CHRIST. Now the reckoning of the aging world demands that the evil seeds of errors should be sown and that our enemy should put forth his strength and in the highest degree prevail against the truth by his foul and incredible lies and will that my name and religion be utterly blotted out and in this he should exert himself very greatly to transfer all divine worship to himself. So, freed from his chains after a thousand years, he roars and takes vengeance for the filthiness of his prison.
You have rightly depicted him as a roaring lion, Peter, since he is forever searching for those to be devoured. Do you not see how much he is striving to grind down his chains with his teeth and how he is dashing his horns against the wall and twisting himself with serpentine movements? Alas, soon he will mix all things up and down, and will strenuously make amends for things neglected. Woe to Christians, woe to peoples and nations. Now at last you will have a great opponent whom it will not be possible for anyone, unless he be endowed with divine virtue, to recognize, to guard against, to resist--an opponent whom the hand of God shall preserve.
Now there will be more than ever before need of vigils and speeches and sober minds. In fact evils will flood the world during the reign of the great prince of iniquity. But, my friends, amid these evils it shall appear more clearly than the sun whether mortals are pleased with my speeches and yours in which we have mentioned the coming evil. If they have been pleasing, they will save their souls; but if not, they will be involved in the common evils. But whatever befalls, the enemy must be freed. From his enticements, however, I shall strongly preserve my followers, lest they put their hands to iniquity. No one shall snatch away those whom the father has given to me. I do not want you, my friends, to be ignorant of this, but to know beforehand that in this way your last chance will be here.
PETER. Are those times also now here, Master, in which Satan shall ride with slack rein and shall powerfully sow his pernicious errors?
CHRIST. They are here. You yourselves unwind the links of time. Now before the end of the century as much licence shall be granted as possible both to Satan and to all his impious crew, that hereafter they may burn fiercely for ever.
PETER. With such a powerful opponent confounding things what shall happen to your most hallowed name?
CHRIST. The knowledge of it shall be relegated to a very few, so that scarcely shall one in a thousand seek salvation from me. Men shall search for other names for their salvation and shall put all their trust in them and in all crises call upon them. And he shall be considered the most foolish of men, who shall decide that my name alone is the firm and sacred anchor of salvation, being of course unwilling to hope for help from the powerless. Others shall rend their hearts into a thousand parts and shall place their hope in no single one alone. They shall call upon the deaf with loud shouts, persuaded by the false miracles of the enemy, as once in Israel the priests called on Baal.
PETER. Master, what will those names be, please, or in what crises will men run to them?
CHRIST. The catalogue of their names is almost infinite. Part ly they will call them good works and orders, ranks, partly merits and sufferings of the body, cowls, peregrinations and prayers called by the name of roses and canonical hours, fasting, celibacy, and indulgences, masses, sacrifices, vigils for the dead and, finally, sprinklings of consecrated banners. Oppressed by the weight of their sins they will fly to these and will think that they are satisfying their guilty consciences by vanities of this sort.
PAUL. Master, you talk of names utterly unheard of.
CHRIST. It is no wonder, Paul, if you have not heard of them up to now. Enterprising men shall arise, whom you are accustomed to call contrivers of evils, who shall not be content with the simple and sound doctrine of faith.
PAUL. And will they by these contrivances and idle fancies of theirs hope to gain remission for their sins?
CHRIST. They count nothing more certain, Paul, than that these things are of great weight in my father's eyes.
PAUL. Shall men be so far forgetful of your blood and your death?
CHRIST. Certainly. A pestiferous tribe of monks is rising who teach that their ridiculous inventions and their cowls and the mysteries of their impious profession are far greater surety than my blood.
PAUL. What are you saying? Can there be such impudence and impiety in men?
CHRIST. Yes, when Satan is the teacher. You, Peter, expose them beautifully when you say: False teachers shall come among you, who shall introduce the heresies of perdition.
PETER. I remember.
PAUL. Surely teachers of such impious doctrines will not find believers?
CHRIST. Most certainly. Have you forgotten the words of your statement that men will turn from truth and be converted to vain fables? Lies and imposters shall please and shall be loved more than truthful and sound men, and the more incorrigible anyone is, the dearer he will be to all. The world wants to be deceived; it loves scoffers and feeds all its triflers on the richest foods. Therefore they will be present and will fill all the pulpits.
PAUL. Alas, alas, it will go ill with the churches we have founded. Our labours will thus be made useless.
CHRIST. Nothing more certain.
PAUL. But yet I think the bishops will bravely defend sound doctrine and will not easily yield to the prince of the world; whence no doubt very many of the people can be saved. For whatever the prince shall destroy by his cunning shall soon be reconstructed by the bishops standing firm. The sheep are easily kept safe from the beasts of the night, provided the shepherd acts vigorously and is watchful.
CHRIST. Unless, Paul, they have been the first to move over to Satan's camp.
PAUL. Your words are horrifying. Then no hope would be left.
CHRIST. A little later their action will show you how completely they resist Satan, how constant they are, how they watch by day and by night and how much glory they give to me and how much they advance my name.
PETER. And yet my hope is in him who presides over the Romans, Pammachius, who, they say, is industrious, learned, brave and energetic in his works.
CHRIST. He was indeed as you say. But it makes a great difference whether anyone remains steadfastly the same as he was. For it is important to have found the path of truth but it is most important to persist in it continually; this finally graces all a man's works. Pammachius, in whom alone your hope is--beware lest his outward sanctimoniousness deceive you. You do not yet share his hidden thoughts and you do not understand the secrets of his heart. For he before all others loathes me and now shows utter contempt for my doctrine. Of his own accord he wishes to join Satan with his fellow worshippers.
PETER. Alas. From what great hope I have fallen down!
CHRIST. There is no hope here: he is ambitious for pomp, power and worldly glory. In this and in everything he takes an opposite way from me. I lived in poverty; he will be very rich. I showed the way of salvation to men; but he will take care that no one understands it. I held dear to me the souls of mortal men and by my sorrowful death saw to it that they might live; he will think it the greatest profit to have sent them to perdition. I paid attention with due obedience to all the magistrates and to the King; he will crush under his feet the monarchs of the world and their leading advisors and will treat them unworthily.
I humbly washed the feet of my disciples; he will not allow anyone to kiss his feet. I urged peace and worked very hard for it; he will sow divisions even among the peaceful. I shunned the glory and name of King; by wondrous arts he will invade the realms of others. I bore on my shoulders the cross for my death; he will be carried aloft on the shoulders of many. I healed those whom no one else could heal; but he will destroy those, whom no one else can destroy. I wore on my head a crown of thorns; he will advance proudly wearing the triple diadem. On bare feet I covered most of my journey; but he will be adorned with gilded shoes.
Teaching the good news I travelled through the towns; he as an armed warrior will surround them with his troops. I brought peace to disturbed consciences; he will be an enemy to peaceful consciences. I blessed very many with my riches; he will empty the purses of all realms. Also my testament, which I founded on the last supper, he will treacherously overthrow, lest it taste too much of me. In sum, nothing ever cloaked itself in my name which was so diametrically opposed to me.
PETER. I am horrified to hear from you, Master, so much ill of Pammachius, who, I thought, would be a very good man. But Antichrist, as I now understand so well, will bring on the total destruction of right and faith.
PAUL. Is he the one, who not long ago brought Julianus Caesar to the faith by your words and with him a great multitude?
CHRIST. Correct.
PAUL. And will he change so quickly to the devil's side?
CHRIST. Human natures are so prone to evil, that divine grace soon will leave for other regions.
PETER. Let him perish, as he deserves, with his companions, and let the whole of this chaff experience your judgment. But how much time have you arranged for these evils?
CHRIST. Times are bounded by their ends, which there is no need for you to know: they will find their way. Only receive this, which you have also heard from me before: on account of the just men those days shall be cut short, and the glory of my name shall rise again and everywhere the good news of my kingdom shall be taught, so that a few may withdraw their feet from the devil's way and their testimony may stand out against the obstinate. Then at my arrival the wicked shall be destroyed and shall pay the everlasting penalties for their iniquity.
Meanwhile Satan shall reign with his followers: I will allow it. And above all let his efforts be exalted, because he is said to be God. Let iniquity prevail; let justice perish; let there be no concern for faith. Let him who teaches sound doctrine be killed with the loud approval of the mob, so that there may not be left even a particle of faith; let pride, blindness of heart, darkness, avarice descend and reign; let the learned see only what the people want, what each reprobate may be glad to hear and those things by which magnates and princes may be pleased. Let those who delight in truth be very rare.
PAUL. Then you will allow your churches and the places sacred to your name to fall into this sea of evils?
CHRIST. Why not? Everyone finally chosen shall be tested for his purity by this difficulty of the times. But before they are punished for their iniquities, the rest shall grow fat and the number of their possessions shall be filled out. But you, angel, take the keys of hell and quickly free our old enemy, that his field of operation may be everywhere more extensive; that he may rule more widely, tell Truth to leave the earth speedily and let no interference disturb his kingdom. For although she may wish to stay in the world beyond the appointed time, she would suffer blows or her mouth would be closed with sheep dung. Accordingly, if she is wise, let her beware to put off her biting words till another time.
JULIAN. How do you like this new religion, Nestor?
NESTOR. Very much. I give thanks to God, who thought it worthy to call me back from hell and by his grace alone to place me in the fellowship of his son.
JULIAN. You feel rightly. Often I meditate on the great errors amid which we have been situated, when we live in the greatest ignorance of God and do not know clearly what sort of life we have lived. It is great to be thus girded by the grace of God and to know such great things without great expense. Certainly all nations are blind and lost which do not know so surely from the innermost depths that Christ is God. Alas, how evils are always in our consciousness and are always moving to and fro with doubtful doctrines. I now am aware of this, after I was plucked out from my former darkness and began to believe in Jesus Christ. Now all perils are less dangerous; the very great fear of death is far away. Why should I prefer the treasures of the Arabs to these? And compared with this what is power over the whole world?
NESTOR. Yes, Caesar, if you compare all the things of the earth with this knowledge, they are scarcely worthy of mention. Nothing is lacking to him who truly knows Christ.
JULIAN. Therefore we certainly owe much to God and to his ministers and to the teachers of the faith, through whom we have at length emerged as from our tombs. What do you think?
NESTOR. This is my opinion, Caesar. To God indeed, as long as his spirit shall guide our limbs, as great thanks as possible must be given and such a great gift should stick in our hearts for ever. Further to the ministers and teachers of the faith, because they live amongst us and lack many things, although they have asked and the opportunity has offered, our gratitude should be paid by liberal deeds, so that, since they have sown the seeds of the spirit in us, they may themselves enjoy our things of the flesh.
JULIAN. Well said. For in other cases ingratitude is evil but in matters of doctrine it is especially evil. Therefore, have you written letters in my name, as I ordered, to all the provinces and all the leaders and rulers of them that there should be peace and security for Christians and that they should be able to hold their meetings in their churches and to practise their rites without any fear?
NESTOR. It has been done and the messengers have returned some time ago.
JULIAN. Have those letters also been despatched that exiles may return as soon as possible to their homes and that those condemned to work in the mines should come out of them free men, and that whatever has been confiscated from them, whether vineyards, or fields, or house or cattle, should be restored forthwith at public expense?
NESTOR. Those documents have not yet been written, Caesar. So far the scribes have been hindered by the revels and have sworn that they can write nothing sane. I will see to it that the documents are written as soon as possible.
JULIAN. Go now. See to it that you do not delay the business, as many want to do without the knowledge of the prince. You should correct the laziness of the scribes as much as you can, so that they may always be attentive to their duties. When the documents have been written, return to me. I'm leaving to see what business Pammachius is conducting.
PAMMACHIUS. To whom am I to entrust safely what I want to be done? It is important business. It shall not remain among the craftsmen and barbers, who never consider the dangers of the situation. I want someone like myself. But I am torn by anxieties and hesitate in perplexity, whether what I've been thinking of may have a fortunate outcome. Changeable and untrustworthy are the minds of mortals; they stand in the way of the success of others, or, if they cannot, they envy them and backbite them secretly. They think something has been taken from themselves, because others are carried along by favourable breezes. But their forehead must be scratched, and whatever attack you have decided to make must be carried out bravely with daring, and the murmurs of the envious must be scorned. Let the groins of those whom these plans of mine displease be split open.
But what am I doing? Where am I being carried? What shall I pursue first or last? Will Rhamnusian Nemesis allow that? I must go and find someone with whom I may share my plans. But look, Porphyrius comes directly to meet me. How splendidly God always unites those like each other. A man better or more congenial to me could not have come along; there's no one to whom I would trust these ideas of mine more safely. I will approach him. Where are you going now, Porphyrius?
PORPHYRIUS. I was coming to you, Father Pammachius, to see whether you have been quite well.
PAMMACHIUS. Quite well, as things now turn out.
PORPHYRIUS. Why then are you more glum than usual? Before you did not have this expression or colour. Certainly either I am deceived or in my opinion you are not well, or some uncommon evil has befallen you. For brave men do not look sad for nothing. Why are you sighing? Why don't you say what the trouble is? For my part, by advice or money I will help you. Surely some pernicious teachings of the faith are not arising? Or has some one of our brothers committed an extraordinary crime?
PAMMACHIUS. These things move me little, though they are very important. At first indeed I used to take thought for all such problems when I spent very many nights awake. But now I cease to do that, being aware that there is much work and little profit in such efforts. My mind is set to invest my work in more important areas.
PORPHYRIUS. Are you sad now to think of this, Father?
PAMMACHIUS. Yes, of this very topic.
PORPHYRIUS. But for whom? Or in what way can you attain to this?
PAMMACHIUS. The counsels of hearts must not all be told to everyone, especially in those cases where danger exists or profit. Do not therefore question me.
PORPHYRIUS. You also know that silent counsels, communicated to no one, especially in a difficult situation, are too often a source of great disaster. I make an effort to know nothing. No danger will come to you from me, and I am not opposed to your profits. By Hercules, there is no one, as far as I think, to whom you could entrust your problem more safely whatever it is, nor anyone who could more promote your counsels.
PAMMACHIUS. It is serious to speak.
PORPHYRIUS. Why so?
PAMMACHIUS. Perhaps you will disapprove.
PORPHYRIUS. Nothing less likely.
PAMMACHIUS. Then let us go inside, lest any envious person or spy hear what I am about to say.
PORPHYRIUS. Whatever the news is, I pray that it may not be any great evil.
PAMMACHIUS. It is no evil. Only listen, so that you may be able to understand. I know that up to this point of decision you favour my words and all my affairs.
PORPHYRIUS. Why shouldn't I favour you? From your most holy heart counsels cannot proceed unless they are most sanctified.
PAMMACHIUS. Although it is a grave decision to reveal such an important matter, because it is at times dangerous, and at other times because the worst people, if they knew, would mock at all of us and since indeed also a great enterprise cannot be concluded in a narrow compass, I will speak to you as a faithful follower who will keep silence, hoping at the same time that you can be led to hold the same opinion as I do, since it will be of much profit to you. For you notice how the Christian religion is harassed on all sides, so that there is scarce a place for breathing. Nowadays every land is wet with our blood, nowadays our sea is destroyed, and they have seen rivers of fire; in the deserted mountains many good men hide away. There are so many enemies, so many wicked persecutors who have extreme hate for the name of Christian. Hence there await us as many punishments as possible: prison, hunger, the rack in the shape of a horse, the cross and torches, the mines, burning oil and savage beasts, so that I certainly wonder what Christ wants for himself when the times are so disturbed, why he puts up with all of it or why he does not defend his own followers from the fangs of their worst enemies.
Certainly in the old days a people which was called the people of God did not endure such evils nor was it subjected to so many deaths, but lived pleasantly, was fed on peace and tranquillity, reigned over and dominated the races outside its borders. But we are nothing but a laughing stock and corpses. Then I am called the Bishop of this people. Therefore I am more hunted than the rest by our enemies, as they hope with the shepherd dead to be able to riot more licentiously among the poor sheep. Thus in continuous fear every day I wander around; nowhere am I safe. My life hangs on a slender thread. But what do I want for myself? Why do I serve such a miserable slavery? Why do I obey? Indeed you once preached, Porphyrius, that he who lived according to reason lived well and justly. For reason urges man on to the best ends.
PORPHYRIUS. Exactly.
PAMMACHIUS. But what is more opposed to reason or nearer to stupidity than to rush both knowingly and willingly of one's own accord into death? What do those who profess Christ not do? He does not obey reason who will not avoid evils. Although all men hate Christ extremely, reason wishes to be loved, not to incur hate. Finally, we have not been brought into this life that immediately we should rush into death, as if driven by the Furies, but that we may preserve our life, granted to us by the gift of God, in whatever ways we can. Every creature bears witness to aiming at this end--parents, sky, earth, sun, beasts, fishes, cattle, birds and all things that live. What madness it is, when all things wish us well, to destroy ourselves and to follow him, who died shamefully, as did many of his disciples also.
PORPHYRIUS. You certainly say all things well.
PAMMACHIUS. Forsooth, his teachings are diametrically opposed to reason and to the common sense of men. For what? Shall I not seek revenge? Shall I throw away my tunic and my cloak? Shall I delay when from a distance he summons me to come before him? When struck, shall I allow myself to be struck further? Finally, above all, shall I love my enemies? Or do a kindness to those who hate me? Shall I pray for those who persecute and slander me? What prudent man ever did such things? What, I ask you, is that rule which preaches blessed are the poor and orders us to scorn riches and to put honours behind us? Let those with weakened minds and the vile plebs, which think nothing outstanding or lofty, follow these precepts; but I am endowed with reason and with a good natural ability and I shall follow reason as my leader.
PORPHYRIUS. You do well, Father. This is the duty of a brave man.
PAMMACHIUS. I shall withdraw myself from these perpetual terrors of death; I shall certainly seek tranquillity in my life.
PORPHYRIUS. But how, I ask you, shall we be able to gain that end? For in truth I also seek more tranquil times, which I hoped had come from the conversion of Caesar.
PAMMACHIUS. He will give a beautiful beginning to our plans. There is no peace, Porphyrius, for the disciples of Christ, no reward for labours, no security, as you yourself can see. Therefore, if we seek to stabilize our affairs and to enjoy the honours we deserve let us leave Christ with his doctrine to other men, even those of the lowest class; let us ourselves serve the prince of the world.
PORPHYRIUS. Let me perish, if this is not the best plan. I never saw better counsel given.
PAMMACHIUS. If he favours others who are by no means our equals with authority, and blesses them with great honours, power, riches and titles, I do not doubt that he will esteem us most highly.
PORPHYRIUS. By the immortal God, I hesitate what to admire more, good luck or the prudence of mortals. By Hercules, salvation and happiness cannot fail us, if our wits fail not. Hence he is far the best whose wits are always at home.
PAMMACHIUS. But in the business of Christ, as you see, we are poor, afflicted and merely a cipher, when we should be the head of all the nations.
PORPHYRIUS. You understand things magnificently, provided favourable fortune breathes on us and all obstacles are removed from our path.
PAMMACHIUS. Satan will give that. But what are the rewards of Christ? He will see to it that every day I move among dangers and am wasted by daily anxiety; the more powerful I become by my efforts, the more disheartened I am, so that I am without glory and shall certainly pass my life without glory. These are the outstanding rewards of Christ.
PORPHYRIUS. Father, you understand this rightly at last. He has not lived well, who, through faint-heartedness, has left no monuments of his life, either because he has of his own accord devoted himself to obscurity or because he is impotent to emerge from it.
PAMMACHIUS. I shall not allow myself to be betrayed further by the hope that the reward for our labour will be in a future life. I prefer to enjoy good things now and to pluck the present fruits, since our state after death is uncertain and doubtful; no one, though he gapes with curiosity, should be deprived at the same time both of present and future rewards and be a laughing stock to all.
PORPHYRIUS. And who, I ask you, knows whether our bodies rise again or perish for ever with the other animals? Certainly no reasoning could prove that things once destroyed return the same in number, and that the substance once destroyed can be restored to the same form.
PAMMACHIUS. You speak well. But listen, Porphyrius, please, are you praising all my suggestions jokingly or seriously?
PORPHYRIUS. Am I not to praise them seriously, Father? What is more profitable to you and to me than what you are preaching and instituting? Nay, also, to all churches it will bring distinction and no common glory. Only, as you have begun, continue to attack bravely. Then you will not be so lost as to wander or fail in this. Let every right and every wrong and whatever laws there are in the world be stored in the book of your heart; so that the authority of all may deservedly pass to you, if ever any men (since there are many wicked ones whom heretical madness moves and drives on), if any wish to blame your actions, which proceed from a spirit far deeper than the earthly minds of mortals can comprehend. Therefore carry on; you have me as your great assistant.
PAMMACHIUS. Yes, if indeed you were speaking those words from your heart, Porphyrius.
PORPHYRIUS. Let me die, if I am not speaking true words from my heart.
PAMMACHIUS. You increase my courage. Now you shall learn openly what my decision is and what I want you to do. It no longer pleases me to creep thus on the ground, nor does the name of bishop attract me unless it bring great returns. So I have decided to raise myself from the ground, in any way possible, and to try for a position in which I may have pre-eminence over all the bishops of the world, and a very great supply of gold and silver may be collected and ready to my hand. Then both to know the business of princes and to have all princes subject to me will be magnificent and sweet, so that I shall be feared by all and no one will dare for long to resist me. In these undertakings you are offering me your vigorous support, Porphyrius. You may search your reason and compress the scriptures so that these things may be done in such a way that the people may not understand that these plans have been arranged by the inclination of a prince of the world. For Christ must be abandoned in these undertakings, as it was agreed. But in the meantime I want to be named and counted the greatest follower of Christ.
PORPHYRIUS. These are indeed difficult tasks you impose; nevertheless nothing ought to be called difficult for your sagacity. You will easily manage it. Reason shall not be lacking nor shall the authority of the scriptures be gainsaid, especially if you twist them a little and say that you are the only true interpreter of them.
PAMMACHIUS. You advise well: so I shall live in that way. In fact I will take to myself every right of expounding the scriptures, so that every oration before the assembly shall emanate from my mouth.
PORPHYRIUS. That would be very useful. If anyone should dare to hurl any unworthy charge against you, send him to hell as a heretic.
PAMMACHIUS. It certainly will be necessary to do this. But I fear that Caesar will not allow me to climb to that height.
PORPHYRIUS. Whom do your fear? Caesar? No one must be feared, but whatever power there is must be condemned. It can be imposed by us the teachers on the neophyte Caesar without any trouble. Or if he begins to be at all troublesome, let him be driven down to hell with a triple thunderbolt. Let his royal authority be overturned and let him be deposed. You will find someone else bursting with desire for ruling who will make every concession to you.
PAMMACHIUS. Divine and effective counsel, Porphyrius. Now I have no scruples. The situation itself shall teach me the rest, and by daily use I shall grow more experienced.
PORPHYRIUS. Without doubt experience will supply many answers.
PAMMACHIUS. Why then do we not soon go to pay our respects to Satan and ask for his favour?
PORPHYRIUS. When you wish, I'm ready. As we go we will talk more deeply about these plans, as it seems appropriate.
PORPHYRIUS. But what do you mean? Surely we cannot meet Satan himself? Surely we must go to his deputy, mustn't we?
PAMMACHIUS. To Satan himself. In truth I think he has been freed, as by my research the stones have counted the years. But in the college itself it will be evident whether this is so.
JULIAN. The temple is locked up and the silence is wonderful. Perhaps he is at home and is busy with his reading.
PORPHYRIUS. Ahem. Caesar is coming this way. He's looking for you, Pammachius.
PAMMACHIUS. Yes, he seems to be; he's heading straight for this spot.
PORPHYRIUS. If you like, let us test his mind indirectly as to whether he will make all the concessions on which you've decided. If he is difficult, let him soon proceed along that way I've shown. Then of his own accord he will come to you as a suppliant.
PAMMACHIUS. You give good advice. Now, use your arts.
JULIAN. Here he is coming from his house with Porphyrius. It is well.
PAMMACHIUS. Hail, Emperor. Are you looking for me?
JULIAN. For you, Father.
PAMMACHIUS. What's new?
JULIAN. Nothing indeed. I wished to tell you that peace has been granted to you and yours in all the provinces. Now you can hold your meetings freely anywhere and carry out all your rites without fear.
PAMMACHIUS. That's good news. However, I heard it before from others, but it's more certain when you report it.
JULIAN. I wanted to show my gratitude to you in this way.
PAMMACHIUS. I praise you for that.
JULIAN. As soon as possible also the exiles shall be brought back and all their property which has been confiscated, shall be restored to them.
PAMMACHIUS. You are acting piously and as befits a Christian.
JULIAN. You think that I have done enough, don't you?
PORPHYRIUS. Yes, for a beginning, Emperor, this is something, but you will every day, if you are wise, confer greater privileges, so that you may always appear an ever more grateful son of the Church.
JULIAN. I shall strive earnestly not to be accused of being ungrateful. Just tell me if you want anything in the areas where my kindness can bring you help, provided only that the majesty of the realm is safe. All things, my Fathers, you shall receive liberally.
PORPHYRIUS. These words must be praised but deeds more so.
JULIAN. What I say in words, I will prove also by deeds. Is there something you lack, Father?
PORPHYRIUS. You ask? There are very many things. But up to now Pammachius has learned to be content with a few gains and has not wished to be troublesome to princes by repeated requests, hoping that they themselves would of their own accord arrange things best, whatever necessity demanded.
JULIAN. You have been granted peace and tranquillity for your children, and freedom for those condemned. Food and clothing have been provided for you. What further is lacking? Unless you tell me, how am I to understand? Speak, Pammachius.
PAMMACHIUS. I do not know what to say, Caesar. I do not look for abundance, brought up as I was in a life of poverty, nor does there come to my mind what I should seek first or last.
PORPHYRIUS. As I said, this man is a simple person and is keener on scholarship than on dominion or money. It would be more just for you yourselves to think in what ways the churches must be helped and what rewards should be given to your teachers.
JULIAN. Caesar has many thoughts and yet alone cannot either think up or suitably arrange everything according to each position and the honour due; therefore he needs ministers and advisors to make a suggestion, Porphyrus, as to what further concessions I may make, for I do not think that you are so inexperienced or naive as not to know what suits you and the churches and in what concessions you would especially rejoice. For my part, I will bend my efforts strongly towards it so that I may not be charged with the crime of ingratitude.
PORPHYRIUS. If you wish, Father, I will speak and indeed briefly.
PAMMACHIUS. Speak.
PORPHYRIUS. First, Caesar, after these present concessions grant this: that all churches everywhere should urgently request that they be untaxed and freed from public duties.
JULIAN. What persons do you designate in the name of the churches, the people or all the teachers and bishops?
PORPHYRIUS. I say the bishops and the teachers of the people and anyone who shines in the name of "cleric."
JULIAN. To them freedom from taxes can easily be granted, even if something is subtracted from public funds.
PORPHYRIUS. Next, you should endow all the bishoprics with great wealth and with the substance of princes.
JULIAN. Ah, what are you saying, Porphyrius? I will grant to you what is enough for your sustenance. And if the privileges I have granted are not sufficient, I will add greater ones, Porphyrius. Why do you ask for your teachers wealth great enough to match that of great princes? As you know, very great evils go with great riches, and poor men rarely know how to use them well. Or will you dismiss your doctrine and your sacred books and pay attention to lawsuits, horses, law courts and worldly pride? These are not useful for you, believe me, nor do I think that your father seeks such things.
PAMMACHIUS. Why should I not seek them? No one seeks or possesses riches more justly than those who teach others.
JULIAN. A new dogma unknown for so many centuries.
PORPHYRIUS. You will not grudge granting what I suggest, if you listen to me.
JULIAN. I will think about it, Porphyrius. In such a hard decision I shall not give you anything which must be taken away from others without the agreement of my leading advisors.
PORPHYRIUS. And when all the bishops have been thus endowed, the Roman Bishop should far outstrip the others in wealth and power, and should possess Rome and the whole of Etruria, and all the bishops should serve him. Let him scrape together money from the whole empire and let him do his business in all the provinces by your command, and let there be no one who even coughs against him. So advance your teachers and their churches that you may be called a son worthy of the Church.
JULIAN. You are joking, Porphyrius, and do not seek such privileges. Tell me seriously in what things I may honour you, so that no obstacles may stand in the way of your doctrine.
PAMMACHIUS. Why do you always mention doctrine? Authority will finally have come to our doctrine when men see us in high places and preferred to all. Then they will not mock us, their teachers, as they have done up to now, nor fashion an ass's ears with their hands, but, bending their heads and from a distance, they will acknowledge our doctrine.
PORPHYRIUS. Quite so. Therefore we do not so far jestingly make our requests.
JULIAN. You're serious, then?
PORPHYRIUS. Definitely.
JULIAN. My fathers, recall your minds. Let not your thoughts fall in this direction. You are asking for greater things than it is right for bishops to have. Bishops should teach and should lead their churches by the word, by the word they should encourage and by the word correct if anyone has lived contrary to sound doctrine. Let the greedy collect money and wealth, let princes rule, let soldiers fight, and let Caesar rule Rome and Tuscany. Thus each will keep his own station satisfactorily.
PORPHYRIUS. Ho, ho, Caesar, so you came to teach us? Do you not know that we are your teachers, as we are those of all Christians? You should listen to us, obey us, if you love Christ. Learn from us how each man keeps his own station satisfactorily. Do not again proceed to give us orders or to correct anything.
PAMMACHIUS. Quite right.
JULIAN. You've proceeded proudly enough against Caesar. If I were not of your faith, you would not thus scorn me. I know that you are teachers, and I shall listen to you if you teach sound doctrines, but not if you teach unhealthy doctrines. No obedience binds beyond reasonable limits. Listen to the opinion of Achilles, Porphyrius: "We shall obey the Atreidae, if they lead well. But whenever they do not lead well, we shall not obey them." I tell you that I am of his opinion, so that you may not make any mistakes.
PORPHYRIUS. Are you, forsooth, also the one who judges whether our doctrine is sound or unsound?
JULIAN. Not I, good man, but the sacred writings show the sound and the unsound.
PORPHYRIUS. And you understand them? Soon, as far as I can see, you will be corrupted with a damnable heresy, if you are willing to understand the scriptures differently than is permitted by the sacred Roman Church.
JULIAN. You, sir, almost move me to anger. I advise you to curb your tongue and not to abuse my clemency so and my gentleness. Tell me, Father, the things he is asking for are surely not requests with which you agree?
PAMMACHIUS. I so ordered him.
JULIAN. You gave the orders? O immortal God, you ask for Rome and Tuscany, why do you not also ask for the whole of my Empire at the same time?
PAMMACHIUS. And it shall be mine; the Caesars shall be set up by me. All of them shall arise from the scroll of my heart.
JULIAN. Of what scroll are you telling me?
PAMMACHIUS. That from which the holy mysteries of my heart come forth.
JULIAN. And according to it, you say, Caesars shall be set up?
PAMMACHIUS. Certainly, as it shall please me.
JULIAN. I ask you, Pammachius, lay aside those impulses and desires. Ask for things worthy of you. You will find me kindly disposed to you, and I shall not turn aside your prayers. I want to honour teachers and bishops, but nevertheless in such a way that they may not destroy me or rise above me and hold the highest place in the kingdom. What god has suggested this to you, that you propose things so incongruous, absurd and up to now unheard of? What Caesar or king will submit his realms to you? Each one spends prudently, so that he himself may not afterwards be in need and as a beggar go to the doors of others.
PORPHYRIUS. We must go, Father. This Caesar, as I hear it, will grant you no rank or power.
JULIAN. You hit the mark. There is no need for them. I want to ask this myself, whether Peter and all the bishops before you ever broke forth to this height of pride, that they wished or tried to rule over Tuscany and Rome or wanted to be given precedence over all other bishops or desired wealth or interfered in the affairs of Caesar.
PAMMACHIUS. My predecessors were foolish and they did not unroll the sacred books so zealously. Therefore, led by pusillanimity and idleness, they did not understand the duties of the learned and did not strive to climb to greatness, to that state to which the gospel urges them. But their crass ignorance does not prejudge anything for me.
JULIAN. What they did not find in the gospels for so many centuries have you at last, with keener eyes than the crows themselves, dug up? What man ever heard of the gospel of breaking up states and robbing kings of their empires? Where does the gospel teach the ambition, the avarice and the pride with which you, I now understand, have been in labour for a long time?
PAMMACHIUS. It is not right that you should argue much about these things. You are a neophyte and do not understand our mysteries. If you do not confer these privileges of your own accord, you will confer them against your will.
JULIAN. You will force me then?
PAMMACHIUS. Certainly.
JULIAN. By an army perhaps?
PAMMACHIUS. No.
JULIAN. I know; you will lead my subjects captive.
PAMMACHIUS. By no means.
JULIAN. Perhaps you will ravage the provinces?
PAMMACHIUS. Not thus.
JULIAN. By what devices then will you attack me?
PAMMACHIUS. A little later you shall feel the strategy of the Roman curia, which all princes shall fear.
JULIAN. May your strategy be foully destroyed, if it disturbs the Empire. Has all the heart of your religion been so knocked out of you and has your former honesty so quickly perished, that you would do ill to your benefactors?
PORPHYRIUS. I'm sorry for you, since you do not obey the Father, and you make him your enemy by your words.
JULIAN. Let your pity cease. Am I to listen to you in this? Who does not see that you are completely mad? Bring forth your strategy and all your tricks, just the same I shall not hand over my empire to the bishops.
PAMMACHIUS. We shall see what need for action there is later.
JULIAN. See! Your threats do not frighten me, and unless you adopt better counsels, I shall soon put a bound to this illness with my army.
PORPHYRIUS. Let us go, Father. This argument is of no benefit to us.
PAMMACHIUS. Believe me, Caesar, if I shall live.
JULIAN. You shall not conquer me with your threats. Get out, and may you perish miserably.
PAMMACHIUS. May you perish much more miserably. O, by the way, bring your legions, such as you can, to this place.
JULIAN. Unless my mind deceives me, those fellows will cause great trouble. For what else am I to hope, when bishops and teachers have such perverse thoughts? Who is there who would not judge from this that a crisis of faith is arising? I will say openly what I feel. Those counsels have not come from God; in these undertakings the bishops are neither seeking nor finding the way of Christ. Nay, rather, the father of evil and of lies is supplying those suggestions, and all their thoughts are directed towards him. It will be remarkable if they have not proceeded to Satan on this very trip, as if maddened by a gadfly. So little can they be torn from their purpose by my words, and they threaten something tragic for us if we say, to retain the honour of the empire, that such views are unsuitable. Such effrontery has come upon our teachers and also our bishops that they contend with threats against Caesar. I could indeed meet their threats by armed force, but it seems impious to harm bishops.
Yet I gather from their words that, if they could do what I can, they would in no way spare me. Ah me, what will happen if any of the gods prosper their plans? Soon in all the mountains the sheep will be wandering, while their shepherds will sit idly at home, play, drink, look after their stomachs, so that no evils will rouse them from their cushions. Even if the sheep should be skinned, if they died of hunger or spent their time among death-giving fodder, their shepherds will find it agreeable to be on their backs and snoring. They will smile if ever they see their sheep eaten, and from their death take profit. Thus will things turn out in the future. But would that I were speaking falsely, and that the teachers could correct these plans of theirs and be content with their own problems and not be ambitious for greater power, and would concentrate on their doctrines and take care of their churches. But this stubbornness of theirs will scarcely yield to anyone, and the wrinkled forehead and shaven head, the blazing and fierce eyes, the pale face, the unbridled and rash tongue, the trembling lips, by Hercules, scarcely ever are wont to bring any good with them.
Alas, peace, what a fine possession you would be for mortals, if only they could endure you with firm legs! Truly, as the proverb goes, scarcely any feet can bear happy times and prosperity. In adversity many conduct themselves well, who often in times of peace turn their hands to crime; as metal by lying in one place takes on rust, so integrity perishes, if it is not repeatedly put to the test. For although the persecutions of the nations have afflicted the churches very seriously, yet they have created greater constancy, piety and honour among believers. But that peace, which as a Christian I conferred, will bring much evil to Christians, as I now conclude, so that they will burn with avarice and, touched by idleness, will forget their duties and will swell with pride, ambition and the glory of the world so that they will be filled and wondrously driven by an itch for domination. There is no need to bring up here remote examples, even our bishops support their petitions with verbal fighting.
O how often we men are deceived and speak our opinions to no effect, being ignorant of the hidden emotions of hearts. Who ever would have thought that the bishops and doctors would try such things. I feel it is true what the countrymen say: the more pious any man is, the more wicked he is. These scholars are not eager for common crimes. In truth Satan usually selects as his workmen men not unskilled in affairs, but very learned. But why do I stop from going home, to communicate this to my Nestor and to learn how the threats of these fellows are to be scorned and strongly driven out.
PORPHYRIUS. You certainly left Caesar angry, Father. Do you not see how much he is deliberating, how he is gesticulating, how he is constantly tossing his head?
PAMMACHIUS. I see, and so much for words. What will he do next, when he feels our deeds?
PORPHYRIUS. He will torture himself wonderfully, I know.
PAMMACHIUS. It is well. He must be taught how bishops and all teachers are more worthy than Caesar. Now, by Satan's favour soon to be gained, I give you the business of freeing all his subjects from obedience to him.
PORPHYRIUS. I am clever enough to know how that can be done. I will make Caesar milder to you than a lamb. You yourself shall see and you will admire my strategy.
PAMMACHIUS. Make such an example of him, Porphyrius, that no one hereafter may dare to contend with me.
PORPHYRIUS. O, there's no need for that order; believe that it is done.
PAMMACHIUS. And that he may be favourable to all our schemes, let him use the sword only according to our decree, and let him serve us with all his power.
PORPHYRIUS. I will press hard on him and I am confident that this will happen.
PAMMACHIUS. Then if we have him as the supporter and promoter of all our schemes, none of the rest will dare to oppose us. We shall be praised by everyone.
PORPHYRIUS. Splendid.
PAMMACHIUS. But before all, care must be taken that no one knows we are serving Satan.
PORPHYRIUS. Yes, of course; we shall serve Christ in name, but let our deeds proceed from the workshops of Satan. They must be covered by a Christian cloak, so that we may impose them by cunning on the ignorant.
PAMMACHIUS. Good advice. We shall need the greatest impostures, so the people may not hate us and avoid us. For they would never put up with bishops who serve Satan, if they knew it. It would be best that we prevent this danger, so that we do not go down, while we wish to climb up.
PORPHYRIUS. There shall be no mention of Satan; all our actions shall be cloaked in the name either of God or of Christ.
PAMMACHIUS. Shrewd fellow!
PORPHYRIUS. The people will accept that, putting a good interpretation on all the things we have done.
PAMMACHIUS. Splendid.
PORPHYRIUS. By the scriptures we shall also defend our actions as boldly as possible, so that they will think no evil about such very holy men.
PAMMACHIUS. I approve.
PORPHYRIUS. In the meantime we will look after our own skins; we will settle, ordain and order the things which they will do for our cause, Father Pammachius.
PAMMACHIUS. This one point remains. As these plans are good, so they must be carried through as soon as possible, Porphyrius.
PORPHYRIUS. Hem. Yes, why do you put spurs to one already running?
PAMMACHIUS. You move to advance our cause and commend me to Satan. Tell him of my wishes. I shall be most grateful to you, and you shall be the foremost of my followers.
PORPHYRIUS. I will speak well for you.
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