§11Quotienscumque, fratres mei, causam istam Maximianistarum, quam sicut potui uobis exposui, eis cum in collatione ageremus obiecimus, plus inde tacuit quam modo in omnibus tacet.
Whenever, my brothers, we threw in their teeth this case of the Maximianists—which I have explained to you as best as I could—when we were holding the conference with them, he fell more silent about it than he is now silent on all matters.
non se occultent tergiuersatoria non defensione sed fuga.
Let them not hide themselves behind evasive maneuvers, which are not a defense but a flight.
dicunt enim, quod dilationem illis dederint et intra dilationem illos susceperint.
For they say that they gave them a respite and received them within that respite.
hoc falsum est; duodecim cum Maximiano damnati sunt, ceteri autem non aderant ordinationi eius, quando ei manus imposita est.
This is false; twelve were condemned with Maximian, but the others were not present at his ordination when hands were laid upon him.
illis dilationem dederunt; nam uerba ipsius ista sunt: nec solum hunc, inquit, sceleris sui mors iusta condemnat; trahit etiam ad consortium criminis plurimos catena sacrilegii, de quibus scriptum est: (uenenum aspidum sub labiis eorum quorum os maledictione et amaritudine plenum est.
To those they gave a respite; for his own words are these: "And not only does the just death of his own crime condemn this man," he says, "but the chain of sacrilege also drags very many into the fellowship of the crime, of whom it is written: 'The venom of asps is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
ueloces pedes eorum ad effundendum sanguinem.
Their feet are swift to shed blood.
contritio et infelicitas in uiis eorum, et uiam pacis non cognouerunt.
Destruction and unhappiness are in their ways, and the way of peace they have not known.
non est timor dei ante oculos eorum\'. nollemus quidem tamquam proprii corporis secare iuncturam.
There is no fear of God before their eyes.' Indeed, we did not wish to cut off a joint as if of our own body.
sed quoniam tabescentis uulneris putredo pestifera plus habet in abscisione solaminis quam in remissione medicaminis, inuenta est causa salubrior, ne per cuncta membra pestilens irreperet uirus, ut compendioso dolore natum decidat uulnus. famosi ergo criminis reos esse nominat duodecim, inter quos et Felicianum et Praetextatum, sed nomina omnium mihi non occurrunt; et sic infert: qui funesto opere perditionis uas sordidum collecta faeculentia sordidarunt, sed et clericos aliquando ecclesiae Carthaginis, qui, dum facinori intersunt, illicito incestui praebuerunt lenocinium, dei praesidentis arbitrio uniuersalis concilii ore ueridico damnatos esse cognoscite.
But since the pestilential decay of a wasting wound has more comfort in excision than in the relaxation of medicine, a healthier course has been found, lest the poisonous virus creep through all the limbs, so that with a brief pain the wound which has arisen may fall away." Therefore, he names twelve as guilty of a notorious crime, among whom were both Felician and Praetextatus, though the names of all do not occur to me; and thus he continues: "But know that those who by the deadly work of perdition have defiled the filthy vessel with collected dregs, and also the clergy at one time of the church of Carthage, who, while participating in the misdeed, provided facilitation to unlawful incest, have been condemned by the truth-telling mouth of the universal council by the judgment of the presiding God.
eos autem, quos sacrilegi surculi non polluere plantaria, hoc est qui a Maximiani capite proprias manus uerecundo fidei pudore retraxerunt, ad matrem ecclesiam redire permisimus. uolebant pumicare faciem suam, quia sacrilegis ignoscebant et aperte schismaticis uiam redeundi concedebant.
But those whom the plantings of the sacrilegious branch did not pollute, that is, those who withdrew their hands from the head of Maximian with the reverent shame of faith, we have permitted to return to the mother church." They wished to smarten up their face, because they were forgiving sacrilegious men and openly granting a way of return to schismatics.
quid est hoc, rogo.
What is this, I ask?
modo mihi dignetur exponere, quomodo eos sacrilegi surculi non polluere plantaria.
Let him now deign to explain to me how the plantings of the sacrilegious branch did not pollute them.
quare illis dilationem das, si nullam partem in Maximiani schismate habere potuerunt? si autem socii sunt factionis, quamuis non fuerint praesentes ordinationi, quomodo illos non inquinat Maximianus, et totum orbem terrarum semel absens damnatus, tertio praesens absolutus inquinat Caecilianus? non inquinat Afer Afros, uiuus uiuos, notus notos, particeps socios, et Caecilianus inquinat transmarinos, inquinat longe positos, (inquinat ignotos,) inquinat nondum natos? tecum sedit a te damnatus, et non te inquinauit Felicianus? ego illum non uidi, tu illum nosti;
Why do you give them a respite, if they could have no part in the schism of Maximian? But if they are partners in the faction, although they were not present at the ordination, how is it that Maximian does not defile them, and Caecilian—once condemned in his absence, but three times acquitted when present—defiles the whole world? Does an African not defile Africans, a living man the living, an acquaintance his acquaintances, a partner his associates, and does Caecilian defile those across the sea, defile those situated far away, defile those unknown, defile those not yet born? Did he who was condemned by you sit with you, and Felician did not defile you?
ego illum innocentem credo, tu istum nocentem damnasti.
I have not seen him, you know him; I believe him to be innocent, you condemned him as guilty.
aut si fateris innocentis te fuisse receptorem, fateris te innocentis fuisse damnatorem.
Or if you confess that you were the receiver of an innocent man, you confess that you were the condemner of an innocent man.
§12Et tamen, fratres mei, non inuidemus concordiae eorum.
And yet, my brothers, we do not envy their harmony.
inter se suscitata odia diabolica finierunt, quomodo putant, in pacem redierunt.
They ended the diabolical hatreds raised among themselves and, as they think, returned to peace.
sed hoc dico: si ramus fractus quaesiuit paruum a se fractum, qua diligentia debet arbor ipsa quaerere ramum ex se fractum? ideo sudamus, ideo laboramus, ideo inter eorum arma et cruentas furias circumcellionum periclitati sumus et adhuc reliquias eorum qualicumque donata a deo patientia toleramus, dum arbor quaerit ramum, dum grex ex ouili Christi ouem perditam quaerit.
But this I say: if a broken branch sought out a small one broken from itself, with what diligence ought the tree itself to seek the branch broken from itself? Therefore we sweat, therefore we labor, therefore among their weapons and the bloody furies of the Circumcellions we have been in danger, and still we tolerate their remnants with whatever patience is granted by God, while the tree seeks its branch, while the flock seeks the lost sheep from the fold of Christ.
si pastoralibus uisceribus praediti sumus, per saepes et spinas nos coartare debemus.
If we are endowed with pastoral bowels, we ought to force our way through hedges and thorns.
membris. laceratis ouem quaeramus et pastori principique omnium cum laetitia reportemus.
With torn limbs let us seek the sheep and report back with joy to the shepherd and chief of all.
multa diximus etiam fatigati, et tamen frater noster, propter quem ista dicimus uobis et cui pariter dicimus et pro quo tanta agimus, adhuc pertinax sistit.
We have said many things, even though exhausted, and yet our brother, on whose account we say these things to you, and to whom likewise we speak, and for whom we do so much, still stands obstinate.
constantem se putat fortitudo crudelis.
A cruel strength thinks itself steadfast.
non adhuc de uana et falsa fortitudine glorietur.
Let him no longer boast of a vain and false strength.
audiat apostolum dicentem: uirtus in infirmitate perficitur. oremus pro illo.
Let him hear the Apostle saying: "Virtue is perfected in infirmity." Let us pray for him.
unde scimus quid uelit deus? multae cogitationes, sicut scriptum est, in corde uiri;
Whence do we know what God wills?
consilium autem domini manet in aeternum. §retractationes## AVGVSTINI RETRACTITIONUM LIB. II CAP. LXXVII (LI)
(PAG. 187, 16 ED. KNOELL).
"Many thoughts," as it is written, "are in the heart of man; but the counsel of the Lord remains forever." BOOK II, CHAPTER LXXVII (LI) OF AUGUSTINE'S RETRACTATIONS (PAGE 187, 16 ED. KNOELL).
GESTA CUM EMERITO DONATISTA, LIBER UNUS.
Aliquanto post conlationem, quam cum hereticis Donatistis habuimus, orta est nobis necessitas pergendi in Mauritaniam Caesariensem.
THE PROCEEDINGS WITH EMERITUS THE DONATIST, ONE BOOK. Some time after the conference which we held with the heretical Donatists, there arose for us the necessity of proceeding into Mauretania Caesariensis.
ibi apud ipsam Caesaream Emeritum, Donatistarum episcopum, uidimus, unum scilicet eorum septem, quos pro suae causae. defensione delegerant, et qui in eadem causa maxime laborauerat.
There, at Caesarea itself, we saw Emeritus, the bishop of the Donatists, namely, one of those seven whom they had chosen for the defense of their cause, and who had labored most in that same cause.
quae cum illo egerimus praesentibus episcopis eiusdem prouinciae et plebe Caesariensis ecclesiae, in qua ciuitate et ciuis et memoratorum hereticorum episcopus fuit, ecclesiastica gesta testantur, quae in meis habentur opusculis.
What we did with him in the presence of the bishops of the same province and the laity of the Caesarean church, in which city he was both a citizen and the bishop of the aforementioned heretics, the ecclesiastical proceedings bear witness, which are contained among my short works.
ubi non inueniens, quid responderet, totum sermonem meum, quem de solis Maximianistis in auribus eius et omnium, qui aderant, explicaui, tamquam mutus audiuit,
Hic liber uel haec gesta sic incipiunt: Gloriosissimo Honorio Augusto XII et Constantio iterum VV. CC. consulibus XI Kalendas Octobris Caesarea in ecclesia maiore.
There, not finding what he might answer, he heard as if mute the whole of my sermon, which I delivered concerning the Maximianists alone in his ears and those of all who were present. This book or these proceedings begin thus: "In the consulship of the most glorious Honorius Augustus for the twelfth time and Constantius again, most illustrious men, on the eleventh day before the Kalends of October, at Caesarea in the greater church."