Church History 9.13–9.17
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 9
9.13PG 67:1621–1623
τούτῳ δὲ Γερόντιος, ὁ τῶν Κωνσταντίνου στρατηγῶν ἄριστος, δυσμενὴς αὐτῷ γέγονεν " ἐπιτήδειόν τε εἰς τυραννίδα Μάξιμον τὸν αὐτοῦ οἰκεῖον νουἱσας, βασιλικὴν ἐνέδυσεν ἐσθῆτα, ἐν Ταῤῥαχόνῃ διάγειν εἴασεν. Αὐτὸς δὲ Κωνσταντίνῳ ἐπεστράτευσεν, ἐν παρόδῳ Κώνσταντα τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν Βιέννῃ ὄντα ἀναιρεθῆναι παρασκευάσας. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔμαθε εἰ ; Κωνσταντῖνος τὰ Μάξιμον, Ἐδόδιχον μὲν τὸν αὖτοῦ στρατηγὸν πέραν τοῦ Ῥήνου πέπομφεν, Φράγ. χων τε καὶ ᾿Αλαμανῶν συμμαχίαν προτρεψάμενον. Κώνσταντι δὲ τῷ αὐτοῦ παιδὶ Βιέννης καὶ τῶν τῇδε πόλεων τὴν φυλακὴν ἐπέτρεψε. Καὶ Γερόντιος μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν ᾿Αρήλατον ἐλάσας, ἐπολιόρκει τὴν πόλιν. οὐ πολὺ δὲ στρατιᾶς ᾿θνωρίου κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου παραγενομένης, ἧς ἡγεῖτο Κωνστάντιος ὁ τοῦ Οὐσλεντινιανοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως πατὴρ, φεύγει παραχρῆμα μετ᾽ ὀλίγων στρατιωτῶν. Οἱ γὰρ πλείους τοῖς ἀμφὶ τὸν Κωνστάντιον προσεχώρησαν δὲ ἐν Ἵσπανίᾳ στρατιῶται εὐκαταφρόνητον ἀπὸ τῆς φυγῆς δέξαντα τὸν Γερόντιον ἐβουλεύσαντο ἀνελεῖν " οἱ φραξάμενοι, νύκτωρ αὐτοῦ τὴν οἰκίαν κατέδραμον. Ὁ δὲ, μεθ" ἑνὸς ᾿Αλανοῦ ἐπιτηδείου ὀλίγων χετῶν, ἄνωθεν τοξεύων, ὑπὲρ τοὺς τριακοσίους ἀνστρατιώτας. Ἐπιλειψάντων δὲ τῶν βελῶν, φεύγουσιν οἰχέται, καθέντες αὑτοὺς τοῦ οἰκήματος λάθρα. Γερόντιος δὲ τὸν ἴσον τρόπον διασωθῆνα: δυνάμενος, οὐχ εἵλετο, χατασχεθεὶς ἔρωτι Νοννιχίας πῆς αὐτοῦ γαμετῆς. Περὶ δὲ τὴν ἔω πῦρ ἐμβαλόντων τῇ οἰχέᾳ τῶν στρατιωτῶν, οὐχ ἔχων λοιπὸν σωτηρίας ἐλπίδα, ἑκόντος τοῦ συνόντος αὐτῷ ᾿Αλανοῦ ἀποτέμνει τὴν κεφαλήν' μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τῆς ἰδίας γαμετῆς ὀλοφυρομένης, καὶ μετὰ δακρύων προσωθούσης ἑαυτὴν τῷ ξίφει, καὶ πρὶν ὑφ᾽ ἑτέροις γενέσθαι, παρὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀποθανεῖν αἰτούσης, καὶ τοῦτο τὸ δῶρον ὕστατον παῤ᾽ αὐτοῦ λαθεῖν ἀντιδολούσης. Καὶ ἡ μὲν γυνὴ, ἀνδρείᾳ τῆς θρησκείας ἐπαξίως φανεῖσα (ἣν γὰρ Χριστιανὴ), ὧδε τέθνηκε, κρείττονα λήθης τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς μνήμην τῷ χρόνῳ παραδοῦσα. Γερόντιος δὲ τρίτον ἑαυτὸν τῷ ξίφει παίσας, ὡς οὐ καιρίαν λαδὼν ἤσθετο, σπασάμενος τὸ παρὰ τὸν μηρὸν ξιφίδιον, κατὰ τῆς χαρδίας ἤλασε.
toutǭ de Gerontios, ho tōn Kōnstantinou stratēgōn aristos, dysmenēs autǭ gegonen " epitēdeion te eis tyrannida Maximon ton autou oikeion nouisas, basilikēn enedysen esthēta, en Tarrhachonę̄ diagein eiasen. Autos de Kōnstantinǭ epestrateusen, en parodǭ Kōnstanta ton huion autou, en Biennę̄ onta anairethēnai paraskeuasas. Epei de emathe ei ? Kōnstantinos ta Maximon, Edodichon men ton autou stratēgon peran tou Rhēnou pepomphen, Phrag. chōn te kai ᾿Alamanōn symmachian protrepsamenon. Kōnstanti de tǭ autou paidi Biennēs kai tōn tę̄de poleōn tēn phylakēn epetrepse. Kai Gerontios men epi tēn ᾿Arēlaton elasas, epoliorkei tēn polin. ou poly de stratias ᾿thnōriou kata tou tyrannou paragenomenēs, hēs hēgeito Kōnstantios ho tou Ouslentinianou tou basileōs patēr, pheugei parachrēma met᾽ oligōn stratiōtōn. Hoi gar pleious tois amphi ton Kōnstantion prosechōrēsan de en Hispanią stratiōtai eukataphronēton apo tēs phygēs dexanta ton Gerontion ebouleusanto anelein " hoi phraxamenoi, nyktōr autou tēn oikian katedramon. Ho de, meth" henos ᾿Alanou epitēdeiou oligōn chetōn, anōthen toxeuōn, hyper tous triakosious anstratiōtas. Epileipsantōn de tōn belōn, pheugousin oichetai, kathentes hautous tou oikēmatos lathra. Gerontios de ton ison tropon diasōthēna: dynamenos, ouch heileto, chataschetheis erōti Nonnichias pēs autou gametēs. Peri de tēn eō pyr embalontōn tę̄ oicheą tōn stratiōtōn, ouch echōn loipon sōtērias elpida, hekontos tou synontos autǭ ᾿Alanou apotemnei tēn kephalēn' meta de tauta tēs idias gametēs olophyromenēs, kai meta dakryōn prosōthousēs heautēn tǭ xiphei, kai prin hyph᾽ heterois genesthai, para tou andros apothanein aitousēs, kai touto to dōron hystaton par᾽ autou lathein antidolousēs. Kai hē men gynē, andreią tēs thrēskeias epaxiōs phaneisa (hēn gar Christianē), hōde tethnēke, kreittona lēthēs tēn peri autēs mnēmēn tǭ chronǭ paradousa. Gerontios de triton heauton tǭ xiphei paisas, hōs ou kairian ladōn ēstheto, spasamenos to para ton mēron xiphidion, kata tēs chardias ēlase.
Meanwhile Gerontius, the best of Constantine’s generals, became hostile to him; and thinking Maximus, his intimate friend, suitable for usurpation, he put the imperial dress on him and let him live at Tarraco. He himself marched against Constantine, arranging on the way for his son Constans, who was at Vienne, to be killed. When Constantine learned of Maximus’s affairs, he sent his general Edobichus beyond the Rhine to obtain the alliance of the Franks and Alamanni, and entrusted to Constans his son the guarding of Vienne and the cities there. Gerontius, marching to Arles, besieged the city. But not long after, when an army of Honorius came against the usurper, led by Constantius, the father of the emperor Valentinian, he fled at once with a few soldiers; for most went over to Constantius. The soldiers in Spain, thinking Gerontius contemptible because of his flight, resolved to kill him; and, armed, they ran upon his house by night. He, with one Alan, his friend, and a few slaves, shooting from above, killed more than three hundred soldiers. When the missiles ran out, the slaves fled, letting themselves down from the building secretly. Gerontius, though able to save himself in the same way, would not choose it, held back by his love for Nonnichia, his wife. About dawn, when the soldiers set fire to the house, having no further hope of safety, he cut off the head of the Alan who was with him, at the Alan’s own wish. After this, his own wife lamenting and with tears thrusting herself on the sword, and asking to die by her husband before coming into the power of others, and begging to receive this last gift from him — the woman, showing a courage worthy of her religion, for she was a Christian, died thus, handing down to time a memory of herself stronger than forgetfulness. Gerontius struck himself three times with the sword; and when he perceived that he had not received a mortal blow, he drew the dagger at his thigh and drove it into his heart.
Notes and citation
Summary: Gerontius, Constantine III’s general, rebels and sets up Maximus as emperor, kills Constans, besieges Arles, but flees before Honorius’s general Constantius; besieged by his own soldiers, he kills his Alan companion, his Christian wife at her plea, and himself.
- Sozomen praises Nonnichia’s choice of death as worthy of her religion; translated as written. These events are dated 411.
Cite (SBL): Sozomen, Hist. eccl. 9.13 (PG 67:1621–1623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-13
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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 Hartranft's English in NPNF² 2.
9.14PG 67:1623–1625
Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ, περιχαθημένης τῆς Ὁνωρίου στρατιᾶς, ἔτι πρὸς τὴν πολιορκίαν ἀντεῖχεν, ἀγγελοἱ θέντος Ἐδοδίχου μετὰ πλείστης συμμαχίας ἥξειν. Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ τοὺς στρατηγοὺς οὐ μετρίως ἐφόθδει, Βουλευσαμένων τε αὐτῶν ἀναστρέφειν εἰς Ἰταλίαν, πειραθῆναι τοῦ πολέμου, ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο συνεδόκει, πλησίον ἀγγελθέντος Ἐδοδίχου, περῶσι Ῥοδανὸν τὸν ποταμόν. Καὶ Κωνστάντιος μὲν ἔχων τοὺς πεζοὺς, ἐπιόντας περιμένει τοὺς πολεμίους “ Οὐλφίλας δὲ ὁ Κωνσταντίου συστρατηγὸς, οὗ πόῤῥωθεν ἀποχρυθεὶς μετὰ τῶν ἱππέων ἐλάνθανεν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ παραμείψαντες οἱ πολέμιοι τοῦ Οὐλφίλα τῇ στρατιᾷ, ἔμελλον εἰς χεῖρας ἱέναι τῶν ἀμφὶ τὸν Κωνστάντιον, σημείου δοθέντος, ἐξαπίνης ἀναφανεὶς Οὐλφίλας, κατὰ νώτον τῶν πολεμίων ἤλαυνεν " αὖτίκα τε τροπῆς γενομένης, οἱ μὲν φεύγουσι, οἱ δ᾽ ἀναιροῦνται, οἱ δὲ πλείους τὰ ὅπλα ἀποθέμενοι, συγγνώμην ἤἥτησαν, φειδοῦς ἠξιώθησαν. Ἐδόδιδὲ ἵππον ἐπιδὰς, ἔφυγεν εἰς ἀγρόν τινα πρὸς Ἐχδίχιον τὸν χεχτημένον, πλεῖστα παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ Ἐδοδίχου πρότερον εὐηργετημένον, φίλον νομιζόμενον. Ὁ δὲ, τὴν αὐτοῦ κεφαλὴν ἀποτεμὼν, προσφέρει τοῖς ᾿σνωρίον στρατηγοῖς, ἐπ᾽ ἐλπίδι μεγάλων δώρων καὶ τιμῆς. Κωνστάντιος δὲ τὴν μὲν κεφαλὴν 380 δεχθῆναι προσέταξε, χάριν ἔχειν Ἐκδικίῳ τὸ δημόσιον εἰπὼν τῆς Οὐλφίλα πράξεως· συνεῖναι δὲ σπουδάζοντα αὐτὸν ἀναχωρεῖν ἐκέλευσεν, οὐκ ἀγαθὴν ἡγησάμενος κακοῦ ξενοδόχου τὴν συνουσίαν ἔσεσθαι αὐτῷ ἢ τῇ στρατιᾷ. Καὶ ὁ μὲν, φίλου ἀνδρὸς καὶ ξένου ἐν δυσπραγίᾳ διακειμένου ἀνοσιώτατον φόνον τολμήσας, κατὰ κενῆς, τοῦτο δὴ τοῦ λόγου, χανὼν ἀπῆλθε.
Kōnstantinos de, perichathēmenēs tēs Honōriou stratias, eti pros tēn poliorkian anteichen, angeloi thentos Edodichou meta pleistēs symmachias hēxein. Touto de kai tous stratēgous ou metriōs ephothdei, Bouleusamenōn te autōn anastrephein eis Italian, peirathēnai tou polemou, epeidē touto synedokei, plēsion angelthentos Edodichou, perōsi Rhodanon ton potamon. Kai Kōnstantios men echōn tous pezous, epiontas perimenei tous polemious “ Oulphilas de ho Kōnstantiou systratēgos, hou porrhōthen apochrytheis meta tōn hippeōn elanthanen. Epei de parameipsantes hoi polemioi tou Oulphila tę̄ stratią, emellon eis cheiras hienai tōn amphi ton Kōnstantion, sēmeiou dothentos, exapinēs anaphaneis Oulphilas, kata nōton tōn polemiōn ēlaunen " autika te tropēs genomenēs, hoi men pheugousi, hoi d᾽ anairountai, hoi de pleious ta hopla apothemenoi, syngnōmēn hēētēsan, pheidous ēxiōthēsan. Edodide hippon epidas, ephygen eis agron tina pros Echdichion ton chechtēmenon, pleista par᾽ autou Edodichou proteron euērgetēmenon, philon nomizomenon. Ho de, tēn autou kephalēn apotemōn, prospherei tois ᾿snōrion stratēgois, ep᾽ elpidi megalōn dōrōn kai timēs. Kōnstantios de tēn men kephalēn 380 dechthēnai prosetaxe, charin echein Ekdikiǭ to dēmosion eipōn tēs Oulphila praxeōs; syneinai de spoudazonta auton anachōrein ekeleusen, ouk agathēn hēgēsamenos kakou xenodochou tēn synousian esesthai autǭ ē tę̄ stratią. Kai ho men, philou andros kai xenou en dyspragią diakeimenou anosiōtaton phonon tolmēsas, kata kenēs, touto dē tou logou, chanōn apēlthe.
Constantine, besieged by Honorius’s army, still held out against the siege, since it had been announced that Edobichus would come with a very great allied force. This frightened the generals not a little. When they had deliberated whether to return to Italy or to try the war, and decided on the latter, as Edobichus was reported near, they crossed the river Rhône. Constantius with the infantry awaited the enemy’s approach, while Ulfilas, Constantius’s fellow general, hidden not far off with the cavalry, escaped notice. When the enemy, having passed Ulfilas’s army, were about to come to blows with Constantius’s men, a signal was given; Ulfilas suddenly appeared and charged the enemy’s rear. At once there was a rout; some fled, others were killed, and most, laying down their arms, asked for pardon and were spared. Edobichus, mounting a horse, fled to an estate, to Ecdicius its owner, who had formerly received very many benefits from Edobichus and was thought a friend. But he cut off his head and brought it to Honorius’s generals, in the hope of great gifts and honour. Constantius ordered the head to be received, saying that the state was grateful to Ecdicius for Ulfilas’s deed; but when he was eager to stay with them, he ordered him to depart, not thinking that the company of an evil host would be good for himself or the army. And he, having dared a most unholy murder of a friend and guest in misfortune, went away, as the saying goes, having gaped in vain.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantius and Ulfilas defeat Edobichus’s relief army at the Rhône; Edobichus is beheaded by his treacherous host Ecdicius, whom Constantius sends away unrewarded.
Cite (SBL): Sozomen, Hist. eccl. 9.14 (PG 67:1623–1625; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-14
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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 Hartranft's English in NPNF² 2.
9.15PG 67:1625
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν νίκην ἀντιπεραιωθείσης αὖθις πρὸς τὴν πόλιν τῆς Ονωρίου στρατιᾶς, μαθὼν Κωνσταντῖνος ἀναιρεῖσθαι Ἐδόβιχον, αὐτὸς ἐξ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἀλουργίδα· καὶ τὰ σύμβολα τῆς βασιλείας ἀπέθετο · καὶ καταλαβὼν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, χειροτονεῖται πρεσβύτερος. Ὅρκους τε πρότερον λαβόντες οἱ ἔσω τειχῶν, ἀνοίγουσι τὰς πύλας, καὶ φειδοῦς ἀξιοῦνται πάντες. Καὶ τὸ ἐξ ἐκείνου πάλιν τὸ τῇδε ὑπήκοον εἰς τὴν Ονωρίου ἡγεμονίαν ἐπανῆλθε, καὶ τοῖς ὑπ' αὐτὸν ἄρχουσιν ἐπείθετο. Κωνσταντίνος δὲ ἅμα Ἰουλιανῷ τῷ παιδὶ παραπεμφθεὶς εἰς Ἰταλίαν, πρὶν φθάσαι, κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν κτίννυται. Οὐ πολλῷ δὲ ὕστερον ἀδοκήτως ἀναιροῦνται Ἰοβιανός τε καὶ Μάξιμος Η οἱ προειρημένοι τύραννοι, καὶ Σάρος, καὶ ἄλλοι πλεῖστοι ἐπὶ τούτοις, ἐπιβουλεύσαντες τῇ Ονωρίου βασιλείᾳ.
Meta de tēn nikēn antiperaiōtheisēs authis pros tēn polin tēs Onōriou stratias, mathōn Kōnstantinos anaireisthai Edobichon, autos ex heautou tēn alourgida; kai ta symbola tēs basileias apetheto ; kai katalabōn tēn ekklēsian, cheirotoneitai presbyteros. Horkous te proteron labontes hoi esō teichōn, anoigousi tas pylas, kai pheidous axiountai pantes. Kai to ex ekeinou palin to tę̄de hypēkoon eis tēn Onōriou hēgemonian epanēlthe, kai tois hyp' auton archousin epeitheto. Kōnstantinos de hama Ioulianǭ tǭ paidi parapemphtheis eis Italian, prin phthasai, kata tēn hodon ktinnytai. Ou pollǭ de hysteron adokētōs anairountai Iobianos te kai Maximos Ē hoi proeirēmenoi tyrannoi, kai Saros, kai alloi pleistoi epi toutois, epibouleusantes tę̄ Onōriou basileią.
After the victory Honorius’s army crossed back again to the city. When Constantine learned that Edobichus had been killed, he of his own accord laid aside the purple and the insignia of empire, and taking refuge in the church was ordained presbyter. Those within the walls, having first received oaths, opened the gates, and all were spared. From that time the subjects there returned again to the rule of Honorius and obeyed the officials under him. Constantine, sent with his son Julian to Italy, was killed on the way before arriving. Not long after, the usurpers mentioned, Jovinus and Maximus, were unexpectedly killed, and Sarus, and very many others besides who had plotted against the rule of Honorius.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine III abdicates, is ordained presbyter at Arles, surrenders, and is killed on the way to Italy (411); other usurpers soon fall.
Cite (SBL): Sozomen, Hist. eccl. 9.15 (PG 67:1625; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-15
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-sozomen-historia-9-15) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Hartranft's English in NPNF² 2.
9.16PG 67:1627
Ταῦτα δὲ καταλέγειν, οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος καιροῦ · ὅμως δ' οὖν ἀναγκαίως ἐμνήσθην, ὡς ἂν ἔχοιμεν εἰδέναι, ἀρκεῖν βασιλεῖ πρὸς φυλακὴν τοῦ κράτους, ἐπιμελῶς τὸ θεῖον πρεσβεύειν, ὁποῖος καὶ οὐτοσὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐγένετο. Τούτῳ δὲ συνῆν καὶ Γάλλα Πλακιδία, ὁμοπατρία αὐτοῦ ἀδελφὴ, παραπλησίως πολὺν ποιουμένη λόγον τῆς θρησκείας καὶ τῶν Ἐκκλησίων. "Αγεται δὲ ταύτην Κωνστάντιος ὁ τὴν Κωνσταντίνου τυραννίδα καθελὼν, ἀνὴρ μαχιμώτατος καὶ στρατηγικός· ὃν ὁ βασιλεὺς γεραίρων, τῇ ἀδελφῇ στεφάνῳ καὶ ἁλουργίδι καὶ τῇ κοινωνίᾳ τοῦ κράτους ἐτίμησεν. Ὀλίγον δὲ χρόνον ἐπιβιώσας, ἐτελεύτησεν, Οὐαλεντινιανὸν τὸν Ονωρίου διάδοχον καὶ Ὀνωρίαν παῖδας καταλιπών. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ, τὰ μὲν πρὸς Ἕω τῆς ἀρχομένης πολεμίων ἀπήλλακτο, καὶ σὺν κόσμῳ πολλῷ τὰ τῇδε ἰθύνετο παρὰ τὴν πάντων δόξαν · ἦν γὰρ ἔτι νέος ὁ κρατῶν. Ἐδόκει δὲ ὁ Θεὸς προφανῶς ἤδεσθαι τῇ παρούσῃ βασιλείᾳ, οὐ μόνον ἐξ ἀπροσδοκήτου τὰ περὶ τοὺς πολέμους ὧδε διατεθεὶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλῶν ἐπὶ εὐσεβείᾳ πάλαι εὐδοκιμηκότων τὰ ἱερὰ σώματα ἀναφαίνων · οἷον δὴ καὶ τότε γενέσθαι συνέβη ἐπὶ Ζαχαρία τῷ παλαιοτέρῳ προφήτῃ, καὶ Στεφάνῳ τῷ διακόνῳ χειροτονηθέντι παρὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων. Ἑκατέρου δὲ τῆς εὑρέσεως παραδόξου καὶ θείας οὔσης, ἀναγκαῖον εἰπεῖν τὸν τρόπον.
Tauta de katalegein, ouk epi tou parontos kairou ; homōs d' oun anankaiōs emnēsthēn, hōs an echoimen eidenai, arkein basilei pros phylakēn tou kratous, epimelōs to theion presbeuein, hopoios kai outosi ho basileus egeneto. Toutǭ de synēn kai Galla Plakidia, homopatria autou adelphē, paraplēsiōs polyn poioumenē logon tēs thrēskeias kai tōn Ekklēsiōn. "Agetai de tautēn Kōnstantios ho tēn Kōnstantinou tyrannida kathelōn, anēr machimōtatos kai stratēgikos; hon ho basileus gerairōn, tę̄ adelphę̄ stephanǭ kai halourgidi kai tę̄ koinōnią tou kratous etimēsen. Oligon de chronon epibiōsas, eteleutēsen, Oualentinianon ton Onōriou diadochon kai Onōrian paidas katalipōn. En toutǭ de, ta men pros Heō tēs archomenēs polemiōn apēllakto, kai syn kosmǭ pollǭ ta tę̄de ithyneto para tēn pantōn doxan ; ēn gar eti neos ho kratōn. Edokei de ho Theos prophanōs ēdesthai tę̄ parousę̄ basileią, ou monon ex aprosdokētou ta peri tous polemous hōde diatetheis, alla kai pollōn epi eusebeią palai eudokimēkotōn ta hiera sōmata anaphainōn ; hoion dē kai tote genesthai synebē epi Zacharia tǭ palaioterǭ prophētę̄, kai Stephanǭ tǭ diakonǭ cheirotonēthenti para tōn apostolōn. Hekaterou de tēs heureseōs paradoxou kai theias ousēs, anankaion eipein ton tropon.
To recount these things is not for the present occasion; yet I have mentioned them of necessity, so that we may know that for the guarding of his power it suffices an emperor to honour the divine diligently, as this emperor did. With him was also Galla Placidia, his half-sister on the father’s side, who likewise made much account of religion and the churches. Constantius, who had overthrown Constantine’s usurpation, married her, a most warlike man and able general; and the emperor, honouring him because of his sister, honoured him with crown and purple and partnership in power. Having lived a short time, he died, leaving children, Valentinian, the successor of Honorius, and Honoria. Meanwhile the eastern part of the empire was free of enemies, and affairs there were governed with great order, contrary to everyone’s expectation; for the ruler was still young. God seemed plainly to take pleasure in the present reign, not only arranging the affairs of war so unexpectedly, but also revealing the sacred bodies of many who had long been renowned for piety; as happened then too with Zechariah the ancient prophet, and Stephen, who was ordained deacon by the apostles. Since the finding of each was wonderful and divine, it is necessary to tell the manner.
Acts 6:5 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Sozomen draws the lesson that piety guards an emperor; Galla Placidia marries Constantius, who briefly shares the western throne and fathers Valentinian III; God favours the eastern reign by revealing the relics of Zechariah and Stephen.
- The first word of the staged text is the end of the chapter title and is removed by a correction.
- Stephen: Acts 6:5. The finding of Stephen’s relics (415) is not narrated in what survives.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (end of the chapter title printed by Valesius leaked into the text): ρήνης. Ταῦτα δὲ καταλέγειν → Ταῦτα δὲ καταλέγειν.
Cite (SBL): Sozomen, Hist. eccl. 9.16 (PG 67:1627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-16
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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 Hartranft's English in NPNF² 2.
9.17PG 67:1627–1629
῎Αρξομαι δὲ τοῦ προφήτου. Χαφὰρ Ζαχαρία κώμη ἐστὶν ἐν ὁρίοις Ἐλευθεροπόλεως τῆς Παλαιστίνης. Ἐπετρόπευε δὲ ταύτην Καλήμερός τις ὁμόδουλος τῷ ἀγρῷ, εὔνους μὲν τῷ κεκτημένῳ, χαλεπὸς δὲ καὶ δύσκολος, καὶ περὶ τοὺς ὁμόρους ἀγροίκους ἄδικος. Τοιούτῳ δὲ ὄντι ὕπαρ ἐπιστὰς ὁ προφήτης, ἑαυτὸν κατεμήνυσε· καὶ κῆπόν τινα ἐπι· δείξας, ῎Αγε δὴ ἐνθάδε ὄρυξον δύο πήχεις, ἔφη, ἀναμετρήσας ἀπὸ τῆς αἱμασιᾶς ἐπὶ τὸν κῆπον, παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν ἐπὶ Βιϑθερέδιν τὴν πόλιν ἄγουσαν. Εὑρήσεις δὲ λάρνακα διπλῆν, ξυλίνην τὴν ἔνδον, ἐν μολυθδίνῃ τῇ ἔξωθεν " ἀμφὶ δὲ τὴν λάρνακα, ὑέλινον σχεῦος πλῆρες ὑδάτων, καὶ δύο ὄφεις μεγέθει μετρίους, καὶ πράους καὶ ἀβλαβεῖς, ὡς δοκεῖν χειροήθεις εἶναι. Κατὰ δὲ τὴν σύνταξιν τοῦ προφήτου παραγενόμενος Καλήμερος ἐπὶ τὸν δηλωθέντα τόπον, σπουδῇ τοῦ ἔργον εἴχετο. Ὑπὸ δὲ τοῖς προειρημένοις συμθόλοις ἀναχαλυφθείσης τῆς ἱερᾶς θήκης, ἀνεφάνη ὁ θεῖος προφήτης, λευχὴν στολὴν ἠμφιεσμένος, οἷά γε, οἶμαι, καὶ ἱερεὺς " ὑπὸ δὲ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ἔξωθεν τῆς λάρναχος, παιδίον ἔκειτο βασιλικῆς ἠξιωμένον ταφῆς. Εἶχε μὲν γὰρ, ἐπὶ μὲν τῆς κεφαλῆς, χρυσοῦν στέφανον χρυσᾶ δὲ τὰ ὑποδήματα, καὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα τιμίαν. ᾿Απορούντων δὲ τῶν τότε σοφῶν καὶ ἱερέων περὶ τούτου τοῦ παιδίου, τίς τε εἴη πόθεν, καὶ οὗ χάριν τοιάδε ἡμφίεστο, λέγεται Ζαχαρίαν τὸν ἡγούμενον τῆς ἐν Γεράροις μοναχικῆς συνοικίας, παλαιᾷ περιτυχεῖν γραφῇ, οὐ τῶν ἐχχλησιαζομένων. Ἐδήλου δὲ ὡς ἡνίκα Ζαχαρίαν τὸν προφήτην ἀνεῖλεν Ἰωὰς ὁ τῆς Ἰουδαίας βασιλεὺς, οὐχ εἰς μακρὰν περὶ τὸν οἶχον χαλεπῇ ἐχρήσατο συμφορᾷ. γὰρ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀναιρέσεως τοῦ προφήτου, ἐξαπίνης αὐτῷ μάλα χεχαρισμένυς ὁ παῖς ἀπολώλει. Συμδαλὼν δὲ κατὰ θεομηνίαν τοιούτῳ παθήματι περιπεσεῖν, ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ τὸ μειράκιον ἔθαψεν, ἀπολογούμενος ταύτῃ ὑπὲρ ὧν εἰς αὐτὸν ἥμαρτε. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ὧδε ἔγνων. Ὁ δὲ προφήτης, καίπερ πρὸ πλείστων γενεῶν ὑπὸ γῆν κείμενος, σῶος ἀνεφάνη, ἐν χρῷ χεχαρμένος, εὐθύῤῥις, γενειάδα μετρίως χαθειμένην ἔχων, τὴν δὲ κεφαλὴν βραχυτέραν, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὀλίγον ἐν βάθει ταῖς ὀφρύσι χαλυπτομένους. σὺν τῇ ἁγίᾳ Τριάδι.
᾿Arxomai de tou prophētou. Chaphar Zacharia kōmē estin en horiois Eleutheropoleōs tēs Palaistinēs. Epetropeue de tautēn Kalēmeros tis homodoulos tǭ agrǭ, eunous men tǭ kektēmenǭ, chalepos de kai dyskolos, kai peri tous homorous agroikous adikos. Toioutǭ de onti hypar epistas ho prophētēs, heauton katemēnyse; kai kēpon tina epi; deixas, ᾿Age dē enthade oryxon dyo pēcheis, ephē, anametrēsas apo tēs haimasias epi ton kēpon, para tēn hodon tēn epi Biϑtheredin tēn polin agousan. Heurēseis de larnaka diplēn, xylinēn tēn endon, en molythdinę̄ tę̄ exōthen " amphi de tēn larnaka, hyelinon scheuos plēres hydatōn, kai dyo opheis megethei metrious, kai praous kai ablabeis, hōs dokein cheiroētheis einai. Kata de tēn syntaxin tou prophētou paragenomenos Kalēmeros epi ton dēlōthenta topon, spoudę̄ tou ergon eicheto. Hypo de tois proeirēmenois symtholois anachalyphtheisēs tēs hieras thēkēs, anephanē ho theios prophētēs, leuchēn stolēn ēmphiesmenos, hoia ge, oimai, kai hiereus " hypo de tous podas autou exōthen tēs larnachos, paidion ekeito basilikēs ēxiōmenon taphēs. Eiche men gar, epi men tēs kephalēs, chrysoun stephanon chrysa de ta hypodēmata, kai tēn esthēta timian. ᾿Aporountōn de tōn tote sophōn kai hiereōn peri toutou tou paidiou, tis te eiē pothen, kai hou charin toiade hēmphiesto, legetai Zacharian ton hēgoumenon tēs en Gerarois monachikēs synoikias, palaią peritychein graphę̄, ou tōn echchlēsiazomenōn. Edēlou de hōs hēnika Zacharian ton prophētēn aneilen Iōas ho tēs Ioudaias basileus, ouch eis makran peri ton oichon chalepę̄ echrēsato symphorą. gar hēmerą tēs anaireseōs tou prophētou, exapinēs autǭ mala checharismenys ho pais apolōlei. Symdalōn de kata theomēnian toioutǭ pathēmati peripesein, hypo tous podas autou to meirakion ethapsen, apologoumenos tautę̄ hyper hōn eis auton hēmarte. Kai ta men hōde egnōn. Ho de prophētēs, kaiper pro pleistōn geneōn hypo gēn keimenos, sōos anephanē, en chrǭ checharmenos, euthyrrhis, geneiada metriōs chatheimenēn echōn, tēn de kephalēn brachyteran, tous ophthalmous oligon en bathei tais ophrysi chalyptomenous. syn tę̄ hagią Triadi.
I will begin with the prophet. Kaphar Zacharia is a village in the territory of Eleutheropolis in Palestine. It was managed by a certain Calemerus, a serf of the estate, well disposed to its owner but harsh and difficult and unjust to the neighbouring countrymen. To him, such as he was, the prophet appeared in a waking vision and made himself known; and pointing out a certain garden, he said: “Come, dig here two cubits, measuring from the hedge to the garden, by the road that leads to the city of Bitheribis. You will find a double coffin, the inner of wood, in an outer one of lead; and about the coffin a glass vessel full of water, and two snakes of moderate size, gentle and harmless, so as to seem tame.” Calemerus, coming to the place indicated according to the prophet’s instruction, set to the work zealously. When the sacred tomb had been uncovered with the signs described, the divine prophet appeared, clothed in a white robe, as a priest, I think; and under his feet, outside the coffin, lay a child who had been thought worthy of a royal burial; for he had on his head a golden crown, golden shoes, and a costly garment. When the wise men and priests of the time were at a loss about this child — who he was, whence, and why he was so dressed — it is said that Zacharias, the head of the monastic community at Gerara, came upon an old writing, not one of those read in the churches. It showed that when Joash, king of Judah, had killed the prophet Zechariah, not long after he met with a grievous calamity in his house. For on the … day of the prophet’s killing, his son, who was very dear to him, suddenly died. Concluding that he had fallen into such suffering through the wrath of God, he buried the boy under the prophet’s feet, making amends in this way for his sin against him. So I have learned. The prophet, though he had lain under the earth for very many generations, appeared intact, his hair cut close, his nose straight, with a moderately long beard, his head rather small, his eyes a little sunken and covered by his eyebrows. [… with the Holy Trinity.]
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
2 Chr 24:20–22 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The relics of the prophet Zechariah, son of Jehoiada, are found near Eleutheropolis through a vision to the serf Calemerus, with a royally clad child at his feet, explained from an apocryphal writing as the son of King Joash; the history breaks off here.
- Joash and Zechariah: 2 Chr 24:20–22. The apocryphal writing is not identified.
- Book 9 breaks off unfinished, as in the manuscripts; the closing words “with the Holy Trinity” are a fragment of a scribe’s ending and are given in brackets.
- A word giving the day is lost in the scan (marked “…”); NPNF² 2, from a fuller text, reads “seventh”.
Cite (SBL): Sozomen, Hist. eccl. 9.17 (PG 67:1627–1629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/sozomen-historia/9-17
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-sozomen-historia-9-17) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Valesius's Greek text as printed in Migne PG 67 (Bavarian State Library OCR and Tesseract re-OCR); every chapter compared afterwards with Hartranft's English in NPNF² 2.