4

The evils having begun, the disturbances everywhere proceeded on their course, and clergy everywhere rose up against bishops, and bishops against bishops, and peoples were divided from peoples, while others are about to be, and everywhere the birth-pangs of evils, and the overthrow of the whole inhabited world. Having learned everything, therefore, my most honored and most reverent lords, show forth the courage and zeal that befits you, so as to check such great lawlessness that has entered the Churches. For if this custom should prevail, and it should become permissible for those who wish to go into other dioceses from such great distances, and to expel whomever one might wish, to act by one's own authority, whatever they may wish, know that all things will be lost, and a certain unproclaimed war will overrun the whole inhabited world, with everyone attacking and being attacked by everyone. Therefore, that such great confusion may not seize the whole world under the sun, be pleased to write that the things that have thus been done unlawfully in our absence, and by one party, and without our having declined a trial, have no force, just as indeed they do not have by their own nature; and that those who have committed such lawless acts, upon being convicted, be subjected to the penalty of the ecclesiastical laws; but as for us, who have not been convicted, not been condemned, not been proven liable, grant that we may continually enjoy your letters, and your love, and all the other things, just as before. But if even now those who have committed such lawless acts should wish to bring forward charges, for which they unjustly expelled us, no minutes having been given to us, no bills of indictment, no accusers having appeared; let an impartial court be seated, and we will stand trial, and we will make our defense, and we will prove ourselves not liable for the things brought against us, just as indeed we are; for the things that have now been done by them are outside all due process, and every 52.535 law and ecclesiastical canon. And why do I say ecclesiastical canon? Not even in the secular courts, then, were such things ever dared, or rather not even in a barbarian court, neither Scythians, nor Sauromatae would ever have judged in this way, judging from one party, with the accused being absent, one who declines not a trial, but enmity, who calls for ten thousand judges, who says he is not liable, and is ready to refute the charges in the presence of the whole world, and to show himself innocent in all things. Considering all these things, therefore, and having learned everything more clearly from my lords our most reverent 52.536 brothers the bishops, be pleased to bring your zeal to bear on our behalf. For thus you will show favor not only to us, but also to the common good of the Churches, and you will receive your reward from God, who does all things for the peace of the Churches. Being ever in good health, pray for me, most honored and most holy master.

4

τῶν κακῶν ἀρξαμένων, ὁδῷ τὰ τῶν θορύβων πανταχοῦ προέβη, καὶ κλῆροι πανταχοῦ ἐπανέστησαν ἐπισκόποις, καὶ ἐπίσκοποι ἐπισκόπων, καὶ λαοὶ μὲν λαῶν διεσχίσθησαν, οἱ δὲ μέλλουσι, καὶ πανταχοῦ τῶν κακῶν ὠδῖνες, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης ἀνατροπή. Μαθόντες τοίνυν ἅπαντα, κύριοί μου τιμιώτατοι καὶ εὐλαβέστατοι, τὴν προσήκουσαν ὑμῖν ἀνδρείαν καὶ σπουδὴν ἐπιδείξασθε, ὥστε παρανομίαν τοσαύτην ἐπεισελθοῦσαν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις ἀναστεῖλαι. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο κρατήσειε τὸ ἔθος, καὶ ἐξὸν γένηται τοῖς βουλομένοις εἰς τὰς ἀλλοτρίας ἀπιέναι παροικίας ἐκ τοσούτων διαστημάτων, καὶ ἐκβάλλειν οὓς ἂν ἐθέλοι τις, κατ' ἐξουσίαν ἰδίαν πράττειν, ἅπερ ἂν ἐθέλωσιν, ἴστε ὅτι πάντα οἰχήσεται, καὶ πόλεμός τις ἀκήρυκτος πᾶσαν ἐπιδραμεῖται τὴν οἰκουμένην, πάντων πάντας βαλλόντων καὶ βαλλομένων. Ἵνα οὖν μὴ τοσαύτη σύγχυσις καταλάβῃ τὴν ὑφ' ἥλιον πᾶσαν, ἐπιστεῖλαι παρακλήθητε τὰ μὲν οὕτω παρανόμως γεγενημένα ἀπόντων ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐκ μιᾶς μοίρας, καὶ οὐ παραιτησαμένων κρίσιν, μηδεμίαν ἔχειν ἰσχὺν, ὥσπερ οὖν οὐδὲ ἔχει τῇ οἰκείᾳ φύσει· τοὺς δὲ τοιαῦτα παρανομήσαντας ἐλεγχομένους τῷ ἐπιτιμίῳ ὑποβάλλεσθαι τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν νόμων· ἡμᾶς δὲ τοὺς οὐχ ἁλόντας, οὐκ ἐλεγχομένους, οὐκ ἀποδειχθέντας ὑπευθύνους, τῶν γραμμάτων τῶν ὑμετέρων δότε ἀπολαύειν συνεχῶς, καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης, καὶ πάντων τῶν ἄλλων, ὧνπερ καὶ ἔμπροσθεν. Εἰ δὲ βούλοιντο καὶ νῦν οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα παρανομήσαντες ἐγκλήματα γυμνάζειν, ἐφ' οἷς ἡμᾶς ἀδίκως ἐξέβαλον, ὑπομνημάτων ἡμῖν οὐ δοθέντων, οὐ λιβέλλων, οὐ κατηγόρων φανέντων· δικαστηρίου καθίσαντος ἀδεκάστου, καὶ δικασόμεθα, καὶ ἀπολογησόμεθα, καὶ ἀποδείξομεν ἑαυτοὺς ἀνευθύνους τῶν ἐπαγομένων ἡμῖν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἐσμέν· τὰ γὰρ νῦν γεγενημένα παρ' αὐτῶν πάσης ἐκτός ἐστιν ἀκολουθίας, καὶ παν 52.535 τὸς νόμου καὶ κανόνος ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ. Καὶ τί λέγω κανόνος ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ; Οὐδὲ ἐν τοῖς ἔξω μὲν οὖν δικαστηρίοις τοιαῦτα ἐτολμήθη ποτὲ, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἐν βαρβαρικῷ δικαστηρίῳ, οὐδὲ Σκύθαι, οὐδὲ Σαυρομάται οὕτως ἄν ποτε ἐδίκασαν ἐκ μιᾶς μοίρας κρίναντες, ἀπόντος τοῦ αἰτιωμένου, παραιτουμένου οὐ κρίσιν, ἀλλ' ἀπέχθειαν, καλοῦντος δικαστὰς μυρίους, ἀνεύθυνον ἑαυτὸν εἶναι λέγοντος, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης παρούσης ἀποδύσασθαι τὰς αἰτίας, καὶ δεῖξαι ἑαυτὸν ἐν ἅπασιν ἀθῶον ὄντα. Ταῦτα οὖν πάντα λογισάμενοι, καὶ παρὰ τῶν κυρίων μου τῶν εὐλαβεστάτων 52.536 ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν τῶν ἐπισκόπων σαφέστερον ἅπαντα μαθόντες, τὴν παρ' ἑαυτῶν ἡμῖν εἰσενεγκεῖν σπουδὴν παρακλήθητε. Οὕτω γὰρ οὐχ ἡμῖν μόνοις χαριεῖσθε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ κοινῷ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ τὸν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ λήψεσθε μισθὸν, τοῦ διὰ τὴν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν εἰρήνην πάντα ποιοῦντος. ∆ιηνεκῶς ἐῤῥωμένος ὑπερεύχου μου, δέσποτα τιμιώτατε καὶ ὁσιώτατε.