Church History 5.9–5.16
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
5.9GCS 19:289–294
Κυρίοις τιμιωτάτοις καὶ εὐλαβεστάτοις ἀδελφοῖς καὶ συλλειτουργοῖς, Δαμάσῳ, Ἀμβροσίῳ, Βρίττωνι, Οὐαλεριανῷ, Ἀχολίῳ, Ἀνεμίῳ, Βασιλείῳ καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἁγίοις ἐπισκόποις τοῖς συνεληλυθόσιν ἐν τῇ μεγαλοπόλει Ῥώμῃ, ἡ ἁγία σύνοδος τῶν ὀρθοδόξων "ἐπισκόπων τῶν συνεληλυθότων ἐν τῇ μεγαλοπόλει Κωνσταντιρουπόλει, ἐν κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Τὸ μὲν ὡς ἀγνοοῦσαν διδάσκειν τὴν ὑμετέραν εὐλάβειαν καὶ διηγεῖσθαι τῶν παθημάτων τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἐπαχθέντων ἡμῖν παρὰ τῆς τῶν ᾿ἀρειανῶν δυναστείας, περιττὸν ἴσως. οὔτε γὰρ οὕτω πάρεργον τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς κρίνειν. τὴν ὑμετέραν ἡγούμεθα θεοσέβειαν ὡς δεῖσθαι τοῦ μαθεῖν ταῦτα οἷς ἐχρῆν συναλγεῖν, οὔτε τοιοῦτοί τινες οἵἱ περισχόντες ἡμᾶς χειμῶνες ὡς λανθάνειν ὑπὸ σμικρότητος" δ τε χρόνος τῶν διωγμῶν νεαρός, ἔναυλον ἔτι φυλάττων τὴν μνήμην οὐ τοῖς πεπονθόσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς δι᾿ ἀγάπην τὰ τῶν πεπονθότῶν οἰκειουμένοις. χθὲς γὰρ ὡς εἰπεῖν ἔτι καὶ πρώην οἱ μὲν τῶν “τῆς ἐξορίας λυθέντες δεσμῶν εἰς τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐκκλησίας διὰ μυρίων ἐπανήχασι θλίψεων, τῶν δὲ καὶ τελειωθέντων ἐν ταῖς ἐξορίαις ἐπατεχομίσθη τὰ λείψανα. τινὲς δὲ κιὶὰ μετὰ τὴν τῆς ἐξορίας ἐπάνοδον, ἔτι βράζοντι τῷ τῶν αἱρετικῶν περιπεσόντες θυμῷ, πικρότερα τῶν "ἐπὶ τῆς ἀλλοτρίας ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκείας ὑπέμειναν, λίθοις παρ᾽ αὐτῶν τελειωθέντες κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Στέφανον᾽ ἄλλοι διαφόροις καταξανθέντες αἰκίαις ἔτι τὰ στίγματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ τοὺς μώλοπας ἐν τῷ σώματι περιφέρουσι. χρημάτων δὲ ζημίας καὶ προστιμήὃ "σεις πόλεων, καὶ τὰς τῶν καθ' ἕνα δημεύσεις καὶ συσχευὰς καὶ ὕβρεις καὶ δεσμωτήρια τίς ἂν ἐξαριθμήσασθαι δύναιτο; πᾶσαι γὰρ ὄντως ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς αἱ θλίψεις ἐπληθύνθησαν ὑπὲρ ἀριθμόν, ἴσως μὲν ἐπειδὴ δίκας ἁμαρτημάτων. ἐτίναμεν, ἴσως δὲ καὶ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου θεοῦ διὰ τοῦ πλήθους τῶν παθημάτων ἡμᾶς γυμνάζοντος. Τούτων μὲν οὖν τῷ θεῷ χάρις, ὃς καὶ διὰ τοσούτων θλίφεων τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ δούλους ἐπαίδευσε, καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν αὐτοῦ πάλιν ἐξήγαγεν ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀναψυχήν. ἡμῖν δὲ μακρᾶς μὲν ἔδει σχολῆς καὶ πολλοῦ χρόνου καὶ πόνου πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπανόρθωσιν, ἵν᾿ ὥσπερ ἐκ μακρᾶς ἀρρωστίας ταῖς κατὰ μικρὸν ἐπιμελείαις τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐχνοσηλεύοντες, πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν τῆς εὐσεβείας ὑγίειαν ἐπαναγάγωμεν. καὶ γὰρ εἰ τὰ μάλιστα δοκοῦμὲεν τῆς τῶν διωγμῶν ἀπηλλάχθαι σφοδρότητος καὶ τὰς ἐκκλησίας χρονίως παρὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν κατασχεθείσας ἀρτίως ἀνακομίζεσθαι, πλὴν ἀλλὰ βαρεῖς ἡμῖν οἱ λύκοι καὶ μετὰ τὸ τῆς μάνδρας ἐξωσθῆναι κατὰ τὰς νάπας τὰ ποίμνια διαρπάζοντες, ἀντισυνάξεις τολμῶντες, δήμων κινοῦντες ἐπαναστάσεις, ὀκνοῦντες οὐδὲν εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν βλάβην. ἦν μὲν οὖν, ὅπερ εἰρήκαμεν, ἀναγκαῖον πλείονα ἡμᾶς προσασχοληθῆναι χρόνον. Επειδὴ μέντοι τὴν ἀδελφικὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπην ἐπιδεικνύμενοι, σύγνοδον ἐπὶ τῆς Ῥώμης θεοῦ βουλήσει συγκροτοῦντες καὶ ἡμᾶς ὡς οἰκεῖα μέλη προσεχαλέσασθε διὰ τῶν τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου βασιλέως γραμμάτων, ἵν᾿ ἐπειδὴ τότε τὰς θλίψεις μόνοι κατεδικάσθημεν, νῦν ἐἐν τῇ τῶν αὐτοκρατόρων περὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν συμφωνίᾳ μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν βασιλεύσητε, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμεῖς ὑμῖν κατὰ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν φωνὴν συμβασιλεύσωμεν, εὐχὴ μὲν ἣν ἡμῖν, εἰ δυνατόν, ἅπασιν ἀθρόως καταλιποῦσι τὰς ἐκκλησίας, τῷ πόθῳ ἢ τῇ χρείᾳ χαρίσασθαι. τίς γὰρ ἡμῖν δώσει πτέρυγας ὡσεὶ περιστερᾶς, καὶ ᾿πετασθησόμεθα καὶ πρὸς ὑμᾶς καταπαύσομεν; ἐπειδὴ. δὲ τοῦτο "παντελῶς ἐγύμνου τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἄρτι τῆς ἀνανεώσεως ἀρχομένας καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα παντάπασιν ἦν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀδύνατον (συνδεδραμήχείμεν γὰρ εἰς τὴν Κοωνσταντινούπολιν ἐκ τῶν πέρυσι γραμμάτων "τῶν παρὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας τιμιότητος μετὰ τὴν ἐν Ἀχυληΐᾳ σύνοδον "πρὸς τὸν θεοφιλέστατον βασιλέα Θεοδόσιον ἐπισταλθέντων, πρὸς μόνην ταύτην τὴν ἀποδημίαν τὴν μέχρι Κωνσταντινουπόλεως παρασχευασάμενοι, καὶ περὶ ταύτης μόνης τῆς συνόδου τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐπαρχίαις μεινάντων ἐπισκόπων συγκατάθεσιν ἐπαγόμενοι, μείζονος ὁὲ ἀποδημίας μήτε προσδοκήσαντες χρείαν μήτε προακούσαντες ὅλως πρὶν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει συνελθεῖν, πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τῆς προθεσμίας διὰ στενότητα μήτε πρὸς παρασκευὴν μακροτέρας ἀποδημίας ἐνδιδούσης καιρὸν μήτε πάντας τοὺς ἐν ταῖς ἐπαρχίαις κοινωνικοὺς ἐπισκόπους ὑπομνησθῆναι καὶ τὰς παρ᾽ αὐτῶν συγκαταθέσεις λαβεῖν), ἐπειδὴ ταῦτα καὶ πολλὰ πρὸς τούτοις ἕτερα τὴν τῶν ᾿πλειόνων ἄφιξιν διεκώλυσεν, ὃ δεύτερον ἣν, εἴς τε τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπανόρθωσιν καὶ τὴν τῆς ὑμετέρας περὶ ἡμᾶς ἀγάπης ἀπόδειξι, τοῦτο πεποιήκαμεν, τοὺς αἰδεσιμωτάτους καὶ τιμιωτάτους ἀδελφοὺς καὶ συλλειτουργοὺς ἡμῶν ἐπισκόπους, Κυριακόν, Εὐσέβιον καὶ Πρισχιανὸν προθύμως καμεῖν ἄχρις ὑμῶν θυσωπήσαντες" δι᾿ ὧν καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν προαίρεσιν εἰρηνικὴν οὖσαν καὶ σκοπὸν ἑνώσεως ἔχουσαν ἐπιδείκνυμεν, καὶ τὸν ζῆλον ἡμῶν τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑγιοῦς πίστεῶς φανερὸν ποιοῦμεν.. “Ἡμεῖς γὰρ εἴτε διωγμούς, εἴτε θλίψεις, εἴτε βασιλείους ἀπειλάς, εἴτε τὰς τῶν ἀρχόντων ὁμότητας, εἴτε τινὰ πειρασμὸν ἕτερον παρὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ὑπεμείναμεν, ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς πίστεως τῆς ἐν Μικαίᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας παρὰ τῶν τιὴ πατέρων κυρωθείσης ὑπέστημεν. "ταύτην γὰρ καὶ ὑμῖν καὶ ἡμῖν καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς μὴ διαστρέφουσι τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθοῦς πίστεως συναρέσκειν ἵ δεῖ [ἣν μόλις ποτὲ] πρε᾿σβυτάτην τε οὖσαν καὶ ἀχκόλουθον τῷ βαπτίσματι, καὶ διδάσκουσαν ἡμᾶς πιστεύειν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, δηλαδὴ θεότητος καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ οὐσίας μιᾶς τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος πιστευομένης, ὁμοτίμου τε τῆς ἀξίας καὶ συναϊδίου τῆς βασιλείας, ἐν τρισὶ τελειοτάταις ὑποστάσεσιν, ἤγουν τρισὶ τελείοις προσώποις, ὡς μήτε τὴν. “Σαβελλίου ύσον χώραν λαβεῖν συγχεομένων τῶν ὑποστάσεων εἴτ᾽ οὖν τῶν εἰδιοτήτων ἀναιρουμένων, μήτε μὴν τὴν Εὐνομιανῶν καὶ Ἀρειανῶν καὶ Πνευματομάχων βλασφημίαν ἰσχύειν, τῆς οὐσίας ἢ τῆς φύσεως ἢ τῆς θεότητος τεμνομένης καὶ τῇ ἀκτίστῳ καὶ ὁμοουσίῳ καὶ συναϊδίῳ τριάδι μεταγενεστέρας. τινὸς ἢ κτιστῆς ἢ ἑτεροουσίου φύσεως ἐπαγομένης. καὶ τὸν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως δὲ τοῦ κυρίου λόγον ἀδιάστροφον -σώζομεν, οὔτε ἄψυχον οὔτε ἄνουν ἢ ἀτελῆ τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς οἰκονομίαν παραδεχόμενοι, ὅλον δὲ εἰδότες τέλειον μὲν πρὸ αἰώνων ὄντα ᾿θεὸν λόγον, τέλειον δὲ ἄνθρωπον. ἐπ᾿ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν διὰ τὴν οἡμετέραν σωτηρίαν γενόμενον. Τὰ μὲν οὖν κατὰ τὴν πίστιν τὴν παρ᾿ ἡμῶν. ἀνυποστόλως κηρουττομένην ος ἐν κεφαλαίῳ τοιαῦτα" περὶ ὧν καὶ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ψυχα-γωγηθῆναι δυνήσεσθε, τῷ τε ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ τόμῳ παρὰ τῆς ἐκεῖ συνελθούσης συνόδου γεγενημένῳ καταξιώσαντες ἐντυχεῖν καὶ τῷ πέτρυσιν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει παρὰ τῆς οἰκουμενικῆς ἐκτεθέντι συνόδου, ἐν οἷς πλατύτερον τὴν πίστιν ὡμολογήσαμεν καὶ τῶν ἔναγχος χαινοτομηθεισῶν αἱρέσεων ἀναθεματισμὸν ἔγγραφον πεποιήκαμεν. Περὶ δὲ τῶν οἰχογρομιῶν τῶν κατὰ μέρος ἐν ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις παλαιός τε, ὡς ἴστε, θεσμὸς κεκράτηκε καὶ τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ ἁγίων πατέρων ὅρος, καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἐπαρχίαν τοὺς τῆς ἐπαρχίας καί, εἴπερ ἐκεῖνοι βούλοιντο, σὺν αὐτοῖς τοὺς ὁμόρου: πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον ποιεἴσθαι τὰς χειροτονίας" οἷς ἀκολούθως τάς τε λοιπὰς ἐκκλησίας παρ᾽ οἡμῖν οἰκονομεῖσθαι γινώσκετε καὶ τῶν ἐπισημοτάτων ἐκκλησιῶν ἀναδεδεῖχθαι τοὺς ἱερεῖς. ὅθεν τῆς μὲν ἐν Κωνσταντινουπόλει νεοπαγοῦς, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐκκλησίας, ἣν ὥσπερ ἐκ στόματος λέοντος τῆς τῶν αἱρετικῶν βλασφημίας ὑπόγυον ἐξηρπάσαμεν διὰ τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τοῦ θεοῦ, τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον καὶ θεοφιλέστατον Νεχτάριον ἐπίσκοπον κεχειροτονήχαμεν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰχουμενικῆς συνόδου μετὰ κοινῆς ὁμονοίας, π᾿ ὄψεσι καὶ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου βασιλέως Θεοδοσίου παντός τε τοῦ κλήρου καὶ πάσης ἐπιψηφιζομένης τῆς πόλεως. τῆς δὲ πρεσβυτάτης καὶ ὄντως ἀποστολικῆς ἐκκλησίας τῆς ῦ ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ. τῆς Συρίας, ἐν ἡ πρώτῃ τὸ τίμιον τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐχρημάτισεν ὄνομα, τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον καὶ θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον φλαβιανὸν οἵ τε τῆς ἐπαρχίας καὶ τῆς ἀνατολικῆς διοικήσεως συνὁραμόντες κανονιχῶς ἐχειροτόνησαν, πάσης συμψήφου τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὥσπερ διὰ μιᾶς φωνῆς τὸν ἄνδρα τιμησάσης᾽ ἥνπερ ἔνθεσμον χειροτονίαν ἐδέξατο καὶ τὸ τῆς συνόδου κοινόν. τῆς δέ γε μητρὸς ἀπασῶν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις τὸν αἰδεσιμώτατον καὶ "θεοφιλέστατον Κύριλλον ἐπίσκοπον εἶναι γνωρίζομεν, κανονικῶς τε -παρὰ τῶν τῆς ἐπαρχίας χειροτονηθέντα πάλαι καὶ πλεῖστα πρὸς τοὺς Ἀρειανοὺς ἐν διαφόροις χρόνοις ἀθλήσαντα. Οἷς ὡς ἐνθέσμως καὶ κανονικῶς παρ᾽ ἡμῖν κεχρατηχόσι καὶ τὴν" εὐμετέραν συγχαίρειν παρακαλοῦμεν εὐλάβειαν, τῆς πνευματικῆς μεσιτευούσης ἀγάπης καὶ τοῦ κυριακοῦ φόβου πᾶσαν μὲν χαταστέλλοντος ἀνθροωπίνην προσπάθειαν, τὴν δὲ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν οἰκοδομὴν προτιμοτέραν ποιοῦντος τῆς πρὸς τὸν καθ᾽ ἕνα συνηθείας ἢ χάριτος. οὕτω γὰρ τοῦ τε τῆς πίστεως συμφωνηθέντος λόγου καὶ τῆς Χριστιανικῆς κυρωθείσης ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγάπης, παυσόμεθα λέγοντες τὸ παρὰ -τῶν ἀποστόλων κατεγνωσμένον᾽ ἐγὼ μέν εἰμι Παύλου, ἐγὼ δὲ Απολλώ, ἐγὼ δὲ Κηφᾶς, πάντες δὲ Χριστοῦ φανέντες, ὃς ἐν ἡἥμῖν οὐ μεμέρισται, θεοῦ καταξιοῦντος, ἄσχιστον τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας τηρήσομεν καὶ τῷ βήματι τοῦ κυρίου μετὰ παρρησίας παραστησόμεθα. Ταῦτα χατὰά τε τῆς Ἀρείου καὶ ᾿Δετίου καὶ Πὐνομίου μανίας, καὶ μέντοι καὶ κατὰ Σαβελλίου καὶ Φωτεινοῦ καὶ Μαρκέλλου, Παύλου τε τοῦ Σαμοσατέως καὶ Λιακεδονίου γεγράφασιν. ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὴν ᾿᾿πολιναρίου καινοτομίαν προφανῶς ἀπεκήρυξαν εἰρηκότες" καὶ τὸν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως δὲ τοῦ κυρίου λόγον ἀδιάστροφον σώζομεν, οὔτε οὔ τἄψυχον οὔτε ἄνουν ἢ ἀτελῆ τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς οἰκονομίαν παραδεχόμεγοις.
Kyriois timiōtatois kai eulabestatois adelphois kai sylleitourgois, Damasǭ, Ambrosiǭ, Brittōni, Oualerianǭ, Acholiǭ, Anemiǭ, Basileiǭ kai tois loipois hagiois episkopois tois synelēlythosin en tę̄ megalopolei Rhōmę̄, hē hagia synodos tōn orthodoxōn "episkopōn tōn synelēlythotōn en tę̄ megalopolei Kōnstantiroupolei, en kyriǭ chairein. To men hōs agnoousan didaskein tēn hymeteran eulabeian kai diēgeisthai tōn pathēmatōn to plēthos tōn epachthentōn hēmin para tēs tōn ᾿areianōn dynasteias, peritton isōs. oute gar houtō parergon ta kath᾽ hēmas krinein. tēn hymeteran hēgoumetha theosebeian hōs deisthai tou mathein tauta hois echrēn synalgein, oute toioutoi tines hoii perischontes hēmas cheimōnes hōs lanthanein hypo smikrotētos" d te chronos tōn diōgmōn nearos, enaulon eti phylattōn tēn mnēmēn ou tois peponthosi monon, alla kai tois di᾿ agapēn ta tōn peponthotōn oikeioumenois. chthes gar hōs eipein eti kai prōēn hoi men tōn “tēs exorias lythentes desmōn eis tas heautōn ekklēsias dia myriōn epanēchasi thlipseōn, tōn de kai teleiōthentōn en tais exoriais epatechomisthē ta leipsana. tines de kiia meta tēn tēs exorias epanodon, eti brazonti tǭ tōn hairetikōn peripesontes thymǭ, pikrotera tōn "epi tēs allotrias epi tēs oikeias hypemeinan, lithois par᾽ autōn teleiōthentes kata ton makarion Stephanon᾽ alloi diaphorois kataxanthentes aikiais eti ta stigmata tou Christou kai tous mōlopas en tǭ sōmati peripherousi. chrēmatōn de zēmias kai prostimēo "seis poleōn, kai tas tōn kath' hena dēmeuseis kai syscheuas kai hybreis kai desmōtēria tis an exarithmēsasthai dynaito? pasai gar ontōs eph᾽ hēmas hai thlipseis eplēthynthēsan hyper arithmon, isōs men epeidē dikas hamartēmatōn. etinamen, isōs de kai tou philanthrōpou theou dia tou plēthous tōn pathēmatōn hēmas gymnazontos. Toutōn men oun tǭ theǭ charis, hos kai dia tosoutōn thlipheōn tous heautou doulous epaideuse, kai kata to plēthos tōn oiktirmōn autou palin exēgagen hēmas eis anapsychēn. hēmin de makras men edei scholēs kai pollou chronou kai ponou pros tēn tōn ekklēsiōn epanorthōsin, hin᾿ hōsper ek makras arrōstias tais kata mikron epimeleiais to sōma tēs ekklēsias echnosēleuontes, pros tēn archaian tēs eusebeias hygieian epanagagōmen. kai gar ei ta malista dokoumeen tēs tōn diōgmōn apēllachthai sphodrotētos kai tas ekklēsias chroniōs para tōn hairetikōn kataschetheisas artiōs anakomizesthai, plēn alla bareis hēmin hoi lykoi kai meta to tēs mandras exōsthēnai kata tas napas ta poimnia diarpazontes, antisynaxeis tolmōntes, dēmōn kinountes epanastaseis, oknountes ouden eis tēn tōn ekklēsiōn blabēn. ēn men oun, hoper eirēkamen, anankaion pleiona hēmas prosascholēthēnai chronon. Epeidē mentoi tēn adelphikēn peri hēmas agapēn epideiknymenoi, sygnodon epi tēs Rhōmēs theou boulēsei synkrotountes kai hēmas hōs oikeia melē prosechalesasthe dia tōn tou theophilestatou basileōs grammatōn, hin᾿ epeidē tote tas thlipseis monoi katedikasthēmen, nyn een tę̄ tōn autokratorōn peri tēn eusebeian symphōnią mē chōris hēmōn basileusēte, alla kai hēmeis hymin kata tēn apostolikēn phōnēn symbasileusōmen, euchē men hēn hēmin, ei dynaton, hapasin athroōs katalipousi tas ekklēsias, tǭ pothǭ ē tę̄ chreią charisasthai. tis gar hēmin dōsei pterygas hōsei peristeras, kai ᾿petasthēsometha kai pros hymas katapausomen? epeidē. de touto "pantelōs egymnou tas ekklēsias arti tēs ananeōseōs archomenas kai to pragma pantapasin ēn tois pollois adynaton (syndedramēcheimen gar eis tēn Koōnstantinoupolin ek tōn perysi grammatōn "tōn para tēs hymeteras timiotētos meta tēn en Achylēïą synodon "pros ton theophilestaton basilea Theodosion epistalthentōn, pros monēn tautēn tēn apodēmian tēn mechri Kōnstantinoupoleōs parascheuasamenoi, kai peri tautēs monēs tēs synodou tōn en tais eparchiais meinantōn episkopōn synkatathesin epagomenoi, meizonos hoe apodēmias mēte prosdokēsantes chreian mēte proakousantes holōs prin en Kōnstantinoupolei synelthein, pros de toutois kai tēs prothesmias dia stenotēta mēte pros paraskeuēn makroteras apodēmias endidousēs kairon mēte pantas tous en tais eparchiais koinōnikous episkopous hypomnēsthēnai kai tas par᾽ autōn synkatatheseis labein), epeidē tauta kai polla pros toutois hetera tēn tōn ᾿pleionōn aphixin diekōlysen, ho deuteron hēn, eis te tēn tōn pragmatōn epanorthōsin kai tēn tēs hymeteras peri hēmas agapēs apodeixi, touto pepoiēkamen, tous aidesimōtatous kai timiōtatous adelphous kai sylleitourgous hēmōn episkopous, Kyriakon, Eusebion kai Prischianon prothymōs kamein achris hymōn thysōpēsantes" di᾿ hōn kai tēn hēmeteran proairesin eirēnikēn ousan kai skopon henōseōs echousan epideiknymen, kai ton zēlon hēmōn ton hyper tēs hygious pisteōs phaneron poioumen.. “Hēmeis gar eite diōgmous, eite thlipseis, eite basileious apeilas, eite tas tōn archontōn homotētas, eite tina peirasmon heteron para tōn hairetikōn hypemeinamen, hyper tēs euangelikēs pisteōs tēs en Mikaią tēs Bithynias para tōn tiē paterōn kyrōtheisēs hypestēmen. "tautēn gar kai hymin kai hēmin kai pasi tois mē diastrephousi ton logon tēs alēthous pisteōs synareskein hi dei [hēn molis pote] pre᾿sbytatēn te ousan kai achkolouthon tǭ baptismati, kai didaskousan hēmas pisteuein eis to onoma tou patros kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos, dēladē theotētos kai dynameōs kai ousias mias tou patros kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos pisteuomenēs, homotimou te tēs axias kai synaïdiou tēs basileias, en trisi teleiotatais hypostasesin, ēgoun trisi teleiois prosōpois, hōs mēte tēn. “Sabelliou yson chōran labein syncheomenōn tōn hypostaseōn eit᾽ oun tōn eidiotētōn anairoumenōn, mēte mēn tēn Eunomianōn kai Areianōn kai Pneumatomachōn blasphēmian ischyein, tēs ousias ē tēs physeōs ē tēs theotētos temnomenēs kai tę̄ aktistǭ kai homoousiǭ kai synaïdiǭ triadi metagenesteras. tinos ē ktistēs ē heteroousiou physeōs epagomenēs. kai ton tēs enanthrōpēseōs de tou kyriou logon adiastrophon -sōzomen, oute apsychon oute anoun ē atelē tēn tēs sarkos oikonomian paradechomenoi, holon de eidotes teleion men pro aiōnōn onta ᾿theon logon, teleion de anthrōpon. ep᾿ eschatōn tōn hēmerōn dia tēn hoēmeteran sōtērian genomenon. Ta men oun kata tēn pistin tēn par᾿ hēmōn. anypostolōs kērouttomenēn os en kephalaiǭ toiauta" peri hōn kai epi pleion psycha-gōgēthēnai dynēsesthe, tǭ te en Antiocheią tomǭ para tēs ekei synelthousēs synodou gegenēmenǭ kataxiōsantes entychein kai tǭ petrysin en Kōnstantinoupolei para tēs oikoumenikēs ektethenti synodou, en hois platyteron tēn pistin hōmologēsamen kai tōn enanchos chainotomētheisōn haireseōn anathematismon engraphon pepoiēkamen. Peri de tōn oichogromiōn tōn kata meros en tais ekklēsiais palaios te, hōs iste, thesmos kekratēke kai tōn en Nikaią hagiōn paterōn horos, kath᾽ hekastēn eparchian tous tēs eparchias kai, eiper ekeinoi boulointo, syn autois tous homorou: pros to sympheron poieisthai tas cheirotonias" hois akolouthōs tas te loipas ekklēsias par᾽ hoēmin oikonomeisthai ginōskete kai tōn episēmotatōn ekklēsiōn anadedeichthai tous hiereis. hothen tēs men en Kōnstantinoupolei neopagous, hōs an eipoi tis, ekklēsias, hēn hōsper ek stomatos leontos tēs tōn hairetikōn blasphēmias hypogyon exērpasamen dia tōn oiktirmōn tou theou, ton aidesimōtaton kai theophilestaton Nechtarion episkopon kecheirotonēchamen epi tēs oichoumenikēs synodou meta koinēs homonoias, p᾿ opsesi kai tou theophilestatou basileōs Theodosiou pantos te tou klērou kai pasēs epipsēphizomenēs tēs poleōs. tēs de presbytatēs kai ontōs apostolikēs ekklēsias tēs y en Antiocheią. tēs Syrias, en hē prōtę̄ to timion tōn Christianōn echrēmatisen onoma, ton aidesimōtaton kai theophilestaton episkopon phlabianon hoi te tēs eparchias kai tēs anatolikēs dioikēseōs synoramontes kanonichōs echeirotonēsan, pasēs sympsēphou tēs ekklēsias hōsper dia mias phōnēs ton andra timēsasēs᾽ hēnper enthesmon cheirotonian edexato kai to tēs synodou koinon. tēs de ge mētros apasōn tōn ekklēsiōn tēs en Hierosolymois ton aidesimōtaton kai "theophilestaton Kyrillon episkopon einai gnōrizomen, kanonikōs te -para tōn tēs eparchias cheirotonēthenta palai kai pleista pros tous Areianous en diaphorois chronois athlēsanta. Hois hōs enthesmōs kai kanonikōs par᾽ hēmin kechratēchosi kai tēn" eumeteran synchairein parakaloumen eulabeian, tēs pneumatikēs mesiteuousēs agapēs kai tou kyriakou phobou pasan men chatastellontos anthroōpinēn prospatheian, tēn de tōn ekklēsiōn oikodomēn protimoteran poiountos tēs pros ton kath᾽ hena synētheias ē charitos. houtō gar tou te tēs pisteōs symphōnēthentos logou kai tēs Christianikēs kyrōtheisēs en hēmin agapēs, pausometha legontes to para -tōn apostolōn kategnōsmenon᾽ egō men eimi Paulou, egō de Apollō, egō de Kēphas, pantes de Christou phanentes, hos en hēēmin ou memeristai, theou kataxiountos, aschiston to sōma tēs ekklēsias tērēsomen kai tǭ bēmati tou kyriou meta parrēsias parastēsometha. Tauta chataa te tēs Areiou kai ᾿Detiou kai Pynomiou manias, kai mentoi kai kata Sabelliou kai Phōteinou kai Markellou, Paulou te tou Samosateōs kai Liakedoniou gegraphasin. hōsautōs de kai tēn ᾿᾿polinariou kainotomian prophanōs apekēryxan eirēkotes" kai ton tēs enanthrōpēseōs de tou kyriou logon adiastrophon sōzomen, oute ou tapsychon oute anoun ē atelē tēn tēs sarkos oikonomian paradechomegois.
“To the most honoured and most pious lords, brothers and fellow ministers, Damasus, Ambrose, Britto, Valerian, Acholius, Anemius, Basil, and the other holy bishops assembled in the great city of Rome, the holy synod of the orthodox bishops assembled in the great city of Constantinople: greeting in the Lord.
To inform your Reverence as if you did not know, and to recount the multitude of sufferings brought on us by the dominion of the Arians, is perhaps superfluous. For we do not think your piety considers our affairs so incidental as to need to learn what you ought to share in grief, nor were the storms that surrounded us such as to escape notice through their smallness; and the time of the persecutions is recent, keeping the memory still fresh not only for those who suffered but also for those who through love made the sufferers' lot their own. For only yesterday, so to speak, or the day before, some, released from the bonds of exile, returned to their own churches through countless afflictions, and the remains of others who were perfected in exile were brought back; and some, even after their return from exile, falling in with the still boiling anger of the heretics, endured at home harsher things than abroad, perfected by them with stones like the blessed Stephen; others, torn by various tortures, still carry about in their body the marks of Christ and the bruises. As for losses of money and fines on cities, confiscations of individuals' property, plots, outrages, and prisons, who could count them? For truly all afflictions were multiplied upon us beyond number, perhaps because we were paying the penalty for sins, perhaps also because the merciful God was training us through the multitude of sufferings.
For these things, then, thanks be to God, who both disciplined his servants through so many afflictions and, according to the multitude of his mercies, brought us out again into refreshment. But we needed long leisure, much time and labour for the restoration of the churches, so that, nursing the body of the church gradually as after a long illness, we might bring it back to the ancient health of true religion. For even if we seem to have been freed from the violence of the persecutions and to be just recovering the churches long held by the heretics, yet the wolves are grievous to us, who even after being driven out of the fold ravage the flocks in the glens, daring rival assemblies, stirring up risings of the peoples, shrinking from nothing to harm the churches. It was necessary, then, as we have said, for us to be occupied for a longer time.
But since, showing your brotherly love toward us, convening a synod at Rome by the will of God, you have invited us too as your own members through the letter of the most God-beloved emperor, so that, since then we alone were condemned to afflictions, now, in the agreement of the emperors concerning true religion, you might not reign without us, but we too, according to the apostolic word, might reign with you, it was our prayer, if possible, all to leave the churches together and gratify our longing rather than our need. For who will give us wings like a dove, and we shall fly and come to rest with you? But since this would have left the churches altogether bare, just as their renewal was beginning, and the thing was altogether impossible for most (for we had come together to Constantinople in accordance with the letter sent last year by your Honour after the synod at Aquileia to the most God-beloved emperor Theodosius, prepared only for this journey as far as Constantinople, and bringing the consent of the bishops who remained in the provinces only for this synod, neither expecting the need of a longer journey nor having heard of it at all before we came together in Constantinople; and besides this, the shortness of the appointed time allowed neither time to prepare for a longer journey nor to inform all the bishops in communion in the provinces and obtain their consent); since these and many other things besides prevented most from coming, we have done what was second best, both for the correction of affairs and to show our love toward you: we have urged our most reverend and most honoured brothers and fellow ministers, the bishops Cyriacus, Eusebius, and Priscianus, to take the trouble of coming to you; through them we show that our purpose is peaceful and aims at union, and we make plain our zeal for the sound faith.
For whether we have endured persecutions, or afflictions, or imperial threats, or the cruelties of officials, or any other trial from the heretics, we have stood firm for the evangelical faith ratified by the three hundred and eighteen fathers at Nicaea in Bithynia. For this faith ought to satisfy both you and us and all who do not pervert the word of the true faith, being most ancient and consistent with baptism, and teaching us to believe in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; that is, one divinity, power, and essence of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit being believed, of equal dignity and coeternal sovereignty, in three most perfect hypostases, or three perfect persons; so that neither does the disease of Sabellius find room, the hypostases being confused or the properties abolished, nor does the blasphemy of the Eunomians, Arians, and Pneumatomachi prevail, the essence or nature or divinity being cut up, and some later-born, or created, or other-essenced nature being brought into the uncreated, consubstantial, and coeternal Trinity. And we keep the doctrine of the Lord's becoming man undistorted, accepting the dispensation of the flesh as neither soulless nor mindless nor incomplete, but knowing the whole: perfect God the Word before the ages, and perfect man in the last days for our salvation.
This, in summary, is the faith we proclaim without reserve. You may be further reassured about it if you deign to read the tome produced by the synod assembled at Antioch, and that set forth last year at Constantinople by the ecumenical synod, in which we confessed the faith more fully and made a written anathema of the heresies lately invented.
As for the particular administrations in the churches, an ancient ordinance, as you know, has prevailed, and the definition of the holy fathers at Nicaea, that in each province those of the province, and, if they wish, the neighbouring bishops with them, should perform ordinations as is expedient. You know that the other churches among us are administered in accordance with these, and that the priests of the most eminent churches have been appointed so. Hence for the church in Constantinople, newly founded, as one might say, which we lately snatched, as from the mouth of a lion, from the blasphemy of the heretics through the mercies of God, we ordained bishop the most reverend and most God-beloved Nectarius, at the ecumenical synod with common concord, in the presence of the most God-beloved emperor Theodosius, all the clergy and the whole city voting for him. For the most ancient and truly apostolic church in Antioch of Syria, where first the honoured name of Christians was used, the bishops of the province and of the eastern diocese came together and canonically ordained the most reverend and most God-beloved bishop Flavian, the whole church voting with them and honouring the man as with one voice; and the common body of the synod accepted this lawful ordination. Of the mother of all the churches, that in Jerusalem, we make known that the most reverend and most God-beloved Cyril is bishop, canonically ordained long ago by those of the province, who has contended very much against the Arians at various times. We urge your Reverence to rejoice with us over those lawfully and canonically established among us, spiritual love mediating and the fear of the Lord restraining all human partiality and making the building up of the churches more precious than familiarity or favour toward an individual. For so, the word of faith being agreed and Christian love confirmed among us, we shall cease saying what the apostles condemned, ‘I am of Paul, I of Apollos, I of Cephas,’ and all appearing as Christ's, who is not divided among us, we shall, God willing, keep the body of the church undivided and stand with boldness before the judgment seat of the Lord.”
These things they wrote against the madness of Arius, Aetius, and Eunomius, and also against Sabellius, Photinus, Marcellus, Paul of Samosata, and Macedonius. Likewise they openly repudiated the innovation of Apolinarius, saying: “And we keep the doctrine of the Lord's becoming man undistorted, accepting the dispensation of the flesh as neither soulless nor mindless nor incomplete.”
Acts 7:58–60 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 6:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 55:6 (54:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 4:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 28:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 11:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 22:21 (21:22 LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 1:12–13 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 14:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret quotes the letter of the bishops at Constantinople (382) to Damasus and the western bishops, declining to come to Rome, recounting their sufferings, professing one essence in three perfect hypostases and Christ's complete humanity, and defending the elections of Nectarius, Flavian, and Cyril.
- Document: synodal letter of the council of Constantinople (382) to the western bishops; published on this site as council-constantinople-382.
- The bracketed words “[ἣν μόλις ποτέ]” in the printed text are the editor's deletion and are not translated.
- Scripture: Acts 7:58–60; Gal 6:17; Ps 55:6 (LXX 54:7); 1 Cor 4:8 (“reign with you”); Acts 11:26; Ps 22:21 (from the mouth of a lion); 1 Cor 1:12–13; Rom 14:10.
Extrabiblical texts: Conc. Const. 382 (Synodal Letter of the Council of Constantinople (382) to Damasus and the Western Bishops; quotation); Conc. Nic. 4 (Creed and Canons of the Council of Nicaea (325); allusion)
Topics: Trinity, Christology, Heresy, Church office, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.9 (GCS 19:289–294; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-9
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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.
5.10GCS 19:295–297
Καὶ Δάμασος δὲ ὁ πανεύφημος, ταύτην μαθὼν ἀναφνεῖσαν τὴν αἵρεσιν, οὐκ ᾿᾿πολινάριον μόνον᾽ ἀλλὰ καὶ Τιμόθεον τὸν ἐκείνου γὲ φοιτητὴν καθελὼν ἀπεκήρυξ παὶ τοῦτο τοῖς τὴν Ἑῴαν ἰθύνουσιν ἐπισκόποις διὰ γραμμάτων δεδήλωκεν, ἅπερ ἐνθεῖναι τῇ συγγραφῇ νενόμικα χρήσιμον. Ἐπιστολὴ Δαμάσου ἐπισκόπου Ῥώμης. ΞΌτι τῇ ἀποστολικῇ καθέδρᾳ τὴν ὀφειλομένην αἰδῶ ἡ ἀγάπη ὑμῶν ἀπονέμει, ἑαυτοῖς τὸ πλεῖστον παρέχεσθε, εἷοὶ τιμιώτατοι. καὶ γὰρ εἰ τὰ μάλιστα ἐν τῇ ἁγίᾳ ἐκκλησίᾳ, ἐν ἡ ὁ ἅγιος ἀπόστολος χαθεζόμενος ἐδίδαξε πῶς προσήκει ἡμᾶς τοὺς οἴακας ἰθύνειν οὕς ἀνεδεξάμεθα, ὅμως ὁμολογοῦμεν ἑαυτοὺς ἐλάττονας εἶναι τῆς τιμῆς. ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο οἵῳ δή, ποτε τρόπῳ σπουδάξομεν εἴ πῶς δυνηθείἣμεν πρὸς τὴν δόξαν τῆς μακαριότητος αὐτοῦ ᾿παραγενέσθαι. Γινώσκετε τοίνυν ὅτι τὸν πάλαι Ἰιμόθεον τὸν βέβηλον, τὸν μαθὴητὴν τοῦ Απολιναρίου τοῦ αἱρετικοῦ, μετὰ τοῦ ἀσεβοῦς αὐτοῦ δόγματος χαθείλομεν, καὶ οὐδαμῶς πιστεύομεν αὐτοῦ τὰ λείψανα λόγῳ τινὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ ἰσχύειν. εἰ δ᾽ ἔτι ἐκεῖνος ὁ ὄφις ὃ παλαιός, ἅπαξ καὶ ἃ δεύτερον καταδηχθείς, πρὸς ἰδίαν τιμωρίαν ἀναζῇ, ὅστις ἐκτὸς τῆς ἐκκλησίας ὑπάρχει, ὃς σφῆλαι τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ θανατηφόροις φαρμάκοις τινὰς ἀπίστους διαπειράζων οὐ παύεται, ταύτην ὥσπερ φθοράν τινα ἐχκλίνατε. ὅμως ὑμεῖς μεμνημένοι τῆς ἀποστολικῆς πίστεως, ταύτης μάλιστα ἥτις ἐν Νικαίᾳ παρὰ τῶν πατέρων ἐγγράφως ἐξετέθη, βεβαίῳ βαθμῷ ἰσχυρῶς τῇ πίστει ἀμετακίνητοι διαμείνατε᾽ καὶ μὴ ματαιολογίας καὶ ἠφανισμένας ζητήσεις κατὰ ταύτης ὑπομείνητε ἀκούειν τοὺς κληρικοὺς ἢ τοὺς λαϊχοὺς ὑμῶν. ἤδη γὰρ ἅπαξ τύπον ἐδώκαμεν, ἵνα ὁ γινώσκων ἑαυτὸν Χριστιανὸν ἐκεῖνο φυλάττοι ὅπερ "παρὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων παρεδόθη, λέγοντος τοῦ ἁγίου Παύλου" εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζεται παρ᾽ ὁ παρελάβετε, ἀνάθεμα ἔστωκ. ὁ γὰρ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου πάθους πληρεστάτην ἀπέδωκε τὴν "σωτηρίαν, ἵνα ὅλον τὸν ἄνθρωπο ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἐνεχόμενον πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἐλευθερώσῃ. τοῦτον εἴ τις ἤτοι ἀνθρωπότητος ἢ θεότητος ἔλαττον ἐσχηκέναι εἴποι, πνεύματος διαβόλου πεπληρωμένος τῆς γεέννης υἱὸν ξαυτὸν ἀποδείκνυσι. Ἱι τοίνυν πάλιν παρ᾽ ἐμοῦ ζητεῖτε τὴν καθαίρεσιν Τιμοθέου; -ὃς καὶ ἐνταῦθα πρίσει τῆς ἀποστολικῆς καθέδρας, παρόντος καὶ Πέτρου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου τῆς Ἀλεξανδρέων πόλεως, καθῃρέθη ἅμα τῷ διδασκάλῳ αὐτοῦ Ἀπολιναρίῳ, ὃς καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῆς χρίσεως τὰς "ὀφειλομένας τιμωρίας καὶ βασάνους ὑπομενεῖ. εἰ δέ τινας κουφοτέρους πείθει ἐκεῖνος, ὥς τινα ἐλπίδα ἔχων ὅστις τὴν ἀληθῆ ἐλπίδα τὴν εἰς Χριστὸν τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ μετέβαλε, μετὰ τούτου ὁμοίως ἀπολεῖται ῦστις δή ποτὲ βούλεται τῷ κανόνι τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀντιπαλαῖσαι. ὁ θεὸς ὑμᾶς ὑγιαίνοντας διαφυλάττοι, υἱοὶ τιμιώτατοι.ς Καὶ ἄλλα δέ τινα συναθροισθέντες ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ Ῥώμῃ γεγράφασι κατὰ διαφόρων αἱρέσεων, ἅπερ ἀναγκαῖον φήθην ἐνθεῖναι τῇ συγγραφῇ.
Kai Damasos de ho paneuphēmos, tautēn mathōn anaphneisan tēn hairesin, ouk ᾿᾿polinarion monon᾽ alla kai Timotheon ton ekeinou ge phoitētēn kathelōn apekēryx pai touto tois tēn Heǭan ithynousin episkopois dia grammatōn dedēlōken, haper entheinai tę̄ syngraphę̄ nenomika chrēsimon. Epistolē Damasou episkopou Rhōmēs. XOti tę̄ apostolikę̄ kathedrą tēn opheilomenēn aidō hē agapē hymōn aponemei, heautois to pleiston parechesthe, heioi timiōtatoi. kai gar ei ta malista en tę̄ hagią ekklēsią, en hē ho hagios apostolos chathezomenos edidaxe pōs prosēkei hēmas tous oiakas ithynein hous anedexametha, homōs homologoumen heautous elattonas einai tēs timēs. alla dia touto hoiǭ dē, pote tropǭ spoudaxomen ei pōs dynētheiēmen pros tēn doxan tēs makariotētos autou ᾿paragenesthai. Ginōskete toinyn hoti ton palai Iimotheon ton bebēlon, ton mathēētēn tou Apolinariou tou hairetikou, meta tou asebous autou dogmatos chatheilomen, kai oudamōs pisteuomen autou ta leipsana logǭ tini tou loipou ischyein. ei d᾽ eti ekeinos ho ophis ho palaios, hapax kai ha deuteron katadēchtheis, pros idian timōrian anazę̄, hostis ektos tēs ekklēsias hyparchei, hos sphēlai tois heautou thanatēphorois pharmakois tinas apistous diapeirazōn ou pauetai, tautēn hōsper phthoran tina echklinate. homōs hymeis memnēmenoi tēs apostolikēs pisteōs, tautēs malista hētis en Nikaią para tōn paterōn engraphōs exetethē, bebaiǭ bathmǭ ischyrōs tę̄ pistei ametakinētoi diameinate᾽ kai mē mataiologias kai ēphanismenas zētēseis kata tautēs hypomeinēte akouein tous klērikous ē tous laïchous hymōn. ēdē gar hapax typon edōkamen, hina ho ginōskōn heauton Christianon ekeino phylattoi hoper "para tōn apostolōn paredothē, legontos tou hagiou Paulou" ei tis hymas euangelizetai par᾽ ho parelabete, anathema estōk. ho gar Christos ho huios tou theou ho kyrios hēmōn tǭ genei tōn anthrōpōn dia tou idiou pathous plērestatēn apedōke tēn "sōtērian, hina holon ton anthrōpo tais hamartiais enechomenon pasēs hamartias eleutherōsę̄. touton ei tis ētoi anthrōpotētos ē theotētos elatton eschēkenai eipoi, pneumatos diabolou peplērōmenos tēs geennēs huion xauton apodeiknysi. Hii toinyn palin par᾽ emou zēteite tēn kathairesin Timotheou? -hos kai entautha prisei tēs apostolikēs kathedras, parontos kai Petrou tou episkopou tēs Alexandreōn poleōs, kathę̄rethē hama tǭ didaskalǭ autou Apolinariǭ, hos kai en hēmerą tēs chriseōs tas "opheilomenas timōrias kai basanous hypomenei. ei de tinas kouphoterous peithei ekeinos, hōs tina elpida echōn hostis tēn alēthē elpida tēn eis Christon tę̄ homologią metebale, meta toutou homoiōs apoleitai ystis dē pote bouletai tǭ kanoni tēs ekklēsias antipalaisai. ho theos hymas hygiainontas diaphylattoi, huioi timiōtatoi.s Kai alla de tina synathroisthentes en tę̄ megalę̄ Rhōmę̄ gegraphasi kata diaphorōn haireseōn, haper anankaion phēthēn entheinai tę̄ syngraphę̄.
The all-praiseworthy Damasus too, learning that this heresy had sprung up, deposed and repudiated not only Apolinarius but also Timothy his disciple, and made this known by letter to the bishops who governed the East; I have thought it useful to insert it in my history.
Letter of Damasus, bishop of Rome.
“That your Charity pays the reverence due to the apostolic see, you do yourselves the greatest credit, most honoured sons. For even if we are in the holy church in which the holy apostle sat and taught how we should steer the helm we have received, nevertheless we confess ourselves unequal to the honour. But for this reason we strive in whatever way we can, in case we may be able to attain to the glory of his blessedness. Know, then, that we long ago deposed the profane Timothy, the disciple of Apolinarius the heretic, together with his impious doctrine, and we do not believe that his remnants will have any force from now on. But if that old serpent, bitten once and twice, revives for his own punishment, who is outside the church, who does not cease trying to overthrow certain unbelievers with his deadly poisons, avoid this as a pestilence. Nevertheless, remembering the apostolic faith, especially that which was set forth in writing by the fathers at Nicaea, remain immovable in the faith on a firm footing, and do not allow your clergy or laity to listen to vain talk and empty questions against it. For we have already once given a rule, that whoever knows himself to be a Christian should keep what was handed down by the apostles, as holy Paul says: ‘If anyone preaches to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let him be accursed.’ For Christ the Son of God our Lord gave to the human race through his own passion the fullest salvation, so as to free from all sin the whole man held in sins. If anyone should say that he had less either of humanity or of divinity, he is filled with the spirit of the devil and shows himself a son of Gehenna. Why, then, do you again ask me for the deposition of Timothy? He was deposed here too, by the judgment of the apostolic see, in the presence of Peter, bishop of the city of the Alexandrians, together with his teacher Apolinarius, who will also undergo the due punishments and torments on the day of judgment. And if he persuades some lighter-minded people, as though having some hope, he who has changed the true hope in Christ by his confession, whoever wishes to wrestle against the rule of the church will likewise perish with him. May God keep you in health, most honoured sons.”
The bishops assembled in great Rome also wrote some other things against various heresies, which I have thought it necessary to insert in my history.
Gal 1:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Rev 12:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 6:20 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 23:15 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret quotes Damasus's letter to the eastern bishops confirming the deposition of Apolinarius and his disciple Timothy and urging them to hold to the Nicene faith and to Christ's complete humanity and divinity.
- The section begins with Theodoret's introduction (“The all-praiseworthy Damasus too ...”), as NPNF's chapter 10 does; checked.
- Document: letter of Damasus to the eastern bishops (about 377–378); not otherwise published on this site. The Greek is a translation from Latin and is awkward in places (e.g. “as though having some hope”); translated by sense.
- “If anyone preaches ...”: Gal 1:8. “That old serpent”: Rev 12:9.
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.10 (GCS 19:295–297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-10
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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.
5.11GCS 19:297–302
Ἐπειδὴ μετὰ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ σύνοδον αὕτη ἡ πλάνη ἀνέκυψεν ὥστε τολμᾶν τινας βεβήλῳ στόματι εἰπεῖν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον γεγενῆσθαι διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ἀναθεματίζομεν τοὺς μὴ μετὰ πάσης ἐλευθερίας κηρύττοντας σὺν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ τῆς μιᾶς καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς οὐσίας τε καὶ ἐξουσίας ὑπάρχειν τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα. Ὁμοίως δὲ ἀναθεματίζομεν καὶ τοὺς τῇ τοῦ Σαβελλίου ἀκολουθοῦντας πλάνῃ, τὸν αὐτὸν λέγοντας καὶ πατέρα εἶναι καὶ υἱόν. Αἀναθεματίζομεν "ἄρειον καὶ Εὐνόμιον, οἱ τῇ ἴσῃ δυσσεβείᾳ, εἰ καὶ τοῖς ῥήμασι διαφέροντες, τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον πνεῦμα κτίσμα εἶναι διισχυρίζονται. Αναθεματίζομεν τοὺς Πακεδονιανούς, οἵτινες ἐκ τῆς τοῦ Ἀρείου ᾿δίζης καταγόμενοι οὐχὶ τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἀλλὰ τὴν προσηγορίαν ἐνήλλαξαν. Αναθεματίζομεν Φωτεινόν, ὃς τὴν τοῦ ᾿Ββίωνος αἵρεσιν ἀναχαινίζων τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν μόνον ἐκ τῆς }ιαρίας οὐμολόγει. ἐ᾿Αναθεματίζομεν καὶ τοὺς δύο υἱοὺς εἶναι διισχυριζομένους, ἕνα πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων καὶ ἄλλον μετὰ τὴν τῆς σαρχὸς ἐκ τῆς Λ]αρίας "ἀνάληψιν. "᾿ναθεματίζομεν κἀκείνους οἵτινες ἀντὶ λογικῆς ψυχῆς διισχυρίζονται ὅτι ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος ἐστράφη ἐν τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ σαρχί. αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ υἱὸς ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος οὐχὶ ἀντὶ τῆς λογικῆς καὶ νοερᾶς ψυχῆς ἐν τῷ ἑαυτοῦ σώματι γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν, τουτέστε λογικὴν καὶ νοεράν, ἄνευ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ψυχὴν ἀνέλαβέ τε καὶ ἔσωσεν. "Αναθεματίζομεν καὶ τοὺς λέγοντας τὸν λόγον τοῦ θεοῦ τῇ ὃ ᾿ἐκτάσει. καὶ τῇ συστολῇ ἀπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς χκεχωρίσθαι, καὶ ἀνυπόστατον αὐτὸν ἢ) μέλλειν τελευτᾶν βλασφημοῦντας. Τοὺς δὲ ἀπὸ ἐκκλησιῶν εἰς ἑτέρας ἐκκλησίας μετελθόντας ἄχρι τοσούτου ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας κοινωνίας ἀλλοτρίους ἔχομεν, ἄχρις οὐ πρὸς αὐτὰς ἐπω!έλθοσι τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς πρῶτον ἐχειροτονήθησαν. ἐὰν δέ τις, ἄλλου ἀπὸ τόπου εἰς τόπον μετελθόντος, ἐν τόπῳ τοῦ ζῶντος ἐχειροτονήθη, ἄχρε τοσούτου σχολάσῃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱερατικοῦ ἀξιώματος ὁ τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν καταλείψας ἄχρις οὗ ὁ διαδεξάμενος "αὐτὸν ἀναπαύσηται ἐν κυρίφ. Εἴ τις μὴ εἴπῃ ἀεὶ τὸν πατέρα καὶ ἀεὶ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ ἀεὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον εἶναι, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἴ τις μὴ εἴπῃ τὸν υἱὸν γεννηθέντα ἐκ τοῦ πατρός, τουτέστιν ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας τῆς θείας αὐτοῦ, ἀνάθεμα ἔστο. Εἴ τις μὴ εἴπῃ ἀληθινὸν θεὸν τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς ἀληθινὸν θεὸν τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάντα δύνασθαι καὶ πάντα εἰδέναι. καὶ τῷ πατρὶ ἴσον, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εὶ τις εἴπῃ ὅτι ἐν σαρκὶ διάγων ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ὅτε ἢν ἐν τῇ γῇ. ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ σὺν τῷ πατρὶ οὐκ ἢν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. "Εἴ τις εἴπῃ οτι ἐν τῷ πάθει τοῦ σταυροῦ τὴν ὀδύνην ὑπέμεινεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ θεός, καὶ οὐχὶ ἡ σὰρξ σὺν τῇ φυχῇ ἥνπερ ἐνεδύσατο "μορφὴν δούλου ἥνπερ ἑαυτῷ ἀνέλαβεν, ὡς εἴρηκεν ἡ ἁγία γραφή, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἴτις μὴ εἴπῃ ὅτι ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ ἥνπερ ἀνέλαβε καθέξεται ἐν τῇ δεξιᾷ τοῦ πατρός, ἐν ἧ καὶ ἐλεύσεται κρῖναι ζῶντας καὶ νεκρούς, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἴ τις μὴ εἴπῃ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἀγίον ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι ἀληθῶς καὶ κυρίως, ὡς καὶ τὸν υἱὸν ἐκ τῆς θείας οὐσίας καὶ θεὸν θεοῦ λόγον, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἴ τις μὴ εἴπῃ παντα δυνασθαι τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἀγιο καὶ παντὰ εἰδέναι καὶ πανταχοῦ παρεῖναι, ὡς καὶ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸν πατέρα, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἴ τις εἴπῃ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ποίημα ἢ) διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ γεγενῆσθαι, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἰ τις μὴ εἴπῃ πάντα διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος τὸν πατέρα πεποιηκέναι, τουτέστι τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἴ τις μὴ εἴπῃ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος μίαν θεότητα, ἐξουσίαι", θειότητα, δυναστείαν, μίαν δόξαν, κυριότητα, μίαν βασιλείαν, μίαν θέλησιν καὶ ἀλήθειαν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστο;. Εἴ τις τρία πρόσωπα μὴ εἴπῃ ἀληθινά, τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ ουἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, ἴσα, ἀεὶ ζῶντα, τὰ πάντα κατέχοντα τὰ ὁρατὰ καὶ τὰ ἀόρατα, πάντα δυνάμενα, πάντα κρίνοντα, πάντα ζωοποιοῦντα, πάντα δημιουργοῦντα, πάντα σώξοντα, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Εἴ τις μὴ εἴπῃ προσκυνητὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον παρὰ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ος καὶ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸν πατέρα, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. "Εἴ τις περὶ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καλῶς φρονήσει, περὶ δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος οὐχ ὀρθῶς ἔχει, αἱρετικός ἐστιν ὅτι πάντες οἱ αἱρετικοί, περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος κακῶς φρονοῦντες, ἐν τῇ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ τῶν ἐθνικῶν ἀπιστίᾳ τυγχάνειν ἐλέγχονται. Εἰ τις δὲ μερίσῃ θεὸν τὸν πατέρα λέγων καὶ θεὸν τὸν υἱὸν καὶ θεὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιο, καὶ διισχυρίσαιτο θεοὺς λέγεσθαι καὶ οὐχὶ θεὸν διὰ τὴν μίαν θεότητα καὶ δυναστείαν, ἥνπερ εἶναι πιστεύομεν καὶ οἴδαμεν, τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, θεὸν ἕνα, ὑπεξελόμενος δὲ τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ὡς μόνον ὑπονοήσει τὸν πατέρα θεὸν λέγεσθαι ἢ πιστεύεσθαι ἕνα θεόν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. Τὸ γὰρ ὁνομα τῶν θεῶν καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις καὶ τοῖς πᾶσιν ἁγίοις παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐτέθη καὶ ἐχαρίσθη" περὶ δὲ τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, διὰ τὴν μίαν καὶ ἴσην θεότητα, οὐχὶ τῶν θεῶν ὀνόματα ἀλλὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐνδείκνυται καὶ σημαίνεται, ἵνα πιστεύωμεν ὅτι εἰς πατέρα καὶ υἱὸν καὶ ἅγιον πνεῦμα μόνον βαπτιζόμεθα, καὶ οὐχὶ εἰς τὰ τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων καὶ ἀγγέλων ὀνόματα, οὃς αἱρετικοὶ ος Ιουδαῖοι ἢ ἐθνικοὶ παραφρονοῦντες. αὕτη τοίνυν ἡ τῶν Χριστιαὥν σωτηρία ἐστὶν ὥστε πιστεύοντες τῇ τριάδι, τουτέστι τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ υἱῷ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, καὶ βαπτιζόμενοι εἰς αὐτήν, μίαν θεότητα καὶ δυναστείαν καὶ θειότητα καὶ οὐσίαν, εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύομεν.
Epeidē meta tēn en Nikaią synodon hautē hē planē anekypsen hōste tolman tinas bebēlǭ stomati eipein to pneuma to hagion gegenēsthai dia tou huiou, anathematizomen tous mē meta pasēs eleutherias kēryttontas syn tǭ patri kai tǭ huiǭ tēs mias kai tēs autēs ousias te kai exousias hyparchein to hagion pneuma. Homoiōs de anathematizomen kai tous tę̄ tou Sabelliou akolouthountas planę̄, ton auton legontas kai patera einai kai huion. Aanathematizomen "areion kai Eunomion, hoi tę̄ isę̄ dyssebeią, ei kai tois rhēmasi diapherontes, ton huion kai to hagion pneuma ktisma einai diischyrizontai. Anathematizomen tous Pakedonianous, hoitines ek tēs tou Areiou ᾿dizēs katagomenoi ouchi tēn asebeian alla tēn prosēgorian enēllaxan. Anathematizomen Phōteinon, hos tēn tou ᾿Bbiōnos hairesin anachainizōn ton kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon monon ek tēs }iarias oumologei. e᾿Anathematizomen kai tous dyo huious einai diischyrizomenous, hena pro tōn aiōnōn kai allon meta tēn tēs sarchos ek tēs L]arias "analēpsin. "᾿nathematizomen kakeinous hoitines anti logikēs psychēs diischyrizontai hoti ho tou theou logos estraphē en tę̄ anthrōpinę̄ sarchi. autos gar ho huios ho tou theou logos ouchi anti tēs logikēs kai noeras psychēs en tǭ heautou sōmati gegonen, alla tēn hēmeteran, touteste logikēn kai noeran, aneu tēs hamartias psychēn anelabe te kai esōsen. "Anathematizomen kai tous legontas ton logon tou theou tę̄ ho ᾿ektasei. kai tę̄ systolę̄ apo tou patros chkechōristhai, kai anypostaton auton ē) mellein teleutan blasphēmountas. Tous de apo ekklēsiōn eis heteras ekklēsias metelthontas achri tosoutou apo tēs hēmeteras koinōnias allotrious echomen, achris ou pros autas epō!elthosi tas poleis en hais prōton echeirotonēthēsan. ean de tis, allou apo topou eis topon metelthontos, en topǭ tou zōntos echeirotonēthē, achre tosoutou scholasę̄ apo tou hieratikou axiōmatos ho tēn idian polin kataleipsas achris hou ho diadexamenos "auton anapausētai en kyriph. Ei tis mē eipę̄ aei ton patera kai aei ton huion kai aei to pneuma to hagion einai, anathema estō. Ei tis mē eipę̄ ton huion gennēthenta ek tou patros, toutestin ek tēs ousias tēs theias autou, anathema esto. Ei tis mē eipę̄ alēthinon theon ton huion tou theou, hōs alēthinon theon ton patera autou, kai panta dynasthai kai panta eidenai. kai tǭ patri ison, anathema estō. Ei tis eipę̄ hoti en sarki diagōn ho huios tou theou, hote ēn en tę̄ gę̄. en tois ouranois kai syn tǭ patri ouk ēn, anathema estō. "Ei tis eipę̄ oti en tǭ pathei tou staurou tēn odynēn hypemeinen ho huios tou theou theos, kai ouchi hē sarx syn tę̄ phychę̄ hēnper enedysato "morphēn doulou hēnper heautǭ anelaben, hōs eirēken hē hagia graphē, anathema estō. Eitis mē eipę̄ hoti en tę̄ sarki hēnper anelabe kathexetai en tę̄ dexią tou patros, en hē kai eleusetai krinai zōntas kai nekrous, anathema estō. Ei tis mē eipę̄ to pneuma to agion ek tou patros einai alēthōs kai kyriōs, hōs kai ton huion ek tēs theias ousias kai theon theou logon, anathema estō. Ei tis mē eipę̄ panta dynasthai to pneuma to agio kai panta eidenai kai pantachou pareinai, hōs kai ton huion kai ton patera, anathema estō. Ei tis eipę̄ to pneuma to hagion poiēma ē) dia tou huiou gegenēsthai, anathema estō. Ei tis mē eipę̄ panta dia tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos ton patera pepoiēkenai, toutesti ta horata kai ta aorata, anathema estō. Ei tis mē eipę̄ tou patros kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos mian theotēta, exousiai", theiotēta, dynasteian, mian doxan, kyriotēta, mian basileian, mian thelēsin kai alētheian, anathema esto?. Ei tis tria prosōpa mē eipę̄ alēthina, tou patros kai tou ouiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos, isa, aei zōnta, ta panta katechonta ta horata kai ta aorata, panta dynamena, panta krinonta, panta zōopoiounta, panta dēmiourgounta, panta sōxonta, anathema estō. Ei tis mē eipę̄ proskynēton to pneuma to hagion para pasēs tēs ktiseōs, os kai ton huion kai ton patera, anathema estō. "Ei tis peri tou patros kai tou huiou kalōs phronēsei, peri de tou hagiou pneumatos ouch orthōs echei, hairetikos estin hoti pantes hoi hairetikoi, peri tou huiou tou theou kai peri tou hagiou pneumatos kakōs phronountes, en tę̄ tōn Ioudaiōn kai tōn ethnikōn apistią tynchanein elenchontai. Ei tis de merisę̄ theon ton patera legōn kai theon ton huion kai theon to pneuma to hagio, kai diischyrisaito theous legesthai kai ouchi theon dia tēn mian theotēta kai dynasteian, hēnper einai pisteuomen kai oidamen, tou patros kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos, theon hena, hypexelomenos de ton huion kai to pneuma to hagion, hōs monon hyponoēsei ton patera theon legesthai ē pisteuesthai hena theon, anathema estō. To gar honoma tōn theōn kai tois angelois kai tois pasin hagiois para tou theou etethē kai echaristhē" peri de tou patros kai tou huiou kai tou hagiou pneumatos, dia tēn mian kai isēn theotēta, ouchi tōn theōn onomata alla tou theou hēmōn endeiknytai kai sēmainetai, hina pisteuōmen hoti eis patera kai huion kai hagion pneuma monon baptizometha, kai ouchi eis ta tōn archangelōn kai angelōn onomata, hoos hairetikoi os Ioudaioi ē ethnikoi paraphronountes. hautē toinyn hē tōn Christiaōn sōtēria estin hōste pisteuontes tę̄ triadi, toutesti tǭ patri kai tǭ huiǭ kai tǭ hagiǭ pneumati, kai baptizomenoi eis autēn, mian theotēta kai dynasteian kai theiotēta kai ousian, eis auton pisteuomen.
[Confession of the catholic faith, which Pope Damasus sent to Bishop Paulinus in Macedonia, when he was in Thessalonica.]
Since after the synod of Nicaea this error arose, that some dared with profane mouth to say that the Holy Spirit came into being through the Son, we anathematize those who do not proclaim with all freedom that the Holy Spirit is of one and the same essence and power with the Father and the Son.
Likewise we anathematize those who follow the error of Sabellius, saying that the same one is Father and Son.
We anathematize Arius and Eunomius, who with equal impiety, though differing in words, affirm that the Son and the Holy Spirit are a creature.
We anathematize the Macedonians, who, descending from the root of Arius, changed not their impiety but their name.
We anathematize Photinus, who, renewing the heresy of Ebion, confessed our Lord Jesus Christ to be only from Mary.
We anathematize also those who affirm that there are two sons, one before the ages and another after the assumption of the flesh from Mary.
We anathematize also those who affirm that the Word of God took the place of the rational soul in the human flesh. For the Son himself, the Word of God, was not in his own body in place of the rational and intellectual soul, but he assumed and saved our soul, that is, rational and intellectual, without sin.
We anathematize also those who say that the Word of God is separated from the Father by extension and contraction, blaspheming that he is without hypostasis and will come to an end.
Those who have passed from churches to other churches we hold strangers to our communion until they return to the very cities in which they were first ordained. And if, when one has passed from place to place, someone has been ordained in the place of the living man, the one who left his own city shall be suspended from the priestly dignity until his successor rests in the Lord.
If anyone does not say that the Father always is, and the Son always, and the Holy Spirit always, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that the Son was begotten from the Father, that is, from his divine essence, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that the Son of God is true God, as his Father is true God, and that he can do all things and knows all things and is equal to the Father, let him be anathema.
If anyone says that while the Son of God lived in the flesh, when he was on earth, he was not in the heavens and with the Father, let him be anathema.
If anyone says that in the passion of the cross God the Son of God endured the pain, and not the flesh with the soul, which he put on, the form of a servant which he took to himself, as the holy Scripture has said, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that in the flesh which he assumed he sits at the right hand of the Father, in which he will also come to judge the living and the dead, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that the Holy Spirit is truly and properly from the Father, as the Son is from the divine essence and God the Word of God, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that the Holy Spirit can do all things, knows all things, and is present everywhere, as the Son and the Father, let him be anathema.
If anyone says that the Holy Spirit is a thing made, or came into being through the Son, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that the Father made all things, that is, things visible and invisible, through the Son and the Holy Spirit, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that there is one divinity of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, one authority, divinity, power, one glory, lordship, one kingdom, one will and truth, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that there are three true persons, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, equal, ever living, holding all things visible and invisible, all-powerful, judging all things, giving life to all things, creating all things, saving all things, let him be anathema.
If anyone does not say that the Holy Spirit is to be worshipped by all creation, as the Son and the Father, let him be anathema.
If anyone thinks rightly about the Father and the Son but does not hold rightly about the Holy Spirit, he is a heretic; for all heretics, thinking wrongly about the Son of God and about the Holy Spirit, are proved to be in the unbelief of the Jews and the pagans.
If anyone divides, saying the Father is God and the Son God and the Holy Spirit God, and affirms that they are called gods and not God because of the one divinity and power which we believe and know to be of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, one God; or, taking away the Son and the Holy Spirit, supposes that only the Father is called God or believed one God, let him be anathema. For the name of gods was given and granted by God to the angels and to all the saints; but of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, because of the one and equal divinity, it is not the name of gods but of our God that is shown and signified, so that we may believe that we are baptized only into the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and not into the names of archangels and angels, as heretics, or as Jews or pagans in their folly. This, then, is the salvation of Christians: that believing in the Trinity, that is, in the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, and being baptized into it, we believe in it as one divinity, power, divinity, and essence.
Phil 2:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 28:19 (allusion, high confidence) · John 3:13 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret gives the anathemas of the Roman synod under Damasus (the “Tome of Damasus”) against Sabellians, Arians, Macedonians, Photinians, Apolinarians, and others, affirming the full divinity and equality of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Christ's complete human soul, and baptism into the one God, Father, Son, and Spirit.
- Document: the “Tome of Damasus” (Roman synod, about 377–382). The heading, printed in the edition before the text, is translated in brackets. Not otherwise published on this site.
- The Greek is a translation from Latin; some lists of nouns (“one divinity, authority, divinity, power”) repeat as printed.
- “The form of a servant”: Phil 2:7.
- Other witnesses (followed by NPNF) have an additional anathema after the one on the passion (“If anyone does not say that the Word of God suffered in the flesh ...”); it is not in the printed text, and may have been lost in the OCR or be absent from the edition. Not supplied.
Topics: Trinity, Christology, Heresy, Baptism, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.11 (GCS 19:297–302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-11
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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.
5.12GCS 19:302–303
Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Γρατιανοῦ περιόντος ἐγένετο. ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐκεῖνος ἔν τε πολέμοις ἀριστεύων καὶ τὰς πόλεις σωφρόνως τε καὶ δικαίως ἰθύνων ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς ἐτελεύτησε, παῖδας μὲν οὐ καταλιπὼν κληρονόμους τῆς βασιλείας, ἀδελφὸν δὲ κομιδῇ νέον ὁμώνυμον τοῦ πατρός, Μάξιμός τις τῆς Βαλεντινιανοῦ καταφρονήσας νεότητος ἥρπασε τὴν τῆς Ἑσπέρας ἡγεμονίαν.
Tauta men oun Gratianou periontos egeneto. epeidē de ekeinos en te polemois aristeuōn kai tas poleis sōphronōs te kai dikaiōs ithynōn ex epiboulēs eteleutēse, paidas men ou katalipōn klēronomous tēs basileias, adelphon de komidę̄ neon homōnymon tou patros, Maximos tis tēs Balentinianou kataphronēsas neotētos hērpase tēn tēs Hesperas hēgemonian.
These things happened while Gratian was living. But when he, excellent in wars and governing the cities with self-control and justice, died by a plot, leaving no children as heirs to the empire, but a very young brother of the same name as his father, a certain Maximus, despising Valentinian's youth, seized the rule of the West.
Notes and citation
Summary: After Gratian's assassination (383) the usurper Maximus seizes the West, despising the youth of Gratian's brother Valentinian II.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.12 (GCS 19:302–303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-12
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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.
5.13GCS 19:303–304
Κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον δὲ τὸν χρόνον Ἰουστίνα, ἡ Βαλεντινιανοῦ μὲν τοῦ μεγάλου γαμετή, τοῦ δὲ νέου μήτηρ, ἃ πάλαι τῆς ᾿Δρειανικῆς διδασχαλίας ἐδέξατο σπέρματα δῆλα πεποίηκε τῷ παιδί... τοῦ μὲν γὰρ ὁμόξυγος τὸ θερμὸν ἐπισταμένη τῆς πίστεως, λαθεῖν ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον ἐσπούδασε. τοῦ δὲ παιδὸς τὸ τῶν φρενῶν ἁπαλὸν καὶ εἕεικτον θεωμένη προσενεγκεῖν τὴν ἐξαπάτην ἐθάρρησεν. ὃ δὲ τῆς μητρὸς τὰς ὑποθήχας ὀνησιφόρους ὑπολαβὼν (εἰς γὰρ τὸ τῆς φύσεως δέλεαρ ἀποβλέπων τὸ θανατηφόρον ἄγκιστρον οὐχ ἑώρα), ᾿ἀμβροσίῳ πρώτῳ τοὺς περὶ τούτων προσενήνοχε λόγους, ἡγούμενος, εἰ τοῦτον μεταπείσοι, τῶν ἄλλων ῥᾳδίως ἂν περιέσεσθαι καὶ οὐδένα ἀντίπαλον ἔσεσθαι. ὁ δὲ τῆς τε τοῦ πατρὸς ἀνεμίμνησχεν εὐσεβείας καὶ τὸν κλῆρον παρεκάλει φυλάττειν ὃν παρέλαβεν ἄσυλον" ἐδίδασκε δὲ καὶ τὴν τῶν δογμάτων διαφοράν, καὶ ὅπως τὰ μὲν τῇ τοῦ κυρίου διδασκαλίᾳ καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων συμβαίνει κηρύγμασι, τὰ δὲ ἄντικρύς ἐστιν ἐναντία καὶ τῇ πνευματικῇ νομοθεσίᾳ μαχόμενα. ὃ δὲ νέος. οἷα δὴ νέος καὶ παρὰ μητρὸς ἠπατημένης θηγόμενος, οὐ μόνον οὐ προσίετο τὰ λεγόμενα. ἀλλὰ χα θυμοῦ πλήρης ἐγίγνετο καὶ λόχοις ὁπλιτῶν τε καὶ πελταστῶν τοὺς ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς περιβόλους ἐκύκλου. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸν μέγιστον ἐκεῖνον ἀριστέα οὐδὲν ἐδεδίξατο τῶν ὑπ᾽ ὅ αὐτοῦ γενομένων (μορμολύκεια γὰρ ὑπέλαβε ταῦτα, μειρακυλλίοις ὑπό τινων προσφερόμενα), τότε δὴ χαλεπήνας προφανῶς αὐτὸν ἐκέλευσε τῶν ἱερῶν ἔξω βῆναι προθύρων. ὁ δέ" νἑκὼν εἶναι τοῦτος, ὃ ἔφη, οὐ δράσω, οὐδὲ προδώσω τοῖς λύκοις τὸν τῶν προβάτων σηκόν, οὐδὲ τοῖς βλασφημοῦσι τὸν θεῖον παραδώσω νεών ἀλλ᾽ εἴ σοι κτεῖναι δοχεῖ, ἔνδον ἐπένεγκέ μοι τὸ ξίφος ἢ τὴν αἰχμήν" ἀσπασίως γὰρ δέξομαι τὴν τοιαύτην σφαγήνε.
Kat᾽ ekeinon de ton chronon Ioustina, hē Balentinianou men tou megalou gametē, tou de neou mētēr, ha palai tēs ᾿Dreianikēs didaschalias edexato spermata dēla pepoiēke tǭ paidi... tou men gar homoxygos to thermon epistamenē tēs pisteōs, lathein hapanta ton chronon espoudase. tou de paidos to tōn phrenōn hapalon kai heeeikton theōmenē prosenenkein tēn exapatēn etharrēsen. ho de tēs mētros tas hypothēchas onēsiphorous hypolabōn (eis gar to tēs physeōs delear apoblepōn to thanatēphoron ankistron ouch heōra), ᾿ambrosiǭ prōtǭ tous peri toutōn prosenēnoche logous, hēgoumenos, ei touton metapeisoi, tōn allōn rhądiōs an periesesthai kai oudena antipalon esesthai. ho de tēs te tou patros anemimnēschen eusebeias kai ton klēron parekalei phylattein hon parelaben asylon" edidaske de kai tēn tōn dogmatōn diaphoran, kai hopōs ta men tę̄ tou kyriou didaskalią kai tois tōn apostolōn symbainei kērygmasi, ta de antikrys estin enantia kai tę̄ pneumatikę̄ nomothesią machomena. ho de neos. hoia dē neos kai para mētros ēpatēmenēs thēgomenos, ou monon ou prosieto ta legomena. alla cha thymou plērēs egigneto kai lochois hoplitōn te kai peltastōn tous ekklēsiastikous peribolous ekyklou. epeidē de ton megiston ekeinon aristea ouden ededixato tōn hyp᾽ ho autou genomenōn (mormolykeia gar hypelabe tauta, meirakylliois hypo tinōn prospheromena), tote dē chalepēnas prophanōs auton ekeleuse tōn hierōn exō bēnai prothyrōn. ho de" nekōn einai toutos, ho ephē, ou drasō, oude prodōsō tois lykois ton tōn probatōn sēkon, oude tois blasphēmousi ton theion paradōsō neōn all᾽ ei soi kteinai dochei, endon epenenke moi to xiphos ē tēn aichmēn" aspasiōs gar dexomai tēn toiautēn sphagēne.
At that time Justina, wife of Valentinian the Great and mother of the young one, made plain to her son the seeds of Arian teaching she had long since received. Knowing the warmth of her husband's faith, she had taken care to remain hidden all the time; but seeing the softness and pliability of her son's mind, she dared to offer the deception. He, thinking his mother's suggestions beneficial (for looking at the bait of nature he did not see the deadly hook), put the matter first to Ambrose, thinking that if he won him over, he would easily overcome the others and there would be no opponent. But Ambrose reminded him of his father's piety and urged him to keep inviolate the inheritance he had received; he also taught him the difference of the doctrines, and how the one agree with the Lord's teaching and the preaching of the apostles, while the other are directly contrary and fight against the spiritual law. The young man, as a young man incited by a deceived mother, not only did not accept what was said, but became full of anger and surrounded the church precincts with companies of heavy-armed and light-armed soldiers. When none of his doings frightened that very great champion (for he considered them bugbears brought out against small boys), then, angered, he openly ordered him to leave the sacred doorway. But he said: “I will not do this willingly, nor betray the fold of the sheep to the wolves, nor hand over the divine temple to blasphemers. But if you decide to kill me, bring the sword or the spear against me inside; for I shall gladly receive such a death.”
John 10:12 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Justina, Valentinian II's mother, draws her son to Arianism; when Ambrose refuses to hand over a church, Valentinian surrounds it with soldiers and orders him out, and Ambrose answers that he will not betray the flock and is ready to die inside.
- The events are those of 385–386 in Milan.
- Theodoret's characterization of Justina is his own; translated as written.
Topics: Persecution, Church office, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.13 (GCS 19:303–304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-13
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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.
5.14GCS 19:304
Χρόνου δὲ συχνοῦ τριβομένου, μεμάθηκε μὲν ὁ άξιμος τὰ κατὰ τοῦ μεγαλοφώνου κήρυκος τῆς ἀληθείας τολμώμενα, ἐπέστειλε δὲ τῷ Βαλεντινιανῷ, τὸν κατὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας πόλεμον καταλῦσαι παρεγγυῶν καὶ παραινῶν μὴ προέσθαι τὴν πατρῴαν εὐσέβειαν' προστέθεικε δὲ καὶ τοῦ πολέμου τὴν ἀπειλὴν εἰ μὴ πείθοιτο, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τοῖς λόγοις τὸ ἔργον ἐπέθηκε. τὴν γὰρ στρατιὰν ἀγείρας ἐπὶ τὴν γ7]εδιὄλανον ὥρμησεν ἔνθα ἐκεῖνος διῆγεν. ὃ δὲ μαθὼν τὴν ἔφοδον εἰς Ἰλλυρίους ὥχετο φεύγων, τῇ πείρᾳ μαθὼν τίνων ἐκ τῆς μητρῴας ἀπώνατο συμβουλῆς.
Chronou de sychnou tribomenou, memathēke men ho aximos ta kata tou megalophōnou kērykos tēs alētheias tolmōmena, epesteile de tǭ Balentinianǭ, ton kata tēs eusebeias polemon katalysai parengyōn kai parainōn mē proesthai tēn patrǭan eusebeian' prostetheike de kai tou polemou tēn apeilēn ei mē peithoito, kai mentoi kai tois logois to ergon epethēke. tēn gar stratian ageiras epi tēn g7]ediolanon hōrmēsen entha ekeinos diēgen. ho de mathōn tēn ephodon eis Illyrious hōcheto pheugōn, tę̄ peirą mathōn tinōn ek tēs mētrǭas apōnato symboulēs.
After a considerable time had passed, Maximus learned what was being dared against the loud-voiced herald of the truth, and wrote to Valentinian, urging him to end the war against true religion and advising him not to abandon his father's piety; and he added the threat of war if he did not obey, and indeed joined deed to word. For gathering his army he marched on Milan, where Valentinian was staying. Valentinian, learning of the attack, fled to Illyricum, having learned by experience what he had gained from his mother's counsel.
Notes and citation
Summary: The usurper Maximus, citing Valentinian II's attacks on Ambrose, threatens war and marches on Milan, and Valentinian flees to Illyricum.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.14 (GCS 19:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-14
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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.
5.15GCS 19:304–305
Πυθόμενος δὲ Θεοδόσιος ὃ πανξύφημος βασιλεὺς τά τε παρὰ τοῦ 1ῦ βασιλέως πραχθέντα καὶ τὰ παρὰ τοῦ τυράννου γραφέντα, ἔγραψε τῷ πεφευγότι νέῳ μὴ,χρῆναι θαυμάζειν, εἰ τῷ μὲν βασιλεῖ τὸ δέος, τῷ δὲ τυράννῳ τὸ κράτος συνέζευκται" τῇ γὰρ εὐσεβείᾳ πεπολέμηκε μὲν ὁ βασιλεύς, ὁ δὲ τύραννος ἐπεχούρησε. καὶ ὁ μὲν ταύτην προἕμενος ἀποδιδράσκει γυμνός, ὁ δὲ ταύτῃ καθωπλισμέγος τοῦ γεγυμνωμένου κρατεῖ τῇ γὰρ εὐσεβείᾳ καὶ ὁ ταύτης σύνεστι νομοθέτης. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἑκὰς ὧν ἐπέστειλεν. ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν φυγὴν μεμαθηκὼς ὃ εἰς ἐπικουρίαν ἀφίκετο καὶ τὴν μὲν οἰκείαν καταλελοιπότα βασιλείαν δὲ τὴν αὐτοῦ παραγενόμενον εἶδε, πρῶτον μὲν τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν θεραπείαν προσήνεγκε καὶ τὴν ἐπιγενομένην τῆς ἀσεβείας ἐξήλασε νόσον κεὶ εἰς τὴν πατρῴαν εὐσέβειαν ἐπανήγαγεν" εἶτα θαρρεῖν παρεγγυήσας καὶ κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου στρατεύσας, ἀναιμωτὶ μὲν τῷ νέῳ τὴν βασιλείαν παρέδωκε. τὸν δὲ τύραννον ἔκτεινεν. ἀδικεῖν γὰρ ὑπέλαβεν καὶ τὰς πρὸς Γρατιανὸν γεγενημένας παραβαίνειν συνθήχας, εἰ μὴ ποινὴν τοὺς ἀπεκταγχότας εἰσπράξαιτο τῆς σφαγῆς.
Pythomenos de Theodosios ho panxyphēmos basileus ta te para tou 1y basileōs prachthenta kai ta para tou tyrannou graphenta, egrapse tǭ pepheugoti neǭ mē,chrēnai thaumazein, ei tǭ men basilei to deos, tǭ de tyrannǭ to kratos synezeuktai" tę̄ gar eusebeią pepolemēke men ho basileus, ho de tyrannos epechourēse. kai ho men tautēn proemenos apodidraskei gymnos, ho de tautę̄ kathōplismegos tou gegymnōmenou kratei tę̄ gar eusebeią kai ho tautēs synesti nomothetēs. tauta men oun hekas hōn epesteilen. epeidē de tēn phygēn memathēkōs ho eis epikourian aphiketo kai tēn men oikeian kataleloipota basileian de tēn autou paragenomenon eide, prōton men tę̄ psychę̄ tēn therapeian prosēnenke kai tēn epigenomenēn tēs asebeias exēlase noson kei eis tēn patrǭan eusebeian epanēgagen" eita tharrein parengyēsas kai kata tou tyrannou strateusas, anaimōti men tǭ neǭ tēn basileian paredōke. ton de tyrannon ekteinen. adikein gar hypelaben kai tas pros Gratianon gegenēmenas parabainein synthēchas, ei mē poinēn tous apektanchotas eispraxaito tēs sphagēs.
The all-praiseworthy emperor Theodosius, learning what had been done by the emperor and what had been written by the usurper, wrote to the young fugitive that he should not be surprised if fear was joined to the emperor and power to the usurper; for the emperor had made war on true religion, while the usurper had helped it; the one, having abandoned it, runs away naked, while the other, armed with it, overcomes the one stripped of it; for its lawgiver too is with true religion. This he wrote from afar. But when, learning of the flight, he came to help, and saw him who had left his own realm and come into his, he first applied treatment to his soul, drove out the disease of impiety that had come upon it, and brought him back to his father's piety; then, urging him to take courage and marching against the usurper, he handed over the empire to the young man without bloodshed and killed the usurper. For he thought he would be doing wrong and breaking his agreement with Gratian if he did not exact from the murderers the penalty for the killing.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodosius writes to Valentinian II that his flight is the result of abandoning true religion, receives him, restores him to orthodoxy, defeats and kills Maximus (388), and returns the West to him.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.15 (GCS 19:304–305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-15
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.
5.16GCS 19:305–306
Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐχεῖθεν ἐπάνοδον ἀφίκετο μὲν Ἀμφιλόχιος ὁ θαυμάσιος, οὗ πολλάκις ἐμνήσθην, ἀντιβολῶν τοὺς τῶν Ἀρειανῶν ἐκ τῶν πόλεων ἐξελαθῆναι συλλόγους᾽ ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἀπηνεστέραν ὑπολαβὼν τὴν αἴτησιν οὐκ ἐδέξατο. ὁ δὲ σοφώτατος ᾿ἡμφιλόχιος παραυτίκα σιγήσας μνήμης ἀξίαν ἐξηύρηκεν μηχανὴν. εἴσω γὰρ αὖθις τῶν βασιλείων γενόμενος καὶ παρεστῶτα τῷ βασιλεῖ τὸν υἱὸν Ἀρκάδιον θεασάμενος (νεωστὶ δὲ οὗτος χεχειροτόνητο βασιλεύς), αὐτὸν μὲν ἠσπάσατο συνήθως τὸν βασιλέα, ἀγέραστον δὲ κατέλιπε τὸν υἱόν. ὁ δὲ βασιλεύς, ἐπιλησθῆναι νομίσας τὸν Ἀμφιλόχιον, προσελθεῖν καὶ ὃ φιλῆσαι προσέταξε τὸν υἷόν᾽ ὁ δὲ ἀποχρῆν ἔφη τὴν αὐτῷ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ προσενεχθεῖσαν τιμήν. ὁ δὲ δυσχεράνας οἰκείαν ἐκάλει παροινίαν τὴν τοῦ παιδὸς ἀτιμίαν. τηνικαῦτα λοιπὸν ὃ σοφώτατος ᾿ἀμφιλύχιος ἐκκαλύπτει τὸν τοῦ γεγενημένου σκοπὸν καὶ βοῶν ἔφη" ὁρᾷς, ὦ βασιλεῦ. ὅπως οὐ φέρεις τὴν τοῦ παιδὸς ἀτιμίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς εἰς τοῦτον παροινοῦσι χαλεπαίνεις πικρῶς. πίστευσον δὴ οὖν καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων θεὸν τοὺς τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ βλασφημοῦντας βδελύττεσθθαι, καὶ οἷς ἀχαρίστους περὶ τὸν σωτῆρα καὶ εὐεργέτην γεγενημένους μισεῖνε. οὕτω συνεὶς ὁ βασιλεὺς καὶ τά τὸ πεπραγμένα καὶ τὰ εἰρημένα θαυμάσας, νόμον εὐθὺς ἔγραψε τοὺς τῶν αἱρετικῶν συλλόγους κωλύοντα. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ οὐ ῥάδιον πάσας διαφυγεῖν τοῦ κοινοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πολεμίου τὰς ἄρκυς. πολλάκις γάρ τις διαδρὰς τῆς ἀσελγείας τὸ πᾶθος τῇ τῆς πλεονεξίας περιπείρεται πάγῃ εἰ δὲ καὶ ταύτης κρείττων φανείη, ἑτέρωθεν ἀναφύεται τοῦ φθόνου τὸ βάραθρον᾽ κἂν τοῦτο δὲ πάλιν ὑπερπηδήσῃ, τοῦ θυμοῦ τὸ δίκτυον εὑρήσει προκείμενον" καὶ ἄλλας δὲ μυρίας τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τίθησι ποδοστράβας, ἀγρεύων εἰς ὄλεθρον. καὶ τὰ μὲν πάθη τοῦ σώματος ὑπουργοῦντα ἔχει. ταῖς κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς τεκταινομέναις ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ μηχαναῖς" μόνος δὲ ὁ νοῦς ἐγρηγορὼς περιγίγνεται τῇ περὶ τὰ θεῖα δοπῇ τῶν μῆχανημάτων διαλύων τὴν ῥύμην. τῆς ἀνθρωπείας δὴ οὖν φύσεως καὶ ὁ θαυμάσιος οὗτος μετασχὼν βασιλεὺς καὶ τῶν παθημάτων μετέλαχε, καὶ τῷ δικαίῳ θυμῷ ἀμετρία προσγινομένη ομόν τι καὶ παράνομον εἰργάσατο πᾶάθος. ἐρῶ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο τῆς τῶν ἐντευξομένων εἵνεκα ὠφελείας" οὐ γὰρ μόνον κατηγορίαν ἔχει τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ βασιλέως, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐφημίαν μνήμης ἀξιωτάτην.
Meta de tēn echeithen epanodon aphiketo men Amphilochios ho thaumasios, hou pollakis emnēsthēn, antibolōn tous tōn Areianōn ek tōn poleōn exelathēnai syllogous᾽ ho de basileus apēnesteran hypolabōn tēn aitēsin ouk edexato. ho de sophōtatos ᾿hēmphilochios parautika sigēsas mnēmēs axian exēurēken mēchanēn. eisō gar authis tōn basileiōn genomenos kai parestōta tǭ basilei ton huion Arkadion theasamenos (neōsti de houtos checheirotonēto basileus), auton men ēspasato synēthōs ton basilea, ageraston de katelipe ton huion. ho de basileus, epilēsthēnai nomisas ton Amphilochion, proselthein kai ho philēsai prosetaxe ton huion᾽ ho de apochrēn ephē tēn autǭ par᾽ autou prosenechtheisan timēn. ho de dyscheranas oikeian ekalei paroinian tēn tou paidos atimian. tēnikauta loipon ho sophōtatos ᾿amphilychios ekkalyptei ton tou gegenēmenou skopon kai boōn ephē" horąs, ō basileu. hopōs ou phereis tēn tou paidos atimian, alla tois eis touton paroinousi chalepaineis pikrōs. pisteuson dē oun kai ton tōn holōn theon tous ton huion autou ton monogenē blasphēmountas bdelyttesththai, kai hois acharistous peri ton sōtēra kai euergetēn gegenēmenous miseine. houtō syneis ho basileus kai ta to pepragmena kai ta eirēmena thaumasas, nomon euthys egrapse tous tōn hairetikōn syllogous kōlyonta. Alla gar ou rhadion pasas diaphygein tou koinou tōn anthrōpōn polemiou tas arkys. pollakis gar tis diadras tēs aselgeias to pathos tę̄ tēs pleonexias peripeiretai pagę̄ ei de kai tautēs kreittōn phaneiē, heterōthen anaphyetai tou phthonou to barathron᾽ kan touto de palin hyperpēdēsę̄, tou thymou to diktyon heurēsei prokeimenon" kai allas de myrias tois anthrōpois tithēsi podostrabas, agreuōn eis olethron. kai ta men pathē tou sōmatos hypourgounta echei. tais kata tēs psychēs tektainomenais hyp᾿ autou mēchanais" monos de ho nous egrēgorōs perigignetai tę̄ peri ta theia dopę̄ tōn mēchanēmatōn dialyōn tēn rhymēn. tēs anthrōpeias dē oun physeōs kai ho thaumasios houtos metaschōn basileus kai tōn pathēmatōn metelache, kai tǭ dikaiǭ thymǭ ametria prosginomenē omon ti kai paranomon eirgasato paathos. erō de kai touto tēs tōn enteuxomenōn heineka ōpheleias" ou gar monon katēgorian echei tou thaumastou basileōs, alla kai euphēmian mnēmēs axiōtatēn.
After his return from there, the admirable Amphilochius, whom I have often mentioned, came begging that the assemblies of the Arians be expelled from the cities; the emperor, thinking the request too harsh, did not accept it. The most wise Amphilochius at once kept silent, but found a device worth remembering. Coming into the palace again and seeing standing beside the emperor his son Arcadius (he had lately been proclaimed emperor), he greeted the emperor himself as usual, but left the son without honour. The emperor, thinking that Amphilochius had forgotten, told him to come and kiss his son. He said that the honour paid to the emperor himself was enough. The emperor, vexed, called the dishonour of his son an insult to himself. Then the most wise Amphilochius revealed the purpose of what had been done, and said aloud: “You see, emperor, how you do not bear the dishonour of your son, but are bitterly angry with those who insult him. Believe, then, that the God of the universe too abhors those who blaspheme his only-begotten Son, and hates them as ungrateful toward their Saviour and Benefactor.” The emperor, understanding this and marvelling at what was done and said, at once wrote a law forbidding the assemblies of the heretics.
But it is not easy to escape all the nets of the common enemy of mankind. For often someone who has escaped the passion of licentiousness is pierced by the snare of greed; and if he proves stronger than this too, the pit of envy springs up elsewhere; and if he leaps over this again, he will find the net of anger lying ready; and the enemy sets countless other traps for men, hunting them to destruction. He has the passions of the body as servants of the devices he contrives against the soul; only the mind, when awake, overcomes them, breaking the force of the devices by its inclination toward divine things. This admirable emperor too, having a share in human nature, shared in its passions, and immoderation joined to just anger produced a cruel and lawless deed. I shall tell this too for the benefit of my readers; for it holds not only an accusation of the admirable emperor but also praise most worthy of remembrance.
John 5:23 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Amphilochius of Iconium persuades Theodosius to forbid Arian assemblies by pointedly refusing to greet his son Arcadius; Theodoret then introduces the emperor's own fault through anger.
- Theodosius's laws against heretical assemblies date from 381–383.
Topics: Heresy, Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. eccl. 5.16 (GCS 19:305–306; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-ecclesiastica/5-16
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from Parmentier's Greek text (GCS 19, 1911; OCR by this project); every chapter compared afterwards with Jackson's English in NPNF² 3.