§1.9Μὴ οὐν ὑμῖν τι πέπρακται;
Has anything then been done by you?
ὠ ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί, καταμάθετε νῦν, ἀξιῶ, τὰς βασάνους τῆς παρούσης ἀλγηδόνος.
O beloved brethren, understand now, I ask, the torments of the present pain.
ὁμολογητὰς ὑμᾶς εἶναι τούτου ἐπηγγέλλεσθε, ὃν εἶναι ἀρνεῖσθε, τοῦθ’ ὑμᾶς τοῦ πανώλου διδασκάλου πείθοντος.
You profess yourselves to be confessors of Him whom you deny to exist, that all-destructive teacher persuading you of this.
ἱκετεύω, τίς ἐστιν ὁ ταῦτα διδάξας οὔτως ἄκακον πλῆθος;
I implore, who is he who taught these things to so innocent a multitude?
Εὐσέβως δηλαδὴ ὁ τῆς τυραννικῆς ὠμότητος συμμύστης.
Clearly Eusebios, the partner in the initiate-secrets of tyrannical cruelty.
ὅτι γὰρ πανταχοῦ τοῦ τυράννου γεγένηται προσφύλαξ, πανταχόθεν ἔστι συνορᾶν.
For that he became in every way a supporter of the tyrant is visible from every side.
τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ αἱ τῶν ἐπισκόπων σφαγαὶ διαμαρτύρονται, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀληθῶς ἐπισκόπων, τοῦτο δὲ ἡ χαλεπωτάτη τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐκδίωξις διαρρήδην βοᾷ.
For on the one hand, the slaughters of the bishops bear witness to this—of the true bishops, I mean—and on the other hand, the most harsh persecution of the Christians loudly proclaims this.
§1.10οὐδὲν γὰρ τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ γεγενημένων ὕβρεων νῦν ἐρῶ, δι’ ὡν, ὅτε μάλιστα τῶν ἐναντίων μερῶν ἐπραγματεύσαντο συνδρομαί, οὑτος καὶ όφθαλμοὺς κατασκόπους ὑπέλαμπε κατ’ ἐμοῦ καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐνόπλους τῷ τυράννῳ συνεισέφερεν ὑπουργίας.
For I will say nothing now of the insults committed against me, through which, when the conspiracies of the opposing factions were most active, he also directed spying eyes against me, and almost contributed armed services to the tyrant.
§1.11μηδ’ ἐμέ τις οἰέσθω εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τούτων ἀπόδειξιν ἀπαράσκευον· ἔλεγχος γάρ ἐστιν ἀκριβής, ὅτι
τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ διακόνους τοὺς Εὐσεβίῳ παρεπομένους φανερῶς ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ συνειλῆφθαι συνέστηκεν.
And let no one think that I am unprepared for the proof of these things; for there is an accurate proof, namely that it is established that the presbyters and deacons who followed Eusebius have been openly apprehended by me.
ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν παρίημι, ἄ νῦν οὐκ ἀγανακτήσεως ἕνεκέν, ἀλλ’ εἰς ἐκείνων αἰσχύνην ὑπ’ ἐμοῦ προενήνεκται.
But these things I pass over, which have now been brought forward by me not for the sake of indignation, but for their shame.
ἐκεῖνο μόνον δέδια, ἐκεῖνο διαλογίζομαι, ὅτι ὑμᾶς ὁρῶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἐγκλήματος καλεῖσθαι κοινωνίαν.
That alone I fear, that alone I ponder, that I see you being called to a partnership in the crime.
διὰ γὰρ τῆς Εύσεβίου ἀγωγῆς τε καὶ διαστροφῆς συνείδησιν τῆς ἀληθείας κεχωρισμένην ἀνειλήφατε.
For through the guidance and perversion of Eusebius, you have taken up a conscience separated from the truth.
§1.12ἀλλ’ ἔστιν οὐ βραβεῖα θεραπεία, εἴγε ἐπίσκοπον πιστόν τε καὶ ἀκέραιον νῦν γοῦν λαβόντες πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπίδητε, ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστι καὶ πάλαι ἐχρῆν τῆς ὑμετέρας κρίσεως ἠρτῆσθαι, εἰ μὴ ὁ προειρημένος Εὐσέβιος + δεινῇ τότε συλλαβομένων αὐτῷ ἐνταῦθα ἐληλύθει καὶ τὴν τῆς τάξεως ὀρθότητα ανασχυντως † ουνεπεπραχει.
But there is a prompt remedy, if indeed, receiving now at least a faithful and pure bishop, you look to God; which at present is in your power, and long ago ought to have depended on your judgment, had not the aforementioned Eusebius come here at that time with those who assisted him in his terrible designs, and shamelessly subverted the correctness of order.
§1.13Ἀλλ’ ἐπειδὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Εὐσεβίου πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην ὀλίγα προσῆκε φράσαι, μέμνηται ἡ ὑμετέρα ἀνεξικακία ἐπὶ τῆς Νικαέων πόλεως γεγενῆσθαι σύνοδον, ᾗ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ πρεπόντως τῇ
τῆς ἐμῆς συνειδήσεως λατρεία παρήμην, οὐδὲν ἕτερον βουλόμενος ἢ ὁμόνοιαν ἅπασιν ἐργάσασθαι καὶ πρὸ πάντων ἐλέγξαι τε καὶ ἀποσείσασθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο, ὃ τὴν μὲν ἀρχὴν εἰλήφει διὰ τῆς Ἀρείου ποῦ Ἀλεξανδρέως ἀπονοίας, ἰσχυροποιεῖτο δὲ παραχρῆμα διὰ τῆς Εὐσεβίου ἀτόπου τε καὶ ὀλεθρίας σπουδῆς.
But since it is fitting to say a few words about Eusebius himself to your love, your forbearance remembers that a council took place in the city of the Ni caeans, at which I myself also was present, as was fitting for the service of my conscience, wishing nothing else than to work out harmony for all, and above all to refute and shake off this matter, which had taken its beginning through the madness of Arius of Alexandria, and was immediately strengthened through the absurd and destructive zeal of Eusebius.
§1.14ἀλλ’ αὐτὸς οὗτος Εὐσέβιος, προσφιλέστατοι καὶ τιμιώτατοι, μεθ’ ὅσης νομίζετε συνδρομῆς ἅτε δὴ ὑπὸ τῆς συνειδήσεως αὐτῆς ἡττώμενος, μεθ’ ὅσης δὲ αἰσχύνης τῇ πανταχόθεν ἐληλεγμένῃ ψευδολογίᾳ συνίστατο, ὑποπέμπων μέν μοι διαφόρους τοὺς ἀξιοῦντας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ἐξαιτούμενος δὲ παρ’ ἐμοῦ συμμαχίαν τινά, ὅπως μὴ ἐπὶ τοσούτω̣ ἐλεγχθεὶς πλημμελήματι τῆς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτῷ τιμῆς ἐκβάλλοιτο;
But this very Eusebius, most beloved and honored, with how great a rush, as you may well believe, since he was overcome by his very conscience, and with how great shame did he stand by his falsehood which was refuted on all sides, sending to me various persons to plead on his behalf, and begging from me some support, so that he might not, being convicted of so great an offense, be cast out of his existing honor?
μάρτυς ἐστί μοι τούτου ὁ θεὸς αὐτός, ὅς ἐμοί τε καὶ ὑμῖν φιλαγάθως ἐπιμένοι, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐμὲ ἐκεῖνος περιέτρεψε καὶ ἀπρεπῶς ὑφήρπασεν, ὃ κοὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπιγνώσεσθε.
God Himself is my witness of this, who may remain benevolently with me and you, since he indeed subverted me and shamefully deceived me, which you also will recognize.
πάντα μὲν γὰρ ἐπράχθη τότε, καθὼς αὐτὸς ἐπόθει πᾶν ὁτιοῦν κακὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ διανοίας ἀποκρυπτόμενος.
For everything indeed was done at that time as he himself desired, while he hid every kind of evil in his own mind.
§1.15Ἀλλὰ πρώην, ἵνα τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς τούτου σκαιότητος παρῶ, τί
μάλιστα μετὰ Θεοξενίου. ὃν τῆς ἀνοίας ἴχει κοινωνον διεπράξατο.
But recently, to pass over the rest of his wickedness, hear, I pray, what he especially did together with Theoxenios [Theognis], whom he has as a partner in his folly.
ἀκούσατε, παρακαλῶ. Ἀλεξανδρέας τινὰς τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως ἀναχωρήσαντας ἐνταῦθα κεκελεύκειν ἀποσταλῆναι, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τῆς τούτων ὑπηρεσίας ὁ τῆς διχονοίας ἠγείρετο πυρσός.
I had ordered certain Alexandrians, who had departed from our faith, to be sent here, since through their service the torch of discord was being raised.
. §1.16ἀλλ’ οὗτοι τὸ καλοί τε καὶ ἀγαθοὶ ἐπίσκοποι, οὓς ἅπαξ ἡ τῆς συνόδου ἀλήθεια πρὸς μετάνοιαν τετηρήκει, οὐ μόνον ἐκείνους ὑπεδέξαντο καὶ πὰρ ἑαυτοῖς ἠσφαλίσαντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκοινώνησαν αὐτοῖς τῆς τῶν τρόπων κακοηθείας.
But these "noble and good" bishops, whom once the truth of the council had preserved for repentance, not only received those [Alexandrians] and secured them with themselves, but also shared with them in the malice of their ways.
διὸ τοῦτο περὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους τούτους ἔκρινα πρᾶξαι· §1.17ἁρπαγέντας γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσα ὡς πορρωτάτω ἐξορισθῆναι.
Therefore I decided to act thus concerning these ungrateful men: for I ordered them to be seized and exiled as far away as possible.
νῦν ὑμέτερόν ἐστι πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἐκείνῃ τῇ πίστει βλέπειν ᾗ πάντοτε καὶ γεγενῆσθαι συνέστηκε καὶ εἶναι πρέπει, καὶ διαπράξασθαι οὕτως, ἴνα ἐπισκόπους ἁγνούς τε καὶ ὀρθοδόξους καὶ φιλανθρώπους ἔχοντες χαίρωμεν·
Now it is your part to look to God with that faith in which it is established always to have existed and in which it is fitting to remain, and to act in such a way that, having holy, orthodox, and humane bishops, we may rejoice.
εἴ τις δὲ ἢ πρὸς μνήμην τῶν λυμεώνων ἐκείνων ἢ πρὸς ἔπαινον ἀπρονοήτως ἐξαφθῆναι τολμήσει, παραχρῆμα τῆς ἰδίας τόλμης διὰ τῆς τοῦ θεράποντος τοῦ θεοῦ, τοῦτ’ ἔστιν ἐμοῦ, ἐνεργείας ἀνασταλήσεται.
But if anyone should thoughtlessly dare to be inflamed either to the memory of those destroyers or to their praise, he will immediately be checked in his audacity through the action of the servant of God, that is, myself.
ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί«.
May God preserve you, beloved brethren."