Letters 111–120
Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 111
111PG 83
Ἢ μὲν ὑμετέρα μεγαλοφνῖα τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς εὑεργεσιῶν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων χομιεῖται τὰς ἀντιδόσεις. Πᾶν γὰρ ὁτιοῦν αὐτοῦ χάριν γινόμενον, μισθὸν ἔχει συνεζευγμένον. Ἐγὼ μέντοι τῶν συχοφαντιῶν τὸ πλῆθος γελῶ. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ σφοδρότερον αἰχιζόμενα σώματα, τῆς ὀδύνης οὐκ ἐπαισθάνεται, νεκρωθεΐσης λοιπὸν τῆς αἰκιζομένης σαρκός. Θρηνῶ δὲ ὅμως τὰ ἀθνυρώτατα στόματα ψευδολογίας προφέροντα" τί γὰρ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀδικηθέντες οἱ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἐπισκόπου "Ἴδα κατήγοροι, ταύταις καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ταῖς ψευδολογίαις ἐχρήσαντο; Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ τῶν κριτῶν ἤμην ἐγώ " κατὰ γὰρ τὴν βασιλικὴν ψῆφον ἐν τῇ Κύῤῥῳ διῆγον. Ἔπειτα δὲ, ὡς παρὰ πολλῶν ἀκήκοα, καὶ δυσχεραίνοντες διετέλουν τὴν ἧμετέραν ἀπόλειψιν " καὶ γὰρ τῆς μυστικῇς αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ Πάσχα μεταλαχεῖν κοινωνίας ἐγὼ παρἐσχεύασα᾽ καὶ πολλάκις ἡμῖν συντυχεῖν ἐθελήσαντας εὐμενῶς ἐδεξάμην, καὶ εἰσηγησάμην ἅπερ ἐχρῆν. Ἵνα δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἐπισκόπου τοῦ κυρίου Δόμνου ἀπολογήσωμαι, τί ἔδει πρᾶξαι τὸν οὕτω φανερῶς πολεμούμενον, καὶ θεώμενον τοὺς. Ψήφῳ συνοδιχῇ καθαιρουμένους εἰς ἑτέραν διοίκησιν’ πεμπομένους, καὶ παρὰ τοὺς ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς θεκαὶ θεῖα παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῆς ἀληθείας γελώμενά τε καὶ χωμῳδούμενα; Τούτου χάριν, ὡς ἔγνω, τὴν "κρίσιν ἑτέροις παρέπεμψε, καὶ οὐ μόνον τῷ θεοφιλεστάτῳ τῷ κυρίῳ “Ἴ16ᾳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἁγιωτάτῳ ἐπισχόπῳ τῷ κυρίῳ Συμεῶνι τῷ ᾿Αμίδης, ὥστε τῶν δύο σεων. Πῶς δὲ δίκαιον τοὺς αὐτοὺς ὠμότητα καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν κατηγορεῖσθαι; Καὶ γὰρ ἐκδάλλοντες κινδυνεύομεν, καὶ μὴ ἐχδάλλοντες τοὺς κινδύνους οὐ διαφεύγομεν " καὶ μόνοι πολεμούμεθα παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην. Καὶ αἱ μὲν ἄλλαι διοικήσεις ἐν ἧσυχίᾳ διάνουσιν " ἡμεῖς δὲ μόνοι τοῖς συκοφάνταις προχείμεθα " ἐγὼ δὲ διαφερόντως, καίτοι μήτε συνδιχάσας, καὶ παντελῶς ἀνεύθυνος ὦν. Ταῦτα ἠναγκάσθην γράψαι τοῖς τοῦ ὑμετέρου μεγέθους γράμμασιν ἐντυχὼν, καὶ μαθὼν δι' αὐτῶν, ὡς καὶ διὰ ταῦτα κίνησις μεγίστη γέγονς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, ἀνδρῶν περιορισθέντων, καὶ ἡσυχίαν ἀγόντων, καὶ οὐδὲ τοῖς τῆς ἐπαρχίας θεοφιλεστάτοις ἐπισκόποις συνεδρευόντων. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ δὶς ἤδη χειροτονίας ἐπισκοπικῆς ἐν τῇ ἐπαρχίᾳ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ γεγενημένης, οὐδεμιᾶς ἐχοινώνησα. Εἰ ὃὲ μὴ τῷ βασιλικῷ χατειχόμην νόμῳ, ἄρα ἂν ἀπέστην, χα τινα καταλαδὼν ἐσχατιὰν, ἐχεΐ τὰς λειπομένας ἡμέρας διῆγον. ᾿Απεἰρηχα γὰρ πρὸς τὰ κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ τυρευόμενα. Καὶ γὰρ τούτους αὐτοὺς τοὺς ᾿Εδεσηνοὺς οὐκ οἶμαι αὐτομάτως ταύτην καθ᾽ ἡμῶν τὴν συκοφαντίαν ὑφῆναι, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτόθι φιλαλήθων ἀνθρώπων ταῦτα καθ᾽ ἡμῶν διδαχθῆναι. Καὶ χάρις τῷ Σωτῆρι τῶν ὅλων, ὅτι με ἀνάξιον ὄντα τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ἠξίωσε μακαρὶσμῶν. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τὸν περιορισμὸν μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς ἐδεξάμην, καὶ τὴν ἐξορίαν προσδέχομαι " καὶ πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν ἐπαγαγεῖν ἐθέλωσιν, ἀσπαστῶς δέχομαι διὰ τὴν ἀποκειμένην ἐλπίδα. Τῆς δὲ ὑμετέρας μεγακαὶ τοὺς ἁγίους ἅπαντας κοινωνεῖν μὸι τῶν εὐχῶν Ἰχετεύω.
Ē men hymetera megalophnia tōn eis hēmas heuergesiōn para tou Theou tōn holōn chomieitai tas antidoseis. Pan gar hotioun autou charin ginomenon, misthon echei synezeugmenon. Egō mentoi tōn sychophantiōn to plēthos gelō. Kai gar ta sphodroteron aichizomena sōmata, tēs odynēs ouk epaisthanetai, nekrōtheïsēs loipon tēs aikizomenēs sarkos. Thrēnō de homōs ta athnyrōtata stomata pseudologias propheronta" ti gar par᾽ hēmōn adikēthentes hoi tou theophilestatou episkopou "Ida katēgoroi, tautais kath᾽ hēmōn tais pseudologiais echrēsanto? Prōton men gar oude tōn kritōn ēmēn egō " kata gar tēn basilikēn psēphon en tę̄ Kyrrhǭ diēgon. Epeita de, hōs para pollōn akēkoa, kai dyscherainontes dieteloun tēn hēmeteran apoleipsin " kai gar tēs mystikę̄s autous en tǭ sōtēriǭ Pascha metalachein koinōnias egō parescheuasa᾽ kai pollakis hēmin syntychein ethelēsantas eumenōs edexamēn, kai eisēgēsamēn haper echrēn. Hina de kai hyper tou theophilestatou episkopou tou kyriou Domnou apologēsōmai, ti edei praxai ton houtō phanerōs polemoumenon, kai theōmenon tous. Psēphǭ synodichę̄ kathairoumenous eis heteran dioikēsin’ pempomenous, kai para tous ekklēsiastikous thekai theia para tōn echthrōn tēs alētheias gelōmena te kai chōmǭdoumena? Toutou charin, hōs egnō, tēn "krisin heterois parepempse, kai ou monon tǭ theophilestatǭ tǭ kyriǭ “I16ą, alla kai tǭ hagiōtatǭ epischopǭ tǭ kyriǭ Symeōni tǭ ᾿Amidēs, hōste tōn dyo seōn. Pōs de dikaion tous autous ōmotēta kai philanthrōpian katēgoreisthai? Kai gar ekdallontes kindyneuomen, kai mē echdallontes tous kindynous ou diapheugomen " kai monoi polemoumetha para pasan tēn oikoumenēn. Kai hai men allai dioikēseis en hēsychią dianousin " hēmeis de monoi tois sykophantais procheimetha " egō de diapherontōs, kaitoi mēte syndichasas, kai pantelōs aneuthynos ōn. Tauta ēnankasthēn grapsai tois tou hymeterou megethous grammasin entychōn, kai mathōn di' autōn, hōs kai dia tauta kinēsis megistē gegons kath᾽ hēmōn, andrōn perioristhentōn, kai hēsychian agontōn, kai oude tois tēs eparchias theophilestatois episkopois synedreuontōn. Tǭ onti gar dis ēdē cheirotonias episkopikēs en tę̄ eparchią tę̄ hēmeterą gegenēmenēs, oudemias echoinōnēsa. Ei hoe mē tǭ basilikǭ chateichomēn nomǭ, ara an apestēn, cha tina kataladōn eschatian, echeï tas leipomenas hēmeras diēgon. ᾿Apeirēcha gar pros ta kat᾽ emou tyreuomena. Kai gar toutous autous tous ᾿Edesēnous ouk oimai automatōs tautēn kath᾽ hēmōn tēn sykophantian hyphēnai, all᾽ hypo tōn autothi philalēthōn anthrōpōn tauta kath᾽ hēmōn didachthēnai. Kai charis tǭ Sōtēri tōn holōn, hoti me anaxion onta tōn euangelikōn ēxiōse makarismōn. Dia toi touto kai ton periorismon meth᾽ hēdonēs edexamēn, kai tēn exorian prosdechomai " kai pan hoper an epagagein ethelōsin, aspastōs dechomai dia tēn apokeimenēn elpida. Tēs de hymeteras megakai tous hagious hapantas koinōnein moi tōn euchōn Icheteuō.
Your Magnanimity will receive from the God of the universe the recompense for your kindnesses to us; for whatever is done for his sake has its reward yoked to it. I, however, laugh at the multitude of slanders. Bodies that are tortured very violently no longer feel the pain, since the tortured flesh is by then deadened. Yet I lament the most unbridled mouths that utter lies. For what wrong had the accusers of the most God-beloved bishop Ibas suffered from us, that they used these lies against us? First, I was not even one of the judges, for by the imperial sentence I was living at Cyrus. Next, as I have heard from many, they kept complaining of our absence; for it was I who arranged for them to share in the mystical communion at the saving Pascha, and when they often wished to meet us I received them kindly and proposed what was needed. And to make a defense also for the most God-beloved bishop, lord Domnus: what should a man have done who was so openly attacked, and who saw those deposed by synodical vote being sent to another diocese, and … the ecclesiastical … and divine things laughed at and mocked by the enemies of the truth? For this reason, as he decided, he referred the judgment to others, not only to the most God-beloved lord Ibas but also to the most holy bishop, lord Symeon of Amida, so that of the two … How can it be just for the same people to be accused of both cruelty and humanity? If we expel, we are in danger; and if we do not expel, we do not escape the dangers; and we alone in the whole world are attacked. The other dioceses live in quiet; we alone are exposed to the slanderers, and I above all, although I did not sit as a judge and am wholly without responsibility. I was compelled to write this on reading the letter of your Greatness and learning from it that a very great agitation has arisen against us on this account too, against men who are confined, who keep quiet and do not even sit in council with the most God-beloved bishops of the province. For in truth, although episcopal ordinations have twice taken place in our province, I took part in neither. Were I not held by the imperial law, I would have withdrawn, taken some remote place, and spent my remaining days there; for I have given up in the face of the plots against me. I do not think that these Edessenes wove this slander against us of their own accord; they were taught it against us by the lovers of truth there. And thanks be to the Savior of the universe, who has counted me, unworthy as I am, worthy of the gospel beatitudes. That is why I received the confinement with pleasure and await exile; and whatever they wish to bring on me I welcome gladly because of the hope laid up for me. … your Magnanimity … and I beseech all the saints to give me a share in their prayers.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret tells the patrician Anatolius that he had no part in the judgment of Ibas's accusers, defends Domnus of Antioch, and welcomes confinement and exile for the hope of heaven.
- Migne Letter 111, To the patrician Anatolius (449).
- The 'accusers of Ibas' are clergy of Edessa who brought charges against their bishop Ibas; their case had been heard at Antioch and referred, as the letter says, to Ibas and Symeon of Amida. 'The lovers of truth there' is ironic, translated as written.
- Words are lost in the scan after 'and' in the sentence on the deposed clergy (probably 'contrary to the ecclesiastical canons'), after 'so that of the two' (probably 'cities'), and before 'your Magnanimity' at the end; marked '…'. Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal date are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal date; marginal column letter; marginal letter removed; word rejoined): πολ- Β λῶν → πολλῶν; ὦν. οἱ πο πὶ δθΟΟ ροίθηβ, "ἡ ἰδὶ γο] 4008 νἱ (25 οἱ ἔτ λυ. 418, ἰση!. ΥἹ, ῥ. 10 ἢ Ταῦτα → ὦν. Ταῦτα; δέχομαι Α διὰ → δέχομαι διὰ.
Topics: Church office, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 111 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/111). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/111
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 112
112PG 83
Ἠλπίσαμεν πεπαῦσθαι τὰ σκυθρωπὰ, τινῶν ἡμῖν μεμηνυχότων ὡς ἐσδέσθη μὲν ἡ τοῦ χαλλινίχου βαδὲ μεταξὺ αὐτοῦ καὶ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἐπισκόπον γεγένηνται, καὶ πέπαυται μὲν ἡ τῆς συνόδου κλῇσις, ἡ δὲ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπανῆλθεν εἰρήνη. Τὰ δὲ νῦν παρὰ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος γραφέντα σφόδρα ἡμᾶς ἡνίασεν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔστιν ἐκ τῆς θρυλλουμένης συνόδου προσδοκῆσαι χρηστὸν, εἰ μὴ ἄρα ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Δεσπότης, τῇ συνήθει κηδεμονίᾳ χρησάμενος, τῶν ταραχωδῶν δαιμόνων διαλύσει τὰς μηχανάς. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ συνόδῳ, τῇ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συναθροισθείσῃ φημὶ, συνεψηφίσαντο μὲν τοῖς ὁρθοδόξοις οἱ τῆς ᾿Αρείου συμμορίας, καὶ τῇ ἀποστολικῇ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν ἐκθέσει συνέθεντο, Διετέλεσαν δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ πολεμοῦντες, ἕως τὸ σῶμα τῆς Ἔχκχληαἰας διέῤῥηξαν. Καὶ τριάζοντα μὲν ἔτη διετέλεσαν κοινωνοῦντες ἀλλήλοις, οἵ τε τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ἀντἐχόμενοι δογμάτων, καὶ οἱ τὴν ᾿Αρείου βλασφημίαν νοσοῦντες. Ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ δὲ τῆς ἐσχάτης συνόδου Ὑεγενημένης, ὅτε τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπον τὸν μέγαν Μελέτιον τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ἐκείνοις ἑἐνίδρυσαν θώχοις, εἶτα μετ᾽ ὀλίγας αὐτὸν ἡμέρας διὰ τῆς βασιλυπροφανῇ τὴν ᾿Αρείου περικείμενος λύμην, ἀπέ… σαν δὲ παραυτίκα οἱ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων … σις. Εἰς ἐκεῖνα ἀφορῶσα καὶ τὰ ομοια προορῶσα ἡ ἀθλία ψυχῆ μου στένει καὶ ὀδύρεται, οὐδὲν χαραδοχοῦσα χρηστόν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἴσασιν οἱ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων διοικήσεων τὸν ἐγκείμενον τοῖς δώδεκα κεφαλαίοις ἰόν " ἀλλὰ τῇ περιφανείᾳ τοῦ ταῦτα γεγραφότος προσέχοντες, οὐδὲν ὑποπτεύουσι φλαῦρον " καὶ οἶμαι ὡς ὁ τὸν ἐχείνου διαδεξάμενος θρόνον πάντα πραγματεύεται, ὥστε δευτέρᾳ ταῦτα κρατῦναι συνόδῳ. Ὁ γὰρ ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος τοιαῦτα πρώην γράψας, καὶ ἀναθεματίσας τοὺς τούτοις ἐμμένειν μὴ βουλομόνους, τί οὐκ ἂν πράξειεν οἰκουμενικῇ προχαθίσας συνόδῳ; Καὶ εὖ ἴσθι, δέσποτα, ὡς οὐδεὶς τῶν τὴν πα ἐγκειμένην αὐτοῖς αἵρεσιν ἐγνωκότων ἀνέξεται αὐτὰ δέξασθαι, κἂν δὶς τοσοῦτοι ψηφίσωνται. Καὶ γὰρ ἤδη καὶ πλειόνών ὡς ἔτυχε ταῦτα βεδαιωσάντων, ἀντἐστημεν ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, καὶ οὐ πρότερον ἐχοινωνήσαμεν τῷ ταῦτα γεγραφότι, ἕως τοῖς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐχτεθεῖσι συνθέμενος, σύμφωνον αὐτοῖς διδασκαλίαν προσῆρμοσεν, οὐδεμίαν τῶν κεφαλαίων ἐχείνων ποιησάμενος μνήμην. Καὶ τοῦτο ῥάδιον γνῶναι τὴν σὴν ὁσιότητα, χελεύσασαν ζητηθῆναι τὰ πεπραγμένα. ᾿Απόκεινται γὰρ πάντως, κατὰ τὸ παραχολουθῆσαν ἔθος, τῆς συνὄδου τὰς ὑπογραφὰς ἔχοντα. "Ἔστι δὲ πλείονα ἣ πεντήκοντα συνοδικὰ, τὴν κατηγορίαν τῶν δώδεκα χεφαλαίων δεικνύντα. Πρὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς εἰς Ἔφεσον ἀποδημίας, ὁ μακάριος γέγραφεν Ἰωάννης τοῖς περὶ τὸν θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον Εὐθήριον τῶν Τυάνων, καὶ Φίλμον τὸν Κα'σαρείας, καὶ Θεόδοτον τὸν ᾿Αγκύρας, ᾿ἈΑπολιναρίου διδασκαλίαν τὰ κεφάλαια ταῦτα καλέσας. Καὶ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ δὲ ἣ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγενημένη καθαίρεσις τοῦ τε τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρέων καὶ τοῦ τῆς Ἐφεσίων, αἰτίαν ἔχει τὴν τῶν κεφαλαίων τούτων ἔκθεσιν καὶ βεδαίωσιν. Καὶ συνοδιχὰ δὲ πολλὰ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ πρός τε τὸν χαλλένιχον βασιλέα, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς μεγάλους ἄρχοντας περὶ τούτων ἐγράφη " ὡσαύἕως δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἐν ωναταντινουπόλει λαὸν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν εὐλαδέστατον κλῆρον. Καὶ μὲν δὴ κκαὶ εἰς ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐσχήκαμεν, καὶ τρεῖς ὕστερον αὐτῷ διαμαρτυρίας ἐπέμψαμεν. Καὶ τοῖς θεοφιλεστάτοις δὲ τῆς Δύσεως ἐπισκόποις, τῷ Μεδιολάνου φημὶ, καὶ τῷ ᾿Αχυλιείας, καὶ τῷ Ῥαδέννης, περὶ τούτων ἐγράψαμεν, διαμαρτυρόμενοι ὡς τῆς ᾿Απολιναρίου ταῦτα καινοτομίας πεκλήρωται " καὶ αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ταῦτα γράψαντι ὁ μακάριος ἐπιστέλλων Ἰωάννης διὰ τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου, προφανῶς αὐτοῖς ἐπεμέμ.ψατο " ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμῃς ᾿Ακάκιος. Καὶ ἵνα συντόμως μάθῃ σου ἡ ἁγιότης, ἀπἐστειλα τῆς τε τοῦ μακαρίου ᾿Ακακχίου ἐπιστολῆς, καὶ «ἧς τοῦ μακαρίου Ἰωάννου πρὸς τὸν μακαρίτην Κύρίλλον γραφείσης τὸ ἴσον " ἵνα γνῷς ὡς καὶ περὶ συμδάσεως αὐτῷ γράφοντες, τὴν τῶν κεφαλαίων ςούτων κατηγορίαν ἐποιήσαντο. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ μαχαρίρης Κύριλλος, γράφων τῷ μακαρίῳ ᾿Αχαχίῳ, τὸν τῶν κεφαλαίων τούτων παρεδήλωσε σχοκὸν, εἰρηκὼς, ὅτι « Ἐκεῖνα πρὸς τὰς τοῦδε χλινοτομίας ἐγράψαμεν, καὶ ὅτι τῆς εἰρήνης γενομένης ἐχν λευχανθήσεται. » Καὶ αὕτη τοίνυν ἡ ἀπολογ ία βεδαιοῖ τῆν κατηγορίαν. ᾿Απέστειλα δὲ καὶ τῶν παρ᾽ αὑτοῦ γραφέντων ἐν τῷ τῆς συμόάσεως χαιρῷ τὸ ἀντίγραφον, ἵνα γνῷς, δέσποτα, ὡς οὐδεμίαν τούτων ἑἐποιήσατο μνήμην" καὶ ὡς χρὴ τοὺς ἀπιόντας εἰς τὴν σύνοδον τὰ ἐν τῷ χαιρῷ τῆς συμδάσεως γραφέντα “προσενεγκεῖν, καὶ σαφῶς εἰπεῖν τίνα μὲν εἰργάσατο τὴν διάστασιν, ἐπὶ τίσιν δὲ τὰ διεστῶτα συνήφθη. Τοὺς γὰρ εἰς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεόείας καλουμένους ἀγῶνα, πάντα πόνον ἀναδέξασθαι χρὴ, καὶ τὴν θείαν ἐπικαλέσασθαι συμμαχίαν, ἵνα τὸν παρὰ τῶν προγόνων ἡμῖν καταλειφθέντα κλῇρον διατηρήσωμεν λον. Χρὴ δὲ σκοπῆσαί σου τὴν ἁγιωσύνην καὶ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων τοὺς ὁμογνώμονας, καὶ κοινωνοὺς τῆς ἀποδημίας ποιήσασθαι" καὶ τῶν εὐλαθεσιάτων κληρικῶν τοὺς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεθείας ἔχοντας ζῆλον, ἵνα μὴ καὶ παρὰ τῶν οἰκείων προδοθέντες, ἣ ἀναγχασθῶμέν τι πρᾶξαι τῶν ἀπαρεσχόνπων τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, ἢ μονωθέντες τοῖς πολεμοῦσι γενώμεθα. Πίστις ἐστὶ, παρακαλῶ, ἐν ἦἧ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἔχομεν: τῆς σωτηρίας " καὶ χρὴ πάντα κινῆσαι πόρον, ὥστε μηδὲν αὐτῇ νόθον ἐπεισαχθῆναι, μηδὲ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν παραφθαρῆναι διδασκαλίαν. Ταῦτα ἐγὼ καὶ πόῤῥωθεν ὧν, στένων καὶ θρηνῶν γράφω, καὶ τὸν καινὰν Δεσπάτην ἀντιδολῶ τὰ στυγνὸν τοῦτο διαλῦσαι νέφος, καὶ καθαρὰν ἡμῖν αἰθρίαν χαρίσασθαι. Εἰ Παῦλος, τῆς ἀληθείας ὁ κήρυξ, ἡ τοῦ ἁγίον Πνεύματος σάλπιγξ, πρὸς τὸν μέγαν ἔδραμε Πέτρον, ὥστε τοῖς ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ περὶ τῆς “κατὰ νόμον πολι- «εἰας ἀμφισδητοῦσι παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ κομίσαι τὴν λύσιν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς" οἱ εὐτελεῖς καὶ σμιχροὶ, πρὸς τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ὑμῶν τρέχομεν θρόνον, ὥστε παρ᾽ ὑμῶν λαθεῖν τοῖς τῶν Ἐχχλητιῶν ἔλκεσι θεραπείαν. Διὰ πάντα γὰρ ὑμῖν. τὸ πρωτεύειν ἁρμόττει. Πολλοῖς γὰρ ὁ ὑμέτερος θρόνος κοσμεῖται πλεονεχτήμασι. Τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλας πόλεις ἣ μέγεθος, ἣ κάλλος, ἢ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκητόρων κοσμεῖ " ἐνίας δὲ τούτων ἐστετα τῇ δὲ ὑμετέρᾳ φορὰν ἔδωκεν ἀγαθῶν ὁ τῶν ἀγαθῶν χορηγός. γὰρ αὐτὴ πασῶν μεγίστη, καὶ λαμπροτάτη, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης προχαθημένη, καὶ τῷ πλήθει τῶν οἰκητόρων χυμαΐίνουσα. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, δ καὶ νῦν κρατοῦσαν ἡγεμονίαν ἐδλάστησε " καὶ τῆς οἰκείας προσηγορίας τοῖς ἀρχομένοις μετέδωκε. Κοσμεῖ δὲ αὐτὴν διαφερόντως ἡ πίστις “ καὶ μάρτυς ἀξιόχρεως ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος βοῶν, ὅτι « Ἧ πίστις ὑμῶν καταγγέλλεται ἐν ὅλῳ τῷ κόσμῳ. » Εἰ δὲ εὐθὺς δεξαμένη τὰ τοῦ σωτηρίου κηρύγματος σπέρματα, «οἷς ἀξιαγάστοις τούτοις ἐδεδρίθει καρποῖς, τίς ἀπό- «χρὴ λόγος τὴν νῦν ἐν αὐτῇ πολιτευομένην εὐσέδειαν εὐφημῆσαι; Ἔχει δὲ καὶ τῶν κοινῶν Πατέρων καὶ διδασκάλων τῆς ἀληθείας Πέτρου καὶ Παύλου τὰς θήκας, τῶν πιστῶν τὰς ψυχὰς φωτιζούσας. Ἡ δὲ τρισμακαρία τούτων καὶ θεία ξυνωρὶς ἀνέτειλε μὲν ἐν τῇ ἑῴχ, καὶ πάντοσε τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐξέπεμψεν" ἐν δὲ τῇ Δύσει προθύμως ἐδέξατο τὰς τοῦ βίου δυσμὰς, κἀκεῖθεν νῦν χαταὐυγάζει τὴν οἰκουμένην. Οὗτῳ; τὸν ὑμέτερον περιφανέστατον ἀπέφηναν θρόνον" οὗτος τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν ὑμετέρων ὁ χολοφών. Ὁ δὲ ἐχείνων θεὸς καὶ νῦν τὸν ἐχείνων ἐλάμπρυνε θρόνον, τὴν ὑμετέραν ἁγιωσύνην ἱδρύσας ἐν τούτῳ τῆς ὀρθο- Καὶ τούτου πολλὰ μὲν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν καὶ ἄλλα τεκμήρια " ἀρκεῖ δὲ ὑμῶν καὶ ὁ κατὰ τῶν δυσωνύμων Μανικαίων ζῆλος, ὃν πρώην ὑμῶν ἣ ὁσιότης ἐγύψνωσε, δείξασα τὴν περὶ τὰ θεῖα τῆς ὑμετέρας φιλο- ᾿θεῖας σπουδήν. ᾿Απόχρη καὶ τὰ νῦν παρ᾽ ὑμῶν γραφέντα τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ὑμῶν χαρακτῆρα δηλῶσαι. ἙἘντετυχήχαμεν γὰρ τοῖς παρὰ τῆς σῆῇς γραφεῖσι ὁσιότητος περὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡ μῶν ἕνανθρωπήσεως, καὶ ἐθαυμάσαμεν τὴν τῶν γεγραμμένων τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἀϊδίου Πατρὸς ἀΐδιον θεότητα τοῦ Μονογενοῦς, καὶ τὴν ἐκ σπέρματος ᾿Αόραὰμ. καὶ Δαδὶδ ἀνθρωπότητα" καὶ ὅτι κατὰ πάντα ἡμῖν ἡ ληφθεῖσα φύσις ἐῴκει, μόνον δὲ ἀνόμοιος ἣν τῷ πάσης ἁμαρπίας ἁμύητος διαμεῖναι" ἐπειδήπερ οὐκ ἐκ φύσεως, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ προαιρέσεως αὕτη φύεται. Εἶχε δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τὰ γράμματα, ὡς εἷς μὲν ὁ μονογενὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, ἀπαθὴς δὲ αὐτοῦ ἡ θεότης, καὶ ἄτρεπτος, καὶ ἀναλλοίωτος, καθάπερ ὁ γεννήσας αὐτὸν Πατὴρ, καὶ τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα " καὶ διὰ τοῦτο «ἣν παθητὴν ἔλαδε φύσιν, ἐπειδήπερ ἡ θεία φύσις οὐκ ἐδέχετο πάθος, ἵνα τῷ πάθει τῆς ἰδίας σαρκὸς τὴν ἀπάθειαν τοῖς εἷς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκόσι χαρίσηται. Ταῦτα, καὶ ὅσα τούτοις ἐστὶ συγγενῆ, περιεῖχε τὰ γράμματα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τἣν πνευματικήν σου σοφίαν θαυμάσαντες, τὴν δι’ ὑμῶν φθεγξαμένην τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀνυμνήσαμὲν χάριν" καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν, καὶ ἀντιδολοῦμεν, καὶ δεόμεθα, καὶ ἱκετεύομέν σου τὴν ἁγιωσύνην, ἐπαμῦναι ταῖς τοῦ θεοῦ Ἐχκχλησίαις Λύσιν γὰρ ἔσεσθαι τοῦ κλύδωνος προσδοκήσαντες διὰ τῶν παρὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἁγιωσύνης εἰς τὴν Ἔφεσὸν ἀποσταλέντων, χαλεπωτέρᾳ περιπεπτώχαμεν ζάλῃ. Ὃ γὰρ τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρείας δικαιότατος πρόεὄρος οὐκ ἡρκέσθη τῇ ἀνόμῳ ταύτῃ καὶ ἀδικωτάτῃ καθαιρέσει τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου καὶ θεοφιλεστάτου τῆς νοῦ, οὐδὲ ἐνέπλησεν αὐτοῦ τὸν θυμὸν τῶν ἄλλων ἐπισκόπων ἡ παραπλησία σφαγή " ἀλλὰ κἀμὲ τὸν ἀπόντα ὁμοίως καλάμῳ χατέσφαξεν, οὔτε καλέσας εἰς κριτήριον, οὔτε παρόντα κρίνας, οὐκ ἐρωτήσας τίνα φρονῶ περὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐνανθρωπήσεως. Καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀνδροφόνους, καὶ τυμόωρύχους, καὶ τοὺς τὰς ἀλλοτρίας συλήσαντας εὐνὰς, οὐ πρότερον κατακρίνουσιν οἱ δικάζοντες, ἕως ἂν ἣ αὐτοὶ τὰς κατηγορίας ταῖς ὁμολογίαις χυρώσωσιν, ἣ παρ᾽ ἐτέρων ἐναργῶς ἐλεγχθῶσιν. Ἡμᾶς δὲ ὁ τοῖς θείοις νόμοις ἐντεθραμμένος πέντε καὶ τριάκοντα σταθμοῖς ἀφεστηχότας χατόέχρινεν ὡς ἠθέλησε. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐ νῦν μόνον πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πέρυσι μετὰ δύο ἄνὄρας τῶν τὴν ᾿Απολιναρίου νόσον εἰσδεξαμένων ἐκεῖσε δραμόντας, καὶ συκοφαντίας καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὑφήναντας, ἀναστὰς ἐπ' ἐκκλησίας ἡμᾶς ἀνεθεμάτισε: καὶ ταῦτα ἐμοῦ γράψαντος πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἃ φρονῶ ᾿Εγὼ δὲ ὀδύρομαι μὲν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸν κλύδωνα, τὴν δὲ ἡσυχίαν ἀσπάζομαι. Ἕξ γὰρ καὶ εἴκοσι ἔτη τὴν ἐγχειρισθεῖσάν. μοι παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων Ἐκκλησίαν ἰθύνας διὰ τὰς ὑμετέρας εὐχὰς, οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦ μακαριωτάτου Θεοδότου τοῦ τῆς ᾿Ανατολῆς προἐδρον, οὐκ ἐπὶ τῶν μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνον, τῶν τὸν ᾿Αντιοχέων ᾿ἡ διαδεξαμένων θρόνον, τὴν τυχοῦσαν μέμψιν ὑπέμεινα, ἀλλὰ τῆς θείας μοι χάριτος συνεργησάσης, πλείους μὲν ἣ χιλίας ψυχὰς ἡλευθέρωσα τῆς Μαρκίωνος νόσον, πολλοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ἐκ τῆς ᾿Αρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου συμμορίας προσήγαγον τῷ Δεσπότῃ Χριστῷ καὶ ἐν ὀχταχοσίαις ᾿Εκκλησίαις ἔλαχον ποιμαίνειν "τοσαύτας γὰρ ἡ Κύῤῥος παροικίας ἔχει, ἐν αἷς οὐδὲ ἂν διὰ τὰς ὑμετέρας εὐχὰς μεμένηχε ζιζάνιον: ἀλλὰ πάσης αἱρετικῇς ἡλευθέρωται πλάνης τὸ ἡμέτερον ποίμνιον. Οἷδεν ὁ πάντα ἐφορῶν πόσους ἐδεξάμην λίθους ὑπὸ τῶν δυσωνύμων κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ πεμφθέντας αἱρετιχῶν, πόσους ἐν ταῖς πλείοσι τῆς ᾿Ανατολῆς πόλεσιν ἔσχον ἀγῶνας πρὸς Ἕλληνας, πρὸς Ἰουδαίους, πρὸς πᾶσαν πλάνην αἱρετικήν. Καὶ μετὰ τοσούτους ἱδρῶτας καὶ Ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ ὑμῶν θρόνου περιμένω τὴν ψῆφον" καὶ ἱκετεύω, καὶ ἀντιδολῶ τὴν σὴν ἁγιότητα, ἐπαμῦναί μο:͵ τὸ ὀρθὸν ὑμῶν καὶ δίκαιον ἐπικαλουμένῳ κριτήριον, καὶ κελεῦσαι δραμεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, καὶ ἐπιδεῖξαί μου τὴν διδασκαλίαν τοῖς ἃ ἀποστολικοῖς ἔχνεσιν ἑπομένην. Ἔστι γάρ μοι τὰ μὲν πρὸ εἴκοσι ἐτῶν συγγεγραμμένα, τὰ δὲ πρὸ ὀχτωκαίἕεχα, τὰ δὲ πρὸ πεντεκαίδεκα, τὰ δὲ πρὸ δυοκαίδεκα, τὰ μὲν πρὸς ᾿Αρειανοὺς καὶ Εὐνομιανοὺς, τὰ δὲ πρὸς Ἰουδαίους καὶ “Ἕλλννας, τὰ δὲ 'τρὸς τοὺς ἐν Περσίδι μάγους, ἄλλα περὶ τῆς καθόλου Προνοίας, ἕτερα δὲ κερὶ θεολογίας, καὶ τῆς θείας ἐνανθρωπήσεως. Ἣρμήνευταί μοι διὰ τὴν θείαν χάριν, καὶ τὰ ἀποστολικὰ συγγράμματα, καὶ τὰ προφητικὰ θεσπίσματα. Καὶ ῥάδιον ἐκ τούτων καταμαθεῖν, εἴτε ἀκλινῇ τὸν κανόνα τῆς πίστεως διετήρησα, εἴτε τὴν τούτου παρέδην εὐθύτητα. ᾿Αλλὰ μὴ διαπτύσητέ μου τὴν ἱκετείαν, παρακαλῶ, μηδὲ τὴν ἀθλίαν μου παρίδητε πολιὰν μετὰ πολλοὺς ὑδρισμένην καμάτους. Πρὸ δὲ πάντων, μαθεῖν ἀντιδολῶ παρ' ὑμῶν, εἴτε χρὴ με στέρξαι τὴν ἄδικον ταύτην καθαίρεσιν, εἴτε μὴ" τὴν γὰρ ὑμετέραν προσμένω ψῆφον. Κἂν χελεύσητε τοῖς χαταψηφισαμένοις ἐμμεῖναι, ἐμμενῶ, καὶ οὐδενὶ ἀνθρώπων ἐνοχλήσω λοιπὸν, ἀλλὰ μενῶ τὸ ἀχλινὲς τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν κριτήριον. Ἐμοὶ δὲ, ὡς ὁ Δεσπότης μαρτυρεῖ Θεὸς, οὐ τιμῆς μέλει καὶ δόξης, ἀλλὰ μόνον τοῦ γεγενημένου σκανδάλου" ὅτι πολλοὶ τῶν ἁπλουστέρων, καὶ μάλιστα οἱ ἐκ διαφόρων αἱρέσεων παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ζωγρηθέντες, τῷ θρόνῳ τῶν καταχρινάντων προσέχοντες, αἱρετικοὺς ἴσως ἡμᾶς ὑπολήψονται, τὴν τοῦ δόγματος ἀχρίδειαν κατιδεῖν οὐ δυνάμενοι. Ὅτι δὲ τοσοῦτον χρόνον ἐπισχοπεύσας, οὐκ οἰκίαν ἐκτησάμην, οὐκ ἀγρὸν, οὐκ ὁδολὸν,, οὐ τάφον, ἀλλὰ τὴν αὐθαίρετον ἡσπασάμην πενίαν, καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν πατέρων εἰς ἡμᾶς ἐλθόντα μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνων τελευτὴν εὐθὺς διανείμας, ἴσασιν ἅπαντες οἱ τὴν Ἑῴαν οἰκοῦντες. Πρὸ δὲ πάντων, ἱχετεύω τὴν ἱερὰν ὑμῶν καὶ τῷ Θεῷ φίλην κεφαλὴν, παρασχεῖν μοι τῶν προσευχῶν τὴν βοήθειαν. Ταῦτα διὰ τῶν εὐλαδεστάτων καὶ θεοπαρ᾽ ἡμῖν μοναζόντων τὴν ὑμετέραν ἁγιωσύνην ἐδίδαξα’ ἐπειδήπερ ἐμὲ δραμεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὰ τῶν βασιλικῶν Ὑραμμάτων ἐπέσχε δεσμὰ, ὡσπεροῦν καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους. Καὶ παρακαλῶ τὴν ὑμετέραν δαιότητα, καὶ ἰδεῖν αὐτοὺς πατρικῶς, καὶ τὰς ἀκλινεῖς ὑμῶν ἀκοὰς εὐμενεῖς αὑτοῖς παρασχεῖν, καὶ τὸ συχοφαντούμενον καὶ μάτην πολεμούμενόν μου γῆρας τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀξιῶσαι κηδεμονίας, καὶ πρὸ πάντων τῆς ἐπιδεδουλευμένης πίστεως παντὶ σθένει φροντίσαι, καὶ φυλάξαι ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις τὸν πατρῷον κλῆρον ἀκήρατον' ἵνα καὶ τὰς ἀντὶ τούτων ἀντιδόσεις δέξῃ ται ὑμῶν ἡ ἁγιότης παρὰ τοῦ μεγαλοδώρου Δεσπότου.
Ēlpisamen pepausthai ta skythrōpa, tinōn hēmin memēnychotōn hōs esdesthē men hē tou challinichou bade metaxy autou kai tou theophilestatou episkopon gegenēntai, kai pepautai men hē tēs synodou klę̄sis, hē de tōn Ekklēsiōn epanēlthen eirēnē. Ta de nyn para tēs sēs hosiotētos graphenta sphodra hēmas hēniasen. Ouden gar estin ek tēs thrylloumenēs synodou prosdokēsai chrēston, ei mē ara ho philanthrōpos Despotēs, tę̄ synēthei kēdemonią chrēsamenos, tōn tarachōdōn daimonōn dialysei tas mēchanas. Kai gar en tę̄ megalę̄ synodǭ, tę̄ en Nikaią synathroistheisę̄ phēmi, synepsēphisanto men tois horthodoxois hoi tēs ᾿Areiou symmorias, kai tę̄ apostolikę̄ dia tōn cheirōn ekthesei synethento, Dietelesan de tę̄ alētheią polemountes, heōs to sōma tēs Echkchlēaias dierrhēxan. Kai triazonta men etē dietelesan koinōnountes allēlois, hoi te tōn apostolikōn antechomenoi dogmatōn, kai hoi tēn ᾿Areiou blasphēmian nosountes. En ᾿Antiocheią de tēs eschatēs synodou Hyegenēmenēs, hote ton tou Theou anthrōpon ton megan Meletion tois apostolikois ekeinois heenidrysan thōchois, eita met᾽ oligas auton hēmeras dia tēs basilyprophanę̄ tēn ᾿Areiou perikeimenos lymēn, ape… san de parautika hoi tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn … sis. Eis ekeina aphorōsa kai ta omoia proorōsa hē athlia psychē mou stenei kai odyretai, ouden charadochousa chrēston. Oude gar isasin hoi ek tōn allōn dioikēseōn ton enkeimenon tois dōdeka kephalaiois ion " alla tę̄ periphaneią tou tauta gegraphotos prosechontes, ouden hypopteuousi phlauron " kai oimai hōs ho ton echeinou diadexamenos thronon panta pragmateuetai, hōste deuterą tauta kratynai synodǭ. Ho gar ex epitagmatos toiauta prōēn grapsas, kai anathematisas tous toutois emmenein mē boulomonous, ti ouk an praxeien oikoumenikę̄ prochathisas synodǭ? Kai eu isthi, despota, hōs oudeis tōn tēn pa enkeimenēn autois hairesin egnōkotōn anexetai auta dexasthai, kan dis tosoutoi psēphisōntai. Kai gar ēdē kai pleionōn hōs etyche tauta bedaiōsantōn, antestēmen en Ephesǭ, kai ou proteron echoinōnēsamen tǭ tauta gegraphoti, heōs tois par᾽ hēmōn echtetheisi synthemenos, symphōnon autois didaskalian prosērmosen, oudemian tōn kephalaiōn echeinōn poiēsamenos mnēmēn. Kai touto rhadion gnōnai tēn sēn hosiotēta, cheleusasan zētēthēnai ta pepragmena. ᾿Apokeintai gar pantōs, kata to paracholouthēsan ethos, tēs synodou tas hypographas echonta. "Esti de pleiona hē pentēkonta synodika, tēn katēgorian tōn dōdeka chephalaiōn deiknynta. Pro men gar tēs eis Epheson apodēmias, ho makarios gegraphen Iōannēs tois peri ton theophilestaton episkopon Euthērion tōn Tyanōn, kai Philmon ton Ka'sareias, kai Theodoton ton ᾿Ankyras, ᾿AApolinariou didaskalian ta kephalaia tauta kalesas. Kai en Ephesǭ de hē par᾽ hēmōn gegenēmenē kathairesis tou te tēs ᾿Alexandreōn kai tou tēs Ephesiōn, aitian echei tēn tōn kephalaiōn toutōn ekthesin kai bedaiōsin. Kai synodicha de polla en Ephesǭ pros te ton challenichon basilea, kai pros tous megalous archontas peri toutōn egraphē " hōsaueōs de kai pros ton en ōnatantinoupolei laon, kai pros ton euladestaton klēron. Kai men dē kkai eis ep᾽ autou tou basileōs eschēkamen, kai treis hysteron autǭ diamartyrias epempsamen. Kai tois theophilestatois de tēs Dyseōs episkopois, tǭ Mediolanou phēmi, kai tǭ ᾿Achylieias, kai tǭ Rhadennēs, peri toutōn egrapsamen, diamartyromenoi hōs tēs ᾿Apolinariou tauta kainotomias peklērōtai " kai autǭ de tǭ tauta grapsanti ho makarios epistellōn Iōannēs dia tou makariou Paulou, prophanōs autois epemem.psato " hōsautōs de kai ho tēs makarias mnēmę̄s ᾿Akakios. Kai hina syntomōs mathę̄ sou hē hagiotēs, apesteila tēs te tou makariou ᾿Akakchiou epistolēs, kai «hēs tou makariou Iōannou pros ton makaritēn Kyrillon grapheisēs to ison " hina gnǭs hōs kai peri symdaseōs autǭ graphontes, tēn tōn kephalaiōn soutōn katēgorian epoiēsanto. Kai autos de ho macharirēs Kyrillos, graphōn tǭ makariǭ ᾿Achachiǭ, ton tōn kephalaiōn toutōn paredēlōse schokon, eirēkōs, hoti « Ekeina pros tas toude chlinotomias egrapsamen, kai hoti tēs eirēnēs genomenēs echn leuchanthēsetai. » Kai hautē toinyn hē apolog ia bedaioi tēn katēgorian. ᾿Apesteila de kai tōn par᾽ hautou graphentōn en tǭ tēs symoaseōs chairǭ to antigraphon, hina gnǭs, despota, hōs oudemian toutōn heepoiēsato mnēmēn" kai hōs chrē tous apiontas eis tēn synodon ta en tǭ chairǭ tēs symdaseōs graphenta “prosenenkein, kai saphōs eipein tina men eirgasato tēn diastasin, epi tisin de ta diestōta synēphthē. Tous gar eis ton hyper tēs euseoeias kaloumenous agōna, panta ponon anadexasthai chrē, kai tēn theian epikalesasthai symmachian, hina ton para tōn progonōn hēmin kataleiphthenta klę̄ron diatērēsōmen lon. Chrē de skopēsai sou tēn hagiōsynēn kai tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn tous homognōmonas, kai koinōnous tēs apodēmias poiēsasthai" kai tōn eulathesiatōn klērikōn tous ton hyper tēs eusetheias echontas zēlon, hina mē kai para tōn oikeiōn prodothentes, hē ananchasthōmen ti praxai tōn apareschonpōn tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ, ē monōthentes tois polemousi genōmetha. Pistis esti, parakalō, en hēē tas elpidas echomen: tēs sōtērias " kai chrē panta kinēsai poron, hōste mēden autę̄ nothon epeisachthēnai, mēde tēn apostolikēn paraphtharēnai didaskalian. Tauta egō kai porrhōthen hōn, stenōn kai thrēnōn graphō, kai ton kainan Despatēn antidolō ta stygnon touto dialysai nephos, kai katharan hēmin aithrian charisasthai. Ei Paulos, tēs alētheias ho kēryx, hē tou hagion Pneumatos salpinx, pros ton megan edrame Petron, hōste tois en ᾿Antiocheią peri tēs “kata nomon poli- «eias amphisdētousi par᾽ autou komisai tēn lysin, pollǭ mallon hēmeis" hoi euteleis kai smichroi, pros ton apostolikon hymōn trechomen thronon, hōste par᾽ hymōn lathein tois tōn Echchlētiōn elkesi therapeian. Dia panta gar hymin. to prōteuein harmottei. Pollois gar ho hymeteros thronos kosmeitai pleonechtēmasi. Tas men gar allas poleis hē megethos, hē kallos, ē plēthos tōn oikētorōn kosmei " enias de toutōn esteta tę̄ de hymeterą phoran edōken agathōn ho tōn agathōn chorēgos. gar autē pasōn megistē, kai lamprotatē, kai tēs oikoumenēs prochathēmenē, kai tǭ plēthei tōn oikētorōn chymaïinousa. Pros de toutois, d kai nyn kratousan hēgemonian edlastēse " kai tēs oikeias prosēgorias tois archomenois metedōke. Kosmei de autēn diapherontōs hē pistis “ kai martys axiochreōs ho theios ᾿Apostolos boōn, hoti « Hē pistis hymōn katangelletai en holǭ tǭ kosmǭ. » Ei de euthys dexamenē ta tou sōtēriou kērygmatos spermata, «hois axiagastois toutois ededrithei karpois, tis apo- «chrē logos tēn nyn en autę̄ politeuomenēn eusedeian euphēmēsai? Echei de kai tōn koinōn Paterōn kai didaskalōn tēs alētheias Petrou kai Paulou tas thēkas, tōn pistōn tas psychas phōtizousas. Hē de trismakaria toutōn kai theia xynōris aneteile men en tę̄ heǭch, kai pantose tas aktinas exepempsen" en de tę̄ Dysei prothymōs edexato tas tou biou dysmas, kakeithen nyn chatauygazei tēn oikoumenēn. Houtǭ? ton hymeteron periphanestaton apephēnan thronon" houtos tōn agathōn tōn hymeterōn ho cholophōn. Ho de echeinōn theos kai nyn ton echeinōn elampryne thronon, tēn hymeteran hagiōsynēn hidrysas en toutǭ tēs ortho- Kai toutou polla men estin heurein kai alla tekmēria " arkei de hymōn kai ho kata tōn dysōnymōn Manikaiōn zēlos, hon prōēn hymōn hē hosiotēs egypsnōse, deixasa tēn peri ta theia tēs hymeteras philo- ᾿theias spoudēn. ᾿Apochrē kai ta nyn par᾽ hymōn graphenta ton apostolikon hymōn charaktēra dēlōsai. HeEntetychēchamen gar tois para tēs sēę̄s grapheisi hosiotētos peri tēs tou Theou kai Sōtēros hē mōn henanthrōpēseōs, kai ethaumasamen tēn tōn gegrammenōn tēn ek tou aïdiou Patros aïdion theotēta tou Monogenous, kai tēn ek spermatos ᾿Aoraam. kai Dadid anthrōpotēta" kai hoti kata panta hēmin hē lēphtheisa physis eǭkei, monon de anomoios hēn tǭ pasēs hamarpias hamyētos diameinai" epeidēper ouk ek physeōs, all᾽ ek proaireseōs hautē phyetai. Eiche de kai touto ta grammata, hōs heis men ho monogenēs tou Theou Huios, apathēs de autou hē theotēs, kai atreptos, kai analloiōtos, kathaper ho gennēsas auton Patēr, kai to panagion Pneuma " kai dia touto «hēn pathētēn elade physin, epeidēper hē theia physis ouk edecheto pathos, hina tǭ pathei tēs idias sarkos tēn apatheian tois heis auton pepisteukosi charisētai. Tauta, kai hosa toutois esti syngenē, perieiche ta grammata. Hēmeis de tēn pneumatikēn sou sophian thaumasantes, tēn di’ hymōn phthenxamenēn tou hagiou Pneumatos anymnēsamen charin" kai parakaloumen, kai antidoloumen, kai deometha, kai hiketeuomen sou tēn hagiōsynēn, epamynai tais tou theou Echkchlēsiais Lysin gar esesthai tou klydōnos prosdokēsantes dia tōn para tēs hymeteras hagiōsynēs eis tēn Epheson apostalentōn, chalepōterą peripeptōchamen zalę̄. Ho gar tēs ᾿Alexandreias dikaiotatos proeoros ouk hērkesthē tę̄ anomǭ tautę̄ kai adikōtatę̄ kathairesei tou hagiōtatou kai theophilestatou tēs nou, oude eneplēsen autou ton thymon tōn allōn episkopōn hē paraplēsia sphagē " alla kame ton aponta homoiōs kalamǭ chatesphaxen, oute kalesas eis kritērion, oute paronta krinas, ouk erōtēsas tina phronō peri tēs tou Theou kai Sōtēros hēmōn enanthrōpēseōs. Kai tous men androphonous, kai tymoōrychous, kai tous tas allotrias sylēsantas eunas, ou proteron katakrinousin hoi dikazontes, heōs an hē autoi tas katēgorias tais homologiais chyrōsōsin, hē par᾽ eterōn enargōs elenchthōsin. Hēmas de ho tois theiois nomois entethrammenos pente kai triakonta stathmois aphestēchotas chatoechrinen hōs ēthelēse. Kai touto ou nyn monon pepoiēken, alla kai perysi meta dyo anoras tōn tēn ᾿Apolinariou noson eisdexamenōn ekeise dramontas, kai sykophantias kath᾽ hēmōn hyphēnantas, anastas ep' ekklēsias hēmas anethematise: kai tauta emou grapsantos pros auton, kai ha phronō ᾿Egō de odyromai men tēs Ekklēsias ton klydōna, tēn de hēsychian aspazomai. Hex gar kai eikosi etē tēn encheiristheisan. moi para tou theou tōn holōn Ekklēsian ithynas dia tas hymeteras euchas, ouk epi tou makariōtatou Theodotou tou tēs ᾿Anatolēs proedron, ouk epi tōn met᾽ ekeinon, tōn ton ᾿Antiocheōn ᾿hē diadexamenōn thronon, tēn tychousan mempsin hypemeina, alla tēs theias moi charitos synergēsasēs, pleious men hē chilias psychas hēleutherōsa tēs Markiōnos noson, pollous de allous ek tēs ᾿Areiou kai Eunomiou symmorias prosēgagon tǭ Despotę̄ Christǭ kai en ochtachosiais ᾿Ekklēsiais elachon poimainein "tosautas gar hē Kyrrhos paroikias echei, en hais oude an dia tas hymeteras euchas memenēche zizanion: alla pasēs hairetikę̄s hēleutherōtai planēs to hēmeteron poimnion. Hoiden ho panta ephorōn posous edexamēn lithous hypo tōn dysōnymōn kat᾽ emou pemphthentas hairetichōn, posous en tais pleiosi tēs ᾿Anatolēs polesin eschon agōnas pros Hellēnas, pros Ioudaious, pros pasan planēn hairetikēn. Kai meta tosoutous hidrōtas kai Egō de tou apostolikou hymōn thronou perimenō tēn psēphon" kai hiketeuō, kai antidolō tēn sēn hagiotēta, epamynai mo:͵ to orthon hymōn kai dikaion epikaloumenǭ kritērion, kai keleusai dramein pros hymas, kai epideixai mou tēn didaskalian tois ha apostolikois echnesin hepomenēn. Esti gar moi ta men pro eikosi etōn syngegrammena, ta de pro ochtōkaieecha, ta de pro pentekaideka, ta de pro dyokaideka, ta men pros ᾿Areianous kai Eunomianous, ta de pros Ioudaious kai “Hellnnas, ta de 'tros tous en Persidi magous, alla peri tēs katholou Pronoias, hetera de keri theologias, kai tēs theias enanthrōpēseōs. Hērmēneutai moi dia tēn theian charin, kai ta apostolika syngrammata, kai ta prophētika thespismata. Kai rhadion ek toutōn katamathein, eite aklinę̄ ton kanona tēs pisteōs dietērēsa, eite tēn toutou paredēn euthytēta. ᾿Alla mē diaptysēte mou tēn hiketeian, parakalō, mēde tēn athlian mou paridēte polian meta pollous hydrismenēn kamatous. Pro de pantōn, mathein antidolō par' hymōn, eite chrē me sterxai tēn adikon tautēn kathairesin, eite mē" tēn gar hymeteran prosmenō psēphon. Kan cheleusēte tois chatapsēphisamenois emmeinai, emmenō, kai oudeni anthrōpōn enochlēsō loipon, alla menō to achlines tou Theou kai Sōtēros hēmōn kritērion. Emoi de, hōs ho Despotēs martyrei Theos, ou timēs melei kai doxēs, alla monon tou gegenēmenou skandalou" hoti polloi tōn haplousterōn, kai malista hoi ek diaphorōn haireseōn par᾽ hēmōn zōgrēthentes, tǭ thronǭ tōn katachrinantōn prosechontes, hairetikous isōs hēmas hypolēpsontai, tēn tou dogmatos achrideian katidein ou dynamenoi. Hoti de tosouton chronon epischopeusas, ouk oikian ektēsamēn, ouk agron, ouk hodolon,, ou taphon, alla tēn authaireton hēspasamēn penian, kai ta para tōn paterōn eis hēmas elthonta meta tēn ekeinōn teleutēn euthys dianeimas, isasin hapantes hoi tēn Heǭan oikountes. Pro de pantōn, hicheteuō tēn hieran hymōn kai tǭ Theǭ philēn kephalēn, paraschein moi tōn proseuchōn tēn boētheian. Tauta dia tōn euladestatōn kai theopar᾽ hēmin monazontōn tēn hymeteran hagiōsynēn edidaxa’ epeidēper eme dramein pros hymas ta tōn basilikōn Hyrammatōn epesche desma, hōsperoun kai tous allous. Kai parakalō tēn hymeteran daiotēta, kai idein autous patrikōs, kai tas aklineis hymōn akoas eumeneis hautois paraschein, kai to sychophantoumenon kai matēn polemoumenon mou gēras tēs hymeteras axiōsai kēdemonias, kai pro pantōn tēs epidedouleumenēs pisteōs panti sthenei phrontisai, kai phylaxai tais Ekklēsiais ton patrǭon klēron akēraton' hina kai tas anti toutōn antidoseis dexę̄ tai hymōn hē hagiotēs para tou megalodōrou Despotou.
We had hoped that the gloomy things had ceased, since some had informed us that the … of the victorious emperor had been quenched and that … had taken place between him and the most God-beloved bishop, that the summoning of the synod had stopped and the peace of the churches had returned. But what your Holiness has now written has greatly distressed us. For nothing good can be expected from the much-talked-of synod, unless the loving Master, with his usual care, breaks up the machinations of the troublesome demons. For in the great synod too, the one assembled at Nicaea I mean, the members of Arius's faction voted with the orthodox and assented with their hands to the apostolic exposition; yet they went on fighting the truth until they had torn apart the body of the church. For thirty years those who held to the apostolic doctrines and those sick with Arius's blasphemy remained in communion with one another. But when the last synod took place at Antioch, when they installed the man of God, the great Meletius, on those apostolic seats and then a few days later … him through the imperial … openly clothed in the corruption of Arius … and at once those of the gospel doctrines … Looking at those events and foreseeing the like, my wretched soul groans and laments, expecting nothing good. For those from the other dioceses do not know the poison lying in the twelve chapters; attending to the eminence of their author, they suspect nothing bad; and I think that the one who succeeded to his throne is doing everything to confirm them by a second synod. For if he formerly wrote such things by command and anathematized those unwilling to abide by them, what would he not do presiding over an ecumenical synod? Know well, master, that none of those who know the heresy lying in them will bear to accept them, even if twice as many vote for them. For already, when more had confirmed them as it happened, we resisted at Ephesus, and we did not enter into communion with their author until he agreed to what we had set out and fitted to it a teaching in harmony with it, making no mention of those chapters. Your Holiness can easily learn this by ordering the proceedings to be looked up; for they are surely deposited, according to the prevailing custom, with the signatures of the synod. There are more than fifty synodical documents showing the indictment of the twelve chapters. Before the journey to Ephesus the blessed John wrote to the most God-beloved bishops Eutherius of Tyana, Firmus of Caesarea and Theodotus of Ancyra, calling these chapters the teaching of Apollinaris. At Ephesus the deposition that we pronounced on the bishop of Alexandria and the bishop of Ephesus had as its cause the publication and confirmation of these chapters. And many synodical letters about them were written at Ephesus to the victorious emperor and the great officials, and likewise to the people of Constantinople and to the most reverent clergy. We had a … before the emperor himself, and afterwards we sent him three protests. We also wrote about them to the most God-beloved bishops of the West, of Milan, I mean, of Aquileia and of Ravenna, protesting that they were full of the innovation of Apollinaris. And the blessed John, writing through the blessed Paul to the very man who wrote them, plainly found fault with them; so did Acacius of blessed memory. And so that your Holiness may learn this briefly, I have sent a copy both of the letter of the blessed Acacius and of the one the blessed John wrote to the late Cyril, so that you may know that even when they wrote to him about the agreement they made their indictment of these chapters. And the blessed Cyril himself, writing to the blessed Acacius, made the aim of these chapters plain, saying: 'We wrote those against that man's innovations, and when peace is made they will be cleared up.' So this very defense confirms the indictment. I have also sent a copy of what he wrote at the time of the agreement, so that you may know, master, that he made no mention of them, and that those going to the synod must bring forward what was written at the time of the agreement and say clearly what caused the division and on what terms the divided were united. Those who are called to the contest for piety must take on every toil and call on divine help, so that we may keep … the inheritance left to us by our forebears. Your Holiness must also consider making the most God-beloved bishops who are of one mind with us partners in the journey, and those of the most reverent clergy who have zeal for piety, so that we may not, betrayed by our own, either be compelled to do something displeasing to the God of the universe or be left alone at the mercy of those who fight us. It is the faith, I beg you, in which we have our hopes of salvation; every means must be moved so that nothing spurious is brought into it and the apostolic teaching is not corrupted. This I write, though I am far away, groaning and lamenting, and I entreat the common Master to dissolve this gloomy cloud and grant us clear sky.
[Letter 113] To Leo, bishop of Rome. If Paul, the herald of the truth, the trumpet of the Holy Spirit, ran to the great Peter, to bring from him the solution for those at Antioch who were disputing about living under the law, much more do we, insignificant and small, run to your apostolic throne, to receive from you healing for the wounds of the churches. For on every ground the first place befits you. Your throne is adorned with many advantages. Other cities are adorned by size, or beauty, or the number of their inhabitants; some … ; but to yours the giver of good things has given an abundance of good things. It is the greatest and most brilliant of all, presiding over the world and teeming with the multitude of its inhabitants. Besides this, it brought forth the sovereignty that now holds sway, and gave its own name to its subjects. But above all faith adorns it, and a trustworthy witness is the divine Apostle, who cries: 'Your faith is proclaimed in all the world.' If, as soon as it received the seeds of the saving message, it was laden with such admirable fruits, what words are enough to praise the piety practiced in it now? It also has the tombs of the common fathers and teachers of the truth, Peter and Paul, which enlighten the souls of the faithful. This thrice-blessed and divine pair rose in the East and sent out their rays everywhere, but in the West they gladly accepted the setting of their life, and from there they now illumine the world. They have made your throne most illustrious; this is the crown of your good things. And their God has now made their throne bright as well, by establishing your Holiness on it, … ortho… Of this one can find many other proofs; but your zeal against the ill-named Manichees is enough, which your Holiness lately laid bare, showing the earnestness of your God-loving self about divine things. Enough too to show your apostolic character is what you have now written. For we have read what your Holiness wrote about the incarnation of our God and Savior, and we admired the … of the writing: the eternal Godhead of the Only-begotten from the eternal Father, and the manhood from the seed of Abraham and David; and that the assumed nature was like us in all things and unlike only in remaining untouched by all sin, since sin springs not from nature but from choice. The letter also contained this: that the only-begotten Son of God is one, and his Godhead impassible, unchangeable and unalterable, like the Father who begot him and the all-holy Spirit; and that for this reason he took a nature capable of suffering, since the divine nature did not admit suffering, so that by the suffering of his own flesh he might grant impassibility to those who believe in him. This, and all that is akin to it, the letter contained. Admiring your spiritual wisdom, we praised the grace of the Holy Spirit that spoke through you; and we beg and entreat and beseech and implore your Holiness to come to the aid of the churches of God … For we expected that the storm would be ended through those whom your Holiness sent to Ephesus, but we have fallen into a worse tempest. The most just president of Alexandria was not content with the lawless and most unjust deposition of the most holy and most God-beloved … , nor did the like slaughter of the other bishops sate his anger; me too, though absent, he has slaughtered as with a pen, neither summoning me to trial nor judging me in person nor asking what I think about the incarnation of our God and Savior. Even murderers, grave-robbers and those who plunder other men's marriage-beds the judges do not condemn until they either confirm the charges by their own confession or are clearly convicted by others. But we, who were thirty-five stages away, were condemned as he pleased by one brought up on the divine laws. And he did this not only now: last year too, when two men who had taken in the disease of Apollinaris ran there and wove slanders against us, he stood up in church and anathematized us, and this although I had written to him and … what I believe. … I lament the storm of the church, but I welcome quiet. For twenty-six years I have governed the church entrusted to me by the God of the universe, through your prayers, and neither under the most blessed Theodotus, president of the East, nor under those after him who succeeded to the throne of Antioch, did I incur the slightest blame; but with divine grace working with me I freed more than a thousand souls from the disease of Marcion, and brought many others from the faction of Arius and Eunomius to the Master Christ; and among the eight hundred churches I was allotted to shepherd (for Cyrus has that many parishes), through your prayers not a single tare has remained, but our flock has been freed from every heretical error. He who oversees all knows how many stones I received, thrown at me by the ill-named heretics, and how many contests I had in most of the cities of the East against pagans, against Jews, against every heretical error. And after so much sweat and … But I await the sentence of your apostolic throne, and I implore and entreat your Holiness to come to the aid of one who appeals to your right and just tribunal, to bid me hasten to you, and to show that my teaching follows in the apostolic footsteps. For I have writings composed twenty years ago, eighteen, fifteen and twelve years ago: some against Arians and Eunomians, some against Jews and pagans, some against the magi in Persia, others on universal providence, others on theology and the divine incarnation. By divine grace I have also interpreted the apostolic writings and the prophetic oracles. From these it is easy to learn whether I have kept the rule of faith unswerving or departed from its straightness. Do not spurn my supplication, I beg you, nor overlook my wretched grey hairs, insulted after many labors. Above all, I entreat you to let me learn from you whether I must acquiesce in this unjust deposition or not; for I await your sentence. If you bid me abide by those who condemned me, I will abide by it, and will trouble no one any more, but will await the unswerving tribunal of our God and Savior. As the Master God is my witness, it is not honor and glory that concern me, but only the scandal that has arisen: many of the simpler people, especially those we have taken captive from various heresies, attending to the throne of those who condemned us, may perhaps suppose us heretics, being unable to see the exactness of the doctrine. That, having been bishop for so long, I acquired no house, no field, no obol, no tomb, but embraced voluntary poverty, and distributed at once what came to me from my parents after their death, all who live in the East know. Above all, I implore your sacred and God-beloved head to grant me the help of your prayers. I have informed your Holiness of this through the most reverent and God-… monks who are with us, since the bonds of the imperial letters have kept me from hastening to you, as they have the others. And I beg your Holiness to receive them as a father, to lend them your unswerving ears kindly, to count my slandered and vainly attacked old age worthy of your care, and above all to take thought with all your strength for the faith that is being plotted against, and to keep the ancestral inheritance unsullied for the churches, so that your Holiness may receive the recompense for it from the bountiful Master.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gal 2:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 15:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 1:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 4:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:25 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret warns Domnus of Antioch that a new synod (Ephesus 449) may impose Cyril's twelve chapters; then, deposed by that synod, he appeals to Leo of Rome, praises his doctrinal letter, and asks for his judgment.
- The scan's heading is that of Domnus, bishop of Antioch, Migne Letter 112 (448/449). The passage also holds Letter 113, To Leo, bishop of Rome (449), whose heading the scan lost; it begins at 'If Paul, the herald of the truth' and is marked '[Letter 113]'.
- Letter 112: 'the twelve chapters' are Cyril of Alexandria's anathemas against Nestorius; 'the one who succeeded to his throne' is Dioscorus. Theodoret's account of the reunion of 433 (Cyril's agreement without mention of the chapters) is his own, translated as written. The last synod at Antioch is that of 360/361, which installed Meletius. The Cyril quotation is from a letter to Acacius of Beroea; 'that man' is Nestorius. Several lines are lost in the scan (the opening, the account of Meletius's banishment, and after 'We had a'); marked '…'.
- Letter 113: Theodoret's praise of the Roman see (its size, its rule, its faith, the tombs of Peter and Paul) and his appeal to Leo's judgment are translated exactly as written. 'Leo's letter on the incarnation' is the Tome (to Flavian); 'those sent to Ephesus' are Leo's legates at the synod of 449; 'the most just president of Alexandria' (ironic) is Dioscorus, and the deposed bishop whose name is lost is Flavian of Constantinople. 'As with a pen' renders καλάμῳ ('reed'). 'Thirty-five stages' are posting stages.
- Quotations and allusions: Gal 2:1–2, 11–14 (Paul and Peter; Theodoret's 'ran to the great Peter … for those at Antioch' combines Acts 15:2 and Gal 2); Rom 1:8; Heb 4:15; Matt 13:25 (tares). Lines of Migne's Latin column, marginal references and dates are removed by logged corrections; other gaps are marked '…'.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside θεοφι-λεστάτοις; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside κεφα-λαίων; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside ἀπο-δημίας; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the Greek here is lost; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and notes after the end of the letter; OCR debris: Migne's marginal references, date and Latin column; marginal column letter; marginal letter; marginal letter removed; OCR slip in ὕστερον; marginal letter removed; word rejoined; word rejoined): κηδε- «μονίᾳ → κηδεμονίᾳ; διαλύσει Β τὰς → διαλύσει τὰς; ἀπέρτηοἱ ποδ πι᾿ πἰϑὶ οἱ ἴῃ τ τ ἰηχυΐ → ἀπέ… ; δογμάτων ( οχ 110 ἰσηροτα ἀἰν ϑο. σις. → δογμάτων … σις.; αὐτὰ Ὁ δέξασθαι → αὐτὰ δέξασθαι; χεφαᾳυὶ πὸ βου ρϑογαὶῖ τ 8 πὶ εἴ ἃ λαίων → χεφαλαίων; ἀπὸ οἱ δὰ γονογοπάϊβδί τη οἴογαπ). θυ πο Δπὶ δὰ οὕ )δὰ δοὶ δημίας → ἀποδημίας; ὅσιε- Β ρον → ὕστερον; θεος ι- «πὸ υἱ ἴδδὰ αἱ τα] οἴδπι ΠΟΡ5 ἃ πη] οἰ] ογ οἱ Β ἃ αι. λεστάτοις → θεοφιλεστάτοις; προγό- Ὁ νων → προγόνων; χαρίσασθαι. δὶ Ραυ]υβ, ργθθοο νου λῖ185. τὰ) δρί για ϑαποιὶ, Εἰ Παῦλος → χαρίσασθαι. Εἰ Παῦλος; Πέτρον, Ἀ δἀ χηιϑρπῦπ ΡοίτΌι 56 οοπίυϊ τ, αἱ 118, φυΐ ὥστε → Πέτρον, ὥστε; τῆς Β οἰκείας → τῆς οἰκείας; Ὁ δ' ο θη δ δ᾽ πη, 40.858 αἱ ᾿ρον- 5 ῦ πη ἃς ἀϊνί ὐπὶ ΔΓ, ἴῃ μι δϑὶ ἐχείνων → Ὁ δὲ ἐχείνων; ἔλαδε 18 ἤρῃ. 1, 8. δ ἴῃ Ερὶαὐ ἃ. θη) δκ ΑΡγΆΠ οἱ Παυ 5 101] 6 πὶ 6105 αἰν ἰ ΔΙΘ τ, 4πῶ ποὺ γ ΓΙ (ποδὶ, πθο Ἰηυϊατγὶ, βίου οἱ οὶ Ε. 449, τ. ΥἹ, ν». 105 564. οἱ 40]. βοὴ τγϑορίθθδὶ : υἱ Α φύσιν → ἔλαδε φύσιν; ᾿κάθος [υΐ ἰῃ 108 αμ, ἀ6 θεῖ δὸ οτὶοἱ αυῶ 56 Εξο γεγο πη 15 δῦ δι} ἰϊδ φαὶ 1}}1 ἰὼ Απιοομθπογαηι 8646 δυο βϑϑγιΐ, γα] τ ἰιὶ ἵνα → πάθος, ἵνα; ἐπὶ - νυ ποῦ μακαριωτάτου → ἐπὶ τοῦ μακαριωτάτου; Εὐνομίου Ὦ συμμορίας → Εὐνομίου συμμορίας; καὶ ἐν οὐ ᾳυοί Αἱ (απ, οἵ ὀχταχοσίαις → καὶ ἐν ὀχταχοσίαις; καμάτους. αυΐηδι ἃ Ρία, ἴση δῃ δ Πρὸ → καμάτους. Πρὸ; εἴτε Β Απιὸ οπιηΐὰ αἱ ἃ νοΐ ἀοοθᾶγ ΟΤΌ, Δῃ χρὴ → εἴτε χρὴ; Δεσπότου. ᾿’΄ θα ἴη ἢδο ἰπ] υδί8 ἀσμοϑἐ (056 ἰη ᾿πἀϊἤρα }}} Βοὶ δ τοῦθ ὀρ οἱ 4 τ 55 οἱ ἰηουἃ οἃπο. νίαν Ομ Υἱ ποαὶ οὐ] ἢ Βυ μη τηπ) ἰῃ Δ008.0]18 οἱ ἀορίονϊ 8 ἢἰ 8} δ Μυ]πἱπ ὡ μδ πο δά δος 86 οὐ} 8 δ ἀυ 1 1 Γο οἱ μι οἱ 48 νοῦ 88 ἴῃ 60 δἷ!, δυὶ Π 65, αυὶ δρ' "08 δὲ μι βίου 1, το] 5 ἰἢοἱ υἱπὶ, Δ ἀ]οἷν δὶ, εἰ οἱ χρόνοι, 86 ἃ (ἢ ει βιίδπογυπι (0]] σὶο υπὶ {{4}}{ }}᾿αγ] 05 οἵ ἱπ|ρ6}}}} διὰ δγγογὶς δ. δυὶ ΥἱΘὨλ15 ἴα ἀλη ποΙπ5; ἰίὰ αἱ 608, Β ὁρᾷ ποσοῦ πὶ (146 ]85 δον (, πιἢ- Οὔ] 5401 δ]! : πιὶδἃ «Οἱ οἱ ποπὰ} 185 Εὐ γον ίδηΐ δ Νοβίογϊδηὶ ουγογὶ5 γ αὶ πη 0 ἱπ Εἰ [ἰ{ποὶραϑ (0ἀἴὰ5 σομ οἷ }11 Δ] συ ἶο, (οἱ 51 ργαοοὰδηϊί τη Ῥαίγυπ χι, 99, 50. οἰα! αν δἰδίθοπίοθ, υἱ οἱ ἴα ς πο αυὶ οἱ τυ ἱιὶ 1188, οἱ πο 58 δἰ πῃ διἢ πὶ 5841 νἃτοτὶ ἴυ δι, ᾿ς → Δεσπότου..
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 112 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/112). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/112
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 114
114PG 83
μὲν τῇ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἀξίᾳ, κοσμεῖται δὲ καὶ τῇ τῶν σωμάτων λογικῇ θεραπείᾳ. Συχνὸν δὲ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν οἱκήσας χρόνον, εἷλεν ἅπαντας τῇ τῶν ἠθῶν εὐαρμοστίᾳ. Οὗτος νῦν τὴν Κύῤῥον καταλιπεῖν ἐδοκίμασε, τὴν ἐμὴν ἐκδημίαν μεμαθηκώς. Οὗ δὴ χάριν αὐτὸν τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ συνίστημι, καὶ παρακαλῶ τῆς ὑμετέρας αὐτὸν προμηθείας τυχεῖν, χρήδιμὸν αὐτὸν τῇ πόλει γενέσθαι δυνάμενον. Τὴν γὰρ ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν οἰκήσας τὴν τοιαύτην ἤσκησε τέ-
men tę̄ tēs hierōsynēs axią, kosmeitai de kai tę̄ tōn sōmatōn logikę̄ therapeią. Sychnon de par᾽ hēmin hoikēsas chronon, heilen hapantas tę̄ tōn ēthōn euarmostią. Houtos nyn tēn Kyrrhon katalipein edokimase, tēn emēn ekdēmian memathēkōs. Hou dē charin auton tę̄ hymeterą megaloprepeią synistēmi, kai parakalō tēs hymeteras auton promētheias tychein, chrēdimon auton tę̄ polei genesthai dynamenon. Tēn gar ᾿Alexandreian oikēsas tēn toiautēn ēskēse te-
… is honored with the dignity of the priesthood, and is adorned also by the rational care of bodies. He has lived among us a long time and won everyone over by the harmony of his character. He has now decided to leave Cyrus, having learned of my departure. For this reason I commend him to your Magnificence, and I ask that he may enjoy your forethought, since he can be useful to the city. For he lived at Alexandria and practiced this art …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret commends to Andiberis a priest-physician who is leaving Cyrus after Theodoret's deposition.
- Migne Letter 114, To Andiberis (449). The flag that Letter 113 is lost inside this passage does not hold: it stands in the passage staged as 112. The opening words (the physician's name and the start of the first sentence) and the end of the letter are lost in the scan; marked '…'.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 114 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/114). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/114
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 115
115PG 83
Τὴν Κύῤῥον ἰθύνειν λαχὼν τὰς ἀναγκαίας αὑτῇ πάντοθεν ἐπόρισα τέχνας" πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τοὺς τῆς ἰατρικῆς ἐπιστήμονας οἰκῆσαι ταύτην προἐτρεψα. Εἷς τούτων ἐστὶν ὁ εὐλαδέστατος ρος Πέτρος, λογικῶς μὲν μεταχειρίζων τὴν τέχνην, κοσμῶν δὲ ταύτην τοῖς ἤθεσιν. ᾿Αλλὰ νῦν ἐχδημούντῶν ἡμῶν πολλοὶ μὲν καὶ ἄλλοι ταύτην ἀπέλιπον, ἐκδημῆσαι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐδοκίμασε. Διά τοι τοῦτο τὴν σὴν παρακαλῶ μεγαλοπρέπειαν κηδεμονίας αὑτὸν ἀξιῶσαι, Ἱκανὸς γάρ ἔστιν ἐπιχουρῆσαι τοῖς κάμνουσι, καὶ πολεμῆσαι ταῖς νόσοις.
Tēn Kyrrhon ithynein lachōn tas anankaias hautę̄ pantothen eporisa technas" pros de toutois kai tous tēs iatrikēs epistēmonas oikēsai tautēn proetrepsa. Heis toutōn estin ho euladestatos ros Petros, logikōs men metacheirizōn tēn technēn, kosmōn de tautēn tois ēthesin. ᾿Alla nyn echdēmountōn hēmōn polloi men kai alloi tautēn apelipon, ekdēmēsai de kai autos edokimase. Dia toi touto tēn sēn parakalō megaloprepeian kēdemonias hauton axiōsai, Hikanos gar estin epichourēsai tois kamnousi, kai polemēsai tais nosois.
When I was allotted the government of Cyrus, I procured for it from every quarter the crafts it needed, and besides these I urged men skilled in medicine to settle there. One of these is the most reverent … Peter, who practices the art rationally and adorns it with his character. But now that we are departing, many others have left the city, and he too has decided to leave. For this reason I ask your Magnificence to count him worthy of your care; for he is able to help the sick and to fight diseases.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret commends to Apella the physician Peter, who is leaving Cyrus after Theodoret's departure.
- Migne Letter 115, To Apella (449). Peter's title is damaged in the scan (…ρος, probably 'presbyter'); marked '…'.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 115 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/115). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/115
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 116
116PG 83
Ἔγνωμεν τὸν θερμὸν -καὶ δίκαιον τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος ζῆλον, καὶ τὴν διχαιονάτην καὶ ἔννομον παῤῥησίαν, ἧ χρησάμενος, δέσποτα, τὰ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ τολμηθέντα ἤλεγξας. Οὐκ ἡμεῖς δὲ μόνοι μεμαθήκαμεν ταῦτα, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν τῆς σῆς ὀρθότητος ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος, καὶ πάντες ἄδουσι τὴν δικαιοσύνην, τὸν ζῆλον, τὴν παῤῥησίαν, τὰς κατὰ τῆς παρανομίας παρ᾽ ὑμῶν γεγενημένας ἀπειλάς. Καὶ ταῦτα ἕδρασέ σου ἣ ὁσιότης, τὴν μίαν θεασαμένη σφαγήν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἑωράχεις τὰς μετὰ τὴν σὴν ἐκδημίαν γεγενημένας, τάχα ἂν τὸν Φινεὲς ἐκεῖνον ἐζήλωσας. Εἷς δὲ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα κατακριθέντων ἐγὼ, δραμεῖν μὲν αὐτόθι κωλυθεὶς διὰ γραμμάτων βασιλικῶν: ἀπὼν δὲ κατακριθείς. Μετὰ γὰρ ἕξ καὶ εἴκοσιν ἔτη τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, μετὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς καὶ μυρίους πόνους, μετὰ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεδείας ἀγῶνας, μετὰ τὸ προσενέγκαι τῷ Σωτῆρι τῶν ὅλων πολλὰς αἷνας, ἐγύυνωσαν μὲν ἱερωσύνης, ἐξελαύνουσι δὲ καὶ πόλεως, οὐδὲ τὸ γῆρας αἰδεσθέντες, οὐδὲ τὴν πολιὰν τὴν ἐν εὐσεθείᾳ τραφξῖσαν. Διά τοι τοῦτο τὴν ὑμετέρὰν ἁγιωσύνην παρακαλῶ, πεῖσαι τὸν ἁγιώτατον καὶ ἐξουσίᾳ, καὶ εἰς τὸ ὑμέτερον ἀναδραμεῖν κελεῦσαι συνέδριον. "Ἔχει γὰρ ὁ πανάγιος θρόνος ἐκεῖνος τῶν Ἑκτὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην Ἐκκλησιῶν τὴν ἡγεμονίαν διὰ πολλὰ, καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων, ὅτι αἱρετικῆῇς μεμένηχε δυσωδίας ἀμύητο;, καὶ οὐδεὶς τἀναντία α φρονῶν εἰς ἐκεῖνον ἑκάθισεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν χάριν ἀκήρατον διεφύλαξε. Τὰ γὰρ παρ᾽ ὑμῶν χριθησόμενα στέρξομεν, ὁποῖα ἂν ἧ, τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ δικαιοκρισίᾳ θαῤῥοῦντες " καὶ ἀξιοῦμεν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐγγράφων κριθῆναι. Πλείους γὰρ ἣ τριάκοντα συνέγραψα βίὅλους, κατὰ ᾽᾿Αρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου, κατὰ Μαῤκίωνος, κατὰ λιαχεδονίου, κατὰ Ἑλλήνων, κατὰ Ἰουδαίων" ἡρμήνευσα δὲ καὶ τὴν θείαν ἴραφήν᾽ καὶ ῥᾷδιον τῷ βουλομένῳ καταμαθεῖν, ὡς τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ἴχνεσιν ἠκολούθησα, ἕνα κηρύττων Υἱὸν, ὡς ἕνα Πατέρα, καὶ ἕν ἅγιον Πνεῦμα“ μίαν τῆς Τριάδος θεότητα, αἱαν βασιλείαν, μίαν ἐξουσίαν, ἀϊδιότηλα, τητα, ἀπάθειαν, ἕν θέλημα, τελείαν τοῦ Κυρίου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν θεότητα, τελείαν τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, … διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν ληφθεῖσαν, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τῷ θανάτῳ παραδοθεῖσαν. Οὐκ ἄλλον οἶδα τὸν Υίιὲον τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ἄλλον τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ" ἀλλὰ τὸν αὐτὸν, Υἱὸν μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ γεγενημένον" Υἱὸν δὲ ἀνθρώπου, διὰ τὴν ἐκ σπέρματὸς ᾿Αδραὰμ. καὶ Δαδὶδ ληφθϑεῖσαν τοῦ δούλου μοῤρφήν. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τούτοις παραπλήσια διατελῶ διδάτχων. Ταῦτα καὶ ἐν τοῖς γράμμασι τοῦ ἀγιωτάτου καὶ ὁσιωξάτον ἀρχιεπισκόπου δεσπότου μου Λέοντος εὗρον ἐγκείμενα, καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων ὕμνησα την, ὅτι τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς αὐτοῦ δόγμασι συμφωνῶ. Δάξασθέ μον τοίνυν, παρακαλῶ, τὴν ἱκεσίαν, καὶ μὴ καρίδητε ἠδικημένον. Τούτου γὰρ δὴ χάριν καὶ τοὺς μίον τοὺς χωρεπισχόπους, καὶ ᾿Αλύπιον τῶν παρ᾽ αὐ ἡμῖν μοναζόντων τὸν ἕξαρχον, πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν φιλοθεῖαν ἀπέστειλα, βίῳ μὲν λαμπρῷ χοσμουμένους, δυναμένους δὲ καὶ διὰ τῆς γλώττης ἀχριδῶς ὑμᾶς διδάξαι τὰ κατὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν εὐτέλειαν.
Egnōmen ton thermon -kai dikaion tēs sēs hosiotētos zēlon, kai tēn dichaionatēn kai ennomon parrhēsian, hē chrēsamenos, despota, ta en Ephesǭ tolmēthenta ēlenxas. Ouk hēmeis de monoi memathēkamen tauta, all᾽ eis pasan tēn gēn tēs sēs orthotētos exēlthen ho phthongos, kai pantes adousi tēn dikaiosynēn, ton zēlon, tēn parrhēsian, tas kata tēs paranomias par᾽ hymōn gegenēmenas apeilas. Kai tauta hedrase sou hē hosiotēs, tēn mian theasamenē sphagēn. Ei de kai tas allas heōracheis tas meta tēn sēn ekdēmian gegenēmenas, tacha an ton Phinees ekeinon ezēlōsas. Heis de tōn meta tauta katakrithentōn egō, dramein men autothi kōlytheis dia grammatōn basilikōn: apōn de katakritheis. Meta gar hex kai eikosin etē tēs episkopēs, meta tous pollous kai myrious ponous, meta tous hyper tēs eusedeias agōnas, meta to prosenenkai tǭ Sōtēri tōn holōn pollas hainas, egyynōsan men hierōsynēs, exelaunousi de kai poleōs, oude to gēras aidesthentes, oude tēn polian tēn en eusetheią traphxisan. Dia toi touto tēn hymeteran hagiōsynēn parakalō, peisai ton hagiōtaton kai exousią, kai eis to hymeteron anadramein keleusai synedrion. "Echei gar ho panagios thronos ekeinos tōn Hekta tēn oikoumenēn Ekklēsiōn tēn hēgemonian dia polla, kai pro tōn allōn hapantōn, hoti hairetikēę̄s memenēche dysōdias amyēto?, kai oudeis tanantia a phronōn eis ekeinon hekathisen, alla tēn apostolikēn charin akēraton diephylaxe. Ta gar par᾽ hymōn chrithēsomena sterxomen, hopoia an hē, tę̄ hymeterą dikaiokrisią tharrhountes " kai axioumen apo tōn engraphōn krithēnai. Pleious gar hē triakonta synegrapsa biolous, kata ᾽᾿Areiou kai Eunomiou, kata Markiōnos, kata liachedoniou, kata Hellēnōn, kata Ioudaiōn" hērmēneusa de kai tēn theian iraphēn᾽ kai rhądion tǭ boulomenǭ katamathein, hōs tois apostolikois ichnesin ēkolouthēsa, hena kēryttōn Huion, hōs hena Patera, kai hen hagion Pneuma“ mian tēs Triados theotēta, haian basileian, mian exousian, aïdiotēla, tēta, apatheian, hen thelēma, teleian tou Kyriou Iēsou Christou tēn theotēta, teleian tēn anthrōpotēta, … dia tēn hēmeteran sōtērian lēphtheisan, kai hyper hēmōn tǭ thanatǭ paradotheisan. Ouk allon oida ton Uiieon tou anthrōpou, kai allon ton Huion tou Theou" alla ton auton, Huion men tou Theou kai Theon ek Theou gegenēmenon" Huion de anthrōpou, dia tēn ek spermatos ᾿Adraam. kai Dadid lēphthϑeisan tou doulou morrphēn. Tauta kai ta toutois paraplēsia diatelō didatchōn. Tauta kai en tois grammasi tou agiōtatou kai hosiōxaton archiepiskopou despotou mou Leontos heuron enkeimena, kai ton tōn holōn hymnēsa tēn, hoti tois apostolikois autou dogmasi symphōnō. Daxasthe mon toinyn, parakalō, tēn hikesian, kai mē karidēte ēdikēmenon. Toutou gar dē charin kai tous mion tous chōrepischopous, kai ᾿Alypion tōn par᾽ au hēmin monazontōn ton hexarchon, pros tēn hymeteran philotheian apesteila, biǭ men lamprǭ chosmoumenous, dynamenous de kai dia tēs glōttēs achridōs hymas didaxai ta kata tēn hēmeteran euteleian.
We have learned of the warm and just zeal of your Holiness, and of the most just and lawful boldness with which, master, you exposed what was dared at Ephesus. Not we alone have learned this; the sound of your orthodoxy has gone out into all the earth, and all sing of your justice, your zeal, your boldness, and the threats you made against the lawlessness. And your Holiness did this after seeing only the one slaughter. Had you seen the others too, which took place after your departure, you would perhaps have emulated the famous Phinehas. One of those condemned afterwards is I, prevented by imperial letters from going there and condemned in my absence. After twenty-six years as bishop, after many and countless labors, after contests for piety, after bringing many … to the Savior of the universe, they have stripped me of the priesthood and are driving me out of the city, respecting neither my old age nor the grey hairs grown in piety. For this reason I beg your Holiness to persuade the most holy … authority, and to bid me hasten to your council. For that all-holy throne holds the leadership of the churches throughout the world for many reasons, and above all because it has remained untouched by the stench of heresy, and no one holding contrary views has sat on it, but it has kept the apostolic grace unsullied. We will accept whatever you judge, whatever it may be, trusting in your just judgment; and we ask to be judged from our writings. For I have written more than thirty books, against Arius and Eunomius, against Marcion, against Macedonius, against the pagans, against the Jews; I have also interpreted the divine Scripture; and anyone who wishes can easily learn that I have followed in the apostolic footsteps, preaching one Son as one Father and one Holy Spirit; one Godhead of the Trinity, one kingdom, one authority, eternity, …, impassibility, one will; the perfect Godhead of the Lord Jesus Christ and the perfect manhood, … taken for our salvation and handed over to death for us. I do not know one Son of Man and another Son of God, but the same: Son of God, God begotten of God, and Son of Man because of the form of a servant taken from the seed of Abraham and David. These things, and things like them, I teach continually. These I found set out in the letter of the most holy and most sacred archbishop, my master Leo, and I praised the … of the universe that I agree with his apostolic doctrines. Accept my supplication, then, I beg you, and do not overlook one who has been wronged. For this reason I have sent to your God-loving self …mius the chorepiscopi, and Alypius, the exarch of the monks among us, men adorned with a brilliant life and able also by word of mouth to inform you exactly of our humble affairs.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Num 25:7–13 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 19:4 (18:5 LXX) (echo, medium confidence) · Phil 2:7 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret, deposed at Ephesus (449), asks the Roman presbyter Renatus, a legate there, to persuade Leo to hear his appeal, sets out his faith, and praises the Roman see as untouched by heresy.
- Migne Letter 116, To Renatus, presbyter (449). Renatus was one of Leo's legates to the synod of Ephesus (449); 'the one slaughter' he saw is the deposition of Flavian, and the others the depositions that followed his departure.
- Theodoret's statement that the Roman throne 'holds the leadership of the churches throughout the world' and has never had a heretic on it is his own, translated exactly as written.
- Phinehas: Num 25:7–13 (Ps 106:30). 'The sound … has gone out into all the earth' echoes Ps 19:4 (18:5 LXX; Rom 10:18). 'The form of a servant' is Phil 2:7.
- Words are lost in the scan after 'bringing many' (probably 'souls'), after 'persuade the most holy' (probably 'archbishop to use his apostolic'), in the list of divine attributes after 'eternity', before 'taken for our salvation' (probably 'the form of a servant'), after 'praised the' (probably 'Savior'), and in the names of the envoys (the presbyters Hypatius and Abramius in NPNF² 3); marked '…'. Lines of Migne's Latin column are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside φιλο-θεΐαν; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the Greek here is lost; stray marks): αἱρετικῆῇς δὰ ἃ. (. μεμένηχε → αἱρετικῆῇς μεμένηχε; ἃ και βδηοίαπι.,, υηὰπὶ Τ τὶ ἰδ 5. ἀἰνϊηἰ αἴθ πὶ, ὑπ Γοτὴν → … ; ὑπὲρ Β τηδηϊ δῖοι, 402 ἐμῶν → ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν; ὑμετέραν Ο 6808, 6 411 νο ΓΒ. ροβδὶπὶ ᾿φιοθεῖαν → ὑμετέραν φιλοθεῖαν.
Topics: Christology, Trinity, Church office, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 116 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/116). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/116
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 117
117PG 83
Οὐ παντελῶς ἄρα τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ γένος ἣ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπιλέλοιπε χάρις" ἀλλ᾽ ἐγκατέλιπεν ἡμῖν σπέρμα τὴν ὑμετέραν ἁγιωσύνην, ἵνα μὴ. ὡς Σόδομα γενηθῶμεν καὶ Γομόῤῥοις μεν. Τοῦτο ἡμᾶ; ἀπαγορεύειν παντάπασιν οὐκ ἐᾷ" ἀλλὰ τοῦ χαλεποῦ χειμῶνος προσμένειν τὴν λύσιν παρεγγυᾷ᾽ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς εὐέλπιδας ἀπεργάζεται. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ τοὺς θεοφιλεστάτους πρεσδυϊτέρους ᾿ΑΑλύπιον τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν μοναζόντων τὸν ἔξαῤχον, πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀπεστείλαμεν ἁγιότητα, ἵνα τὴν ἐπισχήψασαν ταῖς τῆς ᾿Ανατολῆς Ἐκκλησίαις διαλύσήτε συμφοράν. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τὴν ἄνωθεν παρὰ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων παραδοθεῖσαν ἡμῖν χρατύνητε πίστιν, καὶ τὴν ἐπαναστᾶσαν αἵρεσιν στηλιτεύσητε, καὶ τοὺς παραχαράττειν τολμῶντας τῆς οἰκονομίας τὸ κήρυγμα προφανῶς ἐξελέγξητε, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τῶν Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῆς ἀποστολικῇς πίστεως, ἀγιώτατοι, τὴν ἄδικον ταύτην σφαγὴν ὑπεμείναμεν, ὡς τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων οὐ προϊέμενοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Πρέπει δὲ ὑμῶν τῇ ὁσιότητι μὴ παριδεῖν τοὺς ὁμόφρονας ἀδίκως ἐλαυνομένους, ἀλλὰ παῦσαι τῇ δικαίᾳ βοηθείᾳ τὴν ἀδικίαν, καὶ διδάξαι τοὺς κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ὡς οὐ πάντα δρᾷν ἕξεστι τοῖς πᾶν ὁτιοῦν ἀδεῶς ποιεῖν πειρωμένοις. Ῥώμης. ταῖς παρ᾽ ἡμῖν Ἐκκλησίαις ἐπέσχηψεν᾽ οἱ δὲ τῆς ἀποστολικῇς ἀντεχόμενοι πίστεως τὴν ὑμετέραν ἁγιωσύνην εὔστολον ἔχουσι λιμένα καὶ εὔδιον. Οὐ γὰρ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ὑπερμαχεῖτε δογμάτων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγενημένην ἀδικίαν πάντως μναάττεσθε. Πόῤῥω γὰρ ἡμᾶς διάγοντας, καὶ πέντε καὶ τριάκοντα σταθμοῖς ἀφχατέχριναν ὡς ἠθέλησαν οἱ διχαιότατοι δικασταὶ, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ Σωτῆρο; παρἃ ουσίας μέχρι καὶ τήμερον ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαι; χρακαὶ νόθον, καὶ ἄντικρυς ἐναντίαν τῇ παραδόσει τῶν ἀποστόλων εἰσήγαγον, καὶ τοῖς τὰ παλαιὰ κρατοῦσι κηρύγματα προφανῶς πολεμοῦσι. Καταξίωσον τοίνυν, θεοφιλέστατε, πυρσεῦσαι τὸν ζῆλον τοῦ τὰ πάν… καὶ τὰς τῆς ᾿Ανατολῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς ὑμετέρας κηδεμονίας" καὶ διαφερόντως τῆς ἄνωθεν παρὰ τῶν ἱερῶν ἀποστόλων παραδοθείσης ὑπερμαχῆσαι πίστεως, καὶ ἄσυλον τὸν πατρῷον κλῆρον διαφικαὶ τὴν ἐπικειμένην ὀμίχλην ἀποσχεδάσα. σθαι, καὶ τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀδίκως γεγενημένην ἐξελένξαι σφαγήν. Πρέπει γάρ σου τῇ ὁσιότητι τοῖς ἄλλοις αὐτῆς κατορθώμασι καὶ τοῦτον προσθεῖναι τὸν ζῆλον. Ἔγνω πάντως τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος τὰ παρὰ τῶν δικαιοτάτων ἐν Ἐφέσῳ γενόμενά δικαστῶν. Εἰς πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν γῆν ἐξῆλθεν ὁ φθόγγος αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης ἡ ὀρθοτάτη ψῆφος αὐτῶν. Ποία γὰρ Ἐχχαλησία τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἐπαναστᾶσαν οὐκ ἐδέξατο ζάλην; Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἠδίκησαν, οἱ δὲ ἠδικήθησαν’ οἱ δὲ τοῦτο μήτε ὑπομδίναντα:, μῆτε δράσαντες, τοῖς μὲν ἠδικημένοις συναλγοῦσι, τοὺς δὲ ἠδικηκότας θρηνοῦσιν, ὡς ὠμῶς ἄγαν καὶ παρὰ πάντας τοὺς νόμους, τούς τε θείους, τούς τε ἀνθρωπίνους, τὰ οἰκεῖα μέλη. Τοὺς μὲν Τὰρ τοιχωρύχρυς ἀλισκομένους ἐπ᾽ αὐτοφώρῳ κρίνουσι πρῶτον, εἴθ᾽ οὕτω κολάζουσιν οἱ δικάζοντες" καὶ μέντοι καὶ τοὺς ἀνδροφόνους, καὶ τοὺς τυμδωρύχους, καὶ τοὺς τὰς … εἰς τὸ κριτήριον, καὶ τοῖς κατηγόροις ποιεῖσθαι … λεύουσι τὰς γραφὰς, καὶ τὸν τῶν μαρτύρων σκοπὸν ἐξετάζουσιν, εἰ μὴ πρὸς χάριν μαρτυροῦσι τῶν διωκόντων, εἰ μὴ τῶν φευγόντων εἰσὶ δυσμενεῖς, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἀπολογεῖσθαι τοῖς κατηγόροις χελεύουσι. Καὶ τοῦτο δὶς γίνεται καὶ τρὶς, ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ καὶ τότε λοιπὸν ἐν τοῖς τούτων κἀκείνων λόγοις ζητήσαντες τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τὴν Ψῆφον ἐχςέρουσι. Οὗτοι δὲ ὅπως μὲν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐδίκασαν, οὐδὲν ἐρῶ, ἵνα μὴ δόξω περιττός τις εἶναι καὶ πολυπραγμονεῖν τὰ ἀλλότρια" ὑπὲρ ἐμαυτοῦ δὲ λέγειν μόνου βιάζομαι, τῆς ἀδίκοῦ με καταναγχαζούσης σφαγῆς. θἴχοι γάρ με τοῦ βασιλικοῦ χαθεέργοντος νόμον, καὶ περαιτέρω τῶν ὅρων τῆς ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ ποιμαινομένης πόλεως προθαίνειν κωλύοντος, ἐκάθισαν κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὸ συνέδριον, τὸν δὲ πέντε καὶ τριάκοντα σταθμοῖς ἀφεστηχότα κατέκριναν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς πρὸς τὸν πατριάρχην ᾿Αδραὰμ περὶ Σοδόμων ἔφη καὶ Γομόῤῥων" ε« Κραυγὴ Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤὁων πεπλήθυνται πρός με, καὶ αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὖτῶν μεγάλαι σφόδρα. Καταδὰς οὖν ὄψομαι, εἰ κατὰ τὴν κραυγὴν αὐτῶν τὴν ἐρχομένην ταύτην πρός με συντελοῦνται. Εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἵνα γνῶ. » Καίτοι σαφῶς ἦδει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔχείνων τὴν πονηρίαν᾽ ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἔφη" ε Καταδὰς ὄψομαι, ν» διδάσκων ἡμᾶς ἀναμένειν τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν πεῖραν. Οὗτόι δὲ οὐκ εἰς διχαστήριον ἡμᾶς καλέσαντες, οὐ φωνῆς ἡμῶν ἑἐπαχούσαντες, οὐ τί φρονοῦμεν μαθεῖν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐθελή. σαντες, τῷ θυμῷ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐγθρῶν τὴν ἡμετέραν σφαγὴν ἐχαρίσαντο. ᾿Εγὼ δὲ τὴν μὲν ἡσυχίαν ἀσπάζομαι, καὶ διαφερόντως ἐν τῷ παρόντι χαιρῷ, τῶν ἀποστολικῶν παρὰ πόλλοις δια οθαρέντων δογμάτων, καὶ τῆς χαινῆῇῆς χρατυνϑείσης αἱρέσεως. Ἵνα δὲ μή τις τῶν ἀγνοούνἐὼν ἡμᾶς ἀληθὲς εἶναι πιστεύσῃ τὰς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγενημένας διαδολὰς, καὶ σκανδαλισθῇ νομίσας ἕτερα παρὰ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν διδασκαλίαν φρονεῖν, ἀντιδολῶ τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, ταύτην αἱτῆσαι τὴν χάριν τὴν καλλίνικον κορυφὴν, ὥστε με τὴν Ἑσπέραν χαταλαδεῖν, καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἐν ἐκείνῃ θεοκαὶ εἰ ὀφρθείην βραχὺ γοῦν τι παρεχδαΐνων τοῦ κανόνος τῆς πίστεως, αὐτῷ με ποραδοθῆναι τῷ μεσαιτάτῳ τῆς θαλάττης βυθῷ. Εἰ δὲ οὐδὲ ταύτην ὑμῶν τὴν … δέησιν δέχεται, οἰκῆσαι γοῦν με χελευσάτω τὸ ἡμέτερον μοναστήριον, ὅ τῆς μὲν Κυῤῥεστῶν εἴκοσι καὶ ἑκατὸν μιλίοις ἀφέστηχξε, τῆς δὲ ᾿Αντιόχου πέντε καὶ ἑδδομήχοντα, ἀπὸ δὲ τριῶν μιλίων τῆς ᾿Απαμέων διάκειται πόλεως. Τούτων, εἰ μὲν δυνατὸν, τὸ πρότερον εἰ δὲ μὴ, τὸ γοῦν δεύτερον παρασχεθῆναί μοι "διὰ τοῦ ὑμετέρου. μεγέθους παρακαλῶ. Οὗ τὴν μνήμὴν κἀν τῇ διανοίᾳ, κἀν τῇ γλώττῃ, διηνεκῶς περιφέρομεν, ἱκετεύοντες τὸν τῶν δυνάμεων Κύριον, ἀμείψασθαι τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, καὶ τοῖς παροὖσι, καὶ τοῖς μέλλουσιν ἀγαθοῖς. Ταῦτα δὲ γράψα: νῦν ἠναγχάσβην, μαθὼν ὥς τινες καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν μοι καττύουσι μετάστασιν.
Ou pantelōs ara tōn anthrōpōn to genos hē tou Theou kai Sōtēros hēmōn epileloipe charis" all᾽ enkatelipen hēmin sperma tēn hymeteran hagiōsynēn, hina mē. hōs Sodoma genēthōmen kai Gomorrhois men. Touto hēma? apagoreuein pantapasin ouk eą" alla tou chalepou cheimōnos prosmenein tēn lysin parengyą᾽ touto hēmas euelpidas apergazetai. Dia toi touto kai tous theophilestatous presdyïterous ᾿AAlypion tōn par᾽ hēmin monazontōn ton exarchon, pros tēn hymeteran apesteilamen hagiotēta, hina tēn epischēpsasan tais tēs ᾿Anatolēs Ekklēsiais dialysēte symphoran. Kai prōton men tēn anōthen para tōn hierōn apostolōn paradotheisan hēmin chratynēte pistin, kai tēn epanastasan hairesin stēliteusēte, kai tous paracharattein tolmōntas tēs oikonomias to kērygma prophanōs exelenxēte, epeita de kai tōn Hyper gar tēs apostolikę̄s pisteōs, agiōtatoi, tēn adikon tautēn sphagēn hypemeinamen, hōs tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn ou proïemenoi tēn alētheian. Prepei de hymōn tę̄ hosiotēti mē paridein tous homophronas adikōs elaunomenous, alla pausai tę̄ dikaią boētheią tēn adikian, kai didaxai tous kata tēs alētheias hōs ou panta drąn hexesti tois pan hotioun adeōs poiein peirōmenois. Rhōmēs. tais par᾽ hēmin Ekklēsiais epeschēpsen᾽ hoi de tēs apostolikę̄s antechomenoi pisteōs tēn hymeteran hagiōsynēn eustolon echousi limena kai eudion. Ou gar tōn euangelikōn hypermacheite dogmatōn monon, alla kai tēn kath᾽ hēmōn gegenēmenēn adikian pantōs mnaattesthe. Porrhō gar hēmas diagontas, kai pente kai triakonta stathmois aphchatechrinan hōs ēthelēsan hoi dichaiotatoi dikastai, kai tēn ek tēs tou Theou Sōtēro? para ousias mechri kai tēmeron en tais Ekklēsiai? chrakai nothon, kai antikrys enantian tę̄ paradosei tōn apostolōn eisēgagon, kai tois ta palaia kratousi kērygmata prophanōs polemousi. Kataxiōson toinyn, theophilestate, pyrseusai ton zēlon tou ta pan… kai tas tēs ᾿Anatolēs Ekklēsias tēs hymeteras kēdemonias" kai diapherontōs tēs anōthen para tōn hierōn apostolōn paradotheisēs hypermachēsai pisteōs, kai asylon ton patrǭon klēron diaphikai tēn epikeimenēn omichlēn aposchedasa. sthai, kai tēn kath᾽ hēmōn adikōs gegenēmenēn exelenxai sphagēn. Prepei gar sou tę̄ hosiotēti tois allois autēs katorthōmasi kai touton prostheinai ton zēlon. Egnō pantōs to hymeteron megethos ta para tōn dikaiotatōn en Ephesǭ genomena dikastōn. Eis pasan gar tēn gēn exēlthen ho phthongos autōn, kai eis ta perata tēs oikoumenēs hē orthotatē psēphos autōn. Poia gar Echchalēsia tēn enteuthen epanastasan ouk edexato zalēn? Hoi men gar ēdikēsan, hoi de ēdikēthēsan’ hoi de touto mēte hypomdinanta:, mēte drasantes, tois men ēdikēmenois synalgousi, tous de ēdikēkotas thrēnousin, hōs ōmōs agan kai para pantas tous nomous, tous te theious, tous te anthrōpinous, ta oikeia melē. Tous men Tar toichōrychrys aliskomenous ep᾽ autophōrǭ krinousi prōton, eith᾽ houtō kolazousin hoi dikazontes" kai mentoi kai tous androphonous, kai tous tymdōrychous, kai tous tas … eis to kritērion, kai tois katēgorois poieisthai … leuousi tas graphas, kai ton tōn martyrōn skopon exetazousin, ei mē pros charin martyrousi tōn diōkontōn, ei mē tōn pheugontōn eisi dysmeneis, kai pros toutois apologeisthai tois katēgorois cheleuousi. Kai touto dis ginetai kai tris, esti de hote kai kai tote loipon en tois toutōn kakeinōn logois zētēsantes tēn alētheian, tēn Psēphon echserousi. Houtoi de hopōs men tois allois edikasan, ouden erō, hina mē doxō perittos tis einai kai polypragmonein ta allotria" hyper emautou de legein monou biazomai, tēs adikou me katananchazousēs sphagēs. thichoi gar me tou basilikou chatheergontos nomon, kai peraiterō tōn horōn tēs hyp᾽ emou poimainomenēs poleōs prothainein kōlyontos, ekathisan kat᾽ emou to synedrion, ton de pente kai triakonta stathmois aphestēchota katekrinan. Kai ho men tōn holōn Theos pros ton patriarchēn ᾿Adraam peri Sodomōn ephē kai Gomorrhōn" e« Kraugē Sodomōn kai Gomoroōn peplēthyntai pros me, kai hai hamartiai autōn megalai sphodra. Katadas oun opsomai, ei kata tēn kraugēn autōn tēn erchomenēn tautēn pros me syntelountai. Ei de mē, hina gnō. » Kaitoi saphōs ēdei tōn anthrōpōn echeinōn tēn ponērian᾽ all᾽ homōs ephē" e Katadas opsomai, n» didaskōn hēmas anamenein tōn pragmatōn tēn peiran. Houtoi de ouk eis dichastērion hēmas kalesantes, ou phōnēs hēmōn heepachousantes, ou ti phronoumen mathein par᾽ hēmōn ethelē. santes, tǭ thymǭ tōn tēs alētheias egthrōn tēn hēmeteran sphagēn echarisanto. ᾿Egō de tēn men hēsychian aspazomai, kai diapherontōs en tǭ paronti chairǭ, tōn apostolikōn para pollois dia otharentōn dogmatōn, kai tēs chainēę̄ēs chratynϑeisēs haireseōs. Hina de mē tis tōn agnoouneōn hēmas alēthes einai pisteusę̄ tas kath᾽ hēmōn gegenēmenas diadolas, kai skandalisthę̄ nomisas hetera para tēn euangelikēn didaskalian phronein, antidolō tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian, tautēn haitēsai tēn charin tēn kallinikon koryphēn, hōste me tēn Hesperan chataladein, kai para tois en ekeinę̄ theokai ei ophrtheiēn brachy goun ti parechdaïnōn tou kanonos tēs pisteōs, autǭ me poradothēnai tǭ mesaitatǭ tēs thalattēs bythǭ. Ei de oude tautēn hymōn tēn … deēsin dechetai, oikēsai goun me cheleusatō to hēmeteron monastērion, ho tēs men Kyrrhestōn eikosi kai hekaton miliois aphestēchxe, tēs de ᾿Antiochou pente kai heddomēchonta, apo de triōn miliōn tēs ᾿Apameōn diakeitai poleōs. Toutōn, ei men dynaton, to proteron ei de mē, to goun deuteron paraschethēnai moi "dia tou hymeterou. megethous parakalō. Hou tēn mnēmēn kan tę̄ dianoią, kan tę̄ glōttę̄, diēnekōs peripheromen, hiketeuontes ton tōn dynameōn Kyrion, ameipsasthai tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian, kai tois parousi, kai tois mellousin agathois. Tauta de grapsa: nyn ēnanchasbēn, mathōn hōs tines kai tēn enteuthen moi kattyousi metastasin.
So the grace of our God and Savior has not entirely abandoned the human race, but has left us a seed, your Holiness, so that we should not become like Sodom and be made like Gomorrah. This does not let us despair altogether, but bids us wait for the end of the harsh storm; this makes us hopeful. For this reason we have sent to your Holiness the most God-beloved presbyters … and Alypius, the exarch of the monks among us, so that you may dissolve the calamity that has struck the churches of the East: first, that you may strengthen the faith handed down to us from of old by the holy apostles, expose the heresy that has risen, and plainly refute those who dare to falsify the preaching of the dispensation; and then also … For it is for the apostolic faith, most holy fathers, that we have endured this unjust slaughter, because we would not give up the truth of the gospel doctrines. It befits your Holiness not to overlook those of like mind who are unjustly driven out, but to stop the injustice by just help, and to teach those who … against the truth that not everything is permitted to those who try to do anything whatever without fear.
[Letter 118] To the archdeacon of Rome. … has struck the churches among us; but those who hold to the apostolic faith have your Holiness as a well-sheltered and calm harbor. For you not only fight for the gospel doctrines, but surely also … the injustice done to us. For while we were living far away, thirty-five stages distant, the most just judges condemned us as they pleased; and the … that has prevailed in the churches from the coming of God the Savior to this day … and introduced a … spurious one, plainly contrary to the tradition of the apostles, and they openly make war on those who hold to the ancient preaching. Deign, then, most God-beloved, to kindle the zeal of … so that … the churches of the East worthy of your care, and above all to fight for the faith handed down from of old by the holy apostles, to keep the ancestral inheritance inviolate, to scatter the mist that lies over us, and to expose the slaughter unjustly done against us. For it befits your Holiness to add this zeal too to your other achievements.
[Letter 119] To the patrician Anatolius. Your Greatness surely knows what was done at Ephesus by the most just judges. For 'their sound has gone out into all the earth', and their most upright sentence to the ends of the world. For what church has not received the storm that rose from there? Some did wrong, others were wronged; and those who neither suffered this nor did it grieve with the wronged and lament for the wrongdoers, because they treated their own members so cruelly and against all laws, divine and human. Housebreakers caught in the act are first tried by the judges and then punished; and murderers too, and grave-robbers, and those who … to the court, and the judges bid … the accusers … their indictments in writing, and they examine the aim of the witnesses, whether they are testifying to please the prosecutors, whether they are hostile to the defendants; and besides this they bid the defendants answer the accusers. This happens twice and three times, and sometimes …; and only then, seeking the truth in the words of both sides, do they give their sentence. How these men judged the others I will not say, so as not to seem superfluous and meddling in other people's affairs; but I am forced to speak for myself alone, since the unjust slaughter compels me. While the imperial law kept me at home and forbade me to go beyond the bounds of the city I shepherd, they held their council against me and condemned a man thirty-five stages away. The God of the universe said to the patriarch Abraham about Sodom and Gomorrah: 'The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah has multiplied before me, and their sins are very great. I will go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, that I may know.' Yet he clearly knew the wickedness of those men; but still he said, 'I will go down and see,' teaching us to wait for the test of the facts. But these men, without calling us to a court, without hearing our voice, without wishing to learn from us what we believe, have gratified the anger of the enemies of the truth with our slaughter. I welcome quiet, especially at the present time, when the apostolic doctrines have been corrupted by many and the new heresy has been strengthened. But so that none of those who do not know us may believe the slanders against us to be true and be scandalized, thinking that I believe things contrary to the gospel teaching, I beg your Magnificence to ask this favor of the victorious head, that I may go to the West and … by the God-… there; and if I am seen to depart even a little from the rule of faith, let me be thrown into the very middle of the sea's depth. But if he does not accept even this … request of yours, let him at least bid me live in our monastery, which is a hundred and twenty miles from Cyrus, seventy-five from Antioch, and three miles from the city of Apamea. Of these I beg that the former be granted me through your Greatness, if possible; if not, at least the latter. Your memory we carry continually in our mind and on our tongue, entreating the Lord of powers to repay your Magnificence with good things both present and to come. I have been compelled to write this now, having learned that some are contriving my removal even from here.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Isa 1:9 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 9:29 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 19:4 (18:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:21 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Three letters of 449: Theodoret asks bishop Florentius and the archdeacon of Rome to help the churches of the East and reverse his unjust deposition; and he asks the patrician Anatolius to obtain leave for him to be judged in the West, or at least to live in his monastery near Apamea.
- The scan's heading is that of Florentius, bishop, Migne Letter 117. This passage also holds Letter 118, To the archdeacon of Rome (heading lost except the word 'Rome'; it begins with the damaged sentence '… has struck the churches among us'), and Letter 119, To the patrician Anatolius (heading lost; it begins at 'Your Greatness surely knows'). Each is marked '[Letter N]'. Florentius is a Western bishop (NPNF² 3 has 'the Bishop Florentius'; probably a member of Leo's synod).
- Letter 117: 'left us a seed … Sodom … Gomorrah' is Isa 1:9 (Rom 9:29). Letter 119: 'their sound has gone out into all the earth' (Ps 19:4, 18:5 LXX) is applied ironically to the judges of Ephesus, as is 'most just judges' in Letters 118 and 119; Gen 18:20–21 is quoted. Theodoret's monastery near Apamea is that of Nikertai.
- The scan interleaves lines of Migne's Latin column throughout this passage; they are removed by logged corrections. Gaps where the Greek is lost are marked '…' (in Letter 118 several key words are lost, e.g. 'the … that has prevailed' is evidently 'the faith', and 'kindle the zeal of …' names the bishop of Rome; in Letter 119 'that I may go to the West and …' is evidently 'be judged by the God-beloved bishops there').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's footnote marker; OCR debris; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside γεγενημέ-νην; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside δικα-στήριον; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside κελεύου-σι; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside νό-μους; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside τοί-νυν; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside ὑπερμαχῆσαι; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the Greek here is lost; OCR debris inside ἠδικήθη-σαν; marginal column letter; marginal letter removed; word rejoined; OCR γ for η; marginal reference removed; word rejoined; word rejoined): γαῖα οἴμηΐ ὃσ ρᾶγίβ πὴ ἀδδίϊτυϊ!, 868 τοὶ φυλ ἴῃ Ας Δ υ] ἃ πὶ νου! δίθ Δ] σα γ πο] πηυ5. θοοοῖ ἰῃἰπ᾽ τη τορτὶ πο, ἃς Α → ; ἐπ- Δ ἐσχγψεν᾽ → ἐπέσχηψεν᾽; εὔστολον (83, ἔχουσι → εὔστολον ἔχουσι; γεγενημέγοϊπὶ. Ῥγόου] πὶ πὶ ἀφθηίο5 208, οἱ ἰγἰχίπία φυϊμᾳιθ νην → γεγενημένην; ἡμᾶς υἱ διάγοντας → ἡμᾶς διάγοντας; τοίπιΐ4πε γε ίορίβοορὶ ΖΘ πὶ δοοοηάογο, υἱ Θείθηιἰ8 νυν, → τοίνυν, ; πάνὥστε βηκοῖραο ἰγδάϊ πὶ 40 ἴἶ {Ὁ ἃ 8Δηο 8 ἀροβίο 8 κ → πάν… ; ἄνωθεν ἀΐδοι!- παρὰ → ἄνωθεν παρὰ; ὁπκεῤμαχῦῶοπὶ σαι → ὑπερμαχῆσαι; τῶν ἴπ οπ:- δικαιοτάτων → τῶν δικαιοτάτων; εἰς θυ οηἶ πὶ] τὰ πέρατα → εἰς τὰ πέρατα; ἢ Ποία γὰρ Ἐχχαλησία τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἐπαναστᾶσαν οὐκ Νλτῃ ἰηὐθτγίαπι 4111 Ἰμ(υ]οταῃῖ, 4111 δοοθρόγαπι; αὶ ἐδέξατο → Ποία γὰρ Ἐχχαλησία τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἐπαναστᾶσαν οὐκ ἐδέξατο; ἠδικήθτ.οἱ οοη οὶ σαν’ → ἠδικήθησαν’; ἠδικηκότας γμηΐ, ἂὲ ααἱ ογυ 6] 85|π|6 εἴ σΟπίγα ἰθξ 68 Οπιηθ8, θρηνοῦσιν → ἠδικηκότας θρηνοῦσιν; νό- 1901 ὑπ ἀϊνὶν45, ἰθπὶ πὶ πιλ )88, ῬΓΟΡΤΙΔ πιοπ)- μους → νόμους; εἴθ᾽ ἡνάϊοεβ : " Θοἀεπηαθθ τηοθὰο εἰ ποπιοϊα8, οἱ 86-ὀ οὕτω → εἴθ᾽ οὕτω; ποὺς τὰς ἰηιοηάογα ᾿υθδηί : οἱ τοδί" Πηθηίθ πὶ δυρίογδηϊΐ εἰς → τοὺς τὰς … εἰς; ποιεῖσθαι πεδὰ ἰεϑιἰπιοπίαπι ἰῃ Δοσυβδίογιπ) σΥΛ πὶ ἀϊοληϊ, λεύουσι → ποιεῖσθαι … λεύουσι; οἱ ροϑί ᾿ς τοϑροη- ἐξετάζουσιν → ἐξετάζουσιν; χελεύουνοῦ γογ δι βοηϊθπιΐαπι σ!. Καὶ → χελεύουσι. Καὶ; πολνυπραγχ, 18. μονεῖν → πολυπραγμονεῖν; μόνου Α βιάζομαι → μόνου βιάζομαι; ἀναμένειν εἰ αυὶ εἴ τῶν → ἀναμένειν τῶν; διχα- Β [ἀτοτί ᾿υρυ]λη 05. η08 ρτγοὐίάἀῤγυηῖ. στήριον → διχαστήριον; διαφερόν--: τως → διαφερόντως; τὴν π εἶπαι ἃ ἴῃ πι}}δέησιν → τὴν … δέησιν.
Topics: Church office, Persecution, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 117 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/117). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/117
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 120
120PG 83
Οἷμαι καὶ τοὺς τῆς ἀληθείας σχετλιάζειν ἐχθροὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀδίκοις ἡμῶν καὶ παρανόμοις σφαγαῖς. Πολλῷ ὃΣ πλέον, ὡς εἰκὸς, ἀνιᾷ τοὺς τροφίμους τῆς εὐσεδείας ἡ καινὴ αὕτη καὶ παράδοξος τραγῳδία; ὧν ἡ ὑμετέρα πρωτεύει μεγαλοπρέπεια. Προσήκει δὲ τοὺς πλεῖον ἀλγοῦντας πλείονα σπουδὴν τε καὶ κροθυμίαν εἰσενεγκεῖν, ὥστε τὰ δυσσεδῶς καὶ παρανόμως γεγενημένα λύσιν λαθεῖν, τὸ δὲ διασπασθῆναι χινδυνεῦον σῶμα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἰς τὴν προτέραν συμφωνίαν ἐπανελθεῖν, Τούτου δὴ χάριν παραχαλῶ τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος, πνευματιχῇῆς ἐμπορίας ἀφορμὴν ναμίσαι τὸν παρόντα καιρόν᾽ καὶ τὴν μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεδείας εἰσενεγκεῖν προθυμίαν, ἀντιλαθεῖν δὲ παρὰ τοῦ μεογαλοδώρου Δεσπότου, κὰν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ τὴν μεγίστην κηδεμονίαν, κἀν τῷ μέλὅοντι τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν.
Hoimai kai tous tēs alētheias schetliazein echthrous epi tais adikois hēmōn kai paranomois sphagais. Pollǭ hoS pleon, hōs eikos, anią tous trophimous tēs eusedeias hē kainē hautē kai paradoxos tragǭdia? hōn hē hymetera prōteuei megaloprepeia. Prosēkei de tous pleion algountas pleiona spoudēn te kai krothymian eisenenkein, hōste ta dyssedōs kai paranomōs gegenēmena lysin lathein, to de diaspasthēnai chindyneuon sōma tēs Ekklēsias eis tēn proteran symphōnian epanelthein, Toutou dē charin parachalō to hymeteron megethos, pneumatichę̄ēs emporias aphormēn namisai ton paronta kairon᾽ kai tēn men hyper tēs eusedeias eisenenkein prothymian, antilathein de para tou meogalodōrou Despotou, kan tǭ paronti biǭ tēn megistēn kēdemonian, kan tǭ meloonti tēn tōn ouranōn basileian.
I think that even the enemies of the truth complain at the unjust and lawless slaughter of us. Much more, naturally, does this new and strange tragedy grieve the nurslings of piety, among whom your Magnificence holds the first place. Those who grieve more ought to bring more zeal and eagerness, so that what was done impiously and lawlessly may be undone, and the body of the church, which is in danger of being torn apart, may return to its former harmony. For this reason I beg your Greatness to regard the present time as an occasion for spiritual trading: to bring eagerness for piety, and to receive in return from the bountiful Master the greatest care in the present life and the kingdom of heaven in the life to come.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks Lupicius to work for the reversal of the depositions at Ephesus and the reunion of the church.
- The scan's heading is that of Lupicius, Migne Letter 120 (the staged sequence number 118 is not Migne's; Letters 118–119 stand in the passage staged as 117). Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal date are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside παρα-καλῶ; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal date inside προτέ-ραν; stray letter): ἐχθροὺς ρ ἐπὶ → ἐχθροὺς ἐπὶ; προτέ- 4υΐϊηᾳυδ οἱ βορίυδρίηίΐα, (γἰ 8 δυίοπι τ} }Πᾶ τὶ 8 40 ροἢ} 008 πὸ πον Δ ἢ]ρ. 106, αἀ ἃ. Ο. 449. ἃ ρᾶν συμφωνίαν → προτέραν συμφωνίαν; παραοἱ ἴῃ Ἰὰς νὰ ργονι ἀσῃιίδηι, οἱ ἰῃ {γᾷ γοσιιυλ ΘΟ] 6: γα γὶ-πὶ να] ἢοπη ἴῃ }}}5. {16 }}5 ποῖ 88οο → παρα.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 120 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/120). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/120
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).