Letters (first part: Migne letters 1-55) 14–16
Greek text: PG 77.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 14
14PG 77 77:97
Οἱ σφόδρα λυπούμενοι, καὶ φροντίσι τετρωμένην ἔχοντες τὴν καρδίαν, οὐ μικρῶς ἔχουσι παραψυχήν, ὅταν τισὶ τῶν ὁμογνωμόνων τὰ ἐφ᾿ οἷς λελύπηνται, λέγωσι. Τοιοῦτός τις γέγονα κἀγώ· διά τοι τοῦτο τῇ σῇ τελειότητι γράψαι δεῖν ᾠήθην τὰς αἰτίας, ἐφ᾿ αἷς εἰκότως, ὡς γε οἶμαι, λελύπημαι, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἔτι λυποῦμαι. Οὐ γὰρ ἤρκεσε τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Νεστορίῳ τὸ ἐπ᾿ ἐκκλησίας εἰπεῖν, ἃ ἐπ᾿ τ ἐκκλησίας ἐσκανδάλισε, καὶ παρέλυσε πίστιν, τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρι Χριστῷ· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἠνέσχετο Δωροθέου τινὸς ἐπισκόπου τολμήσαντος ἐπ᾿ ἐκκλησίας καὶ συνάξεως εἰπεῖν ἀναφανδόν· Εἴ τις λέγει Θεοτόκον τὴν Μαρίαν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Τί τοίνυν δράσομεν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ὀρθοδόξῳ " ἀναθεματισθέντες μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων; Εὑρίσκω γὰρ ἐν συγγραφαῖς καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀοιδίμου μνήμης ἐπίσκοπον ᾿Αθανάσιον, πλειστάκις αὐτὴν ὀνομάσαντα Θεοτόκον· καὶ τὸν μακάριον δὲ Πατέρα ἡμῶν Θεόφιλον, καὶ ἑτέρους πολλοὺς τῶν ἁγίων καὶ κατὰ καιροὺς ἐπισκόπων · τοῦτο μὲν Βασίλειον, τοῦτο δὲ Γρηγόριον, καὶ αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν μακάριον Αττικόν. Οὐδεὶς δὲ, οἷμαι, τῶν ὀρθοδόξων Θεοτόκον αὐτὴν δέδιεν εἰπεῖν· εἴπερ ἐστὶν ἀληθὲς ὅτι Θεός ἐστιν ὁ Ἐμμανουήλ. Γεγόνασι τοίνυν ἀνάθεμα πρὸς Θεὸν ὄντες ἅγιοι Πατέρες, καὶ πάντες ὅσοι τοῖς ὀρθοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ἑπόμενοι δόγμασι Θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσι τὸν Χριστόν. Καὶ οὐ μέχρι τούτων ἡ ἐκ τοῦ πράγματος ζημία· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ διεστράφησαν αἱ τῶν λαῶν γνῶμαι. Τεθρήνηκα γὰρ ἀκούων τοὺς μὲν εἰς τοῦτο πεσόντας ἀπιστίας ἤδη καὶ ἀμαθίας, ὡς μηδὲ Θεὸν ὁμολογεῖν τὸν Χριστόν· τοὺς δὲ, κἂν εἰ ἔλοιντο ὁμολογεῖν ὅλως αὐτὸν Θεὸν, μηδὲν ὑγιὲς ἐπ' αὐτῷ δοξάζειν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐδοκίᾳ καὶ χάριτι μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν κεκλῆσθαι πρὸς τοῦτο λέγοντας. Ταῦτα θρήνου καὶ οἰμωγῆς ἄξια. Ποία γὰρ ὅλως ἡ χρεία καὶ εἰς μέσον ἄγεσθαι τὰ οὕτω λεπτὰ καὶ κεκρυμμένα; Διὰ τί δὲ μὴ μᾶλλον ἠθικαῖς ἐξηγήσεσιν ὠφελοῦμεν τοὺς λαοὺς, εἰ μὴ σφόδρα ἔχομεν ἱκανῶς εἰς ἀκρίβειαν τὴν δογματικήν; Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μονάζουσι τοῖς κατὰ τὴν Αἴγυπτον καὶ ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν τεθορυβημένοις ἐκ τοιούτων ἀναγνωσμάτων ἤγουν ἐξηγήσεων, τὸν ὀρθὸν τῆς πίστεως ἐξηγησάμεθα λόγον, ἐκπεπολέμωται, καὶ γέγονεν ἐχθρός· καὶ συλλέγει τινὰς ἀγύρτας καὶ κατεγνωσμένους, καὶ παρασκευάζει ψεύδεσθαι κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ τινα ἐπὶ πολλῶν. Καὶ τάχα δικαίως. Ετ γὰρ εἴχομεν ζῆλον Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς τῶν Πατέρων φιλο- 1 θεῖας ἐγινόμεθα μιμηταὶ, πάλαι ἂν ἡμεν κατὰ τῶν τετολμηκότων φλυαρῆσαι κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ἀναθεματισάντων ἡμᾶς τοὺς ζῶντας, καὶ τοὺς πρὸς Θεὸν ὄντας ἤδη Πατέρας ἁγίους, ψῆφον ὁσίαν ἐξενέγκαντες. Δι' ἧς ἦν εἰκὸς θεραπεύεσθαι καὶ τοὺς εἰς πίστιν ἡδικημένους τῶν λαῶν. Πρόσειπε τὴν παρὰ σοὶ ἀδελφότητα· σὲ ἡ σὺν ἐμοὶ ἐν Κυρίῳ προσαγο ρεύει.
Hoi sphodra lypoumenoi, kai phrontisi tetrōmenēn echontes tēn kardian, ou mikrōs echousi parapsychēn, hotan tisi tōn homognōmonōn ta eph᾿ hois lelypēntai, legōsi. Toioutos tis gegona kagō; dia toi touto tę̄ sę̄ teleiotēti grapsai dein ǭēthēn tas aitias, eph᾿ hais eikotōs, hōs ge oimai, lelypēmai, mallon de kai eti lypoumai. Ou gar ērkese tǭ eulabestatǭ episkopǭ Nestoriǭ to ep᾿ ekklēsias eipein, ha ep᾿ t ekklēsias eskandalise, kai parelyse pistin, tēn epi tǭ pantōn hēmōn Sōtēri Christǭ; alla gar kai ēnescheto Dōrotheou tinos episkopou tolmēsantos ep᾿ ekklēsias kai synaxeōs eipein anaphandon; Ei tis legei Theotokon tēn Marian, anathema estō. Ti toinyn drasomen en ekklēsią orthodoxǭ " anathematisthentes meta tōn hagiōn Paterōn? Heuriskō gar en syngraphais kai ton tēs aoidimou mnēmēs episkopon ᾿Athanasion, pleistakis autēn onomasanta Theotokon; kai ton makarion de Patera hēmōn Theophilon, kai heterous pollous tōn hagiōn kai kata kairous episkopōn ; touto men Basileion, touto de Grēgorion, kai auton de ton makarion Attikon. Oudeis de, hoimai, tōn orthodoxōn Theotokon autēn dedien eipein; eiper estin alēthes hoti Theos estin ho Emmanouēl. Gegonasi toinyn anathema pros Theon ontes hagioi Pateres, kai pantes hosoi tois orthois tēs alētheias hepomenoi dogmasi Theon homologousi ton Christon. Kai ou mechri toutōn hē ek tou pragmatos zēmia; alla gar kai diestraphēsan hai tōn laōn gnōmai. Tethrēnēka gar akouōn tous men eis touto pesontas apistias ēdē kai amathias, hōs mēde Theon homologein ton Christon; tous de, kan ei elointo homologein holōs auton Theon, mēden hygies ep' autǭ doxazein, all᾽ eudokią kai chariti meth᾽ hēmōn keklēsthai pros touto legontas. Tauta thrēnou kai oimōgēs axia. Poia gar holōs hē chreia kai eis meson agesthai ta houtō lepta kai kekrymmena? Dia ti de mē mallon ēthikais exēgēsesin ōpheloumen tous laous, ei mē sphodra echomen hikanōs eis akribeian tēn dogmatikēn? Epeidē de monazousi tois kata tēn Aigypton kai ᾿Alexandreian tethorybēmenois ek toioutōn anagnōsmatōn ēgoun exēgēseōn, ton orthon tēs pisteōs exēgēsametha logon, ekpepolemōtai, kai gegonen echthros; kai syllegei tinas agyrtas kai kategnōsmenous, kai paraskeuazei pseudesthai kat᾿ emou tina epi pollōn. Kai tacha dikaiōs. Et gar eichomen zēlon Theou, kai tēs tōn Paterōn philo- 1 theias eginometha mimētai, palai an hēmen kata tōn tetolmēkotōn phlyarēsai kata tou Christou, kai anathematisantōn hēmas tous zōntas, kai tous pros Theon ontas ēdē Pateras hagious, psēphon hosian exenenkantes. Di' hēs ēn eikos therapeuesthai kai tous eis pistin hēdikēmenous tōn laōn. Proseipe tēn para soi adelphotēta; se hē syn emoi en Kyriǭ prosago reuei.
Those who are deeply grieved and have hearts wounded by cares find no small comfort when they tell some like-minded people the things that grieve them. I have become such a man myself; and so I thought I should write to your Perfection the reasons why I have been grieved, rightly, as I think, or rather am still grieved. For it was not enough for the most reverent bishop Nestorius to say in church things that scandalized the church and undermined faith in Christ, the Saviour of us all; he also tolerated a certain bishop Dorotheus who dared to say openly in church, at the liturgical assembly, “If anyone says that Mary is Mother of God, let him be anathema.” What, then, shall we do in an orthodox church, anathematized together with the holy fathers? For I find in their writings that Athanasius, bishop of celebrated memory, very often called her Mother of God; and our blessed father Theophilus; and many others of the saints who were bishops in their times, Basil on the one hand, Gregory on the other, and the blessed Atticus himself. No orthodox person, I think, has been afraid to call her Mother of God, if it is true that Emmanuel is God. So the holy fathers who are with God have become anathema, and all who, following the right doctrines of the truth, confess Christ as God.
And the damage from this affair does not stop there: the minds of the people have also been perverted. For I have wept to hear that some have already fallen into such unbelief and ignorance that they do not even confess Christ to be God; and others, even if they choose to confess him God at all, hold nothing sound about him, but say that he has been called to this by good pleasure and grace, as we have. These things deserve lamentation and wailing. What need was there at all to bring such subtle and hidden matters into the open? Why do we not rather help the people with moral expositions, if we are not fully competent in doctrinal exactness? But since we explained the right account of the faith to the monks of Egypt and Alexandria, who had been troubled by such readings, that is, expositions, he has become hostile and an enemy; he gathers certain charlatans and condemned men and arranges for some of them to lie about me before many. And perhaps rightly. For if we had zeal for God and imitated the love of God shown by the fathers, we would long ago have pronounced a holy sentence against those who dared to talk nonsense against Christ and anathematized both us who are living and the holy fathers who are already with God; a sentence by which those of the people who have been wronged in their faith might well have been healed. Greet the brotherhood with you. The brotherhood with me greets you in the Lord.
Rom 10:2 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril tells Acacius of Beroea of his grief that Nestorius tolerated an anathema against all who call Mary Mother of God, a term used by Athanasius, Theophilus, Basil, Gregory, and Atticus.
- Written in 430 to the aged Acacius, bishop of Beroea (Aleppo). Theophilus was Cyril's uncle and predecessor at Alexandria; Gregory is probably Gregory of Nazianzus (uncertain).
Topics: Christology, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 14 (PG 77 77:97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/14
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 15
15PG 77 77:99
Τῷ δεσπότῃ μου τῷ πάντα ἁγιωτάτῳ καὶ θεοφι. λεστάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Κυρίλλῳ Ἀκάκιος ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Ἐνέτυχον γράμμασι τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας, ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγυς ἡμῖν ἀποδοθεῖσιν ἀπεύκτοις, δακρύων καὶ θρήνων μεστοῖς, τῶν κατὰ Κωνσταντινούπολιν θρυλλουμένων ἕνεκεν· ἐν οἷς καὶ κρατεῖ τὸ βάθος τῆς κατὰ Χριστὸν πίστεως, καθὸ δεῖ μετέχουσιν, ὡς περιττὸν ἦν τοῦτο, καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰς μέσον ἀχθῆναι. Τί γὰρ ὤνησεν Ἀπολινάριος ὁ Λαοδικεὺς, εἷς ὧν ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ὁ μέγας ἀγωνιστὴς, ὁ ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως κραταιῶς πρὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς μαχεσάμενος; Θαρσήσας ἑαυτοῦ τῇ σοφίᾳ, καὶ ἐθελήσας παρεισαγαγεῖν ἐξ ἀπόρων πόρους τινὰς τῇ καθαρᾷ καὶ ἀδόλῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πίστει, οὐ παρεσκεύασεν ἐν τοῖς σχισματικοῖς ἑαυτὸν παρὰ τῇ καθόλου Ἐκκλησίᾳ λογισθῆναι; Οὐκ εἴρηταί τινι τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν ἐπισκόπων, ἀναστείλαι - βουλομένῳ, τὰ ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον μὴ περιεργάζεσθαι τοὺς εὖ διακειμένους, ἐῤῥωμένῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ καὶ ἐντελεῖ συνέσει ταύτην ῥήξαντι τὴν φωνήν· Πῶς ὁ Πατήρ τὸν Μονογενῆ ἐγέννησε, σιωπῇ τιμάσθω; Καὶ προϊόντος τοῦ λόγου, ἀπηριθμήσατο ὡς Διαλανθάνει ἥδε ἡ ἔρευνα κατὰ μικρὸν πάσας ὁμοῦ τὰς κατ᾿ οὐρανὸν δυνάμεις, μήτοιγε ἀνθρώ πους, καὶ ἔννοιαν ἀνθρώπων. Πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἀναγκαία καὶ πρέπουσα ἡ παραίνεσις τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, ἐκδιδάσκουσα· « Βαθύτερά σου μὴ ζήτει, καὶ ἰσχυρότερά σου μὴ ἐξέταζε ν. "Λ προσετάγη σοι, ταῦτα διανοοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ χρεία σοι τῶν κρυπτῶν; Οἱ δὲ Ο ὑπεραπολογεῖσθαι ζητοῦντες τῶν ταῦτα ἐννοῆσαι καὶ φράσαι ἐπιχειρησάντων, παρόμοιόν τι λέγουσι πεπονθέναι, ὧν ὑπέμεινεν ὁ μακάριος Παυλῖνος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, ὃς παρῃτεῖτο τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις λέγειν ῥητῶς, δυνάμει καὶ ἀληθῶς ταῦτα - φρονῶν, ταῦτα μετιών. Ἡκολούθησε δὲ τοῖς δυτικοῖς θεοφιλέσιν ἐπισκόποις, τῷ ἐστενῶσθαι τὴν Ῥωμαϊκὴν φωνὴν, καὶ μὴ δύνασθαι πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν τῶν Γραϊκῶν φράσιν, τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις λέγειν. Ηλὴν ὅτι χρὴ πάντας ἡμᾶς τοὺς δυναμένους συναλγεῖν καὶ συμπάσχειν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ, περὶ πολλοῦ ποιῆσαι, καταστείλαι τὴν ἐξαγγελθεῖσαν φωνήν· ὅπως μὴ πρόφασις δοθῇ τοῖς διασχίζειν καὶ διατέμνειν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἑτοίμως ἔχουσι. Διὸ χρὴ τὴν σὴν ἐντελῆ καὶ ἀπηρτισμένην σύνεσιν, εἰ καὶ τοι τοιοῦτον τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐλέγχθη, τὸ λυπεῖν · καὶ, διαταράττειν πολλοὺς τῶν εὐλαβῶν καὶ φιλοχρίστων δυνάμενον, καταστείλαι τὸ κινηθέν· εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα, ὡς φθάσας ἔφην, πολλοὶ τῶν ἀπὸ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἀφικνουμένων εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς, τοῦτο μὲν κληρικῶν, τοῦτο δὲ λαϊκῶν, συνηγορεῖν δοκοῦσι τῷ ῥηθέντι ῥητῷ, οὐκ ἐναντίως ἔχοντι κατὰ διάνοιαν τῇ ἀποστολικῇ πίστει προσέτι δὲ καὶ τῇ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντων περὶ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου, θεσπισθείσῃ καὶ διαδοθείσῃ εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν καθόλου Ἐκκλησίαν. τοίνυν συνετὸν καὶ συμπαθητικὸν καὶ ἐντελὲς τῆς σῆς ἱερωσύνης, καιροῦ καλοῦντος, ἐπιδείξασθαι καταξίωσον · μεσιτευούσης σου τῆς ἀγιωσύνης, τῷ ῥηθέντι ῥητῷ πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούσαντας καὶ διαῤῥαγέντας· ὥστε σου τὴν ἁγιωσύνην ἐκεῖνα φρονῆσαί τε καὶ ἐπιτελέσαι, ἃ δυνήσεται, χειμαζομένης ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τῆς καθόλου Ἐκκλησίας, ἔτι μᾶλλον καὶ μᾶλλον εἰς ὕψος ἀναπεμφθῆναι, Δεσποτικῇ τινι φωνῇ χρώμενον, καὶ ἐπιτιμῶντα τῇ νοητῇ θαλάττῃ, ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος δοκούσῃ διαταράττεσθαι, καὶ ἐπάγοντα τὸ, « Σιώπα, πεφίμωσο. Ἐποίησα δὲ ἀναγνωσθῆναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τῆς σῆς θεοσεβείας, τῷ ἁγιωτάτῳ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἰωάννῃ τῷ τῆς Ἀντιοχείας, καὶ κατακούσας μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς συναισθήσεως καὶ συμπαθείας, τὰ αὐτὰ ἡμῖν βούλεται πρεσβυτικὴν ἄγουσιν ἡλικίαν, νεωστὶ εἰς ἐπισκοπὴν ἐληλυθώς· ὃς τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι ἀκμάζει ἐν τοῖς τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ προσεῖναι ὀφείλουσιν ἐπάθλοις, ὡς μέγα ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ φρονεῖν, καὶ σεμνύνεσθαι πάντας τοὺς τῆς Ανατολῆς ἐπισκόπους, παρακαλῶν σου τὴν θεοσέβειαν, ὡς παραλαμβάνεται, ὥστε σου τὴν ἀγιοσύνην τῇ πρεπούσῃ ὁ αὐτῇ συνέσει χρησαμένην, μεταχειρίσασθαι τὸ ἐπισυμβὰν οὐκ ἀνεκτὸν ῥῆμα, ὡς δι᾽ ὧν λαλεῖς, δι' ὧν πράττεις, τὸ ἀποστολικὸν, καιροῦ και λοῦντος, ἐπιδείξῃ τὸ φάσκον· « Ἐὰν θέλω χρήσασθαι τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ, ᾗ ἔδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς εἰς οἰκοδομὴν, καὶ οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν, οὐκ αἰσχυνθήσομαι. Τὸν δὲ ποθεινότατον τὸν τὰ γράμματα ἡμῶν ἐπαγόμενον, πιστὸν ὄντα καὶ Χρίστιανὸν ἐκ προγόνων, καταξίωσον τῇ ἐνούσῃ καὶ ἐνυπαρχούσῃ σοι φιλαγαθία, προστήσεσθαι σ· καὶ ἐν οἷς ἂν δεηθείη, προνοίας αὐτὸν ἀξιῶσαι τῆς σοὶ πρεπούσης. Πᾶσαν τὴν σὺν σοὶ ἀδελφότητα, ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ προσαγορεύομεν.
Tǭ despotę̄ mou tǭ panta hagiōtatǭ kai theophi. lestatǭ episkopǭ Kyrillǭ Akakios en Kyriǭ chairein. Enetychon grammasi tēs sēs theosebeias, ek tou synengys hēmin apodotheisin apeuktois, dakryōn kai thrēnōn mestois, tōn kata Kōnstantinoupolin thrylloumenōn heneken; en hois kai kratei to bathos tēs kata Christon pisteōs, katho dei metechousin, hōs peritton ēn touto, kai tēn archēn eis meson achthēnai. Ti gar ōnēsen Apolinarios ho Laodikeus, heis hōn en tois emprosthen ho megas agōnistēs, ho hyper tēs orthēs pisteōs krataiōs pros tous echthrous machesamenos? Tharsēsas heautou tę̄ sophią, kai ethelēsas pareisagagein ex aporōn porous tinas tę̄ katharą kai adolǭ tou Christou pistei, ou pareskeuasen en tois schismatikois heauton para tę̄ katholou Ekklēsią logisthēnai? Ouk eirētai tini tōn pro hēmōn episkopōn, anasteilai - boulomenǭ, ta hyper anthrōpon mē periergazesthai tous eu diakeimenous, errhōmenę̄ tę̄ dianoią kai entelei synesei tautēn rhēxanti tēn phōnēn; Pōs ho Patēr ton Monogenē egennēse, siōpę̄ timasthō? Kai proïontos tou logou, apērithmēsato hōs Dialanthanei hēde hē ereuna kata mikron pasas homou tas kat᾿ ouranon dynameis, mētoige anthrō pous, kai ennoian anthrōpōn. Pōs de ouk anankaia kai prepousa hē parainesis tōn theiōn Graphōn, ekdidaskousa; « Bathytera sou mē zētei, kai ischyrotera sou mē exetaze n. "L prosetagē soi, tauta dianoou. Ou gar chreia soi tōn kryptōn? Hoi de O hyperapologeisthai zētountes tōn tauta ennoēsai kai phrasai epicheirēsantōn, paromoion ti legousi peponthenai, hōn hypemeinen ho makarios Paulinos ho episkopos, hos parę̄teito treis hypostaseis legein rhētōs, dynamei kai alēthōs tauta - phronōn, tauta metiōn. Hēkolouthēse de tois dytikois theophilesin episkopois, tǭ estenōsthai tēn Rhōmaïkēn phōnēn, kai mē dynasthai pros tēn hēmeteran tōn Graïkōn phrasin, treis hypostaseis legein. Ēlēn hoti chrē pantas hēmas tous dynamenous synalgein kai sympaschein tę̄ Ekklēsią tou Theou, peri pollou poiēsai, katasteilai tēn exangeltheisan phōnēn; hopōs mē prophasis dothę̄ tois diaschizein kai diatemnein tēn Ekklēsian tou Theou hetoimōs echousi. Dio chrē tēn sēn entelē kai apērtismenēn synesin, ei kai toi toiouton tēn archēn elenchthē, to lypein ; kai, diatarattein pollous tōn eulabōn kai philochristōn dynamenon, katasteilai to kinēthen; ei kai ta malista, hōs phthasas ephēn, polloi tōn apo Kōnstantinoupoleōs aphiknoumenōn eis ᾿Antiocheian kai pros hēmas, touto men klērikōn, touto de laïkōn, synēgorein dokousi tǭ rhēthenti rhētǭ, ouk enantiōs echonti kata dianoian tę̄ apostolikę̄ pistei proseti de kai tę̄ tōn hagiōn Paterōn tōn en Nikaią synelthontōn peri tou homoousiou, thespistheisę̄ kai diadotheisę̄ eis pasan tēn katholou Ekklēsian. toinyn syneton kai sympathētikon kai enteles tēs sēs hierōsynēs, kairou kalountos, epideixasthai kataxiōson ; mesiteuousēs sou tēs agiōsynēs, tǭ rhēthenti rhētǭ pros tous akousantas kai diarrhagentas; hōste sou tēn hagiōsynēn ekeina phronēsai te kai epitelesai, ha dynēsetai, cheimazomenēs epi tou parontos tēs katholou Ekklēsias, eti mallon kai mallon eis hypsos anapemphthēnai, Despotikę̄ tini phōnę̄ chrōmenon, kai epitimōnta tę̄ noētę̄ thalattę̄, epi tou parontos dokousę̄ diatarattesthai, kai epagonta to, « Siōpa, pephimōso. Epoiēsa de anagnōsthēnai tēn epistolēn tēs sēs theosebeias, tǭ hagiōtatǭ episkopǭ Iōannę̄ tǭ tēs Antiocheias, kai katakousas meta pollēs tēs synaisthēseōs kai sympatheias, ta auta hēmin bouletai presbytikēn agousin hēlikian, neōsti eis episkopēn elēlythōs; hos tę̄ tou Theou chariti akmazei en tois tę̄ episkopę̄ proseinai opheilousin epathlois, hōs mega ep᾿ autǭ phronein, kai semnynesthai pantas tous tēs Anatolēs episkopous, parakalōn sou tēn theosebeian, hōs paralambanetai, hōste sou tēn agiosynēn tę̄ prepousę̄ ho autę̄ synesei chrēsamenēn, metacheirisasthai to episymban ouk anekton rhēma, hōs di᾽ hōn laleis, di' hōn pratteis, to apostolikon, kairou kai lountos, epideixę̄ to phaskon; « Ean thelō chrēsasthai tę̄ exousią, hę̄ edōken hēmin ho Theos eis oikodomēn, kai ouk eis kathairesin, ouk aischynthēsomai. Ton de potheinotaton ton ta grammata hēmōn epagomenon, piston onta kai Christianon ek progonōn, kataxiōson tę̄ enousę̄ kai enyparchousę̄ soi philagathia, prostēsesthai s; kai en hois an deētheiē, pronoias auton axiōsai tēs soi prepousēs. Pasan tēn syn soi adelphotēta, egō te kai hoi syn emoi prosagoreuomen.
Acacius to my lord, most holy in all things and most God-beloved bishop Cyril: greeting in the Lord.
I have read your Reverence's letter, delivered to us from close at hand, a grievous letter full of tears and lamentation over what is being noised about in Constantinople. In it the depth of the faith in Christ prevails, as befits those who share in it; so that it was superfluous for this question to have been brought into the open at all. For what did Apollinarius of Laodicea gain, who was formerly one of the great champions, fighting mightily against the enemies for the right faith? Trusting in his own wisdom, and wishing to bring into the pure and guileless faith of Christ some ways out of what has no way through, did he not cause himself to be reckoned among the schismatics by the catholic church? Was it not said by one of the bishops before us, who wished to restrain sound people from meddling in what is beyond man, uttering this saying with a strong mind and perfect understanding: “How the Father begot the Only-begotten, let it be honoured by silence”? And as his discourse went on he counted up how this inquiry escapes, little by little, all the powers in heaven together, not to speak of men and the understanding of men. And how is the exhortation of the divine Scriptures not necessary and fitting, which teaches: “Do not seek what is too deep for you, and do not examine what is too strong for you. Think about what has been commanded you; for you have no need of hidden things”?
Those who try to defend the people who attempted to think out and express these things say that something happened to them similar to what the blessed bishop Paulinus underwent, who declined to say “three hypostases” in so many words, though in effect and in truth he thought this and followed it. He followed the God-beloved bishops of the West, because the Roman tongue is narrow and cannot say “three hypostases” in our Greek phrasing. However that may be, all of us who are able to grieve and suffer with the church of God must make it our great concern to quell the word that has been put out, so that no pretext is given to those who are ready to split and cut up the church of God. Your perfect and accomplished understanding must therefore, even if such a thing was from the first proved to be able to grieve and trouble many reverent lovers of Christ, quell what has been stirred up; especially since, as I said before, many of those who come from Constantinople to Antioch and to us, clerics as well as laymen, seem to defend the saying in question as not contrary in sense to the apostolic faith, nor indeed to the faith of the holy fathers who met at Nicaea concerning the consubstantial, decreed and handed down to the whole catholic church. Be so good, therefore, when the occasion calls, as to display the understanding, the sympathy, and the perfection of your priesthood, your Holiness mediating between the saying and those who heard it and were torn apart; so that your Holiness may think out and accomplish what can, while the catholic church is at present storm-tossed, be sent up higher and higher, using a word like the Lord's, rebuking the spiritual sea that now seems to be troubled, and adding, “Peace, be still.”
I had your Reverence's letter read to the most holy bishop John of Antioch. Having listened with much understanding and sympathy, he wishes the same as we who are of advanced age, though he has recently come to the episcopate. By the grace of God he flourishes in the qualities that ought to belong to the episcopate, so that all the bishops of the East think highly of him and take pride in him. He exhorts your Reverence, as is fitting, that your Holiness, using the understanding proper to it, handle the intolerable word that has arisen, so that by what you say and what you do you may show, when occasion calls, the apostolic saying: “For if I wish to use the authority which God gave us for building up and not for tearing down, I shall not be put to shame.” Be so good, in the kindness that is in you, as to stand by the very dear man who carries our letter, a faithful man and a Christian from his ancestors, and to give him the care that befits you in whatever he may need. I and those with me greet all the brotherhood with you.
Mark 4:39 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 10:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 13:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Acacius of Beroea, replying for himself and John of Antioch, urges Cyril to calm the dispute over Nestorius's words rather than inflame it, warning by the example of Apollinarius against probing mysteries.
- Letter of Acacius of Beroea to Cyril (430). The saying “How the Father begot the Only-begotten, let it be honoured by silence” is attributed by Acacius to an earlier bishop whom he does not name (unidentified). Paulinus led the Eustathian community at Antioch (d. 388). “Do not seek what is too deep for you” is Sir 3:21–22. Several phrases are garbled in the edition (for example “what can … be sent up higher and higher”) and are translated by sense.
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 3:21-22 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 15 (PG 77 77:99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/15
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 16
16PG 77 77:103
Τῷ κυρίῳ μου ποθεινοτάτῳ καὶ συλλειτουργῷ Ἰουβεναλίῳ, Κύριλλος ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Ηὐχόμην μὲν τοῖς τῶν εὐδοκιμησάντων ίχνεσι καὶ τῇ ὀρθῇ πίστει κατακολουθεῖν τὸν εὐλαβέστατον ἐπίσκοπον Νεστόριον. Τίς γὰρ τῶν εὖ φρονούντων οὐκ ἂν εὔξαιτο, δοκιμωτάτους εἶναι τοὺς καθηγεῖσθαι λαχόντας τῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ποιμνίων; Ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρ᾿ ἐλπίδας ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡμῖν ἐκβέβηκε φύσις· ὃν γὰρ ἔσεσθαι προσεδοκῶμεν ποιμένα γνήσιον, τοῦτον τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως διώκτην εὑρήκαμεν· δεῖ λοιπὸν μνημονεῦσαι τοῦ πάντων ἡμῶν Σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ, λέγοντος· « Οὐκ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν. Ἦλθον γὰρ διχάσαι ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. » Εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ πρὸς γο· νέας ἡμῖν ὁ πόλεμος ἀνέγκλητός τε καὶ ἀνεπίληπτος, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ παντὸς ἐπαίνου μεστὸς, ὅτε τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δόξῃ συναθλεῖν ἐγνώκαμεν· πῶς οὐκ ἀνάγκη πᾶσα, καίτοι δακρύοντας ὡς ἀδελφὸν ἀπολέσαντας, τὸν θεοφιλῆ περιζώσασθαι ζῆλον, καὶ μονονουχὶ τοῖς ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν ἐκεῖνο εἰπεῖν· « Εἴ τις πρὸς Κύριον, ἴτω πρός με;» Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ δι᾽ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου γράμματος ὡς ἀδελφὸν παρεκάλεσα, μὴ ταῖς ἰδίαις ἀκολουθεῖν ἐννοίαις, ἀλλὰ τῇ ὀρθῇ καὶ ἀποστολικῇ πίστει τῇ παραδοθείσῃ ταῖς ἁγίαις Ἐκκλησίαις, οἰηθεὶς ἀπαλλάξειν αὐτὸν τῆς τῶν αὐτοῦ γραμμάτων σκαιότητος. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ὤνησε τὸ τῆς διαθέσεως φάρμακον. Ἄπρακτος γέγονεν ἡ συμβουλή. Καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχε τοῦ θέλειν τοῖς τῆς ἀληθείας ἔπεσθαι δόγμασιν, ὥστε καὶ ἐπιστολὴν ἀποστείλαι πρός με μεθ' ὑπογραφῆς ἰδίας, ἐν ᾗ καὶ ἐπιπλήττει μὲν, ὡς λυπούμενος, διωμολόγηκε δὲ σαφῶς, Θεοτόκον εἰπεῖν μὴ εἶναι τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον· ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἐναργῶς εἰπεῖν, μὴ εἶναι Θεὸν ἀληθῶς τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τὰς σωτηρίους ὁ ἔχομεν ἐλπίδας. Οἰηθεὶς δὲ ὅτι καὶ τὴν Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίαν συναρπάσαι δυνήσεται, ἔγραψε πρὸς τὸν κύριόν μου, τὸν εὐλαβέστατον καὶ θεοσεβέστατον ἀδελφὸν καὶ συλλειτουργὸν Κελεστῖνον, τῆς Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίας ἐπίσκοπον, ἐνθεὶς ταῖς ἐπιστολαῖς τῶν αὐτοῦ δογμάτων τὴν διαστροφήν. Πέπομφε δὲ καὶ ἐξηγήσεις πολλὰς, ἐξ ὧν ἐλήλεγκται φρονῶν τὰ διεστραμμένα· καὶ κατεγνώσθη λοιπὸν ἀραρότως ὡς αἱρετικός. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ὁ μνημονευθεὶς εὐλαβέστατος καὶ θεοσεβέστατος τῆς Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίας ἐπίσκοπος Κελεστῖνος φανερὰ γέγραφε περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ πέπομφε πρός με τὰς ἐπιστολὰς, δεῖν ᾠήθην ἀποστεῖλαι ταύτας, καὶ ἀκονηθεῖσαν οἴκοθεν εἰς εὐσεβῆ ζῆλον τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν διαναστῆσαι διὰ τοῦ γράμματος· ὅπως ἂν ἐκ μιᾶς ψυχῆς, καὶ συντόνου προθυμίας, τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν ἀγάπην ζωσώμεθα, καὶ σώσωμεν λαοὺς κινδυνεύοντας, καὶ στήσωμεν Ἑκκλησίαν τὴν οὕτω διαφανή, σύμφρονες γεγονότες δηλονότι ἑκάστοις ἅπαντες, καὶ κατὰ τὸν ὁρισθέντα τύπον ἐπιστέλλοντες αὐτῷ καὶ τοῖς λαοῖς. Ἂν μὲν ὠφελήσωμεν, καὶ μεταστήσωμεν κατὰ τὸ ἀληθὲς αὐτὸν, ὧν πεφρόνηκε, κεκερδήκαμεν τὸν ἀδελφὸν, καὶ σεσώκαμεν ποιμένα · ἐὰν δὲ ἄπρακτος ἡ συμβουλή ἡμῶν γένηται, αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ ἐπιγράψας τὸ συμβάν, αὐτὸς τῶν οἰκείων πόνων ἔδεται τοὺς καρπούς. Δεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς ἀναγκαίως, καὶ τῷ φιλοχρίστῷ καὶ εὐσεβεστάτῳ βασιλεῖ, καὶ ἅπασι δὲ τοῖς ἐν τέλει γράψαι καὶ συμβουλεῦσαι μὴ προτιμῆται τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν εὐσεβείας, ἄνθρωπον·. ἀλλὰ χαρίσασθαι τῇ οἰκουμένῃ τὸ βέβαιον εἰς πίστιν. ὀρθὴν, καὶ ποιμένος ἀπαλλάξαι πονηροῦ τὰ θρέμματα, εἰ μὴ ταῖς ἁπάντων εἴκει συμβουλαῖς. Πρόσείπε τὴν παρὰ σοὶ ἀδελφότητα· σὲ ἡ σὺν ἡμῖν ἐν Κυρίῳ προσαγορεύει.
Tǭ kyriǭ mou potheinotatǭ kai sylleitourgǭ Ioubenaliǭ, Kyrillos en Kyriǭ chairein. Ēuchomēn men tois tōn eudokimēsantōn ichnesi kai tę̄ orthę̄ pistei katakolouthein ton eulabestaton episkopon Nestorion. Tis gar tōn eu phronountōn ouk an euxaito, dokimōtatous einai tous kathēgeisthai lachontas tōn tou Sōtēros poimniōn? Epeidē de par᾿ elpidas hē tōn pragmatōn hēmin ekbebēke physis; hon gar esesthai prosedokōmen poimena gnēsion, touton tēs orthēs pisteōs diōktēn heurēkamen; dei loipon mnēmoneusai tou pantōn hēmōn Sōtēros Christou, legontos; « Ouk ēlthon balein eirēnēn epi tēn gēn, alla machairan. Ēlthon gar dichasai anthrōpon kata tou patros autou. » Ei de dē kai pros go; neas hēmin ho polemos anenklētos te kai anepilēptos, mallon de kai pantos epainou mestos, hote tę̄ tou Christou doxę̄ synathlein egnōkamen; pōs ouk anankē pasa, kaitoi dakryontas hōs adelphon apolesantas, ton theophilē perizōsasthai zēlon, kai mononouchi tois ana pasan tēn gēn ekeino eipein; « Ei tis pros Kyrion, itō pros me?» Egō men gar di᾽ henos kai deuterou grammatos hōs adelphon parekalesa, mē tais idiais akolouthein ennoiais, alla tę̄ orthę̄ kai apostolikę̄ pistei tę̄ paradotheisę̄ tais hagiais Ekklēsiais, oiētheis apallaxein auton tēs tōn autou grammatōn skaiotētos. ᾿All᾽ ouden ōnēse to tēs diatheseōs pharmakon. Apraktos gegonen hē symboulē. Kai tosouton apesche tou thelein tois tēs alētheias epesthai dogmasin, hōste kai epistolēn aposteilai pros me meth' hypographēs idias, en hę̄ kai epiplēttei men, hōs lypoumenos, diōmologēke de saphōs, Theotokon eipein mē einai tēn hagian Parthenon; hoper estin enargōs eipein, mē einai Theon alēthōs ton Emmanouēl, eph᾽ hǭ tas sōtērious ho echomen elpidas. Oiētheis de hoti kai tēn Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsian synarpasai dynēsetai, egrapse pros ton kyrion mou, ton eulabestaton kai theosebestaton adelphon kai sylleitourgon Kelestinon, tēs Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsias episkopon, entheis tais epistolais tōn autou dogmatōn tēn diastrophēn. Pepomphe de kai exēgēseis pollas, ex hōn elēlenktai phronōn ta diestrammena; kai kategnōsthē loipon ararotōs hōs hairetikos. Epeidē toinyn ho mnēmoneutheis eulabestatos kai theosebestatos tēs Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsias episkopos Kelestinos phanera gegraphe peri autou, kai pepomphe pros me tas epistolas, dein ǭēthēn aposteilai tautas, kai akonētheisan oikothen eis eusebē zēlon tēn sēn theosebeian dianastēsai dia tou grammatos; hopōs an ek mias psychēs, kai syntonou prothymias, tēn eis Christon agapēn zōsōmetha, kai sōsōmen laous kindyneuontas, kai stēsōmen Hekklēsian tēn houtō diaphanē, symphrones gegonotes dēlonoti hekastois hapantes, kai kata ton horisthenta typon epistellontes autǭ kai tois laois. An men ōphelēsōmen, kai metastēsōmen kata to alēthes auton, hōn pephronēke, kekerdēkamen ton adelphon, kai sesōkamen poimena ; ean de apraktos hē symboulē hēmōn genētai, autos heautǭ epigrapsas to symban, autos tōn oikeiōn ponōn edetai tous karpous. Dei de hēmas anankaiōs, kai tǭ philochristǭ kai eusebestatǭ basilei, kai hapasi de tois en telei grapsai kai symbouleusai mē protimētai tēs eis Christon eusebeias, anthrōpon;. alla charisasthai tę̄ oikoumenę̄ to bebaion eis pistin. orthēn, kai poimenos apallaxai ponērou ta thremmata, ei mē tais hapantōn eikei symboulais. Proseipe tēn para soi adelphotēta; se hē syn hēmin en Kyriǭ prosagoreuei.
Cyril to my lord, most dearly longed for, and fellow minister Juvenal: greeting in the Lord.
I prayed that the most reverent bishop Nestorius would follow in the footsteps of those of good repute and in the right faith. For which right-minded person would not pray that those who have been allotted the leadership of the Saviour's flocks be the most approved? But since the course of events has turned out contrary to our hopes (for the one we expected to be a genuine shepherd we have found to be a persecutor of the right faith), we must now remember Christ, the Saviour of us all, who says, “I came not to bring peace on the earth, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father.” If even war against our parents is blameless and beyond reproach for us, or rather full of all praise, when we have resolved to contend for the glory of Christ, how is it not wholly necessary, though we weep as men who have lost a brother, to gird ourselves with godly zeal and all but say to those throughout the whole earth, “Whoever is for the Lord, let him come to me”? I exhorted him as a brother by a first and a second letter not to follow his own notions but the right and apostolic faith handed down to the holy churches, thinking to free him from the perversity of his writings. But the remedy of kindness was of no use; the counsel was ineffective. He was so far from wishing to follow the doctrines of the truth that he even sent me a letter with his own signature, in which he rebukes me as one aggrieved, and clearly declared that the holy Virgin is not to be called Mother of God; which is plainly to say that Emmanuel, in whom we have our hopes of salvation, is not truly God. Thinking that he could carry off the church of the Romans too, he wrote to my lord, the most reverent and God-fearing brother and fellow minister Celestine, bishop of the church of the Romans, putting the perversity of his doctrines into his letters. He also sent many expositions, from which he has been convicted of holding perverse views, and he has now been firmly condemned as a heretic.
Since, then, the most reverent and God-fearing bishop of the church of the Romans, Celestine, has written plainly about him and has sent me the letters, I thought I should send them and rouse by this letter your Reverence, already sharpened of itself to godly zeal, so that with one soul and earnest eagerness we may gird on the love of Christ, save the peoples who are in danger, and make the church, so shaken, stand firm, all of us being of one mind with each, and writing to him and to the people according to the form that has been laid down. If we help him and truly turn him from what he has thought, we have gained our brother and saved a shepherd; but if our counsel proves ineffective, he has himself to thank for what happens, and he will eat the fruits of his own labours. We must also write to the Christ-loving and most pious emperor and to all those in authority, and advise that no man be preferred to piety toward Christ, but that they grant the world firmness in the right faith and free the flock from a wicked shepherd, unless he yields to the counsel of all. Greet the brotherhood with you. The brotherhood with us greets you in the Lord.
Matt 10:34–35 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Prov 1:31 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Cyril sends Juvenal of Jerusalem Celestine's letters condemning Nestorius and urges joint action: letters to Nestorius, his people, and the emperor.
- Written in 430 to Juvenal, bishop of Jerusalem. Footnote debris splits the word “them” (ταύτας) and is removed by a logged correction. “Whoever is for the Lord” is Moses' call in Exod 32:26.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (footnote variant leaked into the word ταύτας): ταύΗ τῆς σωτηρίας. τας → ταύτας.
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Cyril of Alexandria, Ep. 16 (PG 77 77:103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/cyril-alexandria-epistulae/16
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 77 (Bavarian State Library OCR); letters 4, 17 and 39 compared with NPNF² 14; the rest re-read against the Greek.