Theodoret of Cyrrhus→Eutrechius|c. 440 AD|theodoret cyrrhus
imperial politics
To the Prefect Eutrechius.
I know well — no words need tell me — how your Excellency regards me. Actions speak more clearly than words. But I am anxious that you should know the nature of the accusation brought against me, because it is an extraordinary one: I am being attacked simultaneously as a man who never married and as a man who was married twice. The contradiction alone ought to expose the fraud.
If my current calumniators claim that I am falsifying the apostolic doctrine, why in the world do they not attempt to convict me face to face instead of accusing me in my absence? This fact alone is sufficient to refute their lies entirely — because they know I have innumerable witnesses to the apostolic character of my teaching, which is precisely why they have brought an uncontested indictment rather than an open accusation.
Lawful judges must keep one ear free for the accused. If they give both ears to the pleadings of the accusers and deliver a sentence that satisfies them, I will endure the injustice as something that brings me nearer to the kingdom of heaven, and I will await that impartial tribunal before which there is neither prosecutor nor counsel nor witness nor distinction of rank — only the judgment of deeds and words, and righteous retribution. For, as it is written: "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad."
Letter 91
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To the Prefect Eutrechius.
I well know, and need no words to tell me, how your excellency regards me. Actions speak more clearly than words, but I have been anxious for you to know the cause of the accusation that is brought against me. For I am suffering under a most extraordinary charge, being at one and the same time attacked as unmarried, and as having been married twice. If my present calumniators assert that I am falsifying the apostolic doctrine, why in the world, instead of accusing me in my absence, do they not attempt to convict me face to face? This fact alone is enough to give utter refutation to their lies, for it is because they know that I have innumerable witnesses to the apostolic character of my doctrines that they have urged an undefended indictment against me. Lawful judges must on the contrary keep one ear unbiassed for the accused. If they give both to the pleadings of the opponents, and deliver a sentence acceptable to them, I shall put up with the injustice as bringing me nearer to the kingdom of heaven, and shall await that impartial tribunal, where there is neither prosecutor, nor counsel, nor witness, nor distinction in rank, but judgment of deeds and words and righteous retribution. For, it is said, we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that he has done whether it be good or bad.
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To the Prefect Eutrechius.
I know well — no words need tell me — how your Excellency regards me. Actions speak more clearly than words. But I am anxious that you should know the nature of the accusation brought against me, because it is an extraordinary one: I am being attacked simultaneously as a man who never married and as a man who was married twice. The contradiction alone ought to expose the fraud.
If my current calumniators claim that I am falsifying the apostolic doctrine, why in the world do they not attempt to convict me face to face instead of accusing me in my absence? This fact alone is sufficient to refute their lies entirely — because they know I have innumerable witnesses to the apostolic character of my teaching, which is precisely why they have brought an uncontested indictment rather than an open accusation.
Lawful judges must keep one ear free for the accused. If they give both ears to the pleadings of the accusers and deliver a sentence that satisfies them, I will endure the injustice as something that brings me nearer to the kingdom of heaven, and I will await that impartial tribunal before which there is neither prosecutor nor counsel nor witness nor distinction of rank — only the judgment of deeds and words, and righteous retribution. For, as it is written: "We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or bad."
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.