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Against the Donatists
St Optatus of Milevis, tr. Vassall-Phillips, 1917
Book 1, Why Optatus Thought It Well to Undertake the Task of Refuting Parmenian’s Book
They all----each in his own district----make a great noise with wicked words. To some of their statements I may reply when opportunity arises.1 But we have found only one with whom it is possible to discuss these matters either by correspondence, or by the exchange of treatises----Parmenian our brother, if indeed he will allow us to call him brother. Since they are unwilling to be in communion, as we are, with the whole body of Bishops,2 let it be freely granted that they are not colleagues, if they refuse so to be, but (as we have already said), brothers they are.
Now, my brother Parmenian, in order that he might not speak like the rest, in a windy3 and unconvincing manner, has not only given utterance to his opinions in speech, but has also set them down in writing. Since, then, love of truth compels us4 to answer what he has said, we may still have some sort of conference ----even though we cannot meet together.5
By this means also the wishes of certain people will be satisfied. For many have often expressed a desire for a public discussion between champions drawn from both sides, in order to elicit the truth. And this might well have been done. At any rate, though the Donatists forbid their people to come to us, and close the way to any approach to us, and avoid a meeting,6 and refuse to speak with us, let there be a conference, my brother Parmenian, between us two in this way, that, as I have not thought little of, nor despised, your treatises, which you have wished to be read and quoted by many, but on the contrary have patiently listened to everything that you have brought forward,----so do you, in your turn, attend to the reply which, with humility, I make to you.
Notes
- This sentence is not in PRBvb. It is only to be found in G.
- Collegium episcopate nolunt nobiscum habere commune. ‘Collegium episcopate, ‘the whole College of Bishops throughout the Catholic world.
- ventose. R has venenose.
- veritate cogente compellimur. We shall often find St. Optatus, as here, joining two synonyms together, (I suppose for strength of expression,) without a shade of difference in meaning.
- St. Augustine (Ep. clxvi) reminds the Donatists that their Bishops had always refused any conference with Catholics, (with whom as sinners they refused to speak,) and also (Ep. lxviii) not only that Paul had dealings with the Epicureans, but that Christ had conversed with Satan himself concerning the Law. Many years after the death of St. Optatus, the Donatists, though most unwillingly, were compelled by the Edict of the Emperor Honorius to have the great Conference with the Catholics at Carthage (A.D. 411).
- consessum.