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more ambitious in the wealth of their impiety, as if fearing, not to be impious, but to be moderate and more philanthropic than others.

4. But we are not so. But concerning the Godhead we are of one mind and in agreement, no less than the Godhead is with itself, if it is not too great a thing to say, and we have become one lip and one voice, contrary to those who formerly built the tower. For they were of one mind for evil; but for us, the things of concord are for every best purpose, so that with one accord in one mouth we may glorify the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and this may be said of us, that truly God is in us, who unites those who unite him, and glorifying 35.1156 those who glorify him; and may it not only be said, but also be believed. But there are other things over which we have differed; wrongly even concerning these, for I will not deny it (for it was necessary to give no access or handle to the evil one, nor freedom to wicked tongues), yet not so much as it seems to those who slander our affairs. For since it was necessary to sin in some way, being men, this is wherein we have erred, we have become too fond of our shepherds, and we cannot find which of two good things is the more preferable, until we happened to admire both equally. This is our crime; concerning these things let whoever wishes correct us or forgive us; this is the security of the heretics; but beyond this there is nothing, not even if you should very much wish it. Dead flies make oil stink, says the one who said it, both dying and rotting in it; but envy will wish to harm good things, but will not be able to. For of all things the strongest, as it seems to Esdras and to me, is the truth.

5. Therefore our own affairs we have both resolved among ourselves, and we will resolve. For it is not possible for children to judge their fathers wrongly, and at the same time with the common Trinity mediating, on behalf of which we are fought against, and for which we will not fight. I am the guarantor of peace, I who am small for so great a matter, since the Lord gives grace to the humble, and humbles the proud down to the earth. But what is this to you, our common reconcilers? For you are reconcilers, and you grant this unwillingly. For you are not pious, if we are evil in some small or greater matter; but we are not to be praised for our wickedness, if indeed we err in anything, but you are no less impious, even if we sin, if not even more so, inasmuch as you are harsher on those who err. And that you may know that we are of one mind in all things, and that through these things you may learn that we will always be of one mind, what is seen has, I think, persuaded you, a well-disposed father, and an obedient son, sitting together and befitting one another; and if any spark of goodwill and agreement existed in you, having kindled this, let my speech also persuade you. You have indeed heard him, and the wonder of it still swims in my ears; and I know, that what is stored up in your souls is greater than what was poured into the air 35.1157; but you will hear us again, if you desire it again; and if the things often published are not sufficient for anyone for proof, and the temptations, and the stonings, which we have already suffered, and for which we were prepared, not judging to suffer to be a loss, but not to suffer; and so much the more, inasmuch as we have tasted the dangers for Christ's sake, from which we have also borne the best fruit, the increase of this people.

6. What then do you want? Are you persuaded of this, and do we have no need of affairs, nor of a second theology, and do you spare my weakness, by which I with difficulty utter even these things to you? Or must I, as to those who are hard of hearing, often repeat the same speech, that at least by the persistence of my voice, I may speak into the ears of those who hear? You seem to me to be inviting my speech by your silence. For the proverb also teaches that silence is consent. Therefore receive the speech of both, from one soul and one mouth. But I am vexed, that not having gone up on some high mountain, nor having taken a voice worthy of my desire, I do not utter these things to all who think evil together, as in the common theatre of the world: O sons of men, how long

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φιλοτιμότερος ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ τῆς ἀσεβείας, ὥσπερ δεδοικότες, οὐ τὸ ἀσεβεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μέτρια καὶ ἑτέρων φιλανθρωπότερα.

∆ʹ. Ἡμεῖς δ' οὐχ οὕτως. Ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ μὲν θεότητος συμφρονοῦμέν τε καὶ συμβαίνομεν, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ πρὸς ἑαυτὴν ἡ θεότης, εἰ μὴ μέγα τοῦτο εἰπεῖν, καὶ γεγό ναμεν χεῖλος ἓν καὶ φωνὴ μία, ἐναντίως ἢ οἱ τὸν πύργον οἰκοδομοῦντες τὸ πρότερον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ κακῷ συνεφρόνουν· ἡμῖν δὲ ἐπὶ παντὶ βελτίστῳ τὰ τῆς ὁμονοίας, ἵν' ὁμοθυμαδὸν ἐν ἑνὶ στόματι δοξάζω μεν τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, καὶ τοῦτο λέγηται περὶ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ὄντως ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστιν, ὁ τοὺς ἑνοῦντας αὐτὸν ἑνῶν, καὶ δο 35.1156 ξάζων τοὺς δοξάζοντας· καὶ μὴ λέγηται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πιστεύηται. Ἄλλα δέ ἐστιν ὑπὲρ ὧν διηνέχθη μεν· κακῶς μὲν καὶ περὶ τούτων, οὐ γὰρ ἀρνήσο μαι (ἐχρῆν γὰρ μηδεμίαν διδόναι τῷ πονηρῷ πάροδον ἢ λαβὴν, μηδὲ ταῖς πονηραῖς γλώσσαις ἐλευθε ρίαν), πλὴν οὐ τοσοῦτον, ὅσον δοκεῖ τοῖς τὰ ἡμέτερα διαβάλλουσιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔδει τι καὶ ἁμαρτά νειν, ὄντας ἀνθρώπους, τοῦτό ἐστιν ὃ ἐπταίσα μεν, λίαν φιλοποίμενες γεγόναμεν, καὶ οὐκ ἔχο μεν εὑρεῖν ἀγαθῶν δύο τὸ αἱρετώτερον, ἕως συνέβη μεν ἀμφότερα ἐπίσης θαυμάζειν. Τοῦτο ἡμῶν τὸ ἔγ κλημα· περὶ τούτων ἡμᾶς ὁ βουλόμενος εὐθυνέτω ἢ ἀφιέτω· τοῦτο τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἡ ἀσφάλεια· ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦτο οὐδὲν, οὐδ' ἂν σφόδρα βούλησθε. Μυῖαι σα πριοῦσιν ἔλαιον, φησὶν ὁ εἰπὼν, ἐννεκρούμεναί τε καὶ ἐνσηπόμεναι· τὰ δὲ καλὰ ὁ φθόνος βου λήσεται μὲν, οὐ δυνήσεται δέ. Πάντων γὰρ ἰσχυ ρότατον, ὡς τῷ Ἔσδρᾳ κἀμοὶ δοκεῖ, ἡ ἀλή θεια.

Εʹ. Τὰ μὲν οὖν ἡμέτερα ἡμεῖς ἐν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς καὶ διαλελύμεθα, καὶ διαλυσόμεθα. Οὐ γὰρ οἷον τε παῖδας πατράσι δικάσαι κακῶς, καὶ ἅμα τῆς κοινῆς Τριάδος μεσιτευούσης, ὑπὲρ ἧς πολεμούμεθα, καὶ δι' ἣν οὐ πολεμήσομεν. Ἐγὼ τῆς εἰρήνης ἐγγυητὴς, ὁ μικρὸς τοῦ τοσαύτου πράγματος, ἐπειδὴ ταπεινοῖς δίδωσι χάριν ὁ Κύριος, ταπεινοῖ δ' ὑψηλοὺς ἕως γῆς. Ὑμῖν δὲ τί τοῦτο τοῖς κοινοῖς ἡμῶν διαλ λακταῖς; διαλλακταὶ γάρ ἐστε, καὶ ἀκουσίως τοῦτο χαρίζεσθε. Οὐ γὰρ ὑμεῖς εὐσεβεῖς, εἰ κακοὶ περί τι μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον ἡμεῖς· ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐκ ἐπαινετοὶ τῆς κακίας, εἴπερ τι πταίομεν, ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐδὲν ἧττον ἀσεβεῖς, κἂν ἡμεῖς ἁμαρτάνωμεν, εἰ μὴ καὶ μᾶλλον, ὅσῳ καὶ πταιόντων ἐστὲ βαρύτεροι. Καὶ ἵν' εἰδῆτε τὰ πάντα συμφρονοῦντας ἡμᾶς, καὶ διὰ τούτων ὅτι καὶ ἀεὶ συμφρονήσομεν μάθητε, πέπεικε μὲν, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ τὸ ὁρώμενον, πατὴρ εὐ γνώμων, καὶ παῖς εὐπειθὴς, ἀλλήλοις συγκαθ εζόμενοι καὶ συμπρέποντες· καὶ εἴ τι ζώπυρον ἐν ὑμῖν ὑπῆρχεν εὐνοίας τε καὶ συμπνοίας, τοῦτο ἀν άψαντες, πειθέτω δὲ καὶ ὁ λόγος. Τοῦ μὲν οὖν ἀκηκόατε, καὶ τὸ θαῦμα ἔνηχον ἔτι ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἀκοαῖς· καὶ οἶδ', ὅτι μεῖζον ἐν ὑμῖν τοῦ εἰς τὸν ἀέ 35.1157 ρα χεθέντος, τὸ ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἀποκείμενον· ἡμῶν δὲ ἀκούσεσθε πάλιν, εἰ πάλιν ποθεῖτε· καὶ εἰ μή τῳ πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν ἱκανὰ τὰ δημοσιευθέντα πολλάκις, καὶ οἱ πειρασμοὶ, καὶ οἱ λιθασμοὶ, οὕς τε ἤδη πε πόνθαμεν, καὶ οἷς ηὐτρεπίσμεθα, οὐ τὸ παθεῖν ζη μίαν, τὸ δὲ μὴ παθεῖν κρίνοντες· καὶ τοσούτῳ μᾶλ λον, ὅσῳ τῶν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ κινδύνων γεγεύσμε θα, ὧν καὶ καρπὸν ἄριστον ἠνεγκάμεθα, τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦδε συναύξησιν.

ςʹ. Τί οὖν βούλεσθε; Πέπεισθε τοῦτο, καὶ οὐδὲν δεῖ πραγμάτων ἡμῖν, οὐδὲ θεολογίας δευτέρας, καὶ φείδεσθε τῆς ἐμῆς ἀσθενείας, ὑφ' ἧς ὑμῖν καὶ ταῦτα μόλις φθέγγομαι; ἢ δεῖ, καθάπερ ταῖς βαρείαις τῶν ἀκοῶν, πολλάκις τὸν αὐτὸν ἐνηχεῖν λόγον, ἵνα τῷ ἐπιμόνῳ γοῦν τῆς φωνῆς, εἰς ὦτα λαλήσωμεν ἀκουόν των; δοκεῖτέ μοι τὸν λόγον προκαλεῖσθαι διὰ τῆς ἡσυχίας. Καὶ γὰρ τὴν σιωπὴν συγκατάθεσιν εἶναι, δι δάσκει καὶ ἡ παροιμία. Οὐκοῦν δέξασθε λόγον ἀμ φοτέρων, ἐκ μιᾶς ψυχῆς καὶ ἑνὸς στόματος. Ἄχθο μαι δὲ, ὅτι μὴ ἐπί τι ὄρος τῶν ὑψηλῶν ἀνελθὼν, μηδὲ φωνὴν λαβὼν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἀξίαν, πᾶσιν ὁμοῦ τοῖς φρονοῦσι κακῶς ταῦτα φθέγγομαι, ὥσπερ ἐν κοινῷ θεάτρῳ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ· Υἱοὶ ἀνθρώπων, ἕως πό τε