Letters 79–81
Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 79
79PG 83
᾿Δέδωκεν ἡμῖν ὁ Δεσπότης Θεὸς μεγίστην παραψυχὴν ἐν τῷ παρόντι χαιρῷ τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, καὶ τῷ κλύδωνι τὸν λιμένα παρέσχε κατάλληλον. Διά τοι [τοῦτο] θαῤῥοῦντες τὰ λυποῦντα διδάσχο. μεν τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος. Πρώην μὲν οὖν ἐγνωρίσαμεν ὑμῶν τῇ μεγαλοφυῖΐᾳ, ὡς ὑπέδειξαν ἡ μῖν οἱ περὶ τὸν μεγαλοπρεπέστατον κόμητα Ῥοῦφον ὑπομνηστικὸν τῇ βασιλικῇ γεγραμμένον χειρὶ, παραχελευόμενον τῷ … λείας παρασχενάσαι ἡμᾶς ἐν τῇ Κύρῳ διάγειν, καὶ εἰς ἑτέραν μὴ ἀπιέναι πόλιν, ὡς συνόδους συνεχῶς εἰς τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν συνάγοντας, καὶ τοὺς ὀρθοδόξους ταράττοντας. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος γνωρίζω, ὡς τῷ βασιλικῷ πεισθεὶς γράμματι τὴν Κύρον χατἐλαόον' καὶ ἐξ ἣ ἑπτὰ διελθουσῶν ἡμερῶν, ἀπέστειλαν πρός με τὸν καθωσιωμένον Εὐφρόνιον, τὸν στρα“ τηλατιανὸν, μετὰ γραμμάτων, ἀπαιτοῦντές με χαθχὸν γράμμα, καὶ ὑπεσχόμην τῇ Κύρῳ καὶ τῇ ταύτης προσεδρεύειν χώρᾳ, καὶ τὰς ἐγχειρισθείσας μοι ποιμαίνειν ψυχάς. Παρακαλῶ τοίνυν τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυῖαν, μαθεῖν ἀχριδῶς, καὶ εἰ ἀληθῶς ταῦτα προστέτακται, καὶ διὰ ποίαν αἰτίαν. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἄλλας μὲν ἁμαρτίας ἐμαυτῷ πολλὰς σύνοιδα, οὐ μὴν ἢ εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἣ εἰς τὴν κοινὴν εὐταξίαν οἷδά τι πλημμελήσας. Καὶ ταῦτα γράφω, οὐκ ὡς δυς- 'χεραίνων τὴν ἐν Κύρῳ διαγωγήν’ ὡς γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας, πάσης πόλεως λαμπροτάτης αἱρετωτέραν ταύτην ἡγοῦμαι, διὰ τὸ παρὰ Θεοῦ μοι τοῦτον “δεδόσθαι τὸν κλῆρον. Τὸ δὲ ἀνάγκῃ προσδεδέσθαι, καὶ μὴ γνώμῃ, δοκεῖ πως εἶναι ἀνιαρὸν, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, πρόφασιν δίδωσι τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι θρασύνεσθαι, καὶ ταῖς ἡμετέραις μὴ πείθεσθαι παραινέσεσιν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν παρακαλῶ τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος, εἰ μὲν οὐδὲν τοιοῦτο προστέτακται, δῆλόν μοι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι" εἰ δὲ ἀληθῶς τοῦ χαλλινίχου βασιλέως ἐστὶ τὰ γράμματα, διδάξαι αὐτοῦ τὴν εὑὐσέδειαν, μὴ πείθεσθαι ῥᾳ- ᾿ δίως διαδολαΐῖς, μηδὲ μόνοις τοῖς κατηγόροις διδόναι τὰς ἀκοὰς, ἀλλ᾽ ἁπαιτεῖν εὐθύνας τὸν χατηγορούμενον. ἬἭρχει δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡ μαρτυρία, πεῖσαι αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐσέδειαν, ὡς ψευδῇ τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰρημένα. Πότε γὰρ ἡμεῖς τὴν αὐτοῦ γαληνότητα περὶ πράγματος ἡνωχλήσαμεν, ἣ τοὺς μεγάλους ἄρχοντας, ἣ τοῖς ἐνταῦθα κεκτημένοις, πολλοῖς οὖσιν καὶ λαμπροῖς, βαρεῖς ἐγενόμεθα; “Ὅτι δὲ καὶ πολλὰ τῆς ἐχκλησιαστιχῆῇς. προσόδον εἰς τὰ δημόσια ἀνηλώσαμεν οἰκοδομήματα, στοὰς ἐγείροντες καὶ λουτρὰ, καὶ γεφύρας κατασκευάζοντες, καὶ τῶν κοινῶν τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιμελούμενοι, οἷδεν ἣ ὑμετέρα μεγαλοφνῖα. Εἰ δὲ διὰ τοῦτό τινες δυσχεραίνουσιν, ὅτι τῶν τῆς Φοινίκης Ἐκκλησιῶν θρηνοῦμεν τὴν κατάλυσιν, τεφᾷ πείσθω ὑμῶν τὸ μέγεθος, ὡς; οὐκ οἷόν τε ἡμᾶς μὴ ἀλγεῖν, ὁρῶντας τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸ χέρας εἰς ὗψος αἱ-. ρόμενον, καὶ τοὺς. Χριστιανοὺς ἐν ὀδυρμοῖς καὶ θρήνοις, κἂν εἰς αὐτὰς πέμψωσι τὰς τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐσχαπιά;. Καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δὲ δογμάτων μὴ ὑπερμαχεῖν οὐ δυνάμεθα" μεμνήμεθα γὰρ τῆς ἀποστολιχῆῇς λεγούσης φωνῆς" « Πε"θαρχεῖν δεῖ Θεῷ μᾶλλον ἣ ἀνθρώποις. » Καὶ τῶν ἐνταῦθα δὲ λυπηρῶν τὸ τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ δικαστήριον ἡμῖν φοδερώτερον᾽ ἔχείγῳ γὰρ πάντες παραστησόμεθα, τῶν εἰρημένων καὶ πεπραγμένων εὐθύνας ὑφέξοντες. Δι’ ἐκεῖνο τὸ δικαστήριον φορητὰ ἡμῖν τοῦ παρόντος βίου τὰ σκυθρωπά. ᾿Αρχοῦσα γὰρ ψυχαγωγία τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις ἡ τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίς. Ἡμῖν δὲ προστέθειχεν ὁ φιλἀνθρωπος; Δεσπότης καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφνῖαν,
᾿Dedōken hēmin ho Despotēs Theos megistēn parapsychēn en tǭ paronti chairǭ tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian, kai tǭ klydōni ton limena paresche katallēlon. Dia toi [touto] tharrhountes ta lypounta didascho. men to hymeteron megethos. Prōēn men oun egnōrisamen hymōn tę̄ megalophuiïą, hōs hypedeixan hē min hoi peri ton megaloprepestaton komēta Rhouphon hypomnēstikon tę̄ basilikę̄ gegrammenon cheiri, paracheleuomenon tǭ … leias paraschenasai hēmas en tę̄ Kyrǭ diagein, kai eis heteran mē apienai polin, hōs synodous synechōs eis tēn ᾿Antiocheian synagontas, kai tous orthodoxous tarattontas. Epi de tou parontos gnōrizō, hōs tǭ basilikǭ peistheis grammati tēn Kyron chatelaoon' kai ex hē hepta dielthousōn hēmerōn, apesteilan pros me ton kathōsiōmenon Euphronion, ton stra“ tēlatianon, meta grammatōn, apaitountes me chathchon gramma, kai hypeschomēn tę̄ Kyrǭ kai tę̄ tautēs prosedreuein chōrą, kai tas encheiristheisas moi poimainein psychas. Parakalō toinyn tēn hymeteran megalophuian, mathein achridōs, kai ei alēthōs tauta prostetaktai, kai dia poian aitian. Egō gar allas men hamartias emautǭ pollas synoida, ou mēn ē eis tēn Ekklēsian tou Theou, hē eis tēn koinēn eutaxian hoida ti plēmmelēsas. Kai tauta graphō, ouk hōs dys- 'cherainōn tēn en Kyrǭ diagōgēn’ hōs gar epi tēs alētheias, pasēs poleōs lamprotatēs hairetōteran tautēn hēgoumai, dia to para Theou moi touton “dedosthai ton klēron. To de anankę̄ prosdedesthai, kai mē gnōmę̄, dokei pōs einai aniaron, kai pros toutois, prophasin didōsi tois adikousi thrasynesthai, kai tais hēmeterais mē peithesthai parainesesin. Hou dē charin parakalō to hymeteron megethos, ei men ouden toiouto prostetaktai, dēlon moi touto poiēsai" ei de alēthōs tou challinichou basileōs esti ta grammata, didaxai autou tēn heuysedeian, mē peithesthai rhą- ᾿ diōs diadolaïis, mēde monois tois katēgorois didonai tas akoas, all᾽ hapaitein euthynas ton chatēgoroumenon. HēĒrchei de kai autē tōn pragmatōn hē martyria, peisai autou tēn eusedeian, hōs pseudę̄ ta kath᾽ hēmōn eirēmena. Pote gar hēmeis tēn autou galēnotēta peri pragmatos hēnōchlēsamen, hē tous megalous archontas, hē tois entautha kektēmenois, pollois ousin kai lamprois, bareis egenometha? “Hoti de kai polla tēs echklēsiastichēę̄s. prosodon eis ta dēmosia anēlōsamen oikodomēmata, stoas egeirontes kai loutra, kai gephyras kataskeuazontes, kai tōn koinōn tōn allōn epimeloumenoi, hoiden hē hymetera megalophnia. Ei de dia touto tines dyscherainousin, hoti tōn tēs Phoinikēs Ekklēsiōn thrēnoumen tēn katalysin, tephą peisthō hymōn to megethos, hōs? ouk hoion te hēmas mē algein, horōntas tōn Ioudaiōn to cheras eis hypsos hai-. romenon, kai tous. Christianous en odyrmois kai thrēnois, kan eis autas pempsōsi tas tēs oikoumenēs eschapia?. Kai tōn apostolikōn de dogmatōn mē hypermachein ou dynametha" memnēmetha gar tēs apostolichēę̄s legousēs phōnēs" « Pe"tharchein dei Theǭ mallon hē anthrōpois. » Kai tōn entautha de lypērōn to tou Despotou Christou dikastērion hēmin phoderōteron᾽ echeigǭ gar pantes parastēsometha, tōn eirēmenōn kai pepragmenōn euthynas hyphexontes. Di’ ekeino to dikastērion phorēta hēmin tou parontos biou ta skythrōpa. ᾿Archousa gar psychagōgia tois adikoumenois hē tōn mellontōn elpis. Hēmin de prostetheichen ho philanthrōpos? Despotēs kai tēn hymeteran megalophnian,
The Master God has given us, at the present time, your Magnificence as our greatest consolation, and has provided a harbor to match the storm. That is why we confidently inform your Greatness of what distresses us. Lately we made known to your Magnanimity that those about the most magnificent count Rufus had shown us a memorandum written by the imperial hand, ordering the … to make us stay in Cyrus and not go away to any other city, on the ground that we keep gathering synods at Antioch and troubling the orthodox. Now I inform you that, in obedience to the imperial letter, I have come down to Cyrus; and when six or seven days had passed, they sent the devoted Euphronius, the stratelatianus, to me with letters, demanding of me … a document, and I promised to remain in Cyrus and its territory and to shepherd the souls entrusted to me. I beg your Magnanimity, then, to find out exactly whether these orders were really given, and for what reason. For I am conscious of many other sins in myself, but I know of no offense I have committed against the church of God or against public order. I write this not because I resent living in Cyrus; as before the truth, I consider it preferable to any city however brilliant, because this is the lot God has given me. But to be tied to it by compulsion and not by choice seems somehow painful, and besides it gives wrongdoers an occasion to grow bold and not to obey our exhortations. For this reason I beg your Greatness, if no such order has been given, to make this clear to me; but if the letter is really the victorious emperor's, to teach his Piety not to believe slanders readily, nor to give his ear to accusers alone, but to demand an account from the accused. The very testimony of the facts is enough to persuade his Piety that what has been said against us is false. When did we ever trouble his Serenity about any matter, or the great officials, or become burdensome to the landowners here, who are many and distinguished? That we have spent much of the church's revenue on public buildings, putting up porticoes and baths, building bridges and caring for the other public needs, your Magnanimity knows. If some are vexed because we lament the overthrow of the churches of Phoenicia, let your Greatness be persuaded that we cannot help grieving when we see the horn of the Jews lifted on high and the Christians in lamentations and dirges, even if they send us to the very ends of the world. Nor can we help fighting for the apostolic doctrines, for we remember the apostolic voice that says: 'We must obey God rather than men.' And more fearful to us than the troubles here is the tribunal of the Master Christ; for we shall all stand before it, to give account of what we have said and done. Because of that tribunal the gloomy things of the present life are bearable to us; for the hope of things to come is comfort enough for those who are wronged. And to us the loving Master has added your Magnanimity …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Acts 5:29 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:10 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret tells the patrician Anatolius that an imperial order confines him to Cyrus on charges of holding synods at Antioch, defends his conduct, and asks him to learn the reason and inform the emperor.
- Migne Letter 79, To the patrician Anatolius (448). The flag that Letters 77–78 are lost inside this passage does not hold: they stand in the passages staged as 75 and 76. The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- Words are lost in the scan after 'ordering the' (probably the official charged with carrying out the order) and after 'demanding of me'; marked '…'. A stratelatianus was an officer on the staff of a magister militum.
- 'The horn of the Jews lifted on high' and the lament for the churches of Phoenicia are Theodoret's own words, translated as written; the letter does not say what happened there.
- Quotations: Acts 5:29; 2 Cor 5:10 (with Rom 14:10). 'The horn … lifted on high' uses biblical idiom (e.g. Ps 75:4–5).
- Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal references read as Greek by the OCR 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 κατηγορούμε-νον; OCR debris: Migne's marginal references and Latin column; marginal column letter; the Greek word here is damaged; marginal letter): τῷ Β λείας → τῷ … λείας; οὐ μὴν ἢ εἰς υἱ ααοὰ ἃ τὴν → οὐ μὴν ἢ εἰς τὴν; εὐταξίαν Οἱ “δι. ᾿πιαἱ 5ἰ 16 πὶ δὶ] πηρατγδίαιη δῖ, δἰῃ πη 18, ἃ οἷδά τι → εὐταξίαν οἷδά τι; Οὗ δὴ Ὁ χάριν → Οὗ δὴ χάριν; χατηγορούμε- ΠΙ05 πηλρίϑίγαΐ 8, δυΐ ροββθβϑογίυυ5, αυΐ εἷς δυηὶ Ὁ νον. → χατηγορούμενον.; μαρτυρία, 0} διὸ οὔ ἰῃ δι δυο. ιν, 39. δἷς οἱ ἴη 5664, πεῖσαι → μαρτυρία, πεῖσαι; μὴ Α ἀορφπιδί! 05 ἀλγεῖν → μὴ ἀλγεῖν; καὶ Ηἰθυ8 55.» δο( οἱ ἰΐδ εἰδῖ πεπραγμένων → καὶ πεπραγμένων.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 79 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/79). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/79
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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 80
80PG 83
Ἐθαύμασα λίαν ὅτι τὰς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐπιδουλὰς οὐ μεμήνυκεν ἡμῖν τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ διαλῦσαι ταύτας εἶχεν ἴσως δυσκολίαν τινὰ, τὸ ψεῦδος ἐξελέγχειν οὐ δυναμένοις" τὸ δὲ γνωρίσαι τὰ τυρευόμενα, οὐ δυναστείας ἔχρῃζεν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐνοϊχῆς διαθέσεως. Καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν ἠλπίσαμεν, τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπείας εἰς τὴν βασιλίδα κληθείσης πόλιν, καὶ τὸν ὑψηλὸν τῶν ὑπάρχων θρόνον λαχούσης διαζάλην. Ἐπειράθημεν δὲ θορύδων, οὗς οὐδὲ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς διαστάσεως ἑωράκαμεν. Ἔν θρήνοις γὰρ αἱ τῆς Φοινίκης ᾿Εκκλησίαι" ἐν θρήνοις δὲ καὶ αἱ τῇς Παλαιστίνης, ὡς ἅπαντες ἀπαγγέλλουσι, δηλοῖ δὲ τὸ πένθος καὶ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων τὰ γράμματα. Στένουσι δὲ οἱ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἅγιοι ἅπαντες, καὶ πᾶς εὑσεθὴς ὀλοφύρεται σύλλογος" καὶ παῦλαν τῶν προτέρων ταραχῶν προσδοκῶντες, ἑτέρας πάλιν ἐδεξάμεθα. Καὶ γὰρ ἡμεῖς εἰς τὴν Κύρον περιωρίσθημεν, εἵπερ ἀληθὲς τὸ δειχθὲν ἡ μῖν [τὸ] ὑπομνηστικὸν, ὃ φασιν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ γεγράφθαι τοῦ καλλινίχου ἡμῶν βασιλέως" ἔχει δὲ οὕτως’ ε« Ἐπειδὴ ὁ δεῖνα ὁ τῇσὃς τῆ: πόλεως ἐπίσκοπος συνεχῶς ἀθροίζει συνόδους, καὶ ταράττει τοῦτο τοὺς ὀρθοδόξους, μετὰ τῆς σον αὐτὸν ἐν τῇ Κύρῳ διάγειν, καὶ εἰς ἑτέραν μὴ ἀπιέναι πόλιν. » Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἔἕστερξα τὴν ψῆφον, καὶ τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἁσπάξομαι. Καὶ μαρτυρεῖ μου τῇ γνώμῃ τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος. Οἷδε γὰρ ὅπως εἰς τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν εἰσιὼν, ἀσυντάχτως ἐξήειν, διὰ τοὺς ἐπισχεῖν αὐτόθι με βουλομένους. Ἠδίκησαν δὲ προφανῶς οἱ τὰς ἀκοὰς ἑκατέρας δεδωκότες τοῖς συκοφάνταις, καὶ θατέραν ἡ μἵν οὐ φυλάξαντες. Καὶ γὰρ τοῖς ἀνδροφόνοις, καὶ τοῖς τὰς ἀλλοτρίας ἀποσυλῶσιν εὐνὰς, ἀπολογίας δέδοται χώρα, καὶ οὐ πρότερον δέχόνται τῆς τιμωρίας τὴν Ψῆφον, ἕως ἂν ἐλεγχθῶσι παρόντες, ἣ συνομολογήσωσιν, ὡς ἀληθὴς ἣ γραφή. ᾿Αρχιερεὺς δὲ πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι ἐπισχοπήσας ἕτη, καὶ; τὸν πρὸ τούτου χρόνον ἐν ἀσχητηρίῳ βιώσας, οὐκ ἱ ἐνοχλήσας ποτὲ δικαστήριον, οὐδὲ παρά του πώποτε ἱ γραφὴν ὑπομείνας, συκοφαντίας γεγένηται παρανάλωμα, οὐδὲ τοῖς τυμδωρύχοις παραπλησίως ἀξιωθεὶς δέξασθαι πεῦσιν, εἰ ἀληθῆ τὰ χατηγορήματα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν ἠδίκησαν, ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἠδίχημαι" ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς μείζους ἀηδίας ηὐτρέπισμαι, Κἂν γὰρ μυριάκις δυσχεραίνουσιν ὅτι θρηνῶ τῇς Φοινίκης τὰς συμφορὰς, οὐ παύσομαι τοῦτο ποιῶν ἕως ἂν ταύτας ὁρῶ. Μόνον γάρ μοι φοδερὸν τὸ θεῖον κριτήριον. Αὐτοὺς δὲ ὅμως εὔχομαι συγγνώμης παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τυχεῖν" τὸ δὲ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος ἀεὶ μὲν εὐδοκιμεῖν, καὶ διαπρέπειν ἐν ἅπασι τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς, κατὰ δὲ τοῦ ψεύδους παῤῥησιάζεσθαι, καὶ τἧς ἀληθείας ὑπερμαχεῖν. Ἴστωσαν δὲ οἱ ταῦτα κατασκευάσαντες, ὡς κἂν εἰς τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀπέλθω, οὐκ ἐάσει Θεὸς τὰ δυσσεδῇ δόγματα κρατυνθῆναι, ἀλλὰ νεύσει, καὶ καταλύσει τοὺς τὰ μυσαρὰ θρη-
Ethaumasa lian hoti tas kath᾽ hēmōn epidoulas ou memēnyken hēmin to hymeteron megethos. To men gar dialysai tautas eichen isōs dyskolian tina, to pseudos exelenchein ou dynamenois" to de gnōrisai ta tyreuomena, ou dynasteias echrę̄zen, all᾽ eunoïchēs diatheseōs. Kai hēmeis men ēlpisamen, tēs hymeteras megaloprepeias eis tēn basilida klētheisēs polin, kai ton hypsēlon tōn hyparchōn thronon lachousēs diazalēn. Epeirathēmen de thorydōn, hous oude en archę̄ tēs diastaseōs heōrakamen. En thrēnois gar hai tēs Phoinikēs ᾿Ekklēsiai" en thrēnois de kai hai tę̄s Palaistinēs, hōs hapantes apangellousi, dēloi de to penthos kai tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn ta grammata. Stenousi de hoi par᾽ hēmin hagioi hapantes, kai pas heusethēs olophyretai syllogos" kai paulan tōn proterōn tarachōn prosdokōntes, heteras palin edexametha. Kai gar hēmeis eis tēn Kyron periōristhēmen, heiper alēthes to deichthen hē min [to] hypomnēstikon, ho phasin hyp᾽ autou gegraphthai tou kallinichou hēmōn basileōs" echei de houtōs’ e« Epeidē ho deina ho tę̄sos tē: poleōs episkopos synechōs athroizei synodous, kai tarattei touto tous orthodoxous, meta tēs son auton en tę̄ Kyrǭ diagein, kai eis heteran mē apienai polin. » Egō men oun heesterxa tēn psēphon, kai tēn hēsychian haspaxomai. Kai martyrei mou tę̄ gnōmę̄ to hymeteron megethos. Hoide gar hopōs eis tēn ᾿Antiocheian eisiōn, asyntachtōs exēein, dia tous epischein autothi me boulomenous. Ēdikēsan de prophanōs hoi tas akoas hekateras dedōkotes tois sykophantais, kai thateran hē min ou phylaxantes. Kai gar tois androphonois, kai tois tas allotrias aposylōsin eunas, apologias dedotai chōra, kai ou proteron dechontai tēs timōrias tēn Psēphon, heōs an elenchthōsi parontes, hē synomologēsōsin, hōs alēthēs hē graphē. ᾿Archiereus de pente kai eikosi epischopēsas hetē, kai? ton pro toutou chronon en aschētēriǭ biōsas, ouk hi enochlēsas pote dikastērion, oude para tou pōpote hi graphēn hypomeinas, sykophantias gegenētai paranalōma, oude tois tymdōrychois paraplēsiōs axiōtheis dexasthai peusin, ei alēthē ta chatēgorēmata. ᾿All᾽ hoi men ēdikēsan, egō de ouk ēdichēmai" alla kai eis meizous aēdias ēutrepismai, Kan gar myriakis dyscherainousin hoti thrēnō tę̄s Phoinikēs tas symphoras, ou pausomai touto poiōn heōs an tautas horō. Monon gar moi phoderon to theion kritērion. Autous de homōs euchomai syngnōmēs para tou Theou tōn holōn tychein" to de hymeteron megethos aei men eudokimein, kai diaprepein en hapasi tois agathois, kata de tou pseudous parrhēsiazesthai, kai tēs alētheias hypermachein. Istōsan de hoi tauta kataskeuasantes, hōs kan eis tas eschatias tēs oikoumenēs apelthō, ouk easei Theos ta dyssedę̄ dogmata kratynthēnai, alla neusei, kai katalysei tous ta mysara thrē-
I was greatly surprised that your Greatness did not inform us of the plots against us. To break them up might perhaps have been difficult, since you could not refute the falsehood; but to let us know what was being concocted required no power, only a well-disposed heart. We had hoped, when your Magnificence was called to the imperial city and obtained the lofty throne of the prefects, … the turmoil. But we have met with tumults such as we did not see even at the beginning of the dissension. The churches of Phoenicia are in lamentation, and those of Palestine too, as everyone reports, and the letters of the most God-beloved bishops show their mourning. All the holy people among us groan, and every pious assembly wails; and while we were expecting an end of the former troubles, we have received others again. For we have been confined to Cyrus, if the memorandum shown us is genuine, which they say was written by our victorious emperor himself. It runs thus: 'Since so-and-so, bishop of such-and-such a city, continually gathers synods, and this troubles the orthodox, … that he stay in Cyrus and not go away to any other city.' For my part, I have accepted the sentence and welcome the quiet. Your Greatness can bear witness to my disposition, for you know how, when I went into Antioch, I used to leave without taking leave because of those who wanted to keep me there. Those who gave both ears to the slanderers and did not keep the other for us have plainly done wrong. Even murderers and those who plunder other men's marriage-beds are given room to defend themselves, and they do not receive the sentence of punishment until they are convicted in person or confess that the charge is true. But a high priest who has been bishop for twenty-five years, and before that lived in a monastery, who never troubled a court nor ever faced an indictment from anyone, has become a casualty of slander and has not been thought worthy, as even grave-robbers are, of an inquiry into whether the charges are true. But they have done wrong; I have not been wronged; rather, I am prepared for greater unpleasantness. For even if they are vexed ten thousand times because I lament the calamities of Phoenicia, I will not stop doing so as long as I see them. Only the divine judgment is fearful to me. Yet I pray that they may obtain pardon from the God of the universe, and that your Greatness may always be held in honor and excel in every good thing, and speak boldly against falsehood and fight for the truth. Let those who contrived this know that even if I go away to the ends of the earth, God will not allow impious doctrines to prevail, but will nod and destroy those who … abominable …
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret reproaches the prefect Eutrechius for not warning him of the plot that confined him to Cyrus, protests that he was condemned unheard, and vows to keep lamenting the troubles of the churches.
- Migne Letter 80, To the prefect Eutrechius (448). The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- Words are lost after 'the lofty throne of the prefects' (probably 'an end of'), and in the emperor's memorandum after 'troubles the orthodox' (the official addressed and the verb 'see to it'); marked '…'. Lines of Migne's Latin column read as Greek by the OCR are removed by logged corrections. The bracketed article in 'the memorandum' is Migne's.
- The 'dissension' is the controversy that began with Nestorius and the Council of Ephesus (431).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside ἀξιω-θεὶς; stray mark): ὡς ἀληθὴς ἣ γραφή. ! ᾿Αρχιερεὺς → ὡς ἀληθὴς ἣ γραφή. ᾿Αρχιερεὺς; ἀξιωτιν, 10. ἢ Εἰ δ μας ἰῃ ἀἰδβοϊἀϊϊ Ἔχογαϊΐϊο ν] ἀΐϊπηι5. ἴπ Ἰυσίὰ δ νοῦαι: οἱ Πεὶ Δ ᾳυὶ πος Δ 8]ἴδπὶ οἰν! αἴθ ρτγο[οϊδοδίυγ.» ἔσο ἐξὶ Γ ἴῃ 56 Πἀπ} 89 τοϑογναγυηῖί. Νὰ οἱ [οἰ ο! 5, οἱ 8] 05 ἴα το 5 ὁδῖ ρογαοίι8, ο] υππηΐαΣ ἴδοδ 65 ᾿υϊ τ πα ἰδ οοηβθοι 8.8, αἱ ἰπ(ΟΓΓΟβΆΓΟΙΌΓ Δῃ ψΈγὰ ἰπί ἀδ αιυϊ- Α θεὶς → ἀξιωθεὶς; χατηγορήμαια, πα }} 168 [τη ἢ 6 γα οὐϑἰβίββ, οἱ νου ἰδι 5 ἢυ]πὸδϑὶ βοϑιίοηϊία. Εἰ ἴῃ Πᾶς προ οἱ (υἃ → χατηγορήματα. .
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 80 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/80). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/80
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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 81
81PG 83
Ἐν βραχεῖ μὲν ἡμέρας μορίῳ τῆς ὑμετέρας μεσης τοῦ ποθουμένου. “Ἤλπισα δὲ καὶ τὴν μικρὰν συνουσίαν ζώπυρον» εὐνοίας καὶ θερμῆς ἔσεσθαι δια-᾿ θέσεως " ἐψεύσθην δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος. Δὶς μὲν γὰρ ἤδη γεγραφὼς, ἀντιγράφων οὐκ ἔτυχον" βασιλικῇ δὲ ψήφῳ τῆς Κυρεστῶν χώρας τοὺς ὄρους ὑπερ-. δαίνειν χεχώλυμαι. Αἰτία δὲ οὐδεμία τῇ δοκούσῃ πρόσκειται τιμωρίᾳ, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι συνόδους ἐπισχοπιχὰς συναθροίξω. Καὶ οὔτε γραφῆς δεικνυμένης, οὔτε τοῦ διώκοντος φαινομένου, οὔτε τοῦ φεύγοντος ἐλεγχθέντος, ἣ ψῆφος ἐξηνέχθη. Καὶ στέργομεν ταύτην, τῶν ἀδικουμένων τὰς ἀντιδόσεις εἰδότες. Οἶδα μέντοι τὸν Φῆστον ( Ῥωμαίων δὲ ἦν οὗτος ἡγεμὼγ τὴν Ἴουδαίων εὐταξίαν πεπιστευμένος), ἡτηχότων τῶν δαίων τὴν τοῦ θεσπεσίου Παύλου σφαγὴν, ἄντικρυς εἰρηκότα᾽ ε Οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἡμῖν Ῥωμαίοις οὖσι χαρίζεσθαι ἄνθρωπον, πρὶν ἂν ὁ κατηγορούμενος κατὰ πρόσωπον σχοίη τοὺς κατηγόρους, τόπον τε ἀπολογίας λάδοι περὶ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος. ν Καὶ ταῦτα ἔλεγεν ἄνθρωπος οὐ πεπιστευκὼς τῷ Δεσπότῃ Χριστῷ, ἀλλὰ τῇ πολυθέῳ πλάνῃ δουλεύων. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὔτε ἐρωτηθεὶς εἴτε συνάγω συνόδους, εἴτε μὴ, καὶ ἐπὶ τίσι συνάγω, καὶ τί τοῦτο λυμαίνεται ἣ τοῖς ἐγχλησιαστιχοῖς, ἣ τοῖς κοινοῖς, τοῖς μέγιστα παρανομῆσασι παραπλησίως τῶν ἄλλων εἴργομαι πόλεων " μᾶλλον δὲ τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις ἅπασι πᾶσα πόλις ἀνέῳχται, οὐ μόνον τοῖς τὰ ᾿Αρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου φρονοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ Μανικαίοις, καὶ Μαρχιωνισταῖς, καὶ τοῖς τὰ Βλλεντίνου, καὶ Μοντανοῦ νοσοῦσι, καὶ μέντοι καὶ Ἕλλησι καὶ Ἰουδαίοις " ἐγὼ δὲ, τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν ὑπεραγωνιζόμενος δογμάτων, πάσης εἴργομαι πόλεως. ᾿λλλ᾽ ἐναντία φρονεῖν ἡμᾶς φασί τινες. Οὐκοῦν γενέσθω συνέδριον, παρέστωσαν τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων οἱ κρίνειν εἰδότες, παρέστωσαν τῶν ἐν τέλει καὶ ἀξιωμάτων οἱ τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένοι " εἴπωμεν ἃ φρονοῦμεν, εἰπάτωσαν οἱ κρίνοντες, ποῖον φρόνημα συμθαίνει τῇ τῶν ἀποστόλων διδασκαλίᾳ. Αλλά γε ταῦτα γέγραφα, οὔτε τὴν μεγίστην πόλιν ἱδεῖν ἐφιέμενος, οὔτε εἰς ἄλλην ἀπᾶραι γλιχόμεγος. Τῷ ὄντι γὸρ μᾶλλον ἀσπάζομαι τὴν ἡσυχίαν τῶν ἐν μοναχιχῷ προσχήματι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας οἶκονομεῖν βουλομένων. Ἴστω γὰρ ὑμῶν τὸ μέγεθος, ὡς οὔτε ἐπὶ τοῦ μακαριωτάτου καὶ ἐν ἁγίοις Θεοδότου, οὔτε ἐπὶ τοῦ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Ἰωάννου, οὔτε ἐπὶ τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου ἐπισκόπου κυρίου Δόμνον, ἑχὼν εἰς τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν εἰσήειν " ἀλλὰ καὶ πεντάκις καὶ ἑξάκις καλούμενος μόλις ὑπήκουον" καὶ ὑπήκουον τῷ ἐκκλησιαστικῷ κανόνι πειθόμενος, ὃς κινδυνεύειν καραχελεύεται τὸν καλούμενον εἰς σύνοδον, καὶ παᾶραγίνεσθαι μὴ βουλόμενον. Εἰσιόντες δὲ τί τῶν ἀπαρεσκόντων Θεῷ πεποιῆκαμεν; ὅτι τὸν δεῖνα καὶ τὸν δεῖνα σιγῆς ἀξίας παρανομίας τετολμηκότας τῶν νους καὶ βίῳ χοσμουμένους τῇ τῆς ἱερωσύνης χειροκονίᾳ προσάγομεν; ὅτι τοῖς λαοῖς τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν διδασκαλίαν προσφέρομεν; Εἰ ταῦτα γραφῆς ἄξια καὶ τιμωρίας, καὶ τὰς μείζους ὑπὲρ τούτων ἥδιστα τιμωρίας δεχόμεθα. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ ἀναγκάζουσί με οἱ συκοφάνται. Καὶ πρὸ αὐτῆς τῆς συλλήψεως ὑπἔσχοντό με τῷ Θεῷ προσφέρειν οἱ φύσαντες, καὶ ἐκ σπαργάνων κατὰ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀνέθηκαν, τροφῆς κοιαύτης ἠξίωσαν. Ἐν μοναστηρίῳ τὸν πρὸ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς διατελέσας χρόνον, ἄκων τὴν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἐδεξάμην χειροτονίάν. Πέντε καὶ εἴκοσι διετέλεσα ἔτη, οὔτε χατεντευχθεὶς ὑπό τινος, οὔτε αἰτιασάμενος ἕτερον. Οὐ προσήδρευσὲ τις δικαστηρίῳ τῶν ὑπ᾽ ἐμὲ εὐλαδεστάτων κληρικῶν ἐν τοσούτοις ἕτεσιν. Οὐκ δὔολὸν, οὐκ ἑμάτιον παρά τινος ἐδεξάμην. Ἕνα ἄρτον ἣ ὠδν οὐδεὶς τῶν ἐμῶν συνοίχων ἐδέξατο πώποτε. Πλὴν τῶν ῥακίων ὧν περιδέδλημαι, οὐδὲν κτήσασθαι δνεσχόμην. Δημοσίας στοὰς ἐκ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ῥέοντος ποταμοῦ τὴν πόλιν μὴ ὑδρευομένην εὑρὼν, τὸν ἀγωγὸν χατεσχεύασα, καὶ τὴν ἄνυδρον πόλιν ὑδάτων ἐπλέρωσα. Καὶ ἵνα ταῦτα χαταλίπω, κώμας ὀκτὼ τῆς Μαρκίωνος, καὶ τὰς πέριξ κειμένας, ἀσμένας πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐποδήγησα" ἄλλην κώμην Εὐνομιανῶν πεπληρωμένην, καὶ ἄλλην ᾿Αρειανῶν, τῷ φωτὶ τῆς θεογνωσίας προσήγαγον, καὶ διὰ τὴν θείαν χάριν οὐδὲ ἕν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν αἱρετιχῶν ὑπελείφθη ζιζάνιον. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἀκινδύνως πε- "χοίηχα, ἀλλὰ τὸ αἷμά μον πολλάκις ἐχχύσας, πολλάκις χαταλευσθεὶς ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν, καὶ εἰς αὐτὰς φθάσας ἡγοῦ ἄδου τὰς πύλας. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ ἄφρων ἐγενόμην καυχώμενος " τῆς δὲ ἀνάγκης, οὐ τῆς γνώμης τὰ εἰρημένα, Τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ὁ τρισμαχάριος Παῦλος ἡναγκάσθη δρᾶσαί ποτε, τῶν κατηγορούντων ἐμφράττων τὸ στόμα. Στέγω δὲ ὅμως τὴν δοκοῦσαν ἀτιμίαν, καὶ τιμὴν ἄκραν ὑπολαμδάνω " ἀκούω γὰρ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς βοώσης φωνῇς: ες Πάντες οἱ θέλοντες ζῇν εὐσεδῶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, διωχθήσον-᾿ ται.» Τὴν δὲ ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν παρακαλῶ, φροντίσαι τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν πραγμάτων, καὶ τὴν ἐπαναστᾶπαν χατευνάσαι ζάλην" τῷ ὄντι γὰρ οὐδὲ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς διαστάσεως τοιαύτη τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν χατέλαδε σύγχυσις. Οὐδεὶς ὑμᾶς διδάσκει τῶν κιν-“ δύνων τὸ μέγεθος, τῶν ἐν Φοινίκῃ Χριστιανῶν τοὺς θρήνους, τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἁγιωτάτων μοναζόντων τοὺς ὀδυρμούς. Οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ πλείοσιν ἐχρησάμην λόγοις, ἵνα μαθοῦσα ὑμῶν ἡ μεγαλοφυῖα τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τὸν κλύδωνα, χαταπαύσῃ τοῦτον, καὶ τὴν ἀν
En brachei men hēmeras moriǭ tēs hymeteras mesēs tou pothoumenou. “Ēlpisa de kai tēn mikran synousian zōpyron» eunoias kai thermēs esesthai dia-᾿ theseōs " epseusthēn de tēs elpidos. Dis men gar ēdē gegraphōs, antigraphōn ouk etychon" basilikę̄ de psēphǭ tēs Kyrestōn chōras tous orous hyper-. dainein chechōlymai. Aitia de oudemia tę̄ dokousę̄ proskeitai timōrią, all᾽ hoti synodous epischopichas synathroixō. Kai oute graphēs deiknymenēs, oute tou diōkontos phainomenou, oute tou pheugontos elenchthentos, hē psēphos exēnechthē. Kai stergomen tautēn, tōn adikoumenōn tas antidoseis eidotes. Oida mentoi ton Phēston ( Rhōmaiōn de ēn houtos hēgemōg tēn Ioudaiōn eutaxian pepisteumenos), hētēchotōn tōn daiōn tēn tou thespesiou Paulou sphagēn, antikrys eirēkota᾽ e Ouk exestin hēmin Rhōmaiois ousi charizesthai anthrōpon, prin an ho katēgoroumenos kata prosōpon schoiē tous katēgorous, topon te apologias ladoi peri tou enklēmatos. n Kai tauta elegen anthrōpos ou pepisteukōs tǭ Despotę̄ Christǭ, alla tę̄ polytheǭ planę̄ douleuōn. Egō de oute erōtētheis eite synagō synodous, eite mē, kai epi tisi synagō, kai ti touto lymainetai hē tois enchlēsiastichois, hē tois koinois, tois megista paranomēsasi paraplēsiōs tōn allōn eirgomai poleōn " mallon de tois men allois hapasi pasa polis aneǭchtai, ou monon tois ta ᾿Areiou kai Eunomiou phronousin, alla kai Manikaiois, kai Marchiōnistais, kai tois ta Bllentinou, kai Montanou nosousi, kai mentoi kai Hellēsi kai Ioudaiois " egō de, tōn euangelikōn hyperagōnizomenos dogmatōn, pasēs eirgomai poleōs. ᾿lll᾽ enantia phronein hēmas phasi tines. Oukoun genesthō synedrion, parestōsan tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn hoi krinein eidotes, parestōsan tōn en telei kai axiōmatōn hoi ta theia pepaideumenoi " eipōmen ha phronoumen, eipatōsan hoi krinontes, poion phronēma symthainei tę̄ tōn apostolōn didaskalią. Alla ge tauta gegrapha, oute tēn megistēn polin hidein ephiemenos, oute eis allēn aparai glichomegos. Tǭ onti gor mallon aspazomai tēn hēsychian tōn en monachichǭ proschēmati tas Ekklēsias oikonomein boulomenōn. Istō gar hymōn to megethos, hōs oute epi tou makariōtatou kai en hagiois Theodotou, oute epi tou tēs makarias mnēmēs Iōannou, oute epi tou hagiōtatou episkopou kyriou Domnon, hechōn eis tēn ᾿Antiocheian eisēein " alla kai pentakis kai hexakis kaloumenos molis hypēkouon" kai hypēkouon tǭ ekklēsiastikǭ kanoni peithomenos, hos kindyneuein karacheleuetai ton kaloumenon eis synodon, kai paaraginesthai mē boulomenon. Eisiontes de ti tōn apareskontōn Theǭ pepoiēkamen? hoti ton deina kai ton deina sigēs axias paranomias tetolmēkotas tōn nous kai biǭ chosmoumenous tę̄ tēs hierōsynēs cheirokonią prosagomen? hoti tois laois tēn euangelikēn didaskalian prospheromen? Ei tauta graphēs axia kai timōrias, kai tas meizous hyper toutōn hēdista timōrias dechometha. ᾿Alla gar anankazousi me hoi sykophantai. Kai pro autēs tēs syllēpseōs hypeschonto me tǭ Theǭ prospherein hoi physantes, kai ek sparganōn kata tas epangelias anethēkan, trophēs koiautēs ēxiōsan. En monastēriǭ ton pro tēs episkopēs diatelesas chronon, akōn tēn tēs episkopēs edexamēn cheirotonian. Pente kai eikosi dietelesa etē, oute chatenteuchtheis hypo tinos, oute aitiasamenos heteron. Ou prosēdreuse tis dikastēriǭ tōn hyp᾽ eme euladestatōn klērikōn en tosoutois hetesin. Ouk dyolon, ouk hemation para tinos edexamēn. Hena arton hē ōdn oudeis tōn emōn synoichōn edexato pōpote. Plēn tōn rhakiōn hōn peridedlēmai, ouden ktēsasthai dneschomēn. Dēmosias stoas ek tōn ekklēsiastikōn rheontos potamou tēn polin mē hydreuomenēn heurōn, ton agōgon chatescheuasa, kai tēn anydron polin hydatōn eplerōsa. Kai hina tauta chatalipō, kōmas oktō tēs Markiōnos, kai tas perix keimenas, asmenas pros tēn alētheian epodēgēsa" allēn kōmēn Eunomianōn peplērōmenēn, kai allēn ᾿Areianōn, tǭ phōti tēs theognōsias prosēgagon, kai dia tēn theian charin oude hen par᾽ hēmin hairetichōn hypeleiphthē zizanion. Kai tauta ouk akindynōs pe- "choiēcha, alla to haima mon pollakis echchysas, pollakis chataleustheis hyp᾽ autōn, kai eis autas phthasas hēgou adou tas pylas. ᾿Alla gar aphrōn egenomēn kauchōmenos " tēs de anankēs, ou tēs gnōmēs ta eirēmena, Touto de kai ho trismacharios Paulos hēnankasthē drasai pote, tōn katēgorountōn emphrattōn to stoma. Stegō de homōs tēn dokousan atimian, kai timēn akran hypolamdanō " akouō gar tēs apostolikēs boōsēs phōnę̄s: es Pantes hoi thelontes zę̄n eusedōs en Christǭ Iēsou, diōchthēson-᾿ tai.» Tēn de hymeteran megaloprepeian parakalō, phrontisai tōn ekklēsiastikōn pragmatōn, kai tēn epanastapan chateunasai zalēn" tǭ onti gar oude en archę̄ tēs diastaseōs toiautē tēn Ekklēsian chatelade synchysis. Oudeis hymas didaskei tōn kin-“ dynōn to megethos, tōn en Phoinikę̄ Christianōn tous thrēnous, tōn par᾽ hēmin hagiōtatōn monazontōn tous odyrmous. Hou dē charin kai pleiosin echrēsamēn logois, hina mathousa hymōn hē megalophuia tōn Ekklēsiōn ton klydōna, chatapausę̄ touton, kai tēn an
In a brief part of a day … your … of what I longed for. I hoped that the brief meeting would be a spark of goodwill and warm affection; but I was cheated of my hope. For though I have now written twice, I have not received a reply; and by imperial sentence I have been forbidden to cross the boundaries of the territory of Cyrus. No charge is attached to this apparent punishment except that I gather episcopal synods. With no indictment shown, no prosecutor appearing, no defendant convicted, the sentence was pronounced. And we accept it, knowing the recompense that awaits the wronged. Yet I know that Festus (he was a Roman governor entrusted with keeping order among the Jews), when the Jews asked for the death of the inspired Paul, said outright: 'It is not lawful for us, being Romans, to give up any man before the accused has met his accusers face to face and had opportunity to make his defense concerning the charge.' And this was said by a man who did not believe in the Master Christ but served the error of many gods. But I, without being asked whether I gather synods or not, and for what purpose I gather them, and what harm this does to the affairs of the church or of the public, am shut out of the other cities like those guilty of the greatest crimes. Rather, every city is open to all others, not only to those who hold the views of Arius and Eunomius, but also to Manichees and Marcionites, and to those sick with the opinions of Valentinus and Montanus, and indeed to pagans and Jews; but I, who fight for the doctrines of the gospel, am shut out of every city. But some say that we hold contrary views. Then let a council be held; let those of the most God-beloved bishops who know how to judge be present; let those of the officials and dignitaries who are instructed in divine things be present; let us say what we believe, and let the judges say which belief agrees with the teaching of the apostles. I have written this not because I want to see the greatest city or long to go away to another. For truly I welcome quiet more than those who wish to manage the churches in monastic garb. Let your Greatness know that neither in the time of the most blessed Theodotus, now among the saints, nor of John of blessed memory, nor of the most holy bishop, lord Domnus, did I go into Antioch of my own accord; summoned five and six times, I barely obeyed, and I obeyed in compliance with the church canon that orders anyone summoned to a synod who will not come to be in danger of penalty. And when we went in, what did we do that displeases God? That we … so-and-so and so-and-so, who had dared lawless acts best passed over in silence, and bring to ordination to the priesthood those adorned with … and life? That we offer the gospel teaching to the people? If these things deserve indictment and punishment, we will gladly accept even greater punishments for them. But the slanderers compel me to speak. Even before my conception my parents promised to offer me to God, and from my swaddling clothes they dedicated me according to their promises and gave me an upbringing to match. I spent the time before my episcopate in a monastery, and I received episcopal ordination against my will. I have spent twenty-five years without being accused by anyone or accusing anyone else. In all those years not one of the most reverent clergy under me has waited at a court. I have not received an obol or a garment from anyone. None of my household has ever received a loaf or an egg. Apart from the rags I wear, I have allowed myself to acquire nothing. Public porticoes from the church's … finding that the city was not supplied with water from the flowing river, I built the aqueduct and filled the waterless city with water. And to pass over these things, I led eight villages of Marcion's followers, and those lying round them, gladly to the truth; another village full of Eunomians and another of Arians I brought to the light of the knowledge of God, and by divine grace not a single tare of heretics has been left among us. And I did this not without danger: I often shed my blood, I was often stoned by them, and I came to the very gates of Hades. But I have become a fool in boasting; what I have said is from necessity, not from choice. The thrice-blessed Paul too was once compelled to do this, to stop the mouths of his accusers. Still, I accept this seeming dishonor and take it as the highest honor; for I hear the apostolic voice crying: 'All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.' I beg your Magnificence to take care of the affairs of the church and to calm the storm that has arisen; for truly not even at the beginning of the dissension did such confusion take hold of the church. No one informs you of the greatness of the dangers, the laments of the Christians in Phoenicia, the wailing of the most holy monks among us. That is why I have used more words: so that your Magnanimity, learning of the storm in the churches, may stop it and …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Acts 25:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 12:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Tim 3:12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret protests to the consul Nomus that he has been confined to Cyrus without a hearing, while heretics, pagans and Jews move freely, and defends his life and work as bishop.
- Migne Letter 81, To the consul Nomus (448). The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- Lines are lost in the scan at the opening (after 'your', probably 'Magnificence's company I enjoyed the fruit'), after 'That we' (a verb such as 'rebuked'), after 'adorned with' (probably 'right doctrine'), and after 'Public porticoes from the church's' (the rest of the list of his building works); marked '…'. Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal references are removed by logged corrections.
- Theodotus, John and Domnus were the successive bishops of Antioch (ca. 420–429, 429–441, 441/2–449). 'The church canon' on bishops summoned to a synod is probably canon 20 of the Council of Antioch (341); the letter does not name it.
- Quotations: Acts 25:16 (with 25:2–3); 2 Cor 12:11; 2 Tim 3:12. 'Those who wish to manage the churches in monastic garb' is Theodoret's barb at monks active in the controversy, translated as written; his list of heretics, pagans and Jews admitted to the cities is likewise his own polemic.
- 'Eight villages of Marcion's followers': Marcionite communities in the territory of Cyrus.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris: Migne's marginal date and reference; OCR slip; word rejoined; marginal letter; marginal letter removed; word rejoined): οὐ μόνον Ὁ τοῖς → οὐ μόνον τοῖς; ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰν αϊο. Αἱ Εἰδὶ ΠΘΙΪΟ δὰ δῆς δἰ ϑιο Δ Πι. Μανικαίοις → ἀλλὰ καὶ Μανικαίοις; εἴπωμεν ἃ 448, τοη. ΥἹ, Ρ. δὅ: φρονοῦμεν → εἴπωμεν ἃ φρονοῦμεν; φρόνημα Α ΤΏ}18 1140 συμθαίνει → φρόνημα συμθαίνει; τῶν ἀπ- δ ἀρεσκόντων → τῶν ἀπαρεσκόντων; αἰτιασάμενος Ο ἕτερον → αἰτιασάμενος ἕτερον; ἐποδήγησα" πος ἰδι- Ρὰτη ᾳυὶ δά ἢ 5 ᾿που Δ }}0}}8 υἱ ῬΥΟΙἰβογαπὶ ἀσνογόγυηί, οἱ πος α (οὶ Αὐ᾽δη 5, αἷἄλλην → ἐποδήγησα" ἄλλην; καὶ ἄλλην ἢ). Υἱπεεὲ ᾿Αρειανῶν → καὶ ἄλλην ᾿Αρειανῶν; ἀκούω γὰρ δι, δα [50 οἱ δὰ οτο, αἱ Α τῆς → ἀκούω γὰρ τῆς; οἱ θέδἰ λοντες → οἱ θέλοντες.
Topics: Heresy, Church office, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 81 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/81). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/81
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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).