Secundus the Less said to Secundus his uncle:
'Do you hear what he is saying against you? He is ready to leave, and make a schism; and not only he, but also all those who are accused by you. I know that they intend to abandon you, and pronounce sentence against you. You will then remain alone, a heretic. So what business is it of yours what any one has done? He has to render an account to God.'
Secundus said to Felix of Rotarium, [to Nabor] of Centurio and Victor of Garba:
'What do you think?' |419
They answered:
'They have God, to whom they must render their account.'
Secundus said:
'You know and God knows. Sit down.'
And they all answered:
'Thanks be to God.' |420
APPENDIX XII. RELATIO ANULINI PROCONSULIS AD IMPERATOREM. A.D. 313
I NTRODUCTION
We have here a report of the Pro-Consul Anulinus to Constantine, informing him that he had duly sent his letter to Caecilian, but that a few days afterwards he had been approached by a deputation, followed by a crowd of people, requesting him to transmit two documents----one sealed, the other open----to the Emperor (cf. Opt. i, 22).
This document was produced in its entirety by the Catholics at the Carthage Conference ( Gesta Coll. Carthag. diei iii, ccxv-ccxx, cccxvi, cf. Brev. iii, 8, 24). It has also been reproduced by St. Augustine ( Ep. lxxxviii, 2, from which source I have made my translation) and is often mentioned by him ( con. Crescon. iii, 67; De Un. Bapt. 28; Ep. lxxxix, 3; cxxviii, 2; cxxiv, 9, &c). |421
Report of Anulinus to the Emperor.
My duty has caused me, amongst the acts of my insignificance, to send your Majesty's heavenly letter, after I had received and venerated it, to Caecilian and his subordinate clerics ; at the same time I exhorted them that----now that Unity has been effected with general consent, since through the condescension of your Majesty their liberty was seen to be in every respect completely secure, and the Catholic Church was protected----they should apply themselves to the service of their holy Law and to the things of God, with due reverence. But a few days afterwards I was approached by certain persons, followed by a great throng of the populace, who held that Caecilian must be opposed, and presented me in my official capacity with two documents, one bound in leather and sealed, the other a libellus unsealed, and demanded with insistence that I should send them to the sacred and venerable Court of your Highness. This my littleness has been careful to do (preserving Caecilian in his position), and I have forwarded their Acts, that your Majesty may be in a position to determine everything. I have sent the two libelli, of which the one bound in leather has been endorsed Libellus Ecclesiae Catholicae criminum Caeciliani traditus a parte Maiovini . Also the one without a seal together with that in leather. Given on the fifteenth of April at Carthage when Constantine Augustus was for the third time Consul. |422
APPENDIX XIII. EPISTOLA CONSTANTINI AD MELCHIADEM. A.D. 313
I NTRODUCTION
In this letter Constantinc calls upon Pope Melchiades (or Miltiades) to judge the question lately raised in Africa between Caecilian and his accusers. The Emperor encloses for the Pope's information the two documents which (as we have just read) he had lately received from Anulinus (cf. Optatus, i, 22; Augustine, Ep. xliii, 5; Ep. xciii, 13; de Unit. xviii; con. Crescon. iii, 61). This letter has been preserved for us by Eusebius ( H.E. x, 5) E0peidh_ toiou~toi . It was produced by the Catholics at the Conference in 411 ( Coll. iii, 319; Brev. iii, 12). |423
Letter of the Emperor Constantine in which he provides for the
case concerning Caecilian to be judged at Rome.
Constantine Augustus to Miltiades Bishop of Rome and to Marcus. Whereas several documents have been sent to me from Anulinus, the most illustrious ProConsul of Africa, in which it is shown that Caecilian, Bishop of Carthage, has been accused on many grounds by certain of his fellow-Bishops in Africa----since it appears to me a very grievous thing that in those Provinces which Divine Providence has freely committed to my fidelity, where there is a vast population, the multitude (as it were divided into twain) are found to be deteriorating, and the Bishops, amongst others, are at variance----I have resolved that this Caecilian with ten of the Bishops who accuse him and ten others whom he himself may choose to aid in his defence, shall sail to Rome; that there in your presence and in the presence of Reticius, Maternus and Marinus your fellow-Bishops, whom I have ordered to hasten to Rome for this purpose, this case may be determined in the manner which you know to be in agreement with the most holy Law. Moreover, that you may derive the fullest knowledge of all this business, I have added copies of the documents which were sent me by Anulinus, to my letters to your above-mentioned fellow-Bishops. After you have perused these your Gravity will carefully consider in what way this controversy may be most accurately investigated and justly decided. And it will not have escaped your careful observation that so great is my reverence for the most holy Catholic Church that I am absolutely unwilling that any schism or dissension should be left in any place by you. My most esteemed one, may the Divinity of the Most High God preserve you for many years. |425
APPENDIX XIV. CONSTANTINI EPISTOLA AD PROBIANUM, QUA
INGENTIUM AD COMITATUM MITTI IUBET. A.D. 315
I NTRODUCTION