12. Truth the defence of Thrones.

Had I been accused before any other, I should have appealed to your Piety; as once the Apostle appealed unto Cæsar, and put an end to the designs of his enemies against him. But since they have had the boldness to lay their charge before you, to whom shall I appeal from you? to the Father of Him who says, ‘I am the Truth41    John xiv. 6.,’ that He may incline your heart into clemency:—

O Lord Almighty, and King of eternity, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who by Thy Word hast given this Kingdom to Thy servant Constantius; do Thou shine into his heart, that he, knowing the falsehood that is set against me, may both favourably receive this my defence; and may make known unto all men, that his ears are firmly set to hearken unto the Truth, according as it is written, ‘Righteous lips alone are acceptable unto the King42    Prov. xvi. 13, xxv. 5..’ For Thou hast caused it to be said by Solomon, that thus the throne of the kingdom shall be established.

Wherefore at least enquire into this matter, and let the accusers understand that your desire is to learn the truth; and see, whether they will not shew their falsehood by their very looks; for the countenance is a test of the conscience as it is written, ‘A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken43    Prov. xv. 13..’ Thus they who had conspired against Joseph44    Gen. xlii. 21; xxxi. 2. were convicted by their own consciences; and the craft of Laban towards Jacob was shewn in his countenance45    Vid. Vit. Ant. §67.. And thus you see the suspicious alarm of these persons, for they fly and hide themselves; but on our part frankness in making our defence. And the question between us is not one regarding worldly wealth, but concerning the honour of the Church. He that has been struck by a stone, applies to a physician; but sharper than a stone are the strokes of calumny; for as Solomon has said, ‘A false witness is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow46    Prov. xxv. 18.,’ and its wounds Truth alone is able to cure; and if Truth be set at nought, they grow worse and worse.

12 Εἰ μὲν οὖν παρ' ἄλλοις ἤμην διαβληθείς, τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐπεκαλούμην ὡς ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐπεκαλέσατο τότε τὸν Καίσαρα καὶ πέπαυται τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἡ κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐπιβουλή· ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρὰ σοὶ τετολμήκασι κατειπεῖν, τίνα ἀπὸ σοῦ ἐπικαλέσομαι; –τὸν Πατέρα τοῦ λέγοντος, «Ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια», ἵνα σου τὴν καρδίαν εἰς εὐμένειαν κλίνῃ. ∆έσποτα παντοκράτορ, βασιλεῦ τῶν αἰώνων, ὁ Πατὴρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, σὺ διὰ τοῦ σοῦ Λόγου τὴν βασιλείαν ταύτην τῷ σῷ θεράποντι Κωνσταντίῳ δέδωκας· σὺ λάμψον εἰς τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ, ἵνα, γνοὺς τὴν καθ' ἡμῶν συκοφαντίαν, εὐμενῶς μὲν αὐτὸς δέξηται τὴν ἀπολογίαν, πάντας δὲ ποιήσῃ γνῶναι ὅτι αἱ ἀκοαὶ αὐτοῦ ἠσφαλίσθησαν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· «Μόνα βασιλεῖ δεκτὰ χείλη δίκαιά ἐστιν». Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ κατορθοῦσθαι τὸν θρόνον τῆς βασιλείας διὰ Σολομῶντος λεχθῆναι πεποίηκας. Οὐκοῦν ὅλως ἐρώτησον, μαθέτωσαν οἱ κατειρηκότες ὅτι σοι μέλει περὶ τῆς ἀληθείας μαθεῖν. Καὶ εἰ μὴ τῷ χρώματι τοῦ προσώπου δείξουσι τὴν συκοφαντίαν· τοῦτο γὰρ τοῦ συνειδότος ἔλεγχός ἐστι, καὶ γέγραπται· «Καρδίας εὐφραινομένης πρόσωπον θάλλει· ἐν δὲ λύπαις οὔσης σκυθρωπάζει». Οὕτω τοὺς μὲν ἐπιβουλεύσαντας τῷ Ἰωσὴφ ἡ συνείδησις ἤλεγξε· τοῦ δὲ Λάβαν ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ πονηρία ἐκ τοῦ προσώπου δέδεικται. Ὁρᾷς γοῦν ἐκείνων μὲν τὴν ὑποψίαν, φευγόντων καὶ κρυπτομένων, ἡμῶν δὲ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀπολογουμένων. Οὐ γὰρ περὶ κτημάτων νῦν ἡ κρίσις, ἀλλὰ περὶ δόξης τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ὁ λίθῳ κρουόμενος ζητεῖ τὸν ἰατρόν· τῶν δὲ λίθων ὀξύτερα τὰ ἐκ τῆς διαβολῆς ἐστι πλήγματα· «Ῥόπαλόν ἐστιν ἡ διαβολή, καὶ μάχαιρα, καὶ τόξευμα ἀκιδωτὸν», ὡς εἶπε Σολομών· καὶ ταῦτα μόνη ἡ ἀλήθεια ἰᾶσθαι δύναται· ταύτης δὲ παρορωμένης, αὐξάνει δεινότερον τὰ τραύματα.