Appendix of Ten Documents on the Donatist Controversy 2–6

II. Proceedings for the clearing of Felix, bishop of Abthugni. ... In the municipality of the people of Abthugni, Gallienus the duumvir said: "Since you are present, Caecilianus, hear the letter of my lord Aelius Paulinus, a man of eminent rank, acting as deputy prefect, what he deigned to order according to the letter given to us, which compels you to produce both the clerk you had at the time of your administration and the registrar. But since the registrar of that time has died, you will also have to bring with you all the acts of your administration, according to the tenor of the letter of the same my lord, and you must set out for the colony of Carthage with your clerk. The curator is present, in whose presence we summon you. What do you answer to this?" Caecilianus said: "As soon as you brought me the letter of Aelius Paulinus, a man of eminent rank, acting as deputy prefect, I at once sent to the clerk Miccius to come, so that he might bring me the acts drawn up at that time; and he is still searching. And since it is no short time since I administered the duumvirate (it is eleven years), when he finds them, I will obey so great a command." Gallienus the duumvir said: "It is in your interest to obey the order; for you see that the order is sacred." Caecilianus said: "I am devoted to so great a command." Likewise, when the clerk Miccius had arrived a little later, Fuscius the duumvir said: "You too have heard, Miccius, that you too must go together with Caecilianus to the office of the eminent vicar, so that you may bring with you the documents of that time. What do you say to this?" Miccius answered: "The magistrate, when his year was completed, took all his acts to his own house ... if wax tablets can be found among them, I am searching." And while he was searching, Quintus Sisenna the duumvir said: "What the office knew, it answered." Apronianus said: "If the magistrate had taken all his acts, from where do the acts come that were then issued or drawn up so long ago?" And as he was speaking, Aelianus the proconsul said: "Both my questioning and the answer of each person are contained in the record." Agesilaus said: "There are besides other letters necessary to this matter; it is important that they be read." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Read, with Caecilianus listening, so that he may recognize whether he dictated it himself." Agesilaus read: "In the consulship of Volusianus and Annianus, on the fourteenth day before the Kalends of September, in court before Aurelius Didymus Speretius, priest of Jupiter Best and Greatest, duumvir of the splendid colony of Carthage, Maximus said: 'I speak in the name of the elders of the Christian people of the Catholic law. A case will have to be pleaded before the greatest emperors against Caecilian and Felix, who are trying with all force to invade the leadership of the same law. Against them documents of their crimes are being gathered. For when the persecution was proclaimed against the Christians, that is, that they should sacrifice or hand over to the fire whatever scriptures they had, Felix, who was then bishop of Abthugni, had given consent that the scriptures should be handed over by the hand of Galatius, so that they could be burned with fire. And at that time the magistrate was Alfius Caecilianus, whom you deign to see present. And since it was the duty of the office of that time that, by the proconsul's order, all should sacrifice and offer whatever scriptures they had according to the sacred law, I ask that, since he is present and you see he is an old man and cannot proceed to the sacred court, he state in the record whether, concerning the agreement, according to the acts held by him, he gave a letter, and whether what he set down in the letter is true, so that their acts and good faith may be disclosed at the sacred judgment.' With Caecilianus standing by, Speretius the duumvir said: 'Do you hear what has been stated in the record?' Alfius Caecilianus said: 'I had gone to Zama with Saturninus to buy linen, and when we came there, the Christians themselves send to me in the praetorium to say: Has the sacred command reached you? I said: No, but I have already seen examples, and at Zama and Furni I saw basilicas torn down and scriptures burned. So bring out whatever scriptures you have, so that the sacred order may be obeyed. Then they send to the house of bishop Felix to take the scriptures from there, so that they could be burned according to the sacred command. So Galatius went with us to the place where they used to hold prayers. From there we took the chair and letters of greeting, and all the doors were burned according to the sacred command. And when we sent to the house of the same bishop Felix, the public officials reported that he was absent. For when, at a later time, Ingentius, the clerk of Augentius, with whom I administered the aedileship, came, I dictated a letter to that colleague, which I made to the same bishop Felix.' Maximus said: 'He is present; let the same letter be offered to him so that he may recognize it.' He answered: 'It is the same.' Maximus said: 'Since he has recognized his letter, I read it and ask that it be inserted in full in the record.' And he read: 'Caecilianus to his father Felix, greeting! When Ingentius met my colleague Augentius, his friend, and asked whether in the year of my duumvirate any scriptures of your law were burned according to the sacred law ... than that my Galatius publicly brought out letters of greeting from your law from the basilica. I wish you good health.' This is the sign of entreaty that the Christians had sent me, and he whose praetorium it is, and you said: 'Take the key, and whatever books you find on the chair and the volumes on the stone, take them. But see that the officials do not take the oil and the wheat.' And I said to you: 'Do you not know that where scriptures are found, the house itself is torn down?' And you said: 'What, then, are we to do?' And I said to you: 'Let one of your people take them into the courtyard where you hold your prayers, and let them be placed there.' And I come with the officials and take them. And we came there and took everything according to the sacred command. Maximus said: 'Since the reading of the letter has been recited in the record, which he himself acknowledged that he sent, we ask that what he said be fixed in the record.' Speretius the duumvir said: 'What you have said has been written.'" Agesilaus said: "He has recognized the present letter; the remaining part, which he has now read, he says is false." Caecilianus said: "Sir, I dictated up to this point, up to where it has: 'I wish you good health, dearest father.'" Apronianus said: "Forgery has always been worked thus, by terror, by stagecraft, by an irreligious mind, by those who would not agree with the Catholic Church. For when Paulinus was here acting as deputy of the prefects, a certain private man was suborned, who had a little of the courier's office, to come to the faithful of Catholic unity and lead them on and terrify them. The faction, then, was exposed. For a lie was being put together against Felix, the most devout bishop, so that he would seem to have betrayed and burned the scriptures. Ingentius indeed, since all this that he was doing was against the holiness and devotion of Caecilian, was suborned to come with a letter, as if from bishop Felix, to Caecilianus the duumvir and to pretend to him that he had been sent by Felix. Let him say the very words in which this was made up." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Speak." Apronianus said: "'Say,' he said, 'to my friend Caecilianus that I received eleven precious divine books, and since I am now being pressed to return them, say that you burned them in the year of your magistracy, so that I need not return them.' Therefore Ingentius must be questioned about this: how far these things were plotted and fabricated, and how far he wished to entrap the magistrate into a lie so as to stain Felix with infamy. Let him say by whom he was sent, ... whether this plot ... against Felix's knowledge, so as to detract from the honor and beginning (?) of Caecilian. For there is someone who was sent as envoy from the other side through Mauretania and Numidia." And with Ingentius standing by, Aelianus the proconsul said: "By whose order did you undertake to do the things charged against you?" Ingentius said: "Where?" Aelianus the proconsul said: "Since you pretend not to understand what I ask, I will say it more openly: who sent you to the magistrate Caecilianus?" Ingentius said: "No one sent me." Aelianus the proconsul said: "How, then, did you come to the magistrate Caecilianus?" Ingentius said: "When we had come and the case of Maurus, bishop of Utica, who bought himself the episcopate, was being pleaded, Felix, bishop of Abthugni, went up to the city to deal with it and said: 'Let no one communicate with him, because he committed a forgery.' And I said to him in reply: 'Neither with you nor with him, because you are a traitor.' For I resented the case of Maurus, my host, because I had communicated with him abroad, since I escaped the persecution. Then I went to Felix's own home town; I took three elders with me, so that they might see whether he had truly handed over or not." Apronianus said: "Not so; he came to Caecilianus; ask Caecilianus." Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: "How did Ingentius come to you?" Caecilianus answered: "He came to me at home; I was having lunch with my workmen; he came there and stood at the door. 'Where is Caecilianus?' he said. I answered: 'Here.' I said to him: 'What is it? All well?' 'All well,' he said. I answered him: 'If you do not disdain to lunch, come, have lunch.' He said to me: 'I will come back here.' He came back alone. He began to say to me: 'Look, take care for me and inquire whether scripture was burned in the year of your duumvirate.' I said to him: 'You are a nuisance to me; you are a man sent in; take yourself away from me.' And I rejected him. And he came there again with my colleague, with whom I was aedile. My colleague said to me: 'Our bishop Felix has sent this man here, so that you may write him a letter, because he received precious books and did not wish to give them back. Write to him that they were burned in the year of your duumvirate.' And I said: 'Is this the good faith of Christians?'" Ingentius said: "Sir, let Augentius come too. I too am a man of honor; let my honor perish, and we have his sides." Aelianus the proconsul said to Ingentius: "You will be refuted under another heading." Aelianus the proconsul said to the attendants: "Make him ready." And when he was being made ready, Aelianus the proconsul said: "Let him be hung up." And when he was being hung up, Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: "How did Ingentius come to you?" He answered: "'Our Felix,' he said, 'sent me here, so that you may write to him, because there is some lost man or other, and I have very precious books in my keeping and do not want to return them. So write a letter that they were burned, so that he may not demand them back.' And I said: 'Is this the good faith of a Christian?' And I began to rebuke him, and my colleague said: 'Write to our Felix.' And so I dictated the letter, as far as it shows, up to where I dictated." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Hear without fear the reading of your letter; recognize how far you dictated." Agesilaus read: "... I wish you, dearest father, good health for many years." Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: "Did you dictate up to here?" He answered: "Up to here; the rest is false." Agesilaus read: "This is the sign of entreaty that you sent me, ... I and you, and he whose praetorium it is, and he said: 'Take the key, and whatever books you find on the chair and the volumes on the stone, take them. But see that the officials do not take the oil and the wheat.' And I said: 'Do you not know that where scriptures are found, the house itself is torn down?' And you said: 'What, then, shall we do?' And I said to you: 'Let one of us take them into the courtyards where you hold prayers, and let them be placed there.' And I come with the officials and take them. And we took everything according to the agreement and burned it according to the sacred command." Maximus said: "Since the tenor of the letter has also been recited in the record, which he said he recognized and sent, we ask that this be fixed in your record." Speretius said: "What you have said has been written." Caecilianus answered: "From that point it is false; my letter goes up to where I said: 'Good health, dearest father.'" Aelianus the proconsul said: "Whom do you say added to the letter?" Caecilianus said: "Ingentius." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Your declaration is fixed in the record." Aelianus the proconsul said to Ingentius: "You are being tortured so that you will not lie." Ingentius said: "I erred; I added to this letter, grieving over the case of Maurus, my host." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Maximus, ever Augustus, and the Licinii, Caesars, deign to show such kindness to the Christians that they do not wish discipline to be corrupted, but rather wish this religion to be observed and practiced. So do not flatter yourself, since you tell me that you are a worshiper of God, ... that you are being tortured so that you will not lie, which seems foreign to Christians. And so speak simply, so that you are not tortured." Ingentius said: "I have already confessed without torture." Apronianus said: "Deign to ask him by what authority, with what guile, with what madness he went round all the Mauretanias and the Numidias too, for what reason he stirred up sedition against the Catholic Church." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Have you been to the Numidias?" He answered: "No, sir; let there be someone to prove it." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Nor in Mauretania?" He answered: "I went there to trade." Apronianus said: "In this too he lies, sir (for one does not go to the region of Mauretania except through the Numidias), in that he says he was in Mauretania and was not in Numidia." Aelianus the proconsul said to Ingentius: "What is your condition?" Ingentius answered: "I am a decurion of the people of Ziqua." Aelianus the proconsul said to the attendants: "Let him down." When he had been let down, Aelianus the proconsul said to Caecilianus: "Is what you have said false?" Caecilianus answered: "No, sir. Order the man who wrote the letter to come; he is his friend; he will say how far I dictated the letter." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Who is the man you want to come?" Caecilianus said: "Augentius, with whom I was aedile. I cannot prove it except through Augentius himself, who wrote the letter; he can say how far I dictated it to him." Aelianus the proconsul said: "So it is established that the letter is forged?" Caecilianus answered: "It is established, sir; I do not lie, on my life." Aelianus the proconsul said: "Since you held the duumvirate in your home town, your words must be believed." Apronianus said: "Nor is it new for them to do this; besides, they have also added what they wanted to the record: it is now their craft." Aelianus the proconsul said: "By the declaration of Caecilianus, who says that the record was falsified and much added to the letter, it has been made plain with what intent Ingentius did these things; and therefore let him be taken back to prison, for he is needed for stricter questioning. But it is plain that Felix, the devout bishop, is free of the burning of the divine documents, since no one has been able to prove anything against him, that he betrayed or burned the most holy scriptures. For the questioning of all those written above has made it plain that no divine scriptures were either found or damaged or burned. It is contained in the record that Felix, the devout bishop, was not present at those times, nor gave his knowledge, nor ordered any such thing to be done." Agesilaus said: "Concerning those who came to inform your authority, what does your authority order?" Aelianus the proconsul said: "Let them return to their homes."

III. Letter of Constantine to Aelafius. Constantine Augustus to Aelafius. Already before this, when it had been brought to my knowledge that in our Africa many had begun, with mad fury, to break away from one another with empty accusations concerning the observance of the most holy Catholic law, it had pleased me, for the sake of settling a dissension of this kind, that both Caecilian, bishop of Carthage, against whom above all they all often came to me, and also some of those who had thought certain things should be charged against him, should present themselves at the city of Rome. For I had also ordered certain bishops from the Gauls to go to our city of Rome named above, so that both these, on account of the integrity of their life and their praiseworthy conduct, and also seven of the same communion, as well as the bishop of the city of Rome and those who were to hear the case with them, might bring due credence to the matter that seems to have been stirred up. They indeed reported to my knowledge all that had been done in their presence, with the record of proceedings, affirming besides by word that their judgment had been given according to the equity of the facts, and saying that rather those were liable in the case who thought they should stir up certain things against Caecilian, so much so that after that judgment was held they forbade them to return to Africa. Hence, on account of all this, by a reasonable estimate of things, I had hoped that a due end had been put to absolutely all the seditions and contentions that seemed to have been suddenly stirred up by other men. But when I had read the writings of your dictation, which your gravity thought should be sent to Nicasius and the others about these same pretenses, I clearly recognized that they will set before their eyes neither regard for their own salvation nor, what is greater, the veneration of almighty God, since they persist in doing things that not only lead to their own disgrace and infamy but also give an opportunity for disparagement to those men who are known to turn their minds far away from this most holy observance. For it is fitting that you also know this: that some of these same men came asserting that this Caecilian is held less worthy of the worship of the most holy religion; and when I answered them that they were boasting of this in vain, since the matter had been ended at the city of Rome by suitable and most approved men, bishops, they thought they should answer stubbornly and obstinately that the whole case had not been heard, but rather that the same bishops had shut themselves up in a certain place and had judged as it suited them. Therefore, since I saw that these many and so great dissensions were being prolonged too stubbornly, so that it seemed that no end could be given to them in any way unless both this same Caecilian and three of those who are at odds with him came to the town of Arles, to the judgment of those who hold against Caecilian and ought to give their assent, I thought it should be enjoined on your diligence that, as soon as you receive this letter of mine, you should cause both Caecilian named above, with some of those whom he himself shall choose (and also from Byzacena, Tripolitania, the Numidias and the Mauretanias, and from the several provinces, who will have to bring some of their own whom they think should be chosen), and also some of those who are at odds with the same Caecilian, to sail, the public post being granted, through Africa and Mauretania, and thence by a short course to the Spains; and likewise from there you should give to each of the bishops a travel warrant, so that they may reach the place named above by the day of the Kalends of August; informing them quickly that, before they set out, they ought to arrange that in their absence suitable discipline is kept and no sedition or contention of any quarrelers arises, which would lead to the greatest disgrace. With full examination undertaken in private, let an end be applied; because when all have presented themselves, the things that are now known to be in contention, and which not undeservedly ought to receive a timely end, may at once be ended and settled. For since it is certain with me that you too are a worshiper of the highest God, I confess to your gravity that I shall by no means consider it right that contentions and quarrels of this kind should be overlooked by us, from which perhaps the highest divinity could be moved not only against the human race but also against myself, to whose care he has by his heavenly will committed all earthly things to be governed, and, provoked, he may decree something otherwise than hitherto. For then truly and most fully shall I be able to be secure and always hope for all the most prosperous and best things from the most ready benevolence of the most powerful God, when I perceive that all venerate the most holy God in the due worship of the Catholic religion, with a concordant brotherhood of observance. Amen.

IV. The council of bishops at Arles to Pope Silvester. To the most beloved Pope Silvester: Marinus, Acratius, Natalis, Theodorus, Proterius, Vocius, Verus, Probatius, Caecilianus, Faustinus, Surgentius, Gregorius, Reticius, Ambitausus, Termatius, Merocles, Pardus, Adelfius, Hibernius, Fortunatus, Aristasius, Lampadius, Vitalis, Maternus, Liberius, Gregorius, Crescens, Avitianus, Dafnus, Orantalis, Quintasius, Victor, Epictetus, eternal greeting in the Lord! Clinging to the common bond of charity and to the chain of unity of mother Catholic Church, brought to the city of Arles by the will of the most pious emperor, we greet you from there, most glorious pope, with due reverence. There we have endured grave and pernicious injury to our law and tradition, and men of unbridled mind, whom both the present authority of our God and the tradition and rule of truth so reject that no ground of speech remained in them, nor any manner of accusing, nor did any proof fit; therefore, with God as judge and mother church, which knows and approves her own, they were either condemned or rejected. And would, most beloved brother, that you had thought it worth so much to be present at so great a spectacle! Surely we believe that a more severe sentence would have been passed against them, and that, with you judging together with us, our assembly would have exulted with greater joy. But since you could by no means leave those parts in which the apostles sit daily and their blood bears witness without ceasing to the glory of God, it did not seem to us, most dear brother, that only those matters should be dealt with to which we had been called; but we judged that we should also take counsel for ourselves; and since the provinces from which we have come are different, so different things happen, which we judge we ought to observe. It pleased us, then, in the presence of the Holy Spirit and his angels, that from the things that troubled each of us we should bring forth judgments concerning the present peace; it pleased us also to write first to you, who hold the greater dioceses, so that through you above all they might be made known to all. What it is that we have decided we have added to the writing of our humble selves. And in the first place it had to be dealt with concerning our life and benefit, that, as one died for many and rose again, the time itself should be observed by all with such devout mind that divisions or dissensions could not arise in so great a service of devotion. We decree, then, that the Pascha of the Lord be observed throughout the whole world on one day. Concerning those too who have been ordained ministers in any places, that they remain in those places. For it concerns those who throw down their arms in peace: it pleased us that they be kept from communion. Concerning charioteers of the circus who are believers, it pleased us that they be separated from communion as long as they drive. Concerning actors of the theater, it pleased us that they be separated from communion as long as they perform. It concerns those who are in sickness and wish to believe: it pleased us that a hand be laid on them. Concerning governors who are believers and attain the governorship, it pleased us thus: that, when they have been promoted, they receive indeed ecclesiastical letters of communion, but on this condition, that in whatever places they hold office, care be taken of them by the bishops of the same place, and if they begin to act against discipline, then at last they be excluded from communion. And likewise concerning those who wish to hold public office. Concerning Africa, however, since they use their own law of rebaptizing, it pleased us that, if any heretic comes to the church, they ask him the creed; and if they see that he has been baptized in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, only a hand should be laid on him; but if, when asked the creed, he does not answer this Trinity, he should rightly be baptized, and so on. Then, weary, he ordered all to return to their sees. Amen.

V. Letter of Constantine to the Catholic bishops. Constantine Augustus to the Catholic bishops, his dearest brothers, greeting! The eternal, devout and incomprehensible kindness of our God by no means permits the human condition to wander longer in darkness, nor does it allow the hateful wills of some to prevail so far that it does not, by again opening a saving way with its most brilliant lights, grant that they be converted to the rule of righteousness. I have learned this indeed from many examples; I measure these same things from myself. For there were in me at first things that seemed to lack righteousness, nor did I think that the power above saw the things I carried on within the secret places of my heart. What fortune, as I have said, ought these things to have obtained? Surely one overflowing with every evil. But almighty God, sitting in the watchtower of heaven, granted what I did not deserve: certainly the things that he has granted to me, his servant, by his heavenly goodwill can now be neither told nor counted. Most holy bishops of Christ the Savior, dearest brothers! I rejoice, then, I rejoice especially, that at last, after a most just judgment had been held, you have called back to a better hope and fortune those whom the malice of the devil seemed, by its wretched persuasion, to have turned away from the most brilliant light of the Catholic law. O truly victorious providence of Christ the Savior, that it should take thought even for those who, already falling away from the truth and as it were bringing arms against it, had joined themselves to the Gentiles! For if even now they are willing to pay obedience to the most holy law with pure faith, they will be able to understand how much has been provided for them by God's will. And this indeed, most holy brothers, I hoped could be checked even in those in whom the greatest hardness of mind is inborn. But a right judgment has not profited them, nor has the gracious Godhead entered their minds. Truly not undeservedly has the clemency of Christ withdrawn far from those in whom it shines with plain light that they are such that we see them hated even by heavenly providence. What great madness persists in them, when with incredible arrogance they persuade themselves of things that it is not right either to say or to hear, falling away from the right judgment given, from which, by heavenly providence, I learned that they are demanding my judgment! What force of malice persists in their breasts! How often have they already been crushed by me with a fitting answer to their most shameless approaches! If they had been willing to keep this before their eyes, they would by no means have interposed this very thing. They demand my judgment, who myself await the judgment of Christ. For I say, as the truth is, that the judgment of priests ought to be regarded as if the Lord himself were sitting in judgment. For it is not permitted to them to think otherwise or to judge otherwise than as they have been taught by Christ's teaching. What, then, do these malicious men think, who are, as I truly said, the instruments of the devil? They seek worldly things, leaving heavenly ones. O raging boldness of madness! As is usually done in the cases of pagans, they have lodged an appeal. Indeed, pagans, sometimes fleeing lower courts where justice can be quickly reached, are accustomed, by interposing authority, to betake themselves to higher courts, to appeal. What of these disparagers of the law, who, refusing a heavenly judgment, thought my judgment should be demanded? Do they think thus of Christ the Savior? Behold, now they are betrayers; behold, without any sharper inquiry they have themselves betrayed their own crimes. What humanity is felt by those who have leapt out monstrously against God himself? Indeed, dearest brothers, although these things seem to have been detected in them, nevertheless you who follow the way of the Lord Savior, show patience, giving them still the choice of what they think they should choose. And if you see them persisting in the same things, at once set out with those whom the Lord has judged worthy of his worship, and return to your own sees, and remember me, so that our Savior may always have mercy on me. For the rest, I have sent my men to bring these unspeakable deceivers of religion at once to my court, so that they may live there and there see for themselves something worse than death. I have also given suitable letters to the one who holds the deputy prefecture through Africa, that he may at once send to my court as many as he finds like them in this madness, so that, under so great a brightness of our God, they may no longer do things that could stir up the greatest anger of heavenly providence. May almighty God keep you safe through the ages, as I and you pray, dearest brothers.

VI. Letter of Constantine to the bishops of the party of Donatus. Constantine Augustus to the bishops. A few days ago, indeed, in accordance with your request, I had decided that you should return to Africa, so that there the whole case which you think you have against Caecilian might be examined by friends of mine whom I had chosen, and receive its due end. But as I thought about it long and, not without reason, turned it over in my mind, this seemed best: since I know that some of your people are turbulent enough and with obstinate mind have no regard for right judgment and for the account of the whole truth, and that it might therefore happen that, if the case were heard there, the matter would not reach its end as is fitting and as the account of truth demands, and that, through your excessive obstinacy, something might happen that would displease the heavenly Godhead and greatly hinder my reputation, which I wish always to remain unblemished: I decided, as I said, that Caecilian, according to what was discussed before, should rather come here; and I believe he will soon be present in accordance with my letter. And I promise you that if, in his presence, you prove anything yourselves about even one crime or deed of his, it will count with me as if everything you charge against him had been proved. May almighty God grant you perpetual security.