Letters 82–90
Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 82
82PG 83
Ἤλπισα συχνὰς ἐν τῷ παρόντι χαιρῷ δέξασθαι τἧς σῆς ἁγιωσύνης ἐπιστολάς. Προδηλοτάτην γὰρ … ἐδεόμεθα. Οἱ γὰρ τὴν Μαρκίωνος, καὶ Βαλεντίνου, καὶ Μάνητος, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων Δοχιτῶν αἵρεσιν ἐπὶ ᾿ τοῦ παρόντος ἀνανεούμενοι, δυσχεραίνοντες ὅτι τὴν αἴρεσιν αὐτῶν ἄντικρυς στηλιτεύομεν, ἐξαπατῆσαι τὰ; βασιλικὰς ἐπειράθησαν ἀκοὰς, αἱρετικοὺς ἡμᾶς ἀποκαλοῦντες, καὶ εἰς δύο μερίζειν νἱοὺς τοῦντες τὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν ἑνανηρωπήσαντα Θεὸν Λόγον. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔπεισαν ᾿ ὥσπερ ἤλπισαν λέγοντες. Οὗ δὴ χάριν ὑπομνηστικὸν ἐγράφη τῷ μεγαλοπρεπεστάτῳ καὶ ἐνδοξοτάτῳ στρατηγῷ καὶ ὑπάτῳ, αἱρέσεως μὲν κατηγορίαν οὐδεμίαν ἔχον, ἄλλας δέ τινας αἰτίας, καὶ ταύτας ψευδεῖς. Συνόδους γὰρ ἔλεγόν με συχνὰς εἰς τὴν. ᾿Αντιόχειαν συναγείρειν, καὶ τοῦτό τινᾶς λυπεῖν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο χρῆναί με ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν, καὶ τὰς ἐγχεχειρισμένας οἰκονομεῖν ᾿Εκκλησίας. Τούτου μοι τοίνυν τοῦ ὑπομνηστιχοῦ δειχθέντος, ἥρπασα τὴν ψῆφον, ὡς πρόξενον ἀγαθῶν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τὴν «ριπόθητον ἀπέλαδον ἡσυχίαν. Εἶτα δὲ πολλὰς ἐλπίζω τῶν ὑπ' ἐμοῦ πλημμεληθέντων ἐξαλειφθῆναι χτλῖδας διὰ τὴν τυρευθεῖσαν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀδικίαν ὑπὸ τῶν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρῶν. "Ἔδειξε δὲ καὶ λίαν ἐναργῶς κἀν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ τῶν ὅλων ὁ Πρύτανις, ὅσην τῶν ἀδικουμένων ποιεῖται κηδεμονίαν. Ἡμῶν γὰρ ἡσυχίαν ἀγόντων, καὶ εἴσω τῶν τῖςς πατρίδος ὅρων εἰργομένων, καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ᾿Ανατολὴν πάντων ἀνιωμένων. μὲν, καὶ πικρῶς ὀδυρομένων, σιγᾷν δὲ διὰ τὸ προσπεσὸν δέος ἠναγχασμένων (τὰ γὰρ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγενημένα, τὸ τῆς δειλίας πᾶσιν ἐνέθηχε … δέος), αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ διέχυψε, καὶ τῶν τὴν συκοφαντίαν ὑφηνάντων τὴν συκοφαντίαν διήλεγξε, καὶ τὸ δυσσεδὲς αὐτῶν ἐγύμνωσε φρόνημα. Οὗτοι καὶ τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν ἐξώπλισαν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, καὶ τὰς πάντων ἀκοὰς περιδομδοῦσι διὰ τῶν ἀξίων αὑτῶν ὑπουργῶν, ὡς ἡμεῖς ἀνθ᾽ ἑνὸς δύο κηρύττομεν υἱούς. ᾿Εγὼ δὲ τοσοῦτον ἀπέχω τοῦ μυσαροῦ τούτου φρονήματος, ὅτι καί τινας τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων τῶν ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνεληλυθότων εὑρηχὼς πρὸς τὴν ᾿Αρείου μανίαν ἐν συντάγμασιν. ἀποτεινομένους, καὶ ἀναγχαζομένους διὰ τὸν πρὸς ἐκείνους ἀγῶνα πλείονι διαιρέσει κεχρῆσθαι, δυσχεραίνω καὶ οὗ προσίεμαι τὴν τοιαύτην διαίρεσιν οἶδα γὰρ ὡς ἢ ἀνάγκη τῆς διαιρέσεως ἀμετρίαν εἰργάζετο. Καὶ ἵνα μὲ μή τις ὑπολάθοι δεδιότα νῦν ταῦτα λέγειν, ἔξεστι τῷ βουλομένῳ τοῖς παλαιοῖς μου συγγράμμασιν ἐντυχεῖν, τοῖς πρὸ τῆς συνόδου τῆς ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, καὶ τοῖς μετ᾽ ἐχείνην πάλιν πρὸ δυοκαΐδεκα ἐτῶν. Διὰ γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριν, καὶ τοὺς προφῆτας ἅπαντας ἡρμηνεύσαμεν, καὶ τὸ Ἑαλτῇριον, καὶ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον" καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τὰ ᾿Αρείου φρονοῦντας, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τὰ Μαχεδονίου νοσοῦντας, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ᾿Απολιναρίου τερθρείαν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν Μαρκίωνος λύτταν συνεγράψαμεν πάλαι" καὶ ἐν ἐκάστῳ τῶν συγγραμμάτων, διὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μου χάριν, τὸ ἐκκλησιαστικὸν φρόνημα διαλάμπει. Καὶ μυστικὴ δὲ ἡμῖν συγγέγραπται βίβλος, καὶ περὶ Προνοίας ἑτέρα, καὶ πρὸς τὰς πεύσεις τῶν Μάγων ἄλλη, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων ὁ βίος, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἕτερα πολλὰ, ἵνα μὴ καθ᾽ ἕχαστον λέγω. ᾿Απηρίθμησα δὲ ταῦτα, οὐ φιλοτιμίᾳ χρώμενος, ἀλλὰ πρόκλησιν προσφέρων, κκαὶ τοῖς κατηγόροις, καὶ τοῖς κρίνειν ἐθέλουσιν, ὁποῖα ἄν ἐθέλωσι βασανίσαι τῶν συγγραμμάτων. Οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσουσιν ἡμᾶς, διὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μον γάριν, ἄλλο τι φρονοῦντας, ἣ ἅπερ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς παρειλήφαμεν. Ταῦτα τοίνυν μαθοῦσα παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἡ ἁγιότης σου, διδαξάτω τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας, καὶ τὰς λοιδορούσας νους πειθέτω, μὴ τοιαῦτα περὶ ἡμῶν δοξάζειν, οἷα παρὰ τῶν συκοφαντῶν ἔμαθον " ἀλλὰ πείθεσθαι τῷ νομοθέτῃ βοῶντι" ε« ᾿λκοὴν ματαίαν οὐ παραδέξῃ» καὶ ἀναμένειν τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἐξέτασιν. Ἐγὼ δὲ εὔχομαι μὲν γαλήνης ἀπολαῦσαι τὰς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὸν μακρὸν τοῦτον καὶ χαλεπὸν διαλυϑῆναι χειμῶνα. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐᾷ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτημάτων τὸ πλῆθος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξεδόθημεν διὰ ταῦτα τῷ σινιάξοντι, εὐχόμεθα τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς πίστεως χκινδύνων μεταλαχεῖν " ἵνα, ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου παῤῥησίαν οὐκ ἔχομεν, ἀπό γε τοῦ φυλάξαι τὴν πίστιν ἀχίόδηλον, οἴκτου τύχωμεν καὶ συγγνώμης ἐν τῇ τῆς Δεσποτιχῆς ἐπιφανείας ἡμέρᾳ. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν συνεύξασθαι καὶ τὴν σὴν παραχαλοῦμδν ἁγιωσύνην. ᾿ ΠΓ’". --- Θεοδωρήτου ἐπισκόπου Κύρου, πρὸς Διόσ- Μεγίστην φέρει τοῖς συχοφαντουμένοις παραψυχὴν «ὰ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς διηγήματα. Ὅταν γάρ τις ὑπὸ βληθεὶς τὰς ὀξείας δέξηται τῆς ἀθυμίας ἀκίδας, ἀναμιμνήσχεταί τε τῆς κατὰ τὸν ἀξιάγαστον Ἰωσὴφ ἱστορίας, καὶ ὁρῶν τῆς σιυφροσύνης τὸ ἄγαλμα, καὶ τῆς πμντοδαπῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν διδάσκαλον συκοφαντίας γραφὴν ὑπομείναντα, … καὶ πεδιθέντα, καὶ πλεῖστον ὅσον ἐν εἰρκτῇ σχολάσαντα χρόνον, τῷ τοῦ διηγήματος φαρμάκῳ βαστάζει τὴν ἀλγηδόνα " ὅταν δὲ πάλιν εὕρἰσκῇ τὸν πραότατον Δαβὶδ ὡς τύραννον ὑπὸ τοῦ Σαοὺλ ἐλαυνόμενον, τὸν δὲ τὸν πολέμιον θηρεύπάλιν ἐντεῦθεν τῆς ἀθυμίας λαμδάνει. Ὅταν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν ἴδῃ τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστὸν τὸν Ποιητὴν τῶν αἰώνων, τὸν των ἁπάντων Δημιουργὸν, τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν, καὶ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν, πάλιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλιτηρίων Ἰουδαίων φάγον καὶ οἱνοπότην ὀνομαζόμενον, οὐκ ἔτι μόνον ψυχαγωγίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐθυμίαν καρποῦται μεγίστην" ἅτε δὴ τῆς Δε… Ταῦτα δὲ γράψαι νῦν ἠναγκάσθην, ἐντυχὼν τοῖς παρὰ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος γραφεῖσι τῷ δεσπότῃ μου τῷ θεοφιλεστάτῳ καὶ ἁγιωτάτῳ ἀρχιεπισχόπῳ Δόμνῳ. Προσέκειτο γὰρ αὐτοῖς καὶ τόδε, ὥς τινες τὴν μεγίστην πόλιν, τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς ἁγιότητος ἰθυνομένην, κατειληφότες, ἔγραψαν ἡμᾶς ὡς εἰς δύο υἱοὺς μερίζοντας τὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ ταῦτα ἐν ᾿Αντιοχείᾳ διαλεγομένους, ἔνθα πολλαὶ μυριάδες τῶν ἀκροατῶν πληροῦσι τὸν σύλλογον. Καὶ ἐκείνους μὲν ἐθρήνησα ὡς προδὲ, καί μοι σύγγνωθι, δέσποτα, ὑπὸ ὀδύντς λέγεῖν βιαζομένῳ, ὅτι μοι θατέραν τῶν ἀκοῶν ἡ κατὰ Θεόν σου τελειότης οὐκ ἐφύλαξεν ἀκεραίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ψευδῶς παρ᾽ ἐχείνων εἰρημένοις ἐπίστευσεν " κἀκεῖνοι μὲν τρεῖς εἶσιν ἢ τέσσαρες, ἣ πέντε καὶ δέκα. Ἐγὼ δὲ πολλὰς ἔχω μυριάδας ἀκροατῶν τῇ τῆς διδασκαλίας ὀρθότητι μαρτυρούσας. Ἕξ μὲν γὰρ ἕτη διετέλεσα διδάσκων ἐπὶ τοῦ τῆς μακαρίας καὶ ὁσίας μνήμης Θεοδότου τῆς ᾿Αντιοχέων ἐπισκόπου, ὃς καὶ βίῳ λαμπρῷ καὶ τῇ τῶν θείων δογμάτων ἐχεχόσμητο γνώσει" τρὶς καὶ δέκα πάλιν ἕτερα ἐπὶ τοῦ τῆς ὁσίας καὶ μακαρίας μνήμης Ἰωάννου τοῦ ἐπισκόπον, ὃς τοσοντον ἐγάννυτο διαλεγομένων ἡμῶν, ὡς ἄμφω τὼ χεῖρε κινεῖν, καὶ διανίστασθαι πολλάκις " ὅτι δὲ, παιδόθεν τοῖς θείοις λόγοις ἐντεθραμμένος, ἀχριθδή λίαν εἶχε τῶν θείων δογμάτων τὴν εἴδησιν, ἐμαρτύρησεν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν ἡἧ σὴ ὁσιόνης. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἐστιν ἔτος τοῦ θεοφιλεστάτου ἀρχιεπισχόπου θεραπεύει τοῦ κυρίου Δόμνονυ. Καὶ μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας, τοσούτου παρελθόντος χρόνου, οὐδεὶς οὔτε τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων, οὔτε τῶν εὐλαδεστάτων κληρικῶν, τοῖς παρ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰρημένοις ἐμέμψατο … ἢ ἁγιότης ἡ σὴ πώποτε. Μεθ᾿ ὅσης δὲ θυμηδίας καὶ οὗ φιλόχριστοι αὶ λαοὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐπαΐουσι λόγων, ῥάδιόν σου τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν τελειότητα παρὰ τῶν ἐκεῖθεν ἐνταῦθα παραγενομένων, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐντεῦθεν Ταῦτα λέγω) οὐ σεμνυνόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπολογεῖσθα’ βιαζόμενος, οὔτε μὴν λαμπρότητα, ἀλλ᾽ ὁρθότητα μόνον τοῖς ἐμαυτοῦ λόγοις προσμαρτυρῶν. Καὶ ὁ μέγας δὲ τῆς οἰκουμένης διδάτκαλος, ἔσχατὸν ἑαυτὸν τῶν ἁγίων καὶ πρῶτον τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὀνομάζων ἀεὶ, ἠναγκάσθη, τῶν ψενδηγόρων των τὰ στόματα, τὸν τῶν οἰκείων πόνων ἐκθεῖναι κατάλογον" καὶ δεικνὺς ὡς τῆς ἀνάγκης ἦν (δ), ἀλλ' οὐ τῆς γνώμης, ἣἡ τῶν παθημάτων διήγησις, ἐπήγα- Ἐγὼ δὲ ἄθλιον ἐμαυτὸν καὶ τρισάθλιον οἵδα" πολλοῖς γὰρ ὑποχείμενον πλημμελήμασι" διὰ δὲ μόνης πίστεως ἐν τῇ τῆς θείας ἐπιφανείας ἡμέρᾳ, φειδοῦς τινος ἀπολαύσεσαθαι προσδοκῶ. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἀκολουθεῖν ἴχνεσι, καὶ προθυμοῦμαι, καὶ προσεύχομαι, καὶ τὴν εὐανγελιχὴν διδασκαλίαν, ἣν ἐν κεφαλαίῳ παρέδοσαν ἡμῖν οἱ ἐν Πατέρες, σπουδάζω φυλάττειν ἀκήρατον. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἕνα πιστεύω εἶναι Θεὸν Πατέρα, καὶ ἕν Πνεῦμα ἅγιον ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἐκπορευόμενον" οὕτω καὶ ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ μονογενῆ, πρὸ πάντων τῶν αἰώνων ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς γεγεν[ν]ημένον, ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης, καὶ χαρακτῇρα τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑποστάσεως, διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίαν σαρκωθέντα καὶ ἐνανθρωπήσαντα, καὶ κατὰ σάρκα ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς Παρθένου τεχθέντα. Οὕτω γὰρ ἡμᾶς καὶ ὁ πάνσοφος διδάσκει Παῦλος. « Ὧν οἱ πατέρες, φησὶ, καὶ ἐξ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς τὸ κατὰ σάρκα, ὁ ὧν ἐπὶ πάντων θεὸς εὖλογητὸς εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ᾿Αμήν. » Καὶ πάλιν" « Περὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ γενομένου ἐκ σπέρματὸς Δαδὶδ κατὰ σάρκα, τοῦ ὁρισθέντος Υἱοῦ θεοῦ ἐν δυνάμει κατὰ Πνεῦμα ἁγιωσύνης. » Διὰ γὰρ νον, καὶ τοὺς τὴν προσηγορίαν ταύτην παραιτουμένους, ἀλλοτρίους τῆς εὐσεδείας ἡγούμεθα. Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τοὺς εἰς δύο πρόσωπα, ἣ δύο υἱοὺς, ἣ εἰς δύο κυρίους μερίξοντας τὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, χιδδήλους ὀνομάζομεν, καὶ τῆς τῶν φιλοχρίστων ἀποχρίνομεν μοίρας. Ἦκουσαμεν γὰρ τοῦ θειοτάτου Παύλου λέγοντος" « Εἷς Κύριος, μία πίστις, ἐν βάπτισμα. » Καὶ πάλιν’ ε Εἷς Κύριος, Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, δι᾽ οὗ τὰ πάντα.ν Καὶ αὖθις" ε Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς χθὲς καὶ σήμερον ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας.» Καὶ ἑτέρωθι, ε« Ὁ χαταδὰς, αὐτὸς καὶ ὁ ἀναθὰς ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν πάντων. » Καὶ μυρίας δὲ τοιαύτας ([ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν παρ᾽ αὐτῷ φωνὰς τὸν ἕνα Κύριον χηρυττούσας. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ θεῖος εὐαγγελιστὴ: βοᾷ" ε« Καὶ ὁ Λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο, καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν (καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς Νίονογενοῦ; παρὰ Πατρὸς) πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας. ν Καὶ ὁ τούτου δὲ ὁμώνυμος ἐδόα λέγων" « Ὁπίσὺ) μου ἔρχεται ἀνὴρ, ὃς ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν, ὅτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. » Καὶ τὸ ἕν πρόσωπον δείξας ἀμφότερα τέθηχε, καὶ τὰ ϑεῖα, καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα. ᾿Ανθρώπινον μὲν γὰρ, καὶ τὸ, ἀνὴρ, καὶ τὸ, ἔρχεται" θεῖον δὲ τὸ, Οτι πρῶτός μου ἦν. ᾽Αλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐκ ἄλλον οἷδε τὸν ὀπίσω ἐρχόμενον, καὶ ἄλλον τὸν πρὸ αὐτοῦ ὄντα" ἀλλὰ τὸν αὐτὸν οἷδε ᾿προα!ὠνιον μὲν ὡς Θεὸν, ἄνθρωπον δὲ μετ᾽ αὐτὸν ἐκ Οὕτω καὶ ὁ τρισμαχάριος θωμᾶς τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου σαρκὶ τὴν χεῖρα προσενεγκῶν, Κύριον ὠνόμασε καὶ Θεὸν, εἰπών ε« Ὁ Κύριός μου καὶ ὁ Θεός μου" » διὰ τῆς ὁρωμένης φύσεως καταμαθὼν τὸν ἀόρατον. Οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς, τῆς μὲν αὐτοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ ᾿ «ἧς θεότητος τὴν διαφορὰν ἐπιστάμεθα᾽ ἕνα δὲ ἴσμεν (, Υἱὸν τὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα Θεὸν Λόγον. Ταῦτα καὶ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς ἐδιδάχθημεν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ταύτην ἡρμηνευχότων "ἁγίων Πατέρων, ᾿Αλεξάνδρου καὶ ᾿Αθανασίου, τῶν μεγαλοφώνων κηρύκων τῆς ἀληθείας, οἵἨὨ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ὑμῶν κατεχόσμησαν θρόνον, καὶ Βασιλείου, καὶ Γρηγορίου, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῆς οἰἶχουμένης φωστήρων. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τοῖς τῶν μαχαμένοι, τοὺς ἀντιλέγειν τολμῶντας ἐπιστομίζομεν, αὑτὰ μαρτυρεῖ τὰ γράμματα. Τοὺς γὰρ τῆς Δεσποτιχῆς σαρκὸς καὶ τῆς θεότητος τὴν διαφορὰν ἀρνουμένους, καὶ ποτὲ μὲν τὴν θείαν φύσιν εἰς σάρκα τετράφθαι λέγοντας, ποτὲ δὲ τὴν σάρκα εἰς θεότητος μεταδεδλῆσθαι φύσιν, τοῖς τῶν θαυσπουδάζομεν. Σαφῶς γὰρ καὶ τῶν δύο φύσεων τὴν διαφορὰν ἡμᾶς ἐχπαιδεύουσι, καὶ τὸ ἄτρεπτον τῆς … σεως θείας χηρύττουτι φύσεως, καὶ τὴν Δεσποτικὴν σάρχα θείαν μὲν ἀποχαλοῦσιν, ὡς τοῦ Θεοῦ "Λόγον σάρκα γεγενημένην' τὸ δὲ εἰς θεότητος αὐτὴν με- Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Κύριλλος πολλάκις ἡμῖν ἐπέστειλεν, οἶμαι καὶ τὴν σὴν σαφῶς εἰδέναι τελειότητα. Καὶ ἡνίχα δὲ τὰ κατὰ Ἰουλιανοῦ συγγράμματα εἰς τὴν ᾿Αντιόχειαν ἐχπέπομφεν, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ τὰ εἰς τὸν ἀποπομπαῖον γραφέντα, τὸν μακάριον ἤτησεν Ἰωάννην τὸν «ἧς ᾿Αντιοχέων ἐπίσκοπον, ἐπιδεῖξαι ταῦτα τοῖς κατὰ τὴν ἑῴαν διαπρέπουσι διδασκάλοις, καὶ δὴ τοῖς γράμμασιν εἴξας ὁ μακάριος Ἰωάννης πέσαμεν, καὶ ἐπεστείλαμεν τῷ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Κυρῇλῳ" καὶ ἀντέγραψε πάλιν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἀκρίβειαν ἡμῖν καὶ διάθεσιν μαρτυρῶν’ καὶ σώζεται ταῦτα τὰ γράμματα παρ᾽ ἡμῖν. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τοῖς περὶ Νεστορίου ᾿θεῖσι τόμοις ὑπὸ τοῦ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Ἰωάννου δὶς ὑπεγράψαμεν, μαρτυροῦσιν ἡμῖν αἰ χεῖρες. ᾿Αλλ’ οὗτοι ταῦτα περὶ ἡμῶν θρυλλοῦσι, τὴν οἰκείαν νόσον τῇ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν συκοφαντίᾳ συσχιάζειν πειρώμενοι. Αποστρατήτω τοίνυν ἡ σὴ ὁσιότης (Ὁ) τοὺς λαλοῦντας τὸ ψεῦδος, καὶ τῆς ἔχχλησιάᾶστικῆς φροντιζέτω γαλήνης, καὶ τοὺς διαφθείρειν ἐπιχειροῦντας τῆς ἀληθείας τὰ δόγματα, ἣ τοῖς ἀλεξικάχοις θεραπευέτω φαρμάκοις, ἣ τὴν θεραπείαν φὴ δεχομένους, ὡς ἀνηχέστω: διακειμένους, τῶν ποιμνίων ἐξελασάτω, ἵνα μὴ τῆς ἐχείνων λώόδης μεταλάχῃ τὰ πρόδατα, ἡμᾶς δὲ τῆς συνήθους ἀξιούτω προσρήσεως. Ὅτι γὰρ ἃ φρονοῦμεν γεγράφαμεν, μαρτυρεῖ καὶ τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν συγγραφέντα εἰς τὰς θείας Γραφὰς, καὶ κατὰ τῶν τὰ τοῦ Ἀρείου καὶ Εὐνομίου φρονούντων. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ σύντομον ἀχροτελεύτιον τίθημι Εἴ τις οὐκ ὁμολογεῖ τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον Θεοτόκον, ἣ ψιλὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀποκαλεῖ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, ἣ εἰς δύο υἱοὺς μερίζει τὸν ἕνα Μονογενῖ,, καὶ πρωτότοκον πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, ἐχπέσοι τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν ἐλπίδος, καὶ εἰπάτω πᾶς ὁ λαός" Γένοιτο, γένοιτο [ ἱεράς σου εὐχὰς παρασχεῖν μοι, δέσποτα, καταξίωσον, καὶ ἀντιγράφοις εὐφρᾶναι, δηλοῦσιν ὡς ἀπἐστράφη σου ἡ ἀγιωσύνη τοὺς συκοφάντας. Πᾶσαν τὴν σὴν θεοσεδείᾳ ἐν Χριστῷ ἀδελφότητα, ἐγώ τε καὶ οἱ σὺν ἐμοὶ προσαγορεύομεν. ΠΔ΄. --- Τοῖς ἐν Κιλικίᾳ ἐπισκόποις. Τὰς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγενημένας συκοφαντίας μεμάθηκεν πάντως ἡ ὑμετέρα φιλοθεῖα. Οἱ γὰρ τἀναντία τῇ ἀληθείᾳ φρονοῦντες, εἰς δύο υἱοὺς μερίζειν ἡμᾶς φᾶσι τὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν τὸν μονογενῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ γΥίόν. Λέγουσι δέ τινες τῆς συκοφαντίας αὐτοὺς λαμύάνειν τὰς ἀφορμὰς ἔχ τινων εὐαριθμήτων παρ᾽ ὑμῖν ταῦτα φρονούντων, καὶ ᾿ εἰς δύο πρόσωπα διαιρούντων τὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα Θεὸν Λόγον. Οὺὃς δεῖ τῆς ἀποστολικῇς ἐπακοῦσαι φωνῆς διαῤῥήδην βοώσης" « Εἷς Κύριος, Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, δι᾽ οὗ τὰ πάντα. » Καὶ πάλιν" ε Εἷς Κύριος, μία πίστις, ἕν βάπτισμα. » Ἔδει δὲ αὐτοὺς καὶ ταῖς Δεσποτικαῖς ἀκολουθῆσαι διδασκαλίαις. Καὶ γὰρ αὖτὸς ὁ Κύριος οὕτω φησίν" ε Οὐδεὶς ἀναδέδηχεν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, εἰ μὴ ὁ ἕχ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ χαταὔὰς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ὃ ὧν ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. » Καὶ πάλιν’ « Ἐὰν ἴδητε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπον ἀναδαίνοντα ὅπου ἦν τὸ πρότερον. » Καὶ ἡ παράδοσις δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος ἕνα Υἱὸν ἡμᾶς εἶναι διδάὄχει, ὡς ἕνα Πατέρα, καὶ ἕν ἅγιον Πνεῦμα. ἵζαταξιωσάτω τοίνυν ἡ ὑμετέρα. φιλοθεῖα, εἴπερ ἄρα τινὲς ὅλως εἰσὶν (ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐ πείθομαι), τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς δόγμασιν ἀπειθοῦντες, καὶ ἐπιστομίσαι αὐτοὺς, καὶ ἐκκλησιαστικῶς σωφρονίσαι, καὶ διδάξαι τοῖς τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων ἀκολουθεῖν ἴχνεσι, καὶ τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας ἐκτεθεῖσαν πίστιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγίων καὶ μακαρίων Πατέρων ἀκήρατον φυλάττειν, ἅτε δὴ τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν καὶ ἀποστολικὴν διδασκαλίαν ἐν κεφαλαίῳ διδάσκουσαν. Πρέπει γὰρ ὑμῖν, θεοφιλέστατοι, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξης, καὶ τῆς κοινῇς εὐκλείας φροντίσαι, καὶ μὴ περιιδεῖν τὴν κατὰ κοινοῦ χωροῦσαὺ λοιδορίαν διὰ τὴν τῶν ὀλίγων τούτων ἀνθρώπων ἀμαθίαν, ἣ φιλονεικίαν, εἴπερ τινὲς ὅλως εἰσὶν, εἰ ᾿ καὶ μὴ κατὰ τούτων, ὡσπεροῦν καὶ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, παρἐθηξαν τὰς γλώσσας οἱ συκοφάνται. Καταξιοῦτε δὲ μνημονεύειν ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς πρὸς τὸν Κύριον προσευχαῖς. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ τῆς ἀγάπης παρακελεύεται νόμος. ἐπισχόπῳ. Κεφάλαιον τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὴν ἀγάπην ὁ θεσπέσιος προσηγόρευσε Παῦλος, καὶ ταύτῃ τρέφεσθαι τῆς πίστέως τοὺς τροφίμους παρεκελεύσατο. Ταύτης ἔχουσα τὸν πλοῦτον ἡ σὴ θεοσέδεια, καὶ ἅπερ ἐχρῆν εἰσἡγήσατο, καὶ τὰ θυμήρη μεμήνυχε. Τί γὰρ θυμηρέστερον τυῖς φοδουμένοις ᾿ τὸν Κύριον τῆς τῶν ὁρθῶν δογμάτων ὑγείας τε καὶ συμφωνίας; Εὖ ἴσθι τοίνυν, θεοφιλέστατε, ὡς ἄγαν ἤσθημεν τὰ περὶ τοῦ “κοινοῦ φίλου μεμαθηκότες" καὶ ὅσον πρώην ᾿λγήσαμεν, ἀκούσαντες ὡς μίαν εἶναι φύσιν σαρκὸς καὶ θεότητος λέγει, καὶ ὡς ἄντικρυς τῇ ἀπαθεῖ θεότητι τὸ σωτήριον πάθος προσάπτει, οὕτως ηὐφράνθημεν τοῖς τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος γράμμασιν ἐντυχόντες, καὶ μεμαθηκότες ὡς ἀκεραίους φυλάττει τὰς τῶν φύσεων ἰδιότητας, καὶ οὔτε τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον εἰς σάρκα τετράφθαι φησὶν, οὔτε τὴν σάρκα εἰς θεότητος μεταδεδλῇσθαι φύσιν" ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ ἑνὶ Υἱῷ, τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡ μῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ, τῷ ἐνανθρωπήσαντι Θεῷ Λόγῳ, ἀσυγχύτους μεμενηκέναι φησὶν τὰς ἑκατέρας φύσεως ἰδιότητας" καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν ἀνυμνήσαμεν ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς θείας πίστεως συμφωνίᾳ. Εἰς μέντοι Κιλικίαν ἑκατέραν γεγράφαμεν, καίτοι σαφῶς οὐκ εἰδότες, εἴπερ τινές εἶσιν ἐναντία τῇ ἁληθείᾳ φρονοῦντες, καὶ παρηγγυήσαμεν τοῖς θεοφιλεστάτοις ἐπισκόποις ἰχνεῦσαι καὶ ζητῆσαι, εἴπερ ἄρα τινές εἶσιν εἰς δύο νἱοὺς διαιροῦντες τὸν ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν" καὶ ἣ παραινετιχῶς σωφρονίσαι, ἣ τοῦ καταλόγου χωρίσαι τῶν ἀδελφῶν. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ ὁμοίως ἀποστρεφόμεθα, καὶ τοὺς μίαν φύσιν σαρκὸς καὶ θεότητος εἶναι λέγειν τολμῶντας, καὶ τοὺς εἰς δύο υἱοὺς μερίζοντας τὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἱησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ὄρων ἕξω βαίνειν ἐπιχειροῦντας. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ πρὸ; εἰρήνην ἐσμὲν εὑτρεπεῖς, θαῤῥείτω σον ἣ ὁσιότης. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ Προφήτης φησίν" «Μετὰ τῶν μισούντων τὴν εἰρήνην ἥμην εἰρηνικός"» πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμεῖς τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν εἰρήνην ἁσπαστῶς προσδεχόμεθα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ εἷς τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειάν τινες ἔδραμον τῶν τῷ ψεύδει συντεθραμμένων, καὶ συκοφαντίας ἔῤῥαψαν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν, καὶ «τοῖς τοιούτοις λόγοις ὑπαχθεὶς ὁ θεοφιλέστατος τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης ἐπίσκοπος, καί τοι πληροφορηθεὶ ς δι’ ἡμετέρων γραμμάτων, τινὰ τῶν θεοσεδεστάτων ἐπισκόπων εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἀπέστειλε πόλιν" χαταξιωσάτω σου ἣἧ θεοσέόεια τὴν οἰκείαν εὕνοιαν δεῖξαι συνήθως καὶ ἀντιτάξαι τῷ ψεύδει τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Πολλὰς μὲν ἐν τῷ παρόντι χαιρῷ, τὰ πάντα θεοτοῦ παντὸς ἐπικαλεσάμενοι Κυδερνήτην, ἀντισχεῖν φιδυνήθημεν πρὸς τὸν κλύδωνα᾽ τὰ δὲ νῦν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν Νομίσαντες γὰρ σύμμαχον σχήσειν καὶ συνεργὸν εἰς τὰ κατὰ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς πίστεως τυρευόμενα, τὸν θεοφιλέστατον τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἐπίαχοπον, τὸν χύριον Διόσκορον, ἀπεστείλαμεν ἕνα τῶν παρ᾽ ἡμῖν εὐὖμετὰ συνοδιχῶν γραμμάτων, διδάξαντες αὐτοῦ τὴν θεοσέδειαν, ὡς ταῖς γεγενημέναις ἐπὶ τοῦ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Κυρίλλον συνθήκαις ἐμμένομεν, καὶ τὴν τε παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ γραφεῖσαν στέργομεν ἐπιστολὴν, τήν τε τοῦ μακαριωτάτου καὶ ἐν ἁγίοις ᾿Αθανασίου, ἣν πρὸς τὸν μακάριον Ἑπίκτητον ἔγραψεν, ἀσπασίως καὶ πρό γε τούτων, τὴν ἐν Νικαίᾳ τῆς Βιθυνίας ἔχταθεῖσαν πίστιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ μακαρίων Πατέρων. Καὶ παρεκαλέσαμεν τοὺς τ[οι]ούτοις ἐμμένειν οὗ βουλομένους ἐμμεῖναι παρασκευάσαι. ᾿Αλλά τις ἐντεῦθεν δραμὼν τῶν τἀναντία φρονούντων, καὶ τοὺς … θορύδους τούτους ἐργαζομένων, ἐξαπατησας τῶν αὸτόθι τινὰς, καὶ μυρίας καθ᾽ ἡμῶν συκοφαντίας ὑφήνας, παρεσκεύασεν ἀθέσμους καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐχθοήσεις “γενέσθαι. Ὁ δὲ θεοφιλέστατος ἐπίσκοπος Διοσκορος γέγραφεν ἡμῖν ἐπιστολὴν, ἣν οὐκ ἔδει γράψαι τὸν παρὰ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ μεμαθηκότα ἀκοὴν ματαίαν οὐ παραδέχεσθαι. Πιστεύσας γὰρ τοῖς καθ' ἡμῶν εἰρημένοις, ὡς ἀκριδῶς τούτων ἕχαστον ἐξετάσας, καὶ ἐκ τῆς βασάνου μεμαθηκὼς [τ]ἀληθὲς, οὕτως ἡμῶν κατεψηφίσατο. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς γενναίως τὴν συκοφαντίαν ἠνέγκαμεν, καὶ χρηστοῖς γράμμασιν ἡμειψάμεθα, καὶ πεπείχαμεν αὐτοῦ τὴν θεοσέδειαν, ὡς πάντα ταῦτα ψευδῇ, καὶ ὡς οὐδεὶς τῶν τῆς ᾿Ανατολῖς θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων ἐναντία τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ιν φρονεῖ δόγμασιν. ᾿Ἐπείσθησαν δὲ καὶ δι᾿ αὐτῆς τῶν πραγμάτων τῆς πείρας καὶ οἱ ἀποσταλέντες παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ εὐλαδέστατοι κληρικοί. Ὁ δὲ πᾶσιν ἐῤῥῶσθαι φράσας, καὶ τοῖς συκοφαντοῦσι τὰς ἀκοὰς ἐκδοὺς, πρᾶγμα πεποίηκεν οὐδαμῶς πιστευθῆναι δυνάμενον, εἰ μὴ πᾶσαν εἶχε μαρτυροῦσαν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν. Ἠνέσχετο μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀναθεματιζόντων ἡμᾶς" ἀναστὰς δὲ καὶ προσφωνῆσας ἐχείνων φωνὰς ἐπεβεβαίωσε. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καί τινας τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἀπέστειλεν, ὡς ἔγνωμεν, πόλιν, αὐξῆσαι τοὺς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν θορύθδους ἐλπίζων. Ἡμεῖς δὲ πρῶτον μὲν τὸν τῶν ὅλων Ἐπὀπτὴν πρόμαχον ἔχομεν' ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῶν θείων αὐτοῦ δογμάτων ἀγωνιζόμεθα. "Ἐπειτα δὲ καὶ τὴν σὴν ἁγιωσύνην παρακαλοῦμεν τῆς πολεμουμένης πίστεως κανόνων. Ἕν ἐκείνῃ γὰρ τῇ βασιλευούσῃ πόλει συνελθόντες οἱ μακάριοι Πατέρες, συμφώνως τοῖς ἐν καὶ ἑκάστῃ διοικήσει τὰ ἑαυτῆς ἀπένειμαν, ἄντιδιοιχήσεως ἑτέρᾳ μὴ ἐπιέναι" ἀλλὰ τὸν ᾿Αλεξανδρείας ἐπίσκοπον τὰ τῆς Αἰγύπτου μόνα διοικεῖν, καὶ ἑκάστην διοίκησιν τὰ οἰκεῖα. Ὁ δὲ τούτοις ἐμμένειν τοῖς ὅροις οὐ βούλεται, ἀλλ' ἄνω καὶ χάτιρ τοῦ μακαρίου Μάρκου τὸν θρόνον προδάλλεται" καὶ ταῦτα σαφῶς εἰδὼς, ὡς τοῦ μεγάλου Πέτρου τὸν θρόνον ἢ ᾿Αντιοχέων μεγαλόπολις ἔχει, ὃς καὶ τοῦ μακαρίου Μάρκου διδάσκαλος ἦν, καὶ τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν ἀποστόλων πρῶτος καὶ κορυφαῖος. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς τοῦ μὲν θρόνου τὸ ὕψος ἐπιστάμεθα, ἑαντοὺς δὲ καὶ γινώσκομεν καὶ μετροῦμεν. Τὴν γὰρ ἀποστολικὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην ἄνωθεν μεμαθήκαμεν. Τὴν δὲ σὴν ὁσιότητα παρακαλοῦμεν, μὴτε τοὺς ἁγίους κανόνας πατονμένους παριδεῖν, καὶ τῆς θείας πίστεως ὑπερμαχῇσαι προθύμως. Εἰς ταύτην γὰρ ἔχομεν ἐλπίδο «ἧς σωτηρίας, καὶ διὰ ταύτην τυχεῖν προσδοκῶμεν φιλανθρωπίας. Ἵνα δὲ μηδὲ τοῦτο ἀγνοήσῃ σου ἡ ὁσιότης, ἴσθι, δέσποτα, ὡς τὴν πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἔσχε μικροψυχίαν, ἐξ οὗ τοῖς παρ᾽ ὑμῖν γεγενημένοις συνοδιχοῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Πρόκλου συνεθέμεθα, τοῖς τῶν ἁγίων Πατέρων κανόσιν ἀκολουθήσαντες - καὶ περὶ «κούτου καὶ ἅπαξ ἡμῖν καὶ δὶς ἐνεκάλεσεν, ὡς προδεδωχόσι καὶ τῆς ᾿Αντιοχέων, ὡς λέγει, καὶ τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρέων Ἐκκλησίας τὰ δίκαια. Τούτων μεμνημένὸς, καὶ καιρὸν εὑρὼν, ὡς ὑπέλαδε, τὴν ἔδειξεν. ᾿Αλλὰ τῆς ἀληθείας οὐδὲν ἰσχυρότερον. Οἶδε γὰρ αὕτη καὶ δι᾽ ὀλίγων νικᾷν. Παρακαλῶ δέ σου τὴν ἁγιότητα, καὶ μνημονεύειν ἡμῶν ἐν ταῖς πρὸς πὸν Κύριον προσευχαῖς, ἵνα ἀντισχεῖν δυνηθῶμεν ᾿ πρὸς τὰ διάφορα κύματα. Ὃ μὲν τῆς φιλαδελφίας ἀπήτει νόμος, πολλὰς ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ παρόντι χαιρῷ δέξασθαι παρὰ τῆς σῆς φιλοθεῖας ἐπιστολάς. Παρεγγυᾷ γὰρ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, « Χχλαίειν μετὰ κλαιόντων, καὶ γαίρειν μετὰ χαιρόντων. » ᾿Εδεξάμην δὲ οὐδεμίαν, καίτοι παραγενομένων ἔναγχος πρὸς ἡμᾶς τῶν τε θεοσεδεστάτων μοναζόντων τῆς ὑμετέρας μονῆς, καὶ τοῦ θεοσεόεστάτου Ἠλίου τοῦ πρεσδυτέρον. Ἐγὼ δὲ γέγραφα, καὶ προσφθέγγομαϊί σου τὴν ὁσιότητα, καὶ γνωρίζω ὡς ἤρκεσεν ἡμῖν ἀντὶ πάντων ἡ τοῦ Δεσπότου ψυχαγωγία, Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ, οὐδ᾽ εἰ ἰσάριθμα τῶν ἡμετέρων τριχῶν σχοίημεν στόματα, ὑμνῆσαι αὐτὸν ἀξίως ἰσχύομεν, διὰ τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν ὁμολογίαν τῆς δοχούτης ἀτιμίας ἀξιωθέντες, ἣν πάσης τιμῆς σεδασμιωτέραν ἡγούμεθα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῆς οἰκουμένης ᾿οἰκῆσαι κατακριθῶμεν, πλέον αὐτὸν ἀνυμνήσομεν, ὅσῳ μειζόνων ἀγαθῶν ἀξιούμεθα. Εὐξάσθω δ᾽ ὅμως ἡ ὁσιότης σου, καὶ αἰτησάτω ταῖς ἁγίαις Ἐκκλησίαις γαλήνην. Τῆς γὰρ τούτων ἕνεκα ζάλης καὶ Καὶ γὰρ ἐξέωσαν, ὡς ἔγνωμεν, ταύτην οἱ ἀπὸ Ὁσροηνῇς κληρικοὶ, μυρία πάντων ἡμῶν καταχέοντες, καίτοι ἐμοῦ οὐδὲ συνδιχάσαντος, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐπ᾽ αὑτοῖς χοινωνήσαντος ψῆφον, ἀλλ᾽, ὡς οἶδέ σου ἡ ὁσιότης, καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν αὐτοῖς δοθῆναι τὸ Πάσχα παραχαλέσαντος. ᾿Αλλὰ ῥάδιον τοῖς συκοφάνταις λέγειν ἃ βούλονται. Ἡμᾶς δὲ ὁ τοῦ Δεσπότου παραμυθεῖται μακαρισμός. ε Μακάριοι γάρ ἔστε, φησὶν, ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς, καὶ διώξωσι, καὶ εἴπωσι πᾶν πονηρὸν ῥῆμα καθ᾽ ὑμῶν ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, ψευδόμενοι, Καίρετε καὶ ἀγαλλιᾶσθε, ὅτι ὁ μισθὸς ὑμῶν πολὺς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. »
Ēlpisa sychnas en tǭ paronti chairǭ dexasthai tēs sēs hagiōsynēs epistolas. Prodēlotatēn gar … edeometha. Hoi gar tēn Markiōnos, kai Balentinou, kai Manētos, kai tōn allōn Dochitōn hairesin epi ᾿ tou parontos ananeoumenoi, dyscherainontes hoti tēn airesin autōn antikrys stēliteuomen, exapatēsai ta? basilikas epeirathēsan akoas, hairetikous hēmas apokalountes, kai eis dyo merizein nious tountes ton hena Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, ton henanērōpēsanta Theon Logon. ᾿All᾽ ouk epeisan ᾿ hōsper ēlpisan legontes. Hou dē charin hypomnēstikon egraphē tǭ megaloprepestatǭ kai endoxotatǭ stratēgǭ kai hypatǭ, haireseōs men katēgorian oudemian echon, allas de tinas aitias, kai tautas pseudeis. Synodous gar elegon me sychnas eis tēn. ᾿Antiocheian synageirein, kai touto tinas lypein, kai dia touto chrēnai me hēsychian agein, kai tas enchecheirismenas oikonomein ᾿Ekklēsias. Toutou moi toinyn tou hypomnēstichou deichthentos, hērpasa tēn psēphon, hōs proxenon agathōn. Prōton men gar tēn «ripothēton apeladon hēsychian. Eita de pollas elpizō tōn hyp' emou plēmmelēthentōn exaleiphthēnai chtlidas dia tēn tyreutheisan kath᾽ hēmōn adikian hypo tōn tēs alētheias echthrōn. "Edeixe de kai lian enargōs kan tǭ paronti biǭ tōn holōn ho Prytanis, hosēn tōn adikoumenōn poieitai kēdemonian. Hēmōn gar hēsychian agontōn, kai eisō tōn tiss patridos horōn eirgomenōn, kai tōn kata tēn ᾿Anatolēn pantōn aniōmenōn. men, kai pikrōs odyromenōn, sigąn de dia to prospeson deos ēnanchasmenōn (ta gar kath᾽ hēmōn gegenēmena, to tēs deilias pasin enethēche … deos), autos ho Kyrios ek tou ouranou diechypse, kai tōn tēn sykophantian hyphēnantōn tēn sykophantian diēlenxe, kai to dyssedes autōn egymnōse phronēma. Houtoi kai tēn ᾿Alexandreian exōplisan kath᾽ hēmōn, kai tas pantōn akoas peridomdousi dia tōn axiōn hautōn hypourgōn, hōs hēmeis anth᾽ henos dyo kēryttomen huious. ᾿Egō de tosouton apechō tou mysarou toutou phronēmatos, hoti kai tinas tōn hagiōn Paterōn tōn en Nikaią synelēlythotōn heurēchōs pros tēn ᾿Areiou manian en syntagmasin. apoteinomenous, kai ananchazomenous dia ton pros ekeinous agōna pleioni diairesei kechrēsthai, dyscherainō kai hou prosiemai tēn toiautēn diairesin oida gar hōs ē anankē tēs diaireseōs ametrian eirgazeto. Kai hina me mē tis hypolathoi dediota nyn tauta legein, exesti tǭ boulomenǭ tois palaiois mou syngrammasin entychein, tois pro tēs synodou tēs en Ephesǭ, kai tois met᾽ echeinēn palin pro dyokaïdeka etōn. Dia gar tēn tou Theou charin, kai tous prophētas hapantas hērmēneusamen, kai to Healtę̄rion, kai ton ᾿Apostolon" kai pros tous ta ᾿Areiou phronountas, kai pros tous ta Machedoniou nosountas, kai pros tēn ᾿Apolinariou terthreian, kai pros tēn Markiōnos lyttan synegrapsamen palai" kai en ekastǭ tōn syngrammatōn, dia tēn tou Theou mou charin, to ekklēsiastikon phronēma dialampei. Kai mystikē de hēmin syngegraptai biblos, kai peri Pronoias hetera, kai pros tas peuseis tōn Magōn allē, kai tōn hagiōn ho bios, kai pros toutois hetera polla, hina mē kath᾽ hechaston legō. ᾿Apērithmēsa de tauta, ou philotimią chrōmenos, alla proklēsin prospherōn, kkai tois katēgorois, kai tois krinein ethelousin, hopoia an ethelōsi basanisai tōn syngrammatōn. Ou gar heurēsousin hēmas, dia tēn tou Theou mon garin, allo ti phronountas, hē haper para tēs hagias Graphēs pareilēphamen. Tauta toinyn mathousa par᾽ hēmōn hē hagiotēs sou, didaxatō tous agnoountas, kai tas loidorousas nous peithetō, mē toiauta peri hēmōn doxazein, hoia para tōn sykophantōn emathon " alla peithesthai tǭ nomothetę̄ boōnti" e« ᾿lkoēn mataian ou paradexę̄» kai anamenein tēn tōn pragmatōn exetasin. Egō de euchomai men galēnēs apolausai tas Ekklēsias, kai ton makron touton kai chalepon dialyϑēnai cheimōna. Ei de ouk eą tōn hēmeterōn hamartēmatōn to plēthos, all᾽ exedothēmen dia tauta tǭ siniaxonti, euchometha tōn hyper tēs pisteōs chkindynōn metalachein " hina, epeidē tēn apo tou biou parrhēsian ouk echomen, apo ge tou phylaxai tēn pistin achiodēlon, oiktou tychōmen kai syngnōmēs en tę̄ tēs Despotichēs epiphaneias hēmerą. Tauta de hēmin syneuxasthai kai tēn sēn parachaloumdn hagiōsynēn. ᾿ PG’". --- Theodōrētou episkopou Kyrou, pros Dios- Megistēn pherei tois sychophantoumenois parapsychēn «a tēs theias Graphēs diēgēmata. Hotan gar tis hypo blētheis tas oxeias dexētai tēs athymias akidas, anamimnēschetai te tēs kata ton axiagaston Iōsēph historias, kai horōn tēs siyphrosynēs to agalma, kai tēs pmntodapēs aretēs ton didaskalon sykophantias graphēn hypomeinanta, … kai pedithenta, kai pleiston hoson en eirktę̄ scholasanta chronon, tǭ tou diēgēmatos pharmakǭ bastazei tēn algēdona " hotan de palin heuriskę̄ ton praotaton Dabid hōs tyrannon hypo tou Saoul elaunomenon, ton de ton polemion thēreupalin enteuthen tēs athymias lamdanei. Hotan de kai auton idę̄ ton Despotēn Christon ton Poiētēn tōn aiōnōn, ton tōn hapantōn Dēmiourgon, ton alēthinon Theon, kai tou alēthinou Theou Huion, palin hypo tōn alitēriōn Ioudaiōn phagon kai hoinopotēn onomazomenon, ouk eti monon psychagōgian, alla kai euthymian karpoutai megistēn" hate dē tēs De… Tauta de grapsai nyn ēnankasthēn, entychōn tois para tēs sēs hosiotētos grapheisi tǭ despotę̄ mou tǭ theophilestatǭ kai hagiōtatǭ archiepischopǭ Domnǭ. Prosekeito gar autois kai tode, hōs tines tēn megistēn polin, tēn hypo tēs sēs hagiotētos ithynomenēn, kateilēphotes, egrapsan hēmas hōs eis dyo huious merizontas ton hena Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, kai tauta en ᾿Antiocheią dialegomenous, entha pollai myriades tōn akroatōn plērousi ton syllogon. Kai ekeinous men ethrēnēsa hōs prode, kai moi syngnōthi, despota, hypo odynts legein biazomenǭ, hoti moi thateran tōn akoōn hē kata Theon sou teleiotēs ouk ephylaxen akeraian, alla tois pseudōs par᾽ echeinōn eirēmenois episteusen " kakeinoi men treis eisin ē tessares, hē pente kai deka. Egō de pollas echō myriadas akroatōn tę̄ tēs didaskalias orthotēti martyrousas. Hex men gar hetē dietelesa didaskōn epi tou tēs makarias kai hosias mnēmēs Theodotou tēs ᾿Antiocheōn episkopou, hos kai biǭ lamprǭ kai tę̄ tōn theiōn dogmatōn echechosmēto gnōsei" tris kai deka palin hetera epi tou tēs hosias kai makarias mnēmēs Iōannou tou episkopon, hos tosonton egannyto dialegomenōn hēmōn, hōs amphō tō cheire kinein, kai dianistasthai pollakis " hoti de, paidothen tois theiois logois entethrammenos, achrithdē lian eiche tōn theiōn dogmatōn tēn eidēsin, emartyrēsen en tois grammasin hēē sē hosionēs. Pros de toutois estin etos tou theophilestatou archiepischopou therapeuei tou kyriou Domnony. Kai mechri tēs sēmeron hēmeras, tosoutou parelthontos chronou, oudeis oute tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn, oute tōn euladestatōn klērikōn, tois par᾽ hēmōn eirēmenois emempsato … ē hagiotēs hē sē pōpote. Meth᾿ hosēs de thymēdias kai hou philochristoi ai laoi tōn hēmeterōn epaïousi logōn, rhadion sou tēn kata Theon teleiotēta para tōn ekeithen entautha paragenomenōn, kai para tōn enteuthen Tauta legō) ou semnynomenos, all᾽ apologeistha’ biazomenos, oute mēn lamprotēta, all᾽ horthotēta monon tois emautou logois prosmartyrōn. Kai ho megas de tēs oikoumenēs didatkalos, eschaton heauton tōn hagiōn kai prōton tōn hamartōlōn onomazōn aei, ēnankasthē, tōn psendēgorōn tōn ta stomata, ton tōn oikeiōn ponōn ektheinai katalogon" kai deiknys hōs tēs anankēs ēn (d), all' ou tēs gnōmēs, hēē tōn pathēmatōn diēgēsis, epēga- Egō de athlion emauton kai trisathlion hoida" pollois gar hypocheimenon plēmmelēmasi" dia de monēs pisteōs en tę̄ tēs theias epiphaneias hēmerą, pheidous tinos apolausesathai prosdokō. Tois men gar tōn hagiōn Paterōn akolouthein ichnesi, kai prothymoumai, kai proseuchomai, kai tēn euangelichēn didaskalian, hēn en kephalaiǭ paredosan hēmin hoi en Pateres, spoudazō phylattein akēraton. Kai hōsper hena pisteuō einai Theon Patera, kai hen Pneuma hagion ek tou Patros ekporeuomenon" houtō kai hena Kyrion Iēsoun Christon, Huion tou Theou monogenē, pro pantōn tōn aiōnōn ek tou Patros gegen[n]ēmenon, apaugasma tēs doxēs, kai charaktę̄ra tēs tou Patros hypostaseōs, dia tēn tōn anthrōpōn sōtērian sarkōthenta kai enanthrōpēsanta, kai kata sarka ek Marias tēs Parthenou techthenta. Houtō gar hēmas kai ho pansophos didaskei Paulos. « Hōn hoi pateres, phēsi, kai ex hōn ho Christos to kata sarka, ho hōn epi pantōn theos eulogētos eis tous aiōnas. ᾿Amēn. » Kai palin" « Peri tou Huiou Theou tou genomenou ek spermatos Dadid kata sarka, tou horisthentos Huiou theou en dynamei kata Pneuma hagiōsynēs. » Dia gar non, kai tous tēn prosēgorian tautēn paraitoumenous, allotrious tēs eusedeias hēgoumetha. Hōsautōs de kai tous eis dyo prosōpa, hē dyo huious, hē eis dyo kyrious merixontas ton hena Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, chiddēlous onomazomen, kai tēs tōn philochristōn apochrinomen moiras. Ēkousamen gar tou theiotatou Paulou legontos" « Heis Kyrios, mia pistis, en baptisma. » Kai palin’ e Heis Kyrios, Iēsous Christos, di᾽ hou ta panta.n Kai authis" e Iēsous Christos chthes kai sēmeron ho autos kai eis tous aiōnas.» Kai heterōthi, e« Ho chatadas, autos kai ho anathas hyperanō tōn ouranōn pantōn. » Kai myrias de toiautas ([ estin idein par᾽ autǭ phōnas ton hena Kyrion chēryttousas. Houtō kai ho theios euangelistē: boą" e« Kai ho Logos sarx egeneto, kai eskēnōsen en hēmin (kai etheasametha tēn doxan autou, doxan hōs Nionogenou? para Patros) plērēs charitos kai alētheias. n Kai ho toutou de homōnymos edoa legōn" « Hopisy) mou erchetai anēr, hos emprosthen mou gegonen, hoti prōtos mou ēn. » Kai to hen prosōpon deixas amphotera tethēche, kai ta ϑeia, kai ta anthrōpina. ᾿Anthrōpinon men gar, kai to, anēr, kai to, erchetai" theion de to, Oti prōtos mou ēn. ᾽All᾽ homōs ouk allon hoide ton opisō erchomenon, kai allon ton pro autou onta" alla ton auton hoide ᾿proa!ōnion men hōs Theon, anthrōpon de met᾽ auton ek Houtō kai ho trismacharios thōmas tę̄ tou Kyriou sarki tēn cheira prosenenkōn, Kyrion ōnomase kai Theon, eipōn e« Ho Kyrios mou kai ho Theos mou" » dia tēs horōmenēs physeōs katamathōn ton aoraton. Houtō kai hēmeis, tēs men autou sarkos kai ᾿ «hēs theotētos tēn diaphoran epistametha᾽ hena de ismen (, Huion ton enanthrōpēsanta Theon Logon. Tauta kai para tēs hagias Graphēs edidachthēmen, kai para tōn tautēn hērmēneuchotōn "hagiōn Paterōn, ᾿Alexandrou kai ᾿Athanasiou, tōn megalophōnōn kērykōn tēs alētheias, hoiĒŌ ton apostolikon hymōn katechosmēsan thronon, kai Basileiou, kai Grēgoriou, kai tōn allōn tēs oiichoumenēs phōstērōn. Hoti de kai tois tōn machamenoi, tous antilegein tolmōntas epistomizomen, hauta martyrei ta grammata. Tous gar tēs Despotichēs sarkos kai tēs theotētos tēn diaphoran arnoumenous, kai pote men tēn theian physin eis sarka tetraphthai legontas, pote de tēn sarka eis theotētos metadedlēsthai physin, tois tōn thauspoudazomen. Saphōs gar kai tōn dyo physeōn tēn diaphoran hēmas echpaideuousi, kai to atrepton tēs … seōs theias chēryttouti physeōs, kai tēn Despotikēn sarcha theian men apochalousin, hōs tou Theou "Logon sarka gegenēmenēn' to de eis theotētos autēn me- Hoti de kai ho tēs makarias mnēmēs Kyrillos pollakis hēmin epesteilen, oimai kai tēn sēn saphōs eidenai teleiotēta. Kai hēnicha de ta kata Ioulianou syngrammata eis tēn ᾿Antiocheian echpepomphen, hōsautōs de kai ta eis ton apopompaion graphenta, ton makarion ētēsen Iōannēn ton «hēs ᾿Antiocheōn episkopon, epideixai tauta tois kata tēn heǭan diaprepousi didaskalois, kai dē tois grammasin eixas ho makarios Iōannēs pesamen, kai epesteilamen tǭ tēs makarias mnēmēs Kyrę̄lǭ" kai antegrapse palin hēmin, kai akribeian hēmin kai diathesin martyrōn’ kai sōzetai tauta ta grammata par᾽ hēmin. Hoti de kai tois peri Nestoriou ᾿theisi tomois hypo tou tēs makarias mnēmēs Iōannou dis hypegrapsamen, martyrousin hēmin ai cheires. ᾿All’ houtoi tauta peri hēmōn thryllousi, tēn oikeian noson tę̄ kath᾽ hēmōn sykophantią syschiazein peirōmenoi. Apostratētō toinyn hē sē hosiotēs (Ho) tous lalountas to pseudos, kai tēs echchlēsiaastikēs phrontizetō galēnēs, kai tous diaphtheirein epicheirountas tēs alētheias ta dogmata, hē tois alexikachois therapeuetō pharmakois, hē tēn therapeian phē dechomenous, hōs anēchestō: diakeimenous, tōn poimniōn exelasatō, hina mē tēs echeinōn lōodēs metalachę̄ ta prodata, hēmas de tēs synēthous axioutō prosrēseōs. Hoti gar ha phronoumen gegraphamen, martyrei kai ta par᾽ hēmōn syngraphenta eis tas theias Graphas, kai kata tōn ta tou Areiou kai Eunomiou phronountōn. Pros de toutois kai syntomon achroteleution tithēmi Ei tis ouk homologei tēn hagian Parthenon Theotokon, hē psilon anthrōpon apokalei ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, hē eis dyo huious merizei ton hena Monogeni,, kai prōtotokon pasēs tēs ktiseōs, echpesoi tēs eis Christon elpidos, kai eipatō pas ho laos" Genoito, genoito [ hieras sou euchas paraschein moi, despota, kataxiōson, kai antigraphois euphranai, dēlousin hōs apestraphē sou hē agiōsynē tous sykophantas. Pasan tēn sēn theosedeią en Christǭ adelphotēta, egō te kai hoi syn emoi prosagoreuomen. PD΄. --- Tois en Kilikią episkopois. Tas kath᾽ hēmōn gegenēmenas sykophantias memathēken pantōs hē hymetera philotheia. Hoi gar tanantia tę̄ alētheią phronountes, eis dyo huious merizein hēmas phasi ton hena Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon ton monogenę̄ tou Theou gUion. Legousi de tines tēs sykophantias autous lamyanein tas aphormas ech tinōn euarithmētōn par᾽ hymin tauta phronountōn, kai ᾿ eis dyo prosōpa diairountōn ton enanthrōpēsanta Theon Logon. Ouos dei tēs apostolikę̄s epakousai phōnēs diarrhēdēn boōsēs" « Heis Kyrios, Iēsous Christos, di᾽ hou ta panta. » Kai palin" e Heis Kyrios, mia pistis, hen baptisma. » Edei de autous kai tais Despotikais akolouthēsai didaskaliais. Kai gar autos ho Kyrios houtō phēsin" e Oudeis anadedēchen eis ton ouranon, ei mē ho hech tou ouranou chatauas, ho Huios tou anthrōpou, ho hōn en tǭ ouranǭ. » Kai palin’ « Ean idēte ton Huion tou anthrōpon anadainonta hopou ēn to proteron. » Kai hē paradosis de tou hagiou baptismatos hena Huion hēmas einai didaochei, hōs hena Patera, kai hen hagion Pneuma. hizataxiōsatō toinyn hē hymetera. philotheia, eiper ara tines holōs eisin (egō gar ou peithomai), tois apostolikois dogmasin apeithountes, kai epistomisai autous, kai ekklēsiastikōs sōphronisai, kai didaxai tois tōn hagiōn Paterōn akolouthein ichnesi, kai tēn en Nikaią tēs Bithynias ektetheisan pistin hypo tōn agiōn kai makariōn Paterōn akēraton phylattein, hate dē tēn euangelikēn kai apostolikēn didaskalian en kephalaiǭ didaskousan. Prepei gar hymin, theophilestatoi, kai tēs tou Theou doxēs, kai tēs koinę̄s eukleias phrontisai, kai mē periidein tēn kata koinou chōrousau loidorian dia tēn tōn oligōn toutōn anthrōpōn amathian, hē philoneikian, eiper tines holōs eisin, ei ᾿ kai mē kata toutōn, hōsperoun kai kath᾽ hēmōn, parethēxan tas glōssas hoi sykophantai. Kataxioute de mnēmoneuein hēmōn en tais pros ton Kyrion proseuchais. Touto gar ho tēs agapēs parakeleuetai nomos. epischopǭ. Kephalaion tōn agathōn tēn agapēn ho thespesios prosēgoreuse Paulos, kai tautę̄ trephesthai tēs pisteōs tous trophimous parekeleusato. Tautēs echousa ton plouton hē sē theosedeia, kai haper echrēn eisēgēsato, kai ta thymērē memēnyche. Ti gar thymēresteron tuis phodoumenois ᾿ ton Kyrion tēs tōn horthōn dogmatōn hygeias te kai symphōnias? Eu isthi toinyn, theophilestate, hōs agan ēsthēmen ta peri tou “koinou philou memathēkotes" kai hoson prōēn ᾿lgēsamen, akousantes hōs mian einai physin sarkos kai theotētos legei, kai hōs antikrys tę̄ apathei theotēti to sōtērion pathos prosaptei, houtōs ēuphranthēmen tois tēs sēs hosiotētos grammasin entychontes, kai memathēkotes hōs akeraious phylattei tas tōn physeōn idiotētas, kai oute ton Theon Logon eis sarka tetraphthai phēsin, oute tēn sarka eis theotētos metadedlę̄sthai physin" all᾽ en tǭ heni Huiǭ, tǭ Kyriǭ hē mōn Iēsou Christǭ, tǭ enanthrōpēsanti Theǭ Logǭ, asynchytous memenēkenai phēsin tas hekateras physeōs idiotētas" kai ton tōn holōn Theon anymnēsamen epi tę̄ tēs theias pisteōs symphōnią. Eis mentoi Kilikian hekateran gegraphamen, kaitoi saphōs ouk eidotes, eiper tines eisin enantia tę̄ halētheią phronountes, kai parēngyēsamen tois theophilestatois episkopois ichneusai kai zētēsai, eiper ara tines eisin eis dyo nious diairountes ton hena Kyrion Iēsoun Christon" kai hē parainetichōs sōphronisai, hē tou katalogou chōrisai tōn adelphōn. Tǭ onti gar homoiōs apostrephometha, kai tous mian physin sarkos kai theotētos einai legein tolmōntas, kai tous eis dyo huious merizontas ton hena Kyrion hēmōn Hiēsoun Christon, kai tōn apostolikōn orōn hexō bainein epicheirountas. Hoti de kai pro? eirēnēn esmen heutrepeis, tharrheitō son hē hosiotēs. Ei gar ho Prophētēs phēsin" «Meta tōn misountōn tēn eirēnēn hēmēn eirēnikos"» pollǭ mallon hēmeis tēn kata Theon eirēnēn haspastōs prosdechometha. Epeidē de kai heis tēn ᾿Alexandreian tines edramon tōn tǭ pseudei syntethrammenōn, kai sykophantias errhapsan kath᾽ hēmōn, kai «tois toioutois logois hypachtheis ho theophilestatos tēs poleōs ekeinēs episkopos, kai toi plērophorēthei s di’ hēmeterōn grammatōn, tina tōn theosedestatōn episkopōn eis tēn basileuousan apesteile polin" chataxiōsatō sou hēē theoseoeia tēn oikeian heunoian deixai synēthōs kai antitaxai tǭ pseudei tēn alētheian. Pollas men en tǭ paronti chairǭ, ta panta theotou pantos epikalesamenoi Kydernētēn, antischein phidynēthēmen pros ton klydōna᾽ ta de nyn kath᾽ hēmōn Nomisantes gar symmachon schēsein kai synergon eis ta kata tēs apostolikēs pisteōs tyreuomena, ton theophilestaton tēs ᾿Alexandreias epiachopon, ton chyrion Dioskoron, apesteilamen hena tōn par᾽ hēmin euymeta synodichōn grammatōn, didaxantes autou tēn theosedeian, hōs tais gegenēmenais epi tou tēs makarias mnēmēs Kyrillon synthēkais emmenomen, kai tēn te par᾽ autou grapheisan stergomen epistolēn, tēn te tou makariōtatou kai en hagiois ᾿Athanasiou, hēn pros ton makarion Hepiktēton egrapsen, aspasiōs kai pro ge toutōn, tēn en Nikaią tēs Bithynias echtatheisan pistin hypo tōn hagiōn kai makariōn Paterōn. Kai parekalesamen tous t[oi]outois emmenein hou boulomenous emmeinai paraskeuasai. ᾿Alla tis enteuthen dramōn tōn tanantia phronountōn, kai tous … thorydous toutous ergazomenōn, exapatēsas tōn aotothi tinas, kai myrias kath᾽ hēmōn sykophantias hyphēnas, pareskeuasen athesmous kath᾽ hēmōn echthoēseis “genesthai. Ho de theophilestatos episkopos Dioskoros gegraphen hēmin epistolēn, hēn ouk edei grapsai ton para tou tōn holōn Theou memathēkota akoēn mataian ou paradechesthai. Pisteusas gar tois kath' hēmōn eirēmenois, hōs akridōs toutōn hechaston exetasas, kai ek tēs basanou memathēkōs [t]alēthes, houtōs hēmōn katepsēphisato. ᾿All᾽ hēmeis gennaiōs tēn sykophantian ēnenkamen, kai chrēstois grammasin hēmeipsametha, kai pepeichamen autou tēn theosedeian, hōs panta tauta pseudę̄, kai hōs oudeis tōn tēs ᾿Anatolis theophilestatōn episkopōn enantia tois apostolikois in phronei dogmasin. ᾿Epeisthēsan de kai di᾿ autēs tōn pragmatōn tēs peiras kai hoi apostalentes par᾽ autou euladestatoi klērikoi. Ho de pasin errhōsthai phrasas, kai tois sykophantousi tas akoas ekdous, pragma pepoiēken oudamōs pisteuthēnai dynamenon, ei mē pasan eiche martyrousan tēn Ekklēsian. Ēnescheto men gar tōn anathematizontōn hēmas" anastas de kai prosphōnēsas echeinōn phōnas epebebaiōse. Pros de toutois, kai tinas tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn eis tēn basileuousan apesteilen, hōs egnōmen, polin, auxēsai tous kath᾽ hēmōn thorythdous elpizōn. Hēmeis de prōton men ton tōn holōn Epoptēn promachon echomen' hyper gar tōn theiōn autou dogmatōn agōnizometha. "Epeita de kai tēn sēn hagiōsynēn parakaloumen tēs polemoumenēs pisteōs kanonōn. Hen ekeinę̄ gar tę̄ basileuousę̄ polei synelthontes hoi makarioi Pateres, symphōnōs tois en kai hekastę̄ dioikēsei ta heautēs apeneiman, antidioichēseōs heterą mē epienai" alla ton ᾿Alexandreias episkopon ta tēs Aigyptou mona dioikein, kai hekastēn dioikēsin ta oikeia. Ho de toutois emmenein tois horois ou bouletai, all' anō kai chatir tou makariou Markou ton thronon prodalletai" kai tauta saphōs eidōs, hōs tou megalou Petrou ton thronon ē ᾿Antiocheōn megalopolis echei, hos kai tou makariou Markou didaskalos ēn, kai tou chorou tōn apostolōn prōtos kai koryphaios. ᾿All᾽ hēmeis tou men thronou to hypsos epistametha, heantous de kai ginōskomen kai metroumen. Tēn gar apostolikēn tapeinophrosynēn anōthen memathēkamen. Tēn de sēn hosiotēta parakaloumen, mēte tous hagious kanonas patonmenous paridein, kai tēs theias pisteōs hypermachę̄sai prothymōs. Eis tautēn gar echomen elpido «hēs sōtērias, kai dia tautēn tychein prosdokōmen philanthrōpias. Hina de mēde touto agnoēsę̄ sou hē hosiotēs, isthi, despota, hōs tēn pros hēmas esche mikropsychian, ex hou tois par᾽ hymin gegenēmenois synodichois epi tou tēs makarias mnēmēs Proklou synethemetha, tois tōn hagiōn Paterōn kanosin akolouthēsantes - kai peri «koutou kai hapax hēmin kai dis enekalesen, hōs prodedōchosi kai tēs ᾿Antiocheōn, hōs legei, kai tēs ᾿Alexandreōn Ekklēsias ta dikaia. Toutōn memnēmenos, kai kairon heurōn, hōs hypelade, tēn edeixen. ᾿Alla tēs alētheias ouden ischyroteron. Oide gar hautē kai di᾽ oligōn nikąn. Parakalō de sou tēn hagiotēta, kai mnēmoneuein hēmōn en tais pros pon Kyrion proseuchais, hina antischein dynēthōmen ᾿ pros ta diaphora kymata. Ho men tēs philadelphias apētei nomos, pollas hēmas en tǭ paronti chairǭ dexasthai para tēs sēs philotheias epistolas. Parengyą gar ho theios ᾿Apostolos, « Chchlaiein meta klaiontōn, kai gairein meta chairontōn. » ᾿Edexamēn de oudemian, kaitoi paragenomenōn enanchos pros hēmas tōn te theosedestatōn monazontōn tēs hymeteras monēs, kai tou theoseoestatou Ēliou tou presdyteron. Egō de gegrapha, kai prosphthengomaïi sou tēn hosiotēta, kai gnōrizō hōs ērkesen hēmin anti pantōn hē tou Despotou psychagōgia, Tǭ onti gar, oud᾽ ei isarithma tōn hēmeterōn trichōn schoiēmen stomata, hymnēsai auton axiōs ischyomen, dia tēn eis auton homologian tēs dochoutēs atimias axiōthentes, hēn pasēs timēs sedasmiōteran hēgoumetha. Ei de kai tas eschatias tēs oikoumenēs ᾿oikēsai katakrithōmen, pleon auton anymnēsomen, hosǭ meizonōn agathōn axioumetha. Euxasthō d᾽ homōs hē hosiotēs sou, kai aitēsatō tais hagiais Ekklēsiais galēnēn. Tēs gar toutōn heneka zalēs kai Kai gar exeōsan, hōs egnōmen, tautēn hoi apo Hosroēnę̄s klērikoi, myria pantōn hēmōn katacheontes, kaitoi emou oude syndichasantos, oude tēs ep᾽ hautois choinōnēsantos psēphon, all᾽, hōs oide sou hē hosiotēs, kai tēn koinōnian autois dothēnai to Pascha parachalesantos. ᾿Alla rhadion tois sykophantais legein ha boulontai. Hēmas de ho tou Despotou paramytheitai makarismos. e Makarioi gar este, phēsin, hotan oneidisōsin hymas, kai diōxōsi, kai eipōsi pan ponēron rhēma kath᾽ hymōn heneken emou, pseudomenoi, Kairete kai agalliasthe, hoti ho misthos hymōn polys en tois ouranois. »
I hoped to receive frequent letters from your Holiness at the present time. For most plainly … we needed them. Those who at present are renewing the heresy of Marcion, Valentinus, Mani and the other Docetists, vexed that we openly expose their heresy, tried to deceive the imperial ears, calling us heretics and … to divide into two sons our one Lord Jesus Christ, God the Word made man. But they did not persuade, as they hoped, by what they said. For this reason a memorandum was written to the most magnificent and most glorious general and consul, which contained no charge of heresy but certain other charges, and these false: they said that I keep gathering synods at Antioch, that this distresses some people, and that I must therefore keep quiet and manage the churches entrusted to me. When this memorandum was shown to me, I seized on the sentence as a source of blessings. First, I have gained the quiet I longed for. Then I hope that many stains of my offenses will be wiped out because of the injustice contrived against us by the enemies of the truth. And the Governor of the universe has shown very clearly, even in this present life, how much care he takes of the wronged. For while we kept quiet and were shut within the boundaries of our homeland, and all in the East were grieved and lamented bitterly but were forced to keep silent by the fear that had fallen on them (for what had been done to us put … fear into everyone), the Lord himself looked down from heaven, exposed the slander of those who had woven it, and laid bare their impious mind. These are the men who armed Alexandria against us, and through their worthy servants fill everyone's ears with the claim that we preach two sons instead of one. But I am so far from this abominable view that, when I found that some of the holy fathers who met at Nicaea, arguing in their writings against the madness of Arius and forced by their contest with those men to use a sharper distinction, I am uneasy and do not accept such a distinction; for I know that the necessity of the contest produced the excess in distinguishing. And so that no one may suppose I say this now out of fear, anyone who wishes may read my old writings, those before the synod of Ephesus and those after it, written twelve years ago. By God's grace we have interpreted all the prophets, the Psalter and the Apostle; long ago we wrote against those who hold the views of Arius, against those sick with the views of Macedonius, against the nonsense of Apollinaris and against the raving of Marcion; and in each of these writings, by the grace of my God, the mind of the church shines out. We have also written a mystical book, another on providence, another in answer to the questions of the Magi, the lives of the saints, and many others besides, not to list them one by one. I have counted these up not out of vanity, but to offer a challenge to the accusers and to those who wish to judge: let them examine whichever of my writings they please. They will not find us, by the grace of my God, holding anything other than what we have received from the holy Scripture. Now that your Holiness has learned this from us, teach those who do not know, and persuade the … who revile us not to think of us what they learned from the slanderers, but to obey the lawgiver who cries, 'You shall not receive an idle report', and to wait for an examination of the facts. For my part I pray that the churches may enjoy calm and that this long and grievous storm may be dispelled. But if the multitude of our sins does not allow it, and we have been handed over for them to the one who sifts, we pray to share in the dangers for the faith, so that, since we have no boldness from our life, we may at least find pity and pardon on the day of the Master's appearing for having kept the faith unsullied. We ask your Holiness also to join us in praying for this.
[Letter 83] Theodoret, bishop of Cyrus, to Dioscorus, archbishop of Alexandria. The narratives of divine Scripture bring the greatest consolation to those who are slandered. When someone … is struck and receives the sharp darts of despondency, he remembers the story of the admirable Joseph, and seeing that image of chastity, that teacher of every kind of virtue, undergo an indictment for slander, … and bound and spending a very long time in prison, he bears his pain with the medicine of that narrative. When again he finds the meekest David driven out like a tyrant by Saul, and … hunting the enemy, again he takes from this … of despondency. And when he sees the Master Christ himself, the Maker of the ages, the Creator of all things, the true God and Son of the true God, called once more by the guilty Jews a glutton and a winebibber, he reaps no longer only comfort but the greatest cheer, since … I have been compelled to write this now, having read what your Holiness wrote to my master, the most God-beloved and most holy archbishop Domnus. For this too was added there: that some who had come to the great city governed by your Holiness wrote that we divide our one Lord Jesus Christ into two sons, and that we say this when preaching at Antioch, where many tens of thousands of hearers fill the assembly. Those men I lamented … and forgive me, master, as one forced by pain to speak, that your perfection in God did not keep one of your ears unprejudiced for me but believed what they falsely said. They are three or four, or fifteen; but I have many tens of thousands of hearers who bear witness to the orthodoxy of my teaching. For six years I continued teaching under Theodotus of blessed and holy memory, bishop of Antioch, who was adorned with a brilliant life and with knowledge of the divine doctrines; then for another thirteen years under John of holy and blessed memory, the bishop, who was so delighted when we preached that he would raise both hands and often rise from his seat. That, brought up from childhood on the divine words, he had a very exact knowledge of the divine doctrines, your Holiness bore witness in your letters. Besides these there is the … year of the most God-beloved archbishop, lord Domnus. And to this day, after so long a time, none of the most God-beloved bishops or of the most reverent clergy has ever found fault with what we have said … your Holiness ever. With what delight the Christ-loving peoples listen to our words, your perfection in God can easily learn from those who come there from here and those who go from here … I say this not to boast but because I am forced to defend myself, bearing witness not to brilliance in my words but only to their orthodoxy. The great teacher of the world too, who always called himself the least of the saints and the first of sinners, was compelled, to stop the mouths of the liars, to set out the list of his own labors; and showing that the account of his sufferings came from necessity, not from choice, he added … I know myself to be wretched and thrice wretched, for I am liable to many offenses; but through faith alone I expect to find some mercy on the day of the divine appearing. For I am eager, and I pray, to follow in the footsteps of the holy fathers, and I strive to keep unsullied the gospel teaching which the fathers at … handed down to us in summary. And as I believe that there is one God the Father and one Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father, so also one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all ages, the radiance of the glory and the exact imprint of the Father's being, who for the salvation of human beings was made flesh and became man, and was born according to the flesh of Mary the Virgin. For so the all-wise Paul teaches us: 'Of whom are the fathers,' he says, 'and of whom, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed for ever. Amen.' And again: 'Concerning the Son of God, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, who was declared Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness.' For this … and we hold those who reject this title to be strangers to piety. Likewise we call counterfeit those who divide our one Lord Jesus Christ into two persons, or two sons, or two lords, and we exclude them from the company of the Christ-loving. For we have heard the most divine Paul say: 'One Lord, one faith, one baptism.' And again: 'One Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.' And again: 'Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and for ever.' And elsewhere: 'He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens.' One can find countless such sayings in him proclaiming the one Lord. So too the divine evangelist cries: 'And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only-begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth.' And his namesake cried out, saying: 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' Showing the one person, he set down both, the divine and the human. 'Man' and 'comes' are human; 'he was before me' is divine. Yet he does not know one who comes after and another who was before him, but knows the same one as before the ages as God, and as man after him, from … So too the thrice-blessed Thomas, putting his hand to the Lord's flesh, called him Lord and God, saying, 'My Lord and my God', learning the invisible through the visible nature. So we too know the difference between his flesh and his Godhead, but we know one Son, God the Word made man. This we have been taught by the holy Scripture and by the holy fathers who interpreted it, Alexander and Athanasius, the loud-voiced heralds of the truth who adorned your apostolic throne, and Basil and Gregory and the other luminaries of the world. That we also … silence those who dare to contradict, the writings themselves bear witness. For those who deny the difference between the Lord's flesh and the Godhead, and say now that the divine nature was turned into flesh, now that the flesh was changed into the nature of Godhead, we strive [to refute] with the … For they clearly teach us both the difference of the two natures and the immutability of the divine nature; and they call the Lord's flesh divine, as the flesh made the flesh of God the Word, but … into Godhead … And that Cyril of blessed memory often wrote to us, I think your perfection too knows well. When he sent his writings against Julian to Antioch, and likewise those written on the scapegoat, he asked the blessed John, bishop of Antioch, to show them to the distinguished teachers of the East; and the blessed John … the letters … we sent them, and wrote to Cyril of blessed memory; and he wrote back to us again, bearing witness to our exactness and our goodwill; and these letters are kept by us. That we also twice signed the documents about Nestorius … by John of blessed memory, our hands bear witness. But these men spread such stories about us, trying to cover their own disease with their slander against us. Let your Holiness then turn away those who speak falsehood, take care for the calm of the church, and either treat with healing medicines those who try to corrupt the doctrines of the truth, or, if they do not accept treatment, drive them from the flocks as incurable, so that the sheep may not share their disease; and let your Holiness grant us the usual greeting. That we have written what we believe is borne witness by what we have written on the divine Scriptures and against those who hold the views of Arius and Eunomius. Besides this I add a short conclusion: If anyone does not confess the holy Virgin to be Theotokos, or calls our Lord Jesus Christ a mere man, or divides into two sons the one Only-begotten and firstborn of all creation, may he fall from his hope in Christ; and let all the people say, 'So be it, so be it.' Deign, master, to grant me your sacred prayers, and to gladden me with a reply showing that your Holiness has turned away from the slanderers. I and those with me greet all the brotherhood in Christ that is with your Godliness.
[Letter 84] To the bishops in Cilicia. Your God-loving Reverences have surely learned of the slanders made against us. Those who hold views contrary to the truth say that we divide into two sons our one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God. Some say that they take the occasion for the slander from a few people among you who hold these views and divide into two persons God the Word made man. These must listen to the apostolic voice that cries out plainly: 'One Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things.' And again: 'One Lord, one faith, one baptism.' They ought also to follow the Master's teaching. For the Lord himself says: 'No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man, who is in heaven.' And again: 'If you see the Son of Man ascending where he was before.' And the tradition of holy baptism too teaches us that there is one Son, as there is one Father and one Holy Spirit. Let your God-loving Reverences then, if there really are any at all (for I am not persuaded of it) who disobey the apostolic doctrines, both silence them and correct them in the church's way, and teach them to follow in the footsteps of the holy fathers and to keep unsullied the faith set out at Nicaea in Bithynia by the holy and blessed fathers, since it teaches the gospel and apostolic doctrine in summary. For it befits you, most God-beloved, to take care both for the glory of God and for our common good name, and not to overlook the abuse that falls on us all because of the ignorance or contentiousness of these few people, if there are any at all, even if the slanderers have not sharpened their tongues against them as they have against us. Deign to remember us in your prayers to the Lord; for the law of love commands this.
[Letter 85] To [Basil], bishop. The inspired Paul called love the sum of good things and bade the nurslings of the faith be nourished by it. Possessing this wealth, your Godliness has both proposed what was needed and announced what is welcome. For what is more welcome to those who fear the Lord than the soundness and harmony of right doctrine? Know well, then, most God-beloved, that we were greatly pleased to learn about our common friend; and as much as we were grieved lately to hear that he says there is one nature of flesh and Godhead, and that he openly attaches the saving passion to the impassible Godhead, so much were we gladdened on reading your Holiness's letter and learning that he keeps the properties of the natures intact, and says neither that God the Word was turned into flesh nor that the flesh was changed into the nature of Godhead, but that in the one Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Word made man, the properties of each nature have remained unconfused; and we praised the God of the universe for this harmony in the divine faith. We have, however, written to both Cilicias, although we do not clearly know whether there are any who hold views contrary to the truth, and we have charged the most God-beloved bishops to track down and search out whether there are really any who divide the one Lord Jesus Christ into two sons, and either to correct them by exhortation or to separate them from the roll of the brothers. For we turn away alike from those who dare to say that there is one nature of flesh and Godhead and from those who divide our one Lord Jesus Christ into two sons and try to step outside the apostolic boundaries. And let your Holiness be confident that we are ready for peace. For if the prophet says, 'With those who hated peace I was peaceable', much more do we gladly welcome peace according to God. But since some of those brought up on falsehood have run to Alexandria and stitched together slanders against us, and the most God-beloved bishop of that city, led on by such stories, although he had been fully informed by our letters, has sent some of the most God-fearing bishops to the imperial city, let your Godliness deign to show your goodwill as usual and set the truth against the falsehood.
[Letter 86] … Many [storms] at the present time … calling on the Pilot of the universe, we have been able to hold out against the waves; but now against us … For thinking that we should have the most God-beloved bishop of Alexandria, lord Dioscorus, as an ally and helper against the plots being hatched against the apostolic faith, we sent one of our most … with synodical letters, informing his Godliness that we abide by the agreements made in the time of Cyril of blessed memory, that we accept the letter he wrote and gladly also the letter of the most blessed Athanasius, now among the saints, which he wrote to the blessed Epictetus, and before these the faith set out at Nicaea in Bithynia by the holy and blessed fathers. And we asked him to make those who will not abide by these things abide by them. But one of those who hold contrary views ran from here, and … of those who are causing these disturbances, deceived some people there, wove countless slanders against us, and brought about lawless acclamations against us. And the most God-beloved bishop Dioscorus wrote us a letter that one who had learned from the God of the universe not to receive an idle report ought not to have written. For he believed what was said against us, as though he had examined each point exactly and learned the truth by testing it, and so condemned us. But we bore the slander nobly, answered with a kindly letter, and persuaded his Godliness that all this is false and that none of the most God-beloved bishops of the East holds views contrary to the apostolic doctrines. The most reverent clergy sent by him were also persuaded by experience of the facts themselves. But he, bidding farewell to everyone and giving his ears to the slanderers, has done a thing that could not be believed at all, had it not the whole church as witness: he put up with those who anathematized us, and standing up and addressing them he confirmed their cries. Besides this, as we have learned, he sent some of the most God-beloved bishops to the imperial city, hoping to increase the disturbances against us. But we have, first, the Overseer of the universe as our champion, for we are fighting for his divine doctrines. Next, we beg your Holiness [to fight for] the faith that is under attack … of the canons. For the blessed fathers who met in that imperial city, in agreement with those at … assigned to each diocese its own affairs, ordering that one diocese not intrude on another, but that the bishop of Alexandria govern the affairs of Egypt only, and each diocese its own. But he will not abide by these boundaries; he keeps putting forward, up and down, the throne of the blessed Mark, and this although he knows clearly that the great city of Antioch has the throne of the great Peter, who was also the teacher of the blessed Mark, and first and chief of the choir of the apostles. But we, while we know the height of our throne, also know and measure ourselves; for we have learned apostolic humility from of old. We beg your Holiness neither to overlook the holy canons being trampled, and to fight eagerly for the divine faith. For in it we have our hope of salvation, and through it we expect to obtain mercy. And so that your Holiness may not be ignorant of this either, know, master, that he has had this small-mindedness toward us ever since we agreed with the synodical decisions made among you in the time of Proclus of blessed memory, following the canons of the holy fathers; and about this he has reproached us once and twice, as having betrayed the rights, as he says, of the church of Antioch and of the church of Alexandria. Remembering this, and finding an opportunity, as he supposed, he has shown his … But nothing is stronger than the truth; it knows how to conquer even through a few. I beg your Holiness to remember us in your prayers to the Lord, so that we may be able to hold out against the various waves.
[Letter 87] To Domnus, bishop of Apamea. The law of brotherly love required that we receive many letters from your God-loving Reverence at the present time; for the divine Apostle bids us 'weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice'. But I have received none, although there came to us lately the most God-fearing monks of your monastery and the most God-fearing presbyter Elias. I, however, have written, and I greet your Holiness, and I let you know that the Master's comfort has sufficed us in place of all things. Truly, even if we had as many mouths as the hairs of our head, we could not praise him worthily for having been counted worthy, for our confession of him, of this seeming dishonor, which we consider more venerable than any honor. And if we are condemned to live at the ends of the earth, we will praise him the more, the greater the good things we are counted worthy of. Still, let your Holiness pray and ask calm for the holy churches. For because of this storm … For, as we have learned, the clergy from Osroene drove that calm away, pouring countless charges on all of us, although I neither sat in judgment with the others nor shared in the sentence on them, but, as your Holiness knows, even urged that communion be given them at Easter. But it is easy for slanderers to say what they like. We are comforted by the Master's blessing: 'Blessed are you,' he says, 'when they revile you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven.'
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Exod 23:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 22:31 (echo, low confidence) · Rom 9:5 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 1:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:5 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 8:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 13:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:10 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 1:30 (quotation, high confidence) · John 20:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 11:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 1:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Col 1:15 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 15:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 1:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 11:23–30 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 3:13 (quotation, high confidence) · John 6:62 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 120:7 (119:7 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 13:10 (echo, low confidence) · Rom 12:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:12 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Six letters of 448–449 in which Theodoret defends his Christology against the charge of preaching 'two sons', to Eusebius of Ancyra, Dioscorus of Alexandria, the bishops of Cilicia, Basil, Flavian of Constantinople and Domnus of Apamea, and protests Dioscorus's actions against him.
- The scan's heading is that of Eusebius, bishop of Ancyra, Migne Letter 82 (the staged sequence number 85 is not Migne's). This passage holds six letters: Letter 82, To Eusebius of Ancyra; Letter 83, To Dioscorus of Alexandria (the scan prints its heading 'ΠΓ΄'); Letter 84, To the bishops in Cilicia (heading 'ΠΔ΄'); Letter 85, To Basil, bishop (the scan keeps only the word 'bishop' of its heading; NPNF² 3 names Basil, probably of Seleucia); Letter 86, To Flavian of Constantinople (heading and opening lines lost; it begins at 'Many … at the present time'); Letter 87, To Domnus, bishop of Apamea (heading lost; it begins at 'The law of brotherly love'). Each is marked '[Letter N]' where it begins.
- The scan is badly damaged here: lines of Migne's Latin column, his marginal references and parts of his critical notes (variant readings) were read as Greek; they are removed by logged corrections. In Letter 82 one displaced line ('by the grace of my God, holding anything other than what') is restored to its sentence by a logged correction. Where Greek is lost the gap is marked '…' and nothing is supplied.
- Letter 82: 'the most magnificent … general and consul' is probably Zeno. The 'sharper distinction' of some Nicene fathers refers to writers who, against Arius, distinguished Christ's Godhead and manhood more strongly than Theodoret accepts. His works listed: commentaries on the prophets, the Psalms and Paul; treatises against Arians, Macedonians, Apollinaris and Marcion; a 'mystical book', On Providence, Answers to the Magi (lost), and the Religious History ('lives of the saints'). 'You shall not receive an idle report' is Exod 23:1 LXX; 'the one who sifts' recalls Luke 22:31.
- Letter 83 cites Rom 9:5; Rom 1:3–4; Eph 4:5; 1 Cor 8:6; Heb 13:8; Eph 4:10; John 1:14; John 1:30 ('his namesake' is John the Baptist); John 20:28; Matt 11:19 (glutton and winebibber); Heb 1:3; Col 1:15; 1 Cor 15:9 and 1 Tim 1:15 (least of the saints, first of sinners); 2 Cor 11:23–30 (Paul's list of labors). Joseph: Gen 39–41; David and Saul: 1 Sam 18–26. The sentence 'For this …' before 'we hold those who reject this title' has lost words; the 'title' is evidently Theotokos (named in the closing anathema). The 'scapegoat' writings are Cyril's on the Day of Atonement (Glaphyra on Leviticus); the 'documents about Nestorius' are probably the acts of the reunion of 433.
- Letter 84 cites 1 Cor 8:6; Eph 4:5; John 3:13; John 6:62. Letter 85 cites Ps 120:7 (119:7 LXX); 'the sum of good things' recalls Rom 13:10 and Col 3:14. The 'common friend' is not named. Letter 86 cites Exod 23:1 again; 'the blessed fathers who met in that imperial city' is the Council of Constantinople (381), canon 2, and 'the synodical decisions … in the time of Proclus' probably those on the bishops of Isauria or Phoenicia; Theodoret's claim that Peter was Mark's teacher and first of the apostles is his own argument for the see of Antioch, translated as written. Letter 87 cites Rom 12:15 and Matt 5:11–12; the Osroene clergy are those who accused Ibas of Edessa.
- Theodoret's statements on Christ (one Son, two natures unconfused, Theotokos accepted, 'two sons' anathematized) and his polemic against the 'guilty Jews' and against Dioscorus are translated exactly as written. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3.
- Gaps worth noting: in Letter 83 'the fathers at …' has lost a word (evidently Nicaea), and 'That we also … silence those who dare to contradict' has lost a phrase; part of Migne's critical note removed there reads 'using the writings of the most blessed Theophilus and Cyril', which fits the gap, but it is not supplied in the text. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal references, critical notes and Latin column read as Greek; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column, including the displaced Greek line restored above; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; some Greek is lost; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the Greek here is lost; OCR debris removed; word rejoined; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal references; OCR slips; word rejoined; a displaced line of the Greek, printed by the scan a few lines later inside Latin debris, restored to its sentence; footnote marker; fragments of Migne's critical note; fragments of Migne's critical note (variant readings); fragments of Migne's critical notes and Latin column; marginal letter; marginal letter removed; word rejoined; marginal number; the rest of the sentence is lost; stray letters): ἃ [6 ϑοα γ Υ 5 εὐ 5, αἱ Βρογαθδηϊ, Πο ρογβυδϑογαηίῖ. οἱ ἃ τα οῦγϑι 56 → … ; καθ᾽ Ὁ ἡμῶν γεγενημένα → καθ᾽ ἡμῶν γεγενημένα; ἐπὶ ραϊοίεοϊ!, [ςιἱ οἱ υἱ βοΐ (π) Ια ἃ 6 → … ; διὰ τὴν τοῦ «ἧς ἁγίας Γραφῆς → διὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μον γάριν, ἄλλο τι φρονοῦντας, ἣ ἅπερ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς; δια- Ας π 4118 οχἰβιϊ μοὶ πποίυ ρου δῦ πα δι] ὅσ δοίη οἱ ἴῃ οἱ πῸῃ ρον δ δι ἀΐο ἀυοίι5, 96 ἀ Δροοιδδίογοβ οἱ 605 Θεοῦ μον γάριν, ἄλλο τι φρονοῦντας, ἣ ἅπερ παρὰ Ὧδ δυ → δια; ἁμαρ- ( ἰυάἀο ἰά τημάτων → ἁμαρτημάτων; δι Ποτὶ ποὺ 4 ἰῃ ν- 101 564. α υϑϑὶ 1146 κε δυΐδηὶ ὐπὸ υἱ δ πι, οὔ ξογτῖδἀο8. δι ποῦ πὶ δὰ Δι ἰῃ Ποπε → … ; τῆς Δε- 8 Ταῦτα → τῆς Δε… Ταῦτα; ἐμέμψατο 7 ποῖς λόγ. «. θείοις τι). λογίοις ἢ → ἐμέμψατο … ἢ; Παῦλος ([ὅ). → Παῦλος.; δύο οἱ ἢ 56 αἱ οτῷ ἢ οἵ πὶ ἃ Ραπη: οἱ ται. Απιϑη 1". » Εἰ ίόγαπι: «06 ΕἸ]ο θεἷ, «αὶ ἰααυ] ϑρὶοἱ θεὶοἱ 608 αυὶ ΘΔ ον οἱ 605 αυὶ ἰὰ ἀυ85 ραγβοηδθ, Υο] → δύο ; Κύριον ῃ) ἢ]ΐο5, γε] ἡμῶν → Κύριον ἡμῶν; 10 1] Οογ. χιι, 11]. Τ' Βοηϊ. ᾿ιχ, ὃ Βοιῃ. 1, ὅ. τῇ κ. Θ. τελειότητι π. τ. ἐκ. αὐτόσε παραγινομένων καὶ μέντοι καὶ παρὰ τ. ε. ε. ἀφιχνουμέ- “Ὧν οἱ Αἀάϊι ὕδγη. ἣν καὶ ἡ ἐν Ἐφέσῳ ἁγία σύνοδος “κρατεῖν Θεοῦ. γ]βυϑὶς (οἱ γἱδ 15 77.» ἀϊ- Ὧδ- [ἃ Οἱ 1150 Ηχς επί οἱ ἃ θυ νοῦ (8118, φαὶ πὶ Ἵν Τ (ογ. ΥἼι, ῦς [ 816. Νοδρ. τὸ ἃθογαὶ ἃ ϑί γιὰ. οἱ σἅγη. Βῆθοθαι ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸν οἷδε τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων, χ. τ. ἕξ, κε εἰπ. --- ὁ Θεός μόυ Δυυηί ἃ 5 γι). → ; [ἄθη). ᾿ τοῖς τῶν μαχαριωτάτων Θ. χ. Κα. γραμμ. χεχρβ. τ. α. «.- ἐπιστ. καὶ διὰ τούτων αὐτὰ μ. τ. πράγματα, → … ; σάρ- Α χα → σάρχα; ἀπεκήρυξαν. 9 Ἴς ᾿Αντιοχείας αὐτά. [ἀθῃ). ἰμῖ 6 Ὁ οἱ ἰπἴῃ δρίβιοια, αὐ οϑὶ 102 Βοϑί οπ 185 το, 1151 Ουοΐ νότὸ 11}06}}}15 ἀς Ναβίογϊ ο ρυ οι 5 ἃ θεῖα ἃ Αὰ ας ποῖα ᾿δεῖραταπι ποῦ ἀϊεῖ!, δυΐ Εἰδὶ, βαί ἷπ Νϑϑίοοἱ 161. Ὁ0) οὐ λέγει δίττῃ. ὶ α → ; Χρι-᾽ αὶ στὸς → Χριστὸς; Κύριος, ἀοεἷς δἱϊ: Εἰ οπὶ βου ὕπῦ Ῥαίγομ, οἱ ὑπ ϑρί γι υπὶ δδηοίυμ. τὰἰη κἱα πίστις → Κύριος, μία πίστις; Νικαίᾳ πα οοιιροπάϊο Ο τῆς → Νικαίᾳ τῆς; καὶ νοὶ πη 61} } 5856 ἴῃ μακαρίων → καὶ μακαρίων; πί- Ὁ στέως → πίστέως; ἔχουἀἰ ἀἰ οἰ τι : φυδιίοχυς 891 (ογ. νι, 6. 5 Ερδοβ. τν, ὅ. σα → ἔχουσα ; ηὐφράνθημεν δῦ. τοῖς → ηὐφράνθημεν τοῖς; καὶ Α οἰἶται}5. πα ΠΠΟτδ, ἐσ αυΐθα8 οορπουίπιιβ ἢ πὶ μεμαθηκότες → καὶ μεμαθηκότες; θεοσεδεστάτων οἱ πὸ- Οἱοἱ Δι Δη ἰῃ γα] ἃ [γᾶἢ ΐ πη) Αἰ} 16 ἀνθ γδὰ ρᾶδάγ οἷν! 1415 ἐπισκόπων → θεοσεδεστάτων ἐπισκόπων; (, ορ᾿ϑοορυ δὰ ὑγθθηὶ το χαταξιωσάτω → χαταξιωσάτω; ἂν να]. οχιχ, ύ, εἶιδά δἵ- ΄ας δηίο πὸ Πάδπὶ ἴῃ Νίοα ΒΒ μγ πὶ ἃ 1156 υἱ πιο ἔυ]ὰ δχϑμἰηδϑβοί, ἃς νου (Δί πη Αἱ 1105 φαΐ 41108 ἐκ ἢἀΐωοθϑὶ πὶ αὶ → … ; ἐπεῦε- Θαίωσε → ἐπεβεβαίωσε; τῶν Ὦ ἀποστόλων → τῶν ἀποστόλων; αἱ Αἷϊ, Ἵνα → Ἵνα; μεμνημέ- Α νὸς → μεμνημένὸς; Ροτὸ Γο. θυ, οἱ Τὸμοναζόντων → μοναζόντων; θεοσεόε- Β στάτου → θεοσεόεστάτου.
Topics: Christology, Heresy, Church office, Baptism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 82 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/82). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/82
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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 88
88PG 83
, ὙΓπερθδαίνειν με τοὺς ὄρους οἱ συκοφάνται βιάζονται, καὶ γράφειν ὑμῖν, τὰς μεγίστας χεχοσμηχόσιν ζουσιν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν παρακαλῶ συγγνώμης μεταλαχεῖν. Γράφω γὰρ, οὖκ αὐθαδείᾳ χρώμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς χρείας ὠθούμενος "οὐδὲ τὸ σκυθρωποῖς τισιν ἀδίκως περιπεσεῖν ὑφορώμενος (τοῦτο γὰρ ὡς ἐπίπαν πετόνθασιν ἅπαντες οἱ τῷ Θεῷ γνηπτίως λευχότες), ἀλλὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυΐαν πεῖσάι βουλόμενος, ὡς ψευδεῖς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὠδίνουσι λόγους οἱ τῶν ἡμετέρων κατηγοροῦντες δογμάτων. Ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ, μετὰ τὴν μητρῴαν θηλὴν, τὴν ἀποστολικὴν τροφὴν ἐδεξάμεθα, καὶ τὴν ἐκτεθεῖσαν ἐν Νικαίᾳ κίστιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγίων καὶ μακαρίων Πατέρων καὶ μεμαθήκαμεν, καὶ διδάσκομεν " καὶ τοὺς ἄλλο τι παρὰ ταύτην φρονοῦντας δέ τις ἕτερα διδάσκειν ἡμᾶς παρὰ ταύτην ἰσχυρίζεται, μὴ ἐρήμην κατηγορείτω, ἀλλὰ παρόντας ἐξελεγξάτω. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τοῖς θείοις νόμοις, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρωπείοις δοκεῖ. Τίνι ὃὲ οὕτω προσήκει τῶν ἀδικουμένων ὑπερμαχεῖν, ὡς ὑμῖν, ὦ φιλόχριστοι, οἷς καὶ τοῦ γένους ἡ περιφάνεια, καὶ τῶν ἀξιωμάτων τὸ ὕψος, καὶ μέντοι καὶ τὸ τῶν νομίμων πρωπεύειν, παρέχει τὴν παῤῥησίαν;
, HyGperthdainein me tous orous hoi sykophantai biazontai, kai graphein hymin, tas megistas chechosmēchosin zousin. Hou dē charin parakalō syngnōmēs metalachein. Graphō gar, ouk authadeią chrōmenos, all᾽ hypo tēs chreias ōthoumenos "oude to skythrōpois tisin adikōs peripesein hyphorōmenos (touto gar hōs epipan petonthasin hapantes hoi tǭ Theǭ gnēptiōs leuchotes), alla tēn hymeteran megalophyïan peisai boulomenos, hōs pseudeis kath᾽ hēmōn ōdinousi logous hoi tōn hēmeterōn katēgorountes dogmatōn. Hēmeis men gar, meta tēn mētrǭan thēlēn, tēn apostolikēn trophēn edexametha, kai tēn ektetheisan en Nikaią kistin hypo tōn hagiōn kai makariōn Paterōn kai memathēkamen, kai didaskomen " kai tous allo ti para tautēn phronountas de tis hetera didaskein hēmas para tautēn ischyrizetai, mē erēmēn katēgoreitō, alla parontas exelenxatō. Touto gar kai tois theiois nomois, kai tois anthrōpeiois dokei. Tini hoe houtō prosēkei tōn adikoumenōn hypermachein, hōs hymin, ō philochristoi, hois kai tou genous hē periphaneia, kai tōn axiōmatōn to hypsos, kai mentoi kai to tōn nomimōn prōpeuein, parechei tēn parrhēsian?
The slanderers force me to overstep the bounds and to write to you, who have adorned the highest … For this reason I ask to be pardoned. I write not out of presumption but driven by need; not because I fear falling undeservedly into gloomy circumstances (for this is, on the whole, the lot of all who serve God sincerely), but because I wish to persuade your Magnanimity that those who accuse our doctrines are bringing forth false words against us. For after our mother's breast we received the apostolic nourishment, and the faith set out at Nicaea by the holy and blessed fathers we have learned and we teach; and those who hold anything other than it … If anyone maintains that we teach other things contrary to it, let him not accuse us by default but convict us in our presence. This is the judgment of both divine and human laws. And to whom does it belong to champion the wronged so much as to you, lovers of Christ, to whom the distinction of your family, the height of your dignities, and indeed your first place in the law give boldness?
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the patrician Taurus to see that he is not condemned unheard, affirming that he holds and teaches the faith of Nicaea.
- Migne Letter 88, To the patrician Taurus (449). The flag that Letters 86–87 are lost inside this passage does not hold: they stand in the passage staged as 85.
- Words are lost in the scan after 'who have adorned the highest' (probably 'offices') and after 'those who hold anything other than it' (probably 'we condemn'); marked '…'. Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal references are removed by logged corrections. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris: Migne's marginal references and Latin column): Πατέρων καὶ 85 ἤρη. μὶι, 15. 55 Μλι ἢ. νυ, 11, 12. ὁ ς πὶ ἐἃ ἰη 60} 15 δ. » οἱ θυοπο θαυ τ πὸ Α → Πατέρων καὶ ; ἄλλο τι οἱ ἀϊἱπ᾽ τὶ 8 παρὰ → ἄλλο τι παρὰ; πρωπεύειν, παρέχει τὴν παῤῥησίαν; Μαϊοτθην φυλὴ τα ΐ ὁἃοδὶἴθ Βαϑὶοἱ ᾿γοἰδτᾶ ρη! οοη (Δ η] οἱ δανοηία 5 οο᾽ (Δ πι πἰ τη ϑη ΠοΘ πη) → πρωπεύειν, παρέχει τὴν παῤῥησίαν;.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 88 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/88). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/88
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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 89
89PG 83
Μείζονι μὲν ἣ κατ᾽ ἐμαυτὸν ἐγχειρῶ πράγματι, τῷ ὑμετέρῳ μεγέθει πέμπω" ἐπιστολάς. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐ θρασύτης αἰτία τῆς τόλμης, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ ταῖς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν διδάξαι τὰς ἀκλινεῖς ὑμῶν ἀκοὰς, ὡς ἄντικρυς ἡμᾶς συχοφαντοῦσιν οἱ τῶν ἡμετέρων κατηγοροῦντες δογμάτων. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἕτερα μὲν πλεῖστα πεπλημμεληκέναι φαμέν" τὴν δέ γε δογματιχὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων διδασκαλίαν μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος ἀλώδητον ἐφυλάξαμεν, καὶ διὰ ταύτην μόνην οἴκτου τυχεῖν καὶ φιλανμεν ἡμέρᾳ. Ὑπὲρ γὰρ ταύτης πρὸς τὰς παντοδα-» πὰς αἱρέσεις διατελοῦ μεν ἀγωνιζόμενοι" ταύτην διἡνεκῶς τοῖς τροφίμοις τῆς εὐσεδείας προσφέρομεν" διὰ ταύτης λύκους μυρίους εἰς πρόδατα τες, τῷ πάντων ἡμῶν ἀρχιποιμένι καὶ Σωτῆρι προσενηνόχαμεν. Ταῦτα δὲ ἡμῖν παρέδοσαν οὐ μόνον οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ προφῆται, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ τὰ τούτων ἡρμηνευχότες συγγράμματα, Ἰγνάτιος, Εὐστάθιος, ᾿Αθανάσιος, Βασίλειος, Γρηγόριος, Ἰωάννης, καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι τῆς οἰκουμένης φωστῆρες" καὶ πρὸ τούτων οἱ ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνεληλυθότες ἅγιοι Πατέρες " ὧν τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῆς πίστεως ὡς πατρῷον κλῇρον φυλάττομεν ἄσυλον, καὶ τοὺς ταῦτα παραθδαίνειν τολμῶντας τὰ δόγματα χιδδήλους ἀποχαλοῦμεν, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρούς. Παρακαλῶ τοίνυν τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοτοὺς λοιδορίαις καθ᾽ ἡμῶν χρησαμένους. Ἄτοπον γὰρ οἶμαι τοῖς κατὰ τῶν ἀπόντων λεγομένοις ὡς ἀληθέσι πιστεύειν" ἕννομον δὲ καὶ δίκαιον, τοὺς βουλομένους διώκειν παρόντων κατηγορεῖν τῶν φευγόντων, καὶ τοὺς ἐλέγχους παράγειν. Οὕτω γὰρ οἱ διχάζοντες εὑρεῖν τἀληθὲς ῥᾳδίως δυνήσονται,
Meizoni men hē kat᾽ emauton encheirō pragmati, tǭ hymeterǭ megethei pempō" epistolas. ᾿All᾽ ou thrasytēs aitia tēs tolmēs, all᾽ hoi tais kath᾽ hēmōn didaxai tas aklineis hymōn akoas, hōs antikrys hēmas sychophantousin hoi tōn hēmeterōn katēgorountes dogmatōn. Hēmeis de hetera men pleista peplēmmelēkenai phamen" tēn de ge dogmatichēn tōn apostolōn didaskalian mechri tou parontos alōdēton ephylaxamen, kai dia tautēn monēn oiktou tychein kai philanmen hēmerą. Hyper gar tautēs pros tas pantoda-» pas haireseis diatelou men agōnizomenoi" tautēn diēnekōs tois trophimois tēs eusedeias prospheromen" dia tautēs lykous myrious eis prodata tes, tǭ pantōn hēmōn archipoimeni kai Sōtēri prosenēnochamen. Tauta de hēmin paredosan ou monon hoi apostoloi kai prophētai, alla kai hoi ta toutōn hērmēneuchotes syngrammata, Ignatios, Eustathios, ᾿Athanasios, Basileios, Grēgorios, Iōannēs, kai hoi alloi tēs oikoumenēs phōstēres" kai pro toutōn hoi en Nikaią synelēlythotes hagioi Pateres " hōn tēn homologian tēs pisteōs hōs patrǭon klę̄ron phylattomen asylon, kai tous tauta parathdainein tolmōntas ta dogmata chiddēlous apochaloumen, kai tēs alētheias echthrous. Parakalō toinyn tēn hymeteran megalotous loidoriais kath᾽ hēmōn chrēsamenous. Atopon gar oimai tois kata tōn apontōn legomenois hōs alēthesi pisteuein" hennomon de kai dikaion, tous boulomenous diōkein parontōn katēgorein tōn pheugontōn, kai tous elenchous paragein. Houtō gar hoi dichazontes heurein talēthes rhądiōs dynēsontai,
I am attempting something above my station in sending letters to your Greatness. But the cause of my daring is not rashness; it is those who … slanders against us … to inform your unswerving ears that those who accuse our doctrines are plainly slandering us. We admit that we have committed very many other offenses; but the doctrinal teaching of the apostles we have kept unharmed to this day, and for this alone we hope to obtain pity and … on the day … For this we have never stopped fighting against heresies of every kind; this we constantly offer to the nurslings of piety; through this … countless wolves into sheep, we have brought them to the chief shepherd and Savior of us all. This was handed down to us not only by the apostles and prophets, but also by those who interpreted their writings, Ignatius, Eustathius, Athanasius, Basil, Gregory, John and the other luminaries of the world, and before them by the holy fathers who met at Nicaea, whose confession of faith we keep inviolate as an ancestral inheritance; and those who dare to transgress these doctrines we call counterfeit and enemies of the truth. I beg your Magnanimity, then, … those who have used abuse against us. For I think it absurd to believe what is said against the absent as true, but lawful and just for those who wish to prosecute to accuse the defendants in their presence and to bring forward their proofs. In this way the judges will easily be able to find the truth,
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret assures the patrician Florentius that he has kept the apostolic and Nicene faith and asks that his accusers be made to prove their charges in his presence.
- Migne Letter 89, To the patrician Florentius (449). The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- Several lines are lost in the scan (after 'those who', after 'pity and', after 'countless wolves into sheep', and after 'I beg your Magnanimity'); marked '…'. 'Gregory' is probably Gregory of Nazianzus; 'John' John Chrysostom.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (marginal letter): τὰ τούτων Ο ἡρμηνευχότες → τὰ τούτων ἡρμηνευχότες.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 89 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/89). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/89
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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 90
90PG 83
Τοὺς τῆς νεότητος διεξελθόντες ἀγῶνας, χαι τῶν τοῦ γήρως ὅρων εἴσω γενόμενοι, καὶ πλείονος τιμῆς τῆς συκοφαντίας βαλλόμεθα βέλεσι, καὶ πρὸς τὰς γεγενημένας κατηγορίας ἀπολογίαν προσφέρειν ἀναγκαζόμεθα" οὗ δὴ χάριν καὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν παρακαλοῦμεν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, ταῖς τῶν κατηγορούντων ἡμᾶς μὴ πιστεῦσαι ψευδολογίαις. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν σιωπὴν ἀσπαζομένων ἐτύγχανον, ἴσως ἂν εἶχε χώραν τῆς κενοδοξίας ἡ ὑποψία. Ἐπειδὴ ὃξ διηνεκῶς ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις διαλεγόμεθα, πολλὰς διὰ τὴν θείαν χάριν ἔχομεν μυριάδας τῇ τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητι μαρτυρούσας. Τοῖς γὰρ ἀποστολικοῖς ὄροις καὶ νόμοις ἀχολουθοῦμεν, καὶ τὴν ἐκτεθεῖσαν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν ὑπὸ τῶν ἁγιων καὶ μακαρίων Πατέρων, οἷόν τινα κανόνα καὶ γνώμονα τοῖς λόγοις προσφέροντες, τὴν διδασκαλίαν εὐθύνομεν. Εἰ δέ «ἰς ἕτερά τινα παρὰ ταῦτα φρονεῖν ἡμᾶς ἰσχυρίζεται, παρόντων κατηγορείτω, μὴ ἀπόντας συχοφαντείτω. Δίκαιον γὰρ λόγων μεταλαχεῖν καὶ τὸν φεύγοντα. καὶ πρὸς τὴν γεγενημένην κατηγορίαν τὴν ἀπολογίαν ποιήσασθαι, καὶ τηνικαῦτα τοὺς διχάζοντα: κατὰ νόμους τὴν ψῆφον ἐξενεγκεῖν. Τούτων ἀπολαῦσαι χἀγὼ διὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπεΐας παρακαλῶ. Εἰ δ᾽ ἐρήμην τινὲς ἡμῶν καταψηφίσασθαι βούλονται, ἀσπαστῶς καὶ τὴν ἄδικον δεχόμεθα ψῆφον. ᾿Αναμένομεν γὰρ τὸ τοῦ Δεσπότου κριτήριον, ἔνθα οὔτε μαρτύρων, οὔτε κατηγόρων δεόμεθα. Πάντα γὰρ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον.
Tous tēs neotētos diexelthontes agōnas, chai tōn tou gērōs horōn eisō genomenoi, kai pleionos timēs tēs sykophantias ballometha belesi, kai pros tas gegenēmenas katēgorias apologian prospherein anankazometha" hou dē charin kai tēn hymeteran parakaloumen megaloprepeian, tais tōn katēgorountōn hēmas mē pisteusai pseudologiais. Ei men gar tōn siōpēn aspazomenōn etynchanon, isōs an eiche chōran tēs kenodoxias hē hypopsia. Epeidē hox diēnekōs en tais Ekklēsiais dialegometha, pollas dia tēn theian charin echomen myriadas tę̄ tōn dogmatōn orthotēti martyrousas. Tois gar apostolikois orois kai nomois acholouthoumen, kai tēn ektetheisan en Nikaią pistin hypo tōn hagiōn kai makariōn Paterōn, hoion tina kanona kai gnōmona tois logois prospherontes, tēn didaskalian euthynomen. Ei de «is hetera tina para tauta phronein hēmas ischyrizetai, parontōn katēgoreitō, mē apontas sychophanteitō. Dikaion gar logōn metalachein kai ton pheugonta. kai pros tēn gegenēmenēn katēgorian tēn apologian poiēsasthai, kai tēnikauta tous dichazonta: kata nomous tēn psēphon exenenkein. Toutōn apolausai chagō dia tēs hymeteras megaloprepeïas parakalō. Ei d᾽ erēmēn tines hēmōn katapsēphisasthai boulontai, aspastōs kai tēn adikon dechometha psēphon. ᾿Anamenomen gar to tou Despotou kritērion, entha oute martyrōn, oute katēgorōn deometha. Panta gar gymna kai tetrachēlismena enōpion autou kata ton theion ᾿Apostolon.
Having passed through the contests of youth and come within the bounds of old age, … of greater honor, we are struck by the darts of slander and compelled to offer a defense against the charges brought. For this reason we beg your Magnificence not to believe the lies of our accusers. If I were one of those who love silence, the suspicion of vainglory might perhaps have room. But since we preach continually in the churches, by divine grace we have many tens of thousands who bear witness to the orthodoxy of our doctrines. For we follow the apostolic definitions and laws, and we direct our teaching by applying to our words the faith set out at Nicaea by the holy and blessed fathers as a kind of rule and measure. If anyone maintains that we hold anything else contrary to these, let him accuse us in our presence and not slander us in our absence. For it is just that the defendant too should be heard and make his defense against the charge brought, and that the judges then give their sentence according to the laws. I too ask, through your Magnificence, to enjoy these rights. But if some wish to condemn us by default, we gladly accept even the unjust sentence. For we await the tribunal of the Master, where we need neither witnesses nor accusers; for all things 'are naked and laid bare before him', according to the divine Apostle.
Heb 4:13 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the master of soldiers Lupicinus not to believe his accusers, appealing to his public preaching and the Nicene faith and to God's final judgment.
- Migne Letter 90, To Lupicinus, master of soldiers (449). After 'come within the bounds of old age' a word or two may be lost (the sense is 'when we deserved greater honor'); marked '…'.
- Quotation: Heb 4:13. Lines of Migne's Latin column are removed by logged corrections.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column): ὄροις Α αυλπιάδηη ἃ. καὶ → ὄροις καὶ; δεχόμεθα αἰπος πη Θη τὴ οϑί, αἱ Ιοφυδηαϊ αἱ τ πὶ ΄φυύᾳιθ μοῦ 1164. οἱ ψῆφον → δεχόμεθα ψῆφον.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 90 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/90). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/90
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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).