Church History 2.38–2.41
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
2.38PG 67:323–331
Οἱ τοῦ ᾿Αρειανοῦ μέρους ἐπίσκοποι μείζον ἐκ τῶν βασιλικῶν προσταγμάτων προσελάμβανον θράσος. Καὶ ὅπως τὴν μὲν σύγοδον παρεσκευάζοντο συγκροτεῖν, μικρὸν ὕστερον λέξω. Τὰ δὲ πρὸ τῆς συνόδου ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν γενόμενα πρότερον ἐπιδράμωμεν. ᾿Ακάκιος μὲν γὰρ καὶ Πατρόφιλος, Μάξιμον τὸν Ἱεροσολύμων ἐξωθήσαντες, Κύριλλον ἀντικατέστησαν. Μακεδόνιος δὲ τὰς γειτνιαζούσας ἐν Κωνσταντίνου πόλει ἐπαρχίας τε καὶ πόλεις ἀνέτρεπεν, ὑπουργοὺς τοῦ οἰκείου σκοποῦ κατὰ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν προβαλλόμενος. Καὶ τῆς μὲν Κυζίκου Ἐλεύσιον ἐπίσκοπον ἀναδεικνύς· τῆς δὲ Νικομηδείας Μαραθώνιον· ὃς πρότερον μὲν διάκονος ἦν, ὑπὸ Μακεδονίῳ ταττόμενος, σπουδαῖος δὲ περὶ τὸ συστήσασθαι ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν μοναστήρια. Ὅπως δὲ Μακεδόνιος τὰς περὶ Κωνσταντίνου πόλιν ἐπαρχίας καὶ πόλεις ἀνέτρεπεν, ἤδη λεκτέον. Οὗτος γὰρ, ὡς καὶ φθάσας εἶπον, δραξάμενος τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, μυρία κακὰ ποιεῖ τοῖς μὴ αἱρουμένοις τὰ αὐτοῦ φρονεῖν · καὶ οὐ μόνον γε τοὺς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας διακρινομένους 1 συνήλαυνεν, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ Ναυατιανοὺς, εἰδὼς καὶ αὐτοὺς φρονοῦντας τὸ ὁμοούσιον. Συνηλαύνοντο οὖν οὗτοι, τὰ ἀνήκεστα πάσχοντες. Καὶ φεύγει μὲν αὐτῶν ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, ᾿Αγέλιος ὄνομα αὐτῷ. Πολλοὶ δὲ τῶν ἐπισήμων ἐπ᾽ εὐλαθδείᾳ συλληφθέντες ἠχέζοντο, ἐπεὶ μὴ ἑδούλοντο μετέχειν τῆς κοινωνίας αὐτοῦ. Μετὰ δὲ τοὺς αἰκισμοὺς, βίᾳ τῶν μυστηρίων μετέχει" τοὺς ἄνδρας ἠνάγκαζον. Ξύλῳ γὰρ διαιροῦντες τὰ στόματα τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὰ μυστήρια ἐνετίθεσαν. Οἱ δὲ ὑπομένοντες τοῦτο, μείζονα τῶν ἄλλων τιμωριῶν ταύτην ἐνόμιζον. Γύναιά τε καὶ παιδία συναρπάζοντες, μυεῖσθαι ἠνάγκαζον. Εἰ δέ τις παραιτοῖτο, 7) ἄλλως ἀντέλεγεν, εὐθὺς ἐπηκολούθουν πληγαὶ, καὶ μετὰ τὰς πληγὰς δεσμοί τε καὶ δεσμωτήρια, τὰ ἄλλα δεινά. Ὧν ἑνὸς δυοῖν ἐπιμνησθεὶς, φανερὰν τὴν ἀπήνειαν καὶ ὠμότητα Μακεδονίου καὶ τῶν τότε ἀκμασάντων ἀνθρώπων, ἀκούουσι χαταστήσω. Γυναιχῶν γὰρ τῶν μὴ , ἀνασχομένων μετασχεῖν τῶν. μυστηρίων, τοὺς στοὺς ἐν χιδωτῷ βαλόντες ἀπέπριον. Λλλων τε γυναιχῶν τὰ αὐτὰ μόρια, τοῦτο μὲν σιδήρῳ, τοῦτο δὲ ὠοῖς εἰς ἄκρον πυρὶ θερμανθεῖσι, προφέροντες ἔχαιον. Ξένη τε καὶ παρὰ τὰς Ἑλλήνων τιμωρίας, αὕτη ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν Χριστιανίζειν λεγόντων ἐγίνετο. Ταῦτα δὲ ἐγὼ παρὰ τοῦ μαχροχρονιωτάτου Αὐξάνοντος ἤκουσα, οὗ κἂν τῷ πρώτῳ μνήμην πεποίτπμαι. Ὃς πρεσβύτερος μὲν ἣν τῆς τῶν Νανατιαγῶν Ἐκκλησίας. Πεπονθέναι δὲ ἔλεγε καὶ αὐτὸς οὐχ ὀλίγα παρὰ τῶν ᾿Ἀρειανιζόντων κακὰ, οὕπω την:καῦτα τῆς τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου ἀξίας λαχών. δὲ ᾿Αλεξάνδρῳ Παφλαγόνι συνασχοῦντι αὐτῷ, εἷς τε εἰρκτὴν βεδλῇσθαι, καὶ πληγὰς ὑπομεῖναι πολλὰς, ἐνεγκεῖν μὲν τὰς βασάνους αὐτὸς ἔλεγεν" ᾿Αλέξανδρον δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν πληγῶν ἐν τῇ εἰρκτῇ τελευτῆσαι. Ὃς τέθαπται νῦν ἐν δεξιᾷ εἰσπλεύσαντι τὸν Βυζάντιον χόλπον, ὃς καλεῖται Κέρας, πλησίον τῶν ποτα. μῶν" οὗ ἐκκλησία ἐστὶ τῶν Ναυατιανῶν, ᾿Αλεξἀνδρου ἐπώνυμος. Καθήρουν μὲν οὖν οἱ ᾿Αρειανίζοντες, Μακεδονίου κελεύοντος, ἄλλας τε πόλλας κατὰ πόλεις ἐκκλησίας, καὶ δὴ καὶ Νανατιανῶν τὴν πλησίον τοῦ Πελαργοῦ ἐν τῇ Κωνσταντίνου πόλει χειμένην. Ὅτου χάριν δὲ ταύτην ἰδιχῶς ἐμνημόνευσα, λέξων ἔρχομαι, ὅσα παρὰ τοῦ γεραιτάτον Αὐξάνοντος ἤκουσα. Ὁ βασιλέως νόμος, ἡ Μακεδονίου βία, καθαιρεῖσθαι τῶν τὸ ὁμοούσιον φρονούντων τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐχέλενον. Ἕλχει δὴ τὸ θέσπισμα ΠΡΟ καὶ ἡ βία κατα τῆσδε τῆς ἐκκλησίας, και ἤπειγον οἱ προστεταγμένοι τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Θαυμάσαι οὖν μοι ἔπεισι, τόν τε Ναυατιανῶν λαὸν ὁπόσον εἶχον ζῆλον καὶ σπουδὴν περὶ τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ τὴν εὔνοιαν ἣν εἶχον περὶ αὐτοὺς οἱ τότε μὲν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὑπὸ τῶν ᾿Αρειανῶν ἐκβληθέντες, νῦν δὲ ἐν εἰρήνῃ τὰς ἐκκλησίας κατέχοντες. Ὡς δὲ ἤπειγον καθαιρεῖσθαι καὶ τήνδε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν οἷς τοῦτο προσετέτακτο, συνήγοντο πλεῖστος ὅμιλος ἀνθρώπων Ναυατιανῶν τε καὶ τινες τῶν ὁμοφρονούντων αὐτοῖς. Καὶ καθελόντες τὴν ἐκκλησίαν αὐτῶν, εἰς ἄλλον τόπον μετέθεσαν. Ὁ δὲ τόπος οὗτος ἀντιπέραθεν μὲν κεῖται τῆς πόλεως· Συκαὶ δὲ ὀνομάζονται, καί ἐστι τρισκαιδέκατον τῆς Κωνσταντίνου πόλεως κλίμα. Ταχεῖα δὲ ἐγένετο ἡ τῆς ἐκκλη; σίας μετάθεσις, λαοῦ πολλοῦ σὺν προθυμία μεγίστη μεταφερόντων αὐτήν. Ὁ μὲν γάρ τις ἔφερε κέραμον· ὁ δὲ λίθον· ἕτερος δὲ ξύλον· καὶ ἄλλος ἄλλο λαμβάνων, ἐπὶ τὰς Συκὰς ἀπεκόμιζεν. Συνεπελαμβάνοντο δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες, καὶ ἡ μικρὰ ἡλικία, εὐχὴν ἡγούμενοι πληροῦν, καὶ μέγα κέρδος λαμβάνειν, τῶν ἀφιερωθέντων τῷ Θεῷ φύλακες ἀκέραιοι γενέσθαι ἠξιωμένοι. Οὕτως μὲν οὖν τότε ἡ τῶν Ναυατιανῶν ἐκκλησία εἰς τὰς Συκὰς μετενήνεκτο. Χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν Κωνσταντίου, ὁ βασιλεὺς Ἰουλιανὸς τὸν τε τόπον ἀποδοθῆναι ἐκέλευσε, καὶ ἀνοικοδομεῖν ἐπέτρεψεν. Αὖθίς τε ὁ λαὸς τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον, ἀντιμετενεγκόντες τὰς ὕλας, τὴν ἐκκλησίαν εἰς τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ᾠκοδόμησαν τόπον. Καὶ βελτιώσαντες, ᾿Αναστασίαν τη καλεῖσθαι φερωνύμως ἠξίωσαν. Ἡ μὲν οὖν ἐκκλησία ὕστερον, ὡς ἔφην, ἐπὶ Ἰουλιανοῦ ἀνέστη. Τότε δὲ ἄμφω, οἴτε τῆς Ἐκκλησίας καὶ οἱ Ναυατιανοὶ, ὁμοίως ἡλαύνοντο. Διὸ καὶ οἱ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐβδελύττοντο ἐν τοῖς εὐκτηρίοις ἔχεσθαι τόποις, ἐν οἷς οἱ ᾿Αρειανοὶ συνήγοντο. Εἰς δὲ τὰς ἄλλας τρεῖς, τοσαύτας γὰρ ἐντὸς τῆς πόλεως ἔχουσιν οἱ τῶν Ναυατιανῶνἐκκλησίας, συνερχόμενοι ἀλλήλοις συνηύχοντο· μικροῦ τε ἐδέησεν ἑνωθῆναι αὐτοὺς, εἰ μὴ Ναυατιανοὶ, φυλάττοντες ἀρχαῖον παράγγελμα, παρητήσαντο. Ὅμως δὲ τὴν ἄλλην εὔνοιαν εἰς ἀλλήλους προθυμότερον ἐφύλαττον, ὑπεραποθνήσκειν ἀλλήλων αἱρούμενοι. Συνηλαύνοντο οὖν ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ Κωνσταντίνου πόλει, καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἄλλας ἐπαρχίας τε καὶ πόλεις. Αὐτίκα γοῦν ἐν Κυζίκῳ Ἐλεύσιος η ὁ τῆσδε ἐπίσκοπος, ὁμοίως ἅμα Μακεδονίῳ κατὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐποίει, πανταχόθεν ἐλαύνων καὶ διαστρέφων αὐτοὺς. Τὴν τε ἐν Κυζίκῳ τῶν Ναυατιανῶν ἐκκλησίαν καθεῖλεν εἰς ἔδαφος. Μακεδόνιος δὲ τὸν κόλοφῶνα τῶν κακῶν οἷς ἔδρασεν ἐπιτίθησι· πυθόμενος γὰρ κατὰ τὸ Παφλαγόνων ἔθνος πλείστους εἶναι τῆς Ναυατιανῆς θρησκείας, καὶ μάλιστα κατὰ τὸ Μαντίνιον, συνιδών τε ὡς οὐχ οἷόν τε τοσοῦτον πλῆθος δι' ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐλαύνεσθαι, τέσσαρας ἀριθμοὺς ὁ στρατιωτῶν γνώμῃ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπὶ τὴν Παφλαγονίαν πεμφθῆναι πεποίηκεν, ὅπως φόβῳ τῶν ὁπλιτῶν, τὴν ᾿Αρειανὴν δόξαν προσδέξωνται. Οἱ δὲ οἰκοῦντες τὸ Μαντίνιον, ζήλῳ τῆς θρησκείας, ἀπονοίᾳ κατὰ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἐχρήσαντο· γενόμενοί τε ἅμα πολλοὶ, δρέπανά τε μακρὰ καὶ ἀξίνας λαβόντες, καὶ παντὶ τῷ παρατυχόντι ὅπλῳ χρώμενοι, ἀπήντων τοῖς στρατιώταις. Καὶ γενομένης συμβολῆς, πολλοὶ μὲν τῶν Παφλαγόνων ἀπέθανον. τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν, πλὴν ὀλίγων, οἱ πάντες. Ταῦτα ἐγὼ παρὰ ἀγροίκου Παφλαγόνος ἔμαθον, ὃς ἔλεγε παρεῖναι τῇ μάχῃ. Λέγουσι δὲ ταῦτα καὶ ἄλλο: Παφλαγόνων πολλοί. Τοιαῦτα μὲν οὖν τὰ Μακεδονίου ὑπὲρ τοῦ Χριστιανισμοῦ κατορθώματα, φόνοι, καὶ μάχαι, καὶ ἀνδραποδισμοὶ, καὶ ἐμφύλιοι πόλεμοι. Αὕτη μέντοι ἡ πρᾶξις, οὐ μόνον παρὰ τῶν ἠδικημένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ τῶν οἰκείως πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐχόντων, δίκαιον κατ' αὐτοῦ μῖσος εἰργάσατο. Προσέκρουσε τε καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ διά τε τοῦτο, καὶ δι᾽ ἑτέραν αἰτίαν τον άνδε· Ὁ οἶκος ἔνθα ἡ λάρναξ ἐν ᾗ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ βασιλέως Κωνσταντίνου ἀπέκειτο, πτῶσιν ἠπείλει. Ἦσαν οὖν διὰ τοῦτο οἵ τε εἰσπορευόμενοι καὶ οἱ προσεδρεύοντες καὶ εὐχόμενοι ἐν φόβῳ πολλῷ. Ὁ οὖν Μακεδόνιος ἐβουλεύσατο μεταφέρειν τὰ τοῦ βασιλέως ὀστᾶ, ὅπως ἂν μὴ συληθῇ ἡ θήκη ὑπὸ τοῦ πτώματος. Τοῦτο γνόντες οἱ λαοὶ, διακωλύειν ἐπεχείρουν, φάσκοντες μὴ δεῖν τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ ὀστᾶ μεταφέρεσθαι· ἴσον γὰρ εἶναι τὸ ἀνορύττεσθαι. Διῃροῦντό τε εὐθὺς οἱ λαοὶ εἰς δύο τμήματα· καὶ οἱ μὲν, μηδὲν βλάπτεσθαι τὸ μεταφέρεσθαι τὸν νεκρόν ἔφασκον· οἱ δὲ, ἀνόσιον ἔλεγον τὸ γιγνόμενον. Συνήρχοντό τε καὶ οἱ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου φρονήματος, τῷ γιγνο μένῳ ἀντέχοντες. Ὁ δὲ Μακεδόνιος μικρὰ τῶν αὐτῷ ἀντιλεγόντων φροντίσας, μεταφέρει τὸ σῶμα τοῦ βασιλέως εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἐν ᾗ τὸ σῶμα τοῦ μάρ· : τυρος ᾿Ακακίου ἀπόκειται. Τούτου γενομένου, συνδρομὴ τῶν διχονοούντων τοῦ πλήθους εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν ἐκκλησίαν σύντονος γίνεται. ᾿Ανθίστατό τε ἀλλήλοις τὰ μέρη· καὶ μὴ μελλήσαντες χερσὶν ἡμύναντο. Καὶ γίνεται φόνος ἀνθρώπων πολλῶν· ὥστε τὴν αὐλὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκείνης αἵματος πλήρη γενέσθαι, καὶ τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ φρέαρ ὑπερβλύσαι τοῦ αἵματος, ἐκρεῖν δὲ τοῦτο καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐχομένην στοὰν, ἄχρι τῆς πλατείας αὐτῆς. Τοῦτο τὸ ἀτύχημα πυθόμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς, ὀργίζεται κατὰ τοῦ Μακεδονίου, καὶ διὰ τοὺς ἀπολωλότας, καὶ ὅτι τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ τὸ σῶμα παρακινῆσαι παρὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ γνώμην ἐτόλμησε. Καταλιπών οὖν τῶν ἐσπερίων μερῶν φροντίζειν τὸν Καίσαρα Ἰουλιανὸν, αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὴν Ἑῴαν ἐπορεύετο. Ὅπως μὲν οὖν Μακεδόνιος μικρὸν ὕστερον καθῃρέθη, βραχεῖαν ἀντὶ τηλικούτων κακῶν ταύτην δεδωκὼς δίκην, ὀλίγον ὕστερον λέξω.
Hoi tou ᾿Areianou merous episkopoi meizon ek tōn basilikōn prostagmatōn proselambanon thrasos. Kai hopōs tēn men sygodon pareskeuazonto synkrotein, mikron hysteron lexō. Ta de pro tēs synodou hyp᾿ autōn genomena proteron epidramōmen. ᾿Akakios men gar kai Patrophilos, Maximon ton Hierosolymōn exōthēsantes, Kyrillon antikatestēsan. Makedonios de tas geitniazousas en Kōnstantinou polei eparchias te kai poleis anetrepen, hypourgous tou oikeiou skopou kata tōn Ekklēsiōn proballomenos. Kai tēs men Kyzikou Eleusion episkopon anadeiknys; tēs de Nikomēdeias Marathōnion; hos proteron men diakonos ēn, hypo Makedoniǭ tattomenos, spoudaios de peri to systēsasthai andrōn te kai gynaikōn monastēria. Hopōs de Makedonios tas peri Kōnstantinou polin eparchias kai poleis anetrepen, ēdē lekteon. Houtos gar, hōs kai phthasas eipon, draxamenos tēs episkopēs, myria kaka poiei tois mē hairoumenois ta autou phronein ; kai ou monon ge tous tēs Ekklēsias diakrinomenous 1 synēlaunen, alla gar kai Nauatianous, eidōs kai autous phronountas to homoousion. Synēlaunonto oun houtoi, ta anēkesta paschontes. Kai pheugei men autōn ho episkopos, ᾿Agelios onoma autǭ. Polloi de tōn episēmōn ep᾽ eulathdeią syllēphthentes ēchezonto, epei mē hedoulonto metechein tēs koinōnias autou. Meta de tous aikismous, bią tōn mystēriōn metechei" tous andras ēnankazon. Xylǭ gar diairountes ta stomata tōn anthrōpōn, ta mystēria enetithesan. Hoi de hypomenontes touto, meizona tōn allōn timōriōn tautēn enomizon. Gynaia te kai paidia synarpazontes, myeisthai ēnankazon. Ei de tis paraitoito, 7) allōs antelegen, euthys epēkolouthoun plēgai, kai meta tas plēgas desmoi te kai desmōtēria, ta alla deina. Hōn henos dyoin epimnēstheis, phaneran tēn apēneian kai ōmotēta Makedoniou kai tōn tote akmasantōn anthrōpōn, akouousi chatastēsō. Gynaichōn gar tōn mē , anaschomenōn metaschein tōn. mystēriōn, tous stous en chidōtǭ balontes apeprion. Lllōn te gynaichōn ta auta moria, touto men sidērǭ, touto de ōois eis akron pyri thermantheisi, propherontes echaion. Xenē te kai para tas Hellēnōn timōrias, hautē hē hypo tōn Christianizein legontōn egineto. Tauta de egō para tou machrochroniōtatou Auxanontos ēkousa, hou kan tǭ prōtǭ mnēmēn pepoitpmai. Hos presbyteros men hēn tēs tōn Nanatiagōn Ekklēsias. Peponthenai de elege kai autos ouch oliga para tōn ᾿Areianizontōn kaka, houpō tēn:kauta tēs tou presbyterou axias lachōn. de ᾿Alexandrǭ Paphlagoni synaschounti autǭ, heis te eirktēn bedlę̄sthai, kai plēgas hypomeinai pollas, enenkein men tas basanous autos elegen" ᾿Alexandron de hypo tōn plēgōn en tę̄ eirktę̄ teleutēsai. Hos tethaptai nyn en dexią eispleusanti ton Byzantion cholpon, hos kaleitai Keras, plēsion tōn pota. mōn" hou ekklēsia esti tōn Nauatianōn, ᾿Alexandrou epōnymos. Kathēroun men oun hoi ᾿Areianizontes, Makedoniou keleuontos, allas te pollas kata poleis ekklēsias, kai dē kai Nanatianōn tēn plēsion tou Pelargou en tę̄ Kōnstantinou polei cheimenēn. Hotou charin de tautēn idichōs emnēmoneusa, lexōn erchomai, hosa para tou geraitaton Auxanontos ēkousa. Ho basileōs nomos, hē Makedoniou bia, kathaireisthai tōn to homoousion phronountōn tas ekklēsias echelenon. Helchei dē to thespisma PRO kai hē bia kata tēsde tēs ekklēsias, kai ēpeigon hoi prostetagmenoi touto poiein. Thaumasai oun moi epeisi, ton te Nauatianōn laon hoposon eichon zēlon kai spoudēn peri tēn heautōn ekklēsian, kai tēn eunoian hēn eichon peri autous hoi tote men tēs ekklēsias hypo tōn ᾿Areianōn ekblēthentes, nyn de en eirēnę̄ tas ekklēsias katechontes. Hōs de ēpeigon kathaireisthai kai tēnde tēn ekklēsian hois touto prosetetakto, synēgonto pleistos homilos anthrōpōn Nauatianōn te kai tines tōn homophronountōn autois. Kai kathelontes tēn ekklēsian autōn, eis allon topon metethesan. Ho de topos houtos antiperathen men keitai tēs poleōs; Sykai de onomazontai, kai esti triskaidekaton tēs Kōnstantinou poleōs klima. Tacheia de egeneto hē tēs ekklē? sias metathesis, laou pollou syn prothymia megistē metapherontōn autēn. Ho men gar tis ephere keramon; ho de lithon; heteros de xylon; kai allos allo lambanōn, epi tas Sykas apekomizen. Synepelambanonto de kai gynaikes, kai hē mikra hēlikia, euchēn hēgoumenoi plēroun, kai mega kerdos lambanein, tōn aphierōthentōn tǭ Theǭ phylakes akeraioi genesthai ēxiōmenoi. Houtōs men oun tote hē tōn Nauatianōn ekklēsia eis tas Sykas metenēnekto. Chronǭ de hysteron meta tēn teleutēn Kōnstantiou, ho basileus Ioulianos ton te topon apodothēnai ekeleuse, kai anoikodomein epetrepsen. Authis te ho laos ton auton tropon, antimetenenkontes tas hylas, tēn ekklēsian eis ton ex archēs ǭkodomēsan topon. Kai beltiōsantes, ᾿Anastasian tē kaleisthai pherōnymōs ēxiōsan. Hē men oun ekklēsia hysteron, hōs ephēn, epi Ioulianou anestē. Tote de amphō, oite tēs Ekklēsias kai hoi Nauatianoi, homoiōs hēlaunonto. Dio kai hoi tēs Ekklēsias ebdelyttonto en tois euktēriois echesthai topois, en hois hoi ᾿Areianoi synēgonto. Eis de tas allas treis, tosautas gar entos tēs poleōs echousin hoi tōn Nauatianōnekklēsias, synerchomenoi allēlois synēuchonto; mikrou te edeēsen henōthēnai autous, ei mē Nauatianoi, phylattontes archaion parangelma, parētēsanto. Homōs de tēn allēn eunoian eis allēlous prothymoteron ephylatton, hyperapothnēskein allēlōn hairoumenoi. Synēlaunonto oun en tę̄ autę̄ Kōnstantinou polei, kai kata tas allas eparchias te kai poleis. Autika goun en Kyzikǭ Eleusios ē ho tēsde episkopos, homoiōs hama Makedoniǭ kata tōn Christianōn epoiei, pantachothen elaunōn kai diastrephōn autous. Tēn te en Kyzikǭ tōn Nauatianōn ekklēsian katheilen eis edaphos. Makedonios de ton kolophōna tōn kakōn hois edrasen epitithēsi; pythomenos gar kata to Paphlagonōn ethnos pleistous einai tēs Nauatianēs thrēskeias, kai malista kata to Mantinion, synidōn te hōs ouch hoion te tosouton plēthos di' ekklēsiastikōn anthrōpōn elaunesthai, tessaras arithmous ho stratiōtōn gnōmę̄ tou basileōs epi tēn Paphlagonian pemphthēnai pepoiēken, hopōs phobǭ tōn hoplitōn, tēn ᾿Areianēn doxan prosdexōntai. Hoi de oikountes to Mantinion, zēlǭ tēs thrēskeias, aponoią kata tōn stratiōtōn echrēsanto; genomenoi te hama polloi, drepana te makra kai axinas labontes, kai panti tǭ paratychonti hoplǭ chrōmenoi, apēntōn tois stratiōtais. Kai genomenēs symbolēs, polloi men tōn Paphlagonōn apethanon. tōn de stratiōtōn, plēn oligōn, hoi pantes. Tauta egō para agroikou Paphlagonos emathon, hos elege pareinai tę̄ machę̄. Legousi de tauta kai allo: Paphlagonōn polloi. Toiauta men oun ta Makedoniou hyper tou Christianismou katorthōmata, phonoi, kai machai, kai andrapodismoi, kai emphylioi polemoi. Hautē mentoi hē praxis, ou monon para tōn ēdikēmenōn, alla kai para tōn oikeiōs pros auton echontōn, dikaion kat' autou misos eirgasato. Prosekrouse te kai autǭ tǭ basilei dia te touto, kai di᾽ heteran aitian ton ande; Ho oikos entha hē larnax en hę̄ to sōma tou basileōs Kōnstantinou apekeito, ptōsin ēpeilei. Ēsan oun dia touto hoi te eisporeuomenoi kai hoi prosedreuontes kai euchomenoi en phobǭ pollǭ. Ho oun Makedonios ebouleusato metapherein ta tou basileōs osta, hopōs an mē sylēthę̄ hē thēkē hypo tou ptōmatos. Touto gnontes hoi laoi, diakōlyein epecheiroun, phaskontes mē dein tou basileōs ta osta metapheresthai; ison gar einai to anoryttesthai. Dię̄rounto te euthys hoi laoi eis dyo tmēmata; kai hoi men, mēden blaptesthai to metapheresthai ton nekron ephaskon; hoi de, anosion elegon to gignomenon. Synērchonto te kai hoi tou homoousiou phronēmatos, tǭ gigno menǭ antechontes. Ho de Makedonios mikra tōn autǭ antilegontōn phrontisas, metapherei to sōma tou basileōs eis tēn ekklēsian, en hę̄ to sōma tou mar; : tyros ᾿Akakiou apokeitai. Toutou genomenou, syndromē tōn dichonoountōn tou plēthous eis ekeinēn tēn ekklēsian syntonos ginetai. ᾿Anthistato te allēlois ta merē; kai mē mellēsantes chersin hēmynanto. Kai ginetai phonos anthrōpōn pollōn; hōste tēn aulēn tēs ekklēsias ekeinēs haimatos plērē genesthai, kai to en autę̄ phrear hyperblysai tou haimatos, ekrein de touto kai eis tēn echomenēn stoan, achri tēs plateias autēs. Touto to atychēma pythomenos ho basileus, orgizetai kata tou Makedoniou, kai dia tous apolōlotas, kai hoti tou patros autou to sōma parakinēsai para tēn autou gnōmēn etolmēse. Katalipōn oun tōn esperiōn merōn phrontizein ton Kaisara Ioulianon, autos epi tēn Heǭan eporeueto. Hopōs men oun Makedonios mikron hysteron kathę̄rethē, bracheian anti tēlikoutōn kakōn tautēn dedōkōs dikēn, oligon hysteron lexō.
The bishops of the Arian party gained greater boldness from the imperial orders. How they prepared to convene the synod I will tell a little later; let us first run over what they did before the synod. Acacius and Patrophilus drove out Maximus of Jerusalem and put Cyril in his place. Macedonius was overturning the provinces and cities neighbouring Constantinople, putting forward agents of his own design against the churches: he appointed Eleusius bishop of Cyzicus, and Marathonius bishop of Nicomedia, who had formerly been a deacon under Macedonius and was zealous in founding monasteries of men and women. How Macedonius overturned the provinces and cities around Constantinople must now be told.
Having seized the bishopric, as I said before, he did countless evils to those who would not choose to think as he did. He persecuted not only those of the church, but also the Novatianists, knowing that they too held the homoousios. These were persecuted and suffered irreparable harm. Their bishop, named Agelius, fled. Many of those distinguished for piety were seized and tortured because they would not share in his communion. After the tortures they forced the men by violence to partake of the mysteries: prying open their mouths with a piece of wood, they put the mysteries in. Those who endured this thought it a greater punishment than the others. They seized women and children and forced them to be initiated. If anyone refused or otherwise objected, blows followed at once, and after the blows chains and prisons and other terrible things. By mentioning one or two of these I will make plain to my hearers the harshness and cruelty of Macedonius and of the men then in power. Of women who would not consent to partake of the mysteries, they put their breasts in a box and sawed them off; the same parts of other women they burned, applying now iron, now eggs heated in the fire to the utmost. This strange punishment, beyond even the punishments of the pagans, was inflicted by those who claimed to be Christians. I heard these things from the very long-lived Auxanon, whom I mentioned in the first book. He was a presbyter of the Novatianist church. He said that he himself, when he had not yet attained the rank of presbyter, suffered not a few evils from the Arians: that he was thrown into prison with Alexander the Paphlagonian, who lived the ascetic life with him, and endured many blows; that he himself bore the tortures, but Alexander died in prison from the blows. He is buried now on the right as one sails into the bay of Byzantium called the Horn, near the rivers, where there is a church of the Novatianists named after Alexander.
At Macedonius’s command the Arians pulled down many other churches in the cities, and in particular the church of the Novatianists near the Pelargus in Constantinople. Why I have mentioned this one in particular I now come to tell, from what I heard from the aged Auxanon. The emperor’s law and Macedonius’s violence ordered the churches of those who held the homoousios to be pulled down. The decree and the violence came also upon this church, and those charged with doing it pressed on. I am moved to admire the zeal and earnestness the Novatianist people had for their own church, and the goodwill shown them by those who were then driven from the church by the Arians but now hold the churches in peace. When those so ordered pressed on to pull this church down too, a very great crowd of Novatianists and some of those who agreed with them gathered, took down their church, and moved it to another place. This place lies opposite the city; it is called Sycae and is the thirteenth district of Constantinople. The moving of the church was swift, a great people carrying it with the greatest eagerness: one carried tiles, another stones, another timber, and each taking something carried it to Sycae. Women and young children helped too, thinking they were fulfilling a vow and gaining great profit by being counted worthy to be faithful guardians of what was dedicated to God. So at that time the church of the Novatianists was moved to Sycae. Later, after the death of Constantius, the emperor Julian ordered the site to be restored and allowed them to rebuild. The people again, in the same way, carried the materials back and rebuilt the church on its original site; having improved it, they thought it right that it be called Anastasia, a fitting name. The church, then, was rebuilt later under Julian, as I said. At that time both those of the church and the Novatianists were alike persecuted. So those of the church loathed the houses of prayer in which the Arians gathered, and coming together into the other three churches of the Novatianists (for so many do they have within the city), they prayed with them. They very nearly united, had not the Novatianists, keeping an ancient precept, declined. Nevertheless they kept their goodwill towards one another the more eagerly in other respects, being ready to die for one another.
They were persecuted, then, in Constantinople itself and in the other provinces and cities. At Cyzicus, for instance, Eleusius, its bishop, acted against the Christians as Macedonius did, persecuting and harassing them everywhere; and he razed the church of the Novatianists at Cyzicus to the ground. But Macedonius crowned the evils he did. Learning that in the province of Paphlagonia, and especially at Mantinium, there were very many of the Novatianist religion, and seeing that so great a multitude could not be driven out by churchmen, he had four companies of soldiers sent to Paphlagonia by the emperor’s decision, so that through fear of the troops they might accept the Arian opinion. The people of Mantinium, out of zeal for their religion, acted desperately against the soldiers: gathering in great numbers and taking long sickles and axes and whatever weapon came to hand, they went out to meet the soldiers. In the clash many of the Paphlagonians died, and of the soldiers all but a few. I learned this from a Paphlagonian peasant who said he was present at the battle, and many other Paphlagonians tell it too. Such were Macedonius’s achievements on behalf of Christianity: murders, battles, enslavements, and civil wars.
This deed earned him just hatred, not only from those he had wronged but also from those close to him. He offended the emperor himself too, both for this and for another reason. The building where the coffin containing the body of the emperor Constantine lay threatened to collapse, so that those who went in, and those who attended and prayed there, were in great fear. Macedonius therefore decided to move the emperor’s bones, so that the tomb might not be damaged by the collapse. When the people learned this, they tried to prevent it, saying that the emperor’s bones must not be moved, for that was the same as digging them up. The people at once divided into two parties: some said that moving the body did no harm, others that what was being done was impious. Those of the homoousian mind joined in, opposing what was done. Macedonius, caring little for those who opposed him, moved the emperor’s body to the church in which the body of the martyr Acacius lies. When this was done, the divided people ran together in force to that church. The parties opposed each other and without delay came to blows. Many people were killed, so that the courtyard of that church was full of blood, and the well in it overflowed with blood, which ran out into the adjoining colonnade as far as the street itself. When the emperor learned of this misfortune, he was angry with Macedonius, both for those who had perished and because he had dared to disturb his father’s body without his consent. Leaving the Caesar Julian to look after the western parts, he himself set out for the East. How Macedonius was deposed a little later, paying this brief penalty for such great evils, I shall tell shortly.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macedonius of Constantinople persecutes the Nicene party and the Novatianists with torture and forced communion; the Novatianists move their church to Sycae; soldiers sent against Mantinium are killed; the moving of Constantine’s body causes a bloody riot.
- The tortures are reported by Socrates on the authority of Auxanon and are translated exactly as given; Socrates himself was well disposed to the Novatianists.
- “The mysteries” are the eucharistic elements; forced communion is what is described.
- A stray page marker in the scan is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (page number leaked into the text): ὠοῖς [57) εἰς → ὠοῖς εἰς.
Topics: Persecution, Eucharist, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.38 (PG 67:323–331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-38). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-38
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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.
2.39PG 67:331–335
Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἑτέρας συνόδου, ἣν ἀντίμιμον τῆς ἐν Αριμίνῳ συνόδου κατὰ τὴν ᾿Ανατολὴν γενέσθαι τὸ βασιλέως ἐκέλευε πρόσταγμα, νῦν διηγήσομαι. Ἐδέδοκτο πρότερον, ἐν Νικομηδείᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας τοὺς ἐπισκόπους συνάγεσθαι. Ἐνέκοψε δὲ αὐτῶν τὴν ἐκεῖσε συνέλευσιν, σεισμὸς ἐπιγενόμενος μέγιστος, ἀφ᾿ οὗ συνέβη τὴν Νικομηδέων πόλιν πεσεῖν Ρ. Τοῦτο δὲ γέγονεν ὑπατευόντων Τατιανοῦ καὶ Κερεαλίου, περὶ τὴν ὀγδόην εἰκάδα τοῦ Αὐγούστου μηνός. Έβουλεύοντο οὖν μεταθεῖναι τὴν σύνοδον εἰς τὴν γειτνιάζουσαν αὐτῇ Νίκαιαν. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν αὖθις μετέδοξεν εἰς Ταρσὸν δὲ τῆς Κιλικίας ἐδόκει συνέρχεσθαι. Οὔτε δὲ τούτου ἀρέσαντος, εἰς Σελεύκειαν 4 τῆς Ἰσαυρίας, τὴν ἐπικαλουμένην Τράχεῖαν, συνεληλύθασι. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἐνιαυτῷ πεποιήκασιν, ὑπατευόντων Εὐσεβίου καὶ Ὑπατίου. Ἡσαν δὲ οἱ συνελθόντες τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἑκατὸν ἐξήκοντα. Συμπαρῆν δὲ αὐτοῖς εἷς τῶν ἐν τοῖς βασιλικοῖς ἐκφανῶν, ὅνομα Λεωνᾶς, ἐφ᾿ οὗ προθεῖναι τὸ περ! τῆς πίστεως ζήτημα, τὸ βασιλέως ἐκέλενε πρόσταγμα. Προστέτακτο παρεῖναι καὶ Λαυρίκιος ὁ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἰσαυρίαν στρατιωτῶν ἡγούμενος, ὑπουργήσων εἰ δεήσοι τοῖς ἐπισκόποις. Ἐπὶ τοῦτον δὴ συνελθόντες τῇ ἑβδόμῃ καὶ εἰκάδι τοῦ Σεπτεμβρίου μηνὸς, ἐπὶ δημοσίων ὑπομνημάτων διελέγοντο. Παρἦσαν γὰρ δὴ καὶ ὀξυγράφοι, τὰ παρ' ἑκάστου λεγόμενα σημειούμενοι. ὧν τὰ μὲν καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἐν τῇ συναγωγῇ Σαβίνου ζητήτωσαν οἱ φιλομαθεῖς, διὰ μακροτέρων ἐγκείμενα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὰ κεφαλαιώδη μόνον ἐπιτρέχοντες ἐκθησόμεθα. Ἐν δὲ τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ συνελθόντων, ὁ Λεωνᾶς τὰ ἑκάστῳ δοκοῦντα προθεῖναι ἐκέλευσεν. Οἱ δὲ παρόντες οὐ πρότερον ἔφασάν τινα κινῆσαι ζήτησιν, πρὶν ἂν οἱ ἀπολειφθέντες συνέλθωσι. Καὶ γὰρ ἦσαν ἀπολειφθέντες ἐπίσκοποι, Μακεδόνιος ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, σίλειος Αγκύρας, καὶ ἄλλοι τινὲς, κατηγορίας ὑφορώμενοι. Μακεδόνιος μὲν οὖν νοσεῖν εἰπὼν ἀπολέλειπτο. Πατρόφιλος δὲ ὀφθαλμιᾷν ἔλεγε· καὶ διατοῦτο ἐν προαστείῳ τῆς Σελευκείας, ἀνάγκην ἔχοιεν διάγειν· καὶ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ ἕκαστος πρόφασιν τινα τῆς ἀπολείψεως προεβάλλοντο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ Λεωνᾶς καὶ τούτων μὴ παρόντων δεῖν προτιθέναι τὰ τῆς ζητήσεως ἔλεγεν, οἱ παρόντες αὖθις ἐπῆγον, ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἤντινα κινήσωσι ζήτησιν, εἰ μὴ πρότερον τῶν κατηγορουμένων οἱ βίοι ἐξετασθῶσι. Κατηγόρηντο γὰρ ἤδη πρότερον Κύριλλος Ἱεροσολύμων, Εὐστάθιος Σεβαστίας τῆς ἐν ᾿Αρμενίᾳ, καὶ ἄλλοι τινές. Ἐκ τούτου φιλονεικία εἰς τοὺς παρόντας ἐνέπεσεν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς βίους τῶν κατηγορουμένων πρότερον ἐρευνᾶσθαι ἔλεγον· οἱ δὲ πρὸ τῆς πίστεως μὴ προτιθέναι ζήτημα. Ἐκίνει δὲ τὴν φιλονεικίαν ἡ διάφορος τοῦ βασιλέως γνώμη. Γράμματα γὰρ αὐτοῦ προσεφέρετο, νῦν μὲν πρότερον τοῦτο ζητεῖσθαι κελεύοντα, νῦν δὲ τὸ ἕτερον. Περὶ τούτου οὖν τῆς φιλονεικίας γινομένης, σχίσμα εἰς τοὺς παρόντας ἐχώρησε. Καὶ αὕτη γέγονε προφάσεως ἀρχὴ, τοῦ καὶ τὴν ἐν Σελευκείᾳ εἰς δύο μέρη διαιρεθῆναι σύνοδον. Ἡγοῦντο δὲ τοῦ μὲν ἑνὸς μέρους ᾿Ακάκιος ὁ τῆς ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ Καισαρείας, Γεώργιος ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, Οὐράνιος Τύρου, Εὐδόξιος, ᾿Αντιοχείας · οἷς τριάκοντα δύο μόνον συνῄνουν ἄλλοι. Τοῦ δὲ ἑτέρου, Γεώργιος. Λαοδικείας τῆς ἐν Συρίᾳ, Σωφρόνιος Πομπηϊουπόλεως τῆς ἐν Παφλαγονίᾳ, Ἐλεύσιος Κυ Βοζίκου, οἷς ἠκολούθουν οἱ πλείονες. Ὡς οὖν ἐπεκράτει τὸ πρότερον ζητεῖσθαι περὶ τῆς πίστεως, οἱ μὲν τοῦ μέρους 'Ακακίου, τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν φανεμῶς ἠθέτησαν, ἄλλην τε πίστιν ὑπαγορεύειν ἠνίττοντο. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ ἑτέρου μέρους οἱ τῷ ἀριθμῷ πλεονάζοντες, τὰ μὲν ἄλλα πάντα τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου ἀπεδέχοντο· μόνην δὲ τὴν ὁμοουσίου λέξιν ἐμέμφοντο. Πολλὰ οὖν ἄχρι δείλης ὀψίας πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλονεικούντων, τέλος Σιλβανὸς τῆς Ταρσοῦ προἐστὼς Ἐκκλησίας μέγα ἀνέκραγε, λέγων μὴ χρῆναι καινὴν ὑπαγορεύειν πίστεως ἔκδοσιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἤδὴ πρότερον ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ τοῖς ἐγκαινίοις ὑπαγορευθεῖσαν ὀφείλειν κρατεῖν." Τούτου λεχθέντος, οἱ μὲν περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον ὑπεξῆλθον · οἱ δὲ τοῦ ἑτέρου μέρους, προεκόμισαν τὴν ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ πίστιν, καὶ ἀναγνόντες, διέλυσαν ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τὸν σύλλογον. Τῇ δὲ ἑξῆς εἰς τὸν ἐν Σελευ κείᾳ εὐκτήριον συνελθόντες οἶκον, καὶ τὰς θύρας ἀποκλείσαντες, τὴν ἀναγνωσθεῖσαν πίστιν ὑπογράφοντες ἐκύρουν. Ὑπέγραφον δὲ ὑπὲρ ἀπολειφθέντων τινῶν παρόντες ἀναγνῶσται καὶ διάκονοι, δι' ὧν στέρξειν τὸν ὅρον οἱ ἀπολειφθέντες ὡμολόγησαν.
Peri de tēs heteras synodou, hēn antimimon tēs en Ariminǭ synodou kata tēn ᾿Anatolēn genesthai to basileōs ekeleue prostagma, nyn diēgēsomai. Ededokto proteron, en Nikomēdeią tēs Bithynias tous episkopous synagesthai. Enekopse de autōn tēn ekeise syneleusin, seismos epigenomenos megistos, aph᾿ hou synebē tēn Nikomēdeōn polin pesein R. Touto de gegonen hypateuontōn Tatianou kai Kerealiou, peri tēn ogdoēn eikada tou Augoustou mēnos. Ebouleuonto oun metatheinai tēn synodon eis tēn geitniazousan autę̄ Nikaian. Kai touto men authis metedoxen eis Tarson de tēs Kilikias edokei synerchesthai. Oute de toutou aresantos, eis Seleukeian 4 tēs Isaurias, tēn epikaloumenēn Tracheian, synelēlythasi. Touto de en tǭ autǭ eniautǭ pepoiēkasin, hypateuontōn Eusebiou kai Hypatiou. Hēsan de hoi synelthontes ton arithmon hekaton exēkonta. Symparēn de autois heis tōn en tois basilikois ekphanōn, honoma Leōnas, eph᾿ hou protheinai to per! tēs pisteōs zētēma, to basileōs ekelene prostagma. Prostetakto pareinai kai Laurikios ho tōn kata tēn Isaurian stratiōtōn hēgoumenos, hypourgēsōn ei deēsoi tois episkopois. Epi touton dē synelthontes tę̄ hebdomę̄ kai eikadi tou Septembriou mēnos, epi dēmosiōn hypomnēmatōn dielegonto. Parēsan gar dē kai oxygraphoi, ta par' hekastou legomena sēmeioumenoi. hōn ta men kath᾽ hekaston en tę̄ synagōgę̄ Sabinou zētētōsan hoi philomatheis, dia makroterōn enkeimena. Hēmeis de ta kephalaiōdē monon epitrechontes ekthēsometha. En de tę̄ prōtę̄ hēmerą synelthontōn, ho Leōnas ta hekastǭ dokounta protheinai ekeleusen. Hoi de parontes ou proteron ephasan tina kinēsai zētēsin, prin an hoi apoleiphthentes synelthōsi. Kai gar ēsan apoleiphthentes episkopoi, Makedonios ho Kōnstantinoupoleōs, sileios Ankyras, kai alloi tines, katēgorias hyphorōmenoi. Makedonios men oun nosein eipōn apoleleipto. Patrophilos de ophthalmiąn elege; kai diatouto en proasteiǭ tēs Seleukeias, anankēn echoien diagein; kai tōn allōn de hekastos prophasin tina tēs apoleipseōs proeballonto. Epei de ho Leōnas kai toutōn mē parontōn dein protithenai ta tēs zētēseōs elegen, hoi parontes authis epēgon, hōs oud᾽ ēntina kinēsōsi zētēsin, ei mē proteron tōn katēgoroumenōn hoi bioi exetasthōsi. Katēgorēnto gar ēdē proteron Kyrillos Hierosolymōn, Eustathios Sebastias tēs en ᾿Armenią, kai alloi tines. Ek toutou philoneikia eis tous parontas enepesen. Hoi men gar tous bious tōn katēgoroumenōn proteron ereunasthai elegon; hoi de pro tēs pisteōs mē protithenai zētēma. Ekinei de tēn philoneikian hē diaphoros tou basileōs gnōmē. Grammata gar autou prosephereto, nyn men proteron touto zēteisthai keleuonta, nyn de to heteron. Peri toutou oun tēs philoneikias ginomenēs, schisma eis tous parontas echōrēse. Kai hautē gegone prophaseōs archē, tou kai tēn en Seleukeią eis dyo merē diairethēnai synodon. Hēgounto de tou men henos merous ᾿Akakios ho tēs en Palaistinę̄ Kaisareias, Geōrgios ᾿Alexandreias, Ouranios Tyrou, Eudoxios, ᾿Antiocheias ; hois triakonta dyo monon synę̄noun alloi. Tou de heterou, Geōrgios. Laodikeias tēs en Syrią, Sōphronios Pompēïoupoleōs tēs en Paphlagonią, Eleusios Ky Bozikou, hois ēkolouthoun hoi pleiones. Hōs oun epekratei to proteron zēteisthai peri tēs pisteōs, hoi men tou merous 'Akakiou, tēn en Nikaią pistin phanemōs ēthetēsan, allēn te pistin hypagoreuein ēnittonto. Hoi de tou heterou merous hoi tǭ arithmǭ pleonazontes, ta men alla panta tēs en Nikaią synodou apedechonto; monēn de tēn homoousiou lexin ememphonto. Polla oun achri deilēs opsias pros allēlous philoneikountōn, telos Silbanos tēs Tarsou proestōs Ekklēsias mega anekrage, legōn mē chrēnai kainēn hypagoreuein pisteōs ekdosin, alla tēn ēdē proteron en ᾿Antiocheią tois enkainiois hypagoreutheisan opheilein kratein." Toutou lechthentos, hoi men peri ᾿Akakion hypexēlthon ; hoi de tou heterou merous, proekomisan tēn en Antiocheią pistin, kai anagnontes, dielysan en ekeinę̄ tę̄ hēmerą ton syllogon. Tę̄ de hexēs eis ton en Seleu keią euktērion synelthontes oikon, kai tas thyras apokleisantes, tēn anagnōstheisan pistin hypographontes ekyroun. Hypegraphon de hyper apoleiphthentōn tinōn parontes anagnōstai kai diakonoi, di' hōn sterxein ton horon hoi apoleiphthentes hōmologēsan.
I will now tell about the other synod, which the emperor’s order directed to be held in the East as a counterpart to the synod at Ariminum. It had at first been decided that the bishops should gather at Nicomedia in Bithynia. But a very great earthquake prevented their meeting there, by which the city of Nicomedia was destroyed. This happened in the consulship of Tatian and Cerealis, about the twenty-eighth of August. They then considered moving the synod to neighbouring Nicaea; but that decision was changed again, and it was decided to meet at Tarsus in Cilicia. When this too did not please, they met at Seleucia in Isauria, called Trachea. They did this in the same year, in the consulship of Eusebius and Hypatius. Those who met numbered one hundred and sixty. With them was one of the eminent officials of the palace, named Leonas, before whom the emperor’s order directed that the question of the faith be put. Lauricius, the commander of the soldiers in Isauria, had also been ordered to be present, to assist the bishops if needed. Meeting before him on the twenty-seventh of September, they debated with public minutes taken; for shorthand writers were present, noting what each said. Those who love learning may seek the details in Sabinus’s collection, where they are set out at greater length; we shall run over the main points only.
When they met on the first day, Leonas ordered each to put forward what he thought. Those present said they would not raise any question before those who were absent had arrived. For some bishops were absent: Macedonius of Constantinople, Basil of Ancyra, and some others, who feared accusations. Macedonius stayed away saying he was ill; Patrophilus said he had an eye disease and therefore had to stay in a suburb of Seleucia; and each of the others put forward some excuse for his absence. When Leonas said that the question must be put even though they were not present, those present answered again that they would raise no question before the lives of the accused had been examined. For Cyril of Jerusalem, Eustathius of Sebastia in Armenia, and some others had already been accused. From this a contention fell upon those present: some said that the lives of the accused must be investigated first, others that no question should be put before that of the faith. The emperor’s differing judgment stirred up the contention; for letters of his were produced, now ordering this to be inquired into first, now the other. As the contention went on about this, a schism came upon those present; and this became the beginning of the division of the synod at Seleucia into two parts. Of one part the leaders were Acacius of Caesarea in Palestine, George of Alexandria, Uranius of Tyre, and Eudoxius of Antioch, with whom only thirty-two others agreed. Of the other part the leaders were George of Laodicea in Syria, Sophronius of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia, and Eleusius of Cyzicus, whom the majority followed. When the view prevailed that the faith should be examined first, Acacius’s party openly rejected the faith of Nicaea and hinted that they would dictate another; while those of the other part, who were more numerous, accepted everything else of the synod of Nicaea and found fault only with the word homoousios. After they had argued much with one another until late in the evening, Silvanus, who presided over the church of Tarsus, cried out loudly that no new statement of faith should be dictated, but that the one already dictated at Antioch at the dedication should prevail. When this was said, Acacius’s party withdrew, while those of the other part brought forward the creed of Antioch, read it, and dissolved the assembly for that day. On the next day they met in the house of prayer at Seleucia, shut the doors, and confirmed the creed that had been read by signing it. Readers and deacons who were present signed on behalf of some who were absent, through whom the absent declared that they would accept the definition.
Notes and citation
Summary: The eastern synod, moved from Nicomedia after an earthquake, meets at Seleucia (359); it splits between Acacius’s party, which rejects Nicaea, and the majority, who accept all of Nicaea but the word homoousios and sign the creed of the Antioch dedication.
- The consulship of Tatian and Cerealis is 358; that of Eusebius and Hypatius is 359.
- The majority party at Seleucia is usually called homoiousian; Socrates does not use the name here.
Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Antioch. (Canons of the Council of Antioch (in Encaeniis); allusion)
Topics: Trinity, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.39 (PG 67:331–335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-39). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-39
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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.
2.40PG 67:335–345
Ἀκάκιος δὲ καὶ οἱ τοῦ μέρους αὐτοῦ, τὰ γινόμενα διεμέμφοντο, διότι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἀποκλείσαντες καθυπέγραφον. Τὰ γὰρ ἐν παραβύστῳ, φησὶ, γινόμενα, ἀδόκιμα καὶ ὑποψίας ἐντός. Ταῦτα ἔλεγε, βουλόμενος ἑτέραν ἔκδοσιν πίστεως ἀντεισενεγκεῖν, ἔχων εὐτρε: Ο πισμένην, ἣν ἀνεγνώκει μὲν τοῖς ἄρχουσι Λαυρικίῳ καὶ Λεωνᾷ· μόνην δὲ αὐτὴν κρατήσειν ἐσπούδαζε. Τούτων μὲν οὖν πλέον οὐδὲν κατὰ τὴν δευτέραν ἡμέραν ἐγίνετο. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν τρίτην ὁ Λεωνᾶς αὖθις τὰ μέρη συναγαγεῖν ἐσπούδαζε· καθ᾿ ἣν οὐκ ἀπελείφθη καὶ Μακεδόνιος ὁ Κωνσταντινουπόλεως, οὐδὲ μὴν ὁ ᾿Αγκύρας Βασίλειος. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀμφότεροι εἰς ταὐτὸ μέρος συνεληλύθησαν, αὖθις οἱ περὶ Ἀκάκιον ἀπαντᾷν οὐκ ἐβούλοντο, φάσκοντες δεῖν πρότερον ἐκβάλλεσθαι τοῦ συλλόγου τους τε ἤδη πρότερον καθαιρεθέντας Γ, καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῷ παρόντι κατηγορουμένους. Ἐπεὶ δὲ φιλονεικησάντων, τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἐκράτησεν, ὑπεξῄεσαν μὲν οἱ ἐν αἰτιάσει τυγχάνοντες· ἀντεισἦλθον δὲ οἱ περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον. Τότε δὲ ὁ Λεωνᾶς ἔφη βιβλίον δεδόσθαι αὐτῷ παρὰ τῶν περὶ Ἀκάκιον, ἀποκρύψας ὡς εἴη δόγματος ὑπαγόρευσις, τοῦτο μὲν λεληθότως, τοῦτο δὲ καὶ φανερῶς μαχομένου τοῖς προλαβοῦσιν. Ὡς δὲ οἱ παρόντες ἡσύχασαν, ἄλλο τι μᾶλλον ἢ πίστεως ἔκδοσιν περιέχειν τὸ βιβλίον νομίσαντες, τηνικαῦτα καὶ Ἀκακίου τῆς πίστεως σύνταγμα σὺν τῷ προοιμίῳ ἀνεγνώσθη, τοῦτον ἔχον τὸν τρόπον· Ἡμεῖς συνελθόντες ἐν Σελευκείᾳ τῆς Ἰσαυρίας κατὰ τὸ βασιλικὸν βούλημα, τῇ χθὲς ἡμέρᾳ, ἥτις ἦν πρὸ πέντε Καλανδῶν Ὀκτωβρίων, πᾶσαν σπουδὴν ἐθέμεθα, μετὰ πάσης εὐταξίας τὴν εἰρήνην τῇ ᾿Εκκλησίᾳ φυλάξαι, καὶ περὶ τῆς πίστεως εὐσταθῶς διαλαβεῖν, ὡς προσέταξεν ταξεν ὁ θεοφιλέστατος βασιλεὺς ἡμῶν Κωνστάντιος, κατὰ τὰς προφητικὰς καὶ εὐαγγελικὰς φωνάς, καὶ μηδὲν παρὰ τὰς θείας Γραφὰς εἰσενέγκαι τῇ Ἐκκλησιαστικῇ πίστει. Ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ, τοὺς μὲν ἡμῶν ὕβρισαν, τοὺς δὲ ἐπεστόμισαν, οὐ συγχωροῦντες λαλεῖν· τοὺς δὲ ἀπέκλεισαν ἄκοντας · καὶ τοὺς καθῃρημένους δὲ ἐκ διαφόρων ἐπαρχιῶν εἶχον μεθ' ἑαυτῶν· καὶ τοὺς παρὰ κανόνα καταστάντας ἦγον μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν· ὡς πανταχόθεν θορύβου πλήρη γενέσθαι τὴν σύνοδον, καθὼς καὶ ὁ λαμπρότατος ἡγούμενος τῆς ἐπαρχίας Λαυρίκιος, καὶ ὁ λαμπρότατος κόμης Λεωνᾶς αὐτοψίᾳ παρέλαβον, τούτου ἕνεκεν διαλαλοῦμεν ταῦτα· Ὡς οὐ φεύγομεν· τὴν ἐκτεθεῖσαν αὐθεντικὴν πίστιν ἐν τοῖς ἐγκαινίοις τοῖς κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν, προκομίζοντες αὐτὴν, εἰ καὶ ταμάλιστα οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιροῦ πρὸς τὸ ὑποκείμενον τῆς ζητήσεως συνἐδραμον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ πολλοὺς ἐθορύβησεν τὸ ὁμοούσιον καὶ τὸ ὁμοιούσιον ἐν τοῖς παρελθοῦσι χρόνοις, καὶ μέχρι νῦν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀρτίως λέγεται καινοτομεῖσθαι ὑπό τινων τὸ ἀνόμοιον τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς Πατέρα· τούτου χάριν τὸ μὲν ὁμοούσιον καὶ τὸ ὁμοιούσιον ἐκβάλλομεν, ὡς ἀλλότριον τῶν Γραφῶν, τὸ δὲ ἀνόμοιον ἀναθεματίζομεν · καὶ πάντας ὅσοι τοιοῦτοι τυγχάνουσιν, ἀλλοτρίους ἡγούμεθα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Τὸ δὲ ὅμοιον τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα σαφῶς ὁμολογοῦμεν 1, κατὰ ὁμοούσιον εἰ ὁμοιούσιον τὸ ἀνόμοιον, τὸν ᾿Απόστολον τὸν λέγοντα τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ἐστιν ὅδ. τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου. ὍὋμολογοῦμεν δὲ πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα Θεὸν, Πατέρα παντοχράτορᾳ " ποιητὴν οὐρανῶν γῆς, ὁρατῶν ἀοράτων. Π:στεύομεν δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν Υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννηθέντα ἀπαθῶς πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων, Θεὸν Λόγον Θεοῦ μονογενῆ, φῶς, ζωὴν, ἀλήθειαν, σοφίαν" δι᾿ οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, τά τε ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς εἴτε ὁρατὰ εἴτε ἀόρατα. Τοῦτον πιστεύομεν ἐπὶ συν. τελείᾳ τῶν αἰώνων, εἰς ἀθέτησιν ἁμαρτίας σάρκα εἰληφέναι ἐχ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου Μαρίας " ἔνανθρωπήσαντα, παθόντα ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, καὶ ἀναστάντα, ἀναληφθέντα εἰς οὐρανοὺς, καθἐζεσθαι ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Πατρός " καὶ πάλιν ἐρχόμενον : ἐν δόξῃ κρῖναι ζῶντας νεκρούς. Πιστεύομεν εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ὃ Παράκλητον ὠνόμασεν 4 Σωτὴρ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, ἐπαγγειλάμενος μετὰ τὸ ἀπελθεῖν αὐτὸν, πέμψαι τοῦτο τοῖς μαθηταῖς, ὅ ἀπέστειλε " δι᾽ οὗ ἁγιάζει τοὺς ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ πιστεύοντας, καὶ βαπτιζομένους ἐν ὀνόματι τοῦ Πατρὴς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, Τοὺς δὲ παρὰ ταύτην τὴν πίστιν ἄλλο τι χηρύττοντας, ἀλλοτρίους εἶναι τῆς καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Αὕτη μὲν ἡ ᾿Ακακίου, περὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ πίστεως ἔχδοσις" ἦσαν δὲ αὐτῇ χαθυπογράψαντες, αὐτὸς ᾿Ακάχίος καὶ οἱ τὰ αὐτοῦ φρονοῦντες, τοσοῦτοι ὄντες τὸν ἀριθμὼν, ὅσον μικρὸν ἔμπροσθεν ἐμνημονεύσαμεν. ᾿Αναγνωσθείσης δὲ αὐτῆς, Σωφρόνιος Πομπτηουπόλεως τῆς ἐν Παφλαγονίχ τοιαῦτα αὐταῖς λέξεσιν ἀνεβόησεν" Εἰ τὸ ἐχάστην ἡμέραν ἰδίαν θεσθαι βούλησιν, πίστεως ὑπάρχει ἔκθεσις, ἐπιλείψει ἡμᾶς ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀχρίδεια, Ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Σωφρόνιος ἔφησεν. Ἐγὼ δέ φημι, ὡς εἰ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοιαῦτα περὶ τῆς ἐν Νιχαΐᾳ πίστεως, τε πρὸ αὖτῶν καὶ οἱ μετ᾽ ἐκείνους διενοήθησαν, πέπαυτο ἂν πᾶσα φιλόνειχος ζέτησις, καὶ οὐχ ἂν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἄλογος ἐκράτησε ταραχή. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅπως μὲν ἔχει ταῦτα, χρινάτωσαν οἱ κατανοεῖν δυνάμενοι. Τότε δὲ πολλὰ πρὸς ἀλλήλους περί τε τούτου, τῶν χατηγορουμένων, εἰπόντες καὶ ἄκούσαντες, διελύθησαν. Τῇ δὲ τετάρτῃ αὖθις ἡμέρᾳ συνῆλθον ἅπαντες εἰς ταὐτὸ, καὶ αὖθις ἀνεκίνουν μετὰ ἐρεσχελίας τοὺς λόγους. Ἐν οἷς Ἀκάκιος τοιάνδε κατὰ λέξιν εἰσηγήσατο γνώμην· Εἰ ἅπαξ ἡ ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστις μετεποίηθη καὶ μεταταῦτα πολλάκις, οὐδὲν κωλύει καὶ νῦν ἑτέραν ὑπαγορευθῆναι πίστιν. Πρὸςταῦτα Ἐλεύσιος ὁ Κυζίκου τοιάδε εἶπεν· Ἡ σύνοδος συνεκροτήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος, οὐχ ἵνα μάθῃ ὁ μὴ μεμάθηκεν, οὔθ᾿ ἕνα πίστιν δέξηται, ἣν μὴ κέκτηται· ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν πατέρων πίστει στοιχοῦσα, ταύτης μέχρι ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου οὐκ ἐξίσταται. Τοιούτοις καὶ ὁ Ἐλεύσιος πρὸς τὴν ᾿Ακακίου γνώμην ἀπήντησε, πίστιν πατέρων τὴν ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ ἐκτεθεῖσαν πίστιν καλῶν. ᾿Απαντήσει δ' ἄν τις καὶ πρὸς τοῦτον · Πῶς τοὺς ἐν Αντιοχείᾳ συνελθόντας πατέρας ὀνομάζεις, Ἑλεύσιε, τοὺς ἐκείνων πατέρας ἀρνούμενος; Οἱ γὰρ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντες, καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον τῇ πίστει συμφωνήσαντες, κυριώτερον ἂν πατέρες λέγοιντο, τῷ καὶ προαναβεβηκέναι τοῖς χρόνοις, καὶ ὅτι οἱ ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ γενόμενοι, ὑπ᾿ ἐκείνων εἰς τὴν ἱερωσύνην προβέβληντο. Εἰ δὲ οἱ ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ τοὺς ἰδίους πατέρας ἠθέτησαν, λελήθασιν ἑαυτοὺς οἱ μεταταῦτα τοῖς πατραλοίαις ἑπόμενοι. Πῶς δὲ καὶ ὧν ἐκεῖνοι τὴν πίστιν ὡς ἀδόκιμον ἠθέτησαν, τὴν χειροτονίαν ὡς δοκίμην ἐδέξαντο ; Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνοι οὐκ εἶχον τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὁ διὰ τῆς χειροτονίας ἐπέρχεται, οὐδὲ οὗτοι τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἔλαβον. Πῶς γὰρ ἐλάμβανον παρὰ τῶν οὐκ ἐχόντων τὸ διδόμενον; Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἀντιθήσει τις πρὸς τὰ ὑπὸ Ἐλευσίου λεχθέντα. Τότε δὲ αὖθις ἐπὶ ἑτέραν ἐχώρησαν ζήτησιν. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ καὶ οἱ περὶ Ἀκάκιον ἐν τῇ ἀναγνωσθείσῃ πίστει ὅμοιον ἔφασαν τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ, διεπυνθάνοντο ἀλλήλων, κατὰ τί ὅμοιός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱὸς τῷ Πατρί. Καὶ μὲν περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον, ἔλεγον κατὰ τὴν βούλησιν μόνον, οὐ μὴν κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν ὅμοιον τῷ Πατρὶ εἶναι τὸν Υἱόν. Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι σύμπαντες, καὶ κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν ἀπεφήναντο. Περὶ τούτου δὲ τοῦ ζητήματος φιλονεικοῦντες ἐνδιημέρευον, καὶ τὸν ᾿Ἀκάκιον ἐξήλεγχον, ὡς εἴη ἐν τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ, οὓς συγγράψας ἐξέδωκεν, ὅμοιον κατὰ πάντα εἰπὼν τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρί. Καὶ πῶς νῦν, ἔφασαν, ἀρνῇ τὴν κατ᾿ οὐσίαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ὁμοιότητα; Ὁ δὲ, ᾿Απὸ συγγραμμάτων, ἔφη, οὔτε νέος τις οὔτε ἀρχαῖος ἐκρίθη. Πολλὰ δὲ πρὸς ἀλλήλους περὶ τοῦ ζητήματος τούτου ἀκριβολογουμένων, καὶ μηδαμῶς συμφωνούντων, ὁ Λεωνᾶς ἀναστὰς διέλυσε τὸν σύλλογον. Καὶ τοῦτο τέλος ἔσχεν ἡ ἐν Σελευκείᾳ γενομένη σύνοδος. Τῇ γὰρ ἐξῆς παρακαλούμενος οὐκέτι εἰς ταὐτὸν συνελθεῖν αὐτοῖς ἡϑέλησε, φήσας ἀπεστάλθαι" παρὰ τοῦ βασι; ἡ λέως ἐπὶ τὸ παρεῖναι τῇ συνόδῳ ὁμοφωνούσῃ. ᾿Ἐπειξῇὴ δέ τινες διέστησαν, οὐ δύναμαι, ἔφη, παραγενέσθαι. ᾿Απέλθετε οὖν, ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ φλυαρεῖτε. Τούτου γενομένου, οἱ περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον ἕρμαιον ἡγησάμενοι, οὐδὲ αὐτοὶ ἀπαντῆσαι ἠθέλησαν. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ ἄλλον μέρονς διακριθέντες, καὶ συνελῆόντες κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἐκάλουν τοὺς περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον, ἐπὶ τῷ ναι τὰ κατὰ Κύριλλον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον Ἱεροσολύμων. Ἰστέον γὰρ ὅτι Κύριλλος ἤδη πρότερον χατηγόρητο καὶ διὰ τί μὲν, οὐκ ἔχω φράσαι υ, Καθῃρέθη δὲ, ὅτι πολλάκις ἐπὶ τὸ κριθῆναι καλούμενος ἐφεξῆς δύο ἐνιαντῶν διέφυγε, τὰς κατηγορίας εὐλαθούμενο:. Καθαιρεθεὶς δ᾽ οὖν ὅμως ἐχχλήτου βιβλίον τοῖς χαῦελοῦσι διαπεμψάμενος, μεῖζον ἐπεχαλέσατο διχαστή - " οὗ τῇ ἐκχλήτῳ καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς Κωνστάντιος ἐγεγόνει σύμψηφος. Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν, μόνος καὶ πρῶτος παρὰ τὸ σύνηθες τῷ ἐκκλησιαστικῷ κανόνι Κύριλλος ἐποίησεν, ἐχχλήτοις ὡς ἐν δημοσίῳ δικαστηρίῳ χρησάμενος. Τότε δὲ ἐν τῇ Σελευκείᾳ παρῆν χριθησόμενος. Καὶ διατοῦτο οἱ ἐπίσκοποι τοὺς κ. ᾿Ακάκιον ἐκάλουν, ὡς μικρῷ ἔμπροσθεν ἐμνημονεύσαμεν, ὅπως ἂν περὶ τῶν κατηγορουμένων διαγνόντες κοινὴν ἐξενέγχωσι ψῆφον. Ἐχάλουν γὰρ δὴ χαί τινας ἄλλους τῶν κατηγορουμένων, οἵ τοῖς περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον προσπεφεύγασιν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν πολλάκις χα - λούμενοι οὐχ ἀπήντησαν, καθεῖλον αὐτόν τε ᾿Ακάκιον, Γεώργιον ᾿Αλεξανδρείας, Οὐρσάκιον Τύρου, Θεόδουλον Χα:ρετάπων τῆς Φρυγίας, Θεοδόσιον Φιλαδελφίας τῆς ἐν Λυδίᾳ, Εὐάγριον Μιτυλήνης τῆς νήσον, Λεόντιον Τριπόλεως τῆς Λυδίας, καὶ Εὐδόζιον τὸν πρότερον μὲν Γερμανικείας, μεταταῦτα δὲ ᾿Αντιοχείας τῆς ἐν Συρίᾳ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ὑποδύντα. Καθεῖλον δὲ καὶ Πατρόφιλον, ὅτι αὐτὸς ὑπὸ Δωροθέου πρεσβυτέρου κατηγορούμενος, κληθεὶς οὐχ ὑπήκουσε. Τούτους μὲν οὖν καθεῖλον · ἀκοινωνήτους δὲ πεποιήκασιν ᾿Αστέριον, Εὐσέβιον, ῎Αβγαρον, Βασιλικὸν, Φοῖβον, Φιδήλιον, Εὐτύχιον, Μάγνον καὶ Εὐστάθιον, ὁρίσαντες οὕτω μένειν αὐτοὺς, ἕως ἂν ἀπολογησάμενοι τὰς κατηγορίας ἀποδύσωνται. Ταῦτα πράξαντες, διὰ γραμμάτων τε τὰ περὶ τῶν καθαιρε. θέντων ταῖς ἐκείνων παροικίαις γνωρίσαντες, καθιστῶσιν, εἰς τὸν τόπον Εὐδοξίου, τῆς ᾿Αντιοχείας ἐπίσκοπον, ᾿Ανιανὸν τοῦνομα. Ὃν συλλαβόντες οἱ περὶ Ἀκάκιον, Λεωνᾷ καὶ Λαυρικίῳ παρέδοσαν · οἱ δὲ, αὐτὸν ἐξόριστον πεποιήκασι. Τούτου γενομένου, οἱ ἐπίσκοποι οἱ προβεβλημένοι τὸν ᾿Ανιανὸν, διὰ μαρτυρίας ἐχρῶντο κατὰ τῶν περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον πρὸς τὸν Λεωνᾶν καὶ Λαυρίκιον, δι᾽ ὧν ἀδικεῖσθαι τῆς συνόδου τὴν κρίσιν ἐμήνυον. Ὡς δὲ οὐδὲν πλέον ἠνύετο, ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ὥρμησαν, ἐπὶ τὸ διδάξαι τὸν βασιλέα τὰ κριθέντα αὐτοῖς.
Akakios de kai hoi tou merous autou, ta ginomena diememphonto, dioti tēn Ekklēsian apokleisantes kathypegraphon. Ta gar en parabystǭ, phēsi, ginomena, adokima kai hypopsias entos. Tauta elege, boulomenos heteran ekdosin pisteōs anteisenenkein, echōn eutre: O pismenēn, hēn anegnōkei men tois archousi Laurikiǭ kai Leōną; monēn de autēn kratēsein espoudaze. Toutōn men oun pleon ouden kata tēn deuteran hēmeran egineto. Kata de tēn tritēn ho Leōnas authis ta merē synagagein espoudaze; kath᾿ hēn ouk apeleiphthē kai Makedonios ho Kōnstantinoupoleōs, oude mēn ho ᾿Ankyras Basileios. Epei oun amphoteroi eis tauto meros synelēlythēsan, authis hoi peri Akakion apantąn ouk eboulonto, phaskontes dein proteron ekballesthai tou syllogou tous te ēdē proteron kathairethentas G, kai tous en tǭ paronti katēgoroumenous. Epei de philoneikēsantōn, touto mallon ekratēsen, hypexę̄esan men hoi en aitiasei tynchanontes; anteisēlthon de hoi peri ᾿Akakion. Tote de ho Leōnas ephē biblion dedosthai autǭ para tōn peri Akakion, apokrypsas hōs eiē dogmatos hypagoreusis, touto men lelēthotōs, touto de kai phanerōs machomenou tois prolabousin. Hōs de hoi parontes hēsychasan, allo ti mallon ē pisteōs ekdosin periechein to biblion nomisantes, tēnikauta kai Akakiou tēs pisteōs syntagma syn tǭ prooimiǭ anegnōsthē, touton echon ton tropon; Hēmeis synelthontes en Seleukeią tēs Isaurias kata to basilikon boulēma, tę̄ chthes hēmerą, hētis ēn pro pente Kalandōn Oktōbriōn, pasan spoudēn ethemetha, meta pasēs eutaxias tēn eirēnēn tę̄ ᾿Ekklēsią phylaxai, kai peri tēs pisteōs eustathōs dialabein, hōs prosetaxen taxen ho theophilestatos basileus hēmōn Kōnstantios, kata tas prophētikas kai euangelikas phōnas, kai mēden para tas theias Graphas eisenenkai tę̄ Ekklēsiastikę̄ pistei. Epeidē de tines en tę̄ synodǭ, tous men hēmōn hybrisan, tous de epestomisan, ou synchōrountes lalein; tous de apekleisan akontas ; kai tous kathę̄rēmenous de ek diaphorōn eparchiōn eichon meth' heautōn; kai tous para kanona katastantas ēgon meth᾽ heautōn; hōs pantachothen thorybou plērē genesthai tēn synodon, kathōs kai ho lamprotatos hēgoumenos tēs eparchias Laurikios, kai ho lamprotatos komēs Leōnas autopsią parelabon, toutou heneken dialaloumen tauta; Hōs ou pheugomen; tēn ektetheisan authentikēn pistin en tois enkainiois tois kata tēn ᾿Antiocheian, prokomizontes autēn, ei kai tamalista hoi pateres hēmōn kat᾿ ekeino tou kairou pros to hypokeimenon tēs zētēseōs synedramon. Epei de pollous ethorybēsen to homoousion kai to homoiousion en tois parelthousi chronois, kai mechri nyn; alla kai artiōs legetai kainotomeisthai hypo tinōn to anomoion tou Huiou pros Patera; toutou charin to men homoousion kai to homoiousion ekballomen, hōs allotrion tōn Graphōn, to de anomoion anathematizomen ; kai pantas hosoi toioutoi tynchanousin, allotrious hēgoumetha tēs Ekklēsias. To de homoion tou Huiou pros ton Patera saphōs homologoumen 1, kata homoousion ei homoiousion to anomoion, ton ᾿Apostolon ton legonta tou Huiou, estin hod. tou Theou tou aoratou. HoOmologoumen de pisteuomen eis hena Theon, Patera pantochratorą " poiētēn ouranōn gēs, horatōn aoratōn. P:steuomen de kai eis ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon ton Huion autou, ton ex autou gennēthenta apathōs pro pantōn tōn aiōnōn, Theon Logon Theou monogenē, phōs, zōēn, alētheian, sophian" di᾿ hou ta panta egeneto, ta te en tois ouranois, kai ta epi tēs gēs eite horata eite aorata. Touton pisteuomen epi syn. teleią tōn aiōnōn, eis athetēsin hamartias sarka eilēphenai ech tēs hagias Parthenou Marias " enanthrōpēsanta, pathonta hyper tōn hamartiōn hēmōn, kai anastanta, analēphthenta eis ouranous, kathezesthai en dexią tou Patros " kai palin erchomenon : en doxę̄ krinai zōntas nekrous. Pisteuomen eis to hagion Pneuma, ho Paraklēton ōnomasen 4 Sōtēr ho Kyrios hēmōn, epangeilamenos meta to apelthein auton, pempsai touto tois mathētais, ho apesteile " di᾽ hou hagiazei tous en tę̄ Ekklēsią pisteuontas, kai baptizomenous en onomati tou Patrēs kai tou Huiou kai tou hagiou Pneumatos, Tous de para tautēn tēn pistin allo ti chēryttontas, allotrious einai tēs katholikēs Ekklēsias. Hautē men hē ᾿Akakiou, peri tēs autou pisteōs echdosis" ēsan de autę̄ chathypograpsantes, autos ᾿Akachios kai hoi ta autou phronountes, tosoutoi ontes ton arithmōn, hoson mikron emprosthen emnēmoneusamen. ᾿Anagnōstheisēs de autēs, Sōphronios Pomptēoupoleōs tēs en Paphlagonich toiauta autais lexesin aneboēsen" Ei to echastēn hēmeran idian thesthai boulēsin, pisteōs hyparchei ekthesis, epileipsei hēmas hē tēs alētheias achrideia, Tauta men ho Sōphronios ephēsen. Egō de phēmi, hōs ei ex archēs toiauta peri tēs en Nichaïą pisteōs, te pro autōn kai hoi met᾽ ekeinous dienoēthēsan, pepauto an pasa philoneichos zetēsis, kai ouch an tōn Ekklēsiōn alogos ekratēse tarachē. ᾿All᾽ hopōs men echei tauta, chrinatōsan hoi katanoein dynamenoi. Tote de polla pros allēlous peri te toutou, tōn chatēgoroumenōn, eipontes kai akousantes, dielythēsan. Tę̄ de tetartę̄ authis hēmerą synēlthon hapantes eis tauto, kai authis anekinoun meta ereschelias tous logous. En hois Akakios toiande kata lexin eisēgēsato gnōmēn; Ei hapax hē en Nikaią pistis metepoiēthē kai metatauta pollakis, ouden kōlyei kai nyn heteran hypagoreuthēnai pistin. Prostauta Eleusios ho Kyzikou toiade eipen; Hē synodos synekrotēthē epi tou parontos, ouch hina mathę̄ ho mē memathēken, outh᾿ hena pistin dexētai, hēn mē kektētai; alla tę̄ tōn paterōn pistei stoichousa, tautēs mechri zōēs kai thanatou ouk existatai. Toioutois kai ho Eleusios pros tēn ᾿Akakiou gnōmēn apēntēse, pistin paterōn tēn en ᾿Antiocheią ektetheisan pistin kalōn. ᾿Apantēsei d' an tis kai pros touton ; Pōs tous en Antiocheią synelthontas pateras onomazeis, Heleusie, tous ekeinōn pateras arnoumenos? Hoi gar en Nikaią synelthontes, kai to homoousion tę̄ pistei symphōnēsantes, kyriōteron an pateres legointo, tǭ kai proanabebēkenai tois chronois, kai hoti hoi en ᾿Antiocheią genomenoi, hyp᾿ ekeinōn eis tēn hierōsynēn probeblēnto. Ei de hoi en ᾿Antiocheią tous idious pateras ēthetēsan, lelēthasin heautous hoi metatauta tois patraloiais hepomenoi. Pōs de kai hōn ekeinoi tēn pistin hōs adokimon ēthetēsan, tēn cheirotonian hōs dokimēn edexanto ? Ei de ekeinoi ouk eichon to Pneuma to hagion, ho dia tēs cheirotonias eperchetai, oude houtoi tēn hierōsynēn elabon. Pōs gar elambanon para tōn ouk echontōn to didomenon? Tauta men oun antithēsei tis pros ta hypo Eleusiou lechthenta. Tote de authis epi heteran echōrēsan zētēsin. Epei gar kai hoi peri Akakion en tę̄ anagnōstheisę̄ pistei homoion ephasan ton Huion tǭ Patri, diepynthanonto allēlōn, kata ti homoios estin ho Huios tǭ Patri. Kai men peri ᾿Akakion, elegon kata tēn boulēsin monon, ou mēn kata tēn ousian homoion tǭ Patri einai ton Huion. Hoi de alloi sympantes, kai kata tēn ousian apephēnanto. Peri toutou de tou zētēmatos philoneikountes endiēmereuon, kai ton ᾿Akakion exēlenchon, hōs eiē en tois logois autou, hous syngrapsas exedōken, homoion kata panta eipōn ton Huion tǭ Patri. Kai pōs nyn, ephasan, arnę̄ tēn kat᾿ ousian tou Huiou pros ton Patera homoiotēta? Ho de, ᾿Apo syngrammatōn, ephē, oute neos tis oute archaios ekrithē. Polla de pros allēlous peri tou zētēmatos toutou akribologoumenōn, kai mēdamōs symphōnountōn, ho Leōnas anastas dielyse ton syllogon. Kai touto telos eschen hē en Seleukeią genomenē synodos. Tę̄ gar exēs parakaloumenos ouketi eis tauton synelthein autois hēϑelēse, phēsas apestalthai" para tou basi? hē leōs epi to pareinai tę̄ synodǭ homophōnousę̄. ᾿Epeixę̄ē de tines diestēsan, ou dynamai, ephē, paragenesthai. ᾿Apelthete oun, en tę̄ ekklēsią phlyareite. Toutou genomenou, hoi peri ᾿Akakion hermaion hēgēsamenoi, oude autoi apantēsai ēthelēsan. Hoi de tou allon merons diakrithentes, kai synelēontes kata tēn ekklēsian, ekaloun tous peri ᾿Akakion, epi tǭ nai ta kata Kyrillon ton episkopon Hierosolymōn. Isteon gar hoti Kyrillos ēdē proteron chatēgorēto kai dia ti men, ouk echō phrasai y, Kathę̄rethē de, hoti pollakis epi to krithēnai kaloumenos ephexēs dyo eniantōn diephyge, tas katēgorias eulathoumeno:. Kathairetheis d᾽ oun homōs echchlētou biblion tois chauelousi diapempsamenos, meizon epechalesato dichastē - " hou tę̄ ekchlētǭ kai ho basileus Kōnstantios egegonei sympsēphos. Touto men oun, monos kai prōtos para to synēthes tǭ ekklēsiastikǭ kanoni Kyrillos epoiēsen, echchlētois hōs en dēmosiǭ dikastēriǭ chrēsamenos. Tote de en tę̄ Seleukeią parēn chrithēsomenos. Kai diatouto hoi episkopoi tous k. ᾿Akakion ekaloun, hōs mikrǭ emprosthen emnēmoneusamen, hopōs an peri tōn katēgoroumenōn diagnontes koinēn exenenchōsi psēphon. Echaloun gar dē chai tinas allous tōn katēgoroumenōn, hoi tois peri ᾿Akakion prospepheugasin. Epei oun pollakis cha - loumenoi ouch apēntēsan, katheilon auton te ᾿Akakion, Geōrgion ᾿Alexandreias, Oursakion Tyrou, Theodoulon Cha:retapōn tēs Phrygias, Theodosion Philadelphias tēs en Lydią, Euagrion Mitylēnēs tēs nēson, Leontion Tripoleōs tēs Lydias, kai Eudozion ton proteron men Germanikeias, metatauta de ᾿Antiocheias tēs en Syrią tēn episkopēn hypodynta. Katheilon de kai Patrophilon, hoti autos hypo Dōrotheou presbyterou katēgoroumenos, klētheis ouch hypēkouse. Toutous men oun katheilon ; akoinōnētous de pepoiēkasin ᾿Asterion, Eusebion, ᾿Abgaron, Basilikon, Phoibon, Phidēlion, Eutychion, Magnon kai Eustathion, horisantes houtō menein autous, heōs an apologēsamenoi tas katēgorias apodysōntai. Tauta praxantes, dia grammatōn te ta peri tōn kathaire. thentōn tais ekeinōn paroikiais gnōrisantes, kathistōsin, eis ton topon Eudoxiou, tēs ᾿Antiocheias episkopon, ᾿Anianon tounoma. Hon syllabontes hoi peri Akakion, Leōną kai Laurikiǭ paredosan ; hoi de, auton exoriston pepoiēkasi. Toutou genomenou, hoi episkopoi hoi probeblēmenoi ton ᾿Anianon, dia martyrias echrōnto kata tōn peri ᾿Akakion pros ton Leōnan kai Laurikion, di᾽ hōn adikeisthai tēs synodou tēn krisin emēnyon. Hōs de ouden pleon ēnyeto, epi tēn Kōnstantinoupolin hōrmēsan, epi to didaxai ton basilea ta krithenta autois.
Acacius and his party found fault with what was done, because they signed with the church shut. “What is done in a corner,” he said, “is spurious and open to suspicion.” He said this wishing to bring in another statement of faith in opposition, which he had ready, and which he had read to the officials Lauricius and Leonas; and he was eager that it alone should prevail. Nothing more was done on the second day. On the third Leonas again set himself to bring the parties together; on this day Macedonius of Constantinople and Basil of Ancyra did not stay away. When both had come over to the same side, Acacius’s party again would not attend, saying that those already deposed and those now accused must first be expelled from the assembly. When, after contention, this view prevailed, those under accusation withdrew and Acacius’s party came in. Then Leonas said that a document had been given him by Acacius’s party, concealing that it was a dictated creed which in part secretly and in part openly contradicted the earlier ones. When those present kept quiet, thinking the document contained something other than a statement of faith, the composition of Acacius’s creed was read with its preface, as follows:
“We, having met at Seleucia in Isauria according to the imperial will, yesterday, which was the fifth day before the Kalends of October, made every effort to keep peace in the church with all good order and to deal steadily with the faith, as our most God-loving emperor Constantius commanded, according to the prophetic and evangelical words, and to bring nothing into the faith of the church contrary to the divine Scriptures. But since some in the synod insulted some of us, silenced others by not allowing them to speak, and shut out others against their will; and had with them those deposed from various provinces, and brought with them those appointed contrary to the canon, so that the synod was full of disturbance on every side, as the most illustrious governor of the province Lauricius and the most illustrious count Leonas saw for themselves; for this reason we declare as follows. We do not shun the authentic faith set forth at the dedication at Antioch, and we bring it forward, although our fathers at that time met for the subject then under inquiry. But since the homoousion and the homoiousion have troubled many in past times and until now, and since the anomoion of the Son to the Father is now also said to be newly introduced by some, for this reason we reject the homoousion and the homoiousion as foreign to the Scriptures, and we anathematize the anomoion, and we consider all who are such to be aliens from the church. We clearly confess the likeness of the Son to the Father, according to the apostle, who says of the Son, ‘who is the image of the invisible God.’ We confess and believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of things visible and invisible. We believe also in our Lord Jesus Christ his Son, begotten from him impassibly before all ages, God the Word, only-begotten of God, light, life, truth, wisdom, through whom all things came to be, things in the heavens and things on earth, whether visible or invisible. We believe that at the consummation of the ages he took flesh from the holy Virgin Mary for the putting away of sin, became man, suffered for our sins, rose, was taken up into the heavens, sits at the right hand of the Father, and is coming again in glory to judge the living and the dead. We believe in the Holy Spirit, whom our Saviour the Lord named the Paraclete, promising after his departure to send him to the disciples, and whom he sent; through whom he sanctifies those in the church who believe and are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Those who preach anything else contrary to this faith are aliens from the catholic church.”
This is Acacius’s statement of his faith. Those who signed it were Acacius himself and those who thought as he did, as many in number as we mentioned a little before. When it had been read, Sophronius of Pompeiopolis in Paphlagonia cried out in these very words: “If to set out a private will every day is a statement of faith, the exactness of the truth will fail us.” So said Sophronius. But I say that if those before them and those after them had from the beginning thought in this way about the faith of Nicaea, all contentious inquiry would have ceased, and unreasoning disturbance would not have prevailed over the churches. But how these things stand, let those judge who can understand. Then, having said and heard much from one another about this and about the accused, they dispersed.
On the fourth day they all met again in the same place and again stirred up the arguments with wrangling. In them Acacius put forward this opinion, word for word: “If the faith of Nicaea was altered once and many times afterwards, nothing prevents another faith from being dictated now too.” To this Eleusius of Cyzicus said: “The synod has been convened at present not to learn what it has not learned, nor to receive a faith it does not possess, but, walking in the faith of the fathers, it does not depart from it in life or in death.” So Eleusius answered Acacius’s opinion, calling the faith set out at Antioch the faith of the fathers. But one might answer him too: “How do you call those who met at Antioch fathers, Eleusius, while denying their fathers? For those who met at Nicaea and agreed in the faith on the homoousios would more properly be called fathers, both because they came earlier in time and because those at Antioch had been promoted to the priesthood by them. If those at Antioch rejected their own fathers, those who followed them afterwards have unwittingly followed parricides. And how did they accept as valid the ordination of those whose faith they rejected as spurious? If those men did not have the Holy Spirit, who comes through ordination, neither did these receive the priesthood; for how could they receive from those who did not have what was given?” Such things one would set against what Eleusius said.
Then they went on to another question. Since Acacius’s party, in the creed that had been read, said that the Son is like the Father, they asked one another in what respect the Son is like the Father. Acacius’s party said that the Son is like the Father in will only, not in essence; all the others declared that he is like in essence too. They spent the day contending over this question and convicted Acacius of having said, in the works he had written and published, that the Son is like the Father in all things. “How then,” they said, “do you now deny the likeness of the Son to the Father in essence?” He said, “No one, either new or old, has been judged from his writings.” When they had argued minutely with one another about this question and in no way agreed, Leonas rose and dissolved the assembly. This was the end of the synod held at Seleucia. For on the next day, when asked, he would no longer meet with them, saying that he had been sent by the emperor to be present at a synod that was of one mind. “But since some have disagreed,” he said, “I cannot be present. Go, then, and talk nonsense in the church.” When this happened, Acacius’s party, counting it a godsend, would not attend either. Those of the other part, having separated, met in the church and called Acacius’s party to judge the case of Cyril, bishop of Jerusalem. For it should be known that Cyril had been accused before; for what, I cannot say. He had been deposed because, though often summoned to be tried, he avoided it for two years in succession, fearing the accusations. Deposed nonetheless, he sent a written appeal to those who had deposed him and appealed to a higher tribunal; and the emperor Constantius agreed to his appeal. Cyril did this alone and first, contrary to the custom of the ecclesiastical canon, using appeals as in a public court. At that time he was present at Seleucia to be tried. For this reason the bishops called Acacius’s party, as we mentioned a little before, so that having examined the matters in which there were accusations they might give a common vote; for they were also calling some others of the accused who had taken refuge with Acacius’s party. When, though often summoned, they did not come, they deposed Acacius himself, George of Alexandria, Uranius of Tyre, Theodulus of Chaeretapa in Phrygia, Theodosius of Philadelphia in Lydia, Evagrius of the island of Mitylene, Leontius of Tripolis in Lydia, and Eudoxius, formerly of Germanicia, who afterwards took over the bishopric of Antioch in Syria. They also deposed Patrophilus, because, being accused by the presbyter Dorotheus and summoned, he did not obey. These they deposed; and they excommunicated Asterius, Eusebius, Abgarus, Basilicus, Phoebus, Fidelius, Eutychius, Magnus, and Eustathius, ruling that they should remain so until they cleared themselves of the accusations by making a defence. Having done this, and having made known by letter to their dioceses what concerned those deposed, they appointed as bishop of Antioch in place of Eudoxius one Anianus. Acacius’s party seized him and handed him over to Leonas and Lauricius, who sent him into exile. When this happened, the bishops who had appointed Anianus made protestations to Leonas and Lauricius against Acacius’s party, declaring that the judgment of the synod was being wronged. When nothing more was achieved, they set out for Constantinople to inform the emperor of their decisions.
Col 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 14:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 16:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 28:19 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: At Seleucia Acacius’s party presents a creed rejecting homoousios and homoiousios and confessing the Son “like” the Father; the majority depose Acacius, Eudoxius, and others, appoint Anianus to Antioch, and go to Constantinople to report to the emperor.
- Acacius’s creed (Seleucia, 359) is quoted in full. In the scan a marginal note (“homoousion, homoiousion, anomoion”) has been run into its text and some words of the following clause are displaced; the sentence quoting Col 1:15 is translated in its proper order.
- homoiousion “of like essence”; anomoion “unlike”.
- The scan reads “Ursacius of Tyre” in the list of the deposed; the bishop of Tyre named earlier in this account is Uranius, and he is meant.
- Cyril’s appeal to a secular-style higher tribunal is described as Socrates gives it.
Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Antioch. (Canons of the Council of Antioch (in Encaeniis); allusion)
Topics: Trinity, Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.40 (PG 67:335–345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-40). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-40
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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.
2.41PG 67:345–349
Καὶ γὰρ παρὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἑσπερίων μερῶν ἀναστρέψας ὁ βασιλεύς · καὶ τότε τὸν ἔπαρχον τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως κατέστησεν, Ονωράτον ὄνομα, τὴν ἀνθυπάτων παύσας ἀρχήν. Φθάσαντες δὲ οἱ περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον, προδιαβάλλουσιν αὐτοὺς βασιλεῖ, διδάξαντες μὴ δέχεσθαι τὴν ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐκτεθεῖσαν πίστιν. Διόπερ ἀγανακτήσας ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἑπενόησε διασπείραι αὐτοὺς, νόμῳ κελεύσας, τοὺς ὑποκειμένους αὐτῶν δημοσίοις λειτουργήμασι, τῇ ἰδίᾳ τύχῃ ἀποδίδοσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ ἦσαν τινὲς ἐξ αὐτῶν λειτουργίαις ὑποκείμενοι, οἱ μὲν βουλευτηρίων, οἱ δὲ τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐπαρχίαις τάξεων. Τούτων δὴ οὕτως ταραττομέ νων, οἱ περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον ἐπιμείναντες τῇ Κωνσταντίνου πόλει, συνέδριον ἕτερον πεποιήκασι, τοὺς ἀπὸ Βιθυνίας ἐπισκόπους μεταπεμψάμενοι. Γενόμενοι οὖν οἱ πάντες τὸν ἀριθμὸν πεντήκοντα, οἷς κατηρίθμητο Μάρις ὁ Χαλκηδόνος, βεβαιοῦσι τὴν ἐν ᾿Αριμήνῳ μετὰ τῆς ὑπατείας ἀναγνωσθεῖσαν πίστιν. Ην περιττὸν ἦν ἂν ἐνταῦθα προκεῖσθαι, εἰ μηδὲν αὐτῇ προστεθείκασιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τινα αὐτῇ προστεθείκασι ῥήματα, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ αὖθις αὐτὴν ἐνταῦθα παραγράψαι. Ἔστι δὲ ἐν τοῖς ῥήμασι τούτοις · Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα μόνον Θεὸν, Πατέρα παντοκράτορα, ἐξ οὗ τὰ πάντα· καὶ εἰς τὸν μονογενῆ Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων καὶ πρὸ πάσης ἀρχῆς γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ· δι' οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο, τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα · γεννηθέντα δὲ μονογενῆ, μόνον ἐκ μόνου τοῦ Πατρὸς, Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ, ὅμοιον τῷ γεννήσαντι αὐτὸν Πατρὶ κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς · οὗ τὴν γέννησιν οὐδεὶς γινώσκει, εἰ μὴ μόνος ὁ γεννήσας αὐτὸν Πατήρ. Τοῦτον οἴδαμεν μονογενῆ τοῦ Θεοῦ Γίὸν, πέμποντος τοῦ Πατρὸς παραγενέσθαι ἐκ τῶν οὐραvῶν, ὡς γέγραπται, ἐπὶ καταλύσει τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου. Καὶ γεννηθέντα ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου, καὶ Μαρίας Παρθένου τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὡς γέγραπται, καὶ ἀναστραφέντα μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν· καὶ πάσης τῆς οἰκονομίας πληρωθείσης κατὰ τὴν Πατρικὴν βούλησιν, σταυρωθέντα καὶ ἀποθανόντα, καὶ ταφέντα, καὶ εἰς τὰ καταχθόνια κατεληλυθότα· ὅντινα καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ ἄδης ἔπτηξεν. Ὅστις καὶ ἀνέστη ἀπὸ τῶν νεκρῶν τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, καὶ διέτριψε μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν· καὶ πληρωθεισῶν τῶν τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν, ἀνελήφθη εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, καὶ καθέζεται ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐλευσόμενος ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐν τῇ Πατρικῇ δόξῃ, ἵνα ἀποδώσῃ ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα, ὅπερ αὐτὸς ὁ Μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ ὁ Χριστὸς, ὁ Κύριος καὶ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ἐπηγγείλατο πέμπειν τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων Παράκλητον, καθάπερ γέγραπται, τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας· ὅπερ αὐτοῖς ἔπεμψεν, ὅτε ἀνελήφθη εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς. Τὸ δὲ ὄνομα τῆς οὐσίας, ἁπλούστερον ὑπὸ τῶν πατέρων ἐτέθη, ἀγνοούμενον δὲ τοῖς λαοῖς, σκάνδαλον ἔφερε, διότι μηδὲ αἱ Γραφαὶ τοῦτο περιέχουσιν, ἤρεσε περιαιρεθῆναι, καὶ παντελῶς μηδεμίαν μνήμην τοῦ λοιποῦ γενέσθαι, ἐπειδήπερ καὶ αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαὶ οὐδαμοῦ ἐμνημόνευσαν περὶ οὐσίας Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ὀφείλει ὑπόστασις περὶ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ὀνομάζεσθαι. Ὅμοιον δὲ λέγομεν τὸν Υἱὸν τῷ Πατρὶ, ὡς λέγουσιν αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαὶ καὶ διδάσκουσι. Πᾶσαι δὲ αἱρέσεις, αἵ τε ἤδη πρότερον κατεκρίθησαν, καὶ αἶτινες ἐὰν καινότεραι γένωνται, ἐναντίαι τυγχάνουσαι τῆς ἐκτεθείσης ταύτης γραφῆς, ἀνάθεμα ἔστωσαν. Ταῦτα μὲν ἐν Κωνσταντίνου πόλει τότε ἀνεγνώσθησαν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν λαβύρινθον τῶν ἐκθέσεων ὀψε ποτε διανύσαντες, τὴν ἀπαρίθμησιν αὐτῶν συναγάγωμεν. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν, ὕστερον ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τοῖς ἐγκαινίοις δισσὰς ἐκθέσεις ὑπο ηγόρευσαν. Τρίτη δὲ ἐστιν, ἡ ἐπιδοθεῖσα παρὰ τῶν περὶ Νάρκισσον ἐν ταῖς Γαλλίαις τῷ βασιλεῖ Κών σταντι · τετάρτη δὲ, ἡ δι' Εὐδοξίου τοῖς ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ πεμφθεῖσα · ἔν τε Σιρμίῳ τρεῖς ὑπηγορεύθησαν, ὧν ἡ μία ἐν Ἀριμήνῳ μετὰ τῆς ὑπατείας ἀνεγνώσθη. Ογδόη δὲ ἐστιν, ἡ ἐν Σελευκείᾳ, ἣν οἱ περὶ ᾿Ακάκιον ἀνεγνώκεισαν. Τελευταία δὲ, ἐν Κωνσταντίνου πόλει μετὰ τῆς προσθήκης ἐκδέδοται. Πρόσκειται γὰρ αὐτῇ, μήτε οὐσίαν, μήτε ὑπόστασιν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ λέγειν. Ταύτῃ καὶ Οὐλφίλας ὁ τῶν Γότθων ἐπίσκοπος τότε πρῶτον συνέθετο. Τὸν γὰρ ἔμπροσθεν χρόνον, τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν ἡσπάζετο, ἑπόμενος Θεοφίλῳ, ὃς τῶν Γότθων ἐπίσκοπος ὢν τῇ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδῳ παρὼν καθυπέγραψε. Τοσαῦτα μὲν περὶ τούτων εἰρήσθω.
Kai gar parēn apo tōn hesperiōn merōn anastrepsas ho basileus ; kai tote ton eparchon tēs Kōnstantinoupoleōs katestēsen, Onōraton onoma, tēn anthypatōn pausas archēn. Phthasantes de hoi peri ᾿Akakion, prodiaballousin autous basilei, didaxantes mē dechesthai tēn hyp᾿ autōn ektetheisan pistin. Dioper aganaktēsas ho basileus, hepenoēse diaspeirai autous, nomǭ keleusas, tous hypokeimenous autōn dēmosiois leitourgēmasi, tę̄ idią tychę̄ apodidosthai. Kai gar ēsan tines ex autōn leitourgiais hypokeimenoi, hoi men bouleutēriōn, hoi de tōn en tais eparchiais taxeōn. Toutōn dē houtōs tarattome nōn, hoi peri ᾿Akakion epimeinantes tę̄ Kōnstantinou polei, synedrion heteron pepoiēkasi, tous apo Bithynias episkopous metapempsamenoi. Genomenoi oun hoi pantes ton arithmon pentēkonta, hois katērithmēto Maris ho Chalkēdonos, bebaiousi tēn en ᾿Arimēnǭ meta tēs hypateias anagnōstheisan pistin. Ēn peritton ēn an entautha prokeisthai, ei mēden autę̄ prostetheikasin. Epeidē de tina autę̄ prostetheikasi rhēmata, anankaion kai authis autēn entautha paragrapsai. Esti de en tois rhēmasi toutois ; Pisteuomen eis hena monon Theon, Patera pantokratora, ex hou ta panta; kai eis ton monogenē Huion tou Theou, pro pantōn tōn aiōnōn kai pro pasēs archēs gennēthenta ek tou Theou; di' hou ta panta egeneto, ta horata kai ta aorata ; gennēthenta de monogenē, monon ek monou tou Patros, Theon ek Theou, homoion tǭ gennēsanti auton Patri kata tas Graphas ; hou tēn gennēsin oudeis ginōskei, ei mē monos ho gennēsas auton Patēr. Touton oidamen monogenē tou Theou Gion, pempontos tou Patros paragenesthai ek tōn ouravōn, hōs gegraptai, epi katalysei tēs hamartias kai tou thanatou. Kai gennēthenta ek Pneumatos hagiou, kai Marias Parthenou to kata sarka, hōs gegraptai, kai anastraphenta meta tōn mathētōn; kai pasēs tēs oikonomias plērōtheisēs kata tēn Patrikēn boulēsin, staurōthenta kai apothanonta, kai taphenta, kai eis ta katachthonia katelēlythota; hontina kai autos ho adēs eptēxen. Hostis kai anestē apo tōn nekrōn tę̄ tritę̄ hēmerą, kai dietripse meta tōn mathētōn; kai plērōtheisōn tōn tessarakonta hēmerōn, anelēphthē eis tous ouranous, kai kathezetai en dexią tou Patros, eleusomenos en tę̄ eschatę̄ hēmerą tēs anastaseōs en tę̄ Patrikę̄ doxę̄, hina apodōsę̄ hekastǭ kata ta erga autou. Kai eis to hagion Pneuma, hoper autos ho Monogenēs tou Theou ho Christos, ho Kyrios kai Theos hēmōn epēngeilato pempein tǭ genei tōn anthrōpōn Paraklēton, kathaper gegraptai, to Pneuma tēs alētheias; hoper autois epempsen, hote anelēphthē eis tous ouranous. To de onoma tēs ousias, haplousteron hypo tōn paterōn etethē, agnooumenon de tois laois, skandalon ephere, dioti mēde hai Graphai touto periechousin, ērese periairethēnai, kai pantelōs mēdemian mnēmēn tou loipou genesthai, epeidēper kai hai theiai Graphai oudamou emnēmoneusan peri ousias Patros kai Huiou. Kai gar ouk opheilei hypostasis peri Patros kai Huiou kai hagiou Pneumatos onomazesthai. Homoion de legomen ton Huion tǭ Patri, hōs legousin hai theiai Graphai kai didaskousi. Pasai de haireseis, hai te ēdē proteron katekrithēsan, kai aitines ean kainoterai genōntai, enantiai tynchanousai tēs ektetheisēs tautēs graphēs, anathema estōsan. Tauta men en Kōnstantinou polei tote anegnōsthēsan. Hēmeis de ton labyrinthon tōn ektheseōn opse pote dianysantes, tēn aparithmēsin autōn synagagōmen. Meta gar tēn en Nikaią pistin, hysteron en Antiocheią tois enkainiois dissas ektheseis hypo ēgoreusan. Tritē de estin, hē epidotheisa para tōn peri Narkisson en tais Galliais tǭ basilei Kōn stanti ; tetartē de, hē di' Eudoxiou tois en Italią pemphtheisa ; en te Sirmiǭ treis hypēgoreuthēsan, hōn hē mia en Arimēnǭ meta tēs hypateias anegnōsthē. Ogdoē de estin, hē en Seleukeią, hēn hoi peri ᾿Akakion anegnōkeisan. Teleutaia de, en Kōnstantinou polei meta tēs prosthēkēs ekdedotai. Proskeitai gar autę̄, mēte ousian, mēte hypostasin epi Theou legein. Tautę̄ kai Oulphilas ho tōn Gotthōn episkopos tote prōton synetheto. Ton gar emprosthen chronon, tēn en Nikaią pistin hēspazeto, hepomenos Theophilǭ, hos tōn Gotthōn episkopos ōn tę̄ en Nikaią synodǭ parōn kathypegrapse. Tosauta men peri toutōn eirēsthō.
For the emperor had returned from the western parts and was present; and he had then appointed a prefect of Constantinople named Honoratus, abolishing the government by proconsuls. But Acacius and his party arrived first and slandered them to the emperor beforehand, telling him not to accept the faith they had set out. So the emperor, indignant, devised a way of scattering them: he ordered by law that those of them who were liable to public duties be returned to their own condition. For some of them were liable to public service, some to the town councils, others to the official staffs in the provinces. While they were thus troubled, Acacius and his party stayed on at Constantinople and held another council, sending for the bishops of Bithynia. All together they numbered fifty, among whom was counted Maris of Chalcedon, and they confirmed the faith read at Ariminum with the consulship. It would be superfluous to set it down here had they added nothing to it; but since they added some words to it, it is necessary to write it out here again. It is in these words:
“We believe in one only God, the Father Almighty, from whom are all things; and in the only-begotten Son of God, begotten from God before all ages and before every beginning, through whom all things came to be, visible and invisible; 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 him as the only-begotten Son of God, who at the Father’s sending came from the heavens, as it is written, for the destruction of sin and death; and was born of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary according to the flesh, as it is written, and lived with the disciples; and when the whole dispensation was fulfilled according to the Father’s will, was crucified and died and was buried, and descended to the regions below the earth, before whom Hades itself cowered; who also rose from the dead on the third day and stayed with the disciples, and when forty days were fulfilled was taken up into the heavens, and sits at the right hand of the Father, and will come on the last day of the resurrection in the Father’s glory, to render to each according to his works. And in the Holy Spirit, whom the only-begotten of God himself, Christ, our Lord and God, promised to send to the human race as Paraclete, as it is written, the Spirit of truth; whom he sent to them when he was taken up into the heavens. As for the name ‘essence’, which was used rather simply by the fathers and, being unknown to the people, caused offence because the Scriptures do not contain it, it has seemed good that it be removed and that no mention at all be made of it from now on, since the divine Scriptures nowhere mention the essence of the Father and the Son. Nor ought ‘hypostasis’ to be named of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We say that the Son is like the Father, as the divine Scriptures say and teach. Let all heresies, both those already condemned before and any newer ones that arise contrary to this statement, be anathema.”
This was read at Constantinople at that time. Having at last got through the labyrinth of statements, let us bring together their count. After the faith of Nicaea, they later dictated two statements at Antioch at the dedication. The third is the one presented by Narcissus and his colleagues in Gaul to the emperor Constans; the fourth, that sent by Eudoxius to those in Italy. Three were dictated at Sirmium, one of which was read at Ariminum with the consulship. The eighth is the one at Seleucia, which Acacius’s party read. The last was published at Constantinople with the addition; for it is added to it that neither ‘essence’ nor ‘hypostasis’ should be said of God. To this Ulfilas, bishop of the Goths, then agreed for the first time; for previously he had embraced the faith of Nicaea, following Theophilus, who as bishop of the Goths was present at the synod of Nicaea and signed it. Let this much be said about these things.
1 Cor 8:6 (allusion, high confidence) · Job 38:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 1:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 2:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 14:16 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Acacius’s party at Constantinople (360) reissues the creed of Ariminum, adding that neither “essence” nor “hypostasis” be used of God; Socrates counts the creeds since Nicaea; Ulfilas of the Goths accepts it.
- The creed of Constantinople (360) is quoted in full.
- Socrates’ count of creeds is given as he states it.
- “Hades itself cowered” echoes Job 38:17 (Septuagint), as in the dated creed of Sirmium (2.37).
Topics: Trinity, Christology, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Socrates, Hist. eccl. 2.41 (PG 67:345–349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-41). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/socrates-historia/2-41
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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.