6. The second charge, of corresponding with Magnentius.

With regard to the second calumny, that I have written letters to the tyrant26    [On Magnentius, see Prolegg. ch. ii. §7 sub. fin.; Gwatkin, Studies, p. 143 sq.] (his name I am unwilling to pronounce), I beseech you investigate and try the matter, in whatever way you please, and by whomsoever you may approve of. The extravagance of the charge so confounds me, that I am in utter uncertainty how to act. Believe me, most religious Prince, many times did I weigh the matter in my mind, but was unable to believe that any one could be so mad as to utter such a falsehood. But when this charge was published abroad by the Arians, as well as the former, and they boasted that they had delivered to you a copy of the letter, I was the more amazed, and I used to pass sleepless nights contending against the charge, as if in the presence of my accusers; and suddenly breaking forth into a loud cry, I would immediately fall to my prayers, desiring with groans and tears that I might obtain a favourable hearing from you. And now that by the grace of the Lord, I have obtained such a hearing, I am again at a loss how I shall begin my defence; for as often as I make an attempt to speak, I am prevented by my horror at the deed. In the case of your departed brother, the slanderers had indeed a plausible pretence for what they alleged; because I had been admitted to see him, and he had condescended to write to your brotherly affection concerning me; and he had often sent for me to come to him, and had honoured me when I came. But for the traitor Magnentius, ‘the Lord is witness, and His Anointed is witness27    1 Sam. xii. 5.,’ I know him not, nor was ever acquainted with him. What correspondence then could there be between persons so entirely unacquainted with each other? What reason was there to induce me to write to such a man? How could I have commenced my letter, had I written to him? Could I have said, ‘You have done well to murder the man who honoured me, whose kindness I shall never forget?’ Or, ‘I approve of your conduct in destroying our Christian friends, and most faithful brethren?’ or, ‘I approve of your proceedings in butchering those who so kindly entertained me at Rome; for instance, your departed Aunt Eutropia28    Nepotian, the son of Eutropia, Constantine’s sister, had taken up arms against Magnentius, got possession of Rome, and enjoyed the title of Augustus for about a month. Magnentius put him to death, and his mother, and a number of his adherents, some of whom are here mentioned., whose disposition answered to her name, that worthy man, Abuterius, the most faithful Spirantius, and many other excellent persons?’

6 Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἑτέρας διαβολῆς, εἰ ἔγραψα τῷ τυράννῳ (τοὔνομα γὰρ οὐδὲ λέγειν βούλομαι), παρακαλῶ, ὡς θέλεις καὶ δι' ὧν ἂν δοκιμάσῃς, ἐξέταζε καὶ ἀνάκρινε· ἡ γὰρ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς διαβολῆς ἐξίστησί με, καὶ εἰς πολλὴν ἀσάφειαν ἄγει. Καὶ πίστευε, θεοφιλέστατε βασιλεῦ, πολλάκις κατ' ἐμαυτὸν λογιζόμενος ἠπίστουν εἰ ἄρα τις ἐμάνη τοσοῦτον ὥστε καὶ τοιαῦτα ψεύσασθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρὰ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν ἐθρυλεῖτο καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ ὡς αὐτοὶ δεδωκότες ἀντίγραφον ἐπιστολῆς ἐκαυχῶντο, ἐξιστάμην μειζόνως, καὶ ἀΰπνους νύκτας διατελῶν, ὡς πρὸς παρόντας τοὺς κατειπόντας ἐμαχόμην· καὶ κραυγὴν ἐξαπιναίως ἠφίειν μεγάλην, καὶ ηὐχόμην εὐθὺς στενάζων μετὰ δακρύων, εὑρεῖν τὰς σὰς ἀκοὰς εὐμενεῖς. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτω τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ταύτας εὑρών, πάλιν ἀπορῶ ποίαν ἀρχὴν τῆς ἀπολογίας ποιήσομαι· ὁσάκις γὰρ ἂν ἐπιβάλωμαι λέγειν, ἐμποδίζομαι διὰ τὴν τοῦ πράγματος ἔκπληξιν. Ὅλως μὲν γὰρ περὶ τοῦ μακαρίτου σου ἀδελφοῦ πρόφασις ἦν πιθανὴ τοῖς συκοφάνταις, ὅτι τε κατηξιούμεθα βλέπειν αὐτὸν καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ἠξίου τὴν σὴν ἀδελφικὴν διάθεσιν, καὶ παρόντας μὲν ἐτίμα πολλάκις, καὶ ἀπόντας δὲ μετεπέμπετο. Τὸν δὲ διάβολον Μαγνέντιον, μάρτυς ὁ 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 αὐτῷ; Ὅτι· 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; καὶ θαυμάζομέν σε σφάξαντα τοὺς ἐν Ῥώμῃ γνησίως ἡμᾶς ὑποδεξαμένους, τὴν μακαρίαν σου θείαν τὴν ἀληθῶς Εὐτρόπον, καὶ Ἀβουτήριον τὸν γνήσιον ἐκεῖνον, καὶ Σπειράντιον τὸν πιστότατον, καὶ ἄλλους πολλοὺς καλούς;