Sophia Scriptura

Letters to Pope Leo I (complete)

Flavian of Constantinople · Letters to Pope Leo I · 448-449 · Constantinople · 9 passages

Greek text: PL 54.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

Chapter 1

1.0PL 54 54:723

Τῷ ὁσιωτάτῳ καὶ θεοφιλεστάτῳ πατρὶ καὶ συλλειτουργῷ Λέοντι, Φλαβιανὸς ἐν Κυρίῳ, χαίρειν.

Tǭ hosiōtatǭ kai theophilestatǭ patri kai sylleitourgǭ Leonti, Phlabianos en Kyriǭ, chairein.

To the most holy and God-beloved father and fellow minister Leo, Flavian, greeting in the Lord.

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian greets Leo of Rome.

  • This letter is Leo, Letter 22 (Ballerini numbering).

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 1.0 (PL 54 54:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-0

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-1-0) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

1.1PL 54 54:723

Οὐδὲν ἵστησιν ἄρα τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου πονηρίαν, τὸ ἄχατάσχετον κακὸν, τὸ πλῆρες ἰοῦ θανατηφόρου· ἄνω γὰρ καὶ κάτω περινοστεῖ, ζητῶν τίνα πλήξῃ, τίνα σπαράξῃ, τίνα καταπίῃ Διὸ καὶ γρηγορεῖν, καὶ νήφειν εἰς προσεῦὺχὰς, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ ἐγγίζειν, καὶ τὰς μωρὰς ζητήσεις παραιτείσθαι, καὶ τοῖς πατράσιν ἀκολουθεῖν, καὶ μὰ μετατιθέναι ὅρια αἰώνια, ὑπὸ τῶν θείων γραφῶν δεδιδάγμεθα, ἡ Ἀποθέμενος οὖν τοῦ πένθους τὸν ὄγκον, τῶν δακρύων τὸ πλῆθος, ὅτι γε τῶν ὑπ᾽ ἐμὲ τελούντων κληρικὸς εἷς θηριάλωτος γέγονε, καὶ οὐχ ἠδυνήθην αὐτόν περισῶσαι, οὐδὲ ἁρπάσαι τοῦ λύκον, καίτοι τὴν ψυχήν μοῦ ἑτοίμως ἔχων θεῖναι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ· πῶς ἡρπάγη, πῶς ἀπεπήδα, μισῶν τὴν τοῦ καλοῦντος φωνὴν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἀπολλύντα μάλιστα τρέχων, τάχα που καὶ τὰ μνήματα τῶν πατέρων ἐκκλίνων, καὶ τὰς τρίβους αὐτῶν μυσαττόμενος, βαδιοῦμαι τῷ λόγῳ.

Ouden histēsin ara tēn tou diabolou ponērian, to achatascheton kakon, to plēres iou thanatēphorou; anō gar kai katō perinostei, zētōn tina plēxę̄, tina sparaxę̄, tina katapię̄ Dio kai grēgorein, kai nēphein eis proseuychas, kai tǭ Theǭ engizein, kai tas mōras zētēseis paraiteisthai, kai tois patrasin akolouthein, kai ma metatithenai horia aiōnia, hypo tōn theiōn graphōn dedidagmetha, hē Apothemenos oun tou penthous ton onkon, tōn dakryōn to plēthos, hoti ge tōn hyp᾽ eme telountōn klērikos heis thērialōtos gegone, kai ouch ēdynēthēn auton perisōsai, oude harpasai tou lykon, kaitoi tēn psychēn mou hetoimōs echōn theinai hyper autou; pōs hērpagē, pōs apepēda, misōn tēn tou kalountos phōnēn, kai pros ton apollynta malista trechōn, tacha pou kai ta mnēmata tōn paterōn ekklinōn, kai tas tribous autōn mysattomenos, badioumai tǭ logǭ.

Nothing, it seems, checks the wickedness of the devil, that irrepressible evil, full of deadly poison; for he roams up and down, seeking whom he may strike, whom he may tear, whom he may devour. Therefore we have been taught by the divine Scriptures to keep watch, to be sober in prayers, to draw near to God, to avoid foolish questionings, to follow the fathers, and not to move the eternal boundaries. Laying aside, then, the weight of grief and the flood of tears, because one cleric of those serving under me has been caught by the beast, and I could not save him nor snatch him from the wolf, though I was ready to lay down my life for him, I shall go through in my account how he was snatched away, how he leapt away, hating the voice of the one who calls him and running rather to the one who destroys, perhaps even turning aside from the memorials of the fathers and loathing their paths.

1 Pet 5:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Pet 4:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Jas 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Titus 3:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · Prov 22:28 (allusion, high confidence) · John 10:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 10:11 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian laments that the devil has carried off one of his own clergy, whom he could not save, and promises to tell how it happened.

  • 1 Pet 5:8; 1 Pet 4:7; Jas 4:8; 2 Tim 2:23 / Titus 3:9; Prov 22:28; John 10:12; John 10:11. "Hating" renders μισῶν, restored from the OCR's "Mte σῶν".

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ); OCR slip (word split and misread)): Mte σῶν → μισῶν; διαδόλου → διαβόλου; χαχὸν → κακὸν; ὰρ χαὶ χάτω → ὰρ καὶ κάτω; χαταπίῃ → καταπίῃ; ιὸ χαὶ γρ → ιὸ καὶ γρ; ν, χαὶ νή → ν, καὶ νή; ς, χαὶ τῷ → ς, καὶ τῷ; ν, χαὶ τὰ → ν, καὶ τὰ; ι, χαὶ το → ι, καὶ το; ἀχολουθεῖν, χαὶ μὰ → ἀκολουθεῖν, καὶ μὰ; ὄγχον → ὄγκον; δαχρύων → δακρύων; λύχον → λύκον; χαίτοι → καίτοι; ου χαὶ τὰ → ου καὶ τὰ; ἐχχλίνων → ἐκκλίνων.

Topics: Heresy, The devil and demons

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 1.1 (PL 54 54:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-1

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-1-1) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

1.2PL 54 54:723

Εἰσί τινες ἐν ἐνδύμασι προβάτων, ἔσωθεν δέ εἶσι λύκον ἅρπαγες· οὗς ἀπὸ τῶν καρπῶν ἐπιγίνώσχομεν. Οὗτοι τὰ πρόβατα δοκοῦσι μὲν εἶναι ἐξ ἡμῶν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ εἰσὶν ἐξ ἡμῶν εἰ γὰρ ἦσαν ἐξ ἡμῶν, μεμενήχεσαν ἄν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν. “Ὅταν δὲ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀπεμέσωσι δυσσέβειαν, τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀποῤῥήξαντες δόλον, ἐπιλαδόμενοι τῶν ἄσθενεστέρων, καὶ τὰ αἰσθητήρια πρὸς τὰ θεῖα λόγια ἐχόντων ἀγύμναστα, σὺν ἑαυτοῖς ὠθοῦσιν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀπώλειαν, στρεβλοῦντες καὶ σχώπτοντες τὰς τῶν πατέρων διδασχαλίας, ὡς καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς γραφὰς, πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπώλειαν· ἑαυτῶν᾽ οὖς δεῖ προγινώσκοντας φυλάττεσθαι, ἴὰ μὴ τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτῶν ὑπαχθέντες τινὲς, ἐχπέσωσι τοῦ ἰδίου στηριγμοῦ. « Ἠχόνησαν γὰρ γλῶσσαν αὐτῶν, ὡσεὶ ὄφεως· ἰὸς ἀσπίδων ὑπὸ τὰ χείλη αὐτῶν, » περὶ τούτῶν ἀναχέχραγεν ὁ προφήτης.

Eisi tines en endymasi probatōn, esōthen de eisi lykon harpages; hous apo tōn karpōn epiginōschomen. Houtoi ta probata dokousi men einai ex hēmōn, all᾽ ouch eisin ex hēmōn ei gar ēsan ex hēmōn, memenēchesan an meth᾽ hēmōn. “Hotan de tēn heautōn apemesōsi dyssebeian, ton en autois aporrhēxantes dolon, epiladomenoi tōn asthenesterōn, kai ta aisthētēria pros ta theia logia echontōn agymnasta, syn heautois ōthousin autous eis apōleian, streblountes kai schōptontes tas tōn paterōn didaschalias, hōs kai tas loipas graphas, pros tēn idian apōleian; heautōn᾽ ous dei proginōskontas phylattesthai, ia mē tę̄ panourgią autōn hypachthentes tines, echpesōsi tou idiou stērigmou. « Ēchonēsan gar glōssan autōn, hōsei opheōs; ios aspidōn hypo ta cheilē autōn, » peri toutōn anachechragen ho prophētēs.

There are some "in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves," whom we recognize "by their fruits." These seem to be sheep from among us, "but they are not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us." But when they have vomited out their own impiety, tearing open the deceit within them, they lay hold of the weaker, who have their faculties untrained for the divine oracles, and push them along with themselves into destruction, twisting and mocking the teachings of the fathers, as they do the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. We must know them beforehand and guard against them, lest some, led astray by their cunning, fall from their own stability. "For they have sharpened their tongue like a serpent's; the poison of asps is under their lips": so the prophet cried out about them.

Matt 7:15–16 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 John 2:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 5:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Pet 3:16–17 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 140:3 (139:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian describes heretics as wolves in sheep's clothing who lead the weak astray by twisting the fathers and the Scriptures.

  • Matt 7:15–16; 1 John 2:19; Heb 5:14; 2 Pet 3:16–17; Ps 140:3 (LXX 139:4). A few words are lost in the OCR after πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπώ- ("to their own destruction", from 2 Pet 3:16); restored by sense, and the line break corrected by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ); word cut at a line end in the OCR (ἀπώλειαν, from 2 Pet 3:16)): πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπώἑαυτῶν᾽ → πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀπώλειαν· ἑαυτῶν᾽; προδάτων → προβάτων; πρόθατα → πρόβατα; δοχοῦσι → δοκοῦσι; δυσσέθειαν → δυσσέβειαν; ν, χαὶ τὰ → ν, καὶ τὰ; στρεθλοῦντες χαὶ σχ → στρεβλοῦντες καὶ σχ; ὡς χαὶ τὰ → ὡς καὶ τὰ; προγινώσχοντας → προγινώσκοντας.

Topics: Heresy

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 1.2 (PL 54 54:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-2

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-1-2) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

1.3PL 54 54:725

Τοιοῦτος ἡμῖν τανῦν ἀναπέφανται Εὐτιχὴς, ὅ πάλαι πρεσβύτερος καὶ ἀρχιμανδρίτης· ὃς μὲν τὰ ἡμέτερα δῆθεν φρονῶν, καὶ τὴν ὀρθὴν πίστιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἔχων, μὲν Νεστορίου δυσσεβείᾳ ἀνθεστηχὼς, καὶ τὸν πρὸς αὐτὸν πόλεμον ὑποχοριζόμενος, τὴν δὲ τῶν τριακοσίων δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἁγίων πατέρων περὶ τῆς πίστεως γενομένην ἔκθεσιν, καὶ τοῦ τῆς θείας μνήμης Κυρῶλου πρός τε Νεστόριον γραφεῖσαν ἐπιστολὴν καὶ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ὀνατολῆς τοῦ αὐτοῦ ὁμοίως, αἷς πάντες συνέθεντο, πειρώμενος ἀνατρέπειν, τὴν πάλαι τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς Οὐαλεντίνου καὶ ᾿Ἀπολλιναρίον κακοδοξίαν ἀνανεούμενος. Καὶ οὐκ ἐφοβήθη τὸ διάταγμα τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Βατιλέως, λέγοντος· Ὃς ἐὰν σχανοαλίσῃ ἕνα τῶν μικρῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων, συμφέρει αὐτῷ, ἵνα χρευασθῃ μύλος ὀνικὸς περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ, καὶ χαταπουτισηῇ εἰς τὸ πέλαγος τῆς θαλάσσης. Αἰδῶ πᾶσαν ἀπούχλὼν, καὶ ἣν περιέκειτο τῆς πλάνης βορὰν ἀποτιναξάμενος, διαῤδήδην ἐπὶ τῆς ἁγίας συνόδου ἡμῶν διϊσχυρίζετο, λέγων τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν μὴ δεῖν ἐκ δύο φύσεων μετὰ τὴν ἐνανθροώπησιν, ἐν μιᾷ ὑποστάσει, καὶ ἐν ἑνὶ προσώπῳ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν γνωριζόμενον, μήτε υὴν τὴν σάρχα τοῦ Κυρίου ὁμοούσιον ἡυῖν ὑπάρχειν, οἷα δὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν καὶ ἑνωθεῖσαν τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ καθ᾽ ὑπόστασιν· ἔφασκε, τὴν μὲν τιχοῦταν αὐτὸν Πυρθένον κατὰ σάρχα, ὁμοούσιον ἡμῖν εἶναι, αὐτὸν δὲ τὸν Κύριον μὴ εἰληφένα. ἐξ αὐτῆς σάρχα ἡμῖν ὁμοούσιον ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου σώμα μὴ εἶναι μὲν σῶμα ἀνθρώπον, ἀνθρώπίον ὃὲ σῶμα τὸ ἐκ τῆ: Παρθένου · πάσαις ταῖς ἐχθέσεσι τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἐναντιούμενος.

Toioutos hēmin tanyn anapephantai Eutichēs, ho palai presbyteros kai archimandritēs; hos men ta hēmetera dēthen phronōn, kai tēn orthēn pistin en heautǭ echōn, men Nestoriou dyssebeią anthestēchōs, kai ton pros auton polemon hypochorizomenos, tēn de tōn triakosiōn deka kai oktō hagiōn paterōn peri tēs pisteōs genomenēn ekthesin, kai tou tēs theias mnēmēs Kyrōlou pros te Nestorion grapheisan epistolēn kai tēn pros tous tēs onatolēs tou autou homoiōs, hais pantes synethento, peirōmenos anatrepein, tēn palai tou dyssebous Oualentinou kai ᾿Apollinarion kakodoxian ananeoumenos. Kai ouk ephobēthē to diatagma tou alēthinou Batileōs, legontos; Hos ean schanoalisę̄ hena tōn mikrōn toutōn tōn elachistōn, sympherei autǭ, hina chreuasthę̄ mylos onikos peri ton trachēlon autou, kai chatapoutisēę̄ eis to pelagos tēs thalassēs. Aidō pasan apouchlōn, kai hēn periekeito tēs planēs boran apotinaxamenos, diardēdēn epi tēs hagias synodou hēmōn diïschyrizeto, legōn ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon mē dein ek dyo physeōn meta tēn enanthroōpēsin, en mią hypostasei, kai en heni prosōpǭ par᾽ hēmōn gnōrizomenon, mēte yēn tēn sarcha tou Kyriou homoousion hēuin hyparchein, hoia dē ex hēmōn kai henōtheisan tǭ Theǭ Logǭ kath᾽ hypostasin; ephaske, tēn men tichoutan auton Pyrthenon kata sarcha, homoousion hēmin einai, auton de ton Kyrion mē eilēphena. ex autēs sarcha hēmin homoousion alla to tou Kyriou sōma mē einai men sōma anthrōpon, anthrōpion hoe sōma to ek tē: Parthenou ; pasais tais echthesesi tōn hagiōn Paterōn enantioumenos.

Such a one has now appeared among us: Eutyches, formerly a presbyter and archimandrite. He seemed to think as we do and to hold the right faith in himself, seeming to stand against the impiety of Nestorius and making a show of the war against him; but he has been trying to overturn the statement of the faith made by the three hundred and eighteen holy fathers, and the letter of Cyril of divine memory written to Nestorius, and likewise his letter to the bishops of the East, to which all have agreed, renewing the old false doctrine of the impious Valentinus and Apollinaris. And he did not fear the command of the true King, who says: "Whoever causes one of these least little ones to stumble, it is better for him that a donkey's millstone be hung about his neck and that he be drowned in the depth of the sea." Casting off all shame, and shaking off the skin of error that covered him, he insisted openly before our holy synod, saying that our Lord Jesus Christ ought not to be acknowledged by us as of two natures after the incarnation, in one hypostasis and in one person; nor that the Lord's flesh is consubstantial with us, as taken from us and united to God the Word according to hypostasis; but he said that the Virgin who bore him according to the flesh is consubstantial with us, while the Lord himself did not take from her flesh consubstantial with us; but that the Lord's body is not the body of a man, though the body from the Virgin is human; thus opposing all the statements of faith of the holy fathers.

Matt 18:6 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian reports that Eutyches, archimandrite at Constantinople, denied before the synod that Christ is of two natures after the incarnation and that his flesh is consubstantial with ours.

  • The "three hundred and eighteen holy fathers" are the Council of Nicaea (325); Cyril's letters are his second letter to Nestorius and his letter to John of Antioch (the Formula of Reunion, 433). Matt 18:6. Eutyches's statements are reported as Flavian gives them; translated exactly. Some words are lost at a line break in the OCR ("καθ᾽ ὑπό-" … "ἔφασκε"); "according to hypostasis … but he said" is restored by sense.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ); word cut at a line end in the OCR (ὑπόστασιν)): χαθ᾽ ὑπόἔφασχε → καθ᾽ ὑπόστασιν· ἔφασκε; πρεσδύτερος → πρεσβύτερος; δυσσεδείᾳ → δυσσεβείᾳ; ς, χαὶ τὸ → ς, καὶ τὸ; δέχα χαὶ ὀχτὼ → δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ; ἔχθεσιν, χαὶ το → ἔκθεσιν, καὶ το; ὴν χαὶ τὴ → ὴν καὶ τὴ; μιχρῶν → μικρῶν; ὀνιχὸς → ὀνικὸς; ῦ, χαὶ χα → ῦ, καὶ χα; ν, χαὶ ἣν → ν, καὶ ἣν; δορὰν → βορὰν; ῖν ἐχ δύ → ῖν ἐκ δύ; ῶν χαὶ ἑν → ῶν καὶ ἑν; χατὰ → κατὰ; τὸ ἐχ τῆ → τὸ ἐκ τῆ.

Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Nic. (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325); allusion)

Topics: Christology, Heresy, Christological controversies

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 1.3 (PL 54 54:725; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-3

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-1-3) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

1.4PL 54 54:727

Ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ πάντα καταλέγων, μῆκος ἐμποιήσώ τῷ γράμματι, πάλαι τὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ γεγενημένην πρᾶξιν ἀπεστείλαμεν τῇ σῇ ὁσιότητι, ἐν ἦ καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης αὐτὸν, ὡς ἐπὶ τοιούτοις ἁλόντα, ἐγυμνώσαμεν, καὶ τοῦ προστατεῖν μοναστηρίου, καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας κοινωνίας· ὥστε καὶ τὴν σὴν ὁσιότητα γνοῦσαν τὰ χατ᾽ αὐτὸν, πᾶσι τοῖς ὑπὸ τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν τελοῦσι θεοφιλεστάτοις ἐπισκόποις δήλην ποιῆσαι τὴν αὐτοῦ δυσσέβειαν· ἵνα μὴ ἀγνοίᾳ πολλάχ:ς τῶν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ φρονηθέντων, ἐφ᾽ οἷς τε, ἑάλω σαφῶς, ὡς: πρὸς ὁμόδοξον, ἢ διὰ γραμμάτων, ἢ καὶ ἑτέρως, τὰς πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁμιλίας εὑρεθῶσι ποιούμενοι, Πᾶσαν τὴν σὺν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ θεοφιλεία ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφάς τητα ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ πλεῖστα προσαγορεύομεν. ᾿Εῤῥωμένος ἐν Κυρίῳ, καὶ ὑπερευχόμενος ἡμῶν, χαρισθείης ἡμῖν, θεοφιλέστατε πάτερ.

All᾽ hina mē panta katalegōn, mēkos empoiēsō tǭ grammati, palai tēn ep᾽ autǭ gegenēmenēn praxin apesteilamen tę̄ sę̄ hosiotēti, en ē kai tēs hierōsynēs auton, hōs epi toioutois halonta, egymnōsamen, kai tou prostatein monastēriou, kai tēs hēmeteras koinōnias; hōste kai tēn sēn hosiotēta gnousan ta chat᾽ auton, pasi tois hypo tēn sēn theosebeian telousi theophilestatois episkopois dēlēn poiēsai tēn autou dyssebeian; hina mē agnoią pollach:s tōn par᾽ autou phronēthentōn, eph᾽ hois te, healō saphōs, hōs: pros homodoxon, ē dia grammatōn, ē kai heterōs, tas pros auton homilias heurethōsi poioumenoi, Pasan tēn syn tę̄ hymeterą theophileia en Christǭ adelphas tēta egō te kai hoi syn emoi pleista prosagoreuomen. ᾿Errhōmenos en Kyriǭ, kai hypereuchomenos hēmōn, charistheiēs hēmin, theophilestate pater.

But, so as not to make the letter long by listing everything, we have already sent your holiness the record of the proceedings against him, in which, as one convicted on such charges, we stripped him of the priesthood, of the government of his monastery, and of our communion; so that your holiness too, knowing his case, may make his impiety plain to all the most God-beloved bishops under your reverence, lest, in ignorance of what he thinks and on what charges he was clearly convicted, they be found conversing with him by letter or otherwise as with one of the same faith. I and those with me greet very warmly all the brotherhood with your God-belovedness in Christ. May you be granted to us in good health in the Lord, and praying for us, most God-beloved father.

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian tells Leo that Eutyches has been deposed and excommunicated and asks him to inform the bishops under him.

  • The proceedings are those of the Home Synod of Constantinople (November 448).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ)): μῆχος → μῆκος; ἦ χαὶ τῆ → ἦ καὶ τῆ; ν, χαὶ το → ν, καὶ το; υ, χαὶ τῆ → υ, καὶ τῆ; χοινωνίας → κοινωνίας; ἐπισχόποις → ἐπισκόποις; δυσσέδειαν → δυσσέβειαν; ἢ χαὶ ἑτ → ἢ καὶ ἑτ; τε χαὶ οἱ → τε καὶ οἱ; ῳ, χαὶ ὑπ → ῳ, καὶ ὑπ.

Topics: Heresy, Church office, Church discipline and penance

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 1.4 (PL 54 54:727; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/1-4

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-1-4) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

Chapter 2

2.0PL 54 54:743

Τῷ ἁγιωτάτῳ καὶ μακαριωτάτῳ πατρὶ καὶ συλλειτουργῷ Λέοντι Φλαβιανὸς ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν.

Tǭ hagiōtatǭ kai makariōtatǭ patri kai sylleitourgǭ Leonti Phlabianos en Kyriǭ chairein.

To the most holy and most blessed father and fellow minister Leo, Flavian, greeting in the Lord.

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian greets Leo in his second letter.

  • This letter is Leo, Letter 26 (Ballerini numbering).

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ)): χαὶ → καὶ; μαχαριωτάτῳ → μακαριωτάτῳ.

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 2.0 (PL 54 54:743; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-0

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-2-0) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

2.1PL 54 54:743

Εὐσεβείας καὶ τοῦ ὀρθοτομεῖσθαι τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀλη θείας οὐδὲν “ τιμιώτερον ἱερεῦσιν, ὡς ἐπίστασαι, θεοφιλέστατε. Πᾶσα γὰρ ἡμῶν ἐλπίς ᾿χαὶ σωτηρία, καὶ ἀνταπόδοσις τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἀγαθῶν, ἐντέσθεν ἐξήρτηταί. Διά τοι τοῦτο, πάντα ὅ ποιητέον ἡμῖν καὶ πονητέονν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθοῦς πίστεως, καὶ τῶν ἐκτεθέντων καὶ δογματισθέντων ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τε διὰ παντὸς καὶ ἐν παντοίαις περιστάσεσι πραγμάτων ἀχές καὶ ἄτρωτα ταῦτα ὃ διασώζεσθαι καὶ φυλάττεσθαι. Ἀναγχαΐον οὖν ἦν καὶ νῦν ὁρῶντας ἡμᾶς βλαπτομένην τοῦ ὀρθόδοξον πίστιν, καὶ ἀνανεουμένην τοῦ ὃ Ἀπολλινας ρίου καὶ Οὐαλεντίνον αἵρεσιν παρὰ Εὐτυχοῦς τοῦ μοναχοῦ, μὴ παριδεῖν · ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ φανερὸν ταύτην ἐκκαλύψαι πρὸς ἀσφάλειαν τῶν λαῶν, οὗτος γὰρ οὗτος ὁ Εὐτυχὴς» ἐν ἑαυτῷ νόσον κακοδοξίας κατέχων, τῆς ἡμετέρας ἐπιεικείας καταδραμὼν, ἀπηρυθριασμένως καὶ ἀναισχύντως εἰς πολλοὺς ἐξενεγκεῖν τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσέβειαν χατετόλμησε, φάσκων, πρὸ μὲν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δύο φύσεις εἶναι, * θεότητος καὶ ἀνθρωπότητος, μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἕνωσιν, μίαν φύσιν γεγονέναι· οὐχ εἰδὼς ὃ λέγει, οὐδὲ περὶ τίνων διαβεβαιοῦται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ ἕνωσις τῶν συνελθουσῶν ὅ ἐπὶ Χριστῷ δύο φύσεων, ὡς καὶ ἡ ὑμετέρα ἐπίσταται θεοσέὄεια, τὰς ἰδιότητας αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ ἑνώσει συνέχεεν ἀλλὰ μένουσι καὶ ἐν τῇ ἑνώσει ἀκέραιοι τῶν δύο φύσεων αἱ ἰδιότητες. ΘΟ Προσετίθει δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν δυσσέύειαν, φάσκων, τὸ ἐκ Μαρίας σῶμα γενόμενον τοῦ Κυρίου, μὴ εἶναι τῆς ἡμετέρας οὐσίας; μηδὲ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου φυράματος· ἀλλ᾽ ἀνθρώπινον μὲν αὐτὸ Τ ἀποκαλεῖ, οὐ μὸν ἡμῖν ὁμοούσιον, οὐδὲ τῇ τεχούσῃ αὐτὸν κατὰ σάρχα. Καὶ ταῦτα, τῶν ἐν ᾿Ἐφόσῳ πεπραγμένων παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας καὶ οἰκουμενικῆς συνόδου, ἐπὶ τῇ γραφείσῃ ἐπιστολῇ πρὸς τὸν δυσσεδῇ καὶ χαθηρημένον Νεστόριον, ἐχόντων ῥητῶς οὕτως· ὡς διάφοροι μὲν αἱ πρὸς ἑνότητα τὴν ἀληθινὴν ὃ συνενεχθεῖσαι φύσεις· εἷς δὲ ἐξ ἀμφοῖν Χριστὸς καὶ υἱὸς · οὐχ ὡς τῆς τῶν φύσεων διαφορᾶς ἀνῃρημένης διὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν· ἀποτελεσασῶν δὲ μᾶλλον ἡμῖν τὸν ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, θεότητός τε καὶ ἀνθρωπότητος, διὰ τῆς ἀφράστου καὶ ἀπερινοήτου πρὸς ἑνότητα συνδρομῆς. “' Καὶ τοῦτο οὐ λέληθε τὴν σὴν ὁσιότητα, ἐντυχοῦσαν πάντως τοῖς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ πεπραγμένοις ὑπομνήμασιν. Ἅτινα παρ᾽ οὐδὲν θέμενος ὁ αὐτὸς Εὐτυχὴς οἴεται μὴ δώσειν δίκην τὴν ὁρισθεῖσαν παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας ἐκείνης καὶ οἰκουμενικῆς συνόδου.

Eusebeias kai tou orthotomeisthai ton logon tēs alē theias ouden “ timiōteron hiereusin, hōs epistasai, theophilestate. Pasa gar hēmōn elpis ᾿chai sōtēria, kai antapodosis tōn epēngelmenōn agathōn, entesthen exērtētai. Dia toi touto, panta ho poiēteon hēmin kai ponēteonn hyper tēs alēthous pisteōs, kai tōn ektethentōn kai dogmatisthentōn hypo tōn hagiōn paterōn, eph᾽ hǭ te dia pantos kai en pantoiais peristasesi pragmatōn aches kai atrōta tauta ho diasōzesthai kai phylattesthai. Ananchaïon oun ēn kai nyn horōntas hēmas blaptomenēn tou orthodoxon pistin, kai ananeoumenēn tou ho Apollinas riou kai Oualentinon hairesin para Eutychous tou monachou, mē paridein ; all᾽ eis to phaneron tautēn ekkalypsai pros asphaleian tōn laōn, houtos gar houtos ho Eutychēs» en heautǭ noson kakodoxias katechōn, tēs hēmeteras epieikeias katadramōn, apērythriasmenōs kai anaischyntōs eis pollous exenenkein tēn oikeian asebeian chatetolmēse, phaskōn, pro men tēs enanthrōpēseōs tou sōtēros hēmōn Iēsou Christou, dyo physeis einai, * theotētos kai anthrōpotētos, meta de tēn henōsin, mian physin gegonenai; ouch eidōs ho legei, oude peri tinōn diabebaioutai. Oude gar hē henōsis tōn synelthousōn ho epi Christǭ dyo physeōn, hōs kai hē hymetera epistatai theoseoeia, tas idiotētas autōn en tę̄ henōsei synecheen alla menousi kai en tę̄ henōsei akeraioi tōn dyo physeōn hai idiotētes. ThO Prosetithei de kai heteran dysseueian, phaskōn, to ek Marias sōma genomenon tou Kyriou, mē einai tēs hēmeteras ousias? mēde tou anthrōpeiou phyramatos; all᾽ anthrōpinon men auto T apokalei, ou mon hēmin homoousion, oude tę̄ techousę̄ auton kata sarcha. Kai tauta, tōn en ᾿Ephosǭ pepragmenōn para tēs hagias kai oikoumenikēs synodou, epi tę̄ grapheisę̄ epistolę̄ pros ton dyssedę̄ kai chathērēmenon Nestorion, echontōn rhētōs houtōs; hōs diaphoroi men hai pros henotēta tēn alēthinēn ho synenechtheisai physeis; heis de ex amphoin Christos kai huios ; ouch hōs tēs tōn physeōn diaphoras anę̄rēmenēs dia tēn henōsin; apotelesasōn de mallon hēmin ton hena Kyrion Iēsoun Christon, theotētos te kai anthrōpotētos, dia tēs aphrastou kai aperinoētou pros henotēta syndromēs. “' Kai touto ou lelēthe tēn sēn hosiotēta, entychousan pantōs tois en Ephesǭ pepragmenois hypomnēmasin. Hatina par᾽ ouden themenos ho autos Eutychēs oietai mē dōsein dikēn tēn horistheisan para tēs hagias ekeinēs kai oikoumenikēs synodou.

Nothing is more precious to priests, as you know, most God-beloved one, than godliness and the right dividing of the word of truth. For all our hope and salvation, and the reward of the good things promised, depend on this. For this reason we must do and labor at everything for the true faith and for what has been set out and decreed by the holy fathers, so that these things may be preserved and guarded always, in every kind of circumstance, unharmed and unwounded. It was necessary, then, now too, when we saw the orthodox faith being harmed and the heresy of Apollinaris and Valentinus being renewed by Eutyches the monk, not to overlook it, but to uncover it openly for the safety of the peoples. For this Eutyches, harboring in himself the disease of false doctrine, took advantage of our forbearance and dared, shamelessly and without a blush, to bring out his own impiety before many, saying that before the becoming man of our Savior Jesus Christ there were two natures, of Godhead and of manhood, but after the union one nature came to be; not knowing what he says nor about what he makes his assertions. For the union of the two natures that came together in Christ did not, as your reverence knows, confuse their properties in the union; but the properties of the two natures remain intact even in the union. He added also another impiety, saying that the Lord's body born of Mary is not of our substance nor of the human lump; he calls it human indeed, but not consubstantial with us nor with her who bore him according to the flesh. And this, although the proceedings at Ephesus of the holy and ecumenical synod, on the letter written to the impious and deposed Nestorius, expressly contain these words: "The natures that were brought together into a true unity are different, but from both is one Christ and Son; not as though the difference of the natures were removed through the union, but rather Godhead and manhood have formed for us the one Lord Jesus Christ through their ineffable and inconceivable concurrence into unity." And this has not escaped your holiness, since you have surely read the records of the proceedings at Ephesus. Holding these as nothing, the same Eutyches thinks that he will not pay the penalty laid down by that holy and ecumenical synod.

2 Tim 2:15 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian tells Leo that Eutyches taught one nature in Christ after the union and denied that Christ's body is consubstantial with ours, against Cyril's letter approved at Ephesus.

  • 2 Tim 2:15. The quotation is from Cyril's second letter to Nestorius, read and approved at the Council of Ephesus (431). Eutyches's teaching is reported as Flavian gives it; translated exactly. The OCR has lost a few letters in "before the becoming man" (ἐνανθρωπή[σεως]); restored by sense, and stray marks and a column number ("']83") are removed by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ); OCR slip (word split; δ for β); OCR slip and Migne's column number; word cut at a line end in the OCR): εἷς πολλοὺς ·']83 ἐξενεγκεῖν → εἰς πολλοὺς ἐξενεγκεῖν; ἐνανθρωπήτοῦ → ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ; δια- δεθαιοῦται → διαβεβαιοῦται; ῖν χαὶ πο → ῖν καὶ πο; ς, χαὶ τῶ → ς, καὶ τῶ; ἐχτεθέντων χαὶ δο → ἐκτεθέντων καὶ δο; ές χαὶ ἄτ → ές καὶ ἄτ; ἦν χαὶ νῦ → ἦν καὶ νῦ; χατέχων → κατέχων; ἐπιειχείας → ἐπιεικείας; ως χαὶ ἀν → ως καὶ ἀν; ἀσέθειαν → ἀσέβειαν; ε, φάσχων, π → ε, φάσκων, π; σι χαὶ ἐν → σι καὶ ἐν; ν, φάσχων, τὸ ἐχ Μα → ν, φάσκων, τὸ ἐκ Μα; χατὰ → κατὰ; δῇ χαὶ χα → δῇ καὶ χα; ὸς χαὶ υἱ → ὸς καὶ υἱ; ου χαὶ ἀπ → ου καὶ ἀπ; ης χαὶ οἰ → ης καὶ οἰ.

Topics: Christology, Heresy, Christological controversies

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 2.1 (PL 54 54:743; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-1

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-2-1) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

2.2PL 54 54:745

Διά τοι ταῦτα πολλῶν τῶν ἀκεραιοτέρων ἐκ τῆς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ γενομένης διαλέξεως παραύλαπτομένων εἰς τὸν τῆς πίστεως λόγον, κατηγορηθέντα αὐτὸν παρὰ τοῦ εὐλαδεστάτου ἐπισκόπου Εὐσεβίου, καὶ ἀπαντήσαντα εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον, καὶ ηἰχείῳ φωνῇ τὸ ἴδιον φρόνημα ἐχχαλύψαυντα, ἀλλότριον ὑπάρχοντα ·΄ τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως, χαθείλομεν, ὡς διδάξει τὴν ὑμετέραν ὁσιότητα ιὅ πάντα ἐπ᾽ χὐτῷ πεπραγμένα ὑπομνήματα, ἃ καὶ ἀπεστείλαμεν μετὰ τούτων ἐμῶν τῶν γραμμάτων. Δίκαιον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὡς ἡγοῦμαι, διδαχθῆναι ὑμᾶς ὡς ὅτι περ ὁ αὐτὸς Εὐτυχὴς ὑποστὰς δικαίαν καὶ κανονιχὴν καθαίρεσιν, καὶ ὀφείλων κἀν τοῖς δευτέροις ἰάσασθαι τὰ πρότερα, καὶ διὰ μετανοίας ἀχριθοῦς καὶ δακρύων πολλῶν τὸν Θεὸν ἐξιλεώσασθαι, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν καρδίαν σφοδρῶς κελυπημένην ἐπὶ τῇ αὐτοῦ πτώσει, διὰ μεταμελείας ἀληθοῦς θεραπεῦσαι· o) μόνον τοῦτο οὐ πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ γὰρ vod διὰ πάντων διαταράξαι τὴν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἁγιωτάτην Ἔχυλησία» ἐσπούδαχσ:᾽· προθέματα προτιθεὶς δημοσίᾳ ὕβρεως καὶ λοιδορίας ἀνάμεστα · προσεπιτούτοις καὶ δεήσεις ἔπιδοὺς τῷ εὐσεβεστάτῳ καὶ φιλοχρίστῳ ἡμῶν βασιλεῖ, καὶ αὐτάς πεπληρωμένας ἀλαζονείας καὶ προπηλαχισμῶν, διὰ πάντων τοὺς θείους χαταπατῆσαι κανόνας πειρώμενος.

Dia toi tauta pollōn tōn akeraioterōn ek tēs hyp᾽ autou genomenēs dialexeōs paraulaptomenōn eis ton tēs pisteōs logon, katēgorēthenta auton para tou euladestatou episkopou Eusebiou, kai apantēsanta eis tēn hagian synodon, kai ēicheiǭ phōnę̄ to idion phronēma echchalypsaunta, allotrion hyparchonta ;΄ tēs orthēs pisteōs, chatheilomen, hōs didaxei tēn hymeteran hosiotēta hio panta ep᾽ chytǭ pepragmena hypomnēmata, ha kai apesteilamen meta toutōn emōn tōn grammatōn. Dikaion de kai touto, hōs hēgoumai, didachthēnai hymas hōs hoti per ho autos Eutychēs hypostas dikaian kai kanonichēn kathairesin, kai opheilōn kan tois deuterois iasasthai ta protera, kai dia metanoias achrithous kai dakryōn pollōn ton Theon exileōsasthai, kai tēn hēmeteran kardian sphodrōs kelypēmenēn epi tę̄ autou ptōsei, dia metameleias alēthous therapeusai; o) monon touto ou pepoiēken, alla gar vod dia pantōn diataraxai tēn par᾽ hēmin hagiōtatēn Echylēsia» espoudachs:᾽; prothemata protitheis dēmosią hybreōs kai loidorias anamesta ; prosepitoutois kai deēseis epidous tǭ eusebestatǭ kai philochristǭ hēmōn basilei, kai autas peplērōmenas alazoneias kai propēlachismōn, dia pantōn tous theious chatapatēsai kanonas peirōmenos.

For these reasons, since many of the simpler sort were being harmed in the word of faith by the discourse he gave, when he was accused by the most reverent bishop Eusebius, and came before the holy synod and with his own voice uncovered his own opinion, which is foreign to the right faith, we deposed him, as the whole record of the proceedings against him, which we have sent with this letter of mine, will inform your holiness. It is right also, I think, that you should be informed that the same Eutyches, having undergone a just and canonical deposition, and being bound by his later conduct to heal the former, and to appease God by exact repentance and many tears, and to heal by true remorse our heart, deeply grieved at his fall, has not only not done this, but has striven in every way to throw our most holy church into confusion, posting public placards full of insult and abuse, and in addition presenting petitions to our most pious and Christ-loving emperor, these too filled with arrogance and contempt, trying in every way to trample on the divine canons.

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian reports that Eutyches, accused by Eusebius of Dorylaeum and deposed, has not repented but agitates against the church with placards and petitions to the emperor.

  • The accuser is Eusebius, bishop of Dorylaeum. The OCR has lost words in "ἀπεστεί- … μετὰ" ("which we have sent with"); restored by sense and corrected by a logged correction.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ); word cut at a line end in the OCR): ἀπεστείμετὰ → ἀπεστείλαμεν μετὰ; ἀχεραιοτέρων → ἀκεραιοτέρων; ἐπισχόπου → ἐπισκόπου; Εὐσεδίου → Εὐσεβίου; δὲ χαὶ το → δὲ καὶ το; αν χαὶ κα → αν καὶ κα; ῦς χαὶ δαχρύων → ῦς καὶ δακρύων; πεποίηχεν → πεποίηκεν; ὕθρεως → ὕβρεως; ις χαὶ δε → ις καὶ δε; εὐσεδεστάτῳ χαὶ φι → εὐσεβεστάτῳ καὶ φι; ῖ, χαὶ αὐ → ῖ, καὶ αὐ; ας χαὶ πρ → ας καὶ πρ.

Topics: Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 2.2 (PL 54 54:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-2

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-2-2) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).

2.3PL 54 54:745

Ἀλλὰ τούτων οὕτω παρακολουθησάντων, γράμματα ἡμῖν ἀπεδόθη τῆς ὑμετέρας ὁσιότητος, διὰ τοῦ θαυμᾶσυωτάτον χώμητος Παυνσορίον, δι’ ὧν ἐδιδάχθημεν, ὡς ὁ αὐτὸς Εὐτυχὴς λιόδέλλους ἐξαπέστειλεν ὑμῖν πεπληρωμένους πάσης ἀπάτης καὶ πανουργίας, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς χρίσεως λιύέλλους ἐπιδεδωκέναι ἐχχλήτονς ἡμῖν καὶ τῇ ἐνδημούσῃ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ, καὶ ἐπικαλέσασθαι τὴν ὕμετέραν ὁσιότητα· ὅπερ οὐδαμῶς παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γέγονεν · ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος διεψεύσατο, · οἷα δὴ πατὴρ ὧν τοῦ ψεύδους, συναρπάσαι τὰς ὑμητέρας. ἀκοὰς οἰόμενος. Συγχινηθεὶς οὖν, ὁσιώτατε πάτερ, διὰ πάντα τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ τολμηθέντα, καὶ διὰ τὰ εἰς ἡμᾶς καὶ τὴν ἁγιωτάτην Ἐκχχλησίαν ὅ. γενόμενά τε καὶ λεγόμενα, παῤο ῥησίασαι συνήθως κατὰ τὸ πρέπον τῇ ἱερωσύνη καὶ οἰκειωσάμενος τὸ κοινὸν ὃ πρᾶγμα, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων Ἔκχχλησιῶν κατάστασιν, συμννηφίσασθαι μὲν τῇ γενομένῃ χατ᾽ αὐτοῦ κανονικῶς καθαιρέσει δι᾽ οἰκείων γραμμάτων καταξίωσον, στηρίξαι δὲ καὶ τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου καὶ φιλοχρίστου ἡμῶν βασιλέως πίστιν. Μόνης γὰρ τὸ πρᾶγμα δεῖται τῆς παρ᾽ ὑμῶν ῥοπῆς καὶ ἀντιλήψεως, ὀφειλούσης διὰ τῆς συννινέσεως εἰς γαλήνην καὶ εἰρήνην πάντα μετασχενάσαι. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἐπαναστᾶσα αἵρεσις, καὶ αὐτὴν ταραχὴ εὐμαρῶς καταργηθήσεται, τοῦ Θεοῦ συνεργοῦντος, διὰ τῶν ὑμετέρων ἱερῶν γραμμάτων· χωλυθήσεται δὲ γαὶ ἡ θρυλλομένη γίνεσθαι σύνοδος, ὥστε μὴ τὰς ἁπονταχόσε ἁγιωτάτας Ἐχκχλησίας διατας ραχθῆναι. Πᾶσαν τὴν σὺν σοὶ ἀδελφότητα, ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ προσαγορεύομεν. ᾿Εῤῥωμένος ἐν Κυρίῳ, κα ὑπερευχόμενος ἡμῶν 1) χαρισθείης ἡμῖν, θεοφιλέστατε καὶ ἀξιώτατε πάτερ.

Alla toutōn houtō parakolouthēsantōn, grammata hēmin apedothē tēs hymeteras hosiotētos, dia tou thaumasyōtaton chōmētos Paunsorion, di’ hōn edidachthēmen, hōs ho autos Eutychēs liodellous exapesteilen hymin peplērōmenous pasēs apatēs kai panourgias, en tǭ kairǭ tēs chriseōs liyellous epidedōkenai echchlētons hēmin kai tę̄ endēmousę̄ hagią synodǭ, kai epikalesasthai tēn hymeteran hosiotēta; hoper oudamōs par᾽ autou gegonen ; alla kai kata touto to meros diepseusato, ; hoia dē patēr hōn tou pseudous, synarpasai tas hymēteras. akoas oiomenos. Synchinētheis oun, hosiōtate pater, dia panta ta par᾽ autou tolmēthenta, kai dia ta eis hēmas kai tēn hagiōtatēn Ekchchlēsian ho. genomena te kai legomena, paro rhēsiasai synēthōs kata to prepon tę̄ hierōsynē kai oikeiōsamenos to koinon ho pragma, kai tēn tōn hagiōn Ekchchlēsiōn katastasin, symnnēphisasthai men tę̄ genomenę̄ chat᾽ autou kanonikōs kathairesei di᾽ oikeiōn grammatōn kataxiōson, stērixai de kai tou eusebestatou kai philochristou hēmōn basileōs pistin. Monēs gar to pragma deitai tēs par᾽ hymōn rhopēs kai antilēpseōs, opheilousēs dia tēs synnineseōs eis galēnēn kai eirēnēn panta metaschenasai. Houtō gar kai hē epanastasa hairesis, kai autēn tarachē eumarōs katargēthēsetai, tou Theou synergountos, dia tōn hymeterōn hierōn grammatōn; chōlythēsetai de gai hē thryllomenē ginesthai synodos, hōste mē tas hapontachose hagiōtatas Echkchlēsias diatas rachthēnai. Pasan tēn syn soi adelphotēta, egō te kai hoi syn emoi prosagoreuomen. ᾿Errhōmenos en Kyriǭ, ka hypereuchomenos hēmōn 1) charistheiēs hēmin, theophilestate kai axiōtate pater.

But when things had gone so far, a letter of your holiness was delivered to us by the most admirable count Pansophius, from which we learned that the same Eutyches has sent you petitions full of all deceit and cunning, saying that at the time of the trial he had handed petitions of appeal to us and to the holy synod then in session, and had appealed to your holiness. This was by no means done by him; but in this point too he lied, being, as it were, the son of the father of lies, thinking to take your ears by surprise. Moved, then, most holy father, by all that he has dared, and by what has been done and said against us and the most holy church, speak out freely, as is your custom and as befits the priesthood; and, making the common cause and the state of the holy churches your own, deign by a letter of your own to give your vote to the deposition canonically pronounced against him, and to strengthen the faith of our most pious and Christ-loving emperor. For the matter needs only your weight and support, which ought, through your understanding, to bring everything round to calm and peace. For so both the heresy that has risen up and the disturbance arising from it will be easily put down, with God working with us, through your sacred letter; and the synod which is rumored to be about to take place will be prevented, so that the most holy churches everywhere may not be thrown into confusion. I and those with me greet all the brotherhood with you. May you be granted to us in good health in the Lord, and praying for us, most God-beloved and most worthy father.

John 8:44 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Flavian denies that Eutyches appealed to Rome at his trial and asks Leo to confirm the deposition by letter, so that the rumored council may be avoided.

  • John 8:44 ("father of lies"). The rumored synod is the one held at Ephesus in 449. "Pansophius" renders the OCR's Παυνσορίου, an uncertain reading of the name. The OCR has lost letters in "πεπληρωμέ-[νους]" and in "καταξίω-[σον]"; restored by logged corrections.

Notes on the original text

  • Digital text corrected (OCR slip (letter confusion, e.g. κ read as χ); word cut at a line end in the OCR; words run together in the OCR): πεπληρωμέπάσης → πεπληρωμένους πάσης; χαταξίωστηρίξαι → καταξίωσον, στηρίξαι; παραχολουθησάντων → παρακολουθησάντων; χαιρῷ → καιρῷ; ἐπιδεδωχέναι → ἐπιδεδωκέναι; ῖν χαὶ τῇ → ῖν καὶ τῇ; ῳ, χαὶ ἐπιχαλέσασθαι → ῳ, καὶ ἐπικαλέσασθαι; λὰ χαὶ κα → λὰ καὶ κα; α, χαὶ δι → α, καὶ δι; ᾶς χαὶ τὴ → ᾶς καὶ τὴ; τε χαὶ λε → τε καὶ λε; χοινὸν → κοινὸν; οἰχείων → οἰκείων; δὲ χαὶ το → δὲ καὶ το; εὐσεθεστάτου χαὶ φι → εὐσεβεστάτου καὶ φι; ῆς χαὶ ἀν → ῆς καὶ ἀν; ην χαὶ εἰ → ην καὶ εἰ; ὰρ χαὶ ἡ → ὰρ καὶ ἡ ; ς, χαὶ αὐ → ς, καὶ αὐ; χαταργηθήσεται → καταργηθήσεται; τε χαὶ οἱ → τε καὶ οἱ; τε χαὶ ἀξ → τε καὶ ἀξ.

Topics: Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Flavian, Ep. Leo 2.3 (PL 54 54:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/flavian-epistulae/2-3

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-flavian-epistulae-2-3) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek printed by the Ballerini (Migne PL 54), our OCR of the page images, then compared with the public-domain English of NPNF² 12 (Leo, Letters 22 and 26).