# Church History (epitome by Photius) - Author: [Philostorgius](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/philostorgius/) - Latin title: *Historia ecclesiastica* - Date: ca. 425-433 (approximate) - Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca 65 (Paris, 1864), cols. 459-638: the epitome from Photius, with the text of Valesius and Gothofredus (OCR text layer from the Bavarian State Library, cleaned for this site) - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Editions and translations: Joseph Bidez, ed., Philostorgius: Kirchengeschichte, GCS 21 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1913; 2nd ed. Friedhelm Winkelmann, Berlin: Akademie-Verlag, 1972; the standard edition, with fragments from other authors; cited only, not reproduced) - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/ - Passages: 167 ## 0.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-0-1 - Source: PG 65:459 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Photius describes Philostorgius's history: twelve books whose initials spell his name, running from Arius's quarrel with Alexander to Valentinian III, and partisan for the heretics. ### Greek text Ὅτι ἐν δώδεκα λόγοις αὐτοῦ ἡ ἱστορία περαίνεται, ἀπαρτιζόντων αὐτοῦ τοὔνομα τῶν ἑκάστου λόγου ἀρχομένων γραμμάτων ἐν τάξει συντιθεμένων. "Αρχεται μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αρείου πρὸς ᾿Αλέξανδρον, ὡς οὗτος ᾿λέγει, ἔριδος· ἣν καὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως αἰτίαν ἀναγράφει· κάτεισι δὲ μέχρι τῆς Οὐαλεντινιανοῦ, ὃς ἦν παῖς Πλακιδίας καὶ Κωνσταντίου, εἰς βασιλέα ἀναῤῥήσεως, καὶ τῆς Ἰωάννου τοῦ τυράννου ἀναιρέσεως. Ἡ δὲ ἱστορία τῶν αἱρετιζόντων ἐστὶν ἐγκώμιον αὐτῷ ὥσπερ καὶ τῶν ὀρθοδόξων διαβολὴ καὶ ψόγος μᾶλλον ἢ ἱστορία. ### English translation (Claude) That his history is completed in twelve books, and the initial letters of the books, put together in order, make up his name. It begins with the quarrel of Arius with Alexander, as this man puts it, which he also records as the cause of the heresy; and it comes down to the proclamation as emperor of Valentinian, the son of Placidia and Constantius, and to the killing of John the usurper. His history is a eulogy of the heretics, just as it is a slander and censure of the orthodox, rather than a history. ### Translation notes - This is Photius's introduction to his epitome; throughout, “he” is Philostorgius and the judgments (“impious”, “heretics”) are Photius's. Philostorgius was an Anomoean (Eunomian), and Photius writes as his opponent. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 0.1 (PG 65:459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/0-1). ## 1.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-1 - Source: PG 65:461 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's judgment on the four books of Maccabees: the first trustworthy, the second an epitome of Jason of Cyrene, the third fanciful, the fourth a eulogy by Josephus. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῶν Μακκαβαϊκῶν φησι τὸν συγγραφέα ὅστις ποτέ ἐστιν ἀγνοεῖν. Πλὴν τὸ μὲν πρῶτον βιβλίον ἀποδοχῆς ἀξιοῖ, συνάδοντα διηγούμενον ταῖς τοῦ Δανιὴλ προφητείαις ὅτι λίαν προμηθῶς διέξεισιν, ὅπως τε ἀνδρῶν μοχθηρία τὰ Ἰουδαίων ἤλασεν ἐσχάτων κακῶν, ὅπως τε πάλιν ἀνδρῶν ήνεγκεν ἀρετή. Καὶ τότε κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἐπανείλοντο κράτος, καὶ ὁ νεὼς τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν ἀνεκαθάρθη μολυσμάτων. Τὸ δεύτερον δὲ μὴ τὸν αὐτὸν μέν φησιν ἐνδείκνυσθαι συγγραφέα· σύνοψιν δὲ εἶναι τῶν ὑπὸ Ἰάσονος τοῦ Κυρηναίου ἐν πέντε λόγοις ἀναγεγραμμένων, ἢ τὸν πόλεμον ἀπαγγέλλει ὃν Ἰούδας ὁ Μακκαβαίος πρὸς ᾿Αντίοχόν τε τὸν Ἐπιφανῆ, καὶ τὸν αὐτοῦ παῖδα τὸν ἐπίκλην Εὐπάτορα, διεπολέμησε. Τὸ δὲ τρίτον ἀποδοκιμάζει, τερατῶδες καλῶν, καὶ οὐδὲν ὅμοιον τῷ πρώτῳ διεξερχόμενον. Τὸ μέντοι γε τέταρτον ὑπὸ Ἰωσήπου γεγράφθαι καὶ αὐτὸς συνομολογῶν, οὐχ ἱστορίαν μᾶλλον ἢ ἐγκώμιον εἶναί φησι, τὸ περὶ τὸν Ἐλεάζαρον καὶ τοὺς ἑπτὰ παῖδας τοὺς Μακκαβαίους διηγούμενον. ### English translation (Claude) That he says he does not know who wrote the books of Maccabees. He approves the first book, however, as agreeing with the prophecies of Daniel, because it relates with great care both how the wickedness of men drove the affairs of the Jews to the extremest evils and how, again, the virtue of men restored them; and then they gained the mastery over their enemies, and the temple was cleansed of the pollutions of the Greeks. The second, he says, does not show the same author, but is an epitome of what Jason of Cyrene wrote in five books, which relates the war that Judas Maccabaeus fought against Antiochus Epiphanes and against his son, surnamed Eupator. The third he rejects, calling it a tale of marvels and saying it narrates nothing like the first. The fourth, however, he too agrees was written by Josephus, but says it is not so much a history as a eulogy, as it narrates the story of Eleazar and the seven Maccabean sons. ### Scripture references - Dan 11:21–35: echo, low confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - 1 Macc (1 Maccabees): allusion, high confidence - 2 Macc 2:23 (2 Maccabees): allusion, high confidence - 3 Macc (3 Maccabees): allusion, high confidence - 4 Macc (4 Maccabees): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - “restored them”: the scan reads ήνεγκεν with letters lost (probably ἀνήνεγκεν); translated by sense. - The agreement with Daniel refers to Daniel's visions of the Seleucid persecution (Dan 8; 11). On Jason of Cyrene see 2 Macc 2:23. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.1 (PG 65:461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-1). ## 1.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-2 - Source: PG 65:461 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius praises Eusebius as a historian but faults his belief that God is unknowable. ### Greek text Ὅτι τά τε ἄλλα, καὶ ὅσα πρὸς Ιστορίας ἥκει λόγον, ὁ Φιλοστόργιος τὸν Παμφίλου Εὐσέβιον ἐπαινέσας περὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν διαμαρτάνειν φησί. Καὶ τὸ ἁμάρτημα ὁ δυσσεβής διηγούμενος, διότι ἄγνωστον τὸ Θεῖον καὶ ἀκατάληπτον ἡγοῖτο. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτά φησιν αὐτὸν πλημμελεῖν· καταπαῦσαι δὲ τὸν τὰς οἰκείας τῆς Ἱστορίας μνήμας, μέχρι τῆς τῶν παίδων διαδοχῆς τοῦ Μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου συνεπιμαρτύρεται. ### English translation (Claude) That, while praising Eusebius Pamphili for other things and for whatever concerns the writing of history, Philostorgius says that he goes astray in matters of piety; and the impious man describes the error: that he held the Divine to be unknowable and incomprehensible. He says that Eusebius goes wrong in other such things as well, and he attests that Eusebius ended the records of his History at the succession of the sons of Constantine the Great. ### Translation notes - For Philostorgius, an Anomoean, God's essence could be known; Eusebius's view that God is incomprehensible is therefore an error to him. “The impious man” is Photius's description of Philostorgius. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.2 (PG 65:461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-2). ## 1.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-3 - Source: PG 65:461 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius claims Arius declined the bishopric of Alexandria in favour of Alexander. ### Greek text Ὅτι οὗτος ὁ δυσσεβής φησι τὰς ψήφους τῆς ἱερωσύνης "Αρειον φερομένας, αὐτὸν μᾶλλον ᾿Αλέξανδρον προτιμήσαντα ἑαυτοῦ, περιελθεῖν αὐτῷ ταύτας κατεπράξατο ### English translation (Claude) That this impious man says that when the votes for the priesthood were going to Arius, Arius himself preferred Alexander to himself and saw to it that they passed to him. ### Translation notes - “Priesthood” here is the bishopric of Alexandria. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.3 (PG 65:461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-3). ## 1.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-4 - Source: PG 65:461 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius blames a presbyter nicknamed Baucalis for starting the dispute between Bishop Alexander and Arius. ### Greek text Ὅτι ᾿Αλέξανδρόν τινα πρεσβύτερον Βαύκαλιν ἐπονομαζόμενον, διὰ τὸν σαρκὸς ὑπερτραφοῦς ὄγκον ὑπὸ τῶν μεταφρένων αὐτοῦ σεσωρευμένον ἄγγους ὀστρακίνου ἐκμιμῆσθαι σχῆμα, ἅπερ οὖν Βαυκάλας ἐπιχωρίως ᾿Αλεξανδρεῖς εἰώθασιν ὀνομάζειν. Τοῦτόν φησι τὴν δευτέραν τάξιν μετ' "Αρειον ἔχοντα, ἄρξαι τῆς αἰτίας, ἐξ ἧς ἡ διαφορὰ ᾿Αλεξάν δρῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ καὶ Ἀρείῳ συνεῤῥάγη, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ὁμοουσίου ἀνακήρυξιν ἐκεῖθεν ἐπιτεχνασθῆναι. ### English translation (Claude) That there was a certain Alexander, a presbyter, nicknamed Baucalis, because the mass of overfed flesh heaped up on his back made him resemble the shape of an earthenware jar, which the Alexandrians in their local speech call baucalae. This man, he says, who held the second rank after Arius, started the cause from which the dispute between Alexander the bishop and Arius broke out, and from there the proclamation of the homoousion was contrived. ### Translation notes - The homoousion is the Nicene term “of the same substance” (with the Father). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.4 (PG 65:461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-4). ## 1.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-5 - Source: PG 65:463 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on Constantius I's rule in Gaul and his death in Britain, where Constantine succeeded him. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, Κωνστάντιος ὁ τοῦ μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου πατήρ κατ' ἀνδραγαθίαν τῶν ἄνω Γαλατιῶν, ἐν αἷς καὶ αἱ καλούμεναι ῎Αλπεις, βασιλεὺς ἀπεδείχθη. Δυσέμβολα δὲ τὰ χωρία ταῦτα καὶ δυσπρόσοδα· τὰς δὲ Γαλατίας οἱ νῦν Γαλλίας ἐπονομάζουσιν. Ἡ δὲ τελευτή Κωνσταντίου κατὰ Βρετανίαν γέγονε, τὴν ᾿Αλουΐωνος καλουμένην. Ἐν ᾗ καὶ σοῦντα καταλαβὼν αὐτὸν Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ παῖς, γὼν παραδόξως τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν Διοκλητιανοῦ, τελευτῶντα ἐκήδευσε, καὶ τῆς βασιλείας κατέστη διάδοχος. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Constantius, the father of Constantine the Great, was declared emperor of upper Galatia, in which the so-called Alps also lie, on account of his valour. These regions are hard to enter and hard to approach; the Galatias are what people now call the Gauls. Constantius died in Britain, the part called Albion. There Constantine his son, who had escaped Diocletian's plot in a remarkable way, found him dying, buried him, and became his successor in the empire. ### Translation notes - The scan has lost letters in two words (σοῦντα, γὼν): the sense “dying” and “having escaped” is clear from the context and is translated so. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.5 (PG 65:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-5). ## 1.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-6 - Source: PG 65:463 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's account of the sign of the cross that Constantine saw before his victory over Maxentius. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὴν τοῦ μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου μεταβολὴν ἐκ τῆς Ἑλληνίδος θρησκείας εἰς τὸν Χριστιανισμὸν καὶ οὗτος τοῖς ἄλλοις φθεγγόμενος, αἰτίαν γενέσθαι ἀναγράφει τὴν κατὰ Μαξεντίου νίκην. Καθ' ἣν καὶ τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημεῖον κατὰ ἀνατολὰς ἐπὶ μήκιστον ὤφθη διῆκον, αἴγλης αὐτὸν καταπληττούσης διατυπουμένης καὶ ἀστέρων αὐτὸν κύκλῳ περιθεόντων, ἵριδος τρόπῳ, καὶ πρὸς γραμμάτων χαρακτῆρα ῥυθμιζομένων· τὰ δὲ ἄρα Ῥωμαίων ἔλεγε φωνῇ Ἐν τούτῳ νίκα. ### English translation (Claude) That he too, agreeing with the others, records that the cause of Constantine the Great's change from the Greek religion to Christianity was his victory over Maxentius. At that time, he says, the sign of the cross was seen in the east, stretching a very great distance, formed of a radiance that astonished him, with stars running round it in a circle like a rainbow and arranged in the shape of letters; and the letters said in the Roman tongue, “In this conquer.” ### Translation notes - The words are given in Greek translation; “in the Roman tongue” means Latin (in hoc vince). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.6 (PG 65:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-6). ## 1.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-7 - Source: PG 65:463 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius claims Alexander of Alexandria and Hosius agreed on the homoousion and the condemnation of Arius before Nicaea. ### Greek text Ὅτι καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου, οὗτος τὸν ᾿Αλεξανδρείας φησὶν ᾿Αλέξανδρον καταλαβόντα τὴν Νικομήδειαν, καὶ Ὁσίῳ τε τῷ Κουδρούβης ἐντυχόντα καὶ τοῖς σὺν αὐτῷ ἐπισκόποις, συνοδικαῖς ψήφοις ἀνομολογῆσαι παρασκευάσαι όμοούσιον τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υίων, καὶ τὸν Ἄρειον ἀποκηρύξασθαι. ### English translation (Claude) That even before the Council of Nicaea, he says, Alexander of Alexandria came to Nicomedia, met Hosius of Cordova and the bishops with him, and arranged that by synodal votes they should confess the Son consubstantial with the Father and should cast out Arius. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.7 (PG 65:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-7). ## 1.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-8 - Source: PG 65:463 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius names Basil of Amasea and Meletius of Sebastopolis among the bishops at Nicaea. ### Greek text Μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺν δὲ χρόνον καὶ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ στῆναι σύνοδον, ἐν ᾗ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρχιερέων Θεοῦ, καὶ Βασιλέα τὸν ᾿Αμασείας ἐπίσκοπον παρεῖναι, καὶ Μελέτιον τὸν Σεβαστουπόλεως ### English translation (Claude) Not long afterwards the Council of Nicaea met, at which, along with the other high priests of God, Basil, bishop of Amasea, and Meletius of Sebastopolis were also present. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.8 (PG 65:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-8). ## 1.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-9 - Source: PG 65:463 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius says all at Nicaea signed except Secundus and Theon, and that Eusebius of Nicomedia and his party signed deceitfully at Constantia's advice. ### Greek text Ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς συνομολογεῖ πάντας ὁμοφρονῆσαι τῷ ἐν Νικαίᾳ τῆς πίστεως ὅρῳ, πλὴν Σεκούνδου τοῦ Πτολεμαΐδος, ᾧ καὶ Θέων ὁ τῆς Μαρμαρικῆς ἠκολούθησεν. Τὸ δὲ ἄλλο στίφος τῶν ᾿Αρειανῶν όρων, Εὐσέβιός τε, φημὶ, ὁ Νικομηδείας, ὃν οὗτος ἀποθεάζει μέγαν, καὶ Θέογνις ὁ Νικαίας, καὶ Μάρις ὁ Καλχηδόνος, καὶ ἡ ἄλλη φάλαγξ, πρὸς τὴν σύνοδον μετετάξατο δόλῳ μὲν, καὶ οὗτός φησι, καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον ἐν τῇ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου φωνῇ ὑποκλέψαντες· πλήν γε συμφρονεῖν τοῖς συνοδικοῖς ψηφίσμασιν ἀναδεξάμενοι, Κωνσταντίνας τῆς τοῦ Κωνσταντίνου βασιλέως ἀδελφῆς εἰσηγησαμένης αὐτοῖς τὴν εἰς τοῦ. ### English translation (Claude) That he himself also admits that all agreed with the definition of the faith at Nicaea except Secundus of Ptolemais, whom Theon of Marmarica also followed. The rest of the Arian band (Eusebius of Nicomedia, I mean, whom this man extols as a god, Theognis of Nicaea, Maris of Chalcedon, and the rest of the phalanx) went over to the council, with deceit, as he too says, slipping in “of like substance” under the word “of the same substance”; but at any rate they undertook to agree with the synodal decrees, Constantia, the sister of the emperor Constantine, having advised them to this … ### Translation notes - The printed text has ὁμοούσιον twice (“slipping the homoousion under the word homoousion”); the sense requires ὁμοιούσιον (“of like substance”) in the first place, and it is translated so. - The name is printed Κωνσταντίνας; Constantine's sister was Constantia. - The section breaks off in mid-phrase (τὴν εἰς τοῦ…); the end is lost in the scan. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.9 (PG 65:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-9). ## 1.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-1-10 - Source: PG 65:465 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Secundus foretells the exile of Eusebius of Nicomedia, which followed three months after Nicaea. ### Greek text Λέγει δὲ καὶ Σεκοῦνδον ὑπεροριζόμενον εἰπεῖν πρὸς Εὐσέβιον· Εὐσέβιε, ὑπέγραψας, ἵνα μὴ ἐξορισθῇς. Πιστεύω τῷ Θεῷ, ἐνιαυτοῦ σε δεῖ ἀχθήσεσθαι ἀπαγόμενον. Καὶ γεγονέναι τῷ Εὐσεβίῳ τὸν ἐξοστρακισμὸν μετὰ μῆνας ἀπὸ τῆς συνόδου τρεῖς, καθὰ καὶ Σεκοῦνδος προεῖπε, πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν κατὰ τὸ προφανὲς ἀσέβειαν ἀνα[σ]τρέψαντι. ### English translation (Claude) He also says that Secundus, when he was being sent into exile, said to Eusebius: “Eusebius, you signed so as not to be exiled. I trust in God that within a year you must be led away into exile.” And Eusebius's banishment took place three months after the council, as Secundus had foretold, since he had openly turned back to his own impiety. ### Translation notes - “His own impiety” is Photius's description of Eusebius's position. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 1.10 (PG 65:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/1-10). ## 2.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-1 - Source: PG 65:465 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius claims Constantine turned against the Nicene term, that Alexander briefly subscribed, then returned to his own view. ### Greek text Ὅτι ὁ φιλοψευδής οὗτος Κακοστόργιος, μετὰ τὴν οἰκουμενικὴν σύνοδον, καὶ τὴν ἐκ προδήλου τῶν περὶ τὸν Εὐσέβιον πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν παλινῳδίαν, τὸν βασιλέα φησὶ Κωνσταντῖνον τούτους μὲν δίκην εἰσα πράξασθαι, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἄλλα φρονοῦντες τῷ ὁμοουσίῳ ὑπεσημήναντο· τοὺς δὲ περὶ Σεκοῦνδον ἀνακαλέσασθαι· καὶ γράμματα πανταχοῦ διαπέμψαι, τὸ μὲν ὁμοούσιον διασύροντα, κρατύνοντα δὲ τὸ ἑτεροούσιον. Οἷς γράμμασι καὶ τὸν ᾿Αλέξανδρον ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ὑπογράψαι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο συνελθεῖν αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς περὶ ῎Αρειον τοῦ δὲ ἐκ βασιλέως ἠρεμήσαντος τὸν μὲν ᾿Αλέξανδρον ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀναδραμεῖν γνώμην. Τὸν δὲ Ἄρειον πάλιν αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας σὺν τοῖς ὁμόφροσιν ἀποστῆναι. ### English translation (Claude) That this lover of lies, Cacostorgius, says that after the ecumenical council and the open recantation of Eusebius's party in favour of piety, the emperor Constantine punished them because, though thinking otherwise, they had subscribed to the homoousion; that he recalled Secundus and those with him; and that he sent letters everywhere, ridiculing the homoousion and confirming the heteroousion. To these letters, he says, Alexander of Alexandria also subscribed, and for this reason he and Arius's party came together; but when the pressure from the emperor eased, Alexander ran back to his own opinion, and Arius, with those of like mind, again separated from him and from the church. ### Translation notes - “Cacostorgius” is Photius's pun on Philostorgius's name (“lover of affection” turned into “of evil affection”). - Heteroousion: “of a different substance”, the Anomoean formula. Photius regards Philostorgius's account as false. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.1 (PG 65:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-1). ## 2.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-2 - Source: PG 65:465 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Arius wrote popular songs for sailors, millers and travellers to spread his teaching. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸν Ἄρειον ἀποπηδήσαντα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας φησὶ ἄσματά τε ναυτικὰ καὶ ἐπιμύλια καὶ ὁδοιπορικὰ γράψαι, καὶ τοιαῦθ᾽ ἕτερα συντιθέντα, εἰς μελῳδίας ἐντεῖναι, ἃς ἐνόμιζεν ἑκάστοις ἁρμόζειν, διὰ τῆς ἐν ταῖς μελῳδίαις ἡδονῆς ἐκκλέπτων πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσέβειαν τοὺς ἀμαθεστέρους τῶν ἀνθρώπων. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that Arius, after breaking away from the church, wrote songs for sailors, for the mill and for travellers, and composed other such pieces, setting them to tunes he thought suited to each, and so, by the pleasure of the tunes, stole away the more ignorant people to his own impiety. ### Translation notes - “His own impiety” is Photius's wording. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.2 (PG 65:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-2). ## 2.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-3 - Source: PG 65:465 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius faults Arius for teaching that God is unknowable even to the Son, and names the few Arians who did not hold it. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸν Ἄρειον ἐν τῷ θεομαχεῖν κατά τοῦ Υἱοῦ ὑπερθειάζων, ἀτόποις ἐνέχεσθαί φησι, διότι ἀτοπίαν κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ μὴ ῎Αρειον μόνον, ἀλλὰ ἄγνωστόν τε τὸν Θεὸν καὶ ἀκατάληπτον πανταχοῦ καὶ ἀνεννόητον εἰσηγεῖται· καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώποις μόνοις, ὃ κακὸν μετριώτερον ἴσως, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ μονογενεῖ Υἱῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Καὶ πρὸς ταύτην φησὶ τὴν καὶ τοὺς πλείους αὐτῶν συναπενεχθῆναι Πλὴν γὰρ Σεκούνδου καὶ Θεωνᾶ, καὶ τῶν Λουκιανοῦ τοῦ μάρτυρος μαθητῶν, Λεοντίου τε καὶ ᾿Αντωνίου, καὶ τοῦ Νικομηδείας Εὐσεβίου, τὸ ἄλλο τῆς ἀσεβείας σύνταγμα πρὸς ταύτην ἀποῤῥυῆναι τὴν δόξαν. ### English translation (Claude) That, though he extols Arius beyond measure for his fight against God, against the Son, he says that he was caught in absurdities, since (and at that time it was not Arius alone) he teaches that God is in every respect unknowable, incomprehensible and inconceivable, and not to human beings only, which is perhaps a lesser evil, but even to the only-begotten Son of God himself. And he says that most of them were carried away to this [absurdity] as well. For apart from Secundus and Theonas, and the disciples of Lucian the martyr, Leontius and Antony, and Eusebius of Nicomedia, the rest of the company of impiety drifted off to this opinion. ### Translation notes - “His fight against God” is Photius's description of Arius's teaching. Philostorgius, as an Anomoean, held God's essence knowable and so criticizes Arius here. - The clause “and at that time it was not Arius alone” is garbled in the scan and translated by sense; after “to this” a noun has been lost (probably “absurdity”). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.3 (PG 65:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-3). ## 2.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-4 - Source: PG 65:467 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on Constantine's killing of Crispus and Fausta, and his claim that Constantine was poisoned by his brothers. ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶ τὸν Κωνσταντῖνον ἀνελεῖν τὸν ἴδιον παῖδα Κρίσπον, διαβολαῖς τῆς μητρυιᾶς συναρπασθέντα· κἀκείνην δὲ πάλιν φωραθεῖσάν τινι τῶν Κουρσώρων μοιχωμένην, τῇ τοῦ λουτροῦ ἀλέᾳ αποπνιγῆναι προστάξαι. Καὶ τῷ παιδίῳ τοῦ ξίφους διδοῦντα Κωνσταντῖνον τὴν δίκην, μετ' οὐ πολὺν χρόνον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν φαρμάκοις κατὰ τὴν Νικομήδειαν διατρίβοντα ἀναιρεθῆναι. ### English translation (Claude) That he says Constantine killed his own son Crispus, carried away by the slanders of the young man's stepmother; and that when she in turn was caught committing adultery with one of the cursores, he ordered her to be suffocated in the heat of the bath. And Constantine, paying the penalty to his son for the sword, was not long afterwards killed by his brothers with poison while he was staying at Nicomedia. ### Translation notes - The stepmother is Fausta. Cursores were imperial couriers. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.4 (PG 65:467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-4). ## 2.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-5 - Source: PG 65:467 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's account of Ulfilas: the Gothic captives' conversion, his ordination by Eusebius, his Gothic alphabet and Bible (without Kingdoms), and his Arian sympathies. ### Greek text Ὅτι Οὐρφίλαν φησὶ κατὰ τούτους τοὺς χρόνους ἐκ τῶν πέραν Ἴστρου Σκυθῶν (οὓς οἱ μὲν πάλαι Γέτας, οἱ δὲ νῦν Γότθους καλοῦσι) πολὺν εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων διαβιβάσαι λαὸν, δι᾽ εὐσέβειαν ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων ἡθῶν ἑλαθέντας. Χριστιανίσαι δὲ τὸ ἔθνος τρόπῳ τοιῷδε Βασιλεύοντος Οὐαλεριανοῦ καὶ Γαλλιήνου, μοῖρα Σκυθῶν βαρεῖα τῶν πέραν τοῦ Ἴστρου, διέβησαν εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων, καὶ πολλὴν μὲν κατἐδραμον τῆς Εὐρώπης. Διαβάντες δὲ καὶ εἰς τὴν Ασίαν τήν τε Γαλατίαν, καὶ τὴν Καππαδικίαν ἐπῆλθον, καὶ πολλοὺς ἔλαβον αἰχμαλώτους, ἄλλους τε καὶ τῶν κατειλεγμένων τῷ κλήρῳ, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς λείας ἀπεκομίσθησαν οἴκαδε. Ὁ δὲ αἰχμάλωτος καὶ εὐσεβὴς ὅμιλος, συναναστραφέντες τοῖς βαρβάροις, οὐκ ὀλίγους τε αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ εὐσεβὲς μετεποίησαν, καὶ τὰ Χριστιανῶν φρονεῖν ἀντὶ τῆς Ἑλληνίδος δόξης παρεσκεύασαν. Ταύτης τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας γεγόνεσαν καὶ οἱ Οὐρφίλα πρόγονοι, Καππαδόκαι μὲν γένος, πόλεως δὲ πλησίον Παρνασσοῦ, ἐκ κώμης δὲ Σαδαγολθινὰ καλουμένης. Ὁ τοίνυν Οὐρφίλας οὗτος καθηγήσατο τῆς ἐξόδου τῶν εὐσεβῶν, ἐπίσκοπος αὐτῶν πρῶτος καταστάς· κατέστη δὲ ὧδε Παρὰ τοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἄγοντος τοῦ ἔθνους ἐπὶ τῶν Κωνσταντίνου χρόνων εἰς πρεσβείαν σὺν ἄλλοις ἀποσταλεὶς (καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὰ τῇδε βάρβαρα ἔθνη ὑποκέκλιτο τῷ βασιλεῖ), ὑπὸ Εὐσεβίου καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ ἐπισκόπων χειροτονεῖται τῶν ἐν τῇ Γετικῇ Χριστιανιζόντων, καὶ τὰ τε ἄλλα αὐτῶν ἐπεμελεῖτο, καὶ γραμμάτων αὐτοῖς οἰκείων εὑρετὴς καταστὰς, μετέφρασεν εἰς τὴν αὐτῶν φωνὴν τὰς Γραφὰς ἁπάσας, πλήν γε δὴ τῶν Βασιλειῶν, ἅτε τῶν μὲν πολέμων ἱστορίαν ἐχουσῶν, τοῦ δὲ ἔθνους ὄντος φιλοπολέμου, καὶ δεομένου μᾶλλον χαλινοῦ τῆς ἐπὶ τὰς μάχας ὁρμῆς, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ τοῦ πρὸς ταῦτα παροξύνοντος. Ὅπερ ἰσχὺν ἔχει ταῦτα ποιεῖν, σεβάσμιά τε μάλιστα νομιζόμενα, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Θείου θεραπείαν τοὺς πειθομένους καταρυθμίζοντα. Ἱδρύσατο δ᾽ ὁ βασιλεὺς τὸν αὐτόμολον τοῦτον λαὸν περὶ τὰ τῆς Μυσίας χωρία, ὡς ἑκάστῳ φίλον ἦν· καὶ τὸν Οὐρφίλαν διὰ πλείστης ἦγε τιμῆς, ὡς καὶ πολλάκις, Ὁ ἡμῶν Μωσῆς, λέγειν περὶ αὐτοῦ. Λίαν δὲ οὗτος τὸν ἄνδρα θειάζει, καὶ τῆς αἱρετικῆς αὐτοῦ δόξης ἐραστὴν αὐτόν τε καὶ τοὺς ὑπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἀναγράφει. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that about these times Ulfilas brought over into Roman territory a great people from the Scythians beyond the Ister (whom the ancients called Getae and people now call Goths), who had been driven from their homes on account of piety. The nation became Christian in this way. In the reign of Valerian and Gallienus a large portion of the Scythians beyond the Ister crossed into Roman territory and overran much of Europe. Crossing over into Asia as well, they invaded Galatia and Cappadocia and took many captives, among them some who were enrolled in the clergy, and they went back home with much plunder. The pious band of captives, living among the barbarians, converted not a few of them to piety and brought them to hold the Christian faith instead of the Greek belief. To this captivity belonged the ancestors of Ulfilas too: Cappadocians by race, from a village called Sadagolthina near the city of Parnassus. This Ulfilas, then, led the exodus of the pious, having become their first bishop. He was made bishop in this way. Sent on an embassy with others by the ruler of the nation in the time of Constantine (for the barbarian nations there too were subject to the emperor), he was ordained by Eusebius and the bishops with him as bishop of those in the Getic land who were Christians. He cared for them in every way, and having invented letters of their own for them, he translated all the Scriptures into their language except the books of Kingdoms, since these contain the history of wars, and the nation was fond of war and needed a bridle on its eagerness for battle rather than something to spur it on. And these books have the power to do this, being held in the highest reverence and training those who believe them for the service of God. The emperor settled this people of refugees in the region of Moesia, wherever each pleased, and held Ulfilas in the highest honour, so that he often called him “our Moses.” This man [Philostorgius] praises him extravagantly, and records that both he and those under him were lovers of his own heretical opinion. ### Translation notes - The name is printed Οὐρφίλας. The books of Kingdoms are 1–2 Samuel and 1–2 Kings. - The parenthesis in the printed text was broken by lemmata of Valesius's notes (repeated phrases from this and earlier sections); they have been removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.5 (PG 65:467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-5). ## 2.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-6 - Source: PG 65:469 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius claims the Indians taught by Bartholomew, the Homerites, held the Anomoean doctrine. ### Greek text Ὅτι τοὺς ἐνδοτάτω Ἰνδοὺς, ὅσοι Χριστὸν ἔμαθον τιμᾶν ἐκ τῆς Βαρθολομαίου τοῦ ἀποστόλου διδασκαλίας, τὸ ἑτεροούσιον πρεσβεύειν δ δυσσεβής φησι. Καὶ τὸν Θεόφιλον εἰσάγει τὸν Ἰνδὸν τὸ τοιοῦτον ἀσπαζόμενον φρόνημα, παραγενέσθαι τε εἰς αὐτοὺς καὶ τὴν αὐτῶν ἐκδιηγεῖσθαι δόξαν. Τὸ δὲ τῶν Ἰνδῶν ἔθνος τοῦτο, Σάβα μὲν πάλαι ἀπὸ τῆς Σάβα μητροπόλεως, τὰ νῦν δὲ Ὁμηρίτας καλεῖσθαι. ### English translation (Claude) That the impious man says that the innermost Indians, as many as learned to honour Christ from the teaching of the apostle Bartholomew, profess the heteroousion; and he introduces Theophilus the Indian, who embraced this opinion, as having visited them and described their belief. This nation of Indians was formerly called Sabaeans, from Saba, their chief city, but is now called Homerites. ### Translation notes - The Homerites are the Himyarites of southern Arabia; “Indians” is used loosely. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.6 (PG 65:469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-6). ## 2.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-7 - Source: PG 65:469 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on the return of Eusebius, Maris and Theognis, their creed, and the deposition of Alexander and Eustathius. ### Greek text Ὅτι μετὰ τρεῖς ὅλους ἐνιαυτούς φησιν Εὐσέβιον καὶ Μάριν καὶ Θέογνιν, ψήφῳ βασιλέως τοῦ Κωνσταντίνου ἐπανόδου τυχόντας, πίστεώς τε σύμβολον αἱρετικῆς ἐκθεῖναι, καὶ πανταχόσε διαπέμψαι; ἐπ᾿ ἀνατροπῇ τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου· καὶ τὸν ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ᾿Αλέξανδρον καθελεῖν τε καὶ ἀποκηρύξασθαι, ἀνθ᾽ ὧν ἐπὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον παλιντραπέλως ἐπανέστρεφεν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ Εὐστάθιον τὸν ᾿Αντιοχείας, παιδίσκης μίξιν καὶ αἰσχρᾶς ἡδονῆς ἀπόλαυσιν αἰτίαν ἐπιγραψαμένους, φυγὴν αὐτῷ βασιλεὺς ἐτιμήσατο εἰς τὴν Ἑσπέραν μεθόριον ποιησάμενος. Πεντήκοντα δὲ καὶ διακοσίους φησὶν εἶναι τὸ πλήρωμα τοῦ παρανόμου τούτου συνεδρίου, καὶ τὴν Νικομήδειαν αὐτοῖς τῶν παρανομηθέντων ποιήσασθαι ἐργαστήριον. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that after three full years Eusebius, Maris and Theognis, having obtained their return by decree of the emperor Constantine, set forth a heretical creed and sent it everywhere to overthrow the Council of Nicaea; and that they deposed and cast out Alexander of Alexandria, because he had turned back again to the homoousion. Moreover Eustathius of Antioch, against whom they brought the charge of intercourse with a slave girl and of indulging in shameful pleasure, the emperor rewarded with exile, making the West the place of his banishment. He says the full number of this lawless assembly was two hundred and fifty, and that they made Nicomedia the workshop of their lawless deeds. ### Translation notes - “Heretical” and “lawless” are Photius's words. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.7 (PG 65:469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-7). ## 2.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-8 - Source: PG 65:471 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius tells of the miracles of Agapetus, an Arian bishop of Synnada. ### Greek text Ὅτι περὶ ᾿Αγαπητοῦ τοῦ συναιρεσιώτου, ὃς καὶ ἐκ καταλόγου στρατιωτικοῦ, πρεσβύτερός τε κατέστη παρὰ τῶν ὁμοφρόνων, καὶ Συνάδων ἐπίσκοπος ὕστερον· περὶ γοῦν τούτου πολλὰ τερατολογῶν, νεκρούς τε αὐτὸν ἀναστῆναι λέγει, καὶ πολλῶν ἄλλων παθῶν φυγαδευτὴν γενέσθαι καὶ ἐλατῆρα· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ παραδόξων ἄλλων ἔργων δημιουργὸν, καὶ πολλοὺς ἐξ Ἑλλήνων εἰς τὸν Χριστιανισμὸν μετατάξασθαι παρασκευάσαι. ### English translation (Claude) That about Agapetus, his fellow-heretic, who came from the army roll, was made presbyter by those of like mind, and later became bishop of Synnada: about this man, then, he tells many marvels, saying that he raised the dead, drove out and put to flight many other ailments, also performed other wonderful works, and brought many Greeks to go over to Christianity. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.8 (PG 65:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-8). ## 2.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-9 - Source: PG 65:471 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantine marks out the walls of Constantinople, led by a heavenly power, and furnishes it to rival Rome. ### Greek text Ὅτι Κωνσταντῖνόν φησιν ὀκτῷ καὶ εἰκοστῷ ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ, τὸ Βυζάντιον εἰς Κωνσταντίνου πόλιν μετασκευάσαι, καὶ τὸν περίβολον ὀριζόμενον, βάδην τε περιιέναι, τὸ δόρυ τῇ χειρὶ φέροντα. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἐδόκει μεῖζον ἢ προσῆκε τὸ τρον ἐκτείνειν, προσελθεῖν τε αὐτῷ τινα καὶ διαπυνθάνεσθαι· Ἕως ποῦ, δέσποτα; τὸν δὲ ἀποκρινάμενον διαρρήδην φάναι· Ἕως ἂν ὁ ἔμπροσθέν μου στῇ, ἐπίδηλον ποιοῦντα, ὡς δύναμις αὐτοῦ τις ούρανία προηγοῖτο, τοῦ πραττομένου διδάσκαλος. Ἱδρυσάμενον δὲ τὴν πόλιν ἄλμα Ῥώμην ὀνομάσαι, ὅ δηλοῖ τῇ Ῥωμαΐδι γλώττῃ τὴν ἔνδοξον· καὶ βουλήν τε σύγκλητον τάξασθαι, καὶ σιτηρεσίου δαπάνην αὐταρκεστάτην διανεῖμαι τοῖς οἰκήτορσι, καὶ τὸν ἄλλον ἐν αὐτῇ τῆς πολιτείας πολυτελῶς κόσμον καταστήσασθαι, ὡς ἀρκεῖν εἰς ἀντίπαλον κλέος τῇ προτέρᾳ Ῥώμῃ. ### English translation (Claude) That he says Constantine, in the twenty-eighth year of his reign, turned Byzantium into Constantinople. Marking out the circuit of the wall, he went round on foot, carrying a spear in his hand. When to those following he seemed to be extending the measure more than was fitting, one of them came up to him and asked, “How far, master?” He answered plainly, “Until the one in front of me stops,” making clear that some heavenly power was going before him, teaching him what to do. When he had founded the city, he named it Alma Roma, which in the Roman tongue means “the glorious”; he established a senate, distributed a most ample allowance of grain to the inhabitants, and furnished the rest of the city's civic splendour lavishly, so that it was enough to rival the former Rome in fame. ### Translation notes - “Measure”: the scan reads τὸ τρον, with letters lost (probably μέτρον). - Latin alma means “nourishing”; Philostorgius glosses it as “glorious”. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.9 (PG 65:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-9). ## 2.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-10 - Source: PG 65:471 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On the death of Alexander of Constantinople, Eusebius of Nicomedia is moved to the see of Constantinople. ### Greek text Τελευτήσαντος δὲ τοῦ ταύτης τῆς πόλεως ἀρχιερέως ᾿Αλεξάνδρου, τὸν Νικομηδείας φησὶν Εὐσέβιον, εἰς τὸν τῆς νεοκτίστου πόλεως ἀρχιερατικὸν μεταστῆσαι θρόνον. ### English translation (Claude) When Alexander, the high priest of this city, died, he says that [Constantine] transferred Eusebius of Nicomedia to the high-priestly throne of the newly founded city. ### Translation notes - The city is Constantinople; “high priest” is Philostorgius's word for bishop. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.10 (PG 65:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-10). ## 2.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-11 - Source: PG 65:473 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's hostile account of Athanasius's ordination and of the councils of Tyre, which Photius rejects as lies. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸ δυσσεβὲς οὗτος τοῦ ψεύδους ὄργανον, ᾿Αλεξάνδρου τοῦ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας τελευτήσαντος, καὶ ψήφων ἄλλων ἐπ᾿ ἄλλους φερομένων, καὶ χρόνου τινὸς ἐπὶ τοῦτο παρατεινομένου τὸν θεῖον ᾿Αθανάσιόν φησι περὶ δείλην ὀψίαν εἰς τὴν Διονυσίου καλουμένην ἐκκλησίαν ἐσπηδήσαντα καὶ δύο τινὰς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἐπισκόπων εὑρόντα, τὰς πύλας τε κατὰ ὀχυρώτατον μετὰ τῶν συστασιωτῶν ἐπικλεισάμενον, οὕτω τὴν χειροτονίαν ὑπελθεῖν, τῶν χειροτονούντων πολλὰ μὲν ἀνανευόντων. Τῆς δὲ προσαγομένης αὐτοῖς βίας, μείζονος τῆς βουλῆς καὶ τῆς δυνάμεως γεγενημένης, τὸ δοκοῦν ᾿Αθανασίῳ ἐπιτελεσθῆναι. Καὶ ὡς ὁ παρὼν τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἄλλος ὅμιλος, διὰ τὴν τοιαύτην αἰτίαν τῷ ἀναθήματι τοῦτον παρεπέμψαντο. Τὸν δὲ ᾿Αθανάσιον κρατυνάμενον τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν, ὡς ἀπὸ τοῦ κοινοῦ τῆς πόλεως πρὸς βασιλέα γράψαι τὴν εἰς τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην ἀνάῤῥησιν αὐτοῦ. Τὸν δὲ, νομίσαντα κοινῆς βουλῆς εἶναι τὸ γράμμα, ἐπιψηφίσαι τὴν κατοχὴν τοῦ θρόνου. Ὕστερον δὲ μαθόντα τὰ πεπραγμένα, εἰς Τύρον τῆς Φοινίκης αὐτὸν ἐξαποστεῖλαι, τῷ ἐκεῖσε συνεδρίῳ λόγον ὧν ἕδρασε δώσοντα. Καὶ μόλις μὲν οὖν εἶξαι τοῖς βασιλείοις ἀπειλαῖς τὸν ᾿Αθανάσιον. Εἴξαντα οὖν καὶ παραγενόμενον εἰς Τύρον, τοὺς μὲν δίκην οὐκ εἰσέρχεσθαι γύναιον δὲ τι μισθωσάμενον ἑταιρικὸν, ἤδη τῷ τῆς γαστρὸς ὄγκῳ τὴν ἀκολασίαν στηλιτεῦον, ἐπαφεῖναι διαμηχανᾶσθαι τῷ Εὐσεβίῳ, ὅς τοῦ ἐκεῖσε συνεδρίου κορυφαῖος ἐνομίζετο· τῷ διὰ τὴν συκοφαντίαν, ὡς εἰκὸς, ἐμπεσόντι θορύβῳ καὶ ταράχῳ, τὴν τε δίκην ὑποκλέψαι καὶ τὴν ἐκφυγεῖν διανοούμενος φωραθῆναι δὲ τὴν σκευὴν ὁ τοῦ ψεύδους φίλος ἀναγράφει, ἧς μεθόδου φασὶν οἱ εὐσεβεῖς τὸ κατὰ τοῦ μεγάλου ᾿Αθανασίου μισθωθὲν παρὰ τῶν δυσσεβῶν πορνίδιον ελεγχθῆναι. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ Εὐσέβιον διαπυνθάνεσθαι τῆς ἑταιρίδος, εἰ γινώσκει αὐτῆς τὸν φθορέα τῆς δὲ καὶ μάλα διατεινομένης, προσαναπυθέσθαι, εἰ ἄρα γε τοῦτον ὁ παρὼν χρόνος ἔχει τὴν δὲ φάναι, Εὐφήμει, ὦ δέσποτα· οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγ᾽ ἂν μαινοίμην, ἀνδρῶν τοιούτων αἰσχρᾶς ἡδονῆς δουλείαν. Ὥστε καταγνῶναι εἶτ' ἐντεῦθεν ἀρξαμένης παραγυμνοῦσθαι τῆς ἀληθείας, τὴν ὅλην συσκευὴν ἀνακαλυφθῆναι. Καὶ τὸν μὲν Εὐσέβιον κρείττω συκοφαντίας πάσης ὀφθῆναι· τὸν δὲ ᾿Αθανάσιον, ἀντὶ τοῦ φυγεῖν σης τῆς οὐκ εὐαγοῦς χειροτονίας τὴν ἐναγεστάτην συκοφαντίαν. Διὸ καὶ τὴν καθαιρετικὴν ψῆφον ὁμόφωνον κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐξενεχθῆναι, ἐκεῖνον μέντοι γε προσαναισχυντεῖν· καὶ λέγειν, ἀπεχθείᾳ τὴν καθαίρεσιν τοὺς συνεδρεύσαντας διαπράξασθαι, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰς συκοφαντίας, διότι μὴ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀνάσχοιτο τὴν ἀρχιερατικὴν χειροθεσίαν ὑποστῆναι. Διὸ καὶ τὸν βασιλέα ἐπιτρέψαι πάλιν ἑτέρᾳ συνόδῳ τὰ κατὰ τὸν ᾿Αθανάσιον ἐτασθῆναι. Τοὺς δὲ καὶ ἕτερα τῶν ἐγκλημάτων ἐπισυναθροῖσαι· Καλλίνικόν τε γὰρ τὸν ὁμολογητὴν, ἐπίσκοπον τοῦ Πηλουσίου, πέδαις σιδηραῖς ἐνδυσάμενον εἰρκτῇ καταθέσθαι, καὶ μὴ διαλιπεῖν προπηλακίζοντα, ἕως ἂν αὐτὸν τοῦ ζῆν ελάσοι, προσετίθεσαν ταῖς κατηγορίαις. Καὶ δὴ καὶ τὴν δίκην, διπλῆς ἔνοχον ἀπελεγχθῆναι, προσλαβούΕι ἡ ᾿Αρσενίου χεὶρ τηνικαῦτα προεκομίσθη, καὶ ὁ ρεώτης, καὶ ὁ Ἰσχύρας, καὶ τὸ μυστικὸν ποτήριον, καὶ τὰ παραπλήσια τούτοις, ἐφ᾽ οἷς αὐτὸν καὶ κηρύξαι τὸ συνέδριον, καὶ ἀντ' αὐτοῦ προχειρίσασθαι τὸν ἐκ Καππαδοκίας Γρηγόριον. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὁ φιλοψευδής Κακοστόργιος περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου τερατεύεται ᾿Αθανασίου. ### English translation (Claude) That this impious instrument of falsehood says that after Alexander of Alexandria died, while the votes were going to different men and some time was being spent on this, the divine Athanasius burst late one evening into the church called Dionysius's, and finding two of the Egyptian bishops there, shut the doors as securely as possible with his partisans and so got himself ordained by stealth, though those ordaining him strongly refused. But since the force brought to bear on them proved greater than their will and their strength, what Athanasius wanted was carried out. And, he says, the rest of the body of bishops then present consigned him to anathema for this reason. Athanasius, having secured his position, wrote to the emperor, as if from the community of the city, about his proclamation to the high priesthood; and the emperor, thinking the letter came from a common decision, ratified his possession of the throne. Later, however, learning what had been done, he sent him to Tyre in Phoenicia, to give an account to the council there of what he had done. Athanasius barely yielded to the imperial threats. When he had yielded and come to Tyre, he would not come to trial, but hired a woman of the streets, who was already advertising her licentiousness by her swollen belly, and contrived to set her on Eusebius, who was regarded as the leader of the council there, intending, in the uproar and confusion that the false charge would naturally cause, to steal away from the trial and escape. But the plot was detected, the lover of lies records, by the very method by which, according to the pious, the harlot hired by the impious against the great Athanasius was exposed. For Eusebius asked the woman whether she knew the man who had corrupted her; and when she insisted strongly that she did, he asked further whether he was present now; and she said, “Hush, master! I would not be so mad as to accuse such men of slavery to shameful pleasure.” Then, as the truth began to be laid bare from this point, the whole plot was uncovered. Eusebius was seen to be above all slander, while Athanasius, instead of escaping the trial, was proved guilty twice over, having added the most accursed slander to his unholy ordination. Therefore the sentence of deposition was passed against him unanimously; but he went on to further shamelessness and said that the members of the council had brought about his deposition out of hatred, as they had the false charges, because he had not consented to receive the high-priestly laying on of hands from them. Therefore the emperor again entrusted the examination of Athanasius's case to another council. They gathered further charges as well, adding to the accusations that he had bound Callinicus the confessor, bishop of Pelusium, in iron fetters and put him in prison, and had not ceased to abuse him, to drive him out of life. At that time Arsenius's hand was brought forward, and the Mareotes affair, and Ischyras, and the mystical cup, and things like these, for which the council proclaimed him [deposed] and appointed in his place Gregory from Cappadocia. These are the marvels that the lie-loving Cacostorgius tells about the holy Athanasius. ### Translation notes - Photius rejects this account; the epithets for Philostorgius (“instrument of falsehood”, “lover of lies”, “Cacostorgius”) and the honorifics for Athanasius are his. Philostorgius turns against Athanasius the story that orthodox writers tell of a harlot hired against Athanasius at Tyre. - The scan is damaged in places: the woman's answer and the clause on Athanasius's conviction (ἀντὶ τοῦ φυγεῖν σης…) have lost words; a line belonging to that clause (καὶ τὴν δίκην, διπλῆς ἔνοχον ἀπελεγχθῆναι, προσλαβού…) is displaced in the scan to the sentence before Arsenius's hand, and is translated where the sense requires; ὁ ρεώτης is the Mareotes affair (Μαρεώτης) with letters lost. - Arsenius's hand, Ischyras and the broken chalice are the charges known from Athanasius's Defence against the Arians. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.11 (PG 65:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-11). ## 2.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-12 - Source: PG 65:475 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Helena founds Helenopolis where a dolphin brought Lucian the martyr's body ashore. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου μήτηρ Ἑλένη, ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι τοῦ τῆς Νικομηδείας κόλπου πόλιν ἐδείματο, Ἑλενόπολιν αὐτὴν ονομάσασα· ἀσπάσασθαι δὲ τὸ χωρίον κατ᾿ ἄλλο μὲν οὐδὲν, ὅτι δὲ Λουκιανὸς ὁ μάρτυς ἐκεῖσε τύχοι μετὰ τὸν μαρτυρικὸν θάνατον ὑπὸ δελφῖνος ἐκκομισθείς. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Helena, the mother of the emperor Constantine, built a city at the mouth of the gulf of Nicomedia and named it Helenopolis. She was fond of the place for no other reason than that Lucian the martyr had been carried ashore there by a dolphin after his martyr's death. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.12 (PG 65:475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-12). ## 2.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-13 - Source: PG 65:475 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Lucian the martyr, bound in prison, celebrates the Eucharist on his own breast for his companions. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸν μάρτυρα Λουκιανόν φησι μέλλοντα τελευτᾶν, καὶ μήτε ναὸν μήτε θυσιαστήριον τῆς τυραννικῆς βίας παρεχούσης, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ἀντικινεῖσθαι τῶν δεσμῶν καὶ πληγῶν συγχωρούντων, ἐν τῷ οἰκείῳ στέρνῳ ἀνακείμενον τὴν φρικτὴν θυσίαν τελεσάμενον, οὕτω τε αὐτὸν μετασχεῖν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους μεταλαβεῖν τοῦ ἀχράντου θύματος ἐπιτρέψαι. Ἐτελέσθη δὲ ἡ ἱερουργία ἐν τῇ εἰρκτῇ, τοῦ κυκλώσαντος αὐτὸν ἱεροῦ χοροῦ ὡς ἤδη ἀποβιοῦντα, ἐκκλησίας σχῆμα καὶ ἀσφάλειαν τοῦ μὴ καθορᾶσθαι τὰ δρώμενα παρὰ τῶν εὐσεβούντων ἀναπληροῦντος. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that the martyr Lucian, when he was about to die, since the tyrant's violence allowed him neither church nor altar, and his bonds and wounds did not even let him move, lay on his back and performed the awesome sacrifice on his own breast, and so partook himself and let the others share in the spotless victim. The sacred rite was performed in the prison, the holy company that surrounded him as he was already dying filling the place of a church and providing protection so that what was done would not be seen by the impious. ### Translation notes - “By the impious”: the printed text reads εὐσεβούντων (“the pious”), which makes no sense here; the reading ἀσεβούντων (“the impious”), given in a lemma of Valesius's notes that leaked into 2.14, is followed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.13 (PG 65:475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-13). ## 2.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-14 - Source: PG 65:475 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius lists the disciples of Lucian, some of whom lapsed in persecution and repented. ### Greek text Ὅτι τούτου τοῦ μάρτυρος πολλοὺς μὲν καὶ ἄλλους μαθητὰς ἀναγράφει, οἷς καὶ Εὐσέβιον τὸν Νικομηδείας, καὶ Μάριν τὸν Χαλχηδόνος, καὶ τὸν Νικαίας Θέογνιν συντάττει, καὶ Λεόντιον, τὸν ὕστερον γεγονότα τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ ᾿Αντώνιον τὸν Ταρσοῦ τῆς Κιλικίας, καὶ Μηνόφαντον, καὶ Νεομήνιον, καὶ Εὐδόξιον· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ᾿Αλέξανδρον καὶ Ἀστέριον τὸν Καππαδόκην· οὓς καὶ Ἑλληνίσαι φησὶ ἐνδόντας τῇ τῶν τυράννων βίᾳ· ὕστερον δὲ ἀνακαλέσασθαι τὴν ἧτταν, συμβαλλομένου αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν τοῦ διδασκάλου. ### English translation (Claude) That he records many disciples of this martyr, among whom he lists Eusebius of Nicomedia, Maris of Chalcedon, Theognis of Nicaea, Leontius, who later became bishop of Antioch, Antony of Tarsus in Cilicia, Menophantus, Numenius and Eudoxius, and also Alexander and Asterius the Cappadocian. These, he says, also went over to the Greek religion, yielding to the violence of the tyrants, but later retracted their fall, their teacher helping them to repentance. ### Translation notes - “These” may refer to all the disciples or only to the last named; the Greek is ambiguous. - Lemmata of Valesius's notes on 2.11–2.13 had leaked into the opening of this section; they are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.14 (PG 65:475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-14). ## 2.15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-15 - Source: PG 65:477 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on which of Lucian's disciples kept his doctrine and which, like Theognis and Asterius, departed from it. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῶν εἰρημένων ᾿Αντώνιον μὲν καὶ Λεόντιον, ἀπαράτρωτον τὴν εὐσέβειαν διασώσασθαι λέγει Εὐσέβιον δὲ καὶ Μάριν καὶ Θέογνιν, συναπαχθῆναι μὲν τῇ κατὰ Νίκαιαν συνόδῳ, ἀνενεχθῆναι δὲ τῆς μεταβολῆς. Τὸν δὲ Μάριν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνενεχθέντα, εἰς ἑτέραν αὖθις κατολισθῆσαι ἀτοπίαν, καὶ δὴ καὶ τὸν Θέογνιν· ὃς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ πρὸ τοῦ γεννῆσαι τὸν Υἱὸν Πατέρα οἴεται, ἄτε δὴ τὴν δύναμιν ἔχοντα τοῦ γεννῆσαι. Ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ τὸν ᾿Αστέριον παρατρέψαι τὸ φρόνημα, ἀπαράλλακτον εἰκόνα τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς οὐσίας εἶναι τὸν Υἱὸν ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῦ λόγοις καὶ γράμμασι διαμαρτυρόμενον ### English translation (Claude) That of those named, he says, Antony and Leontius preserved their piety unwounded, while Eusebius, Maris and Theognis were carried away together with the Council of Nicaea, though they recovered from that change. But Maris, having recovered from it, slid again into another absurdity, and Theognis too, who thinks that God was Father even before he begot the Son, inasmuch as he had the power to beget. Asterius also perverted his opinion, affirming in his discourses and writings that the Son is the exact image of the Father's essence. ### Translation notes - To Philostorgius, the Anomoean, calling the Son the “exact” (literally “unvarying”) image of the Father's essence was a departure from the true teaching. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.15 (PG 65:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-15). ## 2.16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-16 - Source: PG 65:477 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's story that Constantine, poisoned by his brothers, left a will demanding vengeance, which Eusebius passed to Constantius. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸ τριακοστὸν δεύτερον ἔτος ἐπιβαίνοντος τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ Κωνσταντίνου, ἐν Νικομηδείᾳ φαρμάκοις ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τεθνάναι γράφει· ἐγγὺς δὲ τοῦ τέλους γεγονότα καὶ αἰσθόμενον τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς, διαθήκας τε γράψαι, τιμωρίαν ἀπαιτούσας τοὺς ἀνελόντας, καὶ ταύτην εἰσπράξασθαι τὸν προκαταλαβόντα τῶν παίδων κελεῦσαι, δέει τοῦ μή τι κάκείνους ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ὅμοιον ὑποστῆναι δοῦναί τε τὰς διαθήκας Εὐσεβίῳ τῷ Νικομηδείας. Τὸν δὲ ὑφορώμενον τοὺς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀδελφοὺς, μή ποτε τήσειαν αὐτὰς, καὶ ἀναμαθεῖν τὰ γεγραμμένα βουληθεῖεν, ἐνθεῖναι τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ νεκροῦ τὸ βιβλίον, καὶ παραβύσαι τοῖς ἱματίοις. Ἐπιζητησάντων ὡς ενόει λαβεῖν μὲν φάναι, ἀντιπαραδοῦναι δὲ πάλιν εἰς χεῖρας ὁμολογῆσαι. Εἶτα μετὰ ταῦτα ἀνελόμενον, Κωνσταντίῳ τῷ αὐτοῦ παιδὶ ἐγχειρίσαι τὸ γράμμα προφθάσαντι τοὺς ἄλλους· τὸν δὲ μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ κατὰ τὰ προστάγματα τοῦ πατρὸς διαπράξασθαι. ### English translation (Claude) That he writes that Constantine, as he entered the thirty-second year of his reign, died at Nicomedia by poison from his brothers; that when he was near the end and perceived the plot, he wrote a will demanding punishment of those who had killed him, and ordered that whichever of his sons arrived first should exact it, for fear that they too might suffer something similar at their hands; and that he gave the will to Eusebius of Nicomedia. Eusebius, suspecting the emperor's brothers, lest they should search for it and want to learn what was written, put the document in the dead man's hand and tucked it under his clothes. When they looked for it, as he had suspected, he said that he had received it, but declared that he had given it back into [the emperor's] hands. Afterwards he took it up and handed the document to Constantius, his son, who arrived before the others; and Constantius not long afterwards carried it out according to his father's orders. ### Translation notes - The scan has lost letters in τήσειαν (“search for”, ζητήσειαν) and ενόει (“suspected”, ὑπενόει); translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.16 (PG 65:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-16). ## 2.17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-17 - Source: PG 65:479 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius accuses the Christians of worshipping Constantine's statue on the porphyry column. ### Greek text Οὗτος ὁ θεομάχος, καὶ τὴν Κωνσταντίνου εἰκόνα τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ πορφυροῦ κίονος ἱσταμένην, θυσίαις τε ἱλάσκεσθαι καὶ λυχνοκαΐαις καὶ θυμιάμασι τιμᾶν, καὶ εὐχὰς προσάγειν ὡς Θεῷ, καὶ ἀποτροπαίους ἱκετηρίας τῶν δεινῶν ἐπιτελεῖν τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς κατηγορεῖ. ### English translation (Claude) This fighter against God also accuses the Christians of propitiating with sacrifices the image of Constantine that stands on the porphyry column, of honouring it with lamp-lighting and incense, of offering prayers to it as to a god, and of performing supplications to it to avert disasters. ### Translation notes - “Fighter against God” is Photius's description of Philostorgius. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.17 (PG 65:479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-17). ## 2.18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-2-18 - Source: PG 65:479 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: After Constantine's death Athanasius returns from Gaul and resumes his see. ### Greek text Ὅτι τελευτήσαντος τοῦ μεγάλου Κωνσταντίνου φησὶ, καὶ τῶν πανταχόθι μεθορίαις ταλαιπωρουμένων ἄδειαν ἀνακλήσεως εἰληφότων, καὶ ᾿Αθανάσιόν φησι ἐκ τῶν Γαλλιῶν εἰς τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν παραγεγονότα, ἐπεὶ Γρηγόριον ἐμεμαθήκει τετελευτηκότα, ὡς εἶχεν εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῆς νεὼς εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν χωρῆσαι, καὶ τὸν θρόνον ἀναλαβεῖν, μηδένα λόγον τῶν ἀποκηρυξάντων αὐτὸν πεποιηκότα. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that when Constantine the Great died, and those suffering in banishment everywhere received leave to return, Athanasius too came from Gaul to Alexandria; and since he had learned that Gregory had died, he went straight from the ship to the church, just as he was, and took back the throne, taking no account of those who had cast him out. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 2.18 (PG 65:479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/2-18). ## 3.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-1 - Source: PG 65:479 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on the war between Constantine's sons in which the eldest was killed and his share passed to Constans. ### Greek text Ὅτι Κώνσταντά φησιν, ὃς ἦν πρεσβύτερος τῶν Κωνσταντίνου παίδων, ἐπιβουλεῦσαι τῷ ἀδελφῷ Κωνσταντίνῳ, καὶ μάχῃ τοῖς στρατηγοῖς αὐτοῦ συρῥαγέντα διαφθαρῆναί τε καὶ τὴν μοῖραν τῆς ὑπ᾿ τὸν ἀρχῆς εἰς τὴν Κώνσταντος ἀνακοινωθῆναι. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that Constans, who was the eldest of Constantine's sons, plotted against his brother Constantine, and, engaging in battle with his generals, was killed; and the share of the empire under him was added to that of Constans. ### Translation notes - As printed, the names are confused: it was Constantine II, the eldest son, who attacked his brother Constans and was killed (340), and whose share passed to Constans. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.1 (PG 65:479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-1). ## 3.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-2 - Source: PG 65:479 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius builds the Great Church and brings the relics of Andrew, Luke and Timothy to the Church of the Apostles. ### Greek text Ὅτι Κωνστάντιον δι᾽ ἐπαίνων ἄγει, καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν φησὶν αὐτὸν δομήσασθαι τὴν ἐν Κωνσταντίνου πόλει, καὶ οὖσαν καὶ καλουμένην μεγάλην. Καὶ δὴ καὶ ᾿Ανδρέαν τὸν ἀπόστολον ἐκ τῆς Αχαΐας μετακομίσαι ἐπὶ τὸν ναὸν ὃν οὗτος ἐξῳκοδομήσατο, τὸ κοινὸν τῶν ᾿Αποστόλων ἐπιφερόμενον ὄνομα, οὗ πλησίον καὶ τὸν πατρῷον τάφον ἱδρύσασθαι· καὶ δὴ καὶ Λουκᾶν τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ᾿Αχαΐας εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ μετενεγκεῖν τέμενος· ἀλλὰ καὶ Τιμόθεον τὸν ἀπόστολον ὡσαύτως ἐξ Ἐφέσου τῆς Ἰωνίας εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν ἀνακομίσαι περιώνυμον καὶ σεβάσμιον οἶκον. ### English translation (Claude) That he praises Constantius, and says that he built the church in Constantinople that both is and is called the Great Church. He also transferred Andrew the apostle from Achaea to the temple that he built, which bears the common name of the Apostles, near which he also set up his father's tomb; he moved Luke the evangelist too from the same Achaea to the same sanctuary; and likewise brought Timothy the apostle from Ephesus in Ionia to the same famous and venerable house. ### Translation notes - A long passage from Valesius's notes (a quotation from the Paschal Chronicle about the gilded statue of Constantine carried in the circus) had leaked into the text after the first clause; it is removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.2 (PG 65:479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-2). ## 3.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-3 - Source: PG 65:481 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius expels Athanasius and has George of Cappadocia appointed; Athanasius flees to the West. ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶ ὡς ὁ Κωνστάντιος γνοὺς ᾿Αθανάσιον τὸν ᾿Αλεξανδρείας θρόνον ἀναλαβεῖν, ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἐλαύνει τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, ἀντιχειροτονηθῆναι δὲ γνώμην ἀποφαίνει Γεώργιον τὸν ἐκ Καππαδοκίας. Ὁ δὲ ᾿Αθανάσιος δείσας καὶ τὰς ἀπειλὰς καὶ τὸν ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς θάνατον, πρὸς τὸν ἑσπέριον ἀφικνεῖται πάλιν βασιλέα. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that Constantius, learning that Athanasius had taken back the throne of Alexandria, drove him out of Alexandria and declared his decision that George of Cappadocia should be ordained in his place. Athanasius, fearing both the threats and death by treachery, went once again to the western emperor. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.3 (PG 65:481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-3). ## 3.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-4 - Source: PG 65:481 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius's embassy under Theophilus the Indian to the Homerites of Arabia, whose ruler builds three churches. ### Greek text Ὅτι Κωνστάντιόν φησι διαπρεσβεύσασθαι πρὸς τοὺς πάλαι μὲν Σαβαίους νῦν δὲ Ὁμηρίτας καλουμένους. Ἔστι δὲ τὸ ἔθνος τῶν ἐκ Χεττούρας τῷ Ἀβραὰμ γενομένων. Τὴν δὲ χώραν μεγάλην τε ᾿Αραβίαν καλεῖσθαι καὶ εὐδαίμονα πρὸς τῶν Ἑλλήνων· καθήκειν δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν ἐξώτατον ὠκεανόν· ἧς μητρόπολις ἡ Σάβα· ἐξ ἧς καὶ ἡ βασιλὶς καὶ τὸν Σολομῶντα παραγεγόνει Ἐμπερίτομον δὲ τὸ ἔθνος κατὰ τὴν ὀγδόην περιτεμνόμενον ἡμέραν· καὶ θύουσιν ἡλίῳ καὶ σελήνῃ καὶ δαίμοσιν ἐπιχωρίοις. Οὐκ ὀλίγον δὲ πλῆθος καὶ Ἰουδαίων αὐτοῖς ἀναπέφυρται. Πρὸς τούτοις οὖν διαπρεσβεύεται Κωνστάντιος, ἐπὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν σκοπὸν ποιούμενος αὐτοὺς μεταθέσθαι· δώροις τε οὖν μεγαλοπρεπέσι, καὶ πλήθει τὸν καθηγούμενον τοῦ ἔθνους κειώσασθαι διενοεῖτο κἀκεῖθεν αὐτὶ καὶ τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας σπέρματα χώραν εὑρεῖν ἐναποθέσθαι. ᾿Αξιοῖ δὲ καὶ παρασχεῖν ἐκκλησίας τοῖς ἐκεῖσε τῶν Ῥωμαίων ἀφικνουμένοις ἀνοικοδομήσασθαι, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τῶν αὐτοχθόνων ἐπὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἀποκλίνοιεν. Ἐδίδου δὲ καὶ φέρειν φιλοτίμως τοὺς πρέσβεις καὶ ἐν τοῖς πρώτοις ἦν καὶ Θεόφιλος ὁ Ἰνδός. Ὃς πάλαι μὲν Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ πάλαι βασιλεύοντος, ἔτι τὴν ἡλικίαν νεώτατος, καθ᾽ ὀμηρίαν παρὰ τῶν Διβηνῶν καλουμένων εἰς Ῥωμαίους ἐστάλη Διβοῦς ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς ἡ νῆσος χώρα. Τῶν Ἰνδῶν δὲ καὶ οὗτοι φέρουσι τὸ ἐπώνυμον· τὸν μέντοι Θεόφιλον, οὐκ ὀλίγον Ῥωμαίοις ἐνδιατρίψαντα χρόνον, τά τε ἤθη εἰς τὸ ἀκρότατον πρὸς ἀρετὴν ῥυθμίσαι, καὶ τὴν δόξαν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν, καὶ τὸν μοναύλιον ἀνελέσθαι βίον· καὶ δὴ καὶ εἰς βαθμὸν διακόνων παραγγείλαι, Εὐσεβίου τὰς ἱερουργοὺς αὐτῷ χεῖρας ἐπιθεμένου (ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν πρότερον), τὴν δὲ πρεσβείαν ὑπελθόντα καὶ όρου λαβεῖν παρὰ τῶν ὁμοδόξων ἀξίωμα Ὁ μέντοι Κωνστάντιος μεγαλοπρεπῶς καὶ εἰς τὸ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τὸ ἀνάλωμα. Ταύτης δὲ τῆς πρεσβείας λιστα κεχαρισμένον τὴν πρεσβείαν στέλλων, καὶ ἵππους εἰς διακοσίους τῶν ἐκ Καππαδοκίας εὐγενεστάτων ἱππαγωγοῖς πλοίοις κομιζομένους, καὶ πολλὰς ἄλλας δωρεὰς εἰς τὸ πολυτελέστατον θαῦμα παρασχεῖν, καὶ θελκτηρίους συνεξέπεμψε. Καταλαβὼν δὲ τοὺς Σαβαίους ὁ Θεόφιλος, πείθειν ἐπεχείρει τὸν ἐθνάρχην, Χριστόν τε σέβειν εἰδέναι, καὶ τῆς ληνικῆς πλάνης ἀποστῆναι. Ἡ δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων κεία ἐπίνοια, τοῦ Θεοφίλου παραδόξοις ἔργοις καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν πίστιν ἅμαχον ἐπιδειξαμένου, εἰς σιγὴν μὲν βαθεῖαν, καὶ ἄκον τὸ ἀντιπνέον κατέδυ. Τὰ δὲ τῆς πρεσβείας τὸ πέρας ἐδέχετο, καθαρότητι γνώμης τοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχοντος τοῦ ἔθνους πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἀποκλίναντος, καὶ τρεῖς οὐ μίαν im-ἐκκλησίας ἀνὰ τὴν χώραν ἀναστήσαντος, οὐκ ἐξ ὧν οἱ πρέσβεις ἔφερον βασιλικῶν ἀναλωμάτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξ ὧν αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος προθύμως οἴκοθεν ἐχορήγει· καὶ τῷ θαύματι τῶν Θεοφίλου ἔργων, ἐνάμιλλον παρέχειν ἐφιλοτιμεῖτο τὸ πρόθυμον. Τῶν δὲ ἐκκλησιῶν μίαν μὲν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ μητροπόλει τοῦ παντὸς ἔθνους Τάφαρον ὀνομαζομένῃ καθιδρύσατο· ἑτέραν δὲ ἐν ᾧ τὲ Ῥωμαϊκὸν ἐμπόριον ἐτύγχανεν, ἔξω πρὸς τὸν ὠκεανὸν τετραμμένον. Καλοῦσι δὲ τὸ χωρίον νην, ἔνθα καὶ τοὺς ἐκ Ῥωμαίων ἀφικνουμένους ἔθος ἦν καθορμίζεσθαι. Τὴν δὲ τρίτην ἐπὶ θάτερον τῆς χώρας μέρος, ἐν ᾧ Περσικὸν ἐμπόριον γνωρίζεται ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι τῆς ἐκεῖσε Περσικῆς κείμενον λάσσης. ### English translation (Claude) That he says Constantius sent an embassy to the people formerly called Sabaeans and now called Homerites. The nation is descended from the sons born to Abraham by Keturah. Their land is called Great Arabia, and Happy Arabia by the Greeks, and reaches to the outermost ocean. Its capital is Saba, from which the queen also came to Solomon. The nation practises circumcision, circumcising on the eighth day; and they sacrifice to the sun and the moon and to local demons. A considerable number of Jews is also mixed among them. To these, then, Constantius sent an embassy, aiming to bring them over to piety. He intended to win over the ruler of the nation with magnificent gifts, and many of them, and from there to find a place to sow the seeds of piety. He asked him also to allow churches to be built for the Romans who came there, and for any of the natives who might turn to piety. He also gave the envoys money to take, generously, for the cost of the building. Among the first of this embassy was Theophilus the Indian. Long before, in the reign of the former emperor Constantine, while he was still very young, he had been sent to the Romans as a hostage by the people called Divaeans; their land is the island of Divus. These too bear the name of Indians. Theophilus, after spending a long time among the Romans, formed his character to the height of virtue and his belief to piety, and took up the monastic life; and he was also raised to the rank of deacon, Eusebius laying his consecrating hands on him (but this was earlier). When he undertook the embassy, he also received the dignity of bishop from those of like belief. Constantius sent the embassy magnificently, furnished with what would please most, and sent with it two hundred of the finest Cappadocian horses carried on horse-transports, and many other gifts for the most costly display, to win them over. When Theophilus reached the Sabaeans, he tried to persuade the ruler of the nation to acknowledge and worship Christ and to give up the pagan error. The Jews' usual cunning, after Theophilus had shown once and again by wonderful works that faith in Christ was invincible, sank into deep silence, and their opposition subsided, though unwillingly. The embassy reached its goal: the ruler of the nation, with purity of mind, turned to piety and erected not one but three churches in the land, not from the imperial funds that the envoys brought, but from what he himself eagerly supplied from his own resources, and he was ambitious to match the wonder of Theophilus's works with his zeal. One of the churches he founded in the capital of the whole nation itself, called Tapharon; another where the Roman trading-post was, facing outward toward the ocean (they call the place Adane, and those who come from Roman lands were accustomed to anchor there); and the third in the other part of the land, where the Persian trading-post is known to be, lying at the mouth of the Persian sea there. ### Scripture references - Gen 25:1–4: allusion, high confidence - 1 Kgs 10:1: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The scan of this section is damaged: several words have lost letters (e.g. Ἐλληνικῆς, μάλιστα, the place name Ἀδάνην, Aden) and a few lines are displaced (the cost of the building, the start of the description of the embassy). It is translated by sense in the order the sense requires; “bishop” renders a damaged word (όρου). - Keturah: Gen 25:1–4; the queen of Sheba: 1 Kgs 10:1. Tapharon is Zafar, the Himyarite capital. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.4 (PG 65:481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-4). ## 3.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-5 - Source: PG 65:485 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theophilus visits his home island and India, correcting their customs; Philostorgius claims they had always held the Anomoean doctrine. ### Greek text Ὁ μέντοι Θεόφιλος τὰ ἐν τοῖς Ὁμηρίταις, ὡς ἕκαστα δυνατὸν ἦν καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἐδίδου, διαθεὶς, καὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἱερωσάμενος, καὶ κόσμοις οἷς ἐνῆν δυνατὸν διακοσμήσας, ἐπὶ τὴν Διβοῦ νῆσον (ἣν αὐτοῦ πατρίδα προεδίδαξεν ὁ λόγος) ἀπέπλευσε. Κἀκεῖθεν εἰς τὴν ἄλλην ἀφίκετο Ἰνδικὴν, καὶ πολλὰ τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς οὐκ εὐαγῶς δρωμένων ἐπανωρθώσατο. γὰρ καθεζόμενοι τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων ἐποιοῦντο τὴν ἀκρόασιν, καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ ὧν μὴ θεῖος θεσμὸς ἐπεστάτει διεπράττοντο. Ἀλλὰ ταῦθ' ἕκαστα πρὸς τὸ σεβάσμιον αὐτοῖς καὶ θεοφιλές ταρυθμίσας, καὶ τὸ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας δόγμα έκρατύνατο. Οὐ γὰρ ἐδέοντο, φησὶν ὁ δυσσεβὴς οὗτος, τῆς τὸ θεῖον σέβας διορθούσης ὑφηγήσεως, ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀπαρατρώτως τὸ ἑτεροούσιον πρεσβευόμενοι. ### English translation (Claude) Theophilus, having set in order the affairs of the Homerites as far as each was possible and the time allowed, consecrated the churches and adorned them with what adornments he could, then sailed to the island of Divus, which the account has already shown to be his homeland. From there he went on to the rest of India and corrected many things that were not rightly done among them. For they sat while listening to the Gospel readings, and did certain other things that divine law did not sanction. Having regulated each of these to what was reverent and pleasing to God, he also confirmed the doctrine of the church. For, says this impious man, they did not need instruction to correct their worship of God, since from the beginning they had held the heteroousion without deviation. ### Translation notes - “This impious man” is Photius's description of Philostorgius. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.5 (PG 65:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-5). ## 3.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-6 - Source: PG 65:485 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theophilus goes on to the Auxumites of Ethiopia; a description of the Red Sea and of the Syrians beyond them, and of his honoured return. ### Greek text Ἐκ δὲ ταύτης τῆς μεγάλης ᾿Αραβίας, εἰς τοὺς Αὐξουμίτας καλουμένους ἀπαίρει Αιθίοπας, οἳ κατὰ τὰς πρώτας ὄχθας κατώκηνται τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης, ἣν ὁ ταύτῃ ὠκεανὸς εἰσκολπιζόμενος ἐργάζεται πᾶσαν· ἡ μέντοι Ἐρυθρὰ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον μηκυνομένη εἰς δύο τινὰς ἀπομερίζεται κόλπους· καὶ τὸ μὲν αὐτῆς ἐπ᾿ Αἰγύπτου χωρεῖ Κλύσμα καθ' ὁ τελευτᾷ τὸ ἐπώνυμον φέρον οὗ πάλαι καὶ τὸ Ἰσραηλιτικὸν φεύγοντες τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, ἀβρόχῳ τὸ ῥεῖθρον διεπεραιώθησαν ποδί. Τὸ δὲ ἕτερον μέρος ἐπὶ Παλαιστίνης ἔρχεται κατὰ πόλιν ᾿Αειλὰ ἐκ παλαιοῦ καλουμένην. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ταύτης τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης ἐν ἀριστερῷ τῆς ἔξωθεν Αὐξουμῖται κατέχουσιν, ἀπὸ τῆς μητροπόλεως οὕτω κληθέντες. Αὔξουμις γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἡ μητρόπολις. Πρότερος δὲ τούτων τῶν Αὐξουμιτῶν ἐπὶ τὸν ἐξωτάτω πρὸς ἀνατολὰς καθήκοντες ὠκεανὸν παροικοῦσιν οἱ Σύροι, ταύτην τὴν κλῆσιν καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἐκεῖσε φέροντες. ᾿Αλέξανδρος δὲ παρὰ τούτοις ὁ Μακεδὼν ἐκ τῆς Συρίας ἀναστήσας, ἐνταυθοῖ κατώκισεν· οἳ καὶ νῦν ἔτι τῇ πατρῴῳ φωνῇ κέχρηνται. Μέλανες οὖν εἰσι δεινῶς ἅπαντες, ὀξείας αὐτοῖς τῆς ἀκτῖνος τοῦ ἡλίου καθαπτομένης. Παρὰ τούτοις ἤ τε ξυλοκασσία μάλιστα γίνεται, καὶ ἡ κασσία, καὶ τὸ κάσσαμον, καὶ τὸ κιννάμωμον, καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐλεφάντων πλῆθος. Πρὸς μὲν τούτους ὁ Θεόφιλος οὐκ ἀφίκετο· τοῖς Αὐξουμίταις δὲ παραγεγονὼς, καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖσε καταστησάμενος, τῆς ἐπὶ Ῥωμαίους άνακομιδῆς εἶχετο. Πολλῆς δὲ τῆς τιμῆς παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως μετὰ τὴν ἐπάνοδον ἀξιωθεὶς, πόλιν μὲν ἰδίαν ἐφορᾶν οὐκ ἐκληρώσατο· κοινὸν δ᾽ ὥσπερ ἄγαλμα ἀρετὴν τοῖς ὁμοδόξοις ἐβλέπετο. ### English translation (Claude) From this Great Arabia he set off to the Ethiopians called Auxumites, who live on the first shores of the Red Sea, which the ocean here forms entirely by entering as a gulf. The Red Sea, extending a very great length, divides into two gulfs. One part of it goes toward Egypt, and where it ends it bears the name Clysma; there long ago the Israelites too, fleeing the Egyptians, crossed the stream on dry foot. The other part comes toward Palestine, by the city called from of old Aila. On the left of this Red Sea, on the outer side, are the Auxumites, so called from their capital, for Auxumis is their capital. Beyond these Auxumites, reaching to the farthest ocean eastward, live the Syrians, who bear this name among the people there as well. Alexander of Macedon removed them from Syria and settled them there, and they still use their ancestral language. They are all exceedingly black, since the rays of the sun strike them fiercely. Among them grow especially wood-cassia, cassia, cassamum and cinnamon, and there is also a multitude of elephants. Theophilus did not go to these; but having come to the Auxumites and set things in order there, he set out on his return to the Romans. After his return he was thought worthy of much honour by the emperor. He was not allotted a city of his own to oversee, but was regarded by those of like belief as a kind of common image of virtue. ### Scripture references - Exod 14:22: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The crossing at Clysma alludes to Exod 14:21–29. - Lemmata of Valesius's notes on 3.5 and 3.6 had leaked into the text; they are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.6 (PG 65:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-6). ## 3.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-7 - Source: PG 65:489 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's description of the course of the Tigris to the Persian Gulf. ### Greek text Ὅτι ἐπὶ τῷ στόματι τῆς Περσικῆς θαλάσσης, ἣν ὁ ταύτῃ ὠκεανὸς εἰσέχων ἀποτελεῖ, μεγίστην τε οὖσαν, καὶ ἔθνη κύκλῳ πολλά περιβαλλομένην, ἄλλοι τε μέγιστοι ποταμοὶ, καὶ ὁ Τίγρις τοῖς ῥείθροις βάλλει, ὃς πρὸς Ἀπηλιώτην καὶ κάτωθεν τῆς Ὑρκανίας θαλάσσης, ἐν Κορδιαίοις μὲν τὰς ἐμφανεῖς ἀναδόσεις λαμβάνει παρὰ τὴν Συρίαν ἑλκόμενος. Ἐπεὶ ἂν γένοιτο κατὰ τὴν Σουσίδα γῆν, ἐνταῦθα τοῦ Εὐφράτου τὸ ῥεῖθρον αὐτῷ μιγνύντος, μέγας ἤδη τοῖς χεύμασι χωρήσας πρόεισι παφλάζων· ὅθεν αὐτόν φασι καὶ τοῦ θηρίου τοῦ τίγρητος λαβεῖν τὸ ἐπώνυμον. Πρὶν ἢ δ᾽ ἐπὶ θάλατταν καταβαίνει, σχίζεται εἰς δύο μεγάλους ποταμούς· ἔπειτα δυσὶ τοῖς ἐσχάτοις στόμασιν ἀλλήλων διειργομένοις, εἰς τὴν Περσικὴν θάλατταν ποιεῖται τὰς ἐκβολὰς, γῆν ἐν μέσῳ πλείστην περιτεμνόμενος, καὶ νῆσον αὐτὴν ποιῶν, ποταμίαν τε ἅμα καὶ θαλαττίαν, ἣν ἔθνος ἐνοικεῖ τῶν Μεσηνῶν ἐπικαλούμενον. ### English translation (Claude) That into the mouth of the Persian Sea, which the ocean forms by entering there (it is very large and is encircled by many nations), other very great rivers and the Tigris discharge their streams. The Tigris, toward the east wind and below the Hyrcanian Sea, takes its visible sources among the Cordiaeans, and is drawn along beside Syria. When it comes to the land of Susa, where the Euphrates mixes its stream with it, it goes on, now great with its waters, foaming; for this reason, they say, it took its name from the beast, the tiger. Before it goes down to the sea it splits into two great rivers; then, with its two outermost mouths kept apart from each other, it empties into the Persian Sea, cutting off a very large stretch of land in between and making it an island, bounded by river and sea at once, which is inhabited by a nation called the Mesenians. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.7 (PG 65:489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-7). ## 3.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/0-1/#p-3-8 - Source: PG 65:489 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius traces the Euphrates from Mount Ararat, where the ark rested, to its junction with the Tigris. ### Greek text Ὁ δὲ Εὐφράτης ποταμὸς ἐξ ᾿Αρμενίων κατὰ τὸ προφανὲς ἀνατέλλει, ἔνθα τὸ ὄρος ἐστὶ τὸ Ἀραράτ, ἔτι καὶ πρὸς Αρμενίων οὕτω καλούμενον, ἐφ᾿ οὗ καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν ἱδρυθῆναί φησιν ἡ Γραφή· ἧς ἄχρι καὶ νῦν εἶναί φασιν οὐ μικρὰ λείψανα τῶν τε ξύλων καὶ τῶν ἥλων ἐκεῖσε σωζόμενα. Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ὁ Εὐφράτης ὀλίγος τὰ πρῶτα ῥυεὶς, προβαίνων ἀεὶ γίνεται μείζων, πλείστους ἐμβάλλοντας αὐτῷ ποταμοὺς εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ προσηγορίαν συνεφελκόμενος. Τὴν ᾿Αρμενίαν δὲ, τήν τε μεγάλην καὶ τὴν μικρὰν διελθὼν, ἔπειτα πρόεισι, τέμνων μὲν πρότερον τὴν Συρίαν τὴν ἰδίως Εὐφρατησίαν καλουμένην· ἔπειτα μέντοι καὶ τὴν ἄλλην διαμειψάμενος, καὶ ἕλικα διασπῶν ὧν δίεισι ποικιλωτάτην κλασθεὶς, ὁπηνίκα τῇ ᾿Αραβίᾳ πελάσει, ἐνταῦθα δὴ κυκλοτερῶς κατ᾿ ἀντικρὺ τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης παρενεχθεὶς, καὶ χώραν οὐκ ὀλίγην ἐγκολπωσάμενος, ἔπειτα πρὸς Καικείαν ἄνεμον ἐπιστρέφει τὸ ῥεῖθρον, ὅπερ οὖν βορέου τε καὶ ἀπηλιώτου μέσος ἕστηκε. πρὸς Τίγρητα ποταμὸν ὁρμήσας, οὐχ οἷός τέ ἐστιν αὐτῷ ὅλως συμμίξαι, ἀλλὰ μοίραις τισὶν ἐν τῷ διὰ μέσου παραναλούμενος, τῇ ὑπολειπομένῃ μεγίστῃ τε οὔσῃ, καὶ ναυτῶν ἀνασχέσθαι δυνατωτάτῃ, τῷ Τίγρητι κατὰ Σούσας μάλιστα συμπίπτει. Καὶ δὴ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ προσηγορίας ἀποπαυσάμενος, σὺν ἐκείνῳ πρὸς τὸν Περσικὸν κατασύρεται κόλπον. Καὶ τὸ μεταξὺ τῶν δύο ποταμῶν τούτων, τοῦ τε Τίγρητος καὶ τοῦ Εὐφράτου, Μεσοποταμία τυγχάνει προσαγορευόμενον. ### English translation (Claude) The river Euphrates evidently rises among the Armenians, where Mount Ararat is, still so called by the Armenians, on which Scripture says the ark came to rest; and they say that not a few remains of it, of both the timbers and the nails, are preserved there even now. From there the Euphrates, flowing small at first, grows ever larger as it goes on, drawing into its own name very many rivers that fall into it. Having passed through Armenia, both Greater and Lesser, it then goes on, first cutting through the part of Syria properly called Euphratesia; then, crossing the rest of Syria too and winding in a most intricate spiral through the regions it passes, when it draws near to Arabia it is carried round in a circle there, opposite the Red Sea, and, enclosing a good deal of land, it then turns its stream toward the wind Caecias, which stands midway between the north wind and the east wind. Rushing toward the river Tigris, it cannot mingle with it entirely, but spends some portions of itself in the land between, and with the remainder, which is very large and well able to carry ships, it meets the Tigris, chiefly near Susa. Then, ceasing to bear its own name, it is swept along with the Tigris into the Persian Gulf. The land between these two rivers, the Tigris and the Euphrates, is called Mesopotamia. ### Scripture references - Gen 8:4: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The ark on Ararat: Gen 8:4. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.8 (PG 65:489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-8). ## 3.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-9 - Source: PG 65:491 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius explains how the Tigris and Euphrates flow underground from Paradise, citing Psalm 24. ### Greek text Ὅτι ὁ Τίγρης καὶ ὁ Εὐφράτης, κατὰ μὲν τὸ ἐμφανές, ὅθεν ἀναδύονται, εἴρηνται. Ἡ δὲ ἱερὰ ἡμῶν Γραφή, ἐκ τοῦ Παραδείσου τούτους λέγουσα ὁρμᾶσθαι, τὸ ἀληθέστατον ἱστορεῖ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὰς πρώτας ἀρχὰς τῶν ῥείθρων φέροντες, ἄχρι μέν τινος προΐασιν, ἴσως ὑπὲρ γῆς ῥέοντες· ἔπειτα δὲ τῆς μεγάλης ἐρήμου καὶ ἀμμωδεστάτης αὐτοὺς ἐκδεξαμένης, πρὸς τὸ βάθος ἐνταῦθα καταπινόμενοι, οὐ πρότερον ἵστανται τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω φορᾶς, πρὶν ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸ δὴ τὸ στεγανὸν καὶ πετρῶδες τῆς αὐτόθι καταντήσωσι γῆς. Στάσιν δ᾽ αὐτοῖς τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω προχωρήσεως τῆς αὐτόθι κρηπίδος παρασχομένης, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη τῶν ῥευμάτων αὐτοῖς συναγειρομένων ὑπὸ πλήθους καὶ ἰσχύος τοῦ ἀεὶ ἐπιφερομένου τε πρόσω χωροῦσιν ἐπ᾿ εὐθὺ βιαζόμενοι. ᾿Αλλ' οὗτοι μὲν οἱ ποταμοὶ κατωρύχιοι πορευόμενοι, μοῖραν αὐτῶν οὐκ ὀλίγην τῆς ἐν μέσῳ γῆς ὑπεξαιρουμένης, ἑλάττους ἀπαντῶσιν ἤδη καὶ ἀσθενέστεροι ἐπὶ τοὺς τόπους τῶν ἀναδόσεων. Καὶ τὸ γε μυχίους αὐτοὺς πλείστην ἐπιέναι γῆν, οὐκ εἰκὸς ἀπιστεῖν. Πολλὰ γάρ ἐστι καὶ ἄλλα ῥεύματα πανταχοῦ καὶ τῶν σφόδρα μεγίστων τε καὶ ἰσχυροτάτων, ὑπὸ γῆν ἀφικνούμενα. Δῆλον δέ· ἦχός τε γὰρ ἀπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀκούεται μέγας, σὺν ταράχῳ καὶ ῥοίζῳ πολλῷ φερομένων. ᾿Αλλὰ καί τινες ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν φρέατα ὀρυσσόμενοι, καὶ τῆς ἀπηντηκυίας αὐτοῖς πλακὸς κάτωθεν ὀλίγον τρώσαντες, ὑφ᾽ ἣν τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἤδη καχλάζον τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνω φορὰν βιαζόμενον, μόλις γ᾽ ἀνελήφθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ χείλους τῆς φρεωρυχίας ἑστώτων ἀναρπασθέντες. Καὶ τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἐφομαρτῆσαν εἰς ὀχετὸν προὐχώρησεν, ὑπ᾿ οὐδεμιᾶς ἀνομβρίας ἔτι παραλυπούμενον, διὰ τὸ τῆς χορηγίας ἀένναον. Ἡ γὰρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπόῤῥητος σοφία, οἱονεὶ φλέβας χορηγοὺς τῶν ἀναγκαίων τὰς τῶν ῥείθρων διεκδρομὰς, τὰς μὲν ἀφανεῖς, τὰς δὲ προδήλους εἰργάσατο. Ταύτῃ ἄρα καὶ ὁ προφήτης ἐμελώδησε Δαουΐδ, Αὐτὸς ἐπὶ θαλασσῶν ἐθεμελίωσεν αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐπὶ ποταμῶν ἡτοίμασεν αὐτήν· ὡς τὰς μὲν θαλάσσας τοῖς μεγίστοις αὐτοῖς κολπώμασιν οἷον ἀποθησαυρίσας, καὶ τὴν βάσιν αὐτοῖς κρατυνάμενος πρὸς τὸ ἀνέχεσθαι τοσοῦτον ὄγκον καὶ πλῆθος τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ φερομένων· τοῖς δὲ ποταμοῖς τὴν διέξοδον ἀπόλυτον ταῖς εὐμηχάνοις αὐτῆς διαθέσεσι δοὺς ἀεὶ, ταῖς τῶν χωρίων ὑπαγωγαῖς τε καὶ ταπεινότησιν ἀπὸ τῶν ὑψηλοτέρων ἐπὶ τὰ χθαμαλώτερα, τόπον τῇ ῥοπῇ τοῦ βρίθοντος ὕδατος παρασχών. ### English translation (Claude) That it has been said where the Tigris and the Euphrates visibly emerge. But our sacred Scripture, which says that they start from Paradise, gives the truest account. For they carry the first beginnings of their streams from there, and they go on for some distance, perhaps flowing above ground; then, when the great desert, which is very sandy, receives them, they are swallowed down into its depths there, and do not stop their downward course until they reach the watertight, rocky part of the ground in that place. When the foundation there brings their downward progress to a halt, their streams gather together, and under the mass and force of the water that keeps coming on behind they are pushed forward and go straight ahead. These rivers, then, travelling underground, with no small part of them taken away by the land in between, arrive at the places where they come up already smaller and weaker. And that they pass through a great extent of land hidden below is not unlikely to be believed. For there are many other streams everywhere, even among the very largest and strongest, that pass under the earth. This is evident: a great sound is heard from them as they rush along with much turmoil and roaring. Indeed, some people digging wells above them, who pierced a little the slab they met from beneath, under which the stream was already gurgling and forcing its way upward, were barely rescued, snatched out by those standing at the mouth of the well-shaft. And the stream, following them up, ran on into a channel, no longer troubled by any drought because its supply never fails. For the unspeakable wisdom of God made the courses of the streams like veins that supply what is needed, some hidden, some in plain view. This is why the prophet David also sang, “He founded it upon the seas, and prepared it upon the rivers,” meaning that he stored up the seas, as it were, in very great hollows and made their base firm to bear so great a mass and multitude of what moves in it, and gave the rivers a free passage by his skilful arrangements, always providing, by the slopes and low places of the ground from higher to lower, room for the downward pull of the weight of water. ### Scripture references - Gen 2:10–14: allusion, high confidence - Ps 24:2 (23:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Rivers from Paradise: Gen 2:10–14. The quotation is Ps 24:2 (LXX 23:2). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.9 (PG 65:491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-9). ## 3.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-10 - Source: PG 65:493 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius locates Paradise in the east and traces the rivers Pishon (the Hyphasis) and Gihon (the Nile) from it. ### Greek text Ὅτι κεῖσθαι τὸν Παράδεισον οὗτος εἰκασίαις χρώμενος λέγει, κατὰ τὰς ἰσημερίας τῆς ἡοῦς, πρῶτον μὲν ἐξ ὧν τὰ πρὸς μεσημβρίαν δῆλά ἐστι πάντα οἰκούμενα σχεδὸν μέχρι τῆς ἔξω θαλάττης, ἣν θάλατταν ὁ ἥλιος ἤδη ξυμφλέγει καθέτως ἐπ᾿ αὐτῇ τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐρείδων· καὶ ἡ διὰ μέσου λεγομένη ζώνη τοῦτό ἐστιν. Ἔτι δὲ καὶ διότι ὁ νῦν Ὕφασις καλούμενος ποταμὸς, ὃν ἡ Γραφὴ Φεισὼν ὀνομάζει, καὶ αὐτὸς τοῦ παραδείσου ἀναβλύζων, ἐκ τῶν ἀρκτῴων μᾶλλον τῆς ἀνατολῆς μερῶν ἐπὶ τὴν μεσημβρίαν φαίνεται ῥέων, καὶ εἰς τὸν ταύτῃ ὠκεανὸν τὸ ῥεῖθρον εἰσερευγόμενος, ἀντικρὺ τῆς νήσου Ταπροβάνης. Οὗ παρὰ τὰς ὄχθας τοῦ ποταμοῦ εὑρίσκεται τὸ λεγόμενον Καρυόφυλλον, εἴτε καρπός, εἴτε δὲ καὶ ἄνθος τυγχάνει. Καὶ πεπιστεύκασιν οἱ ἐκείνῃ, τῶν ἐκ τοῦ Παραδείσου τοῦτο δένδρον εἶναι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡ ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς γῆ, ἔρημός τὲ ἐστι δεινῶς ἅπασα καὶ ἀκαρποτάτη. Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ φέρειν τὸν ποταμὸν τὸ ἄνθος, ἐπίδηλον ἂν εἴη ὡς οὗτος ὁ ποταμὸς ὑπὸ γῆς ἄπας ῥεῖ μηδαμόθι καταδυόμενος· οὐ γὰρ ἂν τὸ ἐκεῖθεν φυόμενον ἠδύνατο φέρειν. Ἔχει δέ τι καὶ ἄλλο σύμβολον τῆς παρὰ τὸν Παράδεισον γεηρᾶς ἐπιμιξίας· φασὶ γὰρ ὡς ἐὰν τις τύχοι α πυρετῷ λαύρῳ φλεγόμενος, εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν βαπτισάμενος, παραυτίκα τοῦ νοσήματος ἀπαλλάττεται. Ὁ δὲ Τίγρης καὶ Εὐφράτης, διότι καταδύουσι καὶ πάλιν ἀνίσχουσιν, οὐδὲν ἐκεῖθεν δύνανται κομίζειν ὡς ὁ Ὕφασις. Οὐδέ γε Νεῖλος· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτον ἐκεῖθεν ῥεῖν ἡ Μωσέως ἐπίπνοια λέγει, Γηὼν αὐτὸν ὀνομάζουσα· ὃν οἱ παρ' Ἕλλησιν Αἰγύπτιον ἐκάλουν. τος, ὡς ἔστι συμβαλεῖν, ἐξορμῶν τοῦ Παραδείσου, πρὶν ἐπὶ τὸ οἰκούμενον φθάσαι, καταδυόμενος, ἔπειτα τὴν Ἰνδικὴν θάλατταν ὑπελθὼν ἔτι, καὶ κύκλῳ γε αὐτὴν περιελιχθεὶς, ὡς εἰκάσαι (τίς γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ἀκριβώσειε τοῦτο καὶ ὑπὸ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐν μέσῳ γῆν ἐνεχθεὶς μέχρι τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης, καὶ ταύτην ὑποδραμὼν, ἐπὶ θάτερον αὐτῆς ἐκδίδοται μέρος, ὑπὸ τὸ τῆς Σελήνης καλούμενον ὄρος. Ἐν ᾧ δύο πηγὰς λέγεται ποιεῖν μεγάλας, ἀλλήλων οὐκ ὀλίγον διεστηκυίας κάτωθεν βιαίως ἀναρυβδουμένας. Καὶ διὰ τῆς Αἰθιοπίας ἐνεχθεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν Αἴγυπτον χωρεῖ, διὰ πετρῶν ὑψηλοτάτων καταραττόμενος. ### English translation (Claude) That this man, using conjectures, says that Paradise lies toward the equinoctial east: first, because the regions to the south are clearly all inhabited almost as far as the outer sea, which the sun already scorches as it rests its rays vertically upon it, and this is what is called the middle zone; and further, because the river now called the Hyphasis, which Scripture names Pishon, which itself also springs from Paradise, is seen to flow from the more northerly parts of the east toward the south, and to pour out its stream into the ocean there, opposite the island of Taprobane. Along the banks of this river is found what is called the clove, whether it is a fruit or a flower; and the people there believe it is from a tree of Paradise. For the land above them is all terribly desert and quite barren. From the fact that the river carries the flower, it would be plain that this river flows entirely above ground and nowhere sinks below it; for otherwise it could not carry what grows there. It has also another sign of its earthy contact with Paradise: they say that if anyone happens to be burning with a raging fever and bathes in the river, he is at once rid of the illness. But the Tigris and the Euphrates, because they sink below ground and rise again, can bring nothing from there, as the Hyphasis does. Nor can the Nile; for Moses' inspiration says that it too flows from there, naming it Gihon, which the Greeks called Aegyptus. [This river,] so far as one can conjecture, starting from Paradise, sinks below ground before it reaches the inhabited world; then, passing under the Indian sea too, and winding round in a circle beneath it, as one may guess (for what human being could know this precisely?), and travelling beneath all the land in between as far as the Red Sea, and running under that too, it comes out on the other side of it, beneath the mountain called the Mountain of the Moon. There it is said to form two great springs, a good distance from each other, which gush up violently from below. And travelling through Ethiopia it goes on into Egypt, dashing down over very high rocks. ### Scripture references - Gen 2:10–14: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Pishon and Gihon: Gen 2:11–13. Taprobane is Sri Lanka. - The beginning of the sentence on the Nile is damaged in the scan (τος, probably Οὗτος); “[This river]” is supplied by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.10 (PG 65:493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-10). ## 3.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-11 - Source: PG 65:495 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's catalogue of the wonders of the eastern and southern lands (elephants, unicorns, giraffes, apes, the sphinx, zebras, the phoenix), ending with the excellence of Paradise. ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶν ἅπαν τὸ πρὸς ἀνίσχοντα ἥλιον καὶ περὶ τὴν μεσημβρίαν κλίμα, καίτοι πέρα τοῦ μέτρου θαλπόμενον, ὅμως τὰ κράτιστα καὶ μέγιστα φέρειν τῶν ὅσα γῆ καὶ θάλαττα δυνατὴ τρέφειν. Τά τε γὰρ κήτη τὰ ὑπερμεγέθη ταύτῃ ἐνεῖναι τῇ θαλάττῃ· καὶ ἤδη ὤφθη πολλάκις ἐπιπολάσαντα τοῖς τὸν ὠκεανὸν ἐκεῖνον ναυτιλλομένοις. Η τε γῆ τοὺς ἐλέφαντας ἔχει τοὺς μεγίστους καὶ ὑπερφυεστάτους. Καὶ δὴ καὶ τοὺς ταυρελέφαντας λεγομένους ὧν τὸ μὲν γένος τὰ μὲν ἄλλα πάντα βοῦς ἐστι μέγιστος· τὴν δὲ βύρσαν καὶ τὸ χρῶμα ἐλέφας καὶ σχεδὸν εἰπεῖν καὶ τὸ μέγεθος. Καὶ γὰρ εἰς Ῥωμαίους κομισθὲν τὸ ζῶον έθεασάμην· καὶ τὸ θέαμα γράφω. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ δράκοντες ἐν τούτοις εἰσὶ, πάχος μὲν δοκῶν οὐκ ἐλάττους· τὸ δὲ μῆκος εἰς δεκαπέντε παρατεινόμενον ὀργυιάς· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τούτων τὰς δορὰς εἰς Ῥωμαίους ἀποκομισθείσας εἶδον. Ὅ τε μονόκερως τὸ ζῶον παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐστι, τὴν μὲν κεφαλὴν δράκοντος φέρων, κέρας δὲ σκολιὸν αὐτῷ πέφυκεν, οὔτι σφόδρα μέγα· ὁ δὲ ἀνθερεὼν αὐτῷ πώγωνος ὑποπίμπλαται ἅπας. Μακρὸς δὲ ὁ τράχηλος εἰς ὕψος ἀνατεινόμενος, ὀλκῷ δράκοντος ἐγγύτατα παραπλήσιος. Τὸ δὲ ἄλλο σῶμα ἐλάφῳ προσέοικε μᾶλλον· τοὺς δὲ πόδας λέοντος ἔχει· καὶ ἔστι γε αὐτοῦ τὸ ἐκτύπωμα ὁρᾶν ἐν Κωνσταντίνου πόλει. Καὶ δὴ καὶ ἡ καμηλοπάρδαλις τῆς ἐκείνης γέννημα χώρας. Ἡ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἔλαφός ἐστι γίστη καμήλου δὲ ὕψος ἐνέδωκε τὸ σῶμα μιμεῖσθαι· τὸν μέντοι αὐχένα μήκιστον, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τοῦ λοιποῦ σώματος φέρει εἰς ὕψος ἀνορθούμενον· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν δορὰν ἅπασαν ἀπὸ κεφαλῆς ἄκρας ἕως ἐσχάτων ποδῶν παρδάλει μάλιστα τὴν ποικιλίαν προσφερεστάτην ἔχει· καὶ τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν πόδας ὑψηλοτάτους τῶν ὀπίσω. Παρ' αὐτοῖς δὲ ἐστι καὶ ὁ λεγόμενος αἰγοπίθηκος, πίθηκός τις ὧν· μυρία γάρ ἐστι γένη πιθήκων. ᾿Αρκοπίθηκοι γάρ εἰσιν ἐν αὐτοῖς, καὶ λεοντοπίθηκοι, καὶ κυνοκέφαλοι· καὶ ἄλλαις πολλῶν ζώων εἰδέαις τῆς πιθηκείας μορφῆς ἐπιμιγνυμένης. Καὶ δῆλον ταῦτά ἐστι, πολλῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς κομιζομένων· οἷος δὴ καὶ ὁ πὰν ἐπικληθεὶς ὑπάρχει, ὃς τὴν κεφαλὴν αἰγοπρόσωπός ἐστι καὶ αἰγόκερως, καὶ ἐκ λαγόνων τὰ κάτω αἰγοσκελὴς, τὴν δὲ κοιλίαν καὶ τὸ στέρνον καὶ τὰς χεῖρας καθαρὸς πίθηκος. Ὃν καὶ ὁ τῶν Ἰνδῶν βασιλεὺς Κωνσταντίῳ ἀπεστάλκει. Τοῦτο δὲ τὸ ζῶον ἔζη μὲν φερόμενον ἄχρι τινὸς, ἔν τινι πλέγματι διὰ τὸ ριῶδες εἰργμένον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀπέθανε, ταριχεύσαντες αὐτὸ οἱ κομίζοντες, θεάματος παρασχεῖν ἀσυνήθους εἰκόνα, μέχρι τῆς Κωνσταντίνου διεσώσαντο πόλεως. Καί μοι δοκοῦσι τὸ ζῶον τοῦτο Ἕλληνες πάλαι ἰδεῖν, καὶ ἐκπλαγέντες τῷ ξένῳ τῆς θέας, θεὸν σφίσιν νομίται, εἰθισμένον αὐτοῖς τὰ παράδοξα θεοποιεῖν, ὥσπερ καὶ τὸν σάτυρον· ἔστι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο πίθηκος, έρυθρὸς τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ γοργὸς τὴν κίνησιν, καὶ ρὰν ἔχων. Καὶ μὴν καὶ ἡ σφίγξ γένος ἐστὶ πιθήκων· αὐτὸ γὰρ θεασάμενος γράφω. Ἧς τὸ μὲν ἄλλο σῶμα λάσιόν ἐστι ὡς τοῖς λοιποῖς πιθήκοις· τὸ δὲ στέρνον ἄχρι γε αὐτοῦ τοῦ τραχήλου ἐψίλωται· ζοὺς δὲ γυναικὸς ἔχει, ἐρυθροῦ τινος βραχέος γεγχροειδοῦς ἐπαναστήματος ἅπαν ἐν κύκλῳ τὸ γεγυμνωμένον τοῦ σώματος περιθέοντος, καὶ εἰς πολλήν τινα εὐπρέπειαν ἀνθρωποφανεῖ ὄντι τῷ ἐν μέσῳ χρώματι, συναρμοζομένου· τότε πρόσωπον εστρογγύλωται μᾶλλον, καὶ εἰς γυναικείαν ἕλκει μορφήν· ἡ τε φωνὴ ἐπιεικῶς ἀνθρωπεία· πλὴν ὅσον οὐκ εἰς ἄρθρα διαιρουμένη, ἀλλά τινι ταχέως, καὶ οἷον μετά τινος ὀργῆς τε καὶ ἀχθηδόνος ἄσημα ὑποφθεγγομένῃ προσεοικυῖα Βαρυτέρα τε μᾶλλόν ἐστιν ὀξυνομένη. "Αγριόν τέ ἐστι δεινῶς τὸ θηρίον καὶ πανουργότατον, καὶ οὐδὲ ῥᾳδίως θασσευόμενον. Ταύτης εἰς Θήβας μοι δοκῶ τὰς Βοιωτίας πάλαι κομισθείσης, καί τισιν ἴσως τῶν ἐπὶ θέᾳ συνεῤῥυηκότων ἐφαλλομένης, καὶ τοῖς προσώποις λυμηναμένης, δεινὸν ποιησάμενος ὁ Οἰδίπους τὰς τῶν ὁμοφύλων λώβας, καταφονεῦσαι τὸ ζῶον, καὶ ὄνομα λαμπρὸν ἐκεῖθεν λαβεῖν. Καὶ αὐτὸν ὁ θος εἰς ἀνδρείαν κοσμῶν, ὑπόπτερον μὲν τὸ θηρίον ἀναπλάττει, διὰ τὸ ὀξέως ἐπιπηδᾷν· στέρνον δὲ γυναικὸς ἐφαρμόττει, καὶ τὸ σῶμα λέοντος· γυναικὸς μὲν, διὰ τὸ πρόχειρον τῆς γυμνώσεως, καὶ πρὸς τὸ γυναικεῖον εἶδος ὁμοιώσεως· λέοντος δὲ, διὰ τὸ θηριῶδες, καὶ ὅτι κατὰ τὸ πλεῖστον τοῖς τέτταρσι τυγχάνει ποσὶν ἐρειδόμενον. Λόγου δὲ τὸ θηρίον μετέδωκε τὸ πλάσμα, διὰ τὸ τῆς φωνῆς ἀνθρωποειδές αἰνιγματώδους δὲ, διὰ τὸ ἄσημα φθέγγεσθαι. θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν πολλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἄλλα σύνηθες τοῖς Ἕλλησι πρὸς τὸ μυθῶδες διαπλάττειν. Καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ χώρα καὶ ὄνους ἀγρίους μεγίστους τε τῷ μεγέθει φέρει, καὶ τὴν δορὰν κατὰ τὸ ξενίζον πεποικιλμένους, λευκοῦ σφίσι καὶ μέλανος χρώματος οὐ κατὰ μικρὸν συμποικιλλομένου, ἀλλὰ ζῶναί τινές εἰσιν ἀπὸ τῆς ῥάχεως ἐπὶ τὰς πλευρὰς καὶ τὴν κοιλίαν καθήκουσαι· καὶ ἐνταῦθα ἐπισχιζόμεναι, καὶ κατά τινας περιφερείας ἀλλήλαις ἐνελιττόμεναι, θαυμαστην τινα καὶ ξένην ἀπεργάζονται πλοκὴν καὶ ποικιλίαν. ᾿Αλλά γε δὴ καὶ ὁ φοῖνιξ, τὸ πολυθρύλλητον πτηνὸν, παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς τυγχάνει γινόμενος. Καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ τὴν σιτάκην ἐκεῖθεν ἴσμεν κομιζομένην, ὃ τῶν ὄρνεων ἐστὶ λαλίστατον, καὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης γλώττης μιμητικώτατον· καὶ τοὺς ποικίλους δὲ καὶ καταστιγεῖς ὅρνεις, οὓς γαράμαντας ἐπικαλοῦσί τινες, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἔθνους οὗ μάλιστα πλεῖστοι κομίζονται, τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν θέμενοι. Καὶ ἄλλα δὲ πλεῖστα διαφανῶς ὑπερφυέστατα φύεται, ὧν τὸ πλῆθος ἡ διήγησις ὑποστέλλεται. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ χρυσὸς ἐνταῦθα γεννᾶται καθαρώτατος, χρυσιτίδων οἰονεὶ τριχῶν αὐτοφυῶν τῆς ἐκείνης γῆς ἀναδιδομένων, καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἀλλήλοις κειμένων, καὶ ἐπίδηλον αὐτοῦ τὴν γένεσιν παρεχομένων. Καὶ καρποὶ δὲ κάλλιστοί τε καὶ μέγιστοι, ὧν γνώριμα καὶ τὰ κάρυα. Ἀλλὰ μὴν καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῖς Ὁμηρίταις κλίμα πᾶν μέχρι τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης δις τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀναδίδωσι τοὺς καρπούς. Ἐξ οὗ καὶ τὴν χώραν ᾿Αραβίαν εὐδαίμονα προσηγόρευσαν καὶ ὅλως ἡ πρὸς ἀνίσχοντα ἥλιον ἅπασα γῆ μακρῷ τῆς ἄλλης ἐν πᾶσι διαφέρει. Ὁ δὲ Παράδεισος, ἁπάσης τῆς ἑῴας τὸ κράτιστόν τε καὶ καθαρώτατον ὑπάρχων, καὶ τοὺς ἀέρας ἀκραιφνεστάτους καὶ καλλίστους ἔχων, καὶ τοῖς διαφανεστάτοις ὕδασι καταρδόμενος, δῆλον ὡς ἀπαραβλήτῳ ὑπεροχῇ τῆς ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ πάσης ἐν πάσῃ τὸ κρεῖττον φέρει· τῆς ἔξωθεν θαλάσσης κατ' ἀνίσχοντα τὸν ἥλιον αὐτῷ παρακλυζομένης. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that the whole region toward the rising sun and about the south, though heated beyond measure, nevertheless produces the strongest and largest of all that land and sea can nourish. For the enormous sea-monsters are in this sea, and have often been seen surfacing by those who sail that ocean. The land has the largest and most prodigious elephants, and also the so-called bull-elephants, a kind that in all other respects is a very large ox, but in hide and colour is an elephant, and, one might almost say, in size too. “For I saw this animal when it had been brought to Roman territory, and I write of what I saw.” There are also serpents among them, no less thick than beams and stretching to fifteen fathoms in length; “for I saw their skins too, brought to Roman territory.” The unicorn is also an animal of theirs. It has the head of a serpent, and a curved horn, not very large, grows on it; its whole chin is covered with a beard. Its long neck stretches up high, very like a serpent's coil. The rest of its body is more like a deer's, and it has a lion's feet; a likeness of it can be seen in Constantinople. The camelopard too is a product of that country. In other respects it is a very large deer, but its body has been given the height of a camel to imitate; it has a very long neck, rising high out of proportion to the rest of its body; its whole hide, from the top of its head to the tips of its feet, has spots most like a leopard's; and its front legs are much higher than its hind ones. They also have the so-called goat-ape, which is a kind of ape, for there are countless kinds of apes. Among them there are bear-apes, lion-apes and dog-heads, the form of the ape being mixed with the shapes of many other animals. This is plain, since many are brought to us. Such is the one called Pan, which in its head has a goat's face and goat's horns, and from the flanks down has a goat's legs, but in belly, chest and hands is pure ape. The king of the Indians had sent one to Constantius. This animal lived for some time while it was being brought, kept in a cage because of its wildness. When it died, those bringing it embalmed it, to provide the image of an unusual sight, and preserved it as far as Constantinople. “And it seems to me that the Greeks of old saw this animal and, astonished at the strangeness of the sight, regarded it as a god, since they were accustomed to make gods of extraordinary things; as with the satyr too. This also is an ape, red in the face, quick in movement, and with a tail. The sphinx, too, is a kind of ape; I write having seen it myself. The rest of its body is shaggy like the other apes, but its chest is bare up to the neck itself; it has a woman's breasts, and a short, red, millet-like swelling runs round the whole bare part of the body, fitting very becomingly with the human-looking colour in the middle. Its face is rather round and tends toward a woman's shape; its voice is fairly human, except that it is not divided into articulate words, but is like someone muttering meaningless sounds quickly and as if with some anger and vexation; and it is rather deep when it is raised. The beast is terribly wild and most cunning, and not easily tamed. I think that when one of these was brought long ago to Boeotian Thebes, and perhaps leapt on some of those who had flocked to see it and mangled their faces, Oedipus, taking the injuries to his fellow citizens hard, killed the animal and won a splendid name from it. And the myth, to glorify him for courage, represents the beast as winged, because it leaps swiftly; gives it a woman's breast and a lion's body: a woman's because its nakedness is evident and its form resembles a woman's; a lion's because of its fierceness and because for the most part it walks on four feet. The fiction gave the beast speech because of the human quality of its voice, and made it speak in riddles because it utters meaningless sounds. There is nothing surprising in this: the Greeks are used to fashioning many other things into myths.” The same country also bears very large wild asses, with hides strangely variegated, white and black colour being mingled on them not in small patches; but there are stripes running from the backbone to the sides and the belly, and there they divide and wind round one another in curves, producing a wonderful and strange weave and pattern. Moreover the phoenix, the much-talked-of bird, is found among them. And we know that the parrot is brought from there, which is the most talkative of birds and the best mimic of human speech; and the speckled, spotted birds that some call garamantes, giving them the name of the nation from which most of them are brought. Very many other things of plainly extraordinary nature grow there, whose number the account passes over. Gold too is produced there, very pure, as if golden hairs grew of themselves out of that earth and lay on one another, making its origin evident. There are also very fine and very large fruits, among them the well-known nuts. Moreover the whole region of the Homerites, as far as the Red Sea, yields its fruits twice a year; for this reason they called the country Happy Arabia. And in short, the whole land toward the rising sun far surpasses the rest in everything. Paradise, being the best and purest part of the whole east, having the most unmixed and finest air, and watered by the clearest waters, plainly surpasses in every respect everything under the sun with an incomparable superiority, the outer sea washing against it toward the rising sun. ### Translation notes - The first-person remarks (“I saw…”) are Philostorgius's, copied by Photius; they are set in quotation marks to keep the two voices apart. The animals described appear to include the giraffe (camelopard) and the zebra (striped wild ass); his explanation of the Sphinx of Oedipus is his own rationalizing of the myth. - Several words have lost letters in the scan (e.g. μεγίστη, θηριῶδες, οὐρὰν, μαζοὺς, μῦθος) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.11 (PG 65:495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-11). ## 3.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-12 - Source: PG 65:499 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's account of Athanasius's restoration through Constans's threat of war, and of the bishops who came over to him. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, Ἀθανάσιος πρὸς τὸν ἑσπέριον ικόμενος βασιλέα, καὶ δώρων τοὺς αὐτῷ παραδυναστεύοντας ὑπαγαγὼν ἀφθονίᾳ, μάλιστα δὲ Εὐστάθιον, ὃς κόμης ἦν τῶν λεγομένων πριουάτων, καὶ τῷ σιλεῖ πιθανώτατος, ἐπιστολὴν πρὸς Κωνστάντιον κομίζεται, λέγουσαν ὧδε· ᾿Αθανάσιος ἧκεν ὡς ἡμᾶς, ἑαυτῷ προσήκειν τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἀποδεικνύς. Τυγχανέτω τοίνυν διὰ σοῦ ταύτης, ἐπεὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς γε αὐτὴν ἀνακτήσεται ὅπλοις. Δεξάμενον δὲ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τὸν Κωνστάντιον, καὶ τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἐπὶ κοινωνίᾳ βουλῆς συγκαλέσαντα, γνώμην· παρ᾿ αὐτῶν λαβεῖν, ἄμεινον εἶναι μὴ πόλεμον ἀναῤῥῆξαι τῷ ἀδελφῷ, ἢ τῆς ᾿Αθανασίου βαρύτητος τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν ἀπαλλάξαι. Διὸ καὶ ἐφιέναι αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἀναλαβεῖν, καὶ τὸν Γεώργιον μετ' ἐπιστολῆς εἰς ἑαυτὸν μεταπέμψασθαι. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδα τὴν Καππαδοκίαν ἀφίκετο, κἀκεῖ διῆγε τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἐπισκοπούμενος. Ὁ δὲ ᾿Αθανάσιος, μετὰ μείζονος ἤδη φρονήματος διιὼν τὰς πόλεις, καθ' οὓς γίνοιτο τῶν ἐπισκόπων, λόγοις αὐτοὺς ἐξεκαλεῖτο πρὸς τὸ ὁμοούσιον· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους μὴ προσδέχεσθαι ᾿Αέτιον δὲ τὸν ἔφορον τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἐπὶ πορνείᾳ καταγγελλόμενον, καὶ βουληθέντα τῇ πρὸς ᾿Αθανάσιον ἐπιχωρήσει τὸ σχος ἐπικαλύψασθαι, πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου δόξαν αὐτομολῆσαι δοῦναι οὖν ὅμως ὀξύτατα τὴν δίκην, τοῦ αἰδοίου διασαπέντος καὶ σκώληκας βρύσαντος, καὶ οὕτω τοῦ ζῇν ἐλαθέντα. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ Μάξιμον τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἐπίσκοπον, πρὸς τὴν ᾿Αθανασίου δόξαν ἀποκλίναι, καίπερ ὁ κατὰ Μαξιμιανὸν διωγμὸς μάρτυρα τοῦτον ἐδείκνυ, καὶ τὸν ἕτερον τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας φέροντα διορωρυγμένον. Καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους μετὰ μικρὸν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ξαν τὸν ᾿Αθανάσιον ὑποσύρασθαι. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Athanasius, having come to the western emperor and won over those who held influence with him by an abundance of gifts, especially Eustathius, who was count of the so-called private estates and had very great influence with the emperor, obtained a letter to Constantius that said this: “Athanasius has come to us, showing that the bishopric of Alexandria belongs to him. Let him therefore obtain it through you, since otherwise he will recover it by my arms.” Constantius received the letter and called the bishops together to share his deliberation, and got from them the opinion that it was better not to break out into war with his brother than to rid Alexandria of the burden of Athanasius. Therefore he allowed Athanasius to take back the bishopric and summoned George to himself by letter. George went to his own homeland, Cappadocia, and lived there looking after his own affairs. Athanasius, now with greater pride, went through the cities and, by argument, called out the bishops he met to the homoousion. The others, he says, did not accept it; but Aetius, the bishop in Palestine, who was charged with sexual immorality and wanted to cover his disgrace by joining Athanasius, deserted to his opinion. Yet he paid the penalty very swiftly: his genitals rotted and bred worms, and so he was driven out of life. Maximus also, bishop of Jerusalem, inclined to Athanasius's opinion, although the persecution under Maximian had shown him a martyr and he bore one of his eyes gouged out for piety's sake. And not long afterwards Athanasius drew many others into his own opinion. ### Translation notes - Constans's letter is reported by Philostorgius; Photius copies it without comment. The Palestinian bishop Aetius (of Lydda) is not the Anomoean Aetius of 3.15. - Lemmata of Valesius's notes had leaked into the text; they are removed. Some words have lost letters in the scan (βασιλεῖ, αἶσχος, δόξαν) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.12 (PG 65:499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-12). ## 3.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-13 - Source: PG 65:501 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius claims Flavian of Antioch first introduced the doxology “Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.” ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶ τὸν Ἀντιοχείας Φλαβιανὸν, πλῆθος μοναχῶν συναγείραντᾳ, πρῶτον ἀναβοῆσαι· Δόξα Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Τῶν γὰρ πρὸ αὐτοῦ, τοὺς μὲν, Δόξα Πατρὶ Υἱοῦ ἐν ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι λέγειν, καὶ ταύτην μᾶλλον τὴν ἐκφώνησιν ἐπιπολάζειν· τοὺς δὲ, Δόξα Πατρὶ ἐν Υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. ### English translation (Claude) That he says Flavian of Antioch, having gathered a crowd of monks, was the first to cry out, “Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit.” For of those before him, some said, “Glory to the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit,” and this form of the doxology was the more common; others, “Glory to the Father in the Son and the Holy Spirit.” ### Translation notes - The first doxology as printed (Πατρὶ Υἱοῦ) has lost a word; the usual form is “through (διά) the Son”, and it is translated so. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.13 (PG 65:501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-13). ## 3.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-14 - Source: PG 65:501 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius says Arians and Nicenes shared worship except the Eucharist until Aetius brought about a full separation. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, εἰ καὶ διεφέροντο κατὰ τὰς δόξας τοῖς τὸ ὁμοούσιον πρεσβεύουσιν οἱ ἐξ ᾿Αρείου, ὅμως καὶ εὐχῶν, καὶ ὕμνων, καὶ βουλευμάτων, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων σχεδὸν ἁπάντων, πλὴν τῆς μυστικῆς ἐκοινώνουν θυσίας. Ἐπιγενομένου δὲ τοῦ ᾿Αετίου, καὶ τῆς ἐν τούτοις διαστάσεως ἄρξαντος, τὴν ὁμόδοξον συναγωγὴν πάντας δεσμοὺς καὶ φιλίας καὶ συνηθείας, οἷς τοῖς ἑτεροδόξοις συνήπτοντο, διαῤῥήξαντας, εἰς ἀντίπαλον τούτοις μάλιστα παρασκευάσαι καταστῆσαι τὴν μοῖραν. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, although the followers of Arius differed in their opinions from those who professed the homoousion, they still shared with them in prayers, hymns, counsels and almost everything else except the mystical sacrifice. But when Aetius came on the scene and began the division in these matters, he brought the party of like belief to break all the bonds of friendship and familiarity by which they were joined to those of other belief, and to set itself up as their opponent. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.14 (PG 65:501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-14). ## 3.15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-15 - Source: PG 65:501 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's life of Aetius: his poverty and goldsmith's trade, his teachers among Lucian's disciples, his vision, his defeat of the Manichaean Aphthonius, and his medical practice. ### Greek text Ὅτι πατρὶς ᾿Αετίῳ ἡ ἐν κοίλῃ γέγονε ρίᾳ τοῦ δὲ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ τῶν ἐν στρατείᾳ δυσπραγέστερον ἐνηνεγμένων Καὶ τὸν βίον ἐν τούτοις ἀπολιπόντος, τὴν μὲν οὐσίαν τὸν τηνικάδε ἄρχοντά φησι δημοσιεῦσαι Νέον δὲ τὸν ᾿Αέτιον ὄντα εἰς ἔσχατον σὺν τῇ μητρὶ πενίας ἐλάσαι· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐπὶ τὸ χρυσοχοεῖν ὁρμῆσαι, ὡς ἂν ἀμωσγέπως αὐτός τε καὶ ἡ γεννησαμένη διαβιῷ. ᾿Αποχρώντως δὲ τῇ τέχνῃ κεχρημένον, διὰ ῥώμην φύσεως ἐπὶ τὰς λογικὰς ἐπιστραφῆναι μαθήσεις. Καὶ Παυλίνου μὲν ἀκροάσασθαι πρότερον, ὃς ἐκ τῆς ἐφορείας Τύρου εἰς τὴν τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας μετέστη. Τῆς δὲ τρὸς τὸν βίον λειπούσης, δι᾽ ἣν μᾶλλον καὶ ἡ ποικίλαις εἰδέαις τὸν χρυσὸν ἐπιμορφοῦσα τέχνη μετεχειρίζετο τῷ ᾿Αετίῳ, ἐκεῖθεν αὐτὸν ὅλον εἰς τὴν τῶν λογικῶν μαθημάτων μετατάξασθαι θεωρίαν· καὶ θᾶττον ἐπὶ λόγων ἁμίλλαις τῶν πλειόνων ὁρᾶσθαι κρατοῦντα· καὶ φθόνον ἐκ τούτου οὐ μικρὸν ἀνάπτειν. Ἀλλὰ μέχρι μὲν ὁ Παυλῖνος ἔζη, τὴν ἰσχὺν ὁ φθόνος παρῃρεῖτο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐκεῖνος μετὰ νας ἓξ ἀπεβίω, ἀντ᾿ αὐτοῦ δὲ Εὐλάλιος τὸν θρότον εἶχεν, εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ δύναμιν ἐπανελθὼν ὁ φθόνος, κινεῖ τὸν Εὐλάλιον τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας τὸν ᾿Αέτιον ελάσαι. Ὁ δὲ, εἰς τὴν τῆς Κιλικίας ᾿Αναζαρβὸν ικόμενος, τῇ τέχνῃ πάλιν πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀπεχρῆτο, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐν λόγοις ἀφιστάμενος πρὸς τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας ἁμίλλης. Γραμματικοῦ δὲ τινος τὴν φύσιν αὐτοῦ ἀγαμένου, καὶ μεταδοῦναι τῆς τέχνης ὁρμημένου, ὁ ᾿Αέτιος παρ᾿ αὐτὸν εἰσοικισθεὶς ἐθήτευεν, τὰς οἰκετικὰς αὐτῷ τελῶν λειτουργίας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τὴν γραμματικὴν προθύμως αὐτὸν ἐδιδάξατο. Ὁ δὲ, τοῦ διδασκάλου δημοσίᾳ ποτὲ καταστὰς εἰς ἔλεγχον, ὅτι μὴ τῶν θείων λογίων ὀρθὴν ἐποιεῖτο τὴν διήγησιν, καὶ πολλὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπ᾿ ἀμαθείᾳ τοιούτων αἰσχύνην καταχεάμενος, ἀντιμισθίαν εὗρε τὴν ἀποκήρυξιν τῆς εὐεργετούσης αὐτὸν οἰκίας. Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ἐλαθεὶς ᾿Αθανασίῳ συγγίνεται, ὃς τῶν μὲν Λουκιανοῦ τοῦ μάρτυρος ὁμιλητῶν εἷς ἐγεγόνει, τὴν ᾿Αναβαρζὸν διεσκόπει παρ' ᾧ τοὺς εὐαγγελιστὰς ἀναγνοὺς, καὶ τοῖς καθ' ἕκαστον αὐτὸν ἐπιστήσας, ἐπὶ τὴν Ταρσὸν παρὰ ᾿Αντώνιον ἀφικνείται. Τῶν Λουκιανοῦ δὲ καὶ οὗτος ἦν γνωρίμων. οὗ τὰς τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου ἀναδιδαχθεὶς Ἐπιστολὰς, ίκανὸν αὐτῷ συνδιέτριβε χρόνον, τὴν τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου τάξιν πληροῦντι. Ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ὁ ᾿Αντώνιος ἔφορος ἐγεγόνει, καὶ οὐχ οἷός τε ἦν ἐνασχολεῖσθαι τῇ σοφιζούσῃ τὸν ᾿Αέτιον διδασκαλίᾳ, εἰς τὴν ᾿Αντιόχου πάλιν ὁ ᾿Αέτιος ἐπάνεισιν, ἀκροασόμενος Λεοντίου πρεσβύτερος δὲ ἦν ὁ Λεόντιος κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ, καὶ σὐτὸς τῶν μαθητῶν Λουκιανοῦ χρηματίσας· ὃς αὐτῷ καὶ τοὺς προφήτας ἐξηγήσατο, καὶ μάλιστα τὸν ζεκιήλ. ᾿Αλλὰ κἀκεῖθεν αὐτὸν ὁ φθόνος αὖθις, ὡς Φιλοστόργιος ληρεῖ, ὡς ἄν τις ἀληθεύων εἴποι, τῆς γλώσσης ἡ ἀκρασία, καὶ τὸ τοῦ φρονήματος δυσσεβὲς ἀπελαύνει. Ἐκεῖθεν οὖν τὴν Κιλικίαν καταλαμβάνει· καί τις τῶν Βορβοριανῶν λόγοις αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῆς ἰδίας δόξης συμπλακεὶς εἰς ἐσχάτην κατέστησεν ἧτταν. Ἐφ᾽ ᾧ ἀθυμία τε αὐτὸν κατείχε, καὶ τὸ ζῇν οὐκ ἀνεκτὸν ἡγεῖτο, ὁρῶν τὸ ψεῦδος τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπικρατέστερον. Οὕτω δὲ τῷ ᾿Αετίῳ διακειμένῳ ὀπτασία τις, ὡς οὗτος τερατολογεῖ, ἐφίσταται λύουσα τὴν ἀθυμίαν, συμβόλοις παρεχομένη τὸ ἀνανταγώνιστον τῆς ἤδη παρεχομένης αὐτοῦ σοφίας Κἀκεῖθεν παραγεγόνει τῷ Ἀετίῳ τὸ μηδενὸς ἐν συμπλοκαῖς ἡττᾶσθαι λόγων. Μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ γοῦν ᾿Αφθόνιός τις τῆς Μανιχαίων λύσσης προεστώς, καὶ γάλην παρὰ πολλοῖς ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ καὶ δεινότητι λόγων φέρων τὴν δόξαν, ἐν τῇ κατ᾿ Αἴγυπτον αὐτῷ ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ συμπλέκεται. Καὶ γὰρ ἦκε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐξ Αντιοχείας ὁ ᾿Αέτιος, ὑπὸ τῆς αὐτοῦ φήμης ἑλκόμενος. Ὡς δ᾽ εἰς ἅμιλλαν ἀλλήλοις κατέστησαν, οὐδὲ πολλοῖς καταναλωθείσης διαλέξεως, εἰς ἀφωνίαν συνελάσας ὁ ᾿Αέτιος τὸν Ἀφθόνιον, ἐκ μεγάλης δόξης εἰς μεγάλην αἰσχύνην κατήνεγκε. Διὸ καὶ τῷ ἀπροσδοκήτῳ βαρυθυμήσας τῆς ἥττης, νόσον τε ἐπεσπάσατο χαλεπήν, καὶ τῇ νόσῳ πέρας ὁ θάνατος ἦν, οὐδὲ ραιτέρω τῶν ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν διαρκέσαντος τοῦ σώματος ἀπὸ τῆς πληγῆς. ᾿Αέτιος δὲ διὰ πάντων ἐχώρει, τοῖς λόγοις τοὺς ἀντιπάλους κατὰ κράτος βάλλων, καὶ τὴν νίκην λαμπρὰν ἀναδούμενος. Τότε δὲ καὶ τῆς ἰατρικῆς ἐξῆπτο ὡς ἂν μὴ μόνον ψυχῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ σωμάτων ἔχοι τὰς νόσους ἰᾶσθαι. Σώπολις δ᾽ ἦν αὐτῷ τοῦ μαθήματος ὁ διδάσκαλος, ἀνὴρ ἐν τῇ χνῃ μηδενὸς ἔχων τὰ δεύτερα ἀριστεύων δὲ ἐν τρικῇ ὁ ᾿Αέτιος, ἄμισθον παρεῖχε τοῖς δεομένοις τὴν θεραπείαν. Εἰ δὲ ποτε ἐδέησεν αὐτῷ τῶν ἀναγκαίων, παρά τινι τῶν ὁμοτέχνων νύκτωρ φοιτῶν, ἵνα μὴ δι᾿ ἡμέρας ἀπάγοιτο τῶν σπουδαιοτέρων, ὅσον τοῦ χρυσίου τεχνικωτέρας ἐδεῖτο χειρὸς, τοῦτο δὲ ἄρα ἐξεργαζόμενος θᾶττον, παρὰ τοῦ ὁμοτέχνου τὸν σθὸν ἐκομίζετο, καὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ βίον συνεῖχε. Ταῦτα δὲ κατ' ἐκείνους καιροὺς τοῦ Κωνσταντίου ἦν, καθ' οὓς καὶ ὁ Θεόφιλος ἐκ τῶν Ἰνδῶν ἐπανελθὼν διῆγεν ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ. ### English translation (Claude) That Aetius's homeland was in Coele-Syria. When his father, who had fared badly in his military service, died in that condition, he says that the governor of the time confiscated his property, and Aetius, who was young, was reduced with his mother to extreme poverty; and for this reason he turned to goldsmith's work, so that he and his mother might somehow live. Having practised the craft sufficiently, through strength of natural ability he turned to the studies of logic. First he heard Paulinus, who was transferred from the bishopric of Tyre to that of Antioch. When his mother died, for whose sake above all Aetius had practised the craft of shaping gold into varied forms, he thereupon transferred himself entirely to the study of logic, and was soon seen to get the better of most people in contests of argument, and from this he kindled no small envy. As long as Paulinus lived, envy was robbed of its force; but when he died six months later and Eulalius held the throne in his place, envy regained its strength and moved Eulalius to drive Aetius out of Antioch. Aetius went to Anazarbus in Cilicia and again supported himself by his craft, not giving up contests of argument with those he met. A grammarian, admiring his natural ability and eager to share his art with him, took Aetius into his house, where he served him, performing a servant's duties for him; and the grammarian eagerly taught him grammar. But Aetius once publicly refuted his teacher for not giving a correct explanation of the divine oracles, and covered him with great shame for his ignorance of such things, and he received as his reward expulsion from the house that had been his benefactor. Driven out from there, he joined Athanasius, who had been one of the disciples of Lucian the martyr and was bishop of Anazarbus. With him he read the Evangelists, and having made him study each of them closely, he went to Tarsus, to Antony, who was also one of Lucian's pupils. Having been taught by him the Epistles of the Apostle, he spent considerable time with him while Antony held the rank of presbyter. When Antony became bishop and could no longer give his time to the teaching that was making Aetius wise, Aetius went back again to Antioch to hear Leontius. Leontius was a presbyter at that time, and had himself been one of Lucian's disciples; he explained the prophets to him, especially Ezekiel. But from there too, envy drove him out again, as Philostorgius drivels, or, as one would say truly, the intemperance of his tongue and the impiety of his opinion. From there he went to Cilicia; and one of the Borborians, entering into argument with him about his own belief, brought him to utter defeat. At this he fell into despondency and thought life unbearable, seeing falsehood stronger than truth. While Aetius was in this state, a vision, as this man tells in his tale of marvels, appeared to him, dispelling his despondency and showing by signs that the wisdom that would be given him could not be withstood. And from then on Aetius was never defeated in argument. Not long afterwards, a certain Aphthonius, a leader of the Manichaean madness, who had a great reputation with many for wisdom and skill in argument, engaged him in debate at Alexandria in Egypt; for Aetius had come to him from Antioch, drawn by his fame. When they entered into contest with each other, after no long discussion Aetius reduced Aphthonius to silence and brought him down from great fame to great shame. Taking his unexpected defeat hard, Aphthonius contracted a serious illness, and the illness ended in death, his body holding out no longer than seven days after the blow. Aetius went through everything, striking down his opponents by force of argument and wearing a brilliant crown of victory. At that time he also took up medicine, so that he could heal the diseases not only of souls but also of bodies. His teacher in this study was Sopolis, a man second to none in the art. Aetius, excelling in medicine, gave his treatment free to those who needed it. And if he ever lacked necessities, he would go at night to one of his fellow craftsmen, so as not to be drawn away by day from more serious pursuits, and would quickly finish whatever gold work needed a more skilled hand, receive his pay from his fellow craftsman, and so support his life. This was in those times of Constantius in which Theophilus, too, having returned from the Indians, was living at Antioch. ### Translation notes - Photius interrupts Philostorgius's eulogy of Aetius with his own judgments (“as Philostorgius drivels”, “his tale of marvels”). - The Borborians were a Gnostic sect. The Athanasius here is the Arian bishop of Anazarbus, not Athanasius of Alexandria. - Many words in this section have lost letters in the scan (e.g. μητρὸς, μῆνας, θρόνον, Ἰεζεκιήλ, ἰατρικῇ, μισθόν); they are translated by sense. The opening phrase (ἐν κοίλῃ γέγονε ρίᾳ) is read as Coele-Syria. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.15 (PG 65:501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-15). ## 3.16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-16 - Source: PG 65:507 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Aetius defeats Basil of Ancyra and Eustathius of Sebaste in debate and earns their hatred. ### Greek text Ὅτι ᾿Αέτιος, φησὶ, τοῖς περὶ βασίλειον τὸ ᾿Αγκύρας, καὶ Εὐστάθιον τὸν Σεβαστείας, εἰς τοὺς περὶ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου λόγους καταστὰς, καὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων αὐτοὺς διελέγξας ἀφωνοτάτους, ὡς οὗτος τερατολογεῖ, εἰς μίσος αὐτοῖς ἄσπονδον κατέστη. ### English translation (Claude) That Aetius, he says, entering into discussion about the homoousion with Basil of Ancyra and Eustathius of Sebaste, and proving them, as this man tells in his tale of marvels, the most speechless of all men, became the object of their implacable hatred. ### Translation notes - “As this man tells in his tale of marvels” is Photius's comment. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.16 (PG 65:507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-16). ## 3.17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-17 - Source: PG 65:507 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Leontius, now bishop of Antioch, makes Aetius a deacon and teacher; Aetius goes to Alexandria to oppose Athanasius. ### Greek text Ὅτι Λεόντιος, φησὶν, ὃν ὁ ἔμπροσθεν λόγος πρεσβύτερόν τε καὶ διδάσκαλον ᾿Αετίου ὑπέδειξεν, ἐπίσκοπος Αντιοχείας καταστὰς, εἰς διακονίαν τὸν μαθητὴν προχειρίζεται, καὶ διδάσκειν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐπιτρέπει δόγματα. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς μὲν τὸ τῆς διακονίας ἔργον ὑπεστάλη διδάσκειν δὲ ἀνεδέξατο. Χρόνον δὲ διατρίψας, ὃς ἐνόμιζεν αὐτῷ εἰς τὴν τῶν θείων μαθημάτων ἐξαρκέσειν παράδοσιν, ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν αὖθις παραγίνεται. Ἤδη γὰρ ἐν αὐτῇ ὁ ᾿Αθανάσιος πολὺς ἦν ἐπὶ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου ῥέων, καὶ ἐχρῆν εἶναι τὸν ἀντιπνέοντα. ### English translation (Claude) That Leontius, he says, whom the earlier account showed to be a presbyter and Aetius's teacher, having become bishop of Antioch, appointed his pupil to the diaconate and entrusted him with teaching the church's doctrines in church. Aetius declined the work of the diaconate but undertook to teach. After spending as much time as he thought would suffice for handing on the divine teachings, he went back to Alexandria. For Athanasius was already there, pouring forth a great flood in favour of the homoousion, and someone had to blow against him. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.17 (PG 65:507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-17). ## 3.18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-18 - Source: PG 65:509 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Leontius deposes Flavian and Paulinus, followers of the exiled Eustathius. ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶ Φλαβιανὸν καὶ Παυλῖνον, οἳ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα τὸν ᾿Αντιοχείας θρόνον εἶχον διανειμάμενοι, τούτους τὸν εἰρημένον Λεόντιον ἅτε δὴ μὴ ὁμοδοξοῦντας καθελεῖν. Οὗτοι δὲ ἦσαν Εὐσταθίῳ συνακολουθήσαντες, ἐς τὴν μεθόριον ἀπαγομένῳ. Ὃς τῶν ἱερῶν τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας φροντίδων μᾶλλον δὲ τῆς ὅλης εὐσεβείας, οὐδὲν ἠνέσχετο τοῖς καιροῖς συγκαπηλεύσασθαι. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that Flavian and Paulinus, who afterwards divided the throne of Antioch between them, were deposed by the aforementioned Leontius because they were not of his belief. They had followed Eustathius when he was led off into exile, who would not make a trade of his sacred cares for Antioch, or rather of the whole of piety, to suit the times. ### Translation notes - The relative clause (“who would not…”) most naturally refers to Eustathius; Valesius refers it to Leontius. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.18 (PG 65:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-18). ## 3.19 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-19 - Source: PG 65:509 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Aetius refuses ordination as bishop from Secundus and Serras because they communicated with the homoousians. ### Greek text Ὅτι Σεκούνδου καὶ Σέῤῥα εἰς ἐπισκοπὴν τὸν ᾿Αέτιον προχειριζομένων, αὐτὸς, φησὶν, οὐκ έσχετο, μὴ καθαρῶς αὐτοὺς ἱερᾶσθαι, διὰ τὴν ἐπιμιξίαν τῶν τὸ ὁμοούσιον θρησκευόντων ἀποφαινόμενος. ### English translation (Claude) That when Secundus and Serras were appointing Aetius to the episcopate, he himself, he says, would not accept it, declaring that they did not exercise the priesthood purely because they mixed with those who professed the homoousion. ### Translation notes - The printed οὐκ έσχετο has lost letters (οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, “would not accept”). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.19 (PG 65:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-19). ## 3.20 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-20 - Source: PG 65:509 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eunomius comes to Antioch and is introduced by Secundus to Aetius at Alexandria, becoming his pupil. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, Εὐνόμιος κατὰ πύστιν τῆς ᾿Αετίου σοφίας εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν ἐκ Καππαδοκίας ἀφικόμενος, τῷ Σεκούνδῳ συνέμιξεν. Ὁ δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν ξανδρείᾳ τότε τῷ ᾿Αετίῳ διατρίβοντι συνέστηκε• συνέστην ἄμφω, ὁ μὲν διδάσκων, ὁ δὲ τοῖς ἱεροῖς μαθήμασι συνασκούμενος. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Eunomius, having heard of the wisdom of Aetius, came from Cappadocia to Antioch and joined Secundus. Secundus introduced him to Aetius, who was then living in Alexandria; and the two were together, the one teaching, the other being trained in the sacred learning. ### Translation notes - The end of this section is garbled in the scan (συνέστηκε• συνέστην ἄμφω) and is translated by sense; ἐν ξανδρείᾳ is Alexandria with letters lost. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.20 (PG 65:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-20). ## 3.21 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-21 - Source: PG 65:509 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Photius notes that Philostorgius wrote a eulogy of Eunomius. ### Greek text Ὅτι Εὐνομίου φησὶν οὗτος ὁ δυσσεβής, οὐκ αἰσχυνόμενος, ἐγκώμιον ἀνατάξασθαι ### English translation (Claude) That this impious man, unashamed, composed a eulogy of Eunomius. ### Translation notes - “This impious man” is Photius's description of Philostorgius. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.21 (PG 65:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-21). ## 3.22 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-22 - Source: PG 65:509 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on the death of Constans, Constantina's elevation of Vetranio, and Constantius's mild treatment of him. ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶ τὸν Κώνσταντα, διὰ τὴν ὑπὲρ ᾿Αθανασίου σπουδὴν ὑπὸ τυραννίδι τῇ Μαγνεντίου τὴν ζωὴν καταστρέψασθαι. Τελευτήσαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τοῦ μὲν Κωνσταντίου κατὰ τὴν Ἔδεσαν τῆς Μεσοποταμίας διατρίβοντος (τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ Περσικὸς ήτει πόλεμος), ἡ πρεσβυτάτη τούτων ἀδελφὴ Κωνσταντίνα (᾿Αναβιλλιανοῦ δὲ ἦν κεχηρωμένη γυνή), δείσασα μὴ φθάσειεν ὁ τυραννήσας Μαγνέντιος τὸ πάντων ἀναρτήσασθαι κράτος, Οὐετερανίωνά τινα τῶν στρατηγούντων ἕνα καθίστησι Καίσαρα. Ἐδόκει δὲ δύνασθαι τὴν πρᾶξιν, διότι ζήνων ὁ κοινὸς αὐτῶν πατήρ διαδήματί τε αὐτὴν ἐταινίωσε, καὶ Αὐγοῦσταν ἐπωνόμασεν. Ὁ δὲ Κωνστάντιος ταῦτα μαθὼν παραυτίκα μὲν Οὐετερανίωνι τὸ διάδημα πέμπει, συνεπικυρῶν αὐτῷ καὶ τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ἀξίωμα· ἔπειτα δὲ πρὸς ἐσπερίους κατὰ Μαγνεντίου στρατευόμενος, καὶ συμμίξαι φιλίως τῷ Οὐετερανίωνι βουληθεὶς, ἐπείπερ ἐκεῖνος παρέσχεν ὑποψίαν ἐπαναστάσεως, χειροῦται μὲν τὸν Οὐετερανίωνα, καὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς ἀποδύει στολῆς· μηδὲν δὲ κακὸν ἐπεργασάμενος ἄλλο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τραπέζης αὐτῷ κοινωνήσας, εἰς Προῦσαν τῆς Βιθυνίας ἐκπέμπει, λαμπρὰς καὶ μεγαλοπρεπεῖς ἀφορίσας αὐτῷ τὰς χορηγίας, μηδενὸς ὑστερῆσθαι, ὧν ἀνθρώπου βίος ὡς ἐν ἰδιώταις εὐδαιμονεῖ, προνοησάμενος. ### English translation (Claude) That he says Constans, because of his zeal for Athanasius, ended his life under the tyranny of Magnentius. After his death, while Constantius was staying at Edessa in Mesopotamia (for the Persian war required it), Constantina, the eldest of their sisters (she was the widow of Hannibalianus), fearing that the usurper Magnentius might get control of everything first, made Vetranio, one of the generals, Caesar. She was thought to have the power to do this because their common father, while still alive, had crowned her with a diadem and named her Augusta. Constantius, learning this, at once sent Vetranio the diadem, confirming him in the imperial dignity too; but afterwards, marching west against Magnentius and wanting to meet Vetranio as a friend, since Vetranio gave cause to suspect a revolt, he seized Vetranio and stripped him of the imperial robe. He did him no other harm, but even shared his table and sent him off to Prusa in Bithynia, assigning him splendid and generous allowances and taking care that he should lack nothing by which a man's life is happy as a private person. ### Translation notes - “While still alive” renders ζήνων, a damaged word read as ζῶν. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.22 (PG 65:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-22). ## 3.23 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-23 - Source: PG 65:511 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Bishop James of Nisibis saves the city from Shapur's siege. ### Greek text Ὅτι Σαπώρην τὸν βασιλέα Περσῶν ἀναγράφει στρατεῦσαι κατὰ τῆς Νισίβιδος, καὶ εἰς πολιορκίαν αὐτῆς καταστῆναι ἄπρακτον δὲ καὶ παρὰ δόξαν κατῃσχυμένον ὑποστρέψαι, Ἰακώβου τοῦ τῆς πόλεως ἐπισκόπου τό τε πρακτέον τοῖς πολίταις εἰσηγουμένου, καὶ τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν παῤῥησίᾳ, κατὰ τὸ υπέρβλητον τῆς πόλεως ὑπερμαχεσαμένου. ### English translation (Claude) That he records that Shapur, king of the Persians, marched against Nisibis and laid siege to it, but went back without success and unexpectedly put to shame, because James, the bishop of the city, advised the citizens what to do, and by his boldness toward God defended the city in an unsurpassable way. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.23 (PG 65:511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-23). ## 3.24 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-24 - Source: PG 65:511 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius describes the Julian and Succi passes, whose seizure made Constantius suspect Vetranio. ### Greek text Ὅτι αἱ ῎Αλπεις, αἵ τε Σούκεις καλούμεναι, καὶ αἱ Ἰούλιαι, δίοδοί εἰσι στεναὶ μεγίστων ὁρῶν ἑκατέρωθεν, καὶ ὑφ᾽ ἓν χωρίον ἐγγὺς τοῦ συμπτύσσεσθαι συγκλειομένων. Ἐοίκασι δὲ αἱ δίοδοι αὗται τοῖς ἐν Θερμοπύλαις στενοῖς. ᾿Αλλ' αἱ μὲν Ἰούλιαι Ἄλπεις τὰς Γαλλίας καὶ Ἰταλίας διορίζουσι τῶν Ἰταλῶν· αἱ δὲ Σούκεις μεταξὺ τῆς Δακίας εἰσὶ καὶ τῆς Θράκης, ἃς καὶ καταλαβεῖν ἐπειγόμενος Οὐετερανίων τὴν ὑπόνοιαν τῆς ἐπαναστάσεως παρέσχε Κωνσταντίῳ. ### English translation (Claude) That the Alps, both those called the Succi and the Julian Alps, are narrow passes between very great mountains on either side, which close together at one spot until they almost fold into one another. These passes resemble the narrows at Thermopylae. The Julian Alps divide the Gauls from Italy, while the Succi lie between Dacia and Thrace; and Vetranio, by hastening to seize these, gave Constantius cause to suspect a revolt. ### Translation notes - The printed text adds a redundant τῶν Ἰταλῶν (“of the Italians”) after “Italy”; it is not translated separately. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.24 (PG 65:511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-24). ## 3.25 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-25 - Source: PG 65:511 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius makes his cousin Gallus Caesar to face the Persians. ### Greek text Ὅτι ἐν ᾧ Κωνστάντιος κατὰ Μαγνεντίου παρεσκευάζετο τοῦ τυράννου, τὸ Περσικὸν ἀκούσας κατὰ τῆς ἐψας βαρυτέρᾳ χειρὶ κινεῖσθαι, εἰς ἀνάγκην ἧκε Γάλλον Καίσαρα χειροτονῆσαι, καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς πέμψαι. ᾿Ανεψιὸς δὲ ἦν ὁ Γάλλος· καὶ γὰρ ὁ Γάλλου πατὴρ Κωνστάντιος ἀδελφὸς ἦν Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ μεγάλου, ὃς ἐγείνατο Κωνστάντιον καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ ἀδελφούς. ### English translation (Claude) That while Constantius was preparing against the usurper Magnentius, hearing that the Persian power was moving against the East with a heavier hand, he was forced to appoint Gallus Caesar and send him against them. Gallus was his cousin; for Gallus's father Constantius was the brother of Constantine the Great, who begot Constantius and his brothers. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.25 (PG 65:511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-25). ## 3.26 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-26 - Source: PG 65:511 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The sign of the cross over Jerusalem heralds Constantius's victory over Magnentius, who kills his kin and himself at Lyon. ### Greek text Ὁ μὲν οὖν Κωνστάντιος ἐγκρατὴς τοῦ τυράννου γίνεται, κάνταῦθα τοῦ σημείου τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐπὶ μέγιστόν τε προφανέντος, καὶ καταπληκτικωτάταις αἴγλαις ὑπεραστράψαντος τὸ τῆς ἡμέρας φῶς. Ωφθη δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων περὶ τὴν τρίτην ὥραν λιστα τῆς ἡμέρας, ἑορτῆς τῆς λεγομένης Πεντηκοστῆς ἐνισταμένης. Ὁ δὲ θεόγραφος τύπος ἐκεῖνος ἀπὸ τοῦ λεγομένου Κρανίου μέχρι καὶ τοῦ τῶν Ἐλαιῶν ὄρους διήκων ὡρᾶτο, ἴριδος μεγάλης στεφάνου τρόπον πανταχόθεν αὐτὸν περιελιττούσης. Ἐδήλου δὲ ἄρα ἡ μὲν ἴρις τὴν τοῦ σταυρωθέντος καὶ ἀναληφθέντος εὐμένειαν· ὁ δὲ στέφανος τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως νίκην. Τὸ δὲ σελασφόρον ἐκεῖνο καὶ σεβάσμιον θέαμα. οὐδὲ τοῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ στρατοπέδου ἀθέατον ἦν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιδήλως ὁρώμενον, Μαγνέντιον μὲν καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ ἅτε τῇ τῶν δαιμόνων θεραπείᾳ προσανακειμένους, εἰς ἀμήχανον δέος κατέστησε· Κωνστάντιον δὲ καὶ τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν εἰς θάρσος ἄμαχον ἀνεκτήσατο. τηθεὶς δὲ τὰ πρῶτα Μαγνέντιος, εἶτα κατὰ μικρὸν ἀναλαβὼν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ συμπλακεὶς ἐκ δευτέρου τῷ πολέμῳ, καὶ κατὰ τὸ κραταιότατον καταπολεμηθεὶς, καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ μικροῦ πάντας ἀποβαλὼν, πρὸς τὴν Λουγδούνων ἀποδιδράσκει πόλιν. Καὶ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα κατ' εὔνοιαν δῆθεν τὸν οἰκεῖον ἀδελφὸν ἀποσφάττει, πολεμίας προαρπάζων ὕβρεως καὶ χειρός. Ἔπειτα καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος παρῆν τῶν οἰκειοτάτων. λευταῖον δὲ, τὸ ξίφος ὑποστήσας ἑαυτῷ, ἐπηῤῥάχθη τε καὶ διελαθεὶς κατὰ τὸ μετάφρενον ἐξέψυξεν, οὐδ' ὅλα τέσσαρα τυραννήσας ἔτη. ### English translation (Claude) Constantius, then, got the better of the usurper; and on this occasion too the sign of the cross appeared, very large, and outshone the light of day with most astonishing radiance. It was seen over Jerusalem at about the third hour of the day, as the feast called Pentecost was beginning. That figure drawn by God was seen stretching from the place called the Skull as far as the Mount of Olives, with a great rainbow wound round it on every side like a crown. The rainbow signified the favour of the one who was crucified and taken up; the crown, the emperor's victory. That radiant and venerable sight was not unseen even by those in the camp; plainly visible, it threw Magnentius and those with him, as men devoted to the worship of demons, into helpless fear, and restored Constantius and those with him to invincible courage. Magnentius, defeated at first, then gradually recovering himself and engaging in war a second time, was defeated with the utmost force; and having lost almost all those with him, he fled to the city of Lugdunum. There, first, ostensibly out of kindness, he slaughtered his own brother, snatching him in advance from the enemy's outrage and hand; then anyone else of his closest kin who was present. Finally, setting his sword against himself, he fell on it, and, pierced through to the back, breathed his last, having been usurper for not quite four full years. ### Translation notes - The Skull is Golgotha (Calvary). The sign over Jerusalem at Pentecost 351 is also described in the letter of Cyril of Jerusalem to Constantius. - Several words have lost their first letters in the scan (μάλιστα, ἡττηθεὶς, Τελευταῖον) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.26 (PG 65:511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-26). ## 3.27 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-27 - Source: PG 65:513 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil and Eustathius turn Gallus against Aetius, but Leontius reconciles them; Gallus sends Aetius to keep Julian from paganism. ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶ τοὺς περὶ Βασίλειον καὶ Εὐστάθιον ἔχθρας γεγονότας τῷ ᾿Αετίῳ, διαβολὰς ἀτόπους συῤῥάψαι, καὶ τὸν Γάλλον ἐπὶ ταυτὸ παροξύναι ὥστε ἐκεῖνον ὡς ἐπισκόποις πιστεύσαντα καὶ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἐκταραχθέντα, κελεῦσαι τὸν ᾿Αέτιον ἀναζητηθῆναι, καὶ ἀμφοῖν τοῖν σκελοῖν κατεαγῆναι. Λεοντίου δὲ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Ἀντιοχείας τἀναντία τούτοις τὸν Καίσαρα διδαξαμένου, ἡ τε καταδικάζουσα ψῆφος ἀνεβλήθη, καὶ εἰς θέαν ὁ Γάλλος μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ τοῦ Αετίου κατέστη, καὶ φίλος ἐκρίθη. Καὶ πολλάκις πρὸς Ἰουλιανὸν ἀπεστάλη, καὶ μάλιστα ἡνίκα επυνθάνετο πρὸς τὸν Ἑλληνισμὸν ὁ ἀδελφὸς ἐκεῖνον ἀποκλίνειν· ἐστέλλετο δὲ, τῆς ἀσεβείας κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν αὐτὸν ἀνασώσασθαι. Οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν θείων μαθημάτων ὁ Γάλλος διδάσκαλον τὸν ᾿Αέτιον ἐποιεῖτο. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that Basil's and Eustathius's party, having become enemies of Aetius, stitched together absurd slanders and stirred up Gallus to the same, so that he, trusting them as bishops and thrown into anger, ordered Aetius to be sought out and both his legs broken. But when Leontius, bishop of Antioch, informed the Caesar to the contrary, the sentence of condemnation was put off; and not long afterwards Gallus came to see Aetius and judged him a friend. Aetius was often sent to Julian, especially when Gallus heard that his brother was inclining to paganism; he was sent to rescue him from impiety as far as he could. Moreover, Gallus made Aetius his teacher in divine studies. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.27 (PG 65:513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-27). ## 3.28 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/3-9/#p-3-28 - Source: PG 65:513 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The praetorian prefect Domitian and the quaestor Montius are killed at Antioch with Gallus's consent. ### Greek text Ὅτι Γάλλου κατὰ Περσῶν εἰς τὸ κράτιστον ἀνδραγαθήσαντος, εἰς φθόνον οἱ ταῖς διαβολαῖς χαίροντες ἀναφλέγουσι τὸν βασιλέα. Καὶ τοῦ Περσικοῦ πολέμου ταῖς τοῦ Καίσαρος ἀριστείαις πεπαυμένου, ἀποστέλλει Δομετιανὸν ἔπαρχον τῶν καλουμένων πραιτωρίων ὁ Κωνστάντιος, ἐντειλάμενος αὐτῷ κατὰ τὸ ἀφανὲς, τὰς τοῦ Γάλλου περικόπτειν ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ἐξόδους, τὴν ἐπ᾿ ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ τῇ τῶν κοινῶν ἐπιμελείᾳ δόξαν αὐτοῦ κατασμικρύνειν ταύτῃ διανεούμενος. Ὁ δὲ Δομετιανὸς οὐδὲν τῶν προσταχθέντων μετριώτερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θρασύτερον καὶ φρονῶν καὶ πράττων, οὐδὲ παραγενόμενος εἰς ᾿Αντιόχειαν, ἔνθα διέτριβεν ὁ Γάλλος, οὐδ᾽ εἰς ὄψιν αὐτοῦ ἐλθεῖν κατεδέξατο. Ἐξ ἧς αἰτίας καὶ ἑτέρων συνεπιῤῥυέντων, θανάτῳ τὸν ὑβριστὴν μετελθεῖν ἐβουλεύετο, καὶ τὸν Μόντιον κοινωνὸν γενέσθαι τῆς κρίσεως παρελάμβανεν. Ὁ δὲ θράσους ἀμετρίᾳ χρησάμενος Οὐδὲ λογιστὴν, ἀντεῖπεν, ἔξεστί σοι προχειρίσασθαι καὶ πῶς ἂν πραιτωρίων ἔπαρχον ἀνελεῖν δύναιο; οἷς ἡ Γάλλου γυνή Κωνσταντία περιαλγής γενομένη, εἰ οὕτως ὁ Γάλλος Καῖσάρ τε ὧν καὶ Αὐγούστης ἀνὴρ (καὶ γὰρ αὕτη πατρόθεν ἦν δεδεγμένη τὸ ἀξίωμα) προπηλακίζοιτο, αὐτὴ δι᾽ ἑαυτῆς ἐπισπασαμένη τὸν Μόντιον τοῖς δορυφόροις ἐκδίδωσιν. Ὥστε τὴν ταχίστην ἀραμένους πρὸς τὸν Δομετιανὸν ἀποκομίσαι. Κἀκεῖνον κατασπάσαντας τοῦ θρόνου, ἄμφω σχοίνοις τῶν ποδῶν ἐξαψαμένους, κακοὺς κακῶς ἀπολέσαι. Καὶ τοῦτο θᾶττον ἐπράχθη, συνεπιψηφίζοντος καὶ τοῦ Γάλλου. ### English translation (Claude) That when Gallus had shown the greatest valour against the Persians, those who delight in slander inflamed the emperor to envy. When the Persian war had been ended by the Caesar's feats, Constantius sent Domitian, prefect of the so-called praetorium, secretly instructing him to cut off Gallus's excursions from Antioch, intending in this way to diminish his reputation for courage and for care of the common good. Domitian, in both thought and action nothing more moderate than his orders but even bolder, when he came to Antioch, where Gallus was staying, would not even consent to come into his presence. For this reason, and for others that flowed in with it, Gallus planned to punish the insolent man with death, and took Montius as a partner in the judgment. But Montius, with boundless boldness, replied, “You are not permitted even to appoint a curator; how could you put a praetorian prefect to death?” At these words Gallus's wife Constantia, deeply pained that Gallus, who was Caesar and the husband of an Augusta (for she had received that dignity from her father), should be so insulted, herself dragged Montius off and handed him over to the guards. They took him up at once and carried him to Domitian, dragged Domitian down from his throne, tied both of them by the feet with ropes, and put them to a miserable death. This was done very quickly, with Gallus also giving his assent. ### Translation notes - A curator (λογιστής) was a municipal financial officer. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 3.28 (PG 65:513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/3-28). ## 4.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-1 - Source: PG 65:515 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Gallus is summoned, deposed despite Theophilus's intervention, and executed through the eunuch Eusebius's scheming. ### Greek text "Ὅτι ὁ Κωνστάντιος μαθὼν τὰ περὶ Μόντιον καὶ Δομετιανὸν συνενεχθέντα, καὶ ὀργῆς ἀναπλησθεὶς, μετεκαλεῖτο τὸν Γάλλον. Ὁ δὲ, τὴν μὲν κλῆσιν οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἀγαθῷ συλλαβὼν εὐλαβούμενος δὲ μὴ πόλεμος ἀπειθήσαντος συῤῥαγῇ, τοῦ προστάγματος γίνεται Προεξώρμα δὲ καὶ ἡ Κωνσταντία, προεντυχεῖν σπεύδουσα τῷ ἀδελφῷ, καὶ αἰδέσασθαι αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἐπεσχέθη τῷ θανάτῳ καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ τοῦ βίου. Ἐξ οὗ καὶ ὁ Γάλλος μᾶλλον τοῦ δέους γενόμενος, τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γνώμην ὅμως οὐ μεθίετο. Συναπῄει αὐτῷ καὶ Θεόφιλος ὁ Ἰνδός. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τοὺς Νωρικοὺς κατέλαβεν, ἐνταῦθα δὴ ἐκ Μεδιολάνων, ἔνθα διῆγεν ὁ Κωνστάντιας, καταπέμπεται Βαρβατίων, ἀνὴρ τὴν στρατηγικὴν ἔχων ἀρχὴν, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τὸν Γάλλον ἀφελέσθαι μὲν τῆς ἁλουργίδος, ὑπερόριον δὲ κατά τινα σον τῆς Δαλματίας ποιήσασθαι. Ὁ δὲ Θεόφιλος παρὼν οὐκ εἴα προελθεῖν τὴν πρᾶξιν. Καὶ γὰρ καθ' ὃν καιρὸν Καῖσαρ ὁ Γάλλος κεχειροτόνηται, τῶν ταξὺ αὐτοῦ καὶ Κωνσταντίου προελθόντων ὅρκων, οἱ τὴν ἐν ἀμφοῖν φιλίαν καὶ τὸ παρ' ἑκατέρου ἀνεπιβούλευτον ἑκατέρῳ διετίθεντο, αὐτὸς ὁ μεσίτης ἦν, καὶ ὁ συνέχων αὐτῶν τὴν ὁμόνοιαν. Πλὴν ἀλλά γε μαθὼν ὁ Κωνστάντιος τὴν τοῦ Θεοφίλου ἀποκώλυσιν, ἐκεῖνον μὲν ὑπερόριον ἄγεσθαι κελεύει, τὸν Γάλλον εἰς ἰδιώτην ἀπογυμνωθέντα, φρουρησόμενον πέμπεσθαι κατὰ τὴν νῆσον. Εὐσέβιος δὲ ὁ εὐνοῦχος, ὃς εἰς τὴν τοῦ πραιποσίτου τιμὴν ἐκβεβήκει καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, τὸν Κωνστάντιον ἔτι συνανέφλεγον κατὰ τοῦ Γάλλου, δεδιότες μὴ, τῶν ὅρκων εἰς ἐπιστροφὴν ἐλθὼν, ἢ τὸ τοῦ αἵματος ὁμόγνιον αἰδεσθεὶς, ἀνήσει τὸν Καίσαρα τῆς ὑπερορίας, καὶ σφᾶς ἐκεῖνος τὸν κίνδυνον διαφυγὼν κακοὺς κακῶς ἀπολέσει. Στέλλονται τοίνυν τῇ τούτων παραδρομῇ οἱ τὸν Γάλλον ἀναιρήσοντες· οὔπω δὲ τοῦ πάθους προελθόντος, εἰς μετάνοιαν ἐπιστραφεὶς ὁ Κωνστάντιος ἑτέρους ἐκπέμπει τὸν φόνον κωλύσοντας· τοὺς δὲ οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον ὑποποιοῦνται, μὴ πρὶν παραγενέσθαι τῇ νήσῳ, μηδ' φανίσαι τινὶ τὰς ἀνακαλούσας τὸν θάνατον ψήφους, πρὶν ἂν ὁ κατακριθεὶς τῷ ξίφει τὴν ζωὴν ἀποῤῥήξη. Καὶ γέγονεν ὡς ἐσπούδασαν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἰουλιανός, ὕστερον τὸ τῆς βασιλείας περιζωσάμενος κράτος, σέβιόν τε καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ τῆς περὶ τὸν ἀδελφὸν παρανομίας δίκην εἰσεπράξατο. ### English translation (Claude) That Constantius, learning what had happened to Montius and Domitian, and filled with anger, summoned Gallus. Gallus took the summons as meant for no good, but, careful lest war break out if he disobeyed, he obeyed the order. Constantia set out ahead of him, hurrying to meet her brother first and to appease him on her husband's behalf; but she was cut off by death from both the journey and her life. At this Gallus fell into still greater fear, yet he did not give up his original resolve. Theophilus the Indian also went with him. When he reached Noricum, Barbatio, a man holding military command, was sent down from Milan, where Constantius was staying, to strip Gallus of the purple and banish him to an island of Dalmatia. Theophilus, who was present, would not let the deed go forward. For when Gallus was made Caesar, Theophilus himself had been the mediator of the oaths that passed between him and Constantius, which established friendship between them and that neither would plot against the other, and he was the one who held their concord together. Constantius, however, learning of Theophilus's interference, ordered him to be taken into exile, and Gallus, stripped to the condition of a private man, to be sent under guard to the island. Eusebius the eunuch, who had risen to the rank of praepositus, and those with him inflamed Constantius still further against Gallus, fearing that he might come to remember the oaths, or out of respect for the kinship of blood release the Caesar from exile, and that Gallus, having escaped the danger, would destroy them miserably. Through their hurried efforts, then, men were sent to kill Gallus. Before the deed was done, Constantius, turning to repentance, sent others to prevent the murder; but Eusebius's party persuaded them not to arrive at the island, nor to show anyone the decrees revoking the death sentence, until the condemned man had had his life cut short by the sword. And it happened as they had worked for. For this reason Julian too, when he later put on the power of empire, exacted from Eusebius and those with him the penalty for their lawless deed against his brother. ### Translation notes - “On her husband's behalf”: the text breaks off after ὑπὲρ τοῦ, with words lost in the scan. - Several words have lost letters in the scan (νῆσον, μεταξὺ, ἐμφανίσαι, Εὐσέβιον) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.1 (PG 65:515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-1). ## 4.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-2 - Source: PG 65:517 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius makes Julian Caesar, marries him to Helena, and sends him to Gaul. ### Greek text Τὸ μέντοι γε βάρος τῆς ἀρχῆς ὑπολογιζόμενος ὁ Κωνστάντιος, καὶ ὡς οὐχ οἷός τε εἴη μόνος φέρειν, Ἰουλιανὸν τὸν ἀδελφὸν Γάλλου τῆς Ἰωνίας μεταπεμψάμενος, χειροτονεῖ Καίσαρα, Ἑλένην αὐτῷ τὴν ἰδίαν ἀδελφὴν εἰς γυναῖκα κατεγγυησάμενος. Καὶ τὸν μὲν τὰς Γαλλίας φυλάττειν ἐκπέμπει· καὶ γὰρ λίαν ἐτετάρακτο τὰ τῇδε. ### English translation (Claude) But Constantius, reckoning the weight of the empire and that he could not bear it alone, summoned Julian, Gallus's brother, from Ionia and appointed him Caesar, betrothing to him his own sister Helena as his wife. And he sent him to guard the Gauls, for affairs there were in great turmoil. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.2 (PG 65:517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-2). ## 4.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-3 - Source: PG 65:517 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius claims Liberius and Hosius signed against the homoousion and Athanasius at Sirmium, after which Liberius returned to Rome and Felix withdrew. ### Greek text Αὐτὸς δὲ ἐν Σιρμίῳ παραγενόμενος, διῆγεν· ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὸν Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπον Λιβέριον, ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων ἐπιζητούμενον σφόδρα, τῆς φυγῆς κατάγει καὶ ἀποδίδωσι τοῖς αὐτησαμένοις. Τηνικαῦτα δὲ οὗτός φησι, καὶ Λιβέριον κατὰ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου καὶ μὴν καὶ κατά γε τοῦ Ἀθανασίου ὑπογράψαι· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον Ὅσιον, συνόδου τινὸς ἐνταῦθα συστάσης, καὶ εἰς ὁμοφωνίαν αὐτοὺς ὑποσπασαμένης. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ὑπέγραψαν, τὸν μὲν Ὅσιον εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παροικίαν τὴν Κουδρούβην τῆς Ισπανίας ἐπανελθεῖν, καὶ τοῦ θρόνου ἄρχειν· Λιβέριον δὲ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας. Φίληξ δὲ, ὁ ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ χρόνῳ τῆς Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπος καταστὰς, εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀπῄει, τὸ μὲν ἀξίωμα τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς φέρων, οὐ μὴν γέ τινος ἐκκλησίας προϊστάμενος. ### English translation (Claude) He himself came to Sirmium and stayed there. There too he brought back from exile Liberius, bishop of Rome, whom the Romans were earnestly asking for, and restored him to those who had asked for him. At that time, this man says, Liberius signed against the homoousion and indeed against Athanasius too; and likewise the bishop Hosius, a council having met there and drawn them into agreement. When they had signed, Hosius returned to his own diocese, Cordova in Spain, and ruled his throne, and Liberius the church of the Romans. Felix, who in the meantime had been made bishop of Rome, withdrew into private life, keeping the dignity of a bishop but presiding over no church. ### Translation notes - Photius reports the signatures as Philostorgius's claim (“this man says”). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.3 (PG 65:517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-3). ## 4.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-4 - Source: PG 65:519 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eudoxius of Germanicia becomes bishop of Antioch; Philostorgius describes his character and his father's martyrdom. ### Greek text Ὅτι Λεοντίου τοῦ ᾿Αντιοχείας ἐπισκόπου λευτήσαντος, Εὐδόξιον, φησὶν, ἐκ Γερμανικείας ταστησάμενοι οἱ ὁμόδοξοι ἐπιβιβάζουσι τῷ θρόνῳ. Ὁ δὲ τῆς ᾿Αρειανῆς μὲν δόξης ἦν, πλὴν ἐκ τῶν ᾿Αστερίου γραμμάτων εἰς τὸ κατ᾿ οὐσίαν ὅμοιον ενήνεκτο. Οἱ δὲ συναιρεσιῶται τοῦτον ἀναφέροντες πρὸς τὸ ἑτεροούσιον ἀνῆγον. Ἐπιεικῆ δὲ τὸν Εὐδόξιον͵ ὁ Φιλοστόργιος καὶ κόσμιον τὰ ἤθη, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα δεξιὸν ἀναγράφων, εἰς δειλίαν ἐκτόπως διαβάλλει καὶ ᾿Αραβισσὸν μὲν τῆς μικρᾶς ᾿Αρμενίας πόλιν τ τρίδα λαχεῖν τὸν αὐτοῦ πατέρα (Καισάριος ὄνομα αὐτῷ), μαρτυρικὸν δὲ, καίτοι τῶν εἰς γυναῖκας τώμενον ἡδονῶν, ὅμως θάνατον διαθλῆσαι, καθάρσιόν τε τῶν μολυσμάτων, καὶ πρός γε στεφάνους ἀθλητικοὺς ἐπιφέροντα. ### English translation (Claude) That when Leontius, bishop of Antioch, died, he says, those of like belief brought Eudoxius from Germanicia and set him on the throne. He was of the Arian belief, but through the writings of Asterius had been drawn toward “like in essence.” His fellow-heretics, bringing him back, raised him to the heteroousion. Philostorgius describes Eudoxius as reasonable, orderly in his ways and capable in other respects, but accuses him of extraordinary cowardice. And he says that his father (Caesarius by name) had Arabissus, a city of Lesser Armenia, as his homeland, and that, although he was overcome by pleasures with women, he nevertheless endured a martyr's death, which was a cleansing of his defilements and brought him the athlete's crowns besides. ### Translation notes - Several words have lost letters in the scan (τελευτήσαντος, πατρίδα, ἡττώμενον) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.4 (PG 65:519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-4). ## 4.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-5 - Source: PG 65:519 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eunomius declines the diaconate from Eudoxius until Eudoxius adopts the strict Anomoean doctrine. ### Greek text Ὅτι Εὐδόξιος μὲν, φησὶν, εἰς διακονίαν Εὐνόμιον προχειρίζεται, ὁ δὲ, πρὶν εἰς τὸ ἀκριβέστατον ἐκεῖνον τῆς δόξης ἀνελθεῖν τὴν λειτουργίαν οὐ δέχεται. ### English translation (Claude) That Eudoxius, he says, appointed Eunomius to the diaconate; but Eunomius would not accept the ministry until Eudoxius had come up to the most exact form of the doctrine. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.5 (PG 65:519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-5). ## 4.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-6 - Source: PG 65:519 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil of Ancyra resents Eudoxius's appointment to Antioch, which he had coveted. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, Εὐδοξίου τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν ἐγχειρισθέντος, ὁ ᾿Αγκύρας Βασίλειος ἐδυσχέραινεν· αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν εἶχε τὸ βλέμμα τῇ γνώμῃ στηριζόμενον. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, when Antioch was entrusted to Eudoxius, Basil of Ancyra was displeased; for he himself had his eye fixed on it with a settled purpose. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.6 (PG 65:519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-6). ## 4.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-7 - Source: PG 65:519 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius recalls Theophilus from exile, and Theophilus heals the empress. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, τῆς Κωνσταντίου γυναικὸς τῷ τῆς μητρομανίας ἁλούσης πάθει, ἐξεκρέματο δὲ τοῖς ἱμέροις αὐτῆς ὁ Κωνστάντιος, εἰς ἀνάγκην ἧκε τὸν Θεόφιλον τῆς ὑπερορίας ἀνακαλέσασθαι (εὐφημίζετο γὰρ οὗτος παθῶν εἶναι θείᾳ δυνάμει θεραπευτής), παραγεγονότα δὲ καὶ συγγνώμην οἷς εἰς αὐτὸν ἥμαρτεν αἰτῆσαι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῆς γυναικὸς θεραπείαν ἐκλιπαρῆσαι, καὶ μὴ διαμαρτεῖν, ὡς οὗτος λέγει, τῆς αἰτήσεως. Ἐπιθέντος γὰρ τὰς ἱλαστηρίους χεῖρας τοῦ Θεοφίλου, ἀπαλλαγῆναι τοῦ πάθους τὸ γύναιον. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, when Constantius's wife was seized by a disorder of the womb, and Constantius was devoted to his desire for her, he was forced to recall Theophilus from exile (for he was famed as a healer of illnesses by divine power); and when he arrived, Constantius asked his pardon for the wrongs he had done him and begged him to heal his wife, and, as this man says, he did not fail in his request. For when Theophilus laid his propitiating hands on her, the woman was freed from the disorder. ### Translation notes - The disorder is called μητρομανία, a term of ancient medicine for a uterine disorder. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.7 (PG 65:519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-7). ## 4.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-8 - Source: PG 65:521 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil of Ancyra has Aetius, Eudoxius and Theophilus exiled and promotes the formula “like in all things”; Eunomius is also banished. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, Βασίλειος συλλαβὼν μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὸν τε τῆς Σεβαστείας Εὐστάθιον, καὶ ἑτέρους Ἐκκλησιῶν προεστῶτας, τόν τε ᾿Αέτιον μάλιστα, εἶτα δὲ καὶ τὸν Εὐδόξιον πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα διασύρει, ἄλλα τε πλάττων περὶ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὡς εἴησαν μύσται καὶ κοινωνοὶ τῆς κατὰ Γάλλον ἐπαναστάσεως, συμπεριλαβὼν ταῖς κατ' ἐκείνων διαβολαῖς καὶ τὸν Θεόφιλον. Ὁ δὲ πεισθεὶς, μάλιστα δὲ διὰ τῶν γυναικῶν (ταύτας γὰρ οἱ περὶ Βασίλειον πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γνώμην προκατειργάσαντο), τῷ μὲν Θεοφίλῳ ζημίαν ἐπιβάλλει, τὴν ἐν τῷ Πόντῳ Ἡράκλειαν οἰκεῖν ὑπερόριον, τὸν δὲ Εὐδόξιον τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ἀποστάντα διαμένειν οἴκοι, ᾿Αέτιον δὲ καὶ ἑτέρους τινὰς τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν τῶν διαβαλλόντων δίδωσιν ἐξουσίαν. Ἐτύγχανον δὲ οἱ περὶ Βασίλειον καὶ κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ βασιλέως περὶ τῆς πίστεως διειλεγμένοι, ἐν οἷς τὸ μὲν ὅμοιον τῷ Πατρὶ λέγειν κατὰ πάντα τὸν Υἱὸν διετρανοῦτο, οὐσίας δὲ ὅλως οὐδὲ ὀνόματι μνήμης τοῖς ἄλλοις λόγοις συνεισήγετο. Ταύτην δὲ τὴν δόξαν καὶ συνόδου κρίσει, καὶ ὑπογραφαῖς βεβαιῶσαι διεσπούδασαν. Μετ' οὐ πολὺ δὲ καὶ Εὐνόμιος, τῆς φήμης τῶν ὑπὸ Βασιλείου πραχθέντων καταλαβούσης τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν, την τε χειροτονίαν τοῦ διακόνου ὑποδέχεται, καὶ πρέσβυς ἀποσταλεὶς πρὸς Κωνστάντιον ἀναλῦσαι τὰ ἐψηφισμένα, ἀλίσκεται κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀμφὶ Βασίλειον, καὶ εἰς Μιδαῖον φυγαδεύεται, πόλιν τῆς Φρυγίας· τὸν δὲ ᾿Αέτιον, ὑπὸ τὴν ἐξουσίαν πεσόντα τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν Βασίλειον, ὑπερόριον ἡ Πέπουζα τῆς Φρυγίας εἶχεν· Εὐδόξιος δὲ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδα ὑπεχώρησε τὴν ᾿Αρμενίαν. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἕτεροι ταῖς ὑπερορίαις ἐδόθησαν, ταῖς περὶ τὸν Βασίλειον ὑπαγόμενοι ψήφοις, ὧν ὁ ἀριθμὸς εἰς ἑβδομήκοντα σύμπας ἐκεφαλαιοῦτο. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Basil, taking with him Eustathius of Sebaste and other heads of churches, maligned Aetius above all, and then Eudoxius as well, to the emperor, fabricating other things about them and claiming that they were initiates and accomplices of Gallus's revolt; and in his slanders against them he included Theophilus too. The emperor was persuaded, especially through the women (for Basil's party had won them over to their view beforehand), and imposed on Theophilus the penalty of living in exile at Heraclea in Pontus; Eudoxius he ordered to leave Antioch and stay at home; and Aetius and some others of their party he gave into the power of their accusers. Basil's party had also happened to discuss the faith in the emperor's presence, and there they declared that the Son is to be called like the Father in all things, while essence was not brought in at all, not even by name, in the rest of what they said. They were eager to confirm this opinion by the judgment of a council and by signatures. Not long afterwards Eunomius, when the report of what Basil had done reached Antioch, accepted ordination as deacon; and, sent as an envoy to Constantius to undo what had been decreed, he was seized on the way by Basil's party and banished to Midaeum, a city of Phrygia. Aetius, having fallen into the power of Basil's party, was held in exile at Pepuza in Phrygia; and Eudoxius withdrew to his homeland, Armenia. Others too were sent into exile, subjected to the votes of Basil's party, their number amounting to seventy in all. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.8 (PG 65:521; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-8). ## 4.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-9 - Source: PG 65:521 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Basil's party promotes the homoiousion and wins over Macedonius and many bishops. ### Greek text Ὅτι οἱ ἀμφὶ Βασίλειον ταῦτα διαπραξάμενοι πάντα, πανταχοῦ φοιτῶντες τὸ ὁμοιούσιον ἐκρότουν· καὶ πολλῶν πειθομένων, καὶ τὸν Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Μακεδόνιον, καίτοι τοῖς περὶ Εὐνόμιον προαποκεκλιμένον εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ὅμως εσπάσαντο δόξαν ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὺς ἑτέρους τῶν ἐπισκόπων, τοὺς μὲν ὑπάγοντες λόγοις, τοὺς δὲ, τὴν πειθώ συνεπικεραννύντες τῇ βία. ### English translation (Claude) That Basil's party, having done all this, went about everywhere applauding the homoiousion; and as many were persuaded, they drew to their own opinion even Macedonius of Constantinople, though he had earlier inclined to Eunomius's party, and many other bishops as well, leading some by arguments and mixing persuasion with force for others. ### Translation notes - Lemmata of Valesius's notes (on 4.8 and 4.9) had leaked into this section, splitting the word ὁμοιούσιον; they are removed, and the word is restored as the leaked note gives it (“ὁμοούσιον, ὁμοιούσιον”). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.9 (PG 65:521; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-9). ## 4.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-10 - Source: PG 65:523 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius summons councils at Ariminum and Nicomedia; an earthquake destroys the bishops gathering at Nicomedia, and Ariminum adopts “like according to the Scriptures.” ### Greek text Ὅτι Πατρόφιλον τὸν Σκυθοπόλεως, καὶ Νάρκισσον τὸν Εἰρηνοπόλεως, καὶ ἑτέρους σὺν αὐτοῖς, ἐν Σεγγιδόνι τῆς Μυσίας παραγενομένους, τὸν Κωνστάντιόν φησιν ἀναδιδάξαι τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Βασιλείου δεδραματουργημένα. Καὶ τὸν καταπλαγέντα καὶ ὑπεραλγήσαντα, τῶν μὲν μεθορίων τοὺς κατεψηφισμένους ἀνεῖναι, συνόδους δὲ γενέσθαι προστάξαι δύο, τὴν μὲν ἐν ᾿Αριμίνῳ τοὺς ἀπὸ δύσεως συναλίζουσαν, τὴν δὲ τοὺς ἐξ ἑῴας καὶ Λιβύης καὶ Θράκης ἐν Νικομηδείᾳ· αἱ τὰ παρ' ἑκατέρου μέρους λεγόμενα, δοκιμασίαις ἔμελλον παραβάλλειν. ᾿Αλλὰ τὴν μὲν ἐν Νικομηδείᾳ, ὡς οὗτος ὁ δυσσεβής δυσφημεῖ, τῶν πλειόνων πρὸς τὸ ὁμοούσιον νενευκότων, σεισμὸς ἀναστέλλει, ὃς τοῖς προκαταλαβοῦσιν εἰς δεκαπέντε τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀνηνεγμένοις ἅμα τοῦ ταύτης ἐπισκόπου Κεκροπίου, ἐπικατασείσας τὸν ναὸν ἐν ᾧ συνεδρίαζον, διαφθείρει. Ἡ δὲ ἐν ᾿Αριμίνῳ, εἰς τριακοσίους ἄνδρας συνελθοῦσα, τὸ μὲν τῆς οὐσίας ὄνομα εἰς τὸ παντελὲς διώσατο, ὅμοιον δὲ τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ κατὰ τὰς Γραφὰς ἀνακηρύξασα, ὑπογραφαῖς ἰδίαις κατησφαλίσαντο. ### English translation (Claude) That he says Patrophilus of Scythopolis, Narcissus of Irenopolis and others with them came to Singidunum in Moesia and informed Constantius of what Basil had staged. Astonished and deeply grieved, he released the condemned from exile and ordered two councils to be held: one at Ariminum, gathering those from the West, the other at Nicomedia, for those from the East, Libya and Thrace; they were to put to the test what was said by each side. But the council at Nicomedia, as this impious man blasphemously says, since most had inclined to the homoousion, was stopped by an earthquake, which shook down the church in which they were sitting and killed those who had arrived first, fifteen in number, together with Cecropius, the bishop of the city. The council at Ariminum, at which some three hundred men gathered, rejected the word “essence” altogether, proclaimed the Son like the Father according to the Scriptures, and secured this with their own signatures. ### Translation notes - Philostorgius presents the earthquake as a judgment; “as this impious man blasphemously says” is Photius's comment. A leaked lemma in 4.12 (“ὁμοούσιον, ὁμοιούσιον”) may be Valesius's correction of “homoousion” here to “homoiousion”. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.10 (PG 65:523; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-10). ## 4.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-11 - Source: PG 65:523 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The council of Seleucia splits: Basil's party affirms “like in essence” and deposes its opponents, who circulate a tome for the heteroousion. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῆς Νικομηδείας σεισμῷ καὶ πυρὶ καὶ θαλάσσης ἐπικλύσει κατερειπωθείσης, ὡς οὗτος λέγει, καὶ πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων διαφθαρέντων, ἡ σύνοδος ἐν Σελευκείᾳ τὴν σύστασιν λαμβάνει· τῶν μὲν περὶ Βασίλειον τὴν Νικαίαν παραιτησαμένων, τῶν δὲ ἀμφὶ τὸν Εὐδόξιον καὶ ᾿Αέτιον τὴν Ταρσὸν οὐ προσηκαμένων. Οἱ δὲ περὶ Βασίλειον μηχαναῖς τὴν σύνοδον διαστήσαντες, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς συνεδριάσαντες, κυροῦσι μὲν τὸ κατ᾿ οὐσίαν ὅμοιον, τοὺς δ᾽ ἀντιφερομένους καθαιροῦσιν, ἀποκηρύξαντες τὸ ἑτεροούσιον, καὶ χειροτονοῦσιν αὐτοὶ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐπίσκοπον τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας 'Ανιανόν. Πλήν γε καὶ οἱ περὶ Εὐδόξιον καὶ ᾿Αέτιον, τὸ ἑτεροούσιον ἐγγράφως κρατυνάμενοι, πανταχοῦ τὸν τόμον διαπέμπουσιν. ### English translation (Claude) That after Nicomedia was laid in ruins by earthquake, fire and the flooding of the sea, as this man says, and many people perished, the council took place at Seleucia, since Basil's party had declined Nicaea and the party of Eudoxius and Aetius would not accept Tarsus. Basil's party, splitting the council by their schemes and sitting by themselves, ratified “like in essence,” deposed their opponents, anathematizing the heteroousion, and by themselves ordained Anianus bishop of Antioch. But the party of Eudoxius and Aetius in turn confirmed the heteroousion in writing and sent their tome everywhere. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.11 (PG 65:523; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-11). ## 4.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-4-12 - Source: PG 65:523 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: At the council of Constantinople (360) Aetius defeats Basil in debate but is expelled and deposed, and all sign the Western formula “like according to the Scriptures.” ### Greek text Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ταῦτα μαθών, προσέταξεν ἅπαντας εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἀπαντᾶν. Καὶ δὴ συναθροίζονται ἔκ τε τῶν ἑσπερίων καὶ τῆς ἑῴας καὶ Λιβύης μικροῦ σύμπαντες. Προειστήκεισαν δὲ τῶν μὲν κατ᾿ οὐσίαν ὅμοιον πρεσβευόντων, Βασίλειός τε καὶ Εὐστάθιος· οἷς ἄλλοι τε καὶ Βασίλειος ἕτερος παρῆν συνασπίζων, διακόνων ἔτι τάξιν ἔχων, δυνάμει μὲν τοῦ λέγειν πολλῶν προφέρων, τῷ δὲ τῆς γνώμης ἀθαρσεῖ πρὸς τοὺς κοινοὺς ὑποστελλόμενος ἀγῶνας. Τῶν δὲ τὸ ἑτεροούσιον, ᾿Αέτιος μὲν καὶ Εὐνόμιος ὑπῆρχον, οἱ τὴν δύναμιν ἄκροι, διακόνων ἑκάτερος βαθμὸν ἔχων. Ἐπίσκοποι δὲ δευτεραγωνιστῶν χορὸν ἐκπληροῦντες, Μάρης τε καὶ Εὐδόξιος, ὁ τότε τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ἐπισκοπήσας, ὕστερον δὲ καὶ τὸν Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ὑπελθὼν θρόνον. Καὶ δὴ καὶ ᾿Ακάκιος ὁ τῆς Παλαιστίνων Καισαρείας, τὴν πρὸς ἐκείνους ὑποκρινόμενος ὁμοδοξίαν, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τοὺς περὶ Βασίλειον ἀντιλυπῆσαι, διότι κἀκεῖνοι Κύριλλον τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων αὐτοῦ παυθέντα τοῦ ἱερᾶσθαι, διὰ τιμῆς ἔφερον. Ἦν δὲ ὁ ᾿Ακάκιος θαρσαλέος μὲν ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι, διανοηθῆναί τε πράγματος φύσιν ὀξὺς, καὶ λόγῳ δηλῶσαι τὸ γνωθὲν ἱκανός. Ἐξ οὗ καὶ τὰ ταύτης τῆς συνόδου γράμματα πολλὰ δὲ ἐστιν, οὗτος ἦν μόνος ὁ διατιθέμενος. Εἰς ἅμιλλαν οὖν δογμάτων έκατέρας μοίρας καταστάσης, ὁ μὲν Βασίλειος τῶν τὸ ὁμοούσιον δοξαζόντων προηγόρει, οἱ δὲ τοῦ ἑτεροουσίου ὑπὲρ ἁπάντων λέγειν τὸν ᾿Αέτιον προὔστησαν, συνασπίζοντος αὐτῷ καὶ Εὐνομίου. Ὡς δὲ εἶδον οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν Βασίλειον προβεβλημένον αὐτοῖς εἰς ἀντιλογίαν τὸν ᾿Αέτιον, δείσαντες αὐτοῦ τὴν δύναμιν τῶν λόγων, οὐκ ἔφασαν δεῖν ἐπισκόπους ὄντας διακόνῳ περὶ δογμάτων εἰς λόγους καθίστασθαι. ᾿Αντειπόντων δὲ τῶν διαφερομένων, ὡς οὐκ ἀξίας νῦν ἐστι κρίσις, ἀλλ᾿ ἀληθείας ἐπιζήτησις, δέχονται μὲν καὶ ἄκοντες οἱ περὶ Βασίλειον τὸν ἀγῶνα· καὶ ὡς οὗτος λέγει, κατὰ κράτος τῇ τοῦ ᾿Αετίου γλώσσῃ ἡττήθησαν, ὡς μὴ μόνον ὁμολογῆσαι, παρηλλάχθαι τὴν τοῦ γεννηθέντος οὐσίαν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ γειναμένου, καὶ κατὰ μηδὲν κοινωνεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ χειρὶ οἰκείᾳ τὴν ὁμολογίαν, ᾿Αετίου τοῦτο προσαπαιτήσαντος, βεβαιώσασθαι. Μαθόντα δὲ ταῦτα τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ἣν πάλαι Βασίλειος κατὰ ᾿Αετίου διαβολὴν συνεσκευάκει, κατὰ μέσης τῆς καρδίας ἀκμάζουσαν φέροντα, τὸ συνενεχθὲν ἁρπάσαι πρὸς τὴν τῆς ὀργῆς ἐκπλήρωσιν. Διόπερ ἄμφω μὲν εἰς θέαν παρίστησι, διαπυνθάνεται δὲ τοῦ Βασιλείου, τίνα ἂν εἴη, οἷς ἐπαιτιᾶται τὸν ᾿Αέτιον. Ὁ δὲ, Ὡς ἀνόμοιον, ἔφη, τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν εἰσηγεῖται. Ἀμείψασθαι δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα τὸν ᾿Αἐτιον τοσοῦτον ἐνδεῖν τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἀνόμοιον εἰπεῖν ἢ δοξάσαι, ὥστε καὶ ἀπαραλλάκτως ὅμοιον σύ τὸν κηρύττειν. Τῆς δὲ τοῦ ἀπαραλλάκτου φωνῆς ὑποδραξάμενος ὁ Κωνστάντιος, καὶ μηδ' ἀνασχόμενος ὅλως ἔτι καταμαθεῖν, κατ᾿ ὃν ἐκεῖνος τρόπον εφθέγξατο τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον, ἐκβληθῆναι μὲν κελεύει τῶν βασιλείων τὸν ᾿Αέτιον· ὕστερον δὲ, τῇ συνδρομῇ ᾿Ακακίου, καὶ καθαιρέσεως ὑποβληθῆναι ψήφοις, οὐ τῶν ὀρθοδοξούντων μόνων ὑποσημηναμένων τῇ καθαιρέσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν εἰς τὰ μάλιστα τῷ φρονήματι κοινωνούντων· τῶν μὲν καὶ τὴν γνώμην ταβληθέντων, τῶν δὲ τὴν ἀκούσιον πρᾶξιν οἰκονομίας ῥήματι κατασχηματιζόντων. Ὁ δὲ Κωνστάντιος, τὸν τῶν ἐσπερίων τόμον προκομισάμενος, τοῦτον καὶ τῶν παρόντων ὑποσημήνασθαι χειρὶ οἰκείᾳ διεκελεύσατο. Περιείχετο δὲ τῷ τόμῳ, ὅμοιον τῷ Πατρὶ κατὰ τὰς ἀπαράλλακτος Γραφὰς ἀνομολογεῖν τὸν Υἱόν. Καὶ πάλιν ἐνταῦθα συνδρομῇ τοῦ ᾿Ακακίου, ὃς ἕτερος μὲν ἦν τὴν δόξαν, ἕτερος δὲ τὴν γλῶτταν, ὑπογράφουσι πάντες ὅσοι παρῆσαν, καὶ ὅσοι· πρὶν ἐπρέσβευον τὸ ἑτεροούσιον. ### English translation (Claude) When the emperor learned this, he ordered them all to come to Constantinople. And so almost all of them gathered from the West, the East and Libya. At the head of those who professed “like in essence” were Basil and Eustathius; with them, among others, another Basil was present as an ally, who still held the rank of deacon, surpassing many in power of speech but holding back from public contests because of the timidity of his mind. Of the heteroousion party the leaders were Aetius and Eunomius, supreme in ability, each holding the rank of deacon. Bishops filling the chorus of supporting actors were Maris and Eudoxius, who was then bishop of Antioch and later succeeded to the throne of Constantinople; and also Acacius of Caesarea in Palestine, who feigned agreement with them so as to vex Basil's party in return, because they held in honour Cyril of Jerusalem, whom he had suspended from the priesthood. Acacius was bold in contests, quick to grasp the nature of a matter, and able to express in words what he had grasped; hence the letters of this council, which are many, were all composed by him alone. When the two parties entered the contest of doctrines, Basil spoke for those who held the homoiousion, while those of the heteroousion put forward Aetius to speak for all, with Eunomius as his ally. When Basil's party saw Aetius put up against them for the debate, fearing the power of his arguments, they said it was not right for them, being bishops, to enter into discussion about doctrines with a deacon. When their opponents replied that this was not now a judgment of rank but a search for truth, Basil's party accepted the contest, though unwillingly; and, as this man says, they were utterly defeated by Aetius's tongue, so that they not only confessed that the essence of the begotten differs from that of the begetter and has nothing in common with it, but also, at Aetius's further demand, confirmed the confession with their own hand. But the emperor learned of this, and, carrying still fresh in the midst of his heart the slander that Basil had long before contrived against Aetius, seized on what had happened to satisfy his anger. He therefore brought both before him and asked Basil what it was of which he accused Aetius. He said, “That he teaches that the Son is unlike the Father.” Aetius replied that he was so far from saying or thinking that the Son is unlike the Father that he even proclaimed him like without any difference. Constantius seized on the words “without any difference” and, not even bearing to learn in what sense he had spoken of “without difference,” ordered Aetius to be expelled from the palace; and later, with the help of Acacius, he was also subjected to a vote of deposition, signed not only by those of right belief but even by those who most shared his opinion: some had also changed their mind, while others disguised the act they did unwillingly with the word “economy.” Constantius then produced the tome of the Westerners and ordered those present to sign it with their own hand. It contained the confession that the Son is like the Father according to the Scriptures. And here again, with the help of Acacius, who was one thing in opinion and another in speech, all who were present signed, even those who earlier professed the heteroousion. ### Translation notes - “Basil spoke for those who held the homoiousion”: the printed text has ὁμοούσιον, but Basil of Ancyra's party held “like in essence” (homoiousion), as the section says at the start; translated accordingly. A stray ἀπαράλλακτος stands in the Western formula (κατὰ τὰς ἀπαράλλακτος Γραφὰς) and is not translated. - “Those of right belief” (τῶν ὀρθοδοξούντων) is probably Photius's wording for the non-Anomoeans. - The other Basil, a deacon, is Basil of Caesarea. Lemmata of Valesius's notes on 4.9 and 4.10 had leaked into the text; they are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 4.12 (PG 65:523; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/4-12). ## 5.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-5-1 - Source: PG 65:527 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: After the council of Constantinople Acacius deposes Basil, Macedonius and Aetius, and fills the vacant sees, Meletius at Antioch among them. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, μετὰ ταῦτα ᾿Ακάκιος τοὺς περὶ σίλειον καὶ Εὐστάθιον, βασιλέα πείσας καὶ αἰτίαις ἄλλους ἄλλαις ὑποβαλών, καθαιρεῖ τῶν θρόνων. Καθαιρεῖ δὲ καὶ Μακεδόνιον τὸν Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐπίσκοπον. Παυθέντος δὲ τοῦ Μακεδονίου, Εὐδόξιος ἐξ ᾿Αντιοχείας Κωνσταντίου γνώμῃ ἀντικαθιδρύεται τῷ θρόνῳ. Ὑπερορίζονται δὲ καὶ οἱ καθαιρεθέντες. Βασίλειος μὲν εἰς Ἰλλυριοὺς, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ ἄλλος ἄλλα χόσε· οἱ πρὸς τὴν ὑπερόριον στελλόμενοι, ἀθετοῦσι μὲν τὰς οἰκείας ὑπογραφὰς, αἷς τὴν ἐν ᾿Αριμίνῳ στιν ὑπεσημήναντο· ἀνακηρύττουσι δὲ πάλιν οἱ μὲν τὸ ὁμοούσιον, οἱ δὲ τὸ ὁμοιούσιον. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Αέτιος δὲ, καθαιρεθεὶς διότι τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον εἰσηγήσατο, ὅπερ αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἄλλαις ὁμιλίαις καὶ συγγραφαῖς διαρρήδην ἀπεμάχετο, ὑπερόριος εἰς Μοψουεστίαν τῆς λικίας ἐκπέμπεται, ὑπογραψάντων κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ, οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τῆς πίστεως ἣν ἐκήρυττε, μικροῦ πάντων αὐτοῦ τῶν ἐραστῶν καὶ ὁμοφρόνων· τῶν μὲν ἐκ μεταβολῆς τῶν πάλαι δεδογμένων, τῶν δὲ τοῖς καιροῖς ἐνδόντων, καὶ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως γνώμην κρείττω τῆς παρὰ σφίσιν ἀληθείας ποιησαμένων. Ὁ δὲ Ἀκάκιος τοὺς περὶ Βασίλειον δι᾿ ἰδίαν ἔχθραν, καὶ τὸν ᾿Αέτιον διὰ τὸ ἑτεροδοξεῖν καθελὼν, καὶ ὑπερορίους ποιησάμενος, ἀνατρέχων ἐπὶ τὴν Καισάρειαν, ταῖς χηρευούσαις Ἐκκλησίαις ἀρχιερεῖς καθίστη, τὸ ὁμοούσιον θρησκεύοντας· καὶ καθίστησι μὲν ἐν κομηδείᾳ ἀντὶ Κεκροπίου, Ονήσιμον· ἀντὶ δὲ Βασιλείου τῇ ᾿Αγκύρᾳ, ᾿Αθανάσιον ᾿Ακάκιον δὲ ἕτερου ἀντὶ Σιλβανοῦ, τῇ Ταρσῷ. Ἐν δὲ τῇ ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ, ὅσοι μὲν ποτε τῶν ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ συνέπραξαν Βασιλείῳ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τοῦ Ἀετίου καὶ Εὐδοξίου τολμηθεῖσιν, ἐρήμην ἠλαύνοντο. Μελέτιον δὲ τῆς Σεβαστείας τῶν ᾿Αρμενίων μεταπεμψάμενος, ἀντὶ Εὐδοξίου τῷ θρόνῳ ἐγκαθιδρύει· ἤδη γὰρ Εὐδόξιος Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐπέβαινεν. Ὁ δὲ Μελέτιος, τὰ μὲν πρῶτα, τῇ τοῦ βασιλέως ῥοπῇ, θεραπεύων τὸ ἑτεροούσιον ὑπεκρίνετο καὶ τῷ τόμῳ τῶν ἑσπερίων ἐγραψε, τοῦ δε τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ἐπάρξας θρόνου, θερμὸς ἦν τοῦ ὁμοουσίου ὑπέρμαχος. Χειροτονεῖ δὲ καὶ Πελάγιον ὁ ᾿Ακάκιος ἐν Λαοδικείᾳ· καὶ ἁπλῶς ἔνθα ἂν ἡ δύναμις εἴπετο τὴν βουλὴν ἐδίδου, κατὰ τὸ κράτιστον ἀντὶ τῶν ἐξελαθέντων τοὺς τὸ ὁμοούσιον εἰς τὸ ἀπροφάσιστον τιμῶντας ἐγκαθιστάναι. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, after this Acacius, having persuaded the emperor and subjecting them to various charges, deposed Basil, Eustathius and their party from their thrones. He also deposed Macedonius, bishop of Constantinople; and when Macedonius was removed, Eudoxius was installed on that throne in his place, from Antioch, by Constantius's decision. Those who had been deposed were also exiled: Basil to Illyricum, the rest each to a different place. Those sent into exile repudiated their own signatures by which they had subscribed the creed of Ariminum, and proclaimed once more, some the homoousion, others the homoiousion. Aetius too, deposed because he had introduced “without difference,” which in his other discourses and writings he had expressly fought against, was sent into exile to Mopsuestia in Cilicia; almost all his admirers and those of like mind signed against him, and not only against him but also against the faith he preached: some from a change of their former opinions, others yielding to the times and putting the emperor's will above the truth they held. Acacius, having deposed Basil's party out of personal enmity and Aetius because of his different belief, and having exiled them, hurried back to Caesarea and appointed high priests for the widowed churches, men who professed the homoousion: in Nicomedia he appointed Onesimus in place of Cecropius; at Ancyra, in place of Basil, Athanasius; and at Tarsus another Acacius in place of Silvanus. At Antioch, those of the clergy who had ever cooperated with Basil in what he had dared against Aetius and Eudoxius were driven out without a hearing. Meletius he summoned from Sebaste in Armenia and installed on the throne in place of Eudoxius, for Eudoxius was already taking up the see of Constantinople. Meletius at first, deferring to the emperor's inclination, pretended to hold the heteroousion and subscribed the tome of the Westerners; but once he had taken over the throne of Antioch, he was a hot champion of the homoousion. Acacius also ordained Pelagius at Laodicea; and in short, wherever power seconded his will, he installed with all possible force, in place of those driven out, men who honoured the homoousion without reserve. ### Translation notes - A leaked lemma of Valesius's notes (in 5.3) gives ὑπεκλίνετο and δουλεύων for the words rendered “pretended” and “deferring” in the sentence on Meletius, i.e. “yielded to the emperor's inclination”. - Several words have lost letters in the scan (ἀλλαχόσε, πίστιν, Κιλικίας, Νικομηδείᾳ) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 5.1 (PG 65:527; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/5-1). ## 5.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-5-2 - Source: PG 65:529 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Aetius is moved to Amblada, where, Philostorgius claims, he ended a plague by prayer. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, ὁ βασιλεὺς παρὰ ᾿Ακακίου μαθῶν, ὡς ὁ ᾿Αέτιος ὑπὸ Αὐξεντίου τοῦ Μοψουεστίας ἐπισκόπου ἐς τὰ μάλιστα φιλοφροσύνης ἀξιοῦται, εἰς Ἅμβλαδα τοῦτον μεθορισθῆναι παρακελεύεται, ἐκεῖ κακῶς ἀποῤῥῆξαι τὸν βίον, διὰ τὸ βάρβαρον καὶ μισάνθρωπον τῶν ἐνοικούντων. Αὐχμοῦ δὲ καὶ λοιμοῦ τὴν χώραν ἔχοντος ἀνυποίστου, ὡς οὗτος ὁ δυσσεβής· ψευδολογεῖ, τὸν ᾿Αέτιον ἐξιλεωσάμενον τὸ θεῖον λῦσαι μὲν τὰ δεινά, παμπόλλης δὲ τυχεῖν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐνοικούντων εὐνοίας τε καὶ σεβασμιότητος. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, the emperor, learning from Acacius that Aetius was being treated with the greatest kindness by Auxentius, bishop of Mopsuestia, ordered him to be moved to Amblada, to end his life there miserably because of the barbarous and inhuman character of its inhabitants. But when drought and an unbearable plague held the region, as this impious man falsely tells, Aetius propitiated the Divinity, ended the calamities, and won very great goodwill and reverence from the inhabitants. ### Translation notes - “As this impious man falsely tells” is Photius's comment. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 5.2 (PG 65:529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/5-2). ## 5.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-5-3 - Source: PG 65:529 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eunomius becomes bishop of Cyzicus on condition that Aetius be restored within three months. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῶν περὶ Εὐστάθιον καὶ Εὐσέβιον καὶ Ἐλεύσιον καθαιρεθέντων, οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν Μάριν καὶ Εὐδόξιον γνώμη Κωνσταντίου, τῆς Κυζίκου τὸν Εὐνόμιον ἐπίσκοπον χειροτονοῦσιν, οὐκ ἄλλως ἐκείνου τὴν χειροτονίαν ἀνασχομένου, εἰ μὴ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ὑποσχέσεις λάβοι, τὸν ᾿Αέτιον καὶ τῆς ὑπερορίας, καὶ τῆς καθαιρέσεως άθωωθῆναι· καὶ χρόνος ἦν ὁ τῆς προθεσμίας εἰς τρεῖς ἀπαρτιζόμενος μῆνας. ### English translation (Claude) That when Eustathius, Eusebius and Eleusius had been deposed, Maris and Eudoxius and their party, with Constantius's approval, ordained Eunomius bishop of Cyzicus. He would not accept ordination on any other terms than that he receive promises from them that Aetius would be cleared of both his exile and his deposition; and the time set for this was fixed at three months. ### Translation notes - Lemmata of Valesius's notes (on 4.9 and 5.1) had leaked into the end of this section; they are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 5.3 (PG 65:529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/5-3). ## 5.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-5-4 - Source: PG 65:531 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius attributes Constantius's defeat by the Persians to his killing of kinsmen and his exile of the Anomoean leaders. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, εἰωθὼς Κωνστάντιος τῶν πολεμίων κρατεῖν, ἐπειδὴ ὁμογνίῳ λύθρῳ τὴν δεξιὰν ἐξεμίανε, καὶ τοὺς ἀμφὶ Θεόφιλον καὶ ᾿Αέτιον καὶ Σέῤῥαν, διαβολαῖς ἀναπεισθεὶς Βασιλείου, ὑπερορίους ἐποιήσατο, πρὸς Πέρσας συμπλακεὶς τὸ ἧττον ἤνεγκεν. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Constantius, who had been accustomed to defeat his enemies, after he had stained his right hand with the blood of his kin, and, persuaded by Basil's slanders, had exiled Theophilus, Aetius and Serras and their party, came off the worse when he engaged the Persians. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 5.4 (PG 65:531; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/5-4). ## 5.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-5-5 - Source: PG 65:531 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius exiles Meletius for duplicity and makes Euzoius bishop of Antioch. ### Greek text Ὅτι φησὶν οὗτος ὁ δυσσεβής, τὸν ᾿Αντιοχείας Μελέτιον ὑπὸ τοῦ Κωνσταντίου καὶ αὐτοῦ ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ διατρίβοντος, ὑπερόριον ἐς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδα τὴν Μελιτινὴν ἐκπέμψαι, ὡς ἐπιορκίαις ἁλόντα, καὶ ὅτι ὁμοούσιον πρεσβεύων ἐκτόπως, τὸ ἑτεροούσιον κατεσχηματίζετο. Μεταπέμπεται δὲ ἐξ ᾿Αλεξανδρείας τὸν συναιρεσιώτην ᾿Αρείου Εὐζώϊον· καὶ τούτῳ χεῖρας ἐπιθεῖναι τοὺς ἐπισκόπους κελεύσας, ἐπίσκοπον ᾿Αντιοχείας ἀποκαθίστησιν. ### English translation (Claude) That this impious man says that Meletius of Antioch was sent by Constantius, who was himself staying at Antioch, into exile to his own homeland, Melitene, as one convicted of perjury, because, while extravagantly professing the homoousion, he had made a show of the heteroousion. Constantius summoned Euzoius, Arius's fellow-heretic, from Alexandria, ordered the bishops to lay hands on him, and installed him as bishop of Antioch. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 5.5 (PG 65:531; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/5-5). ## 6.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-6-1 - Source: PG 65:531 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Accused of teaching that the Son is unlike the Father, Eunomius defends himself at Constantinople and wins the clergy and people. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸν Εὐνόμιόν τινες τῶν ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ Κυζίκου Εὐδοξίῳ διαβάλλουσιν, ὡς ἀνόμοιον τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν εἰσηγούμενον, τὸ μὴ κατ᾿ οὐσίαν ὅμοιον εἰς κατηγορίαν ἀνομοιότητος Πατρὸς πρὸς Υἱὸν μετασκευάζοντες· καὶ τὰ παλαιὰ δὲ μετακινεῖν ἔθη, καὶ τοὺς μὴ συνασεβεῖν ἐθέλοντας διασκευάζειν. Ἐπὶ τούτοις θόρυβος τὴν Κωνσταντινουπολιτῶν Ἐκκλησίαν εἶχεν, ἀνακινοῦντος αὐτὴν ἐπίτηδές τινος τῶν ἐν αὐτῇ πρεσβυτέρου, Ἡσυχίου τοῦνομα. Διὸ μετάπεμπτον ὁ δόξιος τὸν Εὐνόμιον ποιεῖται. Παραγεγονὼς δὲ ὁ μὲν τῆς βραδυτῆτος καὶ ὀλιγωρίας τῶν ὑπεσχημένων τὸν Εὐδόξιον ᾐτιᾶτο ὁ δὲ περὶ τούτων μὲν ὑπεκρίνατο μὴ ἂν ἀμελῆσαι· δεῖν δὲ πρὶν τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ γεγενημένην διαλῦσαι στάσιν. Ἐντεῦθεν εἰς ἀπολογίαν ὁ Εὐνόμιος τῷ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως κλήρῳ καταστὰς, οὕτω τοὺς πρὶν θορυβοῦντας εἶλεν, ὡς μὴ μόνον εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν μεταστῆσαι δόξαν, ἀλλὰ μάρτυρας αὐτοῦ θερμοὺς τῆς εὐσεβείας γενέσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ ἀνόμοιον τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν οὐ μόνον δαμῶς ἐν οἷς ἐδημιούργησε δογματίζειν ἐφωράθη, ἀλλὰ γε καὶ ὅμοιον κατὰ τὰς Γραφὰς ἀνακηρύττειν ἐπαῤῥησιάζετο. Τὸ μέντοι ὅμοιον κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν οὐ προσίετο· ἴσον εἰς βλασφημίαν λέγων εἶναι, ὅμοιον κατ᾿ οὐσίαν λέγειν τῷ Πατρὶ τὸν Υἱὸν, καὶ μὴ ὁμοιότατον φρονεῖν κατὰ τοὺς μονογενεῖ Θεῷ πρὸς τὸν ἀπαθῶς γεγεννηκότα Πατέρα προσήκοντας λόγους. Οὐ μόνον δὲ τὸν κλῆρον οὕτω διέθηκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνδημον ὅλην Ἐκκλησίαν, τὰ αὐτὰ διαλεχθείς, εἰς μέγα καὶ γλυκὺ θαῦμα καὶ σοφίας καὶ εὐσεβείας εἰλκύσατο. Ἐξ οὗ καὶ τὸν Εὐδόξιον ὑπεραγασθέντα ἀναβοῆσαι, Ἡ ἐμὴ ἀπολογία τοῖς ἐμὲ ἀνακρίνουσιν αὕτη ἐστίν· καὶ κρότον ἀγεῖραι τῷ πλήθει, ὡς εὖ καὶ κατὰ καιρὸν τὴν ἱερὰν ἀνειπόντος χρῆσιν. ### English translation (Claude) That some of the clergy of Cyzicus accused Eunomius to Eudoxius of teaching that the Son is unlike the Father, twisting “not like in essence” into a charge of unlikeness between Father and Son; and also of altering ancient customs and of driving out those who would not share in his impiety. Over this an uproar took hold of the church of Constantinople, which a presbyter there named Hesychius was deliberately stirring up. Therefore Eudoxius summoned Eunomius. When he came, Eunomius blamed Eudoxius for his slowness and neglect of what had been promised; Eudoxius answered that he would not neglect those matters, but that the dissension that had arisen about Eunomius must first be settled. Thereupon Eunomius made his defence before the clergy of Constantinople and so won over those who had been making the uproar that he not only brought them round to the opposite opinion but made them warm witnesses to his piety. For he was found nowhere in his writings teaching that the Son is unlike the Father; on the contrary, he openly proclaimed him like according to the Scriptures. “Like according to essence,” however, he would not admit, saying that to call the Son like the Father in essence was as blasphemous as not to think him most like in the terms that befit the only-begotten God in relation to the Father who begot him without passion. Not only did he win over the clergy in this way, but, saying the same things to the whole assembled church, he drew it to great and sweet admiration of his wisdom and piety. So Eudoxius too, greatly delighted, cried out, “This is my defence to those who examine me,” and raised applause from the crowd for having quoted the sacred text so well and so aptly. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 9:3: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - Eudoxius quotes 1 Cor 9:3. - A lemma of Valesius's note on this section had leaked into the sentence on “like according to essence”; it is removed. Words with lost letters (μηδαμῶς, Εὐδόξιος) are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 6.1 (PG 65:531; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/6-1). ## 6.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-6-2 - Source: PG 65:533 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Photius condemns Eunomius's Theophany sermon, which taught that Joseph lived with Mary as husband after Christ's birth and that the Son serves the Father and the Spirit the Son. ### Greek text Ὅτι ὁ δυσσεβὴς οὗτος Εὐνόμιον τὸν θεοστυγῆ κατ᾿ ἐπιτροπὴν Εὐδοξίου δημηγορῆσαι τῷ πλήθει λέγει, τῆς τῶν Θεοφανείων ἑορτῆς ἐνισταμένης, ἐν ᾗ τὸ δυσσεβὲς αὐτῶν καὶ ἄθεον μάλιστα ἀπογυμνοῦται. Τόν τε γὰρ Ἰωσὴφ οἱ κατάρατοι, μετὰ τὴν ἄφραστον κυοφορίαν, συνάπτειν οὐ πεφρίκασι τῇ Παρθένῳ, καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἀναιδέστερον τοῦ Πατρὸς δοῦλον καὶ ὑπηρέτην, καὶ δὴ καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τοῦ Υἱοῦ, φοβερὸν οὐδὲν ἡγοῦντο λέγειν Ἔστι δὲ καὶ αὐτοῖς ἡ φράσις ἐν τούτοις πανηγυρικῆς χάριτος ἀπηλλοτριωμένη, ἀσαφείᾳ δὲ καὶ περιττολογίᾳ, καὶ ῥημάτων οὐ καθαρῶν παραχρήσει εἰς τὸ ἀτερπέστατον καὶ καταγέλαστον καὶ τεταραγμένον εἶδος ἀνοιδουμένη, καὶ τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς γνόφον καὶ σάλον καὶ τὸ θεοβλαβές ἐνδεικνυμένη. ### English translation (Claude) That this impious man says that Eunomius, the God-hated, preached to the people by Eudoxius's permission when the feast of the Theophany was beginning, in which sermon their impiety and godlessness is most of all laid bare. For the accursed men did not shudder to join Joseph to the Virgin after the unspeakable childbearing, and they thought it nothing fearful to call the Son, with still greater shamelessness, the slave and servant of the Father, and the Spirit [the servant] of the Son. Their style in these things too is a stranger to the grace proper to a festival: it swells, through obscurity, verbosity and the misuse of impure words, into a form most unpleasant, ridiculous and confused, and displays the darkness and turmoil of the soul and its God-stricken state. ### Translation notes - The whole section is Photius's polemic against Eunomius and his party. - “[The servant]”: the printed text has only “and the Spirit of the Son”; leaked lemmata of Valesius's notes in 6.3 give the fuller reading “the Spirit, the work of the Son, … servant and slave”. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 6.2 (PG 65:533; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/6-2). ## 6.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-6-3 - Source: PG 65:533 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eudoxius breaks his promise and presses Eunomius to sign against Aetius; Eunomius refuses and leaves Cyzicus. ### Greek text Ὅτι μετὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐπαίνους Εὐνομίου, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ὧν ὑπέσχετο διενοήθη περαίνειν Εὐδόξιος, ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖνον ἐπεχείρει πείθειν, Γραφῇ τὴν τε καθαίρεσιν ᾿Αετίου, καὶ τὴν ἐν ᾿Αριμήνῳ ἔκθεσιν ὑποσημήνασθαι, εἰς τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας πρόσχημα τὸ θεσμον αὐτοῖς καταρυθμίζων καὶ ἀθέλητον. οἷς ὁ Εὐνόμιος βαρέως ἐνεγκὼν οὐδέτερον μὲν ὑπέστη· προσαπολιμπάνει δ᾽ αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὴν Κύζικον, πρῶτα μὲν λόγοις, εἶτα δὲ γράμμασι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πατρίδα τὴν Καππαδοκίαν ἀφικνεῖται. ### English translation (Claude) That after his many praises of Eunomius, Eudoxius not only had no intention of carrying out any of what he had promised, but even tried to persuade Eunomius to subscribe in writing both the deposition of Aetius and the creed of Ariminum, dressing up for them, under the pretext of “economy,” an act that was unlawful and against their will. Eunomius took this badly and did neither; moreover, he gave up Cyzicus to them as well, first by word and then in writing, and went to his homeland, Cappadocia. ### Translation notes - Lemmata of Valesius's notes on 6.2 and 4.12 had leaked into the text; they are removed. The word translated “unlawful” has lost its first letters (θεσμον, probably ἔκθεσμον or ἄθεσμον). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 6.3 (PG 65:533; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/6-3). ## 6.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-6-4 - Source: PG 65:535 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Acacius accuses Eunomius before Constantius but fails to appear as accuser; the case is deferred as Julian revolts. ### Greek text Ὅτι κατ᾿ Εὐνομίου κινηθεὶς ὁ ᾿Ακάκιος ἐφ᾽ ᾧ Κυζίκου κατέστη ἐπίσκοπος, συνδιαβάλλει καὶ τοὺς περὶ Εὐδόξιον, ὡς χωρὶς κοινῆς γνώμης τὸν μαθητὴν ᾿Αετίου κεχειροτονηκότας ἐπίσκοπον, ἄνδρα τὸν οἰκεῖον διδάσκαλον τῶν πρὸς τὴν αἵρεσιν ὀξυῤῥεπεστάτων ζήλων ὑπερβάλλεσθαι φιλονεικήσαντα, καὶ πείθει ταῖς διαβολαῖς τὸν Κωνστάντιον, μετάπεμπτον ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ ποιήσασθαι τὸν Εὐνόμιον. Καὶ παραγεγονότα εἰς ἀπολογίαν κελεύει καταστῆναι συνοδικῇ διαίτῃ λογοθετούμενον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ σύνοδος τὸν κατήγορον ἐζήτει, ὁ δὲ ἦν οὐδαμοῦ (ὁ γὰρ Ἀκάκιος ἀποδειλιάσας, καὶ γὰρ ἐνόμιζεν ἐκ μόνης τῆς πρὸς βασιλέα διαβολῆς τὸν ἐχθρὸν αἰρήσειν κατὰ κράτος, εἰς ἦν τῶν εἰς τὸ βαθύτατον σιγώντων), διὸ καὶ ὁ Κωνστάντιος ταῦτα μαθὼν, δι᾽ ὑπονοίας τε τὸν ᾿Ακάκιον ἔσχεν, ὡς ἀπεχθημοσύνῃ μᾶλλον ἢ τρόπων θύτητι τὴν κατηγορίαν ἐνστησάμενον, καὶ θᾶττον αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν ἐπαναδραμεῖν ἐκέλευσε παροικίαν, μείζονι συνόδῳ ταμιευόμενος τὴν τῶν προκειμένων διάγνωσιν. Ταῦτα δὲ Κωνσταντίῳ διανοουμένῳ, ἡ τοῦ Ἰουλιανοῦ ἐπανάστασις ταῖς φήμαις αὐτῷ διακομίζεται. ### English translation (Claude) That Acacius, stirred against Eunomius because he had become bishop of Cyzicus, also accused Eudoxius's party of having ordained as bishop, without common consent, the disciple of Aetius, a man ambitious to outdo his own teacher in the most headlong zeal for the heresy; and by his slanders he persuaded Constantius to summon Eunomius to Antioch. When he arrived, the emperor ordered him to make his defence and give account before a synodal tribunal. But when the council looked for the accuser, he was nowhere to be found: Acacius had lost his nerve (for he had thought he would overcome his enemy by force through his slander to the emperor alone) and was one of those keeping the deepest silence. When Constantius learned this, he held Acacius under suspicion, as having brought the accusation out of hostility rather than uprightness of character, and quickly ordered him to go back to his own diocese, reserving the examination of the matters before them for a larger council. While Constantius was planning this, news of Julian's revolt was brought to him. ### Translation notes - “The heresy” is Photius's word. A leaked phrase (τὸ ἑτεροούσιον) had split the word κατήγορον; it is removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 6.4 (PG 65:535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/6-4). ## 6.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-6-5 - Source: PG 65:535 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius, marching against Julian, falls ill at Mopsucrenae, is baptized by Euzoius and dies. ### Greek text Ὁ δὲ αὐτίκα τε τὴν ἐπὶ Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἐβάδιζε, καὶ σύνοδον ἅμα διώριζεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἑτεροουσίου κατὰ Νίκαιαν ἵστασθαι. Φθάσας δὲ παρὰ τὰς Μόψου καλουμένας κρήνας, καὶ νόσῳ βληθεὶς, εἶτα καὶ βαπτισάμενος παρὰ Εὐζωΐου, τὴν τε βασιλείαν αὐτῷ βίῳ, καὶ τὰς ἐπ᾿ ἀσεβείᾳ συνόδους ἀπολείπει. ### English translation (Claude) He at once set out for Constantinople, at the same time arranging for a council to meet at Nicaea in favour of the heteroousion. But when he reached the springs called Mopsucrenae, he was struck down by illness; then, having been baptized by Euzoius, he left the empire together with his life, and his councils for impiety as well. ### Translation notes - “For impiety” is Photius's comment. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 6.5 (PG 65:535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/6-5). ## 6.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-6-6 - Source: PG 65:537 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Julian, bareheaded, walks before Constantius's coffin. ### Greek text Ὅτι κομιζομένου πρὸς ταφὴν Κωνσταντίου ὁ Ιουλιανὸς καταλαβών, τῆς τε σοροῦ προεπόμπευε, τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀφελόμενος τὸ διάδημα, καὶ τιμῶν τὸν νεκρὸν, οὗ τὴν ζωὴν ἀφελεῖν ἐπεστράτευσεν. ### English translation (Claude) That when Constantius was being carried to burial, Julian arrived and walked in procession before the coffin, having taken the diadem from his head, honouring the dead man whose life he had marched out to take. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 6.6 (PG 65:537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/6-6). ## 6.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/4-1/#p-6-7 - Source: PG 65:537 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Julian recalls Aetius and the other exiled bishops. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὴν βασίλειον ἀρχὴν ἁρπάσας ὁ Ἰουλιανὸς, ἅτε δὴ ᾿Αέτιον διὰ Γάλλον δῆθεν κινδυνεύοντα, τῆς φυγῆς ἀνακαλεῖται· οὐκ αὐτὸν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, ὅσοι δογμάτων ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ὑπερορίαν ὑπέστησαν. ### English translation (Claude) That Julian, having seized the empire, recalled Aetius from exile, as one who had supposedly been in danger on Gallus's account; and not him alone, but also all the others who had suffered exile over church doctrines. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 6.7 (PG 65:537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/6-7). ## 7.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-1 - Source: PG 65:537 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Under Julian the pagans are given licence to persecute the Christians. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὴν βασιλείαν Ἰουλιανὸς ἁρπασάμενος, καὶ τοῖς Ἕλλησι διὰ προγραμμάτων πᾶσαν ἄδειαν εἰσενεγκὼν, μηδὲν τῶν μελετωμένων ἄπρακτον ἐᾶν, εἰς ἄῤῥητά τε καὶ ἀδιήγητα πάθη κατέστησε τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς, πανταχοῦ τῶν Ἑλληνιστῶν πάσας αἰκίας καὶ καινὰς βασάνους καὶ πικροτάτους θανάτους ἐπαγόντων αὐτοῖς. ### English translation (Claude) That Julian, having seized the empire and having granted the pagans by edicts full licence to leave nothing they planned undone, brought the Christians into unspeakable and indescribable sufferings, the pagans everywhere inflicting on them every outrage, new tortures and most bitter deaths. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.1 (PG 65:537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-1). ## 7.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-2 - Source: PG 65:537 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The pagans of Alexandria murder George; Philostorgius blames Athanasius, who then returns to his see. ### Greek text Ὅτι Γεώργιον τὸν ᾿Αλεξανδρείας συνεδρίου, φησὶ, προκαθεζόμενον, καὶ τὸν κατὰ ᾿Αετίου τόμον ὑποσἡμήνασθαι τοὺς ὁμοδόξους βιαζόμενον, εἰσπηδήσαντες τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν καὶ συλλαβόντες αὐτὸν, πολλά τε εἰς τὸ σῶμα ἐνυβρίσαντες, εἶτα πυρὶ παρέδοσαν. Φησὶ δ᾽ ὁ δυσσεβής συγγραφεὺς οὗτος, καὶ τὴν ᾿Αθανασίου γνώμην στρατηγῆσαι τῆς πράξεως. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ Γεωργίου διαφθαρέντος, τὸν οἰκεῖον θρόνον ὁ ᾿Αθανάσιος, τῶν ᾿Αλεξανδρέων αὐτὸν ἀσμένως ὑποδεξαμένων, ἀναλαμβάνεται. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, while George of Alexandria was presiding over a council and forcing those of like belief to sign the tome against Aetius, the pagans burst in and seized him, inflicted many outrages on his body, and then gave him to the fire. This impious writer says that Athanasius's counsel directed the deed. But when George had been killed, Athanasius took back his own throne, the Alexandrians receiving him gladly. ### Translation notes - “This impious writer” is Photius's description of Philostorgius, who alone makes Athanasius responsible. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.2 (PG 65:537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-2). ## 7.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-3 - Source: PG 65:537 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The statue of Christ at Paneas, set up by the woman healed of a flow of blood, its healing herb, and its destruction under Julian. ### Greek text Ὅτι περὶ τῆς εἰκόνος τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, ἣν ἡ τῆς αἰμόῤῥου πίστις ἀμειβομένη τὸν εὐεργέτην ἀνέστησεν, ἱστορῶν φησιν, ἀνεστηλῶσθαι μὲν ταύτην κατὰ τὴν πηγὴν τὴν ἔνδον τῆς πόλεως, μετὰ καὶ ἑτέρων ἀγαλμάτων, τερπνότητός τι παρέχειν τοῖς φοιτῶσι θέαμα. Τῆς δὲ τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰκόνος βοτάνης κατὰ τοὺς πόδας ἀναφυείσης, νοσημάτων μὲν ἀπάντων, μάλιστα δὲ τῆς φθινάδος, ἴαμα, καὶ ζητούντων τὴν αἰτίαν (ἐλελήθει γὰρ τῷ χρόνῳ καὶ οὗτινος ἔφερε μορφὴν, καὶ ἡ πρᾶξις δι᾽ ἣν ἀνεστήλωτο. Ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ γὰρ γυμνὸς ἑστὼς, ἐπ᾿ οὐκ ὀλίγον συνεχώσθη τοῦ σώματος, γῆς ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐκ τῶν ὑψηλοτέρων ἀεὶ τόπων ἐν τοῖς τῶν ὄμβρων μάλιστα καιροῖς ἐπιφερομένης, ὑφ᾽ ἧς ἡ τῶν γραμμάτων τῶν ἕκαστα δηλούντων ἠφάνιστο γνῶσις) τῆς οὖν ζητήσεως ταύτης ἐπιστάσης, ἀνωρύχθη μὲν τὸ συγκεχωσμένον, ρέθη δὲ γράμματα τὴν ἱστορίαν πᾶσαν ἀναδιδάσκοντα. Καὶ ἡ πόα μὲν οὐκ ἔτι μετ' ἐκεῖνον ὤφθη τὸν χρόνον, οὔτε ἐκεῖ, οὔτε ἀλλαχόθι· τὸν δὲ ἀνδριάντα μεταστησάμενοι ἐν τῷ τῆς ἐκκλησίας διακονικῷ τὰ πρέποντα ἐθεράπευον, σέβοντες μὲν ἢ προσκυνοῦντες οὐδαμῶς (οὐ γὰρ ἦν θέμις χαλκῆν ἢ ἄλλην ὕλην προσκυνεῖν), αὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο στάσει τε σεμνοτέρᾳ, καὶ τὸ μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς ἐπιφοιτᾶν τῷ τόπῳ τὸ εἶδος θεραπευσομένους τὸν περὶ τὸ ἀρχέτυπον πόθον ἐπιδεικνύμενοι. Τοῦτο τὸ ἄγαλμα κατὰ τοὺς Ἰουλιανοῦ χρόνους, τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν εἰς ἀσέβειαν ἀναφλεχθέντες οἱ τὴν Πανεάδα οἰκοῦντες, τῶν βάθρων ἀνασπασάμενοι, καὶ τῶν ποδῶν ἐκδησάμενοι, διὰ μέσης ἔσυρον τῆς λεωφόρου· ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τὸ μὲν ἄλλο σῶμα διασπώμενοι κατέκλασαν, τὴν δὲ κεφαλὴν ἐν τῷ ρεσθαι, τοῦ αὐχένος διαζυγεῖσαν, τινὲς λαθόντες τῶν ἐπαλγούντων τοῖς δρωμένοις, ἀνελάβοντό τε καὶ ὡς ἠδύναντο διεσώσαντο. Καί φησι ταύτην καὶ αὐτὸς θεάσασθαι. Ἡ μέντοι γε Πανεὰς Δὰν ἐπωνομάζετο τὸ παλαίτατον, τὴν προσηγορίαν ἀπὸ τοῦ παιδὸς τοῦ Ἰακὼβ Δὰν ἑλκυσαμένη. τοῦ φυλάρχου τῶν ταύτῃ οἰκούντων τότε. Εἶτα δὲ Καισάρεια ἡ Φιλίππου ἐπεκέκλητο. Τῶν δὲ Ἑλληνιστῶν Πανὸς ξόανον αὐτῇ καθιδρυσάντων, εἰς τὴν τῆς Πανεάδος ἐπωνυμίαν μετέβαλεν. ### English translation (Claude) That, telling about the image of our Saviour that the faith of the woman with the flow of blood set up in gratitude to her benefactor, he says that it was erected beside the spring inside the city, along with other statues, offering visitors a pleasing sight. A herb that sprang up at the feet of the Saviour's image was a cure for every disease, especially consumption; and when people sought the reason (for with time it had been forgotten whose form it bore and the deed for which it had been set up; standing naked in the open air, it had been buried over a good part of its body by earth carried down onto it from the higher ground, especially in the rainy seasons, so that the letters that explained everything could no longer be read), when this inquiry arose, the buried part was dug out and letters were found that taught the whole story. The herb was not seen again after that time, either there or elsewhere. They moved the statue into the diaconicon of the church and paid it fitting regard, not by any means revering or worshipping it (for it was not lawful to worship bronze or any other material), but showing their longing for the original by this very thing: by its more dignified placing, and by coming to the place with pleasure to attend to the image. In the time of Julian the people of Paneas, inflamed by paganism to impiety, tore this statue from its base, tied it by the feet and dragged it through the middle of the highway; in doing so they pulled the rest of the body apart and broke it, but the head, which broke off at the neck as it was being dragged, some who were grieved at what was being done secretly took up and saved as best they could. And he says that he himself saw it. Paneas was called Dan in the most ancient times, taking the name from Dan the son of Jacob, the tribal head of those who lived there then. Later it was called Caesarea Philippi. But the pagans set up a statue of Pan in it and changed its name to Paneas. ### Scripture references - Mark 5:25–34: allusion, high confidence - Matt 9:20–22: allusion, high confidence - Judg 18:29: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 16:13: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The woman with the flow of blood: Matt 9:20–22; Mark 5:25–34. The statement that the Christians did not worship the bronze is part of the text. - Two long runs of lemmata from Valesius's notes (on 6.7–7.3) had leaked into this section; they are removed. Words with lost letters (εὑρέθη, συρέσθαι) are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.3 (PG 65:537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-3). ## 7.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-4 - Source: PG 65:541 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pagans in Palestine burn the relics of Elisha and John the Baptist and sacrifice Christians; Julian sets rival bishops against each other and strips the clergy of privileges. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῶν Ἑλληνιστῶν τὰ ἀτοπώτατα κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πανταχοῦ παλαμωμένων, καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς ἀσεβέσι κατὰ Παλαιστίνην δεδραματούργηται. Τὰ τοῦ προφήτου Ἐλισσαίου ὀστᾶ καὶ τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ Ἰωάννου (ἐκεῖ γὰρ ἄμφω ἐτέθαπτο) τῶν κῶν ἐξελόμενοι, καὶ ζώων ὀστοῖς ἀλόγων συγκαταμίξαντες, ὁμοῦ πρὸς κόνιν κατέκαυσαν, καὶ εἰς τὸν ἀέρα διεσπείραντο. Καὶ τοὺς Χριστιανίζοντας δὲ συλλαμβάνοντες, ἔστιν ὅτε τοῖς βωμοῖς ἀναπτομένοις ὡς ἱερεῖα ἐπετίθεσαν· καὶ εἰς πολλὴν ἄλλην ἀῤῥητουργίαν ἐξεβακχεύθησαν. "Απερ Ἰουλιανὸς ἐπιστάμενος οὐχ ὅπως ἤχθετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ διαφερόντως ἔχαιρεν, καὶ τῆς μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς δρωμένοις δυσκλείας εἰς ἑτέρους ἀνιούσης, τῆς δ᾽ αὐτοῦ γνώμης τοῖς ἐκείνων ἔργοις περαιουμένης. Συνιδὼν δὲ, διὰ τῆς τοσαύτης μανίας οὐδὲν ὧν ἐβούλετο περαινόμενον μᾶλλον γὰρ τὸ Χριστιανῶν πολιορκούμενον ἐπεῤῥώννυτο φρόνημα· μηχανᾶται τοὺς ἐν αἰτίαις ἐκβεβλημένους τῶν ἐπισκόπων, καὶ τοὺς ἀντ᾿ ἐκείνων ἔχοντας τοὺς θρόνους, εἰς πόλεμον συῤῥάξαι. Καὶ δὴ πάσης ἐξουσίας ἑκατέρᾳ μοίρᾳ μετεδίδου, πράττειν ὅσα καὶ δυνατὰ αὐτοῖς εἴη εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν στασίν τε καὶ ἀσφάλειαν. Ἐξ ὧν ἐκεῖνοι πρὸς λήλους συῤῥηγνύμενοι πολλὴν ἀσχημοσύνην καὶ μέμψιν, ὅπερ ἦν τῷ ἀποστάτῃ σπούδασμα, προσετρίβοντο τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ. Καὶ ἄλλα δὲ τῆς αὐτῆς κακοτεχνίας συνεπῆγε τοὺς τε γὰρ ἐν κλήρῳ κατειλεγμένους εἰς τὴν τῶν βουλευτῶν ἀνέστρεφε λειτουργίαν, καὶ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τὰ σιτηρέσια τοῖς τῶν δαιμονίων θεραπευταῖς μετεδίδου, καὶ πάντα πράττειν οὐκ ἐνεδίδου· ἐξ ὧν τὰ μὲν ἀκμάσῃ τὰ τῶν δαιμόνων, τὰ δὲ τῆς εὐσεβείας, ὡς ἐνόμιζεν, εἰς ἀφανισμὸν συνελαθείη. ### English translation (Claude) That, while the pagans everywhere were contriving the most monstrous things against the Christians, this too was staged by the impious in Palestine: they took the bones of the prophet Elisha and of John the Baptist (for both had been buried there) out of their tombs, mixed them with the bones of irrational animals, burned them all together to dust, and scattered them into the air. They seized those who professed Christianity and sometimes laid them as victims on the kindled altars; and they raved into much other unspeakable conduct. Julian, knowing this, was not only not displeased but rejoiced exceedingly, since the infamy of what was done fell on others, while his own purpose was carried out by their deeds. But perceiving that through such madness nothing that he wished was being achieved (for rather the spirit of the besieged Christians grew stronger), he contrived to set at war the bishops who had been expelled on charges and those who held their thrones in their place. He gave each party full power to do whatever they could for their own standing and security. As a result they clashed with one another and brought much disgrace and reproach on piety, which was the apostate's aim. He added other measures of the same malice: he returned those enrolled in the clergy to the service of the town councils, gave the churches' grain allowances to the servants of the demons, and left nothing undone by which the cult of the demons might flourish and that of piety, as he thought, be driven to extinction. ### Translation notes - Several words have lost letters or are split in the scan (θηκῶν, ἀλλήλους, πράττειν) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.4 (PG 65:541; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-4). ## 7.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-5 - Source: PG 65:541 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eudoxius asks Euzoius to hold a council to restore Aetius; after delay Euzoius agrees. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, τῶν πραγμάτων οὕτω φερομένων, εἰς μνήμην Εὐδόξιος ἀνελθὼν τῶν ὅρκων καὶ τῶν ὑποσχέσεων ἃς ὑπὲρ Αετίου πρὸς Εὐνόμιον ἀνεδέξατο, σύνοδον ἐπιστέλλει τῷ Ἀντιοχείας Εὐζωΐῳ συναθροῖσαι, ἧς ἔδει τὸν ᾿Αέτιον τῆς καταδικαζούσης ψήφου ἀπολυθῆναι. Ὁ δὲ Εὐζώῖος οὐδὲν πρὸς τὴν ἀξίωσιν ἐπεστράφη, αἰτιασάμενος μάλιστα τὸν Εὐδόξιον, ὅτι μὴ αὐτὸς προκατήρξατο πράττειν, ἅπερ ὑποτίθησιν ἑτέροις. Ἐπιμένοντος δὲ τοῦ Εὐδοξίου τῇ ἀξιώσει, ὑπισχνεῖται καὶ ὁ Εὐζώῖος τὴν πρᾶξιν. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, while matters went this way, Eudoxius, remembering the oaths and promises he had made to Eunomius on Aetius's behalf, wrote to Euzoius of Antioch to gather a council, by which Aetius was to be released from the sentence that condemned him. Euzoius paid no attention to the request, chiefly blaming Eudoxius for not himself first doing what he proposed to others. But when Eudoxius persisted in his request, Euzoius too promised to act. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.5 (PG 65:541; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-5). ## 7.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-6 - Source: PG 65:543 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Anomoeans ordain Aetius bishop, and Euzoius annuls his condemnation, but Julian's persecution halts further steps. ### Greek text Ὅτι ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει διατρίβοντος τοῦ Αετίου καὶ Εὐνομίου, παραγίνεται Λεόντιος ὁ τῆς Τριπόλεως πρὸς αὐτοὺς, καὶ Θεόδουλος ἀπὸ Χαιρατόπων οἵ τε ἀμφὶ τὸν Σέῤῥαν καὶ Θεόφιλον καὶ. Ἡλιόδωρον ἐξ ἑκατέρας Λιβύης καὶ ὅσοις ἄλλοις γε ἡ αὐτὴ συνήρεσκε δόξα, οἳ μήτε τῇ τοῦ ᾿Αετίου καταδίκῃ, μήτε τῷ τόμῳ τῶν ἑσπερίων ὑπογράψαι ἠνέσχοντο. Καὶ συναθροισθέντες χειροτονοῦσι τὸν ᾿Αέτιον καὶ ἦν αὐτοῖς αὐτός τε καὶ Εὐνόμιος ἅπαντα. Ἐχειροτόνουν δὲ καὶ ἑτέρους ἐπισκόπους, οὐδὲν τέως τοῦ Εὐδοξίου δυσχεραίνοντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψήφους πολλάκις ὑπὸ τῶν μελλόντων χειροτονεῖσθαι τοῖς περὶ ᾿Αέτιον προκομίζοντος. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ καὶ Εὐζώϊος εἰς ἐννέα τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἀθροισάμενος σύνοδον, τὰς κατὰ ᾿Αετίου γεγενημένας πώ· λαι πράξεις διελύσατο. Ἔλυσε δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἑξαμήνου προθεσμίαν, μεθ᾽ ἣν τοῖς περὶ Σέῤῥαν εἰ μὴ τῇ τοῦ Ἀετίου καθαιρέσει καὶ τῷ ἑσπερίῳ τόμῳ ὑπογράψαιεν, τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἀφαίρεσις ἡ ζημία ωρίζετο. Ἑκατέρας δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων προελθούσης πράξεως, τοὺς τόμους ἀποστέλλειν τοῖς περὶ Εὐδόξιον παρεσκευάζοντο ἀλλ᾽ ὁ κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἀνυπόστατος διωγμὸς τὴν ὁρμὴν περιέκοψεν. ### English translation (Claude) That while Aetius and Eunomius were staying at Constantinople, Leontius of Tripolis came to them, and Theodulus from Chaeretapa, and Serras, Theophilus and Heliodorus with their party from both Libyas, and all others whom the same belief pleased, who had refused to sign either Aetius's condemnation or the tome of the Westerners. Gathered together, they ordained Aetius [bishop]; and he and Eunomius were everything to them. They also ordained other bishops, Eudoxius for the time raising no objection, but often even bringing forward to Aetius's party the votes for those who were to be ordained. Meanwhile Euzoius too, gathering a council of nine, annulled the proceedings formerly taken against Aetius. He also annulled the six-month deadline, after which deprivation of the priesthood had been fixed as the penalty for Serras and his party if they did not sign Aetius's deposition and the Western tome. When both these actions had been taken, they were preparing to send the tomes to Eudoxius's party; but the irresistible persecution against the Christians cut short their purpose. ### Translation notes - In the scan the end of the section (“…the persecution against the Christians cut short their purpose”) is displaced into the middle, after “he and”; it is restored to its place. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.6 (PG 65:543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-6). ## 7.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-7 - Source: PG 65:543 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Julian exiles the future emperor Valentinian for refusing to give up his faith; an earlier portent of flame from his mouth had alarmed Constantius. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸν Οὐαλεντινιανὸν ὁ ἀποστάτης τάγματος ἐπάρχοντα στρατιωτικοῦ (κόμης γὰρ ἐχρημάτιζε τῶν λεγομένων Κουρνούτων), ἐπεὶ πάντα πράττων οὐδαμῶς αὐτὸν ἴσχυσε τῆς εὐσεβείας μεταστῆσαι, παραλύσας τοῦ ἀξιώματος, εἰς Θήβας τὰς Αἰγυπτίους φυγαδεύει. Τοῦτόν φασιν, ἡνίκα Κωνστάντιος ἐβασίλευσεν, ἰδεῖν τινα τῶν λεγομένων Σιλεντιαρίων, ρὸς φλόγα τοῦ στόματος ἀφιέντα· ἰδεῖν δὲ κατὰ τὸ δειλινὸν ἡνίκα μετὰ τροφὴν τὸν ὕπνον αἱρούμεθα· καὶ ταῦτα σημηνῶν Κωνσταντίῳ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνου πέμψαντος αὐτὸν διά τινα χρείαν μετακαλέσασθαι τὸν Οὐαλεντινιανὸν, περιτυχεῖν τῷ θεάματι. Ὁ δὲ Κωνστάντιος τῇ ἀγγελίᾳ εἰς ὑπόνοιαν μὲν καὶ δέος κατέστη οὐδέν γέ τι παρελύπησε τὸν ἄνδρα· παραμυθούμενος δὲ τὸ οἰκεῖον δέος, περὶ τὰ φρούρια τῆς Μεσοποταμίας ἐκπέμπει, φύλακα τῶν ἐκεῖσε τόπων ἐσόμενον, καὶ τὰς τῶν Περσῶν ἐπιδρομὰς ἀναστέλλοντα. ### English translation (Claude) That Valentinian commanded a military unit (for he held the title of count of the so-called Cornuti); and since the apostate, though he tried everything, could in no way move him from piety, he stripped him of his rank and banished him to Thebes in Egypt. They say that while Constantius was emperor, one of the so-called silentiarii saw him sending out a flame of fire from his mouth; he saw it in the afternoon, at the time when we take our sleep after a meal, and reported it to Constantius. For Constantius had sent him on some business to summon Valentinian, and he came upon the sight. At the news Constantius fell into suspicion and fear, but he did the man no harm at all; to ease his own fear he sent him out to the fortresses of Mesopotamia, to be the guardian of those places and to check the raids of the Persians. ### Translation notes - Lemmata of Valesius's notes on 7.6 had leaked into the first sentence; they are removed. “A flame of fire”: the scan reads ρὸς with letters lost (πυρὸς). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.7 (PG 65:543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-7). ## 7.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-8 - Source: PG 65:545 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on the martyrdom of Babylas of Antioch, who barred an emperor from the church. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὰ περὶ τοῦ μάρτυρος Βαβύλα, ὅσα τε Ἰουλιανὸς εἰς τὸ μαρτυρικὸν ἐκεῖνο σῶμα παρώνησεν, ὅσα τε εἰπεῖν ἐξεβιάσθη τὰ δαιμόνια, καὶ ὅπως κεραυνῷ τὸ τοῦ ᾿Απόλλωνος αὐτῷ καθιδρύματι ἀπετεφρώθη τέμενος, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα κατὰ ἀνθρώπους τε καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπους παρεδοξοποιήθη, οὐκ ἐπὶ μέγα παραλλάττοντα τοῖς ἄλλοις οὗτος ἱστορεῖ. Λέγει δὲ μαρτυρῆσαι τὸν ἱερὸν Βαβύλαν σὺν τρισὶ παισὶ, κομιδῇ μὲν νέοις, τὸ γένος δ᾽ ἀδελφοῖς· τὸ δὲ μαρτύριον ἀπ᾿ ἀρχῆς τοιαύτης προβῆναι Ἐπίσκοπος ἦν τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ὁ Βαβύλας. Νουμεριανῷ δὲ τῷ μαίων βασιλεῖ, ἢ ὡς ἔνιοι Δεκίῳ φασὶ, κατὰ δή τινα δαίμονα γνώμην ἐμπεσεῖν, πληθυούσης τῆς ἐκκλησίας εἰσελθεῖν ἐν αὐτῇ. Τὸν δὲ γε τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀρχιερέα κατὰ τὰ προπύλαια στάντα τοῦ νεὼ, τὴν εἴσοδον ἀποτειχίζειν, φάσκοντα, ὅσα γε δυνατὸς εἴη, μὴ ριόψεσθαι λύκον τῷ ποιμνίῳ παρεισδυόμενον. Καὶ τὸν μὲν αὐτίκα τῆς ὁρμῆς ἀνακρουσθῆναι, εἴτε στάσιν ὑπειδόμενον, εἴτε καὶ ἄλλως μεταβουλευσάμενον· τὸν ἐπίσκοπον πρῶτα μὲν τῆς τόλμης αἰτιᾶσθαι, ἔπειτα δὲ κελεύειν τὸν ὅσιον τοῖς δαίμοσι θύειν νην γὰρ εἶναι τὴν ἐξοσίωσιν ταύτην, λύσιν τε ἐγκλήματος, καὶ τῆς μετὰ ταῦτα τιμῆς τε καὶ δόξης πρόξενον. Τὸν δὲ, γενναίως πρὸς ἕκαστα τῶν προτεινομένων ἀντιταττόμενον, τὸν μαρτυρικὸν ἀναδήσασθαι στέφανον. ### English translation (Claude) That this man's account of the martyr Babylas does not differ much from the others: how Julian abused that martyr's body, what the demons were forced to say, how the precinct of Apollo was burned to ashes by lightning together with its statue, and all the other wonders, both human and more than human, that took place. He says that the holy Babylas was martyred together with three boys, very young, who were brothers by birth, and that the martyrdom came about in this way. Babylas was bishop of Antioch. Numerian, emperor of the Romans (or, as some say, Decius), through some demon formed the intention of entering the church when it was full. But God's high priest stood at the porch of the temple and barred the entrance, saying that, as far as it lay in his power, he would not allow a wolf to slip into the flock. The emperor at once desisted from his attempt, whether fearing a riot or changing his mind for some other reason; but he first accused the bishop of audacity, and then ordered the holy man to sacrifice to the demons, for this, he said, was the only expiation, both a release from the charge and the source of honour and glory afterwards. But he nobly resisted every proposal and put on the martyr's crown. ### Scripture references - John 10:12: echo, low confidence - Acts 20:29: echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - The wolf and the flock echo John 10:12 and Acts 20:29. - Some words have lost letters in the scan (Ῥωμαίων, περιόψεσθαι, μόνην) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.8 (PG 65:545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-8). ## 7.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-9 - Source: PG 65:545 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Julian's attempt to rebuild the Jerusalem temple to disprove Christ's prophecy is stopped by fire and earthquake. ### Greek text Ὅτι τοὺς τοῦ Σωτῆρος χρησμοὺς, οἳ τὴν Ἰερουσαλήμ ἀνατετράφθαι λέγουσιν, ὥστε μηδὲ λίθον ἐπὶ λίθῳ μεῖναι, τούτοις ὁ ἀποστάτης εἰς ψεῦδος ἐλέγχειν διανοηθεὶς, οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ἤνυσεν ὧν ἐσπούδασεν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐν τοῖς χρησμοῖς, εἰ καὶ ἄκων, ἐβεβαίωσεν ἀμετάπτωτον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς πανταχῆ συναγείρας Ἰουδαίους, καὶ οἴκοθεν χρήματα καὶ δύναμιν ἄλλην παρασχῶν, ἀνακαινίζειν ἐπέτρεπε τὸ ἱερόν. Δείματα δὲ θεήλατα γεγονότα διήγησιν ὑπερβαίνοντα, οὐ μόνον ἔσβεσεν αὐτῶν τὴν προθυμίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους εἰς ἐσχάτην ἀμηχανίαν καὶ αἰσχύνην κατεστρέψαντο. Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ, πῦρ ἐπενέμετο τοὺς ἐργάζεσθαι τολμῶντας τοῦτο δὲ, σεισμὸς ἐχώννυεν· καὶ ἄλλους ἄλλα πάθη κατεμερίζετο, καὶ ἡ καταισχύνειν τὰ δεσποτικὰ λόγια μελετήσασα τόλμα, τὸ ἐκείνων ἀκαταίσχυντον καὶ σεβασμιώτατον λέληθεν ἑαυτὴν ἀνακηρύττουσα. ### English translation (Claude) That the apostate, intending to prove false the Saviour's oracles which say that Jerusalem will be overthrown so that not even a stone will remain upon a stone, not only achieved nothing of what he strove for but, though unwillingly, confirmed that what was in the oracles cannot fail. For he gathered the Jews from everywhere, supplied money and other means from his own resources, and commissioned them to restore the temple. But God-sent terrors beyond description not only quenched their eagerness but brought both him and the Jews to the utmost helplessness and shame. For on the one hand fire devoured those who dared to work, and on the other an earthquake buried them; and different sufferings fell to different men; and the audacity that set out to put the Lord's words to shame unwittingly proclaimed them beyond all shame and most venerable. ### Scripture references - Matt 24:2: allusion, high confidence - Mark 13:2: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 21:6: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The prophecy is Matt 24:2 (Mark 13:2; Luke 21:6). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.9 (PG 65:545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-9). ## 7.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-10 - Source: PG 65:547 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The deaths of Julian's uncle, Felix, Elpidius and a desecrator of a church, as divine punishments for persecution. ### Greek text Ὅτι πολλοὶ μὲν τῶν εἰς τοὺς Χριστιανοὺς καὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐκμανέντων, δίκας ἔτισαν οὐ μεμπτάς· εἰς τὸ περιφανέστατον δὲ καὶ ἐπιφανεῖς, Ἰουλιανός τε ὁ τῆς ἑῴας ἄρχων, θεῖος ὢν κατὰ τὸ μητρῷον γένος τοῦ ἀποστάτου Ἰουλιανοῦ, καὶ Φήλιξ ὁ τοὺς θησαυροὺς ἐπιτετραμμένος, καὶ Ἐλπίδιος τῆς σιλικῆς οἰκίας προεστώς· κόμητας πριουάτων ἡ μαίων γλῶττα καλεῖ. Οὗτοι οἱ τρεῖς τῶν ἐξαρνησαμένων τὴν εὐσέβειαν εἰς τῷ βασιλεῖ κεχαρισμένον ἦσαν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Φήλιξ ἐξ οὐδεμιᾶς ἐμφανοῦς αἰτίας, τῶν ἐν βάθει φλεβῶν μιᾶς τῆς μεγίστης ἀναῤῥαγείσης, αἵματός τε αὐλὸν ἐξέπεμψεν ἐκ τοῦ στόματος, καὶ θέαμα τοῖς ὁρῶσι γενόμενος φοβερὸν, οὐδὲ ὅλης ἡμέρας ἤρκεσεν· ἀλλὰ περὶ δείλην ὀψίαν τοῦ αἵματος ἐπιλείποντος καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν συναπέβαλε. Ὁ δέ γε Ἰουλιανὸς ἀργαλέᾳ καὶ δυστεκμάρτῳ βληθεὶς νόσῳ, ἐπὶ τεσσαράκοντα τὰς ὅλας ἡμέρας ἀποτάδην ἔκειτο μήτε φθεγγόμενος, μήτε τινὰ συναίσθησιν ἔχων· μικρὸν δὲ πως ὑποῤῥαΐσας πολλὰ μὲν κατεγίνωσκεν ἑαυτὸν τῆς ἀθεμίτου τόλμης, καὶ τὴν δίκην ἐκεῖθεν αὐτῷ συναίσθησιν ἔλαβε καταῤῥαγῆναι· καὶ μέχρι τοῦ μάρτυρα αὐτὸν ἑαυτοῦ τῆς ἀνοσιουργίας γενέσθαι ἀνενεγκών, παντοδαποῖς ἕλκεσι τὴν γαστέρα σπασθεὶς, συνδιεῤῥάγη καὶ τὴν ψυχήν. Καὶ ὁ Ἐλπίδιος δὲ, εἰ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων βραδύτερον, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν τῇ τοῦ Προκοπίου τυραννίδι συμπράττων φωραθεὶς, ὃς ἐπανέστη τῷ Οὐάλεντι, τῶν τε χρημάτων γυμνωθεὶς, καὶ εἰρκταῖς καταδιοὺς, ἀκλεῶς καταστρέφει τὸν βίον, ἐπάρατος πᾶσι γεγονῶς, καὶ ὁ θύτης Ἐλπίδιος ἐπονομαζόμενος. ῎Αλλος δέ τις συνεισελθὼν τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἐν τῇ κλησίᾳ, ἣν ἐπόρθουν καὶ ἀπεσύλων τὰ ἀναθήματα, καὶ τὰ κειμήλια λαφυραγωγοῦντες, τὸν ἐν αὐτοῖς θεραπευόμενον ἐξύβριζον· οὗτος δὴ προσανασυράμενος τὴν ἐσθῆτα, τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ἐνασελγαίνων ἐναπούρησε, καὶ παραυτίκα ποινὴν χαλεπὴν καὶ ὀξεῖαν ἀπέτισε. ὧν γὰρ ὕβρισε μορίων, ταῦτα μέχρι τῶν ἐντέρων διασαπεὶς, καὶ σκωλήκων ἀδιήγητον χρῆμα τεκνώσας, οἰκτρῶς ἄγαν καὶ οὐδ᾽ ηγήσεως ἀξίως, καταστρέφει τὸν βίον. Καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ ἕτεροι παραπλήσια τετολμηκότες ἐφαμίλλους τὰς τιμωρίας δεδώκασιν. ### English translation (Claude) That many of those who raged against the Christians and piety paid penalties that could not be faulted; but the most conspicuous were the prominent ones: Julian, the governor of the East, who was the apostate Julian's uncle on his mother's side; Felix, who had charge of the treasuries; and Elpidius, head of the imperial household, whom the Roman tongue calls count of the private estates. These three, among those who had renounced piety, were eager to please the emperor. Felix, from no evident cause, when one of the largest of his deep veins burst, poured out a stream of blood from his mouth, and, becoming a frightful sight to those who saw him, did not last a whole day; about late evening, as his blood gave out, he lost his life as well. Julian was struck by a grievous and obscure disease and lay stretched out for forty whole days, neither speaking nor having any sensation; then, recovering a little, he condemned himself bitterly for his lawless audacity and perceived that the penalty had broken upon him from that cause; and having recovered so far as to become a witness against himself to his impiety, with his belly racked by sores of every kind, he burst apart and gave up his soul. Elpidius too, though later than the others, was caught taking part in the usurpation of Procopius, who rose against Valens; stripped of his property and sunk in prison, he ended his life ingloriously, accursed by all and nicknamed “Elpidius the sacrificer.” Another man had gone in with those named into the church that they were plundering, stripping it of its offerings and carrying off its treasures as spoil, and insulting the one worshipped in it. This man pulled up his garment and in his wantonness urinated on the altar, and at once paid a harsh and swift penalty: the parts with which he had committed the outrage rotted away as far as his bowels, and he bred an indescribable mass of worms and ended his life most pitiably, in a manner not even fit to be told. Others too, who dared similar things, paid like penalties. ### Translation notes - Several words have lost letters in the scan (βασιλικῆς, Ῥωμαίων, ἐκκλησίᾳ, διηγήσεως) and the sentence on the uncle's recognition of his penalty is garbled; these are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.10 (PG 65:547; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-10). ## 7.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-11 - Source: PG 65:549 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Hadrian renames Jerusalem Aelia to keep the Jews from claiming it. ### Greek text Οτι Ῥωμαίων ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Αδριανὸς, ὃς Αἴλιος ἐπωνόμαστο, τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα Αἰλίαν ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ μετεκαλέσατο· ὡς ἂν παντάπασι τὸ Ἰουδαίων αὐτῆς ἔθνος ἀποστήσῃ καὶ ἀποῤῥήξῃ, καὶ μηδ᾽ ἐκ τῆς κλήσεως ὡς πατρίδος αὐτῆς ἀντιποιεῖσθαι πρόφασιν ἐχούσης Ἐδεδίει γὰρ αὐτῶν τὸ θερμουργὸν καὶ ῥιψοκίνδυνον, μὴ, συναγειρόμενοι κατὰ πρόφασιν ἐν τῇ πόλει λατρείας, πράγματα Ῥωμαίοις παρέξωσιν. ### English translation (Claude) That the Roman emperor Hadrian, who was surnamed Aelius, renamed Jerusalem Aelia after himself, in order to separate and sever the Jewish nation from it completely, so that they might not have even its name as a pretext for claiming it as their homeland. For he feared their hot-headedness and recklessness, lest, gathering in the city on the pretext of worship, they should make trouble for the Romans. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.11 (PG 65:549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-11). ## 7.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-12 - Source: PG 65:549 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: After Babylas's relics are moved the pagan oracles speak again but are exposed as false. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, Βαβύλα τοῦ μάρτυρος τῶν λειψάνων μετατεθέντων, τὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων χρηστήρια, τοῦ κατὰ Δάφνην ἀρξαμένου, χρησμοὺς ἀνεδίδου καὶ για, τῆς θείας Προνοίας φθέγγεσθαι μὲν αὐτοῖς διδούσης, τρεπούσης δὲ τὴν ἐς τιμὴν αὐτοῖς ὁρῶσι σπουδὴν εἰς αἰσχύνην ἄφατον. Καὶ γὰρ ἐξ ὧν ἐσπουδάζετο τὸ Ἑλληνικὸν κιχρᾶν τὰ δαιμόνια, ἔχοιεν ἐπὶ μᾶλλον θειάζειν αὐτὰ, ἐκ τούτων τὸ ἀσθενὲς αὐτῶν καὶ πεπλανημένον διελέγχειν τῇ θείᾳ Προνοίᾳ συνηλαύνοντο. Ψευδεῖς γὰρ καὶ ἀτέλεστοι κατά γε τὸ περιφανέστατον οἱ ἐκεῖθεν χρησμοὶ ἐγνωρίζοντο· ὅθεν καὶ προθεσπισάντων ἅμα πάντων καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν μαντείων, ὡς Ἰουλιανὸς ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως θεῖος νοσῶν οὐ τεθνήξεται, ἐν αὐταῖς τῶν χρησμῶν ἀναγνώσεσιν, οἰκτρῶς ἐκεῖνος καὶ ἐλεεινῶς τὸν βίον ἀπέῤῥηξεν. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, after the relics of the martyr Babylas had been moved, the oracles of the Greeks, beginning with the one at Daphne, gave out responses and sayings, divine Providence letting them speak but turning their zeal for honour into unspeakable shame for those who looked to them. For the very means by which the pagans were eager to consult the demons, so that they might deify them all the more, became the means by which divine Providence compelled them to expose the demons' weakness and error. The oracles from there were plainly known to be false and unfulfilled. So when all the oracles at once, each of them separately, had foretold that Julian, the emperor's uncle, who was ill, would not die, he ended his life pitiably and wretchedly while the oracles were actually being read. ### Translation notes - The second word for the oracles' utterances is damaged in the scan (για, probably λόγια). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.12 (PG 65:549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-12). ## 7.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-13 - Source: PG 65:549 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The terrible deaths of the apostate bishop Heron and of Theotecnus, who went over to paganism. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, Ἥρωνά τινα ἐκ Θηβῶν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ὁρμώμενον, καὶ εἰς ἐπισκόπους τελέσαντα, εἶτα πρὸς Ἑλληνισμὸν μεταβαλόντα, παραχρῆμα νόσος σηπεδονώδης ἀπέλαβε, καὶ πᾶν καταβοσκηθεῖσα τὸ σῶμα, βδέλυγμα πᾶσιν ὑπέδειξεν. Ὁ δὲ πανταχόθεν ἀπορούμενος ἐν τοῖς ἀμφόδοις κατέκειτο, μηδ' ὄντινα οὖν μηδαμόθεν ἕλκων ἔλεον· τῶν μὲν Χριστιανῶν παντελῶς αὐτὸν ἐκτρεπομένων, τῶν Ἑλλήνων δὲ μέχρι τοῦ καθυποβαλεῖν αὐτὸν τῇ πλάνῃ μόνον αὐτὸν ἐγνωκότων. ᾿Αλλ' ὁ μὲν Ἥρων πικρῶς οὕτω καὶ παναθλίως τῆς ζωῆς ἀπελήλαται. Καὶ Θεότεκνος δέ τις πρὸς τὸν Ἑλληνισμὸν ἀποῤῥυεὶς, πᾶσαν ἀθρόως τὴν σάρκα διασαπεὶς καὶ σκωλήκων ὕλη γεγονὼς, καὶ δὴ καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐξορυχθείς, τελευτῶν εἰς μανίαν ἐτράπη, καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γλῶτταν καταφαγὼν, ἐκ πικρῶν βασάνων εἰς πολὺ χαλεπώτερα παρεπέμφθη κολαστήρια. Καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα τὸ Θεῖον ἐτερατούργει, ἀντιῤῥόπους τὰς ποινὰς παρὰ τῶν ἀναίδην ἀσεβούντων εἰσπραττόμενον. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, a certain Heron from Thebes in Egypt, who had been consecrated a bishop and then went over to paganism, was at once seized by a putrefying disease, which ate away his whole body and made him an abomination to all. Utterly destitute, he lay in the streets, drawing pity from no one anywhere: the Christians turned away from him completely, and the pagans had cared for him only so far as to bring him under their error. So Heron was driven from life bitterly and most wretchedly. And a certain Theotecnus, who slipped away into paganism, rotted in all his flesh at once and became food for worms, which even dug out his eyes; at the end he turned to madness and, eating his own tongue, was sent on from bitter torments to far harsher punishments. The Divinity worked many such wonders, exacting penalties to match from those who were shamelessly impious. ### Translation notes - A leaked heading and lemmata of Valesius's notes split the word Ἑλλήνων; and a fragment that does not belong to this section (“…was shown from heaven at that time, lest ever…”), apparently from the notes, stood at its end; both are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.13 (PG 65:549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-13). ## 7.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-14 - Source: PG 65:551 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: During Julian's attempt to rebuild the temple a workman finds in a cave a pristine copy of John's Gospel; on the earlier history of Jerusalem as Jebus. ### Greek text Ὅτι προστάξας, φησὶν, Ἰουλιανὸς τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα ἀνοικοδομεῖσθαι, ὡς ἂν τὰς περὶ αὐτῶν δεσποτικὰς προῤῥήσεις ἀκύρους ἐλέγξῃ, τοὐναντίον ἅπαν ὧν ἐσπούδασεν, ἐξειργάσατο. ῎Ἄλλα τε γὰρ τέρατα ὑπερφυῆ τὸ ἔργον κατασκήψαντα ἐπέσχε· καὶ δὴ καὶ τῶν θεμελίων εὐτρεπιζομένων, εἷς τῶν λίθων, εἰς τὴν ἐσχάτην κρηπίδα τεταγμένων κινηθεὶς, στόμιον ἄντρου τινὸς παρέδειξεν, ἐνειργασμένου τῇ πέτρᾳ. Ὡς ἄπορος ἦν διὰ τὸ βάθος ἰδεῖν τὰ ἔνδον, βουλόμενοι γνῶναι τὸ σαφὲς οἱ τοῖς ἔργοις ἐφεστῶκαθιῶσί τινα τῶν ἐργατῶν σχοίνου μακρᾶς ἐκδησάμενοι. Ὁ δὲ καθιμηθεὶς, ὕδωρ μὲν εὖρεν εἰς μέσας κνήμας κατὰ τὸ ἄντρον συνεστηκός· πανταχοῖ δὲ περιελθὼν καὶ τῶν τοίχων ἐφαψάμενος, τετράγωνον μὲν τὸ ἄντρον ἔγνω. ᾿Αναστρέφων δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸ μέσον γεγονὼς, ἐντυγχάνει στήλῃ τινὶ, βραχύ διεχούσῃ τοῦ ὕδατος· ᾗ τὴν χεῖρα ἐπιβαλὼν εὑρίσκει βιβλίον αὐτῇ ἐπικείμενον, λεπτοτάτῳ καὶ καθαροτάτῳ περιειλημένον ἡμιτυβίῳ· ἀνελόμενος δὲ ὡς εὗρε τὸ βιβλίον, σημαίνει δεῖν αὐτὸν ἀνακομίζειν. ᾿Ανακομισθεὶς δὴ ἐπιδείκνυσι τὸ βιβλίον, καὶ εἰς θάμβος ἅπαντας ἄγει, μάλιστα δ᾽ ὅτι καὶ νεουργὸν καὶ ἀθιγῆ παρείχε τὴν θέαν, καὶ ὡς ἐν ἐκείνῳ ἂν εὑρεθὲν τῷ χωρίῳ. Τὸ δὲ ἄρα τὸ βιβλίον, ὃ καὶ πλέον Ἑλληνιστὰς καὶ Ἰουδαίους κατέπληξεν, εὐθὺς κατ' ἀρχὰς ἀναπτυχθὲν, μεγάλοις ἔλεγε γράμμασιν, Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος. Καὶ ἁπλῶς ὁλόκληρον ἡ γραφὴ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον ἐδείκνυ, ὅπερ ἡ θεολόγος τοῦ μαθητοῦ καὶ παρθένου εὐηγγελίσατο γλῶσσα. Ἐδήλου δὲ ἄρα μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων παραδόξων ἔργων ἃ διαπεσεῖν δεσποτικὴν ἀπόφασιν, ἥτις τὴν εἰς τέλος ἐρήμωσιν τοῦ νεὼ προανεῖπε. Καὶ γὰρ Θεόν τε ἐθεολόγει τὸ βιβλίον τὸν ταῦτα προτεθεσπικότα καὶ μιουργὸν ἁπάντων· καὶ ἔλεγχος ἦν τοῦ μάτην ἐκείνους περὶ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ποιεῖσθαι τῆς θείας καὶ ἀμεταθέτου ψήφου τὸν εἰς τέλος τοῦ νεὼ ἀφανισμὸν καταψηφισαμένης. Τὰ μέντοι Ἱεροσόλυμα, Ἰεβοὺς πρότερον ἐκαλεῖτο, τῶν τῆς Βενιαμίτιδος φυλῆς ταύτην ἐνοικούντων, πρὶν ἢ Δαβὶδ ὁ βασιλεὺς ὑποσχέσει στρατηγίας ἑλὼν αὐτὴν διὰ τοῦ Ἰοάβου. Ἐκείνῳ τε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ὡς ὑπεδέξατο δίδωσι, καὶ αὐτὸς πόλιν ἐν αὐτῇ δειμάμενος, μητρόπολιν τοῦ παντὸς ἔθνους τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀπειργάσατο. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Julian, having ordered Jerusalem to be rebuilt in order to prove void the Lord's predictions about it, brought about the exact opposite of what he strove for. For other extraordinary portents fell upon the work and stopped it; and in particular, while the foundations were being prepared, one of the stones set in the lowest course was moved and revealed the mouth of a cave hewn in the rock. Since it was impossible to see inside because of the depth, those in charge of the works, wishing to learn the truth, let down one of the workmen, tied to a long rope. When he had been let down, he found water standing in the cave up to the middle of his shins; going round everywhere and touching the walls, he learned that the cave was square. As he turned back and reached the middle, he came upon a column rising a little above the water; putting his hand on it, he found a book lying on it, wrapped in a very fine and clean linen cloth. Taking up the book just as he had found it, he signalled that they should haul him up. When he had been brought up, he showed the book, and it struck everyone with amazement, especially because it looked new and untouched, although it had been found in such a place. The book, which astonished pagans and Jews even more, when unrolled, said at the very beginning in large letters: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In short, the writing contained the whole Gospel that the God-speaking tongue of the disciple and virgin proclaimed. Along with the other wonders, it showed that the Lord's sentence, which had foretold the final desolation of the temple, could never fail. For the book proclaimed as God the one who had foretold these things and the Creator of all, and it was a proof that they were labouring in vain on the building, since the divine and unchangeable decree had condemned the temple to final destruction. Jerusalem was formerly called Jebus, and those of the tribe of Benjamin lived in it, before King David took it through Joab by promising him the command of the army. He gave him what he had promised, as he had undertaken, and himself built a city in it and made it the capital of the whole Hebrew nation. ### Scripture references - John 1:1: quotation, high confidence - Matt 24:2: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Chr 11:4–6: allusion, high confidence - Judg 1:21: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is John 1:1. “The disciple and virgin” is John. Jebus and Joab: Judg 1:21; 1 Chr 11:4–6. - Some words have lost letters in the scan (δημιουργὸν; ἐφεστῶ[τες] καθιᾶσι) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.14 (PG 65:551; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-14). ## 7.15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/7-1/#p-7-15 - Source: PG 65:553 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on Julian's Persian campaign and death from a Saracen's spear, cursing the sun; Photius notes that most historians say he cursed Christ. ### Greek text Ὅτι τοῖς πανταχόθεν χρησμοῖς τῶν Ἑλλήνων ὁ Παραβάτης ἀναπεισθεὶς ὡς ἄμαχον ἕξει τὸ κράτος, κατὰ Περσῶν ἐκστρατεύει. Γέρων δέ τις τῶν παρὰ Πέρσαις τῆς στρατείας ἀφειμένων ἤδη ἀπέστη μετέρχεται τὸν Παραβάτην ἐν Περσίδι στρατευόμενον καὶ ἐρημίαις ἐν τόποις καὶ ἀμηχάνοις συγκλείσας ἀπορίαις, ἐν οἷς τὸ πλεῖστον τοῦ λαοῦ διεφθάρη, ἔτοιμον θήραμα τοὺς πολεμίους τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις παρέχεται. Τὸ δὲ Περσικὸν ἐπελαύνει κατ᾿ αὐτῶν, συνεπαγόμενον καὶ τοὺς ὑποσπόνδους κοντοφόρους Σαρακηνούς ὧν εἷς ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰουλιανὸν τὸ δόρυ ἐκτείνας, πλήττει μὲν αὐτὸν ἐν ἰσχύϊ κατὰ τὸ περιτόναιον. ῎Αμα δὲ τῇ αἰχμῇ ἐξελκομένῃ, καὶ κόπρος τις ηκολούθησε συνεπισπωμένη τῷ αἵματι. Εἶτα τὸν μὲν βαλόντα Σαρακηνὸν εἷς τῶν δυρυφόρων ἐπελθὼν, τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποτέμνει. Τρωθέντα δὲ καιρίαν τὸν Ἰουλιανὸν, οἱ οἰκεῖοι διὰ τάχους ἀναλαβόντες ἐπ᾿ ἀσπίδος, εἰς τὴν σκηνὴν ἀνεχώρουν. Καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς διὰ τὸ ἀθρόον καὶ δι᾽ ὀλίγου συμβῆναι τὴν πληγὴν, καὶ μηδ' ὅθεν ἰδεῖν ἡνέχθη, παρὰ τῶν οἰκείων ἐνομίσθη τὸ πάθος προελθεῖν. Αλλ' ὅ γε δείλαιος Ἰουλιανὸς, τοῦ τραύματος ταῖς χερσὶν ὑποδεχόμενος τὸ αἷμα, πρὸς τὸν ἥλιον ἀπέῤῥαινε, διαῤῥήδην πρὸς αὐτὸν λέγων· Κορέσθητι. Ναὶ δὴ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους θεοὺς κακούς τε καὶ ὀλετῆρας ἐκάλει. Ἰατρῶν μέντοι γε ἄριστος ὁ Λυδὸς Ὀριβάσιος αὐτῷ συνῆν ὁ ἐκ Σάρδεων· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ πληγὴ πᾶσαν χλευάζουσα θεραπείαν, διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν τὸν Ἰουλιανὸν ἀπαλλάττει τοῦ βίου, ἐν μὲν τῷ τοῦ Καίσαρος σχήματι πέντε ἐνιαυτοὺς, ἐν δὲ τῷ διαδήματι μετὰ τὸν Κωνσταντίου θάνατον, δύο καὶ ἥμισυ διανύσαντα ἔτη. Καὶ οὗτος μὲν εἰς τὸν ἥλιον ἀποῤῥαίνειν τὸ αἷμα, καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ θεοὺς κακολογεῖν· οἱ δὲ πλεῖστοι τῶν ἱστορούντων εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν, ἑκάτερον γράφουσιν ἐναπορρίψαι. ### English translation (Claude) That the Apostate, persuaded by the oracles of the Greeks from every quarter that he would have invincible power, marched against the Persians. An old man, one of those among the Persians already discharged from military service, went over to the Apostate as he was campaigning in Persia and, shutting him up in desert places and hopeless straits, in which most of the army perished, offered the enemy as ready prey to his own people. The Persian army drove against them, bringing with it also the allied Saracen lancers. One of these thrust his spear at Julian and struck him in the hip, near the lower belly. As the spearhead was drawn out, some excrement also followed, drawn out with the blood. Then one of the guards came at the Saracen who had struck him and cut off his head. Julian was mortally wounded, and his men quickly took him up on a shield and withdrew to the tent. Because the blow had happened so suddenly and quickly, and no one even saw from where it came, many thought the injury had come from his own men. But the wretched Julian, catching the blood from his wound in his hands, flung it toward the sun, saying to it plainly, “Take your fill!” And he called the other gods too evil and destroyers. The best of physicians, Oribasius the Lydian from Sardis, was with him; but the wound, mocking all treatment, released Julian from life in three days, after he had spent five years in the rank of Caesar and two and a half years with the diadem after Constantius's death. This man says that he flung the blood toward the sun and reviled his own gods; but most historians write that he hurled both at our Lord Jesus Christ, the true God. ### Translation notes - The last sentence is Photius's comparison with other historians. - A word after “discharged from military service” is garbled in the scan (ἤδη ἀπέστη) and is translated by sense as a desertion. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 7.15 (PG 65:553; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/7-15). ## 8.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-1 - Source: PG 65:553 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Jovian becomes emperor and makes peace with Persia; Julian is buried opposite Maximinus in Cilicia. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῇ ἐπαύριον τοῦ διαφθαρῆναι τὸν ᾿Αποστάτην, ἀνίστησιν ὁ στρατὸς Ἰωβιανὸν βασιλέα. Ὁ δὲ (οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄλλως διασωθῆναι, εἰς δέκατον μέρος τῆς ὅλης στρατιᾶς ἀπολεπτυνθείσης) τριακοντούτεις τίθεται πρὸς τὸν Πέρσην σπονδάς, τῆς τε Νισίβεως τῆς ὑπεκστὰς, καὶ τῶν φρουρίων ὅσα Ῥωμαίοις ἐπὶ Πέρσας ἄχρι τῆς ᾿Αρμενίας οἱονεὶ τεῖχος προὐβέβλητο. Τὸν δὲ νεκρὸν Ἰουλιανοῦ Μεροβαύδης καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ ἐν Κιλικίᾳ κομίσαντες, οὐ κατὰ πρόνοιαν, κατὰ δὲ τινα περιφοράν, ἀντικρὺ τοῦ τάφου ὃς τὰ Μαξιμίνου συνεῖχεν ὀστᾶ, κατέθεντο, λεωφόρου μόνης ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων τὰς θήκας αὐτῶν διατειχιζούσης. ### English translation (Claude) That on the day after the Apostate perished, the army proclaimed Jovian emperor. He (for there was no other way to save it, the whole army having been reduced to a tenth) made a thirty-year treaty with the Persian, giving up Nisibis and the forts that had been set before the Romans like a wall against the Persians as far as Armenia. Merobaudes and those with him carried Julian's body to Cilicia and, not by design but by some chance, laid it opposite the tomb that held the bones of Maximinus, with only a highway separating their tombs from one another. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.1 (PG 65:553; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-1). ## 8.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-2 - Source: PG 65:555 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Aetius and Eunomius set up their own church, ordaining bishops for Constantinople and several provinces. ### Greek text Ὅτι Εὐζώτος, φησὶ, καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ, τὸν μὲν ὑπὲρ ᾿Αετίου καὶ τοῦ δόγματος τόμον ἐξέθεσαν οὐ μήν γε περαίνειν ταῦτα διανέστησαν Διὸ οἱ περὶ ᾿Αέτιον καὶ Εὐνόμιον ἐν Κωσταντινουπόλει διατρίβοντες, καθ᾿ ἑαυτοὺς ἤδη τῶν πραγμάτων προἴσταντο. Τὰ τε ἄλλα ὡς αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει πρὸς τὸ ἄριστον τιθέμενοι· καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐπισκόπους καθίστασαν ὧν Κάνδιδος μὲν καὶ ᾿Αῤῥιανὸς ταῖς κατὰ Λυδίαν καὶ Ἰωνίαν Ἐκκλησίαις ἐφίστανται Παλαιστίνης δὲ ὁ ἀπὸ Χαιρατόπων Θεόδουλος ἐπεσκόπησεν. Ἐν δὲ Κωνσταντινουπόλει (καὶ γὰρ Εὐδοξίου καί τινων ἄλλων αἱρέσεων ἀποῤῥυὲν οὐκ ὀλίγον πλῆθος τὴν περὶ ᾿Αέτιον καὶ Εὐνόμιον μοῖραν ἐπηύξησε) χειροτονοῦσι πρῶτον τῆς καθ' ἑαυτοὺς Ἐκκλησίας, Ποιμένιον ὄνομα. "Ο καὶ τὸν Εὐδόξιον, μέχρι τότε τὰς πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ἑνώσεως ἐλπίδας ὑποστρέφοντα εἰς τὸ βεβαίως ἀντίπαλον μετεστήσατο. Ποιμενίου δὲ μετ' οὐ πολὺν ἀποβιώσαντος χρόνον, ἀντικαθιστῶσι Φλωρέντιον. Εἰς δὲ τὴν Λέσβον, τοῦ ταύτης ἀποιχομένου ποιμένος, χειροτονοῦσι Θάλλον. Τῇ δὲ πρὸς τῷ Πόντῳ Γαλατία καὶ Καππαδοκίᾳ Εὐφραίνιον προχειρίζονται· τὴν δὲ Κιλικίαν Ἰουλιανὸς ἐγχειρίζεται. Πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἐν τῇ κοίλῃ Συρίᾳ Ἀντιόχειαν μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον ἐθελοντὴς ἀφικνεῖται Θεόφιλος. ὁ Ἰνδός· ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τὸν Εὐζώϊον μὲν, κατὰ τὸ προηγούμενον, ἀναστῆσαι εἰς τέλος ἀγαγεῖν τὰ ὑπὲρ ᾿Αετίου ἐγνωσμένα· εἰ δὲ μὴ, αὐτός γε καθηγήσεσθαι τοῦ ἐκεῖσε πλήθους, ὅσον τὴν ἐκείνου γνώμην ἠσπάζετο. Ἑκατέρας δὲ Λιβύης καὶ ὅσον ἐν τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ τὸ τῶν διέσωζε φρόνημα, τοῖς ἀμφὶ Σέῤῥαν τε καὶ Στέφανον καὶ Ἡλιόδωρον ἔμελεν Τούτους μὲν οὖν ἅπαντας ὁ Φιλοστόργιος ἐπαίνοις οὐκ ἔχει κόρον διακοσμεῖν, τήν τε δύναμιν τῶν λόγων ἀνυμνῶν, καὶ τὸν βίον ἀποθειάζων. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Euzoius and those with him set out the tome on behalf of Aetius and his doctrine, but did not undertake to carry it through. Therefore Aetius and Eunomius and their party, staying at Constantinople, now took charge of affairs by themselves, arranging other matters as seemed best to them; and they appointed bishops, of whom Candidus and Arrian were set over the churches in Lydia and Ionia, while Theodulus from Chaeretapa became bishop in Palestine. At Constantinople (for no small number, drifting away from Eudoxius and from some other sects, had swelled the party of Aetius and Eunomius) they ordained the first bishop of their own church there, Poemenius by name. This moved Eudoxius too, who until then had been turning toward hopes of union, to settled opposition. When Poemenius died not long afterwards, they appointed Florentius in his place. For Lesbos, whose shepherd had departed, they ordained Thallus. For Galatia near Pontus and for Cappadocia they appointed Euphranius, and Julian was entrusted with Cilicia. Not long afterwards Theophilus the Indian went of his own accord to Antioch in Coele-Syria, to press Euzoius, as had been agreed before, to bring to completion what had been decided for Aetius; otherwise he himself would lead the multitude there that embraced Aetius's opinion. Both Libyas, and as much of Egypt as kept their way of thinking, were the care of Serras, Stephen and Heliodorus and their party. All these men Philostorgius never tires of adorning with praises, extolling the power of their words and deifying their lives. ### Translation notes - The last sentence is Photius's comment. A word has dropped out in the clause on Egypt (τὸ τῶν διέσωζε φρόνημα). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.2 (PG 65:555; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-2). ## 8.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-3 - Source: PG 65:557 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius criticizes Theodosius, a bishop of his own party, for immorality and for teaching that Christ was by nature changeable. ### Greek text Ὅτι Θεοδόσιόν τινα τῶν ἐπισκόπων, θερμὸν ἐραστὴν τῆς αὐτοῦ αἱρέσεως εἰσάγει, καὶ τὰς διὰ τῶν γυναικῶν ἡδονὰς ἀποκλίναι καὶ ἄλλα τε δυσσεβῆ τῇ ἀρχαίᾳ δόξῃ συνάψαι, καὶ δὴ ὡς ὁ Χριστὸς τρεπτὸς μὲν τῇ γε φύσει τῇ οἰκείᾳ, ἐπιμελείᾳ δὲ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀνυπερβλήτῳ εἰς τὸ ἄτρεπτον ἀνυψωθῆναι· καὶ ὅτι μηδὲ φθέγγοιτο μηδ' ἀκούοιτο τὸ Θεῖον, ἐπεὶ χεῖρες ἂν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀκοαὶ συμπλασθήσονται καὶ ἄλλα δὲ τοιουτότροπά φησι αὐτὸν δυσσεβῆσαι. ### English translation (Claude) That he introduces one of the bishops, Theodosius, a hot lover of his heresy, and says that he inclined to pleasures with women and joined other impious ideas to the ancient belief: in particular, that Christ was changeable in his own nature but was raised to unchangeability by his unsurpassable care for the virtues; and that the Divinity neither speaks nor is heard, since then hands and ears would have to be fashioned for him; and he says that he was impious in other such ways too. ### Translation notes - “His heresy” is Photius's description of Philostorgius's party. “Hands” is as printed; the sense might lead one to expect “lips”. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.3 (PG 65:557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-3). ## 8.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-4 - Source: PG 65:557 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theodosius and other bishops write to Eudoxius against Aetius's ordination and those he performed; Eudoxius encourages them. ### Greek text Ὅτι ὁ ᾿Αέτιος μὲν πρὸς τὴν Λυδίαν ἀφίκετο, τὸν Κάνδιδον καὶ ᾿Αῤῥιανὸν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἐνιδρύσαι· ὁ δὲ προειρημένος Θεοδόσιος τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων τὸν βίον ἔλεγχον τοῦ οἰκείου ὑπειδόμενος, ἔχθρας καθἱσταται τῷ ᾿Αετίῳ, καίτοι γε μὴ ἀνασχόμενος πρὶν εἰς τὸν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ τόμον χειρογραφῆσαι ᾿Αλλά τῶν οὐχ ἑλομένων καταψηφίσασθαι ᾿Αετίου φίλον δ᾽ αὐτὸν παλαιά τε συνήθεια ἐποίει, καὶ τῆς ἐκθέσμου πολιτείας τὸ ἀπαράλλακτον), οὗτοι δὴ καὶ Αὐξιδιανὸν ἑταιρισάμενοι (ἐπίσκοπος δ᾽ ἦν καὶ οὗτος ὥσπερ κἀκεῖνοι), κατὰ δὴ τοῦ ᾿Αετίου καὶ τῶν περὶ Κάνδιδον συσκευάζονται. Καὶ δὴ καὶ ἑτέρους ἓξ τῶν ἐπισκόπων συναγειράμενοι, καὶ συνέδριον καθίσαντες, κοινῇ ψήφῳ γράμμα τοῖς περὶ Εὐδόξιον καὶ Μάριν διαπέμπονται. Τὸ δὲ γράμμα τήν τε χειροτονίαν ᾿Λετίῳ ἐπεκάλει ὥσπερ θεσμὸν γεγενημένην μάλιστά γε καὶ ὅτι μετὰ τὴν καθαίρεσιν τῆς διακονίας, τῶν καθελόντων οὐ λυσαμένων τὴν ψῆφον, ὁ δὲ καθελκόμενος ἐκεῖθεν ὅμως καὶ πρὸς βαθμὸν ἀνεπήδησε μείζονα. Καὶ μὴν καὶ τὰς περὶ Κάνδιδον τῷ γε Φόβῳ κοινωσάμενος (εἷς δὲ καὶ οὗτος ἦν χειροτονίας, ἀπεδοκίμαζεν, ὡς παρὰ τὴν κοινὴν νεωτερισθείσας γνώμην· ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἃς οἱ περὶ ᾿Αέτιον ἑτελέσαντο. Δεξάμενος δὲ τὴν ἐπιστολὴν ἄσμενος ὁ Εὐδόξιος, τῶν μὲν ὅρκων οὓς Εὐνομίῳ ὀμώμοστο, καὶ τῶν πρὸς Εὐζώϊον γραμμάτων, καὶ τῶν πολλῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ ποικίλων ὑποσχέσεων, τούτων˙ οὐδὲν ἐπὶ νοῦν ἐλάμβανεν, ἀντιγράφει δὲ πρὸς τοὺς περὶ Θεοδόσιον, ἐποτρύνων αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν πράξιν, μᾶλλον δὲ ὑποτιθέμενος χωρεῖν κατὰ τῶν παρασχόντων, ἢ τῶν δεξαμένων τὰς χειροτονίας. ### English translation (Claude) That Aetius went to Lydia to install Candidus and Arrian in the churches. But the aforementioned Theodosius, suspecting that those men's life would be a reproof to his own, set himself against Aetius, although earlier he had not consented to sign the tome against him; and he took counsel with Phoebus (he too was one of those who had not chosen to vote against Aetius, and old acquaintance had made him Theodosius's friend, and the “without difference” likeness of their lawless conduct). These men, then, having taken Auxidianus as their associate (he too was a bishop, like them), conspired against Aetius and Candidus's party. Gathering six other bishops and sitting as a council, they sent a letter by common vote to Eudoxius and Maris and their party. The letter charged that Aetius's ordination had been unlawful, especially because after his deposition from the diaconate, though those who deposed him had not revoked the sentence, the man pulled down from it had nevertheless leapt up to a higher rank. Moreover it rejected the ordinations of Candidus and his party as innovations against the common judgment, and indeed all the others that Aetius's party had performed. Eudoxius gladly received the letter, and gave no thought to the oaths he had sworn to Eunomius, the letters to Euzoius, and his many and varied promises; he wrote back to Theodosius's party, urging them to action, or rather suggesting that they proceed against those who had conferred the ordinations rather than those who had received them. ### Translation notes - The jibe about the “without difference” likeness of their conduct is Photius’s play on Aetius’s phrase (see 4.12). - Two lines are interchanged in the scan: the words “having consulted with Phoebus (he too was one of” stand later, before “the ordinations” of Candidus; they are translated where the sense requires. “Unlawful” renders ὥσπερ θεσμὸν, a word that has lost letters (probably ἔκθεσμον). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.4 (PG 65:557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-4). ## 8.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-5 - Source: PG 65:559 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Jovian restores the churches and recalls those Julian had exiled, Valentinian among them. ### Greek text Ὅτι ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰωβιανὸς τὸν ἀρχαῖον κόσμον ἀποκαθίστησι ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις, πάσης αὐτὰς ἀπαλλάξας ἐπηρείας, ὅσην αὐταῖς ὁ Ἀποστάτης ἐπήνεγκεν. ᾿Ανακαλεῖται δὲ καὶ οὓς ἐκεῖνος τῆς εὐσεβείας οὐ μεθιεμένους ἐφυγάδευσε τούτων καὶ Οὐαλεντινιανὸς ἦν, ἀπὸ Θηβῶν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων ἀνακομιζόμενος. ### English translation (Claude) That the emperor Jovian restored their ancient order to the churches, freeing them from all the harassment that the Apostate had brought on them. He also recalled those whom Julian had exiled for not giving up piety; among these was Valentinian, who was brought back from Thebes in Egypt. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.5 (PG 65:559; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-5). ## 8.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-6 - Source: PG 65:561 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Candidus and Arrian, Jovian's relatives, oppose Athanasius at court; Jovian stays neutral. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, οἱ περὶ Κάνδιδον καὶ ᾿Αῤῥιανὸν προσγενεῖς ὄντες τῷ βασιλεῖ, πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν Ἐδέσῃ παραγίνονται, καὶ τῷ ᾿Αθανασίῳ ἐξοικειώσασθαι τὸν βασιλέα σπουδάζοντι ἐμποδὼν ἵστανται. Πλὴν ὅ γε βασιλεὺς, εἰς δίαιταν κοινὴν τὰ παρ' ἑκατέρου μέρους λεγόμενα ἀναθέμενος, ῥοπὴν οὐδετέροις τέως παρέσχεν ἐπίδηλον. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Candidus and Arrian, who were relatives of the emperor, came to him at Edessa and stood in the way of Athanasius, who was eager to win the emperor over to himself. The emperor, however, referred what was said on each side to a common hearing and for the time showed no evident leaning to either. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.6 (PG 65:561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-6). ## 8.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-7 - Source: PG 65:561 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Euzoius rebukes Eudoxius for opposing Candidus and Arrian and for delaying Aetius's restoration. ### Greek text Ὅτι Εὐδόξιος κατὰ Κανδίδου καὶ Ἀῤῥιανοῦ πρὸς Εὐζώϊον γράφει. Ὁ δὲ ἠχθέσθη μὲν, συμπαραλαβὼν δὲ καὶ Ἐλπίδιον ἀντιγράφει, μεμφόμενός τε τὴν συμβουλὴν, ἀποσχέσθαι δὲ κἀκεῖνον μᾶλλον παραινῶν τῆς τοιαύτης γνώμης· ἐν ταυτῷ δ᾽ ἡρέμα πως ἐπῃτιᾶτο τὴν μακρὰν ἀναβολὴν τῶν διομολογηθέντων ὑπὲρ ᾿Αετίου Εὐνομίῳ. ### English translation (Claude) That Eudoxius wrote to Euzoius against Candidus and Arrian. He was displeased, and, taking Elpidius with him, wrote back, finding fault with the advice and urging Eudoxius rather to give up such a purpose himself; and at the same time he gently reproached him for the long postponement of what had been agreed with Eunomius on Aetius's behalf. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.7 (PG 65:561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-7). ## 8.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-8 - Source: PG 65:561 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Jovian proclaims his young son Varronianus nobilissimus at Ancyra and marches on in winter. ### Greek text "Ὅτι Ἰωβιανὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς πρὸς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἀπαίρων, καὶ γεγονὼς ἐν ᾿Αγκύρᾳ, θάτερον τῶν ἑαυτοῦ παίδων Οὐαρονιανὸν, κομιδῇ νέον ὄντα, ἐπιφανέστατον, ὃ παρὰ Ῥωμαίοις τὸν νωβελίσιμον δύναται, ἀναγορεύει. Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ σφοδροτάτου χειμῶνος ἐπικειμένου, σὺν τῷ στρατῷ χωρεῖ ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσω. Καὶ πολλοὶ μὲν κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν διαφθείρονται. ### English translation (Claude) That the emperor Jovian, setting out for Constantinople, when he was at Ancyra proclaimed one of his sons, Varronianus, who was still quite young, nobilissimus, which is what the Romans call “most distinguished.” From there, though a very severe winter had set in, he went on with the army; and many perished on the way. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.8 (PG 65:561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-8). ## 8.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-9 - Source: PG 65:561 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Jovian is suffocated at Dadastana; Valentinian is proclaimed and makes Valens his colleague. A note follows on Hypatia and her killing. ### Greek text Αὐτὸς δὲ μετὰ τοὺς ὑπολειφθέντας καταλαμβάνει τὰ Δαδάστανα. Ἔν τινι δὲ καταλύσας σταθμῷ, καὶ τροφῆς μετασχὼν, ἐν οἰκήματί τινι ἄρτι κεκονιαμένῳ κατακλίνεται πρὸς ὕπνον. Πυρὸς δ᾽ ἀναφθέντος. ὥστε ἀλέαν ἐγγενέσθαι τῷ οἰκήματι, νοτὶς μὲν τῶν νεοχρίστων τοίχων ἀνεδίδοτο· ἠρέμα δὲ διὰ τῶν ῥινῶν μένη, καὶ τοὺς ἀναπνευστικοὺς πόρους ἐπιφράττουσα καὶ ἀποπνίγουσα, διαφθείρει τὸν βασιλέα, διανύσαντα ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ μῆνας ἐγγὺς δέκα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν τούτου νεκρὸς εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἄγεται ὁ δὲ στρατὸς κατὰ Νίκαιαν γεγονὼς, ἡμερῶν διαγενομένων δώδεκα, τὸν Οὐαλεντινιανὸν ἀναγορεύει βασιλέα. Δατιανοῦ μὲν τοῦ πατρικίου ἐκ Γαλατίας τὴν βουλὴν γράμμασιν εἰσηγησαμένου (ἐν αὐτῇ γὰρ διά τε γῆρας καὶ τὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος ὑπελέλειπτο μέγεθος), συνεφαψαμένου δὲ τῇ πράξει Σεκούνδου τε τοῦ ἐπάρχου καὶ Ἀρινθαίου τοῦ στρατηγοῦ, καὶ Γλαΐφου, τῶν δομεστίκων οὗτος ἡγεῖτο. Τοῦ δὲ στρατοῦ κατ' αὐτὴν τὴν ἀναγόρευσιν, ἐπὶ τῆς ἀσπίδος ἐποχούμενον τὸν βασιλέα προσλαβεῖν κοινωνὸν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν ἀξιοῦντος, τῇ χειρὶ μὲν σιγᾶν αὐτοὺς ἐπιτρέπει, ἀτρέμα δὲ καὶ σιλικῷ τῷ φρονήματι ἔφη Βασιλέα μὲν͵ ἐμὲ ποιεῖν ἐξ ἰδιώτου ἡ ὑμετέρα ψῆφος τὸ κῦρος ἐπεἶχεν· ἐκεῖθεν δὲ τὸ πρακτέον σκοπεῖν καὶ διευθετεῖν, οὐχὶ τῶν βασιλευομένων, τοῦ δὲ βασιλεύοντος ἡ κρίσις ὑπάρχει. Ἐπιβὰς δὲ τῇ Κωνσταντινουπόλει, κοινωνὸν μὲν τῆς βασιλείας τὸν ἀδελφὸν Οὐάλεντα ποιεῖται συμπαραλαβὼν δ᾽ αὐτὸν μέχρι Σερμίου ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑσπέραν ἀπαίρει. Ἐν δὲ τῷ Σερμίῳ τὰ τῆς βασιλείας πρὸς αὐτὸν διανειμάμενος ὁπόσα εἰς κόσμον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἐτέλει θεραπείαν, τὸν μὲν εἰς Κωνσταντίνου πόλιν ἀποπέμπει, τῆς ἐῴας μοῖραν ἐγχειρίσας ὅσης ὁ Κωνστάντιος ἐπῆρχεν· αὐτὸς δὲ τὰς λοιπὰς δύο τὰς κατὰ δύσιν ἀποκληρωσάμενος τῆς Ἑσπέρας ἐβασίλευε σης. Μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ δὲ παῖδα Γρατιανὸν ἔτι μειράκιον ἐπιβιβάσας τῇ βασιλείᾳ εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ συνήσκει τρόπον. Ὅτι οὗτος Ὑπατίαν τὴν Θέωνος θυγατέρα παρὰ μὲν τοῦ πατρὸς ἐξασκῆσαι λέγει τὰ μαθήματα· πολλῷ δὲ κρείττω γενέσθαι τοῦ διδασκάλου, καὶ μάλιστα γε περὶ τὴν ἀστροθεάμονα τέχνην, καὶ καθηγήσασθαι δὲ πολλῶν ἐν τοῖς μαθήμασι. Λέγει δ᾽ ὁ δυσσεβὴς, Θεοδοσίου τοῦ Νέου βασιλεύοντος, διασπασθῆναι τὸ γύναιον ὑπὸ τῶν τὸ ὁμοούσιον πρεσβευόντων. ### English translation (Claude) He himself, after those who had been left behind, reached Dadastana. Halting at a station and taking food, he lay down to sleep in a room that had just been plastered. When a fire had been lit to warm the room, moisture was given off by the freshly coated walls; drawn in gently through the nostrils, it blocked the breathing passages and choked the emperor to death, when he had completed nearly ten months on the throne. His body was taken to Constantinople; and the army, having come to Nicaea, after twelve days had passed proclaimed Valentinian emperor. The patrician Datianus proposed the plan by letter from Galatia (for he had been left behind there because of his age and the severity of the winter), and the prefect Secundus, the general Arinthaeus and Glaiphus, who commanded the domestici, joined in carrying it out. At the very proclamation, as the emperor was being carried on the shield, the army demanded that he take a colleague in the empire; he signed to them with his hand to be silent and said calmly and with royal spirit: “Your vote had the authority to make me emperor from a private citizen; but from then on, to consider and arrange what must be done is the judgment not of the subjects but of the one who reigns.” When he arrived in Constantinople, he made his brother Valens his colleague in the empire and, taking him with him as far as Sirmium, set out for the West. At Sirmium, after dividing with him all that belonged to the imperial adornment and the rest of its service, he sent him back to Constantinople, entrusting to him the share of the East that Constantius had ruled; he himself took the other two shares in the West and reigned over the whole West. Not long afterwards he raised his son Gratian, still a boy, to the throne and trained him in his own ways. That this man says that Hypatia, the daughter of Theon, learned the mathematical sciences from her father but became far better than her teacher, especially in the art of observing the stars, and taught many in these sciences. And the impious man says that in the reign of Theodosius the Younger the woman was torn to pieces by those who professed the homoousion. ### Translation notes - The notice on Hypatia is a separate excerpt of Photius (from a later point in Philostorgius's history) printed within this section. - Several words have lost letters in the scan (e.g. βασιλικῷ, πάσης, and the participle for “drawn in”, μένη); these are translated by sense. Glaiphus is as printed (the commander is elsewhere called Dagalaifus). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.9 (PG 65:561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-9). ## 8.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-10 - Source: PG 65:563 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on the physicians of his day, criticizing Posidonius for denying demonic possession. ### Greek text Ὅτι κατὰ Οὐάλεντα καὶ Οὐαλεντινιανὸν ἱστορεῖ τὸν Φιλοστόργιον γενέσθαι, ὃς ἄριστος ἰατρῶν ὑπῆρχε, καὶ παῖδας φῦσαι Φιλάγριόν τε καὶ Ποσειδώνιον· θεάσασθαι δὲ τὸν Ποσειδώνιον ἐν ἰατρικῇ διαπρέποντα. γειν δ᾽ αὐτὸν ὅμως οὐκ ὀρθῶς, οὐχὶ δαιμόνων ἐπιθέσει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκβακχεύεσθαι, ὑγρῶν δέ τινων κακοχυμίαν τὸ πάθος ἐργάζεσθαι μηδὲ γὰρ εἶναι τὸ παράπαν ἰσχὺν δαιμόνων, ἀνθρώπων φύσιν ἐπηρεάζουσαν. Εὐδοκιμεῖν δὲ καὶ Μάγνον ἐν ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ, τὴν αὐτὴν τέχνην μεταχειριζόμενον. ### English translation (Claude) That he records that in the time of Valens and Valentinian there lived Philostorgius, the best of physicians, and that he had sons, Philagrius and Posidonius; and that he himself saw Posidonius distinguished in medicine. Posidonius, however, he says, held incorrectly that human beings are not driven to frenzy by the assault of demons, but that an unhealthy mixture of certain humours produces the condition; for, he said, demons have no power at all to injure human nature. He says that Magnus too was well regarded at Alexandria, practising the same art. ### Translation notes - The physician Philostorgius is a namesake of the historian. The verb of the second sentence has lost letters in the scan (γειν, λέγειν). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.10 (PG 65:563; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-10). ## 8.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-11 - Source: PG 65:563 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's comparison of Basil, Gregory of Nazianzus and Apollinaris as writers, and his claim that Basil died of grief over Eunomius's reply. ### Greek text Ὅτι καὶ ἄκων ὁ δυσσεβής, Βασίλειόν τε τὸν μέγαν, καὶ τὸν Θεολόγον Γρηγόριον, ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ θαυμάζει. Ναδιανδὸν δὲ καὶ Ναζιανζὸν ἐξονομάζει. Τὸν μέντοι γε Λαοδικείας ᾿Απολλινάριον, ὅσα γε εἰς τὴν ἱερὰν μάθησιν ἑκατέρου προτάττει. Φησὶ δὲ ὡς Βασίλειος μὲν ᾿Απολλιναρίου λαμπρότερος ἦν. Τῷ δὲ Γρηγορίῳ, καὶ παρ᾿ ἀμφοτέροις ἐξεταζομένῳ, μείζω βάσιν εἰς συγγραφὰς εἶχεν ὁ λόγος· καὶ ἦν εἰπεῖν Απολλιναρίου μὲν ἀδρότερος, Βασιλείου δὲ σταθερώτερος. Ὁ δυσσεβέστατος Φιλοστόργιος ἐν τῷ ὀγδόῳ τῆς ἱστορίας λόγῳ τὸν δυσσεβέστατον τοῦτον Εὐνόμιον ἐπαινῶν φησιν, ὡς ὁ ᾿Απολλινάριος τὸ ὑπομνηματικὸν εἶδος τῆς λέξεως ἄριστα εἶχε· Βασίλειος δὲ πανηγυρίσαι μόνον λαμπρότατος ἦν· τῷ δὲ Γρηγορίῳ ἑκάτερα παρ' ἀμφοτέρους ἐξεταζομένῳ μείζω βάσιν εἰς συγγραφὴν εἶχεν ὁ λόγος· καὶ ἦν εἰπεῖν ᾿Απολλιναρίου μὲν ἀδρότερος, Βασιλείου δὲ σταθηρότερος· ὁ μὲν οὖν ᾿Απολλινάριος καὶ ὁ Βασίλειος κατὰ τῆς ἀπολογίας ἧς Εὐνόμιος ἐξήνεγκεν, ἐγραψάτην· τοῦ δὲ Γρηγορίου (καὶ τοῦτό τις εἰς συνέσεως ἀπόδειξιν οὐχ ἥκιστα λάβοι) διαγνόντος ὁπόσον αὐτῷ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἦν τὸ τῆς δυνάμεως μέσον, καὶ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἀσπασαμένου, μόνον δέ τινα τῶν Εὐνομίου κεφαλαίων ἐν τῷ Περὶ Υἱοῦ λόγῳ ἀνατρέψαντος, ὡς ἐν εἴδει τοῦ πρὸς Ἀνομοίους ἀντιῤῥήσεως· ὁ δὲ Εὐνόμιος ᾿Απολλινάριον μὲν οὐδὲ ἀντιῤῥήσεως ἠξίωσε· καὶ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι πλαδαρὸς εἰς ταῦτα ἀπήντησε καὶ ἀσυστρεφής· Βασιλείῳ δὲ ἀντεῖπεν ἐν πέντε λόγοις, ὧν τοὺς προεκδοθέντας δεξάμενος Βασίλειος, ὑπὸ τῆς δυσθυμίας τὸν βίον ἀπέλιπε. ### English translation (Claude) That even against his will the impious man admires Basil the Great and Gregory the Theologian for their wisdom. He calls Nazianzus both “Nadiandus” and “Nazianzus.” Apollinaris of Laodicea, however, he ranks above each of them in sacred learning. He says that Basil was more brilliant than Apollinaris; but Gregory, examined beside both, had a style with a firmer footing for writing, and one could say he was fuller than Apollinaris and steadier than Basil. The most impious Philostorgius, in the eighth book of his history, praising this most impious Eunomius, says that Apollinaris excelled in the commentary style of writing, while Basil was most brilliant only in panegyric; but Gregory, examined on both counts beside both, had a style with a firmer footing for composition, and one could say he was fuller than Apollinaris and steadier than Basil. Apollinaris and Basil wrote against the Apology that Eunomius had published; but Gregory (and one might take this as no small proof of his intelligence), recognizing how great the gap in ability was between himself and Eunomius, embraced silence, and only overturned some of Eunomius's main points in his discourse On the Son, in the form, as it were, of a refutation of the Anomoeans. Eunomius did not think Apollinaris worth even a reply, for in truth he had met these questions in a flabby and loose way; but he answered Basil in five books, and Basil, on receiving the first of them to be published, died of despondency. ### Extrabiblical texts - Eunomius, Apol. (Apology): allusion, high confidence - Basil, Eun. (Against Eunomius): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The section gives the same report twice, the second time more fully and naming the eighth book; both stand in the printed text. “Gregory the Theologian” is Gregory of Nazianzus; his discourse On the Son is one of the Theological Orations (29–30). - The claim that Basil died of despondency over Eunomius's reply is Philostorgius's; Photius rejects it (8.12). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.11 (PG 65:563; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-11). ## 8.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-12 - Source: PG 65:565 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Photius rejects Philostorgius's claim that Basil died after reading Eunomius's reply. ### Greek text Ὅτι οὐ μόνον τὸν μέγαν Βασίλειον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ᾿Απολλινάριον λέγει πρὸς τὴν ᾿Απολογίαν Εὐνομίου ἀντιγράψαι. Εἶτα πάλιν Εὐνομίου ἐν πέντε λόγοις συμπλακέντος Βασιλείῳ, ἐντυχεῖν ἐκεῖνον τῷ πρώτῳ, καὶ βαρυθυμήσαντα λιπεῖν τὸν βίον. Οὕτως αὐτῷ τὰ ψεῦδος ἐπὶ πολλῷ τῆς ἀληθείας τετίμηται. ### English translation (Claude) That he says that not only Basil the Great but also Apollinaris wrote in reply to Eunomius's Apology. Then again, when Eunomius took on Basil in five books, Basil read the first and died of despondency. So much more does he honour falsehood than truth. ### Extrabiblical texts - Eunomius, Apol. (Apology): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The last sentence is Photius's judgment. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.12 (PG 65:565; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-12). ## 8.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-13 - Source: PG 65:565 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Photius accuses Philostorgius of misrepresenting the Christology of Basil and Gregory and the views of Apollinaris. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῶν εἰρημένων ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν, Βασιλείου καὶ Γρηγορίου, περιφανῶς καὶ ἀναίδην καταψεύδεται· μὴ γὰρ λέγειν αὐτοὺς ἄνθρωπον γεγενῆσθαι τὸν Υἱὸν, ἀλλὰ ἐνοικῆσαι ἀνθρώπῳ, καὶ ταύτῃ διαζυγῆναι τὸν ᾿Απολλινάριον τῆς μοίρας αὐτῶν. Αἰτιᾶται δὲ κἀκεῖνον, οὐκ ἐφ᾽ οἷς τοῖς εὐσεβέσι παρέσχεν αἰτίαν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἑτέραν αὐτὸν κατασύρειν εἰσάγει σπουδήν. Λέγει δὲ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ὅτι τὴν τῶν σωμάτων ἀνάστασιν ἀπεκήρυξεν. ### English translation (Claude) That he lies openly and shamelessly against the holy men we have named, Basil and Gregory, saying that they did not say the Son became man but that he dwelt in a man, and that it was on this point that Apollinaris separated from their party. He also accuses Apollinaris, not of the things in which he gave the pious cause for complaint, but drags him in on another charge; among other things he says that he rejected the resurrection of bodies. ### Translation notes - The whole section is Photius's judgment on Philostorgius's report. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.13 (PG 65:565; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-13). ## 8.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-14 - Source: PG 65:565 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius rates Apollinaris's work against Porphyry above those of Eusebius and Methodius. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, Ἀπολλινάριος κατὰ Πορφυρίου γράψας ἐπὶ πολὺ κρατεῖ τῶν ἡγωνισμένων Εὐσεβίῳ κατ' αὐτοῦ· ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν Μεθοδίου κατὰ τῆς αὐτῆς ὑποθέσεως σπουδασμάτων. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Apollinaris, in writing against Porphyry, far surpassed what Eusebius had achieved in his contest against him, and also the efforts of Methodius on the same subject. ### Extrabiblical texts - Porphyry, Porphyry, Chr. (Porphyry, Against the Christians (fragments)): allusion, high confidence - Methodius, Porph. (Against Porphyry): allusion, medium confidence ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.14 (PG 65:565; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-14). ## 8.15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-15 - Source: PG 65:567 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Two biographical claims of Philostorgius that Photius doubts. ### Greek text Λέγει οὖν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅθεν λαβὼν, τὸν Ἀπολλινάριον ἐπίσκοπον εἶναι, καὶ τὸν Οὐάτον ἐκ φυλῆς ὁρμᾶσθαι τῶν Φρυγῶν. ### English translation (Claude) He says, then (from where he got it I do not know), that Apollinaris was a bishop, and that Novatus came from the race of the Phrygians. ### Translation notes - “From where he got it I do not know” is Photius's comment. The first name is printed split (Ἀπολλε νάριον); Novatus is Novatian (Οὐάτον, with letters lost). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.15 (PG 65:567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-15). ## 8.16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-16 - Source: PG 65:567 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Valentinian and Valens came from Cibalis. ### Greek text Ὅτι Οὐαλεντινιανὸν καὶ Οὐάλεντα τὴν Κίδαλιν λαχεῖν ἀναγράφει πατρίδα. ### English translation (Claude) That he records that Valentinian and Valens had Cibalis as their homeland. ### Translation notes - The name is printed Κίδαλιν. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.16 (PG 65:567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-16). ## 8.17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-17 - Source: PG 65:567 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius lists the leaders of the homoiousian party. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῶν τὸ ὁμοούσιον δοξαζόντων Θεόδωρος μὲν, φησὶν, ἐκδηλότατος ἐγεγόνει, τῆς ἐν Θράκῃ ἐφορεύων Ἡρακλείας, καὶ Γεώργιος δὲ, ᾿Αλεξανδρεὺς μὲν τὸ γένος, καὶ τῶν ἐκ φιλοσοφίας ὁρμωμένων, τῆς δὲ κατὰ Συρίαν Λαοδικείας ἐπιστατῶν. Δεύτεροι μετ' αὐτοὺς τῷ χρόνῳ Εὐστάθιος γηραιὸς ἀνὴρ, καὶ τῷ πλήθει αἰδοῖός τε καὶ πιθανὸς, καὶ δὴ καὶ Βασίλειος, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ Μακεδόνιος ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, καὶ ὁ Κυζίκου ἐπίσκοπος Ἐλεύσιος· μεθ' ὧν Μαραθώνιος καὶ Μαξιμῖνος τῆς ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει Ἐκκλησίας πρεσβύτεροι. ### English translation (Claude) That among those who held the homoiousion, he says, Theodore, bishop of Heraclea in Thrace, had been the most conspicuous, and George, an Alexandrian by birth and one of those who came from philosophy, who presided over Laodicea in Syria. Second after them in time were Eustathius, an old man, respected by the people and persuasive, and Basil too; and also Macedonius of Constantinople and Eleusius, bishop of Cyzicus; and with them Marathonius and Maximinus, presbyters of the church in Constantinople. ### Translation notes - The printed text reads “homoousion”; the men named were leaders of the homoiousian party, and a leaked lemma of Valesius's note in this section reads ὁμοιουσίου. Translated accordingly. The leaked words (Ὁμοιουσίου, θαυματοποιοί) are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.17 (PG 65:567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-17). ## 8.18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-8-18 - Source: PG 65:567 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius compares Aetius's dialectical power with Eunomius's clarity as a teacher. ### Greek text Ὅτι παραβάλλων τὸν Εὐνόμιον ᾿Αετίῳ, εἰς μὲν ἰσχὺν ἀποδείξεων καὶ ἑτοιμότητα τῶν πρὸς ἕκαστα ἀπαντήσεων, προτάττει ᾿Αέτιον· ἀτεχνῶς γάρ φησιν ἐπὶ τῆς γλώττης ἄκρας αὐτοῦ ἀπαντα δοκεῖν ἀθρόα κεῖσθαι· σαφηνείᾳ δὲ διδασκαλίας καὶ συμμετρίᾳ, καὶ τῷ πρὸς τοὺς μαθησομένους μάλιστα ἁρμοδιωτάτῳ τὸν Εὐνόμιον. ### English translation (Claude) That, comparing Eunomius with Aetius, he ranks Aetius first in force of demonstration and readiness in answering every point (for, he says, everything seemed simply to lie all together on the tip of his tongue), but Eunomius first in clarity of teaching, in balance, and in what is best suited to learners. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 8.18 (PG 65:567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/8-18). ## 9.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-1 - Source: PG 65:567 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Photius dismisses the miracles Philostorgius ascribes to the Anomoean leaders in Book 9. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῷ Φιλοστοργίῳ ὁ ἔννατος λόγος ᾿Αετίου χειρῶν ὑπερφυῆ ἔργα, Εὐνομίου τε καὶ Λεοντίου διαπλάττει· καὶ δὴ καὶ Κανδίδου καὶ Εὐαγρίου καὶ ᾿Αῤῥιανοῦ καὶ Φλωρεντίου, καὶ μάλιστά γε Θεοφίλου τοῦ Ἰνδοῦ, καί τινων ἄλλων, οὓς ἡ αὐτὴ τῆς ἀσεβείας λύσσα θερμοτέρους ἐπεδείκνυ. Καὶ ταῦτα κατὰ τὸ ἀπιθανώτατον ἀναπλάττοντι οὐδεμία παρῆν αἴσθησις τῆς ἀτοπίας ἀνακουφίζουσα. ### English translation (Claude) That the ninth book of Philostorgius invents extraordinary works done by the hands of Aetius, Eunomius and Leontius, and also of Candidus, Evagrius, Arrian and Florentius, and above all of Theophilus the Indian, and certain others whom the same madness of impiety showed to be more fervent. And as he made these things up most implausibly, no sense of their absurdity came to relieve him. ### Translation notes - The whole section is Photius's judgment. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.1 (PG 65:567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-1). ## 9.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-2 - Source: PG 65:567 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on Moses' punishment of the magicians Jannes and Jambres. ### Greek text Ὅτι Μωσῆς, φησὶ, τοὺς περὶ Ἰαννὴν καὶ Ἰαμβρὴν ἐν ἕλκεσι κολασάμενος, καὶ τὴν θατέρου τούτων μητέρα τῷ θανάτῳ περεπέμψατο. ### English translation (Claude) That Moses, he says, having punished Jannes and Jambres and their followers with sores, also sent the mother of one of them to death. ### Scripture references - Exod 9:11: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Tim 3:8: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Jan. Jam. (Jannes and Jambres): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The sores recall Exod 9:11; the names of the magicians come from Jewish tradition (2 Tim 3:8). The death of the mother is not in Scripture; its source is unidentified. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.2 (PG 65:567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-2). ## 9.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-3 - Source: PG 65:567 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Under Valens, Eudoxius and Euzoius break their promises to the Anomoeans and revile them publicly. ### Greek text Ὅτι Οὐάλης, φησὶν, ἐκ τῶν Ἱλλυριῶν ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἀφικόμενος, διὰ τιμῆς εἶχεν Εὐδόξιον καὶ δυνάμενος μάλιστα ταῖς πρὸς Εὐνόμιον ὑποσχέσεσι πέρας ἐπιθεῖναι, τὴν γνώμην οὐκ εἶχε συντρέχουσαν ὁ Εὐδόξιος ἀλλὰ καὶ Εὐζωΐῳ παρῆν ὁ αὐτὸς καιρὸς ἄδειαν διδοὺς πράττειν ἅπερ ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ ὑπὲρ τῶν αὐτῶν συνοδικῶς διεπράξατο. Τοσοῦτον δὲ αὐτῶν ἑκάτερος ἐδέησε μνήμην ἔχειν ἐκείνων· ὥστε ὁ μὲν Εὐζώϊος εἰς τὸ κακολογεῖν τοὺς ἄνδρας ὧν ὑπερήσπισεν, ἀπετρέπετο, οὐρανοβάστας ἐπ᾿ ἐκκλησίας εἰρωνευόμενος τοὺς ἀμφὶ τὸν ᾿Αέτιον, Αἰθίοπά τε τὸν Θεόφιλον ἐξυβρίζειν, ὥσπερ οὐκ εὐσεβείας καὶ πίστεως τῶν ἀγώνων των, ἀλλὰ χρωμάτων ἐκλογῆς καὶ γένους. Ὁ δὲ δόξιος ἄλλα τε κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀπεῤῥίπτει, καὶ ἐπ᾿ κλησίας· ᾿Ασεβεῖς μὲν αὐτοὺς, φησὶν, οὐ λέγω, ὅπερ θέλουσιν ἀκούειν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ εὐπρόσωπος αὐτῶν ἡ ἀπόστασις εἶναι· λοιμοὺς μέντοι αὐτοὺς λέγω. ### English translation (Claude) That Valens, he says, having come from Illyricum to Constantinople, held Eudoxius in honour; and though Eudoxius was best able to bring his promises to Eunomius to fulfilment, he did not have a mind to go along with them. The same opportunity was there for Euzoius too, giving him freedom to carry out what he had decided synodically at Antioch for the same men. But each of them was so far from remembering those things that Euzoius turned to reviling the men he had defended, mocking Aetius's party in church as “heaven-carriers” and insulting Theophilus as an Ethiopian, as though the contest were not about piety and faith but about the choice of colour and race. Eudoxius flung various charges at them, and said in church: “I do not call them impious, which is what they want to hear, lest their apostasy should seem respectable; but I do call them pests.” ### Translation notes - “Heaven-carriers” (οὐρανοβάστας), like Atlas, mocks their claim to know God's essence. Several words have lost letters in the scan (ἐκκλησίας, Εὐδόξιος, ὄντων) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.3 (PG 65:567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-3). ## 9.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-4 - Source: PG 65:569 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Aetius retires to Lesbos and Eunomius to Chalcedon, leading their followers without holding sees. ### Greek text Ὅτι κατὰ τὸ καρτερὸν οἱ περὶ ᾿Αέτιον καὶ Εὐνόμιον, τῶν περὶ Εὐδόξιον διαστάντες καὶ Εὐζώϊον, τὴν μὲν Κωνσταντίνου πόλιν Φλωρεντίῳ ἐφεῖσαν. Αὐτῶν δὲ ὁ μὲν ᾿Αέτιος ἐπὶ τὴν Λέσβον ἀποπλεῖ, κἀκεῖ περὶ Μιτυλήνην ἐν ἀγρῷ τινι διέτριβε, τοὺς ἀφικνουμένους λόγοις δεξιούμενος· δῶρον ἦν ὁ ἀγρὸς Ἰουλιανοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν διαθέσεως σύμβολον. ῾Ὁ δὲ Εὐνόμιος ἐπὶ τὴν Καλχηδόνα διάρας, ἐν αὐτῇ κατά τινα κῆπον, οἰκεῖον κτῆμα, πλησιάζον τοῖς ἐπιθαλαττίοις τείχεσιν, ἐποιεῖτο τὴν δίαιταν, οὐδ᾽ αὐτὸς τῶν προσιόντων τὴν πρόνοιαν ἐλάττων συνεισάγων Οὐδ᾽ ἕτερος αὐτῶν κλησίας ἦρχεν ἀποτεταγμένης ἀλλὰ κοινοὺς τοὺς οἱ ὁμόδοξοι πατέρας ἦγον καὶ ἡγεμόνας. Ὁ δέ γε Εὐνόμιος οὐδὲ ἱερουργίας ἐξ οὗ τῆς Κυζίκου μετέστη οὐ μὲν οὖν εἰς ὅσον ἐνεβίω χρόἦν, ὃς τῆς ἐκείνου γνώμης χωρὶς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν διεπράττετο. νον καίτοι των ὁμοδόξων ἐπισκόπων οὐδεὶς ### English translation (Claude) That Aetius and Eunomius and their party, having separated decisively from Eudoxius and Euzoius and their party, left Constantinople to Florentius. Of the two, Aetius sailed off to Lesbos and lived there on an estate near Mitylene, welcoming visitors with discourses; the estate was a gift of the emperor Julian, a token of his goodwill toward him. Eunomius crossed over to Chalcedon and lived there in a garden, his own property, near the walls by the sea, he too bestowing no less care on those who came to him. Neither of them ruled a church assigned to him, but those of like belief treated them as common fathers and leaders. Eunomius did not even perform the sacred rites from the time he left Cyzicus, indeed not for as long as he lived; and yet there was none of the bishops of like belief who did anything in church affairs without his judgment. ### Translation notes - The end of the section is jumbled in the scan (lines displaced: …χρό ἦν, ὃς … νον καίτοι τῶν ὁμοδόξων ἐπισκόπων οὐδεὶς); it is translated in the order the sense requires, and the verb for “perform” has dropped out. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.4 (PG 65:569; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-4). ## 9.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-5 - Source: PG 65:571 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Procopius hides on Eunomius's estate, seizes Constantinople, is betrayed and executed; his betrayer Florentius is burned by the army. ### Greek text "Ὅτι τρίτου τῆς βασιλείας ἔτους Οὐάλης ἐπιβὰς, ἐπὶ Πέρσας ἐστράτευσε· καθ' ὃν καιρὸν καὶ Προκόπιος τὴν τυραννίδα κατὰ Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἐσκευάσατο. Ὁ δὲ Προκόπιος οὗτος· εἰς τὸ τοῦ Ἰουλιανοῦ γένος ἀνεφέρετο· καὶ πολλοὶ ἀνεκινοῦντο γισμοί, τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτῷ περιάπτοντες. Καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς καὶ λόγοι διέφερον. Διὰ τοῦτο Ἰωβιανοῦ βασιλεύσαντος τῆς Μεσοποταμίας οὗτος ἀποδρὰς, καὶ πολλοὺς ἐν ταλαιπωρίᾳ τόπους ἀμείψας, φεύγων τε μετὰ τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ κρυπτόμενος, ὡς ἀπείρηκε πλανώμενος, τὸν ἔσχατον, φησὶν, ἀναῤῥίπτει κύβον. Καὶ τὴν Καλχηδόνα καταλαβών, ἐν τῷ τοῦ Εὐνομίου ἀγρῷ, τῆς πόλεως ἔξωθεν διακειμένῳ, οὐδ᾽ ἐπιδημοῦντος τοῦ δεσπότου, ἑαυτὸν κατακρύπτει· ἐκεῖθεν δὲ εἰς τὴν πόλιν διάρας, ἐγκρατὴς ἀναιμωτὶ τῆς σιλείας γίνεται. Εἶτα μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον πολέμῳ συῤῥαγεὶς Οὐάλεντι, προδοσίᾳ τῶν αὐτοῦ στρατηγῶν Γομαρίου καὶ ᾿Αγελίου, ἡττᾶται· καὶ φεύγων καταλαμβάνει τὴν Νίκαιαν. Τῇ δὲ ἐπαύριον διανοηθεὶς ἐκεῖθεν ἀπαίρειν, ὑπὸ Φλωρεντίου, ὃς φρούραρχος αὐτοῦ τῆς πόλεως κατέστη, συλλαμβάνεται, καὶ δεσμώτην αὐτὸν ὁ συλλαβὼν πρὸς Οὐάλην ἄγει. Καὶ Προκόπιος μὲν τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποτέμνεται, ἐπὶ μῆνας ἓξ μετεωρισθεὶς τῇ τυραννίδι· Φλωρεντίῳ δὲ οὐδὲ ἤρκεσεν ἡ σωτήριος προδοσία ἀλλὰ πυρὶ διδόασιν αὐτὸν ὁ στρατὸς κατ' ὀργὴν παλαιὰν, διότι φρουρῶν ἐκεῖνος ὑπὸ Προκοπίου τὴν Νίκαιαν πολλοὺς αὐτῶν ἐκάκωσεν αἱρουμένους τὰ Οὐάλεντος. ### English translation (Claude) That Valens, entering the third year of his reign, marched against the Persians; at which time Procopius too contrived his usurpation at Constantinople. This Procopius was related to Julian's family, and many speculations were stirring that attached the empire to him, and rumours about it spread. For this reason, when Jovian became emperor, he fled from Mesopotamia, and after passing through many places in hardship, fleeing with his wife and hiding, when he was worn out with wandering, he “threw,” he says, “the last die.” Reaching Chalcedon, he hid himself on Eunomius's estate, which lay outside the city, when its owner was not at home; from there he crossed into the city and gained control of the empire without bloodshed. Not long afterwards he joined battle with Valens, and was defeated through the treachery of his own generals Gomarius and Agelius; in flight he reached Nicaea. The next day, intending to leave from there, he was seized by Florentius, whom he had made commandant of the city, and his captor brought him in chains to Valens. Procopius was beheaded, having ridden high in his usurpation for six months; and his saving treachery did not suffice for Florentius: the army gave him to the fire out of an old anger, because while guarding Nicaea for Procopius he had ill-treated many of them who took Valens's side. ### Translation notes - The clause on rumours (Καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς καὶ λόγοι διέφερον) is garbled in the scan and translated by sense. This Florentius is not the Anomoean bishop of 8.2 and 9.4. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.5 (PG 65:571; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-5). ## 9.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-6 - Source: PG 65:571 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eunomius obtains the release of prisoners from Procopius; Aetius escapes execution on Lesbos and later dies at Constantinople, buried by Eunomius. ### Greek text Ὅτι Προκοπίῳ ἔτι τῆς τυραννίδος ἐποχουμένῳ, Εὐνόμιος πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν Κυζίκῳ διάγοντα παραγίνεται. Ἡ δὲ ἄφιξις λύσιν ἔπραττε τῶν ἐν δεσμοῖς αὐτοῦ κατεχομένων· ὁ δεσμὸς δὲ τούτους ἐπίεζεν, ὅτιπερ ἔστεργον τὰ Οὐάλεντος· καὶ οἱ τῶν σμίων συγγενεῖς ἐξεβιάσαντο τὸν Εὐνόμιον τὴν πρεσβείαν ὑπελθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ, ὑπελθὼν καὶ τοὺς ἄνδρας λύσας, θᾶττον ἐπανῆκεν. Ὑπὸ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους καὶ ᾿Αέτιον ὁ τῆς νήσου παρὰ τοῦ Προκοπίου σταλεὶς ἄρχειν, διαβληθέντα παρὰ τῶν ἐπιχωρίων τὰ Οὐάλεντος αἱρεῖσθαι, εἰς κρίσιν εἶλκε· καὶ θάνατος ἂν βίαιος διεδέξατο τὴν διαβολὴν, εἰ μὴ τις ἀφικόμενος κατ' ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ τῶν παραδυναστευόντων Προκοπίῳ, τὸν ᾿Αέτιον τοῦ ξίφους ἁρπάζει. Καὶ γὰρ πρὸς γένους ἂν ὁ καταπεμφθεὶς ἐκ Προκοπίου Ἐῤῥενιανοῦ καὶ Γεῤῥεσιανοῦ· ἀδελφοὶ δὲ ἤστην τοι, καὶ τῷ Εὐνομίῳ συνῆσάν τε καὶ συνδιεβέβληντο. Οὕτως κατὰ πολλὴν ἐξουσίαν καὶ τὸν καταδικασάμενον αὐτοὺς ἀπειλήσας, καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς νατηφόρον ἀνασωσάμενος ψῆφον, καθαροὺς ἀπολύει τῶν ἐπικληθέντων. Ὁ δὲ ᾿Αέτιος, τοὺς μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ συναναλαβὼν, ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνσταντίνου πόλιν ἀπαίρει, κἀκεῖ συνῆν Εὐνομίῳ τε καὶ Φλωρεντίῳ. Καὶ μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον τελευτᾷ, Εὐνομίου το τε στόμα συνελόντος καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῖς δακτύλοις περιστείλαντος, καί γε καὶ τὴν ἄλλην κηδείαν μετὰ τῶν ὁμοφρόνων τελεσαμένου πρὸς τὸ λαμπρότατον. ### English translation (Claude) That while Procopius was still riding high in his usurpation, Eunomius came to him when he was staying at Cyzicus. His coming obtained the release of those whom Procopius was holding in chains (they were in chains because they favoured Valens's side); for the relatives of the prisoners had pressed Eunomius to undertake the mission. He undertook it, released the men, and quickly returned. About the same time the governor whom Procopius had sent to rule the island brought Aetius to trial, since the locals accused him of favouring Valens's side; and a violent death would have followed the accusation, had not one of Procopius's courtiers arrived just then and snatched Aetius from the sword. For the man sent down by Procopius was a kinsman of Errenianus and Gerresianus; these two were brothers, and had been in Eunomius's company and accused along with him. So, with great authority, he threatened the man who had condemned them, had the death sentence against them withdrawn, and released them cleared of the charges. Aetius, taking those who were with him, set out for Constantinople and lived there with Eunomius and Florentius. Not long afterwards he died, Eunomius closing his mouth and shutting his eyes with his fingers, and carrying out the rest of the funeral with those of like mind most splendidly. ### Translation notes - Lemmata of Valesius's notes had leaked into the second sentence (including a quotation about “bloodless sacrifices and mystical rites” from Valesius’s note on 9.4); they are removed. Several words have lost letters in the scan (δεσμίων, ἦν, οὗτοι, θανατηφόρον) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.6 (PG 65:571; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-6). ## 9.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-7 - Source: PG 65:573 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The clergy of Constantinople expel Aetius, and Eudoxius approves. ### Greek text Ὅτι κατὰ Μαρκιανούπολιν Εὐδοξίου συνδιατρίβοντος τῷ Οὐάλεντι, ὁ ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει κλῆρος ψηφίζονται ταύτης ἀπελαύνεσθαι τὸν ᾿Αέτιον Ὁ δὲ τὴν Καλχηδόνα καταλαβὼν, γράφει τὸ συνενεχθὲν Εὐδοξίῳ. Ὁ δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπεστράφη τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι μὴ καὶ μείζω πάθοι δυσχεραίνων ἐπεδείκνυτο ### English translation (Claude) That while Eudoxius was staying with Valens at Marcianopolis, the clergy in Constantinople voted to drive Aetius out of the city. He went to Chalcedon and wrote to Eudoxius about what had happened. Eudoxius not only showed no displeasure at what had been done, but made it plain that he was annoyed that Aetius had not suffered something worse. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.7 (PG 65:573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-7). ## 9.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-8 - Source: PG 65:573 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eunomius is exiled on suspicion of hiding Procopius but recalled through the bishops of Mursa and Marcianopolis; Eudoxius dies and Demophilus succeeds him. ### Greek text Ὅτι συκοφαντοῦσι, φησὶν, Εὐνόμιον, ἐν τῷ οἰκείῳ ἀγρῷ κατακρύψαι τὸν Προκόπιον τὴν τυραννίδα παλαμώμενον. Καὶ μόλις αὐτὸς τὰς διαβολὰς καὶ τὸν ἐκεῖθεν διεκρούσατο θάνατον. Ὑπερόριος οὖν εἰς τὴν Μαυρουσίδα γῆν ἐκπέμπεται, Αὐξονίου τοῦ τῶν πραιτωρίων ἐπάρχου τὴν φυγὴν αὐτῷ ἐπιβαλόντος. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν χειμῶνος ὄντος ἐπήγετο σκοπος ἐτύγχανέ τις Οὐάλης, δεξιώσεώς τε πολλῆς ἀπολαύει, καὶ τῆς ὑπερορίας ἀνακομίζεται, πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα παραγεγονότως τοῦ Οὐάλεντος σὺν μνίνῳ (τῆς Μαρκιανουπόλεως δὲ ἐπίσκοπος οὗτος ἦν) καὶ τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν δεινοπαθῶς ἀναδιδαξάντων Ὥρμησε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰς ὄψιν μετὰ τὴν ἀνάκλησιν Εὐνομίῳ ἐλθεῖν· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Εὐδόξιος τέχναις τὴν θέαν ἐπέχει. Μετὰ τοῦτο δὲ εἰς Νίκαιαν ἀφικόμενος ἐπίσκοπον αὐτῇ καθιδρύσαι (ἐτεθνήκει γὰρ Εὐγένιος ὁ ταύτην ἐφορεύων), πρὶν ἢ πέρας ἐπιθεῖναι τῇ βουλῇ, τὸν βίον ἐκλείπει. Καὶ μετάγεται Δημόφιλος ἀπὸ Βεῤῥοίας ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει, Ουάλεντος τοῦ σιλέως συνοδικὴν ὑποκριναμένου ψῆφον κατὰ Μοῦρσαν δὲ τῆς Ἰλλυρίδος φθάσας, ἧς ἐπί. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, they falsely accused Eunomius of having hidden Procopius on his estate when he was plotting his usurpation; and he barely fended off the charges and the death that would have followed from them. He was sent into exile to the land of the Moors, Auxonius, the praetorian prefect, imposing the banishment on him. But while he was being taken there in winter, he reached Mursa in Illyricum, whose bishop happened to be one Valens; there he enjoyed much hospitality, and he was brought back from exile, because some had come to the emperor Valens with Domninus (he was bishop of Marcianopolis) and told him indignantly what had happened to him. After the recall the emperor was eager to meet Eunomius face to face, but Eudoxius prevented the meeting by his schemes. After this, Eudoxius came to Nicaea to install a bishop there (for Eugenius, who had presided over it, had died), but before he could carry out his plan, he died. And Demophilus was transferred from Beroea to Constantinople, the emperor Valens making a pretence of a synodal vote. ### Translation notes - A line is displaced in the scan: the words “having reached Mursa in Illyricum, whose bish-” stand at the end of the section; they belong in the account of Eunomius's journey and are translated there. Some words have lost letters (ἐπίσκοπος, Δομνίνῳ, βασιλέως). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.8 (PG 65:573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-8). ## 9.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-9 - Source: PG 65:575 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's family: his mother Eulampia, daughter of the presbyter Anysius, was won over to Eunomius's teaching by his father Carterius. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, ἐν Βορισσῷ (κώμη δὲ τῆς δευτέρας Καππαδοκίας τὸ χωρίον) πρεσβύτερος ᾿Ανύσιος ᾤκει, υἱοὺς μὲν τέσσαρας ἔχων θυγατέρα δὲ μίαν, ἧς Εὐλάμπιος μὲν ἡ ὀνομασία Φιλοστόργιον δὲ ἐγείνατο τὸν ταῦτα γεγραφότα. Ὁ δὲ ταύτης ἀνὴρ, Καρτέριος ὄνομα, τὴν Εὐνομίου δόξαν ἐτίμα. Καὶ πείθει τὴν γυναῖκα πρὸς τὴν αὑτοῦ μετατάξασθαι γνώμην· καὶ γὰρ ἐκ πατρὸς καὶ μητρὸς αὕτη τὸ ὁμοούσιον ἔστεργεν. Ἡ δὲ πεισθεῖσα τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς συνεφέλκεται, εἶτα κατὰ μέρος καὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους οἰκείους. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, at Borissus (the place is a village of Second Cappadocia) lived a presbyter named Anysius, who had four sons and one daughter; her name was Eulampia, and she gave birth to Philostorgius, who wrote these things. Her husband, Carterius by name, held Eunomius's belief and persuaded his wife to go over to his own opinion; for from her father and mother she had cherished the homoousion. Once persuaded, she drew her brothers with her, and then gradually her father and the rest of the family as well. ### Translation notes - The name is printed Εὐλάμπιος; it is the mother's name (Eulampia). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.9 (PG 65:575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-9). ## 9.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-10 - Source: PG 65:575 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Demophilus is installed as bishop of Constantinople amid shouts of “Unworthy.” ### Greek text Ὅτι Δημόφιλος, φησὶν, ἐγκαθίσταται τῇ Κωνσταντινουπόλει ὑπὸ Θεοδώρου μάλιστα τοῦ Ἡρακλείας ἐπισκόπου. Ἐδόκει γὰρ τὸ προνόμιον οὗτος ἔχειν τῆς τοιαύτης ἱερουργικῆς ἐνεργείας. Πολλοὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος ὄχλου, ἐν τῇ τοῦ Δημοφίλου καθιδρύσει, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἄξιος ἀνεβόων τὸ ἀνάξιος ### English translation (Claude) That Demophilus, he says, was installed in Constantinople chiefly by Theodore, bishop of Heraclea; for he was thought to have the privilege of performing that sacred office. But at Demophilus's installation many of the crowd present shouted “Unworthy” instead of “Worthy.” ### Translation notes - “Worthy” (ἄξιος) was the customary acclamation at an ordination. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.10 (PG 65:575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-10). ## 9.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-11 - Source: PG 65:577 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The prefect Modestus banishes Eunomius to Naxos. ### Greek text Ὅτι μετὰ Αὐξόνιον Μόδεστος ἔπαρχος καταστὰς, καὶ ἀπεχθῶς, φησὶν, ἔχων πρὸς Εὐνόμιον, ἐρήμην αὐτοῦ κατεδικάσατο, ὡς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τὰς πόλεις ἐκταράσσοντος, καὶ εἰς ᾿Αξίαν αὐτὸν φυγαδεύει τὴν νῆσον ### English translation (Claude) That after Auxonius, Modestus became prefect and, he says, being hostile to Eunomius, condemned him without a hearing for disturbing the churches and the cities, and banished him to the island of Naxos. ### Translation notes - The island is printed Ἀξίαν; a leaked lemma of Valesius's note (in 9.13) gives Ναξίαν, Naxos. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.11 (PG 65:577; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-11). ## 9.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-12 - Source: PG 65:577 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius derives the old name of Caesarea in Cappadocia, Mazaca, from Mosoch. ### Greek text Ὅτι Μάζακα τὸ πρῶτον ἐκαλεῖτο ἡ Καισάρεια, ἀπὸ Μοσὸχ τοῦ Καππαδοκῶν γενάρχου έλκυσαμένη τὸ ὄνομα· τοῦ χρόνου δὲ πορευομένου, κατὰ παρέγκλισιν ἤδη Μάζακα προσωνόμασται. ### English translation (Claude) That Caesarea was first called Mazaca, taking its name from Mosoch, the founder of the Cappadocian race; and as time went on, by a change of pronunciation, it came to be called Mazaca. ### Scripture references - Gen 10:2: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - As printed, the first name is also Mazaca, which makes the sentence circular; the first name was presumably a form derived from Mosoch (Meshech, Gen 10:2). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.12 (PG 65:577; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-12). ## 9.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-13 - Source: PG 65:577 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Demophilus can install a bishop at Cyzicus only after anathematizing Aetius and Eunomius; the new bishop preaches the homoousion. ### Greek text Ὅτιπερ Εὐνομίου, φησὶ, λιπόντος τὴν Κύζικον, οὐδεὶς τέως ἀντικατέστη ἐπίσκοπος. Δημόφιλος δὲ, σὺν Δωροθέῳ καί τισιν ἄλλοις ἀφικόμενος ἐγκαταστῆσαι, οὐδὲν περαίνειν ἡδύνατο, διὰ τὸ τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ, τὸ κατ᾿ οὐσίαν ὅμοιον ἐκ τῶν Ἐλευσίου δαγμάτων, τὴν δόξαν κρατύναντας πρεσβεύειν εἰς τὸ ἀμετάθετον. Δημοφίλου δὲ καὶ τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ τὴν τῶν Κυζικηνῶν ἀναδεξαμένων πρόκλησιν καὶ τὸν ᾿Αέτιον καὶ Εὐνόμιον ἀναθεματισάντων (τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ πρόκλησις), ἀνόμοιόν τε τὸν Εὐνόμιον μοσίοις καὶ λόγοις καὶ γράμμασιν ἀνακηρυξάντων, καὶ τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν, καὶ δὴ καὶ τοὺς παραδεχομένους αὐτῶν τὰ μαθήματα, ὑπὸ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀρὰν ποιησαμένων, ὑφίστανται τὴν χειροτονίαν· οὐχ ἕτερόν τινα ταύτην ἐλθεῖν ἀνασχόμενοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἂν αὐτῶν αἱ ψῆφοι προσέταττον. Ὁ δέ γε χειροτονηθεὶς, θὺς λαμπρῶς ἐκήρυττε τὸ ὁμοούσιον. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, after Eunomius left Cyzicus, no bishop had yet been appointed in his place. Demophilus, coming with Dorotheus and some others to install one, could achieve nothing, because the people there, having had their belief strengthened by the teachings of Eleusius, held “like in essence” immovably. But when Demophilus and those with him accepted the challenge of the people of Cyzicus and anathematized Aetius and Eunomius (for this was the challenge), and proclaimed Eunomius “Anomoean” in public speeches and writings, and put their faith, and also those who accepted their teachings, under the same curse, the people accepted the ordination, not allowing anyone else to receive it than the man their own votes appointed. And the man ordained at once proclaimed the homoousion brilliantly. ### Translation notes - A run of lemmata from Valesius's notes (on 9.11–9.13) had leaked into the text, splitting a word; it is removed. Some words have lost letters (διδαγμάτων, δημοσίοις, εὐθὺς) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.13 (PG 65:577; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-13). ## 9.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-14 - Source: PG 65:579 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Dorotheus moves to Antioch; Philostorgius criticizes him and Demophilus, who taught that Christ's body was absorbed into the Godhead like milk in the sea. ### Greek text Ὅτι τελευτήσαντος Ευζωΐου τοῦ ᾿Αντιοχείας, ὁ Δωρόθεος ἐξ Ἡρακλείας τῆς Θράκης πρὸς μὲν τὸν ἐκείνου μεθίσταται θρόνον, διασύρει δὲ τὸν τε Δημόφιλον καὶ Δωρόθεον ὁ συγγραφεὺς, τὸν μὲν ἀλαζονέστατον λέγων, τὸν δὲ Δημόφιλον φύρειν τε πάντα καὶ συγχεῖν ἀκρατέστατον, καὶ μάλιστά γε τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ δόγματα ὥστε ποτὲ καὶ κατὰ Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἐκκλησιάζοντα φάναι, τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ἀνακραθὲν τῇ θεότητι, εἰς τὸ ἀδηλότατον κεχωρηκέναι, ὃν τρόπον καὶ γάλακτος ξέστης τῷ παντὶ τῆς θαλάσσης ἐπιβληθεὶς συστήματι. Πατρὶς δ᾽ ἦν ἡ Θεσσαλονίκη τῷ Δημοφίλῳ καὶ τὸ ἄλλο γένος οὐκ ἄσημον. Κατὰ δὲ τῶν λεγομένων Εὐνομιανῶν πολὺς ἔῤῥει ταῖς κακώσεσιν ὁ Δημόφιλος. ### English translation (Claude) That when Euzoius of Antioch died, Dorotheus was moved from Heraclea in Thrace to his throne. The writer disparages both Demophilus and Dorotheus, calling the one most boastful, and saying that Demophilus confused and jumbled everything in the most unrestrained way, especially the doctrines of the church; so that once, preaching in church at Constantinople, he said that the Son's body, mingled with the Godhead, had passed into complete invisibility, just as a pint of milk thrown into the whole mass of the sea. Demophilus's homeland was Thessalonica, and his family was otherwise not undistinguished. Demophilus raged greatly in ill-treating the so-called Eunomians. ### Translation notes - “The one most boastful” is Dorotheus. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.14 (PG 65:579; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-14). ## 9.15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-15 - Source: PG 65:579 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Pagan oracles foretell an emperor whose name begins “Theod-”; Valens kills Theodore and many innocent people. ### Greek text Ὅτι, κατὰ τοὺς Οὐάλεντος χρόνους, τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν χρηστηρίων τοῖς προσιοῦσιν ἀνεδίδοντο ψῆφοι κατάστικτοι γράμμασιν. "Α συντιθέμενα τοῖς μὲν τὸν Θεοδόσιον ἐδόκει δηλοῦν, τοῖς δὲ τὸν Θεόδουλον, ἢ τὸν Θεόδωρον, ή τινα ἄλλον παραπλήσιον. Μέχρι γὰρ τοῦ δέλτα τῶν γραμμάτων οἱ τύποι προήγοντο, λοξὰς τῶν δαιμόνων, ὡς εἰώθασιν, ἐπ᾿ ὀλέθρῳ τῶν πειθομένων καὶ ἀναχωρήσει τῆς ἀποτυχίας τὰς ἀναβῥήσεις ποιουμένων. Διὸ καὶ Θεόδωρός τις παρασυρεὶς τῇ ἀπάτῃ, καὶ τυραννίδος ἐπιβαίνειν ἀρξάμενος, θᾶττον σὺν τοῖς ἑπομένοις ἀπώλετο· μεθ' ὧν καὶ τῶν ἀναιτίων οὐκ ὀλίγους δίκας Οὐάλης ήτησεν, ὅτιπερ αὐτοῖς ἡ ἀρχὴ τοῦ ὀνόματος δι᾽ ἐκείνων τῶν γραμμάτων ἀνεγινώσκετο. ### English translation (Claude) That in the time of Valens the pagan oracles gave those who consulted them pebbles marked with letters. When these were put together, they seemed to some to indicate Theodosius, to others Theodulus or Theodore or some other similar name. For the letters went as far as delta, the demons, as is their custom, giving ambiguous pronouncements, to the ruin of those who believe them and as a way of escape from failure. Therefore a certain Theodore, carried away by the deceit and beginning to aim at usurpation, soon perished with his followers; and with them Valens punished not a few innocent people too, because the beginning of their names was read in those letters. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.15 (PG 65:579; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-15). ## 9.16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-16 - Source: PG 65:579 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: On Valentinian I's death Gratian succeeds and accepts the young Valentinian II as colleague. ### Greek text Ὅτι Οὐαλεντινιανὸς τελευτᾷ, βασιλεύσας ἔτη δυοκαίδεκα, καὶ κληρονόμον τῆς ἀρχῆς Γρατιανὸν τὸν παῖδα καταλείπει. Κατέλιπε δὲ καὶ ἑτέρους δύο παῖδας, Γάλλαν τε θυγατέρα, καὶ Οὐαλεντινιανὸν, τέτταρά που γεγονότα ἔτη ὃν αὐτίκα ἥ τε μήτηρ Ἰουστῖνα, καὶ ὁ κατὰ Παιονίαν στρατὸς βασιλέα ποιεῖ. Γρατιανὸς μέντοι γε τὴν ἀναγόρευσιν μαθὼν, ὅτι μὴ διὰ γνώμης αὐτοῦ γέγονεν, οὐκ ἐπήνεσεν. ᾿Αλλὰ καί τινας τῶν αὐτοῦ νεωτερισάντων ἐκολάσατο Ὅμως ἔστερξε τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἔχειν βασιλεύοντα καὶ πατρὸς αὐτῷ τάξιν ἀποπληροῦν. ### English translation (Claude) That Valentinian died after reigning twelve years and left his son Gratian heir to the empire. He also left two other children, a daughter Galla and Valentinian, who was about four years old; his mother Justina and the army in Pannonia at once made him emperor. Gratian, however, learning of the proclamation, did not approve it, since it had been made without his consent; he even punished some of those who had made the innovation. Yet he was content to have his brother reign, and he took the place of a father to him. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.16 (PG 65:579; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-16). ## 9.17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-17 - Source: PG 65:581 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Goths, driven by the Huns, cross the Danube; Valens is defeated and burned to death; Gratian makes Theodosius emperor. ### Greek text Ὅτι οἱ πέραν τοῦ Ἴστρου Σκύθαι τῶν Οὔννων αὐτοῖς ἐπιστρατευσάντων, ἀνάστατοι γεγόνασι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν Ῥωμαίων γῆν πρὸς φιλίαν ἐπεραιώθησαν. Εἶεν δ᾽ ἂν οἱ Οὖννοι, οὓς οἱ παλαιοὶ Νεβροὺς ἐπωνόμαζον, καὶ παρὰ τὰ Ῥιπαῖα κατῳκημένοι ὄρη, ἐξ ὧν ὁ Τάναῖς εἰς τὴν Μαιώτιδα λίμνην κατασυρόμενος τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἐκδίδωσιν. Οἱ δέ γε Σκύθαι μεταναστάντες, ἀπὸ τοῦ μέτριοι τὰ πρῶτα εἶναι τοῖς μαίοις, εἰς τὸ λῃστεύειν ἐτράποντο· εἶτα καὶ πόλεμον ἀκήρυκτον εἴλοντο. Οὐάλης δὲ ταῦτα πεπυσμένος, ἐξ Ἀντιοχείας ἀπαίρει. Καὶ κατὰ Κωνσταντινούπολιν γεγονὼς ἐπὶ Θράκην ἐλαύνει. Καὶ μάχῃ συμπλακείς τοῖς βαρβάροις, καὶ πολλοὺς ἀποβαλὼν, ἀνὰ κράτος φεύγει. Καὶ πάσῃ συσχεθεὶς ἀμηχανίᾳ καὶ ἀπορίᾳ, ἔν τινι τῶν κατὰ ἀγροὺς οἰκημάτων χόρτον φέροντι, σὺν ὀλίγοις τοῖς ἑπομένοις κατακρύπτει ἑαυτόν. Οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι καταδιώκοντες, ὥσπερ τὰ ἄλλα τῶν ἐν ποσὶν, οὕτω καὶ τὸ οἴκημα πυρὸς δαπάνην ἐτίθεντο, οὐδεμίαν παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως λαβόντες ὑπόνοιαν. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν οὕτως ἠφάνισται, τὸ πλεῖστόν τε καὶ κράτιστον τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς ἀρχῆς συναποκειράμενος· οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι πᾶσαν ἀδεῶς τὴν Θράκην ἐληΐζοντο, Φριτιγέρνους αὐτοὺς ἄγοντος. Ὁ δὲ Γρατιανὸς ἐκό ψατο μὲν τὸν θεῖον, ἐθρήνησε δὲ τὴν Ῥωμαίων συμφοράν Θεοδόσιον δὲ βασιλέα χειροτονήσας, εἰς τὴν τοῦ θείου βασιλείαν ἀναπέμπει. Ὁ δὲ Θεοδόσιος τὰς Ισπανίας μὲν εἶχε πατρίδα, ἂς νῦν Ἰβηρίας καλοῦσι, τοῦ δι᾿ αὐτῶν ῥέοντος Ιβηρος παταμοῦ, τὴν προτέραν ἐκνικήσαντος ὀνομασίαν. ### English translation (Claude) That the Scythians beyond the Ister, when the Huns made war on them, were driven from their homes and crossed into Roman territory as friends. The Huns would be those whom the ancients called Neuri, living by the Rhipaean Mountains, from which the Tanais flows down and empties its stream into Lake Maeotis. The Scythians who had migrated, from being at first moderate toward the Romans, turned to plunder, and then chose undeclared war. When Valens learned this, he set out from Antioch, and having reached Constantinople, marched into Thrace. Joining battle with the barbarians and losing many men, he fled headlong; and, held fast in utter helplessness and perplexity, he hid himself with the few who followed him in one of the farm buildings in the fields, which held hay. The barbarians in pursuit, as with everything else in their path, gave this building too to the fire, without any suspicion about the emperor. So he vanished, losing with him the greatest and best part of the Roman forces; and the barbarians plundered all Thrace without fear, led by Fritigern. Gratian mourned his uncle and lamented the Romans' disaster; and having appointed Theodosius emperor, he sent him to his uncle's realm. Theodosius's homeland was the Spains, which are now called Iberia, the river Iberus that flows through them having replaced their former name. ### Translation notes - Some words have lost letters or are split in the scan (Ῥωμαίοις, ἐκόψατο) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.17 (PG 65:581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-17). ## 9.18 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-18 - Source: PG 65:581 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Eunomians appoint bishops for Palestine, and Eunomius and others travel to the East. ### Greek text Ὅτι, τελευτήσαντος Θεοδούλου τοῦ ἀπὸ Χαιρετάπων (τῆς Παλαιστίνης οὗτος ἐπεσκόπει), οἱ ἀμφὶ τὸν Εὐνόμιον Καρτέριον αὐτοῦ χειροτονοῦσι. Τοῦ δὲ θᾶττον τελειωθέντος, Ἰωάννην ἀντικαθιστῶσι· καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ ἀπὸ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως αὐτός τε Εὐνόμιος καὶ ᾿Αῤῥιανὸς καὶ Εὐφρόνιος ἐπὶ τὴν ἑῴαν ἀφικνοῦνται, ὡς ἐκεῖσε τὸν τε Ἰουλιανὸν ἐκ τῆς Κιλικίας ἄξοντες, καὶ Θεόφιλον τὸν Ἰνδὸν ἐν τῇ ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ καταληψόμενοι, καὶ τὰ τῆς ἄλλης έψας καταστησόμενοι. ### English translation (Claude) That when Theodulus of Chaeretapa died (he was bishop in Palestine), Eunomius and his party ordained Carterius in his place. When he died soon afterwards, they appointed John in his place; and with him Eunomius himself, Arrian and Euphronius went from Constantinople to the East, to bring Julian there from Cilicia, to meet Theophilus the Indian at Antioch, and to set in order the affairs of the rest of the East. ### Translation notes - Lemmata of Valesius's notes on 9.16 and 9.17 had leaked into the text, splitting “from Cilicia”; they are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.18 (PG 65:581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-18). ## 9.19 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/8-1/#p-9-19 - Source: PG 65:583 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theodosius defeats the barbarians, gives the churches to the Nicenes, and expels the Arian and Eunomian bishops. ### Greek text Ὅτι Θεοδόσιος ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ Σίρμιον τοῖς βαρβάροις συμβαλὼν (ἐκεῖ γὰρ αὐτίκα τοῦ λαβεῖν τὴν ἀρχὴν, τῆς χρείας ἀπαιτούσης, παρεγένετο), καὶ νικήσας μάχῃ, ἐκεῖθεν λαμπρῶς ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἄνεισι. Καὶ τοῖς μὲν τὸ ὁμοούσιον φρονοῦσι τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπιτρέπει τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ᾿Αρειανοὺς δὲ καὶ Εὐνομιανοὺς ἀπελαύνει τῆς πόλεως. Ὧν εἷς ἦν καὶ ὁ Δημόφιλος· ἀπελαθεὶς δὲ, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν καταλαμβάνει τὴν Βέῤῥοιαν. Καὶ Ὑπάτιος δὲ τῆς Νικαίας ἀποδιωχθεὶς, πρὸς τὴν γεννησαμένην Κῦρον τὴν ἐν Συρίᾳ παραγίνεται. Ἀλλὰ καὶ Δωρόθεος τῆς Ἀντιοχείας ἀπελαθεὶς, τὴν Θράκην, ὅθεν ἐγεγόνει, κατέλαβεν. Καὶ ἄλλοι δὲ ἀλλαχόθι διεσπάρησαν. ### English translation (Claude) That the emperor Theodosius engaged the barbarians near Sirmium (for he went there immediately on receiving the empire, as need required), and having won the battle, went up from there in splendour to Constantinople. He entrusted the care of the churches to those who held the homoousion, and drove the Arians and Eunomians out of the city. One of them was Demophilus; when driven out, he went to his own city, Beroea. Hypatius too, driven out of Nicaea, went to Cyrrhus in Syria, his birthplace. Dorotheus also, driven out of Antioch, went to Thrace, where he came from. And others were scattered in other places. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 9.19 (PG 65:583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/9-19). ## 10.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-1 - Source: PG 65:583 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The clergy of Antioch seek communion with the Eunomians, who demand that they revoke Aetius's condemnation; the request ends in mutual hostility. ### Greek text Ὅτι Δωρόθεος μὲν, ὡς ἐῤῥήθη, τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ἠλάθη· οἱ δὲ ταύτης πρεσβύτεροι Αστέριος καὶ Κρισπῖνος, καὶ τὸ ἄλλο πλήρωμα συνεδριάσαντες, συμπαρόντων αὐτοῖς καὶ τινων τῶν πέριξ πόλεων ἐπισκόπων, πέμπουσι πρὸς τοὺς ἀμφὶ τὸν Εὐνόμιον, τὴν κοινωνίαν αὐτῶν ἐπιζητοῦντες. Οἱ δὲ ἀντεπιστέλλουσι, μὴ ἄλλως αὐτοὺς παραδέξασθαι, εἰ μὴ τὴν ἐπ᾿ ᾿Αετίῳ καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ συγγράμμασι καταχειροτονίαν ἀποψηφίσωνται· ἔτι δὲ καὶ διακάθαρσιν ἀπήτουν τοῦ βίου· συνεφύροντο γὰρ καί πρόκλησιν οὐ προσήκαντο χρόνῳ ὕστερον καὶ εἰς τὸ κακίζειν ἐπ᾿ ἐκκλησίας τόν τε Εὐνόμιον καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ προεληλύθεισαν, μετεωρολέσχας. αὐτοὺς καλοῦντες, καὶ πλήρεις ἀπονοίας καὶ σκαιότητος, ἀνθ' ὧν αὐτοῖς τοιαῦτα προτείνειν ἔγνωσαν. ### English translation (Claude) That Dorotheus, as has been said, was driven out of Antioch; and its presbyters Asterius and Crispinus and the rest of the clergy met in council, with some bishops of the surrounding cities also present, and sent to Eunomius and his party seeking communion with them. They replied that they would not receive them on any other terms than that they revoke the condemnation passed on Aetius and his writings; and they also demanded a cleansing of their way of life, for they were mixed up in [impure conduct]. The others did not accept the challenge; in time they even went so far as to revile Eunomius and his party in church, calling them “babblers about the heavens,” full of folly and boorishness, because they had decided to put such terms to them. ### Translation notes - Words have dropped out after “they were mixed up in” (συνεφύροντο γὰρ καί…); the sense is completed in brackets. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.1 (PG 65:583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-1). ## 10.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-2 - Source: PG 65:583 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius criticizes Arius's teaching that God is only partially knowable, and the councils that declared the Son's generation unknowable. ### Greek text Ὅτι τὸν ἀρχηγὸν αὐτῶν τῆς ἀσεβείας Ἄρειον ὁ συγγραφεὺς διαβάλλει, ὡς πολυμερῆ καὶ πολυσύνθετον λέγοντα τὸν Θεὸν τῶν ὅλων. Οὐ γὰρ ὅσον ἐστὶν ὁ Θεὸς καταλαμβάνεσθαι, κηρύσσειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσον ἡ ἑκάστου δύναμις πρὸς κατάληψιν ἔῤῥωται· καὶ μήτε δὲ οὐσίαν αὐτὸν εἶναι δογματίζειν, μήτε ὑπόστασιν, μήτε ἄλλο μηδὲν ὧν ὀνομάζεται καὶ τὴν ἐν Ἀριμίνῳ δὲ σύνοδον καὶ τὴν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει τὰ αὐτὰ δοξάζειν, ἥτις τὴν τοῦ Μονογενοῦς γέννησιν ἀγνωστοτάτην πᾶσιν ἀπίφηνε, τῶν γινομένων μόνην τὴν γνῶσιν αὐτῆς περιστείλασα. Αὕτη δ᾽ ἦν ἡ καταδικασαμένη καὶ τὸν ᾿Αέτιον, ### English translation (Claude) That the writer accuses Arius, the founder of their impiety, of saying that the God of all is made of many parts and highly composite. For, he says, Arius proclaims not that God is comprehended as he is, but as far as each one's power of comprehension has strength; and he teaches that God is neither essence nor hypostasis nor any other of the things by which he is named. And he says that the council of Ariminum and that of Constantinople held the same views, the latter declaring the begetting of the Only-begotten wholly unknowable to all, and confining the knowledge of it to the one who begot him alone. This was also the council that condemned Aetius. ### Translation notes - “The founder of their impiety” is Photius's description of Arius. The phrase rendered “to the one who begot him alone” is damaged in the scan (τῶν γινομένων μόνην); a leaked lemma of Valesius's note in 10.6 reads “Whose begetting no one knows except the one who begot him alone.” - The section ends with a comma; the sentence continues no further in the printed text. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.2 (PG 65:583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-2). ## 10.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-3 - Source: PG 65:585 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on the divisions among the Arians over the Son's likeness to the Father, which he says all lead to the homoousion, and on their simony and vices. ### Greek text Ὅτι οἱ ἐξ Ἀρείου τὴν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ὁμοιότητα εἰς πολλὰς αἱρέσεις διεσχίσαντο. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ τὸ προγινώσκειν ἑκάτερον ἔφασαν· οἱ δὲ τὸ τὴν φύσιν Θεός· ἄλλοι δὲ διότι ἐκ μὴ ὄντων ἑκάτερος αὐτῶν πέφυκε δημιουργεῖν. ᾿Αλλὰ ταῦτα, φησὶ, κἂν διαφέρειν δοκῇ, εἰς ἓν καταλήγει, τὸ δοξάζειν ὁμοούσιον τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρί. Τούτους δέ φησι μετὰ τὸ κατατμηθῆναι ταῖς δόξαις, καὶ εἰς πολλὴν ἄλλην ἀσχημοσύνην ἐκδιαιτηθῆναί φησι· χρημάτων τε τὰς ἱερωσύνας καὶ διδόντας καὶ βάνοντας, καὶ τὰς ὑπευθύνους καὶ σωματικὰς ἡδονὰς μεταδιώκοντας. ### English translation (Claude) That Arius's followers split into many sects over the likeness of the Only-begotten to the Father. Some said that each is like the other in foreknowing; others, in being God by nature; others, in that each of them is able to create out of nothing. But these views, he says, though they seem to differ, end in one thing: holding the Son consubstantial with the Father. And he says that these men, after they had been cut up by their opinions, also fell into much other disgraceful conduct, both giving and receiving priesthoods for money, and pursuing culpable bodily pleasures. ### Translation notes - The second view is garbled in the scan (τὸ τὴν φύσιν Θεός) and translated by sense. A stray ὁμοούσιον and a stray column letter are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.3 (PG 65:585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-3). ## 10.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-4 - Source: PG 65:585 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Eunomians rejected other groups' baptism and ordination and baptized with a single immersion into Christ's death. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, οἱ περὶ Εὐνόμιον τοσοῦτον τῶν εἰρημένων αἱρέσεων ἀπεκρίθησαν, ὡς μήτε βάπτισμα αὐτῶν, μήτε χειροτονίαν προσίεσθαι. Ἑβάπτιζον δὲ οἱ περὶ Εὐνόμιον οὐκ εἰς τρεῖς καταδύσεις, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς μίαν, εἰς τὸν θάνατον, ὡς ἔφασκον, τοῦ Κυρίου βαπτίζοντες· ὃν ἅπαξ μὲν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχὶ δὲς ἢ τρὶς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀνεδέξατο. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Eunomius and his party separated so far from the sects mentioned that they would not admit either their baptism or their ordination. Eunomius's party baptized not with three immersions but with one, baptizing, as they said, into the death of the Lord, which he underwent for us once, not twice or three times. ### Scripture references - Rom 6:3: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - Baptism into Christ's death: Rom 6:3–4. The usual practice was threefold immersion. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.4 (PG 65:585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-4). ## 10.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-5 - Source: PG 65:585 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Arcadius is made emperor; Gratian is killed by Maximus; Photius attributes Philostorgius's hostility to Gratian to his orthodoxy. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, ὁ βασιλεὺς Θεοδόσιος ᾿Αρκάδιον τὸν υἱὸν, νέον ὄντα κομιδῇ, τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ἀξίωμα παρατίθεται Καὶ μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ Γρατιανὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς περὶ τὰς ἄνω Γαλατίας τῇ τοῦ τυράννου Μαξίμου συσκευῇ ἀναιρεῖται. Πολλὰς δὲ καὶ διαβολάς ὁ συγγραφεὺς κατὰ Γρατιανοῦ ἀναπλάττει, ὡς καὶ τῷ Νέρωνι παρεικάζειν αὐτόν· οὐ γὰρ ἤρεσεν αὐτῷ, ὡς ἔοικε, τῆς ἐκείνου πίστεως τὸ ὀρθόδοξον. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, the emperor Theodosius conferred the imperial dignity on his son Arcadius, who was quite young. Not long afterwards the emperor Gratian was killed in upper Gaul through the plot of the usurper Maximus. The writer invents many slanders against Gratian, even comparing him to Nero; for, it seems, the orthodoxy of his faith did not please him. ### Translation notes - The last sentence is Photius's comment. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.5 (PG 65:585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-5). ## 10.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-6 - Source: PG 65:585 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eunomius is exiled by Theodosius to Halmyris, then Caesarea, then his own estate, where young Philostorgius saw and admired him. ### Greek text Ὅτι Θεοδόσιος ὁ βασιλεὺς, εὑρών τινας τῶν ἐν τῷ κοιτῶνι αὐτοῦ τὰ Εὐνομίου στέργοντας, τούτους μὲν τοῦ παλατίου ἐλαύνει· τὸν δὲ Εὐνόμιον ἐκ τῆς Καλχηδόνος τὴν ταχίστην τοὺς ἁρπασαμένους ἐκπέμπει καὶ πρὸς τὴν Ἁλμυρίδα φυγάδα ποιεῖν ἐγκελεύεται. Τὸ δὲ χωρίον τῆς ἐν Εὐρώπῃ Μυσίας ἐστὶν, ἐν χώρᾳ τοῦ Ἴστρου διακείμενον. ᾿Αλλ' ἡ μὲν ῾Ἁλμυρὶς, κρυσταλλωθέντος τοῦ Ἴστρου, ὑπὸ τῶν διαβάντων αὐτὸν βαρβάρων ἁλίσκεται· ὁ δὲ Εὐνόμιος ἐκεῖθεν εἰς Καισάρειαν τῆς Καππαδοκίας ὑπερορίζεται. Μισητὸς ὢν τοῖς ἐκεῖσε, διότι λόγους κατὰ Βασιλείου τοῦ ταύτης ἐπισκόπου συνετάξατο. Ἐκεῖθεν δὲ εἰς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ διάγειν ἀγροὺς ἀφείθη Δακοροηνοὶ δὲ τοῖς ἀγροῖς τὸ ὄνομα. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ αὐτόν φησι καὶ Φιλοστόργιος εἰκοστὸν ἔτος ἄγων, ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει παραγεγονώς, θεάσασθαι, ὑπερθειάζων τὸν Εὐνόμιον· τήν τε σύνεσιν λέγων αὐτὸν εἶναι καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀπαράβλητον. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ προσώπου τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὰ μέρη εἰς τὸ εὐπρεπέστατον τοῖς λόγοις ἐξωραΐζει· καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ στόματος λόγους μαργαρίσιν ἐοικέναι καίτοι προϊὼν τραυλὴν αὐτοῦ τὴν γλῶτταν καὶ μὴ θέλων συνομολογεῖ. Οὐδὲ τὴν τραυλότητα ἀπαισχυνθεὶς εἰς πολλὴν ἀποσεμνύνειν γλαφυρότητα. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἀλφοὺς οἱ τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ κατεμάστιζόν τε καὶ κατέστιζον, κόσμον ἐμποιεῖν τῷ σώματι διατείνεται. Τοὺς δὲ λόγους αὐτοῦ πάντας ἀποθειάζων, διαφέρειν τῶν ἄλλων ἐπὶ μᾶλλον λέγει τὰς ἐπιστολάς. ### English translation (Claude) That the emperor Theodosius, finding some of his chamberlains attached to Eunomius's teaching, drove them from the palace; and he sent men to seize Eunomius from Chalcedon with all speed and ordered him to be exiled to Halmyris. The place is in Moesia in Europe, lying in the region of the Ister. But when the Ister froze, Halmyris was taken by the barbarians who crossed it, and Eunomius was banished from there to Caesarea in Cappadocia, where he was hated because he had composed books against Basil, the bishop of that city. From there he was allowed to live on his own estates; the estates were called Dacoroeni. There, Philostorgius says, he saw him when he was in his twentieth year, having come to Constantinople; and he extols Eunomius beyond measure, saying that his intelligence and virtue were beyond compare. He even beautifies in his words the shape and features of his face as most comely, and says the words from his mouth were like pearls; and yet, going on, he admits, even against his will, that his tongue stammered. Nor is he ashamed to glorify the stammer itself as great elegance. He even insists that the white leprous spots that scourged and blotched his face lent adornment to his body. Extolling all his writings as divine, he says that his letters surpass the others still more. ### Extrabiblical texts - Basil, Eun. (Against Eunomius): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Photius mocks Philostorgius's admiration of Eunomius. The text places Philostorgius both “there” (at the estate) and “having come to Constantinople”; translated as printed. - Lemmata of Valesius's notes on 10.2–10.5 had leaked into the text (including a word, περιτίθεται, that belongs to 10.5); they are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.6 (PG 65:585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-6). ## 10.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-7 - Source: PG 65:587 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theodosius marries Galla, an Arian, after the death of Placilla; their daughter is Placidia. ### Greek text Οτι Πλακιδίας ἀποβιούσης, ὁ βασιλεὺς Θεοδόσιος ὁ ταύτης ἀνὴρ Γάλλαν ἄγεται γυναῖκα, ἀδελφὴν μὲν τοῦ νεωτέρου Οὐαλεντινιανοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως, θυγατέρα δὲ τοῦ μεγάλου, ἣν αὐτῷ Ἰουστῖνα ἐγείνατο. Αὕτη δὲ τὰ ᾿Αρείου ἔστεργεν. Ἐξ αὐτῆς δὲ τῷ Θεοδοσίῳ καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ Πλακιδία τίκτεται. ### English translation (Claude) That when Placilla died, the emperor Theodosius, her husband, took Galla as his wife, the sister of the younger emperor Valentinian and daughter of the elder, whom Justina had borne to him. She favoured the teachings of Arius. From her a daughter, Placidia, was born to Theodosius. ### Translation notes - The first wife's name is printed Πλακιδία; she was Flaccilla (Placilla). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.7 (PG 65:587; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-7). ## 10.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-8 - Source: PG 65:589 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theodosius and Valentinian II defeat and execute the usurper Maximus. ### Greek text Ὅτι Θεοδόσιος κατὰ Θεσσαλονίκην τῷ Οὐαλεντινιανῷ συναφθεὶς, στρατεύει κατὰ Μαξίμου τοῦ τυράννου. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ τύραννος, τὴν Γρατιανοῦ κατέχων ἀρχὴν, διενοεῖτο προσλαβεῖν καὶ τὴν Οὐαλεντινιανοῦ. Ἑκπέμπουσι δὲ οἱ βασιλεῖς κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ Τιμάσιον, καὶ Ρυχόμηριν, καὶ Πρόμοτον, καὶ ᾿Αρβογάστην, τοὺς στρατηγούς. Οἱ δὲ παραστάντες αὐτὸν ἐξαπιναίως τοῦ τε θρόνου κατασπῶσι, καὶ τῶν τῆς βασιλείας ἐπισήμων ἀποδύουσι, καὶ τοῖς βασιλεῦσι κατὰ ἰδιώτην προσάγουσι· κἀνταῦθα Μάξιμος τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποτέμνεται, τυραννήσας πέντε τὰ σύμπαντα ἔτη. ### English translation (Claude) That Theodosius, joining Valentinian at Thessalonica, marched against the usurper Maximus. For the usurper, holding Gratian's realm, intended to take Valentinian's too. The emperors sent against him the generals Timasius, Richomeres, Promotus and Arbogast. They came upon him suddenly, dragged him from his throne, stripped him of the imperial insignia and brought him to the emperors as a private man; and there Maximus was beheaded, having been usurper for five years in all. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.8 (PG 65:589; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-8). ## 10.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-9 - Source: PG 65:589 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius describes a sword-shaped comet seen after Theodosius's victory over Maximus, a portent of coming evils. ### Greek text Ὅτι μετὰ τὴν κατὰ Μαξίμου νίκην, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ Ῥώμην ἐπάνοδον, ἐξελαύνειν αὐτῆς μέλλοντος τοῦ βασιλέως, ἀστὴρ κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν ὤφθη παράδοξος καὶ ἀήθης μεγάλων δὲ ἄρα κακῶν ἄγγελος τῇ οἰκουμένῃ γενήσεσθαι ἔμελλεν. Ἐξέλαμψε δὲ πρῶτον κατὰ μέσας νύκτας πλησίον τοῦ ἑωσφόρου, κατ᾿ αὐτὸν δὴ τὸν καλούμενον Ζωδιακὸν κύκλον, μέγας δὲ καὶ ἐκφεγγὴς ταῖς μαρμαρυγαῖς, οὐ πολλῷ τοῦ ἑωσφόρου λειπόμενος. Ἔπειτα συνδρομή πανταχόθεν ἀστέρων ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἀθροιζομένων ἐγίνετο· εἰκάσαις ἂν μελιττῶν παρὰ τὸν ἡγούμενον σφαιρουμένων τὸ θέαμα· κἀντεῦθεν οἱονεὶ τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους συνελίψεως βιασαμένης, τὸ τῶν ἁπάντων φῶς εἰς μίαν τινὰ συγκραθὲν ἀνέλαμπε φλόγα. Καὶ μαχαίρας ἄντικρυς ἀμφήκους μεγάλης καὶ φοβερᾶς ἀπετέλεσαν δος, πληκτικῆς ἐξαυγαζομένης, τῶν μὲν ἄλλων ἀπάντων ἀστέρων εἰς τοῦτο μεταπεσόντων, τῆς θέας· ἑνὸς δὲ καὶ μόνου τοῦ πρώτου θεωρηθέντος, ἐν τάξει ῥίζης τινὸς ἢ λαβὶς τῷ παντὶ σχήματι ὑποφαινομένου, καὶ οἷον τὸ πᾶν τοῦ δειχθέντος ἀστέρος ἀποτίκτοντος σέλας ὡς ἂν ἐκ λύχνου τινὸς θρυαλλίδος τῆς φλογὸς πρὸς ὕψος ἐξαιρομένης τὸ μὲν φανὲν οὕτω παράδοξον παρείχε τὴν θέαν. Καὶ ἡ κίνησις δὲ πρὸς πάντα παρήλλαττεν ἀστέρος δρόμον· τὴν γὰρ ἀρχὴν ὅθεν εἴρηται φανῆναι, καὶ τῆς κινήσεως ποιησάμενος, συνανίσχετο μὲν τὰ πρῶτα τῷ ἑωσφόρῳ, καὶ συγκατεδύετο. Επειτα δὲ, κατ' ὀλίγον διιστάμενος, ἐπὶ τὰς ἄρκτους ἀνῄει σχολῇ τε καὶ βάδην κινούμενος, καὶ ἐγκαρσίως, ὡς ἐπ᾿ ἀριστερᾶς πρὸς τοὺς θεωμένους εἰπεῖν, τὴν ἰδίαν πορείαν ποιούμενος· τὴν μέντοιγε κοινὴν περίοδον τὴν αὐτὴν εἶχε τοῖς ἄλλοις καθ' οὓς ἂν γίνοιτο πορευόμενος. Ἐπὶ τεσσαράκοντα δὲ ἡμέρας τῆς ἰδίας αὐτοῦ πορείας ἐπιτελουμένης, εἰς μέσην τὴν μεγάλην ἄρκτον ἐνέβαλε, κὰν τῷ μεσαιτάτῳ αὐτῆς τὰ τελευταῖα φανεὶς αὐτοῦ που ἀπέσβη. Οὐ ταῦτα δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ παράδοξα περὶ τοῦ ξιφοειδοῦς τούτου δίεισιν ἀστέ· ### English translation (Claude) That after the victory over Maximus and the return to Rome, when the emperor was about to leave it, a strange and unusual star was seen in the sky, which was to be a herald of great evils for the world. It first shone out at midnight near the morning star, in what is called the Zodiac circle, large and brilliant in its flashing, not much less than the morning star. Then there was a gathering of stars from every side crowding to it; you might have compared the sight to bees swarming round their leader. And then, as if the pressure of their crowding together forced it, the light of them all blended into a single flame and blazed out. They formed the shape of a great and fearful two-edged sword, flashing out its stroke, all the other stars having passed into this appearance, while the one first seen showed itself in the place of a root or a handle to the whole figure, as though the one star that had appeared were giving birth to the whole blaze, the flame rising upward as from the wick of a lamp. So the thing that appeared presented a strange sight. Its movement too differed in every respect from a star's course. Starting its movement from the place where it is said to have appeared, at first it rose and set with the morning star. Then, separating little by little, it went up toward the Bears, moving slowly and step by step, and making its own course crosswise, to the left, so to speak, of those who watched it; but it had the same common revolution as the others among which it travelled. When its own course had been running for forty days, it entered the middle of the Great Bear, and in its very centre it was last seen, and there somewhere went out. He relates not only these but many other wonders about this sword-shaped star. ### Translation notes - The comet is that of 390. A word for “shape” has lost letters in the scan (δος, εἶδος); the last word is cut off (ἀστέ·, ἀστέρος). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.9 (PG 65:589; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-9). ## 10.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-10 - Source: PG 65:591 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius says he himself wrote against Porphyry. ### Greek text Ὅτι κατὰ Πορφυρίου φησὶ καὶ οὗτος ὁ συγγραφεὺς ὑπὲρ Χριστιανῶν ἀγῶνας καταθέσθαι. ### English translation (Claude) That this writer too says that he engaged in contests against Porphyry on behalf of the Christians. ### Extrabiblical texts - Porphyry, Porphyry, Chr. (Porphyry, Against the Christians (fragments)): allusion, medium confidence ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.10 (PG 65:591; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-10). ## 10.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-11 - Source: PG 65:591 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: A giant in Syria and a tiny man in Egypt, seen at the time of the comet. ### Greek text Ὅτι καθ' οὓς χρόνους ὁ μαχαιροφόρος ἀστὴρ ἐφάνη, καὶ σώματα ἀνθρώπων ὤφθη δύο ἓν μὲν ἐν τῇ Συρία, τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν εἰς μέγεθος ἐκβαῖνον· θάτερον δὲ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, εἰς ἄπιστον βραχύτητα καταλήγον. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Σύρος πεντάπηχυς ἦν τὸ γεθος καὶ σπιθαμὴν ἔφερε προσθήκην, καίτοι τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ ἄλλο τοῦ σώματος μὴ συνομολογούντων τὸ ὕψος· ἀλλ' εἴσω καὶ πρὸς τὸ βλαισὸν ὑποκαμπτομένων· ᾿Αντώνιος ἦν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τὸ ὄνομα. Ὁ δὲ Αἰγύπτιος οὕτω κατεβραχύνετο, ὥστε μηδ' ἀχαρίστως τοὺς ἐν τοῖς κλουβοῖς πέρδικας ἐκμιμεῖσθαι, καὶ συναθύρειν αὐτῷ πρὸς ἔριν ἐκείνους. Τὸ δὲ παραδοξότερον, ὅτι καὶ ἡ φρόνησις ἐνῆν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, οὐδὲν ὑπὸ τῆς βραχύτητος καταβλαπτομένη· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ φθέγμα οὐκἄμουσος ἦν, καὶ οἱ λόγον τοῦ νοῦ παρεῖχον ὁρᾶσθαι τὴν γενναιότητα. Ἑκάτερος δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων τοῖς τοῦ συγγραφέως χρόνοις ἐνήκμασε, καὶ οὐ θᾶττον μετῆλθε τὸν βίον, Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μέγιστος τὰ εἴκοσι πέντε διεξιὼν ἔτη ἀπεβίω ὁδ᾽ ἐλάχιστος οὐκ ὀλίγῳ καὶ τούτων λειπόμενος. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἕτερα τέρατα, τὰ μὲν τοῖς εἰρημένοις ὁμόχρονα, τὰ δὲ καὶ προγεγενημένα, ταῖς ἱστορίαις αὐτοῦ καταστρώννυσιν. ### English translation (Claude) That at the time when the sword-bearing star appeared, two human bodies were also seen: one in Syria, going beyond human nature in size; the other in Egypt, ending in incredible smallness. The Syrian was five cubits tall and a span more, although his feet did not match the height of the rest of his body but bent inward, turning knock-kneed; the man's name was Antony. The Egyptian was so small that he imitated, not without charm, the partridges in cages, and they played with him in rivalry. What was more remarkable, the man had good sense, in no way harmed by his smallness; for his voice was not unmusical, and his words let the nobility of his mind be seen. Each of them flourished in the writer's own time, and did not depart from life soon: the tallest died having lived twenty-five years, and the smallest fell not far short of these. He spreads out in his histories many other portents as well, some of the same time as these, others that happened earlier. ### Translation notes - Words with lost letters (μέγεθος) are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.11 (PG 65:591; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-11). ## 10.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-10-12 - Source: PG 65:591 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius on the Wednesday and Friday fast, kept without food until evening, illustrated by the presbyter Eudoxius. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῆς τετράδος καὶ παρασκευῆς τὴν νηστείαν ὁ Φιλοστόργιός φησιν οὐκ ἐν μόνῃ τῶν κρεῶν ἀποχῇ περιορίζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ μηδὲ τροφῆς ὅλως ἅπτεσθαι μέχρι τῆς ἑσπέρας, κανονίζεσθαι. Λέγει γὰρ περί τινος Εὐδοξίου, συναιρεσιώτου μὲν, πρεσβυτέρου δὲ τὴν τάξιν, ἐψιλωμένου δὲ τῶν δι᾽ ὧν ἡ διαδοχὴ τοῦ γένους, τοιάδε· Νηστευτικός τε οὕτως ἦν, ὡς καὶ παρ᾿ ὅλον μὲν τὸν χρόνον μὴ μόνον τὰς κατὰ διάταξιν τὴν μνήμην τοῦ Κυριακοῦ πάθους φερούσας ### English translation (Claude) That Philostorgius says that the fast of Wednesday and Friday is not limited to abstaining from meat alone, but that it is the rule not to touch food at all until evening. For he says this about a certain Eudoxius, a member of his sect and a presbyter by rank, but deprived of the parts by which the race is continued: “He was so given to fasting that throughout the whole year he kept not only the days which by ordinance bear the memory of the Lord's passion …” ### Translation notes - The section breaks off in mid-sentence: the following leaves are lost in the manuscript of Photius, so the end of Book 10 and the beginning of Book 11 are missing. The presbyter Eudoxius was a eunuch. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 10.12 (PG 65:591; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/10-12). ## 11.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-1 - Source: PG 65:593 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The death of Valentinian II: after a quarrel with Arbogast he is strangled at Vienne and made to look like a suicide. ### Greek text ἄρκτων καὶ λεόντων χρήσασθαι. Αὐτοῦ τε τοῦ ζῇν καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς θηρίοις ἄθλων, κοστὸν ἀπὸ γενέσεως διανύων ἔτος, ἀπεφθάρη. Ην δὲ καὶ τὸν θυμὸν ἀκράτωρ, ὅ καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ ζῇν αὐτὸν ἐξεδίσκευεν. Διαλεγόμενος γάρ ποτε κατὰ τὸ παλάτιον τῷ ᾿Αρβαγάστῃ, ἐπείπερ αὐτὸν οἱ λόγοι πρὸς ὀργὴν ἀνέσειον, ξίφος ὥρμησε κατὰ στρατηγοῦ σπάσασθαι· κωλυθεὶς δὲ (ὁ γὰρ δορυφόρος ἐπέσχεν, οὗ τὸ ξίφος ἕλκειν ἐπεβάλλετο κατὰ τὸ παρὸν γοις μὲν ἐπειρᾶτο τῆς ὑπονοίας τὸν ᾿Αρβογάστην ἀγειν. Ὁ δὲ διὰ τῶν λόγων τὴν ὑπόνοιαν αὐτοῦ μᾶλλον εὗρεν εἰς ἀκρίβειαν μεθισταμένην γνώσεως. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπερωτήσαντι τῆς τοσαύτης ὁρμῆς τὴν αἰτίαν, ἑαυτὸν διαχρήσασθαι Οὐαλεντινιανὸς ὑπεκρίνατο διότι βασιλεύων οὐδὲν ὧν ἂν βούλοιτο πράττει. Ὁ δὲ ᾿Αρβαγάστης οὐδὲν πλέον τότε πολυπραγμονήσας. Ὕστερον ἐν Βιέννῃ τῆς Γαλλίας ἠριστηκότα τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ μεσούσης ἡμέρας κατὰ τὰ ἔρημα τῶν βασιλείων, ἐπὶ τὸν ποταμὸν τὸ χεῖλος οἷς ἐματαιοσπούδει λινδούμενον θεασάμενος, πέμπει τινὰς κατ' αὐτοῦ τῶν ὑπασπιστῶν. Οἱ δὲ τὸν δείλαιον χειρῶν ἰσχύῖ καὶ γνώμης ἀποπνίγουσιν ἀγριότησιν, οὐδὲ τῶν ὑπηρετουμένων τῷ βασιλεῖ τινος παρόντος. Ὁ γὰρ καιρὸς αὐτοὺς ἀριστᾷν μετεπέμπετο. Οἱ μέντοι γε τοῦτον ἀποπνίξαντες, ἵνα μὴ τὸ παραυτίκα πρὸς ζήτησίν τινες χωρήσωσι τῶν ἐργασαμένων, τὸ ἡμιτύβιον τοῦ τῷ τραχήλῳ βρόχου τρόπον περιελίξαντες ἀναρτῶσιν, ὡς δι᾿ αὐτοῦ γε τῇ οἰκείᾳ γνώμῃ ἀπαγξαμένου. ### English translation (Claude) … [he used to hunt] bears and lions. In his twentieth year from birth he perished, deprived of life itself, of the empire, and of his contests with wild beasts. He was also unable to control his anger, which more than anything hurled him out of life. For once, when he was talking with Arbogast in the palace and the words roused him to anger, he rushed to draw a sword against the general; but he was prevented (for the guard whose sword he tried to draw held him back), and for the moment he tried by words to lead Arbogast away from suspicion. But Arbogast found that the words rather turned his suspicion into exact knowledge. For when he asked the reason for so violent an impulse, Valentinian answered that he had meant to kill himself, because though he was emperor he could do nothing that he wished. Arbogast then inquired no further. Later, at Vienne in Gaul, seeing the emperor after his midday meal, at noon, in a deserted part of the palace, idling on the river bank with the pastimes he wasted his time on, he sent some of his guards against him. They strangled the poor man by the strength of their hands and the savagery of their purpose, when none of the emperor's attendants was present, for the hour had called them to their meal. Those who strangled him, so that no one should at once set about searching for those who did it, wound his linen cloth round his neck like a noose and hung him up, as though he had hanged himself by his own choice. ### Translation notes - The beginning of this section, and of Book 11, is lost in the manuscript of Photius; the subject is Valentinian II. - Several words have lost letters in the scan (εἰκοστὸν, λόγοις, καλινδούμενον) and are translated by sense; leaked lemmata of Valesius's notes in 11.2 give the fuller readings. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.1 (PG 65:593; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-1). ## 11.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-2 - Source: PG 65:593 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Arbogast makes Eugenius emperor; Theodosius defeats them at the Frigidus and dies of dropsy, praised by Philostorgius for his zeal against idols but blamed for luxury. ### Greek text Ὅτι ᾿Αρβαγάστης τὸν Οὐαλεντινιανὸν ἀνελών, ἐπεὶ τὸ γένος αὐτὸν βασιλεύειν ἀπεκώλυσε (βάρβαρος γὰρ ἦν αὐτὸν ὁ φυσάμενος), Εὐγένιόν τινα, μάγιστρον τὴν ἀξίαν, Ἕλληνα δὲ τὸ σέβας, βασιλέα Ῥωμαίων καθίστησι. Μαθὼν δὲ ταῦτα Θεοδόσιος θατέρῳ μὲν τῶν παίδων Ὁνωρίῳ τὸν βασίλειον παρατίθησι στέφανον ἐν ὅλῳ δὲ τῷ χειμῶνι τὰ πρὸς τὸν πόλεμον αὐτὸς ἐξαρτύεται. Ἥρος δὲ ὑποφαίνοντος ἐκστρατεύει κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου. Καὶ ταῖς ῎Αλπεσι προσβαλὼν ἐκράτησεν αὐτῶν προδοσία. Συμπλακέντος δὲ τῷ τυράννῳ κατὰ τὸν ποταμὸν (Ψυχρὸν ὕδωρ αὐτῷ τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ποιοῦνται), καὶ μάχης καρτερᾶς γενομένης, καὶ πολλῶν ἑκατέρωθεν ἀπολλυμένων, ὅμως ἡ νίκη, τὸν τύραννον μυσαχθεῖσα, τὴν ἔννομον βασιλείαν συνδιεκόσμει. Συλλαμβάνεται τοίνυν ὁ τύραννος καὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποτέμνεται. Ὁ μέντοι ᾿Αρβαγάστης ἀπογνοὺς, ἐπιπεσὼν ἀναιρεῖ ἑαυτὸν τῷ ξίφει. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα παραγεγονὼς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ μεταπέμπεται τὸν ἑαυτοῦ παῖδα Ονώριον, καὶ τὴν Ἑσπέραν ἐγχειρίζει πᾶσαν. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου νίκην, τῇ τοῦ ὑδέρου νόσῳ κρατηθεὶς, τελευτᾷ τὸν βίον, βασιλεύσας δέκα καὶ ἐξ ἔτη· ἐν ὅλοις δὴ βασιλεύων εἰς ὑψηλοὺς τοῦ βίου καταλήξας τέρμονας. Ἐπί τε γὰρ νίκαις λαμπραῖς, καὶ μοναρχήσας Ῥωμαίων, καὶ δυοῖν σιλέων πατέρα ἑαυτὸν ἐπιδὼν, καὶ τούτοις ἀστασίαστον παραπέμψας τὴν βασιλείαν, κἀπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ κλίνης εὐδαιμονέστατα προλείπει τὸν βίον, τοῦ θερμοῦ κοι δοκῶ κατὰ τῶν εἰδώλων ζήλου τοῦτο γέρας ἐξενεγκών. Ταῦτα λέγων ὁ δυσσεβὴς περὶ τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου Θεοδοσίου, οὐκ αἰσχύνεται κωμῳδεῖν αὐτὸν ἐπ᾿ ἀκρασίᾳ βίου καὶ τρυφῆς ἀμετρίᾳ, δι᾽ ἣν αὐτὸν ἁλῶναι γράφει καὶ τῷ τοῦ ὑδέρου νοσήματι. ### English translation (Claude) That Arbogast, having killed Valentinian, since his birth barred him from reigning himself (for his father was a barbarian), set up as emperor of the Romans a certain Eugenius, a magister by rank but a pagan by religion. When Theodosius learned this, he conferred the imperial crown on one of his sons, Honorius, and spent the whole winter preparing himself for the war. As spring was dawning he marched against the usurper. Attacking the Alps, he took them by treachery. When he engaged the usurper by the river (they call it Cold Water), a fierce battle took place and many fell on both sides; yet victory, loathing the usurper, joined in adorning the lawful empire. The usurper was seized and beheaded; and Arbogast, in despair, fell on his sword and killed himself. After this the emperor came to Milan, summoned his son Honorius, and entrusted the whole West to him. After the victory over the usurper he was seized by dropsy and ended his life, having reigned sixteen years, reigning in every respect and ending at the very heights of life. For after brilliant victories, after ruling the Romans as sole monarch, after seeing himself the father of two emperors and handing the empire on to them without strife, he left life most happily in his own bed, carrying off this prize, as I think, for his hot zeal against the idols. While saying this about the most pious Theodosius, the impious man is not ashamed to mock him for intemperance of life and immoderate luxury, through which he writes that he was also taken by the disease of dropsy. ### Translation notes - The words “as I think” are Philostorgius's; the last sentence is Photius's comment. - A run of lemmata from Valesius's notes on 11.1–11.2 had leaked into the text; it is removed. Some words have lost letters (βασιλέων, ὥς μοι) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.2 (PG 65:593; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-2). ## 11.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-3 - Source: PG 65:595 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Rufinus and Stilicho rule in the names of Arcadius and Honorius; Rufinus is cut down by the army and his head and hand paraded; Stilicho too is later killed. ### Greek text Ὅτι Αρκαδίῳ μὲν ἐπ᾿ Ἀνατολῆς Ῥουφῖνος παρεδυνάστευσ· κατὰ δὲ τὴν Δύσιν τῷ Ὁνωρίῳ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁ Στελίχων τάξιν διέσωζεν. Ἑκάτερος γὰρ αὐτῶν, ἑκατέρῳ τῶν Θεοδοσίου παίδων τὸ τῆς βασιλείας σχῆμα καὶ τὸ ὄνομα νέμειν οὐ παραιτούμενος τὸ κράτος τῆς ἀρχῆς διὰ χειρὸς καὶ γλώσσης εἶχεν ἐν ὑπάρχου προσηγορίᾳ βασιλεύων τοῦ βασιλεύοντος. Οὐδέτερος δὲ αὐτῶν οἷς ὑπῆρχε τῶν βασιλέων ἔστεργεν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Ῥουφῖνος καὶ τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ὄνομα εἰς ἑαυτὸν μεθέλκειν ἐτέχναζεν· ὁ Στελίχων δὲ τῷ ἑαυτοῦ παιδὶ Εὐχερίῳ περιἀπτειν ἡγωνίζετο. Ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν Ῥουφῖνον ὁ ἀπὸ Ῥώμης ἀνακομισθεὶς στρατὸς, οἱ τῷ Θεοδοσίῳ κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου συνεστρατεύσαντο, ἐν τῷ λεγομένῳ τριβουναλίῳ πρὸς αὐτοῖς τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως ποσὶ, ταῖς μαχαίραις κατεκόψατο· τοῦτο μὲν ἔχοντες ἐντολὰς παρὰ Στελίχωνος ἐξεργάσασθαι, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ διότι μυκτηρίζων αὐτοὺς ἐπεφώρατο. Καὶ κατ' ἐκείνην ἀπεῤῥάγη τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς ζωῆς, καθ᾽ ἣν οἱ στρατολόγοι μονονουχὶ τὴν ἀλουργίδα αὐτῷ περιεβάλοντο. Εὐμήκης δὲ, φησὶ, ὁ Ῥουφῖνος ἦν καὶ ἀνδρώδης· καὶ τὴν σύνεσιναἵ τε τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν νήσεις ἐδήλουν, καὶ τῶν λόγων ἡ ἑτοιμότης. Ὁ δὲ Αρκάδιος βραχὺς τῷ μεγέθει, καὶ λεπτὸς τὴν ἕξιν, καὶ ἀδρανὴς τὴν ἰσχὺν, καὶ τὸ χρῶμα μέλας· καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς νωθείαν οἱ τε λόγοι διήγγελλον, καὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἡ φύσις, ὑπνηλῶς τε καὶ δυσαναφόρως αὐτοὺς δεικνύουσα καθελκομένους. Α καὶ τὸν Ῥουφίνον ἠπάτα, ὡς ἐξ αὐτῆς μόνης τῆς ὄψεως ὁ στρατὸς αὐτὸν μὲν αἰρήσεται χαίρων βασιλέα, ἀποσκευάσεται δὲ τὸν ᾿Αρκάδιον. Τὴν μέντοι κεφαλὴν Ρουφίνου τεμόντες τῷ στόματι λίθον ἐνέθεσαν, ἐπὶ καμάκου δ᾽ ἀναρτήσαντες πανταχοῦ περιέθεον· καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν ὡσαύτως τεμόντες ἐν τοῖς ἐργαστηρίοις τῆς πόλεως περιῆγον, Δότε τῷ ἀπλήστῳ, λέγοντες. Καὶ πολὺ χρυσίον ἡ αἴτησις ἠρανίσατο· οἷα γὰρ ἐπὶ καταθυμίῳ θεάματι, προθύμως τὸ χρυσίον οἱ ὁρῶντες ἀντεδίδοσαν. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ μὲν Ῥουφίνου τῆς βασιλείας ἔρως εἰς τοῦτο περιέκοψε Καὶ τὸν Στελίχωνα δὲ, ὡς οὗτος λέγει, ἐπιβουλὴν κατὰ τοῦ Ὁνωρίου συστησάμενον, αὐτόν τε καὶ τοὺς συστασιώτας ὁ τὸ σύνθημα παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως δεξάμενος στρατὸς ἀποσφάττουσιν. ### English translation (Claude) That under Arcadius in the East Rufinus held the power, while in the West Stilicho kept the same position with Honorius. For each of them, while not refusing to leave to each of Theodosius's sons the form and the name of empire, held the power of rule in his own hand and tongue, reigning over the reigning emperor under the title of prefect. Neither of them was content with what he had. Rufinus contrived to draw even the name of emperor to himself, while Stilicho strove to put it on his own son Eucherius. But the army brought back from Rome, which had campaigned with Theodosius against the usurper, cut Rufinus down with their swords at the so-called tribunal, at the very feet of the emperor, partly because they had orders from Stilicho to do it, and partly because he had been caught sneering at them. And he was torn from life on the very day on which, by the astrologers’ reckoning, he was all but clothed in the purple. Rufinus, he says, was tall and manly, and both the movements of his eyes and the readiness of his speech showed his intelligence. Arcadius, on the other hand, was short in stature, thin in build, feeble in strength and dark in colour; and both his speech and the nature of his eyes, which he showed drooping drowsily and hard to raise, announced the sluggishness of his soul. This is what deceived Rufinus into thinking that, from his appearance alone, the army would gladly choose him as emperor and get rid of Arcadius. But they cut off Rufinus's head, put a stone in its mouth, hung it on a pole and ran about everywhere with it; and they cut off his right hand likewise and carried it round the workshops of the city, saying, “Give to the insatiable one!” And the begging collected much gold, for those who saw it gladly paid gold in return for so welcome a sight. So Rufinus's love of empire was cut short in this way. Stilicho too, as this man says, having formed a plot against Honorius, was slaughtered together with his accomplices by the army, which had received the signal from the emperor. ### Translation notes - “Astrologers” follows Valesius’s correction (ἀστρολόγοι); the printed text has στρατολόγοι, “recruiting officers”. Some words have lost letters in the scan (κινήσεις) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.3 (PG 65:595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-3). ## 11.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-4 - Source: PG 65:597 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The eunuch Eutropius becomes patrician and consul. ### Greek text Ὅτι Εὐτρόπιος, φησὶ, μετὰ Ῥουφῖνον, ἐκ δούλων εὐνοῦχος εἰς τὰ βασίλεια παρεισδὺς, καὶ τὴν τοῦ πραιποσίτου τιμὴν ἀναβὰς τοῖς παροῦσιν οὐκ ἠγάπησεν. Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδήπερ αὐτὸν ἡ ἐκτομὴ τῆς ἀλουργίδος ἀπεστέρει, πείθει βασιλέα, πατρίκιόν τε αὐτὸν καὶ ὕπατον ἀναγράφειν. Καὶ ἦν λοιπὸν πατὴρ ὁ εὐνοῦχος βασιλέως, ὁ μηδὲ τὸν τυχόντα παῖδα φῦναι δυνάμενος ### English translation (Claude) That Eutropius, he says, after Rufinus, a eunuch who had come from slavery and slipped into the palace and risen to the rank of praepositus, was not content with what he had. Since castration barred him from the purple, he persuaded the emperor to enrol him as patrician and consul. And from then on the eunuch was the emperor's “father,” he who could not beget even an ordinary child. ### Translation notes - Patricians were honoured as “fathers” of the emperor. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.4 (PG 65:597; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-4). ## 11.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-5 - Source: PG 65:599 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Eutropius removes Eunomius to Tyana, forbids his burial beside Aetius, and orders his books destroyed. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, Εὐτρόπιος προστάττει Καισαρίῳ τὴν Ῥουφίνου διαδεξαμένῳ ἀρχὴν, Εὐνόμιον ἐκ τῶν Δακοροηνῶν ἐπὶ Τύανα μεταστῆσαι, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκεῖ μοναστῶν τηρησόμενον. Βασκαίνων γὰρ αὐτῷ τοῦ κλέους, οὐδὲ τὸν νεκρὸν αὐτοῦ ταφῆς τυχεῖν τῆς μετὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου συνεχώρει, καίτοι πολλὰ πολλῶν δεηθέντων· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς βίβλους αὐτοῦ δημοσίοις γράμμασιν ἀφανίζεσθαι διετάξατο. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, Eutropius ordered Caesarius, who had succeeded to Rufinus's office, to move Eunomius from Dacoroeni to Tyana, to be guarded by the monks there. Envious of his fame, he did not even allow his dead body to be buried with his teacher, though many people asked many times; and he ordered his books to be destroyed by public edict. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.5 (PG 65:599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-5). ## 11.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-6 - Source: PG 65:599 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The empress Eudoxia, insulted by Eutropius, moves Arcadius to depose and exile him; Eutropius is later tried and beheaded. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶν, ᾿Αρκάδιος ὁ βασιλεὺς, μετὰ θάνατον τοῦ πατρὸς, θυγατέρα Βαύδωνος ἄγεται γυναῖκα ὁ δὲ βάρβαρος μὲν ἦν τὸ γένος, στρατηγίᾳ δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἑσπερίαν διαπρέψας. Τὸ δὲ γύναιον οὐ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς διέκειτο νωθείαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνῆν αὐτῇ τοῦ βαρβαρικοῦ θράσους οὐκ ὀλίγον. Αὕτη δὲ θυγατέρας ἤδη τῷ ᾿Αρκαδίῳ δύο, Πουλχερίαν καὶ ᾿Αρκαδίαν ἐγείνατο· ὕστερον δὲ καὶ Μαρῖναν, καὶ υἱὸν ἐπέτεκε Θεοδόσιον. Τότε οὖν τῶν δύο παίδων μήτηρ οὖσα, παρὰ Εὐτροπίου περιυβρισθεῖσα, ὡς καὶ ἀπειλὴν αὐτῇ ἐπενεγκεῖν, τῶν βασιλείων θᾶττον ἀποπέμψασθαι· ὡς εἶχεν, ἀγκαλισαμένη τὰ παιδία διὰ χειρὸς ἑκατέρας, προσέρχεται τῷ ἀνδρί· καὶ κωκύουσά τε ἅμα, καὶ τὰ βρέφη προτεινομένη, δακρύων ἠφίει λιβάδας, καὶ τἄλλα ἐποίει ὅσα γυνὴ φλεγμαίνουσα, γυναικείᾳ τέχνῃ πρὸς τὸ παθητικώτερον ἐφελκύσαιτο τὸν ἄνδρα. Τῷ δὲ ᾿Αρκαδίῳ οἶκτός τε τῶν παίδων εἰσῄει, ἐκ τῆς πρὸς τὴν μητέρα συμπαθείας βραυκανομένων καὶ ὀργὴ ἀνήφθη. Καὶ δὴ τότε τοῖς τε θυμοῖς καὶ τῇ αὐτῶν ἐμβριθείᾳ τῶν λόγων ὁ ᾿Αρκάδιος βασιλεὺς ἦν. Ὅθεν αὐτίκα τὸν Εὐτρόπιον τιμῆς τε ἁπάσης περιδύει, καὶ τὸν πλοῦτον ἀφαιρεῖται, καὶ εἰς Κύπρον τὴν νῆσον φυγαδεύει. Μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ δὲ τινων ἀπενεγκάντων κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ γραφὴν, ὡς όταν ὕπατος ἐγεγόνει, βοσκήμασιν ἀπεχρήσατο οἷς οὐδενὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐξῆν, μὴ ὅτι γε μόνῳ βασιλεῖ, μετάπεμπτος ἀπὸ Κύπρου γίνεται. Καὶ συνεδρίου κατὰ τὸ καλούμενον Παντίχιον καθεσθέντος (Αυρηλιανὸς δ᾽ ὁ ὕπαρχος καὶ ἔτεροι τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἀρχαῖς ἐπιφανῶν ἀρχόντων διεσκόπουν τὰ κατηγορούμενα), αἰτίαις ὁ Εὐτρόπιος ἁλοὺς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀφαιρεῖται. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν Φιλοστόργιος ταῦτα περὶ τροπίου λέγει. Ἕτεροι δὲ ἄλλας αἰτίας, καὶ τοῦ παραλυθῆναι τῆς ἀρχῆς, καὶ τῆς ὑπερορίας, καὶ δὴ καὶ τοῦ θανάτου ἀνιστοροῦσιν. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, the emperor Arcadius after his father's death took as his wife the daughter of Bauto, who was a barbarian by birth but had distinguished himself in military command in the West. The woman did not share her husband's sluggishness; there was no little barbarian boldness in her. She had already borne Arcadius two daughters, Pulcheria and Arcadia, and later bore Marina and a son, Theodosius. At that time, then, when she was the mother of the two children, she was grossly insulted by Eutropius, who even threatened to send her quickly out of the palace. Just as she was, she took the little ones in her arms, one on each side, and went to her husband; and wailing, holding out the babies, she shed streams of tears and did everything else by which a woman in a passion might, by a woman's art, draw her husband to deeper feeling. Pity for the children came over Arcadius, as they cried in sympathy with their mother, and anger was kindled in him. And then, in his wrath and the weight of his words, Arcadius was an emperor. So he at once stripped Eutropius of every honour, took away his wealth and banished him to the island of Cyprus. Not long afterwards, when some brought a charge against him that, when he had been consul, he had made use of animals that no one else was allowed to use, only the emperor, he was summoned back from Cyprus. A tribunal was set up at the so-called Pantichium (Aurelian the prefect and others of the distinguished holders of office examined the charges), and Eutropius, convicted on the charges, lost his head. That is what Philostorgius says about Eutropius; but others relate other causes both for his removal from office and for his exile and his death. ### Translation notes - The last sentence is Photius's comment. The empress, daughter of Bauto, is Eudoxia. - “Animals” translates βοσκήμασιν as printed; a leaked note of Valesius gives instead “he used ornaments beyond his rank, which only the emperor may wear.” A long run of such lemmata (on βραυκανᾶσθαι, the Pantichium, and 11.5) had leaked into the text and is removed. Εὐτροπίου has lost letters. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.6 (PG 65:599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-6). ## 11.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-7 - Source: PG 65:601 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius describes the unprecedented calamities of his time, which he says the sword-shaped comet foretold. ### Greek text Ὅτι, φησὶ, καὶ τοὺς ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ γεγενημένους χρόνους τοσαύτη φθορὰ γέγονεν ἀνθρώπων, ὅσην οὐδεὶς χρόνος ἐξ αἰῶνος ἔγνω· καὶ ταύτην ἄρα καὶ τὸν ξιφίαν σημαίνειν ἀστέρα. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὸ χιμον, ὥσπερ πάλαι κατὰ τοὺς ἔμπροσθεν πολέμους, ἀπανηλώθη, οὐδ᾽ ἐν μέρει γῆς τὰ πάθη συνέστη· ἀλλὰ πάντα μὲν διεφθείρετο γένη, πᾶσα δ᾽ ἀπόλωλεν ἡ Εὐρώπη, καὶ τῆς ᾿Ασίας οὐκ ὀλίγη μοῖρα συνδιεφθάρη. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τῆς Λιβύης ἡ πολλὴ, καὶ μάλιστά γε ὅση Ῥωμαίοις ὑποτελεῖ. Βαρβαρικὴ μὲν γὰρ τὸ τῆς φθορᾶς πλῆθος εἰργάζετο μάχαιρα· λιμὸς δὲ καὶ λοιμὸς, καὶ θηρίων ἀγρίων ἀγέλαι συνεπετίθεντο. Σεισμοί τε ἐξαίσιοι, πόλεις καὶ οἰκίας ἀνασπῶντες ἐκ βάθρων, εἰς τὸ ἀφυκτότατον τὸν ὄλεθρον ἐναφίεσαν. Καὶ χάσματα δὲ γῆς ἐνιαχόθι τοῖς οἰκήτορσιν ὑποῤῥηγνυμένης τάφος ἦν αὐτοσχέδιος· ἐπικλυσμοί τε τῶν ἐξ ἀέρος ὑδάτων, καὶ κατ᾿ ἄλλους αὐχμοὶ φλογώδεις, πρηστῆρές τε ἔστιν οἷς ἐμβαλλόμενοι, ποικίλον τε τὸ δεινὸν ἐποίουν καὶ ἀφόρητον. Καὶ δὴ καὶ χάλαζα μείζων ἢ κατὰ χερμάδα πολλαχοῦ γῆς κατεφέρετο· ἄχρι γὰρ καὶ ὀκτὼ τῶν λεγομένων λιτρῶν ἕλκουσα βάρος ὤφθη κατασκήψασα. Χιόνος δὲ πλῆθος καὶ κρυμῶν ὑπερβολαὶ, οὓς ἄλλη πληγὴ οὐ προανήρπασε, τούτους καταλαμβάνουσαι τοῦ βίου ἐξήλαυνον, καὶ σαφῶς τὴν θείαν ἀνεκήρυττον ἀγανάκτησιν.Οὗ καθ᾿ ἕκαστον ἐπεξελθεῖν ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνην ἂν εἴη δύναμιν. ### English translation (Claude) That, he says, in the times that came in my day such a destruction of human beings took place as no age from the beginning had known; and that this was what the sword-shaped star signified. For it was not only the fighting men who were used up, as long ago in earlier wars, nor were the sufferings confined to one part of the earth; but every race was being destroyed, all Europe perished, and no small part of Asia was destroyed with it, and also much of Libya, especially the part subject to the Romans. The barbarian sword worked the greater part of the destruction, but famine and plague and herds of wild beasts joined in the attack. Extraordinary earthquakes, tearing cities and houses up from their foundations, plunged people into ruin from which there was no escape. Chasms in the earth, breaking open in places beneath its inhabitants, became an improvised grave; floods of water from the sky, and in other places fiery droughts, and whirlwinds of fire falling on some, made the calamity varied and unbearable. Hail larger than a hand-stone fell in many parts of the earth; it was seen to come down weighing as much as eight of what are called pounds. Masses of snow and excessive frosts overtook those whom no other blow had carried off first and drove them out of life, clearly proclaiming the divine indignation. To go through these one by one would be beyond all human power. ### Translation notes - “The fighting men”: the word has lost letters in the scan (τὸ χιμον, τὸ μάχιμον). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.7 (PG 65:601; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-7). ## 11.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/10-1/#p-11-8 - Source: PG 65:601 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The invasions of Huns, Mazices and Isaurians, and the revolts of Tribigild and Gainas, whom a heavenly power drove from Constantinople and Fravitta defeated. ### Greek text Ὅτι τῶν Ούννων, φησὶν, οἱ μὲν, τῆς ἐντὸς Ἴστρου Σκυθίας τὴν πολλὴν χειρωσάμενοι καὶ διαφθείραντες πρότερον, ἔπειτα παγέντα τὸν ποταμὸν διαβάντες, ἀθρόως εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην εἰσήλασαν· καὶ κατὰ πᾶσαν ἀναχθέντες τὴν Θράκην, ὅλην τὴν ρώπην ἐληΐσαντο. Οἱ δὲ πρὸς ἥλιον ἀνίσχοντα, τὸν Τάναϊν ποταμὸν διαβάντες, καὶ τῇ ἑῴᾳ ἐπεισρυέντες, ᾿Αρμενίας μεγάλης εἰς τὴν καλουμένην Μελιτινὴν κατεῤῥάγησαν. Ἐκ ταύτης δὲ Εὐφρατησίαν τε έθεσαν καὶ μέχρι τῆς κοίλης Συρίας ἤλασαν, καὶ τὴν Κιλικίαν καταδραμόντες φόνον ἀνθρώπων εἰργάσαντο ἀνιστόρητον. Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζικες καὶ Αὐξωριανοί (μεταξὺ δὲ Λιβύης καὶ ῎Αφρων οὗτοι νέμονται), κατὰ μὲν τὸ ἑωθινὸν αὐτῶν κλίμα τὴν Λιβύην ἐξηρήμωσαν, καὶ τῆς Αἰγύπτου μοῖραν οὐκ ἐλαχίστην συνδιώλεσαν, ῎Αφροις τε έμβαλόντες κατὰ δυόμενον ἥλιον τὰ παραπλήσια ἔδρασαν. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπὶ τούτοις πᾶσι καὶ Τριγιβίλδος, ἀνὴρ Σκύθης μὲν γένος, τῶν νῦν ἐπικαλουμένων Γότθων πλεῖστα γὰρ καὶ διάφορα τούτων ἐστὶ Σκυθῶν γένη· οὗτος δὴ δύναμιν βαρβαρικὴν ἔχων, καὶ τῆς Φρυγίας ἐν τῇ Νακωλείᾳ καθεζόμενος, καὶ κόμητος ἔχων τιμὴν, ἐκ φιλίας εἰς ἔχθραν Ῥωμαίων ἀποῤῥαγείς. ᾿Απ' αὐτῆς Νακωλείας ἀρξάμενος, πλείστας τε πόλεις τῆς Φρυγίας εἶλε, καὶ πολὺν φόνον ἀνθρώπων εἰργάσατο. ὃν Γαϊνᾶς ὁ στρατηγὸς ἐκπεμφθεὶς, βάρβαρο; οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς, προὔδωκε τὴν νίκην, τὰ ἴσα καὶ αὐτὸς Ῥωμαίοις δράσαι διανοούμενος. Ἐκεῖθεν ὁ Τριγιβίλδος, ὡς δῆθεν τὸν Γαϊνᾶν διαφυγών, τὴν τε Πισιδίαν καὶ τὴν Παμφυλίαν ἐπιὼν κατελυμήνατο· εἶτα πολλαῖς καὶ αὐτὸς πρότερον δυσχωρίαις τε καὶ Ἰσαυρικαῖς μάχαις περιθραυσθεὶς τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐπὶ τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον διασώζεται· καὶ περαιωθεὶς ἐπὶ τὴν Θράκην οὐ μετὰ πολὺ διαφθείρεται. Γαϊνᾶς δὲ μετὰ τὴν προδοσίαν, ἐν τῷ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ σχήματι πρὸς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἐπανελθὼν, εἰς μελέτην ἧκε ταύτην παραστήσασθαι. Οὐρανία δέ τις ἔνοπλος ἐπιφανεῖσα δύναμις, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιβαλεῖν ὁρμηθέντας τῇ πράξει δειματώσασα, τὴν μὲν πόλιν τῆς ἁλώσεως ῥύεται, ἐκείνους δὲ φωραθέντας ταῖς ἀνθρωπίναις δίκαις τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀπογνοὺς, εἰς τὰ τῆς Θράκης ἀνωἐκδίδωσι, καὶ φόνος αὐτῶν ἐῤῥύη πολύς. Ὁ δὲ Γαῖνᾶς εἰς τοσοῦτον κατέστη δέους, ὡς αὐτίκα νυκτὸς εχούσης, μεθ᾽ ὅσων ἠδύνατο τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν πυλῶν βιασάμενος, ἐξελαύνει τῆς πόλεως. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἡ Θράκη ἐξηρήμωτο, καὶ οὔτε παρέχειν τι τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἦν δυνατή, οὔτε φθορὰν ἄλλην ἐνεγκεῖν, ἐπὶ Χερρόνησον ὁ Γαϊνᾶς στέλλεται, σχεδίαις διανοούμενος ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Ασίαν διαπεραιοῦσθαι. Διαγνωσθείσης δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ τῆς αὐτοῦ διανοίας, πέμπεται στρατηγὸς κατ' τοῦ Φραυΐτας, Γότθος μὲν τὸ γένος, Ἕλλην, δὲ τὴν δόξαν, πιστὸς δ᾽ οὖν Ῥωμαίοις, καὶ τὰ πολέμια κράτιστος. Οὗτος, ἐν ᾧ Γαϊνᾶς προέπεμπε τὸν ὑπ᾿ αὐτῷ στρατὸν ταῖς σχεδίαις διαπεραιοῦσθαι, νηΐτῃ στόλῳ συμπλέκεται ταύταις, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ῥᾴστου πάντας τοὺς συμπλέοντας ταῖς σχεδίαις διαφθείρει. Ἐξ οὗ Γαϊνᾶς τέρω φεύγει, καί τινες τῶν Ούννων οὐ πολλοῦ διαῤῥυέντος χρόνου ἐπελθάντες αὐτὸν ἀναιροῦσι· καὶ ἡ κεφαλή ταριχευθεῖσα εἰς Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἐκομίσθη. Χωρὶς δὲ τῶν εἰρημένων κακῶν καὶ τὸ Ἰσαύρων γένος παντοδαποὺς ἐπήνεγκεν ὀλέθρους. Πρὸς μὲν γὰρ ἥλιον ἀνίσχοντα την τε Κιλικίαν κατέδραμον, καὶ τὴν ὅμορον Συρίαν, οὐ τὴν κοίλην μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην μέχρ: Περσῶν αὐτῶν ἀφικομένην Κατὰ δὲ Ἰάπυγα ἄνεμον καὶ Θρασκίαν, Παμφυλίαν τε ἐπῆλθον, καὶ Λυκίους διέφθειρον· Κύπρον τε τὴν νῆσον καταστρεψάμενοι· Λυκάονάς τε καὶ Πισίδας ἠχμαλώτισαν. Καὶ Καππαδόκας τὸ πλεῖστον ἀναστήσαντες ἄχρι καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν πόντον διεκινδύνευσαν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων βαρβάρων τὰ χείριστα τοὺς ἁλισκομένους οὗτοι διέθεντο. ### English translation (Claude) That some of the Huns, he says, having first conquered and devastated most of Scythia this side of the Ister, then crossed the frozen river and burst all at once into Roman territory; and spreading over all Thrace, they plundered the whole of Europe. Others, crossing the river Tanais toward the rising sun and flooding into the East, broke into the part of Greater Armenia called Melitene. From there they attacked Euphratesia, drove as far as Coele-Syria, and overrunning Cilicia, wrought an unheard-of slaughter of people. Not only these, but also the Mazices and the Auxorians (they live between Libya and the Africans) laid waste Libya on their eastern side and destroyed no small part of Egypt as well, and, falling on the Africans toward the setting sun, did the same. Besides all these, Tribigild too, a man of Scythian race, of those now called Goths (for there are very many different races of these Scythians): he had a barbarian force, was stationed at Nacoleia in Phrygia and held the rank of count, but broke away from friendship with the Romans into enmity. Beginning from Nacoleia itself, he took very many cities of Phrygia and wrought great slaughter. Gainas the general, who was sent against him, being himself a barbarian, betrayed the victory, intending to do the same to the Romans himself. From there Tribigild, as if escaping Gainas, attacked Pisidia and Pamphylia and ravaged them; then, his strength broken by many difficult places and battles with the Isaurians, he escaped to the Hellespont, crossed into Thrace, and not long afterwards perished. Gainas, after his treachery, returned to Constantinople with the rank of general and set about seizing the city. But an armed heavenly power appeared and terrified those who had set out to carry out the deed; it saved the city from capture and gave up those who were detected to human justice, and much of their blood was shed. Gainas fell into such fear that at once, while it was still night, he forced his way past the guards at the gates with as many as he could and rode out of the city. When Thrace had been laid waste and could neither supply anything needed nor bear further destruction, Gainas set out for the Chersonese, intending to cross over to Asia on rafts. When his plan became known to the emperor, Fravitta was sent as general against him, a Goth by race and a pagan by belief, but loyal to the Romans and very strong in war. While Gainas was sending his army ahead to cross on the rafts, Fravitta engaged them with a fleet and very easily destroyed all who were sailing on the rafts. Gainas then, despairing of his position, fled farther into the interior of Thrace; and not long afterwards some of the Huns came upon him and killed him, and his head was pickled and brought to Constantinople. Besides the evils mentioned, the Isaurian people too brought every kind of ruin. Toward the rising sun they overran Cilicia and neighbouring Syria, not only Coele-Syria but the rest of it too, reaching as far as the Persians themselves; toward the Iapyx and the Thrascias winds they attacked Pamphylia and ravaged the Lycians; they subdued the island of Cyprus; they took the Lycaonians and Pisidians captive; and after uprooting most of the Cappadocians, they pushed their raids as far as Pontus; and they treated those they captured worse than the other barbarians. ### Translation notes - The words “despairing of his position, he went up into the interior of Thrace” are displaced in the scan into the sentence on the punishment of Gainas’s men; they belong to the sentence on his flight after the defeat on the rafts (…περαι]τέρω φεύγει) and are translated there. - Several words have lost letters in the scan (Εὐρώπην, Μάζικες, βάρβαρος ὤν, κατ' αὐτοῦ, περαιτέρω) and are translated by sense. Iapyx and Thrascias are the west-north-west and north-north-west winds. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 11.8 (PG 65:601; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/11-8). ## 12.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-1 - Source: PG 65:605 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius's account of Stilicho's fall through Olympius, set against other writers' version. ### Greek text Ὅτι Φιλοστόργιος, καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις πολλοῖς Στελίχωνος κατατρέχων, καὶ τυραννίδος ἔνοχον γράφει. Καὶ ὡς Ὀλύμπιός τις τῶν μαγίστρων, φερόμενον κατὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐν τῷ παλατίῳ τὸ ξίφος ἀντιλαβών τῇ χειρὶ, ἑαυτὸν μὲν ἐλυμήνατο, τὸν βασιλέα δὲ ἔσωσε, καὶ συνεργὸς αὐτῷ κατέστη πρὸς τὴν ἀναίρεσιν Στελίχωνος, κατὰ τὴν Ῥάβενναν διατρίβοντος. ῎Ἄλλοι δὲ οὐκ Ὀλύμπιον, ἀλλ' Ὀλυμπιόδωρόν φασιν· οὐδ᾽ ἐπαμῦναι τῷ βασιλεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιβουλεῦσαι τῷ εὐεργέτῃ Στελίχωνι, καὶ εἰς τυραννίδα συκοφαντῆσαι αὐτόν. Καὶ οὐδὲ μάγιστρον τηνικαῦτα εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ ὕστερον, μετὰ τὸν ἄδικον τοῦ Στελίχωνος φόνον, ἔπαθλον τὴν ἀξίαν λαβεῖν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν καὶ αὐτὸν ῥοπάλοις ἀναιρεθέντα τῆς μιαιφονίας τὴν κὴν ἀποτῖσαι τῷ Στελίχωνι. ### English translation (Claude) That Philostorgius, who disparages Stilicho in many other respects too, writes that he was guilty of aiming at usurpation; and that one Olympius, one of the magistri, caught with his hand the sword that was being brought against the emperor in the palace, injuring himself but saving the emperor, and became his partner in killing Stilicho while he was staying at Ravenna. But others say it was not Olympius but Olympiodorus; that he did not come to the emperor's defence, but plotted against his benefactor Stilicho and falsely accused him of usurpation; and that he was not a magister at that time, but received the rank afterwards, as a prize for the unjust murder of Stilicho. But not long afterwards he too was killed with clubs and paid Stilicho the penalty for his bloodshed. ### Translation notes - The comparison with “others” is Photius's. The word for “penalty” has lost letters in the scan (δίκην). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.1 (PG 65:605; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-1). ## 12.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-2 - Source: PG 65:605 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Alaric invades Greece and Italy, summoned, Philostorgius says, by Stilicho, whom he accuses of plotting against Honorius. ### Greek text Ὅτι κατὰ τοὺς προειρημένους χρόνους ᾿Αλάριχος Γότθος τὸ γένος, περὶ τὰ τῆς Θράκης ἄνω μέρη δύναμιν ἀθροίσας, ἐπῆλθε τῇ Ἑλλάδι, καὶ τὰς ᾿Αθήνας εἶλε, καὶ Μακεδόνας καὶ τοὺς προσεχεῖς Λαλμάτας ἐληῖσατο. Ἐπῆλθε δὲ καὶ τὴν Ἰλλυρίδα, καὶ τὰς ῎Αλπεις διαβὰς ταῖς Ἰταλίαις ἐνέβαλε Στελίχωνι δὲ, ὡς οὗτος λέγει, ζῶντι μετάπεμπτος ἦν. Ὃς αὐτῷ καὶ τὰς τῶν ᾿Αλπεων πύλας διήνοιξε. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπιβουλὰς πάσας Στελίχωνα κατὰ βασιλέως παλαμᾶσθαι, καὶ μηδ' ὅτι γαμβρὸν αὐτὸν εἶχεν ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ δυσωπεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ φάρμακον αὐτῷ ἀγωνίας ἐγκεράσασθαι ἐλελήθει δὲ ἄρα ἑαυτὸν, ἐν τῷ σπουδάζειν τὸν υἱὸν Εὐχέριον ἀνακηρύξειν ρανόμως βασιλέα, τὸν ἀπόγονον τῆς κατὰ διαδοχὴν καὶ θεσμὸν βασιλείας προεκθερίζων καὶ ζημιούμενος. Οὕτω δὲ κατάφωρον καὶ ἀδεᾶ τὴν τυραννίδα προενεγκεῖν τὸν Στελίχωνα λέγει, ὡς καὶ μισμα, μορφῆς λειπούσης μόνης, κόψασθαι. ### English translation (Claude) That about the times mentioned, Alaric, a Goth by race, gathered a force in the upper parts of Thrace, invaded Greece, took Athens, and plundered the Macedonians and the neighbouring Dalmatians. He also invaded Illyricum, and crossing the Alps fell upon Italy. He had been summoned, as this man says, by Stilicho while Stilicho was still alive, and Stilicho also opened the gates of the Alps to him. For, he says, Stilicho contrived every plot against the emperor, and was not even restrained by having him as his son-in-law through his daughter, but mixed a drug for him; but in his eagerness to proclaim his son Eucherius emperor unlawfully, he did not notice that he was cutting down beforehand and destroying his own descendant in the lawful succession to the empire. He says that Stilicho brought his usurpation into the open so plainly and fearlessly that he even struck coins, lacking only his image. ### Translation notes - The drug is printed φάρμακον ἀγωνίας (“of anguish”); the sense, as the next clause shows, is a drug against childbearing (ἀγονίας). - Some words have lost letters in the scan (Δαλμάτας, παρανόμως, νόμισμα) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.2 (PG 65:605; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-2). ## 12.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-3 - Source: PG 65:607 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Stilicho's son is killed; Alaric takes the Portus, besieges Rome, sets up Attalus, deposes him, and finally sacks Rome before dying in Campania. ### Greek text Ὅτι Στελίχωνος ἀνῃρημένου, οἱ συνόντες βάρβαροι, τὸν ἐκείνου παῖδα λαβόντες, τὴν ταχίστην ᾤχοντο. Καὶ τῇ Ῥώμῃ πλησιάσαντες, τὸν μὲν ἐφεῖσαν εἷς τινα τῶν ἀσύλων ἱερὸν καταφυγεῖν. Οἱ δὲ τὰ τῆς πόλεως πέριξ ἐπόρθουν, τῶν μὲν τῷ Στελίχωνι τιμωροῦντες τῶν δὲ λιμῷ πιεζόμενοι. Ἐπεὶ δὲ παρὰ Ονωρίου γράμμα, κρεῖττον τῆς ἀσυλίας γενόμενον, ἀναιρεῖ τὸν Εὐχέριον, διὰ ταῦτα συμμίξαντες οἱ βάρβαροι ᾿Αλαρίχῳ εἰς τὸν πρὸς μαίους αὐτὸν ἐξορμῶσι πόλεμον. Ὁ δὲ θᾶττον καταλαμβάνει τὸν πόρτον· μέγιστον δὲ οὗτος νεώριον Ῥώμης, λιμέσι τρισὶ περιγραφόμενος, καὶ εἰς πόλεως μικρᾶς παρατεινόμενος μέγεθος. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ ὁ δημόσιος ἅπας σἴτος κατὰ παλαιὸν ἔθος ἐταμιεύετο. Ἑλὼν δὲ ῥᾷον τὸν πόρτον, καὶ τῇ σιτοδείᾳ, ἢ ταῖς ἄλλαις μηχαναῖς πολιορκήσας τὴν Ῥώμην κατὰ κράτος αἱρεῖ· καὶ ψηφισαμένων τῶν Ῥωμαίων (τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτοῖς ᾿Αλάριχος ἐνεδίδου) ῎Ατταλον αὐτοῖς ἀναγορεύει βασιλέα. Οὗτος δὲ Ἴων μὲν ἦν τὸ γένος, Ἕλλην δὲ τὴν δόξαν, τῆς αὐτῆς δὲ πόλεως ἔπαρχος. Οὗτος δὲ λοιπὸν μετὰ τὴν ἀναγόρευσιν τὸ λείψανον τῶν Ῥωμαίων, ὅπερ ὁ λιμὸς αὐτὸς καὶ ἡ ἀλληλοφαγία ὑπελείπετο, τροφὴν αὐτοῖς κομίζειν ἀπὸ τοῦ πόρτου ἐφίησιν. Εἶτα τὸν Ἄτταλον λαβὼν, καὶ στρατηγοῦ σχῆμα πληρῶν αὐτῷ, ἐπὶ τὴν Ῥάβενναν καθ' 'Ονωρίου στρατεύει. Καὶ κελεύει ῎Ατταλος τὸν Ἑνώριον, τὸν ἰδιώτην ἀνθελέσθαι βίον, καὶ τῶν τοῦ ματος ἀκρωτηριῶν τῇ περιτομῇ τὴν τοῦ ὅλου σωτηρίαν ὠνήσασθαι. Σάρος δὲ, ὃς μετὰ Στελίχωνα τὴν στρατηγικὴν ἀρχὴν Ονωρίου δεδωκότος εἶχε, συμβαλὼν ᾿Αλαρίχῳ, κρατεῖ τῇ μάχῃ, καὶ τῆς βέννης ἀποδιώκει. Ὁ δὲ τὸν πόρτον καταλαβὼν ἀποδύει μὲν τῆς βασιλείας τὸν ῎Ατταλον· οἱ μέν φασι, μὴ εὔνουν εἶναι διαβληθέντα· οἱ δὲ, διότι σπονδὰς διενοεῖτο πρὸς Ονώριον θέσθαι, καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν ἐμποδὼν ἑστάναι, δέον ἡγεῖτο προαποσκευάσασθαι. Μετὰ τοῦτο πρὸς Ῥάβενναν ὁ ᾿Αλάριχος ἐπανελθὼν, καὶ σπονδὰς προτείνων, ὑπὸ τοῦ προειρημένου διεκρούσθη Σάρου, φαμένου τὸν δίκας ὀφείλοντα τῶν τολμηθέντων, μὴ ἂν ἄξιον εἶναι φίλοις συντάττεσθαι. Ἐκεῖθεν ᾿Αλάριχος ὀργισθεὶς μετὰ ἐνιαυτὸν τῆς προτέρας ἐπὶ τὸν πόρτον ἐφόδου, ὡς πολέμιον ἐπελαύνει τῇ Ῥώμῃ. Καὶ τὸ ἐντεῦθεν τῆς σαύτης δόξης τὸ μέγεθος, καὶ τὸ τῆς δυνάμεως ριώνυμον, ἀλλόφυλον πῦρ καὶ ξίφος πολέμιον, καὶ αἰχμαλωσία κατεμερίζετο βάρβαρος. Ἐν ἐρειπίοις δὲ τῆς πόλεως κειμένης, ᾿Αλάριχος τὰ κατὰ Καμπανίαν ἐληίζετο, κἀκεῖ νόσῳ φθείρεται. ### English translation (Claude) That when Stilicho had been killed, the barbarians who were with him took his son and went off with all speed. When they came near Rome, they let him take refuge in one of the sanctuaries that have the right of asylum. They ravaged the country round the city, partly to avenge Stilicho and partly because they were pressed by hunger. But when a letter from Honorius, stronger than the right of asylum, put Eucherius to death, the barbarians therefore joined Alaric and urged him on to war against the Romans. He quickly seized the Portus; this is the largest dockyard of Rome, enclosed by three harbours and extending to the size of a small city. In it all the public grain was stored, by ancient custom. Having easily taken the Portus, he besieged Rome by the want of grain, or by his other engines, and took it by force; and, the Romans voting for it (for Alaric allowed them this), he proclaimed Attalus their emperor. Attalus was an Ionian by race and a pagan by belief, and prefect of the city itself. After the proclamation Alaric allowed what was left of the Romans, whom famine and the eating of one another had spared, to bring food for themselves from the Portus. Then, taking Attalus and acting as his general, he marched against Honorius to Ravenna. And Attalus ordered Honorius to choose a private life and to buy the safety of his whole body by the cutting off of its extremities. But Sarus, who after Stilicho held the military command by Honorius's grant, engaged Alaric, defeated him in battle and drove him away from Ravenna. Alaric then seized the Portus and stripped Attalus of the empire: some say because he had been accused of being ill-disposed, others because Alaric intended to make a treaty with Honorius and thought he should first remove what seemed to stand in the way. After this Alaric returned to Ravenna and offered a treaty, but was rebuffed by the aforementioned Sarus, who said that a man who owed penalties for what he had dared did not deserve to be counted among friends. Thereupon Alaric, enraged, a year after his first attack on the Portus, marched against Rome as an enemy. And from then on the greatness of so great a glory and the renown of its power were shared out among foreign fire, the enemy's sword and barbarian captivity. While the city lay in ruins, Alaric plundered Campania, and there he died of disease. ### Translation notes - A long run of lemmata from Valesius's notes (on 12.2–12.3) had leaked into the text; it is removed. Several words have lost letters in the scan (Ῥωμαίους, σώματος, Ῥαβέννης, τοσαύτης, περιώνυμον) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.3 (PG 65:607; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-3). ## 12.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-4 - Source: PG 65:609 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Ataulf, Alaric's successor, marries Placidia, which Philostorgius sees as the union of iron and clay; after Ataulf's murder the Goths return Placidia and Attalus and receive land in Gaul. ### Greek text Ὁ δὲ τῆς αὐτοῦ γυναικὸς ἀδελφός βαρβαρικοῦ γὰρ γένους τοῦ Σαυροματῶν χρηματίζειν αὐτὴν, καὶ συναφθῆναι τότε τῷ ὀστρακίνῳ νει τὸν ἐκ σιδήρου τὴν γένεσιν ἕλκοντα. Οὐ τοῦτο καῖς ὁμιλίαις τῇ Πλακιδίᾳ συνείπετο τὴν γὰρ ὀστρακίνην φύσιν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡνίκα πάλιν ᾿Αδαοῦλφος γαμιἐλπίδας τρέφων, ὡς αὐτὸς καταπολεμήσας ᾿Αδαοῦλφον τὴν Πλακιδίαν νυμφεύσαιτο. Οὐ πολὺ δὲ τὸ μέσον, καὶ πολλὰ δραματουργήσας, ἐξ ὀργῆς ᾿Αδαοῦλφος ὑπό τινος τῶν οἰκείων ἀποσφάττεται. Ἐκ τούτου τὸ βάρβαρον πρὸς Ονώριον σπένδεται, καὶ τὴν κείαν ἀδελφὴν, καὶ τὸν ῎Ατταλον τῷ βασιλεῖ παρατίθενται αὐτοὶ, σιτήσεσί τε δεξιωθέντες, καὶ μοῖράν τινα τῆς τῶν Γαλατῶν χώρας εἰς γεωργίαν ἀποκληρωσάμενοι. ### English translation (Claude) His wife's brother … [Ataulf, married Placidia, having put away his former wife,] for he says that she was of the barbarian race of the Sarmatians; and that at that time the one whose origin is from iron was joined to the race of clay. And not only this, but also again when Ataulf joined Placidia in marriage; for the nature of clay … [Constantius …] nourishing hopes that he himself would defeat Ataulf in war and marry Placidia. Not long afterwards Ataulf, after doing many dreadful things in his anger, was slaughtered by one of his own household. After this the barbarians made a treaty with Honorius and handed over to the emperor his own sister and Attalus, while they themselves were welcomed with grain allowances and were allotted a portion of the land of the Gauls to farm. ### Scripture references - Dan 2:41–43: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The beginning of this section is lost (two lines missing in the manuscript), and a further passage of about nine lines is missing in the middle, where the scan also mixes the remaining lines; the bracketed words give the sense of the missing passages and are not in the Greek. The iron and the clay allude to Dan 2:41–43, which Philostorgius applies to the Goths and the Romans. - Some words have lost letters in the scan (οἰκείαν) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.4 (PG 65:609; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-4). ## 12.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-5 - Source: PG 65:611 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Honorius celebrates the resettlement of Rome, mutilates Attalus and exiles him to Lipara. ### Greek text Μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ἡ Ῥώμη τῶν πολλῶν κακῶν ἀνασχοῦσα συνοικίζεται· καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς αὐτῇ παραγεγονὼς, χειρὶ καὶ γλώττῃ τὸν συνοικισμὸν ἐπεκρότει. Ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ βήματος ἀναβὰς, ὁ τὴν πρώτην αὐτῷ βαθμίδα τὸν Ἄτταλον διαβαίνειν ὑπετίθει δεξιᾶς χειρὸς ἀπέτεμε τοὺς δύο δακτύλους, ὧν ὁ μὲν ἀντίχειρ· ὁ δὲ λιχανὸς ἔχει τὴν κλῆσιν· καὶ εἰς Λίπαρα τὴν νῆσον τοῦτον φυγαδεύει μηδενὸς ἄλλου κακοῦ πρὸς πεῖραν καταστήσας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς εἰς τὸν βίον χρείας παρασχόμενος. ### English translation (Claude) After this Rome too, recovering from its many evils, was resettled; and the emperor, coming there, applauded the resettlement with hand and tongue. Mounting the tribunal, he made Attalus stand on its first step … he cut off two fingers of his right hand, of which one is called the thumb and the other the forefinger, and banished him to the island of Lipara, inflicting no other harm on him, but even providing what he needed for life. ### Translation notes - About two lines are missing after the first step of the tribunal. Lemmata and supplements from Valesius's notes on 12.4 (including the phrase “the nature of clay is the Roman empire, and the one from iron the race of the Goths”) had leaked into this section; they are removed. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.5 (PG 65:611; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-5). ## 12.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-6 - Source: PG 65:613 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The usurpers Jovinus, Sebastian and Heraclian are destroyed, showing that God supports the lawful emperor. ### Greek text Κατὰ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς χρόνους Ἰωβιανός τε ἐπανέστη, εἰς φθορὰν ἀπέσβη Καὶ Σεβαστιανὸς ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ τοῖς ἴσοις ἐποφθαλμήσας, τὴν ἴσην ἔδωκε δίκην Ὁ Ἡρακλειανὸς, μιμησάμενος τούτους, καὶ πλέῳ τῷ τῆς τύχης γέλῳ ἐπιβὰς, εὐκλεεστέραν ἔσχε τὴν καταστροφὴν, τῆς θείας φανῶς ἐπικηρυττούσης Οὐδὲ ἀκόσμητον ἐᾷ οὐδὲ χαίρει τοῖς τυραννοῦσιν· ἀλλ᾽ οἷς ὁ κατὰ θεσμὸν βασιλεὺς ἁρμόζει, τούτῳ καὶ αὐτὴ συμπαρατάττεται ### English translation (Claude) About the same time Jovinus rose in revolt and was snuffed out in ruin; and his brother Sebastian, coveting the same, paid the same penalty. Heraclian, who imitated them and rode further on fortune's mockery, had a more notorious fall, divine [justice] plainly proclaiming that it does not leave [lawful kingship] unadorned and takes no pleasure in usurpers, but fights alongside those whom the lawful emperor suits. ### Translation notes - The usurper is printed Ἰωβιανός; he was Jovinus. Words have dropped out of the last sentence; leaked lemmata of Valesius's notes in 12.8 supply “justice” (δίκης) and “lawful kingship” (τὴν ἔννομον βασιλείαν), given in brackets. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.6 (PG 65:613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-6). ## 12.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-7 - Source: PG 65:615 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theodosius II succeeds Arcadius, with his sister Pulcheria directing the imperial business. ### Greek text Ὅτι τελευτήσαντος Αρκαδίου, διάδοχος τῆς ἑῴας ἀρχῆς κομιδῇ νέος ὢν Θεοδόσιος ὁ παῖς, ἀναδείκνυται. Συνῆν αὐτῷ καὶ Πουλχερία ἡ ἀδελφὴ, τὰς βασιλικὰς σημειώσεις ὑπηρετουμένη καὶ διευθύνουσα. ### English translation (Claude) That when Arcadius died, his son Theodosius, who was quite young, was declared successor to the eastern empire. With him was his sister Pulcheria, who handled and directed the imperial annotations. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.7 (PG 65:615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-7). ## 12.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-8 - Source: PG 65:615 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The eclipse of 418, a cone-shaped light in the sky, and the earthquakes and fire from heaven that followed. ### Greek text Ὅτι Θεοδοσίου τῆς τῶν μειρακίων ἡλικίας ἐπιβεβηκότος, καὶ τοῦ μηνὸς Ἰουλίου εἰς ἐννέα ἐπὶ δεκάτῃ διαβαίνοντος, περὶ ὀγδόην τῆς ἡμέρας ὥραν, ὁ ἥλιος οὕτω βαθέως ἐκλείπει, ὡς καὶ ἀστέρας ἀναλάμψαι· καὶ αὐχμὸς οὕτω τῷ πάθει συνείπετο, ὡς πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζώων ἀσυνήθη φθορὰν πανταχοῦ φέρεσθαι. Ἐκλείποντι δὲ τῷ ἡλίῳ, φέγγος τι κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν συνανεφάνη, κώνου σχῆμα παραδυόμενον ὅ τινες ἐξ ἀμαθίας ἀστέρα κομήτην ἐκάλουν. Καὶ γὰρ ὧν ἐκεῖνος ἐδείκνυ, οὐδὲν ἦν κομήτας παράσημον οὔτε γὰρ τὸ φέγγος εἰς κόμην ἀπέβαινεν, οὔτε ἀστέρι ὅλως ἐῴκει· ἀλλ᾽ οἷον λύχνου τις μεγάλη φλὸξ ὑπῆρχε καθ' ἑαυτὴν ὁρωμένη, μηδενὸς ἀστέρος θρυαλλίδος αὐτῷ τινος μορφὴν ὑποτρέχοντος. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τῇ κινήσει παρήλλαττε· καὶ γὰρ κινηθεὶς ὅθεν ὁ ἥλιος κατὰ ἰσημερίαν ἀνίσχει, ἐκεῖθεν τὸν κατὰ τῆς οὐρᾶς ἄρκτου τεταγμένον ἔσχατον ἀστέρα ὑπερενεγκὼν ἠρέμα προύβαινε πορευόμενος ἐπὶ δυσμάς. Ἐπεὶ δὲ διεμέτρει τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἀφανὴς ἦν, πλείους τεσσάρων νῶν ἐξανυσθείσης αὐτῷ τῆς πορείας. Ἡ δὲ κορυφή τοῦ φέγγους, νῦν μὲν εἰς μῆκος μέγα ὠξύνετο, ὡς ἐκβαίνειν τοὺς τοῦ κώνου λόγους· νῦν δὲ πρὸς τὸ ἐκείνου μέτρον συνεστέλλετο. Καὶ ἄλλα δὲ παρείχε τερατώδη θεάματα, δι᾽ ὧν τῆς τῶν συνήθων φασμάτων ἐξηλλάττετο φύσεως. Ἤρξατο δὲ ἀπὸ μέσου θέρους σχεδόν τε μέχρι τῆς τοῦ μετοπώρου τελευτῆς. Γέγονε δὲ ἄρα καὶ τοῦτο σημεῖον πολέμων μεγάλων, καὶ φθορᾶς ἀνθρώπων οὐ ῥητῆς. Τῷ δὲ ἑξῆς ἔτει ἤρξαντο σεισμοί, οὐ ῥᾴους ὄντες τοῖς προλαβοῦσι ραβαλεῖν. Τοῖς δὲ σεισμοῖς καὶ πῦρ οὐρανόθεν συγκαταῤῥηγνύμενον, πᾶσαν ἐλπίδα σωτηρίας περιέκοπτε πλήν γε φθορὰν ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἐνειργάσατο. ᾿Αλλ' ἡ θεία εὐμένεια πνεῦμα σφοδρὸν καθιεῖσα, καὶ τὸ πῦρ πανταχόθεν περιελάσασα, κατὰ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀπέρριψε. Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν ξένην θέαν, τῶν κυμάτων ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὥσπερ τινῶν λασίων χωρίων τῷ πυρὶ καταφλεγομένων, ἄχρι τελείως τὸ φλέγον ἐναπέσβη τῷ πελάγει. ### English translation (Claude) That when Theodosius had reached the age of youth, as the month of July was passing into its nineteenth day, about the eighth hour of the day, the sun was so deeply eclipsed that stars shone out; and such a drought followed the event that an unusual destruction of many people and other living creatures took place everywhere. While the sun was eclipsed, a light appeared in the sky as well, shaped like a cone, which some in their ignorance called a comet. But nothing it showed was a mark of a comet: its light did not end in a tail, nor was it like a star at all, but it was like a great flame of a lamp seen by itself, with no star beneath it in the shape of a wick. It differed in its movement too: starting from where the sun rises at the equinox, it passed beyond the last star set in the Bear's tail and went on slowly toward the west. When it had crossed the sky it disappeared, its course having lasted more than four months. The tip of the light at times sharpened to a great length, so as to go beyond the proportions of a cone, and at times drew back to its measure. It presented other portentous sights too, by which it differed from the nature of ordinary apparitions. It began about midsummer and lasted almost to the end of autumn. This too proved to be a sign of great wars and unspeakable destruction of people. In the following year earthquakes began, not easy to compare with those before them. With the earthquakes, fire too broke down from heaven and cut off all hope of safety, but it caused no loss of human life. For the divine kindness sent a violent wind, drove the fire together from every side, and hurled it into the sea. And one could see a strange sight: the waves, over a very wide area, burning with fire like thickly wooded country, until the blaze was completely quenched in the sea. ### Translation notes - A long run of lemmata from Valesius's notes (on 12.6–12.8) had leaked into the description of the light's course; it is removed. Some words have lost letters (μηνῶν, παραβαλεῖν) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.8 (PG 65:615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-8). ## 12.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-9 - Source: PG 65:617 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Strange effects of the earthquakes, which Philostorgius takes as signs of divine anger rather than natural events. ### Greek text Ὅτι κατὰ πολλοὺς τόπους τῶν σεισμῶν γενομένων, ὤφθησαν ὀροφαὶ οἰκιῶν ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων μετὰ μεγάλων πατάγων καὶ ἀῤῥαγμῶν διαστᾶσαι, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἔνδον παρατυχόντας καθαρῶς τῇ ὄψει τὸν οὐρανὸν ὑποβάλλειν. Καὶ μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην διάστασιν, οὕτω πάλιν ἁρμοθεῖσαί τε καὶ συναφθεῖσαι, ὡς δεμίαν αἴσθησιν τοῦ νεωτερισθέντος μηδενὶ παρασχεῖν. Τὸ αὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο πάθος, καὶ περὶ τὰ ἐδάφη πολλαχοῦ συνηνέχθη. Καὶ γὰρ σιτοβόλων τοὺς κάτωθεν οἰκοῦντας ἀπέπνιξαν, τὸν σἴτον αὐτοῖς ἀθρόον ἐπιχεάμενοι διὰ τῶν πάλων καὶ πάλιν οὕτω παρέσχον τὸ ἔδαφος ἡρμοσμένον, ὡς ἐξαπορεῖν ἅπαντας πόθεν ὁ φονεὺς ἀπεῤῥύη σἴτος. Καὶ ἄλλα δὲ τοιουτότροπα πάθη τηνικαῦτα ἐνεωχμώθη, δεικνύντα μὴ φυσικῇ τινι ταῦτα προελθεῖν ἀκολουθίᾳ, ὡς Ἑλλήνων παῖδες ληροῦσιν, ἀλλὰ θείας ἀγανακτήσεως στιγας ἐπαφεθῆναι. ### English translation (Claude) That when earthquakes took place in many places, the roofs of houses were seen to part from one another with great crashes and cracking, so that those who happened to be inside could see the sky clearly; and after so great a parting, they were fitted and joined together again in such a way as to give no one any sign of what had happened. The same thing happened in many places to floors as well. For granaries suffocated those living beneath them, pouring their grain on them all at once through the openings, and then left the floor fitted together again, so that everyone was at a loss to know where the murderous grain had poured from. Other such things too were done in that time, showing that these things did not come about by some natural sequence, as the children of the Greeks babble, but were sent down as scourges of divine indignation. ### Translation notes - A leaked lemma (Διὰ τῶν πάλων. διὰ τῶν πάτων.) is removed. Some words have lost letters (μηδεμίαν, μάστιγας) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.9 (PG 65:617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-9). ## 12.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-10 - Source: PG 65:619 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Philostorgius argues that earthquakes come from God's will alone, citing the Red Sea, the water from the rock and Naaman's cleansing. ### Greek text Ὅτι διαφόροις ἐπιχειρήμασι κατασκευάζειν πειρᾶται, τοὺς σεισμοὺς μήτε διὰ πλημμύραν ὑδάτων συνίστασθαι, μήτε πνευμάτων ἐναπολαμβανομένων τοῖς κόλποις τῆς γῆς· ἀλλὰ μηδὲ γῆς τινος ὅλως παρεγκλίσει μόνῃ δὲ τῇ θείᾳ γνώμῃ, πρὸς ἐπιστροφὴν καὶ διόρθωσιν τῶν ἁμαρτανομένων. Καὶ ταῦτά φησιν ἰσχυριζόμενον λέγειν, διότι τὰ τηλικαῦτα πάθη μὴ δύναται μηδέτερον τῶν εἰρημένων στοιχείων κατὰ φυσικὴν ἀποτελεῖν δύναμιν. Ἐπεὶ Θεοῦ γε βουληθέντος, καὶ ψεκὰς ἡ σμικροτάτη προσπεσοῦσα καὶ νιφὰς ἡ κουφοτάτη, τὸν Ὄλυμπον τῆς Μακεδονίας, ἤ τι ἄλλο τῶν μεγίστων ὀρῶν κινήσειεν ἂν ῥᾳδίως. Ἐπεὶ καὶ φαίνεται πολλάκις τὸ Θεῖον ἐπὶ παιδείᾳ τῶν θρώπων, τούτοις χρώμενον. Τήν τε γὰρ Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν, ῥᾷον ὂν ἀθρόον διαστῆσαι, νότῳ βιαίῳ πρότερον μαστιγώσας καὶ συνωθίσας, οὕτω διέστησεν, τῇ τοῦ νότου φύσει μηδεμιᾶς δυνάμεως τοιαύτης ἐγκαθιδρυμένης, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν ῥοπῆς ὑπερφυῶς αὐτῷ χρησαμένης πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον βούλημα. Καὶ 6δος δὲ πηγὰς ἐκ πέτρας ναμάτων πλήττουσα προχέει· καὶ Ἰορδάνου ῥεῖθρα καθαίρουσι λέπραν, οὐ τῆς φύσεως αὐτῶν ταῦτα δρᾶν ἐνδυναμούσης, τοῦ δὲ πλάστου μεταπλάττειν ἕκαστον τῶν δημιουργημάτων πρὸς ἣν ἂν ἐθέλοι χρείαν, πολλὴν καὶ ἀκώλυτον ἔχοντος τὴν ἐξουσίαν. ### English translation (Claude) That he tries by various arguments to show that earthquakes arise neither from a flood of waters, nor from winds shut up in the hollows of the earth, nor from any sinking of the earth at all, but by the divine will alone, for the conversion and correction of sins. And he says he insists on this because none of the elements mentioned can produce such great effects by natural power; whereas if God wills it, even the smallest drop of rain falling, or the lightest snowflake, could easily move Olympus in Macedonia or any other of the greatest mountains. For the Divinity is often seen using these things for the training of human beings. Though it would have been easier to part the Red Sea all at once, he first lashed it with a violent south wind and drove it together, and so parted it, though no such power is set in the nature of the south wind; but the influence from above used it supernaturally for its own purpose. A rod, too, strikes and pours out springs of water from a rock; and the streams of the Jordan cleanse leprosy, not because their nature gives them the power to do this, but because the Creator has great and unhindered authority to refashion each of his works for whatever use he wishes. ### Scripture references - Exod 14:21: allusion, high confidence - Exod 17:6: allusion, high confidence - 2 Kgs 5:14: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The south wind is that of Exod 14:21 in the Greek (LXX “a violent south wind”); the rock, Exod 17:6; the Jordan, 2 Kgs 5:14. - Some words have lost letters (ῥάβδος, ἀνθρώπων) and are translated by sense. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.10 (PG 65:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-10). ## 12.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-11 - Source: PG 65:619 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Lucian, Eunomius's nephew, leads the Eunomians of Constantinople and then forms his own splinter group. ### Greek text "Ὅτι μετὰ θάνατον Εὐδοξίου, ὃς τῆς ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει Εὐνομιανῆς συναγωγῆς ὑπ ἦρχε Λουκιανὸς ἀντικαθίσταται, παῖς ὧν ἀδελφῆς Εὐνομίου. Τοῦτον δή φασιν εἰς φιλαργυρίαν τε καὶ τὰ συγγενῆ κατολισθήσαντα πάθη, καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς ὑφορώμενον δίκην, ἀποσχίσαι μὲν τῆς ἄλλης Εὐνομιανῶν μοίρας· ἰδίας δὲ συμμορίας ἀρχηγὸν ἑαυτὸν ἀναδεῖξαι, καὶ συντάγματος οὐκ εὐκαταφρονήτου ξαι· πάντων τῶν ἐπιῤῥήτων τε καὶ ποικίλοις πάθεσι καθωπλισμένων πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀπεῤῥυηκότων. ### English translation (Claude) That after the death of Eudoxius, who presided over the Eunomian congregation in Constantinople, Lucian, the son of Eunomius's sister, was appointed in his place. They say that he slid into avarice and the vices akin to it and, fearing the punishment for it, broke away from the rest of the Eunomian party, made himself head of a group of his own, and led a following not to be despised, since all those of evil repute and armed with various vices flowed away to him. ### Translation notes - The word for “led” has lost letters in the scan (ξαι). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.11 (PG 65:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-11). ## 12.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-12 - Source: PG 65:619 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Constantius III becomes co-emperor, is refused recognition by Theodosius II, and dies after six months. ### Greek text Ὅτι Ονώριος ὁ βασιλεὺς Κωνστάντιον τὸν στρατηγὸν κατὰ τιμὴν τοῦ κήδους εἰς τὸ τῆς βασιλείας προσλαμβάνεται σκῆπτρον· ἤδη καὶ παῖδα Οὐαλεντινιανὸν τῆς Πλακιδίας αὐτῷ γειναμένης· ᾧ καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἐπιφανεστάτου περιῆψεν ὁ Ονώριος ἀξίαν. Αἱ δὲ τοῦ Κωνσταντίου εἰκόνες, ὡς ἔθος ἦν τοῖς ἄρτι παρελθοῦσιν εἰς βασιλείαν πράττειν, ἀναπέμπονται πρὸς τὴν ἑῴαν. ᾿Αλλ' ὅ γε Θεοδόσιος οὐκ ἀρεσκόμενος τῇ ἀναῤῥήσει, οὐ προσίετο ταύτας. Καὶ δὴ Κωνσταντίῳ παρασκευαζομένῳ διὰ τὴν ὕβριν ἐπὶ ᾿πόλεμον, καὶ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τῶν φροντίδων ἐπιστὰς ὁ θάνατος τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν παρέχει, βασιλεύσαντι νας ἕξ. ### English translation (Claude) That the emperor Honorius, in honour of their marriage connection, took the general Constantius as a partner in the sceptre of empire, Placidia having already borne him a son, Valentinian, on whom Honorius also conferred the dignity of nobilissimus. Constantius's images, as was the custom for those who had just come to the throne, were sent to the East. But Theodosius, not pleased with the proclamation, would not receive them. And when Constantius was preparing for war because of the insult, death came upon him and released him from life and from his cares, after he had reigned six months. ### Translation notes - The word for “months” has lost letters in the scan (μῆνας). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.12 (PG 65:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-12). ## 12.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-13 - Source: PG 65:619 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: After Honorius's death the usurper John is overthrown by Ardaburius and Aspar, and Valentinian III is made emperor. ### Greek text Ὅτι ἐν ὑπατείᾳ τοῦ βασιλέως Θεοδοσίου τὸ δέκατον, καὶ Ονωρίου τὸ τρισκαιδέκατον, αὐτὸς Ὁνώριος ὑδέρῳ τελευτᾷ. Καὶ Ἰωάννης τυραννίδι ἐπιθέμενος, διαπρεσβεύεται πρὸς Θεοδόσιον· ἀπράκτου δὲ τῆς πρεσβείας γεγενημένης, καὶ οἱ πρέσβεις ὑβρισθέντες, ἄλλος ἀλλαχῆ κατὰ τὴν Προποντίδα φυγῇ προετιμήθησαν. Τὴν μέντοι Πλακιδίαν καὶ τὸν τρίτον Οὐαλεντινιανὸν (μετὰ γὰρ Κωνσταντίνου θάνατον, πρὸς τὸ Βυζάντιον ἀνεκομίσθησαν) ἀποστέλλει πρὸς Θεσσαλονίκην Θεοδόσιος. Κἀκεῖ τὴν τοῦ Καίσαρος ἀξίαν τῷ ἀνεψιῷ παρατίθησιν ᾿Αρδαβουρίῳ τῷ στρατηγῷ, καὶ τῷ τούτου υἱῷ ῎Ασπαρι τὴν κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου στρατηγίαν ἐγχειρίσας. Οἳ δὴ καὶ συνεπαγόμενοι Πλακιδίαν τε καὶ Οὐαλεντινιανὸν, καὶ τούς τε Παίονας καὶ τοὺς Ἰλλυριοὺς διελάσαντες, τὰς Σάλωνας, πόλιν τῆς Δαλματίας, ἀναιροῦσι κατὰ κράτος Ἐντεῦθεν ὁ μὲν᾿ Αρδαβούριος νηΐτῃ στόλῳ κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου χωρεῖ. Ὁ δὲ ῎Ασπαρ τὴν ἱππικὴν δύναμιν συλλαβῶν, καὶ τῷ τάχει τῆς ἐφόδου κλέψας τὰς αἰσθήσεις, τῆς ᾿Ακυληΐας μεγάλης πόλεως έγκρατὴς γίνεται, συνόντων αὐτῷ Οὐαλεντινιανοῦ καὶ Πλακιδίας. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν οὕτω τὴν μεγάλην ἀταλαιπώρως παρεστήσατο. Τὸν δὲ ᾿Αρδαβούριον βίαιον ἀπολαβὸν πνεῦμα, σὺν δυσὶν ἑτέραις τριήρεσιν εἰς χεῖρας ἄγει τοῦ τυράννου. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς σπονδὰς ἀφορῶν, φιλανθρώπως ἐκέχρητο τῷ ᾿Αρδαβουρίῳ. Καὶ πολλῆς οὗτος ἀπολαύων τῆς ἀδείας, τοὺς ἀποστρατήγους τοῦ τυράννου ἤδη καὶ αὐτοὺς ὑποκεκινημένους, τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν κρατύνει τὴν κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου· καὶ μαίνει ῎Ασπαρι τῷ παιδὶ παραγενέσθαι, ὡς ἐφ᾿ ἑτοίμῳ τῷ κατορθώματι. Τοῦ δὲ θᾶττον σὺν τῷ ἱππότῃ στρατῷ παραγεγονότος, καὶ μάχης τινὸς συῤῥαγείσης, συλλαμβάνεται ὁ Ἰωάννης τῇ τῶν ἀμφ᾿ αὐτὸν προδοσίᾳ, καὶ πρὸς Πλακιδίαν καὶ Οὐαλεντινιανὸν εἰς ᾿Ακυληΐαν ἐκπέμπεται· κἀκεῖ τὴν δεξιὰν προδιατμηθεὶς εἶτα καὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποτέμνεται, ἕνα τυραννήσας ἐπὶ τῷ ἡμίσει ἐνιαυτόν. Τότε καὶ βασιλέα ὁ Θεοδόσιος τὸν Οὐαλεντινιανὸν ἀποστείλας ἀναγορεύει. ### English translation (Claude) That in the tenth consulship of the emperor Theodosius and the thirteenth of Honorius, Honorius himself died of dropsy. John, having seized power as usurper, sent an embassy to Theodosius; but the embassy achieved nothing, and the envoys were insulted and punished with exile, one here and another there about the Propontis. Theodosius sent Placidia and the third Valentinian (for after Constantine's death they had been brought to Byzantium) to Thessalonica, and there conferred the dignity of Caesar on his cousin, entrusting the command against the usurper to the general Ardaburius and his son Aspar. They took Placidia and Valentinian with them, passed through Pannonia and Illyricum, and took Salona, a city of Dalmatia, by storm. From there Ardaburius advanced against the usurper with a fleet, while Aspar took the cavalry and, stealing a march by the speed of his attack, made himself master of the great city of Aquileia, Valentinian and Placidia being with him. So he won the great city without hardship. But a violent wind caught Ardaburius and brought him with two other triremes into the hands of the usurper. The usurper, looking toward a treaty, treated Ardaburius kindly; and he, enjoying much freedom, strengthened the plot against the usurper among the usurper's generals, who were already wavering themselves, and sent word to his son Aspar to come, as if success were at hand. Aspar quickly arrived with the cavalry, a battle broke out, and John was taken through the treachery of those about him and sent to Placidia and Valentinian at Aquileia; there his right hand was cut off first, and then he was beheaded, having been usurper for a year and a half. Then Theodosius sent Valentinian and proclaimed him emperor. ### Translation notes - “After Constantine's death” is as printed; the death meant is that of Constantius III (12.12). The word for “sent word” has lost letters in the scan (σημαίνει). ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.13 (PG 65:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-13). ## 12.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/philostorgius-historia/12-1/#p-12-14 - Source: PG 65:621 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Aetius the general makes terms with Placidia, ending Photius's epitome; further fragments follow: on Josephus, Photius's verdict on Philostorgius, Leontius, Paneas and the sources of the Jordan, and Apollinaris, Basil and Gregory. ### Greek text Ὅτι ᾿Αέτιος ὁ ὑποστράτηγος Ἰωάννου τοῦ ράννου, μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας τῆς ἐκείνου τελευτῆς, βαρβάρους ἄγων μισθωτοὺς εἰς χιλιάδας παραγίνεται· καὶ συμπλοκῆς αὐτοῦ τε καὶ τῶν περὶ τὸν ῎Ασπαρα γεγενημένης, φόνος έκατέρωθεν ἐῤῥύη λύς. Ἔπειτα σπονδὰς ὁ ᾿Αέτιος τίθεται πρὸς Πλακιδίαν καὶ Οὐαλεντινιανὸν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ κόμητος ἀξίαν λαμβάνει καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι χρυσίῳ καταθέμενοι τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ τὰ ὅπλα, ὁμήρους τε δόντες, καὶ τὰ πιστὰ λαβόντες, εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα ἤθη ἀπεχώρησαν. Τέλος τῶν ἐκλογῶν τοῦ παρόντος βιβλίου τῆς Ἐκκλησιαστικῆς Ἱστορίας Φιλοστοργίου. Τούτου Φλέγωνός φησι Φιλοστόργιος Ἴουστον τὰ κατὰ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους συμπεσόντα διὰ πλείονος ἐπεξελθεῖν τοῦ πλάτους· Φλέγωνος καὶ Δίωνος βραχέως ἐπιμνησθέντων, καὶ παρενθήκην αὐτὰ τοῦ ἰδίου λόγου ποιησαμένων. Ἐπεὶ τῶν γε εἰς εὐσέβειαν καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἀρετὴν ἑλκόντων, οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν οὐδ᾽ οὗτος δείκνυται πεφροντικὼς, ὄνπερ οὐδ᾽ ἐκεῖνοι τρόπον. Τουναντίον μὲν οὖν ὁ Ἰώσηπος, καὶ δεδοικότι ἔοικε καὶ εὐλαβουμένῳ ὡς μὴ προσκρούσειεν Ἕλλησι. Ἐν τεραστίοις δὲ καὶ βίῳ Εὐσέβιον τῆς Νικομηδείας, ὃν καὶ μέγαν ἀποκαλεῖ, καὶ Θεόφιλον τὸν Ἰνδὸν καὶ ἄλλους πλείονας ἐξαίρει. Ἐξαίρει δὲ ἐν μὲν λόγοις μάλιστα ᾿Αέτιον καὶ Εὐνόμιον, μόνους ἀνακαθάραι τὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας δόγματα τῷ χρόνῳ συγκεχωσμένα τερατευόμενος. Κατηγορεῖ δὲ ᾿Ακακίου μάλιστα τοῦ Καισαρείας τῆς κατὰ Παλαιστίνην ἐπισκοπήσαντος δεινότητά τε ἀνυπέρβλητον καὶ κακουργίαν ἄμαχον, μεθ' ὧν καὶ πάντων φησὶ κατισχύσαι τῶν τε ὁμοφρόνων δοκούντων, εἰς ἔχθραν δέ τινα καταστάντων, καὶ τῶν τἀναντία θρησκευόντων. Ἱστορεῖ δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αρείου περὶ τὴν αἵρεσιν σπουδῆς τε καὶ κατάρξεως, μέχρι τῆς ᾿Αετίου τοῦ δυσσεβεστάτου ἀνακλήσεως. Οὗτος δὲ ὁ ᾿Αέτιος παρ' αὐτῶν μὲν τῶν συναιρεσιωτῶν, διὰ τὸ κἀκείνους ὑπερβάλλεσθαι τῇ δυσσεβείᾳ, ὡς αὐτὸς οὗτος καὶ μὴ βουλόμενος ἱστορεῖ, τῆς διακονίας καθῃρέθη ὑπὸ δὲ τοῦ δυσσεβεστάτου Ἰουλιανοῦ ἀνεκλήθη τε καὶ φιλοφρόνως ἐδεξιώθη. Βασιλείου δὲ τοῦ μεγάλου ἐπεχείρησεν ὑφᾶναι μον, οὗ λαμπρότερον ἔδειξε. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἰσχὺν καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῆς ἐν τοῖς πανηγύρεσιν ὁμιλίας ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἐνεργείας ἐβιάσθη συμφθέγξασθαι· θρασὺν δ᾽ αὐτὸν ὁ δείλαιος ἀποκαλεῖ, καὶ ἀντιλογικῶν λόγων ἄπειρον, ὅτι, φησὶν, ἀπετόλμησεν Εὐνομίου ταῖς συγγραφαῖς ἀντιτάξασθαι. Τὸν τοιοῦτον Λεόντιον προσεταιρίζεται ὁ κακόφρων Φιλοστόργιος ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ ἀντὶ τοῦ, ὡς ὁμόφρονα τῆς ᾿Αρειανικῆς αὐτοῦ κακοφροσύνης. Περὶ ἀρχαιολογίας ἀπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας Φιλοστοργίου. ἐσχάτοις τῆς Παλαιστίνης τέρμασι, μεθ᾽ ἣν ἡ τῶν Φοινίκων ἐκδέχεται, κεῖται πόλις Δὰν ὀνομασθεῖσα πρότερον ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Δὰν φυλῆς, ὁπηνίκα χρόνον ἐπ᾿ οὐκ ὀλίγον οὗτοι δὴ μόνοι τοῦ παντὸς ἔθνους πλανώμενοι, τελευταῖον τὰ ταύτῃ κατασχόντες ρία, μόγις ἱδρύνθησαν, καὶ πόλιν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἄκροις αὐτῶν ὄρεσι δειμάμενοι, τὴν τοῦ Φυλάρχου σφῶν ἐπέθηκαν κλῆσιν. Καὶ τοῦτο ἦν τῆς Ἰουδαίας ὁ ἔσχατος πρὸς Φοινίκην ὄρος. Ταύτην χρόνῳ ὕστερον Ἡρώδης ὁ μέγας οἰκοδομήσας, Καισάρειαν Φιλίππου μετωνόμασε· νῦν δὲ Πανεάς ἐστι καλουμένη. Τὸ γὰρ Πανὸς ἐν ταύτῃ βρέτας στησάμενοι, εἰς τοῦτο τὴν τῆς λεως ἔτρεψαν προσηγορίαν. Ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ Πανεάδι τῶν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου πηγῶν ἡ ἑτέρα τίκτεται, δυοῖν αὐσῶν, Δὰν ἐκ τοῦ παλαιοῦ ὀνόματος ἔτι καὶ νῦν ὀνομαζομένη· τὴν γὰρ ἐτέραν, ἥτις Ἰδρ ἐπικαλεῖται, πόρῥωθεν αὐτῆς ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίων κολωνός τις τοῦ τοῦ προΐησιν ὄρους. Ὧν ἐξ ἑκατέρας προχεῖται ποταμὸς, ὁ μὲν Ἰοράτης, ὁ δὲ Δανίτης ἐπικαλούμενος· οἳ διὰ τοῦ ὄρους ἐνεχθέντες ἐπειδὴ καταβαῖεν εἰς τὸ πεδίον, ἐνταῦθα ἤδη ξυνίασιν, καὶ ἕνα μέγιστον ἀποτελοῦσι ποταμὸν, τὸν Ἰορδάνην. Ἐν ταυτῷ ἤδη τὸ τε ῥεῦμα καὶ τὴν προσηγορίαν κιρνάμενος, τὴν τῆς Τιβεριάδος διέξεισι λίμνην, μέσην τέμνων αὐτὴν, καὶ δι᾿ ὅλης αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ οἰκείῳ ὁλκῷ ῥεόμενος μέχρις ἂν ἐπὶ τὴν κατέναντι ἐκπεράσειε γῆν, ἴσος αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ καὶ παραπλήσιος ὧν κάντεῦθεν ἤδη διὰ τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἐνεχθεὶς, ἅπας εἰς τὴν Νεκρὰν καλουμένην εἰσπεσὼν ἀφανίζεται θάλασσαν. Απολλινάριος γὰρ ἤκμαζε κατ' ἐκείνους τοὺς χρό αὐτοῦ τρόπον ἦν ἱκανώτατος· τῷ μέν γε ᾿Απολλινανους ἐν τῇ Λαοδικείᾳ τῆς Συρίας, καὶ Βασίλειος ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Καππαδοκίας, καὶ Γρηγόριος ἐν τῇ Ναζιανζῷ· σταθμὸς δὲ οὗτος ὁ τόπος ἐστὶ τῆς τῆς Καππαδοκίας. Τρεῖς δὲ οὗτοι ἄνδρες τότε τοῦ ὁμοουσίου προὐμάχουν κατὰ τοῦ ἑτεροουσίου, μακρῷ πάντας παρενεγκόντες τοὺς πρότερον καὶ ὕστερον ἄχρις ἐμοῦ τῆς αἱρέσεως προστάντας ὡς παῖδα παρ' αὐτοῖς κριθῆναι τὸν ᾿Αθανάσιον. Τῆς τε γὰρ ἔξωθεν καλουμένης παιδεύσεως ἐπὶ πλεῖστον οὗτοι προεληλύθεισαν, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν Γραφῶν ὁπόσα εἰς ἀνάγνωσιν καὶ τὴν πρόχειρον μνήμην ἐτέλει, πολλὴν εἶχον τὴν ἐμπειρίαν· καὶ μάλιστά γε αὐτῶν ὁ ᾿Απολλινάριος οὗτος γὰρ δὴ καὶ τῆς Ἑβραΐδος διαλέκτου ἐπαΐειν οἷός τε ἦν. Καὶ μὴν καὶ συγγράφειν ἕκαστος ἐς τὸν ρίῳ τὸ ὑπομνηματικὸν εἶδος τῆς λέξεως, μακρῷ ἄριστα εἶχε· Βασίλειος δὲ πανηγυρίσαι λαμπρότατος ἦν. Τῷ δὲ γε Γρηγορίῳ, καὶ παρ' ἀμφοτέροις ἐξεταζομένῳ, μείζω βάσιν εἰς συγγραφὴν εἶχεν ὁ λόγος. Καὶ ἦν εἰπεῖν ᾿Απολλιναρίου μὲν ἀδρότερος, Βασιλείου δὲ σταθερώτερος. Τοσαύτης δὲ αὐτοῖς ἐν τῷ λέγειν καὶ γράφειν δυνάμεως οὔσης, καὶ τὸ ἦθος οὐδὲν ἦττον οἱ ἄνδρες παρείχοντο πρὸς τὴν τῶν πολλῶν θέαν ἐπαγωγότατον· ὥστε καὶ οἷς ὡρῶντο, καὶ οἷς ἔλεγον, καὶ ὁπόσα γράφοντες διεδίδοσαν, διὰ πάντων ἥρουν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν κοινωνίαν τοὺς καθ' ὁτιοῦν αὐτῶν εὐχερέστερον ἀλίσκεσθαι δυναμένους. ### English translation (Claude) That Aetius, a subordinate general of the usurper John, three days after John's death, arrived bringing barbarian mercenaries numbering thousands; and when he and Aspar's forces engaged, much blood flowed on both sides. Then Aetius made a treaty with Placidia and Valentinian and received the rank of count; and the barbarians, laying down their anger and their arms for gold, gave hostages, received pledges, and went back to their own homes. End of the excerpts from the present book of the Church History of Philostorgius. [Further fragments.] Philostorgius says that Justus [?] went through the events concerning the Jews at greater length, Phlegon and Dio having mentioned them only briefly and made them an appendix to their own account. Yet as for the things that lead to piety and the rest of virtue, not even this writer is shown to have cared at all, any more than they. Josephus, on the contrary, is like one afraid and cautious lest he offend the Greeks. For marvels and for their lives he extols Eusebius of Nicomedia, whom he even calls great, and Theophilus the Indian and many others. In discourse he extols above all Aetius and Eunomius, telling the tale that they alone cleansed the doctrines of piety that time had buried. He accuses above all Acacius, who was bishop of Caesarea in Palestine, of unsurpassed cleverness and invincible villainy, with which, he says, he prevailed over everyone, both those who seemed to share his opinion but had fallen into some enmity, and those who held the opposite belief. His account runs from Arius's zeal for the heresy and its beginning to the recall of the most impious Aetius. This Aetius was deposed from the diaconate by his own fellow-heretics, because he surpassed even them in impiety, as this man himself relates though unwillingly; but he was recalled and kindly received by the most impious Julian. He tried to weave a reproach against Basil the Great, but showed him more brilliant; for by the very force of the facts he was compelled to join in speaking of the power and beauty of his festal discourses; yet the wretch calls him rash and inexperienced in controversial argument because, he says, he dared to set himself against Eunomius's writings. Such a Leontius the evil-minded Philostorgius claims as a companion in his book, as one who shared his Arian evil-mindedness. On antiquities, from the history of Philostorgius. At the farthest borders of Palestine, after which the land of the Phoenicians begins, lies a city formerly named Dan from the tribe of Dan, at the time when these alone of the whole nation wandered for no short time and at last, taking possession of the regions there, barely settled, and having built a city on the heights of their mountains, gave it the name of their tribal head. This was the farthest boundary of Judaea toward Phoenicia. Later Herod the Great built it up and renamed it Caesarea Philippi; now it is called Paneas, for they set up a statue of Pan in it and turned the city's name to this. In this Paneas one of the two sources of the Jordan rises (for there are two), still called Dan from the ancient name; the other, called Jor, a hill of the mountain sends out at a distance from it of about … stadia. From each of them a river pours out, one called the Jorates, the other the Danites; carried through the mountain, when they come down into the plain they join there and form one very great river, the Jordan. Mingling both stream and name into one, it passes through the lake of Tiberias, cutting through its middle and flowing through the whole of it in its own channel until it crosses to the land opposite, remaining equal and like to itself; and from there, carried through Palestine, it falls entirely into the sea called the Dead Sea and disappears. For at that time Apollinaris flourished at Laodicea in Syria, Basil at Caesarea in Cappadocia, and Gregory at Nazianzus (this place is a station of Cappadocia). These three men then championed the homoousion against the heteroousion, far surpassing all who before and after, down to my time, led that heresy, so that beside them Athanasius was judged a child. For they had advanced very far in the so-called outside learning, and had great experience of the sacred Scriptures, in all that served for reading and ready memory, especially Apollinaris, for he could even understand the Hebrew language. And each was most capable of writing in his own manner: Apollinaris was by far the best in the commentary style of writing, Basil most brilliant in panegyric, while Gregory, examined beside both, had a style with a firmer footing for composition; one could say he was fuller than Apollinaris and steadier than Basil. With such power in speaking and writing, the men showed no less a character most attractive to the many to behold; so that by how they appeared, by what they said, and by all they wrote and distributed, they won over to their communion in every way those who could rather easily be caught by any of these. ### Scripture references - Judg 18:27–29: allusion, high confidence - Matt 16:13: allusion, low confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Josephus (Josephus (works)): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - After “End of the excerpts…”, the printed text adds further fragments of Philostorgius that stand outside the epitome: a remark on Jewish history (the name printed Ἴουστον, “Justus”, is doubtful; the passage goes on to Josephus), Photius's general judgment on Philostorgius, the last line of a notice on Leontius, a passage on Paneas and the Jordan, and the passage on Apollinaris, Basil and Gregory (cf. 8.11). They are translated as printed. In the last of these the opening lines are interleaved with later ones in the scan; they are translated in the order the sense requires, and in “that heresy” Philostorgius means the homoousian side. - The number of mercenaries and of stadia has dropped out in the scan (εἰς χιλιάδας; ὡς ἀπὸ σταδίων). Herod the Great is as printed (Caesarea Philippi was built by Philip). Several words have lost letters (τυράννου, πολύς, μῶμον, χωρία, πόλεως, οὐσῶν, Ἰὸρ) and are translated by sense. A leaked lemma (Εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα ἤθη. ἔθνη.) is removed. - The Dan story recalls Judg 18; the Jordan's two sources and Caesarea Philippi, Matt 16:13. ### Citation (SBL) Philostorgius, Hist. eccl. 12.14 (PG 65:621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/philostorgius-historia/12-14).