Church History 3.13–4.4
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.
Chapter 3
3.13GCS 19:195–197
Μετὰ μέντοι τὴν ὀλεθρίαν ἐκείνην τῶν χρημάτων “διανομὴν ἔ ἔν τεὴν συσσιτίῳ τινὲς τῶν τὸ χρυσίον εἰλ ἡφότων κατὰ ταὐτὸν εἱστιῶν το. τούτων εἷς φιάλην δεξάμενος οὐ πρότερον ἔπιε πρὶν ἢ τὴν σωτήριον ἐπιθεῖραι σφραγίδα. τινὸς δὲ τῶν συσσίτων ἐπιμεμψαμένου καὶ φήσαντος ἐναντίον εἶναι τοῦτο τῷ πρὸ βραχέως γεγενημένῳ, ἤρετο ἐκεῖνος τί τῶν ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ πεπραγμένων κέκληκεν ἐναντίον. ὁ δὲ τοῦ βωμοῦ καὶ τοῦ λιβανωτοῦ καὶ τῆς ἀρνήσεως τῆς γεγενὴμένης ἀνέμνησε' ταῦτα γὰρ τῆς Χριστιανικῆς ὁμολογίας ἀντίπαλα. τούτων ἀκούσαντες τῶν ἑστιωμένων οἱ πλείους ἀνωλόλυξάν τε καὶ ὠλοφύραντο, καὶ πολλὰς τῶν κεφαλῶν ἀποτίλαντες τρίχας ἐξανέστησάν τε τοῦ συμποσίου καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀγορᾶς θέοντες Χριστιανοί τε εἶναι ἐβόων καὶ βασιλικοῖς παρακεχροῦσθαι τεχνάσμασι καὶ παλινῳδίαν ἄδειν καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀγνοίας συμβᾶσαν ἧτταν ἀναπαλαΐίειν. μετὰ τούτων θέοντες τῶν βοῶν κατέλαβον τὰ βασίλεια, τῶν τοῦ τυράνγου σοφισμάτων κατηγοροῦντες καὶ πυρὶ παραδοθῆναι παρακαλοῦντες, ἵνα πυρὶ μιανθέντες διὰ πυρὸς ἑτέρου τὴν κάθαρσιν δέξωνται. ταῦτα καὶ ὅσα τούτοις προσόμοια παρ᾽ ἐκείνων λεγόμενα ἐξέμηνε τὸν τοῦ ἀλιτηρίου θυμόν. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν αὐτῶν τὰς κεφαλὰς ἀποτμηθῆναι προσέταξεν. ἀπαγομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἔξω τοῦ ἄστεως, ἠκολούθει τὸ τῆς πόλεως πλῆθος, ἀγάμενον αὐτοὺς τῆς εὐψυχίας καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας παρρησίαν θαυμάζον. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸ χωρίον ἐκεῖνο χατέλαβον ἔνθα τοὺς κακούργους κολάζειν εἰώθασιν, ἐλιπάρησε τὸν δήμιον ὃ τῶν ἄλλων πρεσβύτερος, τοῦ πάντων αὐτῶν νεωτάτου πρῶτον τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐκτεμεῖν, ἵνα μὴ τῶν ἄλλων θεασάμενος τὴν σφαγὴν τὴν δειλίαν εἰσδέξηται. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὃ μὲν ἐπέθηκε τῷ δαπέδῳ τὰ γόνατα, ὁ δὲ τὸ ξίφος ἐγύμνωσεν, ἧκέ τις “μηνύων τὴν ἄφεσιν καὶ βοῇ κωλύων πόρρωθεν τὴν ἀναίρεσιν. τότε ὁ νεώτατος τὴν τῆς σφαγῆς δυσχεράνας ἀπαλλαγήν" οὐκ ἢ ἄρας, ἔφη, Ἱωμανὸς ἄξιος μάρτυς κληθῆναι Χριστοῦς. τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν αὐτῷ ὄνομα. ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν σφαγὴν ὃ κακομήχανος ἐκεῖνος ἐκώλυσε, φθόνῳ βαλλόμενος καὶ τῆς εὐκλείας βασκαίνων τοῖς ἀθληταῖς, οὐκ εἴασε δὲ ὅμως αὐτοὺς τὰς πόλεις οἰκεῖν,ἀλλ᾽ τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας ἐξέπεμιε.
Meta mentoi tēn olethrian ekeinēn tōn chrēmatōn “dianomēn e en teēn syssitiǭ tines tōn to chrysion eil hēphotōn kata tauton heistiōn to. toutōn heis phialēn dexamenos ou proteron epie prin ē tēn sōtērion epitheirai sphragida. tinos de tōn syssitōn epimempsamenou kai phēsantos enantion einai touto tǭ pro bracheōs gegenēmenǭ, ēreto ekeinos ti tōn hyp᾽ autou pepragmenōn keklēken enantion. ho de tou bōmou kai tou libanōtou kai tēs arnēseōs tēs gegenēmenēs anemnēse' tauta gar tēs Christianikēs homologias antipala. toutōn akousantes tōn hestiōmenōn hoi pleious anōlolyxan te kai ōlophyranto, kai pollas tōn kephalōn apotilantes trichas exanestēsan te tou symposiou kai dia tēs agoras theontes Christianoi te einai eboōn kai basilikois parakechrousthai technasmasi kai palinǭdian adein kai tēn ex agnoias symbasan hēttan anapalaïiein. meta toutōn theontes tōn boōn katelabon ta basileia, tōn tou tyrangou sophismatōn katēgorountes kai pyri paradothēnai parakalountes, hina pyri mianthentes dia pyros heterou tēn katharsin dexōntai. tauta kai hosa toutois prosomoia par᾽ ekeinōn legomena exemēne ton tou alitēriou thymon. kai prōton men autōn tas kephalas apotmēthēnai prosetaxen. apagomenōn de autōn exō tou asteōs, ēkolouthei to tēs poleōs plēthos, agamenon autous tēs eupsychias kai tēn hyper tēs eusebeias parrēsian thaumazon. epeidē de to chōrion ekeino chatelabon entha tous kakourgous kolazein eiōthasin, eliparēse ton dēmion ho tōn allōn presbyteros, tou pantōn autōn neōtatou prōton tēn kephalēn ektemein, hina mē tōn allōn theasamenos tēn sphagēn tēn deilian eisdexētai. epeidē de ho men epethēke tǭ dapedǭ ta gonata, ho de to xiphos egymnōsen, hēke tis “mēnyōn tēn aphesin kai boę̄ kōlyōn porrōthen tēn anairesin. tote ho neōtatos tēn tēs sphagēs dyscheranas apallagēn" ouk ē aras, ephē, Hiōmanos axios martys klēthēnai Christous. touto gar ēn autǭ onoma. alla tēn men sphagēn ho kakomēchanos ekeinos ekōlyse, phthonǭ ballomenos kai tēs eukleias baskainōn tois athlētais, ouk eiase de homōs autous tas poleis oikein,all᾽ tas eschatias tēs Rhōmaiōn hēgemonias exepemie.
After that fatal distribution of money, some of those who had received the gold were feasting together at a common meal. One of them, taking a cup, did not drink before putting on it the saving sign. When one of his companions blamed him and said that this was contrary to what had happened a little before, he asked what he had done that he called contrary. The other reminded him of the altar, the incense, and the denial that had taken place; for these were opposed to the Christian confession. When they heard this, most of the banqueters cried out and lamented, and tearing out much of the hair of their heads they rose from the banquet and, running through the market-place, cried out that they were Christians, that they had been deceived by the emperor's tricks, that they were singing a recantation and wrestling back from the defeat that had come about through ignorance. Running with these cries they reached the palace, accusing the tyrant's sophistries and begging to be given to the fire, so that, having been defiled by fire, they might receive purification through another fire. These and similar words of theirs drove the accursed man's anger to madness, and first he ordered their heads to be cut off. As they were led out of the city, the multitude of the city followed, admiring their courage and marvelling at their boldness for true religion. When they reached the place where criminals are usually punished, the eldest of them begged the executioner to cut off the head of the youngest of all first, so that he might not see the slaughter of the others and give way to cowardice. When the young man had put his knees to the ground and the executioner had drawn his sword, someone came announcing a reprieve and shouting from far off to prevent the execution. Then the youngest, vexed at being released from death, said: “Romanus was not worthy, then, to be called a martyr of Christ”; for this was his name. That crafty man prevented the slaughter, struck with envy and grudging the athletes their glory; yet he did not allow them to live in the cities, but sent them to the ends of the Roman empire.
Notes and citation
Summary: Soldiers who had unwittingly offered incense repent at a banquet, proclaim themselves Christians in the streets, and demand to be burned; Julian orders their beheading but reprieves them at the last moment, to the regret of the youngest, Romanus, and banishes them instead.
- “The saving sign”: the sign of the cross.
Topics: Martyrdom, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.13 (GCS 19:195–197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-13
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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.
3.14GCS 19:197–198
Καὶ Ἀρτέμιον δέ (στρατηγὸς δὲ οὗτος τῶν ἐν ἰγύπτῳ στρατιωτῶν ἐγεγόνει), ἐπειδὴ πλεῖ εἴστα τῶν εἰδώλων συνέτριψε τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐκείνην ἐν τοῖς Κωνσταντίου χρόνοις λαχών, οὐ μόνον τῶν ὄντων ἐγύμνωσεν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς τὸ λοιπὸν ἐστέρησε σῶμα. ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα δέδρακεν ὁ πραότατος καὶ ὀργῆς ἐγκρατέστατος παρὰ τῶν δυσσεβούντων ὀνομαζόμενος. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ γυναικὸς ἀρίστης ἀξιέπαινον διήγημα προσθήσο τῇ συγγραφῇ" κατεφρόνησαν γὰρ τῆς τούτου λύττης καὶ γυναῖκες τῷ θείῳ ζήλῳ καθοπλισμέναι. Πουπλία τις ἢν κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον ὀνομαστοτάτη καὶ πολυθρύλητος ἐκ τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς κατορθωμάτων γεγενημένη. αὕτη καὶ τοῦ γάμου τὸν ζυγὸν πρὸς ὀλίγον δεξαμένη καιρόν, καρπὸν ἀξιάγαστον τῷ θεῷ προσενήνοχεν. Ἰωάννης γάρ, ὁ τῶν ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ πρεσβυτέρων ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἡγησάμενος χρόνον καὶ πολλάκις μὲν τῆς ἀποστολικῆς προεδρίας τὰς ψήφους δεξάμενος, ἀεὶ δὲ τήνδε τὴν ἣγεμονίαν φυγών, ἐξ ἐκείνης τῆς θαυμασίας ἀρούρας ἐβλάστησεν. αὕτη χορὸν ἔχουσα παρθένον τὴν διὰ βίου παρθενίαν ἐπηγγελμένον ἀεὶ μὲν ὕμνει τὸν πεποιηκότα καὶ σεσωκότα θεόν, τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως παριόντος γεγωνότερον κοινῇ ἔψαλλον, εὐκαταφρόνητον ἡγούμεναι καὶ καταγέλαστον τὸν ἀλάστορα. δον δὲ μάλιστα ἐκεῖνα τὰ (σματα ἃ τῶν εἰδώλων κωμῳδεῖ τὴν ἀσθένειαν, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἔλεγον" τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον, ἔργα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπωνε. καὶ μετὰ τὴν τῆς ἀναισθησίας διήγησιν ἔλεγον" ὅμοιοι αὐτοῖς γένοιντο οἱ ποιοῦντες αὐτὰ καὶ πάντες οἱ πεποιθότες ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς. τούτων ἀκούσας ἐκεῖνος καὶ λίαν ἀνιαθεὶς σιγᾶν αὐταῖς προσέταξε κατὰ τὸν τῆς παρόδου καιρόν. ἡ δὲ μικρὸν τῶν ἐχείνου νόμων φροντίσασα, πλείονος τὸν χορὸν προθυμίας ἐνέπλησε, καὶ πάλιν ἐκείνου διόντος ψάλλειν ἐκέλευσεν" ἀναστήτω ὁ θεὸς καὶ διασκορπισθήτωσαν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦκ. ὁ δὲ χαλεπήνας τοῦ χοροῦ τὴν διδάσκαλον ἀχθῆναι προσέταξε. καὶ γῆρας ἰδὼν αἰδοῦς ἀξιώτατον, οὔτε τοῦ σώματος τὴν πολιὰν ῴκτειρεν οὔτε τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς τετίμηκεν ἀρετήν, ἀλλά τισι τῶν δορυφόρων ἐκέλευσεν ἐπὶ κόρρης αὐτὴν ἑκατέρας παῖσαι καὶ ταῖς χερσὶ φοινίξαι τὰς παρειάς. ἡ δὲ ὡς ἄκραν τιμὴν δεξαμένη τὴν ἀτιμίαν ἀνελήλυθε μὲν εἰς τὸ δωμάτιον, συνήθως δὲ αὐτὸν ταῖς πνευματικαῖς ἔβαλλε μελῳδίαις, καθάπερ ὁ τῆς μελῳδίας ἐκείνης συγγραφεὺς καὶ διθάσκαλος τὸ πονηρὸν ἐχεῖνο κατέπαυε πνεῦμα τὸ τῷ Σαοὺλ ἐνοχλοῦν.
Kai Artemion de (stratēgos de houtos tōn en igyptǭ stratiōtōn egegonei), epeidē plei eista tōn eidōlōn synetripse tēn archēn ekeinēn en tois Kōnstantiou chronois lachōn, ou monon tōn ontōn egymnōsen alla kai tēs kephalēs to loipon esterēse sōma. tauta kai ta toiauta dedraken ho praotatos kai orgēs enkratestatos para tōn dyssebountōn onomazomenos. egō de kai gynaikos aristēs axiepainon diēgēma prosthēso tę̄ syngraphę̄" katephronēsan gar tēs toutou lyttēs kai gynaikes tǭ theiǭ zēlǭ kathoplismenai. Pouplia tis ēn kat᾽ ekeinon ton chronon onomastotatē kai polythrylētos ek tōn tēs aretēs katorthōmatōn gegenēmenē. hautē kai tou gamou ton zygon pros oligon dexamenē kairon, karpon axiagaston tǭ theǭ prosenēnochen. Iōannēs gar, ho tōn en Antiocheią presbyterōn epi pleiston hēgēsamenos chronon kai pollakis men tēs apostolikēs proedrias tas psēphous dexamenos, aei de tēnde tēn hēgemonian phygōn, ex ekeinēs tēs thaumasias arouras eblastēsen. hautē choron echousa parthenon tēn dia biou parthenian epēngelmenon aei men hymnei ton pepoiēkota kai sesōkota theon, tou de basileōs pariontos gegōnoteron koinę̄ epsallon, eukataphronēton hēgoumenai kai katagelaston ton alastora. don de malista ekeina ta (smata ha tōn eidōlōn kōmǭdei tēn astheneian, kai meta tou Dabid elegon" ta eidōla tōn ethnōn argyrion kai chrysion, erga cheirōn anthrōpōne. kai meta tēn tēs anaisthēsias diēgēsin elegon" homoioi autois genointo hoi poiountes auta kai pantes hoi pepoithotes ep᾽ autois. toutōn akousas ekeinos kai lian aniatheis sigan autais prosetaxe kata ton tēs parodou kairon. hē de mikron tōn echeinou nomōn phrontisasa, pleionos ton choron prothymias eneplēse, kai palin ekeinou diontos psallein ekeleusen" anastētō ho theos kai diaskorpisthētōsan hoi echthroi autouk. ho de chalepēnas tou chorou tēn didaskalon achthēnai prosetaxe. kai gēras idōn aidous axiōtaton, oute tou sōmatos tēn polian ǭkteiren oute tēn tēs psychēs tetimēken aretēn, alla tisi tōn doryphorōn ekeleusen epi korrēs autēn hekateras paisai kai tais chersi phoinixai tas pareias. hē de hōs akran timēn dexamenē tēn atimian anelēlythe men eis to dōmation, synēthōs de auton tais pneumatikais eballe melǭdiais, kathaper ho tēs melǭdias ekeinēs syngrapheus kai dithaskalos to ponēron echeino katepaue pneuma to tǭ Saoul enochloun.
He also stripped Artemius (he had been general of the soldiers in Egypt) of his property, because he had broken very many idols when he held that command in the times of Constantius, and then deprived the rest of his body of his head. These and such things were done by the one whom the impious call most gentle and most self-controlled in anger. I shall add to my history the praiseworthy story of an excellent woman too; for women too, armed with divine zeal, despised his frenzy.
There was at that time a certain Publia, very famous and celebrated for her achievements of virtue. She had accepted the yoke of marriage for a short time and offered to God an admirable fruit; for John, who for a very long time was the leader of the presbyters in Antioch, who often received votes for the apostolic presidency but always fled from this leadership, sprang from that admirable field. She had a choir of virgins who had vowed lifelong virginity, and they continually praised God the Creator and Saviour; and when the emperor passed by they sang together more loudly, considering the destroyer contemptible and ridiculous. They sang especially those songs that mock the weakness of idols, and said with David: “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands”; and after the description of their senselessness they said: “May those who make them become like them, and all who trust in them.” Hearing this and being greatly vexed, he ordered them to be silent at the time of his passing. But she, caring little for his laws, filled the choir with greater zeal, and when he passed by again ordered them to sing: “Let God arise, and let his enemies be scattered.” Angered, he ordered the teacher of the choir to be brought. And seeing an old age most worthy of respect, he neither pitied the grey hairs of her body nor honoured the virtue of her soul, but ordered some of his guards to strike her on both cheeks and redden her face with their hands. She, receiving the dishonour as the highest honour, went back to her room and, as usual, kept assailing him with spiritual melodies, just as the composer and teacher of that melody used to quiet the evil spirit that troubled Saul.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 115:4 (113:12 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 115:8 (113:16 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 68:1 (67:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 16:23 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Julian has Artemius, former military commander in Egypt, executed for destroying idols; Publia, a widow leading a choir of virgins in Antioch, sings psalms against idols as he passes, and when beaten on his orders continues her singing.
- The psalms are Ps 115:4, 8 (LXX 113:12, 16) and Ps 68:1 (LXX 67:2). David quieting Saul's evil spirit: 1 Sam 16:23.
- John, Publia's son, is not otherwise identified by Theodoret.
- The OCR text is damaged in “They sang especially those songs” (ᾖδον ... ᾄσματα); translated by sense.
Topics: Persecution, Prayer, Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.14 (GCS 19:197–198; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-14
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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.
3.15GCS 19:198–200
Καὶ γὰρ οὗτος τοὺς ἀλάστορας εἰσοικισάμενος δαίμονας, κορυβα:τιῶν διετέλει καὶ κατὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας λυττῶν. διὰ γὰρ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους κατὰ τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευχότων καθώπλισεν. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν αὐτοὺς συναλίσας ἤρετο τί δή ποτε τοῦ νόμου θύειν κελεύοντος ταῖς θυσίαις οὐ χρῶνται ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔφασαν ἑνὶ τόπῳ τὴν σφετέραν περιγεγράφθαι λατρείαν, παραυτίκα προσέταξεν ὃ θεομισὴς ἀνεγεῖραι τὸν χαταλυθέντα νεών, τὴν δεσποτικὴν ὑπολαμβάνων ὁ μάταιος “πρόρρησιν διελέγχειν. ἔδειξε δὲ μᾶλλον τὴν ταύτης ἀλήθειαν. τούτων γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τῶν λόγων ἀσπασίως ἀκούσαντες ἅπασι τὰ προστεταγμένα τοῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ὁμοφύλοις ἐδήλωσαν. οἱ δὲ πάντοθεν συνέθεον, καὶ χρήματα καὶ παοθυμίαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομίαν εἰσφέροντες. ἐχορήγησε δὲ ὅτι πλεῖστα καὶ ὃ τοῦτο προστεταχώς. οὐ φιλοτιμίᾳ χρώμενος ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ μαχόμενος. συναπέστειλε δὲ καὶ ἄρχοντα, τῶν δυσσεβῶν προσταγμάτων ἄξιον ὑπουργόν. φασὶ δὲ αὐτοὺς: καὶ σκαπάνας ἐξ ὕλης ἀργίρουι καὶ ἄμας καὶ κοφινίδας κατασκευάσαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὀρύττειν ἤρξαντο καὶ τὸν χοῦν ἐκφορεῖν, πανημέριον μὲν τοῦτο ἔδρων μυριάδες πολλαί, νύκτωρ δὲ ὃ χοῦς αὐτόματος ἀπὸ τῆς φάραγγος μετετίθετο. κατέλυσαν δὲ χεὶ αὐτὰ τῆς οἰκοδομίας τὰ λείψανα, νεῤδμητα πάντα κατασχευάσειν ἐλπίσαντες. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ γύψου καὶ τιτάνου πολλὰς μεδίμνων συγηθροισαν μυριάδας, ἐξαπίνης ἄνεμοι βίαιοι πνεύσαντες καὶ στρόβιλοι καὶ καταιγίδες καὶ λαίλαπες πάσας ἀθρόως ἐσκέδασαν. ἔτι δὲ μεμηνότων ἐχείρων καὶ τῇ μακροθυμίᾳ τῇ θείᾳ μὴ σωφρονιξομένων, πρῶτον μὲν σεισμὸς ἐγένετο μέγιστος καὶ τοὺς παντελῶς ἀμυήτους τῶ: θείων ἱκανὸς καταπλῆξαι. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ ἔδεισαν, πῦρ ἐκ τῶν ὀρυττομένων ἀναδραμὸν θεμελίων πλείστους μὲν τῶν ὀρυττόντων ἐνέπρησε. τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ἐσκέδασε. καὶ νύκτωρ δὲ παμπόλλων ἔν τινι πελαζούσῃ καθευδόντῶν στοῖ, κατηνέχθη μὲν ἀθρόως σὺν τῷ ὀρόφῳ τὸ οἰκοδόμημα, τοὺς δὲ καθεύδοντας συνέχωσεν ἅπαντας. κατὰ δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν νύκτα καὶ αὖ πάλιν τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ὥφθη ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ τοῦ σωτηρίου σταυροῦ τὸ σχῆμα φωτοειδές" καὶ αὐτὰ δὲ τὰ τῶν Ἰοϊδαίων ἐσθήματα σταυρῶν ἐπεπλήρωτο, οὐχ ἔτι μέντοι φωτοειδῶν ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ μελαίνης κατεσχευασμένων χροιᾶς.ταῦτα οἱ ἀντίθεοι θεασάμενοι καὶ τὰς θεηλάτους μάστιγας ὀρρωδήσαντες ἀπέδρασάν τε καὶ τὰ οἴχεῖα κατέλαβον, θεὸν ὁμολογοῦντες τὸν ὑπὸ τῶν προγόνων τῷ ξύλῳ προσηλωθέντα. ταῦτα ἤκουσε μὲν Ἰουλιανός, παρὰ πάντων γὰρ ἤδετο, τῷ δὲ Φαραὼ παραπλησίως τὴν καρδίαν ἐσχλήρυνεν.
Kai gar houtos tous alastoras eisoikisamenos daimonas, koryba:tiōn dietelei kai kata tēs eusebeias lyttōn. dia gar dē touto kai tous Ioudaious kata tōn eis Christon pepisteuchotōn kathōplisen. kai prōton men autous synalisas ēreto ti dē pote tou nomou thyein keleuontos tais thysiais ou chrōntai epeidē de ephasan heni topǭ tēn spheteran perigegraphthai latreian, parautika prosetaxen ho theomisēs anegeirai ton chatalythenta neōn, tēn despotikēn hypolambanōn ho mataios “prorrēsin dielenchein. edeixe de mallon tēn tautēs alētheian. toutōn gar ekeinoi tōn logōn aspasiōs akousantes hapasi ta prostetagmena tois kata tēn oikoumenēn homophylois edēlōsan. hoi de pantothen synetheon, kai chrēmata kai paothymian eis tēn oikodomian eispherontes. echorēgēse de hoti pleista kai ho touto prostetachōs. ou philotimią chrōmenos alla tę̄ alētheią machomenos. synapesteile de kai archonta, tōn dyssebōn prostagmatōn axion hypourgon. phasi de autous: kai skapanas ex hylēs argiroui kai amas kai kophinidas kataskeuasai. Epeidē de oryttein ērxanto kai ton choun ekphorein, panēmerion men touto edrōn myriades pollai, nyktōr de ho chous automatos apo tēs pharangos metetitheto. katelysan de chei auta tēs oikodomias ta leipsana, nerdmēta panta katascheuasein elpisantes. epeidē de kai gypsou kai titanou pollas medimnōn sygēthroisan myriadas, exapinēs anemoi biaioi pneusantes kai strobiloi kai kataigides kai lailapes pasas athroōs eskedasan. eti de memēnotōn echeirōn kai tę̄ makrothymią tę̄ theią mē sōphronixomenōn, prōton men seismos egeneto megistos kai tous pantelōs amyētous tō: theiōn hikanos kataplēxai. epeidē de ouk edeisan, pyr ek tōn oryttomenōn anadramon themeliōn pleistous men tōn oryttontōn eneprēse. tous de allous eskedase. kai nyktōr de pampollōn en tini pelazousę̄ katheudontōn stoi, katēnechthē men athroōs syn tǭ orophǭ to oikodomēma, tous de katheudontas synechōsen hapantas. kata de tēn autēn nykta kai au palin tę̄ hysteraią hōphthē en tǭ ouranǭ tou sōtēriou staurou to schēma phōtoeides" kai auta de ta tōn Ioïdaiōn esthēmata staurōn epeplērōto, ouch eti mentoi phōtoeidōn all᾽ ek melainēs katescheuasmenōn chroias.tauta hoi antitheoi theasamenoi kai tas theēlatous mastigas orrōdēsantes apedrasan te kai ta oicheia katelabon, theon homologountes ton hypo tōn progonōn tǭ xylǭ prosēlōthenta. tauta ēkouse men Ioulianos, para pantōn gar ēdeto, tǭ de Pharaō paraplēsiōs tēn kardian eschlērynen.
For this man too, having let the destroying demons dwell in him, continued raving in a frenzy and raging against true religion. For this reason he armed the Jews too against those who had believed in Christ. First he assembled them and asked why, when the law commanded them to sacrifice, they did not offer sacrifices. When they said that their worship was confined to one place, the God-hated man at once ordered the destroyed temple to be rebuilt, the vain man supposing that he would refute the Lord's prediction. But he showed its truth rather. For they, hearing these words gladly, made known what had been ordered to all their kinsmen throughout the world. These ran together from everywhere, bringing both money and eagerness to the building. The one who had ordered it also supplied very much, not out of generosity but fighting against the truth. He also sent an official with them, a servant worthy of the impious orders. They say that they even made spades, shovels, and baskets of silver.
When they began to dig and carry away the earth, many tens of thousands did this all day, but by night the earth moved back of its own accord from the ravine. They also destroyed the very remains of the building, hoping to build everything new. When they had gathered many tens of thousands of measures of gypsum and lime, suddenly violent winds blew, and whirlwinds, storms, and hurricanes scattered them all at once. When they were still raving and not brought to their senses by the divine long-suffering, first a very great earthquake took place, enough to strike with terror even those wholly uninitiated in divine things. When they did not fear, fire ran up from the foundations being dug, burned very many of the diggers, and scattered the rest. At night too, when very many were sleeping in a neighbouring portico, the building suddenly fell down, roof and all, and buried all the sleepers. During the same night and again the next day the shape of the saving cross was seen in the sky, shining like light; and the very clothes of the Jews were filled with crosses, no longer shining but made of a black colour. Seeing this, the enemies of God, terrified by the God-sent scourges, fled and went home, confessing as God the one who had been nailed to the wood by their forefathers. Julian heard this, for it was told by everyone; but like Pharaoh he hardened his heart.
Matt 24:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 7:13 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Julian incites the Jews to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem to disprove Christ's prophecy; earthquakes, winds, fire from the foundations, a collapsing portico, and crosses in the sky and on their clothes stop the work, but Julian, like Pharaoh, is unmoved.
- “The Lord's prediction”: Matt 24:2 (no stone left on another).
- The attempt to rebuild the temple (363) is also reported by the pagan historian Ammianus Marcellinus (23.1.2–3), who mentions balls of fire; the other details are Theodoret's.
- The language about the Jews (“enemies of God”) and about their forefathers is Theodoret's; translated as written.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.15 (GCS 19:198–200; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-15
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
3.16GCS 19:200–201
Ἐπειδὴ δὲ Πέρσαι τὴν Κωνσταντίου πυθόμενοι τελευτὴν ἂνεθάρρησαν καὶ εἰς τοὺς Ῥωμαίων ὅρους ἀφίκοντο πόλεμον προαγγείλαντες, ἔδοξεν αὐτῷ συναγεῖραι τὴν στρατιάν, τὸν ταύτης οὐχ ἔχοντι πρόμαχον. πέμψας δὲ εἰς Δελφοὺς καὶ Δῆλον καὶ Δωδώνην καὶ τὰ ἄλλα χρηστήρια, εἰ χρὴ στρατεύειν ἐπηρώτα τοὺς μάντεις. οἱ δὲ καὶ στρατεύειν ἐκέλευον καὶ ὑπισχνοῦντο τὴν νίκην. ἕνα δὲ τῶν χρησμῶν εἰς ἔλεγχον τοῦ ψεύδους ἐνθήσω τῇ συγγραφῇ. ἔστι δὲ οὗτος" νῦν πάντες ὥὡρμήθημεν θεοὶ νίκης τρόπαια κομίσασθαι παρὰ Θηρὶ ποταμῷ" τῶν δ᾽ ἐγὼ ἡγεμονεύσο θοῦρος πολεμόκλονος ἼἌρηςε. τὸ μὲν οὖν τῶν ἐπῶν καταγέλαστον κωμῳδείτωσαν οἱ λόγιον θεὸν καὶ τῶν Μουσῶν ἀρχηγέτην τὸν Πύθιον ὀνομάζοντες" ἐγὼ δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ ψεῦδος εὐρὼν τὸν ἐξηπατημένον ὀδύρομαι. Θῆρα δὲ ποταμὸν τὸν Ἰΐγριν ὠνόμασαν, ἐπειδήπερ ἐστὶν αὐτοῦ θηρίον ὁμώνυμον. οὗτος δὲ ἐκ τῶν ᾿Δἀρμενίων ἀναβλυστάνων ὀρῶν καὶ διὰ τῆς ᾿“Δσσυρίας δέων εἰς τὸν Περσικὸν εἰσβάλλει κόλπον. : Ὑπὸ τούτων ὃ δείλαιος βουχοληθ εὶς τῶν χρησμῶν, καὶ τὴν νίκην ὠνειροπόλει καὶ μετὰ τὴν Περσικὴν μάχην τὸν πρὸς τοὺς Γαλιλαίους ἐφαντάζετο πόλεμον. τοὺς δὲ Χριστιανοὺς Γαλιλαίους οὐνόμαζεν, ἀτιμίαν αὐτοῖς ἐκ τῆς προσηγορίας προσάψειν ἡγούμενος. ἔδει δὲ αὐτὸν σκοπῆσαι λόγοις ἐντεθραμμένον, οἧς ἥκιστα δόξῃ λιμαίνεται προσηγορίας ἐναλλαγή. οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰ Σωκράτης ὠνομάσθη Κριτίας καὶ Φάλαρις ὁ Πυθαγορας προσηγορευθη. λώβης ἂν μετέσχον τινὸς ἐκ τῆς τῶν ὀνομάτων μεταβολῆς οὐδέ γε ὁ Νηρεὺς Θερσίτης ἐπιχληθεὶς ἀπώλεσεν ἂν ὃ παρὰ τῆς φύσεως ἐδέξατο κάλλος. ἀλλὰ τούτων οὐδὲν ὁ ταῦτα πεπαιδευμένος εἰς νοῦν λαβών, ἐκ τῆς οὐδαμόθεν ἡμῖν ἁρμοττούσης προσηγορίας πημαίνειν ἡμᾶς ὑπέλαβε" καὶ τῇ τῶν χρησμῶν ψφευδολογίᾳ πιστεύσας ἠπείλει ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἐνιδρῦσαι τῆς δαίμονος τῆς ἀκολάστου τὰ εἴδωλα.
Epeidē de Persai tēn Kōnstantiou pythomenoi teleutēn anetharrēsan kai eis tous Rhōmaiōn horous aphikonto polemon proangeilantes, edoxen autǭ synageirai tēn stratian, ton tautēs ouch echonti promachon. pempsas de eis Delphous kai Dēlon kai Dōdōnēn kai ta alla chrēstēria, ei chrē strateuein epērōta tous manteis. hoi de kai strateuein ekeleuon kai hypischnounto tēn nikēn. hena de tōn chrēsmōn eis elenchon tou pseudous enthēsō tę̄ syngraphę̄. esti de houtos" nyn pantes hōōrmēthēmen theoi nikēs tropaia komisasthai para Thēri potamǭ" tōn d᾽ egō hēgemoneuso thouros polemoklonos IArēse. to men oun tōn epōn katagelaston kōmǭdeitōsan hoi logion theon kai tōn Mousōn archēgetēn ton Pythion onomazontes" egō de autou to pseudos eurōn ton exēpatēmenon odyromai. Thēra de potamon ton Iïgrin ōnomasan, epeidēper estin autou thērion homōnymon. houtos de ek tōn ᾿Darmeniōn anablystanōn orōn kai dia tēs ᾿“Dssyrias deōn eis ton Persikon eisballei kolpon. : Hypo toutōn ho deilaios boucholēth eis tōn chrēsmōn, kai tēn nikēn ōneiropolei kai meta tēn Persikēn machēn ton pros tous Galilaious ephantazeto polemon. tous de Christianous Galilaious ounomazen, atimian autois ek tēs prosēgorias prosapsein hēgoumenos. edei de auton skopēsai logois entethrammenon, hoēs hēkista doxę̄ limainetai prosēgorias enallagē. oude gar ei Sōkratēs ōnomasthē Kritias kai Phalaris ho Pythagoras prosēgoreuthē. lōbēs an meteschon tinos ek tēs tōn onomatōn metabolēs oude ge ho Nēreus Thersitēs epichlētheis apōlesen an ho para tēs physeōs edexato kallos. alla toutōn ouden ho tauta pepaideumenos eis noun labōn, ek tēs oudamothen hēmin harmottousēs prosēgorias pēmainein hēmas hypelabe" kai tę̄ tōn chrēsmōn pspheudologią pisteusas ēpeilei tais ekklēsiais enidrysai tēs daimonos tēs akolastou ta eidōla.
When the Persians, learning of Constantius's death, took courage, came to the Roman borders and announced war, he decided to gather his army, having no champion for it. He sent to Delphi, Delos, Dodona, and the other oracles, asking the seers whether he should march. They told him to march and promised victory. I shall insert one of the oracles in my history to expose its falsehood. It is this:
“Now we gods have all set out to carry off trophies of victory by the river Beast; and of them I shall be leader, Ares, the swift tumult of war.”
Let those who call the Pythian a god of eloquence and leader of the Muses mock the ridiculousness of the verses; I, having found its falsehood, lament the man who was deceived. They called the Tigris the river Beast, since there is a beast of the same name. It rises in the mountains of the Armenians, flows through Assyria, and falls into the Persian Gulf.
Beguiled by these oracles, the wretch dreamed of victory, and after the Persian battle imagined the war against the Galileans. He called the Christians Galileans, thinking he would fasten dishonour on them by the name. But, brought up in literature as he was, he ought to have considered that a change of name does not harm reputation in the least. For if Socrates had been named Critias and Pythagoras called Phalaris, they would not have shared in any disgrace from the change of names; nor would Nireus, if called Thersites, have lost the beauty he received from nature. But taking none of this into account, though educated in it, he supposed he could harm us by a name in no way fitting us; and trusting the lies of the oracles, he threatened to set up the idols of the licentious demon in the churches.
Notes and citation
Summary: Before his Persian campaign Julian consults the oracles, which promise victory; Theodoret quotes one in which Ares promises trophies at the Tigris, mocks it, and remarks that Julian's calling Christians “Galileans” cannot harm them, since names do not change character.
- The oracle's “river Beast” (Θήρ) is explained by Theodoret as the Tigris (tigris, “tiger”). The oracle is preserved only here.
- Critias and Phalaris were proverbial for tyranny, Thersites for ugliness and Nireus for beauty (Homer, Iliad 2.671–674).
- “The licentious demon”: Aphrodite (compare 1.15).
Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Il. 2.671-674 (Homer, Iliad; allusion)
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.16 (GCS 19:200–201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-16
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
3.17GCS 19:201–202
Δετὰ τούτων δὲ ἀπάρας τῶν ἀπειλῶν, ὑφ᾽ ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς ἐν Βεροίᾳ χκατηγωνίσθη. οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀνὴρ καὶ ἄλλως μὲν περιφανὴς ἐτύγχανεν ὧν (τῶν γὰρ αὐτόθι πολιτευομένων ἡγεῖτο), περιφανέστερον δὲ αὐτὸν ὁ ζῆλος ἀπέφηνε. τὸν γὰρ υἱὸν θεασάμενος εἰς τὴν τότε κρατοῦσαν ἀσέβειαν ἐξοχείλαντα ἐξήλασε τῆς οἰκίας καὶ προφανῶς ἀπεκήρυξεν. ὁ δὲ ἐν τῷ πελάζοντι τῇ πόλει σταθμῷ τῷ βασιλεῖ προσελθών, τήν τὲ οἰκείαν γνώμην καὶ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ἐδήλωσεν ἀποκήρυξι" ὁ δὲ ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν τῷ νέῳ προσέταξε, καταλλάξειν ὑποσχόμενος τὸν πατέρα. ἐπειδὴ ὁὲ ἀφίκετο εἰς τὴν Βέροιαν. τοὺς ἐν τέλει καὶ ἀξιωτάτους συνεχάλεσεν εἰς ἑστίασιν. ἐν δὲ τούτοις ἣν καὶ ὁ τούτου πατήρ. τοῦτον δὲ μετὰ τοῦ παιδὸς εἰς τὴν αὐτοῦ στιβάδα καταχλιθῆναι προσέταξε. τοῦ δὲ ἀρίστου μεσοῦντος ἔφη πρὸς τὸν πατέρα" οὐ δίκαιον εἶναί μοι δοχεῖ βιάζεσθαι γνώμην ἑτέρωσε κλινομένην καὶ μετάγειν μὴ βουλομένην εἰς ἕτερα. μὴ δὴ οὖν βιάσῃ τὸν παῖδα τοῖς σοῖς δόγμασιν ἀκολουθεῖν οὐ βουλόμενον" οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐγώ σες, ἔφη, βιάζομαι τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἕπεσθαι, καίτοι μάλα ῥᾳδίως ἀναγκάσαι δυνάμενοςι. ὁ δὲ τῇ περὶ τὰ θεῖα πίστει τὸν λογισμὸν παραθήξας" περὶ τούτους, ἔφη, Οοὐ βασιλεῦ, τοῦ ἀλάστορος λέγεις τοῦ θεομισοῦς καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος τῆς ἀληθείας προελομένου; ὁ δὲ πάλιν τὸ τῆς πραὅτητος περιθεὶς προσωπεῖον" παῦσαιε, ἔφη, νἄνθρωπε, λοιδορούμενος. καὶ πρὸς τὸν νέον ἀποχλίνας τὸ πρόσωπον" ἐγώ σοῦυε, ἔφη, φροντιῶ, ἐπειδή σου τὸν πατέρα δρᾶσαι τοῦτο οὐκ ἔπεισαςε. τοῦδε μέντοι τοῦ διηγήματος οὐ μάτην ἐμνήσθην, ἀλλὰ δεῖξαι βουλόμενος οὐ μόνον τοῦ θαυμασίου ἀνδρὸς τὴν ἀξιάγαστον παρρησίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ πλεῖστοι τῆς ἐκείνου κατεφρόνησαν δυναστείας.
Deta toutōn de aparas tōn apeilōn, hyph᾽ henos andros en Beroią chkatēgōnisthē. houtos gar ho anēr kai allōs men periphanēs etynchanen hōn (tōn gar autothi politeuomenōn hēgeito), periphanesteron de auton ho zēlos apephēne. ton gar huion theasamenos eis tēn tote kratousan asebeian exocheilanta exēlase tēs oikias kai prophanōs apekēryxen. ho de en tǭ pelazonti tę̄ polei stathmǭ tǭ basilei proselthōn, tēn te oikeian gnōmēn kai tēn tou patros edēlōsen apokēryxi" ho de hēsychian agein tǭ neǭ prosetaxe, katallaxein hyposchomenos ton patera. epeidē hoe aphiketo eis tēn Beroian. tous en telei kai axiōtatous synechalesen eis hestiasin. en de toutois hēn kai ho toutou patēr. touton de meta tou paidos eis tēn autou stibada katachlithēnai prosetaxe. tou de aristou mesountos ephē pros ton patera" ou dikaion einai moi dochei biazesthai gnōmēn heterōse klinomenēn kai metagein mē boulomenēn eis hetera. mē dē oun biasę̄ ton paida tois sois dogmasin akolouthein ou boulomenon" oude gar egō ses, ephē, biazomai tois emois hepesthai, kaitoi mala rhądiōs anankasai dynamenosi. ho de tę̄ peri ta theia pistei ton logismon parathēxas" peri toutous, ephē, Oou basileu, tou alastoros legeis tou theomisous kai to pseudos tēs alētheias proelomenou? ho de palin to tēs praotētos peritheis prosōpeion" pausaie, ephē, nanthrōpe, loidoroumenos. kai pros ton neon apochlinas to prosōpon" egō souye, ephē, phrontiō, epeidē sou ton patera drasai touto ouk epeisase. toude mentoi tou diēgēmatos ou matēn emnēsthēn, alla deixai boulomenos ou monon tou thaumasiou andros tēn axiagaston parrēsian, all᾽ hoti kai pleistoi tēs ekeinou katephronēsan dynasteias.
Setting out with these threats, he was defeated by one man in Beroea. This man was distinguished in other respects (he was the leader of the town council there), but his zeal made him more distinguished still. For seeing his son run aground on the impiety then prevailing, he drove him out of the house and publicly disowned him. The son came to the emperor at the station near the city and made known both his own opinion and his father's disowning of him. The emperor told the young man to keep quiet, promising to reconcile his father. When he arrived at Beroea, he invited the officials and men of the highest rank to a banquet. Among them was this man's father, and he ordered him to recline on his own couch with his son. In the middle of the meal he said to the father: “It does not seem to me right to force a mind that inclines another way and to lead it against its will to other views. Do not, then, force your son to follow your doctrines when he does not wish to; for I do not force you to follow mine,” he said, “although I could very easily compel you.” But the father, whetting his reasoning with his faith in divine things, said: “Are you speaking, emperor, about this accursed, God-hated wretch who has preferred falsehood to the truth?” The emperor again put on the mask of mildness and said, “Stop abusing him, man”; and turning his face to the young man he said: “I shall take care of you, since you have not persuaded your father to do this.” I have not mentioned this story in vain, but wishing to show not only the admirable boldness of that remarkable man, but also that very many despised Julian's power.
Notes and citation
Summary: At Beroea a leading councillor who had disowned his son for turning pagan answers Julian, at a banquet, by calling his son a God-hated wretch; Julian, feigning mildness, takes the son under his own care.
- The father is not named by Theodoret.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.17 (GCS 19:201–202; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-17
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
3.18GCS 19:202
Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ πάλιν ἀνήρ τις ἄριστος, παιδαγωγεῖν μειράκια πεπιστευμένος, συνήθης μὲν ἣν, ὡς πλειόνων λόγων ἢ κατὰ παιδαγωγὸν μετασχών, τῷ τηνικαῦτα τῶν διδασκάλων ἡγουμένῳ" Διβάνιος δὲ ἢν, ὁ ἐν σοφισταῖς πολυθρύλητος. δυσσεβὴς δὲ οὗτος ὧν καὶ τὴν νίκην προσμένων καὶ τὰς Ἰουλιανοῦ φανταζόμενος ἀπειλάς, ἤρετο τὸν παιδαγωγὸν κωμῳδῶν τὰ ἡμέτερα' τί νῦν ποιεῖς, λέγων, τοῦ τέκτονος ὁ υἱός; ὁ δὲ τῆς θείας ἀναπλησθεὶς χάριτος προείρηκε τὸ μετ᾽ ὀλίγον γενόμενον" γλωσσόκομον χάρι, ἔφη, νὦ σοφιστά, ὁ τοῦ παντὸς κατασκευάζει δημιουργός, ὃν σὺ κωμῳδῶν τέκτονος υἱὸν προσηγόρευσας. ὀλίγων δὲ διελθοισῶν ἡμερῶν, ὁ τοῦ ἀλάστορος ἐχείνου θάνατος ἐμηνύθη καὶ ἐν γλωσσοκόμῳ κείμενος ἐκομίσθη καὶ τῶν ἀπειλῶν ὁ κόμπος μάταιος ἀπεφάνθη.
Kai gar kai en Antiocheią palin anēr tis aristos, paidagōgein meirakia pepisteumenos, synēthēs men hēn, hōs pleionōn logōn ē kata paidagōgon metaschōn, tǭ tēnikauta tōn didaskalōn hēgoumenǭ" Dibanios de ēn, ho en sophistais polythrylētos. dyssebēs de houtos hōn kai tēn nikēn prosmenōn kai tas Ioulianou phantazomenos apeilas, ēreto ton paidagōgon kōmǭdōn ta hēmetera' ti nyn poieis, legōn, tou tektonos ho huios? ho de tēs theias anaplēstheis charitos proeirēke to met᾽ oligon genomenon" glōssokomon chari, ephē, nō sophista, ho tou pantos kataskeuazei dēmiourgos, hon sy kōmǭdōn tektonos huion prosēgoreusas. oligōn de dielthoisōn hēmerōn, ho tou alastoros echeinou thanatos emēnythē kai en glōssokomǭ keimenos ekomisthē kai tōn apeilōn ho kompos mataios apephanthē.
For in Antioch too there was again an excellent man, entrusted with the care of boys as their attendant, who was an acquaintance, as one who had more learning than a boy's attendant usually has, of the leading teacher of the time; this was Libanius, celebrated among the sophists. Libanius, being impious, expecting victory and imagining Julian's threats, asked the attendant, mocking our religion: “What is the carpenter's son doing now?” He, filled with divine grace, foretold what happened shortly afterwards: “The Creator of the universe, sophist,” he said, “whom you mockingly called the carpenter's son, is making a coffin.” A few days later the death of that destroyer was announced, he was brought back lying in a coffin, and the boast of his threats was shown to be vain.
Matt 13:55 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: When the sophist Libanius mockingly asks a Christian schoolboys' attendant what “the carpenter's son” is doing, the man answers that he is making a coffin, and a few days later Julian's death is announced.
- “The carpenter's son”: Matt 13:55.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.18 (GCS 19:202; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-18
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
3.19GCS 19:202–203
Καὶ ὁ τῶν ἀσωμάτων δὲ τὸν βίον ἐν σώματι μιμησάμενος, Ἰουμανὸν λέγω τὸν Σάβαν ἐπίκλην τῇ Σύρων φωνῇ προσαγορευόμενον, οὗ τὴν πολιτείαν ἐν τῇ Φιλοθέῳ συνεγράψαμεν Ἱστορίᾳ, σπουδαιοτέραν τῷ θεῷ τῶν ὅλων ἱκετείαν προσέφερε, τὰς τοῦ δυσσεβοῦς ἐκείνου μεμαθηκὼς ἀπειχάξ:. κατ᾽ ἐκείνην δὲ τὴν ἡμέραν καθ᾽ ἣν ἐκεῖνος ἐδέξατο τὴν σφαγήν. οὗτος ταύτην προσευχόμενος ἔγνω, καίτοι πλειόνων εἴκοσι σταθμῶν ἐκ τοῦ φροντιστηρίου μέχρι τοῦ στρατοπέδου ἀριθμουμένων. φασὶ δὲ αὐτὸν ποτνιώμενον καὶ τὸν φιλάνθοωπον ἀντιβολοῦντα δεσπότην ἐπισχεῖν μὲν ἐξαπίνης τὴν τῶν δαχρίων φοράν. διαχυθῆναι δὲ καὶ θυμησί ἰς πλησθῆναι “καὶ γανωθῆναι τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ τούτῳ μηνῦσαι τὴν τῆς φυχῆς ἡδονήν. ταύπμὼ οἱ συνηθέστεροι τὴν μετάβολ ὴν αὐτοῦ θεασάμενοι, μηνῦσαι σφίσιν ἱκέτευσαν τῆς εὐφροσύνης ᾽τὴν ἀφορμήν. ὁ δὲ τὸν σῦν ἔφη τὸν ἄγριον τὸν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος τοῦ θείου πολέμιον δίκας εἰσπεπρᾶχθαι τῶν εἰς τοῦτον ἀδικημάτων καὶ κεῖσθαι νεκρόν, τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς πεπαυμένον. ταῦτα μεμαθηχότες ἐχόρευον ἅπαντες καὶ τῷ θεῷ τὸν χαριστήρεον προσέφερον ὕμνον. ἔγνωσαν δὲ καὶ παρὰ τῶν τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν μεμηνυχότων αὐτὴν εἶναι καὶ τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ τὴν ὥραν καθ᾽ ἣν ἀνηρῆσθαι τὸν ἀλιτήριον ὁ θεῖος ἐκεῖνος πρεσβύτης ἔγνω τε καὶ προείρηκε.
Kai ho tōn asōmatōn de ton bion en sōmati mimēsamenos, Ioumanon legō ton Saban epiklēn tę̄ Syrōn phōnę̄ prosagoreuomenon, hou tēn politeian en tę̄ Philotheǭ synegrapsamen Historią, spoudaioteran tǭ theǭ tōn holōn hiketeian prosephere, tas tou dyssebous ekeinou memathēkōs apeichax:. kat᾽ ekeinēn de tēn hēmeran kath᾽ hēn ekeinos edexato tēn sphagēn. houtos tautēn proseuchomenos egnō, kaitoi pleionōn eikosi stathmōn ek tou phrontistēriou mechri tou stratopedou arithmoumenōn. phasi de auton potniōmenon kai ton philanthoōpon antibolounta despotēn epischein men exapinēs tēn tōn dachriōn phoran. diachythēnai de kai thymēsi is plēsthēnai “kai ganōthēnai to prosōpon kai toutǭ mēnysai tēn tēs phychēs hēdonēn. taupmō hoi synēthesteroi tēn metabol ēn autou theasamenoi, mēnysai sphisin hiketeusan tēs euphrosynēs ᾽tēn aphormēn. ho de ton syn ephē ton agrion ton tou ampelōnos tou theiou polemion dikas eispeprachthai tōn eis touton adikēmatōn kai keisthai nekron, tēs epiboulēs pepaumenon. tauta memathēchotes echoreuon hapantes kai tǭ theǭ ton charistēreon prosepheron hymnon. egnōsan de kai para tōn tēn ekeinou teleutēn memēnychotōn autēn einai kai tēn hēmeran kai tēn hōran kath᾽ hēn anērēsthai ton alitērion ho theios ekeinos presbytēs egnō te kai proeirēke.
He too who imitated in the body the life of the bodiless beings, I mean Julian called Saba in the Syrian tongue, whose way of life we have written in the Religious History, offered more earnest supplication to the God of the universe on learning of that impious man's threats. On the very day on which Julian received his death-blow, he learned of it while praying, although more than twenty stages were counted from his monastery to the camp. They say that, as he was lamenting and beseeching the merciful Master, he suddenly stopped the flow of his tears, and his face relaxed, was filled with joy and brightened, and so showed the pleasure of his soul. When his closer companions saw the change in him, they begged him to tell them the reason for his gladness. He said that the wild boar, the enemy of the divine vineyard, had paid the penalty for the wrongs done to it and lay dead, his plotting ended. Hearing this they all danced and offered a hymn of thanksgiving to God. They learned too from those who reported his death that it was the very day and hour at which the divine old man had known and foretold that the accursed man had been killed.
Ps 80:13 (79:14 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Syrian ascetic Julian Saba, praying far from the front, perceives at the very hour of Julian's death that the persecutor has been slain, and his companions later confirm the day and hour.
- Julian Saba is the subject of Religious History 2.
- The wild boar in the vineyard: Ps 80:13 (LXX 79:14).
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.19 (GCS 19:202–203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-19
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
3.20GCS 19:203–205
Τὴν ἐκείνου δὲ ἀβουλίαν σαφέστερον ὁ θάνατος ἔδειξε. διαβὰς γὰρ τὸν ὁρίζοντα ποταμὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Περσῶν τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίαν καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν διαβιβάσας, ἐνέπρησε παραυτίκα τὰ σκάφη, πολεμεῖν ἀναγκάζων, οὐ πείθων, τοὺς στρατιώτας. οἱ δὲ ἄριστοι στρατηγοὶ προθυμίας ἀναπιμπλάναι τοὺς ἀρχομένους εἰώθασι, κἂν ἀθυμοῦντα: ἴδωσι, ψυχαγωγοῦσι καὶ ταῖς ἐλπίσιν ἐπαίρουσιν" οὗτος δὲ τὴν ἀγαθὴν εὐθὺς ἀπέκοψεν ἐλπίδα, τῆς ἐπανόδου τὴν διαβάθραν ἐμπρήσας. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις δέον πάντοθεν πορίξειν τοῖς στρατιώταις τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τροφήν, οὔτε ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας ταύτην προσέταξε φέρεσθαι, οὔτε τὴν πολεμίαν ληϊζόμενος παρεῖχε τὴν ἀφθονίαν" καταλιπὼν γὰρ τὴν οἰκουμένην διήει τὴν ἔρημον. ἐνταῦθα δὴ καὶ ποτοῦ καὶ τροφῆς οἱ στρατιῶται σπανίζοντες, καὶ τῆς πορείας ἡγεμόνας οὐχ ἔχοντες ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ἐρήμῳ χώρᾳ πλανώμενοι, τὴν τοῦ σοφωτάτου βασιλέως ἐγνῶσαν ἀβουλίαν. ὁλ οφυρόμενοι δὲ καὶ στένοντες εὗρον ἐξαπίνης χείμενον τὸν κατὰ τοῦ ὅ πεποιηκότος λυττήσαντα, καὶ τὸν '᾿ἄρεα τὸν πολεμόχλονον ἐπίκουρον οὐ γενόμενον κατὰ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, καὶ τὸν Δοξίαν τὰ ψευδῆ μαντευσάμενον, καὶ τὸν τερπιχέραυνον κατὰ τοῦ κτείναντος τοῖς κεραυγνοῖς οὐ χρησάμενον, καὶ τὸν χύόμπον τῶν ἀπειλῶν ἐρριμμένον εἰς ἔδαφος. τὸν μέντοι τὴν δικαίαν ἐκείνην ἐπενεγκόντα πληγὴν οὐδεὶς ὅ ἔγνω μέχρι καὶ τήμερον" ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μέν τινα τῶν ἀοράτων ταύτην ἐπεγηνοχέναι φασίν, οἱ δὲ τῶν γομάδων ἕνα τῶν ἸΙσμαηλιτῶν καλουμένων, ἄλλοι δὲ στρατιώτην τὸν λιμὸν καὶ τὴν ἔρημον δυσχεράναντα. ἀλλ᾽ εἴτε ἄνθρωπος εἴτε ἄγγελος ὦσε τὸ ξίφος, δῆλον οὑς τοῦτο δέδρακε τοῦ θείου νεύματος γενόμενος ὑπουργός. ἐκεῖνον δέ γέ φασι δεξάμενον τὴν πληγὴν εὐθὺς πλῆσαι τὴν χεῖρα τοῦ αἵματος καὶ τοῦτο δίφαι εἰς τὸν ἀέρα καὶ φάναι" νενίκηκας Γαλιλαῖεε, καὶ κατὰ ταὐτὸν τήν τε νίκην ὁμολογῆσαι καὶ τὴν βλασφημίαν τολμῆσαι. οὕτως ἐμβρόντητος ἦν.
Tēn ekeinou de aboulian saphesteron ho thanatos edeixe. diabas gar ton horizonta potamon apo tēs Persōn tēn Rhōmaiōn hēgemonian kai tēn stratian diabibasas, eneprēse parautika ta skaphē, polemein anankazōn, ou peithōn, tous stratiōtas. hoi de aristoi stratēgoi prothymias anapimplanai tous archomenous eiōthasi, kan athymounta: idōsi, psychagōgousi kai tais elpisin epairousin" houtos de tēn agathēn euthys apekopsen elpida, tēs epanodou tēn diabathran emprēsas. pros de toutois deon pantothen porixein tois stratiōtais tēn anankaian trophēn, oute ek tēs oikeias tautēn prosetaxe pheresthai, oute tēn polemian lēïzomenos pareiche tēn aphthonian" katalipōn gar tēn oikoumenēn diēei tēn erēmon. entautha dē kai potou kai trophēs hoi stratiōtai spanizontes, kai tēs poreias hēgemonas ouch echontes all᾽ en erēmǭ chōrą planōmenoi, tēn tou sophōtatou basileōs egnōsan aboulian. hol ophyromenoi de kai stenontes heuron exapinēs cheimenon ton kata tou ho pepoiēkotos lyttēsanta, kai ton '᾿area ton polemochlonon epikouron ou genomenon kata tēn hyposchesin, kai ton Doxian ta pseudē manteusamenon, kai ton terpicheraunon kata tou kteinantos tois keraugnois ou chrēsamenon, kai ton chyompon tōn apeilōn errimmenon eis edaphos. ton mentoi tēn dikaian ekeinēn epenenkonta plēgēn oudeis ho egnō mechri kai tēmeron" all᾽ hoi men tina tōn aoratōn tautēn epegēnochenai phasin, hoi de tōn gomadōn hena tōn IIsmaēlitōn kaloumenōn, alloi de stratiōtēn ton limon kai tēn erēmon dyscherananta. all᾽ eite anthrōpos eite angelos ōse to xiphos, dēlon hous touto dedrake tou theiou neumatos genomenos hypourgos. ekeinon de ge phasi dexamenon tēn plēgēn euthys plēsai tēn cheira tou haimatos kai touto diphai eis ton aera kai phanai" nenikēkas Galilaiee, kai kata tauton tēn te nikēn homologēsai kai tēn blasphēmian tolmēsai. houtōs embrontētos ēn.
His death showed his folly more clearly. Having crossed the river that divides the empire of the Romans from that of the Persians and taken his army across, he at once burned the boats, compelling the soldiers to fight rather than persuading them. The best generals usually fill those they command with eagerness, and if they see them despondent they encourage them and raise them with hopes; but he at once cut off good hope by burning the means of return. Besides this, when he ought to have provided the soldiers with necessary food from every quarter, he neither ordered it to be brought from his own territory nor supplied abundance by plundering the enemy's; for leaving the inhabited country he went through the desert. There the soldiers, lacking drink and food, having no guides for the march but wandering in a desert land, learned the folly of the most wise emperor. As they were lamenting and groaning, they suddenly found lying dead the man who had raged against his Maker; and Ares, raiser of the din of war, had not been his helper as promised; and Loxias had prophesied falsehood; and the Delighter in Thunder had not used his thunderbolts against the slayer; and the boast of his threats had been thrown to the ground. Who struck that just blow no one has known to this day; some say that one of the invisible beings dealt it, others one of the nomads called Ishmaelites, others a soldier vexed by hunger and the desert. But whether man or angel thrust the sword, it is plain that he did it as a servant of the divine will. They say that when he received the wound he at once filled his hand with blood, threw it into the air and said: “You have conquered, Galilean,” at once both confessing the victory and daring the blasphemy. So thunderstruck was he.
Notes and citation
Summary: Julian, having burned his boats after crossing into Persia and led his starving army through the desert, is killed by an unknown hand; Theodoret mocks the failed promises of Ares, Apollo, and Zeus and reports that Julian, dying, threw his blood into the air crying, “You have conquered, Galilean.”
- “Loxias”: a title of Apollo; “the Delighter in Thunder”: Zeus.
- The saying “You have conquered, Galilean” is introduced by Theodoret with “they say”; translated as written.
- “Ishmaelites”: Arab nomads.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.20 (GCS 19:203–205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-20
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
3.21GCS 19:205
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν σφαγὴν αἱ τῆς ἐκείνου γοητείας ἐρωράθησαν μαγγαγεῖαι. Κάρραι γὰρ" "πόλις ἐστὶν ἔτι καὶ νῦν ἔχουσα τῆς ἀσεβείας τὰ λείψανα. διὰ ταύτης ὁ μάταιος τὴν πορείαν ποιούμενος (τὴν γὰρ Ἔδεσαν ος εὐσεβείᾳ κοσμουμένην εὐώνυμον καταλελοίπει), εἰς τὸν παρὰ τῶν δυσσεβῶν τιμώμενον σηκὸν εἰσελθὼν καί τινα ἐν τούτῳ σὺν τοῖς κοινωνοῖς τοῦ μύσους ἐπιτελέσας, κλεῖθρα καὶ σήμαντρα ταῖς θύραις ἐπέθηχε καί τιρας ταύταις προσεδρεύειν προσέταξε στρατιώτας, μηδένα εἴσω τῶν θυρῶν γεν έσθαι μέχρι τῆς ἐπανόδου κελεύσας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ θάνατος ἀπηγγέλθη “χαὶ εὐσεβὴς βασιλεία τὴν δυσσεβῆ διεδέξατο, εἴσω γενόμενοι τοῦ σηκοῦ εὗρον τὴν ἀξ ξιάγαστον τοῦ βασιλέως ἀνδρείαν τε καὶ σοφίαν καὶ πρὸς τούτοις εὐσέβειαν. εἶδον γὰρ ῦ γύναιον ἐκ τῶν τριχῶν ἠωρημένον, ἐκτεταμένας ἔχον τὰς χεῖρας" ῆς ἀναχείρας ὁ ἀλιτήριος τὴν γαστέρα τὴν νίκην δήπουθεν τὴν κατὰ Περσῶν διὰ τοῦ ἥπατος ἔγνω. τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ἐν Κάρραις ἐφωράθη τὸ μύσος.
Meta de tēn sphagēn hai tēs ekeinou goēteias erōrathēsan mangageiai. Karrai gar" "polis estin eti kai nyn echousa tēs asebeias ta leipsana. dia tautēs ho mataios tēn poreian poioumenos (tēn gar Edesan os eusebeią kosmoumenēn euōnymon kataleloipei), eis ton para tōn dyssebōn timōmenon sēkon eiselthōn kai tina en toutǭ syn tois koinōnois tou mysous epitelesas, kleithra kai sēmantra tais thyrais epethēche kai tiras tautais prosedreuein prosetaxe stratiōtas, mēdena eisō tōn thyrōn gen esthai mechri tēs epanodou keleusas. epeidē de ho thanatos apēngelthē “chai eusebēs basileia tēn dyssebē diedexato, eisō genomenoi tou sēkou heuron tēn ax xiagaston tou basileōs andreian te kai sophian kai pros toutois eusebeian. eidon gar y gynaion ek tōn trichōn ēōrēmenon, ektetamenas echon tas cheiras" ēs anacheiras ho alitērios tēn gastera tēn nikēn dēpouthen tēn kata Persōn dia tou hēpatos egnō. touto men oun en Karrais ephōrathē to mysos.
After his death the devices of his sorcery were discovered. Carrhae is a city that even now still has remnants of impiety. Making his journey through it (for he had left Edessa, adorned with true religion, on his left), the vain man went into the shrine honoured by the impious, performed certain rites in it with the partners of his defilement, put bolts and seals on the doors, and ordered some soldiers to keep watch at them, commanding that no one should go inside the doors until his return. When his death was announced and a pious reign succeeded the impious one, they went inside the shrine and found the admirable courage, wisdom, and piety besides of the emperor. For they saw a woman hanging by her hair, with her hands stretched out; the accursed man had cut open her belly, no doubt to learn from her liver about his victory over the Persians. This abomination, then, was discovered in Carrhae.
Notes and citation
Summary: After Julian's death a temple he had sealed at Carrhae is opened and found to contain a woman whose body he had cut open to divine victory from her liver.
- “The admirable courage, wisdom, and piety of the emperor” is ironic, as in the Greek.
- Theodoret's report of human sacrifice is his own; translated as written.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.21 (GCS 19:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-21
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
3.22GCS 19:205–206
Ἐν Αντιοχείᾳ δὲ πολλὰς μὲν κιβωτοὺς ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις κεφαλῶν πεπληρωμένας εὑρῆσθαί φασι, πολλὰ δὲ φρέατα σωμάτων ἀνάπλεα γεχρῶν. ταῦτα γὰρ τῶν δισωνύμων θεῶν τὰ μαθήματα. Ἡ δὲ Ἀντιόχου πόλις τὴν ἐκείνου μεμαθηκυῖα σφαγὴν δημοθοινίας ἐπετέλει καὶ πανηγύρεις᾽ καὶ οὐ μόνον ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἐχόρευον καὶ τοῖς τῶν μαρτύρων σηκχοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς θεάτροις τοῦ σταυροῦὔ τὴν νίκην ἐκήρυττον καὶ τοῖς ἐχείνου μαντεύμασιν ἐπετώθαζον. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀξιάγαστον αὐτῶν θήσω φωνήν, ἵνα καὶ τοῖς μεθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐσομένοις ἡ ταύτης φυλάττηται μνήμη. κοινῇ “γὰρ πάντες ἐβόων" ποῦ σου τὰ μαντεῖα, Μὰξ ξιμε μωρέ: ἐνίκησεν ὁ θεὸς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτοῦς. Λίάξιμος δέ τις ἣν κατ᾽ ἐχεῖνο καιροῦ φιλοσοφίας μὲν πρόσχημα περικείμενος, γοητείᾳ δὲ χρώμενος καὶ προλέγειν τὰ μέλλοντα σεμνυνόμενος. ὅτι δὲ Ἀντιοχεῖς, παρὰ τῆς μεγίστης ξυνωοἰδος Πέτρου καὶ Παύλου τὰ θεῖα δεξάμενοι δόγματα καὶ θερμῶς τὸν τῶν ὅλων δεσπότην καὶ σωτῆρα ποθοῦντες, βδελυττόμενοι ἀεὶ τὸν ἐξάγιστον διετέλεσαν, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ἤδει σαφῶς. διά τοι ἃ τοῦτο καὶ λόγον συνέγραψε κατ᾽ αὐτῶν καὶ Μισοπώγωνα τοῦτον 1ῦ ὠνόμασεν. ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ τελευτῇ τοῦ τυράννου χορείαν τέλος ἐπιθήσω τῇ συγγραφῇ᾽ οὐ γὰρ ὅσιον ὑπέλαβον εὐσεβῆ συνάψαι βασιλείαν τῇ δυσσεβεῖ δυναστείᾳ.
En Antiocheią de pollas men kibōtous en tois basileiois kephalōn peplērōmenas heurēsthai phasi, polla de phreata sōmatōn anaplea gechrōn. tauta gar tōn disōnymōn theōn ta mathēmata. Hē de Antiochou polis tēn ekeinou memathēkuia sphagēn dēmothoinias epetelei kai panēgyreis᾽ kai ou monon en tais ekklēsiais echoreuon kai tois tōn martyrōn sēkchois, alla kai en tois theatrois tou staurouy tēn nikēn ekērytton kai tois echeinou manteumasin epetōthazon. egō de kai tēn axiagaston autōn thēsō phōnēn, hina kai tois meth᾽ hēmas esomenois hē tautēs phylattētai mnēmē. koinę̄ “gar pantes eboōn" pou sou ta manteia, Max xime mōre: enikēsen ho theos kai ho Christos autous. Liaximos de tis hēn kat᾽ echeino kairou philosophias men proschēma perikeimenos, goēteią de chrōmenos kai prolegein ta mellonta semnynomenos. hoti de Antiocheis, para tēs megistēs xynōoidos Petrou kai Paulou ta theia dexamenoi dogmata kai thermōs ton tōn holōn despotēn kai sōtēra pothountes, bdelyttomenoi aei ton exagiston dietelesan, kai autos ekeinos ēdei saphōs. dia toi ha touto kai logon synegrapse kat᾽ autōn kai Misopōgōna touton 1y ōnomasen. egō de tēn epi tę̄ teleutę̄ tou tyrannou choreian telos epithēsō tę̄ syngraphę̄᾽ ou gar hosion hypelabon eusebē synapsai basileian tę̄ dyssebei dynasteią.
In Antioch they say that many chests full of heads were found in the palace, and many wells full of dead bodies; for these are the teachings of the ill-named gods. The city of Antiochus, learning of his death, held public feasts and festivals; and not only in the churches and the shrines of the martyrs did they dance, but in the theatres too they proclaimed the victory of the cross and mocked his oracles. I shall record their admirable cry too, so that its memory may be kept for those who come after us. For all together cried out: “Where are your oracles, foolish Maximus? God and his Christ have conquered.” Maximus was a man of that time who wore the guise of philosophy but practised sorcery and prided himself on foretelling the future. That the Antiochenes, who had received the divine doctrines from the greatest pair, Peter and Paul, and warmly loved the Master and Saviour of the universe, continued always to abhor the accursed man, he himself knew clearly; for this reason he wrote a discourse against them and named it Misopogon. I shall make the dancing at the tyrant's death the end of this book; for I did not think it holy to join a pious reign to an impious rule.
Ps 2:2 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Remains of victims are reported found in Julian's palace at Antioch; the city celebrates his death in churches, shrines, and theatres, mocking the philosopher Maximus's oracles; Theodoret recalls Julian's satire Misopogon against the Antiochenes and ends the book.
- Maximus of Ephesus, Neoplatonist and Julian's adviser.
- Misopogon (“Beard-Hater”) is Julian's satire on the people of Antioch (363).
- The chests of heads and wells of bodies are introduced with “they say”; translated as written.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 3.22 (GCS 19:205–206; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/3-22
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
Chapter 4
4.1GCS 19:210–211
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν Ἰουλιανοῦ σφαγὴν συνελθόντες σὺν τοῖς ὑπάρχοις οἱ στρατηγοὶ ἐβουλεύοντο τίνα χρὴ τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβεῖν, καὶ τήν τε στρατιὰν ἐν τῇ πολεμίᾳ διασῶσαι τά τε Ῥωμαίων ἀναρρῶσαι πράγματα ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἀκμῆς ὄντα, τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον, διὰ τὴν τοῦ κατοιχομένου θρασύτητα. τούτων δὲ περὶ τούτων βουλευομένων, ἡ στρατιὰ συναθροισθεῖσα κατὰ ταὐτὸν Ἰοβιανὸν ἐξήτησε βασιλέα, οὔτε στρατηγὸν ὄντα οὔτε τῶν μετ᾽ ἐκείνους, ἐπίσημον δὲ ἄνδρα καὶ περιφανῆ καὶ πολλῶν ἕνεχα γνώριμον" σῶμά τε γὰρ μέγιστον εἶχε καὶ φυχὴν μεγαλόφρονα, καὶ ἀριστεύειν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις εἰώθει καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσι τοῖς μείζοσι. παρρησίᾳ γὰρ κατὰ τῆς ἀσεβείας χρησάμενος τοῦ τυράννου τὴν δυναστείαν οὐκ ἔδεισεν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν προθυμίαν τοῖς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν μάρτυσι συνετέτακτο. τότε δὴ οἱ στρατηγοί, τῆς στρατιᾶς τὴν συμφωνίαν θείαν ψῆφον ὑπολαβόντες, ἤγαγον εἰς μέσον. τὸν πάντα ἄριστον ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον, καὶ βῆμα σχεδιάσαντες ὑψηλὸν ἔστησαν ἐπὶ τούτου. εἶτα πάντων αὐτῷ τὰ βασιλικὰ προσενηνοχότων προσρήματα καὶ Αὐγουστον προσαγορευσάντων καὶ Καίσαρα, τῇ συνήθει παρρησίᾳ χρησάμενος ὁ ἀξιάγαστος ἐκεῖνος ἀνήρ, καὶ μήτε τοὺς ἄρχοντας δείσας μήτε τῶν στρατιωτῶν τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω μεταβολήν" οὐ δύναμαιε, ἔφη, Χριστιανὸς ὧν τῶν τοιούτων ἄρχειν οὐδὲ τῆς Ἰουλιανοῦ στρατιᾶς βασιλεύειν πονηρὰ παιδευθείσης μαθήματα᾽ οἱ γὰρ τοιοῦτοι, τῆς θείας προμηθείας γεγεμνωμένοι, εὐάλωτοί τέ εἰσιν καὶ λίαν εὐεπιχείρητοι, καὶ ἐπίχαρτοι τοῖς πολεμίοις γενήσονταιε. τούτων ἀκούσαντες τῶν λόγων οἱ στρατιῶται κοινὴν ἀφῆκαν φωνήν" "μὴ ἐνδοιάσης, ὦ βασιλεῦ, μηδὲ τὴν ἡμετέραν ὡς πονηρὰν φύγῃς ἡγεμονίαν" Χριστιανῶν γὰρ βασιλεύσεις καὶ μαθήμασιν εὐσεβέσι συντεθραμμένων: οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐν ἡμῖν γεραίτεροι καὶ τῆς Κωνσταντίνου διδασκαλίας ἀπήλαυσαν, οἱ δὲ μετ᾽ ἐκείνους τῶν Κωνσταντίου μετέλαχον παιδευμάτων" τούτου δὲ τοῦ τεθυνεῶτος ὀλίγος τῆς ἡγεμονίας ὃ χρόνος καὶ οὐχ ἱκανὸς οὐδὲ τοῖς ἐξηπατημένοις ἐνιδρῦσαι τὴν λώβηνε.
Meta de tēn Ioulianou sphagēn synelthontes syn tois hyparchois hoi stratēgoi ebouleuonto tina chrē tēn basileian paralabein, kai tēn te stratian en tę̄ polemią diasōsai ta te Rhōmaiōn anarrōsai pragmata epi xyrou akmēs onta, to dē legomenon, dia tēn tou katoichomenou thrasytēta. toutōn de peri toutōn bouleuomenōn, hē stratia synathroistheisa kata tauton Iobianon exētēse basilea, oute stratēgon onta oute tōn met᾽ ekeinous, episēmon de andra kai periphanē kai pollōn henecha gnōrimon" sōma te gar megiston eiche kai phychēn megalophrona, kai aristeuein en tois polemois eiōthei kai en tois agōsi tois meizosi. parrēsią gar kata tēs asebeias chrēsamenos tou tyrannou tēn dynasteian ouk edeisen, alla kata tēn prothymian tois tou sōtēros hēmōn martysi synetetakto. tote dē hoi stratēgoi, tēs stratias tēn symphōnian theian psēphon hypolabontes, ēgagon eis meson. ton panta ariston andra ekeinon, kai bēma schediasantes hypsēlon estēsan epi toutou. eita pantōn autǭ ta basilika prosenēnochotōn prosrēmata kai Augouston prosagoreusantōn kai Kaisara, tę̄ synēthei parrēsią chrēsamenos ho axiagastos ekeinos anēr, kai mēte tous archontas deisas mēte tōn stratiōtōn tēn epi ta cheirō metabolēn" ou dynamaie, ephē, Christianos hōn tōn toioutōn archein oude tēs Ioulianou stratias basileuein ponēra paideutheisēs mathēmata᾽ hoi gar toioutoi, tēs theias promētheias gegemnōmenoi, eualōtoi te eisin kai lian euepicheirētoi, kai epichartoi tois polemiois genēsontaie. toutōn akousantes tōn logōn hoi stratiōtai koinēn aphēkan phōnēn" "mē endoiasēs, ō basileu, mēde tēn hēmeteran hōs ponēran phygę̄s hēgemonian" Christianōn gar basileuseis kai mathēmasin eusebesi syntethrammenōn: hoi men gar en hēmin geraiteroi kai tēs Kōnstantinou didaskalias apēlausan, hoi de met᾽ ekeinous tōn Kōnstantiou metelachon paideumatōn" toutou de tou tethyneōtos oligos tēs hēgemonias ho chronos kai ouch hikanos oude tois exēpatēmenois enidrysai tēn lōbēne.
After Julian's death the generals, meeting with the prefects, deliberated as to who should take over the empire, both to save the army in enemy territory and to restore the affairs of the Romans, which were on the razor's edge, as the saying goes, because of the rashness of the departed. While they were deliberating about these things, the army, assembled in one place, demanded Jovian as emperor, who was neither a general nor next in rank to them, but a distinguished and renowned man known for many reasons. For he had a very large body and a magnanimous soul, and was accustomed to excel in wars and in the greater contests; for he had used boldness against impiety and had not feared the tyrant's power, but in his eagerness had ranked with the martyrs of our Saviour. Then the generals, considering the agreement of the army a divine vote, brought that most excellent man forward, improvised a high platform and stood him on it. Then, when all had given him the imperial titles and called him Augustus and Caesar, that admirable man, using his usual boldness and fearing neither the officers nor a change for the worse among the soldiers, said: “Being a Christian, I cannot rule such men, nor reign over Julian's army, which has been trained in wicked teachings; for such men, stripped of divine providence, are easily captured and very easily attacked, and will become a joy to their enemies.” Hearing these words, the soldiers raised a common cry: “Do not hesitate, emperor, nor shun our command as wicked; for you will reign over Christians brought up in pious teachings. The older among us enjoyed the teaching of Constantine, and those after them shared in the instruction of Constantius; and this dead man's time in command was short and not enough to implant the infection even in those who were deceived.”
Notes and citation
Summary: After Julian's death the army acclaims Jovian emperor; he refuses to rule an army trained in paganism, and the soldiers answer that they are Christians taught under Constantine and Constantius and that Julian's brief reign had not corrupted them.
- “On the razor's edge”: a proverb (Homer, Iliad 10.173).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.1 (GCS 19:210–211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-1
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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.
4.2GCS 19:211–212
Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἡσθεὶς τοῖς λόγοις ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐβουλεύετο λοιπὸν περὶ τῆς τῶν κοινῶν σωτηρίας καὶ ὅπως ἐκ τῆς πολεμίας ἀπήμαντον ἀπαγάγοι τὴν στρατιάν. οὐχ ἐδεήθη δὲ βουλευμάτων πολλῶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν τῆς εὐσεβείας σπερμάτων ἐτρύγησε τοὺς καρπούς. παραυτίκα γὰρ τὴν οἰκείαν ἔδειξε προμήθειαν ὁ τῶν ὅλων θεὸς καὶ τὴν φαινομένην ἔλυσεν ἀπορίαν. τὴν γὰρ τούτου βασιλείαν ὁ Περσῶν μεμαθηκῶς βασιλεὺς πρέσβεις ἀπέστειλεν ὑπὲρ εἰρήνης πρεσβευσομένους" εἶτα τροφὰς τοῖς στρατιώταις ἐξέπεμψε, καὶ ἀγορὰν αὐτοῖς ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ γενέσθαι προσέταξε. τριακοντούτεις δὴ οὖν σπονδὰς ποιησάμενος ἐρρωμένην τὴν στρατιὰν τῆς πολεμίας ἐξέβαλε. Παραυτίκα ὁὲ τῆς ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ βασιλευομένης γῆς ἐπιβάς, πρῶτον [β1 μὲν ἔγραψε νόμον καὶ τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ἐπανελθεῖν ἐκ τῆς ἐξορίας διαγορεύοντα καὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἀποδοθῆναι παρεγγυῶντα τοῖς τὴν ἐχτεθεῖσαν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν διατετηρηχόσιν ἀκήρατον. ἐπέστειλε δὲ καὶ πρὸς Ἀθανάσιον ἐκεῖνον τὸν τούτων πρόμαχον τῶν δογμάτῶν, γραφῆναί οἱ παρακαλῶν τὴν ἀκριβῆ περὶ τῶν θείων διδασκαλίαν. ὁ δὲ τοὺς λογιμωτέρους τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἀγείρας ἀντέγραψε ὃ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ ἐχτεθεῖσαν πίστιν φυλάττειν παρακαλῶν, οἧς τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς συμβαίνουσαν δόγμασιν. ἐνθήσω δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐπιστολήν, τῆς τῶν ἐντευξομένων προμηθούμενος ὠφελείας.
Epi toutois hēstheis tois logois ho basileus ebouleueto loipon peri tēs tōn koinōn sōtērias kai hopōs ek tēs polemias apēmanton apagagoi tēn stratian. ouch edeēthē de bouleumatōn pollōn, alla tōn tēs eusebeias spermatōn etrygēse tous karpous. parautika gar tēn oikeian edeixe promētheian ho tōn holōn theos kai tēn phainomenēn elysen aporian. tēn gar toutou basileian ho Persōn memathēkōs basileus presbeis apesteilen hyper eirēnēs presbeusomenous" eita trophas tois stratiōtais exepempse, kai agoran autois en tę̄ erēmǭ genesthai prosetaxe. triakontouteis dē oun spondas poiēsamenos errōmenēn tēn stratian tēs polemias exebale. Parautika hoe tēs hyp᾽ autou basileuomenēs gēs epibas, prōton [b1 men egrapse nomon kai tous episkopous epanelthein ek tēs exorias diagoreuonta kai tas ekklēsias apodothēnai parengyōnta tois tēn echtetheisan en Nikaią pistin diatetērēchosin akēraton. epesteile de kai pros Athanasion ekeinon ton toutōn promachon tōn dogmatōn, graphēnai hoi parakalōn tēn akribē peri tōn theiōn didaskalian. ho de tous logimōterous tōn episkopōn ageiras antegrapse ho tēn en Nikaią echtetheisan pistin phylattein parakalōn, hoēs tois apostolikois symbainousan dogmasin. enthēsō de kai tēn epistolēn, tēs tōn enteuxomenōn promēthoumenos ōpheleias.
Pleased by these words, the emperor then deliberated about the common safety and how he might lead the army unharmed out of enemy territory. He did not need many deliberations, but reaped the fruits of the seeds of true religion. For the God of the universe at once showed his providence and resolved the apparent perplexity. The king of the Persians, learning of his accession, sent envoys to negotiate peace; then he sent provisions to the soldiers and ordered a market to be held for them in the desert. Having made a treaty for thirty years, he led the army safely out of enemy territory.
As soon as he set foot on the land he ruled, he first wrote a law ordering the bishops to return from exile and directing that the churches be given back to those who had kept inviolate the faith set forth at Nicaea. He also wrote to Athanasius, the champion of these doctrines, asking him to write to him the exact teaching about divine things. He, gathering the more learned of the bishops, wrote back urging him to keep the faith set forth at Nicaea, as being in agreement with the apostolic doctrines. I shall insert the letter too, providing for the benefit of those who will read it.
Notes and citation
Summary: Jovian makes a thirty-year peace with Persia, which supplies his army; he recalls the exiled bishops, restores the churches to the Nicene party, and asks Athanasius for an exact statement of the faith.
- A stray mark of the OCR (a bracketed character) appears before “wrote a law”; it is not translated.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.2 (GCS 19:211–212; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-2
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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.
4.3GCS 19:212–216
Τῷ εὐλαβεστάτῳ καὶ φιλανθρωποτάτῳ ΜΝικητῇ Αὐγούστῳ ὃ Ἱοβιανῷ Ἀθανάσιος καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἐπίσκοποι οἱ ἐλθόντες ἐκ προσώ"που πάντων τῶν ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ Θηβαΐδος καὶ Λιβύων ἐπισχύόποων. Πρέπουσα θεοφιλεῖ βασιλεῖ φιλομαθὴς προαίρεσις καὶ πόθος τῶν οὐρανίων" οὕτως γὰρ ἀληθῶς καὶ τὴν καρδίαν ἔχεις ἐν χειρὶ θεοῦ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν μετ᾽ εἰρήνης πολλαῖς ἐτῶν περιόδοις ἐπιτελέσεις. θελησάσης τοίνυν τῆς σῆς εὐσεβείας μαθεῖν παρ ἡμῶν τὴν τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας πίστιν, εὐχαριστήσαντες ἐπὶ τούτῳ τῷ κυρίῳ ἐβουλευσάμεθα πάντων μᾶλλον τὴν παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ὁμολογηθεῖσαν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν ὑπομνῆσαι τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν. ταύτην γὰρ ἀθετήσαντές τινὲς ἡμῖν μὲν ποικίλως ἐπεβούλευσαν ὅτι μὴ πει-θόμεθα τῇ Αρειανῇ αἱρέσει, αἴτιοι δὲ γεγόνασιν ᾿αἱρέσεως καὶ σχισμάτων τῇ καθολικῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ. ἡ μὲν ἀληθὴς καὶ εὐσεβὴς εἰς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν πίστις φανερὰ πᾶσι καθέστηκε καὶ "ἐκ τῶν θείων γραφῶν γιγνωσκομέρη τε καὶ ἀναγιγνωσκομένη. ἐν ταύτῃ ᾽γὰρ καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι τελειωθέντες ἐμαρτυρήθησαν καὶ νῦν ἀναλύσαντές εἰσιν ἐν κυρίῳ. ἔμεινε δὲ ἀεὶ ἡ πίστις διὰ παντὸς ἀβλαβής, εἰ μὴ πονηρία τινῶν αἱρετικῶν παραποιῆσαι ταύτην ἐτόλμησεν. Ἀρειος γάρ τις καὶ οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ διαφθεῖραι ταύτην καὶ ἀσέβειαν κατ᾽ αὐτῆς "ἐπεισαγαγεῖν ἐπεχείρησαν, φάσκοντες ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων καὶ κτίσμα καὶ "ποίημα καὶ τρεπτὸν εἶναι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, πολλούς τε ἐν τούτοις ἤἠπάτησαν, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς δοκοῦντας εἶναί τι συναπαχθῆναι αὐτῶν τῇ δυσφημίᾳ. καὶ φθάσαντες μὲν οἱ ἅγιοι πατέρες ἡμῶν, συνελθόντες ος προεῖπον ἐν τῇ κατὰ Νίχαιαν συνόδῳ, τὴν μὲν ᾿ἡρειανὴν αἵρεσιν ἀνεθεμάτισαν, τὴν δὲ τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας πίστιν ὧμολόγησαν ἐγγράφως, ὥστε ταύτης πανταχοῦ κηρυττομένης ἀποσβε᾿σθῆναι τὴν ἀναφθεῖσαν αἵρεσιν παρὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν. ἦν μὲν οὖν αὕτη κατὰ πᾶσαν ἐκκλησίαν γιγνωσκομένη τε καὶ κηρυττομένη. ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τὴν Ἀρειανὴν αἵρεσιν ἀνανεῶσαι βουλόμενοι τινὲς μὲν "αὐτὴν τὴν ἐν ΜΔικαίᾳ παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ὁμολογηθεῖσαν πίστιν ᾿τετολμήκασιν ἀθετῆσαι, τινὲς δὲ σχηματίζονται ὁμολογεῖν αὐτήν, "ταῖς δὲ ἀληθείαις ἀρνοῦνται, παρερμηνεύοντες τὸ ὁμοούσιον, καὶ οὗτοι βλασφημοῦντες τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐν τῷ φάσκειν αὐτοὺς "κτίσμα εἶναι καὶ ποίημα διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γεγονός, ἀναγκαίως θεωρήσαντὲες τὴν ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης βλασφημίας βλάβην γιγνομένην κατὰ τῶν "λαῶν, ἐπιδοῦναι τῇ σῇ εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ ὁμολογηθεῖσαν πίστιν ἐσπουδάσαμεν, ἵνα γνῷ σου ἡ θεοσέβεια μεθ’ ὅσης ἀκριβείας γέγραπται καὶ. ὅσον πλανῶνται οἱ παρ᾽ αὐτὴν διδάσκοντες. Ιγνωσκχε, θεοφιλέστατε Αὐγουστε, ὅτι αὕτη μέν ἐστεν ἡ ἐξ "αἰῶνος κηρυττομένη, ταύτην δὲ ὡμολόγησαν οἱ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόν"τες πατέρες καὶ ταύτῃ σύμψηφοι τυγχάνουσι πᾶσαι᾽ αἱ κατὰ τόπον ἐκκλησίαι, αἵ τε κατὰ τὴν Σπανίαν καὶ Βρεττανίαν καὶ Γαλλίας, καὶ τῆς Ἰταλίας πάσης καὶ Δαλματίας, Δακίας τε καὶ ΠΙιυσίας, Λίακεδονίας καὶ πάσης Ἑλλάδος, καὶ αἱ κατὰ τὴν ᾿Δἀφρικὴν πᾶσαι καὶ Σαρδανίαν καὶ Κύπρον καὶ Κρήτην, Παμφυλίαν τε καὶ Δυχίαν καὶ εἸσαυρίαν, καὶ αἱ κατὰ πᾶσαν Αἴγυπτον καὶ Λιβύας καὶ Πόντον καὶ Καππαδοκίαν καὶ τὰ πλησίον μέρη, καὶ αἱ κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολὴν "ἐκκλησίαι, πάρεξ ὀλίγων τῶν τὰ Δρείου φρονούντων. πάντων γὰρ τῶν προειρημένων τῇ πείρᾳ ἐγνώκαμεν τὴν γνώμην καὶ γράμματα ἔχομεν. καὶ οἴδαμεν, θεοφιλέστατε Αὐγουστε, ὅτι κἂν ὀλίγοι τινὲς ἀντιλέγωσι ταύτῃ τῇ πίστει, οὐ δύνανται πρόκριμα ποιεῖν πάσῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ. πολλῷ γὰρ χρόνῳ βλαβέντες ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως, ᾿φιλονεικότερον νῦν ἀνθίστανται τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ. καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ γιγνώσκειν τὴν σὴν εὐσέβειαν, καίτοι γιγνώσκουσαν, ὅμως ἐσπουδάσαμεν τὴν ἐν Δικαίᾳ πίστιν ὁμολογηθεῖσαν ὑπὸ τριακοσίων δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἐπισκόσπῶν ὑποτάξαι. ἔστι δὲ αὕτη ἡ ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστις" "Πιστεύομεν εἰς ἕνα θεόν, πατέρα παντοκράτορα, πάντων ὁρατῶν τε καὶ ἀοράτων ποιητήν᾽ καὶ εἰς ἕνα κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν, τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς μονογενῆ, τουτέστιν ἐκ ᾽τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρός, θεὸν ἐκ θεοῦ, φῶς ἐκ φωτός, θεὸν ἀληθινὸν ἐκ θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, γεννηθέντα, οὐ ποιηθέντα, ὁμοούσιον τῷ πατρί, δι᾿ οὗ τὰ πάντα ἐγένετο τά τε ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὸν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν “σωτηρίαν "κατελθόντα, σαρκωθέντα, ἐνανθρωπήσαντα, παθόντα καὶ ἀναστάντα "τῇ τρίτῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ἀνελθόντα εἰς τοὺς οὐρανούς, ἐρχόμενον κρῖναι : ξῶντας καὶ νεκρούς" καὶ εἰς τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα. τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας ὅτε ἣν ποτὲ ὅτε οὐκ ἦν, καὶ πρὶν γεννηθῆναι οὐχ ἣν, καὶ ὅτι ἐξ οὐχ ὄντων ἐγένετο, ἢ ἐξ ἑτέρας ὑποστάσεως ἢ οὐσίας φάσχοντας εἶναι, ἢ κτιστὸν ἢ τρεπτὸν ἢ ἀλλοιωτὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, τούτους ἀναθεματίζει ἡ ἁγία καθολικὴ καὶ ἀποστολικὴ ἐκκλησία. Ταύτῃ τῇ πίστει, θεοφιλέστατε Αὔγουστε, ἐπιμένειν ἀναγκαῖον ος θείᾳ καὶ ἀποστολικῇ, καὶ μηδένα ἐδτακερεῖν αὐτὴν πιθανολογίαις καὶ λογομαχίαις" ὅπερ ἐποίησαν ἐξ ἀρχῆς οἱ Ἀρειομανῖται, ἐξ οὐκ νόντων τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ λέγοντες, καὶ ὅτι ἦν ποτε ὅτε οὐχ ἦν, δ καὶ κτιστὸς καὶ ποιητὸς καὶ τρεπτός ἐστι. διὰ τοῦτο γάρ, καθὰ προείπαμεν, καὶ ἡ ἐν Δικαίᾳ σύνοδος ἀνεθεμάτισε τὴν τοιαύτην "αἵρεσιν, τὴν δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας πίστιν ὡμολόγησεν. οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς "Ὅμοιον εἰρήκασι τὸν υἱὸν τῷ πατρί, ἵνα μὴ ἁπλῶς ὅμοιος θεοῦ, αλλ ἐκ θεοῦ θεὸς ἀληθινὸς πιστεύηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ομοουσίον ἔγραψαν, ὅπερ ἴδιόν ἐστι γνησίου καὶ ἀληθινοῦ υἱοῦ, ἐξ ἀληθινοῦ καὶ φύσει πατρός. ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἀπηλλοτρίωσαν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον συνεδόξασαν αὐτὸ τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ ἐν τῇ μιᾷ τῆς ἁγίας τριάδος πίστει, διὰ τὸ καὶ μίαν εἶναι τὴν ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ τριάδι θεότητα.
Tǭ eulabestatǭ kai philanthrōpotatǭ MNikētę̄ Augoustǭ ho Hiobianǭ Athanasios kai hoi loipoi episkopoi hoi elthontes ek prosō"pou pantōn tōn apo tēs Aigyptou kai Thēbaïdos kai Libyōn epischyopoōn. Prepousa theophilei basilei philomathēs proairesis kai pothos tōn ouraniōn" houtōs gar alēthōs kai tēn kardian echeis en cheiri theou kai tēn basileian met᾽ eirēnēs pollais etōn periodois epiteleseis. thelēsasēs toinyn tēs sēs eusebeias mathein par hēmōn tēn tēs katholikēs ekklēsias pistin, eucharistēsantes epi toutǭ tǭ kyriǭ ebouleusametha pantōn mallon tēn para tōn paterōn homologētheisan en Nikaią pistin hypomnēsai tēn sēn theosebeian. tautēn gar athetēsantes tines hēmin men poikilōs epebouleusan hoti mē pei-thometha tę̄ Areianę̄ hairesei, aitioi de gegonasin ᾿haireseōs kai schismatōn tę̄ katholikę̄ ekklēsią. hē men alēthēs kai eusebēs eis ton kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon pistis phanera pasi kathestēke kai "ek tōn theiōn graphōn gignōskomerē te kai anagignōskomenē. en tautę̄ ᾽gar kai hoi hagioi teleiōthentes emartyrēthēsan kai nyn analysantes eisin en kyriǭ. emeine de aei hē pistis dia pantos ablabēs, ei mē ponēria tinōn hairetikōn parapoiēsai tautēn etolmēsen. Areios gar tis kai hoi syn autǭ diaphtheirai tautēn kai asebeian kat᾽ autēs "epeisagagein epecheirēsan, phaskontes ex ouk ontōn kai ktisma kai "poiēma kai trepton einai ton huion tou theou, pollous te en toutois ēēpatēsan, hōste kai tous dokountas einai ti synapachthēnai autōn tę̄ dysphēmią. kai phthasantes men hoi hagioi pateres hēmōn, synelthontes os proeipon en tę̄ kata Nichaian synodǭ, tēn men ᾿hēreianēn hairesin anethematisan, tēn de tēs katholikēs ekklēsias pistin hōmologēsan engraphōs, hōste tautēs pantachou kēryttomenēs aposbe᾿sthēnai tēn anaphtheisan hairesin para tōn hairetikōn. ēn men oun hautē kata pasan ekklēsian gignōskomenē te kai kēryttomenē. all᾽ epeidē tēn Areianēn hairesin ananeōsai boulomenoi tines men "autēn tēn en MDikaią para tōn paterōn homologētheisan pistin ᾿tetolmēkasin athetēsai, tines de schēmatizontai homologein autēn, "tais de alētheiais arnountai, parermēneuontes to homoousion, kai houtoi blasphēmountes to pneuma to hagion en tǭ phaskein autous "ktisma einai kai poiēma dia tou huiou gegonos, anankaiōs theōrēsantees tēn ek tēs toiautēs blasphēmias blabēn gignomenēn kata tōn "laōn, epidounai tę̄ sę̄ eusebeią tēn en Nikaią homologētheisan pistin espoudasamen, hina gnǭ sou hē theosebeia meth’ hosēs akribeias gegraptai kai. hoson planōntai hoi par᾽ autēn didaskontes. Ignōskche, theophilestate Augouste, hoti hautē men esten hē ex "aiōnos kēryttomenē, tautēn de hōmologēsan hoi en Nikaią synelthon"tes pateres kai tautę̄ sympsēphoi tynchanousi pasai᾽ hai kata topon ekklēsiai, hai te kata tēn Spanian kai Brettanian kai Gallias, kai tēs Italias pasēs kai Dalmatias, Dakias te kai PIiysias, Liakedonias kai pasēs Hellados, kai hai kata tēn ᾿Daphrikēn pasai kai Sardanian kai Kypron kai Krētēn, Pamphylian te kai Dychian kai eIsaurian, kai hai kata pasan Aigypton kai Libyas kai Ponton kai Kappadokian kai ta plēsion merē, kai hai kata tēn Anatolēn "ekklēsiai, parex oligōn tōn ta Dreiou phronountōn. pantōn gar tōn proeirēmenōn tę̄ peirą egnōkamen tēn gnōmēn kai grammata echomen. kai oidamen, theophilestate Augouste, hoti kan oligoi tines antilegōsi tautę̄ tę̄ pistei, ou dynantai prokrima poiein pasę̄ tę̄ oikoumenę̄. pollǭ gar chronǭ blabentes apo tēs Areianēs haireseōs, ᾿philoneikoteron nyn anthistantai tę̄ eusebeią. kai hyper tou gignōskein tēn sēn eusebeian, kaitoi gignōskousan, homōs espoudasamen tēn en Dikaią pistin homologētheisan hypo triakosiōn deka kai oktō episkospōn hypotaxai. esti de hautē hē en Nikaią pistis" "Pisteuomen eis hena theon, patera pantokratora, pantōn horatōn te kai aoratōn poiētēn᾽ kai eis hena kyrion Iēsoun Christon, ton huion tou theou, gennēthenta ek tou patros monogenē, toutestin ek ᾽tēs ousias tou patros, theon ek theou, phōs ek phōtos, theon alēthinon ek theou alēthinou, gennēthenta, ou poiēthenta, homoousion tǭ patri, di᾿ hou ta panta egeneto ta te en tǭ ouranǭ kai ta epi tēs gēs, ton di' hēmas tous anthrōpous kai dia tēn hēmeteran “sōtērian "katelthonta, sarkōthenta, enanthrōpēsanta, pathonta kai anastanta "tę̄ tritę̄ hēmerą, anelthonta eis tous ouranous, erchomenon krinai : xōntas kai nekrous" kai eis to hagion pneuma. tous de legontas hote hēn pote hote ouk ēn, kai prin gennēthēnai ouch hēn, kai hoti ex ouch ontōn egeneto, ē ex heteras hypostaseōs ē ousias phaschontas einai, ē ktiston ē trepton ē alloiōton ton huion tou theou, toutous anathematizei hē hagia katholikē kai apostolikē ekklēsia. Tautę̄ tę̄ pistei, theophilestate Augouste, epimenein anankaion os theią kai apostolikę̄, kai mēdena edtakerein autēn pithanologiais kai logomachiais" hoper epoiēsan ex archēs hoi Areiomanitai, ex ouk nontōn ton huion tou theou legontes, kai hoti ēn pote hote ouch ēn, d kai ktistos kai poiētos kai treptos esti. dia touto gar, katha proeipamen, kai hē en Dikaią synodos anethematise tēn toiautēn "hairesin, tēn de tēs alētheias pistin hōmologēsen. ou gar haplōs "Homoion eirēkasi ton huion tǭ patri, hina mē haplōs homoios theou, all ek theou theos alēthinos pisteuētai, alla kai omoousion egrapsan, hoper idion esti gnēsiou kai alēthinou huiou, ex alēthinou kai physei patros. all᾽ oude apēllotriōsan to pneuma to hagion apo tou patros kai tou huiou, alla mallon synedoxasan auto tǭ patri kai tǭ huiǭ en tę̄ mią tēs hagias triados pistei, dia to kai mian einai tēn en tę̄ hagią triadi theotēta.
“To the most pious and most humane Victor Augustus Jovian, Athanasius and the other bishops who have come on behalf of all the bishops of Egypt, the Thebaid, and the Libyas.
A desire to learn and a longing for heavenly things befits a God-loving emperor; for so you truly have your heart in the hand of God and will complete your reign in peace for many cycles of years. Since your Piety has wished to learn from us the faith of the catholic church, we gave thanks to the Lord for this and decided above all to remind your Reverence of the faith confessed by the fathers at Nicaea. For some, having set it aside, have plotted against us in various ways because we do not obey the Arian heresy, and have become causes of heresy and schisms in the catholic church. The true and pious faith in our Lord Jesus Christ is plain to all, being known and read from the divine Scriptures. For in it the saints were perfected and bore witness, and now, having departed, they are in the Lord. The faith would have remained always unharmed throughout, had not the wickedness of certain heretics dared to falsify it. For a certain Arius and those with him tried to corrupt it and bring impiety in against it, saying that the Son of God is out of nothing, a creature, a thing made, and changeable; and by these things they deceived many, so that even those who seemed to be something were carried away with their blasphemy. But our holy fathers anticipated this, coming together, as we said before, at the synod of Nicaea; they anathematized the Arian heresy and confessed in writing the faith of the catholic church, so that, this being proclaimed everywhere, the heresy kindled by the heretics might be put out. This faith, then, was known and proclaimed in every church. But since some, wishing to renew the Arian heresy, have dared to set aside the very faith confessed by the fathers at Nicaea, while others pretend to confess it but in truth deny it, misinterpreting ‘of the same essence’, and they also blaspheme the Holy Spirit, saying that he is a creature and a thing made that came into being through the Son, we, seeing of necessity the harm done to the peoples by such blasphemy, have hastened to present to your Piety the faith confessed at Nicaea, so that your Reverence may know with what exactness it was written, and how far those who teach contrary to it are astray.
Know, most God-beloved Augustus, that this is the faith proclaimed from the ages; this the fathers who came together at Nicaea confessed; and with it agree all the churches in every place: those in Spain, Britain, and the Gauls, all Italy and Dalmatia, Dacia and Moesia, Macedonia and all Greece, all those in Africa, Sardinia, Cyprus and Crete, Pamphylia, Lycia and Isauria, those in all Egypt and the Libyas, Pontus and Cappadocia and the neighbouring regions, and the churches of the East, except a few who hold the views of Arius. For we know the judgment of all those named by experience and have their letters. And we know, most God-beloved Augustus, that even if a few contradict this faith, they cannot create a prejudice against the whole world. For having long been harmed by the Arian heresy, they now resist true religion the more contentiously. So that your Piety may know, though you already know, we have hastened to append the faith confessed at Nicaea by three hundred and eighteen bishops. This is the faith of Nicaea:
‘We believe in one God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible; and in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from the essence of the Father, God from God, light from light, true God from true God, begotten not made, of the same essence as the Father, through whom all things came into being, things in heaven and things on earth; who for us men and for our salvation came down, was made flesh, became man, suffered and rose on the third day, ascended into the heavens, and is coming to judge the living and the dead; and in the Holy Spirit. But those who say “there was once when he was not,” and “before he was begotten he was not,” and that “he came into being out of nothing,” or who assert that the Son of God is of another hypostasis or essence, or created, or changeable, or alterable, these the holy catholic and apostolic church anathematizes.’
In this faith, most God-beloved Augustus, it is necessary to remain, as divine and apostolic, and that no one should disturb it with plausible arguments and wrangling about words, as the Ario-maniacs did from the beginning, saying that the Son of God is out of nothing, and that there was once when he was not, and that he is created, made, and changeable. For this reason, as we said before, the synod of Nicaea anathematized such a heresy and confessed the faith of the truth. For they did not say simply that the Son is like the Father, so that he might not be believed simply like God, but true God from God; but they wrote ‘of the same essence,’ which is proper to a genuine and true Son from a true Father by nature. Nor did they estrange the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son, but rather glorified him together with the Father and the Son in the one faith of the Holy Trinity, because the divinity in the Holy Trinity is one.”
Prov 21:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 28:19 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret quotes Athanasius's letter to Jovian, which presents the creed of Nicaea as the faith of nearly all the churches, rejects both the Arians and those who reinterpret “of the same essence” or call the Holy Spirit a creature, and affirms one divinity of the Trinity.
- Document: Athanasius, Letter to Jovian (363), written with a synod of Egyptian bishops; not otherwise published on this site.
- “Your heart in the hand of God”: Prov 21:1.
- The creed is that of Nicaea as given in the letter; the clause “or created” in the anathemas is not in the text of the creed given at 1.11.
- “That no one should disturb it” renders a word garbled in the OCR (ἐδτακερεῖν, probably ἀνακινεῖν or similar); translated by sense.
Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Nic. (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325); quotation)
Topics: Christology, Trinity, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.3 (GCS 19:212–216; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-3
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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.
4.4GCS 19:216–217
Τούτοις ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς γράμμασιν ἐντυχὼν ἐβεβαίωσεν ἣν εἶχε περὶ τῶν θείων γνῶσίν τε καὶ διάθεσιν. καὶ νόμον ἕτερον ἔγραψε τοῦ σίτου τὴν σύνταξιν ἀποδοθῆναι ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις κελεύσας ἣν ὃ μέγας Κωνσταντῖνος ἀπένειμεν. Ἰουλιανὸς γὰρ καὶ ταύτην ἐχεχωλύχει τὴν χορηγίαν, ἅτε δὴ τὸν κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀναδεξάμενος πόλεμον. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ ἐκ τῆς ἐχείνου δυσσεβείας ἐπισκήψας λιμὸς ἐπεῖχεν εἰσπράττειν τὰς εἰσφοράς, τῆς Κωνσταντίνου συντάξεως τὸ τριτημόριον Ἰοβιανὸς τὸ τηνικαῦτα παρασχεθῆναι προσέταξεν, ὑποσχόμενος τοῦ λιμοῦ παυσαμένου τέλειον παρέξειν τὸ σιτηρέσιον. “Τοιούτοις νόμοις τὰ τῆς βασιλείας κατακοσμήσας προοίμια, ἀπὸ τῆς Ἀντιοχέων ἐπὶ τὸν Βόσπορον ὥρμησεν. ἐν Δαδαστάνῃ δὲ (κώμη δὲ αὕτη Βιθυνῶν καὶ Γαλατῶν ἐν μεθορίῳ κειμένη) τοῦδε τοῦ βίου τὸ τέλος ἐδέξατο, αὐτὸς μὲν μετὰ μεγίστων καὶ καλλίστων ἐφοδίων ἀπάρας, τοὺς δὲ τῆς βασιλικῆς ἐκείνης ἡμερότητος γεγευμένους ἐν ὀδύνῃ καταλιπών. οἶμαι δὲ τῶν ὅλων τὸν πρύτανιν, τὴν ἡμετέραν διελέγχοντα πονηρίαν, καὶ δεικνύναι ἡμῖν τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ τούτων ἡμᾶς πάλιν γυμνοῦν, καὶ δ ἐκείνου μὲν διδάσκειν οἧς μάλα εὐπετῶς παρέχειν ἃ βούλεται δύναται, διὰ δὲ τούτου καὶ διελέγχειν ὡς οὐκ ἀξίους τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἀμείνω βίον προτρέπειν.
Toutois ho basileus tois grammasin entychōn ebebaiōsen hēn eiche peri tōn theiōn gnōsin te kai diathesin. kai nomon heteron egrapse tou sitou tēn syntaxin apodothēnai tais ekklēsiais keleusas hēn ho megas Kōnstantinos apeneimen. Ioulianos gar kai tautēn echechōlychei tēn chorēgian, hate dē ton kata tou theou kai sōtēros hēmōn anadexamenos polemon. epeidē de ho ek tēs echeinou dyssebeias episkēpsas limos epeichen eisprattein tas eisphoras, tēs Kōnstantinou syntaxeōs to tritēmorion Iobianos to tēnikauta paraschethēnai prosetaxen, hyposchomenos tou limou pausamenou teleion parexein to sitēresion. “Toioutois nomois ta tēs basileias katakosmēsas prooimia, apo tēs Antiocheōn epi ton Bosporon hōrmēsen. en Dadastanę̄ de (kōmē de hautē Bithynōn kai Galatōn en methoriǭ keimenē) toude tou biou to telos edexato, autos men meta megistōn kai kallistōn ephodiōn aparas, tous de tēs basilikēs ekeinēs hēmerotētos gegeumenous en odynę̄ katalipōn. oimai de tōn holōn ton prytanin, tēn hēmeteran dielenchonta ponērian, kai deiknynai hēmin ta agatha kai toutōn hēmas palin gymnoun, kai d ekeinou men didaskein hoēs mala eupetōs parechein ha bouletai dynatai, dia de toutou kai dielenchein hōs ouk axious tōn agathōn kai epi ton ameinō bion protrepein.
Having read this letter, the emperor confirmed the knowledge and disposition he had about divine things. He also wrote another law, ordering the allowance of grain to be restored to the churches, which the great Constantine had assigned. For Julian had stopped this supply too, since he had taken up war against our God and Saviour. But since the famine that had fallen because of his impiety prevented the collection of the contributions, Jovian ordered a third of Constantine's allowance to be given at that time, promising to give the full ration when the famine ended. Having adorned the beginning of his reign with such laws, he set out from the city of the Antiochenes for the Bosporus. At Dadastana (a village lying on the border of the Bithynians and Galatians) he came to the end of this life, departing himself with the greatest and finest provisions for the journey, but leaving in grief those who had tasted that imperial gentleness. I think that the Ruler of the universe, exposing our wickedness, both shows us good things and strips us of them again, through the one teaching that he can very easily give what he wishes, and through the other convicting us as unworthy of the good things and urging us to a better life.
Notes and citation
Summary: Jovian restores a third of Constantine's grain allowance to the churches, promising the whole after the famine, but dies at Dadastana on his way to Constantinople; Theodoret sees his early death as God's rebuke of human unworthiness.
- Jovian died in February 364, after a reign of about eight months.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.4 (GCS 19:216–217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-4
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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.