Why He Would Not Leave Without an Order

My opponents conferred with the magistrates about this letter. Was it not reasonable, then, that I, having received it, should demand their letters and refuse to pay attention to mere pretexts? And were they not acting directly against the sense of your instructions to me, when they failed to show me the commands of your Piety? So, since they produced no letters from you, I thought it unlikely that a merely spoken message would have been given to them, especially since your Grace’s letter had charged me not to listen to such people. [a]

I acted rightly, then, most religious Augustus. Since I had returned to my country under the authority of your letters, I should leave it only by your command. In that way I would not make myself liable later to a charge of having deserted the church, but, having received your order, would have a reason for withdrawing. All my people demanded this on my behalf. They went to Syrianus together with the presbyters, and the greater part of the city, to say the least, went with them. Maximus, the prefect of Egypt, was also there. Their request was that he would either send me a declaration of your wishes in writing, or refrain from disturbing the churches while the people themselves sent a delegation to you about the matter.

When they persisted in their demand, Syrianus at last saw that it was reasonable and agreed. He swore by your safety (Hilary was present and witnessed it) that he would put an end to the disturbance and refer the case to your Piety. The commander’s guards, and those of the prefect of Egypt as well, know that this is true; the chief magistrate of the city also remembers the words. So you will see that neither I nor anyone else resisted your commands.