Letters 263–267
Greek text: PG 32.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 8 (1895), Letters.
Chapter 263
263PG 32:976b–981c
Τοῖς Δυτικοῖς. I, Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν, ἐφʼ ὃν ἠλπίσαμεν, το.. σαύτην ὑμῶν ἑκάστῳ παράσχοι χάριν εἰς τὸ ἐπιτυχεῖν τῆς προκειμένης ἐλπίδος, ὅσης αὐτοὶ χαρᾶς τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν ἐνεπλήσατε, ἔκ τε τῶν γραμμάτων ἃ ἐπεστείλατε ἡμῖν διὰ τῶν ποθεινοτάτων συμπρεσβυτέρων ἡμῶν, καὶ ἐκ τῆς συμπαθείας τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς λυπηρῶν, ἣν συνεπαθήσατε ὴμῖν,ὡς ἐνδεδυμένοι σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, καθὼς ἀπήγγειλαν ἡμῖν οὶ προειρημένοι. Καὶ γὰρ, εἰ καὶ τὰ τραύματα ἡμῶν ὃμοια διαμένει, ἀλλʼ οὖν φέρει τινὰ ἡμῖν ῥᾳστωνην τὸ ἑτοίμους ἔχειν τοὺς ἰατροὺς, δυναμένους, εἰ καιροῦ λάβοιντο, ταχεῖαν ἐπαγαγεῖν τῶν ἀλγημάτων τὴν ἴασιν. Διὸ καὶ πάλιν ὑμᾶς διὰ τῶν ἀγαπητῶν καὶ προσφθεγγόμεθα, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν, εἰ μὲν δίδωσιν ὑμῖν ὁ Κύριος ἄδειαν τοῦ ὡς ἡμᾶς ἀφικέσθαι, μὴ ὀκνῆσαι ημῶν τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν ἐντολῆς γὰρ ἐστι τῆς μεγίστης η τῶν ἀσθενούντων ἐπίσκεψις.Ἐέ δὲ ὁ εὶγαῖ θός Θεὸς καὶ σοφὸς τῆς ζωῆς ὴμῶν οἰκονόμος -ξ-ὴν χαριν ταύτην εἰς ἕτερον καιρὸν ταμιεύεται, ἀλλʼ .-..., \--,, ἑπιστείλατε ἡμῖν ὅσα παρʼ ὑμῶν πρέπει γραφῆναι εἰς παράκλησιν μὲν τῶν θλιβομένων, διόρθωσιν δὲ τῶν συντετριμμένων. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἤδη τὰ συντρίμματα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γέγονε, καὶ πολλὴ ἡμῖν ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς ἠ θλίψις· καὶ προσδοκία βοηθείας ἑτέρωθεν οὐδαμόθεν, ἐὰν μὴ ὁ Κύριος δ ιʼ ὑμῶν τῶν γνησίως δουλερόντων 2. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἰταμὸν καὶ ἀναίσχυντον τῆς αἱρέσεως τῶν Ἀρειανῶν, φανερῶς ἀποῤῥαγξν τοῦ σώματος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, μένει επὶ τῆςιῖὸίας πλοίνης. καὶ ὀλίγα ἡμᾶς λυμαίνεται, διὰ τὸ πᾶσι πρόδηλον αὐτῶν τὴν ἀσέβειαν εἶναιʼ οἱ δὲ τὴν ὃορᾱίν τοῦ προβάτου περιβεβλημένοι, καὶ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἣμερον προβαλλόμενοι καὶ πραεῖαν, ἔνδοθεν δὲ σπαράσσοντες ἁρειδῶς τὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνια, καὶ διὰ τό ἐξ ἡμῶν ὡρμῆσθαι, εὐκόλως ἐμβάλλοντες βλάβην τοῖς ἁπλουστέροις · οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ χαλεποὶ καὶ δυσφύλακτοι. Οὖς ἀξιοῦμεν παρὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀκριβείας πρὸς πάσας τὰς κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολὴν Ἐκκλησίας δημοσιευθῆναι· ἵνα, ἦ ὁρθοποδήσαντες, γνησίως ὦσι σὺν ἡμῖν, ἦ μένοντες ἐπὶ τῆς διαστροφῆς, ἄν ἑαυτοῖς μόνοις τὴν βλάβην ἔχωσι, μὴ δυνάμενοι ἐκ τῆς ἀφυλάκτου κοινωνίας τῆς ἰδίας νόσου μεταδιδόναι τοῖς πλησιάζουσιν. Ἀνάγκη δὲ τούτων ὀνομαστὶ μνησθῆναι, ἵνα καὶ αὐτοὶ γνωρίσητε τοὺς ταραχὰς παρʼ ἡμῖν ἐργαζομένους, καὶ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις ἡμῶν φανερὸν καταστήσας-ε. Ὀ μέν γὰρ παρʼ ἡμῶν λόγος ὕποπτός ἐστι τοῖς πολλοῖς, ὡς τάχα διά τινας ἰδιωτικὰς φιλονεικίας τὴν μικροψυο χίαν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἑλομένων · ὑμεῖς δὲ, ὃσον μακρὰν αὐτῶν ἀπῳκισμένοι τυγχάνετε, τοσούτῳ πλέον παρὰ τοῖς λαοῖς τὸ ἀξιόπιστον ἔχετε, πρός τῷ καὶ τὴν παρʼὀι τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριν συναίρεσθαι ὑμῖν εις τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν καταπονουμένων ἐπιμέλειαν. Ἐὰν δὲ καὶ συμφώνως πλείονες όμοῡ τὰ αὐτὰ δογματίσητε, δῆλον, ὅτι τὸ πλῆθος τῶν δογματισάντων ἀναντίρρητον, πᾶσι τὴν παραδοχὴν κατασκευάσει τοῦ δόγματος. 3. Ἐστι τοίνυν εἷς τῶν πολλὴν ἡμῖν κατασκευαζόντων λύπην Εὐστάθιος ό ἐκ τῆς Σεβαστείας τῆν κατὰ τὴν μικρὰν Ἀρμενίαν· ὃς, πάλαι μαθητευθεὶς τῷ Ἀρείῳ, καί ὅτε ἤκμαζεν ἀπὶ τῆς Ἀλεξανδρείας, τὰς πονηρὰς κατὰ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς συντιθεὶς βλασφημίας, ἀκολυυθῶν ἐκείνῳ, καὶ τοῖς γνησιωτάτοις αὐτοῦ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐναριθμούμενος, ἐπειδὴ ἐπανῆλθεν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ, τῶ μακαριωτάτῳ ἐπίσκόπῳ Ἑρμογένει τῷ Καισαρείας, κρίνοντι αὐτόν ἐπὶ τῇ κακοδοξίᾳ, ὁμολογίαν ἔδωκε πίστεως ὑγιοῦς. Καὶ οὕτω τὴν χειροτονίαν ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ δεξάμενος, μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου κοίμησιν πρὸς τόν ἐπὶ τῆς Κωνσταντινουπόλεως Εὐσέβιόν ἔδραμεν, οὐδενός ἔλαττον καὶ αὐτὸν τό δυσσεβὲς δόγμα τοῦ Ἀρείου πρεσβεύοντα. Εἶτα ἐκεῖθεν διὰ οἵας δήποτε αἰτίας ἀπελαθεὶς, ἐλθὼν τοῖς ἐπί τῆς πατρίδος ἀπελογήσατο πάλιν ’ τό μεν δυσσεβὲς ἐπικρυπτόμενος φρόνημα, ῥημάτων δέ τινα ὀρθότητα προβαλλόμενος. Καὶ τυχὼν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, ὡς ἕτυχεν, εὐθὺς φαίνεται γράψας ἀναθεματισμον τοῦ όμοουσίου, ἓν τῶ κατὰ ’Δγκύραν γενομένῳ αὐτοῖς συλλόγῳ, Κάκεῖθεν ἐπὶ τὴν Σελεύκειαν ἐλθὼν, δέδρακε μετά τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ὁμοδόξων ἃ πάντες ἶσασιν. Ἐν δὲ τῇ Κωνσταντινουπόλει συνέθετο πάλιν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν αίρπικῶν προταθεῖσι. Καὶ οὕτως ἀπελαοεὶς τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, διὰ τό ἐν τῇ Μελιτινῇ (Η) προκαθῃρῆσοαι, όὸὀν ἐαυτῷ τῇς ἁποκατατοίσεως ἐπενόησε τὴν ὡς ὑμᾶς ἄφιξιν. Καὶ τίνα μέν ἐστιν ἃ προετάοη αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ μακαριωτάτου ἐπισκόπου Λιβερίου, τίνα δὲ ἃ αὐτὸς συνέθετο, ἀγνοοῦμεν, πλὴν ὅτι ἐπιστολὴν ἐκόμισεν ἀποκαθιστῶσαν αὐτὸν, ἣν ἐπιδείξας τῇ κατα Τύανα συνόδῳ, ἀποκατέστη τῷ ν τ τόπῳ. Οὗτος νῦν πορθεῖ τὴν πίστιν ἐκείνην, ἐγ ἐδέχθη, καὶ τοίς ἂναθεματίζουσι τό όμοούσιον σύν- :0'1:, καὶ πρωτοστάτης ἐστὶ τῆς τῶν πνευματομαχων αἱρέσεως. Ἐπεὶ οὖν αὐτόθεν γέγονεν αὐτῷ ἡ δύναμις τοῦ ἀδικεῖν τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τῇ παρʼ ὑμῶν δεδομένῃ αὐτῷ παρρησία κέχρηται εἰς καταστροφὴν τῶν πολλῶν, ἀνάγκη αὐτόθεν {Meis καὶ τὴν διόρθωσιν, καὶ ἐπισταλῆναι ταῖς Ἐκκλησιαις, τίνα μέν ἐστιν ἐφʼ οἱς ἐδέχθη, πῶς δὲ νῦν μεταβλη- Οεὶς ἀκυροῖ τήν χάριν τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτῷ διὰ τῶν τότε Πατέρων. 4. Δεύτερος μετʼ αὐτόν ἐστιν ’Δπολινάριος, οὗ μιβρῶς καὶ αὐτὸς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας παραλυπών. Τῇ γὰρ τοῦ γράφειν εὐκολίᾳ πρὸς πᾶσαν ὑπόθεσιν ἒχων ἀρκοῦσαν αὑτῷ τὴν γλῶσσαν, ἐνέπλησε μὲν τῶν ἑαυτοῦ συνταγμάτων τήν οἰκουμένην, παρακούσας 1'05 ἐγκλήματος τοῦ λέγοντος, ὅτι Φύλαξαί ποιῆσαι βιβλία πολλοί· ἐν δὲ τῷ πλήθει δηλονότι πολλὰ καὶ ἡμάρτηται. Πῶς γὰρ δυνατόν ἐκ πολυλογίας ἐκφυγεῖν ἁμαρτίαν ; Ἐστι οὖν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ τῆς θεολογίας οὐκ ἑκ γραφικῶν ἀποδείξεων, ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνων ἀφορμῶν τὴν κατασκευὴν ἔχοντα · ἔστι δέ αὐτῷ καὶ τὰ περὶ ἀναστάσεως μυθικῶς συγκείμενα, μᾶλλον δὲ Ἰουὸαἶκῶς · ἐν οἷς φησι πάλιν ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν νομικὴν ὑποστρέφειν λατρείαν, καὶ πάλιν ἡμᾶς περιτμηθήσεσθαι, καὶ σαββατίζειν, καὶ βρωμάτων ἀπέχεσθαι, καὶ Θυσιας προσοίσειν Θεῷ, καὶ προσκυνήσειν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐπὶ τοῦ ναοῦ. καὶ ὅλως ἀπὸ Χριστιανῶν Ἰουδαίους γενήσεσθαι. Ὠν τί ἄν γένοιτο καταγελαστότερον, μᾶλλον 6“: ἀλλοτριωτερον τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ δόγματος; Εἶτα καὶ τὰ περὶ σαρκώσεως τοσαύτην ἐποιησε τῇ ἀδελφότητι τὴν ταραχὴν, ὥστε ὀλίγοι λοιπὸν τῶν ἐντετυχηκότων τὸν ἀρχαῖον τῆς εὐσεβείας διασώζουσι χαρακτῆρα· oi δὲ πολλοὶ, ταῖς καινοτομίαις προσέονχτες, ἐξετράπη-τσο είς ζητήσεις καὶ φιλονείκους ἐφευρέσεις τῶν suae; λῶν τούτων ῥημάτων, 5. Ὁ μέντοι Παυλῖνος, εἰ μέν τι καὶ περὶ τὴνΑ χειροτονίαν ἐπιλήψιμον ἔχει, αὐτοὶ ἄν εἴποιτε· ἡμᾶς δὲ λυπεῖ, τοῖς Μαρκέλλου προσπεπονθὼς δογμασι, καὶ τοὺς ἀκολουθοῦντας αὐτῷ ἀδιακρίτως εἰς τὴν κοινωνίαν ἑαυτοῦ προσιέμενος. Οἴδατε δὲ, ἀδελφοὶ τιμιώτατοι, ὅτι πάσης ἡμῶν τῆς ἐλπίδος ἀθέτησιν ἔχει τὸ Μαρκελλου δόγμα, οὗτε Υίὸν ἐν ὶδίᾳ ὑποστάσει ὁμολογοῦν, ἀλλὰ προενεχθέντα, καὶ πάλιν ὑποστρέψαντα εἰς τὸν ὃθεν προῆλθεν, οὔτε τὸν Παράκλητον ἰδίως ὑφεστηκέναι συγχωροῦν ὥστε οὐκ οῐν τις ἁμάρτοι Χριστιανισμοῦ μὲν παντελῶς ἁλλοτρίαν ἀποφαίνων τὴν αἰρεσῖν, Ἰουδαισμόν δὲ παρεφθαρμένον αὐτὴν προσαγορεύων. Τούτων τὴν ἑπιμέλειαν γενέσθαι παρʼ ὑμῶν ἐπιζητοῦμεν. Γένοιτο δʼ ἄν, εἰ ἐπιστεῖλαι καταξιώσητε πάσαις ταῖς κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολὴν Ἐκκλησίαις, τοὺς ταῦτα παραχαράσσοντας, εὶ μὲν διορθοῖντο, εἶλαι κοινωνικούς· εἰ δὲ ἐπιμένειν φιλονείκως βούλοιντο ταῖς καινοτομίαις, χωρίζεσθαι ἀπʼ αὐτῶν. Καὶ ὃτι μὲν ἔδει ἡμᾶς συνεδρεύοντας μετὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας φρονήσεως ἐν κοινῇ σκέψει τὰ περὶ τούτων διαλαβεῖν, οὐδέ αὐτοὶ ἀγνοοῦμεν· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ ὁ καιρὸς οὐκ ἐνδίδωσι καὶτὸ ἀναβάλλεσθαι βλαβερὸν, τῆς ἀπʼ ατῶν βλάβης ἓρῥιξωμένης, ἀναγκαίως ἀπεστείλαμεν τοὺς ἀδελ.. φούςο ἳνα ᾆσα καὶ τὴν ἐκ τοῦ γράμματος διδασκαλίαν παρέλαθε, ταῦτα παρʼ ἑαυτῶν ἀναδιδάξαντες, κινήσωσιν ὑμῶν τὴν εὐλάβειαν εἰςτό παρασχέσθαι τὴν ἑπιζμτουμίνην βοήθειαν ταῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησίαις.
Tois Dytikois. I, Kyrios ho Theos hēmōn, ephʼ hon ēlpisamen, to.. sautēn hymōn hekastǭ paraschoi charin eis to epitychein tēs prokeimenēs elpidos, hosēs autoi charas tas kardias hēmōn eneplēsate, ek te tōn grammatōn ha epesteilate hēmin dia tōn potheinotatōn sympresbyterōn hēmōn, kai ek tēs sympatheias tōn kathʼ hēmas lypērōn, hēn synepathēsate ēmin,hōs endedymenoi splanchna oiktirmou, kathōs apēngeilan hēmin oi proeirēmenoi. Kai gar, ei kai ta traumata hēmōn homoia diamenei, allʼ oun pherei tina hēmin rhąstōnēn to hetoimous echein tous iatrous, dynamenous, ei kairou labointo, tacheian epagagein tōn algēmatōn tēn iasin. Dio kai palin hymas dia tōn agapētōn kai prosphthengometha, kai parakaloumen, ei men didōsin hymin ho Kyrios adeian tou hōs hēmas aphikesthai, mē oknēsai ēmōn tēn episkepsin entolēs gar esti tēs megistēs ē tōn asthenountōn episkepsis.Ee de ho eigai thos Theos kai sophos tēs zōēs ēmōn oikonomos -x-ēn charin tautēn eis heteron kairon tamieuetai, allʼ .-..., \--,, hepisteilate hēmin hosa parʼ hymōn prepei graphēnai eis paraklēsin men tōn thlibomenōn, diorthōsin de tōn syntetrimmenōn. Polla gar ēdē ta syntrimmata tēs Ekklēsias gegone, kai pollē hēmin epʼ autois ē thlipsis; kai prosdokia boētheias heterōthen oudamothen, ean mē ho Kyrios d iʼ hymōn tōn gnēsiōs doulerontōn 2. To men oun itamon kai anaischynton tēs haireseōs tōn Areianōn, phanerōs aporrhanxn tou sōmatos tēs Ekklēsias, menei epi tēsiioias ploinēs. kai oliga hēmas lymainetai, dia to pasi prodēlon autōn tēn asebeian einaiʼ hoi de tēn hoorain tou probatou peribeblēmenoi, kai tēn epiphaneian hēmeron proballomenoi kai praeian, endothen de sparassontes hareidōs ta tou Christou poimnia, kai dia to ex hēmōn hōrmēsthai, eukolōs emballontes blabēn tois haplousterois ; houtoi eisin hoi chalepoi kai dysphylaktoi. Ous axioumen para tēs hymeteras akribeias pros pasas tas kata tēn Anatolēn Ekklēsias dēmosieuthēnai; hina, ē horthopodēsantes, gnēsiōs ōsi syn hēmin, ē menontes epi tēs diastrophēs, an heautois monois tēn blabēn echōsi, mē dynamenoi ek tēs aphylaktou koinōnias tēs idias nosou metadidonai tois plēsiazousin. Anankē de toutōn onomasti mnēsthēnai, hina kai autoi gnōrisēte tous tarachas parʼ hēmin ergazomenous, kai tais Ekklēsiais hēmōn phaneron katastēsas-e. O men gar parʼ hēmōn logos hypoptos esti tois pollois, hōs tacha dia tinas idiōtikas philoneikias tēn mikropsyo chian pros autous helomenōn ; hymeis de, hoson makran autōn apǭkismenoi tynchanete, tosoutǭ pleon para tois laois to axiopiston echete, pros tǭ kai tēn parʼoi tou Theou charin synairesthai hymin eis tēn hyper tōn kataponoumenōn epimeleian. Ean de kai symphōnōs pleiones omou ta auta dogmatisēte, dēlon, hoti to plēthos tōn dogmatisantōn anantirrēton, pasi tēn paradochēn kataskeuasei tou dogmatos. 3. Esti toinyn heis tōn pollēn hēmin kataskeuazontōn lypēn Eustathios o ek tēs Sebasteias tēn kata tēn mikran Armenian; hos, palai mathēteutheis tǭ Areiǭ, kai hote ēkmazen api tēs Alexandreias, tas ponēras kata tou Monogenous syntitheis blasphēmias, akolyythōn ekeinǭ, kai tois gnēsiōtatois autou tōn mathētōn enarithmoumenos, epeidē epanēlthen eis tēn heautou, tō makariōtatǭ episkopǭ Hermogenei tǭ Kaisareias, krinonti auton epi tę̄ kakodoxią, homologian edōke pisteōs hygious. Kai houtō tēn cheirotonian hypʼ autou dexamenos, meta tēn ekeinou koimēsin pros ton epi tēs Kōnstantinoupoleōs Eusebion edramen, oudenos elatton kai auton to dyssebes dogma tou Areiou presbeuonta. Eita ekeithen dia hoias dēpote aitias apelatheis, elthōn tois epi tēs patridos apelogēsato palin ’ to men dyssebes epikryptomenos phronēma, rhēmatōn de tina orthotēta proballomenos. Kai tychōn tēs episkopēs, hōs hetychen, euthys phainetai grapsas anathematismon tou omoousiou, hen tō kata ’Dnkyran genomenǭ autois syllogǭ, Kakeithen epi tēn Seleukeian elthōn, dedrake meta tōn heautou homodoxōn ha pantes isasin. En de tę̄ Kōnstantinoupolei synetheto palin tois apo tōn airpikōn protatheisi. Kai houtōs apelaoeis tēs episkopēs, dia to en tę̄ Melitinę̄ (Ē) prokathę̄rēsoai, ooon eautǭ tę̄s hapokatatoiseōs epenoēse tēn hōs hymas aphixin. Kai tina men estin ha proetaoē autǭ para tou makariōtatou episkopou Liberiou, tina de ha autos synetheto, agnooumen, plēn hoti epistolēn ekomisen apokathistōsan auton, hēn epideixas tę̄ kata Tyana synodǭ, apokatestē tǭ n t topǭ. Houtos nyn porthei tēn pistin ekeinēn, eg edechthē, kai tois anathematizousi to omoousion syn- :0'1:, kai prōtostatēs esti tēs tōn pneumatomachōn haireseōs. Epei oun autothen gegonen autǭ hē dynamis tou adikein tas Ekklēsias, kai tę̄ parʼ hymōn dedomenę̄ autǭ parrēsia kechrētai eis katastrophēn tōn pollōn, anankē autothen {Meis kai tēn diorthōsin, kai epistalēnai tais Ekklēsiais, tina men estin ephʼ hois edechthē, pōs de nyn metablē- Oeis akyroi tēn charin tēn dotheisan autǭ dia tōn tote Paterōn. 4. Deuteros metʼ auton estin ’Dpolinarios, hou mibrōs kai autos tas Ekklēsias paralypōn. Tę̄ gar tou graphein eukolią pros pasan hypothesin echōn arkousan hautǭ tēn glōssan, eneplēse men tōn heautou syntagmatōn tēn oikoumenēn, parakousas 1'05 enklēmatos tou legontos, hoti Phylaxai poiēsai biblia polloi; en de tǭ plēthei dēlonoti polla kai hēmartētai. Pōs gar dynaton ek polylogias ekphygein hamartian ? Esti oun autou kai ta tēs theologias ouk hek graphikōn apodeixeōn, allʼ ex anthrōpinōn aphormōn tēn kataskeuēn echonta ; esti de autǭ kai ta peri anastaseōs mythikōs synkeimena, mallon de Iouoaikōs ; en hois phēsi palin hēmas pros tēn nomikēn hypostrephein latreian, kai palin hēmas peritmēthēsesthai, kai sabbatizein, kai brōmatōn apechesthai, kai Thysias prosoisein Theǭ, kai proskynēsein en Hierosolymois epi tou naou. kai holōs apo Christianōn Ioudaious genēsesthai. Ōn ti an genoito katagelastoteron, mallon 6“: allotriōteron tou euangelikou dogmatos? Eita kai ta peri sarkōseōs tosautēn epoiēse tę̄ adelphotēti tēn tarachēn, hōste oligoi loipon tōn entetychēkotōn ton archaion tēs eusebeias diasōzousi charaktēra; oi de polloi, tais kainotomiais proseonchtes, exetrapē-tso eis zētēseis kai philoneikous epheureseis tōn suae? lōn toutōn rhēmatōn, 5. Ho mentoi Paulinos, ei men ti kai peri tēnA cheirotonian epilēpsimon echei, autoi an eipoite; hēmas de lypei, tois Markellou prospeponthōs dogmasi, kai tous akolouthountas autǭ adiakritōs eis tēn koinōnian heautou prosiemenos. Oidate de, adelphoi timiōtatoi, hoti pasēs hēmōn tēs elpidos athetēsin echei to Markellou dogma, houte Uion en idią hypostasei homologoun, alla proenechthenta, kai palin hypostrepsanta eis ton hothen proēlthen, oute ton Paraklēton idiōs hyphestēkenai synchōroun hōste ouk oin tis hamartoi Christianismou men pantelōs hallotrian apophainōn tēn airesin, Ioudaismon de parephtharmenon autēn prosagoreuōn. Toutōn tēn hepimeleian genesthai parʼ hymōn epizētoumen. Genoito dʼ an, ei episteilai kataxiōsēte pasais tais kata tēn Anatolēn Ekklēsiais, tous tauta paracharassontas, ei men diorthointo, eilai koinōnikous; ei de epimenein philoneikōs boulointo tais kainotomiais, chōrizesthai apʼ autōn. Kai hoti men edei hēmas synedreuontas meta tēs hymeteras phronēseōs en koinę̄ skepsei ta peri toutōn dialabein, oude autoi agnooumen; allʼ epeidē ho kairos ouk endidōsi kaito anaballesthai blaberon, tēs apʼ atōn blabēs herrhixōmenēs, anankaiōs apesteilamen tous adel.. phouso hina ąsa kai tēn ek tou grammatos didaskalian parelathe, tauta parʼ heautōn anadidaxantes, kinēsōsin hymōn tēn eulabeian eisto paraschesthai tēn hepizmtouminēn boētheian tais tou Theou Ekklēsiais.
To the Westerns. 1. May the Lord our God, in whom we have hoped, grant to each of you as much grace toward obtaining the hope set before you as the joy with which you yourselves have filled our hearts, both by the letter you sent us through our most longed-for fellow presbyters, and by your sympathy in our troubles, which you felt with us as men who have put on a heart of compassion, as those already mentioned reported to us. For even if our wounds remain the same, yet it brings us some relief to have the physicians ready, able, if they seize the moment, to bring a swift healing of our pains. Therefore we again address you through our beloved brothers, and we urge you, if the Lord grants you freedom to come to us, not to hesitate to visit us; for the visiting of the sick belongs to the greatest commandment. But if the good God, the wise steward of our life, is keeping this favor in store for another time, at least write to us whatever it is fitting for you to write, for the comfort of the afflicted and the restoration of the broken. For many are the fractures of the Church already, and great is our affliction over them; and there is no expectation of help from anywhere else, unless the Lord, through you who serve him genuinely, … 2. The reckless and shameless heresy of the Arians, having openly broken away from the body of the Church, remains in its own error, and harms us little, because their impiety is plain to all. But those who have put on the sheep's skin and present a gentle and mild appearance, while inwardly they tear the flocks of Christ unsparingly, and, because they have gone out from us, easily inflict harm on the simpler: these are the dangerous ones, hard to guard against. These we ask your exactness to make known publicly to all the Churches in the East, so that they may either walk straight and be genuinely with us, or, if they remain in their perversity, may keep the harm to themselves alone, unable through unguarded communion to share their own disease with those who come near them. It is necessary to mention them by name, so that you yourselves may know those who are causing disturbances among us, and may make them plain to our Churches. For our word is suspect to many, as though we had chosen to be petty toward them because of some private quarrels; but you, the further you live from them, the more credibility you have with the peoples, besides the grace of God helping you in your care for the distressed. And if many of you together decree the same things in agreement, it is clear that the number of those who decree will make the decree unanswerable and win its acceptance by all. 3. One, then, of those who cause us much grief is Eustathius of Sebaste in Lesser Armenia, who long ago became a disciple of Arius, and when Arius flourished at Alexandria, composing his wicked blasphemies against the Only-begotten, followed him and was counted among his most genuine disciples. When he returned to his own country, he gave a confession of sound faith to the most blessed bishop Hermogenes of Caesarea, who was judging him for false belief. And having thus received ordination from him, after his falling asleep he ran to Eusebius at Constantinople, who championed the impious doctrine of Arius as much as anyone. Then, driven out from there for whatever reasons, he came and again made his defense to those in his homeland, hiding his impious opinion and putting forward a certain correctness of words. And having obtained the episcopate, however he obtained it, he is at once seen to have written an anathema of the homoousion at the gathering they held at Ancyra. And from there, coming to Seleucia, he did with those of his own opinion what all know. At Constantinople he again agreed to what was proposed by the heretics. And so, driven from his episcopate, because he had previously been deposed at Melitene, he devised his journey to you as a way of restoration for himself. What was put before him by the most blessed bishop Liberius, and what he himself agreed to, we do not know, except that he brought a letter restoring him, which he showed to the synod at Tyana and was restored to his place. This man is now ravaging the faith on which he was received, and is in league with those who anathematize the homoousion, and is the leader of the heresy of the fighters against the Spirit. Since, then, his power of wronging the Churches came from there, and he has used the freedom given him by you for the overthrow of many, it is necessary that the correction too should come from there, and that the Churches be told on what terms he was received, and how now, having changed, he nullifies the favor given him through the Fathers of that time. 4. Second after him is Apollinarius, who also grieves the Churches not a little. For having, through his facility in writing, a tongue sufficient for any subject, he has filled the world with his compositions, disregarding the warning that says, "Beware of making many books." And in the multitude, clearly, much has gone wrong. For how is it possible to escape sin in much speaking? So his writings on theology, too, have their construction not from scriptural proofs but from human premises; and his writings on the resurrection are composed in the manner of myths, or rather Jewishly; in them he says that we shall return again to the worship of the law, and be circumcised again, keep the sabbath, abstain from foods, offer sacrifices to God, and worship in Jerusalem at the temple, and in short become Jews instead of Christians. What could be more ridiculous than this, or rather more foreign to the doctrine of the Gospel? Then too his writings on the incarnation have caused such disturbance in the brotherhood that few of those who have read them now keep the ancient stamp of godliness; but the many, attending to the novelties, have turned aside to questionings and contentious inventions of these unprofitable words. 5. As for Paulinus, whether there is anything blameworthy in his ordination, you yourselves can say; but what grieves us is that he is inclined to the doctrines of Marcellus, and admits his followers into his communion indiscriminately. You know, most honored brothers, that the doctrine of Marcellus sets aside our whole hope, neither confessing the Son in a hypostasis of his own, but as put forth and returning again to that from which he came forth, nor allowing that the Paraclete has a subsistence of his own; so that one would not go wrong in declaring the heresy altogether foreign to Christianity and calling it a corrupted Judaism. We ask that you take care of these matters. It would be done if you would deign to write to all the Churches in the East that those who falsify these things, if they amend, are to be in communion; but if they wish to persist contentiously in their novelties, are to be separated from. And we ourselves are not unaware that we ought to sit in council with your wisdom and settle these matters in common deliberation; but since the time does not permit, and delay is harmful, the harm from them having taken root, we have of necessity sent the brothers, so that, teaching in person whatever escaped the letter's instruction, they may move your reverence to provide the help sought for the Churches of God.
Col 3:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:36 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 7:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 John 2:19 (echo, medium confidence) · Eccl 12:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 10:19 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:4 (echo, medium confidence) · Titus 3:9 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil asks the Western bishops to denounce publicly to the Eastern Churches three men who are disturbing them while claiming orthodoxy: Eustathius of Sebaste, Apollinarius, and Paulinus of Antioch, whose teachings and careers he describes.
- Letter 263. At the end of section 1 the scan breaks off in mid-sentence ("…"). Basil's accounts of Eustathius, Apollinarius, and Paulinus are translated as he gives them; his description of Apollinarius's teaching on the resurrection as "Jewish" is his polemical judgment. "Fighters against the Spirit" (πνευματομάχοι) are those who denied the Godhead of the Holy Spirit. Quotations and allusions: Col 3:12; Matt 25:36 (visiting the sick); Matt 7:15 (sheep's clothing); 1 John 2:19 (went out from us); Eccl 12:12 (quoted); Prov 10:19 (much speaking); 1 Tim 6:4; Titus 3:9.
Topics: Heresy, Trinity, Christology, Church office
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 263 (PG 32:976b–981c; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/263/#p-263). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 32 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 8, which gives only summaries from Letter 296 and omits some letters; those were re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 264
264PG 32:981c–984d
Βάρσῇ, ἕπτσκὸπῳ Ἐδέσσης, ἐν ἑξορίᾳ ὄντι. Τῷ ὠς ἀληθῶς θεοφιλεστάτῳ καὶ πάσης αἰδοῦς καὶ τιμῆς ἀξίῳ ἓπισκὸπῳ Βαρσῃ Βασίλειος ἐν Κυρίῳ χαίρειν. Ἐρχομένων τῶν γνησιωτάτων ἀδελφῶν τῶν περὶ Δομνῐνον πρὸς τὴν εὖλάβειάν σου, ἡδέως τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῶν γραμμάτων ἇδεξάμεθα, καὶ προσαγορεύομέν σε διʼ αὐτῶν, εὐχόμενοι τῷ ἁγίῳ Θεῷ μέχρι τοσούτου φυλαχθῆναι τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ, μέχρις οὗ καταξιωθῶμεν ἰδεῖν σε, καὶ ἀπολαῦσαι τῶν ἐν σοὶ χαρισμάτων. Μόνον εὔχου, παρακαλῶ, ἶνα ὁ Κύριος μὴ παραδῷ ἡμᾶς εἰς τέλος τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἀλλὰ φυλάξῃ τὰς ἑαυτοῦ Ἐκκλησίας μέχρι τοῦ καιροῦ τῆς εἰρήνης, ἦν αὐτὸς οἶδεν ὀ δίκαιος κριτὴς πότε ἀποδώσει. Ἀποδὼσει γὰρ, καὶ οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει ἡμᾶς εἰς τὸ παντελές Ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις την ἐβδομηκονταετίαν ὥρισεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων εἰς τὴν τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας καταδίκην, οὕτω τάχα καὶ ἡμᾶς ὁ δυνατὸς χρόνῳ τινὶ ὡρισμένῳ παραδοὺς ἀνακαλέσεταί ποτε καὶ ἀποκαταστήσει εἰς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰρήνην· εὶ μὴ ἄρα ἐγγύς πού ἐστιν ἡ ἀποστασία, καὶ τά νῦν γινόμενα προοίμιά ἐστι τῆς εἰσόδου τοῦ Ἀντιχρίστου. Ὀπερ δὲ ἐὰν ᾖ, προσεύχου ἵνα ἡ τὰς θλίψεις πεφενέγκῃ, ἦ ἡμᾶς ἀπταίστους ὃ ιὰ τῶν θλίψεων ό ἁγαθός διασώσηται. Πᾶσαν τὴν συνοδίαν τὴν καταξιωθεῖσαν συνεῖναι τῇ εὐλαβείᾳ σου ἀσπαζόμεθα διὰ σοῦ. Τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν οἰ σὺν ἡμῖν πάντες προσαγορεύουσιν. Ἐρρωμένος καὶ εὑθυμος ἐν Κυρίῳ, ὑπερευχόμενός μου, φυλαχθείης τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησία χάριτι τοῦ ’Λγίου.
Barsę̄, heptskopǭ Edessēs, en hexorią onti. Tǭ ōs alēthōs theophilestatǭ kai pasēs aidous kai timēs axiǭ hepiskopǭ Barsę̄ Basileios en Kyriǭ chairein. Erchomenōn tōn gnēsiōtatōn adelphōn tōn peri Domninon pros tēn eulabeian sou, hēdeōs tēn aphormēn tōn grammatōn hadexametha, kai prosagoreuomen se diʼ autōn, euchomenoi tǭ hagiǭ Theǭ mechri tosoutou phylachthēnai tę̄ zōę̄ tautę̄, mechris hou kataxiōthōmen idein se, kai apolausai tōn en soi charismatōn. Monon euchou, parakalō, ina ho Kyrios mē paradǭ hēmas eis telos tois echthrois tou staurou tou Christou, alla phylaxę̄ tas heautou Ekklēsias mechri tou kairou tēs eirēnēs, ēn autos oiden o dikaios kritēs pote apodōsei. Apodōsei gar, kai ouk enkataleipsei hēmas eis to panteles Allʼ hōsper tois Israēlitais tēn ebdomēkontaetian hōrisen hyper tōn hamartēmatōn eis tēn tēs aichmalōsias katadikēn, houtō tacha kai hēmas ho dynatos chronǭ tini hōrismenǭ paradous anakalesetai pote kai apokatastēsei eis tēn ex archēs eirēnēn; ei mē ara engys pou estin hē apostasia, kai ta nyn ginomena prooimia esti tēs eisodou tou Antichristou. Oper de ean ę̄, proseuchou hina hē tas thlipseis pephenenkę̄, ē hēmas aptaistous ho ia tōn thlipseōn o hagathos diasōsētai. Pasan tēn synodian tēn kataxiōtheisan syneinai tę̄ eulabeią sou aspazometha dia sou. Tēn sēn eulabeian oi syn hēmin pantes prosagoreuousin. Errōmenos kai heuthymos en Kyriǭ, hypereuchomenos mou, phylachtheiēs tę̄ tou Theou Ekklēsia chariti tou ’Lgiou.
To Barses, bishop of Edessa, in exile. To the truly most God-beloved bishop Barses, worthy of all respect and honor, Basil sends greeting in the Lord. As the most genuine brothers with Domninus were coming to your reverence, we gladly took the occasion for a letter, and through them we greet you, praying the holy God that we may be kept in this life until we are deemed worthy to see you and enjoy the gifts that are in you. Only pray, I beg you, that the Lord may not hand us over to the end to the enemies of the cross of Christ, but may keep his Churches until the time of peace, which the just Judge himself knows when he will restore. For he will restore it, and will not forsake us altogether. But just as he fixed seventy years for the Israelites as the sentence of captivity for their sins, so perhaps the Mighty One, having handed us over for a fixed time, will one day call us back and restore us to our original peace; unless perhaps the apostasy is near, and what is now happening is the prelude to the coming of the Antichrist. But whichever it is, pray that he may either cut short the afflictions or keep us unstumbling through the afflictions, in his goodness. Through you we greet all the company deemed worthy to be with your reverence. All those with us address your reverence. In health and good spirits in the Lord, praying for me, may you be kept for the Church of God by the grace of the Holy One.
Phil 3:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 25:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Thess 2:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 24:22 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil writes to the exiled Barses of Edessa asking his prayers that God will soon restore peace to the persecuted Churches, wondering whether the present troubles are the prelude to the Antichrist.
- Letter 264. Allusions: Phil 3:18 (enemies of the cross); Jer 25:11–12; 29:10 (seventy years); 2 Thess 2:3 (apostasy); Matt 24:22 (afflictions cut short).
Topics: Persecution, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 264 (PG 32:981c–984d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/263/#p-264). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 32 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 8, which gives only summaries from Letter 296 and omits some letters; those were re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 265
265PG 32:985a–996a
’τῆς ἀγαθῆς μερίδος ύμῶν,’καὶ συνάψαι ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τοῦ γράμματος τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ εὐλαβείᾳ. Οῦπερ ἕνεκα ἀπεστείλαμεν και τὸν ποθεινότατον υἱὸν ἡμῶν καὶ συνδιάκονον Ἐλπίδιον, ὁμοῦ μεν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν διακομίζοντα, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ παρʼ ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμενον ἀπαγγεῖλαι ύμῖν ὅσα τὴν ἐκ τοῦ γράμματος ἐκφύγῃ διδασκαλίαν. 2. Μάλιστα δε ἡμᾶς ἐπέρρωσε πρὸς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς συναφείας ὑμῶν ἡ ἀκοή τοῦ περὶ τὴν ὀρθότητα ζήλου τῆς εὐσεβείας ὐμῶνο ὅτι οὒτε πλήθει συνταγμάτων, ὀὔτε ποικιλίᾳ ξσοφισμείτων παρηνέχθη ὐμῶν τὸ στερρὸν τῆς καρδίας· ἀλλʼ ἐπέγνωτε μὲν τοὺς κατὰ τῶν ἆποστολικῶν δογμάτων καινοτομοῦντας, σιωπῇ δὲ κατασχεῖν τὴν ἐνεργουμένην παρʼ αὐτῶν βλάβην οὐ κατεδέξασθε. Καὶ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι πολλὴν εὕρομεν λύπην παρὰ πᾶσι τοῖς ἀντεχο- Β μένοις τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου εἰρήνης ἐπὶ ταῖς νεωτεροποιίαις ταῖς παντοδαπαῖς Ἀπολιναρίου τοῦ Λαοδικέωςο ὃς τοσούτῳ πλέον ἐλύπησεν ἡμᾶς, ὅσῳ ἔδοξεν εἶναι ἐξ ἡμῶντὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς. Τό μεν γὰρ παρὰ φανεροῦ πολεμίου παθεῖν τι, κᾶν ὑπερβάλλῃ τῷ ἀλγεινῶ, φορητόν πώς ἐστι τῷ καταπονουμένῳ, καθὼς γέγραπται, ὅτι Εἰ ὁ ἐχθρὸς ὠνείδισέ με τὸ δε παρʼ ὁμοψύχου καὶ οἰκείου ὑπήνεγκα ἄν βλάβης τινὸς πειραθῆναι, τοῦτο δύσφορον παντελῶς, καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἔχον παραμυθίαν, Ὃν γὰρ προσεδοκὴσαμεν συνασπιστὴν ἕξειν τῆς ἀληθείας, τοῦτον εὕρομεν νῦν ἐν πολλοῖς ἐμποδίζοντα τοῖς σωζομένοις ἑκτοῦ περιέλκειν αὐτῶν τὸν νοῦν καὶ ἁποσπᾷνοτῆς εὐθύτητος τῶν δογμάτων. Τί γὰρ ἐν ἔργοις παρʼ αὐτοῦ τολμηρὸν καὶ θερμὸν οὐκ ἐπράχθη ; Τί δὲ ἓν λόγοις οὐ παρεπενοήθη νεώτερον καὶ ἐπικεκινδυνευμένον; Οὐ πᾶσα μεν Ἐκκλησία ἐφ ἑαυτὴν ἐμερίσθη, μάλιστα δί ταῖς ὐπό τῶν ὄρθοδόξων κυβερνωμέναις ἐπιπεμφθέντων παρʼ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸ σχίσαι, καὶ ἰδίαν τινὰ παρασυναγωγὴν ἐκδικῆσαι; Οὐχὶ γελᾶται τὸ μέγα τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον, ὡς ἄνευ λαοῦ καὶ κλήρου ἐπισκόπων περιερχομένων, καὶ ὅνομα ψιλὸν περιφερὸντων, οὐδὲν δε κατορθούντων εἰς προκοπήν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ σωτηρίας; Οὐχὶ οἱ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγοι πλήρεις παρʼ αὐτῷ εἰσιν ἀσεβῶν δογμάτων, τῆς παλαιᾶς ἀσεβείας τοῦ ματαιόφρονος Σαβελλίου διʼ αὐτοῦ νῦν ἀνανεωθείσης ἒν τοῖς συντάγμασιη Εἰ γὰρ ἂ περιφέρουσιν οἱ Σεβαστηνοὶ, μὴ συμπέπλασται παρʼ ἐχθρῶν, ἀλλὰ κατʼ ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῦ εἰσι συγγραφαὶ, οὐδεμίαν εἰς ἀσέβειαν ὑπερβολὴν καταλέλοιπε, τὸν αὐτὸν Πατέρα λέγων καὶ Υἰόν καὶ Πνεῦμα, καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ σκοτεινὰ ἀσεβήματα, ἃ ἡμεῖς οὐδὲ ταῖς ἀκοαῖς ἠμῶὐ κατεδεξάμεθα παραδέξασθαι, εὐχόμενοι μηδεμίαν μερίδα ἔχειν πρὸς τοὺς ἐκεῖνα τὰ ῥήματα φθεγξαμένους. Οὐχὶ συγκέχυται παρʼ αὐτῷ ό τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως λόγοςς οὐκ ἀμφίβολος γέγονε τοῖς πολλοῖς ἠ σωτήριος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν οἰκονομία ἐκ τῶν θολερῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ σκοτεινῶν περὶ σαρκώσεως ζητημάτων; Ἃ πάντα συναγαγεῖν καὶ εἰς ἔλεγχον καταστῆσαι μακροῦ καὶ χρόνου καὶ λόγου δεῖται. Τόν δὲ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν τόπον τίς οὕτως ἠφάνισε καὶ ἠμαύρωσεν, ὡς ἡ τούτου μυθοποιίας ’ος γε τὴν μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα, τὴν ἀποκειμένην τοῖς πολιτευσαμένοις κατὰ τὸ Εύαγγέλιον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὕτω ταπεινῶς καὶ ὲρῥιμμένως ἐτόλμησεν ἐξηγήσασθαι, ὥστε εἰς γραώδεις μύθους καὶ λόγους Ἰουδαῖκούς ἐκτραπῆναιο ”Ανωθεν ἐπαγγέλλεται τοῦ ναοῦ τὴν ἀνανέωσιν, καὶ τῆς νομικῆς λατρείας τήν παρατήρησιν, καὶ πάλιν ἀρχιερέα τυπικόν μετὰ τόν ἀληθινόν ἀρχιερέα, καὶ θυσίαν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν μετὰ τόν ἀμνὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν αἴροντα την ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμουʼ καὶ βαπτίσματα μερικὰ μετὰ τᾷ ἓν βάπτισμα, καὶ σποδὸν δαμάλεως ῥαντίζουσαν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τὴν οὒκ ἔχουσαν διὰ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν πίστεως σπῖλον ἢ ῥυτίδα, ἦ τι τῶν τοιούτων καὶ καθαρισμὸν λέπρας μετα την ἀπάθειαν τῆς ἀναστάσεως· καὶ ζηλοτυπίας προσφορὰν, ὅτε οὔτε γαμοῦσιν, οὔτε γαμίσκονταιο ἄρτοι προθέσεως μετὰ τὸν οἶρτον τὸν ἐκ· τοῦ τούρανοῦ· λύχνοι καιόμενοι μετὰ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν· καὶ ὅλως εἰ νῦν ὁ νόμος τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασι κατήργηται, δʼἥλονλ ὅτι τότε τὰ δόγματα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τοῖς νομικοῖς ἐν- n Α, ο-. ο - Α τάλμασιν ἀκυρωθὴσεται. Ἐπὶ τούτοις αἰσχύνη καὶ ἐντροπὴ ἐκάλυψεν ἡμῶν τὰ πρόσωπα· λύπη δὲ βαρεῖα πεπλήρωκεν ἡμῶν τὰς καρδίας. Διὸ παρακαλοῦμεν ὑμᾶς, ὡς ἐπιστήμονας ἰατροὺς καὶ δεδιὃαγμένους ἓν πραῦτητι παιδεύειν τοὺς ἀντιδιαττιθεμένους, πειραθῆναι αὑτὸν ἕπαναγαγείν πρὸς τὴν εὐταξίαν τῆς ’βκκλησίας, καὶ πεῖσαι αὐτὸν καταφρονῆσαι τῆς πολυφωνίας τῶν συνταγμάτων 3. εῦλογον δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν κατὰ Μάρκελλον fiat-0' μνῆσαι τὴν εὐλάβειαν ὑμῶν, ἵνα μηδὲν ἆπερι-. σκέπτως, μηδʼ εὐκόλως περὶ αὐτῶν τυπώσητε. Ἀλλʼ ᾇπερ.δῆ δογμάτων ἕνεκεν ἀσεβῶν ἐξῆλθε τῆς Ἐκκλησιας ἐκεῖνος, τοὺς ἑπομένους αότῷ ἀναγκαῖον, ἀναθεματίσαντας ἐκείνην τὴν αἳρεσιν οὕτω δεκτοὺς ’γενέσθαι τῇ· κοινωνίᾳ, ἶνʼ οἱ ἡμῖν συναπτόμενοι διʼ ὑμῶν παρὰ πάσης δεχθῶσι τῆς ἆδελφότητος· Ἐπεὶ νῦν γε οὐ μετρία κατέσχε λύπη τοὺς πολλοὺς, ἀκούσαντας, ὅτι παραγενομένους πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν τιμιότητα καὶ προσήκασθε, καὶ κοινων ίας αὐτοῖς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς μετεδώκατε. Καίτοιγε εἰδέναι ὑμᾶς ἐχρῆν, ὅτι τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτι οὒτε κατὰ τὴν Ἀνατολήν μόνοι ἐστὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὺς ἔχετε τῆς ἔαυτῶν μερίδος, οἶ τὴν τῶν Πατέρων ἐκδικοῦσιν ὀρθοδοξίαν, τῶν κατὰ Νίκαιαν τὸ εὐσεβὲς δόγμα τῆς πίστεως ἔκθεμένωνο καὶ οἱ τῆς Δύσεως πάντες σύμφωνοι ὑμῖν τε καὶ ἡμῖν τυγχάνουσιν· ὧν δεξάμενοι τῆς πίστεως τὸν τόμον ἔχομεν παρʼ ἑαυτοῖς, ἑπόμενοι αὐτῶν τῇ ὑγιαινούσῃ διδασκαλίᾳ. Ἔδει οὖν πάντας πληροφορεῖσθαι τοὺς ἓν τῇ αὐτῇ συναφείᾳ τυγχάνοντας ὓμῖν, ἵνα καὶ τὰ γινόμενα μᾶλλον βεβαιωθῇ ἐν τῇ πλειόνων συγκαταθέσει, καὶ ἡ εἰρήνη μὴ διεσπᾶτο, ἄν τῇ τινων προσλήψει ἑτέρων ἁφισταμένων. Οὕτως οὖν ἦν πρέπον βουλεύσασθαι ὑμᾶς στιβαρῶς καὶ πράως περὶ πραγμάτων πάσαις ταῖς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην Ἐκκλησιαις διαφερόντων. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ταχύ τι δογματίσας ἐπαινετὸς, ἀλλʼ ὁ παγίως καὶ ἀσαλεύτως ἕκαστα κανονὶσας, ὥστε καὶ εἰς τὸν μετὰ ταῦτα χρόνον ἐξεταζομένην τὴν γνώμην δοκιμωτέραν φαίνεσθαι, οὗτος ἀπόδεκτος και παρὰ θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις, ὡς οἰκονομῶν τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἄν κρίσει. Ταῦτα, ὅσα ἐδίδου ἡμῖν ἠ διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ὁμιλία, προσεφθεσγξάμεθα ὑμῶν τὴν εύλοὶ βειαν. Παράσχοι δὲ ό Κύριος καὶ εἰς ταυτὸν ἡμᾶς ἀλλιῦοις γενέσθαι ποτέ · ἵνα, πάντα πρὸς καταρτισμὸν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ μεθʼ ὑμῶν οἰκονομήσαντες, μεθʼ ὑμῶν δεξώμεθα τὸν μισθόν τόν ἡτοιμασμένον παρὰ τοῦ δικαίου κριτοῦ τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ φρονίμοις οἰκονόμοις. Τέως δὲ νῦν καταξιώσατε ἡμῖν ἀποστεῖλαι τὰς προτάσεις, ἐφʼ αἶς ἐδέξασθε τοὺς Μαρκῦλου, ἐκεῖνο εἰδοτες, ὅτι κᾶν πάνυ τὸ καθʼ ἐαυι τοὺς ἀσφαλίση σθε , μόνοις ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιτρέψαι πρᾶγμα ι - I Π Ι τοσοῦτον οὐκ ὀφείλετε, ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ Διί-κε ‘ ‘ “ Δύσει, καὶ τοὺς κατὰ τήν Ἀνατολὴν κοινωινκοὺς συμψήρους αὐτῶν τῇ ἀποκαταστάσει γενέσθαι. : ἐρξᾁὶὶέ ἀἷι Πέτρῳ, ἐπισκόπῶ Ἀλεξανδρείας. 1. Καλῶς μου καθήψω xui πρεπόντως πνευματικῷ Α - ἐ ι - · - ι ν ί ι“”“ ”“”ἷ” ἀδελφῷ, ἀληθινήν ἀγάπην παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου δεδι- θ, ρ. ν ι ι Ῠή- --- ὃαγμένῳ, ὅτι σοι μή πάντα καὶ μικρά καὶ μείξω φανερά ποιοῦμεν τῶν τῇδε. Καί γάρ ἐπιβάλλει καὶ σοὶ φροντίζειν τῶν καθʼ ἡμᾶς, καί ἡμῖν τῇ ἀγοί- . ι Γ 1 πῇ ἀναφέρειν τά ἡμέτερα. Ἀλλά γίνωσκε, τιμιώτατε ημῖν xui ποθεινότατε ἀδελφε, ὅτι τό συνεχὲς τῶν θλίψεων, καὶ 6 πολὺς οὗτος ό κλόνος όνῠν σαλεύων τάς Ἐκκλησιας, πρός οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς ξενίζεσθαι τῶν γινομένων ποιεῖ. Ὠς γάρ οἱ ἐν τοῖς χαλκείοις τὰς ἀκοάς κατακτυπούπενοι ἐν μελέτη εἰσί τῶν ψόφων, οὕτως ἡμεῖς τῇ πυκνότητι τῶν ἀτόπων ἀγγελιῶν εἰθίσοημεν λοιπόν ἀτάραχον ἒχειν καὶ ἀπτόητον τήν καρδίαν πρὸς τὰ παράλογα. Τά μὲν ν. _... - - ο 1 Γίν- οὖν παρά τῶν ’Λρειανῶν ἐκ παλαιοῦ κατ-οξ τῆς Ἐκκλησίάς σκευωρούμενα, εὶ xui πολλά καὶ μεγέ- \ - - ν ‘ ‘ ν Ι ’ Ι ἀλλʼ οὖν φορητά ἡμῖν ἐστι, διὰ 1'6 παρά φανερῶν ι Ι ἃ ν ἐχθρῶν καὶ πολεμίων τοῦ λόγου τῆς ἀληθείας γίνεσθαι · οὓς, ὅταν μή ποιήσωσι τά συνήθη, θαυμαζομεν ' οὐχ ὅταν μέγα τι καὶ νεανικόν κατὰ τῆς aiio βείας τολμήσωσι. Δυπεῐ δὲ ἡμᾶς καὶ ταράσσει τὰ παρά τῶν όμοψύχων καὶ ὁμοδόξων γινόμενα. Ἀλλʼ ὅμως καὶ ταυτα, διύ τό πολλὰ εἶναι, καὶ συνεχῶς , η,. ἐμπίπτειν ήμῶν ταῖς ἀκοαῖς, οὐδὲ ταῦτα παράδοξα καταφαίνεται. Ὀθεν οὔτε ἐκινήβημεν ἐπὶ τοῖς πρώην γινομένοις ἀτάκτως, οὔτε τὰς σὰς διωχλήσαμεν IV ' Ι 7 ἀκοάς· τοῦτο μὲν εἰδότες, ὅτι φήμη διακομίσει αὐτο μάτως τά πεπραγμένα, τοῦτο ὁδέ ἀναμένοντες, ἐτέρους ἀγγέλους τῶν λυπηρῶν γενέσθαι · ἒπειτα ι ' Ι 1 ὔτε κρίναντες εὔλογον εἶναι ἡμᾶς ἀγανακτεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις, ὥσπερ δυσχεραίνοντας διὰ τί παρ-,,., -. ι ώφθημεν. Αὑτοῖς μέντοι τοῖς ταῦτα ποιήσασιν ἐπεστείλαμεν τά πρέποντα, παρακαλοῦντες αὐτοὺς, ’ ἣν λ ‘ . ί ’ἶ ἐπειδή τινα ὃιχόνοιαν ἔπαθον οἱ ἐκεῖ ἀδελφοὶ, τῆς μὲν ἀγάπης μὴ ἀποστῆναι, τὴν δε διόρθωσιν ἀναμέ-, νειν ποιρά τῶν δυναμένων ἐκκλησιαστικώς ἰατρεύειν τὰ πταίσματα, Ὀπερ ἐπειδὴ ἐποίησας, καλῶς καὶ προσηκόντως κινηθεὶς, ἐπῃνέσαμέν σε, καὶ ηὖχαριστήσαμεν τῷ Κυρίῳ, ὅτι ἐστὶ λείψανον τῆς παλαιᾶς εὐταξίας σωζόμενον παρά σοὶ καὶ ἡ Ἐκκλησία τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἰσχὺν οὐκ ἀπώλεσεν ἐν τῶ ἡμετέρῳ διωγμῷ. Οὔ γὰρ μεθʼ ἡμῶν ἐδιώχθησαν καὶ οἱ κανόνες. Πολλάκις οὖν ὀχληθεὶς παρά τῶν Γαλατῶν, οὐδέποτε ἠδυνήθην αὐτοῖς ἀποκρίνασθαι, ἀναμένων τὰς ὑμετέρας ἐπικρίσεις. Καὶ νῦν, ἐὰν ὀ Κύριος δῷ, καὶ θελήσωσιν ἀνασχέσθαι ἡμῶν, ἑλπίζομεν τὸν λαὸν προσάξειν τῇ Ἐκκλησία· ὡς μὴ α)τοὺς ἡμᾶς ὀνειδίζεσθαι Μαρκελλιανοίς προσκεχωρηκέναι, ἀλλʼ ἐκείνους μελη γενέσθαι τοῦ σώματος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τοῦ Χριστοῧ· ὥστε τόν πονηρὸν ψόγον, τόν κατασκεδασθέντα ἐκ τῆς αἱρέσεως, ἐναφαmem; τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ προσλήψει, καὶ μὴ ἡμᾶς καταισχυνθῆναι ὡς προσθεμένους αὐτοῖς, 2. Ἐλύπησε δε ἡμᾶς ὀ ἀδελφὸς Δωρόθεος, ὡς αὐτὸς ἔπέστειλας, μὴ πάντα προσηνῶς, μηδὲ πράως διαλεχθεὶς τῇ κοσμιότητί σου, Καὶ τοῦτο τῇ τῶν καιρῶν λογίζομαι δυσκολίᾳ. Ἐοίκαμεν γὰρ εὶς μηδεν εὐοδοῦσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, εἴπερ οἱ σπουδαιότατοι τῶν ἀδελφῶν οὐχ εὐρισκονται προσηνεῖς, οὐδε εὔθετοι ταῖς διακονίαις, τῷ μὴ πάντα κατὰ γνώμην ἡμετέραν ἐπιτελεῖν. ‘0; ἐπανελθὼν διηγήσατο ἡμῖν τὰς ἐπὶ τοῦ σεμνοτάτου ἑπισκὸπου Δαμάσου πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα ’γενομένας αὐτῷ διαλέξεις, καὶ slum: ἡμᾶς λέγων τοῖς ’Ᾰρειομανίταις συγκατηριθμῆσθαι τοὺς θεοφιλεστάτους ἀδελφοὺς ἡμῶν τοὺς συλλειτουργούς Μελέτιον καὶ Εὐσέβιον. Ὧν εἰ καὶ μηδὲν ἀλλο συνίστη τὴν ὀρθοδοξίαν, ὁγοῦν παρά τῶν Ἀρειανῶν πόλεμος ἀπόδειξιν ἔχει ὀρθότητος οὐκ ὀλίγην τοῖς εὐγνωμόνως λογιζομένοις. Τὴν δὲ σὴν εὐλάβειαν συνάπτειν αὐτοῖς εἰς ἀγάπην ὀφείλει καὶ η κοινωνία τῶν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ παθημάτων. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πέπεισο, ὡς ἀληθῶς ’τιμιὼτατε, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τι ῥῆμα ὀρθοδοξίας, ὁ μὴ μετὰ πάσης παρρησίας παρὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τουτων ἓκᾼηρύὲθη ὑπὸ Θεῷ μάρτυρι καὶ ἀκροαταῖς ἡμῖν. Οἳ οὐδʼ ἆν πρὸς ὥραν αὐτῶν ἐδεξάμεθα την συνάιῖισειαν εὶ σκάζοντας αύτούς περὶ τὴν πίστιν εὖρος μεν. Ἀλλὰ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τὰ παρελθόντα ἐάσωμεν, τοῖς δὲ ἑφεξῆς ἀρχήν τινα δῶμεν εἰρηνικήν. Χρῄζομεν γὰρ ἀλλήλων πάντες κατα τὴν τῶν μελῶν κοινωνίαν, καὶ μάλιστα νῦν, ὅτε αἱ τῆς Ἀνάτολῆς Ἐκκλησίαι πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀποβλέπουσι, καὶ τὴν με) ὑμετέραν ὁμόνοιαν ἀφορμὴν εἰς στηριγμόν καὶ βεβαιότητα λήψονται· ἐὰν δὲ αἴσθωνται ὑμᾶς ἐν ὑποψίᾳ τινὶ πρὸς ἀλλήλους εἶναι ἐκλυθήσονται καὶ παρήσουσιν ἑαυτῶν τὰς χεῖρας, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀνταίρειν τοις πολεμίοις τῆς πίστεως.
’tēs agathēs meridos ymōn,’kai synapsai heautous dia tou grammatos tę̄ hymeterą eulabeią. Ouper heneka apesteilamen kai ton potheinotaton huion hēmōn kai syndiakonon Elpidion, homou men tēn epistolēn diakomizonta, homou de kai parʼ heautou dynamenon apangeilai ymin hosa tēn ek tou grammatos ekphygę̄ didaskalian. 2. Malista de hēmas eperrōse pros tēn epithymian tēs synapheias hymōn hē akoē tou peri tēn orthotēta zēlou tēs eusebeias ymōno hoti oute plēthei syntagmatōn, oute poikilią xsophismeitōn parēnechthē ymōn to sterron tēs kardias; allʼ epegnōte men tous kata tōn apostolikōn dogmatōn kainotomountas, siōpę̄ de kataschein tēn energoumenēn parʼ autōn blabēn ou katedexasthe. Kai gar tǭ onti pollēn heuromen lypēn para pasi tois antecho- B menois tēs tou Kyriou eirēnēs epi tais neōteropoiiais tais pantodapais Apolinariou tou Laodikeōso hos tosoutǭ pleon elypēsen hēmas, hosǭ edoxen einai ex hēmōnto ex archēs. To men gar para phanerou polemiou pathein ti, kan hyperballę̄ tǭ algeinō, phorēton pōs esti tǭ kataponoumenǭ, kathōs gegraptai, hoti Ei ho echthros ōneidise me to de parʼ homopsychou kai oikeiou hypēnenka an blabēs tinos peirathēnai, touto dysphoron pantelōs, kai oudemian echon paramythian, Hon gar prosedokēsamen synaspistēn hexein tēs alētheias, touton heuromen nyn en pollois empodizonta tois sōzomenois hektou perielkein autōn ton noun kai hapospąnotēs euthytētos tōn dogmatōn. Ti gar en ergois parʼ autou tolmēron kai thermon ouk eprachthē ? Ti de hen logois ou parepenoēthē neōteron kai epikekindyneumenon? Ou pasa men Ekklēsia eph heautēn emeristhē, malista di tais ypo tōn orthodoxōn kybernōmenais epipemphthentōn parʼ autou pros to schisai, kai idian tina parasynagōgēn ekdikēsai? Ouchi gelatai to mega tēs eusebeias mystērion, hōs aneu laou kai klērou episkopōn perierchomenōn, kai honoma psilon peripherontōn, ouden de katorthountōn eis prokopēn tou Euangeliou tēs eirēnēs kai sōtērias? Ouchi hoi peri tou Theou logoi plēreis parʼ autǭ eisin asebōn dogmatōn, tēs palaias asebeias tou mataiophronos Sabelliou diʼ autou nyn ananeōtheisēs en tois syntagmasiē Ei gar a peripherousin hoi Sebastēnoi, mē sympeplastai parʼ echthrōn, alla katʼ alētheian autou eisi syngraphai, oudemian eis asebeian hyperbolēn kataleloipe, ton auton Patera legōn kai Uion kai Pneuma, kai alla tina skoteina asebēmata, ha hēmeis oude tais akoais ēmōy katedexametha paradexasthai, euchomenoi mēdemian merida echein pros tous ekeina ta rhēmata phthenxamenous. Ouchi synkechytai parʼ autǭ o tēs enanthrōpēseōs logoss ouk amphibolos gegone tois pollois ē sōtērios tou Kyriou hēmōn oikonomia ek tōn tholerōn autou kai skoteinōn peri sarkōseōs zētēmatōn? Ha panta synagagein kai eis elenchon katastēsai makrou kai chronou kai logou deitai. Ton de tōn epangeliōn topon tis houtōs ēphanise kai ēmaurōsen, hōs hē toutou mythopoiias ’os ge tēn makarian elpida, tēn apokeimenēn tois politeusamenois kata to Euangelion tou Christou, houtō tapeinōs kai errhimmenōs etolmēsen exēgēsasthai, hōste eis graōdeis mythous kai logous Ioudaikous ektrapēnaio ”Anōthen epangelletai tou naou tēn ananeōsin, kai tēs nomikēs latreias tēn paratērēsin, kai palin archierea typikon meta ton alēthinon archierea, kai thysian hyper hamartiōn meta ton amnon tou Theou ton aironta tēn hamartian tou kosmouʼ kai baptismata merika meta tą hen baptisma, kai spodon damaleōs rhantizousan tēn Ekklēsian tēn ouk echousan dia tēs eis Christon pisteōs spilon ē rhytida, ē ti tōn toioutōn kai katharismon lepras meta tēn apatheian tēs anastaseōs; kai zēlotypias prosphoran, hote oute gamousin, oute gamiskontaio artoi protheseōs meta ton oirton ton ek; tou touranou; lychnoi kaiomenoi meta to phōs to alēthinon; kai holōs ei nyn ho nomos tōn entolōn en dogmasi katērgētai, dʼhēlonl hoti tote ta dogmata tou Christou en tois nomikois en- n A, o-. o - A talmasin akyrōthēsetai. Epi toutois aischynē kai entropē ekalypsen hēmōn ta prosōpa; lypē de bareia peplērōken hēmōn tas kardias. Dio parakaloumen hymas, hōs epistēmonas iatrous kai dedioagmenous hen prautēti paideuein tous antidiattithemenous, peirathēnai hauton hepanagagein pros tēn eutaxian tēs ’bkklēsias, kai peisai auton kataphronēsai tēs polyphōnias tōn syntagmatōn 3. eulogon de kai peri tōn kata Markellon fiat-0' mnēsai tēn eulabeian hymōn, hina mēden aperi-. skeptōs, mēdʼ eukolōs peri autōn typōsēte. Allʼ hąper.dē dogmatōn heneken asebōn exēlthe tēs Ekklēsias ekeinos, tous hepomenous aotǭ anankaion, anathematisantas ekeinēn tēn hairesin houtō dektous ’genesthai tę̄; koinōnią, inʼ hoi hēmin synaptomenoi diʼ hymōn para pasēs dechthōsi tēs adelphotētos; Epei nyn ge ou metria katesche lypē tous pollous, akousantas, hoti paragenomenous pros tēn hymeteran timiotēta kai prosēkasthe, kai koinōn ias autois ekklēsiastikēs metedōkate. Kaitoige eidenai hymas echrēn, hoti tę̄ tou Theou chariti oute kata tēn Anatolēn monoi este, alla kai pollous echete tēs eautōn meridos, oi tēn tōn Paterōn ekdikousin orthodoxian, tōn kata Nikaian to eusebes dogma tēs pisteōs ekthemenōno kai hoi tēs Dyseōs pantes symphōnoi hymin te kai hēmin tynchanousin; hōn dexamenoi tēs pisteōs ton tomon echomen parʼ heautois, hepomenoi autōn tę̄ hygiainousę̄ didaskalią. Edei oun pantas plērophoreisthai tous hen tę̄ autę̄ synapheią tynchanontas hymin, hina kai ta ginomena mallon bebaiōthę̄ en tę̄ pleionōn synkatathesei, kai hē eirēnē mē diespato, an tę̄ tinōn proslēpsei heterōn haphistamenōn. Houtōs oun ēn prepon bouleusasthai hymas stibarōs kai praōs peri pragmatōn pasais tais kata tēn oikoumenēn Ekklēsiais diapherontōn. Ou gar ho tachy ti dogmatisas epainetos, allʼ ho pagiōs kai asaleutōs hekasta kanonisas, hōste kai eis ton meta tauta chronon exetazomenēn tēn gnōmēn dokimōteran phainesthai, houtos apodektos kai para theǭ kai anthrōpois, hōs oikonomōn tous logous autou an krisei. Tauta, hosa edidou hēmin ē dia tou grammatos homilia, prosephthesnxametha hymōn tēn euloi beian. Paraschoi de o Kyrios kai eis tauton hēmas alliyois genesthai pote ; hina, panta pros katartismon tōn Ekklēsiōn tou Theou methʼ hymōn oikonomēsantes, methʼ hymōn dexōmetha ton misthon ton hētoimasmenon para tou dikaiou kritou tois pistois kai phronimois oikonomois. Teōs de nyn kataxiōsate hēmin aposteilai tas protaseis, ephʼ ais edexasthe tous Markylou, ekeino eidotes, hoti kan pany to kathʼ eaui tous asphalisē sthe , monois heautois epitrepsai pragma i - I P I tosouton ouk opheilete, alla chrē kai tous en tę̄ Dii-ke ‘ ‘ “ Dysei, kai tous kata tēn Anatolēn koinōinkous sympsērous autōn tę̄ apokatastasei genesthai. : erxąiie haii Petrǭ, episkopō Alexandreias. 1. Kalōs mou kathēpsō xui prepontōs pneumatikǭ A - e i - ; - i n i i“”“ ”“”hi” adelphǭ, alēthinēn agapēn para tou Kyriou dedi- th, r. n i i Yē- --- hoagmenǭ, hoti soi mē panta kai mikra kai meixō phanera poioumen tōn tę̄de. Kai gar epiballei kai soi phrontizein tōn kathʼ hēmas, kai hēmin tę̄ agoi- . i G 1 pę̄ anapherein ta hēmetera. Alla ginōske, timiōtate ēmin xui potheinotate adelphe, hoti to syneches tōn thlipseōn, kai 6 polys houtos o klonos onyn saleuōn tas Ekklēsias, pros ouden hēmas xenizesthai tōn ginomenōn poiei. Ōs gar hoi en tois chalkeiois tas akoas kataktypoupenoi en meletē eisi tōn psophōn, houtōs hēmeis tę̄ pyknotēti tōn atopōn angeliōn eithisoēmen loipon atarachon echein kai aptoēton tēn kardian pros ta paraloga. Ta men n. _... - - o 1 Gin- oun para tōn ’Lreianōn ek palaiou kat-ox tēs Ekklēsias skeuōroumena, ei xui polla kai mege- \ - - n ‘ ‘ n I ’ I allʼ oun phorēta hēmin esti, dia 1'6 para phanerōn i I ha n echthrōn kai polemiōn tou logou tēs alētheias ginesthai ; hous, hotan mē poiēsōsi ta synēthē, thaumazomen ' ouch hotan mega ti kai neanikon kata tēs aiio beias tolmēsōsi. Dypei de hēmas kai tarassei ta para tōn omopsychōn kai homodoxōn ginomena. Allʼ homōs kai tauta, diy to polla einai, kai synechōs , ē,. empiptein ēmōn tais akoais, oude tauta paradoxa kataphainetai. Othen oute ekinēbēmen epi tois prōēn ginomenois ataktōs, oute tas sas diōchlēsamen IV ' I 7 akoas; touto men eidotes, hoti phēmē diakomisei auto matōs ta pepragmena, touto hode anamenontes, eterous angelous tōn lypērōn genesthai ; epeita i ' I 1 yte krinantes eulogon einai hēmas aganaktein epi tois toioutois, hōsper dyscherainontas dia ti par-,,., -. i ōphthēmen. Hautois mentoi tois tauta poiēsasin epesteilamen ta preponta, parakalountes autous, ’ hēn l ‘ . i ’i epeidē tina hoichonoian epathon hoi ekei adelphoi, tēs men agapēs mē apostēnai, tēn de diorthōsin aname-, nein poira tōn dynamenōn ekklēsiastikōs iatreuein ta ptaismata, Oper epeidē epoiēsas, kalōs kai prosēkontōs kinētheis, epę̄nesamen se, kai ēucharistēsamen tǭ Kyriǭ, hoti esti leipsanon tēs palaias eutaxias sōzomenon para soi kai hē Ekklēsia tēn heautēs ischyn ouk apōlesen en tō hēmeterǭ diōgmǭ. Ou gar methʼ hēmōn ediōchthēsan kai hoi kanones. Pollakis oun ochlētheis para tōn Galatōn, oudepote ēdynēthēn autois apokrinasthai, anamenōn tas hymeteras epikriseis. Kai nyn, ean o Kyrios dǭ, kai thelēsōsin anaschesthai hēmōn, helpizomen ton laon prosaxein tę̄ Ekklēsia; hōs mē a)tous hēmas oneidizesthai Markellianois proskechōrēkenai, allʼ ekeinous melē genesthai tou sōmatos tēs Ekklēsias tou Christoÿ; hōste ton ponēron psogon, ton kataskedasthenta ek tēs haireseōs, enaphamem? tę̄ hēmeterą proslēpsei, kai mē hēmas kataischynthēnai hōs prosthemenous autois, 2. Elypēse de hēmas o adelphos Dōrotheos, hōs autos epesteilas, mē panta prosēnōs, mēde praōs dialechtheis tę̄ kosmiotēti sou, Kai touto tę̄ tōn kairōn logizomai dyskolią. Eoikamen gar eis mēden euodousthai hypo tōn hamartiōn hēmōn, eiper hoi spoudaiotatoi tōn adelphōn ouch euriskontai prosēneis, oude euthetoi tais diakoniais, tǭ mē panta kata gnōmēn hēmeteran epitelein. ‘0? epanelthōn diēgēsato hēmin tas epi tou semnotatou hepiskopou Damasou pros tēn sēn timiotēta ’genomenas autǭ dialexeis, kai slum: hēmas legōn tois ’Areiomanitais synkatērithmēsthai tous theophilestatous adelphous hēmōn tous sylleitourgous Meletion kai Eusebion. Hōn ei kai mēden allo synistē tēn orthodoxian, hogoun para tōn Areianōn polemos apodeixin echei orthotētos ouk oligēn tois eugnōmonōs logizomenois. Tēn de sēn eulabeian synaptein autois eis agapēn opheilei kai ē koinōnia tōn hyper Christou pathēmatōn. Ekeino de pepeiso, hōs alēthōs ’timiōtate, hoti ouk esti ti rhēma orthodoxias, ho mē meta pasēs parrēsias para tōn andrōn toutōn hekĄēryethē hypo Theǭ martyri kai akroatais hēmin. Hoi oudʼ an pros hōran autōn edexametha tēn synaiiiseian ei skazontas autous peri tēn pistin euros men. Alla, ei dokei, ta parelthonta easōmen, tois de hephexēs archēn tina dōmen eirēnikēn. Chrę̄zomen gar allēlōn pantes kata tēn tōn melōn koinōnian, kai malista nyn, hote hai tēs Anatolēs Ekklēsiai pros hēmas apoblepousi, kai tēn me) hymeteran homonoian aphormēn eis stērigmon kai bebaiotēta lēpsontai; ean de aisthōntai hymas en hypopsią tini pros allēlous einai eklythēsontai kai parēsousin heautōn tas cheiras, pros to mē antairein tois polemiois tēs pisteōs.
[To Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, bishops of Egypt, in exile.] … your good portion, and to join themselves by letter to your reverence. For this reason we have sent our most longed-for son and fellow deacon Elpidius, both to carry the letter and to be able to tell you himself whatever escapes the instruction of the letter. 2. What most strengthened our desire for union with you was hearing of your zeal for the correctness of godliness: that the firmness of your heart was not carried away either by the multitude of writings or by the variety of sophisms, but that you recognized those who innovate against the apostolic doctrines, and did not consent to cover up in silence the harm they are doing. For indeed we have found great grief among all who hold to the Lord's peace over the innovations of every kind made by Apollinarius of Laodicea, who has grieved us all the more because from the beginning he seemed to be one of us. For to suffer something from an open enemy, even if it is extremely painful, is somehow bearable for the one who is afflicted, as it is written, "If the enemy had reproached me, I would have borne it"; but to experience some harm from one of like mind and of one's own household is altogether hard to bear, and has no consolation. For the man whom we expected to have as a fellow shield-bearer of the truth, him we have now found in many ways obstructing those who are being saved, by dragging their minds about and pulling them away from the straightness of the doctrines. For what bold and hot-headed thing has he not done in deeds? And what new and perilous thing has he not devised in words? Has not every Church been divided against itself, especially by men sent by him to those governed by the orthodox, to make a schism and champion some private conventicle of their own? Is not the great mystery of godliness laughed at, with bishops going about without people or clergy, carrying a bare name, and achieving nothing for the advance of the Gospel of peace and salvation? Are not his discourses about God full of impious doctrines, the old impiety of the vain-minded Sabellius having now been renewed by him in his writings? For if what the Sebastenes are carrying about has not been fabricated by enemies, but is truly his writing, he has left no excess of impiety unreached, saying that the Father and the Son and the Spirit are the same, and other dark impieties, which we have not consented to admit even into our ears, praying to have no part with those who have uttered those words. Has not the teaching about the becoming man been confused by him? Has not the saving dispensation of our Lord become doubtful to the many because of his turbid and dark inquiries about the incarnation? To gather all of these and bring them to refutation would need much time and many words. And who has so obliterated and darkened the subject of the promises as his myth-making has? He dared to explain the blessed hope stored up for those who have lived according to the Gospel of Christ so meanly and so abjectly as to turn aside into old wives' fables and Jewish tales. He promises anew the renewal of the temple, the observance of the worship of the law, and again a typical high priest after the true High Priest, and a sacrifice for sins after the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world; and partial baptisms after the one baptism; and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the Church, which through faith in Christ has neither spot nor wrinkle nor any such thing; and the cleansing of leprosy after the impassibility of the resurrection; and the offering of jealousy, when "they neither marry nor are given in marriage"; loaves of the presentation after the bread from heaven; burning lamps after the true light; and in short, if now the law of commandments in ordinances has been abolished, it is clear that then the ordinances of Christ will be annulled in the ordinances of the law. At these things shame and confusion have covered our faces, and heavy grief has filled our hearts. Therefore we urge you, as skilled physicians, taught to correct opponents with gentleness, to try to bring him back to the good order of the Church, and to persuade him to despise the many voices of his writings … 3. It is reasonable also to remind your reverence about the followers of Marcellus, that you should lay down nothing about them without consideration or lightly. But since he went out of the Church because of impious doctrines, it is necessary that his followers be received into communion only after anathematizing that heresy, so that those who join us through you may be received by the whole brotherhood. For now no small grief has seized the many, hearing that when they came to your honor you both admitted them and gave them a share in ecclesiastical communion. And yet you ought to know that by the grace of God you are not alone in the East, but you have many of your own side who champion the orthodoxy of the Fathers who set forth the pious doctrine of the faith at Nicaea; and all those of the West are in agreement with you and with us; we have received their tome of the faith and keep it with us, following their sound teaching. So all who are in the same union with you ought to have been fully informed, so that what was done might be the more confirmed by the consent of more people, and the peace might not be torn apart, with others withdrawing upon the reception of some. So it would have befitted you to deliberate firmly and gently about matters that concern all the Churches throughout the world. For it is not the one who decrees something quickly who is praiseworthy; but the one who settles each thing firmly and immovably, so that his judgment, examined in time to come, appears the more approved, he is acceptable both to God and men, as one who orders his words with judgment. These things, as much as conversation by letter allowed us, we have said to your reverence. And may the Lord grant that we may one day come together with one another, so that, having arranged everything with you for the perfecting of the Churches of God, we may receive with you the reward prepared by the just Judge for faithful and wise stewards. But for now deign to send us the propositions on which you received the followers of Marcellus, knowing that, even if you have secured your own part well, you ought not to entrust so great a matter to yourselves alone; but those in the West and those in communion in the East must also give their votes for their restoration. [Letter 266] To Peter, bishop of Alexandria. 1. You rightly rebuked me, and as befits a spiritual brother taught true love by the Lord, because I do not make known to you all things, small and great, that happen here. For it falls to you to care for our affairs, and to us to refer our affairs to your love. But know, most honored and most longed-for brother, that the continuance of afflictions and this great tumult now shaking the Churches makes us surprised at nothing that happens. For as those whose ears are struck in the smithies become used to the noise, so we, through the frequency of strange reports, have now grown accustomed to keep our heart untroubled and unafraid before the unexpected. What the Arians have long been contriving against the Church, many and great though it is, is still bearable to us, because it comes from open enemies and foes of the word of truth; we wonder at them when they do not do what they are used to, not when they dare something great and violent against godliness. But what grieves and troubles us is what is done by those of like soul and like mind. Yet even these things, because they are many and constantly fall upon our ears, no longer appear strange. Hence we were neither moved by what was done disorderly recently, nor did we trouble your ears, both knowing that report would carry what had been done of its own accord, and expecting that others would become the messengers of the painful news; and then not judging it reasonable for us to be indignant at such things, as though vexed because we had been overlooked. However, to those who did these things we wrote what was fitting, urging them, since the brothers there had suffered some discord, not to depart from love, but to await correction from those able to heal the faults in an ecclesiastical way. Since you did this, rightly and fittingly moved, we praised you, and thanked the Lord that a remnant of the ancient good order is preserved with you, and that the Church has not lost its strength in our persecution. For the canons were not persecuted along with us. So, though often troubled by the Galatians, I have never been able to answer them, awaiting your judgments. And now, if the Lord grants it and they are willing to bear with us, we hope to bring the people to the Church; so that we may not be reproached as having gone over to the Marcellians, but that they may become members of the body of the Church of Christ; so that the evil reproach poured out from the heresy may be wiped out by our receiving them, and we may not be put to shame as having joined ourselves to them. 2. Brother Dorotheus grieved us, as you yourself wrote, by not speaking to your decency altogether gently or mildly. This too I attribute to the difficulty of the times. For it seems that because of our sins we prosper in nothing, if the most earnest of the brothers are not found gentle or suited to their ministries, because they do not carry out everything according to our mind. On his return he told us of the conversations he had with your honor in the presence of the most venerable bishop Damasus, and grieved us by saying that our most God-beloved brothers and fellow ministers Meletius and Eusebius had been reckoned among the Ariomaniacs. Even if nothing else commended their orthodoxy, at least the war waged on them by the Arians gives no small proof of their correctness to those who reason fairly. And the fellowship of sufferings for Christ ought to join your reverence to them in love. But be persuaded of this, truly most honored brother, that there is no word of orthodoxy that has not been proclaimed with all boldness by these men, with God as witness and ourselves as hearers. We would not have accepted their fellowship even for an hour if we had found them limping in the faith. But, if it seems good, let us leave the past, and give a peaceful beginning to what follows. For we all need one another, according to the fellowship of members, and especially now, when the Churches of the East look to us, and will take your concord as a ground of support and firmness; but if they perceive that you are in some suspicion toward one another, they will be weakened and let their hands drop, so as not to stand against the enemies of the faith.
Ps 55:12 (54:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 3:16 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 4:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Titus 1:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 9:13 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 4:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 5:27 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 22:30 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:32 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 1:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 2:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Jer 51:51 (28:51 LXX) (echo, medium confidence) · 2 Tim 2:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 112:5 (111:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:42 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 12:26 (echo, medium confidence) · Heb 12:12 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil writes to exiled Egyptian bishops denouncing the innovations of Apollinarius and warning them not to admit the followers of Marcellus without an anathema of his heresy; a second letter, to Peter of Alexandria, explains his silence about recent disorders, accepts Peter's approach to the Marcellians, and defends Meletius and Eusebius against the charge of Arianism.
- Staged ref 265 holds Letter 265 (to Eulogius, Alexander, and Harpocration, exiled Egyptian bishops) and, from "[Letter 266]", Letter 266 (to Peter of Alexandria). The scan has lost the heading and the opening of Letter 265 ("…"), and some lines at the end of its section 2 ("…"). Basil's account of Apollinarius's teaching is translated as he gives it, with his own caution that the writings carried about by the Sebastenes might be forged. "Ariomaniacs" is the usual polemical name for the Arians. Quotations and allusions: Ps 55:12 (54:13 LXX, quoted); 1 Cor 1:18; 1 Tim 3:16; 1 Tim 4:7 (old wives' fables); Titus 1:14 (Jewish myths); Heb 9:13 (heifer's ashes); John 1:29; Eph 4:5; Eph 5:27; Matt 22:30 (quoted); John 6:31–32; John 1:9; Eph 2:15; Ezra 9:6 / Jer 51:51 (shame covering faces); 2 Tim 2:25; Ps 112:5 (orders his words with judgment, 111:5 LXX); Luke 12:42; Isa 1:9 (remnant); 1 Cor 12:12–26; Heb 12:12 (hands that hang down).
Topics: Heresy, Christology, Trinity, Church office
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 265 (PG 32:985a–996a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/263/#p-265). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 32 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 8, which gives only summaries from Letter 296 and omits some letters; those were re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 267
267PG 32:996b–997a
Βάρση, ἐπιονιὸπῳ Ἐδέσσης, ἐν ἐξορίᾳ ὄντι, Ἐγὼ τῆς διαθέσεως μὲν ἕνεκεν, ἧς ἓχωπερὶ τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν, ἐπεθύμουν αὐτὸς παραγενέσθαι, καὶ διʼ ἐμαυτοῦ περιπτύξασθαί σου την ἀληθινὴν ἀγοί.. πην, καὶ δοξάσαι τόν Κύριον τὸν ἐν σοὶ μεγαλυνθέντα, καὶ τὸ τίμιόν σου γῆρας περιφανὲς κατακτήσαντα πᾶσι τοις ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ φοβουμένοις αὐτόν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἀσθένεια τοῦ σώματος βᾶρεία καταπονεῖ με, καὶ φροντὶς Ἐκκλησιῶν ἐπίκειταί μοι ἀμύθητος, καὶ ούκ εἰμί ἐμαυτοῦ κύριος πρὸς τὸ ἀποδημεῖν ὅπου βουλομαι, καὶ συντυγχάνειν οἷς ἐπιθυμῶ, διὰ τοῦ γράμματος ἀναπαύω τὸν πόθον ὃν ἔχω ἐπὶ τῇ ἀπολαύσει τῶν ἐν σοι καλῶν, καὶ παρακαλῶ τήν ἀνυπέρβλητόν σου εὐλάβειαν εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ ἐμου καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ῖνα ὁ Κύριος δῷ ἡμῖν ἀπροσκόπως παρελθεῖν τὰς λυπουμένας ἡμέρας ἣ ὧρας τῆς παρεπιδημίας ἡμῶν· παράσχοι δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ ἰδεῖν τὴν εἰρήνην τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν αὐτοῦ, καί ἀκοῦσαι περί τε τῶν λοιπῶν συλλειτουργῶν σου καὶ τῶν συναθλητῶν ἃ εὐχόμεθα, καί περὶ σου αὑτοῦ, ἂνυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας οἱ ὑπὸ σε λαοὶ ζητοῦσι παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης. Γίνωσκε δὲ, ὃτι πολλάκις μὲν οῦκ ἐπεστείλαμεν, οὐδὲ ὁσάκις ὀφειλόμενον ἦν, ἐπεστείλαμεν δὲ ὅμως τῇ θεοσεβείᾳ σου. Καὶ τάχα οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν διασῶσαι τὰς προσηγορίας ἡμῶν οἱ πιστευθέντες τὴν διακονίαν τῶν γραμμάτων ἀδελφοί. Ἀλλὰ νῦν, ἐπειδὴ ἐπετύχομεν ἡμετέρων τῶν ὁδοιπορούντων πρὸς τὴν σὴν τιμιότητα, καὶ τὰ γράμματα αὐτοῖς ἐνεχειρίσαμεν προθύμως, καί ἀπεστείλαμέν τινα, ἂ καταξίωσον ὑποδέξασθαι παρὰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ταπεινώσεως ἀνυπερηφάνως, καὶ τύλογῆσαι ἡμᾶς κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἰσαάκ. Εἰ δέ τι, καὶ ὡς ἀσχολούμενοι, καὶ ὑπὸ πλήθους φροντίδων τὸν νοῦν βαπτισμένον ἔχοντες, παρείδομῶρ τῶν πρεπόντων, μη λογίση ἡμῖν, μηδέ λυπηθῇς· ἀλλὰ μίμησαι τὴν σεαυτοῦ ἐν πᾶσι τελειότητα, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀπολαύσωμέν σου τῆς ἀρετῆς, ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ
Barsē, epioniopǭ Edessēs, en exorią onti, Egō tēs diatheseōs men heneken, hēs hechōperi tēn sēn theosebeian, epethymoun autos paragenesthai, kai diʼ emautou periptyxasthai sou tēn alēthinēn agoi.. pēn, kai doxasai ton Kyrion ton en soi megalynthenta, kai to timion sou gēras periphanes kataktēsanta pasi tois en tę̄ oikoumenę̄ phoboumenois auton; epeidē de kai astheneia tou sōmatos bareia kataponei me, kai phrontis Ekklēsiōn epikeitai moi amythētos, kai ouk eimi emautou kyrios pros to apodēmein hopou boulomai, kai syntynchanein hois epithymō, dia tou grammatos anapauō ton pothon hon echō epi tę̄ apolausei tōn en soi kalōn, kai parakalō tēn anyperblēton sou eulabeian euchesthai hyper emou kai tēs Ekklēsias, ina ho Kyrios dǭ hēmin aproskopōs parelthein tas lypoumenas hēmeras hē hōras tēs parepidēmias hēmōn; paraschoi de hēmin kai idein tēn eirēnēn tōn Ekklēsiōn autou, kai akousai peri te tōn loipōn sylleitourgōn sou kai tōn synathlētōn ha euchometha, kai peri sou hautou, anyktos kai hēmeras hoi hypo se laoi zētousi para tou Kyriou tēs dikaiosynēs. Ginōske de, hoti pollakis men ouk epesteilamen, oude hosakis opheilomenon ēn, epesteilamen de homōs tę̄ theosebeią sou. Kai tacha ouk ēdynēthēsan diasōsai tas prosēgorias hēmōn hoi pisteuthentes tēn diakonian tōn grammatōn adelphoi. Alla nyn, epeidē epetychomen hēmeterōn tōn hodoiporountōn pros tēn sēn timiotēta, kai ta grammata autois enecheirisamen prothymōs, kai apesteilamen tina, a kataxiōson hypodexasthai para tēs hēmeteras tapeinōseōs anyperēphanōs, kai tylogēsai hēmas kata mimēsin tou patriarchou Isaak. Ei de ti, kai hōs ascholoumenoi, kai hypo plēthous phrontidōn ton noun baptismenon echontes, pareidomōr tōn prepontōn, mē logisē hēmin, mēde lypēthę̄s; alla mimēsai tēn seautou en pasi teleiotēta, hina kai hēmeis apolausōmen sou tēs aretēs, hōs kai hoi loipoi
To Barses, bishop of Edessa, in exile. For the sake of the affection I have for your piety, I wished to come myself and embrace your true love in person, and to glorify the Lord who has been magnified in you and has made your honored old age conspicuous to all who fear him throughout the world. But since a heavy weakness of body afflicts me, and an untold care of the Churches lies upon me, and I am not master of myself to travel where I wish and to meet whom I desire, I relieve by letter the longing I have to enjoy the good things in you; and I urge your unsurpassable reverence to pray for me and for the Church, that the Lord may grant us to pass without stumbling the grievous days or hours of our sojourn here; and may he grant us also to see the peace of his Churches, and to hear what we pray for about your other fellow ministers and fellow contestants, and about yourself, what the peoples under you ask night and day of the Lord of righteousness. Know that we have not written often, nor as often as was due; yet we have written to your piety. And perhaps the brothers entrusted with carrying the letters could not deliver our greetings safely. But now, since we have found some of our own people traveling to your honor, we have gladly put the letter into their hands, and we have sent some things, which deign to receive from our lowliness without disdain, and to bless us after the example of the patriarch Isaac. And if, being busy, and having a mind drowned in a multitude of cares, we have overlooked anything that was fitting, do not count it against us, nor be grieved; but imitate your own perfection in all things, so that we too may enjoy your virtue, as the rest …
2 Cor 11:28 (echo, medium confidence) · Gen 27:27 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil, unable to travel because of illness and the care of the Churches, writes to the exiled Barses of Edessa asking his prayers and sending him some gifts.
- Staged ref 266 is Benedictine Letter 267. The scan breaks off before the end ("…"). Allusions: 2 Cor 11:28 (care of the Churches); Gen 27:27–29 (Isaac's blessing).
Cite (SBL): Basil, Ep. 267 (PG 32:996b–997a; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-epistulae/263/#p-267). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 32 scan text; compared in full afterwards with NPNF² 8, which gives only summaries from Letter 296 and omits some letters; those were re-read against the Greek.