▾
Athanasius of Alexandria, Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.)
⎗←→⎘
▾
Apology to the Emperor. (Apologia Ad Constantium.)
2. The first charge, of setting Constans against Constantius.
3. He never saw Constans alone.
4. The movements of Athanasius refute this charge.
5. No possible time or place for the alleged offence.
6. The second charge, of corresponding with Magnentius.
7. This charge utterly incredible and absurd.
9. Athanasius could not write to one who did not even know him.
10. His loyalty towards Constantius and his brother.
11. Challenge to the accusers as to the alleged letter.
12. Truth the defence of Thrones.
13. This charge rests on forgery.
14. The third charge, of using an undedicated Church.
15. Want of room the cause, precedent the justification.
16. Better to pray together than separately.
17. Better to pray in a building than in the desert.
18. Prayers first do not interfere with dedication afterwards.
19. Fourth charge, of having disobeyed an Imperial order.
20. History of his disobeying it.
22. Arrivals of Diogenes and of Syrianus.
23. A copy of the letter as follows:
24. Why Athanasius did not obey the Imperial Order.
25. The irruption of Syrianus.
26. How Athanasius acted when this took place.
28. The news of the intrusion of George.
29. Athanasius has heard of his own proscription.
30. A copy of the letter of Constantius against Athanasius.
31. Letter of Constantius to the Ethiopians against Frumentius.
33. Conduct of the Arians towards the consecrated Virgins.
8. Disproof of It.
With such a man the slanderer thought that I had been on terms of friendship, or rather he did not think so, but like an enemy invented an incredible fiction: for he knows full well that he has lied. I would that, whoever he is, he were present here, that I might put the question to him on the word of Truth itself (for whatever we speak as in the presence of God, we Christians consider as an oath31 Vid. Chrys. in Eph. Nicene Lib., Series I. vol. xiii. p. 58.); I say, that I might ask him this question, which of us rejoiced most in the well-being of the departed Constans? who prayed for him most earnestly? The facts of the foregoing charge prove this; indeed it is plain to every one how the case stands. But although he himself knows full well, that no one who was so disposed towards the departed Constans, and who truly loved him, could be a friend to his enemy, I fear that being possessed with other feelings towards him than I was, he has falsely attributed to me those sentiments of hatred which were entertained by himself.
8 Τοιούτῳ με φίλον ὁ διαβαλὼν ἐνόμισε γεγενῆσθαι· ἢ τάχα οὐδὲ νενόμικεν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐχθρὸς ἀπιθάνως ἐπλάσατο· οἶδε γὰρ ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι κατεψεύσατο. Ἐβουλόμην δὲ αὐτόν, ὅστις ἐστίν, ἐνταῦθα παρεῖναι, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας ἐρωτῆσαι (ἃ γὰρ ὡς Θεοῦ παρόντος λαλοῦμεν, τοῦτον ὅρκον ἔχομεν ἡμεῖς οἱ Χριστιανοί) πότερος ἡμῶν ἔχαιρε, τοῦ μακαρίτου Κώνσταντος ζῶντος, καὶ τίς μᾶλλον ηὔχετο· καὶ ἡ πρώτη διαβολὴ δείκνυσι, καὶ παντὶ τοῦτο δῆλόν ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς οἶδεν ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι τῶν οὕτω διακειμένων, καὶ εἴ τις ἠγάπα τὸν μακαρίτην Κώνσταντα, οὐκ ἐγίγνετο φίλος τῷ κατ' ἐκείνου γενομένῳ· εἰ δὲ ἄλλως διέκειτο ἢ ὡς ἡμεῖς, φοβοῦμαι μὴ ἅπερ ὁ μισῶν ἐκεῖνον ἐντεθύμηται, ταῦτα κατεψεύσατο κατ' ἐμοῦ.