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Against the Donatists
St Optatus of Milevis, tr. Vassall-Phillips, 1917
14. Appendix 14: Letter of Constantine to Probianus
Letter of the Emperor Constantine to Probianus the Pro-Consul of Africa
The Emperors Constantine Maximus and Valerius Licinius Caesars to Probianus the Pro-Consul of Africa.
Your predecessor Aelianus at a time when he was discharging the duties of that most worthy man, Verus our Vicar, in consequence of his ill-health, thought well (and with reason), amongst other matters, to investigate and determine the business----that is, the charges----brought by envy against Caecilian, a Bishop of the Catholic Church. For after he had secured the presence of Superius the centurion, and Caecilianus the Magistrate of Aptunga, and Saturninus1 who was formerly Curator, and Calidius2 the younger Curator, and Solon a public official of that city, he gave them a fair hearing----so that when it was alleged as an objection against Caecilian that he had been raised to the Episcopate by Felix, who was accused of the Betrayal and burning of the Divine Scriptures, the innocence of Felix was proved. Finally, when Maximus charged Ingentius, a decurion of Ziqua, with having falsified a letter of Caecilianus formerly Duovir, we have learned from the Acts of the Proceedings that this Ingentius was prepared for torture, and was only saved by his statement that he was a decurion of Ziqua.3 Wherefore it is our will that you should despatch this Ingentius, under suitable escort, to my Court of Constantine Augustus,4 so that it may be made quite clear, in the presence and hearing of those who are concerned with this affair, and for some time past have been incessantly appealing to me, that it is to no purpose that they show their malice against Caecilian the Bishop and have been pleased to bestir themselves against him with violence. So will it be brought to pass that these disputes having ceased, as is right, the people may without any dissension serve their religion5 with the reverence that is its due.
Notes
- The Claudius (or Calidius) Saturianus of Optatus (i, 27).
- The Calidius Gratianus of Optatus (id.).
- Cf. p. 343.
- ad comitatum meum Constantini Augusti.
- religioni propriae cum debita veneratione deserviat.