To the Empress Pulcheria, on the Taxes of Cyrrhus

Since you adorn the empire by your piety and make the purple brighter by your faith, we venture to write to you. We are no longer conscious of our own insignificance, because you always pay all due honor to the clergy. With this in mind I beg your majesty to be pleased to show mercy to our unhappy country, to order that the survey, which has been made several times, be ratified, and not to accept the false accusations some men have brought against it. [a]

I beg you to give no credit to one who bears indeed the name of bishop, but whose way of acting is unworthy even of decent slaves. He himself has been under serious charges, and under the ban of excommunication from the most holy and God-beloved archbishop of Antioch, the lord Domnus, until the council of bishops could be called to examine the charges against him. Now he has escaped and gone off to the imperial city, where he plies the trade of an informer. He attacks the country that is his own homeland, with its thousands of poor, and for the sake of his hatred of one man he wags his tongue against everyone.

Out of regard for what befits me I will say nothing of his character and education; indeed he shows only too plainly what he is now about. But of the district I will say this. When the whole province had its burdens lightened, this part never enjoyed the benefit of any relief, although it carried a very heavy share of the burden. As a result many estates are left without farmers; indeed many have been abandoned altogether by their owners, while the wretched decurions are made to pay for these very properties. Quite unable to bear the demand, some of them take to begging and some to flight. The city seems to be reduced to one man, and he will not be able to hold out unless your piety provides a remedy. But I hope that your serenity will heal the city’s wounds, and add this one more to your many good deeds.