Letter 589

To Theodulus the Bishop. Have respect at least for your own name. For, as it seems, the dignity of the priesthood has turned into tyranny, since you strike like a madman and plunder free men who have done no wrong. And where will you place the great Paul, who lays down the law that a bishop must not be wrathful, not a striker, not greedy for shameful gain? [1 Timothy 3:3; Titus 1:7] For it is for the sake of shameful gain that you abuse and persecute everyone.

Κἂν τὸ σεαυτοῦ αἰδέσθητι ὄνομα· ὡς ἔοικε γὰρ, τὸ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἀξίωμα εἰς τυραννίδα περιέστη, τύπτοντός σου μανικῶς, καὶ λεηλατοῦντος τοὺς ἐλευθέρους, μηδὲν ἠδικηκότας. Καὶ ποῦ θήσεις τὸν μέγαν Παῦλον νομοθετοῦντα, δεῖν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον, μὴ ὀργίλον ὑπάρχειν, μὴ πλήκτην, μὴ αἰσχροκερδῆ; Αἰσχροῦ γὰρ κέρδους ἕνεκεν ὑβρίζεις, καὶ διώκεις ἅπαντας.