Part VI.

Persecution and Lapse of Hosius

42. But although they had done all this, yet these impious men thought they had accomplished nothing, so long as the great Hosius escaped their wicked machinations. And now they undertook to extend their fury135    ἐκτεῖναι τὴν μανίαν to that great old man. They felt no shame at the thought that he is the father136    Ap. Fug. 5. of the Bishops; they regarded not that he had been a Confessor137    Under Maximian.; they reverenced not the length of his Episcopate, in which he had continued more than sixty years; but they set aside everything, and looked only to the interests of their heresy, as being of a truth such as neither fear God, nor regard man138    Luke xviii. 2.. Accordingly they went to Constantius, and again employed such arguments as the following: ‘We have done everything; we have banished the Bishop of the Romans; and before him a very great number of other Bishops, and have filled every place with alarm. But these strong measures of yours are as nothing to us, nor is our success at all more secure, so long as Hosius remains. While he is in his own place, the rest also continue in their Churches, for he is able by his arguments and his faith to persuade all men against us. He is the president of Councils139    Of Nicæa and Sardica (Ap. Fug. 5)., and his letters are everywhere attended to. He it was who put forth the Nicene Confession, and proclaimed everywhere that the Arians were heretics. If therefore he is suffered to remain, the banishment of the rest is of no avail, for our heresy will be destroyed. Begin then to persecute him also and spare him not, ancient as he is. Our heresy knows not to honour even the hoary hairs of the aged.’

43. Brave resistance of Hosius.

Upon hearing this, the Emperor no longer delayed, but knowing the man, and the dignity of his years, wrote to summon him. This was when he first140    i.e. two years before his fall. began his attempt upon Liberius. Upon his arrival he desired him, and urged him with the usual arguments, with which he thought also to deceive the others, that he would subscribe against us, and hold communion with the Arians. But the old man, scarcely bearing to hear the words, and grieved that he had even ventured to utter such a proposal, severely rebuked him, and after gaining his consent, withdrew to his own country and Church. But the heretics still complaining, and instigating him to proceed (he had the eunuchs also to remind him and to urge him further), the Emperor again wrote in threatening terms; but still Hosius, while he endured their insults, was unmoved by any fear of their designs against him, and remaining firm to his purpose, as one who had built the house of his faith upon the rock, he spake boldly against the heresy, regarding the threats held out to him in the letters but as drops of rain and blasts of wind. And although Constantius wrote frequently, sometimes flattering him with the title of Father, and sometimes threatening and recounting the names of those who had been banished, and saying, ‘Will you continue the only person to oppose the heresy? Be persuaded and subscribe against Athanasius; for whoever subscribes against him thereby embraces with us the Arian cause;’ still Hosius remained fearless, and while suffering these insults, wrote an answer in such terms as these. We have read the letter, which is placed at the end141    Transferred by copyists hither..

44. ‘Hosius to Constantius the Emperor sends health in the Lord.’

I was a Confessor at the first, when a persecution arose in the time of your grandfather Maximian; and if you shall persecute me, I am ready now, too, to endure anything rather than to shed innocent blood and to betray the truth. But I cannot approve of your conduct in writing after this threatening manner. Cease to write thus; adopt not the cause of Arius, nor listen to those in the East, nor give credit to Ursacius, Valens and their fellows. For whatever they assert, it is not on account of Athanasius, but for the sake of their own heresy. Believe my statement, O Constantius, who am of an age to be your grandfather. I was present at the Council of Sardica, when you and your brother Constans of blessed memory assembled us all together; and on my own account I challenged the enemies of Athanasius, when they came to the church where I abode142    [i.e. at Sardica, cf. Apol. Ar. 36.], that if they had anything against him they might declare it; desiring them to have confidence, and not to expect otherwise than that a right judgment would be passed in all things. This I did once and again, requesting them, if they were unwilling to appear before the whole Council, yet to appear before me alone; promising them also, that if he should be proved guilty, he should certainly be rejected by us; but if he should be found to be blameless, and should prove them to be calumniators, that if they should then refuse to hold communion with him, I would persuade him to go with me into the Spains. Athanasius was willing to comply with these conditions, and made no objection to my proposal; but they, altogether distrusting their cause, would not consent. And on another occasion Athanasius came to your Court143    Cf. §22., when you wrote for him, and his enemies being at the time in Antioch, he requested that they might be summoned either altogether or separately, in order that they might either convict him, or be convicted144    Apol. Const. 5., and might either in his presence prove him to be what they represented, or cease to accuse him when absent. To this proposal also you would not listen, and they equally rejected it. Why then do you still give ear to them that speak evil of him? How can you endure Valens and Ursacius, although they have retracted and made a written confession of their calumnies145    Apol. Ar. 58.? For it is not true, as they pretend, that they were forced to confess; there were no soldiers at hand to influence them; your brother was not cognizant of the matter146    §29.. No, such things were not done under his government, as are done now; God forbid. But they voluntarily went up to Rome, and in the presence of the Bishop and Presbyters wrote their recantation, having previously addressed to Athanasius a friendly and peaceable letter. And if they pretend that force was employed towards them, and acknowledge that this is an evil thing, which you also disapprove of; then do you cease to use force; write no letters, send no Counts; but release those that have been banished, lest while you are complaining of violence, they do but exercise greater violence. When was any such thing done by Constans? What Bishop suffered banishment? When did he appear as arbiter of an Ecclesiastical trial? When did any Palatine of his compel men to subscribe against any one, that Valens and his fellows should be able to affirm this? Cease these proceedings, I beseech you, and remember that you are a mortal man. Be afraid of the day of judgment, and keep yourself pure thereunto. Intrude not yourself into Ecclesiastical matters, neither give commands unto us concerning them; but learn them from us. God has put into your hands the kingdom; to us He has entrusted the affairs of His Church; and as he who would steal the empire from you would resist the ordinance of God, so likewise fear on your part lest by taking upon yourself the government of the Church, you become guilty of a great offence. It is written, “Render unto Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s147    Matt. xxii. 21..” Neither therefore is it permitted unto us to exercise an earthly rule, nor have you, Sire, any authority to burn incense148    [The language of Hosius is figurative. The first mention of incense as a rite in Christian worship is in ps.-Dionys., about a.d. 500, cf. D.C.A. p. 830 sq.]. These things I write unto you out of a concern for your salvation. With regard to the subject of your letters, this is my determination; I will not unite myself to the Arians; I anathematize their heresy. Neither will I subscribe against Athanasius, whom both we and the Church of the Romans and the whole Council pronounced to be guiltless. And yourself also, when you understood this, sent for the man, and gave him permission to return with honour to his country and his Church. What reason then can there be for so great a change in your conduct? The same persons who were his enemies before, are so now also; and the things they now whisper to his prejudice (for they do not declare them openly in his presence), the same they spoke against him, before you sent for him; the same they spread abroad concerning him when they come to the Council. And when I required them to come forward, as I have before said, they were unable to produce their proofs; had they possessed any, they would not have fled so disgracefully. Who then persuaded you so long after to forget your own letters and declarations? Forbear, and be not influenced by evil men, lest while you act for the mutual advantage of yourself and them, you render yourself responsible. For here you comply with their desires, hereafter in the judgment you will have to answer for doing so alone. These men desire by your means to injure their enemy, and wish to make you the minister of their wickedness, in order that through your help they may sow the seeds149    Vid. de Decr. 2, note 6. It is remarkable, this letter having so much its own character, and being so unlike Athanasius’s writings in style, that a phrase characteristic of him should here occur in it. Did Athan. translate it from Latin? of their accursed heresy in the Church. Now it is not a prudent thing to cast one’s self into manifest danger for the pleasure of others. Cease then, I beseech you, O Constantius, and be persuaded by me. These things it becomes me to write, and you not to despise.’

45. Lapse of Hosius, due to cruel persecution.

Such were the sentiments, and such the letter, of the Abraham-like old man, Hosius, truly so called150    ὁ ἀληθῶς ῞Οσιος. κατάσκοποι, οὐ γὰρ ἐπίσκοποι, supr. §3. infr. §§48, 76 fin. and so ἀληθῶς Εὐσέβιε, Theod. Hist. i. 4. ᾽Ονήσιμον, τόν ποτέ σοι ἄχρηστον, νυνὶ δὲ εὔχρηστον, Philem. 10. De Syn. 26, note 6.. But the Emperor desisted not from his designs, nor ceased to seek an occasion against him; but continued to threaten him severely, with a view either to bring him over by force, or to banish him if he refused to comply. And as the Officers and Satraps of Babylon151    Dan. vi. 5., seeking an occasion against Daniel, found none except in the law of his God; so likewise these present Satraps of impiety were unable to invent any charge against the old man (for this true Hosius, and his blameless life were known to all), except the charge of hatred to their heresy. They therefore proceeded to accuse him; though not under the same circumstances as those others accused Daniel to Darius, for Darius was grieved to hear the charge, but as Jezebel accused Naboth, and as the Jews applied themselves to Herod. And they said, ‘He not only will not subscribe against Athanasius, but also on his account condemns us; and his hatred to the heresy is so great, that he also writes to others, that they should rather suffer death, than become traitors to the truth. For, he says, our beloved Athanasius also is persecuted for the Truth’s sake, and Liberius, Bishop of Rome, and all the rest, are treacherously assailed.’ When this patron of impiety, and Emperor of heresy152    §§9, 30, 54., Constantius, heard this, and especially that there were others also in the Spains of the same mind as Hosius, after he had tempted them also to subscribe, and was unable to compel them to do so, he sent for Hosius, and instead of banishing him, detained him a whole year in Sirmium. Godless, unholy, without natural affection, he feared not God, he regarded not his father’s affection for Hosius, he reverenced not his great age, for he was now a hundred years old153    οὔτε τὸν Θεὸν φοβηβεὶς ὁ ἄθεος, οὔτε τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν διάθεσιν αἰδεσθεὶς ὁ ἀνόσιος, οὔτε τὸ γῆρας αἰσχυνθεὶς ὁ ἄστοργος.; but all these things this modern Ahab, this second Belshazzar of our times, disregarded for the sake of impiety. He used such violence towards the old man, and confined him so straitly, that at last, broken by suffering, he was brought, though hardly, to hold communion with Valens, Ursacius, and their fellows, though he would not subscribe against Athanasius. Yet even thus he forgot not his duty, for at the approach of death, as it were by his last testament, he bore witness to the force which had been used towards him, and anathematized the Arian heresy, and gave strict charge that no one should receive it.

46. Arbitrary expulsion of so many bishops.

Who that witnessed these things, or that has merely heard of them, will not be greatly amazed, and cry aloud unto the Lord, saying, ‘Wilt Thou make a full end of Israel154    Ez. xi. 13.?’ Who that is acquainted with these proceedings, will not with good reason cry out and say, ‘A wonderful and horrible thing is done in the land;’ and, ‘The heavens are astonished at this, and the earth is even more horribly afraid155    Jer. v. 30; ii. 12..’ The fathers of the people and the teachers of the faith are taken away, and the impious are brought into the Churches? Who that saw when Liberius, Bishop of Rome, was banished, and when the great Hosius, the father156    Cf. §15. of the Bishops, suffered these things, or who that saw so many Bishops banished out of Spain and the other parts, could fail to perceive, however little sense he might possess, that the charges157    Vid. in Apol. contr. Ar. and ad Const. against Athanasius also and the rest were false, and altogether mere calumny? For this reason those others also endured all suffering, because they saw plainly that the conspiracies laid against these were founded in falsehood. For what charge was there against Liberius? or what accusation against the aged Hosius? who bore even a false witness against Paulinus, and Lucifer, and Dionysius, and Eusebius? or what sin could be lain to the account of the rest of the banished Bishops, and Presbyters, and Deacons? None whatever; God forbid. There were no charges against them on which a plot for their ruin might be formed; nor was it on the ground of any accusation that they were severally banished. It was an insurrection of impiety against godliness; it was zeal for the Arian heresy, and a prelude to the coming of Antichrist, for whom Constantius is thus preparing the way.

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Τοιαῦτα δὲ καὶ τοσαῦτα ποιήσαντες οἱ δυσσεβεῖς οὐδὲν ἐνόμιζον πεποιηκέναι, ἕως ὁ μέγας Ὅσιος ἀπείρατος ἦν αὐτῶν τῆς πονηρίας. καὶ γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τοῦ τηλικούτου γέ ροντος ἐκτεῖναι τὴν μανίαν ἑαυτῶν ἐσκέψαντο. καὶ οὔθ' ὅτι πατήρ ἐστι τῶν ἐπισκόπων ᾐσχύνθησαν, οὔθ' ὅτι γέγονεν ὁμολογητὴς ηὐλαβήθησαν, οὔτε τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, ὅτι ἑξήκοντα ἔτη καὶ πλεῖον ἔχει ἐν αὐτῇ, ᾐδέσθησαν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ἐξουθένουν καὶ πρὸς μόνην τὴν αἵρεσιν ἔβλεπον, ἄνθρωποι ἀληθῶς «μήτε τὸν θεὸν φοβούμενοι μήτε ἄνθρωπον ἐντρεπόμενοι». προσελθόντες τοίνυν Κωνσταντίῳ τοιούτοις πάλιν ἐχρήσαντο ῥήμασι· «πάντα μὲν πεποιήκαμεν καὶ ἐξωρίσαμεν τὸν Ῥωμαίων ἐπίσκοπον, ἐξωρίσαμεν δὲ καὶ πρὸ αὐτοῦ πλείστους ὅσους ἐπισκόπους, πάντα τε τόπον φόβου πεπληρώκαμεν· ἀλλ' εἰς οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἐστι τὰ τηλικαῦτά σου ἔργα οὐδὲ κατώρθωται ὁτιοῦν ἡμῖν, ἕως Ὅσιος περι λείπεται. ἐκείνου γὰρ ὄντος ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις καὶ πάντες ἐν ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐκκλησίαις εἰσίν, ἱκανός ἐστιν ἐν λόγῳ καὶ πίστει πείθειν πάντας καθ' ἡμῶν. οὗτος καὶ συνόδων καθη γεῖται καὶ γράφων ἀκούεται πανταχοῦ· οὗτος καὶ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν ἐξέθετο καὶ τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἐκήρυξεν αἱρετικοὺς εἶναι πανταχοῦ. ἂν τοίνυν οὗτος μείνῃ, περιττὸς ὁ τῶν ἑτέρων ἐξορισμὸς γέγονεν· ἡ γὰρ αἵρεσις ἡμῶν ἐκποδὼν γίγνεται. ἄρξαι τοίνυν καὶ τοῦτον διώκειν καὶ μὴ φείσῃ, κἂν ἀρχαῖος ᾖ. καὶ γὰρ ἡ αἵρεσις ἡμῶν οὐκ οἶδεν οὐδὲ γερόντων τιμᾶν πολιάν».
Ταῦτα ἀκούων οὐκ ἐμέλλησε βασιλεύς, ἀλλ' εἰδὼς τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ τὸ ἱκανὸν τοῦ γέροντος γράφει καὶ κελεύει τοῦτον ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν, ἡνίκα καὶ Λιβέριον κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπείραζεν. ἐλθόντα δὴ οὖν αὐτὸν ἠξίου καὶ προέτρεπε τὰ συνήθη λέγων, οἷς δὴ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀπατᾶν ἐνόμιζεν, ἵνα καθ' ἡμῶν μὲν γράψῃ, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἔχῃ τὴν κοινω νίαν. ὁ δὲ γέρων καὶ τὴν ἀκοὴν ἀηδῶς ἐνέγκας καὶ λυπηθείς, ὅτι κἂν ὅλως ἐφθέγξατό τι τοιοῦτον, ἐπιπλήξας καὶ πείσας αὐτὸν ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἑαυτοῦ. ἀλλὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἀποδυρομένων καὶ πάλιν παροξυνόντων (εἶχε δὲ καὶ τοὺς εὐνούχους ὑπομιμνήσκοντας καὶ μᾶλλον παροξύνοντας) γράφει λοιπὸν βασιλεὺς μετὰ ἀπειλῆς. καὶ ὑβρίζεται μὲν ὁ Ὅσιος, οὐ κινεῖται δὲ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς, ἀλλ' ἑστηκὼς τῷ φρονήματι καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν οἰκοδομήσας ἑαυτοῦ τὴν τῆς πίστεως οἰκίαν ἐπαρρησιάζετο κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως ῥανίδας καὶ πνοὰς ἀνέμων ἡγούμενος τὰς ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων ἀπειλάς. πολλάκις γοῦν γράψαντος Κωνσταντίου καὶ τὰ μὲν κολακεύοντος ὡς πατέρα, τὰ δὲ ἀπειλοῦντος καὶ τοὺς ἐξορισθέντας ὀνομάζοντος καὶ λέγοντος· «ἔτι σὺ μόνος τυγχάνεις ὁ κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως; πείσθητι καὶ γράψον κατὰ Ἀθανασίου. ὁ γὰρ κατ' ἐκείνου γράφων πάντως τὰ Ἀρειανῶν μεθ' ἡμῶν φρονήσει». οὐ κατορρωδήσας ὁ Ὅσιος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσχων ὕβρεις ἔγραψε καὶ αὐτὸς τοιαῦτα, καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἀνέγνωμεν, καὶ ἔστιν ἐν τῷ τέλει γεγραμμένη.
... Ἐγὼ μὲν ὡμολόγησα καὶ τὸ πρῶτον, ὅτε διωγμὸς γέγονεν ἐπὶ τῷ πάππῳ σου Μαξιμιανῷ. εἰ δὲ καὶ σύ με διώκεις, ἕτοιμος καὶ νῦν πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ὑπομένειν ἢ ἐκκενοῦν ἀθῶον αἵμα καὶ προδιδόναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, σὲ δὲ οὐκ ἀποδέχομαι τοιαῦτα γράφοντα καὶ ἀπειλοῦντα. παῦσαι τοῦ τοιαῦτα γράφειν καὶ μὴ φρόνει τὰ Ἀρείου, μηδὲ ἄκουε τῶν ἀνατολικῶν μηδὲ πίστευε τοῖς περὶ Οὐρσάκιον καὶ Οὐάλεντα. ἃ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι λέγουσιν, οὐ δι' Ἀθανάσιον φθέγγονται, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν αἵρεσιν. πίστευέ μοι, Κωνστάντιε, πάππος εἰμί σου καθ' ἡλικίαν. ἐγενόμην αὐτὸς ἐν τῇ κατὰ Σαρδικὴν συνόδῳ, ὅτε σύ τε καὶ ὁ μακαρίτης ἀδελφός σου Κώνστας πάντας ἡμᾶς συνήγαγε. καὶ δι' ἐμαυτοῦ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς Ἀθανασίου προσεκαλεσάμην ἐλθόντας αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἐν ᾗ ᾤκουν ἐγώ, ἵν', εἴ τι ἔχοιεν κατ' αὐτοῦ, λέγωσιν, ἐπαγγειλάμενος αὐτοῖς θαρρεῖν καὶ μὴ ἄλλο τι προσδοκᾶν ἢ ὀρθὸν τὸ κριτήριον ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἔσεσθαι. τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ἅπαξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεύτερον ἐποίησα προτρέπων, εἰ μὴ θέλοιεν ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς συνόδου, κἂν ἐπ' ἐμοῦ μόνου, ἐπαγγειλάμενος πάλιν ὅτι, ἂν μὲν ὑπεύθυνος δειχθῇ, πάντως ἀποβλη θήσεται καὶ παρ' ἡμῶν, ἂν δὲ ἀναίτιος εὑρεθῇ καὶ ἐλέγξῃ συκοφάντας ὑμᾶς, εἰ παραιτεῖσθε τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐγὼ μετ' ἐμαυτοῦ πείθω τὸν Ἀθανάσιον ἐλθεῖν εἰς τὰς Σπανίας. καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἀθανάσιος ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπείθετο καὶ οὐκ ἀντέλεγεν, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ πρὸς πάντα μὴ θαρροῦντες ἴσως ἀνένευον. ἐγένετο δὲ πάλιν ὁ Ἀθανάσιος εἰς τὸ σὸν στρατόπεδον, ἡνίκα μετεπέμψω γράψας αὐτῷ, καὶ παρόντας ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ Ἀντιοχείᾳ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς κληθῆναι πάντας ἢ ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἠξίωσεν, ἵν' ἢ ἐλέγξωσιν ἢ ἐλεγχθῶσι, καὶ ἵνα ἢ παρόντα δείξωσιν οἷον λέγουσιν ἢ ἀπόντα μὴ διαβάλλωσι. καὶ οὔτε σὺ λέγοντος ἠνέσχου, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖνοι παρῃτήσαντο. τί τοίνυν ἀκούεις ἔτι τῶν κακολογούντων αὐτόν; πῶς ἀνέχῃ Οὐάλεντος καὶ Οὐρσακίου, καίτοι μετανοησάντων αὐτῶν καὶ ἐγγράφως αὐτῶν ὁμολογησάντων τὴν συκοφαντίαν; ὡμολόγησαν γὰρ οὐ βίαν παθόντες, ὡς αὐτοὶ προφασίζονται, οὐ στρατιωτῶν ἐπικειμένων, οὐκ εἰδότος τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου (οὐκ ἐγίγνετο γὰρ παρ' αὐτῷ τοιαῦτα, οἷα νῦν γίγνεται, μὴ γένοιτο), ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ θέλοντες ἑαυτοῖς ἀνῆλθον εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην καὶ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων παρόντων ἔγραψαν. γράψαντες πρότερον καὶ Ἀθανασίῳ φιλικὴν καὶ εἰρηνικὴν ἐπιστολήν. εἰ δὲ βίαν προφασίζονται, καὶ τοῦτο γιγνώσκουσι κακόν, οὐκ ἀποδέχῃ δὲ οὐδὲ σύ. παῦσαι τοῦ βιάζεσθαι καὶ μήτε γράφε μήτε πέμπε κόμητας. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐξορισθέντας ἀπόλυσον, ἵνα μὴ βίαν αἰτιωμένου σου μείζονας βίας ἐκεῖνοι ποιῶσι. τί γὰρ τοιοῦτον γέγονε παρὰ Κώνσταντος; τίς ἐπίσκοπος ἐξωρίσθη; πότε κρίσεως ἐκκλησιαστικῆς μέσος γέγονε; ποῖος αὐτοῦ παλατῖνος ἠνάγκασε κατά τινος ὑπογράψαι, ἵνα οἱ περὶ Οὐάλεντα τοιαῦτα λέγωσι; παῦσαι, παρακαλῶ, καὶ μνήσθητι, ὅτι θνητὸς ἄνθρωπος τυγχάνεις, φοβήθητι τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς κρίσεως, φύλαξον σεαυτὸν εἰς ἐκείνην καθαρόν. μὴ τίθει σεαυτὸν εἰς τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικά, μηδὲ σὺ περὶ τούτων ἡμῖν παρακελεύου, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον παρ' ἡμῶν σὺ μάνθανε ταῦτα. σοὶ βασιλείαν ὁ θεὸς ἐνεχείρισεν, ἡμῖν τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐπίστευσε. καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ τὴν σὴν ἀρχὴν ὑποκλέπτων ἀντιλέγει τῷ διαταξαμένῳ θεῷ, οὕτω φοβήθητι, μὴ καὶ σὺ τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἕλκων ὑπεύθυνος ἐγκλήματι μεγάλῳ γένῃ. «ἀπόδοτε», γέγραπται, «τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ θεῷ». οὔτε τοίνυν ἡμῖν ἄρχειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔξεστιν οὔτε σὺ τοῦ θυμιᾶν ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις, βασιλεῦ. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν κηδόμενος τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας γράφω, περὶ δὲ ὧν ἐπέστειλας ταύτης εἰμὶ τῆς γνώμης. ἐγὼ οὔτε Ἀρειανοῖς συγκατατίθεμαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτῶν ἀναθεματίζω, οὔτε κατὰ Ἀθανασίου γράφω, ὃν ἡμεῖς τε καὶ ἡ Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησία καὶ πᾶσα ἡ σύνοδος ἐκαθάρισε. καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα καὶ σὺ συνορῶν μετεπέμψω τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ συνεχώρησας αὐτῷ μετὰ τιμῆς εἰς τὴν πατρίδα καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπανελθεῖν. τίς τοίνυν γέγονε πρόφασις τῆς τοσαύτης μεταβολῆς; οἱ αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ οἱ καὶ πρότερον ὄντες καὶ νῦν εἰσιν αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἃ νῦν ψιθυρίζουσιν (οὐ γὰρ παρόντος αὐτοῦ φθέγγονται), ταῦτα καὶ πρὶν μεταπέμψῃ τὸν Ἀθανάσιον κατελάλουν. ταῦτα καὶ ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν σύνοδον διεθρύλουν καὶ ἀπαι τούμενοι παρ' ἐμοῦ, καθὰ προεῖπον, τὰς ἀποδείξεις οὐκ ἴσχυσαν παρασχεῖν· εἰ γὰρ εἶχον, οὐκ ἂν ἔφυγον οὕτως αἰσχρῶς. τίς οὖν ἔπεισέ σε μετὰ τοσοῦτον χρόνον ἐπιλαθέσθαι τῶν σαυτοῦ γραμμάτων καὶ ῥημάτων; ἐπίσχες καὶ μὴ πείθου κακοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ἵνα μὴ διὰ τὸ πρὸς ἀλλήλους καθῆκον σαυτὸν ὑπεύθυνον ποιήσῃς. ὧδε γὰρ τούτοις καθη κεύεις ἐν δὲ τῇ κρίσει μόνος μέλλεις ἀπολογεῖσθαι. οὗτοι τὸν ἴδιον ἐχθρὸν διὰ σοῦ θέλουσιν ἀδικεῖν καὶ βούλονταί σε διάκονον τῆς ἑαυτῶν πονηρίας γενέσθαι, ἵνα διὰ σοῦ καὶ τὴν μυσαρὰν αἵρεσιν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπισπείρωσιν. οὐκ ἔστι δὲ φρόνιμον δι' ἄλλων ἡδονὴν ἑαυτὸν εἰς προῦπτον κίνδυνον ἐμβάλλειν. παῦσαι, παρακαλῶ, καὶ πείσθητί μοι, Κων στάντιε. ταῦτα γὰρ πρέπει καὶ ἐμὲ γράφειν καὶ σὲ τούτων μὴ καταφρονεῖν ...
Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Ἀβραμιαῖος γέρων, ὁ ἀληθῶς Ὅσιος ἐφρόνησέ τε καὶ ἔγραψεν, ὁ δὲ οὔτε τοῦ ἐπιβουλεύειν ἀνεχώρει οὔτε πρόφασιν κατ' αὐτοῦ ζητῶν πέπαυται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπειλῶν ἐπέμενε δεινῶς, ἵνα ἢ βιαζόμενος μεταγάγῃ ἢ μὴ πειθόμενον ἐξορίσῃ. πρόφασιν μὲν οὖν ὥσπερ οἱ τακτικοὶ καὶ σατράπαι τῆς Βαβυλῶνος ζητοῦντες «οὐχ εὕρισκον κατὰ τοῦ ∆ανιὴλ εἰ μὴ ἐν νόμοις θεοῦ αὐτοῦ», οὕτω καὶ οἱ νῦν σατράπαι τῆς ἀσεβείας οὐδὲ πλάσασθαι κατὰ τοῦ γέροντος ἄλλην ἠδυνήθησαν (πᾶσι γὰρ γνώριμος ἦν ὁ ἀληθῶς Ὅσιος καὶ ὁ τούτου βίος ἀνεπίληπτος), εἰ μὴ τὸ κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως μῖσος. διαβάλλουσι τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸν οὐκέτι ὡς ἐκεῖνον ∆αρείῳ (ἀηδῶς γὰρ ἤκουε ∆αρεῖος κατὰ τοῦ ∆ανιήλ), ἀλλ' ὡς Ἰεζάβελ κατὰ τοῦ Ναβουθαὶ καὶ ὡς οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ Ἡρώδῃλέγοντες· «οὐ μόνον οὐχ ὑπογράφει κατὰ Ἀθανασίου, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς δι' αὐτὸν κατα κρίνει καὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν οὕτω μισεῖ, ὡς καὶ ἄλλοις γράφειν θάνατον μᾶλλον ὑπομένειν ἢ προδότας γίγνεσθαι τῆς ἀληθείας. δι' αὐτὴν γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἀγαπητὸς ἡμῶν Ἀθανάσιος διώκεται καὶ Λιβέριος ὁ Ῥωμαίων ἐπίσκοπος καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες ἐπιβουλεύονται». ταῦτα ἀκούσας ὁ τῆς ἀσεβείας προστάτης καὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως βασιλεὺς Κωνστάντιος καί, ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ ἕτεροί εἰσι κατὰ τὰς Σπανίας ταυτὰ τῷ Ὁσίῳ φρονοῦντες, πειράσας κἀκείνους ὑπογράψαι καὶ μὴ δυνηθεὶς ἀναγκάσαι μεταπέμπεται τὸν Ὅσιον. καὶ ἀντὶ ἐξορισμοῦ κατέχει τοῦτον ὅλον ἐνιαυτὸν ἐν τῷ Σερμίῳ οὔτε τὸν θεὸν φοβηθεὶς ὁ ἄθεος οὔτε τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν διάθεσιν, ἣν εἶχε πρὸς τὸν Ὅσιον, αἰδεσθεὶς ὁ ἀνόσιος οὔτε τὸ γῆρας (ἑκατονταετὴς γὰρ λοιπὸν ἦν) αἰσχυνθεὶς ὁ ἄστοργος. πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα παρεῖδε διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ὁ νέος Ἀχαὰβ καὶ ἄλλος Βαλθασὰρ ἐφ' ἡμῶν γενόμενος. τοσαύτην γὰρ βίαν πεποίηκε τῷ γέροντι καὶ τοσοῦτον αὐτὸν συνέσχεν, ὡς θλιβέντα αὐτὸν μόγις κοινωνῆσαι μὲν τοῖς περὶ Οὐάλεντα καὶ Οὐρσάκιον, μὴ ὑπογράψαι δὲ κατὰ Ἀθανασίου. ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως οὐκ ἠμέλησεν ὁ γέρων, μέλλων γὰρ ἀποθνήσκειν ὥσπερ διατιθέμενος ἐμαρτύρατο τὴν βίαν καὶ τὴν ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν ἀνεθεμάτιζε καὶ παρήγγελλε μηδένα ταυτὴν ἀποδέχεσθαι.
Τίς ταῦτα βλέπων ἢ καὶ μόνον ἀκούων οὐκ ἐξίσταται καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ καταβοήσει πρὸς κύριον λέγων· «μὴ ἆρα εἰς ἐξάλειψιν σὺ ποιήσῃς τὸν Ἰσραήλ; » τίς ταῦτα κατα νοῶν οὐκ εὐκαίρως καὶ αὐτὸς ἀναβοήσει λέγων· «ἔκστασις καὶ φρικτὰ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς» καὶ «ἐξέστη ὁ οὐρανὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἔφριξε σφόδρα»; οἱ πατέρες τῶν λαῶν καὶ διδάσκαλοι τῆς πίστεως αἴρονται καὶ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς εἰς τὰς ἐκκλησίας εἰσάγονται. τίς, ὅτε Λιβέριος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος Ῥώμης ἐξωρίσθη καὶ ὁ πατὴρ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ὁ μέγας Ὅσιος, [οὕτω πάσχοντα ἢ τίς] ὁρῶν τοσούτους ἐπισκόπους ἀπὸ τῆς Σπανίας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων μερῶν ἐξοριζομένους οὐκ ἐπέγνω, κἂν ὀλίγην αἴσθησιν ἔχῃ, ὅτι καὶ τὰ κατὰ Ἀθανάσιον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους προφάσεις εἰσὶ ψευδεῖς καὶ πάντα συκοφαντίας μεστά· τούτου γὰρ χάριν κἀκεῖνοι πάντα παθεῖν ὑπέμειναν συνορῶντες τὴν γενομένην ἐκ συκο φαντίας ἐκείνων ἐπιβουλήν. ἐπεὶ ποῖον ἔγκλημα καὶ Λιβερίῳ; ἢ ποία κατηγορία κατὰ τοῦ γέροντος Ὁσίου; τίς κἂν ἐψεύσατο κατὰ Παυλίνου καὶ Λουκιφέρου καὶ ∆ιονυσίου καὶ Εὐσεβίου; ἢ ποῖον ἁμάρτημα κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐξορισθέντων ἐπισκόπων καὶ πρεσ βυτέρων καὶ διακόνων; οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο, μὴ γένοιτο, οὐ γὰρ δι' ἐγκλήματα γεγόνασιν αἱ συσκευαὶ οὐδὲ διὰ κατηγορίαν ἕκαστος ἐξωρίσθη, ἀλλ' ἐπανάστασίς ἐστι τῆς ἀσεβείας κατὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας, καὶ σπουδὴ μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως, προοίμια δὲ τῆς τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου παρόδου Κωνσταντίου ταύτην προκατασκευάζοντος ἐκείνῳ.