Defence against the Arians 52–69
Greek text: PG 25.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 4 (1892).
Chapter 52
52PG 25:344c–345a
Συγχαίρω κάγὼ ὑμῖν, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, ὅτι τὸν καρπὸν τῆς ἑαυτῶν πίστεως ἐπʼ ὀφθαλμῶν λοιπὸν ὁρᾶτεʼ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἀληθῶς ἄν τις ἴδοι γενόμενον ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καὶ συνεπισκοπου μου Ἀθανασίου, ’ὀν διὰ τὴν καθαρότητα τοῦ βίου, καὶ διὰ τὰς ὑμετέρας εὐχας, Θεὸς ὑμῖν ἀποδίδωσιν. Ἐκ δὴ τούτου συνορᾷν καθαρὰς, ὑμᾶς καὶ μεστὰς ἀγάπης ἀεὶ τὰς εὐχὰς ἀνενηνοχεναι πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. Μνήμονες γὰρ ὄντες τῶν οὐρανίων ἐπαγγελιῶν καὶ τῆς πρὸς αὐτὰς ἀγωγῆς, ἢν ἐκ τῆς διδασκαλίας τοῦ προειρημένου ἀδελφοῦ μου ἐπαιδεύθητε, ἔγνωτε ἀληθῶς καὶ κατά τὴν προσοῦσαν ὑμῖν ὀρθὴν πίστιν κατειλήφατε, ὠς οὐκ ἃν είς τέλος ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ἀποσχοινισθήσεται οὗτος, ὃν ταῖς θεοσιβεστάταις ὐμῶν ψυχαῖς ἀεὶ ὠς παρόντα ἐσχήκατε· Οὐκοῦν οὑ πολλῶν μοι χρεία λόγων πρὸς ὑμὰς ἐπιστέλλοντι. Ὅσα γὰρ ὐμῖν ἂν λεχθῇ παρʼ ἐμοῦ,ταῦτα ἡ ὗμετέρα πίστις προῦλαβε, καὶ πεπλήρωκε κατὰ Θεοῦ χάριν τὰ τῆς κοινῆς πάντων ἡμῶν εὐχῆς, Συγχαίρω τοίνυν ὑμῖν, πάλιν γὰρ ἐρῶ, ὅτι τάς ψυχὰς άκαταμαχήτους ἐν τῇ πίστει τετηρήγατε, καὶ αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ἀδελφῷ μου Ἀθαπάσχων λυπηρὰ, οὐδεμίαν ὥραν ἐπιλήσμων γέγονε τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης καὶ τοῦ ὑμετέρου πόθου. Ei γάρ καὶ τῷ σώματι πρὸς καιρὸν ἔδοξεν ἀφʼ ὑμῶν ἀφελκυσθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τῷ πνεύματι διαπαντὸς ὡς συνὼν ὑμῖν διῆγεν.
Synchairō kagō hymin, agapētoi adelphoi, hoti ton karpon tēs heautōn pisteōs epʼ ophthalmōn loipon horateʼ touto gar kai alēthōs an tis idoi genomenon epi tou adelphou kai synepiskopou mou Athanasiou, ’on dia tēn katharotēta tou biou, kai dia tas hymeteras euchas, Theos hymin apodidōsin. Ek dē toutou synorąn katharas, hymas kai mestas agapēs aei tas euchas anenēnochenai pros ton Theon. Mnēmones gar ontes tōn ouraniōn epangeliōn kai tēs pros autas agōgēs, ēn ek tēs didaskalias tou proeirēmenou adelphou mou epaideuthēte, egnōte alēthōs kai kata tēn prosousan hymin orthēn pistin kateilēphate, ōs ouk han eis telos aphʼ hymōn aposchoinisthēsetai houtos, hon tais theosibestatais ymōn psychais aei ōs paronta eschēkate; Oukoun hou pollōn moi chreia logōn pros hymas epistellonti. Hosa gar ymin an lechthę̄ parʼ emou,tauta hē hymetera pistis proulabe, kai peplērōke kata Theou charin ta tēs koinēs pantōn hēmōn euchēs, Synchairō toinyn hymin, palin gar erō, hoti tas psychas akatamachētous en tę̄ pistei tetērēgate, kai autǭ de tǭ adelphǭ mou Athapaschōn lypēra, oudemian hōran epilēsmōn gegone tēs hymeteras agapēs kai tou hymeterou pothou. Ei gar kai tǭ sōmati pros kairon edoxen aphʼ hymōn aphelkysthēnai, alla tǭ pneumati diapantos hōs synōn hymin diēgen.
I too rejoice with you, beloved brothers, that you now see before your eyes the fruit of your faith. For one may truly see this in the case of my brother and fellow bishop Athanasius, whom God restores to you because of the purity of his life and because of your prayers. From this one may see that you have always offered up to God prayers pure and full of love. For, mindful of the heavenly promises and of the conduct that leads to them, in which you were trained by the teaching of my aforesaid brother, you knew truly, and grasped by the right faith that is in you, that he would not be cut off from you for ever whom in your most God-fearing souls you have always held as present. So I need not use many words in writing to you; for whatever I might say to you, your faith has anticipated, and by the grace of God has fulfilled the common prayer of us all. I rejoice with you, then—I say it again—that you have kept your souls invincible in the faith; and I rejoice too with my brother Athanasius himself, that, though … suffering grievous things, he has not for one hour forgotten your love and your longing. For though in body he seemed for a time to be torn from you, yet in spirit he lived always as one with you.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Julius congratulates the Alexandrians that God has restored their bishop in answer to their faith and prayers.
- A few words are lost in the scan after “my brother Athanasius” (“…”).
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 52 (PG 25:344c–345a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-52). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 53
53PG 25:345b
Ἐπανέρχεται τοίνυν πρὸς ὑμὰς λαμπρότερος νῦν, ἢ ἀτε παρʼ ὐμῶν ἀπεδήμησεν. Ei γὰρ καὶ τὰς τιμίας ὕλας, χρυσὸν δὴ καὶ ἄργυρον, εἷς καθαρότητα τὸ πῦρ δοκιμάζει, τί ἄν τις εἷʼποι κατʼ ἀξίαν τοῖʼ) τοσούτου ἀνδρὸς, ὃς, κινδύνους τοσούτων θλίψεων νικήσας, ἀποδίδοται ύμῖν ἀθῶος οὐ παρʼ ἡμῶν μόνον, ἀλλά καὶ παρὰ πάσης τῆς συνόδου ἀποδειχθείς ; Ὑποδέξασθε τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, μετὰ πάσης τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν δόξης καί χαρᾶς τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ὐμῶν Ἀθανάσιον μετά τούτων οίτινες αύιῷ καὶ τῶν τοσούτων καμάτων κοινωνοὶ γεγόνασιʼ xui χαίρετε τῶν εὐχῶν ἑαυτῶν ἀπολαύοντες, οἳ τὸν ποιμένα τὸν ὐμέτερον, ’ἐνʼ οὕτως εἷʼπω, ποθοῦντα xui διψῶντα τὴν
Epanerchetai toinyn pros hymas lamproteros nyn, ē ate parʼ ymōn apedēmēsen. Ei gar kai tas timias hylas, chryson dē kai argyron, heis katharotēta to pyr dokimazei, ti an tis heiʼpoi katʼ axian toiʼ) tosoutou andros, hos, kindynous tosoutōn thlipseōn nikēsas, apodidotai ymin athōos ou parʼ hēmōn monon, alla kai para pasēs tēs synodou apodeichtheis ? Hypodexasthe toinyn, agapētoi adelphoi, meta pasēs tēs kata Theon doxēs kai charas ton episkopon ymōn Athanasion meta toutōn oitines auiǭ kai tōn tosoutōn kamatōn koinōnoi gegonasiʼ xui chairete tōn euchōn heautōn apolauontes, hoi ton poimena ton ymeteron, ’enʼ houtōs heiʼpō, pothounta xui dipsōnta tēn
He returns to you, then, more glorious now than when he departed from you. For if fire tests even precious materials, gold and silver, for purity, what could one say worthily of so great a man, who, having overcome the dangers of so many afflictions, is restored to you, shown to be innocent not by us only but by the whole synod? Receive, then, beloved brothers, with all godly glory and joy, your bishop Athanasius, together with those who have shared in his so many labors; and rejoice in obtaining your prayers, you who … your shepherd, longing, so to speak, and thirsting for …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Pet 1:7 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Julius tells the Alexandrians to receive Athanasius with joy, as one proved like gold in the fire and declared innocent by the whole synod.
- The image of gold and silver tested by fire: cf. 1 Pet 1:7; Zech 13:9. The rest of Julius’s letter and the beginning of ch. 54 are lost in the scan; the section breaks off mid-sentence (“…”).
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 53 (PG 25:345b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-53). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 55
55PG 25:348a–349b
Μετᾶ τούτων ἐλθόντα με γνησίως ἑώρακεν 6 ΝΙΚΗΤΗΣ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΟΣ Μέγιστος σεβαστός Ἐπισκόποις καὶ ’πρεσβυτέροις τῆς Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Οὐκ ἀπελείφθη τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτος 6 αἰδε- Ἐπιστολὴ δευτέρα. νοιάν τινα ἢ στάσιν ἐν ὑμῖν κινηθῆναι, ὑπεναντίον τῆς τῶν ἡμετέρων καιρῶν εὐμοιρίας. Καὶ τούτε μὲν ἀπεῖναι ἀφʼ ὑμῶν παντελῶς βουλόμεθα, τὸ δὲ ταῖς εὐχαῖς ὑμᾶς διαρκῶς αὐτῷ, ὡς προείρηται, προστάτῃ καὶ ἐπικούρῳ χρωμένους πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον, ἐμμένειν συνήθως παραιυοῢμενο ὡς ἂν τῆς τοιαύτης ὑμῶν προθέσεως, εἷς τὰς ἁπάντων εὐχὰς διαβαινούσης, καὶ οἱ ἐκ τῶν ἐθνῶν τῇ τῶν εἰδώλων πλάνῃ ἔτι καὶ νῦν προσανέχοντες ἐπὶ τήν τῆς ἱερᾶς θρησκείας ἐρίγνωσιν προθυμότατα σπεύδοιεν, ἀγαπητοί. Καὶ αὖθις οὖν παραινοῦμεν τοῖς προειρημένοις ἐμμένειν, τὸν δὲ ἐπίσκοπον ψήφῳ τοῦ κρείττονος, καὶ ἡμετέρᾳ γνώμῃ ἀπεσταλμένον, ἡδέως δέξασθε, καὶ πάσῃ ψυχῇ καὶ γνώμῃ ἀσπαστὸν ’ἱγήσασθε · τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὑμῖν πρέπει, καὶ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ πραότητι προσήκειν συνέστηκεν. Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τοῦ πᾶσαν ἀνασοβῆς καὶ στάσεως πρόφασιν περιαιρεθῆναι τῶν ἐθελοκακίᾳ χρωμένων, τοῖς παρʼ ὑμῖν δικασταῖς διὰ γραμμάτων προσετάξαμεν, ἅπαντας οὖς ἂν στασιώδεις καταμάθοιεν, τῇ τῶν νόμων ὑποβάλλειν ἐκδικίᾳ. Ἀμφότεροι τοίνυν συνορῶντες, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέναν μετὰ τοῦ κρείττονος γνώμην, καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν καὶ τῆς ὁμονοίας λόγον, καί τὴν κατὰ τῶν ἀτάκτων τιμωρίαν, τὰ πρέτοντα καὶ ἁρμόζοντα τῷ τῆς ἱερᾶς θρησκείας θεσμῷ διαφυλάττοντες, τὸν προειρημένον δια πάσης αἰδοῦς καὶ τιμῆς ἄγοντες, τὰς εὐχὰς ἅμα αὐτῷ ὑπέρ τε ἑαυτῶν καὶ τῆς τοῦ βίου παντὸς εὐνομίας, τῷ τῶν ὅλων Πατρὶ Θεῷ ἀναπέμπειν σπουδάσατε.
Meta toutōn elthonta me gnēsiōs heōraken 6 NIKĒTĒS KŌNSTANTIOS Megistos sebastos Episkopois kai ’presbyterois tēs Katholikēs Ekklēsias. Ouk apeleiphthē tēs tou Theou charitos 6 aide- Epistolē deutera. noian tina ē stasin en hymin kinēthēnai, hypenantion tēs tōn hēmeterōn kairōn eumoirias. Kai toute men apeinai aphʼ hymōn pantelōs boulometha, to de tais euchais hymas diarkōs autǭ, hōs proeirētai, prostatę̄ kai epikourǭ chrōmenous pros to Theion, emmenein synēthōs paraiyoÿmeno hōs an tēs toiautēs hymōn protheseōs, heis tas hapantōn euchas diabainousēs, kai hoi ek tōn ethnōn tę̄ tōn eidōlōn planę̄ eti kai nyn prosanechontes epi tēn tēs hieras thrēskeias erignōsin prothymotata speudoien, agapētoi. Kai authis oun parainoumen tois proeirēmenois emmenein, ton de episkopon psēphǭ tou kreittonos, kai hēmeterą gnōmę̄ apestalmenon, hēdeōs dexasthe, kai pasę̄ psychę̄ kai gnōmę̄ aspaston ’higēsasthe ; touto gar kai hymin prepei, kai tę̄ hēmeterą praotēti prosēkein synestēken. Hyper gar tou pasan anasobēs kai staseōs prophasin periairethēnai tōn ethelokakią chrōmenōn, tois parʼ hymin dikastais dia grammatōn prosetaxamen, hapantas ous an stasiōdeis katamathoien, tę̄ tōn nomōn hypoballein ekdikią. Amphoteroi toinyn synorōntes, kai tēn hēmetenan meta tou kreittonos gnōmēn, kai ton hyper hymōn kai tēs homonoias logon, kai tēn kata tōn ataktōn timōrian, ta pretonta kai harmozonta tǭ tēs hieras thrēskeias thesmǭ diaphylattontes, ton proeirēmenon dia pasēs aidous kai timēs agontes, tas euchas hama autǭ hyper te heautōn kai tēs tou biou pantos eunomias, tǭ tōn holōn Patri Theǭ anapempein spoudasate.
With these I came, and the Victor Constantius received me kindly … “Constantius Victor Maximus Augustus to the bishops and presbyters of the catholic Church. The most reverend … has not been left without the grace of God … ” Second letter. “… any discord or faction be stirred up among you, contrary to the good fortune of our times. That this should be wholly far from you we wish; and we exhort you to persevere, as you are accustomed, in your prayers, using him constantly, as was said before, as your champion and helper before God; so that, when such a purpose of yours passes into the prayers of all, even those of the pagans who still cling to the error of idols may hasten most eagerly to the knowledge of the holy religion, beloved. Again, therefore, we exhort you to abide by what has been said: receive gladly the bishop sent back by the vote of the Almighty and by our judgment, and regard him as welcome with all your soul and mind; for this befits you and is consistent with our gentleness. For in order that every pretext for disturbance and faction may be taken away from those who are wilfully wicked, we have commanded your magistrates by letter to subject to the vengeance of the laws all whom they find seditious. Considering, therefore, both our judgment, which accords with that of the Almighty, and our concern for you and for concord, and the punishment for the disorderly, observe what is fitting and suitable to the ordinance of the holy religion, treat the aforesaid with all reverence and honor, and be zealous to offer up prayers together with him for yourselves and for the good order of all life to God, the Father of all.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius tells of his reception by Constantius and quotes the emperor’s letters ordering the clergy and people of Alexandria to receive him and the magistrates to punish disturbers.
- The numeral of chapter 54 was lost in the scan, and much of the text is lost with it: the end of Julius’s letter, the account of Athanasius’s audience, and most of Constantius’s first letter to the clergy. The section begins with the last words of ch. 54 (“With these I came …”); the gaps are marked “…”. The heading “Second letter” stands in the scan inside the lost passage; what follows is the end of an imperial letter (in NPNF² 4 this is ch. 55, to the people of Alexandria). Debris is removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; column letter inside a hyphenated word): [τρεσουτε οι. Ἐκκλησίίκς. → Ἐκκλησίας.; άνασοβἧς καὶ στά- Β σεως → ἀνασοβῆς καὶ στάσεως.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 55 (PG 25:348a–349b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-55). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 56
56PG 25:349b–352a
Ταῦτα γράψας, ἐκέλευσε καὶ τὰ πρότερον παρʼ αὑτοῦ γραφέντα κατʼ ἐμοῦ ἐκ διαβολῆς τῶν περὶ Εὐσέβιον ἀναιρεθῆναι καὶ ἀφανισθῆναι ἀπὸ τῶν τάξεων τοῦ τε δουκὸς καὶ τοῦ ἐπάρχου τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ἀποσταλεὶς Εὐσέβιος ὁ δεκουρίων, ἔλαβεν αὐτα ἀπὸ τῶν τάξεων, καὶ ἔστι τὰ γραφέντα ταῦτα ο τουργησίαν, ἢν ἀεὶ εἶχον, ἢν καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ κΛηρικοὶ ἔχουσιν, ἵνʼ, οὕτως ἔχοντες xui αὐτοὶ, χαίρωσιν.
Tauta grapsas, ekeleuse kai ta proteron parʼ hautou graphenta katʼ emou ek diabolēs tōn peri Eusebion anairethēnai kai aphanisthēnai apo tōn taxeōn tou te doukos kai tou eparchou tēs Aigyptou, kai apostaleis Eusebios ho dekouriōn, elaben auta apo tōn taxeōn, kai esti ta graphenta tauta o tourgēsian, ēn aei eichon, ēn kai hoi loipoi kLērikoi echousin, hinʼ, houtōs echontes xui autoi, chairōsin.
Having written this, he ordered that what he had formerly written against me, through the slander of Eusebius and his party, be removed and expunged from the records of the duke and of the prefect of Egypt; and Eusebius the decurion was sent and took it out of the records. And what was written is this: … the immunity which they always had, which the other clergy also have, so that, having it themselves too, they may rejoice.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius reports that Constantius had his earlier hostile orders removed from the official records of Egypt.
- The emperor’s order and the beginning of the following letter are lost in the scan (“…”); the surviving end speaks of the clergy’s immunity from public duties (ἀλειτουργησία).
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 56 (PG 25:349b–352a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-56). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 57
57PG 25:352a–353a
Προπεμφθεὶς οὕτω xui διερχόμενος τήν Συρίαν, συνέτυχον τοῖς μετᾶ τήν Παλαιστίνην ἐπισκόποις καὶ σύνοδον ποιήσαντες έν Ἰερουσαλήμ, γνησίως ἡμᾶς ἀπεδέξαντο, καὶ αὐτοὶ μετʼ εἰρήνης προέπεμψαν, καὶ ἔγραψαν πρὸς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν καὶ τοὺς ἐπισκόπους ταῦτα. Η ΑΓΙΑ ΣΥΝΟΔΟΣ Ἡ έν Ἱεροσολύμοις συναχθεῖσα, τοῖς ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ κα),Λιβύςζις ’ ςυλλέὶτουργοῖς,,καὶῃ τοῖς ἐν ξΑλεξανδρείᾳπρεσβυτέροις Αʼκαὶ ᾇδιακόνοις- καὶ … ποθεινοτάτοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐν κυρίῳχαίρειν. Κατʼ ἀξίαν τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ σύχαριστεῖν οὐκ ἀρκοῦμεν, ἀγαπητοί, ἐφʼ οἷς θαυμασίοις ἐποίησε … πάντοτε, ἐποίησε δὲ καὶ νῦν μετὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας Ἐκκλησίας, τὸν ποιμένα ὑμῶν καὶ κύριον, καὶ συλλειτσυργὸν ἡμῶν Ἀθανάσιον ἀποδοὺς ὑμῖν. Τίς γὰρ ἤλπισέ ποτε ταῦτα ὀφθαλμοῖς ἰδεῖν, ἃ νῦν ὑμεῖς ἔργῳ ἀπολαμβάνετες Ἀληθῶς αἱ προσευχαὶ ὑμῶν εἰσηκούσθησαν παρά τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ, τῷ κηδομένῳ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ Ἐκκλησίας καὶ ἐπιδόντι ὑμῶν τὰ δάκρυα καὶ τοὺς ὀδυρμοὺς, καὶ δια τοῦτο τῶν δεήσεων ὑμῶν ἐπακούσαντι. Ἦτε γὰρ ὡς πρόβατα έῤῥιμμένα καὶ έσκυλμένα μή ἔχοντα ποιμέναο διὰ τοῦτο ἐπεσκέψατο ὑμᾶς ὁ ἀληθινὸς ποιμὴν οὐρανόθεν, ὁ τῶν ἰδίων προβάτων κηδόμενος,ἀποδοὺς ὑμῖν ὃν ἐπιθυμεῖτε, Ἰδοῦ γὰρ καὶ ἡμεῖς πάντα ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐκκλησιαπικῆς εἰρήνης πράττοντες, καὶ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ συμπνέοντες ἀλάπῃ, προλαβόντες αὐτὸν ἠσπασάμεθα, καὶ κοινωνήσαντες διʼ αὐτοῦ ὑμῖν, ταύτας τὰς προσρήσεις διαπεμπόμεθα καὶ τὰς εὐχαριστηρίους ὑμῶν εὐχὰς, ίνέἷδῆτε τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς ἀγάπης τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἡνῶσθαι. Ὀφείλετε δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ο βασιλέων εὔχεσθαι, οἵτινες, καὶ αὐτοὶ γνόντες ’τὸν πόθον ὑμῶν τὸν περὶ αὐτὸν xui τὴν αὐτοῦ καθαρότητα, ἀποκαταστῆσαι αὐτὸν ὑμῖν μετὰ πάσης τιμῆς κατηξίωσαν. Ὑπτίαις οὖν ὑποδεξάμενοι αὐτὸν χερσὶ, xui τὰς ὀφειλομένας περὶ τούτου εὐχαριστηρίους εὐχὰς ἀναπέμψαι τῷ ταῦτα ὑμῖν χαρισαμένῳ Θεῷ σπουδάσατε. ὑπὲρ τοῦ διαπαντὸς ὑμᾶς χαίρειν σὺν Θεῷ καὶ δοξάζειν ἡμῶν τὸν Κύριον ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, διʼ οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ ἡ δόξα εἷς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. Τῶν δὲ ὑπογραψάντων τὰ ὀνόματα, εἷ καὶ φθάσας ἐδήλωσα, ἀλλὰ καὶ νῦν ἔγραψα· εἶσὶ γὰρ Μάξιμος, Ἀέτιος, Ἀρειος, Θεόδωρος, Γερμανὸς, Σπλουανὸς, Παῦλος, Πατρίκιος, Ἐλπίδιος, Γερμανὸς, Εύσέβιος, Ζηνόβιος, Παῦλος, Μακρῖνος, Πέτρος, Κλαύδιος.
Propemphtheis houtō xui dierchomenos tēn Syrian, synetychon tois meta tēn Palaistinēn episkopois kai synodon poiēsantes en Ierousalēm, gnēsiōs hēmas apedexanto, kai autoi metʼ eirēnēs proepempsan, kai egrapsan pros tēn Ekklēsian kai tous episkopous tauta. Ē AGIA SYNODOS Hē en Hierosolymois synachtheisa, tois en Aigyptǭ ka),Libyszis ’ sylleitourgois,,kaię̄ tois en xAlexandreiąpresbyterois Aʼkai hądiakonois- kai … potheinotatois adelphois en kyriǭchairein. Katʼ axian tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ sycharistein ouk arkoumen, agapētoi, ephʼ hois thaumasiois epoiēse … pantote, epoiēse de kai nyn meta tēs hymeteras Ekklēsias, ton poimena hymōn kai kyrion, kai sylleitsyrgon hēmōn Athanasion apodous hymin. Tis gar ēlpise pote tauta ophthalmois idein, ha nyn hymeis ergǭ apolambanetes Alēthōs hai proseuchai hymōn eisēkousthēsan para tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ, tǭ kēdomenǭ tēs heautou Ekklēsias kai epidonti hymōn ta dakrya kai tous odyrmous, kai dia touto tōn deēseōn hymōn epakousanti. Ēte gar hōs probata errhimmena kai eskylmena mē echonta poimenao dia touto epeskepsato hymas ho alēthinos poimēn ouranothen, ho tōn idiōn probatōn kēdomenos,apodous hymin hon epithymeite, Idou gar kai hēmeis panta hyper tēs ekklēsiapikēs eirēnēs prattontes, kai tę̄ hymeterą sympneontes alapę̄, prolabontes auton ēspasametha, kai koinōnēsantes diʼ autou hymin, tautas tas prosrēseis diapempometha kai tas eucharistērious hymōn euchas, ineidēte tǭ syndesmǭ tēs agapēs tēs pros auton kai hēmas hēnōsthai. Opheilete de kai hyper tēs eusebeias tōn theophilestatōn o basileōn euchesthai, hoitines, kai autoi gnontes ’ton pothon hymōn ton peri auton xui tēn autou katharotēta, apokatastēsai auton hymin meta pasēs timēs katēxiōsan. Hyptiais oun hypodexamenoi auton chersi, xui tas opheilomenas peri toutou eucharistērious euchas anapempsai tǭ tauta hymin charisamenǭ Theǭ spoudasate. hyper tou diapantos hymas chairein syn Theǭ kai doxazein hēmōn ton Kyrion en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, diʼ hou tǭ Patri hē doxa heis tous aiōnas. Amēn. Tōn de hypograpsantōn ta onomata, hei kai phthasas edēlōsa, alla kai nyn egrapsa; eisi gar Maximos, Aetios, Areios, Theodōros, Germanos, Splouanos, Paulos, Patrikios, Elpidios, Germanos, Eusebios, Zēnobios, Paulos, Makrinos, Petros, Klaudios.
Sent on my way thus, and passing through Syria, I met the bishops of Palestine; and having held a synod at Jerusalem they received us kindly, themselves sent us on our way in peace, and wrote to the church and the bishops as follows. “The holy synod assembled at Jerusalem to the fellow ministers in Egypt and Libya, and to the presbyters and deacons and … at Alexandria, most longed-for brothers, greeting in the Lord. We are not able to give worthy thanks to the God of all, beloved, for the wonders he has … always done, and has done now with your church, restoring to you your shepherd and lord, our fellow minister Athanasius. For who ever hoped to see with his eyes what you now enjoy in fact? Truly your prayers have been heard by the God of all, who cares for his Church and has looked on your tears and laments, and therefore has heard your petitions. For you were like sheep scattered and harassed, having no shepherd; therefore the true Shepherd from heaven, who cares for his own sheep, has visited you, restoring to you him whom you desire. For see, we too, doing everything for the peace of the Church and breathing together with your love, have been the first to embrace him; and having entered into communion with you through him, we send you these greetings and our prayers of thanksgiving, so that you may know that we are united with him and with you in the bond of love. You ought also to pray for the piety of the most God-loving emperors, who, learning of your longing for him and of his innocence, have deigned to restore him to you with all honor. Receive him, then, with open hands, and be zealous to offer up to God, who has granted you these things, the prayers of thanksgiving owed for this, so that you may always rejoice with God and glorify our Lord in Christ Jesus our Lord, through whom be glory to the Father for ever. Amen.” The names of those who signed, though I mentioned them before, I have written now also: they are Maximus, Aetius, Arius, Theodorus, Germanus, Silvanus, Paulus, Patricius, Elpidius, Germanus, Eusebius, Zenobius, Paulus, Macrinus, Petrus, Claudius.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 9:36 (allusion, high confidence) · John 10:11 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius quotes the letter of the synod of Jerusalem, which received him on his way home and rejoiced with the Alexandrians at his return.
- The synod of Jerusalem under Maximus (346). “Like sheep scattered and harassed, having no shepherd”: Matt 9:36; the true Shepherd: cf. John 10:11. A few words of the address and of the first sentence are lost (“…”), and Migne’s notes citing Sozomen’s variant readings leaked into the text; the debris is removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's notes (Sozomen's readings) leaked into the text; OCR debris; words lost): καὶ }u@,_&'~(u11g10‘£}; xui' ποθεινοτάτοις → καὶ … ποθεινοτάτοις; ἐποίησε ν, ι ρ.. ς... η...πάντοτε → ἐποίησε … πάντοτε; αὐτὸν κοινων ίας. 48) Sozom. ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ. §_oz. εἷς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνωνι Ἀμήν. φθάσας → φθάσας.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 57 (PG 25:352a–353a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-57). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 58
58PG 25:353a–356a
Ταῦτα βλέποντες Ούρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης, κατέγνωσαν λοιπὸν ἑαυτῶν, καὶ ἀνελθόντες εἷς τὴν Ῥώμην, ἐξωμολογήσαντο καὶ αὐτοὶ μεταγινώσκοντες, συγγνώμην τε ᾐτήσαντο, καὶ ἔγραψαν πρὸς Ἰούλιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον τῆς· πρεσβυτέρας Ῥώμης καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ταῦτα. Τὰ μέντοι ἀντίγραφα ἀπεστάλη μοι παρά Παυλίνου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Τριβἐρων. ἀπὸ τοῦ Ῥωμαϊκοῦ τῆς -πρὸς,Ἰούλιον ἐπιστολῆς περὶ τῆς μετανοίας Ούρσακίου καὶ Οὐάλεντος. Κυρίῳ μακαριωτάτῳ πάπᾳ Ἰουλίῳ Ούρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης. Εʼπειδὴ συνέστηκεν ἡμᾶς πρὸ τούτου πολλά τε καὶ δεινά περὶ ’Δθανασίου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου διὰ γραμμάτων ὑποβεβληκέναι, γράμμασί τε τῆς σῆς χρηστότητος μεθοδευθέντες, τοῦ πράγματος χάριν περὶ οὗ ἐδηλώσαμεν, οὐκ ἠδυνήθημεν λόγον ἀποδοῦναι· ὁμολογοῦμεν παρὰ τῇ σῇ χρηστότητι, παρόντων τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἡμῶν πάντων τῶν πρεσβυτέρων, ὅτι πάντα τά πρὸ τούτου ἐλθόντα εἷς ἀκοὰς ὑμῶν περὶ τοῦ όνόματος τοῦ προειρημένου Ἀθανασίου ψευδῆ καὶ πλαστά ἐστι, πάσῃ τε δυνάμει ἀλλότρια αὑτοῦ τυγχάνει· διά τε τοῦτο ἡδέως ἀντιποιούμεθα τῆς κοινωνίας τοῦ προειρημένου Ἀθανασίου, μάλιστα ὅτι ἡ θεοσέβειά σου, κατὰ τὴν ἔμφυτον ἑαυτῆς καλοκάγαθίαν, τῇ πλάνῃ ἡμῶν κατηξίωσε συγγνώμην δοῦναι. Ὁμολογοῦμεν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἂν ποτε ἡμᾶς οἳ Ἀνατολικοὶ θελήσωσιν, ἢ καὶ αὐτὸς Ἀθανάσιος κακοτρόπως περὶ τούτου εἰς κρίσιν καλέσαι, μὴ ἀπέρχεσθαι παρά γνώμην τῆς σῆς διαθέσεως· τὸν δὲ αἱρετικὸν Ἀρειον καὶ τοὺς ὑπερασπίζοντας αὐ·τοῦ τοὺς λόγοντας, (ι Ἠν ποτε ὅτε οὐκ ἦν ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος ὁ Υἱός ἐστι, ›› καὶ τοὺς ἀρνουμένους τὸν Χριστὸν Θεὸν εἶναι Θεοῦ Υἱὸν πρὸ αἰώνων, καθὼς καὶ ἐν τῷ προτέρῳ λιβἐλλῳ ἑαυτῶν ἐν τῇ Μεδιολάνῳ ἐπιδεδώκαμεν, καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ ἀνα. θεματίζομεν. Ταῦτα δὲ τῇ χειρὶ ἑαυτῶν γράψαντες, ὁμολογοῦμεν πάλιν, ὅτι τήν Ἀρειανὴν αʼίρεσιν, καθά ταύτῃ παρὼν ὑπέγραψα· ὁμοίως καὶ Οὐάλης. ΚΥΡΙῼ ΑΔΕΛΦῼ ΔΘΔΝΑΣῙῼ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠῼ Α Οὐρσάκιος καὶ Οὐάλης ἐπίσκοποι. Ἀφορμήν εὑρόντες διὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ καὶ συμπρεσβυτέρου ἡμῶν Μουσαίου, ἐρχομένου πρὸς τὴν σήν ἀγάπην, ἆδελφὲ ἀγαπητέ, διʼ αὐτοῦ σε καὶ πάνυ προσαγορεύομεν ἀπὸ τῆς ’Δκυλίης, καῖ εὐχόμεθα ὑγιαίνοντα σε τὰ γράμματα τὰ ἡμέτερα ἀναγνῶναι· δώσεις γὰρ καὶ ἡμῖν θαρρεῖν, ἐὰν καὶ σὺ ἐν τῷ γράφειν τὴν ἀμοιβὴν ἡμῖν ἀποδῷς. Γίνωσκε γὰρ ἡμᾶς εἰρήνην ἔχειν μετᾶ σοῦ, καὶ κοινωνίαν ἔχειν ἐκκλησιαπικήν, καὶ τούτου γνώρισμα ἡ διὰ τούτων τῶν γραμμάτων προσηγορία. Ἡ θεία πρόνοιά σε διαφυ- , Τά ’μὲν οὖν γραφέντα ταῦτα, καὶ αὕτη τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἡ ψῆιρος καὶ κρίσις ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. ’Ότι δὲ οὐ κεχαρισμένα πεποιήκασιν, οὐδὲ ἀναγκαζόμενοι παρά τινος, βούλομαι, συγχωρούντων ὑμῶν, ἄνωθεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς διηγήσασθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἵνα γνῶτε, ὡς οἱ μὲν ἐπίσκοποι ὀρθῶς καί δικαίως βουλόμενοι τοιαῦτα ἔγραψαν· ὁ δὲ Οὐάλης καὶ Οὐρσάκιος κᾶν ὀψέ ποτε τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὡμολόγησαν.
Tauta blepontes Oursakios kai Oualēs, kategnōsan loipon heautōn, kai anelthontes heis tēn Rhōmēn, exōmologēsanto kai autoi metaginōskontes, syngnōmēn te ę̄tēsanto, kai egrapsan pros Ioulion ton episkopon tēs; presbyteras Rhōmēs kai pros hēmas tauta. Ta mentoi antigrapha apestalē moi para Paulinou tou episkopou Triberōn. apo tou Rhōmaïkou tēs -pros,Ioulion epistolēs peri tēs metanoias Oursakiou kai Oualentos. Kyriǭ makariōtatǭ papą Iouliǭ Oursakios kai Oualēs. Eʼpeidē synestēken hēmas pro toutou polla te kai deina peri ’Dthanasiou tou episkopou dia grammatōn hypobeblēkenai, grammasi te tēs sēs chrēstotētos methodeuthentes, tou pragmatos charin peri hou edēlōsamen, ouk ēdynēthēmen logon apodounai; homologoumen para tę̄ sę̄ chrēstotēti, parontōn tōn adelphōn hēmōn pantōn tōn presbyterōn, hoti panta ta pro toutou elthonta heis akoas hymōn peri tou onomatos tou proeirēmenou Athanasiou pseudē kai plasta esti, pasę̄ te dynamei allotria hautou tynchanei; dia te touto hēdeōs antipoioumetha tēs koinōnias tou proeirēmenou Athanasiou, malista hoti hē theosebeia sou, kata tēn emphyton heautēs kalokagathian, tę̄ planę̄ hēmōn katēxiōse syngnōmēn dounai. Homologoumen de kai touto, hoti an pote hēmas hoi Anatolikoi thelēsōsin, ē kai autos Athanasios kakotropōs peri toutou eis krisin kalesai, mē aperchesthai para gnōmēn tēs sēs diatheseōs; ton de hairetikon Areion kai tous hyperaspizontas au;tou tous logontas, (i Ēn pote hote ouk ēn ho Huios, kai hoti ek tou mē ontos ho Huios esti, ›› kai tous arnoumenous ton Christon Theon einai Theou Huion pro aiōnōn, kathōs kai en tǭ proterǭ libellǭ heautōn en tę̄ Mediolanǭ epidedōkamen, kai nyn kai aei ana. thematizomen. Tauta de tę̄ cheiri heautōn grapsantes, homologoumen palin, hoti tēn Areianēn aʼiresin, katha tautę̄ parōn hypegrapsa; homoiōs kai Oualēs. KYRIǬ ADELPhǬ DThDNASIǬ EPISKOPǬ A Oursakios kai Oualēs episkopoi. Aphormēn heurontes dia tou adelphou kai sympresbyterou hēmōn Mousaiou, erchomenou pros tēn sēn agapēn, adelphe agapēte, diʼ autou se kai pany prosagoreuomen apo tēs ’Dkyliēs, kai euchometha hygiainonta se ta grammata ta hēmetera anagnōnai; dōseis gar kai hēmin tharrein, ean kai sy en tǭ graphein tēn amoibēn hēmin apodǭs. Ginōske gar hēmas eirēnēn echein meta sou, kai koinōnian echein ekklēsiapikēn, kai toutou gnōrisma hē dia toutōn tōn grammatōn prosēgoria. Hē theia pronoia se diaphy- , Ta ’men oun graphenta tauta, kai hautē tōn episkopōn hē psēiros kai krisis hyper hēmōn. ’Oti de ou kecharismena pepoiēkasin, oude anankazomenoi para tinos, boulomai, synchōrountōn hymōn, anōthen ex archēs diēgēsasthai to pragma, hina gnōte, hōs hoi men episkopoi orthōs kai dikaiōs boulomenoi toiauta egrapsan; ho de Oualēs kai Oursakios kan opse pote tēn alētheian hōmologēsan.
Seeing this, Ursacius and Valens at last condemned themselves; and going up to Rome they confessed and repented, asked pardon, and wrote to Julius, bishop of elder Rome, and to us as follows. The copies were sent to me by Paulinus, bishop of Trier. Translated from the Latin, the letter to Julius on the repentance of Ursacius and Valens: “Ursacius and Valens to the most blessed lord, Pope Julius. Since it is established that we previously put forward in letters many grave charges against Bishop Athanasius, and, when called to account by the letters of your goodness, were unable to give an account of the matter we had reported, we confess before your goodness, in the presence of all our brothers the presbyters, that everything that previously reached your ears concerning the name of the aforesaid Athanasius is false and fabricated, and wholly foreign to him. For this reason we gladly lay hold of communion with the aforesaid Athanasius, especially since your godliness, according to its inborn goodness, has deigned to pardon our error. We confess also that, if ever the Easterners, or even Athanasius himself, should maliciously wish to summon us to trial on this matter, we will not go without your consent. And the heretic Arius and his defenders, who say, ‘There was once when the Son was not,’ and ‘the Son is from what is not,’ and who deny that Christ is God, Son of God before the ages, we anathematize now and always, as we did also in our former petition presented at Milan. Having written this with our own hand, we confess again that the Arian heresy … I, being present, signed this; and likewise Valens.” “Ursacius and Valens, bishops, to the lord brother Athanasius, bishop. Having found an opportunity through our brother and fellow presbyter Musaeus, who is coming to your charity, beloved brother, we greet you very warmly through him from Aquileia, and pray that you may read our letter in good health. You will give us confidence too if you also make us a return in writing. Know that we are at peace with you and in ecclesiastical communion; and the greeting in this letter is the proof of it. May divine providence keep …” This, then, is what was written, and this is the vote and judgment of the bishops in our favor. But that they did not act to do a favor, nor under compulsion from anyone, I wish, with your leave, to recount the matter from the very beginning, so that you may know that the bishops wrote such things rightly, justly, and of their own will, while Valens and Ursacius, though late, confessed the truth.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius quotes the recantation of Ursacius and Valens to Julius, with their anathema of Arius, and their letter of peace to himself, and prepares to recount the affair from its beginning.
- The letter to Julius (about 347) was written in Latin and is given by Athanasius in Greek translation. “There was once when the Son was not” and “from what is not” are the Arian formulas condemned at Nicaea. Words are lost in the scan after “the Arian heresy” and at the end of the letter to Athanasius (“…”). A line of OCR debris is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris inside a hyphenated word): Ὁμοη, un...“ πμ.....α-,ηψπ --Ηηυρημ ww-....μυ λογοῦμεν → Ὁμολογοῦμεν.
Topics: Heresy, Christology
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 58 (PG 25:353a–356a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-58). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-apologia-arianos-58) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 59
59PG 25:356a–360b
Πέτρος παρʼ ἡμῖν πρό μὲν τοῦ διωγμοῦ γέγονεν ἐπίσκοπος, ἐν δὲ τῷ διωγμῷ καί ἐμαρτύρησεν. Οὗτος Μελίτιον ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου λεγόμενον ἐπίσκοπον, ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἐλεγχθέντα παρανομίαις καὶ θυσία, ἐν κοινῇ συνόδῳ τῶν ἐπισκόπων καθεῖλεν. Ἀλλὰ Μελίτιος οὐ πρὸς ἑτέραν σύνοδον κατέφυγεν, οὐδὲ ἐσπούδασεν ἀπολογήσασθαι τοῖς μετᾶ ταῦτα. σχίσμα δὲ πεποίηκε. Καὶ ἀντὶ Χριστιανῶν Μελιτιανοὶ μέχρι νῦν οἱ τῆς ἐκείνου μερίδος ὀνομάζονται, εὐθύς τε τοὺς ἐπισκόπους λοιδορεῖνἤρξατο, καὶ πρῶτον αὐτὸν Πέτρον, καὶ τὸν μετʼ αὐτὸν Ἀχιλλᾶν διέβαλε, καὶ μετὰ Ἀχιλλᾶν Ἀλέξανδρον. Τοῦτο δὲ πανούργως ἔπραττε, μαθὼν καὶ παρά τοῦ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ, τἶνʼ, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τὴν καθαίρεσιν ᾐσχύνετο, κᾶν ταῖς διαβολαῖς ἀπατῆσαί πως τοὺς ἀκεραίους δυνηθῇ. Ταῦτα δὲ πράττοντος τοῦ Μελιτίου, γέγονε καὶ ἡ Ἀρειανὴ αʼίρεσις · ἀλλʼ ἐν τῇ συνόδῳ τῇ κατὰ Νίκαιαν ἠ μὶν αʼίρεσις ἀνεθεματίσθη, καὶ οἱ Ἀρειανοὶ ἐξεβλήθησαν, οἱ δὲ Μελιτιανοὶ ὁπωσδήποτε ἐδέχθησαν ' οὐ γὰρ ἀναγκαῖον νῦν τὴν αἰτίαν ὄνομά, ζειν. Οὔπω γὰρ πέντε μῆνες παρῆιιθον, καὶ ὁ μὲν μακαρίτης Ἀλέξανδρος τετελεύτηκεν· οἱ δὲ Μελιτιανοὶ, δέον ἠρεμεῖν καὶ χάριν ἔχειν, ὅτι κᾶν ὅλως ἐδέχθησαν, οἱ δὲ, κατὰ τοὺς κύνας οὐκ ἐπιλαθόμενοι ὧν ἐξήρασαν, πάλιν τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἐτάραττον. Εὐσέβιος τοίνυν, τοῦτο μαθὼν, καὶ προϊστάμενος τῆς Ἀρειανῆς αἱρέσεως, πέμπει καὶ ὠνεῖται τοὺς Μελιτιανοῦς ἐπὶ πολλαῖς ἐπαγγελίαις· καὶ γίνεται μὲν αὐτῶν κρύφα φίλος, συντάττεται δὲ αὐτοῖς εἰς ὃν ἐβούλετο καιρόν. Τὴν μὲν οὖν ἀρχὴν ποοσέπεμπε προτρέπων δέξασθαί με τοὺς περὶ ’Δρειον, καὶ ἀγράφους μὲν ἠπείλει, γράφων δὲ ἠξίου. Ἐπειδή δὲ ἀντέλεγον, μὴ χρῆναι φάσκων δεχθῆναι τοὺς αἳρεσιν ἐφευρόντας κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ ἀναθεματισθέντας παρὰ τῆς οἷκουμενικῆς συνόδου, ποιεῖ καὶ βασιλέα μοι γράψαι τὸν μακαρίτην Κωνσταντῖνον, ἀπειλὴν ἔχοντα, εί μή λάβοιμι τοὺς περὶἈρειον, ταῦτά με παθεῖν, ἃ πρότερον καὶ νῦν πέπονθα. Τὸ τοίνυν μέρος τῆς ἐπιστολῆς ἐστι τοῦτο, καὶ Παλατῖνοι Συγκλήτιος καὶ Γαυδέντιος ἦσαν οἱ κομίσαντες τὰ γράμματαʼ ουν πρεσβύτεροι ἦσαν, ”Απις καὶ Μακάριος· ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς γράφει καταγινώσκων μὲν Ἱσίωνος, κελεύων δὲ ἐμὲ ἀπαντῆσαι πρὸς αὐτόν. Καὶ τὰ μὲν γραφέντα ἐστὶ ταῦτα.......... Ὀ δὲ Εὐσέβιος μαθὼν, πείθει περιμένειν αὐτούς. Καὶ ἐλθόντος μου, κατηγοροῦσι πάλιν Μακαρίου μὶν περὶ ποτηοίου, ἐμὲ δὲ οὐ τήν τυχοῦσαν διαβολὴν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀνωτάτω πασῶν, ὅτι δή, κατὰ βασιλέως γενόμενος, ἔπεμψα γλωσσόκομον χρυσίου Φιλουμένῳ τινί. '0 μὶν οὖν βασιλεὺς καὶ περὶ ταύτης ἐν τῇ Ψαμμαθίᾳἤκουσεν ἡμῶν, αὐτοὶ δὲ συνήθως καταγνωσθέντες ἐρρίφησαν· καὶ γράφει τοῖς λαοῖς, ἐπανερχο μένων ἡμῶν, ταῦτα, ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ ΜΕΓΙΣΤΟΣ ΣΕΒΔΣΤΟΣ τῷ λαῷ τῷ κατά Ἀλεξάνδρειαν καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας.
Petros parʼ hēmin pro men tou diōgmou gegonen episkopos, en de tǭ diōgmǭ kai emartyrēsen. Houtos Melition apo tēs Aigyptou legomenon episkopon, epi pollais elenchthenta paranomiais kai thysia, en koinę̄ synodǭ tōn episkopōn katheilen. Alla Melitios ou pros heteran synodon katephygen, oude espoudasen apologēsasthai tois meta tauta. schisma de pepoiēke. Kai anti Christianōn Melitianoi mechri nyn hoi tēs ekeinou meridos onomazontai, euthys te tous episkopous loidoreinērxato, kai prōton auton Petron, kai ton metʼ auton Achillan diebale, kai meta Achillan Alexandron. Touto de panourgōs epratte, mathōn kai para tou Abessalōm, tinʼ, epeidē dia tēn kathairesin ę̄schyneto, kan tais diabolais apatēsai pōs tous akeraious dynēthę̄. Tauta de prattontos tou Melitiou, gegone kai hē Areianē aʼiresis ; allʼ en tę̄ synodǭ tę̄ kata Nikaian ē min aʼiresis anethematisthē, kai hoi Areianoi exeblēthēsan, hoi de Melitianoi hopōsdēpote edechthēsan ' ou gar anankaion nyn tēn aitian onoma, zein. Oupō gar pente mēnes parēiithon, kai ho men makaritēs Alexandros teteleutēken; hoi de Melitianoi, deon ēremein kai charin echein, hoti kan holōs edechthēsan, hoi de, kata tous kynas ouk epilathomenoi hōn exērasan, palin tas Ekklēsias etaratton. Eusebios toinyn, touto mathōn, kai proïstamenos tēs Areianēs haireseōs, pempei kai ōneitai tous Melitianous epi pollais epangeliais; kai ginetai men autōn krypha philos, syntattetai de autois eis hon ebouleto kairon. Tēn men oun archēn poosepempe protrepōn dexasthai me tous peri ’Dreion, kai agraphous men ēpeilei, graphōn de ēxiou. Epeidē de antelegon, mē chrēnai phaskōn dechthēnai tous hairesin epheurontas kata tēs alētheias, kai anathematisthentas para tēs hoikoumenikēs synodou, poiei kai basilea moi grapsai ton makaritēn Kōnstantinon, apeilēn echonta, ei mē laboimi tous periAreion, tauta me pathein, ha proteron kai nyn pepontha. To toinyn meros tēs epistolēs esti touto, kai Palatinoi Synklētios kai Gaudentios ēsan hoi komisantes ta grammataʼ oun presbyteroi ēsan, ”Apis kai Makarios; ho de basileus graphei kataginōskōn men Hisiōnos, keleuōn de eme apantēsai pros auton. Kai ta men graphenta esti tauta.......... O de Eusebios mathōn, peithei perimenein autous. Kai elthontos mou, katēgorousi palin Makariou min peri potēoiou, eme de ou tēn tychousan diabolēn, alla tēn anōtatō pasōn, hoti dē, kata basileōs genomenos, epempsa glōssokomon chrysiou Philoumenǭ tini. '0 min oun basileus kai peri tautēs en tę̄ Psammathiąēkousen hēmōn, autoi de synēthōs katagnōsthentes erriphēsan; kai graphei tois laois, epanercho menōn hēmōn, tauta, KŌNSTANTINOS MEGISTOS SEBDSTOS tǭ laǭ tǭ kata Alexandreian katholikēs Ekklēsias.
Peter was bishop among us before the persecution, and in the persecution he also suffered martyrdom. He deposed Meletius, who was called a bishop in Egypt and had been convicted of many lawless acts and of sacrificing, in a common synod of the bishops. But Meletius did not appeal to another synod, nor try to make his defense to those who came after; he made a schism, and those of his party are called to this day Meletians instead of Christians. He at once began to revile the bishops: he slandered first Peter himself, then Achillas after him, and after Achillas, Alexander. This he did craftily, having learned it from Absalom, so that, since he was ashamed because of his deposition, he might at least deceive the simple by his slanders. While Meletius was doing this, the Arian heresy also arose. But at the synod of Nicaea the heresy was anathematized and the Arians were expelled, while the Meletians were received on whatever terms (it is not necessary to name the reason now). Five months had not yet passed when Alexander of blessed memory died; and the Meletians, who ought to have kept quiet and been thankful that they had been received at all, like dogs that do not forget what they have vomited, again troubled the churches. Eusebius, then, learning this, and being the leader of the Arian heresy, sends and buys the Meletians with many promises; he becomes their friend in secret, and arranges with them for the occasion he wished. At first he sent urging me to receive Arius and his party; he threatened me in unwritten messages, but in writing he made requests. And when I refused, saying that those who had invented a heresy against the truth and had been anathematized by the ecumenical synod ought not to be received, he caused the emperor too, Constantine of blessed memory, to write to me, with a threat that unless I received Arius and his party I should suffer what I suffered before and have suffered now. This, then, is the part of the letter, and the palatines Syncletius and Gaudentius were those who brought it: … [60] … the presbyters were Apis and Macarius; and the emperor writes condemning Ision and ordering me to come to him. And what was written is this: … But Eusebius, learning of it, persuades them to wait; and when I arrived, they accuse Macarius again about the cup, and me not with an ordinary slander, but the highest of all: that, having turned against the emperor, I had sent a chest of gold to one Philumenus. The emperor heard us on this too at Psammathia, and they, as usual, were condemned and thrown out; and as we were returning, he writes to the people as follows: “Constantine Maximus Augustus to the people of the catholic Church at Alexandria.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
2 Sam 15:2 (allusion, medium confidence) · Prov 26:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Pet 2:22 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius recounts the origin of the Meletian schism, Eusebius’s alliance with the Meletians, Constantine’s threatening letter, and the charge of treason dismissed at Psammathia.
- Peter of Alexandria (martyred 311) deposed Meletius of Lycopolis. Absalom slandered his father’s judgment to win the people (2 Sam 15:2–6). “Like dogs …”: Prov 26:11; 2 Pet 2:22. Psammathia was a suburb of Nicomedia.
- The numeral of chapter 60 was lost in the scan; it is marked [60] where NPNF² 4 begins the chapter. Much is lost in the scan here: the quoted part of Constantine’s letter, the account of the charge about linen vestments brought by the Meletians Ision, Eudaemon, and Callinicus (only the words “the presbyters were Apis and Macarius”, Athanasius’s presbyters, survive), and the emperor’s letter that followed; the gaps are marked “…”. OCR debris is removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris; OCR misreading): πρῶτον αὐτὸν π \ \ ηʼ ηνης νιμληυ (κιρ \, \ Πέτρον, καὶ τὰν → πρῶτον αὐτὸν Πέτρον, καὶ τὸν; καὶ r3 μὲν → καὶ ὁ μὲν; οἱ 3‘s Μελιτιανοὶ → οἱ δὲ Μελιτιανοὶ.
Topics: Heresy, Church office
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 59 (PG 25:356a–360b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-59). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 61
61PG 25:360b–361a
’Δγαπητοὶ ἀδελφοὶ, προσαγορεύω ύμᾶς, ἐπικαλούμενος τὸν Θεὸν τὸν τῆς ἐμῆς βουλήσεως μέ.. γιστον μάρτυρα, καὶ τὸν τοῦ ἡμετέρου νόμου Μονογενῆ δημιουργὸν, ὃς καὶ τῆς ζωῆς προκαθέζεται τῶν ἁπάντων, καὶ τὰς διχονοίας μισεῖ. Πλήν τί ἂν εἴποιμι ; ὅτι καλῶς ὑγιαίνομεν ; Ἀλλʼ ἐξῆν καλλίονος ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς εύρωστίας, εἰ ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀμοιβαδὶς ἠγαπᾶτε, ἀποσεισάμενοι τὰ μίση, διʼ ὧν ταῖς τῶν ἐρεσχελούντων τρικυμίαις τὸν λιμένα τῆς ἀγάπης ἐγκατελίπομεν. Φεῢ τῆς ἀτοπίας ταύτης l Ὅσα καθʼ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν συμπτώματα τοῦ συγκεχυμένου φθόνου κινεῖται l Οὕτω πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦ εδεοῦ μετῳκίσθησαν αἱ δυσφημίαι. Ποῦ τοίνυν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἡ πίστις ἀνακεχώρηκεν, ὅπου γε εἷς τοσοῦτον τῇ τοῦ σκότους ἀχλύϊ περιβεβλήμεθα οὗ μόνον διὰ τὴν πολύπλοκον πλάνην, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὰ τῶν ἀχαρίστων ἕλαττώματα, τῶν μὶν τὴν ἄνοῖαν βραβευόντων ἀνεχόμεθα, τῶν δὲ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν διακρουομένων αἰσθανόμενοι παρενθυμούμεθα ; Τί τὸ δείνὸν τοῦτο τῆς ἡμετέρας κακίας; Τοὺς ἐχθροὺς οὐκ ἐλέγχομεν, ἀλλʼ ἑπόμεθα τῷ λῃστηρίῳ, διʼ οὗ ὁδόν τινα ἑαυτῇ, τίνʼ οὕτως εἷʼπω, ἡ τῆς ἀπωλείας ἀπάτη, μηδενὸς ἀντικειμένου, ῥᾳδίως εἰργάσατο Ἀρα οὐδεμία ἐστὶν αἴσθησις, οὐδὲ κατὰ ’χάριν τῆς κοινῆς ἁπάντων φύσεως, εἷʼ γε τῶν τοῖʼ) νόμου προσταγμάτων ἡμελήσαμεν ; Ἀλλʼ ἐρεῖ τις, κατὰ φύσιν ἡ ἀγάπη ἐξευρίσκεται. Τί οὖν, ὅτι ἡμεῖς, καὶ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμον πρὸς τῇ εὐφυΐᾳ σχόντες, ἀνεχόμεθα τῆς ὀχλήσεως Ικαὶ τοῦθορύβόῖδ ἐχθρῶν, πυρσοῖς τισιν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐξαπτομένωνς Καὶ οὐχ ὁρῶμεν ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες, οὐδὲ αἰσθανόμεθα, καίτοι ταῖς τοῦ νόμου αἰσθήσεσιν ὄντες πεφραγμένοι. Ὁπόση ἄρα πτόησις τήν ἡμετέραν ζωὴν κατείληφεν, ὅπου γε ἡμῶν αὐτῶν οὕτως ἀμελοῦμεν, καὶ ταῦτα ὑπομιμνήσκοντος τοῦ Θεοῦ; Εἶτα οὐκ ἔστιν ἀφόρητον τὸ κακόν; οὐ πολεμίους ἡγεῖσθαι ώλεις ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ ἐπιπλήσσουσιν ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων ἡμῖν.
’Dgapētoi adelphoi, prosagoreuō ymas, epikaloumenos ton Theon ton tēs emēs boulēseōs me.. giston martyra, kai ton tou hēmeterou nomou Monogenē dēmiourgon, hos kai tēs zōēs prokathezetai tōn hapantōn, kai tas dichonoias misei. Plēn ti an eipoimi ? hoti kalōs hygiainomen ? Allʼ exēn kallionos apolausai tēs eurōstias, ei hymas autous amoibadis ēgapate, aposeisamenoi ta misē, diʼ hōn tais tōn ereschelountōn trikymiais ton limena tēs agapēs enkatelipomen. Pheÿ tēs atopias tautēs l Hosa kathʼ hekastēn hēmeran symptōmata tou synkechymenou phthonou kineitai l Houtō pros ton laon tou edeou metǭkisthēsan hai dysphēmiai. Pou toinyn tēs dikaiosynēs hē pistis anakechōrēken, hopou ge heis tosouton tę̄ tou skotous achlyï peribeblēmetha hou monon dia tēn polyplokon planēn, alla kai dia ta tōn acharistōn helattōmata, tōn min tēn anoian brabeuontōn anechometha, tōn de tēn epieikeian kai tēn alētheian diakrouomenōn aisthanomenoi parenthymoumetha ? Ti to deinon touto tēs hēmeteras kakias? Tous echthrous ouk elenchomen, allʼ hepometha tǭ lę̄stēriǭ, diʼ hou hodon tina heautę̄, tinʼ houtōs heiʼpō, hē tēs apōleias apatē, mēdenos antikeimenou, rhądiōs eirgasato Ara oudemia estin aisthēsis, oude kata ’charin tēs koinēs hapantōn physeōs, heiʼ ge tōn toiʼ) nomou prostagmatōn hēmelēsamen ? Allʼ erei tis, kata physin hē agapē exeurisketai. Ti oun, hoti hēmeis, kai ton tou Theou nomon pros tę̄ euphyïą schontes, anechometha tēs ochlēseōs Ikai touthoryboid echthrōn, pyrsois tisin, hōs eoiken, exaptomenōns Kai ouch horōmen ophthalmous echontes, oude aisthanometha, kaitoi tais tou nomou aisthēsesin ontes pephragmenoi. Hoposē ara ptoēsis tēn hēmeteran zōēn kateilēphen, hopou ge hēmōn autōn houtōs ameloumen, kai tauta hypomimnēskontos tou Theou? Eita ouk estin aphorēton to kakon? ou polemious hēgeisthai ōleis ekeinoi, kai epiplēssousin ek tōn enantiōn hēmin.
Beloved brothers, I greet you, calling on God, the greatest witness of my intention, and on the Only-begotten, the author of our law, who presides over the life of all and hates dissensions. But what am I to say? That I am in good health? Yet I could enjoy better strength if you loved one another, having shaken off the hatreds through which, because of the storms raised by the quarrelsome, we have abandoned the harbor of love. Alas for this perversity! What mishaps of confused envy are stirred up every day! So have the slanders migrated to the people of God. Where, then, has the faith of justice withdrawn, since we are wrapped in such a mist of darkness that, not only through manifold error but also through the faults of the ungrateful, we tolerate those who reward folly, and, though we perceive those who repel gentleness and truth, we pay no heed? What is this dreadful thing in our wickedness? We do not refute our enemies, but follow the band of robbers through which the deceit of destruction has easily made itself a road, so to speak, with no one opposing. Is there no perception, not even for the sake of the common nature of all, if we have neglected the commands of the law? But someone will say that love is found by nature. Why then do we, who have the law of God besides our good nature, put up with the annoyance and uproar of enemies who are kindled, it seems, as if by firebrands? We do not see, though we have eyes, nor perceive, though we are fenced about with the senses of the law. What terror has seized our life, that we so neglect ourselves, and that while God reminds us? Is not the evil unbearable? Not to regard … as enemies; those men, and they rebuke us from the opposite side.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine opens his letter to the Alexandrian church by lamenting the envy and slander that have broken their concord.
- Constantine’s letter to the people of Alexandria (about 332). Its style is highly rhetorical and obscure, and the scan is damaged at the end of this section (“…”); the translation keeps close to the wording, and several sentences are uncertain.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 61 (PG 25:360b–361a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-61). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 62
62PG 25:361a–361d
Μεθʼ ὅσης δὲ ἀπονοίας τοῦτο πράττουσιν, ὑμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐννοεῖν ἀξιῶ Οἱ γὰρ μωροὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γλώττης κειμένην ἔχουσι τήν κακίαν. Οὗτοι γοῦν μολυλδίνας τινὰς ὀργάς πέριφέρονται, ὡς ἑαυτοὺς μὲν κατʼ ἀντίδοσιν πλήττειν, ἡμᾶς δὲ πρὸς κέρδος τῆς οἰκείας κολάσεως ἀπάγειν · καὶ ὁ μὲν καλῶς διδάξας πολέμιος κρίνεται· ὁ δὲ τήν φθόνου κακίαν προβεβλημένος, ἐκεῖνος τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ ἡμερότητα οὐ δεόντως καταλαμβάνει, πορθεῖ, καταναλίσκει, καὶ ἑαυτὸν κακοθελεῖ, ἐγκωμίῳ κοσμεῖ καὶ συντίθησιʼ τήν δὲ ἀλήθειαν ἀνατρέπει καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἀπατᾷ, μέχρις οὗ τῷ οἰκείῳ συνειδότι φωλεὸν καὶ κρυπτηρίαν ἐπιζητήσας εὕρῃ. Αὕτη γοῦν αὐτοὺς ἡ σκαιότης ἀθλίους ποιεῖ, ὅταν προπετῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἀναξίους ὄντας ἀποδέχωνται, λέγοντες· Φεῦ τῶν κακῶνί Ἐκεῖνος πρεσβύταρός ἐστι, καὶ ἐκεῖνος παῖς, ἐμοῦ ἅπτεται ἡ τιμὴ, ἐμοὶ ὀφείλεται, ἐκείνου ἀφῃρέθη ° ἐπεὶ αὐτὸς, ἐμαυτῷ ἀφαρπάσας ἅπαντας, ἐπʼ ἐξουσίας ἀπολέσαι πειράσομαι. Λαμπρά τις ἡ τῆς μανίας ἐκβόησις ’ τάγματα καὶ συλλόγους, ἢ, ’ίνʼ οὕτως εἷίπω, ἀρχιερεσίαν τῶν ἀτόπων τούτων συστημάτων ἴδεῖν. Ὦ τῆς ἀτοπίας ἡμῶν,’ίνʼ οὕτως εἴπω, ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνοίας ἐστὶν ἐπίδειξις; Εἶτα οὐκ αἰδοῦνται; Οὐκ αὐτοὶ ἑαυτοὺς ψέγουσιν; Οὐδὲ τάς ψυχὰς δάκνονται, ’ίνα νῦν γοῦν καταντικρὺ τῆς ἀπάτης καὶ τῆς ἐρεσχελίας ἄξιόν τι φρονεῖν δόξωσι; Βία μόνη ἐστὶ τοῦ φθόνου τοῖς ἰδίοις ἐπ ερειδομένη φαρμάκοις. Οὐδὲν ἴσχυσαν οἱ πονηροὶ κατά τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ὑμῶν. Ἐμοὶ πιστεύσατε, ἀδελφοὶ, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐσπουδάκασιν, ἢ ἵνα, κατατρίψαντες τοὺς ἡμετέρονς χρόνους, μηδεμίαν χώραν ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ μεταμελείας ἔχωσιν. Ἐπικουρήσατε τοίνυγ ὑμῖν αὑτοῖς, παρακαλῶξντὸ φίλτρον τὸ ημέτερον ἀγαπήσατε, καὶ παντὶ σθένει διώξατε τοὺς τήν τῆξ ἡμετέρας ὁμονοίας χάριν ἀφανίζειν ἐπιθυμοῦντας, καὶπρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀπιδόντες, ὑμᾶς αὑτοὺς ἀγαπᾶτε Ἐγὼ γὰρ τὸν ὑμέτερον ἐπίσκοπον Ἀθανάσιον ἀσμένως προσηκάμην, οὕτως τε προσεφθεγξάμην, ὡς ἄνθρωπον αὑτὸν Θεοῦ ὄντα πεπεισμένος. Ὑμέτερόν ἐστι ταῦτα συνιέναι, οὑκ ἐμὸν κρίνειν. Τὴν γάρ παρʼ ἐμοῦ πρόσρησιν αὑτὸν Ἀθανάσιον ὑμῖν διακονῆσαι τὸν αίδεσιμώτατον ἀναγκαῖον ἡγησάμην, ἐννοῶν τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν τῆς ἐπιεικείας αὑτοῦ,ἥτις οὐκ ἀναξίως τῆς εἰρηνικῆς μου πίστεως, εἰς τὸ ἀγαθὸν τῆς σωτηριώδους γνώμης κατέχεται διαπαντὸς, καὶ ἕξει τὸν προτρέποντα λογισμόν. Ὁ Θεὸς ὑμᾶς διαφυλάξοι, ἀδελφοὶ ἀγαπητοί. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὁ Κωνσταντῖνος.
Methʼ hosēs de aponoias touto prattousin, hymas autous ennoein axiō Hoi gar mōroi epi tēs glōttēs keimenēn echousi tēn kakian. Houtoi goun molyldinas tinas orgas peripherontai, hōs heautous men katʼ antidosin plēttein, hēmas de pros kerdos tēs oikeias kolaseōs apagein ; kai ho men kalōs didaxas polemios krinetai; ho de tēn phthonou kakian probeblēmenos, ekeinos tēn tou laou hēmerotēta ou deontōs katalambanei, porthei, katanaliskei, kai heauton kakothelei, enkōmiǭ kosmei kai syntithēsiʼ tēn de alētheian anatrepei kai tēn pistin apatą, mechris hou tǭ oikeiǭ syneidoti phōleon kai kryptērian epizētēsas heurę̄. Hautē goun autous hē skaiotēs athlious poiei, hotan propetōs heautous anaxious ontas apodechōntai, legontes; Pheu tōn kakōni Ekeinos presbytaros esti, kai ekeinos pais, emou haptetai hē timē, emoi opheiletai, ekeinou aphę̄rethē ° epei autos, emautǭ apharpasas hapantas, epʼ exousias apolesai peirasomai. Lampra tis hē tēs manias ekboēsis ’ tagmata kai syllogous, ē, ’inʼ houtōs heiipō, archieresian tōn atopōn toutōn systēmatōn idein. Ō tēs atopias hēmōn,’inʼ houtōs eipō, epi tēs Ekklēsias tou Theou anoias estin epideixis? Eita ouk aidountai? Ouk autoi heautous psegousin? Oude tas psychas daknontai, ’ina nyn goun katantikry tēs apatēs kai tēs ereschelias axion ti phronein doxōsi? Bia monē esti tou phthonou tois idiois ep ereidomenē pharmakois. Ouden ischysan hoi ponēroi kata tou episkopou hymōn. Emoi pisteusate, adelphoi, ouden heteron espoudakasin, ē hina, katatripsantes tous hēmeterons chronous, mēdemian chōran en tę̄ zōę̄ tautę̄ metameleias echōsin. Epikourēsate toinyg hymin hautois, parakalōxnto philtron to ēmeteron agapēsate, kai panti sthenei diōxate tous tēn tēx hēmeteras homonoias charin aphanizein epithymountas, kaipros ton Theon apidontes, hymas hautous agapate Egō gar ton hymeteron episkopon Athanasion asmenōs prosēkamēn, houtōs te prosephthenxamēn, hōs anthrōpon hauton Theou onta pepeismenos. Hymeteron esti tauta synienai, houk emon krinein. Tēn gar parʼ emou prosrēsin hauton Athanasion hymin diakonēsai ton aidesimōtaton anankaion hēgēsamēn, ennoōn tēn epimeleian tēs epieikeias hautou,hētis ouk anaxiōs tēs eirēnikēs mou pisteōs, eis to agathon tēs sōtēriōdous gnōmēs katechetai diapantos, kai hexei ton protreponta logismon. Ho Theos hymas diaphylaxoi, adelphoi agapētoi. Kai tauta men ho Kōnstantinos.
With what madness they do this I ask you to consider. For fools have their wickedness lying on their tongue. These men carry about leaden passions, so as to strike themselves in return and lead us to profit from their own punishment. He who has taught well is judged an enemy; while he who has put forward the wickedness of envy wrongfully seizes the gentleness of the people, plunders it, consumes it, adorns and composes himself with praise though he wishes evil, overturns the truth, and cheats faith, until he finds a den and hiding place for his own conscience. This perversity makes them wretched, when they rashly accept themselves though they are unworthy, saying: “Alas for these evils! That man is older, and that one a boy; the honor touches me, it is owed to me, it has been taken from him; for I will snatch all to myself and try to destroy him by authority.” A splendid outcry of madness—to see ranks and assemblies, or, so to speak, a high-priesthood of these absurd factions! O our absurdity, so to speak! Is there in the Church of God a display of folly? Are they not then ashamed? Do they not blame themselves? Are they not stung in their souls, so that now at least they may seem to think something worthy, in opposition to deceit and quarrelsomeness? It is only the violence of envy, propped up by its own poisons. The wicked have had no power against your bishop. Believe me, brothers, they have been eager for nothing else than that, having worn out our time, they may have no room for repentance in this life. Help yourselves, then, I beg you; love our affection, and with all your strength drive away those who desire to destroy the grace of our concord; and looking to God, love one another. For I received your bishop Athanasius gladly, and so addressed him, being convinced that he is a man of God. It is yours to understand these things, not mine to judge. I thought it necessary that the most reverend Athanasius himself should convey my greeting to you, considering the care of his gentleness, which, not unworthily of my peaceable faith, holds always to the good of saving purpose, and will have the reasoning that urges it on. May God preserve you, beloved brothers.” This is what Constantine wrote.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine denounces the envy and ambition of Athanasius’s enemies, tells the Alexandrians that he received Athanasius as a man of God, and urges them to concord.
- The letter is obscure in places and translated closely; “fools have their wickedness lying on their tongue” recalls Sir 21:26 but is not a quotation. A Latin word and OCR debris are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin word leaked from Migne's facing column; OCR debris; OCR debris inside a hyphenated word): οὕτως simul Ἐπῖ → οὕτως εἴπω, ἐπὶ; διακο- - ι,κ ι ν -. ι ς.. νῆσαι → διακονῆσαι; Κωνσταντῖνος (se). → Κωνσταντῖνος..
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 62 (PG 25:361a–361d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-62). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 63
63PG 25:364a–364c
Τούτων οὕτως πραχθέντων, πρός ὀλίγον ἠσυχάσαντες οἱ Μελιτιανοὶ, παροξύνονται πάλιν, καὶ ταύτην ὕστερον τίθενται βουλὴν, σπουδάζοντες ἀρέσαι τοῖς μισθωσαμένοις αύτούς. Μαρεώτης χώρα τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας ἐστίν· ἐν ταύτῇ σχίσμα Μελίτιος οὐκἠδυνήθη ποιῆσαι. Τῶν τοίνυν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐν ὡρισμένοις τόποις οὐσῶν, καὶ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων πάντων ἐν αὐταῖς συναγόντων, τῶν τε λαῶν εἷʼρηνευόντων, Ἰσχύρας τις οὕτω λεγόμενος, ού κληρικὸς, ἀλλά καὶ τὸν τρόπον πονηρὸς, ἐπεχείρει τοὺς ἐν τῇ ἰδία κώμῃ πλανᾷν, λέγων εἷναί τινα ἑαυτὸν κληρικόν. Τοῦτο μαθὼν ὁ τῶν τόπων πρεσβύτερος περιερχόμένῳ μοι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἀναγγέλλει ο,καὶ ἀποστέλλω σὺν αὐτῷ Μακάριον πρεσβύτερον καλέσαι τὸν Ἰσχύραν. Εύρόντες δὲ αὐτὸν (νοσοῦντα καὶ κατακείμενον ἐν κελλίῳ, ἐντέλλονται τῷ πατρί αὐτοῦ παραγγεῖλαι τῷ υἱῷ μηδέν τι τοιοῦτον ἐπιχειρεῖν. οἷον εἷʼρηται κατʼ αὐτοῦ. Ἀλλʼ ἀναστὰς ἀπὸ τῆς νόσου, καὶ κωλυόμενος ἀπὸ τῶν ἰδίων καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς, καταφεύγει πρὸς τοὺς Μελιτιανούς· κάκεῖνοι κοινοῦνται τοῖς περὶ Εὐσέβιον, καὶ λοιπὸν συντίθεται παρʼ αὐτῶν ἡ συκοφαντία, ὅτι δὴ ποτήριον μὲν Μακάριος κατέαξεν, ’Δρσένιος δέ τις ἐπίσκοπος ἐφονεύθη παρʼ ἡμῶν, Καὶ τὸν μὲν Ἀρσένιον κρύπτουσιν, ὑπὲρ τοῦ, μή φαινόμενον αὐτὸν, ὡς ἀναιρεθέντα νομίζεσθαι· καὶ χεῖρα, φησὶν, ὡς συγκοπέντος αὐτοῦ, περιέφερον. Τὸν δὲ Ἰσχύραν, ὃν οὐκ ᾔδεισαν, ἄρχονται θρυλλεῖν ὡς πρεσβύτερον, ’ίνα καὶ περὶ ποτηρίου λέγων πλάνᾷν δύνηται. Ὃ μὲν οὖν Ἰσχύρας, μεμφομένων αὐτὸν τῶν ἰδίων, ἦλθε πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀποδυρόμενος, καὶ λέγων μηδὲν μὲν γεγενῆσθαι παρά Μακαρίου, οἷον ἐθρύλλήσαν, ὑποβεβλῆσθαι δὲ ἑαυτὸν παρά τῶν Μελιτιανῶν πλάσασθαι τοιαύτην λοιδορίαν. Καὶ γράφει ταῦτα · ΜΔΚΑΡΙῼ ΠΔΠᾼ ΔΘΔΝΑΣΙῼ Ἰσχύρας ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν.
Toutōn houtōs prachthentōn, pros oligon ēsychasantes hoi Melitianoi, paroxynontai palin, kai tautēn hysteron tithentai boulēn, spoudazontes aresai tois misthōsamenois autous. Mareōtēs chōra tēs Alexandreias estin; en tautę̄ schisma Melitios oukēdynēthē poiēsai. Tōn toinyn Ekklēsiōn en hōrismenois topois ousōn, kai tōn presbyterōn pantōn en autais synagontōn, tōn te laōn heiʼrēneuontōn, Ischyras tis houtō legomenos, ou klērikos, alla kai ton tropon ponēros, epecheirei tous en tę̄ idia kōmę̄ planąn, legōn heinai tina heauton klērikon. Touto mathōn ho tōn topōn presbyteros perierchomenǭ moi tas Ekklēsias anangellei o,kai apostellō syn autǭ Makarion presbyteron kalesai ton Ischyran. Eurontes de auton (nosounta kai katakeimenon en kelliǭ, entellontai tǭ patri autou parangeilai tǭ huiǭ mēden ti toiouton epicheirein. hoion heiʼrētai katʼ autou. Allʼ anastas apo tēs nosou, kai kōlyomenos apo tōn idiōn kai tou patros, katapheugei pros tous Melitianous; kakeinoi koinountai tois peri Eusebion, kai loipon syntithetai parʼ autōn hē sykophantia, hoti dē potērion men Makarios kateaxen, ’Drsenios de tis episkopos ephoneuthē parʼ hēmōn, Kai ton men Arsenion kryptousin, hyper tou, mē phainomenon auton, hōs anairethenta nomizesthai; kai cheira, phēsin, hōs synkopentos autou, periepheron. Ton de Ischyran, hon ouk ę̄deisan, archontai thryllein hōs presbyteron, ’ina kai peri potēriou legōn planąn dynētai. Ho men oun Ischyras, memphomenōn auton tōn idiōn, ēlthe pros hēmas apodyromenos, kai legōn mēden men gegenēsthai para Makariou, hoion ethryllēsan, hypobeblēsthai de heauton para tōn Melitianōn plasasthai toiautēn loidorian. Kai graphei tauta ; MDKARIǬ PDPĄ DThDNASIǬ Ischyras en Kyriǭ chairein.
After these things had been done, the Meletians kept quiet for a little while, but are provoked again, and afterwards adopt this plan, eager to please those who had hired them. The Mareotis is a country district of Alexandria; in it Meletius was never able to make a schism. While, then, the churches were in their appointed places, and all the presbyters held services in them, and the people were at peace, one Ischyras, so called, who was not a cleric and was wicked in character besides, attempted to lead astray those in his own village, saying that he was a cleric. Learning this, the presbyter of the place reports it to me while I was going round the churches, and I send Macarius the presbyter with him to summon Ischyras. Finding him sick and lying in a cell, they charge his father to instruct his son not to attempt any such thing as had been reported of him. But when he rose from his sickness, being restrained by his own family and his father, he flees to the Meletians; and they communicate with Eusebius and his party, and so the false accusation is put together by them: that Macarius broke a cup, and that a certain bishop Arsenius had been murdered by us. And they hide Arsenius, so that by not appearing he might be thought to have been killed; and they carried about a hand, so it is said, as though he had been hacked to pieces. And Ischyras, whom they did not even know, they begin to talk up as a presbyter, so that in speaking about the cup he might be able to deceive. But Ischyras, being blamed by his own people, came to us lamenting and saying that nothing such as they had spread abroad had been done by Macarius, but that he had been prompted by the Meletians to invent such an abuse. And he writes this: “To the blessed Pope Athanasius, Ischyras, greeting in the Lord.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius tells how the Meletians, with Eusebius’s party, built the charges of the broken chalice and the murder of Arsenius around Ischyras, who later confessed the plot.
Topics: Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 63 (PG 25:364a–364c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-63). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 64
64PG 25:364c–368a
Ἐπειδὴ προσῆλθόν σοι, κύριε ἐπίσκοπε, βουλόμενος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἶναι, ᾐτιάσω δέ με, ἐφʼ οἷς πρότερον ἐφθεγξάμην, ὡς ἐμοῦ ἀπὸ προαιρέσεως εἷς τοῦτο παρελθόντος, τούτου ἕνεκεν ταύτην τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἐγγράφως σοι ἐπιδίδωμι, ’ἶνʼ εἰδέναι ἔχοις, ὅτι, βίας μοι γενομένης, καὶ πληγῶν ἐπιτεθεισῶν ἀπὸ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἡρακλείδου, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ τοῦ τῆς Λητοῦς, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν σὺν αὐτοῖς. Ἐγὼ δὲ, μάρτυρα τὸν Θεὸν εἰς τοῦτο λαμβάνων, ἀπολογοῦμαι, ὅτι οὐδὲν ὧν ἐκεῖνοι εἰρήκασι, σύνοιδά σε πεποιηκέναι. Οἰίτε γὰρ ποτηρίου κλάσις γέγονεν, οὕτε τῆς ἀγίας τραπέζης καταστροφή γεγένηται· ἀλλᾶ ταῦτα πάντα ἐκεῖνοι βίαν ἐπιθέντες μοι, εἷς τοῦτο παρώρμησάν με. Ταῦτα δὲ ἀπελογησάμην σοι, καὶ ἐγγράφως ἐπιδέδωκα, αἱρούμενος καὶ ἐπιδικαζόμενος εἶναι τῶν ἐπὶ σε συναγομένων. Ἐῤῥῶσθαί σε εὔχομαι ἐν Κυρίῳ. Ἐπιδέδωκα δὲ τήδε μου τὴν χεῖρά σοι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ Ἀθα- ΚΥΡΙῼ ἈΓΑΠΗΤῼ υἱῷ καὶ … συλλειτουργῷ Ἀθανασίῳ Ἀλέξανδρος ἐπίσκοπος ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν.
Epeidē prosēlthon soi, kyrie episkope, boulomenos tēs Ekklēsias einai, ę̄tiasō de me, ephʼ hois proteron ephthenxamēn, hōs emou apo proaireseōs heis touto parelthontos, toutou heneken tautēn tēn apologian engraphōs soi epididōmi, ’inʼ eidenai echois, hoti, bias moi genomenēs, kai plēgōn epitetheisōn apo Isaak kai Hērakleidou, kai Isaak tou tēs Lētous, kai hypo tōn syn autois. Egō de, martyra ton Theon eis touto lambanōn, apologoumai, hoti ouden hōn ekeinoi eirēkasi, synoida se pepoiēkenai. Oiite gar potēriou klasis gegonen, houte tēs agias trapezēs katastrophē gegenētai; alla tauta panta ekeinoi bian epithentes moi, heis touto parōrmēsan me. Tauta de apelogēsamēn soi, kai engraphōs epidedōka, hairoumenos kai epidikazomenos einai tōn epi se synagomenōn. Errhōsthai se euchomai en Kyriǭ. Epidedōka de tēde mou tēn cheira soi tǭ episkopǭ Atha- KYRIǬ AGAPĒTǬ huiǭ kai … sylleitourgǭ Athanasiǭ Alexandros episkopos en Kyriǭ chairein.
Since I came to you, my lord bishop, wishing to belong to the Church, and you blamed me for what I said before, as though I had entered into it of my own will, I therefore present this defense to you in writing, so that you may know that violence was done to me and blows were laid on me by Isaac and Heraclides, and Isaac of Letopolis, and by those with them. And I, taking God as witness to this, declare in my defense that I know of none of the things they have said to have been done by you. For neither was there any breaking of a cup, nor was the holy table overturned; but they drove me to all this by laying violence on me. This defense I have made to you and presented in writing, choosing and claiming to be one of those who assemble under you. I pray for your health in the Lord. I have presented this, my own hand, to you the bishop Atha[nasius] …” … “To my lord, beloved son and … fellow minister Athanasius, Alexander, bishop, greeting in the Lord.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Ischyras’s written confession to Athanasius that the charges of the broken chalice and the overturned table were false and extorted from him by violence.
- Isaac of Letopolis and Heraclides of Niciu were Meletian bishops (see the list in ch. 71). The end of Ischyras’s letter (with the names of the witnesses), the whole of ch. 65 (which recounts how Ischyras’s confession was afterwards ignored), and the beginning of ch. 66 are lost in the scan (“…”). The section ends with the heading of the letter of Alexander of Thessalonica, garbled in the scan and partly reassembled by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (heading garbled and doubled by the OCR; legible words reassembled): ΚΥΡΙῼ ΑΓΛ ΠΗΤῼ Υιᾳ ιαὶ epoto-mg συλλειτουργῷ Ἀθανασίῳ Ἀλέξανδρος πίσκοπος ἐν Κυοίω γαίοειν. ί ”ἒπίσκοπος ἐνʼΚυρίῳ χαίρειν. → ΚΥΡΙῼ ἈΓΑΠΗΤῼ υἱῷ καὶ … συλλειτουργῷ Ἀθανασίῳ Ἀλέξανδρος ἐπίσκοπος ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν..
Topics: Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 64 (PG 25:364c–368a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-64). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 66
66PG 25:368a–368b
Συγχαίρω τῷ βελτίστῳ Σαραπίωνι, οὑτως εροῖς ἑαυτὸν ἤθεσι κοσμεῖν ἀγωνιζομένῳ, καὶ τήν τε τοῦ πατρὸς μνήμην ὲγκωμιαστικώτερον inadfiovn. Ἐτελεύτησε γὰρ, ὥς που ἡ ἱερά φησι Γραφὴ, 6 πατὴρ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὡς ούκ ἀπέθανε ιατέλιπε γὰρ τῷ βίῳ μνημόσυνον. Ὅπως μὲν οὖν( διεκείμεθα περὶ τὸν μνήμης ἄξιον Σώζοντα, οὐδ ιῦτὸς ἀγνοεῖς, δέσποτα, τήν περὶ ἐκεῖνον ἱερὰν μνήμην καὶ τὴν προσοῦσαν τῷ νεωτὲρῳ ἐπιείκειαν. Μίαν μόνην τήν διὰ τοῦ νεωτέρου τούτου ἐδεξάμην παρά τῆς σεμνότητός σου ἐπιστολήν. Ἐδήλωσα οὖν σοι αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ἵνα είδέναι ἔχοις, δέσποτα. Ὀ ἀγαπητὸς ἡμῶν καί συνδιάκονος Μακάριος εὔφρανὲ με ἀπὸ τῆς Κωνσταντίνου πόλεως γράψας, ὅπως ’Δρχᾶφ 6 συκοφάντης ἠσχημόνησε, τὸν ζῶντα ὡς φονευθέντα παρὰ πᾶσι κηρύξας. Ὅτι γὰρ τήν ἐπὶ τοῖς τολμηθεῖσιν αύτῷ ἀξίαν εἴσπραξιν κομιεῖται παρά τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ μετὰ τοῦ ὁμοτρόπου στίφους, αἱ ἀψευδεῖς ἀναφωνοῦσι Γραφαί. Ὀ τῶν ὅλων διατηροίη σε ἐπὶ μήκιστον δεσπότης, κύριε πάντων χάριν χρηστότατε.
Synchairō tǭ beltistǭ Sarapiōni, houtōs erois heauton ēthesi kosmein agōnizomenǭ, kai tēn te tou patros mnēmēn enkōmiastikōteron inadfiovn. Eteleutēse gar, hōs pou hē hiera phēsi Graphē, 6 patēr autou, kai hōs ouk apethane iatelipe gar tǭ biǭ mnēmosynon. Hopōs men oun( diekeimetha peri ton mnēmēs axion Sōzonta, oud iytos agnoeis, despota, tēn peri ekeinon hieran mnēmēn kai tēn prosousan tǭ neōterǭ epieikeian. Mian monēn tēn dia tou neōterou toutou edexamēn para tēs semnotētos sou epistolēn. Edēlōsa oun soi auto touto, hina eidenai echois, despota. O agapētos hēmōn kai syndiakonos Makarios euphrane me apo tēs Kōnstantinou poleōs grapsas, hopōs ’Drchaph 6 sykophantēs ēschēmonēse, ton zōnta hōs phoneuthenta para pasi kēryxas. Hoti gar tēn epi tois tolmētheisin autǭ axian eispraxin komieitai para tou dikaiou kritou meta tou homotropou stiphous, hai apseudeis anaphōnousi Graphai. O tōn holōn diatēroiē se epi mēkiston despotēs, kyrie pantōn charin chrēstotate.
I congratulate the excellent Sarapion, who strives so hard to adorn himself with holy ways and to honor the memory of his father with praise. For, as the holy Scripture says somewhere, his father died and is as though he had not died; for he left behind a memorial in his life. How I was disposed toward Sozon, worthy of remembrance, you yourself, my lord, are not unaware, knowing my holy memory of him and the good character of the young man. I have received only one letter from your reverence, the one brought by this young man; I tell you this so that you may know it, my lord. Our beloved fellow minister Macarius delighted me by writing from Constantinople how Archaph the false accuser was disgraced, having proclaimed before all a living man as murdered. That he will receive due retribution for what he dared from the just Judge, together with his like-minded crew, the truthful Scriptures proclaim. May the Lord of all preserve you for a very long time, my lord, most kind in every respect.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Alexander of Thessalonica writes to Athanasius rejoicing that the accuser Archaph was disgraced when the supposedly murdered Arsenius was found alive.
- The letter of Alexander, bishop of Thessalonica (about 334). “His father died and is as though he had not died”: Sir 30:4. Archaph is John Arcaph, the Meletian leader. “Fellow minister” renders συνδιάκονος.
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 30:4 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 66 (PG 25:368a–368b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-66). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 67
67PG 25:368c–369a
Ὀτι δὶ ἐκρύπτετο ’Δρσὲνιος, διὰ τοῦτο, ’ίνα θάνατον οὗτοι πλάσωνται, τοῦτο μαρτυροῦσιν οἱ σὺν αὐτῷ διατρίψαντες ζητοῦντες γὰρ αὐτὸν. εὕρομεν τοῦτον, και ἔγραψε πρὸς Ἰωάννην τὸν ὑποκρινόμενον τὴν τοιαύτην συκοφαντίαν, ταῦταʼ (ζ Πίννης πρεσβύτερος μονῆς.. Πτεμεγκύρκεως τῆς Ἀντεοπολίτουʼνομοῦ χαίρειν. Γινώσαειν σε θὲλω, ὅτι ἀπέστειλεν Ἀθανάσιος εἷς τὴν Θηβαΐδα διάκονον ἑαυτοῦ, ἐρευνῆσαι πάντα ἓνεκεν Ἀρσενίου. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν, εὖρεθέντες Πεκύσιος πρεσβύτερος, καὶ Σιλβανὸς, 6 ἀδελφὸς Ἠλία, καὶ Ταπενακεραμεὺς, καὶ Παῦλος, μοναχὸς ἀπὸ Ὑψηλῆς, ὡμολόγησαν, δτι παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐστιν ’Δρσένιος- ἡμεῖς δὲ, μαθόντες, πεποιήκαμεν αὐτὸν ἐμβληθῆναι εἰς πλοῖον, καὶ πλεῦσαι εἷς τὰ κάνω μέρη μετὰ Ἠλία μοναχοῦ. Καὶ ἐξαίφηνης μετά ταῦτα πάλιν ἀνελθὼν 6 διάκονος μετά τινων, ἐπιστὰς ἐν τῇ μονῇ ἡμῶν ἓνεκεν τοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἀρσενίου, αὑτὸν μὲν οὐχ εὸρηκαν, διὰ τὸ ἀπεσταλκέναι ἡμᾶς αὐτόν, ὡς προείπομεν, ἐν τοῖς κάτω μὲρεσινο ἐμὲ 0‘s μετὰ τοῦ μοναχοῦ τοῦ αὐτὸν παραλαβόντος ’Πλία κατήνεγκαν είς τήν Ἀλεξάνδρειαν, καὶ προσήνεγκαν μὲν τῷ Δουκὶ, καὶ οὐδὲ ἷʼσχυσα ἀρνήσασθαι, ἀλλʼ ὡμολόγησα, δτι ζῇ καί οὐκ ἀνῃρέθη· τὰ αὐτὰ δὲ καὶ 6 παραλαβὼν αὑτὸν μοναχὸς ὡμολόγησε. Διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτά σοι γνωρίζω, Πάτερ, ’ίνα μή δόξῃ σοι κατηγορῆσαι Ἀθοινοισίου εἶπον γὰρ ὅτι ζῇ, καὶ παρʼ ἡμῖν ἧν κρυπτόμενος· καὶ ἐγνωρίσθη πάντα ταῦτα ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ, καὶ ούκέτι δύναται κρυβῆναι τοῦτο. Παφνούτιος μοναχὸς τῆς αὐτῆς μονῆς ὁ γράψας τήν ἐπιστολὴν πολλά σε ἀσπάζομαι, ἐῤῥῶσθαί σε εὔχομαι. ’Ἀ δὲ καὶ βασιλεὺς ἔγραψε, μαθὼν, ὅτι εὑρέθη Ἀρσένιος ζῶν, ἔστι ταῦτα · ΝΙΚΗΤΗΣ ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΝΟΣ Μέγιστος Σεβαστὸς τῷ πάπᾳ Ἀθανασίῳ.
Oti di ekrypteto ’Drsenios, dia touto, ’ina thanaton houtoi plasōntai, touto martyrousin hoi syn autǭ diatripsantes zētountes gar auton. heuromen touton, kai egrapse pros Iōannēn ton hypokrinomenon tēn toiautēn sykophantian, tautaʼ (z Pinnēs presbyteros monēs.. Ptemenkyrkeōs tēs Anteopolitouʼnomou chairein. Ginōsaein se thelō, hoti apesteilen Athanasios heis tēn Thēbaïda diakonon heautou, ereunēsai panta heneken Arseniou. Kai prōton men, eurethentes Pekysios presbyteros, kai Silbanos, 6 adelphos Ēlia, kai Tapenakerameus, kai Paulos, monachos apo Hypsēlēs, hōmologēsan, dti parʼ hēmin estin ’Drsenios- hēmeis de, mathontes, pepoiēkamen auton emblēthēnai eis ploion, kai pleusai heis ta kanō merē meta Ēlia monachou. Kai exaiphēnēs meta tauta palin anelthōn 6 diakonos meta tinōn, epistas en tę̄ monę̄ hēmōn heneken tou autou Arseniou, hauton men ouch eorēkan, dia to apestalkenai hēmas auton, hōs proeipomen, en tois katō meresino eme 0‘s meta tou monachou tou auton paralabontos ’Plia katēnenkan eis tēn Alexandreian, kai prosēnenkan men tǭ Douki, kai oude hiʼschysa arnēsasthai, allʼ hōmologēsa, dti zę̄ kai ouk anę̄rethē; ta auta de kai 6 paralabōn hauton monachos hōmologēse. Dia touto tauta soi gnōrizō, Pater, ’ina mē doxę̄ soi katēgorēsai Athoinoisiou eipon gar hoti zę̄, kai parʼ hēmin hēn kryptomenos; kai egnōristhē panta tauta en Aigyptǭ, kai ouketi dynatai krybēnai touto. Paphnoutios monachos tēs autēs monēs ho grapsas tēn epistolēn polla se aspazomai, errhōsthai se euchomai. ’A de kai basileus egrapse, mathōn, hoti heurethē Arsenios zōn, esti tauta ; NIKĒTĒS KŌNSTANTINOS Megistos Sebastos tǭ papą Athanasiǭ.
That Arsenius was hidden in order that these men might invent his death is testified by those who lived with him. For when we searched for him we found him; and one of them wrote to John, who was playing the part in this false accusation, as follows: “Pinnes, presbyter of the monastery of Ptemencyrcis in the Antaeopolite nome, greeting. I want you to know that Athanasius sent his deacon into the Thebaid to search out everything concerning Arsenius. First Pecysius the presbyter, Silvanus the brother of Helias, Tapenacerameus, and Paul, a monk from Hypsele, were found and confessed that Arsenius is with us. When we learned this, we had him put into a boat and sail to the lower parts with Helias the monk. Then suddenly, after this, the deacon came up again with some others and came to our monastery on account of the same Arsenius; they did not find him, because, as we said, we had sent him to the lower parts; but they brought me down to Alexandria with the monk Helias who had taken him away, and presented us to the duke; and I could not deny it, but confessed that he lives and was not killed; and the monk who had taken him away confessed the same. Therefore I make these things known to you, Father, so that you may not decide to accuse Athanasius; for I said that he lives and was hidden with us; and all this has become known in Egypt and can no longer be hidden. I, Paphnutius, monk of the same monastery, who wrote the letter, greet you warmly. I pray for your health.” And what the emperor too wrote, on learning that Arsenius had been found alive, is this: “Constantine Victor Maximus Augustus to Pope Athanasius.
Notes and citation
Summary: Athanasius quotes the letter of the Meletian presbyter Pinnes admitting to John Arcaph that Arsenius had been hidden in their monastery and found alive.
- “Tapenacerameus” may be a name with an occupation (“Tapena the potter”); it is uncertain. Hypsele was Arsenius’s see. The address “to John” is not in the printed letter but is given in the introduction.
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 67 (PG 25:368c–369a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-67). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 68
68PG 25:369a–372a
Τοῖς παρὰ τῆς σῆς συνέσεως ἐντυχὼν γράμμασι, ταύτης γνώμης αὐτὸς ἐγενόμην, ὡς ἀντιγράφων τῇ στερρότητι, προτρέψασθαί σε, ὅπως πρὸς εὐταξίαν καὶ οἶκτον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ λαὸν ἄγειν σπουδάσῃς. Ταῦτα γὰρ μάλιστα προηγούμενα ἐν ἶῗέ ἐμαυτοῦ ψυχῇ κατέχω, ὡς ἀλήθειάν τε ἀσκεῖν, καὶ ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ δικαιοσύνην ἀεὶ φυλάττειν, καὶ τούτοις μάλιστα χαίρειν, τοῖς ὀρθὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ βίου πορευομένοις. Περὶ δὲ ἐκείνων τῶν πάσης ἀρᾶς ἀξίων, τῶν Μελιτιανῶν δηλαδή τῶν σκαιοτάτων καὶ ἀθεμίτων, οτίτινες τῇ ἐμπληξίᾳ λοιπὸν ἀπονεναρκήκασι, καὶ μόνον φθόνῳ καὶ ζάλῃ καὶ θορύβοις τά ἄτοπα κινοῦσι, τήν ἀθέμιτον αὐτῶν διάνοιαν ἐπιδεικνύντες, ταῦτα φθέγξομαι· Ὁρᾷς γὰρ ὅπως οἱ ἄνδρες οὓς ἐκεῖνοι ξίφει ἀνῃρῆσθαι ἔφασκον, ἐν μέσοις νῦν εἰσι, καὶ τῆς ζωῆς ἀπολαύουσι. Πρὸς δή ταῦτα τί ἂν γένοιτο πρόκριμα χεῖρον, οὕτω φανερῶς καὶ σαφῶς ἐπιφερόμενον τῇ ἐκείνων δίκῃ, ἢ τὸ τούτους, οὓς ἀνῃρῆσθαι ἔλεγον, ζῇν τε καὶ τοῦ βίου ἀπολαύειν, οἵτινες δηλονότι καὶ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν φθέγξασθαι δυνήσονται; Προσέκειτο δὲ τοῖς παρὰ τῶν Μελιτιανῶν ἐκείνων καὶ τοῦτο· διεβεβαιοῦντο γὰρ ἇθεμῖτῳ ὁρμῇ ἐπεισελθρντα σε καὶ ἁρπάσαντα ποιήριον ἐν τῷ ἁγιωτάτῳʼἀποκείμενον τόπῳ κεκλακέναι, οὗ πράγματος ἀληθῶς οὐδὲν μεῖζον ἦν ἔγκλημα, οὔτε τηλικοῦτον ἀτόπη μα, εί τοῦτο οὕτως πεπρᾶχθαί τε καὶ ἡμαρτῆσθαι συνέβαινεν. Ἀλλὰ γάρ τίς ἡ κατηγορία αὕτη ; Τίς δὲ ἡ μετάβασις καὶ ποικιλία καὶ διαφορὰ τοῦ πράγματος, ὡς νῦν εἰς ἕτερον πρόσωπον τὴν κατηγορίαν τοῦ ἐγκλήματος τούτου -μετάγειν ; Ὅπερ δηλονότι πρᾶγμα αὐτοῦ τοῦ φωτὸς, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ἐστὶ τηλαυγέστερον, ὅτι τῇ συνέσει ἐπιβουλεῦσαι ἐσπούδαζον. Μετὰ δὴ ταῦτα τίς ἂν ἐκείνοις τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τοῖς τοσαῦτα εἰς βλάβην ἀναπλασαμένοις ἀκολουθῆσαι ἐθελήσειεν ;ὅταν μάλιστα αὑτοὶ ἑαυτοὺς εἷς ὄλεθρον ἄγουσι, καὶ συνορῶσιν, ὅτι πεπλασμένων καὶ ψευδῶν πραγμάτων εἰσὶ κατ· ήγοροι ; Ὡς ἔφην τοίνυν, τίς ἂν ἐκείνοις ἐξακολουθήσειε, καὶ εἷς τήν ὁδὸν τῆς ἀπωλείας πρηνὴς ἀπέλθοι ἓ Εἷς ἐκείνην δηβαδὴ, εἷς ἣν ἐκεῖνοι μόνοι τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς σωτηρίας καὶ τῆς ἐπικουρίας ἔχειν οἷονται. Εἰ γὰρ βούλοιντο ἐπὶ καθαρὰν ἐλθεῖν συνείδησιν, καὶ ὑπομνησθῆναι τῆς ἀρίστης γνώμης, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ὑγιαίνουσαν ἐλθεῖν διάνοιαν· ῥᾳδίως γνώσονται οὑδεμίαν αὑτοῖς ὑπάρχειν ἐπικουρίαν παρὰ τῆς Προνοίας, ἐπειδήπερ τοιούτων εἰσὶ ζηλωταί καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ οἷʼκείῳ ὀλέθρῳ πειράζονται. Ταύτην δὴ οῦν οὗ τρα χύτητά τινα, ἀλλά ἀλήθειαν δικαίως ἂν εἷʼποιμι. Τὸ τελευταῖον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο προστίθημι, ὅτι περ βουλόμεθα δημοσίᾳ παρὰ τῆς σῆς συνέσεως πολλάκις ἀναγνωσθῆναι ταῦτα, ὡς ἃν ἐντεῦθεν εἷς τήν ἁπάντων γνῶσιν ἔλθοι, καὶ μάλιστα είς τὴν ἐκείνων ἀφικέσθαι δυνηθείη, οἵτινες οὕτω πράττουσιν, οὕτως ἀναστρέφουσιν, ὡς ταῦτα ἅπερ παρʼ ἡμῶν εὑθείας λεγεται λόγῳ, τῇ τῆς ἀληθείας εἰρῆσθαι πράξει. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἐν τούτῳ τῷ πράγματι τηλικοῦτόν ἐστιν ἀτόπημα, γινωσκέτωσαν οὕτω με κεκρίκέναι,
Tois para tēs sēs syneseōs entychōn grammasi, tautēs gnōmēs autos egenomēn, hōs antigraphōn tę̄ sterrotēti, protrepsasthai se, hopōs pros eutaxian kai oikton ton tou Theou laon agein spoudasę̄s. Tauta gar malista proēgoumena en iïe emautou psychę̄ katechō, hōs alētheian te askein, kai en tę̄ dianoią dikaiosynēn aei phylattein, kai toutois malista chairein, tois orthēn hodon tou biou poreuomenois. Peri de ekeinōn tōn pasēs aras axiōn, tōn Melitianōn dēladē tōn skaiotatōn kai athemitōn, otitines tę̄ emplēxią loipon aponenarkēkasi, kai monon phthonǭ kai zalę̄ kai thorybois ta atopa kinousi, tēn athemiton autōn dianoian epideiknyntes, tauta phthenxomai; Horąs gar hopōs hoi andres hous ekeinoi xiphei anę̄rēsthai ephaskon, en mesois nyn eisi, kai tēs zōēs apolauousi. Pros dē tauta ti an genoito prokrima cheiron, houtō phanerōs kai saphōs epipheromenon tę̄ ekeinōn dikę̄, ē to toutous, hous anę̄rēsthai elegon, zę̄n te kai tou biou apolauein, hoitines dēlonoti kai hyper heautōn phthenxasthai dynēsontai? Prosekeito de tois para tōn Melitianōn ekeinōn kai touto; diebebaiounto gar hathemitǭ hormę̄ epeiselthrnta se kai harpasanta poiērion en tǭ hagiōtatǭʼapokeimenon topǭ keklakenai, hou pragmatos alēthōs ouden meizon ēn enklēma, oute tēlikouton atopē ma, ei touto houtōs peprachthai te kai hēmartēsthai synebainen. Alla gar tis hē katēgoria hautē ? Tis de hē metabasis kai poikilia kai diaphora tou pragmatos, hōs nyn eis heteron prosōpon tēn katēgorian tou enklēmatos toutou -metagein ? Hoper dēlonoti pragma autou tou phōtos, hōs eipein, esti tēlaugesteron, hoti tę̄ synesei epibouleusai espoudazon. Meta dē tauta tis an ekeinois tois anthrōpois tois tosauta eis blabēn anaplasamenois akolouthēsai ethelēseien ?hotan malista hautoi heautous heis olethron agousi, kai synorōsin, hoti peplasmenōn kai pseudōn pragmatōn eisi kat; ēgoroi ? Hōs ephēn toinyn, tis an ekeinois exakolouthēseie, kai heis tēn hodon tēs apōleias prēnēs apelthoi he Heis ekeinēn dēbadē, heis hēn ekeinoi monoi tēn elpida tēs sōtērias kai tēs epikourias echein hoiontai. Ei gar boulointo epi katharan elthein syneidēsin, kai hypomnēsthēnai tēs aristēs gnōmēs, kai epi tēn hygiainousan elthein dianoian; rhądiōs gnōsontai houdemian hautois hyparchein epikourian para tēs Pronoias, epeidēper toioutōn eisi zēlōtai kai epi tǭ hoiʼkeiǭ olethrǭ peirazontai. Tautēn dē oun hou tra chytēta tina, alla alētheian dikaiōs an heiʼpoimi. To teleutaion de kai touto prostithēmi, hoti per boulometha dēmosią para tēs sēs syneseōs pollakis anagnōsthēnai tauta, hōs han enteuthen heis tēn hapantōn gnōsin elthoi, kai malista eis tēn ekeinōn aphikesthai dynētheiē, hoitines houtō prattousin, houtōs anastrephousin, hōs tauta haper parʼ hēmōn heutheias legetai logǭ, tę̄ tēs alētheias eirēsthai praxei. Epei toinyn en toutǭ tǭ pragmati tēlikouton estin atopēma, ginōsketōsan houtō me kekrikenai,
Having read the letter of your prudence, I was minded, in writing back to your firmness, to urge you to strive to lead the people of God to good order and compassion. For these things above all I hold foremost in my own soul: to practice truth, always to keep justice in my mind, and to rejoice most in those who walk the right road of life. But concerning those men deserving every curse—the Meletians, I mean, most perverse and lawless—who have by now become numb in their stupidity, and stir up absurdities only by envy, turmoil, and uproar, displaying their lawless mind, I will say this. You see how the men whom they said had been killed by the sword are now in our midst and enjoy life. What prejudgment could be worse against their case, so plainly and clearly brought, than that those whom they said had been killed are alive and enjoy life, and will of course be able to speak for themselves? To the charges of those Meletians this too was added: they affirmed that you burst in with lawless violence, seized a cup lying in the most holy place, and broke it. Truly no charge could be greater than this, nor any outrage so grave, if this had in fact been done and sinned in this way. But what accusation is this? What shifting, variation, and inconsistency is there in the matter, that they now transfer the charge of this crime to another person? This shows, clearer than light itself, so to speak, that they were eager to plot against your prudence. After this, who would wish to follow those men who have invented so many things to do harm, especially when they lead themselves to destruction and perceive that they are accusers in fabricated and false matters? As I said, then, who would follow them and go headlong into the road of destruction—that road in which they alone think they have the hope of salvation and help? For if they would come to a pure conscience, remember the best judgment, and come to a sound mind, they will easily recognize that there is no help for them from Providence, since they are zealots for such things and are tempted to their own destruction. This I would justly call not harshness but truth. Finally I add this too, that we wish this to be read publicly and often by your prudence, so that from there it may come to the knowledge of all, and especially reach those who act thus and so conduct themselves; for what is said by us with a straight word is spoken with the deed of truth. Since, then, there is so great an outrage in this matter, let them know that I have so judged …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine’s letter to Athanasius condemns the Meletians, whose charges of murder were refuted by the living men themselves and whose charge about the chalice kept shifting.
- The end of the letter is lost in the scan (“…”).
Topics: Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 68 (PG 25:369a–372a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-68). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.
Chapter 69
69PG 25:372b–373a
Ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ καὶ πλέον δειχθῆναι τὴν ἶπονηρίαν τῶν συκοφαντῶν, ἰδοὺ καὶ ἔγραψεν Ἀρσένιος μετά τὸ εὑρεθῆναι κρυπούμενον αὐτόν. Ὧς γὰρ Ἰσχύρας ἔγραψεν ὁμολογῶν τήν συκοφαντίαν, οὕτως Ἀρσένιος γράφων ἐλέγχει πλέον ἐκείνων τὴν κακοήθειαν. ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ ΜΑΚΑΡΙΩ ΠΑΠᾼ ’Δρσένιος ἐπίσκοποςᾼᾷ τῶν,ποτε ὑπὸ _ Μελίτιον τῆς,Υψηλιτῶν ’πόλεως ἅμα- πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοιςήέν Κυρίῳ πλεῖστα χαίρειν. Καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀσπαζόμενοι τήν εἰρήνην καὶ ἕνωσιν πρὸς τήν καθολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἧς σὺ κατά χάριν Θεοῦ ποοίστασαι, προῃρημένοι τε τῷ ἐκκλησιαστικῷ κανόνι κατά τὸν παλαιὸν τύπον ὑποτάσσεσθαι, γράφομεν σοι, ἀγαπητὲ πάπα, ὁμολογοῦντες έν ὀνόματι Κυρίου τοῦ λοιποῦ μὴ κοινωνήσειν τοῖς ἔτι σχίζουσι, καὶ μηδέπω εἰρηνεύουσι πρὸς τὴν καθολικήν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐπισκόποις τε καὶ πρεσβυτέροις καὶ διακόνοις, μήτε συνθέσθαι αὐτοῖς βουλομένοις τι έν συνόδῳ, μήτε γράμματα εἰρηνικά ἀποστέλλειν, μήτε δέξασθαι παρʼ αὐτῶν, μηδʼ αὖ δίχα γνώμης σου τοῦ τῆς μητροπόλεως ἐπισκόπου ὅρον τινὰ ἐκφέρειν περὶ ἐπισκόπων. ἢ περὶ δόγματος ἑτέρου κοινοῦ έκά κλησιαστικοῦο ἀλλʼ εἴκειν πᾶσι τοῖς προτετυπωμένοις κανόσι καθʼ ὁμοιότητα τῶν ἐπισκόπων Ἀμμωνιανοῦ, καὶ Τυράννου, καὶ Πλουσιανοῦ, καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐπισκόπων. Πρὸς τοῦτα οῦν ἀξιοῦμεν τήν σὴν χρηστότητα ἀντιγράψαι μὲν ἡμῖν διὰ τάχους, ὡσαύτως τε καὶ τοῖς συλλειτουργοῖς περὶ ὑμῶν, ὅτι εἷἠμεν ἤδη ἐπὶ τοῖς προειρημένοις ὅροις, εἰρηνεύσαντες πρὸς τήν καθολικὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ ὲνωθέντες τοῖς συλλειτουργοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν τόπων πιστεύομεν δὲ, ὡς εὐχαί σου ἐνεργήσουσιν εύπρόσδεκτοι οὖσαι, ὥστε τήν τοιαύτην εἰρήνην βεβαίαν καὶ ἀδιάλυτον εἶναι μέχρι τέλους, κατά τὸ βούλημα τοῦ δεσπότου τῶν ἁπάντων Θεοῦ, διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν. Τὸ ὑπὸ σε ἱερατεῖον ἡμεῖς καὶ οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν προσαγορεύομεν. Ὅσον δέ οὐδέπω, Θεοῦ ἐπιτρέποντος, ἀπαντήσομεν πρὸς τὴν σήν χρηστότητα. Ἀρσένιος ἐρξὧσθαί σε εὔχομαι ἐν Κυρίῳ πολλοῖς χρόνοις, μακαριώτατε πάπα.
Hyper de tou kai pleon deichthēnai tēn iponērian tōn sykophantōn, idou kai egrapsen Arsenios meta to heurethēnai krypoumenon auton. Hōs gar Ischyras egrapsen homologōn tēn sykophantian, houtōs Arsenios graphōn elenchei pleon ekeinōn tēn kakoētheian. AThANASIŌ MAKARIŌ PAPĄ ’Drsenios episkoposĄą tōn,pote hypo _ Melition tēs,Ypsēlitōn ’poleōs hama- presbyterois kai diakonoisēen Kyriǭ pleista chairein. Kai hēmeis aspazomenoi tēn eirēnēn kai henōsin pros tēn katholikēn Ekklēsian, hēs sy kata charin Theou pooistasai, proę̄rēmenoi te tǭ ekklēsiastikǭ kanoni kata ton palaion typon hypotassesthai, graphomen soi, agapēte papa, homologountes en onomati Kyriou tou loipou mē koinōnēsein tois eti schizousi, kai mēdepō eirēneuousi pros tēn katholikēn Ekklēsian episkopois te kai presbyterois kai diakonois, mēte synthesthai autois boulomenois ti en synodǭ, mēte grammata eirēnika apostellein, mēte dexasthai parʼ autōn, mēdʼ au dicha gnōmēs sou tou tēs mētropoleōs episkopou horon tina ekpherein peri episkopōn. ē peri dogmatos heterou koinou eka klēsiastikouo allʼ eikein pasi tois protetypōmenois kanosi kathʼ homoiotēta tōn episkopōn Ammōnianou, kai Tyrannou, kai Plousianou, kai tōn loipōn episkopōn. Pros touta oun axioumen tēn sēn chrēstotēta antigrapsai men hēmin dia tachous, hōsautōs te kai tois sylleitourgois peri hymōn, hoti heiēmen ēdē epi tois proeirēmenois horois, eirēneusantes pros tēn katholikēn Ekklēsian, kai enōthentes tois sylleitourgois epi tōn topōn pisteuomen de, hōs euchai sou energēsousin euprosdektoi ousai, hōste tēn toiautēn eirēnēn bebaian kai adialyton einai mechri telous, kata to boulēma tou despotou tōn hapantōn Theou, dia Iēsou Christou tou Kyriou hēmōn. To hypo se hierateion hēmeis kai hoi syn hēmin prosagoreuomen. Hoson de oudepō, Theou epitrepontos, apantēsomen pros tēn sēn chrēstotēta. Arsenios erxōsthai se euchomai en Kyriǭ pollois chronois, makariōtate papa.
To show still more the wickedness of the false accusers, see, Arsenius too wrote after he was found in hiding. For as Ischyras wrote confessing the false accusation, so Arsenius by writing convicts their malice still more. “To the blessed Pope Athanasius, Arsenius, bishop of those formerly under Meletius in the city of the Hypselites, together with presbyters and deacons, abundant greeting in the Lord. We too, embracing peace and union with the catholic Church, over which you preside by the grace of God, and choosing to submit to the ecclesiastical canon according to the ancient form, write to you, beloved pope, confessing in the name of the Lord that from now on we will not communicate with those bishops, presbyters, and deacons who are still in schism and not yet at peace with the catholic Church; nor agree with them if they wish to do anything in a synod; nor send them letters of peace nor receive such from them; nor, without the consent of you, the bishop of the metropolis, issue any decree about bishops or about any other common ecclesiastical teaching; but yield to all the canons previously laid down, after the example of the bishops Ammonianus, Tyrannus, Plusianus, and the other bishops. We therefore ask your goodness to write back to us quickly, and likewise to our fellow ministers about us, that we are now, on the aforesaid terms, at peace with the catholic Church and united with the fellow ministers in the various places. And we trust that your prayers, being acceptable, will be effective, so that such peace may be firm and indissoluble to the end, according to the will of God the Lord of all, through Jesus Christ our Lord. We and those with us greet the clergy under you. As soon as God permits, we will come to your goodness. I, Arsenius, pray for your health in the Lord for many years, most blessed pope.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Arsenius, the bishop supposedly murdered by Athanasius, writes to him submitting to the catholic Church and breaking communion with the Meletian schismatics.
- Arsenius was the Meletian bishop of Hypsele; his letter dates from about 332–334. Migne’s notes on variant readings, which leaked into the text, are removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's notes on variant readings leaked into a word): ἀπαντήσοὸθᾶἓῗᾟθεη παλαιὸν τόπον. Editi, παλαιὸν νόμον. Reg., βουλομένοις τι. Editi vero, βουλομένοις Ιεʼ Beg., οὐδέπω. Editi, οὔπω. τ μὲν πρὸς → ἀπαντήσομεν πρὸς.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Athanasius, Apol. sec. 69 (PG 25:372b–373a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-apologia-arianos/52/#p-69). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-athanasius-apologia-arianos-69) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 25 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 4.