# To Epictetus

- Author: [Athanasius of Alexandria](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/athanasius/)
- Latin title: *Epistula ad Epictetum*
- Date: ca. 370 (approximate)
- Source: J.-P. Migne, ed., Patrologiae cursus completus, Series Graeca 26 (Paris: Migne, 1857), Epistula ad Epictetum (reprinting the Benedictine edition of B. de Montfaucon, Paris, 1698)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: Hans-Georg Opitz et al., eds., Athanasius Werke, vol. 2 (Berlin: de Gruyter, 1935–)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/
- Passages: 12

## Letter to Epictetus 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-1
- Source: PG 26:1049c–1052b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius tells Epictetus of Corinth that the Nicene faith suffices against every heresy, and that those who reopen questions only trouble the simple.

### Greek text

Ἐγὼ μὶν ἱνόμιζον πᾶσαν ματαιολογίαν πάντων, ὅσοι δηποτοῦν εἷʼσιν πὶρετικοῖ, πεπαῦσθαι τῆς γενομένης ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου· ἡ γὰρ ιν αὐτῇ παρᾶ τῶν Πατέρων κατᾶ τὰς θείας Γραφας ὁμολογηθεῖσα πίστις αὐτάρκης ἔστι πρὸς ἀνατροπὴν μὶν πάσης ἀσεβείας, πρὸς σύστασιν δὲ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς ἐν Χριστῴ πίστεως. Διά τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ νῦν διαφόρων γενομένων συνόδων ἕν τε τῇ Γαλλίᾳ, καὶ Σπανίᾳ, καὶ τῇ μεγάλῃ Ῥώμῄ, πάντες οἱ συνελθόντες τοὺς μὶν ἔτι κρυπτομένους καὶ φρονοῦντας νὰ Ἀρείου, Αὐξὲντιον δὴ λέγω τὸν ἐν Μεδιολάνῳ, καὶ Οὐρσάκιον, καὶ Οὐάλεντα, καὶ Γάϊον ἀπὸ τῆς Παννονίας παμψηφεὶ, ὡς ἀφʼ ἑνὸς Πνεῦματος κινούμενοι, ἀνεθεμάτισανο ἔγραψαν τι πανταχοῦ (διὰ τὸ τοὺς τοιούτους ἐπινοεῖν ἑαυτοῖς ὀνόματα συνὁδων), μηδεμίαν ἐν τῇ Καθολικῇ Ἐκκλησία σύνοδον ὀνομάζεσθαι, εἰ μή μόνην τήν ἐν Νικαίᾳ σόν οδον γενομίνην, τρόπαιον οὖσαν πάσης μὲν αἶ- Β ρέσεως, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ τῆς Ἀριιανῆς, διʼ ἣν μάλιστα καὶ ἡ σύνοδος τότε συνήχθη. Πῶς τοίνυν ἔτι μιτὰ τοσαύτα ἀμφισβητεῖν, ἢ ζητεῖν τινες ἐπιχειροῦσιν ; Εἰ μὲν οὗν ἐκ τῶν ’Λριιανῶν εἰσιν, οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ τὰ κατʼ αὐτῶν γραφέντα διαβάλλουσιν, ὥσπερ Ἕλληνες ἀκούοντες ° Τὰ εʼίδωλα τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον, ἔργα χειρῶν ἀνθρώπιον, μωρίαν ἡγοῦνται τήν περὶτοῦ Θείου σταυροῦ διδασκαλίαν· εἷ δὲ τῶν δοκούντων όρθως πιστεύειν καὶ ἀγαπᾷν τὰ δηλωθέντα παρᾶ τῶν Ilaτὲρων εἷʼσῖν οἱ διὰ τοῦ ζητεῖν ἀνασκευάζειν θέλοντες, οὐδὶν ἕτερον ποιοῦσιν ἢ κατὰτὸ γεγραμμένον, τὸν μὶν πλησίον ποτίζουσιν ἀνατροπὴν θολεραν, λογομαχοῦσι δὶ ἰπʼ οὐδενὶ χρησίμῳ-ἢ ἐπὶ καταστροφῇ τῶν ἀκεραίων.

### English translation (Claude)

I thought that all the vain talk of all heretics, whoever they may be, had been brought to an end by the council held at Nicaea. For the faith confessed there by the Fathers according to the divine Scriptures is sufficient for the overthrow of all impiety and for the establishment of the pious faith in Christ. For this reason now too, when various councils have been held in Gaul, in Spain, and in great Rome, all who came together, as moved by one Spirit, unanimously anathematized those who were still hiding and holding the views of Arius (I mean Auxentius of Milan, Ursacius, Valens, and Gaius from Pannonia); and they wrote everywhere (because such men devise names of councils for themselves) that no council should be named in the catholic Church except only the council held at Nicaea, which is a trophy over every heresy, and especially over the Arian, on account of which above all the council was assembled at that time. How then, after so much, do some still attempt to dispute or inquire? If they are of the Arians, it is no wonder that they slander what was written against them, just as the Greeks, when they hear, “The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of men's hands,” think the teaching of the divine cross foolishness. But if those who wish to overthrow it by their inquiring are among those who seem to believe rightly and to love what the Fathers declared, they do nothing else than, as it is written, give their neighbor a muddy draught to drink, and fight about words to no useful purpose, or to the ruin of the simple.

### Scripture references

- Ps 115:4 (113:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 1:18: allusion, medium confidence
- Hab 2:15: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Tim 2:14: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Letter 59, to Epictetus, bishop of Corinth (ca. 370–371). In this scan the OCR often prints τοῦ as “106”, τὸ as “16”, ὅτι as “6'11” and ὁ as “6”; these are read by sense throughout. “The idols of the nations …”: Ps 115:4 (LXX 113:12; cf. Ps 135:15). The cross as foolishness: 1 Cor 1:18. “A muddy draught”: Hab 2:15 (LXX). “Fight about words …”: 2 Tim 2:14.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 1 (PG 26:1049c–1052b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-1).

## Letter to Epictetus 2

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-2
- Source: PG 26:1052b–1053c
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius lists the errors in the memoranda sent to him: that Christ's body is of the same essence as the Godhead, that the Word changed into flesh, that the body was eternal, and that Christ and the Word are two.

### Greek text

Ταῦτα δὲ οὕτω γράφω, ἐντυχὼν τοῖς παρὰ τῇ σῇ Θεοσεβείᾳ προσαχθεῖσιν ὑπομνήμασιν, ἃ μηδὲ γραφῆναι ὤφελον, ἵνα μηδὲ μνήμη τις τούτων τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα γένηται. Τίς γὰρ ἤκουσε τοιαῦτα πώποτε ; τίς ὁ διδάξας, ἢ μαθών ; Ἐκ μὲν γὰρ Σιὼν ἒξελεόσεται νόμος Θεοῦ, καὶ Λόγος Κυρίου ἐξ Ἱερουσαλήμʼ χταῦτα δὲ, πόθεν ἐξῆλθες Ποῖος ᾅδης ἠρεύξατο ὁμοοόσιον σίπεῖν τὸ ἐκ Μαρίας σῶμα τῇ τοῦ Λόγου θεότητι; ἢ, ὅτι δ Λόγος εὶς σάρκα, καὶ ὀστέα, καὶ τρίχας, καὶ ελον σῶμα μεταβέβληται, καὶήλλάγη τῆς ΐδίας φύσεως ; Τίς δὶ ἤκουσεν ἰν Ἐκκλησία, ἢ ὅλως παρᾶ Χριστιανῶν, 6'11 θέσει καὶ οὐ φύσει σῶμα πεφόρηκεν 6 Κύριος; Ἥ τίς τοτοῦτον ἠσέβησέν, ὥστε εἰπεῖν ἅμα καὶ φρονεῖν, 6'11 ἡ θεότης αὐτή ἡ ὁμοούσιος τῷ Πατρὶ περιετμήθη καὶ ἀτελὴς ἐκ τελείου γέγονεν καῖ ’ὁτι τὸ ἐν ξύλῳ καθηλούμενον, οὐκ ἦν τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλʼ αὐτὴ ἡ δημιουργὸς οὐσία τῆς σοφίας ; Τίς δὲ ἀκούων, δτι οὐκ ἐκ Μαρίας, ἀλλʼ ix τῆς ἑαυτοῦ οὐσίας, μετεποίησεν ἑαυτῷ σῶμα παθητὸν 6 Λόγος, εἷʼποι ὢ Χριστιανὸν 16v λέγοντα ταῦτα; Τίς δὲ τὴν ἀθέμιτον ταύτην ἰπενόησεν ἀσέβειαν, ὥστε κᾶν είς ἐνθύμησιν ἐλθεῖν, καὶ εἷʼπεῖν, 6'11 6 λέγων ἐκ Μαρίας εἶναι 16 Κυριακὸν σῶμα οὐκέτι τριάδα, ἀλλὰ τετράδα ἰν τῇ θεότητι φρονεῖ; ὥς διὰ τοῦτο τοὺς οὕτω διακειμένους τῆς( οὐσίας τῆς Τριάδος λέγειν είνα τὴν σάρκα, ἢν ένεδύσατο ἐκ Μαρίας 6 Σωτήρ. Πόθεν δὲ πάλιν ἠρεύξαντό τινες ἴσην ἀσέβειαν τοῖς προειρημένοις, ὥστε εἰπεῖν μὴ νεώτερον εἶναι τὸ σῶμα τῆς τοῦ Λόγου θεότητος, ἀλγά συναΐδιον αὐτῷ διαπαντὸς γεγενῆσθαι, ἔπειδὴ ὲκ τῆς οὐσίας τῆς σοφίας συνέστη; Πῶς δὲ καὶ ἀμφιβάλλειν ἐτόλμησαν οἱ λεγόμενοι Χριστιανοὶ, εί 6 ἐκ Μαρίας-πρελθὼν Κύριος Υἱὸς μὲν τῇ οὐσίᾳ xvi φύσει τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐστι, τὸ δὲ κατὰ σάρκα ἐκ σπέρματός έστι Δαβὶδ, σαρκὸς δὲ τῆς ἁγίας Μαρίας; Τίνες δὶ ἄρα οὕτω τολμηροὶ γεγόνασιν ὥστε είπεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν τὸν σαρκί παθόντα καὶ ἐσταυρωμένον μὴ εʼίναι Κύριον, καὶ Σωτῆρα, καὶ Θεὸν, καὶ Υἱὸν 106 Ιῐατρὸς ; Ἢ πῶς Χριστιανοὶ θέλουσι ὀνομάσθαι οἱ λέγοντες εἷς ἄνθρωπον ἅγιον ὡς ἐπὶ ἕνα τῶν προφητῶν ἐληλυθέναι τὸν Λόγον, καὶ μὴ αὐτὸν ἄνθρωπον γεγονέναι, λαβόντα ἐκ, Μαρίαςτὸ σῶμα, ἀλλʼ ἕτερον εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ ἕτερον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον, τὸν πρὸ Μαρίας καὶ πρὸ αἰώνων Υἱὸν ὅντα 106 Πατρὸς; "H πῶς εἶναι χριστιανοὶ δύνανται οἱ λέγοντες ἄλλον εἶναι τὸν Υὶὸν καὶ ἄλλον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον;

### English translation (Claude)

I write this having read the memoranda brought before your piety, which ought never to have been written, so that not even any memory of them might remain for those who come after. For who ever heard such things? Who taught or learned them? For “out of Zion shall go forth the law of God, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem”; but these things, where did they come from? What hell has belched out the statement that the body born of Mary is of the same essence with the Godhead of the Word? Or that the Word has been changed into flesh and bones and hair and the whole body, and altered from his own nature? Who ever heard in church, or at all from Christians, that the Lord wore a body by adoption and not by nature? Or who was ever so impious as both to say and to hold that the Godhead itself, which is of the same essence with the Father, was circumcised and became imperfect instead of perfect, and that what was nailed to the tree was not the body but the very creative essence of Wisdom? And who, hearing that the Word fashioned for himself a passible body, not from Mary but from his own essence, would call the one who says this a Christian? Who devised this abominable impiety, so as even to conceive it and say that he who says that the Lord's body is from Mary no longer holds a Trinity but a Tetrad in the Godhead? As if, for this reason, those so minded said that the flesh which the Savior put on from Mary is of the essence of the Trinity! And from where again have some belched out an impiety equal to those mentioned, so as to say that the body is not later than the Godhead of the Word, but was always coeternal with it, since it was composed of the essence of Wisdom? And how did men called Christians dare to doubt whether the Lord who came forth from Mary, while Son of God in essence and nature, is according to the flesh from the seed of David and of the flesh of holy Mary? Who were so bold as to say that the Christ who suffered in the flesh and was crucified is not Lord and Savior and God and Son of the Father? Or how do they wish to be called Christians who say that the Word came upon a holy man as upon one of the prophets, and did not himself become man, taking the body from Mary, but that Christ is one and the Word of God, who was Son of the Father before Mary and before the ages, is another? Or how can they be Christians who say that the Son is one and the Word of God another?

### Scripture references

- Isa 2:3: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 1:3: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Pet 4:1: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The memoranda (ὑπομνήματα) recorded a dispute at Corinth. “By adoption” renders θέσει (“by position”, i.e. not by nature). Several of the opinions reported are those later attributed to followers of Apollinarius; others deny that the Word himself became man. “Out of Zion …”: Isa 2:3 (Mic 4:2). From the seed of David: Rom 1:3. Suffered in the flesh: 1 Pet 4:1.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 2 (PG 26:1052b–1053c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-2).

## Letter to Epictetus 3

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-3
- Source: PG 26:1053c–1056b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius explains why he sets out the errors baldly and will answer them briefly from Scripture.

### Greek text

Ταῦτα ἦν έν τοῖς Ὑπομνήμασι, διαφόρως μὶν εἰρημένα,ῗμ.ίαν δὲ τὴν διάνοιαν καὶ τήν αὐτὴν ἔχοντα πρὸς ἀσέβειαν βλέπουσαν δύναμιν Διὰ ταῦτα διεκρίνοντο καὶ διεμάχοντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους οἱ αὐχοῦντες ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμολογίᾷ τῶν Πατέρων τῇ ἐν Νικαίᾳ γενομένῃ. Ἐγὼ δὲ, τὴν σὴν ἐθαύμασα θεοσέβειαν ἀνασχομένην, καὶ 6'11 μὴ τούτους ἔπαυσε μὲν ταῦτα λέγοντας, τήν δὶ εὐσεβῆ πίστιν παρέθηκεν αὐτοῖς ° ἱνα ἢ ἀκούσαντες ἠρεμήσωσιν, ἢ ἀντιλέγοντες ὡς αἱρετικοὶ νομισθῶσι. Τὰ γὰρ εἱρημὲνα οὔτε λεκτὰ οὔτε ἀκουστὰ παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς, ἀλλὰ ἀλλότρια κατὰ πάντα τρόπον τῆς ἆποστολικῆς διδασκαλίας. Διά τοῦτο γοῦν κάγὼ τά παρʼ ἐκείνων, ὡς προείρηται, ἐγγραφῆναι γυμνῶς πεποίηκα τῇ ἐπιστολῇ,ι“ίνα καὶ μόνον 6 ἀκούων θεωρῆ τὴν ἐν αῦτοῖς αἰσχύνην καὶ ἀσέβειαν. Καὶ εἴ καὶ ἔδει διὰ πλειόνων κατηγορεῖν καὶ διελέγχειν τήν ἀφροσύνην τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα νοησάντων · ἀλλὰ καλὸν ἕως τούτων εἶναι τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, καὶ μηδὲν πλεῖον γράφειν · τὰ γὰρ οὕτω φανερῶς δεικνύμενα φαῦλα γυμνάζειν ἐπὶ πλεῖον καὶ περιεργάζεσθαι οὐ δεῖ, ἵνα μή τοῖς φιλονεικοῦσιν ὡς ἀμφίβολα νομισθῆ ’ ἢ τοῦτο μόνον ἀποκρίνασθαι πρὸς τὰ τοιαῦτα, καὶ εἰπεῖν · ’Λρκεῖ, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα τῆς Καθολικῆς Ἐκκλησίας, οὐδὲ ταῦτα οἱ Ηατᾶρες ἐφρόνησαν. Ἵνα δὲ μὴ ἐκ τῆς τέλεον σιωπῆς πρόφασιν ἀναισχυντίας ἑαυτοῖς οἱ τῶν κακῶν ἰφευρεταὶ πορίσωνται, καλὸν ἐκ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ὀλίγα μνημονεῦσαι ο τάχα κᾶν οὑτως αἰδεσθέντες παύσωνται άπὸ τῶν ῥυπαρῶν τοότων ἂπινοιῶν.

### English translation (Claude)

These things were in the memoranda, stated in various ways, but having one meaning and the same force, tending toward impiety. Over these, men who boast in the confession of the Fathers made at Nicaea were divided and fought with one another. And I wondered that your piety bore with it, and did not stop them from saying these things and set before them the pious faith, so that either, hearing it, they might be quiet, or, contradicting it, they might be regarded as heretics. For what was said is neither fit to be spoken nor to be heard among Christians, but is in every way alien to the apostolic teaching. That is why I have had their statements, as said above, written bare into the letter, so that one who merely hears may see the shame and impiety in them. And though it would be right to accuse and refute at greater length the folly of those who thought such things, yet it would be good for the letter to stop here and write nothing more; for what is so plainly shown to be bad need not be exercised and labored over further, lest the contentious think it doubtful; or else only to answer such things with this: It is enough that these things are not of the catholic Church, nor did the Fathers hold them. But lest the inventors of these evils make complete silence a pretext for shamelessness, it is good to recall a few things from the divine Scriptures; perhaps even so they may be ashamed and cease from these foul notions.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 3 (PG 26:1053c–1056b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-3).

## Letter to Epictetus 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-4
- Source: PG 26:1056b–1057b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius refutes the claim that Christ's body is of the same essence as the Word's Godhead, showing that it would make the Father earthly and Mary unnecessary.

### Greek text

Πόθεν ὑμῖν ἐπῆλθεν εἷʼπεῖν, ὦ οὗτοι, ὁμοοόσιον εἶναι τὸ σῶμα τῆς τοῦ Λόγου θεότητος (ἀπὸ γὰρ τούτου καλόν εστιν ἄρξασθαι, ἵνα, τούτου δεικνυμένου σαθροῦ, καὶ πάντα τᾶ ἄλλα τοίαῦτα δειχθῇ); Ἀπὸ μὲν οῦν τῶν θείων Γραφῶν οὐκ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν,Θεὸν γὰρ ἐν ἀνθρωπίνῳ σώματι λέγουσι γεγονὲναι. Ἀλλά γὰρ καὶ οὶ Ιιατὲρες, οἱ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνελθόντες οὐ τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν τὸν Υίὸν ὁμοσύσιον εἰρήκασι τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ τοῦτον μὲν ὲκ τῆς οὐσίας ἰτοῦ Πατρὸς, τὸδὲσῶμα ἐκ Μαρίας ὡμολογῆσαν εἶναι πάλιν κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς. Ἦ τοίνυν ἀρνήσασθε τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ σύνοδον, καὶ ὡς αἱρετικοὶ παρεισφέρετεταῦτα · ἢ, εί βούλεσθε τικνα τῶν Πατὲρων εἶναι, μή φρονεῖτε παρʼ εκεῖνα, ἅπερ ἔγραψαν αὗτοί. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ἐκ τούτου τὸ ἄτοπον θεωρεῖν ὑμᾶς ἔξεστιν εί ἁμοοόσιος 6 Λόγος τῷ σώματι ὲκ γῆς ἔχοντι τὴν φύσιν, ὁμοοόσιος δὶ 6 Λόγος τῷ Πατρὶ κατὰ τήν τῶν Πατὲρων ὁμολογίαν · ὁμοσύσιος ἔσται καὶ αὐτὸς 6 Πατήρ τῷ σώματιτῷ ἐκ γῆς γενομένῳ. Καὶ τί ἔτι μὲμσεσθε τοῖς Ἀρειανοῖς λάγουσι τὸν Υἱὸν κτίσμα, λέγοντες αὐτοὶ καὶ τὸν ΙῙατὲρα ὁμοούσιον τοῖς κτίσμασι; καί τίς ἑτέραν ἀσέβειαν μετερχόμενοι, φάσκοντες εἷς σάρκα, καὶ ἆστὲα, καὶ τρίχας, καὶ νεῦρα, καὶ ὅλον τὸ σῶμα μετα- Βεβλῆσθαι τὸν Λόγον, καὶ ἠλλάχθαι τῆς ἰδίας φόσεως. Ὥρα γὰρ ὑμᾶς φανερῶς εἰπεῖν ἐκ γῆς αὐτὸν γεγενῆσθαισ ἐκ γῆς γὰρ τῶν ὀστέων καὶ ὅλου τοῖʼ) σώματος φύσις. Τίς οὖν ἡ τοσαύτη παραφροσύνη, ’ίνα καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς διαμάχησθες ὁμοούσιν μὲν γὰρ λέγοντες τὸν Λόγον τῷ σώματι, ἕτερον πρὸς ἕτερον σημαίνετε· τὸ δὲ εἰς σάρκα μεταβεβλῆσθαι αύτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου τροπὴν φαντάζεσθε. Καὶ τίς ἔτι λοιπὸν ύμῶν ἀνέξεται ταῦτα καὶ μόνον φθεγγομένων; Πάσης γὰρ αἱρέσεως πλέον εἰς ἀσέβειαν έξεκλίνατε. Ei γὰρ ὁμοούσιος 6 Λόγος τῷ σώματι, περιττή τῆς Μαρίας ἡ μνήμη καὶ ἡ χρεία, δυναμένου τοῦ σώματος εἶναι καὶ πρὸ Μαρίας ἀίδιος, ὥσπερ οὖν ἐστικαὶ αὐτὸς 6 Λόγος* εἷʼ γε καθʼ ὑμᾶς ὁμοούσιός ἐστιτῷ σώματι. Τίς δὲ καὶ ἡ χρεία τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Λόγου, *ίνα ἢ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ὁμοούσιον ένδύσηται, ἢ τθαπεῖς ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας φύσεως, σῶμα γένηται ; Ού γὰρ εαυτῆς ἡ θεότης ἐπιλαμβάνεται, ἵνα … καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον ἑαυτῆς ἐνδύσηται. Ἀλλʼ οὐδὲ ἦμαρτεν 6 τὰς ἄλλων ἁμαρτίας λυτρούμενος Λόγος, ῗνα, τραπεὶς εἷς σῶμα, ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ είς θυσίαν προσενέγκῃ, καὶ ἑαυτὸν λυτρώσηται.

### English translation (Claude)

Where did it come into your heads, sirs, to say that the body is of the same essence with the Godhead of the Word? (For it is good to begin from this, so that, when this is shown to be unsound, all the other such things may be shown so too.) It cannot be found in the divine Scriptures; for they say that God came to be in a human body. And the Fathers who met at Nicaea said that not the body, but the Son himself, is of the same essence with the Father, and confessed that he is from the essence of the Father, but that the body is from Mary, again according to the Scriptures. Either, then, deny the council at Nicaea and bring these things in as heretics, or, if you wish to be children of the Fathers, do not hold anything contrary to what they wrote. For from this too you can see the absurdity: if the Word is of the same essence with the body, which has its nature from the earth, and the Word is of the same essence with the Father according to the Fathers' confession, the Father himself too will be of the same essence with the body made from earth. And why do you still blame the Arians for saying that the Son is a creature, when you yourselves say that the Father is of the same essence with creatures? And why do you pass over to another impiety, saying that the Word has been changed into flesh and bones and hair and sinews and the whole body, and altered from his own nature? It is time for you to say openly that he was made from earth; for the nature of the bones and of the whole body is from earth. What, then, is this great madness, that you fight even against yourselves? For in saying that the Word is of the same essence with the body, you signify one thing in relation to another; but in saying that he was changed into flesh, you imagine a change of the Word himself. And who will still bear with you merely uttering these things? For you have swerved into impiety more than every heresy. For if the Word is of the same essence with the body, the mention of Mary and the need of her are superfluous, since the body could exist eternally even before Mary, just as the Word himself does, if, according to you, he is of the same essence with the body. And what need was there of the Word's coming, either to put on what is of the same essence with himself, or, changed from his own nature, to become a body? For the Godhead does not take hold of itself, so as … to put on what is of the same essence with itself. Nor did the Word, who ransoms the sins of others, sin, so that, changed into a body, he should offer himself as a sacrifice for himself and ransom himself.

### Translation notes

- A few words after “so as” are unreadable in the scan (marked …). ὁμοούσιος “of the same essence”.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 4 (PG 26:1056b–1057b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-4).

## Letter to Epictetus 5

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-5
- Source: PG 26:1057b–1060b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius shows from the Gospel narratives that Christ's body was truly born of Mary, while the Word himself remained unchangeable and impassible.

### Greek text

Ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἔστιν οὕτως, μὴ γέγοιτοί Σπέρματος γὰρ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεται, ὡς εἶπεν 6 ἈπόστοΑος· ὅθεν ὤφειλε κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι, καὶ λαβεῖν ὅμοιον ἡμῖν σῶμα. Διά τοῦ· το γοῦν nati ὑπόκειται ἀληθῶς ἡ Μαρία, i'v‘ ἐξ αύτῆς τοῦτο λάβῃ, καὶ ὡς ἵδιου ύπὶρ ἡμῶν αὐτὸ προσ·ενέγκῃ. Καὶ ταῦτην ὁ μὶν Ἡσαΐας προφητεύων, ἐδείκνυε λέγων. Ἰδοὺ ἡ ΙῙαρθὲνος· 6 δὲ Γαβριὴλ ἀποστέλλεται πρὸς αὐτὴν οὐχ ἁπλῶς πρὸς παρμεμνηστευμένην θένον, Ἀλλὰ πρὸς παρθένον ἀνδρίʼ θίνʼ ἐκ τοῦ μνηστῆρος δείξῃ τὴν Μαριαν ἀληθῶς ἄνθρωπον οὖσαν. Διὸ καὶ τοῦ τίκτειν μνημονεύει ἡ Γραφὴ, καὶ φησιν· Ἐσπαργάνωσε· καὶ ἐμακαρίζοντο μαστοὶ, οὕς έθήλασε, καὶ προσενέχθη θυσία, ὡς διανοίξαντος τοῦ τεχθέντος τήν μήτρανο ταῦτα δὲ πάντα, τικτούσης ἦν Παρθένου γνωρίσμα τα. Καὶ 6 Γαβριὴλ δὲ ἀσφαλῶς εὐηγγελίζετο αὐτῇ, λέγων ούχ ἁπλῶς, τὸ γεννώμενον ἐν σοὶ, ἴνα μὴ ἔξωθεν ἓπεισαγόμινον αὐτῇ σῶμα νομισθῇ· ἀλλʼ ἐκ σοῦʼ, ἵνʼ ἐξ αὐτῆς φύσει τὸ γεννώμενον εἶναι πιστευθῇ, φανερως καὶ τοῦτο τῆς φύσεως δεικνυούσης, ὡς ἀδύνατον παρθένον φέρειν γύλα μὴ τεκοῦσαν, καὶ ἀδύνατον γάλακτι τραφῆναι σῶμα καὶ σπαργανωθῆναι, μὴ πρότερον φύσει τεχθέν. Τοῦτό ἔστιτὸ περιτμηθὲν ὀκταήμερον· τοῦτο Συμεὼν εἲς τὰς ἀγκάλας ἐδέξατο· τοῦτο γέγονε παιδίον καὶ ηὔξησε, δωδεκαετές γενόμενον καὶ εἷς τὸν τριακοστὸν ἐνιαο- 16v ἦλθεν. Ού γὰρ, ὥς τινες ὑπενόησαν, ἡ ούσία αὕτη 106 Λόγου τραπεῖσα *ιτεριετμήθη ἀναλλοίωτος οὖσα καὶ ἄτρεπτος· λὲγοντος μὶν αὐτοῦ 105 Σωτῆρος. Ἴδετε, ’ἴδετε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ήλε λοίωμαι· 106 δε Παύλου γράφοντος· Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς χθὲς καὶ σήμερον 6 αὐτὸς, καί εἱς τοὺς αἲῶνας* ἀλλʼ ἐν τῷ περιτμηθὲντι σώματι, καὶ βασταο χθὲντι, καὶ φαγόντι, καὶ πιόντι καὶ καμόντι, καὶ ἐν ξύλῳ κα-θηλωθὲντι καὶ παθόντι ἦν ὁ ἀπαθὴς καὶ ἀσώματος 1.06 Θεοῦ Λόγος. T0610 ἦν τὸ ἐν μνημείῳ τεθὲν, ὅτε αὐτὸς ἐπορεύθη, μὴ χωρισθεὶς αὐτοῦ , κηρῦξαι καὶ τοῖς εν φυλακῇ πνεύμασιν, ὡς εἶπεν 6 Πέτρος.

### English translation (Claude)

But it is not so; God forbid! For “he takes hold of the seed of Abraham,” as the Apostle said; “therefore he had to be made like his brothers in all things,” and to take a body like ours. That is why Mary is truly presupposed, so that he might take the body from her and offer it for us as his own. And Isaiah, prophesying, pointed to her, saying, “Behold, the virgin”; and Gabriel is sent to her, not simply to a virgin, but to a virgin betrothed to a man, so that by the betrothed he might show that Mary was truly a human being. That is why Scripture mentions her giving birth and says, “She wrapped him in swaddling cloths”; and the breasts which he sucked were called blessed; and a sacrifice was offered, as for one who had opened the womb. All these were the marks of a virgin who gave birth. And Gabriel brought her the good news with care, saying not simply “what is born in you,” lest a body brought into her from outside be supposed, but “from you,” so that what was born might be believed to be from her by nature; nature too plainly showing this, since it is impossible for a virgin to give milk unless she has given birth, and impossible for a body to be nourished with milk and wrapped in swaddling cloths unless it has first been born by nature. This is what was circumcised on the eighth day; this Simeon received into his arms; this became a child and grew, reached twelve years of age and came to its thirtieth year. For it was not, as some have supposed, the very essence of the Word that was changed and circumcised, for it is unalterable and unchangeable, as the Savior himself says, “See, see, that I am, and I have not changed,” and Paul writes, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever”; but in the body that was circumcised and carried, that ate and drank and grew weary, and was nailed to the tree and suffered, was the impassible and incorporeal Word of God. This was what was laid in the tomb, when he himself went, not separated from it, to preach also to the spirits in prison, as Peter said.

### Scripture references

- Heb 2:16: quotation, high confidence
- Heb 2:17: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 7:14: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:27: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 2:7: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 11:27: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 2:23: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 1:35: quotation, medium confidence
- Luke 2:21: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 2:28: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 2:42: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 3:23: allusion, high confidence
- Deut 32:39: quotation, medium confidence
- Mal 3:6: quotation, medium confidence
- Heb 13:8: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Pet 3:19: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “He takes hold of the seed of Abraham …”: Heb 2:16–17. “Behold, the virgin”: Isa 7:14. Betrothed: Luke 1:27. Swaddling cloths: Luke 2:7. The blessed breasts: Luke 11:27. Opening the womb: Luke 2:23 (Exod 13:2). “From you”: Luke 1:35 in the form read by Athanasius (τὸ γεννώμενον ἐκ σοῦ). Circumcision, Simeon, twelve years, thirtieth year: Luke 2:21, 28, 42; 3:23. “See, see, that I am …”: Deut 32:39 combined with Mal 3:6. “Jesus Christ is the same …”: Heb 13:8. The spirits in prison: 1 Pet 3:19.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 5 (PG 26:1057b–1060b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-5).

## Letter to Epictetus 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-6
- Source: PG 26:1060b–1061a
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius argues from Christ's burial and wounds that the body was the Word's own but not the Word himself, so that the impassible Word made the sufferings of his body his own for our salvation.

### Greek text

Ὅ μάκιστα δείκνυσι τήν ἄνοιαν τῶν λεγόντων, εἷς ὁστὲα καὶ σάρκα τετράφθαι τὸν Λόγον. Εἰ γὰρ 10610 ἦν, οὐκ ἦν χρεία μνημείουʼ αὐτὸ γὰρ ἂν ἐπορεύθη-(διʼ ἑαυτοῦ τὸ σῶμα, κηρῦξαι τοῖς ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ πνεύματι. Νῦν δὲ αὐτὸς μὶν ἐπορεύθη κηρῦξαι, τὸ δὲ σῶμα εἱλίξας ὁ Ἰωσήφ σινδόνι, ἀπέθετο ἐν τῷ Γολγοθᾶσ καὶ δέδεικται πᾶσιν, ὅτι μή τὸ σῶμα ἧνὸ Λόγος, ἀλλά σῶμα ἦν τοῦ Λόγου. Καὶ τοῦτο Θωμᾶς ἀναστὰν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐψηλάφησε, καὶ εἶδεν ἐν αύτῷ τοὺς τύπους τῶν ἥλῶν, οὕς ἒπέμεινεν αὐτὸς 6 Λόγος, ὁρῶν καθηλουμένους ἐν τῷ ἰδίῳ σώματι, καὶ, δυνάμενος κωλύειν, οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν· ἀλλά καὶ ἰδιοποιεῖτο τὰ 106 σώματος ἴδια, ὡς ἑαυτοῦ 6 Δόγος 6 ἀσώματος. ’Λμὲλει 106 σώματος τυπτομένου παρὰ 106 ὑπηρέτου, ὡς αὐτὸς πάσχων ἔλεγεο Δί με δέρειςς Καὶ ἄψαυστος ὢν ὁ Λόγος τῇ φύσει, ὅμως ἔλεγε. Τὸν νῶτόν μου ἔδωκα εἰς μάστιγας, τὰς δὲ σιαγόνας μου εἷς ῥαπίσματαο καὶ τὸ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ἀπὲστρεψα ἀπὸ αἰσχύνης ἐμπτυσμάτων "A γὰρ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἔπασχε σῶμα 106 Λόγου, ταῦτα, συνὼν αὐτῷ 6 Λόγος, εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀνάφίρεν, ἵνα τῆς 106 Λόγου Θεότητος μετασχεῖν δυνηθώμεν. Καὶ ἦν παράδοξον, ὅτι αὐτός ἦν 6 πάσχων καὶ μὴ πάσχωνο πάσχων μὶν, ὅτι 16 ἴδιον αὐτοῦ ἔπασχε σῶμα, καὶ ἐν αύτῷ τῷ πάσχοντι ἦνʼ μὴ πάσχων δὶ, ὅτι τῇ φύσει Θεὸς ὧν 6 Λόγος, ἀπαθής ἐστι. Καὶ αὐτὸς μὶν 6 ἀσώματος ἦν ἐν τῷ παθητῷ σώματι· 16 δὲ σῶμα εἶχεν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν ἀππθῆ Λόγον, ἀφανίζοντα αὒτοῦ 106 σώματος τὰς ἀσθενείας. Ἐποίει δὲ τοῦτο καὶ ἐγένετο οὕτως, ἵνα, τὰ ἡμῶν αὐτὸς δεχόμενος, καὶ προσενεγκὼν είς θυσίαν, ὲξαφανίσῃ. καὶ λοιπον τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ περιβαλὼν ή μᾶς, ποιήσῃ τὸν Ἀπόστολον εἰπεῖν · Δεῖ τὸ φθαρτὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀφθαρσίαν, καὶ τὸ θνητὸν τοῦτο ἐνδύσασθαι ἀθανα-

### English translation (Claude)

This shows above all the folly of those who say that the Word was turned into bones and flesh. For if this were so, there would be no need of a tomb; for the body itself would have gone by itself to preach to the spirits in Hades. But in fact he himself went to preach, while Joseph wrapped the body in a linen cloth and laid it at Golgotha; and it has been shown to all that the body was not the Word, but that the body was the Word's. And this Thomas handled when it had risen from the dead, and he saw in it the prints of the nails, which the Word himself endured, seeing them driven into his own body; and though he was able to prevent it, he did not prevent it; rather, the incorporeal Word made his own the properties of the body, as his own. Indeed, when the body was struck by the servant, he said, as suffering himself, “Why do you strike me?” And though the Word is by nature untouchable, nevertheless he said, “I gave my back to the scourges and my cheeks to blows, and I did not turn away my face from the shame of spitting.” For what the human body of the Word suffered, the Word, being united with it, referred to himself, so that we might be able to partake of the Godhead of the Word. And it was a paradox that he was the same who suffered and did not suffer: he suffered, because his own body suffered and he was in that which suffered; he did not suffer, because the Word, being God by nature, is impassible. And he, the incorporeal, was in the passible body; and the body had in itself the impassible Word, who did away with the weaknesses of the body. And this he did, and so it was, in order that, receiving what is ours himself and offering it as a sacrifice, he might do away with it, and then, clothing us with what is his, he might make the Apostle say, “This corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal put on immortality.”

### Scripture references

- Matt 27:59: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Pet 3:19: allusion, medium confidence
- John 20:27: allusion, high confidence
- John 18:23: quotation, high confidence
- Isa 50:6: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:53: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- Joseph and the burial: Matt 27:59–60. Thomas: John 20:27. “Why do you strike me?”: John 18:23. “I gave my back …”: Isa 50:6. “This corruptible …”: 1 Cor 15:53; the last word in the scan is broken off (ἀθανα-). After “And this he did” Migne's footnotes (variant readings from the copy of the letter in Epiphanius) leaked into the text; they were removed by a logged correction.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 6 (PG 26:1060b–1061a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-6).

## Letter to Epictetus 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-7
- Source: PG 26:1061a–1061d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius insists that the incarnation was real, not a mere appearance, so that the whole man, soul and body, is saved, and he cites the risen Lord's words in Luke.

### Greek text

Οὐ θέσει δὲ ταῦτα ἐγίνετο, μὴ γένοιτοί ὥς τινες πάλιν ὑπέλαβον ἀλλʼ ὅντως ἀληθείᾳ ἀνθρώπου γενομένου τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ὅλου τοῦ ἀνθρώπου σωτηρία ἐγίνετο. Εἰ γὰρ θέσει ἦν ὲν τῷ σώματι ὀ Λόγος, κατʼ ἐκείνους, τὸ δὲ θέσει λεγόμενον φαντασία ἐστὶ, δοκήσει εὑρίσκεται καὶ ἡ σωτηρία καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν ἀνθρώπων λεγομένη, κατὰ τὸν ἀσεβέστατον Μανιχαῖον. Ἀλλὰ μὴν οὐ φαντασίαὴ σωτηρία ἡμῶν, οὐδὲ σώματος μόνου, ἀλλʼ ὅλου τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος ἀληθῶς, ὴ σωτηρία γέγονεν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Λόγῳ. Ἀνθρὼπινον ἄρα φύσει τὸ ἐκ τῆς Μαρίας κατὰ τὰς θείας Γραφὰς, καὶ ἀληθινὸν ἦν τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Κυρίου · ἀληθινὸν δὲ ἦν, ἐπεὶ ταυτὸν ἧν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ· ἀδελφὴ γὰρ ἡμῶν ἡ Μαρία, ἐπεὶ καὶ πάντες ὲκ τοῦ ’Λδάμ ἐσμεν. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἄν τις ἀμφιβἁλοι, μνησθεὶς ὧν ἔγραψεν ὁ Λουκᾶς. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ ἀναστῆναι ὲκ τῶν νεκρῶν, δοκούντων τινῶν μὴ ἐν τῷ ἐκ Μαρίας σώματι βλέπειν τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλὰ ἀντὶ τούτου πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν, ἔλεγεν· Ἴδετε τὰς χεῖράς μου καί τοὺς πόδας μου, καὶ τοὺς τύπους τῶν ἥλων, ὅτι ἐγώ ειμι αὑτός. Ψηλαςςήσατέ με, καὶ ἴδετε, ὅτι πνεῦμα σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα οὐκ ἔχει, καθὼς ἐμὲ θεωρεῖτε ἔχοντα. Καὶ τοῦτο εἰπὼν, ἐπέδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς χεῷας καὶ τοὺς πόδας. Ἐξ ὧν καὶ ἐλέγχεσθαι δύνανται πάλιν oi τολμήσαντες εἰπεῖν εἰς σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα ἠλλοιῶσθαι τὸν Κύριον. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Καθὼς ἐμὲ θεωρεῖτε σάρκα καὶ ὀστᾶ ὄντα, ἀλλʼ έχοντα · ἵνα μὴ αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος είς ταῦτα τραπεὶς νομισθῇ, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸς έχων αὐτὰ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν εἶναι πιστευθῇ.

### English translation (Claude)

These things did not happen by adoption, God forbid, as some again have supposed; but, the Savior having become man in very truth, the salvation of the whole man came about. For if the Word was in the body by adoption, as they say, and what is said to be by adoption is an appearance, then the salvation and resurrection of men that is spoken of is found to be in seeming only, according to the most impious Manichaeus. But in fact our salvation is no appearance, nor of the body only, but the salvation of the whole man, soul and body, has truly come about in the Word himself. Human by nature, then, according to the divine Scriptures, was what was from Mary, and the Lord's body was real; and it was real because it was the same as ours; for Mary is our sister, since we are all from Adam. And no one could doubt this who remembers what Luke wrote. For after he rose from the dead, when some thought that they were not seeing the Lord in the body from Mary, but were looking at a spirit instead, he said, “See my hands and my feet,” and the prints of the nails, “that it is I myself. Touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have.” And having said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. From this those can be refuted again who dared to say that the Lord was changed into flesh and bones. For he did not say, “as you see that I am flesh and bones,” but “that I have,” so that the Word himself might not be thought to have been changed into them, but might be believed, having them, to be himself both before his death and after the resurrection.

### Scripture references

- Luke 24:37: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 24:39: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 24:40: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “By adoption” renders θέσει. Manichaeus: Mani, whose docetic view of Christ's body Athanasius has in mind. “See my hands …”: Luke 24:37–40.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 7 (PG 26:1061a–1061d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-7).

## Letter to Epictetus 8

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-8
- Source: PG 26:1061d–1064b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius explains that “the Word became flesh” means that he became man, not that he was changed, and he rejects the claims that Christ's flesh was eternal or immortal.

### Greek text

Τούτων δὲ οὓτως ἑχόντων τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, περιττὸν ἔτι τῶν ἄλλων ἅπτεσθαι, καὶ γυμνάζειν τι περὶ αὐτῶν, τοῦ σώματος, ὲν ᾧ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, μὴ ὄντος ὁμοουσίου τῇ θεότητι, ἀλλʼ ὲκ Μαρίας ἀληθῶς τεχθέντος· καὶ αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ Λόγου μὴ τραπέντος εἰς ὀστέα καὶ σάρκα, ἀλλʼ ὲν σαρκὶ γενομένου. Τὸ γὰρ παρὰ τῷ Ἰωάννῃ λεγόμενον· Ὀ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ταύτην ἔχει τὴν διάνοιαν, καθὼς καὶ ὲκ τοῦ ὁμοίου ιοοι τοῦτο δυνατὸν εὑρεῖν γέγραπται γὰρ παρὰ τῷ Παύλῳ ' Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γέγονε κατάρα. Καὶ ὥσπερ οὐκ αὑτὸς γέγονε κατάρα, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀνεδέξατο κατάραν, εἷʼρηται κατάρα γεγονέναι οὕτω καὶ σὰρξ γὲγονεν οὑ τραπεὶς εἰς σάρκα, ἀλλʼ ὅτι σάρκα ζῶσαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀδέλαβε, καὶ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος. Καὶ γὰρ τὸ εἰπεῖν · :0 Λὸγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἴσον πάλιν ίστὶν εἰπεῖν· Ὀ Λόγος ἅνόρωπος γέγονε, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ἰν τῷ Ἰωήλ· Ἐκχεῶ ἀπὸ το ΙΙνεύματός μου ἐπὶ πᾶσαν σάρκα· οὑ γὰρ ἕως τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων ἦν ἡ ἐπαγγελία, ἀλλʼ εἷς ἀνθρώπους ἐστὶν, ὧν ἓνεκα καὶ ἄνθρωπος γὲγονεν 6 Κύριος. ί48) Τούτου δὶ τοῦ ῥητοῦ ταὺτην ἔχοντος τὴν ἔννοιαν, εΐγότως καταγνώσονται ἓαυτῶν πάντες οἳ νομίσαντες πρὸ τῆς Μαρίας εἶναι τήν ἐξ αὐτῆς σάρκα, καὶ πρὸ ταύτης τινὰ ἐσχηκέναι ψυχήν ἀνθρωπίνην τὸν Λόγον, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ πρό τῆς ἐπιδημίας ἀεὶ γεγενῆσθαι. Παὺσονται δὲ καὶ οἱ εἰπόντες μὴ εἶναι δεκτικήν θανάτου τὴν σάρκα, ἀλλά τῆς ἀθάνατου φύσεως εἶναι ταύτην. Εἰ γὰρ μή ἀπίθανε, πῶς 6 Παῦλος παρεδίδου Κορινθίοις, ’ὀ καὶ παρέο λαβεν ο Ὀτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν κατά τὰς Γραφάςς Πῶς δὲ ὅλως καὶ ἀνέστη, εἰ μὴ καὶ ἀπέθανεν ; Ἐρυθριάσουσι δὶ μεγάλως οἱ ὅλως ἐνθυμηθέντες δύνασθαι ἀντὶ τῆς Τριάδος γενέσθαι τετράδα, εἰ λὲγοιτο ἐκ Μαρίας εἶναι τὸ σῶμα. Ὀμοοὺσιον γὰρ ἐὰν εἷʼπωμεν, φασὶ, τὸ σῶμα τῷ Λόγῳ, μένει ἡ Τριὰς Τριάς, οὐδὲν ξένον εἰς αὐτὴν ἐπιφερομένου τοῦ Λόγου· ἐὰν δὲ ἀνθρώπινον εἴπωμεν τὸ ix Μαρίας σῶμα, ἀνάγκη, ξένου ὅντος κατʼ οὑσίαν τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ὄντος ἓν αὑτῷ τοῦ Λόγου, τετρὰς ἀντὶ Τριάδος γίνεται διὰ τήν τοῦ σώματος προσθήκην.

### English translation (Claude)

These things having such a proof, it is superfluous to touch on the others further and to exercise ourselves about them, since the body in which the Word was is not of the same essence with the Godhead, but was truly born of Mary; and the Word himself was not changed into bones and flesh, but came to be in flesh. For what is said in John, “The Word became flesh,” has this meaning, as one can find from a similar expression; for it is written in Paul, “Christ became a curse for us.” And as he did not himself become a curse, but is said to have become a curse because he took on himself the curse for us, so too he became flesh, not by being changed into flesh, but because he took on living flesh for us and became man. For to say, “The Word became flesh,” is the same again as saying, “The Word became man,” according to what is said in Joel, “I will pour out of my Spirit on all flesh”; for the promise did not extend to the irrational animals, but is for men, for whose sake the Lord too became man. This saying having this meaning, all those will rightly condemn themselves who thought that the flesh from Mary existed before her, and that before her the Word had a human soul and was always in it before his coming. And those too will stop who said that the flesh is not capable of death but is of the immortal nature. For if it did not die, how did Paul deliver to the Corinthians what he also received, “that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures”? And how did he rise at all, if he did not also die? And those will blush deeply who even thought it possible that a Tetrad should come about instead of the Trinity if the body were said to be from Mary. “For if we say,” they say, “that the body is of the same essence with the Word, the Trinity remains a Trinity, since the Word brings nothing foreign into it; but if we say that the body from Mary is human, then necessarily, since the body is foreign in essence and the Word is in it, a Tetrad instead of a Trinity results because of the addition of the body.”

### Scripture references

- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence
- Gal 3:13: quotation, high confidence
- Joel 2:28 (3:1 LXX): quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 15:3: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “The Word became flesh”: John 1:14. “Christ became a curse for us”: Gal 3:13. “I will pour out of my Spirit …”: Joel 2:28 (LXX 3:1). “That Christ died for our sins …”: 1 Cor 15:3.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 8 (PG 26:1061d–1064b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-8).

## Letter to Epictetus 9

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-9
- Source: PG 26:1064b–1065b
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius shows that it is the opponents' own view that would make a Tetrad, and that the incarnation adds nothing to the Trinity but brings immortality to the body.

### Greek text

Ταῦτα οὕτω λέγοντες, οὑ νοοῦσιν, ὅπως tauτοῖς περιπίπτουςι. Καὶ γὰρ xliv μή ὲκ Μαρίας λέγωσι τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλά ὁμοοὺσιον αὐτὸ τῷ Λόγῳ, οὑδὶν ἧττον (ὅπερ ὑποκρίνονται, μή ἄρα ὥσπερ φρονοῦντες νομισθῶσι) τοῦτο κατὰ τὴν αὐτῶν ἔννοιαν δειχήσονται λέγοντες τετράδα. Ὠς γὰρ ὁ Υἱὸς κατὰ τοὺς Πατὲρας, ὁειοοὺσιος ὢν τῷ Πατρὶ, οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτὸς ὁ Πατὴρ, ἀλλά Υἱὸς πρὸς Πατέρα λέγεται ὁμοοὺσιοςυ οὕτω τὸ ὁμοοὺσιον σῶμα τοῦ Λόγου οὑκ ἔστιν αὑτὸςὸ Λόγος, ἀλλʼ ἓτεθον πρὸς τὸν Λόγον. ἐτέρου δὶ ὄντος, κατʼ αὐτοὺς ἔσται ἡ αὐτῶν Τριὰς τετράς. Ού γὰρ ἡ ἀληθινὴ, καὶ ὅντως τελεία, καὶ ἀδιαίρετος Τριὰς δέχεται προσθήκην, ἀλλʼ ἠ παρὰ τούτων ἐπινενοημὲνη. Καὶ πῶς ἔτι Χριστιανοὶ, οἱ ἕτερον παρά τὸν ὄντα Θεὸν ἐπινοοῦντεςς Πάλιν γὰρ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἒτὲρῳ αὐτῶν σοφίσματι πολλὴν τὴν ἀφροσύνην ἔξεστιν ὁρᾷν · εἷ, διὰ τὸ εἶναικαὶ λέγεσθαι ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς, ἐκ Μαρίας εἶναι καὶ ἀνθρώπινον τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Σωτῆρος, νομίζουσιν ἀντὶ Τριάδος τετράδα λέγεσθαι, ὡς προσθήκης γινομένης διὰ τὸ σῶμα · πολὺ πλανῶνται τὸ ποίημα ωνεξισοῦντες τῷ ποιητῇ, καὶ ὑπονοοῦντες δύνασθαι τὴν θεότητα προσθήκην λαμβάνειν καὶ ἠγνόησαν, ὅτι οὐ διὰ προσθήκην θεότητος γέγονε σὰρξ 6 Λόγος, ἀλλʼ ’ίνα ἡ σὰρξ ἀναστῇ· οὐδὲ ’ίνα βελτιωθῇ 6 Λόγος, προῆλθεν ἐκ Μαρίας, ἀλλʼ ’ίνα τὸ τέʼὑν ἀνθριύπωνκ γὲνοςῌλυτρωσηται. Πῶς οὖν οἶόνται τὸ διὰ τοῦ Λόγου λυτρωθὲν σῶμα καὶ ζωοποιηθέν προσθήκην εἷς θεότητα τῷ Λόγῳ τῷ ζωοποιήσαντι ποιεῖν; μᾶλλον γὰρ αύτῷτῷ ἀνι· θρωπίνῳ σώματι προσθήκη μεγάλη γέγονεν ix τῆς τοῦ Λόγου πρὸς αὐτὸ κοινωνίας τε καὶ ὲνώσεως · ἀπὸ γὰρ θνητοῦ γέγονεν ἀθάνατον καῖ ψυχινὸν όν, γὲγονε πνεματικὸν, καὶ ἐκ γῆς γενόμενον, τὰς οὐρανίους διέβη πύλας. Ἡ μέντοι Τριάς, καὶ λαβόντος ἐκ Μαρίας σῶμα τοῦ Λόγου, Τριάς ἐστιν, ού δεχομένη προσθήκην, οὐδὲ ἀφαίρεσιν · ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ τελεία ἐστὶ, καὶ ἐν Τριάδι μία θεότης γινώσκεται, καὶ οὕτως ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησία εἶς Θεὸς κηρύσσεται, ὁ τοῦ Λόγου Πατήρ.

### English translation (Claude)

In saying this, they do not see how they fall foul of themselves. For even if they say that the body is not from Mary but of the same essence with the Word, nonetheless (the very thing they pretend to avoid, lest they be thought to hold it) they will be shown, on their own notion, to be speaking of a Tetrad. For as the Son, according to the Fathers, though of the same essence with the Father, is not himself the Father, but is called of the same essence as Son in relation to Father, so the body that is of the same essence with the Word is not the Word himself, but something other in relation to the Word; and since it is other, their Trinity will on their own showing be a Tetrad. For the true, really perfect and indivisible Trinity does not admit addition, but the one invented by these men does. And how are they still Christians, who invent another beside the God who is? Again, in their other sophism too one can see great folly: if, because the Savior's body is, and is said in the Scriptures to be, from Mary and human, they think that a Tetrad instead of a Trinity is spoken of, as though an addition were made because of the body, they err greatly, making the thing made equal to the maker, and supposing that the Godhead can receive an addition. And they did not know that the Word became flesh not for an addition to the Godhead, but that the flesh might rise; nor did the Word come forth from Mary that he might be improved, but that he might ransom the human race. How then do they think that the body ransomed and made alive by the Word makes an addition in Godhead to the Word who made it alive? Rather, a great addition came to the human body itself from the fellowship and union of the Word with it; for from mortal it became immortal, and being natural it became spiritual, and being made from earth it passed through the heavenly gates. The Trinity, however, even when the Word took a body from Mary, is a Trinity, admitting neither addition nor subtraction; but it is always perfect, and in the Trinity one Godhead is known, and so in the Church one God is preached, the Father of the Word.

### Scripture references

- 1 Cor 15:44: echo, medium confidence
- Ps 24:7: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- “Natural … spiritual”: an echo of 1 Cor 15:44. “The heavenly gates”: an echo of Ps 24:7.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 9 (PG 26:1064b–1065b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-9).

## Letter to Epictetus 10

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-10
- Source: PG 26:1065b–1068a
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius answers those who denied that the crucified Christ is God, citing the name Emmanuel, Rom 9:5, and Thomas's confession.

### Greek text

Ἐκ δὴ τούτου σιωπήσουσι λοιπὸν καὶ οἱ ποτὲ … μὴ εἶναι αὐτὰν τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ Κύριον, καὶ Θεόν. E’i γὰρ μὴ Θεὸς ἤν ἐν τῷ σώματι, πῶς εὐθὺς προελθὼν ἐκ Μαρίας ἐκλήθη Ἐμμανουήλ, 6' ἐστι μεθερμηνευόμενον Μεθʼ ἡμῶν 6 Θεός ; Πῶς δὲ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος, εί μή ὁ Λύγος ἦν ἐν σαρκὶ, Ῥωμαίοις ἔγραφεν ° Ἐξ divi Χριστὸς τὸ κατά σάρκα, 6 ὢν ἐπὶ πάντων] Θεὸς εὐλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν; Οὐκοῦν ὁμολογείτωσαν καὶ οἱ πρότερον ἀρνούμενοι τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον εἶναι Θεὸν ἐσςφάλθαι,πειθόμενοι ταῖς θείαις Γραφαῖς · μάλιστα δὲ τῷ Θωμᾷ, ὃς, μετά τὸ ἰδεῖν ἐκ αύτῷ τοὺς τῶν ἥλων τύπους, ἀνεβόησεν 0 Κύριος μοι καὶ 6 Θεός μου. Θεὸς γὰρ καὶ Κύριος τῆς δόξης ὣε 6 Υἱὸς, ᾖν ἐν τῷ ἀδόξως καθηλουμένῳ καὶ ἀτιμαζομένιι σώματι · τὸ δὶ σῶμα ἔπασχε μὲν νυττόμενον ἐπ τῷ ξύλῳ, καὶ ἓρῥεεν ἀπό τῆς τούτου πλευρᾶς αἶμι καί ὕδωρ. ναός δὲ τοῦ Λόγου τυγχάνον, πεπληρωμέο vov ἦν τῆς θεότητος. Διᾶ τοῦτο γοῦν 6 μὶν ἥλιος, ὁρῶν τὸν δημιουργὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἐν τῷ ὀβριζομένῳ σώματι ἀνεχόμενον, τὰς ἀκτῖνας συνέστειλε, καὶ ἐσκότισε τὴν γῆν ο αὐτὸ δὶ τὸ σῶμα, φύσιν ἔχον θνηο τήν, ὑπὲρ τήν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν ἀνέστη διὰ τὸν ἐν αὖτῷ Λόγον · καὶ πέπαυται μὲν τῆς κατᾶ φύσιν φθορᾶς· ἐνδυσάμενον δὲ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον Λόγον, γέγονεν ἄφθαρτον.

### English translation (Claude)

From this, then, those too will henceforth be silent who once said that he who … is not himself the Christ, and Lord, and God. For if God was not in the body, how was he, on coming forth from Mary, at once called Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us? And how did Paul, if the Word was not in flesh, write to the Romans, “Of whom is Christ according to the flesh, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen”? Let those, then, who formerly denied that the crucified is God confess that they were mistaken, obeying the divine Scriptures, and especially Thomas, who, after seeing in him the prints of the nails, cried out, “My Lord and my God!” For the Son, being God and Lord of glory, was in the body that was ingloriously nailed and dishonored; and the body suffered, being pierced on the tree, and from its side flowed blood and water; but being the temple of the Word, it was filled with the Godhead. That is why the sun, seeing its creator enduring in the outraged body, drew in its rays and darkened the earth; and the body itself, having a mortal nature, rose beyond its own nature because of the Word in it; and it ceased from natural corruption, and, having put on the Word who is above man, became incorruptible.

### Scripture references

- Matt 1:23: quotation, high confidence
- Rom 9:5: quotation, high confidence
- John 20:25: allusion, medium confidence
- John 20:28: quotation, high confidence
- 1 Cor 2:8: allusion, high confidence
- John 19:34: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 27:45: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- A garbled line of the scan after “who once” is marked …; the sense is “who once said that he who came forth from Mary”. Emmanuel: Matt 1:23 (Isa 7:14). “Of whom is Christ …”: Rom 9:5. “My Lord and my God”: John 20:28. Lord of glory: 1 Cor 2:8. Blood and water: John 19:34. The darkened sun: Matt 27:45.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 10 (PG 26:1065b–1068a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-10).

## Letter to Epictetus 11

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-11
- Source: PG 26:1068a–1068d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius rejects the view that the Word merely came upon a man from Mary as he came to the prophets, pointing to the virgin birth, the saving death, the resurrection, and the name Emmanuel.

### Greek text

Περί δὶ τοῦ φαντάζεσθαί τινας καί λέγειν. ὅτι, ὥσπερ ἐφʼ ἕκαστον τῶν προφητῶν ἐγίνετο, eiiτω καὶ ἐπὶ ἕνα τινὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐκ Μαρίας ἦλθεν 6 Λόγος, περιττόν ἐστι γυμνάζειν, φανερὰν ἐχούσης τῆς μανίας αὐτῶν τήν κατάγνωσιν. Εἰ γὰρ οὕτως ἦλθε, διὰ τί οὗτος ἐκ Παρθένου, καὶ μή καῖ αὐτὸς ἐξ ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικός ; Οῧῖως γᾶρ καὶ ἕκαστος τῶν ἁγίων ἐγεννήθη. Ἥ διὰ τί, οὕτως ἐλθόντος τοῦ Λόγου, οὐχ 6 ἑκάστου θάνατος λέγεται ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γεγενῆσθαι, αλλʼ 6 τούτου μόνος; Διὰ τί δὲ, καθʼ ἕκαστον τῶν προφητῶν ἐπιδημοῦντος τοῦ Λόγου, λέγετε ἐπὶ μένου τοῦ ἐκ Μαρίας, ὡς ἅπαξ ἐπὶ συντελείᾳ τῶν αἰὶινων ἐπιδημήσαντοςξ ’Ἡ διὰ τί, ἐλθόντος αὐτοῦ , ὡς ἦλθεν ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἁγίοις, οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι πάντες, ἀποθανόντες, οὔπω ἀνέστησαν, ὅδὲ έκ Μαρίας μόνος τρὶήμερος ἀνέστη; Ἤ διὰ τί, ὁμοίως τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐλθόντος τοῦ Λόγου, λέγεται μόνος 6 ἐκ Μαρίας Ἐμμανουήλ, ὡς σώματος πεπληρωμένου θεότητος, τεχθέντος, ἐξ αὐτῆς ;Τὸ γὰρ Ἐμμανουὴλ ἑρμηνεύεται, Μεθʼ ἡμῶν 6 Θεός. Ἦ διὰ τί, εἶʼπερ οὕτως ἦλθεν, ἐσθίοντος ἐκάστου τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ πίνοντος, καὶ κοπιῶντος, καὶ ἀποθνήσκοντος, οὗ λέγεται ὡς αὐτὸς ἐσθίων, καὶ πίνων, καὶ κοπιῶν, καὶ ἀποθνήσκων, ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ μόνου τοῦ ἐκ Μαρίας ; "A γὰρ ἔπασχε τοῦτο τὸ σῶμα, ταῦτα ὡς αὐτοῦ πάσχοντος εʼρηται. Καὶ τῶν ἄλλων δὲ πάντων λεγομένων μόνον, ὅτι ἐτέχθησαν καὶ ἐγεννήθησαν, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐκ Μαρίας μόνου εἷʼρηται · Καὶ 6 Λόγος σάρξ ἐγένετο.

### English translation (Claude)

As for some imagining and saying that, as the Word came to each of the prophets, so he came upon some one man from Mary, it is superfluous to discuss it, since their madness plainly carries its own condemnation. For if he came so, why was this man born of a virgin, and not he too of a man and a woman? For so each of the saints was born. Or why, if the Word came so, is not the death of each of them said to have taken place for us, but this man's alone? And why, if the Word sojourned with each of the prophets, do you say of the one from Mary alone that he sojourned once for all at the consummation of the ages? Or why, if he came as he came in the saints before, have all the others died and not yet risen, but the one from Mary alone rose on the third day? Or why, if the Word came as he did to the others, is only the one from Mary called Emmanuel, as a body filled with Godhead having been born from her? For Emmanuel is interpreted, God with us. Or why, if he came so, when each of the saints ate and drank and toiled and died, is it not said of him that he himself ate and drank and toiled and died, but only of the one from Mary? For what this body suffered is said as though he himself suffered. And whereas of all the others it is said only that they were born and begotten, of the one from Mary alone it is said, “And the Word became flesh.”

### Scripture references

- Heb 9:26: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 1:23: quotation, high confidence
- John 1:14: quotation, high confidence

### Translation notes

- “Once at the consummation of the ages”: Heb 9:26. Emmanuel: Matt 1:23. “The Word became flesh”: John 1:14.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 11 (PG 26:1068a–1068d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-11).

## Letter to Epictetus 12

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-12
- Source: PG 26:1068d–1069d
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-10-12

Summary: Athanasius concludes that the Word himself became man from Mary, rejoices that the dispute at Corinth ended in agreement, and asks for correction of anything lacking.

### Greek text

Ἐξ ὦν δείκνυται, ὅτι πρὸς μὲν τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας γέγονεν 6 Λόγος, τοῦ προφητεύειν χάριν · ἐκ δὲ Μαρίας αὐτὸς 6 Λόγος, σάρκα λαβὼν, προῆλθεν ἅνθρωπος, τῇ μὲν φύσει καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ Λόγος ὢν τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατὰ δὶ σάρκα ἐκ σπέρματος Δαο 6ὶό καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς Μαρίας γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, cI εἶπεν ὁ Παῦλος. Τοῦτον ὁ Πατὴρ ἐδείκνυε, καὶ i Ἰορδάνῃ καὶ tv τῷ ὅρει λέγων· Οὗτός ἰστιν ara μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ἐν ᾧ ηὐδόκησα. Τοῦτον οἱ μὶ Ἀρεῖανοὶ ἠρνήσαντο, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐπιγινώσκοντες, προ‹ κυνοῦμεν, οὐ διαιροῦντες τὸν Υἱὸν καὶ τὸν Λόγοι ἀλλʼ αὐτὸν τὸν Λόγον εἰδότες εἶναι τὸν Υἶὸν,διʼ‹ τὰ πάντα γέγονε, καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐλυτρώθημεν. Διὸ κς ἐθαυμάσαμεν, πῶς ὅλως ἐν ὑμῖι περὶ τῶν οὕτω ιρι νερῶν γέγονε φιλονεικία. Ἀλλά χάρις τῷ Κυρίι ὅτι, ὅσον ἐλυπήθη μεν ἐντυχόντες τοῖς ὑπομνήμασ τοσοῦτον ἐχάρημεν ἐπὶ τῷ τέλει τούτων. Μετὰ γὲ συμφωνίας ἀνεχώρησαν, καὶ εῗρήνευσαν ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμε λογίᾳ τῆς εὐσεβοῦς καὶ ὁρθοδόξου πίστεως. Τοῦπ γοῦν κάμὲ, πολλὰ πρότερον σκεψάμενον, πὲπεικε γράψαι τά ὀλίγα ταῦτα, λογισάμενον, μὴ ἄρα ταῦ-ι ἐκ τῆς σιωπῆς ἀντὶ χαρᾶς λύπη γενηται τοῖς ἐκ τὶ συμφωνίας πρόφαφιν τοῦ χαίρειν παρασχοῦσιν ἠμῖ Ἀξιῶ τοίνυν πρυηγουμὲνως τήν σὴν εὐλάβειαν, κε δεύτερον τοὺς ἀκούοντας, μετᾶ συνειδήσεως ἀγαθὶ ταῦτα δέξασθαι· καῗ ei μέν τι ποὸ· εὐσέβειαν λείπε -... - Γ,.. τοῦτο διορθώσασθαι καὶ δηλῶσαί μοιʼ εἷ δὲ ὡς παε ἰδιώτου τῷ Λόγῳ μή κατʼ ἀξίαν, μηδὲ τελείως γέγρι πται, συγγνῶναι πάντας τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ περὶ τὸ λέγε ἀσθενείᾳ. Προσαγόρευε πάντας τοὺς μετὰ σοῦ ἅδε] (ρούς. Σὲ οἱ σὺν ἡμῖν πάντες προσαγορεύουσιν. ’E; ῥωμὲνως ἐν Κυρίῳ διάγοις, ἀγαπητὲ καὶ ἀληθᾶ ποθεινότατε.

### English translation (Claude)

From this it is shown that to all the others the Word came for the sake of prophesying; but from Mary the Word himself, taking flesh, came forth as man, being by nature and essence the Word of God, but according to the flesh having become man from the seed of David and from the flesh of Mary, as Paul said. Him the Father pointed out both at the Jordan and on the mountain, saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Him the Arians denied; but we, acknowledging him, worship him, not dividing the Son and the Word, but knowing that the Word himself is the Son, through whom all things came into being and we were redeemed. That is why we wondered how any contention at all arose among you about things so plain. But thanks be to the Lord that, as much as we were grieved on reading the memoranda, so much we rejoiced at their end; for they parted in agreement and were at peace in confessing the pious and orthodox faith. This is what persuaded me too, after much prior consideration, to write these few things, reckoning that my silence might perhaps bring grief instead of joy to those whose agreement gave us cause for joy. I ask, then, your reverence first, and then those who hear, to receive these things with a good conscience; and if anything is lacking in regard to piety, to correct it and let me know; but if it has been written, as by one unskilled in speech, unworthily and imperfectly, that all may pardon our weakness in speaking. Greet all the brothers with you. All who are with us greet you. May you live in health in the Lord, beloved and truly most longed-for.

### Scripture references

- Rom 1:3: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 3:17: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 17:5: quotation, high confidence
- 2 Cor 11:6: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- From the seed of David: Rom 1:3. “This is my beloved Son …”: Matt 3:17; 17:5. “Unskilled in speech”: an echo of 2 Cor 11:6. A few letters of the scan are garbled near “lacking”.

### Citation (SBL)

Athanasius, Ep. Epict. 12 (PG 26:1068d–1069d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/athanasius-epistula-epictetum/1/#p-12).