Church History 1.24–2.5 (Church History)

Theodoret of Cyrus

Church History 1.24–2.5

Theodoret of Cyrus · Church History · ca. 449-450 · Cyrrhus · 14 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

1.24GCS 19:76–80

Τὴν θείαν πίστιν φυλάσσων τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας φωτὸς μεταὃ λαγχάνω' τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας φωτὶ ὁδηγούμενος τὴν θείαν πίστιν ἐπιγινώσκω. τοιγάρτοι τούτοις. ος τὰ πράγματα βεβαιοῖ, τὴν ἁγιωτάτην θρησχείαν γνωρίζω διδάσκαλον τῆς ἐπιγνώσεως τοῦ ἁγιωτάτου θεοῦ" ταύτην τὴν λατρείαν ἔχειν ὁμολογῶ. τούτου τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν δύναμιν ἔχων σύμμαχον, ἐκ τῶν περάτων τοῦ ὠκεανοῦ ἀρξάμενος πᾶσαν ἐφεξῆς τὴν οἰκουμένην βεβαίαις σωτηρίας ἐλπίσι διήγειρα, ες ἅπαντα ὅσα ὑπὸ τοσούτοις τυράννοις δεδουλωμένα ταῖς καθημεριναῖς συμφοραῖς ἐνδόντα ἐξίτηλα ἐγεγόνει, ταῦτα προσλαβόντα τὴν τῶν κοινῶν ἐκδικίαν. ὥσπερ ἔκ τινος θεραπείας, ἀναζωπερηθῆναι. τοῦτον τὸν θεὸν πρεσβευω" οὐ τὸ σημεῖον ὁ τῷ θεῷ ἄναχείμενός μου στρατὸς ὑπὲρ τῶν ὥμων φέρει, καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἅπερ ἂν ὃ τοῦ δικαίου λόγος παρακαλῇ χατευθύνεται" ἐξ αὐτῶν δὲ ἐκείνων περιφανέσι τροπαίοις αὐτίκα τὴν χάριν ἀντιλαμβάνω. τοῦτον τὸν θεὸν ἀθανάτῳ μνήμῃ τιμᾶν ὁμολογῶ, τοῦτον ἀκραιφνεῖ καὶ καθαρᾷ διαοίᾳ ἐν τοῖς ἀνωτάτω τυγχάνειν ὑπεραυγάζομαι. Τοῦτον ἐπικαλοῦμαι γόνυ κλίνας, φεύγων μὲν πᾶν αἷμα βδελυιχτὸν καὶ ὀσμὰς ἀηθεῖς καὶ ἀποτροπαίους. πᾶσαν δὲ γεώδη λαμπηδόνα ἐχκκλίνων, οἷς πᾶσιν ἡ ἀθέμιτος καὶ ἄρρητος πλάνη χραινομένη πολ"λοὺς τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ὅλα γένη κατέρριψε τοῖς κατωτάτω μέρεσι παραδοῦσα. ἃ γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὕλων θεὸς προνοίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ φιλανθρωαίαν οἰκείαν χρείας ἕνεκα εἰς τοὐμφανὲς παρήγαγε; ταῦτα "πρὸς τὴν ἑκάστου ἐπιθυμίαν ἕλκεσθαι οὐδαμῶς ἀνέχεται, καθαρὰν ὐὲ μόνην διάνοιαν καὶ ψυχὴν ἀκηλίδωτον παρὰ ἀνθρώπων ἀπαιτεῖ, τὰς τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ εὐσεβείας πράξεις ἐν τούτοις σταθμώμενος. ἐπιεικείας γὰρ καὶ ἡμερότητος ἔργοις ἀρέσκεται, πράους φιλῶν, ὃ "μισῶν τοὺς ταραχώδεις, ἀγαπῶν τὴν πίστιν, ἀπιστίαν κολάζων, πᾶσαν μετ᾽ ἀλαζονείας δυναστείαν χκαταρρηγνύς, ὕβριν ὑπερηφάνων τιμωρεῖται, τοὺς ὑπὸ τύφου ἐπαιρομένους ἐκ βάθρων ἀναιρεῖ, ταπειγόφροσι καὶ ἀνεξικάκοις τὰ πρὸς ἀξίαν νέμων. οὕτω καὶ βασιλείαν δικαίαν περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμενος ταῖς παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἐπικουρίαις κρατύνει, σύνεσίν τε βασιλικὴν τῷ γαληναίῳ τῆς εἰρήνης διαφυλάττει. Οὐ μοι δοκῶ πλανᾶσθαι, ἀδελφέ μου, τοῦτον εἶναι θεὸν ὁμο"λογῶν πάντων ἀρχηγὸν καὶ πατέρα, ὃν πολλοὶ τῶν τῇδε βασιλευσάντων μανιώδεσι πλάναις ὑπαχθέντες ἐπεχείρησαν ἀρνήσασθαι. ἀλλ ἐκείνους ἅπαντας τοιοῦτον τιμωρὸν τέλος κατανάλωσεν, οὑς πᾶν τὸ μετ᾽ ἐκείνους ἀνθρώπων γένος τὰς ἐκείνων συμφορὰς ἀντ᾽ ἄλλου παραδείγματος ἐπαράτους τοῖς τὰ ὅμοια ζηλοῦσι τίθεσθαι. τούτων ἐκεῖνον ἕνα ἡγοῦμαι γεγονέναι, ὃν καθάπερ τις σκηπτὸς ἡ ἴ θεία μῆνις τῶν τῇδε ἀπελάσασα τοῖς ὑμετέροις μέρεσι παραδέδωκε, τῆς ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ αἰσχύνης πολυθρύλητον τὸ παρ᾽ ὑμῖν τρόπαιον ἀποφήναντα. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἔοικεν εἰς καλὸν προκεχωρηκέναι τὸ καὶ ἐν τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς αἰῶνι τὴν τῶν τοιούτων τιμωρίαν περιφανῆ δειχθῆναι. ἐπεῖδον γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκείνων τὰ τέλη τῶν ἔναγχος ἀθεμίτοις προστάγμασι τὸν τῷ θεῷ ἀνακείμενον λαὸν ἐχταραξάντων. διὸ δὴ καὶ πολλὴ χάρις τῷ θεῷ, ὅτι τελείᾳ προνοίᾳ πᾶν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον τὸ θεραπεῦον τὸν θεῖον νόμον, ἀποδοθείσης αὐτῷ τῆς εἰρήνης, ἀγάλλεται καὶ γαυριᾷ. ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς πέπεισμαι ες ὅτε κάλλιστα -καὶ ἀσφαλέστατα ἔχει ἅπαντα, ὁπότε διὰ τῆς ἐκείνων καθαρᾶς τε -χαὶ δοκίμου θρησκείας ἐκ τῆς περὶ τὸ θεῖον συμφωνίας πάντας εἰς ναὐτὸν ἀγείρειν ἀξιοῖ. Τούτου τοῦ καταλόγου τῶν ἀνθρώπων, λέγω δὴ τῶν χριστιανῶν (ὑπὲρ γὰρ τούτων ὁ πᾶς μοι λόγος), πῶς οἴει μὲ ἤδεσθαι ἀκούοντα. οὗταν καὶ τῆς Περσίδος τὰ κράτιστα ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὥσπερ ἔστι μοι "βουλομένῳ κοσμῆται. σοί τε οὖν ὡς ὅτι κάλλιστα ἐκείνοις τε ὡσαύ.τῶς ὑπάρχοι τὰ κάλλιστα, ὅ τι σοὶ κἀκείνοις. οὕτω γὰρ ἕξεις τὸν τῶν ὅλων δεσπότην πρᾶον, ἵλεω καὶ εὐμενῆ. τούτους τοιγαροῦν, "ἐπειδὴ τοσοῦτος εἶ, σοὶ παρατίθεμαι, τοὺς αὐτοὺς τούτους, ὅτι καὶ εὐσεβείᾳ ἐπίσημος εἶ, ἐγχειρίζων. τούτους ἀγάπα ἁρμοδίως τῆς αὐτοῦ φιλανθρωπίας. σαυτῷ τε γὰρ καὶ ἡμῖν ἀπερίγραπτον δώσεις διὰ τῆς πίστεως τὴν χάριν.ς Ἰοσαύτην ὁ πάντα ἄριστος βασιλεὺς τῶν εὐσεβείᾳ. κοσμουμένων ἐποιεῖτο φροντίδα. οὐ μόνον τῶν ὑπηκόων ἐπιμελούμενος ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ὑφ᾽ ἕτερα σχῆπτρα τελούντων εἰς δύναμιν προμηθούμενος. διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας ἀπήλαυξε καὶ τῆς τε Εὐρώπης ἁπάσης καὶ τῆς Λιβύης, πρὸς δὲ ταύταις καὶ τοῦ πλείστου τῆς Ἀσίας κατέχων τὰς ἡνίας, εὔνους εἶχε τοὺς ἀρχομένους καὶ τῷ ὅ χαλινῷ μεθ'᾽ ἡδονῆς πειθομένους. καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ τῶν βαρβάρων οἱ μὲν ἑκόντες ἐδούλευον, οἱ δὲ πολέμῳ κρατούμενοι" καὶ πανταχοῦ τρόπαια ἵστατο καὶ νικηφόρος ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνεδείκνυτο. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν καὶ ἕτεροι διὰ πλειόνων εὐφήμησαν᾽ ἡμεῖς δὲ τῆς προκειμένης ἱστορίας ἐχώμεθα. Ὁ μὲν οὖν πανεύφημος βασιλεὺς τὰς ἀποστολικὰς φροντίδας ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ περιέφερεν, οἱ δὲ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἠξιωμένοι οὐ μόνον οἰκοδομεῖν οὐχ ἐβούλοντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀνορύττει ἐπεχείρουν θεμέλια. τοὺς γὰρ δὴ τούτων μετὰ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ἡγουμένους δογμάτων, παντοδαπὰς συκοφαντίας ὑφαίνοντες, καθαιροῦντες ἐξήλαυνον. οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἔλαβον κόρον τοῦ φθόνου τὸ πολυθρύλητον ἐκεῖνο κατὰ Εὐσταθίου τοῦ μεγάλου δρᾶμα συντεθεικότες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλον πύργον μέγιστον τῆς εὐσεβείας ὑπορύττειν ἐπεχείρουν καὶ τὰς παντοδαπὰς προσέφερον μηχανάς. ἐν συντόμῳ δὲ καὶ τήνδε τὴν τραγῳδίαν ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα διηγήσομαι.

Tēn theian pistin phylassōn tou tēs alētheias phōtos metao lanchanō' tǭ tēs alētheias phōti hodēgoumenos tēn theian pistin epiginōskō. toigartoi toutois. os ta pragmata bebaioi, tēn hagiōtatēn thrēscheian gnōrizō didaskalon tēs epignōseōs tou hagiōtatou theou" tautēn tēn latreian echein homologō. toutou tou theou tēn dynamin echōn symmachon, ek tōn peratōn tou ōkeanou arxamenos pasan ephexēs tēn oikoumenēn bebaiais sōtērias elpisi diēgeira, es hapanta hosa hypo tosoutois tyrannois dedoulōmena tais kathēmerinais symphorais endonta exitēla egegonei, tauta proslabonta tēn tōn koinōn ekdikian. hōsper ek tinos therapeias, anazōperēthēnai. touton ton theon presbeuō" ou to sēmeion ho tǭ theǭ anacheimenos mou stratos hyper tōn hōmōn pherei, kai eph᾽ haper an ho tou dikaiou logos parakalę̄ chateuthynetai" ex autōn de ekeinōn periphanesi tropaiois autika tēn charin antilambanō. touton ton theon athanatǭ mnēmę̄ timan homologō, touton akraiphnei kai katharą diaoią en tois anōtatō tynchanein hyperaugazomai. Touton epikaloumai gony klinas, pheugōn men pan haima bdeluichton kai osmas aētheis kai apotropaious. pasan de geōdē lampēdona echkklinōn, hois pasin hē athemitos kai arrētos planē chrainomenē pol"lous tōn ethnōn kai hola genē katerripse tois katōtatō meresi paradousa. ha gar ho tōn hylōn theos pronoią tōn anthrōpōn dia philanthrōaian oikeian chreias heneka eis toumphanes parēgage? tauta "pros tēn hekastou epithymian helkesthai oudamōs anechetai, katharan ye monēn dianoian kai psychēn akēlidōton para anthrōpōn apaitei, tas tēs aretēs kai eusebeias praxeis en toutois stathmōmenos. epieikeias gar kai hēmerotētos ergois aresketai, praous philōn, ho "misōn tous tarachōdeis, agapōn tēn pistin, apistian kolazōn, pasan met᾽ alazoneias dynasteian chkatarrēgnys, hybrin hyperēphanōn timōreitai, tous hypo typhou epairomenous ek bathrōn anairei, tapeigophrosi kai anexikakois ta pros axian nemōn. houtō kai basileian dikaian peri pollou poioumenos tais par᾽ heautou epikouriais kratynei, synesin te basilikēn tǭ galēnaiǭ tēs eirēnēs diaphylattei. Ou moi dokō planasthai, adelphe mou, touton einai theon homo"logōn pantōn archēgon kai patera, hon polloi tōn tę̄de basileusantōn maniōdesi planais hypachthentes epecheirēsan arnēsasthai. all ekeinous hapantas toiouton timōron telos katanalōsen, hous pan to met᾽ ekeinous anthrōpōn genos tas ekeinōn symphoras ant᾽ allou paradeigmatos eparatous tois ta homoia zēlousi tithesthai. toutōn ekeinon hena hēgoumai gegonenai, hon kathaper tis skēptos hē i theia mēnis tōn tę̄de apelasasa tois hymeterois meresi paradedōke, tēs ep᾿ autǭ aischynēs polythrylēton to par᾽ hymin tropaion apophēnanta. Alla gar eoiken eis kalon prokechōrēkenai to kai en tǭ kath' hēmas aiōni tēn tōn toioutōn timōrian periphanē deichthēnai. epeidon gar kai autos ekeinōn ta telē tōn enanchos athemitois prostagmasi ton tǭ theǭ anakeimenon laon echtaraxantōn. dio dē kai pollē charis tǭ theǭ, hoti teleią pronoią pan to anthrōpinon to therapeuon ton theion nomon, apodotheisēs autǭ tēs eirēnēs, agalletai kai gaurią. enteuthen kai hēmin autois pepeismai es hote kallista -kai asphalestata echei hapanta, hopote dia tēs ekeinōn katharas te -chai dokimou thrēskeias ek tēs peri to theion symphōnias pantas eis nauton ageirein axioi. Toutou tou katalogou tōn anthrōpōn, legō dē tōn christianōn (hyper gar toutōn ho pas moi logos), pōs oiei me ēdesthai akouonta. houtan kai tēs Persidos ta kratista epi pleiston hōsper esti moi "boulomenǭ kosmētai. soi te oun hōs hoti kallista ekeinois te hōsau.tōs hyparchoi ta kallista, ho ti soi kakeinois. houtō gar hexeis ton tōn holōn despotēn praon, hileō kai eumenē. toutous toigaroun, "epeidē tosoutos ei, soi paratithemai, tous autous toutous, hoti kai eusebeią episēmos ei, encheirizōn. toutous agapa harmodiōs tēs autou philanthrōpias. sautǭ te gar kai hēmin aperigrapton dōseis dia tēs pisteōs tēn charin.s Iosautēn ho panta aristos basileus tōn eusebeią. kosmoumenōn epoieito phrontida. ou monon tōn hypēkoōn epimeloumenos alla kai tōn hyph᾽ hetera schēptra telountōn eis dynamin promēthoumenos. dia toi touto kai autos tēs theias kēdemonias apēlauxe kai tēs te Eurōpēs hapasēs kai tēs Libyēs, pros de tautais kai tou pleistou tēs Asias katechōn tas hēnias, eunous eiche tous archomenous kai tǭ ho chalinǭ meth'᾽ hēdonēs peithomenous. kai men dē kai tōn barbarōn hoi men hekontes edouleuon, hoi de polemǭ kratoumenoi" kai pantachou tropaia histato kai nikēphoros ho basileus anedeiknyto. alla tauta men kai heteroi dia pleionōn euphēmēsan᾽ hēmeis de tēs prokeimenēs historias echōmetha. Ho men oun paneuphēmos basileus tas apostolikas phrontidas en tę̄ psychę̄ periepheren, hoi de tēs hierōsynēs ēxiōmenoi ou monon oikodomein ouch eboulonto, alla kai auta ta tēs ekklēsias anoryttei epecheiroun themelia. tous gar dē toutōn meta tōn apostolikōn hēgoumenous dogmatōn, pantodapas sykophantias hyphainontes, kathairountes exēlaunon. ou gar dē elabon koron tou phthonou to polythrylēton ekeino kata Eustathiou tou megalou drama syntetheikotes, alla kai allon pyrgon megiston tēs eusebeias hyporyttein epecheiroun kai tas pantodapas prosepheron mēchanas. en syntomǭ de kai tēnde tēn tragǭdian hōs eni malista diēgēsomai.

“Guarding the divine faith, I share in the light of truth; guided by the light of truth, I recognize the divine faith. Therefore, as events confirm, I acknowledge the most holy religion as teacher of the knowledge of the most holy God; I confess that I hold this worship. Having the power of this God as my ally, beginning from the farthest shores of the ocean I have raised up the whole world in turn with sure hopes of salvation, so that all that had been enslaved under so many tyrants and, yielding to daily calamities, had been fading away, has received the vindication of the common good and been rekindled as if from some treatment. This God I honour, whose sign my army, dedicated to God, carries on its shoulders, and it goes straight to whatever the cause of justice calls it to; and from those very men I at once receive the favour in the form of splendid trophies. This God I confess that I honour with undying remembrance; this God, with an unmixed and pure mind, I gladly proclaim to be in the highest place.

I call on him with bended knee, shunning all abominable blood and unpleasant and averted odours, and turning away from every earthly glare, all of which, polluted by lawless and unspeakable error, has cast down many of the nations and whole races, handing them over to the lowest regions. For the things which the God of the universe, in his providence for men and out of his own love for mankind, brought into view for their use, he does not at all allow to be dragged to suit each man's desire; he requires from men only a pure mind and an unstained soul, weighing in these the deeds of virtue and piety. For he is pleased with works of gentleness and mildness, loving the meek and hating the turbulent, loving faith and punishing unbelief, breaking every power joined with arrogance; he punishes the insolence of the proud, overthrows from their foundations those puffed up with conceit, and gives the humble-minded and forbearing what they deserve. So too, valuing a just kingship highly, he strengthens it with his help and keeps royal understanding in the calm of peace.

I do not think I err, my brother, in confessing that this God is the author and Father of all, whom many of those who reigned here, led away by mad errors, attempted to deny. But such an avenging end consumed them all that the whole race of men after them has set their calamities, instead of any other example, as a curse to those who imitate them. Of these I think that man was one whom the divine wrath, like a thunderbolt, drove out of these parts and handed over to yours, and who made the trophy of his shame among you widely famous. But it seems to have turned out well that in our own age too the punishment of such men has been shown plainly. For I myself have seen the end of those who lately troubled with lawless edicts the people dedicated to God. Therefore great thanks are due to God that by his perfect providence the whole human race that serves the divine law, peace having been restored to it, exults and rejoices. From this I am persuaded that for us too all things are in the best and safest state, when through their pure and approved worship, from their agreement concerning the divine, he deigns to gather all to himself.

With this class of men, I mean the Christians (for my whole letter is on their behalf), how pleased do you think I am to hear that the finest parts of Persia too are greatly adorned, just as I wish! May the best things, then, be yours and likewise theirs, since what is yours is theirs; for so you will have the Master of the universe gentle, gracious, and kind. These men, therefore, since you are so great, I commend to you, entrusting these same men to you because you are also distinguished for piety. Love them as befits your kindness; for you will give to yourself and to us, through faith, a favour beyond measure.”

Such care did the all-excellent emperor take of those adorned with true religion, not only looking after his own subjects but also providing, as far as he could, for those under other sceptres. For this reason he himself enjoyed the divine protection, and holding the reins of all Europe and Libya, and besides these of most of Asia, he had subjects who were well disposed and obeyed the bridle with pleasure. Of the barbarians too, some served him willingly, others when conquered in war; and everywhere trophies were set up and the emperor was proclaimed victor. But others have praised these things at greater length; let us keep to the history before us.

While the all-praiseworthy emperor carried apostolic cares in his soul, those who had been counted worthy of the priesthood were not only unwilling to build, but were even trying to dig up the very foundations of the church. For those who led the churches with the apostolic doctrines they drove out by deposition, weaving all kinds of slanders. Not having had their fill of envy with that celebrated drama they had composed against the great Eustathius, they tried to undermine another very great tower of true religion and brought all kinds of engines against it. I shall relate this tragedy too as briefly as possible.

Luke 1:51–52 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret quotes Constantine's letter to the king of Persia, which confesses the Christian God, rejects pagan sacrifice, recalls the fate of persecuting emperors, and commends the Christians of Persia to the king's protection; he then turns to the Arian party's plots against another champion of orthodoxy.

Document: Constantine, letter to Shapur II, king of Persia; also in Eusebius, Life of Constantine 4.9–13 (published on this site). The heading “Letter of Constantine to Shapur” stands in the printed edition before the letter and is not repeated here.
“That man ... handed over to yours”: the emperor Valerian, captured by the Persians in 260.
“Those who lately troubled ... with lawless edicts”: the persecuting emperors of Constantine's own time.
“Another very great tower”: Athanasius, as the next chapters show.

Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 4.9-13 (Life of Constantine; quotation)

Topics: Persecution

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.24 (GCS 19:76–80; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-24). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-24

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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.

1.25GCS 19:80–82

Ἀλεξάνδρου τοῦ θαυμασίου πρεσβύτου, ὃς τὴν Ἀρείου κατηγωνίσατο βλασφημίαν, τοῦ βίου τὸ τέρμα κατειληφότος μετὰ μῆνας πέντε τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου, τὴν τῆς Ἀλεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίας Ἀθανάσιος διεδέξατο προεδρίαν, ἀνὴρ παιδόθεν μὲν τοῖς θείοις μαθήμασιν ἐντραφείς, ἐν ἑκάστῃ δὲ τάξει τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν χορῶν γενόμενος ἀξιάγαστος. οὗτος ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ συνόδῳ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων ἀγῶνας ἀναδεξάμενος, παρὰ μὲν τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας εὐφημεῖτο προμάχων, τῶν δέ γε ἀντιπάλων, οὃς ἀνταγωνιστής, ἐχθρὸς ἐγένετο καὶ πολέμιος. συνῆν δὲ Ἰλεξάνδρῳ τῷ πάνυ νέος μὲν ὧν τὴν ἡλικίαν, τοῦ χοροῦ δὲ τῶν διακόνων ἡγούμενος. ταύτην αὐτοῦ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας προθυμίαν τῇ πείρᾳ μεμαθηκότες οἱ τῷ μονογενεῖ θεῷ πολεμεῖν ἐγνώκοτες, καὶ γνοντὲς τῆς ᾿λεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίας ἐγχειρισθέντα τοὺς οἴακας, κατάλυσιν τῆς σφετέρας δυσσεβείας ὑπέλαβον τὴν ἐκείνου ἡγεμονίαν. τούτου δὴ εἵνεκα τοιόνδε τε μηχανῶνται. “ΜΕελίτιος ἐκεῖνος, ὃν ἡ ἐν Δικαίς σύνοδος ἀπεκήρυξεν, ἐπέμενε κυκῶν καὶ ταράττων τήν τε Θηβαΐδα καὶ τὴν ταύτῃ πελάξουσαν ϊγυπτον" τῶν τούτου στασιωτῶν τινας μισθωσάμενοι, ἵν᾽ ἀνύποπτον ἢ) τὴς κατηγορίας τὸ σχῆμα, πείθουσι πρὸς βασιλέα δραμεῖν καὶ ὃ συκοφαντίαν ὑφῆναι, ὡς Ἀθανάσιος τελωνεῖ μὲν τὴν ϊγυπτον, τὸ δὲ συναθροιξόμενον χρυσίον ἀνδρί τινι τυραννίδα χατασκευάζοντε χορηγεῖ. κεὰὶ τὰς βασιλέως ἐξαπατήσαντες ἀκοὰς εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν τὸν θανάσιον ἤγαγον. ὁ δὲ ἀφικόμενος διήλεγξε τῶν κατηγορημάτων τὸ ψεῦδος καὶ τὴν θεόθεν ἐγχειρισθεῖσαν ἀπέλαβεν ἐκκλησίαν" δηλοῖ δὲ ταῦτα καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐξ ὧν πρὸς τὴν λεξανδρέων ἔγραψεν ἐκκλησίαν, ὧν τὸ τελευταῖον μέρος ἐνθήσω τῇ συγ7θαφῃ. Οὐδὲν ἴσχυσαν οἱ πονηροὶ κατὰ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ὑμῶν, ἐμοὶ πιστεύόατε, ἀδελφοί. οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐσπουδάκασιν ἢ ἵνα κατατρίψαντες τοὺς ἡμετέρους χρόνους μηδεμίαν χώραν ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ μεταμελείας ἔχωσιν. ἐπικουρήσατε τοίνυν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, παρακαλῶ, τὸ φίλτρον τὸ "ὑμέτερον ἀγαπήσατε καὶ παντὶ σθένει διώξατε τοὺς τὴν τῆς ἡμετέρας "ὁμονοίας χάριν ἀφανίξειν ἐπιθυμοῦντας, καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἀπιδόντες "ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀγαπᾶτε. ἐγὼ γὰρ τὸν ὑμέτερον ἐπίσκοπον Ἰθανάσιον "ἀσμένως προσηκάμην οὕτω τε προσεφθεγξάμην οἷς ἄνθρωπον αὐτὸν εἶναι θεοῦ πεπεισμένος.

Alexandrou tou thaumasiou presbytou, hos tēn Areiou katēgōnisato blasphēmian, tou biou to terma kateilēphotos meta mēnas pente tēs en Nikaią synodou, tēn tēs Alexandreōn ekklēsias Athanasios diedexato proedrian, anēr paidothen men tois theiois mathēmasin entrapheis, en hekastę̄ de taxei tōn ekklēsiastikōn chorōn genomenos axiagastos. houtos en tę̄ megalę̄ synodǭ tous hyper tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn agōnas anadexamenos, para men tōn tēs alētheias euphēmeito promachōn, tōn de ge antipalōn, hoos antagōnistēs, echthros egeneto kai polemios. synēn de Ilexandrǭ tǭ pany neos men hōn tēn hēlikian, tou chorou de tōn diakonōn hēgoumenos. tautēn autou tēn hyper tēs alētheias prothymian tę̄ peirą memathēkotes hoi tǭ monogenei theǭ polemein egnōkotes, kai gnontes tēs ᾿lexandreōn ekklēsias encheiristhenta tous oiakas, katalysin tēs spheteras dyssebeias hypelabon tēn ekeinou hēgemonian. toutou dē heineka toionde te mēchanōntai. “MEelitios ekeinos, hon hē en Dikais synodos apekēryxen, epemene kykōn kai tarattōn tēn te Thēbaïda kai tēn tautę̄ pelaxousan ïgypton" tōn toutou stasiōtōn tinas misthōsamenoi, hin᾽ anypopton ē) tēs katēgorias to schēma, peithousi pros basilea dramein kai ho sykophantian hyphēnai, hōs Athanasios telōnei men tēn ïgypton, to de synathroixomenon chrysion andri tini tyrannida chataskeuazonte chorēgei. keai tas basileōs exapatēsantes akoas eis tēn Kōnstantinoupolin ton thanasion ēgagon. ho de aphikomenos diēlenxe tōn katēgorēmatōn to pseudos kai tēn theothen encheiristheisan apelaben ekklēsian" dēloi de tauta kai ho basileus ex hōn pros tēn lexandreōn egrapsen ekklēsian, hōn to teleutaion meros enthēsō tę̄ syg7thaphę̄. Ouden ischysan hoi ponēroi kata tou episkopou hymōn, emoi pisteuoate, adelphoi. ouden heteron espoudakasin ē hina katatripsantes tous hēmeterous chronous mēdemian chōran en tę̄ zōę̄ tautę̄ metameleias echōsin. epikourēsate toinyn hymin autois, parakalō, to philtron to "hymeteron agapēsate kai panti sthenei diōxate tous tēn tēs hēmeteras "homonoias charin aphanixein epithymountas, kai pros ton theon apidontes "hymas autous agapate. egō gar ton hymeteron episkopon Ithanasion "asmenōs prosēkamēn houtō te prosephthenxamēn hois anthrōpon auton einai theou pepeismenos.

When Alexander, that admirable old man who had fought down the blasphemy of Arius, reached the end of his life five months after the synod of Nicaea, Athanasius succeeded to the presidency of the church of the Alexandrians, a man brought up from childhood in the divine studies and admirable in every rank of the church's choirs. At the great synod he had taken up the contests on behalf of the apostolic doctrines and was praised by the champions of the truth, while to their opponents, as their antagonist, he became an enemy and adversary. He attended the great Alexander, being young in age but leader of the choir of deacons. Those who had resolved to make war on the only-begotten God, having learned his zeal for the truth by experience and knowing that he had been handed the rudder of the church of the Alexandrians, considered his leadership the ruin of their own impiety. For this reason they devised the following.

That Melitius whom the synod of Nicaea had excommunicated continued to stir up and disturb the Thebaid and the neighbouring Egypt. Hiring some of his partisans, so that the form of the accusation might be free of suspicion, they persuaded them to hurry to the emperor and weave a slander: that Athanasius was levying taxes on Egypt and supplying the gold collected to a man preparing a usurpation. Having deceived the emperor's ears, they brought Athanasius to Constantinople. When he arrived, he refuted the falsehood of the charges and received back the church entrusted to him by God. The emperor shows this too in what he wrote to the church of the Alexandrians; I shall insert the last part of it in my history.

“The wicked have had no power against your bishop, believe me, brothers. They have been eager for nothing else than that, after wearing out our times, they should have no room left in this life for repentance. Help yourselves, then, I beg you; love the affection that is yours, and pursue with all your might those who desire to destroy the grace of our concord; and looking to God, love one another. For I gladly received your bishop Athanasius and addressed him as one persuaded that he is a man of God.”

Notes and citation

Summary: Athanasius, who had served Alexander as chief deacon at Nicaea, succeeds him as bishop of Alexandria; the Arian party uses Melitians to accuse him of financing a usurper, but Constantine clears him and writes to the Alexandrians in his favour.

Document: end of Constantine's letter to the people of Alexandria, also in Athanasius, Defence against the Arians 62 (published on this site).
“Five months after the synod”: Alexander died in 328; Theodoret's figure is his own.
“Help yourselves ... love one another”: the Greek of the letter is somewhat loose; translated as printed.

Extrabiblical texts: Athanasius, Apol. sec. 62 (Defence against the Arians; quotation)

Topics: Church office, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.25 (GCS 19:80–82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-25). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-25

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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.

1.26GCS 19:82–83

Ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ οὕτως οἱ δυσσεβεῖς ἐνετράπησαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἕτερον ἐξύφηναν δρᾶμα, ᾧ προσόμοιον οὐδεὶς τῶν πάλαι γεγενημένων τραγῳδοποιῶν ἢ ᾿χωμῳδοποιῶν διέπλασε πώποτε. κατηγόρους γὰρ πάλιν ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς συμμορίας μισθωσάμενοι προσάγουσι. βασιλεῖ, βοῶντας ἀνοσιουργίας ἀρρήτους τετολμηκέναι πολλὰς τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθλητήν. ἡγεῖτο δὲ τούτων Εὐσέβιός τε καὶ Θεογόνιος καὶ Θεόδωρος ὁ Περίνθιος (Πράκλειαν δὲ νυνὶ τὴν Πέρινθον ὀνομάζουσιν), οὐχ ἀνεκτὰ ταῦτα εἶναι λέγοντες οὐδὲ ἀκοαῖς φορητά. πείθουσι δὴ οὖν τὸν βασιλέα σύνοδον ἐν Καισαρείᾳ τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἀθροῖσαι, ἔνθα δὴ πλείους ἦσαν οἱ δυσμενεῖς, κἀκεῖσε κριθῆναι κελεῦσαι τὸν ᾿θανάσιον. πεισθεὶς δὲ ος ἱερεῦσιν ὁ βασιλεύς, παντάπασι γὰρ ἠγνόει τὰ τυρευόμενα, τοῦτο γενέσθαι προσέταξεν. ἀλλ᾽ ὁ θεῖος Ἀθανάσιος, τὴν τῶν δικαζόντων δυσμένειαν ἐπιστάμενος, οὐχ ἧκεν εἰς τὸ συνέδριον. ἐντεῦθεν δὴ πλείονα πρόφασιν εἰς συκοφαντίαν λαβόντες καὶ τὸν κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀψαδεξάμενοι πόλεμο; πρὸς ταῖς ἄλλαις παρανομίαις τυραννίδος αὐτὸν καὶ θρασύτητος ἐπὶ τοῦ βασιλέως ἐγράψαντο" καὶ οὐ πάμπαν τῆς ἐλπίδος ἐφψεύσθησαν. ἐκ γὰρ δὴ τῶν εἰρημένων θυμωθεὶς ὁ πραότατος βασιλεὺς ἐπέστειλεν αὐτῷ τὴν ὀργὴν ὑποφαίνων καὶ καταλαβεῖν τὴν Τύρον παρεγγυῶν. ἐκεῖσε γὰρ προσέταξεν ἀθροισθῆναι τὴν σύνοδον, ὑποπτεύσας, οὑς οἶμαι, τὸν Ἀθανάσιον ὑφορᾶσθαι τὴν Καισαρέων διὰ τὸν ἐκείνης ἡγούμενον. ἔγραψε δὲ καὶ τῇ συνόδῳ ἅπερ ἐχρῆν ἐπιστεῖλαι τὸν εὐσεβείᾳ κοσμούμενον. ἔστε δὲ ταῦτα"

All᾽ oude houtōs hoi dyssebeis enetrapēsan, all᾽ heteron exyphēnan drama, hǭ prosomoion oudeis tōn palai gegenēmenōn tragǭdopoiōn ē ᾿chōmǭdopoiōn dieplase pōpote. katēgorous gar palin ek tēs autēs symmorias misthōsamenoi prosagousi. basilei, boōntas anosiourgias arrētous tetolmēkenai pollas ton tēs aretēs athlētēn. hēgeito de toutōn Eusebios te kai Theogonios kai Theodōros ho Perinthios (Prakleian de nyni tēn Perinthon onomazousin), ouch anekta tauta einai legontes oude akoais phorēta. peithousi dē oun ton basilea synodon en Kaisareią tēs Palaistinēs athroisai, entha dē pleious ēsan hoi dysmeneis, kakeise krithēnai keleusai ton ᾿thanasion. peistheis de os hiereusin ho basileus, pantapasi gar ēgnoei ta tyreuomena, touto genesthai prosetaxen. all᾽ ho theios Athanasios, tēn tōn dikazontōn dysmeneian epistamenos, ouch hēken eis to synedrion. enteuthen dē pleiona prophasin eis sykophantian labontes kai ton kata tēs alētheias apsadexamenoi polemo? pros tais allais paranomiais tyrannidos auton kai thrasytētos epi tou basileōs egrapsanto" kai ou pampan tēs elpidos ephpseusthēsan. ek gar dē tōn eirēmenōn thymōtheis ho praotatos basileus epesteilen autǭ tēn orgēn hypophainōn kai katalabein tēn Tyron parengyōn. ekeise gar prosetaxen athroisthēnai tēn synodon, hypopteusas, hous oimai, ton Athanasion hyphorasthai tēn Kaisareōn dia ton ekeinēs hēgoumenon. egrapse de kai tę̄ synodǭ haper echrēn episteilai ton eusebeią kosmoumenon. este de tauta"

Even so the impious men were not put to shame, but wove another drama, the like of which none of the tragic or comic poets of old ever invented. Hiring accusers again from the same gang, they brought them to the emperor, crying out that the athlete of virtue had dared many unspeakable crimes. Their leaders were Eusebius, Theognis, and Theodore of Perinthus (Perinthus they now call Heraclea), who said that these things were intolerable and not to be borne by the ears. So they persuaded the emperor to assemble a synod at Caesarea in Palestine, where his enemies were more numerous, and to order Athanasius to be tried there. The emperor, trusting them as priests (for he knew nothing at all of what was being plotted), ordered this to be done. But the divine Athanasius, knowing the hostility of the judges, did not come to the council. From this they took a further pretext for slander, and, taking up the war against the truth, in addition to the other transgressions they charged him before the emperor with tyranny and arrogance; and they were not altogether disappointed in their hope. For the most gentle emperor, angered by what was said, wrote to him showing his anger and directing him to go to Tyre. For he ordered the synod to be assembled there, suspecting, I think, that Athanasius distrusted Caesarea because of its leader. He also wrote to the synod what it was fitting for a man adorned with true religion to write. It is as follows.

Notes and citation

Summary: Eusebius of Nicomedia, Theognis, and Theodore of Perinthus accuse Athanasius of crimes and have a synod called at Caesarea; when he refuses to attend, they charge him with arrogance, and Constantine orders a synod at Tyre instead.

“Its leader”: Eusebius of Caesarea.

Topics: Church office, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.26 (GCS 19:82–83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-26). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-26

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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.

1.27GCS 19:83–85

Κωνσταντῖνος Σεβαστὸς τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ τῇ κατὰ Τύρον. την μὲν ἴσως ἀχόλουθον καὶ τῇ τῶν καιρῶν εὐκαιρίᾳ μάλιστα πρέπον ἀστασίαστον εἶναι τὴν καθολιχὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ πάσης λοι"δορίας τοὺς τοῦ Χριστοῦ νῦν ἀπηλλάχθαι θεράποντας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐχ ὑγιοῦς φιλονεικίας οἴστρῳ τινὲς ἐλαυνόμενοι (οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἴποιμι "βιοῦντες ἑαυτῶν ἀναξίως) τὰ πάντα συγχέειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, ὅπερ πάσης συμφορᾶς ἐπέκεινα κεχωρηκέναι μοι δοχεῖ, τούτου χάριν θέὌντας ὑμᾶς, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, προτρέπομαι χωρίς τινος ὑπερθέσεως εἰς ταὐτὸ συνδραμεῖν καὶ πληρῶσαι τὴν σύνοδον, ἐπαμῦναι τοῖς χρήζουσιν ἐπικουρίας, τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ἰατρεῦσαι κινδυνεύοντας, εἰς ὁμόγοιαν ἐπαναγαγεῖν τὰ διεστῶτα τῶν μελῶν. ὀιορθώσεσθαν τὰ πλημμελούμενα οὑς χαιρὺς ἐπιτρέπει, ἕνα ταῖς τοσαύταις ἐπαρχίαις τὴν πρέπουσαν ἀποδῶτε συμφωνίαν, ἥν, φεῦ τῆς ἀτοπίας, ἐλαχίστων ἀνθρώπων ἀπώλεσεν ὑπεροψία. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο καὶ τῷ δεσπότῃ τῶν ὅλων θεῷ ἐστιν ἀρεστόν, καὶ ἡμῖν πάσης εὐχῆς ὑπέρτερον, καὶ ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς, ἐάν γε τὴν εἰρήνην ἀνακαλέσησθε, οὐ τῆς τυχούσης ἄξιον εὐδοξίας, πάντας ἀνθρώπους ᾽συνομολογεῖν ἡγοῦμαι. μὴ τοίνυν μέλλετε λοιπόν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιτείναντες ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη τὰ τῆς προθυμίας, τοῖς προκειμένοις ὅρον ἐπιθεῖναι σπουδάσατε τὸν προσήκοντα, μετὰ πάσης εἰλικρινείας δηλαδὴ καὶ πίστεος συνελθόντες, ἣν ἑκασταχοῦ μόνον οὐχὶ φωνὴν ἀφιεὶς ὁ σωτὴρ "ἐκεῖνος ᾧ λατρεύομεν ἀπαιτεῖ μάλιστα παρ᾽ ἡμῶν. οὐδὲν δὲ τῶν εἰς τὴν ἐμὴν εὐλάβειαν ἡκόντων ἐνδεήσει. πάντα μοι πέπρακται ῦσα γράφοντες ἐδηλώσατε. ἀπέστειλα πρὸς οὗς ἐβουλήθητε τῶν ἐπισκόπων, ἵνα παραγενόμενοι κοινωνήσωσιν ὑμῖν τῶν φροντισμάτῶν" ἀπέστειλα Διονύσιον τὸν ἀπὸ ὑπατικῶν, ὃς καὶ τοὺς ὀφείλοντας εἰς τὴν σύνοδον ἀφικέσθαι μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν ὑπομνήσει, καὶ τῶν πραττομένων ἐξαιρέτως δὲ τῆς εὐταξίας κατάσκοπος παρέσται. ἐὰν γάρ ὅ τίς, ος ἔγωγε οὐχ οἴομαι, τὴν ἡμετέραν κέλευσιν καὶ νῦν διακρούσασθαι πειρώμενος μὴ βουληθῇ παραγενέσθαι, ἐντεῦθεν παρ᾽ ἡμῶν -ἀποσταλήσεται ὃς ἐκ βασιλικοῦ προστάγματος αὐτὸν ἐκβάλλων, οὗς οὐ προσῆκεν ὅροις αὐτοκράτορος ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξενεχθεῖσιν "ἀντιτείνειν διδάξει. λοιπὸν ἔσται τῆς ὑμετέρας ὁσιότητος ἔργον ὁμογνώμονι κρίσει, μήτε πρὸς ἀπέχθειαν μήτε πρὸς χάριν, ἀκολούθῶς δὲ τῷ ἐκκλησιαστικῷ καὶ ἀποστολικῷ κανόνι, τοῖς πλημμεληθεῖσιν εἴτ᾽ οὖν κατὰ σφάλμα συμβεβηκόσι τὴν ἁρμόττουσαν θεραπείαν ἐπενοῆσαι, ἵνα καὶ πάσης βλασφημίας ἐλευθερώσητε τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ τὰς ἐμὰς ἐπικουφίσητε φροντίδας καὶ τὴν τῆς εἰρήνης χάριν τοῖς νῦν στασιαξομένοις ἀποδόντες μεγίστην εὔκλειαν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς προξενήσητε. ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάττοι, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί. ς Οὕτω δὴ τῶν ἐπισκόπων εἰς τὴν Τύρον συναλισθέντων. ἀφίκοντὸ μὲν καὶ ἄλλοι τινὲς δογμάτων διαφθορὰν ἐγκαλούμενοι. ὧν εἷς ἣν καὶ σκληπᾶς ὁ Γαζαῖος" ἀφίκετο ὁὲ καὶ ὁ θαυμάσιος ᾿41αγάσιος. βούλομαι δὲ πρῶτον τὴν τῆς κατηγορίας διηγήσασθαι τραγῳδίαν, εἶθ' οὕτως συγγράψαι τὰ κατὰ τὸ πολυθρύλητον δικαστήριον.

Kōnstantinos Sebastos tę̄ hagią synodǭ tę̄ kata Tyron. tēn men isōs acholouthon kai tę̄ tōn kairōn eukairią malista prepon astasiaston einai tēn katholichēn ekklēsian kai pasēs loi"dorias tous tou Christou nyn apēllachthai therapontas. epeidē de ouch hygious philoneikias oistrǭ tines elaunomenoi (ou gar an eipoimi "biountes heautōn anaxiōs) ta panta syncheein epicheirousin, hoper pasēs symphoras epekeina kechōrēkenai moi dochei, toutou charin theOntas hymas, to tou logou, protrepomai chōris tinos hypertheseōs eis tauto syndramein kai plērōsai tēn synodon, epamynai tois chrēzousin epikourias, tous adelphous iatreusai kindyneuontas, eis homogoian epanagagein ta diestōta tōn melōn. oiorthōsesthan ta plēmmeloumena hous chairys epitrepei, hena tais tosautais eparchiais tēn prepousan apodōte symphōnian, hēn, pheu tēs atopias, elachistōn anthrōpōn apōlesen hyperopsia. Hoti de touto kai tǭ despotę̄ tōn holōn theǭ estin areston, kai hēmin pasēs euchēs hyperteron, kai hymin autois, ean ge tēn eirēnēn anakalesēsthe, ou tēs tychousēs axion eudoxias, pantas anthrōpous ᾽synomologein hēgoumai. mē toinyn mellete loipon, all᾽ epiteinantes enteuthen ēdē ta tēs prothymias, tois prokeimenois horon epitheinai spoudasate ton prosēkonta, meta pasēs eilikrineias dēladē kai pisteos synelthontes, hēn hekastachou monon ouchi phōnēn aphieis ho sōtēr "ekeinos hǭ latreuomen apaitei malista par᾽ hēmōn. ouden de tōn eis tēn emēn eulabeian hēkontōn endeēsei. panta moi pepraktai ysa graphontes edēlōsate. apesteila pros hous eboulēthēte tōn episkopōn, hina paragenomenoi koinōnēsōsin hymin tōn phrontismatōn" apesteila Dionysion ton apo hypatikōn, hos kai tous opheilontas eis tēn synodon aphikesthai meth᾽ hymōn hypomnēsei, kai tōn prattomenōn exairetōs de tēs eutaxias kataskopos parestai. ean gar ho tis, os egōge ouch oiomai, tēn hēmeteran keleusin kai nyn diakrousasthai peirōmenos mē boulēthę̄ paragenesthai, enteuthen par᾽ hēmōn -apostalēsetai hos ek basilikou prostagmatos auton ekballōn, hous ou prosēken horois autokratoros hyper tēs alētheias exenechtheisin "antiteinein didaxei. loipon estai tēs hymeteras hosiotētos ergon homognōmoni krisei, mēte pros apechtheian mēte pros charin, akolouthōs de tǭ ekklēsiastikǭ kai apostolikǭ kanoni, tois plēmmelētheisin eit᾽ oun kata sphalma symbebēkosi tēn harmottousan therapeian epenoēsai, hina kai pasēs blasphēmias eleutherōsēte tēn ekklēsian kai tas emas epikouphisēte phrontidas kai tēn tēs eirēnēs charin tois nyn stasiaxomenois apodontes megistēn eukleian hymin autois proxenēsēte. ho theos hymas diaphylattoi, adelphoi agapētoi. s Houtō dē tōn episkopōn eis tēn Tyron synalisthentōn. aphikonto men kai alloi tines dogmatōn diaphthoran enkaloumenoi. hōn heis hēn kai sklēpas ho Gazaios" aphiketo hoe kai ho thaumasios ᾿41agasios. boulomai de prōton tēn tēs katēgorias diēgēsasthai tragǭdian, eith' houtōs syngrapsai ta kata to polythrylēton dikastērion.

“Constantine Augustus to the holy synod at Tyre.

It would perhaps have been consistent, and most fitting to the favourable state of the times, that the catholic church should be free of faction and that the servants of Christ should now be rid of all reproach. But since some, driven by the frenzy of an unhealthy contentiousness (I would not say that they live unworthily of themselves), are trying to throw everything into confusion, which seems to me to go beyond every calamity, I therefore urge you, ‘running already,’ as the saying goes, to come together without any delay, to complete the synod, to help those who need help, to heal the brothers who are in danger, to bring back the divided members to concord, and to correct the faults while time permits, so that you may restore to so many provinces the fitting harmony which, alas for the absurdity, the arrogance of a very few men has destroyed.

That this is pleasing to God, the Master of the universe, above every prayer of ours, and, if you recall peace, worthy of no ordinary glory for yourselves, I think all men acknowledge. Do not delay any longer, then, but increasing your zeal from now on, be eager to put a fitting end to the matters before you, coming together, of course, with all sincerity and faith, which the Saviour whom we worship demands of us above all, all but crying aloud everywhere. Nothing that concerns my piety will be lacking. Everything you indicated in writing has been done by me. I have sent to those bishops you wished, that they may come and share your concerns. I have sent Dionysius, the former consul, who will remind those who ought to come to the synod with you, and will be present as an overseer of the proceedings and especially of good order. For if anyone, which I do not think will happen, should try even now to evade our command and refuse to be present, someone will be sent from here by us who, expelling him by imperial order, will teach him that it is not fitting to resist the decrees of an emperor issued on behalf of the truth. For the rest, it will be the work of your Holiness, with one mind, neither from hatred nor from favour, but following the ecclesiastical and apostolic canon, to devise the fitting remedy for what has been done amiss or has happened through error, so that you may free the church from all blasphemy, lighten my cares, and, restoring the grace of peace to those now at variance, win for yourselves the greatest renown. May God keep you, beloved brothers.”

When the bishops had thus gathered at Tyre, some others also came who were charged with corrupting doctrine, one of whom was Asclepas of Gaza; and the admirable Athanasius came too. I wish first to relate the tragedy of the accusation, and then to write of what happened at that celebrated tribunal.

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret quotes Constantine's letter summoning the synod of Tyre to restore peace, announcing that the former consul Dionysius will oversee it and that anyone who refuses to attend will be compelled; the bishops, Asclepas of Gaza, and Athanasius assemble.

Document: Constantine, letter to the synod of Tyre (335); also in Eusebius, Life of Constantine 4.42 (published on this site).
“Running already” (θέοντας) is a proverbial phrase (“spurring a willing horse”).

Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 4.42 (Life of Constantine; quotation)

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.27 (GCS 19:83–85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-27). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-27

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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.

1.28GCS 19:85–87

“ρσένιος τις τῶν Μελιτίου χκοινωνικῶν ἐπίσκοπος ἣν, τοῦτον οἱ τῆς ἐκείνου συμμορίας κατακρύψαντες λαθεῖν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἠξίωσαν. εἶτα χεῖρα δεξιὰν ἀπό τινος σώματος ἐκτεμόντες νεκροῦ καὶ ταύτην ἐν λάρναχε ξυλίνῃ τεταριχευμένην ἐνθέντες, πάντοσε περιέφερον, κατατετμῆσθαι λέγοντες τὸν Ἀρσένιον καὶ μιαιφόνον ἀποκαλοῦντες τον Αθανάσιον. ἀλλ ὁ πάντα ἐφορῶν ὁφθαλμὸς οὐχ εἴασεν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον λαθεῖν τὸν “Ἰρσένιον. ἀλλὰ πρῶτον μὲν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ Θηβαΐδι δῆλος γέγονεν ὅτι ζῇ, ἔπειτα δὲ αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν Τύρον ἤγαγεν ἔνθα ἡ τραγῳδουμένη χεὶρ ἐπὶ τῶν κριτῶν προεφέρετο. τοῦτον οἱ “θανασίου θηρεύσαντες σύνοιχοι ἤγαγόν τε καὶ ἐν τῇ καταγωγῇ τέως λαθεῖν ἡναγχασαν" αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ μέγας Αθανάσιος ὑπὸ τὴν ἕω κατέλαβὲ τὸ συνέδριον. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν γύναιον εἰσήγαγον ἀκολασίᾳ συνεζηκός. ἡ δὲ ἀναίδην ἐβόα, παρθενίαν μὲν ἐπηγγέλθαι λεγουσα, τὸν δὲ ᾿4θανάσιον ἐπιξενωθέντα βιάσασθαι καὶ ἄκουσαν διαφθεῖραι. τούτων ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνης εἰρημένων, εἰσῆλθε μὲν ὃ κατηγορούμενος. συνῆν δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ πρεσβύτερος ἀξιέπαινος" Τιμόθεος τούτῳ ὄνομα ἦν. τῶν δὲ δικαστῶν ἀπολογήσασθαι πρὸς τὴν γραφὴν προστεταχότων τὸν Ἀθανάσιον, ὃ μὲν ἐσίγησεν, ὡς ὁῆθεν οὐχ ὧν Ἀθανάσιος. ὁ δὲ Τιμόθεος ἔφη πρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα᾽ ἐγώ σοι, ὦ γύναι, συνέτυχον πώποτε, εἰς δὲ τὴν σὴν εἰσελήλυθα οἰκίαν;ς ἡ δὲ ἀναιδέστερον ἐβόα, τῷ Τιμοθέῳ διαμαχομένη καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ἐξάγουσα καὶ τῷ δακτύλῳ δεικνῦσα καὶ λέγουσα᾽ σύ μου τὴν παρθενίαν ἀφείλου, σύ με τῆς σωφροσύνης ἐγύμνωσαςς καὶ τἄλλα ὅσα λέγειν εἰώθασιν αἱ δι᾿ ἀκολασίας ὑπερβολὴν οὐκ ἔχουσαι τὴν αἰδῶ. οὕτω δὴ τῶν τὸ δρᾶμα συντεθεικότων καταισχυνθέντων, ἐρυθριασάντων δὲ καὶ τῶν δικαστῶν ὅσοι συνίστορες ἤσαν, ἐξήγετο ἡ γυνή. τότε δὴ ὃ μέγας τι ἀθανάσιος ἔλεγε μὴ χρῆναι ἀφεθῆναι τὸ γύναιον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξετάσαι καὶ μαθεῖν τὸν ταῦτα συντεθεικότα. οἱ δὲ ἐβόων ἕτερα εἶναι κατηγορήματα χαλεπώτερα, οὐδαμῶς τέχνῃ τινὶ καὶ δεινότητι διαλυθῆναι 'δυνάμενα. ὄψις γάρ, οὐκ ἀκοή, δικάσει τοῖς δεικνυμένοις. ταῦτα εἰπόντες τὴν πολυθρύλητον ἐκείνην ὑπέδειξαν λάρνακα καὶ τὴν τεταριχευμένην ἐγύμνωσαν χεῖρα. τῶν δὲ θεασαμένων ἕκαστος ἀνεβόησεν, οἱ μὲν ἀληθὲς εἶναι τὸ μύσος ὑπειληφότες, οἱ δὲ τὸ μὲν ψεῦδος εἰδότες, κεκρύφθαι δὲ τὸν ᾿Δρσένιον ἔτι νομίζοντες. μόλις δὲ βραχείας. γενομένης σιγῆς, ἤρετο τοὺς δικάζοντας ὁ κατηγορούμενος εἴ τις ἐν αὐτοῖς εἴη τὸν ᾿Δρσένιον ἐπιστάμενος. πολλῶν δὲ εἰρηκότων 2Ὁ ἀκριβῶς εἰδέναι τὸν ἄνδρα, ἐκέλευσε τοῦτον ἀχθῆναι. καὶ πάλιν ἤρετο εἰ οὗτος ἐκεῖνος εἴη Ἀρσένιος, ὁ παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ μὲν ἀνῃρημένος, παρὰ δὲ τούτων ἐπιζητούμενος, μετὰ σφαγὴν δὲ ὑβρισμένος καὶ τῆς δεξιᾶς ἐστερημένος. συνομολογησάντων δὲ αὐτὸν εἶναι, τῆς ἐφεστρίδος αὐτὸν γυμνώσας ὁ Ἀθανάσιος ὑπέδειξεν ἄμφω τὼ χεῖρε. καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν καὶ τὴν εὐώνυμον. ἄλλην δέε, ἔφη. ζητείτω μηδείς᾽ δύο γὰρ ἀνθρώπων ἕκαστος παρὰ τοῦ ποιητοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἐδέξατο χεῖραςε. ἀλλὰ καὶ τούτων οὕτω δειχθέντων, χαταδύεσθαι δέον τοὺς κατηγοροῦντας καὶ τῶν δικαζόντων τοὺς συνειδότας καὶ εὔχεσθαι χῆναι σφίσι τὴν γῆν, θορύβου καὶ στάσεως ἐνέπλησαν τὸ συνέδριον, γόητα καλοῦντες τὸν Ἰθανάσιον καί τισι μαγγανείαις ἐξαπατᾶν αὐτὸν λέγοντες τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰς ὄψεις. καὶ διασπᾶν ἐπεχείροὺν καὶ κατασφάττειν οἱ τῆς μιαιφονίας πρὸ βραχέος κατηγοροῦντες. ἀλλ᾽ οἱ παρὰ βασιλέως τὴν τῆς εὐταξίας πρόνοιαν πιστευθέντες τὸν φόνον ἐκώλυσαν. ἐξαρπάσαντες γὰρ τὸν νικηφόρον καὶ σκάφους ἐπιβῆναι παρασχευάσαντες, τὴν σωτηρίαν προὐξένησαν. Καὶ οὗτος μὲν τὸν βασιλέα καταλαβὼν πᾶσα τὴν τολμηθεῖσαν ἐδίδαξε τραγῳδίαν᾽ ἐκεῖνοι δὲ εἰς τὸν ἸΙαρεώτην τῶν ὁμογνωμόνων τινὰς ἐπισκόπους ἀπέστειλαν᾽ Θεογόνεόν φημι τὸν Νικαίας καὶ Θεόδῶρον τὸν Περίνθιον καὶ Μάριν τὸν Χαλκηδόνιον καὶ τὸν Κίλικα Νάρκισσον καὶ τοὺς τούτων ὁμόφρονας. ὁ δὲ Μιαρεώτης χώρα τίς ἐστιν Ἀλεξανδρείας, τῆς λίμνης Δἰαρίας ἐπώνυμος. ἐν ταύτῃ τὸ ψεῦδος ὑφήναντες καί τινα ὑπομνήματα διαπλάσαντες καὶ τὰς γυμνοωθείσας συκοφαντίας οἷς ἀληθεῖς συνθέντες κατηγορίας, ἀπέστειλαν βασιλεῖ.

“rsenios tis tōn Melitiou chkoinōnikōn episkopos hēn, touton hoi tēs ekeinou symmorias katakrypsantes lathein epi pleiston ēxiōsan. eita cheira dexian apo tinos sōmatos ektemontes nekrou kai tautēn en larnache xylinę̄ tetaricheumenēn enthentes, pantose periepheron, katatetmēsthai legontes ton Arsenion kai miaiphonon apokalountes ton Athanasion. all ho panta ephorōn hophthalmos ouch eiasen epi pleiston lathein ton “Irsenion. alla prōton men en Aigyptǭ kai Thēbaïdi dēlos gegonen hoti zę̄, epeita de auton eis tēn Tyron ēgagen entha hē tragǭdoumenē cheir epi tōn kritōn proephereto. touton hoi “thanasiou thēreusantes synoichoi ēgagon te kai en tę̄ katagōgę̄ teōs lathein hēnanchasan" autos de ho megas Athanasios hypo tēn heō katelabe to synedrion. kai prōton men gynaion eisēgagon akolasią synezēkos. hē de anaidēn eboa, parthenian men epēngelthai legousa, ton de ᾿4thanasion epixenōthenta biasasthai kai akousan diaphtheirai. toutōn hyp᾽ ekeinēs eirēmenōn, eisēlthe men ho katēgoroumenos. synēn de autǭ kai presbyteros axiepainos" Timotheos toutǭ onoma ēn. tōn de dikastōn apologēsasthai pros tēn graphēn prostetachotōn ton Athanasion, ho men esigēsen, hōs hoēthen ouch hōn Athanasios. ho de Timotheos ephē pros tēn gynaika᾽ egō soi, ō gynai, synetychon pōpote, eis de tēn sēn eiselēlytha oikian?s hē de anaidesteron eboa, tǭ Timotheǭ diamachomenē kai tēn cheira exagousa kai tǭ daktylǭ deiknysa kai legousa᾽ sy mou tēn parthenian apheilou, sy me tēs sōphrosynēs egymnōsass kai talla hosa legein eiōthasin hai di᾿ akolasias hyperbolēn ouk echousai tēn aidō. houtō dē tōn to drama syntetheikotōn kataischynthentōn, erythriasantōn de kai tōn dikastōn hosoi synistores ēsan, exēgeto hē gynē. tote dē ho megas ti athanasios elege mē chrēnai aphethēnai to gynaion, all᾽ exetasai kai mathein ton tauta syntetheikota. hoi de eboōn hetera einai katēgorēmata chalepōtera, oudamōs technę̄ tini kai deinotēti dialythēnai 'dynamena. opsis gar, ouk akoē, dikasei tois deiknymenois. tauta eipontes tēn polythrylēton ekeinēn hypedeixan larnaka kai tēn tetaricheumenēn egymnōsan cheira. tōn de theasamenōn hekastos aneboēsen, hoi men alēthes einai to mysos hypeilēphotes, hoi de to men pseudos eidotes, kekryphthai de ton ᾿Drsenion eti nomizontes. molis de bracheias. genomenēs sigēs, ēreto tous dikazontas ho katēgoroumenos ei tis en autois eiē ton ᾿Drsenion epistamenos. pollōn de eirēkotōn 2Ho akribōs eidenai ton andra, ekeleuse touton achthēnai. kai palin ēreto ei houtos ekeinos eiē Arsenios, ho par᾽ emou men anę̄rēmenos, para de toutōn epizētoumenos, meta sphagēn de hybrismenos kai tēs dexias esterēmenos. synomologēsantōn de auton einai, tēs ephestridos auton gymnōsas ho Athanasios hypedeixen amphō tō cheire. kai tēn dexian kai tēn euōnymon. allēn dee, ephē. zēteitō mēdeis᾽ dyo gar anthrōpōn hekastos para tou poiētou tōn holōn edexato cheirase. alla kai toutōn houtō deichthentōn, chatadyesthai deon tous katēgorountas kai tōn dikazontōn tous syneidotas kai euchesthai chēnai sphisi tēn gēn, thorybou kai staseōs eneplēsan to synedrion, goēta kalountes ton Ithanasion kai tisi manganeiais exapatan auton legontes tōn anthrōpōn tas opseis. kai diaspan epecheiroun kai katasphattein hoi tēs miaiphonias pro bracheos katēgorountes. all᾽ hoi para basileōs tēn tēs eutaxias pronoian pisteuthentes ton phonon ekōlysan. exarpasantes gar ton nikēphoron kai skaphous epibēnai parascheuasantes, tēn sōtērian prouxenēsan. Kai houtos men ton basilea katalabōn pasa tēn tolmētheisan edidaxe tragǭdian᾽ ekeinoi de eis ton IIareōtēn tōn homognōmonōn tinas episkopous apesteilan᾽ Theogoneon phēmi ton Nikaias kai Theodōron ton Perinthion kai Marin ton Chalkēdonion kai ton Kilika Narkisson kai tous toutōn homophronas. ho de Miareōtēs chōra tis estin Alexandreias, tēs limnēs Diarias epōnymos. en tautę̄ to pseudos hyphēnantes kai tina hypomnēmata diaplasantes kai tas gymnoōtheisas sykophantias hois alētheis synthentes katēgorias, apesteilan basilei.

Arsenius was a bishop of those in communion with Melitius. Members of his gang hid him and thought fit that he should remain unseen for a very long time. Then, cutting off the right hand of some corpse and placing it, pickled, in a wooden box, they carried it about everywhere, saying that Arsenius had been cut to pieces and calling Athanasius a murderer. But the all-seeing eye did not allow Arsenius to stay hidden long. First it became known in Egypt and the Thebaid that he was alive; then it brought him to Tyre, where the theatrical hand was being produced before the judges. Athanasius's companions tracked him down, brought him, and compelled him to stay hidden for the time being in their lodging.

The great Athanasius himself came to the council at dawn. First they brought in a woman who had lived in debauchery. She cried out shamelessly, saying that she had vowed virginity, and that Athanasius, having lodged with her, had forced her and violated her against her will. When she had said this, the accused came in. With him was an admirable presbyter named Timothy. When the judges ordered Athanasius to answer the charge, he kept silent, as though he were not Athanasius; but Timothy said to the woman: “Did I ever meet you, woman, or enter your house?” She cried out still more shamelessly, fighting with Timothy, stretching out her hand, pointing with her finger and saying: “You took away my virginity, you stripped me of my chastity,” and the other things that women who through excess of debauchery have lost their shame are accustomed to say. So the composers of the drama were put to shame, and those of the judges who were in the secret blushed, and the woman was led out. Then the great Athanasius said that the woman ought not to be let go, but that she should be examined and the composer of these things discovered. But they cried out that there were other, graver charges, which could in no way be dissolved by any art or cleverness: “For sight, not hearing, will judge what is shown.” Having said this, they displayed that celebrated box and uncovered the pickled hand. Each of those who saw it cried out, some believing the abomination to be real, others knowing it to be a lie but thinking Arsenius still hidden.

When there was at length a brief silence, the accused asked the judges whether any among them knew Arsenius. When many said that they knew the man well, he ordered him to be brought in. And again he asked whether this was that Arsenius, “who was killed by me, as these men claim, and after the murder was mutilated and deprived of his right hand.” When they agreed that it was he, Athanasius drew back his cloak and showed both his hands, the right and the left. “Let no one look for another,” he said, “for each man has received from the Maker of the universe two hands.” But even when this had been shown, when the accusers and the judges who were in the secret ought to have hidden themselves and prayed that the earth would open for them, they filled the council with uproar and faction, calling Athanasius a sorcerer and saying that he deceived men's eyes by some magic tricks; and those who a little before had been accusing him of murder tried to tear him apart and slaughter him. But those entrusted by the emperor with the care of good order prevented the murder; for they snatched away the victor, put him on board a ship, and so secured his safety.

He went to the emperor and told him the whole tragedy that had been dared. But they sent some bishops of their own mind to the Mareotes, I mean Theognis of Nicaea, Theodore of Perinthus, Maris of Chalcedon, Narcissus the Cilician, and those like-minded with them. The Mareotes is a district of Alexandria named after Lake Mareia. There they wove a lie, fabricated certain records, composed the slanders that had been exposed as though they were true charges, and sent them to the emperor.

Num 16:32 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: At the synod of Tyre Athanasius's opponents bring a woman who falsely accuses him of rape, and display a severed hand claimed to be that of the Melitian bishop Arsenius; both charges collapse when the woman fails to recognize him and Arsenius is produced alive with both hands, and Athanasius escapes by ship while his enemies send a commission to the Mareotes.

“Who was killed by me, as these men claim”: the Greek says literally “killed by me, but sought by these men”; translated by sense.
Theodoret's account of the trial at Tyre (335) follows the tradition favourable to Athanasius; translated as written.

Topics: Church office, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.28 (GCS 19:85–87; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-28). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-28

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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.

1.29GCS 19:87–88

Αὐτοὶ δὲ εἰς τὴν Αἰλίαν παρεγένοντο. τὴν γὰρ δὴ σύνοδον ἅπασαν ἀπὸ τῆς Τύρου καταλαβεῖν τὴν Αἰλίαν βασιλεὺς παρηγγύησε. συνελθεῖν δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας πανταχόθεν ἐκέλευσε καὶ τοὺς ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ δομηθέντας καθιερῶσαι νεώς. συναπέστειλε δὲ καὶ τῶν εὐνουστέρων ἀρχόντων τινὰς εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ πίστει λαμπρυνομένους, φιλοτίμως ἅπασι πάντα χορηγηθῆναι κελεύσας, οὐ μόνον ἀρχιερεῦσι καὶ ἱερεῦσιν καὶ τοῖς τούτοις συνεπομένοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις ἅπασιν οἱ πανταχόθεν συνέτρεχον. διεκοσμεῖτο δὲ καὶ τὸ θεῖον θυσιαστήριον βασιλικοῖς τε παραπετάσμασι καὶ κειμηλίοις λιθοκολλήτοις χρυσοῖς. οὕτω δὴ τῆς ἑορτῆς λαμπροτάτης γεγενημένης, οἱ μὲν εἰς τὰς οἰκείας ἐπανῆλθον πατρίδας, ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τὴν τῆς πανηγύρεως μεμαθηκὼς φαιδρότητά τε καὶ πολυτέλειαν, θυμηδίας τε ἐνεπλήσθη καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὸν πρύτανιν ὕμνησεν ὅτι καὶ ταύτὴν αὐτῷ τὴν αἴτησιν ἔδωκεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ προσῆλθεν Ἀθανάσιος ὃ θαυμάσιος τὴν ἄδικον ὀδυρόὕ μενος κρίσιν, ἀφικέσθαι τοὺς αἰτιαθέντας τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐκέλευσεν. οἱ δὲ παραγενόμενοι καὶ τὸ τῶν ἐλέγχων προφανὲς ὑπειδόμενοι, τὰς μὲν προτέρας συκοφαντίας κατέλιπον, ἔφασαν δὲ τῷ βασιλεῖ ἠπειληκέναι τὸν Ἀθανάσιον τὴν σιτοπομπίαν κωλύσειν. τούτοις πιστεύσας τοῖς λόγοις ὁ βασιλεὺς εἴς τινα πόλιν τῶν καλουμένων ΤΓαλλιῶν αὐτὸν ἐξωστράκισε: Τρίβερις δὲ ονομα ταύτῃ. τριακοστὸν δὲ τοῦτο ἢν αὐτῷ τῆς βασιλείας ἔτος.

Autoi de eis tēn Ailian paregenonto. tēn gar dē synodon hapasan apo tēs Tyrou katalabein tēn Ailian basileus parēngyēse. synelthein de kai tous allous hapantas pantachothen ekeleuse kai tous hyp᾿ autou domēthentas kathierōsai neōs. synapesteile de kai tōn eunousterōn archontōn tinas eusebeią kai pistei lamprynomenous, philotimōs hapasi panta chorēgēthēnai keleusas, ou monon archiereusi kai hiereusin kai tois toutois synepomenois, alla kai tois deomenois hapasin hoi pantachothen synetrechon. diekosmeito de kai to theion thysiastērion basilikois te parapetasmasi kai keimēliois lithokollētois chrysois. houtō dē tēs heortēs lamprotatēs gegenēmenēs, hoi men eis tas oikeias epanēlthon patridas, ho de basileus tēn tēs panēgyreōs memathēkōs phaidrotēta te kai polyteleian, thymēdias te eneplēsthē kai tōn agathōn ton prytanin hymnēsen hoti kai tautēn autǭ tēn aitēsin edōken. Epeidē de prosēlthen Athanasios ho thaumasios tēn adikon odyrou menos krisin, aphikesthai tous aitiathentas tōn episkopōn ekeleusen. hoi de paragenomenoi kai to tōn elenchōn prophanes hypeidomenoi, tas men proteras sykophantias katelipon, ephasan de tǭ basilei ēpeilēkenai ton Athanasion tēn sitopompian kōlysein. toutois pisteusas tois logois ho basileus eis tina polin tōn kaloumenōn TGalliōn auton exōstrakise: Triberis de onoma tautę̄. triakoston de touto ēn autǭ tēs basileias etos.

They themselves went to Aelia; for the emperor had directed the whole synod to move from Tyre to Aelia. He ordered all the others too to gather from everywhere and to consecrate the churches he had built. He also sent with them some of the more loyal officials, distinguished for piety and faith, ordering that everything be supplied generously to all, not only to high priests and priests and those who accompanied them, but also to all the needy who came together from everywhere. The divine altar too was adorned with imperial hangings and with gold treasures set with precious stones. When the festival had been held most splendidly in this way, they returned to their own countries; and the emperor, learning of the brilliance and magnificence of the festal gathering, was filled with joy and praised the Giver of good things for granting him this request too.

When the admirable Athanasius came to him lamenting the unjust judgment, the emperor ordered the bishops who were accused to come. When they arrived and saw that the refutation would be plain, they abandoned their earlier slanders and said that Athanasius had threatened the emperor that he would stop the shipment of grain. Believing these words, the emperor banished him to a city of the Gauls, as they are called; its name is Trier. This was the thirtieth year of his reign.

Notes and citation

Summary: The bishops move from Tyre to Jerusalem (Aelia) to dedicate Constantine's churches; when Athanasius appeals to the emperor, his accusers charge him with threatening to stop the grain shipments from Alexandria, and Constantine exiles him to Trier.

Aelia (Aelia Capitolina) is the Roman name of Jerusalem.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.29 (GCS 19:87–88; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-29). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-29

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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.

1.30GCS 19:88–89

᾿Ἐνιαυτοῦ δὲ ἄλλου καὶ μηνῶν διεληλυθότων ὀλίγων, ἐν Νικομηδείᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας διάγων ἠρρώστησε. τὸ δὲ τῆς ἀνθροωπίνης βιότητος ἄδηλον ἐπιστάμενος, τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος τὸ δῶρον ἐδέξατο. ἀνεβάλλετο δὲ μέχρι τοῦδε τοῦ χρόνου, ἐν Ἰορδάνῃ τῷ ποταμῷ τούτου τυχεῖν ἱμειρόμενος. οὗτος τοὺς μὲν τρεῖς παῖδας κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείας κατέλιπε, Κωνσταντῖνον καὶ Κωνστάντιον καὶ Κώνσταντα τὸν νεώτατον. εἰς δὲ τὴν ᾿᾿λεξάνδρειαν ἐπανελθεῖν τὸν μέγαν προσέταξεν Ἀθανάσιον, καὶ ταῦτα Εὐσεβίου παρόντος καὶ τἀναντία πείθειν ἐπιχειροῦντος.

᾿Eniautou de allou kai mēnōn dielēlythotōn oligōn, en Nikomēdeią tēs Bithynias diagōn ērrōstēse. to de tēs anthroōpinēs biotētos adēlon epistamenos, tou theiou baptismatos to dōron edexato. aneballeto de mechri toude tou chronou, en Iordanę̄ tǭ potamǭ toutou tychein himeiromenos. houtos tous men treis paidas klēronomous tēs basileias katelipe, Kōnstantinon kai Kōnstantion kai Kōnstanta ton neōtaton. eis de tēn ᾿᾿lexandreian epanelthein ton megan prosetaxen Athanasion, kai tauta Eusebiou parontos kai tanantia peithein epicheirountos.

When another year and a few months had passed, he fell ill while staying at Nicomedia in Bithynia. Knowing the uncertainty of human life, he received the gift of divine baptism; he had put it off until this time, longing to receive it in the river Jordan. He left his three sons as heirs of the empire, Constantine, Constantius, and Constans the youngest. He ordered the great Athanasius to return to Alexandria, and that while Eusebius was present and trying to persuade him otherwise.

Notes and citation

Summary: Constantine, falling ill at Nicomedia, is baptized, leaves the empire to his three sons, and orders Athanasius's return to Alexandria despite Eusebius's opposition.

Theodoret does not name who baptized Constantine (other sources name Eusebius of Nicomedia).
The order for Athanasius's return is usually attributed to Constantine II after his father's death; Theodoret's account is kept as written.

Topics: Baptism

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.30 (GCS 19:88–89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-30). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-30

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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.

1.31GCS 19:89

Θαυμαζέτω δὲ μηδεὶς εἰ τηλικούτους ἄνδρας ἐξαπατηθεὶς ἔξοστράκισεν. ἀρχιερεῦσι γάρ, κρύπτουσι μὲν τὴν πονηρίαν, τὴν δὲ ἄλλην ἔχουσι περιφάνειαν, ἐξαπατῶσιν ἐπίστευσεν. ἴσασι δὲ οἱ τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένοι οἧς καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἐξηπατήθη Δαβὶδ ὁ πραότατος καὶ τοσοῦτος προφήτης. ἐξηπάτησε δὲ αὐτὸν οὐκ ἀρχιερεὺς ἀλλ᾽ οἰκέτης οἰχότριψ καὶ μαστιγίας" τὸν Σιβὰ λέγω τὸν κατὰ τοῦ Μεμφιβοσθὲ τὰ ψευδῆ τὸν βασιλέα διδάξαντα καὶ τὸ ἐχείνου χωρίον σφετερισάμενον. καὶ ταῦτα λέγω, οὐ τοῦ προφήτου κατηγορῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τοῦδε τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν ἀπολογίαν προσφέρων καὶ τῆς ἀνθροπίνης φύσεως ἐπιδεικνὺς τὴν ἀσθένειαν, καὶ διδάσκων ος οὐ χρὴ μόνοις τοῖς κατηγοροῦσι πιστεύειν κἂν ἄγαν ὦσιν ἀξιόχρεοι, ἀλλὰ θατέραν ταῖν ἀκοαῖν τῷ κατηγορουμένῳ φυλάττειν.

Thaumazetō de mēdeis ei tēlikoutous andras exapatētheis exostrakisen. archiereusi gar, kryptousi men tēn ponērian, tēn de allēn echousi periphaneian, exapatōsin episteusen. isasi de hoi ta theia pepaideumenoi hoēs kai ho theios exēpatēthē Dabid ho praotatos kai tosoutos prophētēs. exēpatēse de auton ouk archiereus all᾽ oiketēs oichotrips kai mastigias" ton Siba legō ton kata tou Memphibosthe ta pseudē ton basilea didaxanta kai to echeinou chōrion spheterisamenon. kai tauta legō, ou tou prophētou katēgorōn, all᾽ hyper toude tou basileōs tēn apologian prospherōn kai tēs anthropinēs physeōs epideiknys tēn astheneian, kai didaskōn os ou chrē monois tois katēgorousi pisteuein kan agan ōsin axiochreoi, alla thateran tain akoain tǭ katēgoroumenǭ phylattein.

Let no one be surprised that, deceived, he banished such great men. For he trusted high priests who hid their wickedness while possessing distinction in other respects. Those instructed in divine things know that even the divine David, the most gentle and so great a prophet, was deceived; and it was not a high priest who deceived him, but a household servant, a slave worthy of the lash: I mean Ziba, who told the king lies against Mephibosheth and appropriated his estate. I say this not to accuse the prophet, but to offer a defence for this emperor, and to show the weakness of human nature, and to teach that one must not believe the accusers alone, even if they are very trustworthy, but keep one of one's two ears for the accused.

2 Sam 16:1–4 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 19:24–30 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Theodoret excuses Constantine's exile of Athanasius and others by the example of David, who was deceived by Ziba about Mephibosheth, and draws the lesson that both sides must be heard.

Ziba and Mephibosheth: 2 Sam 16:1–4; 19:24–30.

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.31 (GCS 19:89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-31). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-31

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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.

1.32GCS 19:90

Ὁ μὲν οὖν βασιλεὺς εἰς τὴν ἀμείνω βασιλείαν μετέστη. οἱ δὲ ὕπαρχοι καὶ οἱ στρατηγοὶ καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἅπαντες ἐν λάρνακι τοῦτον καταθέντες χρυσῇ εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν μετεκόμισαν, τῆς στρατιᾶς ἁπάσης ἡγουμένης καὶ ἑπομένης καὶ πικρῶς ὀλοφυρομένης τὴν στέρησιν" πατρὸς γὰρ ἠπίου πεῖραν εἰλήφεσαν ἅπαντες. ὁπόσης δὲ τιμῆς τὸ σῶμα ἐκεῖνο τετύχηκε καὶ ὁπόσον ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις διέμεινε χρόνον, τῶν ἀρχόντων τὴν τοῦ παιδὸς περιμενόντων ἐπάνοδον, περιττὸν ἡγοῦμαι γράφειν, ἄλλων ταῦτα συγγεγραφότων" οἷς ὁάδιον ἐντυχεῖν καὶ μαθεῖν ὅπως τῶν ὕλων ὁ πρύτανις γεραίρει τοὺς εὔνους θεράποντας. εἰ δέ τις ἐκείνοις διαπιστεῖ, τὰ νῦν περὶ ὃ τὴν ἐκείνου θήχην καὶ τὸν ἀνδριάντα γινόμενα βλέπων πιστευσάτω τοῖς γεγραμμένοις καὶ τῷ φήσαντι δεσπότῃ: τοὺς δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω καὶ οἱ ἐξουθενοῦντές μὲ ἐξουθενωθήσονταις.

Ho men oun basileus eis tēn ameinō basileian metestē. hoi de hyparchoi kai hoi stratēgoi kai hoi loipoi hapantes en larnaki touton katathentes chrysę̄ eis tēn Kōnstantinoupolin metekomisan, tēs stratias hapasēs hēgoumenēs kai hepomenēs kai pikrōs olophyromenēs tēn sterēsin" patros gar ēpiou peiran eilēphesan hapantes. hoposēs de timēs to sōma ekeino tetychēke kai hoposon en tois basileiois diemeine chronon, tōn archontōn tēn tou paidos perimenontōn epanodon, peritton hēgoumai graphein, allōn tauta syngegraphotōn" hois hoadion entychein kai mathein hopōs tōn hylōn ho prytanis gerairei tous eunous therapontas. ei de tis ekeinois diapistei, ta nyn peri ho tēn ekeinou thēchēn kai ton andrianta ginomena blepōn pisteusatō tois gegrammenois kai tǭ phēsanti despotę̄: tous doxazontas me doxasō kai hoi exouthenountes me exouthenōthēsontais.

So the emperor departed to the better kingdom. The prefects, the generals, and all the rest placed him in a golden coffin and carried him to Constantinople, the whole army leading and following and bitterly lamenting its loss; for all had experienced in him a gentle father. What honour that body received, and how long it remained in the palace while the officials awaited his son's return, I think it superfluous to write, since others have recorded it. It is easy to read them and learn how the Ruler of the universe honours his loyal servants. If anyone disbelieves them, let him look at what now takes place at his tomb and his statue, and believe what has been written and the Master who said: “Those who glorify me I will glorify, and those who despise me shall be despised.”

1 Sam 2:30 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Constantine's body is carried in a golden coffin to Constantinople amid the army's mourning; Theodoret points to the honours still paid at his tomb as proof that God honours his servants.

The quotation is 1 Sam 2:30 (LXX 1 Kingdoms 2:30).
“What now takes place at his tomb and his statue” refers to honours paid in Theodoret's own day; he does not describe them.

Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 4.66-71 (Life of Constantine; allusion)

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 1.32 (GCS 19:90; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-32). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/1-32

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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.

Chapter 2

2.1GCS 19:94–96

Ὁ μὲν δὴ θεῖος Ἀθανάσιος ἔτη δύο καὶ μῆνας τέσσαρας ἐν Τριβέρει διατρίψας εἰς τὴν ᾿᾿λεξάνδρειαν ἐπανῆλθεν. ἔγραψε δὲ καὶ Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ βασιλεύς, ὁ τῶν Κωνσταντίνου τοῦ μεγάλου παίδων πρεσβύτατος (αὐτὸς γὰρ τῆς πρὸς δυομενον ἢλιον ἐβασίλευε Γαλατίας), τῇ Ἀλεξανδρέων ἐκκλησίᾳ τάδε τὰ γράμματα" Κωνσταντῖνος Καῖσαρ τῷ λαῷ τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας πόλεως τῶν ᾿Δλεξανδρέον. Οὐδὲ τὴν τῆς ὑμετέρας ἱερᾶς ἐννοίας ἀποπεφευγέναι γνῶσιν οἶμαι, διὰ τοῦτο Ἀθανάσιον τὸν τοῦ προσχυνητοῦ νόμου ὑποφήτην πρὸς καιρὸν εἰς τὰς Γαλλίας ἀπεστάλθαι, ἵνα, ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἀγριότης τῶν αἱμοβόρων αὐτοῦ καὶ πολεμίων ἐχθρῶν εἰς κίνδυνον τῆς ἱερᾶς αὐτοῦ κεφαλῆς ἐπέμενε, μὴ ἄρα διὰ τῆς τῶν φαύλων διαστροφῆς ἀνήκεστει οὑποστῇ. πρὸς τὸ διαπαῖξαι τοίνυν ταύτην, ἀφαιρεθεὶς τῶν φαρύγγων τῶν ἐπικειμένων αὐτῷ ἀνδρῶν, ὑπ᾽ ἐμοὶ διάγειν χεχκέλευσται οὕτως ὡς ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ πόλει ἐν ἡ διέτριβε πᾶσι τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις ἐμπλεονάζειν, εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα αὐτοῦ ἡ ἀοίδιμος ἀρετή, ταῖς θείαις δ "πεποιθυῖα βοηθείαις, καὶ τὰ τῆς τραχυτέρας τύχης ἄχθη ἐξουθενεῖ. τοιγαροῦν εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα πρὸς τὴν προσφιλεστάτην ὑμῶν θεοσέβειαν ὁ δεσπότης ἡμῶν ὁ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Κωνσταντῖνος ὃ σεβαστός, ὁ ἐμὸς πατήρ, τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπίσκοπον τῷ ἰδίῳ τόπῳ παρασχεῖν προήρητο, ὅμως ἐπειδή, ἀνθρωπίνῳ κλήρῳ προληφθείς, πρὸ τοῦ τὴν εὐχὴν πληρῶσαι ἀνεπαύσατο, ἀχόλουιθον ἡγησάμην τὴν προαίρεσιν τοῦ τῆς θείας μνήμης βασιλέως διαδεξάμενος πληρῶσαι. ὅστις ἐπειδὰν τῆς ὑμετέρας τύχῃ προσόψεως, ὅσης παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ αἰδοῦς τετύχηκε γνώσεσθε. οὐ γὰρ θαυμαστὸν εἴ τε δὰν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πεποίηκα᾽ καὶ γὰρ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν ἥ τε τοῦ ὑμετέρου πόθου εἰχὼν χεὶ τὸ τοῦ τηλικούτου ἀνδρὸς σχῆμα εἰς τοῦτο ἐκίνεε καὶ προέτρεπεν. ἢ θεία πρόνοια ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξει, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί. Μετὰ τούτων ὁ θεῖος ᾿Ἰθανάσιος ἀφίκετο τῶν γραμμάτων. πάντες δὲ αὐτὸν ἀσμένως ἀπέλαβον, καὶ ἀστοὶ καὶ χωρητικοί, καὶ οἱ ὀλίγοι καὶ οἱ πολλοί, μόνους δὲ ἡνία τῆς Ἀρείου μανίας τοὺς θιασώτας ἐπανελθών. διὸ δὴ πάλιν τὰς οἰκείας ἐκίνησαν μηχανὰς Βυσέβιός τε καὶ Θεογόνιος καὶ ὅσοι τῆς τούτων ὑπῆρχον συμμορίας, καὶ πάλιν τὰς τοῦ βασιλέως νέου γε ὄντος διώρυττον ἀκοάς. ἐρῶ δὲ καὶ ὅπως οὗτος ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων εὐθύτητος παρετράπη.

Ho men dē theios Athanasios etē dyo kai mēnas tessaras en Triberei diatripsas eis tēn ᾿᾿lexandreian epanēlthen. egrapse de kai Kōnstantinos ho basileus, ho tōn Kōnstantinou tou megalou paidōn presbytatos (autos gar tēs pros dyomenon ēlion ebasileue Galatias), tę̄ Alexandreōn ekklēsią tade ta grammata" Kōnstantinos Kaisar tǭ laǭ tēs katholikēs ekklēsias poleōs tōn ᾿Dlexandreon. Oude tēn tēs hymeteras hieras ennoias apopepheugenai gnōsin oimai, dia touto Athanasion ton tou proschynētou nomou hypophētēn pros kairon eis tas Gallias apestalthai, hina, epeidē hē agriotēs tōn haimoborōn autou kai polemiōn echthrōn eis kindynon tēs hieras autou kephalēs epemene, mē ara dia tēs tōn phaulōn diastrophēs anēkestei houpostę̄. pros to diapaixai toinyn tautēn, aphairetheis tōn pharyngōn tōn epikeimenōn autǭ andrōn, hyp᾽ emoi diagein chechkeleustai houtōs hōs en autę̄ tę̄ polei en hē dietribe pasi tois anankaiois empleonazein, ei kai ta malista autou hē aoidimos aretē, tais theiais d "pepoithuia boētheiais, kai ta tēs trachyteras tychēs achthē exouthenei. toigaroun ei kai ta malista pros tēn prosphilestatēn hymōn theosebeian ho despotēs hēmōn ho tēs makarias mnēmēs Kōnstantinos ho sebastos, ho emos patēr, ton auton episkopon tǭ idiǭ topǭ paraschein proērēto, homōs epeidē, anthrōpinǭ klērǭ prolēphtheis, pro tou tēn euchēn plērōsai anepausato, acholouithon hēgēsamēn tēn proairesin tou tēs theias mnēmēs basileōs diadexamenos plērōsai. hostis epeidan tēs hymeteras tychę̄ prosopseōs, hosēs par᾽ emou aidous tetychēke gnōsesthe. ou gar thaumaston ei te dan hyper autou pepoiēka᾽ kai gar tēn emēn psychēn hē te tou hymeterou pothou eichōn chei to tou tēlikoutou andros schēma eis touto ekinee kai proetrepen. ē theia pronoia hymas diaphylaxei, adelphoi agapētoi. Meta toutōn ho theios ᾿Ithanasios aphiketo tōn grammatōn. pantes de auton asmenōs apelabon, kai astoi kai chōrētikoi, kai hoi oligoi kai hoi polloi, monous de hēnia tēs Areiou manias tous thiasōtas epanelthōn. dio dē palin tas oikeias ekinēsan mēchanas Bysebios te kai Theogonios kai hosoi tēs toutōn hypērchon symmorias, kai palin tas tou basileōs neou ge ontos diōrytton akoas. erō de kai hopōs houtos ek tēs tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn euthytētos paretrapē.

The divine Athanasius, after spending two years and four months in Trier, returned to Alexandria. The emperor Constantine, the eldest of the sons of Constantine the Great (for he ruled Gaul toward the setting sun), wrote the following letter to the church of the Alexandrians.

“Constantine Caesar to the people of the catholic church of the city of the Alexandrians.

I think it has not escaped the knowledge of your holy understanding that Athanasius, the interpreter of the venerable law, was sent for a time to the Gauls for this reason: that, since the savagery of his bloodthirsty and hostile enemies persisted to the danger of his sacred head, he might not suffer something irreparable through the perversity of wicked men. To escape this, then, he was snatched from the jaws of the men who pressed upon him and was ordered to live under me, in such a way that in the city where he stayed he had abundance of all necessaries; although his celebrated virtue, trusting in divine help, makes light even of the burdens of harsher fortune. Therefore, although our master Constantine Augustus of blessed memory, my father, had resolved to restore this same bishop to his own place and to your most beloved piety, yet since, overtaken by the lot of men, he went to his rest before fulfilling his wish, I thought it fitting, as his successor, to fulfil the purpose of the emperor of divine memory. When he comes into your presence you will learn how much respect he has received from me. Nor is it surprising, whatever I have done for him; for both the image of your longing and the bearing of so great a man moved and urged my soul to it. May divine providence keep you, beloved brothers.”

With this letter the divine Athanasius arrived. All received him gladly, townspeople and country people, the few and the many; his return grieved only the devotees of Arius's madness. So Eusebius, Theognis, and all who belonged to their gang again set their own devices in motion, and again tried to undermine the ears of the emperor, who was young. I shall also tell how he was turned aside from the straightness of the apostolic doctrines.

Notes and citation

Summary: Athanasius returns from Trier to Alexandria with a letter from Constantine II explaining that his father had sent Athanasius to Gaul for his safety and intended to restore him; the Arian party again begins to work on the young emperor Constantius.

Document: Constantine II, letter to the church of Alexandria (337); also in Athanasius, Defence against the Arians 87 (published on this site).
“The emperor, who was young”: from what follows, Constantius, who ruled the East.

Extrabiblical texts: Athanasius, Apol. sec. 87 (Defence against the Arians; quotation)

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 2.1 (GCS 19:94–96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-1

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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.

2.2GCS 19:96–97

Κωνσταντία Λικιννίου μὲν ἐγεγόνει γαμετή, Κωνσταντίνου δὲ ἦν ἀδελφή. ταύτῃ τις πρεσβύτερος, τὴν Ἀρειανικὴν εἰσδεξάμενος λώβην, συνήθης ἐγένετο. καὶ τὴν μὲν νόσον οὐ προφανῶς ἐδείκνυ. συνεχῶς δὲ αὐτῇ προσδιαλεγόμενος ἔλεγε συκοφαντίαν ὑπομεμενηκέναι τὸν Ἄρειον. ταύτην ὃ πανεύφημος Κωνσταντῖνος μετὰ τὴν τοῦ δυοσεβοῦς ἀνδρὸς τελευτὴν παντοδαπῆς κηδεμονίας ἠξίου καὶ τῶν τῆς χηρείας ἀνιαρῶν πεῖραν οὐχ εἴα λαβεῖν, καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν τελευτὴν παρῆν αὐτῇ τὴν ἁρμόττουσαν θεραπείαν προσφέρων. τότε δὴ τοῦτον χληθῆναι κελεύσασα τὸν πρεσβύτερον, τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἀξιοῦσθαι προμηθείας ἱκέτευεν. ὁ δὲ Κωνσταντῖνος καὶ τηνικαῦτα τοῦτο ποιήσειν ὑπέσχετο καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πεπλήρωκε τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν" μετέδωκε γὰρ αὐτῷ παρρησίας ὅτι μάλιστα πλείστης. ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως καὶ πολλῆς ἀξ ξιούμενος θεραπείας οὐκ ἐθάρρησεν ἀποκαλύψαι τὴν νόσον, βεβαίαν ὁρῶν περὶ τὰ θεῖα τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν γνώμην. ἐπειδὴ δὲ Κωνσταντῖνος εἰς τὴν ἀνώλεθρον μεθιστάμενος βασιλείαν τοῖς παισὶν ἐν διαθήχαις τὴν ἐπίκηρον ταύτην βασιλείαν διένειμεν (οὐδεὶς δὲ τούτων τελευτῶντι παρῆν), τούτῳ μόνῳ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ τὰς διαθήκας ἐπίστευσε, Κωνοταντίῳ ταύτας “δοθῆναι κελεύσας᾽ οὗτος γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων πλησιέστερος ὧν πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἀφίξεσθαι προσδόκιμος ἦν. ἐντεῦθεν οὗτος τῷ Κωνσταντίῳ γενόμενος γνώριμος (ἀπέδωκε γὰρ διαθήκας: ος προσετάχθη), συρήθης ἐγένετο καὶ θαμὰ φοιτᾶν παρ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐκελεύετο. κατιδὼν δὲ εὔριπον τοῦ Κωνσταντίου τὴν γνομην καὶ καλάμοις ὑπ᾽ ἀνέμων ἐναντίων τῇδε κἀκεῖσε κλινομένοις προσεοικυῖαν, ἐθάρρησε τὸν κατὰ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων ἀναδέξασθαι πόλεμον. καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν δῆθεν τὴν ζάλην ὀλοφυρόμενος, αἰτίους ἔλεγε τοὺς τὴν ἄγραφον τοῦ ὁμοουσίου φωνὴν ἐντεθειχότας τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς ἱερωμένοις καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἐργάζεσθαι τὴν διάστασιν. ἐντεῦθεν Ἀθανασίου καὶ τῶν τὰ ἴσα φρονούντων κατηγορῶν τὰς κατὰ τούτων ἐπιβουλὰς ἐτεκταίνετο. Τούτῳ συνεργῷ κεχρημένοι Εὐσέβιός τε καὶ Θεογόνιος καὶ Θεόδώρος ὁ Περίνθιος (ἐλλόγιμος δὲ διαφερόντως ὃ Θεόδωρος ἢν καὶ δὴ καὶ τῶν θείων εὐαγγελίων τὴν ἑρμηνείαν συνέγραψεν, ἹὩΗρακλεώτην δὲ αὐτὸν ὀνομάξουσιν οἱ πολλοῦ, οὗτοι συνεχῶς ἅτε δὴ γειτονεύοντες τὸν βασιλέα ὁρῶντες, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐξορίας ἐπάνοδον Ἀθανασίου παμπόλλων ἔλεγον αἰτίαν γεγενῆσθαι κακῶν, καὶ οὐ μόνον τὴν Αἴγυπτον μεταλαγχάνειν τοῦ κλύδωνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν Παλαιστίνὴν καὶ τὴν Φοινίκη καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὅμορα ἔθνη.

Kōnstantia Likinniou men egegonei gametē, Kōnstantinou de ēn adelphē. tautę̄ tis presbyteros, tēn Areianikēn eisdexamenos lōbēn, synēthēs egeneto. kai tēn men noson ou prophanōs edeikny. synechōs de autę̄ prosdialegomenos elege sykophantian hypomemenēkenai ton Areion. tautēn ho paneuphēmos Kōnstantinos meta tēn tou dyosebous andros teleutēn pantodapēs kēdemonias ēxiou kai tōn tēs chēreias aniarōn peiran ouch eia labein, kai par᾽ autēn de tēn teleutēn parēn autę̄ tēn harmottousan therapeian prospherōn. tote dē touton chlēthēnai keleusasa ton presbyteron, tēs tou basileōs axiousthai promētheias hiketeuen. ho de Kōnstantinos kai tēnikauta touto poiēsein hypescheto kai meta tauta peplērōke tēn hyposchesin" metedōke gar autǭ parrēsias hoti malista pleistēs. all᾽ homōs kai pollēs ax xioumenos therapeias ouk etharrēsen apokalypsai tēn noson, bebaian horōn peri ta theia tou basileōs tēn gnōmēn. epeidē de Kōnstantinos eis tēn anōlethron methistamenos basileian tois paisin en diathēchais tēn epikēron tautēn basileian dieneimen (oudeis de toutōn teleutōnti parēn), toutǭ monǭ tǭ presbyterǭ tas diathēkas episteuse, Kōnotantiǭ tautas “dothēnai keleusas᾽ houtos gar tōn allōn plēsiesteros hōn pro tōn allōn aphixesthai prosdokimos ēn. enteuthen houtos tǭ Kōnstantiǭ genomenos gnōrimos (apedōke gar diathēkas: os prosetachthē), syrēthēs egeneto kai thama phoitan par᾽ auton ekeleueto. katidōn de euripon tou Kōnstantiou tēn gnomēn kai kalamois hyp᾽ anemōn enantiōn tę̄de kakeise klinomenois proseoikuian, etharrēse ton kata tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn anadexasthai polemon. kai tōn ekklēsiōn dēthen tēn zalēn olophyromenos, aitious elege tous tēn agraphon tou homoousiou phōnēn entetheichotas tę̄ didaskalią tēs pisteōs, kai touto kai tois hierōmenois kai tois pollois ergazesthai tēn diastasin. enteuthen Athanasiou kai tōn ta isa phronountōn katēgorōn tas kata toutōn epiboulas etektaineto. Toutǭ synergǭ kechrēmenoi Eusebios te kai Theogonios kai Theodōros ho Perinthios (ellogimos de diapherontōs ho Theodōros ēn kai dē kai tōn theiōn euangeliōn tēn hermēneian synegrapsen, HiŌĒrakleōtēn de auton onomaxousin hoi pollou, houtoi synechōs hate dē geitoneuontes ton basilea horōntes, tēn apo tēs exorias epanodon Athanasiou pampollōn elegon aitian gegenēsthai kakōn, kai ou monon tēn Aigypton metalanchanein tou klydōnos, alla kai tēn Palaistinēn kai tēn Phoinikē kai ta alla homora ethnē.

Constantia had been the wife of Licinius and was the sister of Constantine. A certain presbyter who had taken in the Arian infection became her acquaintance. He did not show his disease openly, but in frequent conversation with her he said that Arius had suffered slander. After the death of that impious man, the all-praiseworthy Constantine granted her every kind of care and did not let her experience the griefs of widowhood, and at her very death he was with her, giving her fitting attention. Then she had this presbyter called and begged that he be granted the emperor's protection. Constantine promised then to do this, and afterwards fulfilled the promise; for he gave him very great freedom of access. Yet, though he received much attention, he did not dare to reveal his disease, seeing that the emperor's mind about divine things was firm.

When Constantine, departing to the kingdom that does not perish, divided this perishable kingdom among his sons in his will (none of them was present at his death), he entrusted the will to this presbyter alone, ordering it to be given to Constantius; for he, being nearer than the others, was expected to arrive before them. From then on this man became known to Constantius (for he delivered the will as he had been ordered), became his familiar, and was told to visit him often. Seeing that Constantius's mind was a tide-race, like reeds bent this way and that by contrary winds, he dared to take up the war against the doctrines of the gospel. Lamenting, as it were, the storm of the churches, he said that those responsible were the men who had inserted the unscriptural word “of the same essence” into the teaching of the faith, and that this was producing division both among the clergy and among the laity. From then on, accusing Athanasius and those who thought as he did, he contrived plots against them.

Using him as a fellow worker, Eusebius, Theognis, and Theodore of Perinthus (Theodore was especially learned and had written an interpretation of the divine Gospels; most people call him the Heraclean), since as neighbours they saw the emperor constantly, said that the return of Athanasius from exile had been the cause of a great many evils, and that not only Egypt shared in the storm, but also Palestine, Phoenicia, and the other neighbouring nations.

Matt 11:7 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: An Arian presbyter, commended to Constantine by his dying sister Constantia, is entrusted with Constantine's will, gains the confidence of Constantius, and turns him against the term “of the same essence” and against Athanasius, whose return Eusebius's party blames for disorder in the East.

The section opens with Theodoret's own transition to a new story (“Constantia had been the wife of Licinius”); it is kept as printed. The presbyter is not named by Theodoret.
“A tide-race” (εὔριπος): a proverbial image of changeableness, from the strait of Euripus with its shifting currents; the reeds recall Matt 11:7.
A digit run into Athanasius's name by the OCR has been corrected (logged).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR read the start of the name as digits): ἐπάνοδον.439ανασίου → ἐπάνοδον Ἀθανασίου.

Topics: Heresy, Christology

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 2.2 (GCS 19:96–97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-2

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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.

2.3GCS 19:97–99

Τούτοις καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις λόγοις τὴν κουφοτάτην αὐτοῦ πολιορκήσαντες γνώμην, ἔπεισαν αὐτὸν ἐξελάσαι τῆς ἐκκλησίας τὸν ᾿θανάσιον" ὁ δὲ προμαθὼν τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ὑπεχώρησε καὶ τὴν Ἑσπέραν κατείληφε. καὶ γὰρ τῷ Ῥώμης ἐπισκόπῳ (Ἰούλιος δὲ τὴνιχαῦτα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐκείνην ἐποίμαινεν) οἱ περὶ Εὐσέβιον τὰς κατὰ ᾿θανασίου συντεθείσας συκοφαντίας ἐξέπεμψαν. ὃ δὲ τῷ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἑπόμενος νόμῳ, καὶ αὐτοὺς καταλαβεῖν τὴν Ῥώμην ἐκέλευσε καὶ τὸν θεῖον Ἀθανάσιον εἰς τὴν δίκην ἐκάλεσε. καὶ οὗτος μὲν ἐξώρμησεν εὐθὺς τὴν κλῆσιν δεξάμενος" οἱ δὲ τὸ δρᾶμα συντεθειχότες εἰς μὲν τὴν Ῥώμην οὐκ ἀπῆλθον, εὐφώρατον εἰδότες τὸ ψεῦδος, ἔρημα δὲ τοῦ νομέως τὰ πρόβατα θεασάμενοι λύκον αὐτοῖς ἀντὶ ποιμένος ἐπέστησαν" Τρηγόριος δὲ τούτῳ ὄνομα ἦν. ἕξ δὲ ἔτη θηρίων ἀγρίων ὠμότερον τῇ ποίμνῃ χρησάμενος, δίκας ἔτισε τῆς πονηρίας, ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν πικρῶς διαφθαρεὶς τῶν προβάτων. Ἀθανάσιος δὲ πρὸς Κώνσταντα ἀφικόμενος (Κωνσταντῖνος γὰρ ὁ πρεσβύτατος πολεμῶν ἐτεθνήκει), τῆς ᾿ἀρειανικῆς φάλαγγος τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἀπωδύρετο καὶ τὸν κατὰ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς πίστεως ὠλοφύρατο πόλεμον, καὶ τοῦ τε πατρὸς ἀνέμνησε, καὶ τῆς συνόδου τῆς μεγίστης ἣν ἐκεῖνος συνήλισε, καὶ ὡς τὰ παρ᾽ ἐκείνων “γραφέντα τοῦ συνεδρίου κοινωνῶν ἐκράτυνε νόμῳ. τοιαῦτα ποτνιώμενος εἰς τὸν πατρῷον ζῆλον τὸν βασιλέα διήγειρεν. παραυτίκα γὰρ τούτων ἀκούσας ἐπέστειλε τῷ ἀδελφῷ, παραινῶν τῆς πατρῴας εὐσεβείας ἄσυλον φυλάξαι τὸν κλῆρον᾽ καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν βασιλείαν κρατύνας καὶ τοὺς Ῥωμαίων τυράννους κατέλυσε καὶ τοὺς ἐν κύκλῳ βαρβάρους ὑπέταξε. Τούτοις πεισθεὶς τοῖς γράμμασιν ὁ Κωνστάντιος προσέταξεν εἰς τὴν Σαρδικὴν (Ἰλλυριχὴ δὲ αὕτη πόλις, τοῦ Δακῶν ἔθνους μητρόπολιῷ καὶ τοὺς τῆς Ἑῴας καὶ τοὺς τῆς Ἑσπέρας συνδραμεῖν ἐπισκόπους. πολλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἕτερα τῆς ἐκκλησίας παθήματα τῆς συνοδικῆς θεραπείας ἐδεῖτο.

Toutois kai tois toioutois logois tēn kouphotatēn autou poliorkēsantes gnōmēn, epeisan auton exelasai tēs ekklēsias ton ᾿thanasion" ho de promathōn tēn epiboulēn hypechōrēse kai tēn Hesperan kateilēphe. kai gar tǭ Rhōmēs episkopǭ (Ioulios de tēnichauta tēn ekklēsian ekeinēn epoimainen) hoi peri Eusebion tas kata ᾿thanasiou syntetheisas sykophantias exepempsan. ho de tǭ tēs ekklēsias hepomenos nomǭ, kai autous katalabein tēn Rhōmēn ekeleuse kai ton theion Athanasion eis tēn dikēn ekalese. kai houtos men exōrmēsen euthys tēn klēsin dexamenos" hoi de to drama syntetheichotes eis men tēn Rhōmēn ouk apēlthon, euphōraton eidotes to pseudos, erēma de tou nomeōs ta probata theasamenoi lykon autois anti poimenos epestēsan" Trēgorios de toutǭ onoma ēn. hex de etē thēriōn agriōn ōmoteron tę̄ poimnę̄ chrēsamenos, dikas etise tēs ponērias, hyp᾿ autōn pikrōs diaphthareis tōn probatōn. Athanasios de pros Kōnstanta aphikomenos (Kōnstantinos gar ho presbytatos polemōn etethnēkei), tēs ᾿areianikēs phalangos tas epiboulas apōdyreto kai ton kata tēs apostolikēs pisteōs ōlophyrato polemon, kai tou te patros anemnēse, kai tēs synodou tēs megistēs hēn ekeinos synēlise, kai hōs ta par᾽ ekeinōn “graphenta tou synedriou koinōnōn ekratyne nomǭ. toiauta potniōmenos eis ton patrǭon zēlon ton basilea diēgeiren. parautika gar toutōn akousas epesteile tǭ adelphǭ, parainōn tēs patrǭas eusebeias asylon phylaxai ton klēron᾽ kai gar ekeinos eusebeią tēn basileian kratynas kai tous Rhōmaiōn tyrannous katelyse kai tous en kyklǭ barbarous hypetaxe. Toutois peistheis tois grammasin ho Kōnstantios prosetaxen eis tēn Sardikēn (Illyrichē de hautē polis, tou Dakōn ethnous mētropoliǭ kai tous tēs Heǭas kai tous tēs Hesperas syndramein episkopous. polla gar kai hetera tēs ekklēsias pathēmata tēs synodikēs therapeias edeito.

Besieging his very light-minded judgment with these and similar words, they persuaded him to drive Athanasius out of the church. He, learning of the plot in advance, withdrew and went to the West. Eusebius's party had also sent the slanders composed against Athanasius to the bishop of Rome (Julius was then shepherding that church). He, following the law of the church, ordered them to come to Rome and summoned the divine Athanasius to the trial. Athanasius set out at once on receiving the summons; but the composers of the drama did not go to Rome, knowing that their falsehood was easily detected. Seeing the sheep deprived of their shepherd, they set a wolf over them instead of a shepherd; his name was Gregory. After treating the flock more cruelly than wild beasts for six years, he paid the penalty for his wickedness, being bitterly destroyed by the sheep themselves.

Athanasius went to Constans (for Constantine, the eldest, had died in war), lamented the plots of the Arian phalanx and bewailed the war against the apostolic faith, and reminded him of his father, of the very great synod he had assembled, and how, sharing in the council, he had confirmed by law what they had written. By such entreaties he roused the emperor to his father's zeal. For as soon as he heard this, he wrote to his brother, urging him to keep the inheritance of their father's piety inviolate; for their father, having strengthened his empire by piety, had overthrown the tyrants of the Romans and subdued the barbarians round about. Persuaded by this letter, Constantius ordered the bishops of the East and of the West to gather at Sardica (a city of Illyricum, the metropolis of the Dacian nation); for many other sufferings of the church too needed the remedy of a synod.

John 10:12 (echo, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Constantius exiles Athanasius, who appeals to Julius of Rome while his accusers refuse to come; Gregory is installed in Alexandria, and Constans, at Athanasius's plea, persuades his brother to convene a council of East and West at Sardica.

“The law of the church”: the custom that Rome hear such appeals.
Theodoret's account of Gregory of Cappadocia's death (killed by “the sheep”) is his own; Gregory died in 345, probably of illness.
The wolf and the shepherd: compare John 10:12.

Topics: Church office, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 2.3 (GCS 19:97–99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-3

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica-2-3) · Report an error

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.

2.4GCS 19:99–100

Καὶ γὰρ Παῦλον (Κωνσταντινουπόλεως δὲ ἐπίσκοπος οὗτος ἣν, : τῶν ὀρθῶν προκινδυνεύων δογμάτων) οἱ τῆς Ἀρειανικῆς μετειληχότες νόσου ἐγράψαντο οὑς στάσεως ἀρχηγόν, καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ προσθέντες ἃ συκοφαρτεῖν εἰώθασι τῆς εὐσεβείας τοὺς κήρυκας. ἀλλὰ τοῦτον τηνικαῦτα οὐκ εἴασεν ὁ λεὼς εἰς τὴν Σαρδικὴν ἀπαχθῆναι, τὰς τῶν ἐναντίων ὀρρωδήσας ἐπιβουλάς. μικρὸν δὲ ὕστερον τὴν κουφοτάτην τοῦ βασιλέως παραπείσαντες γνώμην, τῆς μὲν βασιλευούσης ἐξωστράχισαν πόλεως, μετῴκισαν δὲ εἰς Κουκουσόν" πόλισμα δὲ αὕτη σμικρόν, πάλαι μὲν εἰς τὸ Καππαδοκῶν ἔθνος τελοῦν, νῦν δέ γε τῇ “Δρμενίᾳ τῇ δευτέρᾳ συναριθμούμενον. ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπέχρησε τοῖς πάντα κυκῶσιν ἡ ἐν ἐρημίᾳ τοῦ θαυμασίου Παύλου διατριβή πέμψαντες γὰρ τῆς μιαιφόνου γνώμης τοὺς ὑπουργοὺς βιαίῳ θανάτῳ παρέδοσαν. καὶ τοῦτο ἡμᾶς ὁ θεῖος ἐδίδαξεν Ἀθανάσιος, ἐν τῇ περὶ τῆς οἰκείας φυγῆς Ἀπολογίᾳ καὶ ταῦτα προστεθεικώς" Τὸν γὰρ τῆς Κωγσταντινουπόλεως Παῦλον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον διώρξαντες καὶ εὐρόντες, προφανῶς ἀποπνιγῆναι πεποιήκασιν ἐν τῇ λεγομένῃ Κουχουσῷ τῆς Καππαδοκίας, δήμιον ἐσχηκότες εἰς τοῦτο Φίλιππον τὸν γενόμενον ἔπαρχον" ἣν γὰρ καὶ τῆς αἱρέσεως αὐτῶν προστάτης καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν βουλευμάτων ὑπηρέτης. Τοιαύτας μεαιφονίας ἡ Ἀρείου βεβλάστηκχε βλασφημία. τῇ γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ μονογενοῦς λύττῃ συμβαίνει τὰ κατὰ τῶν ἐκχείνου θεραπόντων τολμήματα.

Kai gar Paulon (Kōnstantinoupoleōs de episkopos houtos hēn, : tōn orthōn prokindyneuōn dogmatōn) hoi tēs Areianikēs meteilēchotes nosou egrapsanto hous staseōs archēgon, kai alla tina prosthentes ha sykophartein eiōthasi tēs eusebeias tous kērykas. alla touton tēnikauta ouk eiasen ho leōs eis tēn Sardikēn apachthēnai, tas tōn enantiōn orrōdēsas epiboulas. mikron de hysteron tēn kouphotatēn tou basileōs parapeisantes gnōmēn, tēs men basileuousēs exōstrachisan poleōs, metǭkisan de eis Koukouson" polisma de hautē smikron, palai men eis to Kappadokōn ethnos teloun, nyn de ge tę̄ “Drmenią tę̄ deuterą synarithmoumenon. all᾽ ouk apechrēse tois panta kykōsin hē en erēmią tou thaumasiou Paulou diatribē pempsantes gar tēs miaiphonou gnōmēs tous hypourgous biaiǭ thanatǭ paredosan. kai touto hēmas ho theios edidaxen Athanasios, en tę̄ peri tēs oikeias phygēs Apologią kai tauta prostetheikōs" Ton gar tēs Kōgstantinoupoleōs Paulon ton episkopon diōrxantes kai eurontes, prophanōs apopnigēnai pepoiēkasin en tę̄ legomenę̄ Kouchousǭ tēs Kappadokias, dēmion eschēkotes eis touto Philippon ton genomenon eparchon" hēn gar kai tēs haireseōs autōn prostatēs kai tōn ponērōn bouleumatōn hypēretēs. Toiautas meaiphonias hē Areiou beblastēkche blasphēmia. tę̄ gar kata tou monogenous lyttę̄ symbainei ta kata tōn ekcheinou therapontōn tolmēmata.

For those who shared in the Arian disease had also charged Paul (he was bishop of Constantinople and stood in the forefront of danger for the orthodox doctrines) as a leader of sedition, adding some other things with which they are accustomed to slander the heralds of true religion. But at that time the people did not allow him to be taken away to Sardica, dreading the plots of his opponents. A little later, having persuaded the emperor's very light-minded judgment, they banished him from the imperial city and moved him to Cucusus, a small town that once belonged to the Cappadocian nation but is now counted part of Second Armenia. But the stay of the admirable Paul in the wilderness was not enough for those who throw everything into confusion; for they sent the agents of their murderous purpose and handed him over to a violent death. The divine Athanasius told us this in the Defence of his own flight, adding these words:

“For having hunted down Paul, the bishop of Constantinople, and found him, they had him openly strangled in the place called Cucusus in Cappadocia, using as executioner for this Philip, who had been prefect; for he was both a patron of their heresy and a servant of their wicked plans.”

Such murders the blasphemy of Arius produced; for the deeds dared against the servants of the only-begotten go along with the frenzy against him.

Notes and citation

Summary: Paul, bishop of Constantinople, accused by the Arian party, is exiled to Cucusus and there strangled by their agents, as Athanasius reports in his Defence of his Flight.

Quotation: Athanasius, Defence of His Flight 3 (published on this site as athanasius-apologia-fuga).
Theodoret places Paul's exile and death (about 350–351) here, before Sardica (343), out of chronological order; kept as written.

Extrabiblical texts: Athanasius, Fug. 3 (Defence of His Flight; quotation)

Topics: Persecution, Martyrdom, Heresy

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 2.4 (GCS 19:99–100; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-4

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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.

2.5GCS 19:100

Ἀλλὰ τοῦτον οὕτω τῷ θανάτῳ, μᾶλλον δὲ τῇ τῶν οὐρανῶν παραπέμψαντες βασιλείᾳ, Μακεδόνιον ἀντὶ τούτου προὐβάλοντο, ὁμογνώμονα τοῦτον ὑπειληφότες ἐπειδὴ “παραπλησίως αὐτοῖς ἐβλασφήμει τὸ πανάγεον πνεῦμα. ἀλλὰ μικρὸν ὕστερον καὶ τοῦτον ἐξήλασαν, κτίσμα λέγειν οὐκ ἀνασχόμενον ὃν υἱὸν ἡ θεία προσαγορεύει γραφή. οὗ δὴ χάριν οὗτος ἐκείνων ἀποκριθεὶς ἰδίας αἱρέσεως στρ: στάτης γεγένηται" ὁμοούσιον μὲν οὐδὲ οὗτος τῷ πατρὶ τὸν υἱὸν εἶναι λέγον, ὅμοιον δὲ εἶναι κατὰ πάντα τῷ γεγεννηκότι διδάσκων. κτιστὸν δὲ τὸ πργεῦμα προφανῶς ὀνομάζων. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν οὐ πολλῷ χρόνῳ ὕστερον οὕτω γέγονεν ὡς εἰρήκαμεν.

Alla touton houtō tǭ thanatǭ, mallon de tę̄ tōn ouranōn parapempsantes basileią, Makedonion anti toutou proubalonto, homognōmona touton hypeilēphotes epeidē “paraplēsiōs autois eblasphēmei to panageon pneuma. alla mikron hysteron kai touton exēlasan, ktisma legein ouk anaschomenon hon huion hē theia prosagoreuei graphē. hou dē charin houtos ekeinōn apokritheis idias haireseōs str: statēs gegenētai" homoousion men oude houtos tǭ patri ton huion einai legon, homoion de einai kata panta tǭ gegennēkoti didaskōn. ktiston de to prgeuma prophanōs onomazōn. tauta men oun ou pollǭ chronǭ hysteron houtō gegonen hōs eirēkamen.

Having thus sent him off to death, or rather to the kingdom of heaven, they put forward Macedonius in his place, supposing him to be of their own mind, since he blasphemed the all-holy Spirit as they did. But a little later they drove him out too, since he would not endure calling a creature him whom the divine Scripture calls Son. For this reason he separated from them and became the leader of a heresy of his own: he too did not say that the Son is of the same essence as the Father, but taught that he is like the one who begot him in all things, while openly calling the Spirit a creature. These things happened not long afterwards, as we have said.

Notes and citation

Summary: Macedonius succeeds Paul at Constantinople but is later expelled by the Arians for refusing to call the Son a creature; he founds his own party, holding the Son like the Father in all things and the Spirit a creature.

The “heresy of his own” is that of the Macedonians, later called Pneumatomachians (“fighters against the Spirit”).

Topics: Heresy, Trinity, Christology

Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 2.5 (GCS 19:100; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/2-5

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica-2-5) · Report an error

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.