Church History 2.23–2.28
Greek text: PG 67 (OCR text layer from the Bavarian State Library, cleaned for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 2 (1890).
Chapter 2
2.23PG 67:247–261
Ταῦτα γνοὺς ὁ τῆς Ἑῴας βασιλεὺς, εἰς ἀγωνίαν οὐ τὴν τυχοῦσαν κατέστη. Μεταπεμψάμενός τε εὐθὺς πλείστους τῶν ἀνατολικῶν ἐπισκόπων, τὴν τε αἵρεσιν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ προὐτίθει, καὶ περὶ τοῦ πρακτέου διεπυνθάνετο. Οἱ δὲ, κρεῖσσον ἔφασαν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν παραχωρῆσαι τοῖς περὶ ᾿Αθανάσιον, ἢ ἐμφύλιον ἀνα δέξασθαι πόλεμον. Ὅθεν ἐπ᾿ ἀνάγκῃ καταστὰς ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἐκάλει πρὸς ἑαυτὸν τοὺς περὶ Ἀθανάσιον. Καὶ τέως μὲν παραχρῆμα τὸν Παῦλον μετὰ δυεῖν ἐπισκόπων καὶ τῆς ἄλλης τιμῆς, γράμμασί τε πάλιν τοῖς οἰκείοις ὁ τῶν ἐσπερίων βασιλεὺς, ἔτι τε καὶ τοῖς ἀπὸ τῆς συνόδου κατοχυρώσας ἀποστέλλει ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνσταντίνου πόλιν. Τοῦ δὲ ᾿Αθανασίου ἕτε ὑποστελλομένου, καὶ ἀμφιβάλλοντος ἐλθεῖν πρὸς αὐτόν· ηὐλαβεῖτο γὰρ τὰς τῶν συκοφαντῶν σκευωρίας· ὁ βασιλεὺς τῆς Ἑῴας αὐτὸν οὐχ ἅπαξ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δὲς καὶ τρὶς ἐκάλει παρ' ἑαυτόν· ὡς τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ γράμματα δεικνύει, ἅπερ ἐκ τῆς Ῥωμαϊκῆς μεταβληθέντα γλώσσης, τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον • Ἐπιστολὴ Κωνσταντίου πρὸς Ἀθανάσιον. Κωνστάντιος, Νικητὴς, Αὔγουστος, Αθανασίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Ἐπὶ πολύ σε κλυδωνίζεσθαι καὶ χειμάζεσθαι τοῖς τῆς θαλάσσης ὁμοίως κύμασιν ἀγρίοις, οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἡ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἡμερότητος φιλανθρωπία. Γυμνωθέντα σε τῆς πατρώας ἐστίας, καὶ στερηθέντα τῶν ἰδίων, καὶ πλανώμενον ἐν θηριώδεσιν ἀνοδίαις, οὐ παρεῖδεν ἡ ἀκάματος ἡμῶν εὐσέβεια. Εἰ καὶ ταμάλιστα ἐπιπολὺ ὑπερεθέμην γράψαι τὴν πρόθεσιν τῆς ἐμῆς διανοίας, προσδοκῶν αὐθαίρετόν σε παραγενέσθαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ τῶν καμάτων αἰτεῖν θερα πείαν· ὅμως ἐπειδὴ ἴσως ὁ φόβος τὴν προαίρεσιν τῆς σῆς προθέσεως ἐνεπόδιζε, διατοῦτο δωρεᾶς πληρέστατα γράμματα πρὸς τὴν σὴν στεῤῥότητα διεπεμψάμεθα· ἵνα ἀφόβως ταῖς ἡμετέραις προσόψεσι ταχεῖαν τὴν σαυτοῦ παρουσίαν παρασχεῖν σπουδάσῃς, ὑπὲρ τοῦ τῆς σαυτοῦ ἐπιθυμίας ἀπολαύσας, καὶ πειραθεὶς ἡμῶν τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, τοῖς ἰδίοις ἀποκατασταθῇς. Τούτου γὰρ ἕνεκα καὶ τὸν δεσπότην καὶ ἀδελφόν μου Κώνσταντα τὸν Νικητὴν Αὔγουστον ὑπὲρ σοῦ παρεκάλεσα, ἵνα τοῦ ἐλθεῖν ἐξουσίαν σοι δῷ, ἐπὶ τῷ ἀμφοτέρων ἡμῶν ἐπινευσάντων, τῇ τος ἐνέχυρον. ῎Αλλη ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς ᾿Αθανάσιον. Κωνστάντιος, Νικητής, Αὔγουστος, Ἀθανασίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. πατρίδι ἀποκατασταθῇς, ἔχων τοῦτο τῆς ἡμῶν χάρι Εἰ καὶ μάλιστα διὰ προτέρων γραμμάτων ἐδηλώσαμεν, ὅπως ἀμερίμνως εἰς τὸ ἡμέτερον κομιτάτον παραγένῃ, διὰ τὸ μάλιστα βουλεύεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἀποστεῖλαί σε εἰς τὰ ἴδια, ὅμως καὶ νῦν ταῦτα τὰ γράμματα πρὸς τὴν σὴν στεῤῥότητα δεδηλώκαμεν. Διὸ προτρεπόμεθα, χωρίς τινος ἀπιστίας καὶ φόβου ἐπιβῆναί σε δημοσίοις ὀχήμασι, καὶ σπουδάσαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ἵνα ὧν ἐπιθυμεῖς, ἀπολαῦσαι δυνηθείης. ῎Ἄλλη ἐπιστολὴ πρὸς τὸν αὐτόν. Κωνστάντιος, Νικητής, Αὔγουστος, Ἀθανασίῳ ἐπισκόπῳ. Ἡνίκα ἐν τῇ Ἐδέσῃ διετρίβομεν, παρόντων τῶν σῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ἤρεσεν ὅπως ἀποσταλέντος πρεσβυτέρου πρὸς σὲ, ἐλθεῖν πρὸς τὸ ἡμέτερον κομιτάτον σπουδάσῃς, ἐπὶ τῷ ἰδόντα σε τὴν ἡμετέραν πρόσοψιν, εὐθέως εἰς τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν ὁδεῦσαι. Ἀλλ᾿ ἐπειδὴ πλεῖστος χρόνος παρῆλθεν, ἀφ' οὗ γράμματα δεξάμενος παρ' ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀπήντησας, διατοῦτο καὶ νῦν ὑπομνῆσαί σε ἐσπουδάσαμεν, ἵνα καὶ νῦν τὴν σὴν παρουσίαν ταχεῖαν ποιῆσαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς σπουδάσῃς, καὶ οὕτω δυνηθῇς τῇ πατρίδι σου ἀποκατασταθῆναι, καὶ τῆς εὐχῆς σου ἐπιτυχεῖν. Πρὸς δὲ πληρεστάτην διήγησιν, Ἀχήταν τὸν διάκονον ἀπεστείλαμεν, παρ' οὖ δυνήσῃ μαθεῖν τῆς τε ἡμετέρας ψυχῆς τὴν προαίρεσιν, καὶ ὅτι τούτων ὧν εὔχῃ, τυχεῖν δυνήσῃ. Ταύτας τὰς ἐπιστολὰς ἐν τῇ ᾿Ακυληίᾳ δεξάμενος ᾿Αθανάσιος· ἐκεῖ γὰρ τῆς Σαρδικῆς ἀναχωρήσας διέτριβεν· εὐθέως ἐπὶ τὴν Ῥώμην ἀνέδραμεν 1. Ἐπιδείξας τὸ τὰ γράμματα τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἰουλίῳ, ΩΝ ἱ ἐπ ἐν μεγίστῃ χαρᾷ τὴν Ῥωμαίων χατέστηστεν. Ἐδόκει γὰρ καὶ ὁ τῆς Ἑῴας βασιλεὺς συντίθεσθαι αὐτῶν τῇ πίστει, διὰ τοῦ καλεῖν Αθανάσιον παρ᾽ ἑαυτόν. Ἰούλιος δὲ τοῖς ᾿Αλεξανδρεία κληρικοῖς τε καὶ λαοῖς, τάδε περὶ ᾿Αθανασίου ἐπἔστειλεν" Ἐπιστοϊὴ Ἰουλίου, ἐπισκόπου Ρώμης, πρὸς | τοὺς ἐν : Ἰούλιος ἐπισκόποις καὶ πρεσδυτέροις, καὶ διακόγοις, ἰαῷ παροικοῦντι ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν, ἀγαπητοῖς ἂδεϊφοῖς, ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Συγχαΐίρω ὑμῖν, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοὶ, ὅτι τὸν χαρπὸν τῆς ἑαυτῶν πίστεως ἐπ᾽ ὀφθαλμῶν λοιπὸν ὁρᾶτε. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἀληθῶς ἄν τις ἴδοι γενόμενον ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ συνεπισχόπου μου ᾿Αθανασίου. διᾶ τε τὴν καθαρότητα τοῦ βίου, καὶ διὰ τὰς ὑμετέρᾶς εὐχὰς, ὁ Θεὸς ὑμῖν ἀποδίδωσιν. Ἔχ δὴ τούτου συνορᾷν ἔστιν, καθαρὰς ὑμῶν μεστὰς ἀγάπτς ἀεὶ τὰς εὐχὰς ἀνενηνοχέναι πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. γὰρ ὄντες τῶν οὐρανίων ἐπαγγελιῶν καὶ τῆς πρὸς αὑτὰς ἀγάπης, ἣν τῆς διδασκαλίας τοῦ προειρημένου ἀδελφοῦ μου ἐπαιδεύθητε, ἔγνωτε ἀληθῶς, κατὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν ὑμῖν ὀρθὴν πίστιν χατειλήφατε τοῦτο, ὡς οὐχ ἂν εἰς τέλος οὗτος ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀποσχοινισθήσεται, ὅν ἐν θεοσεθέσιν ὑμῶν ψυχαῖς ἐσχήχατε ὡς παρόντα Οὐκοῦν, οὐ πολλῶν μοι χρεία λόγων πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἐπιστέλλοντι. γὰρ ὑμῖν λέλεκται παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ταῦτα ἡ ὑμετέρα πίατις προῦλαδς" καὶ πεπλήρωται κατὰ Χριστοῦ χάριν τὰ τῆς κοινῆς ὑμῶν πάντων εὐχῆς. Συγχαίρω τοίνυν ὑμῖν" πάλιν γὰρ ἐρῶ, ὅτι τὰς ψυχὰς ἀχαταμαχήτους ἐν τῇ πίστει τετηρήχατε. Καὶ αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ἀδελφῷ μου ᾿Αθανασίῳ οὐχ ἔλαττον συγχαίρω, ὅτι χαΐπερ πολλὰ πάσχων λυπηρὰ, οὐδεμίαν ὥραν ἐπιλήσμων γέγονε τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης καὶ τοῦ ὑμετέρου πόθου. Εἰ γὰρ τῷ σώματι πρὸς χαιρὴν ἔδοξεν ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἀφελχυσθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι διχπαντὸς, ὡς συνὼν ὑμῖν διῆγε. Καὶ ἔγωγε, ἀγαπηποὶ, τὸν γενόμενον αὐτοῦ πάντα πειρασμὸν, οὐχ ἄδοξον ἡγοῦμαι γεγενῆσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἡ ὑμετέρα ἡ τούτου πίστις ἐγνώσθη παρὰ πᾶσι καὶ δεδοκέμασται. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοσαῦτα συμθεθήχει, τίς ἂν ἐπέστευσεν, ὑμᾶς τοσαύτην κρίσιν καὶ τοσαύτην ἀγάπην περὶ τὸν τηλιχοῦτον ἐπίσκοπον ἔχειν, ἐκεῖγον τοσαύταις ἀρεταῖς περιθεθλῆσθαι, δι᾽ ἃ: καὶ τῆς ἐν οὐρανοῖς ἐλπίδος οὐχ ἀλλότριος γένοιτο; Ἐπέτυχε τοίνυν οἰῳδήποτε τρόπῳ ἐν τῷ νῦν, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι, ὁμολογίας ἔνδοξην μαρτυ - ρίαν. Διαφόρως γὰρ κατά τε γῆν καὶ κατὰ θάλατταν πολλὰ πειρασθεὶς, τὴν σκευωρίαν πᾶσαν τῆς Αρειανῆς αἰρέσεως κατεπάτησε, καὶ πολλάκις διὰ φθόνον καὶ εἰς κίνδυνον ἐπιβουλευθεὶς, κατεφρόνησε θανάτου, φρουρούμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ παντοκράτορος Θεοῦ, καὶ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· ἐλπίζων ἅμα καὶ τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἐκκλίνειν, καὶ ἀποκατασταθήσεσθαι πρὸς ὑμετέραν παράκλησιν, φέρων ὑμῖν ἅμα ἐκ τῆς ὑμετέρας συνειδήσεως μείζονα τὰ τρόπαια. Ἐν οἷς καὶ ἄχρι τερμάτων πάσης τῆς γῆς ἔνδοξος ἐγνώσθη, δοκιμασθεὶς ἐκ τοῦ βίου, παῤῥησιασάμενος μὲν τῇ προθέσει καὶ τῇ οὐρανίᾳ διδασκαλίᾳ· ἀποδειχθεὶς δὲ ἀθανάτῳ κρίσει παρ' ὑμῶν ἀγαπώμενος. Ἐπανέρχεται τοιγαροῦν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, λαμπρότερος νῦν ἢ ὅτε παρ' ὑμῶν ἀπεδήμησεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰς τιμίας ὕλας, χρυσὸν δὴ λέγω καὶ ἄργυρον, εἰς καθαρότητα τὸ πῦρ δοκιμάζει, τἱ ἄν τις εἴποι κατ' ἀξίαν τοῦ τοσούτου ἀνδρὸς, ὃς τοσούτων θλίψεων πυρὰν, καὶ τοσούτους κινδύνους νικήσας, ἀποδίδοται νῦν ὑμῖν ἀθῶος, οὐ παρ' ἡμῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρ᾿ ἀπάσης τῆς συνόδου ἀποδεχθείς; Ὑποδέξασθε τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, μετὰ πάσης τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν δόξης τε καὶ χαρᾶς τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ὑμῶν ᾿Αθανάσιον, μετὰ τούτων οἵτινες αὐτῶν κοινωνοὶ γεγόνασι. Καὶ χαίρετε, τῶν εὐχῶν ἀπολαύοντες, οἱ τὸν ποιμένα τὸν ὑμέτερον, ἵν᾿ οὕτως εἴπω, πο· θοῦντα καὶ διψῶντα τὴν ὑμετέραν θεοσέβειαν, σωτηρίοις γραφαῖς ἐθρέψατέ τε καὶ ἐποτίσατε. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ ξένης αὐτοῦ διατριβῆς, ὑμεῖς παραμυθία γεγόνατε· καὶ διωκόμενον καὶ ἐπιβουλευόμενον ἐθάλψατε ταῖς πιστοτάταις ἑαυτῶν ψυχαῖς καὶ διανοίαις. Ἐμὲ δὲ ἤδη εὐφραίνει, ἐννοούμενον καὶ προορῶντα τῷ λογισμῷ, τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ ἐπανόδῳ ἑκάστου ὑμῶν χαρὰν, καὶ τοῦ πλήθους τὰς θεοσεβεστάτας ἀπαντήσεις, καὶ τὴν ἔνδοξον τῶν συντρεχόντων ἑορτὴν, καὶ τίς ἐκείνη ἡ ἡμέρα ὑμῖν καὶ ποία ἔσται, ἐπανερχομένου μὲν τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μου· παυσαμένων δὲ τῶν προγενομένων, καὶ τῆς πολυτιμήτου κατ' εὐχὴν ἐπανόδου, εἰς εὐφροσύνην τινὰ πληρεστάτης χαρᾶς συναπτούσης τοὺς πάντας. Ἡ τοιαύτη χαρά κατὰ τὸ μέγιστον μέχρις ἡμῶν φθάνει, οἷς θεόθεν καὶ τοῦτο συγκεχωρῆσθαι συνέστηκεν, ὅπως εἰς γνῶσιν τοῦ τηλικούτου ἀνδρὸς ἐλθεῖν δυνηθῶμεν. Εἰς εὐχὴν οὖν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν τελειῶσαι καλόν. Θεὸς ὁ παντοκράτωρ καὶ τούτου Υἱὸς ὁ Κύριος καὶ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, διηνεκῆ τὴν χάριν τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Αμήν. Ἐῤῥῶσθαι ὑμᾶς ταύτην ὑμῖν παράσχοι, διδοὺς ἔπαθλον τῇ θαυμαστῇ ὑμῶν πίστει, ἣν περὶ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ὑμῶν ἐνδόξῳ μαρτυρίᾳ ἐνεδείξασθε· ἵνα ὑμῖν τε καὶ τοῖς μεθ' ὑμᾶς ἐνταῦθα, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι τὰ βελτίονα μένοι, ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε, καὶ οὖς οὐκ ἤκουσε, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου οὐκ ἀνέβη · ἃ ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτὸν, διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ τῷ παντοκράτορι Θεῷ ἡ δόξα εἰς εὔχομαι, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοί. Τούτοις πεπιστευκὼς τοῖς γράμμασιν τη ᾿Αθανάσιος, ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Ανατολήν παρεγένετο. Κωνστάντιος δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς, οὐκ ἀπεχθῶς μὲν τότε ἀπεδέξατο. Σοφίζεσθαι δὲ αὐτὸν ἐπεχείρει, ἐκ κατασκευῆς τῶν ἀρειανιζόντων ὑποβαλλόμενος· καί φησι πρὸς αὐτόν· Τὸν μὲν θρόνον - τὸν σαυτοῦ ψήφῳ τῆς συνόδου καὶ ἡμετέρᾳ συναινέσει ἀπείληφας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰσὶν ἐν τῇ ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ τινὲς τοῦ λαοῦ, διακρινόμενοι τὴν πρὸς σὲ κοινωνίαν, μίαν ἐν τῇ πόλει ἐκκλησίαν ἔασον ἔχειν αὐτούς. Πρὸς τὴν πρότασιν ταύτην ᾿Αθανάσιος γοργῶς ὑπαπήντησε, καί φησι· Ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἐπ᾿ ἐξουσίας μὲν ἔχεις κελεύειν τε καὶ πράττειν ὅσα ἂν θέλῃς. Χάριν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτῶ καὶ δέομαι, δός μοι. Τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως δώσειν ἑτοίμως ἐπαγγειλαμένου, εὐθὺς ἐπήγαγεν ᾿Αθανάσιος, τὴν αὐτὴν ἀξιῶν χάριν λαβεῖν, ἣν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπεζήτει λαβεῖν. Μίαν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκκλησίαν ἀπονεμηθῆναι η ἠξίου καθ' ἑκάστην πόλιν τοῖς διακρινομένοις πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀρειανιζόντων κοινωνίαν. Τὴν ᾿Αθανασίου τοίνυν γνώμην λυσιτελῆ γνόντες οἱ ἀρειανίζοντες, ὑπερτίθεσθαι μὲν τοῦτο ἔλεγον · πράττειν δὲ τὰ δοκοῦντα τῷ βασιλεῖ παρεχώρουν. Διόπερ ὁ βασιλεὺς ᾿Αθανασίῳ τε καὶ Παύλῳ καὶ Μαρκέλλῳ τοὺς ἰδίους ἀπεδίδου θρόνους. Ἔτι μὴν καὶ Ἀσκληπᾷ τῷ Γάζης, καὶ Λουκίῳ Αδριανουπόλεως. Καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι ὑπὸ τῆς ἐν Σαρδικῇ συνόδου ἐδέχθησαν· Ἀσκληπᾶς μὲν ὑπομνήματα ἐπιδείξας, ἐν οἷς ἐδέδεικτο Εὐσέβιος ὁ Παμφίλου ἅμα πλείοσι διαγνοὺς τὰ κατ' αὐτὸν, και ἀποδοὺς τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτοῦ. Λούκιος δὲ, ὅτι οἱ κατηγοροῦντες αὐτοῦ φυγῇ ἐχρήσαντο. Προστάγματα οὖν τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐφοίτα πόλεις, κελεύοντα ἑτοίῥιως αὐτοὺς ὑποδέχεσθαι. Ἐν μὲν οὖν ᾿Αγκύρᾳ Βασιλείου ἐξωθουμένου, καὶ ἀντεισιόντος Μαρκέλλου, ταραχὴ οὐχ ἡ τυχοῦσα ἐγένετο, ἢ πρόφασιν λοιδο ρίας παρέσχε τοῖς τὰ ἐναντία φρονοῦσιν· ᾿Ασκληπᾶν δὲ ἑτοίμως Γαζαῖοι ἐδέξαντο. Ἐν δὲ τῇ Κωνσταντίνου πόλει Μακεδόνιος Παύλῳ πρὸς ὀλίγον ὑπεξέστη, καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐν ἰδιαζούσῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ τῆς πόλεως τὰς συνόδους ποιούμενος. Ὑπὲρ μέντοι ᾿Αθανασίου, ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπισκόποις τε καὶ κληρικοῖς καὶ λαοί;, περὶ τοῦ ἀσμένως αὐτὸν ἀποδεχθῆναι ἐπέστειλεν. Ἔτι μὴν καὶ τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν δικαστηρίοις πραχθέντα, δι' ἑτέρων γραμμάτων ἀφανισθῆναι ἐκέλευσε. Τὰ δὲ περὶ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων γραφέντα, ἔστι τάδε· Ἐπιστολὴ Κωνσταντίου ὑπὲρ Ἀθανασίου. Νικητὴς Κωνστάντιος, Μέγιστος, Σεβαστὸς, ἐπισκόποις καὶ πρεσβυτέροις τῆς Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Οὐκ ἀπελείφθη τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτος ὁ αἰδεσιμώτατος ἐπίσκοπος ᾿Αθανάσιος. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ καὶ ἐν βραχεῖ χρόνῳ τῇ κατὰ ἀνθρώπους δοκιμασίᾳ ὑπεβλήθη, ὅμως τὴν ὀφειλομένην παρὰ τῆς παντεφόρου Προνοίας ἀπηνέγκατο ψῆφον· ἀπολαβὼν βουλήσει τοῦ κρείττονος, καὶ κρίσει ἡμετέρᾳ τὴν πατρίδα ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἧς θείῳ νεύματι προστάτης ἐτύγχανε. Τούτῳ τὰ ἀκόλουθα ἔδει παρὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ὑπᾶρξαι πραότητος. "Ωστε πάντα τὰ πρὸ τούτου κατὰ τῶν αὐτῷ κεκοινωνηκότων ὡρισμένα, νῦν ἀμνηστίᾳ παραδοθῆναι, πᾶσάν τε ὑποψίαν τὴν κατ' αὐτοῦ σχολάσαι τοῦ λοιποῦ, τὴν τε ἀτέλειαν ἧς ἔτυχον πάλαι οἱ ἅμα αὐτῷ κληρικοὶ, τούτοις βεβαιωθῆναι προσηκόντως. ᾿Αλλὰ μὴν καὶ τοῦτο τῇ εἰς αὐτὸν χάριτι προστεθῆναι ἐδικαιώσαμεν, ὥστε πάντας τοὺς τοῦ ἱεροῦ καταλόγου γινώσκειν, ἐνδεδόσθαι τὸ ἄφοβον πᾶσι τοῖς αὐτῷ προστεθειμένοις, εἴτε ἐπισκόποις, εἴτε κληρικοῖς. Ἱκανὸν δὲ γνώρισμα τῆς ἑκάστου ὀρθῆς προαιρέσεως ἔσται, ἡ πρὸς τοῦτον ἕνωσις. Ὅσοι γὰρ ἂν τῆς καλλίονος ὁμοῦ κρίσεως τε καὶ μοίρας γενόμενοι, τὴν τούτου ἕλωνται κοινωνίαν, τούτους πάντας ἐκελεύσαμεν, καθ' ὁμοιότητα τῆς φθανούσης Προνοίας, καὶ νῦν τῆς ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν βουλήσει τοῦ κρείττονος παρασχεθείσης χάριτος ἀπολαύειν. ῎Αλλη ἐπιστολὴ, τοῖς Ἀλεξανδρεῦσι πεμφθεῖσα. Νικητὴς Κωνστάντιος, Μέγιστος, Σεβαστὸς, τῷ λαῷ τῆς κατὰ Ἀλεξάνδρειαν Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Σκοπὸν ποιούμενοι τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐν ἅπασιν εὐνομίαν, εἰδότες τε ὡς ἐπιπολὺ τῆς τοῦ ἐπισκοποῦντος προνοίας ἐστέρησθε, ᾿Αθανάσιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον, ἄνδρα τοῖς πᾶσι διὰ τε τὴν προσοῦσαν ὀρθότητα, καὶ διὰ τὴν οἰκείαν εὐτροπίαν γνώριμον °, 115 πάλιν πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀποστείλαι ἐδικαιώσαμεν. Τοῦτον συνήθως καὶ προσηκόντως ὑποδεξάμενοι, καὶ ταῖς πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εὐχαῖς βοηθὸν προστησάμενοι, τὴν ὑμῖν τε πρέπουσαν καὶ ἡμῖν ἀρεστὴν ὁμόνοιαν καὶ εἰρήνην κατὰ τὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας θεσμὸν διαρκή φυλάττειν σπουδάσατε. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εὔλογόν ἐστι, διχόνοιάν τινα ἢ στάσιν ἐν ὑμῖν κινηθῆναι, ὑπεναντίαν τῆς τῶν ἡμετέρων καιρῶν εὐμοιρίας. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ἀπεῖναι ἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν παντελῶς βουλόμεθα. Τὸ δέ γε ταῖς εὐχαῖς ὑμᾶς διαρκῶς αὐτῷ, ὡς προείρηται, προστάτῃ καὶ ἐπικούρῳ χρωμένους πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ἐμμένειν, συνήθως παραινοῦμεν · ὡς ἂν τῆς τοιαύτης ὑμῶν προθέσεως εἰς τὰς ἁπάντων εὐχὰς Ρ διαβαινούσης, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν οἱ τῇ τῶν εἰδώλων πλάνῃ ἔτι καὶ νῦν προανέχοντες 4, ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς ἱερᾶς θρησκείας ἐπίγνωσιν προθυμότατα σπεύδοιεν, ᾿Αλεξανδρεῖς προσφιλέστατοι. Καὶ αὖθις οὖν παραινοῦμεν τοῖς προειρημένοις ἐμμένειν. Τὸν δὲ ἐπίσκοπον, ψήφῳ τοῦ κρείττονος καὶ ἡμετέρᾳ γνώμῃ ἀπεσταλμένον, ἡδέως δέξασθε, καὶ πάσῃ ψυχῇ καὶ γνώμῃ ἀσπαστὸν ἡγήσασθε. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὑμῖν πρέπει, καὶ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ πραότητι προσήκειν συνέστηκεν. Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ πᾶσαν ἀνασοβὴν, καὶ στάσεως πρόφασιν περιαιρεθῆναι τῶν ἐθελοκακίᾳ χρωμένων, τοῖς παρ' ὑμῖν δικασταῖς διὰ γραμμάτων προσετάξαμεν, ἅπαντας οὓς ἂν στασιώδεις καταμάθοιεν, τῇ τῶν νόμων ὑποβάλλειν ἐκδικίᾳ. Αμφότερα τοίνυν συνορῶντες, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν μετὰ τοῦ κρείττονος γνώμην, καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ τῆς ὁμονοίας λόγον, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀτάκτων τιμωρίαν, τὰ πρέποντα καὶ ἁρμόζοντα τῷ τῆς ἱερᾶς θρησκείας θεσμῷ διαφυλάτ τοντες, καὶ τὸν προειρημένον διὰ πάσης αἰδοῦς καὶ τιμῆς ἄγοντες, τὰς εὐχὰς ἅμα αὐτῷ ὑπέρ τε ἑαυτῶν καὶ τῆς τοῦ βίου παντὸς εὐνομίας τῷ τῶν ὅλων Πατρὶ Θεῷ ἀναπέμπειν σπουδάζετε. Ἐπιστολὴ · περὶ τοῦ ἀφανισθῆναι τὰ πραχθέντα κατὰ Ἀθανασίου. Νικητής Κωνστάντιος, Αὔγουστος, Νεστορίῳ· τῷ δὲ αὐτῷ τύπῳ καὶ τοῖς ἐν Αύγουστομνίκη καὶ Θηβαΐδι καὶ Λιβύῃ ἡγεμόσιν. Εἴ ποτε πρὸ τούτου ἐπὶ βλάβῃ καὶ ὕβρει τῶν κοινωνούντων ᾿Αθανασίῳ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ πραχθὲν εὑρίσκεται, τοῦτο νῦν ἀπαλειφθῆναι βουλόμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ τὴν ἀλειτουργησίαν· ἣν οἱ αὐτοῦ κληρικοὶ εἶχον, τὴν αὐτὴν πάλιν θέλομεν ἔχειν. Ταύτην δὲ τὴν ἡμετέραν πρόσταξιν φυλαχθῆναι βουλόμεθα· ὥστε ἀποδοθέντος ᾿Αθανασίου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, τοὺς κοινωνοῦντας αὐτῷ ἔχειν ἀλειτουργησίαν ἣν ἀεὶ ἔσχον, ἣν καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ κληρικοὶ ἔχουσιν· οὕτως ἔχοντες, καὶ αὐτοὶ χαίρωσιν.
Tauta gnous ho tēs Heǭas basileus, eis agōnian ou tēn tychousan katestē. Metapempsamenos te euthys pleistous tōn anatolikōn episkopōn, tēn te hairesin tou adelphou proutithei, kai peri tou prakteou diepynthaneto. Hoi de, kreisson ephasan tōn Ekklēsiōn parachōrēsai tois peri ᾿Athanasion, ē emphylion ana dexasthai polemon. Hothen ep᾿ anankę̄ katastas ho basileus, ekalei pros heauton tous peri Athanasion. Kai teōs men parachrēma ton Paulon meta dyein episkopōn kai tēs allēs timēs, grammasi te palin tois oikeiois ho tōn esperiōn basileus, eti te kai tois apo tēs synodou katochyrōsas apostellei epi tēn Kōnstantinou polin. Tou de ᾿Athanasiou hete hypostellomenou, kai amphiballontos elthein pros auton; ēulabeito gar tas tōn sykophantōn skeuōrias; ho basileus tēs Heǭas auton ouch hapax monon, alla kai des kai tris ekalei par' heauton; hōs ta par' autou grammata deiknyei, haper ek tēs Rhōmaïkēs metablēthenta glōssēs, touton echei ton tropon • Epistolē Kōnstantiou pros Athanasion. Kōnstantios, Nikētēs, Augoustos, Athanasiǭ episkopǭ. Epi poly se klydōnizesthai kai cheimazesthai tois tēs thalassēs homoiōs kymasin agriois, ouk aphēken hē tēs hēmeteras hēmerotētos philanthrōpia. Gymnōthenta se tēs patrōas estias, kai sterēthenta tōn idiōn, kai planōmenon en thēriōdesin anodiais, ou pareiden hē akamatos hēmōn eusebeia. Ei kai tamalista epipoly hyperethemēn grapsai tēn prothesin tēs emēs dianoias, prosdokōn authaireton se paragenesthai pros hēmas, kai tōn kamatōn aitein thera peian; homōs epeidē isōs ho phobos tēn proairesin tēs sēs protheseōs enepodize, diatouto dōreas plērestata grammata pros tēn sēn sterrhotēta diepempsametha; hina aphobōs tais hēmeterais prosopsesi tacheian tēn sautou parousian paraschein spoudasę̄s, hyper tou tēs sautou epithymias apolausas, kai peiratheis hēmōn tēs philanthrōpias, tois idiois apokatastathę̄s. Toutou gar heneka kai ton despotēn kai adelphon mou Kōnstanta ton Nikētēn Augouston hyper sou parekalesa, hina tou elthein exousian soi dǭ, epi tǭ amphoterōn hēmōn epineusantōn, tę̄ tos enechyron. ᾿Allē epistolē pros ᾿Athanasion. Kōnstantios, Nikētēs, Augoustos, Athanasiǭ episkopǭ. patridi apokatastathę̄s, echōn touto tēs hēmōn chari Ei kai malista dia proterōn grammatōn edēlōsamen, hopōs amerimnōs eis to hēmeteron komitaton paragenę̄, dia to malista bouleuesthai hēmas aposteilai se eis ta idia, homōs kai nyn tauta ta grammata pros tēn sēn sterrhotēta dedēlōkamen. Dio protrepometha, chōris tinos apistias kai phobou epibēnai se dēmosiois ochēmasi, kai spoudasai pros hēmas, hina hōn epithymeis, apolausai dynētheiēs. ᾿Allē epistolē pros ton auton. Kōnstantios, Nikētēs, Augoustos, Athanasiǭ episkopǭ. Hēnika en tę̄ Edesę̄ dietribomen, parontōn tōn sōn presbyterōn, ēresen hopōs apostalentos presbyterou pros se, elthein pros to hēmeteron komitaton spoudasę̄s, epi tǭ idonta se tēn hēmeteran prosopsin, eutheōs eis tēn ᾿Alexandreian hodeusai. All᾿ epeidē pleistos chronos parēlthen, aph' hou grammata dexamenos par' hēmōn ouk apēntēsas, diatouto kai nyn hypomnēsai se espoudasamen, hina kai nyn tēn sēn parousian tacheian poiēsai pros hēmas spoudasę̄s, kai houtō dynēthę̄s tę̄ patridi sou apokatastathēnai, kai tēs euchēs sou epitychein. Pros de plērestatēn diēgēsin, Achētan ton diakonon apesteilamen, par' ou dynēsę̄ mathein tēs te hēmeteras psychēs tēn proairesin, kai hoti toutōn hōn euchę̄, tychein dynēsę̄. Tautas tas epistolas en tę̄ ᾿Akylēią dexamenos ᾿Athanasios; ekei gar tēs Sardikēs anachōrēsas dietriben; eutheōs epi tēn Rhōmēn anedramen 1. Epideixas to ta grammata tǭ episkopǭ Iouliǭ, ŌN hi ep en megistę̄ charą tēn Rhōmaiōn chatestēsten. Edokei gar kai ho tēs Heǭas basileus syntithesthai autōn tę̄ pistei, dia tou kalein Athanasion par᾽ heauton. Ioulios de tois ᾿Alexandreia klērikois te kai laois, tade peri ᾿Athanasiou epesteilen" Epistoïē Iouliou, episkopou Rōmēs, pros | tous en : Ioulios episkopois kai presdyterois, kai diakogois, iaǭ paroikounti ᾿Alexandreian, agapētois adeïphois, en Kyriǭ chairein. Synchaïirō hymin, adelphoi agapētoi, hoti ton charpon tēs heautōn pisteōs ep᾽ ophthalmōn loipon horate. Touto gar alēthōs an tis idoi genomenon epi tou adelphou synepischopou mou ᾿Athanasiou. dia te tēn katharotēta tou biou, kai dia tas hymeteras euchas, ho Theos hymin apodidōsin. Ech dē toutou synorąn estin, katharas hymōn mestas agapts aei tas euchas anenēnochenai pros ton Theon. gar ontes tōn ouraniōn epangeliōn kai tēs pros hautas agapēs, hēn tēs didaskalias tou proeirēmenou adelphou mou epaideuthēte, egnōte alēthōs, kata tēn prosousan hymin orthēn pistin chateilēphate touto, hōs ouch an eis telos houtos aph᾽ hymōn aposchoinisthēsetai, hon en theosethesin hymōn psychais eschēchate hōs paronta Oukoun, ou pollōn moi chreia logōn pros hymas epistellonti. gar hymin lelektai par᾽ emou, tauta hē hymetera piatis proulads" kai peplērōtai kata Christou charin ta tēs koinēs hymōn pantōn euchēs. Synchairō toinyn hymin" palin gar erō, hoti tas psychas achatamachētous en tę̄ pistei tetērēchate. Kai autǭ de tǭ adelphǭ mou ᾿Athanasiǭ ouch elatton synchairō, hoti chaïper polla paschōn lypēra, oudemian hōran epilēsmōn gegone tēs hymeteras agapēs kai tou hymeterou pothou. Ei gar tǭ sōmati pros chairēn edoxen aph᾽ hymōn aphelchysthēnai, alla tǭ pneumati dichpantos, hōs synōn hymin diēge. Kai egōge, agapēpoi, ton genomenon autou panta peirasmon, ouch adoxon hēgoumai gegenēsthai. Kai gar kai hē hymetera hē toutou pistis egnōsthē para pasi kai dedokemastai. Ei gar mē tosauta symthethēchei, tis an epesteusen, hymas tosautēn krisin kai tosautēn agapēn peri ton tēlichouton episkopon echein, ekeigon tosautais aretais perithethlēsthai, di᾽ ha: kai tēs en ouranois elpidos ouch allotrios genoito? Epetyche toinyn oiǭdēpote tropǭ en tǭ nyn, kai en tǭ mellonti, homologias endoxēn marty - rian. Diaphorōs gar kata te gēn kai kata thalattan polla peirastheis, tēn skeuōrian pasan tēs Areianēs aireseōs katepatēse, kai pollakis dia phthonon kai eis kindynon epibouleutheis, katephronēse thanatou, phrouroumenos hypo tou pantokratoros Theou, kai tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou; elpizōn hama kai tas epiboulas ekklinein, kai apokatastathēsesthai pros hymeteran paraklēsin, pherōn hymin hama ek tēs hymeteras syneidēseōs meizona ta tropaia. En hois kai achri termatōn pasēs tēs gēs endoxos egnōsthē, dokimastheis ek tou biou, parrhēsiasamenos men tę̄ prothesei kai tę̄ ouranią didaskalią; apodeichtheis de athanatǭ krisei par' hymōn agapōmenos. Epanerchetai toigaroun pros hymas, lamproteros nyn ē hote par' hymōn apedēmēsen. Ei gar kai tas timias hylas, chryson dē legō kai argyron, eis katharotēta to pyr dokimazei, ti an tis eipoi kat' axian tou tosoutou andros, hos tosoutōn thlipseōn pyran, kai tosoutous kindynous nikēsas, apodidotai nyn hymin athōos, ou par' hēmōn monon, alla kai par᾿ apasēs tēs synodou apodechtheis? Hypodexasthe toinyn, agapētoi adelphoi, meta pasēs tēs kata Theon doxēs te kai charas ton episkopon hymōn ᾿Athanasion, meta toutōn hoitines autōn koinōnoi gegonasi. Kai chairete, tōn euchōn apolauontes, hoi ton poimena ton hymeteron, hin᾿ houtōs eipō, po; thounta kai dipsōnta tēn hymeteran theosebeian, sōtēriois graphais ethrepsate te kai epotisate. Kai gar kai tēs epi xenēs autou diatribēs, hymeis paramythia gegonate; kai diōkomenon kai epibouleuomenon ethalpsate tais pistotatais heautōn psychais kai dianoiais. Eme de ēdē euphrainei, ennooumenon kai proorōnta tǭ logismǭ, tēn epi tę̄ epanodǭ hekastou hymōn charan, kai tou plēthous tas theosebestatas apantēseis, kai tēn endoxon tōn syntrechontōn heortēn, kai tis ekeinē hē hēmera hymin kai poia estai, epanerchomenou men tou adelphou mou; pausamenōn de tōn progenomenōn, kai tēs polytimētou kat' euchēn epanodou, eis euphrosynēn tina plērestatēs charas synaptousēs tous pantas. Hē toiautē chara kata to megiston mechris hēmōn phthanei, hois theothen kai touto synkechōrēsthai synestēken, hopōs eis gnōsin tou tēlikoutou andros elthein dynēthōmen. Eis euchēn oun tēn epistolēn teleiōsai kalon. Theos ho pantokratōr kai toutou Huios ho Kyrios kai Sōtēr hēmōn Iēsous Christos, diēnekē tēn charin tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. Amēn. Errhōsthai hymas tautēn hymin paraschoi, didous epathlon tę̄ thaumastę̄ hymōn pistei, hēn peri ton episkopon hymōn endoxǭ martyrią enedeixasthe; hina hymin te kai tois meth' hymas entautha, kai en tǭ mellonti ta beltiona menoi, ha ophthalmos ouk eide, kai ous ouk ēkouse, kai epi kardian anthrōpou ouk anebē ; ha hētoimasen ho Theos tois agapōsin auton, dia tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, di' hou tǭ pantokratori Theǭ hē doxa eis euchomai, agapētoi adelphoi. Toutois pepisteukōs tois grammasin tē ᾿Athanasios, epi tēn ᾿Anatolēn paregeneto. Kōnstantios de ho basileus, ouk apechthōs men tote apedexato. Sophizesthai de auton epecheirei, ek kataskeuēs tōn areianizontōn hypoballomenos; kai phēsi pros auton; Ton men thronon - ton sautou psēphǭ tēs synodou kai hēmeterą synainesei apeilēphas. Epeidē de eisin en tę̄ ᾿Alexandreią tines tou laou, diakrinomenoi tēn pros se koinōnian, mian en tę̄ polei ekklēsian eason echein autous. Pros tēn protasin tautēn ᾿Athanasios gorgōs hypapēntēse, kai phēsi; Ō basileu, ep᾿ exousias men echeis keleuein te kai prattein hosa an thelę̄s. Charin de kai autos autō kai deomai, dos moi. Tou de basileōs dōsein hetoimōs epangeilamenou, euthys epēgagen ᾿Athanasios, tēn autēn axiōn charin labein, hēn ho basileus epezētei labein. Mian gar kai autos ekklēsian aponemēthēnai ē ēxiou kath' hekastēn polin tois diakrinomenois pros tēn tōn areianizontōn koinōnian. Tēn ᾿Athanasiou toinyn gnōmēn lysitelē gnontes hoi areianizontes, hypertithesthai men touto elegon ; prattein de ta dokounta tǭ basilei parechōroun. Dioper ho basileus ᾿Athanasiǭ te kai Paulǭ kai Markellǭ tous idious apedidou thronous. Eti mēn kai Asklēpą tǭ Gazēs, kai Loukiǭ Adrianoupoleōs. Kai gar houtoi hypo tēs en Sardikę̄ synodou edechthēsan; Asklēpas men hypomnēmata epideixas, en hois ededeikto Eusebios ho Pamphilou hama pleiosi diagnous ta kat' auton, kai apodous tēn axian autou. Loukios de, hoti hoi katēgorountes autou phygę̄ echrēsanto. Prostagmata oun tou basileōs eis tas heautōn ephoita poleis, keleuonta hetoirhiōs autous hypodechesthai. En men oun ᾿Ankyrą Basileiou exōthoumenou, kai anteisiontos Markellou, tarachē ouch hē tychousa egeneto, ē prophasin loido rias paresche tois ta enantia phronousin; ᾿Asklēpan de hetoimōs Gazaioi edexanto. En de tę̄ Kōnstantinou polei Makedonios Paulǭ pros oligon hypexestē, kath᾽ heauton en idiazousę̄ ekklēsią tēs poleōs tas synodous poioumenos. Hyper mentoi ᾿Athanasiou, ho basileus episkopois te kai klērikois kai laoi?, peri tou asmenōs auton apodechthēnai epesteilen. Eti mēn kai ta kat᾿ autou en dikastēriois prachthenta, di' heterōn grammatōn aphanisthēnai ekeleuse. Ta de peri amphoterōn toutōn graphenta, esti tade; Epistolē Kōnstantiou hyper Athanasiou. Nikētēs Kōnstantios, Megistos, Sebastos, episkopois kai presbyterois tēs Katholikēs Ekklēsias. Ouk apeleiphthē tēs tou Theou charitos ho aidesimōtatos episkopos ᾿Athanasios. ᾿All' ei kai en brachei chronǭ tę̄ kata anthrōpous dokimasią hypeblēthē, homōs tēn opheilomenēn para tēs pantephorou Pronoias apēnenkato psēphon; apolabōn boulēsei tou kreittonos, kai krisei hēmeterą tēn patrida homou kai tēn Ekklēsian, hēs theiǭ neumati prostatēs etynchane. Toutǭ ta akoloutha edei para tēs hēmeteras hyparxai praotētos. "Ōste panta ta pro toutou kata tōn autǭ kekoinōnēkotōn hōrismena, nyn amnēstią paradothēnai, pasan te hypopsian tēn kat' autou scholasai tou loipou, tēn te ateleian hēs etychon palai hoi hama autǭ klērikoi, toutois bebaiōthēnai prosēkontōs. ᾿Alla mēn kai touto tę̄ eis auton chariti prostethēnai edikaiōsamen, hōste pantas tous tou hierou katalogou ginōskein, endedosthai to aphobon pasi tois autǭ prostetheimenois, eite episkopois, eite klērikois. Hikanon de gnōrisma tēs hekastou orthēs proaireseōs estai, hē pros touton henōsis. Hosoi gar an tēs kallionos homou kriseōs te kai moiras genomenoi, tēn toutou helōntai koinōnian, toutous pantas ekeleusamen, kath' homoiotēta tēs phthanousēs Pronoias, kai nyn tēs hyph᾽ hēmōn boulēsei tou kreittonos paraschetheisēs charitos apolauein. ᾿Allē epistolē, tois Alexandreusi pemphtheisa. Nikētēs Kōnstantios, Megistos, Sebastos, tǭ laǭ tēs kata Alexandreian Katholikēs Ekklēsias. Skopon poioumenoi tēn hymeteran en hapasin eunomian, eidotes te hōs epipoly tēs tou episkopountos pronoias esterēsthe, ᾿Athanasion ton episkopon, andra tois pasi dia te tēn prosousan orthotēta, kai dia tēn oikeian eutropian gnōrimon °, 115 palin pros hymas aposteilai edikaiōsamen. Touton synēthōs kai prosēkontōs hypodexamenoi, kai tais pros ton Theon euchais boēthon prostēsamenoi, tēn hymin te prepousan kai hēmin arestēn homonoian kai eirēnēn kata ton tēs Ekklēsias thesmon diarkē phylattein spoudasate. Oude gar eulogon esti, dichonoian tina ē stasin en hymin kinēthēnai, hypenantian tēs tōn hēmeterōn kairōn eumoirias. Kai touto men apeinai aph᾽ hymōn pantelōs boulometha. To de ge tais euchais hymas diarkōs autǭ, hōs proeirētai, prostatę̄ kai epikourǭ chrōmenous pros to theion emmenein, synēthōs parainoumen ; hōs an tēs toiautēs hymōn protheseōs eis tas hapantōn euchas R diabainousēs, kai ek tōn ethnōn hoi tę̄ tōn eidōlōn planę̄ eti kai nyn proanechontes 4, epi tēn tēs hieras thrēskeias epignōsin prothymotata speudoien, ᾿Alexandreis prosphilestatoi. Kai authis oun parainoumen tois proeirēmenois emmenein. Ton de episkopon, psēphǭ tou kreittonos kai hēmeterą gnōmę̄ apestalmenon, hēdeōs dexasthe, kai pasę̄ psychę̄ kai gnōmę̄ aspaston hēgēsasthe. Touto gar kai hymin prepei, kai tę̄ hēmeterą praotēti prosēkein synestēken. Hyper gar tou pasan anasobēn, kai staseōs prophasin periairethēnai tōn ethelokakią chrōmenōn, tois par' hymin dikastais dia grammatōn prosetaxamen, hapantas hous an stasiōdeis katamathoien, tę̄ tōn nomōn hypoballein ekdikią. Amphotera toinyn synorōntes, kai tēn hēmeteran meta tou kreittonos gnōmēn, kai ton hyper hymōn kai tēs homonoias logon, kai tēn tōn ataktōn timōrian, ta preponta kai harmozonta tǭ tēs hieras thrēskeias thesmǭ diaphylat tontes, kai ton proeirēmenon dia pasēs aidous kai timēs agontes, tas euchas hama autǭ hyper te heautōn kai tēs tou biou pantos eunomias tǭ tōn holōn Patri Theǭ anapempein spoudazete. Epistolē ; peri tou aphanisthēnai ta prachthenta kata Athanasiou. Nikētēs Kōnstantios, Augoustos, Nestoriǭ; tǭ de autǭ typǭ kai tois en Augoustomnikē kai Thēbaïdi kai Libyę̄ hēgemosin. Ei pote pro toutou epi blabę̄ kai hybrei tōn koinōnountōn ᾿Athanasiǭ tǭ episkopǭ prachthen heurisketai, touto nyn apaleiphthēnai boulometha. Kai gar tēn aleitourgēsian; hēn hoi autou klērikoi eichon, tēn autēn palin thelomen echein. Tautēn de tēn hēmeteran prostaxin phylachthēnai boulometha; hōste apodothentos ᾿Athanasiou tou episkopou tę̄ Ekklēsią, tous koinōnountas autǭ echein aleitourgēsian hēn aei eschon, hēn kai hoi loipoi klērikoi echousin; houtōs echontes, kai autoi chairōsin.
When the emperor of the East learned this, he was thrown into no small anxiety. He at once summoned very many of the eastern bishops, laid his brother’s choice before them, and asked what should be done. They said it was better to give up the churches to Athanasius and his party than to undertake a civil war. So the emperor, under compulsion, summoned Athanasius and his party to himself. Meanwhile the emperor of the West at once sent Paul to Constantinople with two bishops and other honour, fortifying him again with his own letters and also with those of the synod. Since Athanasius still hung back and hesitated to come to him (for he was wary of the plots of the slanderers), the emperor of the East summoned him not once only, but twice and three times, as his letters show; translated from the Latin, they read as follows.
Letter of Constantius to Athanasius: “Constantius Victor Augustus to bishop Athanasius. The kindness of our clemency has not allowed you to be long tossed and buffeted, as by the wild waves of the sea. Our tireless piety has not overlooked you, stripped of your ancestral hearth, deprived of your own, and wandering in savage wildernesses. Although I put off for a long time writing the purpose of my mind, expecting you to come to us of your own accord and ask relief from your troubles, yet since fear perhaps hindered your intention, we have therefore sent your steadfastness a letter full of bounty, so that you may hasten without fear to present yourself quickly before us, in order that, having obtained your desire and experienced our kindness, you may be restored to your own. For this reason I have also asked my lord and brother Constans Victor Augustus on your behalf to give you leave to come, so that with the assent of us both you may be restored to your homeland, having this as a pledge of our favour.”
Another letter to Athanasius: “Constantius Victor Augustus to bishop Athanasius. Although we made known in an earlier letter that you should come to our court without anxiety, since we very much wish to send you back to your own, nevertheless we have now also sent this letter to your steadfastness. We urge you, therefore, without any distrust or fear, to take the public carriages and hasten to us, so that you may obtain what you desire.”
Another letter to the same: “Constantius Victor Augustus to bishop Athanasius. When we were staying at Edessa, in the presence of your presbyters, it was decided that a presbyter should be sent to you so that you might hasten to come to our court and, after seeing our face, travel at once to Alexandria. But since a very long time has passed since you received our letter and you have not come, we have therefore been eager to remind you now too, that you may hasten to present yourself quickly to us, and so be able to be restored to your homeland and obtain your prayer. For a fuller account we have sent Achetas the deacon, from whom you can learn the purpose of our soul and that you can obtain what you pray for.”
Athanasius received these letters at Aquileia (for he was staying there after leaving Sardica) and at once hastened to Rome. He showed the letters to bishop Julius and caused the greatest joy to the church of the Romans; for the emperor of the East too seemed to agree with their faith, since he was summoning Athanasius to himself. Julius wrote as follows about Athanasius to the clergy and people of Alexandria.
Letter of Julius, bishop of Rome, to those in Alexandria: “Julius to the bishops, presbyters, and deacons, and to the people dwelling at Alexandria, beloved brothers, greeting in the Lord. I rejoice with you, beloved brothers, that you now see before your eyes the fruit of your faith. For one may truly see this come about in the case of my brother and fellow bishop Athanasius, whom God is giving back to you for the purity of his life and because of your prayers. From this one may see that you have always offered to God prayers that were pure and full of love. For, mindful of the heavenly promises and of the love for them in which you were trained by the teaching of my brother just mentioned, you knew truly, and in accordance with the right faith that is in you understood, that he would not be cut off from you for ever, whom you held in your godly souls as if present. So I have no need of many words in writing to you; for what might have been said by me your faith has anticipated, and the common prayer of you all has been fulfilled by the grace of Christ. I rejoice with you, then, and I will say it again, that you have kept your souls unconquerable in the faith. And I rejoice no less with my brother Athanasius himself, that though suffering many grievous things he has not for a single hour forgotten your love and your longing. For if in body he seemed for a time to be dragged away from you, in spirit he always lived as one present with you. And I, beloved, consider that every trial that has befallen him has not been without glory; for both your faith and his have become known to all and been proved. For if so many things had not happened, who would have believed that you had such esteem and such love for so great a bishop, or that he was adorned with such virtues, for which he will not be a stranger to the hope in heaven? He has obtained, then, in every way, both in the present and in the time to come, the glorious testimony of confession. For having been tried variously by land and sea, he trampled down every plot of the Arian heresy; and having often been plotted against through envy and put in danger, he despised death, guarded by God Almighty and our Lord Jesus Christ, hoping both to escape the plots and to be restored for your comfort, bringing back to you at the same time greater trophies from your own conscience. In these he has become known as glorious even to the ends of the whole earth, proved by his life, speaking boldly by his purpose and his heavenly teaching, and shown by an undying judgment to be loved by you. He returns to you, then, more illustrious now than when he left you. For if fire tests precious materials, I mean gold and silver, for purity, what could one say worthy of so great a man, who, having overcome the fire of so many afflictions and so many dangers, is now given back to you innocent, received not by us alone but by the whole synod? Receive, therefore, beloved brothers, with all godly glory and joy, your bishop Athanasius, with those who have shared his trials. And rejoice in obtaining your prayers, you who have fed and watered with saving words your shepherd, who, if I may say so, hungered and thirsted for your godliness. For you were his comfort during his stay abroad, and you cherished him when persecuted and plotted against with your most faithful souls and minds. It gladdens me already to think of and foresee in my mind the joy of each of you at his return, the most godly welcomes of the crowd, and the glorious festival of those running to meet him; what a day that will be for you, when my brother returns, when past troubles are ended, and when his much-prized return, as you prayed, unites all in a gladness of fullest joy. Such joy reaches even to us in the highest degree, to whom this too has been granted by God, that we have been able to come to know so great a man. It is fitting, then, to end the letter with a prayer. May God Almighty and his Son our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ grant you this grace continually, giving a reward to your wonderful faith, which you have shown towards your bishop by glorious testimony; so that for you and those after you, both here and in the age to come, the better things may remain, ‘which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have they entered into the heart of man, which God has prepared for those who love him’; through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom be glory to God Almighty for ever and ever. Amen. I pray that you may be well, beloved brothers.”
Trusting in these letters, Athanasius came to the East. The emperor Constantius did not then receive him with hostility; but at the instigation of the Arians he tried to outwit him, and said to him: “You have recovered your throne by the vote of the synod and with our consent. But since there are some of the people in Alexandria who refuse communion with you, let them have one church in the city.” Athanasius met this proposal quickly and said: “O emperor, you have authority to command and do whatever you wish. But I too ask a favour of you; grant it to me.” When the emperor readily promised to grant it, Athanasius at once added that he asked to receive the same favour the emperor sought to receive: he asked that one church in each city be assigned to those who refused communion with the Arians. The Arians, recognizing that Athanasius’s proposal would work against them, said that this should be put off, and let the emperor do as he thought fit. So the emperor gave back their own thrones to Athanasius, Paul, and Marcellus, and also to Asclepas of Gaza and Lucius of Adrianople; for these too had been received by the synod at Sardica: Asclepas, because he produced records showing that Eusebius, son of Pamphilus, with several others, had examined his case and restored his rank; Lucius, because his accusers had fled. Orders of the emperor went to their cities, commanding that they be received readily. At Ancyra, when Basil was expelled and Marcellus came in, no small disturbance arose, which gave those of the opposite opinion a pretext for abuse; but the people of Gaza readily received Asclepas. At Constantinople Macedonius gave way to Paul for a short time, holding his assemblies by himself in a separate church of the city. On behalf of Athanasius the emperor wrote to bishops, clergy, and people, that he be received gladly; and by another letter he ordered the records of proceedings against him in the courts to be destroyed. What was written about both these matters is as follows.
Letter of Constantius on behalf of Athanasius: “Victor Constantius, Maximus, Augustus, to the bishops and presbyters of the catholic church. The most reverend bishop Athanasius has not been abandoned by the grace of God. Although for a short time he was subjected to human trial, he has nevertheless received the verdict due from the providence that oversees all, recovering by the will of the Supreme and by our judgment both his homeland and the church over which by divine nod he presided. It was right that what follows from this should come from our clemency: that everything decided previously against those in communion with him be now consigned to oblivion, that every suspicion against him cease for the future, and that the exemption which the clergy with him formerly enjoyed be fittingly confirmed to them. Moreover we have thought it right to add this to our favour towards him, that all of the sacred roll should know that security is granted to all who adhere to him, whether bishops or clergy. Union with him will be a sufficient sign of each man’s right purpose. For all who, belonging to the better judgment and portion, choose communion with him, we have ordered, in keeping with the providence that has gone before, to enjoy now the favour granted by us by the will of the Supreme.”
Another letter, sent to the Alexandrians: “Victor Constantius, Maximus, Augustus, to the people of the catholic church at Alexandria. Making your good order in all things our aim, and knowing that you have long been deprived of the care of your bishop, we have thought it right to send back to you Athanasius the bishop, a man known to all for his uprightness and his good character. Receive him in the customary and fitting way, and, setting him up as your helper in your prayers to God, take care to keep continually, according to the law of the church, the concord and peace that befit you and please us. For it is not reasonable that any dissension or strife should be stirred up among you, contrary to the good fortune of our times; and this we wish to be wholly absent from you. We urge you, as is our custom, to continue in your prayers, using him, as has been said, as your leader and helper before God; so that, as this purpose of yours passes into the prayers of all, even those of the pagans who still hold to the error of idols may hasten most eagerly to the knowledge of the sacred religion, most beloved Alexandrians. Again, then, we urge you to keep to what has been said. Receive gladly the bishop sent by the vote of the Supreme and our decision, and regard him as welcome with all your soul and mind. For this befits you and accords with our clemency. To take away every incitement and pretext for sedition from those given to ill will, we have ordered your judges by letter to subject to the punishment of the laws all whom they find seditious. Considering, then, both our judgment together with the Supreme’s, and our concern for you and for concord, and the punishment of the disorderly, keep what is fitting and suited to the law of the sacred religion, hold the bishop named in all reverence and honour, and be eager to send up with him your prayers for yourselves and for the good order of all life to God the Father of all.”
Letter on destroying the proceedings against Athanasius: “Victor Constantius Augustus to Nestorius, and in the same form to the governors in Augustamnica, the Thebaid, and Libya. If anything is found to have been done before this to the harm and injury of those in communion with bishop Athanasius, we wish it now to be wiped out. For we wish his clergy to have again the same exemption from public duties which they had. We wish this our order to be kept, that, bishop Athanasius having been restored to the church, those in communion with him should have the exemption which they always had and which the other clergy have, so that they too may rejoice in having it.”
1 Cor 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 64:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Pet 1:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 8:2 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 5:6 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantius, under pressure from Constans, recalls Athanasius with three letters; Julius of Rome writes to the Alexandrians welcoming his return; Constantius restores the exiled bishops and issues letters in Athanasius’s favour.
- Documents quoted: three letters of Constantius to Athanasius; Julius of Rome to the church of Alexandria; Constantius to the bishops, to the Alexandrians, and to the prefect Nestorius. All are also in Athanasius, Defence against the Arians 51–56.
- In the first and last of these letters the scan displaces some lines (“be restored to your homeland, having this as a pledge of our favour”; the end of Julius’s letter, “for ever and ever. Amen. I pray that you may be well”); they are translated in their proper places.
- “Which eye has not seen …” quotes 1 Cor 2:9 (Isa 64:4).
Extrabiblical texts: Athanasius, Apol. sec. 51-56 (Defence against the Arians; quotation)
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.23 (PG 67:247–261; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-23
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Zenos's English in NPNF² 2.
2.24PG 67:261–263
Ταῖς τοιαύταις ἐπιστολαῖς ὀχυρωθεὶς ᾿Αθανάσιος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, διὰ τῆς Συρίας ὁρμήσας, τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἐπέβη 1. Καταλαβών τε τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα, καὶ τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Μαξίμῳ καταφανῆ ποιήσας τὰ τε ὑπὸ τῆς ἐν Σαρδικῇ συνόδου γνωσθέντα, καὶ ὡς ὁ βασιλεὺς Κωνστάντιος τῇ ἐκείνων κρίσει ἐγένετο σύμψηφος, παρασκευάζει σύνοδον τῶν ἐκεῖ ἐπισκό πων γενέσθαι. Μάξιμός τε μηδὲν μελλήσας, μετεπέμπετο τινὰς τῶν ἀπὸ Συρίας καὶ Παλαιστίνης ἐπισκόπων· καὶ καθίσας συνέδριον, ἀποδίδωσι καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν κοινωνίαν ᾿Αθανασίῳ καὶ τὴν ἀξίαν. Γράφει τε καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ σύνοδος τοῖς τε ἐν ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ Λιβύῃ ἐπισκόποις, τὰ ἐγνωσμένα καὶ ἐψηφισμένα περὶ ᾿Αθανασίου· ἐφ' ᾧ σφόδρα κατεμωκήσαντο τοῦ Μαξίμου οἱ ἀπεχθῶς ἔχοντες πρὸς Ἀθανάσιον, ὅτι πρότερον καθελὼν αὐτὸν ", αὖθις ἐκ μεταμελείας ὡς μηδενὸς γενομένου, ψῆφον ὑπὲρ ᾿Αθανασίου ἐξήνεγκεν, τήν τε κοινωνίαν αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἀξίαν παρέχουσαν. Ταῦτα γνόντες Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης, οἱ περὶ τὸ Ἀρειάνιον δόγμα πρότερον διαπύρως σπουδάζοντες, καταγνόντες τότε τῆς προλαβούσης σπουδῆς, ἐπὶ τὴν Ῥώμην ἀνῆλθον. Βιβλίον τε μετανοίας · τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἰουλίῳ ἐπιδόντες, τῷ τε ὁμοουσίῳ συνέθεντο· καὶ γράμματα πρὸς ᾿Αθανάσιον διαπεμψάμενοι, κοινωνεῖν αὐτῷ τοῦ λοιποῦ ὡμολόγησαν. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν τότε Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης τοῖς ἐπὶ ᾿Αθανασίῳ γεγονόσιν ἡττηθέντες, ὡς ἔφην, τῷ ὁμοουσίῳ συνέθεντο. ᾿Αθανάσιος δὲ διὰ Πηλουσίου ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν ἐπορεύετο· κατὰ πόλεις τε παριὼν ἐδίδασκε, τοὺς μὲν ἀρειανίζοντας ἐκτρέπεσθαι, ἀσπάζεσθαι δὲ τοὺς τὸ ὁμοούσιον ὁμολογοῦντας. Ἔν τισι δὲ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν καὶ χειροτονίας ἐποίει. Καὶ τοῦτο γέγονεν ἀρχὴ ἑτέρας μέμψεως κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι ἐν ταῖς ἄλλων παροικίαις χειροτονεῖν ἐπεχείρει Τὰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ ᾿Αθανάσιον οὕτως τότε προέβαινεν.
Tais toiautais epistolais ochyrōtheis ᾿Athanasios ho episkopos, dia tēs Syrias hormēsas, tēs Palaistinēs epebē 1. Katalabōn te ta Hierosolyma, kai tǭ episkopǭ Maximǭ kataphanē poiēsas ta te hypo tēs en Sardikę̄ synodou gnōsthenta, kai hōs ho basileus Kōnstantios tę̄ ekeinōn krisei egeneto sympsēphos, paraskeuazei synodon tōn ekei episko pōn genesthai. Maximos te mēden mellēsas, metepempeto tinas tōn apo Syrias kai Palaistinēs episkopōn; kai kathisas synedrion, apodidōsi kai autos tēn koinōnian ᾿Athanasiǭ kai tēn axian. Graphei te kai autē hē synodos tois te en ᾿Alexandreią, kai pasi tois en Aigyptǭ kai Libyę̄ episkopois, ta egnōsmena kai epsēphismena peri ᾿Athanasiou; eph' hǭ sphodra katemōkēsanto tou Maximou hoi apechthōs echontes pros Athanasion, hoti proteron kathelōn auton ", authis ek metameleias hōs mēdenos genomenou, psēphon hyper ᾿Athanasiou exēnenken, tēn te koinōnian autǭ kai tēn axian parechousan. Tauta gnontes Oursakios kai Oualēs, hoi peri to Areianion dogma proteron diapyrōs spoudazontes, katagnontes tote tēs prolabousēs spoudēs, epi tēn Rhōmēn anēlthon. Biblion te metanoias ; tǭ episkopǭ Iouliǭ epidontes, tǭ te homoousiǭ synethento; kai grammata pros ᾿Athanasion diapempsamenoi, koinōnein autǭ tou loipou hōmologēsan. Houtō men oun tote Oursakios kai Oualēs tois epi ᾿Athanasiǭ gegonosin hēttēthentes, hōs ephēn, tǭ homoousiǭ synethento. ᾿Athanasios de dia Pēlousiou epi tēn ᾿Alexandreian eporeueto; kata poleis te pariōn edidaske, tous men areianizontas ektrepesthai, aspazesthai de tous to homoousion homologountas. En tisi de tōn ekklēsiōn kai cheirotonias epoiei. Kai touto gegonen archē heteras mempseōs kat᾿ autou, hoti en tais allōn paroikiais cheirotonein epecheirei Ta men oun kata ᾿Athanasion houtōs tote proebainen.
Fortified by such letters, bishop Athanasius set out through Syria and reached Palestine. Arriving at Jerusalem, he made known to bishop Maximus what had been decided by the synod at Sardica and that the emperor Constantius had concurred in their judgment, and he arranged for a synod of the bishops there to be held. Maximus without delay summoned some of the bishops from Syria and Palestine, convened a council, and he too restored to Athanasius communion and his rank. The synod itself also wrote to those at Alexandria and to all the bishops in Egypt and Libya what had been decided and voted about Athanasius. Those hostile to Athanasius mocked Maximus greatly for this, because having previously deposed him, he now, as if nothing had happened, changed his mind and gave a vote in favour of Athanasius, granting him communion and his rank. When Ursacius and Valens, who had formerly been ardent for the Arian doctrine, learned this, they condemned their former zeal and went up to Rome. They presented a statement of repentance to bishop Julius, agreed to the homoousios, and sent letters to Athanasius promising to be in communion with him from then on. So at that time Ursacius and Valens, overcome by what had happened in Athanasius’s case, as I said, agreed to the homoousios. Athanasius went on by way of Pelusium to Alexandria. Passing through the cities, he taught them to turn away from the Arians and to embrace those who confessed the homoousios. In some of the churches he also performed ordinations; and this became the beginning of another complaint against him, that he undertook to ordain in other men’s dioceses. So went the affairs of Athanasius at that time.
Notes and citation
Summary: Maximus of Jerusalem holds a synod restoring Athanasius to communion; Ursacius and Valens recant at Rome; Athanasius returns to Alexandria, ordaining on the way.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.24 (PG 67:261–263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-24
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Zenos's English in NPNF² 2.
2.25PG 67:263–265
Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ τὰ δημόσια οὐχ ἡ τυχοῦσα ταραχή διεδέχετο. Περὶ ἧς ὅσα κεφαλαιώδη παραδράμεῖν οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον. ἀναλαβόντες βραχύ λέξομεν. Ὅτι τοῦ κτί στου τῆς Κωνσταντίνου πόλεως τελευτήσαντος, οἱ τρεῖς αὐτοῦ παῖδες τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ διεδέξαντο, ὡς ἐν τῷ πρὸ τούτου βιβλίῳ πεποιήμεθα μνήμην. Ἰστέον δὲ ὅτι συνεβασίλευσε τούτοις ἀνεψιὸς αὐτῶν, ᾧ ὄνομα Δαλμάτιος ν ὁμώνυμος τῷ ἰδίῳ πατρί. Ὃν ἐπ' ὀλίγον συμβασιλεύσαντα οἱ στρατιῶται ἀνεῖλον, οὐ κελεύοντος Κωνσταντίου τὴν σφαγὴν, ἀλλὰ μὴ κωλύοντος. Ὡς δὲ Κωνσταντίνος ὁ νέος · τοῖς τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ μέρεσιν ἐπιὼν, καὶ αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν συμβαλὼν ἀνῃρέθη, ἤδη πολλάκις πρότερον εἴρηται. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐκείνου ἀναίρεσιν, ὁ Περσικός πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ἐκινήθη πόλεμος, καθ' ὃν Κωνστάν quo,τιος οὐδὲν ἔπραττεν εὐτυχῶς ε. Νυκτομαχίας γὰρ περὶ τοὺς ὄρους Ῥωμαίων Περσῶν γενομέ- 4 νης, ἐπικρατέστερα τότε τὰ Περσῶν πρὸς ὀλίγον ἔδοξε γίγνεσθαι. Καθ᾽ ὃν καιρὸν οὔτε τὰ Χριστιανῶν ἡσύχαζεν, ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ᾿Αθανάσιον, καὶ τὴν τοῦ ὁμοουσίου λέξιν περὶ τὰς ᾿χκλησίας πόλεμος ἣν. Ἐν τούτοις καθεστώτων τῶν πραγμάτων, Μαγνέντιος περὶ τὰ ἐσπέρια μέρη ἐπεφύη τύραννος" ὃ: Κώνσταντα τῶν ἑσπερίων μερῶν βασιλεύοντα, περὶ τὰς Γαλλίας διἄνοντα, ἐχ συσχευῆΐς ἀνεῖλε €. Οὗ γενομένου, ἐμφύλιος μέγιστος ἀνεῤῥιπίσθη πόλεμος. Μαγνέντιο: μὲν γὰρ ὁ τύραννος πάσης Ἰταλίας ἐκράτει, ᾿Αφρικὴν τε καὶ Λυιδύην ὑφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ πεποίητο, καὶ αὑτὰς τὰς Γαλλίας ἔσχε λαθών. Ἰλλυρικοῖς δὲ, ἐν Σιρμίῳ πόλει, ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἕτερος ἐπῆρτο τύραννος" ὄνομα δὲ αὐτῷ Βετρανίων 4, Οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ τὴν Ῥώμην ταραχὴ κατεῖχεν" τοῦ Κωνσταντίου γὰρ ἀδελφιδοῦ. ἣν, ᾧ Νεπωτιανὸς ὄνομα, ὃς ἀντεποιεῖτο τῆς βασιλείας, χειρὶ μονομάχων δορυφορούμενος. Νεπωτιανῶν μὲν οὖν οἱ Μαγνεντίου καθεῖλον στρατηγοί. Μαγνέντιος δὲ ἐπιὼν, πάντα τὰ ἑσπέρια κατεστρέφετο.
En toutǭ de ta dēmosia ouch hē tychousa tarachē diedecheto. Peri hēs hosa kephalaiōdē paradramein ouk anankaion. analabontes brachy lexomen. Hoti tou kti stou tēs Kōnstantinou poleōs teleutēsantos, hoi treis autou paides tēn basileian autou diedexanto, hōs en tǭ pro toutou bibliǭ pepoiēmetha mnēmēn. Isteon de hoti synebasileuse toutois anepsios autōn, hǭ onoma Dalmatios n homōnymos tǭ idiǭ patri. Hon ep' oligon symbasileusanta hoi stratiōtai aneilon, ou keleuontos Kōnstantiou tēn sphagēn, alla mē kōlyontos. Hōs de Kōnstantinos ho neos ; tois tou adelphou meresin epiōn, kai autos hypo tōn stratiōtōn symbalōn anę̄rethē, ēdē pollakis proteron eirētai. Meta de tēn ekeinou anairesin, ho Persikos pros Rhōmaious ekinēthē polemos, kath' hon Kōnstan quo,tios ouden epratten eutychōs e. Nyktomachias gar peri tous orous Rhōmaiōn Persōn genome- 4 nēs, epikratestera tote ta Persōn pros oligon edoxe gignesthai. Kath᾽ hon kairon oute ta Christianōn hēsychazen, alla di᾽ ᾿Athanasion, kai tēn tou homoousiou lexin peri tas ᾿chklēsias polemos hēn. En toutois kathestōtōn tōn pragmatōn, Magnentios peri ta esperia merē epephyē tyrannos" ho: Kōnstanta tōn hesperiōn merōn basileuonta, peri tas Gallias dianonta, ech syscheuēïs aneile €. Hou genomenou, emphylios megistos anerrhipisthē polemos. Magnentio: men gar ho tyrannos pasēs Italias ekratei, ᾿Aphrikēn te kai Luidyēn hyph᾽ heautǭ pepoiēto, kai hautas tas Gallias esche lathōn. Illyrikois de, en Sirmiǭ polei, hypo tōn stratiōtōn heteros epērto tyrannos" onoma de autǭ Betraniōn 4, Ou mēn alla tēn Rhōmēn tarachē kateichen" tou Kōnstantiou gar adelphidou. hēn, hǭ Nepōtianos onoma, hos antepoieito tēs basileias, cheiri monomachōn doryphoroumenos. Nepōtianōn men oun hoi Magnentiou katheilon stratēgoi. Magnentios de epiōn, panta ta hesperia katestrepheto.
Meanwhile no small disturbance succeeded in public affairs. It is not necessary to pass over its main points; we will take them up and tell them briefly. When the founder of Constantinople died, his three sons succeeded to his empire, as we mentioned in the previous book. It should be known that a cousin of theirs named Dalmatius, who bore his father’s name, also reigned with them. He reigned with them for a short time and then the soldiers killed him, Constantius not ordering the murder but not preventing it. How Constantine the Younger, invading his brother’s territories, was himself killed by the soldiers in an engagement has already been said several times. After his death the Persian war against the Romans was stirred up, in which Constantius had no success; for in a night battle on the frontier between Romans and Persians, the Persian side seemed for a short time to have the upper hand. At this time the affairs of the Christians were not quiet either, but there was war about the churches over Athanasius and the word homoousios. While things were in this state, Magnentius rose up as a tyrant in the western parts. He treacherously killed Constans, emperor of the western parts, who was staying in the Gauls. When this happened, a very great civil war was fanned into flame. Magnentius the tyrant became master of all Italy, brought Africa and Libya under himself, and secretly gained the Gauls themselves. In Illyricum, at the city of Sirmium, another tyrant was raised up by the soldiers, named Vetranio. Rome too was in turmoil; for there was a nephew of Constantine named Nepotian, who laid claim to the empire, guarded by a band of gladiators. Magnentius’s generals put down Nepotian, and Magnentius, advancing, subdued all the western parts.
Notes and citation
Summary: Socrates summarizes the political upheavals: the murder of Dalmatius, the Persian war, Magnentius’s murder of Constans, and the usurpations of Vetranio and Nepotian.
- Nepotian was the son of Constantine’s sister Eutropia; the scan’s “nephew of Constantius” is translated as “nephew of Constantine”, as the history requires; the Greek has adelphidous (“nephew”) and the name is ambiguous in the scan.
- Several stray characters from the parallel Latin column (e.g. “quo”) appear in the scan; they are ignored.
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.25 (PG 67:263–265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-25
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Zenos's English in NPNF² 2.
2.26PG 67:265–269
Τούτων δὲ πάντων τῶν κακῶν σύῤῥοια ἐν βραχεῖ γέγονε χρόνῳ. Ἱετάρτῳ γὰρ ὕστερον ἔτε: μετὰ τὴν ἐν Σαρδικῇ σύνοδον γέγονε, κατὰ τὴν ὑπατείαν Σεργίου καὶ Νιγριανοῦ. Τούτων ἀγγελθέντων, ἐδόκει μὲν εἰς Κωνστάντιον μόνον περιεληλυθέναι τὰ τῆς βασιλείας. Αὐτοκράτωρ δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἀνατολικοῖς ἀναδειχθεὶς μέρεσι, κατὰ τῶν τυράννων παντοῖος ἦν εὐ - τρεπίζεσθαι. Καιρὸν δὲ εὔκαιρον ἱ οἱ πρὸς ᾿Αθανάσιον διαφερόμενοι εὑρηκέναι νομίσαντες, αὖθις κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηδέπω τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἐπιστάντος, μεγίστας διαβολὰς ἐξειργάζοντο· διδάσκουσί τε τὸν βασιλέα Κωνστάντιον, ὡς εἴη πᾶσαν ἀνατρέπων Αἴγυπτον καὶ Λιβύην. Μάλιστα δὲ τὴν διαβολὴν ηὔξησεν, τὸ χειροτονίας αὐτὸν ἐν ἀλλοτρίαις παροικίαις ποιήσασθαι. ᾿Αθανάσιος δὲ ἐν τοσούτῳ καταλαβὼν τὴν ᾿Αλεξάν δρειαν 5, συνόδους τῶν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ ἐπισκόπων συνήθροισεν· οἱ ὁμόφωνα ἐψηφίσαντο τοῖς τότε ἐν Σαρδικῇ συνελθοῦσι, καὶ τῇ παρὰ Μαξίμου ἐν τοῖς Ἱεροσολύμοις γενομένῃ συνόδῳ. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς, καὶ αὐτὸς πάλαι τῇ ᾿Αρειανῇ κατεχόμενος δόξῃ, πάντα τὰ μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν αὐτῷ δεδογμένα εἰς τουναντίον μετέστρεφε. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τῆς Κωνσταντίνου πό λεως τὸν ἐπίσκοπον Παῦλον ἐξόριστον γενέσθαι ἐκέλευσεν· ὅν οἱ ἀπαγαγόντες ἐν Κουκουσῷὰ τῆς Καππαδοκίας ἀπέπνιξαν. Μαρκέλλου δὲ ἐκβληθέντος, αὖθις τῆς ἐν ᾿Αγκύρᾳ Ἐκκλησίας ἐγκρατὴς Βασίλειος γέγονε. Λούκιος δὲ ὁ τῆς ᾿Αδριανουπόλεως, σιδηρο δέσμιος ἐν εἰρκτῇ διεφθάρη. Τοσοῦτο δὲ ἐπεκράτησε τὰ περὶ ᾿Αθανασίου λεγόμενα, ὡς εἰς ἄμετρον ὀργὴν ἐκπεσεῖν τὸν βασιλέα, κελεῦσαί τε ἀναιρεθῆναι αὐτὸν, ἔνθα ἂν εὑρίσκοιτο. Σὺν αὐτῷ δὲ, Θεόδουλον καὶ Ὀλύμπιον, προεστῶτας Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐν Θράκῃ. ᾿Αθανάσιον δὲ τὰ τῷ βασιλεῖ δεδογμένα οὐκ ἔλαθεν. ᾿Αλλὰ προαισθόμενος, αὖθις φυγῇ ἐχρήσατο, καὶ οὕτως τὴν ἀπειλὴν τοῦ βασιλέως διέφυγεν. Ταύτην αὐτοῦ τὴν φυγὴν διέβαλλον οἱ ἄρειανίζοντες, καὶ μάλιστα Νάρκισσος ὁ Νερωνιάδος τῆς ἐν Κιλικίᾳ ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ Γεώργιος ὁ Λαοδικείας, καὶ Λεόντιος ὁ τῆς ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ Εκκλησίας τότε προεστηκώς• στις ἡνίκα πρεσβύτερος ἦν, ἀφῃρέθη τῆς ἀξίας ὅτι γυναικὶ συνδιημερεύων Εὐστολίῳ ὄνομα, καὶ τὴν εἰς αὐτὴν αἰσχρὰν ὑπόνοιαν ἐπικρύψαι σπουδάσας, τῶν γεννητικῶν ἐξέτεμεν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ παῤῥησιέστερον τῇ γυναικὶ συνδιῆγεν, ὡς μὴ ἔχων δε᾽ ἃ εἰς αὐτὴν διεβάλλετο. Γνώμῃ δὲ καὶ σπουδῇ τοῦ βασιλέως Κωνσταντίου, τῆς ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ Ἐκκλησίας προεβλήθη ἐπίσκοπος μετὰ Στέφανον, ὃς Πλάκιτον διεδέδεκτο πρότερον. Τοσαῦτα μὲν περὶ τούτου.
Toutōn de pantōn tōn kakōn syrrhoia en brachei gegone chronǭ. Hietartǭ gar hysteron ete: meta tēn en Sardikę̄ synodon gegone, kata tēn hypateian Sergiou kai Nigrianou. Toutōn angelthentōn, edokei men eis Kōnstantion monon perielēlythenai ta tēs basileias. Autokratōr de en tois anatolikois anadeichtheis meresi, kata tōn tyrannōn pantoios ēn eu - trepizesthai. Kairon de eukairon hi hoi pros ᾿Athanasion diapheromenoi heurēkenai nomisantes, authis kat᾿ autou kai mēdepō tēs ᾿Alexandreias epistantos, megistas diabolas exeirgazonto; didaskousi te ton basilea Kōnstantion, hōs eiē pasan anatrepōn Aigypton kai Libyēn. Malista de tēn diabolēn ēuxēsen, to cheirotonias auton en allotriais paroikiais poiēsasthai. ᾿Athanasios de en tosoutǭ katalabōn tēn ᾿Alexan dreian 5, synodous tōn en Aigyptǭ episkopōn synēthroisen; hoi homophōna epsēphisanto tois tote en Sardikę̄ synelthousi, kai tę̄ para Maximou en tois Hierosolymois genomenę̄ synodǭ. Ho de basileus, kai autos palai tę̄ ᾿Areianę̄ katechomenos doxę̄, panta ta mikron emprosthen autǭ dedogmena eis tounantion metestrephe. Kai prōton men tēs Kōnstantinou po leōs ton episkopon Paulon exoriston genesthai ekeleusen; hon hoi apagagontes en Koukousǭa tēs Kappadokias apepnixan. Markellou de ekblēthentos, authis tēs en ᾿Ankyrą Ekklēsias enkratēs Basileios gegone. Loukios de ho tēs ᾿Adrianoupoleōs, sidēro desmios en eirktę̄ diephtharē. Tosouto de epekratēse ta peri ᾿Athanasiou legomena, hōs eis ametron orgēn ekpesein ton basilea, keleusai te anairethēnai auton, entha an heuriskoito. Syn autǭ de, Theodoulon kai Olympion, proestōtas Ekklēsiōn en Thrakę̄. ᾿Athanasion de ta tǭ basilei dedogmena ouk elathen. ᾿Alla proaisthomenos, authis phygę̄ echrēsato, kai houtōs tēn apeilēn tou basileōs diephygen. Tautēn autou tēn phygēn dieballon hoi areianizontes, kai malista Narkissos ho Nerōniados tēs en Kilikią episkopos, kai Geōrgios ho Laodikeias, kai Leontios ho tēs en ᾿Antiocheią Ekklēsias tote proestēkōs• stis hēnika presbyteros ēn, aphę̄rethē tēs axias hoti gynaiki syndiēmereuōn Eustoliǭ onoma, kai tēn eis autēn aischran hyponoian epikrypsai spoudasas, tōn gennētikōn exetemen heauton, kai tou loipou parrhēsiesteron tę̄ gynaiki syndiēgen, hōs mē echōn de᾽ ha eis autēn dieballeto. Gnōmę̄ de kai spoudę̄ tou basileōs Kōnstantiou, tēs en Antiocheią Ekklēsias proeblēthē episkopos meta Stephanon, hos Plakiton diededekto proteron. Tosauta men peri toutou.
All these evils came together in a short time; for they happened in the fourth year after the synod at Sardica, in the consulship of Sergius and Nigrinianus. When they were reported, the empire seemed to have passed to Constantius alone. Proclaimed sole ruler in the eastern parts, he made every preparation against the tyrants. Those at odds with Athanasius, thinking they had found a fitting opportunity, again contrived very great slanders against him before he had even reached Alexandria, telling the emperor Constantius that he was overturning all Egypt and Libya. What increased the slander most was that he had performed ordinations in other men’s dioceses. Athanasius meanwhile arrived at Alexandria and assembled synods of the bishops of Egypt, who voted in agreement with those who had then met at Sardica and with the synod held by Maximus at Jerusalem. But the emperor, who had long been possessed by the Arian opinion himself, turned everything he had decided a little before into its opposite. First he ordered Paul, bishop of Constantinople, to be exiled; those who led him away strangled him at Cucusus in Cappadocia. Marcellus was expelled, and Basil again became master of the church at Ancyra. Lucius of Adrianople perished in prison in iron chains. What was said about Athanasius prevailed so far that the emperor fell into boundless anger and ordered him to be put to death wherever he was found, and with him Theodulus and Olympius, who presided over churches in Thrace. What the emperor had decided did not escape Athanasius; perceiving it beforehand, he again took to flight and so escaped the emperor’s threat. The Arians found fault with this flight of his, especially Narcissus, bishop of Neronias in Cilicia, George of Laodicea, and Leontius, who then presided over the church at Antioch. Leontius, when he was a presbyter, had been deprived of his rank because, spending his days with a woman named Eustolium and eager to hide the shameful suspicion about her, he had castrated himself, and from then on lived with the woman more openly, as having nothing on account of which he could be accused regarding her. By the decision and effort of the emperor Constantius he was put forward as bishop of the church at Antioch after Stephen, who had succeeded Placitus earlier. So much about him.
Notes and citation
Summary: With Constantius sole emperor, the Arians renew charges against Athanasius; Paul is strangled in exile, Marcellus and Lucius removed, and Athanasius flees a death sentence; Leontius, who had castrated himself, becomes bishop of Antioch.
- The consulship of Sergius and Nigrinianus is 350.
- Paul’s death by strangling at Cucusus is reported by Socrates as fact; Athanasius gives a similar account (History of the Arians 7).
- The account of Leontius is translated exactly as Socrates gives it.
Topics: Persecution, Church office
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.26 (PG 67:265–269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-26
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Zenos's English in NPNF² 2.
2.27PG 67:269–271
Γότε δὲ καὶ ἐν Κωνσταντίνου πόλει Μακεδόνιος τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐγκρατὴς γίνεται, Παύλου ἐκποδών γενομένου, καθ᾽ ἂν εἴρηται τρόπον. Παῤῥησίαν τε παρὰ βασιλεῖ μεγίστην κτησάμενος, Χριστιανικὸν ἐκίνησε πόλεμον, οὐχ ἥττονα ἢ ὑπὸ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον ἐποίουν οἱ τύραννοι. Πείσας γὰρ τὸν βασιλέα συλλαμβάνεσθαι αὐτῷ πορθοῦντι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, παρασκευάζει νόμῳ κυροῦσθαι, ὅσα κακῶς πράττειν ἐβούλετο. Καὶ τὸ ἐντεῦθεν κατὰ πόλεις μὲν νόμος προὐτίθετο· στρατιωτικὴ δὲ χεὶρ ὑπουργεῖν κεκέλευστο τοῖς τοῦ βασιλέως θεσπίσμασιν. Ἐξωθοῦντό τε οἱ φρονοῦντες τὸ ὁμοούσιον, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν μόνον, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη καὶ ἐκ τῶν πόλεων. Καὶ τὸ μὲν πρότερον περὶ τὸ ἐξωθεῖν μόνον ἐσχόλαζον · προβαίνοντος δὲ τοῦ κακοῦ, ἐπὶ τὸ ἀναγκάζειν συγκοινωνεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐτρέποντο, μικρὰ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν φροντίσαντες. Ἧν δὲ ἡ ἀνάγκη οὐ μείων, ἧς πρότερον παρἑσχον οἱ τοῖς ἀγάλμασι προσκυνεῖν ἀναγκάσαντες. Καὶ γὰρ παντοίας αἰκίας προσέφερον ί, καὶ στρεβλώσεις ποικίλας καὶ δημεύσεις χρημάτων· ἐξορίαις τε πολλοὶ ὑπεβάλλοντο. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ταῖς βασάνοις ἐναπέθνησκον· οἱ δὲ ἐφθείροντο, κατὰ τὰς ἐξορίας ἀπαγόμενοι. Καὶ ταῦτα ἐγίνοντο κατὰ πάσας μὲν τὰς ἀνατολικὰς πόλεις, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ ἐν τῇ Κωνσταντίνου πόλει. Τοῦτον μὲν οὖν τὸν ἐμφύλιον διωγμὸν, βραχύν ὄντα πρότερον, εἰς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν παρελθὼν Μακεδόνιος ηύξησεν. Αἱ δὲ περὶ τὴν Ἑλλάδα πόλεις καὶ Ἰλλυριοὺς καὶ τὰ ἑσπέρια μέρη, ἔμμενον ἔτι ἀσάλευτοι, τῷ συμφωνεῖν τε ἀλλήλοις, καὶ τὸν παραδοθέντα ἐκ τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου κανόνα κρατεῖν.
Gote de kai en Kōnstantinou polei Makedonios tōn Ekklēsiōn enkratēs ginetai, Paulou ekpodōn genomenou, kath᾽ an eirētai tropon. Parrhēsian te para basilei megistēn ktēsamenos, Christianikon ekinēse polemon, ouch hēttona ē hypo ton auton chronon epoioun hoi tyrannoi. Peisas gar ton basilea syllambanesthai autǭ porthounti tas Ekklēsias, paraskeuazei nomǭ kyrousthai, hosa kakōs prattein ebouleto. Kai to enteuthen kata poleis men nomos proutitheto; stratiōtikē de cheir hypourgein kekeleusto tois tou basileōs thespismasin. Exōthounto te hoi phronountes to homoousion, ouk ek tōn ekklēsiōn monon, all᾽ ēdē kai ek tōn poleōn. Kai to men proteron peri to exōthein monon escholazon ; probainontos de tou kakou, epi to anankazein synkoinōnein autois etreponto, mikra tōn ekklēsiōn phrontisantes. Hēn de hē anankē ou meiōn, hēs proteron pareschon hoi tois agalmasi proskynein anankasantes. Kai gar pantoias aikias prosepheron i, kai streblōseis poikilas kai dēmeuseis chrēmatōn; exoriais te polloi hypeballonto. Kai hoi men tais basanois enapethnēskon; hoi de ephtheironto, kata tas exorias apagomenoi. Kai tauta eginonto kata pasas men tas anatolikas poleis, exairetōs de en tę̄ Kōnstantinou polei. Touton men oun ton emphylion diōgmon, brachyn onta proteron, eis tēn episkopēn parelthōn Makedonios ēuxēsen. Hai de peri tēn Hellada poleis kai Illyrious kai ta hesperia merē, emmenon eti asaleutoi, tǭ symphōnein te allēlois, kai ton paradothenta ek tēs en Nikaią synodou kanona kratein.
Then Macedonius too became master of the churches in Constantinople, Paul having been put out of the way in the manner described. Having gained very great freedom of speech with the emperor, he stirred up a Christian war no less than what the tyrants were doing at the same time. Having persuaded the emperor to help him in ravaging the churches, he arranged for whatever wrong he wished to do to be confirmed by law. From then on a law was posted in the cities, and soldiers were ordered to assist the emperor’s decrees. Those who held the homoousios were driven out not only from the churches but now from the cities too. At first they were busy only with driving them out; but as the evil advanced, they turned to compelling them to communicate with them, caring little about the churches. The compulsion was no less than that formerly applied by those who compelled people to worship idols. For they inflicted every kind of outrage, various tortures, and confiscations of property; many were sent into exile. Some died under the tortures; others perished as they were led away into exile. These things happened in all the eastern cities, but especially in Constantinople. This civil persecution, small at first, Macedonius increased when he came into the bishopric. But the cities of Greece, Illyricum, and the western parts still remained unshaken, because they agreed with one another and held to the rule handed down from the synod of Nicaea.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macedonius, with imperial support, persecutes those who hold the homoousios in Constantinople and the East by expulsion, torture, and exile.
- The account of persecution by the Arian party is translated exactly as Socrates gives it.
Topics: Persecution, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.27 (PG 67:269–271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-27
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-socrates-historia-2-27) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Zenos's English in NPNF² 2.
2.28PG 67:271–275
Οἷα δὲ τῇ ᾿Αλεξανδρείᾳ Γεώργιος ὑπὸ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον εἰργάζετο, τῆς φωνῆς ᾿Αθανασίου τοῦ πεπονθότος καὶ παρόντος τοῖς γινομένοις, ἐπάκουσον. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ ᾿Απολογητικῷ περὶ τῆς φυγῆς κ ἑαυτοῦ λόγῳ, κατὰ λέξιν περὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ γεγενημένων φησί• Καὶ γὰρ εἰς τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν ἐπεφύησαν ζητοῦντες πάλιν ἡμᾶς ἀποκτεῖναι. Καὶ γέγονε τὰ ὕστερα, χείρονα τῶν πρώτων. Στρατιῶται γὰρ ἐξαίφνης τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐκύκλωσαν, καὶ τὰ πολέμων ἀντὶ τῶν εὐχῶν ἐγίνετο. Εἶτα εἰσελθὼν τῇ Τεσσαρακοστῇ, ὁ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀποσταλεὶς ἐκ Καππαδοκίας Γεώργιος, ηὔξησεν ἃ παρ' αὐτῶν μεμάθηκε κακά. Μετὰ γὰρ τὰ ἔβδομα τοῦ Πάσχα, παρθένοι εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐβάλλοντο • ἐπίσκοποι ἤγοντο ὑπὸ στρατιωτῶν δεδεμένοι · ὀρφανῶν καὶ χηρῶν ἡρπάζοντο οἰκίαι τε καὶ ἄρτοι· ἔφοδοι κατὰ τῶν οἰκιῶν ἐγίνοντο· καὶ νυκτὸς οἱ Χριστιανοὶ κατεφέροντο. Ἐπεσφραγίσθησαν οἰκίαι· καὶ ( ἀδελφοὶ κληρικῶν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐκινδύνευον. Καὶ δεινὰ μὲν ταῦτα· δεινότερα δὲ, τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα τετολμημένα. Τῇ γὰρ ἐβδομάδι μετὰ τὴν ἁγίαν Πεντηκοστὴν, ὁ λαὸς νηστεύσας ἐξῆλθε περὶ τὸ κοιμητήριον εὔξασθαι, διὰ τὸ πάντας ἀποστρέφεσθαι τὴν πρὸς Γεώργιον κοινωνίαν. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μαθὼν ὁ παμπόνηρος αὐτὸς, παροξύνει τὸν στρατηλάτην Σεβαστιανὸν Μανιχαῖον ὄντα. Καὶ λοιπὸν αὐτὸς μετὰ πλήθους στρατιωτῶν, ὅπλα καὶ ξίφη γυμνὰ καὶ τόξα καὶ βέλη φερόντων, ὥρμησεν ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ Κυριακῇ κατὰ τῶν λαῶν. Καὶ ὀλίγους εὑρὼν εὐχομένους, οἱ γὰρ πλεῖστοι λοιπὸν διὰ τὴν ὥραν ἀναχωρήσαντες ἔτυχον, τοιαῦτα εἰργάσαντο, οἷα παρ' αὐτῶν ἔπρεπε πρατ χθῆναι. Πυρκαϊάν γὰρ ἅψας, καὶ στήσας παρθένους παρὰ τὸ πῦρ, ἡνάγκαζε λέγειν αὐτὰς τῆς ᾿Αρείου πίστεως εἶναι. Ὡς δὲ νικώσας αὐτὰς ἔβλεπε, καὶ μὴ φροντιζούσας τοῦ πυρὸς, γυμνώσας λοιπὸν, οὕτω και τέκοψεν αὐτὰς εἰς τὰ πρόσωπα, ὡς μετὰ χρόνον μόγις ἐπιγνωσθῆναι · ἄνδρας τε κρατήσας τεσσαράκοντα, καινοτέρῳ τρόπῳ κατέκοψε. Ράβδους γὰρ τὰς ἀπὸ τῶν φοινίκων εὐθὺς τεμὼν ἐν ἑαυταῖς ἐχούσας ἔτι τοὺς σκόλοπας, τὰ νῶτα τούτων οὕτως ἐξἐδειρεν, ὡς τινὰς μὲν πολλάκις χειρουργηθῆναι, διὰ τοὺς ἀποπαγέντας ἐν αὐτοῖς σκόλοπας · τινὰς δὲ καὶ μὴ φέροντας, ἀποθανεῖν. Πάντας μὲν οὖν τοὺς περιλειφθέντας ἀθρόως, καὶ τὴν παρθένον ἐξώρισαν εἰς τὴν μεγάλην Οασιν1. Τὰ δὲ σώματα τῶν τετελευτηκότων, οὐδὲ τοῖς ἰδίοις κατὰ ἀρχὴν ἀποδοθῆναι συνεχώρησαν· ἀλλ᾽ ἔκρυψαν ὡς ἠθέλησαν, ἄταφα βαλόντες ὑπὲρ τοῦ δοκεῖν αὐτοὺς λανθάνειν τὴν τοσαύτην ὠμότητα. Πράττουσι δὲ τοῦτο πεπλανημένοι τῇ διανοίᾳ οἱ παράφρονες. Τῶν γὰρ οἰκείων τῶν τετελευτηκότων, χαιρόντων μὲν διὰ τὴν ὁμολογίαν, θρηνούντων δὲ διὰ τὰ σώματα, μεῖζον ἐξηχεῖτο κατ' αὐτῶν ὁ τῆς ἀσεβείας καὶ ὠμότητος ἔλεγχος. Καὶ γὰρ εὐθὺς ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ τῶν Λιβύων, ἐξώρισαν μὲν ἐπισκόπους, ᾿Αμμώνιον, Θμοῦῖν, Γάϊον, Φίλωνα, Ἑρμῆν, Πλήνιον, Ψενόσιριν, Νειλάμμωνα, Αγάθωνα, ᾿Ανάγαμφον, ᾿Αμμώνιον, Μάρκον, Δρακόντιον, ᾿Αδέλφιον, Αμμώνιον ἕτερον – καὶ ἕτερον Μάρκον, Αθηνόδωρον· καὶ πρεσβυτέρους, Ἱέρακα καὶ Διόσκορον. Καὶ οὕτω πικρῶς ἤλασαν αὐτοὺς, ὡς τινὰς μὲν αὐτῶν ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς, τινὰς δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ἐξορισμῷ ἀποθανεῖν. Ἑφυγάδευσαν δὲ ἐπισκόπους πλείους ἢ τριάκοντα. Σπουδὴ γὰρ ἦν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὸν ᾿Αχαάβ, εἰ δυνατὸν ἐξᾶραι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Τοιαῦτα μὲν ᾿Αθανάσιος περὶ τῶν ὑπὸ Γεωργίου κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν γενομένων, οἰκείαις διεξῆλθε φωναῖς. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἰλλυρίδα ἐστρατοπεδεύετο· ἦγε γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖσε τῶν δημοσίων χρειῶν ἡ ἀνάγκη· μάλιστα δὲ ἡ Βετρανίωνος ὑπὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἀναγόρευσις. Γενόμενος δὲ ἐν Σιρμίῳ, κατὰ συνθήκας ἐντυγχάνει τῷ Βετρανίωνι, κατασκευάζει τε μεταθέσθαι τοὺς ἀνακηρύξαντας αὐτὸν στρατιώτας · οἳ καὶ μεταθέμενοι, Κωνστάντιον μόνον ἀνεφώνουν Αὔγουστον καὶ βασιλέα καὶ αὐτοκράτορα· Βετρανίωνος δὲ οὐδαμοῦ μνήμη βοώντων ἐγίνετο. Ὁ δὲ εὐθὺς αἰσθόμενος προδίδοσθαι, παρά τοὺς πόδας ἐκυλινδεῖτο τοῦ βασιλέως. Κωνστάντιος δὲ αὐτοῦ περιελὼν τὸν βασιλικὸν στέφανον καὶ τὴν ἁλουργίδα, φιλανθρωπεύεται, παραινέσας ἰδιωτικῷ σχήματι ἡσυχέστερον διάγειν · πρέπειν γὰρ τῷ προβεβηκότι τὴν ἡλικίαν, ἀπραγμονέστερον βιοῦν, ἢ ἔχειν ὄνομα φροντίδων μεστόν. Τὰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ Βετρανίωνα, τοιαύτην ἔσχε τὴν ἔκβασιν. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς αὐτῷ παντοίαν δαπάνην ἐκ δημοσίων φόρων ἐκέλευσε δίδοσθαι· πολλάκις δὲ αὐτῷ ὕστερον ἐν Προύσῃ τῆς Βιθυνίας διάγοντι γράφων ἐδήλου, ὡς εἴη μεγίστων ἀγαθῶν αἴτιος αὐτῷ γεγονὼς, ἀπαλλάξας φροντίδων, καὶ ὅσα σύνεστι τῇ βασιλείᾳ κακά, Οὐκ εὖ τε πράττειν ἔλεγεν αὐτὸν, ὅτι ὧν ἐκείνῳ παρἐσχεν, αὐτὸς οὐκ ἀπέλαυσε. Καὶ τοσαῦτα μὲν περὶ τούτων λελέχθω. Τότε δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς, Γάλλον μὲν ἀνεψιὸν ἑαυτοῦ Καίσαρα καταστήσας, τότε οἰκεῖον θεὶς αὐτῷ ὄνημα, εἰς τὴν Συρίας ᾿Αντιόχειαν ἔπεμψε, φρουρεῖσθαι τὰ τῆς ἑῴας μέρη δι' αὐτοῦ προνοούμενος· ὅτε καὶ ἐπιστάντος αὐτοῦ τῇ Ἀντιοχέων, τὸ τοῦ Σω τῆρος σημεῖον περὶ τὴν ᾿Ανατολὴν ἐφάνη. Στύλος γὰρ σταυροειδὴς ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ ὀφθεὶς, μέγιστον θαῦμα τοῖς ὁρῶσιν ἐγένετο. Τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους αὐτοῦ στρατηγοὺς σὺν δυνάμει πολλῇ κατὰ Μαγνεντίου προϋπεμπε. Παρεϊλκέ τε ἐν τῷ Σιρμίῳ, προσμένων τὰ ἐκβησόμενα.
Hoia de tę̄ ᾿Alexandreią Geōrgios hypo ton auton chronon eirgazeto, tēs phōnēs ᾿Athanasiou tou peponthotos kai parontos tois ginomenois, epakouson. En gar tǭ ᾿Apologētikǭ peri tēs phygēs k heautou logǭ, kata lexin peri tōn ekei gegenēmenōn phēsi• Kai gar eis tēn ᾿Alexandreian epephyēsan zētountes palin hēmas apokteinai. Kai gegone ta hystera, cheirona tōn prōtōn. Stratiōtai gar exaiphnēs tēn ekklēsian ekyklōsan, kai ta polemōn anti tōn euchōn egineto. Eita eiselthōn tę̄ Tessarakostę̄, ho par᾿ autōn apostaleis ek Kappadokias Geōrgios, ēuxēsen ha par' autōn memathēke kaka. Meta gar ta ebdoma tou Pascha, parthenoi eis desmōtērion eballonto • episkopoi ēgonto hypo stratiōtōn dedemenoi ; orphanōn kai chērōn hērpazonto oikiai te kai artoi; ephodoi kata tōn oikiōn eginonto; kai nyktos hoi Christianoi katepheronto. Epesphragisthēsan oikiai; kai ( adelphoi klērikōn hyper tōn adelphōn ekindyneuon. Kai deina men tauta; deinotera de, ta meta tauta tetolmēmena. Tę̄ gar ebdomadi meta tēn hagian Pentēkostēn, ho laos nēsteusas exēlthe peri to koimētērion euxasthai, dia to pantas apostrephesthai tēn pros Geōrgion koinōnian. Alla touto mathōn ho pamponēros autos, paroxynei ton stratēlatēn Sebastianon Manichaion onta. Kai loipon autos meta plēthous stratiōtōn, hopla kai xiphē gymna kai toxa kai belē pherontōn, hōrmēsen en autę̄ tę̄ Kyriakę̄ kata tōn laōn. Kai oligous heurōn euchomenous, hoi gar pleistoi loipon dia tēn hōran anachōrēsantes etychon, toiauta eirgasanto, hoia par' autōn eprepe prat chthēnai. Pyrkaïan gar hapsas, kai stēsas parthenous para to pyr, hēnankaze legein autas tēs ᾿Areiou pisteōs einai. Hōs de nikōsas autas eblepe, kai mē phrontizousas tou pyros, gymnōsas loipon, houtō kai tekopsen autas eis ta prosōpa, hōs meta chronon mogis epignōsthēnai ; andras te kratēsas tessarakonta, kainoterǭ tropǭ katekopse. Rabdous gar tas apo tōn phoinikōn euthys temōn en heautais echousas eti tous skolopas, ta nōta toutōn houtōs exedeiren, hōs tinas men pollakis cheirourgēthēnai, dia tous apopagentas en autois skolopas ; tinas de kai mē pherontas, apothanein. Pantas men oun tous perileiphthentas athroōs, kai tēn parthenon exōrisan eis tēn megalēn Oasin1. Ta de sōmata tōn teteleutēkotōn, oude tois idiois kata archēn apodothēnai synechōrēsan; all᾽ ekrypsan hōs ēthelēsan, atapha balontes hyper tou dokein autous lanthanein tēn tosautēn ōmotēta. Prattousi de touto peplanēmenoi tę̄ dianoią hoi paraphrones. Tōn gar oikeiōn tōn teteleutēkotōn, chairontōn men dia tēn homologian, thrēnountōn de dia ta sōmata, meizon exēcheito kat' autōn ho tēs asebeias kai ōmotētos elenchos. Kai gar euthys apo tēs Aigyptou kai tōn Libyōn, exōrisan men episkopous, ᾿Ammōnion, Thmouin, Gaïon, Philōna, Hermēn, Plēnion, Psenosirin, Neilammōna, Agathōna, ᾿Anagamphon, ᾿Ammōnion, Markon, Drakontion, ᾿Adelphion, Ammōnion heteron – kai heteron Markon, Athēnodōron; kai presbyterous, Hieraka kai Dioskoron. Kai houtō pikrōs ēlasan autous, hōs tinas men autōn en tais hodois, tinas de en autǭ tǭ exorismǭ apothanein. Hephygadeusan de episkopous pleious ē triakonta. Spoudē gar ēn autois kata ton ᾿Achaab, ei dynaton exarai tēn alētheian. Toiauta men ᾿Athanasios peri tōn hypo Geōrgiou kata tēn ᾿Alexandreian genomenōn, oikeiais diexēlthe phōnais. Ho de basileus epi tēn Illyrida estratopedeueto; ēge gar auton ekeise tōn dēmosiōn chreiōn hē anankē; malista de hē Betraniōnos hypo tōn stratiōtōn anagoreusis. Genomenos de en Sirmiǭ, kata synthēkas entynchanei tǭ Betraniōni, kataskeuazei te metathesthai tous anakēryxantas auton stratiōtas ; hoi kai metathemenoi, Kōnstantion monon anephōnoun Augouston kai basilea kai autokratora; Betraniōnos de oudamou mnēmē boōntōn egineto. Ho de euthys aisthomenos prodidosthai, para tous podas ekylindeito tou basileōs. Kōnstantios de autou perielōn ton basilikon stephanon kai tēn halourgida, philanthrōpeuetai, parainesas idiōtikǭ schēmati hēsychesteron diagein ; prepein gar tǭ probebēkoti tēn hēlikian, apragmonesteron bioun, ē echein onoma phrontidōn meston. Ta men oun kata Betraniōna, toiautēn esche tēn ekbasin. Ho de basileus autǭ pantoian dapanēn ek dēmosiōn phorōn ekeleuse didosthai; pollakis de autǭ hysteron en Prousę̄ tēs Bithynias diagonti graphōn edēlou, hōs eiē megistōn agathōn aitios autǭ gegonōs, apallaxas phrontidōn, kai hosa synesti tę̄ basileią kaka, Ouk eu te prattein elegen auton, hoti hōn ekeinǭ pareschen, autos ouk apelause. Kai tosauta men peri toutōn lelechthō. Tote de ho basileus, Gallon men anepsion heautou Kaisara katastēsas, tote oikeion theis autǭ onēma, eis tēn Syrias ᾿Antiocheian epempse, phroureisthai ta tēs heǭas merē di' autou pronooumenos; hote kai epistantos autou tę̄ Antiocheōn, to tou Sō tēros sēmeion peri tēn ᾿Anatolēn ephanē. Stylos gar stauroeidēs en tǭ ouranǭ ophtheis, megiston thauma tois horōsin egeneto. Tous de allous autou stratēgous syn dynamei pollę̄ kata Magnentiou proÿpempe. Pareïlke te en tǭ Sirmiǭ, prosmenōn ta ekbēsomena.
Hear from the words of Athanasius, who suffered and was present at what happened, what George was doing at Alexandria at the same time. In his Defence of his Flight he says word for word about what took place there: “For they burst into Alexandria, seeking again to kill us; and the later events were worse than the first. For soldiers suddenly surrounded the church, and there were the deeds of war instead of prayers. Then George, sent by them from Cappadocia, came in during Lent and increased the evils he had learned from them. For after Easter week virgins were thrown into prison, bishops were led away bound by soldiers, the houses and bread of orphans and widows were plundered, attacks were made on houses, and Christians were carried off by night. Houses were sealed up, and the brothers of clergy were in danger on account of their brothers. These things were terrible, but more terrible were the things dared after them. In the week after holy Pentecost, the people, having fasted, went out to the cemetery to pray, because all turned away from communion with George. Learning this, that most wicked man stirred up the general Sebastian, a Manichaean. He then, with a crowd of soldiers carrying arms, drawn swords, bows and arrows, rushed against the people on the Lord’s day itself. Finding few praying (for most had already gone away because of the hour), they did such things as one would expect of them. He lit a fire, set virgins by the fire, and tried to force them to say that they were of the faith of Arius. When he saw them prevailing and not caring for the fire, he stripped them and beat them on their faces so that for a long time afterwards they could hardly be recognized. Seizing forty men, he flogged them in a new way: he cut rods from palm trees with the thorns still on them and flayed their backs so that some had to undergo surgery many times because of the thorns stuck in them, and some, not bearing it, died. All who were left, together with the virgin, they banished to the Great Oasis. The bodies of the dead they would not at first give to their own people, but hid them as they wished, throwing them out unburied, so that they might seem to have concealed such great cruelty. But the madmen do this with minds astray. For as the relatives of the dead rejoiced because of their confession and mourned because of their bodies, the exposure of their impiety and cruelty rang out the more loudly against them. And at once they banished from Egypt and Libya the bishops Ammonius, Thmuis, Gaius, Philo, Hermes, Plenius, Psenosiris, Nilammon, Agatho, Anagamphus, Ammonius, Mark, Dracontius, Adelphius, another Ammonius, another Mark, and Athenodorus, and the presbyters Hierax and Dioscorus. They drove them so cruelly that some died on the roads and some in exile itself. They put more than thirty bishops to flight; for their aim, like Ahab’s, was to destroy the truth if possible.” Such things Athanasius related in his own words about what George did at Alexandria.
The emperor took the field in Illyricum; for the necessity of public affairs drew him there, and above all the proclamation of Vetranio by the soldiers. Arriving at Sirmium, he met Vetranio by agreement and arranged for the soldiers who had proclaimed him to change sides. Changing sides, they acclaimed Constantius alone as Augustus, emperor, and sole ruler, and no mention of Vetranio was made in their acclamations. Perceiving at once that he was betrayed, Vetranio threw himself at the emperor’s feet. Constantius took from him the imperial crown and purple and treated him kindly, advising him to live more quietly in private dress; for it befitted a man advanced in age to live free of affairs rather than to hold a name full of cares. Such was the end of Vetranio’s affair. The emperor ordered every kind of expense to be given him from the public revenue; and later, when he was living at Prusa in Bithynia, Vetranio often wrote to the emperor that he had been the cause of the greatest blessings to him, freeing him from cares and from the evils that attend empire; and he said that the emperor was not well off, since he did not himself enjoy what he had granted to Vetranio. Let this much be said about these things. Then the emperor made his cousin Gallus Caesar, giving him his own name, and sent him to Antioch in Syria, taking care that the eastern parts be guarded by him. When he entered Antioch, the sign of the Saviour appeared in the East; for a pillar in the form of a cross was seen in the sky, a very great wonder to those who saw it. His other generals he sent ahead with a large force against Magnentius, and he himself stayed at Sirmium, waiting for the outcome.
1 Kgs 18:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Kgs 19:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Socrates quotes Athanasius on the violence of George’s party at Alexandria; Constantius deposes Vetranio peacefully, makes Gallus Caesar, and a cross appears in the sky at Antioch.
- The quotation is from Athanasius, Defence of his Flight 6–7.
- “Like Ahab’s”: compare 1 Kgs 18–19.
- Thmuis in the list is perhaps a see, not a personal name; it is translated as printed.
Extrabiblical texts: Athanasius, Fug. 6-7 (Defence of His Flight; quotation)
Topics: Persecution, Fasting
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.28 (PG 67:271–275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-28
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Zenos's English in NPNF² 2.