§8Quo recitato Augustinus episcopus dixit: Audite qui nescitis, audite, obsecro uos.
When this was read, Bishop Augustine said: "Hear, you who do not know, hear, I beseech you.
deo gratias, quia ipso praesente loquor.
Thanks be to God, for I am speaking in his very presence.
causam istam Maximianistarum, quam uolo modo uobis exponere, ubi omnium calumniarum suarum tamquam malarum mercium nauem fregerunt, causam ergo istam Maximianistarum cum totiens obiecissemus in nostra collatione, nihil aduersus eam dicere potuerunt, id est aduersus obiectionem nostram totiens insertam, totiens repetitam, totiens eorum frontibus illisam nihil omnino respondere potuerunt, quia quod responderent non inuenerunt.
This case of the Maximianists, which I now wish to explain to you, wherein they shipwrecked the vessel of all their calumnies like bad merchandise—this case of the Maximianists, then, when we had objected it so many times in our conference, they could say nothing against it; that is, against our objection, so many times inserted, so many times repeated, so many times dashed against their foreheads, they could answer nothing at all, because they did not find what they should answer.
audite ergo illam diligenter.
Hear it, therefore, diligently.
ecce hic est, audit me.
Behold, he is here, he hears me.
si mentior, redarguat, probare me compellat.
If I lie, let him refute me, let him compel me to prove [it].
gesta quidem ipsa hic non sunt, sed ibi sit causa.
The records themselves indeed are not here, but let the case be there.
feramus quaslibet dilationes, ut ad documenta necessaria ueniamus, si probauero quod dico.
Let us bear any delays whatever, so that we may come to the necessary documents, if I shall have proved what I say.
si tamen inde dubitat aut, quod absit, dubitare se fingit, quod pace eius dixerim, non communicet, si non probauero.
If, however, he doubts concerning this or—which far be it—feigns that he doubts (with his permission let me say it), let him not communicate with me, if I shall not have proved [it].
si autem scit iam me uerum dicere et nouit propterea respondere noluisse, quia quod responderet non potuit inuenire, rogo uos, ut ipsi iudicetis quid sit tolerabilius, in honore suo suscipere a se damnatum an fratrem agnoscere non aliquando a se conuictum.
But if he already knows that I speak the truth, and knows that he did not wish to answer for this reason, because he could not find what he should answer, I ask you that you yourselves judge what is more tolerable: to receive in his honor one condemned by himself, or to recognize a brother never convicted by himself.
intendite, obsecro, audite narrationem. §9Maximianus quidam diaconus fuit Carthaginiensis in parte Donati.
Pay attention, I beseech you, hear the narrative." "A certain Maximianus was a deacon of Carthage in the party of Donatus.
siue merito superbiae suae siue, ut ipsi putant, merito iustitiae suae offendit episcopum suum, id est Primianum Carthaginiensem, siue inique, si superbus meliorem, siue iuste, si probus inprobiorem.
Whether by the merit of his pride or, as they think, by the merit of his justice, he offended his bishop, that is, Primian of Carthage; whether unjustly (if, being proud, [he offended] a better man), or justly (if, being upright, [he offended] a worse man).
excommunicatus est a Primiano.
He was excommunicated by Primian.
perrexit ad episcopos uicinos, concitauit inuidiam Primiano, accusauit eum apud illos.
He went to the neighboring bishops, stirred up hatred against Primian, and accused him before them.
uentum est ad Carthaginem.
They came to Carthage.
uoluerunt qui uenerunt multi episcopi Donatistae ad se uenire Primianum, sicut uoluerunt maiores istorum ad se uenire Caecilianum.
Many Donatist bishops who came wished Primian to come to them, just as the ancestors of these [Donatists] wished Caecilian to come to them.
factione cognita noluit ad istos uenire Primianus, sicut ad illos noluit uenire Caecilianus.
When the conspiracy was known, Primian refused to come to them, just as Caecilian refused to come to them.
damnatus est ab istis absens Primianus, sicut ab illis damnatus est absens Caecilianus.
Primian, being absent, was condemned by them, just as Caecilian, being absent, was condemned by them.
qualem imaginem rerum uoluit deus ante oculos nostros recenti tempore ponere, quoniam nimis antiqua iam delebat obliuio! damnatus est absens.
What an image of events God wished to place before our eyes in recent times, since too ancient oblivion was already erasing [them]! He was condemned while absent.
ab aliis episcopis partis Donati Primianus communioni est restitutus, immo quia eum non deposuerunt, in sua sede firmatus est.
By other bishops of the party of Donatus, Primian was restored to communion; indeed, because they did not depose him, he was confirmed in his own seat.
damnati sunt Maximianistae, sicut a peregrinis episcopis et transmarinis absoluto Caeciliano meruit damnari Donatus.
The Maximianists were condemned, just as, after Caecilian was acquitted by foreign and transmarine bishops, Donatus deserved to be condemned.
damnatus est Maximianus cum duodecim ordinatoribus suis.
Maximianus was condemned along with his twelve ordainers.
factio quidem ipsa plurimos continebat; centum erant fortassis episcopi.
The conspiracy itself indeed contained very many; there were perhaps a hundred bishops.
sed ne maior praecisio fieret, isti noluerunt paucis deiectis multis imponere disciplinam.
But lest a greater division should occur, they did not wish, by casting down a few, to impose discipline on many.
damnarunt solos qui affuerunt ordinationi Maximiani, quando contra episcopum suum illicite est leuatus episcopus; ceteri in ipsa factione constituti, si redire ad ecclesiam uellent, in suis permitterentur honoribus.
They condemned only those who were present at the ordination of Maximianus, when he was unlawfully raised as bishop against his own bishop; the rest who were established in that conspiracy, if they wished to return to the church, would be permitted [to remain] in their own honors.
uerbis quidem suis ostendebant eos foris esse ab ecclesia; quem enim hortaris ut intret, foris est.
Indeed, by their own words they showed that they were outside the church; for he whom you exhort to enter is outside.
constituto ergo die, intra quem diem si redirent nihil eis obessent quae aduersus Primianum dicebantur, decreto Bagaiensi firmauerunt, damnatus est Maximianus cum duodecim.
Therefore, having established a day within which day, if they returned, the things said against Primian would not harm them, they confirmed by the decree of Bagai that Maximianus was condemned along with the twelve.
coepit agi, ut damnati de basilicis pellerentur.
It began to be treated that the condemned should be expelled from the basilicas.
interpellantur iudices, interpellantur proconsules, in iudicium allegatur episcopale Bagaiense concilium.
Judges are appealed to, proconsuls are appealed to, and the episcopal Council of Bagai is entered into court.
dicuntur haeretici, demonstrantur damnati, impetrantur iussiones, auxilia congregantur, uenitur ad eiciendos de basilicis homines damnatos et in sua pertinacia constitutos.
They are called heretics, they are demonstrated as condemned, orders are obtained, assistance is gathered, and it comes to expelling from the basilicas men who are condemned and established in their own obstacy.
illis condemnatis populi qui fauebant restiterunt, ubi non potuerunt uicti sunt, in locum eorum qui uicti sunt et expulsi alii ordinati sunt.
When they were condemned, the peoples who favored them resisted; where they could not [resist], they were defeated; in the place of those who were defeated and expelled, others were ordained.
ex quibus duos nouimus, ut de ceteris taceamus, unum Felicianum (Mustitanum), alterum Praetextatum Assuritanum, quos post annos duos aut tres per Optatum Gildonianum post multas illis illatas persecutiones iudiciariis prosecutionibus et tota acrimonia potestatum in suis honoribus susceperunt.
Of whom we know two, to be silent about the rest, one Felician (of Musti), the other Praetextatus of Assuras, whom after two or three years, through Optatus the Gildonian, after many persecutions inflicted on them, by judicial prosecutions and all the sharpness of the powers, they received back in their own honors.
post damnationem suam, post eiectionem, post persecutiones susceperunt illos in honoribus suis, adiunxerunt sibi socios atque collegas.
After their condemnation, after expulsion, after persecutions, they received them in their honors, and joined them to themselves as associates and colleagues.
nam in loco unius ipsorum Praetextati Assuritani alium iam ordinauerant nomine Rogatum, qui modo catholicus est, cui exercitus istorum, id est agmen circumcellionum,. linguam et manum praecidit.
For in the place of one of them, Praetextatus of Assuras, they had already ordained another by the name of Rogatus, who is now a Catholic, whose tongue and hand the army of these [Donatists], that is, the band of circumcellions, cut off.
illi autem, qui per ipsum tempus, quo illi damnati foris erant, ferme per triennium baptizati sunt a damnatis, baptizati sunt foris ab ecclesia istorum, sic sunt suscepti. nemo dixit non habes baptismum, quia foris es baptizatus\': et rebaptizatur qui uenit de Epheso de Smyrna de Thessalonica de ceteris ecclesiis, quas suo labore apostoli plantauerunt et ad quas legimus missas apostolorum epistulas, quas audimus in ecclesia recitari.
But those who during that very time in which those condemned were outside, for almost a triennium, were baptized by the condemned—baptized outside their church—were received in this way: no one said, 'You do not have baptism because you were baptized outside.' And he is rebaptized who comes from Ephesus, from Smyrna, from Thessalonica, from the other churches which the apostles planted by their own labor and to which we read that the letters of the apostles were sent, which we hear read in the church."