CHAPTER XXIII

HE WRITES TO THE EGYPTIANS, EXHORTING THEM TO PEACE

AND now, when all else were at peace, among the Egyptians alone an implacable contention still raged, so as once more to disturb the emperor’s tranquillity, though not to excite his anger. For indeed he treated the contending parties with all respect, as fathers, nay rather, as prophets of God; and again he summoned them to his presence, and again patiently acted as mediator between them, and honoured them with gifts. He communicated also the result of his arbitration by letter, confirming and sanctioning the decrees of the council, and calling on them to strive earnestly for concord, and not to distract and rend the Church, but to keep before them the thought of God’s judgment on this behalf. And these injunctions he sent by a letter written with his own hand.