From: Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus
To: The Empress Pulcheria Augusta
Date: ~440 AD
Context: Theodoret appeals directly to the empress to protect his overtaxed district from a fugitive bishop's false accusations at court.
To the Augusta Pulcheria [Pulcheria was the elder sister of Emperor Theodosius II and a powerful political figure in her own right, known for her staunch orthodoxy],
Since you adorn the empire with your piety and make the imperial purple shine brighter by your faith, I am emboldened to write to you -- setting aside my own insignificance, because you have always shown proper honor to the clergy.
With these sentiments, I beg your majesty to show mercy to our unhappy district: order the ratification of the tax assessment that has been conducted several times, and do not accept the false charges certain men have brought against it.
I beg you especially to give no credit to a man who bears the title of bishop but whose conduct is unworthy even of respectable household servants. He has been under serious charges and subject to excommunication by the most holy archbishop of Antioch, the Lord Domnus, pending an episcopal investigation. Rather than face judgment, he fled to Constantinople, where he now plies the informer's trade -- attacking his own homeland, a district of thousands of poor people, and wagging his tongue against an entire population to satisfy his hatred of one man.
Out of regard for what is fitting, I will say nothing more about his character -- he shows it plainly enough by his actions. But this I will say about the district: when the whole province had its burdens lightened, this portion alone -- though it bore a disproportionately heavy share -- never received any relief. The result is that many estates lack farmers, many have been abandoned altogether by their owners, while the wretched decurions face demands for taxes on these very properties and, unable to bear the burden, flee as well.
Letter 43
Please help support the mission of New Advent and get the full contents of this website as an instant download. Includes the Catholic Encyclopedia, Church Fathers, Summa, Bible and more — all for only $19.99...
To the Augusta Pulcheria.
Since you adorn the empire by your piety and render the purple brighter by your faith, we make bold to write to you, no longer conscious of our insignificance in that you always pay all due honour to the clergy. With these sentiments I beseech your majesty to deign to show clemency to our unhappy country, to order the ratification of the visitation which has been several times made, and not to accept the false accusations which some men have brought against it. I beseech you to give no credit to him who bears indeed the name of bishop, but whose mode of action is unworthy even of respectable slaves. He has been himself under serious charges and subject to the bann of excommunication under the most holy and God-beloved archbishop of Antioch, the Lord Domnus, pending the summoning of the episcopal council for the investigation of the charges against him. He has now made his escape, and betaken himself to the imperial city, where he plies the trade of an informer, attacking the country which is his mother country with its thousands of poor, and, for the sake of his hatred to one, wags his tongue against all. Out of regard to what is becoming to me I will say nothing as to his character and education, and indeed he shows only too plainly what he has at present in hand. But of the district I will say this, that when the whole province had its burdens lightened, this portion, although it bore a very heavy share of the burden, never enjoyed the benefit of relaxation. The result is that many estates are deprived of husbandmen; nay, many are altogether abandoned by their owners, while the wretched decurions have demands made on them for these very properties, and, being quite unable to bear the exaction, betake themselves some to begging, and some to flight. The city seems to be reduced to one man, and he will not be able to hold out unless your piety supplies a remedy. But I am in hopes that your serenity will heal the wounds in the city and add yet this one more to your many good deeds.
◆
From:Theodoret, Bishop of Cyrrhus
To:The Empress Pulcheria Augusta
Date:~440 AD
Context:Theodoret appeals directly to the empress to protect his overtaxed district from a fugitive bishop's false accusations at court.
To the Augusta Pulcheria [Pulcheria was the elder sister of Emperor Theodosius II and a powerful political figure in her own right, known for her staunch orthodoxy],
Since you adorn the empire with your piety and make the imperial purple shine brighter by your faith, I am emboldened to write to you -- setting aside my own insignificance, because you have always shown proper honor to the clergy.
With these sentiments, I beg your majesty to show mercy to our unhappy district: order the ratification of the tax assessment that has been conducted several times, and do not accept the false charges certain men have brought against it.
I beg you especially to give no credit to a man who bears the title of bishop but whose conduct is unworthy even of respectable household servants. He has been under serious charges and subject to excommunication by the most holy archbishop of Antioch, the Lord Domnus, pending an episcopal investigation. Rather than face judgment, he fled to Constantinople, where he now plies the informer's trade -- attacking his own homeland, a district of thousands of poor people, and wagging his tongue against an entire population to satisfy his hatred of one man.
Out of regard for what is fitting, I will say nothing more about his character -- he shows it plainly enough by his actions. But this I will say about the district: when the whole province had its burdens lightened, this portion alone -- though it bore a disproportionately heavy share -- never received any relief. The result is that many estates lack farmers, many have been abandoned altogether by their owners, while the wretched decurions face demands for taxes on these very properties and, unable to bear the burden, flee as well.
Modern English rendering for readability. See the 19th-century translation or original Latin/Greek for scholarly use.