1.  I have been defeated, and own my defeat.  I subjected myself to the Lord, and prayed unto Him.1    Ps. xxxvii. 7 (LXX).  Let the most blessed David supply my exordium, or rather let Him Who spoke in David, and even now yet speaks through him.  For indeed the very best order of beginning every speech and action, is to begin from God,2    Begin from God.  Possibly an adaptation of the exordium of Theocr. Idyll, xvii. 1.  ἐκ Διὸς ἀρχώμεσθα, καὶ ἐις Δία λήγετε, μοῖσαι.  “Let Zeus inspire our opening strain, And Muses, end your song in Zeus again.”  Cf. Demosth. Epist. 1. and to end in God.  As to the cause, either of my original revolt and cowardice, in which I got me away far off, and remained3    Ps. lv. 7. away from you for a time, which perhaps seemed long to those who missed me; or of the present gentleness and change of mind, in which I have given myself up again to you, men may think and speak in different ways, according to the hatred or love they bear me, on the one side refusing to acquit me of the charges alleged, on the other giving me a hearty welcome.  For nothing is so pleasant to men as talking of other people’s business, especially under the influence of affection or hatred, which often almost entirely blinds us to the truth.  I will, however, myself, unabashed, set forth the truth, and arbitrate with justice between the two parties, which accuse or gallantly defend us, by, on the one side, accusing myself, on the other, undertaking my own defence.

Αʹ: Ἥττημαι, καὶ τὴν ἧτταν ὁμολογῶ: ὑπετάγην τῷ Κυρίῳ, καὶ ἱκέτευσα αὐτόν: ὁ γάρ μοι μακαριώτατος Δαβὶδ ἀρχέτω τοῦ λόγου: μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ ἐν τῷ Δαβὶδ φθεγξάμενος, καὶ εἰσέτι καὶ νῦν δι' αὐτοῦ φθεγγόμενος. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τάξις ἀρίστη παντὸς ἀρχομένῳ καὶ λόγου καὶ πράγματος, ἐκ Θεοῦ τε ἄρχεσθαι, καὶ εἰς Θεὸν ἀναπαύεσθαι. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον ἢ τῆς πρωτοῦ στάσεως καὶ ὀλιγοψυχίας, δι' ἣν ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων, καὶ ηὐλίσθην ἀφ' ὑμῶν χρόνον οὐ μικρὸν ἴσως τοῖς γε ποθοῦσιν, ἢ τῆς νῦν ἡμερότητος καὶ μεταβολῆς, δι' ἣν αὖθις ἐμαυτὸν ἔδωκα φέρων ὑμῖν, ἄλλος μὲν ἄλλο τι οἰέσθω τε καὶ λεγέτω τῶν ἢ μισούντων ἢ ἀγαπώντων ἡμᾶς: ὁ μὲν οὐκ ἀφιεὶς αἰτίας, ὁ δὲ καὶ προσαποδεχόμενος: οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἡδὺ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὡς τὸ λαλεῖν τὰ ἀλλότρια, καὶ μάλιστα ἐὰν τύχωσιν ὑπ' εὐνοίας τινὸς ἢ μίσους ἑλκόμενοι, ὑφ' ὧν καὶ φιλεῖ κλέπτεσθαι ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ἡ ἀλήθεια. Ἐγὼ δὲ τἀληθὲς εἰς μέσον θήσω, μηδὲν αἰσχυνθεὶς, καὶ διαιτήσω δικαίως ἀμφοτέροις τοῖς μέρεσιν, ὅσοι τε κατηγοροῦσιν ἡμῶν, καὶ ὅσοι ὑπεραπολογοῦνται προθύμως: τὸ μέν τι κατηγορήσας ἐμαυτοῦ, τὸ δὲ ὑπεραπολογησάμενος.