Against the Donatists 2 part 2/3

«Lucilla gives to us also from her own property»? Castus said: «I did not see anyone receive anything.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said: «Castus' confession is plain: that he did not know that the purses which Lucilla gave were divided among the people; and therefore let him be removed.» Likewise, when the subdeacon Crescentianus had been brought in and set before him, Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said: «What is your name?» He answered: «Crescentianus.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «Confess plainly, as the others have done, whether you know Silvanus to be a traditor.» Crescentianus said: «The former clergy, those who came before, themselves reported the particulars.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «What did they report?» Crescentianus said: «They reported that he was a traditor.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular...

...the consular said to Crescentianus: «Did they call him a traditor?» And he added: «Who were they that said so?» Crescentianus said: «Those who lived with him among the people said that he had at some time handed over the Scriptures.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «Were they speaking of Silvanus?» Crescentianus said: «Yes, indeed.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «When he was made bishop, were you present?» Crescentianus said: «I was present with the people, shut up in the larger house.» The deacon Nundinarius said: «Country-folk and sand-diggers made him bishop.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «Surely Mutus the sand-digger raised him up?» He said: «Plainly so.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus:

«Do you know that casks were carried off from the shrine of Sarapis?» Crescentianus said: «Many said that bishop Purpurius himself carried off the casks, and the vinegar, which came to our old man Silvanus; and the sons of Aelio said so too.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «What did you hear?» Crescentianus said: «That the vinegar was taken by the old man Silvanus and by the presbyters Donatius and Superius and by the deacon Lucianus.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «Of the four hundred purses which Lucilla gave, did the people receive anything?» Crescentianus said: «No one received anything of it; I do not know who distributed them.» Nundinarius said: «Did the old women never receive anything of it?» Crescentianus said: «Nothing.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular...

...the consular said: «Surely, whenever any such gift is made, all the people receive of it publicly?» Crescentianus said: «I neither heard nor saw that he gave any to anyone.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «Nothing then was given to the people out of the four hundred purses?» Crescentianus said: «Nothing; surely some little portion would have reached us.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said: «Where then were they taken?» Crescentianus said: «I do not know; no one received anything.» Nundinarius said: «How many purses did Victor give, that he might be made presbyter?» Crescentianus said: «I saw baskets brought in with money.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Crescentianus: «To whom were the baskets given?» Crescentianus said: «To bishop Silvanus.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said:

«Were they given to Silvanus?» Crescentianus said: «To Silvanus.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said: «Was nothing given to the people?» He answered: «Nothing; for it would have been necessary that we too receive something, if it were distributed, as is customary.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said to Nundinarius: «What else do you think ought to be inquired of Crescentianus?» Nundinarius said: «That is all.» Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said: «Since the subdeacon Crescentianus has confessed plainly concerning all matters, let him be removed.» Likewise, when the subdeacon Ianuarius had been brought in and set before him, Zenophilus, the most distinguished consular, said: «What is your name?» He answered ... ... II. The Acts of the Vindication of Felix, bishop of Abthugni. In the municipality of the Abthugnenses, Gallienus the duumvir said:

«Since you are present, Caecilianus, hear the letter of my lord Aelius Paulinus, a man of distinction discharging the vicarial prefecture, what he has deigned to command according to the letter sent to us — which letter compels both you to make a declaration, and the clerk whom you then had at the time of your administration, and the registrar. But since the registrar of that time has departed this life, you must produce together with yourself all the acts of your administration, in accordance with the tenor of the letter of this same my lord, and it is necessary that you proceed to the colony of Carthage with your clerk. The curator is present, into whose presence we compel you. What do you answer to this?» Caecilianus said:

«As soon as you delivered to me the letter of Aelius Paulinus, a man of distinction discharging the vicarial prefecture, I at once sent to my clerk Miccius, that he should come and produce for me the acts drawn up at that time; and he is still searching for them. And since it is no small time since I administered the duumvirate — it is eleven years — therefore, when he has found them, I will obey so great a command.» Gallienus the duumvir said: «It is in your interest to obey the order; for you see that it is a sacred order.» Caecilianus said: «I am devoted to so great a command.» Likewise, when shortly afterward the clerk Miccius arrived, Fuscius the duumvir said:

«You too have heard, Miccius, that you also, together with Caecilianus, are required to go to the office of the most distinguished vicarius, so that you may bring with you the records of that time. What do you say to this?» Miccius answered: «When the magistrate's year was completed, he carried all his acts to his own house. *** If a wax-tablet can be found among them, I will search for it.» And when he was making inquiry, Quintus Sisenna the duumvir said: «What the office has learned, he has answered.» Apronianus said: «If the magistrate carried off all his own acts, whence come the acts which were then issued or drawn up so long ago?» And when he was speaking, Aelianus the proconsul said: «Both my interrogation and the answer of each individual person is contained in the acts.» Agesilaus said: «There are besides other letters necessary to this matter;»

«it is to the point that they be read.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Read them in the hearing of Caecilianus, that he may recognize whether he himself dictated them.» Agesilaus read aloud: «In the consulship of Volusianus and Annianus, on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of September, in court before Aurelius Didymus Speretius, priest of Jupiter Best and Greatest, duumvir of the splendid colony of the Carthaginians, Maximus said: I speak in the name of the elders of the Christian people of the catholic law. Before the most mighty emperors a case must be argued against Caecilianus and Felix, who strive with all their force to seize the headship of that same law. Against these men documents of their crimes are being gathered together;»

«for when persecution had been decreed against the Christians — namely, that they should sacrifice, or hand over to the flames whatever Scriptures they possessed — Felix, who was then bishop of Abthugni, had given his consent that the Scriptures should be handed over from the hand of Galatius, so that they might be burned in the fire. And the magistrate at that time was Alfius Caecilianus, whom you deign to see here present.»

«And since the office of that time made it incumbent that, by proconsular order, all should sacrifice and, if they had any Scriptures, should offer them up according to the sacred law, I ask that — since he is present and you see him to be an old man and unable to go to the sacred court — he may, according to what is just, lodge a deposition among the acts: namely, whether he has already given a letter concerning the agreement made by the same man according to the acts, and whether the things he set down in his letter are true, so that the record of these matters and their reliability may be brought to light in the sacred judgment.» To Caecilianus standing by, Speretius the duumvir said: «Do you hear what has been deposited among the acts?» Alfius Caecilianus said: «I had gone to Zama to procure linen with Saturninus, and when we came there, the Christians themselves sent to me in the praetorium, to say:»

«'Has the sacred command reached you?' I said: 'No, but I have already seen examples of it — both at Zama and at Furni I saw basilicas being demolished and Scriptures being burned. So bring out whatever Scriptures you have, that the sacred order may be obeyed.' Then they sent into the house of bishop Felix, to remove the Scriptures from there, so that they might be burned according to the sacred command. So Galatius went with us to the place where they had been accustomed to hold their prayers. From there we carried off the bishop's chair and the letters of greeting, and all the doors were burned according to the sacred command. And when we sent to the house of the same bishop Felix, the public officials reported that he was absent.»

«Now afterward, when the clerk Ingentius of Augentius arrived — with whom I had administered the aedileship — I dictated a letter to that same colleague, which I made to that same bishop Felix.» Maximus said: «He is present; let the same letter be offered to him, that he may recognize it.» He answered: «It is the very one.» Maximus said: «Since he has recognized his own letter, I read it, and I pray that, in full, it be entered into the acts.» And he recited: «'Caecilianus to his kinsman Felix, greeting! When Ingentius met my colleague Augentius, his friend, and inquired whether, in the year of my duumvirate, any Scriptures of your law had been burned according to the sacred law *** which my Galatius brought forth publicly, the letters of greeting from your law, out of the basilica.'»

«'I wish you good health.' This was the token: that the Christians had sent me a petition, and the very man whose praetorium it was, and you said: 'Take the key, and whatever you find — the books in the bishop's chair and the codices upon the stone — those you shall take. But take care that the officials do not carry off the oil and the wheat.' And I said to you: 'Do you not know that, where Scriptures are found, that very house is demolished?' And you said: 'What then shall we do?' And I said to us: 'Let some one of yours take them up into the open place where you hold your prayers, and let them be put there.' And I come with the officials and take them. And we came there and carried off everything according to the sacred command.» Maximus said:

«Since the reading of his letter has been recited among the acts — which he himself acknowledged that he sent, and the things he said — we ask that they be attached to the acts.» Speretius the duumvir said: «The things you have said are written down.» Agesilaus said: «To the present letter he gave recognition; but the remaining part, which he has now read, he says is false.» Caecilianus said: «My lord, I dictated up to this point, up to where it has: 'I wish you, dearest kinsman, good health.'» Apronianus said: «It has always thus been falsely contrived, through terror, through play-acting, through an irreligious mind, by those who refused to be in accord with the catholic Church.»

«For while Paulinus was here administering the office of the prefects, a certain private man was suborned, who had a little of the courier's part, to come to the faithful of the catholic unity and lead them astray and terrify them. The plot, therefore, was uncovered. For it was being contrived against the most religious bishop Felix by means of a lie, that he might seem to have betrayed and burned the Scriptures. Ingentius indeed — since all that he did was prejudicial to the holiness and religion of Caecilianus — was suborned to come with a letter, as if from bishop Felix, to Caecilianus the duumvir, and to feign to him that he had been commissioned by Felix. Let him state the very words by which this was fabricated.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Speak.» Apronianus said:

«He said: 'Say to my friend Caecilianus that I received eleven precious sacred codices, and that someone is now pressing me to restore them; say that in the year of your magistracy you burned them, so that I need not give them back.' Concerning this matter, then, inquiry must be made of Ingentius — to what extent these things were contrived and fabricated, and how far he wished to deceive the magistrate into a lie, in order to besmirch Felix with infamy. Let him say by whom he was sent — yet whether he set this contrivance upon the conscience of Felix... so as to detract from the honor and standing of Caecilianus. For there is a certain man who has been sent as a legate through Mauritania and Numidia from the opposing party.» And while Ingentius stood by, Aelianus the proconsul said: «By whose command did you undertake to do the things which are charged against you?»

Ingentius said: «Where?» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Since you pretend not to understand what I am asking, I will say it more plainly: who sent you to the magistrate Caecilianus?» Ingentius said: «No one sent me.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «How then did you come to the magistrate Caecilianus?» Ingentius said: «When we had come, and the case of Maurus, bishop of Utica, was being tried — who had bought the bishopric for himself — Felix, bishop of Abthugni, went up to the city to deal with it, and said: 'Let no one be in communion with him, because he committed a falsehood.' And I said to him in turn: 'Neither with you nor with him, because you are a traditor.' For I grieved for the case of Maurus my host, because I had been in communion with him abroad, since I had escaped the persecution.»

«Thereupon I went to Felix's own homeland; I took three elders with me, that they might see whether he had really handed over the Scriptures or not.» Apronianus said: «Not so; he came to Caecilianus; inquire of Caecilianus.» Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: «How did Ingentius come to you?» Caecilianus answered: «He came to my house; I was dining with my workmen when he came there, and he stood in the doorway. 'Where is Caecilianus?' he said. I answered: 'Here.' I say to him: 'What is it? Is all well?' 'All is well,' he says. I answered him: 'If you do not disdain to dine, come and dine.' He says to me: 'I will return here.' He came there alone. He began to say to me: 'Lo, see to it for me and inquire whether a Scripture was burned in the year of my duumvirate.' I say to him:»

«'You are troublesome to me; you are a man sent in by others; take yourself away from me.' And I spurned him from me. And he came there again with my colleague, with whom I had been aedile. My colleague says to me: 'Our bishop Felix has sent this man here, that you may make him a letter, because he received precious codices and would not give them back. Write to him that, in the year of your duumvirate, they were burned.' And I said: 'Is this the faith of Christians?'» Ingentius said: «My lord, let Augentius also come. And I am a man of honor — let my honor perish — and we have his confirmation.» Aelianus the proconsul said to Ingentius: «You will be convicted on another count.» Aelianus the proconsul said to the office: «Make him ready.» And when he had been made ready, Aelianus the proconsul said:

«Let him be hung up.» And when he had been hung up, Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: «How did Ingentius come to you?» He answered: «He said: 'Our Felix sent me here, that you may write to him, because there is a certain lost fellow, I know not who, holding in his keeping most precious codices of mine, and I do not wish to restore them. So make a letter saying that they were burned, lest he reclaim them.' And I said: 'Is this the faith of Christians?' And I began to rebuke him; and my colleague says: 'Write to our Felix.' And so I dictated the letter which is here, up to where I dictated.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Hear without fear the reading of your letter; recognize how far you dictated.» Agesilaus read aloud: «'....'»

«'I wish you, dearest kinsman, good health for many years.'» Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: «Did you dictate up to here?» He answered: «Up to here; the rest is false.» Agesilaus read aloud: «'This was the token: that you sent me a petition, unless it was I and you and the man whose praetorium it is; and he said: Take the key, and whatever books you find in the bishop's chair and the codices upon the stone, take them. But take care that the officials do not carry off the oil and the wheat. And I said: Do you not know that, where Scriptures are found, that very house too is demolished? And you said: What then shall we do? And I said to us: Let some one of us take them into the open places where you hold your prayers, and let them be put there. And I come with the officials and take them.'»

«'And we came there and carried off everything according to agreement, and burned them according to the sacred command.'» Maximus said: «Since the tenor of his letter has also been recited among the acts — which he himself acknowledged that he had recognized and sent — we ask that this be attached to your acts.» Speretius said: «The things you have said are written down.» Caecilianus answered: «From that point it is false; my letter goes only up to where I said: 'farewell, dearest kinsman.'» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Whom do you say added to the letter?» Caecilianus said: «Ingentius.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Your declaration is attached to the acts.» Aelianus the proconsul said to Ingentius: «You are put to torture, lest you lie.» Ingentius said: «I erred; I added to this letter, grieving for the case of Maurus my host.»

Aelianus the proconsul said: «Constantine Maximus, ever Augustus, and Licinius the Caesars deign to show such piety to the Christians that they wish discipline not to be corrupted, but rather that this religion be observed and honored. Do not therefore flatter yourself that, because you tell me you are a worshiper of God, you cannot for that reason be tortured. You are tortured, lest you lie — which is shown to be alien to Christians. And therefore speak plainly, that you be not tortured.» Ingentius said: «I have already confessed without torture.» Apronianus said: «Deign to inquire of him by what authority, by what guile, by what madness he went round all the Mauritanias, and the Numidias also, and by what design he stirred up sedition against the catholic Church.» Aelianus the proconsul said:

«Were you in the Numidias?» He answered: «No, my lord; let there be one to prove it.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Nor in Mauritania?» He answered: «I was there for business.» Apronianus said: «And in this he lies, my lord — for one cannot reach the region of Mauritania except through the Numidias — inasmuch as he says he was in Mauritania but was not in Numidia.» Aelianus the proconsul said to Ingentius: «Of what condition are you?» Ingentius answered: «I am a decurion of the Ziquenses.» Aelianus the proconsul said to the office: «Set him down.» And when he had been set down, Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: «The things you have said are false.» Caecilianus answered: «No, my lord. He who wrote the letter — order him to come; he is the man's friend; he himself will say how far I dictated the letter.» Aelianus the proconsul said:

«Who is the man whom you desire to come?» Caecilianus said: «Augentius, with whom I was aedile. I cannot prove it except through Augentius himself, who wrote the letter; he himself can say how far I dictated to him.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «It is established, then, that the letter is false?» Caecilianus answered: «It is established, my lord; I do not lie at the peril of my own blood.» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Since you exercised the duumvirate in your own homeland, your words ought to be given credit.» Apronianus said: «Nor is it new for them to do this. For they have added to the acts as well whatever they wished: it is already a regular practice with them.» Aelianus the proconsul said:

«By the declaration of Caecilianus, who says that the acts were falsified and that very much was added to the letter, it has been made manifest with what intent Ingentius did these things; and therefore let him be received into prison; for he is needed for a more rigorous interrogation. But that Felix, the religious bishop, is free from the charge of burning the sacred instruments is manifest, since no one has been able to prove anything against him — namely that he handed over or burned the most religious Scriptures. For the interrogation of all, written above, has shown that no sacred Scriptures were either found, or corrupted, or burned.»

«This is contained in the acts: that the religious bishop Felix, in those times, was neither present, nor lent his conscience to it, nor ordered any such thing to be done.» Agesilaus said: «Concerning those who came to inform your authority, what does your authority command?» Aelianus the proconsul said: «Let them return to their own seats.» III. The Letter of Constantine to Aelafius. Constantine Augustus to Aelafius.

Already indeed, before this, when it had been brought to my knowledge that in our Africa very many had begun, with insane fury and empty accusations, to fall away from one another over the observance of the most holy catholic law, I had resolved — in order to put an end to a dissension of this kind — that both Caecilianus, bishop of Carthage, against whom above all many have often appealed to me, and also some of those who had believed they had certain charges to bring against him, should present themselves at the city of Rome.

For I had also ordered certain bishops from the Gauls to go to our aforesaid city of Rome, so that both these — for the integrity of their life and praiseworthy conduct — and also seven bishops of the same communion, as well as the bishops of the city of Rome, and those who, together with them, would investigate the matter, might be able to give due credit to the affair which seems to have been set in motion. And they indeed reported to my knowledge, with acts duly drawn up, all that had been done in their presence, affirming moreover in word that their judgment had been delivered according to the equity of the matters, and saying that those rather were liable to the case who thought to stir up certain things against Caecilianus — to such a degree that, after the judgment had been given, they forbade those men to return to Africa.

Thence, on account of all these things, by a probable estimation of the matters I had hoped that to all the seditions and contentions whatsoever, which seemed to have been suddenly stirred up among other men, a due end had been put. But when I had read the writings of your dictation, which your gravity had thought ought to be sent to Nicasius and the others concerning these same pretenses, I clearly recognized that they are willing to set before their eyes neither regard for their own salvation nor — what is greater — reverence for almighty God, seeing that they persist in doing those things which pertain not only to their own disgrace and infamy, but also give occasion of detraction to those men who are known to turn their thoughts far from this most holy observance.

For this too it is fitting that you should know: that from among these same people there came men asserting that the same Caecilianus is held to be less worthy of the worship of the most holy religion; and contrary to that which I had answered them — namely, that they boast this in vain, since the matter had been settled at the city of Rome by suitable and most approved men, the bishops — they judged that an answer should be given stubbornly and obstinately, alleging that the whole case had not been heard, but rather that the same bishops had shut themselves up in a certain place and, as had suited them, had given judgment.

Wherefore, since I perceived these dissensions, so many and so great, being drawn out altogether too stubbornly, so that in no way could an end seem to be put to them unless both that same Caecilianus, and three from among those who dissent against him, should come to the town of Arles for the judgment of those who hold opinions against Caecilianus and who owe their consent — I judged that it must be enjoined upon your diligence that, as soon as you receive this my letter, you cause both the aforesaid Caecilianus, with some of those whom he himself shall choose — but also from Byzacena, Tripolitana, the Numidias and Mauritanias and from the several provinces, those who must bring along a number of their own, whom they themselves shall think ought to be chosen — and also some of those who dissent against this same Caecilianus, with a public conveyance granted them through Africa and Mauritania, to sail thence to the Spains by a short crossing, and from there likewise grant to each of these bishops, severally, individual passes, so that they may...

...might be able to arrive at the aforesaid place within the day of the Kalends of August; you being quick to make known to them that, before they set out, they ought to make arrangements, so that, in their absence, both fitting discipline may be maintained and no sedition perhaps, nor any contention of quarreling parties — such as tends to the greatest disgrace — may arise. Let an end be put to it by full cognizance of the secret matter received; for, when all shall have presented themselves, the things which are now known to be in contention, and which not undeservedly ought to receive a ripe conclusion, may at once be brought to a term and composed.

For since it is certain to me that you too are a worshiper of the supreme God, I confess to your gravity that I in no way deem it lawful that contentions and altercations of this kind should be passed over in silence by us — by which perhaps the supreme Divinity might be moved, not only against the human race, but even against me myself, to whose care he has by his heavenly nod committed all earthly things to be governed, and might decree something otherwise, being thus far provoked. For then indeed, and most fully, shall I be able to be secure and ever to hope for all things most prosperous and best from the most ready benevolence of the most powerful God, when I shall have perceived all men venerating the most holy God by due worship of the catholic religion in the concordant brotherhood of observance. Amen. IIII.

The Council of Bishops at Arles to Pope Silvester. To the most beloved Pope Silvester: Marinus, Acratius, Natalis, Theodorus, Proterius, Vocius, Verus, Probatius, Caecilianus, Faustinus, Surgentius, Gregorius, Reticius, Ambitausus, Termatius, Merocles, Pardus, Adelfius, Hibernius, Fortunatus, Aristasius, Lampadius, Vitalis and Maternus, Liberius, Gregorius, Crescens, Avitianus, Dafnus, Orantalis, Quintasius, Victor, Epictetus — eternal salvation in the Lord! Cleaving together in the common bond of charity and in the unity of the bond of mother the catholic Church, brought by the will of the most pious emperor to the city of the people of Arles, from thence we salute you, most glorious Pope, with due reverence.

There we endured a grave and ruinous injury against our law and tradition, and against men of unbridled mind, whom both the present authority of our God and the tradition and rule of truth so reject that in them no reasonable case for speaking could stand, nor any manner of accusation, nor any proof could be agreed. Therefore, with God as judge and the Church as mother — who knows and approves her own — they were either condemned or driven out. And would that, most beloved brother, you had thought it worth your while to be present at so great a spectacle! Surely we believe that an even sterner sentence would have been pronounced against them, and that, with you judging together with us, our assembly would have rejoiced with greater gladness.

But since you were quite unable to withdraw from those regions in which the apostles daily sit enthroned and their very blood without ceasing bears witness to the glory of God, yet these were not the only matters that seemed to us worthy of discussion, dearest brother, to which we had been invited; rather we judged that we ought also to take counsel for our own concerns. And because the provinces from which we have come are diverse, so too various matters arise which we judge we ought to observe. It was therefore resolved, with the Holy Spirit present and His angels, that from those things which moved each one of us, we should bring forth a judgment concerning the present peace; it was also resolved that beforehand a letter be written to you, who hold the greater dioceses, so that through you above all these things might be made known to all.