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of communion. But I become Jonah the prophet. I give myself for the salvation of the ship, although I am innocent of the storm. Take me up and cast me forth by the lot's decision. A whale will hospitably receive me from the deep. From this point begin to be of one mind; proceed to all things in order. Let this place be called a place of broadness. Thus my reputation is glorious. If you stand by me, this is dishonor. I make it a law not to fight over thrones. If you think thus, nothing will be difficult. I was not enthroned gladly, and now I depart willingly; my body's condition also persuades me. I owe one death; God has it. But, O my Trinity, for you alone I am concerned; what eloquent advocate will you have, if indeed a free one and full of zeal? Farewell and remember my labors.” These things I said. And they were lamenting; but I went out, between joy and a certain dejection; joy at finding some respite from my labors, grief that the people did not know where they would end up. For who is not torn apart when orphaned of his children? Thus it was for me; but they and God know, if there was not something more clandestine in between; the shipwreck and the hidden rocks, the ambushes of the deep. Others say these things, but I will be silent. For I have no leisure to understand intricate evils, I who practice simplicity of heart, from which comes salvation, which is my only concern. Yet this I know: more than is right, I am suddenly honored by an easy consent. Such things my country bestows on its friends. So much for these things. But what about the things of power? Did I bow? Did I yield? Did I grasp his right hand? Did I offer some words of supplication? Did I put forward other envoys from my friends, especially those dearest to me among the magistrates, and did I pour out gold, that great potentate, desiring so much not to fall from my throne? Let these things be for others who are too crafty. But I, just as I was, ran to the purple robe, with many present and observing these things, "I too," I said, "O Emperor, ask a favor of your magnanimous and all-powerful authority. I do not ask you for gold, nor for multi-colored marbles, nor coverings for the mystic table, nor to receive some high office on account of my family, nor to stand near you, O best of men. These things are for others, by whom small things are sought. But I deem myself worthy of even greater things. Let one thing be given to me: to yield a little to envy. I long for thrones, yes, but to revere them from afar. I am weary of all, even friends, being hated for my inability to look to anything but God. Demand of these men their cherished concord; let them throw down their arms, but for your sake, if not for fear of God and of punishment. Set up a trophy for this bloodless battle, you who have stopped the unyielding boldness of the barbarians. And demand this of me (pointing at the same time to my gray hair and the sweat that we poured out for God) to endure my suffering for the sake of order. You know how they established me on the throne even against my will." The emperor applauded these words in their midst, and others applauded, and I receive the favor, with difficulty, as they say, but I receive it nonetheless. What is my second concern in this misfortune? To persuade all to bear these things with good grace and not to devise anything unruly at all out of affection for me and anger at wickedness. I cherished, I praised, I applauded with the wicked the pulpit, those from outside, the rams of the flock, both the old and the new converts, who could not bear the desolation of their father, and of the bishops who were too much distressed. For many, when they perceived the plan, fled away as if from thunderbolts, stopping their ears and wringing their hands, that they might never see this sight: another man exalted upon my throne.

The end of the speech; I am present, a living corpse. Defeated—O wonder!—crowned with victory, having God and god-inspired friends instead of thrones and empty pride. Be insolent, rejoice, tremble, O wise ones; make my misfortunes a song in your assemblies and drinking parties and courts. Crow like a victorious rooster, beating your sides with your elbows, standing tall, holding your heads high in the midst of the foolish. With one man willing, you all have conquered. "If indeed willing"—of envy—you deprive me of this too, boasting as if I were cast out; but if unwilling, be ashamed of your evil deeds, you who yesterday were enthroners and today are persecutors of one who has escaped these things. I will stand with

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κοινωνίας. ἐγὼ δ' Ἰωνᾶς ὁ προφήτης γίνομαι. δίδωμ' ἐμαυτὸν τῆς νεὼς σωτηρίαν καίπερ κλύδωνος τυγχάνων ἀναίτιος. ἄραντες ἡμᾶς ῥίψατε κλήρου φορᾷ. κῆτός με δέξετ' ἐκ βυθοῦ φιλόξενον. ἐντεῦθεν ἄρξασθ' ὁμονοεῖν· ὁδεύετε πρὸς πάντ' ἐφεξῆς. οὗτος εὐρυχωρίας τόπος καλείσθω. τοὐμὸν οὕτως εὐκλεές. ἂν μέχρις ἡμῶν στῆτε, τοῦτ' ἀτιμία. νόμον τίθημι μὴ θρόνων ὑπερμαχεῖν. ἂν οὕτω φρονῆτ', οὐδὲν ἔσται δυσχερές. οὔτ' ἐθρονίσθην ἄσμενος, καὶ νῦν ἑκών ἄπειμι· πείθει καὶ τὸ σῶμ' οὕτως ἔχον. μίαν χρεωστῶ νεκρότητ'· ἔχει θεός. ἀλλ', ὦ τριάς μου, σοῦ προκήδομαι μόνης· γλῶσσαν τίν' ἕξεις εὐμαθῆ συνήγορον, εἰ δ' οὖν ἐλευθέραν τε καὶ ζήλου πλέων; ἔρρωσθε καὶ μέμνησθε τῶν ἐμῶν πόνων.» Ταῦτ' εἶπον. οἱ δ' ὤκλαζον· ἐξῄειν δ' ἐγώ μέσος χαρᾶς τε καί τινος κατηφείας· χαρᾶς τῷ παῦλαν τῶν πόνων λαβεῖν τινα, λύπης τῷ λαὸν ἀγνοεῖν, οἷ κείσεται. τίς δ' οὐ σπαράσσετ' ὀρφανούμενος τέκνων; ἐγὼ μὲν οὕτως· οἱ δ' ἴσασι καὶ θεός, εἰ μή τι πλεῖον τοὐμμέσῳ τὸ λάθριον· νεῶν ὄλεθρος καὶ σπιλάδες, λόχοι βάθους. ἄλλοι λέγουσι ταῦτα, σιγήσω δ' ἐγώ. οὐ γὰρ σχολή μοι πλεκτὰ γινώσκειν κακά τὴν ἁπλότητα καρδίας ἀσκουμένῳ, ἐξ ἧς τὸ σῴζεσθ', οὗ μόνου πᾶς μοι λόγος. ὅμως τόδ' οἶδα· πλεῖον, ἢ καλῶς ἔχει, ἄφνω τετίμημ' εὐκόλῳ συναινέσει. τοιαῦτα πατρὶς τοῖς φίλοις χαρίζεται. Οὕτως ἔχοντα ταῦτα. πῶς δὲ τὰ κράτους; ἔκυψ'; ἐκλίνθην; ἡψάμην τῆς δεξιᾶς; ἱκετηρίους προσήγαγόν τινας λόγους; ἄλλους δὲ πρέσβεις ἐκ φίλων προυστησάμην, τῶν ἐν τέλει μάλιστα τούς μοι φιλτέρους, χρυσὸν δ' ἔρευσα, τὸν δυνάστην τὸν μέγαν, χρῄζων τοσούτου μὴ πεσεῖν ἔξω θρόνου; ἄλλων τάδ' ἔστω τῶν λίαν πολυστρόφων. ἐγὼ δ', ὡς εἶχον, προσδραμὼν ἁλουργίδι, πολλῶν παρόντων καὶ τάδε σκοπουμένων, «κἀγώ τιν'», εἶπον, «ὦ βασιλεῦ, αἰτῶ χάριν τὴν σὴν μεγαλόδωρον τὰ πάντ' ἐξουσίαν. οὐ χρυσὸν αἰτῶ σ', οὐ πλάκας πολυχρόους οὐδὲ τραπέζης μυστικῆς σκεπάσματα, οὐ πρὸς γένους τιν' ὕψος ἀρχικὸν λαβεῖν ἢ σοί γ', ἄριστε, πλησίον παραστατεῖν. ταῦτ' ἐστὶν ἄλλων, οἷς μικρὰ σπουδάζεται. ἐγὼ δ' ἐμαυτὸν ἀξιῶ καὶ μειζόνων. ἕν μοι δοθήτω· μικρὸν εἶξαι τῷ φθόνῳ. θρόνους ποθῶ μέν, ἀλλὰ πόρρωθεν σέβειν. κέκμηκα πᾶσι, καὶ φίλοις, μισούμενος τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι πρός τι πλὴν θεοῦ βλέπειν. τούτους ἀπαίτει τὴν φίλην συμφωνίαν· τὰ ὅπλα ῥιψάτωσαν, ἀλλὰ σὴν χάριν, εἰ μὴ φόβῳ θεοῦ τε καὶ τιμωρίας. στῆσον τρόπαιον τῆς ἀναιμάκτου μάχης, ὃς βαρβάρων ἔστησας ἄτρεπτον θράσος. ταύτην δ' ἀπαίτει (τὴν πολιὰν δεικνὺς ἅμα καὶ τοὺς ἱδρῶτας, οὓς ἐρεύσαμεν θεῷ) τὸ καρτερεῖν πάσχουσαν εἰς κόσμου χάριν. οἶσθ', ὡς ἄκοντα καὶ θρόνῳ μ' ἐνίδρυσαν.» Ταῦτ' ἐκρότει μὲν ἐν μέσοις αὐτοκράτωρ, κροτοῦσι δ' ἄλλοι, λαμβάνω τε τὴν χάριν, μόγις μέν, ὡς λέγουσι, λαμβάνω δ' ὅμως. Τί δεύτερόν μοι τῷ κακῷ φροντίζεται; πείθειν ἅπαντας πρὸς τάδ' εὐφόρως ἔχειν μηδ' ἐκτράχηλον μηδὲν ἐννοεῖν ὅλως φίλτρῳ τε τὠμῷ καὶ χόλῳ μοχθηρίας. ἔθαλπον, ᾔνουν, τοῖς κακοῖς συνεκρότουν τὸ βῆμα, τοὺς ἔξωθε, τοὺς ποίμνης κτίλους, ὅσον παλαιὸν καὶ ὅσον προσήλυτον, τοῦ πατρὸς οὐ φέροντας τὴν ἐρημίαν, ἐπισκόπων τε τοὺς λίαν πεπληγότας. πολλοὶ γὰρ ὡς ᾔσθοντο τοῦ βουλεύματος, φεύγοντες ᾤχονθ' ὡς κεραυνίους βολάς, βύσαντες ὦτα καὶ κροτήσαντες χέρας, ὡς τήν γε ὄψιν μήποτ' εἰσιδεῖν τόδε, ἄλλον τιν' ὑψωθέντα τοῖς ἐμοῖς θρόνοις.

Πέρας λόγου· πάρειμι νεκρὸς ἔμπνοος. ἡττημένος-τοῦ θαύματος- στεφηφόρος, ἔχων θεόν τε καὶ φίλους τοὺς ἐνθέους ἀντὶ θρόνων τε καὶ κενοῦ φρυάγματος. ὑβρίζετ', εὐθυμεῖτε, πάλλεσθ', ὦ σοφοί· ᾠδὴν τίθεσθε τὰς ἐμὰς δυσπραξίας ἐν συλλόγοις τε καὶ πότοις καὶ βήμασιν. κοκκύζετ' ἀλεκτόρειον ὡς νικηφόροι ἀγκῶσι πλευρὰς περικροτοῦντες, ὄρθιοι, ὑψαυχενοῦντες ἐν μέσοις τοῖς ἄφροσιν. ἑνὸς θέλοντος πάντες ἐκρατήσατε. «εἰ μὲν θέλοντος»-τοῦ φθόνου-καὶ τοῦδέ με στερεῖτε κομπάζοντες ὡς ἀπωσμένου· εἰ δ' οὐ θέλοντος, ἐντρέπεσθε τοῖς κακοῖς, χθὲς ἐνθρονισταὶ καὶ διῶκται σήμερον ταῦτ' ἐκφυγόντα. στήσομαι σὺν