Apology Against the Calumnies of the Louvain Theologians

But since I saw that many of my statements were not understood by them, and many were likewise corrupted, many perverted and wrongly interpreted, I did not think it right that a palinode be demanded of me without being heard and without defense, especially since I ought to acknowledge the crime of impiety by revoking it, of which I was not conscious and of which I had not been convicted, whatever the will of the Caesar may be. I answer constantly with Ambrose, that divine things are not subject to imperial majesty: We are urged by royal precepts, but we are confirmed by the words of Scripture. The Caesar could have believed the lies of those bringing accusations, cloaked in the guise of piety, and I am not unaware how great a plague on princes the tongue that interprets good things as evil can be. The Caesar could have yielded to those persistently inciting him, nor am I ignorant of how much the wickedness of inciters can achieve when they sell themselves under the cloak of piety. The deportation of the divine Athanasius clearly teaches how much accusations and calumnies (especially if they are brought by those who are held to be worthy of faith) can act against the innocent. Even then, the Emperor (though otherwise most learned and most equitable and clement, namely Constantine the Great) was driven to such wrath and fury against Athanasius by false priests, having cunningly heaped up calumnies, and they acted in consent to the crime. I know the Caesar is a man, and can be moved by his own feelings, which should not stand in my way, lest I be permitted to defend my own innocence.