Church History 2.37
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
2.37PG 67:301–323
Γνοὺς δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς, τοὺς μὲν ἐκποδὼν δι' ἐξορίας ποιεῖ· οἰκουμηνικὴν δὲ σύνοδον συγκροτεῖν ἐβούλετο, ὅπως ἂν πάντας τοὺς τῆς ἀνατολῆς ἐπισκόπους εἰς τὴν δύσιν ἑλκύσας, ὁμοδόξους, εἰ δύναιτο, τοὺς πάντας ποιήσειεν. Ὡς δὲ αὐτῷ ταῦτα σκεπτομένῳ, χαλεπὰ τὰ τῆς ὁδοῦ κατεφαίνετο, διμερῆ γενέσθαι τὴν σύνοδον αὐτοῖς προσέταξεν. Ἐν ᾿Αριμίνῳ μὲν τῆς Ἰταλίας, τοὺς τότε παρόντας συνελθεῖν ἐπιτρέψας· τοὺς δὲ ἐν ἀνατολῇ, διὰ γραμμάτων ἐν Νικομηδείᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας ἀπαντῆσαι ἐκέλευσε. Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ βασιλεὺς σκοπῷ τῆς ὁμοφωνίας ἐκέλευσεν. Οὐ μὴν αὐτῷ ὁ σκοπὸς χρηστὴν ἔσχεν Εκβασιν· οὐδετέρα γὰρ τῶν συνόδων ἑαυτῇ συνεφώνησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκατέρα διῃρέθη. Οὔτε γὰρ οἱ ἐν Ἀριμίνῳ συνελθόντες, ὁμοφωνῆσαι δεδύνηνται· καὶ οἱ τῆς ἀνατολῆς συνελθόντες ἐν Σελευκείᾳ Ρ τῆς Ἰσαυρίας, ἕτερον σχίσμα εἰργάσαντο. Ὅπως μὲν οὖν ἕκαστα τούτων ἐγένετο, προϊόντες δηλώσομεν, πρότερον περὶ Εὐδοξίου μικρὰ μνημονεύσαντες. Περὶ γὰρ τόνδε τὸν χρόνον Λεοντίου τελευτήσαντος, ὃς τὸν αἱρετικὸν ᾿Αέτιον εἰς τὴν διακονίαν προβέβλητο, Εὐδόξιος • Γερμανικείας ἐπίσκοπος ὧν, Συρίας δὲ καὶ ἤδε ἡ πόλις, κατὰ τὴν Ῥώμην τότε παρῶν, ἐπείγεσθαι σκέπτεται. Καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ δολίως διαλέγεται, ὡς χρηζούσης τῆς Γερμανικέων πόλεως παραμυθίας καὶ φυλακῆς, συγχωρηθῆναι αὐτῷ ταχεῖαν ἐπάνοδον. Οὐδὲν δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς προειδόμενος, ἀφίησιν αὐτόν. Ὁ δὲ τοὺς τοῦ κοιτῶνος κρατοῦντας ἔχων συνεργοὺς, τὴν ᾿Αντιοχείας ἐπισκοπὴν ὑπορύξας, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πόλιν ἀπέλιπε. Καὶ τὸν ᾿Αέτιον συγκροτεῖν ἐπειρᾶτο, σπουδήν τε ἐτίθετο συνέδριον ἐπισκόπων καθίσαι, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι αὐτῷ τῆς διακονίας τὴν ἀξίαν. Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν οὐδαμῶς ἐγένετο, διότι ἐπικρατέστερον ἦν τὸ κατὰ ᾿Αετίου μίσος τῆς Εὐδοξίου σπουδῆς. Τοσαῦτα καὶ περὶ τούτων εἰρήσθω. Τῶν δὲ ἐν τῇ Ἀριμίνῳ συνελθόντων, οἱ μὲν ἀνατολικοὶ, σιγῇ τὰ κατὰ ᾿Αθανασίου παραπέμψαντες συνεληλυθέναι ἔφασκον. Συνελαμβάνοντο δὲ τῇ τούτων σπουδῇ Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης, οἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν τὸ τοῦ ᾿Αρείου συγκροτήσαντες δόγμα, ἐν τῷ μέσῳ δὲ τῷ ὁμοουσίῳ συνθέμενοι, διὰ τοῦ ἐπιδοθέντος βιβλίου τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ τῆς Ῥώμης, ὡς μοι καὶ πρότερον εἴρηται. Οὗτοι γὰρ ἀεὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐπικρατοῦντας ἐπέκλινον. Συνελαμβάνοντο δὲ τούτοις Γερμάνιος καὶ Αὐξέντιος, Δημόφιλός τε καὶ Γάϊος. Ὡς οὖν ἐν τῷ συλλόγῳ τῶν παρόντων ἄλλος ἄλλο τι προβάλλεσθαι παρετάττοντο, τηνικαῦτα οἱ περὶ Οὐρσάκιον καὶ Οὐάλεντα πάντα ἔλεγον τὰ περὶ τῆς πίστεως ὑπαγορευθέντα μένειν – ἀργά· δέχεσθαι δὲ νεωτέραν ἔκθεσιν, ἣν μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν ἐν Σιρμίῳ συνελθόντες ἐξέθεντο. Ταῦτα ἔλεγον, καὶ χάρτην μετὰ χεῖρας ἔχοντες, ἀναγινώσκεσθαι πεποιήκασιν. ῎Αλλην δὲ ἔκθεσιν πίστεως, ἣν ἐν Σιρμίῳ προτυπώσαντες, ἐκεῖ μὲν, ὡς καὶ πρότερον ἔφην, ἐταμιεύσαντο· τότε δὲ ἐν τῇ ᾿Αριμίνῳ φανερόν τε πεποιήκασιν. Ἦτις ἐκ Ῥωμαϊκοῦ μὲν ἡρμηνεύθη· ἔστι δὲ ἐν τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν· Ἐξετέθη πίστις ἡ καθολικὴ ἐπὶ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ δεσπότου ἡμῶν Κωνσταντίου, ἐν ὑπατείᾳ Φλαβίου Εὐσεβίου καὶ Ὑπατίου· τῶν λαμπροτάτων, ἐν Σιρμίῳ τῇ προένδεκα καλανδῶν Ἰουνίων. Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα τὸν μόνον καὶ ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν, Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, κτίστην καὶ δημιουργὸν τῶν πάντων· καὶ εἰς ἕνα μονογενῆ Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων, καὶ πρὸ πάσης ἀρχῆς, καὶ πρὸ παντὸς ἐπινοουμένου χρόνου, καὶ πρὸ πάσης καταληπτῆς ἐπινοίας, γεγεννημένον ἀπαθῶς ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ, δι' οὗ οἵ τε αἰῶνες κατηρτίσθησαν, καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο· γεγεννημένον δὲ μονογενῆ, μόνον ἐκ μόνου ὑπὸ τοῦ Πατρὸς, Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ, ὅμοιον τῷ γεννήσαντι αὐτὸν Πατρὶ κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς· οὗ τὴν γέννησιν οὐδεὶς ἐπίσταται, ἢ μόνος ὁ γεννήσας αὐτὸν Πατήρ. Τοῦτον ἴσμεν τὸν μονογενῆ αὐτοῦ Υἱὸν, νεύματι πατρικῷ παραγενόμενον ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν εἰς ἀθέτησιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας· καὶ γεννηθέντα ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου, καὶ ἀναστραφέντα μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκονομίαν πληρώσαντα κατὰ τὴν πατρικὴν βούλησιν· σταυρωθέντα καὶ ἀποθανόντα, καὶ εἰς τὰ καταχθόνια κατελθόντα, καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖσε οἰκονομήσαντα · ὃν πυλωροὶ ἄδου ἰδόντες ἔφριξαν· καὶ ἀναστάντα τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἀναστραφέντα μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν. Καὶ τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν πληρουμένων, ἀναληφθέντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, καὶ καθεζόμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ Πατρός · καὶ ἐλευσόμενον τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ δόξῃ τῇ πατρικῇ, ἀποδιδόντα ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ὁ αὐτὸς ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς ἐπηγγείλατο πέμψαι τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὸν παράκλητον, κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· Ἀπέρχομαι πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα μου· καὶ, Παρακαλέσω τὸν Πατέρα μου, καὶ ἄλλον παράκλητον πέμψει ὑμῖν, τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας. Ἐκεῖνος ἐκ τοῦ ἐμοῦ λήψεται, καὶ διδάξει καὶ ὑπομνήσει ὑμᾶς πάντα. Τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τῆς οὐσίας διὰ τὸ ἀπλούστερον ὑπὸ τῶν Πατέρων τεθεῖσθαι, ἀγνιούμενον δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν λαῶν, σκάνδαλον φέρειν, διὰ τὸ μήτε τὰς Γραφὰς τοῦτο περιέχειν, ἤρεσε τοῦτο περιαιρεθῆναι καὶ παντελῶς μηδεμίαν μνήμην οὐσίας ἐπὶ Θεοῦ εἶναι τοῦ λοιποῦ, διὰ τὸ τὰς θείας Γραφάς μηδαμοῦ περὶ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ οὐσίας μεμνῆσθαι. Ὅμοιον δὲ λέγομεν τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ κατὰ πάντα, ὡς αἱ ἅγιαι Γραφαὶ λέγουσίν τε καὶ διδάσκουσιν. Τούτων ἀναγνωσθέντων, διαναστάντες οἷς ταῦτα οὐκ ἤρεσκεν ἔφασαν· « Οὐ δεόμενοι πίστεως ἐνταῦθα συνεληλύθαμεν · ὑγιῆ γὰρ φυλάττομεν, ἣν ἐξ ἀρχῆς παρειλήφαμεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἴνα, εἴ τις περὶ ταύτην καινοτομία γένοιτο, ταύτην κωλύσωμεν. Εἰ οὖν τὰ ἀναγνωσθέντα μηδὲν καινοτομεῖ, φανερῶς ἤδη τὴν ᾿Αρειανὴν αἵρεσιν ἀναθεματίσατε, καθ' ὃν τρόπον καὶ τὰς ἄλλας αἱρέσεις ὁ παλαιὸς κανὼν τῆς Εκκλησίας ὡς βλασφήμους ἐξέβαλεν. Ὅτι γὰρ τὸ βλάσφημον ᾿Αρείου δόγμα τοὺς θορύβους τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ τὰς ἄχρι νῦν γινομένας ἐκίνησε ταραχάς, τοῦτο τῇ οἰκουμένῃ δῆλον καθέστηκεν. » Αὕτη ἡ πρότασις ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν περὶ Οὐρσάκιον καὶ Οὐάλεντα, Γερμάνιόν τε καὶ Αὐξέντιον, καὶ Δημόφιλον καὶ Γάῖον μὴ δεχθεῖσα, τελέως τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν διέσπασεν. Οὗτοι μὲν γὰρ τοῖς τότε κατὰ τὴν ἐν Ἀριμίνῳ ἀναγνωσθεῖσι προσέθεντο · οἱ δὲ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ αὖθις ἐκύρωσαν. Κατεγέλασαν δὲ καὶ τῆς προγραφῆς τῶν ἀναγνωσθέντων· μάλιστα δὲ ᾿Αθανάσιος, δι' ὧν πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ γνωρίμους ἐπιστέλλων, τοιάδε κατὰ λέξιν φησίν· « Τί γὰρ ἔλειπε διδασκαλίας εἰς εὐσέβειαν τῇ καθολικῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἵνα νῦν περὶ πίστεως ζητῶσι, καὶ τὴν ὑπατείαν τῶν παρόντων χρόνων προτάσσωσι τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐκτιθεμένων ῥημάτων δῆθεν περὶ πίστεως; Οὐρσάκιος γὰρ καὶ Οὐάλης καὶ Γερμάνιος • πεποιήκασιν, ὃ μήτε γέγονεν, μήτε ἠκούσθη ποτὲ παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς. Γράψαντες γὰρ ὡς ἤθελον αὐτοὶ πιστεύειν, προέταξαν τὴν ὑπατείαν, καὶ τὸν μῆνα, καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ παρόντος χρόνου, ἵνα δείξωσι πᾶσι τοῖς φρονίμοις, ὅτι μὴ πρότερον, ἀλλὰ νῦν, ἐπὶ Κωνσταντίου, ἀρχὴν ἔχει τούτων ἡ πίστις. Πάντες γὰρ πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν αἵρεσιν βλέποντες ἔγραφον. Πρὸς τούτοις περὶ τοῦ Κυρίου προσποιούμενοι γράφειν, ἄλλον δεσπότην ἑαυτῶν ὀνομάζουσι Κωνστάντιον. Αὐτὸς γὰρ ἦν ὁ τὴν δυναστείαν τῆς ἀσεβείας αὐτοῖς παρέχων. Καὶ αἰώνιον δὲ αὐτὸν βασιλέα εἰρήκασιν, οἱ τὸν Υἱὸν ἀΐδιον ἀρνούμενοι · οὕτως εἰσὶ πρὸς ἀσέβειαν χριστομάχοι. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἴσως ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς πρόφασις τῆς ὑπατείας, ἡ τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν χρονογραφία. Ἀλλὰ κἂν τοῦτο τολμήσωσιν εἰπεῖν, πολὺ τὴν ἀμαθίαν ἑαυτῶν ἐξαγγέλλουσιν. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἁγίων προφητεῖαι χρόνων ἔχουσι μνήμην. Καὶ Ἡσαΐας μὲν καὶ Ὠσηὲ ἐν ἡμέραις Ὀζίου καὶ Ἰωάθαμ καὶ ῎Αχαζ καὶ Ἐζεκίου γεγόνασιν· Ιερεμίας δὲ, ἐν ἡμέραις Ἰωσίου· Ἰεζεκιὴλ δὲ καὶ Δανιὴλ, ἐπὶ Κύρου καὶ Δαρείου. Καὶ ἄλλοι ἐν ἄλλοις χρόνοις ἐπροφήτευσαν, οὐ τῆς θεοσεβείας ἀρχὴν καταβαλλόμενοι. Ἧν γὰρ καὶ πρὸ αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου, ταύτην ἡμῖν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν Χριστῷ προητοίμασεν. Οὐδὲ τῆς αὐτῶν πίστεως τοὺς χρόνους ἐσήμαινον· ἦσαν γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τούτων τῶν χρόνων αὐτοὶ πιστοί· ἀλλὰ τῆς δι᾿ αὐτῶν ἐπαγγελίας ἦσαν οἱ χρόνοι. Ἡ δὲ ἐπαγγελία προηγουμένως μὲν περὶ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. Ἐπακολούθημα δὲ περὶ τῶν ἐσομένων τῷ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσι · καὶ ἦσαν οἱ χρόνοι σημαινόμενοι, οὐκ ἀρχὴ πίστεως, καθὰ προεῖπον, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτῶν τῶν προφητῶν, καθ' οὓς αὐτοὶ γενόμενοι, ταῦτα προεφήτευον. Οὗτοι δὲ οἱ νῦν σοφοὶ, οὐχ ἱστορίας ἐξηγούμενοι, οὐδὲ τὰ μέλλοντα προλέγοντες, ἀλλὰ γράψαντες, Ἐξετέθη ἡ πίστις ἡ καθολική, εὐθὺς προσέθηκαν καὶ τὴν ὑπατείαν καὶ τὸν μῆνα καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν. Ωσπερ οἱ ἅγιοι τῶν ἱστοριῶν καὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν διακονίας τοὺς χρόνους ἔγραφον, οὕτως οὗτοι τῆς ἑαυτῶν πίστεως τὸν χρόνον σημαίνουσι. εἴθε περὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἔγραφον· νῦν γὰρ ἤρξαντο καὶ μὴ ὡς περὶ τῆς καθολικῆς ἐπεχείρουν· οὐ γὰρ ἔγραψαν, Οὕτω πιστεύομεν, ἀλλ' ὅτι᾿ Εξετέθη ἡ καθολικὴ πίστις. Τὸ μὲν οὖν τολμηρὸν τῆς προαιρέσεως ἐλέγχει τὴν ἀθεΐαν · αὐτῶν. Τὸ δὲ καινὸν ἐπινόημα τῆς γραφῆς ἴσον ἐστὶ τῆς Ἀρειανῆς αἰρέσεως. Οὕτω γὰρ γράψαντες ἐδίδαξαν, πότε μὲν ἤρξαντο πιστεύειν αὐτοί. ᾿Απὸ δὲ τοῦ νῦν βούλονται τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν καταγγέλλεσθαι. Καὶ ὥσπερ κατὰ τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν Λουκᾶν, ἐτέθη δόγμα περὶ τῆς ἀπογραφῆς, πρότερον μὲν οὐκ ἦν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἐκείνων ἤρξατο εἶναι, καὶ ἐτέθη παρὰ τοῦ γράψαντος · οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι γράψαντες, Ἐξετέθη νῦν ἡ πίστις, ἔδειξαν ὅτι νεώτερον τὸ τῆς αἱρέσεως Οὕτως εἰσὶν ἀμαθεῖς, μόνον εἰδόντες πλάττειν προαὐτῶν ἐστι φρόνημα, καὶ οὐκ ἦν πρότερον. Εἱ δὲ προστιθέασι τῆς Καθολικῆς, ἔλαθον ἑαυτοὺς πεσόντες εἰς τὴν παρανομίαν τῶν ἀπὸ Φρυγίας · ὥστε καὶ αὐτοὺς κατ' ἐκείνους εἰπεῖν, « Ἡμῖν πρῶτον ἀπεκαλύφθη καὶ ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν ἡ πίστις ἄρχεται τῶν Χριστιανῶν › · καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνοι Μαξίμιλλαν καὶ Μοντανὸν, οὕτως οὗτοι ἀντὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, δεσπότην Κωνστάντιον ἐπιγράφονται. Εἰ δὲ κατ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς νῦν ὑπατείας ἀρχὴν ἡ πίστις ἔχει, τί ποιήσουσιν οἱ Πατέρες, καὶ οἱ μακάριοι μάρτυρες; Τί δὲ καὶ αὐτοὶ ποιήσουσι τοὺς παρ' αὐτῶν κατηχηθέντας, καὶ πρὸ τῆς ὑπατείας ταύτης κοιμηθέντας; Πῶς αὐτοὺς ἐγείρουσιν, ἵνα ἃ μὲν ἔδοξαν δεδιδαχέναι, τούτους ἀπαλείψωσιν· ὁ δὲ νῦν ὡς ἐφευρόντες ἔγραψαν, ἐπισπείρωσιν αὐτοῖς; φάσεις, καὶ ταύτας ἀπρεπεῖς καὶ ἀπιθάνους, ἐχούσας εὐθὺς τὸν ἔλεγχον. » Τοιαῦτα μὲν ᾿Αθανάσιος τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ γνωρίμοις ἐπέστελλεν. Ἐξέστω δὲ τοῖς φιλομαθέσιν ἀναζητήσασι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, γνῶναι τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ δυνατῶς εἰρημένα. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ μέρος αὐτῆς ἐνταῦθα παρατεθείκαμεν, τὸ μῆκος παραιτησάμενοι. Ἰστέον δὲ, ὅτι ἡ σύνοδος καθεῖλε τοὺς περὶ Οὐάλεντα καὶ Οὐρσάκιον, Αὐξέντιόν τε καὶ Γερμάνιον καὶ Γαῖον καὶ Δημόφιλον, ὅτι τὴν Ἀρειάνιον δόξαν ἀναθεματίσαι οὐ κατεδέξαντο. Διὸ οὗτοι μὲν, ἀγανακτοῦντες ἐπὶ τῇ καθαιρέσει, πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα ταχέως ἀνέδραμον, ἐπικομιζόμενοι τὴν ἀναγνωσθεῖσαν ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ τῆς πίστεως ἔκδοσιν· ἡ σύνοδος δὲ δι' ἐπιστολῆς γνώριμα τὰ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς γνωσθέντα καθίστη τῷ βασιλεῖ. Ἧς ἐκ Ῥωμαϊκῶν μεταβληθείσης, ἤδε ἔστιν ἡ διάνοια · Ἐπιστολὴ - τῆς ἐν ᾿Αριμίνῳ συνόδου πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα Κωνστάντιον. Ἕκ τε τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ κελεύσεως, καὶ τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας προστάγματος, τὰ πάλαι δογματισθέντα γεγενῆσθαι πιστεύομεν· εἰς γὰρ Ἀρίμινον ἐκ πασῶν τῶν πρὸς δύσιν πόλεων, εἰς τὸ αὐτὸ πάντες ἐπίσκοποι συνήλθομεν · ἵνα καὶ ἡ πίστις τῆς καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας γνωρισθῇ α, καὶ οἱ τἀναντία φρονοῦντες ἔκδηλοι γένωνται. Ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διασκοποῦντες εὐρήκαμεν, ἀρεστὸν ἐφάνη, τὴν πίστιν τὴν ἔκπαλαι διαμένουσαν, ἣν καὶ οἱ προφῆται καὶ τὰ Εὐαγγέλια, καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐκήρυξαν, τοῦ καὶ τῆς σῆς βασιλείας φρουροῦ καὶ τῆς σῆς ῥώσεως προστάτου· ἵνα ταύτην κατασχόντες φυλάξωμεν, καὶ φυλάττοντες μέχρι τέλους διατηρῶμεν. "Ατοπον γὰρ καὶ ἀθέμιτον ἐφάνη, τῶν ὀρθῶς καὶ δικαίως ὡρισμένων τι μεταλλάσσειν, καὶ τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ κοινῇ μετὰ τοῦ ἐνδοξοτάτου σου πατρὸς καὶ βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου ἐσκεμμένων, ὧν ἡ διδασκαλία τε καὶ τὸ φρόνημα διῆλθέ τε καὶ ἐκηρύχθη εἰς πάσας ἀνθρώπων ἀκοάς τε καὶ διανοίας· ἥτις ἀντίπαλος μόνη καὶ ὀλετὴρ τῆς ᾿Αρείου αἱρέσεως ὑπῆρξε. Δι' ἧς οὐ μόνον αὐτὴ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ αἱρέσεις καθῃρέθησαν. Ἐν ᾗ ὄντως καὶ τὸ προσθεῖναί τι σφαλερὸν, καὶ τὸ ἀφελέσθαι ἐπικίνδυνον ὑπάρχει. Ὡς εἴπερ καὶ θάτερον γένοιτο, ἔσται τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἄδεια τοῦ ποιεῖν ἅπερ βούλοιντο. Ὅθεν Οὐρσάκιός τε καὶ Οὐάλης, ἐπειδὴ ἔκπαλαι μέτοχοί τε καὶ σύμφρονες τοῦ ᾿Αρειανικοῦ δόγματος ἦσαν καθεστηκότες, καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας κοινωνίας χωρισθέντες ἀπεφάνθησαν· ἧς ἵνα μετάσχωσιν, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἑαυτοῖς συνεγνώκεισαν πλημμελήσαντες, μετανοίας τε καὶ συγγνώμης ἠξίουν τυχεῖν, ὡς καὶ τὰ ἔγγραφα τὰ ὑπ᾿ ἐκείνων γεγενημένα μαρτυρεῖ· δι᾽ ὧν ἁπάντων φειδώ γεγένηται, καὶ τῶν ἐγκλημάτων συγγνώμη. Ἦν δὲ ὁ καιρὸς καθ' ὃν ταῦτα ἐπράττετο, ὅτε ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ τὸ συνέδριον τῆς συνόδου συνεκροτείτο, συμπαρὀντων δὲ καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῆς Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίας. Ἐγνωκότες δὲ ἅμα καὶ τὸν μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν ἄξιον μνήμης Κωνσταντῖνον, μετὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας καὶ ἐξετασεως τὴν συγγραφεῖσαν πίστιν ἐκτεθεικότα· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὡς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἐγένετο βαπτισθεὶς, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὀφειλομένην εἰρήνην ἀνεχώρησεν, ἄτοπον ἐνομίσαμεν εἶναι μετ᾿ ἐκεῖνόν τι καινοτομεῖν, καὶ τοσούτους ἁγίους ὁμολογητὰς καὶ μάρτυρας, τοὺς καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ δόγματος συγγραφεῖς τε καὶ εὑρετὰς ὑπεριδεῖν· οἵτινες κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν τῆς καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας θεσμὸν, ἅπαντα φρονοῦντες διαμεμενήκασιν. Ὧν ὁ Θεὸς τὴν πίστιν καὶ εἰς τοὺς σοὺς χρόνους τῆς βασιλείας μετέδωκε, διὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ σοι καὶ τὸ βασιλεύειν οὕτως ὑπῆρξεν, ὡς καὶ τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης κρατεῖν. Πάλιν γοῦν οἱ ἐλεεινοὶ ὁ καὶ οἰκτροὶ τῷ φρονήματι, ἀθεμίτῳ τολμήματι τῆς δυσσεβοῦς φρονήσεως κήρυκας ἑαυτοὺς ἀνήγγειλαν, καὶ ἐπιχειροῦσιν ἀνατρέπειν πᾶν τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας σύνταγμα. Ὡς γὰρ κατὰ τὸ σὸν πρόσταγμα τὸ συνέδριον τῆς συνόδου συνεκροτεῖτο, κἀκεῖνοι τῆς ἰδίας ἀπάτης ἐγύμνουν τὴν σκέψιν, ἐπειρῶντο γὰρ πανουργίᾳ τινὶ καὶ ταραχῇ προσφέροντές τι καινοτομεῖν, τῆς τοιαύτης ἑτεροίας τοὺς συναλισκομένους εὑρόντες Γερμάνιον, Αὐξέντιον καὶ Γάϊον, τοὺς τὴν ἔριν καὶ διχοστασίαν ἐμποιοῦντας. Ὧν ἡ διδασκαλία μία μὲν οὖσας, πᾶν πλῆθος βλασφημιῶν ὑπερβέβηκεν· ὡς δὲ συνεῖδον οὐχὶ τῆς αὐτῆς προαιρέσεως ὄντας, οὔτε ὁμογνωμονοῦντας ἐφ᾽ οἷς κακῶς ἐφρόνουν, εἰς τὸ συμβούλιον ἡμῶν μετήγαγον ἑαυτοὺς, ὡς δοκεῖν ἕτερον γράφειν. Ἦν δὲ ὁ καιρὸς βραχὺς, ὁ καὶ τὰς γνώμας αὐτῶν ἐξελέγχων. Ἵνα μὴ οὖν τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἀεὶ τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας περιπίπτῃ, καὶ ταραχὴ καὶ θόρυβος κυλινδούμενος ἅπαντα συγχέῃ, βέβαιον ἐφάνη, τὰ πάλαι ὡρισμένα, ἔμμονα καὶ ἀμετακίνητα διαφυλάττειν · τοὺς δὲ προειρημένους ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας κοινωνίας ἀποκεχωρίσθαι. Δι' ἣν αἰτίαν, τοὺς ἀναδιδάξαντας πρέσβεις πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐπιείκειαν ἀπεστάλκαμεν, τὴν γνώμην τοῦ συνεδρίου διὰ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς μηνύσοντας· τοῖς γε πρεσβεύουσι πρό γε πάντων τοῦτο παρεκελευσάμεθα, τῷ τὴν ἀλήθειαν πιστώσασθαι 4, ἐκ τῶν πάλαι ἀρχαίων καὶ δικαίων ὀρμωμένους. Οἱ καὶ τὴν σὴν ἀναδιδάξουσιν ὁσιότητα, ὅτι οὐχ ὥσπερ ἔφησαν Οὐρσάκιός τε καὶ Οὐάλης, ἔσται εἰρήνη, εἴπερ τι τῶν δικαίων ἀνατραπείη. Πῶς γὰρ εἰρήνην οἷόν τε ἄγειν, τοὺς τὴν εἰρήνην καταλύοντας ; Μᾶλλον γὰρ ἔρις καὶ ταραχὴ ἐκ τούτων σὺν ταῖς λοιπαῖς πόλεσι, καὶ τῇ τῶν Ῥωμαίων Ἐκκλησίᾳ γενήσεται. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ἱκετεύομεν τὴν σὴν ἐπιείκειαν, ἵνα προσηνέσιν ἀκοαῖς καὶ γαληναίῳ βλέμματι, τὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας πρεσβείας ἀθρήσειας, μήτε πρὸς ὕβριν τῶν τετελευτηκότων καινόν τι μεταλλάττειν ἐπιτρέψειας· ἀλλ᾽ ἐάσῃς ἡμᾶς ἐμμένειν τοῖς παρὰ τῶν προγόνων ὁρισθεῖσί τε καὶ νενομοθετημένοις· οὓς ἅπαντας μετὰ ἀγχινοίας τε καὶ φρονήσεως καὶ Πνεύματος ἁγίου πεποιηκεναι φήσαιμεν ἄν. Τὰ γὰρ νῦν παρ' ἐκείνων καινοτομούμενα τοῖς μὲν πιστεύσασιν ἀπιστίαν ἐμποιεῖ· τοῖς δὲ ἀπιστήσασιν, ὠμότητα. Ἱκετεύομεν δὲ ἔτι, ἵνα κελεύσῃς τοὺς ἐπισκόπους τοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἀλλοδαπαῖς διατρίβοντας, οὓς καὶ τὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἐπίπονον, καὶ τὸ τῆς πενίας ἐνδεὲς τρύχει, τὴν εἰς τὰ οἰκεῖα ἀνακομιδὴν ῥᾳδίαν ποιήσασθαι, ἵνα μὴ ἔρημοι τῶν ἐπισκόπων αἱ Ἐκκλησίαι διαμένωσιν. Ἔτι δὲ πρὸς ἅπασι καὶ τοῦτο δεόμεθα, ἵνα μήτε ἐλλείπῃ τι τῶν προϋπαρξάντων, μήτε πλεονάζῃ· ἀλλὰ πάντα ἄῤῥηκτα διαμένῃ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ σοῦ πατρὸς εὐσεβείας, καὶ εἰς τὸν νῦν χρόνον διαφυλαττόμενα. Μήτε λοιπὸν ἡμᾶς μοχθεῖν, καὶ ἐκτὸς τῶν ἰδίων · παροικιῶν ἐπιτρέψειας γενέσθαι· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα οἱ ἐπίσκοποι σὺν τοῖς ἰδίοις λαοῖς μετ' εἰρήνης εἰς εὐχάς τε καὶ λατρείας σχολὴν ἄγοιεν, ἱκετεύοντες ὑπὲρ τῆς σῆς σωτηρίας καὶ βασιλείας καὶ εἰρήνης, ἣν ἡ Θειότης σοι εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς χαριεῖται. Οἱ δὲ ἡμέτεροι πρέσβεις τὰς ὑπογραφὰς, καὶ τὰς τῶν ἐπισκόπων προσηγορίας κομίζουσιν · οἵτινες καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν θείων Γραφῶν τὴν σὴν ἀναδιδάξουσι θειότητα. · Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἡ σύνοδος ἔγραψε, καὶ δι' ἐπισκόπων ἀπέστειλεν. Οἱ μέντοι περὶ Οὐρσάκιον καὶ Οὐάλεντα φθάσαντες τὴν τούτων ἄφιξιν, προδιαβάλλουσι μὲν τὴν σύνοδον, ἐπιδείξαντες ἣν ἐπεκομίζοντο πίστεως ἔκδοσιν. Ὁ βασιλεὺς δὲ ἐκ προλήψεως τῇ ᾿Αρειανῇ δόξῃ προσκείμενος, ἠγανάκτει μὲν κατὰ τῆς συνόδου· τοὺς δὲ περὶ Οὐάλεντα καὶ Οὐρσάκιον διὰ τιμῆς ἦγε πολλῆς. Διὸ οἱ ἀπὸ τῆς συνόδου πεμφθέντες ἐχρόνιζον, ἀποκρίσεως οὐ τυγχάνοντες. Ὑψὲ δὲ ποτε τοιάδε πρὸς τὴν σύνοδον διὰ τῶν παρόντων ἀντέγραψεν ὁ βασιλεύς Κωνστάντιος, νικητὴς καὶ θριαμβευτής, Αὔγουστος, πᾶσι τοῖς ἐν ᾿Αριμίνῳ ἐπισκόποις συνελθοῦσιν. ᾿Αεὶ μὲν προηγουμένην ἔχειν ἡμᾶς φροντίδα περὶ τοῦ θείου καὶ προσκυνητοῦ νόμου, οὐδὲ ἡ ὑμετέρα χρηστότης ἀγνοεῖ. ᾿Αλλὰ νῦν τοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς συνέσεως ὑμῶν ἀποσταλέντας εἴκοσι ἐπισκόπους ἀναδεξαμένους τὴν παρ᾿ ὑμῶν πρεσβείαν, τέως οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν ἰδεῖν. ᾿Αναγκαία γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ πρὸς τοὺς βαρβάρους ὁδός. Καὶ ὡς οἴδατε, πρέπει τὴν ψυχὴν καθαρὰν οὖσαν ἀπὸ πάσης φροντίδος, τὰ περὶ τοῦ θείου νόμου γυμνάζειν. Τοιγαροῦν τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἐκελεύσαμεν ἐν τῇ Αδριανουπόλει ἐκδέξασθαι τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐπάνοδον, ἵν᾽ ἐπειδὰν πάντα καλῶς διατεθῇ τὰ δημόσια, τότε λοιπὸν ἅπερ ὑποθάλλουσιν, ἀκοῦσαι δοχιμάσαι δυνηθῶμεν. ἢ μέντοι στεῤῥότητι ὑμῶν μὴ βαρὺ φαινέσθω, ὥστε ἐκδέξασθαι. τὴν αὐτῶν ἐπάνοδον, ἵν' ἐπειδὰν ἐπανέλθωσι χομίζοντες ὑμῖν τὰς ἡμετέρας ἀποκρίσεις, δυνηθῆτε εἰς πέρας ἀγαγεῖν τὰ πρὸς τὴν λυσιτέλειαν ἀνήκοντα τῇ καθολικῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, Ταῦτα δεξάμενοι τὰ γράμματα οἱ ἐπίσκοποι αὖθις τοιαῦτα ἀντέγραψαν " « Τὰ γράμματα τῆς σῆς φιλανθρωπίας ἐδεξάμεθα, χύριε θεοφιλέστατε βασιλεῦ, τὰ περιέχοντα διὰ τὴν τῶν δημοσίων ἀνάγκην, τέως μὴ δεδννῇσθαί σε τοὺς ἡμετέρους πρέσβεις θεωρῆσαι" ἡμᾶς δὲ χελεύεις ἐκδέξασθαι τὴν αὐτῶν ἐπάνοδον, ἕως ἂν τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ὁρισθέντα ἀκολούθως τοῖς προγόνοις ἡμῶν ἐπιγνῷ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἡ σὴ εὐλάδεια. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ νῦν διὰ τούτων τῶν γραμμάτων ὁμολογοῦμεν διαθδεδαιούμεθα, μηδαμῶς ἡμᾶς ἀναχωρεῖν τῆς ἡμετέρας προθέσεως. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τοῖς πρέσβεσιν ἡμῶν ἐνετειλάμεθα. ᾿Αξιοῦμεν τοίνυν, ὅπως γαληναίᾳ τῇ προσόψει τά τε νῦν γράμματα τῆς ἡμετέρας μετριότητος κελεύσῃς ἀναγνωσθῆναι. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ κἀχεῖνα ἃ διὰ τῶν πρέσδεων ἡμῶν ἐνετειλάμεθα, ἡδέως ὑποδέξῃ. Ἐκεῖνο μέντοι συνορᾷ μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν καὶ ἢ σὴ ἡμερότης, ὅση νῦν ἐστι λύπη κατήφεια, ὅτι ἐν τοῖς σοῖς μακαριωτάτοις καιροῖς τοσαῦται Ἐκκλησίαι χωρὶς ἐπισκόπων εἰσί. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πάλιν τὴν σὴν φιλανθρωπίαν ἀξιοῦμεν, χύριε θεοφιλέστατε βασιλεῦ, ὅπως πρὸ τῆς τραχύτητος τῶν χειμώνων, εἴπερ ἀρέσειε τῇ σῇ εὐσεδείᾳ, χελεύσεις ἡμᾶς εἰς τὰς ἡμετέρας Ἐκκλησίας ἐπανελθεῖν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ δύνασθαι ἡμᾶς τῷ παντοχράτορε θεῷ, καὶ τῷ Δεσπότῃ καὶ Σωτῆρι ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, τῷ ΥἹῷ αὐτοῦ τῷ μονογενεῖ, ὑπὲρ τῆς σῆς βασιλείας τὰς ἐθίμους εὐχὰς μετὰ τῶν λαῶν ἀποπληροῦν, καθὼς καὶ ἀεὶ ἐπετελέσαμεν νῦν ποιοῦμεν εὐχόμενοι. » Ταῦτα γράψαντες, μικρὸν ἐπιμείναντες χρόνον, ὡς οὐχ ἠξίου αὐτοὺς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀποκρίσεως, . κατὰ πόλεις τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἀνεχώρησαν. Ὁ βασιλεὺς δὲ καὶ ἤδη μὲν πρότερον ἐσχόπει τὴν ᾿Αρειανὴν δόξαν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις ἐγχατασπεῖραι " ταύτην τε κρατήσειν ἐσπουδαχὼς, πρόφασιν ὕδρεως τὴν ἐκείνων ποιεῖται ἀναχώρησιν, χαταπεφρονῆσθαι λέγων, ὅτι παρὰ γνώμην αὐτοῦ διελύθησαν. Διὸ τοῖς μὲν περὶ Οὐρσάκιον, ὅσα αὐτοῖς ἐδόκει σὺν παῤῥησίᾳ κατὰ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν πράττειν ἐπέτρεψε. Τὴν δὲ ἔκδοσιν τῆς ἀναγνωσθείσης ἐν ᾿Αριμίνῳ πίστεως ἐκέλευσεν εἰς τὰς περὶ Ἰταλίαν ᾿Εκκλησίας ἐχπέμπεσθαι, προστάξας τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους ὑπογράφειν αὑτῇ ἐξεῶσθαι τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν, καὶ εἰς τοὺς τόπους αὐτῶν ἑτέρους ἀντιχαθίστασθαι. Καὶ πρῶτος μὲν Λιβέριος 5 ὁ τῆς Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοπος παραιτησάμενος ἐκείνῃ τῇ πίστει συνθέσθαι, ἐξόριστος γίνεται, τῶν περὶ Ούρσάκιον εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτοῦ καταστησάντων Φίληκα, ὃς διάκονος ὢν τῆς ἐν Ῥώμῃ Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τῇ ᾿Αρειανῇ δόξῃ προστεθεὶς, εἰς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν προεβλήθη. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ λέγοντες, ὅτι οὐ προσέθετο μὲν τῇ ᾿Αρειανῇ δόξῃ, βίᾳ δὲ καὶ ἀνάγκῃ κεχειροτόνητο. Πάντα μὲν οὖν τότε τὰ κατὰ τὴν δύσιν καινοτομούμενα ταραχὴν εἶχε, τῶν μὲν ἐξωθουμένων καὶ ἀποστελλομένων εἰς ἐξορίαν· τῶν δὲ εἰς τόπον τῶν αὐτῶν ἀντικαθισταμένων. Καὶ ταῦτα ἐγίνετο βίᾳ καὶ τῶν βασιλικῶν προσταγμάτων, ἅπερ καὶ εἰς τὰ ἐῷα μέρη ἀπέσταλτο. Ὁ Λιβέριος μὲν οὖν μικρὸν ὕστερον τῆς ἐξορίας ἀνακληθεὶς, τὸν οἰκεῖον θρόνον ἀπέλαβε ἰ, τοῦ ἐν Ῥώμῃ λαοῦ στασιάσαντος, καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκβάλλοντος τὸν Φίληκα· ὅ τε βασιλεὺς καὶ παρὰ γνώμην τούτοις ἐγένετο σύμψηφος. Οἱ δὲ περὶ Οὐρσάκιον τῆς Ἰταλίας ἀναχωρήσαντες, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἀνατολικὰ διαβαίνοντες μέρη, πόλιν τῆς Θράκης, ὄνομα Νίκην, καταλαμβάνουσι· μικρὸν δὲ ἐπιμείναντες ἐν αὐτῇ χρόνον, ἕτερον ποιοῦνται ἐν αὐτῇ συνέδριον · καὶ τὴν ἀναγνωσθεῖσαν ἐν Ἀριμίνῳ τῆς πίστεως ἔκδοσιν εἰς Ἑλλάδα γλῶσσαν ἑρμηνεύσαντες, καθ᾽ ἂν ἀνωτέρω γέγραπται τρόπον, εἶτα δημοσιεύ Καὶ τῇ ᾿Αρειανῇ δόξῃ ἅμα δέ. σαντες ἐβεβαίωσαν, ἐπιφημίσαντες ὑπὸ τῆς οἰκου - μενικῆς συνόδου καὶ ὑπηγορεῦσθαι τὴν πίστιν τῇ ἐν Νίκῃ 1, τῷ παρομοίῳ τοῦ ὀνόματος συναρπάζειν τοὺς ἁπλουστέρους βουλόμενοι· τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ γὰρ τῆς Βιθυνίας πίστιν εἶναι ἐνόμιζον. ᾿Αλλ᾿ οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς ὤνησε τὸ σόφισμα· μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ γὰρ ἐξηλέγχθη· διετέλουν γὰρ γελώμενοι. Περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν κατὰ τὰ ἑσπέρια γενομένων μέρη, τοσαῦτα εἰρήσθω. Μετιτέον δὲ ἐπὶ διήγησιν τῶν κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον κατὰ τὴν ἀνατολὴν γεγενημένων. ᾿Αρκτέον δὲ ἐντεῦθεν.
Gnous de ho basileus, tous men ekpodōn di' exorias poiei; oikoumēnikēn de synodon synkrotein ebouleto, hopōs an pantas tous tēs anatolēs episkopous eis tēn dysin helkysas, homodoxous, ei dynaito, tous pantas poiēseien. Hōs de autǭ tauta skeptomenǭ, chalepa ta tēs hodou katephaineto, dimerē genesthai tēn synodon autois prosetaxen. En ᾿Ariminǭ men tēs Italias, tous tote parontas synelthein epitrepsas; tous de en anatolę̄, dia grammatōn en Nikomēdeią tēs Bithynias apantēsai ekeleuse. Tauta men ho basileus skopǭ tēs homophōnias ekeleusen. Ou mēn autǭ ho skopos chrēstēn eschen Ekbasin; oudetera gar tōn synodōn heautę̄ synephōnēsen, all᾽ hekatera dię̄rethē. Oute gar hoi en Ariminǭ synelthontes, homophōnēsai dedynēntai; kai hoi tēs anatolēs synelthontes en Seleukeią R tēs Isaurias, heteron schisma eirgasanto. Hopōs men oun hekasta toutōn egeneto, proïontes dēlōsomen, proteron peri Eudoxiou mikra mnēmoneusantes. Peri gar tonde ton chronon Leontiou teleutēsantos, hos ton hairetikon ᾿Aetion eis tēn diakonian probeblēto, Eudoxios • Germanikeias episkopos hōn, Syrias de kai ēde hē polis, kata tēn Rhōmēn tote parōn, epeigesthai skeptetai. Kai tǭ basilei doliōs dialegetai, hōs chrēzousēs tēs Germanikeōn poleōs paramythias kai phylakēs, synchōrēthēnai autǭ tacheian epanodon. Ouden de ho basileus proeidomenos, aphiēsin auton. Ho de tous tou koitōnos kratountas echōn synergous, tēn ᾿Antiocheias episkopēn hyporyxas, tēn heautou polin apelipe. Kai ton ᾿Aetion synkrotein epeirato, spoudēn te etitheto synedrion episkopōn kathisai, kai apodounai autǭ tēs diakonias tēn axian. Touto men oun oudamōs egeneto, dioti epikratesteron ēn to kata ᾿Aetiou misos tēs Eudoxiou spoudēs. Tosauta kai peri toutōn eirēsthō. Tōn de en tę̄ Ariminǭ synelthontōn, hoi men anatolikoi, sigę̄ ta kata ᾿Athanasiou parapempsantes synelēlythenai ephaskon. Synelambanonto de tę̄ toutōn spoudę̄ Oursakios kai Oualēs, hoi ex archēs men to tou ᾿Areiou synkrotēsantes dogma, en tǭ mesǭ de tǭ homoousiǭ synthemenoi, dia tou epidothentos bibliou tǭ episkopǭ tēs Rhōmēs, hōs moi kai proteron eirētai. Houtoi gar aei pros tous epikratountas epeklinon. Synelambanonto de toutois Germanios kai Auxentios, Dēmophilos te kai Gaïos. Hōs oun en tǭ syllogǭ tōn parontōn allos allo ti proballesthai paretattonto, tēnikauta hoi peri Oursakion kai Oualenta panta elegon ta peri tēs pisteōs hypagoreuthenta menein – arga; dechesthai de neōteran ekthesin, hēn mikron emprosthen en Sirmiǭ synelthontes exethento. Tauta elegon, kai chartēn meta cheiras echontes, anaginōskesthai pepoiēkasin. ᾿Allēn de ekthesin pisteōs, hēn en Sirmiǭ protypōsantes, ekei men, hōs kai proteron ephēn, etamieusanto; tote de en tę̄ ᾿Ariminǭ phaneron te pepoiēkasin. Ētis ek Rhōmaïkou men hērmēneuthē; esti de en toutois tois rhēmasin; Exetethē pistis hē katholikē epi parousią tou despotou hēmōn Kōnstantiou, en hypateią Phlabiou Eusebiou kai Hypatiou; tōn lamprotatōn, en Sirmiǭ tę̄ proendeka kalandōn Iouniōn. Pisteuomen eis hena ton monon kai alēthinon Theon, Patera pantokratora, ktistēn kai dēmiourgon tōn pantōn; kai eis hena monogenē Huion tou Theou, ton pro pantōn tōn aiōnōn, kai pro pasēs archēs, kai pro pantos epinooumenou chronou, kai pro pasēs katalēptēs epinoias, gegennēmenon apathōs ek tou Theou, di' hou hoi te aiōnes katērtisthēsan, kai ta panta egeneto; gegennēmenon de monogenē, monon ek monou hypo tou Patros, Theon ek Theou, homoion tǭ gennēsanti auton Patri kata tas Graphas; hou tēn gennēsin oudeis epistatai, ē monos ho gennēsas auton Patēr. Touton ismen ton monogenē autou Huion, neumati patrikǭ paragenomenon ek tōn ouranōn eis athetēsin tēs hamartias; kai gennēthenta ek Marias tēs Parthenou, kai anastraphenta meta tōn mathētōn, kai pasan tēn oikonomian plērōsanta kata tēn patrikēn boulēsin; staurōthenta kai apothanonta, kai eis ta katachthonia katelthonta, kai ta ekeise oikonomēsanta ; hon pylōroi adou idontes ephrixan; kai anastanta tę̄ tritę̄ hēmerą kai anastraphenta meta tōn mathētōn. Kai tessarakonta hēmerōn plēroumenōn, analēphthenta eis tous ouranous, kai kathezomenon ek dexiōn tou Patros ; kai eleusomenon tę̄ eschatę̄ hēmerą tę̄ doxę̄ tę̄ patrikę̄, apodidonta hekastǭ kata ta erga autou. Kai eis to hagion Pneuma, ho autos ho monogenēs tou Theou Huios Iēsous Christos epēngeilato pempsai tǭ genei tōn anthrōpōn, ton paraklēton, kata to gegrammenon; Aperchomai pros ton Patera mou; kai, Parakalesō ton Patera mou, kai allon paraklēton pempsei hymin, to Pneuma tēs alētheias. Ekeinos ek tou emou lēpsetai, kai didaxei kai hypomnēsei hymas panta. To de onoma tēs ousias dia to aplousteron hypo tōn Paterōn tetheisthai, agnioumenon de hypo tōn laōn, skandalon pherein, dia to mēte tas Graphas touto periechein, ērese touto periairethēnai kai pantelōs mēdemian mnēmēn ousias epi Theou einai tou loipou, dia to tas theias Graphas mēdamou peri Patros kai Huiou ousias memnēsthai. Homoion de legomen ton Huion tǭ Patri kata panta, hōs hai hagiai Graphai legousin te kai didaskousin. Toutōn anagnōsthentōn, dianastantes hois tauta ouk ēresken ephasan; « Ou deomenoi pisteōs entautha synelēlythamen ; hygiē gar phylattomen, hēn ex archēs pareilēphamen; all᾽ ina, ei tis peri tautēn kainotomia genoito, tautēn kōlysōmen. Ei oun ta anagnōsthenta mēden kainotomei, phanerōs ēdē tēn ᾿Areianēn hairesin anathematisate, kath' hon tropon kai tas allas haireseis ho palaios kanōn tēs Ekklēsias hōs blasphēmous exebalen. Hoti gar to blasphēmon ᾿Areiou dogma tous thorybous tēs Ekklēsias kai tas achri nyn ginomenas ekinēse tarachas, touto tę̄ oikoumenę̄ dēlon kathestēken. » Hautē hē protasis hē hypo tōn peri Oursakion kai Oualenta, Germanion te kai Auxention, kai Dēmophilon kai Gaion mē dechtheisa, teleōs tēn Ekklēsian diespasen. Houtoi men gar tois tote kata tēn en Ariminǭ anagnōstheisi prosethento ; hoi de tēn en Nikaią authis ekyrōsan. Kategelasan de kai tēs prographēs tōn anagnōsthentōn; malista de ᾿Athanasios, di' hōn pros tous heautou gnōrimous epistellōn, toiade kata lexin phēsin; « Ti gar eleipe didaskalias eis eusebeian tę̄ katholikę̄ Ekklēsią, hina nyn peri pisteōs zētōsi, kai tēn hypateian tōn parontōn chronōn protassōsi tōn par᾿ autōn ektithemenōn rhēmatōn dēthen peri pisteōs? Oursakios gar kai Oualēs kai Germanios • pepoiēkasin, ho mēte gegonen, mēte ēkousthē pote para Christianois. Grapsantes gar hōs ēthelon autoi pisteuein, proetaxan tēn hypateian, kai ton mēna, kai tēn hēmeran tou parontos chronou, hina deixōsi pasi tois phronimois, hoti mē proteron, alla nyn, epi Kōnstantiou, archēn echei toutōn hē pistis. Pantes gar pros tēn idian hairesin blepontes egraphon. Pros toutois peri tou Kyriou prospoioumenoi graphein, allon despotēn heautōn onomazousi Kōnstantion. Autos gar ēn ho tēn dynasteian tēs asebeias autois parechōn. Kai aiōnion de auton basilea eirēkasin, hoi ton Huion aïdion arnoumenoi ; houtōs eisi pros asebeian christomachoi. ᾿All᾽ isōs estin autois prophasis tēs hypateias, hē tōn hagiōn prophētōn chronographia. Alla kan touto tolmēsōsin eipein, poly tēn amathian heautōn exangellousin. Hai men gar tōn hagiōn prophēteiai chronōn echousi mnēmēn. Kai Hēsaïas men kai Ōsēe en hēmerais Oziou kai Iōatham kai ᾿Achaz kai Ezekiou gegonasin; Ieremias de, en hēmerais Iōsiou; Iezekiēl de kai Daniēl, epi Kyrou kai Dareiou. Kai alloi en allois chronois eprophēteusan, ou tēs theosebeias archēn kataballomenoi. Hēn gar kai pro autōn, kai aei, kai pro katabolēs kosmou, tautēn hēmin ho Theos en Christǭ proētoimasen. Oude tēs autōn pisteōs tous chronous esēmainon; ēsan gar kai pro toutōn tōn chronōn autoi pistoi; alla tēs di᾿ autōn epangelias ēsan hoi chronoi. Hē de epangelia proēgoumenōs men peri tēs epidēmias tou Sōtēros hēmōn. Epakolouthēma de peri tōn esomenōn tǭ Israēl kai tois ethnesi ; kai ēsan hoi chronoi sēmainomenoi, ouk archē pisteōs, katha proeipon, all᾽ autōn tōn prophētōn, kath' hous autoi genomenoi, tauta proephēteuon. Houtoi de hoi nyn sophoi, ouch historias exēgoumenoi, oude ta mellonta prolegontes, alla grapsantes, Exetethē hē pistis hē katholikē, euthys prosethēkan kai tēn hypateian kai ton mēna kai tēn hēmeran. Ōsper hoi hagioi tōn historiōn kai tēs heautōn diakonias tous chronous egraphon, houtōs houtoi tēs heautōn pisteōs ton chronon sēmainousi. eithe peri tēs heautōn egraphon; nyn gar ērxanto kai mē hōs peri tēs katholikēs epecheiroun; ou gar egrapsan, Houtō pisteuomen, all' hoti᾿ Exetethē hē katholikē pistis. To men oun tolmēron tēs proaireseōs elenchei tēn atheïan ; autōn. To de kainon epinoēma tēs graphēs ison esti tēs Areianēs aireseōs. Houtō gar grapsantes edidaxan, pote men ērxanto pisteuein autoi. ᾿Apo de tou nyn boulontai tēn pistin autōn katangellesthai. Kai hōsper kata ton euangelistēn Loukan, etethē dogma peri tēs apographēs, proteron men ouk ēn, apo de tōn hēmerōn ekeinōn ērxato einai, kai etethē para tou grapsantos ; houtō kai houtoi grapsantes, Exetethē nyn hē pistis, edeixan hoti neōteron to tēs haireseōs Houtōs eisin amatheis, monon eidontes plattein proautōn esti phronēma, kai ouk ēn proteron. Hei de prostitheasi tēs Katholikēs, elathon heautous pesontes eis tēn paranomian tōn apo Phrygias ; hōste kai autous kat' ekeinous eipein, « Hēmin prōton apekalyphthē kai aph᾿ hēmōn hē pistis archetai tōn Christianōn › ; kai hōsper ekeinoi Maximillan kai Montanon, houtōs houtoi anti tou Christou, despotēn Kōnstantion epigraphontai. Ei de kat᾿ autous apo tēs nyn hypateias archēn hē pistis echei, ti poiēsousin hoi Pateres, kai hoi makarioi martyres? Ti de kai autoi poiēsousi tous par' autōn katēchēthentas, kai pro tēs hypateias tautēs koimēthentas? Pōs autous egeirousin, hina ha men edoxan dedidachenai, toutous apaleipsōsin; ho de nyn hōs epheurontes egrapsan, epispeirōsin autois? phaseis, kai tautas aprepeis kai apithanous, echousas euthys ton elenchon. » Toiauta men ᾿Athanasios tois heautou gnōrimois epestellen. Exestō de tois philomathesin anazētēsasi tēn epistolēn, gnōnai ta en autę̄ dynatōs eirēmena. Hēmeis gar meros autēs entautha paratetheikamen, to mēkos paraitēsamenoi. Isteon de, hoti hē synodos katheile tous peri Oualenta kai Oursakion, Auxention te kai Germanion kai Gaion kai Dēmophilon, hoti tēn Areianion doxan anathematisai ou katedexanto. Dio houtoi men, aganaktountes epi tę̄ kathairesei, pros ton basilea tacheōs anedramon, epikomizomenoi tēn anagnōstheisan en tę̄ synodǭ tēs pisteōs ekdosin; hē synodos de di' epistolēs gnōrima ta hyp᾿ autēs gnōsthenta kathistē tǭ basilei. Hēs ek Rhōmaïkōn metablētheisēs, ēde estin hē dianoia ; Epistolē - tēs en ᾿Ariminǭ synodou pros ton basilea Kōnstantion. Hek te tēs tou Theou keleuseōs, kai tēs sēs eusebeias prostagmatos, ta palai dogmatisthenta gegenēsthai pisteuomen; eis gar Ariminon ek pasōn tōn pros dysin poleōn, eis to auto pantes episkopoi synēlthomen ; hina kai hē pistis tēs katholikēs Ekklēsias gnōristhę̄ a, kai hoi tanantia phronountes ekdēloi genōntai. Hōs gar epi pleiston diaskopountes eurēkamen, areston ephanē, tēn pistin tēn ekpalai diamenousan, hēn kai hoi prophētai kai ta Euangelia, kai hoi apostoloi dia tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou ekēryxan, tou kai tēs sēs basileias phrourou kai tēs sēs rhōseōs prostatou; hina tautēn kataschontes phylaxōmen, kai phylattontes mechri telous diatērōmen. "Atopon gar kai athemiton ephanē, tōn orthōs kai dikaiōs hōrismenōn ti metallassein, kai tōn en Nikaią koinę̄ meta tou endoxotatou sou patros kai basileōs Kōnstantinou eskemmenōn, hōn hē didaskalia te kai to phronēma diēlthe te kai ekērychthē eis pasas anthrōpōn akoas te kai dianoias; hētis antipalos monē kai oletēr tēs ᾿Areiou haireseōs hypērxe. Di' hēs ou monon autē, alla kai hai loipai haireseis kathę̄rethēsan. En hę̄ ontōs kai to prostheinai ti sphaleron, kai to aphelesthai epikindynon hyparchei. Hōs eiper kai thateron genoito, estai tois echthrois adeia tou poiein haper boulointo. Hothen Oursakios te kai Oualēs, epeidē ekpalai metochoi te kai symphrones tou ᾿Areianikou dogmatos ēsan kathestēkotes, kai tēs hēmeteras koinōnias chōristhentes apephanthēsan; hēs hina metaschōsin, eph᾽ hois heautois synegnōkeisan plēmmelēsantes, metanoias te kai syngnōmēs ēxioun tychein, hōs kai ta engrapha ta hyp᾿ ekeinōn gegenēmena martyrei; di᾽ hōn hapantōn pheidō gegenētai, kai tōn enklēmatōn syngnōmē. Ēn de ho kairos kath' hon tauta epratteto, hote en Mediolanǭ to synedrion tēs synodou synekroteito, symparontōn de kai tōn presbyterōn tēs Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsias. Egnōkotes de hama kai ton meta tēn teleutēn axion mnēmēs Kōnstantinon, meta pasēs akribeias kai exetaseōs tēn syngrapheisan pistin ektetheikota; epeidē de hōs ex anthrōpōn egeneto baptistheis, kai pros tēn opheilomenēn eirēnēn anechōrēsen, atopon enomisamen einai met᾿ ekeinon ti kainotomein, kai tosoutous hagious homologētas kai martyras, tous kai toude tou dogmatos syngrapheis te kai heuretas hyperidein; hoitines kata ton palaion tēs katholikēs Ekklēsias thesmon, hapanta phronountes diamemenēkasin. Hōn ho Theos tēn pistin kai eis tous sous chronous tēs basileias metedōke, dia tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, di' hou soi kai to basileuein houtōs hypērxen, hōs kai tēs kath' hēmas oikoumenēs kratein. Palin goun hoi eleeinoi ho kai oiktroi tǭ phronēmati, athemitǭ tolmēmati tēs dyssebous phronēseōs kērykas heautous anēngeilan, kai epicheirousin anatrepein pan to tēs alētheias syntagma. Hōs gar kata to son prostagma to synedrion tēs synodou synekroteito, kakeinoi tēs idias apatēs egymnoun tēn skepsin, epeirōnto gar panourgią tini kai tarachę̄ prospherontes ti kainotomein, tēs toiautēs heteroias tous synaliskomenous heurontes Germanion, Auxention kai Gaïon, tous tēn erin kai dichostasian empoiountas. Hōn hē didaskalia mia men ousas, pan plēthos blasphēmiōn hyperbebēken; hōs de syneidon ouchi tēs autēs proaireseōs ontas, oute homognōmonountas eph᾽ hois kakōs ephronoun, eis to symboulion hēmōn metēgagon heautous, hōs dokein heteron graphein. Ēn de ho kairos brachys, ho kai tas gnōmas autōn exelenchōn. Hina mē oun tois autois aei ta tēs Ekklēsias peripiptę̄, kai tarachē kai thorybos kylindoumenos hapanta syncheę̄, bebaion ephanē, ta palai hōrismena, emmona kai ametakinēta diaphylattein ; tous de proeirēmenous apo tēs hēmeteras koinōnias apokechōristhai. Di' hēn aitian, tous anadidaxantas presbeis pros tēn sēn epieikeian apestalkamen, tēn gnōmēn tou synedriou dia tēs epistolēs mēnysontas; tois ge presbeuousi pro ge pantōn touto parekeleusametha, tǭ tēn alētheian pistōsasthai 4, ek tōn palai archaiōn kai dikaiōn ormōmenous. Hoi kai tēn sēn anadidaxousin hosiotēta, hoti ouch hōsper ephēsan Oursakios te kai Oualēs, estai eirēnē, eiper ti tōn dikaiōn anatrapeiē. Pōs gar eirēnēn hoion te agein, tous tēn eirēnēn katalyontas ? Mallon gar eris kai tarachē ek toutōn syn tais loipais polesi, kai tę̄ tōn Rhōmaiōn Ekklēsią genēsetai. Dio dē kai hiketeuomen tēn sēn epieikeian, hina prosēnesin akoais kai galēnaiǭ blemmati, ta tēs hēmeteras presbeias athrēseias, mēte pros hybrin tōn teteleutēkotōn kainon ti metallattein epitrepseias; all᾽ easę̄s hēmas emmenein tois para tōn progonōn horistheisi te kai nenomothetēmenois; hous hapantas meta anchinoias te kai phronēseōs kai Pneumatos hagiou pepoiēkenai phēsaimen an. Ta gar nyn par' ekeinōn kainotomoumena tois men pisteusasin apistian empoiei; tois de apistēsasin, ōmotēta. Hiketeuomen de eti, hina keleusę̄s tous episkopous tous en tais allodapais diatribontas, hous kai to tēs hēlikias epiponon, kai to tēs penias endees trychei, tēn eis ta oikeia anakomidēn rhądian poiēsasthai, hina mē erēmoi tōn episkopōn hai Ekklēsiai diamenōsin. Eti de pros hapasi kai touto deometha, hina mēte elleipę̄ ti tōn proÿparxantōn, mēte pleonazę̄; alla panta arrhēkta diamenę̄ ek tēs tou sou patros eusebeias, kai eis ton nyn chronon diaphylattomena. Mēte loipon hēmas mochthein, kai ektos tōn idiōn ; paroikiōn epitrepseias genesthai; all᾽ hina hoi episkopoi syn tois idiois laois met' eirēnēs eis euchas te kai latreias scholēn agoien, hiketeuontes hyper tēs sēs sōtērias kai basileias kai eirēnēs, hēn hē Theiotēs soi eis to diēnekes charieitai. Hoi de hēmeteroi presbeis tas hypographas, kai tas tōn episkopōn prosēgorias komizousin ; hoitines kai ex autōn tōn theiōn Graphōn tēn sēn anadidaxousi theiotēta. ; Tauta men oun hē synodos egrapse, kai di' episkopōn apesteilen. Hoi mentoi peri Oursakion kai Oualenta phthasantes tēn toutōn aphixin, prodiaballousi men tēn synodon, epideixantes hēn epekomizonto pisteōs ekdosin. Ho basileus de ek prolēpseōs tę̄ ᾿Areianę̄ doxę̄ proskeimenos, ēganaktei men kata tēs synodou; tous de peri Oualenta kai Oursakion dia timēs ēge pollēs. Dio hoi apo tēs synodou pemphthentes echronizon, apokriseōs ou tynchanontes. Hypse de pote toiade pros tēn synodon dia tōn parontōn antegrapsen ho basileus Kōnstantios, nikētēs kai thriambeutēs, Augoustos, pasi tois en ᾿Ariminǭ episkopois synelthousin. ᾿Aei men proēgoumenēn echein hēmas phrontida peri tou theiou kai proskynētou nomou, oude hē hymetera chrēstotēs agnoei. ᾿Alla nyn tous apo tēs syneseōs hymōn apostalentas eikosi episkopous anadexamenous tēn par᾿ hymōn presbeian, teōs ouk ēdynēthēmen idein. ᾿Anankaia gar hēmin hē pros tous barbarous hodos. Kai hōs oidate, prepei tēn psychēn katharan ousan apo pasēs phrontidos, ta peri tou theiou nomou gymnazein. Toigaroun tous episkopous ekeleusamen en tę̄ Adrianoupolei ekdexasthai tēn hēmeteran epanodon, hin᾽ epeidan panta kalōs diatethę̄ ta dēmosia, tote loipon haper hypothallousin, akousai dochimasai dynēthōmen. ē mentoi sterrhotēti hymōn mē bary phainesthō, hōste ekdexasthai. tēn autōn epanodon, hin' epeidan epanelthōsi chomizontes hymin tas hēmeteras apokriseis, dynēthēte eis peras agagein ta pros tēn lysiteleian anēkonta tę̄ katholikę̄ Ekklēsią, Tauta dexamenoi ta grammata hoi episkopoi authis toiauta antegrapsan " « Ta grammata tēs sēs philanthrōpias edexametha, chyrie theophilestate basileu, ta periechonta dia tēn tōn dēmosiōn anankēn, teōs mē dednnę̄sthai se tous hēmeterous presbeis theōrēsai" hēmas de cheleueis ekdexasthai tēn autōn epanodon, heōs an ta par᾽ hēmōn horisthenta akolouthōs tois progonois hēmōn epignǭ par᾽ autōn hē sē euladeia. ᾿Alla kai nyn dia toutōn tōn grammatōn homologoumen diathdedaioumetha, mēdamōs hēmas anachōrein tēs hēmeteras protheseōs. Touto gar kai tois presbesin hēmōn eneteilametha. ᾿Axioumen toinyn, hopōs galēnaią tę̄ prosopsei ta te nyn grammata tēs hēmeteras metriotētos keleusę̄s anagnōsthēnai. ᾿Alla gar kacheina ha dia tōn presdeōn hēmōn eneteilametha, hēdeōs hypodexę̄. Ekeino mentoi synorą meth᾽ hēmōn kai ē sē hēmerotēs, hosē nyn esti lypē katēpheia, hoti en tois sois makariōtatois kairois tosautai Ekklēsiai chōris episkopōn eisi. Kai dia touto palin tēn sēn philanthrōpian axioumen, chyrie theophilestate basileu, hopōs pro tēs trachytētos tōn cheimōnōn, eiper areseie tę̄ sę̄ eusedeią, cheleuseis hēmas eis tas hēmeteras Ekklēsias epanelthein, hyper tou dynasthai hēmas tǭ pantochratore theǭ, kai tǭ Despotę̄ kai Sōtēri hēmōn Iēsou Christǭ, tǭ HuIǭ autou tǭ monogenei, hyper tēs sēs basileias tas ethimous euchas meta tōn laōn apoplēroun, kathōs kai aei epetelesamen nyn poioumen euchomenoi. » Tauta grapsantes, mikron epimeinantes chronon, hōs ouch ēxiou autous ho basileus apokriseōs, . kata poleis tas heautōn anechōrēsan. Ho basileus de kai ēdē men proteron eschopei tēn ᾿Areianēn doxan tais Ekklēsiais enchataspeirai " tautēn te kratēsein espoudachōs, prophasin hydreōs tēn ekeinōn poieitai anachōrēsin, chatapephronēsthai legōn, hoti para gnōmēn autou dielythēsan. Dio tois men peri Oursakion, hosa autois edokei syn parrhēsią kata tōn Ekklēsiōn prattein epetrepse. Tēn de ekdosin tēs anagnōstheisēs en ᾿Ariminǭ pisteōs ekeleusen eis tas peri Italian ᾿Ekklēsias echpempesthai, prostaxas tous mē boulomenous hypographein hautę̄ exeōsthai tōn Ekklēsiōn, kai eis tous topous autōn heterous antichathistasthai. Kai prōtos men Liberios 5 ho tēs Rhōmēs episkopos paraitēsamenos ekeinę̄ tę̄ pistei synthesthai, exoristos ginetai, tōn peri Oursakion eis ton topon autou katastēsantōn Philēka, hos diakonos ōn tēs en Rhōmę̄ Ekklēsias, kai tę̄ ᾿Areianę̄ doxę̄ prostetheis, eis tēn episkopēn proeblēthē. Eisi de hoi legontes, hoti ou prosetheto men tę̄ ᾿Areianę̄ doxę̄, bią de kai anankę̄ kecheirotonēto. Panta men oun tote ta kata tēn dysin kainotomoumena tarachēn eiche, tōn men exōthoumenōn kai apostellomenōn eis exorian; tōn de eis topon tōn autōn antikathistamenōn. Kai tauta egineto bią kai tōn basilikōn prostagmatōn, haper kai eis ta eǭa merē apestalto. Ho Liberios men oun mikron hysteron tēs exorias anaklētheis, ton oikeion thronon apelabe i, tou en Rhōmę̄ laou stasiasantos, kai tēs Ekklēsias ekballontos ton Philēka; ho te basileus kai para gnōmēn toutois egeneto sympsēphos. Hoi de peri Oursakion tēs Italias anachōrēsantes, kai epi ta anatolika diabainontes merē, polin tēs Thrakēs, onoma Nikēn, katalambanousi; mikron de epimeinantes en autę̄ chronon, heteron poiountai en autę̄ synedrion ; kai tēn anagnōstheisan en Ariminǭ tēs pisteōs ekdosin eis Hellada glōssan hermēneusantes, kath᾽ an anōterō gegraptai tropon, eita dēmosieu Kai tę̄ ᾿Areianę̄ doxę̄ hama de. santes ebebaiōsan, epiphēmisantes hypo tēs oikou - menikēs synodou kai hypēgoreusthai tēn pistin tę̄ en Nikę̄ 1, tǭ paromoiǭ tou onomatos synarpazein tous haplousterous boulomenoi; tēn en Nikaią gar tēs Bithynias pistin einai enomizon. ᾿All᾿ ouden autous ōnēse to sophisma; met᾿ ou poly gar exēlenchthē; dieteloun gar gelōmenoi. Peri men oun tōn kata ta hesperia genomenōn merē, tosauta eirēsthō. Metiteon de epi diēgēsin tōn kata ton auton chronon kata tēn anatolēn gegenēmenōn. ᾿Arkteon de enteuthen.
When the emperor learned this, he put these men out of the way by exile, and wished to convene an ecumenical synod, so that by drawing all the bishops of the East to the West he might, if possible, make them all of one opinion. But as he considered this, the difficulties of the journey became clear to him, and he ordered the synod to be held in two parts: he directed those then present to meet at Ariminum in Italy, and by letter ordered those in the East to gather at Nicomedia in Bithynia. The emperor ordered this with the aim of agreement; but his aim had no good outcome. For neither synod agreed with itself, but each was divided: neither could those who met at Ariminum agree, and the easterners, meeting at Seleucia in Isauria, made another schism. How each of these things happened we shall show as we go on, after first saying a little about Eudoxius.
About this time Leontius died, who had promoted the heretic Aetius to the diaconate. Eudoxius, bishop of Germanicia (this city too is in Syria), who was then at Rome, resolved to hasten back. He spoke deceitfully to the emperor, saying that the city of Germanicia needed encouragement and protection, and asking to be allowed a speedy return. The emperor, foreseeing nothing, let him go. With the help of the masters of the bedchamber he undermined the bishopric of Antioch and left his own city. He tried to support Aetius, and was eager to convene a council of bishops and restore to him the rank of deacon. But this never happened, because hatred of Aetius was stronger than Eudoxius’s zeal. Let this much be said about these things too.
Of those who met at Ariminum, the easterners said that they had come together passing over the case of Athanasius in silence. Ursacius and Valens supported their effort; these had at first upheld the doctrine of Arius, but in the meantime had agreed to the homoousios through the statement handed to the bishop of Rome, as I said before. For they always leaned towards those in power. Germinius, Auxentius, Demophilus, and Gaius also supported them. When in the assembly of those present one proposed one thing and another another, Ursacius and Valens said that all the earlier statements of faith should be set aside and a newer statement accepted, which they had set out a little before when meeting at Sirmium. They said this, and having a paper in their hands, they had it read. It was another statement of faith which they had drafted at Sirmium and, as I said before, kept back there, and then made public at Ariminum. It was translated from the Latin and is in these words:
“The catholic faith was set forth in the presence of our lord Constantius, in the consulship of the most illustrious Flavius Eusebius and Hypatius, at Sirmium, on the eleventh day before the Kalends of June. We believe in one only and true God, the Father Almighty, creator and maker of all things; and in one only-begotten Son of God, begotten impassibly from God before all ages, before every beginning, before all conceivable time, and before all comprehensible thought, through whom the ages were framed and all things came to be; begotten as only-begotten, only from the only Father, God from God, like the Father who begot him according to the Scriptures; whose generation no one knows except only the Father who begot him. We know this his only-begotten Son, who at the Father’s bidding came from the heavens for the putting away of sin, was born of the Virgin Mary, lived with the disciples, and fulfilled the whole dispensation according to the Father’s will; was crucified and died, descended to the regions below the earth and set things in order there, whom the gatekeepers of Hades saw and shuddered; and rose on the third day and lived with the disciples; and when forty days were fulfilled, was taken up into the heavens, sits at the right hand of the Father, and will come on the last day in the Father’s glory, rendering to each according to his works. And in the Holy Spirit, whom the only-begotten Son of God himself, Jesus Christ, promised to send to the human race, the Paraclete, according to what is written: ‘I go to my Father,’ and, ‘I will ask my Father, and he will send you another Paraclete, the Spirit of truth. He will take of what is mine, and will teach you and remind you of all things.’ As for the name ‘essence’, since it was used by the fathers rather simply and, being unknown to the people, causes offence, because the Scriptures do not contain it, it has seemed good that it be removed and that there be no mention at all of essence in reference to God from now on, because the divine Scriptures nowhere mention the essence of the Father and the Son. But we say that the Son is like the Father in all things, as the holy Scriptures say and teach.”
When this had been read, those who were not pleased by it rose up and said: “We have not come together here because we need a faith; for we keep sound the faith we received from the beginning. We have come so that if any innovation is made concerning it, we may prevent it. If, then, what has been read makes no innovation, anathematize the Arian heresy openly now, as the ancient rule of the church cast out the other heresies as blasphemous. For it is plain to the whole world that the blasphemous doctrine of Arius has stirred up the disturbances of the church and the troubles that continue until now.” This proposal, not being accepted by Ursacius and Valens, Germinius and Auxentius, Demophilus and Gaius, tore the church apart completely. For these attached themselves to what was then read at Ariminum, while the others confirmed again the faith of Nicaea. They also ridiculed the heading of what had been read; and especially Athanasius, who, writing to his acquaintances, says word for word:
“What was lacking to the catholic church in teaching for piety, that they should now inquire about the faith and put the consulship of the present time at the head of the phrases they set out, supposedly about the faith? For Ursacius, Valens, and Germinius have done what has never happened nor been heard of among Christians. Writing what they themselves wished to believe, they prefixed the consulship, the month, and the day of the present time, to show all sensible people that their faith had its beginning not earlier, but now, under Constantius. For they all wrote looking to their own heresy. Besides, while pretending to write about the Lord, they name another as their master, Constantius; for it was he who gave them the power of impiety. And they have called him eternal emperor, they who deny that the Son is eternal: so much are they enemies of Christ in their impiety. But perhaps they have as an excuse for the consulship the dating used by the holy prophets. But if they dare to say this, they proclaim their ignorance all the more. For the prophecies of the saints do mention times: Isaiah and Hosea lived in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah; Jeremiah in the days of Josiah; Ezekiel and Daniel under Cyrus and Darius; and others prophesied at other times, not laying the foundation of godliness. For it existed before them, and always, and God prepared it for us in Christ before the foundation of the world. Nor did they mark the times of their own faith, for they were themselves believers before those times; but the times were those of the promise given through them. The promise was first of all about the coming of our Saviour, and following from this about what would happen to Israel and the nations. The times marked were not the beginning of faith, as I said before, but those of the prophets themselves, in which they lived and prophesied these things. But these wise men of today, not recounting histories nor foretelling the future, but writing ‘The catholic faith was set forth’, at once added the consulship, the month, and the day. As the saints wrote the times of their histories and of their own ministry, so these mark the time of their own faith. Would that they had written about their own faith, for it began only now, and had not set themselves to write about the catholic faith! For they did not write, ‘So we believe’, but ‘The catholic faith was set forth.’ The boldness of their purpose exposes their godlessness; and the novel device of the writing is on a level with the Arian heresy. For by writing so they have shown when they themselves began to believe, and that from now on they wish their faith to be proclaimed. And as, according to the evangelist Luke, a decree went out concerning the census, which did not exist before but began to exist from those days and was set forth by its writer, so these, by writing ‘The faith was now set forth’, have shown that the thinking of their heresy is new and did not exist before. And if they add ‘catholic’, they have unwittingly fallen into the lawlessness of the Phrygians, so that they too say like them, ‘To us first it was revealed, and from us the faith of Christians begins’; and as those inscribe Maximilla and Montanus, so these inscribe as master Constantius instead of Christ. But if, as they say, the faith has its beginning from the present consulship, what will the fathers and the blessed martyrs do? And what will they themselves do with those whom they instructed and who fell asleep before this consulship? How will they raise them, to wipe out what they seemed to have taught them and sow in them instead what they have now invented and written? So ignorant are they, knowing only how to invent pretexts, and those unseemly and unconvincing, which carry their refutation with them at once.”
Such things Athanasius wrote to his acquaintances. Those who love learning may seek out the letter and learn what is powerfully said in it; we have set down only part of it here, avoiding its length. It should be known that the synod deposed Valens, Ursacius, Auxentius, Germinius, Gaius, and Demophilus, because they would not consent to anathematize the Arian opinion. So they, indignant at their deposition, hurried to the emperor, taking with them the statement of faith read at the synod; while the synod made known to the emperor by letter what it had decided. Translated from the Latin, its sense is this.
Letter of the synod at Ariminum to the emperor Constantius: “By the command of God and the order of your piety we believe that what was decreed long ago has been done; for all of us bishops have come together at Ariminum from all the cities of the West, so that the faith of the catholic church might be made known and those who think the opposite be exposed. After the most careful consideration we have found it right to hold to the faith that has remained from of old, which the prophets, the Gospels, and the apostles preached through our Lord Jesus Christ, the guardian of your reign and the protector of your strength; to hold it fast and, keeping it, to preserve it to the end. For it seemed absurd and unlawful to change anything of what was rightly and justly defined and considered in common at Nicaea with your most glorious father the emperor Constantine, whose teaching and mind have gone out and been proclaimed into all the ears and minds of men, and which alone has been the opponent and destroyer of the Arian heresy. By it not only that heresy but the other heresies too were overthrown. In it, truly, both to add anything is hazardous and to take anything away is dangerous; for if either were done, the enemies would have freedom to do what they wish. So Ursacius and Valens, since they had long been partakers and sharers of the Arian doctrine, were declared separated from our communion; and to share in it again they asked for repentance and pardon for the faults of which they were conscious, as the documents written by them testify, through which mercy was shown and pardon for the charges granted. The time when this was done was when the council of the synod was held at Milan, the presbyters of the church of Rome also being present. Knowing at the same time that Constantine, worthy of remembrance after his death, set forth the faith that was written with all exactness and examination, and that when he was baptized and departed this life he went to his due rest, we thought it absurd to innovate anything after him and to overlook so many holy confessors and martyrs, who were also writers and discoverers of this doctrine and who have continued to think everything according to the ancient law of the catholic church. Their faith God has handed on also to the times of your reign, through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom it has been given you to reign so as to rule our world. Yet again these pitiable men, wretched in mind, have proclaimed themselves heralds of an impious way of thinking by a lawless act of daring, and are attempting to overthrow the whole system of truth. For when by your order the council of the synod was convened, they too laid bare the design of their own deceit; for they tried by some cunning and disturbance to introduce an innovation, finding as accomplices in this heterodoxy Germinius, Auxentius, and Gaius, who cause strife and dissension. Their teaching, though one, has surpassed every mass of blasphemies. And when they saw that they were not of the same purpose, nor of one mind in the wrong things they thought, they brought themselves over to our counsel, so as to seem to write something different. But the time was short which exposed their opinions. So that the affairs of the church may not always fall into the same troubles, and disturbance and tumult rolling on may not confound everything, it seemed sure to keep what was defined long ago firm and unmoved, and to separate the men named from our communion. For this reason we have sent envoys to your clemency to inform you, who will make known the decision of the council by the letter; and we have charged the envoys above all to confirm the truth, setting out from the ancient and righteous decisions. They will inform your holiness that it is not as Ursacius and Valens said, that there will be peace if something of what is right is overturned. For how can those who destroy peace keep peace? Rather, strife and disturbance will come from them for the other cities and for the church of the Romans. Therefore we entreat your clemency to look on our embassy with gentle ears and a calm gaze, and not to allow anything new to be altered, to the insult of the dead, but to let us remain in what was defined and enacted by our forefathers, whom we would say acted with shrewdness, wisdom, and the Holy Spirit. For what they are now innovating brings unbelief to those who have believed and harshness to those who have not believed. We entreat you further to order that the bishops staying abroad, who are worn down by the toil of age and the want of poverty, be given an easy return to their own homes, so that the churches may not remain bereft of their bishops. Besides all this we ask also that nothing be lacking from what existed before, nor anything be added, but that everything remain unbroken, kept from your father’s piety until the present time; and that you not allow us to toil any longer and to be away from our own dioceses, but that the bishops with their own peoples may have leisure in peace for prayers and worship, praying for your safety, your reign, and your peace, which the Godhead will grant you for ever. Our envoys bring the signatures and the names of the bishops; they will also instruct your divinity from the divine Scriptures themselves.”
This the synod wrote and sent by bishops. But Ursacius, Valens, and their party, anticipating their arrival, slandered the synod in advance, showing the statement of faith they had brought. The emperor, prejudiced in favour of the Arian opinion, was angry with the synod and held Valens, Ursacius, and their party in great honour. So the envoys sent from the synod were kept waiting a long time without receiving an answer. At last the emperor wrote back to the synod through those present as follows: “Constantius, victor and triumphant, Augustus, to all the bishops assembled at Ariminum. That we always have foremost concern for the divine and venerable law your goodness is well aware. But we have not yet been able to see the twenty bishops sent by your understanding, who undertook your embassy; for a journey against the barbarians is necessary for us, and, as you know, it is fitting that the soul be free of every care when it deals with the divine law. We have therefore ordered the bishops to await our return at Adrianople, so that when all public affairs have been well arranged we may then hear and examine what they put forward. Meanwhile let it not seem burdensome to your steadfastness to await their return, so that when they come back bringing you our answers you may be able to bring to completion what concerns the benefit of the catholic church.” On receiving this letter the bishops wrote back again as follows: “We have received the letter of your kindness, lord most God-loving emperor, which says that because of the necessity of public affairs you have not yet been able to see our envoys, and orders us to await their return until your piety has learned from them what we have defined in accordance with our forefathers. But now also by this letter we confess and affirm that we will by no means depart from our purpose; for this too we charged our envoys. We ask, therefore, that you order this letter of our modesty to be read with a calm countenance, and that you receive kindly also what we charged our envoys with. Your clemency sees with us how much grief and dejection there is now, that in your most blessed times so many churches are without bishops. And for this reason we again ask your kindness, lord most God-loving emperor, that before the harshness of winter, if it please your piety, you order us to return to our churches, so that we may be able to offer with the peoples the customary prayers for your reign to God Almighty and to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, his only-begotten Son, as we have always done and are now doing in prayer.”
Having written this and waited a short time, since the emperor did not see fit to answer them, they departed to their own cities. The emperor, who had long since been planning to sow the Arian opinion in the churches and was eager for it to prevail, made their departure a pretext for insult, saying that he had been despised because they had dispersed against his will. So he allowed Ursacius and his party to do freely whatever they pleased against the churches, and ordered the statement of the faith read at Ariminum to be sent to the churches of Italy, commanding that those unwilling to sign it be driven from the churches and others be appointed in their places. First Liberius, bishop of Rome, refusing to agree to that faith, was exiled, Ursacius and his party appointing Felix in his place, who was a deacon of the church at Rome and, having attached himself to the Arian opinion, was promoted to the bishopric. Some say that he did not attach himself to the Arian opinion, but was ordained by force and compulsion. All the innovations in the West were then full of turmoil, some being driven out and sent into exile, others being appointed in their places. And this was done by force and by imperial orders, which were sent to the eastern parts as well. Liberius, recalled from exile a little later, recovered his own throne, the people of Rome rioting and driving Felix out of the church; and the emperor agreed with them even against his will. Ursacius and his party, leaving Italy and crossing to the eastern parts, came to a city of Thrace named Nice. Staying there a short time, they held another council in it, and having translated into Greek the statement of faith read at Ariminum, in the way written above, they published it and confirmed it, giving out that the faith had been dictated by the ecumenical synod at Nice, wishing by the likeness of the name to deceive the simpler sort into thinking it was the faith of Nicaea in Bithynia. But the sophism did them no good; for it was soon exposed, and they continued to be laughed at. Let this much be said about what happened in the western parts. We must pass to the account of what happened in the East at the same time; and from here we must begin.
Job 38:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 2:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 1:3 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:28 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:16 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:17 (quotation, high confidence) · John 16:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Hos 1:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 1:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 1:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 2:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Rev 22:18 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The synod of Ariminum (359) rejects the dated creed of Sirmium (“like in all things”, banning “essence”), confirms Nicaea, and deposes Valens, Ursacius, and others; Socrates quotes Athanasius’s ridicule of the dated creed, the synod’s letter, and Constantius’s replies; Liberius is exiled and Felix installed; the Arians publish the creed at Nice in Thrace.
- Documents quoted: the “dated creed” of Sirmium (22 May 359); Athanasius, On the Synods 3–4; the letter of the synod of Ariminum to Constantius; Constantius’s reply; the bishops’ second letter.
- “The gatekeepers of Hades saw and shuddered” echoes Job 38:17 in the Septuagint.
- In Athanasius’s letter the scan displaces two phrase-ends (“that the thinking of their heresy is new and did not exist before” and “knowing only how to invent pretexts”); they are translated in their proper places. A stray line near the end (“and to the Arian opinion at the same time”) is not translated.
- “The Phrygians” are the Montanists (Montanus and Maximilla).
- “Like the Father in all things” is the formula of the homoian party; the creed is translated exactly as printed.
Extrabiblical texts: Athanasius, Syn. 3-4 (On the Councils of Ariminum and Seleucia; quotation); Mont. Or. (Montanist oracles; allusion)
Topics: Trinity, Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.37 (PG 67:301–323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-37). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-37
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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.