I did not act without thought when I established my will. I considered the situation thoroughly and, given its importance, I did not make a rushed decision. Eudoxia needed only a little lapse to not win her case and lose the Empire on that day, despite the stars and constellations. In the end, my father, I am well aware that this science whose predictions are only heard once the events have occurred is not a gift from heaven. God never created anything useless in the world, and yet judicial astrology is so uncertain that it prompts me to believe more in its fallibility. Who has benefitted from prophecies that have been made? Or better yet, who has heard them? Chance, which guides the vision of these astronomers, allowing them to achieve without thinking about what they could not do with all their knowledge, is undoubtedly what sometimes produces these miraculous encounters between predictions and events that establish the reputation of this science. But most often, it requires more intelligence of those correlating the events to the predictions than the greatest masters of this art. When Leontius told Eudoxia, before dying, that she would be richer than her brothers, it was rather a praise that this kind man was giving to her beauty and wisdom than a guarantee of the Empire. And indeed, if he had foreseen that the crown she bears today would be on her head, he would have been unwise to attend to the division of three or four feet of land among his sons, as it was entirely probable that if she became empress, she would not leave her brothers in poverty and a paternal inheritance would be useless to them. No, Flavian, it is I alone who have made Eudoxia the Empress of the East.
      Nonetheless, I forgive her her lack of gratitude and earnestly hope that she finally uses the talent that heaven has bestowed upon her. She is undoubtedly endowed with great qualities, and if she sought only to govern herself, she would be the marvel of her century. She would reap more palms in the court than glory in governance and she would find more happiness there. As for myself, my father, being of a different nature, I would happily conform to the order given to me by joining these virgins whose only care is to elevate their hearts towards God. I believe that Theodosius and the empress might require my assistance, but knowing their character, it is better that I retreat into solitude and leave them the freedom to act according to their whim. May God allow it that fame does not bring me any news to their detriment. I would be delighted if their conduct should indicate that my relationship with Theodosius was not harmful and that the choice I made in favour of Eudoxia was not poor. However, Flavian, ensure that the emperor knows that I renounce without complaint the share of dominion that he has given me, that I accepted it only for his comfort and glory, and that I will gladly return it to him as soon as he wishes to reclaim it.
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