Even gray-haired old age has something to learn, and it seems that old age cannot always be trusted for wisdom. I at least, knowing better than anyone the thoughts and heresy of the Apollinarians, and seeing that their folly was intolerable, yet thinking I could tame them through patience and gradually soften them, let my hopes make me eager to achieve this goal. But it seems I overlooked the fact that I was actually making them worse and harming the Church through my poorly timed forbearance. For gentleness does not shame bad men. And now, if it had been possible for me to teach you this myself, I would not have hesitated, you can be sure, even to undertake a journey beyond my strength to throw myself at the feet of your Excellency. But since my illness has brought me too low, and it has become necessary for me to try the hot baths of Xanxaris on the advice of my doctors, I send a letter to represent me. These wicked and utterly abandoned men have dared, in addition to all their other misdeeds, either to summon or to make improper use of the presence (I am not prepared to say precisely which) of certain bishops who were deprived of their office by the entire Synod of the Eastern and Western Church. And in violation of all Imperial ordinances and of your commands, they have conferred the title of Bishop on a certain individual from their own false-believing and deceitful group, encouraged to do so, I believe, by nothing so much as my severe illness—for I must mention this. If this is to be tolerated, your Excellency will tolerate it, and I too will bear it, as I have often done before. But if it is serious and not to be endured by our most august Emperors, please punish what has been done—though more mildly than such madness deserves.
Even hoar hairs have something to learn; and old age, it would seem, cannot in all respects be trusted for wisdom. I at any rate, knowing better than anyone, as I did, the thoughts and the heresy of the Apollinarians, and seeing that their folly was intolerable; yet thinking that I could tame them by patience and soften them by degrees, I let my hopes make me eager to attain this object. But, as it seems, I overlooked the fact that I was making them worse, and injuring the Church by my untimely philosophy. For gentleness does not put bad men out of countenance. And now if it had been possible for me to teach you this myself, I should not have hesitated, you may be sure, even to undertake a journey beyond my strength to throw myself at the feet of your Excellency. But since my illness has brought me too far, and it has become necessary for me to try the hot baths of Xanxaris at the advice of my medical men, I send a letter to represent me. These wicked and utterly abandoned men have dared, in addition to all their other misdeeds, either to summon, or to make a bad use of the passage (I am not prepared to say precisely which) of certain Bishops, deprived by the whole Synod of the Eastern and Western Church; and, in violation of all Imperial Ordinances, and of your commands, to confer the name of Bishop on a certain individual of their own misbelieving and deceitful crew; encouraged to do so, as I believe, by nothing so much as my great infirmity; for I must mention this. If this is to be tolerated, your Excellency will tolerate it, and I too will bear it, as I have often before. But if it is serious, and not to be endured by our most august Emperors, pray punish what has been done — though more mildly than such madness merits.