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they threaten and frighten, but do not send letters openly commanding this? For it is one of two things: either the most pious emperor is not persuaded to write, or they are contriving for us to transgress the law and later be called to account by them for the transgression. For the example concerning the blessed Principius is set before us; for in that case, though they commanded in writing, they demanded penalties from the one who obeyed. But the letters which I read on the very day the lector arrived are contrary to these things. For a certain holy and distinguished monk wrote to someone that he had received letters both from the most magnificent spatharius and from the most glorious ex-magister, indicating that the affairs concerning the most God-beloved bishop, the lord Irenaeus, will obtain a correction; and as a recompense for this effort they were asking for prayers on their behalf. I, therefore, think it is necessary to write to the clerics from the imperial city who have written, that, persuaded by the vote of the most God-beloved bishops of Phoenicia, I ordained the most God-beloved bishop Irenaeus; being conscious of his zeal and his magnanimity and his love for the poor and his other virtues, and in addition to these, the orthodoxy of his doctrines. For we do not know of his ever having refused to call the holy Virgin Theotokos, or of his having held any other opinion contrary to the evangelical doctrines. As for the matter of his second marriage, we have followed those before us. For indeed Alexander of blessed and holy memory, who adorned this apostolic throne, along with the most blessed Acacius, bishop of Beroea, ordained Diogenes of blessed memory, though he was a digamist; and likewise also the blessed Praulius ordained Domninus of Caesarea, though he was a digamist. We have therefore followed custom, and distinguished men, much celebrated for their knowledge and life. And having been taught many other such things, Proclus of blessed memory, the bishop of the Constantinopolitans, also accepted the ordination, and wrote praising and admiring it. Likewise also the leading most God-beloved bishops of the Pontic diocese, and all the Palestinians, and no doubt has arisen concerning this. And we consider it impious to condemn a man resplendent with many and various good deeds. These and similar things, in my opinion, must be written. But if your Holiness discerns something else, let what seems best be done. For having received the one punishment, as they suppose, I am ready, with God helping me, to receive the other also. And if they wish a third, and a fourth, leaning on divine grace we will bear it, praising the Lord; but if your Holiness approves, let us also see the replies from Palestine; and having considered more accurately what must be done, so let us also write to Constantinople. 111 TO ANATOLIUS THE PATRICIAN. Your Magnificence will indeed receive recompense from the God of all for your good deeds toward us. For whatever is done for His sake has a reward joined to it. I, however, laugh at the multitude of slanders. For even bodies that are more violently tortured do not perceive the pain, since the tortured flesh is by then deadened. But I nevertheless lament the unbridled mouths that bring forth falsehoods; for what wrong have the accusers of the most God-beloved bishop Ibas suffered from us, that they have used these falsehoods against us? For in the first place, I was not even one of the judges; for according to the imperial decree I was staying in Cyrrhus. Then, as I have heard from many, they were also continually vexed at our absence; for I had prepared them to partake of the mystical communion at the saving Pascha; and often

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ἀπειλοῦσι καὶ δεδίττονται, γράμματα δὲ προφανῶς τοῦτο κελεύοντα οὐ πέμπουσιν; ∆υοῖν γὰρ θάτερον, ἢ οὐ πείθεται γράψαι ὁ εὐσεβέστατος βασιλεύς, ἢ κατασκευά ζουσι παρανομῆσαι ἡμᾶς καὶ δίκας ὑπ' αὐτῶν ὕστερον τῆς παρανομίας ἀπαιτηθῆναι. Πρόκειται γὰρ ἡμῖν τὸ κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Πριγκίπιον ὑπόδειγμα· ἐκεῖ γὰρ καὶ ἐγγράφως κελεύ σαντες, δίκας ἀπῄτουν τὸν ὑπακούσαντα. Ἃ δὲ ἀνέγνων κατ' αὐτὴν τὴν ἡμέραν, καθ' ἣν ὁ λεκτικά ριος ἀφίκετο, γράμματα, ἐναντία τούτοις ἐστίν. Ἅγιος γάρ τις μονάζων τῶν ἐπισήμων ἔγραψε πρός τινα, ὡς ἐδέξατο γράμματα καὶ τοῦ μεγαλοπρεπεστάτου σπαθαρίου, καὶ τοῦ ἐνδοξοτάτου ἀπὸ μαγίστρων, σημαίνοντα ὡς διορθώσεως τεύ ξεται τὰ κατὰ τὸν θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον τὸν κύριον Εἰρη ναῖον· καὶ ταύτης γε τῆς σπουδῆς ἀντιδόσεις ἀπῄτουν τὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προσευχάς. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν νομίζω χρῆναι γραφῆναι πρὸς τοὺς γεγραφότας ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλευούσης πόλεως κληρικούς, ὅτι ψήφῳ μὲν τῶν τῆς Φοινίκης θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων πεισθείς, ἐχει ροτόνησα τὸν θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον Εἰρηναῖον· τόν τε ζῆλον καὶ τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν καὶ τὴν φιλοπτωχείαν καὶ τὰς ἄλλας αὐτῷ συνειδὼς ἀρετάς, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, τὴν τῶν δογ μάτων ὀρθότητα. Οὐκ οἴδαμεν γὰρ αὐτὸν παραιτησάμενον πώποτε Θεοτόκον καλέσαι τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον, ἢ ἄλλο τι ἐναντίον φρονήσαντα τοῖς εὐαγγελικοῖς δόγμασιν. Εἰς δὲ τὸ τῆς διγαμίας, τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν ἠκολουθήσαμεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ τῆς μακαρίας καὶ ὁσίας μνήμης Ἀλέξανδρος, ὁ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν τοῦτον διακοσμήσας θρόνον, σὺν τῷ μακαριωτάτῳ Ἀκακίῳ τῷ Βεροίας ἐπισκόπῳ, τὸν τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης ∆ιογένην ἐχει ροτόνησαν δίγαμον ὄντα· ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ μακάριος Πραύ λιος ∆ομνῖνον τὸν Καισαρείας δίγαμον ὄντα. Ἔθει τοίνυν ἠκολουθήσαμεν, καὶ ἀνδράσιν ἐπισήμοις, καὶ ἐπὶ γνώσει καὶ βίῳ πολυθρυλήτοις. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα δεδιδαγμένος ὁ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Πρόκλος, ὁ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπολιτῶν ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν χειροτονίαν ἐδέξατο, καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐπαινῶν καὶ θαυμάζων. Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ οἱ πρωτεύοντες τῆς Ποντικῆς διοικήσεως θεοφιλέστατοι ἐπίσκοποι, καὶ οἱ Παλαι στῖνοι πάντες, καὶ οὐδεμία ἀμφιβολία περὶ τούτου γεγένηται· καὶ δυσσεβὲς νομίζομεν τὸ κατακρῖναι ἄνδρα πολλοῖς καὶ παντοδαποῖς κατορθώμασι λαμπρυνόμενον. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν γνώμην δεῖ γράψαι. Εἰ δὲ ἄλλο τι συνορᾷ σου ἡ ἁγιότης, τὸ δοκοῦν γινέσθω. Ἐγὼ γὰρ καὶ τὴν μίαν, ὡς νομίζουσι, τιμωρίαν δεξάμενος, ἕτοιμός εἰμι, τοῦ Θεοῦ μοι βοηθοῦντος, δέξασθαι καὶ τὴν ἄλλην. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τρίτην βούλονται, καὶ τετάρτην, τῆς θείας χάριτος ἐπερειδούσης οἴσομεν, τὸν ∆εσπότην ὑμνοῦντες· εἰ δὲ δοκι μάζει σου ἡ ὁσιότης, ἴδωμεν καὶ τὰς ἀπὸ Παλαιστίνης ἀποκρί σεις· καὶ ἀκριβέστερον τὸ πρακτέον σκοπήσαντες, οὕτω καὶ γράψωμεν εἰς Κωνσταντινούπολιν. 111 ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΩ ΠΑΤΡΙΚΙΩ. Ἡ μὲν ὑμετέρα μεγαλοφυΐα τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς εὐεργεσιῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων κομιεῖται τὰς ἀντιδόσεις. Πᾶν γὰρ ὁτιοῦν αὐτοῦ χάριν γιγνόμενον, μισθὸν ἔχει συνεζευγμένον. Ἐγὼ μέντοι τῶν συκοφαντιῶν τὸ πλῆθος γελῶ. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ σφοδρό τερον αἰκιζόμενα σώματα τῆς ὀδύνης οὐκ ἐπαισθάνεται, νεκρωθείσης λοιπὸν τῆς αἰκιζομένης σαρκός. Θρηνῶ δὲ ὅμως τὰ ἀθυρώτατα στόματα ψευδολογίας προφέροντα· τί γὰρ παρ' ἡμῶν ἀδικηθέντες οἱ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἐπισκόπου Ἴβα κατή γοροι ταύταις καθ' ἡμῶν ταῖς ψευδολογίαις ἐχρήσαντο; Πρῶ τον μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ τῶν κριτῶν ἤμην ἐγώ· κατὰ γὰρ τὴν βασιλι κὴν ψῆφον ἐν τῇ Κύρρῳ διῆγον. Ἔπειτα δέ, ὡς παρὰ πολλῶν ἀκήκοα, καὶ δυσχεραίνοντες διετέλουν τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀπόλει ψιν· καὶ γὰρ τῆς μυστικῆς αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ Πάσχα μεταλαχεῖν κοινωνίας ἐγὼ παρεσκεύασα· καὶ πολλάκις