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while they were receiving, not complaining, confessing to be receiving, Athanasius has been slandered as selling all the grain and carrying it off for his own use. And the emperor wrote this, accusing him based on the slanders that had occurred. Who then are the slanderers? Are they not the ones who did the first things and do not shrink from stirring up the second? Who are the cause of these letters said to be from the emperor? Are they not the zealous Arians who shrank from neither saying nor writing anything against the man? For no one, leaving aside those who have done so much, would suspect others. 18.4 For the clearest proof of their slander is evident; for they are eager, on the pretext of the slander, to take the grain away from the church and to provide it to the Arians, which most of all falls back upon the instigators of the zeal and their leaders, who did not shrink from stirring up murders against the man, through which they falsely slandered him to the emperor, nor from taking away the provisions from the church's properties, in order that they might in reality provide a profit to heretics.

19.1 We have also sent the testimony of our fellow ministers in Libya and Pentapolis and of those from Egypt, so that from this you too may know the false accusation made against Athanasius. They do these things so that, with those who hold the views of piety remaining quiet out of fear, the heresy of the impious Arians might be brought in instead. But thanks to your piety, beloved, because you have often written anathematizing the Arians and have given them no place in the church; but the refutation of Eusebius's party 19.2 is near. For behold, after their previous letters concerning the Arians, of which we also sent copies, they are now openly stirring up against the church the Ariomaniacs who have been anathematized by the entire Catholic Church, and they have appointed a bishop for them and are dividing the churches with threats and fears, so that they might have collaborators in their impiety everywhere. 19.3 For they also send deacons to the Ariomaniacs, who openly assemble with them and write to them and receive copies from them, tearing the church apart and holding communion with them and sending letters everywhere that recommend their heresy and repudiate the church, as you will be able to learn from what they themselves wrote to the bishop of the Romans and perhaps also to you. 19.4 That these things, therefore, are not unavenged, you also see, beloved. For they are terrible and alien to the teaching according to Christ. For this reason, then, having come together, we have written to you, asking your wisdom in Christ to accept this confession and to sympathize with our fellow bishop Athanasius, and to be indignant at Eusebius's party who are attempting such things, so that such malice and wickedness may no longer prevail against the church. For we call upon you as avengers against such injustice, reminding you of the apostolic saying, "Drive out the wicked person from among you." 19.5 For the things done by them are truly wicked and unworthy of communion. Therefore, pay no more attention, even if they write to you again against bishop Athanasius (for all things from them are false), nor even if they inscribe the names of Egyptian bishops on letters. For it is clear that it is not we who are writing, but the Meletians, who are always schismatics, who even until now are disturbing the churches and stirring up seditions. For they make irrational appointments, almost like those of the pagans, and do such things that we are ashamed to write, but you can learn from those sent by us who are also delivering this letter to you.

20.1 These things, then, those from Egypt [wrote] to all and to Julius the bishop of Rome, and Eusebius's party also wrote to Julius, and, thinking to frighten us, they requested Julius himself to call a synod, if

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λαμβανόντων, μὴ μεμψαμένων, ὁμολογούντων λαμ βάνειν, διαβέβληται Ἀθανάσιος ὡς ὅλον τὸν σῖτον πιπράσκων καὶ εἰς τὸ ἴδιον ἀπο 18.3 φερόμενος. καὶ τοῦτο ἔγραψε βασιλεὺς αἰτιώμενος ἐκ τῶν γεγενημένων διαβολῶν. τίνες τοίνυν οἱ διαβεβληκότες; οὐχ οἱ καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ποιήσαντες καὶ τὰ δεύτερα κινεῖν μὴ παραιτούμενοι; τίνες οἱ τῶν γραμμάτων τούτων αἴτιοι τῶν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως λεγο μένων; οὐχ οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ σπουδάζοντες καὶ μηδὲν κατὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς παραιτησάμενοι μήτε λέγειν μήτε γράφειν; οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἂν τοὺς τοσαῦτα ποιήσαντας ἀφεὶς ἄλλους ὑποπτεύσειε. 18.4 καὶ γὰρ ἐναργέστατον αὐτῶν τὸ δεῖγμα τῆς διαβολῆς φαίνεται· σπουδάζουσι γὰρ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀφελέσθαι τὸν σῖτον τῇ προφάσει τῆς διαβολῆς καὶ Ἀρειανοῖς παρασχεῖν, ὃ πάντων μάλιστα εἰς τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς σπουδῆς καὶ τοὺς ἐξάρχους αὐτῶν ἀνατρέχει τοὺς μήτε φόνους κατὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς κινῆσαι παραιτησαμένους, δι' ὧν ψευδῆ διαβεβλήκασι βασιλεῖ, μήτε τῶν κλήρων τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀφελέσθαι τὰς τροφάς, ἵνα τῷ ὄντι κέρδος αἱρετι κοῖς παράσχωνται.

19.1 Ἀπεστείλαμεν δὲ καὶ τὴν μαρτυρίαν τῶν κατὰ Λιβύην καὶ Πεντάπολιν καὶ τῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου συλλειτουργῶν ἡμῶν, ἵνα καὶ ἐκ τούτου γνῶτε τὴν κατὰ Ἀθανασίου γεγενημένην συκοφαντίαν. ταῦτα δὲ ποιοῦσιν, ἵνα φόβῳ λοιπὸν ἡσυχαζόντων τῶν τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας φρονούντων ἡ τῶν ἀσεβῶν Ἀρειανῶν αἵρεσις ἀντεισαχθῇ. ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ μὲν ὑμῶν εὐλαβείᾳ χάρις, ἀγαπητοί, ὅτι πολλάκις τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἀναθεματίζοντες ἐγράψατε καὶ χώραν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν οὐ δεδώκατε· τῶν δὲ περὶ Εὐσέβιον ὁ ἔλεγχος 19.2 ἐγγύς. ἰδοὺ γὰρ μετὰ τὰ πρότερα παρ' αὐτῶν περὶ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν γράμματα, ὧν καὶ ἀπεστείλαμεν τὰ ἀντίγραφα, φανερῶς λοιπὸν τοὺς παρὰ πάσης τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀναθεματισθέντας Ἀρειομανίτας ἐπεγείρουσι κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ ἐπίσκοπον αὐτοῖς κατέστησαν καὶ ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς καὶ τοῖς φόβοις διαιροῦσι τὰς ἐκκλησίας, ἵνα πανταχοῦ 19.3 συνεργοὺς ἔχωσι τῆς ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν. καὶ γὰρ καὶ διακόνους πρὸς τοὺς Ἀρειομανίτας ἀποστέλλουσιν, οἳ φανερῶς συνάγονται παρ' αὐτοῖς καὶ γράφουσιν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀντί γραφα παρ' αὐτῶν κομίζονται τὴν ἐκκλησίαν κατασχίζοντες καὶ κοινωνοῦντες αὐτοῖς καὶ γράμματα ἀποστέλλοντες πανταχοῦ τὴν αἵρεσιν αὐτῶν συνιστῶντα καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀποκηρύττοντα, ὡς δυνήσεσθε μαθεῖν, ἀφ' ὧν αὐτοὶ τῷ Ῥωμαίων ἐπισκόπῳ καὶ τάχα 19.4 καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἔγραψαν. ὡς οὖν οὐκ ἀνεκδίκητα ταῦτά ἐστι, συνορᾶτε καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἀγαπητοί. δεινὰ γὰρ καὶ ἀλλότρια τῆς κατὰ Χριστὸν διδασκαλίας ἐστί. τούτου γοῦν ἕνεκεν κοινῇ συνελθόντες ἐγράψαμεν ὑμῖν ἀξιοῦντες ὑμῶν τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σύνεσιν ἀπο δέξασθαι μὲν τὴν ὁμολογίαν ταύτην καὶ συναλγῆσαι τῷ συνεπισκόπῳ ἡμῶν Ἀθα νασίῳ, ἀγανακτῆσαι δὲ κατὰ τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπιχειρούντων, πρὸς τὸ μηκέτι τοιαύτην κακίαν καὶ πονηρίαν κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἰσχύειν. ὑμᾶς γὰρ ἐκδίκους κατὰ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀδικίας ἐπικαλούμεθα ὑπομιμνήσκοντες τὸ ἀποστολικόν «ἐξάρατε τὸν 19.5 πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν». πονηρὰ γὰρ ἀληθῶς καὶ οὐκ ἄξια κοινωνίας τὰ παρ' αὐτῶν πραχθέντα. οὐκοῦν μηκέτι προσέχετε, κἂν πάλιν ὑμῖν γράφωσι κατὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Ἀθανασίου (πάντα γὰρ ψευδῆ τὰ παρ' αὐτῶν), μηδ' ἂν ὀνόματα δὲ ἐπισκόπων Αἰγυπτίων ἐγχαράττωσιν ἐπιστολαῖς. δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι οὐχ ἡμεῖς ἐσμεν οἱ γράφοντες, ἀλλὰ Μελιτιανοὶ οἱ ἀεὶ σχισματικοί, οἱ καὶ μέχρι νῦν τὰς ἐκκλησίας ταράττοντες καὶ στάσεις κινοῦντες. καταστάσεις γὰρ ἀλόγους καὶ σχεδὸν ἐθνικῶν ποιοῦνται, καὶ τοιαῦτα πράττουσιν, ἃ δυσωπούμεθα μὲν γράφειν, δύνασθε δὲ μαθεῖν παρὰ τῶν ἀποσταλέντων παρ' ἡμῶν τῶν καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ὑμῖν ἐπιδιδόντων.

20.1 Ταῦτα μὲν οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου πρὸς πάντας καὶ πρὸς Ἰούλιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον τῆς Ῥώμης, καὶ οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον δὲ πρὸς Ἰούλιον ἔγραψαν, καὶ νομίζοντες ἡμᾶς ἐκφοβεῖν ἠξίωσαν σύνοδον καλέσαι καὶ αὐτὸν Ἰούλιον, εἰ