Church History 1.15–1.23 (Church History)

Theodoret of Cyrus

Church History 1.15–1.23

Theodoret of Cyrus · Church History · ca. 449-450 · Cyrrhus · 9 passages

Greek text: GCS 19.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 3 (1892), trans. B. Jackson.

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Chapter 1

1.15GCS 19:60–61

Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς Εὐσεβίῳ. Κατὰ τὴν ἐπώνυμον ἡμῖν πόλιν, τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος θεοῦ συναἱρομένης προνοίας, μέγιστον πλῆθος ἀνθρώπων τῇ ἁγιωτάτῃ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀνατέθεικεν ἑαυτό, ὡς πάντων ἐκεῖσε πολλὴν λαβόντων αὔξησιν σφόδρα ἄξιον καταφαίνεσθαι καὶ ἐκκλησίας ἐν αὐτῇ κατασχευασθῆναι πλείους. τοιγάρτοι δέδεξο προθυμότατα τὸ δόξαν τῇ ἠἡμετέρᾳ προαιρέσει. πρέπον γὰρ κατεφάνη δηλῶσαι τοῦτο τῇ σῇ "συνέσει, ὕπως ἂν πεντήκοντα σωμάτια ἐν διφθέραις ἐγκατασκχεύοις "ὐανάγνωστά τε καὶ πρὸς τὴν χρῆσιν εὐπαραχόμιστα ὑπὸ τεχνιτῶν ᾿καλλιγράφων καὶ ἀκριβῶς τὴν τέχνην ἐπισταμένων γραφῆναι χκελεύσείιας, τῶν θείων “δηλαδὴ γραφῶν, ὧν μάλιστα τήν τε ἐπισκευὴν καὶ τὴν χρῆσιν τῷ τῆς ἐκκλησίας λόγῳ ἀναγκαίαν εἶναι γινώσκεις. ἀπέσταλται δὲ γράμματα παρὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἡμερότητος πρὸς τὸν ὃ τῆς διοικήσεως καθολικόν, ὅπως ἂν πάντα τὰ πρὸς τὴν ἐπισκευὴν αὐτῶν ἐπιτήδεια παρασχεῖν φροντίσειεν. ἵνα γὰρ ὡς τάχιστα τὰ ᾿γραφέντα σωμάτια κατασκευασθείη, τῆς σῆς ἐπιμελείας ἔ ἔργον τοῦτο ᾽γενήσεται. καὶ γὰρ δύο δημοσίων ὀχημάτων ἐξουσίαν εἰς διακομιδὴν "ἐκ τῆς αὐθεντίας τοῦ γράμματος ἡμῶν τούτου λαβεῖν σε προσήκει. οὕτω γὰρ ἂν μάλιστα τὰ καλῶς γραφέντα καὶ μέχρι τῶν ἡμετέρων ὄψεων ῥᾷστα διακομισθείη, ἑνὸς δηλαδὴ τοῦτο πληροῦντος τῶν ἐκ "τῆς σῆς ἐκκλησίας διακόνων, ὃς ἐπειδὰν ἀφίκηται πρὸς ἡμᾶς, τῆς "ἡμετέρας πειραθήσεται φιλανθρωπίας. ὁ θεός σε διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφὲ ἀγαπητέ. Ἱκανὰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ταῦτα τεκμηριῶσαι, μᾶλλον δὲ διδάξαι σαφῶς, ὅπως ὁ πανεύφημος βασιλεὺς πᾶσαν εἰς τὰ θεῖα μετατέθεικε τὴν σπουδήν. Προσθήσω δὲ ὅμος τοῖς εἰρημένοις τὰ περὶ τὸν σωτήριον αὐτῷ τάφον χατωρθωμένα. μαθὼν γὰρ ὡς οἱ κορυβαντιῶντες καὶ περὶ τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων θεραπείαν βεβακχευμένοι τὸν μὲν δεσποτικὸν κατέχῶσαν τάφον, λήθῃ παραδοῦναι φιλονεικοῦντες τῆς σωτηρίας τὴν μνήμην, ἐπὶ τούτῳ δὲ νεὼν τῆς ἀκολάστου δαίμονος ἐδομήσαντο, ταῖς παρθενιχαῖς οὀδῖσιν ἐπιτωθάξζοντες, καταλυθῆναι μὲν προσέταξε τὸ μυσαρὸν οἰκοδόμημα. τὸν δὲ χοῦν ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἐναγέσι μολυνθέντα θυσίαις ἐκφορηθῆναι καὶ πόρρω που διφῆναι τοῦ ἄστεος, εἶτα νεὼν οἰκοδομηθῆναι μέγιστόν τε καὶ κάλλιστον. δηλοῖ δὲ ταῦτα σαφέστερον ἢ ἐπιστολὴ ἣν πρὸς τὸν πρόεδρον τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκείνης ἐπέστειλεν. ακάριος δὲ ἦν οὗτος, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθημεν, ὃς καὶ τῆς μεγάλης κεκοινωνήκει συνόδου καὶ τὴν Ἀρείου σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις κατηγωνίσατο βλασφημίαν.

Nikētēs Kōnstantinos Megistos Sebastos Eusebiǭ. Kata tēn epōnymon hēmin polin, tēs tou sōtēros theou synairomenēs pronoias, megiston plēthos anthrōpōn tę̄ hagiōtatę̄ ekklēsią anatetheiken heauto, hōs pantōn ekeise pollēn labontōn auxēsin sphodra axion kataphainesthai kai ekklēsias en autę̄ katascheuasthēnai pleious. toigartoi dedexo prothymotata to doxan tę̄ hēēmeterą proairesei. prepon gar katephanē dēlōsai touto tę̄ sę̄ "synesei, hypōs an pentēkonta sōmatia en diphtherais enkataskcheuois "yanagnōsta te kai pros tēn chrēsin euparachomista hypo technitōn ᾿kalligraphōn kai akribōs tēn technēn epistamenōn graphēnai chkeleuseiias, tōn theiōn “dēladē graphōn, hōn malista tēn te episkeuēn kai tēn chrēsin tǭ tēs ekklēsias logǭ anankaian einai ginōskeis. apestaltai de grammata para tēs hēmeteras hēmerotētos pros ton ho tēs dioikēseōs katholikon, hopōs an panta ta pros tēn episkeuēn autōn epitēdeia paraschein phrontiseien. hina gar hōs tachista ta ᾿graphenta sōmatia kataskeuastheiē, tēs sēs epimeleias e ergon touto ᾽genēsetai. kai gar dyo dēmosiōn ochēmatōn exousian eis diakomidēn "ek tēs authentias tou grammatos hēmōn toutou labein se prosēkei. houtō gar an malista ta kalōs graphenta kai mechri tōn hēmeterōn opseōn rhąsta diakomistheiē, henos dēladē touto plērountos tōn ek "tēs sēs ekklēsias diakonōn, hos epeidan aphikētai pros hēmas, tēs "hēmeteras peirathēsetai philanthrōpias. ho theos se diaphylaxei, adelphe agapēte. Hikana men oun kai tauta tekmēriōsai, mallon de didaxai saphōs, hopōs ho paneuphēmos basileus pasan eis ta theia metatetheike tēn spoudēn. Prosthēsō de homos tois eirēmenois ta peri ton sōtērion autǭ taphon chatōrthōmena. mathōn gar hōs hoi korybantiōntes kai peri tēn tōn eidōlōn therapeian bebakcheumenoi ton men despotikon katechōsan taphon, lēthę̄ paradounai philoneikountes tēs sōtērias tēn mnēmēn, epi toutǭ de neōn tēs akolastou daimonos edomēsanto, tais parthenichais oodisin epitōthaxzontes, katalythēnai men prosetaxe to mysaron oikodomēma. ton de choun ekeinon ton enagesi molynthenta thysiais ekphorēthēnai kai porrō pou diphēnai tou asteos, eita neōn oikodomēthēnai megiston te kai kalliston. dēloi de tauta saphesteron ē epistolē hēn pros ton proedron tēs ekklēsias ekeinēs epesteilen. akarios de ēn houtos, hou kai prosthen emnēsthēmen, hos kai tēs megalēs kekoinōnēkei synodou kai tēn Areiou syn tois allois katēgōnisato blasphēmian.

“The victor Constantine, Greatest Augustus, to Eusebius.

In the city that bears our name, by the cooperating providence of God the Saviour, a very great multitude of people has dedicated itself to the most holy church, so that, everything there having greatly increased, it seems most fitting that more churches too should be built in it. Receive, therefore, most readily what our purpose has decided. It has seemed right to make known to your understanding that you should order fifty copies of the divine Scriptures, on prepared parchment, easy to read and convenient to carry for use, to be written by skilled calligraphers who know their art exactly; namely, of those Scriptures whose preparation and use you know to be most necessary for the instruction of the church. Letters have been sent from our Clemency to the treasurer of the diocese, that he may take care to supply everything needed for their preparation. That the written copies may be prepared as quickly as possible will be the task of your diligence. You are entitled, by the authority of this letter of ours, to take two public carriages for their transport; for in this way the copies, well written, may most easily be brought before our eyes, one of the deacons of your church, of course, carrying this out, who, when he reaches us, will experience our kindness. God will keep you, beloved brother.”

This too is enough to prove, or rather to teach clearly, how the all-praiseworthy emperor turned all his zeal to divine things. Nevertheless I shall add to what has been said what he accomplished at the tomb of the Saviour. He learned that people raving and frenzied in the worship of idols had buried the Lord's tomb, striving to give the memory of salvation over to forgetfulness, and had built over it a temple of the licentious demon, mocking the virgin birth; so he ordered the abominable building to be demolished, the soil defiled by polluted sacrifices to be carried away and thrown somewhere far from the city, and then a very great and very beautiful church to be built. The letter he sent to the president of that church shows this more clearly. This was Macarius, whom we mentioned before, who also took part in the great synod and with the others contended against the blasphemy of Arius.

Notes and citation

Summary: Constantine orders Eusebius to have fifty copies of the Scriptures made for the churches of Constantinople; Theodoret then introduces the emperor's work at the tomb of Christ in Jerusalem.

Document: Constantine, letter to Eusebius on the fifty copies of the Scriptures, also in Eusebius, Life of Constantine 4.36 (published on this site).
“The licentious demon”: Aphrodite (Venus), whose temple stood over the site; “mocking the virgin birth” is Theodoret's explanation of the choice of goddess.

Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 4.36 (Life of Constantine; quotation)

Topics: Scripture and canon

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.15 (GCS 19:60–61; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-15

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.16GCS 19:61–63

Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς διακαρίφ. Τοσαύτη τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐστιν ἡ χάρις ὡς μηδεμίαν λόγων χορηγίαν τοῦ παρόντος θαύματος ἀξίαν εἶναι δοκεῖν. τὸ γὰρ γνώρισμα τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου ἐχείνου πάθους ὑπὸ τῇ γῇ πάλαι κρυπτόμενον τοσαύταις ἐτῶν περιόδοις λαθεῖν, ἄχρις οὗ διὰ τῆς τοῦ κοινοῦ πάντῶν ἐχθροῦ ἀναιρέσεως ἐλευθερωθεῖσι τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ θεράπουσιν ἀναλάμπειν ἔμελλε, πᾶσαν ἔκπληξιν ὡς ἀληθῶς ὑπερβαίνει. εἰ γὰρ πάντες οἱ διὰ πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης εἶναι δοκοῦντες σοφοὶ εἰς ἕν καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συνελθόντες ἄξιόν τι τοῦ πράγματος ἐθέλωσιν εἰπεῖν, οοὐδ᾽ ἂν πρὸς τὸ βραχύτατον ἁμιλληθῆναι δυνήσονται. ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον "πᾶσαν ἀνθρωπίνου λογισμοῦ χωρητικὴν φύσιν ἡ τοῦ θαύματος "τούτου πίστις ὑπερβαίνει ὅσῳ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων τὰ οὐράνια συνέστηκεν εἶναι δυνατώτερα. διὰ τοῦτο γοῦν οὗτος ἀεὶ καὶ πρῶτος καὶ μόνος ἐστί μοι σκοπός, ἵν’ ὥσπερ ἑαυτὴν ὁσημέραι καινοτέροις θαύμασιν ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας πίστις ἐπιδείκνυσιν, οὕτως καὶ αἱ ψυχαὶ πάντῶν ἡμῶν περὶ τὸν ἅγιον νόμον σωφροσύνῃ καὶ ὁμογνώμονι προθυμίᾳ σπουδαιότεραι γίγνωνται. ὅπερ ἐπειδὴ πᾶσιν εἶναι νομίζω φανερόν, ἐχεῖνο μάλιστά σὲ πεπεῖσθαι βούλομαι, ὡς ἄρα πάντων μοι μᾶλλον μέλει ὅπως τὸν ἱερὸν ἐκεῖνον τόπον, ὃν θεοῦ προστάγ"ματι αἰσχίστης εἰδώλου -προσθήκης ὥσπερ τινὸς ἐπικειμένου βάρους ἐκούφισα, ἅγιον μὲν ἐξ ἀρχῆς θεοῦ κρίσει γεγενημένον, ἁγιώτερον ὁὲ ἀποφανθέντα ἀφ᾽ οὗ τὴν τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους πίστιν εἰς φῶς προήγαγεν, οἰκοδομημάτων κάλλει κοσμήσωμεν. Προσήκει τοίνυν τὴν σὴν ἀγχίνοιαν οὕτως διατάξαι τε καὶ ἑκάστου τῶν ἀναγκαίων ποιήσασθαι πρόνοιαν, οἰς οὐ μόνον βασιλικχὴν τῶν πανταχοῦ βελτίονα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τοιαῦτα γενέσθαι νος πᾶντα τὰ ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστης καλλιστεύοντα πόλεως ὑπὸ τοῦ κτίσματος τούτου νικᾶσθαι. καὶ περὶ τῆς τῶν τοίχων ἐγέρσεώς τε καὶ καλλιεργίας Δρακιλλιανῷ τῷ ἡμετέρῳ φίλῳ, τῷ διέποντι τῶν λαμπροτάτων ἐπάρχων μέρη, καὶ τῷ τῆς ἐπαρχίας ἄρχοντε παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐγκεχειρίσθαι τὴν φροντίδα γίνωσκε. κεκέλευσται γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐμῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ τεχνίτας καὶ ἐργάτας καὶ πάντα ὅσα περὶ τὴν οἶκοδομὴν ἀναγκαῖα τυγχάνειν παρὰ τῆς σῆς καταμάθοιεν ἀγχινοίας, "παραχρῆμα. διὰ τῆς ἐκείνων προνοίας ἃ ἀποσταλῆναι. περὶ δὲ τῶν κιόνων εἴτ᾽ οὖν μαρμάρων, ἃ δὰν νομίσειας εἶναι τιμιώτερά τε καὶ ᾽χρησιμώτερα, αὐτὸς συνόψεως γενομένης πρὸς ἡμᾶς γράψαι σπούδασον, ἵν ὅσων δὰν καὶ ὁποίων χρεία εἶναι διὰ τοῦ σοῦ γράμματος ἐπιγνῶμεν, ταῦτα πανταχόθεν μετενεχθῆναι δυνηθῇ᾽ τὸν γὰρ τοῦ χόσμου θαυμασιώτερον τόπον κατ᾽ ἀξίαν φαιδρύνεσθαι δίκαιον. Τὴν δὲ τῆς βασιλικῆς καμάραν, πότερον λακωναρίαν ἢ, διά τινος ἑτέρας ἐργασίας γενέσθαι δοχεῖ, παρὰ σοῦ γνῶναι βούλομαι (εἰ γὰρ λακωναρία μέλλοι εἶναι, δυνήσεται καὶ χρυσῷ καλλωπισθῆναι τὸ λειπόμενον), ἵνα ἡ σὴ ὁσιότης τοῖς προειρημένοις δικασταῖς ἡ τάχος γνωρισθῆναι ποιήσῃ ὅσων τε καὶ ἐργατῶν καὶ τεχειτῶν καὶ ἀναλωμάτων χρεία" ἃ καὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ εὐθέως ἀνενεγκεῖν σπούδασον, οὐ μόνον περὶ τῶν μαρμάρων τε καὶ κιόνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τῶν λακωμαριῶν, εἴ γε τοῦτο κάλλιον ἐπικρίνειας. ὁ θεός σε διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφὲ ἀγαπητέ.

Nikētēs Kōnstantinos Megistos Sebastos diakariph. Tosautē tou sōtēros hēmōn estin hē charis hōs mēdemian logōn chorēgian tou parontos thaumatos axian einai dokein. to gar gnōrisma tou hagiōtatou echeinou pathous hypo tę̄ gę̄ palai kryptomenon tosautais etōn periodois lathein, achris hou dia tēs tou koinou pantōn echthrou anaireseōs eleutherōtheisi tois heautou therapousin analampein emelle, pasan ekplēxin hōs alēthōs hyperbainei. ei gar pantes hoi dia pasēs tēs oikoumenēs einai dokountes sophoi eis hen kai to auto synelthontes axion ti tou pragmatos ethelōsin eipein, ooud᾽ an pros to brachytaton hamillēthēnai dynēsontai. epi tosouton "pasan anthrōpinou logismou chōrētikēn physin hē tou thaumatos "toutou pistis hyperbainei hosǭ tōn anthrōpinōn ta ourania synestēken einai dynatōtera. dia touto goun houtos aei kai prōtos kai monos esti moi skopos, hin’ hōsper heautēn hosēmerai kainoterois thaumasin hē tēs alētheias pistis epideiknysin, houtōs kai hai psychai pantōn hēmōn peri ton hagion nomon sōphrosynę̄ kai homognōmoni prothymią spoudaioterai gignōntai. hoper epeidē pasin einai nomizō phaneron, echeino malista se pepeisthai boulomai, hōs ara pantōn moi mallon melei hopōs ton hieron ekeinon topon, hon theou prostag"mati aischistēs eidōlou -prosthēkēs hōsper tinos epikeimenou barous ekouphisa, hagion men ex archēs theou krisei gegenēmenon, hagiōteron hoe apophanthenta aph᾽ hou tēn tou sōtēriou pathous pistin eis phōs proēgagen, oikodomēmatōn kallei kosmēsōmen. Prosēkei toinyn tēn sēn anchinoian houtōs diataxai te kai hekastou tōn anankaiōn poiēsasthai pronoian, ois ou monon basilikchēn tōn pantachou beltiona, alla kai ta loipa toiauta genesthai nos panta ta eph᾽ hekastēs kallisteuonta poleōs hypo tou ktismatos toutou nikasthai. kai peri tēs tōn toichōn egerseōs te kai kalliergias Drakillianǭ tǭ hēmeterǭ philǭ, tǭ dieponti tōn lamprotatōn eparchōn merē, kai tǭ tēs eparchias archonte par᾽ hēmōn enkecheiristhai tēn phrontida ginōske. kekeleustai gar hypo tēs emēs eusebeias kai technitas kai ergatas kai panta hosa peri tēn oikodomēn anankaia tynchanein para tēs sēs katamathoien anchinoias, "parachrēma. dia tēs ekeinōn pronoias ha apostalēnai. peri de tōn kionōn eit᾽ oun marmarōn, ha dan nomiseias einai timiōtera te kai ᾽chrēsimōtera, autos synopseōs genomenēs pros hēmas grapsai spoudason, hin hosōn dan kai hopoiōn chreia einai dia tou sou grammatos epignōmen, tauta pantachothen metenechthēnai dynēthę̄᾽ ton gar tou chosmou thaumasiōteron topon kat᾽ axian phaidrynesthai dikaion. Tēn de tēs basilikēs kamaran, poteron lakōnarian ē, dia tinos heteras ergasias genesthai dochei, para sou gnōnai boulomai (ei gar lakōnaria melloi einai, dynēsetai kai chrysǭ kallōpisthēnai to leipomenon), hina hē sē hosiotēs tois proeirēmenois dikastais hē tachos gnōristhēnai poiēsę̄ hosōn te kai ergatōn kai techeitōn kai analōmatōn chreia" ha kai pros eme eutheōs anenenkein spoudason, ou monon peri tōn marmarōn te kai kionōn, alla kai peri tōn lakōmariōn, ei ge touto kallion epikrineias. ho theos se diaphylaxei, adelphe agapēte.

“The victor Constantine, Greatest Augustus, to Macarius.

So great is the grace of our Saviour that no wealth of words seems worthy of the present wonder. For that the token of that most holy passion, long hidden under the earth, should have remained unknown for so many cycles of years, until, through the destruction of the common enemy of all, it should shine forth for his servants once they had been set free, truly surpasses all amazement. For if all who are reputed wise throughout the whole world should come together into one place and wish to say something worthy of the event, they would not be able to compete with even the least part of it. The faith in this wonder surpasses every nature capable of human reasoning as far as heavenly things are stronger than human. For this reason this is always my first and only aim: that, just as the faith of the truth displays itself daily by newer wonders, so the souls of all of us too may become more zealous for the holy law in sobriety and in single-minded eagerness. Since I think this is plain to all, I wish you above all to be persuaded of this: that nothing concerns me more than how we may adorn with beautiful buildings that sacred place, which by God's command I have relieved, as of a weight laid upon it, of the most shameful addition of an idol; a place holy from the beginning by God's judgment, but shown to be holier since it brought to light the faith in the saving passion.

It is fitting, then, that your intelligence should so arrange and provide for each necessary thing that not only the basilica shall be finer than those anywhere else, but that the rest too shall be such that all the most beautiful buildings in every city are surpassed by this edifice. Know that we have entrusted the care of raising and finishing the walls to Dracilianus our friend, who acts for the most illustrious prefects, and to the governor of the province. For my Piety has ordered that craftsmen, workmen, and everything they learn from your intelligence to be necessary for the building shall be sent at once through their provision. As for the columns or marbles, whatever you think more precious and more useful, be quick to write to us yourself after a survey, so that, when we learn from your letter how many and of what kind are needed, they may be brought from everywhere; for it is right that the most marvellous place in the world should be made splendid as it deserves. As for the vault of the basilica, I wish to learn from you whether you think it should be coffered or made in some other way; for if it is to be coffered, it can also be adorned with gold. Your Holiness should make known as quickly as possible to the officials mentioned how many workmen and craftsmen and what expenses are needed; and be quick to report to me at once not only about the marbles and columns but also about the coffering, if you judge this finer. God will keep you, beloved brother.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Constantine writes to Macarius of Jerusalem about the rediscovery of the tomb of Christ and orders the building of a basilica there that will surpass every other building, asking for his advice on columns, marbles, and the ceiling.

Document: Constantine, letter to Macarius of Jerusalem, also in Eusebius, Life of Constantine 3.30–32 (published on this site).
“The token of that most holy passion” (τὸ γνώρισμα): Eusebius's context suggests the tomb; Theodoret's next chapter takes it of the cross as well.
“Coffered” renders λακωναρία (Latin laquearia).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misread the initial capital): Λικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος → Νικητὴς Κωνσταντῖνος.

Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 3.30-32 (Life of Constantine; quotation)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.16 (GCS 19:61–63; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-16

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.17GCS 19:63–65

Τούτοις τοῖς γράμμασιν οὐκ ἄλλος τις διηκόνησεν ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὴ τοῦ βασιλέως ἡ μήτηρ, ἡ καλλίπαις ἐκείνη καὶ παρὰ πάντων ἀδομένη τῶν εὐσεβῶν, ἡ τὸν μέγαν τοῦτον φωστῆρα τεκοῦσα καὶ τὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας αὐτῷ προσενεγκοῦσα τροφήν, αὕτη τῶν τῆς ὁδοιπορίας πόνων ἀνασχομένη καὶ τοῦ γήρως οὐ λογισαμένη τὰ πάθη᾽ πρὸ γὰρ ὀλίγου τῆς τελευτῆς τὴν ἀποδημίαν ταύτην ἐστείλατο, ὀγδοηκοντοῦτις δὲ τὸ τέρμα τοῦ βίου κατείληφεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ χωρίον εἶδεν ἐχεῖνο τὸ τῆς κοινῆς σωτηρίας τὰ πάθη δεξάμενον, εὐθὺς μὲν τὸν μυσαρὸν ἐκεῖνον νεὼν καταλυθῆναι καὶ τὸν χοῦν ἐκφορηθῆναι προσἕταξες. δήλου δὲ τοῦ κχεχρυμμένου τάφου γεγενημένου, ὥφθησαν τρεῖς παρὰ τὸ μνῆμα τὸ δεσποτικὸν κατακεχωσμένοι σταυροί. καὶ ὅτι μὲν εἷς ἐκ τούτων ὃ τοῦ δεσπότου καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐτύγχανεν ὦν, οἱ δ᾽ ἕτεροι τῶν σὺν αὐτῷ προσηλωθέντων λῃστῶν, ἀναμφισβητήτως ἐπίστευον ἅπαντες" ἠγνόουν δὲ ὅμως τὸν τῷ δεσποτικῷ πελάσαντα σώματι καὶ τοῦ τιμίου αἵματος τὴν λιβάδα δεξάμενον. ἀλλ᾽ ὁ σοφώτατος ἐκεῖνος καὶ θεῖος ὄντως Πιακάριος ὁ τῆς πόλεως πρόεδρος τοιῷδε πόρῳ τὴν ἀπορίαν διέλυσε. γυναικὶ γὰρ περιφανεῖ, νόσῳ κατεχομένῃ μακρᾷ, ἕκαστον τῶν σταυρῶν ἐκείνων μετὰ προῦδ ευχῆς σπουδαίας προσενεγκὼν ἔγνω τοῦ σωτηρίου σταυροῦ τὴν δύναμιν. παραυτίκα γὰρ οὗτος τῷ γυναίῳ πελάσας τὴν χαλεπὴν ἐκχείνην ἐξἤλασε νόσον καὶ τὴν ἄνθρωπον ἀπέφηνεν ὑγιᾶ. Οὕτω δὴ τοῦ βασιλέως ἡ μήτηρ μαθοῦσα τὸ ποθούμενον, τῶν μὲν ἥλων τὰ μὲν εἰς τὸ βασιλικὸν ἐνέβαλε κράνος, τῆς τοῦ παιδὸς κεφαλῆς προμηθουμένη, ἵνα τὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἀποχρούηται βέλη" τὰ δὲ τῷ τοῦ ἵππου ἀνέμιξε χαλινῷ, καὶ ἀσφάλειαν μηχανωμένη τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ παλαιᾷ προφητείᾳ πέρας ἐπιτιθεῖσα. πόρρωθεν γὰρ Ζαχαρίας ὃ προφήτης ἐβόα καὶ ἔσται τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ χαλινοῦ ἅγιον τῷ κυρίῳ παντοχράτορις. τοῦ δὲ σωτηρίου σταυροῦ μοῖραν μέν τινα τοῖς βασιλείοις ἀπένειμε, τῷ δὲ λοιπῷ θήκην ἐξ ὕλης ἀργύρου ποιησαμένη τῷ τῆς πόλεως δέδωκεν ἐπισκόπῳ, φυλάττειν παρεγγυήσασα ταῖς ἔπειτα γενεαῖς τὰ τῆς σωτηρίας μνημόσυνα. πάντοθεν δὲ δὴ παντοδαπῆς ὕλης τεχνίτας ἀγείρασα τοὺς μεγίστους ἐκείνους καὶ λαμπροτάτους νεὼς ἐδομήσατο. τὸ δὲ τούτων κάλλος καὶ μέγεθος ἐχφράσαι περιττὸν ἄγαν ὑπείληφα, πάντων οἰς ἔπος εἰπεῖν τῶν φιλοθέων ἐκεῖσε θεόντων καὶ θεωμένων τῶν ἔργων τὴν πολυτέλειαν. Πεποίηκε δὲ καὶ ἕτερον μνήμης ἄξιον ἡ πανεύφημος ἐκείνη καὶ ἀξιάγαστος βασιλίς. τὰς γὰρ διὰ βίου τὴν παρθενίαν ἀσκούσας συναγείρασα πάσας καὶ ἐπὶ στιβάδων πολλῶν χατακλίνασα, αὐτὴ θεραπαινίδος ἔργον ἐπλήρου, διακογοῦσα καὶ ὄψα παρατιθεῖσα καὶ κύλικας ὀρέγουσα καὶ οἰνοχοοῦσα καὶ πρόχουν ἐπὶ λέβητος φέρουσα καὶ ὕδωρ ταῖς ἐκείνων χερσὶν ἐπιχέουσα. ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τούτοις ὅμοια δράσασα ἐπανῆλθε μὲν πρὸς τὸν παῖδα, μετ᾽ εὐθυμίας δὲ εἰς τὸν ἕτερον μετέστη βίον, πλεῖστα τῷ παιδὶ περὶ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς πολιτείας ἐντειλαμένη καὶ ταῖς ἐξιτηρίοις αὐτὸν ἐπικλύσασα εὐλογίαις. ἐκείνη μὲν οὖν καὶ μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν τιμῆς τετύχηκεν ὁποίας τυχεῖν ἐχρῆν τὴν οὕτως ἐπιμελῶς καὶ θερμῶς τὸν τῶν ὅλων τεθεραπευχυῖαν θεόν.

Toutois tois grammasin ouk allos tis diēkonēsen all᾽ autē tou basileōs hē mētēr, hē kallipais ekeinē kai para pantōn adomenē tōn eusebōn, hē ton megan touton phōstēra tekousa kai tēn tēs eusebeias autǭ prosenenkousa trophēn, hautē tōn tēs hodoiporias ponōn anaschomenē kai tou gērōs ou logisamenē ta pathē᾽ pro gar oligou tēs teleutēs tēn apodēmian tautēn esteilato, ogdoēkontoutis de to terma tou biou kateilēphen. epeidē de to chōrion eiden echeino to tēs koinēs sōtērias ta pathē dexamenon, euthys men ton mysaron ekeinon neōn katalythēnai kai ton choun ekphorēthēnai prosetaxes. dēlou de tou kchechrymmenou taphou gegenēmenou, hōphthēsan treis para to mnēma to despotikon katakechōsmenoi stauroi. kai hoti men heis ek toutōn ho tou despotou kai sōtēros hēmōn etynchanen ōn, hoi d᾽ heteroi tōn syn autǭ prosēlōthentōn lę̄stōn, anamphisbētētōs episteuon hapantes" ēgnooun de homōs ton tǭ despotikǭ pelasanta sōmati kai tou timiou haimatos tēn libada dexamenon. all᾽ ho sophōtatos ekeinos kai theios ontōs Piakarios ho tēs poleōs proedros toiǭde porǭ tēn aporian dielyse. gynaiki gar periphanei, nosǭ katechomenę̄ makrą, hekaston tōn staurōn ekeinōn meta proud euchēs spoudaias prosenenkōn egnō tou sōtēriou staurou tēn dynamin. parautika gar houtos tǭ gynaiǭ pelasas tēn chalepēn ekcheinēn exēlase noson kai tēn anthrōpon apephēnen hygia. Houtō dē tou basileōs hē mētēr mathousa to pothoumenon, tōn men hēlōn ta men eis to basilikon enebale kranos, tēs tou paidos kephalēs promēthoumenē, hina ta tōn polemiōn apochrouētai belē" ta de tǭ tou hippou anemixe chalinǭ, kai asphaleian mēchanōmenē tǭ basilei kai palaią prophēteią peras epititheisa. porrōthen gar Zacharias ho prophētēs eboa kai estai to epi tou chalinou hagion tǭ kyriǭ pantochratoris. tou de sōtēriou staurou moiran men tina tois basileiois apeneime, tǭ de loipǭ thēkēn ex hylēs argyrou poiēsamenē tǭ tēs poleōs dedōken episkopǭ, phylattein parengyēsasa tais epeita geneais ta tēs sōtērias mnēmosyna. pantothen de dē pantodapēs hylēs technitas ageirasa tous megistous ekeinous kai lamprotatous neōs edomēsato. to de toutōn kallos kai megethos echphrasai peritton agan hypeilēpha, pantōn ois epos eipein tōn philotheōn ekeise theontōn kai theōmenōn tōn ergōn tēn polyteleian. Pepoiēke de kai heteron mnēmēs axion hē paneuphēmos ekeinē kai axiagastos basilis. tas gar dia biou tēn parthenian askousas synageirasa pasas kai epi stibadōn pollōn chataklinasa, autē therapainidos ergon eplērou, diakogousa kai opsa paratitheisa kai kylikas oregousa kai oinochoousa kai prochoun epi lebētos pherousa kai hydōr tais ekeinōn chersin epicheousa. tauta kai ta toutois homoia drasasa epanēlthe men pros ton paida, met᾽ euthymias de eis ton heteron metestē bion, pleista tǭ paidi peri tēs eusebous politeias enteilamenē kai tais exitēriois auton epiklysasa eulogiais. ekeinē men oun kai meta tēn teleutēn timēs tetychēken hopoias tychein echrēn tēn houtōs epimelōs kai thermōs ton tōn holōn tetherapeuchuian theon.

No one else carried out these instructions but the emperor's mother herself, that woman blessed in her child and praised by all the pious, who bore that great luminary and gave him the nurture of true religion. She endured the labours of the journey and took no account of the infirmities of old age; for she undertook this journey shortly before her death, and she reached the end of her life at the age of eighty. When she saw the place that had received the sufferings of our common salvation, she at once ordered that abominable temple to be demolished and the soil carried away. When the hidden tomb had come to light, three crosses were seen buried beside the Lord's tomb. That one of them was the cross of our Master and Saviour, and the others those of the robbers nailed up with him, all believed without doubt; but they did not know which had come near the Lord's body and received the stream of his precious blood. But that most wise and truly divine Macarius, president of the city, resolved the difficulty in this way. He brought each of those crosses, with earnest prayer, to a woman of rank who was held fast by a long illness, and he learned the power of the saving cross; for as soon as it came near the woman it drove out that grievous illness and made her well.

Having thus learned what she longed to know, the emperor's mother put some of the nails into the emperor's helmet, taking care for her son's head, that it might ward off the missiles of the enemy; others she worked into the bridle of his horse, both contriving safety for the emperor and fulfilling an ancient prophecy. For long before, the prophet Zechariah had cried out: “And what is on the bridle shall be holy to the Lord Almighty.” Of the saving cross she gave a part to the palace; for the rest she made a case of silver and gave it to the bishop of the city, directing that he keep the memorials of salvation for the generations to come. Gathering craftsmen in every kind of material from everywhere, she built those very great and splendid churches. I have thought it quite superfluous to describe their beauty and size, since all the God-loving, so to speak, hasten there and behold the magnificence of the works.

That all-praiseworthy and admirable empress did another thing worth remembering. She gathered all the women who practised lifelong virginity, made them recline on many couches, and herself fulfilled the office of a servant: she waited on them, set the dishes before them, handed them cups, poured the wine, brought the ewer and basin, and poured water over their hands. Having done these and similar things, she returned to her son and with good cheer departed to the other life, after giving her son many instructions about a pious way of life and pouring out on him her parting blessings. After her death she received the honour that was due to one who had so diligently and fervently served the God of the universe.

Zech 14:20 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Helena, the emperor's mother, goes to Jerusalem, has the pagan temple over the tomb removed, and identifies the cross of Christ through a healing worked by Macarius; she sends nails to her son, leaves part of the cross in Jerusalem, builds churches, and serves a meal to consecrated virgins before her death.

“Holy to the Lord Almighty”: Zech 14:20 LXX, where the Greek has “what is on the bridle of the horse.”
The account of the finding of the cross is Theodoret's; Eusebius's Life of Constantine does not mention the cross. Translated as written.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.17 (GCS 19:63–65; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-17

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.18GCS 19:65–66

Οἱ δὲ τῆς ᾿ἀρείου συμμορίας τῶν παμπονήρων οὐκ ἐπελάθοντο βουλευμάτων. τούτου γὰρ δὴ ἕνεκα τῇ τῆς πίστεως ὁμολογίᾳ συνέθεντο ταῖς χερσὶν ος ἂν τὰ κώδια περικείμενοι τὰ τῶν λύκων ἐργάσαιντο. ὃ μὲν γὰρ θεῖος ἐκεῖνος Ἀλέξανδρος, ὃ τῇ προσευχῇ καταχοντίσας τὸν ᾿άρειον (τὸν Βυζάντιον λέγω, οὕτω γὰρ ἡ Κωνσταντινούπολις κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ὠνομάζετο τὸν καιρόν), εἰς τὸν ἀμείνω μετετέθη βίον" υὐσέβιος δὲ ὁ τῆς δυσσεβείας συνήγορος, μικρὰ φροντίσας ὧν πρὸ βραχέος μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀρχιερέων συνέγραψεν ὅρον, παραυτίκα τὴν Νικομήδειαν καταλιπὼν τὸν τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἥρπασε θρόνον, ἄντικρυς τοῦ κανόνος ἐπισκόπους ὁμοῦ καὶ πρεσβυτέρους ἀπαγορεύοντος ἐξ ὃ ἑτέρας εἰς ἑ ἑτέραν μὴ μεταβαίνειν πόλιν. θαυμαστὸν δὲ οὐδὲν τοὺς οὕτω κατὰ τῆς τοῦ μονογενοῦς μανέντας θεότητος ἀδεῶς τοὺς ἄλλους παραβῆναι νόμους. οὐ ῦν δὲ τοῦτο πρῶτον κεκαινοτόμηχεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἤδη πρότερον ταὐτὸ τοῦτο τετόλμηκεν. τὴν Βηρυτὸν γὰρ πάλαι πεπιστευμένος, εἰς τὴν Νικομήδειαν μετεπήδησε᾽ καὶ ταύτης δὲ μετὰ τὴν σύνοδον διὰ τὸ τῆς δυσσεβείας προφανὲς ἐξηλάθη, καὶ σὺν αὐτῷ Θεογόνιος ὁ Νικαίας. καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον βασιλεὺς Κωνσταντῖνος διὰ γραμμάτων πεποίηκεν. ἐγὼ δὲ τὸ τέλος τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἐνθήσω τῇ συγγραφῇ" ἐπέστειλε δὲ ταῦτα ΜΝικομηδεῦσι.

Hoi de tēs ᾿areiou symmorias tōn pamponērōn ouk epelathonto bouleumatōn. toutou gar dē heneka tę̄ tēs pisteōs homologią synethento tais chersin os an ta kōdia perikeimenoi ta tōn lykōn ergasainto. ho men gar theios ekeinos Alexandros, ho tę̄ proseuchę̄ katachontisas ton ᾿areion (ton Byzantion legō, houtō gar hē Kōnstantinoupolis kat᾽ ekeinon ōnomazeto ton kairon), eis ton ameinō metetethē bion" yysebios de ho tēs dyssebeias synēgoros, mikra phrontisas hōn pro bracheos meta tōn allōn archiereōn synegrapsen horon, parautika tēn Nikomēdeian katalipōn ton tēs Kōnstantinoupoleōs hērpase thronon, antikrys tou kanonos episkopous homou kai presbyterous apagoreuontos ex ho heteras eis he heteran mē metabainein polin. thaumaston de ouden tous houtō kata tēs tou monogenous manentas theotētos adeōs tous allous parabēnai nomous. ou yn de touto prōton kekainotomēchen, alla kai ēdē proteron tauto touto tetolmēken. tēn Bēryton gar palai pepisteumenos, eis tēn Nikomēdeian metepēdēse᾽ kai tautēs de meta tēn synodon dia to tēs dyssebeias prophanes exēlathē, kai syn autǭ Theogonios ho Nikaias. kai touto dēlon basileus Kōnstantinos dia grammatōn pepoiēken. egō de to telos tēs epistolēs enthēsō tę̄ syngraphę̄" epesteile de tauta MNikomēdeusi.

Those of Arius's gang did not forget their utterly wicked plans. It was for this reason that they had agreed to the confession of faith with their hands: so that, wearing the sheepskins, they might do the works of wolves. For that divine Alexander, who with his prayer had struck down Arius as with a javelin (I mean the bishop of Byzantium, for so Constantinople was then called), departed to the better life; and Eusebius, the advocate of impiety, caring little for the definition he had written a short time before with the other high priests, at once left Nicomedia and seized the throne of Constantinople, in direct violation of the canon that forbids bishops and presbyters alike to pass from one city to another. It is no wonder that men so mad against the divinity of the only-begotten should fearlessly transgress the other laws too. Nor was this the first time he had made such an innovation; he had already dared the same thing before. For having formerly been entrusted with Berytus, he leapt over to Nicomedia. From this city, after the synod, he was expelled because of his manifest impiety, and Theognis of Nicaea with him. The emperor Constantine made this plain by letters. I shall insert the end of the letter in my history; he wrote it to the Nicomedians.

Matt 7:15 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: After the death of Alexander of Byzantium, Eusebius of Nicomedia seizes the see of Constantinople against the canon on translation of bishops; Theodoret recalls his earlier move from Berytus and his exile after Nicaea, and introduces Constantine's letter to the Nicomedians.

The canon forbidding bishops and clergy to move between cities is Nicaea, canon 15 (council-nicaea).
“Wearing the sheepskins ... the works of wolves”: compare Matt 7:15.
Theodoret tells these events out of order: Eusebius was exiled after Nicaea (325), recalled about 328, and moved to Constantinople about 339; his sequence is kept as written.

Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Nic. 15 (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325); allusion)

Topics: Church office, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.18 (GCS 19:65–66; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-18

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.19GCS 19:66–69

Τίς ἐστιν ὁ ταῦτα διδάξας οὕτως ἄκακον πλῆθος; Εὐσέβιος δηλαδὴ ὁ τῆς τυραννικῆς ομότητος συμμύστης. ὅτι γὰρ πανταχοῦ τοῦ τυράννου γεγένηται πρόσφυξ, πολλαχόθεν ἐστὶ συνορᾶν. τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ αἱ τῶν ἐπισκόπων σφαγαὶ διαμαρτύρονται, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀληθῶς ἐπισκόπων" τοῦτο δὲ ἡ χαλεπωτάτη τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐχδίωξις διαρρήδην βοᾷ. οὐδὲν γὰρ περὶ τῶν εἰς ἐμὲ γεγενημένων ὕβρεων νῦν ἐρῶ, δι᾿ ὧν ὅτε μάλιστα αἱ τῶν ἐναντίων μερῶν ἐπραγματεύσαντο συνδρομαί, οὗτος καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς κατασκόπους ἔπεμπε κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἐνόπλους τῷ τυράννῳ συνεισέφερεν ὑπουργίας. μηδέ μέ τις οἰέσθω εἶναι πρὸς τὴν τούτων ἀπόδειξιν ἀπαράσκευον. ἔλεγχος γάρ ἐστιν ἀκριβής, ὅτι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους καὶ τοὺς διακόνους τοὺς "Εὐσεβίῳ παρεπομένους φανερῶς ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ συνειλῆφθαι συνέστηκεν. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν παρίημι" ἃ νῦν οὐκ ἀγανακτήσεως ἕνεκεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἐκείνων αἰσχύνην ὑπ᾽ ἐμοῦ προενήνεκται. ἐκεῖνο μόνον δέδια, ἐχεῖνο διαλογίζομαι, ὅτε ὑμᾶς ὁρῶ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἐγκλήματος καλεῖσθαι κοινωνίαν. διὰ γὰρ τῆς Εὐσεβίου ἀγωγῆς τε καὶ διαστροφῆς συνεἰδησιν τῆς ἀληθείας κεχωρισμένην εἰλήφατε. ἀλλ᾽ ἔστιν οὐ βραδεῖα θεραπεία, εἴ γε ἐπίσκοπον πιστόν τε καὶ ἀκέραιον νῦν γοῦν λαβόντες πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπίδητε᾽ ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν καὶ πάλαι ἐχρῆν τῆς ὑμετέρας χρίσεως ἠρτῆσθαι, εἰ μὴ ὁ προειρημένος "Εὐσέβιος δίνῃ τῶν συλλαμβανομένων αὐτῷ ἐνταῦθα ἐληλύθει καὶ τὴν τῆς τάξεως ὀρθότητα ἀναισχύντως συνεπεπράχει. ᾿1λλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Εὐσεβίου πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάὃ πὴν ὀλίγα προσῆκε φράσαι, μέμνηται ἡ ὑμετέρα ἀνεξικακία ἐπὶ τῆς Νικαέων πόλεως γεγενῆσθαι σύνοδον, ἢ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγὼ πρεπόντως τῇ τῆς ἐμῆς συνειδήσεως λατρείᾳ παρήμην, οὐδὲν ἕτερον βουλόμενὸος ἢ ὁμόνοιαν ἅπασιν ἐργάσασθαι καὶ πρό γε πάντων ἐλέγξαι τε καὶ ἀποσείσασθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο, ὁ τὴν μὲν ἀρχὴν εἰλήφει διὰ τῆς Ἀρείου τοῦ ᾿Ἱλεξανδρέως ἀπονοίας, ἰσχυροποίητο δὲ παρα- ᾿χρῆμα διὰ τῆς Εὐσεβίου ἀτόπου τε καὶ ὀλεθρίας σπουδῆς. ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ὃ οὗτος Εὐσέβιος, προσφιλέστατοι καὶ τιμιώτατοι, μεθ’ ὅσης νομίξετε ᾽συνδρομῆς, ἅτε δὴ ὑπὸ τῆς συνειδήσεως αὐτῆς ἡττώμενος, μεθ' ὅσης ὁὲ αἰσχύνης τῇ πανταχόθεν ἐληλεγμένῃ φευδολογίᾳ συνίστατο, ὑποπέμπων μέν μοι διαφόρους τοὺς ἀξιοῦντας ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ἐξαιτούμενος δὲ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ συμμαχίαν τινὰ ὅπος μὴ ἐπὶ τοσούτῳ ἐλεγχθεὶς πλημ᾽μελήματι τῆς ὑπαρχούσης αὐτῷ τιμῆς ἐχβάλλοιτο. μάρτυς ἐστί μοι τούτου ὁ θεὸς αὐτός, ὃς ἐμοί τε κεὶ ὑμῖν. φιλαγάθως ἐπιμένοι, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐμὲ ἐκεῖνος περιέτρεψε καὶ ἀπρεπῶς ὑφήρπασεν, ὃ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπιγνώσεσθε. πάντα μὲν γὰρ ἐπράχθη τότε καθὼς αὐτὸς ἐπόθει, πᾶν ὁτιοῦν κακὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ διανοίας ἀποκρυπτόμενος. ᾿λλὰ πρώην, ἵνα τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς τούτου σκαιότητος παρῶ. τί μάλιστα μετὰ Θεογονίου, ὃν τῆς ἀνοίας ἔχει κοινωνόν, διεπράξατο, ἀκούσατε, παρακαλῶ. Ἀλεξανδρέας τινὰς τῆς ἡμετέρας πίστεως ἀναχωρήσαντας ἐνταῦθα κεκελεύχειν ἀποσταλῆναι, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τῆς τούτων ὑπηρεσίας ὁ τῆς διχονοίας ἠγείρετο πυρσός. ἀλλ᾽ οὗτοι οἱ πο φράσαι -ἰμακροθύμως ἀκούσατε ἰοφιεὶ ἀεοθέ -ἰαμαϊία καλοί τὲ καὶ ἀγαθοὶ ἐπίσκοποι, οὃς ἅπαξ ἡ τῆς συνόδου ἀλήθεια πρὸς μετάνοιαν τετηρήχει, οὐ μόνον ἐκείνους ἐδέξαντο καὶ παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς ἠσφαλίσαντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκοινώνησαν αὐτοῖς τῆς τῶν τρόπων χαχοηθείας. διὸ τοῦτο περὶ τοὺς ἀχαρίστους τούτους ἔκρινα πρᾶξαι" ἁρπαγέντας γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσα οἧς πορρωτάτω ἐξορισθῆναι. νῦν οὑμέτερόν ἐστιν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἐκείνῃ τῇ πίστει βλέπειν ἣ πάντοτε καὶ Ἐγεγενῆσθαι συνέστηκε καὶ εἶναι πρέπει, καὶ διαπράξασθαι οὕτως(εἷς) ἐπισκόπους ἁγνούς τε καὶ ὀρθοδόξους “χαὶ φιλανθρώπους ἔχοντες ᾽χαίρομεν. εἴ τις δὲ πρὸς μνήμην τῶν λυμεώνων ἐκείνων ἢ πρὸς ἔπαινον ἀπρονοήτως ἐξαφθῆναι τολμήσει, παραχρῆμα τῆς ἰδίας τόλμης διὰ τῆς τοῦ θεράποντος τοῦ θεοῦ, τουτέστιν ἐμοῦ, ἐνεργείας -ἀνασταλήσεται ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί: 70τε μὲν οὖν οὗτοι καὶ καθῃρέθησαν καὶ τῶν πόλεων ἐξηλάθησαν. καὶ τὴν μὲν Νικομήδειαν Ἀμφίων ἐπιστεύθη, τὴν δὲ Νίκαιαν Χρῆστος. ἀλλὰ πάλιν ταῖς ἐξ ἔθους χρησάμενοι μηχαναῖς καὶ τὴν βασιλέως φιλανθρωπίαν ἐφόδιον ἐξαπάτης εὑρόντες, ἀνεπάλαισάν τε καὶ τὴν προτέραν δυναστείαν ἀπέλαβον.

Tis estin ho tauta didaxas houtōs akakon plēthos? Eusebios dēladē ho tēs tyrannikēs omotētos symmystēs. hoti gar pantachou tou tyrannou gegenētai prosphyx, pollachothen esti synoran. touto men gar hai tōn episkopōn sphagai diamartyrontai, alla tōn alēthōs episkopōn" touto de hē chalepōtatē tōn Christianōn echdiōxis diarrēdēn boą. ouden gar peri tōn eis eme gegenēmenōn hybreōn nyn erō, di᾿ hōn hote malista hai tōn enantiōn merōn epragmateusanto syndromai, houtos kai ophthalmous kataskopous epempe kat᾽ emou kai monon ouk enoplous tǭ tyrannǭ syneisepheren hypourgias. mēde me tis oiesthō einai pros tēn toutōn apodeixin aparaskeuon. elenchos gar estin akribēs, hoti tous presbyterous kai tous diakonous tous "Eusebiǭ parepomenous phanerōs hyp᾽ emou syneilēphthai synestēken. alla tauta men pariēmi" ha nyn ouk aganaktēseōs heneken, all᾽ eis ekeinōn aischynēn hyp᾽ emou proenēnektai. ekeino monon dedia, echeino dialogizomai, hote hymas horō pros tēn tou enklēmatos kaleisthai koinōnian. dia gar tēs Eusebiou agōgēs te kai diastrophēs syneidēsin tēs alētheias kechōrismenēn eilēphate. all᾽ estin ou bradeia therapeia, ei ge episkopon piston te kai akeraion nyn goun labontes pros ton theon apidēte᾽ hoper epi tou parontos en hymin estin kai palai echrēn tēs hymeteras chriseōs ērtēsthai, ei mē ho proeirēmenos "Eusebios dinę̄ tōn syllambanomenōn autǭ entautha elēlythei kai tēn tēs taxeōs orthotēta anaischyntōs synepeprachei. ᾿1ll᾽ epeidē peri autou tou Eusebiou pros tēn hymeteran agao pēn oliga prosēke phrasai, memnētai hē hymetera anexikakia epi tēs Nikaeōn poleōs gegenēsthai synodon, ē kai autos egō prepontōs tę̄ tēs emēs syneidēseōs latreią parēmēn, ouden heteron boulomenoos ē homonoian hapasin ergasasthai kai pro ge pantōn elenxai te kai aposeisasthai to pragma touto, ho tēn men archēn eilēphei dia tēs Areiou tou ᾿Hilexandreōs aponoias, ischyropoiēto de para- ᾿chrēma dia tēs Eusebiou atopou te kai olethrias spoudēs. all᾽ autos ho houtos Eusebios, prosphilestatoi kai timiōtatoi, meth’ hosēs nomixete ᾽syndromēs, hate dē hypo tēs syneidēseōs autēs hēttōmenos, meth' hosēs hoe aischynēs tę̄ pantachothen elēlegmenę̄ pheudologią synistato, hypopempōn men moi diaphorous tous axiountas hyper autou, exaitoumenos de par᾽ emou symmachian tina hopos mē epi tosoutǭ elenchtheis plēm᾽melēmati tēs hyparchousēs autǭ timēs echballoito. martys esti moi toutou ho theos autos, hos emoi te kei hymin. philagathōs epimenoi, epei kai eme ekeinos perietrepse kai aprepōs hyphērpasen, ho kai hymeis epignōsesthe. panta men gar eprachthē tote kathōs autos epothei, pan hotioun kakon epi tēs heautou dianoias apokryptomenos. ᾿lla prōēn, hina ta loipa tēs toutou skaiotētos parō. ti malista meta Theogoniou, hon tēs anoias echei koinōnon, diepraxato, akousate, parakalō. Alexandreas tinas tēs hēmeteras pisteōs anachōrēsantas entautha kekeleuchein apostalēnai, epeidē dia tēs toutōn hypēresias ho tēs dichonoias ēgeireto pyrsos. all᾽ houtoi hoi po phrasai -imakrothymōs akousate iophiei aeothe -iamaïia kaloi te kai agathoi episkopoi, hoos hapax hē tēs synodou alētheia pros metanoian tetērēchei, ou monon ekeinous edexanto kai par᾽ heautois ēsphalisanto, alla kai ekoinōnēsan autois tēs tōn tropōn chachoētheias. dio touto peri tous acharistous toutous ekrina praxai" harpagentas gar autous ekeleusa hoēs porrōtatō exoristhēnai. nyn houmeteron estin pros ton theon ekeinę̄ tę̄ pistei blepein hē pantote kai Egegenēsthai synestēke kai einai prepei, kai diapraxasthai houtōs(heis) episkopous hagnous te kai orthodoxous “chai philanthrōpous echontes ᾽chairomen. ei tis de pros mnēmēn tōn lymeōnōn ekeinōn ē pros epainon apronoētōs exaphthēnai tolmēsei, parachrēma tēs idias tolmēs dia tēs tou therapontos tou theou, toutestin emou, energeias -anastalēsetai ho theos hymas diaphylaxei, adelphoi agapētoi: 70te men oun houtoi kai kathę̄rethēsan kai tōn poleōn exēlathēsan. kai tēn men Nikomēdeian Amphiōn episteuthē, tēn de Nikaian Chrēstos. alla palin tais ex ethous chrēsamenoi mēchanais kai tēn basileōs philanthrōpian ephodion exapatēs heurontes, anepalaisan te kai tēn proteran dynasteian apelabon.

“Who is it that has taught these things to so innocent a multitude? Eusebius, of course, the fellow initiate of the tyrant's cruelty. That he became everywhere the tyrant's dependant may be seen from many sources. The slaughters of the bishops (I mean the true bishops) bear witness to it, and the most grievous persecution of the Christians proclaims it loudly. I will say nothing now of the outrages committed against me, by which, at the very time when the parties opposed to me were most busily combining, he even sent spies against me and all but furnished the tyrant with armed help. Let no one think that I am unprepared to prove this; for there is exact proof, since it is established that the presbyters and deacons who accompanied Eusebius were openly arrested by me. But I pass over these things; I have brought them forward now not out of anger but to their shame. This alone I fear, this alone I ponder: that I see you called into partnership in the guilt. For through the leading and perversion of Eusebius you have acquired a conscience estranged from the truth. But the cure is not slow, if, taking now at least a faithful and sincere bishop, you look to God. This is now in your power, and it ought to have depended on your judgment long ago, had not the aforesaid Eusebius come here by the whirl of those who helped him and shamelessly overturned the right order.

Since it is fitting to say a few words to your Charity about this Eusebius himself, your Forbearance remembers that a synod was held in the city of Nicaea, at which I myself was present, as befitted the service of my conscience, wishing nothing else than to bring about concord for all and above all to expose and shake off this affair, which had taken its beginning from the madness of Arius of Alexandria and had at once been strengthened by the absurd and destructive zeal of Eusebius. But this same Eusebius, most beloved and most honoured brothers, with what eagerness, think you, since he was defeated by his own conscience, and with what shame, did he stand by a lie refuted on every side, sending me various people to plead for him and asking from me some alliance, so that, convicted of so great a fault, he might not be cast out of the honour he held! God himself is my witness to this, and may he remain gracious to me and to you; for he overreached me and carried me off unbecomingly, as you too will recognize. For everything was done then as he wished, while he concealed every kind of evil in his own mind.

But recently, to pass over the rest of his perversity, hear, I beg you, what he especially did together with Theognis, whom he has as a partner in his folly. I had ordered that certain Alexandrians who had withdrawn from our faith be sent here, since through their service the torch of discord was being kindled. But these fine and good bishops (listen patiently to what I am going to say), whom the truth of the synod had once kept for repentance, not only received them and gave them safety among themselves, but even shared in the malice of their ways. Therefore I decided to act thus toward these ungrateful men: I ordered them to be seized and banished as far away as possible. Now it is your part to look to God with that faith which, as is established, has always existed and ought to exist, and so to act that we may rejoice in having pure, orthodox, and kindly bishops. But if anyone should rashly dare to be inflamed to remember or to praise those destroyers, he will at once be checked in his audacity by the action of the servant of God, that is, of me. God will keep you, beloved brothers.”

At that time, then, these men were deposed and driven out of their cities; Nicomedia was entrusted to Amphion, and Nicaea to Chrestus. But using again their customary devices, and finding in the emperor's kindness a means for deceit, they regained the contest and recovered their former power.

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret quotes the end of Constantine's letter to the Nicomedians, which accuses Eusebius of Nicomedia of having supported the tyrant Licinius and of sheltering condemned Arians with Theognis, and announces their banishment; Theodoret adds that they were replaced but later regained power.

Document: Constantine, letter to the church of Nicomedia (end only), written after the exile of Eusebius and Theognis in 325.
“The tyrant”: Licinius.
The parenthesis “listen patiently to what I am going to say” is translated by sense: the OCR text is garbled at this point (“οἱ πο φράσαι -ἰμακροθύμως ἀκούσατε ...”), and the words are left uncorrected.
“By the whirl of those who helped him” (δίνῃ) is translated as printed; the sense is uncertain.

Topics: Heresy, Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.19 (GCS 19:66–69; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-19

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.20GCS 19:70–72

Ὁ δὲ Εὐσέβιος, ὡς ἤδη ἔφην, καὶ τὴν Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἡἦγεδῖ μονίαν κατέσχε τυραννικῶς. οὕτω δὲ τῆς πλείονος ἐπιλαβόμενος δυναστείας καὶ θαμὰ παρὰ βασιλέως φοιτῶν καὶ τὴν παρρησίαν ἐκ τῆς συχνοτέρας συνουσίας λαβών, τὰς κατὰ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας προὃ μάχων κατεσκεύασε μηχανάς. καὶ πρῶτον ἱμείρεσθαι τῆς τῶν Ἵεροσολύμων θέας σκηψάμενος, καὶ ταύτῃ τὸν βασιλέα βουχολήσας οὑς τὸ πολυθρύλητον τῆς οἰκοδομίας ἔργον ὀψόμενος, μετὰ πλείστης ἐκεῖθεν ἀπῆρε τιμῆς, τοῦ βασιλέως αὐτῷ καὶ ὀχήματα καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἀπονείμαντος θεραπείαν. συναπῆρε δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ Θεογόνιος ὃ ΜΜικαίας, κοινωνὸς ὧν, οὃὑς καὶ πρόσθεν εἰρήκαμεν, τῶν πονηρῶν βουλευμάτων. Ἀφιχόμενοι δὲ εἰς τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν καὶ τὸ τῆς φιλίας περιθέμενοι προσωπεῖον, θεραπείας ἀπήλαυσαν ὅτι μάλιστα πλείστης ὁ γὰρ τῆς ἀληθείας πρόμαχος ὃ μέγας Εὐστάθιος πᾶσαν αὐτοῖς ἀδελφικὴν φιλοφροσύνην προσήνεγκχεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοὺς ἱεροὺς κατέλαβον τόπους καὶ τοὺς ὁμόφρονας ἐθεάσαντο, Εὐσέβιόν τε τὸν Καισαρείας καὶ τὸν Σχυθοπολίτην Πατρόφιλον καὶ τὸν Δύδδης ᾿Δέτιον καὶ τὸν Λαοδικείας Θεόδοτον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ὅσοι τὴν λώβην εἰσεδέξαντο τὴν Ἀρείου, ἐμήνυσάν τε τὸ τυρευόμενον καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς τὴν Ἀντιόχου κατέλαβον. καὶ τὸ μὲν πρόσχημα τῆς τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιδημίας προὅ πόμπιος ἦν τιμή" τὸ ὁὲ καττυόμενον, ὃ κατὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας πόλεμος. γύναιον γὰρ ἑταιρικὸν τὴν ὥραν ἀπεμπολοῦν μισθωσάμενοι καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν αὐτοῖς ἀποδόσθαι πείσαντες, συνῆλθον εἰς τὸ συνέδριον. εἶτα τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας ἔξω γενέσθαι κελεύσαντες, τὸ τρισάθλιον εἰσήγαγον γύναιον. ἡ δὲ παιδίον ὑπότιτθον ὑποδεικνῦσα, ἐκ τῆς Εὐσταθίου συνουσίας ἔλεγε τοῦτο καὶ συνειληφέναι καὶ τετοχέναι “καὶ ἀναίδην ἐβόα. ὁ δὲ τῆς συκοφαντίας τὸ προφανὲς ἐπιστάμενος, εἴ τινα ἔχοι τούτου συνίστορα, ἄγειν εἰς μέσον ἐκέλευσεν. ἐκείνης δὲ μηδένα ἔχειν μάρτυρα τῆς κατηγορίας λεγούσης, ὅρκον προύτειναν οἱ δικαιότατοι δικασταί, καίτοι τοῦ νόμου διαρρήδην. βοῶντος ἐπὶ δίο καὶ τριῶν μαρτύρων εἶναι βέβαια τὰ λεγόμενα, καὶ ἄντικρυς τοῦ ἀποστόλου κελεύοντος μηδὲ κατὰ πρεσβυτέρου γινομένην γραφὴν δίχα δύο ἢ τριῶν μαρτύρων προσδέχεσθαι. ἀλλὰ τῶν θείων οὗτοι νόμων καταφρονήσαντες ἀμάρτυρον κατ᾽ ἀνδρὸς τοσούτου κατηγορίαν ἐδέξ αντο. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οἷς εἶπεν ἐκείνη τὸν ὅρκον προστέθεικε, βοῶσα ἢ μὴν Εὐσταθίου τὸ βρέφος εἶναι, εἰς κατὰ μοιχοῦ λοιπὸν οἱ φιλαλήθεις τὴν ψῆφον ἐξ ξήνεγκαν. τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ἀρχιερέων (παρῆσαν γὰρ οὐκ ὀλίγοι καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ὑπερμαχοῦντες δογμάτων καὶ τὰ τυρευθέντα παντάπασιν ἀγνοοῦντες) προφανῶς ἀντιλεγόντων καὶ τὸν μέγαν Εὐστάθιον τὴν ψῆφον ἐκείνην τὴν παράνομον δέξασθαι κωλυόντων, πρὸς βασιλέα τὴν ταχίστην οἱ τὸ δρᾶμα συντεθειχότες ἀπῆλθον, καὶ πείσαντες αὐτὸν ὡς ἀληθὴς ἡ γραφὴ καὶ δικαία τῆς καθαιρέσεως ἡ ψῆφος, ὡς μοιχὸν ὁμοῦ καὶ τύραννον ἐξελαθῆναι παρασκευάζουσι τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ σωφροσύνης ἀγωνιστήν. Καὶ ἐκεῖνος μὲν διὰ τῆς Θράκης εἰς Ἰλλυρικὴν πόλιν ἀπήχθη.

Ho de Eusebios, hōs ēdē ephēn, kai tēn Kōnstantinoupoleōs hēēgedi monian katesche tyrannikōs. houtō de tēs pleionos epilabomenos dynasteias kai thama para basileōs phoitōn kai tēn parrēsian ek tēs sychnoteras synousias labōn, tas kata tōn tēs alētheias proo machōn kateskeuase mēchanas. kai prōton himeiresthai tēs tōn Hierosolymōn theas skēpsamenos, kai tautę̄ ton basilea boucholēsas hous to polythrylēton tēs oikodomias ergon opsomenos, meta pleistēs ekeithen apēre timēs, tou basileōs autǭ kai ochēmata kai tēn allēn aponeimantos therapeian. synapēre de autǭ kai Theogonios ho MMikaias, koinōnos hōn, hoous kai prosthen eirēkamen, tōn ponērōn bouleumatōn. Aphichomenoi de eis tēn Antiocheian kai to tēs philias perithemenoi prosōpeion, therapeias apēlausan hoti malista pleistēs ho gar tēs alētheias promachos ho megas Eustathios pasan autois adelphikēn philophrosynēn prosēnenkchen. epeidē de tous hierous katelabon topous kai tous homophronas etheasanto, Eusebion te ton Kaisareias kai ton Schythopolitēn Patrophilon kai ton Dyddēs ᾿Detion kai ton Laodikeias Theodoton kai tous allous hosoi tēn lōbēn eisedexanto tēn Areiou, emēnysan te to tyreuomenon kai syn autois tēn Antiochou katelabon. kai to men proschēma tēs tōn allōn epidēmias proo pompios ēn timē" to hoe kattyomenon, ho kata tēs eusebeias polemos. gynaion gar hetairikon tēn hōran apempoloun misthōsamenoi kai tēn glōttan autois apodosthai peisantes, synēlthon eis to synedrion. eita tous allous hapantas exō genesthai keleusantes, to trisathlion eisēgagon gynaion. hē de paidion hypotitthon hypodeiknysa, ek tēs Eustathiou synousias elege touto kai syneilēphenai kai tetochenai “kai anaidēn eboa. ho de tēs sykophantias to prophanes epistamenos, ei tina echoi toutou synistora, agein eis meson ekeleusen. ekeinēs de mēdena echein martyra tēs katēgorias legousēs, horkon prouteinan hoi dikaiotatoi dikastai, kaitoi tou nomou diarrēdēn. boōntos epi dio kai triōn martyrōn einai bebaia ta legomena, kai antikrys tou apostolou keleuontos mēde kata presbyterou ginomenēn graphēn dicha dyo ē triōn martyrōn prosdechesthai. alla tōn theiōn houtoi nomōn kataphronēsantes amartyron kat᾽ andros tosoutou katēgorian edex anto. epeidē de hois eipen ekeinē ton horkon prostetheike, boōsa ē mēn Eustathiou to brephos einai, eis kata moichou loipon hoi philalētheis tēn psēphon ex xēnenkan. tōn de allōn archiereōn (parēsan gar ouk oligoi kai tōn apostolikōn hypermachountes dogmatōn kai ta tyreuthenta pantapasin agnoountes) prophanōs antilegontōn kai ton megan Eustathion tēn psēphon ekeinēn tēn paranomon dexasthai kōlyontōn, pros basilea tēn tachistēn hoi to drama syntetheichotes apēlthon, kai peisantes auton hōs alēthēs hē graphē kai dikaia tēs kathaireseōs hē psēphos, hōs moichon homou kai tyrannon exelathēnai paraskeuazousi ton tēs eusebeias kai sōphrosynēs agōnistēn. Kai ekeinos men dia tēs Thrakēs eis Illyrikēn polin apēchthē.

Eusebius, as I have already said, seized the leadership of Constantinople like a tyrant. Having thus obtained greater power, visiting the emperor often and gaining freedom of speech from his frequent company, he contrived his devices against the champions of the truth. First, pretending to long for a sight of Jerusalem, and in this way beguiling the emperor, as if he were going to see the celebrated work of building, he set out from there with the greatest honour, the emperor granting him carriages and every other service. Theognis of Nicaea went with him, being, as we said before, a partner in his wicked plans.

When they came to Antioch and put on the mask of friendship, they enjoyed the most generous hospitality; for the champion of the truth, the great Eustathius, offered them every brotherly kindness. When they reached the holy places and saw the men of their own mind, Eusebius of Caesarea, Patrophilus of Scythopolis, Aetius of Lydda, Theodotus of Laodicea, and the others who had taken in the infection of Arius, they revealed what was being plotted, and came with them to the city of Antiochus. The pretext for the others' coming was the honour of escorting them; what was being stitched together was war on true religion. They hired a prostitute who sold her beauty, persuaded her to sell them her tongue as well, and came together into council. Then, ordering all the others to leave, they brought in the thrice-wretched woman. Holding up a baby still at the breast, she said that she had conceived and borne it from intercourse with Eustathius, and shouted it shamelessly. He, knowing the slander to be plain, told her to bring forward anyone who knew of it. When she said she had no witness to the charge, the most just judges offered her an oath, although the law expressly cries out that what is said is established on the word of two or three witnesses, and the apostle plainly commands not to receive even an accusation brought against a presbyter except on the word of two or three witnesses. But these men, despising the divine laws, accepted an unwitnessed charge against so great a man. When she added the oath to what she had said, crying out that the baby was certainly Eustathius's, the lovers of truth then passed sentence on him as an adulterer.

The other high priests (for not a few were present who defended the apostolic doctrines and knew nothing at all of the plot) openly spoke against it and tried to prevent the great Eustathius from accepting that lawless sentence. So those who had composed the drama went off with all speed to the emperor, and persuading him that the charge was true and the sentence of deposition just, they arranged that the champion of true religion and chastity should be driven out as an adulterer and a tyrant. And he was taken through Thrace to a city of Illyricum.

Deut 19:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 5:19 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius of Nicomedia and his allies travel to Jerusalem and Antioch, where at a council they use a bribed woman's oath to condemn Eustathius of Antioch for adultery without witnesses, and persuade Constantine to exile him.

The law on two or three witnesses: Deut 19:15; the apostle: 1 Tim 5:19.
Theodoret's account of the deposition of Eustathius (about 327–330) is told from Eustathius's side; other sources give other charges. Translated as written.
“The city of Antiochus”: Antioch.

Topics: Church office, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.20 (GCS 19:70–72; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-20

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.21GCS 19:72

οὗτοι δὲ πρῶτον μὲν ἀντ᾽ αὐτοῦ χειροτονοῦσιν Ἐὐλάλιον. τούτου δὲ ὀλίγον ἐπιβιώσαντος χρόνον, Βυσέβιον μεταθεῖναι τὸν Παλαιστῖνον ἠθέλησαν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔφυγε τὴν μετάθεσιν καὶ βασιλεὺς διεκώλυσεν, Πὐφρόνιον προεβάλοντο. καὶ τούτου δὲ τελευτήσαντος (ἐνιαυτὸν γὰρ καὶ μῆνας ὀλίγους μετὰ τὴν χειροτονίαν ἐβίω), Φλακίτῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκείνης τὴν προεδρίαν παρέδοσαν. πάντες δὲ ὁμοίως τὴν Δρείου λώβην εἶχον ἐγκεκρυμμένην. διά τοι τοῦτο πλεῖστοι τῶν εὐσεβεῖν προαιρουμένων καὶ τῶν ἱερωμένων καὶ τῶν πολλῶν, τοὺς ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς καταλελοιπότες συλλόγους, πρὸς ξαυτοὺς συνηθροίζοντο. ὐσταθιανοὺς δὲ τούτους ὠνόμαζον ἅπαντες, ἐπειδὴ μετὰ τὴν ἔξοδον τὴν ἐχείνου συνέστησαν. τὸ μέντοι τρισάθλιον ἐκεῖνο γύναιον, νόσῳ χαλεπωτάτῃ καὶ μακροτάτῃ περιπεσόν, ἐξέφηνε τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν καὶ τὴν τραγῳόίαν ἐγύμνωσεν, οὐ δύο καὶ τρεῖς ἀλλὰ παμπόλλους τῶν ἱερέων τὰ τυρευθέντα διδάξασα. ἔφη γὰρ ἐπὶ χρήμασι τὴν συκοφαντίαν ἐκείνην τετολμηκέναι, τὸν μέντοι ὄρχον μὴ πάμπαν εἶναι ψευδῆ Εὐσταθίου γάρ τινος χαλκέως γεγενῆσθαι τὸ βρέφος. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ παρὰ τῆς βελτίστης ἐτολμήθη συμμορίας.

houtoi de prōton men ant᾽ autou cheirotonousin Eulalion. toutou de oligon epibiōsantos chronon, Bysebion metatheinai ton Palaistinon ēthelēsan. epeidē de kai autos ephyge tēn metathesin kai basileus diekōlysen, Pyphronion proebalonto. kai toutou de teleutēsantos (eniauton gar kai mēnas oligous meta tēn cheirotonian ebiō), Phlakitǭ tēs ekklēsias ekeinēs tēn proedrian paredosan. pantes de homoiōs tēn Dreiou lōbēn eichon enkekrymmenēn. dia toi touto pleistoi tōn eusebein proairoumenōn kai tōn hierōmenōn kai tōn pollōn, tous ekklēsiastikous kataleloipotes syllogous, pros xautous synēthroizonto. ystathianous de toutous ōnomazon hapantes, epeidē meta tēn exodon tēn echeinou synestēsan. to mentoi trisathlion ekeino gynaion, nosǭ chalepōtatę̄ kai makrotatę̄ peripeson, exephēne tēn epiboulēn kai tēn tragǭoian egymnōsen, ou dyo kai treis alla pampollous tōn hiereōn ta tyreuthenta didaxasa. ephē gar epi chrēmasi tēn sykophantian ekeinēn tetolmēkenai, ton mentoi orchon mē pampan einai pseudē Eustathiou gar tinos chalkeōs gegenēsthai to brephos. tauta men oun en Antiocheią para tēs beltistēs etolmēthē symmorias.

These men first ordained Eulalius in his place. When he survived only a short time, they wanted to transfer Eusebius of Palestine; but since he himself declined the transfer and the emperor forbade it, they put forward Euphronius. When he too died (he lived a year and a few months after his ordination), they handed over the presidency of that church to Flacillus. All of them alike had the infection of Arius hidden within them. For this reason very many of those who chose to be pious, both clergy and laity, left the church assemblies and gathered by themselves. Everyone called them Eustathians, since they had formed after his departure.

That thrice-wretched woman, however, fell into a most grievous and very long illness, disclosed the plot, and stripped the drama bare, telling what had been contrived not to two or three but to a great many priests. For she said that she had dared that slander for money, but that her oath was not altogether false, since the baby was the child of a certain Eustathius, a coppersmith. These were the things dared in Antioch by that excellent gang.

Notes and citation

Summary: After Eustathius's exile a series of Arian-minded bishops are installed at Antioch, the faithful who separate are called Eustathians, and the woman who accused Eustathius later confesses, during an illness, that she had been bribed and that the father was a coppersmith of the same name.

“That excellent gang” is ironic, as in the Greek.

Topics: Church office, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.21 (GCS 19:72; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-21

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.22GCS 19:73–74

Παρὰ δὲ Ἰνδοῖς κατὰ τοῦτον ἀνέτειλε τὸν χρόνον τῆς θεογνῶσίας τὸ φῶς. τῆς γὰρ τοῦ βασιλέως ἀνδρίας καὶ εὐσεβείας πανταχοῦ θρυλουμένης καὶ τῶν ἐν κύκλῳ βαρβάρων τὴν εἰρήνην αἱρεῖσθαι πρὸ τοῦ πολέμου τῇ πείρᾳ μεμαθηκότων, ἀδεῶς ἀλλήλοις ἅπαντες ἐπεμίγνυντο. καὶ πολλοὶ μὲν ἱστορίας χάριν, πολλοὶ δὲ ἐμπορίας, τὰς μακρὰς ἀποδημίας ἐστέλλοντο. τότε τις Τύριος τῆς θύραθεν φιλοσοφίας μετέχων, τὴν ἐσχάτην Ἰνδίαν ἱστορῆσαι ποθήσας, σὺν δύο μειρακίοις ἀδελφιδοῖς ἐξεδήμησεν" ὧν ἐπόθησε δὲ τυχών, ναυτιλίᾳ χρώμενος ἐπανήει. ὑδρείας δὲ χάριν εἴς τινα λιμένα τοῦ σκάφους προσορμισθέντος, βάρβαροι προσπεσόντες τοὺς μὲν κατηχόντισαν, τοὺς δὲ ἐξηνδραπόδισαν. καὶ ἐκεῖνος μὲν τοῖς τεθνεῶσι συνηριθμήθη, τὰ δὲ μειράκια προσήχθη τῷ βασιλεῖ. τούτων ὁ μὲν Αἰδέσιος, ὁ δὲ Φρουμέντιος ὠνομάζετο. πεῖραν δὲ τούτων τῷ χρόνῳ λαβὼν ὁ τῆς γῆς ἐκείνης κρατῶν καὶ ἀγχίνους ἰδών, τῆς οἰκίας ἐπιμελεῖσθαι προσέταξεν. εἰ δέ τις ἀπιστεῖ τοῖς λεγομένοις, τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τῆς ἰγύπτου τὴν βασιλείαν σκοπησάτω, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τοῦ προφήτου ἀναμιμνησκέσθο Δανιὴλ καὶ τῶν τριῶν ἐκείνων τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀγωνιστῶν᾽ καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι δορυάλωτοι γεγνόμενοι τὴν Βαβυλωνίων ἡγεμονίαν παρέλαβον. τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως τετελευτηκότος, τῷ παιδὶ τῷ ἐκείνου συνῆσαν πλείονος τιμῆς ἀπολαύοντες, εὐσεβεία δὲ συντεθραμμένοι τοὺς αὐτόσε τῶν ἐμπόρων ἀφικνουμένους κατὰ τὸ Ῥωμαίων ἔθος συναγείρεσθαί τε καὶ τὰς θείας ἐπιτελεῖν λειτουργίας προέτρεπον. Χρόνου δὲ συχνοῦ διελθόντος, προσίασι τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τῆς εὐνοίας ἀπαιτοῦσι μισθὸν τὴν εἰς τὴν ἐνεγκοῦσαν ἐπάνοδον" τούτου δὲ τυχόντες εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀφίκοντο γῆν. καὶ ὃ μὲν Δἰδέσιος τὴν Τύρον κατέλαβεν. ὁ δὲ Φρουμέντιος τὴν περὶ τὰ θεῖα σπουδὴν τῆς τῶν γεγεννηκότων προτετίμηχε θέας καὶ τὴν ᾿᾿λεξάνδρου καταλαβὼν πόλιν τὸν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐδίδαξε πρόεδρον, οὑς Ἰνδοὶ λίαν ποθοῦσι τὸ νοερὸν εἰσδέξασθαι φῶς. Ἀθανάσιος δὲ τηνικαῦτα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκείνης κατεῖχε τοὺς οἴακας" ὃς τῶν διηγημάτων ἐκείνων ἀκούσας" καὶ τίς σους, ἔφη, ἄμεινον καὶ τῆς ἀγνοίας τὴν ἀχλὺν ἀποσχεδάσει τοῦ ἔθνους καὶ τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος αὐτοῖς ἀποίσει τὴν αἴγλην; ταῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ τῆς ἀρχιερατικῆς αὐτῷ χάριτος μεταδούς, εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἔθνους ἐξέπεμψε γεωργίαν. ὁ δὲ καὶ τὴν πατρίδα καταλιπὼν καὶ τοῦ μεγίστου πελάγους καταφρονήσας, κατέλαβε μὲν τὸ ἀγεώργητον ἔθνος, ἐγεώργησε δὲ προθύμως συνεργὸν ἔχων τὴν θεόσδοτον χάριν. ἀποστολικαῖς γὰρ κεχρημένος θαυματουργίαις τοὺς ἀντιλέγειν τοῖς λόγοις πειρωμένους ἐθήρευε, καὶ ἡ τερατουργία μαρτυροῦσα τοῖς λεγομένοις παμπόλλους καθ'᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐζώγρει.

Para de Indois kata touton aneteile ton chronon tēs theognōsias to phōs. tēs gar tou basileōs andrias kai eusebeias pantachou thryloumenēs kai tōn en kyklǭ barbarōn tēn eirēnēn haireisthai pro tou polemou tę̄ peirą memathēkotōn, adeōs allēlois hapantes epemignynto. kai polloi men historias charin, polloi de emporias, tas makras apodēmias estellonto. tote tis Tyrios tēs thyrathen philosophias metechōn, tēn eschatēn Indian historēsai pothēsas, syn dyo meirakiois adelphidois exedēmēsen" hōn epothēse de tychōn, nautilią chrōmenos epanēei. hydreias de charin eis tina limena tou skaphous prosormisthentos, barbaroi prospesontes tous men katēchontisan, tous de exēndrapodisan. kai ekeinos men tois tethneōsi synērithmēthē, ta de meirakia prosēchthē tǭ basilei. toutōn ho men Aidesios, ho de Phroumentios ōnomazeto. peiran de toutōn tǭ chronǭ labōn ho tēs gēs ekeinēs kratōn kai anchinous idōn, tēs oikias epimeleisthai prosetaxen. ei de tis apistei tois legomenois, ta kata ton Iōsēph kai tēs igyptou tēn basileian skopēsatō, pros de toutois kai tou prophētou anamimnēskestho Daniēl kai tōn triōn ekeinōn tēs eusebeias agōnistōn᾽ kai gar ekeinoi doryalōtoi gegnomenoi tēn Babylōniōn hēgemonian parelabon. tou de basileōs teteleutēkotos, tǭ paidi tǭ ekeinou synēsan pleionos timēs apolauontes, eusebeia de syntethrammenoi tous autose tōn emporōn aphiknoumenous kata to Rhōmaiōn ethos synageiresthai te kai tas theias epitelein leitourgias proetrepon. Chronou de sychnou dielthontos, prosiasi tǭ basilei kai tēs eunoias apaitousi misthon tēn eis tēn enenkousan epanodon" toutou de tychontes eis tēn Rhōmaiōn aphikonto gēn. kai ho men Didesios tēn Tyron katelaben. ho de Phroumentios tēn peri ta theia spoudēn tēs tōn gegennēkotōn protetimēche theas kai tēn ᾿᾿lexandrou katalabōn polin ton tēs ekklēsias edidaxe proedron, hous Indoi lian pothousi to noeron eisdexasthai phōs. Athanasios de tēnikauta tēs ekklēsias ekeinēs kateiche tous oiakas" hos tōn diēgēmatōn ekeinōn akousas" kai tis sous, ephē, ameinon kai tēs agnoias tēn achlyn aposchedasei tou ethnous kai tou theiou kērygmatos autois apoisei tēn aiglēn? tauta eipōn kai tēs archieratikēs autǭ charitos metadous, eis tēn tou ethnous exepempse geōrgian. ho de kai tēn patrida katalipōn kai tou megistou pelagous kataphronēsas, katelabe men to ageōrgēton ethnos, egeōrgēse de prothymōs synergon echōn tēn theosdoton charin. apostolikais gar kechrēmenos thaumatourgiais tous antilegein tois logois peirōmenous ethēreue, kai hē teratourgia martyrousa tois legomenois pampollous kath'᾽ hekastēn hēmeran ezōgrei.

At this time the light of the knowledge of God rose among the Indians. Since the emperor's courage and piety were spoken of everywhere, and the barbarians round about had learned by experience to choose peace rather than war, all mingled with one another without fear, and many undertook long journeys, some for the sake of inquiry, others for trade. At that time a Tyrian who had some share in secular philosophy, longing to explore farthest India, set out with two young nephews. Having obtained what he desired, he was returning by sea. When the ship put in at a harbour to take on water, barbarians fell upon them, killed some with javelins and enslaved others. He was numbered among the dead, and the young men were brought to the king. One was called Aedesius, the other Frumentius. The ruler of that land, having tested them over time and seen that they were intelligent, set them over the care of his household. If anyone disbelieves this, let him consider the story of Joseph and the kingdom of Egypt, and besides this let him remember the prophet Daniel and those three champions of true religion; for they too, having become captives of war, received the government of the Babylonians.

When the king died, they remained with his son and enjoyed greater honour; and having been brought up in true religion, they urged the merchants who came there to assemble after the custom of the Romans and to perform the divine liturgy. After a long time they approached the king and asked, as a reward for their goodwill, to return to their native land. Having obtained this, they came to the land of the Romans. Aedesius went to Tyre; but Frumentius preferred zeal for divine things to the sight of his parents, and going to the city of Alexander he informed the president of the church that the Indians greatly desire to receive the spiritual light. Athanasius then held the helm of that church. When he heard these stories he said: “Who better than you will scatter the mist of ignorance from that nation and bring them the radiance of the divine preaching?” Having said this and given him a share of the grace of the high priesthood, he sent him out to cultivate that nation. He, leaving his homeland and despising the vast sea, reached the uncultivated nation and cultivated it eagerly, having the God-given grace as his fellow worker. For using apostolic wonder-working he caught those who tried to oppose his words, and the wonders, bearing witness to what he said, took a great many captive every day.

Gen 41:39–43 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 2:48–49 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Frumentius and Aedesius, Tyrian youths captured by “Indians” and raised to positions of trust at court, encourage Christian worship there; Frumentius later reports to Athanasius in Alexandria, is consecrated bishop, and returns to evangelize that nation with miracles.

Theodoret's “India” is the kingdom of Aksum in Ethiopia; Frumentius became its first bishop.
Joseph: Gen 41; Daniel and the three young men: Dan 1–3.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.22 (GCS 19:73–74; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-22

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.

1.23GCS 19:74–76

Ἰνδῶν μὲν οὖν ὁ Φρουμέντιος πρὸς θεογνωσίαν ἐγένετο ποδηγός. Ἴβηρας δὲ κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν χρόνον γυνὴ δορυάλωτος πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθείαν ἐξενάγησεν. αὕτη γὰρ προσευχῇ μὲν ἐχρῆτο διηνεκεῖ, εὐνὴ δὲ ἦν αὐτῇ καὶ στρωμνὴ μαλακὴ σάχκος ἐπὶ τοῦ δαπέδου ζαθηπλωμένος, τρυφὴν δὲ ἄκραν τὴν νηστείαν ἐνόμιζεν. οὗτος ὃ πόνος τῶν ἀποστολικῶν αὐτῇ μεταδέδωχε χαρισμάτων. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ βάρβαροι τῆς ἰατρικῆς σπανίζοντες ἐπιστήμης εἰώθασιν ἀρρωστοῦντες πρὸς ἀλλήλους φοιτᾶν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἤδη νενοσηκότων καὶ τῆς ἀρρωστίας ἀπαλλαγέντων μανθάνειν τῆς ὑγείας τὸν τρόπον, ἀφίκετό τις γυνὴ πρὸς τὴν ἀξιέπαινον ἄνθρωπον παιδίον ἀρρωστοῦν ἔχουσα καὶ μαθεῖν τὸ πρακτέον ἀντιβολοῦσα. ἡ δὲ τοῦτο λαβοῦσα καὶ εἰς τὴν εὐνὴν κατακλίνασα, ἱκέτευε τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν νεῦσαι καὶ λῦσαι τὴν νόσον" ὁ δὲ τὴν ἱκετείαν δεξάμενος παρέσχε τὴν ὑγείαν. ἐντεῦθεν ἡ θαυμασία γυνὴ πολυθρύλητος γέγονεν. οὐδὲ γὰρ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως ὁμόζυγα τὸ γεγενημένον διέλαθε, παραυτίκα δὲ αὐτὴν μετεπέμψατο" ὑπό τινος γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ χαλεποῦ κατείχετο πάθους. ἡ δὲ μετρίῳ κεχρημένη φρονήματι τῆς βασιλίδος τὴν αἴτησιν οὐκ ἐδέξατο" ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς χρείας ἐκείνη βιαζομένη τὴν βασιλικὴν ἀξίαν εἰς νοῦν λαβεῖν οὐκ ἠθέλησεν, αλλ: αὑτὴ πρὸς τὴν δορυάλῶτον ἔδραμεν. ἢ δὲ πάλιν ἐπὶ τῆς εὐτελοῦς εὐνῆς αὐτὴν χατακλίνασα φάρμακον ἀλεξίκακον προσενήνοχε τῷ πάθει τὴν προσευχήν. ἡ δὲ βασιλὶς τῆς θεραπείας μισθὸν προσεκόμιζεν ὃν ἐνόμιζεν ἀξιόκτητον, χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ χιτῶνας καὶ ἀμπεχόνας καὶ ὅσα τῆς βασιλικῆς ἐστι δῶρα φιλοτιμίας. ἡ δὲ θεία γυνὴ τούτων ἔφη μὴ δεῖσθαι, μέγαν δὲ ἡγεῖσθαι μισθὸν τὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐπίγνωσιν" καὶ προσέφερεν, ος ἐνῆν, τὰ θεῖα παιδεύματα, καὶ θεῖον ἀνεγεῖραι παρεγγυᾷ νεὼν τῷ σεσωκχότι Χριστῷ. τούτων ἐκείνη ἀκούσασα κατέλαβε τὰ βασίλεια. καὶ παραυτίκα μὲν ἐξέπληξε τὸν ὁμόζυγα τῷ συντόμῳ τῆς θεραπείας" εἶτα τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς αἰχμαλώτου τὴν δύναμιν ἐδήλου καὶ παρεκάλει τοῦτον μόνον εἰδέναι θεὸν καὶ νεὼν αὐτῷ κατασκευάσαι καὶ ἅπαν εἰς τὴν τούτου θεραπείαν μεταθεῖναι τὸ ἔθνος. ὁ δὲ τὸ μὲν εἰς τὴν ὁμόζυγα θαῦμα γεγενημένον εὐφήμει. τὸν δὲ νεὼν οὐχ ἤθελε δείμασθαι. Ὀλίγου δὲ διελθόντος χρόνου, αὐτὸς μὲν εἰς θήραν ἐξῆλθεν, ὁ δὲ φιλάνθρωπος αὐτὸν δεσπότης κατὰ τὸν Παῦλον ἐθήρευσε. ζόφος γὰρ αὐτῷ ἐξαπίνης προσπεσὼν οὐκ εἴα περαιτέρω προβαίνειν. καὶ οἱ μὲν συνθηρεύοντες τῆς ἀκτῖνος συνήθοως ἀπήλαυνον, οὗτος δὲ μόνος ἀποληφθεὶς τοῖς τῆς ἀορασίας ἐπεδήθη δεσμοῖς" ἐν ἀπορίᾳ δὲ ὧν πόρον εὑρε τῆς σωτηρίας. εὐθὺς γὰρ εἰς νοῦν τὴν ἀπείθειαν λαβὼν καὶ τὸν τῆς αἰχμαλώτου θεὸν. καλέσας ἐπίκουρον, ἀπηλλάγη τοῦ ζόφου. καὶ τὴν ἀξιάγαστον ἐκείνην καταλαβὼν δορυάλωτον, παρεκάλει δεῖξαι τῆς οἰκοδομίας τὸ σχῆμα. ὃ δὲ τὸν Βεσελεὴλ τῆς ἀρχιτεκτονικῆς σοφίας ἐμπλήσας καὶ ταύτην ἠξίωσε χάριτος ὥστε τὸν θεῖον διαγράψαι νεών. καὶ ἡ μὲν διέγραφεν, οἱ δὲ ὥρυττόν τε καὶ φχοδόμουν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐτελέσθη τὸ οἰκοδόμημα καὶ ὁ ὄροφος ἐπετέθη καὶ μόνων ἐδεῖτο τῶν ἱερέων, εὗρε καὶ τούτου πόρον ἡ θαυμασία γυνή. ἔπεισε γὰρ τὸν τοῦ ἔθνους ἡγούμενον πρὸς τὸν Ῥωμαίων πρεσβεύσασθαι βασιλέα καὶ αἰτήσασθαι πεμφθῆναι σφίσι διδάσκαλον εὐσεβείας. ὁ μὲν οὖν δεξάμενος τὴν εἰσήγησιν τοὺς σπρεσβευσομένους ἐξέπεμψεν" δ δὲ βασιλεύς, τῆς αἰτήσεως τὴν αἰτίαν μαθών (Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ ἦν ὃ τῆς εὐσεβείας θερμότατος ἐραστής), φιλοφροσύνης μὲν παμπόλλης τοὺς πρέσβεις ἠξίωσεν, ἄνδρα δὲ πίστει καὶ συνέσει καὶ βίῳ κοσμούμενον καὶ τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης. "ἠξιωμένον κήρυκα τῷ ἔθνει τῆς θεογνωσίας ἐξέπεμψε μετὰ δώρον ὅτι μάλιστα πλείστων. ταύτης μὲν οὖν τῆς προμηθείας τοὺς ἡτηχότας ἠξ ξίωσε. Τῶν ἐν Περσίδι δὲ τῆς εὐσεβείας τροφίμων αὐτόματος προὐνοήθη. μαθὼν γὰρ αὐτοὺς ὑπὸ τῶν δυσσεβῶν ἐξελαύνεσθαι καὶ τὸν ἐκείνων βασιλέα τῇ πλάνῃ δεδουλωμένον παντοδαπὰς αὐτοῖς καττύειν ἐπιβουλὰς ἐπέστειλε, καὶ παραινῶν εὐσεβεῖν καὶ τοὺς εὐσεβοῦντας τιμῆς ἀπολαύειν αἰτῶν. ἄμεινον δὲ τὴν τοῦ γεγραφότος σπουδὴν ἐπιδείξει τὰ γράμματα.

Indōn men oun ho Phroumentios pros theognōsian egeneto podēgos. Ibēras de kata ton auton chronon gynē doryalōtos pros tēn alētheian exenagēsen. hautē gar proseuchę̄ men echrēto diēnekei, eunē de ēn autę̄ kai strōmnē malakē sachkos epi tou dapedou zathēplōmenos, tryphēn de akran tēn nēsteian enomizen. houtos ho ponos tōn apostolikōn autę̄ metadedōche charismatōn. epeidē gar hoi barbaroi tēs iatrikēs spanizontes epistēmēs eiōthasin arrōstountes pros allēlous phoitan, kai para tōn ēdē nenosēkotōn kai tēs arrōstias apallagentōn manthanein tēs hygeias ton tropon, aphiketo tis gynē pros tēn axiepainon anthrōpon paidion arrōstoun echousa kai mathein to prakteon antibolousa. hē de touto labousa kai eis tēn eunēn kataklinasa, hiketeue ton tōn holōn dēmiourgon neusai kai lysai tēn noson" ho de tēn hiketeian dexamenos paresche tēn hygeian. enteuthen hē thaumasia gynē polythrylētos gegonen. oude gar tēn tou basileōs homozyga to gegenēmenon dielathe, parautika de autēn metepempsato" hypo tinos gar kai autē chalepou kateicheto pathous. hē de metriǭ kechrēmenē phronēmati tēs basilidos tēn aitēsin ouk edexato" all᾽ hypo tēs chreias ekeinē biazomenē tēn basilikēn axian eis noun labein ouk ēthelēsen, all: hautē pros tēn doryalōton edramen. ē de palin epi tēs eutelous eunēs autēn chataklinasa pharmakon alexikakon prosenēnoche tǭ pathei tēn proseuchēn. hē de basilis tēs therapeias misthon prosekomizen hon enomizen axioktēton, chryson kai argyron kai chitōnas kai ampechonas kai hosa tēs basilikēs esti dōra philotimias. hē de theia gynē toutōn ephē mē deisthai, megan de hēgeisthai misthon tēn tēs eusebeias epignōsin" kai prosepheren, os enēn, ta theia paideumata, kai theion anegeirai parengyą neōn tǭ sesōkchoti Christǭ. toutōn ekeinē akousasa katelabe ta basileia. kai parautika men exeplēxe ton homozyga tǭ syntomǭ tēs therapeias" eita tou theou tēs aichmalōtou tēn dynamin edēlou kai parekalei touton monon eidenai theon kai neōn autǭ kataskeuasai kai hapan eis tēn toutou therapeian metatheinai to ethnos. ho de to men eis tēn homozyga thauma gegenēmenon euphēmei. ton de neōn ouch ēthele deimasthai. Oligou de dielthontos chronou, autos men eis thēran exēlthen, ho de philanthrōpos auton despotēs kata ton Paulon ethēreuse. zophos gar autǭ exapinēs prospesōn ouk eia peraiterō probainein. kai hoi men synthēreuontes tēs aktinos synēthoōs apēlaunon, houtos de monos apolēphtheis tois tēs aorasias epedēthē desmois" en aporią de hōn poron heure tēs sōtērias. euthys gar eis noun tēn apeitheian labōn kai ton tēs aichmalōtou theon. kalesas epikouron, apēllagē tou zophou. kai tēn axiagaston ekeinēn katalabōn doryalōton, parekalei deixai tēs oikodomias to schēma. ho de ton Beseleēl tēs architektonikēs sophias emplēsas kai tautēn ēxiōse charitos hōste ton theion diagrapsai neōn. kai hē men diegraphen, hoi de hōrytton te kai phchodomoun. epeidē de etelesthē to oikodomēma kai ho orophos epetethē kai monōn edeito tōn hiereōn, heure kai toutou poron hē thaumasia gynē. epeise gar ton tou ethnous hēgoumenon pros ton Rhōmaiōn presbeusasthai basilea kai aitēsasthai pemphthēnai sphisi didaskalon eusebeias. ho men oun dexamenos tēn eisēgēsin tous spresbeusomenous exepempsen" d de basileus, tēs aitēseōs tēn aitian mathōn (Kōnstantinos de ēn ho tēs eusebeias thermotatos erastēs), philophrosynēs men pampollēs tous presbeis ēxiōsen, andra de pistei kai synesei kai biǭ kosmoumenon kai tēs archierōsynēs. "ēxiōmenon kēryka tǭ ethnei tēs theognōsias exepempse meta dōron hoti malista pleistōn. tautēs men oun tēs promētheias tous hētēchotas ēx xiōse. Tōn en Persidi de tēs eusebeias trophimōn automatos prounoēthē. mathōn gar autous hypo tōn dyssebōn exelaunesthai kai ton ekeinōn basilea tę̄ planę̄ dedoulōmenon pantodapas autois kattyein epiboulas epesteile, kai parainōn eusebein kai tous eusebountas timēs apolauein aitōn. ameinon de tēn tou gegraphotos spoudēn epideixei ta grammata.

Frumentius, then, became the Indians' guide to the knowledge of God. At the same time a woman taken captive in war led the Iberians to the truth. She practised unceasing prayer; her bed and soft couch was a sackcloth spread on the floor, and she counted fasting the height of luxury. This labour gave her a share in the apostolic gifts. For since the barbarians, lacking the science of medicine, are accustomed when sick to visit one another and to learn the way to health from those who have already been ill and recovered, a woman came to this praiseworthy person with a sick child, begging to learn what she should do. She took the child, laid it on her bed, and besought the Creator of the universe to consent and to cure the illness; and he accepted her supplication and gave health. From then on the wonderful woman became widely known. The king's wife too learned of what had happened and at once sent for her, for she too was held fast by a grievous affliction. But the captive, being of a modest mind, did not accept the queen's request; and the queen, compelled by need, did not choose to consider her royal rank, but herself hurried to the captive. She again laid her on her humble bed and applied prayer to the affliction as a remedy against evil. The queen offered as a reward for the healing what she thought worth having: gold and silver, tunics and cloaks, and all the gifts of royal generosity. But the divine woman said that she had no need of these, and that she considered the knowledge of true religion a great reward; and she offered, as far as she could, the divine teachings, and urged her to raise a divine church to Christ who had saved her.

Hearing this, the queen returned to the palace. She at once amazed her husband by the swiftness of the cure; then she told him of the power of the captive's God and urged him to acknowledge him alone as God, to build him a church, and to bring the whole nation over to his worship. He praised the wonder that had been done for his wife, but he was not willing to build the church. A short time later he went out hunting, and the merciful Master hunted him, as he did Paul. For a sudden darkness fell on him and did not let him go further. Those hunting with him enjoyed the sunlight as usual, but he alone was cut off and bound in the chains of blindness. In his perplexity he found the way of salvation. For at once he called to mind his disobedience, and calling on the captive's God for help, he was freed from the darkness. Coming to that admirable captive, he begged her to show him the plan of the building. And he who had filled Bezalel with the wisdom of architecture favoured her too with grace to draw the plan of the divine church. She drew the plan, and they dug and built. When the building was finished and the roof was put on and only priests were lacking, the wonderful woman found a way for this too. She persuaded the ruler of the nation to send an embassy to the emperor of the Romans and ask that a teacher of true religion be sent to them. He accepted the proposal and sent out the envoys. The emperor, learning the reason for the request (it was Constantine, the most fervent lover of true religion), treated the envoys with great kindness and sent to that nation, with very many gifts, a man adorned with faith, understanding, and good life, who had been counted worthy of the high priesthood, as a herald of the knowledge of God. This, then, was the provision he made for those who asked.

Of the nurslings of true religion in Persia he took thought of his own accord. Learning that they were being driven out by the impious, and that their king, enslaved to error, was stitching together all kinds of plots against them, he wrote, urging him to be pious and asking that the pious enjoy honour. The letter will show the writer's zeal better.

Acts 9:3–9 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 31:2–3 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: A captive Christian woman heals a child and the queen of the Iberians by prayer; the king, struck blind while hunting and healed when he calls on her God, builds a church to her plan and asks Constantine for a bishop; Constantine also writes to the king of Persia on behalf of the Christians there.

The Iberians are the Georgians of the Caucasus; Georgian tradition names the captive woman Nino. Theodoret does not name her.
The conversion of Paul: Acts 9:3–9. Bezalel: Exod 31:2–3.
A stray OCR fragment inside the clause about Bezalel has been removed (logged).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR debris between words removed): τῆς τθ Τηροάοτοῦ ἀρχιτεκτονικῆς → τῆς ἀρχιτεκτονικῆς.

Topics: Prayer, Persecution

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.23 (GCS 19:74–76; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-23

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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.