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him. And these are the things that were written. 60.4 But Eusebius, having learned of it, persuades them to wait. And when I arrived, they accused Macarius again concerning a chalice, and me, not with an ordinary slander, but with the greatest of all, that being against the emperor I had sent a coffer of gold to one Philumenus. The emperor therefore heard us concerning this matter also in Psamathia, and they, as usual, were convicted and cast out. And he wrote these things to the people upon our return.

61.1 Constantine Maximus Augustus to the people of the Catholic Church in Alexandria. Beloved brethren, I greet you, calling upon God, the greatest witness of my will and the only-begotten creator of our law, who also presides over the life of all and hates dissensions. But what can I say? That we are well? But it was possible to enjoy a better state of health, if you had loved one another, having shaken off hatreds, through which, by the tempests of those who cavil, we have abandoned the 61.2 harbor of love. Alas for this absurdity! How many mishaps of confused envy are set in motion each day. Thus have slanders migrated to the people of God. Where then has the faith of righteousness retreated? Since indeed we are so greatly enveloped in the mist of darkness not only on account of manifold error, but also on account of the faults of the ungrateful. We endure those who award folly, but noticing those who reject gentleness and truth, we are displeased. 61.3 What is this terrible thing of our wickedness? We do not convict our enemies, but we follow the band of robbers, through which the deceit of perdition, so to speak, has easily made a way for itself, with no one opposing. Is there then no perception, not even by grace of the common nature of all, if indeed we have neglected the precepts of the law? But someone will say: love is found according to nature. 61.4 Why then is it that we, having the law of God in addition to our good nature, endure the annoyance and clamor of our enemies, being set on fire, as it seems, by certain firebrands? And having eyes we do not see, nor do we perceive, although we are hedged in by the perceptions of the 61.5 law. How great a terror then has seized our life, when we so neglect ourselves, and this though God reminds us? Is then the evil not unbearable? Is it not fitting to consider these men enemies, not the house and people of God? For those utterly destructive men insult us and accuse us and rebuke 62.1 us for the things contrary to us. But with what great madness they do this, I ask you yourselves to consider. For the foolish have wickedness lying on their tongue. These men at any rate bring on certain leaden angers, so as to strike themselves in return, and to lead us away for the gain of their own 62.2 punishment. And he who has taught well is judged an enemy, but that one who has put forth the malice of envy improperly seizes upon the gentleness of the people, plunders, consumes, and adorns and composes his malevolent self with praise, but he overthrows the truth and deceives the faith, until having sought he finds for his own conscience a den 62.3 and hiding place. This clumsiness, at any rate, makes them wretched, when they rashly approve of themselves, though they are unworthy, saying: "Alas for these evils! That one is an elder and that one is a child, the honor belongs to me, it is owed to me, let it be taken from him, since I myself, having snatched it for myself, will try to destroy everyone in my power." A brilliant outcry of madness, to see bands and assemblies or, so to speak, an election of these 62.4 absurd systems. O the absurdity of us, so to speak, in the church of God it is a display of folly. Then are they not ashamed? Do they not blame themselves nor are their souls stung, so that now at least they might seem to think something worthy, in opposition to their deceit and caviling? 62.5 Violence only

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αὐτόν. καὶ τὰ μὲν γραφέντα ἐστὶ ταῦτα· 60.4 Ὁ δὲ Εὐσέβιος μαθὼν πείθει περιμένειν αὐτούς. καὶ ἐλθόντος μου κατηγοροῦσι πάλιν Μακαρίου μὲν περὶ ποτηρίου, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν διαβολήν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀνωτάτω πα σῶν, ὅτι δὴ κατὰ βασιλέως γενόμενος ἔπεμψα γλωσσόκομον χρυσίου Φιλουμένῳ τινί. ὁ μὲν οὖν βασιλεὺς καὶ περὶ ταύτης ἐν τῇ Ψαμαθίᾳ ἤκουσεν ἡμῶν, αὐτοὶ δὲ συνήθως κατα γνωσθέντες ἐρρίφησαν. καὶ γράφει τοῖς λαοῖς ἐπανερχομένων ἡμῶν ταῦτα·

61.1 Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς τῷ λαῷ τῷ κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας. Ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, προσαγορεύω ὑμᾶς ἐπικαλούμενος τὸν θεὸν τὸν τῆς ἐμῆς βου λήσεως μέγιστον μάρτυρα καὶ τὸν τοῦ ἡμετέρου νόμου μονογενῆ δημιουργόν, ὃς καὶ τῆς ζωῆς προκαθέζεται τῶν ἁπάντων καὶ τὰς διχονοίας μισεῖ. πλὴν τί ἂν εἴποιμι; ὅτι καλῶς ὑγιαίνομεν; ἀλλ' ἐξῆν καλλίονος ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς εὐρωστίας, εἰ ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀμοι βαδὶς ἠγαπᾶτε ἀποσεισάμενοι τὰ μίση, δι' ὧν ταῖς τῶν ἐρεσχηλούντων τρικυμίαις τὸν 61.2 λιμένα τῆς ἀγάπης ἐγκατελίπομεν. φεῦ τῆς ἀτοπίας ταύτης· ὅσα καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συμπτώματα τοῦ συγκεχυμένου φθόνου κινεῖται. οὕτω πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦ θεοῦ μετῳκίσθη σαν αἱ δυσφημίαι. ποῦ τοίνυν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡ πίστις ἀνακεχώρηκεν; ὅπου γε εἰς το σοῦτον τῇ τοῦ σκότους ἀχλύι περιβεβλήμεθα οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν πολύπλοκον πλάνην, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὰ τῶν ἀχαρίστων ἐλαττώματα. τῶν μὲν τὴν ἄνοιαν βραβευόντων ἀνεχόμεθα, τῶν δὲ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν διακρουομένων αἰσθανόμενοι παρενθυμούμεθα. 61.3 τί τὸ δεινὸν τοῦτο τῆς ἡμετέρας κακίας; τοὺς ἐχθροὺς οὐκ ἐλέγχομεν, ἀλλ' ἑπόμεθα τῷ λῃστηρίῳ, δι' οὗ ὁδόν τινα ἑαυτῇ, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ἡ τῆς ἀπωλείας ἀπάτη μηδενὸς ἀντι κειμένου ῥᾳδίως εἰργάσατο. ἆρα οὐδεμία ἐστὶν αἴσθησις οὐδὲ κατὰ χάριν τῆς κοινῆς ἁπάν των φύσεως, εἴ γε τῶν τοῦ νόμου προσταγμάτων ἠμελήσαμεν; ἀλλ' ἐρεῖ τις· κατὰ φύσιν 61.4 ἡ ἀγάπη ἐξευρίσκεται. τί οὖν ὅτι ἡμεῖς καὶ τὸν τοῦ θεοῦ νόμον πρὸς τῇ εὐφυίᾳ σχόντες ἀνεχόμεθα τῆς ὀχλήσεως καὶ τοῦ θορύβου τῶν ἐχθρῶν πυρσοῖς τισιν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐξαπτο μένων; καὶ οὐχ ὁρῶμεν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες οὐδὲ αἰσθανόμεθα, καίτοι ταῖς τοῦ νόμου αἰσθή 61.5 σεσιν ὄντες πεφραγμένοι. ὁπόση ἄρα πτόησις τὴν ἡμετέραν ζωὴν κατείληφεν, ὅπου γε ἡμῶν ἑαυτῶν οὕτως ἀμελοῦμεν καὶ ταῦτα ὑπομιμνήσκοντος τοῦ θεοῦ; εἶτα οὐκ ἔστιν ἀφόρητον τὸ κακόν; οὐ πολεμίους ἡγεῖσθαι προσήκει τούτους, οὐ τὸν οἶκον καὶ τὸν λαὸν τοῦ θεοῦ; ἐμπαροινοῦσιν ἡμῖν καὶ ἐγκαλοῦσί γε οἱ πανώλεις ἐκεῖνοι καὶ ἐπιπλήσ 62.1 σουσιν ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων ἡμῖν. μεθ' ὅσης δὲ ἀπονοίας τοῦτο πράττουσιν, ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐννοεῖν ἀξιῶ. οἱ γὰρ μωροὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γλώττης κειμένην ἔχουσι τὴν κακίαν. οὗτοι γοῦν μολιβδίνας τινὰς ὀργὰς ἐπιφέρονται, ὡς ἑαυτοὺς μὲν κατ' ἀντίδοσιν πλήττειν, ἡμᾶς δὲ 62.2 πρὸς κέρδος τῆς οἰκείας κολάσεως ἀπάγειν. καὶ ὁ μὲν καλῶς διδάξας πολέμιος κρίνε ται, ὁ δὲ τὴν τοῦ φθόνου κακίαν προβεβλημένος ἐκεῖνος τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμερότητα οὐ δεόντως καταλαμβάνει, πορθεῖ, καταναλίσκει, καὶ ἑαυτὸν κακοθελεῖ ἐγκωμίῳ κοσμεῖ καὶ συντίθησι, τὴν δὲ ἀλήθειαν ἀνατρέπει καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἀπατᾷ, μέχρις οὗ τῷ οἰκείῳ συνειδότι φωλεὸν 62.3 καὶ κρυπτηρίαν ἐπιζητήσας εὕρῃ. αὕτη γοῦν αὐτοὺς ἡ σκαιότης ἀθλίους ποιεῖ, ὅταν προπετῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἀναξίους ὄντας ἀποδέχωνται λέγοντες· «φεῦ τῶν κακῶν· ἐκεῖνος πρεσ βύτερός ἐστι καὶ ἐκεῖνος παῖς, ἐμοῦ ἅπτεται ἡ τιμή, ἐμοὶ ὀφείλεται, ἐκείνου περιαιρεθῇ, ἐπεὶ αὐτὸς ἐμαυτῷ ἀφαρπάσας ἅπαντας ἐπ' ἐξουσίας ἀπολέσαι πειράσομαι». λαμπρά τις ἡ τῆς μανίας ἐκβόησις, τάγματα καὶ συλλόγους ἤ, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ἀρχιαιρεσίαν τῶν 62.4 ἀτόπων τούτων συστημάτων ἰδεῖν. ὢ τῆς ἀτοπίας ἡμῶν, ἵν' οὕτως εἴπω, ἐπὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τοῦ θεοῦ ἀνοίας ἐστὶν ἐπίδειξις. εἶτα οὐκ αἰδοῦνται; οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἑαυτοὺς ψέγουσιν οὐδὲ τὰς ψυχὰς δάκνονται, ἵνα νῦν γοῦν καταντικρὺ τῆς ἀπάτης καὶ τῆς ἐρεσχηλίας ἄξιόν 62.5 τι φρονεῖν δόξωσι; βία μόνη