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bishops2.25.6 accused him of beatings, and all in common, that through the perjury of some he had entered into the episcopate, when all had agreed to ordain no one before they should settle the charges among them; and that for this reason they, having been deceived, had withdrawn from communion with him; and that he did not see fit to persuade them, but to use force, and to cast them into prisons. 2.25.7 In addition to these things, the matters concerning Arsenius were also stirred up again. And as is usual in zealous plots, unexpected accusers arose even from those considered friends. And a document of popular outcries was read out, to the effect that the people throughout Alexandria could not bear to assemble in church on account of him. 2.25.8 But Athanasius, having been ordered to defend himself, having come forward many times to the court, cleared himself of some of the charges, but for others he requested a postponement for investigation. And he was greatly at a loss, seeing his accusers in favor with the judges, and many witnesses prepared against him from among the partisans of Arius and Meletius, and the slanderers, on those charges where he prevailed, being deemed worthy of pardon, and especially in the indictment concerning Arsenius, of whom he was accused of having cut off the arm for the sake of sorcery, and <τῇ κατὰ> a certain woman, to whom he was charged with having given gifts for licentiousness and with having corrupted her against her will by night.2.25. Each <δὲ> indictment was found to be ridiculous and full of slander. For when the bishops were assembled, the woman made these accusations, Timotheus, a presbyter of Alexandria, standing by Athanasius, as they had secretly agreed, having interrupted, said to the woman, “Did I,” he said, “violate you, O woman?” 2.25.10 And she said: “But was it not you?” stating the time and place where she had supposedly been violated. And he brought Arsenius into their midst and showed both of his hands, intact, to the judges, and he begged them that the accusers be held accountable for the arm they had produced. For this Arsenius happened, either being driven by divine impulse or, as is said, being hidden by those plotting against Athanasius, when someone reported that the bishop was in danger on his account, having escaped by night and having arrived in Tyre one day before the 2.25.11 court session. And when each charge had been thus resolved, so that no defense was needed, the first one, as I think, on the pretext, forsooth, that it was not right for such a shameful and ridiculous matter to be recorded in the acts of a synod,2.25.12 is not entered in the proceedings. And regarding the second, it was sufficient for the accusers to say in their defense, that a certain Plusianus, a bishop under Athanasius, at his command had burned down the house of Arsenius, and having tied him to a pillar and tortured him with straps, had shut him up in a small cell; and that he had escaped through a window and, since he was being sought, had hidden himself for a time, and not appearing, was reasonably thought to be dead; and that the bishops around John, going to the magistrates, had searched for him as a distinguished man and a confessor. 2.25.13 Therefore, considering these things, Athanasius was very fearful; and at the same time he was suspicious that the plotters, finding an opportunity, might secretly destroy him. And after many sessions, when the assembly was filled with uproar and confusion, with both the accusers and the crowd around the court shouting that by every means he should be removed as a sorcerer and a violent man and unworthy of the priesthood, those who had been commanded by the emperor to be present at the synod for the sake of good order, fearing that, as is likely in a sedition, they might run down and become his murderers with their own hands, secretly 2.25.14 led him out of the court. But he, considering that it was not without danger for him to remain in Tyre nor safe to be judged against a multitude of accusers 2.25.15 before hostile judges, fled to Constantinople. And the synod condemned him in his absence and deposed him from the episcopate; and they voted that he should no longer live in Alexandria, lest, it says, by his presence he should cause disturbances and seditions. And John and all those with him, as having suffered unjustly, they received into communion, and the dignity in the clergy 2.25.16 they distributed to each. And they report the proceedings to the

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ἐπίσκοποι2.25.6 πληγῶν αὐτοῦ κατηγόρουν, κοινῇ δὲ πάντες, ὡς δι' ἐπιορκίας τινῶν εἰς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν παρῆλθεν, συνθεμένων πάντων μηδένα χειροτονεῖν, πρὶν τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐγκλήματα διαλύσωσιν· ἀποστῆναι δὲ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτοὺς ἀπατηθέντας τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν κοινωνίας· τὸν δὲ μὴ ἀξιῶσαι πεῖσαι, ἀλλὰ βιάζεσθαι, καὶ δεσμωτηρίοις αὐτοὺς ἐμβαλεῖν. 2.25.7 ᾿Επὶ τούτοις τε καὶ τὰ κατὰ ᾿Αρσένιον ἀνεκινεῖτο. καὶ οἷα φιλεῖ ἐν σπουδαζομέναις ἐπιβουλαῖς, ἀπροσδόκητοι καὶ τῶν νομιζομένων φίλων ἀνεφύοντο κατήγοροι. καὶ γραμματεῖον ἀνεγινώσκετο δημοτικῶν ἐκβοήσεων, ὡς τῶν ἀνὰ τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν λαῶν δι' αὐτὸν ἐκκλησιάζειν μὴ ἀνεχομένων. 2.25.8 ὁ δὲ ᾿Αθανάσιος ἀπολογήσασθαι προσταχθείς, προελθὼν πολλάκις εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον τὰ μὲν τῶν ἐγκλημάτων ἀπελύσατο, τῶν δὲ πρὸς ἐπίσκεψιν ὑπέρθεσιν ᾔτησεν. ἠπόρει δὲ λίαν καὶ τοὺς κατηγόρους τοῖς δικασταῖς ὁρῶν κεχαρισμένους καὶ μάρτυρας πολλοὺς κατ' αὐτοῦ παρεσκευασμένους ἐκ τῶν τὰ ᾿Αρείου καὶ Μελιτίου φρονούντων καὶ τοὺς συκοφάντας, ἐφ' οἷς ἐγκλήμασιν ἐκράτει, συγγνώμης ἀξιουμένους, καὶ μάλιστα ἐπὶ τῇ κατὰ ᾿Αρσένιον γραφῇ, οὗ γοητείας ἕνεκα κατηγορεῖτο τὸν βραχίονα ἐκτεμεῖν, καὶ <τῇ κατὰ> γυναῖκά τινα, ᾗ δῶρα ἐπὶ ἀσελγείᾳ δεδωκέναι καὶ νύκτωρ ἀκούσῃ συνδιαφθαρῆ2.25. ναι ἐνεκαλεῖτο. ἑκατέρα <δὲ> γραφὴ γελοία ἐφωράθη καὶ συκοφαντίας ἀνάπλεως. ἐπεὶ γὰρ συνειλεγμένων ἐπισκόπων κατηγόρει ταῦτα ἡ γυνή, παρεστὼς ᾿Αθανασίῳ Τιμόθεος ᾿Αλεξανδρεὺς πρεσβύτερος, ὡς αὐτοῖς λάθρα συνεδόκει, ὑπολαβὼν πρὸς τὸ γύναιον «ἐγώ σε», ἔφη, «ἐβιασάμην, ὦ γύναι;» 2.25.10 ἡ δέ· «ἀλλ' οὐ σύ;» καιρὸν λέγουσα καὶ τόπον ἐν ᾧ δῆθεν βεβίαστο. ᾿Αρσένιον δὲ εἰς μέσον παρήγαγε καὶ ἀμφοτέρας ἀρτίους αὐτοῦ χεῖρας ἐπέδειξε τοῖς δικασταῖς, καὶ ἐδεῖτο αὐτῶν εὐθύνας ὑπέχειν τοὺς κατηγόρους οὗ ἐπεφέροντο βραχίονος. ἔτυχε γὰρ ᾿Αρσένιος οὗτος, ἢ θειόθεν ἐλαυνόμενος ἤ, ὡς λέγεται, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπιβούλων ᾿Αθανασίου κρυπτόμενος, ἀναγγείλαντός του δι' αὐτὸν κινδυνεύειν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον, ἀποδρὰς νύκτωρ καὶ πρὸ μιᾶς τοῦ 2.25.11 δικαστηρίου κατάρας εἰς Τύρον. ἑκατέρου δὲ ἐγκλήματος ὧδε λυθέντος, ὡς μηδὲν ἀπολογίας προσδεηθῆναι, τὸ μὲν πρῶτον, ὡς οἶμαι, ἐπὶ προφάσει δῆθεν τοῦ μὴ χρῆναι οὕτως αἰσχρὸν καὶ γελοιῶδες πρᾶγμα ἐπὶ συνό2.25.12 δου ἀναγράφεσθαι, οὐκ ἐμφέρεται τοῖς πεπραγμένοις. πρὸς δὲ τὸ δεύτερον ἤρκεσεν εἰς ἀπολογίαν τοῖς κατηγόροις εἰπεῖν, ὡς Πλουσιανός τις ἐπίσκοπος τῶν ὑπὸ ᾿Αθανάσιον κατὰ πρόσταξιν αὐτοῦ τὴν ᾿Αρσενίου οἰκίαν κατ- έφλεξε, καὶ κίονι προσδήσας καὶ ἱμᾶσιν αἰκισάμενος ἐν οἰκίσκῳ καθεῖρξε· διὰ θυρίδος δὲ ἀποδρᾶσαι τοῦτον καί, ἐπειδὴ ζητητέος ἦν, ἐπὶ χρόνον λαθεῖν κρυπτόμενον, μὴ φαινόμενον δὲ εἰκότως ἀποθανεῖν νομισθῆναι· καὶ οἷά γε ἐπιφανῆ ἄνδρα καὶ ὁμολογητὴν οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν ᾿Ιωάννην ἐπίσκοποι ἐζήτουν αὐτὸν προσιόντες τοῖς ἄρχουσι. 2.25.13 Ταῦτ' οὖν λογιζόμενος ᾿Αθανάσιος περιδεὴς ἦν· ἅμα δὲ ὑφωρᾶτο, μὴ καιρὸν εὑρόντες οἱ ἐπιβουλεύοντες λάθρα ἀνέλωσιν αὐτόν. μετὰ πολλὰς δὲ συνόδους, θορύβου καὶ ταραχῆς ἐμπλησθέντος τοῦ συλλόγου, κεκραγότων τε τῶν κατηγόρων καὶ τοῦ περὶ τὸ δικαστήριον πλήθους πάσῃ μηχανῇ χρῆναι αὐτὸν ἐκποδὼν ποιεῖν ὡς γόητα καὶ βίαιον καὶ ἱερωσύνης ἀνάξιον, δείσαντες οἱ παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως προστεταγμένοι παρεῖναι τῇ συνόδῳ εὐταξίας ἕνεκα, μή, ὡς εἰκὸς ἐν στάσει, καταδραμόντες αὐτόχειρες αὐτοῦ γένωνται, λάθρα 2.25.14 αὐτὸν ὑπεξήγαγον τοῦ δικαστηρίου. ὁ δὲ λογισάμενος οὐκ ἀκίνδυνον αὐτῷ διατρίβειν ἐν Τύρῳ οὔτε ἀσφαλὲς δικάσασθαι πρὸς πλῆθος κατηγόρων 2.25.15 παρὰ δικασταῖς ἐχθροῖς, φεύγει εἰς Κωνσταντινούπολιν. καταδικάζουσι δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐρήμην ἡ σύνοδος καὶ καθαιροῦσι τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς· καὶ ψηφίζονται αὐτὸν μηκέτι τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν οἰκεῖν, ἵνα μή, φησι, θορύβους καὶ στάσεις παρὼν ἐργάζηται. ᾿Ιωάννην δὲ καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ πάντας ὡς οὐ δικαίως κακῶς παθόντας εἰς κοινωνίαν προσίενται, καὶ τὸ ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ ἀξίωμα 2.25.16 ἑκάστῳ διέδωκαν. δηλοῦσι δὲ τὰ πεπραγμένα τῷ