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Having written and reproached these and similar things, the emperor next established the people towards being more on their guard. 329

{FOURTH OF THE HISTORICAL COMPOSITIONS}.

Speech of the emperor to the high priests concerning his own affairs. And from here begins the matter concerning the patriarch Arsenios. For the emperor, doing everything to persuade him both to treat him gently and to loose the bond, since he despaired of his purpose, was very eager by every means to get rid of him. Wherefore also, often calling the high priests together, he testified to the necessity that it was necessary, being at leisure from other things, to look after the affairs of the empire, being many and difficult to accomplish. But he, being involved in those things from unavoidable necessity, drags along the bond from the patriarch also as a great burden. But it should not be so, but they themselves should be indignant at the matter, if, since the sin could not be wiped away by the return of things to their former state, he who is appointed to heal should do one of two things, either demanding back the former state of affairs as it was, or postponing the healing; for the one is impossible, and the other completely inexpedient. And while it is necessary to exhort and to show the way of repentance even to him who is not aware of the sin or is willfully indifferent, yet he pushes away even the one pricked by himself to repent genuinely and wanting to receive the cure extraordinarily, even if it were to be administered with cuttings or cauteries, he pushes him away and to repentance he links despair, as if it were better not to repent than to despair after repenting; for the one accuses insensibility, but the other eternal perdition; that he himself, then, having approached him many times, was sent away and, seeking the methods of healing, not only 331 did not receive them, but was also reproached, and in the end heard nothing else except that it was necessary to heal the wound, but how it should be healed, he did not learn, but was urged to act, knowing none of the things that ought to be done, and that he suspected the whole thing to be a mockery. «It is time, therefore, to fear lest, even as I act, he, taking up the charge again, on the grounds that nothing sufficient has been done, might not accept it and so, having labored, I will find it to be in vain. What he therefore also indicates obliquely, you might discern, having heard it, whether it is at all expedient; for he wishes to pursue the charge by the laying aside of the empire and by private status. And considering to whom this might be of benefit, I do not find anyone at all. Regarding the common affairs, then, it is self-evident, and there is no need to learn by asking; for since he is not able to manage affairs and it not having happened that I should step down, to consider my absence a great thing, is nothing else, I think, than seeking a common ruin and displaying the manner of a Telchin. And that this also touches my own affairs more especially than others, I would have extended the speech to great length, if I were not able to demonstrate the harm from one thing alone. For what guarantee do I have of living hereafter without trouble, having laid down my authority? And what more for my wife and children, for whom it would be necessary for a fate to lie in wait immediately at which no one would rejoice? For me, then, it is not possible to dispute his spiritual knowledge, whatever he might command; but for now in these things I am far from praising him. For where and for what nation ever has such a thing sprung up? And looking to what example could the hierarch justly demand this also among us? Does he not know that for one who has once tasted such a change, there is no way to turn to another course except, having turned, to die? For by how many is the empire ambushed? And for how many has faith grown cold in appearance, while the emperor is still safe, who, should he yield, must take courage, having long been set in motion. And even if they themselves should not act, attacking in other ways, yet for the one 333 established in power, just as it is likely he would be a rival, so also would it be easy for him to do the worst things. And why also bring up the rule

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Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα γράψας καὶ ὀνειδίσας, ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸ ἑξῆς καθίστα πρὸς τὸ εὐφυλακτότερον τὸν λαόν. 329

{ΣΥΓΓΡΑΦΙΚΩΝ ΙΣΤΟΡΙΩΝ ΤΕΤΑΡΤΗ}.

∆ημηγορία βασιλέως πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς περὶ τῶν καθ' αὑτόν. Ἄρχεται δ'

ἐνθένδε τὰ κατὰ τὸν πατριάρχην Ἀρσένιον. Ὁ γὰρ βασιλεύς, πᾶς γιγνόμενος πρὸς τὸ πεῖσαι αὐτῷ τε ἠπίως προσενέγκασθαι καὶ τὸν δεσμὸν λύειν, ἐπεὶ ἀπέγνωστό οἱ τὰ τοῦ σκοποῦ, πολὺς ἦν ὀριγνώμενος ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου ἐκεῖνον ἀποσκευάσασθαι. Ὅθεν καὶ πολλάκις τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς συγ καλῶν, ἐμαρτύρετο τὴν ἀνάγκην, ὡς δέον ὄν, ἀνέδην ἄγοντα τῶν ἄλλων σχολήν, τὰ τῆς ἀρχῆς, πολλὰ ὄντα καὶ δυσεξάνυστα, προσκοπεῖν. Ὁ δὲ κἀκείνοις ἐνειλούμενος ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἀπαραιτήτου, ὡς μέγα τι καὶ τὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ πατριάρχου δεσμὸν ἐφόλκιον ἐπισύρεται. Ἐχρῆν δ' οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὺς τῷ πράγματι νεμεσᾶν, εἰ, πλημμελήματος μὴ οἵου τ' ὄντος τῇ εἰς τὸ ἀρχαῖον τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπανακάμψει ἐξαληλίφθαι, ὁ πρὸς τὸ θεραπεύειν τατ τόμενος δυοῖν θάτερον πράττοι, ἢ τὰ πρότερα ὡς εἶχεν ἀνταπαιτῶν, ἢ τὴν θεραπείαν ἀναβαλλόμενος· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀδύνατον, τὸ δὲ πάντως ἀνοικονόμητον. Καὶ δέον ὂν παραινεῖν καὶ τὴν τοῦ μεταγνῶναι δεικνύειν ὁδὸν καὶ τῷ μηδὲν τοῦ πλημμελήματος αἰσθομένῳ ἢ καὶ καταρρᾳθυμοῦντι ἐκ προαιρέσεως, ὁ δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ νυττόμενον τῷ γνησίως μεταγνῶναι καὶ τὴν θερα πείαν ἐκτόπως θέλοντα δέχεσθαι, κἂν τομαῖς κἂν καυστῆρσιν οἰκονομοῖτο, ἐκεῖνος ἀπωθεῖται καὶ τῷ μεταγνῶναι τὸ ἀπογνῶναι συνείρει, ὡς κρεῖττον ὂν μὴ μεταγνῶναι ἢ ἀπογνῶναι μεταγνόντα· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀναλγησίαν κατηγορεῖ, τὸ δ' ἀπώλειαν αἰωνίζουσαν· αὐτὸν μὲν οὖν καὶ πολλάκις προσ ελθόντα ἀποπέμπεσθαι καί, ζητοῦντα τοὺς τρόπους τῆς ἰατρείας, οὐχ ὅπως 331 λαμβάνειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσονειδίζεσθαι, καὶ τέλος οὐδὲν ἄλλο πυνθάνεσθαι πλὴν τὸ ἀνάγκην εἶναι τὸ τραῦμα ἰᾶσθαι, ὅπως δ' ἰῷτο μὴ μανθάνειν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ πράττειν προτρέπεσθαι, μηδὲν εἰδότα τῶν πράττειν ὀφειλομένων, εἶναι δ' ὑποπτεύειν τὸ πᾶν χλεύην. «Ὥρα γοῦν δεδοικέναι μή τι καὶ πράττοντος ἐκεῖνος ἀναλαμβάνων τὸ ἔγκλημα, ὡς μηδενὸς αὐτάρκους γενομένου, μὴ καταδέχοιτο καὶ οὕτω πονέσας ἀνήνυτα γνώσομαι. Ὃ δ' οὖν καὶ ἐμφαίνει πλαγίως, ἀκούσαντες ἂν διαγνῶτε ἢν ὅλως συμφέροι· ἀποθέσει γὰρ βασιλείας καὶ ἰδιωτισμῷ μετιέναι τὸ ἔγκλημα βούλεται. Τὸ δὲ ᾧ ἂν καὶ συνενέγκοι σκοπῶν, οὐδ' ὅλως εὑρίσκω. Ἐπὶ μὲν οὖν τοῖς κοινοῖς, αὐτόθεν δῆλον, καὶ οὐδὲν δεῖ ἐρωτῶντας μανθάνειν· τὸ γὰρ μήτ' ἐκείνου οἵου τε ὄντος τὰ πράγματα διοικεῖν καὶ μηδὲ συμβάντος ἐκστῆναι, ὡς μέγα τι τὴν ἐρημίαν λογίζεσθαι, οὐδὲν ἀλλ' ἢ ζητοῦντος οἶμαι κοινὸν ὄλεθρον καὶ Τελχῖνος τρόπον ἐνδεικνυμένου. Ὃ δὲ καὶ μᾶλλον δια φερόντως τῶν ἄλλων ἅπτεσθαι τῶν ἐμῶν, μακρὰν ἂν τὴν δημηγορίαν κατέ τεινα ἄν, ἢν μή γε καὶ ἀφ' ἑνὸς μόνου οἷός τ' ἦν παριστᾶν τὴν βλάβην. Τί γάρ μοι καὶ ἐχέγγυον τοῦδε αὖθις ἀπραγμόνως βιῶσαι, καταθεμένῳ τὴν ἐξουσίαν; Τί δὲ γυναικὶ καὶ παισὶ μᾶλλον, οἷς ἂν παρευθὺς μοῖραν ἐφεδρεύειν ἀνάγκη ἧς ὁ τυχὼν οὐ γηθήσειεν; Ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφισβητεῖν ἐκείνῳ τῆς πνευματικῆς ἰδμοσύνης, κἂν ὅ τι κελεύοι· τέως δ' ἐν τούτοις πολλοῦ γε δέω προσεπαινεῖν. Ποῦ γὰρ καὶ τίνι ποτ' ἔθνει τὸ τοιοῦτον ἔβλαστε; Καὶ εἰς τί παράδειγμα βλέπων ὁ ἱεράρχης ἀνεμεσήτως ἀξιοῦν ἔχοι τοῦτο καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν; Ἦ οὐκ οἶδε τὸν τοιαύτης γευσάμενον καθάπαξ μεταβολῆς μὴ τρόπον εἶναι μετεγκλίνειν πρὸς ἄλλο ἢ μετεγκλίναντα τελευτᾶν; Πόσοις γὰρ ἐφεδρεύεται βασιλεία; Ὁπόσοις δὲ καὶ ἡ πίστις ἔψυκται ἐπὶ τοῦ σχήματος, σῳζομένου καὶ ἔτι τοῦ βασιλέως, οὓς καὶ καθυφεικότος ὡρμημένους πάλαι θαρρεῖν ἀνάγκη. Κἂν αὐτοὶ μὴ δρῷεν ἰάπτοντες ἄλλως, ἀλλὰ τῷ γ' ἐπὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς 333 καταστάντι, ὥσπερ ἀντιζηλοῦν εἰκός, οὕτω καὶ δρᾶν τὰ χείριστα ῥᾴδιον. Τί δὲ καὶ ἀνάγειν τὴν ἀρχὴν