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.
11. Challenge to the accusers as to the alleged letter.
Now I have already called upon God, and His Word, the Only-begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ, to witness for me, that I have never written to that man, nor received letters from him. And as to my accuser, give me leave to ask him a few short questions concerning this charge also. How did he come to the knowledge of this matter? Will he say that he has got copies of the letter? for this is what the Arians laboured to prove. Now in the first place, even if he can shew writing resembling mine, the thing is not yet certain; for there are forgers, who have often imitated the hand37 Apol. Ar. 45. even of you who are Emperors. And the resemblance will not prove the genuineness of the letter, unless my customary amanuensis shall testify in its favour. I would then again ask my accusers, Who provided you with these copies? and whence were they obtained? I had my writers38 Vid. Rom. xvi. 22. Lucian is spoken of as the amanuensis of the Confessors who wrote to S. Cyprian, Ep. 16. Ed. Ben. Jader perhaps of Ep. 80. [Epp. 23, 79, Hartel.] S. Jerome was either secretary or amanuensis to Pope Damasus, vid. Ep. ad Ageruch. (123. n. 10. Ed. Vallars.) vid. Lami de Erud. 24, Ap. p. 258., and he his servants, who received his letters from the bearers, and gave them into his hand. My assistants are forthcoming; vouchsafe to summon the others (for they are most probably still living), and enquire concerning these letters. Search into the matter, as though Truth were the partner of your throne. She is the defence of Kings, and especially of Christian Kings; with her you will reign most securely, for holy Scripture says, ‘Mercy and truth preserve the king, and they will encircle his throne in righteousness39 Prov. xx. 28..’ And the wise Zorobabel gained a victory over the others by setting forth the power of Truth, and all the people cried out, ‘Great is the truth, and mighty above all things40 1 Esdr. iv. 41..’
11 Ὅτι μὲν οὖν μήτε ἔγραψά ποτε ἐκείνῳ, μήτε ἐδεξάμην ποτὲ παρ' αὐτοῦ, μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν καὶ τὸν τούτου Λόγον τὸν μονογενῆ αὐτοῦ Υἱὸν τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν ἐπεκαλεσάμην· τὸν δὲ κατειπόντα, καὶ περὶ τούτου συγχώρησον ἐρωτηθῆναι δι' ὀλίγων, πόθεν εἰς τοῦτο παρῆλθεν; Ἐπιστολῆς ἀντίγραφα φήσειεν ἔχειν; τοῦτο γὰρ ἀπέκαμον οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ θρυλοῦντες. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν κἂν τὰ γράμματα τοῖς ἡμετέροις ὅμοια δεικνύῃ, οὔπω τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἔχει· πλαστογράφοι γὰρ εἰσὶν οἵτινες καὶ τὰς ὑμῶν τῶν βασιλέων χεῖρας πολλάκις ἐμιμήσαντο· καὶ οὐχ ἡ μίμησις παρέχει τοῖς γράμμασι τὸ κῦρος, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα γράφειν εἰωθότες μαρτυρῶσι ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς. Τοῦτο τοίνυν καὶ τοὺς διαβαλόντας πάλιν ἐρωτῆσαι βούλομαι, τίς ὁ παρασχὼν ταῦτά ποτε, καὶ πόθεν εὑρέθη ταῦτα· καὶ γὰρ κἀγὼ τοὺς γράφοντας εἶχον, κἀκεῖνος πάλιν τοὺς λαμβάνοντας παρὰ τῶν κομιζόντων καὶ ἐπιδιδόντας αὐτῷ. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἡμέτεροι πάρεισι· καταξίωσον δὲ κἀκείνους καλέσαι· ζῇν γὰρ πάντως ἔξεστιν αὐτούς· καὶ μάθε περὶ τούτων τῶν γραμμάτων, ἐξέτασον ὡς ἀληθείας σοι συμπαρούσης. αὕτη γὰρ βασιλέων, καὶ μάλιστα χριστιανῶν, ἐστὶ φυλακτήριον· μετὰ ταύτης βασιλεύειν ὑμᾶς ἐστιν ἀσφαλὲς λεγούσης τῆς θείας Γραφῆς· «Ἐλεημοσύνη καὶ ἀλήθεια φυλακὴ βασιλεῖ, καὶ περικυκλώσει ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ». Ταύτην προβαλὼν Ζοροβάβελ ὁ σοφὸς νενίκηκε· καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἐφώνησε· «Μεγάλη ἡ ἀλήθεια καὶ ὑπερισχύει».