2. The first charge, of setting Constans against Constantius.

But as to the slanderous charge which has been preferred against me before your Grace, respecting correspondence with the most pious Augustus, your brother Constans6    Prolegg. ch. ii. §6 (3); cf. Lucifer. Op. p. 91. (ed. Ven. 1778.) Theod. H. E. ii. 13; infr. Hist. Arian. §50., of blessed and everlasting memory (for my enemies report this of me, and have ventured to assert it in writing), the former events7    Vid. Apol. contr. Arian. passim. are sufficient to prove this also to be untrue. Had it been alleged by another set of persons, the matter would indeed have been a fit subject of enquiry, but it would have required strong evidence, and open proof in presence of both parties: but when the same persons who invented the former charge, are the authors also of this, is it not reasonable to conclude from the issue of the one, the falsehood of the other? For this cause they again conferred together in private, thinking to be able to deceive your Piety before I was aware. But in this they failed: you would not listen to them as they desired, but patiently gave me an opportunity to make my defence. And, in that you were not immediately moved to demand vengeance, you acted only as was righteous in a Prince, whose duty it is to wait for the defence of the injured party. Which if you will vouchsafe to hear, I am confident that in this matter also you will condemn those reckless men, who have no fear of that God, who has commanded us not to speak falsely before the king8    Vid. Ecclus. vii. 5..

2 Περὶ δὲ τῆς διαβολῆς τῆς κατ' ἐμοῦ γενομένης παρὰ τῇ σῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ διὰ τὸν εὐσεβέστατον Αὔγουστον καὶ μακαρίας μνήμης καὶ αἰωνίου Κώνσταντα τὸν ἀδελφόν σου (τοῦτο γὰρ οἱ ἐχθροὶ θρυλοῦσι, καὶ γράψαι τετολμήκασιν), ἱκανὰ τὰ πρῶτα δεῖξαι καὶ ταῦτα μὴ ἀληθῆ. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι τινὲς ἦσαν οἱ τοῦτο λέγοντες, δικάσιμον ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα, χρεία τε πολλῆς ἀποδείξεως, καὶ τῶν εἰς πρόσωπον ἐλέγχων· εἰ δὲ οἱ τὰ πρῶτα πλάσαντες αὐτοὶ καὶ ταῦτα συνέθηκαν, πῶς οὐκ ἐξ ἐκείνων εἰκότως καὶ ταῦτα πεπλασμένα δείκνυται; ∆ιὰ τοῦτο γὰρ πάλιν κατὰ μόνας λαλοῦσι, νομίζοντες ὑφαρπάζειν δύνασθαι τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν. Ἀλλ' ἐσφάλησαν· οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἠθέλησαν ἤκουσας, ἀλλὰ τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ δέδωκας καὶ ἡμῖν χώραν ἀπολογεῖσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ μὴ παραυτὰ κινηθῆναι, καὶ τιμωρίαν ἀπαιτῆσαι, οὐδὲν ἦν ἕτερον ἤ, ὡς δίκαιον βασιλέα, περιμεῖναι καὶ τὴν τοῦ διαβληθέντος ἀπολογίαν· ἧς ἐὰν καταξιώσῃς ἀκοῦσαι, τεθάρσηκα ὡς καὶ ἐν τούτοις καταγνώσῃ τῶν προπετευσαμένων καὶ μὴ φοβηθέντων τὸν Θεόν, ἐντειλάμενον μηδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ στόματος βασιλεῖ λέγεσθαι.