Church History 4.5–4.14
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 4
4.5GCS 19:217–218
Τότε μέντοι τὴν ἀθρόαν τελευτὴν τοῦ βασιλέως οἱ στρατιῶται μεμαθηχκότες ἐθρήνησαν μὲν ος πατέρα τὸν ἀπελθόντα, Βαλεντινιαγὸν δὲ ἐκεῖνον, τὸν τῇ χειρὶ τὸν νεωχόρον πατάξαντα καὶ εἰς τὸ φρούριον ἐκπεμφθέντα, βασιλέα προύβάλοντο, οὐκ ἀνδρείᾳ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ φρονήσει καὶ σωφροσύνῃ “καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ μεγέθ ει σώματος διαπρέποντα. οὕτω δὲ ἢν βασιλικός τε καὶ μεγαλόφρων ὡς τῆς στρατιᾶς πειραθείσης ποινονὸν αὐτῷ προβαλέσθαι τῆς βασιλείας, ἐχεῖνο φάναι τὸ παρὰ πάντων ἀδόμενον᾽ ὑμέτερο ἦν, ὦ στρατιῶται, βασιλέως οὐκ ὄντος, ἐμοὶ δοῦναι τῆς βασιλείας τὰς ἡνίας" ἐπειδὴ δὲ ταύτην ἐδεξάμην ἐγώ, ἐμὸν λοιπὸν καὶ οὐχ ὑμέτερον τὸ περὶ τῶν χοιρῶν διασχοπεῖσθαι πραγμάτωνςε. τούσδε τοὺς: λόγους καὶ θαυμάὅαντες χεαὶ στέρξαντες οἱ στρατιῶται εἵποντο τοῖς ἐκείνου νεύμασιν ἐθυνόμενοι. ὁ δὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἐκ Πανονίας μεταπεμψάμενος, οἧς οὐκ ὥφελε, κοινωνὸν ποιεῖται τῆς βασιλείας, οὐδέπω τὴν τῶν δογμάτων διαφθορὰν εἰσδεξάμενον" καὶ τῆς Ἀσίας αὐτῷ παραδοὺς τὰ σκῆπτρα καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῆς “ἰγύπτου, ἑαυτῷ τὴν Εὐρώπην ἀπένειμε. καὶ τὴν Ἑσπέραν καταλαβὼν πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἐξεπαίδευσεν εὐνομίαν, ἀπὸ τῶν τῆς εὐσεβείας κηρυγμάτων ἀρξάμενος. Ἱὐξεντίου γάρ, ὃς τὴν ᾿ἡρείου μὲν εἰσεδέξατο λώβην, Μεδιολάνου δὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν πεπιστευμένος ἐν πλείσταις ἀπεκηρύχθη συνόδοις, τὸν βίον ὑπεξελθόντος, μεταπεμψάμενος τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ὃ βασιλεὺς τοιοῖσδε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐχρήσατο λόγοις" ἴστε σαφῶς, ἅτε δὴ τοῖς θείοις λογίοις ἐντεθραμμένοι, ὁποῖον εἶναι προσήκει τὸν ἀρχιερωσύνης ἠξιωμένον, καὶ ὡς οὐ χρὴ λόγῳ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ βίο, τοὺς ἀρχομένους δυθμίξειν καὶ πάσης ἀρετῆς ἑαυτὸν ἀρχέτυπον προτιθέναι καὶ μάρτυρα ἔχειν τῆς διδασκαλίας τὴν πολιτείαν. τοιοῦτον δὴ οὖν καὶ νῦν τοῖς ἀρχιερατικοῖς ἐγκαθιδρύσατε θώκοις, ὅπως καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ τὴν βασιλείαν ἰθύνοντες εἰλικρινῶς αὐτῷ τὰς ἡμετέρας ὑποκλίνωμεν κεφαλὰς καὶ τοὺς παρ᾽ ἐκείνου γιγνομένους ἐλέγχους (ἀνθρώπους γὰρ ὄντας καὶ προσπταίειν ἀνάγκη) ὡς ἰατρικὴν ἀσπαζώμεθα θεραπείανκ.
Tote mentoi tēn athroan teleutēn tou basileōs hoi stratiōtai memathēchkotes ethrēnēsan men os patera ton apelthonta, Balentiniagon de ekeinon, ton tę̄ cheiri ton neōchoron pataxanta kai eis to phrourion ekpemphthenta, basilea proubalonto, ouk andreią monon alla kai phronēsei kai sōphrosynę̄ “kai dikaiosynę̄ kai megeth ei sōmatos diapreponta. houtō de ēn basilikos te kai megalophrōn hōs tēs stratias peiratheisēs poinonon autǭ probalesthai tēs basileias, echeino phanai to para pantōn adomenon᾽ hymetero ēn, ō stratiōtai, basileōs ouk ontos, emoi dounai tēs basileias tas hēnias" epeidē de tautēn edexamēn egō, emon loipon kai ouch hymeteron to peri tōn choirōn diaschopeisthai pragmatōnse. tousde tous: logous kai thaumaoantes cheai sterxantes hoi stratiōtai heiponto tois ekeinou neumasin ethynomenoi. ho de ton adelphon ek Panonias metapempsamenos, hoēs ouk hōphele, koinōnon poieitai tēs basileias, oudepō tēn tōn dogmatōn diaphthoran eisdexamenon" kai tēs Asias autǭ paradous ta skēptra kai mentoi kai tēs “igyptou, heautǭ tēn Eurōpēn apeneime. kai tēn Hesperan katalabōn pasan autēn exepaideusen eunomian, apo tōn tēs eusebeias kērygmatōn arxamenos. Hiyxentiou gar, hos tēn ᾿hēreiou men eisedexato lōbēn, Mediolanou de tēn ekklēsian pepisteumenos en pleistais apekērychthē synodois, ton bion hypexelthontos, metapempsamenos tous episkopous ho basileus toioisde pros autous echrēsato logois" iste saphōs, hate dē tois theiois logiois entethrammenoi, hopoion einai prosēkei ton archierōsynēs ēxiōmenon, kai hōs ou chrē logǭ monon alla kai bio, tous archomenous dythmixein kai pasēs aretēs heauton archetypon protithenai kai martyra echein tēs didaskalias tēn politeian. toiouton dē oun kai nyn tois archieratikois enkathidrysate thōkois, hopōs kai hēmeis hoi tēn basileian ithynontes eilikrinōs autǭ tas hēmeteras hypoklinōmen kephalas kai tous par᾽ ekeinou gignomenous elenchous (anthrōpous gar ontas kai prosptaiein anankē) hōs iatrikēn aspazōmetha therapeiank.
Then the soldiers, learning of the emperor's sudden death, mourned the departed as a father, and put forward as emperor that Valentinian who had struck the temple attendant with his hand and been sent off to the fortress, a man distinguished not only for courage but also for prudence, self-control, justice, and size of body. He was so kingly and magnanimous that when the army tried to put forward a partner for him in the empire, he said what everyone repeats: “It was your part, soldiers, when there was no emperor, to give me the reins of the empire; but since I have received them, it is now my part, and not yours, to consider public affairs.” The soldiers, admiring and approving these words, followed, guided by his nods. He summoned his brother from Pannonia and, as he ought not to have done, made him partner of the empire, though he had not yet accepted the corruption of doctrine; he handed over to him the sceptre of Asia and also of Egypt, and assigned Europe to himself. Taking possession of the West, he instructed it all in good order, beginning with the proclamations of true religion.
For when Auxentius, who had accepted the infection of Arius and had been entrusted with the church of Milan, and who had been condemned in very many synods, departed this life, the emperor summoned the bishops and spoke to them as follows: “You know clearly, brought up as you are in the divine oracles, what kind of man the one honoured with the high priesthood ought to be, and that he must govern those under him not by word only but by life, set himself forward as a model of every virtue, and have his way of life as witness to his teaching. Such a man, then, establish now on the high-priestly throne, so that we too who govern the empire may sincerely bow our heads to him and welcome his rebukes (for being men we must stumble) as medical treatment.”
Jas 3:2 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: After Jovian's death the army proclaims Valentinian emperor; he refuses to let the soldiers choose his colleague, makes his brother Valens emperor of the East, and, when Auxentius of Milan dies, charges the bishops to choose a bishop whose life matches his teaching, to whose rebukes the emperor too will submit.
- Valentinian I became emperor in 364; Theodoret's “as he ought not to have done” anticipates Valens's later Arianism.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.5 (GCS 19:217–218; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-5
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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.
4.6GCS 19:218–219
Ταῦτα τοῦ βασιλέως εἰρηκότος, αὐτὸν ἣ σύνοδος ἠξίου φηφίσασθαι σοφόν τε ὄντα καὶ εὐσεβείᾳ κοσμούμενον. ὁ δὲ ἢ ἔφη; μεῖζον ἢ καθ' ἡμᾶς τὸ ἐγχείρημα ὑμεῖς γὰρ τῆς θείας ἠξιωμένοι χάριτος καὶ τὴν αἴγλην ἐκείνην εἰσδεδεγμένοι ἄμεινον φηφιεῖσθες. οὗτοι μὲν οὖν ὅ ἐξελθόντες καθ' ξαυτοὺς ἐβουλεύοντο' οἱ ὁὲ τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην οἰκοῦντες ἐστασίαζον, οἱ μὲν τοῦτον, οἱ δὲ ἐκεῖνον προβληθῆναι φιλονεικοῦντες. οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῆς “ὐξεντίου νόσου μετειληχότες τοὺς ὁμόφρονας ἐφηφίζοντο, οἱ δὲ τῆς ὑγιαινούσης μοίρας. ὁμογνώμονα πάλιν ἐζήτουν ἔχειν ἠχούμενον. ταύτην Ἀμβρόσιος, ὃ τοῦ ἔθνους τὴν πολιτικὴν ἡγεμονίαν πεπιστευμένος, τὴν στάσιν μαθὼν καὶ δείσας μή τι νεώτερον γένηται, τὴν ἐκκλησίαν σὺν τάχει κατέλαβεν. οἱ δὲ τῆς διαμάχης ἐκείνης παυσάμενοι κοινὴν ἀφῆκαν φωνήν, Ἀμβρόσιον ὑφίσιν ἐξαιτοῦντες προβληθῆναι ποιμένα. ἔτει δὲ οὗτος ἀμύητος ἦν. ταῦτα μαθὼν ὁ βασιλεὺς προσέταξε παραυτίκα καὶ μυηθῆναι καὶ χειροτονηθῆναι τὸν ἀξιέπαινον ἄνδρα“ ἤδει γὰρ αὐτοῦ πάσης μὲν στάθμης εὐθυτέραν οὖσαν τὴν γνώμην, παντὸς δὲ κανόνος ἀκριβεστέρας τὰς ψήφους. ὑπέλαβε δὲ καὶ θείαν εἶναι τὴν φῆφον, ἐκ τῆς τῶν τἀναντία φρονούντων “τεκμαιρόμενος συμφωνίας. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τῆς θείας τοῦ παναγίου βαπτίσματος ἀπήλαυσε δωρεᾶς καὶ τὴν ἀρχιερατικὴν ἐδέξατο χάριν, τοῦτο ὁ πάντα ἄριστος βασιλεὺς προσενηνοχέναι λέγεται τῷ σωτῆρι καὶ δεσπότῃ τὸν ὕμνον (αὶ γὰρ τοῖς γεγενημένοις παρῆν) νχάρις σοι, δέσποτα παντοκράτορ καὶ σῶτερ ἡμέτερε, ὅτι τῷδε τῷ ἀνδρὶ ἐγὼ μὲν ἐνεχείρισα σώματα, σὺ δὲ φυχάς, καὶ τὰς ἐμὰς ψφήφους δικαίας ἀπέφηναςε. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὀλίγων διελθουσῶν ἡμερῶν ὁ θεῖος Ἀμβρύσιος σὺν παρρησίᾳ πλείστῃ τῷ βασιλεῖ διαλεγόμενος ἐ ἐπεμέμψατό τισιν ὡς οὐχ εὖ παρὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων γεγενημένοις᾽ ταύτην σους, ἔφη ὁ βασιλεύς, νκαὶ πάλαι ἤδειν τὴν παρρησίαν καὶ σαφῶς ἐπιστάμενος οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀντεῖπον. ἀλλὰ καὶ σύμψηφος τῆς χειροτονίας γεγένημαι. ἰάτρευε οὖν, ὡς ὁ θεῖος ὑπαγορεύει γόμος, τὰ τῶν ἡμετέρων ψυχῶν πλημμελήμαται. ταῦτα μὲν οὺν ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ καὶ εἶπε καὶ δέδραζε.
Tauta tou basileōs eirēkotos, auton hē synodos ēxiou phēphisasthai sophon te onta kai eusebeią kosmoumenon. ho de ē ephē? meizon ē kath' hēmas to encheirēma hymeis gar tēs theias ēxiōmenoi charitos kai tēn aiglēn ekeinēn eisdedegmenoi ameinon phēphieisthes. houtoi men oun ho exelthontes kath' xautous ebouleuonto' hoi hoe tēn polin ekeinēn oikountes estasiazon, hoi men touton, hoi de ekeinon problēthēnai philoneikountes. hoi men gar tēs “yxentiou nosou meteilēchotes tous homophronas ephēphizonto, hoi de tēs hygiainousēs moiras. homognōmona palin ezētoun echein ēchoumenon. tautēn Ambrosios, ho tou ethnous tēn politikēn hēgemonian pepisteumenos, tēn stasin mathōn kai deisas mē ti neōteron genētai, tēn ekklēsian syn tachei katelaben. hoi de tēs diamachēs ekeinēs pausamenoi koinēn aphēkan phōnēn, Ambrosion hyphisin exaitountes problēthēnai poimena. etei de houtos amyētos ēn. tauta mathōn ho basileus prosetaxe parautika kai myēthēnai kai cheirotonēthēnai ton axiepainon andra“ ēdei gar autou pasēs men stathmēs euthyteran ousan tēn gnōmēn, pantos de kanonos akribesteras tas psēphous. hypelabe de kai theian einai tēn phēphon, ek tēs tōn tanantia phronountōn “tekmairomenos symphōnias. epeidē de kai tēs theias tou panagiou baptismatos apēlause dōreas kai tēn archieratikēn edexato charin, touto ho panta aristos basileus prosenēnochenai legetai tǭ sōtēri kai despotę̄ ton hymnon (ai gar tois gegenēmenois parēn) ncharis soi, despota pantokrator kai sōter hēmetere, hoti tǭde tǭ andri egō men enecheirisa sōmata, sy de phychas, kai tas emas psphēphous dikaias apephēnase. epeidē de oligōn dielthousōn hēmerōn ho theios Ambrysios syn parrēsią pleistę̄ tǭ basilei dialegomenos e epemempsato tisin hōs ouch eu para tōn archontōn gegenēmenois᾽ tautēn sous, ephē ho basileus, nkai palai ēdein tēn parrēsian kai saphōs epistamenos ou monon ouk anteipon. alla kai sympsēphos tēs cheirotonias gegenēmai. iatreue oun, hōs ho theios hypagoreuei gomos, ta tōn hēmeterōn psychōn plēmmelēmatai. tauta men oun en Mediolanǭ kai eipe kai dedraze.
When the emperor had said this, the synod asked him to choose, since he was wise and adorned with piety. But he said: “The undertaking is too great for us. For you, counted worthy of divine grace and having received that radiance, will choose better.” They went out and deliberated among themselves; but the inhabitants of that city were in faction, some striving to have one man put forward, others another. Those who shared in the disease of Auxentius voted for men of their own mind, while those of the sound party sought in turn to have a leader of their own mind. Ambrose, who had been entrusted with the civil government of the province, learning of the faction and fearing that some violence might occur, went quickly to the church. They stopped that fight and raised a common cry, demanding that Ambrose be put forward as their shepherd. He was still unbaptized. Learning this, the emperor ordered the praiseworthy man to be baptized and ordained at once; for he knew that his mind was straighter than any plumb line and his judgments more exact than any rule. He also considered the vote divine, inferring this from the agreement of those of opposite views. When he had received the divine gift of most holy baptism and the high-priestly grace, the all-excellent emperor is said to have offered this hymn to the Saviour and Master (for he was present at what was done): “Thanks to you, Almighty Master and our Saviour, that to this man I entrusted bodies, and you souls, and that you have shown my choices to be just.” A few days later the divine Ambrose, speaking with the emperor with great boldness, found fault with certain things as not having been done well by the officials. “This boldness of yours,” said the emperor, “I knew long ago, and knowing it clearly I not only did not object, but even voted for your ordination. Heal, then, as the divine law directs, the faults of our souls.” This is what he said and did at Milan.
Notes and citation
Summary: The bishops leave the choice of Milan's bishop to the people, who are divided until the governor Ambrose, coming to keep order, is acclaimed by both sides; Valentinian has him baptized and ordained at once, thanks God for the choice, and later invites Ambrose's rebukes.
- Ambrose was elected bishop of Milan in 374, while still a catechumen.
Topics: Church office, Baptism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.6 (GCS 19:218–219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-6
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica-4-6) · 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.
4.7GCS 19:219–224
Μιαθὼν δέ τινας ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ καὶ ἐν τῇ Φρυγίᾳ περὶ τῶν θείων ἀμφισβητοῦντας δογμάτων, ἐν μὲν τῷ Ἰλλυρικῷ σύνοδον γενέσθαι προσέταξε, τὰ δὲ παρ᾽ ἐκείνων καὶ φηφισθέντα καὶ κυρωθέντα τοῖς ἀμφισβητοῦσιν ἐξέπεμψεν. ἐψηφίσαντο δὲ οἱ συνελθόντες τὴν ἐν Δικαίᾳ ἐκτεθεῖσαν πίστιν κρατεῖν. ἐπέστειλε δὲ καὶ αὐτός, κοινωνὸν τῶν γραμμάτων τὸν ἀδελφὸν ποιησάμενος, ἐμμένειν τοῖς δεδογμένοις παρεγγυῶν. ἀναγνώσομαι δὲ καὶ τὸν νόμον, σαφῶς αὐτοῦ κηρύττοντα τὴν εὐσέβειαν, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὴν τηνικαῦτα τοῦ Ἰβάλεντος περὶ τὰ θεῖα δόγματα ὑγείαν δηλοῦντα. δ Αὐτοκράτορες Λ]έγιστοι ᾿Δεισέβαστοι Νικηταὶ Αὐγουστοι Οὐαλεντινιανὸς καὶ Οὐάλης καὶ Γρατιανὸς ἐπισκόποις διοικήσεως Ἀσιανῆς, Φρυγίας, Καροφρυγίας, Πακατιανῆς, ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Συνόδου τηλικαύτης συγκροτηθείσης ἐν τῷ Ἰλλυρικῷ καὶ ζητήσεως πολλῆς γενομένης περὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου λόγου, ἀπέδειξαν οἱ -τρισμακαριώτατοι ἐπίσκοποι τὴν τριάδα ὁμοούσιον πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος" ἥν, οὐδ᾽ ὅλως ἐκκλίνοντες λειτουργίας τὰς κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἐπιβαλλούσας αὐτοῖς, θρησχεύουσι τὴν θρησχείαν τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως. κηρύττειν δὲ ταύτην προσέταξε τὸ "ἡμέτερον κράτος, οὕτως μέντοι ἵνα μὴ λέγωσί τινες ὅτι ἀνήκαμεν 1ῦ θρησχείᾳ βασιλέως τοῦ διέποντος τὴν γῆν ταύτην, μὴ ἀνεχόμενοι τοῦ ἐντειλαμένου ἡμῖν τὰ περὶ τῆς σωτηρίας. ὡς γάρ φῆσι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡμῶν, ὅπερ ἐπίκρισιν ταύτην ἔχει" ἀπόδοτε ντὰ τοῦ Καίσαρος τῷ Καίσαρι καὶ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ τῷ θεῷε. τί λέγετε ὑμεῖς, οἱ ἐπίσκοποι καὶ προεστῶτες τοῦ σωτηρίου λόγου; εἰ οὕτως ἔχει τὰ τῆς ἀποδείξεως ὑμῶν, οὕτω μέντοι "ἀγαπῶντες ἀλλήλους παύσασθε ἀποχρᾶσθαι ἀξιώματι βασιλέως καὶ μὴ διώκετε τοὺς ἀκριβῶς τῷ θεῷ λειτουργοῦντας, ὧν ταῖς "εὐχαῖς καὶ πόλεμοι καταπαύονται ἐπὶ τῆς πγῆξ καὶ ἀγγέλων ἀποστατῶν ἐπιβάσεις ἀποστρέφονται. καὶ πάντας δαίμονας φθορι"μαίους διὰ δεήσεως ἐπιστομίξουσιν, καὶ τὰ δημόσια κατὰ τοὺς γόμους εἰσχομίζειν ἴσασιν, καὶ οὐκ ἀντιλέγουσι τῇ τοῦ κρατοῦντος νἐξουσίᾳ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰλικρινῶς καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἄνω θεοῦ βασιλέως ἐντολὴν φυλάττουσι καὶ τοῖς ἡμετέροις νόμοις ὑποτάσσονται. ὑμεῖς ὁὲ ἀπειθεῖς ἐδείχθητε εἶναι. ἡμεῖς μὲν ἐχρησάμεθα τῷ Ἂλ φΞ ἕως "τοῦ ὩΣ ὑμεῖς δὲ ἑαυτοῖς ἀπεδώκατε. ἡμεῖς μέντοι καθαροὺς ἑαυτοὺς ἄἀφ᾽ ὑμῶν εἶναι θέλοντες, ὡς καὶ Πιλᾶτος ἐπὶ τῆς ἐξετάσεως τοῦ ἐν ἡμῖν πολιτευομένου Χριστοῦ, μὴ θέλοντος αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ παθεῖν τὸν παρακληθέντα ἐπιστραφεὶς ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς Ἀνατολῆς μέρη καὶ αἰτήσας ὕδωρ ἐπὶ χειρῶν, ἐνίψατο αὐτοῦ τὰς "χεῖρας λέγων ἀθῶός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ δικαίου ᾿τούτουε, οὕτως καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον κράτος διὰ παντὸς ἐνετείλατο μὴ διώκειν μήτε ἐπικλύξειν μήτε ζηλοῦν τοὺς ἐργαζομένους τὸ χωρίον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, μ μήτε τοὺς διοικητὰς ἀπελαύνειν τοῦ μεγάλου βασιλέως, ἵνα μὴ σήμερον μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἡμετέρου κράτους αὔξειν δόξητε, καὶ μεταξὺ τοῦ παραχεχλημένου παθεῖν τὰ τῆς διαθήχης αὐτοῦ, ὡς ἐπὶ Ζαχαρίου τοῦ αἵματος. ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ μεταξὺ τῆς ἀφίξεως ὑπὸ τοῦ ἄνωθεν βασιλέως ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐρράγησαν, παραδοθέντες εἰς κρίσιν θανάτου, μετὰ τοῦ συνδραμόντος αὐτοῖς φθοριμαίου δαίμονος. τοῦτο προσετάξαμεν ἐπὶ Ἀμιγητίου καὶ Κικερωνίου καὶ Δαμάσου καὶ αμπῶνοξ καὶ Βρεντησίου, ἀκροἴ ατῶν γενομένων. ἅπερ καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ πραχθέντα ἀπεστάλκαμεν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ἵνα γνῶναι ἔχητε τὰ πραχθέντα ἐν τῇ ἐναρέτῳ συνόδῳ.ε Τούτοις συνέζευξε τοῖς γράμμασι καὶ τῆς συνόδου τὰ δόγματα ἐν κεφαλαίῳ ταῦτα δηλώσας" Ὁμολογοῦμεν ἀκολούθως τῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ ὀρθοδόξῳ συνόδῳ ὁμο᾿οὕσιον εἶναι τῷ πατρὶ τὸν υἱόν" καὶ οὐχ οὕτω νοοῦμεν τὸ ὁμοούσιον.ὡς καὶ πάλαι τινὲς ἐξηγήσαντο μὴ ἀληθινῶς ὑπογράψαντες, καὶ νῦν "ἕτεροι πατέρας ἐχείρους καλοῦντες, τὴν δύναμιν τῆς λέξεως ἀθετήσαντες καὶ ἑπόμενοι τοῖς γράψασι τὸ ὅμοιον δηλοῦσθαι διὰ τοῦ ὁμοουσίου, καθ᾽᾿ ὃ οὐδενὶ τῶν λοιπῶν κτισμάτων τῶν δι᾿ αὐτοῦ "γενομένων ἐμφερὴς ὁ υἱός, ἀλλ ἢ μόνῳ τῷ πατρὶ ἀφωμοίωται. οἱ γὰρ ταῦτα ἐξηγούμενοι κτίσμα ἐξαίρετον ἀσεβῶς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ δογματίζουσιν. ἡμεῖς δὲ φρονοῦμεν, ὡς καὶ αἱ σύνοδοι νῦν αἵ τε κατὰ Ῥώμην καὶ ἡ κατὰ Γαλλίαν, μίαν εἶναι καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, ἐν τρισὶ "προσώποις, ὅ ἐστιν ἐν τρισὶ τελείαις ὑποστάσεσιν. ὁμολογοῦμεν δὲ κατὰ τὴν ἔχθεσιν τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ, καὶ σεσαρκῶσθαι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν ὁμοούσιον ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας παρθένου Διαρίας, καὶ ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἐσκηῳχέναι, καὶ πεπληρωκέναι πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν οἰκονομίαν, ἐν "γενέσει καὶ πάθει καὶ ἀναστάσει καὶ τῇ εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀναβάσει" καὶ πάλιν ἥξειν ἀποδιδόντα τὴν ὁμοίωσιν ἡμῖν τὴν θείαν παρ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, -θεὸν ὄντα σαρκοφόρον καὶ ἄνθρωπον θεοφόρον᾽ καὶ τοὺς τοῖς "προειρημένοις ἐναντία φρονοῦντας ἀναθεματίζομεν, καὶ τοὺς μὴ "γνησίως ἀναθεματίζοντας τὸν εἰπόντα ὅτι πρὶν γεννηθῆναι οὐκ ἣν "ὁ υἱός, ἀλλὰ γράψαντας ὅτι καὶ πρὶν ἐνεργείᾳ γεννηθῆναι δυνάμει ἦν ἐν τῷ πατρί. τοῦτο γὰρ “καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων τῶν κτισμάτων ἐστὶ τῶν μὴ ἀεὶ ὄντων μετὰ τοῦ θεοῦ, καθ' ὃ ὁ υἱὸς ἀεὶ μετὰ τοῦ πατρός ἐστιν, ἀϊδίῳ γεννήσει γεγενγημένος. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὃ βασιλεὺς ἐν κεφαλαίῳ δεδήλωκεν. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ αὐτὰ τῆς συνόδου τὰ γράμματα ἐνθήσο τῇ συγγραφῇ.
Miathōn de tinas en tę̄ Asią kai en tę̄ Phrygią peri tōn theiōn amphisbētountas dogmatōn, en men tǭ Illyrikǭ synodon genesthai prosetaxe, ta de par᾽ ekeinōn kai phēphisthenta kai kyrōthenta tois amphisbētousin exepempsen. epsēphisanto de hoi synelthontes tēn en Dikaią ektetheisan pistin kratein. epesteile de kai autos, koinōnon tōn grammatōn ton adelphon poiēsamenos, emmenein tois dedogmenois parengyōn. anagnōsomai de kai ton nomon, saphōs autou kēryttonta tēn eusebeian, hōsautōs de kai tēn tēnikauta tou Ibalentos peri ta theia dogmata hygeian dēlounta. d Autokratores L]egistoi ᾿Deisebastoi Nikētai Augoustoi Oualentinianos kai Oualēs kai Gratianos episkopois dioikēseōs Asianēs, Phrygias, Karophrygias, Pakatianēs, en kyriǭ chairein. Synodou tēlikautēs synkrotētheisēs en tǭ Illyrikǭ kai zētēseōs pollēs genomenēs peri tou sōtēriou logou, apedeixan hoi -trismakariōtatoi episkopoi tēn triada homoousion patros kai huiou kai hagiou pneumatos" hēn, oud᾽ holōs ekklinontes leitourgias tas kata to dikaion epiballousas autois, thrēscheuousi tēn thrēscheian tou megalou basileōs. kēryttein de tautēn prosetaxe to "hēmeteron kratos, houtōs mentoi hina mē legōsi tines hoti anēkamen 1y thrēscheią basileōs tou diepontos tēn gēn tautēn, mē anechomenoi tou enteilamenou hēmin ta peri tēs sōtērias. hōs gar phēsi to euangelion tou Christou hēmōn, hoper epikrisin tautēn echei" apodote nta tou Kaisaros tǭ Kaisari kai ta tou theou tǭ theǭe. ti legete hymeis, hoi episkopoi kai proestōtes tou sōtēriou logou? ei houtōs echei ta tēs apodeixeōs hymōn, houtō mentoi "agapōntes allēlous pausasthe apochrasthai axiōmati basileōs kai mē diōkete tous akribōs tǭ theǭ leitourgountas, hōn tais "euchais kai polemoi katapauontai epi tēs pgēx kai angelōn apostatōn epibaseis apostrephontai. kai pantas daimonas phthori"maious dia deēseōs epistomixousin, kai ta dēmosia kata tous gomous eischomizein isasin, kai ouk antilegousi tę̄ tou kratountos nexousią, all᾽ eilikrinōs kai tēn tou anō theou basileōs entolēn phylattousi kai tois hēmeterois nomois hypotassontai. hymeis hoe apeitheis edeichthēte einai. hēmeis men echrēsametha tǭ Al phX heōs "tou HōS hymeis de heautois apedōkate. hēmeis mentoi katharous heautous aaph᾽ hymōn einai thelontes, hōs kai Pilatos epi tēs exetaseōs tou en hēmin politeuomenou Christou, mē thelontos auton anelein, kai hyper tou pathein ton paraklēthenta epistrapheis epi ta tēs Anatolēs merē kai aitēsas hydōr epi cheirōn, enipsato autou tas "cheiras legōn athōos eimi apo tou haimatos tou dikaiou ᾿toutoue, houtōs kai to hēmeteron kratos dia pantos eneteilato mē diōkein mēte epiklyxein mēte zēloun tous ergazomenous to chōrion tou Christou, m mēte tous dioikētas apelaunein tou megalou basileōs, hina mē sēmeron men epi tou hēmeterou kratous auxein doxēte, kai metaxy tou parachechlēmenou pathein ta tēs diathēchēs autou, hōs epi Zachariou tou haimatos. all᾽ hoi met᾽ autou metaxy tēs aphixeōs hypo tou anōthen basileōs hēmōn Iēsou Christou erragēsan, paradothentes eis krisin thanatou, meta tou syndramontos autois phthorimaiou daimonos. touto prosetaxamen epi Amigētiou kai Kikerōniou kai Damasou kai ampōnox kai Brentēsiou, akroi atōn genomenōn. haper kai auta ta prachthenta apestalkamen pros hymas, hina gnōnai echēte ta prachthenta en tę̄ enaretǭ synodǭ.e Toutois synezeuxe tois grammasi kai tēs synodou ta dogmata en kephalaiǭ tauta dēlōsas" Homologoumen akolouthōs tę̄ megalę̄ kai orthodoxǭ synodǭ homo᾿housion einai tǭ patri ton huion" kai ouch houtō nooumen to homoousion.hōs kai palai tines exēgēsanto mē alēthinōs hypograpsantes, kai nyn "heteroi pateras echeirous kalountes, tēn dynamin tēs lexeōs athetēsantes kai hepomenoi tois grapsasi to homoion dēlousthai dia tou homoousiou, kath᾽᾿ ho oudeni tōn loipōn ktismatōn tōn di᾿ autou "genomenōn empherēs ho huios, all ē monǭ tǭ patri aphōmoiōtai. hoi gar tauta exēgoumenoi ktisma exaireton asebōs ton huion tou theou dogmatizousin. hēmeis de phronoumen, hōs kai hai synodoi nyn hai te kata Rhōmēn kai hē kata Gallian, mian einai kai tēn autēn ousian tou patros kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos, en trisi "prosōpois, ho estin en trisi teleiais hypostasesin. homologoumen de kata tēn echthesin tēn en Nikaią, kai sesarkōsthai ton huion tou theou ton homoousion ek tēs hagias parthenou Diarias, kai en anthrōpois eskēǭchenai, kai peplērōkenai pasan tēn hyper hēmōn oikonomian, en "genesei kai pathei kai anastasei kai tę̄ eis ouranous anabasei" kai palin hēxein apodidonta tēn homoiōsin hēmin tēn theian par᾽ heautou, -theon onta sarkophoron kai anthrōpon theophoron᾽ kai tous tois "proeirēmenois enantia phronountas anathematizomen, kai tous mē "gnēsiōs anathematizontas ton eiponta hoti prin gennēthēnai ouk hēn "ho huios, alla grapsantas hoti kai prin energeią gennēthēnai dynamei ēn en tǭ patri. touto gar “kai epi pantōn tōn ktismatōn esti tōn mē aei ontōn meta tou theou, kath' ho ho huios aei meta tou patros estin, aïdiǭ gennēsei gegengēmenos. Tauta men oun ho basileus en kephalaiǭ dedēlōken. egō de kai auta tēs synodou ta grammata enthēso tę̄ syngraphę̄.
Learning that some in Asia and in Phrygia were disputing about the divine doctrines, he ordered a synod to be held in Illyricum, and sent to those who were disputing what had been decreed and confirmed there. Those who assembled decreed that the faith set forth at Nicaea should prevail. He himself also wrote, making his brother a partner in the letter, urging them to abide by what had been decided. I shall read out the law too, which clearly proclaims his piety, and likewise shows the soundness of Valens at that time in the divine doctrines.
“The Emperors, Greatest, Ever-August, Victors, Augusti, Valentinian, Valens, and Gratian, to the bishops of the diocese of Asia, Phrygia, Carophrygia, and Pacatiana: greeting in the Lord.
A great synod having been held in Illyricum, and much inquiry having taken place concerning the word of salvation, the thrice-blessed bishops showed the Trinity to be of the same essence, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; which, in no way declining the services justly falling to them, they worship as the worship of the great King. Our Power has ordered this to be proclaimed, yet in such a way that some may not say that we have yielded to the religion of the king who rules this earth, not bearing with the one who commanded us concerning salvation. For so says the gospel of our Christ, which has this judgment: ‘Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’ What do you say, you bishops and leaders of the word of salvation? If such is your demonstration, then, loving one another, cease to misuse the imperial dignity, and do not persecute those who serve God exactly, by whose prayers wars on earth are stopped and the attacks of apostate angels are turned back. They muzzle all destructive demons by supplication, they know how to bring in public dues according to the laws, and they do not oppose the authority of the ruler, but sincerely keep the commandment of God the King above and are subject to our laws. But you have been shown to be disobedient. We for our part have used the Alpha to the Omega; but you have given yourselves over to yourselves. Wishing to be clean of you, as Pilate too at the trial of the Christ who dwelt among us, not wishing to kill him, and when he was urged to make him suffer, turned toward the parts of the East, asked for water on his hands and washed his hands, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man,’ so too our Power has always commanded neither to persecute, nor to drive out, nor to harass those who labour in the field of Christ, nor to expel the stewards of the great King, so that you may not seem to flourish today under our Power and, meanwhile, to make the things of his covenant suffer, as in the case of the blood of Zechariah. But those with him were broken in the meantime, at the coming of our King from above, Jesus Christ, handed over to the judgment of death together with the destroying demon that ran with them. This we have ordered in the presence of Amigetius, Ciceronius, Damasus, Lampon, and Brentesius, who were hearers. We have also sent you the acts themselves, so that you may know what was done in the virtuous synod.”
To this letter he joined the decrees of the synod too, setting them out in summary as follows:
“We confess, in accordance with the great and orthodox synod, that the Son is of the same essence as the Father. And we do not understand ‘of the same essence’ as some formerly interpreted it who did not sign in truth, and as others now do who call the fathers inferior, setting aside the force of the word and following those who wrote that ‘like’ is signified by ‘of the same essence,’ in the sense that the Son resembles none of the other creatures that came into being through him, but is made like the Father alone. For those who interpret it so impiously make the Son of God an exceptional creature. But we think, as the synods now held both at Rome and in Gaul also do, that there is one and the same essence of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, in three persons, that is, in three perfect hypostases. And we confess, according to the statement made at Nicaea, that the Son of God, who is of the same essence, was made flesh from the holy virgin Mary, dwelt among men, and fulfilled the whole dispensation for us in birth, passion, resurrection, and ascension into the heavens; and that he will come again, rendering to us from himself the divine likeness, being God bearing flesh and man bearing God. We anathematize those who think contrary to what has been said, and those who do not genuinely anathematize the one who said that before he was begotten the Son was not, but wrote that even before he was begotten in actuality he was in the Father potentially. For this holds of all creatures, which are not always with God, whereas the Son is always with the Father, begotten by an eternal begetting.”
This the emperor set out in summary. I shall insert the letter of the synod itself too in my history.
Matt 22:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 27:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 23:35 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rev 1:8 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Valentinian has a synod held in Illyricum, which upholds the Nicene faith, and sends its decrees with an imperial letter (in the names of Valentinian, Valens, and Gratian) to the bishops of Asia and Phrygia, urging them to stop persecuting the orthodox; the synod's summary confesses one essence of Father, Son, and Spirit in three hypostases.
- Documents: an imperial letter and a summary of the decrees of a synod of Illyricum (about 375), known only from Theodoret; the Greek of the letter is very obscure (it is translated from a Latin original), and its authenticity has been questioned. Translated as printed, by sense where garbled (e.g. “We for our part have used the Alpha to the Omega”).
- “Render to Caesar ...”: Matt 22:21. Pilate washing his hands: Matt 27:24 (the turn “toward the parts of the East” is the letter's own detail). The blood of Zechariah: Matt 23:35.
- “Asia, Phrygia, Carophrygia, and Pacatiana”: names of provinces as printed.
- “God bearing flesh and man bearing God”: some witnesses read “and not man bearing God”; the printed text is translated.
Topics: Trinity, Christology, Heresy, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.7 (GCS 19:219–224; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-7
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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.
4.8GCS 19:224–227
Οἱ ἐπίσκοποι τοῦ Ἰλλυρικοῦ ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐπισκόποις διοικήσεως Ἀσιανῆς, Φρυγίας, Καροφρυγίας, Πακατιανῆς, ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Συνελθόντων ἡμῶν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ζητήσεως πολλῆς γενομένης περὶ τοῦ σωτηρίου λογου, ἀπεδείξαμεν ομοούσιον εἶναι τὴν τριαδα πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος. καὶ ἣν δίκαιον γράμματα ἀποχαράξαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, οὐ σοφίσμασι τὰ τῆς θρησκχείας τῆς τριάδος γράφοντας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ταπεινοφροσύνῃ καταξιωθέντας. τουτὶ ἡμῶν τὸ γράμμα ἀπεστάλκαμεν διὰ τοῦ ἀγαπητοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ἡμῶν καὶ -συλλειτουργοῦ Ἐλπιδίου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου. Τοὺ ταῖς γὰρ τῶν ἣμετέρων ἐν χερσὶν γραμμάτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ταῖς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ "Χριστοῦ βίβλοις: νἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, ἐγὼ δὲ Ἀπολλώ ἐγὼ δὲ Κηφᾶ. μὴ Παῦλος ἐσταυρώθη ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν, ἢ εἰς τὸ "ὄνομα Παύλου ἐβαπτίσθητε;ς καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἤρκει τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ ταπεινώσει, “μήτε τὸ καθόλου γράμματα ἀποχαράξαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς, διὰ τὸν τηλικοῦτον φόβον ὃν αὐτόθι κηρύσσετε πάσῃ τῇ ὑφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐπαρχίᾳ, ἀποχωρίξοντες τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ἀνάγκην οὖν ἔσχομεν πέμψαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ συλλειτοτργὸν ᾿Βλπίδιον ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλευούσης Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς "τοῦτο τὸ γράμμα ἔχοντα, καταμαθόντα εἴ γε ἄρα οὕτως ἔχει τὸ -κήρυγμα ὑμῶν. οἱ γὰρ μὴ ὁμοούσιον τὴν τριάδα κηρύττοντες ἀνέθεμα ἔστωσαν, καὶ εἰ τις τούτοις φωραθείη κοινωνῶν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω᾽ τοῖς δὲ κηρύττουσιν ὁμοούσιον τὴν τριάδα ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἡτοίμασται. παρακαλοῦμεν οὖν ὑμᾶς, ἀδελφοί, μὴ ἑτεροδιδασκαλεῖν, μὴ ἑτεροχαινοδοξεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοούσιον ἀεὶ καὶ διὰ παντὸς Ὁ κηρύττοντες τὴν τριάδα δυνηθῆτε κληρονομῆσαι τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ βασιλείαν. Περὶ τούτου γράφοντες καὶ ὑπόμνησιν ἔχοντες ἐχαράξαμεν τουτὶ εἡμῶν τὸ γράμμα, καὶ περὶ τῶν καθισταμένων ἐπισκόπων ἢ κατασταθέντων συλλειτουργῶν, ἐὰν μὲν εἶεν, ἐκ τῶν τέλει χρησαμένων "ἐπισκόπων ὑγιεῖς, εἰ δὲ μή, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πρεσβυτερίου" ὁμοίως τε καὶ πρεσβυτέρους καὶ διακόνους, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἱερατικοῦ τάγματος, ἵνα ὦσιν ἀνεπίληπτοι πανταχόθεν, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ βουλευτηρίου καὶ στρατιωτικῆς ἀρχῆς. εἰς τοῦτο οὖν αὐτὸ οὐκ ἠβουλήθημεν διὰ "πολλῶν ἀποχαράξαι, διὰ τὸ ἀποσταλῆναι ἕνα ἐκ πάντων τὸν κύριον "ἡμῶν καὶ συλλειτοιργὸν Ἐλπίδιον, ἐπισπούδως καταμαθόντα τὸ "κήρυγμα ὑμῶν, εἴ γε οὕτως ἔχει ὥσπερ ἀκηκόαμεν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου οἡμῶν καὶ συλλειτουργοῦ Εὐσταθίου. Ἱοιπὸν εἰ καί ποτε ἐν πλάνοις γεγενημένοι ἦτε, ἀποθέμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐνδύσασθε τὸν καινόν. καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς ἀδελρὸς καὶ συλλειτουργὸς Ελπίδιος διδάξει ὑμᾶς κηρῦξαι τὴν ἀληθῆ πίστιν. ὅτε ἡ ἀγία τριάς, ἡ ὁμοούσιος τῷ θεῷ καὶ πατρί. μεν οἶδ "σὺν υἱῷ καὶ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι ἡγίασται, δεδόξασται, πεφανέροωται. "πατὴρ ἐν υἱῷ, υἱὸς ἐν πατρί, σὺν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ρανερωθέντος γὰρ τούτου, φανερῶς δυνησόμεθα τὴν αγίαν τριάδα οὁμολογεῖν ὁμοούσιον, κατὰ τὴν πάλαι ἐκτεθεῖσαν πίστιν τὴν ἐν Δικαίᾳ, ἣν καὶ οἱ πατέρες ἐβεβαίωσαν. κηρυττομένης οὖν τῆς πίστεως ταύτης, δθυνησόμεθα τοῦ ἀλιτηρίου δαίμονος ἐκφυγεῖν τὰς ᾿μεθοσίας" σβεσθέντος γὰρ τούτου, δυνησόμεθα εἰρηνικοῖς γράμμασιν ἑαυτοὺς προσκυνεῖν ἐν εἰρήνῃ διάγοντες. ἐγράψαμεν οὖν ὑμῖν, ἵνα "εἰδέναι ἔχητε τοὺς καθαιρεθέντας ᾿Δρειομανίτας, τοὺς μὴ ὁμολογοῦντας ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τοῦ πατρὸς τὸν υἱὸν μήτε τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα, ὧν τὰ ὀνόματα ὑπετάξαμεν᾽ Πολυχρόνιος, Τηλέμαχος, Φαῦστος, Ἀσκληπιάδης, Ἀμάντιος, Κλεόπατρος. χκαὶ ταῦτα μὲν οὕτως εἰς δόξαν πατρὸς καὶ υἷοῦ καὶ ἁγίου πνεύματος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων, "ἀμήν. ἐρρῶσθαι ὑμᾶς: εὐχόμεθα τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ σωτῆρι Χριστῷ, σὺν ἁγίῳ πνεεύματι, πολλαῖς ἐτῶν περιόδοις.
Hoi episkopoi tou Illyrikou tais ekklēsiais tou theou kai episkopois dioikēseōs Asianēs, Phrygias, Karophrygias, Pakatianēs, en kyriǭ chairein. Synelthontōn hēmōn epi to auto kai zētēseōs pollēs genomenēs peri tou sōtēriou logou, apedeixamen omoousion einai tēn triada patros kai huiou kai hagiou pneumatos. kai hēn dikaion grammata apocharaxai pros hymas, ou sophismasi ta tēs thrēskcheias tēs triados graphontas, all᾽ en tapeinophrosynę̄ kataxiōthentas. touti hēmōn to gramma apestalkamen dia tou agapētou adelphou hēmōn kai -sylleitourgou Elpidiou tou presbyterou. Tou tais gar tōn hēmeterōn en chersin grammatōn, all᾽ en tais tou sōtēros hēmōn Iēsou "Christou biblois: negō men eimi Paulou, egō de Apollō egō de Kēpha. mē Paulos estaurōthē hyper hymōn, ē eis to "onoma Paulou ebaptisthēte?s kai tauta men ērkei tę̄ hēmeterą tapeinōsei, “mēte to katholou grammata apocharaxai pros hymas, dia ton tēlikouton phobon hon autothi kēryssete pasę̄ tę̄ hyph᾽ hymas eparchią, apochōrixontes to hagion pneuma apo tou patros kai tou huiou, anankēn oun eschomen pempsai pros hymas ton kyrion hēmōn kai sylleitotrgon ᾿Blpidion apo tēs basileuousēs Rhōmaiōn archēs "touto to gramma echonta, katamathonta ei ge ara houtōs echei to -kērygma hymōn. hoi gar mē homoousion tēn triada kēryttontes anethema estōsan, kai ei tis toutois phōratheiē koinōnōn, anathema estō᾽ tois de kēryttousin homoousion tēn triada hē basileia tōn ouranōn hētoimastai. parakaloumen oun hymas, adelphoi, mē heterodidaskalein, mē heterochainodoxein, all᾽ homoousion aei kai dia pantos Ho kēryttontes tēn triada dynēthēte klēronomēsai tēn tou theou basileian. Peri toutou graphontes kai hypomnēsin echontes echaraxamen touti heēmōn to gramma, kai peri tōn kathistamenōn episkopōn ē katastathentōn sylleitourgōn, ean men eien, ek tōn telei chrēsamenōn "episkopōn hygieis, ei de mē, ex autou tou presbyteriou" homoiōs te kai presbyterous kai diakonous, ex autou tou hieratikou tagmatos, hina ōsin anepilēptoi pantachothen, kai apo tou bouleutēriou kai stratiōtikēs archēs. eis touto oun auto ouk ēboulēthēmen dia "pollōn apocharaxai, dia to apostalēnai hena ek pantōn ton kyrion "hēmōn kai sylleitoirgon Elpidion, epispoudōs katamathonta to "kērygma hymōn, ei ge houtōs echei hōsper akēkoamen para tou kyriou hoēmōn kai sylleitourgou Eustathiou. Hioipon ei kai pote en planois gegenēmenoi ēte, apothemenoi ton palaion anthrōpon endysasthe ton kainon. kai gar kai ho autos adelros kai sylleitourgos Elpidios didaxei hymas kēryxai tēn alēthē pistin. hote hē agia trias, hē homoousios tǭ theǭ kai patri. men oid "syn huiǭ kai hagiǭ pneumati hēgiastai, dedoxastai, pephaneroōtai. "patēr en huiǭ, huios en patri, syn hagiǭ pneumati eis tous aiōnas. ranerōthentos gar toutou, phanerōs dynēsometha tēn agian triada hoomologein homoousion, kata tēn palai ektetheisan pistin tēn en Dikaią, hēn kai hoi pateres ebebaiōsan. kēryttomenēs oun tēs pisteōs tautēs, dthynēsometha tou alitēriou daimonos ekphygein tas ᾿methosias" sbesthentos gar toutou, dynēsometha eirēnikois grammasin heautous proskynein en eirēnę̄ diagontes. egrapsamen oun hymin, hina "eidenai echēte tous kathairethentas ᾿Dreiomanitas, tous mē homologountas ek tēs ousias tou patros ton huion mēte to hagion pneuma, hōn ta onomata hypetaxamen᾽ Polychronios, Tēlemachos, Phaustos, Asklēpiadēs, Amantios, Kleopatros. chkai tauta men houtōs eis doxan patros kai huiou kai hagiou pneumatos, eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn, "amēn. errōsthai hymas: euchometha tǭ patri kai tǭ huiǭ sōtēri Christǭ, syn hagiǭ pneeumati, pollais etōn periodois.
“The bishops of Illyricum to the churches of God and the bishops of the diocese of Asia, Phrygia, Carophrygia, and Pacatiana: greeting in the Lord.
We came together and, after much inquiry about the word of salvation, we showed the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, to be of the same essence. It was right to write a letter to you, not writing about the worship of the Trinity with sophistries, but as those deemed worthy in humility. We have sent this letter of ours by our beloved brother and fellow minister, the presbyter Elpidius. For it is not in letters of ours in your hands, but in the books of our Saviour Jesus Christ: ‘I am of Paul, I of Apollos, I of Cephas. Was Paul crucified for you, or were you baptized in the name of Paul?’ This would have sufficed for our lowliness, without writing letters to you at all, were it not for the great fear you are spreading there through the whole province under you, separating the Holy Spirit from the Father and the Son. We were therefore compelled to send to you our lord and fellow minister Elpidius from the imperial government of the Romans, with this letter, to learn whether your preaching is really so. For let those who do not preach the Trinity of the same essence be anathema; and if anyone is found in communion with them, let him be anathema; but for those who preach the Trinity of the same essence the kingdom of heaven has been prepared. We urge you, then, brothers, not to teach otherwise nor to hold novel opinions, but, always and throughout preaching the Trinity of the same essence, to be able to inherit the kingdom of God.
Writing about this and making mention of it, we have written this letter of ours, also about the bishops to be appointed or the fellow ministers already appointed: that they be taken, if there are such, from among the bishops who have died in soundness, and if not, from the presbyterate itself; and likewise presbyters and deacons from the priestly order itself, so that they may be irreproachable in every respect, and not from the town council or from military office. On this very point we did not wish to write at length, since one out of all has been sent, our lord and fellow minister Elpidius, who will learn diligently whether your preaching is as we have heard from our lord and fellow minister Eustathius. For the rest, even if at some time you have been in error, put off the old man and put on the new. For the same brother and fellow minister Elpidius will teach you to preach the true faith: that the holy Trinity, of the same essence with God the Father, with the Son and the Holy Spirit, has been sanctified, glorified, and made manifest; Father in the Son, Son in the Father, with the Holy Spirit, to the ages. For when this is made manifest, we shall be able openly to confess the holy Trinity of the same essence, according to the faith set forth long ago at Nicaea, which the fathers also confirmed. When this faith is proclaimed, we shall be able to escape the wiles of the accursed demon; for when he is extinguished, we shall be able to greet one another with peaceful letters, living in peace. We have written to you, then, so that you may know the Ario-maniacs who have been deposed, who do not confess that the Son and the Holy Spirit are from the essence of the Father, whose names we have appended: Polychronius, Telemachus, Faustus, Asclepiades, Amantius, Cleopatrus. And this is so to the glory of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, to the ages of ages. Amen. We pray that you may be well, to the Father and the Son, Christ the Saviour, with the Holy Spirit, for many cycles of years.”
1 Cor 1:12–13 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:22–24 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:34 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 14:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret quotes the synodal letter of the bishops of Illyricum to the bishops of Asia and Phrygia, sending the presbyter Elpidius, condemning those who separate the Holy Spirit from the Father and Son, prescribing that clergy be chosen from the clergy, and naming deposed Arians.
- Document: synodal letter of a council of Illyricum (about 375), known only from Theodoret; its Greek, translated from Latin, is often obscure, and several clauses are translated by sense (e.g. “from among the bishops who have died in soundness”; the phrase may instead mean “who have held public office”). Its authenticity has been questioned.
- “I am of Paul ...”: 1 Cor 1:12–13. “Put off the old man ...”: Eph 4:22–24.
- The province names are garbled in the OCR text and have been corrected to match 4.7 (logged). The edition's apparatus notes OCR debris removed on page 227; no quotation appears to be cut.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled the province name): Πακαθύγιίας, φθυγίας, τιανῆς → Πακατιανῆς.
Topics: Trinity, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.8 (GCS 19:224–227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-8
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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.
4.9GCS 19:227–229
Ὁ μὲν δὴ πανεύφημος βασιλεὺς τοσαύτην τῶν ἀποστολικῶν δογμάτων ἐποιεῖτο φροντίδα. Αὐδαῖος δέ τις, Σύρος καὶ τὸ γένος καὶ τὴν φωνήν, καινῶν εὑρετὴς δογμάτων κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ἐγένετο τὸν καιρόν, πάλαι μὲν τῶν πονηρῶν ὠδίνων ἀρξάμενος, τότε δὲ δῆλος γενόμενος. πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἀνοήτως νενοηκὼς τὸ ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ᾽ εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσινε, ἄνθρωπείαν ἔχειν μορφὴν τὸ θεῖον ὑπέλαβε, καὶ τὰ τοῦ σώματος περικεῖσθαι ἐτόπασε μόρια, τῆς θείας γραφῆς οὐ κατιδὼν τὴν διάνοιαν. πολλάκις γὰρ ταῖς θείαις ἐνεργείαις τὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων μορίων ὀνόματα περιτίθησιν, ἐπειδὴ ὁᾷον οἱ τῶν λεπτοτέρων ἐπαΐειν οὐ δυνάμενοι διὰ τούτων τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν προμήθειαν μανθάνουσι. προστέθειχε δὲ τῇδε τῇ δυσσεβείᾳ καὶ ἕτερα παραπλήσια. ἐκ γὰρ τῆς τοῦ Μάνεντος πλάνης ἐρανισάμενος, οὔτε τοῦ πυρὸς οὔτε τοῦ σκότους ἔφη εἶναι δημιουργὸν τὸν τῶν ὅλων θεό. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα κατακρύπτουσιν οἱ τῆς ἐκείνου συμμορίας. φάσκουσι δὲ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ἀπεσχοινίσθαι συλλόγων, ἐπειδὴ τινὲς μὲν τὸν ἐπάρατον εἰσπράττουσι τόκον, τινὲς δὲ γυναιξὶν οὐ νόμῳ γάμου συνοικοῦντες παρανόμως βιοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ τούτων ἀπηλλαγμένοι τούτοις ἀδεῶς κοινωνοῦσι. διὰ ταῦτά φασιν ἐκεῖνοι καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς βιοτεύειν, τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ἀποκρύπτοντες βλασφημίαν. ἔστι μέντοι καὶ ἡ σκῆψις ἀλαζονείας μεστὴ καὶ τῆς Φαρισαϊκῆς διδασκαλίας ἀπόγονος. καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι κατηγόρουν τοῦ τῶν ψυχῶν καὶ σωμάτων ἰατροῦ, τοῖς ἱεροῖς λέγοντες ἀποστόλοις" ἵνα τί μετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει ὁ διδάσκαλος ὑμῶν;ς καὶ διὰ τοῦ προφήτου δὲ περὶ τῶν τοιούτων φησὶν ὁ θεός" νοἱ λέγοντες: καθαρός εἰμι, μή μου ἅπτου" οὗτος καπνὸς τοῦ θυμοῦ μους. ἀλλὰ τὴν τούτων διελέγχειν ἄνοιαν οὐ τοῦ παρόντος καιροῦ" οὗ δὴ ἕνεχα ἐπὶ τὰ λοιπὰ βαδιοῦμαι τῆς διηγήσεως.
Ho men dē paneuphēmos basileus tosautēn tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn epoieito phrontida. Audaios de tis, Syros kai to genos kai tēn phōnēn, kainōn heuretēs dogmatōn kat᾽ ekeinon egeneto ton kairon, palai men tōn ponērōn ōdinōn arxamenos, tote de dēlos genomenos. prōton men gar anoētōs nenoēkōs to poiēsōmen anthrōpon kat᾽ eikona hēmeteran kai kath' homoiōsine, anthrōpeian echein morphēn to theion hypelabe, kai ta tou sōmatos perikeisthai etopase moria, tēs theias graphēs ou katidōn tēn dianoian. pollakis gar tais theiais energeiais ta tōn anthrōpinōn moriōn onomata peritithēsin, epeidē hoąon hoi tōn leptoterōn epaïein ou dynamenoi dia toutōn tou theou tēn promētheian manthanousi. prostetheiche de tę̄de tę̄ dyssebeią kai hetera paraplēsia. ek gar tēs tou Manentos planēs eranisamenos, oute tou pyros oute tou skotous ephē einai dēmiourgon ton tōn holōn theo. alla tauta men kai hosa toiauta katakryptousin hoi tēs ekeinou symmorias. phaskousi de tōn ekklēsiastikōn apeschoinisthai syllogōn, epeidē tines men ton eparaton eisprattousi tokon, tines de gynaixin ou nomǭ gamou synoikountes paranomōs biousin, hoi de toutōn apēllagmenoi toutois adeōs koinōnousi. dia tauta phasin ekeinoi kath᾽ heautous bioteuein, tēn tōn dogmatōn apokryptontes blasphēmian. esti mentoi kai hē skēpsis alazoneias mestē kai tēs Pharisaïkēs didaskalias apogonos. kai gar ekeinoi katēgoroun tou tōn psychōn kai sōmatōn iatrou, tois hierois legontes apostolois" hina ti meta tōn telōnōn kai hamartōlōn esthiei ho didaskalos hymōn?s kai dia tou prophētou de peri tōn toioutōn phēsin ho theos" noi legontes: katharos eimi, mē mou haptou" houtos kapnos tou thymou mous. alla tēn toutōn dielenchein anoian ou tou parontos kairou" hou dē henecha epi ta loipa badioumai tēs diēgēseōs.
Such was the care the all-praiseworthy emperor took of the apostolic doctrines. At that time a certain Audaeus, a Syrian by race and language, became the inventor of new doctrines; he had begun his wicked labour-pains long before, but then became known. First, having foolishly understood “Let us make man in our image and after our likeness,” he supposed that the divine has human form, and imagined that it is clothed with the parts of the body, not perceiving the meaning of the divine Scripture. For it often applies the names of human parts to the divine activities, since those who cannot grasp subtler things learn God's providence more easily through these. He added to this impiety other similar things too. Borrowing from the error of Mani, he said that the God of the universe is not the creator of fire or of darkness. But this and such things those of his gang hide; they say that they have separated themselves from the church's assemblies because some exact accursed interest, others live lawlessly with women not joined to them by the law of marriage, and those who are free of these things have communion with them without fear. For this reason, they say, they live by themselves, hiding the blasphemy of their doctrines. Yet the pretext is full of arrogance and is the offspring of Pharisaic teaching. For they too accused the physician of souls and bodies, saying to the holy apostles, “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?” And through the prophet God says of such people: “Those who say, I am pure, do not touch me: this is the smoke of my anger.” But to refute their folly does not belong to the present occasion; so I shall go on to the rest of the narrative.
Gen 1:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 9:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 65:5 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Audaeus, a Syrian, teaches that God has a human form and, borrowing from Mani, that God did not create fire and darkness; his followers separate from the church, claiming that it tolerates usurers and men living with women outside marriage, which Theodoret compares to the Pharisees' complaint against Christ.
- “Let us make man ...”: Gen 1:26. “Why does your teacher eat ...”: Matt 9:11. “Those who say, I am pure ...”: Isa 65:5 LXX.
- The Audians' objection includes those who “live lawlessly with women not joined to them by the law of marriage”; translated as written.
- Theodoret's derivation of Audaeus's views from Mani is his own; translated as written.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.9 (GCS 19:227–229; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-9
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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.
4.10GCS 19:229–231
Κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον καὶ ἡ τῶν Μεσσαλιανῶν ἐβλάστησεν αἵρεσις" υχίτας δὲ τούτους προσαγορεύουσιν οἱ εἰς τὴν Ἑλλάδα φωνὴν τοὔνομα μεταβάλλοντες. ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ ἑτέραν προσηγορίαν ἐκ τοῦ πράγματος γενομένην" ᾿νθουσιασταὶ γὰρ καλοῦνται, δαίμονός τοῦος ἐνέργειαν εἰσδεχόμενοι καὶ πυεύματος ἁγίου παρουσίαν ταύτην ὑπολαμβάνοντες. οἱ δὲ τελείαν τὴν νόσον εἰσδεδεγμένοι ἀποστρέφονται μὲν τὴν τῶν χειρῶν ἐργασίαν ὡς πονηρίαν. ὕπνῳ δὲ σφὰς αὐτοὺς ἐκδιδόντες τὰς τῶν ὀνείρων φαντασίας προφητείας ἀποἀαλοῦσε: ταύτης ἐγένοντο τῆς αἱρέσεως ἀρχηγοὶ Δαδώης τε καὶ “Σ άβας καὶ Ἀδέλφιος καὶ Ἱίρμᾶς καὶ “Συμεόώνης καὶ ἄλλοι πρὸς τούτοις. οἱ τῆς μὲν ἐκκλησιαστικῆς οὐκ ἀπέστησαν κοινωνίας, οὐδὲν οὔτε ὀνινάναι οὔτε λωβᾶσθαι φάσκοντες τὴν θείαν τροφήν, περὶ ἣς ὁ δεσπότης ἔφη Χριστός" νὁ τρώγων μου τὴν σάρκα καὶ πίνον μου τὸ αἷμα ξήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνας. κρύπτειν δὲ τὴν νόσον πειρώμενοι, καὶ μετὰ ἐλέγχοις ἀναιδῶς ἐξαρνοῦνται, καὶ ἀποχηρύττουσι τοὺ: ταῦτα φρονοῦντας ἅπερ ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς περιφέρουσι. “ητώϊος μὲν οὖν ὁ τὴν Μελιτηνῶν ἐκκλησίαν ἰθύγας, ἀνὴρ ζήλῳ θείῳ κοσμούμενος, πολλὰ τῆς νόσου ταύτης σπάσαντα θεασάμενος μοναστήρια, μᾶλλον ὁὲ σπήλαια λῃστρικὰ, ἐνέπρησε ταῦτα καὶ τοὺς λύκους ἐκ τῆς ποίμνης ἐξήλασεν. οσαύτως δὲ καὶ Ἀἀμφιλόχιος ὁ πανεύφημος, τὴν Πυχαόνων μητρόπολιν νέμειν πεπιστευμένος καὶ ἅπαν ἰθύνων τὸ ἔθνος, ἐπισχήψασανν αὐτόσε τὴν λύμην ταύτην μαθών, ἐξανέστησε πάλιν καὶ τὰ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ νεμόμενα τῆς λώβης ἐκείνης ἠλευθέρωσε ποίμνια. Φλαβιανὸς ὁὲ ὁ πολυθρύλητος τῆς Ἀντιοχέων ἀρχιερεύς, ἐν Πδέσσῃ τούτους διάγειν μαθὼν τὸν οἰκεῖον τοῖς πελάζουσιν ἐγχριπτομένους ἰόν, συμμορίαν μοναχῶν ἀποστείλας ἤγαγέ τε εἰς τὴν Ἀντιόχειαν" καὶ τὴν νόσον ἐξαρνουμέγους τόνδε τὸν τρόπον διήλεγξε. τοὺς μὲν γὰρ κατηγόρους ἔφη συκοφαντεῖν καὶ τοὺς μάρτυρας ψεύδεσθαι" τὸν δὲ Ἀδέλφιον, ἄγαν ὄντα πρεσβύτην, ἠπίως τε καλέσας καὶ πλησίον καθεσθῆναι κελεύσας" ἡμεῖςς, ἐφη, Ο πρεσβύτα, τὸν πλείω βεβιωκότες βίον, ἀκριβέστερον καὶ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἐμάθομεν φύσιν καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀντιπάλων δαιμόνων ἔγνῶμεν μηχανήματα, πείρᾳ ὁὲ καὶ τὴν τῆς χάριτος ἐδιθάχθημεν χορηγίαν" οὗτοι δὲ νέοι ὀντὲς καὶ τούτων οὐδὲν ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενοι, πνευματικωτέρων ἐπακοῦσαι λόγων οὐ φέρουσι. τοιγάρτοι εἰπέ μοι, ὅπως φατὲ καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἐναντίον ὑποχωρεῖν καὶ τοῦ παρναγίου πνεύματος τὴν χάριν ἐπιφοιτᾶνε. τούτοις ὁ πρεσβύτης ἐκεῖνος τοῖς λόγοις καταθελχθεὶς ἐξήμεσεν ἅπαντα τὸν κεκρυμμένον ἰόν, καὶ ἔφη μηδεμίαν μὲν ἐκ τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος ὠφέλειαν τοῖς ἀξιουμένοις ἐγγίνεσθαι, μόνην δὲ τὴν σπουδαίαν εὐχὴν τὸν δαίμονα τὸν ἔνοικον ἐξελαύνειν. ἕλκειν γὰρ ἕχαστον τῶν τικτομένων ἔλεγεν ἐκ τοῦ προπάτορος, ὥσπερ τὴν φύσιν, οὕτω δὴ καὶ τὴ τῶν δαιμόγῶν δουλείαν" τούτων δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς σπουδαίας ἐλαυνομένων εὐχῆς, ἐπιφοιτᾶν λοιπὸν τὸ πανάγιον πνεῦμα, αἰσθητῶς καὶ ὁρατῶς τὴν οἰκείαν παρουσίαν σημαῖνον, καὶ τό τε σῶμα τῆς τῶν παθῶν κινήσεῶς ἐλευθεροῦν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω ῥοπῆς παντελῶς ἀπαλλάττειν, ὡς μηκέτι δεῖσθαι λοιπὸν μήτε νηστείας πιεζούσης τὸ σῶμα͵ μήτε διδασκαλίας χαλινούσης καὶ βαίνειν εὔτακτα παιδευούσης. οὐ μόνον δὲ ὁ τούτου τετυχηκὼς τῶν τοῦ σώματος ἀπαλλάττεται σχιρτημάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ σαφῶς τὰ μέλλοντα προορᾷ καὶ τὴν τριάδα τὴν θείαν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς θεωρεῖ. οὕτως ὁ θεῖος Φλαβιανὸς τὴν δυσώδη διορύξας πηγὴν καὶ γυμνῶσαι παρασχευνάσας τὰ θανατικὰ γάματα, πρὸς τὸν δύστηνον ἔφη πρεσβύτην" "πεπαλαιωμένε ἣμερῶν κακῶν, ἐλέγξαι σε τὸ σὸν στόμα καὶ οὐχ ἐγώ" τὰ δὲ χείλη σου καταμαρτυρήσαι σους. δήλης δὲ ταύτης τῆς νόσου γεγενημένης. τῆς μὲν Συρίας ἐξηλάθησαν, εἰς δὲ τὴν Παμφυλίαν ἐχώρησαν καὶ ταύτην τῆς λώβης ἐνέπλησαν.
Kata touton ton chronon kai hē tōn Messalianōn eblastēsen hairesis" ychitas de toutous prosagoreuousin hoi eis tēn Hellada phōnēn tounoma metaballontes. echousi de kai heteran prosēgorian ek tou pragmatos genomenēn" ᾿nthousiastai gar kalountai, daimonos touos energeian eisdechomenoi kai pyeumatos hagiou parousian tautēn hypolambanontes. hoi de teleian tēn noson eisdedegmenoi apostrephontai men tēn tōn cheirōn ergasian hōs ponērian. hypnǭ de sphas autous ekdidontes tas tōn oneirōn phantasias prophēteias apoaalouse: tautēs egenonto tēs haireseōs archēgoi Dadōēs te kai “S abas kai Adelphios kai Hiirmas kai “Symeoōnēs kai alloi pros toutois. hoi tēs men ekklēsiastikēs ouk apestēsan koinōnias, ouden oute oninanai oute lōbasthai phaskontes tēn theian trophēn, peri hēs ho despotēs ephē Christos" no trōgōn mou tēn sarka kai pinon mou to haima xēsetai eis ton aiōnas. kryptein de tēn noson peirōmenoi, kai meta elenchois anaidōs exarnountai, kai apochēryttousi tou: tauta phronountas haper en tais psychais peripherousi. “ētōïos men oun ho tēn Melitēnōn ekklēsian ithygas, anēr zēlǭ theiǭ kosmoumenos, polla tēs nosou tautēs spasanta theasamenos monastēria, mallon hoe spēlaia lę̄strika, eneprēse tauta kai tous lykous ek tēs poimnēs exēlasen. osautōs de kai Aamphilochios ho paneuphēmos, tēn Pychaonōn mētropolin nemein pepisteumenos kai hapan ithynōn to ethnos, epischēpsasann autose tēn lymēn tautēn mathōn, exanestēse palin kai ta hyp᾽ autou nemomena tēs lōbēs ekeinēs ēleutherōse poimnia. Phlabianos hoe ho polythrylētos tēs Antiocheōn archiereus, en Pdessę̄ toutous diagein mathōn ton oikeion tois pelazousin enchriptomenous ion, symmorian monachōn aposteilas ēgage te eis tēn Antiocheian" kai tēn noson exarnoumegous tonde ton tropon diēlenxe. tous men gar katēgorous ephē sykophantein kai tous martyras pseudesthai" ton de Adelphion, agan onta presbytēn, ēpiōs te kalesas kai plēsion kathesthēnai keleusas" hēmeiss, ephē, O presbyta, ton pleiō bebiōkotes bion, akribesteron kai tēn anthrōpeian emathomen physin kai ta tōn antipalōn daimonōn egnōmen mēchanēmata, peirą hoe kai tēn tēs charitos edithachthēmen chorēgian" houtoi de neoi ontes kai toutōn ouden akribōs epistamenoi, pneumatikōterōn epakousai logōn ou pherousi. toigartoi eipe moi, hopōs phate kai to pneuma to enantion hypochōrein kai tou parnagiou pneumatos tēn charin epiphoitane. toutois ho presbytēs ekeinos tois logois katathelchtheis exēmesen hapanta ton kekrymmenon ion, kai ephē mēdemian men ek tou theiou baptismatos ōpheleian tois axioumenois enginesthai, monēn de tēn spoudaian euchēn ton daimona ton enoikon exelaunein. helkein gar hechaston tōn tiktomenōn elegen ek tou propatoros, hōsper tēn physin, houtō dē kai tē tōn daimogōn douleian" toutōn de hypo tēs spoudaias elaunomenōn euchēs, epiphoitan loipon to panagion pneuma, aisthētōs kai horatōs tēn oikeian parousian sēmainon, kai to te sōma tēs tōn pathōn kinēseōs eleutheroun kai tēn psychēn tēs epi ta cheirō rhopēs pantelōs apallattein, hōs mēketi deisthai loipon mēte nēsteias piezousēs to sōma͵ mēte didaskalias chalinousēs kai bainein eutakta paideuousēs. ou monon de ho toutou tetychēkōs tōn tou sōmatos apallattetai schirtēmatōn, alla kai saphōs ta mellonta proorą kai tēn triada tēn theian tois ophthalmois theōrei. houtōs ho theios Phlabianos tēn dysōdē dioryxas pēgēn kai gymnōsai parascheunasas ta thanatika gamata, pros ton dystēnon ephē presbytēn" "pepalaiōmene hēmerōn kakōn, elenxai se to son stoma kai ouch egō" ta de cheilē sou katamartyrēsai sous. dēlēs de tautēs tēs nosou gegenēmenēs. tēs men Syrias exēlathēsan, eis de tēn Pamphylian echōrēsan kai tautēn tēs lōbēs eneplēsan.
At this time too the heresy of the Messalians sprang up; those who translate the name into Greek call them Euchites. They also have another name arising from their practice: they are called Enthusiasts, because they receive the working of a demon and suppose it to be the presence of the Holy Spirit. Those who have received the disease completely turn away from manual work as wickedness, and giving themselves over to sleep they call the fantasies of their dreams prophecies. The leaders of this heresy were Dadoes, Sabas, Adelphius, Hermas, Symeones, and others besides. They did not withdraw from the communion of the church, saying that the divine food, of which Christ the Master said, “He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood will live for ever,” neither helps nor harms. Trying to hide their disease, even after being convicted they shamelessly deny it, and repudiate those who hold the views they carry about in their souls.
Letoius, who governed the church of the Melitenians, a man adorned with divine zeal, seeing many monasteries, or rather robbers' dens, that had drawn in this disease, burned them and drove the wolves from the flock. Likewise the all-praiseworthy Amphilochius, entrusted with the metropolis of the Lycaonians and governing the whole province, learning that this plague had descended there, routed it again and freed the flocks he tended from that infection. Flavian, the celebrated high priest of the Antiochenes, learning that they were living in Edessa and instilling their poison into their neighbours, sent a band of monks, brought them to Antioch, and convicted them, though they denied the disease, in this way. He said that the accusers were slandering and the witnesses lying; and calling Adelphius, who was a very old man, gently, and bidding him sit near him, he said: “We, old man, who have lived the longer life, have learned human nature more exactly and come to know the devices of the opposing demons, and by experience we have been taught the supply of grace. But these, being young and knowing none of these things exactly, cannot bear to hear more spiritual words. So tell me how you say that the opposing spirit withdraws and the grace of the all-holy Spirit comes.” Charmed by these words, the old man vomited out all his hidden poison. He said that no benefit comes from divine baptism to those who receive it, but that only earnest prayer drives out the indwelling demon. For each one who is born, he said, draws from the forefather, as his nature, so also slavery to the demons; and when these are driven out by earnest prayer, then the all-holy Spirit comes, showing his presence perceptibly and visibly, freeing the body from the movement of the passions and wholly delivering the soul from the inclination to the worse, so that there is no further need either of fasting to restrain the body or of teaching to bridle it and train it to walk in good order. And not only is the one who has obtained this freed from the leapings of the body, but he clearly foresees the future and beholds the divine Trinity with his eyes. When the divine Flavian had thus dug open the foul spring and made it lay bare its deadly streams, he said to the wretched old man: “You who have grown old in wicked days, your own mouth has convicted you, and not I; your own lips have testified against you.” When this disease had become plain, they were driven out of Syria; they went to Pamphylia and filled it with the infection.
John 6:54 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 15:6 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Messalians (Euchites or Enthusiasts) reject work, treat dreams as prophecy, and hold that baptism and the Eucharist are of no effect and only prayer expels the demon each person inherits; bishops Letoius and Amphilochius suppress them, and Flavian of Antioch draws a confession from their leader Adelphius by feigned sympathy.
- “Messalians” and “Euchites” both mean “those who pray” (Syriac and Greek).
- “He who eats my flesh ...”: John 6:54, 58. “You who have grown old in wicked days”: Sus 52 (Greek Daniel), counted on this site as an extrabiblical text. “Your own mouth has convicted you”: Job 15:6.
- Adelphius's views on inherited bondage to demons and on baptism are reported as Flavian drew them out; translated as written.
Extrabiblical texts: Sus 52 (Susanna [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Topics: Heresy, Baptism, Eucharist, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.10 (GCS 19:229–231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-10
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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.
4.11GCS 19:231–232
Ἐγὼ δὲ τῆς ἱστορίας τὰ λοιπὰ διηγήσομαι καὶ τῆς καταιγίδος, ἢ τὰς πολλὰς κατὰ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τριχυμίας ἐκίνησε, τὴν ἀρχὴν κεκρυμμένην ἐπιδείξω. ὁ γὰρ Βάλης τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβὼν τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς τὰ πρῶτα δόγμασιν ἐκοσμεῖτο. τῶν δὲ Γότθων τὸν Ἴστρον διαβάντῶν καὶ τὴν Θρᾷάχην ληϊζομένων, στρατιᾶν τε συναθροῖσαι καὶ στρατεῦσαι κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐβουλεύσατο. ἔδοξε δὲ αὐτῷ μὴ γυμνὸν τῆς θείας παρατάξασθαι χάριτος, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ παναγίου βαπτίσματος πανοπλίᾳ φραξάμενον. καὶ τοῦτο μὲν εὖ γε ἔδοξε καὶ μάλα σοφῶς" τὸ δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο πολλὴν τῆς ψυχῆς μαλακίαν καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας προδοσίαν δηλοῖ. τὸ γὰρ ὅμοιον πέπονθεν ὁ ταλαίπωρος πάθος Ἀδὰμ τῷ προπάτορι. τοῖς γὰρ τῆς ὁμόξυγος λόγοις καὶ οὗτος καταθελχθεὶς ἐξηνδραποδίσθη, καὶ γέγονεν οὐ δορυάλωτος, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπατηλῶν καὶ γυναικείον ῥημάτων ὑπήκοος. τῆς γάρ τοι Ἀρειαγικῆς ἐξαπάτης ἐκείνη πρότερον θήραμα γενομένη συνεθήρευσε καὶ τοῦτον, καὶ σὺν αὐτῇ πεσεῖν εἰς τὸ τῆς βλασφημίας ἀνέπεισε βάραθρον. ἡγεῖτο δὲ ξεναγῶν καὶ μυσταγωγῶν ὁ Εὐδόξ τος" αὐτὸς γὰρ ἔτι τῆς ἐκκλησίας Κωνσταντινουπόλεως κατεῖχε τοὺς οἴακας, οὐχ ἰθύνωον ἀλλὰ βαπτίζων τὸ σκάφος.
Egō de tēs historias ta loipa diēgēsomai kai tēs kataigidos, ē tas pollas kata tōn ekklēsiōn trichymias ekinēse, tēn archēn kekrymmenēn epideixō. ho gar Balēs tēn basileian paralabōn tois apostolikois ta prōta dogmasin ekosmeito. tōn de Gotthōn ton Istron diabantōn kai tēn Thrąachēn lēïzomenōn, stratian te synathroisai kai strateusai kat᾽ autōn ebouleusato. edoxe de autǭ mē gymnon tēs theias parataxasthai charitos, alla tę̄ tou panagiou baptismatos panoplią phraxamenon. kai touto men eu ge edoxe kai mala sophōs" to de meta touto pollēn tēs psychēs malakian kai tēs alētheias prodosian dēloi. to gar homoion peponthen ho talaipōros pathos Adam tǭ propatori. tois gar tēs homoxygos logois kai houtos katathelchtheis exēndrapodisthē, kai gegonen ou doryalōtos, all᾽ apatēlōn kai gynaikeion rhēmatōn hypēkoos. tēs gar toi Areiagikēs exapatēs ekeinē proteron thērama genomenē synethēreuse kai touton, kai syn autę̄ pesein eis to tēs blasphēmias anepeise barathron. hēgeito de xenagōn kai mystagōgōn ho Eudox tos" autos gar eti tēs ekklēsias Kōnstantinoupoleōs kateiche tous oiakas, ouch ithynōon alla baptizōn to skaphos.
I shall relate the rest of the history, and show the hidden beginning of the storm that stirred up the many waves against the churches. Valens, on taking over the empire, was at first adorned with the apostolic doctrines. When the Goths crossed the Danube and ravaged Thrace, he decided to gather an army and march against them. He resolved not to take the field stripped of divine grace, but fenced with the full armour of most holy baptism. In this his resolve was good and very wise; but what followed shows great softness of soul and betrayal of the truth. For the wretch suffered the same as Adam the forefather: charmed by the words of his wife, he too was enslaved, and became not a captive of war but the subject of deceitful, womanish words. She, having first become the prey of the Arian deception, helped to catch him too, and persuaded him to fall with her into the pit of blasphemy. The guide and initiator was Eudoxius; for he still held the helm of the church of Constantinople, not steering the ship but sinking it.
Gen 3:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 6:11 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Valens, at first orthodox, decides to be baptized before marching against the Goths, but, like Adam, is persuaded by his Arian wife and is baptized by Eudoxius of Constantinople.
- “Like Adam”: Gen 3:6, 17. The comparison and the blame laid on Valens's wife are Theodoret's; translated as written.
- A line of the edition's apparatus that the OCR ran into the first sentence has been removed (logged).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (apparatus line run into the text by the OCR removed; participle restored): χεχρουμμένον θάτααβο. θοτρ.] ἐνχεχρυμμένον Β, φιιοά δείαδαί ΟαΞ3. ἐπιδείξω → κεκρυμμένην ἐπιδείξω.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.11 (GCS 19:231–232; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-11
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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.
4.12GCS 19:232–233
τότε δὴ οὖν παρ᾽ αὐτὸν τῆς μυήσεως τὸν καιρὸν ὅρκοις δεσμεῖ τὸν τρισάθλιον, ὥστε καὶ τῇ τοῦ δόγματος δυσσεβείᾳ προσμεῖναι, καὶ τοὺς τἀναντία φρονοῦντας πάτοθεν ἐξελάσαι. Οἵτω τὴν ἀποστολικὴν ἐκεῖνος διδασκαλίαν καταλιπών, τῆς ἐναντίας μερίδος ἐγένετο" καὶ βραχέος διεληλυθότος χρόνου τὰ λειπόμενα τῶν ὀμωμοσμένων ἐπλήρωσεν. ἐξήλασε᾽ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ᾿Ἀντιόχου τὸν μέγαν Μελέτιον, ἐκ δὲ Σαμοσάτων τὸν θεῖον Εὐσέβιον, -ἰαοδίκειαν δὲ Πελαγίου τοῦ θαυμασίου ποιμένος ἐστέρησεν" ὃς ἐδέξατο μὲν νέος ὧν τὸν τοῦ γάμου ξυγόν, ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ παστάδι, τῇ πρώτῃ τῶν χάμων ἡμέρᾳ, τὴν ἀγνείαν ἔπεισε τῆς κοινωνία προτιμῆσαι τὴν νύμφην “χαὶ φιλοστοργίαν ἀδελφικὴν ἀντὶ γαμικῆς συναφείας ἔχειν αὐτὴν ἐξεπαίδευσεν. οὕτω μὲν δὴ τὴν σωφροσύνην κατώρθωσεν. εἶχε δὲ καὶ τὰς ταύτης ἀδελφὰς ἀρετὰς ἐν ἑαυτῷ σὺν αὐτῇ χορευούσας" οὗ δὴ ἕνεχα ψήφῳ κοινῇ τὴν προεδρίαν ἐδέξατο. ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐδὲ αἱ τῆς πολιτεία: ἀκτίνες κατήδεσαν τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας πολέμιον" ἀλλὰ τοῦτον μὲν εἰς τὴν ᾿“ραβία ἐξέπεμψεν, εἰς δὲ τὴν ᾿ἀρμενίαν τὸν θεῖον ΔΙελέτιον, εἰς δέ γε τὴν Θράκην "Εὐσέβιον τὸν τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ἱδρῶσι περιρρεόμενον. Οὗτος γὰρ πολλὰς τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐρήμους εἶναι ποιμένων μαθών, στρατιωτικὸν ἀμπεχόμενος σχῆμα καὶ τιάρᾳ καλύπτων τὴν χεραλήν. καὶ τὴν Συρίαν περίήει καὶ τὴν Φοινίκην καὶ τὴν Παλαιστίνην, πρεσβυτέρους χειροτονῶν καὶ διακόνους καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τάγματα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀναπληρῶν" εἰ δέ ποτε καὶ ἐπισκόπων ὁμογνωμόνων ἐπέτυχε, καὶ προέδρους ταῖς δεομέναις ἐκκλησίαις προὐβάλλετο.
tote dē oun par᾽ auton tēs myēseōs ton kairon horkois desmei ton trisathlion, hōste kai tę̄ tou dogmatos dyssebeią prosmeinai, kai tous tanantia phronountas patothen exelasai. Hoitō tēn apostolikēn ekeinos didaskalian katalipōn, tēs enantias meridos egeneto" kai bracheos dielēlythotos chronou ta leipomena tōn omōmosmenōn eplērōsen. exēlase᾽ men gar ek tēs ᾿Antiochou ton megan Meletion, ek de Samosatōn ton theion Eusebion, -iaodikeian de Pelagiou tou thaumasiou poimenos esterēsen" hos edexato men neos hōn ton tou gamou xygon, en autę̄ de tę̄ pastadi, tę̄ prōtę̄ tōn chamōn hēmerą, tēn agneian epeise tēs koinōnia protimēsai tēn nymphēn “chai philostorgian adelphikēn anti gamikēs synapheias echein autēn exepaideusen. houtō men dē tēn sōphrosynēn katōrthōsen. eiche de kai tas tautēs adelphas aretas en heautǭ syn autę̄ choreuousas" hou dē henecha psēphǭ koinę̄ tēn proedrian edexato. all᾽ homōs oude hai tēs politeia: aktines katēdesan ton tēs alētheias polemion" alla touton men eis tēn ᾿“rabia exepempsen, eis de tēn ᾿armenian ton theion DIeletion, eis de ge tēn Thrakēn "Eusebion ton tois apostolikois hidrōsi perirreomenon. Houtos gar pollas tōn ekklēsiōn erēmous einai poimenōn mathōn, stratiōtikon ampechomenos schēma kai tiarą kalyptōn tēn cheralēn. kai tēn Syrian periēei kai tēn Phoinikēn kai tēn Palaistinēn, presbyterous cheirotonōn kai diakonous kai ta alla tagmata tēs ekklēsias anaplērōn" ei de pote kai episkopōn homognōmonōn epetyche, kai proedrous tais deomenais ekklēsiais prouballeto.
Then, at the very time of the initiation, he bound the thrice-wretched man with oaths both to remain in the impiety of the doctrine and to drive out from everywhere those who thought otherwise. So he abandoned the apostolic teaching and became one of the opposite party; and after a short time he fulfilled the rest of what he had sworn. For he drove the great Meletius out of the city of Antiochus and the divine Eusebius out of Samosata, and deprived Laodicea of Pelagius, its admirable shepherd. Pelagius had accepted the yoke of marriage as a young man, but in the very bridal chamber, on the first day of the marriage, he persuaded the bride to prefer chastity to intercourse, and taught her to have sisterly affection instead of conjugal union. So he achieved self-control; and he had the sister virtues of this one dancing together with it in himself. For this reason he received the presidency by common vote. Yet not even the rays of his way of life put the enemy of the truth to shame; he sent him off to Arabia, the divine Meletius to Armenia, and to Thrace Eusebius, who was bathed in apostolic sweat. For Eusebius, learning that many churches were without shepherds, put on a soldier's dress, covered his head with a tiara, and went about Syria, Phoenicia, and Palestine, ordaining presbyters and deacons and filling up the other orders of the church; and if he ever met with like-minded bishops, he also put forward presidents for the churches that needed them.
Notes and citation
Summary: At his baptism Valens swears to Eudoxius to maintain Arianism and to expel its opponents; he exiles Meletius to Armenia, Eusebius of Samosata to Thrace, and Pelagius of Laodicea, who had persuaded his bride to live with him in continence, to Arabia; Eusebius had travelled in disguise ordaining clergy for the churches.
- The account of Pelagius's continent marriage is Theodoret's; translated as written.
Topics: Church office, Persecution, Marriage, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.12 (GCS 19:232–233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-12
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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.
4.13GCS 19:233–237
Ὁπόσην δὲ ἀνδρείων τε καὶ σοφίαν ἐπεδείξατο βασιλικὸν δεξάμενος νόμον ὃς ἐκέλευεν αὐτὸν τὴν Θρῴκην καταλαβεῖν, ἀναγκαῖον οἶμαι τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας μαθεῖν. ἀφίκετο μὲν γὰρ ὁ τοῦτον κομίζων τὸν νόμον περὶ δείλην ὀψίαν" ὁ δέ οἱ σιγῆσαί τε παρηγγύησε καὶ κρύψαι τῆς ἀφίξεως τὴν αἰτίαν. εἰ γὰρ μάθοις, ἔφη, τὸ πλῆθος ζήλῳ θείῳ συντεθραμμένον, σὲ μὲν καταχοντιοῦσιν, ἐγὼ δὲ τὰς ὑπὲρ τῆς σῆς τελευτῆς εἰσπραχθήσομαι ὁίκαςε. ταῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ τὴν ἑσπερινὴν λειτουργίαν συνήθως ἐπιτελέσας, περὶ αὐτὰς τοῦ ὕπνου τὰς εἰσβολάς, ἑνὶ θαρρήσας τῶν οἰκετῶν, μόνος ἐξελήλυθεν ὁ πρεσβύτης βαδίζων" εἵπετο δὲ ὁ θεράπων, προσκεφάλαιον μόνον καὶ βιβλίον κομίζων. καταλαβὼν δὲ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν ὀχθην (παρ᾽ αὐτοὺς γὰρ τοῦ ἄστεως τοὺς περιβόλους ὃ Βυὐφράτης ἔχει τὸν πόρον), ἐπέβη τε πορθμείου καὶ τοῖς ἐρέταις ἐλαύνειν ἐπὶ τὸ Ζεῦγμα προσέταξεν. ἡμέρας δὲ γενομένης, ὃ μὲν τὸ Ζεῦγμα κατέλαβεν, τὰ ὁὲ Σαμόσατα ὀδυρμῶν ἡ καὶ θρήνων μεστά. τοῦ γὰρ οἰκέτου ἐκείνου τοῖς γνωρίμοις τὰ προστεταγμένα μηνύσαντος, καὶ τίνας μὲν αὐτῷ συνεκδημῆσαι προσήκει, ποίας δὲ βίβλους κομίσαι, ὠλοφύροντο μὲν ἅπαντες τοῦ ποιμένος τὴν στέρησιν, πλήρης δὲ ὁ τοῦ ποταμοῦ πόρος τῶν πλεόντων ἐγένετο. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀφίκοντο καὶ τὸν ποθούμενον εἶδον ποιμένα, ὀδυρόμενοι μὲν καὶ στένοντες καὶ πηγὰς δακρύων προχέοντες πείθειν ἐπειρῶντο μένειν, καὶ μὴ προέσθαι τοῖς λύκοις τὰ πρόβατα. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ ἔπεισαν (ἤκουσαν δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ἀναγινώσκοντος νόμον ὃς διαγορεύει σαφῶς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ἐξουσίαις ὑποτάσσεσθαὼ οἱ μὲν αὐτῷ χρυσίον προσήνεγκαν, οἱ δὲ ἀργύριον, ἄλλοι δὲ ἐσθῆτα, ἕτεροι δὲ οἰκέτας, ος εἰς ξένην καὶ ἑκὰς κειμένην ἀπαίροντι γῆν. ὃ δὲ σμικρά τινα παρὰ τῶν γνωριμωτέρων λαβὼν καὶ διδασκαλίαις ἅπαντας καὶ προσευχαῖς καθοπλίσας καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ὑπερμαχεῖν δογμάτων παρεγγυήσας, ἐπὶ τὸν Ἴστρον ἀπῆρεν. οἱ δὲ τὸ σφέτερον ἄστυ καταλαβόντες καὶ ἀλλήλους παραθήξαντες, προσέμενον τῶν λύκων τὰς προσβολάς. διηγήσομαι δὲ καὶ τῆς τούτων πίστεως τὸ θερμόν τε καὶ ἀκραιφνές, ἀδικεῖν νομίζων εἰ μὴ διὰ τῆς συγγραφῆς ἀείμνηστος γένοιτο. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ τῆς Ἀρείου συμμορίας, τοῦ πάντα ἀρίστου ποιμένος τὴν ποίμνην γυμν ὥσαντες, ἕτερον ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνου προὐβάλοντο πρόεδρον, οὐδεὶς τῶν τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην οἰκούντων, οὐ πενίᾳ συζῶ οὐ πλούτῳ κομῶν, οὐκ οἰκέτης, οὐ χειροτέχνης. οὐ γηπόνος, φυτοκόμος, οὐκ ἀνήρ, οὐ γυνή, οὐ νέος, οὐ πρεσβύτης, εἰς ἐκκλησιαστικὸν συνήθως ἀφίκετο σύλλογον" μόνος δὲ διῆγεν ἐκεῖνος, οὐδεγὸς αὐτὸν οὗτε ὁρῶντος οὔτε λόγου μεταδιδόντος, καίτοι φασὶν αὐτὸν ἐπιεικείᾳ συνεζηκέναι πολλῇ. ἐρῶ δὲ καὶ τούτου τεκμήριον. ᾿Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ λούσασθαι βουληθέντος οἱ οἰκέται τοῦ βαλανείου τὰς θύρας ἔχλεισαν τοὺς εἰσελθεῖν βουλομένους κωλύοντες, πλῆθος πρὸ τῶν θυρῶν θεασάμενος ἀναπετάσαι ταύτας ἐκέλευσε, καὶ ἀδεῶς τοῦ λουτροῦ τοὺς πάντας κοινωνῆσαι προσέταξε. ταὐτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ἔνδον ἐν τοῖς θόλοις πεποίηκε. λουομένῳ γὰρ αὐτῷ παρεστηχότας ἰδών, συμμετασχεῖν τῶν θερμῶν ὑδάτων ἐκέλευσεν" οἱ δὲ σιγῶντες εἱστήκεισαν. ὁ δὲ τιμὴν τὴν στάσιν ὑπολαβών, θᾶττον ἀναβὰς ἐξελήλυθεν. οἱ δὲ τοῦ τῆς αἱρέσεως ἄγους καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ μετεσχηχέναι νομίσαντες, ἐκεῖνο μὲν τοῖς ὑπονόμοις παρέπεμψαν, ἕτερον δὲ αὐτοῖς κερασθῆναι προσέταξαν. τοῦτο μαθὼν ἐκεῖνος ῴχετο τὴν πόλιν καταλιπών, πόλιν οἰκεῖν ἀπεχθανομένην καὶ κοινὴν δυσμένειαν ἔχουσαν ἀβέλτερον εἶναι νομίσας καὶ λίαν ἀνόητον. Ἰοῦ δὲ Εὐνομίου τὰ Σαμόσατα καταλιπόντος (οὕτω γὰρ ὠνομάζετο), Λούχεον αὐτοῖς ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνου προὐβάλοντο, προφανῆ λύκον καὶ τῶν προβάτων ἐπίβουλον. ἀλλὰ καὶ ποιμένος ἔρημα ὄντα τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ποιμένων εἰργάζετο᾽ διετέλεσαν γὰρ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν διδασκαλίαν φυλάττοντες ἄσυλον. ὅπως δὲ καὶ τοῦτον ἅπαντες ἐμυσάττοντο, ἕτερον διδάξει διήγημα. “Μειράκια γὰρ δὴ κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν σφαῖραν ἀλλήλοις ἀντέπεμπον, τερπόμενα τῇ παιδιᾷ. τούτου δὲ παριόντος. συνέβη τὴν σφαῖραν ἐκπεσοῦσαν διὰ τῶν τοῦ ὄνου διαβῆναι ποδῶν. οἱ δὲ ἀνωλόλυξαν, μύσους ἀναπλησθῆναι τὴν σφαῖραν ὑπειληφότες" ὁ δὲ συνεὶς ἐκέλευσεν ἑνὶ τῶν ἑπομένων προσμεῖναι καὶ γνῶναι τὸ δρώμενον. οἱ δὲ παῖδες πῦρ ἀνάψαντες καὶ τὴν σφαῖραν διὰ τῆς φλογὸς ἀκοντίσαντες, οὕτω καθαίρειν ὑπέλαβον. καὶ οἶδα μὲν ὡς μειρακιῶδες τοῦτο καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς λείψανον συνηθείας" ἱκανὸν δὲ ὅμως τεχμηριῶσαι τὸ μῖσος ὁπόσον εἶχεν ἡ πόλις ἐκείνη περὶ τὴν Ἀρείου συμμορίαν. Ὁ μέντοι Λούκιος οὐκ ἐζήλωσε τὴν Εὐνομίου πραότητα, ἀλλὰ πολλοὺς μὲν καὶ ἄλλους τῶν ἱερωμένων ἐξοστρακίσαι τοὺς ἄρχοντας ἔπεισε. τοὺς δέ γε διαφερόντως τῶν θείων ὑπερμαχοῦντας δογμάτων εἰς αὐτὰ ἐξέπεμψε τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας τὰ τέρματα Πἰὐόλκιον μὲν διακονίας ἠξιωμένον, εἰς Ὄασιν εἰς τὸ ἔρημον πολυθρύλητον. Ἀντίοχον δέ, καὶ τῇ Πυσεβίου τοῦ μεγάλου συγγενείᾳ κοσμουμενον (ἀδελφιδοῦς γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἐτύγχανεν ὧν), καὶ πολλοῖς οἰκείοις κατορθόμασι λαμπρυνόμενον, καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ ἱερωσύνης ἠξιωμένον, εἴς τινα τῆς ᾿ρμενίας ἐσχατιάν. ὅπως δὲ οὗτος τῶν θείων ὑπερήθλει δογμάτων, τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα δηλώσει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος Εὐσέβιος μετὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἀγῶνας καὶ τὰς ἰσαρίθμους γίκας καὶ τὸ τῶν μαρτύρων ἐδέξατο τέλος, συνῆλθε μὲν συνήθως τοῦ ἔθνους ἡ σύνοδος, ἀφίκετο δὲ καὶ Ἰοβῖνος, τῆς Πέρρης τηνικαῦτα ἐπίσκοπος ὦν. ὀλίγον δέ τινὰ χρύνον οὗτος τῆς τῶν ᾿Ἀρειανιζόντων ἠνέσχετο κοινωνίας. πάντων δὴ οὖν τὸν Ἀντίοχον ψηφισαμένων τοῦ θείου διάδοχον, καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἱερὰν τράπεζαν ἀγαγόντων τε κιὼ κλῖναι βιασαμένων τὰ γόνατα, ἐπειδὴ στραφεὶς εἶδε τὸν ἸΙοβῖνον τὴν δεξιὰν ἐπιτιθέντα τῇ κεφαλῇ, ἀπεσείσατό τε τὴν χεῖρε κεὰ τῶν χειροτονούντων ἀποκχριθῆναι προσέταξε, λέγων μὴ ἀνέξεσθαι δεξιᾶς δεξαμένης διὰ βλασφημίας τελεσθέντα μυστήρια. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν μετ᾽ οὐ πολὺν χρόνον ἐγένετο᾽ τότε δὲ εἰς τὴν ᾿Μρμενίαν τὴν ἐνδοτέραν ἀπήχθη. ὁ δὲ θεῖος Εὐσέβιος παρὰ τὸν Ἴστρον διῆγε, τῶν Γότθων τὴν Θράκην ληϊζομένων καὶ τὰς πόλεις πολιορκούντων, ος τὰ παρ᾽ ἐκείνου γραφέντα δηλοῖ.
Hoposēn de andreiōn te kai sophian epedeixato basilikon dexamenos nomon hos ekeleuen auton tēn Thrǭkēn katalabein, anankaion oimai tous agnoountas mathein. aphiketo men gar ho touton komizōn ton nomon peri deilēn opsian" ho de hoi sigēsai te parēngyēse kai krypsai tēs aphixeōs tēn aitian. ei gar mathois, ephē, to plēthos zēlǭ theiǭ syntethrammenon, se men katachontiousin, egō de tas hyper tēs sēs teleutēs eisprachthēsomai hoikase. tauta eipōn kai tēn hesperinēn leitourgian synēthōs epitelesas, peri autas tou hypnou tas eisbolas, heni tharrēsas tōn oiketōn, monos exelēlythen ho presbytēs badizōn" heipeto de ho therapōn, proskephalaion monon kai biblion komizōn. katalabōn de tou potamou tēn ochthēn (par᾽ autous gar tou asteōs tous peribolous ho Byyphratēs echei ton poron), epebē te porthmeiou kai tois eretais elaunein epi to Zeugma prosetaxen. hēmeras de genomenēs, ho men to Zeugma katelaben, ta hoe Samosata odyrmōn hē kai thrēnōn mesta. tou gar oiketou ekeinou tois gnōrimois ta prostetagmena mēnysantos, kai tinas men autǭ synekdēmēsai prosēkei, poias de biblous komisai, ōlophyronto men hapantes tou poimenos tēn sterēsin, plērēs de ho tou potamou poros tōn pleontōn egeneto. epeidē de aphikonto kai ton pothoumenon eidon poimena, odyromenoi men kai stenontes kai pēgas dakryōn procheontes peithein epeirōnto menein, kai mē proesthai tois lykois ta probata. epeidē de ouk epeisan (ēkousan de autou ton apostolikon anaginōskontos nomon hos diagoreuei saphōs archais kai exousiais hypotassesthaō hoi men autǭ chrysion prosēnenkan, hoi de argyrion, alloi de esthēta, heteroi de oiketas, os eis xenēn kai hekas keimenēn apaironti gēn. ho de smikra tina para tōn gnōrimōterōn labōn kai didaskaliais hapantas kai proseuchais kathoplisas kai tōn apostolikōn hypermachein dogmatōn parengyēsas, epi ton Istron apēren. hoi de to spheteron asty katalabontes kai allēlous parathēxantes, prosemenon tōn lykōn tas prosbolas. diēgēsomai de kai tēs toutōn pisteōs to thermon te kai akraiphnes, adikein nomizōn ei mē dia tēs syngraphēs aeimnēstos genoito. epeidē gar hoi tēs Areiou symmorias, tou panta aristou poimenos tēn poimnēn gymn hōsantes, heteron ant᾽ ekeinou proubalonto proedron, oudeis tōn tēn polin ekeinēn oikountōn, ou penią syzō ou ploutǭ komōn, ouk oiketēs, ou cheirotechnēs. ou gēponos, phytokomos, ouk anēr, ou gynē, ou neos, ou presbytēs, eis ekklēsiastikon synēthōs aphiketo syllogon" monos de diēgen ekeinos, oudegos auton houte horōntos oute logou metadidontos, kaitoi phasin auton epieikeią synezēkenai pollę̄. erō de kai toutou tekmērion. ᾿Epeidē gar lousasthai boulēthentos hoi oiketai tou balaneiou tas thyras echleisan tous eiselthein boulomenous kōlyontes, plēthos pro tōn thyrōn theasamenos anapetasai tautas ekeleuse, kai adeōs tou loutrou tous pantas koinōnēsai prosetaxe. tauto de touto kai endon en tois tholois pepoiēke. louomenǭ gar autǭ parestēchotas idōn, symmetaschein tōn thermōn hydatōn ekeleusen" hoi de sigōntes heistēkeisan. ho de timēn tēn stasin hypolabōn, thatton anabas exelēlythen. hoi de tou tēs haireseōs agous kai to hydōr meteschēchenai nomisantes, ekeino men tois hyponomois parepempsan, heteron de autois kerasthēnai prosetaxan. touto mathōn ekeinos ǭcheto tēn polin katalipōn, polin oikein apechthanomenēn kai koinēn dysmeneian echousan abelteron einai nomisas kai lian anoēton. Iou de Eunomiou ta Samosata katalipontos (houtō gar ōnomazeto), Loucheon autois ant᾽ ekeinou proubalonto, prophanē lykon kai tōn probatōn epiboulon. alla kai poimenos erēma onta ta probata ta poimenōn eirgazeto᾽ dietelesan gar tēn apostolikēn didaskalian phylattontes asylon. hopōs de kai touton hapantes emysattonto, heteron didaxei diēgēma. “Meirakia gar dē kata tēn agoran sphairan allēlois antepempon, terpomena tę̄ paidią. toutou de pariontos. synebē tēn sphairan ekpesousan dia tōn tou onou diabēnai podōn. hoi de anōlolyxan, mysous anaplēsthēnai tēn sphairan hypeilēphotes" ho de syneis ekeleusen heni tōn hepomenōn prosmeinai kai gnōnai to drōmenon. hoi de paides pyr anapsantes kai tēn sphairan dia tēs phlogos akontisantes, houtō kathairein hypelabon. kai oida men hōs meirakiōdes touto kai tēs palaias leipsanon synētheias" hikanon de homōs techmēriōsai to misos hoposon eichen hē polis ekeinē peri tēn Areiou symmorian. Ho mentoi Loukios ouk ezēlōse tēn Eunomiou praotēta, alla pollous men kai allous tōn hierōmenōn exostrakisai tous archontas epeise. tous de ge diapherontōs tōn theiōn hypermachountas dogmatōn eis auta exepempse tēs Rhōmaiōn hēgemonias ta termata Piyolkion men diakonias ēxiōmenon, eis Oasin eis to erēmon polythrylēton. Antiochon de, kai tę̄ Pysebiou tou megalou syngeneią kosmoumenon (adelphidous gar autou etynchanen hōn), kai pollois oikeiois katorthomasi lamprynomenon, kai men dē kai hierōsynēs ēxiōmenon, eis tina tēs ᾿rmenias eschatian. hopōs de houtos tōn theiōn hyperēthlei dogmatōn, ta meta tauta dēlōsei. Epeidē gar ho theios Eusebios meta tous pollous agōnas kai tas isarithmous gikas kai to tōn martyrōn edexato telos, synēlthe men synēthōs tou ethnous hē synodos, aphiketo de kai Iobinos, tēs Perrēs tēnikauta episkopos ōn. oligon de tina chrynon houtos tēs tōn ᾿Areianizontōn ēnescheto koinōnias. pantōn dē oun ton Antiochon psēphisamenōn tou theiou diadochon, kai para tēn hieran trapezan agagontōn te kiō klinai biasamenōn ta gonata, epeidē strapheis eide ton IIobinon tēn dexian epitithenta tę̄ kephalę̄, apeseisato te tēn cheire kea tōn cheirotonountōn apokchrithēnai prosetaxe, legōn mē anexesthai dexias dexamenēs dia blasphēmias telesthenta mystēria. alla tauta men met᾽ ou polyn chronon egeneto᾽ tote de eis tēn ᾿Mrmenian tēn endoteran apēchthē. ho de theios Eusebios para ton Istron diēge, tōn Gotthōn tēn Thrakēn lēïzomenōn kai tas poleis poliorkountōn, os ta par᾽ ekeinou graphenta dēloi.
I think those who do not know it should learn how much courage and wisdom he showed when he received the imperial order commanding him to go to Thrace. The man bringing this order arrived in the late evening; and he told him to keep silent and hide the reason for his coming. “For if the multitude, brought up in divine zeal, should learn it,” he said, “they will throw you into the river, and I shall be made to pay the penalty for your death.” Having said this, and having performed the evening service as usual, at the very onset of sleep the old man went out alone on foot, trusting one of his servants; the servant followed, carrying only a pillow and a book. Reaching the bank of the river (for the Euphrates flows past the very walls of the city), he boarded a boat and ordered the rowers to row to Zeugma. When day came, he reached Zeugma, and Samosata was full of wailing and lamentation. For that servant had informed his acquaintances of his instructions, which of them were to accompany him and which books they were to bring; and all lamented the loss of their shepherd, and the river was full of people sailing. When they arrived and saw the shepherd they longed for, groaning and lamenting and pouring out fountains of tears they tried to persuade him to stay and not abandon the sheep to the wolves. But when they did not persuade him (for they heard him reading the apostolic law which plainly commands submission to rulers and authorities), some offered him gold, others silver, others clothing, others servants, as to one setting out for a foreign and distant land. He took a few small things from his closer friends, armed them all with teaching and prayers, urged them to fight for the apostolic doctrines, and set off for the Danube. They returned to their own city, sharpening one another, and awaited the attacks of the wolves.
I shall relate the warmth and purity of their faith too, thinking it wrong if it were not made ever-memorable through my history. When those of Arius's gang, having stripped the flock of its most excellent shepherd, put forward another as president in his place, none of the inhabitants of that city, whether living in poverty or flourishing in wealth, servant or craftsman, farmer or gardener, man or woman, young or old, came to the church assembly as usual. He lived alone, no one either looking at him or speaking to him, although they say he lived with great gentleness. I shall give a proof of this too. When he wished to bathe, and his servants shut the doors of the bathhouse to keep out those who wished to come in, he saw a crowd before the doors and ordered them to be opened, and directed that all should share the bath without fear. He did the same inside in the vaulted rooms: seeing people standing beside him as he bathed, he invited them to share the hot water; but they stood in silence. He, taking their standing as a mark of respect, quickly got out and left. But they, thinking that the water too had shared in the pollution of the heresy, let it run off into the drains and ordered other water to be mixed for themselves. Learning this, he left the city, thinking it foolish and very senseless to live in a city that hated him and held him in common hostility.
When Eunomius (for that was his name) had left Samosata, they put forward Lucius in his place, an open wolf and plotter against the sheep. But the sheep, though bereft of a shepherd, did the work of shepherds; for they continued to keep the apostolic teaching inviolate. How all loathed this man too, another story will show. Boys in the market-place were throwing a ball to one another, enjoying the game. As he passed by, it happened that the ball fell and passed between the feet of his donkey. They cried out, thinking that the ball had been filled with pollution; and he, understanding, ordered one of his attendants to stay behind and learn what was done. The boys lit a fire and tossed the ball through the flame, thinking to purify it in this way. I know that this was boyish and a remnant of the old custom; yet it is enough to prove how great a hatred that city had for the gang of Arius.
Lucius, however, did not imitate the mildness of Eunomius, but persuaded the officials to banish many others of the clergy too; and those who especially defended the divine doctrines he sent to the very ends of the Roman empire: Evolcius, who had been honoured with the diaconate, to the celebrated Oasis in the desert; and Antiochus, who was both adorned by kinship with the great Eusebius (he was his nephew) and distinguished by many achievements of his own, and who had been honoured with the priesthood, to a remote part of Armenia. How he fought for the divine doctrines what followed will show. For when the divine Eusebius, after his many contests and equally many victories, received the end of the martyrs too, the synod of the province met as usual, and Jovinus, then bishop of Perrha, came too; he had for a short time put up with communion with the Arianizers. When all had voted for Antiochus as the successor of the divine man, led him to the holy table and made him bend his knees, he turned, saw Jovinus laying his right hand on his head, shook off the hand, and ordered him to be separated from those ordaining, saying that he would not endure a right hand that had received mysteries performed with blasphemy. But this happened not long afterwards; at that time he was taken off to inner Armenia. The divine Eusebius was living by the Danube, while the Goths were ravaging Thrace and besieging the cities, as his letters show.
Titus 3:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 13:1 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Eusebius of Samosata, ordered into exile in Thrace, leaves secretly by night and, overtaken by his grieving people, urges them to submit to authority but hold the faith; the people of Samosata shun the Arian bishop Eunomius, even pouring away his bathwater, and treat Lucius with contempt, while Lucius exiles Eusebius's clergy, including his nephew Antiochus, who later refused ordination at the hands of a bishop who had communicated with the Arians.
- “The apostolic law ... submission to rulers and authorities”: Titus 3:1 (compare Rom 13:1).
- “The end of the martyrs”: Eusebius's death, told by Theodoret at 5.4.
- The anti-Arian shunning (pouring away the bathwater, purifying the ball) is told approvingly by Theodoret; he himself calls the second “boyish”.
- This Eunomius is the Arian bishop of Samosata, not Eunomius of Cyzicus.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled the verb): Ἀὐούβάλομτο → προὐβάλοντο.
Topics: Church office, Persecution, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.13 (GCS 19:233–237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-13
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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.
4.14GCS 19:237–238
Βάρσην δέ, οὗ καὶ νῦν πολὺ τὸ κλέος οὐχ ἐν Εδέσσῃ μόνον ἣν ἴθυνε καὶ ταῖς ταύτης πλησιοχώροις πόλεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν Φοινίκῃ καὶ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ καὶ Θηβαΐδι (ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα διελήλυθε τὰ ἔθνη διὰ τῆν τῆς ἀρετῆς περιφερόμενος λαμπηδόνα), πρῶτον μὲν αὐτὸν ὁ Βάλης Ἄραδον οἰκεῖν τὴν νῆσον προσέταξεν" ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔγνω μυρία πάντοθεν πρὸς αὐτὸν “συρρέοντα πλήθη (ἀποστολικῆς γὰρ χάριτος ἀνάπλεως ὧν λόγῳ τὰς γόσους ἐξήλαυνεν), εἰς Ὀξύρυγχον αὐτὸν ὅ τὴν Αἰγυπτίαν ἐξέπεμψε πόλιν. οἧς ὁὲ κἀκεῖ τὸ τούτου κλέος συνήγειρεν ἅπαντας, εἰς φρούριον ἔσχατον τοῖς ἐκεῖ γειτονεῦον βαρβάροις (Φηνὼ δὲ τούτῳ ὀνομαὶ ὁ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἄξιος ἀπήχθη πρεσβύτης. ἐν δὲ τῇ Αράδῳ φασὶ τὴν ἐχείνου μέχρι καὶ τήμερον μεμενηκέναι κλίνην; πλείστης ἀ ξιουμένην τιμῆς. πολλοὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀρρωστούντῶν ἐπ᾽ ἐκείνης κατακλινόμενοι τὴν ὑγείαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως δρέπονται.
Barsēn de, hou kai nyn poly to kleos ouch en Edessę̄ monon hēn ithyne kai tais tautēs plēsiochōrois polesin, alla kai en Phoinikę̄ kai en Aigyptǭ kai Thēbaïdi (tauta gar panta dielēlythe ta ethnē dia tēn tēs aretēs peripheromenos lampēdona), prōton men auton ho Balēs Aradon oikein tēn nēson prosetaxen" epeidē de egnō myria pantothen pros auton “syrreonta plēthē (apostolikēs gar charitos anapleōs hōn logǭ tas gosous exēlaunen), eis Oxyrynchon auton ho tēn Aigyptian exepempse polin. hoēs hoe kakei to toutou kleos synēgeiren hapantas, eis phrourion eschaton tois ekei geitoneuon barbarois (Phēnō de toutǭ onomai ho tōn ouranōn axios apēchthē presbytēs. en de tę̄ Aradǭ phasi tēn echeinou mechri kai tēmeron memenēkenai klinēn? pleistēs a xioumenēn timēs. polloi gar tōn arrōstountōn ep᾽ ekeinēs kataklinomenoi tēn hygeian dia tēs pisteōs drepontai.
Barses, whose fame is great even now, not only in Edessa, which he governed, and the cities neighbouring it, but also in Phoenicia, Egypt, and the Thebaid (for he has passed through all these nations, carried about by the brilliance of his virtue), Valens first ordered to live on the island of Aradus. But when he learned that countless multitudes were streaming to him from everywhere (for being full of apostolic grace he drove out diseases by a word), he sent him to Oxyrhynchus, the Egyptian city. When there too his fame gathered everyone together, the old man, worthy of heaven, was taken to a fortress at the extremity, bordering on the barbarians there; its name was Phenô. They say that on Aradus his bed has remained to this day, honoured very greatly; for many of the sick, lying on it, gather health through faith.
Notes and citation
Summary: Barses, bishop of Edessa, famous for healing, is exiled by Valens first to Aradus, then to Oxyrhynchus, and finally to a remote frontier fort, while his bed on Aradus continues to heal the sick.
- Theodoret's report about the healing bed is introduced with “they say”; translated as written.
Topics: Persecution, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 4.14 (GCS 19:237–238; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/4-14
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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.