XIII.  It is thus then and for these reasons that I, who am small and of a country without repute, have come upon you, and that not of my own accord, nor self-sent, like many of those who now seize upon the chief places; but because I was invited, and compelled, and have followed the scruples of my conscience and the Call of the Spirit.  If it be otherwise, may I continue to fight here to no purpose, and deliver no one from his error, but may they obtain their desire who seek the barrenness of my soul, if I lie.  But since I am come, and perchance with no contemptible power (if I may boast myself a little of my folly), which of those who are insatiable have I copied, what have I emulated of opportunism, although I have such examples, even apart from which it is hard and rare not to be bad?  Concerning what churches or property have I disputed with you; though you have more than enough of both, and the others too little?  What imperial edict have we rejected and emulated?  What rulers have we fawned upon against you?  Whose boldness have we denounced?  And what has been done on the other side against me?  “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge,” even then I said, for I remembered in season the words of Stephen,22    Acts vii. 59. and so I pray now.  Being reviled, we bless:  being blasphemed we retreat.23    1 Cor. iv. 12.

ΙΓ. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν καὶ διὰ ταῦτα, ἐπέστην ὑμῖν ὁ μικρὸς ἐγὼ καὶ κακόπατρις, καὶ τοῦτο, οὐχ ἑκὼν, οὐδ' αὐτεπάγγελτος, κατὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς τῶν νῦν ἐπιπηδώντων ταῖς προστασίαις, ἀλλὰ κληθεὶς, καὶ βιασθεὶς, καὶ κατακολουθήσας φόβῳ καὶ Πνεύματι. Ἢ μακρότερα πολεμηθείην ἐνταῦθα διακενῆς, καὶ μηδένα τῆς πλάνης ἐλευθερώσαιμι, ἀλλ' οἱ ἀτεχνίαν τῆς ἐμῆς κατευχόμενοι ψυχῆς ἐπιτύχοιεν, εἰ ψευδὴς ὁ λόγος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἦλθον, καὶ ἴσως οὐ μετὰ φαύλης τῆς ἐξουσίας (ἵνα μικρόν τι καυχήσωμαι τῶν τῆς ἀφροσύνης), τίνα τῶν ἀπλήστων ἐμιμησάμην; τί τοῦ καιροῦ παρεζήλωσα, καίτοιγε τοιαῦτα ἔχων τὰ ὑποδείγματα, ὧν καὶ δίχα, μὴ κακὸν εἶναι τῶν χαλεπῶν καὶ σπανίων; Τίνων Ἐκκλητιῶν ὑμῖν ἠμφισβητήσαμεν; Ποίων χρημάτων, καίτοιγε τοῖς ἀμφότερα πλουτοῦσιν ὑπὲρ τὴν χρείαν, οἱ δὲ ἐνδεεῖς ἀμφότερα; Ποῖον βασιλικὸν δόγμα διαπτυσθὲν ἐζηλοτυπήσαμεν; Τίνας ἀρχόντων ἐθεραπεύσαμεν καθ' ὑμῶν; Τίνων θρασύτητα κατεμηνύσαμεν; Τὰ δὲ εἰς ἐμὲ, τίνα; Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ταύτην, καὶ τότε εἶπον (ἐμνήσθην γὰρ ἐν καιρῷ τῶν Στεφάνου ῥημάτων), καὶ νῦν προσεύχομαι. Λοιδορούμενοι εὐλογοῦμεν: διωκόμενοι ἀνεχόμεθα: βλασφημούμενοι παρακαλοῦμεν.