Letter 15: I have issued a general order lifting the sentences of exile imposed by Constantius of blessed memory on all those...
To Bishop Aetius [a leading Arian theologian].
I have issued a general order lifting the sentences of exile imposed by Constantius of blessed memory on all those banished for the follies of the Galileans [Julian's contemptuous term for Christians — he viewed their internal theological disputes as absurd].
In your case, however, I am not only revoking your exile but — since I remember our old acquaintance and friendship — I am personally inviting you to come to me. You may use official transport [a government-provided carriage and horses, a significant privilege] as far as my headquarters, plus one additional horse.
Human translation - Tertullian Project
Latin / Greek Original
[Πρός: Ἀετίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ]
Κοινῶς μὲν ἅπασι τοῖς ὁπωσοῦν ὑπὸ τοῦ μακαρίτου Κωνσταντίου πεφυγαδευμένοις ἕνεκεν τῆς τῶν Γαλιλαίων ἀπονοίας ἀνῆκα τὴν φυγήν, σοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἀνίημι μόνον, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ παλαιᾶς γνώσεώς τε καὶ συνηθείας μεμνημένος ἀφικέσθαι προτρέπω μέχρις ἡμῶν. χρήσῃ δὲ ὀχήματι δημοσίῳ μέχρι τοῦ στρατοπέδου τοῦ ἐμοῦ καὶ ἑνὶ παρίππῳ.
Revision history
- 2026-03-20v2.1.0-import
Initial corpus import from Tertullian.org.
Fields: letter text, metadata, source links. Source: https://github.com/PerseusDL/canonical-greekLit/blob/master/data/tlg2003/tlg013/tlg2003.tlg013.perseus-grc2.xml
Related Letters
I did not advise you to leave your homeland, your home, your family, and your prospects -- nor would I ever give...
This entry contains only scholarly footnotes and cross-references, not a letter.
Under any ordinary circumstances I should have lacked courage to intrude upon your excellency, for I know how to gauge my own importance and to recognise dignities. But now that I have seen a friend in a distressing position at having been summoned before you, I have ventured to give him this letter. I hope that by using it, as a kind of propiti...
Relax — take a break and enjoy your leisure.
I am attacked by sickness after sickness, and all the work given me, not only by the affairs of the Church, but by those who are troubling the Church, has detained me during the whole winter, and up to the present time. It has been therefore quite impossible for me to send any one to you or to pay you a visit. I conjecture that you are similarly...