But let him remember that upon my departure his empire is at peace, that all his<hr>
subjects love him, that all his neighbours fear him, that abundance reigns in all his cities,<hr>
that ethics manifest in every family, that evil is nearly non-existent, that his<hr>
court, except for Chrysaphios, has no flatterers, that the people are without arrogance,<hr>
that the great are devoid of pride and that piety rules in all his empire's temples. May he<hr>
remember, Flavius, that my decency passed from my heart to his and from there to the hearts of <hr>
all his subjects, so that my memory may not be burdensome to him and that, should he one day <hr>
recall me as he recalled Eudoxia, he might witness the state in which I left<br>
his government today.<hr>
       Concerning Empress Eudoxia, I would be pleased if she knew that even though<hr>
I haven’t studied philosophy extensively, even though I'm of a birth that banishes<hr>
others and not of a birth to be exiled, even though I have a share of the throne which she occupies <hr>
entirely today, I do not suffer from my exile and I leave this throne with more<hr>
moderation than she showed in receiving the crown I gave to her. May<br>
heaven allow me to make better use of my misfortune than she has taken advantage of her good luck. In<hr>
the conclusion of this speech, remember, my father, you who guided my conscience just as<hr>
long as I’ve governed the empire, that I never set any other life goal<hr>
but to always do what I should to be more glorious and just. True<hr>
prudence is to make the best use of the events that happen to us: one should not stick<hr>
scrupulously to one virtue, but practice all of them according to the different occasions.<hr>
There are moments when humility is not commendable and when magnanimity is more<hr>
necessary, and others where discretion is equivalent to wisdom and where straightforwardness is<hr>
criminal. One must know to adapt when it imposes, yet without changing the resolution to<hr>
do what is right. If a prince whom I waged a fair war against made me<hr>
a slave by force of arms, I would no longer view him as my enemy, but as<hr>
my master. I would be faithful in this state and I would renew the chains he would make me<hr>
wear if they were to break by themselves, for I could not break them without committing<hr>
a crime.<hr>
       It is for this very same reason, Flavius, and by this very thought, that without causing<hr>
trouble for the empire, without rallying the people in my favour and without reminding the<hr>
clergy that I upheld them, I decide, after having reigned so sovereignly<hr>
to obey with as much submission as I had courage in commanding half the world<hr>
from the age of fifteen until today.<hr>
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                                        Effect of this speech<hr>
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                                                   102<hr>