29. Hemmed in on all sides, he betakes himself to
the wiles of his fathers. He wants to stir up ill-will on the
Emperor’s side, saying that a youth, a catechumen ignorant of the
sacred writings, ought to judge, and to judge in the consistory.
As though last year when I was sent for to go to the palace, when in
the presence of the chief men the matter was discussed before the
consistory, when the Emperor wished to seize the basilica, I was cowed
then at the sight of the royal court, and did not show the firmness a
bishop should, or departed with diminished claims. Do they not
remember that the people, when they knew I had gone to the palace, made
such a rush that they could not resist its force; and all offered
themselves to death for the faith of Christ as a military officer came
out with some light troops to disperse the crowd? Was not I asked
to calm the people with a long speech? Did I not pledge my word
that no one should invade the basilica of the church? And though
my services were asked for to do an act of kindness, yet the fact that
the people came to the palace was used to bring ill-will upon me.
They wish to bring me to this now again.