Now the terms of the recantation of the imperial decree set forth above had been spread abroad throughout Asia, everywhere and in all parts, and through the provinces round about it. But when these things had thus been accomplished, Maximin, the tyrant of the East, the most impious of men if ever there was one, and a most bitter enemy of piety toward the God of all, was by no means pleased with what had been written; and instead of the letter set forth above he commanded the rulers under him by word of mouth to relax the war against us. For since he was not otherwise permitted to gainsay the judgement of his superiors, he laid aside in a corner the law already set forth, and, taking care that it should not be brought to light in the parts under his rule, by an unwritten command he ordered the rulers under him to relax the persecution against us. And they signified to one another the terms of this charge by writing.
At all events, Sabinus, who among them had been honoured with the rank of most eminent prefect, made known the Emperor's mind to the provincial governors by a Latin epistle, the translation of which runs in the following manner:
「With most assiduous and devoted zeal the Divinity of our lords, the most divine Emperors, long ago determined to lead the minds of all men into the holy and right path of life, so that even those who seemed to follow a custom foreign to that of the Romans might render the worship due to the immortal gods.
But the obstinacy and most intractable resolve of certain persons reached such a point that they could neither be drawn back from their own purpose by the just reasoning of the command, nor were they frightened by the punishment that hung over them.
Since, therefore, it came about that by such conduct many were involving themselves in danger, the Divinity of our lords, the most powerful Emperors, in accordance with their inborn nobility of piety, deeming it foreign to their own most divine purpose that men should for such a cause involve themselves in so great a danger, commanded that through my Devotedness it should be written to thy Sagacity, that if any of the Christians be found following the religion of his own nation, thou shouldest free him from molestation and danger directed against him, and shouldest not think that any one ought to be chastised with punishment on this pretext, since by the passage of so long a time it has been established that they can in no way be persuaded to depart from such obstinate ways.
Therefore thy Solicitude ought to write to the curators and the magistrates and the praepositi of the district of every city, that they may know that it is not fitting for them to take any further notice of this matter.」
Hereupon those in charge of the provinces, having concluded that the purport of what had been written to them expressed a genuine intention, made the imperial mind manifest by letters to the curators and the magistrates and those set over the country districts. And not only did they carry out these things by writing, but much rather by action; for, with a view to bringing the imperial nod to fulfilment, those whom they kept shut up in prisons for their confession of the Deity they brought into the open and set free, releasing also such of these same men as had been consigned to the mines for punishment. For they had, in their error, supposed that this in truth was the Emperor's pleasure.
And when these things had thus been accomplished, all at once, as though some light had shone forth out of a gloomy night, one might see churches thronged in every city, and assemblies exceedingly full, and the gatherings customarily held at them. And at this every one of the unbelieving heathen was struck with no small amazement, marvelling at the wonder of so great a change, and crying aloud that the God of the Christians alone was great and true.
And of our own people, those who had faithfully and bravely fought through the contest of the persecutions once more recovered their boldness toward all men; but as many as had been sick in their faith and storm-tossed in their souls eagerly hastened after their own healing, beseeching and begging of the strong the right hand of salvation, and earnestly entreating God to be merciful to them.
And then also the noble champions of godliness, set free from the hardship of the mines, were making their way to their own homes, going through every city proudly and with radiant faces, full of unspeakable gladness and of a boldness that cannot even be expressed in words.
Thronging crowds of men, therefore, accomplished their journey along the midst of the highways and market-places, hymning God with songs and psalms. And you might have seen those who a little before had been prisoners undergoing the harshest punishment and driven from their native lands, now with cheerful and joyful faces recovering their own hearths, so that even those who formerly had thirsted for our blood, beholding the wonder beyond all expectation, rejoiced together with us at what had come to pass.