Letters 35–62
Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 35
35PG 83
Πολλοῖς μὲν καὶ ἄλλοις, δέσποτα, διαλάμπεις εἶδεσιν ἀρετῆς, οὐκ ἥκιστα δὲ κοσμεῖ σου τὴν ὁσιότητα φιλανθρωπία, καὶ χρημάτων ὑπεροψία, καὶ δεξιὰ τὴν τῶν δεομένων ἀναδλύζουσα θεραπείαν. Διαφόρως μεταπεσόντας, πλείονος ἀξιοῖς, θεοφιλέστατε, προμηθείας. Τοῦτο σαφῶς ἐπιστάμενος, γνώριμόν σὸν τῇ θεοσεδείᾳ ποιῶ τὸν θαυμασιώτατον καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστατον Κελεστιαχόν ᾿ ὃν πάλαι μὲν ἐν Καρχηδόνι πλοῦτος ἐδείκνυε καὶ δυναστεία λαμπρόν " νῦν δὲ τούτων γεγυμνωμένον εὐσέδεια καὶ φιλοσοφία κοσμεῖ" φέρει γὰρ τὴν δοκοῦσαν δυσπραξίαν εὐθύμως, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῆς ψυχικῆς αὐτῷ σωτηρίας γεγένηται πρόξενος. Οὗτος ἀφίκετο μὲν πρὸς ἡμᾶς μετὰ γραμμάτων, τὴν προτέραν αὐτοῦ διδασκόντων εὐμερίαν" συχνὰς δὲ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν διατρίψας ἡμέρας, παρέσχεν τῆς πείρας τὴν μαρτυρίαν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν αὐτὸν καὶ σπουδαιότερον τῇ σῇ συνιστῶμεν ἁγιωσύνῃ, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν καὶ τοῖς τῆς πόλεως εὑπόροις δῆλον αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς σῆς γενέσθαι φιλοθεΐας " εἰκὸς γὰρ αὐτοὺς, τὰ κατὰ αὐτὸν μεμαθηκότας, καὶ τὴν ἴσην δείσαντας συμφορὰν, σπουδάσαι διὰ τῆς συμπαθείας τὴν τιμωρίαν διαφυγεῖν. ᾿Αναγκάζεται γὰρ περινοστεῖν, ἅτε δὴ πλειόνων δαπανημάτων δεόμενος" σύνεστι γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ γαμετὴ, καὶ παιδία, καὶ οἱ συμφυγόντες οἰχέται τῶν βαρδάρων τὰς χεῖρας. ᾿Αμφότερα οἷδα σαφῶς, καὶ τῶν χρτυμάτων τὴν σπάνιν, καὶ τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν τῆς γνώμης, καὶ ὡς τὴν ἔνδειαν ἡ φιλοτιμία νικᾷ. Διά τοι τοῦτο συνίστημί σον τῇ ὁσιότητι τὸν θαυμασιώτατον καὶ μεγαλοπρε» πέστατον Κελεστιαχὸν, πολλῶν μὲν χρημάτων καὶ χτη μάτων πάλαι δεσπότην γεγενημένον, μετὰ δὲ τῆς ἐλευθερίας τῶν βαρδάρων τὰς χεῖρας διαφυγόντα, καὶ πρόσοδον εἰς ἀφορμὴν βίου νῦν ἔχοντα τῶν κατὰ τὴν σὴν φιλοθεῖαν τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν. "Ἔχει δὲ καὶ φροντίδων ἐσμόν" σύνεστι γὰρ αὐτῷ καὶ ἡ τοῦ βίου κοινωνὸς, καὶ τὰ παιδία, καὶ θεράποντες, οὗ διὰ χρείὰν μόνην, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν συνόντες " οὐκ ἡγεῖται γὰρ ὅσιον ἀπολῦσαι τοὺς οὐκ ἀνασχομένους καταλιπεῖν. Τοῦτον καὶ τοῖς εὐποροῦσι πῶν πολιτῶν γνώριμον γενέσθαι διὰ τῆς σῆς φιλοθεβας παρακαλῶ οἶμαι γὰρ, ὡς καὶ παρὰ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος διδασκόμενοι, καὶ τὴν τῆς εὐπραξίας ὁρῶντες μεταδολὴν, τὴν σὴν, δέσποτα, μεγαλοψυχίαν μιμήσονται, καὶ τῆς δυνατῆς αὐτὸν ἀξιώσουσι θεραπείας, τῆς φύσεως τὸ κοινὸν λογισάμενοι.
Pollois men kai allois, despota, dialampeis eidesin aretēs, ouk hēkista de kosmei sou tēn hosiotēta philanthrōpia, kai chrēmatōn hyperopsia, kai dexia tēn tōn deomenōn anadlyzousa therapeian. Diaphorōs metapesontas, pleionos axiois, theophilestate, promētheias. Touto saphōs epistamenos, gnōrimon son tę̄ theosedeią poiō ton thaumasiōtaton kai megaloprepestaton Kelestiachon ᾿ hon palai men en Karchēdoni ploutos edeiknye kai dynasteia lampron " nyn de toutōn gegymnōmenon eusedeia kai philosophia kosmei" pherei gar tēn dokousan dyspraxian euthymōs, epeidē kai tēs psychikēs autǭ sōtērias gegenētai proxenos. Houtos aphiketo men pros hēmas meta grammatōn, tēn proteran autou didaskontōn eumerian" sychnas de par᾽ hēmin diatripsas hēmeras, pareschen tēs peiras tēn martyrian. Hou dē charin auton kai spoudaioteron tę̄ sę̄ synistōmen hagiōsynę̄, kai parakaloumen kai tois tēs poleōs heuporois dēlon auton dia tēs sēs genesthai philotheïas " eikos gar autous, ta kata auton memathēkotas, kai tēn isēn deisantas symphoran, spoudasai dia tēs sympatheias tēn timōrian diaphygein. ᾿Anankazetai gar perinostein, hate dē pleionōn dapanēmatōn deomenos" synesti gar autǭ kai gametē, kai paidia, kai hoi symphygontes oichetai tōn bardarōn tas cheiras. ᾿Amphotera hoida saphōs, kai tōn chrtymatōn tēn spanin, kai tēn megalopsychian tēs gnōmēs, kai hōs tēn endeian hē philotimia niką. Dia toi touto synistēmi son tę̄ hosiotēti ton thaumasiōtaton kai megalopre» pestaton Kelestiachon, pollōn men chrēmatōn kai chtē matōn palai despotēn gegenēmenon, meta de tēs eleutherias tōn bardarōn tas cheiras diaphygonta, kai prosodon eis aphormēn biou nyn echonta tōn kata tēn sēn philotheian tēn eusplanchnian. "Echei de kai phrontidōn esmon" synesti gar autǭ kai hē tou biou koinōnos, kai ta paidia, kai therapontes, hou dia chreian monēn, alla kai dia philanthrōpian synontes " ouk hēgeitai gar hosion apolysai tous ouk anaschomenous katalipein. Touton kai tois euporousi pōn politōn gnōrimon genesthai dia tēs sēs philothebas parakalō oimai gar, hōs kai para tēs sēs hosiotētos didaskomenoi, kai tēn tēs eupraxias horōntes metadolēn, tēn sēn, despota, megalopsychian mimēsontai, kai tēs dynatēs auton axiōsousi therapeias, tēs physeōs to koinon logisamenoi.
You shine, master, with many other forms of virtue too, but not least is your Holiness adorned by kindness, by contempt for money, and by a right hand that pours out care for those in need. … those who have fallen in different ways you count worthy of greater care, most God-beloved. Knowing this clearly, I make known to your Piety the most admirable and magnificent Celestiacus. Once wealth and power showed him brilliant in Carthage; now, stripped of these, he is adorned by true religion and wisdom. He bears his seeming misfortune cheerfully, since it has also brought about the salvation of his soul. He came to us with letters telling of his former prosperity, and by spending many days with us he gave the testimony of experience. That is why we commend him to your Holiness the more earnestly, and ask that through your Godliness he be made known to the wealthy of the city as well; for it is likely that, when they have learned his story and fear a like misfortune, they will be eager to escape the punishment by sympathy. He is forced to go about from place to place, since he needs greater expenditure; for his wife and children are with him, and the servants who escaped with him from the hands of the barbarians.
[Letter 36] [To Pompianus.] I know both things clearly: the scarcity of money, and the magnanimity of your mind, and how generosity overcomes want. That is why I commend to your Holiness the most admirable and magnificent Celestiacus. He was once master of much money and property; he escaped from the hands of the barbarians with his freedom, and now has as his income and means of living the compassion of those under your Godliness. He also has a swarm of cares; for with him are the partner of his life, his children, and servants who stay with him not only from need but also out of kindness; for he does not think it right to dismiss those who would not bear to leave him. I ask that through your Godliness he be made known to the wealthy among the citizens as well. For I think that, taught by your Holiness and seeing the change in his fortunes, they will imitate your magnanimity, master, and grant him what care they can, reckoning with the nature we share.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Two letters commending the Carthaginian refugee Celestiacus and his household, to Bishop Irenaeus and to Bishop Pompianus of Emesa, asking that they introduce him to the wealthy of their cities.
- This passage holds two letters: Letter 35, to Bishop Irenaeus, and Letter 36, whose heading is lost in the scan; it is identified as the letter to Pompianus, bishop of Emesa, from the order of the letters in Migne. Letter 36 begins at 'I know both things clearly', as NPNF² 3 confirms.
- A line is lost in Letter 35 after 'care for those in need' ('…'). OCR debris and margin letters are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter B; word rejoined; Migne's margin letter and OCR debris; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Stray marks inside the word): Καρο. ῥ. ὅ. χηδόνι → Καρχηδόνι; νῦν Α 41125 δὲ → νῦν δὲ; δαπανημάτων εἰν θυ. ἰῃοἱ ἴαδεόμενος → δαπανημάτων δεόμενος; παι- Β δία → παιδία.
Topics: Ethics, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 35 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/35). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/35
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 37
37PG 83
ταν οἱ ἄρχειν λαχόντες ἀχλινῶς χατέχωσι τὴν «ἧς δίκης τρυτάνην, καὶ ἴσως τὴν ἀρτάνην παντοδατιῶν ἀγαθῶν τοῖς ἀρχομένοις προξενοῦσι φοράν. “Ἂν δὲ δὴ καὶ σύνεσις ἀποχρῶσα προσῇ, καὶ ἢ φιλανθρωπίας τῷ ταύτης δεομένῳ πραστίθηται ψῆφος, στάνει χαλά, Τούτων διὰ τῆς σῆς λαμπρότητος ἀπολαύσαντες Εὑὐφρατήσιοι, καὶ τὴν πεῖραν διδάσκαλον ἔχοντες τῶν τῆς πρητέρας ἀρχῆς ἀγαθῶν, ἐχόθευσαν ἐπὶ τοῦ παράντος, τὴν σὴν μεμαθηκότες μεγαλοπρέπειαν ἐγχειρισθῆναι τῆς ἀρχῆς τὰ πηδάλια. ᾿Εγὼ δὲ μειζόνων αὐτοὺς εὔχομαι τυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν, καὶ τὴν σὴν λαμπρότητα πλείονος εὐκλείας μεταλαθεῖν προστεθῆναι δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις καλοῖς καὶ τὸν κολοφῶνα τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν εὐσέδειαν, ἵνα μὴ χωλεύῃ τῶν ἐγχωμιαζόντων ὁ ἔπαινος. λπισα δὲ καὶ … συντεύξεσθαί σου τῇ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ, ἡνίχα πλείους ἐν Ἱεραπόλει διαγαγεῖν ἠναγκάσθην ἡμέρας" καὶ τῶν ἀφικνουμένων διηνεκῶς ἐπυνθανόμην, εἰ ἐχομίσθη σου τῇ θαυμασιότητε τὰ σύμδολα τῆς ἀρχῆς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἡ θεία καὶ σωτήριος χατέπειξεν ἑορτὴ, τὴν ἐγχειρισθεῖσαν ἡμῖν χατελάδομεν πόλιν. Νῦν δὲ τὰ τῆς σῆς μεγαλοπρεπείας δεξάμενοι γράμματα, καὶ λίαν ἡσθέντες, καὶ τὸ τῆς προσρήσεως ἐχτίνομεν χρέος, καὶ τὸν τιμιώτατον καὶ εὐλαδέστατον 'διάκονον, σὺν Θεῷ φάναι, τὸν ὑδροσχόπον ὡς ἐχέλευσας ἀπεστείλαμεν παραυτίκα. Παράσχοι δὲ ὃ φιλάνθρωπος Δεσπότης πορίσαι αὐτὸν καὶ τῇ πόλεε χρείαν καὶ τῇ λαμπρότητέ σου πρόφασιν εὐδοξίας.
tan hoi archein lachontes achlinōs chatechōsi tēn «hēs dikēs trytanēn, kai isōs tēn artanēn pantodatiōn agathōn tois archomenois proxenousi phoran. “An de dē kai synesis apochrōsa prosę̄, kai ē philanthrōpias tǭ tautēs deomenǭ prastithētai psēphos, stanei chala, Toutōn dia tēs sēs lamprotētos apolausantes Heuyphratēsioi, kai tēn peiran didaskalon echontes tōn tēs prēteras archēs agathōn, echotheusan epi tou parantos, tēn sēn memathēkotes megaloprepeian encheiristhēnai tēs archēs ta pēdalia. ᾿Egō de meizonōn autous euchomai tychein agathōn, kai tēn sēn lamprotēta pleionos eukleias metalathein prostethēnai de tois allois kalois kai ton kolophōna tōn agathōn tēn eusedeian, hina mē chōleuę̄ tōn enchōmiazontōn ho epainos. lpisa de kai … synteuxesthai sou tę̄ megaloprepeią, hēnicha pleious en Hierapolei diagagein ēnankasthēn hēmeras" kai tōn aphiknoumenōn diēnekōs epynthanomēn, ei echomisthē sou tę̄ thaumasiotēte ta symdola tēs archēs. Epeidē de hē theia kai sōtērios chatepeixen heortē, tēn encheiristheisan hēmin chateladomen polin. Nyn de ta tēs sēs megaloprepeias dexamenoi grammata, kai lian hēsthentes, kai to tēs prosrēseōs echtinomen chreos, kai ton timiōtaton kai euladestaton 'diakonon, syn Theǭ phanai, ton hydroschopon hōs echeleusas apesteilamen parautika. Paraschoi de ho philanthrōpos Despotēs porisai auton kai tę̄ polee chreian kai tę̄ lamprotēte sou prophasin eudoxias.
When those appointed to rule hold the scales of justice steady and keep them even, they procure for those they rule an abundance of good things of every kind. And if sufficient understanding is present as well, and the vote of kindness is added for the one who needs it, all is well. The people of the Euphratensis have enjoyed these things through your Brilliance, and, having experience as their teacher of the benefits of your former government, they danced for joy now on learning that the helm of government has been entrusted to your Magnificence. I pray that they may obtain still greater benefits, that your Brilliance may have a share in greater renown, and that to your other good qualities may be added the crown of good things, true religion, so that the praise of those who extol you may not limp. I had hoped … to meet your Magnificence when I was compelled to spend several days in Hierapolis, and I kept asking those who arrived whether the insignia of office had been brought to your Excellency. But since the divine and saving feast was pressing, we returned to the city entrusted to us. Now that we have received your Magnificence's letter and are much pleased, we pay the debt of greeting, and we have at once sent, as you ordered, the most honorable and most reverent deacon, the water-finder — God willing. May the Master who loves humankind grant that he may supply the city's need and give your Brilliance an occasion of good repute.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret congratulates Salustius on his appointment as governor of the Euphratensis, wishes him the crown of true religion, and sends him a deacon skilled in finding water.
- 'The crown of good things, true religion' suggests that Salustius was not a Christian (uncertain).
- 'Keep them even' and 'all is well' translate damaged words (ἴσως τὴν ἀρτάνην; στάνει χαλά) by sense. OCR debris from Migne's Latin column is removed by logged corrections; a few Greek words after 'I had hoped' are lost ('…').
- 'The water-finder' (ὑδροσκόπος): someone skilled in locating underground water; the deacon's name is not given in the scan.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Greek lost; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; φο-ράν rejoined): - ΡΓϑοϑίδη 155] η} οἱ τηϑρη οΘ ἢ 58] πη οὐ, αυΐ τη] τυ ροσυπίαγυη οἱ μΟβϑΘ 5: 0 ἰοποηΐϊ, ἃς [π᾿] συ] πὶ Φα]υ Δ} 16 Ὁ οἱ ράν. → ράν.; οἱ ἀπ ρ! ογο Οἰα- Α → … ; οἱ 58μ᾽ υτ πη) τοογοϑίὶ, εἰ 5810ἰαἰἰοηΐ5 ἀσθὶ πὶ οχϑοϊυἱπλυ8, οἱ Γου Ρ α 55: Π 0 δ γα! τὴ 5115 υἱ εἱ εἰν δι ἢ 8 (68 δὰ 8ρ͵ γι (8 ]οῖ Ἰ: οἱ πᾳ {γι θυ 4] → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 37 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/37). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/37
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 38
38PG 83
Ἡ μὲν θεία καὶ σωτήριος ἑορτὴ τῶν θεοσδότων ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν προσενήνοχε τὰς πηγὰς, τοῦ σταυροῦ τὴν εὐλογίαν, τὴν ἀθανασίαν, τὴν ἐκ τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ θανάτου βλαστήσασαν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ἣ τὴν κοινὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐπαγγέλλεται, Ταῦτα ἡ ἑορτὴ προσφέρουσα, καὶ τῆς θείας χάριτος τὴν φιλοτιμίαν ἐπιδειχνῦσα, τὴν πνευματικὴν εὐφρασύνην ἐπραγματεύετο. Τῶν δὲ συμφορῶν τὸ μέγεθος καὶ τὸ πλῆθος πάντοθεν ἡμᾶς περισταιχίζον, τῆς ἑορτῆς τὴν θυμηδίαν ἡμαύρωσε, 'καὶ οἰμωγὰς καὶ θρήνους ταῖς ὑμνῳδίαις ἀνέμιξε. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας χνήματα. Αὕτη γὰρ ὀδύνης τὸν βίον ἡμῶν. ἐνέπλησε. Διὰ ταύτην ἐρασμιώτερος ἡμῖν ὁ θάνατος. «ἧς ζωῆς" διὰ ταύτην καὶ τὸν μέλλοντα πεφρίχαμεν. βίον, τὸ ἀδέκαστον ἐκεῖνο κριτήριον φανταζόμενοι. … φιλανθρωπίας τυχεῖν, καὶ τὸ στυγνὸν τοῦτο καὶ φοὀερὸν διαλυθῆναι νέφος, καὶ αἰθρίας ἡμᾶς ὡς τάχιατα καθαρᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι.
Hē men theia kai sōtērios heortē tōn theosdotōn hēmin agathōn prosenēnoche tas pēgas, tou staurou tēn eulogian, tēn athanasian, tēn ek tou Despotikou thanatou blastēsasan tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou tēn anastasin, hē tēn koinēn anastasin epangelletai, Tauta hē heortē prospherousa, kai tēs theias charitos tēn philotimian epideichnysa, tēn pneumatikēn euphrasynēn epragmateueto. Tōn de symphorōn to megethos kai to plēthos pantothen hēmas peristaichizon, tēs heortēs tēn thymēdian hēmaurōse, 'kai oimōgas kai thrēnous tais hymnǭdiais anemixe. Toiauta gar ta tēs hamartias chnēmata. Hautē gar odynēs ton bion hēmōn. eneplēse. Dia tautēn erasmiōteros hēmin ho thanatos. «hēs zōēs" dia tautēn kai ton mellonta pephrichamen. bion, to adekaston ekeino kritērion phantazomenoi. … philanthrōpias tychein, kai to stygnon touto kai phooeron dialythēnai nephos, kai aithrias hēmas hōs tachiata katharas apolausai.
The divine and saving feast has brought us the springs of the good things God has given: the blessing of the cross, immortality, and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus that sprang from the Master's death, which proclaims the common resurrection. In offering these and displaying the generosity of divine grace, the feast was producing spiritual joy. But the greatness and number of the calamities that wall us in on every side have darkened the gladness of the feast and mixed groans and laments with the hymns. Such are the shoots of sin; it is sin that has filled our life with pain. Because of it death is more desirable to us than life; because of it we also shudder at the life to come, picturing that incorruptible tribunal. … to obtain [the Master's] kindness, that this gloomy and fearful cloud may be dispersed, and that we may enjoy clear sky as soon as possible.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: A festal letter: the Easter feast brought the gifts of the cross and resurrection, but present calamities, the fruit of sin, have darkened its joy.
- Some Greek is lost before the last sentence, which asked for prayer (NPNF² 3, from a complete text: 'So may your piety pray that'); the gap is marked '…'. OCR debris from Migne's Latin column is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Greek lost): [οἰ οἱ τὰ δἰ, Ὀἷῖ : βοἀ → … .
Topics: Eschatology, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 38 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/38). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/38
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 39
39PG 83
Ἐδουλόμην τὰ θυμήρη γράφειν, καὶ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἄδειν τὴν πνευματικὴν εὐφροσύνην ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἕᾷ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὸ πλῆθος, τὰς θεηλάτονς ἡμῖν τιμωρίας ἐπάγον. Τίς γὰρ τοσαύτην ἀναλγησίαν νοσεΐ, ὡς μὴ λαθεῖν αἴσθησιν τῆς θείας ὀργῆς; Εὐξάσθω τοίνυν ἧ εὐλάδειά δου, τὰ πράγματα μεταδολῆς τυχεῖν ἀγαθῆς, ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς μεταδάλωμεν τῶν γραμμάτων τὸν χαρακτῆρα, καὶ ἀντὶ θρήνων ἐπιστέλλω… Ὁ μὲν τῆς ἑορτῆς νόμος ἑορταστιχὴν παρεγγυᾷ γράφειν ἐπιστολὴν, τὸ δὲ τῶν συμφορῶν νέφος οὐκ εἴασεν ἡμᾶς συνήθως τρυγῆσαι τὴν εὐφροσύνην τῆς ἑορτῆς. Τίς γὰρ οὕτω λέθινος, ὡς θυμουμένου τοῦ Δεσπότου καὶ χαλεπαίνοντος μὴ ἀσχάλλειν καὶ δεδιέναι, καὶ τὴν μνῆμηνϊτῶν πεπλημμελημένων ἀνακινεῖν, καὶ τὴν δικαίαν προσδέχεσθαι ψῆφον; Ταῦτα τῆς πανηγύρεως ἡμῖν τὴν θυμηδίαν ἡμαύρωσε. Πιστεύομεν δὲ, ὡς φιλάνθρωπος ὧν ὁ Δεσπότης οὐκ ἐμπεδώσει τοῖς ἔργοις τὴν ἀπειλὴν, ἀλλὰ νεύσει καὶ διαλύσει τὰ σκυθρωπὰ,, καὶ ἀνοίξει τὰς τοῦ ἐλέους πηγὰς, καὶ τὴν συνήθη δείξει μακροθυμίαν. Τὸ δὲ μοι τὴν τριπόθητον ὑμῶν ὑγείαν παρακαλῶ. Ἡ μὲν θεία πανήγυρις τὰς πνευματικὰς ἡμῖν συνἐθως προσενήνοχε δωρεάς" οἱ δὲ πικροὶ τῆς ἀμαραἰας καρποὶ τούτων ἀπολαῦσαι μετ᾽ εὐφροσύνης οὐκ εἴασαν. Τοιαῦτα γὰρ τὰ ἐχείνων βλαστήματα " καὶ ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν ἀκάνθας, καὶ τριδόλους, καὶ ἱδρῶτας, καὶ πόνους, καὶ λύπας ἐδλάστησαν " ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ παρόντος, καὶ τὴν γῆν χλονεῖ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, καὶ τὰ φῦλα τῶν βαρδάρων πάντοθεν ἡμῖν ἐπέστησεν. Ἡμεῖς δὲ θρηνοῦμεν, ὅτι τὸν ἀγαθὸν Δεσπότην εὐεργετεῖν βουλόμενον τἀναντία ποιεῖν βιαζόμεθα, καὶ τιμωρίας ἐπ… τοῦ ἐλέου τὴν ἄδυσσον λογιζόμενοι" καὶ πιστεύομεν ὅτι οὐκ ἀπώσεται Κύριος τὸν λαὸν αὑτοῦ, καὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν αὑτοῦ οὐκ ἐγκαταλείψει. Τὴν δὲ σὴν μεγαλοπρέπειαν προσφθεγγόμενος, παρακαλῶ μὴνῦσαί μοι τὴν ἀξιέραστον σαυτοῦ ὑγείαν.
Edoulomēn ta thymērē graphein, kai tēs heortēs adein tēn pneumatikēn euphrosynēn all᾽ ouk heą tōn hamartēmatōn to plēthos, tas theēlatons hēmin timōrias epagon. Tis gar tosautēn analgēsian noseï, hōs mē lathein aisthēsin tēs theias orgēs? Euxasthō toinyn hē euladeia dou, ta pragmata metadolēs tychein agathēs, hina kai hēmeis metadalōmen tōn grammatōn ton charaktēra, kai anti thrēnōn epistellō… Ho men tēs heortēs nomos heortastichēn parengyą graphein epistolēn, to de tōn symphorōn nephos ouk eiasen hēmas synēthōs trygēsai tēn euphrosynēn tēs heortēs. Tis gar houtō lethinos, hōs thymoumenou tou Despotou kai chalepainontos mē aschallein kai dedienai, kai tēn mnēmēnïtōn peplēmmelēmenōn anakinein, kai tēn dikaian prosdechesthai psēphon? Tauta tēs panēgyreōs hēmin tēn thymēdian hēmaurōse. Pisteuomen de, hōs philanthrōpos hōn ho Despotēs ouk empedōsei tois ergois tēn apeilēn, alla neusei kai dialysei ta skythrōpa,, kai anoixei tas tou eleous pēgas, kai tēn synēthē deixei makrothymian. To de moi tēn tripothēton hymōn hygeian parakalō. Hē men theia panēgyris tas pneumatikas hēmin synethōs prosenēnoche dōreas" hoi de pikroi tēs amaraias karpoi toutōn apolausai met᾽ euphrosynēs ouk eiasan. Toiauta gar ta echeinōn blastēmata " kai ex archēs men akanthas, kai tridolous, kai hidrōtas, kai ponous, kai lypas edlastēsan " epi de tou parontos, kai tēn gēn chlonei kath᾽ hēmōn, kai ta phyla tōn bardarōn pantothen hēmin epestēsen. Hēmeis de thrēnoumen, hoti ton agathon Despotēn euergetein boulomenon tanantia poiein biazometha, kai timōrias ep… tou eleou tēn adysson logizomenoi" kai pisteuomen hoti ouk apōsetai Kyrios ton laon hautou, kai tēn klēronomian hautou ouk enkataleipsei. Tēn de sēn megaloprepeian prosphthengomenos, parakalō mēnysai moi tēn axieraston sautou hygeian.
I wanted to write of pleasant things and to sing of the spiritual joy of the feast; but the multitude of our sins does not allow it, since it brings God-sent punishments upon us. For who is so sick with insensibility as not to feel the divine wrath? Let your Reverence pray, then, that affairs may take a turn for the better, so that we too may change the character of our letters, and instead of laments write …
[Letter 40] [To Theodorus.] The law of the feast bids us write a festal letter, but the cloud of calamities has not let us gather the joy of the feast as we usually do. For who is so stony as not to be distressed and afraid when the Master is angry and indignant, not to stir up the memory of his sins, and not to expect the just verdict? These things have darkened the gladness of the festival for us. But we believe that the Master, since he loves humankind, will not confirm the threat by deeds, but will nod and dispel the gloom, open the springs of mercy, and show his usual long-suffering. I ask you to [tell] me of your thrice-longed-for health.
[Letter 41] [To Claudianus.] The divine festival has brought us the spiritual gifts as usual; but the bitter fruits of sin have not let us enjoy them with joy. Such are its shoots: from the beginning they sprouted thorns and thistles, sweat and toil and griefs; and now it both shakes the earth against us and has set the tribes of the barbarians upon us from every side. We lament that we force the good Master, who wants to do good, to do the opposite, and [to inflict] punishments … [Yet we take comfort,] reckoning the abyss of his mercy; and we believe that the Lord will not reject his people and will not forsake his inheritance. Addressing your Magnificence, I ask you to tell me of your much-loved health.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gen 3:17–19 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 94:14 (93:14 LXX) (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Three festal letters lamenting that God's anger, shown in calamities, earthquake and barbarian attack, has darkened the joy of the feast, while trusting in his mercy.
- This passage holds three letters: Letter 39 (festal), and Letters 40 and 41, whose headings are lost in the scan; they are identified from the order of the letters in Migne as the letters to Theodorus, the vicar, and to Claudianus. The end of Letter 39 and a clause in Letter 41 are lost ('…').
- The earthquake and barbarian invasions are probably those of 447 (the earthquake at Constantinople and the Hunnic invasion of Thrace).
- Letter 41 alludes to Gen 3:17–19 and quotes Ps 94:14 (LXX 93:14).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek lost in the scan; Greek lost in the scan (end of one letter and heading of the next)): ἐπιστέλλω- Ὁ μὲν → ἐπιστέλλω… Ὁ μὲν; ἐπτοῦ ἐλέου → ἐπ… τοῦ ἐλέου.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 39 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/39). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/39
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 42
42PG 83
Εἰ μὲν μηδεμιᾶς βιαζομένης ἀνάγκὴ: γράμμασιν ἐχρησάμην πρὸς τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος, αὐθαδείας ἂν πυχὸν ὥφλησα δίκην, μήτε ἐμαυτὸν μετρήσας, καὶ κῆς ὑμετέρας ἐξουσίας ἀγνοῆσας τὸ μέγεθος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ κινδυνεύει τὴς θεόθεν ἐγχειρισθείσης μοι πόλεως γαὶ χώρας ἄρδην ἀπολέσθαι τὰ λείψανα, συκοφαντίας κατὰ τῆς γεγενημένης ἐποψίας παρά τινων τολμηθείσης, συγγνώσεται, εὖ οἶδα, τῇ πολλῇ τῶν γραμβάτων ἡ ὑμετέρα μεγαλοπρέπεια, τοῦ τε πράγμαπος τὴν χρείαν, καὶ τοῦ γράφοντος τὸν σκοπὸν ἐξετάζουσα. Στένω δὲ καὶ ὀδύρομαι, Ὑράφειν κατὰ ἀνδρὸς βιαζόμενος, οὗ συσχιάζειν ἔδει τὰ πλημμελήματα, διὰ τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης προσηγορίαν. Γράφω δ᾽ ὅμως, τῶν ἀδικουμένων ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ πενήτων ὑπερμαχῶν, Οὗτος γὰρ, πολλοῖς μὲν παρανομήμασιν ὑπεύθυνος γεγονὼς, εἰρχθεὶς δὲ τῆς κοινωνίας, ὡς μηδέπω τῆς ἁγίας συγχληθείσης συνόδον, δείσας δὲ τοῦ ἀρχιξρατιχοῦ συνεδρίου τὴν ψῆφον, ἀπέδρα μὲν ἐντεῦθεν, τοὺς ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς, ὡς ἐνόμισε, πατήσα; θεσμούς" ἐγύμνωσε δὲ τὸν οἰκεῖον σκοπὸν, τοῦ τῆς ἀχοινωνὴσίας καταφρονήσας δεσμοῦ. ᾿Ανεδέξατο δὲ χὰἀτηγορίαν οὐδὲ τοῖς ἀποχειροδιώτοις ἁρμόττουσαν" καὶ διὰ τὴν δυσμένειαν ἣν πρὸς τὸν περίδλεπτον Φίλιππον, χάτὰ τῶν ἀθλίων ἐχώρησε συντελῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὸν μὲν ἐχείνου σκοπὸν καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοῦ βίου προαίρεσιν, καὶ τῶν παρανενομημένων τὸ μέγεθος περιττὸν ἡγοῦμαι καταλέγειν. Τοῦτο δὲ μόνον τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυῖΐαν ἀντιδολῶ, μὴ πιστεῦσαι ταῖς ἐχείνου ψευδηγορίαις " ἀλλὰ κυρῶσαι τὴν ἐποψίαν, καὶ φείσασθαι μὲν τῶν ἀθλίων συντελῶν, φείσασθαι ἅπερ εἰσπράττειν οὐ δύνανται. Τίς γὰρ ἀγνοεῖ τῆς ἀπογραφῆς τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ζυγῶν τὴν βαρύτητα, δι’ ἢ» πεφεύγασι μὲν οἱ πλεῖστοι τῶν κεκτημένων, ἀπἐδρασαν δὲ οἱ γηπόνοι, ἔρημα δὲ πολλὰ τῶν κτημάτων γεγένηται; Οὐδὲν δὲ ἀπεικὸς περὶ γῆς διαλεγόμενον καὶ γεωμετρικαῖς ἀποδείξεσι χρήσασθαι" τῆς {ὰρ ἡμετέρας χώρας τεσσαράχοντα μὲν σημείων τὸ μῆκός ἐστι, τοσοῦτον δὲ τὸ εὗρος. Ἔχει δὲ ὄρη πολλά τε καὶ μεγάλα, τὰ μὲν ψιλὰ παντελῶς, τὰ δὲ ἀχάρποις φυτοῖς σχιαζόμενα. Τοῦτο τῆς χώρας τὸ μέτρον πέντε μὲν μυριάδας ἔχει ζυγῶν ἐλευθεριχῶν, μύρια δὲ πρὸς τούτοις ἕτερα ταμιαχά Σχοπησάτω τοίνυν ἣἧ ὑμετέρα σοφία τὴν τῆς ἀδικίας ὑπερθολῆν. Εἰ γὰρ μηδὲν ἣν τῆς χώρας ἀνήροτον, ἀλλὰ πᾶσα ἣν ῥᾷπτη τοῖς γηπόνοις εἰς γεωργίαν, ὥχλασαν ἂν πρὸς τὰς εἰσφορὰς, οὗ φέροντες τῆς ἀπογραφῆς τὴν στενότητα. Τεκμήριον δὲ σαφέστατον. Μυρίων γὰρ καὶ πεντα… τὴν ζημίαν οἱ ἐκ τῆς Κομητιανῇς τάξεως πράκτορες, … ρῶν τὸν ὑψηλὸν ὑμῶν θρόνον, δισχιλίων αὐτοὺς καὶ πεντακοσίων ἀπόρων ἀπαλλάξαι ζυγῶν" καὶ προσἐταξὰν οἱ πρὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοφνῖας ταύτας πιστευθέντες τὰς ἡνίας, ἀπολυθῆναι μὲν τοῖς ἀθλίοις πολιτευομένοις τὴν ἄπορον ἰουγατίωνα, ἀν… οὐδὲ οὕτως ἰσχύουσι πάντα τὸν κανόνα πληροῦν. Ἐγὼ δὲ συγγνώμην αἰτῶ πλείοσι χρησάμενος λόγοις, καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἱχετεύω; μεγαλοπρέπειαν ἀπώσασθαι μὲν τὰς κατὰ τῶν ἀθλίων συντελῶν γινομένας ψευδηγορίας, στῆσαι δὲ τῇ ταλαιπώρῳ χώρᾳ τὰς συμφορὰς, καὶ ἐγεῖραι αὐτὴν χλινομένην. καὶ κλέος ἀείμνηστον ταῖς μετὰ ταῦτα καταλιπεῖν γενεαῖς «Ταῦτα δὲ σὺν ἐμοὶ παρακαλοῦσι καὶ οἱ παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἅγιοι, καὶ διαφερόντως ὁ ὁσιώτατος καὶ ἁγιώτατος ἄνθρωπος τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ κύριος Ἰάχωδος " ὃς τὴν ἡσυχίαν περὶ πλείστου ποιούμενος, ἐπιστέλλειν μὲν οὐκ ἀνέχετα:, εὔχεται δὲ ταύτης ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τὴν πόλιν, ἣν καὶ γειτονεύων καὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς περιφράττει.
Ei men mēdemias biazomenēs anankē: grammasin echrēsamēn pros to hymeteron megethos, authadeias an pychon hōphlēsa dikēn, mēte emauton metrēsas, kai kēs hymeteras exousias agnoēsas to megethos. Epeidē de kindyneuei tēs theothen encheiristheisēs moi poleōs gai chōras ardēn apolesthai ta leipsana, sykophantias kata tēs gegenēmenēs epopsias para tinōn tolmētheisēs, syngnōsetai, eu oida, tę̄ pollę̄ tōn grambatōn hē hymetera megaloprepeia, tou te pragmapos tēn chreian, kai tou graphontos ton skopon exetazousa. Stenō de kai odyromai, Hyraphein kata andros biazomenos, hou syschiazein edei ta plēmmelēmata, dia tēn tēs hierōsynēs prosēgorian. Graphō d᾽ homōs, tōn adikoumenōn hyp᾽ autou penētōn hypermachōn, Houtos gar, pollois men paranomēmasin hypeuthynos gegonōs, eirchtheis de tēs koinōnias, hōs mēdepō tēs hagias synchlētheisēs synodon, deisas de tou archixratichou synedriou tēn psēphon, apedra men enteuthen, tous ekklēsiastikous, hōs enomise, patēsa? thesmous" egymnōse de ton oikeion skopon, tou tēs achoinōnēsias kataphronēsas desmou. ᾿Anedexato de chaatēgorian oude tois apocheirodiōtois harmottousan" kai dia tēn dysmeneian hēn pros ton peridlepton Philippon, chata tōn athliōn echōrēse syntelōn. Egō de ton men echeinou skopon kai tēn ex archēs tou biou proairesin, kai tōn paranenomēmenōn to megethos peritton hēgoumai katalegein. Touto de monon tēn hymeteran megalophuiïan antidolō, mē pisteusai tais echeinou pseudēgoriais " alla kyrōsai tēn epopsian, kai pheisasthai men tōn athliōn syntelōn, pheisasthai haper eisprattein ou dynantai. Tis gar agnoei tēs apographēs tōn par᾽ hēmin zygōn tēn barytēta, di’ ē» pepheugasi men hoi pleistoi tōn kektēmenōn, apedrasan de hoi gēponoi, erēma de polla tōn ktēmatōn gegenētai? Ouden de apeikos peri gēs dialegomenon kai geōmetrikais apodeixesi chrēsasthai" tēs {ar hēmeteras chōras tessarachonta men sēmeiōn to mēkos esti, tosouton de to heuros. Echei de orē polla te kai megala, ta men psila pantelōs, ta de acharpois phytois schiazomena. Touto tēs chōras to metron pente men myriadas echei zygōn eleutherichōn, myria de pros toutois hetera tamiacha Schopēsatō toinyn hēē hymetera sophia tēn tēs adikias hypertholēn. Ei gar mēden hēn tēs chōras anēroton, alla pasa hēn rhąptē tois gēponois eis geōrgian, hōchlasan an pros tas eisphoras, hou pherontes tēs apographēs tēn stenotēta. Tekmērion de saphestaton. Myriōn gar kai penta… tēn zēmian hoi ek tēs Komētianę̄s taxeōs praktores, … rōn ton hypsēlon hymōn thronon, dischiliōn autous kai pentakosiōn aporōn apallaxai zygōn" kai prosetaxan hoi pro tēs hymeteras megalophnias tautas pisteuthentes tas hēnias, apolythēnai men tois athliois politeuomenois tēn aporon iougatiōna, an… oude houtōs ischyousi panta ton kanona plēroun. Egō de syngnōmēn aitō pleiosi chrēsamenos logois, kai tēn hymeteran hicheteuō? megaloprepeian apōsasthai men tas kata tōn athliōn syntelōn ginomenas pseudēgorias, stēsai de tę̄ talaipōrǭ chōrą tas symphoras, kai egeirai autēn chlinomenēn. kai kleos aeimnēston tais meta tauta katalipein geneais «Tauta de syn emoi parakalousi kai hoi par᾽ hēmin hagioi, kai diapherontōs ho hosiōtatos kai hagiōtatos anthrōpos tou Theou, ho kyrios Iachōdos " hos tēn hēsychian peri pleistou poioumenos, epistellein men ouk anecheta:, euchetai de tautēs apolausai tēs philanthrōpias tēn polin, hēn kai geitoneuōn kai tais euchais periphrattei.
If I had written to your Greatness with no necessity compelling me, I might well have been found guilty of presumption, as one who had neither measured himself nor recognized the greatness of your authority. But since what is left of the city and the countryside entrusted to me by God is in danger of perishing utterly, because some have dared to slander the inspection that was carried out, your Magnificence will, I know well, pardon the length of my letter, considering both the need of the matter and the aim of the writer. I groan and lament at being forced to write against a man whose faults I ought to have covered over because of the name of the priesthood. Yet I write, as a champion of the poor whom he wrongs. This man had become liable for many unlawful acts and had been excluded from communion, since the holy synod had not yet been convened; but, fearing the verdict of the episcopal court, he ran away from here, trampling, as he thought, on the church's ordinances, and he laid bare his own aim by despising the bond of excommunication. He took up an accusation that would not befit even men of the lowest sort; and because of his enmity toward the distinguished Philip he has gone against the wretched taxpayers. I think it superfluous to list his aim, his conduct from the start of his life, and the greatness of his crimes. This only I entreat of your Magnanimity: do not believe his lies, but confirm the inspection, and spare the wretched taxpayers; spare … what they are unable to collect.
For who does not know how heavy the assessment of our tax units is? Because of it most of the landowners have fled, the farmers have run away, and many of the estates have become deserted. It is not unfitting, when speaking about land, to use geometrical demonstrations as well. Our territory is forty miles in length and as many in breadth. It has many large mountains, some completely bare, others shaded with trees that bear no fruit. This measure of land carries fifty thousand free tax units, and besides these ten thousand others belonging to the treasury. Let your wisdom consider, then, the excess of the injustice. Even if none of the land were left unploughed, and all of it were easy for the farmers to cultivate, they would have been overburdened by the levies, unable to bear the strictness of the assessment. Here is the clearest proof: … fifteen thousand … the loss … the collectors from the count's office … your exalted throne, to relieve them of two thousand five hundred unpayable units; and those who were entrusted with these reins before your Magnanimity ordered that the unpayable iugatio be remitted to the wretched decurions; … but not even so are they able to fill up the whole quota.
I ask pardon for having used so many words, and I beseech your Magnificence to reject the lies told against the wretched taxpayers, to put an end to the calamities of this miserable country, to raise it up as it sinks, and to leave an ever-remembered glory to the generations to come. The saints among us join me in this request, and especially the most holy and saintly man of God, the lord Jacob. He values quiet above everything and cannot bring himself to write letters, but he prays that the city may enjoy this kindness, the city which he, living nearby, also fences about with his prayers.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the prefect Constantius to reject a deposed cleric's slanders against a tax inspection and to relieve the overtaxed territory of Cyrus, describing its size and its tax units.
- 'Tax units' (ζυγά, iuga) and iugatio (ἰουγατίων) are units of the late Roman land tax. 'Miles' renders σημεῖα (milestones). The 'count's office' (Κομητιανὴ τάξις) and the figures of the 'clearest proof' are partly lost in the scan; the gap is marked '…'.
- The cleric excluded from communion is not named; 'Philip' is apparently the official who carried out the inspection (uncertain). 'The lord Jacob' is the hermit Jacob of Cyrrhestica, who lived near Cyrus.
- OCR debris from Migne's Latin column and margin letters are removed by logged corrections.
- NPNF² 3, translated from a complete text, helps with two gaps: the second 'spare' has as its object 'the thrice wretched decurions' (the scan has lost it, marked '…'), and the proof reads that in the time of Isidorus fifteen thousand units were taxed in gold, and the collectors of the count's assessment, unable to bear the loss, petitioned to be relieved of 2,500 unproductive units.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek lost in the scan; Migne's margin letter; Migne's margin letter B; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR misreading of the end of χώρᾳ; Stray letter; word rejoined): ἀνδρὸς Ό βιαζόμενος → ἀνδρὸς βιαζόμενος; οὕτη ΒΗ Ατ αι [γα ΒογτηΪδ8 : οἱ 80 ἰη 10 αυ δ πὶ 5ρῖπ88 οἱ (γί Β0]05, οἱ οἱ δὰ ρἢ 88 τ Δ πὶ τ εἰ Ὠση 168 δὲ π0}18 πη, υἱ λὰ 50} πιϊ δία πὶ ἑυδπὶ τ ἃ 60 οἷν 1115 τεσ οπίβαθο γο ἐκαὶ 5. αἱ εἰπιπι τοὶ Ῥίον οἷ ἢοη αὐδη οἱ ηΐ ῦ. πι. 4. μαδοῖ τιυ]λο8 οἱ πηϑρηοβ, ρϑγιΐπὶ πα ἀ08 οπιπΐπο, Α → ; [π ᾿ος τατ ἴα, (οπβίἀογοί σης βαρ θα ἰθὰ 1] πὶ (υαυϊη- [υπρορθαηϊυγ, οἱ ἱπα 16 πὶ [ρα 006 πὶ οὐτ] Ἐρο οἱ χε τοῖ, ορίαίϊ ἰΔηη6 η υὶ Ὀοηϊσηϊ (6 ἰδία γυ δι οἷν 88, ἢ 6 τη γὶ 4: γοὶ ἃ θη ἃ ᾿ρο 1, ἰῃ πὰ → ; πεντατὴν ζημίαν → πεντα… τὴν ζημίαν; πράκτορες, ρῶν → πράκτορες, … ρῶν; καὶ Β πεντακοσίων → καὶ πεντακοσίων; ἰουγατίωνα, ἀνοὐδὲ → ἰουγατίωνα, ἀν… οὐδὲ; γι- Ὑνομένας → γινομένας; χώ- 03 τὰς → χώρᾳ τὰς.
Topics: Ethics, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 42 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/42). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/42
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 43
43PG 83
Ἐπειδὴ τὴν βασιλείαν εὐσεδείᾳ χοσμεῖτε, καὶ τὴν ἁλουργίδα τῇ πίστει λαμπρύνετε, θαῤῥοῦμεν τὸ γράμματα, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν οὐκ ὁρῶμεν εὐτέλειαν " τῇ γὰρ ἱερωσύνῃ τὸ πρέπον ἀπονέμετε γέρας. Ταῦτα λογιζόμενος, ἱχετεύω τὸ ὑμέτερον κράτος, φειδοῦς τὴν ἀθλίαν ἡμῶν ἀξιῶσαι χώραν, καὶ τὴν ἐποψίαν τὴν πολλάκις γεγενημένην κελεῦσαι βεθδαιωθῆναι, καὶ μὴ δεχθῆναι τὰς παρά τινων κατ᾽ αὑτῆς γινομένᾶς ψευδηγορίας " μηδὲ ἀξιόχρεων νομισθῆναι τὸν ἐπισκόπον μὲν ὄνομα περιφέροντα, ἀλλότρια δὲ καὶ ἀνδραπόδων εὐτρόπων ἐπιτηδεύοντα. Οὗτος γὰρ κατηγορίαις ὑπεύθυνος γεγονὼς, καὶ τοῖς τῆς ἀχοινωνησίας ὑποδληθεὶς δεσμοῖς, ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου καὶ … λεως, τοῦ κυρίου Δόμνου, τοῦ ἀρχιερατιχοῦ συνεδρίου συγκροτεῖσθαι μέλλοντος, ὥστε τὰς κατ᾽ αὖτοῦ γεγενημένας ἐξετάσαι κατηγορίας, ἀποδρὰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν κατέλαθε πόλιν, καὶ δηλάτωρος ἔργον ἀναδεξάμενος, πολεμεῖ μὲν χώραν, ἣν ὀνομάζει μητέρα, πολεμεῖ δὲ μυριάσι πενήτων, καὶ διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἕνα δυσμένειαν τὴν γλῶτταν κατὰ πάντων ἠχόνησεν. Ὁποῖος μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνος, καὶ τίσιν ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἐντεθραμμένος, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἐρῶ, τὰ ἐμαυτῷ πρέποντα λογιζόμενος" τεχμηριοῖ δὲ σαφῶς τὸ νῦν ἐγχειρηθὲν παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ. Περὶ δὲ τῆς χώρας τοσοῦτόν φημι ὅτι τῆς ἐπαρχίας πάσης χουφισμὸν οὐδέποτε αὕτη φιλανθρωπίας ἀπέλανσς, καίτοι βαρύτατον φορτίον ἐπικείμενον ἔχουσα. Ὅθεν πολλὰ μὲν τῶν κτημάτων ἐστέρηται γεωργῶν, πολλὰ δὲ καὶ τῶν κεκτημένων ἔρημα γεγένηται παντελῶς “ ἀπαιτοῦνται δὲ ὑπὲρ τούτων οἱ τρισάθλιοι πολιτευόμενοι, φέρειν δὲ τὴν εἴσπραξιν οὐ δυνάμενοι οἱ μὲν προσαιτοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ δραπετεύουτσι. Περιέστη δὲ εἰς ἕνα τὸ τῆς πόλεως σχῆμα" ὃς οὐκ ἀυθέξει, μὴ τῆς ἰάσεως παρὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας εὐσεθδείας ἐπιτεθείσης. Ἐλπίζω δὲ ὅτι ἡ ὑμετέρα γαληνότης θεραπεύσει τὰ τῆς πόλεως τραύματα, καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις διχαιοπραγίαις ἐπιθήσει καὶ ταύτην.
Epeidē tēn basileian eusedeią chosmeite, kai tēn halourgida tę̄ pistei lamprynete, tharrhoumen to grammata, kai tēn oikeian ouk horōmen euteleian " tę̄ gar hierōsynę̄ to prepon aponemete geras. Tauta logizomenos, hicheteuō to hymeteron kratos, pheidous tēn athlian hēmōn axiōsai chōran, kai tēn epopsian tēn pollakis gegenēmenēn keleusai bethdaiōthēnai, kai mē dechthēnai tas para tinōn kat᾽ hautēs ginomenas pseudēgorias " mēde axiochreōn nomisthēnai ton episkopon men onoma peripheronta, allotria de kai andrapodōn eutropōn epitēdeuonta. Houtos gar katēgoriais hypeuthynos gegonōs, kai tois tēs achoinōnēsias hypodlētheis desmois, hypo tou theophilestatou kai … leōs, tou kyriou Domnou, tou archieratichou synedriou synkroteisthai mellontos, hōste tas kat᾽ autou gegenēmenas exetasai katēgorias, apodras tēn basileuousan katelathe polin, kai dēlatōros ergon anadexamenos, polemei men chōran, hēn onomazei mētera, polemei de myriasi penētōn, kai dia tēn pros hena dysmeneian tēn glōttan kata pantōn ēchonēsen. Hopoios men oun ekeinos, kai tisin epitēdeumasin entethrammenos, egō men ouk erō, ta emautǭ preponta logizomenos" techmērioi de saphōs to nyn encheirēthen par᾽ autou. Peri de tēs chōras tosouton phēmi hoti tēs eparchias pasēs chouphismon oudepote hautē philanthrōpias apelanss, kaitoi barytaton phortion epikeimenon echousa. Hothen polla men tōn ktēmatōn esterētai geōrgōn, polla de kai tōn kektēmenōn erēma gegenētai pantelōs “ apaitountai de hyper toutōn hoi trisathlioi politeuomenoi, pherein de tēn eispraxin ou dynamenoi hoi men prosaitousin, hoi de drapeteuoutsi. Periestē de eis hena to tēs poleōs schēma" hos ouk authexei, mē tēs iaseōs para tēs hymeteras eusethdeias epitetheisēs. Elpizō de hoti hē hymetera galēnotēs therapeusei ta tēs poleōs traumata, kai tais allais dichaiopragiais epithēsei kai tautēn.
Since you adorn the empire with true religion and make the purple shine with faith, we take courage to write, and do not consider our own insignificance; for you give the priesthood its fitting honor. With this in mind I beseech your Might to grant mercy to our wretched country: to order that the inspection, which has been carried out several times, be confirmed, and not to accept the lies that some are telling against it; and not to regard as trustworthy a man who carries about the name of bishop but practises what is foreign even to well-behaved slaves. This man became liable to accusations and was put under the bonds of excommunication by the most God-beloved and … [archbishop of the great] city, the lord Domnus. When the episcopal court was about to be convened to examine the accusations against him, he ran away and arrived in the imperial city; and having taken up the work of an informer, he makes war on the country which he calls his mother, makes war on tens of thousands of poor people, and because of his enmity toward one man he has sharpened his tongue against all. What kind of man he is, and in what practices he was brought up, I will not say, having regard to what befits me; but what he has now undertaken proves it clearly. About the country I say this much: it has never enjoyed the relief granted in kindness to the whole province, though it has a very heavy burden laid upon it. Hence many of the estates have lost their farmers, and many of the landowners' properties have become completely deserted; and the thrice-wretched decurions are pressed for payment on them, and, unable to bear the exaction, some go begging and others run away. The council of the city has been reduced to one man, who will not hold out unless healing is applied by your Piety. But I hope that your Serenity will heal the wounds of the city, and add this to your other just deeds.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the empress Pulcheria to confirm the tax inspection of Cyrus and not to believe a fugitive excommunicated bishop who slanders it, describing the ruin of the overtaxed country.
- The excommunicated bishop is not named. 'Well-behaved slaves' renders ἀνδραπόδων εὐτρόπων. Some words are lost after 'most God-beloved and' ('…'); Domnus was bishop of Antioch, and NPNF² 3 (from a complete text) has 'archbishop of Antioch' there.
- 'The council of the city has been reduced to one man' (περιέστη εἰς ἕνα τὸ τῆς πόλεως σχῆμα): the sense of σχῆμα here is uncertain.
- OCR debris from Migne's Latin column and margin letters are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek lost in the scan; Migne's margin letter and column debris; OCR debris and margin letter inside the word; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; πό-λεως rejoined; OCR debris from Migne's notes): καὶ λεως, → καὶ … λεως,; ἠχόνησεν. μν. πι. 38. Ὁποῖος → ἠχόνησεν. Ὁποῖος; ἐπιτηδεύμασιν Α 680 ἐντεθραμμένος → ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἐντεθραμμένος; οἱ ἃ πί 1] Ὸἴοτο υἱ ΒΟΥ ἢ 125 γαϑίγα οἰν 8118 νυ] υ θυ πηο → ; ἐπι- Β δεἰλτη Δα) εἶδ. θήσει → ἐπιθήσει.
Topics: Ethics, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 43 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/43). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/43
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 44
44PG 83
Χάρις τῷ Σωτῆρι τῶν ὅλων, ὅτ: τῷ ὑμετέρῳ μετέθει ἀεὶ προστίθησι τὰς τῶν ἀξιωμάτων τιμάς. Ἐγὼ ὃὲ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος οὐ γέγραφα, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ χολοφῶνι τοῦ γέρως ἐγγενομένην μοι θυμηδίαν εὐθὺς οὐ δεδήλωχα,, ἐνοχλεῖν οὐ βουλόμενος τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν. Καὶ νῦν δὲ τοῦτο ποιῶ, τῆς θεόθεν ἐγχειρισθείσης μοι χώρας ἐπὶ ξυροῦ ἀκμῆς, τὸ δὴ λεγόμενον, ἑστηχυίας. Τῆς γὰρ ἐποψίας κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν γενομένης, καθ᾽ ὃν τῆς ὑμετέρας τὸ πρῶτὸν ἐπιδημίας ἀπελαᾳύσαμεν, καὶ μόλις χρατυνθείσης ἐπα… ρεντίου, βεθαιωθείσης δὲ καὶ νῦν ὑπὸ τοῦ τὰς αὐτὰς κατέχοντος ἡνίας, ἀνήρ τις, ἐπισκόπου μὲν ὄνομα περιφέρων, ἀλλότρια δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐπιτηδεύων, φυγὼν τὸ τῶν ἀρχιερέων συνέδριον, καὶ ταῦτα τῶν τῆς ἀχοινωνησίας ἐπικειμένων αὐτῷ δεσμῶν, συκοφαντεῖν πειρᾶται καὶ διαδάλλειν τὴν γε… ἀπεχθείᾳ τὴν ἀλήθειαν βάλλων. Διὸ τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυῖαν ἀντιδολῶ, τὰς μὲν ἐχείνου ψευδηγορίας ἀποφῆναι ματαίας, τὴν δὲ γεγενημένην ἐποψίαν ἐνδίκως βεδαιωθεῖσαν ἀσάλευτον διαμεῖναι. Πρέπει γὰρ ὑμῶν τῷ μεγέθει, καὶ ταύτην μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τὴν δικαιοπραγίαν καρπώσασθαι, καὶ τὰς παρὰ τῶν εὖεργετουμένων εὐλογίας τρυγῆσαι, καὶ θεραπεῦσαι μὲν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, θεραπεῦσαι δὲ τὸν γνήσιον αὐτοῦ δοῦλον, τὸν ἁγιώτατον ἄνθρωπον τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὸν χύριον Ἰάχωθον, ὅς τῆνδε προσφέρει σὺν ἐμοὶ τὴν παράκλησιν. Ἔγραψςο δ᾽ ἂν καὶ αὐτὸς, εἴπερ αὐτῷ τὸ γράφειν σύνηθες ἣν.
Charis tǭ Sōtēri tōn holōn, hot: tǭ hymeterǭ metethei aei prostithēsi tas tōn axiōmatōn timas. Egō hoe mechri tou parontos ou gegrapha, kai tēn epi tǭ cholophōni tou gerōs engenomenēn moi thymēdian euthys ou dedēlōcha,, enochlein ou boulomenos tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian. Kai nyn de touto poiō, tēs theothen encheiristheisēs moi chōras epi xyrou akmēs, to dē legomenon, hestēchuias. Tēs gar epopsias kat᾽ ekeinon ton kairon genomenēs, kath᾽ hon tēs hymeteras to prōton epidēmias apelaąusamen, kai molis chratyntheisēs epa… rentiou, bethaiōtheisēs de kai nyn hypo tou tas autas katechontos hēnias, anēr tis, episkopou men onoma peripherōn, allotria de kai tōn epi tēs skēnēs epitēdeuōn, phygōn to tōn archiereōn synedrion, kai tauta tōn tēs achoinōnēsias epikeimenōn autǭ desmōn, sykophantein peiratai kai diadallein tēn ge… apechtheią tēn alētheian ballōn. Dio tēn hymeteran megalophuian antidolō, tas men echeinou pseudēgorias apophēnai mataias, tēn de gegenēmenēn epopsian endikōs bedaiōtheisan asaleuton diameinai. Prepei gar hymōn tǭ megethei, kai tautēn meta tōn allōn tēn dikaiopragian karpōsasthai, kai tas para tōn euergetoumenōn eulogias trygēsai, kai therapeusai men ton tōn holōn Theon, therapeusai de ton gnēsion autou doulon, ton hagiōtaton anthrōpon tou Theou, ton chyrion Iachōthon, hos tēnde prospherei syn emoi tēn paraklēsin. Egrapsso d᾽ an kai autos, eiper autǭ to graphein synēthes hēn.
Thanks be to the Savior of all, who is always adding the honors of high office to your Greatness. Until now I have not written, nor did I at once make known the gladness I felt at the crowning of your dignity, since I did not wish to trouble your Magnificence. And now I do so because the country entrusted to me by God stands, as the saying goes, on a razor's edge. The inspection was carried out at the time when we first enjoyed your visit, and was confirmed with difficulty … [under] Florentius, and has now been confirmed again by the one who holds the same reins; but a man who carries the name of bishop, while practising what is foreign to it and fit for the stage, has fled the court of bishops, and that while the bonds of excommunication lie upon him, and is trying to slander and discredit the [inspection] … assailing the truth out of hatred. So I entreat your Magnanimity to show his lies to be vain, and to let the inspection that was carried out and justly confirmed remain unshaken. For it befits your Greatness to reap the fruit of this just deed too along with the others, to gather the blessings of those who are helped, and to serve the God of all and to serve his genuine servant, the most holy man of God, the lord Jacob, who joins me in making this request. He would have written himself, if writing were his custom.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret congratulates the patrician Senator on a new honor and asks him to defend the confirmed tax inspection of Cyrus against a fugitive bishop's slanders.
- Some Greek is lost in the scan around the name of the prefect Florentius and after 'discredit the'; NPNF² 3 (from a complete text) reads there 'the visitation, while through his hatred to the illustrious Philip he assails the truth'. Gaps are marked '…'. OCR debris from Migne's Latin column and a stray letter are removed by logged corrections.
- 'The lord Jacob' is the hermit Jacob of Cyrrhestica.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek lost in the scan; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Greek lost; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; κύ-ριον rejoined; Stray character): ἐπα» Πα τ} ἃ 60 την " ρεντίου → ἐπα… ρεντίου; αὐτὰς ὦ κατέχοντος → αὐτὰς κατέχοντος; τὴν γεἀπεχθείᾳ → τὴν γε… ἀπεχθείᾳ; - Ὁ πηροῦπιὶ ρτοοα8 οὔδετί. βογίρβίδϑοι δυίοπι οἱ ρίον → ριον .
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 44 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/44). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/44
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 45
45PG 83
΄ Ὅτι καθάπερ παῖδες ἐπὶ πατέρα φιλόστοργον, διἐτέθησαν περὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν ἅπαντες οἱ τὴν ἑῴαν οἰκοῦντες, οἶδεν ὑμῶν τὸ μέγεθος ἀχριθῶς. ᾿Ανθ᾽ ὅτου τοίνυν μεμισήκατε τοὺς φιλοῦντας, καὶ τῆς ὑμετέρας αὐτοὺς ἑστερήσατε ᾿ θείας, καὶ θρηνεῖν ἅπαντας καὶ ὀδύρεσθαι πεποιήκατε, τὴν οἰκείαν θεραπείαν τῆς τῶν ἄλλων προτιμήσαντες ὠφελείος : Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ οὐκ ἡγοῦμαί τινα τῶν φοδουμένων τὸν Κύριον μὴ λίαν ἀσχάλλειν ἐπὶ τῇ στερήσει τῆς ὑμετέρα, στρατηγίας. Οἵμαι δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας, εἰ καὶ μὴ τὴν περὶ τὰ θεῖα γνῶσιν ἔχουσιν ἀχριθῆ, τὸ τῆς ἀθυμίας ὁμοίως δέχεσθαι πάθος, τὰς ὑμετέρας λογιζομένους εὐεργεσίας. Ἐγὼ δὲ διαφερόντως ὀλοφύρομαι, καὶ τῆς τιμῆς, καὶ τῆς εἰλικρινοῦς διαθέσεως μεμνημένος " καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων ἱκετεύω Δεσπότην, τῇ ἀμάγῳ δεξιᾷ τειχίζειν ὑμᾶς ἀεὶ, καὶ τῶν παντοδαπῶν ἀγαθῶν χορηγεῖν ὑμῖν τὴν φοράν. Τὴν δὲ ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυῖαν παρακαλοῦμεν, καὶ ἀποῦσαν ὡς παροῦσαν τῶν συνήθων φροντίσαι, καὶ τοῦ δεῖνος τοῦ ἀναξίον ἡμῶν ἐπισκόπου καταλῦσαι τὴν λύτταν, οὗ τὴν τοῦ βίου προαίβεσιν ἀχριδέστερον τὸ ὑμέτερον ἐπίσταται μέγεθος, Ἐπιχειρεῖ γὰρ, ὡς ἔγνων, παντελῶς ἡμῶν ἀπολέσαι τὴν χώραν, δηλάτωρος ἔργον ἀναδεξάμενος, καὶ τὴν γεγενημένην ἐποψίαν συκοφαντῶν. Καὶ ταῦτα γοπάντων, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἐπισταμένων τὴν βαρυτάτὴν τῆς ἡμετέρας χώρας ἀπογραφὴν, καὶ ὡς πολλὰ τῶν κτημάτων ἔρημα δίὰχ ταύτην τῶν γεωργούντων ἐγένετο. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὗτος, καὶ τῆς ἀχοινωνησίας φρονήσας, καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν σύνοδον ἀποδρὰς, κατὰ τῶν ἀθλίων πενήτων ἑπαφῆκε τὴν γλῶτταν. Φροντίσαι τοίνυν ἡ ὑμετέρα μεγαλοπρέπεια παραχληθήτω, ἵνα μὴ περιγένηται τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ ψεῦδος, Τὴν αὐτὴν δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν Κιλίκων προσφέρω παράκλησιν. Θρηνοῦντες γὰρ διατελοῦμεν ἕως ἂν ἡ παρανομία καταλυθῇ. Ταύτης δὲ τῆς σπουδῆς τὰς ἁμοιδὰς ἀντιδώσει τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος, ὁ καὶ ὕδατος μικροῦ δώσειν μισθὸν ὑποσχόμενος.
΄ Hoti kathaper paides epi patera philostorgon, dietethēsan peri tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian hapantes hoi tēn heǭan oikountes, oiden hymōn to megethos achrithōs. ᾿Anth᾽ hotou toinyn memisēkate tous philountas, kai tēs hymeteras autous hesterēsate ᾿ theias, kai thrēnein hapantas kai odyresthai pepoiēkate, tēn oikeian therapeian tēs tōn allōn protimēsantes ōpheleios : Tǭ onti gar ouk hēgoumai tina tōn phodoumenōn ton Kyrion mē lian aschallein epi tę̄ sterēsei tēs hymetera, stratēgias. Hoimai de kai tous allous hapantas, ei kai mē tēn peri ta theia gnōsin echousin achrithē, to tēs athymias homoiōs dechesthai pathos, tas hymeteras logizomenous euergesias. Egō de diapherontōs olophyromai, kai tēs timēs, kai tēs eilikrinous diatheseōs memnēmenos " kai ton tōn holōn hiketeuō Despotēn, tę̄ amagǭ dexią teichizein hymas aei, kai tōn pantodapōn agathōn chorēgein hymin tēn phoran. Tēn de hymeteran megalophuian parakaloumen, kai apousan hōs parousan tōn synēthōn phrontisai, kai tou deinos tou anaxion hēmōn episkopou katalysai tēn lyttan, hou tēn tou biou proaibesin achridesteron to hymeteron epistatai megethos, Epicheirei gar, hōs egnōn, pantelōs hēmōn apolesai tēn chōran, dēlatōros ergon anadexamenos, kai tēn gegenēmenēn epopsian sykophantōn. Kai tauta gopantōn, hōs epos eipein, epistamenōn tēn barytatēn tēs hēmeteras chōras apographēn, kai hōs polla tōn ktēmatōn erēma diach tautēn tōn geōrgountōn egeneto. ᾿All᾽ houtos, kai tēs achoinōnēsias phronēsas, kai tēn hagian synodon apodras, kata tōn athliōn penētōn hepaphēke tēn glōttan. Phrontisai toinyn hē hymetera megaloprepeia parachlēthētō, hina mē perigenētai tēs alētheias to pseudos, Tēn autēn de kai peri tōn Kilikōn prospherō paraklēsin. Thrēnountes gar diateloumen heōs an hē paranomia katalythę̄. Tautēs de tēs spoudēs tas hamoidas antidōsei tōn holōn ho Kyrios, ho kai hydatos mikrou dōsein misthon hyposchomenos.
Your Greatness knows exactly that all who live in the East are disposed toward your Magnificence as children toward a loving father. Why, then, have you hated those who love you, deprived them of your [presence], and made all of them lament and mourn, preferring your own comfort to the benefit of others? Truly I do not think that anyone who fears the Lord is not deeply distressed at the loss of your command. And I think that all the others too, even if they lack exact knowledge of divine things, feel the same despondency when they reckon up your benefactions. I lament especially, remembering both the honor you showed me and your sincere affection; and I beseech the Master of all always to wall you about with his invincible right hand, and to supply you with an abundance of good things of every kind. We urge your Magnanimity, though absent, to care as if present for your accustomed concerns, and to put an end to the madness of So-and-so, our unworthy bishop, whose way of life your Greatness knows more exactly than anyone. For, as I have learned, he is attempting to ruin our country completely, having taken up the work of an informer and slandering the inspection that was carried out — and this when nearly everyone, so to speak, knows how very heavy the assessment of our country is, and that many estates have been deserted by their farmers because of it. But this man, despising his excommunication and running away from the holy synod, has let loose his tongue against the wretched poor. Let your Magnificence, then, be pleased to see to it that falsehood does not prevail over truth. I make the same request about the Cilicians; for we keep lamenting until the lawlessness is ended. The Lord of all will repay you for this zeal, he who promised a reward even for a little water.
Matt 10:42 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret laments the departure of the general Anatolius from the East and asks him to stop a fugitive bishop's slanders against the tax inspection of Cyrus.
- The unnamed bishop ('So-and-so', ὁ δεῖνα) is the same fugitive cleric as in the letters to Constantius, Pulcheria and Senator. 'Your [presence]' supplies a damaged word (…θείας). The closing words allude to Matt 10:42.
- OCR debris and margin letters are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris and margin letter B; OCR debris and margin letter inside the word; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column): τῇ οἱ ἀκ Α ατερήσει → τῇ στερήσει; καὶ γὼ 4118 πὶ τοὺς → καὶ τοὺς; καὶ πιο Β τὴν → καὶ τὴν.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 45 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/45). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/45
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 46
46PG 83
Τῶν τὸ δίκαιον περὶ πολλοῦ ποιουμένων οὐδὲν … ἐπισχεῖν τὸν ἐπαινούμενον τοῦτον σκοπόν. Βεδαιοῖ δὲ τὸν λόγον ἢ σὴ μεγαλοπρέπεια, ἀχθεσθεῖσα μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ πρώην ἀναγγελθέντα, οὐκ ἀνασχομένη δὲ παριδεῖν τὸ δίκαιον πολεμούμενον, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς καιρὸν τὴν ἀθυμίαν ἀποῤῥίψασα, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρὸν ἐνδίκως ἐπιστομίσασα. Ταῦτα μεμαθηκότες, θερμότερον περὶ τὴν σὴν διετέθημεν μεγαλόνοιαν, δεινότητι ῥητορικῇ φιλοσοφίαν ἀληθῇ κεκραμένην εὑρόντες, καὶ παρακαλοῦμεν σπουδαιότερον, καὶ τοῦ βελτίστου καταλῦσαι τὸ ψεῦδος, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀθλίων
Tōn to dikaion peri pollou poioumenōn ouden … epischein ton epainoumenon touton skopon. Bedaioi de ton logon ē sē megaloprepeia, achthestheisa men epi ta prōēn anangelthenta, ouk anaschomenē de paridein to dikaion polemoumenon, all᾽ eis kairon tēn athymian aporrhipsasa, kai ton tēs alētheias echthron endikōs epistomisasa. Tauta memathēkotes, thermoteron peri tēn sēn dietethēmen megalonoian, deinotēti rhētorikę̄ philosophian alēthę̄ kekramenēn heurontes, kai parakaloumen spoudaioteron, kai tou beltistou katalysai to pseudos, kai tēn tōn athliōn
For those who value justice highly, nothing … can check this praiseworthy aim. Your Magnificence confirms the saying: you were vexed at what was reported recently, yet you would not bear to overlook justice under attack, but at the right moment threw off your despondency and justly muzzled the enemy of the truth. Having learned this, we have become more warmly disposed toward your Magnanimity, having found true wisdom blended with rhetorical skill; and we urge you more earnestly both to destroy the lie of that excellent man and … the … of the wretched …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret thanks the lawyer Peter for silencing a slanderer and asks him to continue defending the poor.
- The opening is damaged by OCR debris from Migne's Latin column (removed by a logged correction; some Greek is lost, '…'), and the end of the letter is lost in the scan. 'That excellent man' is ironic: the slanderer of the tax inspection. NPNF² 3 (from a complete text) ends: 'and confirm the comfort given to the unhappy poor'.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Greek lost): ἔχαεἰ ἱτὰ- [ἢ ον. δε ά ἰοαὶ οὔεἰν νὸν → … .
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 46 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/46). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/46
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 47
47PG 83
Πέρυσι μὲν ἡ ἁγιότης ὑμῶν τοῦ χαλεποῦ χλύδωνος ἠλευθέρωσε τὸν περίδλεπτον Φίλιππον τὸν τῆς ἡμετέρας πρωτεύοντα πόλεως, καὶ γαλήνης διὰ τὴν τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος ἀπολαύσας κηδεμονίαν, τῶν ὑμετέρων εὐφημιῶν τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐνέπλησεν ἀκοάς. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐχεΐνην ἅπασαν τὴν σπουδὴν ὁ εὐλαδέστατος ὁ δεῖνα ἄχρηστον ἀποφῆναι πειρᾶται, τὴν πρὸ δύο καὶ δέκα ἐτῶν πολλάκις γεγενημένην ἐποψίαν τῆς χώρας συκοφαντῶν, καὶ κατηγορίαν ἀναδεξάμενος οὐδὲ τοῖς ἐπιειχέσι τῶν ἀνδραπόδων ἁρμόττουσαν. ᾿Αλλά σον δέομαι τῆς ἱερᾶς κεφαλῆς, παῦσαι μὲν τὴν ἐχείνου ψευδολογίαν, πεῖσαι δὲ τοὺς ὑπερλάμπρους ὑπάρχους κρατῦναι τὴν ψῆφον, ἣν ἐνδίκως δέκα καὶ δύο καὶ φιλανθρώπως ἐξήνεγκαν. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ βαρυτάτην μὲν ἀπογραφὴν ὑπὲρ πάσας τῆς ἐπαῤχίας τὰς πόλεις ἡ ἡμετέρα πόλις ἐδέξατο" πάσης δὲ πόλεως χουφισθείσης, μεμένηχεν αὕτη μέχρι καὶ τήμερον ὑπὲρ ἕξ μυριάδων καὶ δισχιλίων εἰσφέρουσα Ὦψὲ δέ ποτε μόλις πεισθέντες οἱ τὸν ὑψηλὸν ἐκεῖνον θρόνον λαχόντες, ἐπόπτας τῆς χώρας ἀπέστειλαν" καὶ τὴν παρ᾽ ἐκείνων ἐχπεμφθεῖσαν γνῶσιν ἐδέξατο μὲν πρῶτος ὁ τῆς μεγαλοπρεποῦς μνήμης Ἰσίδωρος, ἐδεθαίωσε δὲ ὁ ἐνδοξότατος καὶ φιλόχριστος χύ… δὲ πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ἐξετάσας ὁ νῦν ταύτας κατέχων τὰς ἡνίας, καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ τὸν θρόνον κοσμῶν, βασιλικαῖς ταύτην ἐχύρωσε ψήφοις. ᾽Ο δὲ φιλαλήθης ἀνὴρ, διὰ τὴν πρὸς ἕνα δυσμένειαν, τὸν περίδλεπτον λέγω Φίλιππον, τὸν … κατὰ τῶν πενήτων ἀνεδέξατο πόλεμον. Οὗ δὴ χάριν τὴν σὴν ἁγιωσύνην ἀντιδολῶ, ἀντιτάξαι τῇ ἀδίκῳ Ὑλώττῃ τὴν δικαίαν σου γλῶτταν, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας πολεμουμένης ὑπερασπίσαι, καὶ ταύτης μὲν δεῖξαι τὸ ἄμαχον, τοῦ δὲ ψεύδους ἐλέγξαι τὸ μάταιον.
Perysi men hē hagiotēs hymōn tou chalepou chlydōnos ēleutherōse ton peridlepton Philippon ton tēs hēmeteras prōteuonta poleōs, kai galēnēs dia tēn tēs sēs hosiotētos apolausas kēdemonian, tōn hymeterōn euphēmiōn tas hēmeteras eneplēsen akoas. ᾿All᾽ echeïnēn hapasan tēn spoudēn ho euladestatos ho deina achrēston apophēnai peiratai, tēn pro dyo kai deka etōn pollakis gegenēmenēn epopsian tēs chōras sykophantōn, kai katēgorian anadexamenos oude tois epieichesi tōn andrapodōn harmottousan. ᾿Alla son deomai tēs hieras kephalēs, pausai men tēn echeinou pseudologian, peisai de tous hyperlamprous hyparchous kratynai tēn psēphon, hēn endikōs deka kai dyo kai philanthrōpōs exēnenkan. Tǭ onti gar barytatēn men apographēn hyper pasas tēs eparchias tas poleis hē hēmetera polis edexato" pasēs de poleōs chouphistheisēs, memenēchen hautē mechri kai tēmeron hyper hex myriadōn kai dischiliōn eispherousa Ōpse de pote molis peisthentes hoi ton hypsēlon ekeinon thronon lachontes, epoptas tēs chōras apesteilan" kai tēn par᾽ ekeinōn echpemphtheisan gnōsin edexato men prōtos ho tēs megaloprepous mnēmēs Isidōros, edethaiōse de ho endoxotatos kai philochristos chy… de pasan tēn hypothesin exetasas ho nyn tautas katechōn tas hēnias, kai dikaiosynę̄ ton thronon kosmōn, basilikais tautēn echyrōse psēphois. ᾽O de philalēthēs anēr, dia tēn pros hena dysmeneian, ton peridlepton legō Philippon, ton … kata tōn penētōn anedexato polemon. Hou dē charin tēn sēn hagiōsynēn antidolō, antitaxai tę̄ adikǭ Hylōttę̄ tēn dikaian sou glōttan, kai tēs alētheias polemoumenēs hyperaspisai, kai tautēs men deixai to amachon, tou de pseudous elenxai to mataion.
Last year your Holiness freed the distinguished Philip, the chief man of our city, from a harsh surge, and he, having enjoyed calm through the care of your Holiness, filled our ears with praises of you. But the most reverent So-and-so is trying to make all that effort useless, slandering the inspection of the country carried out several times twelve years ago, and taking up an accusation that would not befit even decent slaves. I beg your sacred head to stop his lying, and to persuade the most illustrious prefects to strengthen the verdict which they pronounced justly and kindly twelve years ago. For truly our city received the heaviest assessment of all the cities of the province; and though every other city has been relieved, it has remained to this day paying for more than sixty-two thousand [units]. At last, persuaded with difficulty, those who held that lofty throne sent inspectors of the country; and the report they sent was received first by Isidorus of magnificent memory, and confirmed by the most glorious and Christ-loving lord …; and the present holder of these reins, who adorns his throne with justice, examined the whole case and ratified it by imperial decrees. But this lover of truth, because of his enmity toward one man, I mean the distinguished Philip, … has taken up war against the poor. For this reason I entreat your Holiness to set your just tongue against the unjust tongue, to defend the truth under attack, and to show that it is invincible and that falsehood is vain.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks Proclus of Constantinople to stop a cleric's slanders against the long-confirmed tax inspection of Cyrus and to persuade the prefects to uphold it.
- 'Units' supplies the tax units (ζυγά) of the land tax, implied by the figure. The name of the official who confirmed the report after Isidorus is lost in the scan ('lord …'); NPNF² 3 (from a complete text) reads 'the lord Florentius'.
- 'The most reverent So-and-so' and 'this lover of truth' are ironic. OCR debris from Migne's Latin column and margin letters are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek lost in the scan; Migne's margin letter and OCR debris; Migne's margin letter; word rejoined; OCR debris and margin letter inside the word; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Greek lost; OCR debris from Migne's notes): χλύδω- Ὦ νος → χλύδωνος; δύο. Νοδρ. καὶ → δύο καὶ; βαρυτά- Α 58 65.; οἴ τὴν → βαρυτάτην; χύδὲ πᾶσαν → χύ… δὲ πᾶσαν; δι ἙΟΠΗγΑΥΪ αὐ 61 ρα] οὐ οβί βδί πη οἱ (ἢ τίϑιὶ τοῖν (0 → … ; χάριν Βὶ ἀίᾳφῃθ τὴν → χάριν τὴν.
Topics: Ethics, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 47 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/47). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/47
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-epistulae-47) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 48
48PG 83
Δέδεγμαι τὴν κατηγορίαν ἀσμένως, καίτοι διαλῦὅλι ῥᾳδίως δυνάμενος τὴν γραφήν. Ἔγραψα γὰρ οὐ τρὶς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τετράχις. Δυοῖν δὲ θάτερον ὑποττεύω " ἣ τοὺς τὰ γράμματα κομίζειν ὑπισχνουμένους περὶ τὴν ἀπόδοσιν ἀδικεῖν, ἣ τὴν σὴν θεοσέδειαν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὑφαίνειν γραφήν. Ἐμὲ, ὡς ἔφην, οὐκ ἀλγύνει τὸ κατηγόρημα ᾿ φίλτρου γὰρ ἐμπύρευμά μοι παραδηλοῖ. "Ἔχον τοίνυν τῆς τέχνης, καὶ μὴ παύσῃ γοὶ γραφόμενος, καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἡμῖν ἡδονήν. Τὰ κάτοπτρα τῶν εἰσορώντων τὰς ὄψεις ἐκμάττεσθαι πέφυκεν. Οἱ τοένυν εἰς ταῦτα βλέποντες τὰς οἰκείας ὁρῶσι μορφάς. Ταυτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ αἱ κόραι ποιοῦσι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν " τοὺς γὰρ ἀλλοτρίους χαραπτῆρας ἐν ἑαυταῖς ἐκτυποῦσι. Τοιοῦτό τι καὶ ἡ σὴ πέπονθεν ὁσιότης. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ ἡμέτερον ἑώρακεν εἰδεχθὰς, ἀλλὰ τὴν οἰκείαν ὥραν εἶδεν καὶ τεθαύμαχεν. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐχείνων ὧν εἴρηκας πρόσεστιν. Εὔχομαι δὲ ὅμως τοὺς λόγους ἐκείνους βεδαιωθῆναι τοῖς ἔργοις" ἀντιδολῶ δὲ καὶ τὴν σὴν φιλοθεῖαν σαι ταῖς προσευχαῖς, ἵνα μὴ χωλεύωσιν αἱ εὐφημίαι
Dedegmai tēn katēgorian asmenōs, kaitoi dialyoli rhądiōs dynamenos tēn graphēn. Egrapsa gar ou tris monon, alla kai tetrachis. Dyoin de thateron hypotteuō " hē tous ta grammata komizein hypischnoumenous peri tēn apodosin adikein, hē tēn sēn theosedeian kath᾽ hēmōn hyphainein graphēn. Eme, hōs ephēn, ouk algynei to katēgorēma ᾿ philtrou gar empyreuma moi paradēloi. "Echon toinyn tēs technēs, kai mē pausę̄ goi graphomenos, kai tēn enteuthen hēmin hēdonēn. Ta katoptra tōn eisorōntōn tas opseis ekmattesthai pephyken. Hoi toenyn eis tauta blepontes tas oikeias horōsi morphas. Tauto de touto kai hai korai poiousi tōn ophthalmōn " tous gar allotrious charaptēras en heautais ektypousi. Toiouto ti kai hē sē peponthen hosiotēs. Ou gar to hēmeteron heōraken eidechthas, alla tēn oikeian hōran eiden kai tethaumachen. Emoi gar ouden echeinōn hōn eirēkas prosestin. Euchomai de homōs tous logous ekeinous bedaiōthēnai tois ergois" antidolō de kai tēn sēn philotheian sai tais proseuchais, hina mē chōleuōsin hai euphēmiai
I have accepted the accusation gladly, although I could easily refute the charge. I wrote not three times only, but four. I suspect one of two things: either those who promise to carry the letters are failing us in delivering them, or your Piety is weaving an indictment against us. As I said, the accusation does not pain me; it shows me a spark of affection. Keep to this art, then, and do not stop indicting me, and [give] us the pleasure that comes from it.
[Letter 49] [To Damianus.] Mirrors naturally take the impression of the faces of those who look into them, and those who look into them see their own forms. The pupils of the eyes do the same: they print the features of others in themselves. Your Holiness has experienced something like this. You did not see our ugliness, but saw your own beauty and admired it; for none of the things you said belongs to me. Still, I pray that those words may be confirmed by deeds; and I entreat your Godliness [to help] with your prayers, so that the praises may not limp.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret answers Eustathius of Berytus's complaint that he never writes; a second letter, to Damianus of Sidon, turns aside his praise as a mirror of Damianus's own virtue.
- This passage holds two letters: Letter 48, to Eustathius, bishop of Berytus, and Letter 49, whose heading is lost; the scan keeps only Migne's numeral ΜΘ' (49) before it. It is identified from the order of the letters in Migne as the letter to Damianus, bishop of Sidon.
- OCR debris from Migne's Latin column is removed by logged corrections. A verb is lost at the end of each letter ('[give]', '[to help]').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's letter numeral ΜΘ' (49), marking the start of the next letter; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Stray mark; word rejoined): ὠμμμιὰ Ο ἀοβῖπθ δοσυβαγθ, οἱ νος → ; ἡδονήν. Μθ. Τὰ → ἡδονήν. Τὰ; χαρα- ᾿πτῆρας → χαραπτῆρας.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 48 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/48). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/48
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 50
50PG 83
Ζωγραφοῦσι πολλάκις τοὺς τῶν ψυχῶν χαρακτῆρας οἱ λόγοι, καὶ τὰς ἀοράτους ἐχείνων ἰδέας ἀποχαλχῇς πτουσιν" ὥσπερ ἀμέλει καὶ νῦν τῆς σῆς εὐσεθείας τὰ γράμματα τῆς ἱερᾶς σου Ψυχῆς παρέδωκε τὴν ᾿εὐσέδειαν. Τὸ γὰρ προσμένειν ἐχαῖνο τὸ κριτήριον, καὶ δειμαίνειν, καὶ συνηγόρους περισκοπεῖν, καὶ προῦφαίνειν ἀπολογίαν, κηρύττει σαφῶς τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν περὶ τὰ θεῖα σπουδήν. Ἡμεῖς ὃ νωθεῖς τινες ᾿ καὶ ὑπνηλοὶ, καὶ ῥᾳστώνῃ συντεθραμμένοι, καὶ πολλῇ: προσευχῶν ἐπικουρίας δεόμενοι. "Ὅρεξον τοίνυν ταύτας, θεοφιλέστατε, ἵνα διαναστάντες νῦν γοῦν, ἐπιμέλειάν τινα τῆς ψυχῆς ποιησώμεθα. … ᾿Αξιάγαστα μὲν αὑτὰ καθ᾽ αὑτὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰ ἐπιτυχέντα, διηγεῖσθαι λαμπρῶς αὐτὰ δυναμένης. Τούτων οὐδετέρου διήμαρτεν ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπὸς ὁ κύριος θωμᾶς " ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεδείας αὐτὸς εἰσενήνοχε πόνους " ἔσχε δὲ καὶ γλῶτταν ἐπαινοῦσαν ἀξίως τοὺς πόνους, τῆς σῆ΄ς φιλοθεῖας. Ἡμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ἥδιον ἐθεασάμεθα μετὰ τοιαύτῆς ἀφικόμενον μαρτυρίας " καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγον αὐτοῦ μετασχόντες τῆς συνουσίας, εἰς τὴν ἐγχειρισθεῖσαν
Zōgraphousi pollakis tous tōn psychōn charaktēras hoi logoi, kai tas aoratous echeinōn ideas apochalchę̄s ptousin" hōsper amelei kai nyn tēs sēs eusetheias ta grammata tēs hieras sou Psychēs paredōke tēn ᾿eusedeian. To gar prosmenein echaino to kritērion, kai deimainein, kai synēgorous periskopein, kai prouphainein apologian, kēryttei saphōs tēs psychēs tēn peri ta theia spoudēn. Hēmeis ho nōtheis tines ᾿ kai hypnēloi, kai rhąstōnę̄ syntethrammenoi, kai pollę̄: proseuchōn epikourias deomenoi. "Horexon toinyn tautas, theophilestate, hina dianastantes nyn goun, epimeleian tina tēs psychēs poiēsōmetha. … ᾿Axiagasta men hauta kath᾽ hauta tēs aretēs ta epitychenta, diēgeisthai lamprōs auta dynamenēs. Toutōn oudeterou diēmarten ho theophilestatos episkopos ho kyrios thōmas " alla tous men hyper tēs eusedeias autos eisenēnoche ponous " esche de kai glōttan epainousan axiōs tous ponous, tēs sē΄s philotheias. Hēmeis de auton hēdion etheasametha meta toiautēs aphikomenon martyrias " kai pros oligon autou metaschontes tēs synousias, eis tēn encheiristheisan
Words often paint the characters of souls and stamp out their invisible forms, just as now the letter of your Piety has conveyed to us the piety of your sacred soul. To await that tribunal and fear it, to look around for advocates and to prepare a defence beforehand, clearly proclaims a soul's zeal for divine things. But we are sluggish and drowsy, brought up in ease, and in need of much help from prayers. Hold them out to us, then, most God-beloved, so that we may rise up now at least and take some care of our soul. …
[Letter 51] [To Agapius.] The achievements of virtue are admirable in themselves, … able to tell of them brilliantly. The most God-beloved bishop, the lord Thomas, has failed in neither: he himself has undertaken the labors for true religion, and he has also had a tongue to praise those labors worthily, that of your Godliness. We were the more glad to see him arrive with such testimony; and after sharing his company for a short while, … to the [city] entrusted …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the archimandrite Gerontius for his prayers; a second letter, to the presbyter Agapius, praises Bishop Thomas and Agapius's commendation of him.
- This passage holds two letters: Letter 50, to the archimandrite Gerontius, and Letter 51, whose heading is lost in the scan amid Latin debris; it is identified from the order of the letters in Migne as the letter to the presbyter Agapius.
- OCR debris from Migne's Latin column and notes (including a reference to Baronius's Annals for the year 440) is removed by logged corrections; the Greek it replaced is lost ('…'). The second half of the first sentence of Letter 51 (probably 'but more admirable when they find a tongue') and the end of the letter are also lost.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column and notes; Greek lost): σα (ποτα, οἱ δἀνοολίοῦ φυτοῦ, οἱ ἀοίδηβέοῃθῃ θη), 86 σης 54] }6 ὲ τὰ Ἰἰθ εἰ θη 6 ῃἴθ υἢ]θη. ταὐϊ θα (ον Ρ] 6135 (Βἃ πιο 8 «πὶ ἢ- (δι) πόλιν αἶαν ΔΑππαὶ. δὰ διῆ. 440, τ. ΥἹ, Ὁ. πὶ. θ, δὶ δ ᾶ → … .
Topics: Prayer, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 50 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/50). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/50
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 52
52PG 83
Τῆς κοινῆς, οἶμαι, προμηθούμενος σωτηρίας ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς συμφορὰς ἐπιφέρει τισί τινας, ἵνα τοῖς μὲν ἡμαρτηκόσιν ἀλεξίκαχον ἣ παιδεία γένηται φάρμάκον, τοῖς δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθληταῖς καρτερίας ὑπόθεσις, τοῖς δέ γε καύτας θεωμένοις ἀρχέτυπον ὄνησιφόρον. Πεφύκαμεν γάρ πως ἀναπίμπλασθαι δέους, ἄλλους τιμωρουμένους ὁρῶντες. Ταῦτα λογιζόμενος, τὰ τῆς Λιδύης κακὰ κέρδος ὑπολαμδάνω κοινόν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τὴν προτέραν ἐχείνων ἐνθυμούμενος εὐπραξίαν, καὶ βλέπων τὴν ἀθρόαν μεταδολὴν, ὁρῶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων τὰς ἀγχιστρόφους τροπὰς, καὶ διδάσχομαι μὴτε ταὶς εὐημερίαις ὡς διαρχέσι θαῤῥεῖν, μήτε τὰς δυσχληρίας ὡς χαλεπὰς δυσχεραίνειν. Εἶτα τῶν πεπλημμελημένων ἀνανεδῦμαι τὴν μνήμην, καὶ δέδοικα μὴ τοῖς ἴσοις περιπέσω παθήμασι. Ταῦτα δὲ γράψαι νῦν ἠναγκάσθην, τὸν θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον Κυπριανὸν γνώριμον ποιῶν τῇ σῇ ὁσιότητι " ὃς ὁρμᾶται μὲν ἐκ τῆς πολυθρυλλήτου Λιδύης, ἠνάγκασται δὲ τὴν ξένην περινοστεῖν, διὰ τὴν τῶν Βαρδάρων ὠμότητα. Γράμματα δὲ ἡμῖν … σεδίου, ὃς τὸ Γαλατῶν ἔθνος ἰθύνει σοφῶς. Τοῦτον μετὰ τῆς συνήθους φιλοφροσύνης ὑποδεξαμάνη σοὺ ἣ φιλοθεῖα, κροπεμψάτω μετὰ γραμμάτων πρὸς οὃς ἂν ἐθέλῃ κυρίους καὶ θεοφιλεστάτους ἐπισκόπους ἵν᾽ αὐτὸς μὲν τῆς ἀγαθῆς ἀπολαύσῃ παραψνυχῆς, ἀντιδῷ δὲ αὐτοῖς τὰ ἐπουράνια καὶ πόνιμα κέρδη.
Tēs koinēs, oimai, promēthoumenos sōtērias ho tōn holōn Theos symphoras epipherei tisi tinas, hina tois men hēmartēkosin alexikachon hē paideia genētai pharmakon, tois de tēs aretēs athlētais karterias hypothesis, tois de ge kautas theōmenois archetypon onēsiphoron. Pephykamen gar pōs anapimplasthai deous, allous timōroumenous horōntes. Tauta logizomenos, ta tēs Lidyēs kaka kerdos hypolamdanō koinon. Prōton men gar tēn proteran echeinōn enthymoumenos eupraxian, kai blepōn tēn athroan metadolēn, horō tōn anthrōpinōn pragmatōn tas anchistrophous tropas, kai didaschomai mēte tais euēmeriais hōs diarchesi tharrhein, mēte tas dyschlērias hōs chalepas dyscherainein. Eita tōn peplēmmelēmenōn ananedymai tēn mnēmēn, kai dedoika mē tois isois peripesō pathēmasi. Tauta de grapsai nyn ēnankasthēn, ton theophilestaton episkopon Kyprianon gnōrimon poiōn tę̄ sę̄ hosiotēti " hos hormatai men ek tēs polythryllētou Lidyēs, ēnankastai de tēn xenēn perinostein, dia tēn tōn Bardarōn ōmotēta. Grammata de hēmin … sediou, hos to Galatōn ethnos ithynei sophōs. Touton meta tēs synēthous philophrosynēs hypodexamanē sou hē philotheia, kropempsatō meta grammatōn pros hoos an ethelę̄ kyrious kai theophilestatous episkopous hin᾽ autos men tēs agathēs apolausę̄ parapsnychēs, antidǭ de autois ta epourania kai ponima kerdē.
The God of all, I think, taking thought for the common salvation, brings calamities on some people, so that for those who have sinned the chastisement may become a medicine against evil, for the athletes of virtue an occasion for endurance, and for those who look on a beneficial example. For somehow we are naturally filled with fear when we see others punished. With this in mind, I regard the evils of Libya as a common gain. First, when I consider their former prosperity and see the sudden change, I see how quickly human affairs turn, and I am taught neither to trust good fortune as lasting nor to resent misfortunes as harsh. Then I renew the memory of my sins, and I fear that I may fall into the same sufferings. I was compelled to write this now in making known to your Holiness the most God-beloved bishop Cyprian. He comes from the famous Libya, but he has been forced to wander in a foreign land because of the cruelty of the barbarians. … letters to us … [Eu]sebius, who wisely governs the nation of the Galatians. Let your Godliness receive him with its usual kindness and send him on with letters to whatever lords and most God-beloved bishops it wishes, so that he may enjoy good comfort, and repay them with heavenly and lasting gains.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret commends to Ibas of Edessa the African bishop Cyprian, a refugee from the Vandals, reflecting that the calamities of Libya teach everyone.
- Some Greek is lost where the scan reads only 'letters to us … sebius'; probably Cyprian brought a letter from Eusebius, bishop of Ancyra in Galatia. Migne's footnote marker there is removed by a logged correction.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's footnote marker; Greek lost): σεδίου (5θ), → … σεδίου,.
Topics: Ethics, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 52 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/52). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/52
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 53
53PG 83
Καὶ τὸ φιλόδωρον καὶ τὸ μεγαλόδωρον τῆς σῆς, θεοφιλέστατε, δεξιᾶς ἐπιστάμενος, προξενῶ σου τῇ ὁσιότητι ποθούμενον κέρδος. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τοὺς περὶ τὰ παρόντα χεχηνότας, οἱ τῆς διὰ χρημάτων θεραπείας δεόμενοι ἀνιῶσιν ὁρώμενοι ᾿ οὕτω εὐφραίνονσι τοὺς φιλοτίμους οἱ τοιοῦτοι φαινόμενοι, ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἐπουρανίων πραγμάτων ἐφίενται. Εἷς τοίνυν τῶν ἐκεῖνα προξενούντων ἐστὶν ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἐπέσχο: πος Κυπριανός ᾿ ὃς πάλαι μὲν τῶν ἄλλους θεραπενόντων ἐτύγχανεν ὧν, νῦν δὲ τὰς τῆς Διδύης συμφορὰς, εἰς τὰς ἄλλων ἀπούλέπει χεῖρας, καὶ τῶν φιλοθέων ψυχῶν τὴν φιλοτιμίαν προσμένει. ᾿Απολαυσάτω τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς σῆς φιλαδελφίας, καὶ μετὰ γραμμάτων πρὸς ἑτέρους προπεμφθήτω.
Kai to philodōron kai to megalodōron tēs sēs, theophilestate, dexias epistamenos, proxenō sou tę̄ hosiotēti pothoumenon kerdos. Hōsper gar tous peri ta paronta chechēnotas, hoi tēs dia chrēmatōn therapeias deomenoi aniōsin horōmenoi ᾿ houtō euphrainonsi tous philotimous hoi toioutoi phainomenoi, epeidē tōn epouraniōn pragmatōn ephientai. Heis toinyn tōn ekeina proxenountōn estin ho theophilestatos epescho: pos Kyprianos ᾿ hos palai men tōn allous therapenontōn etynchanen hōn, nyn de tas tēs Didyēs symphoras, eis tas allōn apoulepei cheiras, kai tōn philotheōn psychōn tēn philotimian prosmenei. ᾿Apolausatō toinyn kai autos tēs sēs philadelphias, kai meta grammatōn pros heterous propemphthētō.
Knowing the generosity and munificence of your right hand, most God-beloved, I am procuring for your Holiness a gain you long for. Just as those who gape after the things of this life are pained at the sight of people who need help with money, so such people, when they appear, gladden the generous, since these aim at heavenly things. One of those who procure such gains is the most God-beloved bishop Cyprian. Formerly he was one of those who cared for others; now, [because of] the calamities of Libya, he looks to the hands of others and waits for the generosity of God-loving souls. Let him too, then, enjoy your brotherly love, and be sent on to others with letters.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret commends the refugee African bishop Cyprian to Sophronius of Constantina.
- A word is lost before 'the calamities of Libya' ('[because of]'). OCR debris and margin letters are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's margin letter and OCR debris; OCR debris; Stray characters inside the word): ᾿Αποαν. λαυσάτω → ᾿Απολαυσάτω; καὶ Α [τλίδτ πα μετὰ → καὶ μετὰ; προπεμφθήτω γας. → προπεμφθήτω..
Topics: Ethics, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 53 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/53). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/53
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 54
54PG 83
Αἱ θεῖαι καὶ σωτήριοι πανηγύρεις καὶ τοὺς ἀθυμοτέρους ποιοῦσι" καὶ τοῦτο τῇ πείρᾳ μεμάθηκα. Τοῖς γὰρ τῆς ἀθυμίας βαπτιζόμενος κύμασι, κρείττων τοῦ ῥοθίου γεγένημαι τοὺς τῶν ἑορτῶν ὄρμους ἰδών. Εὐξάσθω τοίνυν ἡ θεοσέδειά σου, τέλεόν με τῆς πικρᾶ;ς ταύτης ζάλης ἀπαλλαγῆναι, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Δεσπότου λήθην τινὰ -ἧς ἀχθηδόνος
Hai theiai kai sōtērioi panēgyreis kai tous athymoterous poiousi" kai touto tę̄ peirą memathēka. Tois gar tēs athymias baptizomenos kymasi, kreittōn tou rhothiou gegenēmai tous tōn heortōn ormous idōn. Euxasthō toinyn hē theosedeia sou, teleon me tēs pikra?s tautēs zalēs apallagēnai, kai para tou philanthrōpou Despotou lēthēn tina -hēs achthēdonos
The divine and saving festivals make even the more despondent [cheerful]; I have learned this by experience. Drowned as I was in the waves of despondency, I rose above the surge when I saw the harbors of the feasts. Let your Piety pray, then, that I may be completely freed from this bitter storm, and [obtain] from the Master who loves humankind some forgetfulness of the grief …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: A festal letter: the feasts have lifted Theodoret out of his despondency, and he asks for prayer to be freed from it entirely.
- The end of the letter is lost in the scan; a word is also missing in the first sentence ('[cheerful]'). NPNF² 3 (from a complete text) reads at the start that the festivals cheer the downhearted and make the joyous more joyful.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 54 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/54). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/54
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 55
55PG 83
Χαλεπῶς μὲν ἡμᾶς ἡ ἀθυμία διέθηχεν. Φύσιν γὰρ ἀνθρωπείαν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀδαμαντίαν ἐλάχομεν. Τῆς δὲ Δεσποτικῆς Ἐπιφανείας ἣ μνήμη φάρμακον ἀλεξίχαχόν μοι γεγένηται. Αὐτίκα τοίνυν καὶ γράφω κατὰ τὸν νόμον τῆς ἑορτῆς, καὶ προσφθέγγομαι τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, ἣν εὐδοκιμεῖν καὶ διαπρέπειν προσεύχομαι.
Chalepōs men hēmas hē athymia diethēchen. Physin gar anthrōpeian, all᾽ ouk adamantian elachomen. Tēs de Despotikēs Epiphaneias hē mnēmē pharmakon alexichachon moi gegenētai. Autika toinyn kai graphō kata ton nomon tēs heortēs, kai prosphthengomai tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian, hēn eudokimein kai diaprepein proseuchomai.
Despondency has dealt hard with me; for we were given a human nature, not one of adamant. But the memory of the Master's Epiphany has become a medicine against evil for me. At once, then, I write according to the law of the feast and address your Magnificence, which I pray may flourish and excel.
Notes and citation
Summary: A festal letter for the Epiphany: the memory of the feast has relieved Theodoret's despondency.
- OCR debris from Migne's Latin column is removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; word rejoined): δ! οί Γ. οὐὔτη υἱ ταν! Πᾶς οἱ → ; ὑμετέ- - πιαρη ΠοΘη ἐπ ἰμδπὶ 84] ρᾶν → ὑμετέραν.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 55 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/55). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/55
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 56
56PG 83
᾿Ακμάζει μὲν ἔτι μοι τὰ τῆς λύπης, καὶ χαλεπῶς αὕτη προσδάλλει τῷ λογισμῷ τὸν δὲ τῆς ἑορτῆς πληρῶσαι νόμον ὑπέλαδον δίκαιον. Αὐτίκα γοῦν καὶ τοῖς γράμμασι κέχρημαι, καὶ τὴν εὐλάδειάν σου προσφθέγγομαι, καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ἐχτίνω τὸ χρέος.
᾿Akmazei men eti moi ta tēs lypēs, kai chalepōs hautē prosdallei tǭ logismǭ ton de tēs heortēs plērōsai nomon hypeladon dikaion. Autika goun kai tois grammasi kechrēmai, kai tēn euladeian sou prosphthengomai, kai tēs agapēs echtinō to chreos.
My grief is still at its height and assails my reason harshly; but I thought it right to fulfil the law of the feast. At once, then, I have taken to writing, and I address your Reverence and pay the debt of love.
Notes and citation
Summary: A short festal letter written in grief, to keep the custom of the feast.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 56 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/56). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/56
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 57
57PG 83
Δέδωκεν ἡ μῖν τῶν ὅλων ὁ Πρύτανις καὶ τοῦτο, τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοφυΐας ἀκοῦσαι τὸ γέρας, καὶ συνἡσθῆναι μὲν ὑμῖν οὕτω τετιμημένοις, συνησθῇναι δὲ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ὑπὸ τοιαύτης ἰθυνομένοις πραότητος. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἄδικον ζήθην σιγῇ κρύψαι τὴν εὐθυμίαν, καὶ μὴ δηλῶσαι ταύτην τοῖς γράμμασιν. “Ὅτι γὰρ ἐρασταὶ, παρ᾽ ὑμῶν τοῦ φίλτρου τὰς ἀμοιδὰς εἰληφότες, πέπεισται πάντως ἡ ὑμετέρα μεγαλοπρέπεια. Ὡς ἐρασταὶ δὲ τοιοῦτοι, τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἱκετεύομεν χορηγὸν, ταῖς παντοδαπαῖς αὐτοῦ δωρεαῖς περιχλύζειν ὑμᾶς ἀεί“
Dedōken hē min tōn holōn ho Prytanis kai touto, tēs hymeteras megalophyïas akousai to geras, kai synēsthēnai men hymin houtō tetimēmenois, synēsthę̄nai de tois archomenois hypo toiautēs ithynomenois praotētos. Egō de adikon zēthēn sigę̄ krypsai tēn euthymian, kai mē dēlōsai tautēn tois grammasin. “Hoti gar erastai, par᾽ hymōn tou philtrou tas amoidas eilēphotes, pepeistai pantōs hē hymetera megaloprepeia. Hōs erastai de toioutoi, ton tōn agathōn hiketeuomen chorēgon, tais pantodapais autou dōreais perichlyzein hymas aei“
The Ruler of all has granted us this too: to hear of the honor conferred on your Magnanimity, to rejoice with you on being so honored, and to rejoice with your subjects, who are governed by such gentleness. I thought it wrong to hide my gladness in silence and not to make it known by letter. That we are your lovers, having received from you the returns of affection, your Magnificence is surely convinced. As such lovers we beseech the giver of good things always to flood you with his gifts of every kind.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret congratulates Eutrechius on his appointment as prefect.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 57 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/57). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/57
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 58
58PG 83
Διχῆ μοι μερίζει τὴν γνώμην ἡ περὶ τοῦ γράψαι τῷ δμετέρῳ μεγέθει βουλή. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ ὑμετέρων φρενῶν εἰδὼς ἐξηρτημένα τὰ πράγματα, καὶ τὰς κοινὰς ὑμῖν ἐπικειμένας φροντίδας ὁρῶν, ἄμεινον ἡγοῦμαι σιγᾷν " τὸ εὐρὺ δὲ πάλιν καὶ πολυχώρητον τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐπιστάμενος διανοίας, σιωπᾷν οὐκ ἀνδέ με καὶ πόθος, ὃν ἡ βραχεῖα γεῦσις τῆς ὑμετέρας ἐνεποίησε θέας. Ἐμφορηθῆναί με γὰρ ταύτης ἐστέρῆσε τῆς τρισμαχαρίας ἐκείνης κεφαλῆς ἡ νόσος καὶ τελευτή. Οὗ δὴ γάριν ἐπινοῶ μοι φάρμακον ψυχαγωγίας τὰ γράμμα, Τὸν δὲ τῶν ὅλων ἐχετεύω τὴν, ἰθύνειν ὑμῶν τὸν βίον, καὶ φέρειν ἐξ οὐρίων ἀεὶ, ἵνα τῆς ὑμετέρας προμηθείας ἀπολαύσωμεν ἅπαντες … Τὰς εἰλικρινεῖς φιλίας οὔτε τοπικὴ διάστασις διαλύειν ἰσχύει, οὔτε χρόνος ἐξιτήλους ἐργάζεται, Τοῖς; μὲν γὰρ σώμασι λυμαίνεται, καὶ τὸ μὲν ἄνθος ἀποσυλᾷ, τὸ δὲ γῆρας ἐπάγει " τῆς δέ γε φιλίας αὔξει τὸ ἄνθος, πλείονα προσφέρων τὰ ζώπυρα. Διά τοι τοῦτο χἀγὼ πολλοῖς σταθμοῖς τῆς σῆς μεγαλοπρεπείας ἀφ-στηχὼς, τὴν προσρητιχὴν ταύτην ἐπιστολὴν γράφω, τοῖς τῆς φιλίας δηλονότι νυττόμενος κέντροις. Κομζει δὲ ταύτην Πατρωΐνος δραχωνάριος, ἀνὴρ αἰδοὺς ἀξιώτατος διὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀρετήν " τοὺς γὰρ θείους νόμους μετὰ πολλῆς φυλάττειν προθυμίας ἐπείγεται. Μηνῦσαι τοίνυν ἡμῖν δι᾽ αὐτοῦ, θαυμασιώτατε, καταξίωσον τὴν ἀξιάγαστον ἡμῖν τοῦ σοῦ μεγέθους ὑγείαν, καὶ τὸ τριπόθητον τῆς ὑποσχέσεως πέρας -
Dichē moi merizei tēn gnōmēn hē peri tou grapsai tǭ dmeterǭ megethei boulē. Tōn men gar hymeterōn phrenōn eidōs exērtēmena ta pragmata, kai tas koinas hymin epikeimenas phrontidas horōn, ameinon hēgoumai sigąn " to eury de palin kai polychōrēton tēs hymeteras epistamenos dianoias, siōpąn ouk ande me kai pothos, hon hē bracheia geusis tēs hymeteras enepoiēse theas. Emphorēthēnai me gar tautēs esterēse tēs trismacharias ekeinēs kephalēs hē nosos kai teleutē. Hou dē garin epinoō moi pharmakon psychagōgias ta gramma, Ton de tōn holōn echeteuō tēn, ithynein hymōn ton bion, kai pherein ex ouriōn aei, hina tēs hymeteras promētheias apolausōmen hapantes … Tas eilikrineis philias oute topikē diastasis dialyein ischyei, oute chronos exitēlous ergazetai, Tois? men gar sōmasi lymainetai, kai to men anthos aposylą, to de gēras epagei " tēs de ge philias auxei to anthos, pleiona prospherōn ta zōpyra. Dia toi touto chagō pollois stathmois tēs sēs megaloprepeias aph-stēchōs, tēn prosrētichēn tautēn epistolēn graphō, tois tēs philias dēlonoti nyttomenos kentrois. Komzei de tautēn Patrōïnos drachōnarios, anēr aidous axiōtatos dia tēn tēs psychēs aretēn " tous gar theious nomous meta pollēs phylattein prothymias epeigetai. Mēnysai toinyn hēmin di᾽ autou, thaumasiōtate, kataxiōson tēn axiagaston hēmin tou sou megethous hygeian, kai to tripothēton tēs hyposcheseōs peras -
The thought of writing to your Greatness divides my mind in two. Knowing that affairs hang on your mind, and seeing the public cares that lie on you, I think it better to keep silent; but then again, knowing the breadth and capacity of your mind, I am not allowed to keep silent by the longing that the brief taste of seeing you produced in me. For the illness and death of that thrice-blessed head prevented me from having my fill of it. That is why I devise this letter as a medicine of comfort for myself. I beseech the [Master] of all to direct your life and to carry you always with a fair wind, so that we may all enjoy your providence …
[Letter 59] [To Claudianus.] Sincere friendships can neither be dissolved by distance of place nor made to fade by time. Time damages bodies: it robs them of their bloom and brings on old age; but it makes the bloom of friendship grow, supplying it with more fuel. That is why I too, though removed from your Magnificence by many stages, write this letter of greeting, pricked, as you see, by the goads of friendship. It is brought by Patroinus the draconarius, a man most worthy of respect for the virtue of his soul; for he is eager to keep the divine laws with great zeal. Be pleased, then, most admirable friend, to let us know through him of the admirable health of your Greatness, and of the thrice-longed-for fulfilment of your promise …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret writes to the consul Nomus of his longing to see him again; a second letter, to Claudianus, sends a greeting by the soldier Patroinus.
- This passage holds two letters: Letter 58, to the consul Nomus, and Letter 59, whose heading is lost in the scan amid Latin debris (removed by a logged correction; the Greek it replaced, including the end of Letter 58, is lost, '…'). Letter 59 is identified from the order of the letters in Migne as the second letter to Claudianus. Its end is also lost.
- 'That thrice-blessed head', whose illness and death cut short Theodoret's meeting with Nomus, is not named (unidentified). A draconarius was a standard-bearer in the Roman army. Near 'I am not allowed to keep silent' the scan seems to have lost a few words (NPNF² 3 adds 'and am afraid of being charged with negligence').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Greek lost): ὕτεοι φυϊάθηι δά ο πιὸ {τ βε} 18, οἱ τἸηθηίθπι σταοἱ τουδροῖἰδηστα γοῦν οἵ δ [18 Δ πὶ δος οοοἵ ρι!:πιὶ τὸ τὸ ι εἶδ Ροίοδιὶ, πος ἰδ ΒΟΓΙΌΟ, διῃ οὐ ἴα ν᾽ ἀ6] (αἱ ἀδτη πιΐπα εἰοἱ (ὴ πὶ ἰδ δι. → … .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 58 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/58). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/58
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 60
60PG 83
Πολλοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοις εἴδεσιν ἀρετῆς κοσμεῖσθαι τὴν σὴν ἁγιωσύνην ἀκούομεν (ὑπόπτερος γὰρ ἣ φήμη πάντοσε διαδραμοῦσα τῆς σῆς εὐκλείας τὰς ἁπάντων ἐνέπλησεν ἀκοὰς)" οὐκ. ἥκιστα δὲ ἅπαντες ἄδουσι τὸ τοῦ φρονήματος μέτριον" ὃ νομοθετῶν ὁ Δεσπότης ἑαυτὸν ἡμῖν ἀρχέτυπον προῦθηχεν, «ε« Μάθετε, λέγων, ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, ὅτι πρᾶός εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ. » Φύσει γὰρ ὧν ὑψηλὸς, μᾶλλον δὲ ὕψιστος Θεὸς, τὸ πρᾶον καὶ ταπεινὸν ἐνανθρωπήσας ἢσπάσατο φρόνημα. Εἰς αὑτὸν οὖν ἀφορῶν, οὐκ ὁρᾷς, δέσποτα, τῶν ἀρχομένων τὸ πλῆθος, οὐδὲ τῶν θρόνων τὸ. ὕψος, ἀλλὰ τὴν φύσιν βλέπεις, καὶ τὰς ἀγχιστρόφονς τοῦ βίου μεταδολὰς, καὶ τοῖς θείοις νόμοις ἀκολουθεῖς, ὧν ἡ φυλαχὴ προξενεῖ τῶν οὐρανῶν τὴν βασιλείαν, Ταύτὴν σου τῆς ὁσιότητος τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην ἀκούων, θαῤῥῶ διὰ γραμμάτων τὴν ἱεράν σον καὶ Θεῷ φίλην περιπτύξασθαι κεφαλὴν, καὶ προσευχὰς ἀπαγγέλλω, ὧν ὁ καρπὸς σωτηρία, Πρόξενος δέ μοι τούτων γεγένηται τῶν γραμμάτων ὁ θεοσεδέστατος τὴν ἀξιάγαστον τῶν λόγων ε
Pollois men gar allois eidesin aretēs kosmeisthai tēn sēn hagiōsynēn akouomen (hypopteros gar hē phēmē pantose diadramousa tēs sēs eukleias tas hapantōn eneplēsen akoas)" ouk. hēkista de hapantes adousi to tou phronēmatos metrion" ho nomothetōn ho Despotēs heauton hēmin archetypon prouthēchen, «e« Mathete, legōn, ap᾽ emou, hoti praos eimi kai tapeinos tę̄ kardią. » Physei gar hōn hypsēlos, mallon de hypsistos Theos, to praon kai tapeinon enanthrōpēsas ēspasato phronēma. Eis hauton oun aphorōn, ouk horąs, despota, tōn archomenōn to plēthos, oude tōn thronōn to. hypsos, alla tēn physin blepeis, kai tas anchistrophons tou biou metadolas, kai tois theiois nomois akoloutheis, hōn hē phylachē proxenei tōn ouranōn tēn basileian, Tautēn sou tēs hosiotētos tēn tapeinophrosynēn akouōn, tharrhō dia grammatōn tēn hieran son kai Theǭ philēn periptyxasthai kephalēn, kai proseuchas apangellō, hōn ho karpos sōtēria, Proxenos de moi toutōn gegenētai tōn grammatōn ho theosedestatos tēn axiagaston tōn logōn e
We hear that your Holiness is adorned with many other forms of virtue (for winged report, running everywhere, has filled everyone's ears with your renown), but not least do all sing of the moderation of your mind. In giving his law the Master set himself before us as the model of this, saying, "Learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart." For though by nature he is exalted, or rather God most high, when he became man he embraced the gentle and lowly mind. Looking to him, master, you do not look at the multitude of those you govern or the height of your throne; you see our nature and the quick reversals of life, and you follow the divine laws, whose keeping procures the kingdom of heaven. Hearing of this humility of your Holiness, I take courage to embrace your sacred and God-loved head by letter, and I offer prayers whose fruit is salvation. The occasion of this letter has been given me by the most God-revering … the admirable … of your words …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 11:29 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret greets Dioscorus of Alexandria, praising his reputed humility after Christ's example, and asks for his prayers and a reply.
- Quotation: Matt 11:29. The end of the letter is lost in the scan; NPNF² 3 (from a complete text) names the bearer as the presbyter Eusebius and ends with a request for Dioscorus's prayers and a letter in reply.
- This letter was written before Dioscorus became Theodoret's chief opponent at the council of 449.
Topics: Christology, Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 60 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/60). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/60
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 61
61PG 83
Οὐκ ἡμέλησα τὰς δύο πρώην δεξάμενος ἐπιστολὰς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέστειλα παραυτίκα, καὶ τῷ θεοφιλεστάτῳ πρεσδυτέρῳ Εὐπεδίῳ τὰ γράμματα δέδωκα. Μελλήσεως δὲ γενομένης τινὸς, τὸ παρὸν νῦν ἀνεθάλετο. Ἢ γὰρ ὥρα λοιπὸν εἴσω τῶν λιμένων κατεῖχε τὰ σκάφη, τοῦ πελάγους ὑποδειχνῦσα τὴν ζάλην, καὶ ναύτας καὶ γυν… τόδε ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος τὸ χρέος, οὐκ ἵνα μὴ ὀφείλω, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τὸ χρέος αὐξήσω. Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ ὄφλημα πολλαπλάσιον ἐπιτιννύμενον γίνεται. Οἱ γὰρ φυλάττειν ἑσπουδαχότες τῆς φιλίας τοὺς νόμους, ἐρεθίζουσι τὸ φίλτρον, καὶ θερμότερον ἀπεργάζονται, καὶ τὸν σπινθῆρα ποιοῦσι πυρσόν " ὑπὸ δὲ τούτου πυρπολούμενοι, νικᾷν ἀλλήλους τῷ πόθῳ, φιλοτιμοῦνται. Δέξαι τοίνυν τὴν ἀπολογίαν, ὦ σεθασμία μοι κεφαλὴ, καὶ δὸς τὴν συγγνώμην, καὶ πέμψον ἡμῖν ἐπιστολὴν, τὴν σὴν ὑγείαν μηνύουσαν.
Ouk hēmelēsa tas dyo prōēn dexamenos epistolas, all᾽ epesteila parautika, kai tǭ theophilestatǭ presdyterǭ Eupediǭ ta grammata dedōka. Mellēseōs de genomenēs tinos, to paron nyn anethaleto. Ē gar hōra loipon eisō tōn limenōn kateiche ta skaphē, tou pelagous hypodeichnysa tēn zalēn, kai nautas kai gyn… tode epi tou parontos to chreos, ouk hina mē opheilō, all᾽ hina to chreos auxēsō. Touto gar to ophlēma pollaplasion epitinnymenon ginetai. Hoi gar phylattein hespoudachotes tēs philias tous nomous, erethizousi to philtron, kai thermoteron apergazontai, kai ton spinthēra poiousi pyrson " hypo de toutou pyrpoloumenoi, nikąn allēlous tǭ pothǭ, philotimountai. Dexai toinyn tēn apologian, ō sethasmia moi kephalē, kai dos tēn syngnōmēn, kai pempson hēmin epistolēn, tēn sēn hygeian mēnyousan.
I did not neglect the two letters I received recently, but wrote back at once, and gave my letter to the most God-beloved presbyter Eusebius. But a delay arose, and the present season put it off: the time of year was keeping the ships inside the harbors, signalling the storm at sea, and [telling] sailors and … So I pay this debt for the present, not so as to owe no longer, but so as to increase the debt. For this obligation becomes many times greater when it is paid. Those who are eager to keep the laws of friendship stir up affection, make it warmer, and turn the spark into a torch; and, set on fire by it, they strive to outdo one another in longing. Accept my defence, then, my venerable friend, grant me pardon, and send us a letter telling us of your health.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret explains to the presbyter Archibius that his reply was delayed by the winter season at sea, and asks for news of his health.
- A few words are lost after 'sailors and' ('…'; NPNF² 3, from a complete text: 'and pilots to wait awhile'). The bearer's name is read Εὐπεδίῳ in the scan, a misreading of Eusebius. OCR debris and margin marks are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek lost in the scan; Migne's margin letter; Migne's margin letter and OCR debris inside the word; OCR debris from Migne's notes): ἐπιστολὰς, Ὦ ἀλλ᾽ → ἐπιστολὰς, ἀλλ᾽; θεοφιλεστάτῳ εἰ θεῖ ἤθη εἰ ἃ. ἃ. 4λέ, τ. 0], Ρ. 22. πρεσδυτέρῳ → θεοφιλεστάτῳ πρεσδυτέρῳ; καὶ γυν τόδε → καὶ γυν… τόδε; Α οἱ Πᾶς “υρπολούμενοι → πυρπολούμενοι.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 61 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/61). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/61
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).
Chapter 62
62PG 83
Τὸ Λάθε βιώσας, εἴρηκε μέν τις τῶν πάλαι καλουμένων σοφῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν' γνώμην ἐπαινέσας, ξύουλήθην ἔργῳ βεθαιῶσαι τὸν λόγον. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀπεικὸς ῴήθην ποιεῖν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων συλλέγων τὸ χρήσιμον. Καὶ γὰρ τὰς μελίττας φασὶν, οὐκ ἀπὸ ἐδωδίμων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν πικρῶν βοτανῶν, καὶ τὰ κηρία συλλέγειν, καὶ τὴν γλυκεῖαν δρόσον ἀρύεσθαι. Εἶδον δὲ ἔγωγε καὶ πέτραις ἀγόνοις νούσας, καὶ τὴν νοτίδα τὴν ὀλίγην ἀνιμωμένας. Πολλῷ δὲ δήπουθεν δικαιότερον, τοὺς τῷ λόγῳ τετ:μημένους πάντοθεν καρποῦσθαι τὴν ὠφέλειαν. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν, ὡς; ἔφην, πειρῶμαι λανθάνειν, καὶ πάντων μάλιστα τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἀσπάζομαι. Ἐπανελθὼν δὲ πρώην ἀπὸ τῆς ὑμετέρας ὁ θεοσεδέστατος … ρος Εὐσέδιος, ἀπήγγειλε συνουσίαν ὑμῖν τινα γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ μεταξὺ λόγου τινὸς καὶ τὴν περὶ ἡμῶν κινηθῆναι, καὶ τὴν σὴν εὐσέθειαν εὐφήμως τῆς ἐμῆς μνησθῆναι σμικρότητος. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἄγνωμον γαὶ λίαν ἄδικον, τὸν εὖ καὶ καλῶς μεμνημένον μὴ τοῖς ἴσοις ἀμείψασθαι, Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μηδὲν ἄξιον εὐφημίας εἰργάσμεθα, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν οὕτως ἐπαινούντων θαυμάζομεν τὸν σκοπόν. ᾿Αγάπης γὰρ ὃ τοιοῦτος ἔπαινος ἔκγονος. Προσφθέγγομαι τοίνυν τὴν σὴν θεοσέδειαν, … διακόνῳ χρώμενος τῶν γραμμάτων ἐκείνῳ, ὃς καὶ τοὺς ἀγράφους σου λόγους, οὗς περὶ ἡμῶν δεεξῆλθες, πρώην χεχόμιχε. Δεξάμενος τοίνυν, θεοφιλέστατε, τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ἄμειψαι τὰ γράμματα. Ἧρξας μὲν γὰρ λόγων αὐτὸς, ἐγὼ δὲ γραμμάτων" καὶ ἠμειψάβὴν γράμμασι τοὺς λόγους. Λείπεται τοίνυν σε τὰ
To Lathe biōsas, eirēke men tis tōn palai kaloumenōn sophōn. Egō de tēn' gnōmēn epainesas, xyoulēthēn ergǭ bethaiōsai ton logon. Ouden gar apeikos ǭēthēn poiein, kai para tōn allōn syllegōn to chrēsimon. Kai gar tas melittas phasin, ouk apo edōdimōn monon, alla kai apo tōn pikrōn botanōn, kai ta kēria syllegein, kai tēn glykeian droson aryesthai. Eidon de egōge kai petrais agonois nousas, kai tēn notida tēn oligēn animōmenas. Pollǭ de dēpouthen dikaioteron, tous tǭ logǭ tet:mēmenous pantothen karpousthai tēn ōpheleian. Egō men oun, hōs? ephēn, peirōmai lanthanein, kai pantōn malista tēn hēsychian aspazomai. Epanelthōn de prōēn apo tēs hymeteras ho theosedestatos … ros Eusedios, apēngeile synousian hymin tina gegenēsthai, kai metaxy logou tinos kai tēn peri hēmōn kinēthēnai, kai tēn sēn eusetheian euphēmōs tēs emēs mnēsthēnai smikrotētos. Egō de agnōmon gai lian adikon, ton eu kai kalōs memnēmenon mē tois isois ameipsasthai, Ei gar kai mēden axion euphēmias eirgasmetha, all᾽ oun houtōs epainountōn thaumazomen ton skopon. ᾿Agapēs gar ho toioutos epainos ekgonos. Prosphthengomai toinyn tēn sēn theosedeian, … diakonǭ chrōmenos tōn grammatōn ekeinǭ, hos kai tous agraphous sou logous, hous peri hēmōn deexēlthes, prōēn chechomiche. Dexamenos toinyn, theophilestate, tēn epistolēn, ameipsai ta grammata. Hērxas men gar logōn autos, egō de grammatōn" kai ēmeipsabēn grammasi tous logous. Leipetai toinyn se ta
'Live unnoticed,' said one of those who were called wise in former times. I praised the maxim and wanted to confirm the saying by deed. I thought I was doing nothing unfitting in gathering what is useful from others too. They say that bees gather their honeycombs and draw out the sweet dew not only from edible plants but also from bitter herbs; and I myself have seen them settling on barren rocks and drawing up the little moisture there. Much more, surely, is it right for those honored with reason to reap benefit from every side. I, then, as I said, try to live unnoticed, and I embrace quiet above all things. But the most God-revering presbyter Eusebius, returning recently from your region, reported that a gathering had taken place among you, that in the course of some conversation the talk had turned to us, and that your Piety had mentioned my littleness with praise. I [thought it] ungrateful and very unjust not to repay in like manner one who had spoken of me so well and kindly. Even if we have done nothing worthy of praise, we still admire the aim of those who praise in this way; for such praise is the offspring of love. I address your Piety, then, … using as the deacon who carries my letter the one who recently brought your unwritten words, which you spoke about us. Having received my letter, then, most God-beloved, repay letter with letter. You began with words, I with writing; and I have repaid your words with a letter. It remains, then, for you …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret thanks the presbyter John for speaking well of him, and asks for a letter in return.
- 'Live unnoticed' (Λάθε βιώσας) is the maxim of Epicurus.
- The end of the letter is lost in the scan; NPNF² 3 (from a complete text) ends: 'to answer letter for letter'. Some Greek around the bearer is replaced by Latin debris, removed by a logged correction ('…'); a few letters of 'presbyter' are lost before Eusebius's name.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Greek lost in the scan; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; Greek lost; OCR slip and stray mark): θεοσεδέστατος ρος Εὐσέδιος → θεοσεδέστατος … ρος Εὐσέδιος; ταὶ ἢ ἃ}. μοῦ οἱ ἔανοβ οἰ] ΐζογα, οἱ ᾿αίο το. τοὶ αἱ ἰῃ βοῦ- → … ; καὺ ( τοὺς → καὶ τοὺς.
Extrabiblical texts: Epicurus, fr. 551 (Epicurus (sayings and fragments); quotation)
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 62 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/62). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/62
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 83 (archive.org OCR); compared afterwards with Blomfield Jackson's translation in NPNF² 3 (1892).