Letter 3: Thanks be to the power above, which through the words of Your Piety has seen fit to end a long silence, granting us...

Hormisdas to Anastasius Augustus [the emperor]. Thanks be to the power on high, which through the address of your Piety has deigned to bring to an end a long silence, granting such a beginning to our conversation that we both rejoice over the prosperity of your Clemency and trust that, by God's gift, the holy Church can return to unity. This has been the work of the clemency on high; this too was ever the prayer of our predecessors, whom the very conduct of affairs declares to have been ministers of the paternal tradition and guardians of the right faith. For peace is the beginning of all goodness, and nothing, so far as the worship of the catholic faith is concerned, ought to be reckoned more powerful, nothing more exalted: for this surely it is fitting both to do all things and to endure all things, whoever desires to be a worthy disciple of the holy Scriptures; and it is established that Christ our Lord proclaimed this mother and nurse of all good things to these his disciples, saying: My peace I give to you, peace I leave to you. Foreseeing this, with the care of our devoted purpose and by the Lord's inspiration, you take thought for the concord of the orthodox Church, observing in a special way the divine precepts in reverence for the blessed apostle Peter. This matter procures for your empire the greater protection of favor from on high; for veneration rightly offered to God grants to devout minds an unconquerable wall of defense. Therefore with poured-out prayers we beseech almighty God, that he who granted to you the zeal for seeking the peace of the churches may himself also, under the consecration of the catholic faith, bestow the fulfillment upon your desire in this matter. Moreover, in the sacred addresses directed to us, your Piety has deigned to make mention of a holy council. Concerning this matter we shall then be able to offer a most complete reply, when you are willing that we should clearly recognize the reason for the assembly. But now, since by the gift of our Lord the opportunity for discourse has been given, with fitting veneration we shall render the offices of the discourse that is owed. Given on the day before the Nones of April, in the consulship of Florentius, vir clarissimus [most distinguished man]. Through Patricius.

HORMiSDA AXASTASio AVGrsTO. Gratias supernae uirtuti, quae per uestrae pietatis alfatus diuturnum dignata est termi- nare silentium, tale praestans coUocutionis exordium, ut et de uestrae clementiae prosperitate laetemur et ad unitatem 2 deo donante reuerti posse sanctam confidamus ecclesiam. hoc opus supernae clementiae, haec et decessorum nostrorum fuit semper oratio, quos etiam rerum actus paternae tradi- 3 tionis ministros et rectae fidei declarat fuisse custodes. pax . est enim totius bonitatis initium, qua nihil, quantum ad catholicae fidei cultuni, ualidius, nihil aestimari oportet ex- celsius: <pro> hac scilicet et facere cuncta et sustinere con- uenit, qui sanctarum scripturarum probabilis cupit esse disci- pulus; hanc omnium bonorum matrem et nutricem Christum Epist. CVn 3 — CIX 1. 601 dominum nostmm his constat praedicasse discipulis dicentem: pacem meam do uobis, pacem relinquo uobis. quam 4 nos religiosi cura propositi domino adspirante prouidentes de ortbodoxae concordia cogitatis ecclesiae in beati apostoli Petri s reuerentia diuina specialiter praecepta seruantes. quae res maiorem supemi fauoris defensionem uestro procurat imperio ; Tecte enim oblata deo ueneratio inexpugnabilem deuotis men- tibus murum defensionis indulget. proinde omnipotentem 5 deum fusis precibus exoramus, ut qui uobis studium quae- rendae ecclesiarum pacis indulsit, ipse quoque sub consecra- tione catholicae fidei desiderio uestro super hac parte praestet affectum. praeterea directis ad nos sacris affatibus comme- 6 morationem sancti - conoilii facere pietas uestra dignata est. de qua re tunc plenissimum poterimus praebere responsum, dum causam congregationis nos uolueritis euidenter agnoscere. nunc uero quia praestante domino nosti-o data est facultas alloquio, congrua ueneratione debiti praebebimus sermonis oflicia. Data prid. Non. April. Florentio u, c. cons. Per Patricium.