Church History 5.17–5.23
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 5
5.17GCS 19:306–313
Θεσσαλονίχη πόλις ἐστὶ μεγίστη καὶ πολυάνθρωπος, εἰς μὲν τὸ Μακεδόνων ἔθνος τελοῦσα, ἡγουμένη δὲ καὶ Θετταλίας καὶ Ἀχαΐας καὶ μέντοι καὶ ἄλλων παμπόλλων ἐθνῶν ὅσα τῶν Ἰλλυρίων τὸν ὕπαρχον ἡγούμενον ἔχει. ἐν ταύτῃ στάσεως γενομένης τινὸς κατελεύσθησάν τε καὶ κατεσύρησαν τῶν ἀρχόντων τινές. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐξαφθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγελθέντων οὐκ ἤνεγκε τοῦ θυμοῦ τὴν ὁρμὴν οὐδὲ τῷ χαλινῷ τοῦ λογισμοῦ τὴν τούτου δύμην ἐκώλυσεν, ἀλλὰ τούτῳ τὴν ψῆφον ἐξενεγκεῖν τῆς τιμωρίας ἐπέτρεψε. ταύτην δὲ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἐκεῖνος λαβών, οἷα δὴ αὐτόνομός τε καὶ τύραννος τὸν δεσμὸν ἀπορρήξας καὶ τοῦ λογισμοῦ διαφυγὼν τὸν ζυγόν, ἄδικα ξίφη κατὰ πάντων ἐγύμνωσε καὶ τοὺς ἀθώους μετὰ τῶν ὑπευθύνων κατέχτεινεν. ἑπτὰ γάρ, ὥς φασιν, ἀνθρώπων ἀνῃρέθησαν χιλιάδες, οὐ κρίσεως ἡγησαμένης καὶ τῶν τὰ δεινὰ ἐκεῖνα τετολμηκότων κατακριθέντων, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐν ἀμήτῳ πάντων ὁμοῦ δίκην ἀσταχύων κατατμηθέντων. Ἰαύτην μαθὼν τὴν ὀδυρμῶν γέμουσαν συμφορὰν Ἀμβρόσιος ἐκεῖνος, οὗ πολλάκις ἐμνήσθην, ἀφικόμενον εἰς τὴν Μεδιόλανον τὸν βασιλέα καὶ συνήθως εἰς τὸν θεῖον εἰσελθεῖν βουληθέντα νεὼν ὑπαντήσας ἔξω τῶν προθύρων, ἐπιβῆναι τῶν ἱερῶν προπυλαίων τοιάδε λέγων ἐκώλυσεν" ᾿γρὺχ οἶσθα ὡς ἔοικεν, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τῆς εἰργασμένης μιαιφονίας τὸ μέγεθος, οὐδὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ θυμοῦ παῦλαν ὁ λογισμὸς ἐπέγνω τὸ τολμηθέν" οὐκ ἐᾷ γὰρ ἴσως τῆς βασιλείας ἡ δυναστεία ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἐλλ᾽ ἐπε προσθεῖ ἡ ἐξουσία τῷ λογισμῷ. χρὴ μέντοι εἰδέναι τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὸ ταύτης θνητόν τε καὶ διαρρέον καὶ τὸν πρόγονον χοῦν ἐξ οὗ γεγόναμεν καὶ εἰς ὃν ἀπορ θέομεν, καὶ μὴ τῷ ἄνθει τῆς ἁλουργίδος ἀποβουκολούμενον ἀγνοεῖν τοῦ καλυπτομένου σώματος τὴν ἀσθένειαν. ὁμοφυῶν ἄρχεις, ὦ βασιλεῦ, καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ ὁμοδούλων" εἷς γὰρ ἁπάντων δεσπότης καὶ βασιλεὺς ὁ τῶν ὅλων δημιουργός. ποίοις τοίνυν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὄψει τὸν τοῦ κοινοῦ δεσπότου νεών; ποίοις δὲ ποσὶ τὸ δάπεδον ἐχεῖνο πατήσεις τὸ ἅγιον; πῶς δὲ τὰς χεῖρας ἐκτενεῖς ἀποσταϊζούσας ἔτι τοῦ ἀδίκου φόνου τὸ αἷμα; πῶς δὲ τοιαύταις ὑποδέξῃ χερσὶ τοῦ δεσπότου τὸ πανάγιον σῶμα; πῶς δὲ τῷ στόματι προσοίσεις τὸ αἷμα τὸ τίμιον, τοσοῦτο διὰ τῶν τοῦ θυμοῦ λόγων ἐκχέαντι παράνομον αἷμα; ἄπιθι τοίνυν, καὶ μὴ πειρῶ τοῖς δευτέροις τὴν προτέραν αὔξειν παρανομίαν καὶ δέχου τὸν δεσμόν, ᾧ ὁ θεὸς ὁ τῶν ὅλων δεσπότης ἄνωθεν γίγνεται σύμψηφος" ἰατρικὸς δὲ οὗτος καὶ πρόξενος ὑγείας.ς Τούτοις εἴξας ὁ βασιλεὺς τοῖς λόγοις (τοῖς γὰρ θείοις λογίοις ἐντεθραμμένος ἤδει σαφῶς τίνα μὲν τῶν ἱερέων, τίνα δὲ τῶν βασιλέων ἴδια), στένων καὶ δακρύων ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὰ βασίλεια. χρόνου ὁὲ συχνοῦ διελθόντος (ὀκτὼ γὰρ ἀναλώθησαν μῆνες), κατέλαβεν ἡ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν γενέθλιος ἑορτή" ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις ὀλοφυρόμενος καθῆστο, τὴν τῶν δακρύων ἀναλίσκων λιβάδα. τοῦτο ὃ θεασάμενος Ῥουφῖνος (μάγιστρος δὲ τηνικαῦτα ἦν καὶ πολλῆς μετεῖχε παρρησίας ἅτε δὴ συνηθέστερος ὦν), προσελθὼν ἤρετο τῶν δακρύων τὸ αἴτιον. ὃ δὲ πικρὸν ἀνοιμώξας καὶ σφοδρότερον προχέας τὸ Ὁ δάκρυον" σὺ μένε, ἔφη, ὦ Ῥουφῖνε, παίζεις" τῶν γὰρ ἐμῶν οὐκ ἐπαισθάνῃ κακῶν. ἐγὼ δὲ στένω καὶ ὀλοφύρομαι τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ συμτφοθάν, λογιζόμενος ὡς τοῖς μὲν οἰκέταις καὶ τοῖς προσαίταις ἄνετος ὁ θεῖος νεὼς καὶ εἰσίασιν ἀδεῶς καὶ τὸν οἰκεῖον ἀντιβολοῦσι δεσπότην, ἐμοὶ δὲ καὶ οὗτος ἄβατος καὶ πρὸς τούτῳ μοι ὃ οὐρανὸς ἀποκέκλεισται. μέμνημαι γὰρ τῆς δεσποτικῆς φωνῆς ἣ διαρρήδην φησίν" "ὃν ἂν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔσται δεδεμένος ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖςκ. ὁ δέ" δραμοῦμαις, ἔφη, εἰ σοι δοκεῖ, καὶ τὸν ἀρχιερέα πείσω λιπαθήσας λῦσαί σοι τὰ δεσμάς. οὐ πείσεταιε, ἔφη ὁ βασιλεύς. οἶδα γὰρ ἐγὼ τῆς Ἀμβροσίου ψήφου τὸ δίκαιον, οὐδὲ αἰδεσθεὶς τῆς βασιλείας τὴν ἐξουσίαν τὸν θεῖον παραβήσεται νόμονκ. ᾿ῬἘπειδὴ δὲ πλείοσι χρησάμενος ὃ Ῥουφῖνος λόγοις πείθειν ὑπέὄχετο τὸν Ἀμβρόσιον, ἀπελθεῖν αὐτὸν ὁ βασιλεὺς κατὰ τάχος ἐκχέλευσεν᾽ καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐλπίδος βουχοληθεὶς ἠκολούθησε μετὰ βραχύ, ταῖς ὑποσχέσεσι τοῦ Ῥουφίνου πιστεύσας. αὐτίκα δὲ τὸν Ῥουφῖνον ἰδὼν ὁ θεῖος Ἀμβρόσιος" τὴν τῶν κυνῶνε, ἔφη, ἀναίδειαν, ὦ Ῥουφῖνε, ζηλοῖς. τοσαύτης γὰρ μιαιφονίας γενόμενος σύμβουλος τὴν αἰδῶ τῶν μετώπων ἀπέξυσας, καὶ οὔτε ἐρυθριᾷς οὔτε δέδιας, τοσοῦτον κατὰ τῆς θείας λυττήσας εἰκόνοςς. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ Ῥουφῖνος ἠντιβόλει καὶ τὸν βασιλέα ἔλεγεν ἥξειν, ὑπὸ τοῦ θείου ζήλου πυρποληθεὶς Ἀμβρόσιος ὁ θεσπέσιος" ἐγώς, ἔφη, νὠὦ Ῥουφῖνε, προλέγω ὡς κωλύσω τῶν ἱερῶν αὐτὸν ἐπιβῆναι προθύρων" εἰ δὲ εἰς τυραννίδα τὴν βασιλείαν μεθίστησι, δέξομαι κἀγὼ μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς τὴν σφαγήνε. τούτων ὁ Ῥουφῖνος ἀκούσας ἐμήνυσε διά τινος τῷ βασιλεῖ ὅ τὸν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως σκοπὸν καὶ μένειν εἴσω τῶν βασιλείων παρήνεσεν. Ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς κατὰ μέσην τὴν ἀγορὰν ταῦτα μαθών᾽" ἄπειμιε, ἔφη, καὶ τὰς δικαίας δέξομαι παροινίαςε. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοὺς ἱεροὺς περιβόλους. κατέλαβεν, εἰς μὲν τὸν θεῖον οὐχ εἰσελήλυθε γεών, πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἀρχιερέα παραγενόμενος (ἐν δὲ τῷ ἀσπαστικῷ οἴκῳ οὗτος “καθῆστο) ἐλιπάρει λυθῆναί οἱ τὸν δεσμόν. ὁ δὲ τυραννικὴν ἐκάλει τὴν παρουσίαν, καὶ κατὰ θεοῦ μεμηνέναι τὸν Θεοδόσιον ἔλεγε καὶ τοὺς ἐκείνου γόμους πατεῖν. ὁ δὲ βασιλεύς" οὐ θρασύνομαιςε, ἔφη, κατὰ τῶν κειμένων νόμων οὐδὲ παρανόμως ἐπιβῆναι τῶν ἱερῶν προθύρων ἐφίεμαι, ἀλλὰ σὲ λῦσαί μὲ τῶν δεσμῶν ἀξιῶ καὶ τὴν τοῦ κοινοῦ δεσπότου φιλανθρωπίαν λογίσασθαι καὶ μὴ κλεῖσαί μοε θύραν ἣν πᾶσι τοῖς μεταμελείᾳ χρωμένοις ὁ δεσπότης ἀνέφξενε. ὁ δὲ ἀρχιερεύς" ποίαν οὔνε, ἔφη, "μεταμέλειαν ἔδειξας μετὰ τοσαύτην παραγνομίαν; ποίοις δὲ φαρμάκοις τὰ δυσίατα ἐθεράπευσας τραύματα; ὁ δὲ βασιλεύς" σὸν ἔργονε, ἔφη, τὸ καὶ δεῖξαι καὶ κεράσαι τὰ φάρμακα. ἐμὸν δὲ τὸ δέξασθαι προσφερόμενας. τότε ὃ θεῖος Ἀμβρόσιος" νἐπειδὴ τῷ θυμῷε, ἔφη, τὸ δικάξειν ἐπιτρέπεις καὶ οὐχ ὁ λογισμὸς τὴν γνῶσιν ἀλλ ὁ θυμὸς ἐκφέρει, γραψον νομὸν τοῦ θυμοῦ τὰς ψήφους ἀἄργας ποιοῦντα καὶ περιττάς. καὶ τριάκοντα ἡμέρας αἱ φονικαὶ καὶ δημευτικαὶ μενέτωσαν γνώσεις ἐν γράμμασιν, τὴν τοῦ λογισμοῦ προσδεχόμεναι κρίσιν. διελθουσῶν δὲ τῶνδε τῶν ἡμερῶν, οἱ τὰ ἐγνωσμένα γεγραφότες τὰ προστεταγμένα δεικνύτωσαν. καὶ τηνικαῦτα τοῦ θυμοῦ πεπαυμένου, καθ' ἑαυτὸν δικάζων ὁ λογισμὸς ἐξετάσει τὰ ἐγνωσμένα καὶ ὄψεται εἴτε ἄδικα εἴτε δίκαια εἴη. καὶ εἰ μὲν εὕροι ἄδικα, δῆλον ὅτι διαρρήξει τὰ γεγραμμένα᾽ εἰ δέ γε δίκαια, βεβαιώσει, καὶ ὃ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀριθμὸς οὐ λυμανεῖται τοῖς ὀρθῶς ἐγνωσμένοις. ταύτην ὁ βασιλεὺς δεξάμενος τὴν εἰσήγησιν καὶ ἄριστα ἔχειν ὑπολαβών, εὐθὺς γραφῆναί τε τὸν νόμον ἐκέλευσε καὶ τοῖς τῆς οἰκείας χειρὸς ἐβεβαίωσε γράμμασι: τούτου δὲ γενομένου, διέλυσε τὸν δεσμὸν ὃ θεῖος Ἀμβρόσιος. Οὕτως ὁ πιστότατος βασιλεὺς εἴσω γενέσθαι θαρρήσας τοῦ θείου γεώ, οὐχ ἑστὼς τὸν δεσπότην ἱκέτευεν οὐδὲ τὰ γόνατα κλίνας, ἀλλὰ ὕ πρηνὴς ἐπὶ τοῦ δαπέδου κείμενος τὴν Δαυϊτικὴν ἀφῆκε φωνήν" ἐκολλήθη τῷ ἐδάφει ἡ ψυχή μου, ζῆσόν με κατὰ τὸν λόγον σους, καὶ ταῖς χερσὶν ἀποτίλλων τὰς τρίχας καὶ τὸ μέτωπον τύπτων καὶ ταῖς τῶν δακρύων σταγόσι τοὔδαφος καταρραίνων συγγνώμης ἦντιβόλει τυχεῖν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ καιρὸς ἐκάλει τῇ ἱερᾷ τραπέζῃ τὰ δῶρα προσενεγκεῖν, ἀναστὰς μετὰ τῶν ἴσων δακρύων τῶν ἀνακτόρων ἐπέβη" προσενεγκὼν δὲ ὥσπερ εἰώθει, ἔνδον παρὰ τὰς κιγκλίδας μεμένηκεν. ἀλλὰ πάλιν ὁ μέγας ΑΙμβρόσιος οὐκ ἐσίγησεν, ἀλλ ἐξεπαίδευσε τὴν τῶν τόπων διαφοράν. καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ἤρετο εἴ τινος ὃ δέοιτο τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως εἰρηκότος οἧς προσμένει τὴν τῶν θείων μυστηρίων μετάληψιν, ἐδήλωσεν ὑπουργῷ τῷ τῶν διακόνων ἡγουμένῳ χρησάμενος ὅτι" τὰ ἔνδον, ὦ βασιλεῦ, μόνοις ἐστὶν ἱερεῦσι βατά, τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἄδυτά τε καὶ ἄψαυστα. ἔξιθι τοίνυν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις κοινώνει τῆς στάσεως" ἁλουργὶς γὰρ βασιλέας, οὐχ ἱερέας ποιεῖς. “χαὶ ταύτην δὲ ὁ πιστότατος βασιλεὺς ἀσμένως δεξάμενος τὴν εἰσήγησιν, ἀντεδήλωσεν ὡς οὐ θρασύτητι χρώμενος ἔνδον τῶν κιγκλίδων μεμένηκεν. ἀλλ ἐν Κωνσταντενουπόλει τοῦτο εἶναι ἔθος μαθών'" "χάριν δὲ ὀφείλωε, ἔφη. καὶ τῆσδε τῆς: ἰατρείαςε. τοσαύτῃ καὶ τηλικαύτῃ καὶ ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς διέλαμπον ἀρετῇ" ἀμφοτέρων γὰρ ἔγωγε ἄγαμαι, τοῦ μὲν τὴν παρρησίαν, τοῦ δὲ τὴν εὐπείθειαν, καὶ τοῦ μὲν τὴν τοῦ ζήλου θερμότητα, τοῦ δὲ τὴν τῆς πίστεως καθαρότητα. Τοὺς δὲ δὴ τῆς εὐσεβείας ὅρους, οὗς παρὰ τοῦ μεγάλου ἀρχιερέως μεμάθηκε, καὶ εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντινούπολιν ἐπανελθὼν διετήρησεν. ἑορτῆς γὰρ αὐτὸν πάλιν θείας εἰς τὸν θεῖον ἀγαγούσης νεών, τῇ ἱερᾷ τραπέζῃ τὰ δῶρα προσενεγκὼν εὐθὺς ἐξελήλυθε: τοῦ δὲ τῆς ἔκχκλησίας προέδρου (Δεχτάριος δὲ τηνικαῦτα ἦν) δεδηλωκότος" τί δή ποτε μὴ μεμένηκας ἔνδον; δυσχεράνας" μόγιξε, ἔφη, βασιλέως καὶ ἱερέως ἐδιδάχθην διαφοράν μόγις γὰρ εἷρον ἀληθείας διδάσκαλον. Ἰμβροόσιον γὰρ οἶδα μόνον ἐπίσκοπον ἀξίως καλούμεγονε. τοσοῦτον ὀνίνησιν ἔλεγχος παρὰ ἀνδρὸς ἀρετῇ λάμποντος προσφερόμενος.
Thessalonichē polis esti megistē kai polyanthrōpos, eis men to Makedonōn ethnos telousa, hēgoumenē de kai Thettalias kai Achaïas kai mentoi kai allōn pampollōn ethnōn hosa tōn Illyriōn ton hyparchon hēgoumenon echei. en tautę̄ staseōs genomenēs tinos kateleusthēsan te kai katesyrēsan tōn archontōn tines. ho de basileus exaphtheis hypo tōn angelthentōn ouk ēnenke tou thymou tēn hormēn oude tǭ chalinǭ tou logismou tēn toutou dymēn ekōlysen, alla toutǭ tēn psēphon exenenkein tēs timōrias epetrepse. tautēn de tēn exousian ekeinos labōn, hoia dē autonomos te kai tyrannos ton desmon aporrēxas kai tou logismou diaphygōn ton zygon, adika xiphē kata pantōn egymnōse kai tous athōous meta tōn hypeuthynōn katechteinen. hepta gar, hōs phasin, anthrōpōn anę̄rethēsan chiliades, ou kriseōs hēgēsamenēs kai tōn ta deina ekeina tetolmēkotōn katakrithentōn, all᾽ hōs en amētǭ pantōn homou dikēn astachyōn katatmēthentōn. Iautēn mathōn tēn odyrmōn gemousan symphoran Ambrosios ekeinos, hou pollakis emnēsthēn, aphikomenon eis tēn Mediolanon ton basilea kai synēthōs eis ton theion eiselthein boulēthenta neōn hypantēsas exō tōn prothyrōn, epibēnai tōn hierōn propylaiōn toiade legōn ekōlysen" ᾿grych oistha hōs eoiken, ō basileu, tēs eirgasmenēs miaiphonias to megethos, oude meta tēn tou thymou paulan ho logismos epegnō to tolmēthen" ouk eą gar isōs tēs basileias hē dynasteia epignōnai tēn hamartian, ell᾽ epe prosthei hē exousia tǭ logismǭ. chrē mentoi eidenai tēn physin kai to tautēs thnēton te kai diarreon kai ton progonon choun ex hou gegonamen kai eis hon apor theomen, kai mē tǭ anthei tēs halourgidos apoboukoloumenon agnoein tou kalyptomenou sōmatos tēn astheneian. homophyōn archeis, ō basileu, kai men dē kai homodoulōn" heis gar hapantōn despotēs kai basileus ho tōn holōn dēmiourgos. poiois toinyn ophthalmois opsei ton tou koinou despotou neōn? poiois de posi to dapedon echeino patēseis to hagion? pōs de tas cheiras ekteneis apostaïzousas eti tou adikou phonou to haima? pōs de toiautais hypodexę̄ chersi tou despotou to panagion sōma? pōs de tǭ stomati prosoiseis to haima to timion, tosouto dia tōn tou thymou logōn ekcheanti paranomon haima? apithi toinyn, kai mē peirō tois deuterois tēn proteran auxein paranomian kai dechou ton desmon, hǭ ho theos ho tōn holōn despotēs anōthen gignetai sympsēphos" iatrikos de houtos kai proxenos hygeias.s Toutois eixas ho basileus tois logois (tois gar theiois logiois entethrammenos ēdei saphōs tina men tōn hiereōn, tina de tōn basileōn idia), stenōn kai dakryōn epanēlthen eis ta basileia. chronou hoe sychnou dielthontos (oktō gar analōthēsan mēnes), katelaben hē tou sōtēros hēmōn genethlios heortē" ho de basileus en tois basileiois olophyromenos kathēsto, tēn tōn dakryōn analiskōn libada. touto ho theasamenos Rhouphinos (magistros de tēnikauta ēn kai pollēs meteiche parrēsias hate dē synēthesteros ōn), proselthōn ēreto tōn dakryōn to aition. ho de pikron anoimōxas kai sphodroteron procheas to Ho dakryon" sy mene, ephē, ō Rhouphine, paizeis" tōn gar emōn ouk epaisthanę̄ kakōn. egō de stenō kai olophyromai tēn emautou symtphothan, logizomenos hōs tois men oiketais kai tois prosaitais anetos ho theios neōs kai eisiasin adeōs kai ton oikeion antibolousi despotēn, emoi de kai houtos abatos kai pros toutǭ moi ho ouranos apokekleistai. memnēmai gar tēs despotikēs phōnēs hē diarrēdēn phēsin" "hon an dēsēte epi tēs gēs estai dedemenos en tois ouranoisk. ho de" dramoumais, ephē, ei soi dokei, kai ton archierea peisō lipathēsas lysai soi ta desmas. ou peisetaie, ephē ho basileus. oida gar egō tēs Ambrosiou psēphou to dikaion, oude aidestheis tēs basileias tēn exousian ton theion parabēsetai nomonk. ᾿RhEpeidē de pleiosi chrēsamenos ho Rhouphinos logois peithein hypeocheto ton Ambrosion, apelthein auton ho basileus kata tachos ekcheleusen᾽ kai autos de hypo tēs elpidos boucholētheis ēkolouthēse meta brachy, tais hyposchesesi tou Rhouphinou pisteusas. autika de ton Rhouphinon idōn ho theios Ambrosios" tēn tōn kynōne, ephē, anaideian, ō Rhouphine, zēlois. tosautēs gar miaiphonias genomenos symboulos tēn aidō tōn metōpōn apexysas, kai oute erythriąs oute dedias, tosouton kata tēs theias lyttēsas eikonoss. epeidē de ho Rhouphinos ēntibolei kai ton basilea elegen hēxein, hypo tou theiou zēlou pyrpolētheis Ambrosios ho thespesios" egōs, ephē, nōō Rhouphine, prolegō hōs kōlysō tōn hierōn auton epibēnai prothyrōn" ei de eis tyrannida tēn basileian methistēsi, dexomai kagō meth᾽ hēdonēs tēn sphagēne. toutōn ho Rhouphinos akousas emēnyse dia tinos tǭ basilei ho ton tou archiereōs skopon kai menein eisō tōn basileiōn parēnesen. Ho de basileus kata mesēn tēn agoran tauta mathōn᾽" apeimie, ephē, kai tas dikaias dexomai paroiniase. epeidē de tous hierous peribolous. katelaben, eis men ton theion ouch eiselēlythe geōn, pros de ton archierea paragenomenos (en de tǭ aspastikǭ oikǭ houtos “kathēsto) eliparei lythēnai hoi ton desmon. ho de tyrannikēn ekalei tēn parousian, kai kata theou memēnenai ton Theodosion elege kai tous ekeinou gomous patein. ho de basileus" ou thrasynomaise, ephē, kata tōn keimenōn nomōn oude paranomōs epibēnai tōn hierōn prothyrōn ephiemai, alla se lysai me tōn desmōn axiō kai tēn tou koinou despotou philanthrōpian logisasthai kai mē kleisai moe thyran hēn pasi tois metameleią chrōmenois ho despotēs anephxene. ho de archiereus" poian oune, ephē, "metameleian edeixas meta tosautēn paragnomian? poiois de pharmakois ta dysiata etherapeusas traumata? ho de basileus" son ergone, ephē, to kai deixai kai kerasai ta pharmaka. emon de to dexasthai prospheromenas. tote ho theios Ambrosios" nepeidē tǭ thymǭe, ephē, to dikaxein epitrepeis kai ouch ho logismos tēn gnōsin all ho thymos ekpherei, grapson nomon tou thymou tas psēphous aargas poiounta kai perittas. kai triakonta hēmeras hai phonikai kai dēmeutikai menetōsan gnōseis en grammasin, tēn tou logismou prosdechomenai krisin. dielthousōn de tōnde tōn hēmerōn, hoi ta egnōsmena gegraphotes ta prostetagmena deiknytōsan. kai tēnikauta tou thymou pepaumenou, kath' heauton dikazōn ho logismos exetasei ta egnōsmena kai opsetai eite adika eite dikaia eiē. kai ei men heuroi adika, dēlon hoti diarrēxei ta gegrammena᾽ ei de ge dikaia, bebaiōsei, kai ho tōn hēmerōn arithmos ou lymaneitai tois orthōs egnōsmenois. tautēn ho basileus dexamenos tēn eisēgēsin kai arista echein hypolabōn, euthys graphēnai te ton nomon ekeleuse kai tois tēs oikeias cheiros ebebaiōse grammasi: toutou de genomenou, dielyse ton desmon ho theios Ambrosios. Houtōs ho pistotatos basileus eisō genesthai tharrēsas tou theiou geō, ouch hestōs ton despotēn hiketeuen oude ta gonata klinas, alla hy prēnēs epi tou dapedou keimenos tēn Dauïtikēn aphēke phōnēn" ekollēthē tǭ edaphei hē psychē mou, zēson me kata ton logon sous, kai tais chersin apotillōn tas trichas kai to metōpon typtōn kai tais tōn dakryōn stagosi toudaphos katarrainōn syngnōmēs ēntibolei tychein. epeidē de ho kairos ekalei tę̄ hierą trapezę̄ ta dōra prosenenkein, anastas meta tōn isōn dakryōn tōn anaktorōn epebē" prosenenkōn de hōsper eiōthei, endon para tas kinklidas memenēken. alla palin ho megas AImbrosios ouk esigēsen, all exepaideuse tēn tōn topōn diaphoran. kai prōton men ēreto ei tinos ho deoito tou de basileōs eirēkotos hoēs prosmenei tēn tōn theiōn mystēriōn metalēpsin, edēlōsen hypourgǭ tǭ tōn diakonōn hēgoumenǭ chrēsamenos hoti" ta endon, ō basileu, monois estin hiereusi bata, tois de allois hapasin adyta te kai apsausta. exithi toinyn kai tois allois koinōnei tēs staseōs" halourgis gar basileas, ouch hiereas poieis. “chai tautēn de ho pistotatos basileus asmenōs dexamenos tēn eisēgēsin, antedēlōsen hōs ou thrasytēti chrōmenos endon tōn kinklidōn memenēken. all en Kōnstantenoupolei touto einai ethos mathōn'" "charin de opheilōe, ephē. kai tēsde tēs: iatreiase. tosautę̄ kai tēlikautę̄ kai ho archiereus kai ho basileus dielampon aretę̄" amphoterōn gar egōge agamai, tou men tēn parrēsian, tou de tēn eupeitheian, kai tou men tēn tou zēlou thermotēta, tou de tēn tēs pisteōs katharotēta. Tous de dē tēs eusebeias horous, hous para tou megalou archiereōs memathēke, kai eis tēn Kōnstantinoupolin epanelthōn dietērēsen. heortēs gar auton palin theias eis ton theion agagousēs neōn, tę̄ hierą trapezę̄ ta dōra prosenenkōn euthys exelēlythe: tou de tēs ekchklēsias proedrou (Dechtarios de tēnikauta ēn) dedēlōkotos" ti dē pote mē memenēkas endon? dyscheranas" mogixe, ephē, basileōs kai hiereōs edidachthēn diaphoran mogis gar heiron alētheias didaskalon. Imbroosion gar oida monon episkopon axiōs kaloumegone. tosouton oninēsin elenchos para andros aretę̄ lampontos prospheromenos.
Thessalonica is a very great and populous city, belonging to the province of the Macedonians, but leading Thessaly and Achaia and also very many other provinces governed by the prefect of the Illyrians. A riot took place in it, and some of the officials were stoned and dragged through the streets. The emperor, inflamed by the news, did not restrain the impulse of his anger nor check its force with the bridle of reason, but allowed it to pass the sentence of punishment. Anger, receiving this authority, broke its bond like a self-willed tyrant, escaped the yoke of reason, bared unjust swords against all, and killed the innocent with the guilty. For seven thousand people, as they say, were killed, not after a trial and the condemnation of those who had dared those terrible things, but cut down all together like ears of grain at harvest.
Ambrose, whom I have often mentioned, learning of this calamity full of lamentation, met the emperor outside the doors when he came to Milan and wished to enter the divine temple as usual, and prevented him from setting foot in the sacred porch, saying: “You do not know, it seems, emperor, the greatness of the slaughter that has been done, nor has your reason, after the end of your anger, recognized what was dared. Perhaps the power of empire does not let you recognize the sin, but authority obstructs reason. Yet one must know one's nature, its mortality and transience, and the ancestral dust from which we came and to which we return, and not, beguiled by the bloom of the purple, be ignorant of the weakness of the body it covers. You rule, emperor, over men of the same nature, and indeed fellow slaves; for there is one Master and King of all, the Creator of the universe. With what eyes, then, will you look at the temple of the common Master? With what feet will you tread that holy floor? How will you stretch out hands still dripping with the blood of unjust slaughter? How will you receive with such hands the all-holy body of the Master? How will you put to your mouth the precious blood, when through the words of your anger you have poured out so much lawless blood? Go away, then, and do not try to increase the former lawlessness by a second; and accept the bond with which God, the Master of the universe, agrees from above; it is healing and procures health.”
Yielding to these words (for brought up in the divine oracles he knew clearly what belongs to priests and what to emperors), the emperor returned to the palace groaning and weeping. When a considerable time had passed (eight months were spent), the feast of our Saviour's birth came; and the emperor sat lamenting in the palace, pouring out a stream of tears. Rufinus (he was then master of offices and had great freedom of speech as being more intimate) saw this, came up, and asked the reason for the tears. He, groaning bitterly and shedding tears more violently, said: “You, Rufinus, are joking; for you do not perceive my troubles. But I groan and lament my own misfortune, reckoning that to slaves and beggars the divine temple is open and they go in without fear and beseech their own Master, but to me both this is inaccessible and, besides, heaven is closed against me. For I remember the Lord's word, which says plainly: ‘Whomever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven.’” He said: “I shall run, if you wish, and persuade the high priest by entreaty to loose your bonds.” “He will not be persuaded,” said the emperor; “for I know the justice of Ambrose's sentence; nor will he, out of respect for the power of empire, transgress the divine law.” But when Rufinus, using many words, promised to persuade Ambrose, the emperor ordered him to go quickly; and he himself, beguiled by hope, followed shortly after, trusting Rufinus's promises. As soon as the divine Ambrose saw Rufinus, he said: “You imitate the shamelessness of dogs, Rufinus. For having been the adviser of so great a slaughter, you have scraped the shame from your forehead, and you neither blush nor fear, though you raged so much against the divine image.” When Rufinus entreated him and said that the emperor would come, the godly Ambrose, burning with divine zeal, said: “I tell you beforehand, Rufinus, that I will prevent him from setting foot in the sacred porch; and if he changes his empire into a tyranny, I too will gladly receive death.” Hearing this, Rufinus informed the emperor through someone of the high priest's purpose and advised him to stay inside the palace. The emperor learned this in the middle of the market-place and said: “I shall go and receive the insults I deserve.” When he reached the sacred precincts he did not enter the divine temple, but coming to the high priest (he was sitting in the reception room) he begged that his bond be loosed. Ambrose called his coming tyrannical, and said that Theodosius was raging against God and trampling on his laws. The emperor said: “I am not acting arrogantly against the laws that are laid down, nor do I seek to set foot unlawfully in the sacred porch; but I ask you to loose me from my bonds, to consider the love of mankind of the common Master, and not to shut against me the door which the Master has opened to all who repent.” The high priest said: “What repentance have you shown after so great a lawlessness? With what medicines have you treated the hard-to-heal wounds?” The emperor said: “It is your work both to show and to mix the medicines, and mine to receive what is offered.” Then the divine Ambrose said: “Since you entrust judging to anger, and not reason but anger pronounces judgment, write a law that makes the sentences of anger void and superfluous; and let sentences of death and confiscation remain in writing for thirty days, awaiting the judgment of reason. When these days have passed, let those who wrote what was decided bring forward what was ordered; and then, anger having ceased, reason, judging by itself, will examine the decisions and see whether they are unjust or just. If it finds them unjust, it will clearly tear up what was written; but if just, it will confirm it; and the number of days will do no harm to what was rightly decided.” The emperor accepted this suggestion, thought it excellent, ordered the law to be written at once, and confirmed it with his own handwriting. When this was done, the divine Ambrose loosed the bond.
So the most faithful emperor, venturing to enter the divine temple, did not beseech the Master standing, nor kneeling, but lying prostrate on the floor he uttered the words of David: “My soul has cleaved to the ground; give me life according to your word”; and plucking his hair with his hands, beating his forehead, and sprinkling the floor with drops of tears, he begged to obtain pardon. When the time came to bring the gifts to the holy table, he rose and with the same tears went up to the sanctuary; and having made his offering as he was accustomed, he remained inside by the railings. But the great Ambrose did not keep silent this time either, but taught him the difference of places. First he asked whether he needed anything; and when the emperor said that he was waiting to share in the divine mysteries, he sent word by the chief of the deacons: “The inner places, emperor, are accessible only to priests, but inaccessible and not to be touched by all others. Go out, then, and share the standing place of the others; for the purple makes emperors, not priests.” The most faithful emperor accepted this suggestion too gladly and sent back word that he had stayed inside the railings not out of arrogance, but because he had learned that this was the custom in Constantinople. “I owe thanks,” he said, “for this healing too.” With such and so great virtue both the high priest and the emperor shone; for I admire both, the boldness of the one and the obedience of the other, the warmth of the one's zeal and the purity of the other's faith.
The rules of piety he had learned from the great high priest he kept on returning to Constantinople too. For when a feast again brought him to the divine temple, he brought the gifts to the holy table and at once went out. When the president of the church (it was then Nectarius) sent to ask, “Why did you not stay inside?”, he answered, vexed: “With difficulty I have been taught the difference between an emperor and a priest; with difficulty I found a teacher of the truth. For I know Ambrose alone worthily called bishop.” So much does a rebuke help when it comes from a man shining with virtue.
Gen 3:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 16:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:18 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 119:25 (118:25 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:27 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: After Theodosius's anger leads to the massacre of seven thousand at Thessalonica (390), Ambrose bars him from the church; eight months later, at Christmas, Theodosius seeks reconciliation, accepts Ambrose's demand for a law delaying capital sentences thirty days, performs public penance, and learns to stay outside the sanctuary, later praising Ambrose as the only true bishop.
- Theodoret's account of the massacre and penance differs in details from Ambrose's own letter (Ep. 51); the dialogue is Theodoret's narration. The thirty-day law is also known from the Theodosian Code (9.40.13), dated 390 (or 382).
- Scripture: Gen 3:19 (dust); Matt 16:19 / 18:18 (binding); Ps 119:25 (LXX 118:25).
- “The precious blood”, “the all-holy body of the Master”: the Eucharist.
Topics: Church office, Eucharist, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.17 (GCS 19:306–313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-17
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
5.18GCS 19:313–315
Εἶχε δὲ καὶ ἄλλην ἀφορμὴν ὠφελείας ὁ βασιλεὺς. ἢ γαρ τοῦ γάμου τὸν ζυγὸν σὺν αὐτῷ δεξαμένη τῶν θείων αὐτὸν συνεχῶς ἀνεμίμνησκε νόμων, ἑαυτὴν τούτους πρῶτον ἀκριβῶς ἐχπαιδεύσασα. οὐ γὰρ ἐπῆρεν αὐτὴν τῆς βασιλείας ἡ δυναστεία, ἀλλὰ τὸν θεῖον πλέον ἐπύρσευσε πόθον᾽ τῆς γὰρ εὐεργεσίας τὸ μέγεθος μεῖζον τὸ περὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην εἰργάζετο φίλτρον. αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ τῶν τὸ σῶμα πεπηρωμένων καὶ ἅπαντα τὰ μέλη λελωβημένων παντοδαπὴν ἐποιεἴτο φροντίδα, οὐχ οἰκέταις οὐδὲ δορυφόροις ὑπουργοῖς κεχρημένη, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτουργὸς γιγνομένη καὶ εἰς τὰς τούτων καταγωγὰς ἀφικνουμένη καὶ ἑκάστῳ τὴν χρείαν πορίζουσα. οὕτω καὶ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τοὺς ξενῶνας περινοστοῦσα τοὺς κλινοπετεῖς δι' ἑαυτῆς ἐνοσήλευεν, αὐτὴ καὶ χύτρας ἁπτομένη καὶ ζωμοῦ γευομένη καὶ τρύβλιον προσφέρουσα καὶ ἄρτον κχλῶσα καὶ ψωμοὺς ὀρέγουσα καὶ κύλικα ἀποκλύζουσα καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἐργαζομένη ὅσα οἰκετῶν καὶ θεραπαινίδων ἔργα νενόμισται. καὶ τοῖς τὴν αὐτουργίαν ἐπέχειν πειρωμένοις ἐπέλεγεν ὡς" τὸ μὲν χρυσίον διανέμειν τῇ βασιλείᾳ προσήκει, ἐγὼ δὲ ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς γε τῆς βασιλείας τὴν αὐτουργίαν τῷ δεδωκότι προσφέρωε. καὶ τῷ δὲ ὁμόζυγι συνεχῶς εἰώθει λέγειν" νἀεί σε, ὦ ἄνερ, προσήκει λογίζεσθαι τί μὲν ἦσθα πάλαι, τί δὲ γέγονας νῦν" ταῦτα γὰρ διηνεκῶς ἐνθυμούμενος οὐκ ἔσῃ περὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην ἀχάριστος, ἀλλ᾽ ἣν ἐδέξω βασιλείαν κυβερνήσεις ἐννόμως, καὶ ταύτῃ θεραπεύσεις τὸν δεδωκότας. τοιούτοις ἀεὶ κεχρημένη λόγοις οἷόν τινα καλλίστην ἀρδείαν καὶ πρόσφορον τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προσέφερε σπέρμασι. Προτέρα μέντοι τοῦ ὁμόζυγος ἐτελεύτησε᾽ καὶ συνέβη μετὰ χρόνον τινὰ τῆς τελευτῆς τοιόνδε τι γενέσθαι, Ο τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως περὶ. αὐτὴν φιλοστοργίαν ἐγύμνωσεν.
Eiche de kai allēn aphormēn ōpheleias ho basileus. ē gar tou gamou ton zygon syn autǭ dexamenē tōn theiōn auton synechōs anemimnēske nomōn, heautēn toutous prōton akribōs echpaideusasa. ou gar epēren autēn tēs basileias hē dynasteia, alla ton theion pleon epyrseuse pothon᾽ tēs gar euergesias to megethos meizon to peri ton euergetēn eirgazeto philtron. autika goun kai tōn to sōma pepērōmenōn kai hapanta ta melē lelōbēmenōn pantodapēn epoieito phrontida, ouch oiketais oude doryphorois hypourgois kechrēmenē, all᾽ autourgos gignomenē kai eis tas toutōn katagōgas aphiknoumenē kai hekastǭ tēn chreian porizousa. houtō kai tōn ekklēsiōn tous xenōnas perinostousa tous klinopeteis di' heautēs enosēleuen, autē kai chytras haptomenē kai zōmou geuomenē kai tryblion prospherousa kai arton kchlōsa kai psōmous oregousa kai kylika apoklyzousa kai ta alla panta ergazomenē hosa oiketōn kai therapainidōn erga nenomistai. kai tois tēn autourgian epechein peirōmenois epelegen hōs" to men chrysion dianemein tę̄ basileią prosēkei, egō de hyper autēs ge tēs basileias tēn autourgian tǭ dedōkoti prospherōe. kai tǭ de homozygi synechōs eiōthei legein" naei se, ō aner, prosēkei logizesthai ti men ēstha palai, ti de gegonas nyn" tauta gar diēnekōs enthymoumenos ouk esę̄ peri ton euergetēn acharistos, all᾽ hēn edexō basileian kybernēseis ennomōs, kai tautę̄ therapeuseis ton dedōkotas. toioutois aei kechrēmenē logois hoion tina kallistēn ardeian kai prosphoron tois tēs aretēs tou andros prosephere spermasi. Protera mentoi tou homozygos eteleutēse᾽ kai synebē meta chronon tina tēs teleutēs toionde ti genesthai, O tēn tou basileōs peri. autēn philostorgian egymnōsen.
The emperor had another source of benefit too. For she who had shared the yoke of marriage with him continually reminded him of the divine laws, having first instructed herself in them exactly. The power of empire did not exalt her, but rather kindled her divine longing more; for the greatness of the benefit produced a greater love for the Benefactor. At once she took every kind of care of those who were maimed in body and mutilated in all their limbs, not using servants or guards as helpers, but working with her own hands, going to their lodgings and providing each with what he needed. Likewise, going round the guest-houses of the churches, she nursed the bedridden herself, handling pots, tasting broth, bringing the dish, breaking bread, offering morsels, rinsing the cup, and doing all the other things considered the work of male and female servants. To those who tried to stop her working with her own hands she said: “Distributing gold belongs to the empress; but I offer my own labour to the Giver on behalf of the empire itself.” And to her husband she was accustomed to say continually: “You ought always to consider, husband, what you were formerly and what you have become now. For if you keep this always in mind, you will not be ungrateful toward your Benefactor, but will govern lawfully the empire you received, and in this way serve the one who gave it.” Always using such words, she offered, as it were, a most excellent and fitting watering to the seeds of her husband's virtue. She died, however, before her husband; and some time after her death something happened that laid bare the emperor's affection for her.
Notes and citation
Summary: The empress Flacilla (Placilla), Theodosius's wife, personally nurses the sick and maimed in the church hospitals and constantly reminds her husband to remember God's gifts; she dies before him.
- The section begins where NPNF's chapter 18 begins (“The emperor had another source of benefit too”); checked.
- Her name, given at 5.19 as Placilla, is Aelia Flacilla.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.18 (GCS 19:313–315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-18
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
5.19GCS 19:315–317
“Ὑπὸ τῶν συχνῶν πολέμων ἀναγκαξόμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς εἰσφοράν τινα ξένην ταῖς πόλεσιν ἐπιτέθεικεν. ἡ δὲ Ἀντιόχου πόλις τὸ καινὸν τέλος οὐχ ἤνεγκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁρῶν ὁ δῆμος τοὺς εἰσπραττομένους κρεμαννυμένους, ἄλλα τε ἔδρασεν ἃ ποιεῖν φιλεῖ ὄχλος πρόφασιν εἰς ἀταξίαν λαμβάνων, “καὶ τὴν χαλκῆν εἰκόνα τῆς πανευφήμου Πλακίλλης (τοῦτο γὰρ ἢν ὄνομα τῇ βασιλίδὴ κατήνεγκέ τε καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ τῆς πόλεως χατέσυρε μέρος. ταῦτα πυθόμενος ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ χαλεπήνας, ὥσπερ εἰκὸς ἦν, τά τε τῆς πόλεως ἀφείλετο προνόμια καὶ τῇ γειτονευούσῃ πόλει τὴν ἡγεμονίαν δέδωκε, ταύτῃ μάλιστα νομίζων ἀνιάσειν" ἐξζηλοτύπει γὰρ ἡ Λαοδίκεια τὴν Ἀντεόχειαν ἄνωθεν. μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα καὶ ἐμπρήσειν ἠπείλει καὶ καταλύσειν καὶ εἰς κώμην τὸ ἄστυ μετασχευἄσειν. οἱ δέ γε ἄρχοντες καὶ ἀνεῖλόν τινας παρ᾽ αὐτὸ συλλαβόντες τὸ τόλμημα, πρὶν γνῶναι τὸν βασιλέα τὴν τραγῳδίαν. ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ὃ βασιλεὺς προσέταττε μέν, οὐκ ἐγίνετο δέ, τοῦ νόμου κωλύοντος ὃν Αμβρόσιος ὃ μέγας τεθῆναι παρήνεσεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀφίκοντο οἱ τὰς ἀπειλὰς ἐκείνας κομίζοντες, ᾿Πλλέβηχός τε στρατηγὸς τηνικαῦτα ὧν καὶ Καισάριος τῶν βασιλείων ἡγούμενος (μάγιστρον δὲ οἱ ἱΡωμαῖοι καλοῦσι τὸν ταύτην ἔχοντα τὴν ἀρχήν), ἐν δέει μὲν ἦσαν ἅπαντες τὰς ἱπειλὰς πεφρικότες. Οἱ δὲ τὴν ὑπώρειαν οἰκοῦντες τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθληταὶ (πολλοὶ ὁὲ ἦσαν τηνικαῦτα καὶ ἄριστοι) πολλὰς καὶ παραινέσεις καὶ παρακλήσεις τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἐκείνοις προσήνεγκαν. Μακεδόνιος δὲ ὁ θειότατος, οὐδὲν μὲν τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐπιστάμενος καὶ τῶν θείων δὲ λογίων πάμπαν ἄπειρος ὦν, ἐν δὲ ταῖς τῶν ὀρέων κορυφαῖς ᾿διαιτώμενος καὶ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ’ ἡμέραν τῷ σωτῆρι τῶν ὅλων καθαρὰς προσφέρων εὐχάς, οὐ τοῦ βασιλέως καταπλαγεὶς τὴν ὀργὴν οὔτε μὴν τῶν ἀποσταλέντων τὴν ἐξουσίαν εἰς νοῦν λαβών, ἐν μέσῳ τῷ ἄστει τῆς χλανίδος θατέρου λαβόμενος ἀμφοτέρους ἐκ τῶν ἵππων καταβῆναι κελεύει. οὗ δὲ μικρὸν γερόντιον εὐτελῆ δάκια περιβεβλημένον ἰδόντες, τὸ πρῶτον μὲν ἐχαλέπηναν᾽ ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες τῶν ἡγουμένων τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐδήλωσαν ἀρετήν, κατεπήδησάν τε ἀπὸ τῶν ἵππων καὶ τῶν ἐκείνου γονάτων ἐπιλαβόμενοι συγγνώμην ἐζήτουν. Ὃ δὲ τῆς θείας σοφίας ἐμφορηθεὶς τοιοῖσδε πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐχρήσατο λόγοις" εἴπατε, ὦ φίλοι ἄνδρες, τῷ βασιλεῖ" οὐ βασιλεὺς εἶ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνθρωπος. μὴ τοίνυν μόνην ὁρα τὴν βασιλείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν φύσιν λογίζου" ἄνθρωπος γὰρ ὧν ὁμοφυῶν βασιλεύεις᾽ κατ᾽ εἰχόνα δὲ θείαν καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δεδημιούργηται φύσις. μὴ τοίνυν ὁμῶς οὕτω καὶ ἀπηνῶς τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν εἰχόνα κατασφαγῆναι κελεύσῃς᾽ παροξύνεις γὰρ τὸν δημιουργὸν. τὴν ἐκείνου κολάζων εἰχόνα. σκόπησον γὰρ οἧς καὶ σὺ χαλκῆς ἕνεκα δυσχεραίνων εἰκόνος ταῦτα ποιεῖς᾽ ὅσον δὲ τῆς ἀψύχου διαφέρει ἡ ἔμψυχός τε καὶ ζῶσα καὶ λογική, δῆλον ἅπασι τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσι. πρὸς δὲ τούτοις λογισάσθω κἀκεῖνο, ὡς ἡμῖν μὲν ῥάδιον ἀντὶ τῆς μιᾶς εἰκόγος πολλὰς δημιουργῆσαι χαλκᾶς, αὐτῷ δὲ πάμπαν ἀδύνατον μίαν γοῦν τῶν ἀναιρεθέντων δημιουργῆσαι τρίχα. Ταῦτα ἀκούσαντες οἱ θαυμαστοὶ ἄνδρες ἐκεῖνοι διεπόρθμευσαν τὰ εἰρημένα τῷ βασιλεῖ καὶ τὴν τοῦ θυμοῦ κατέσβεσαν φλόγα. καὶ ἀντὶ τῶν ἀπειλῶν ἐκείνων ἀπολογίαν ἔγραψε καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς τὴν αἰτίαν ἐδήλωσεν. οὐχ ἔδει γάρε, ἔφη, ἐμοῦ πλημμελήσαντος, γυναῖκα πάσης εὐφημίας ἀξιωτάτην τοσαύτην μετὰ τελευτὴν δέξασθαι παροινίαν, κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ δὲ ἐχρῆν τὸν θυμὸν τοὺς ἀγανακτοῦντας ὁπλίσαις. προστέθεικε δὲ ὡς ἀλύει καὶ ἀνιᾶται. τινὰς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀνῃρῆσθαι μαθών. ἐγὼ δὲ ταῦτα διεξῆλθον, καὶ τοῦ πανευφήμου μονάξ ζοντος τὴν παρρησίαν οὐχ ἡγησάμενος δίκαιον παραδοῦναι λήθῃ καὶ τὸν νόμον ἐκεῖνον δεικνὺς ὀνησιφόρον, ὃν ὁ μέγας Ἀμβρόσιος γραφῆναι παρήνεσεν.
“Hypo tōn sychnōn polemōn anankaxomenos ho basileus eisphoran tina xenēn tais polesin epitetheiken. hē de Antiochou polis to kainon telos ouch ēnenken, all᾽ horōn ho dēmos tous eisprattomenous kremannymenous, alla te edrasen ha poiein philei ochlos prophasin eis ataxian lambanōn, “kai tēn chalkēn eikona tēs paneuphēmou Plakillēs (touto gar ēn onoma tę̄ basilidē katēnenke te kai epi poly tēs poleōs chatesyre meros. tauta pythomenos ho basileus kai chalepēnas, hōsper eikos ēn, ta te tēs poleōs apheileto pronomia kai tę̄ geitoneuousę̄ polei tēn hēgemonian dedōke, tautę̄ malista nomizōn aniasein" exzēlotypei gar hē Laodikeia tēn Anteocheian anōthen. meta de tauta kai emprēsein ēpeilei kai katalysein kai eis kōmēn to asty metascheuasein. hoi de ge archontes kai aneilon tinas par᾽ auto syllabontes to tolmēma, prin gnōnai ton basilea tēn tragǭdian. tauta de panta ho basileus prosetatte men, ouk egineto de, tou nomou kōlyontos hon Ambrosios ho megas tethēnai parēnesen. epeidē de aphikonto hoi tas apeilas ekeinas komizontes, ᾿Pllebēchos te stratēgos tēnikauta hōn kai Kaisarios tōn basileiōn hēgoumenos (magistron de hoi hiRōmaioi kalousi ton tautēn echonta tēn archēn), en deei men ēsan hapantes tas hipeilas pephrikotes. Hoi de tēn hypōreian oikountes tēs aretēs athlētai (polloi hoe ēsan tēnikauta kai aristoi) pollas kai paraineseis kai paraklēseis tois andrasin ekeinois prosēnenkan. Makedonios de ho theiotatos, ouden men tōn kata ton bion epistamenos kai tōn theiōn de logiōn pampan apeiros ōn, en de tais tōn oreōn koryphais ᾿diaitōmenos kai nyktōr kai meth’ hēmeran tǭ sōtēri tōn holōn katharas prospherōn euchas, ou tou basileōs kataplageis tēn orgēn oute mēn tōn apostalentōn tēn exousian eis noun labōn, en mesǭ tǭ astei tēs chlanidos thaterou labomenos amphoterous ek tōn hippōn katabēnai keleuei. hou de mikron gerontion eutelē dakia peribeblēmenon idontes, to prōton men echalepēnan᾽ epeidē de tines tōn hēgoumenōn tēn tou andros edēlōsan aretēn, katepēdēsan te apo tōn hippōn kai tōn ekeinou gonatōn epilabomenoi syngnōmēn ezētoun. Ho de tēs theias sophias emphorētheis toioisde pros autous echrēsato logois" eipate, ō philoi andres, tǭ basilei" ou basileus ei monon, alla kai anthrōpos. mē toinyn monēn hora tēn basileian, alla kai tēn physin logizou" anthrōpos gar hōn homophyōn basileueis᾽ kat᾽ eichona de theian kai homoiōsin hē tōn anthrōpōn dedēmiourgētai physis. mē toinyn homōs houtō kai apēnōs tou theou tēn eichona katasphagēnai keleusę̄s᾽ paroxyneis gar ton dēmiourgon. tēn ekeinou kolazōn eichona. skopēson gar hoēs kai sy chalkēs heneka dyscherainōn eikonos tauta poieis᾽ hoson de tēs apsychou diapherei hē empsychos te kai zōsa kai logikē, dēlon hapasi tois ge noun echousi. pros de toutois logisasthō kakeino, hōs hēmin men rhadion anti tēs mias eikogos pollas dēmiourgēsai chalkas, autǭ de pampan adynaton mian goun tōn anairethentōn dēmiourgēsai tricha. Tauta akousantes hoi thaumastoi andres ekeinoi dieporthmeusan ta eirēmena tǭ basilei kai tēn tou thymou katesbesan phloga. kai anti tōn apeilōn ekeinōn apologian egrapse kai tēs orgēs tēn aitian edēlōsen. ouch edei gare, ephē, emou plēmmelēsantos, gynaika pasēs euphēmias axiōtatēn tosautēn meta teleutēn dexasthai paroinian, kat᾽ emou de echrēn ton thymon tous aganaktountas hoplisais. prostetheike de hōs alyei kai aniatai. tinas hypo tōn archontōn anę̄rēsthai mathōn. egō de tauta diexēlthon, kai tou paneuphēmou monax zontos tēn parrēsian ouch hēgēsamenos dikaion paradounai lēthę̄ kai ton nomon ekeinon deiknys onēsiphoron, hon ho megas Ambrosios graphēnai parēnesen.
Compelled by frequent wars, the emperor imposed an unusual tax on the cities. The city of Antiochus did not bear the new levy; and the people, seeing those from whom it was exacted being hung up, did other things that a crowd usually does when it seizes a pretext for disorder, and pulled down the bronze statue of the all-praiseworthy Placilla (this was the empress's name) and dragged it through a great part of the city. Learning this, the emperor was angered, as was natural, took away the city's privileges and gave the leadership to the neighbouring city, thinking to grieve it most in this way; for Laodicea had long been jealous of Antioch. After this he also threatened to burn and destroy the city and turn it into a village. The officials even arrested some at the very act of daring and put them to death before the emperor knew of the drama. All these things the emperor ordered, but they were not done, the law which the great Ambrose had advised preventing them. When those bringing those threats arrived, Hellebichus, then a general, and Caesarius, the chief of the palace (the Romans call the holder of this office master), all were in fear, shuddering at the threats.
But the athletes of virtue who lived at the foot of the mountain (there were many then, and excellent) offered those men many exhortations and entreaties. The most divine Macedonius, knowing nothing of the affairs of life and wholly inexperienced in the divine oracles, living on the mountain tops and offering pure prayers night and day to the Saviour of the universe, neither struck by the emperor's anger nor taking into account the authority of those sent, in the middle of the city took hold of the cloak of one of them and told both to get down from their horses. They, seeing a small old man dressed in cheap rags, were angry at first; but when some of those with them made known the man's virtue, they leaped down from their horses and, taking hold of his knees, asked for pardon. He, filled with divine wisdom, spoke to them thus: “Say to the emperor, my friends: You are not only emperor but also man. Do not, then, look only at your empire, but consider your nature too; for being a man you reign over those of the same nature. Human nature was fashioned in the divine image and likeness. Do not, then, so cruelly and harshly order the image of God to be slaughtered; for you provoke the Creator by punishing his image. Consider that you too do this vexed on account of a bronze image; and how much the animate, living, and rational image differs from the lifeless one is plain to all who have sense. Besides this, let him consider that it is easy for us to make many bronze statues instead of one, but wholly impossible for him to make even one hair of those who have been killed.” Hearing this, those admirable men conveyed what was said to the emperor and quenched the flame of his anger; and instead of those threats he wrote a defence and explained the reason for his anger: “It was not right,” he said, “because I had erred, that a woman most worthy of all praise should receive such outrage after her death; those who were indignant ought to have armed their anger against me.” He added that he was distressed and grieved to learn that some had been killed by the officials. I have related these things, not thinking it right to give over to oblivion the boldness of the all-praiseworthy monk, and showing how beneficial was that law which the great Ambrose advised to be written.
Gen 1:26–27 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:30 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: When Antioch riots over a new tax and drags the empress Placilla's statue through the streets (387), Theodosius threatens to destroy the city, but the delay required by Ambrose's law and the plea of the hermit Macedonius to the imperial commissioners, that God's living images are worth more than bronze ones, move him to clemency.
- The “riot of the statues” (387); John Chrysostom's Homilies on the Statues belong to the same crisis.
- Human nature in the divine image: Gen 1:26–27.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.19 (GCS 19:315–317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-19
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
5.20GCS 19:317–318
Ὃ δὲ πιστότατος βασιλεὺς κατὰ τῆς Ἐλληνικῆς πλάνης μετέθηπε τὴν σπουδὴν καὶ νόμους ἔγραψε τὰ τῶν εἰδώλων τεμένη καταλυθῆναι κελεύων. Κωνσταντῖνος μὲν γὰρ ὃ μέγας, ὃ πάσης ἀξιώτατος εὐφημίας, πρῶτος εὐσεβείᾳ τὴν βασιλείαν κοσμήσας καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἔτι μεμηνυῖαν ὁρῶν, τὸ μὲν τοῖς δαίμοσι θύειν παντάπασι" ἀπηγόρευσε, τοὺς δὲ τούτων ναοὺς οὐ κατέλυσεν ἀλλ᾽ ἀβάτους εἶναι προσέταξε. καὶ μέντοι χάαί οἱ τουτοῦ παῖδες τοῖς πατρῴοις ἠκολούθησαν ἴχνεσιν. Ἰουλιανὸς δὲ ἀνενεώσατο τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς ἐξαπάτης ἐξῆψε τὴν φλόγα. ἸΙοβιανὸς δὲ τὴν βασιλείαν παραλαβὼν πάλιν τὴν τῶν εἰδώλων ἐκώλυσε θεραπείαν. καὶ Βαλενὃ τινιανὸς δὲ ὃ μέγας τοιοῖσδε κεχρημένος νόμοις ἴθυνε τὴν Εὐρώπην. ὁ δὲ Βάλης πᾶσι μὲν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐπέτρεψε θρησχεύειν ἡ βούλονται καὶ τὰ θρησκευόμενα θεραπεύειν, μόνοις δὲ πολεμῶν διετέλει τοῖς τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ὑπερμαχοῦσε δογμάτων. πάντα γοῦν τὸν τῆς ἐχείνου βασιλείας χρόνον, καὰ τὸ ἐπιβώμιον ἥπτετο πῦρ, καὶ σπονδὰς καὶ θυσίας τοῖς εἰδώλοις προσέφερον, καὶ τὰς δημοθοινίας κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐπετέλουν" καὶ οἱ τοῦ Διονύσου τὰ ὀργια τετελεσμένοι μετὰ τῶν αἰγίδων ἔτρεχον, τοὺς κύνας διασπῶντες καὶ μεμηνότες καὶ βακχεύοντες καὶ τὰ ἄλλα δρῶντες ἃ τὴν τοῦ διδασκάλου πονηρίαν δηλοῖ. ταῦτα πάντα Θεοδόσιος εὑρὼν ὃ πιστότατος βασιλεὺς πρόρὃ ριζά τε ἀνέσπασε καὶ λήθῃ παρέδωκε.
Ho de pistotatos basileus kata tēs Ellēnikēs planēs metethēpe tēn spoudēn kai nomous egrapse ta tōn eidōlōn temenē katalythēnai keleuōn. Kōnstantinos men gar ho megas, ho pasēs axiōtatos euphēmias, prōtos eusebeią tēn basileian kosmēsas kai tēn oikoumenēn eti memēnuian horōn, to men tois daimosi thyein pantapasi" apēgoreuse, tous de toutōn naous ou katelysen all᾽ abatous einai prosetaxe. kai mentoi chaai hoi toutou paides tois patrǭois ēkolouthēsan ichnesin. Ioulianos de aneneōsato tēn asebeian kai tēs palaias exapatēs exēpse tēn phloga. IIobianos de tēn basileian paralabōn palin tēn tōn eidōlōn ekōlyse therapeian. kai Baleno tinianos de ho megas toioisde kechrēmenos nomois ithyne tēn Eurōpēn. ho de Balēs pasi men tois allois epetrepse thrēscheuein hē boulontai kai ta thrēskeuomena therapeuein, monois de polemōn dietelei tois tōn apostolikōn hypermachouse dogmatōn. panta goun ton tēs echeinou basileias chronon, kaa to epibōmion hēpteto pyr, kai spondas kai thysias tois eidōlois prosepheron, kai tas dēmothoinias kata tēn agoran epeteloun" kai hoi tou Dionysou ta orgia tetelesmenoi meta tōn aigidōn etrechon, tous kynas diaspōntes kai memēnotes kai bakcheuontes kai ta alla drōntes ha tēn tou didaskalou ponērian dēloi. tauta panta Theodosios heurōn ho pistotatos basileus proro riza te anespase kai lēthę̄ paredōke.
The most faithful emperor turned his zeal against the Greek error and wrote laws ordering the precincts of the idols to be destroyed. For Constantine the Great, most worthy of all praise, who first adorned the empire with true religion, seeing the world still raging, entirely forbade sacrifice to the demons, but did not destroy their temples, ordering them to be closed. His sons too followed in their father's footsteps. Julian renewed the impiety and rekindled the flame of the old deception. Jovian, on receiving the empire, again forbade the worship of idols; and Valentinian the Great governed Europe with such laws. Valens allowed all others to worship as they wished and to serve the objects of their worship, and continued making war only on those who fought for the apostolic doctrines. So all through his reign the fire on the altars was lit, libations and sacrifices were offered to the idols, public feasts were held in the market-place, and those initiated into the orgies of Dionysus ran about in goatskins, tearing dogs apart, raving and in frenzy and doing the other things that show the wickedness of their master. All these things the most faithful emperor Theodosius found and tore up by the roots and gave over to oblivion.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodosius orders the destruction of pagan temples, completing what Constantine (who closed them) and his sons, Jovian, and Valentinian had begun, and ending the open pagan rites tolerated under Valens.
- “Greek error”: paganism.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled two words): πατ ῴοις η5ὸο- Ὁ λούθησαν → πατρῴοις ἠκολούθησαν.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.20 (GCS 19:317–318; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-20
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
5.21GCS 19:318–320
Πρῶτος μέντοι τῶν ἄλλων ἀρχιερέων Λιάρκελλος ὃ πάντα ἄριστος, ὅπλῳ τῷ νόμῳ χρησάμενος, τῆς ἐγχεχειρισμένης πόλεως τὰ τεμένη κατέλυσε, τῇ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν παρρησίᾳ μᾶλλον ἢ τῇ πολυχειρίᾳ χρησάμενος. ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο διηγήσομαι μνήμης ὃν ἀξιώτατον. ἐτετελευτήχει μὲν Ἰωάννης ὁ τῆς ᾿“παμέων ἐπίσκοπος, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθην, ἐκεχειροτόνητο δὲ ἀντ᾽ ἐχείνου Μάρχελλος ὁ θεῖος, ζέων τῷ πνεύματι κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀποστόλου νομοθεσίαν. ἀφίκετο δὲ εἰς τὴν Απάμειαν τῆς Βῴας ὁ ὙὉπαρχος, δύο χιλιάρχους σὺν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις λαβών. καὶ τὸ μὲν πλῆθος διὰ τὸ τῶν στρατιωτῶν ἡσύχασε δέος. τὸ δὲ τοῦ Διὸς τέμενος, μέγιστόν τε ὃν καὶ πολλῷ κόσμῳ πεποικιλμένον, καταλῦσαι μὲν ἐπειράθη, στεγανὴν δὲ ἄγαν καὶ στερεμνίαν τὴν οἰκοδομίαν ἰδών, ἀδύνατον ἀνθρώποις ὑπέλαβε διαλῦσαι τῶν λίθων τὴν ἁρμονίαν" μέγιστοί τε γὰρ ἦσαν καὶ ἀλλήλοις ἄγαν συνηρμοσμένοι καὶ μέντοι καὶ σιδήρῳ καὶ μολίβδῳ προσδεδεμένοι. ταύτην τοῦ ὑπάρχου τὴν δειλίαν ὁ θεῖος “Μάρχελλος ἰδών, ἐκεῖνον μὲν εἰς τὰς ἄλλας προύπεμψε πόλεις, αὐτὸς δὲ τὸν θεὸν ἠντιβόλει πόρον δοῦναι τῇ λύσει. Ἧκχεν οὖν τις αὐτόματος ἕωθεν, οὔτε οἰκοδόμος, οὔτε λιθοτόμος, οὔτ᾽ ἄλλην τινὰ ἐπιστάμενος τέχνην, ἀλλὰ λίθους φέρειν ἐπὶ τῶν ὥμων καὶ ξύλα ἀἰθεθμέρος: οὗτος προσελθὼν ὑπέσχετο ῥᾷστα τὸν γεὼν καταλύσειν, δυοῖν δὲ τεχνίταιν ἀπήτει μισθόν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτον ὑπέσχετο δώσειν ὁ θεῖος ἀρχιερεύς. τοιόνδε τι ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος ς ἐμηχανήσατο. στοὰν ἐκ τῶν τεττάρων πλευρῶν ὁ νεὼς εἶχεν ἐφ᾽ ὕψους κείμενος αὐτῷ συνηρμοσμένην" οἱ δὲ κίονες μέγιστοί τε ἦσαν δαὶ ἰσόμετροι τῷ νεῷ, ἑκάστου δὲ ὁ κύκλος ἑξκαίδεκα πήχεων ἣν. ἡ δὲ τοῦ λίθου φύσις στερροτάτη τις ἦν καὶ οὐ ῥιδίως τοῖς τῶν λιθοτόμων ὀργάνοις ὑπείκουσα. τούτων ἕχαστον ἐν κύκλῳ διορύττων ἐκεῖνος καὶ ξύλοις ἐλαΐνοις ὑπερείδων τὰ ὑπερκείμενα, ἐφ᾽ ἕτερον αὖθις μετέβαινεν. οὕτω δὲ τρεῖς τῶν κιόνων ὀρύξας τὴν φλόγα τοῖς ξύλοις προσήγνεγχεν. ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ εἴα κατὰ φύσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ πυρὸς τὰ ξύλα δαπαγᾶσθαι δαίμων τις μέλας φαινόμενος καὶ κωλύων τῆς φλογὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλάκις τοῦτο δράσαντες ἀνόνητον ἑώρων τὴν μηχανήν, ἐμήνυσαν τοῦτο τῷ ποιμένι μετὰ τὴν μεσὴημβρίαν καθεύδοντι. Ὁ δὲ παραυτίκα εἰς τὸν θεῖον δραμὼν νεὼν καὶ εἰς ἄγγος ὕδωρ κομισθῆναι προστάξας, ἔθηκε μὲν τὸ ὕδωρ ὑπὸ τὸ θεῖον θυσιαστήριον, αὐτὸς δὲ εἰς τὸ ἔδαφος τὸ μέτωπον θεὶς τὸν φιλάνθρωπον ἠντιβόλει δεσπότην μὴ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἐνδοῦναι τῇ τυραννίδι τοῦ δαίμονος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τὴν ἐκείνου γυμνῶσαι καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν δύναμιν ἐπιδεῖξαι, ἵνα μὴ πρόφασις ἐντεῦθεν τοῖς ἀπίστοις μείζονος γένηται βλάβης. ταῦτα εἰπὼν καὶ ὅσα τούτοις παρόμοια καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τοῦ σταυροῦ τὸν τύπον τῷ ὕδατι, Ἐχοίτιόν τινα διακονίας ἠξιωμένον, πίστει καὶ ζήλῳ πεφραγμένον, λαβεῖν τε τὸ ὕδωρ ἐκέλευσε καὶ διὰ τάχους δραμεῖν καὶ μετὰ πίστεως διαρρᾶναι καὶ τὴν φλόγα προσενεγκεῖν. οὕτω τούτου γενομένου, ἀπέδρα μὲν ὁ δαίμων οὐκ ἐνεγκὼν τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος προσβολήν, τὸ δὲ πῖρ, ὡς ἐλαίῳ τῷ ἀντιπάλῳ χρησάμενον ὕδατι, ἐπελάβετό τε τῶν ξύλων καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ἀκαρεῖ κατανάλωσεν. οἱ δὲ κίονες, φρούδου τοῦ ἐρείδοντος γενομένου, αὐτοί τε κατέπεσον καὶ ἄλλους εἵλκυσαν δυοκαίδεκα. καὶ τοῦ νεὼ δὲ τὸ τοῖς κίοσι συνημμένον κατηνέχθη πλευρὸν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκείνων δ βίας συνελκυσθέν. ὁ δὲ κτύπος εἰς ἅπαν τὸ ἄστυ διαδραμὼν (πολὺς γὰρ ἦν) πάντας εἰς θέαν συνήγειρεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τοῦ ἀντιπάλου δαίμονος ἔμαθον τὴν φυγήν, εἰς ὑμνῳδίαν τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τὴν γλῶτταν ἐκίνησαν. οὕτω καὶ τἄλλα τεμένη κατέλυσεν ὁ θεῖος ἐκεῖνος ἀρχιερεύς. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα περὶ τοῦδε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καὶ λίαν ἀξιάγαστα διηγήματα ἔχων (καὶ γὰρ τοῖς νικηφόροις ἐπέστελλε μάρτυσι καὶ ἀντιγράφων ἐτύγχανε καὶ τέλος καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν τῶν μαρτύρων ἀνεδήσατο στέφανον), ἀναδύομαι ταῦτα νῦν ἱστορεῖν, ἵνα μὴ λίαν μὴχύνων ἀποχνήσω τοὺς ἐντευξομένους τῇ συγγραφῇ. ἐφ᾽ ἑτέραν τοίνυν διήγησιν τρέψομαι.
Prōtos mentoi tōn allōn archiereōn Liarkellos ho panta aristos, hoplǭ tǭ nomǭ chrēsamenos, tēs enchecheirismenēs poleōs ta temenē katelyse, tę̄ pros ton theon parrēsią mallon ē tę̄ polycheirią chrēsamenos. egō de kai touto diēgēsomai mnēmēs hon axiōtaton. eteteleutēchei men Iōannēs ho tēs ᾿“pameōn episkopos, hou kai prosthen emnēsthēn, ekecheirotonēto de ant᾽ echeinou Marchellos ho theios, zeōn tǭ pneumati kata tēn tou apostolou nomothesian. aphiketo de eis tēn Apameian tēs Bǭas ho HyOparchos, dyo chiliarchous syn tois hypēkoois labōn. kai to men plēthos dia to tōn stratiōtōn hēsychase deos. to de tou Dios temenos, megiston te hon kai pollǭ kosmǭ pepoikilmenon, katalysai men epeirathē, steganēn de agan kai steremnian tēn oikodomian idōn, adynaton anthrōpois hypelabe dialysai tōn lithōn tēn harmonian" megistoi te gar ēsan kai allēlois agan synērmosmenoi kai mentoi kai sidērǭ kai molibdǭ prosdedemenoi. tautēn tou hyparchou tēn deilian ho theios “Marchellos idōn, ekeinon men eis tas allas proupempse poleis, autos de ton theon ēntibolei poron dounai tę̄ lysei. Hēkchen oun tis automatos heōthen, oute oikodomos, oute lithotomos, out᾽ allēn tina epistamenos technēn, alla lithous pherein epi tōn hōmōn kai xyla aithethmeros: houtos proselthōn hypescheto rhąsta ton geōn katalysein, dyoin de technitain apētei misthon. epeidē de touton hypescheto dōsein ho theios archiereus. toionde ti ho anēr ekeinos s emēchanēsato. stoan ek tōn tettarōn pleurōn ho neōs eichen eph᾽ hypsous keimenos autǭ synērmosmenēn" hoi de kiones megistoi te ēsan dai isometroi tǭ neǭ, hekastou de ho kyklos hexkaideka pēcheōn hēn. hē de tou lithou physis sterrotatē tis ēn kai ou rhidiōs tois tōn lithotomōn organois hypeikousa. toutōn hechaston en kyklǭ dioryttōn ekeinos kai xylois elaïnois hypereidōn ta hyperkeimena, eph᾽ heteron authis metebainen. houtō de treis tōn kionōn oryxas tēn phloga tois xylois prosēgnenchen. all᾽ ouk eia kata physin hypo tou pyros ta xyla dapagasthai daimōn tis melas phainomenos kai kōlyōn tēs phlogos tēn energeian. epeidē de pollakis touto drasantes anonēton heōrōn tēn mēchanēn, emēnysan touto tǭ poimeni meta tēn mesēēmbrian katheudonti. Ho de parautika eis ton theion dramōn neōn kai eis angos hydōr komisthēnai prostaxas, ethēke men to hydōr hypo to theion thysiastērion, autos de eis to edaphos to metōpon theis ton philanthrōpon ēntibolei despotēn mē epi pleiston endounai tę̄ tyrannidi tou daimonos, alla kai tēn astheneian tēn ekeinou gymnōsai kai tēn oikeian dynamin epideixai, hina mē prophasis enteuthen tois apistois meizonos genētai blabēs. tauta eipōn kai hosa toutois paromoia kai epitheis tou staurou ton typon tǭ hydati, Echoition tina diakonias ēxiōmenon, pistei kai zēlǭ pephragmenon, labein te to hydōr ekeleuse kai dia tachous dramein kai meta pisteōs diarranai kai tēn phloga prosenenkein. houtō toutou genomenou, apedra men ho daimōn ouk enenkōn tēn tou hydatos prosbolēn, to de pir, hōs elaiǭ tǭ antipalǭ chrēsamenon hydati, epelabeto te tōn xylōn kai tauta en akarei katanalōsen. hoi de kiones, phroudou tou ereidontos genomenou, autoi te katepeson kai allous heilkysan dyokaideka. kai tou neō de to tois kiosi synēmmenon katēnechthē pleuron hypo tēs ekeinōn d bias synelkysthen. ho de ktypos eis hapan to asty diadramōn (polys gar ēn) pantas eis thean synēgeiren. epeidē de kai tou antipalou daimonos emathon tēn phygēn, eis hymnǭdian tou theou tōn holōn tēn glōttan ekinēsan. houtō kai talla temenē katelysen ho theios ekeinos archiereus. Polla de kai alla peri toude tou andros kai lian axiagasta diēgēmata echōn (kai gar tois nikēphorois epestelle martysi kai antigraphōn etynchane kai telos kai autos ton tōn martyrōn anedēsato stephanon), anadyomai tauta nyn historein, hina mē lian mēchynōn apochnēsō tous enteuxomenous tę̄ syngraphę̄. eph᾽ heteran toinyn diēgēsin trepsomai.
The first of the other high priests to use the law as a weapon was the all-excellent Marcellus, who destroyed the precincts of the city entrusted to him, relying on boldness toward God rather than on many hands. I shall relate this too, as most worthy of memory. John, bishop of Apamea, whom I mentioned before, had died, and the divine Marcellus had been ordained in his place, fervent in spirit according to the apostle's law. The prefect of the East came to Apamea with two tribunes and their men. Through fear of the soldiers the multitude kept quiet. He tried to destroy the precinct of Zeus, which was very large and adorned with much decoration; but seeing the building very close-fitted and solid, he thought it impossible for men to break the joining of the stones; for they were very large and closely fitted together, and bound moreover with iron and lead. The divine Marcellus, seeing the prefect's timidity, sent him on to the other cities and himself besought God to give a means for its destruction.
In the morning a man came of his own accord, neither a builder nor a stonecutter nor skilled in any other craft, but used to carrying stones and timber on his shoulders. He came and promised to destroy the temple very easily, but asked the wage of two craftsmen. When the divine high priest promised to give it, the man devised the following. The temple, set on a height, had a colonnade joined to it on its four sides; the columns were very large and as high as the temple, each sixteen cubits round, and the nature of the stone was very hard and did not yield easily to the stonecutters' tools. He dug round each of these, propped up the parts above with olive timbers, and moved on to another. Having thus dug round three of the columns, he put fire to the timbers. But a black demon appeared and would not let the timbers be consumed by the fire according to nature, hindering the working of the flame. When they had done this many times and saw the device useless, they informed the shepherd, who was sleeping after midday. He at once ran to the divine church, ordered water to be brought in a vessel, set the water under the divine altar, and, putting his forehead to the ground, besought the merciful Master not to yield any longer to the tyranny of the demon, but to lay bare his weakness and show his own power, lest from this a pretext for greater harm should arise for the unbelievers. Having said this and similar things, and having made the figure of the cross over the water, he ordered Equitius, who had been honoured with the diaconate and was fenced with faith and zeal, to take the water, run quickly, sprinkle it with faith, and apply the flame. When this was done, the demon fled, not bearing the onset of the water, and the fire, using its enemy water as if it were oil, caught the timbers and consumed them in an instant. The columns, their support gone, fell themselves and drew twelve others with them; and the side of the temple joined to the columns was carried down, dragged by their force. The noise, running through the whole city (for it was great), gathered everyone to see; and when they learned of the flight of the opposing demon, they moved their tongues to praise the God of the universe. So that divine high priest destroyed the other precincts too.
Though I have many other very admirable stories about this man (for he wrote to the victorious martyrs and received their replies, and at last he himself bound on the crown of the martyrs), I shrink from telling them now, lest by going on too long I weary those who will read my history. I shall turn, then, to another narrative.
Rom 12:11 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Marcellus of Apamea destroys the great temple of Zeus with the help of a labourer who undermines its columns, after a demon that kept the props from burning is put to flight by water blessed by the bishop; Marcellus later dies a martyr.
- “Fervent in spirit”: Rom 12:11.
- The black demon and the blessed water are Theodoret's narrative; translated as written. Marcellus was killed by pagans while destroying another temple (Sozomen 7.15).
- A stray OCR mark has been removed (logged).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray OCR mark (marginal number) removed): πάντα [χβ] ἄριστος → πάντα ἄριστος.
Topics: Martyrdom, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.21 (GCS 19:318–320; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-21
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
5.22GCS 19:320–321
Ἀθανάσιον ἐκεῖνον τὸν πολυθρύλητον ὁ θαυμάσιος διεδέξατο Πέτρος, τὸν δὲ Πέτρον Τιμόθεος, Τιμόθεον δὲ Θεόφιλος, ἀνὴρ πυκνός τε τὰς φρένας καὶ ἀνδρεῖος τὸ φρόνημα. οὗτος τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου πόλιν τῆς εἰδωλικῆς ἠλευθέρωσε πλάνης. οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἐκ βάθρων ἀνέσπασε τὰ τῶν εἰδώλων τεμένη, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐξαπατώντων ἱερέων τοῖς ἐξηπατημένοις ὑπέδειξε μηχανήματα. τά τε γὰρ ἐκ χαλχοῦ καὶ τὰ ἐκ ξύλων κενὰ ἔνδοθεν κατασκευάζοντες ξόανα καὶ τοῖς τοίχοις τὰ τούτων προσαρμόζοντες νῶτα, πόρους τινὰς ἀφανεῖς ἐν τοῖς τοίχοις ἠφίεσαν. εἶτα διὰ τῶν ἀδύτων ἀνιόντες καὶ εἴσω τῶν ξοάνων γιγνόμενοι, ἅπερ ἐβούλοντο διὰ τούτων ἐκέλευον᾽ φενακιζόμενοι δὲ οἱ ἐπαΐοντες ἔδρων τὸ κελευόμενον. ταῦτα ὁ σοφώτατος καταλύων ἀρχιερεὺς τοῖς ἐξαπατηθεῖσιν ὑπέδειξε δήμοις. Εἰς δὲ τὸν τοῦ “Σαράπιδος νεὼν ἀναβάς (τῶν δὲ πανταχοῦ γῆς χαθὰ φασί τινες μέγιστός τε οὗτος καὶ κάλλιστος), εἶδε τὸ ξόανον παμμέγεθες καὶ τῷ μεγέθει τοὺς θεατὰς δεδιττόμενον. πρὸς δὲ τῷ μεγέθει καὶ λόγος κατεῖχεν ἀπατηλός, ὡς εἴ τις τούτῳ πελάσοι, κλονηθήσεται μὲν ἡ γῆ, πανωλεθρία δὲ ἅπαντας καταλήψεται. ἀλλὰ τούτους μὲν τοὺς λόγους γραϊδίων μεθυόντων νομίσας εἶναι ληρήματα, τοῦ δὲ μεγέθους ὡς ἀψύχου καταφρονήσας, ἐκέλευσέ τινε πέλεκυν ἔχοντι παῖσαι προθύμως τὸν Σάραπιν. ἐκείνου δὲ παίσαντος, ἐβόησαν μὲν ἅπαντες τὸ θρυλούμενον δείσαντες. ὃ δὲ Σάραπις δεξάμενος τὴν πληγὴν οὔτε ἤλγησε (ξύλενος γὰρ ἦν), οὔτε φωνὴν ἀφῆκεν, ἄφυχος ὦν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀφῃρέθη, μύες ἀγεληδὸν ἐξέδραμον ἔ ἔνδοθεν" μυῶν γὰρ οἰκητήριον ἢν ὁ Αἰγυπτίων θεός. εἰς μικρὰ δὲ αὐτὸν διελόντες τὰ μὲν παρέδοσαν τῷ πυρί, τὴν δὲ κεφαλὴν διὰ παντὸς τοῦ ἄστεως ἔσυρον, τῶν προσκυνούντων ὁρώντων καὶ τοῦ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν προσχυνηθέντος τὴν ἀσθένειαν χωμῳδούντων. οὕτω δὴ τὰ πανταχοῦ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης τῶν δαιμόνων κατελύθη τεμένη.
Athanasion ekeinon ton polythrylēton ho thaumasios diedexato Petros, ton de Petron Timotheos, Timotheon de Theophilos, anēr pyknos te tas phrenas kai andreios to phronēma. houtos tēn Alexandrou polin tēs eidōlikēs ēleutherōse planēs. ou gar monon ek bathrōn anespase ta tōn eidōlōn temenē, alla kai ta tōn exapatōntōn hiereōn tois exēpatēmenois hypedeixe mēchanēmata. ta te gar ek chalchou kai ta ek xylōn kena endothen kataskeuazontes xoana kai tois toichois ta toutōn prosarmozontes nōta, porous tinas aphaneis en tois toichois ēphiesan. eita dia tōn adytōn aniontes kai eisō tōn xoanōn gignomenoi, haper eboulonto dia toutōn ekeleuon᾽ phenakizomenoi de hoi epaïontes edrōn to keleuomenon. tauta ho sophōtatos katalyōn archiereus tois exapatētheisin hypedeixe dēmois. Eis de ton tou “Sarapidos neōn anabas (tōn de pantachou gēs chatha phasi tines megistos te houtos kai kallistos), eide to xoanon pammegethes kai tǭ megethei tous theatas dedittomenon. pros de tǭ megethei kai logos kateichen apatēlos, hōs ei tis toutǭ pelasoi, klonēthēsetai men hē gē, panōlethria de hapantas katalēpsetai. alla toutous men tous logous graïdiōn methyontōn nomisas einai lērēmata, tou de megethous hōs apsychou kataphronēsas, ekeleuse tine pelekyn echonti paisai prothymōs ton Sarapin. ekeinou de paisantos, eboēsan men hapantes to thryloumenon deisantes. ho de Sarapis dexamenos tēn plēgēn oute ēlgēse (xylenos gar ēn), oute phōnēn aphēken, aphychos ōn. epeidē de tēn kephalēn aphę̄rethē, myes agelēdon exedramon e endothen" myōn gar oikētērion ēn ho Aigyptiōn theos. eis mikra de auton dielontes ta men paredosan tǭ pyri, tēn de kephalēn dia pantos tou asteōs esyron, tōn proskynountōn horōntōn kai tou par᾽ autōn proschynēthentos tēn astheneian chōmǭdountōn. houtō dē ta pantachou gēs kai thalattēs tōn daimonōn katelythē temenē.
The admirable Peter succeeded that celebrated Athanasius, Timothy succeeded Peter, and Theophilus succeeded Timothy, a man shrewd in mind and courageous in spirit. He freed the city of Alexander from the idolatrous error. For he not only tore up the precincts of the idols from their foundations, but also showed the deceived the devices of the deceiving priests. For they made statues of bronze and of wood hollow inside, fitted their backs to the walls, and left hidden passages in the walls; then, coming up through the inner shrines and getting inside the statues, they gave through them whatever orders they wished, and those who heard, being deceived, did what they were told. The most wise high priest, destroying these, showed them to the deceived peoples.
Going up into the temple of Serapis (which, as some say, is the largest and most beautiful of those anywhere on earth), he saw the statue, enormous and frightening the spectators by its size. Besides its size, a deceitful story prevailed that if anyone approached it, the earth would quake and total destruction would overtake everyone. But he, considering these stories the nonsense of drunken old women and despising the size as lifeless, ordered a man with an axe to strike Serapis vigorously. When he struck, all cried out, fearing what was said; but Serapis, receiving the blow, felt no pain (for he was wooden) and uttered no sound, being lifeless. When his head was taken off, mice ran out in a herd from inside; for the god of the Egyptians was a dwelling of mice. Cutting him into small pieces they gave some to the fire, and dragged the head through the whole city, while his worshippers looked on and mocked the weakness of what they had worshipped. So the precincts of the demons were destroyed everywhere on land and sea.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theophilus of Alexandria exposes the priests' talking statues and has the great statue of Serapis smashed, from which mice run out, to the mockery of its former worshippers.
- The destruction of the Serapeum took place in 391/392.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.22 (GCS 19:320–321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-22). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-22
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
5.23GCS 19:321–324
Ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ δὲ Μελετίου τοῦ μεγάλου τὴν προεδρίαν Φλαβιανὸς διεδέξατο, ὁ σὺν Διοδώρῳ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἐκείνους ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν προβάτων σωτηρίας ὑπομείνας ἀγῶνας. ἐβουλήθη μὲν γὰρ ὁ Παυλῖνος τὴν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἡγεμονίαν λαβεῖν, ὁ δὲ τῶν ἱερέων ἀντεῖπε χορός, οὐ χρῆναι λέγων τὸν Μελετίου τὰς συμβουλὰς μὴ δεξάμενον μετὰ τὴν ἐχείνου τελευτὴ τὸν ἐκείνου θρόνον λαβεῖν. νἀλλὰ τὸν πολλοῖς λαμπρυνόμενον πόνοις καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων προκινδυνεύσαντα, προσήκει γενέσθαι ποιμένας. Ὁ Τοῦτο καὶ Ῥωμαίοις καὶ Αἰγυπτίοις δυσμένειαν πρὸς τὴν Ἑῴαν μακχροτάτην εἰργάσατο᾽ οὐδὲ γὰρ τῷ Παυλίνου θανάτῳ συγχατελύθη τὸ ἔχθος, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνον Εὐαγρίου τὸν ἐκείνου παρειληφότος θρόνον διέμειναν τῷ μεγάλῳ Φλαβιανῷ χαλεπαίνοντες, καὶ ταῦτα τοῦ Βὐαγρίου παρὰ τὸν ἐκκλησιαστικὸν προβεβλημένου θεσμόν. μόνος γὰρ αὐτὸν ὁ Παυλῖνος προὐβάλετο, πολλοὺς κανόνας κατὰ ταὐτὸν παραβάς. οὔτε γὰρ ἀνθ' ἑαυτοῦ τῷ τελευτῶντι χειροτονεῖν ἐπιτρέπουσι, καὶ πάντας συγκαλεῖσθαι τῆς ἐπαρχίας τοὺς ἐπισκόπους κελεύουσι, καὶ αὖ πάλιν δίχα τριῶν ἐπισκόπων ἐπισκόπου χειροτονίαν ἀπαγορεύουσι γίγνεσθαι. ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως τούτων οὐδὲν εἰδέναι θελήσαντες τὴν Εὐαγρίου μὲν κοινωνίαν ἠσπάζοντο, κατὰ Φλαβιανοῦ δὲ τὰς βασιλικὰς ἐκίνησαν ἀκοάς. ᾿Βνοχληθεὶς γὰρ πολλάκις ἤγαγέ τε αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν Κωνσταντιγούπολιν καὶ καταλαβεῖν τὴν Ῥώμην ἐκέλευσεν. ὁ δὲ Φλαβιανὸς χειμῶνά τε εἶναι φήσας καὶ ὑποσχόμενος τοῦ ἀέρος ὑπολάμποντος τὸ προστεταγμένον πληρώσει ἐπανῆκεν εἰς τὴ πατρίδα. ἐπεὶ δὲ οἱ τῆς Ῥώμης ἐπίσκοποι (οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὁ θαυμάσιος Δάμασος ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ μετ᾽ ἐκεῖνον Σιρίκιος καὶ Ἀναστάσιος ὁ Σιρικίου διάδοχος σφοδρότερον τοῦ εὐσεβοῦς βασιλέως καθήψαντο, τοὺς μὲν οἰκείους αὐτὸν φήσαντες καταλύειν τυράννους, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ τῶν Χριστοῦ νόμων θρασυνομένους ἐπὶ τῆς τυραννίδος ἐᾶν, πάλιν αὐτὸν μεταπεμψάμενος ἀπαίρειν εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην ἠνάγκαξε. τότε Φλαβιανὸς ὃ σοφώτατος τῇ ἀξιεπαίνῳ παρρησίᾳ χρησάμενος ἔφη" νεὶ μὲν τῆς πίστεως, ὦ βασιλεῦ, τῆς ἐμῆς ὡς οὐχ ὀρθῆς κατηγοροῦσί τινες ἢ τὸν βίον φασὶν ἱερωσύνης. ἀνάξιον, καὶ αὐτοῖς χρήσομαι τοῖς κατηγόροις κριταῖς καὶ τὴν παρ᾽ ἐκείνων ἐχφερομένην ἀγαπήσο ψῆφον" εἰ δὲ περὶ θρόνου καὶ προεδρίας ξυγομαχοῦσιν, οὔτε δικάσομαι οὔτε τοῖς λαβεῖν βουλομένοις ἀντιμαχέσομαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκστήσομαι καὶ τῆς προεδρίας ἀφέξομαι. τοιγάρτοι δὸς ᾧ βούλει τὸν Ἀντιοχέων θρόνον, ὡ βασιλεῦς. ταύτὴν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν ἀνδρείαν καὶ τὴν σοφίαν θαυμάσας ὁ βασιλεὺς τὴν ἐνεγκοῦσαν καταλαβεῖν καὶ τὴν ἐγχειρισθεῖσαν ποιμαίνειν ἐκκλησίαν ἐκέλευσε. Χρόνου δὲ συχνοῦ διελθόντος εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἀφικόμενος πόλιν ὃ βασιλεὺς τὰς αὐτὰς πάλιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἐπισκόπων κατηγορίας ὑπέμεινεν, ὡς: τὴν Φλαβιανοῦ τυραννίδα μὴ καταλύων. ὃ δὲ λέγειν αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσε τῆς τυραννίδος τὸ εἶδος, αὐτὸς εἶναι Φλαβιανὸς λέγων καὶ ἐχείνου σύνδικος προβεβλῆσθαι. ἐκείνων δὲ λεγόντων ὡς οὐ δύνανται δικάζεσθαι βασιλεῖ, παρήνεσε λοιπὸν ὁμονοίᾳ τὰς ἐκκλησίας συνάψαι καὶ διαλῦσαι τὴν ἔριν καὶ τὴν ἀνόνητον σβέσαι φιλονεικίαν" Παυλῖνός τε γὰρ ἐτελεύτησε πάλαι καὶ Εὐάγριος οὐκ ἐννόμως προβέβληται, καὶ τῆς Ἑῴας αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῆς λαβιανοῦ προεδρίας ἀντέχονται. πρὸς δὲ τῇ Ἑφᾳ καὶ τὴν Ἀσιανὴν ἅπασαν καὶ τὴν Ποντικὴν καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὴν Θρᾳκικὴν κοιρωγούσας ἔχει καὶ συνημμένας᾽ καὶ τὸ Ἰλλυρικὸν δὲ ἅπαν ἐκεῖνον οἷδε τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολὴν ἐπισκόπων ἡγούμενονε. ταύταις εἴξαντες ταῖς παραινέσεσιν οἱ τῆς Ἑσπέρας ἐπίσκοποι καταλύσειν ὑπέσχοντο τὴν δυσμένειαν καὶ τοὺς πεμφθησομένους δέξασθαι πρεσβευτάς. Τοῦτο μαθὼν ὁ θεῖος Φλαβιανὸς ἀπέστειλεν εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην καὶ τῶν ἀξιεπαίνων ἐπισκόπων τινὰς καὶ τῶν Ἀντιοχείας πρεσβυτέρων καὶ διακόνων" ἡγεῖτο δὲ πάντων Ἀκάκιος, ὁ Βεροίας μὲν τῆς ἐν Συρίᾳ πόλεως τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ποιμαίνειν λαχών, πανταχοῦ δὲ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης ἀδόμενος. οὗτος σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀφικόμενος εἰς τὴν Ῥώμην, τὴν μακρὰν καταλύσας δυσμένειαν δι᾿ ἑπτακαίδεκα ἐτῶν, ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἐπρυτάνευσε τὴν εἰρήνην. τοῦτο δὲ γνόντες οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι τὴν ἀπέχθειαν σβέσαντες ἠσπάσαντο τὴν ὁμόνοιαν. ἡγεῖτο δὲ τηνικαῦτα τῆς μὲν Ῥωμαίων ἐκκλησίας Ἰννοκέντιος, διαδεξάμενος Ἀναστάσιον, ἀνὴρ ἀγχινοίᾳ καὶ συνέσει κοσμούμενος" τῆς δὲ ᾿λεξανδρέων Θεόφιλος, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθην.
En Antiocheią de Meletiou tou megalou tēn proedrian Phlabianos diedexato, ho syn Diodōrǭ tous pollous ekeinous hyper tēs tōn probatōn sōtērias hypomeinas agōnas. eboulēthē men gar ho Paulinos tēn tēs ekklēsias hēgemonian labein, ho de tōn hiereōn anteipe choros, ou chrēnai legōn ton Meletiou tas symboulas mē dexamenon meta tēn echeinou teleutē ton ekeinou thronon labein. nalla ton pollois lamprynomenon ponois kai epi pleiston hyper tōn probatōn prokindyneusanta, prosēkei genesthai poimenas. Ho Touto kai Rhōmaiois kai Aigyptiois dysmeneian pros tēn Heǭan makchrotatēn eirgasato᾽ oude gar tǭ Paulinou thanatǭ synchatelythē to echthos, alla kai met᾽ ekeinon Euagriou ton ekeinou pareilēphotos thronon diemeinan tǭ megalǭ Phlabianǭ chalepainontes, kai tauta tou Byagriou para ton ekklēsiastikon probeblēmenou thesmon. monos gar auton ho Paulinos proubaleto, pollous kanonas kata tauton parabas. oute gar anth' heautou tǭ teleutōnti cheirotonein epitrepousi, kai pantas synkaleisthai tēs eparchias tous episkopous keleuousi, kai au palin dicha triōn episkopōn episkopou cheirotonian apagoreuousi gignesthai. all᾿ homōs toutōn ouden eidenai thelēsantes tēn Euagriou men koinōnian ēspazonto, kata Phlabianou de tas basilikas ekinēsan akoas. ᾿Bnochlētheis gar pollakis ēgage te auton eis tēn Kōnstantigoupolin kai katalabein tēn Rhōmēn ekeleusen. ho de Phlabianos cheimōna te einai phēsas kai hyposchomenos tou aeros hypolampontos to prostetagmenon plērōsei epanēken eis tē patrida. epei de hoi tēs Rhōmēs episkopoi (ou gar monon ho thaumasios Damasos alla kai ho met᾽ ekeinon Sirikios kai Anastasios ho Sirikiou diadochos sphodroteron tou eusebous basileōs kathēpsanto, tous men oikeious auton phēsantes katalyein tyrannous, tous de kata tōn Christou nomōn thrasynomenous epi tēs tyrannidos ean, palin auton metapempsamenos apairein eis tēn Rhōmēn ēnankaxe. tote Phlabianos ho sophōtatos tę̄ axiepainǭ parrēsią chrēsamenos ephē" nei men tēs pisteōs, ō basileu, tēs emēs hōs ouch orthēs katēgorousi tines ē ton bion phasin hierōsynēs. anaxion, kai autois chrēsomai tois katēgorois kritais kai tēn par᾽ ekeinōn echpheromenēn agapēso psēphon" ei de peri thronou kai proedrias xygomachousin, oute dikasomai oute tois labein boulomenois antimachesomai, all᾽ ekstēsomai kai tēs proedrias aphexomai. toigartoi dos hǭ boulei ton Antiocheōn thronon, hō basileus. tautēn autou kai tēn andreian kai tēn sophian thaumasas ho basileus tēn enenkousan katalabein kai tēn encheiristheisan poimainein ekklēsian ekeleuse. Chronou de sychnou dielthontos eis tēn Rhōmaiōn aphikomenos polin ho basileus tas autas palin hypo tōn episkopōn katēgorias hypemeinen, hōs: tēn Phlabianou tyrannida mē katalyōn. ho de legein autous ekeleuse tēs tyrannidos to eidos, autos einai Phlabianos legōn kai echeinou syndikos probeblēsthai. ekeinōn de legontōn hōs ou dynantai dikazesthai basilei, parēnese loipon homonoią tas ekklēsias synapsai kai dialysai tēn erin kai tēn anonēton sbesai philoneikian" Paulinos te gar eteleutēse palai kai Euagrios ouk ennomōs probeblētai, kai tēs Heǭas hai ekklēsiai tēs labianou proedrias antechontai. pros de tę̄ Hephą kai tēn Asianēn hapasan kai tēn Pontikēn kai mentoi kai tēn Thrąkikēn koirōgousas echei kai synēmmenas᾽ kai to Illyrikon de hapan ekeinon hoide tōn kata tēn Anatolēn episkopōn hēgoumenone. tautais eixantes tais parainesesin hoi tēs Hesperas episkopoi katalysein hypeschonto tēn dysmeneian kai tous pemphthēsomenous dexasthai presbeutas. Touto mathōn ho theios Phlabianos apesteilen eis tēn Rhōmēn kai tōn axiepainōn episkopōn tinas kai tōn Antiocheias presbyterōn kai diakonōn" hēgeito de pantōn Akakios, ho Beroias men tēs en Syrią poleōs tēn ekklēsian poimainein lachōn, pantachou de gēs kai thalattēs adomenos. houtos syn tois allois aphikomenos eis tēn Rhōmēn, tēn makran katalysas dysmeneian di᾿ heptakaideka etōn, tais ekklēsiais eprytaneuse tēn eirēnēn. touto de gnontes hoi Aigyptioi tēn apechtheian sbesantes ēspasanto tēn homonoian. hēgeito de tēnikauta tēs men Rhōmaiōn ekklēsias Innokentios, diadexamenos Anastasion, anēr anchinoią kai synesei kosmoumenos" tēs de ᾿lexandreōn Theophilos, hou kai prosthen emnēsthēn.
In Antioch Flavian succeeded to the presidency of the great Meletius, he who with Diodore had endured those many contests for the salvation of the sheep. Paulinus wished to take the leadership of the church, but the choir of priests opposed it, saying that the one who had not accepted Meletius's counsels ought not to take his throne after his death; “but the one who shines with many labours and has very often been in danger for the sheep should become shepherd.” This produced a very long hostility of the Romans and Egyptians toward the East. For the enmity did not end with the death of Paulinus, but even after him, when Evagrius had taken his throne, they continued angry with the great Flavian, although Evagrius had been put forward contrary to church law. For Paulinus alone appointed him, breaking many canons at once; for they do not allow a dying man to ordain in his own place, and they order all the bishops of the province to be summoned, and again they forbid the ordination of a bishop without three bishops. Yet, choosing to know none of this, they embraced communion with Evagrius and stirred up the emperor's ears against Flavian. Pestered often, he brought him to Constantinople and ordered him to go to Rome. Flavian, saying that it was winter and promising to do what was ordered when the weather brightened, returned to his homeland. But when the bishops of Rome (not only the admirable Damasus, but also Siricius after him, and Anastasius, Siricius's successor) attacked the pious emperor more vehemently, saying that he destroyed the usurpers against himself but allowed those acting arrogantly against the laws of Christ to keep their usurpation, he sent for him again and tried to compel him to set off for Rome. Then the most wise Flavian, using praiseworthy boldness, said: “If, emperor, some accuse my faith as not orthodox, or say that my life is unworthy of the priesthood, I shall take the accusers themselves as judges and accept the sentence they pronounce. But if they are fighting about throne and presidency, I shall neither go to law nor contend with those who wish to take it, but I shall stand aside and give up the presidency. Give, then, emperor, the throne of the Antiochenes to whom you wish.” The emperor, admiring his courage and wisdom, ordered him to return to his homeland and shepherd the church entrusted to him.
After a considerable time the emperor came to the city of the Romans and endured the same accusations again from the bishops, that he did not put down the usurpation of Flavian. He told them to state the form of the usurpation, saying that he himself was Flavian and had been put forward as his advocate. When they said that they could not go to law with the emperor, he urged them to join the churches in concord, end the strife and quench the useless contentiousness; “for Paulinus died long ago, and Evagrius was not lawfully put forward, and the churches of the East hold to Flavian's presidency. Besides the East, he has all Asia, Pontus, and Thrace too in communion and united with him; and all Illyricum knows him as the leader of the bishops in the East.” Yielding to these exhortations, the bishops of the West promised to end the hostility and to receive the envoys who would be sent.
Learning this, the divine Flavian sent to Rome some of the praiseworthy bishops and presbyters and deacons of Antioch. Their leader was Acacius, who was allotted the shepherding of the church of Beroea in Syria and was celebrated everywhere on land and sea. He came to Rome with the others, ended the long hostility of seventeen years, and brought peace to the churches. Learning this, the Egyptians quenched their enmity and embraced concord. At that time Innocent, who had succeeded Anastasius, led the church of the Romans, a man adorned with shrewdness and understanding; and Theophilus, whom I mentioned before, led that of the Alexandrians.
Notes and citation
Summary: Flavian succeeds Meletius at Antioch; Rome and Alexandria back Paulinus and his irregularly ordained successor Evagrius, but Flavian offers Theodosius to step down if the dispute is only about the see, Theodosius defends him before the western bishops, and an embassy led by Acacius of Beroea finally reconciles Antioch with Rome and Alexandria after seventeen years.
- Theodoret places a visit of Theodosius to Rome here; the details of the reconciliation (about 398) are his account.
- The canons on ordination: compare Nicaea, canon 4 (three bishops).
Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Nic. 4 (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325); allusion)
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.23 (GCS 19:321–324; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-23). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-23
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.