The Time Of Sowing

Ergo, dum tempus habemus, operemur bonum ad omnes, maxime autem ad domesticos fidei. Tempus sementis, ut diximus, tempus est praesens, et quam currimus. In hac licet nobis quod volumus seminare; cum ista vita transierit operandi tempus aufertur. Unde et Salvator ait: Operamini dum dies est: veniet nox, quando jam nullus poterit operari. Ortus est nobis Dei sermo, sol verus, et congregatae sunt bestiae recedentes in cubilia sua: procedamus ut homines ad opus nostrum, et usque ad vesperam laboremus, sicut mystice cantatur in psalmo: Posuisti tenebras, et facta est nox. In ipsa pertransibunt bestiae silvae, catuli leonum rugientes, ut rapiant, et quaerant a Deo escam sibi. Ortus est sol, et congregatae sunt, et in cubilibus suis dormierunt. Egredietur homo ad opus suum, et ad operationem suam usque ad vesperam. Sive aegrotamus, sive sani sumus, humiles, vel potentes, pauperes, divites, ignobiles, honorati, esurientes, sive vescentes, omnia in nomine Domini cum patientia et aequanimitate faciamus, et implebitur in nobis illud quod scriptum est: Diligentibus autem Dominum, omnia cooperantur in bonum. Ira ipsa et libido, et injuria quae desiderat ultionem, si me refrenem: si propter Deum taceam: si per singulos commotionis aculeos, et incentiva vitiorum, Dei desuper me videntis recorder, fiunt mihi occasio triumphorum. Ne dicamus in largiendo: Ille est amicus, hunc nescio: hic debet accipere, iste contemni. Imitemur Patrem nostrum, qui solem suum oriri facit super bonos et malos, et pluit super justos et injustos. Fons bonitatis omnibus patet. Servus et liber, plebeius et rex, dives et pauper, ex eo similiter bibunt. Lucerna cum accensa fuerit in domo, omnibus lucet aequaliter. Quod si in cunctos indifferenter liberalitatis frena laxantur, quanto magis in domesticos fidei, et in Christianos, qui eumdem habent Patrem, ejusque magistri appellatione censentur! Videtur autem mihi locus iste posse et superioribus cohaerere, ut domesticos fidei, magistros nominet, quibus supra omnia quae putantur bona, ab auditoribus suis jusserat ministrari. Breve est vitae istius curriculum. Hoc ipsum quod loquor, quod dicto, quod scribo, quod emendo, quod relego, de tempore meo mihi aut crescit, aut deperit. Titus, filius Vespasiani, qui in ultionem Dominici sanguinis, subversis Jerosolymis, Romam victor ingressus est, tantae dicitur fuisse bonitatis, ut cum quadam nocte sero recordaretur, in coena, quod nihil boni die illa fecisset, dixerit amicis: Hodie diem perdidi. Nos putamus non perire nobis horam, diem, momenta, tempus, aetates, cum otiosum verbum loquimur, pro quo reddituri sumus rationem in die judicii? Quod si hoc ille sine Lege, sine Evangelio, sine Salvatoris, et apostolorum doctrina, naturaliter et dixit, et fecit: quid nos oportet facere, in quorum condemnationem habet et Juno univiras, et Vesta virgines, et alia idola continentes? Beatus Joannes evangelista cum Ephesi moraretur usque ad ultimam senectutem, et vix inter discipulorum manus ad ecclesiam deferretur, nec posset in plura vocem verba contexere, nihil aliud per singulas solebat proferre collectas, nisi hoc: Filioli, diligite alterutrum. Tandem discipuli et fratres qui aderant, taedio affecti, quod eadem semper audirent, dixerunt: Magister, quare semper hoc loqueris? Qui respondit dignam Joanne sententiam: Quia praeceptum Domini est, et si solum fiat, sufficit. Hoc propter praesens Apostoli mandatum: Operemur bonum ad omnes: maxime autem ad domesticos fidei. Sanctus Hieronymus, Commentariorum in Epistolam ad Galatas, Liber III, Cap VI Source: Migne PL 26.432b-433c

Therefore while we have time, let us do good to everyone, especially to the servants of the faith. 1 The time of sowing, as we have said, is the present time, in which we run. In this we are permitted to sow what we will, and when this life shall have passed by the time of such labouring is finished. Whence the Saviour says: 'Work while it is still day. The night shall come when no one will be able to work.' 2 The sun of the word of God has risen on us, the true sun, and the beasts have been gathered up and withdrawn into their lairs, and so let us as men go to our work, and even to the evening let us labour, as is spiritually sung in the Psalm: 'You set down darkness and it was night. In it pass all the beasts of the wood, the roaring of lion whelps, that they might seize, and they seek from God food for themselves. The sun has risen, and they have been gathered up and in their lairs they sleep. Man goes out to his work, and to his labour until the evening.' 3 Whether we are sick or healthy, humble or powerful, poor or rich, obscure or honoured, hungry or full, let us do everything in the name of the Lord in patience and contentment, and we shall fulfill in ourselves what has been written: 'But for the lovers of the Lord everything works together for goodness.' 4 If I restrain myself from anger and lust and the injury that seeks vengeance, if for the sake of God I am silent, if through every sharp disturbance and incentive for vice I remind myself that God watches from above, there shall be for me an occasion of triumph. Let us not say in plenty, 'That fellow is a friend, this one I do not know. This one should be received, that one scorned.' Let us imitate our Father who makes the sun rise over the good and the wicked, and makes it rain upon the righteous and the unrighteous. 5 He opens the fount of kindness to all and from that slave and free, commoner and king, rich and poor, all likewise drink. A lamp that has been lit in a house shines equally on everyone, 6 whence if the reign of generosity is loosed impartially for everyone, how much more for those who are servants of the faith and Christians, who have the same Father, and those who are reckoned to be His teachers? It seems to me that it is possible to join this passage with those before, so that from hearers he exhorts service of those he names servants of the faith and teachers, whom are thought as goods above all. Brief is the time of this life. This which I say, and dictate, and write, and correct, and review, grows or perishes in my time. Titus, the son of Vespasian, who in revenge for the blood of the Lord, overthrew Jerusalem, entered Rome as victor, and it is said that such was his benevolence, that when late one night at a feast he remembered that he had done no good that day, he said to his friends, 'Today I have wasted a day.' Shall we not think that we have wasted an hour, a day, a moment, a year, an age, when we speak worthless words, for which we shall have to give a reason on the day of judgement? 7 If this fellow without the Law, without the Gospel, without the Saviour and the teaching of the Apostles, naturally said this and acted so, what is needful for us to do, for the condemnation of whom he had Juno of one husband, and the Vestal Virgins, and a collection of other idols? Blessed John the Evangelist, while he remained in Ephesus until final old age, had to be carried to the church by the hands of his followers, and unable to compose his voice for many words, he was accustomed to offer nothing else to the congregation but this: 'Little children, love one another.' 8Then when his pupils and brothers drew near, and being troubled with the repetition of what they always heard, said, 'Master, why do you always say this?' John replied with a worthy statement: 'Because it is the teaching of the Lord, and if this alone is done, it is enough.' Hence the command of this Apostle: 'Let us do good to everyone, especially to the servants of the faith.' Saint Jerome, Commentary on the Letter to the Galatians, Book 3, Chapter 6 1 Galat 6.10 2 Jn 9.4 3 Ps 103.20-23 4 Rom 8.28 5 Mt 5.45 6 Mt 5.15 7 Mt 12.36 8 cf 1 Jn 3.18

Guarding the Faith

Domine victori Theodosio et triumphatori, semper Augusto filio, Galla Placidia, piissima et florens, perpetua Augusta et mater. Dum in ipso ingressu civitatis antiquae hanc curam habuissemus ut cultum beatissimo Petro apostolo redderemus, in ipso adorando altari martyris reverendissimus Leo episcopus, paullum se post orationem retinens, propter catholicam fidem apud nos deflevit, ipsum similiter summum apostolorum, quem nuper adieramus, testem objiciens, episcoporum multitduine circumseptus, quos ex innumerabilibus civitatibus Italiae pro principatu proprii loci seu dignitate collegit; et veribus permiscens lacrymas, ad communionem sui fletus nostros quoque gemitus provocavit. Non enim modicum detrimentum est ex his quae gesta sunt, ut fides, quae tantis temporibus regulariter custodia est a sacratissimo patre nostro Constantino, qui primus imperio splenduit Christianus, nuper turbata sit ad arbitrium unius hominis, qui in synodo Ephesinae civitatis odium et contentiones potius exercuisse narratur, militum praesentia et metu appetens Constantinopolitanae civitatis episcopum Flavianum, eo quod libellum ad apostolicam sedem miserit, et ad omnes episcopos harum partium, per eos qui directi fuerant in concilio a reverandissimo episcopo Romae, qui secundum definitiones Nicaeni concilii consueti sunt interesse, domine sacratissime fili, venerabilis imperator. Hac itaque gratia, tua mansuetudo tantis turbis resistens, veritatem fidei catholicae religionis immaculatam servari praecipiat: ut secundum formam et definitionem apostolicae sedis, quam etiam nos tamquam praecellentem similiter veneramur, in statu sacerdotii illaeso manente per omnia Flaviano, ad concilii et apostolicae sedis judicium transmittatur, in qua primus ille, qui coelestes claves dignus fuit accipere, principatum episcopatus ordinavit; quando scilicet decet nos huic maximae civitati, quae domina omnium est terrarum, in omnibus reverentiam conservare. Diligentius autem etiam in hoc providete, ne quod priscis temporibus nostra generatio custodivit, sub nos imminui videatur, et per praesens exemplum schismata generentur inter episcopos et sanctas Ecclesias. Sanctus Leo Magnus, Epistola LVI, Galla Placidia ad Theodosium

To the Lord Theodosius, victor and conqueror, an ever august son, Galla Placidia, most pious and prosperous, perpetual Augusta and mother.  When having arrived in the ancient city, and having had care to pay our devotion to the most blessed Apostle Peter, at the martyr's very altar, the most reverend Bishop Leo waiting behind a little after the service lamented over the Catholic Faith to us, and bringing forth as witness the chief of the Apostles himself, whom we had just approached, and surrounded by a multitude of bishops whom he had brought together from numerous cities of Italy by the eminence and dignity of his position, mixing tears with his words, he called on us to blend our moans with his weeping. For no slight harm has come from things done by which the Faith, so long guarded since the days of our most holy father Constantine, who was the first in supreme power to shine forth as a Christian, has been recently disturbed by the will of one man, who in the synod held at Ephesus 1 is said to have rather stirred up hate and contention, distressing by the presence and fear of soldiers Flavianus, the bishop of Constantinople, because he had sent an appeal to the Apostolic See, and to all the bishops of these parts by  those who had been sent to the Synod by the most reverend Bishop of Rome, who in accordance to the Canons of the Council of Nicaea have been accustomed attend in such a manner, most sacred Lord and Son and venerable Emperor. Because of this we pray your clemency to resist such disturbances, and to command that the immaculate truth of the Catholic Faith be preserved without spot, that according to the standard and decision of the Apostolic See, which we likewise revere as preeminent, Flavianus may remain uninjured in his priestly office, and the affair be referred to the Synod of the Apostolic See, which he who was worthy to receive the heavenly keys first arranged to have the greatest power; when certainly it becomes us to preserve the honour of this great city, which is the mistress of all the earth. Indeed let us be most diligent to provide for this, lest what in former times our people protected seem by us to be harmed, and that by present example schisms not be caused among bishops and holy churches. Pope Leo the Great, Letter 56, Galla Placidia to Theodosius 1 The Latrocinium of Ephesus

An Emperor Opposed

Μικρά σου τὰ τῆς παρούσης τύχης ἀνδραγαθήματα, καὶ φαῦλα τὰ τῆς ἀριστείας, ἧς αὐτὸς ἠρίστευσας καθ̓ ἡμῶν, οὐχὶ δὲ καθ̓ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ καθ̓ ἑαυτοῦ. ἐγὼ δὲ τρόμῳ συνέχομαι ὅταν λάβω κατὰ νοῦν πορφυρίδα σε περιβεβλῆσθαι, στεφάνῳ δὲ τὴν ἄτιμον κεκοσμῆσθαί σου κεφαλήν, ὅπερ δίχα εὐσεβείας οὐκ ἔντιμον, ἀλλ̓ ἄτιμον καθίστησί σου τὴν βασιλείαν, ἀλλ̓ αὐτός, ἐπανελθὼν καὶ ὑπερμεγέθης γενόμενος, ὥς γε φαῦλοι καὶ μισόκαλοι δαίμονες εἵλκυσάν σε εἰς τοῦτο, οὐ μόνον ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν φύσιν ἀνθρώπων φρονεῖν ἤρξω, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς Θεὸν ὑπεραίρεσθαι, καὶ τὴν πάντων μητέρα καὶ τιθηνὸν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐνυβρίζειν, μηνύσει χρησάμενος πρός με τὸν εὐτελέστατον χιλιάδα χρυσίου λιτρῶν ἐξαποσταλῆναί σοι παῤ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ ἡ μὲν τοῦ χρυσίου ὁλκὴ οὐκ ἐθάμβησέ μου τὴν διάνοιαν, εἰ καὶ μάλα πολλὴ καθέστηκεν, ἀλλὰ δακρῦσαί με πικρῶς παρεσκεύασεν ἐπὶ τῇ τοιαύτῃ ταχίστῃ σου ἀπωλείᾳ. ἐντεθύμημαι γὰρ καθ̓ ἑαυτὸν ὡς ἐγώ τε αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ σὴ καλοκἀγαθία κοινῶς μεμαθήκαμεν τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ βέλτιστα γράμματα. ἑκάτεροι δὲ διεξήλθομεν τὰς ἁγίας καὶ θεοπνεύστους Γραφάς, καὶ ἐλάνθανε μέν σε τότε οὐδέν, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ἀκόσμητος καθέστηκας, ὑπὸ τοιούτου φρονήματος στρατοπεδευθείς. ᾔδεις ἡμᾶς πρὸ τῆς χθές, γαληνότατε, ἐπ̓ ἀπληστίᾳ χρημάτων μὴ πολιτεύεσθαι: νῦν δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν δέκα ἑκατοντάδας χρυσίου λιτρῶν ἐξαποσταλῆναί σοι ἐπεζήτησας παῤ ἡμῶν. φείσασθαι ἡμῶν τοίνυν θέλησον, γαληνότατε, τοσαῦτα κεκτημένων ὅσα, ἂν τήμερον θελήσωμεν φαγεῖν, οὐκ ἐξαρκέσει ἡμῖν. ἀργεῖ γὰρ ὡς εἰκὸς παῤ ἡμῖν μαγείρων τέχνη, μάχαιρα δὲ αὐτῶν αἵμασιν οὐ προσομιλεῖ. τὰ μέγιστα τῶν παῤ ἡμῖν βρωμάτων, ἐν οἷς ἡ δαψίλεια, χόρτων φύλλα σὺν ἄρτῳ τραχυτάτῳ καὶ τῷ ἐξεστηκότι οἴνῳ: ὥστε μὴ ἐκθαμβούμενα ἡμῶν τὰ αἰσθητήρια ὑπὸ τῆς γαστριμαργίας ἐπ̓ ἀφροσύνῃ πολιτεύεσθαι. Ἅγιος Βασίλειος Καισαρείας, Ἐπιστολή ΜΑ', Ἰουλιανῷ

Small is the present splendour of your brave deeds, and your grand attack against me, or rather against yourself, is paltry. Rather I tremble when I call to mind you robed in purple, a crown encircling your dishonoured head, which, so long as true religion is absent, rather disgraces than graces your empire. And you yourself who have risen to be so high and great, now that vile and good-hating demons have brought you to this, have begun not only to exalt yourself above all human nature, but even to lift yourself up against God, and insult His Church, mother and nurse of all, by giving order to me, a most penurious man, to send you a thousand pounds of gold. My mind is not astonished at the amount of gold, although it is very weighty, but rather it has inclined me to shed bitter tears over your swift ruin. For it weighs upon my heart that you and I learned together the goodness of the best and holiest books, each going through the sacred and God inspired Scriptures, and that then nothing was hidden from you, but now you have become disordered, besieged as you are by pride. You did not discover yesterday, O Serene One, that I do not live in the midst of abundant wealth, but now you  demand of me a thousand pounds of gold. I would that, O Serene One, you would  spare me, since what I possess amounts to so much that I really shall not eat as much as I would wish today. In my house the art of cookery lies fallow. The knife is never stained with blood. The most important foodstuffs, in which is our abundance, are leaves of herbs with very coarse bread and sour wine, so that our senses not excited by gluttony do not take to foolishness. Saint Basil of Caesarea, Letter 41, to The Emperor Julian

Riches And The Kingdom

Εἰ τῆς Χριστοῦ Βασιλείας ἀντιποιῇ, ἡν ἡ ἄφθαρτος διαμονὴ στεφανοῖ, καὶ ἔπαθλον τῆς φθαρτῆς τοῖς χρηστῶς αὐτὴν διέπουσιν ἔθηκεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἡμερότητι κίρνα τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ δέοντι σκορπισμῷ τὸ βάρος κούφιζε τοῦ πλούτου· οὔτε γὰρ σώζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύναμιν, οὔτε εἰδωλολατρίας ἐκφευγει ἀσέβειαν ὁ τοῦ ῥέοντος πλούτου φειδόμενος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΛΕ', Θεοδοσιῳ Βασιλει Source: Migne PG 78.204c

If you would lay claim to the kingdom of Christ and an abiding crown free of all corruption, let that perishable prize which God has given be well cared for. Mix clemency with power, and by dispersal to those who lack lighten the burden of wealth, for a king is not saved by great power nor is one free of the impiety of idolatry when floods of wealth are spared. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 35, to the Emperor Theodosius

The Work of a Young Empress

Βάσσου καὶ Φιλίππου ὑπατευόντων, τελευτᾷ τὸν βίον Ἀρκάδιος, διὰδοχον τῆς ἡγεμονίας Θεοδόσιον τὸν οἱέα καταλιπὼν, ἀρτίως γάλακτι τρέφεσθαι πεπαυμένον· Θυγατέρας δὲ, Πουλχερίαν καὶ Ἀρκαδίαν καὶ Μαρίναν, ἔτι κομιδῇ νέας. ᾝ μοι δοκεῖ μάλιστα τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιδεῖξαι, μόνην εὐσέβειαν ἀρκεῖν πρὸς σωτηρίαν τοῖς βασιλεύουσιν· ἄνευ δὲ ταύτης, μηδὲν εἶναι στρατεύματα καὶ βασιλέως ἰσχυν, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην παρασκευήν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν εὐσεβέστατον τὸν βασιλέα ἔσεσθαι προεϊδεν ἡ τῶν ὅλων οἰκουρὸς θεία δύναμις, ἐπίτροπον αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας κατέστησε Πουλχερίαν τὴν ἀδελφην. Ἡ δὲ, οὔπω πεντεκαιδέκατον ἔτος ἄγουσα, ὑπερ τὴν ἡλικίαν σοφώτατον καὶ θεϊον ἔλαβε νοῦν. Καὶ πρῶτα μὲν τὴν αὐτῆς παρθενίαν τῷ Θεῷ ἀνέθηκε, καὶ τὰς ἀδελφὰς ἐπὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπαιδαγώγησε βίον, ὅπως μὴ ἄλλον ἄνδρα ἐπεισαγάγῃ τοῖς βασιλείοις, καὶ ζήλου καὶ ἐπιβουλῆς πᾶσαν ἀνέλῃ ἀφορμήν. Ἐπιβεβαιῦσα δὲ τὰ δόξαντα, καὶ Θεὸν αὐτὸν, καὶ ἱερέας, καὶ πάντα ἀρχόμενον μάρτυρας ποιουμένη τῶν αὐτῇ βεβουλευμένων, ἐκ χρυσοῦ καὶ λίθων τιμίων θαυμάσιόν τι χρῆμα θεαμάτων κάλλιστον, ὑπὲρ τῆς ἰδίας παρθενίας καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡγεμονίας, ἱερὰν ἀνέθετο τράπεζαν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως· καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ μετώπου τῆς τραπέζης, ὡς ἄν πᾶσιν ἔκδηλα ᾗ, τάδε ἐπέγραψεν. Ὑπεισελθοῦσα δὲ τῆς ἡγεμονίας τὴν φροντίδα, ἄριστα καὶ ἐν κόσμῳ πολλῷ τὴν Ῥωμαίων οἰκουμένην διῴκησεν· εὖ βουλευομένη, ὡς ἐν τάχει τὰ πρακτέα ἐπιτελοῦσα καὶ γράφουσα. Ἠκρίβωτο γὰρ λὲγειν, καὶ γράφειν ὀρθῶς κατὰ τὴν Ῥωμαίων καὶ Ἑλλήνων φωνήν. Τῶν δὲ πραττομένων τὴν δόκησιν εἰς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀνέφερε· καὶ ἐπεμελεῖτο, ὡς ἄν μάλιστα βασιλικῶς ἀναχθείη τοῖς καθ' ἡλικίαν παιδευομένοις μαθήμασιν. Ἀλλ’ ἱππικὴν μὲν καὶ τὴν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις καὶ τοῖς λόγοις ἄσκησιν, παρὰ τῶν ἐπιστημόνων ἐξεδιδάσκετο. Περὶ δὲ κόσμιος εἶναι καὶ βασιλικὸς, παρὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἑῥῥυθμίζετο· ἐσθῆτα ᾗ χρὴ περιστέλλειν μανθάνων, καὶ πρόπῳ τίνι καθῆσθαι, καὶ βαδίζειν, καὶ γέλωτος κρατεὶν, καὶ πρᾶος καὶ φοβερὸς ἐν καιρῷ εἶναι, καὶ ἁρμοδίως πυνθάνεσθαι τῶν περί του δεομένων. Ούχ ἤκιστα δὲ εἰς εὐσέβειαν αὐτὸν ἦγε, συνεχῶς εὔχεσθαι, καὶ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις φοιτᾷν ἐθίζουσα· καὶ ἀναθήμασι καὶ κειμηλίοις τοὺς εὐκτηρίους οἴκους γεραίπειν· καὶ ἐν τιμῇ ἔχειν τοὺς ἱερέας, καὶ ἄλλους ἀγαθοὺς ἄνδρας, καὶ τοὺς νόμῳ Χριστιανῶν φιλοσοφοῦντας. Οὐ μὴν ἀλλά καὶ ὑπὸ νόθων δογμάτων νεωτερίζεσθαι κινδυνευούσης τῆς θρησκείας, σπουδῇ καὶ σοφῶς προύστη. Καὶ τοῦ μὴ καινὰς αἱρέσεις ἐν τοῖς καθ' ἡμᾶς χρόνοις κρατεῖν, μάλιστα αὐτὴν αἰτίαν εὑρήσομεν, ὡς ἐν τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα εἰσόμεθα. Δὲει δὲ πολλῷ τὸ Θεῖον θρησκεύουσα, μακρὸν ἂν εἴη παρὰ τίσι λέγειν, καὶ πόσους εὐκτηρίους οἴκους μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἐτεκτήνατο· πόσα δὲ καταγώγια πτωχῶν καὶ ξένων, καὶ μοναστικὰς συνοικίας συνεστήσατο, διηνεκῆ τάξασα τὴν εἰς ταῦτα δαπάνην, καὶ τὸ σιτηρέσιον τῶν ἐνοικούντων.  Ἑρμείος Σωζομενός, Ἐκκλησιαστίκη Ἱστορία, Τομ Θ´ Κεφ Α´

In the consulate of Bassus and Philip the Emperor Arcadius died, leaving Theodosius, his son, who was just weaned, as his successor to the empire, and also three daughters of tender age, named Pulcheria, Arcadia, and Marina. It seems to me that God here showed that piety alone suffices for the salvation of rulers, and that without it, neither armies, nor a powerful empire, nor any other thing, are of use. The Divine Power which watches over all things, foresaw that the Emperor would be distinguished by his great piety, and therefore established Pulcheria, his sister, as  protectress of him and his rule. She was not yet fifteen years of age, but was wise beyond her years and possessed of divine intent. She first dedicated her virginity to God, and she taught her sisters to do the same, and no man was allowed to enter the palace that there be no cause for jealousy and intrigue. In confirmation of her resolution, she took God, the priests, and all those ruled as witnesses to her self-dedication, consecrating a holy table of gold and precious stones, a remarkable fabric and very beautiful to see, in token of her virginity and the headship of her brother, in the church of Constantinople, and she inscribed these things on the front of the table, that they be clear to all. Resuming the care of government, she governed the Roman empire excellently and with great order; what she decided was quickly decreed and brought to realisation. She was able to write and to converse with perfect accuracy in the Greek and Latin languages. The value of all that was done she attributed to her brother. She took great care to raise him as a prince, educating him as befitted his years. Though in horsemanship, and the practice of arms and in letters he was taught but the wisest men, in conduct and princely bearing he was taught by his sister; she showed him how to gather up his robes, how to take a seat, how to walk, how to restrain laughter, how to assume a gentle or a formidable aspect for the occasion, and how to inquire fittingly into petitions. And no less did she lead him into piety, and continual prayer; she taught him to frequent the churches regularly, and to honour the houses of prayer with gifts and treasures; and to have reverence for priests and other good men, and for those who, in accordance with the law of Christianity, took to philosophy. And that religion might not be endangered by the innovation of spurious dogmas she provided zealously and wisely. That new heresies have not prevailed in our times, we shall find to be due especially to her, as we shall subsequently see. With how much fear she worshipped God, it would take long for any one to say, and also how many houses of prayer she built magnificently, and how many houses for the poor and strangers she set up, and the monastic communities she established, and the arrangement for the expenses for their perpetual support, and for the provision of the inhabitants. Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History, Book IX, Chapter 1

Some Good Bishops, Many Bad Ones

Συνόδου δὲ, τοῦ βασιλέως κατεπείγοντος, ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ γενομένης, ἐκ μὲν τῆς Ἕω ὀλιγοι παρεγένοντο· τῶν ἄλλων, ὡς εἰκὸς, ἢ διὰ νόσον, ἢ μακρὰν ὁδοιπορίαν παραιτησαμένων τὴν ἄφιξιν. Τῶν δὲ πρὸς Δύσιν, πλείους ἢ τριακόσιοι συνελέγησαν. Ἀξιούντων δὲ τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Ἕω καταδικάζειν Ἀθανασίου, ὡς ἂν παντελῶς ἀπελαθείη τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας, οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι, ἢ δέει, ἢ ἀπάτῃ, ἢ ἀγνοιᾳ τῶν ὄντων συνήνουν. Μόνοι δὲ, Διονύσιος ὁ Ἄλβας ἐπίσκοπος, Ἰταλίας δὲ ἤδε ἡ μητρόπολις, καὶ Εὐσέβιος ὁ Μαρκέλλων τῆς Λιγυρίας, Παυλῖνος ὁ Τριβέρεως, καὶ Ῥοδανὸς, και Λούκιφερ ἀνέκραγον, καὶ ἐμαρτυραντο μὴ χρῆναι ὡδι ῥᾳδίως καταδικάσαι Ἀθανασίου· μηδὲ γὰρ ἄχρι τούτου, εἰ γένοιτο, στήσεσθαι τὸ κακόν· χωρήσειν δὲ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν καὶ κατ’ αὐτῶν τῶν ὀρθως περὶ Θεοῦ δεδογμένων· ἐπι καθαιρέσει τε τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστεως ταῦτα σπουδάζεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως καὶ τῶν τὰ Ἀρείου φρονούντων. Καὶ οἱ μὲν, ὦδε παῥῥησιασάμενοι, ὑπερορίας φυγῇ κατεδικάσθησαν· σὺν τούτοις δὲ καὶ Ἳλάριος. Ἀληθῆ δὲ τοῦ ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ συλλόγου αἰτίαν εἶναι ἤν ἔλεγον, ἐπιστοῦτο ἡ ἀπόβασις. Οὐ πολλῷ γὰρ ὑστερον ἡ ἐν Ἀριμήνῳ καὶ Σελευκείᾳ σύνοδις συνελέγη, καὶ ἑκατέρα κατὰ τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ δεδογμένων νεωτερίζειν ἐπεχείρησεν, ὡς αὐτικα ἐπιδείξω.   Ἑρμείος Σωζομενός, Ἐκκλησιαστίκη Ἱστορία

A synod, by pressure from the Emperor Constantius, was held in Milan, which few of the eastern bishops attended; some, it seems, through illness, some because of the length of the journey, excused themselves. However almost three hundred of the western bishops did convene. The Easterners deemed Athanasius worthy to be condemned, that he be utterly driven from Alexandria; the others, either from fear, deceit, or ignorance, agreed with them. Only Dionysius, bishop of Alba, the metropolis of Italy, Eusebius of Vercella in Liguria, Paulinus of Treves, Rhodanus and Lucifer cried out against this. They declared that Athanasius should not to be condemned on such flimsy pretexts, for if this were to be the evil would persist and those who supported orthodox doctrines about God would be persecuted. They claimed that it was all thought up by the Emperor and the Arians from an eagerness to destroy the Nicene faith. They, for being so outspoken, were condemned by a decree of banishment, and Hilary was included among them. The true cause of the assembly at Milan was thus announced: the downfall of what was believed. For the synods at Ariminum and Seleucia held not long after were called to change the doctrines established at Nicea, as I shall soon show. Sozomen, Ecclesiastical History

The Work of an Empress

Ἐἰκε δέ καὶ ἀλλην ἀφορμὴν ὠφελείας ὁ Βασιλεύς. Ἡ γὰρ τοῦ γάμου τὸν ζυγὸν μετ’ αὐτοῦ δεξαμένη, τῶν θείων αυτῷ συνεχῶς ἀνεμίμνησκε νόμων, ἑαυτὴν τούτους πρῶτον ἀκριβῶς ἐκπαιδεύσασα. Οὐ γὰρ ἑπῆρεν αὐτὴν τῆς βασιλείας ἡ δυναστεία, ἀλλὰ τὸν θεῖον πλέον ἐπύρσευσε πόθον. Τῆς γάρ εὐεργεσίας τὸ μέγεθος μεῖζον τὸ περὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην εἰργάζετο φίλτρον. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ τῶν τὸ σῶμα πεπηρωμένων, καὶ ἀπαντα τὰ μέλη λελωβημένη, παντοδαπὴν ἐποιεῖτο φροντίδα, οὐκ οἰκέταις, οὐδὲ δορυφόποις ὑπουργοῖς κεχρημένη, ἀλλ’ αὐτουργός γιγνομένη, καὶ εἰς τὰς τούτων καταγωράς ἀφικνουμένη, καὶ ἐκαστῳ τὴν χρείαν πορίζουσα. Οὐτω καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοὺς ξενῶνας περινοστοῦσα τοὺς κλινουπετεῖς δι’ ἐαυτῆς ἑνοσήλευεν, ἀῦτη καὶ χύτρας ἀπτομένη, καὶ ζωμοῦ γευομένη, καὶ τρύβλιον προσφέρουσα, καὶ ἄρτον κλῶσα, καὶ ψωμοὺς ὀρέγουσα, καὶ κύλικα ἀποκλύζουσα, καὶ τάλλα πάντα ἐργαζομένη, ὄσα οἰκετῶν καὶ θεραπαινίσων ἔργα νενόμισται. Καὶ τοῖς τὴν αὐτοργίαν ἐπέχειν πειρωμένοις ἐπέλεγεν, ὡς Τὸ μὲν χρυσίον διανέμειν τῇ βασιλείᾳ προσήκει· ἐγὼ δὲ ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς γε βασιλείας τὴν αὐτουργίαν τᾡ δεδωκότι προσφέρω.   Θεοδωρητος Ἐπισκοπος Κυρρος, Ἐκκλησιαστίκη Ἱστορία

And the Emperor had another occasion for improvement, for Flacilla, she given to the yoke of marriage with him, often reminded him of the Divine laws, a matter in which she had first carefully educated herself. For she was not exalted by the royal power, but she was rather inflamed by it with longing for the Divine; the magnitude of the greatness given to her making the love for Him who gave it all the greater. To the maimed and the mutilated she directed her attention, and not requiring assistance from her household and guards, she herself went to the resting houses, bringing what each one there needed. She also went around the guest chambers of the churches and herself nursed those laying therein, herself handling pots and pans, tasting soup, bringing in bowls, breaking bread, offering morsels, washing cups, and doing all such work which is proper to servants and maids. And to those who attempted to stop her doing these things she would say, ' As it befits a sovereign to hand out gold; I, on account of the sovereign power that has been given me, bring my service to He who gave it.' Theodoret of Cyrrhus, Ecclesiastical History

Emperor and Slave

Ζήνων δέ, ἐπεὶ τὴν βασιλειαν τοῦ παιδός οἱ τελευτήσαντος μόνος περιεβάλετο, ὥσπερ οὐκ οἰόμενος τῶν ὅλων ἐγκρατὴς γενέσθαι εἰ μὴ καὶ πὰσαις ταῖς ἐπιούσαις ἡδοναῖς μετ’ ἐξουσίας ἐπεξέλθοι, τοσοῦτον ἐκ προοιμίων ἑαυτον ταῖς ἐπιθυμιῶν ἐκδέδωκεν ὡς μηδὲν αὐτὸν ἐπισχεῖν τῶν ἀπρεπῶν τε καὶ ἀθέσμων, ἀλλ’ οὔτως τούτοις ἐμπολιτεύσασθαι ὡς τὸ σκοτίως ταῦτα καὶ ἐν παραβύστῳ γίγνεσθαι χαμερπὲς εἰναι νομίζειν, τὸ δέ γε ἀναφανδὸν καὶ ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀπόπτου βασιλικὸν καὶ αὐτοκράτορι μονῳ πρέπον, κακῶς καὶ δουλοπρεπῶς κρίνας. Οὐκ ἐξ ὠν γὰρ ἑτέρων κρατεῖν πέφυκεν ὁ αὐτοκράτωπ γνωρίζεται, ἀλλ’ ἐξ ὠν ἑαυτοῦ πρῶτον ἀρχει τε καὶ κρατεῖ, μηδενὶ τῶν ἀτόπων παρείσδυσιν ἑαυτῷ διδούς, οὔτω δὲ ἀνάλωτος ταῖς ἀκρασίας ὑπάρχων ὡς ζῶν ἄγαλμα τῶν ἀρετῶν εἰναι πρὸς μίμησιν, ἐκπαιδεύων τὸ ὑπήκοον. Ὁ δὲ ταὶς ἡδοναῖς ἑαυτόν ἀνοιγνυς λέληθε κατὰ σμικρὸν δοῦλος αἰσχιστος δορυάλωτος ἀνάποινος γιγνόμενος δεσποτείας συχνὰς ἀμείβων ἰσα τοῖς ἀρχείοις τῶν δούλων, εἴπερ ἀναρίθμητοι τῶν ἡδονῶν αἱ δέσποιναι καθεστᾶσιν, ἥκιστα πέτας τῆς συνεχείας τε καὶ τῆς σφῶν ἀλληλουχίας ἔχουσαι· ἀει τῆς ἐν χερσὶν ἡδονῆς οὐχ ἰσταμένης, ὑπέκκαυμα δὲ καὶ προοίμιον ἐτέρας γιγνομενος ἔως ἠ αὐτοκράτωρ τις ὄντως γιγνόμενος τὴν ὀχλοκρατείαν τῶν ἡδονῶν ξενηλατήσοι, βασιλεύων λοιπὸν οὐ τυραννούμενος, ἠ μέχρι τελευταίας ῥοπῆς δουλεύων τὰ ἐν Ἅιδου καταλάβοι.   Εὐαγρίος Σχολαστικός, Ἐκκλησιαστίκη Ἱστορία

Zeno, who on the passing of his son became sole emperor, as if thinking his power was incomplete without a strenuous pursuit of every available pleasure, so much gave himself to the attractions of desire that he hesitated at nothing even in those things improper and illicit but rather he was such a subject of them that he thought to do such things in darkness and in a corner was slavish but to do them openly was to be seen as kingly and most properly an emperor, a wretched and servile judgement; for a ruler is not known by what power he has over others, but by his own rule and power over himself, so that nothing improper to him slips in, and being thus impregnable to weakness, he is like a living statue of virtue for the imitation and the education of his subjects. But he who leaves himself open little by little becomes a base slave, an unransomable captive, regularly passing from one slave owner to another; since pleasures are a countless attendance of mistresses linked in succession, the pleasure at hand not lasting but being only a kindle and prelude to another, until one with power either expels the mob rule of pleasures, being a king rather than one who is tyrannized, or he is a slave until by death he seizes on the things of Hades. Evagrius Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History

A Different Kind Of Persecution

Τότε δὴ καὶ Μάρις ὁ τῆς ἐν Βιθυνίᾳ Χαλκηδόνος ἐπίσκοπος χειραγωγούμενος· ἧν γὰρ δὴ πρὸς τῳ γήρᾳ ὑπόχυσιν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπομείνας· πολλὰ τὸν βασιλέα προςελθὼν περιύβρισε, τὸν ἀσεβῆ καλῶν, τὸν ἀποστάτην καὶ ἄθεον. Ὁ δὲ λόγοις τὰς ὕβρεις ἠμύνετο, τυφλὸν καλέσας. Καὶ οὐκ ἂν, φησὶν, ὁ Γαλιλαϊός σου Θεος θεραπεύσει σε. Γαλιλαὶον γὰρ εἰώθει ὁ Ἰουλιανὸς καλεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς Γαλιλαίους. Ὁ δὲ δὴ Μάρις, παῥῥησιαί· τερον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ἀπήντησεν. Εὐχαριστῶ, φησὶ, τῷ Θεῷ τυφλώσαντί με, ἵνα μὴ ἴδω τὸ πρόσωπόν σου οὕτως ἐκπεπτωκὸς πρὸς τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Οὐδὲν πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ Βασιλεὺς ἀπεκρίνατο. Δεινῶς δὲ καὶ τοῦτον μετήρχετο. Ἐωρακὼς γὰρ τοὺς ἐπὶ Διοκλητιανοῦ μαρτυρήσαντας ὑπὸ τῶν Χριστιανῶν τιμωμένους, προθύμως τε σπεύδειν ἐπὶ τὸ μαρτυρῆσαι πολλοὺς ἐπιστάμαενος, ὥσπερ αὐτῷ τούτῳ τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς ἀμυνόμενος, ἐπὶ ἑτέραν ἐτρέπετο. Καὶ τὴν μὲν ὑπερβαλλουσαν ἐπι Διοκλητιανοῦ ὠμότησα ὑπερέθετο· οὐ μὴν πὰντη τοῦ διώκειν ἀπέσχετο. Διωγμόν δὲ λέγω, τὸ ὁπωσοῦν ταράττειν τοὺς ἡσυχάζοντας. Ἐτάραττε δὲ ὧδε· Νύμῳ ἐκέλευε, Χριστιανοὺς παιδεὺσεως μὴ μετέχειν. Ἵνα μὴ, φησὶν, ἀκονώμενοι τὴν γλῶτταν, ἐτοίμως πρὸς τοὺς διαλεκτικοὺς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ἀπαντῶσιν. Ἐκέλευε δὲ, μηδὲ κατὰ τὰ βασίλεια στρατεύεσθαι τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους καταλιπεὶν μὲν τὸν Χριστιανισμὸν, ἐπὶ τὸ θυειν δὲ τοὶς ἀγάλμασιν ἔρχεσθαι. Μήτε μὴν Χριστιανοὺς τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν ἄρχοντας γίνεσθαι, λέγων ὡς κελεύει νόμος μὴ χρῆσθαι ξίφει κατὰ τῶν ἄξια θανάτου πεπλημμεληκότων. Πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ κολακείαις καὶ δωρεαϊς ἐπὶ τὸ θύειν προστρέπετο. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ὡς ἐν χωνευτηρίῳ, οἱ τε ὄντες Χριστιανοὶ καὶ οἱ νομιζόμενοι, φανεροὶ πασιν ἐγίνοντο. Οἱ μέν γὰρ ὀρθῇ γνώμῃ Χριστιανίζοντες, εὐθυμότεροι τὴν ζώνην ἀπετίθεντο, πάντα μάλλον ὑπομένειν ἤ ἀρνείσθαι τὸν Χριστὸν αἰρούμενοι. Ἐν τούτοις ἦσαν Ἰοβιανὸς, Οὐαλεντινιανός τε καὶ Οὐάλης, οἱ καὶ ὕστεπρον Βασιλεύσαντες. Ἕτεροι δὲ ὅσοι μὴ ὀρθῇ γνώμῃ ἐχριστιάνιζον, ὅσοι τὰ χρὴματα καὶ τὴν ἐνταῦθα τιμὴν, τῆς ἀληθοῦς εὐδαιμονίας προκρίναντες, μὴ μελλήσαντες πρὸς τὸ θὺειν ἀπέκλινον. Ὣν εἶς ἦν καὶ ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως σοφιστὴς Ἐκηβόλιος. Ὅστις τοῖς ἥθεσι τῶν βασιλέων ἐπόμενος, ἐπὶ μέν Κωσταντίου διαπύρως Χριστιανίζειν ὑπεκρίνατο· ἐπί δὲ Ἰουλιανοῦ, γοργὸς Ἕλλην ἐφαίνετο· καὶ αὖθις μετὰ Ἰουλιανὸν, Χριστιανίζειν ἤθελε. Ῥίψας γάρ ἕαυτὸν πρηνῆ πρὸ τῆς πύλης τοῦ εὐκτυρίου οἴκου, Πατήσατέ με, ἐβόα, τὸ ἄλας τὸ ἀναίσθητον. Τοιοῦτος μὲν οὖν κοῦφος καὶ εὐχερὴς Ἐκηβόλιος πρότερόν τε καὶ ὕστερον ἧν. Σωκράτης ὁ Σχολαστικός, Ἐκκλησιαστίκη Ἱστορία

Then Maris, who was bishop of Chalcedon in Bithynia, came into the Emperor's presence, being led by the hand, for in old age he was suffering from cataracts in his eyes, and he severely rebuked the Emperor's impiety, apostasy, and atheism. Julian defended himself with proud words, calling the bishop blind and saying, ' Your Galilean God will not cure you.' For it was his custom to term Christ the Galilean and Christians Galileans. Maris with fearless speech replied to the Emperor, ' I give thanks to God for blinding me so that I might not see the face of one who has fallen into impiety.' The Emperor said nothing to this but later he had revenge. Noting that those who had been martyred under Diocletian were honored by the Christians, and knowing that many of them were eager to be martyrs, he refrained from punishing them in that way. But passing over the cruelties which had been practiced under Diocletian, he did not altogether abstain from persecution, for I call persecution any troubling of the peaceful. This is how he caused distress: he enacted a law prohibiting Christians from teaching literature; 'Lest,' he said, 'when they have sharpened their tongues, they should be able the more readily defeat the arguments of the pagans.' He also banned those who were unwilling to abjure Christianity and sacrifice to idols from holding office at court. Nor would he allow Christians to govern provinces, saying that their law forbids them to use the sword against those worthy of death. By flattery and by gifts he also induced many to sacrifice. Immediately, as in a furnace, it at once became evident to all who were real Christians and who were merely nominal ones. Those who were Christians of sound resolve, very readily resigned their positions, preferring to suffer anything than deny Christ. Among these were Jovian, Valentinian, and Valens, each of whom afterwards became Emperor. But some Christians of faulty judgement, who preferred present wealth and honor, sacrificed without hesitation. One of these was an intellectual of Constantinople named Ecebolius. He would follow the moods of the Emperors, under Constantius affecting to be a fervent Christian while under Julian he appeared an equally spirited pagan, and after Julian he again wished to be a Christian. He threw himself face down before the church doors, and cried out, 'Trample on me, salt that has lost its savour.' So vacous and so easily moved by the times was this Ecebolius. Socrates Scholasticus, Ecclesiastical History