὴ μετʼ ὀλίγων τάττειν, μᾶλλον δὲ μόνους πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων σεμνύνειν, οἷς τοσοῦτον ἀρετῆς καὶ νοῦ περίεστιν, ὅσον αἱ πράξεις κηρύττουσι, μικροῦ πᾶσαν τὴν οὖσαν ὑμνούμεναι. Εὖγε τῆς σωφροσύνηςί Εἰ γὰρ ἀγγέλων ἀκροασαίμην τοσούτων καὶ δεύτερον διεξιόντων τά ὑμέτερα καὶ σεμνυνόντων, ὦ καὶ τοὺς πρότερον ἀποκρύψαντες φιλοτιμίᾳ, καὶτοῖς νῦν τε καὶ ὕστεσον παράδειγμα καλὸν ἐσόμενοι· μόνοι τε καὶ τοῖς ἔθεσι λόγων καὶ ἔργων ἡγεμόνα τὸν τελειότατον τῶν ὄντων ἑλόμενοι, καὶ οὐδὲ πρὸς βραχὺ διστάσαντες, ἀλλʼ ἀνδρείως μεταθέμενοι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις προσθέμενοι, ἀπὸ τῶν χαμαὶ τούτων καὶ περιγείων πρὸς τά κατουράνια ἐπειχθέντες, ξεναγοῦντος ἐπʼ αὐτά τοῦ σεμνοτάτου Γεωργίου, ἀνδρὸς τοιαῦτα παντὸς μᾶλλον ἡκριβωκότος· διʼ ὃν καὶ κατά τὸν ὕστερον βίον, μετὰ καλῆς ἐλπίδος διάξετε, καὶ τὸν ἐν τῷ παρόντι μετά ῥᾳστώνης βιώσεσθε. Εἷή δὲ κοινῇ πάντας τοὺς κατά τὴν πόλιν, ὥσπερ ἱερᾶς ἀγκύρας, τῆς τούτου φωνῆς ἐξηρτῆσθαι, ’ίνα μὴ τομῶν ἢ καύσεων δεηθῶμεν, κατὰ τῶν τὰς ψυχάς λελωβημένων· οἷς ὅτι μάλιστα παραινοῦμεν ἀφίστασθαι τῆς Ἀθανασίου σπουδῆς, καὶ μηδὲ μεμνῆσθαι τῆς περιττῆς ἐκείνης ἀδολεσχίας,ἧ λήσουσι τοῖς ἐσχάτοις ἔνοχοι ὄντες κινδύνοις, ὢν οὐκ ἴσμεν εἷʼ τις τῶν πάνυ δεινῶν ἐξαιρήσεται τοὺς στασιάζοντας. Καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον τὸν μὲν ὄλεθρον Ἀθανάσιον γῆν πρὸ γῆς ἀπεληλᾶσθαι, καὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἁλόντα, ὥς ποτε ἂν ἐκεῖνος τήν ἀξίαν ἐκτίσειε, καὶ εἷ δέκατόν τις τοῦ ζῇν προσαφέληται τοὺς δὲ ἐκείνου κόλακας ναὶ θεσραπευτᾶς ἀγύρτας τινὰς, καὶ τοιούτους ἀνθρώπους, οίους ὀνομάζειν αἰσχύνη, περιορᾷν σφαδάζοντας, οὓς πάλαι τεθνάναι διηγόρευται τοῖς δικασταῖς. Καὶ ἴσως οὐδέπω τεθνήξονται, ἢν μὴ, τῶν φθασάντων ἀποστάντες πλημμελημάτων, ὀψέ ποτε μεταθῶνται ὧν ὁ μοχθηρότατος Ἀθανάσιος ἡγεῖτο, καὶ τῇ κοινῇ πολιτείᾳ λυμαινόμενος, καὶ τοῖς ἁγιωτάτοις δυσσεβεῖς καὶ ἐναγεῖς προσάγων τὰς χεῖρας.
Antigraphon epipolēs Nikētēs Kōnstantios Megistos Sebastos Alexandreusin. Ē min polis to patrion schēma phylattousa, kai tēs tōn oikistōn aretēs memnēmenē, peithēnian eautēn synēthōs kai nyn pareschēken; hēmeis de,hei mē kai ton Alexandron apokrypsaimen eunoią tę̄ peri tēn polin tēn hymeteran, ou ta tychonta plēmmelein syneisometha. Ōs men gar sōphrosynēs idion, kosmian heautǭ dia pantōn agein* basileias de tēs aretēs (dote de eipein) tēs hymeteras pro hapantōn aspazesOai o prōtous men sophias exēgētas katastantas, prōtous de Theon ton synientas, hoi kai tōn exēgētōn tous akrous eʼilesOe, kai tēn hēmeteran psēphon esterxate, ton men, apateōna kai phenaka hekontes dikaiōs apostraphentes, tois de semnois kai pantos epekeina Thaumatos deontōs prosthemenoi. Kaitoi tis agnoei kai tōn tas eschatias oikountōn tēn epi tois prachtheisi philotimian ? hois ouk ismen kai ti dei paraballesthai hōn symbebēken. Etyrlōtton men gar hoi pleistoi tōn kata tēn polin; epekratei de anēr barathrōn apo eschatōn hormōmenos, hōsper en skotǭ tous tēs alētheias ephiemenous pros to pseudos apatōn, logon men enkarpon oudepote paraschomenos, terthreias de kai tēnallōs tas psychas li)mainomenos; hoi men kolakes eboōn kai ekrotoun, de pleistoi tōn aphelesterōn, pros to toutōn ezōn synthēma; ta de pragmata kata rhoun ephereto hōsper en kataklysmǭ, pantōn ardēn oligōroumenōn. Hēgeito de anēr tou plēthous (pōs an alēthesteron auto heiʼpomi ? ) ouden tōn banausōn diapherōn, touto monon tę̄ polei synaramenos, to mē kata barathrōn ōsai tous en autę̄. Allʼ ho gennaios kai lampros oude krisin emeine katʼ autou, phygēn en dikę̄ katagnous; hōs esti ge kai hyper tōn barbarōn hyphelesthai, mē tinas autōn dyssebein anapeisę̄, kathaper en dramati pros tous prōtous entynchanontas olophyromenos. Toutǭ min oun makran chairein eirēsetaii hymas de me chrē metʼ oligōn tattein, mallon de monous pro tōn allōn semnynein, hois tosouton aretēs kai nou periestin, hoson hai praxeis kēryttousi, mikrou pasan tēn ousan hymnoumenai. Euge tēs sōphrosynēsi Ei gar angelōn akroasaimēn tosoutōn kai deuteron diexiontōn ta hymetera kai semnynontōn, ō kai tous proteron apokrypsantes philotimią, kaitois nyn te kai hysteson paradeigma kalon esomenoi; monoi te kai tois ethesi logōn kai ergōn hēgemona ton teleiotaton tōn ontōn helomenoi, kai oude pros brachy distasantes, allʼ andreiōs metathemenoi kai tois allois prosthemenoi, apo tōn chamai toutōn kai perigeiōn pros ta katourania epeichthentes, xenagountos epʼ auta tou semnotatou Geōrgiou, andros toiauta pantos mallon hēkribōkotos; diʼ hon kai kata ton hysteron bion, meta kalēs elpidos diaxete, kai ton en tǭ paronti meta rhąstōnēs biōsesthe. Heiē de koinę̄ pantas tous kata tēn polin, hōsper hieras ankyras, tēs toutou phōnēs exērtēsthai, ’ina mē tomōn ē kauseōn deēthōmen, kata tōn tas psychas lelōbēmenōn; hois hoti malista parainoumen aphistasthai tēs Athanasiou spoudēs, kai mēde memnēsthai tēs perittēs ekeinēs adoleschias,hē lēsousi tois eschatois enochoi ontes kindynois, ōn ouk ismen heiʼ tis tōn pany deinōn exairēsetai tous stasiazontas. Kai gar atopon ton men olethron Athanasion gēn pro gēs apelēlasthai, kai tois aischistois halonta, hōs pote an ekeinos tēn axian ektiseie, kai hei dekaton tis tou zę̄n prosaphelētai tous de ekeinou kolakas nai thesrapeutas agyrtas tinas, kai toioutous anthrōpous, oious onomazein aischynē, periorąn sphadazontas, hous palai tethnanai diēgoreutai tois dikastais. Kai isōs oudepō tethnēxontai, ēn mē, tōn phthasantōn apostantes plēmmelēmatōn, opse pote metathōntai hōn ho mochthērotatos Athanasios hēgeito, kai tę̄ koinę̄ politeią lymainomenos, kai tois hagiōtatois dyssebeis kai enageis prosagōn tas cheiras.
Copy of a letter. “Constantius Victor Maximus Augustus to the Alexandrians. Your city, keeping its ancestral character and mindful of the virtue of its founders, has as usual shown itself obedient even now; and we, unless we were to surpass even Alexander in goodwill toward your city, would be conscious of no small fault. For as it is the mark of self-control to conduct oneself with decorum in all things, so it is the mark of royalty—grant me to say it—to embrace your virtue before all, who were the first to stand forth as interpreters of wisdom and the first to understand God, who chose the best of teachers and welcomed our decision, rightly and willingly turning away from that impostor and cheat, and fittingly attaching yourselves to men who are venerable and beyond all admiration. And who, even among those who live at the ends of the earth, does not know the zeal shown in what has been done? With which we know not what can be compared of all that has happened. For most of those in the city were blinded, and a man prevailed who had sprung from the lowest depths, leading those who desired the truth into falsehood as in darkness, never offering a fruitful word, but corrupting souls with juggling tricks and idle talk. The flatterers shouted and applauded, and most of the simpler folk lived by their watchword; and affairs were swept along by the current as in a flood, everything being utterly neglected. A man led the multitude—how could I say it more truly?—no different from the base mechanics, who helped the city in this alone, that he did not cast its inhabitants down into the pit. But the noble and illustrious man did not even await judgment against him, condemning himself justly to flight; so that it would be well to remove him even beyond the barbarians, lest he persuade some of them to impiety, lamenting as in a play to the first he meets. To him, then, we shall bid a long farewell. But you I must rank with few others, or rather honor alone above the rest, who have so much virtue and understanding as your deeds proclaim, which are sung of through almost all the world. Bravo for your self-control! For I would gladly hear many messengers recounting your deeds a second time and extolling them: you who have surpassed even those before you in zeal, and will be a fair example to those now and hereafter; you who alone in your customs have chosen as leader of your words and deeds the most perfect of beings, without hesitating even a little, but manfully changing sides and attaching yourselves to the others, have hastened from these lowly things on the ground to the heavenly, with the most venerable George as your guide to them, a man who has studied such things more exactly than anyone; through whom you will pass the life to come with good hope, and live the present one in ease. May all in the city together hang upon his words as upon a sacred anchor, so that we may not need surgery or cautery against those whose souls are maimed. To them we especially urge that they withdraw from Athanasius’s party and not even remember that superfluous babbling of his; or they will find before they know it that they are liable to the extremest dangers, from which we do not know that anyone, however clever, will rescue the seditious. For it is absurd that the pestilent Athanasius should be driven from land to land, convicted of the most shameful crimes, for which he would not pay the worthy penalty even if one killed him ten times over, while his flatterers and attendants, certain mountebanks and men of a kind it is shameful to name, are allowed to rave, men whom the judges long ago declared to be put to death. And perhaps they will not yet die, if, desisting from their former offenses, they at last change sides from those whom the most wicked Athanasius led, who both injured the commonwealth and laid impious and polluted hands on the most holy things.”
Chapter 31
31PG 25:636b–640a
’Ἄ δὲ καί, Φρουμεντίου χάριν τοῦ ἐπισκόπου τῆς Αὐξούμεως γέγραπται τοῖς ἐκεῖ τυράννοις, Ἔχει δὲ ταῦτα Νικητὴς Κωνστάντιος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς Ἀϊζανᾷ καί Σαζανᾷ· Πάνυ διὰ φροντίδος καὶ διὰ σπουδῆς τῆς μεγίστης ἡμῖν ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ κρείττονος γνῶσις. Δεῖ γὰρ οἶμαι τὸ κοινὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος τῆς ίῖτης έν τοῖς τοιούτοις ἀξιοῦσθαι κηδεμονίας, ὡς ἂν μέχρι τῆς ἐλπίδος τὸν βίον διάγοιεν, τὰ τοιαῦτα περὶτοῦ Θεοῦ γινώσκοντες, καὶ μηδὲν διαφωνοῦντες περί τήν τοῦ δικαίου καὶ ἀληθοῦς ἐξέτασιν. Τῆς αὐτῆς τοίνυν προνοίας ἀξιοῦντες ὑμᾶς, καὶ τῶν ἴσων Ῥωμαίοις μεταδιδόντες, ἓν τι μετʼ αὐτῶν δόγμα κρατεῖν ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις κελεύομεν. Οὐκοῦν Φρουμέντιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἐκπέμπετε τήν ταχίστην εἷς Αἴγυπτον παρὰ τὸν σεμνότατον Γεώργιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς κατʼ Δίʼγυπτον, οἳ τοῦ χειροτονεῖν καὶ κρίνειν τὰ τοιαῦτα κύριοι μᾶλλόν εἰσιν. Ἴστε γὰρ δήπου καὶ μέμνησθε, εἷ μὴ λίαν τὰ παρᾶ πᾶσιν ὁμολογούμενα μόνοι ἀγνοεῖν προσποιεῖσθε, ὅτι τὸν Φρουμέντιον τοῦτον εἷς ταύτην τήν τάξιν τοῦ βίου κατέστησεν Ἀθανάσιος, μυρίοις ἔνοχος ὢν κακοῖςʼ ’ὸς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐπιφερομένων ἐγκλημάτων αὐτῷ δικαίως ἔσχεν ἐπιλύσασθαι, αὐτίκα τῆς μὲν καθέδρας ἐκπέπτωκε, καὶ τοῦ βίου τοῦ πάντη διαμαρτὼν ἀλᾶται, ἀπʼ ἄλλης εἷς ἀλλην γῆν μετανιστάμενος, ὥσπερ ἐκ τούτου τὸ κακὸς εἶναι διαφευξόμενος. Εἰ μὲν οὗν ἑτοίμως ὑπακούσειεν ὁ Φρουμέντιος, εὐθύνας τῆς ὅλης καταστάσεως δώσων, δῆλος ἔσται παρά πάντων ῖῷ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας νόμῳ καὶ τῇ κρατούσῃ πίστει κατʼ οὐδὲν διαφωνῶν· κριθείς τε καὶ δοὺς πεῖραν ἑαυτοῦ τοῦ παντὸς βίου, καὶ λόγον τούτου παρασχόμενος παρὰ τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα κρινόντων. ’Καὶ καταστήσεται παρʼ αὐτῶν, εἴ μέλλοι τῷ ὄντι κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἐπίσκοπος εἶναι δοκεῖν. Ei δὲ ἀναβάλλοιτο καὶ φεύγοι τὴν κρίσιν, εὔδηλον δήπουθεν, ὅτι τοῖς Ἀθανασίου τοῦ πονηροτάτου λόγοις ἠγμένος … περὶ τὸ θεῖον, οὕτω προῃρημένος ὡς ἐκεῖνος, ὃς ἐδείχθη πονηρὸς ὤν. Καὶ δέος μὴ, διαβὰς εἰς Αὐξοῦμιν, διαφθείρῃ τοὺς παρʼ ὑμῖν, λόγους ἐναγεῖς καὶ δυσσεβεῖς παρεχόμενος, μὴ μόνον τὰς … συγχέων καὶ θορυβῶν, καὶ βλασφημῶν εἰς τὸν …, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς κατὰ τὸ ἔθνος ἐκ τούτων ἀνατροπὴν καὶ ἀνάστασιν παντελῆ προξενῶν. Ἴσμεν δὲ, ὅτι, προσμαθών τι καὶ μέγα καὶ κοινὸν ὄφελος ἐκ τῆς τοῦ σεμνοτάτου Γεωργίου συνουσίας ἀπονάμενος, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν, ὅσοι τὰ τοιαῦτα παιδεύειν ἄκρως ἴσασι, πάντα τὰ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν εἰς ἄκρον ἠκριβωκὼς, τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπανήξει. Ὁ Θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάττοι, ἀδελφοὶ τιμιώτατοι. Ταῦτα ἁκούων ἐγὼ, καὶ σχεδον βλέπων ὧν οἱ ἀπαγγέλλοντες ὠδύροντο, ὁμολογιυ, πάλιν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὑπέστρεψα, τοῦτο λογισάμενος, ὅπερ καὶ σὴ θεοσέβεια συνορᾷ· ὅτι, εἶ ζητουμεθα, ’ἕνα εὗρε- Οὲντες παραπεμφθῶμεν πρὸς τους ἐπάρχους, κωλυσίς ἐστι τοῦ μή παρα τὴν σήν φλανθρωπίαν ελθεῖν. Καὶ εἰ οἱ μὴ θελήσαντες ὑπογράψαι καθʼ ἡμῶν, τοιαῦτα καὶ τοσαῦτα πεπόνθασιν, οῗ τε μὴ θέλοντες τῶν λαϊκὼν κοινωνεῖν τοῖς ’Λρειανοῖς ἐκελεύσθησαν ἀποθνήσκειν ουκ ἁμρίῧολον, ὅτι πάντως ἐπινοήθήσονται παρα τὼν συκονραντῶν καινότεροι καὶ μυρῖοι θάνατοι κατʼ ἐμοῦ· καὶ μετά θάνατον κινήσουσι λοιπὸν οἷς βούλονται καὶ α βούλονται πράγματα οῖ ἐγθροὶ, ιζμευδομενοι καθʼ ’ἡμῶν μειζόνως, ως μήκὲτι ἐγοντες τους ἐλέγχοντας αὐτους. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν δεδιὼς ἕρευγον (οῖδα γάρ σου τήν ανεξικακίαν καὶ τήν φιλανθρωπίαν), ἀλλʼ ὁρῶν ἐκ των γινομένων τὸν θυμὸν τῶν ἐγθρῶν, καὶ λογιζόμενος, ὅτι Ο φοβούμενοι μήποτε ἐλεγχθῶσιν ἐρʼ οἷς ἔπραξαν παρὰ γνώμην τῆς σῆς καλοκαγαθίας, πάντα πράξουσιν ὥστε καὶ ἀποκτεῖναι. Ἰδοὺ γάρ ἡ μὲν σή φιλανθρωπία μόνον ἔξω τῶν πολεων καὶ τῆς ἐπαρχίας προσἐταξεν ἐκβάλλεσθαι τους ἐπισκόπους · οἱ δὲ θαυμαστοὶ, πλέον τι τῆς … προστάξεως τολμωντες, ὑπὲρ τρεῖς ἐπαρχίας εἷς ἐρήμους καὶ ἀήθεις καὶ φοβεροὺς τόπους ἐξώρισαν γέροντας ἀνθρώπους καὶ πολυετεῖς ἐπισκόπους. 0". μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς … εἰς τὴν μεγάλην Ὄασιν, οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Θηβαίδος εἰς τὴν Ἀμμωνιακ-ᾑν τῆς Λιβυης ἀπεστάλησαν, Καῖ οὐ δεδιὼς πάλιν ἀποθανεῖν, ἐρυγον· μὴ δειλίας ἐμοῦ τις αὐτῶν καταγινωσκὲτιοʼ ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐστι παράγγελμα, διωκομένους μεν ἡμᾶς φεύγειν, ζητουμένους δὲ κρύπτεσθαι, καῖ μὴ εἷς προῦπτον κίνδυνον ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδιδόναι, μηδὲ φαινομένους πλέον ἐκκαίειν τον θυμὸν τῶν διωκόντων. Ἴσον γάρ ἐστι τὸ ερονευειν ἐαυτὸν, καὶ διδοναι πάλιν ἐαυτὸν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς εἷς τὸ φονευειν. Τὸ δὲ φεύγειν, ὡς παρήγγειλεν ὁ Σωτήρ, γινώσκειν ἐστὶ τὸν καιρὸν, καὶ ἀλήθὼς κήδεσθαι τῶν διωκόντων, ’ἕνα μή, καὶ μέχρις αἳματος φθάσαντες, ὑπεύθυνοι γένωνται τῷ· Οὐ φονεύσεις· εἰ και τα μαλιστα και το παθειν ἡμᾶς διαβάλλοντες βούλονται. “Α γαρ καὶ νῦν πάλιν πεποιήκασι, δείκνυσιν αὐτῶν ταύτην εἶναι τὴν σπουδὴν, καὶ μιαιφόνον τὴν προαίρεσιν. Ἀκούσας δὲ, εὗ οἷδʼ ὅτι, θεοφιλέστατε Αὕγουστε, θαυμάσεις· καὶ γὰρ ἄξιον ἀληθῶς ἐκπλήξεως τὸ τόλμημα. Ἠλίκον δʼ ἐστὶ τοῦτο, ἄκουσον έν βραχεῖ λόγῳ.
’A de kai, Phroumentiou charin tou episkopou tēs Auxoumeōs gegraptai tois ekei tyrannois, Echei de tauta Nikētēs Kōnstantios Megistos Sebastos Aïzaną kai Sazaną; Pany dia phrontidos kai dia spoudēs tēs megistēs hēmin estin hē tou kreittonos gnōsis. Dei gar oimai to koinon tōn anthrōpōn genos tēs iitēs en tois toioutois axiousthai kēdemonias, hōs an mechri tēs elpidos ton bion diagoien, ta toiauta peritou Theou ginōskontes, kai mēden diaphōnountes peri tēn tou dikaiou kai alēthous exetasin. Tēs autēs toinyn pronoias axiountes hymas, kai tōn isōn Rhōmaiois metadidontes, hen ti metʼ autōn dogma kratein en tais Ekklēsiais keleuomen. Oukoun Phroumention ton episkopon ekpempete tēn tachistēn heis Aigypton para ton semnotaton Geōrgion ton episkopon kai tous allous tous katʼ Diʼgypton, hoi tou cheirotonein kai krinein ta toiauta kyrioi mallon eisin. Iste gar dēpou kai memnēsthe, hei mē lian ta para pasin homologoumena monoi agnoein prospoieisthe, hoti ton Phroumention touton heis tautēn tēn taxin tou biou katestēsen Athanasios, myriois enochos ōn kakoisʼ ’os ouden tōn epipheromenōn enklēmatōn autǭ dikaiōs eschen epilysasthai, autika tēs men kathedras ekpeptōke, kai tou biou tou pantē diamartōn alatai, apʼ allēs heis allēn gēn metanistamenos, hōsper ek toutou to kakos einai diapheuxomenos. Ei men houn hetoimōs hypakouseien ho Phroumentios, euthynas tēs holēs katastaseōs dōsōn, dēlos estai para pantōn iǭ tēs Ekklēsias nomǭ kai tę̄ kratousę̄ pistei katʼ ouden diaphōnōn; kritheis te kai dous peiran heautou tou pantos biou, kai logon toutou paraschomenos para tōn ta toiauta krinontōn. ’Kai katastēsetai parʼ autōn, ei melloi tǭ onti kata to dikaion episkopos einai dokein. Ei de anaballoito kai pheugoi tēn krisin, eudēlon dēpouthen, hoti tois Athanasiou tou ponērotatou logois ēgmenos … peri to theion, houtō proę̄rēmenos hōs ekeinos, hos edeichthē ponēros ōn. Kai deos mē, diabas eis Auxoumin, diaphtheirę̄ tous parʼ hymin, logous enageis kai dyssebeis parechomenos, mē monon tas … syncheōn kai thorybōn, kai blasphēmōn eis ton …, alla kai tois kata to ethnos ek toutōn anatropēn kai anastasin pantelē proxenōn. Ismen de, hoti, prosmathōn ti kai mega kai koinon ophelos ek tēs tou semnotatou Geōrgiou synousias aponamenos, kai tōn loipōn, hosoi ta toiauta paideuein akrōs isasi, panta ta tōn ekklēsiastikōn eis akron ēkribōkōs, tēn autēn epanēxei. Ho Theos hymas diaphylattoi, adelphoi timiōtatoi. Tauta hakouōn egō, kai schedon blepōn hōn hoi apangellontes ōdyronto, homologiy, palin eis tēn erēmon hypestrepsa, touto logisamenos, hoper kai sē theosebeia synorą; hoti, ei zētoumetha, ’hena heure- Oentes parapemphthōmen pros tous eparchous, kōlysis esti tou mē para tēn sēn phlanthrōpian elthein. Kai ei hoi mē thelēsantes hypograpsai kathʼ hēmōn, toiauta kai tosauta peponthasin, oï te mē thelontes tōn laïkōn koinōnein tois ’Lreianois ekeleusthēsan apothnēskein ouk hamriÿolon, hoti pantōs epinoēthēsontai para tōn sykonrantōn kainoteroi kai myrioi thanatoi katʼ emou; kai meta thanaton kinēsousi loipon hois boulontai kai a boulontai pragmata oi egthroi, izmeudomenoi kathʼ ’hēmōn meizonōs, ōs mēketi egontes tous elenchontas autous. Ou gar tēn sēn eusebeian dediōs hereugon (oida gar sou tēn anexikakian kai tēn philanthrōpian), allʼ horōn ek tōn ginomenōn ton thymon tōn egthrōn, kai logizomenos, hoti O phoboumenoi mēpote elenchthōsin erʼ hois epraxan para gnōmēn tēs sēs kalokagathias, panta praxousin hōste kai apokteinai. Idou gar hē men sē philanthrōpia monon exō tōn poleōn kai tēs eparchias prosetaxen ekballesthai tous episkopous ; hoi de thaumastoi, pleon ti tēs … prostaxeōs tolmōntes, hyper treis eparchias heis erēmous kai aētheis kai phoberous topous exōrisan gerontas anthrōpous kai polyeteis episkopous. 0". men gar apo tēs … eis tēn megalēn Oasin, hoi de apo tēs Thēbaidos eis tēn Ammōniak-hę̄n tēs Libyēs apestalēsan, Kai ou dediōs palin apothanein, erygon; mē deilias emou tis autōn kataginōsketioʼ allʼ hoti kai tou Sōtēros esti parangelma, diōkomenous men hēmas pheugein, zētoumenous de kryptesthai, kai mē heis proupton kindynon heautous ekdidonai, mēde phainomenous pleon ekkaiein ton thymon tōn diōkontōn. Ison gar esti to eroneuein eauton, kai didonai palin eauton tois echthrois heis to phoneuein. To de pheugein, hōs parēngeilen ho Sōtēr, ginōskein esti ton kairon, kai alēthōs kēdesthai tōn diōkontōn, ’hena mē, kai mechris haimatos phthasantes, hypeuthynoi genōntai tǭ; Ou phoneuseis; ei kai ta malista kai to pathein hēmas diaballontes boulontai. “A gar kai nyn palin pepoiēkasi, deiknysin autōn tautēn einai tēn spoudēn, kai miaiphonon tēn proairesin. Akousas de, heu hoidʼ hoti, theophilestate Haugouste, thaumaseis; kai gar axion alēthōs ekplēxeōs to tolmēma. Ēlikon dʼ esti touto, akouson en brachei logǭ.
And what was written to the rulers there concerning Frumentius, the bishop of Axum, is as follows: “Constantius Victor Maximus Augustus to Aizanas and Sazanas. It is altogether a matter of care and of the greatest concern to us that the knowledge of the Supreme Being be advanced. For I think the whole race of men deserves equal care in such matters, so that they may pass their lives in hope, knowing such things about God and differing in nothing in the inquiry into what is just and true. Counting you, therefore, worthy of the same providence, and giving you a share equal with the Romans, we command that one doctrine together with them prevail in the churches. Send, therefore, Frumentius the bishop with all speed into Egypt to the most venerable George the bishop and the other bishops of Egypt, who have the chief authority to ordain and judge such matters. For you surely know and remember—unless you alone pretend to be ignorant of what is acknowledged by all—that this Frumentius was advanced to this rank of life by Athanasius, a man guilty of countless crimes; who, being unable to clear himself justly of any of the charges brought against him, at once fell from his see, and, utterly destitute, wanders from one land to another, as if by this he could escape being wicked. If, then, Frumentius readily obeys and is ready to give account of the whole of his appointment, he will be shown to all to differ in nothing from the law of the Church and the prevailing faith; and having been judged and given proof of his whole life, and rendered an account of it to those who judge such things, he will be appointed by them, if he truly deserves to be considered a bishop rightly. But if he puts it off and flees the judgment, it will surely be evident that, led by the words of the most wicked Athanasius, he is … in regard to divine things, having chosen as that man did, who was shown to be wicked. And there is fear lest, crossing into Axum, he corrupt those among you, offering accursed and impious words, not only confusing and disturbing the …, and blaspheming against the …, but also bringing about the overthrow and complete upheaval of the whole nation. We know, however, that having learned something and gained great and common profit from his converse with the most venerable George and the others who are most skilled in teaching such things, and having studied all ecclesiastical matters exactly, he will return to the same place. May God preserve you, most honored brothers.” [32] Hearing this, and almost seeing what those who reported it lamented, I confess I turned back again into the desert, reasoning, as your godliness also perceives, that if we were sought out in order to be found and sent to the prefects, that would prevent me from coming to your humanity. And if those who would not sign against us suffered such and so many things, and those of the laity who would not communicate with the Arians were ordered to be put to death, there is no doubt that newer and countless deaths would certainly be devised against me by the false accusers; and after my death the enemies would stir up whatever matters they wished, against whomever they wished, lying against us the more, as having no longer anyone to refute them. For I did not flee from fear of your godliness—for I know your forbearance and your humanity—but seeing from what was happening the rage of my enemies, and reasoning that, fearing lest they be convicted for what they had done against the mind of your goodness, they would do anything, even to killing. For see: your humanity ordered only that the bishops be expelled from the cities and the province; but these admirable men, daring something beyond your order, exiled aged men and bishops of many years beyond three provinces into deserts, unfamiliar and fearful places. For some were sent from … to the Great Oasis, and others from the Thebaid to the Ammoniaca of Libya. And again, it was not from fear of death that I fled; let none of them condemn me for cowardice; but because it is the Savior’s command that when persecuted we should flee, when sought we should hide, and not throw ourselves into manifest danger, nor by appearing inflame the more the rage of the persecutors. For it is the same thing to kill oneself and to give oneself up to the enemies to be killed. To flee, as the Savior commanded, is to know the time, and truly to care for the persecutors, lest, going as far as blood, they become guilty against the commandment “You shall not murder,” even though they especially wish us to suffer, slandering us. For what they have now done again shows that this is their zeal and their bloodthirsty purpose. When you hear it, I know well, most God-loving Augustus, you will marvel; for the audacity truly deserves amazement. How great it is, hear in a few words.
Chapter 33
33PG 25:640a–640d
Ὀ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς ὁ Κύριος καὶ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ἅνθρωπνς γενόμενος διʼ ἡμᾶς, καὶ καταργήσας τὸν θάνατον, ἐλευθερώσας τε τὸ γένος ήμῶν ἀπὸ τῆς δουλείας τῆς φθορᾶς, ἐχαρίσατο πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις πᾶσι καὶ είκόνα τῆς τῶν ἀγγέλων ἁγιότητος ἔχειν ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ γῆς τὴν παρθενίαν. Τὰς γοῦν ταύτην ἐχούσας τὴν ἀρετὴν νύμφας τοῦ Χριστοῦ καλεῖν εἷʼωθεν ἡ καθολικὴ Ἐκκλησία. Ταύτας δὲ Ἕλληνες ὁρωντες, ὡς ναὸν οὔσας τοῦ Λόγου θαυμοὶζουσι παρʼ οὐδενὶ γὰρ ἀληθῶς τοῦτο τὸ σεμνὸν καὶ οὐράνιον ἐπάγγελμα κατορθοῦται ἢ παρὰ, μόνοις ἡμῖν τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς, Μάλιστα γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο μέγα τεκμήριόν ἐστι τοῦ παρʼ ἡμῖν εἶναι τὴν ὅντως καὶ ἀληθῆ θεοσέβειαν. Ταύτας πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ὁ τῆς μακσρίας μνήμης ὁ εύσεβέστατός σου πατὴρ Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ Αὔγουστος ἐτίμα* ταύτας καὶ ἡ σὴ εύσέβεια γράφουσα πολλάκις τιμίας καὶ ἁγίας ὠνόμασεν. Ἀλλά νῦν οἳ. θαυμαστοὶ Ἀρειανοὶ οἱ καὶ ἡμᾶς διαβάλλοντες, διʼ οὓς καὶ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐπεβουλεύθησαν, ὑπουργοὺς ἔχοντες καὶ ὑπακούοντας αὐτοὺς τοὺς δικαστάς, ταύτας γυμνώσαντες, ἐποίησαν ἐπὶ τῶν καλουμένων έρμηταρίων κρεμασθῆναι, καὶ τοσοῦτον αὐτῶν τρίτον ἔξεσαν τὰς πλευρὰς, ὅσον οὐδὲ οἱ ἀληθῶς κακοῦργοι πώποτε πεπόνθασι. Πιλᾶτος μὶν οὖν, καθικετεύων τοῖς τότε Ἰουδαίοις, λόγχῃ μίαν πλευρὰν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἔνυξεν· οὗτοι δὲ καὶ την μανίαν Πιλάτου νενικήκασιν, ὅτι μὴ μίαν, ἀλλʼ ἀμφοτέρας ἔξεσαν τὰ γὰρ μέλη τῶν παρθένων ἐξαιρέτως ἴδια τοῦ Σωτῆρός ἐστι. Πάντες μὶν οὖν, καὶἶ μόνον ἀπαγγελλόντων τινῶν, φρίττουσιν ἐπὶ,τῇ τοιαύτῃ ἀκοῇ · μόνοι δὲ οὗτοι οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐφοβήθησαν γυμνοῦντες καὶ ξέοντες ἄχραντα μέλη, ἆ μόνῳ τῷ Σωτῆρι ἡμῶν τῷ Χριστῷ ἀνατεθείκασιν αἱ παρθένοι, ἀλλά καὶ τό γε χείριστον, ὀνειδιζόμενοι παρᾶ πάντων διὰ τὴν τοσαύτην ὠμότητα, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐρυθριᾷν, προφασίζονται τοῦτο πρόσταγμα τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας εἶναι ο οὕτως εἶσὶ πρὸς πάντα τολμηροὶ καὶ τήν προαίρεσιν πονηροί. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς γενομένοις διωγμοῖς τοιοῦτον ἠκούσθη πραχθέν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐγεγόνει ποτὲ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔπρεπεν ἐπὶ σοῦ Χριστιανοῦ ὄντος οὔτε τὴν παρθενίαν τοσαύτην ὕβριν καὶ ἀτιμίαν παθεῖν, οὔτε τούτους τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὠμότητα εἷς τήν σήν εὐσέβειαν ἐπιρῥίπτειν· μόνοις γὰρ αἱρετικοῖς οἰκεῖον τὸ τοιοῦτον κακὸν, ἀσεβεῖν εἰς τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ,καὶ πλημμελεῖν κατὰ τῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ παρθένων.
O tou Theou Huios ho Kyrios kai Sōtēr hēmōn Iēsous Christos, hanthrōpns genomenos diʼ hēmas, kai katargēsas ton thanaton, eleutherōsas te to genos ēmōn apo tēs douleias tēs phthoras, echarisato pros tois allois pasi kai eikona tēs tōn angelōn hagiotētos echein hēmas epi gēs tēn parthenian. Tas goun tautēn echousas tēn aretēn nymphas tou Christou kalein heiʼōthen hē katholikē Ekklēsia. Tautas de Hellēnes horōntes, hōs naon ousas tou Logou thaumoizousi parʼ oudeni gar alēthōs touto to semnon kai ouranion epangelma katorthoutai ē para, monois hēmin tois Christianois, Malista gar kai touto mega tekmērion esti tou parʼ hēmin einai tēn hontōs kai alēthē theosebeian. Tautas pro tōn allōn kai ho tēs maksrias mnēmēs ho eusebestatos sou patēr Kōnstantinos ho Augoustos etima* tautas kai hē sē eusebeia graphousa pollakis timias kai hagias ōnomasen. Alla nyn hoi. thaumastoi Areianoi hoi kai hēmas diaballontes, diʼ hous kai pleistoi tōn episkopōn epebouleuthēsan, hypourgous echontes kai hypakouontas autous tous dikastas, tautas gymnōsantes, epoiēsan epi tōn kaloumenōn ermētariōn kremasthēnai, kai tosouton autōn triton exesan tas pleuras, hoson oude hoi alēthōs kakourgoi pōpote peponthasi. Pilatos min oun, kathiketeuōn tois tote Ioudaiois, lonchę̄ mian pleuran tou Sōtēros enyxen; houtoi de kai tēn manian Pilatou nenikēkasin, hoti mē mian, allʼ amphoteras exesan ta gar melē tōn parthenōn exairetōs idia tou Sōtēros esti. Pantes min oun, kaii monon apangellontōn tinōn, phrittousin epi,tę̄ toiautę̄ akoę̄ ; monoi de houtoi ou monon ouk ephobēthēsan gymnountes kai xeontes achranta melē, a monǭ tǭ Sōtēri hēmōn tǭ Christǭ anatetheikasin hai parthenoi, alla kai to ge cheiriston, oneidizomenoi para pantōn dia tēn tosautēn ōmotēta, anti tou erythriąn, prophasizontai touto prostagma tēs sēs eusebeias einai o houtōs eisi pros panta tolmēroi kai tēn proairesin ponēroi. Oude gar oude en tois genomenois diōgmois toiouton ēkousthē prachthen. Ei de kai egegonei pote toiouton, allʼ ouk eprepen epi sou Christianou ontos oute tēn parthenian tosautēn hybrin kai atimian pathein, oute toutous tēn heautōn ōmotēta heis tēn sēn eusebeian epirrhiptein; monois gar hairetikois oikeion to toiouton kakon, asebein eis ton Huion tou Theou,kai plēmmelein kata tōn hagiōn autou parthenōn.
The Son of God, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, having become man for our sake, and having abolished death and set our race free from the bondage of corruption, granted us, besides all else, to have on earth in virginity an image of the holiness of the angels. Those, then, who have this virtue the catholic Church is accustomed to call brides of Christ. And the pagans, seeing them, admire them as temples of the Word; for truly this solemn and heavenly profession is achieved nowhere but among us Christians alone; and this especially is a great proof that the real and true godliness is among us. These your most pious father of blessed memory, Constantine Augustus, honored above others; these your piety too, in writing, has often called honorable and holy. But now the admirable Arians, who slander us too, and through whom very many bishops have been plotted against, having the judges themselves as their servants and obedient to them, stripped these virgins and had them hung on the so-called hermetaria, and tore their sides three times, so much as not even real criminals have ever suffered. Pilate, then, to gratify the Jews of that time, pierced one side of the Savior with a spear; but these men have surpassed even the madness of Pilate, in that they tore not one but both sides; for the members of virgins belong especially to the Savior. All shudder at hearing such a thing, even when only some report it; but these men alone not only did not fear to strip and tear undefiled members which virgins have dedicated to our Savior Christ alone, but, worst of all, when reproached by all for such cruelty, instead of blushing they allege that it is an order of your piety; so daring are they in everything, and so wicked in purpose. For nothing of the kind was heard to have been done even in the persecutions. And even if such a thing had ever happened, it was not fitting under you, who are a Christian, either that virginity should suffer such outrage and dishonor or that these men should throw their own cruelty on your piety; for such evil belongs to heretics alone: to be impious toward the Son of God and to sin against his holy virgins.
Chapter 34
34PG 25:640d–641b
Τοιούτων δὲ πάλιν καὶ τοσούτων γενομένων παρὰ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν, οὐκ ἐσφάλην ἄρα πεισθεὶς τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ λεγούσῃο Ἀλλʼ ἀποκρύβηθι μικρὸν ὅσον ὅσον, ἕως παρέλθῃὴ ὀργὴ Κυρίου. Καὶ αὕτη γάρ μοι πάλιν πρόφασις γέγονε τῆς ἀναχωρήσεως, θεοφιλέστατε Αὕγουστε, καὶ οὐ παρῃτησάμην οὗτε εἷς τήν ἔρημον ἀπελθεῖν, οὔτε, εἷ ἀνάγκη γένοιτο, διὰ σαργάνης ἀπὸ τείχους χαλασθῆναι. Πάντα γάρ ὑπέμεινα, καὶ Θηρίοις συνῴκησα, καὶ ὑμᾶς περιελθεῖν, ἐκδεχόμενος τούτων τῶν λόγων καιρὸν, καὶ θαρῥῶν, ὅτι οἱ μὲν διαβάλλοντες καταγνωσθήσονται, ἡ δὲ σὴ φιλανθρωπία δειχθήσεται.ᾯ μακάριε καὶ θεοφιλέστατε Δῦγουστε, τί ἐβούλου; ἐλθεῖν με φλεγμαινόκτων καὶ ζητούντων ἀποκτεῖναι τῶν συκοφαντούντων ἡμᾶς, ἢ κατά τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἀπεκρυβῆναι μικρὸν, ’ίνα ἐν τῷ τοσούτῳ διαστήματι οἱ μὲν συκοφάνται καταγνωσθῶσιν αἱρετικοὶ, ἡ δὲ σὴ φιλανθρωπία δειχθήσεταις Τί δὲ, ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἐβούλου με ὀφθῆναι τοῖς σοῖς δικασταῖς, ἵνα, εί καὶ σὺ μέχρι μόνης ἀπειλῆς ἔγραψας, ἐκεῖνοι μή νοοῦντες τήν σὴν διάνοιαν, ἔχοντες δὲ τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς παροξύνοντας αὐτοὺς, ἐκ τῶν σου γραμμάτων ἀποκτείνωσι, καὶ είς σὲ τὸν φόνον ἀναθῶνται διά τά γράμματας Οὐκ ἔπρεπεν οὔτε ἐμὲ αὐτομολεῖν, καὶ εἰς αʼίματα ἐμαυτδν ἀποδιδόναι, οὔτε σε φιλόχριστον ὅντα βασιλέα ἐπὶ φόνοις Χριστιανῶν, καὶ ταῦτα ἐπισκόπων, ἐπιγράφεσθαι.
Toioutōn de palin kai tosoutōn genomenōn para tōn Areianōn, ouk esphalēn ara peistheis tę̄ theią Graphę̄ legousę̄o Allʼ apokrybēthi mikron hoson hoson, heōs parelthę̄ē orgē Kyriou. Kai hautē gar moi palin prophasis gegone tēs anachōrēseōs, theophilestate Haugouste, kai ou parę̄tēsamēn houte heis tēn erēmon apelthein, oute, hei anankē genoito, dia sarganēs apo teichous chalasthēnai. Panta gar hypemeina, kai Thēriois synǭkēsa, kai hymas perielthein, ekdechomenos toutōn tōn logōn kairon, kai tharrhōn, hoti hoi men diaballontes katagnōsthēsontai, hē de sē philanthrōpia deichthēsetai.Hǭ makarie kai theophilestate Dygouste, ti eboulou? elthein me phlegmainoktōn kai zētountōn apokteinai tōn sykophantountōn hēmas, ē kata to gegrammenon, apekrybēnai mikron, ’ina en tǭ tosoutǭ diastēmati hoi men sykophantai katagnōsthōsin hairetikoi, hē de sē philanthrōpia deichthēsetais Ti de, ō basileu, eboulou me ophthēnai tois sois dikastais, hina, ei kai sy mechri monēs apeilēs egrapsas, ekeinoi mē noountes tēn sēn dianoian, echontes de tous Areianous paroxynontas autous, ek tōn sou grammatōn apokteinōsi, kai eis se ton phonon anathōntai dia ta grammatas Ouk eprepen oute eme automolein, kai eis aʼimata emautdn apodidonai, oute se philochriston honta basilea epi phonois Christianōn, kai tauta episkopōn, epigraphesthai.
Since, then, such and so many things were done again by the Arians, was I not right to obey the divine Scripture that says, “Hide yourself for a little while, until the wrath of the Lord passes by”? For this too was a reason for my withdrawal, most God-loving Augustus; and I did not refuse either to go away into the desert or, if need arose, to be let down from the wall in a basket. For I endured everything, and lived among wild beasts, … awaiting the time for these words, and confident that the false accusers would be condemned and your humanity would be shown. O blessed and most God-loving Augustus, what did you want? That I should come while my false accusers were inflamed and seeking to kill me, or, as it is written, that I should hide a little, so that in the meantime the false accusers might be condemned as heretics and your humanity be shown? What, O emperor, did you want? That I should appear before your judges, so that, even if you wrote only as a threat, they, not understanding your intention, but having the Arians to incite them, might kill me on the strength of your letters and lay the murder on you because of the letters? It was not fitting either for me to desert to my enemies and give myself up to bloodshed, or for you, a Christ-loving emperor, to have the murders of Christians, and these bishops, written against your name.
Chapter 35
35PG 25:641b–641d
Οὐκοῦν βέλτιον γέγονε τὸ κρυβῆναι, καὶ τοῦ· τον ἐκδέξασθαι τὸν καιρόν. Ναὶ οἶδα, ὅτι καὶ σὺ γινώσκων τὰς θείας Γραφάς, ἐπινεύεις, καὶ ἀποδέχῃ με τοῦτο πράξαντα. Ἰδοὺ γοῦν, τῶν παροξυνόντων πεπαυμένων, πέφηνεν ἡ σή θεοσεβὴς ἀνεξικακία, καὶ δέδεικται πᾶσιν, ὅτι μηδέ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐδίωκες σὺ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς · ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνοι ἦσαν οἱ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐρημώσαντες, τίνα τὴν ἰδίαν ἀσέβειαν ἐπισπείρωσι πανταχοῦ, διʼ καὶ ἡμεῖς, εἰ μὴ ἦμεν φυγόντες, πάλαι ἄν ἐπεβουλεύθημεν παρʼ αὐτῶν. 0i γὰρ τοιαύτας διαβολάς εἰπεῖν κατʼ ἐμοῦ μὴ παραιτησάμενοι παρά τηλικούτῳ Αὐγούστῳ, οἱ τοιαῦτα κατʼ ἐπισκόπων καί παρθένων ἐπιχειρήσαντες, εὔδηλον ὡς καὶ τὸν ἡμῶν θάνατον ἐθήρευον. Ἀλλά χάρις τῷ Κυρίῳ τῷ τήν βασιλεὶαν σοι δεδωκότι ο πάντες γὰρ ἐπιστώσαντο περί τε τῆς σῆς φιλανθρωπίας καὶ τῆς ἐκείνων πονηρίας, ἧς ἕνεκα καὶ κατά τήν ἀρχὴν ἔφυγον, ’ίνα ταῦτα ἐγὼ μέν τοι προσφωνήσω, σὺ δὲ εὕρῃς τίνα φιλανθρωπεύσῃ. Παρακαλῶ τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ γέγραπταιο Ἀπόκρισις ὑποπίπτουσα ἀποστρέφει ὀργήν · καί,Δεκτοὶ βασιλεῖ λογισμοὶ δίκαιοι ' δεξάμενος καὶ ταύτην τήν ἀπολογίαν, ἀπόδος ταῖς πατρίσι καὶ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις πάντας τοὺς ἐπισκόπους καὶτοὺς ἄλλους κληρικοὺς,ίνα τῶν μὲν διαβαλλόντων ἡ πονηρία δειχθῇ, σὺ δὲ καὶ νῦν καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως ἔχῃς παρρησίαν εἷʼπεῖν τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ Σωτῆρι ἡμῶν καὶ παμβασιλεῖ Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷʼ Οὐδένα τῶν σῶν ἀπώλεσαʼ ἀλλʼ o't μέν ἐπιβουλεύσαντες πᾶσιν οὗτοί εἰσιν · ἐγὼ δέ ἐπὶ μῖεν τοῖς τετελευτηκόσι, καὶ ταῖς ξεσθείσαις παρθένοις, τοῖς τε ἄλλοις τοῖς κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν γενομένοις ἠχθέσθην · τοὺς δὲ ἐξορισθέντας ἐπανήγαγον καὶ ἀποδέδωκα ταῖς ἰδίαις Ἐκκλησίαις.
Oukoun beltion gegone to krybēnai, kai tou; ton ekdexasthai ton kairon. Nai oida, hoti kai sy ginōskōn tas theias Graphas, epineueis, kai apodechę̄ me touto praxanta. Idou goun, tōn paroxynontōn pepaumenōn, pephēnen hē sē theosebēs anexikakia, kai dedeiktai pasin, hoti mēde tēn archēn ediōkes sy tous Christianous ; allʼ ekeinoi ēsan hoi tas ekklēsias erēmōsantes, tina tēn idian asebeian epispeirōsi pantachou, diʼ kai hēmeis, ei mē ēmen phygontes, palai an epebouleuthēmen parʼ autōn. 0i gar toiautas diabolas eipein katʼ emou mē paraitēsamenoi para tēlikoutǭ Augoustǭ, hoi toiauta katʼ episkopōn kai parthenōn epicheirēsantes, eudēlon hōs kai ton hēmōn thanaton ethēreuon. Alla charis tǭ Kyriǭ tǭ tēn basileian soi dedōkoti o pantes gar epistōsanto peri te tēs sēs philanthrōpias kai tēs ekeinōn ponērias, hēs heneka kai kata tēn archēn ephygon, ’ina tauta egō men toi prosphōnēsō, sy de heurę̄s tina philanthrōpeusę̄. Parakalō toinyn, epeidē kai gegraptaio Apokrisis hypopiptousa apostrephei orgēn ; kai,Dektoi basilei logismoi dikaioi ' dexamenos kai tautēn tēn apologian, apodos tais patrisi kai tais Ekklēsiais pantas tous episkopous kaitous allous klērikous,ina tōn men diaballontōn hē ponēria deichthę̄, sy de kai nyn kai en hēmerą kriseōs echę̄s parrēsian heiʼpein tǭ Kyriǭ kai Sōtēri hēmōn kai pambasilei Iēsou Christǭʼ Oudena tōn sōn apōlesaʼ allʼ o't men epibouleusantes pasin houtoi eisin ; egō de epi mien tois teteleutēkosi, kai tais xestheisais parthenois, tois te allois tois kata tōn Christianōn genomenois ēchthesthēn ; tous de exoristhentas epanēgagon kai apodedōka tais idiais Ekklēsiais.
It was better, then, to hide and to await this time. Yes, I know that you too, knowing the divine Scriptures, assent and approve of my having done this. See, at any rate: now that those who incited you have ceased, your godly forbearance has appeared, and it has been shown to all that you were not persecuting the Christians at all; but it was they who laid the churches waste, that they might sow their own impiety everywhere; on account of which we too, had we not fled, would long ago have been plotted against by them. For those who did not shrink from making such slanders against me before so great an Augustus, who attempted such things against bishops and virgins, were plainly hunting for our death too. But thanks be to the Lord who has given you the kingdom; for all are convinced both of your humanity and of their wickedness, on account of which I fled at the beginning, so that I might address this to you and you might find someone to show humanity to. I beg you, therefore, since it is written, “A submissive answer turns away wrath,” and, “Righteous reasonings are acceptable to a king”: receive this defense too, and restore all the bishops and the other clergy to their homelands and their churches, so that the wickedness of the slanderers may be shown, and you may have boldness, both now and in the day of judgment, to say to our Lord and Savior and King of all, Jesus Christ: “I have lost none of yours; but these are the ones who plotted against all; and I was grieved at those who died, and at the virgins who were torn, and at the other things done against the Christians; and I have brought back the exiles and restored them to their own churches.”