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We have myriads who bear witness to the orthodoxy of our doctrines. For we follow the apostolic definitions and laws, and offering the faith set forth in Nicaea by the holy and blessed Fathers as a kind of rule and standard for our words, we direct our teaching. But if anyone insists that we think things other than these, let him accuse us in our presence, not slander us in our absence. For it is just for the accused to have his say and to make his defense against the accusation made, and then for the judges to cast their vote according to the laws. I ask to enjoy these things through your magnificence. But if some wish to condemn us in our absence, we gladly accept even the unjust vote. For we await the judgment seat of the Master, where we need neither witnesses nor accusers. For all things are naked and laid bare before him, according to the divine Apostle. 91 TO THE PREFECT EUTRECHIUS. I know clearly the disposition of your magnificence towards us and I do not need words to teach me this. For deeds teach more clearly than words. But I wished to learn the cause of the injustice done to us. For we endure a most strange thing, being fought against at the same time as both unmarried and twice-married. But if those who now weave slanders against us say that we corrupt the evangelical teaching, why do they not refute us in our presence, but accuse us in our absence? For this especially exposes their falsehood. For knowing that we shall have many myriads testifying to our apostolic doctrines, they made the written accusation in our absence. But it is necessary for those who judge according to the law to keep one of their ears untouched for the accused. But if they offer both ears to the words of our opponents and cast the vote that seems good to them, we shall endure the injustice, as a means to the kingdom of heaven; and we shall await that unswerving tribunal, where there is neither accuser, nor advocate, nor witness, nor difference of ranks, but a judgment of deeds and words, and a recompense according to merit. For, he says, we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether it be good or bad . 92 TO THE PATRICIAN ANATOLIUS. The most devout lord Archbishop Domnus has arranged for the most God-fearing bishops to go up to the imperial city, so as to refute the slander made against us all. But at the present moment we have special need of your great genius, since the Lord of all has given you both a sincere faith, and a fervent zeal for it, and a mind adorned with understanding, and in addition to these, power to serve your good counsels. Therefore, come to the aid of the wronged, and contend against falsehood, and champion the apostolic teaching which is under attack. For the Master and Pilot of the Churches will surely cooperate with the zeal of your magnificence, and will disperse the gloomy cloud, and will grant clear weather to the nurslings of the faith. But if He should also allow the storm to prevail, your greatness will receive a perfect reward, while we shall endure the surge, and wherever it may cast us out, we shall live with cheerfulness, awaiting the divine tribunal, and looking forward to that right and just verdict.

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ἔχομεν μυριά δας τῇ τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητι μαρτυρούσας. Τοῖς γὰρ ἀποσ τολικοῖς ὅροις καὶ νόμοις ἀκολουθοῦμεν, καὶ τὴν ἐκτεθεῖσαν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ μακαρίων Πατέρων, οἷόν τινα κανόνα καὶ γνώμονα τοῖς λόγοις προσφέροντες, τὴν διδασκαλίαν εὐθύνομεν. Εἰ δέ τις ἕτερά τινα παρὰ ταῦτα φρονεῖν ἡμᾶς ἰσχυρίζεται, παρόντων κατηγορείτω, μὴ ἀπόν τας συκοφαντείτω. ∆ίκαιον γὰρ λόγων μεταλαχεῖν καὶ τὸν φεύγοντα καὶ πρὸς τὴν γεγενημένην κατηγορίαν τὴν ἀπολο γίαν ποιήσασθαι, καὶ τηνικαῦτα τοὺς δικάζοντας κατὰ τοὺς νόμους τὴν ψῆφον ἐξενεγκεῖν. Τούτων ἀπολαῦσαι κἀγὼ διὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπείας παρακαλῶ. Εἰ δ' ἐρήμην τινὲς ἡμῶν καταψηφίσασθαι βούλονται, ἀσπαστῶς καὶ τὴν ἄδικον δεχόμεθα ψῆφον. Ἀναμένομεν γὰρ τὸ τοῦ ∆εσπότου κριτή ριον, ἔνθα οὔτε μαρτύρων, οὔτε κατηγόρων δεόμεθα. Πάντα γὰρ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον Ἀπόστολον. 91 ΕΥΤΡΕΧΙΩ ΥΠΑΡΧΩ. Τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς διάθεσιν τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπείας οἶδα σαφῶς καὶ λόγων οὐ δέομαι ταύτην με διδασκόντων. Σαφέστε ρον γὰρ διδάσκει τῶν λόγων τὰ πράγματα. Τῆς δὲ γεγενημέ νης εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀδικίας ἐβουλόμην τὴν αἰτίαν μαθεῖν. Καινότα τον γὰρ ὑπομένομεν πρᾶγμα, κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἄγαμοι καὶ δίγαμοι πολεμούμενοι. Εἰ δὲ οἱ νῦν τὰς καθ' ἡμῶν συκοφαντίας ὑφή ναντες παραχαράττειν ἡμᾶς τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν διδασκαλίαν φασίν, τί δήποτε μὴ παρόντας ἐλέγχουσιν, ἀλλ' ἀπόντων κατηγοροῦσι; Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῶν μάλιστα διελέγχει τὸ ψεῦδος. Εἰδότες γὰρ ὡς πολλὰς ἕξομεν μυριάδας, τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ἡμῶν δόγμασι μαρτυρούσας, ἐρήμην ἐποιήσαντο τὴν γραφήν. Ἀλλὰ χρὴ τοὺς ἐννόμως δικάζοντας τῷ κατηγορουμένῳ θατέ ραν ταῖν ἀκοαῖν ἀκεραίαν φυλάξαι. Εἰ δὲ τοῖς τῶν ἀντιδίκων λόγοις ἑκατέραν προσφέρουσι καὶ τὴν ἐκείνοις δοκοῦσαν ἐκφέρουσι ψῆφον, στέρξομεν τὴν ἀδικίαν, ὡς τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν πρόξενον βασιλείας· καὶ τὸ ἀκλινὲς ἐκεῖνο δικαστήριον προσμενοῦμεν, ἔνθα οὔτε κατήγορος, οὔτε συνήγορος, οὔτε μάρτυς, οὔτε ἀξιωμάτων διαφορά, ἀλλ' ἔργων καὶ λόγων κρίσις, καὶ ἡ κατ' ἀξίαν ἀντίδοσις. Πάντες γάρ, φησί, παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθόν, εἴτε κακόν . 92 ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΩ ΠΑΤΡΙΚΙΩ. Τοὺς μὲν θεοσεβεστάτους ἐπισκόπους εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἀνελθεῖν παρεσκεύασε πόλιν ὁ ὁσιώτατος ἀρχιεπίσκοπος ὁ κύριος ∆όμνος, ὥστε τὴν κατὰ πάντων ἡμῶν γεγενημένην διελέγξαι συκοφαντίαν. Τῆς δὲ ὑμετέρας μεγαλοφυΐας διαφερόντως ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος δεόμεθα, ἐπειδὴ τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος καὶ πίστιν ὑμῖν εἰλικρινῆ δέδωκε, καὶ ζῆλον ὑπὲρ ταύτης θερμόν, καὶ φρένας συνέσει κεκοσμημένας, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις δύναμιν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ὑμῶν ὑπουργοῦσαν βουλεύμασιν. Ἐπαμύνατε τοιγαροῦν τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις, καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος καταγωνί σασθε, καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς διδασκαλίας πολεμουμένης ὑπερμαχήσατε. Συνεργήσει γὰρ δήπουθεν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ὁ ∆εσπότης καὶ Κυβερνήτης τῇ τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπείας σπουδῇ, καὶ διαλύσει τὸ νέφος τὸ σκυθρωπόν, καὶ καθαρὰν αἰθρίαν χαριεῖται τοῖς τροφίμοις τῆς πίστεως. Εἰ δὲ καὶ συγχωρήσοι τὸν χειμῶνα νικῆσαι, τὸ μὲν ὑμέτερον μέγεθος τέλειον ἀπολήψεται τὸν μισθόν, ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν κλύδωνα στέρξομεν, καὶ ἔνθα ἂν ἡμᾶς ἐξώσῃ, μετὰ ψυχαγωγίας διάξομεν, τὸ θεῖον κριτήριον ἀναμένοντες, καὶ τὴν ὀρθὴν ἐκείνην καὶ δικαίαν προσμένοντες ψῆφον.