Defence against the Arians 39–51

Athanasius of Alexandria · Defence against the Arians · ca. 349–357 · Alexandria · 11 passages

Greek text: PG 25.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4 (1892).

Chapter 39

39PG 25:316b–320c

Διόπερ ἀνηνέγκαμεν, καὶ ἠξιώσαμεν τοὺς εὑσεβεστᾶτους καὶ θεοφιλεστάτους βασιλέας, ὅπως ἡ φιλανθρωπία αὑτῶν καὶ τοὺς ἔτι κάμνοντας καὶ πιεζομένους ἀνεθῆναι κελεύσῃ, καὶ προστάξωσι μηδὲν.. τῶν δικαστῶν, οἷς περὶ μόνων τῶν δημοσίων μέλειν προσήκει, μήτε κρίνειν κληρικοὺς, μήτε ὅλως τοῦ λοιποῦ, προφάσει τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, ἐπιχειρεῖν τι κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἀλλʼ ἵνα ἕκαστος χωρίς τινος διωγμοῦ, χωρίς τινος βίας καὶ πλεονεξίας, ὡς εὔχεται καὶ βούλεται, ζῇ, καὶ μεθʼ ἡσυχίας καὶ εἰρήνης τήν καθολικὴν καὶ ἀποστολικὴν πίστιν μετερχηται. Γρηγόριος μέντοι ὁ παρανόμως παρὰ αἱρετικῶν λεγὺμενος κατασταθῆναι, καὶ εἰς τὴν ὑμετέρα-ν πόλιν παρʼ αὑτῶν ἀποσταλείςο καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ γινωσκὲτω ὑμῶν ἠ ὁμοψυχία, ὅτι κρίσει τῆς ἱερᾶς πάσης συνόδου καθῃρέθη, εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα οὑδεπώποτε οὑδὲ ὡς ἐπίσκοπος ὅλως γενόμενος ἐνομίσθη. Χαίρετε τοίνυν ἀπολαμβάνοντες ἑαυτῶν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον Ἀθανάσιον· διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ μετʼ εἰρήνης αὑτὸν ἀπελὺσαμον. Ὅθεν καὶ παραινοῦμεν πᾶσι τοῖς, ἢ διὰ φόβον ἢ διὰ περιδρομήν τινων, κοινωνήσασι Γρηγορίῳ, ἵνα νῦν, ὑπομνησθέντες καὶ προτραπέντες καὶ ἆναπειυ σθὲντες παρʼ ἡμῶν, παύσωνται τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον μυσαρᾶς κοινωνίας, καὶ λοιπὸν συνάψωσι τῇ καθολικῇ Ἐκκλησία. (Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνωμεν, δτι καὶ Ἀφθόνιος, καὶ Ἀθανάσιος ὁ Καπίτωνος, και Παυλος, και Πλουτίων, οἱ συμπρεσβύτεροι ἡμῶν, συσκευήν καὶ αὐτοὶ πεπόνθασιν ὑπὸ τῶν περὶ Εύσέβιον, ὥστε τοὺς μὲν ἐξορισμοῦ πειραθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ καὶ θανάτων ἀπειλὰς διαπεφευγέναι · τούτου ἕνεκεν καὶ περὶ τούτου δηλῶσαι ὑμῖν ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμεθα, καὶ ἀθώους ἀπελύσαμεν, εἰδότες, ὅτι πάντα τὰ παρᾶ τῶν περὶ Εύσέβιον κατὰ τῶν συσκευασθέντων ὑπʼ αὐτῶν γέγονεν. Ἔπρεπε μὲν οὗν τὸν ὑμέτερον ἐπίσκοπον, τὸν συλλειτουργὸν ἡμῶν Ἀθανάσιον, περὶ αὐτῶν ὡς περὶ ἰδίου ἰδίοις ὑμῖν δηλῶσαι · ἐπειδή δὲ ὑπὲρ πλείονος μαρτυρίας καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον ἠθέλησεν ὑμῖν γράψαι, διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀνεβαλλόμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ σημᾶναι ὑμῖν ἐσπουδάσαμεν, ἵνʼ, ὥσπερ ἡμεῖς, οὕτω καὶ ὑμεῖς αύτοὺς ἀποδέξησθε· ἄξιοι γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἐπαίνου, ὅτι διὰ τὴν εἷς Χριστὸν εὐσέβειαν καὶ αὐτοὶ ἠξιώθησαν παρὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ὕβριν ὑπομεῖναι.) Τίνπ δέ ἐστι τὰ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου δογματισθέντα κατὰ τῶν προῖσταμένων τῆς ’Δρειανῆς αἱρέσεως, καὶ πλημμελησάντων καθʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων Ἐκκλησιῶν, γνώσεσθε ἐκ τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων ο ἀπεστείλαμεν γὰρ, ὑμῖν. ’ἶνα καὶ ἐκ τούτων γνῶτε, ὅτι ἡ καθολικὴ Ἐκκλησία ού παρορᾷ τοὺς εἷς αὐτὴν πλημμελοῦντας. Η ΑΓΙΑ ΣΥΝΟΔΟΣ ἡ κατὰ θεοῦ χάριν. ἐν ἒαρδικῇ συναχθεῖσα τοῖς κατʼ Αἴγυπτοῖ λκαὶ Αιβύην,ἐπισκόποῗς καὶ συλλειῖουργοῖς, ἀγαπητοῖς“ ἀδελφοῖς ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Καὶ πρὶν μὲν λαβεῖν ἡμᾶς τὰ γράμματα τῆς εύλᾶβείας ὑμῶν, οὐκ ἠγνοοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ φανερὸν ἡμῖν ἦν, ὡς ὅτι οἱ τῆς δυσωνύμου τῶν Ἀρειανῶν αἱρέσεως προστάται, πολλὰ καὶ δεινὰ, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐπʼ ὀλέθρῳ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ψυχῆς ἢ κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐμηχανῶντο. Αὕτη γὰρ ἦν αὐτῶν τέχνη καὶ πανουργία, ταύτης ἀεὶ τῆς θανατηφόρου γεγόνασι προθέσεως, ὅπως πάντας τοὺς ὁποιδήποτε τυγχάνοντας τῆς ὀρθῆς δόξης, καὶ τήν τῆς καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας διδασκαλίαν κατέχοντας, τὴν παρὰ τῶν Πατέρων παραδοθεῖσαν, σπουδάζειν ἐλαύνειν καὶ διώκειν. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ πλαστοῖς ἐγκλήμασιν ὑπέβαλλον,ἄλλους εἷς ἰξορισμὸν ἀπέστελλον, ἄλλους ἐν αὐταῖς ταῖς τιμωρίαις κατεπόνουν. ’Δμέλει καὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καὶ συνεπισκόπου ἡμῶν ’Δθανασίου τήν καθαρότητα βία καὶ τυραννίδι συλλαβέσθαι ἐσπούδασαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὕτε μετά πίστεως· οὔθʼ ὅλως δικαία γέγονεν ἡ, παρʼ ἐκείνων κρίσις · διόπερ οὐδὲ θαρροῦντες, οἷς ἐδραματούργησαν, οὐδὲ οἷς ἐθρύλησαν κατʼ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλά καὶ θεωροῦντες, ὡς ού δύνανται περὶτούτων ἀποδείξεις ἔχειν ἀληθεῖς, παρόντες εἰς τὴν Σαρδῶν πόλιν,ούκ ἠθέλησαν εἰς τὴν σύνοδον πάντων τῶν άγίων ἐπισκόπων ἀπαντῆσαι · ἐκ δὴ τούτου φανερᾶ καὶ διο καία καθέστηκεν ἡ κρίσις τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καὶ συνεπισκόπου ἡμῶν Ἰουλίου · οὐ γὰρ ἀσκεπτὶ βεβούλευται, ἀλλᾶ καὶ μετʼ ἐπιμελείας ὥρισεν, ὥστε μηδὲ ὅλως διστάσαι περὶ τῆς κοινωνίας τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν ’Δθανασίου. Εἶχε γὰρ ἐπισκόπων ὀγδοήκοντα ἀληθεῖς μάρτυρας εἶχε καὶ τοῦτο δίκαιον,8τι διὰ τῶν ἀγαπητῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων μεθώδευσε τοὺς περί Εὐσέβιον, τοὺς οὐκ ἐπὶ κρίσει, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ βίᾳ μᾶλλον ἐπερειδομένους. Ὅθεν οἳ πανταχοῦ πάντες ἐπίσκοποι τήν κοινωνίαν Ἀθανασίου ἐβεβαίωσαν διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα αὐτοῦ. Κάκεῖνο δὲ ὑμῶν ἡ ἀγάπη συνοράτω· Ἐπειδή εἷς τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον τήν ἐν Σαρδικῇ συνάχθεῖσαν παρεγένετο, τότε δὴ, καθὰ προείπομεν, καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων καὶ διʼ ἀγράφων ἐντολῶν ὑπεμνήσθησαν οἱ τῆς ἑῴας, καὶ ἐκλήθησαν παρʼ ἡμῶν ὥστε παρεῖναι. Ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνοι, ὑπὸ τῆς συνειδήσεως καταγινωσκόμενοι, ἀπρεπέσι χρώμενοι προφάσεσι, φυγοδικεῖν ἤρξαντο. Ἠξίουν γὰρ τὸν ἀθῶον, ὡς ὑπεύθυνον, ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας κοινωνίας ἐκβάλλεσθαι. οὐ συνορῶντες ὡς ἀπρεπὲς, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀδύνατον ἦν τοῦτο. Καὶ τὰ ὑπομνήματα δέ τὰ ἐν τῷ Μαρεώτῃ γενόμενα ὑπὸ παμπονήρων καὶ ἐξωλεστά-ιʼ των τινῶν νεωτέρων, οἷς οὐκ ἄν τις ἐπίστευσεν οὐδὲ τὸν τυχόντα βαθμὸν τοῦ κλήρου, συνέστηκε κατὰ μονομέρειαν πεπράχθαι. Οὔτε γὰρ 6 ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν Ἀθανάσιος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, οὔτε Μακάριος 6 πρεσβύτερος ὁ κατηγορούμενος ὑπʼ αὐτῶν παρῆν. Καὶ ὅμως ἡ παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐρώτησις, μᾶλλον δὲ ὑποβολή ἡ γενομένη, πάσης αἰσχύνης ἦν μεστή ο πῆ μὲν γὰρ ἐθνικοὶ, πῆ δὲ κατηχούμενοι ἠρωτῶντο, οὐχ ἵνα, ἅπερ ἴσασιν, εἴπωσιν, ἀλλʼ ἵνα, ἅπερ παρʼ αὐτῶν μεμαθήκασι, ψεύσωνται. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὑμῶν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων φροντιζόντων ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπουσίᾳ τοῦ ῥμετέρου ἐπισκόπου, καὶ βουλομένων παρεῖναι ἐπὶ τῇ ἐξετάσει, καὶ τήν ἀλήθειαν δεῖξαι, καὶ τὰ ψευδή διελέγξαι, οὐδεὶς λόγος γέγονεν ’ οὐκ ἐπέτρεψαν γὰρ ὑμᾶς παρεῖναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεθʼ ὕβρεως ἐξέβαλον. Καὶ εἴ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα φανερὰ πᾶσι καθέστηκε καὶ ἐκ τούτων ἡ συκοφαντία, ὅμως, ἀναγινωσκομένων τῶν ὑπομνημάτων, εὕρομεν αὐτὸν τὸν παμπόνηρον Ἰσχύραν, τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ συκοφαντίᾳ μισθὸν παρʼ αὐτῶν λαβόντα τὸ δοκοῦν ὄνομα τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, διελέγχοντα ἑαυτοῦ τὴν συκοφαντίαν. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ Ἰσχύρας ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς ὑπομνήμασι διελάλησε, κατʼ ἐκείνην τήν ὥραν, ἐν Μακάριον

Dioper anēnenkamen, kai ēxiōsamen tous heusebestatous kai theophilestatous basileas, hopōs hē philanthrōpia hautōn kai tous eti kamnontas kai piezomenous anethēnai keleusę̄, kai prostaxōsi mēden.. tōn dikastōn, hois peri monōn tōn dēmosiōn melein prosēkei, mēte krinein klērikous, mēte holōs tou loipou, prophasei tōn Ekklēsiōn, epicheirein ti kata tōn adelphōn, allʼ hina hekastos chōris tinos diōgmou, chōris tinos bias kai pleonexias, hōs euchetai kai bouletai, zę̄, kai methʼ hēsychias kai eirēnēs tēn katholikēn kai apostolikēn pistin meterchētai. Grēgorios mentoi ho paranomōs para hairetikōn legymenos katastathēnai, kai eis tēn hymetera-n polin parʼ hautōn apostaleiso kai touto gar ginōsketō hymōn ē homopsychia, hoti krisei tēs hieras pasēs synodou kathę̄rethē, ei kai ta malista houdepōpote houde hōs episkopos holōs genomenos enomisthē. Chairete toinyn apolambanontes heautōn ton episkopon Athanasion; dia touto gar kai metʼ eirēnēs hauton apelysamon. Hothen kai parainoumen pasi tois, ē dia phobon ē dia peridromēn tinōn, koinōnēsasi Grēgoriǭ, hina nyn, hypomnēsthentes kai protrapentes kai anapeiy sthentes parʼ hēmōn, pausōntai tēs pros ekeinon mysaras koinōnias, kai loipon synapsōsi tę̄ katholikę̄ Ekklēsia. (Epeidē de egnōmen, dti kai Aphthonios, kai Athanasios ho Kapitōnos, kai Paulos, kai Ploutiōn, hoi sympresbyteroi hēmōn, syskeuēn kai autoi peponthasin hypo tōn peri Eusebion, hōste tous men exorismou peirathēnai, tous de kai thanatōn apeilas diapepheugenai ; toutou heneken kai peri toutou dēlōsai hymin anankaion hēgēsametha, kai athōous apelysamen, eidotes, hoti panta ta para tōn peri Eusebion kata tōn syskeuasthentōn hypʼ autōn gegonen. Eprepe men houn ton hymeteron episkopon, ton sylleitourgon hēmōn Athanasion, peri autōn hōs peri idiou idiois hymin dēlōsai ; epeidē de hyper pleionos martyrias kai tēn hagian synodon ēthelēsen hymin grapsai, dia touto ouk aneballometha, alla kai sēmanai hymin espoudasamen, hinʼ, hōsper hēmeis, houtō kai hymeis autous apodexēsthe; axioi gar kai autoi epainou, hoti dia tēn heis Christon eusebeian kai autoi ēxiōthēsan para tōn hairetikōn hybrin hypomeinai.) Tinp de esti ta para tēs hagias synodou dogmatisthenta kata tōn proistamenōn tēs ’Dreianēs haireseōs, kai plēmmelēsantōn kathʼ hymōn, kai kata tōn allōn Ekklēsiōn, gnōsesthe ek tōn hypotetagmenōn o apesteilamen gar, hymin. ’ina kai ek toutōn gnōte, hoti hē katholikē Ekklēsia ou parorą tous heis autēn plēmmelountas. Ē AGIA SYNODOS hē kata theou charin. en eardikę̄ synachtheisa tois katʼ Aigyptoi lkai Aibyēn,episkopoïs kai sylleiiourgois, agapētois“ adelphois en Kyriǭ chairein. Kai prin men labein hēmas ta grammata tēs eulabeias hymōn, ouk ēgnooumen, alla kai phaneron hēmin ēn, hōs hoti hoi tēs dysōnymou tōn Areianōn haireseōs prostatai, polla kai deina, mallon de kai epʼ olethrǭ tēs heautōn psychēs ē kata tēs Ekklēsias emēchanōnto. Hautē gar ēn autōn technē kai panourgia, tautēs aei tēs thanatēphorou gegonasi protheseōs, hopōs pantas tous hopoidēpote tynchanontas tēs orthēs doxēs, kai tēn tēs katholikēs Ekklēsias didaskalian katechontas, tēn para tōn Paterōn paradotheisan, spoudazein elaunein kai diōkein. Tous men gar plastois enklēmasin hypeballon,allous heis ixorismon apestellon, allous en autais tais timōriais kateponoun. ’Dmelei kai tou adelphou kai synepiskopou hēmōn ’Dthanasiou tēn katharotēta bia kai tyrannidi syllabesthai espoudasan, kai dia touto houte meta pisteōs; outhʼ holōs dikaia gegonen hē, parʼ ekeinōn krisis ; dioper oude tharrountes, hois edramatourgēsan, oude hois ethrylēsan katʼ autou, alla kai theōrountes, hōs ou dynantai peritoutōn apodeixeis echein alētheis, parontes eis tēn Sardōn polin,ouk ēthelēsan eis tēn synodon pantōn tōn agiōn episkopōn apantēsai ; ek dē toutou phanera kai dio kaia kathestēken hē krisis tou adelphou kai synepiskopou hēmōn Iouliou ; ou gar askepti bebouleutai, alla kai metʼ epimeleias hōrisen, hōste mēde holōs distasai peri tēs koinōnias tou adelphou hēmōn ’Dthanasiou. Eiche gar episkopōn ogdoēkonta alētheis martyras eiche kai touto dikaion,8ti dia tōn agapētōn adelphōn hēmōn tōn presbyterōn heautou, kai dia grammatōn methōdeuse tous peri Eusebion, tous ouk epi krisei, allʼ epi bią mallon epereidomenous. Hothen hoi pantachou pantes episkopoi tēn koinōnian Athanasiou ebebaiōsan dia tēn katharotēta autou. Kakeino de hymōn hē agapē synoratō; Epeidē heis tēn hagian synodon tēn en Sardikę̄ synachtheisan paregeneto, tote dē, katha proeipomen, kai dia grammatōn kai diʼ agraphōn entolōn hypemnēsthēsan hoi tēs heǭas, kai eklēthēsan parʼ hēmōn hōste pareinai. Allʼ ekeinoi, hypo tēs syneidēseōs kataginōskomenoi, aprepesi chrōmenoi prophasesi, phygodikein ērxanto. Ēxioun gar ton athōon, hōs hypeuthynon, apo tēs hēmeteras koinōnias ekballesthai. ou synorōntes hōs aprepes, mallon de adynaton ēn touto. Kai ta hypomnēmata de ta en tǭ Mareōtę̄ genomena hypo pamponērōn kai exōlesta-iʼ tōn tinōn neōterōn, hois ouk an tis episteusen oude ton tychonta bathmon tou klērou, synestēke kata monomereian peprachthai. Oute gar 6 adelphos hēmōn Athanasios ho episkopos, oute Makarios 6 presbyteros ho katēgoroumenos hypʼ autōn parēn. Kai homōs hē parʼ autōn erōtēsis, mallon de hypobolē hē genomenē, pasēs aischynēs ēn mestē o pē men gar ethnikoi, pē de katēchoumenoi ērōtōnto, ouch hina, haper isasin, eipōsin, allʼ hina, haper parʼ autōn memathēkasi, pseusōntai. Kai gar kai hymōn tōn presbyterōn phrontizontōn epi tę̄ apousią tou rhmeterou episkopou, kai boulomenōn pareinai epi tę̄ exetasei, kai tēn alētheian deixai, kai ta pseudē dielenxai, oudeis logos gegonen ’ ouk epetrepsan gar hymas pareinai, alla kai methʼ hybreōs exebalon. Kai ei kai ta malista phanera pasi kathestēke kai ek toutōn hē sykophantia, homōs, anaginōskomenōn tōn hypomnēmatōn, heuromen auton ton pamponēron Ischyran, ton epi tę̄ sykophantią misthon parʼ autōn labonta to dokoun onoma tēs episkopēs, dielenchonta heautou tēn sykophantian. Autos gar ho Ischyras en autois tois hypomnēmasi dielalēse, katʼ ekeinēn tēn hōran, en Makarion

Therefore we have made representations and asked the most pious and God-loving emperors that their clemency would order the release of those who are still suffering and oppressed, and would command that none of the magistrates, whose concern should be only public affairs, should judge clergy, or in future attempt anything at all against the brothers on the pretext of the churches, but that each may live as he prays and wishes, without any persecution, without any violence and greed, and follow the catholic and apostolic faith in quiet and peace. As for Gregory, who is said to have been appointed lawlessly by heretics and sent by them to your city—let your unanimity know this too—he has been deposed by the judgment of the whole holy synod, although indeed he was never regarded as having been a bishop at all. Rejoice, then, receiving back your own bishop Athanasius; for it was for this that we sent him away in peace. Hence we exhort all who, either from fear or through the intrigues of certain people, communicated with Gregory, that now, reminded, exhorted, and persuaded by us, they cease from that abominable communion with him and henceforth unite themselves to the catholic Church. [40] (Since we have learned that Aphthonius, Athanasius the son of Capito, Paul, and Plution, our fellow presbyters, also suffered from the plotting of Eusebius and his party, so that some experienced exile and others escaped threats of death, for this reason we thought it necessary to inform you of this too; and we have released them as innocent, knowing that everything done by Eusebius and his party against those they plotted against has turned out … It would have been fitting for your bishop, our fellow minister Athanasius, to inform you, his own people, about them as his own; but since, for fuller testimony, he wished the holy synod too to write to you, we did not delay but hastened to let you know, so that you too may receive them as we have done. For they also deserve praise, because for their piety toward Christ they too were counted worthy to suffer insult from the heretics.) What the holy synod decreed against the leaders of the Arian heresy, who have offended against you and against the other churches, you will learn from what is appended; we have sent it to you so that from this too you may know that the catholic Church does not overlook those who offend against her.” “The holy synod assembled by the grace of God at Sardica, to the bishops and fellow ministers in Egypt and Libya, beloved brothers in the Lord, greeting. [41] Even before we received the letter of your piety we were not unaware, but it was plain to us, that the champions of the abominable heresy of the Arians were contriving many terrible things, to the destruction of their own souls rather than against the Church. For this was their craft and villainy, and this deadly purpose they have always held: to be zealous to drive out and persecute all who are anywhere of the right belief and hold the teaching of the catholic Church handed down by the Fathers. Some they subjected to false charges, others they sent into exile, others they wore down with punishments themselves. Indeed they were zealous to seize by violence and tyranny our brother and fellow bishop Athanasius in his innocence, and for this reason the judgment given by them was neither in good faith nor just at all. Therefore, having no confidence in what they had staged or in what they had bandied about against him, but seeing that they could have no true proofs of these things, though present in the city of Sardica they would not come to the synod of all the holy bishops. From this the judgment of our brother and fellow bishop Julius has proved manifest and just; for he did not deliberate without examination, but decided with care, so that there should be no hesitation at all about communion with our brother Athanasius. For he had eighty bishops as true witnesses; and he had this just ground too, that through our beloved brothers his presbyters and by letters he outmaneuvered Eusebius and his party, who relied not on judgment but rather on force. Hence all the bishops everywhere confirmed communion with Athanasius because of his innocence. And let your love consider this too: when he came to the holy synod assembled at Sardica, then, as we said before, the Easterners were reminded both by letters and by unwritten messages, and were summoned by us to be present. But they, condemned by their conscience, began to flee from trial with unseemly pretexts; for they demanded that the innocent man be expelled from our communion as guilty, not seeing how unseemly, or rather impossible, this was. And the minutes taken in the Mareotis by certain utterly wicked and abandoned young men, whom no one would have trusted even with the lowest rank of the clergy, have been shown to have been drawn up one-sidedly. For neither our brother Athanasius the bishop nor Macarius the presbyter, whom they accused, was present. And yet the questioning conducted by them, or rather the prompting, was full of every shame: now pagans, now catechumens were questioned, not so that they might say what they knew, but so that they might lie as they had been taught by them. And when your presbyters, concerned in the absence of your bishop, wished to be present at the inquiry, to show the truth and refute the lies, no account was taken of them; they did not permit you to be present, but even drove you out with insult. And although the false accusation is perfectly plain to all from this too, yet on reading the minutes we found the utterly wicked Ischyras himself, who received from them, as the wage of his false accusation, the supposed title of the episcopate, refuting his own false accusation. For Ischyras himself declared in the very minutes that at that hour, when Macarius …

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: The synod of Sardica asks the emperors to stop magistrates from judging clergy, declares Gregory deposed, clears four Alexandrian presbyters, and begins its parallel letter to the bishops of Egypt and Libya.

The numerals of chapters 40 and 41 were lost in the scan, so this staged section contains chapters 39–41, marked [40] and [41] in the translation. Chapter 41 repeats ch. 37 almost word for word; its last sentence breaks off in the scan (“…”). In ch. 40 the end of the clause “has turned out …” appears to be lost in the scan.
Gregory of Cappadocia had been installed at Alexandria in 339. Migne’s chapter numeral 40 and OCR debris are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR debris; greeting doubled; OCR misreading; OCR misreading in Latin letters; OCR misreading of a hyphenated word; chapter numeral (chapter 40) left in the running text): καὶδιλιιοστολικὴν → καὶ ἀποστολικὴν; παρὰ etipsuκῶν → παρὰ αἱρετικῶν; tamab: συνάψωσι → συνάψωσι; 4ο. (Ἐπειδὴ → (Ἐπειδὴ; ’Λφθόνιος, κ, ι γ r κ ~ \ ν και Αθανασιος → Ἀφθόνιος, καὶ Ἀθανάσιος; πλημμε- Λησάντων → πλημμελησάντων; to}: κατʼ → τοῖς κατʼ; ἐν Κυρίῳ να οειν. αιοειν ο ξῗῗρέἳὶ. πρὶν → ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Καὶ πρὶν.

Topics: Church office, Persecution, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 39 (PG 25:316b–320c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 42

42PG 25:320c–321b

Κάκείνη δὲ πᾶσι φανερὰ καθέστηκεν ἡ συκοφαντία καὶ διαβολὴ, ἢν ᾐτιάσαντο μετὰ ταῦτα. ’Ἐφασαν γὰρ καὶ κατεβόησαν φόνον δεδρακέναι τὸν Ἀθανάσιον, καὶ ὡς Ἀρσὲνιόν τινα, Μελιτιανὸν ἐπίσκοπον, ἀνῃρηκέναι, ἐφʼ προσποιητῷ στεναγμῷ καὶ πεπλασμένοις δάκρυσιν ὑπεκρίνοντο, καὶ ἠξίουν τοῦ ζῶντος ὡς τεθνηκότος τὸ σῶμα ἀποδοθῆναι.Αλλʼ οὐκ ἄγνωστοι γέγονε τὰ σοφίσματα τούτων· ἔγνωσαν γὰρ ἅπαντες ζῇν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ζῶσιν ἐξετάζεσθαι· καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἐώρων ἑαυτοὺς οἱ πρὸς πάντα εὐχερεῖς διελεγχομένους ἐπὶ τοῖς ψεύσμασι τούτοις· αὐτὸς γὰρ ζῶν 6 Ἀρσένιος ἐδείκνυεν ἑαυτὸν μὴ ἀνῃρῆσθαι μηδέ τεθνηκέναι· ὅμως οὐχ ἡσύχασαν, ἀλλʼ ἐτέρας συκοφαντίας πρὸς ταῖς προτέραις συκοφαντίαις ἐπεζήτουν, ’ίνα πάλιν, μηχανησάμενοι, διαβάλλωσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Τί οὗν,ἀγαπητοί ; Οὐκ ἐταράχθη 6 ἀδελφὸς ἡμῶν Ἀθανάσιος, ἀλλά πάλιν πολλῇ παῤῥησίᾳ χρώμενος προεκαλεῖτο καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις αὐτούς. Καὶ ἡμεῖς δὲ ηὐχόμεθα καὶ προετρεπόμεθα ἐλθεῖν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ εἷʼπερ δύνανται, διελέγξαι. *Ω τῆς πολλῆς πλεονεξίας ! ὣ τῆς δεινῆς ὑπερηφανίας ί μʼάλλον δὲ, εἷ δεῖ τάληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ὣ κακῆς καὶ ὑπευθύνου συνειδήσεως ! τοῦτο γὰρ πᾶσι πεφανέρωται. Ὅθεν, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, ὑπομιμνήσκωμεν καὶ προτρεπόμεθα ὑμᾶς πρὸ πάντων τὴν ὀρθὴν πίστιν τῆς Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας κατέχειν· Πολλα μεν γαρ και οεινα και χαλεπά πεπόνθατε, πολλὰς δὲ ὕβρεις καὶ ἀδικίας ὑπέμεινεν ἡ Καθολική Ἐκκλησία· ἀλλʼ Ὀ ὑπομείνας εἷς τέλος, οὗτος σωθήσεται. Διόπερ, κᾶν ἔτι ποιεῖν τολμήσωσι καθʼ ὑμῶν, ἡ θλίψις ἀντὶ χαρᾶς ὑμῖν ἔστω· τὰ γὰρ τοιαῦτα παθήματα μέρος ἐστὶ μαρτυρίου· καὶ αἱ τοιαῦται ὑμῶν ὁμολογίαι καὶ αἱ βάσανοι οὐκ ἄμισθοι τυγχάνουσιν, ἀλλʼ ἀπολήψεσθε παρᾶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ. ἔπαθλα. Διότι μάλιστα ἀγωνίζεσθε ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑγιαινούσης πίστεως καὶ τῆς καθαρότητος τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ὑμῶν Ἀθανασίου τοῦ συλλειτουργοῦ ἡμῶν. Καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ ἡμεῖς παρεσιωπήσαμεν, ούδέ ἠμελήσαμεν τῆς ὑμῶν ἀμεριμνίας χάριν· ἀλλʼ ἐφροντίσαμεν καὶ πεποιήκαμεν, ἅπερ 6 τῆς ἀγάπης λόγος ἀπαιτεῖ. Συμπάσχομεν γὰρ τοῖς πάσχουσιν ἀδελφοῖς ἡμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐκείνων παθήματα ἴδια ἡγούμεθα, καὶ τοῖς δάκρυσιν ὑμῶν τὰ ὑμέτερα δάκρυα συνεμίξαμεν. Ούχ ὑμεῖς δὲ μόνοι πεπόνθατε, ἀδελφοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὶ ἄλλοι συλλειτουργοὶ ἡμῶν ταῦτα ἐλθόντες ἀπωδύροντο.

Kakeinē de pasi phanera kathestēken hē sykophantia kai diabolē, ēn ę̄tiasanto meta tauta. ’Ephasan gar kai kateboēsan phonon dedrakenai ton Athanasion, kai hōs Arsenion tina, Melitianon episkopon, anę̄rēkenai, ephʼ prospoiētǭ stenagmǭ kai peplasmenois dakrysin hypekrinonto, kai ēxioun tou zōntos hōs tethnēkotos to sōma apodothēnai.Allʼ ouk agnōstoi gegone ta sophismata toutōn; egnōsan gar hapantes zę̄n ton anthrōpon, kai en tois zōsin exetazesthai; kai epeidē eōrōn heautous hoi pros panta euchereis dielenchomenous epi tois pseusmasi toutois; autos gar zōn 6 Arsenios edeiknyen heauton mē anę̄rēsthai mēde tethnēkenai; homōs ouch hēsychasan, allʼ eteras sykophantias pros tais proterais sykophantiais epezētoun, ’ina palin, mēchanēsamenoi, diaballōsi ton anthrōpon. Ti houn,agapētoi ? Ouk etarachthē 6 adelphos hēmōn Athanasios, alla palin pollę̄ parrhēsią chrōmenos proekaleito kai epi toutois autous. Kai hēmeis de ēuchometha kai proetrepometha elthein autous eis tēn krisin, kai heiʼper dynantai, dielenxai. *Ō tēs pollēs pleonexias ! hō tēs deinēs hyperēphanias i mʼallon de, hei dei talēthes eipein, hō kakēs kai hypeuthynou syneidēseōs ! touto gar pasi pephanerōtai. Hothen, agapētoi adelphoi, hypomimnēskōmen kai protrepometha hymas pro pantōn tēn orthēn pistin tēs Katholikēs Ekklēsias katechein; Polla men gar kai oeina kai chalepa peponthate, pollas de hybreis kai adikias hypemeinen hē Katholikē Ekklēsia; allʼ O hypomeinas heis telos, houtos sōthēsetai. Dioper, kan eti poiein tolmēsōsi kathʼ hymōn, hē thlipsis anti charas hymin estō; ta gar toiauta pathēmata meros esti martyriou; kai hai toiautai hymōn homologiai kai hai basanoi ouk amisthoi tynchanousin, allʼ apolēpsesthe para tou Theou to. epathla. Dioti malista agōnizesthe hyper tēs hygiainousēs pisteōs kai tēs katharotētos tou episkopou hymōn Athanasiou tou sylleitourgou hēmōn. Kai gar oude hēmeis paresiōpēsamen, oude ēmelēsamen tēs hymōn amerimnias charin; allʼ ephrontisamen kai pepoiēkamen, haper 6 tēs agapēs logos apaitei. Sympaschomen gar tois paschousin adelphois hēmōn, kai ta ekeinōn pathēmata idia hēgoumetha, kai tois dakrysin hymōn ta hymetera dakrya synemixamen. Ouch hymeis de monoi peponthate, adelphoi, alla kai polloi alloi sylleitourgoi hēmōn tauta elthontes apōdyronto.

That false accusation and slander, too, which they brought afterwards has become plain to all. For they said and cried out that Athanasius had committed murder and had killed one Arsenius, a Meletian bishop; over this they played their part with feigned groans and fabricated tears, and demanded that the body of the living man be given up as though he were dead. But their sophistries did not go unrecognized; for all knew that the man was alive and numbered among the living. And when these men, ready for anything, saw themselves refuted in these lies (for Arsenius himself, alive, showed that he had not been killed and was not dead), still they did not keep quiet, but sought other false accusations in addition to the former ones, so as to slander the man by fresh contrivances. What then, beloved? Our brother Athanasius was not troubled, but again with great boldness challenged them on these points too; and we too prayed and urged them to come to the trial and, if they could, to refute him. O great greed! O terrible arrogance! Or rather, if the truth must be told, O evil and guilty conscience! For this has been made plain to all. Therefore, beloved brothers, we remind and exhort you above all to hold the right faith of the catholic Church. You have suffered many terrible and grievous things, and the catholic Church has endured many insults and injustices; but he who endures to the end will be saved. Therefore, even if they dare to do still more against you, let affliction be joy to you; for such sufferings are a share in martyrdom, and such confessions and tortures of yours are not without reward, but you will receive the prizes from God. Wherefore strive above all for the sound faith and for the innocence of your bishop Athanasius, our fellow minister. For we have not kept silent nor neglected to secure your peace of mind; we have taken thought and have done what the law of love requires. For we suffer with our suffering brothers and count their sufferings our own, and we have mingled our tears with your tears. And not you alone have suffered, brothers; many others of our fellow ministers too have come and lamented these things.

Matt 10:22 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: In its letter to Egypt and Libya the synod repeats its account of the Arsenius charge and its exhortation to hold the faith and endure, adding that many other bishops have suffered likewise.

This chapter repeats ch. 38 of the letter to Alexandria, with a few added sentences at the end. “He who endures to the end will be saved”: Matt 10:22; 24:13.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris): Καθολικῆς ’ν ρ \ κ \ \ is ε κ Εκκλησιας κατέχειν → Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας κατέχειν; γὰρ CI οὐδὲ → γὰρ οὐδὲ.

Topics: Persecution

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 42 (PG 25:320c–321b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-42). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 43

43PG 25:321b–324b

Διόπερ ἀνηνέγκαμεν καὶ ἠξιώσαμεν τοὺς εὑσεβεστάτους καὶ Θεοφιλεστάτους βασιλέας, ὅπως ἠ φιλανθρωπία αὐτῶν καὶ τοὺς ἔτι κάμνοντας καὶ πιεζομένους ἀνεθῆναι κελεύσῃ, καὶ προστάξωσι μηδένα τῶν δικαστῶν, οἷς περὶ μόνων τῶν δημοσίων μέλειν προσήκει, μήτε κρίνειν κληρικοὺς, μήτε ὅλως τοῦ λοιποῦ προφάσει τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπιχειρεῖν τι κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἀλλʼ ’ίνα ἕκαστος χωρίς τινος διωγμοῦ, χωρίς τινος βίας καὶ πλεονεξίας, ὡς εὗχεται καὶ βούλεται, ζῇ, καὶ μεθʼ ἡσυχίας καὶ εἰρήνης τήν καθολικὴν καὶ ἀποπολικὴν πίστιν μετέρχηται. Γρήγόριος μέντοι ὁ παρανόμως παρά τῶν αἱρετικῶν λεγόμενος κατασταθῆναι, καὶ εἷς τὴν ὑμετέραν πόλιν παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀποσταλείς· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ γινωσκέτω ὑμῶν ἡ ὑμοψυχία, ὅτι κρίσει τῆς ἱερᾶς πάσης συνόδου καθῃρέθη, εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα ούδεπώποτε οὐδὲ ὠς ἐπίσκοπος ὅλως γενόμενος ἐνομίσθη· χαίρετε τοίνυν ἀπολαμβάνοντες ἑαυτῶν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ’Δθανάσιον- διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ μετʼ εἰρήνης αὐτὸν ἀπελύσαμεν. Ὅθεν καὶ παραινοῦμεν πᾶσι τοῖς διὰ φόβον ἢ διὰ περιδρομήν τινων κοινωνήσασι Γρηγορίῳ, ’ίνα νῦν, ὑπομνησθέντες καὶ προτραπέντες, καὶ ἀναπεισθὲἑντες παρʼ ἡμῶν, παύσωνται τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον μυσαρᾶς κοινωνίας, καὶ λοιπὸν ἑαυτοὺς συνάψωσι τῇ Καθολικῇ Ἐκκλησία. Τίνα δὲ ἔστι τὰ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου δογματισθὲντα κατᾶ Θεοδώρου, καὶ Ναρκίσσου, καὶ Στεφάνου, καὶ Ἀκακίου, καὶ Μηνοφάντω, καὶ Ούρσακίου, καὶ Οὐάλεντος, καὶ Γεωργίου τῶν προϊσταμένων τῆς Ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως, καὶ πλήμμελήσάντων καθʼ ὑμῶν, καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων Ἐκκλησιῶν γνώσεσθε ἐκ τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων. Ἀπεστείλαμεν γὰρ ύμῖν, ’ίνα καὶ ἠ H ΔΓΙΑ ΣΥΝΟΔΟΣ Η κατάιθεοῦ χάριν ἐν,Σαρδικῇ-συναχθεῖσα τοῖς ἁπανταχοῦ ἐπισκόποίς καὶ συλλειτουργοῖς τῆς" Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἀγαπητοῖς ἀδεξφῖοῖς ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν.

Dioper anēnenkamen kai ēxiōsamen tous heusebestatous kai Theophilestatous basileas, hopōs ē philanthrōpia autōn kai tous eti kamnontas kai piezomenous anethēnai keleusę̄, kai prostaxōsi mēdena tōn dikastōn, hois peri monōn tōn dēmosiōn melein prosēkei, mēte krinein klērikous, mēte holōs tou loipou prophasei tōn Ekklēsiōn epicheirein ti kata tōn adelphōn, allʼ ’ina hekastos chōris tinos diōgmou, chōris tinos bias kai pleonexias, hōs heuchetai kai bouletai, zę̄, kai methʼ hēsychias kai eirēnēs tēn katholikēn kai apopolikēn pistin meterchētai. Grēgorios mentoi ho paranomōs para tōn hairetikōn legomenos katastathēnai, kai heis tēn hymeteran polin parʼ autōn apostaleis; kai touto gar ginōsketō hymōn hē hymopsychia, hoti krisei tēs hieras pasēs synodou kathę̄rethē, ei kai ta malista oudepōpote oude ōs episkopos holōs genomenos enomisthē; chairete toinyn apolambanontes heautōn ton episkopon ’Dthanasion- dia touto gar kai metʼ eirēnēs auton apelysamen. Hothen kai parainoumen pasi tois dia phobon ē dia peridromēn tinōn koinōnēsasi Grēgoriǭ, ’ina nyn, hypomnēsthentes kai protrapentes, kai anapeistheentes parʼ hēmōn, pausōntai tēs pros ekeinon mysaras koinōnias, kai loipon heautous synapsōsi tę̄ Katholikę̄ Ekklēsia. Tina de esti ta para tēs hagias synodou dogmatisthenta kata Theodōrou, kai Narkissou, kai Stephanou, kai Akakiou, kai Mēnophantō, kai Oursakiou, kai Oualentos, kai Geōrgiou tōn proïstamenōn tēs Areianēs haireseōs, kai plēmmelēsantōn kathʼ hymōn, kai kata tōn allōn Ekklēsiōn gnōsesthe ek tōn hypotetagmenōn. Apesteilamen gar ymin, ’ina kai ē H DGIA SYNODOS Ē kataitheou charin en,Sardikę̄-synachtheisa tois hapantachou episkopois kai sylleitourgois tēs" Katholikēs Ekklēsias agapētois adexphiois en Kyriǭ chairein.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: The letter to Egypt and Libya repeats the synod’s request to the emperors and its deposition of Gregory, and introduces the synod’s encyclical letter to all bishops.

The first part repeats ch. 39 of the letter to Alexandria. The end of the sentence “so that …” is lost in the scan, and the heading of the encyclical is doubled and garbled; the debris is removed by a logged correction. The encyclical runs through ch. 49.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (heading doubled and garbled by the OCR): τοις απανταχου επισκοποις και συΛΛειτου OL: "rae → τῆς.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 43 (PG 25:321b–324b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-43). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 44

44PG 25:324b–328a

Πολλὰ μὲν καὶ πολλάκις ἐτόλμησαν οἱ Ἀρειομανῖται κατὰ τῶν δούλων τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν τήν πίστιν φυλαττόντων τὴν ὀρθήν· νόθον γὰρ ύποβάλλοντες διδασκαλίαν, τοὺς -ὀρθοδόξους ἐλαύνειν ἐπειράθησαν· τοσοῦτον δὲ λοιπὸν κατεπανέστησαν κατὰ τῆς πίστεως, ὡς μηδὲ τὴν εὐσέβειαν τῶν εύλαβεστάτων βασιλέων λαθεῖν. Τοιγαροῦν τῆς χάριτος τοῦ Θεοῦ συνεργούσης, καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ εὐσεβέστατον. βασιλεῖς συνήγαγον ἡμᾶς ἐκ διαφόρων ἐπαρχιῶν καὶ πόλεων, καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν ταύτην σύνοδον ἓν τῇ Σαρδῶν πόλει γενέσθαι δεδώκασιν, ’ίνα πᾶσα μῗεν διχόνοια περιαιρεθῇ, πάσης δὲ κακοπιστίας ἐξ- ,ελαθείσης, ἠ είς Χριστὸν εὐσέβεια μόνη παρὰ πάντων φυλάττηται. Ἦλθον γὰρ καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς ἑῴας ἐπίσκοποι, προτραπέντες καὶ αὐτοὶ παρὰ τῶν εὐσεβεστάτων βασιλέων, μάλιστα διʼ ἅπερ ἐορόλλουν πολλάκις περὶ τῶν ἀγαπητῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν καὶ συλλειτουργῶν, Ἀθανασίου ἐπισκόπου τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας, καὶ Μαρκέλλου ἐπισκόπου τῆς ’Λγκυρογαλατίας. Ἴσως γὰρ καὶ εἷς ὑμᾶς ἔφθασαν αὐτῶν αἱ διαβολαίʼ καὶ ἴσως, καὶ τὰς ὑμετέρας ἀκοὰς ἐπεχείρησαν παρασαλεῦσαι, ’ίνα κατὰ μὲν τῶν ἀοώων ἆ λέγουσι πιστεύσητε, τὴν δὲ τῆς μοχθηρᾶς αὐτῶν αἱρέσεως ὑπόνοιαν ἐπικρύψωσιν. Ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἐπὶ πολὺ ταῦτα ποιεῖν συνεχωρήθησαν. Ἔστι γὰρ ὁ προϊστάμενος τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν Κύριος, ὁ ὑπὲρ τούτων καὶ πάντων ἡμῶν θάνατον ὑπομείνας καὶ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν εἰς οὐρανὸν ἄνοδον πᾶσιν ἡμῖν δεδωκώς. Πάλαι μὲν οῦν γραψάντων τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον Ἰουλίῳ τῷ συλλειτουργῷ ἡμῶν τῷ τῆς Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίας ἐπισκόπῳ κατά τῶν προειρημένων συλλειτουργῶν ἡμῶν, λέγομεν δὴ ’Δθανασίου, καὶ Μαρκέλλου, καὶ Ἀσκληπᾶ, ἔγραψαν καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων μερῶν ἐπίσκοποι, μαρτυροῦντες μὲν τῇ καθαρότητι τοῦ συλλειτουργοῦ ἡμῶν Ἀθανασίου, τὰ δὲ παρά τῶν περῖ Εὐσέβιον γενόμενα μηδὲν ἕτερον ἢ ψευδῆ καὶ συκοφαντίας εἶναι μεστά· καὶ εἷ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα ἐκ τοῦ κληθέντας αὐτοὺς παρᾶ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ συλλειτουργοῦ Ἰουλίου μή ἀπαντῆσαι, καὶ ἐκ τῶν γραφέντων παρά τοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἰουλίου φανερὰ τούτων ἡ συκοφαντία πέφηνεν ο ἦλθον γὰρ ἃν, εἰπερ ἐθάρρουν οἷς ἔπραξαν καὶ πεποιήκασι κατά τῶν συλλειτουργῶν ἡμῶν· ὅμως καὶ ἐξ ὧν πεποιήκασιν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ ἁγίᾳ καὶ μεγάλῃ συνόδῳ φανερωτέραν τήν ἑαυτῶν συσκευὴν ἀπέδειξαν. Ἀπαντήσαντες γὰρ εἷς τὴν Σαρὸῶν πόλῖν, ἰδόντες τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν Ἀθανάσιον, καὶ Μάρκελλον, καὶ Ἀσκληπᾶν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, ἐφοβήθησαν εἰς κρίσιν ἐλθεῖν, καὶ οὐχ ἅπαξ, οὐδὲ δεύτερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλάκις κληθέντες, οὐκ ἐπήκουσαν ταῖς κλησεσι· καίτοι πάντων ἡμῶν συνελθόντων ἐπισκόπων, καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ εῦγηροτάτου Ὃσίου, τοῦ καὶ διὰ τὸν χρόνον καὶ τὴν ὁμολογίαν κάὶ διὰ τὸ τοσοῦτον κάματον ὑπομεμενηκέναι πάσης αἰδοῦς ἀξίου τυγχάνοντος, ἀναμενόντων καὶ προτρεπομένων αὐτοὺς εἰσελθεῖν εἷς τήν κρίσιν, τίνʼ ἅπερ ἀπόντων τῶν συλλειτουργῶν ἡμῶν ἐθρύλλησαν καὶ ἔγραψαν,κατʼ αὐτῶν, ταῦτα παρόντες ἐλέγξαι δυνηθῶσιν · ἀλλʼ ούκ ἦλθον κληθέντες, καθάπερ προείπομεν, δεικνύντες καὶ ἐκ τούτων τήν συκοφαντίαν ἑαυτῶν, καὶ μονονουχὶ τήν έπιβουλὴν καὶ συσκευήν, ἦν πεποιήκασι, βοῶντες διὰ τῆς παραιτήσεως. Οἱ γὰρ θαρῥοῦντες οἷς λέγουσι, τούτοῖς καὶ εἷς πρόσωπον συστῆναι δύνανται. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ούκ ἀπήντησαν, νομίζομεν λοιπὸν μηδένα ἀγνοεῖν,

Polla men kai pollakis etolmēsan hoi Areiomanitai kata tōn doulōn tou Theou tōn tēn pistin phylattontōn tēn orthēn; nothon gar ypoballontes didaskalian, tous -orthodoxous elaunein epeirathēsan; tosouton de loipon katepanestēsan kata tēs pisteōs, hōs mēde tēn eusebeian tōn eulabestatōn basileōn lathein. Toigaroun tēs charitos tou Theou synergousēs, kai autoi hoi eusebestaton. basileis synēgagon hēmas ek diaphorōn eparchiōn kai poleōn, kai tēn hagian tautēn synodon hen tę̄ Sardōn polei genesthai dedōkasin, ’ina pasa mïen dichonoia periairethę̄, pasēs de kakopistias ex- ,elatheisēs, ē eis Christon eusebeia monē para pantōn phylattētai. Ēlthon gar kai hoi apo tēs heǭas episkopoi, protrapentes kai autoi para tōn eusebestatōn basileōn, malista diʼ haper eorolloun pollakis peri tōn agapētōn adelphōn hēmōn kai sylleitourgōn, Athanasiou episkopou tēs Alexandreias, kai Markellou episkopou tēs ’Lnkyrogalatias. Isōs gar kai heis hymas ephthasan autōn hai diabolaiʼ kai isōs, kai tas hymeteras akoas epecheirēsan parasaleusai, ’ina kata men tōn aoōōn a legousi pisteusēte, tēn de tēs mochthēras autōn haireseōs hyponoian epikrypsōsin. Allʼ ouk epi poly tauta poiein synechōrēthēsan. Esti gar ho proïstamenos tōn Ekklēsiōn Kyrios, ho hyper toutōn kai pantōn hēmōn thanaton hypomeinas kai diʼ heautou tēn eis ouranon anodon pasin hēmin dedōkōs. Palai men oun grapsantōn tōn peri Eusebion Iouliǭ tǭ sylleitourgǭ hēmōn tǭ tēs Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsias episkopǭ kata tōn proeirēmenōn sylleitourgōn hēmōn, legomen dē ’Dthanasiou, kai Markellou, kai Asklēpa, egrapsan kai hoi apo tōn allōn merōn episkopoi, martyrountes men tę̄ katharotēti tou sylleitourgou hēmōn Athanasiou, ta de para tōn peri Eusebion genomena mēden heteron ē pseudē kai sykophantias einai mesta; kai hei kai ta malista ek tou klēthentas autous para tou agapētou hēmōn kai sylleitourgou Iouliou mē apantēsai, kai ek tōn graphentōn para tou autou Iouliou phanera toutōn hē sykophantia pephēnen o ēlthon gar han, eiper etharroun hois epraxan kai pepoiēkasi kata tōn sylleitourgōn hēmōn; homōs kai ex hōn pepoiēkasin en tautę̄ tę̄ hagią kai megalę̄ synodǭ phanerōteran tēn heautōn syskeuēn apedeixan. Apantēsantes gar heis tēn Saroōn polin, idontes tous adelphous hēmōn Athanasion, kai Markellon, kai Asklēpan, kai tous allous, ephobēthēsan eis krisin elthein, kai ouch hapax, oude deuteron, alla kai pollakis klēthentes, ouk epēkousan tais klēsesi; kaitoi pantōn hēmōn synelthontōn episkopōn, kai malista tou eugērotatou Hosiou, tou kai dia ton chronon kai tēn homologian kai dia to tosouton kamaton hypomemenēkenai pasēs aidous axiou tynchanontos, anamenontōn kai protrepomenōn autous eiselthein heis tēn krisin, tinʼ haper apontōn tōn sylleitourgōn hēmōn ethryllēsan kai egrapsan,katʼ autōn, tauta parontes elenxai dynēthōsin ; allʼ ouk ēlthon klēthentes, kathaper proeipomen, deiknyntes kai ek toutōn tēn sykophantian heautōn, kai mononouchi tēn epiboulēn kai syskeuēn, ēn pepoiēkasi, boōntes dia tēs paraitēseōs. Hoi gar tharrhountes hois legousi, toutois kai heis prosōpon systēnai dynantai. Epeidē de ouk apēntēsan, nomizomen loipon mēdena agnoein,

The Ariomaniacs have often dared many things against the servants of God who guard the right faith; for, putting forward a spurious teaching, they have tried to drive out the orthodox; and they have now risen up so far against the faith that it has not escaped even the piety of the most religious emperors. Therefore, with the grace of God working with them, the most pious emperors themselves assembled us from various provinces and cities and granted that this holy synod be held in the city of Sardica, so that all discord might be removed and, every false belief being driven out, piety toward Christ alone might be kept by all. For the bishops of the East also came, urged by the most pious emperors, chiefly because of what they had often bandied about concerning our beloved brothers and fellow ministers Athanasius, bishop of Alexandria, and Marcellus, bishop of Ancyra in Galatia. For perhaps their slanders have reached you too, and perhaps they have tried to unsettle your ears also, so that you might believe what they say against the innocent, and they might hide the suspicion of their own wicked heresy. But they were not allowed to do this for long. For there is One who presides over the churches, the Lord, who endured death for them and for all of us, and through himself has given all of us the ascent into heaven. Long ago, then, when Eusebius and his party wrote to Julius, our fellow minister and bishop of the church of the Romans, against our aforesaid fellow ministers—namely Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas—the bishops from other parts also wrote, testifying to the innocence of our fellow minister Athanasius, and that what had been done by Eusebius and his party was nothing but lies and full of false accusation. And although their false accusation was plainly shown both by their failure to appear when summoned by our beloved fellow minister Julius and by what Julius himself wrote—for they would have come if they had had confidence in what they had done and practiced against our fellow ministers—nevertheless, by what they have done at this holy and great synod, they have shown their plot more plainly still. For when they had come to the city of Sardica and saw our brothers Athanasius, Marcellus, Asclepas, and the others, they were afraid to come to trial; and though summoned not once nor twice but many times, they did not obey the summonses. And yet all of us bishops had assembled, and above all the most venerable old man Hosius, who for his age, his confession, and the great toil he has endured is worthy of all reverence; we waited and urged them to come to trial, so that what they had bandied about and written against our fellow ministers in their absence they might prove in their presence. But they did not come when summoned, as we said before, showing by this too their false accusation, and all but proclaiming by their refusal the plot and conspiracy they had made. For those who have confidence in what they say can also stand by it face to face. But since they did not come, we think that no one henceforth is unaware …

Notes and citation

Summary: The synod’s encyclical relates that the Eastern bishops came to Sardica but, though summoned repeatedly in the presence of Hosius and others, refused to face Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas.

Hosius of Cordova presided at Sardica. Asclepas was bishop of Gaza. A doubled address list (Lydia, the Cyclades, Egypt, the Thebaid, Libya, Galatia, Palestine, Arabia) and Migne’s Latin note leaked into the text and are removed by a logged correction. The sentence at the end continues in the next section, after words apparently lost.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; doubled address list and Migne's Latin note leaked into a hyphenated word): εύ- Λυδίας, viaea»; Κυκλάδων Αἰγύπτου, Θηβαίδος, Λιβύῆε. Γα ατίας. Παλαιστίνης- Ἀραβίας- τοῖς παν- ΛιβύῄΊςξ Γαλατίας, Παλαιστίνης,ιʼλράξίάς,ντᾏῖιςζπαζζ "xei έπιξκάτεοιςᾳκαὲ «tenuem τῆςζιξαθολικῆς καξᾶποστολικῇς ίξὶκκλησίας. Quid forteJideo apud s&F.iiéEia'§i§'_s}H6cii ίξρἰὲῐὸἰὲὀίξεὲἔρἱέἝᾍῦοῶἷίῖὲ σεβεστάτων → εὐσεβεστάτων; ὑπομείναςμαὶδΰ ἑαυτοῦ → ὑπομείνας καὶ διʼ ἑαυτοῦ; ἰλισκληπᾶ → Ἀσκληπᾶ.

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 44 (PG 25:324b–328a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-44). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-apologia-arianos-44) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 45

45PG 25:328a–329b

Ἐφυγον γὰρ, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, ού μόνον διὰ τὴν τούτων συκοφαντίαν, ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ διαφόροις ἐγκαλοῦντας αὐτοῖς ἐθεώρουν ἀπαντήσαντας · δεσμᾶί γὰρ ἦν καὶ σίδηρα προφερόμενα, ἀπʼ ἐξοριστίας ἐπανελθόντες ἄνθρωποι, καὶ παρά τῶν ἔτι κατεχομένων εἷς ἐξοριοτίαν, ἐλθόντες ἦσαν συλλειτουργοὶ συγγενεῖς · καὶ φίλοι δὲ τῶν διʼ αὐτῶν ἀποθανόντων παρεγένοντο· καὶ τὰ μέγιστον, ἐπίσκοποι παρῆσαν, ὧν 6 μὲν τὰ σίδηρα καὶ τὰς ἁλύσεις προέφερεν, ’ἀς διʼ αὐτοὺς ἐφόρεσεν, οἱ δὲ τὸν ἐν τῆς διαβολῆς αὐτῶν θάνατον ἐμαρτύραντο. Εἰς τοσοῦτον γάρ ἔφθασαν ἀπονοίας, ὡς καὶ ἐπισκόπους ἐπιχειρεῖν ἀνελεῖν, καὶ ἀνεῖλον ἂν, εἰ μὴ ἐξέφυγον τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῶν ι ἀπέθανεν ούν ὁ συλλειτουργὸς ἡμῶν ὁ μακαρίτης Θεόδουλος φεύγων αὐτῶν τῆν διαβολὴν, κεκέλευστο γὰρ ἐκ διαβολῆς αὐτῶν ἀποθανεῖν. ’Ἄλλοι δὲ πληγὰς ξιφῶν ἐπεδείκνυντο · ἄλλοι δὲ λιμὸν ὑπομεμενηκέναι παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀπωδύροντο· καὶ ταῦτα ούχ οἱ τυχόντες ἐμαρτύρουν ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλʼ Ἐκκλησίαι ὅλαι ἦσαν, ὑπὲρ ὧν οἱ ἀπαντήσαντες καὶ πρεσβεύοντες ἐδίδασκον, στρατιώτας ξιφήρεις, ὄχλους μετά ῥοπάλων, δικαστῶν ἀπειλὰς, πλαστῶν γραμμάτων ὑποβολας. Ἀνεγνώσθη γὰρ γράμματα τῶν περὶ Θεόγνιον πλαττομένων κατὰ τῶν συλλειτουργῶν ἡμῶν Ἀθανασίου, καὶ Μαρκέλλου, καὶ ’Δσκληπᾶ, ’ἱνα καὶ βασιλέας κατʼ αὐτῶν κινήσωσιι καὶ ταῦτα ἤλεγξαν οἱ γενόμενοι τότε διάκονοι Θεογνίου. Πρὸς τούτων, παρθένων γυμνώσεις, ἐμπρησμοὺς Ἐκκλησιῶν, φυλακὰς κατά τῶν λειτουργῶν, καὶ ταῦτα πάντα διʼ οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ διὰ τὴν δυσώνυμον αἵρεσιν τῶν ’Δρειομανιτῶνο οἱ γὰρ παραιτούμενοι τὴν πρὸς τούτους κοινωνίαν ἀνάγκην εἶχον πυρᾶσθαι τούτων. Ταῦτα τοίνυν συνορῶντες, εἷς στενὸν εἶχον τὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως· ᾐσχύνοντο μὲν γὰρ ὁμολογεῖν ἃ δεδράκασι. Διὰ δὲ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι λοιπὸν ἔτι ταῦτα κρύπτεσθαι, ἀπήντησαν εἷς τήν Σαρδῶν πόλιν, ’ίνα διὰ τῆς ἀφίξεως ὑπόνοιαν ὡς μή πλημμελήσαντες δόξωσιν ἀποφέρεσθαι. ’ἰδόντες δὲ τοὺς παρʼ αὑτῶν συκοφαντηθέντας, καὶ τοὺς παρʼ αὐτῶν παθόντας, τοὺς κατηγόρους, τοὺς ἐλέγχους πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχοντες, ἐλθεῖν οὐκ ἐβούλοντο κληθέντες, καίτοι τῶν συλλειτουργῶν ἡμῶν Ἀθανασίου, καὶ Μαρκέλλου, καὶ ’Δσκληπᾶ, πολλῇ τῇ παρρησίᾳ χρωμένων, ἀποδυρομένων, καὶ ἐπικειμένων, καὶ προκαλουμένων αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐπαγγελλομένων μή μόνον ἐλέγχειν τὴν συκοφαντίαν, ἀλλᾶ καὶ δεικνύναι ὅσα κατὰ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν αύτῶν ἐπλημμέλησαν. Οἱ δὲ τοσούτῳ φόβῳ τοῦ σῦνειδότος κατεσχέθησαν, ὡς φυγεῖν αὐτοὺς, καὶ διὰ τῆς φυγῆς τὴν συκοφαντίαν αὐτῶν ἐλέγξαι, καὶ ἅπερ ἐπλημμέλησαν, διὰ τον δρασμὸν ὁμολογῆ- ,σαι.

Ephygon gar, agapētoi adelphoi, ou monon dia tēn toutōn sykophantian, allʼ hoti kai tous epi diaphorois enkalountas autois etheōroun apantēsantas ; desmai gar ēn kai sidēra propheromena, apʼ exoristias epanelthontes anthrōpoi, kai para tōn eti katechomenōn heis exoriotian, elthontes ēsan sylleitourgoi syngeneis ; kai philoi de tōn diʼ autōn apothanontōn paregenonto; kai ta megiston, episkopoi parēsan, hōn 6 men ta sidēra kai tas halyseis proepheren, ’as diʼ autous ephoresen, hoi de ton en tēs diabolēs autōn thanaton emartyranto. Eis tosouton gar ephthasan aponoias, hōs kai episkopous epicheirein anelein, kai aneilon an, ei mē exephygon tas cheiras autōn i apethanen oun ho sylleitourgos hēmōn ho makaritēs Theodoulos pheugōn autōn tēn diabolēn, kekeleusto gar ek diabolēs autōn apothanein. ’Alloi de plēgas xiphōn epedeiknynto ; alloi de limon hypomemenēkenai parʼ autōn apōdyronto; kai tauta ouch hoi tychontes emartyroun anthrōpoi, allʼ Ekklēsiai holai ēsan, hyper hōn hoi apantēsantes kai presbeuontes edidaskon, stratiōtas xiphēreis, ochlous meta rhopalōn, dikastōn apeilas, plastōn grammatōn hypobolas. Anegnōsthē gar grammata tōn peri Theognion plattomenōn kata tōn sylleitourgōn hēmōn Athanasiou, kai Markellou, kai ’Dsklēpa, ’hina kai basileas katʼ autōn kinēsōsii kai tauta ēlenxan hoi genomenoi tote diakonoi Theogniou. Pros toutōn, parthenōn gymnōseis, emprēsmous Ekklēsiōn, phylakas kata tōn leitourgōn, kai tauta panta diʼ ouden heteron, ē dia tēn dysōnymon hairesin tōn ’Dreiomanitōno hoi gar paraitoumenoi tēn pros toutous koinōnian anankēn eichon pyrasthai toutōn. Tauta toinyn synorōntes, heis stenon eichon ta tēs proaireseōs; ę̄schynonto men gar homologein ha dedrakasi. Dia de to mē dynasthai loipon eti tauta kryptesthai, apēntēsan heis tēn Sardōn polin, ’ina dia tēs aphixeōs hyponoian hōs mē plēmmelēsantes doxōsin apopheresthai. ’idontes de tous parʼ hautōn sykophantēthentas, kai tous parʼ autōn pathontas, tous katēgorous, tous elenchous pro ophthalmōn echontes, elthein ouk eboulonto klēthentes, kaitoi tōn sylleitourgōn hēmōn Athanasiou, kai Markellou, kai ’Dsklēpa, pollę̄ tę̄ parrēsią chrōmenōn, apodyromenōn, kai epikeimenōn, kai prokaloumenōn autous, kai epangellomenōn mē monon elenchein tēn sykophantian, alla kai deiknynai hosa kata tōn Ekklēsiōn autōn eplēmmelēsan. Hoi de tosoutǭ phobǭ tou syneidotos kateschethēsan, hōs phygein autous, kai dia tēs phygēs tēn sykophantian autōn elenxai, kai haper eplēmmelēsan, dia ton drasmon homologē- ,sai.

For they fled, beloved brothers, not only because of their false accusation against these men, but because they saw that those who charged them with various offenses had come. For chains and irons were produced; men had come back from exile; fellow ministers had come, kinsmen of those still kept in exile; friends of those who died through them were present; and, greatest of all, bishops were present, one of whom produced the irons and chains he had worn on their account, while others testified to the death caused by their slander. For they had come to such a pitch of madness as even to attempt to kill bishops; and they would have killed them, had they not escaped their hands. Our fellow minister of blessed memory, Theodulus, died while fleeing their slander, for through their slander he had been ordered to be put to death. Others showed wounds from swords; others lamented that they had endured hunger at their hands. And these things were testified not by ordinary people, but whole churches were there, on whose behalf those who came as envoys told of soldiers with drawn swords, mobs with clubs, threats of judges, and the submission of forged letters. For letters were read that Theognius and his party had forged against our fellow ministers Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas, in order to stir up the emperors against them; and those who were then deacons of Theognius proved it. Besides these things, they told of the stripping of virgins, burnings of churches, imprisonments of ministers—and all for no other reason than the abominable heresy of the Ariomaniacs; for those who refused communion with them were forced to experience these things. Seeing this, then, they were in a strait as to what to choose: they were ashamed to confess what they had done, yet, because these things could no longer be hidden, they came to the city of Sardica, so that by their arrival they might seem to clear themselves of the suspicion of having offended. But seeing those whom they had falsely accused and those who had suffered at their hands, and having the accusers and the proofs before their eyes, they would not come when summoned—although our fellow ministers Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas spoke with great boldness, lamented, pressed them, challenged them, and promised not only to refute the false accusation but also to show what offenses they had committed against their churches. But they were seized with such fear of conscience that they fled, by their flight proved their false accusation, and by their running away confessed their offenses.

Notes and citation

Summary: The synod explains that the Eastern bishops fled Sardica because their victims—exiles, bishops in chains, and envoys of whole churches—had come to accuse them.

Theodulus was bishop of Trajanopolis in Thrace. Theognius is Theognis of Nicaea, who died before Sardica.

Topics: Persecution

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 45 (PG 25:328a–329b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-45). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 46

46PG 25:329b–332b

Εἰ καὶ τὲ μάλιστα τοίνυν οὑ μόνον ἐκ τῶν προτέρων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τούτων. αὑτῶν ἠ κακοτροπία δείκνυται καὶ συκοφαντία, ὅμως ’ίνα μηδέ ἐκ τῆς φυγῆς πρόφασίν τινα ἐτέρας κακουργίας πορίσασθαι δυνηθῶσιν· ἐσκεψάμεθα κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας λόγον τὰ παρʼ ἐκείνων δραματουργηθέντα ἐξέτάσαι καὶ τοῦτο προθέμενοι, εὕρομεν αὑτοὺς καὶ ἐκ τῶν πραχθέντων συκοφάντας, καὶ μηδὲν ἕτερον ἢ ἐπιβουλὴν κατὰ τῶν συλλειτουργῶν ἡμῶν πεποιηκότας· ὃν γὰρ ἔλεγον παρά Ἀθανασίου πεφονεῦσθαι Ἀρσένιον, οὗτος ζῇ, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ζῶσιν ἐξετάζεται. Ἀπὸ δέ τούτου καὶ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων θρυλληθέντα παρʼ αὐτῶν φαίνεται πλάσματα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περί ποτηρίου ἐθρύλλουν, ὡς κλασθέντος παρᾶ Μακαρίου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου Ἀθανασίου, ἐμαρτύρησαν μὲν oi παραγενόμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας, καὶ Μαρεώτου καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τόπων, ὅτι μηδὲν τούτων πέπρακταιʼ καὶ οἱνέπίσκοποι δὲ γράφοντες οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου πρὸς Ἰούλιον τὸν συλλειτουργὸν ἡμῶν ἱκανῶς διεβεβαιοῦντο μηδέ ὑπόνοιαν ὅλως τοιαύτην ἐκεῖ γεγενῆσθαι. Ἄλλως τε ἃ λέγουσιν ὑπομνήματα ἔχειν κατʼ αὑτοῦ κατὰ μονομέρειαν συνέστηκε γεγενῆσθαν καὶ ὅμως καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὑπομνήμασι τούτοις ἐθνικοὶ καὶ κατηχούμενοι ἠρωτῶντο· ἐξ ὤν εἴς κατηχούμενος ἐρωτώμενος ἔφασκεν ἔνδον εἶναι, ὅτε ὁ Ιακάριος ἐπέστη τῷ τόπῳ· καὶ ἔτερος ἐρωτώμενος ἔλεγε τὸν θρυλλούμενον παρʼ αὑτῶν Ἰσχύραν νοσοῦντα τότε κατακεῖσθαι ἐν κελλίῳ· ὡς ἀπὸ τούτου φαίνεσθαι μηδόλως γεγενῆσθαί τι τῶν μυστηρίων, διὰ τὸ τοὺς κατηχουμένους ἔνδον εἶναι, καὶ τὸν Ἰσχύραν μὴ παρεῖναι, ἀλλά νοσοῦντα κατακεῖσθαι. νΚαὶ γὰρ καὶ αὑτὸς 6 παμπόνηρος Ἰσχύρας, ψευσάμενος ἐπὶ τῷ εἰρηκέναι κεκαυκέναι τὸν Ἀθανάσιόν τινα τῶν θείων βιβλίων καὶ διηλέγχθαι, ὡμολόγησε κατʼ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ νοσεῖν ὅτε Μακάριος παρῆν, καὶ κατακεῖσθαι, ὡς καὶ ἐκ τούτου συκοφάντην αὐτὸν εἶναι. Ἀμέλει τῆς συκοφαντίας ταύτης μισθὸν αύτῷ τῷ Ἰσχύρᾳ δεδώκασιν ἐπισκοπῆς ὄνομα, τῷ μηδέ πρεσβυτέρῳ τυγχάνοντι. Ἀπαντήσαντες γὰρ δύο πρεσβύτεροι σὺν Μελιτίῳ ποτέ γενόμενοι, ίστερον δὲ ὐπὸ τοῦ μακαρίτου Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ γενομένου ἐπισκόπου Ἀλεξανδρείας δεχθέντες, καὶ νῦν σὺν Ἀθανασίῳ ὄντες, ἐμαρτύρησαν μηδεπώποτε τοῦτον πρεσβύτερον Μελιτίου γεγενῆσθαι, μηδὲ ὅλως ἐσχηκέναι Μελίτιον εἰς τὸν Μαρεώτην Ἐκκλησίαν ἢ λειτουργόν* καί ὅμως τὸν μηδέ πρεσβύτερον

Ei kai te malista toinyn hou monon ek tōn proterōn, alla kai ek toutōn. hautōn ē kakotropia deiknytai kai sykophantia, homōs ’ina mēde ek tēs phygēs prophasin tina eteras kakourgias porisasthai dynēthōsin; eskepsametha kata ton tēs alētheias logon ta parʼ ekeinōn dramatourgēthenta exetasai kai touto prothemenoi, heuromen hautous kai ek tōn prachthentōn sykophantas, kai mēden heteron ē epiboulēn kata tōn sylleitourgōn hēmōn pepoiēkotas; hon gar elegon para Athanasiou pephoneusthai Arsenion, houtos zę̄, kai en tois zōsin exetazetai. Apo de toutou kai ta peri tōn allōn thryllēthenta parʼ autōn phainetai plasmata. Epeidē de kai peri potēriou ethrylloun, hōs klasthentos para Makariou tou presbyterou Athanasiou, emartyrēsan men oi paragenomenoi apo tēs Alexandreias, kai Mareōtou kai tōn loipōn topōn, hoti mēden toutōn pepraktaiʼ kai hoinepiskopoi de graphontes hoi apo tēs Aigyptou pros Ioulion ton sylleitourgon hēmōn hikanōs diebebaiounto mēde hyponoian holōs toiautēn ekei gegenēsthai. Allōs te ha legousin hypomnēmata echein katʼ hautou kata monomereian synestēke gegenēsthan kai homōs kai en tois hypomnēmasi toutois ethnikoi kai katēchoumenoi ērōtōnto; ex ōn eis katēchoumenos erōtōmenos ephasken endon einai, hote ho Iakarios epestē tǭ topǭ; kai eteros erōtōmenos elege ton thrylloumenon parʼ hautōn Ischyran nosounta tote katakeisthai en kelliǭ; hōs apo toutou phainesthai mēdolōs gegenēsthai ti tōn mystēriōn, dia to tous katēchoumenous endon einai, kai ton Ischyran mē pareinai, alla nosounta katakeisthai. nKai gar kai hautos 6 pamponēros Ischyras, pseusamenos epi tǭ eirēkenai kekaukenai ton Athanasion tina tōn theiōn bibliōn kai diēlenchthai, hōmologēse katʼ ekeino kairou nosein hote Makarios parēn, kai katakeisthai, hōs kai ek toutou sykophantēn auton einai. Amelei tēs sykophantias tautēs misthon autǭ tǭ Ischyrą dedōkasin episkopēs onoma, tǭ mēde presbyterǭ tynchanonti. Apantēsantes gar dyo presbyteroi syn Melitiǭ pote genomenoi, isteron de ypo tou makaritou Alexandrou tou genomenou episkopou Alexandreias dechthentes, kai nyn syn Athanasiǭ ontes, emartyrēsan mēdepōpote touton presbyteron Melitiou gegenēsthai, mēde holōs eschēkenai Melition eis ton Mareōtēn Ekklēsian ē leitourgon* kai homōs ton mēde presbyteron

Although, then, their bad character and false accusation are shown not only by their earlier conduct but also by this, nevertheless, so that they might not be able to find in their flight a pretext for further villainy, we resolved to examine what they had staged according to the reason of truth; and having done so, we found them false accusers from their deeds as well, and that they had made nothing else than a plot against our fellow ministers. For Arsenius, whom they said had been murdered by Athanasius, is alive and is numbered among the living; and from this it appears that what they bandied about on the other matters too was invention. And since they bandied about a cup as having been broken by Macarius, the presbyter of Athanasius, those who came from Alexandria, the Mareotis, and the other places testified that none of this had happened; and the bishops of Egypt, writing to our fellow minister Julius, affirmed fully that there had not been even any such suspicion there at all. Besides, the minutes they say they have against him were evidently drawn up one-sidedly; and even in these minutes pagans and catechumens were questioned. One catechumen, when questioned, said that he was inside when Macarius burst into the place; and another, when questioned, said that Ischyras, about whom they make so much noise, was lying sick in a cell at the time; so that it appears from this that no celebration of the mysteries took place at all, since catechumens were inside and Ischyras was not present but lying sick. Moreover, the utterly wicked Ischyras himself, who lied in saying that Athanasius had burned some of the divine books and was refuted, confessed that he was sick and lying down at the time Macarius was there, so that from this too he is a false accuser. Indeed, as the wage of this false accusation they have given this Ischyras the title of a bishopric, though he was not even a presbyter. For two presbyters who were once with Meletius but were afterwards received by Alexander of blessed memory, formerly bishop of Alexandria, and are now with Athanasius, came and testified that this man had never been a presbyter of Meletius, and that Meletius never had a church or a minister in the Mareotis at all. And yet the man who was not even a presbyter …

Notes and citation

Summary: The synod reports its own examination of the charges: Arsenius is alive, the Mareotic evidence shows no Eucharist could have been celebrated, and Ischyras was never a presbyter.

The section breaks off in the scan (“…”); the end of the sentence is lost.

Topics: Eucharist

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 46 (PG 25:329b–332b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-46). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 47

47PG 25:332b–333a

Ἀνεγνώσθη δὲ καὶ τὸ σύγγραμμα τοῦ συλλειτουργοῧ Μαρκέλλου, καὶ εὑρέθη τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ἡ κακοτεχνία. Ἃ γὰρ ὡς ζητῶν 6 Μάρκελλος εἶʼρηκε, ταῦτα ὡς ὁμολογούμενα διαβεβλήκασιν. Ἀνεγνώσθη γοῦν τὰ ἑξῆς, καί τὰ πρὸ αὐτῶν τῶν ζητημάτων, καὶ όρθή ἡ πίστις τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εὑρέθη· οὔτε γάρ διπὸ τῆς ἁγίας Μαρίας, ὡς αὐτοὶ διεβεἰαιώσαντο, ἀρχὴν ἐδίδου τῷ Θεοῦ Λόγῳ, οὔτε τέλος ἔχειν τήν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἄναρχον καὶ ἀτελεύτητον εἶναι τήν τούτου ἔγραψε. Καὶ ’Δσκληπᾶς δὲ 6 συλλειτουργὸς προἤνεγκεν ὑπομνήματα γενόμενα ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, παρόντων τῶν κατηγόρων, καί Εὐσεβίου τοῦ ἀπὸ Καισαρείας· καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀποφάσεων τῶν δικασάντων ἐπισκόπων ἔδειξεν ἑαυτὸν ἀθῶον εἶναι. Εἰκότως οὖν, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, καλούμενοι πολλάκις οὐχ ὑπήκουσαν, εἰκότως ἔφυγον. Ὑπὸ γὰρ τοῦ συνειδότος ἐλαυνόμενοι, φυγῇ τὰς συκοφαντίας ἑαυτῶν ἐβεβαίωσαν, καὶ πιστευθῆναι κατʼ αὐτῶν πεποιήκασιν, ἃ παρόντες οἱ κατηγοροῦντες ἔλεγον καὶ ἐπεδείκνυον. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν πρὸς τούτοις πᾶσι καὶ τοὺς πάλαι καθαιρεθέντας καὶ ἐκβληθέντας διὰ τὴν Ἀρείου αʼίρεσιν ού μόνον ἐδέξαντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἷς μείζονα βαθμὸν προήγαγον, διακόνους μὲν εἷς πρεσβυτὲριον, ἀπὸ δέ πρεσβυτέρων εἷς ἐπισκόπους, διʼ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ i’va τῆν ἀσέβειαν διασπεῖραι καὶ πλατῦναι δυνηθῶσι, καὶ τὴν εύσεβῆ διαφθείρωσι πίστιν.

Anegnōsthē de kai to syngramma tou sylleitourgoÿ Markellou, kai heurethē tōn peri Eusebion hē kakotechnia. Ha gar hōs zētōn 6 Markellos eiʼrēke, tauta hōs homologoumena diabeblēkasin. Anegnōsthē goun ta hexēs, kai ta pro autōn tōn zētēmatōn, kai orthē hē pistis tou andros heurethē; oute gar dipo tēs hagias Marias, hōs autoi diebeiaiōsanto, archēn edidou tǭ Theou Logǭ, oute telos echein tēn basileian autou, alla kai tēn basileian anarchon kai ateleutēton einai tēn toutou egrapse. Kai ’Dsklēpas de 6 sylleitourgos proēnenken hypomnēmata genomena en Antiocheią, parontōn tōn katēgorōn, kai Eusebiou tou apo Kaisareias; kai ek tōn apophaseōn tōn dikasantōn episkopōn edeixen heauton athōon einai. Eikotōs oun, agapētoi adelphoi, kaloumenoi pollakis ouch hypēkousan, eikotōs ephygon. Hypo gar tou syneidotos elaunomenoi, phygę̄ tas sykophantias heautōn ebebaiōsan, kai pisteuthēnai katʼ autōn pepoiēkasin, ha parontes hoi katēgorountes elegon kai epedeiknyon. Epei toinyn pros toutois pasi kai tous palai kathairethentas kai ekblēthentas dia tēn Areiou aʼiresin ou monon edexanto, alla kai heis meizona bathmon proēgagon, diakonous men heis presbyterion, apo de presbyterōn heis episkopous, diʼ ouden heteron ē i’va tēn asebeian diaspeirai kai platynai dynēthōsi, kai tēn eusebē diaphtheirōsi pistin.

The book of our fellow minister Marcellus was also read, and the villainy of Eusebius and his party was discovered. For what Marcellus had said by way of inquiry, they slandered as though he affirmed it. So what followed and what preceded the questions was read, and the man’s faith was found to be correct. For he did not, as they asserted, give the Word of God a beginning from holy Mary, nor say that his kingdom has an end; on the contrary, he wrote that his kingdom is without beginning and without end. Our fellow minister Asclepas also produced minutes drawn up at Antioch in the presence of his accusers and of Eusebius of Caesarea, and from the sentences of the bishops who judged him he showed that he was innocent. With good reason, then, beloved brothers, did they not obey when summoned many times; with good reason did they flee. For, driven by their conscience, they confirmed their false accusations by flight, and made credible against themselves what the accusers who were present said and demonstrated. Since, then, besides all this they have not only received those who were long ago deposed and expelled for the heresy of Arius, but have even advanced them to a higher rank, deacons to the presbyterate and presbyters to the episcopate, for no other reason than to be able to sow and spread their impiety and corrupt the pious faith—

Notes and citation

Summary: The synod reports that Marcellus’s book was found orthodox when read in context, that Asclepas proved his innocence, and that the Eastern bishops promoted deposed Arians.

The synod’s judgment on Marcellus of Ancyra, whose teaching on the Word and the kingdom was later widely rejected, is translated as written. A line of OCR debris is removed by a logged correction. The sentence continues in ch. 48.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR misreading; word split by the OCR): Λόγῳ, οὔτε "'""""'! "vn.- ί ν ι ί ν νο ι \ 11 τέλος → Λόγῳ, οὔτε τέλος; 61tήκουσαν → ὑπήκουσαν; καὶπλα τῦναι → καὶ πλατῦναι.

Topics: Christology, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 47 (PG 25:332b–333a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-47). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 48

48PG 25:333a–333b

Εἰσὶ δὲ τούτων μετὰ τοὺς περὶ Εὐσέβιον νῦν ἔξαρχοι Θεόδωρος 6 ἀπὸ Ἡρακλείας, Νάρκισσος 6 ἀπὸ Νερωνιάδος τῆς Κιλικίας, Στέφανος 6 ἀπὸ Ἀντιοχείας, Γεώργιος 6 ἀπὸ Λαοδικείας, Ἀκάκιος ὁ ἀπὸ Καισαρείας τῆς Παλαιστίνης, Μηνύφαντος ἀπὸ Ἐιρέσου τῆς Ἄσίας, Ούρσάκιος ὁ ἀπὸ Σιγγιδόνου τῆς Μυσίας, Οὐάλης ἀπὸ Μουρσῶν τῆς Παννονίας· καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς ἐλθόντας ἀπὸ τῆς ἑῴας οὐκ ἐπέτρεπον οὔτε εἷς τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον εἴσελθεῖν, οὔτε ὅλως εἷς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ παραβάλλειν. Καὶ ἐρχόμενοι δὲ εἰς τὴν Σαρδικῆν, κατά τόπους συνόδους ἐποιοῦντο πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ συνθήκας μετά ἀπειλῶν · ὥστε ἐλθόντας αὐτοὺς εἷς τήν Σαρδικῆν, μηδὲ ὅλως εἷς τὴν κρίσιν ἐλθεῖν, μηδιʼ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συνελθεῖν τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ, ἀλλὰ μόνον ἐλθόντας, καὶ ἀφοσιώσει τὴν ἐπιδημίαν ἑαυτῶν ἐπιδειξαμένους, ταχέωξ φυγεῖν. Ταῦτα γάρ γνῶναι δεδυνήμεθα παρά τῶν συλλειτουργών ἡμῶν Μακαρίου ἀπὸ Παλαιστίνης καὶ Ἀστερίου ἀπὸ Ἀραβίας, τῶν ἐλθόντων σὺν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἀναχωρησάντων ἀπὸ τῆς ἀπιστίας αὐτῶν. Οὗτοι γάρ, ἐλθύντες εἷς τήν ἁγίαν σύνοδον, τήν μὲν βίαν ἣν ἔπαθον, ἀπωδύροντο, οὐδὲν δὲ παρʼ αὐτοῖς ὀρθὸν ἔλεγον πράττεσθαι, προστιθέντες καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς ἄρα εἶεν ἐκεῖ πολλοὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς ἀντιποιούμενοι δόξης, καὶ κωλυόμενοι παρʼ αὐτῶν ἐλθειν ενταυθα, οια το απειλειν και ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι κατά τῶν βουλομένων ἀναχωρεῖν ἀπʼ ἐπιτρέψαντες.

Eisi de toutōn meta tous peri Eusebion nyn exarchoi Theodōros 6 apo Hērakleias, Narkissos 6 apo Nerōniados tēs Kilikias, Stephanos 6 apo Antiocheias, Geōrgios 6 apo Laodikeias, Akakios ho apo Kaisareias tēs Palaistinēs, Mēnyphantos apo Eiresou tēs Asias, Oursakios ho apo Singidonou tēs Mysias, Oualēs apo Moursōn tēs Pannonias; kai gar houtoi tous syn autois elthontas apo tēs heǭas ouk epetrepon oute heis tēn hagian synodon eiselthein, oute holōs heis tēn Ekklēsian tou Theou paraballein. Kai erchomenoi de eis tēn Sardikēn, kata topous synodous epoiounto pros heautous, kai synthēkas meta apeilōn ; hōste elthontas autous heis tēn Sardikēn, mēde holōs heis tēn krisin elthein, mēdiʼ epi to auto synelthein tę̄ hagią synodǭ, alla monon elthontas, kai aphosiōsei tēn epidēmian heautōn epideixamenous, tacheōx phygein. Tauta gar gnōnai dedynēmetha para tōn sylleitourgōn hēmōn Makariou apo Palaistinēs kai Asteriou apo Arabias, tōn elthontōn syn autois, kai anachōrēsantōn apo tēs apistias autōn. Houtoi gar, elthyntes heis tēn hagian synodon, tēn men bian hēn epathon, apōdyronto, ouden de parʼ autois orthon elegon prattesthai, prostithentes kai touto, hōs ara eien ekei polloi tēs orthēs antipoioumenoi doxēs, kai kōlyomenoi parʼ autōn elthein entautha, oia to apeilein kai epangellesthai kata tōn boulomenōn anachōrein apʼ epitrepsantes.

Their leaders now, after Eusebius and his party, are Theodore of Heraclea, Narcissus of Neronias in Cilicia, Stephen of Antioch, George of Laodicea, Acacius of Caesarea in Palestine, Menophantus of Ephesus in Asia, Ursacius of Singidunum in Moesia, and Valens of Mursa in Pannonia. For these did not allow those who came with them from the East either to enter the holy synod or to approach the Church of God at all. On their way to Sardica they held synods among themselves in various places and made compacts with threats, that when they came to Sardica they would not come to the trial at all, nor meet together with the holy synod, but would only come, make a show of their arrival as a formality, and quickly flee. This we were able to learn from our fellow ministers Macarius of Palestine and Asterius of Arabia, who came with them and withdrew from their unbelief. For these men came to the holy synod, lamented the violence they had suffered, and said that nothing was done rightly among them, adding that there were many there who held to the right belief and were prevented by them from coming here, through threats and promises against those who wished to withdraw from them …

Notes and citation

Summary: The synod names the leaders of the Arian party and reports, on the evidence of two bishops who left them, that they had agreed beforehand to avoid the trial.

The end of the section is garbled in the scan; the last words are translated by sense, and what followed (“…”) is lost. OCR debris is removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Migne column letter; line scattered by the OCR; letters reassembled): εἷς Β τήν → εἷς τήν; κωλυόν ν αν υ θ ιν Ν ‘ \ 9 ν ‘ μενοι παρ αυτων → κωλυόμενοι παρʼ αὐτῶν.

Topics: Heresy

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 48 (PG 25:333a–333b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-48). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 49

49PG 25:333c–336b

Ἐπεὶ οὖν οὐκ ἔδει παρασιωπῆσαι, οὐδὲ ἀνεκδιηγήτους ἐᾶσαι τὰς συκοφαντίας, τὰ δεσμὰ, τοὺς φόνους, τὰς πληγὰς, τὰς περὶ τῶν πλαστῶν ἐπιστολῶν συσκευάς, τὰς αἰκίας, τάς γυμνώσεις τῶν παρθένων, τὰς ἐξοριστίας,τάς καταλύσεις τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, τοὺς ἐμπρησμοὺς, τὰς μεταθέσεις ἀπὸ μικρῶν πόλεων εἷς μείζονας παροικίας, καὶ πρό γε πάντων, τήν κατά τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως ἐπαναστᾶσαν δυσώνυμον Ἀρειανὴν αʼίρεσιν διʼ αὐτῶν· τούτου ἓνεκεν, τοὺς μὲν ἀγαπητοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν καὶ συλλειτουργοὺς Ἀθανάσιον, καὶ Μάρκελλον, καὶ Ἀσκληπᾶν, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτοῖς συλλειτουργοῦντας τῷ Κυρίῳ, ἀθώους καὶ καθαροὺς εἶναι ἀπεφηνάμεθα, γράψαντες καὶ εἰς τήν ἑκάστου παροικίαν, ὥστε γινώσκειν ἑκάστης Ἑκκλησίας τοὺς λαοὺς τοῦ ἰδίου πισκόπου τὴν καθαρότητα, καὶ τοῦτον μὲν ἔχειν ἐπίσκοπον καὶ προσδοκᾷν ο τοὺς δὲ εἷς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας αὐτῶν ἐπελθόντας δίκην λύκων, Γρηγόριον τὸν ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ, Βασίλειον τὸν ἐν Ἀγκύρᾳ, καὶ Κυϊντιανὸν τὸν ἐν Γάζῃ, τούτους μηδέ ἐπισκόπους ὀνομάζειν, μηδὲ ὅλως κοινωνίαν τινὰ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔχειν, μηδὲ δέχεσθαί τινα παρὰ τούτων γράμματα, μηδὲ γράφειν πρὸς αὐτούς · τοὺς δέ γε περὶ Θεόδωρον, καὶ Νάρκισσον, καὶ Ἀκάκιον, καὶ Στέφανον, καὶ Ούρσάκιον, καὶ Οὒάλεντα, καὶ Μηνόφαπον, καὶ Γεώργιον, εἰ καὶ φοβηθεὶς μὴ παρεγένετο ἀπὸ τῆς ἐῲας, ὅμως διὰ τὸ ἀπὸ τοῦ μακαρίτου Ἀλεξάνδρου καθῃρῆσθαι αὐτὰν, καὶ διὰ τὸ εἶναι καὶ αὐτὸν καὶ τούσους τῆς Ἀρείου μανίας, καὶ διὰ τὰ ἐπενεχθέντα αὐτοῖς ἐγκλήματα, τούτους παμψηφὶ καθεῖλεν ἡ ἆγία σύνοδος ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς. Καὶ ἐκρίναμεν μή μόνον αὐτοὺς ἐπισκόπους μὴ εἶναι, άλλὰ μηδὲ κοινωνίας μετὰ τῶν πιστῶν αὐτοὺς καταξιοῦσθαι. Τοὺς γὰρ χωρίζοντας τὸν Υὶὸν, καὶ ἀπαλλοτριοῦντας τὸν Λόγον ἀπὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς, χωρίζεσθαι τῆς Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας προσήκει, καὶ ἀλλοτρίους εἶναι τοῦ Χριστιανῶν ὀνόματος. Ἔστωσαν τοίνυν ὑμῖν ἀνάθεμα, διὰ τὸ κεκαπηλευκὲναι τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας· ἀποστολικόν ἐστι τὸ παράγγελμα. E’L’ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται παρʼ ’ὀ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Τούτοις μηδένα κοινωνεῖν παραγγείλατευ οὐδεμία γὰρ κοινωνία φωτὶ πρὸς σκότος · τούτους πάντας μακρὰν ποιεῖτε· οὐδεμία γὰρ συμφωνία Χριστῷ πρὸς Βελίαρ. Καὶ φυλάξασθε. ἀγαπητοὶ, μήτε γράφειν πρὸς αὐτοὺς, μήτε γράμματα παρʼ αὐτῶν δέχεσθαι. Σπουδάσατε δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἀδελφοὶ καὶ συλλειτουργοὶ, ὡς τῷ πνεύματι παρόντες τῇ συνόδῳ ἡμῶν, συνεπιψηφίσασθαι διʼ ὑπογραφῆς ὑμετέρας, ὑπὲρ τοῦ παρὰ πάντων τῶν πανταχοῦ συλλειτουργῶν τήν ὁμοφωνίαν διασώζεσθαι. Ἦ θεία πρόνοια καθωσιωμένους ὑμᾶς καὶ υύθυμοῦντας διαφυλάττοι, …

Epei oun ouk edei parasiōpēsai, oude anekdiēgētous easai tas sykophantias, ta desma, tous phonous, tas plēgas, tas peri tōn plastōn epistolōn syskeuas, tas aikias, tas gymnōseis tōn parthenōn, tas exoristias,tas katalyseis tōn Ekklēsiōn, tous emprēsmous, tas metatheseis apo mikrōn poleōn heis meizonas paroikias, kai pro ge pantōn, tēn kata tēs orthēs pisteōs epanastasan dysōnymon Areianēn aʼiresin diʼ autōn; toutou heneken, tous men agapētous adelphous hēmōn kai sylleitourgous Athanasion, kai Markellon, kai Asklēpan, kai tous syn autois sylleitourgountas tǭ Kyriǭ, athōous kai katharous einai apephēnametha, grapsantes kai eis tēn hekastou paroikian, hōste ginōskein hekastēs Hekklēsias tous laous tou idiou piskopou tēn katharotēta, kai touton men echein episkopon kai prosdokąn o tous de heis tas Ekklēsias autōn epelthontas dikēn lykōn, Grēgorion ton en Alexandreią, Basileion ton en Ankyrą, kai Kyïntianon ton en Gazę̄, toutous mēde episkopous onomazein, mēde holōs koinōnian tina pros autous echein, mēde dechesthai tina para toutōn grammata, mēde graphein pros autous ; tous de ge peri Theodōron, kai Narkisson, kai Akakion, kai Stephanon, kai Oursakion, kai Oualenta, kai Mēnophapon, kai Geōrgion, ei kai phobētheis mē paregeneto apo tēs eǭas, homōs dia to apo tou makaritou Alexandrou kathę̄rēsthai autan, kai dia to einai kai auton kai tousous tēs Areiou manias, kai dia ta epenechthenta autois enklēmata, toutous pampsēphi katheilen hē agia synodos apo tēs episkopēs. Kai ekrinamen mē monon autous episkopous mē einai, alla mēde koinōnias meta tōn pistōn autous kataxiousthai. Tous gar chōrizontas ton Uion, kai apallotriountas ton Logon apo tou Patros, chōrizesthai tēs Katholikēs Ekklēsias prosēkei, kai allotrious einai tou Christianōn onomatos. Estōsan toinyn hymin anathema, dia to kekapēleukenai ton logon tēs alētheias; apostolikon esti to parangelma. E’L’ tis hymas euangelizetai parʼ ’o parelabete, anathema estō. Toutois mēdena koinōnein parangeilateu oudemia gar koinōnia phōti pros skotos ; toutous pantas makran poieite; oudemia gar symphōnia Christǭ pros Beliar. Kai phylaxasthe. agapētoi, mēte graphein pros autous, mēte grammata parʼ autōn dechesthai. Spoudasate de mallon kai hymeis, adelphoi kai sylleitourgoi, hōs tǭ pneumati parontes tę̄ synodǭ hēmōn, synepipsēphisasthai diʼ hypographēs hymeteras, hyper tou para pantōn tōn pantachou sylleitourgōn tēn homophōnian diasōzesthai. Ē theia pronoia kathōsiōmenous hymas kai yythymountas diaphylattoi, …

Since, then, we ought not to pass over in silence nor leave untold the false accusations, the chains, the murders, the blows, the plots with forged letters, the outrages, the stripping of virgins, the exiles, the destruction of churches, the burnings, the translations from small cities to greater dioceses, and above all the abominable Arian heresy that has risen up through them against the right faith—for this reason we have declared our beloved brothers and fellow ministers Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas, and those who minister to the Lord with them, to be innocent and pure, and we have written to the diocese of each, so that the people of each church may know the innocence of their own bishop, and hold him as bishop and look for his return. As for those who have come into their churches like wolves—Gregory at Alexandria, Basil at Ancyra, and Quintianus at Gaza—they are not even to call them bishops, nor have any communion at all with them, nor receive letters from them nor write to them. And as for Theodore, Narcissus, Acacius, Stephen, Ursacius, Valens, Menophantus, and George—George, though from fear he did not come from the East, yet because he had been deposed by Alexander of blessed memory, and because both he and these others belong to the madness of Arius, and because of the charges brought against them—the holy synod has unanimously deposed them from the episcopate. And we have judged that they are not only not bishops, but are not worthy even of communion with the faithful. For those who separate the Son and estrange the Word from the Father ought to be separated from the catholic Church and to be strangers to the name of Christians. Let them therefore be anathema to you, because they have peddled the word of truth. It is an apostolic precept: “If anyone preaches to you a gospel other than what you received, let him be anathema.” Command that no one communicate with them, for there is no fellowship of light with darkness; keep all these far away, for there is no harmony of Christ with Belial. And take care, beloved, neither to write to them nor to receive letters from them. Be zealous rather, brothers and fellow ministers, as being present in spirit at our synod, to add your votes by your signatures, so that unanimity may be preserved by all our fellow ministers everywhere. May divine providence keep you sanctified and rejoicing …”

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

2 Cor 2:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 6:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 5:3 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: The synod declares Athanasius, Marcellus, and Asclepas innocent, rejects the bishops intruded into their sees, deposes and excommunicates the Arian leaders, and asks all bishops to sign.

“Peddled the word”: 2 Cor 2:17. “If anyone preaches to you a gospel other than what you received …”: Gal 1:9. “No fellowship of light with darkness … no harmony of Christ with Belial”: 2 Cor 6:14–15. “Present in spirit”: 1 Cor 5:3. The anathema is the synod’s own and is translated as written.
The close of the letter is lost in the scan: the last words are followed by debris (“καθαιρεθῆναι” and garbled letters), removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris; words lost): διαφυλάττοι, καθαιρεθῆναι. ΜοκζΓὴθοάι, uiritim?“-,._ → διαφυλάττοι, ….

Topics: Heresy, Church office, Christology

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 49 (PG 25:333c–336b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-49). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-apologia-arianos-49) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 50

50PG 25:337a–341a

Ὃσιος ἀπὸ Σπανίας, Ἰούλιος Ῥώμης διʼ Ἀρχιδάμου καὶ Φιλοξένου πρεσβυτέρων, Πρωτογένης Σαρδικῆς,Γαυδέντιος, Μακεδόνιος, Σευῆρος, Πραιτέξτατος, Ούρσίκιος, Αούκιλλος, Εὐγένιος, Βιτάλιος, Καλεπόδιος, Φλωρέντιος, Βάσσος, Οὐϊνκέντιος, Στερκόριος, Παλλάδιος, Δομιτιανὸς, Χαλβὶς, Γερὸντιος,Προτάσιος, Εύλογος, Πορφύριος, Διόσκορος, Ζώσιμος, Ἰανουάριος, Ζώσιμος, Ἀλέξανδρος, Εὐτύχιος, Σωκράτης, Διόδωρος, Μαρτύριος, Εύθήριος. Εὕκαρπος, Αθηνόδωρος, Εἰρηναῖος, Ἰουλιανὸς, Ἀλύπιος, Ἰωνᾶς, Αέτιος, Ῥεστιτοῦτος, Μαρκελλῖνος, ’Δπριανὸς, Βιτάλιος, Οὐάλης, Ἑρμογένης, Κάστος, Δομετιανὸς, Φορτουνάτιος, Μάρκος, Ἀννιανὸς, Ἡλιόδωρος, Μουσαῖος, Δστέριος, Παρηγόριος, Πλούταρχος, Ὑμέναιος, Ἀθανάσιος, Λούκιος, Ἀμάντιος, Ἀρειος, Ἀσκληπιὸς, Διονύσιος, Μάξιμος, Τρύφων, Ἀλέξανδρος, Ἀντίγονος, Αίλιανὸς, Πέτρος, Σύμφορος, Μουσώνιος, Εὔτυχος, Φιλολόγιος, Σπουδάσιος, Ζώσιμος, Πατρίκιος, Ἀδόλιος, Σαπρίκιος · Γαλλίας, Μαξιμιανὸς, Βηρίσιμος, Βήκτουρος, Βαλεντῖνος, Δισιδέριος, Εύλόγιος, Σαρβάτιος, Δυσκόλιος, Σουπερίωρ, Μερκούριος, Δηκλοπετὸς, Εὐσέβιος, Σεβηρῖνος, Σάτυρος, Μαρτῖνος, Παῦλος, Ὀπτατιανὸς, Νικάσιος, Βίκτωρ, Σεμπρόνιος, Βαλερῖνος, Πακᾶτος, Ἰεσσῆς, Ἀρίστων, Σιμπλίκιος, Μετιανὸς, νΔμαντος, Ἀμιλλιανὸς, Ἰουστινιανὸς, Βικτωρῖνος, Σατορνῖλος, Ἀβουνδάντιος, Δωνατιανὸς, Μάξιμος· ’Δφρικῆς, Νέσσος, Γρᾶτος, Μεγάσιος, Κολδαῖος, Ῥογατίανὸς, Κονσόρτιος, Ῥουφῖνος, Μαννῖνος, Κεσσιλιανὸς, Ἑρεννιανὸς, Μαριανὸς, Οὐαλέριος, Δυνάμιος, Μιζόνιος, Ἰοῦστος, Κελεστῖνος, Κυπριανὸς, Βίκτωρ, Ὁνορᾶτος, Μαρῖνος, Παντάγαθος, Φήλιξ, Βαύδιος, Λίβερ, Καπίτων, Μινερβάλις, Κύσμος, Βίκτωρ, Ἑσπερίων, Φήλιξ, Στβηριανὸς, Ὀπτάντιος, Ἕσπερος, Φιδέντιος, Σαλούστιος, Πασχάσιος · Αἰγύπτου, Διβούρνιος, Ἀμάντιος, Φήλιξ, Ἰσχυράμμων, Ῥωμῦλος, Τιβερῖνος, Κονσόρτιος, Ἡρακλείδης, Φορτουνάτιος, Διόσκορος, Φορτουνάτιανὸς, Βαστάμων, Δάτυλλος, ’Δνδρέας, Σερῆνος, Ἀρειος, Θεόδωρος, Εὐαγόρας, Ἦλίας, Τιμόθεος, Ὠρίων, Ἀνδρόνικος, Παφνούτιος, Ἑρμείας, Ἀραβίων, Ψενόσιρις, Ἀπολλώνιος, Μοῦϊς, Σαραπάμπων, Φίλων, Φίλιππος, Ἀπολλώνιος, Παφνούτιος, Παῦλος, Διόσκορος, Νειλάμμων, Σερῆνος, Ἀκύλας, ’Δωτᾶς, Ἀρποκρατίων, Ἰσὰκ, Θεόδωρος, Ἀπολλὼς, ’Δμμωνιανὸς, Νεῖλος, Ἡράκλειος, ’Δρείων, ’Δθᾶις, ’Δρσὲνιος, ’Δγαοάμμων, Θέων, Ἀπολλώνιος, Ἠλίας, Πανινούθιος, ’Δνδραγάθιος, Νεμεσίων, Σαραπίων, Ἀμμώνίος, Ἀμμένιος, Ξένων, Γερόντιος, Κύῖντος, Λεωνίδης. Σεμπρωνιανὸς, Φίλων, Ἡρακλείδης, Ἱὲρακυς, Ῥοῦφος, Πασόφιος, Μακεδόνιος, ’Δπολλόδωρος, Φλαβιανὸς, Ψάης, Σύρους, ’Δπφοῦς, Σαραπίων, «Ησαΐας, Παφνούτιος, Τιμόθεος, Ἐλουρίων, Γαῖος, Μουσαῖος, Πιστὸς,Ηρακλάμμων, ζἨρων, Ἡλχίας, ’Δνάγαμφος, ’Δπολλώνιος, Γάϊος, Φιλωτᾶς, Παῦλος, Τιθόης, Εὐδαίμων, Ἰούλιος ’ Οἱ ἐν τῷ Καναλίῳ τῆς Ἰταλίας, Προβάτιος, Βιάτωρ, Φακουνδῖνος, Ἰωσῆς, Νουμήδιος, Επηράνῐ τιος, Σεὸῆρος, Ἣρακλειανὸς, Φαυστῖνος, Ἀντωνῖνος Ἡράκλειος, Οὖϊτάλιος, Φήλιξ, Κρησπῖνος, Παυλιανό-ς- Κύπρου, Αὐξίβιος, Φώτιος, Γηράσιος, ’Δφροόίσιος, Εἶρηνικὸς, Νουνὲχιος, Ἀθανάσιος, Μακεδόνιος, Τριφύλλιος, Σπυρίόων, Νορβανὸς, Σωσικράτης ο Παλαιστίνης, Μάξιμος, Ἀἑτιος, Ἀρειος, Θεοδόσιος, Γερμανὸς, Σιλουανὸς, Παῦλος, Κλαύξιος, Πατρίκιος,Ἐλπίδιος, Γερμανὸς, Εὐσέβιος, Ζηνόβιος, Παῦλος, Πέτρος. οὶ μὲν οὖν τοῖς ὑπὸο τῆς συνόδου γραφεῖσιν ὓπογράψαντες οὗτοι ’ ἕτεροι δὲ πλεῖστοί εἰσιν, οἱ καί πρὸ τῆς συνόδου -γράψαντες ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἀπό τε τῆς Ἀσίας καὶ Φρυγίας, καὶ Ἰσαυρίας, καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν ἐν ταῖς ἰδίαις ἐπιστολαῖς ἐμφέρεται, ἐγγὺς ξγ“, ὁμοῦ τμδ“.

Hosios apo Spanias, Ioulios Rhōmēs diʼ Archidamou kai Philoxenou presbyterōn, Prōtogenēs Sardikēs,Gaudentios, Makedonios, Seuēros, Praitextatos, Oursikios, Aoukillos, Eugenios, Bitalios, Kalepodios, Phlōrentios, Bassos, Ouïnkentios, Sterkorios, Palladios, Domitianos, Chalbis, Gerontios,Protasios, Eulogos, Porphyrios, Dioskoros, Zōsimos, Ianouarios, Zōsimos, Alexandros, Eutychios, Sōkratēs, Diodōros, Martyrios, Euthērios. Heukarpos, Athēnodōros, Eirēnaios, Ioulianos, Alypios, Iōnas, Aetios, Rhestitoutos, Markellinos, ’Dprianos, Bitalios, Oualēs, Hermogenēs, Kastos, Dometianos, Phortounatios, Markos, Annianos, Hēliodōros, Mousaios, Dsterios, Parēgorios, Ploutarchos, Hymenaios, Athanasios, Loukios, Amantios, Areios, Asklēpios, Dionysios, Maximos, Tryphōn, Alexandros, Antigonos, Ailianos, Petros, Symphoros, Mousōnios, Eutychos, Philologios, Spoudasios, Zōsimos, Patrikios, Adolios, Saprikios ; Gallias, Maximianos, Bērisimos, Bēktouros, Balentinos, Disiderios, Eulogios, Sarbatios, Dyskolios, Souperiōr, Merkourios, Dēklopetos, Eusebios, Sebērinos, Satyros, Martinos, Paulos, Optatianos, Nikasios, Biktōr, Sempronios, Balerinos, Pakatos, Iessēs, Aristōn, Simplikios, Metianos, nDmantos, Amillianos, Ioustinianos, Biktōrinos, Satornilos, Aboundantios, Dōnatianos, Maximos; ’Dphrikēs, Nessos, Gratos, Megasios, Koldaios, Rhogatianos, Konsortios, Rhouphinos, Manninos, Kessilianos, Herennianos, Marianos, Oualerios, Dynamios, Mizonios, Ioustos, Kelestinos, Kyprianos, Biktōr, Honoratos, Marinos, Pantagathos, Phēlix, Baudios, Liber, Kapitōn, Minerbalis, Kysmos, Biktōr, Hesperiōn, Phēlix, Stbērianos, Optantios, Hesperos, Phidentios, Saloustios, Paschasios ; Aigyptou, Dibournios, Amantios, Phēlix, Ischyrammōn, Rhōmylos, Tiberinos, Konsortios, Hērakleidēs, Phortounatios, Dioskoros, Phortounatianos, Bastamōn, Datyllos, ’Dndreas, Serēnos, Areios, Theodōros, Euagoras, Ēlias, Timotheos, Ōriōn, Andronikos, Paphnoutios, Hermeias, Arabiōn, Psenosiris, Apollōnios, Mouïs, Sarapampōn, Philōn, Philippos, Apollōnios, Paphnoutios, Paulos, Dioskoros, Neilammōn, Serēnos, Akylas, ’Dōtas, Arpokratiōn, Isak, Theodōros, Apollōs, ’Dmmōnianos, Neilos, Hērakleios, ’Dreiōn, ’Dthais, ’Drsenios, ’Dgaoammōn, Theōn, Apollōnios, Ēlias, Paninouthios, ’Dndragathios, Nemesiōn, Sarapiōn, Ammōnios, Ammenios, Xenōn, Gerontios, Kuintos, Leōnidēs. Semprōnianos, Philōn, Hērakleidēs, Hierakys, Rhouphos, Pasophios, Makedonios, ’Dpollodōros, Phlabianos, Psaēs, Syrous, ’Dpphous, Sarapiōn, «Ēsaïas, Paphnoutios, Timotheos, Elouriōn, Gaios, Mousaios, Pistos,Ēraklammōn, zĒrōn, Hēlchias, ’Dnagamphos, ’Dpollōnios, Gaïos, Philōtas, Paulos, Tithoēs, Eudaimōn, Ioulios ’ Hoi en tǭ Kanaliǭ tēs Italias, Probatios, Biatōr, Phakoundinos, Iōsēs, Noumēdios, Epērani tios, Seoēros, Hērakleianos, Phaustinos, Antōninos Hērakleios, Ouïtalios, Phēlix, Krēspinos, Pauliano-s- Kyprou, Auxibios, Phōtios, Gērasios, ’Dphrooisios, Eirēnikos, Nounechios, Athanasios, Makedonios, Triphyllios, Spyrioōn, Norbanos, Sōsikratēs o Palaistinēs, Maximos, Haetios, Areios, Theodosios, Germanos, Silouanos, Paulos, Klauxios, Patrikios,Elpidios, Germanos, Eusebios, Zēnobios, Paulos, Petros. oi men oun tois hypoo tēs synodou grapheisin hypograpsantes houtoi ’ heteroi de pleistoi eisin, hoi kai pro tēs synodou -grapsantes hyper hēmōn, apo te tēs Asias kai Phrygias, kai Isaurias, kai ta onomata autōn en tais idiais epistolais empheretai, engys xg“, homou tmd“.

Hosius of Spain; Julius of Rome, through the presbyters Archidamus and Philoxenus; Protogenes of Sardica; Gaudentius, Macedonius, Severus, Praetextatus, Ursicius, Lucillus, Eugenius, Vitalius, Calepodius, Florentius, Bassus, Vincentius, Stercorius, Palladius, Domitianus, Chalbis, Gerontius, Protasius, Eulogus, Porphyrius, Dioscorus, Zosimus, Januarius, Zosimus, Alexander, Eutychius, Socrates, Diodorus, Martyrius, Eutherius, Eucarpus, Athenodorus, Irenaeus, Julianus, Alypius, Jonas, Aetius, Restitutus, Marcellinus, Aprianus, Vitalius, Valens, Hermogenes, Castus, Dometianus, Fortunatius, Marcus, Annianus, Heliodorus, Musaeus, Asterius, Paregorius, Plutarchus, Hymenaeus, Athanasius, Lucius, Amantius, Arius, Asclepius, Dionysius, Maximus, Tryphon, Alexander, Antigonus, Aelianus, Petrus, Symphorus, Musonius, Eutychus, Philologius, Spudasius, Zosimus, Patricius, Adolius, Sapricius. From Gaul: Maximianus, Verissimus, Victurus, Valentinus, Desiderius, Eulogius, Sarbatius, Dyscolius, Superior, Mercurius, Declopetus, Eusebius, Severinus, Satyrus, Martinus, Paulus, Optatianus, Nicasius, Victor, Sempronius, Valerinus, Pacatus, Jesses, Ariston, Simplicius, Metianus, Amantus, Amillianus, Justinianus, Victorinus, Satornilus, Abundantius, Donatianus, Maximus. From Africa: Nessus, Gratus, Megasius, Coldaeus, Rogatianus, Consortius, Rufinus, Manninus, Cessilianus, Herennianus, Marianus, Valerius, Dynamius, Mizonius, Justus, Celestinus, Cyprianus, Victor, Honoratus, Marinus, Pantagathus, Felix, Baudius, Liber, Capito, Minervalis, Cosmus, Victor, Hesperion, Felix, Severianus, Optantius, Hesperus, Fidentius, Salustius, Paschasius. From Egypt: Liburnius, Amantius, Felix, Ischyrammon, Romulus, Tiberinus, Consortius, Heraclides, Fortunatius, Dioscorus, Fortunatianus, Bastamon, Datyllus, Andreas, Serenus, Arius, Theodorus, Evagoras, Helias, Timotheus, Orion, Andronicus, Paphnutius, Hermeias, Arabion, Psenosiris, Apollonius, Muis, Sarapampon, Philon, Philippus, Apollonius, Paphnutius, Paulus, Dioscorus, Nilammon, Serenus, Aquila, Aotas, Harpocration, Isaac, Theodorus, Apollos, Ammonianus, Nilus, Heraclius, Arion, Athas, Arsenius, Agathammon, Theon, Apollonius, Helias, Paninuthius, Andragathius, Nemesion, Sarapion, Ammonius, Ammenius, Xenon, Gerontius, Quintus, Leonides, Sempronianus, Philon, Heraclides, Hieracys, Rufus, Pasophius, Macedonius, Apollodorus, Flavianus, Psaes, Syrus, Apphus, Sarapion, Esaias, Paphnutius, Timotheus, Elurion, Gaius, Musaeus, Pistus, Heraclammon, Heron, Helchias, Anagamphus, Apollonius, Gaius, Philotas, Paulus, Tithoes, Eudaemon, Julius. Those in the Canalis of Italy: Probatius, Viator, Facundinus, Joses, Numedius, Sperantius, Severus, Heraclianus, Faustinus, Antoninus, Heraclius, Vitalius, Felix, Crispinus, Paulianus. From Cyprus: Auxibius, Photius, Gerasius, Aphrodisius, Irenicus, Nunechius, Athanasius, Macedonius, Triphyllius, Spyridon, Norbanus, Sosicrates. From Palestine: Maximus, Aetius, Arius, Theodosius, Germanus, Silvanus, Paulus, Claudius, Patricius, Elpidius, Germanus, Eusebius, Zenobius, Paulus, Petrus. These, then, are those who signed what was written by the synod; but there are very many others who wrote on our behalf even before the synod, from Asia, Phrygia, and Isauria, and their names are given in their own letters: about 63; in all, 344.

Notes and citation

Summary: Athanasius lists the bishops who signed the decrees of Sardica, by region, and counts 344 supporters in all.

Names are transliterated; several are uncertain in the scan (e.g. “Sperantius”, printed as a garbled word; “Ammenius”). “The Canalis” (Κανάλιον) is a district of Italy, probably along the Via Flaminia. Migne’s stray Latin word is removed by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (Latin word leaked from Migne's facing column): πρὸ Quaem τῆς → πρὸ τῆς.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 50 (PG 25:337a–341a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-50). (abbreviation not yet checked)

BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-apologia-arianos-50) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.

Chapter 51

51PG 25:341a–344c

Ταῦτα μαθὼν 6 θεοφιλέστατος βασιλεὺς Κωνο στάντιος, μετεπέμψατο ἡμᾶς, γράψας ἰδίᾳ πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἑαυτοῦ τὸν μακαρίτην Κώνσταντα, πρὸς δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δεύτερον καὶ τρίτον, ταυτα. ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΟΣ ΝΙΚΗῚῊΣ ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΟΣ ΔΘΑΝΔΣΙῼ. Ἐἰ πολῦ σε κλυδωνίζεσθαι καὶ χειμάζεσθαι τοῖς τῆς θαλάττης ἀγρίοις κύμασιν οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἡ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἡμερότητος φιλανθρωπίαν γυμνωθέντα σε τῆς πατρῴας ἑστίας, καὶ στερηθέντα τῶν ἰδίων, καὶ πλανώμενον ἐν θηριώδεσιν ἀνοδίαις οὐ παρεῖδεν] ὴ ἀκάματος ἡμῶν εὐσέβεια. Καὶ εἷʼ καὶ τά μάλιστα ἐπιπολὺ ὑπερεθέμην γράψαι τήν πρόθεσιν τῆς ἐμῆς διανοίας, προσδοκῶν αὐθαίρετόν σε παραγενέσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ τῶν καμάτων αἰτεῖν θεραπείαν · ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ ἴσως 6 φόβος τὴν προαίρεσιν τῆς προθέσεως ἐνεπόδισε, διὰ τοῦτο δωρεᾶς πληρέστατα γράμματα πρὸς τὴν σὴν περῥότητα διεπεμψάμεθα, ’ίνα ἀφόβως ταῖς ἡμετέραις προσόψεσι ταχεῖαν τήν σαυτοῦ παρουσίαν παρασχεῖν σπουδάσῃς, ὑπὲρ τοῦ τῆς σαυτοῦ ἐπιθυμίας ἀπολαύσας, καὶ πειραθεὶς ἡμῶν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀποκατασταθῇς· τούτου γάρ ἓνεκα καὶ τὸν δεσπότην μου καὶ ἀδελφόν μου Κώνστειντα τὸν Νικητήν Αὔγουστον ὑπὲρ σοῦ παρεκάλεσα, ’ίνα τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐξουσίαν σοι δῷ, ἐπὶ τῷ, ἑχυρον. Ἐπιστολή δευτέρα. El καὶ τὰ μάλιστα διὰ προτέρων γραμμάτων ἐδηλώσαμεν, ὅπως ἀμερίμνως εἰς τὸ ἡμέτερον κομιτᾶτον παραγένῃ, διὰ τό μάλιστα βούλεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἀποστεῖλαί σε εἷς τὰ ἴδια· ὅμως καὶ νῦν καί ταῦτα τὰ γράμματα πρὸς τήν σὴν στερρότητα δεδώκαμεν, διʼ ὧν προτρεπόμεθα, χωρίς τινος ἀπιστίας καὶ φόβου, ἐπιβῆναί σε δημοσίοις ὀχήμασι, καί σπουδάσαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ’ίνα ὧν ἐπιθυμεῖς ἀπολαῦσαι δυνηθῇς. Ἐπιστολὴ τρίτη. Ἡνίκα ἐν τῇ Έδέσοῃ διετρίβομεν, παρόντων τῶν σῶν πρεσβυτέρων,ἤρεσεν ὅπως, ἀποσταλέντος πρεσβυτέρου πρὸς σὶ, ἐλθεῖν εἷς τὸνὴμὲτερον κομι·τᾶτον σπουδάσῃς, ἐπὶ τῷ, ἰδόντα σε τὴν ἠμετέραν πρόσοψιν, εὐθέως είς τῆν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ὁδεύσῃς. Ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ πλεῖστος χρόνος παρῆλθεν, ἀφʼ οὗ γράμματα δεξάμενος παρʼ ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀπήντησας, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ὑπομνῆσαί σε ἐσπουδάσαμεν, ’ἶνα καὶ νῦν τήν σῆν παρουσίαν ταχεῖαν ποιῆσαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς σπουδάσῃς, καὶ οὕτω δυνηθῇς τῇ τε πατρίδι σου ἀποκατασταθῆναι, καὶ τῆς εὐχῆς σου ἐπιτυχεῖν πρὸς δὲ πληρεστέραν διήγησιν, Ἀχιτᾶν τὸν διάη κονον ἀπεστείλαμεν, παρʼ οὗ δυνήσῃ μαθεῖν τῆς τε ἠμετέρας ψυχῆς τήν προαίρεσιν, καὶ ὅτι τούτων ὧν εὔχῃ τυχεῖν δυνήσῃ. τ ’ Ὀ μὲν οὗν βασιλεὺς τοιαῦτα γράφει· ἐγὼ δὲ δεξάμενος ἀνῆλθον εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην συντάξασθαι τῇ ἱΕκκλησίᾳν καὶ. τῷ ἐπισκόπω· *ἐνʼ* Ἀκυληίᾳ,γὰρ ἥμην, ὅτε ταῦτα ἐγράφη. Καὶ ἡ μὲν Ἐκκλησία πάσης χαρᾶς πεπλήρωτο ὁ δὲ ἐπίσκοπος Ἰούλιος, συγχαίρων τῇ ἐπανόδῳ, γράφει πρὸς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Καὶ διερχομένους ἡμᾶς οἱ ἐπίσκοποι καθεξῆς μετʼ εἰρήνης προέπεμψαν. Καὶ ἔστι τὰ γραφέντα ταῦτα. ΙΟΥΛίοΣ Πρεσβυτέροις, καὶ διακόνοις,, καὶ λαῷ παροικοῦντι ’Δλεξάνδρειαν.

Tauta mathōn 6 theophilestatos basileus Kōno stantios, metepempsato hēmas, grapsas idią pros ton adelphon heautou ton makaritēn Kōnstanta, pros de hēmas kai hapax kai deuteron kai triton, tauta. KŌNSTANTIOS NIKĒIĒS AUGOUSTOS DThANDSIǬ. Ei poly se klydōnizesthai kai cheimazesthai tois tēs thalattēs agriois kymasin ouk aphēken hē tēs hēmeteras hēmerotētos philanthrōpian gymnōthenta se tēs patrǭas hestias, kai sterēthenta tōn idiōn, kai planōmenon en thēriōdesin anodiais ou pareiden] ē akamatos hēmōn eusebeia. Kai heiʼ kai ta malista epipoly hyperethemēn grapsai tēn prothesin tēs emēs dianoias, prosdokōn authaireton se paragenesthai pros hēmas, kai tōn kamatōn aitein therapeian ; homōs, epeidē isōs 6 phobos tēn proairesin tēs protheseōs enepodise, dia touto dōreas plērestata grammata pros tēn sēn perrhotēta diepempsametha, ’ina aphobōs tais hēmeterais prosopsesi tacheian tēn sautou parousian paraschein spoudasę̄s, hyper tou tēs sautou epithymias apolausas, kai peiratheis hēmōn tēs philanthrōpias, tois idiois apokatastathę̄s; toutou gar heneka kai ton despotēn mou kai adelphon mou Kōnsteinta ton Nikētēn Augouston hyper sou parekalesa, ’ina tou elthein exousian soi dǭ, epi tǭ, hechyron. Epistolē deutera. El kai ta malista dia proterōn grammatōn edēlōsamen, hopōs amerimnōs eis to hēmeteron komitaton paragenę̄, dia to malista boulesthai hēmas aposteilai se heis ta idia; homōs kai nyn kai tauta ta grammata pros tēn sēn sterrotēta dedōkamen, diʼ hōn protrepometha, chōris tinos apistias kai phobou, epibēnai se dēmosiois ochēmasi, kai spoudasai pros hēmas, ’ina hōn epithymeis apolausai dynēthę̄s. Epistolē tritē. Hēnika en tę̄ Edesoę̄ dietribomen, parontōn tōn sōn presbyterōn,ēresen hopōs, apostalentos presbyterou pros si, elthein heis tonēmeteron komi;taton spoudasę̄s, epi tǭ, idonta se tēn ēmeteran prosopsin, eutheōs eis tēn Alexandreian hodeusę̄s. Allʼ epeidē pleistos chronos parēlthen, aphʼ hou grammata dexamenos parʼ hēmōn ouk apēntēsas, dia touto kai nyn hypomnēsai se espoudasamen, ’ina kai nyn tēn sēn parousian tacheian poiēsai pros hēmas spoudasę̄s, kai houtō dynēthę̄s tę̄ te patridi sou apokatastathēnai, kai tēs euchēs sou epitychein pros de plēresteran diēgēsin, Achitan ton diaē konon apesteilamen, parʼ hou dynēsę̄ mathein tēs te ēmeteras psychēs tēn proairesin, kai hoti toutōn hōn euchę̄ tychein dynēsę̄. t ’ O men houn basileus toiauta graphei; egō de dexamenos anēlthon eis tēn Rhōmēn syntaxasthai tę̄ hiEkklēsiąn kai. tǭ episkopō; *enʼ* Akylēią,gar hēmēn, hote tauta egraphē. Kai hē men Ekklēsia pasēs charas peplērōto ho de episkopos Ioulios, synchairōn tę̄ epanodǭ, graphei pros tēn Ekklēsian. Kai dierchomenous hēmas hoi episkopoi kathexēs metʼ eirēnēs proepempsan. Kai esti ta graphenta tauta. IOULioS Presbyterois, kai diakonois,, kai laǭ paroikounti ’Dlexandreian.

When the most God-loving emperor Constantius learned these things, he sent for us, having written privately to his brother Constans of blessed memory, and to us once, twice, and three times, as follows. “Constantius Victor Augustus to Athanasius. The humanity of our clemency has not allowed you to be tossed and battered for long by the wild waves of the sea; our untiring piety has not overlooked you, stripped of your ancestral hearth, deprived of your own possessions, and wandering in savage and pathless places. And although I long put off writing the purpose of my mind, expecting that you would come to us of your own accord and ask relief for your labors, nevertheless, since perhaps fear hindered the carrying out of your intention, we have therefore sent to your firmness a letter full of bounty, so that you may hasten without fear to present yourself quickly before us, in order that, having obtained your desire and experienced our humanity, you may be restored to your own. For this reason I have also asked my lord and brother Constans Victor Augustus on your behalf to give you leave to come, so that …” Second letter. “Although we indicated very plainly in a previous letter that you should come without anxiety to our court, since we greatly wish to send you back to your own, nevertheless we have now also given this letter to your firmness, in which we urge you, without any distrust or fear, to take the public conveyances and hasten to us, so that you may be able to obtain what you desire.” Third letter. “When we were staying at Edessa, in the presence of your presbyters, it was decided that a presbyter should be sent to you and that you should hasten to come to our court, so that after seeing our face you might go at once to Alexandria. But since a very long time has passed since you received a letter from us and you have not come, we have been eager to remind you now too, so that even now you may hasten to come to us quickly, and so be able both to be restored to your homeland and to obtain your prayer. For a fuller account we have sent Achitas the deacon, from whom you will be able to learn the intention of our soul, and that you can obtain what you pray for.” This, then, is what the emperor wrote; and I, on receiving it, went up to Rome to take leave of the church and the bishop, for I was at Aquileia when this was written. The church was filled with all joy, and Bishop Julius, rejoicing with us at the return, writes to the church; and as we passed through, the bishops one after another sent us on our way in peace. And what was written is this. “Julius to the presbyters, deacons, and people dwelling at Alexandria.

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Athanasius quotes Constantius’s three letters inviting him back after Sardica and tells how he took leave of Rome, where Julius wrote to the church of Alexandria.

The end of the first letter of Constantius is lost in the scan (“so that …”). The letters date from about 345–346.

Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 51 (PG 25:341a–344c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/39/#p-51). (abbreviation not yet checked)

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.