# History of the Arians - Author: [Athanasius of Alexandria](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/athanasius/) - Latin title: *Historia Arianorum* - Date: ca. 357 (approximate) - Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Graeca 25 (Paris: Migne, 1857), Historia Arianorum (reprinting the Benedictine edition of B. de Montfaucon, Paris, 1698) - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Editions and translations: Hans-Georg Opitz et al., eds., Athanasius Werke, vol. 2 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1935–) - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/ - Passages: 68 ## History of the Arians 3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-3 - Source: PG 25:697a–697d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius argues that the Arians’ treatment of many other bishops shows that the charges against him were invented, and contrasts their protection of the guilty with their persecution of the orthodox. ### Greek text Ταῦτα καὶ νῦν δρῶσι, καὶ πάλαι πεποιήκασιν οἱ δυσσεβεῖς κατὰ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων, γνώρισμα τῆς ἑαυτῶν κακοηθείας καὶ ἀσεβείας πανταχοῦ παρά πᾶσι παρασχόντες. Ἔστω γὰρ, Ἀθανάσιον ᾐτιάσαντο, τί καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πεποιήκασιν ἐπίσκοποι; Ποίας ἄρα προφάσεις εἶχον, ἢ ποῖος ἄρα κάκεῖ νεκρὸς Ἀρσένιος εὑρὲθη; ποῖος παρʼ αὐτοῖς Μακάριος πρεσβύτερος, καὶ ποτήριον κέκλασται ; ποῖος Μελιτιανὸς ὑπεκρίνετο ; Ἀλλʼ ὡς ἔοικεν ἐξ ἐκείνων, καὶ τά κατά Ἀθανάσιον δείκνυται ψευδῆʼ καὶ ἐξ ὧν δὲ Ἀθανασίῳ ἐπεχείρησαν, δῆλα καὶ τὰ κατʼ ἐκείνων ἐστὶ πεπλασμένα. Μέγα τι θηρίον ἐξῆλθεν ἐπὶ γῆς, ἡ αʼίρεσις αὕτηʼ οὐ γὰρ μόνον τοῖς μασι ὡς τοῖς ὀδοῦσι βλάπτει τοὺς ἀκεραίους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἔξωθεν ἐξουσίαν ἐμισθώσατο πρὸς ἐπιβουλὴν. Καὶ τὸ παράδοξον, ὅτι, καθὰ προεῖπον, οὐδεὶς ἐκείνων κατηγορεῖταιο ἂν δὲ κατηγορηθῇ, οὐ κρίνεται, ἢ δόξας ἀκούεσθαι, δικαιοῦται κατά τῶν ἐλεγχόντων· καὶ μᾶλλον ὁ ἐλέγχων ἐπιβουλεύεται, ἢ ὁ ὑπεύθυνος ὅλως ἐντρέπεται. Πάντες οὖν οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῖς μεστοὶ ῥύπου τυγχάνουσι· καὶ οἱ παρʼ αὐτοῖς κατάσκοποι, οὗ γὰρ ἐπίσκοποι, μᾶλλόν εἰσι πάντων ῥυπαρώτεροι. Καὶ εἷʼ τις παρʼ αὐτοῖς ἐπίσκοπος θέλει γενέσθαι, οὐκ ἀκούει· Δεῖ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἀνεπίληπτον εἶναι· ἀλλά μόνονʼ Φρόνει κατᾶ Χριστοῦ, καὶ μή φρόντιζε περὶ τρόπων· ἀρκεῖ γὰρ ἐκεῖνό σοι πρὸς σύστασιν, καὶ πρὸς βασιλέως φιλίαν. Ταῦτα μὲν περὶ τῶν τὰ τοῦ Ἀρείου φρονούντων· οἱ δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας ζηλωταὶ, κᾶν ἅγιοι καὶ καθαροὶ φαίνωνται, καθὰ προεῖπον, ἀλλʼ ὑπεύθυνοι γίνονται, ὅταν οὗτοι θὲλωσι, καὶ ὡς ἂν αὐτοῖς δοκῇ, πρόφασιν πλασαμένοιςʼ καὶ τοῦτο ἔξεστι, καθά προεῖπον, ἐκ τῶν παρʼ αὐτῶν πραχθέντων συνιδεῖν. ### English translation (Claude) These things the impious do now and have done long ago against the orthodox, everywhere giving all a token of their malice and impiety. For grant that they accused Athanasius—what had the other bishops done? What pretexts had they? Or what dead Arsenius was found in their case too? What presbyter Macarius did they have, and what cup was broken? What Meletian played the part? But, as it seems, from those cases the charges against Athanasius too are shown to be false; and from what they attempted against Athanasius it is plain that the charges against those others were fabricated as well. A great beast has come forth upon the earth, this heresy; for it harms the simple not only with its words as with teeth, but has also hired outside power for its plotting. And the strange thing is that, as I said before, none of them is ever accused; or if he is accused, he is not tried; or if he seems to be heard, he is acquitted against those who convict him; and it is rather the one who convicts who is plotted against than the guilty one who is put to shame at all. All their people, then, are full of filth; and their overseers—for they are spies rather than bishops—are the filthiest of all. And if anyone among them wishes to become a bishop, he does not hear, “A bishop must be blameless,” but only, “Think against Christ, and do not trouble about morals; that is enough for your recommendation and for the emperor’s friendship.” So much for those who hold the views of Arius. But the zealots for the truth, even if they appear holy and pure, as I said before, become guilty whenever these men wish, and as it seems good to them, inventing a pretext; and this one may see, as I said, from what they have done. ### Scripture references - 1 Tim 3:2: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - “Spies rather than bishops” renders the wordplay κατάσκοποι / ἐπίσκοποι. “A bishop must be blameless”: 1 Tim 3:2. The polemic is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 3 (PG 25:697a–697d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-3). ## History of the Arians 4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-4 - Source: PG 25:697d–700d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius lists Eustathius of Antioch, Eutropius of Adrianople, and other bishops deposed on pretexts and replaced by Arians. ### Greek text Εὐστάθιός τις ἦν ἐπίσκοπος τῆς Ἀντιοχείας, ἀνὴρ ὁμολογητὴς, καὶ τὴν πίστιν εὐσεβής. Οὗτος, ἐπειδὴ πολὺς ἦν ζηλῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας, τήν τε ’Δρειανήν αʼίρεσιν ἐμίσει, καὶ τοὺς φρονοῦντας τὰ ἐκείνης οὐκ ἐδέχετο, διαβάλλεται Κωνσταντίνῳ τῷ βασιλεῖ, πρόφασίς τε ἐπινοεῖται, ὡς μητρὶ αὑτοῦ ποιήσας ὓβριν ο καὶ εὐθὺς ἐξόριστος αὐτός τε γίνεται, καὶ πολὺς σὺν αὐτῷ πρεσβυτέρων καὶ διακόνων ἀριθμόςο καὶ λοιπὸν οὓς οὐκ ἐδέχετο διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν εἰς κλῆρον, τούτους μετά τὸ ἐξορισθῆναι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον οὐ μόνον εἰσήγαγον είς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς πλείστους ἐπισκόπους κατέστησαν, ἶνʼ ἔχωσι συνωμότας ὲαυξῶν είς τὴν ἀσέβειαν. Ἐκ τούτων ἐστὶ Λεόντιος ὀ ἀπόκοποις, 6 νῦν ὲν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, καὶ 6 πρὸ αὑτοῦ Στέφανος, Γεώργιός τε 6 ὲν Λαοδικείᾳ, καὶ 6 γενόμενος ὲν Τριπόλει Θεοδόσιος, Εὐδόξιός τε 6 ἐν Γερμανικείᾳ. καί Εὑστάθιος 6 νῦν ἐν Σεβαστείᾳ. ’Ἆρʼ οὖν μέχρι τούτων ἕστησαν; Οὐχί · καὶ γὰρ καὶ Εὐτρόπιος 6 ὲν Ἀδριανουπόλει γενόμενος ἐπίο σκοπος, ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς, καὶ ὲν πᾶσι τέλειος, ἐπειδὴ πολλάκις τὸν Εὑσέβιον ἤλεγξε, τοῖς τε διοδεύουσι συνεβούλευε μὴ πείθεσθαι τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν Εὑσεβίου ῥήμασι, τά αὑτά τῷ Εὐσταθίῳ πάσχει, καὶ τῆς πόλεως καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλεται ο Βασιλίνα γάρ ἦν ή πάνυ κατʼ αὐτοῦ σπουδάζουσα. Εὑφρατίων γὰρ 6 ὲν Καλαναῖς, καὶ Κυμάτιος 6 ὲν Παλτῷ, καὶ Κυμάτιος ἕτερος 6 ὲν Ταράδῳ, καὶ ό ὲν Γάζῃ ’Δσκληπᾶς, καὶ Κῦρος 6 ὲν Βεροίᾳ τῆς Συρίας, καὶ Διόδωρος 6 ἐν Ἀσία, καὶ Δομνίων ὲν Σιρμίῳ, καὶ Ἑλλάνικος 6 ὲν Τριπόλει, μόνον ἐγνώσθησαν μ·σοῦντες τὴν αἵρεσιν, καὶ τοὺς μὲν μετά προφάσεως, τοὺς δὲ χωρὶς ταύτης, βασιλικοῖς γράμμασι μεταστήσαντες, τῆς τε πόλεως ἐκβαλόντες, ἐτέρους ἀντʼ αὐτῶν, οὖς ἐγίνωσκον ἀσεβοῦντας, είς τὰς ἐκείνων Ἑκκλη σίας κατέστη σαν. ### English translation (Claude) There was one Eustathius, bishop of Antioch, a confessor and pious in the faith. Because he was very zealous for the truth, hated the Arian heresy, and would not receive those who held its views, he is slandered to the emperor Constantine, and a pretext is devised, that he had insulted the emperor’s mother; and at once he is exiled, and with him a great number of presbyters and deacons. Then those whom he had refused to admit to the clergy because of their impiety, once the bishop had been exiled, they not only brought into the Church, but made most of them bishops, so that they might have confederates in their impiety. Of these are Leontius the eunuch, now at Antioch, and Stephen before him, George at Laodicea, Theodosius who was at Tripolis, Eudoxius at Germanicia, and Eustathius, now at Sebastia. [5] Did they then stop here? No. For Eutropius too, who was bishop of Adrianople, a good man and perfect in all things, because he often refuted Eusebius and advised those passing through not to trust the impious words of Eusebius, suffers the same as Eustathius and is cast out of the city and the church; for it was Basilina who was very zealous against him. Euphration of Balanea, Cymatius of Paltus, another Cymatius of Antaradus, Asclepas of Gaza, Cyrus of Beroea in Syria, Diodorus in Asia, Domnion of Sirmium, and Hellanicus of Tripolis—these were known only to hate the heresy; and some on a pretext, others without one, they removed by imperial letters and drove out of their cities, and appointed in their churches others whom they knew to be impious. ### Translation notes - The numeral of chapter 5 stands in the scan inside this staged section; it is marked [5]. The emperor’s mother is Helena. Basilina was the mother of the future emperor Julian. “Antaradus” renders Ταράδῳ (uncertain). OCR debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 4 (PG 25:697d–700d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-4). ## History of the Arians 6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-6 - Source: PG 25:700d–701a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recalls how the Eusebians, accused of impiety by Marcellus of Ancyra, had him exiled, though Rome and Sardica accepted his faith. ### Greek text Καὶ περὶ Μαρκέλλου τοῦ τῆς Γαλατίας ἑπισκόπου, περιττὸν ἴσως ἐστὶ λέγειν· πάντες γάρ ἔγνωσαν ὠς πρότερον ἐγκαλούμενοι παρʼ αὑτοῦ οἱ περὶ Εὑσέβιον ἀσεβείας, ἀντενεκάλεσαν αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτοὶ, καὶ πεποιήκασιν ἐξορισθῆναι τὸν γέροντα. Καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν, ἀνελθὼν είς τὴν Ῥώμην, ἀπελογήσατο. καὶ ἀπαιτούμενος παρʼ αὐτῶν, δέδωκεν ἔγγραφον τὴν ἐαυτοῦ πίστιν, ἢν καὶ ἡ κατὰ Σαρδικῆν σύνοδος ἀπεδέξατο · οἱ δέ περῖ Εὑσέβιον οὔτε ἀπελογήσαντορῧτε, ἐλεγχόμενοι ἐξ ὦν ἔγραψαν ἀσεβεῖς, ἐνετράπησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐθρασύνοντο κατὰ πάντων· εἶχον γὰρ τῆν πρὸς βασιλέα παρὰ τῶν γυναικῶν σύστασιν, καὶ πᾶσιν ἦσαν φοβεροί. ### English translation (Claude) About Marcellus, the bishop of Galatia, it is perhaps superfluous to speak; for all know how Eusebius and his party, having first been accused of impiety by him, brought countercharges against him and had the old man exiled. He went up to Rome and made his defense; and when they demanded it, he gave his faith in writing, which the synod of Sardica also accepted. But Eusebius and his party neither made a defense nor were put to shame when convicted of impiety from what they had written, but became bolder against all; for they had recommendation to the emperor through the women, and were feared by all. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 6 (PG 25:700d–701a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-6). ## History of the Arians 7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-7 - Source: PG 25:701a–704b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recounts the repeated exiles of Paul of Constantinople and his murder at Cucusus, and the death in disgrace of the prefect Philip who arranged it. ### Greek text Περὶ δέ Παύλου τοῦ τῆς Κωνσταντίνου πόλεως ἐπισκόπου, νομίζω μηδένα ἀγνοεῖν· ὅσῳ γὰρ ἐπιφανής ἡ πόλις, τοσούτῳ καὶ τὸ γενόμενον οὑ κέκρυπται. Καὶ κατᾶ τούτου τοίνυν πρόφασις ἐπλάσθη. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ κατηγορήσας αὑτοῦ Μακεδόνιος, ὁ νῦν ἐπίσκοπος ἀντʼ αὑτοῦ γενόμενος, παρόντων ἡμῶν κατᾶ τὴν κατηγορίαν, κεκτινώνηκεν αὑτῷ, καὶ πρεσβύτερος ἧν ὑπʼ αὑτὸν τὸν Παῦλον. Καὶ ὅμως, ἐπειδὴ Εὐσέβιος ἐπωφθαλμία, θέλων ἁρπάσαι τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν τῆς πόλεως (οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ Βηρυτοῦ εἰς τῆν Νικομήδειαν μετῆλθεν), ἔμεινεν ἡ πρόφασις κατᾶ Παύλου, καὶ οὑκ ἠμέλησαν τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς, ἀλλʼ ἔμειναν διαβάλλοντες. Καὶ τὸ μέν πρῶτον εἰς τὸν Πόντον ἐξ· ωρίσθη παρὰ Κωνσταντίου· τὸ δέ δεύτερον παρᾶ Κωνσταντίου, διθεὶς ἁλύσεσι σιδηραῖς, εἷς Σίγγαρα τῆς Μεσοποταμίας ἐξωρίσθη, καί ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τήν Ἔμισαν μετηνέχθη, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον εἷς Κούκουσον τῆς Καππαδοκίας περὶ τὰ ἔρημα τοῦ Ταύρου· ἔνθα καὶ ὡς o'l συνόντες ἀπήγγειλαν, ἀποπνιγεὶς παρʼ αύτῶν, ἐτελεύτησε. Τοῦτο μέντοι δράσαντες, ούκ ᾐσχύνθησαν καὶ μετὰ θάνατον, οἱ μηδὲν ἀληθεύοντες, πλασασθαι πάλιν πρόφασιν, ὠς ἀπὸ νόσου τελευτήσαντος αὑτοῦ, καίτοι τοῦτο γινωσκόντων πάντων τῶν κατοικούντων τὸν τόπον ἐκεῖνον. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ Φιλάγριος, βικάριος ὢν τότε τῶν τόπων ἐκείνων, καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐκείνων ὑποκρινόμενος ὡς ἃν αὑτοὶ θέλωσιν, ὅμως ἐπὶ τούτῳ θαυμάζων, καὶ λυπηθεὶς ἴσως, ὅτι μὴ αὑτὸς, ἀλλʼ ἓτερος εἰργάσατο τὸ κακὸν, ἀπήγγειλε πολλοῖς τε ἄλλοις καὶ γνωρίμοις ἡμῶν, καὶ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Σεραπίωνι, ὡς Παῦλος ἀποκλεισθεὶς παρʼ ἐκείνων εἰς τόπον τινὰ βραχύτατον καὶ σκοτεινὸν, ἀφείθη λιμῷ διαφθαρῆναι εἶτα μεθʼ ἡμέρας ἓξ, ὡς εἰσελθόντες εῦρον αὑτὸν ἔτι πνέοντα, λοιπὸν ἐπελθόντες ἀπέπνιξαν τὸν ἄνθρωπον· καὶ οὕτω τέλος ἔσχε τοῦ βίου τούτου. Τοῦδέ τοιούτου θανάτου διάκονον ἔλεγον γεγενῆσθαι Φίλιππον τὸν γενόμενον ἔπαρχον. Ἀλλʼ οὑδέ τοῦτο παρεῖδεν ἠ θεία δίκη· οὑδέ γὰρ παρῆλθεν ἐνιαυτὸς, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς ἀτιμίας καθῃρέθη τῆς ἀρχῆς ὁ Φίλιππος, οὕτῶς ὡς ἰδιώτην γενομενον, ὑφ. ὧν οὐκ ἤθελε καταπαίζεσθαι. Πάνυ γοῦν καὶ αύτὸς λυπούμενος, καὶ κατά τὸν Κάϊν στένων καὶ τρέμων, καὶ καθʼ ἡμέραν προσδοκῶν τὸν ἀναιροῦντα ἔξω τῆς ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδος καὶ αὐτὸς καὶ τῶν ίδίων, ὥσπερ ἐκ· πλαγεὶς, ἐπεὶ μή οὕτως ἤθελεν, ἀπέθανε. Πλήν ὅτι καὶ κατά νεκρῶν ού φείδονται, καθʼ ὧν καὶ ζώων ἐπλάσαντο προφάσεις · οὕτω γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς πρὸς πάντας φοεεροὺς ἐπιδεικνύειν ἐσπούδασαν, καὶ ζῶντας μὲν ἐξορίζουσιν, ἀποθανόντας δὲ οὐκ ἐλεοῦσιν ' ἀλλά καὶ τότε μόνοι παρὰ πάντας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους μισοῦσι τοὺς ἀπελθόντας, καὶ τοῖς οἰκείοις αὐτῶν ἐπιβουλεύεουσιν, οἱ τῷ ὄντι ἀπάνθρωποι καὶ μισόκαλοι, καὶ πλέον ἐχθρῶν τὸν τρόπον ἄγριον ἔχοντες, διὰ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀσέβειαν, οἱ μὴ ἐξ ἀληθείας, ἀλλʼ ἐκ πε- ### English translation (Claude) As for Paul, bishop of Constantinople, I think no one is unaware; for the more famous the city, the less hidden is what happened. Against him too a pretext was invented. For Macedonius, who accused him and has now become bishop in his place, communicated with him in our presence while the accusation was going on, and was a presbyter under Paul himself. And yet, since Eusebius cast covetous eyes on the see of that city, wishing to seize it (for so he had also moved from Berytus to Nicomedia), the pretext against Paul remained; they did not neglect the plot but went on slandering him. First he was exiled to Pontus by Constantine; second, by Constantius, he was bound with iron chains and exiled to Singara in Mesopotamia, and from there transferred to Emesa; and the fourth time to Cucusus in Cappadocia, near the deserts of the Taurus, where, as those who were with him reported, he was strangled by them and died. Having done this, these men, who never tell the truth, were not ashamed even after his death to invent another pretext, that he had died of illness, although all who live in that place know the truth. For even Philagrius, who was then vicar of those parts and played the part in all their affairs as they wished, nevertheless marveled at this—grieved perhaps that not he but another had done the evil—and reported to many others, including friends of ours and Bishop Serapion, that Paul had been shut up by them in a very small and dark place and left to perish of hunger; then after six days, when they went in and found him still breathing, they set upon the man and strangled him; and so he ended his life. They said that the agent of this death was Philip, who had been prefect. But divine justice did not overlook this either; for not a year passed before Philip was deprived of his office with great dishonor, so that, having become a private person, he was mocked by those by whom he least wished to be. Greatly grieved himself, groaning and trembling like Cain, and daily expecting someone to kill him, away from his own country and his family, as one struck with terror, he died, not as he would have wished. Yet they do not spare even the dead, against whom they invented pretexts while they lived; for they have been eager to show themselves fearsome to all in this way: they exile the living and have no pity on the dead; but even then, alone of all men, they hate the departed and plot against their families—truly inhuman haters of good, more savage in character than enemies because of their impiety, men who not from truth but from … ### Scripture references - Gen 4:12: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Paul was strangled at Cucusus about 350. “First … by Constantine”: the scan reads Κωνσταντίου twice; the first exile was under Constantine. The account of the third exile appears to be missing before “the fourth time”. “Groaning and trembling like Cain”: Gen 4:12 (LXX). The end of the chapter is lost in the scan (“…”). ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 7 (PG 25:701a–704b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-7). ## History of the Arians 8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-8 - Source: PG 25:704b–704c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recalls that after Constantine’s death his sons restored the exiled bishops, citing the letter of Constantine II already given in his Defense. ### Greek text Ταῦτα συνορῶντες οἱ τρεῖς ἀδελφοὶ, Κωνσταν.. τῖνος, Κωνστάντιος, καὶ Κώνστας, ἐποίησαν πάντας μετὰ θάνατον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐπανελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα καὶ τήν Ἐκκλησίαν · γράψαντες περὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ἰδία τῇ ἑκάστου Ἐκκλησία· περί δὲ Ἀθανασίου ταῦτα, ἃ πάλιν τὴν μὲν τοῦ πράγματος βίαν δείκνυσι, τὴν δέ τῶν περὶ Εύσέβιον ἀνδροφόνον προαίρεσιν έλέγχει. ’Δντίγραφονκ ῌωνσταντίνου Καίσαρος τῷ _ λαῷ τῆςξ κάθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας πόλεως τῶν Ἀλεῖξανδρέων. Οὐδὲ τήν τῆς ὑμετέρας ἱερᾶς ἐννοίας διαπεφευγέναι γνῶσιν οἶμαι, διὰ τοῦτο Ἀθανάσιον τὸν τοῦ προσκυνητοῦ νόμου ὑποφήτην. (Ἐγράφη ὀπίσω εἴς τὸν δε λόγον ἀπαραλλάκτως.) Τὰ μὲν οὗν γραφέντα ταῦταʼ τῆς δὲ συσκευῆς αύτῶν τίς ἕτερος ἀξιόπιστος τούτου μάρτυς ἂν γένοιτο: ταῦτα γὰρ εἰδὼς, οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἔγραψεν. ### English translation (Claude) Seeing this, the three brothers, Constantine, Constantius, and Constans, caused all to return after their father’s death to their homelands and their churches, writing about the others separately to each one’s church, and about Athanasius as follows—which again shows the violence of the affair and convicts the murderous purpose of Eusebius and his party. Copy of the letter of Constantine Caesar to the people of the catholic Church of the city of the Alexandrians: “I think it has not escaped the knowledge of your holy mind that Athanasius, the interpreter of the venerable law …” (It is written above, in the Defense, without change.) This, then, is what was written; and what more trustworthy witness of their plot could there be than he? For he knew these things when he wrote as he did. ### Translation notes - The letter is quoted in full in the Defense against the Arians 87; the bracketed remark is the editor’s cross-reference as printed. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 8 (PG 25:704b–704c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-8). ## History of the Arians 9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-9 - Source: PG 25:704c–705a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes how the Eusebians, failing before the emperors and Julius, turned to Constantius and urged him to persecute and to send Philagrius and Gregory to Egypt. ### Greek text Οἱ μέννοι περὶ Εὐσέβιον, βλέποντες ἐλαττουμένην αὐτῶν τήν αʼίρεσιν, γθάφουσιν εἷς Ῥώμην, γράφουσι δὲ καὶ τοῖς βασιλεῦσι Κωνσταντίνῳ καὶ Κώνσταντι κατᾶ Ἀθανασίου. Ὡς δὲκαὶ o't παρᾶ ’Δθανασίου ἀποσταλέντες διήλεγξαν τὰ παρʼ ἐκείνων γραφέντα, παρᾶ μὲν τῶν βασιλέων ἐνετράπησαν. Ὀ δὲ ἐπίσκοπος Ῥώμης Ἰούλιος ἔγραψε χρῆναι γενέσθαι σύνοδον, ἔνθα ἂν ἐθελήσωμεν, ’ίνα ἃ μὲν κατηγοροῦσι δείξωσι, περὶ δὲ ὧν κατηγοροῦνταικαὶ αὐτοὶ, θαρροῦντες ἀπολογήσωνται. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ οἱ παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀποσταλέντες πρεσβύτεροι, βλέποντες ἑαυτοὺς ἐλεγχομένους, ἠξίωσαν γενέσθαι. Τούτων τοίνυν γενομένων, ὁρῶντες ἑαυτοὺς οἱ πρὸς πάντα τυγχάνοντες inomoc μή περιγινομένους έν ἐκκλησιαστικῇ κρίσει, προσέρχονται μόνῳ Κωνσταντίῳ, καὶ λοιπὸν ἀποδύρονται, ὡς πρὸς τὸν τῆς αἱρέσεως προστάτην, Φεῖσαι, λέγοντες, τῆς αἱρέσεως· ὁρᾷς πάντας ἀποστάντας ἀφʼ ἡμῶν ὀλίγοι λοιπὸν ἀπελείφθημεν. ’Ἄρξαι διώκειν, ἐπεὶ καὶ παρά τῶν ὀλίγων ἀφιέμεθα, καὶ μένομεν ἔρημοι. Οὓς γὰρ ἐβιασάμεθα, τούτων ἐξ· ορισθέντων, τούτους ἐπανελθόντες ἔπεισαν πάλιν φρονεῖν καθʼ ἡμῶν. Γράψον οὖν κατᾶ πάντων, καὶ πέμψον Φιλάγριον δεύτερον ἔπαρχον τῆς Αἰγύπτου · αύτὸς γὰρ ἐπιτηδείως δύναται διώκειν, ἤδη μὲν τῇ πειρᾳ δείξας, μάλιστα δὲ καὶ παραβάτης ὥν. Πέμψον δὲ καὶ Γρηγόριον ἐπίσκοπον εἷς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν · καὶ οὗτος γάρ δύναται συστῆσαι τὴν ἡμετέραν αἳρεσιν. ### English translation (Claude) But Eusebius and his party, seeing their heresy diminishing, write to Rome, and write also to the emperors Constantine and Constans against Athanasius. But when those sent by Athanasius refuted what they had written, they were put to shame by the emperors; and Julius, the bishop of Rome, wrote that a synod should be held wherever we wished, so that they might prove their accusations, and we too might confidently defend ourselves against the charges they made. For the presbyters they had sent, seeing themselves refuted, had asked for this. When this happened, these men, ready for anything, seeing that they would not prevail in an ecclesiastical trial, go to Constantius alone and lament to him as to the patron of the heresy: “Spare the heresy,” they say. “You see that all have fallen away from us; only a few of us are left. Begin to persecute, for we are being abandoned even by the few and left desolate. For those whom we forced, when these men were in exile, they have persuaded on their return to think against us again. Write, then, against all, and send Philagrius a second time as prefect of Egypt; for he is able to persecute fittingly, having already shown it by experience, especially as he is an apostate. Send Gregory too as bishop to Alexandria; for he too is able to establish our heresy.” ### Translation notes - The speech of the Eusebians to Constantius is Athanasius’s satirical reconstruction and is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 9 (PG 25:704c–705a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-9). ## History of the Arians 10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-10 - Source: PG 25:705a–705b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the violent installation of Gregory at Alexandria with the help of soldiers and a hired mob. ### Greek text Γράφει τοίνυν τότε Κωνστάντιος, πάντας δὲ διώκει, καὶ πέμπει Φιλάγριον ἔπαρχον, καὶ ’Δρσάκιόν τινα εὐνοῦχον · πέμπει δέ καὶ Γρηγόριον μετά στρατιωτικῆς ἐξουσίας. Καὶ τοιαῦτα γέγονεν, οἷα καὶ πρότερον. Συναγαγόντες γάρ πλῆθος βουκόλων καὶ ποιμένων, ἄλλων τε ἀγοραίων καὶ ἀσελγῶν νεωτέρων, μετά ξιφῶν καὶ ῥοπάλων, ἐπῆλθον ἀθρόως τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῆ καλουμένῃ Κυρίνου · καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀπέκτειναν, τοὺς δὲ κατεπάτησαν, ἄλλους τε πληγαῖς κατακόψαντες εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐνέβαλον, καὶ ἐξώριζον · πολλὰς τε γυναῖκας κατασύροντες, εἷλκον εἷς τὸ δικαστήριον δημοσίᾳ, καὶ τῶν τριχῶν ἕλκοντες ὕβριζον · ἄλλους ἐδημευον, ἄλλων ἄρτους ἀφῃροῦντο, διʼ οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ ’ίνα τοῖς ’Δρειανοῖς προσθῶνται, καὶ Γρηγόριον δέξωνται τὸν ἀπὸ βασιλέως ἀποσταλέντα. ### English translation (Claude) Then Constantius writes, persecutes everyone, and sends Philagrius as prefect, and one Arsacius, a eunuch; he sends Gregory too with military force. And the same things happened as before. For they gathered a crowd of herdsmen and shepherds and other market loafers and dissolute young men, with swords and clubs, and attacked in a body the church called that of Quirinus; some they killed, others they trampled underfoot, others they beat with blows, threw into prison, and exiled; many women they dragged publicly to the court and outraged, dragging them by the hair; some they had their property confiscated, others deprived of their bread—for no other reason than that they might join the Arians and accept Gregory, who had been sent by the emperor. ### Translation notes - “Their bread”: the allowance of bread distributed through the church. The church of Quirinus was one of the churches of Alexandria. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 10 (PG 25:705a–705b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-10). ## History of the Arians 11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-11 - Source: PG 25:705b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells how the Eusebians, invited to a church trial at Rome without counts or soldiers, excused themselves on the pretext of the Persian war. ### Greek text Ἀθανάσιος μὶν οὖν, πρὶν γενέσθαι ταῦτα, καὶ μόνον ἀκούσας, ἔπλευσεν εἷς τὴν Ῥώμην, εἰδώς τε τὸν θυμὸν τῶν αἱρετικῶν, καὶ Ἵνα, ὡς ἤρεσεν, ἡ σύνοδος γένηται ὁ δὲ Ἰούλιος γράιρει καὶ πέμπει πρεσβυτέρους, Ἐλπίδιον καὶ Φιλόξενον, ὁρίσας καὶ προθεσμίαν, ἳνα ἢ ἔλθωσιν, ἢ γινώσκοιεν ἑαυτοὺς ὑπόπτους εἶναι κατὰ πάντα. Ἀλλʼ οι περὶ Εύσέβιον, ώς μόνον ἥκουσαν ἐκκλησιαστικήν ἔσεσθαὶ κρίσιν, ἐν ᾖκόμης οὐ παραγίγνεται, ού στρατιῶται πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν, ού βασιλικῷ προστάγματι τὰ τῆς συνόδου τελειοῦται (ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἀεὶ κατὰ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἴσχυσαν, καὶ ἄνευ τούτων ούδόλως λαλῆσαι θαῤῥοῦσιν), οὕτω κανέπτηξαν, ὡς τοὺς μὲν πρεσβυτέρους κατασχεῖν καὶ μετὰ τὴν προθεσμίαν, πλάσασθαι δὲ πρόφασιν ἀπρεπῆ, ὃτι μὴ δυνάμεθα νῦν ἐλθεῖν διὰ τοὺς παρὰ Περῶν γιγνομένους πολέμους. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἦν ἀληθὲς, ἀλλὰ φόβος τοῦ συνειδότος. Τί γὰρ κοινὸν πόλεμος πρὸς ἐπισκόπους; Ἤδιατί μὴ δυνάμενοι διὰ τοὺς Πέρσας είς Ῥώμην ἐλθεῖν, καίτοι μακρὰν ἀπέχουσαν, καὶ πέραν θαλάττης οὖσαν, τοὺς τῆς Ἀνατολῆς τόπους καὶ τοὺς ἐγγὺς ἐκείνων περιηρχοντο ὡς λέοντες, ζητοῦντες τίς αὐτοῖς ἐναντιοῦται, τίνα διαβάλλοντες ἐξορίσωσιν ; ### English translation (Claude) Athanasius, then, before these things happened, on merely hearing of them, sailed to Rome, knowing the fury of the heretics, and so that the synod might be held as had been agreed. Julius writes and sends presbyters, Elpidius and Philoxenus, also fixing a date, so that they might either come or know that they were suspect in everything. But Eusebius and his party, as soon as they heard that there was to be an ecclesiastical trial—at which no count is present, no soldiers stand before the doors, and the proceedings of the synod are not completed by imperial command (for by these things they have always prevailed against the bishops, and without them they do not dare to speak at all)—cowered so that they detained the presbyters even beyond the appointed date and invented an unseemly pretext: “We cannot come now because of the wars caused by the Persians.” This was not true, but the fear of conscience. For what has war to do with bishops? Or why, if they could not come to Rome because of the Persians, though it is far away and across the sea, did they go round the places of the East and those near them like lions, seeking who opposed them, whom they might slander and exile? ### Scripture references - 1 Pet 5:8: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “Like lions, seeking …”: cf. 1 Pet 5:8. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 11 (PG 25:705b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-11). ## History of the Arians 12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-12 - Source: PG 25:705b–708b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the scourging and imprisonment of Egyptian bishops, monks, and virgins under Gregory and the duke Balacius, including the death of the confessor Potammon. ### Greek text Ἀμέλει, τούς πρεσβυτέρους ἀπολύσαντες ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπιθάνῳ ταύτῃ προφάσει, συνελάλουν ἀλλήλοις · Ἐπεὶ μὴ δυνάμεθα ἐκκλησιάστικῇ κρίσει κρατεῖν, τὴν συνήθη τόλμαν ἐπιδειξώμεθα. Γράφουσι τοίνυν Φιλαγρίῳ, καὶ ποιοῦσιν αὐτὸν μετά Γρηγορίου κατʼ ὀλίγον ἐξελθεῖν εἷς τὴν Αἴγυπτον, καὶ λοιπὸν ἐπίσκοποι μαστίζονται καὶ έδεσμοῦντο πικρῶς. Σαραπάμμωνα γοῦν ἐπίσκοπον ὁμολογητήν ἐξορίζουσι, Ποτάμμωνα δὲ ἐπίσκοπον ὁμολογητὴν, ἀπολέσαντα καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἐν τῷ διωγμῷ, οὕτω κατέκοψαν ταῖς καταυχενίοις πληγαῖς, ὡς μὴ πρότερον παύσασθαι πρὶν ἂν νομισθῆναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον νεκρὸν. Οὕτω γοῦν ἐρρίφη, καὶ μόγις μετὰ ὥρας θεραπευόμενος καὶ διαρῥιπιζόμενος ἀνέπνευσε, τοῦ Θεοῦ δεδωκότος τὸ ζῇν · ἀλλά μετά χρόνον ὀλίγον ἐκ τοῖʼ) πόνου τῶν πληγῶν ἀπέθανεν, ἔχων ἐν Χριστῷ τὸ καύχημα δευτέρου μαρτυρίου. Πόσοι τε ἄλλοι μονάζοντες ἐμαστίζοντο, καθεζομένου Γρηγορίου μετᾶ Βαλακίου, τοῦ λεγομὲτου δουκός ί πόσοι ἐπίσκοποι ἐκόπτοντο ! πόσαι παρθένοι ἐτύπτοντο ί ### English translation (Claude) At any rate, having dismissed the presbyters with this implausible pretext, they said to one another, “Since we cannot prevail in an ecclesiastical trial, let us show our usual audacity.” They write, then, to Philagrius and make him go out with Gregory, after a little while, into Egypt; and then bishops are scourged and cruelly put in chains. Sarapammon, a bishop and confessor, they exile; Potammon, a bishop and confessor, who had lost an eye in the persecution, they so beat with blows on the neck that they did not stop until the man was thought dead. So he was thrown aside, and with difficulty, after some hours of care and fanning, he revived, God granting him life; but a short time afterwards he died from the pain of the blows, having in Christ the glory of a second martyrdom. And how many monks were scourged while Gregory sat with Balacius, the so-called duke! How many bishops were beaten! How many virgins were struck! ### Translation notes - Potammon, bishop of Heraclea, had lost an eye in the persecution under Maximinus and was present at Nicaea. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 12 (PG 25:705b–708b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-12). ## History of the Arians 13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-13 - Source: PG 25:708b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes Gregory’s cruelty: forcing communion, refusing burial to Athanasius’s aunt, and seizing alms given to widows and the poor. ### Greek text Εἶτα ὁ ἄθλιος Γρηγόριος μετά ταῦταήπαρεκάλει πάντας κοινωνεῖν αὐτῷ · καίτοι εί κοινωνίαν ἠξίους παρʼ αὐτῶν ἔχειν, οὐκἦσαν ἄξιοι πληγῶν · εί δὲ ὡς φαύλους ἔκοπτες, τί ὡς ἁγίους παρεκάλεις ; Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲν ἧν αὐτῷ ποοκείμενον, ἢ τὰ τῶν ἀποστειλάντων πληρῶσαι, καὶ τὴν αιρεσιν συστῆσαι. Διά τοῦτο καὶ ἀνδροφόνος γέγονε καὶ δήμιος, καὶ ὑβριστὴς, καὶ δόλιος, καὶ βέβηλος, καὶ τὸ ὅλον Χριστομάχος ὁ ἀνόητος. Τήν γοῦν τοῦ ἐπισκόπου θείαν οὕτως ἐδίωξεν, ὡς μηδὲ ἀποθανοῦσαν ἀφεῖναι ταφῆναι ' καὶ τοῦτʼ ἂν ἐγεγόνει, καὶ ἄταφος έρῥίφη, εἰ μὴ οἱ ὑποδεξάμενοι αὐτὴν ὡς ἴδιον νεκρὸν ἐξήνεγκαν ο οὕτω καὶ ἐν τούτοις εἶχεν ἀνόσιον τὸν τρόπον. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ χηρῶν καὶ ἄλλων ἀνεξόδων λαβόντων ἐλεημοσύνην, ἐκέλευε τὰ δεδομένα διαρπάζεσθαι, καὶ τά ἀγγεῖα ἐν οἷς ἔφερον τὸ ἔλαιον καὶ τδν οἶνον, κατεάγασθαι, ’ίνα μὴ μόνον λαβὼν ἀσεβήσῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργοις ἀτιμάζῃ τὸν Κύριον, ἀκουσόμενος ὅσον οὐδέπω παρʼ αὐτοῦ Ἐφόσον ἠτίμασας τούτους, ἐμὲ ἠτίμασας. ### English translation (Claude) Then, after this, the wretched Gregory urged all to communicate with him. Yet if you asked to have communion with them, they did not deserve blows; and if you beat them as wicked, why did you urge them as saints? But he had no purpose but to fulfill the wishes of those who sent him and to establish the heresy. For this reason the fool became a murderer and an executioner, insolent, deceitful, profane—in a word, a Christ-fighter. He so persecuted the bishop’s aunt that he would not allow her even to be buried when she died; and this would have happened, and she would have been thrown out unburied, had not those who had taken her in carried her out as their own dead. So unholy was his character even in such things. Moreover, when widows and other helpless people had received alms, he ordered what had been given to be seized, and the vessels in which they carried the oil and the wine to be broken, so that he might not only be impious in taking it, but also dishonor the Lord by his deeds—he who would very soon hear from him, “Inasmuch as you dishonored these, you dishonored me.” ### Scripture references - Matt 25:45: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - “Inasmuch as you dishonored these …”: an adaptation of Matt 25:40, 45. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 13 (PG 25:708b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-13). ## History of the Arians 14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-14 - Source: PG 25:708b–709a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius contrasts Gregory’s scorn for the letters of Antony with his delight in letters from officials, and tells how the duke Balacius died after insulting Antony’s letter. ### Greek text Πολλά τε ἕτερα ἐποίει, ἃ καὶ λόγου φράσιν ὑπεραίρει, καὶ ἀκούσας τις ἄπιστα νομίσειε. Ταῦτα δὲ διὰ τοῦθʼ οὕτως ἔπραττεν, ἐπεὶ μήτε ἐκκλησιαστικῷ κανόνί τήν κατάστασιν εἶχε, μήτε ἀποστολικῇ παραδόσει κληθεὶς ἧν ἐπίσκοπος · ἀλλʼ ἐκ παλατίω μετὰ στρατιωτικῆς ἐξουσίας καὶ φαντασίας ἀπέσταλτο, ὥσπερ ἀρχὴν κοσμικὴν ἐγκεχειρισμένος. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἀρχόντων μᾶλλον ηὔχετο φίλος εἶναι ἢ ἐπισκόπων καὶ μοναζόντων. Ei’ ποτε οὖν καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ Ἀντώνιος ἐκ του ὅρους ἔγραφεν, ὥσπερ βδέλυγμα ἁμαρτωλῷ θεοσέβεια, οὕτως ἐβδελύσσετο τὰ τοῦ ἁγίου γράμματα. Εἴ ποτε δὲ βασιλεὺς, ἢ στρατηλάτης, ἢ ἄλλος δικαστὴς ἐπέστελλεν, οὕτω περιχαρὴς ἐγίγνετο, ὡς οἱ ἐν ταῖς Ηαροιμίαις, καθὼς σχετλιάζων ἔλεγεν ὁ λόγος · Ὢ οἱ ἐγκαταλείποντες ὁδοὺς εὐθείας, οἱ εὐφραινόμενοι ἐπὶ κακοῖς, καὶ χαίροντες ἐπῖ διαστροφῇ κακῶν. Ἃμέλει τοὺς μέν ταῦτα κομίζοντας ἐτίμα χρήμασιν · Ἀντωνίου δὲ ποτε γράψαντος, πεποίηκε τὸν δοῦκα Βαλάκιον καταπτῦσαι τῆς ἐπιπολῆς, καὶ ταύτην ἀποῤῥίῴαι. Ἀλλʼ ού παρεῖδεν ἡ θεία δίκη ° μετʼ οὗ πολὺ γὰρ τὸν λεγόμενον δοῦκα ἐπικαθήμενον ἵππῳ, καὶ ἀπερχόμενον είς τὴν πρώτην μονὴν, ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ ἵππος, καὶ δακὼν εἰς τὸν μηρὸν, κατέβαλε, καὶ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἀπέθανεν. ### English translation (Claude) And he did many other things that surpass the power of words, and that anyone hearing of them would think incredible. He acted so because he had his appointment neither by ecclesiastical canon, nor had he been called to be bishop by apostolic tradition, but had been sent from the palace with military force and pomp, as one entrusted with a secular office. For this reason he wished to be the friend of magistrates rather than of bishops and monks. If ever father Antony wrote from the mountain, then, as godliness is an abomination to a sinner, so he abhorred the holy man’s letters. But if ever the emperor, or a general, or another magistrate wrote, he was as overjoyed as those in the Proverbs, as the word says reproachfully: “O you who forsake straight paths, who delight in evil and rejoice in the perverseness of the wicked.” At any rate he honored those who brought such letters with money; but once, when Antony wrote, he made the duke Balacius spit on the letter and throw it away. But divine justice did not overlook it; for not long after, as the so-called duke was mounted on a horse and going to the first halting place, the horse turned, bit him on the thigh, and threw him down, and within three days he died. ### Scripture references - Prov 2:13: quotation, high confidence - Prov 2:14: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Sir 1:25 (Sirach): allusion, high confidence - Athanasius, V. Ant. 86 (Life of Antony): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “Godliness is an abomination to a sinner”: Sir 1:25. The Proverbs quotation: Prov 2:13–14. The same story of Balacius is told in the Life of Antony 86. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 14 (PG 25:708b–709a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-14). ## History of the Arians 15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-15 - Source: PG 25:709a–712b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the Council of Sardica, where the Eastern bishops, finding a church trial without officials and their accusers present, shut themselves in the palace and resolved to flee. ### Greek text Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν οὗν οὕτως ἔπραττον κατα παντων · ἐν δὲ τῇ Ῥώμῃ, συνελθόντες ἐπίσκοποί που πεντήκοντα, τοὺς μὲν περὶ Εύσέβιον, ὡς ὑπόπτους καὶ φοβηθέντας ἐλθεῖν, οὐκ ἀπεδέξαντο, ἀλλᾶ καὶ τὰ γραφέντα παρʼ αὐτῶν ἠκύρωσαν ’ ἡμᾶς δὲ ἀπεδέξαντο, καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς κοινωνίαν ἠγάπησαν. Ἕως δὲταῦτα ἐγίγνετο, ἦλθεν εἷς γνῶσιν τοῦ βασιλέως Κώνσταντος, τε ἐν Ῥώμῃ γενομένη σύνοδος, καὶ τὰ ἐν τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ, καὶ πάσῃ τῇ Ἀνατολῇ κατὰ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν γεγενημένα· καὶ γράφει τῷ ἀδελφῷ Κωνσταντίῳ, καὶ λοιπὸν ἀμφοτέροις ἀρέσκει σύνοδον γενέσθαι, καὶ διαγνωσθῆναι τὰ πράγματα, ἷνʼ οἳ μὲν ἀδικηθέντες μηκέτι πάσχωσιν, οἱ δὲ ἀδικοῦντες μηκέτι τοιαῦτα τολμᾷ δύνωνται. Συνέρχονται τοίνυν ἀπό τε τῆς Ἀνατολῆς καὶ τῆς Δύσεως ἐν τῇ Σαρδῶν πόλει πλέον ἢ ἔλαττον po’ τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἐπίσκοποι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς Δύσεως μόνοι ἦσαν ἐπίσκοποι, ἔχοντες Πατέρα τὸν Ὅσιον · οἱ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ’Δνατολῆς ἐπήγοντο μεθʼ ἑαυτῶν παιδαγωγοὺς καὶ συνηγόρους, Μουσουνιανὸν κόμητα, καὶ Ἡεύχιον τὸν Καστρησιον, διʼ οὓς καὶ προθύμως ἧλτον,νομίζοντες μεθʼ ἐξουσίας αὐτῶν πάλιν πάντα πράττεσθαι. Οὕτω γὰρ ἀεὶ διὰ τούτων φοδερους ἑαυτοὺς ἐδείκνυον οἷς ἐβούλοντο. καὶ ἐπεβούλευον οἷς ἂν αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει. Ὠς δὲ ἀπαντήσαντες ἑωράκασιν ἐκκλησιαστικὴν δίκην μόνην,γενομένην χωρὶς κόμιτος καὶ στρατιωτῶν, ὡς ἑωράκασι τοὺς ἀφʼ ἑκάστης Ἐκκλησίας καὶ πόλεως κατηγόρους, καὶ τούς κατʼ αύτῶν ἐλέγχους · ὡς ἑωράκασιν ’Ἀρειον καὶ Ἀστέριον, τιμίοτς ἐπισκόπους, ἀνελθόντας μὲν σὺν αὐτοῖς, ἀποδημήσαντας δέ ἀπʼ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐλθόντας μεθʼ ἡμῶν, διηγουμένους τε τὴν πανουργίαν ἐκείνων, ὡς ὕποπτοι εἶεν ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι, καὶ φοβοῦνται κρίσιν γενέσθαι, μὴ ἐλεγχθῶσι παρʼ ἡμῶν μὲν συκοφάνται, παρά δὲ τῶν ἐπλάσαντο κατηγόρων, ὡς αὐτοὶ πάντα ὑποβαλόντες, καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα μηχανησάταῦτα συνορῶντες, καίτοι μετά σπουδῆς ἐλμενοι θόντες, νομίσαντες μηδὲ ἡμᾶς ἀπαντᾷν ὠς φοβουμένους ’ ὡς ἑωράκασι καὶ τὴν ἡμῶν προθυμίαν, ἀποκλείουσιν έαυτοὺς ἐν τῶ παλατίῳ γὰρ ᾢκουν. ἰαὶ λοιπὸν ἀλλήλοις συνελάλουν: ’Ἠλθομεν ἐπʼ ἀλ- .οις, καὶ ἄλλα βλέπομεν ἀπηντήσαμεν μετὰ κομήἷχουσιν οἱπερὶ Ἀθανάσιον τὰ έν τῷ Μαρεώτῃ ὑποματα, ἐξ ὧν αὐτὸς μὲν καθαρίζεται,ἡμεῖς δὲ μεν ; πλασώμεθα προφάσεις, καὶ ἀπέλθωμεν, μὴ μένοντες κατακριθῶμεν· Βέλτιον φεύγοντας ἐρυθριᾷν, Ξ ἐλεγχθέντας συκοφάντας καταισχύνεσθαι. Ἐὰν φύγωμεν, δυνάμεθὰ πως κᾶν τῆς αἱρέσεως προίστασθαι · ἐὰν δὲ καὶ φεύγοντας ἡμᾶς καταἱφιέντα ἡμᾶς ὑπὸ τῶν λαῶν ἐκβάλλεσθαι ἀπὸ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν. ### English translation (Claude) They, then, acted thus against all; but at Rome about fifty bishops assembled, and they rejected Eusebius and his party as suspect and afraid to come, and even declared what they had written invalid; but they received us and gladly embraced communion with us. While this was happening, the synod held at Rome, and the things done against the churches at Alexandria and throughout the East, came to the knowledge of the emperor Constans; and he writes to his brother Constantius, and it pleased them both that a synod should be held and the matters examined, so that those who had been wronged might suffer no more, and those who did wrong might no longer be able to dare such things. So there assembled from both East and West at the city of Sardica bishops numbering about one hundred and seventy, more or less. Those from the West were bishops only, having Hosius as their father; but those from the East brought with them tutors and advocates, Musonianus the count and Hesychius the castrensis, on whose account they came eagerly, thinking that everything would again be done by their authority. For by such men they always made themselves fearsome to whom they wished, and plotted against whom they pleased. But when they arrived and saw an ecclesiastical trial alone, held without count or soldiers; when they saw the accusers from every church and city, and the proofs against them; when they saw Arius and Asterius, honored bishops, who had come up with them but had departed from them and come over to us, and were relating their villainy—how they were suspect in their dealings and afraid that a trial would take place, lest they be convicted as false accusers by us, and by those whom they had put up as accusers as the ones who had suggested everything and contrived such things—seeing this, though they had come with eagerness, thinking that we would not appear for fear, when they saw our readiness, they shut themselves up in the palace (for they were lodging there), and then said to one another, “We came for one thing and we see another; we arrived with counts, and … Athanasius and his party have the minutes of the Mareotis, by which he is cleared and we are … Let us invent pretexts and depart, lest by staying we be condemned. It is better to blush as fugitives than to be put to shame as convicted false accusers. If we flee, we can somehow still lead the heresy; but if they condemn us even as we flee … that we are driven out of the churches by the people.” ### Translation notes - “Arius and Asterius” are the bishops of Palestine and Arabia who left the Eastern party (cf. Defense against the Arians 48, which names the first Macarius); this Arius is not the heresiarch. The last part of the section is scrambled in the scan: lines are interleaved and some are lost, so the Eastern bishops’ words are translated by sense and the gaps marked “…”. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 15 (PG 25:709a–712b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-15). ## History of the Arians 16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-16 - Source: PG 25:712b–712c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: The Eastern bishops fled Sardica on the pretext of a victory announcement from the emperor, ignoring the synod’s summons to defend themselves. ### Greek text Τοιαῦτα μὲν οὗν ἐκεῖνοι διελογίζοντο ’Ὀσιος δὲ καί οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες ἐπίσκοποι πυκνότερον αὐτοῖς ἐσήμαινον τὴν προθυμίαν τῶν περὶ ’Δθανάσιον, καὶ ὡς ἕτοιμοι πρὸς ἀπολογίαν εἰσὶν, ἐπαγγελλόμενοι διελέγχειν ὗμᾶο συκοφάντας ’ ἔλεγόν τε · Εἰ φοβεῖσθε τὴν κρίσιν, τί ἀπηντᾶτε; ἔδει γὰρ ἢ μὴ ἐλθεῖν, ἢ ἐλθόντας μὴ φεύγειν. Ἐκεῖνοι ταῦτα ἀκούοντες, καὶ μᾶλλον καταπλήξαντες, ἀπρεπεστέρᾳ τῆς ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ προφάσεως ἄλλῃ προφάσει χρησάμενοι, ὡς βασιλέως αὐτοῖς ἐπινίκια κατά Περσῶν γράψαντος, ἐπεχείρησαν φεύγειν. Καὶ ταύτην τὴν πρόφασιν οὐκ αἰδεσθέντες ἔπεμψαν διʼ Εύσταθίου πρεσβυτέρου τῆς κατὰ Σαρδικήν Ἐκκλησίας. Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτοῖς ἡ φυγὴ καταθυμίως ἀπέβη εὐθὺς γὰρ ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος, ἧς προήγορος ἦν ὁ μέγας Ὃσιος, ἔγραψεν αὐτοῖς φανερῶς · ἢ ἀπαντήσατε ἀπολογησόμενοι πρὸς τὰς ἐπιφερομένας καθʼ ύμῶν κατηγορίας, καὶ ἃς εἰργάσασθε συκοφαντίας, ἤ γινώσκετε, ὅτι ὑμᾶς μὲν ὡς ὑπευθύνους ἡ σύνοδος κατακρίνει ’ τοὺς δὲ περὶ Ἀθανάσιον ἐλευθέρους καὶ καθαροὺς ἀπὸ πάσης αἰτίας ἀποφαίνεται. Ἐκεῖνοι τοίνυν ὑπὸ φόβου τοῦ συνειδότος ἠλαύνοντο μᾶλλον, ἢ τοῖς γράμμασιν ἐπείθοντο ο καὶ γὰρ τοὺς ἀδικηθέντας παρʼ αὐτῶν ὁρῶντες, οὐδὲ πρὸς τούς λέγοντας ἐπεστρέφοντο, ἀλλʼ ὀξύτερον ἔφευγον. ### English translation (Claude) Such were their deliberations. But Hosius and all the other bishops frequently informed them of the readiness of Athanasius and his companions, and that they were prepared to make their defense, promising to prove them false accusers; and they said, “If you fear the trial, why did you come? You ought either not to have come, or, having come, not to flee.” On hearing this they were still more dismayed, and using another pretext, more unseemly than the one at Antioch—that the emperor had written to them about his victory over the Persians—they attempted to flee. And they were not ashamed to send this pretext by Eustathius, a presbyter of the church at Sardica. But not even so did their flight turn out as they wished; for at once the holy synod, whose spokesman was the great Hosius, wrote to them plainly: “Either come and make your defense against the charges brought against you and the false accusations you have made, or know that the synod condemns you as guilty and declares Athanasius and his companions free and clean of every charge.” But they were driven by the fear of their conscience rather than persuaded by the letter; for seeing those whom they had wronged, they did not even turn toward those who spoke, but fled all the faster. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 16 (PG 25:712b–712c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-16). ## History of the Arians 17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-17 - Source: PG 25:712c–713b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: The synod of Sardica cleared Athanasius, deposed the leaders of the Arian party, and declared Gregory’s episcopate and appointments void. ### Greek text Ἐκείνων μὲν οὖν οὕτως αἰσχρῶς καὶ ἀπρεπῶς γέγονεν ἡ φυγή ’ ἡ δὲ ἁγία σύνοδος ἠ ἀπὸ λεʼ καὶ πλέον ἐπαρχιῶν συναχθεῖσα, ἐπιγνοῦσα τὴν τῶν Ἀρειανῶν κακοήθειαν, ἐδέξατο τοὺς περὶ ’Δθανάσιον εἰς ἀπολογίαν περὶ ὧν πεπόνθασι, κάκεῖνοι κατηγῶ ρησαν ο καὶ οὕτως ἀπολογησαμένους, ἅπερ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν εἰρήκαμεν, ἀπεδέξατο, καὶ ὑπερεθαύμασεν, ὥστε αὐτοὺς τε καὶ τήν κοινωνίαν αὐτῶν ἀγαπῆσαι, καὶ γράψαι πανταχοῦ, γράψαι τε καὶ εἰς τὴν ἑκάστου παροικίαν, καὶ μάλιστα εἰς ’Δλεξάνδρειαν καὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον, καὶ εἰς τὰς Λιβύας, Ἀθανάσιον μὶν καὶ τούς σόν αύτῷ καθαροὺς καὶ πάσης μέμψεως ἐκτὸς εἶναι, τοὺς δὲ κατʼ αὐτῶν γενομένους συκοφάντας, κακούργους, καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ Χριστιανοὺς τυγχάνειν. ’Δπέλυσαν γοῦν αύτούς μετʼ εἰρήνης καθεῖλον δε Στέφανον καὶ Μηνόφαντον, Ἀκάκιον καὶ Γεώργιον τὸν ἰν Λαοδικείᾳ, Ούρσάκιον, καὶ Οὐάλεντα, καὶ Θεόδωρον καὶ Νάρκισσον · Γρηγόριον γὰρ τὸν ἀπὸ βασιλέως εἷς ’Δλεξοὶνδρειαν ἀποσταλέντα οὕτως ἀπεκήρυξαν, ὡς μηδὲ ὅλως ἐπίσκοπον γενόμενον, μηδὲ ὀφείλοντα Χριστιανὸν ὀνομάζεσθαι · ἠκύρωσαν γοῦν καὶ ἃς ἔδοξε καταστάσεις ποιεῖσθαι, προστάξαντες μηδὲ αὐτας ὅλως έν Ἐκκλησία ὀνομάζεσθαι διὰ τὸ καινὸν τῆς παρανομίας. Οὕτω μὶν οὖν Ἀθανάσιος καὶ οἱ σὺν αύτῷ ἀπελύθησαν μετʼ εἰρήνης. Τά τε γράμματα ἐν τῷ τέλει γέ, γραπται διὰ τὸ μῆκος τῆς ἐπιπολῆς · καὶ ἡ σύνοδος διαλέλυται. ### English translation (Claude) So shameful and unseemly was their flight. The holy synod, assembled from thirty-five provinces and more, recognizing the malice of the Arians, admitted Athanasius and his companions to make their defense concerning what they had suffered and what those men had charged; and when they had defended themselves, as we have related above, it accepted them and admired them greatly, so that it embraced them and communion with them, and wrote everywhere, and to the diocese of each, especially to Alexandria and Egypt and the Libyas, that Athanasius and those with him were clean and beyond all blame, while those who had acted against them were false accusers, evildoers, and anything rather than Christians. So it dismissed them in peace, and deposed Stephen and Menophantus, Acacius and George of Laodicea, Ursacius, Valens, Theodore, and Narcissus. As for Gregory, who had been sent by the emperor to Alexandria, they denounced him as never having been a bishop at all and not deserving even to be called a Christian; they also annulled the appointments he had seemed to make, ordering that these should not even be named in the Church, because of the novelty of the lawlessness. So Athanasius and those with him were dismissed in peace. The letters are written at the end, because of the length of the letter; and the synod was dissolved. ### Translation notes - “The letters are written at the end” refers to the synodal letters, which are given in the Defense against the Arians 36–50. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 17 (PG 25:712c–713b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-17). ## History of the Arians 18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-18 - Source: PG 25:713b–713c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recounts the reprisals after Sardica: ten laymen beheaded at Adrianople and clergy and bishops exiled. ### Greek text Οἱ δὲ καθαιρεθέντες, δέον καὶ οὕτως ἠρεμεῖν, οἱ δὲκαὶ μετά τὴν οὕτως αἰσχρὰν φυγὴν κατελθόντες, τοιαῦτα ἔδρασαν, ὡς ἐκ τούτων μικρὰς αὐτῶν τὰς προτέρας δειχθῆναι πράξεις. Ἐπειδή γὰρ ούκ ἠθέλησαν αὐτοῖς οἱ ἐν Ἀδριανουπόλει κοινωνῆσαι, ὡς (PUγοῢσιν ἀπὸ τῆς συνόδου καὶ ὑπευθύνοις γενομένοις, ἀνήνεγκαν βασιλεῖ Κωνσταντίῳ, καὶ πεποιήκασιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκεῖ καλουμένης Φάβρικος δέκα λαῖκῶν ἀποτμηθῆναι τὰς κεφαλὰς, ὑπουργοῦντος αὐτοῖς καὶ είς τοῦτο Φιλαγρίου, πάλιν ἐκεῖ κόμητος γενομένου. Καὶ τούτων τὰ μνήματα πρὸ τῆς πόλεώς ἐστιν, ἅπερ παρερχόμενοι καὶ ἡμεῖς ἑωράκαμεν. Εἶτα ὥσπερ κατορθώσαντες, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτʼ ἔφυγον, ’ίνα μή ἐλεγχῶσι συκοφάνται, ἅπερ ἐβούλοντο, ταῦτα καὶ βασιλεὺς ἐκέλευε. Πεποιήκασι γοῦν καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας εἷς τήν Ἀρμενίαν ἐξορισθῆναι πρεσβυτέρους δύο, καὶ διακόνους τρεῖς · καὶ ’Ἄρειον μὲν καὶ Ἀστέριον, τὸν μὶν ἀπὸ Πετρῶν τῆς Παλαιστίνης, τὸν δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀραβίας, ἐπισκόπους, τοὺς ἀποπηδήσαντας ἀπʼ αὐτῶν, οὐ μόνον ἐξώρισαν εἰς τήν ἄνω Διβύην, ἀλλᾶ καὶ ὕβρεων μετασχεῖν αὐτοὺς πεποιήκασιν. ### English translation (Claude) But the deposed, who ought even so to have kept quiet, after their so shameful flight came back and did such things that their earlier acts appeared small by comparison. For since the people of Adrianople would not communicate with them, as fugitives from the synod and men found guilty, they reported to the emperor Constantius and had ten laymen from the place there called the Fabrica beheaded, with Philagrius, who had again become count there, serving them in this too. Their tombs are before the city; we ourselves saw them as we passed by. Then, as though they had succeeded—though they fled precisely so that they might not be convicted as false accusers—whatever they wished the emperor ordered. So they had two presbyters and three deacons from Alexandria exiled to Armenia; and Arius and Asterius, bishops—the one of Petra in Palestine, the other of Arabia—who had left them, they not only exiled to Upper Libya, but caused them to suffer insults as well. ### Translation notes - The Fabrica was the imperial arms factory at Adrianople. OCR debris is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 18 (PG 25:713b–713c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-18). ## History of the Arians 19 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-19 - Source: PG 25:713c–716b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the chaining and exile of Lucius of Adrianople, death sentences against Thracian bishops, and orders to behead Athanasius and his presbyters if they returned to Alexandria. ### Greek text Λούκιον δὲ τὸν τῆς Ἀδριανουπόλεως ἐπίσκοπον, ἐπειδὴ ἔβλεπον πολλῇ τῇ κατʼ αὐτῶν παρῥησίᾳ χρώμενον, καὶ ἐλέγχοντα αὐτῶν τὴν ἀσέβειαν, πεποιήκασι πάλιν, ὥσπερ καὶ πρότερον, ἁλύσεσι σιδηραῖς δεθῆναι τὸν τράχηλον καὶ τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ οὕτως ἐξώρισαν, ἔνθα καὶ ένελεύτησεν, ὡς ἐκεῖνοι γινώσκουσι ι Καὶ Διόδωρον μὲν ἐπίσκοπον ἐκτοπίζουσιν. Ὀλύμπιον δὲ τὸν ἀπὸ Δίνων, Θεόδουλον τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Τραϊανουπόλεως, ἀμφοτέρους ἀπὸ τῆς Θρᾴκης ἐπισκόπους, ἀγαθοὺς καὶ ὀρθοδόξους ἄνδρας, ἐπειδὴ ἑωράκασι μισοῦντας τὴν αἳρεσιν, διἔβαλον, τὸ πρῶτον μὲν οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον, καὶ ἔγραψε βασιλεύς Κωνστάντιος, τὸ δεύτερον δὲ ὑπέμνησαν οὗτοι. Ἠν δὲ τὰ γραφέντα μή μόνον ἐκβάλλεσθαι τῶν πόλεων καὶ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν αὐτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ κεφαλικὴν διδόναι δίκην, εἴ που εὑρεθεῖεν οὗτοι, Τοῦτο δὲ εἰ καὶ θαυμαστὸν, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἀλλότριον τῆς προαιρέσεωςναύτῶν. ὡς γὰρ μαθόντες τὸ τοιοῦτον ἀπὸ τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον, καὶ ὥσπερ κληρονόμοι τῆς ἀσεβείας καὶ τῆς προαιρέσεως αὐτῶν τυγχάνῠντες, ἠθέλησαν, ὡς οἶ πατέρες αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ Θρᾴκῃ, οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι ἐν τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ φοβεροὺς ἐαυτοὺς δεῖξαι καὶ ποιοῦσι γραφῆναι, ὥστε τοὺς λιμένας καὶ τὰς εἰσόδους τῶν πόλεων τηρεῖσθαι, μήπως διά τήν ἀπὸ τῆς συνόδου συγχώρησιν ἐπανέλθωσιν εἷς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας. Ποιοῦσι δὲ γραφῆναι καὶ τοῖς [ἐν] ’Δλεξανδρείᾳ δικασταῖς, περὶ Ἀθανασίου καὶ πρεσβυτέρων τινῶν ἐξ ὀνόματος, ἵνα, εἴτε ἐπίσκοπος, εἴτε τις ἐξ ἐκείνων εὑρεθείη τῆς πόλεως ἢ τῶν ὅρων αὐτῆς ἐπιβὰς, τῷ δικαστῇ τῶν εὑρισκομένων τιὶς κεφαλὰς ἀποτέμνειν. Οὕτως ἡ Ἰουδαϊκή νέα αἵρεσις ού μόνον ἀρνεῖται τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλά καὶ φονεύειν μεμάθηκεν. ### English translation (Claude) Lucius, bishop of Adrianople, since they saw him speaking against them with great boldness and exposing their impiety, they again, as before, had bound with iron chains on his neck and hands, and so exiled him to the place where he died, as they know. Diodorus, a bishop, they banish. Olympius of Aenus and Theodulus of Trajanopolis, both bishops of Thrace, good and orthodox men, since they saw that they hated the heresy, they slandered: first Eusebius and his party did so, and the emperor Constantius wrote; and the second time these men reminded him. What was written was that they should not only be driven out of their cities and churches, but suffer capital punishment wherever they were found. This, though astonishing, is not foreign to their purpose. For, as men who learned such things from Eusebius and his party and are heirs of their impiety and their purpose, they wished, as their fathers had in Thrace, so in Alexandria to show themselves fearsome; and they have it written that the harbors and the gates of the cities be watched, lest by the permission of the synod they return to their churches. They also have it written to the magistrates at Alexandria concerning Athanasius and certain presbyters by name, that, whether the bishop or any one of them be found setting foot in the city or its territory, the magistrate should cut off the heads of those found. Thus this new Jewish heresy not only denies the Lord, but has learned to murder. ### Translation notes - Calling Arianism a “new Jewish heresy” is Athanasius’s polemic (he compares its denial of Christ’s Godhead to Jewish unbelief); it is translated as written. Latin-letter OCR slips are corrected by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 19 (PG 25:713c–716b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-19). ## History of the Arians 20 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-20 - Source: PG 25:716b–717b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells how Stephen of Antioch tried to discredit the envoys of Sardica by sending a prostitute into Bishop Euphrates’s room at Easter, and was deposed when the plot was exposed. ### Greek text Θύδε οὕτω δὲ ἠρέμουν, ἀλλʼ ὥσρερ ὁ πατήρ τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν περιέρχεται ὡς λέων, ζητῶν τίνα καταπίῃ, οῧτως οὗτοι δημοσίου δρόμου τήν ἐξουσίαν λαβόντες καὶ περιερχόμενοι, ὃν ἂν ηὕρισκον ὀνειδίζοντα τούτοις τήν φυγὴν, καὶ μισοῦντα τὴν Ἀρειανὴν αʼίρεσιν, τούτους ἐμάστιζον, ἐδέσμευον, ἐποίουν ’ἐξορίξεσθαι-τῆς ἰδίας πατρίδος ί φοβερούς τε ἑαυτοὺς οὕτως ἐποίουν, ὡς πολλοὺς μὲν ὑποκριτὰς ποιῆσαι, πολλοὺς δὲ εἰς ἐρημίας φεύγειν, ἢ τούτοις βούλεσθαι κᾶν ὅλως συντυγχάνειν. Τοιαῦτα ἦν αὐτῶν μετά τὴν φυγὴν τῆς μανίας τὰ τολμήματα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ δρῶσιν ἄλλο τι καινὸν, ὅπερ τῆς μὲν αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν ἐστι κατάλληλον, οὔπω δὲ πρότερον ἠκούσθη, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ τάχα γενήσεταί ποτε οὐδὲ παρὰ τοῖς ἀσελγεστέροις τῶν Ἑλλήνων, μήτιγε παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς. Τῆς γὰρ ἁγίας συνόδου πρεσβευτὰς ἀποστειλάσης ἐπισκόπους, Βικέντιον μὲν τὸν ἀπὸ Καπύης (ἔστι δὲ αὕτη μητρόπολις τῆς Καμπανίας), Εὐφράτην δὲ τὸν ἀπὸ Ἀγριππίνης (ἔστι δὲ καὶ αὕτη μητρόπολις τῆς ἅνω Γαλλίας), ἵνα, ὡς ἠ σύνοδος ἔκρινε, συγχωρήσῃ βασιλεύς εἷς τὰς ἐκκλησίας τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἐπανελθεῖν, ἐπειδή καὶ αύτὺς ἐξέβαλε ’ γράψαντός τε καὶ τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Κώνπαντος τῷ ἀδελφῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ συστήσαντος τοὺς ἐπισκόπους οἱ θαυμαστοὶ καὶ πρὸς πάντα τολμηροὶ, ὡς ἑωράκασιν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τῆς Ἀντιοχείας, βουλεύονται μὶν κοιινδ, μόνος δὲ Στέφανος ἀναδέχεται τὸ δράμα, ὡς ἐπιτηδείως ἔχων περὶ τά τοιαῦτα. δίισθοῦνται τοίνυν πόρνην δημοσίαν ἐν αύταῖς ταῖς ἡμέραις τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου Πάσχα, καὶ γυμνώσαντες ταύτην ἐπαφιᾶσι νυκτὸς Εὐφράτῃ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ. Καὶ ἡ μενπόρνη τὸ πρῶτον, νομίσασα νεώτερον εἶναι τὸν καλέσαντα, · ὡς δέ ῥιφεῖσα παρʼ ἐκείνων, προθύμως ἠκολούθει εἶδε κοιμώμενον τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ μή εἰδότα τὸ γιγνόμενον, εἶτα ὡς κατενόησε καὶ εἶδε πρεσβύτου πρόσωπον, καὶ ἐπισκόπου κατάστασιν, εὐθὺς ἀναβοήσασα τήν βίαν ἐβόα. Ἐκεῖνοί τε ἠξίουν σιωπᾷν, καὶ καταψεύδεσθαι τοῦ ἐπισκόπου. Ἡμέρας τοίνυν γενομένης, διατεθρύλητο τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ πόλις συνέτρεχεν · o'i τε ἀπὸ τοῦ παλατίου ἐκινοῦντο, θαυμάζοντες τὸ θρυλούμενον, καὶ ἀξιοῦντες μὴ σιωπηθῆναι τοῦτο. Γέγονε τοίνυν κρίσις, καὶ ὁ μὲν ἐταιροτρόφος ἤλεγξε τοὺς ἐλθόντας ἐπὶ τήν πόρνην, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ τὸν Στέφανον · ἦσαν γὰρ αὐτοῦ κληρικοί. Ὀ μὲν οὖν Στέφανος καθαιρεῖται, καὶ γίγνεται ἀντʼ αὐτοῦ Λεόντιος ὁ ἀπόκοπος, ’ίνα μόντν” μὴ λείπῃ τῇ ’Δρειανῇ αἱρέσει προστάτης. ### English translation (Claude) Nor even so were they quiet; but as the father of their heresy goes about like a lion seeking whom he may devour, so these men, having obtained the use of the public post and going about, whomever they found reproaching them with their flight and hating the Arian heresy they scourged, put in chains, and had exiled from their own country; and they made themselves so fearsome that they turned many into hypocrites, and many fled into the deserts rather than meet them at all. Such were the audacious deeds of their madness after their flight. And they did something else new, in keeping with their heresy, never heard of before, and perhaps never to happen even among the more dissolute of the pagans, let alone among Christians. When the holy synod sent as envoys the bishops Vincent of Capua (the metropolis of Campania) and Euphrates of Agrippina (the metropolis of Upper Gaul), so that, as the synod had decided, the emperor might allow the bishops to return to their churches, since it was he who had expelled them—the most pious Constans too had written to his brother and commended the bishops—these admirable men, bold for anything, when they saw them at Antioch, took counsel together, and Stephen alone undertook the drama, as being well suited to such things. They hire a public prostitute during the very days of the most holy Pascha, strip her, and send her in by night to Euphrates the bishop. The prostitute at first, thinking that the one who had called her was a young man, followed eagerly; but when, thrown in by them, she saw the man asleep and unaware of what was happening, and then, looking closely, saw the face of an old man and the bearing of a bishop, she at once cried out and shouted that she was being forced. They urged her to keep quiet and to bring a false charge against the bishop. When day came, the matter was noised abroad and the whole city ran together; those of the palace too were stirred, marveling at the report and demanding that it not be hushed up. So there was a trial: the brothel-keeper exposed those who had come for the prostitute, and they exposed Stephen, for they were his clerics. So Stephen is deposed, and Leontius the eunuch is made bishop in his place, only so that the Arian heresy might not lack a champion. ### Scripture references - 1 Pet 5:8: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - “Goes about like a lion seeking whom he may devour”: 1 Pet 5:8. Agrippina is Cologne. The event took place at Easter 344. The order of a few phrases in the scan is disturbed and a doubled phrase is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 20 (PG 25:716b–717b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-20). ## History of the Arians 21 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-21 - Source: PG 25:717b–717d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: After the Euphrates scandal Constantius released the exiled clergy and, after Gregory’s death, repeatedly invited Athanasius to return. ### Greek text Ο δὲ βασιλεὺς Κωνστάντισς ὀλίγον τι κατανυγεὶς, εἷς ἑαυτὸν ἦλθε · λογισάμενός τε, ἐξ ὧν ἐδρασαν τῷ Εὐφράτῃ, ὅτι καὶ τά κατά τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιχειρήματα τοιαύτά ἐστι, τοὺς μέν ἐξορισθέντας ἀπὸ τῆς ’Δτλεξανδρείας εἷς τὴν Ἀρμενίαν πρεσβυτέρους καὶ διακόνους, εὐθὺς ἀπολυθῆναι κελεύει, Γράφει τε εἷς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν φανερῶς, μηκέτι διώκεσθαι τούς μετὰ Ἀθανασίου κληρικούς τε καὶ λαούς, Εἶτα μετά μῆνάς που δέκα τελευτήσαντος Γρηγορίου, μεταπέμπεται καὶ Ἀθανάσιον μετὰ πάσης τιμῆς, οὐχ ἅπαξ, ούδέ δεύτερον, ἀλλά καὶ τρίτον γράψας αὐτῷ μὲν φιλικά, διʼ ὧν θαρρεῖν καὶ ἐλθεῖν προέτρεπε. Πέμπει τε πρεσβύτερον καὶ διάκονον, ’ίνʼ ἔτι μᾶλλον θαρῥῶν ἐπανέλθοι, Ἐνόμιζε γάρ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῶν πρότερον γενομένων ὀλιγωρεῖν με περὶ τὴν ἐπάνοδον. Γράφει δέ καὶ τῷ ἀδελφῷ ἑαυτοῦ Κώνσταντι, ἵνα καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπανελθεῖν με προτρέψηται. Διεβεβαιοῦτο γὰρ ἐνιαυτὸν ὅλον ἐκδέχεσθαι τὸν Ἀθανάσιον, καὶ οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἐπιτρέψαι γενέσθαι τινα καινοτομίαν, ἢ καὶ κατάστασιν, φυλάττων ’Δθανασίῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ τὰς Ἐκκλησίας. ### English translation (Claude) The emperor Constantius, somewhat pricked in conscience, came to himself; and reasoning from what they had done to Euphrates that their attempts against the others too were of the same kind, he orders the presbyters and deacons exiled from Alexandria to Armenia to be released at once. He writes openly to Alexandria that the clergy and people who were with Athanasius should no longer be persecuted. Then, when about ten months later Gregory died, he sends for Athanasius with all honor, writing to him not once nor twice but three times friendly letters, in which he urged him to take courage and come. He sends a presbyter and a deacon too, so that he might return with still more confidence; for he thought that I was neglecting to return because of fear of what had happened before. He writes also to his brother Constans, so that he too might urge me to return. For he affirmed that he had been waiting a whole year for Athanasius, and would never permit any innovation or appointment, keeping the churches for Bishop Athanasius. ### Translation notes - Gregory died in 345. Athanasius moves here from the third person to the first (“I”), as in the Greek. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 21 (PG 25:717b–717d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/3/#p-21). ## History of the Arians 22 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-22 - Source: PG 25:717d–721b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recounts his audience with Constantius, who swore to hear no more slanders, and cites the emperor’s letters restoring him, including one written after the murder of Constans. ### Greek text Οὕτω δὴ οὖν γράψαντος αὐτοῦ, καὶ προτρεψαμένου διά πολλῶν (καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοὺς κόμητας αὐτοῦ πεποίηκε γράψαι, Πολέμιον, Δατιανὸν, Βαρδίωνα, Θάλασσον, Ταῦρον, καὶ Φλωρέντιον, οἷς καὶ μᾶλλον πιστεύειν ἦν), τὸ δὲ ὅλον δεδωκὼς τῷ Θεῷ, τῷ καὶ εἷς τοῦτο κατανύξαντι τὸν Κωντάντιον9 ἦλθεν Ἀθανάσιος μετά τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ πρὸς αὐτὸν, γνησίως τε αὐτὸν ἑώρακε, καὶ ἀπέλυσεν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν πατρίδα καὶ τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, γράψας καὶ τοῖς κατά τόπον δικασταῖς, ἐπειδὴ πρότερον προστάξας ἦν φυλάττεσθαι τάς διόδους, ’ἱνα ἀκώλυτον ἔχωσι τήν πάροδον. Εἶτα τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἀποδυρομένου περί ὧν τέπονθε, καὶ περὶ τῶν κατʼ αὐτὸν γραφέντων παρʼ αὐτοῦ, παρατιθεμένου τε μὴ πάλιν μετάτὴν ἀποδημίαν διαβολαὶ γένωνται παρά τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ λέγοντος · Κάλει τούτους, εἷ βούλει (ἔξεστι γὰρ έστᾶναι τούτους διʼ ἡμᾶς), καὶ διελέγχωμεν αύτούς. Τοῦτο μὶν ού πεποίηκε ’πάνσα δὲ ὅσα πρότερον ἐκ διαβολῆς ἦν γραφέντα κατʼ αὐτοῦ, ἀνιοιρεθῆναι ταῦτα καὶ ἀπαλιφῆναι κελεύει, διαβεβαιωσάμενος μηκέτι τοῦ λοιποῦ διαβολῶν ἀνέχεσθαι, ἀλλʼ εἶναι βεβαίαν καὶ ἀμετάβλητον τὴν προαίρεσιν. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐχ ἆπλιῖξς ἔλεγεν, ἀλλʼ ὅρκοις ἐπεσφράγιζε τοὺς λόγους, τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ τούτοις καλῶν μάρτυρα. Πολλοῖς γοῦν καὶ ἑτέροις λόγοις προτρεψάμενος αὐτὸν, καὶ θαρῥεῖν παρακελευσάμενος, γρέφει πρὸς τοὺς ἐπισκόπους, καὶ τοὺς δικαστὰς ταῦτα · Νικητὴς Κωνστάντιος Λμέγιστος Σεβαστὸς έπισκόποιςʼ καὶ κληρικοῖς ’τῆς καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίαᾳ Ούκ ἀπελείφθη τῆς του Θεοῦ χάριτος ὁ αἶδεσιμώτατος. (Ἐγράφη ὀπίσω εἰς τὸν ξε λόγον καὶ ἔστιν ἐξ ὁλοκλήρου ὁμοία ταύτης.) Ἑτέρα ἐπιστολή. Κωνσταντίου πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας Σκοπὸν ποιούμενοι τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐν ἅπασιν εὖνομίαν. (Ἐγράφη καὶ αὕτη ὁμοίως εἷς τὸν αὐτὸν ξε λόγο Ι [99].) Ἑτέρα ἐπιστολή. Νικητής Κωνστάντιος Αὔγουστος, Νεστορίῳ ἐξάρχῳ Αἰγύπτου. Φανερόν ἐστι πρὸ τούτου πρόσταξιν ἡμέτεραι γεγενῆσθιοι, ὥστε κατὰ τῆς ὑπολήψεως Ἀθανασίου, τοῦ αἷδεσιμωτάτου ἐπισκόπου, γράμματά τινα εὑρίσκεσθαι · ταῦτά τε συνέστηκεν ἐν τῇ τάξει τῆς σῆς καθοσιώσεως εἶναι. Βουλόμεθα τοιγαροῦν ἵνα ἠ δεδοκιέ μασμένη ἡμῖν νηφαλιότης σου πάσας τὰς ἐπιστολὰς, ὅσας ἂν περὶ· τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ προειρημένου γενομένας έν τῇ ὑπὸ σὲ τάξει, ἀκολούθως τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ ταύτῃ κελεύσει, εἰς τὸ ἡμέτερον κομητάτον ἀπο… Ἃ δὲ καὶ μετᾶ θάνατον τοῦ μακαρίου Κώνι-ταντος ἔγραψεν , ἔστι ταῦτα, Ῥωμαϊστὶ μὲν γραφέντα, ἑρμηνευθέντα δὲ Ἑλληνιστί. Νικητης Κωνστάντιος Αὔγουστος Ἀθανασίῳ. Εὐχὴν ἀεί μοι ταύτην γεγενῆσθαι, ὥστε πάντα καταθυμίως ἀποβαίνειν τῷ ποτέ μου ἀδελφῷ Κώνσταντι, οὐδὲ τὴν σὴν σύνεσιν ἔλαθεν · ἐν ὅσῃ τε λύπῃ διετέθην μαθὼν τούτον ἀνῃρῆσθαι παρά τινων ἀνοσιωτάτων, στοχάζεσθαι πάλιν δύναται ἡ σὴ φρόνησις. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τινές είσιν οἳ ἐν τῷ παρόντι καιρῷ, τῷ οὕτως πενθικῷ, πειρώμενοί σε ἐκφοβεῖν, διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα πρὸς τὴν σὴν περρότητα δοθῆναι τὰ γράμτα ἐδικαίωσα, προτρεπόμενός σε ἳνα, ὡς πρέπει ἐπίσκοπον, τοὺς λαοὺς τά ὀφειλόμενα τῇ θείᾳ θρησκείᾳ διδάσκῃς, καὶ μετʼ αὐτῶν συνήθως εὐχαῖς σχολάζῃς, καὶ μή ματαίοις θρύλοις, θʼίτινες ἀν γ,νοιντο, πιστεύσῃς. Ἡμῖν γὰρ τοῦτο ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ πέπηγεν, ὥστε σε ἀκολούθως τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ προαιρέσει διαπαντὸς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ σου θέλειν ἐπίσκοπον εἶναι. Ἡ θεία πρόνοια πολλοῖς ἔτεσί σε διατηροίη, γονεῦ προσφιλέστατε. ### English translation (Claude) When he had written thus, and urged him through many persons (for he had his counts too write—Polemius, Datianus, Bardio, Thalassus, Taurus, and Florentius—whom one might the more trust), Athanasius, committing the whole matter to God, who had pricked Constantius’s conscience to this, came with those who were with him to the emperor; and he received him kindly and let him go to his homeland and the churches, writing also to the magistrates in the various places, since he had previously ordered the routes to be watched, so that they might have unhindered passage. Then, when the bishop lamented what he had suffered and the letters written against him by the emperor, and asked that after his departure there might not again be slanders from his enemies, saying, “Call them, if you wish (for you may have them stand here, for our sake), and let us refute them,” he did not do this; but all that had previously been written against him through slander he ordered to be removed and expunged, affirming that he would no longer listen to slanders in future, but that his purpose was firm and unchangeable. And he did not say this simply, but sealed his words with oaths, calling God to witness them. Having urged him with many other words too, and bidden him take courage, he writes to the bishops and the magistrates as follows. [23] “Constantius Victor Maximus Augustus to the bishops and clergy of the catholic Church. The most reverend Athanasius has not been left without the grace of God …” (It is written above, in the sixty-fifth treatise, and is wholly the same as this.) Another letter, of Constantius to the people of Alexandria: “Having in view your good order in all things …” (This too is written likewise in the same sixty-fifth treatise.) Another letter: “Constantius Victor Augustus to Nestorius, prefect of Egypt. It is plain that before this an order of ours was issued that certain letters should be found against the reputation of Athanasius, the most reverend bishop; and these are known to be in the office of your devotion. We wish, therefore, that your sobriety, approved by us, should send to our court, in accordance with this our command, all the letters concerning the name of the aforesaid that were made in the office under you …” [24] What he wrote after the death of the blessed Constans is this, written in Latin and translated into Greek: “Constantius Victor Augustus to Athanasius. That it was always my prayer that everything should turn out as he wished for my late brother Constans has not escaped your prudence; and in what grief I was when I learned that he had been killed by certain most unholy men, your wisdom can again conjecture. Since, then, there are some who at this time, so full of mourning, are trying to frighten you, I have thought it right that this letter be given to your firmness, urging you, as befits a bishop, to teach the people what is due to the divine religion, to devote yourself with them to prayers as usual, and not to believe vain rumors, whatever they may be. For it is fixed in our soul that you should always, in accordance with our purpose, be bishop in your place. May divine providence preserve you for many years, most beloved father.” ### Translation notes - The numerals of chapters 23 and 24 were lost in the scan, so this staged section contains chapters 22–24, marked [23] and [24]. The parenthetical remarks belong to the manuscript tradition: they refer to the letters given in full in the Defense against the Arians 54–56 (numbered in the manuscripts’ collection as the sixty-fifth treatise). The end of the letter to Nestorius is lost in the scan (“…”). Constans was killed in 350. Garbled headings are corrected by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 22 (PG 25:717d–721b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-22). ## History of the Arians 25 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-25 - Source: PG 25:721b–724a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes his welcome home in 346: the Palestinian bishops received him, and Alexandria rejoiced with a flowering of asceticism, charity, and peace. ### Greek text Τούτων οὕτω πραχθέντων, οὕτω τε συνταξαμένων, καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ λοιπὸν ἐπιβάντων, οἱ μὲν φίλοι φίλον ὁρῶντες ἔχαιρον · τῶν δὲ ἄλλων οἱ μὲν ἐδυσωποῦντο βλέποντες αὐτὸν ’ οἱ δὲ καὶ παρῥησίαν οὐκ ἔχοντες, ἐκρύπτοντο · οἱ δὲ καὶ παρρησίαν οἷς ἔγραψαν κατὰ τοῖʼ) ἐπισκόπου. Πάντες οὖν οἱ ἀπὸ Παλαιστίνης ἐπίσκοποι, χωρὶς δύο που ἢ τριῶν, καὶ αὐτῶν ὑπόπτῶν τυγχανόντων, οὕτω τὸν Ἀθανάσιον ὑπεδέξαντο, καὶ την πρὸς αὐτὸν ἠσπάσαντο κοινωνίαν, ὡς καὶ γράψαι καὶ ἀπολογησασθαι, ὅτι ἃ πρότερον ἔγραψαν, ού κατὰ προαίρεσιν, ἀλλὰ βιαζόμενοι πεποιήκασι. Περὶ γάρ τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ ταῖς Λιβύαις ἐπισκόπων, καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐταῖς καὶτῶν ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ λαῶν, περιττὸν ἐστι καὶ λέγειν ’ πάντων συντρεχόντων, καὶ ἆνεκλάλητον ἐχόντων τὴν χαράν · οὐχ ὅτι μόνον τοὺς ἰδίους παρʼ ἐλπίδα ζῶντας ἀπελάμβανον, ἀλλʼ ὅτι καὶ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ὡς τυράννων καὶ λυττώντων κυνῶν ἀπηλλάττοντο. Μεγάλη γοῦν ἦν εὐφροσύνη, τῶν λαῶν ἐν ταῖς συνάξεσι παροξυνόντων ἀλλήλους εἷς ἀρετήν. Πόσαι τῶν ἀγάμων, πρότερον οὖσαι πρὸς γάμον ἕτοιμοι, ἔμειναν παρθένοι τῷ Χριστῷῐ πόσοι νεώτεροι βλέποντες ἐτέρους, τὸν μονήρη βίον ἠγάπησαν Ῐπόσοι πατέρες προέτρεπον τέκνα ! πόσοι δὲ καὶ παρὰ τέκνων ἠξιώθησαν, μὴ ἐμποδίζεσθαι τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ἀσκήσεως l πόσαι γυναῖκες ἔπεισαν ἄνδρας, πόσαι δὲ παρὰ ἀνδρῶν ἐπείσθησαν σχολάζειν τῇ προσευχῇ, ὡς εἶπεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος ! πόσαι χῆραι, πόσοι δὲ καὶ ὀρφανοὶ, τὸ πρότερον πεινῶντες καὶ γυμνοὶ τυγχάνοντες, ἐκ πολλῆς τῆς τῶν λαῶν προθυμίας, οὕτε λοιπὸν ἐπείνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνδεδυμένοι προήρχοντο ! Καὶ ὅλως τοσαύτη ἦν ἅμιλλα περὶ ἀρετὴν, ὡς ἐκάστην οἰκίαν, καὶ οἶκον ἕκαστον νομίζειν ἐκκλησίαν εἶναι, διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐνοικούντων φιλοκαλίαν τε καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εὐχήν. Εἰρήνη τε ἦν ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις βαθεῖα καὶ θαυμαστὴ, γραφόντων τῶν πανταχόθεν ἐπισκόπων, καὶ δεχομένων παρά ’Δθανασίου τά συνήθη τῆς εἰρήνης γράμματα. ### English translation (Claude) When these things had been done, and they had taken leave and set out on the road, friends rejoiced to see their friend; of the others, some were put out of countenance at the sight of him, some, having no confidence, hid, and some … about what they had written against the bishop. All the bishops of Palestine, except perhaps two or three, and those suspect, received Athanasius and embraced communion with him, so that they even wrote and excused themselves, saying that what they had written before they had done not willingly but under compulsion. Of the bishops in Egypt and the Libyas, and of the people there and in Alexandria, it is superfluous even to speak: all ran together and had inexpressible joy, not only because they received back their own alive beyond hope, but also because they were rid of the heretics, as of tyrants and raging dogs. Great, then, was the gladness, the people in the assemblies stirring one another up to virtue. How many unmarried women, formerly ready for marriage, remained virgins for Christ! How many young men, seeing others, came to love the solitary life! How many fathers urged their children, and how many were begged by their children not to hinder them from the ascetic life in Christ! How many wives persuaded their husbands, and how many were persuaded by their husbands, to devote themselves to prayer, as the Apostle said! How many widows and orphans, formerly hungry and naked, through the great zeal of the people were no longer hungry, but went about clothed! In short, so great was the emulation in virtue that every house and every household seemed to be a church, because of the inhabitants’ love of goodness and their prayer to God. And there was deep and wonderful peace in the churches, bishops from everywhere writing and receiving from Athanasius the customary letters of peace. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 7:5: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - “To devote themselves to prayer, as the Apostle said”: 1 Cor 7:5. A few words are lost in the first sentence (“…”). ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 25 (PG 25:721b–724a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-25). ## History of the Arians 26 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-26 - Source: PG 25:724a–724c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recalls the written recantation of Ursacius and Valens to Julius and their letter of peace to himself. ### Greek text Καὶ γὰρ καὶ Ούρσάκιος καὶ Ούάλης, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος μαστιζόμενοι, μετέγνωσανο καὶ γράφουσι μὲν αὐτῷ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ φιλικην καὶ εἰρηνικὴν ἐπιστολὴν, καίτοι μὴ λαβόντες παρʼ αὐτοῦ γράμματα. Ἀνελθόντες δέ καὶ εἷς τήν Ῥώμην μετ· ενόουν, ὁμολογοῦντες ὅτι πάντα, ὅσα πεποιήκασι καὶ εἰρήκασι κατʼ αὐτοῦ, ταῦτα εἶναι πάντα ψευδῆ, καὶ μόνον συκοφαντίαν. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς δὲ τοῦτο οὐδʼ αὐτοὶ πεποιήκασιν, ἀλλᾶ γὰρ καὶ ἀναθεματίσαντες τήν Ἀρειανήν αἿρεσιν, ἔγγραφον τὴν μετάνοιαν αύτῶν δεδώκασι, γράψαντες Ἰουλίῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ, Ῥωιαϊστὶ μὲν, μεταβληθέντα δὲ Ἑλληνιστὶ, ταῦτα. Τὸ γὰρ ἀντίγραφον ἀπεστάλη ἡμῖν παρὰ Παύλου ἐπισκόπου Τρ ιβέρων Ῥωμαϊστί. Ἑρ μηνεία ἀπὸ Ῥωμαϊκοῦ. Κυρίῳ μον μακαριωτάτὸ Πάπᾳ Ἰουλίῳ Ούρσάκιος καὶ ὐάλης. καὶ Οὐάλη ς. Ἐπειδὴ υνέστηκεν ἡμᾶς πρὸ τούτου πολλὰ τε καὶ δεινά. (Ἑγράφη ὀπίσω εἰς ξη λόγον, καὶ ἔστι κατὰ πάντα ὁμοία καὶ ἷση.). Ἑρ μηνεία ἀπὸ Ῥωμαϊκοῦ. Κυρίῳ μου ’ἀδελφῷ- ξᾼθανασίῳ, ἐπισκόπῳ, Ούρσάκιος, ’καὶ Οὐάλης ἐπίσκοποι. Ἀφορμῆ ἡμῖν ἐδόθη διὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καὶ συμπρεσβυτέρου. (Ἐγράφη ὀπίσω εἷς τὸν αὐτὸν ξη λόγον, καὶ ἔστιν ὁμοία καὶ ἴση ἐξ ὁλοκλήρου.) Ταῦτα γράψαντες, ὑπέγραψαν καὶ τοῖς εἰρηνικοῖς, παρερχομένων πρεσβυτέρων Ἀθανασίου, Πέτρου τε καὶ Εἰρηναίου, καὶ Ἀμμωνίου λαϊκου καίτοι μηδὲ διʼ αὐτῶν γράψαντος αὐτοῖς. ### English translation (Claude) For Ursacius and Valens too, as if scourged by their conscience, changed their minds, and they write to the bishop himself a friendly and peaceable letter, though they had received no letter from him. And going up to Rome they repented, confessing that everything they had done and said against him was false and mere false accusation. Nor did they do this simply; but anathematizing the Arian heresy, they gave their repentance in writing, writing to Bishop Julius in Latin; what follows is translated into Greek. For the copy was sent to us in Latin by Paul, bishop of Trier. Translation from the Latin: “To my most blessed lord Pope Julius, Ursacius and Valens. Since it is established that we previously … many grave things …” (It is written above, in the sixty-eighth treatise, and is in all respects the same and equal.) Translation from the Latin: “To my lord brother Athanasius, bishop, Ursacius and Valens, bishops. An occasion was given us through our brother and fellow presbyter …” (It is written above, in the same sixty-eighth treatise, and is wholly the same and equal.) Having written this, they also signed the letters of peace when presbyters of Athanasius, Peter and Irenaeus, and Ammonius, a layman, were passing through, although he had not written to them through these men. ### Translation notes - The letters are given in full in the Defense against the Arians 58; the parenthetical cross-references belong to the manuscript tradition. “Paul, bishop of Trier”: the Defense names him Paulinus. OCR debris is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 26 (PG 25:724a–724c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-26). ## History of the Arians 27 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-27 - Source: PG 25:724c–724d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the general reconciliation after his return, including secret penitents among the Arians’ followers. ### Greek text Τίς τοίνυν οὐκ ἐθαύμαζε βλέπων ταῦτα, καὶ τήν τοσαύτην τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν εἰρήνην ; Τίς οὒκ ἔχαιρεν, ὁρῶν τῶν τοσούτων ἐπισκόπων τὴν ὁμόνοιαν; Τίς οὐκ ἐδόξασε τὸν Κύριον, θεωρῶν τῶν λαῶν τήν ἐν ταῖς συνάξεσιν εὐφροσύνην ; Πόσοι τῶν ἐχθρῶν μετενόουν l πόσοι τῶν πρότερον διαβαλλόντων ἀπελογοῦντο ἶπόσοι· πρότερον μισοῦντες αὐτὸν, ὕστερον ἠγάπησαν ί πόσοι τῶν γραψάντων κατʼ αὐτοῦ, παλινῳδίαν ἦσαν l πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν μὴ προαιρέσει, ἀλλʼ ἀνάγκη μετὰ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν ὄντες, ἐρχόμενοι νυκτὸς ἀπελογοῦντο ° καὶ τὴν μὲν αἳρεσιν ἀνεθεμάτιζον, ἠξίουν δὲ συγγνώμην ἔχειν, ὅτι διὰ τὰς …, καὶ τὰς διαβολὰς, τὰς παρʼ αὐτῶν γιγνομένας, τοῖς μὲν σώμασιν ἐκεῖ φαίνονται, τῇ δὲ καρδίᾳ μετὰ Ἀθανασίου συνάγονται, καὶ ἀεὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ τυγχάνουσι· ναὶ πιστέύσατε. ### English translation (Claude) Who, then, did not marvel at seeing this, and the great peace of the churches? Who did not rejoice to see the concord of so many bishops? Who did not glorify the Lord, beholding the gladness of the people in the assemblies? How many enemies repented! How many of his former slanderers excused themselves! How many who formerly hated him came to love him! How many who had written against him recanted! Many too, who were with the Arians not by choice but by necessity, came by night and excused themselves; they anathematized the heresy and asked to be pardoned, because, on account of the … and the slanders made by those men, they appear there in body, but in heart they assemble with Athanasius and are always with him. Believe me. ### Translation notes - A word is lost in the scan (“…”, probably “plots” or “threats”); the debris is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 27 (PG 25:724c–724d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-27). ## History of the Arians 28 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-28 - Source: PG 25:724d–725b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the envy and fear of the Arian leaders at seeing more than four hundred bishops in communion with him. ### Greek text Ἀλλά ταῦτα ἀκούοντες καὶ βλέποντες oi κληρονόμοι τῆς γνώμης καὶ τῆς ἀσεβείας τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον, Λεόντιος ὁ ἀπόκοπος, ὃν οὐδὲ ὡς λαϊκὸν κοινωνεῖν ἐχρῆν, διότι ἑαυτὸν ἀπέκοψεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μετʼ ἐξουσίας λοιπὸν κοιμᾶσθαι μετὰ Εύστολίου τινὸς, γυναικὸς μὲν διʼ αὐτὸν, λεγομένης δὲ παρθένου · Γεώργιός τε καὶ ’Δκάκιος, καὶ Θεόδωρος,·καὶ Νάρκισσος, οἵτινες καὶ ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ καθῃρέθησαν, μεγάλως ᾐσχύνοντο. Εἶτα βλέποντες τῆν πρὸς Ἀθανάσιον τῶν ἐπισκόπων συμφωνίαν τε καὶ εἰρήνην, πλείους δὲ ἦσαν υʼ, ἀπό τε τῆς μεγάλης Ῥώμης καὶ τῆς Ἰταλίας πάσης, Καλαβρίας τε καὶ Ἀπουλίας καὶ Καμπανίας, Βρεττίας τε καὶ Σικελίας, Σαρδινίας τε καὶ Κορσικῆς καὶ πάσης τῆς Ἀφρικῆς · τούς τε ἀπὸ Γαλλιῶν, καὶ Βρεττανίας, καὶ Σπανιῶν, μετὰ τοῦ μεγάλου καὶ ὁμολογητοῦ Ὁσίου ’ἔπειτα τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν Παννονίων, καὶ Νωρικοῦ, καὶ Σισκίας, Δαλματίας τε καὶ Δαρδανίας, Δακίας τε καὶ Μυσίας, Μακεδονίας, Θεσσαλίας, καὶ πάσης τῆς Ἀχαίας, καὶ Κρήτης, Κύπρου τε καὶ Λυκίας, καὶ πλείστους τῆς Παλαιστίνης τε καὶ Ἰσαυρίας, Αἰγύπτου, καὶ Θηβαίδος, καὶ πάσης Λιβύης, καὶ Πενταπόλεως · ταῦτα βλέποντες ἐκεῖνοι, φθόνῳ καὶ φόβῳ συνεσχέθησαν · φθόνῳ μὶν διὰ τήν τοσούτων κοινωνίαν, φόβῳ δὲ μὴ οἱ παρʼ αὐτῶν ἀπατηθέντες προσ-τεθῶσι τῆ τῶν τοσούτων ὁμοψυχίᾳ, καὶ λοιπὸν ἡ αἵρεσις αύτῶν παραδειγματισθεῖσα θριαμβευθῇ καὶ στηλιτευθῇ πανταχοῦ· ### English translation (Claude) But hearing and seeing this, the heirs of the opinion and impiety of Eusebius and his party—Leontius the eunuch, who ought not to be in communion even as a layman, because he castrated himself so that he might thereafter sleep without hindrance with one Eustolium, a woman on his account, but called a virgin; and George, Acacius, Theodore, and Narcissus, who had been deposed at the synod—were greatly ashamed. Then, seeing the agreement and peace of the bishops with Athanasius—and they were more than four hundred, from great Rome and all Italy, Calabria, Apulia, Campania, Bruttium, Sicily, Sardinia, Corsica, and all Africa; those from the Gauls, Britain, and the Spains, with the great confessor Hosius; then those from the Pannonias, Noricum, Siscia, Dalmatia, Dardania, Dacia, Moesia, Macedonia, Thessaly, all Achaia, Crete, Cyprus, Lycia, and most of those of Palestine, Isauria, Egypt, the Thebaid, all Libya, and Pentapolis—seeing this, they were seized with envy and fear: envy because of the communion of so many, and fear lest those deceived by them should join the unanimity of so many, and their heresy then be exposed, made a public spectacle, and branded everywhere. ### Translation notes - The charge against Leontius of Antioch is Athanasius’s and is translated as written; the same story is told by other ancient writers. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 28 (PG 25:724d–725b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-28). ## History of the Arians 29 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-29 - Source: PG 25:725c–725d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius ridicules Ursacius and Valens for relapsing and claiming that their recantation had been made out of fear of Constans. ### Greek text Πρῶτον μὲν τοὺς περὶ Ούρσάκιον καὶ Οὐάλεντα, ὡς τοὺς κύνας μεταπείθουσι μεταβάλλεσθαι, καὶ εἷς τὸν ἴδιον, ἐμετον ἐπιπρέψαι, καὶ ὡς τοὺς χοίρους είς τὸν πρότερον βόρβορον τῆς ἀσεβείας πάλιν κυλισθῆναι, πρόφασίν τε τῆςιμετανοίας πλάσασθαι, ὡς διὰ φόβον τοῦ θεοσεβεστάτου Κώνπαντος εἷεν τοῦτο πεποιηκότες καίτοι, εἶκαὶ φόβος ἦν, ἀλλʼ ούκ ἐχρῆν, εἷʼπερ ἐθάρρουν οἷς ἔπραξαν, προδότας τούτων γίγνεσθαι. ’Ότε δὲ οὐδὲ φόβος, ἀλλʼ ἐψεύδοντο, πῶς ούκ ἄξιοι πάσης καταγνώσεώς εἰσιν ; Ούτε γάρ στρατιώτου παρόντος, οὐ παλατινῶν, ἢ νοταρίων ἀποσταλέντων, ὁποῖα νῦν αὐτοὶ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ βασιλέως παρόντος, οὐδὶ ὅλωτ κληθέντες παρά τινος ἔγραψαν ° ἀλλʼ αὐτοὶ θέλοντες ἀνῆλθον είς τῆν Ῥώμην, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἔνθα φόβος μὲν ἔξωθεν οὐκ ἦν, μόνος δὲ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος ἐστὶ, καὶ ἐλευθέραν ἕκαστος ἔχει τὴν προαίρεσιν, διʼ ἑαυτῶν μετενόησαν καὶ ἔγραψαν. Καὶ ὅμως ’Δρειανοὶ δεύτερον γενόμενοι τοιαύτην πάλιν ἀπρεπῆ πρόφασιν ἐπινοήσαντες, οὐκ ἐρυθρ ιῶσιν. ### English translation (Claude) First they persuade Ursacius and Valens to change again, like dogs, and turn back to their own vomit, and like pigs to wallow again in the former mire of impiety, and to invent a pretext for their repentance, that they had done it for fear of the most God-fearing Constans. Yet even if there had been fear, they ought not, if they had confidence in what they had done, to have become traitors to it. And since there was no fear, but they lied, how do they not deserve every condemnation? For it was not with a soldier present, nor with palatines or notaries sent, such as they themselves now use, nor with the emperor present, nor because they were summoned by anyone at all, that they wrote; but of their own will they went up to Rome, and in the church, where there was no fear from outside, but only the fear of God, and each has free choice, they repented of themselves and wrote. And yet, having become Arians a second time and invented such an unseemly pretext again, they do not blush. ### Scripture references - 2 Pet 2:22: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The dog and the pig: 2 Pet 2:22 (Prov 26:11). ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 29 (PG 25:725c–725d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-29). ## History of the Arians 30 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-30 - Source: PG 25:725d–728b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells how the Arian leaders urged Constantius to persecute again, and how the emperor, on his march against Magnentius, broke his oaths like Pharaoh. ### Greek text Ἔπειτα κοινῇ προσελθόντες παρεκάλουν τὸν βασιλέα Κωνστάντιον, λέγοντες · Καὶ τὸ πρῶτον ἀξιοῦντες, οὐκ ἐπιστεύθημεν · ἐλέγομεν γὰρ, ὅτε μετεπέμπου τὸν Ἀθανάσιον, ὅτι, τοῦτον προκαλούμενος, τήν ἡμετέραν αʼίρεσιν ἐκβάλλεις. Οὗτος γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατʼ αὐτῆς γέγονε, καὶ οὐ παύεται ταύτην ἀναθεματίζων. Αὐτὸς μὶν οῦνἤδη πεπλήρωκε τά πανταχοῦ γράφων καθʼ ἡμῶν · καὶ οἱ μὶν πλεῖστοι τὴν μετʼ αὐτοῦ κοινωνίαν ἔχουσι θ τῶν δέ καὶ δοξάντων μεθʼ ἡμῶν εἶναι οἱ μέν προσετέθησαν αὐτῷ, οἷ δὲ μέλλουσιν · ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐμείναμεν μόνοι. Καὶ φόβος μὴὴκαὶ ἡ αʼίρεσις γνωσθῇ. καὶ λοιπὸν ἡμεῖς καὶ σὺ χρηματίσωμεν αἱρετικοί ' κʼἀν τοῦτο γένηται, σκόπει μετὰ Μανιχαίων λογισθῶμεν. Ἀρξαι πάλιν οῦν διώκειν, καὶ πρόστα τῆς αἱρέσεως · καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὕτη σε βασιλέα ἔχει. Τοιαῦτα μὶν οὖν ἦν τούτων τὰ τῆς πανουργίας ῥήματα. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ διερχόμενος, ὅτε πρὸς Μαγνέντιον ἔσπευδε, καὶ βλέπων τὴν πρὸς Ἀθανάσιον τῶν ἐπισκόπων κοινωνίαν, ὡς ὑπὸ πυρὸς ἀναφθεὶς μετεβάλλετο τὴν γνώμην, καὶ οὔτε τῶν ὅρκων έμνημόνευσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὧν ἔγραψεν έπελάθετο, καὶ τῶν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν καθηκόντων ἀγνώμων γέγονε. Καὶ γάρ καὶ αὐτῷ γράιρων, καὶ Ἀθανάσιοννέωρακὼς, ὅρκους δέδωκε μή ἄλλως ποιήσειν, ἤ ὡς ἂν λαὸς βούληται, καὶ τῷ έπισκόπῳ καταθυμίως τυγχάνοι.ῨἈλλʼ ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἀσέβειαν σπουδὴ πάντων ἀθρόως αὐτὸν ἐπιλαθέσθαι πεποίηκεν. Ού δεῖ δὲ θαυμάζειν εί μετά τοσαῦτα γράμματα καὶ τοσούτους ’ὀρκους ἠλλοιώθη Κωνστάντιος, ὅπουγε καὶ ὁ τῆς Δίʼγύπτου τότε τύραννος Φαραὼ, πολλάκις ἐπαγγελλόμενος, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λαμβάνων τῶν βασάνων ἄνεσιν, μετετίθετο, ἕως εἰς τέλος ἀπώλετο σύν αὐτοῖς τοῖς ὁμονοήσασιν αὐτῷ. ### English translation (Claude) Then they went together to the emperor Constantius and besought him, saying: “At first, too, when we made our request, we were not believed; for we said, when you were sending for Athanasius, that by inviting him you were driving out our heresy. For he has been against it from the beginning and does not cease anathematizing it. He has already filled every place with letters against us; most people have communion with him; of those who seemed to be with us, some have joined him and others are about to; and we have been left alone. We fear that the heresy too will become known, and that from now on both we and you will be called heretics; and if this happens, see to it that we are not reckoned with the Manichees. Begin, then, to persecute again, and champion the heresy; for it too has you as its emperor.” Such were their crafty words. And he himself, passing through when he was hastening against Magnentius, and seeing the communion of the bishops with Athanasius, changed his mind as if set on fire; he neither remembered his oaths, but even forgot what he had written, and became unmindful of the duties owed to his brother. For in writing to him, and when he had seen Athanasius, he had given oaths that he would not act otherwise than as the people wished and as was agreeable to the bishop. But his zeal for impiety made him forget everything at once. One need not wonder if after so many letters and so many oaths Constantius changed, when Pharaoh too, then the tyrant of Egypt, often promising and thereby obtaining relief from the plagues, changed his mind, until at last he perished with those who agreed with him. ### Scripture references - Exod 8:15: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The speech of the Arian bishops is Athanasius’s satirical reconstruction. Magnentius usurped the West in 350. Pharaoh’s broken promises: Exod 8–14. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 30 (PG 25:725d–728b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-30). ## History of the Arians 31 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-31 - Source: PG 25:728b–729a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes how, after the councils of Arles and Milan, Constantius sent officials throughout the empire to force bishops to condemn him and communicate with the Arians. ### Greek text Τούτους μὲν οῦν κατά πόλιν πρῶτον ἐβιάζετο μετατίθεσθαι · γενόμενος δέ ἐν τῇ ’ᾼρελατςρ καὶ τῇ Μεδιολάνῳ, λοίπὸᾴ ὡς οἱ αἱρετικοὶ συνεβούλευσαν καὶ ὑπέθεντο, οὕτως αὐτὸς ἔπραττε, μᾶλλον δέ οὕτως καὶ αὐτοὶ διεπράττοντο, καὶ ἐνήλλοντο κατὰ πάντων ἔχοντες τὴν ἐξουσίαν. Καὶ εὐθὺς ὦδε μὲν ἐντολαὶ καὶ γράμματα πρὸς τὸν ἔπαρχον, ’ίνα τέως ὁ σῖτος ἀφαιρεπαράἋθανασίου, καὶ δοθῇ τοῖς τρὶ-Ἀρείου φρονοῦσι, καὶ ’ἶνα ἐξῇ ὑβρίζειν τοῖς βουλομένοις τούς μετʼ αὐτοῦ συναγομένους. Ἀπειλή τε ἧν τοῖς δικασταῖς, εἰ μὴ συνάγοιντο μετὰ τῶν Ἀρειανῶν. Ἦν δὲ ταῦτα προοίμια τῶν μετά ταῦτα γενομένων διὰ τοῦ δουκὸς Συριανοῦ. Εἷς δὲ τὰ ἔξω μέρη προστάγματα παλιν, καὶ νοτάριοι κατὰ πόλιν καὶ παλστινοὶ φέροντες ἀπειλὰς ἀπεστέλλοντο πρός τε τοὺς ἐπισκόπους καὶ τοὺς δικαστάς · τίνα οἱ μὶν δικασταὶ έπείγωσιν, οἱ δέ ἐπίσκοποιῆ ἵνα κατά Ἀθανασίου γράφωσι, κοινωνίαν ἔχοντες πρὸς τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς, ἢ τίμωρίαν αὐτοὶ μὲν ὑπομένωσιν έξοριστίας, οἱ δέ τούτοις συνερχόμενοι λαοὶ δεσμὰ, καὶ ὕβρεις, καὶ πληγὰς κατʼ. αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀφαίρεσιν τῶν ἰδίων ὑπαρχόντων ἔσεσθαι γινώσκοιεν. Οὐκ ἠμελεῖτο δέ τὸ πρόσταγμα ’ καὶ γὰρ εἶχον οἱ ἀποσταλέντες μεθʼ έαυτιῖἶν. κληρικοὺς Ούρσακίου καὶ Οὐάλεντος, ’ίνα καὶ παροξύνωσι, καὶ ἀμελοῦντας τοὺς δικαστὰς κατενέγκωσι τῷ βασιλεῖ( Καὶ τὰς μέν αἱρέσεις ὡς μικροτέρας ἑαυτῶν ἀδελφὰς συνεχώρουν βλασφημεῖν εἷς τὸν Ιξύριον, μόνοις δὲ τοῖς Χριπιανοῖς ἐπεβούλευον, οὗ φέροντες ἀκούειν περὶ Χριστοῦ λόγων έόσεβῶν. Πόσοι τοιγαροῦν ἐπίσκοποι, κατά το γεγραμμένον, ἐπὶ ἡγεμόνας καὶ βασιλέας ἤχθησαν, καὶ παρὰ δικαστῶν ἤκουσαν · Ἢ ὑπογράψατε, ἢ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἀνα-χωρεῖτε · καθαιρεθῆναι γὰρ ὑμᾶς βασιλεὺς προσέταξε ; πόσοι διεσείσθησαν παρʼ αὐτῶν κατᾶ πόλιν, ’ίνα μή ὡς φίλους τῶν ἐπισκόπων αὐτοὺς καταμέμψωνται ί Καὶ γὰρ καὶ πολιτευταῖς ἐγράφετο. Καὶ ἦν ἀπειλὴ, ζημία χρημάτων, εἶ μή ἀναγκάζοι ἕκαστος τὸν τῆς ἰδίας πόλεως ἐπίσκοπον ὑπογράφειν · καὶ ὅλως πᾶς τόπος, καὶ πᾶσα πόλίς ἐπεπλήρωτο φόβου καὶ ταραχῆς, τῶν μὶν ἐπισκόπων ἑλκομένων, τῶν δέ δικαστῶν ὁρώντων τοὺς ὀδυρμοὺς καὶ στεναγμοὺς τῶν λαῶν. ### English translation (Claude) These, then, he first forced city by city to change sides; but when he was at Arles and Milan, from then on he did as the heretics advised and suggested—or rather they themselves carried things through, and leapt upon everyone, having the power. And at once orders and letters came here to the prefect that the grain should be taken away from Athanasius and given to those who hold the views of Arius, and that whoever wished might insult those who assembled with him. There was also a threat to the magistrates if they did not hold communion with the Arians. These were the preludes to what happened later through the duke Syrianus. To the outside parts, again, orders went, and notaries and palatines carrying threats were sent city by city to the bishops and magistrates: that the magistrates should press, and the bishops should write against Athanasius and hold communion with the Arians, or else they themselves should suffer the punishment of exile, and the people who assembled with them should know that chains, insults, blows, and the confiscation of their property would come upon them. Nor was the order neglected; for those sent had with them clerics of Ursacius and Valens, to incite them and to report to the emperor any magistrates who were negligent. The other heresies, as their own younger sisters, they allowed to blaspheme the Lord, and plotted only against the Christians, not bearing to hear pious words about Christ. How many bishops, then, as it is written, were brought before governors and kings, and heard from magistrates, “Either sign, or withdraw from your churches; for the emperor has ordered you to be deposed”! How many were harassed by them city by city, so that they might not accuse them of being friends of the bishops! For it was written to the city councillors too, and there was the threat of a fine if each did not compel the bishop of his own city to sign. In short, every place and every city was filled with fear and confusion, the bishops being dragged off, and the magistrates witnessing the lamentations and groans of the people. ### Scripture references - Matt 10:18: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The councils of Arles (353) and Milan (355). Syrianus was the duke who stormed Athanasius’s church in 356. “Brought before governors and kings”: Matt 10:18. OCR debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 31 (PG 25:728b–729a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-31). ## History of the Arians 32 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-32 - Source: PG 25:729a–729c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes how Constantius forced a multitude of bishops by threats and promises to renounce communion with him, a show of numbers that could not change the truth. ### Greek text Ταῦτα μὲν παρὰ τῶν ἀποσταλέντων παλατινῶν ἐπράττετο οἱ δὲ θαυμαστοὶ θαρροῦντες αἷς ἔχουσι προστασίαις, σπουδήν τίθενται · καὶ οὕτως τῶν ἐπισκόπων τούς μὲν πρὸς βασιλέα καλοῦσι, τοὺς δὲ πάλιν διὰ γραμμάτων μεθοδεύουσι, πλάττοντες κατ ι αὐτῶν προφάσεις ο ’ἶνʼ οἳ μὲν παρόντα Κωνστάντιον καταπτήξωσιν, οἱ δὲ, τοὺς ἀποσταλέντας καὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς τῆς ἐκ προφάσεως συκοφαντίας φοβηθέντες, μεταθῶνται τῆς ἑαυτῶν ὀρθῆς καὶ εὐσεβοῦς μνήμης. Οὕτω γοῦν ἐβιάσατο βασιλεὺς τὸ τοσοῦτον τῶν ἐπισκόπων πλῆθος, τὰ μὲν ἀπειλῶν, τὰ δὲ ἐπαγγελλόμενος, εἰπεῖν · Ούκέτί κοινωνοῦμεν ’Δθανασίῳ. O'L γὰρ ἐρχόμενοι πρὸς αὐτὸν ού πρότερον ἔβλεπον αὐτὸν, οὗθʼ ὅλως ἄνεσιν ἔχειν τινὰ, ἢ προϊέναι τῇς ἰδίας οἰκήσεως ἐπετρέποντο, πρὶν ἂν ἢ ὑπογράψωσιν, ἢ ἆνανεύοντες ἐξορισθῶσιν. Ἐποίει δὲ τοῦτο διὰ τὸ συνορᾷν ἀπὸ πάντων μισεῖσθαι τὴν αʼίρεσιν. διὸ μάλιστα καὶ ἠνάγκασε τοὺς τοσούτους τοῖς ὀλίγοις συναριθμηθῆναι. Καὶ ἐσπούδασαν ὄχλον ὀνομάτων συναγαγεῖν, πρὸς φθόνον μὲν κατὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, φαντασίας δὲ χάριν τῆς Ἀρειανῆς ἀσεβείας, ἧς αὐτὸς προΐσταται, οἰόμενος, ὃτι, ὡς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, οὕτω καὶ τήν ἀλήθειαν μεταστρέψαι δυνήσεται· οὐκ εἰδὼς, οὐδὲ ἀναγνοὺς, ὅτι οὐδὲ Σαδδουκαῖοι καὶ Ἥρωδιανοὶ, προσλαβόμενοι τοὺς Φαρισαίους, ’ίσχυσαν ἐπικρύψαι τήν ἀλήθειαν · μᾶλλον γὰρ καὶ οὕτως αὕτη μὲν καθημέραν λαμπρὰ δείκνυται, οὗτοι δὲ καὶ κράξαντες,.Ούκ ἔχομεν βασιλέα εἰ μὴ Καίσαρα, καὶ ἔχοντες τὴν Πιλάτου κρίσιν, οὐδὲν ἧττόν εἰσιν ἔρημοι, καὶ πάσης αἰσχύνης, πάσης προσδοκῶντες ὅσον οὐδέπω μένειν καὶ αὐτοὶ κατά τὸν πέρδικα γυμνοὶ, ὅταν ἷδωσι καὶτὸν προστάτην ἑαυτῶν ἀποθνήσκοντα. ### English translation (Claude) These things were done by the palatines who were sent; but the admirable men, confident in the patronage they have, set to work zealously; and so some of the bishops they summon to the emperor, others they ensnare by letters, inventing pretexts against them, so that some might cower in the presence of Constantius, and others, fearing those sent and the threats of false accusation on some pretext, might abandon their right and pious mind. Thus the emperor forced that great multitude of bishops, partly by threats, partly by promises, to say, “We no longer communicate with Athanasius.” For those who came to him were not admitted to see him, nor allowed any rest or to leave their lodging, until they either signed or, refusing, were exiled. He did this because he saw that the heresy was hated by all; and that is why he compelled so many to be counted with the few. And they were eager to collect a crowd of names, to stir up odium against the bishop and for show on behalf of the Arian impiety, of which he is the patron, thinking that, as he could change men, so he could change the truth; not knowing, nor having read, that not even the Sadducees and Herodians, taking the Pharisees with them, were able to hide the truth. Rather, even so it is shown brighter every day, while they, though they cried out, “We have no king but Caesar,” and had Pilate’s judgment, are no less desolate, expecting every shame, and very soon to be left naked themselves, like the partridge, when they see their patron dying. ### Scripture references - John 19:15: quotation, high confidence - Jer 17:11: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “We have no king but Caesar”: John 19:15. The partridge: Jer 17:11. OCR debris is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 32 (PG 25:729a–729c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-32). ## History of the Arians 33 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-33 - Source: PG 25:729c–732d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius contrasts the devil’s violence with Christ’s gentleness and recounts how Constantius exiled Paulinus, Lucifer, Eusebius of Vercelli, and Dionysius for refusing to condemn him. ### Greek text El δὲ καὶ ἀπρεπὲς τὸ ὅλως ἐπὶ τούτοις φοβηθέντας τινάς τῶν ἐπισκόπων μεταθέσθαι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἀπρεπέστερον, καὶ οὐ θαρρούντων οἷς πεπιστεύκασι, τὸ βιάζεσθαι, καὶ ἀναγκάζειν τοὺς μή βουκομένους. Οὕτως ὁ μὲν διάβολος ἐπεὶ μηδὲν ἀληθὲς ἔχει, ἐν πελέκει καὶ λαξευτηρίῳ ἐπιβαίνων κατεάσσει τὰς θύρας τῶν δεχομένων αὐτόν. '0 δὲ · Σωτὴρ οὕτως ἐστὶ πρᾶος, ὡς διδάσκειν μὲν, Ei' τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν καὶ, Ὁ θέλων εἶναί μον μαθητής · ἐρχόμενον δὲ πρὸς ἕκαστον μὴ βιάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον κρούειν τε καὶ λέγεινʼ ’Ἄνοιξόν μοι, ἀδελφή μου νύμφη· καὶ ἀνοιγόντων μὲν, εἰσέρχεται, ὀκνούντων δὲ καὶ μὴ θελόντων ἐκείνων, ἀναχωρεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ ξίφεσιν, ἢ βέλεσιν, οὐδὲ διὰ στρατιωτῶν ἡ ἀλήθεια καταγγέλλεται, ἀλλὰ πειθοῖ καὶ συμβουλίᾳ. Ποία οὖν πειθὼ, ἔνθα βασιλέως φόβος ; Ἠ ποία συμβουλία, ἐν ὁ ἀντιλέγων τὸ τέλος ἐξορισμὸν ἔχει καὶ θάνατον ; Καὶ ὁ μὲν Δαβὶδ καίτοι βασιλεὺς ὢν, καὶ τὸν ἐχθρὸν ὑπὸ χεῖρας ἔχων, θέλοντάς τε τοὺς στρατιώτας ἀποκτεῖναι τὸν ἐχθρὸν, οὐ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ κεκώλυκεν, ἀλλʼ, ὡς ἡ Γραφή φησιν, ἔπεισε Δαβὶδ τοὺς ἄνδρας αὐτοῦ ἐν λόγοις, καὶ οὐκ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς, ἀναστάντας θανατῶσαι τὸν Σαούλ. Αὐτὸς δὲ τὸν λόγον οὐκ ἔχων, μετʼ ἐξουσίας πάντας βιάζεται ἵνα δειχθῇ πᾶσιν, δτι ἡ φρόνησις αὐτῶν οὐκ ἔστι κατὰ Θεὸν, ἀλλʼ ἀνθρωπίνη, καὶ ὅτι οἱ τὰ ’Δρείου φρονοῦντες οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἀληθῶς βασιλέα, εἰ μὴ Καίσαρα · διʼ αὐτοῦ γὰρ πάντα μὲν ὅσαπερ βούλονται καὶ πράττουσιν οἱ Χριστομάχοι. Δόξαντες δὲ διʼ αὐτοῦ πολλοῖς ἐπιβουλεύειν, ἠγνόησαν πολλοὺς ποιήσαντες ὁμολογητάς γενέσθαι, ἐξ ὧν εἰσιν οἱ νῦν λαμπρᾷ χρησάμενοι τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ, ἄνδρες εὐλαβεῖς, καὶ ἐπίσκοποι ἀγαθοὶ, Παυλῖνος ὁ ἀπὸ Γριβέρων τῆς μητροπόλεως τῶν Γαλλιῶν ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ Λουκίφερ ὁ ἀπὸ μητροπόλεως τῆς Σαρδινίας ἐπίσκοπος, Εὐσέβιός τι ὂάπὸ Βερκέλλων τῆς Ἰταλίας, καὶ Διονῦσιος ὸ ἀπὸ Μεδιολάνων· ἔστι δέ καὶ αὕτη μητρόπολις τῆς Ἰταλίας. Τούτους γὰρ βασιλεὺς καλέσας ἐκέλευσε κατά Ἀθανασίου μὲν ὑπογράφειν, τοῖς δὲ αἱρετικοῖς κοινωνεῖν. Εἶτα ἐκείνων θαυμαζόντων τὸ καινὸν ἐπιτήδευμα τοῦτο, καὶ λεγόντων μή εἶναι τοῦτον ἐκκλησιαστικὸν κανόνα, εὐθὺς ἐκεῖνος, Ἀλλʼ ὅπερ ἐγὼ βούλομαι, τοῦτο, κανὼν, ἔλεγε, νομιζέσθω· οὕτω γάρ μου λέγοντος ἀνέχονται οἱ τῆς Συρίας λεγόμενοι ἐπίσκοποι. Ἢ τοίνυν πείσθητε, ἢ καὶ ὑμεῖς ὑπερόριοι γενήσεσθε. ### English translation (Claude) But if it is unseemly that any of the bishops should change sides at all from fear of such things, it is still more unseemly, and the mark of men who have no confidence in what they believe, to force and compel the unwilling. So the devil, since he has nothing true, comes with axe and hammer and breaks down the doors of those who receive him; but the Savior is so gentle that he teaches, “If anyone wishes to come after me,” and “Whoever wishes to be my disciple”; and when he comes to each, he does not force, but rather knocks and says, “Open to me, my sister, my bride”; and if they open, he enters, but if they delay and are unwilling, he withdraws. For the truth is proclaimed not with swords or darts, nor by soldiers, but by persuasion and counsel. What persuasion is there, then, where there is fear of the emperor? Or what counsel, where the one who contradicts ends in exile and death? David, though he was king and had his enemy in his hands, when his soldiers wished to kill the enemy, did not restrain them by authority, but, as the Scripture says, “David persuaded his men with words, and did not allow them to rise up and kill Saul.” But he, having no reason to give, forces all by authority, so that it may be shown to all that their wisdom is not according to God but human, and that those who hold the views of Arius truly have no king but Caesar; for through him the Christ-fighters do everything they wish. But while they seemed through him to plot against many, they did not realize that they were making many confessors, among whom are those who have now made a splendid confession, devout men and good bishops: Paulinus, bishop of Trier, the metropolis of the Gauls; Lucifer, bishop of the metropolis of Sardinia; Eusebius of Vercelli in Italy; and Dionysius of Milan, which is also a metropolis of Italy. For the emperor summoned them and ordered them to sign against Athanasius and to communicate with the heretics. When they marveled at this new practice and said that this was not an ecclesiastical canon, he at once said, “But whatever I wish, let that be regarded as a canon; for the so-called bishops of Syria put up with me when I speak so. Either obey, then, or you too will be banished.” ### Scripture references - Ps 74:6 (73:6 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Matt 16:24: quotation, high confidence - Luke 14:27: echo, medium confidence - Song 5:2: quotation, high confidence - 1 Sam 24:7 (1 Kgdms 24:8 LXX): quotation, high confidence - John 19:15: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Axe and hammer: Ps 74:6 (73:6 LXX). “If anyone wishes to come after me”: Matt 16:24; “whoever wishes to be my disciple”: cf. Luke 14:26–27. “Open to me, my sister, my bride”: Song 5:2. David and Saul: 1 Sam 24:7 (24:8 LXX). Constantius’s words “whatever I wish, let that be regarded as a canon” are reported as Athanasius gives them. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 33 (PG 25:729c–732d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-33). ## History of the Arians 34 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-34 - Source: PG 25:732d–733b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells how the exiled Western bishops rebuked Constantius and turned their exile into a mission against the Arian heresy. ### Greek text Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες o't ἐπίσκοποι, πάνυ γε θαυμάσαντες,καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἀνατείναντες πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, πολλῇ τῇ κατʼ αὐτοῦ παρρησίᾳ μετά λόγων ἐχρήσαντο, διδάσκοντες μὴ εἶναι τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τοῦ δεδωκότος Θεοῦ, ὃν καὶ φοβεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἠξίουν, μὴ ἐξαίφνης αὐτὴν ἀφέληταιʼ ἠπείλουν τε τήν ἡμέραν τῆς κρίσεως, καὶ συνεβούλευον αὐτῷ μὴ διαφθείρειν τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ, μηδὲ ἐγκαταμίσγειν τήν Ῥωμαϊκήν ἀρχὴν τῇ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας διαταγῇ, μηδὲ τήν Ἀρειανην αʼίρεσιν εἰσάγειν εἷς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἀλλʼ οὔτε ἤκουεν ἐκεῖνος, οὔτε τι πλέον αὐτοὺς λέγειν ἐπέτρεπεν, ἀλκὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἠπείλει, καὶ ξίφος ἐγύμνου κατʼ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀπάγεσθαι δέ τινας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐκέλευσε· καὶ πάλιν, ὡς 6 Φαραὼ, μετεγίνωσκεν. Ἐκτῖνάξαντες τοίνυν οἱ ἅγιοι τὸν κονιορτὸν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀναβλέψαντες, οὔτε ἀπειλὴν βασιλέως ἐφοβήθησαν, οὕτε ξίφους γυμνουμένου προδεδώκασιν, ἀλλά καὶ τὸν ἐξορισμὸν, ὡς λειτούργημα διακονίας, ἐσχήκασιʼ διερχόμενοι γάρ κατὰ τόπον καὶ κατὰ πόλιν, καίπερ ἐν δεσμοῖς ὄντες, εὐηγγελίζοντο, τήν μὲν εὐσεβῆ πίστιν κηρύττοντες, τήν δὲ ’Δρειανήν ατίρεσιν ἀναθεματίζοντες, καὶ τήν μετάνοιαν Οὐρσακίου καὶ Οὐάλεντος στηλιτεύοντες. Ἐγίγνετο δὲ τοῦτο πρὸς ἐναντίου τοῖς ἐπιβουλεύουσιν· ὅσῳ γὰρ πολὺ τὸ διάστημα τῆς ἐξοριστίας, τοσούτῳ μεῖζον τὸ κατʼ αὐτῶν μῖσος ηὔξανε, καὶ κήρυγμα ἦν κατά τῆς ἀσεβείας αὐτῶν ἡ τούτων ἀποδημία. Τίς γὰρ, βλέπων τούτους διερχομένους, οὐκ αὐτοὺς μὲν ὠς ὁμολογητάς ὑπερεθαύμαζεν, ἐκείνους δὲ οὐκ ἀπεστρέφετο καὶ ἐβδελύττετο, οὐκέτι μόνον ὡς ἀσεβεῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς δημίους καὶ ὡς φονευτάς, καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ Χριστιανοὺς ὀνομάζων ; ### English translation (Claude) Hearing this, the bishops were utterly amazed, and lifting up their hands to God they spoke against him with great boldness, teaching that the kingdom was not his but God’s, who had given it, whom they bade him fear, lest he suddenly take it away; they threatened him with the day of judgment and advised him not to corrupt church affairs, nor to mix Roman rule with the ordering of the Church, nor to bring the Arian heresy into the Church of God. But he neither listened nor allowed them to say more, but threatened them the more, bared his sword against them, and ordered some of them to be led away; and again, like Pharaoh, he changed his mind. So the saints, shaking off the dust and looking up to God, neither feared the emperor’s threat nor betrayed the faith when the sword was bared, but regarded exile as a ministry of service. For passing through places and cities, though in chains, they preached the gospel, proclaiming the pious faith, anathematizing the Arian heresy, and publishing the repentance of Ursacius and Valens. This turned out contrary to what the plotters intended; for the greater the distance of the exile, the more the hatred against them grew, and the confessors’ journey was a proclamation against their impiety. For who, seeing them pass by, did not greatly admire them as confessors, and turn away from and abhor those others, calling them no longer only impious but executioners and murderers and anything rather than Christians? ### Scripture references - Matt 10:14: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Shaking off the dust: Matt 10:14. The text reads “the kingdom was not his but … God’s”; a word in the scan (“105”) is corrected to the article by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 34 (PG 25:732d–733b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-34). ## History of the Arians 35 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-35 - Source: PG 25:733b–733c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recounts how the Arians targeted Liberius of Rome, and how Constantius sent the eunuch Eusebius with gifts and threats to win him over. ### Greek text Βέλτιον μὲν οὗν ἦν κατα τήν ἀρχὴν Κωνστάντιον μηδόλως τῆς αἱρέσεως ταύτης γενέσθαι, ἢ γενόμενον, μή τοσοῦτον ἐνδοῦναι τοῖς ἀσεβέσιν, ἢ ἐν· δόντα μέχρι τούτων στῆναι μετʼ αὐτῶν, ’ίνα κᾶν ἕως τούτων ἔχωσι τῶν τολμηθέντων κοινὴν την κρίσιν. Ὠς δὲ ἔοικε, κατά τοὺς ἄφρονας δεσμοῖς τῆς ἀσεβείας ἑαυτοὺς περιπείροντες, μείζονα καθʼ ἑαυτῶν τήν κρίσιν. ἐπισπῶνται. Καὶ γάρ οὐδέ Λιβερίου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Ῥώμης κατά τήν ἀρχὴν ἐφείσαντο, ἀλλά καὶ μέχρι τῶν ἐκεῖ τήν μανίαν ἐξέτειναν· καὶ οὐχ ὅτι ἀποστολικός ἐστι θρόνος ᾖδέσθησάν, οὐθʼ ὅτι μη· τρόπολις ἡ Ῥώμη τῆς Ῥωμανίας ἐστὶν, εὐλαβήθησαν, οὔθʼ ὅτι πρότερον ἀποστολικοὺς αὐτοὺς ἄνδρας Ὑρά“ φοντες εἰρήκασιν, ἐμνημόνευσαν. Ἀλλά πάντα ὁμοῦ φύραντες, πάντων ἀθρόως ἐπελάθοντο, καὶ μόνης τῆς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀσεβείας σπουδῆς ἐφρόντισαν. Ἐπειδὴ γάρ ἑωράκασιν αὐτὸν ὀρθοδοξοῦντα, καὶ μισοῦντα μὲν τὴν ’Δρειανὴν αἵρεσιν, σπουδάζοντα δὲ πάντας πείθειν ἀποστρέφεσθαι καὶ ἀναχωρεῖν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς, ἐλογίσαντο οἱ δυσσεβεῖς, ὅτι Εἰ τὸν Λιβέριον πείσαιμεν, πάντων ταχέως κρατήσομεν · καὶ διαβάλλουσι βασιλεῖ. Κάκεῖνος ταχέως, προσδοκήσας διὰ Λιβερίου πάντας ἕλκειν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν, γράφει, καὶ πέμπει σπάδοντα Εὐσέβιόν τινα καλούμενον μετά γραμμάτων καὶ δωρεῶν, ’ίνα τοῖς μὲν δώροις κολακεύσῃ, τοῖς δέ γράμμασιν ἀπειλήσῃ. Ἀπελθὼν τοίνυν 6 σπάδων είς την Ῥώμην, πρῶτον παρεκάλει τὸν Λιβέριον κατὰ Ἀθανασίου μὲν ὑπογράψαι, τοῖς δέ Ἀρειανοῖς κοινωνῆσαι, λέγων· Τοῦτο βασιλεὺς βούλεται, καὶ κελεύει · σε ποιῆσαι ’ εἶτα, ἐπιδεικνὺς τὰ δῶρα, παρεκάλει · καὶ χειρῶν ἥπτετο, λέγων· ΙΙείσθητι βασιλεῖ, καὶ ταῦτα δέξαι. ### English translation (Claude) It would have been better if Constantius had never belonged to this heresy from the beginning, or, having belonged to it, had not yielded so much to the impious, or, having yielded, had stopped with them at this point, so that they might at least share a common judgment for what they had dared up to then. But, as it seems, like fools entangling themselves in the bonds of impiety, they draw on themselves a heavier judgment. For they did not spare even Liberius, bishop of Rome, at the beginning, but extended their madness even to those there; they had no respect for its being an apostolic throne, nor reverence for Rome’s being the metropolis of Romania, nor did they remember that formerly in writing they had called them apostolic men. But mixing everything together, they forgot everything at once and cared only for their zeal on behalf of impiety. For when they saw that he was orthodox and hated the Arian heresy and was eager to persuade all to turn away and withdraw from it, the impious reasoned, “If we persuade Liberius, we shall soon prevail over all”; and they slander him to the emperor. And he quickly, expecting to draw all to himself through Liberius, writes and sends a eunuch called Eusebius with letters and gifts, to flatter with the gifts and threaten with the letters. The eunuch, then, went to Rome and first urged Liberius to sign against Athanasius and to communicate with the Arians, saying, “The emperor wishes this and orders you to do it”; then, showing the gifts, he urged him, and took hold of his hands, saying, “Obey the emperor and accept these.” ### Translation notes - “Romania” is the Roman world. Athanasius’s statements about the apostolic throne of Rome are translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 35 (PG 25:733b–733c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-35). ## History of the Arians 36 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-36 - Source: PG 25:733c–736b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Liberius refuses to condemn Athanasius and proposes a free synod, away from the palace, which would first settle the faith of Nicaea and only then examine conduct. ### Greek text Ὀ δὲ ἐπίσκοπος λόγῳ πείθων ἐδίδασκε ’ Πῶς οἷόν τε τοῦτο γενέσθαι κατὰ Ἀθανασίου, ον γαρ ου μόνον μία, ἀλλὰ καὶ δευτέρα σύνοδος πανταχόθεν συναχθεῖσα καλῶς ἐκαθάρισε, καὶ ἡ Ῥωμαίων δέ Ἐκκλησία μετʼ εἰρήνης ἀπέλυσε, πῶς δυνάμεθα κατακρῖναι ; ’Π τίς ἡμᾶς ἀποδέξεται, εἰ ὃν παρόντα ἠγαπήσαμεν, καὶ εἶʼχομεν τῇ κοινωνίᾳ, τοῦτον ἐὰν ἀποπραφῶμεν ἀπόντα ; Οὐκ ἔστιν οὗτος ἐκκλησιαστικὸς κανὼν, οὔτε τοιαύτην πώποτε παράδοσιν ἔσχομεν παρὰ τῶν Ιιατέρων, τῶν καὶ αὐτῶν παραλαβόντων παρὰ τοῦ μακαρίου καὶ μεγάλου ἀποστόλου Πέτρου. Ἀλλʼ εἷʼπερ ἄρα μέλειτῷ βασιλεῖ περὶ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς εἰρήνης, εἷ κελεύει λυθῆναι τὰ παρʼ ἡμῖν περὶ Ἀθανασίου γραφέντα “ λυέσθω καὶ τά παρʼ ἐκείνων κατʼ αὐτοῦ γενόμενα, λυέσθω δέ καὶ τὰ κατά πάντων· καὶ γενέσθω λοιπὸν ἐκκλησιαστική σύνοδος μακράν τοῦ παλατίου, ἐν βασιλεὺς οὐ πάρεστιν, οὗ κόμης παραγίνεται, οὗ δικαστὴς ἀπειλεῖ, ἀλλά μόνον 6 τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος ἀρκεῖ καὶ ἠ τῶν ἀποστόλων διάταξις· ἵνʼ οὕτως προηγουμένως ἡ μὲν ἐκκλησιαστική πίστις σώζηται, καθὼς οἱ Πατέρες ὥρισαν ἐν τῇ κατά Νίκαιαν συνόδῳʼ oi δὲ τὰ Ἀρείου φρονοῦντες ἐκβάλλωνται, καὶὴ αʼίρεσις αὐτῶν ἀναθεματισθῇʼ καὶ τότε λοιπὸν, κρίσεως γενομένης περὶ ὧν Ἀθανάσιος, καὶ εἷʼ τις ἕτερος ἐγκαλεῖται, καὶ περὶ ὧν ἐγκελεύονται καὶ αὖ· τοὶ, οἱ μὲν ὑπεύθυνοι ἐκβάλλωνται, οἱ δὲ καθαροὶ παῤῥησίαν ἔχωσιν, Ού γὰρ οἷόν τε συνόδῳ συναριθμηδ θῆναι τοὺς περὶ πίστιν ἀσεβοῦντας· οὐδὲ πρέπει προκρίνεσθαι πράγματος ἐξέτασιν τῆς περὶ πίστεως ἐξ· ετάσεως. Χρὴ γὰρ πρῶτον πᾶσαν περὶ τῆς πίστεως διαφωνίαν ἐκκόπτεσθαι, καὶ τότε τήν περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἔρευναν ποιεῖσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ 6 Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς 6 Χριστὸς οὐ πρότερον ἐθεράπευε τούς πάσχοντας, πρὶν ἂν δείξωσι καὶ εἴπωσιν, ὁποίαν πίστιν εἶχον εἰς αὐτόν. Ταῦτα παρά τῶν Πατέρων ἐμάθομεν · ταῦτα ἐπάγγειλον τῷ βασιλεῖ· ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ αύτῷ συμφέρει, καὶ την Ἐκκλησίαν ῌκοδομεῖ. Μὴ ἀκουέτω δέ Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης · καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν τοῖς προτέροις μετενόησαν, καὶ, νῦν λέγοντες, οὐκ εἶσὶ πιστοί. ### English translation (Claude) But the bishop, persuading by reason, taught him: “How can this be done against Athanasius? A man whom not only one synod but a second, assembled from everywhere, fully cleared, and whom the church of the Romans sent away in peace—how can we condemn him? Or who will accept us, if we cast off in his absence one whom we loved when present and held in communion? This is not an ecclesiastical canon, nor have we ever had such a tradition from the Fathers, who themselves received it from the blessed and great apostle Peter. But if the emperor really cares about the peace of the Church, if he orders what we have written about Athanasius to be undone, let what those men did against him be undone too, and let what was done against everyone be undone; and then let an ecclesiastical synod be held far from the palace, where the emperor is not present, no count attends, no magistrate threatens, but only the fear of God and the ordinance of the apostles suffice; so that thus, first of all, the faith of the Church may be preserved, as the Fathers defined it at the synod of Nicaea, and those who hold the views of Arius may be cast out and their heresy anathematized; and then, after a trial has been held on the charges against Athanasius and anyone else, and on the charges against them too, the guilty may be cast out and the innocent have freedom. For it is not possible for those who are impious about the faith to be numbered in a synod; nor is it fitting that an inquiry into conduct should take precedence over the inquiry into the faith. First all disagreement about the faith must be cut away, and then the investigation of conduct made. For our Lord Jesus Christ did not heal the sufferers before they had shown and said what faith they had in him. This we learned from the Fathers; report this to the emperor; for this is both for his good and builds up the Church. Let not Ursacius and Valens be listened to; for they repented of their former acts, and in what they now say they are not to be trusted.” ### Translation notes - Liberius’s speech is given as Athanasius reports it; his appeal to the tradition received from Peter is translated as written. The opening words are garbled in the scan and reassembled by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 36 (PG 25:733c–736b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-36). ## History of the Arians 37 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-37 - Source: PG 25:736d–737a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: The eunuch Eusebius, rebuffed, offered the rejected gifts at the shrine of Peter; Liberius threw them out, and the eunuchs moved Constantius to have him removed from Rome. ### Greek text Ὀ μὲν οὗν ἐπίσκοπος Λιβέριος τοιαῦτα ὁδὶ εὐνοῦχος, λυπηθεὶς, ού τοσοῦτον ὅτι μὴ ὑπέγραψεν, ’ ἀλλʼ ὅτι τῆς αἱρέσεως ἐχθρὸν αὐτὸν εὗρεν, ἐπιλαθόμενός τε, ὅτι πρὸς ἐπίσκοπον ἦν, μεγάλως ἀπειλήσας ἐξήρχετο μετά τῶν δώρων · πράττει δὲ τι παράνομον, Χριστιανῶν μὲν ἀλλότριον, σπαδόντων δὲ τολμηρότερον. Τὴν γὰρ παράβασιν τοῦ Σαοὺλ μιμησάμενος, ἀπελθὼν εἷς τὸ μαρτύριον Πέτρου τοῦ ἀποστόλου, τά δῶρα αύτῷ ἀνέθηκεν. Ἀλλὰ μαθὼν 6 Λιβέριος, πρὸς μὲν τὸν τηροῦντα τὸν τόπον, καὶ μὴ κωλύσαντα, μεγάλως ἠγανάκτησεν αὐτᾶ δὲ ὡς ἄθυτον θυσίαν ἀπέρῥιψε, καὶ τοῦτο μᾷλλον είς ὀργὴν, ἐκίνει τὸν θλαδῖαν. Παροξύνει τοίνυν βασιλέα, λέγων· Οὐκέτι περὶ τοῦ γράψαι Λιβέριόον ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἡ φροντὶς, ἀλλʼ ὅτι κατά τῆς αἱρέσεως οὕτω φρονεῖ, ὡς ἐξ ὀνόματος τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἀναθεματίζειν. Εἷς τοῦτο δὲ κινεῖ καὶ τοὺς ἐτέρους σπάδοντας. πολλοὶ δὲ, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ δλον εἰσὶν εύνοῦχοι παρᾶ Κωνσταντίῳ, καὶ πάντα δύνανται παρʼ αύτῷ, χωρίς τε τούτων ούδέν ἐστιν ἐκεῖ γενέσθαι. Γράφει δη οῦν βασιλεὺς εἷς Ῥώμην, καὶ πάλιν παλατινοῖ, καὶ νοτάριοι, καὶ κόμητες ἀποστέλλονται, καὶ γράμματα πρὸς τὸν ἔπαρχον, ’ίνα πλανησαντες δόλῳ τὸν Λιῧὲριον ἐξαγαγωσιν ἀπὸ τῆς Ῥώμης, καὶ πέμψωσιν εἷς τὸ στρατόπεδον πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἢ βίᾳ τοῦτον διώξωσιν. ### English translation (Claude) Such were the words of Bishop Liberius. But the eunuch, grieved not so much that he did not sign as that he found him an enemy of the heresy, and forgetting that he was in the presence of a bishop, went out with great threats, taking the gifts; and he does something lawless, foreign to Christians and too audacious even for eunuchs. For imitating the transgression of Saul, he went to the martyrium of the apostle Peter and offered the gifts there. But when Liberius learned of it, he was greatly indignant with the keeper of the place for not preventing it, and cast the gifts out as an unlawful sacrifice; and this moved the eunuch to still greater anger. So he provokes the emperor, saying, “Our concern is no longer about Liberius signing, but that he is so opposed to the heresy as to anathematize the Arians by name.” And he stirs up the other eunuchs to this; for there are many eunuchs, or rather everything is eunuchs, around Constantius, and they have all power with him, and without them nothing can be done there. The emperor, then, writes to Rome; and again palatines and notaries and counts are sent, and letters to the prefect, so that they might either lure Liberius out of Rome by guile and send him to the emperor at the camp, or persecute him by force. ### Scripture references - 1 Sam 13:9: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Saul’s unlawful sacrifice: 1 Sam 13:9–13 (cf. 15:21–23). The martyrium of Peter is his shrine on the Vatican. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 37 (PG 25:736d–737a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-37). ## History of the Arians 38 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-38 - Source: PG 25:737a–737d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the terror at Rome before Liberius’s exile and attacks the influence of the court eunuchs who, he says, championed a heresy that denies the Son. ### Greek text Τοιούτων δὴ ὅντων τῶν γραφέντων, λοιπὸν κάκεῖ φόβος καὶ ἐπιβουλὴ κατὰ πᾶσαν τήν πόλιν ἤκμαζε. Κατά πόσων γοῦν οἷʼκων ἀπειλὴ γέγονε; πόσοι πόσας ἐπαγγελίας εἰλήφασι κατὰ Λιβερίου; πόσοι ταῦτα βλέποντες ἐκρύῧησαν ἐπίσκοποι ; πόσάι τῶν ἐλευθέρων ἀνεχώρησαν εἷς χωρία δια τὰς διαβολὰς τῶν Χριστομάχων ς πόσοις ἀσκηταῖς ἐπεβούλευσαν ; πόσους ἐκεῖ διατρίβοντας καὶ λοιπὸν τὸ ἐφἐστιον ἔχοντας ἐκεῖ διωχθῆναι πεποιήκασι ; ποσάκις καὶ ὅπως ἐφύλαξαν τοὺς λιμένας καὶ τὰς εἰσόδους τῶν πυλῶν, ἵνα μή τις ὀρθόδοξος εἰσελθὼν θεωρ·ιίσῃ“Λιβεριον; Ἔσχε καὶ Ῥώμη πεῖραν τῶν Χριστομάχων, καὶ ἔγνω λοιπὸν ὅπερ οῦκ ἐπίστευεν ἀκούουσα πρότερον, πῶς καὶ αἱ ἕτεραι Ἐκκλησίαι κατά πόλιν ἐπορθήθησαν παρʼ αὐτῶν. Εύνοῦχοι δὲ ἦσαν οἱ καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τά κατὰ πάντων κινοῦντες. Καὶ τὸ παράδοξον τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι ἡ ’Δρειανή αʼίρεσις ἀρνουμένη τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐξ εὐνούχων ἔχει τήν βοήθειαν, οἵτινες, ὡς τῇ φύσει, οὕτως καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀρετῆς ἄγονοι τυγχάνοντες, ού φέρουσιν ἀκούειν ὅλως περὶ Υἱοῦ. Ὀ μὲν οῦν ἐκ τῆς Αἰθιοπίας εύνοῦχος, μή νοῶν ἃ ἀνεγίνωσκεν, ἐπείσθη τῷ Φιλίππῳ, διδάσκοντι περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος · οἱ δὲ τοῦ Κωνσταντίου σπάδοντες οὕτε τοῦ Πέτρου ὁμολογοῦντος ἀνέχονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν Πατέρα δεικνύντα τὸν Υὶὸν ἀποπρέο φονται, καὶ μαίνονται κατα τῶν λεγόντων γνήσιον εἶναι τὸν Υὶὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐκδικοῦντες σπαδόντων αʼίρεσιν, μηδὲν εἶναι γνήσιον καὶ ἀληθινόν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός, Διᾶ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ νόμος εἷʼργει τούτους εἷς ἐκκλησιαπικήν συμβουλίαν προσλαμβάνεσθαι ’ καὶ δμω) τούτους νῦν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν κριμάτων κυρίους ἐλογίσαντοʼ καὶ ὅπερ ἂν αὐτοῖς δόξῃ, τοῦτο Κωνπάντιος κρίνει, καὶ οἱ λεγόμενοι ἐπίσκοποι ὑποκρίνονται. Ὦ τίς ἂν γένοιτο τούτων λογογράφος; τίς ἀπαγγείλῃ ταῦτα εἰς γενεὰν ἐτέραν ; τίς ἄρα πιστεύσειεν ἀκούων, ὅτι σπαδοντες οἱ οἰκειακάς ὑπηρεσίας μόγις πιστευόμενοι (φιλήδονον γάρ τὸ τούτων εἶδος, καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο μεριμνῖυσιν, ὡς τοῦθʼ, ὅπερ αὐτοὺς ἠ φόσις ἀφείλατο, ἐμποδίζειν), οὗτοι νῦν τῶι ἐκκλησιαστικῶν κατάρχουσι, καὶ τούτοις ὑποπίπτων Κωνστάντιος, πᾶσιν ἐπεβούλευσε, καὶ Λιβἐριον ἐξώρισεν ; ### English translation (Claude) Such being the letters, fear and plotting thereafter flourished there too throughout the city. Against how many houses were threats made! How many received promises to act against Liberius! How many bishops, seeing this, hid! How many freeborn women withdrew to the country because of the slanders of the Christ-fighters! How many ascetics did they plot against! How many who were living there and had their homes there did they cause to be persecuted! How often and how closely they guarded the harbors and the entrances of the gates, so that no orthodox person might enter and see Liberius! Rome too had experience of the Christ-fighters, and learned at last what it had not believed when it heard it before—how the other churches city by city had been ravaged by them. And it was eunuchs who stirred up both these things and those against everyone. And the strange thing in the plot is this: the Arian heresy, which denies the Son of God, has its help from eunuchs, who, as they are barren by nature, so are barren in soul of virtue, and cannot bear to hear of a Son at all. The eunuch from Ethiopia, not understanding what he was reading, was persuaded by Philip teaching about the Savior; but the eunuchs of Constantius neither bear Peter’s confession, but even turn away from the Father who points out the Son, and rage against those who say that the Son of God is genuine, championing a eunuchs’ heresy, that nothing genuine and true comes from the Father. For this reason the law too forbids such men to be admitted to an assembly of the church; and yet now they have reckoned them lords of church judgments; and whatever seems good to them, Constantius decides, and the so-called bishops play the part. O who could chronicle these things? Who will report them to another generation? Who would believe it on hearing that eunuchs, who are scarcely trusted with household services (for their kind is pleasure-loving and cares for nothing else than to hinder in others what nature took from them), now rule church affairs, and that Constantius, submitting to them, plotted against all and exiled Liberius? ### Scripture references - Acts 8:27: allusion, high confidence - Matt 16:16: echo, medium confidence - Matt 17:5: echo, medium confidence - Deut 23:1: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The Ethiopian eunuch: Acts 8:27–35. Peter’s confession: Matt 16:16; the Father pointing out the Son: Matt 3:17; 17:5. The law excluding eunuchs from the assembly: Deut 23:1. Athanasius’s invective against eunuchs is translated as written. OCR debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 38 (PG 25:737a–737d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-38). ## History of the Arians 39 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-39 - Source: PG 25:737d–740b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Brought before Constantius, Liberius urges him to stop persecuting Christians and declares himself ready for exile rather than communion with the Arians. ### Greek text Ἐπειδή γὰρ πολὺς ’ἦν εἰς Ῥώμην γραῳων, ἰιπειλῶν, ἀποστέλλων, ἐπιβουλεύων, λοιπὸν δὲ ἔγεγόνει καὶ 6 κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν διωγμός· ἕλκεται καὶ Λιβέριος πρὸς βασιλέα, καὶ πρὸς πολλῇ καὶ αὐτὸς ’κέχρηται τῇ παρῥησίᾳ, Παῦσαι, λέγων, διώκων Χριστιανούς · μὴ πείραζε διʼ ἡμῶν εἷσάξαι τήν ἀσέβειαν εἷς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Πάντα ὑπομένειν ἐσμὲν ἕτοιμοι, ἢ Ἀρειομανῖται κληθῆναι. Χριστιανοὺς ὄντας ἡμᾶς μὴ ἀνάγκαζε Χριστομάχους γενέσθαι. Τοῦτο καὶ σοὶ συμβουλεύομεν ’ μὴ μάχου πρὸς τὸν δεδωκότα σοι τὴν ἀρχὴν ταύτην θ μὴ ἀντʼ εὐχαριστίας ἀσεβήσῃς εἰς αὐτόν · μὴ δίωκε τοὺς πιστεύοντας εἷς αὐτὸν, μὴ ἀκούσῃς καὶ σύ ο Σκληρόν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν, -Ἀλλʼ εἴθε κᾶν ἀκούσῃς, ’ίνα καὶ σὺ πεισθῇς, ὡς 6 ἅγιος Παῦλος. Ἰδοὺ πάρεσμεν, ἤλθομεν πρὶν πλάσωνται πρόφασιν ’ διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἐσπεύσαμεν, εἰδότες, ὅτι ἐξορισμὸς ἡμᾶς μένει παρὰ σοῦ, ἵνα, πρὶν προφάσεως πάθωμεν, καὶ πᾶσι δειχθῇ φανερῶς, ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες οὕτω πεπόνθασιν, ὡς ἡμεῖς, καὶ αἱ λεχθεῖσαι κατʼ αὐτῶν προφάσεις έπλάσθησαν παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν, καὶ πάντα τὰ κατʼ αὐτούς ἐστι συκοφαντία καὶ ψευδῆ. ### English translation (Claude) For when he had been very busy writing to Rome, threatening, sending, and plotting, and when the persecution at Alexandria had also taken place, Liberius too is dragged before the emperor; and he too used great boldness of speech. “Stop persecuting Christians,” he says; “do not try through us to bring impiety into the Church. We are ready to endure anything rather than be called Ariomaniacs. Do not compel us, who are Christians, to become Christ-fighters. This we advise you too: do not fight against him who gave you this rule; do not, instead of gratitude, act impiously toward him; do not persecute those who believe in him, lest you too hear, ‘It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ Yet would that you might hear it, so that you too might be persuaded, like the holy Paul! See, we are here; we have come before they invent a pretext. For this reason we hastened, knowing that exile awaits us from you, so that we might suffer before any pretext is made, and it might be shown plainly to all that all the others too have suffered as we have, and that the pretexts alleged against them were invented by their enemies, and that everything said against them is false accusation and lies.” ### Scripture references - Acts 26:14: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - “It is hard for you to kick against the goads”: Acts 26:14. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 39 (PG 25:737d–740b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/22/#p-39). ## History of the Arians 40 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-40 - Source: PG 25:740b–741a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius condemns Constantius for exiling the confessors separately, crueler than earlier persecutors, a measure that only spread knowledge of the Arians’ impiety. ### Greek text Οὕτω μὲν οὖν 6 Λιβέριος τότε λέγων, ἐθαυμάζετο παρὰ πάντων · 6 δὲ, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀποκρίνασθαι, μόνον έκέλευσε καὶ ἐξώρισεν, ἕκαστον διαστήσας, ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν προτέρων πεποίηκε. Τοῦτον γᾶρ, ἐξορίζων, τὸν τύπον αὑτὸς ἐποίησεν, ἵνα καὶ ἐν ταῖς τιμωρίαις ὠμότερος τῶν πρὸ αὐτοῦ τυράννων καὶ διωκτῶν γένηται. Σῷ μέν γὰρ προτέρῳ διωγμῷ κοινῄ καὶ πολλοὺς ἅμα κελεύων ὁ τότε Μαξιμιανὸς ἐξώριζεν ὁμολογητὰς καὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν έπεκούφιζε, παραμυθούμενος αὐτοὺς τῇ συνουσίᾳ · οὗτος δὲ κάκείνου γέγονεν ὠμότερος, καὶ διέστησε τοὺς κοινῇ καρῥησιασαμένους καὶ ὁμολογήσαντας, καὶ διεχώρισε τοὺς συνδεθέντας τῇ πίστει, ’ίνα καὶ ἀποθνήσκοντες ἀλλήλους μή βλέπωσι, νομίζων, ὡς 6 χωρισμὸς τοῦ σώματος πάντως καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς διάθεσιν διίστησιν, ἢ χωρισθέντες ἀφʼ ἑαυτῶν, ἐπιλάθωνται τῆς ἀλλήλων ὁμοφροσύνης τε καὶ ὁμο·ψυχίας · οὐκ εἰδὼς, ὅτι, κᾶν ἕκαστος ἀπομείνῃ, ἀλλʼ ἔχει μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ πάλιν ὃν κοινῇ συνόντες ὡμολόγησαν Κύριον, ’ὸς καὶ πλείους εἶναι ποιήσει μεθʼ ἑκάστου (ὡς πεποίηκεν ἐπὶ Ἐλισσαίου τοῦ προφήτου), ἤπερ εἰσὶ μετὰ Κωνστοντίου στρατιῶται. Τυφλὸν ὶΛηθῶς ἠ κακία · έν ᾧ γὰρ ἔδοξαν λυπεῖν τοὺς ὁμολογητᾶς, διαχωρίζοντες αὐτοὺς ἀπʼ ἀλλήλων, ἒν τούτῳ μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς μεγάλως ἠδίκησαν. ’Ὁλως μὲν γὰρ εἰ συνῆσαν ἀλλήλοις, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐτύγχανον, ἐξ ἐνὸς τόπου τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐγνωρίζετο τὸ μύσος ' νῦν δὲ, διαστήσαντες- αὐτοὺς, πεποιήκασιν εἰς πάντα τόπον διαδραμεῖν ἑαυτῶν καὶ γνωσθῆναι τὴν ἀσεβῆ αʼίρεσιν καὶ πονηρίαν. ### English translation (Claude) So Liberius, speaking thus at that time, was admired by all; but the emperor, instead of answering, only gave orders and exiled them, separating each from the others, as he had also done with the former ones. For in exiling, he himself set this precedent, so that even in punishments he might be crueler than the tyrants and persecutors before him. For in the former persecution Maximian, who was then emperor, used to exile confessors together, many at once, and lightened their punishment, consoling them by each other’s company; but this man has become crueler even than he, and has separated those who spoke boldly and confessed together, and divided those bound together in the faith, so that even when dying they might not see one another—thinking that separation of the body altogether parts the disposition of the soul, or that, separated from one another, they would forget their agreement and unanimity; not knowing that, even if each remains alone, he has with him the Lord whom they confessed together, who will make those with each of them more (as he did with Elisha the prophet) than the soldiers who are with Constantius. Truly wickedness is blind; for in the very thing by which they thought to grieve the confessors, separating them from one another, they rather did great harm to themselves. For if they had been together and in the same place, the abomination of the impious would have been made known from one place; but now, by separating them, they have caused their impious heresy and wickedness to run through every place and become known. ### Scripture references - 2 Kgs 6:16: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - “Maximian” is probably Galerius (Galerius Maximianus), emperor in the Great Persecution. Elisha: 2 Kgs 6:16–17 (4 Kgdms 6:16–17 LXX). ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 40 (PG 25:740b–741a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-40). ## History of the Arians 41 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-41 - Source: PG 25:741a–741b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells of the scourging of the Roman deacon Hilary and of Liberius’s eventual signature after two years of exile, which he attributes to compulsion. ### Greek text Οἷα γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα πράττοντες ἔδρασαν, τίς ἀκούσας οὐχ ἡγήσεται πάντα μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς ἢ Χριστιανοὺς εἶναι ; Λιβερίου γαρ ἀποστείλαντος πρὸς βασιλέα Εὐτρόπιον πρεσβύτερον, καὶ διάκονον Ἱλάριον μετὰ γραμμάτων, ὅτε καὶ οἱπερὶ Λουκίιρερον ὡμολόγουν, τὸν μὲν πρεσβύτερον εὐθὺς ἐξ· ώρισαν, τὸν δὲ διάκονον, Ἱλάριον γυμνώσαντες, καὶ τὰ νῶτα μαστίξαντες, ἐξώρισαν, ἐπιφωνοῦντες · Δια τί μὴ ἀντέστης Λιβερίῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρʼ αὐτοῦ κεκόμικας γράμματα ; ἐποίουν δὲ τοῦτο Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης, καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτοῖς σπάδοντες. Καὶὸ μὲν διάκονος μαστιζόμενος ηὐλόγει τὸν Κύριον, μνησθεὶς αὐτοῦ λέγοντος ’ Τὸν νῶτόν μου ἔδωκα εἷς μάστιγας. Οἱ δὲ καὶ μαστῖζοντες ἐγέλων καὶ ἐχλεύαζον αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἐρυθριῶντες, ὅτι Λευίτην ὕβριζον πρέποντα δὲ ἐαυτοῖς καὶ οὗτοι γελῶντες ἐφρόνουν, κάκεῖνος εὐλογῶν ὑπέμενε. Τὸ μὲν γάρ τύπτεσθαι Χριστιανῶν ἴδιόν ἐστι, τὸ δὲ μαστίζειν Χριστιανοὺς Πιλάτου καὶ Καϊάφα τὸ τόλμημα. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν καὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίαν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπεχείρησαν διαφθεῖραι, Θελήσαντες ἐγκαταμίξαι καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν ἀσέβειαν · ὁ δὲ Λιβέριος, ἐξορισθεὶς, ὕστερον μετὰ διετῆ χρόνον ὤκλασε, καὶ φοβηθεὶς τὸν ἀπειλούμενον θάνατον, ὑπέγραψεν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυσιν ἐκείνων μεν τήν βίαν, Λιβερίου δὲ τὸ κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως μῖσος, καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ Ἀθανασίου ψῆφον, ὅτε την προαίρεσιν εἶχεν ἐλευθέραν. Τὰ γὰρ ἐκ βασάνων παρὰ τήν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γνώμην γιγνόμενα, ταῦτα οὐ τῶν φοβηθέντων, ἀλλᾶ τῶν βασανιζόντων ἐστὶ βουλήματα. Πάντα μέντοι ποιεῖν ὑπὲρ τῆς αἱρέσεως ἐπεχείρησαν · καθʼ ἑκάστην δὲ Ἐκκλησίαν, τηροῦντες ἣν ἔμαθον πίστιν, τοὺς μὲν διδασκάλους προσδοκῶσι, τὴν δὲ Χριστομάχον αʼίρεσιν κατέλαβον, καὶ πάντες, ὡς ὄφιν, ἐκτρέπονται. ### English translation (Claude) What they did while doing this—who, hearing it, will not think them anything rather than Christians? For when Liberius sent to the emperor Eutropius, a presbyter, and Hilary, a deacon, with letters, at the time when Lucifer and his companions were making their confession, they at once exiled the presbyter; and the deacon Hilary they stripped, scourged on the back, and exiled, crying out, “Why did you not resist Liberius, but even brought letters from him?” This Ursacius and Valens and the eunuchs with them did. And the deacon, as he was scourged, blessed the Lord, remembering him who said, “I gave my back to the scourges.” But they, while scourging him, laughed and mocked him, not blushing that they were insulting a Levite. They, in laughing, thought what befitted them, and he, blessing, endured. For to be beaten is the mark of Christians, but to scourge Christians is the audacity of Pilate and Caiaphas. So they tried to corrupt the church of the Romans too at the beginning, wishing to mix impiety into it also. And Liberius, after being exiled, gave way after two years, and, fearing the death with which he was threatened, signed. But this too shows their violence, and Liberius’s hatred of the heresy and his vote for Athanasius while he had free choice. For what is done under torture contrary to one’s original judgment is the will not of those who were afraid but of those who tortured them. They have tried to do everything on behalf of the heresy; but in every church those who keep the faith they learned await their teachers; they have found out the Christ-fighting heresy, and all turn away from it as from a serpent. ### Scripture references - Isa 50:6: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - “I gave my back to the scourges”: Isa 50:6. Liberius signed a statement against Athanasius about 357; Athanasius’s judgment that it was extorted is translated as written. OCR debris is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 41 (PG 25:741a–741b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-41). ## History of the Arians 42 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-42 - Source: PG 25:741b–744a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: The Arian leaders urge Constantius to persecute the aged Hosius of Cordova, whose authority sustained the bishops’ resistance. ### Greek text Τοιαῦτα δὲ καὶ τοσαῦτα ποιήσαντες οἳ δυσσεβεῖς, οὐδὲν ἐνόμιζον πεποιηκέναι, ἕως ὁ μέγας Ὅσιος ἀπείρατος ἦν αὐτῶν τῆς πονηρίας. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τοῦ τηλικούτου γέροντος ἐκτεῖναι τὴν μανίαν ἐαυτῶν ἐσκέψαντο · καὶ οὔθʼ ὅτι πατήρ ἐστι τῶν ἐπισκόπων ᾐσχύνθησαν οὔθʼ ὅτι γέγονεν ὁμολογητῆς ηὐλαβήθησαν, οὔτε τὸν χρόνον τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, ὅτι ἑξήκοντα ἔτη ναὶ πλεῖον ἔχει ἐν αὐτῇ, ᾐδέσθησαν · ἀλλὰ πάντα ἐξουθένουν, καὶ πρὸς μόνην τὴν αʼίρεσιν ἔβλεπον· ἅνθρωποι ἀληθῶς μήτε τὸν Θεὸν φοβούμενοι, μήτε ἄνθρωπον ἐντρεπόμενοι, Προσελθόντες τοίνυν Κωνσταντίῳ, τοιούτοις πάλιν ἐχρήσαντο ῥήμασι · Πάντα μὲν πεποιήκαμεν, καὶ ἐξωρίσαμεν τὸν Ῥωμαίων ἐπίσκοπον ’ ἐξωρίσαμεν δὲ καὶ πρὸ αὐτοῦ πλείστους ὅσους ἐπισκόπους · πάντα τε τὸπον φόβου πεπληρώκαμεν · ἀλλʼ εἷς οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ἐστι τὰ τηλικαῦτά σου ἔργα, οὐδὲ κατώρθωται ὁτιοῦν ἡμῖν, ἕως Ὅσῖος περιλείπεται. Ἐκείνου γάρ ὄντος έν τοῖς ἰδίοις, καὶ πάντες ἐν ταῖς ἰδίαις Ἐκκλησίαις εἰσίν ο ἱκανός ἐστιν ἐν λόγῳ καὶ πίστει πείθειν πάντας καθʼ ἡμῶν( Οὗτος xui συνόδων καθηγεῖται, καὶ γράφων ἀκούεται πανταχοῦ οὗτος καὶ τήν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν ἐξέθετο, καὶ τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἐκήρυξεν αἱρετικοὺς εἶναι πανταχοῦ. Ἂν τοίνυν οὗτος μείνῃ, περιττὸς 6 τῶν ἑτέρων έξορισμὸς γέγονεν. ἡ γὰρ αἵρεσις ἡμῶν ἐκποδὼν γίγνεται. Ἅρξαι τοίνυν καὶ τοῦτον διώκειν, καὶ μή φείσῃ, κᾶν ἀρχαῖος ᾗ ο καὶ γὰρ ἡ αʼίρεσις ἡμῶν οὐκ οἶδεν οὐδὲ γερόντων τιμᾷν πολιάν. ### English translation (Claude) Having done such and so many things, the impious thought they had done nothing so long as the great Hosius had not experienced their wickedness. For they planned to extend their madness even against so great an old man; and they were neither ashamed that he is the father of the bishops, nor respectful that he had been a confessor, nor reverent of the length of his episcopate, which he had held sixty years and more; but they despised everything and looked only to the heresy—men truly neither fearing God nor regarding man. So they went to Constantius and again used such words: “We have done everything: we have exiled the bishop of the Romans, and before him we exiled very many bishops, and we have filled every place with fear; but these great works of yours are nothing to us, nor have we achieved anything at all, so long as Hosius remains. For while he is in his own place, all are in their own churches; he is able by word and faith to persuade all against us. He presides over synods, and when he writes he is listened to everywhere; he set forth the faith at Nicaea and proclaimed the Arians heretics everywhere. If, then, he remains, the exile of the others has been in vain, for our heresy is being put out of the way. Begin, then, to persecute him too, and do not spare him, even though he is old; for our heresy does not know how to honor even the gray hairs of the aged.” ### Scripture references - Luke 18:2: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “Neither fearing God nor regarding man”: Luke 18:2. That Hosius “set forth the faith at Nicaea” is the Arians’ claim as Athanasius reports it. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 42 (PG 25:741b–744a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-42). ## History of the Arians 43 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-43 - Source: PG 25:744a–744d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Hosius refused Constantius in person and by letter, standing firm against threats, and wrote him the letter that follows. ### Greek text ,Ταῦτα ἀκούων, οὐκ ἐμέλλησε βασιλεὺς, ἀλλʼ εἰδὼς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τὸ ἱκανὸν τοῦ γέροντος, γράφει xui κελεύει τοῦτον ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτὸν, ἡνίκα xui Λιβἑριον κατά τήν ἀρχὴν ἐπείραζεν. Ἐλθόντα δή οῦν αὐτὸν ἠξίου, καὶ προέτρεπε τὰ συνήθη λέγων, οἷς δὴ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἀπατᾷν ἐνόμιζεν, τίνα καθʼ ἡμῶν μὲν γράψῃ, πρὸς δὲ τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἔχῃ τὴν κοινωνίαν. '0 δὲ γέρων, καὶ τὴν ἀκοὴν ἀηδῶς ἐνέγκας, καὶ λυπηθεὶς, δτι κᾶν ὅλως ἐφθέγξατό τι τοιοῦτον, ἐπιπλήξας, καὶ πείσας αὐτὸν, ἀνεχώρησεν εἰς τήν πατρίδα καὶ τήν Ἐκκλησίαν ἑαυτοῦ. Ἀλλὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἀποδυρομένων, καὶ πάλιν παροξυνόντων, εἶχε δὲ καὶ τοὺς εὐνούχους ὑπομιμνήσκοντας, καὶ μᾶλλον παροξύνοντας, γράφει λοιπὸν βασιλεὺς μετᾶ ἀπειλῆς · καὶ ὑβρίζεται μὲν 6 Ὀσιος, οὐ κινεῖται δὲ διὰ τὸν φόβον τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς · ἀλλʼ έστηκὼς τῷ φρονήματι. καὶ ἐπὶ τήν πέτραν οἰκοδομήσας ἑαυτοῦ τήν τῆς πίστεως οἰκίαν, έπαρῥησιάξετο κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως, ῥανίδας καὶ πνοάς ἡγούμενος τὰς ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων ἀπειλάς. Πολλάκις γοῦν γράψαντος Κωνσταντίου, καὶ τὰ μὲν κολακεύοντος ὡς πατέρα, τὰ δὲ ἀπειλοῦντος, καὶ τοὺς ἐξορισθέντας ὀνομάζοντος, καὶ λέγοντος. Ἔτι σὺ μόνος τυγχάνεις ὀ κατά τῆς αἱρέσεως ςΠείσθητι, καὶ γράψον κατά Ἀθανασίου · ὁ γὰρ κατʼ ἐκείνου γράφων πάντως τὰ ’Δρειανῶν μεθʼ ἡμῶν φρονήσει · οὐ κατοῤῥωδήσας 6 ”Οσιος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσχων ὕβρεις, ἔγραψε καὶ αὐτος τοιαῦτα, καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἀνέγνωμεν, καὶ ἔστιν έν τῷ τέλει γεγραμμένη. Ὀσιος Κωνσταντίῳ βασιλεῖ ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν ### English translation (Claude) Hearing this, the emperor did not delay, but, knowing the man and the old man’s ability, he writes and orders him to come to him, at the time when he was first trying Liberius. When he came, he asked and urged him with the usual words, by which he thought he had deceived the others too, to write against us and to hold communion with the Arians. But the old man, bearing the very hearing of it with displeasure and grieved that he had even uttered such a thing, rebuked him, persuaded him, and withdrew to his homeland and his church. But when the heretics complained and provoked him again—and he had the eunuchs too reminding him and provoking him more—the emperor then writes with threats; and Hosius is insulted, but is not moved by fear of the plot; standing firm in mind, and having built the house of his faith on the rock, he spoke boldly against the heresy, regarding the threats in the letters as drops of rain and gusts of wind. So when Constantius wrote many times, now flattering him as a father, now threatening, naming those who had been exiled, and saying, “Are you still the only one against the heresy? Be persuaded and write against Athanasius; for whoever writes against him will certainly hold the views of the Arians with us,” Hosius, not alarmed but suffering insults, himself wrote as follows; we have read the letter, and it is written at the end. “Hosius to Constantius the emperor, greeting in the Lord. ### Scripture references - Matt 7:24: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The house built on the rock: Matt 7:24–25. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 43 (PG 25:744a–744d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-43). ## History of the Arians 44 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-44 - Source: PG 25:744d–748b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Hosius’s letter to Constantius: he recounts the fair challenge offered to Athanasius’s enemies at Sardica, urges the emperor to stop persecuting, and insists that church affairs belong to the bishops, not the emperor. ### Greek text Ἐγὼ μὲν ὡμολόγησα καὶ τὸ πρῶτον, ὅτε διωγμὸς γέγονεν ἐπὶ τῷ πάππῳ σου Μαξιμιανῷ. Ei xui σύ με διώκεις, ἕτοιμος καὶ νῦν πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ὑπομέο νειν, ἢ ἐκκενοῦν ἀθῶον αἷμα, καὶ προδιδόναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν - σὲ δὲ οὐκ ἀποδέχομαι τοιαῦτα γράφοντα xui ἀπειλοῦντα. Παῦσαι τοῦ τοιαῦτα γράφειν, xui μή φρόνει τά Ἀρείου, μηδὲ ἄκουε τῶν ἀνατολικῶν, μηδὲ πίστευε τοῖς περὶ Οὖρσάκιον καὶ Οὐάλεντα. "A γὰρ ’ ἐκεῖνοι λέγουσιν, οὐ διʼ Ἀθανάσιον φθέγγονται, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν ἰδίαν αʼίρεσιν. Πίστευέ μοι, Κωνστάντιε, ’1ιὸ πάππος εἶμί σου καθʼ ἠλικίαν ο ἐγενόμην αὐτὸς ἐν τῇ κατὰ Σαρὸικῆν συνόδῳ, ὅτε σύ τε καὶ ὁ μακαρίτης ἀδελφός σου Κώνστας πάντας ἡμᾶς συνήγαγε. ’ Καὶ διʼ ἐμαυτοῦ τοῦς ἐχθροὺς Ἀθανασίου προσεκαλεσάμην, ἐλθόντας αὐτοὺς εἰς την Ἐκκλησίαν, ἐνῇ ᾤκουν ἐγὼ, ἵνʼ, εἶʼ τι ἔχοιεν κατʼ αὐτοῦ, λέγωσιν. ἐπαγγειλάμενος αῧτοῖς θαρῥεῖνν καὶ μὴ ἄλλο τί πΡʼ ἱ πᾶσιν ἔσεσθαι. δοκᾷν, ὀρθὸν τὸ κριτήριον ἐπὶ πᾶσιν Τοῦτο δὲ οὐχ ἅπαξ, ἀλλὰ καὶ δεύτερον ἐποίησα, προτρέπων, εἰμή θέλοιεν ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς συνόδου, κᾶν ἐπʼ ἐμοῦ μόνου · ἐπαγγειλάμενος πάλιν, ὅτι, ἂν μὲν ὑπεύθυνος δειχθῇ, πάντως ἀποβληθήσεται καὶ παρʼ ἡμῶν · ἂν δὲ ἀναίτιος εὑρεθῇ, καὶ ἐλέγξῃ συκοφάντας ὑμᾶς, εἰ παραιτεῖσθε τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἐγὼ μετʼ ἐμαυτοῦ πείθω τὸν Ἀθανάσιον ἐλθεῖν εἷς τὰς Σπανίας. Καὶ ὁ μέν Ἀθανάσιος ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπείθετο καὶ οὐκ ἀντέλεγεν · ἐκεῖνοι δέ, πρὸς πάντα μὴ 0αρῥοῦντες, ἴσως ἀνένευον. Ἐγένετο δὲ πάλιν ὁ Ἀθανάσιος εἷς τὸ σὸν στρατόπεδον, ἡνίκα μετεπέμψω γράψας αὐτῷ, καὶ παρόντας ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ Ἀντιοχείᾳ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς κληθῆναί πάντας ἦ ἕκαστον αὐτῶν ἠξίωσεν, ’ίνʼ ἢ ἐλέγξωσιν, ἐλεγχθῶσι · καὶ ’ίνα παρόντα δείξωσιν οἷον λέγουσιν, ἦ ἀπόντα μή διαβάλλωσι. Καὶ οῦτε συ λέγοντος ἠνέσχου, ἀλλακάκεῖνοι παρῃτήσαντο. Τί τοίνυν ἀκούεις ἔτι τῶν κακολογοῦντων αὐτόν ; Πῶς ἀνέχῃ Οὐάλεντος καὶ Οὖρσακίου, καίτοι μετανοησάντων αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐγγράφως αὐτῶν ὁμολογησάντων τήν συκοραντίαν ; Ὡμολόγησαν γάρ οὐ βίαν παθόντες, ὡς αὐτοὶ προφασίζονται, οὗ στρατιωτῶν ἐπικειμένων, οῦκ εἰδότος τοῦ ἁδελςιοῦ σου (οὐκ ἐγίγνετο γαρ παρʼ αὐτῷ τοιαῦτα, οἷα νῦν γίγνεται, μὴ γένοιτο ί), ἀλλʼ αὐτοὶ θέλοντες ἑαυτοῖς ἀνῆλθον εἷς την Ῥώμην, καὶ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων παρόντων ἔγραψαν · γράψαντες πρότερον καὶ Ἀθανασίῳ φιλικὴν καὶ εἷρηνικήν ἐπιστολήν. Εἰ δὲ βίαν προρασίζονται, καὶ τοῦτο γινώσκουσι κακὸν, οὐκ ἀποδέγῃ δὲ οῦδέ σῦ παῦσαι τοῦ βιάζεσθαι, · ἀλλὰ καὶ μήτε γράφε, μήτε πέμπε κόμητας καὶ τοὺς ἐξορισθέντας ἀπόλυσον, ’ίνα μή, βίαν αἰτιωμένου σου, μείζονας βίας ἐκεῖνοι ποιῶσι. Τί γὰρ τοιοῦτον γέγονε παρᾶ Κώνσταντος ; τίς ἐπίσκοπος ἐξωρίσθη ; πότε κρίσεως ἐκκλησιαστικῆς μέσος γέγονε; ποῖος αὐτοῦ Παλατῖνος ἠνάγκασε κατά τινος ὑπογράψαι, ’ίνα οἱ περὶ Οὐάλεντα τοιαῦτα λέγωσι; Παῦσαι, παρακαλῶ, καὶ μνήσθητι, ὅτι Θνητὸς ἄνθρωπος τυγχάνεις · φοβηθητι τήν ἡμέραν τῆς κρίσεως · φύλαξον σεαυτὸν εἷς ἐκείνην καθαρόν. Μὴ τίθει σεαυτὸν εἷς τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικά · μηδέ σὺ περὶτούτων ἡμῖν παρακελεύου · ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον παρτ ἡμῶν σὺ μάνθανε ταῦτα. Σοὶ βασιλείαν ὁ Θεὸς ἐνεχείρισεν · ἡ μῖν τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐπίστευσε. Καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ τὴν σὴν ἀργὴν ὑποκλέπτων ἀντιλέγει τῷ διαταξαμένῳ Θεῷ, οὕτω φοβηθητι μή καὶ σὺ, τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἕλκων, ὑπεύθυνος ἐγκλήματι μεγάλῳ γένῃ ’Τῖ ’Δπόδοτε, γέγραπται, τὰ Καίςαρος Καίσαρι, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ. Οῦτε τοίνυν ἡμῖν ἄρχειν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔξεστιν, οὔτε σὺ τοῦ θυμιᾷν ἐξουσίαν ἔχεις, βασιλεῦ. Ταῦτα μὲν οῦν κηδόμενος τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας γράφω · περὶ δὲ ὧν ἐπέστειλας, ταύτης εἰμὶ τῆς γνώμης · Ἐγὼ οὔτε ’Δρειανοῖς συγκατατίθεμαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν αʼίρεσιν αὐτῶν ἀναθεματίζω · οὔτε κατά Ἀθανασίου γράφω, ’ὸν ἡμεῖς τε καὶ ἡ Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησία, καὶ πᾶσα ἠ σύνοδος ἐκαθάρισε. Καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα καὶ σὺ συνορῶν μετεπέμψω τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ συνεχώρησας αὐτῷ μετά τιμῆς εἷς τήν πατρίδα καὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐπανελθεῖν. Τίς τοίνυν γέγονε πρόφασις τῆς τοσαύτης μετβαολῆς; Οἱ αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἐχθροὶ oi καὶ πρότερον ὄντες καὶ νῦν εἰσιν αὐτοῦ · καὶ ’ἁ νῦν ψιθυρίζουσιν (οὐ γὰρ παρόντος αὐτοῦ φθέγγονται ), ταῦτα, καὶ πρὶν μεταπεμψῃ τὸν Ἀθανάσιον, κατελάλουν ’ ταῦτα καὶ ἐλθόντες εἷς τὴν σύνοδον διεθρύλλουν · καὶ ἀπαιτούμενοι παρʼ ἐμοῦ, καθά προεῖπον, τὰς ἀποδείξεις οὐκ ἴσχυσαν παρασχεῖν · εἰ γὰρ εἶχον, οὐκ ἂν ἔφυγον οὓτως αἰσχρῶς. Τίς οῦν ἔπεισέ σε μετά τοσοῦτον γρόνον ἐπιλαθέσθαι τῶν σαυτοῦ γραμμάτων καὶ ῥημάτων ; Ἐπίσχες, καὶ μὴ πείθου κακοῖς κάνθρώποις, ’ίνα μή διὰ τὸ πρὸς ἀλλήλους καθῆκον σαυτὸν ὑπεύθυνον ποιήσῃς. Ὧδε γὰρ τούτοις καθηκετεύεις, ἐν δὲ τῇ κρίσει μόνος μέλλεις ἀπολογεῖσθαι. Οὗτοι τὸν ἴδιον ἐχθρὸν διὰ σοῦ θέλουσιν ἀδικεῖν, καὶ βούλονταί σε διάκονον τῆς ἔαυτῶν πονηρίας γενέσθαι, ’ἶνα διὰ σοῦ καὶ τὴν μυσαρὰν αἵρεσιν εἷς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐπισπείρωσιν. Ούκ ἔστι ### English translation (Claude) I made my confession the first time too, when persecution arose under your grandfather Maximian. If you too persecute me, I am ready now too to endure anything rather than shed innocent blood and betray the truth; but I do not accept you when you write such things and threaten. Stop writing such things; do not hold the views of Arius, nor listen to the Easterners, nor trust Ursacius and Valens. For what they say, they say not because of Athanasius but because of their own heresy. Believe me, Constantius, who am your grandfather in age: I was myself at the synod of Sardica, when you and your brother of blessed memory, Constans, assembled us all; and I myself challenged the enemies of Athanasius, when they came to the church where I was staying, to say whatever they had against him, promising them that they might be confident and expect nothing else than that the judgment would be right in all things. This I did not once but twice, urging that, if they were unwilling before the whole synod, then at least before me alone; promising again that, if he were shown guilty, he would certainly be rejected by us too; but if he were found blameless and proved you false accusers, and you still refused the man, I would persuade Athanasius to come with me to the Spains. And Athanasius agreed to these terms and did not object; but they, having confidence in nothing, refused. And again Athanasius came to your court, when you sent for him by letter, and asked that his enemies, who were present in Antioch itself, be summoned, all together or each of them, so that they might either convict or be convicted, and either prove in his presence what they say or not slander him in his absence. You would not bear him saying this, and they too refused. Why, then, do you still listen to those who speak ill of him? How do you tolerate Valens and Ursacius, though they repented and confessed their false accusation in writing? For they confessed not under force, as they pretend, not with soldiers pressing on them, not with your brother’s knowledge (for no such things happened under him as happen now—God forbid!), but of their own will they went up to Rome and wrote in the presence of the bishop and the presbyters, having first written to Athanasius a friendly and peaceable letter. If they plead force, and know that this is evil, and you too disapprove of it, then stop using force: do not write, do not send counts, release those who have been exiled, lest, while you complain of force, they commit greater acts of force. For what such thing was done by Constans? What bishop was exiled? When did he intervene in an ecclesiastical judgment? What palatine of his compelled anyone to sign against anyone, that Valens and his party should say such things? Stop, I beseech you, and remember that you are a mortal man; fear the day of judgment; keep yourself pure for it. Do not intrude yourself into church affairs, nor give us orders about them; rather learn these things from us. God has entrusted the kingdom to you; to us he has committed the affairs of the Church. And as one who would steal your rule from you opposes God who ordained it, so you too must fear lest, by drawing the affairs of the Church to yourself, you become guilty of a great offense. “Render,” it is written, “to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” It is not lawful, then, for us to rule on earth, nor have you, O emperor, authority to burn incense. These things I write out of care for your salvation. Concerning what you wrote, this is my judgment: I neither agree with the Arians—indeed I anathematize their heresy—nor do I write against Athanasius, whom we and the church of the Romans and the whole synod have cleared. Indeed you too, perceiving this, sent for the man and allowed him to return with honor to his homeland and his church. What, then, has been the pretext for so great a change? For the same enemies he had before he has now; and what they now whisper (for they do not speak when he is present), they spoke against him before you sent for Athanasius; these things they also bandied about when they came to the synod; and when asked by me, as I said, for proofs, they could not provide them; for if they had had them, they would not have fled so shamefully. Who, then, persuaded you, after so long a time, to forget your own letters and words? Hold back, and do not be persuaded by wicked men, lest through your obligations to one another you make yourself guilty. For here you oblige these men, but at the judgment you will have to make your defense alone. These men wish through you to wrong their own enemy, and wish you to become the minister of their wickedness, so that through you they may sow their abominable heresy in the Church. It is not … ### Scripture references - Matt 22:21: quotation, high confidence - 2 Chr 26:16: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Hosius’s letter (about 355–356), preserved only here. Maximian (Herculius) was the father of Constantius’s mother Fausta. “Render to Caesar …”: Matt 22:21. The burning of incense alludes to King Uzziah (2 Chr 26:16–21). The end of the letter is lost in the scan (“…”). OCR debris and Migne’s Latin note are removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 44 (PG 25:744d–748b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-44). ## History of the Arians 45 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-45 - Source: PG 25:748c–749b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recounts how Constantius detained the hundred-year-old Hosius at Sirmium until he yielded to communion with Valens and Ursacius, though he never signed against Athanasius and at death condemned the heresy. ### Greek text Ταῦτα μὲν 6 ’Δβραμιαῖος γέρων, 6 ἀληθῶς ’Όσιος ἐφρόνησέ τε καὶ ἔγραψεν, 6 δὲ οὔτε τοῦ ἐπιβουλεύειν ἀνεχώρει, οὔτε πρόφασιν κατʼ αὐτοῦ ζητῶν πέπαυται ο ἀλλά καὶ ἀπειλῶν ἐπέμενε δεινῶς, ἷʼνα ἢ βιαζόμενος μεταγάγῃ, ἢ μή πειθόμενον ἐξορίσῃ. Πρόφασιν μὲν οῦν, ὥσπερ οἱ τακτικοὶ καὶ σατράπαι τῆς Βαβυλῶνος, ζητοῦντες, οὐχ εὕρισκον κατά τοῦ Δανιὴλ εἰ μὴ ἐν νόμοις Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ ο οὕτω καὶ οἱ νῦν σατράπαι τῆς ἀσεβείας οὐδὲ πλάσασθαι κατά τοῦ γέροντος ἄλλην ἠδυνήθησαν. Πᾶσι γὰρ γνώριμος ἦν 6 ἀληθῶς Ὅσιος, καὶ 6 τούτου βίος ἀνεπίληπτος, εἰ μή τὸ κατὰ τῆς αἱρέσεως μῖσος. Διαβάλλουσι τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸν, ούκέτι ὡς ἐκεῖνον Δαρείῳ (ἀηδῶς γάρ ἤκουσεν 6 Δαρεῖος κατά τοῦ Δανιὴλ), ἀλλʼ ὡς Ἰεζάβελ κατά τοῦ Ναβουθαὶ, καὶ ὡς οἱ Ἰουδαῖοιτῷ Ἥρώδῃ, λέγοντες · Οὐ μόνον οὐχ ὑπογράφει κατά Ἀθανασίου, ἀλλά καὶ ἡμᾶς διʼ αὐτὸν κατακρίνει · καὶ τήν αʼίρεσιν οὕτω μισεῖ, ὡς καὶ ἄλλοις γράφειν θάνατον μᾶλλον ὑπομένειν, ἢ προδότας γίνεσθαι τῆς ἀληθείας. Διʼ αὐτὴν γὰρ καὶ 6 ἀγαπητὸς ἡμῶν ’Δθανάσιος διώκεται, καὶ Λιβἑριος Ῥωμαίων ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες ἐπιβουλεύονται. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας 6 τῆς ἀσεβείας προστάτης, καὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως βασιλεὺς Κωνστάντιος, καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ ἕτεροί εἶσι κατᾶ τὰς Σπανίας ταυτὶ τῷ Ὀσίῳ φρονοῦντες, πειράσας κάκείνους ὑπογράψαι, καὶ μὴ δυνηθεὶς ἀναγκάσαι, μεταπέμπεται τὸν ’Ὀσιον ο καὶ ἀντὶ ἐξορισμοῦ κατἑχει τοῦτον ὅλον ἐνιαυτὸν ἐν τῷ Σιρμίῳ, οὔτε τὸν Οεὸν φοβηθεὶς 6 ἄθεος, οὕτε τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν διάθεσιν, ἢν εἶχε πρὸς τὸνὈσιον, αἰδεσθεὶς 6 ἀνόσιος, οὔτε τὸ γῆρας (ἑκατονταέτης γάρ λοιπὸν αἰσχυνθεὶς 6 ἄστοργος. Πάντα γάρ ταῦτα παρεῖδε διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ὁ νέος ’Λχαάβ, καὶ ἄλλος Βαλθασάρ ἐφʼ ἡμῶν γενόμενος. Τοσαῦτην γὰρ βίαν πεποίηκε τῷ γέροντι, καὶ τοσοῦτον αὐτὸν συνέσχεν, ὡς θλιβέντα αὐτὸν, μόγις κοινωνῆσαι μὲν τοῖς περί Οὐάλεντα καὶ Οὐρσάκιον, μή ὑπογράψαι δὲ κατά Ἀθανασίου. Ἀλλά καὶ οὕτως οὐκ ἠμέλησεν 6 γέρων ο μέλλων γάρ ἀποθνήσκειν, ὥσπερ διατιθέμενος ἐμαρτύρατο τήν βίαν, καὶ τήν ’Δρειανὴν αἳρεσιν ἀνεθεμάτιζε, και παρήγγελλε μηδένα ταύτην ἀποδέχεσθαι. ### English translation (Claude) This the old man of Abraham’s stock, Hosius, truly holy, thought and wrote. But the emperor neither ceased from plotting nor stopped seeking a pretext against him, but went on threatening terribly, either to bring him over by force or, if he would not be persuaded, to exile him. And as the officers and satraps of Babylon, seeking a pretext, found none against Daniel except in the law of his God, so the present satraps of impiety could not invent any other charge against the old man; for the truly holy Hosius was known to all, and his life was blameless, except for his hatred of the heresy. So they slander him too—no longer as those men slandered Daniel to Darius (for Darius heard the charge against Daniel with displeasure), but as Jezebel did against Naboth, and as the Jews to Herod—saying: “He not only does not sign against Athanasius, but condemns us on his account; and he so hates the heresy that he writes to others to endure death rather than become traitors to the truth. For it is on its account, he says, that our beloved Athanasius is persecuted, and Liberius, bishop of the Romans, and all the others are plotted against.” Hearing this, the patron of impiety and emperor of the heresy, Constantius—and especially that there are others in the Spains who think the same as Hosius—having tried to make them too sign and being unable to compel them, sends for Hosius; and instead of exile he detains him a whole year at Sirmium: the godless man not fearing God, the unholy one not respecting his father’s affection for Hosius, the unloving one not ashamed of his old age (for he is now a hundred years old). For he disregarded all these things because of impiety, this new Ahab, another Belshazzar arisen in our days. He used such violence on the old man and confined him so much that, being hard pressed, he with difficulty communicated with Valens and Ursacius and their party, but did not sign against Athanasius. Yet even so the old man did not neglect the matter; for when he was about to die, as if making his will, he bore witness to the violence, anathematized the Arian heresy, and charged that no one should accept it. ### Scripture references - Dan 6:5: allusion, high confidence - 1 Kgs 21:1: allusion, medium confidence - Dan 5:1: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “Hosius, truly holy” plays on his name (ὅσιος, “holy”). Daniel: Dan 6:4–5; Naboth: 1 Kgs 21 (3 Kgdms 20 LXX); Ahab and Belshazzar: 1 Kgs 21; Dan 5. Hosius was forced at Sirmium (357) to communicate with the Arian bishops; Athanasius’s account of his yielding and deathbed protest is translated as written. Debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 45 (PG 25:748c–749b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-45). ## History of the Arians 46 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-46 - Source: PG 25:749b–752a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius laments the exile of Liberius, Hosius, and many others, which proves that the charges against all of them were pretexts, and calls the persecution a prelude to Antichrist. ### Greek text Τίς ταῦτα βλέπων, ἢ καὶ μόνον ἀκούων, οὐκ ἐξίσταται καὶ αὐτὸς, καὶ καταβοήσει πρὸς Κύριον, λέγων· Μὴ ἆρα εἷς ἐξάλειψιν οὺ ποιήσῃς τὸν Ἰσραήλ ; Τίς, ταῦτα κατανοῶν, οὐκ εὐκαίρως καὶ αὐτὸς καταβοήσει, λέγων · Ἕκστασις καὶ φρικτὰ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ, Ἐξέστη 6 οὐρανὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἔφριξε σφόδρα ; Οἱ πατέρες τῶν λαῶν, καὶ διδάσκαλοι τῆς πίστεως αἶʼρονται, καὶ οἱ ἀσεβεῖς εἷς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας εἰσάγονται. Τίς, ὅτε Διβέριος ἐπίσοπος Ῥώμης ἐξωρίσθη, καὶ ὁ πατὴρ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ὁ μέγας Ὅσιος, οὕτω πάσχοντα, ἢ τίς ὁρῶν τοσούτους ἐπισκόπους ἀπὸ τῆς Σπανίας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων μερῶν ἐξοριζομένους, οὐκ ἐπέγνω, κᾶν ὀλίγην αἶʼσθησιν ἔχῃ, ὅτι καὶ τά κατᾶ Ἀθανάσιον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους προφάσεις εἰσὶ ψευδεῖς, καὶ πάντα συκοφαντίας μεστά ;Το·3του γὰρ χάριν κάκεῖνοι πάντα παθεῖν ὑπέμειναν, συνορῶντες τὴν γενομένη) ἐκ συκοφαντίας ἐκείνων ἐπιβουλήν. Ἐπεὶ ποῖον ἔγκλημα καὶ Διβερίῳ; ἢ ποία κατηγορία ςκατά τοῦ γέροντος Ὀσίου ; τίς κᾶν ἐψεύσατο κατά Παυλίνου, καὶ Λουκιφέρου, καὶ Διονυσίου, καὶ Εὐσεβίου; ἢ ποῖον ἁμάρτημα κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐξορισθέντων ἐπισκόπων, καὶ πρεσβυτέρων, καὶ διακόνων ; οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο, μή γένοιτο ! Οὐ γὰρ διʼ ἐγκλήματα γεγόνασιν αἱ συσκευαὶ, οὐδὲ διὰ κατηγορίαν ἕκαστος ἐξωρίσθη· ἀλλʼ ἐπανάστασίς ἐστι τῆς ἀσεβείας κατὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας ο καὶ σπουδή μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς ’Δρειανῆς αἱρέσεως, προοίμια δὲ καὶ τῆς τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου παρόδου, Κωνσταντίου ταύτην προκατασκευάζοντος ἐκείνῳ. ### English translation (Claude) Who, seeing this, or even only hearing it, will not himself be amazed and cry out to the Lord, saying, “Will you make a full end of Israel?” Who, considering this, will not fittingly cry out, “An astonishing and horrible thing has been done in the land,” and, “The heaven was astonished at this, and the earth shuddered exceedingly”? The fathers of the people and teachers of the faith are taken away, and the impious are brought into the churches. When Liberius, bishop of Rome, was exiled, and the father of the bishops, the great Hosius, suffered thus, who, seeing so many bishops exiled from Spain and the other parts, did not recognize, if he had even a little perception, that the pretexts against Athanasius and the others are false and all full of false accusation? For this reason those men too endured to suffer everything, perceiving the plot made by the false accusation of these. For what charge was there against Liberius? Or what accusation against the old man Hosius? Who even told a lie against Paulinus, Lucifer, Dionysius, and Eusebius? Or what sin was alleged against the other exiled bishops, presbyters, and deacons? There is none—God forbid! For the plots did not come about because of charges, nor was each exiled because of an accusation; but it is an uprising of impiety against piety, zeal on behalf of the Arian heresy, and a prelude to the coming of Antichrist, for whom Constantius is preparing the way. ### Scripture references - Ezek 11:13: quotation, high confidence - Jer 5:30: quotation, high confidence - Jer 2:12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - “Will you make a full end of Israel?”: Ezek 11:13 (cf. 9:8). “An astonishing and horrible thing …”: Jer 5:30. “The heaven was astonished …”: Jer 2:12. A Latin-letter misreading is corrected by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 46 (PG 25:749b–752a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-46). ## History of the Arians 47 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-47 - Source: PG 25:752a–752c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius explains that the persecution was carried out across the West first so that, when it reached Alexandria, he would have no bishop to appeal to, but that refuge in God suffices. ### Greek text Μετᾶ γὰρ τὸ δῖαπράξασθαι πάντα, ὅσαπερ ἠθέλησεν εἷς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας τὰς ἐν τῇ Ἰταλίᾳ, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα μέρη · μετά τὸ τοὺς μὲν ἐξορίσαι, τοὺς δὲ ἀναγκάσαι, καὶ πληρῶσαι φόβου τὰ πανταχοῦ, λοιπὸν εἷς ’Δλεξάνδρειαν ὥσπερ τι νόσημα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θυμὸν ἔστρεψεν · Ἐγίγνετο δὲ τοῦτο πανούργως παρὰ τῶν Χριστομάχων · ’ίνα γὰρ φαντασίαν ἔχωσιν ὑπογραφῆς πολλῶν ἐπισκόπων, καὶ ’ίνα διωχθεὶς Ἀθανάσιος μή ἔχῃ κᾶν ἀποδύρεσθαι πρὸς ἐπίσκοπον, διὰ τοῦτο, προλαμβάνοντες, τὰ πανταχοῦ πεπληρώκασι φόβου · καὶ τοῦτον ἔφεδρον εἷς τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ἐτήρησαν · οὐκ εἰδότες οἳ ἄφρονες, ὅτι οὐ προαίρεσιν ἐπισκόπων, ἀλλὰ τὴν παρʼ αὐτῶν γενομένην βίαν ἐπεδείκνυντο ' καὶ ὅτι, κᾶν ἀδελφοὶ καταλείψωσι, κᾶν φίλοι καὶ γνώριμοι μακρὰν ἀποστῶσι, καὶ μηδεὶς εύρεθῇ συλλυπούμενος καὶ παρακαλῶν, ἀλλʼ ὑπὲρ πάντα μᾶλλον ἡ πρὸς Θεὸν ἐξαρκεῖ καταφυγή. Μόνος γὰρ ἦν καὶ Ἠλίας διωκόμενος, καὶ πάντα καὶ ἐν πᾶσιν ἦν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ἁγίῳ. Καὶ τοῦτον δὲ τύπον ἡμῖν δέδωκεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, καὶ μόνος καταληφθεὶς, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐπεβουλεύετο ’ ’ίνα κᾶν ἡμεῖς διωκόμενοι καταλειφθῶμεν ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων, μή ἐκκακῶμεν, ἄλλʼ ἔχωμεν εἷς αὐτὸν τὴν ἐλπίδα, καὶ μὴ προδίδωμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν · ἥτις, κᾶν κατᾶ τὴν ἀρχὴν θλίβεσθαι δόξῃ, ἀλλʼ ὕστερον καὶ o't διώκοντες αὐτὴν ἐπιγνώσονται. ### English translation (Claude) For after he had accomplished all he wished in the churches of Italy and the other parts—after exiling some, compelling others, and filling every place with fear—he then turned his anger, like a disease, upon Alexandria. This was done craftily by the Christ-fighters: so that they might have a show of the signatures of many bishops, and so that Athanasius, when persecuted, might not have even a bishop to complain to, they first filled every place with fear, and kept him in reserve for their plot—not knowing, the fools, that they were displaying not the choice of the bishops but the violence they themselves had used; and that, even if brothers forsake us, even if friends and acquaintances stand afar off, and no one is found to share our grief and comfort us, yet above all refuge in God suffices. For Elijah too was alone when persecuted, and God was all in all to the saint. And the Savior has given us this example: he too was left alone and plotted against by his enemies, so that we too, if persecuted and forsaken by men, may not lose heart, but have our hope in him and not betray the truth, which, though at the beginning it may seem to be afflicted, yet afterwards even its persecutors will acknowledge. ### Scripture references - Ps 38:11 (37:12 LXX): echo, medium confidence - 1 Kgs 19:10: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Friends standing afar off: Ps 38:11 (37:12 LXX). Elijah alone: 1 Kgs 19:10. OCR debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 47 (PG 25:752a–752c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-47). ## History of the Arians 48 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-48 - Source: PG 25:752c–756b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recounts the assault of Syrianus, Constantius’s letter inciting Alexandria against him, and the emperor’s false claim that he had restored Athanasius only for his brother’s sake, contrasting his conduct with his father’s and brother’s. ### Greek text Παροξύνουσι τοίνυν, καὶ γράφει τὸ πρῶτον βασιλεὺς, καὶ πέμπει πρὸς τε τὸν δοῦκα καὶ τοὺς στρατιώτας ἀπειλήν. Νοτάριοί τε Διογένιός τε καὶ Ἰλάριος, καὶ παλατῖνοι σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀποστέλλονται καὶ γέγονε τὰ τοσαῦτα δεινὰ καὶ ὠμᾶ κατᾶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἃ μικρῷ πρόσθεν διʼ ὀλίγων εἴρηται, καὶ πάντες ἔγνωσαν, ἐξ ὧν ἔθηκαν οἱ λαοὶ διαμαρτυριῶν, ’ἀς καὶ ἀναγνῶναι δύναταί τις γραφείσας ἐν τῷ τὲλει τούτων. Εἶτα μετᾶ τὸ γενέσθαι τὰ παρὰ Συριανοῦ, μετᾶ τὸ γενέσθαι τοσαῦτα, καὶ τὰς κατᾶ τῶν παρθένων ὕβρεις, ἀποδεξάμενος τὰ οὕτωκαὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα κακᾶ, γράφει πάλιν τῇ βουλῇ καὶ τῷ δήμῳ τῆς ’Δλεξανδρείας, παροξύνων τοὺς νεωτέρους, ’ίνα πάντες συνελθόντες ἢ διώξωσιν Ἀθανάσιον, ἢ γινώσκοιεν ἐχθροὺς αὐτοῦ τυγχάνειν αὐτούς. Αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν, και πριν ἐλθειν ταῦτα, ἐξ οὗ τῇ Ἐκκλησία Συριανὸς ἐπῆλθεν, ἀναχωρήσας ἦν, εἰδὼς τὸ γεγραμμένον ’ Ἀλλʼ ἀποκρύβηθι μικρὸν ὅσον ὃσον, ἕως ἃν παρέλθῃ ἡ ὀργή · τῶν δὲ γραμμάτων τουτων γινεται διάκονος Ἡράο κλειός τις τῷ ἀξιώματι κόμης, προοδεόων τινὸς Γεωργίου τοῦ ἀποστελλομένου παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως κατασκόπου οὗ γάρ ἂν εἴη ἐπίσκοπος ὁ παρʼ ἐκείνου πεμπόμενος, μὴ γένοιτο l ὡς καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ γενόμενα, καὶ τα προοίμια τῆς εἶʼσόδου δείκνυσιν. Τὰ μὲν οὖν γράμματα προῦθηκε δημοσίᾳ, καὶ πολλὴν αἰσχύνην ἐδείκνυον τοῦ γράφοντος · Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, ὡς ἔγραψεν ὁ μέγας Ὄσιος, οὐχ εῧρισκε πιθανήν πρόφασιν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ μεταβολῆς, ἐπενόησε πολλῷ καὶ μᾶλλον ἀπρεπεστέραν ἑαυτῷ · καὶ τοῖς τούτῳ συμβουλεύσασιν · ἔφησε γάρ · Τὴν πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν αἰδούμενος φιλίαν, τὸν τῆς θείας καὶ εὐσεβοῦς μνήμης, ἐπὶ καιρὸν αὐτῷ τήν ὡς ὑμᾶς γελίαν ψευσάμενον, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἀδελφὸν μετὰ θάνατον ἀγνώμονα δείκνυσιν. Εἶτα θείας καὶ εὐσεβοῦς Ν αὐτὸν μνήμης, ιῦσπεροῦν καὶ ἔστιν, ἄξιον ὀνομάζει, οὗ τὴν ἐντολὴν καὶ τὴν φιλίαν, ὡς αὐτὸς ἔγραψε, καίτοι, εἴ καὶ διὰ τὸν μακαρίτην Κώνσταντα συγχωρήσας ἦν, ὤφειλε μή ἀκαθήκων περὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν γενέσθαι, (ἶνʼ ὥσπερ τῆς βασιλείας, οὕτω καὶ τῆς γνώμης αὐτοῦ κληρονόμος γένηται. Ἀλλὰ τὸν μεν Βρετανίωνα καθεῖλεν, ἐθελήσας τὸ δίκαιον ἀπαιτεῖν, λέγων · Ιίνι μετὰ θάνατον ἀδελφῶν ἡ κληρονομία γίνεται ; διὰ δὲ τήν μυσαράν αʼίρεσιν τῶν Χριστομάχων οὔτε τὸ δίκαιον οἶδεν, ἀλλά καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἀκαθήκων γίνεται · διʼ ἣν αʼίρεσιν οὐδέ τοῦ πατρὸς ὁλόκληρον τὴν γνώμην φυλάττειν ἐνενόησεν · ἀλλά εἷς μὲν τὸ ἀρέσκον τοῖς ἀσεβέσι, τοῦτο τηρεῖν ὑποκρίνεται · εἷς δὲ τὸ λυποῦν ἐκείνους, οὐκ οἶδεν οὐδὲ μ τὸ πρὸς τὸν πατέρα σέβας φυλάξαι. Ἀπέστειλε μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἐκ διαβολῆς τῶν περὶ Εὗσέβιον εἶς τὰς Γαλλίας ἐπὶ καιρὸν διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ὠμότητα (τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ μακαρίτης Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ τούτου ἀδελφὸς μετά θάνατον τοῦ πατρὸς ἐδήλωσεν, ὡς ἐκ τῶν γραμμάτων αὐτοῦ δείκνυται) · οὐκ ἐπείσθη δὲ τοῖς περὶ Εὖσέβιον ἀποστεῖλαι, ὃν ἤθελον ἐπίσκοπον αὐτοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ θέλοντας ἐκώλυσε, καὶ ἐπιχὲιρήσαντας ἐπέσχε μετά δεινῆς ἀπειλῆ ς. . Πῶς οὖν, εἰ τὰ τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ γεννητορος, ὡς γράφει, φυλάττειν ἤθελεν, ἀπέστειλε τὸ μὲν πρῶτον Γρηγόριον, καὶ νῦν δὲ. τὸν ταμειοφάγον Γεώργιον; ἢ διὰ τί τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς, οὓς ἐκεῖνος Πορφυριανοὺς ὠνόμασε, τούτους οὗτος εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν εἰσαγαγεῖν σπουδάζει, καὶ τούτων προϊστάμενος, ἄλλους ἐξορίζει; Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἑώρακεν Ἄρειον ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦʼ ἀλλʼ ἐπιορκήσας ’Ἄρειος καὶ ῥαγεξς, ἔλυσε τήν τοῦ πατρὸς φιλανθρωπίαν · καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς, μαθὼν, ὡς αἱρετικοῦ κατέγνω λοιπόν. Πῶς δὲ καὶ, προφασιζόμενος φροντίζειν τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ κανόνος, πάντα παρὰ τοῦτον ἐπενόησε πράττειν; Ποῖος γὰρ κανὼν ἀπὸ παλατίου πέμπεσθαι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ; Ἠ ποῖος κανὼν στρατιώτας ἐπιβαίνειν ἐκκλησίαις ; Ἠ τίς παραδέδωκε κόμητας καὶ τοὸς ἀλογίστους σπάδοντας κατάρχειν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν, καὶ διατάγματι την κρίσιν τῶν λεγομὲνων ἐπισκόπων δηλοῢσθαι ;Πάντα ψεύδεται διὰ τὴν ἀνόσιον αἳρεσιν · καὶ γὰρ παρά γνώμην τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τότε Φιλάγριον τὸ δεύτερον ἔπεμψεν ἔπαρχον, καὶ τὰ νῦν γενόμενα γέγονε. Καὶ διὰ τὸν ἀδελφὸν δὲ οὐκ ἀληθεύει καὶ γάρ καὶ μετὰ τὸν ἐκείνου θάνατον οὐχ ἅπαξ, οὐδὲ δεύτερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρίτον ἔγραψε τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ · καὶ πάλιν ἐπηγγείλπο μὴ μετάβάλλεσθαι · ἀλλὰ καὶ θαῤῥεῖν παρεκελεύσατο, ὥστε παρὰ μηδενὸς αὐτὸν ταράττεσθαι, ἄλλὰ καὶ μένειν ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησία μετὰ πάσης ἀμεριμνίας καὶ ἐντολὰς δὲ διʼ Ἀστερίου κόμητος καὶ Παλλαδίου νοταρίου ἔπεμψε Φηλικισσίμῳ τῷ τότε δουκὶ, καὶ Νεστορίῳ τῷ ἐπάρχῳ, ἵνα εἷʼτε Φίλιππος ὁ ἔπαρχος, εἴτε τις ἄλλος ἐπιβουλεύειν Ἀθανασίῳ τολμήσοι, τοῦτον ἐκεῖνοι κωλύωσιν. ### English translation (Claude) So they provoke him, and the emperor first writes and sends a threat to the duke and the soldiers. The notaries Diogenius and Hilary are sent, and palatines with them; and all those terrible and cruel things were done against the church that have been told briefly a little before, and that all have come to know from the protests drawn up by the people, which anyone can read, written at the end of this account. Then, after what was done by Syrianus—after so much had happened, and the outrages against the virgins—having approved of such evils done in this way, he writes again to the council and people of Alexandria, inciting the young men that all should gather together and either persecute Athanasius or know that they were his enemies. Athanasius, however, had withdrawn even before this letter came, from the time Syrianus attacked the church, knowing what is written: “Hide yourself for a little while, until the wrath pass by.” The bearer of these letters was one Heraclius, a count by rank, going ahead of one George, sent by the emperor as a spy—for one sent by him could not be a bishop, God forbid!—as both what happened and the preludes of his entry show. [49–50] The letter, then, he posted publicly, and it showed great shame on the part of the writer. For since, as the great Hosius wrote, he could find no plausible pretext for his change, he devised one far more unseemly for himself and for those who advised him; for he said, “Out of regard for my friendship with my brother of divine and pious memory, for a time … to you …”; this shows him to have lied, and to be ungrateful toward his brother after his death. Then he calls him, rightly, “of divine and pious memory,” as indeed he is; whose command and friendship … as he himself wrote. And yet, even if he had yielded for the sake of Constans of blessed memory, he ought not to have been undutiful toward his brother, so that he might be heir of his judgment as of his kingdom. But he deposed Vetranio, wishing to claim his right, saying, “To whom does the inheritance belong after the death of brothers?”; yet because of the abominable heresy of the Christ-fighters he does not know what is right, but is undutiful toward his brothers. Because of this heresy he did not even think to keep his father’s judgment whole; but where it pleases the impious, he pretends to keep it, and where it grieves them, he does not even know how to keep reverence toward his father. For his father sent the bishop to the Gauls for a time, through the slander of Eusebius and his party, because of the cruelty of those plotting against him (as the younger Constantine of blessed memory, his brother, made plain after their father’s death, as is shown from his letter); but he was not persuaded by Eusebius and his party to send the bishop they wished, but even prevented them when they wished it and restrained them with a terrible threat when they attempted it. [51] How, then, if he wished, as he writes, to keep the arrangements of his father, did he send first Gregory and now George, the devourer of the treasury? Or why is he eager to bring into the Church the Arians, whom his father named Porphyrians, and as their patron exiles others? And if his father did receive Arius, yet Arius, having perjured himself and burst asunder, cancelled his father’s kindness; for he too, learning of it, then condemned him as a heretic. And how, while pretending to care for the ecclesiastical canon, has he devised to do everything contrary to it? For what canon is there that a bishop be sent from the palace? Or what canon that soldiers invade churches? Or who handed down that counts and irrational eunuchs should rule church affairs, and that the judgment of so-called bishops should be published by edict? He lies in everything because of the unholy heresy; for against his father’s judgment he then sent Philagrius as prefect a second time, and what is now happening has happened. And concerning his brother he does not tell the truth; for after his death too he wrote to the bishop not once nor twice but three times, and again promised not to change, and even urged him to take courage, so that he should be troubled by no one, but remain in the church in all security; and he sent orders through Asterius the count and Palladius the notary to Felicissimus, then duke, and to Nestorius the prefect, that, whether Philip the prefect or anyone else should dare to plot against Athanasius, they should prevent him. ### Scripture references - Isa 26:20: quotation, high confidence - Acts 1:18: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The numerals of chapters 49–50 and 51 are partly lost in the scan; this staged section contains chapters 48–51, marked [49–50] and [51] as in NPNF² 4. Several lines quoting Constantius’s letter are lost in the scan and marked “…”. “Hide yourself for a little while …”: Isa 26:20. Vetranio was proclaimed emperor in 350 and deposed by Constantius. Constantine’s edict calling Arians “Porphyrians” survives in Socrates, Church History 1.9. “Burst asunder”: cf. Acts 1:18. Debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 48 (PG 25:752c–756b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-48). ## History of the Arians 52 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-52 - Source: PG 25:756b–757a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius argues that the emperor has no place in church judgments and that the alliance of Constantius and the Arian bishops is a new and unprecedented spectacle. ### Greek text Διά τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὅτε Διογένης ἦλθε, καὶ Συριανὸς ἐνήδρευσεν, αὐτὸς τε καὶ ἡμεῖς, καὶὸ λαὸς ἀητοῦμεν γράμματα τοῦ βασιλέως, νομίζοντες, δτι, ὣσπερ γέγραπται, Μηδὲν ψεῦδος ἀπὸ στόματος λεγέσθω βασιλεῖ, οὕτω καὶ βασιλεὺς, ἐπαγγειλάμενος, οὕτε ψεύσεται, οὕτε μεταβληθήσεται, Πῶς οὖν, εἰ διὰ τὸν ἀδελφὸν συνεχώρησεν, ἔγραψε καὶ μετὰ θάνατον αὐτοῦ ; Εἰ δὲ καὶ τότε διὰ τὴν ἐκείνου μνήμην ἔγραψε, διὰ τί μετὰ ταῦτα τὸ ὅλον ἠγνωμονησεν αὐτὸν, διώκων τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τοιαῦτα γράφων, ἐν οἷς προφασίζεται μὲν κρίσιν ἐπισκόπων, πράττει δὲ αὐτὸς ὡς ἂν αὐτῷ δοκῇ οὗ λανθάνων ὅμως, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐγγὺς ἔχων τὸν ἔλεγχον τῆς πανουργίας; Εἰ γὰρ ἐπισκόπων ἐστὶ κρίσις, τί κοινὸν ἔχει ’ πρὸς ταύτην βασιλεύς ; εἱ δὶ βασιλέως ἐστὶν ἀπειλὴ, τίς ἐνταῦθα χρεία τῶν λεγομὲνων ἐπισκόπων ; Πότε γὰρ ἐκ τοῦ αἰῶνος ἠκούσθη τοιοῦτον; πότε κρίσις Ἐκκλησίας παρά βασιλέως ἔσχε τὸ κῦρος,,ἢ ὅλως ἐγνώσθη τὸ κρῖμα ; Πολλαὶ σύνοδοι πρὸ τούτου γεγόνασι πολλὰ κρίματα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γέγονεν · ἀλλʼ οὔτε οἱ ῙΙατὲρες ἔπεισάν ποτε περὶ τούτων βασιλέα, οὔτε βασιλεύς τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας περιειργάσατο. Παῦλος ἀπόστολος εἶχε φίλους τοὺς τῆς τοῦ Καίσαρος οἰκίας, καὶ γράφων ἠσπάζετο τοὺς Φιλιππησίους ἀπὸ τούτων · ἀλλʼ οὐκ εἰς κρίματα τούτους κοινωνοὺς παρελάμβανε. Νῦν δὲ θέαμα καινὸν, καὶ τοῦτο τῆς Ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεώς ἐστιν εὕρημα · συνῆλθον γὰρ αἱρετικοὶ καὶ βασιλεὺς Κωνη στάντιος, ’ίνα κάκεῖνος, τήν ἐπισκόπων ἔχων πρόφασιν, τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ καθʼ ὧν ἂν ἐθέλοι, πράττῃ, καὶ διώκων μὴ λέγοιτο διώκτης ° xui οὗτοι δὲ, τὴν βασιλέως ἔχοντες δυναστείαν, ἐπιβουλεύωσιν οἷς ἂν ἐθέλωσι · θέλουσι δὲ τοῖς μή ἀσεβοῦσιν, ὡς αὐτοί. Τοῦτο δέ ὡς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ἄν τις ἴδοι κωμῳδούμενον παρʼ αὐτοῖς · καὶ τοὺς μὲν λεγομένους, ἐπισκόπους ὑποκρινομένους, τὸν δὲ Κωνστάντιον τὰ ἐκείνων ἐνεργοῦντα, καὶ πάλιν ἐπαγγελλόμενον τοῦτον, ὡς Ἡρώδης τῆς Ἡρωδιάδος · τούτους δὲ πάλιν ὀρχουμένους τάς διαβολὰς ἐπὶ ἐξορισμῷ καῖ θανάτῳ τῶν εἷς τὸν Κύριον εὐσεβούντων. ### English translation (Claude) For this reason too, when Diogenius came and Syrianus laid his ambush, both he and we and the people asked for the emperor’s letters, thinking that, as it is written, “Let no lie be spoken to the king from the mouth,” so too the emperor, having promised, would neither lie nor change. How then, if he yielded for his brother’s sake, did he write after his death too? And if he wrote then out of regard for his memory, why afterwards was he wholly ungrateful to him, persecuting the man and writing such things, in which he pretends a judgment of bishops, but himself does whatever seems good to him—not escaping notice, however, but having the proof of his villainy close at hand? For if it is a judgment of bishops, what has the emperor to do with it? But if it is the emperor’s threat, what need is there here of the so-called bishops? When since the world began was such a thing heard? When did a judgment of the Church receive its authority from the emperor, or was such a decision even known? There have been many synods before this, many judgments of the Church; but neither did the Fathers ever persuade an emperor about such things, nor did an emperor meddle in the affairs of the Church. The apostle Paul had friends of Caesar’s household, and in writing he greeted the Philippians from them; but he did not take them as partners in judgments. But now there is a new spectacle, and this is an invention of the Arian heresy: heretics and the emperor Constantius have come together, so that he, using the bishops as a pretext, may act by his authority against whom he wishes and, persecuting, not be called a persecutor; and they, having the emperor’s power, may plot against whom they wish—and they wish it against those who are not impious as they are. One might see this played among them as a comedy on a stage: the so-called bishops acting their parts, and Constantius doing their business and again making promises, as Herod did to Herodias; and they again dancing their slanders for the exile and death of those who are pious toward the Lord. ### Scripture references - Prov 24:22: allusion, low confidence - Phil 4:22: allusion, high confidence - Mark 6:22: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - “Let no lie be spoken to the king”: Prov 24:22a (LXX addition). Caesar’s household: Phil 4:22. Herod and Herodias: Mark 6:22–23. A Latin-letter debris word is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 52 (PG 25:756b–757a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-52). ## History of the Arians 53 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-53 - Source: PG 25:757b–757c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius laments that under Constantius no church can worship freely, and the faithful must hide like the prophets in Elijah’s time. ### Greek text Τίνα οῦν οὐκ ἔβλαψαν διαβάλλοντες ; τίνων οὗ γεγόνασιν ἐπίβουλοι οἱ Χριστομάχοι ; τίνα Κωνστάντιος οὐκ ἐξώρισε κατενεχθέντα παρʼ αὐτῶν,' πότε καταθυμίως αὐτῶν οὐκ ἤκουσε ; xui τὸ παράδοξον, τίνα πώποτε λέγοντα κατʼ ἐκείνων ἐδέξατο, καὶ οὐ μᾶλλον λέγοντας ἐκείνους οἷα κᾶν εἷʼπωσιν ἀπεδέξατο ; ποία Εκκλησία νῦν τὸν Χριστὸν μετʼ ἐλευθερίας προσκυνεῖ ; ἄν τε γάρ ευσεβ-ἦς ᾖ, κινδυνεύει · ἄν τε ὑποκρίνηται, φοβεῖται. Πάντα ὑποκρίσεως καὶ ἀσεβείας, ὅσον εἷς αὐτὸνἧκε, πεπλήρωκεν. Εἰ γάρ καί που τίς ἐστιν εὐσεβὴς καὶ φιλόχριστος (εἶσὶ δὲ πανταχοῦ πολλοὶ τοιοῦτοι, ὡς 0i προφῆται καὶ Ἠλίας ὁ μέγας), κρύπτονται, ἄν που καὶ αὐτοὶ, ὡς τὸν ’Δβδιοῦ, πιστὸν ἄνθρωπον εὕρωσι, καὶ ἢ εἰς σπήλαιον καὶτὰς ὀπάς τῆς γῆς ἀπέλθωσιν, ἢ ἐπʼ ἐρημίαις περιερχόμενοι διατρίψωσι. Τοιαῦτα γάρ δὶαβάλλουσιν οἱ ἄφρονες, οἷα καὶ ἡ Ἰεζάβελ ἐπλάσατο κατά τοῦ Ναβουθαὶ, καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι κατὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· καὶ λοιπὸν ἐκεῖνος, προστάτης τῆς αἱρέσεως ὢν, τήν τε ἀλήθειαν μεταστρέψαι θέλων, ὡς ὁ Ἀχαάβ τὸν ἀμπελῶνα εἷς κῆπον λαχανίας, a θέλουσιν ἐκεῖνοι, πράττει, ἐπεὶ καὶ αὐτὸς ἅπερ ἤθελεν ἤκουσε παρʼ αῦτων ο ### English translation (Claude) Whom, then, have they not harmed by slander? Against whom have the Christ-fighters not plotted? Whom did Constantius not exile when they denounced him? When did he not listen to them gladly? And, what is strange, whom did he ever receive when he spoke against them, and did he not rather welcome them, whatever they said? What church now worships Christ with freedom? For if it is pious, it is in danger; and if it dissembles, it is afraid. He has filled everything, as far as lay in him, with hypocrisy and impiety. For if anywhere there is someone pious and a lover of Christ (and there are many such everywhere, like the prophets and the great Elijah), they hide—if they too can find a faithful man, like Obadiah—and either go off into a cave and the holes of the earth, or spend their time wandering in deserts. For the fools invent such slanders as Jezebel invented against Naboth, and the Jews against the Savior; and then he, being the patron of the heresy and wishing to pervert the truth, as Ahab wished to turn the vineyard into a garden of herbs, does what they wish, since he too has heard from them what he wished. ### Scripture references - 1 Kgs 18:4: allusion, high confidence - Heb 11:38: echo, medium confidence - 1 Kgs 21:2: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Obadiah hiding the prophets: 1 Kgs 18:4, 13. Caves and holes of the earth: Heb 11:38. Ahab and Naboth’s vineyard: 1 Kgs 21:2. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 53 (PG 25:757b–757c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-53). ## History of the Arians 54 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-54 - Source: PG 25:757c–760a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells how the count Heraclius announced the transfer of the churches to the Arians and made the pagan councillors and temple-wardens sign that they would accept the emperor’s bishop. ### Greek text Οὕτω, καθά προεῖπον τοὺς ἀληθινοὺς ἐπισκόπους, ἐπεὶ μή ἠσέβουν, ὡς ἤθελεν αὐτὸς, ἐξώρισεν· οὕτως καὶ κατᾶ ’Δθανασίου νῦν ἀπέστειλεν Ἡράκλειον τὸν κόμητα, κύὶ τά μὲν διατάγματα προέθηκε δημοσίᾳ, ἐντολὰς δέ βασιλέως ἀπήγγειλεν, εἰ μὴ πεισθεῖεν τοῖς γράμμασιν, ἀφαίρεσιν τοῦ ἄρτου, xui τῶν εἰδώλων ἔσεσθαι καταστροφὴν, πολλῶν τε πολιτευτῶν, xui τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ δήμου πάντως αἰχμᾶλωσίαν γενήσεσθαι. Εἶτα ταῦτα ἀπειλῶν, ᾐσχύνθη δημοσίᾳ μεγάλῃ τῇ φωνῇ λέγειν · Τὸν μὲν Ἀθανάσιον παραιτεῖται βασιλεύς · τοῖς δὲ ’Λρειανοῖς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας παραδοθῆναι ἐκέλευσε. Πάντων τε ἐπὶ τούτῳ θαυμαζόντων, καὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους νευόντων τε τοο Εἰ Κωνστάντιος αἱρετικὸς γέγονε ; καὶ λεγόντων δέον ἐρυθριᾷν, ὁ δὲ μᾶλλον ἠνάγκαζε βουλευτὰς καὶ δημότας ἐθνικοὺς νεωκόρους τῶν εἰδώλων ἐπὶ τούτοις ὑπογράφειν καὶ ὁμολογεῖν, δέχεσθαι ὃν ἂν ἀποστείλῃ βασιλεὺς ἐπίσκοπον. Πάνυ γε κανόνας Ἐκκλησίας ἐκδικῶν, ἐποίει τοῦτο γενέσθαι Κωνστάντιος ἀντὶ γάρ Ἐκκλησίας τὴν ἀγορὰν, ἀντὶ τῶν λαῶν τοὺς νεωκόρους ἀπῄτει γράμματα · ἐγίγνωσκε γάρ οὐκ ἐπίσκοπον αὐτὸν Χριπιανοῖς, ἀλλά τινα φιλοπράγμονα πέμπειν αὐτοῖς τοῖς γράφουσιν. ### English translation (Claude) So, as I said before, he exiled the true bishops, because they would not be impious as he wished; so too he has now sent Heraclius the count against Athanasius, who posted the edicts publicly and announced the emperor’s orders: that if they did not obey the letters, there would be a withdrawal of the bread allowance and an overturning of the idols, and many councillors and people of the city would certainly be carried off captive. Then, after threatening this, he was not ashamed to say publicly with a loud voice, “The emperor rejects Athanasius and has ordered the churches to be handed over to the Arians.” When all marveled at this and nodded to one another, “Has Constantius become a heretic?”, and said that he ought to blush, he compelled the more the councillors and the people—pagans and temple-wardens of the idols—to sign to this and to profess that they would receive whatever bishop the emperor sent. A fine champion of the canons of the Church, Constantius, to have this done! For instead of the church he demanded letters from the marketplace, and instead of the people, from the temple-wardens; for he knew that he was sending not a bishop for Christians but a busybody for those who signed. ### Translation notes - The threat to “overturn the idols” was aimed at the pagan population, to make them sign. The events belong to 356. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 54 (PG 25:757c–760a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-54). ## History of the Arians 55 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-55 - Source: PG 25:760a–760d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the assault on the great church of Alexandria by a pagan mob incited by the officials and the Arians, who beat and insulted the virgins. ### Greek text ’Έλληνες μὲν οὖν, ὥσπερ ὠνούμενοι τῇ ὑπογραφῇ τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων ἑαυτῶν ἀσυλίαν καί τινες τῶν ἐργασιῶν, ἄκοντες μὶν, ἔγραψαν δὲ ὅμως ὡς περὶ ἡγεμόνος, ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς ἀποστελλομένου δικα- · στοῦ, διὰ τάς παρʼ ἐκείνου λεγομένας ἀπειλάς · τί γὰρ ἔμελλον Ἕλληνες ὅντες ποιεῖν, ἢ τοῦθʼ ὅπερ δοκεῖ τῷ βασιλεῖ; Τῶν δὲ Λαῶν ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ συνελθόντων (τετάρτη γάρ ἦν Σαββάτου), λαμβάνει μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ τῇ ἑξῆς Ἡράκλειος ὁ κόμης τὸν ἔπαρχον τῆς Αἰγύπτου Καταφρόνιον, καὶ Φαυστῖνον τὸν Καθολικὸν, τόν τε Βιθυνὸν αἱρετικὸν ὄντα, καὶ παροξύνουσι τῶν ἀγοραίων τοὺς νεωτέρους καὶ σεβομένους εἴδωλα, ταύτην ἐντολὴν εἶναι βασιλέως λέγοντες, ’ἱνα ἐπέλθωσιν ἐκκλησίᾳ, καὶ λιθάσωσι τοὺς λαούς. ’Ήδη μὲν οὖν ἦσαν οἱ πλεῖστοι τοῦ λαοῦ, γενομένης ἀπολύσεως, ἐξελθόντες, γυναικῶν δὲ ὀλίγων ἀπομεινασῶν, γέγονεν ὡς προσέταξαν. Καὶ θέαμα οἱκτρὸν ἦν · ἄρτι γάρ ἦσαν ἀπὸ τῆς εὑχῆς ὀλίγαι καθεζόμεναι, καὶ γυμνοὶ μετά λίθων εὐθὺς καὶ ξύλων ἐπῆλθον οἱ νεώτεροι· καὶ τὰς μὲν ἐλίθαζον, τά δὲ τῶν παρθένων ἅγια σώματα κατέκοπτον πληγαῖς οἱ ἄθεοι, εἷλκόν τε τά σκεπάσματα, καὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν ἐγύμνουν, καὶ ἀνθελκούτας ἐλάκτιζον τοῖς ποσὶν οἱ δείλαιοι. Δεινά μεν οὖν ταῦτα καὶ λίαν ἐστὶ δεινά · ἀλλά τά μετά ταῦτα δεινότερα, καὶ πάσης ὕβρεως ἀφορητότερα γέγονεν. Είδότες γὰρ τὸ σεμνὸν τῶν παρθένων, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀκοῆς ἄχραντον, καὶ ὅτι μᾶλλον λίθους καὶ ξίφη ἢ τὰ τῆς αἷηρορῥημοσύνης φέρειν δύνανται ῥήματα, τούτοις ἐχρῶντο κατʼ αὐτῶν ἐπερχόμενοι· Ἀρειανοὶ δὲ ταῦτα τοῖς νεωτέροις ὑπέβαλλον ο καὶ γάρ ἐγέλων τούτων λεγομένων καὶ γιγνομένων. Καὶ αἱ μὲν ἅγιαι παρθένοι· καὶ ἄλλαι σεμναὶ γυναῖκες ὡς ἀσπίδων δήγματα τά τοιαῦτα φθέγματα ἔφευγον ’ οἱ δὲ Χριστομάχοι συνήργουν, τάχα δὲ καὶ συνειρθέγγοντο τοῖς νεωτέροις · καὶ γὰρ ἥδοντο τοῖς παρʼ ἐκείνων ἐκβαλλομένοις μετά ἀσελγείας μασιν. ### English translation (Claude) The pagans, then, as though buying with their signature the immunity of their idols, and some of the trade guilds, signed—unwillingly, but still they signed—as though about a governor or some other magistrate being sent, because of the threats he uttered; for what were they, being pagans, likely to do but what pleases the emperor? But when the people had assembled in the great church (for it was the fourth day of the week), on the next day Heraclius the count takes with him Cataphronius the prefect of Egypt, Faustinus the catholicus, and Bithynus, a heretic, and they stir up the young men of the marketplace and the idol-worshippers, saying that this was the emperor’s order, that they should attack the church and stone the people. Most of the people had already gone out, the dismissal having taken place, and only a few women remained, when it happened as they had ordered. And it was a pitiable sight: a few women were sitting just after the prayer, when the young men, stripped, came upon them at once with stones and clubs; some they stoned, and the godless men beat the holy bodies of the virgins with blows, pulled off their veils and bared their heads, and kicked those who tried to pull them back—the wretches. These things are terrible, very terrible; but what followed was more terrible and more unbearable than any outrage. For knowing the modesty of the virgins and the purity of their hearing, and that they can bear stones and swords more easily than words of obscenity, they used such words in attacking them; and it was the Arians who suggested them to the young men, for they laughed when these things were said and done. The holy virgins and other modest women fled such utterances as the bites of asps; but the Christ-fighters cooperated, and perhaps even joined the young men in uttering them; for they delighted in the words flung out by them with licentiousness. ### Translation notes - The fourth day of the week is Wednesday. A stray column letter is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 55 (PG 25:760a–760d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/40/#p-55). ## History of the Arians 56 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-56 - Source: PG 25:760d–761a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: The mob burned the church furnishings with incense in the square, hailing Constantius as a pagan. ### Greek text Εἶτα, ὡς τὸ ὅλον τῆς ἐντολῆς πληροῦντες (τοῦτο γάρ ἧν τὸ σπουδαζόμενον, τοῦτο καὶ κόμης καὶ ὁ Καθολικὸς παρήγγελλον), ἁρπάσαντες τὰ σύμ-ψέλλια, καὶ τὸν θρόνον, καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν (ξυλίνη γὰρ ἦν), καὶτά βῆλα τῆς ἐκκλησίας, τά τε ἄλλα, δσαήδυνήθησαν, ἐξενέγκαντες, ἔκαυσαν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πυλῶνος ἐν τῇ πλατείᾳ τῇ μεγάλῃ, καὶ λίβανον ἐπέβαλον. Ὠ ! ’τίς ἀκούσας οὗ δακρύσειε, τάχα καὶ τὴν ἀκοὴν κλείσειεν, ἵνα μηδὲ,ἐτέρου λέγοντος ἀνέχηται, βλάβην ἡγούμενος καὶ τὸ μόνον ἀκοῦσαί τι τοιοῦτον ; Τά τε γὰρ εἴδωλα ἑαυτῶν εὐφήμουν, καὶ ἔλεγον ο Ἕλλην γέγονε Κωνστάντιος, καὶ οἱ Ἀρειανο“ι τὰ ἡ μῶν ἐπέγνωσαν · οὐ φροντίζουσι γὰρ οὐδὲ Ἑλληνισμὸν ὑποκρίνασθαι, ἵνα μόνον ἡ αἵρεσις ἔχῃ τὴν σύστασιν. Καὶ γὰρ βοΐδιον ἐπαντλοῦν τοὺς κηπευομένους ἐν τῷ Καισαρείῳ τόπους ἐπεχείρησαν θῦσαι, κα). ἔθυσαν ἂν, εί μὴ θῆλυ τοῦτο ἦν ο τά τοιαῦτα γὰρ ἔλεγον μὴ ἐξεῖναι παρʼ αὐτοῖς θύεσθαι. ### English translation (Claude) Then, as though fulfilling the whole of the order (for this was what they were eager for, and what the count and the catholicus enjoined), they seized the benches, the throne, the table (for it was of wood), and the curtains of the church, and whatever else they could, carried them out, burned them before the gate in the great square, and threw incense on them. Oh! Who, hearing this, would not weep, and perhaps shut his ears, so as not to bear even someone else telling it, thinking it harmful even to hear such a thing? For they praised their idols and said, “Constantius has become a pagan, and the Arians have recognized our ways”; for they do not care even to feign paganism, if only the heresy may stand. Indeed they attempted to sacrifice a heifer that drew water for the gardens in the Caesareum, and would have sacrificed it, had it not been female; for they said that such animals may not be sacrificed among them. ### Translation notes - The Caesareum was the great temple complex of Alexandria, later a church. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 56 (PG 25:760d–761a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-56). ## History of the Arians 57 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-57 - Source: PG 25:761a–761d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius reports two signs of judgment: a youth who tried to drag away the bishop’s throne was mortally wounded by it, and another who mocked was struck blind. ### Greek text Τοιαῦτα μὲν οῦν οί δυσσεβεῖς Ἀρειανοὶ, νομίζοντες εἰς ἡμῶν ὓβριν ταῦτα φθάνειν, μετὰ τῶν Ἐλλήνων ἔπραττον. Θεία δὲ δίκη τὴν πονηρίαν τούτων ήλεγξε, καὶ σημεῖόν τι μέγα καὶ ἐξαίρετον εἱργάσατο, δεικνύουσα καὶ διὰ τούτου πᾶσι φανερῶς, ὅτι, ῶσπερ ἀσεβοῦντες, οὐκ είς ἄλλον, ἀλλʼ είς τὸν Κύριον τολμῶσινο οὕτω, ταῦτα ποιοῦντες, είς αὐτοῦ πάλιν ὓβριν ἐπεχείρησαν πρᾶξαι · καὶ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἐκ τοῦ γενομένου θαύματος φανερωτέραν ἐσχε τὴν ἀπόδειξιν. Τῶν ἀσελγῶν γάρ τις νεώτερος είσδραμὼν, καὶ τολμήσας ἐπεκάθισε τῷ θρόνῳ. Καὶ καθίσας διὰ τῶν ῥινῶν τι πορνικὸνλ ἀπήχησεν ό ἀθλιος εἶτα ἀναστὰς ἐβιάζετο τὸν θρόνον ἀποσπᾷν καὶπρὸς ἐαυτὸν ἕλκεινο ἠγνόει δέ καθʼ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν δίκην ἐπισπώμενος. Ὠς γὰρ oi τότε τὴν ’Ἄζωτον κατοικοῦντες, τολμήσαντες ἅψασθαι τῆς Κιβωτοῦ, κᾶν προσβλέψαι θέμις ούκ ἦν αὐτοῖς, παρʼ αύο τῆς εὐθὺς ἀπώλλυντο, πρότερον διαφθειρόμενοι ταῖς βασάνοις τὰς ἔδραςʼ οὕτως καὶ οὗτος ὁ ἄθλιος μόνον ἐτόλμησεν ἕλκειν, καὶ ὅπερ εἷλκεν, είς ἑαυτὸν ἐπεσπάσατο, καὶ ὡς άντιπεμπούσης τῆς δίκης τὸ ξύλον, ἐν αύτῷ τὴν ἰδίαν κοιλίαν ἔπληξε ο καὶ alvei. τοῦ θρόνου τῇ πληγῇ τὰ ῐδια ἐξήνεγκεν ἔντερα· καὶ μᾶλλον ό θρόνος ἐκείνου τὸ ζῇν ἀπέσπασεν, ἢ αὐ· τδς ἀπεσπάσθη παρʼ ἐκείνου. Ἐξεχύθη γοῦν, ὡς γέγραπται κατά τὸν Ἰούδαν, τοῖς σπλάγχνοις, καὶ καταπεσὼν ἐβαστάχθη, καὶ μετά μίαν ἡμέραν άπώλετο. Καὶ ἔτερος δέ μετά θαλλῶν εἰσελθὼν, καὶ ὡς Ἕλλην κινῶν αὐτὰ τῇ χειρὶ καὶ χλευάζων, εὐθὺς ἐσκοτώθη, καὶ οὐκ ἔβλεπεν, ούδέ ἐγίνωσκεν ἔτι λοιπὸν ὅποι γῆς ἐτύγχανε· μέλλων τε καὶ αὐτὸς καταπίπτειν, χειραγωγούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν συνόντων, καὶ ύποβασταζόμενος ἐξήρχετο αὐτὸς, μόγις μεθʼ ἡμέραν διανήψας, καὶ οὐ γινώσκων οὔτε τί πεποίηκεν, οὔτε τί πέπονθεν ό τολμηρός. ### English translation (Claude) Such things, then, the impious Arians did with the pagans, thinking that these acts reached to our dishonor. But divine justice exposed their wickedness and worked a great and remarkable sign, showing plainly to all by this too that, as in their impiety they dare against none other than the Lord, so in doing these things they attempted again to act in insult to him; and this had a still clearer proof from the miracle that happened. For one of the dissolute young men ran in and dared to sit on the throne; and having sat down, the wretch let out some obscene sound through his nose. Then he rose and tried violently to tear away the throne and drag it toward himself; but he did not know he was drawing judgment upon himself. For as those who then lived in Azotus, having dared to touch the ark, on which it was not lawful for them even to look, were at once destroyed by it, first being afflicted with tortures in their seats, so this wretch too only dared to drag it, and what he dragged he drew upon himself; and as if justice sent the wood back against him, he struck his own belly with it, and by the blow of the throne he brought out his own bowels; and the throne rather tore his life from him than it was torn away by him. So, as it is written of Judas, his bowels gushed out, and he fell and was carried out, and after one day he died. And another, who entered with branches and, like a pagan, waved them with his hand and mocked, was at once blinded, and no longer saw nor knew where on earth he was; and as he too was about to fall, he was led by the hand by those with him and supported as he went out; and the bold man scarcely came to himself after a day, knowing neither what he had done nor what he had suffered. ### Scripture references - 1 Sam 5:6: allusion, high confidence - Acts 1:18: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The men of Azotus and the ark: 1 Sam 5:6 (1 Kgdms 5:6). Judas: Acts 1:18. A word before “of the throne” is garbled in the scan and translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 57 (PG 25:761a–761d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-57). ## History of the Arians 58 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-58 - Source: PG 25:761d–764c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the Arians’ searches and plundering of houses, gardens, and tombs on the pretext of seeking him. ### Greek text Ταῦτα βλέποντες, Ἕλληνες μέν ἐφοβήθησαν, καὶ οὐδὲν πλέον ἐτόλμησαν · Ἀρειανοὶ δὲ οὐδὲ οὕτως ᾐσχύνθησαν, ἀλλʼ ὡς Ἰουδαῖοι σημεῖα βλέποντες, οὐκ ἐπίστευον οἱ ἄπιστοι· μᾶλλον γὰρ ἐσκληρύνοντο κατὰ τὸν Φαραὼ, τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχοντες καὶ αὐτοὶ κάτω που κειμένας ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ ἐν τοῖς εὑνούχοις αὑτοῦ. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν Ἕλληνας, μᾶλλον δέ τῶν Ἑλλήνων τοὺς ἐκβλητοτὲρους, τὰ προειρημένα ποιεῖν ἐπέτρεποψ εἶχον γάρ τὸν ὑποκρινόμενον ctiτοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα, καὶ παροξύνοντα τοὺς Ἕλληνας, Φαυστῖνον, τὸν Καθολικὸν μὲν λεγόμενον, ἀγοραῖον δὲ τὸν τρόπον, καὶ ἀσελγῆ τὴν ψυχήν. Αὐτοὶ δὲ τὰ ὃμοια τούτοις ἀνεδέξαντο διʼ ἐαυτῶν ποιεῖν· ἶνʼ, ὥσπερ τὴν αἵρεσιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων αἱρέσεων ἀπεμάξαντο, οὑτω καὶ τὴν πονηρίαν μετὰ τῶν ἀσελγεστέρων ἔχωσι μεμερισμένην. Τὰ μέν οὖν ἀλλα διʼ ἐκείνων, καθά προεῖπον, ἔπραττον· ἀ δὲ διʼ ἐαυτῶν ἐπλημμέλουν, πῶς οὑ πᾶσαν ὑπερβάλλει πονηρίαν, καὶ παντὸς δημίου νικᾷ κακίανς Ποῖον γὰρ οἷκον οὑκ ἐπόρθησαν; ποίαν οἰκίαν, προφάσει τοῦ ἐρευνᾷν, οὑ διήρπασαν; ποῖον κῆπον ού κατεπάτησαν. καὶ τάφον οὑκ ἐπήνοιξαν; πρόφασιν μὶν ὡς Ἀθανάσιον ἐπιζητοῦντες προβαλλόμενοι, τὸ δʼ ὅλον ἦν αὑτοῖς σπουδαζόμενον διαρπάζειν καὶ σκυλεύειν τοὺς ἀπαντῶντας. Πόσων ἐπεσφραγίσθησαν …; πόσων τά ἐν ταῖς ξενίαις ἐκδεδώκασι τοῖς ὑπουργοῦσιν αὑτοῖς στρατιώταις; τίς τούτων ἀπείρατος τῆς κακίας γέγονε; τίς, τούτοις ἀπαντήσας, οὑκ ἐκρύβη κατά τὴν ἀγοράν; τίς διὰ τούτους οὐ, καταλείψας τὴν οἰκίαν, ἐπὶ τῆς ἐρημίας διῆγε τὴν νύκτα; τίς, τούτων χάριν φυλάξαι τὰ ἴδια σπεύδων, οὑκ ἀπώλεσε τά πλεῖστα; τίς ἄπειρος θαλάττης ού μᾶλλον εἵλετο ταύτην. καὶ τῶν ταύτης κινδύνων πεῖραν λαβεῖν,ἢ τούτους όρᾷν ἀπειλοῦνταςς Πολλοὶ καὶ οἴκους μετῆλθον καὶ μετέστησαν ἀπὸ λαύρας είς λαῦραν, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πόλεως είς τάπροάστεια. Πόσοι τε ζημίας πόσας ὑπέστησαν, καὶ μὴ ἔχοντες ἐδανείσαντο παρʼ ἐτέρων, ἴνα μόνον τὰς ἐπιὸουλάς τούτων ἐκφύγωσιν ; ### English translation (Claude) Seeing this, the pagans were afraid and dared nothing further; but the Arians were not ashamed even so, but, like the Jews, though they saw signs, the unbelievers did not believe; rather they hardened themselves like Pharaoh, having their hopes too set somewhere below, on the emperor and his eunuchs. They permitted the pagans—or rather the more abandoned of the pagans—to do what has been described; for they had someone to act these things for them and incite the pagans: Faustinus, called the catholicus, but a market lout in character and licentious in soul. But they themselves undertook to do things like these with their own hands, so that, as they copied their heresy from the other heresies, so they might have their wickedness shared with the most licentious. The rest they did through those men, as I said; but the offenses they committed themselves—how do they not surpass all wickedness and outdo the malice of any executioner? What house did they not ravage? What dwelling did they not plunder on the pretext of searching? What garden did they not trample, and what tomb did they not open? Their pretext was that they were looking for Athanasius, but their whole aim was to plunder and despoil those they met. How many … were sealed up? How many people’s goods in their lodgings did they give over to the soldiers who served them? Who did not experience their malice? Who, meeting them, did not hide in the marketplace? Who did not, because of them, leave his house and spend the night in the desert? Who, eager to guard his own property from them, did not lose most of it? Who, inexperienced in the sea, did not rather choose to try it and its dangers than to see these men threatening? Many changed houses, moving from lane to lane and from the city to the suburbs. How many incurred how many fines, and, having nothing, borrowed from others, only to escape their plots! ### Scripture references - John 12:37: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “Though they saw signs, they did not believe”: cf. John 12:37. A word is lost in the scan (“…”, probably “houses”); the Latin-letter debris is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 58 (PG 25:761d–764c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-58). ## History of the Arians 59 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-59 - Source: PG 25:764c–764d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the duke Sebastian and the Arian women harassing the virgins and faithful women of Alexandria. ### Greek text Πᾶσι γὰρ φοβεροὺς ἑαυτοὺς ἐδεὶκνυον, καὶ πρὸς πάντας ἠλαζονεύοντο, βασιλέα πᾶσιν ὀνομάζοντεςο καὶ ἀπειλοῦντες μὲν τὸν ἐκείνου φόὸον, ἔχοντες δὲ ὑπουργοὺς είς τὴν πονηρίαν τὸν δούκα Σεδαστιανὸν, Μανιχαῖον ὄντα, καὶ ἀσελγῆ νεώτερον. καὶ τὸν ἔπαρχον, καὶ τδν κόμητα, καὶ ὑποκριτὴν τὸν Καθολικόν. Πολλὰς γοῦν παρθένους καταγνούσας αὑτῶν τῆς ἀσεβείας, καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπιγνούσας, κατήνεγκαν ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκιῶν. καὶ ἄλλας περιπατούσας ὕβριζον, καλ ἐποίουν ὑπὸ τῶν παρʼ αὑτοῖς νεωτέρων γυμνοῦσθαι τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν· καὶ γυναιξὶ δὲ ταῖς παρʼ αὐτῶν δεδώκασιν ἐξουσίαν ὑβρίζειν ἢν θέλουσι. Καὶ αἱ μὲν σεμναὶ καὶ πισταὶ γυναῖκες ἐξέκλινον καὶ παρεχώρουν ἐκείναις τὴν όδόνο αἱ δὲ ὥσπερ μαινάδες καὶ ἐριννύες περι· ερχόμεναι. συμφορὰν ἡγοῦντο τὸ μὴ εὑρίσκειν ἀδικεῖν, καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην μετὰ λύπης διῆγον. ἐν μὴ ἠδύναντο κακοποιεῖν. Καὶ ὅλως οὓτως ἦσαν πᾶσιν ἄγριοι καὶ πικροὶ, ὥστε δημίους, φονευτὶς, ἀθεμίτους, φιλοπράγμονας. κακούργους, καὶ πάνυ μᾶλλον αὑτοὺς ἢ Χριστιανοὺς παρά πάντων καλεῖσθαι. ### English translation (Claude) For they showed themselves fearsome to all and boasted against all, naming the emperor to everyone and threatening them with fear of him, having as servants of their wickedness the duke Sebastian, a Manichee and a licentious young man, and the prefect, and the count, and the catholicus as their actor. Many virgins who condemned their impiety and recognized the truth they brought out of their houses; others they insulted as they walked, and caused their heads to be uncovered by the young men with them; and to their own women they gave license to insult whomever they wished. The modest and faithful women turned aside and gave way to them; but they, going about like maenads and furies, thought it a misfortune not to find someone to wrong, and passed in grief the day on which they could do no harm. In short, they were so savage and bitter toward all that all called them executioners, murderers, lawless, busybodies, evildoers—anything rather than Christians. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 59 (PG 25:764c–764d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-59). ## History of the Arians 60 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-60 - Source: PG 25:765a–765d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells of the subdeacon Eutychius, flogged and sent to the mines of Phaeno, who died on the way, and of four laymen flogged twice for pleading for him. ### Greek text Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοὺς Σκύθας μιμουμενοι, ἥρπασαν Εὑτύχιον ὑποδιάκονον, ἄνδρα καλῶς ὑπηρε- ' τοῦντα τῇ Ἐκκλησία* καὶ ποιήσαντες είς τὰ νῶτα ταυρέαις ίσα Θανάτῳ κατακοπῆναι, ἠξίωσαν είς μέταλλον ἀποσταλῆναι, καὶ μέταλλον οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλʼ εἰς τὸ τῆς Φαινὼ, ἔνθα καὶ φονεὺς καταδικαζόμενος ὀλίγας ἡμέρας μόγις δύναται ζῆσαι. Καὶ τὸ παράδοξον, ούδέ κᾶν ὀλίγας ῶρας ἐπέτρεψαν αὐτὸν θεραπευθῆναι διὰ τὰς πληγάς ἀλλʼ εὐθὺς ἐποίησαν ἀποσταλῆναι, φάσκοντες· Εἰ τοῦτο γένηται, πάντες φοβηθήσονται, καὶ μεθʼ ἡμῶν ἔσονται λοιπόν. Οὐ πολὺ ’δὲ διέστη, καὶ μὴ δυνηθεὶς εἰς τὸ μέταλλον φθάσαι διὰ τὸν πόνον τῶν πληγῶν, ἀπέθανεν ἐν τῇ Καὶ 6 μὲν ἐτελεύτα χαίρων, ἔχων τὸ καύχημα τοῦ μαρτυρίου· οἱ δὲ ἀσεβεῖς ούδέ οὕτως ᾐσχύνοντο, κατὰ δὲ τὸ γεγραμμένον, ἁνελεήμονα σπλάγχνα ἔχοντες, καὶ τοῦτο μελετήσαντες, σατανικόν τι πάλιν πεποιήκασιν. Ἀξιούντων γὰρ τῶν λαῶν διὰ τὸν Εὐτύχιον, καὶ δεομένων περὶ αὑτοῦ. πεποιήκασιν ἁρπασθῆναι καλοὺς καὶ ἐλευθέρους ἄνδρας τέσσαρας, Ἑρμείαν, λούοντα τοὺς ἀνεξόδους, καὶ πάνυ γε τούτους πληγαῖς κατακόψας ἐνέβαλεν είς τὸ δεσμωτήριον 6 δούξ. Ἀλλʼ οί ’Δρειανοὶ, καὶ Σκυθῶν ὠμότεροι τυγχάνοντες, ἐπεὶ ἑωράκασιν μὴ τελευτήσαντας ἐκείνους ἀπὸ τῶν πληγῶν, ἐμέμφοντο καὶ ἠπείλουν ο Γράφομεν, λέγοντες, τοῖς εὐνούχοις, ὅτι μὴ μαστίζει ὠς ἐθέλο· μεν ἡμεῖς. Ἐκεῖνος δὲ ἀκούσας καὶ φοβηθεὶς, ἠναγκάσθη καὶ δεύτερον τύψαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους. Καὶ οἱ μὲν τυπτόμενοι, εἰδότες διὰ τί τύπτονται, καὶ παρὰ τίνων διεβλήθησαν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἔλεγον ἦα Διὰ μὲν τὴν ἀλήθειαν τυπτόμεθα, οὑ κοινωνοῦμεν δὲ τοῖς αἱρετικοῖς · τύπτε λοιπὸν, ὡς θέλεις, καί σε μέλλει διὰ. τοῦτο κρίνειν 6 Θεὸς. Οί μὲν οὖν ἀσε- 6εῖς ἧθελον αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ κινδυνεῦσαι καὶ ἀποθανεῖν· 6 δέ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαὺς, είδὼς τὸν καιρὸν, ἠξίωσαν, καὶ μεθʼ ἡμέρας ἑπτά που ἢ καὶ πλέον ἀπελύθησαν. ### English translation (Claude) For imitating the Scythians, they seized Eutychius, a subdeacon who served the Church well, and having had him beaten on the back with oxhide whips nearly to death, they asked that he be sent to the mines—and not simply to the mines, but to those of Phaeno, where even a condemned murderer can scarcely live a few days. And what is strange, they did not allow him even a few hours to be treated for the blows, but had him sent off at once, saying, “If this happens, all will be afraid and will be with us from now on.” But not long after, unable to reach the mine because of the pain of the blows, he died on the … And he died rejoicing, having the glory of martyrdom; but the impious were not ashamed even so, but, as it is written, having merciless bowels, and having practiced this, they did something satanic again. For when the people pleaded for Eutychius and begged for him, they had four good and freeborn men seized—Hermias, who washed the feet of the poor, and …; and the duke, having beaten these severely with blows, threw them into prison. But the Arians, crueler even than Scythians, when they saw that these men had not died of the blows, complained and threatened: “We are writing to the eunuchs that he does not scourge as we wish.” Hearing this and afraid, he was compelled to beat the men a second time. And those who were beaten, knowing why they were beaten and by whom they had been slandered, said nothing else than this: “We are beaten for the truth, but we do not communicate with the heretics; beat us now as you wish; God will judge you for this.” The impious wished them to be endangered and die in the prison; but the people of God, knowing the time, pleaded, and after about seven days or more they were released. ### Scripture references - Prov 12:10: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Phaeno was a notorious copper mine in Palestine. “Merciless bowels”: Prov 12:10 (LXX). Words are lost in the scan where marked “…” (the end of “he died on the [way]” and the names of the other three men). ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 60 (PG 25:765a–765d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-60). ## History of the Arians 61 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-61 - Source: PG 25:765d–768b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius condemns the Arians for driving away the widows and poor who were being fed by the faithful, and for accusing those who gave them alms. ### Greek text υἱ δὲ, ὥσπερ λυπηθέντες, ἕτερόν τι πάλιν ὠμότερον καὶ ἀνόσιον ποιεῖν ἐπεχείρησαν, ὠμὸν μὲν πρὸς πάντας, ἁρμόζον δὲ τῇ Χριστομάχῳ αὐτῶν αἰρέσει. '0 μὲν γὰρ Κύριος ἐνετείλατο τῶν πτωχῶν μνημονεύειν, Καὶ πωλήσατε, λέγων, τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δότε ἐλεημοσύνην· xiii, Ἐπείνων, καὶ ἐδώκατέ μοι φαγεῖν· ἐδίψων, καὶ ἐποτίσατέ με. Ἐφʼ ὅσον γὰρ ἐποιήσατε ἐνὶ τῶν μικρῶν τούτων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε. υῦτοι δὲ, ὡς τῷ ὄντι κατὰ Χριστοῦ φρονοῦντες, καὶ ἐν τούτοις ἀντιπρᾶξαι τῷ βουλήματι αὐτοῦ τετολμήκασι. Τοὺς γὰρ δεομένους καὶ τὰς χήρας, ἐπειδὴ τὰς ἐκκλησίας παραδέδωκεν ὁ δούξ τοῖς Ἀρειανοῖς, καὶ ἐν αὐταῖς διατρίβειν οὐκ ἠδύναντο, καθεζομένας ἐν οἷς ὥρισαν αὐταῖς τόποις oi πεπιστευμένοι τὰς χήρας κληρικοὶ, ἐπειδὴ ἔβλεπον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς προθύμως ἐπιδιδόντας αὐταῖς, καὶ τρέφοντας τὰς χήρας, αὐτάς τε κατὰ τῶν ποδῶν τύπτοντες ἐδίωκον, καὶ τούς παρέχοντας διέβαλλον τῷ δουκί. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐγίγνετο διὰ Δυναμίου τινὸς στρατιώτου· φίλον δέ ἦν τοῦτο Σεβαστιανῷ· παρὰ Μανιχαίοις γὰρ ἔλεος οὐκ ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐχθρόν ἐστι παρʼ αὐτοῖς τὸ ἐλεεῖν πένητα. Ἦν τοίνυν καινὴ μέμψις, καὶ δικαστήριον νῦν πρῶτον ἐπιωηθέν παρʼ αὐτῶν. Ἐπὶ εὐεργεσίᾳ τις ἐκρίνετο· καὶ ό μὲν ἐλεῶν κατηγορεῖτο, ὁ δὲ εὐεργετούμενος ἐτύπτετο· καὶ μᾶλλον ἤθελον πεινᾷν τὸν πένητα, ἢ τὸν βουλόμενον ἐλεεῖν, παρέχειν. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ παρὰ τῶν παλαιῶν πάλιν Ἰουδαίων ἔμαθον, νέοι ὅντες Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ αὐτοί· καὶγὰρ κάκεῖνοι βλέποντες τὸν ἐκ γενετῆς τυφλὸν λοιπὸν βλέποντα, καὶ τὸν πολλῷ τῷ χρόνῳ παραλυτικὸν γενόμενον ὐγιῆ· τὸν μὲν εὐεργετήσαντα Κύριον ᾐτιῶντο, τοὺς δέ εὖ παθόντας ώς παραβάτας ἔκρινον. ### English translation (Claude) But they, as if grieved, attempted again to do something else more cruel and unholy—cruel toward all, but fitting their Christ-fighting heresy. For the Lord commanded us to remember the poor, saying, “Sell your possessions and give alms,” and, “I was hungry and you gave me food; I was thirsty and you gave me drink; for inasmuch as you did it to one of these least, you did it to me.” But these men, as truly minded against Christ, have dared to act contrary to his will in this too. For since the duke had handed over the churches to the Arians, and the needy and the widows could not stay in them, the widows sat in places appointed for them by the clergy entrusted with the widows; and when these men saw the brothers giving to them eagerly and feeding the widows, they beat them on the feet and drove them away, and slandered to the duke those who gave. This was done through one Dynamius, a soldier; and it pleased Sebastian, for among the Manichees there is no mercy, but even to pity a poor man is hateful to them. There was, then, a new charge, and a court now first invented by them: a man was tried for a kindness; the one who showed mercy was accused, and the one who received the kindness was beaten; and they preferred that the poor man go hungry rather than that the one who wished to show mercy should give. This too they learned from the Jews of old, being new Jews themselves; for those too, seeing the man blind from birth now seeing, and the man who had been paralyzed a long time made well, blamed the Lord who had done them good and judged those who had been benefited as transgressors. ### Scripture references - Luke 12:33: quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:35: quotation, high confidence - Matt 25:40: quotation, high confidence - John 9:1: allusion, medium confidence - John 5:5: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “Sell your possessions and give alms”: Luke 12:33. “I was hungry …”: Matt 25:35, 40. The man born blind: John 9; the paralytic: John 5. The comparison with the Jews of the Gospels and the charge against the Manichees are Athanasius’s polemic, translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 61 (PG 25:765d–768b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-61). ## History of the Arians 62 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-62 - Source: PG 25:768c–768d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius observes that the persecution only increased hatred of the Arians, even among pagans, who pitied the poor. ### Greek text Τίς οῦν ἐπὶ τούτοις οὐκ ἐθαύμαζεςτίς οὐ κατηρᾶτο τὴν αἵρεσιν, καί τοὺς ἐκδικοῦντας αὐτήν; Τίς οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν, ὅτι καὶ θηρίων ἀγριώτεροι τυγχάνουσιν οἱ Ἀρειανοί ς οὐδὲ γὰρ οὐδὲ ὧν ἕνεκα ταῦτα ἐποίουν ἐκέρδαινον oi μιαροὶ, ἀλλὰ καῖʼ μᾶλλον τὸ καθʼ ἑαυτῶν μῖσος παρὰ πᾶσιν ηὔξανον. Ἐνόμιζον ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς καὶ φόβου βιάζεσθαί τινας είς τὴν αἵρεσιν, ὥστε καὶ συνάγεσθαι μετʼ αὐτῶν, Ἀπέβαινε δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐναντία· oi μὲν γὰρ πάσχοντες ὡς μαρτύριον ὑπέφερον τὰ παρʼ ἐκείνων γιγνόμενα. καὶ οὔτε προεδίδουν, οὐτε ἠρνοῦντο τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν εὐσέβειαν· oi δὲ θεωροῦντες ἔξωθεν αὐτοὺς, λοιπὸν δέ καὶ οἱ ’Έλληνες βλέποντες, ώς ἀντιχρίστους, ὼς δημίους κατηρῶντο· φιλόπτωχον γὰρ καὶ συμπαθὲς τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος. Οὗτοι δὲ καὶτὸν ἀνθ ρώπων λογισμὸν ἀπώλεσαν· καὶ οἳ πάσχοντες ἂν ηὔξαντο παρʼ ἐτέρων εὖ παθεῖν. πύτοὶ τοῦτο παθεῖν τοὺς ἄλλους οὐκ ἐπέτρεπον, ἔχον τες τὴν τῶν δικαστῶν, καὶ μάλιστα τὴν παρὰ τοῦ δουκὺς ἐπιτριβὴν καὶ ἐξουσίαν ### English translation (Claude) Who then did not marvel at this? Who did not curse the heresy and those who championed it? Who did not recognize that the Arians are more savage even than beasts? For the abominable men did not even gain the ends for which they did these things, but rather increased the hatred against themselves among all. They thought that by plotting and fear they would force some into the heresy so as to assemble with them; but the opposite befell them. For those who suffered bore what was done by them as martyrdom, and neither betrayed nor denied their piety toward Christ; and those who looked on from outside, and even the pagans who saw it, cursed them as antichrists, as executioners; for the human race loves the poor and is compassionate. But these men had lost even human reasoning; and what they would have prayed to receive from others if they were suffering, they would not allow others to receive, having the support and power of the magistrates and especially of the duke. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 62 (PG 25:768c–768d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-62). ## History of the Arians 63 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-63 - Source: PG 25:768d–769b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the persecution of the clergy and contrasts the Arians, who hunt down fugitives, with the pagans who hid Christians in the Great Persecution. ### Greek text Ἃ γὰρ καὶτοῖς πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις πεποιήκασι, καὶ πῶς αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ δουκδς καὶ τῶν δικαστῶν ἐφυγάδευσαν, καταφέροντες ἐκ τῶν οίκωι τοὺς οἰκείους αὐτῶν διὰ τῶν στρατιωτῶν, καὶτοῦ στρατηγοῦ Γοργονίου καὶ πληγαῖς κατακόπτοντος, καὶπῶς αὐτῶν (τό ιγε πάντων ὠμότερον) καὶ τῶν ἤδη τετελευτηκοτων τοὺς ἄρτους μεθʼ ὅσης ὕβρεως διήρπασαν, οὐκ ἔστιν ούδέ λόγῳ φράσαι, νικώσης τῆς ὠμότητος αὐτῶν τὴν ἐκ τῶν λόγων διήγησιν. Τί γὰρ ἄν τις εἰπὼν εἰρηκέναι δόξειεν; Ἦ ποίου πρώτου μνημονεύσας, οὐχ εὑρίσκει τὰ δεύτερα δεινότερα, τῶν δευτέρων τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα; Πάντα γὰρ αὐτῶν τά ἐπιχειρήματα καὶ τά ἀσεβήματα φόνου καί ἀσεβείας πεπλήρωται καὶ οὕτως εἰσὶ πανοῦργοι τὴν γνώμην, καὶ ποικίλοι τὸν τρόπον, ὡς καὶ ἐπαγγελίᾳ προστασίας, καὶ δόσει χρημάτων ἐπιχειρεῖν ἀπατᾷν· ἵνʼ, ἐπεὶ μὴ ἐξ εὐλόγων ἔχουσι τήν σύστασιν, κᾶν ἐκ τούτων δόξωσι φαντασίαν τινὰ τοῖς ἀκεραίοις ἐμποιεῖν. Τίς οὖν ἐτι τούτους κᾶν ἐθνικοὺς καλέσειεν ἁπλῶς, μήτιγε Χριστιανούς; τίς τούτων τὸν τρόπον ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ μὴ μᾶλλον τοῦτον θηριώδη ύπολάέ βοι, διά τε τὸ ὠμὸν καὶ τὸ ἄγριον τῆς πράξεως καὶ γὰρ καὶ δημίων είσὶ πονηρότεροι, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων aiρέσεων τολμηρότερον Ἐλλήνων γάρ πολὺ δεύτεροι, μᾶλλον δὲ καί μακρὰν αὐτῶν τυγχάνουσιν. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἥκουσα τῶν πατέρων, καὶ πιστὸν ἡγοῦμαι τὸν ἐκείνων λόγον, ὅτι τὸ πρῶτον, ὅτε γέγονε καὶ ἐπὶ Μαξιμιανῷ τῷ πάππῳ Κωνσταντίου διωγμὸς, ’Έλληνες ἔκρυπτον τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ήμῶν, τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς ξητουμένους· καὶ πολλάκις ἀπώλεσαν αὐτοὶ χρήματα, δεσμωτηρίων τε ἐπειράσθησαν, ἵνα μόνον τῶν φευγόντων μὴ γένωνται προδόται ώς γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς ἐφύλαττον τοὺς προσφεύγοντας, καί κινδυνεύειν πρὸ αὐτῶν ἐβουλεύοντο. Ἀλλὰ νύν οί θαυμαστοὶ οὗτοι, οἱ τῆς νέας αἱρέσεως ἐφευρεταὶ, ἐκ μηδενὸς ἐτέρου ἢ ἐκ τοῦ ἐπιβουλεύειν ἐπιγινωσκόμενοι, πάντα τάναντία πράττουσιν. Δύτοί τε γὰρ, διʼ ἑαυτῶν δήμιοι γιγνόμενοι, πάντας ζητοῦσι παραδιδόναιο καὶ τοὺς κρύπτοντας ἐπιβουλεύεσθαι ποιοῦσιν, ἴσον ἐχθρὸν ήγούμενοι τόν τε κρύπτοντα καὶ τὸν κρυπτόμενον· οὕτως eiul. φονευταὶ, καὶ τὴν Ἰούδα πονηρίαν ἐζήλωσαν οί κακοῦργοι. ### English translation (Claude) What they did to the presbyters and deacons too, and how they drove them into flight before the duke and the magistrates, having their relatives brought out of their houses by the soldiers, and Gorgonius the general beating them with blows; and how (the cruelest thing of all) they plundered with such insolence the bread even of those already dead—this cannot even be told in words, their cruelty surpassing any narration. For what could one say and seem to have said enough? Or which first thing could one mention without finding the second more terrible, and what follows the second still more? For all their undertakings and impieties are full of murder and impiety; and they are so crafty in mind and so wily in character that they try to deceive even by promises of patronage and gifts of money, so that, since they have no standing from reason, they may at least by these means seem to make some show to the simple. [64] Who, then, would still call these men even simply pagans, let alone Christians? Who would regard their character as human, and not rather bestial, because of the cruelty and savagery of their deeds? For they are more wicked than executioners and more audacious than the other heresies; the pagans fall far behind them—or rather are very far from them. For I heard from our fathers, and I believe their word true, that formerly, when the persecution took place under Maximian, the grandfather of Constantius, pagans hid our brothers, the Christians who were being sought; and often they lost money themselves and experienced prisons, only that they might not become betrayers of the fugitives; for they guarded those who fled to them as they would themselves, and chose to run risks for them. But now these admirable men, the inventors of the new heresy, known by nothing else than their plotting, do the opposite in everything. For they themselves, becoming executioners on their own account, seek to hand everyone over, and cause those who hide others to be plotted against, regarding the one who hides and the one hidden as equally enemies. So murderous are they, and the evildoers have emulated the wickedness of Judas. ### Translation notes - The numeral of chapter 64 stands in the scan inside this staged section; it is marked [64]. “The bread … of those already dead”: the church’s bread allowances, apparently including those set aside for the commemoration or families of the dead; uncertain. OCR debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 63 (PG 25:768d–769b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-63). ## History of the Arians 65 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-65 - Source: PG 25:769b–772a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius tells how the Arian bishop Secundus of Pentapolis and Stephen kicked to death the presbyter Secundus of Barca during Lent. ### Greek text Καὶ οὐκ ἐστι κατʼ ἀξίαν ὧν διαπράττονται κακῶν εἰπεῖν ἢ τοῦτο μόνον, ὅτι γράφοντά με καὶ θέλοντα καταλέγειν τῆς πονηρίας ἐκείνων τὰς πράξεις, ὑπεισέρχεται νοεῖν, μὴ ἆρα τῆς ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις βδέλλης ή τετάρτη θυγάτηρ ἐστὶν ή αἵρεσις αὕτη, ἥτις μετὰ τὰς τοσαύτας ἀδικίας καὶ τοὺς τοσούτους φόνους ούκεῖπεν, ’Δρκεί. Ἔτι γὰρ νεανιεύεται* καὶ τοὺς μὲν μηδέπω γνωσθέντας περιέρχεται ζητοῦσα, οὒς δέ ἔφθασεν ἀδικῆσαι, πάλιν ἐπαδικεῖν σπουδάζει. Ἰδοὺ γάρ μετὰ τὴν νυκτερινὴν ἔφοδον. μετὰ τὰ ἐξ αὐτῆς γενόμενα κακὰ, μετὰ τὸν διʼ Ἡρακλείου γενόμενον διωγμὸν, πάλιν οὐ παύονται διαβάλλοντες βασιλεῖ· θαρροῦσι γὰρ ὡς ἀσεβοῦντες· ἀκούονται· ἵνα πλέον τι τοῦ ἐξορισμού γένηται, καὶ τὺ λοιπον ei. μὴ πειθόμενοι ταῖς ἀσεβείαις αὐτῶν ἀναιρῶνται. Ούτω γὰρ καὶ νῦν καταθρασυνόμενοι Σεκοῦνδος μὲν ὁ παγκάκιστος Πενταπολίτης, καὶὸτού- , του συνωμότης Στέφανος, ειδότες, ὅτιεκάν ἀδικῶσιν ἔχουσι πρὸς ἀπολογίαν τὴν αἵρεσιν· ἐπειδὴ μὴ πειθόμενον αὐτοῖς ἐν Βάρκῃ πρεσβύτερον ἑωράκασι· Σιο κοῦνδος δὲ ἐκαλεῖτο, ὁμώνυμος μὲν, οὐχ όμόπιστσς δὲ τῷ αίρετικῷ· ἀπέκτειναν λακτίσμασιν αὐτόν. Καὶ 6 μὲν ἀναιρούμενος ἐμιμεῖτο τὸν ἅγιον, λέγων· Μηδείς με παρά δικασταῖς ἐκδικείτω· ἔχω τὸν ἐκδικοῦντά με Κύριον, διʼ ὃν καὶ ταῦτα πάσχω παρʼ αὑ· τῶν. Οἱ δὲ ούτε λέγοντα ἠλέουν, οὔτε τὰς ἡμέρας ἐδυσωποῦντο· έν αὐτῇ γὰρ τῇ Τεσσαρακοστῇ λακτίζοντες ἀπέκτειναν τὸν ἄνθρωπον. ### English translation (Claude) And it is impossible to speak worthily of the evils they do, except to say only this: that as I write and wish to enumerate the deeds of their wickedness, it occurs to me to wonder whether this heresy is not the fourth daughter of the horseleech in the Proverbs, which after so many injustices and so many murders has not said, “Enough.” For it still behaves insolently; those not yet discovered it goes about seeking, and those it has already wronged it is eager to wrong again. For see, after the night attack, after the evils that came of it, after the persecution through Heraclius, they still do not cease slandering us to the emperor—for they are confident that, being impious, they are listened to—so that something more than exile may happen, and in future those who do not yield to their impieties may be put to death. So now too, emboldened, Secundus the utterly wicked Pentapolitan and his confederate Stephen, knowing that even if they do wrong they have the heresy as their defense, when they saw a presbyter at Barca who would not obey them—he was called Secundus, of the same name as the heretic but not of the same faith—killed him by kicking. And as he was being killed he imitated the saint, saying, “Let no one avenge me before judges; I have the Lord to avenge me, for whose sake I suffer these things at their hands.” But they neither pitied him as he spoke nor respected the days; for in Lent itself they kicked the man to death. ### Scripture references - Prov 30:15: allusion, high confidence - Acts 7:60: echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - The horseleech and its daughters: Prov 30:15. The “saint” imitated is probably Stephen (Acts 7:60). A word of Latin-letter debris is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 65 (PG 25:769b–772a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-65). ## History of the Arians 66 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-66 - Source: PG 25:772a–772d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius contrasts Arianism with other heresies: where they rely on persuasive words, the Arians rely on the power of the magistrates. ### Greek text ’Ὠ καινῆς αἱρέσεως, ὅλον ἐνδυσαμένης τὸν διὰβολσν ἐν ἀσεβείᾳ καὶ πράξειε ἄρτι γὰρ πρῶτον ἐπενοήθη τοῦτο τὸ κακόν. El δὲ καί τινες ἐδόκουν ποτέ περὶ αὐτῆς λογίζεσθαι, ἀλλʼ ἔκρυπτον καὶ ἐλάνθανον ταῦτα φρονοῦντες. Εὐσέβιος δὲ καὶ Ἄρειος, ὡς ὄφεις ἐξελθόντες ἀπὸ φωλεοῦ, τὸν ίὸν τῆς ἀσεβείας ταύτης ἐξήμεσαν· καὶ 6 μὲν ’Ἄρειος τὴν τοῦ βλασφημεῖν ἐκ φανεροῦ τόλμην ἀνεδέξατο· 6 δὲ Εὐσέβιος τὴν ταύτης προστασίανῑ ἀλλʼ ού πρότερον ἴσχυσε προστῆναι τῆς αἱρέσεως,εί μὴ, καθά προεῖπον, βασιλέα εὗρε προστάτην ταύτης. Οί μὲν οὖν Πατέρες ἡμῶν οἱκουμενικὴν σύνοδον πεποιήκασι, καὶ τριακόσιοι πλεῖον ἦ ἔλαττον συνελθόντες κατέκριναν τὴν Ἀρειανὴν αἴρεσιν, καὶ ἀπεφήναντο πάντες ἀλλοτρίαν αὐτὴν καὶ ξένην τῆς ὲκκλησιαστικῆς πίστεως εἶναι. Οἱ δὲ προστάται ταύτης, ὁρῶντες ἑαυτοὺς λοιπὸν ἀσχημο νοῦντας, καὶ μηδὲν εῠλογον ἔχοντας, ἀλλην ὀξὺν ἐπενόησαν, καὶ … ἐκδικεῖν ταύτην ἐπεχείρησαν. Ἐφʼ ᾧ μᾶλλον ἄν τις αὑτῶν Θαυμάσειε τὸ καινὸν καὶ πονηρὸν ἐπιτήδευμα, καὶπῶς ὑπερβάλλουσι τὰς ἄλλας αἱρέσεις. Τῶν μὲν γάρ ἄλλων αἱρέσεων τά ἐφευρήματα ἐν πιθανότητι ῥημάτων ἔχει τὴν μανίαν πρὸς ἀπάτην, τῶν ἀκεραίων. Καὶ Ἕλληνες μὲν, ὡς εἶπεν 6 Ἀπόστολος, ἐν ὑπεροχῇ καὶ πειθοῖ λόγων καὶ σοφίσμασι πιθανοῖς ἐπιχειροῦσιν Ἰουδαῖοι δέ. ἀφέντες τὰς θείας Γραφάς, λοιπὸν, ὡς εἶπεν 6 ’Λπόστολος, ἐν μύθοις καὶ γενεαλογίαις ἀπεράντως ἔχουσι τὴν ἔριν· Μανιχαῖοι γάρ καὶ Οὐαλεντίνοι σὺν αὐτοῖς, καὶ ἄλλοι, καπηλεύοντες τάς θείας Γραφάς, τοῖς ἑαυτῶν ἐπιπλάστοις λόγοις μισθολογοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ ’Δρειανοὶ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων αἱρέσεὼν εἰσιτολμηρότεροι, καὶ μικροτέρας ἑαυτῶν ἀδελφὰς ἀπέδειξαν ὲκείνας, πλέον αὐτῶν ἀσεβοῦντες, καθάπερ εἴρηται, καὶ πάντας, μάλιστα δὲ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, Cr;λῶσσὲιτες ἐν πονηρίᾳ. Ὠς γάρ ἐκεῖνοι, μῂ δυνάμενοι τὸν Παῦλον ἐλέγξαι περὶ ὧν ἐπροφασίζοντο, εὐθὺς ἤγαγον ἀὐτὸν τὸν χιλίαρχον καὶ τὸν ἡγεμόνα· οὕτως οῦτοι, καὶ πλέον ἐκείνων ἐπινοοῦντες, τῇ ἐξ· ουσία μόνῃ τῶν δικαστῶν κέχρηνται· καὶ μόνον τις αὐτοῖς ἀντείρηκεν, ἐλκεται πρὸς τὸν ἡγεμόνα, ἢ τὸν στρατηλάτην. ### English translation (Claude) O new heresy, that has put on the devil wholly, in impiety and in deeds! For this evil has only now been devised for the first time. Even if some formerly seemed to think along these lines, they hid it and concealed that they held such views. But Eusebius and Arius, like serpents coming out of a den, spewed out the venom of this impiety: Arius undertook the audacity of open blasphemy, and Eusebius its championship; but he was not able to champion the heresy until, as I said before, he found the emperor as its patron. Our fathers held an ecumenical synod, and three hundred, more or less, assembled and condemned the Arian heresy, and all declared it alien and foreign to the faith of the Church. But its champions, seeing themselves disgraced and having nothing reasonable to say, devised another way, and attempted to champion it by … At this one may marvel the more at their new and wicked practice, and at how they surpass the other heresies. For the inventions of the other heresies place their madness in the plausibility of words, to deceive the simple. The pagans, as the Apostle said, make their attempts with excellence and persuasiveness of speech and plausible sophisms; the Jews, abandoning the divine Scriptures, now, as the Apostle said, contend endlessly about fables and genealogies; the Manichees, and the Valentinians with them, and others, peddling the divine Scriptures, make a trade of their own fabricated words. But the Arians are more audacious than the other heresies, and have shown those to be their younger sisters, being more impious than they, as has been said, and emulating them all in wickedness, especially the Jews. For as those, unable to refute Paul on the matters they alleged as pretexts, at once brought him to the tribune and the governor, so these, devising still more than those, use only the power of the magistrates; and if anyone so much as contradicts them, he is dragged to the governor or the general. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 2:4: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Tim 1:4: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 2:17: allusion, medium confidence - Acts 23:24: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Persuasive speech: cf. 1 Cor 2:1, 4. Fables and genealogies: 1 Tim 1:4; Titus 3:9. Peddling the Scriptures: 2 Cor 2:17. Paul brought before the tribune and governor: Acts 21–24. Words are lost in the scan (“…”, probably “outside power”); the debris is removed by a logged correction. The comparison with the Jews is Athanasius’s polemic. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 66 (PG 25:772a–772d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-66). ## History of the Arians 67 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-67 - Source: PG 25:773a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius argues that the Arians, unable to persuade, resort to force, and compares Constantius to Saul massacring the priests of Nob. ### Greek text Kal. αί μὶν ἄλλαι αἱρέσεις, ἐλεγχόμεναι ταῖς ἀποδείξεσιν ὐπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας, σιωπῶσι. μηδὲν πλέον ἢ ἐντρεπόμεναι τοῖς ἐλέγχοις · ἡ δὲ νέα καὶ μυσαρά τούτων αἵρεσις, ὅταν ἀνατραπῇ τοῖς λόγοις, ὅταν ὐπʼ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας αἰσχυνθεῖσα πέσῃ, λοιπδν οὓς μὴ δεδύνηται πεῖσαι λόγοις, τούτους τῇ βίᾳ, καὶ πληγαῖς, καὶ δεσμωτηρίοις ἕλκειν ἐπιχειρεῖ, γνωρίζουσα ἑαυτὴν καὶ οὕτως, ὡς πάντα μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ἢ θεοσεβὴς. Θεοσεβείας μὲν γὰρ ἴδιον, μὴ ἀναγκάζειν, ἀλλά πείθειν, ὥσπερ εἴπαμεν. Kal γὰρ ό Κύριος αὐτὸς οὐ βιαζόμενος, ἀλλά τῇ προαιρέσει διδοὺς ἔλεγε πᾶσι μέν · ΕΖ τις θέλει ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν· τοῖς δὲ μαθηταῖς · Μὴ καί ὑμεῖς θέλετε ἀπελθεῒν; Αὕτη παντελῶς ἀλλοτρία τῆς θεοσεβείας ἐστί. Τί ποιεῖν αὐτὴν ἐχρῆν ἢ τάναντία τού Σωτῆρος1 ὡς χριστομάχονῆγεμόνα τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐπιγραφομένης Κωνστάντιον, ὡς αὐτὸν τδν Ἀντίχριστον; Αὐτὸς γὰρ δ.ἀ τὴν αἰρεσιν ἐσπούδασε πρῶτον καὶ τὸν Σαοὺλ ἐκ ὠμότητι ζηλῶσαι ο ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ δεδώκασιν οί ἱερεῖς ἐπισιτισμὸν τῷ Δαβἰδ, κελεύει, καὶ ἀναιροῦνται πάντες, τὸν ἀριθμὸν ὅντες τριακόσιοι καὶ πέντε · οὗτος δὲ, ἐπειδὴ τὴν μὲν αἵρεσιν πάντες φεύγουσιν, ἡ δὲ ὑγιαίνουσα πίστις ἡ είς τὸν Κύριοι ὡμολογήθη, τριακοσίων ὅλων σύνοδον ἐπισκόπων ἀναιρεῖ· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐπισκόπους αὐτοὺς ἐξορίζει, τοὺς δὲ λαοὺς ἐμποδίζει μελετᾷν τὴν εὐσέβειαν καὶ εὔχεσθαι τῷ Θεῷ, κωλύων αὐτῶν τὰς συναγωγάς. Kal ὥσπερ Σαοὺλ κατέσκαψε τὴν Νομβὰ τὴν πόλιν τῶν ἱερέων, οὕτως οὗτος καὶ πλέον τὸ κακὸν αὐξάνων, τὰς Ἑκκλησίας τοῖς ἀσεβοῦσι παραδέδωκε · καὶ ὡς ἐκεῖνος Δωὴκ τὸν διαβαλόντα προτετίμηκε τῶν ἀληθῶς ἱερέων, τόν τε Δαβὶδ ἐδίωκε προσέχων τοῖς Ζιφαίοιςʼ οὕτως οὗτος τοὺς μὲν αἱρετικοὺς προκρίνει τῶν εὐσεβῶν, τοὺς δὲ φεύγοντας αὐτὸν ἐτι διώκει1 προσέχων τοῖς θλαδίαις ἑαυτοῦ, τοῖς καὶ διαβάλλουσι τοὺς όρθοδόξουςν μὴ συνορῶν, ὡς ὅσα δʼ ἂν ὑπὲρ τῆς αίρέσεως τῶν Ἀρειανῶν πράττῃ τε καὶ γράφῃ, ταῦτα κατά τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἔχει τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν. ### English translation (Claude) The other heresies, when refuted by proofs from the truth itself, are silent, doing nothing more than being put to shame by the refutations; but this new and abominable heresy of theirs, when overthrown by arguments, when it has fallen, put to shame by the truth itself, then tries to drag by violence, blows, and prisons those whom it could not persuade by arguments, making itself known even so to be anything rather than godly. For it is the mark of godliness not to compel but to persuade, as we said. For the Lord himself, not forcing but leaving it to the will, said to all, “If anyone wishes to come after me,” and to the disciples, “Do you also wish to go away?” This heresy is altogether foreign to godliness. What else would it do but the opposite of the Savior, since as a Christ-fighter it has enrolled Constantius as the leader of its impiety, as though he were the Antichrist himself? For he, for the heresy’s sake, was eager first to emulate Saul in cruelty. Saul, because the priests gave provisions to David, gave the order, and they were all killed, three hundred and five in number; but this man, because all flee the heresy and the sound faith in the Lord was confessed, destroys a synod of three hundred bishops: he exiles the bishops themselves, and hinders the people from practicing piety and praying to God, preventing their assemblies. And as Saul razed Nob, the city of the priests, so this man, increasing the evil still further, has handed over the churches to the impious; and as Saul honored Doeg the slanderer above the true priests and persecuted David, listening to the Ziphites, so this man prefers the heretics to the pious, and still persecutes those who flee him, listening to his eunuchs, who slander the orthodox—not perceiving that whatever he does and writes on behalf of the Arian heresy is an attack upon the Savior. ### Scripture references - Matt 16:24: quotation, high confidence - John 6:67: quotation, high confidence - 1 Sam 22:18: allusion, high confidence - 1 Sam 23:19: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “If anyone wishes to come after me”: Matt 16:24. “Do you also wish to go away?”: John 6:67. The priests of Nob, Doeg, and the Ziphites: 1 Sam 22:18–19 (the LXX gives 305 priests); 23:19. A stray mark is removed by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 67 (PG 25:773a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-67). ## History of the Arians 68 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-68 - Source: PG 25:773a–776c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius calls Constantius worse than Ahab and Pilate, releasing criminals while keeping Christ’s servants in exile, and recalls his cruelty to his own family. ### Greek text Οὐχ οὕτως Ἀχαὰβ κατὰ τῶν ἱερέων τοῦ Θεοῦ γέγονεν, ὡς οὗτος κατά τῶν ἐπισκόπων τετόλμηκεν. Ὄλως γὰρ ἐκεῖνος καὶ, φονευθέντος τού Naβουθαὶ, κατενύγη, καὶ τὺνἮλίαν ἑωρακὼς ἐφοβήθη ε οὗτος δέ οὐδὲ τὸν τηλικοῦτον Ὄσιον ᾐδέσθηὟ οὐδὲ τοὺς τοσούτους ἐπισκόπους ἐξορίσας, ἐνάρκησεν, ἢ κᾶν κατενύγη· ἀλλʼ ὡς ἄλλος Φαραὼ μᾶλλον ἐπιτριβόμενος, σκληρύνεται, καὶ χείρονα καθημέραν ἐπενόει. Καὶ ἔστιν αὐτοῦ τοῦτο παράδοξοι τῆς πονηρίαςʼ τῶν γὰρ ἐπισκόπων ἐξοριζομένων. συνέβαινε καὶ ἄλλους τινὰς διʼ ἐγκλήματα φόνου, ῆ στάσεως, ἢ κλοπῆς, -κατά τὴν τοῦ ἐγκλήματος ποιότητα, λαμβάνειν τὴν καταδίκην ο καὶ τούτουέ μὲν μετὰ μῆνας όλίγους ἀξιούμενος, ὡς τδν Βαραββᾶν Πιλᾶτος, ἀπέλυε · τοὺς δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δούο λους ού μόνον οὐκ ἡᾳίει, ἀλλὰ καὶ … ἀνηλεῶς κατεδίκαζεν ὲν τοῖς ὲξορισμοῖς, ἀθάνατον κακὸν γιγνόμενος εἰς αὐτούς. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸν τρόπον φίλος ἦν, τῶν ὀρθοδόξων δὲ διὰ τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν εὖ· σέδειαν ὲχθῴς ἐτύγχανεν. Ἆρʼ οὖν οὔ πᾶσιν ὲκ τού· του λευκῶς ἐδείκνυεν, ὅτι καὶ τότε oi Ἰουδαῖοι, τὸν μὲν Βαραβἇν αἰτησάμενοι, τὸν δὲ Κύριον στανρὼσαντες, τοιοῦτοι ἦσαν, οἶοι καὶ νῦν εἰσιν oi μετᾶ Κωνσταντίου χριστομάχοις Καὶ τάχα πικρότερος οἶτος ᾖ Πιλᾶτος ό μὲν γὰρ κᾶν ἐνίψατο συνορῶν Τί δὲ θαυμαστὸν εἰ, πλανηθεὶς είς ἀσέβειαν, οὕτω κατὰ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐστὶν ὠμὸς, ὅπου γε οὐδὲ τῆς ἰδίας συγγενείας ὡς ἄνθρωπος ὲφείσατο; Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ θείους κατέσφαξε, καὶ τοὺς ἀνεψιοὺς ἀνεῖλε· καὶ πενθεροῦ (ἴσως, πενθερὸν) μὲν, ἔτι τὴν θυγατέρα γαμῶν αύτοῦ, συγγενεῖς δὲ πάσχοντας οὐκ ἠλέησεν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅρκων ἀεὶ πρὸς πάντας παραβάτης γέγονεν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ είς τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἀσεβεῖν τετόλμηκε. Καὶ προσποιεῖται μὲν οἰκοδομεῖν αὑτῷ μνημεῖον, τὴν δὲ μνηστὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν Ὀλυμπιάδα βαρδά· ροις ἐκδέδωκεν, ἣν ἐκεῖνος μέχρι τελευτῆς ἐφύλαττε, καὶ ὡς ίδίαν ἀνέτρεφεν ἑαυτῷ γυναῖκα. Καὶ τὴν γνὼμην δὲ αὑτοῦ παραλύειν ἐπεχείρησεν, οὗ καὶ κληρονόμος εὖχεται εἶναι, γράφων τοιαῦτα, ἐφʼ οἷς καὶ ὀλίγην αἴσθησιν ἔχων ἄν τις ᾐσχύνθη. Ἐγὼ δὲ, συμβάλλων αὑτοῦ τὰς ἐπιστολὰς, εὑρίσκω τοῦτον μὴ κατὰφύσιν έχοντα τὰς φρένας, ἀλλὰ μόνον πρὸς τοὺς ὑποβάλλοντας κινούμενον, ἴδιον δὲ νοῦν καθόλου μὴ ἔχοντα. '0 μὲν οὖν Σολομῶν φησι ο Βασιλέως ὑπακούοντος λόγον ἄδικον, πάντες οἱ ὑπʼ αὐτὸν παρά· νομοί. Οὗτος δὲ ἐξ ὧν ποιεῖ, δείκνυσιν ἑαυτὸν ἐκεῖνον εἶναι τὸν ἄδικον, καὶ τοὺς περὶ αὑτὸν παρανόμους. ### English translation (Claude) Ahab did not behave so against the priests of God as this man has dared to behave against the bishops. For Ahab, after Naboth had been murdered, was at least pricked in conscience, and was afraid when he saw Elijah; but this man was not ashamed before the great Hosius, nor, having exiled so many bishops, was he benumbed or pricked in conscience at all; but like another Pharaoh, the more he is afflicted, the more he is hardened, and he devised worse things every day. And this is the strange thing in his wickedness: while the bishops were being exiled, it happened that some others too received sentence for charges of murder, sedition, or theft, according to the nature of the charge; and these, when he was petitioned, he released after a few months, as Pilate released Barabbas; but the servants of Christ he not only did not release, but even condemned them … mercilessly in their exiles, becoming an undying evil to them. For to the others he was a friend because of their character, but to the orthodox an enemy because of their piety toward Christ. Did he not by this show plainly to all that the Jews of that time, who asked for Barabbas and crucified the Lord, were such as the Christ-fighters with Constantius are now? And perhaps he is more bitter than Pilate; for Pilate at least washed his hands, perceiving … [69] And what wonder is it if, having been led astray into impiety, he is so cruel against the bishops, when he did not spare even his own kin, as a man would? For he slaughtered his uncles and did away with his cousins; and he did not pity his father-in-law, though he was married to his daughter, nor his relatives when they suffered; and he has always been a breaker of oaths toward all. So too he has dared to act impiously toward his brother. He pretends to build him a tomb, yet he has given his betrothed, Olympias, to barbarians—she whom his brother guarded till his death and was bringing up as his own wife. And he has tried to set aside the judgment of the brother whose heir he boasts to be, writing such things as anyone with even a little perception would be ashamed of. And I, comparing his letters, find that he does not have his wits in their natural state, but is moved only by those who suggest things to him, and has no mind of his own at all. Solomon says, “When a king listens to an unjust word, all those under him are lawless.” But this man shows by what he does that he is himself that unjust one, and those around him lawless. ### Scripture references - 1 Kgs 21:27: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 27:24: allusion, high confidence - Prov 29:12: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The numeral of chapter 69 stands in the scan inside this staged section; it is marked [69]. Ahab’s remorse: 1 Kgs 21:27. Barabbas: Matt 27:21–26; Pilate washing his hands: Matt 27:24. The massacre of Constantine’s relatives in 337, and the marriage of Olympias (once betrothed to Constans) to the Armenian king Arsaces, are recorded by other ancient writers. “When a king listens to an unjust word …”: Prov 29:12. A parenthesis in the printed text (“perhaps ‘father-in-law’”) is the editor’s note on πενθεροῦ. Words are lost in the scan where marked “…”; Latin-letter debris is corrected by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 68 (PG 25:773a–776c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-68). ## History of the Arians 70 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-70 - Source: PG 25:776c–777d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes Constantius as the slave of his advisers, condemns the order handing all the churches of Egypt and Libya to the Arians as worse than any persecution, and begins to list the original Arians now restored. ### Greek text Πότε οὖν οὗτος, τοιοῦτος ὢν, καὶ τοιούτοις χαίρων, δύναταί τι δίκαιον ἢ κατὰ λόγον φρονῆσαις ἄν· θρωπος δεδεμένος τῇ τῶν συνόντων παρανομίᾳ καὶ τούτων ὄντων ἐπᾳδόντων, οἵτινες τὸν ἐγκέφαλον p51λον ὲν ταῖς πτέρναις καταπεπατημένον έχουσι. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ γράφει, καὶ γράφων μεταμελεῖο ται, καὶ μεταμελόμενος παροξύνεται, πάλιν τι ται, καὶ οὐκ ἔχων ὃ πράξει, δείκνυσιν ἑαυτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ἔρημον τῶν φρενῶν. Οὕτω δὲ τοῦτον ὗντα τοιοῦτον οἱκτείρειεν ἄν τις μᾶλλον δικαίως, ὅτι μετʼ ἐλευθέρου σχήματος καὶ ὀνόματος δοῦλός ἐστι τῶν ἑλκόντων αὑτὸν πρὸς τὴν ίδίαν ἡδονὴν τῆς ἀσεδείας. Ἀμέλει τὸ ἀνόητον καὶ κέπφον, ὼς εἶπεν ἡ Γραφὴ, καθηκεύειν θέλων ἄλλοις, ἑαυτὸν είς καταδίκην τῇ μελλούσῃ κρίσει τοῦ πυρὸς παρανάλωμα δέδωκενο ἤδη πράττων ἃ θέλουσιν ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ πωπίνων αὐτοῖς τὴν τε κατᾶ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐπιβουλὴν, καὶ τὴν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐξουσίαν. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ νῦν πάλιν ἐτάραξε τὰς ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὰς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ Λιβύαις πάσαιςʼ καὶ φανερῶς προσέταξε τοὺς μὲν τῆς. Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐπισκόπους ἐκβάλλεσθαι τῶν ἐκ· κλησιῶν, τοῖς δὲ τὰ Ἀρείου φρονοῦσι πάσας αὑτὰς παραδίδοσθαι. Τοῦτό τε ποιεῖν ὁ στρατηλάτης ἤρξατο· xal. λοιπὸν ἐπίσκοποι δέσμιοι, πρεσβύτεροί τε καὶ μονάζοντες σεσιδηρωμένοι, καὶ πληγαῖς κατακοπέντες ῐσα Θανάτῳ, παρεπέμφθησαν. Πάντα τε κατά τόπον τετάρακται καὶ ἡ Αἴγυπτος xui. Λιβύη πᾶσα κινδυνεύει, τῶν λαῶν δυσανασχετούντων ἐπὶ τῷ παρανόμῳ προστάγματι τούτῳ, καὶ βλεπόντων ταῦτα. Πότε οὖν ἠκούσθη τοσαύτη παρανομία; πότε τι τοιοῦτο κᾶν ἐν διωγμῷ γέγονε κακόν; ’Έλληνες γεγόνασιν οἱ πρότερον διώξαντεςʼ ἀλλʼ ούκ είς τάς ἐκκλησίας εἰσήνεγκαν τάκ εἴδωλα. Ἰουδαία ἦν Ζηνο- 6ία, καὶ Παύλου προέστη τού Σαμοσατὲως ἀλλʼ οὐ δέδωκε τὰς ἐκκλησίας τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις είς συναγωγάς. Καινόν ἐστι τοῦτο μύσος ’ οὐκ ἔστιν ἁπλῶς διωγμὸς, ἀλλὰ διωγμοῦ μὲν πλέον · προοίμιον δέ καῖ παρασκευὴ τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου. Ἔστω γὰρ, καὶ κατὰ Ἀθανασίου, καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπισκόπων, οὓς ἐξώρισαν, προφάσεις ἐπλάσαντο ψευδεῖς· τί πρὸς τὸ καινὸν ἐπιτήδευμα τοῦτο; ποίαν ἄρα πρόφασιν ἔχουσι κατὰ* πάσης τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ Λισύης, καὶ Πενταπόλεως είπεῖν; Ούδέ γὰρ καθʼ ἕκαστον ἐπιβουλεύειν ἤρξαντο, ῖνα κᾶν ψεύσασθαι δυνηθῶσιν · ἀλλʼ ἀθρόως πᾶσιν ἐπέθεντο, ἵνα, κᾶν θέλωσι πλάσασθαι, καταγνωσθιῖηιν. Ἐτύφλωσε γοῦν αὐτῶν ἐν τούτοις τὴν διάνοιαν ἡ κακία, καὶ πάντας ἁπλῶς τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἀπροφασίστως ἠξίωσαν ἐκβάλλεσθαιο ἵνα δείξωσιν, δτι κατὰ Ἀθανασίου καὶκατὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπισκόπων, οὓς ἐξώρισαν, προφάσεις ἐπλάσαντο ψευδεῖς, διʼ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἢ διὰ τὴν μιαρὰν αἵρεσιν τῶν Χριστομάχων Ἀρειανῶν. Τοῦτο γὰρ λοιπὸν ού κέκρυπται, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι μάλιστα νῦν γέγονε φανερόν. Ἀθανάσιον μὲν γὰρ προσέταξεν ἐκβάλλεσθαι τῆς πόλεως, ἐκείνοις δὲ παραδέδωκε τὰς ἐκκλησίας. Καὶ οἱ μὲν πρεσβύτεροι καὶ οἱ διάκονοι, οί μετʼ αὐτοῦ, ἀπὸ Πέτρου καὶ Ἀλεξάνδρου τυγχάνοντες, ἐκβάλλονται καὶ φυγαδεύονται ο οί δὲ ἀληθῶς ’Δρειανοὶ, οἱ μὴ ἔξωθεν ἀληθῶς ὑπονοούμενοι, ἀλλʼ οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς διὰ τὴν αἶρεσιν ἐκβληθέντες μετʼ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Ἀρείου παρὰ Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου, ἐν μὲν τῇ ἄνω Λιβύῃ Σεκοῦνδος, ὲν δὲ τῇ Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ Εὐζώῖος ὁ Χαναναῖος, καὶ Ἰούλιος, xai. Ἄμμων, Μάρκος τε, καὶ Εἰρηναῖος, καὶ Ζὼσιμος, καὶ Σαραπίων ἐπίκλην Πελύκων, ### English translation (Claude) When, then, can this man, being such and delighting in such men, think anything just or reasonable—a man bound by the lawlessness of his companions, with these men enchanting him, who have their brains trodden down in their heels? For this reason he writes, and having written repents, and repenting is provoked again …, and, not knowing what to do, shows the emptiness of wits in his soul. So one might more justly pity him, being such, because, with the appearance and name of a free man, he is the slave of those who drag him to their own pleasure of impiety. Indeed, the senseless and witless one, as the Scripture says, wishing to oblige others, has given himself up to condemnation at the coming judgment, as fuel for the fire, already doing what they wish and pledging to them both the plot against the bishops and authority over the churches. For see, now again he has troubled the churches in Alexandria and in Egypt and all the Libyas, and has openly ordered that the bishops of the catholic Church and of piety be cast out of the churches, and that all of these be handed over to those who hold the views of Arius. The general began to do this; and then bishops were sent off in chains, and presbyters and monks in irons, beaten with blows nearly to death. Everything everywhere is in confusion, and all Egypt and Libya is in danger, the people being indignant at this lawless order and seeing these things. [71] When, then, was such lawlessness heard of? When did such an evil happen even in a persecution? It was pagans who persecuted formerly; but they did not bring their idols into the churches. Zenobia was a Jewess and patroness of Paul of Samosata; but she did not give the churches to the Jews as synagogues. This abomination is new; it is not simply persecution, but more than persecution: a prelude and preparation for Antichrist. For grant that they invented false pretexts against Athanasius and the other bishops they exiled—what is that compared with this new practice? What pretext can they allege against all Egypt and Libya and Pentapolis? For they did not begin plotting against each one individually, so that they might at least be able to lie, but attacked all at once, so that, even if they wished to invent something, they would be condemned. Their wickedness blinded their minds in this, and they demanded that all the bishops alike be cast out without any pretext, so that they showed that they had invented false pretexts against Athanasius and the other bishops they exiled for no other reason than the abominable heresy of the Christ-fighting Arians. For this is no longer hidden, but has now become plain to all. Athanasius he ordered to be cast out of the city, and to those men he handed over the churches. And the presbyters and deacons who were with him, appointed from the time of Peter and Alexander, are cast out and put to flight; while the real Arians—not those suspected from outside, but those who from the beginning were expelled for the heresy together with Arius himself by Bishop Alexander: in Upper Libya Secundus, and in Alexandria Euzoius the Canaanite, Julius, Ammon, Marcus, Irenaeus, Zosimus, and Sarapion surnamed Pelycon, … ### Translation notes - The numeral of chapter 71 stands in the scan inside this staged section; it is marked [71]. “Senseless and witless”: the source of this scriptural phrase is uncertain (κέπφος occurs in Job 5:2 LXX). Zenobia, queen of Palmyra, protected Paul of Samosata; that she was a Jewess is Athanasius’s report. Part of a line is lost after “provoked again”, and the section breaks off at the end (“…”). OCR debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 70 (PG 25:776c–777d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-70). ## History of the Arians 72 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-72 - Source: PG 25:780a–781a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius lists the Egyptian bishops exiled in 356–357 and describes the tortures of laymen and virgins, and the replacement of the exiles by unworthy men who had bought their sees. ### Greek text Καὶ ὁ μὲν στρατηλάτης Σεβαστιανός ἔγραψε τοῖς κατά τόπον πραιποσίτοις καὶ στρατιωτικαῖς ὲξουσίαιςσ καὶ oi μὲν ἀληθῶς ἐπίσκοποι ἐδιώχθησαν, οἱ δὲ τὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας φρονοῦντες ἀντʼ ἐκείναιν εἰσ· ήχθησαν. Καὶ ἐξώρισαν μὲν ἐπισκόπους γηράσαντας ὲν τῷ καὶ πολυετεῖς ὲν τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ, ἀπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου ὄντας τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ’ ’Δμμὼνιον μὲν καὶ Ἑρμῆν, καὶ ’Δνάγαμφον, καὶ Μάρκον, εἰς τὴν ἅνω δασιν · Μοῦἳν δὲ καὶ Ψενόσιριν, καὶ Naupμωνα, καὶ Πλήνην,καὶ Μάρκον, καὶ Ἂθηνόδωρον, εἰς τὴν ’Δμμωνιακὴν, διʼ οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἴνα διὰ τῶν ἐρήμων διερχόμενοι τελευτήσωσι. Καὶ γάρ οὐδὲ νο· σοῦντας αὐτοὺς ἠλέησαν ° ἀλλά καὶ βαρέως διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν φέροντες ἤλαυνον, ὥστε φορείοις αὐτοὺς ἀποφέρεσθαι, καὶ διὰ τὴν νόσον ἐπακολουθεῖν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐντάφια. Ἆπέθανε γοῦν εἷς ἐξ αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐδὲτὸ σῶμα συνεχώρησαν ἀποφέρεσθαι τοῖς ἰδίοις. Διά τοῦτο καὶ Δρακόντιον μὲν ἐπίσκοπον εἰς τὰ ἔρημα περὶ τὸ κλύσμα ἐξώρισαν, Φίλωνα δὲ εἰς Βαβυλῶνα, καὶ Ἀδέλφιον εἰς Ψίναβλα τῆς Θηβαΐδος, Ἱέρακά τε καὶ Διόσκορον τοὺς πρεσὸυτέρους εἰς Σοήνην ἐξώρισανο xui. Ἀμμώνιον μὲν καὶ Ἀγαθὸν, καὶ Ἀγαθοδαίμονα, καὶ Ἀπολλώνιον, καὶ Εὺλόγιον, καὶ Ἀπολλὼ, καὶ Παφνούτιον, καὶ Γάϊον, καὶ Φλάβιον, ἀρχαίους ἐπισκόπους, καὶ Διόσκορον, καὶ Ἀμμώνιον, xui. Ἡρακλείδην, καὶ Ψάῐν, πάλιν ἐπισκόπους, ἐφυγάδευσαν ο καὶ τοὺς μὲν εἰς λιθουργίαν παραδεδώκασι, τοὺς δὲ ἐδίωξαν ἀναιρῆσαι θέλοντες, ἄλλους τε πολλοὺς διήρπασαν. Καὶ λαῖκους μὲν μʼ καὶ παρθένους, πρότερον παρὰ πῦρ στήσαντες αὐτάς, ἐξώρισαν· οὕτω κόψαντες πληγαῖς ταῖς ἀπὸ φοινίκων ῥάβδοις, ὡς μετά ἡμέρας πέντε τὰς μὲν αὐτῶν ἀπο· θανεῖν, τὰς δὲ χειρουργεῑσθαι διὰ τοὺς ἐμπαγέντας ἐν τοῖς μέλεσι σκόλοπας, καὶ μείζονας Θανάτου τὰς ῥᾷσᾎνὲυξ ὑπομένειν. τό γε δεινότερον, παντὶ … μὲν ίσχύοντι, οἰκεῖον δὲ τῶν ἀσεβῶν· ἐπειδὴ κοπτόμεναι τὸν Χριστὸν ἐπεκαλοῦντο, μειζόνως ἔτριζον κατʼ αὐτῶν τοὺς ὀδόντας. Ἀμέλει οὐδὲ τά σώματα τῶν ἀπογιγνομένων ἀπεδίδουν τοῖς ἰδίοις είς ταιρήν · ἀλλʼ ἵνα δόξωσι λανθάνειν τὴν ἀνδροφονίαν, οὐκ ἔλαθον· πᾶσα γάρ ή πόλις ἑώρακε, καὶ πάντες ὡς δημίους, ὼς κακούργους καὶ λῂστάς ἀπεστρέφοντο. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ μοναστήρια κατέστρεψαν, δίιαῖ είς πῦρ ὲμδαλεῖν μοναχοὺς ἐπείρασαν · καὶ διήρπασαν -οῖκουςίκαὶ παραθήκας τεΘείσας παρά τοῦ ἐπισκόπου είς οἷκον ἐλευθέρων ἐπεισελθόντες ἥρπασαν, καὶ ἀπεστέρησαν τὰς χήρας κατά πελμάτων ἔκοπτον, καὶ τὰς ἐλεημοσύνας ἐκώλυον. Τοιαῦτα μὲν οὖν τά πονηρεύματα τῶν Ἀρειανῶν. Οἷα δὲ αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ τῆς· ἀθεότητος ἐπιχειρήματα, τίς ἀκούσας οὐ φρίξειες Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ τηλικούτους γέροντας καὶ πολυετεῖς ἐπισκόπους ἐξορισθῆναι πεποὶήικασινν· ἀντὶ δέ τούτων νεωτέρους ἀσελγεῖς Ἕλληνας, μήτε κατηχηνθεντας, δόξαντες εὐθὺς … ἄλλους … ἐπὶ μείζοσιν αἰτίαις ἐγκαλουμένους, διὰ τὸν περὶ αὐτοὺς πλοῦτοντ καὶῐτὴν ἐκ τής πολιτείας δυναστείαν, χρυσίον διδόνταςῖ ὡς ἀπό πωλητηρίον ἀπέστελλον αύτούς ὀνομάσαντες ἐπισκόπους. Καὶ λοιπὸν τοῖς λαοῖς δεινο ξέρα ἐγίγνετο ή συμιροράνο ἀποστρεφόμενοι γάρ τοὺς … μισθωτοὺς ἐκείνων, καὶ ἀλλοτρίους ἑαυτῶν, ἐμαστίζοντο, ἐδημεύοντο, είς τά δεσμωτήρια κατεκλείοντο παρὰ τοῦ στρατηλάτου. Ἐποίει γὰρ τοῦτο προθύμως Μανιχαῖος ὤν, ἵνα τοὺς μὲν ἰδίους μὴ ἐπιζητῶσιν, οὓς δὲ ἀπεστρέφοντο δέχωνται, ἀνθρώπους τοιαῦτα πράττοντας, οἷα καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἐν τοῖς είδὼη λοις ἔπαιζον. ### English translation (Claude) And the general Sebastian wrote to the officers and military authorities in the various places; and the true bishops were persecuted, and those holding impious views were brought in in their place. They exiled bishops grown old in … and of many years in the episcopate, appointed from the time of Bishop Alexander: Ammonius, Hermes, Anagamphus, and Marcus to the Upper Oasis; Muis, Psenosiris, Nilammon, Plenes, Marcus, and Athenodorus to Ammoniaca—for no other reason than that they might die passing through the deserts. For they did not pity them even when sick, but drove them on, though they could barely travel because of their weakness, so that they were carried on litters, and because of their sickness their burial clothes followed them. One of them died, and they did not even allow the body to be given to his own people. For this reason too they exiled Bishop Dracontius to the deserts around Clysma, Philo to Babylon, Adelphius to Psinabla in the Thebaid, and the presbyters Hierax and Dioscorus to Syene; and Ammonius, Agathus, Agathodaemon, Apollonius, Eulogius, Apollos, Paphnutius, Gaius, and Flavius, aged bishops, and again the bishops Dioscorus, Ammonius, Heraclides, and Psais, they put to flight; some they handed over to the quarries, others they persecuted wishing to kill them, and many others they plundered. And forty laymen, and virgins, whom they had first set by a fire, they exiled, having beaten them with rods of palm so that after five days some of them died, and others had to undergo surgery because of the thorns embedded in their limbs, and endured pains worse than death. And what was more terrible, … to anyone of sound mind, but characteristic of the impious: since the women, as they were beaten, called on Christ, they gnashed their teeth against them all the more. Indeed they did not even give the bodies of those who died to their own people for burial, so that they might seem to conceal the murder; but they did not escape notice; for the whole city saw it, and all turned away from them as executioners, evildoers, and robbers. For they also overthrew monasteries and tried to throw monks into the fire; they plundered houses, and, breaking into the house of free persons, seized deposits placed there by the bishop; they beat the widows on the soles of their feet and hindered the alms. [73] Such, then, were the wicked deeds of the Arians. And their godless undertakings—who, hearing of them, will not shudder? For they caused such aged bishops of many years to be exiled, and in their place, licentious young men, pagans, not even catechumens, … and others accused of greater crimes, because of their wealth and their civic power, giving gold—as from a market they sent them off, naming them bishops. And thereafter the calamity became more terrible for the people. For, turning away from these hirelings of those men, strangers to themselves, … they were scourged, their property confiscated, and they were shut up in prisons by the general. For being a Manichee he did this eagerly, so that they might not seek their own and might receive those they turned away from—men who did such things as they used to act out in the idol-temples before this. ### Translation notes - The numeral of chapter 73 stands in the scan (misread as “75”) inside this staged section; it is marked [73]. Clysma is near Suez; Babylon is the fortress near Memphis; Syene is Aswan. The last part of the section is badly garbled in the scan; legible words are reassembled by logged corrections and lost words are marked “…”. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 72 (PG 25:780a–781a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/56/#p-72). ## History of the Arians 73 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-73 - Source: PG 25:781a–784b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius applies Daniel’s vision of the Antichrist to Constantius, who wars against the saints, overthrew three rulers, and changes the Church’s laws by imposing bishops from afar. ### Greek text Ti; οὖν ταῦτα βλέπων ἢ ἀκούων, τίς ὁρῶν τὴν ἀλαζονείαν τῶν ἀσεβῶν, καὶ τοσαύτην ἀδικίαν, εἰ δίκαιός ἐστιν, οὐ στενάξειεν; Ἐν τόποις γὰρ ἀσεβῶν στένουσι δίκαιοι. Τίς, τούτων γιγνομένωε καὶ τῆς ἀσεβείας τοσαύτην ἀναισχυντίαν λαβούσης, ἔτι τολμᾷ λέγειν Κωστύλλιον Χριστιανὸν, καὶ μᾶλλον Ἀντιχρίστου τὴν εἰκόνα; Τί γὰρ τῶν τούτου γνωρισμάτων παραλέλοιπεν; Ἦ πῶς ού πανταχόθεν οὗτος ἐκεῖνος εἶναι νομισθήσεται, κἀκεῖνος τοιοῦτος ἂν ὑπονοηθείη, οἷός ἐστιν οὗτος; Οὐ τὰς ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ, τῇ ἐν τῷ Καισαρείῳ, γινομένας θυσίας, καὶ κατὰ Χριστοῦ βλασφημίας, ὡς ἐξ ἐντολῆς αὐτοῦ πεποιήκασιν Ἀρειανοί τε καὶ Ἕλληνες; οὐχ ή ὅρασις τοῦ Δανιὴλ οὕτω σημαίνει τὸν Ἀντίχριστον, δτι ποιήσει πόλεμον μετά τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ ἰσχύσει πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ ὑπεροίσει ἐν κακοῖς πάντας τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ τρεῖς βασιλεῖς ταπεινώσει, καὶ λόγους πρὸς τὸν ’Ὕψιστον λαλήσει, καὶ ύπονοήσει τοί ἀλλοιῶσαι καιρόν καὶ νόμονς Τίς οὖν ἄλλος πῶν ποτε τοιαῦτα ἐπεχείρησε πρᾶξαι ἧ μόνος Κωνστάντιος; Οὗτος γὰρ τοιοῦτός ἐστιν, οἶος ἂν ἐκεῖνος γε. νοιτο. Λαλεῖ γὰρ λόγους πρὸς τὸν Ὕψιστον, προϊστάμενος τῆς ἀσεβοῦς αἱρέσεως· καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἁγίους ποιεῖ πόλεμον, ἐξορίζων τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ei ml πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐπὶ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀπωλείᾳ ταύτην τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχει, Καὶ γὰρ οὗτος τοὺς πρὸ αὐτοῦ νενίκηκεν ἐν κακίᾳ, καινὸν ἐπινοήσας τρόπον τοῦ διωγμοῦ· καὶ τρεῖς βασιλεῖς, Βρετανίωνα, καὶ Μαγνὲν- ’τιον, καὶ Γάλλον καθελὼν, εὐθὺς προέστη τῆς ἀσεβείας· καὶ ὡς γίγας πρὸς τόν ’Ὕψιστον ἐτόλμησεν ἐπαρθῆναι τῇ ἀλαζονεία. Οὗτος ὑπενόησεν ἀλλοιῶσαι νόμον, παραλύων τὴν μὲν τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ ὠν ἁποστόλων διάταξιν, τὰ δὲ τῆς Ἑκκλησίας ἀλλάττων ἔθη, καὶ καινὸν αὐτὸς ἐπινοῶν τρόπον τῶν καταστάσεων. Ἐξ ἄλλων γὰρ τόπων καὶ πρὸ πεντήκοντα μονῶν μετὰ στρατιωτῶν ἐπισκόπους ἀποστέλλει πρὸς τοὺς μὴ θέλοντας λαούς · καὶ ἀντὶ γνώσεως τῆς πρὸς τοὺςλαοὺς, ἐκείνοι φέρουσι τὰς ἀπειλὰς, καὶτὰ πρὸς τοὺς δικαστὰς γράμματα. Οὕτω Γρηγόριον ἀπὸ Καππαδοκίας ἔπεμψεν είς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν ο καὶ είς μὲν τό Σίρμιον ἀπὸ Κυζίκου μετεπέμψατο Γερμίνιονο ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Λαοδικείας Κεκρόπιον εἰς τὴν Νικομήδειαν ἀπέστειλεν. ### English translation (Claude) Who then, seeing or hearing these things, seeing the arrogance of the impious and such great injustice, if he is righteous, would not groan? For in the places of the impious the righteous groan. Who, when these things are being done and impiety has taken on such shamelessness, still dares to call this Costyllius a Christian, and not rather the image of Antichrist? For which of his marks has he omitted? Or how will this man not be thought in every respect to be that one, and that one be supposed to be such as this man is? Were not the sacrifices in the great church in the Caesareum and the blasphemies against Christ done by the Arians and pagans as at his command? Does not the vision of Daniel describe the Antichrist thus: that he will make war with the saints and prevail against them, and will surpass in evils all who were before him, and will humble three kings, and will speak words against the Most High, and will think to change times and law? Who else, then, has ever attempted to do such things but Constantius alone? For he is such as that one would be. He speaks words against the Most High, championing the impious heresy; and he makes war against the saints, exiling the bishops—though he has this power only for a little while, to his own destruction. For he has surpassed those before him in wickedness, having devised a new manner of persecution; and having overthrown three kings—Vetranio, Magnentius, and Gallus—he at once championed impiety, and like a giant has dared to exalt himself in arrogance against the Most High. He has thought to change law, setting aside the ordinance of the Lord given through the apostles, changing the customs of the Church, and himself devising a new manner of appointments. For he sends bishops from other places, even fifty stages away, with soldiers, to people who do not want them; and instead of making themselves known to the people, those men bring threats and letters to the magistrates. Thus he sent Gregory from Cappadocia to Alexandria, sent for Germinius from Cyzicus to Sirmium, and sent Cecropius from Laodicea to Nicomedia. ### Scripture references - Prov 28:28: quotation, medium confidence - Dan 7:21: allusion, high confidence - Dan 7:24: quotation, high confidence - Dan 7:25: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - This staged section corresponds to ch. 74 in NPNF² 4. “In the places of the impious the righteous groan”: Prov 28:28 (LXX). Daniel’s vision: Dan 7:21, 24–25. Vetranio, Magnentius, and Gallus were overthrown in 350–354; Gallus was a Caesar. The identification of Constantius with the forerunner or image of Antichrist is Athanasius’s polemic, translated as written. “Costyllius” (Κωστύλλιον) is a contemptuous diminutive of Constantius’s name. The scan is badly garbled here; legible words are reassembled by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 73 (PG 25:781a–784b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-73). ## History of the Arians 75 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-75 - Source: PG 25:784b–784d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the intrusion of Auxentius at Milan and George at Alexandria, and the consecration of Felix as bishop of Rome in the palace, with eunuchs for a congregation. ### Greek text Καὶ Αὐξὲντιον μέν τινα φιλοπράγμονα μᾶλλον ἥ Χριστιανὸν ἀπὸ Καππαδοκίας εἰς Μεδιόλανον μιτεστείλατοο ἵνʼ, ἐπειδὴ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον τὸν ἐκεῖ Διονύσιον, ἄνθρωπον εὐλαβῆ, διὰ τὴν είς Χριστὸν εὒσέο σειαν ἐξώρισε, τοῦτον ἐκεῖ κελεύσῃ εἶναι· ἄνθρωπον μήπω μηδὲ τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν εἰδότα γλῶτταν, ἦ μόνον ἀσεβεῖν· νῦν δέ πάλιν Γεώργιόν τινα Καππαδόκην ἄνθρωπον, ὑποδέκτην ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει ταμιακῶν γενόμενον, καὶ σφετερισάμενον πάντα, καὶ διʼ αὐτὸ τοῦτο φυγόντα, προσέταξεν είς Ἀλεξάνδρειαν είσελθεῖν μετὰ στρατιωτικῆς φαντασίας, καλ τῆς τοῦ στρατηλάτου ἐξουσίας. Εἶτα εὑρὼν Ἐπίκτητόν τινα νεόφυτον, καὶ νεώτερον θρασὺν, ἠγάπησεν, ὁρῶν αὑτὸν ἕτοιμον είς κακίαν ' καὶ διʼ αὒτοῦ οἷς ἐθέλοι λοιπὸν ἐπισκόποις ἐπιβουλεύει· ’ἐτοιμος γὰρ ἐκεῖνός ἐστι πάντα ποιεῖν ἃ βούλεται βασιλεύς. Τούτῳ γοῦν ὑπηρέτῃ χρώμενος, καὶ ἐν τῇ Ῥώμῃ πεποίηκε πα· ράδοξον,καὶ ἀληθῶς ὁμοίωμα τῆς ’Λντιχρίστου κακοί νοίας · ἀντὶ γὰρ τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὸ παλάτιον παρασκευάσας, καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν λαῶν τρεῖς που θλαδίας eauτοῦ πεποίηκε παρεῖναιο καὶ λοιπὸν ἠνάγκασε τρεῖς κακοήθεις κατασκόπους (οὐ γὰρ am; ἐπισκόπους εἴποιο) καταστῆσαι δῆθεν ἐπίσκοπον ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ Φήλικά τινα ἄξιον ἐαυτῶν. 0i γὰρ λαολ πάντες. εἰδότες τὴν παρανομίαν τῶν αἱρετικῶν, οὔτε συνεχώρησαν αὐτοῖς εἱς τὰς ἐκκλησίας εἰσελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ μακρὰν ἀπʼ αὐτῶν ἀνεχώρησαν. ### English translation (Claude) And one Auxentius, a busybody rather than a Christian, he transferred from Cappadocia to Milan, so that, since he had exiled the bishop there, Dionysius, a devout man, for his piety toward Christ, he might order this man to be there—a man who did not yet even know the Latin language, nor anything but impiety. And now again one George, a Cappadocian, who had been a receiver of the treasury at Constantinople and had appropriated everything and fled for that very reason, he ordered to enter Alexandria with military pomp and the authority of the general. Then, having found one Epictetus, a neophyte and a bold young man, he took a liking to him, seeing him ready for wickedness; and through him he now plots against whatever bishops he wishes; for that man is ready to do everything the emperor wishes. Using this man as his servant, he did a strange thing at Rome too, truly a likeness of the malice of Antichrist: having prepared the palace instead of the church, and having had about three of his own eunuchs present instead of the people, he then compelled three wicked spies (for one could not call them bishops) to appoint, forsooth, as bishop in the palace one Felix, worthy of them. For all the people, knowing the lawlessness of the heretics, did not allow them to enter the churches, but withdrew far from them. ### Translation notes - Auxentius of Milan (355–374); George of Cappadocia, intruded at Alexandria in 357; Epictetus of Centumcellae; Felix II, set up at Rome in 355 after Liberius’s exile. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 75 (PG 25:784b–784d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-75). ## History of the Arians 76 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-76 - Source: PG 25:785a–785c - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius recounts how at the Council of Milan Constantius made himself Athanasius’s accuser and exiled the bishops who protested that an absent man could not be tried. ### Greek text Τί οὖν οὒτος τοῦ ’Λντιχρίστου παραλέλοιπενς ἢ τί πλέον ἐκεῖνος έλθὼν τούτου ποιήσειεν; Ἢ πῶς ὶκεῖνος ἐλθὼν οὐχ εὑρήσει πρὸς ἀπάτην εὔκολον προετοιμασθεῖσαν αὑτῷ παρὰ τούτου τὴν ὀδόν; Καὶ γὰρ πάλιν ἀντ) τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν είς τὰ παλάτια πρὸς ἑαυτὸν τὰς κρίσεις προκαλεῖται. Καὶ τούτων μὲν αὺτὺς ιξάρχει· τὸ δὲ θαυμαστὸν, ὃτι, κᾶν θεωρήσῃ τοὺς κατηγόρους ἀποροῦντας, αὐτὸς ἀναδέχεται τὴν κατηγορίαν· ῖνα μηδὲ ἀπολογεῖσθαι λοιπὸν ἐξῇ , τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις διὰ τὴν παρʼ αὑτοῦ βίαν. Καὶ τοῦτο πεποίηκεν ὲν τοῖς κατὰ Ἀθανασίου · τὴν γὰρ Παυλίνου, καὶ Λουκιιρέρου, καὶ Εὐσεὸίου, καὶ Διονυσίου τῶν ἐπισκόπων παρρησίαν βλέπων, καὶ ὡς ἐκ τῆς μετανοίας Οὐρσακίου καὶ Οὐάλεντος διήλεγχον τοὺς κατὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου λέγοντας, καὶ συνεῦούλευον μηκέτι χρῆναι πιστεύεσθαι τοὺς περὶ Οὐάλεντα μεταγνόντας ἐφʼ οἷς λέγουσι νῦν, εὐθὺς ἀναστὰς εἶπεν· Ἐγὼ κατήγορός ειμι νῦν Ἀθανασίου, δι”ὲμὲ πιστεύσατε οἷς ἐὰν λέγωσιν οὗτοι. Εἶτα, ἐκείνων λεγόντων, πῶς δύνασαι κατήγορος εἶναι, μὴ παρόντος τοῦ κατ- - ηγορουμένου; ει γὰρ σὺ κατήγορος εἷ, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνος μὴ παρὼν, οὐ δύναται κρίνεσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ Ῥωμαῖκή ἐστιν ή κρίσις, ἵνʼ ὡς βασιλεὺς πιστευθῇς, ἀλλὰ περὶ ἐπισκόπου ἐστὶ τὸ κρῖμα· καὶ δεῖ τὴν κρίσιν ῖσην εἶναι τῷ κατηγοροῦντι καὶ τῷ κρινομένῳ. Πῶς δὲ καὶ κατηγορεῖς; συνεῖναι γὰρ οὐκ ὴδύνασο τῷ μακράν σου τυγχάνοντι · εί δὲ παρὰ τούτων ἀκούσας λέγεις, δίκαιόν ἐστί σε καὶτὰ παρʼ ἐκείνου λεγόμενα πιστεύειν · εἰ δὲ μὴ πιστεύεις ἐκείνῳ, πιστεύεις δὲ τούτοις, φαίνονται μᾶλλον οὗτοι διὰ σὲ λέγοντες ταῦτα, c tul εἰς σὴν χάριν κατηγοροῦντες Ἀθανασίου. Ταῦτα ἀκούσας, καὶ νομίσας ὓβριν εἶναι τό λεχθὲν ὀρθῶς, ἐκείνους μὲν ἐξώρισε · κινηθεὶς δὲ κατὰ ’Δθανασίου, ἀγριώτερον ἔγραψεν αὐτόν τε παθεῖν τὰ γενόμενα, καὶτοῖς Ἀρειανοῖς παραδοθῆναι τὰς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τούτοις ἐξεῖναι πράττειν ἃ βούλονται. ### English translation (Claude) What, then, of the Antichrist has this man omitted? Or what more will that one do than this man when he comes? Or how will that one, when he comes, not find the way to deceit made easy, prepared for him by this man? For again, instead of the churches, he summons the trials to himself in the palaces, and presides over them himself; and the astonishing thing is that, if he sees the accusers at a loss, he himself takes up the accusation, so that the wronged may no longer even be able to make a defense because of his violence. This he did in the case of Athanasius. For seeing the boldness of the bishops Paulinus, Lucifer, Eusebius, and Dionysius, and how from the repentance of Ursacius and Valens they refuted those who spoke against the bishop, and advised that Valens and his party, having changed their minds, should no longer be believed in what they now say, he at once stood up and said, “I am now the accuser of Athanasius; for my sake believe whatever these men say.” Then they said: “How can you be the accuser when the accused is not present? For even if you are the accuser, he, not being present, cannot be judged. For the trial is not a Roman one, that you should be believed as emperor; the judgment concerns a bishop, and the trial must be equal for the accuser and the accused. And how do you accuse? For you could not have been with one who lived far from you; but if you speak because you have heard it from these men, it is just that you should believe also what is said by him; and if you do not believe him but believe these, it appears rather that these men say these things for your sake and accuse Athanasius to please you.” Hearing this, and thinking what was rightly said an insult, he exiled them; and, enraged against Athanasius, he wrote more savagely that he should suffer what was done, that the churches should be handed over to the Arians, and that they should be free to do whatever they wished. ### Translation notes - The Council of Milan (355). ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 76 (PG 25:785a–785c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-76). ## History of the Arians 77 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-77 - Source: PG 25:785c–788b - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius calls Constantius’s presiding over the church and handing it to the Arians the “abomination of desolation”, and warns that the heresy may be the apostasy preceding Antichrist. ### Greek text Δεινὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ πέρα δεινῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα· - πρέπουσα δὲ πρᾶξις ὅμως τῷ σχηματιζομένῳ τὰ τοῦ ’Δντιχρίστου. Τίς γὰρ, βλέπων αὑτὸν ὲξάρχοντα τῶν νομιζομένων ἐπισκόπων καὶ προκαθήμενον τῶν ὲκκλησιαστικῶν κρίσεων, οὐκ ᾲκολούοως ἂν εἴποι τοῦτʼ εἷναι τὸ διὰ τοῦ Δανιὴλ εἰρημένον βδέλυγμα τῆς ἐρημώσεωςς Τὸν γὰρ Χριστιανισμὺν περιβεβλημένος, καὶ είς τοὺς ἁγίους τόπους είσερχόμενος, ἑστηκώς τε ὲν αὐτοῖς, ἐρημοῖ τὰς ἐκκλησίας, παραλύων τοὺς τούτων κανόνας, καὶ τὰ ἴδια κρατεῖν βιαζόμενος. Ἀρι τίς ἔτι τολμᾷ λέγειν τὸν καιρὸν τοῦτον εἰρηνικὸν εἶναι Χριστιανῶν, καὶ οὺ μᾶλλον διωγμόν; καὶ διωγμὸν, οἷος οὔτε πώποτε γέγονεν, οὗτε τάχα τις ποιήσει ποτὲ τοιοῦτον, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ὁ υἱὸς τῆς ἀνομίας, οἱ Χριστομάχοι δεικνύουσιν, ἁναζωγραφοῦντες ἐν αὐτοῖς ἠδη. Διὸ κα) μάλιστα προσήκει νήφειν, μήπως ἡ αῐρεσις αὕτη, πολλὴν ἀναισχυντίαν ἔχουσα, καὶ διαχυνομινη ὡς ἰὸς κεράστου, καθὼς ὲν ταῖς Παροιμίαις γέγραπται, διδάσκουσα τε κατὰ τοῦι Σωτῆρος φρονεῖν, αὕτη ἂν εἴη ἡ ἀποστασία μεθʼ ἢν ἐκεῖνος ἀποκαλυφθήσεται, πάντως ἔχων τὸν πρόδρομον ἔαυτοῦ Κωνατάντιον. Ἐπεὶ διὰ τί οὕτως μαίνεται κατὰ τῶν εὐσεῧῶνς διὰ τί ὡς ὑπὲρ ἰδίας αἱρέσεως ἀγωνίζεται; καὶ ἐχθρὸν μὲν [διον λέγει τὸν μὴ πειθόμενον τῇ Ἀρείου μανίᾳ, τὰ δὲ παρὰ τῶν Χριστομάχων λεγόμενα καταθυμίως δέχεται, κα). τοιαύτας καὶ τοσαύτας συνόδους ἀτιμάζει; διὰ τι τοῖς ’Δρειανοίς ἐκέλευσε τὰς ἐκκλησίας παραδίδοσθαι; οὐχ ἵνα ἐκεῖνος ἐλθὼν εὕρῃ, πῶς είς αὑτὰς εἰσέλθῃ, καὶ ἀποδέξηται τοῦτον ὲτοιμάσαντα τοὺς τόπους αὑτῷ; οἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ Ἀλεξάνδρου, κα), τοῦ πρὸ αὐτοῦ Ἀχιλλᾶ, καὶ πάλιν τοῦ πρὸ τούτου Πέτρου, γέροντες ἐπίσκοο ποι ἐξεβάλλοντοο ὲκεῐνοι δὲ εἰσήγοντο, οὓς ἃν ελεγον οι ἀκολουθοῦντες τοῖς στρατιώταις · ελεγον δὲ τοὺς τὰ αὐτῶν φρονεῖν ἐπαγγελλομένους. ### English translation (Claude) Such things are terrible, and beyond terrible; yet the conduct befits one who is playing the part of Antichrist. For who, seeing him leading the so-called bishops and presiding over the church trials, would not fittingly say that this is the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel? For clothing himself with Christianity, and entering the holy places and standing in them, he makes the churches desolate, setting aside their canons and forcing his own to prevail. Does anyone still dare to say that this time is one of peace for Christians, and not rather of persecution—a persecution such as never happened before, and such as perhaps no one will ever carry out again, unless it be the son of lawlessness, whom the Christ-fighters display, already portraying him in themselves? Therefore it is especially fitting to be watchful, lest this heresy, which has great shamelessness and spreads like the venom of the horned serpent, as is written in the Proverbs, and teaches men to think against the Savior, be the apostasy after which that one will be revealed, having Constantius as his forerunner. For why else does he rage so against the pious? Why does he contend as for his own heresy, and call his own enemy whoever does not yield to the madness of Arius, while gladly receiving what is said by the Christ-fighters, and dishonoring such and so many synods? Why did he order the churches to be handed over to the Arians? Was it not so that that one, when he comes, may find a way to enter them, and may welcome this man who prepared the places for him? For the old bishops, appointed from the time of Alexander, and of Achillas before him, and again of Peter before him, were cast out; and those were brought in whom the followers of the soldiers named; and they named those who promised to hold their views. ### Scripture references - Dan 9:27: allusion, high confidence - Matt 24:15: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Thess 2:3: allusion, high confidence - Prov 23:32: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The abomination of desolation: Dan 9:27; 11:31 (Matt 24:15). The son of lawlessness and the apostasy: 2 Thess 2:3. The horned serpent: Prov 23:32 (LXX). The eschatological identification is Athanasius’s polemic. A Latin-letter misreading is corrected by a logged correction. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 77 (PG 25:785c–788b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-77). ## History of the Arians 78 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-78 - Source: PG 25:788b–789a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius describes the Meletians chosen as bishops: pagans and councillors seeking tax immunity, uncatechized and ready to become Arians at the emperor’s word. ### Greek text Εὕκολον δὲ τοῦτο Μελιτιανοϊς ἦν τὺ πρόβλημα· οι γὰρ πλεῖστοι, μᾶλλον δὲ οι πάντες, οὐκ ἀπὸ θεοσεβοῦς ἀγωγῆς εἰσιν, οὐδὲ γινώσκουσι τὴν εις Χριστὸν ὑγιαίνουσαν πίστιν, οὐδʼ ὅλως τί ἐστι Χριστιανισμὸς, ἢ ποίας ἔχομεν ἡμεῖς οἱ Χριστιανοὶ Γραφάς. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐξ εἰδώλων ἐλθόντες, οἱ δὲ ὲκ τοῦ βουλευτηρίου καὶ τῆς πρώτης πολιτείας διὰ τὴν ταλαίπωρον ἀλειτουργησίαν κα). προστασίαν · πείσαντές τε χρήμασι τοὺς πρὸ αὐτῶν Μελιτιανοὺς. είς τοῦτο παρῆλθον, κα). πρὶν ητηχηθῶσιν. El. δὲ καὶ ἔδοξαν, ποία κατήχησις παρὰ Μελιτιανοίς ἐστινς ὅμως οὐδὲ δόξαντες κατηχείσθαι, ἦλθον ᾶμα- καὶ εὐθὺς, ὥσπερ παῖδες ὄνομα λαβόντες, ἐκλήθησαν ἐπίσκοποι. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, τοιοῦτοι ὅντες, οὐδὲν ἡγήσαντο τὸ πρᾶγμα, οὐδὲ διαφέρειν εὐσέβειαν ἀσεβείας ὲνόμισαν. Προθύμως γοῦν καὶ ταχέως ὲκ Μελιτιανῶν ’Δρειανοὶ γεγόνασιν. Ἂν δὲ καὶ ἕτερόν τι προστάξῃ βασιλεὺς. καὶ εἰς τοῦτο πάλιν εἰσὶν ἕτοιμοι μεταβάλλεσθαι, Ἡ γὰρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἄγνοια ταχέως ἐπὶ τὴν συνήθη κα). τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς, ἣν μεμαθήκασιν, ἀφροσύνην καταφέρει τούτους. Καὶ γὰρ οὐδέν ἐστιν αὺτοῖς ἀνέμῳ παντὶ καὶ κλύδωνι περιφέρεσθαι. ἕως μόνον εἰσὶν ἀλειτούργητοι, καὶ προστασίαν ἀνθρωπίνην ἔχουσι· τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ μεταβάλλεσθαι, οἷοι καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἦσαν, καὶ οἷοι ἦσαν ὅτε πάλιν ’Έλληνες ἐτύγχανον. Ἀμέλει, τοιοῦτοι τὸν τρόπον ὄντες εὔκολοι, κα). νομίζοντες πολιτείαν βουλῆς εἶναιτὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, κα). τὰ τῶν εἰδώλων φρονοῦντες, ὥσπερ ἔθνη, εἰσελθόντες εἰς τὺ καλὸν δνομα τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ἐμίαναν τὴν Αἴγυπτον πᾶ.σαν · ποιήσαντες κᾶν ὅλως ὀνομασθῆναι τὴν Ἀρειανὴν αἰρεσιν ἐν αὐτῇ. Ἔτι γὰρ ὲν ὁλοκλήρῳ μόνῃ τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ παρρησία τῆς ὁρθοδοξίας ἦν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτʼ ἐσπούδασαν καὶ ταύτῃ φθόνον ἐπαγαγεῖν οι δυσσεδεῖς, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ αὐτοὶ. ἀλλʼ ὸ κινήσας αὐτοὺς διάὸολος· ἵνʼ ἐλθὼν ὁ τούτου κῆρυξ ’Δντίχριστος εὕρῃ κα). ὲντῇ Αἰγύπτῳ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἑαυτοῦ γινομένας, τούς τι Μελιτιανοὺς προκατηχηθένται ἠδη τά ἐκείνου, καί ἐπιγνῷ ἑαυτὸν ὲν ἐκείνοις ήδη μορφωθέντα. ### English translation (Claude) This proposal was easy for the Meletians; for most of them, or rather all, are not of godly upbringing, nor do they know the sound faith in Christ, nor at all what Christianity is or what Scriptures we Christians have. For some of them came from the idols, others from the council chamber and the chief civic offices, for the sake of the wretched immunity from public duties and the patronage; and having persuaded with money the Meletians before them, they came to this office even before being catechized. And even if they seemed to have been, what catechizing is there among the Meletians? Yet without even seeming to be catechized they came, and at once, like children receiving a name, they were called bishops. And therefore, being such, they thought nothing of the matter, nor considered piety to differ from impiety. So eagerly and quickly they became Arians from Meletians; and if the emperor orders something else, they are ready to change to that too. For their ignorance of piety quickly carries them back to the folly they had from the beginning and learned. For it is nothing to them to be carried about by every wind and wave, so long as they are exempt from public duties and have human patronage; perhaps they would not even be changing, but be such as they were before, and as they were when they were pagans. Indeed, being of such pliable character, thinking the Church a civic council, and holding the views of idolaters, entering like gentiles into the beautiful name of the Savior, they have defiled all Egypt, causing the Arian heresy even to be named in it. For in Egypt alone was there still full freedom for orthodoxy; and for this reason the impious were eager to bring ill will upon it too—or rather not they, but the devil who moved them—so that, when his herald the Antichrist comes, he may find the churches in Egypt too become his, and the Meletians already catechized in his ways, and may recognize himself already formed in them. ### Scripture references - Eph 4:14: echo, medium confidence - Jas 2:7: echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - “Carried about by every wind”: cf. Eph 4:14. “The beautiful name”: cf. Jas 2:7. The characterization of the Meletian clergy is Athanasius’s polemic. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 78 (PG 25:788b–789a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-78). ## History of the Arians 79 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-79 - Source: PG 25:789a–792a - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius contrasts the time-serving Meletian bishops with the faithful bishops who chose exile rather than condemn him, and who await the reward of confessors. ### Greek text Τοιοῦτον μὲν οὖν ἐστι το ἐξελθὸν παράκΚωνυ σταντίου παράνομον πρόσταγμα τῶν δὲ λαῶν προθυμία μὲν ἦν εἰς μαρτύριον, καὶ μᾶλλον μῖσος κατά τῆς ἀσεβεστάτης αἱρέσεως, πένθος δὲ ὅμως διά τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ στεναγμὸς παρά πάντων, βοώντων πρὸς τὸν Κύριον ο Φεῖσαι, Κύριε, τοῦ λαοῦ σου, καὶμὴ δῷς τὴν κληρονομίαν σου εις ὄνειδος τοῖς ἐχθροῖς σου ’ ἀλλὰ καὶ τάχυνον τοῦ ἐξελέσθαι ἡμᾶς ὲκ χειρὸς ἀνόμων. Ἰδοὺ γάρ τῶν μέν σου θεραπόντων οὐκ ἐφείσαντο, τῷ δὲ Ἀντιχρίστῳ τὴν ὁδὸν παρασκευάζουσιν. Οὐ γάρ ἀντιστήσονταί ποτε Μελιτιανοὶ τούτῳ, οὐδὲ φροντίσουσι περὶ ἀληθείας, οὐδὲ ἀρνήσασθαι τὸν Χριστὸν φαῦλον ἡγήσονταιο ἄνθρωποι μηδόλως γνη σίως προσελθόντες τῷ Λόγῳ, πρὸς πάντα κατά τὸν χαμαιλέοντα σχηματιζόμενοι, καὶ μισθωτοὶ τῶν ἀνυόντων αὐτῶν τὴν χρείαν γιγνόμενοι. Οὐ γάρ πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔχουσι τὸν σκοπὸν, ἀλλά ταύτης τὴν παραυτίκα προκρίνουσιν ἡδονήν· καὶ μόνον λέγουσι* Φάγωμεν καὶ πίωμεν αὔριον γὰρ ἀποθνήσκομεν. Τῶν μὲν οὖν ύποκριτῶνἘπικριτιανῶν ἀντὶ Μελιτιανῶν ἡ πρόθεσις τοιαύτη, καὶ ό τρόπος ἄπιστος · oi δὲ πιστοὶ δοῦλοι τοῦ Σωτῆρος καὶ ἀληθῶς ἐπίσκοποι, οἱ γνησίως πιστεύσαντες, καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοῖς. ἀλλά τῷ Κυρίῳ ζῶντες, οὗτοι, πιστῶς εὐσεβοῦντες είς τὸν Κύριον ήμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ γινώσκοντες, καθά προεῖπον, ὡς κατά τῆς ἀληθείας προφάσεις εἰσὶ ψευδεῖς, καὶ φανερῶς ὲπλάσθησαν διά τὴν Ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν καὶ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς Οὐρσακίου καὶ Οὐάλεντος μετανοίας κατεμάνθανον τὴν κατά ’Δθανασίου συντεθεῖσαν συκοφαντίαν· ῖνα αὐτὸν μὲν ἐκποδὼν ἄρωσι, τὴν δὲ ἀσέβειαν τῶν Χριστομάχων είς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας είσάξωσι ° ταῦτα συνορῶντες, ὡς ἀληθείας ὄντες ύπὲρμαχοι καὶ κήρυκες, ὑβρισθῆναι καὶ ἐξορισθῆναι μᾶλλον εἴλοντο, καὶ ὑπέμειναν, ἦ κατʼ αὑτοῦ ὑπογράψαι, καὶ τοτςὶἋρειομανίταις κοινωνῆσαι. Οὐ γάρ ἑπελάθοντο, ἀ ἐδίδαξαν· ἀλλά καὶ μᾶλλον γιγνώσκουσιν, ὼς τοῖς μὲν προδόταις ἀτιμία πολλὴ, τοῖς δὲ ὁμολογοῦσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, βασιλεία οὐρανῶν καὶ τοῖς μὲν όλιγὼροις καὶ φοβηθεῖσι Κωνστάντιον οὐδὲν ἔσται ἀγαθόν · τοῖς δὲ ὑπομείνασι τάς ὧδε θλίψεις, ὡς ὲκ χειμῶνος ναύταις εὔδιος λιμὴν, ὡς ἀθληταῖς μετά τὸν ἀγῶνα στέφανος, οὕτω καὶ αὐτοῖς με·γάλη καὶ αἰώνιος χαρά καὶ εὐφροσύνη ὲν τοῖς ούραο νοῖς γενήσεται· οἵαν ἔσχεν Ἰωσὴφ μετά τάς θλίψεις ἐκείνας* οἵαν ό μέγας Δανιὴλ μετά τοὺς πειρασμοὺς καὶ τάς πολλὰς ἐπιβουλὰς τῶν βασιλικῶνο οἵαν ἔχει νῦν ὁ Παῦλος στεφανούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ο οἵαν προσδοκῶντες καὶ oi πανταχοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ λαοὶ, ταῦτα βλέποντες, οὐκ ὴσθένησαν τῇ προαιρέσει, ἀλλά μᾶλλον ὲνεδυναμώθησαν τῇ πίστει, καὶ πλέον ηὔξησαν τὴν προθυμίαν. Πληροφορηθέντες γάρ ὑπὲρ τῆς συκοφαντίας καὶ ἀσεβείας τῶν αἱρετικῶν, καταγινῶσκουσι μὲν τοῦ διώκοντος, συντρέχουσι δὲ τοῖς διωκομένοις τῇ γνώμῃ καὶ τῇ ὁμοφροσύνῃ · ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸν τῆς ὁμολογίας ἀπολάβωσι στέφανον. ### English translation (Claude) Such, then, is the lawless order that went out from Constantius. Among the people there was eagerness for martyrdom and still greater hatred of the most impious heresy; yet there was mourning for the churches and groaning from all, crying to the Lord: “Spare your people, O Lord, and do not give your inheritance to reproach to your enemies; but make haste to deliver us from the hand of the lawless. For see, they have not spared your servants, and they are preparing the way for Antichrist.” For the Meletians will never resist him, nor care for the truth, nor think it a bad thing to deny Christ—men who have never genuinely come to the Word, taking every shape like the chameleon, and becoming the hirelings of those who serve their needs. For their aim is not the truth; they prefer to it the pleasure of the moment, and say only, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Such is the purpose of the hypocrites—“Epicritians” rather than Meletians—and such their faithless character. But the faithful servants of the Savior and true bishops, who believe genuinely and live not for themselves but for the Lord—these, faithfully pious toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and knowing, as I said before, that the pretexts against the truth are false and were plainly invented for the sake of the Arian heresy (for from the repentance of Ursacius and Valens they learned of the false accusation composed against Athanasius, in order to put him out of the way and bring the impiety of the Christ-fighters into the churches)—seeing this, as champions and heralds of the truth, chose rather to be insulted and exiled, and endured it, than to sign against him and communicate with the Ariomaniacs. For they did not forget what they had taught; but they know all the more that for traitors there is great dishonor, and for those who confess the truth the kingdom of heaven; and that for the careless and those who feared Constantius there will be nothing good, but for those who endured afflictions here, as a calm harbor for sailors after a storm, as a crown for athletes after the contest, so for them there will be great and eternal joy and gladness in heaven—such as Joseph had after those afflictions, such as the great Daniel had after his trials and the many plots of the courtiers, such as Paul now has, crowned by the Savior. Such joy the peoples of God everywhere also await; and seeing these things, they have not weakened in purpose, but rather been strengthened in faith and increased their zeal the more. For being fully assured of the false accusation and impiety of the heretics, they condemn the persecutor and run with the persecuted in mind and accord, so that they too may receive the crown of confession. ### Scripture references - Joel 2:17: quotation, high confidence - Ps 144:7 (143:7 LXX): echo, low confidence - 1 Cor 15:32: quotation, high confidence - Rom 14:7: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “Spare your people …”: Joel 2:17. “Make haste to deliver us”: cf. Ps 144:7 (143:7 LXX). “Let us eat and drink …”: 1 Cor 15:32 (Isa 22:13). “Live not for themselves but for the Lord”: cf. Rom 14:7–8. “Epicritians” (Ἐπικριτιανῶν) is an uncertain word, apparently a jibe playing on “Meletians”. OCR slips are corrected by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 79 (PG 25:789a–792a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-79). ## History of the Arians 80 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-80 - Source: PG 25:792a–796d - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-09 Summary: Athanasius closes the History by urging the faithful to separate from the heresy; after a gap there follows the end of the Alexandrian people’s protest describing the night attack of the duke Syrianus on the church in February 356. ### Greek text Πολλᾶ μὶν οὖν ἄν τις δύναιτο λέγειν κατὰ τῆς μυσαρᾶς καὶ Χριστομάχου ταύτης αἱρέσεως ° πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἀποδείξειεν ἄν τις εἶναι προοιμια του Αντιχρίστου, τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα Κωνσταντίου ἔπειδή δὲ, ὡς εἶπεν 6 προφήτης, ἀπὸ ποδῶν ’ἐως κεφαλῆς οὐδὲν ἐστιν εὔλογον έν αὐτῇ, παντὸς δὲ ῥύπου καὶ πάσης ἀσεβείας πεπλήρωται, ὥστε καὶ μόνον ἐξ ἀκοῆς φευκτέαν αὐτὴν εἶναι, ὡς ἐξέραμα κυνὸς, καὶ δρακόντων ἰόν · ἔστι δὲ καὶ Κοστύλλιος ἐκ φανεροῦ τήν εἰκόνα φέρων τοῦ ἀντικειμένου ο ’ἱνα μή μακρὸς 6 λόγος γένηται, διὰ τοῦτο καλὸν ἀρκεσθῆναι τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, καὶ πάντας αὐτῇ πεισθῆναι παραγγελλούσῃ διά τε τὰς ἄλλας αἱρέσεις, καὶ μάλιστα διά ταυτην ἔστι δὲ αὐτῆς τὸ παράγγελμα τοῦτο Ἀπόστητε, ἀπόστητε, έξέλθετε ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ ’ἅψησθε, ἐξέλθετε ἐκ μέσου αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀφ ορίσθητε, οἱ φέροντες τὰ σκεύή Κυρίου Τοῦτο γὰρ πρὸς διδασκαλίαν ἀρκεῖ πᾶσιν ἵνʼ, εί μὲν τις ἠπατήθη παρʼ αὐτῶν, ἐξελθὼν ὡς ἀπὸ Σοδόμων, μηκέτι πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπιστρέψῃ, μήποτε πάθῃ τὰ τῆς γυναικὸς τοῦ Λώτ · εἰ δὲ τις καθαρὸς ἐξ,ἀρχῆς ἀπὸ τῆς ἀσεβοῦς ταύτης αἱρέσεως διέμεινεν, ἔχῃ,τὸ καύχημα ἐν Χριστῷ λέγων · Οὐκ έξεπετάσαμεν χεῖρας ἡμῶν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀλλότριον, οὐδὲ προσελυνήσαμεν τοῖς ἔργοις τῶν χειρῶν ἡμῶν, οόδὲ έλατρεύσαρμεν τῇ κτίσει παρά σὲ τὸν κτίσαντα τὰ πάντα Θεὸν, διὰ τοῦ σοῦ Λόγου τοῦ μονογενοῦς Υἱοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, διʼ οὗ σοὶ τῷ Πατρὶ … αὐτῷ, ὡς οὔτε θορύβου γενομένου, οὔτε τινὸς ἀποθανόντος· ἔλεγχος δὲ οὗτος οὐκ ὀλίγος μὴ γεγενῆσθαι ταῦτα κατὰ γνώμην τοῦ φιλανθρωποτάτου Αὐγούστου Κωνσταντίου. Οὐκ ἂν γὰρ ἐφοβήθη ἐπὶ τοῖς οὕτω γενομένοις, εἰ ἐκ προστάξεως ταῦτα ἐπεποιήκει. Καὶ γάρ καὶ ἀπελθόντας ἡμᾶς πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀξιοῦντας μηδενὶ βίαν ποιεῖν, μηδὲ ἀρνεῖσθαι τὰ γενόμενα, ἐκέλεοσε, Χριστιανοὺς ἡμᾶς ὄντας, κατακοπῆναι ῥοπάλοις · δεικνὺς καὶ ἐκ τούτων τὸν γενόμενον νυκτὸς πόλεμον κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Διά τοῦτο καὶ νῦν ταῦτα διαμαρτυρόμεθα, ἤδη καὶ μελλόντων τινῶν ἐξ ἡμῶν ἀποδημεῖν παρὰ τὸν εὐσεβέστατον Αὔγουστον. Ὁρκίζομεν δὲ κατὰ τοῦ παντοκράτορος θεοῦ ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Αὐγούστου Κωνσταντίου, τὸν τε ἔπαρχον τῆς Αἰγύπτου Μάξιμον καὶ τούς κουριώσους ἀνενεγκεῖν πάντα ἐπὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν τοῦ Αὐγούστου, καὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῶν λαμπροτάτων ἐπάρχων. Ὀρκίζομεν δὲ καὶ τοὺς ναυκλήρους πάντας κηρύξαι ταῦτα πανταγοῦ, καὶ εἷς ἀκοὰς τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Αὐγούστου ἀνενεγκεῖν, καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἐπάρχους, καὶ εἰς τοὺς κατὰ τόπον δικαστάςοτίνα γνωσθῇ 6 γενόμενος πόλεμος κατὰ τῆςἘκκλησίας, καὶ ’ὁτι ἐν καιροῖς τοῦ Αὐγούστου Κωνσταντίου ἐποίησε Συριανὸς γενέσθαι μάρτυρας παρθένους τε καὶ ἄλλους πολλούς Ἐπιφωσκούσης γὰρ τῇ πρὸ πέντε εἰδῶν Φευβρουαρίων, τουτέστι τῆς ιδʼ τοῦ Μεγὶρ μηνὸς, ἀγρυπνούντων ἡμῶν ἐν τῷ Κυριακῷ, καὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς σχολαζόντων (σύναξις γὰρ ἔμελλε τῇ παραγίνεσθαι), ἐξαίφνης περὶ τὸ μεσονύκτιον ἐπῆλθεν ἡμῖν τε καὶ τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ὁ λαμπρότατος δοὺξ Συριανὸς μετὰ πολλῶν λεγεώνων στρατιωτῶν, ἐχόντων ὅπλα, καὶ ξίφη γυμνὰ, καὶ βέλη, καὶ ἄλλα πολεμικὰ σκεύη, καὶ τὰς περικεφαλαίας ἐπὶ τῶν κεφαλῶν.Καὶ άληθῶς εὐχομένων ἡμῶν καὶ ἀναγνώσεως γινομένης, τὰς μὲν θύρας κατέαξαν · ὡς δὲ τῇ βίᾳ τοῦ πλήθους ὴνεῷγεισαν αί θύραι, ἐκέλευσε καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐτόξευον, οἱ δὲ ἠλάλαζον, καὶ κτύπος ἐγίγνετο τῶν ὅπλων, καὶ τὰ ξίφη ἀντέλαμπον τῷ ἐκ τῶν λύχνων ωτί. Καὶ λοιπὸν τὰ ἐκ τούτων, παρθένοι άνῃροῦντο, καὶ πολλοὶ κατεπατοῦντο, καὶ συνέπιπτον ἀλλήλοις, ἐπερχομένων τῶν στρατιωτῶν, καὶ ἄνδρες τοξευόμενοι ἐθανατουντο ’ἔνιοι δὲ τῶν στρατιωτῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ διαρπάζειν ἐτρέποντο, καὶ γυμνὰς ἴστων τὰς παρθένους, ὁπότε φόβος ἦν αὐταῖς μείζων τοῦ θανάτου, τὸ κᾶν ὅλως ἅπτεσθαί τινας αὐτῶν. Καὶ 6 μὲν ἐπίσκοπος ἐκάθητο ἐπὶ τοῦ θρονου, προτρέπων πάντας εὔχεσθαι· ὁ δὲ δοὺξ ἐστρατἡγει, ἔχων μεθʼ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ Ἰλάριον τὸν νοτάο ριον, ἐνεργοῦτα τοιαῦτα, οἷα καὶ τὸ τέλος ἔδειξεν. '0 μὲν γὰρ ἐπίσκοπος, ἑλκόμενος, παρʼ ὀλίγον διεσπάσθη. Παραλυθεὶς γοῦν μεγάλως, καὶ ὡς νεκρὸς γενόμενος, οὐκ οἷʼὃαμεν ποῦ γέγονεν ἀφανὴς παρʼ αὐτῶν ’ ἀποκτεῖναι γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐσπούδαζον. Oi δὲ, ὡς εἷδον πολλοὺς ἀποθανόντας, προσέταττον τοῖς στρατιώταις ἀφανῆ τὰ σώματα καταστῆσαι τῶν τετελευτηκότων. Αἱ δὲ καταλειφθεῖσαν. νεκραὶ ἀγιώταται παρθένοι ἐτάφησαν ἐν τοῖς μνήμασιν, ἔχουσαι καύχημα, ὅτι ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Κωνσταντίου γεγόνασι μάρτυρες. Διάκονοι δὲ έν αὖτῷ τῷ Κυριακῷ κατεκόπτοντο πληγαῖς, καὶ συνεκλείοντο. Οὐκ ἅχρὶ δὲ τούτων ἔστη τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀλλᾶ γὰρ μετᾶ τὸ ταῦτα γενέσθαι, ὁ βουλόμενος λοιπὸν ἤν ἠδύνατο θύραν κατεάσσων ἤνοιγε, καὶ ἠρεύνα, καὶ ἥρπαζε τὰ ἔνδον· καὶ εἰς τοιούτους τόπους εἰσήρχοντο, εἰς οὓς οὐδὲ πᾶσι τοῖς Χριστιανοῖς ἔξεστιν εἰσελθεῖν. Οἵδε ταῦτα καὶ ὁ στρατηγὸς τῆς πόλεως Γοργόνιος · Δἐκεῖ γὰρ ἦν. Οὔ μικρὸς γὰρ ἔλεγχος τῆς τοιαύτης πολεμικῆς ἐφόδου τὸ ἐν τῷ Κυριακῷ καταλιπεῖν τὰ παρὰ τῶν εἰσελθόντων ὅπλα καὶ βέλη, καὶ ξίφη· μέχρι γὰρ νῦν ἐκρεμάσθη ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἵνα μή ἀρνήσασθαι δυνηθῶσι, Καὶ γὰρ πολλάκις ἀπέστειλε τὸν τῆς τάξεως Δυνάμιον καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν, θέλων αὐτά ἆραι ’ καὶ τέως οὐ συνεχωρήσαμεν, ἵνα … γνωσθῇ. Εἰ μὲν οὖν πρόσταγμά ἐστι διώκεσθαι ἡμᾶς, ἕτοιμοι πάντες μαρτυρῆσαι· εἷ δὲ μή ἔστι τοῦ Αὖγούστου πρόσταγμα, ἀξιοῦμεν τὸν ἔπαρχον τῆς Αἷγύπτου Μάξιμον, καὶ τοὺς πολιτευτὰς πάντας, ἀξιῶσαι αὐτὸν μηκέτι τοιαῦτα ἐπιχειρῆσαι. Ἀξιοῢμεν δὲ καὶ ταύτην ἡμῶν τὴν δέησιν ἀνενεχθῆναι ἵνα μή ἄλλον τινὰ ἐπίσκοπον ἐπιχειρήσωσιν εἰσαγαγεῖν ὧδε μέχρι γὰρ θανάτου ἑστήκαμεν, αὐτὸν ἐπιθυμοῦντες τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον ’Δθανάσιον, ’ὀν ἐς ἀρχῆς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῖν δέδωκε κατὰ διαδοχήν τῶν Πατέρων ἡμῶν. ### English translation (Claude) Many things one could say against this abominable and Christ-fighting heresy; and one could show that many of Constantius’s practices are preludes of Antichrist. But since, as the prophet said, from the feet to the head there is nothing sound in it, but it is full of all filth and all impiety, so that it is to be shunned even on hearsay alone, like a dog’s vomit and the venom of serpents; and since Costyllius openly bears the image of the adversary—so that the account may not be long, it is good to be content with the divine Scripture, and for all to obey it as it commands, both concerning the other heresies and especially concerning this one. Its command is this: “Depart, depart, go out from there, and touch no unclean thing; go out from the midst of them and be separate, you who bear the vessels of the Lord.” This suffices for the instruction of all: so that, if anyone has been deceived by them, he may go out as from Sodom and no longer return to them, lest he suffer the fate of Lot’s wife; and if anyone has remained pure from this impious heresy from the beginning, he may have his boast in Christ, saying: “We have not stretched out our hands to a strange god, nor worshipped the works of our hands, nor served the creature rather than you, God, who created all things through your Word, the only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom to you, the Father, and with … ” … [81] … him, as though there had been neither tumult nor anyone killed. This is no small proof that these things were not done according to the mind of the most humane Augustus Constantius; for he would not have been afraid over what had happened, if he had done it by command. Indeed, when we went to him and asked him to do violence to no one and not to deny what had happened, he ordered us, Christians as we are, to be beaten with clubs, showing by this too the war waged by night against the Church. For this reason we now make this protest, since some of us are already about to travel to the most pious Augustus. And we adjure, by God Almighty and for the safety of the most pious Augustus Constantius, Maximus the prefect of Egypt and the curiosi, to report everything to the piety of the Augustus and to the authority of the most illustrious prefects. We adjure also all the shipmasters to proclaim these things everywhere, and to bring them to the ears of the most pious Augustus, and to the prefects, and to the magistrates in every place, so that it may be known that a war was made against the Church, and that in the times of Augustus Constantius Syrianus caused virgins and many others to become martyrs. For as the day was dawning on the fifth before the Ides of February, that is, the fourteenth of the month Mechir, while we were keeping vigil in the Lord’s house and devoting ourselves to prayers (for a synaxis was to take place …), suddenly about midnight the most illustrious duke Syrianus came upon us and the church with many legions of soldiers, having arms and drawn swords and bows and other implements of war, and helmets on their heads. And while we were actually praying and the reading was going on, they broke down the doors; and when the doors had been forced open by the mass of men, he gave the order: some shot arrows, others raised the war cry, there was a clashing of arms, and the swords flashed in the light of the lamps. And then, as a result, virgins were killed, many were trampled underfoot and fell over one another as the soldiers came on, and men were shot with arrows and died. Some of the soldiers also turned to plunder and stripped the virgins, for whom even to be touched by some of them was a fear greater than death. And the bishop sat on his throne, urging all to pray; and the duke led the attack, having with him Hilary the notary, who was working such things as the outcome showed. For the bishop, being dragged, was nearly torn to pieces; and being greatly weakened, and become as one dead, he disappeared from them, we know not where; for they were eager to kill him. And when they saw that many had died, they ordered the soldiers to make the bodies of the dead disappear. But the most holy virgins who were left dead were buried in the tombs, having the boast that they became martyrs in the times of the most pious Constantius. And deacons were beaten with blows in the very Lord’s house and shut up there. Nor did the matter stop there; but after this had happened, whoever wished broke down and opened whatever door he could, searched, and seized what was inside; and they entered places that not even all Christians may enter. Gorgonius, the general of the city, knows this, for he was there. And no small proof of such a warlike attack is that the arms, arrows, and swords of those who entered were left in the Lord’s house; for to this day they have been hung up in the church, so that they cannot deny it. Indeed he has often sent Dynamius of the office and the general, wishing to remove them; and so far we have not allowed it, so that … it may be known. If, then, there is an order that we be persecuted, we are all ready to be martyred; but if it is not the order of the Augustus, we ask Maximus the prefect of Egypt and all the councillors to ask him not to attempt such things again. And we ask that this petition of ours too be reported, that they not attempt to bring in any other bishop here; for we stand firm unto death, desiring the most reverend Athanasius himself, whom God gave us from the beginning in succession to our fathers. ### Scripture references - Isa 1:6: quotation, high confidence - Prov 26:11: allusion, medium confidence - Deut 32:33: allusion, medium confidence - Isa 52:11: quotation, high confidence - Gen 19:26: allusion, high confidence - Ps 44:20 (43:21 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:25: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “From the feet to the head there is nothing sound”: Isa 1:6. The dog’s vomit: Prov 26:11 (2 Pet 2:22); the venom of serpents: Deut 32:33. “Depart, depart …”: Isa 52:11. Lot’s wife: Gen 19:26. “We have not stretched out our hands to a strange god”: Ps 44:20 (43:21 LXX); serving the creature rather than the Creator: Rom 1:25. “Costyllius” is a contemptuous diminutive of Constantius. - The end of the History (ch. 81, after the doxology) is lost in the scan; what follows the gap (“… him, as though there had been neither tumult nor anyone killed”) is the latter part of the protest of the Alexandrian people against the attack of Syrianus (9 February 356). Its opening and a few words inside it are lost (“…”). A note by the editor or scribe on the order of the letters that followed the History in the manuscript is removed by a logged correction. OCR debris is removed by logged corrections. ### Citation (SBL) Athanasius, H. Ar. 80 (PG 25:792a–796d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-historia-arianorum/73/#p-80).