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| The movements of Athanasius refute this charge.
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4. The movements of Athanasius
refute this charge.
This certainly is sufficient for proof, yet
suffer me nevertheless to lay before you an account of my travels,
which will further lead you to condemn the unfounded calumnies of my
opponents. When I left Alexandria1297
, I did not go
to your brother’s head-quarters, or to any other persons, but
only to Rome; and having laid my case before the Church (for this was
my only concern), I spent my time in the public worship. I did not
write to your brother, except when Eusebius and his fellows had written
to him to accuse me, and I was compelled while yet at Alexandria to
defend myself; and again when I sent to him volumes1298
| 1298 πύκτια, a
bound book, vid. Montf. Coll. Nov. infr. Tillemont (t. viii. p.
86.) considers that Athan. alludes in this passage to the Synopsis
Scr. Sacr. which is among his works; but Montfaucon, Collect.
Nov. t. 2. p. xxviii. contends that a copy of the Gospels is spoken
of. [cf. D.C.B. i. 651.] | containing the holy Scriptures, which he had
ordered me to prepare for him. It behoves me, while I defend my
conduct, to tell the truth to your Piety. When however three years had
passed away, he wrote to me in the fourth year1299
,
commanding me to meet him (he was then at Milan); and upon enquiring
the cause (for I was ignorant of it, the Lord is my witness), I learnt
that certain Bishops1300
| 1300 Tillemont supposes that Constans was present at the Council of
Milan [345], at which Eudoxius, Martyrius, and Macedonius, sent to the
west with the Eusebian Creed, made their appearance to no purpose. [But
this was long after the events related in the text, cf. Prolegg. ii.
§6, sub. fin.] | had gone up and
requested him to write to your Piety, desiring that a Council might be
called. Believe me, Sire, this is the truth of the matter; I lie not.
Accordingly I went down to Milan, and met with great kindness from him;
for he condescended to see me, and to say that he had despatched
letters to you, requesting that a Council might be called. And while I
remained in that city, he sent for me again into Gaul (for the father
Hosius was going thither), that we might travel from thence to Sardica.
And after the Council, he wrote to me while I continued at Naissus1301
| 1301 [Easter 344, see Fest. Ind. xvi.] Naissus was situated in
Upper Dacia, and according to some was the birthplace of Constantine.
The Bishop of the place, Gaudentius, whose name occurs among the
subscriptions at Sardica, had protected S. Paul of Constantinople and
incurred the anathemas of the Easterns at Philippopolis. Hil.
Fragm. iii. 27. | , and I went up, and abode afterwards at
Aquileia; where the letters of your
Piety found me. And again, being invited thence by your departed
brother, I returned into Gaul, and so came at length to your
Piety.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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