[GREEK COLUMN] A ...he refrained from the letters, but remained at home, putting forward as a pretext the unrest of the populace and the untimely zeal of certain ones who were ostensibly supporting him; even though, before the imperial letters, this very populace had showered him with myriad insults. But we are not investigating these matters now, but desiring to show that he was found committing wickedness, we have spoken these things. But not even after these things did we remain quiet; rather, we pressed on, demanding that a tribunal be held for inquiry and response; for we said that we were ready to prove that we ourselves were blameless, and that they were the ultimate transgressors. For there were some Syrians among those who had once been with him, who were left behind here and who had done everything in common with him; and we approached them, ready to stand trial, and B often we importuned them regarding this, demanding that the records be given to us, or the books of accusations, or that the nature of the charges be made known, or the accusers themselves; and we obtained none of these things, but were again cast out of the Church. What further could I recount of subsequent events, which surpassed every tragedy? What speech will represent these things? What ear, without shuddering, will receive them? For as we were bringing these things forward, as I mentioned before, a multitude of soldiers, on the great Sabbath itself, as the evening of the day was pressing in, entered the churches, cast out by force the entire clergy who were with us, and the sanctuary was surrounded by weapons. And women, having stripped for baptism in the houses of prayer, C at that very moment fled naked because of the fear of this cruel assault, not even being permitted to put on the modesty proper to women; and many, having received wounds, were cast out, and the baptisteries were filled with blood, and the holy waters were reddened by the blood. And the cruelty did not stop even there. But having entered where the holy things were stored, the soldiers—some of whom, as we learned, were uninitiated—saw everything inside, and the most holy blood of Christ, as in such a tumult it happens, was spilled upon the garments of the aforementioned soldiers; and everything was dared as in a barbarian captivity. And the populace was driven into the wilderness, and all the people were spending time outside the city, and in such a festival the churches were empty of the people, and more than forty bishops who were in communion with us, along with the people and the clergy, were driven out in vain and for nothing; and wailings, and dirges, and fountains of tears were everywhere in the squares, in the houses, in the wildernesses, and every part of the city was filled with these calamities; for because of the excess of the lawlessness, not only those who were suffering, but even those who endured no such thing suffered along with us—not only those of the same faith, but even heretics and Jews and Greeks; and as if the city had been captured by force, so everything was in tumults and disturbances and wailings. And these things were dared against the judgment of the most pious Emperor, with night falling, with bishops instigating these things, and in many places acting as generals, who were not ashamed to have camp-doctors D leading the way instead of deacons. When day came, the whole city was migrating outside the walls under trees and groves, like sheep scattered, celebrating the festival.
4. It is possible for you to calculate all the subsequent events; for as I have already said, it is not possible to go over everything that happened in detail in speech. The difficult thing is that such and so many evils have not even now received a resolution, nor is there even a hope of resolution; but the evil is extended day by day, and we have become a laughingstock to the many—or rather, no one laughs, even if someone is a transgressor ten thousand times, but all mourn, as I said, the culmination of evils, this new lawlessness. What might one say about the disturbances of the remaining Churches? For the evil did not stop there, but reached even as far as the East. For as when a foul current has been poured out from the head, the remaining parts are corrupted, so also now, as if from the fountain of this great city, with the evils having begun, the way of the disturbances has advanced everywhere, and clergy everywhere have risen up against bishops, and bishops against bishops, and peoples have been divided from peoples, and others are about to be, and everywhere there are the birth pains of evils, and the overthrow of the whole inhabited world. Having learned all these things, my most honored and most pious lords, show the courage and zeal appropriate to you, so as to restrain such lawlessness as has entered the Churches. For if this custom should prevail, and it become possible for those who wish to go into foreign parishes from such distances, and to cast out whom anyone might wish, to do what they wish by their own authority, know that everything will be lost, and a kind of undeclared war will overrun the whole inhabited world, with everyone striking and being struck by everyone. In order, therefore, that such confusion may not seize the whole world under the sun, be persuaded to send letters, and ordain that things done so lawlessly in our absence, and from one side, without us having declined judgment, should have no force, just as indeed they have none by their own nature; and that those who have so acted lawlessly, when convicted, should be subjected to the penalty of the ecclesiastical laws; and that we, who have not been caught, not convicted, not shown to be blameless, may enjoy your letters continuously, and the love and all the other things we enjoyed before. But if those who have so acted lawlessly wish even now to practice the charges, for which they unjustly cast us out—with no records given to us, no books of accusations, no accusers having appeared—a tribunal having been seated that is impartial, we will both be judged, and we will defend ourselves, and we will demonstrate ourselves to be blameless of the charges brought against us, just as indeed we are; for the things now done by them are outside of all order, and against all laws, and against all ecclesiastical canons.