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was driven on by irrationality, so that for them things were not only grievous during life, but also the fear of punishments under the earth was expected to be more terrible. 2.28.1 When, then, such and so grievous an impiety held human affairs, and the commonwealth was in danger of being utterly destroyed as if by some pestilential disease and was in need of much saving therapy, what relief does the divinity devise, what deliverance from these terrors? But that must by all means be understood as divine, which alone and truly is, and has enduring power through all time. And it is in no way a boast to speak solemnly when acknowledging the beneficence from the 2.28.2 Superior One. He sought and judged my service suitable for His will, who, beginning from that sea by the Britains and the regions where the sun is appointed to set by some superior necessity, repulsed and scattered all the terrible things that held sway, so that at the same time the human race, instructed by my ministry, might be recalled to the worship of the most holy law, and at the same time the blessed faith might increase under the guidance 2.29.1 of the Superior One (for I would never be ungrateful for the grace that is owed, believing this to be the best of services, this a gift pleasing to myself), I advance as far as the eastern regions, which, being held by more grievous calamities, called for even greater healing from us. And I have securely believed that in every way my whole soul and all that I breathe and whatever revolves in the innermost part of my mind is owed entirely by us to the greatest God. 2.29.2 I know accurately, then, that those who have rightly pursued the heavenly hope and have established this choice and secure hope in the divine regions would need nothing of human good-will, enjoying honors so much the greater, by as much as they have separated themselves from earthly failings 2.29.3 and terrors. Nevertheless, I think it is fitting for us to remove as far as possible the temporary constraints brought upon them and the unseemly torments from those who are in no way at fault or liable; or it would be most strange, if under those who were eager to persecute these men for their worship of the divine, the patient and steadfast character of their soul were sufficiently recognized, but under the servant of God their glory were not raised to a more brilliant and blessed condition. 2.30.1 All, therefore, whether any exchanged their native land for another home because they did not neglect their faith toward the divine, to which they consecrated themselves with their whole souls, having been subjected to the harsh sentences of judges, at whatever time each of them chanced to be, or whether any were enrolled in the lists of the curiales, not previously completing this number, let them, having been restored to their ancestral lands and with their customary leisure, offer thanksgivings to the God who is the liberator of all; 2.30.2 or whether any were deprived of their property and, dismayed by the loss of all their existing substance, have led a most dejected life until now, let them, having been restored to their ancient homes and families and fortunes, joyfully enjoy the beneficence of the Superior One. 2.31.1 Moreover, as for all those whom islands hold against their will, we command them to enjoy this providence, so that, having been enclosed by the rough terrain of mountains and the sea flowing all around, being freed from the gloomy and inhuman solitude, they may restore themselves to their dearest ones, 2.31.2 having fulfilled their wished-for desire; let those who for a long time led a miserable life in some repulsive filth, making their return as if it were some prize, be freed from their cares for the future. For to live in fear under us, who boast and believe we are servants of God, would be one of the strangest things even to hear of, let alone to believe; we who are by nature suited to correct the sins of others. 2.32.1 And further, all those who have been condemned either to labor in oppressive mines or to perform services at the public works, having exchanged their constant toils for sweet leisure, more lightly and now with freedom

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ὑπ' ἀλογίας προήχθη, ὥστ' αὐτοῖς μὴ παρὰ τὴν ζωὴν εἶναι βαρέα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ὑπὸ γῆς κολαστηρίων χαλεπώτερον προσδοκᾶσθαι τὸν φόβον. 2.28.1 Τοιαύτης δὴ καὶ οὕτω βαρείας δυσσεβείας τὰ ἀνθρώπεια κατεχούσης, καὶ τῶν κοινῶν οἷον ὑπὸ νόσου λοιμώδους τινὸς ἄρδην διαφθαρῆναι κινδυνευόντων καὶ θεραπείας σωτηρίου πολλῆς χρῃζόντων, τίνα τὸ θεῖον ἐπινοεῖ κουφισμόν, τίνα τῶν δεινῶν ἀπαλλαγήν; ἐκεῖνο δὲ πάντως νοητέον θεῖον, ὃ μόνον τε καὶ ὡς ὄντως ἔστι καὶ διαρκῆ κατὰ παντὸς ἔχει τοῦ χρόνου τὴν δύναμιν. πάντως δὲ οὐ κόμπος τὸ τὴν παρὰ τοῦ 2.28.2 κρείττονος εὐποιίαν ὁμολογοῦντα σεμνολογεῖσθαι. τὴν ἐμὴν ὑπηρεσίαν πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βούλησιν ἐπιτηδείαν ἐζήτησέν τε καὶ ἔκρινεν, ὃς ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς Βρεττανοῖς ἐκείνης θαλάσσης ἀρξάμενος καὶ τῶν μερῶν, ἔνθα δύεσθαι τὸν ἥλιον ἀνάγκῃ τινὶ τέτακται κρείττονι, ἀπωθούμενος καὶ διασκεδαννὺς τὰ κατέχοντα πάντα δεινά, ἵν' ἅμα μὲν ἀνακαλοῖτο τὸ ἀνθρώπειον γένος τὴν περὶ τὸν σεμνότατον νόμον θεραπείαν τῇ παρ' ἐμοῦ παιδευόμενον ὑπουργίᾳ, ἅμα δὲ ἡ μακαριστὴ πίστις αὔξοιτο ὑπὸ χειρα2.29.1 γωγῷ τῷ κρείττονι (οὐδέποτε γὰρ ἂν ἀγνώμων περὶ τὴν ὀφειλομένην γενοίμην χάριν, ταύτην ἀρίστην διακονίαν, τοῦτο κεχαρισμένον ἐμαυτῷ δῶρον πιστεύσας), μέχρι καὶ τῶν ἑῴων πρόειμι χωρίων, ἃ βαρυτέραις κατεχόμενα συμφοραῖς μείζονα καὶ τὴν παρ' ἡμῶν θεραπείαν ἐπεβοᾶτο. πάντως δὲ καὶ ψυχὴν ὅλην καὶ πᾶν ὅ τί περ ἀναπνέω, καὶ ὅλως εἴ τι τῆς διανοίας ἐνδοτάτω στρέφεται, τοῦτο τῷ μεγίστῳ θεῷ ὀφείλεσθαι παρ' ἡμῶν ὅλον ἀσφαλῶς πεπίστευκα. 2.29.2 Οἶδα μὲν οὖν ἀκριβῶς, ὡς οὐδὲν τῆς παρ' ἀνθρώπων εὐνοίας χρῄζοιεν ἂν οἱ τὴν οὐράνιον ὀρθῶς μεταδιώξαντες ἐλπίδα καὶ ταύτην ἐξαίρετόν τε καὶ ἀσφαλῶς ἐπὶ τῶν θείων καθιδρυσάμενοι τόπων τοσούτῳ τε τιμῶν ἀπολαύοντες μειζόνων, ὅσῳ περ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς τῶν γηίνων ἐλαττω2.29.3 μάτων τε καὶ δεινῶν ἐχώρισαν. τὰς ἀνάγκας δὲ ὅμως τὰς πρὸς καιρὸν ἐπενεχθείσας αὐτοῖς καὶ τὰς οὐ προσηκούσας βασάνους ἀπὸ τῶν οὐδὲν αἰτίων οὐδὲ ὑπευθύνων ὡς πορρωτάτω ἀνείργειν ἡμᾶς οἶμαι προσήκειν· ἢ γένοιτ' ἂν ἀτοπώτερον, ὑπὸ μὲν τοῖς διῶξαι τοὺς ἄνδρας προθυμηθεῖσιν τῆς περὶ τὸ θεῖον ἕνεκα θεραπείας τὸ καρτερικὸν καὶ στερρὸν τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῶν ἱκανῶς διαγνωσθῆναι, ὑπὸ δὲ τῷ θεράποντι τοῦ θεοῦ μὴ οὐκ εἰς λαμπρότερον καὶ μακαριστότερον σχῆμα τὴν δόξαν ἀρθῆναι. 2.30.1 Ἅπαντες τοίνυν, εἴτε τινὲς μετοικίαν ἀντὶ τῆς ἐνεγκούσης ἠλλάξαντο, ὅτι μὴ τὴν πρὸς τὸ θεῖον παρεῖδον πίστιν, ᾗπερ ὅλαις ψυχαῖς σφᾶς αὐτοὺς καθιέρωσαν, γνώσεσιν δικαστῶν ἀπηνέσιν ὑποβληθέντες, καθ' οὓς ἔτυχον ἕκαστοι χρόνους, εἴτε τινὲς βουλευτικοῖς συγκατηριθμήθησαν καταλόγοις, τὸν τούτων πρότερον ἀριθμὸν οὐ πληροῦντες, χωρίοις τε πατρῴοις ἀποκαταστάντες καὶ σχολῇ τῇ συνήθει τῷ πάντων ἐλευθε2.30.2 ρωτῇ θεῷ χαριστήρια φερόντων· εἴτε τινὲς τῶν ὄντων ἐστέροντο καὶ πάσης τῆς ὑπαρχούσης οὐσίας ἀποβολῇ καταπεπληγότες κατηφέστατον εἰς δεῦρο διῆγον βίον, οἰκήσεσιν τε ταῖς ἀρχαίαις καὶ γένεσιν καὶ περιουσίαις ἀποδοθέντες τῆς παρὰ τοῦ κρείττονος εὐποιίας χαίροντες ἀπολαύοιεν. 2.31.1 Οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσους οὐ βουλομένους νῆσοι κατέχουσιν, τῆς προμηθείας ταύτης ἀπολαῦσαι προστάττομεν, ὅπως ὀρῶν τε δυσχωρίαις καὶ περιρρύτῳ περικεκλεισμένοι θαλάσσῃ τῆς σκυθρωπῆς τε καὶ ἀπανθρώπου ἐρημίας ἐλευθερωθέντες τοῖς φιλτάτοις σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀποδοῖεν, 2.31.2 τὸν εὐκταῖον πόθον πληρώσαντες· οἳ πενιχρὰν ἐπὶ πολὺν χρόνον ζωὴν μετά τινος προστροπαίου ῥύπου διῆγον, οἷον ἅρπαγμά τι τὴν ἐπάνοδον ποιησάμενοι, καὶ τῶν φροντίδων εἰς τὸ λοιπὸν ἀπηλλαγμένοι. μετὰ φόβου γὰρ ὑφ' ἡμῖν βιοῦν, οἳ θεοῦ θεράποντες εἶναι αὐχοῦμέν τε καὶ πιστεύομεν, καὶ εἰς ἀκοὴν ἐλθεῖν μόνον εἴη τῶν ἀτοπωτάτων ἄν, μήτι γε δὴ καὶ πιστεῦσαι· οἳ καὶ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας ἁμαρτίας διορθοῦν πεφύκαμεν. 2.32.1 Ὅσοι γε μὴν ἢ μοχθηραῖς μεταλλείαις ἐμπονεῖν κατεγνώσθησαν ἢ τὰς πρὸς τοῖς δημοσίοις ἔργοις ὑπηρεσίας πληροῦν, τῶν διαρκῶν μόχθων τὴν γλυκεῖαν σχολὴν ἀμειψάμενοι κουφότερον καὶ τὸν μετ' ἐξουσίας ἤδη