Licinius Schemes Against the Bishops and Forbids Synods

At first he made secret inquiries about the ministers of God under his rule, who had never in any way offended against his government, so that he could bring false charges against them. When he found no grounds for accusation and had no real fault to find with them, he next passed a law that the bishops must never on any account communicate with one another, that none of them might leave his own church to visit a neighboring one, and finally that no synods or councils for discussing matters of common concern would be allowed. Now this was plainly a pretext for venting his malice against us. For we were forced either to break the law and so be liable to punishment, or else, by obeying its orders, to set aside the rules of the church, since it is impossible to settle important questions properly except by means of synods. In other matters too, this hater of God, determined to act against the prince who loved God, passed laws of the same kind. For while the one gathered the priests of God together in order to honor them and to promote peace and agreement of judgment, the other, whose aim was to destroy everything good, did all he could to destroy that common harmony.