Letters 91–110
Greek text: PG 83.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 91
91PG 83
Ἰὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς διάθεσιν τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπείας οἶδα σαφῶς, καὶ λόγων οὐ δέομαι ταύτην με διδασκόντων. Σαφέστερον γὰρ διδάσκει τῶν λόγων τὰ πράγματα. Τῆς δὲ γεγενημένης εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀδικίας ἐδουλόμην τὴν αἰτίαν μαθεῖν. Καινότατον γὰρ ὑπομένομεν πρᾶγμα, κατὰ ταυτὸν ἄγαμοι καὶ δίγαμοι πολεμούμενοι. Εἰ δὲ οἱ νῦν τὰς καθ' ἡμῶν συκοφαντίας ὑφήναντες παραχαράττειν ἡμᾶς τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν διδασκαλίαν φασὶν, τί δήποτε μὴ παρόντας ἐλέγχουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπόντων κατηγοροῦσι; Τοῦτὸ γὰρ αὑτῶν μάλιστα διελέγχει τὸ ψεῦδος. Εἰδότες γὰρ ὡς πολλὰς ἕξομεν μυριάδας, τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς ἡμῶν δόγμασι μαρτυρούσας, ἐρήμην ἐποιήσαντο τὴν γραφήν. ᾿Αλλὰ χρὴ τοὺς ἐννόμως διχάξοντας τῷ χατηγορουμένῳ θατέραν ταῖν ἀχοαῖν ἀκεραίαν φυλάξαι. Εἰ δὲ τοῖς τῶν ἀντιδίχων λόγοις ἑκατέραν προσφέρουσι, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνοις δοκοῦσαν ἐχφέρουσι ψῆφον, στέρξομεν τὴν ἀδικίαν, ὡς τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν πρόξενον βασιλείας" καὶ τὸ ἀχλινὲς ἐκεῖνο δικαστήριον προσμενοῦμεν, ἔνθα οὔτε κατήγορος, οὔτε συνἦγορος, οὔτε μάρτυς, οὔτε ἀξιωμάτων διαφορὰ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔργων καὶ λόγων χρίσις, καὶ ἡ κατ᾽ ἀξίαν ἀντίδοσις. « Πάντες γὰρ, φησὶ, παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κομίσηται ἕχαστος τὰ ἴδια τοῦ σώματὸς πρὸς ἃ ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθὸν, εἴτε κακόν. »
Iēn peri hēmas diathesin tēs hymeteras megaloprepeias oida saphōs, kai logōn ou deomai tautēn me didaskontōn. Saphesteron gar didaskei tōn logōn ta pragmata. Tēs de gegenēmenēs eis hēmas adikias edoulomēn tēn aitian mathein. Kainotaton gar hypomenomen pragma, kata tauton agamoi kai digamoi polemoumenoi. Ei de hoi nyn tas kath' hēmōn sykophantias hyphēnantes paracharattein hēmas tēn euangelikēn didaskalian phasin, ti dēpote mē parontas elenchousin, all᾽ apontōn katēgorousi? Touto gar hautōn malista dielenchei to pseudos. Eidotes gar hōs pollas hexomen myriadas, tois apostolikois hēmōn dogmasi martyrousas, erēmēn epoiēsanto tēn graphēn. ᾿Alla chrē tous ennomōs dichaxontas tǭ chatēgoroumenǭ thateran tain achoain akeraian phylaxai. Ei de tois tōn antidichōn logois hekateran prospherousi, kai tēn ekeinois dokousan echpherousi psēphon, sterxomen tēn adikian, hōs tēs tōn ouranōn proxenon basileias" kai to achlines ekeino dikastērion prosmenoumen, entha oute katēgoros, oute synēgoros, oute martys, oute axiōmatōn diaphora, all᾽ ergōn kai logōn chrisis, kai hē kat᾽ axian antidosis. « Pantes gar, phēsi, parastēsometha tǭ bēmati tou Christou, hina komisētai hechastos ta idia tou sōmatos pros ha epraxen, eite agathon, eite kakon. »
I know clearly the disposition of your Magnificence toward us, and need no words to teach me it; facts teach more clearly than words. But I wished to learn the cause of the injustice done to us. For we are undergoing something quite novel: we are being attacked at once as unmarried and as twice married. If those who have now woven the slanders against us say that we falsify the gospel teaching, why do they not convict us in our presence instead of accusing us in our absence? This above all exposes their falsehood. Knowing that we shall have many tens of thousands to bear witness to our apostolic doctrines, they brought the indictment by default. But those who judge lawfully must keep one of their two ears intact for the accused. If they give both to the words of the opponents and pronounce the sentence the opponents want, we shall accept the injustice as procuring the kingdom of heaven, and we shall await that unswerving tribunal, where there is neither accuser nor advocate nor witness nor difference of rank, but judgment of deeds and words and recompense according to desert. 'For we shall all stand', he says, 'before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may receive what is due for the things done in the body, whether good or evil.'
2 Cor 5:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 14:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the prefect Eutrechius why he has been condemned unheard and commits his cause to Christ's judgment.
- Migne Letter 91, To the prefect Eutrechius (449).
- 'Attacked at once as unmarried and as twice married' is a proverbial way of saying he is accused of contradictory faults (here, presumably, of opposite heresies); translated literally.
- Quotation: 2 Cor 5:10 (with Rom 14:10).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR τ for γ): ἄταμοι καὶ δίγαμοι → ἄγαμοι καὶ δίγαμοι.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 91 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/91). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/91
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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 92
92PG 83
Τοὺς μὲν θεοσεδεστάτους ἐπισκόπους εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ἀνελθεῖν παρεσκεύασε πόλιν ὁ ὁσιώτατος ἀρχιεπίσχοπος ὁ κύριος Δόμνος, ὥστε τὴν κατὰ πάντων ἡμῶν γεγενημένην διελέγξαι συκοφαντίαν. Τῆς δὲ ὑμετέρας μεγαλοφυῖας διαφερόντως ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος δεόμεθα, ἐπειδὴ τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος καὶ πίστιν ὑμῖν εἰλικρινῆ δέδωκε, καὶ ζῆλον ὑπὲρ ταύτης θερμὸν, καὶ φρένας συνέσει χεχοσμημένας, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, δύναμιν τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ὑμῶν ὑπουργοῦσαν νοῖς, καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος χαταγωνίσασθε, καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς διδασκαλίας πολεμουμένης ὑπερμαχῆσατε. Συνεργήσει γὰρ δήπουθεν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ὁ Δενἱ- ᾿πρεπείας σπουδῇ, καὶ διαλύσει τὸ νέφος τὸ σκυθρτῆς πίστεως. Εἰ δὲ καὶ συγχωρήσὸν τὸν χειμῶνα “νικῆσαι, τὸ μὲν ὑμέτερον μέγεθος τέλειον ἀπολήψεται τὸν μισθὸν, ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸν κλύδωνα στέρξομεν, καὶ ἔνθα ἂν ἐμᾶς ἐξώσῃ, μετὰ ψυχαγωγίας διάξομεν, τὸ θεῖον κριτήριον ἀναμένοντες, καὶ τὴν ὀρθὴν ἐχείνην καὶ δικαίαν προσμένοντες ψῆφον.
Tous men theosedestatous episkopous eis tēn basileuousan anelthein pareskeuase polin ho hosiōtatos archiepischopos ho kyrios Domnos, hōste tēn kata pantōn hēmōn gegenēmenēn dielenxai sykophantian. Tēs de hymeteras megalophuias diapherontōs epi tou parontos deometha, epeidē tōn holōn ho Kyrios kai pistin hymin eilikrinē dedōke, kai zēlon hyper tautēs thermon, kai phrenas synesei chechosmēmenas, kai pros toutois, dynamin tois agathois hymōn hypourgousan nois, kai to pseudos chatagōnisasthe, kai tēs apostolikēs didaskalias polemoumenēs hypermachēsate. Synergēsei gar dēpouthen tōn Ekklēsiōn ho Deni- ᾿prepeias spoudę̄, kai dialysei to nephos to skythrtēs pisteōs. Ei de kai synchōrēson ton cheimōna “nikēsai, to men hymeteron megethos teleion apolēpsetai ton misthon, hēmeis de ton klydōna sterxomen, kai entha an emas exōsę̄, meta psychagōgias diaxomen, to theion kritērion anamenontes, kai tēn orthēn echeinēn kai dikaian prosmenontes psēphon.
The most holy archbishop, lord Domnus, has arranged for the most God-fearing bishops to go up to the imperial city to refute the slander made against all of us. But at present we need your Magnanimity above all, since the Lord of the universe has given you a sincere faith, a warm zeal for it, a mind adorned with understanding, and besides these a power that serves your good intentions; overcome falsehood, then, and fight for the apostolic teaching that is under attack. For surely the Master of the churches will work together with the zeal of your Magnificence and will dispel the gloomy cloud … of the faith. But if he allows the storm to prevail, your Greatness will receive the full reward, and we will accept the waves, and wherever they cast us we will live there with comfort, awaiting the divine tribunal and expecting that right and just sentence.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the patrician Anatolius to support the bishops sent by Domnus of Antioch to the capital and to defend the apostolic faith.
- Migne Letter 92, To the patrician Anatolius (449).
- Words are lost in the scan after 'the Master of the churches' (the reference to Anatolius's zeal is partly damaged) and after 'the gloomy cloud'; marked '…' where the sense cannot be recovered. 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; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside βα-σιλεύουσαν; stray marks): εἰς τὴν βαθυ Δ π], νϑαϊ πο ἶο ἰῃἴῃ 486 Ὁ 163 πίε (τυ τη] πὶ "5." ν. σιλεύουσαν → εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν; ὁσιώτατος ἢ) ἀρχιεπίσχοπος → ὁσιώτατος ἀρχιεπίσχοπος; εἶ οἱ δου} 18πὶ δου δῖοι α Συνεργήσει → Συνεργήσει; ψῆφον. αι υἱ ἰη → ψῆφον..
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 92 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/92). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/92
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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 93
93PG 83
. Καὶ διὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων καὶ ὁσιωτάτων πίσχόπων προσφθέγγομαι τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, ἧς τὴν μνήμην ἄσθεστον περιφέρω. Καταλαδεῖν δὲ αὐτοὺς τὴν βασιλίδα παρεσκεύασε πόλιν ὁ ὁσιώτατος ἐπίσκοπος ὁ κύριος Δόμνος, ἵνα τὸ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν συντεθὲν διαλύσωσι ψεῦδος. Προφανῇ γάρ τινες καθ᾽ ἡμῶν συκοφαντίαν ἐξύφηναν, καὶ ζάλης τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἐνέπλησαν, ὑπὲρ ὧν ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς σταυρὸν ὑπέμεινεν αἰσχύνης καταφρονήσας, ὑπὲρ ὧν ὁ τῶν θείων ἀποστόλων χορὸς, καὶ τῶν γιχηφόρων μαρτύρων οἱ δῆμοι, ταῖς παντρδαπαὶς τοῦ θχνάτον παρεδόθησαν ἰδέαις, Ὑπὲρ τῆς τούτων εἰρήνη: τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγωνίσασθαι μεγαλοφυΐαν παρακαλῶ. Ῥάδιον μὲν γὰρ. ἣν τῷ τῶν ὅλων Θεῷ νεῦσαι, καὶ λῦσαι τὰ σκυθρωπά" ἀλλ᾽ ἀναθάλλεται, καὶ τῶν πολεμουμένων τὴν ἀνδρίαν ἐπιδεικνὺς, καὶ ἡ ἵν ἀφορμὰς εἰς ὠφέλειαν παρέχων. ὴ Δ’, --- Πρωτογεγεῖ ὑπάρχῳ. Πάλαι μὲν δέδωκεν ὁμῖν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Δεσ… τιμὴν. τῆς δύναμιν ἀρχοῦσαν ὑπουργῆσαι τῇ γνώμῃ. Ηύξησε δὲ ταύτην ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος, ἵνα ῥᾷον καὶ ρον μέγεθος, καὶ καταλύσῃ τὸ ψεῦδος, καὶ ταῖς Ἐχγαλήνην. Ὁπόσης γὰρ ἐνεπλήσθησαν ζάλης τῆς ἑῴας αἱ Ἐκκλησίαι, παρὰ πολλῶν μὲν καὶ ἄλλων ἡ ὑμετέρα μεγαλοφνῖα μεμάθηκεν, ἀχριδέστερον δὲ παρὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων μαθήσῃ, οἵ τῆς μακρᾶς καύτης ἀποδημιίας ἐν ὥρᾳ χειμῶνος τούτου χάριν ἠνέσχοντο, μετὰ τὴν θείαν χάριν τῇ τῆς ὑμετέρας ᾿ξξουσίας προμηθείᾳ θαῤῥοῦντες. Λύσατε τοίνυν ἡμῖν, ὦ φιλόχριστοι, τὸν χειμῶνα, καὶ τὴν σχοτομήνην εἰς αἰθρίαν καθαρὰν μεταδάλετε, καὶ τὰς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν κινηθείσας χαλινώσατε γλώστας. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ διὰ τὴν θείαν χάριν, τῶν ἀποστολικῶν διηνεκῶς ὑπερμαχοῦ μεν δογμάτων, καὶ τὴν ἐκτεθεῖσαν ἐν Νικαίᾳ πίστιν φυλάττομεν ἄσυλον, καὶ τοὺς ταῦτα παραχαράττειν τολμῶντας τὰ δόγματα ἀδεῦεϊς ὀνομάζομεν. Καὶ τούτων μάρτυρες οἱ παρ' ἡμῶν κχκατηχούμενοι, οἱ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν βαπτιζόμενοι, οἱ τῶν ἐν ταῖς ἐχχλησίαες διαλέξεων ἐπὰάΐοντες. Εἰ δὲ κατηγορεῖν ἐννόμως ἐθέλουσι, χρὴ παρόντας ἐλέγχειν, οὐκ ἀπόντας συχο» φαντεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἡ ὑμετέρα μεγαλοφνῖΐα διχάζουσα πράγμασιν ἐκφέρει τὰς ψήφους, ἂκ τῶν τῆς ζΣατηγορίας καὶ ἀπολογίαφ λόγων “σσυγορῶσα τὸ δίκαιον.
. Kai dia tōn theophilestatōn kai hosiōtatōn pischopōn prosphthengomai tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian, hēs tēn mnēmēn astheston peripherō. Kataladein de autous tēn basilida pareskeuase polin ho hosiōtatos episkopos ho kyrios Domnos, hina to kath᾽ hēmōn syntethen dialysōsi pseudos. Prophanę̄ gar tines kath᾽ hēmōn sykophantian exyphēnan, kai zalēs tas Ekklēsias eneplēsan, hyper hōn ho Despotēs Christos stauron hypemeinen aischynēs kataphronēsas, hyper hōn ho tōn theiōn apostolōn choros, kai tōn gichēphorōn martyrōn hoi dēmoi, tais pantrdapais tou thchnaton paredothēsan ideais, Hyper tēs toutōn eirēnē: tēn hymeteran agōnisasthai megalophyïan parakalō. Rhadion men gar. hēn tǭ tōn holōn Theǭ neusai, kai lysai ta skythrōpa" all᾽ anathalletai, kai tōn polemoumenōn tēn andrian epideiknys, kai hē hin aphormas eis ōpheleian parechōn. ē D’, --- Prōtogegei hyparchǭ. Palai men dedōken homin ho philanthrōpos Des… timēn. tēs dynamin archousan hypourgēsai tę̄ gnōmę̄. Ēuxēse de tautēn epi tou parontos, hina rhąon kai ron megethos, kai katalysę̄ to pseudos, kai tais Echgalēnēn. Hoposēs gar eneplēsthēsan zalēs tēs heǭas hai Ekklēsiai, para pollōn men kai allōn hē hymetera megalophnia memathēken, achridesteron de para tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn mathēsę̄, hoi tēs makras kautēs apodēmiias en hōrą cheimōnos toutou charin ēneschonto, meta tēn theian charin tę̄ tēs hymeteras ᾿xxousias promētheią tharrhountes. Lysate toinyn hēmin, ō philochristoi, ton cheimōna, kai tēn schotomēnēn eis aithrian katharan metadalete, kai tas kath᾽ hēmōn kinētheisas chalinōsate glōstas. Hēmeis gar dia tēn theian charin, tōn apostolikōn diēnekōs hypermachou men dogmatōn, kai tēn ektetheisan en Nikaią pistin phylattomen asylon, kai tous tauta paracharattein tolmōntas ta dogmata adeueïs onomazomen. Kai toutōn martyres hoi par' hēmōn kchkatēchoumenoi, hoi par᾽ hēmōn baptizomenoi, hoi tōn en tais echchlēsiaes dialexeōn epaaïontes. Ei de katēgorein ennomōs ethelousi, chrē parontas elenchein, ouk apontas sycho» phantein. Houtō gar kai tois allois hē hymetera megalophniïa dichazousa pragmasin ekpherei tas psēphous, ak tōn tēs zSatēgorias kai apologiaph logōn “ssygorōsa to dikaion.
… And through the most God-beloved and most holy bishops I greet your Magnificence, whose memory I carry with me unquenched. The most holy bishop, lord Domnus, has arranged for them to reach the imperial city, to break up the falsehood composed against us. For some have woven a manifest slander against us and filled with turmoil the churches for which the Master Christ endured the cross, despising the shame, for which the choir of the divine apostles and the companies of the victorious martyrs were handed over to every form of death. I urge your Magnanimity to contend for their peace. It would have been easy for the God of the universe to nod and undo the gloom; but he delays, both showing the courage of those under attack and giving you occasions for doing good.
[Letter 94] To the prefect Protogenes. Long ago the loving Master gave you … honor … and power enough to serve your purpose. He has increased it at present, so that … your Greatness more easily …, may destroy the falsehood, and may give the churches calm. With what turmoil the churches of the East have been filled your Magnanimity has learned from many others too, but you will learn it more exactly from the most God-beloved bishops, who for this reason endured this long journey abroad in the winter season, confident, after divine grace, in the forethought of your Authority. Calm the storm for us, then, lovers of Christ; change the moonless dark into clear sky, and bridle the tongues set in motion against us. For by divine grace we fight continually for the apostolic doctrines, keep inviolate the faith set out at Nicaea, and call impious those who dare to falsify these doctrines. Witnesses of this are those catechized by us, those baptized by us, and those who listen to the sermons in the churches. If they wish to accuse lawfully, they must convict us in our presence, not slander us in our absence. That is how your Magnanimity gives sentence when judging other cases, gathering what is just from the speeches of accusation and defense.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Heb 12:2 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret commends to the patrician Senator the bishops sent by Domnus to the capital; in a second letter he asks the prefect Protogenes to end the storm in the churches and to let him be heard before being judged.
- The scan's heading is that of Senator, patrician, Migne Letter 93; the passage also holds Letter 94, To the prefect Protogenes (the scan prints its heading 'ϞΔ΄', i.e. 94; marked '[Letter 94]').
- The opening words of Letter 93 are lost in the scan. In Letter 94 lines are lost after 'the loving Master gave you' and after 'so that'; marked '…'. Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal date are removed by logged corrections.
- Quotation: Heb 12:2 ('endured the cross, despising the shame').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal date; the Greek here is lost; marginal letter removed; word rejoined; stray marks): Κα- Β ταλαδεῖν → Καταλαδεῖν; πόλιν αἶν]αἴ οἱ πο 18 οδνομάς ὁ → πόλιν ὁ; «ἀ Ὁ πάλαι → Πάλαι; Δεστοῦτ θυ} Δ ου}γαδχ ἰρί ταν πο} 5, ἰ]αυὶ ἃ δά ἃ (. 449, τ. Υ͂Ἱ, Ρ. πὶ 72. ϑίγπι. τιμὴν. → Δεσ… τιμὴν..
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 93 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/93). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/93
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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 95
95PG 83
Τῆς μεγίστης ἀρχῆς τὰς μὲν φροντίδας ἀπέθεσθε, τὸ δὲ κλέος ὑμῶν παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀνθεῖ. Οἱ γὰρ τὰς ὑμετέρας εδεργεσίας τρυγήσαντες ἄδουσι ταύτας ἐνδελεχῶς), πλεῖστοι δὲ οὗτοι, καὶ πανταχοῦ (καὶ πολλοῖς τὰς εὐφημίας προσφέροντες, καὶ τὰς ἐκείνων γλώττας πάλιν εἰς ἐπαίνους κινοῦντες. Ἐγὼ δὲ γάννυμαι, θεωρῶν τὸν ἀξιέραστον καρπὸν, τὴν πολυθρύλλητον ὡραΐζοντα ῥίζαν. Οὗ δὴ χάριν ἐπὶ τὰ μείζω καὶ τελειότερα τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυῖΐαν παρακαλῶ, καὶ τῆς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ἀξιῶ φροντίσαι γαλήνης. Πολλοῦ γὰρ ταύτας χειμῶνος ἐνέπλησαν οἱ τὰς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν συκοφαντίας ὑφήναντες. Διά τοι τοῦτο καὶ οἱ θεοφιλέστατοι ἐπίσκοποι, καὶ μακρᾶς ὁδοιπορίας, καὶ ἀσθενείας, καὶ γήρως καταφρονήσαντες, καὶ τὰ σφέπερα ποίμνια καταλιπόντες ἀποίμαντα, τὴν μακρὰν ταύτην πορείαν ἐστείλαντο, διελέγξαι τὸ κατὰ πάντων ἡμῶν συντεθὲν ἐπειγόμενοι ψεῦδος. Ἑπαμυ- “νάτω τοίνυν αὐτοῖς τὸ ὑμέτερον μέγεθος, καὶ τῆς συχοφαντουμένης ἑῴας κηδόμενον, καὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς προμηθούμενον πίστεως. Πρέπει γὰρ ὑμῖν «οἷς ἄλλοις γατορθώμασι καὶ τόδε προσθεῖναι τὸ κλέος.
Tēs megistēs archēs tas men phrontidas apethesthe, to de kleos hymōn para pasin anthei. Hoi gar tas hymeteras edergesias trygēsantes adousi tautas endelechōs), pleistoi de houtoi, kai pantachou (kai pollois tas euphēmias prospherontes, kai tas ekeinōn glōttas palin eis epainous kinountes. Egō de gannymai, theōrōn ton axieraston karpon, tēn polythryllēton hōraïzonta rhizan. Hou dē charin epi ta meizō kai teleiotera tēn hymeteran megalophuiïan parakalō, kai tēs tōn Ekklēsiōn axiō phrontisai galēnēs. Pollou gar tautas cheimōnos eneplēsan hoi tas kath᾽ hēmōn sykophantias hyphēnantes. Dia toi touto kai hoi theophilestatoi episkopoi, kai makras hodoiporias, kai astheneias, kai gērōs kataphronēsantes, kai ta sphepera poimnia katalipontes apoimanta, tēn makran tautēn poreian esteilanto, dielenxai to kata pantōn hēmōn syntethen epeigomenoi pseudos. Hepamy- “natō toinyn autois to hymeteron megethos, kai tēs sychophantoumenēs heǭas kēdomenon, kai tēs apostolikēs promēthoumenon pisteōs. Prepei gar hymin «hois allois gatorthōmasi kai tode prostheinai to kleos.
You have laid aside the cares of the highest office, but your fame flourishes among all. Those who reaped the fruit of your benefactions sing of them continually (and they are very many, and everywhere), offering their praises to many and moving the tongues of these in turn to praise. And I rejoice, seeing the lovely fruit adorning the famous root. For this reason I urge your Magnanimity on to greater and more perfect things, and ask you to take care for the calm of the churches. For those who wove the slanders against us have filled them with a great storm. That is why the most God-beloved bishops, disregarding a long journey, sickness and old age, and leaving their own flocks without a shepherd, have set out on this long journey, eager to refute the falsehood composed against us all. Let your Greatness help them, then, caring for the slandered East and taking forethought for the apostolic faith. For it befits you to add this glory too to your other achievements.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret praises the former prefect Antiochus and asks him to support the bishops who have gone to the capital to defend the churches of the East.
- The scan's heading is that of Antiochus, prefect, Migne Letter 95 (the staged sequence number 94 is not Migne's).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 95 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/95). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/95
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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 96
96PG 83
Δὶς μὲν ἤδη γράψας, οἶμαι δ᾽ ὅτι καὶ τρὶς, ἀντιγράφων οὐκ ἔτυχον" καὶ σιγῇσαι λοιπὸν βουληθεὶς, "καὶ νῦν γοῦν ἐμαυτόν τε γνῶναι, καὶ τῶν ἐξουσιῶν τὸ μέγεθος ἐπιγνῶναι, ἄμεινον φήθην αὖθις γράψαι, καὶ παρακαλέσαι μαθεῖν τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς σιωπῆς. Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ οὐκ οἷδά τι πλημμελῆσας εἰς τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ μόνον ἐχόντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄκοντες πταίομεν, καὶ ἀγνοοῦμεν ἔστιν ὅτε ἃ πλημμελοῦμεν, ἢ ὑμετέρα μεγαλοφυῖΐα, τῶν “θείων νόμων ἀναμνησθεῖσα, οἵ διαῤῥήδην παρεγγνῶσιν, ε« Ἐὰν ἁμάρτῃ ὁ ἀδελφός σον εἰς σὲ, ἔλεγξον αὐτὸν μεταξὺ σοῦ μόνον καὶ αὐτοῦ,» δήλην μοι τῆς “λύπης ποιῆσαι χαταξιωσάτω τὴν ἀφορμὴν, ἵνα ἣ ἀθῶον ἐμαυτὸν ἐπιδείξω, ἣ γνοὺς τὸ πλημμέλημα συγγνώμην αἰτήσω. Ἐλπίζω δὲ τὸ πρότερον ἔσεσθαι, τῇ τοῦ συνειδότος μαρτυρίᾳ θαῤῥῶν. Πάντας μὲν οὖν ἀνθρώπους ἡ μεγαλοψυχία κοσμεῖ, οὐκ ἧκιστα δὲ τοὺς κατὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοφυῖαν καὶ διὰ τῆς θύραθεν παιδείας ἡγουμένους, καὶ τὰ θεῖα, πεπαιδευμένους, καὶ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ἐπαῖον.-τας νόμων, ἄντικρυς βοώντων’ « Μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ὁ ἥλιος ἐπὶ '᾿τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν" » καὶ τῶν Ὁμηριχῶν μεμνημένους ἐπῶν. Σὺ δὲ μεγαλήτορα θυμὸν Ἴσχε ἐνὶ στήθεσσι" φιλοφροσύνη γὰρ ἀμείνων. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐ διδάσκων ἔφην, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμιμνήσκων ἐν πολλοῖς οὖσαν τὴν ὑμετέραν μεγαλοπρέπειαν " καὶ μέντοι καὶ τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου μεμνημένος νόμων, οἵ “ταῦτα διαγορεύουσιν" ε Ἐὰν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον, κἀκεῖ μνησθῇς ὅτι ἔχει τι ὁ ἀδελφός σου κατὰ σοῦ, ἄφες ἐκεῖ τὸ δῶρόν δον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίον, καὶ ὕπαγε, πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου, καὶ τότε ἐλθὼν προσφέρεις τὸ δῶρόν σου. » Τούτοις ἑπόμενος, ἀναγκαῖον φήθην καὶ διὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων προσεἰπεῖν ὑμῶν τὸ μέγεθος, καὶ παρακαλέσαι φροντίσαι τῆς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν γαλήνης. Παμπόλλης γὰρ ἐνἐπλήσθησαν ζάλης.
Dis men ēdē grapsas, oimai d᾽ hoti kai tris, antigraphōn ouk etychon" kai sigę̄sai loipon boulētheis, "kai nyn goun emauton te gnōnai, kai tōn exousiōn to megethos epignōnai, ameinon phēthēn authis grapsai, kai parakalesai mathein tēn aitian tēs siōpēs. Tǭ onti gar ouk hoida ti plēmmelēsas eis tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian. Epeidē de ou monon echontes, alla kai akontes ptaiomen, kai agnooumen estin hote ha plēmmeloumen, ē hymetera megalophuiïa, tōn “theiōn nomōn anamnēstheisa, hoi diarrhēdēn parengnōsin, e« Ean hamartę̄ ho adelphos son eis se, elenxon auton metaxy sou monon kai autou,» dēlēn moi tēs “lypēs poiēsai chataxiōsatō tēn aphormēn, hina hē athōon emauton epideixō, hē gnous to plēmmelēma syngnōmēn aitēsō. Elpizō de to proteron esesthai, tę̄ tou syneidotos martyrią tharrhōn. Pantas men oun anthrōpous hē megalopsychia kosmei, ouk hēkista de tous kata tēn hymeteran megalophuian kai dia tēs thyrathen paideias hēgoumenous, kai ta theia, pepaideumenous, kai tōn apostolikōn epaion.-tas nomōn, antikrys boōntōn’ « Mē epidyetō ho hēlios epi '᾿tǭ parorgismǭ hymōn" » kai tōn Homērichōn memnēmenous epōn. Sy de megalētora thymon Ische eni stēthessi" philophrosynē gar ameinōn. Tauta de ou didaskōn ephēn, all᾽ anamimnēskōn en pollois ousan tēn hymeteran megaloprepeian " kai mentoi kai tōn tou Kyriou memnēmenos nomōn, hoi “tauta diagoreuousin" e Ean prospherę̄s to dōron sou epi to thysiastērion, kakei mnēsthę̄s hoti echei ti ho adelphos sou kata sou, aphes ekei to dōron don emprosthen tou thysiastērion, kai hypage, prōton diallagēthi tǭ adelphǭ sou, kai tote elthōn prosphereis to dōron sou. » Toutois hepomenos, anankaion phēthēn kai dia tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn proseipein hymōn to megethos, kai parakalesai phrontisai tēs tōn Ekklēsiōn galēnēs. Pampollēs gar eneplēsthēsan zalēs.
Having already written twice, and I think even three times, I have not received a reply; and though I had wished from now on to keep silent, and at any rate now to know myself and to recognize the greatness of those in authority, I thought it better to write again and to ask to learn the cause of your silence. For truly I know of no offense I have committed against your Magnificence. But since we stumble not only willingly but also unwillingly, and sometimes do not know in what we offend, let your Magnanimity, remembering the divine laws that plainly enjoin, 'If your brother sins against you, reprove him between you and him alone', deign to make clear to me the occasion of your displeasure, so that I may either show myself innocent or, learning my offense, ask pardon. I hope it will be the former, confident in the witness of my conscience. Magnanimity adorns all people, but not least those who, like your Magnanimity, are distinguished by secular learning, have been instructed in divine things, and listen to the apostolic laws that cry out plainly, 'Do not let the sun go down on your anger', and who remember the Homeric verses: 'But you, restrain your great-hearted spirit in your breast; for kindliness is better.' I have said this not to teach but to remind your Magnificence, who are versed in many things; and also because I remember the Lord's laws, which enjoin this: 'If you are offering your gift at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.' Following these, I thought it necessary to greet your Greatness through the most God-beloved bishops as well, and to ask you to take care for the calm of the churches; for they have been filled with very great turmoil.
Matt 18:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:26 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:23 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:24 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the patrician Nomus, who has left his letters unanswered, to tell him the cause of his displeasure, appealing to the Gospel's rules of reconciliation.
- The scan's heading is that of Nomus, patrician, Migne Letter 96 (the staged sequence number 95 is not Migne's).
- Quotations: Matt 18:15; Eph 4:26; Homer, Il. 9.255–256; Matt 5:23–24. Lines of Migne's Latin column inside the last quotation are 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 inside προσ-φέρεις; stray marks; word rejoined; doubled letter): γρά- Ψψαι → γράψαι; ᾿ δε τὰ ἡ.. Σὺ → Σὺ; πρῶτον ποτα ἴῃ πο δ ποῦ ἰού, αὶ ἀϊαὶ :. Τα 1167 κε πῆ ἰυυπὶ 5.» Α διαλλάγηθι → πρῶτον διαλλάγηθι; προσγοτο ἰφ ἰ απ θ 60 δα) ἰοῦ υ», ἀγἀδηίδιῃ 26 πὶ εἰ πι} ] 406 41108 ἃ νὸ- Ϊ ποίη) Οὐ φέρεις → προσφέρεις.
Extrabiblical texts: Homer, Il. 9.255-256 (Homer, Iliad; quotation)
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 96 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/96). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/96
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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 97
97PG 83
Ἐψυχαγώγησέ με τῆς ὑμετέρας μεγαλοπρεπείας τὰ γράμματα" ηὔξησε δέ μου τὴν θυμηδίαν καὶ ὁ τὸν θερμὸν ὑμῶν διηγησάμενος ζῆλον, καὶ τὴν περὶ πὰ θεῖα σπουδὴν, καὶ τὴν περὶ ἡμᾶς γνησίαν διάθεσιν. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα μαθὼν, καὶ τοῦ ἐνδοξοτάτου καὶ φιλοχρίστου κυρίου τοῦ Πατριχίου τοὺς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀγῶνας; ἀκούων, τὴν ἀποστολικὴν ὑμῖν εὖλογίαν προσφέρω, ἣν ὁ μακάριος Ὀνησιφόρος ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας ἐκείνης ἑχαρπώσατο γλώσσης" ε« Δῴη ἔλεος Κύριος (τῷ ὑμετέρῳ οἴκῳ), ὅτι πολλάκις με ἀνέψυξε, καὶ τὴν ἅλυσίν μου οὐκ ἐπῃσχύνθη δῴη ὑμῖν ὁ Κύριος ἔλεος εὑρεῖν παρὰ Κυρίου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ.» Ταῦτα ὑμῖν ἐπεύχομαι, κἂν μείζοσιν οἱ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθροὶ περιδάλλωσί με λυπηροῖς, ὡς νομίζου.σιν. Εἰς γὰρ τὴν πρόθεσιν ἀφορᾷν ἐδιδάχθημεν. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ ἴστω ὑμῶν τὸ μέγεθος, ὡς μετὰ τῆς εὖσεδείας καὶ ὁ θάνατος ἡμῖν ἥδιστος, καὶ αἱ τῆς οἷκουμένης ἐσχατιαί, ᾿Ανιᾷ δὲ ὅμως ἡμᾶς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν ὁ χειμὼν, ὅν δυνατὸς λῦσαι τῶν ὅλων ὁ Κύριος
Epsychagōgēse me tēs hymeteras megaloprepeias ta grammata" ēuxēse de mou tēn thymēdian kai ho ton thermon hymōn diēgēsamenos zēlon, kai tēn peri pa theia spoudēn, kai tēn peri hēmas gnēsian diathesin. Egō de kai tauta mathōn, kai tou endoxotatou kai philochristou kyriou tou Patrichiou tous hyper hēmōn agōnas? akouōn, tēn apostolikēn hymin eulogian prospherō, hēn ho makarios Onēsiphoros ek tēs hagias ekeinēs hecharpōsato glōssēs" e« Dǭē eleos Kyrios (tǭ hymeterǭ oikǭ), hoti pollakis me anepsyxe, kai tēn halysin mou ouk epę̄schynthē dǭē hymin ho Kyrios eleos heurein para Kyriou en ekeinę̄ tę̄ hēmerą.» Tauta hymin epeuchomai, kan meizosin hoi tēs alētheias echthroi peridallōsi me lypērois, hōs nomizou.sin. Eis gar tēn prothesin aphorąn edidachthēmen. Kai touto de istō hymōn to megethos, hōs meta tēs eusedeias kai ho thanatos hēmin hēdistos, kai hai tēs hoikoumenēs eschatiai, ᾿Anią de homōs hēmas tōn Ekklēsiōn ho cheimōn, hon dynatos lysai tōn holōn ho Kyrios
The letter of your Magnificence cheered me; and my gladness was increased by the one who told me of your warm zeal, your earnestness about divine things, and your sincere disposition toward us. Having learned this, and hearing of the contests of the most glorious and Christ-loving lord Patricius on our behalf, I offer you the apostolic blessing which the blessed Onesiphorus reaped from that holy tongue: 'May the Lord grant mercy (to your house), for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chain; may the Lord grant you to find mercy from the Lord on that day.' This I pray for you, even if the enemies of the truth surround me with greater pains, as they think. For we have been taught to look to the purpose. And let your Greatness know this too: with piety even death is most sweet to us, and so are the ends of the world. Yet the storm of the churches grieves us, which the Lord of the universe is able to calm …
2 Tim 1:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 1:18 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret thanks the count Sporacius for his support and blesses him with Paul's prayer for Onesiphorus.
- The scan's heading is that of Sporacius, count, Migne Letter 97 (the staged sequence number 96 is not Migne's). The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- Quotation: 2 Tim 1:16, 18, adapted to the addressee ('to your house' is Theodoret's bracketed adaptation). 'We have been taught to look to the purpose' probably means God's purpose (cf. Rom 8:28).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 97 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/97). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/97
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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 98
98PG 83
… δωνα βλέποντες" ὁ δὲ τούτων Δεσπότης καὶ χυδερνήτης ἀεὶ διὰ τριχυμιῶν ἔδειξε τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὴν οἰκείαν σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν. Ἐξαίφνης γὰρ ἐπιτιμᾷ τοῖς ἀνέμοις, καὶ τὴν γαλήνην ἐργάζεται" τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ σκάφους τῶν ἀποστόλων πεποίηκεν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως καὶ ταύτην τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν τὴν δύνᾶάμιν ἐπιστάμενοι, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας αὐτοῦ πάλιν οἶκονομίας εἰδότες, χἄᾶν τι τῶν ἐναντίων ἐχδῇ,, χάριν ὁμολογοῦμεν, καὶ ὡς θεόσδοτον δεχόμεθα δῶρον. Τῶν γὰρ παρόντων καταφρονεῖν, τὰ δὲ προσδοκώμενα προσμένειν ἐδιδάχθημεν ἀγαθά. Τὴν δὲ σὴν μεγαλοπρέπειαν τῆν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀποστολιχῆῇς πίστεως εἶσενεγκεῖν προσήκει σπουδὴν, ἵνα τῆν ὑπὲο ταύτης ἀντίδοσιν παρὰ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων κομίσηται. Οἵἷμαι καὶ τὴν σὴν εἰδέναι μεγαλοπρέπειαν, χκαίτοι μηδέπω συναφθεῖσαν ἡμῖν, τῆς καθ' ἡμῶν γεγενημένης συκοφαντίας τὸ προφανές. Πολλάκις γὰρ ἡμῶν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ διαλεγομένων ἀκήκοεν, καὶ τὸν ἕνα Κύριον Ἰησοῦν χηρνττόντων, καὶ δεικνύντων τά τε τῆς θεότητος, τά τε τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἴδια. Οὐ γὰρ εἰς δύο υἱοὺς τὸν ἕνα διαιροῦμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα Μονογενῇ προσκυνοῦντες, σαρκὸς καὶ θεότητος δείκνυμεν τὸ διάφορον. Τοῦτο δὲ, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ οἱ τὰ ᾿Αρείου φρονοῦντες ὁμολογοῦσι, καὶ οὐ καλοῦσι τὴν σάρκα θεότητα, οὔτε μὴν τὴν θεότητα σάρκα προσαγορεύουσι. Σαφῶς γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἡ θεία Γραφὴ καὶ ταύτην κἀκείνην διδάσκει τὴν φύσιν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως, ἐούτων οὕτω παρ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰρημένων ἀεὶ, ψευδεῖς τινες καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὑφαίνουσι λόγους. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τῷ συνειδότι θαῤῥοῦντες, καὶ μάρτυρα τῆς διδασκαλίας ἔχοντες. τῶν ἐννοιῶν τὸν Ἑπόπετην, ἱστὸν ἀράχνης, κατὰ τὸν Προφήτην, ὑπολαμόάνομεν τὰ τῆς συκοφαντίας ὑφάσματα. Ἐκεῖνο γὰρ προσμένομεν τὸ κριτήριον, τὸ μὴ δεόμενον λόγων, ἀλλὰ δῆλα ποιοῦν τὰ τέως λανθάνοντα. Ταῦτα διὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων γράφω, προὔργου νομίσας προσειπεῖν τὴν σὴν δι᾽ αὐτῶν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, καὶ τῆς ὑποσχέσεως ἀναμνῆσαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πολεμούμενος τοῦ θηρεύειν ἀπέχομαι. Οἷδα γὰρ καὶ τοὺς ἱεροὺς ἀποστόλους μετὰ τοῦ βάλλεσθαι τῇ πνευματικῇ σαγήνῃ χρησαμένους ἀεί.
… dōna blepontes" ho de toutōn Despotēs kai chydernētēs aei dia trichymiōn edeixe tois anthrōpois tēn oikeian sophian kai dynamin. Exaiphnēs gar epitimą tois anemois, kai tēn galēnēn ergazetai" touto de kai epi tou skaphous tōn apostolōn pepoiēken. ᾿All᾽ homōs kai tautēn tou Sōtēros hēmōn tēn dynaamin epistamenoi, kai tas allas autou palin oikonomias eidotes, chaan ti tōn enantiōn echdę̄,, charin homologoumen, kai hōs theosdoton dechometha dōron. Tōn gar parontōn kataphronein, ta de prosdokōmena prosmenein edidachthēmen agatha. Tēn de sēn megaloprepeian tēn hyper tēs apostolichēę̄s pisteōs eisenenkein prosēkei spoudēn, hina tēn hypeo tautēs antidosin para Theou tōn holōn komisētai. Hoiimai kai tēn sēn eidenai megaloprepeian, chkaitoi mēdepō synaphtheisan hēmin, tēs kath' hēmōn gegenēmenēs sykophantias to prophanes. Pollakis gar hēmōn en ekklēsią dialegomenōn akēkoen, kai ton hena Kyrion Iēsoun chērnttontōn, kai deiknyntōn ta te tēs theotētos, ta te tēs anthrōpotētos idia. Ou gar eis dyo huious ton hena diairoumen, all᾽ hena Monogenę̄ proskynountes, sarkos kai theotētos deiknymen to diaphoron. Touto de, hōs oimai, kai hoi ta ᾿Areiou phronountes homologousi, kai ou kalousi tēn sarka theotēta, oute mēn tēn theotēta sarka prosagoreuousi. Saphōs gar hēmas hē theia Graphē kai tautēn kakeinēn didaskei tēn physin. ᾿All᾽ homōs, eoutōn houtō par᾽ hēmōn eirēmenōn aei, pseudeis tines kath᾽ hēmōn hyphainousi logous. Hēmeis de tǭ syneidoti tharrhountes, kai martyra tēs didaskalias echontes. tōn ennoiōn ton Hepopetēn, histon arachnēs, kata ton Prophētēn, hypolamoanomen ta tēs sykophantias hyphasmata. Ekeino gar prosmenomen to kritērion, to mē deomenon logōn, alla dēla poioun ta teōs lanthanonta. Tauta dia tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn graphō, prourgou nomisas proseipein tēn sēn di᾽ autōn megaloprepeian, kai tēs hyposcheseōs anamnēsai. Oude gar polemoumenos tou thēreuein apechomai. Hoida gar kai tous hierous apostolous meta tou ballesthai tę̄ pneumatikę̄ sagēnę̄ chrēsamenous aei.
… seeing the waves; but their Master and Pilot has always shown men his own wisdom and power through the high seas. For suddenly he rebukes the winds and makes a calm; this he did also on the apostles' boat. Still, knowing this power of our Savior and knowing his other dispensations as well, even if something adverse happens we give thanks and receive it as a God-given gift. For we have been taught to despise present things and to await the good things expected. It befits your Magnificence to bring your zeal to the apostolic faith, so that you may receive the recompense for it from the God of the universe.
[Letter 99] To Claudianus. I think your Magnificence too, although you have not yet met us, knows how manifest the slander made against us is. For you have often heard us preaching in church, proclaiming the one Lord Jesus and showing the properties both of the Godhead and of the manhood. For we do not divide the one into two sons, but worshipping one Only-begotten, we show the difference of flesh and Godhead. This, I think, even those who hold the views of Arius confess, and they do not call the flesh Godhead, nor name the Godhead flesh. For the divine Scripture clearly teaches us both this nature and that. Yet although we have always spoken in this way, some weave false words against us. But we, confident in our conscience and having the Overseer of thoughts as witness of our teaching, take the webs of slander for a spider's web, as the prophet says. For we await that tribunal which needs no words but makes manifest what has so far been hidden. I write this by the most God-beloved bishops, thinking it worthwhile to greet your Magnificence through them and to remind you of your promise. For even under attack I do not give up hunting; I know that the holy apostles too, while being struck, always used the spiritual net.
Matt 8:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 59:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 4:5 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret tells Pancharius that Christ calms storms in his own time and urges him to support the apostolic faith; in a second letter he assures Claudianus that he does not divide Christ into two sons.
- The scan's heading is that of Pancharius, Migne Letter 98 (the staged sequence number 97 is not Migne's); the opening words are lost. The passage also holds Letter 99, To Claudianus (NPNF² 3: 'Claudianus the antigrapharius'), whose heading the scan lost; it begins at 'I think your Magnificence too' and is marked '[Letter 99]'.
- Letter 98 alludes to Matt 8:26 (Christ rebuking the winds). Letter 99: 'a spider's web' recalls Isa 59:5 (and Job 8:14); 'makes manifest what has so far been hidden' recalls 1 Cor 4:5. 'Remind you of your promise' and 'I do not give up hunting' suggest that Claudianus had promised to consider the faith; the letter does not say more.
- In Letter 99 a line of Greek ('… the difference. This, I think, even those who hold the views of Arius') was displaced by the scan into the passage staged as 101; it is restored here by a logged correction. Compared afterwards with NPNF² 3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Migne's marginal reference and Latin column) removed; the lost Greek line, printed by the scan in passage 101 (Migne Letter 101), restored to its place; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal date; stray marginal number): οἱ ἱῃ οἵ δὶ δὴ οϑῖ, πον ἢ] 105 ἀἀ ἃ (. 449, → … ; 5 Οἵἷμαι → Οἵἷμαι; δείκνυ- Ὑπ, 96. αὐὶ Ἴδη φρονοῦντες → δείκνυμεν τὸ διάφορον. Τοῦτο δὲ, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ οἱ τὰ ᾿Αρείου φρονοῦντες.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 98 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/98). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/98
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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 100
100PG 83
Ἐδεξάμην πρώην τῆς ὑμετέρας σεμνοπρεπείας πὰ γράμματα, καὶ μαθὼν γεγενημένην ὑμῖν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σπουδὴν, χάριν ὡμολόγησα, καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότην ἱχέτευσα, καὶ τὰ παρόντα ὑμῖν ἀγαθὰ φυλάξαι, καὶ ταῖς προσθήκαις αὐξῆσαι, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων καὶ αἰωνίων χαρίσασθαι τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Πιστεύομεν δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ τῶν περιωρισμένων ἀκούειν, μᾶλλον δὲ πολλῷ πλέον τούτων, ἐπειδὴ διὰ τὴν θείαν αὐτοῦ διδασκαλίαν τὴν δοκοῦσαν ὑπομένουσιν αἰτίαν. Ταῦτα διὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων γράφω, παρακαλῶν τῆς ὑμετέρας αὐτοὺς ἀπολαῦσαι κηδεμονίας. Τῆς γὰρ εὐαγγελικῆς ἕνεκα πίστεως, καὶ τῆς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν χάριν εἰρήνης, τὴν μακρὰν ταύτην ἀποδημίαν εἵλοντο.
Edexamēn prōēn tēs hymeteras semnoprepeias pa grammata, kai mathōn gegenēmenēn hymin hyper hēmōn spoudēn, charin hōmologēsa, kai ton tōn holōn Despotēn hicheteusa, kai ta paronta hymin agatha phylaxai, kai tais prosthēkais auxēsai, kai tōn mellontōn kai aiōniōn charisasthai tēn apolausin. Pisteuomen de auton kai tōn periōrismenōn akouein, mallon de pollǭ pleon toutōn, epeidē dia tēn theian autou didaskalian tēn dokousan hypomenousin aitian. Tauta dia tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn graphō, parakalōn tēs hymeteras autous apolausai kēdemonias. Tēs gar euangelikēs heneka pisteōs, kai tēs tōn Ekklēsiōn charin eirēnēs, tēn makran tautēn apodēmian heilonto.
I recently received the letter of your Dignity, and on learning of the zeal you have shown on our behalf I gave thanks, and I besought the Master of the universe to keep your present good things, to increase them with additions, and to grant you the enjoyment of the future and eternal ones. We believe that he hears even those who are confined, indeed much more these, since it is for his divine teaching that they bear this apparent charge. I write this by the most God-beloved bishops, asking that they may enjoy your care. For they chose this long journey abroad for the sake of the gospel faith and the peace of the churches.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret thanks Alexandra for her efforts on his behalf and commends to her the bishops travelling to the capital.
- Migne Letter 100, To Alexandra (449). The flag that Letters 98–99 are lost inside this passage does not hold: they stand in the passage staged as 97.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 100 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/100). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/100
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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 101
101PG 83
Ἐξήφθη πάλιν ὁ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν πόλεμος, καὶ σμικρὸν ἐνδοὺς ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀλάστωρ, πάλιν ὥπλιχεν καθ' ἡμῶν τοὺς τῷ ψεύδει συντεθραμμένους. Οἵ προφανῶς ἡμᾶς συκοφαντοῦντες, εἰς δύο λέγουσι μερίζειν ἡμᾶς νἱοὺς τὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν. Ἡμεῖς θὲ θεότητος μὲν καὶ ἀνθρωπότητος τὸ διάφορον ἐπιστάμεθα" ἕνα δὲ ὁμολογοῦμεν Υἱὸν, τὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα θεὸν Λόγον. Καὶ αὐτὸν εἵναί φαμεν Θεὸν προαιώνιον, καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν γενόμενον, οὐ τῇ τροπῇ τῆς θεότητος, ἀλλὰ τῇ προσλήψει τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ περιττὸν ποιῶ τὴν σὴν διδάσκων φιλοθεῖαν ἅπερ φρονῶ, τὴν ἀχριδῶς εἰδυῖαν ἅπερ κηρύττομεν, καὶ τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας διδάσκομεν. Παρακαλῶ τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν τῆς ᾿Ανατολῆς θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισχόπκων χατέχεαν τὴν λοιδορίαν οἱ νοῦ ψεύδους ἐργάται, καὶ τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ζάλης ἐνέπλησαν, τὴν δυνατὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων, καὶ τῆς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν εἰρήνης, εἰσενεγκεῖν σπουδὴν τὴν σὴν θεοσέθδειαν. Διὰ γὰρ δὴ ταῦτα καὶ οἱ θεοφιλέ… Ἐκχχλησίας κατέλιπον, καὶ τῆς τοῦ χειμῶνος κατἐφρόνησαν ὥρας, καὶ τῶν τῆς ὁδοιπορίας ᾿νέσχοντο πόνων, ἵνα τὸν ἐπαναστάντα χαταπαύσωσι χειμῶνα. Οὖὺς εὖ οἶδα ὅτι ὄψεταί σου ἣ κατὰ Θεὸν τελειότης, εὐσεδείας προμάχους, καὶ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν χυδερ…
Exēphthē palin ho kath᾽ hēmōn polemos, kai smikron endous ho tōn anthrōpōn alastōr, palin hōplichen kath' hēmōn tous tǭ pseudei syntethrammenous. Hoi prophanōs hēmas sykophantountes, eis dyo legousi merizein hēmas nious ton hena Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon. Hēmeis the theotētos men kai anthrōpotētos to diaphoron epistametha" hena de homologoumen Huion, ton enanthrōpēsanta theon Logon. Kai auton heinai phamen Theon proaiōnion, kai anthrōpon ep᾽ eschatou tōn hēmerōn genomenon, ou tę̄ tropę̄ tēs theotētos, alla tę̄ proslēpsei tēs anthrōpotētos, ᾿Alla gar peritton poiō tēn sēn didaskōn philotheian haper phronō, tēn achridōs eiduian haper kēryttomen, kai tous agnoountas didaskomen. Parakalō toinyn, epeidē pantōn homou tōn tēs ᾿Anatolēs theophilestatōn epischopkōn chatechean tēn loidorian hoi nou pseudous ergatai, kai tas Ekklēsias zalēs eneplēsan, tēn dynatēn hyper tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn, kai tēs tōn Ekklēsiōn eirēnēs, eisenenkein spoudēn tēn sēn theosethdeian. Dia gar dē tauta kai hoi theophile… Ekchchlēsias katelipon, kai tēs tou cheimōnos katephronēsan hōras, kai tōn tēs hodoiporias ᾿neschonto ponōn, hina ton epanastanta chatapausōsi cheimōna. Ouys eu oida hoti opsetai sou hē kata Theon teleiotēs, eusedeias promachous, kai tōn Ekklēsiōn chyder…
The war against us has been kindled again, and the destroyer of humankind, having relaxed a little, has again armed against us those brought up on falsehood. Plainly slandering us, they say that we divide our one Lord Jesus Christ into two sons. But we know the difference between Godhead and manhood, and we confess one Son, God the Word made man. And we say that he is God before the ages and became man at the end of the days, not by a change of the Godhead but by the assumption of the manhood. But I am doing something superfluous in teaching your God-loving self what I believe, since you know exactly what we preach and teach to those who do not know. I beg you, then, since the workers of falsehood have poured abuse on all the most God-beloved bishops of the East together and filled the churches with turmoil, that your Godliness bring what zeal you can for the gospel doctrines and the peace of the churches. For this reason the most God-beloved … have left their churches, disregarded the winter season and endured the toils of the journey, to calm the storm that has arisen. I know well that your perfection in God will see them as champions of piety and pilots of the churches …
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret assures the deaconess Celerina that he confesses one Son, God the Word made man, and asks her to support the bishops travelling to the capital.
- Migne Letter 101, To the deaconess Celerina (449). The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- After 'the most God-beloved' a line of another letter stands in the scan ('… the difference. This, I think, even those who hold the views of Arius'); it belongs to Letter 99 to Claudianus (passage staged as 97) and is restored there by a logged correction. The Greek lost here (probably 'bishops') is marked '…'. 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; the end of the letter is lost; a displaced line belonging to Letter 99 (restored in passage 97) and OCR debris from Migne's Latin column removed; the Greek here is lost): θεοφιλέμεν τὸ διάφορον. Τοῦτο δὲ, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ οἱ τὰ ᾿Αρείου Α 1169 ὁἐληιβ εἰ ἀἰνίηἰ4ι|5 ἀἰδετοηϊ δι) ἀοοδιηυβ Ττ]οροῖ, οἱ πὶ ἰπιοἱ Εδαὶ πιο π Βα τοὶ! χαόγαηι 60 μα βϑιμηΐ ορίϑοορὶ ς- οἱ, βίοι! αἱ Ἐκχχλησίας → θεοφιλέ… Ἐκχχλησίας; χυδερ- Δυΐ δἰ δὲ δά 511 16- 408 ἃ συ} }8 πυρά Ἀθη εἰοῖὶ Ῥαδιγίβ " πιοὶ φυὶ εϑὲ ἐπ οὐ ἱβ "5. ν Αἱ βἱ δοαἷΐ : « Νοῃ }ι- Ἐὶ πα ἢ ἶα 5,» 6: ε Οἰδυάοεπβ 8173 θυς λά νἱτύχῃ βου απ, 4ὶ ἰῃ ροοἵ οὐ πὶ Δ οτα πὴ ἰμ 118 ἰδὲ πο υἱ → χυδερ….
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 101 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/101). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/101
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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 102
102PG 83
Τὸ μὲν τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας ἡμᾶς σιγῇ τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ᾿ἀκούειν λοιδοριῶν, οὐδὲν ἀπεικός " τὸ δὲ τὴν σὴν ὁσιότητα τῶν λοιδοῤονμένων μὴ διελέγχειν τὸ ψεῦδος, ἣ μετρίως τοῦτο ποιεῖν, καὶ μὴ λίαν ἐκθύμως, οοὖχ ἄν τις πιστεύσοι, τὴν ὑμετέραν συνήθειαν ἐπιστάμενος. Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀληθείας δεῖ τὴν φιλίαν προκρίνειν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι τῇ φιλίᾳ καὶ ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας πρόσεστι μαρτυρία. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπ᾽ ἐκκλησίας λεγόντων ἡμῶν πολλάκις ἀκήκοεν ἧ σὴ θεοσέδεια, καὶ ἐν συλλόγοις ἑτέροις δογματιχῶν ἡμῖν κινηθέντων λόγων, τοὺς καρ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰρημένους ἐπήκουσε" καὶ οὐκ οἷδα πώποτε μεμψαμένην ἡμῖν, ὡς οὐκ ὀρθοῖς δόγμασι κέχρημαι, τὴν σὴν θεοσέδειαν. Τί τοίνυν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος γεγένηται; Τί δήποτε μὴ κινεῖς, ὦ φίλη κεφαλὴ, κατὰ τοῦ ψεύδους τὴν γλῶτταν, ἀλκὰ καὶ φίλον συχοφαντούμενον, καὶ τὴν ἀλέθειαν πολεμουμένην ὑπερορᾷς; Εὶ μὲν ὡς ἀπόρων καὶ λίαν σμικρῶν ἀμελῶν, τῆς Δεσποτιχῆῇς ἐντολῆς ἐπακοῦσαι προσήκει διαῤῥήδην βοώσης " ε« Ὁρᾶτε μὴ καταφρονήσητε ἑνὸς. τῶν μικρῶν τούτων τῶν ἐλαχίστων πῶν πιστευόντων εἰς ἐμέ. ᾿Αμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν, οἱ ἄγγελοι αὐτῶν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ὁρῶσι τὸ πρόσωὠπὸν τοῦ Πατρός μου τοῦ ἕν οὐρανοῖς. » Εἰ δὲ τῶν κατηγορούντων ἡμᾶς ἡ δύναμις τῇ σῇ φιλοθεῖᾳ τὴν σιωπὴν πραγματεύεται, χρὴ τῆς ἑτέρας ἀκοῦσαι νομοθεσίας λεγούσης " ε Οὐ λήψῃ πρόσωπον δυνάστου. » Καί" ε Δικαίαν κρίσιν κρίνατε. » Καί" ε Οὐς ἔσῃ μετὰ πολλῶν ἐπὶ κἀκία.» Καί" «Καμμύων τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὑτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἴδῃ ἀδικίαν" καὶ κλείων τὰ ὦτα αὑτοῦ, ἵνα μὴ ἀκούσῃ χρίσιν αἵματος ἀδίκου. » Καὶ ἕτερα δὲ μυρία τοιαῦτα ἔστιν εὑρεῖν παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ. Ἃ περιττὸν ὑπέλαδον συλλέξαι, πρὸς ἄνδρα. γράφων τοῖς θείοις ἐντεθραμμένον Λογίοις, καὶ τὴν διδασκαλικὴν ἀρδείαν προσφέροντα τοῖς φιλοχρίστοις λαοῖς, Τοῦτο τοίνυν μόνον ἐρῶ, ὅτι πάντες παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ τῶν λόγων καὶ τῶν ἔρνων τὰς εὐθύνας ὑφέξομεν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἕνεκα πάντιυν τοῦτο δεδιὼς τὸ χριτήςτ ρίον, ἐν τοῖς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν λεγομένοις ἐκ τῆς τούτου μνήμης λαμθάνω τῆς ψυχαγωγίας τὰς ἀφορμάς.
To men tous agnoountas hēmas sigę̄ tōn kath᾽ hēmōn ᾿akouein loidoriōn, ouden apeikos " to de tēn sēn hosiotēta tōn loidoronmenōn mē dielenchein to pseudos, hē metriōs touto poiein, kai mē lian ekthymōs, oouch an tis pisteusoi, tēn hymeteran synētheian epistamenos. Ouk epeidē tēs alētheias dei tēn philian prokrinein, all᾽ hoti tę̄ philią kai hē tēs alētheias prosesti martyria. Kai gar ep᾽ ekklēsias legontōn hēmōn pollakis akēkoen hē sē theosedeia, kai en syllogois heterois dogmatichōn hēmin kinēthentōn logōn, tous kar᾽ hēmōn eirēmenous epēkouse" kai ouk hoida pōpote mempsamenēn hēmin, hōs ouk orthois dogmasi kechrēmai, tēn sēn theosedeian. Ti toinyn epi tou parontos gegenētai? Ti dēpote mē kineis, ō philē kephalē, kata tou pseudous tēn glōttan, alka kai philon sychophantoumenon, kai tēn aletheian polemoumenēn hyperorąs? Ei men hōs aporōn kai lian smikrōn amelōn, tēs Despotichēę̄s entolēs epakousai prosēkei diarrhēdēn boōsēs " e« Horate mē kataphronēsēte henos. tōn mikrōn toutōn tōn elachistōn pōn pisteuontōn eis eme. ᾿Amēn gar legō hymin, hoi angeloi autōn kath᾽ hēmeran horōsi to prosōōpon tou Patros mou tou hen ouranois. » Ei de tōn katēgorountōn hēmas hē dynamis tę̄ sę̄ philotheią tēn siōpēn pragmateuetai, chrē tēs heteras akousai nomothesias legousēs " e Ou lēpsę̄ prosōpon dynastou. » Kai" e Dikaian krisin krinate. » Kai" e Ous esę̄ meta pollōn epi kakia.» Kai" «Kammyōn tous ophthalmous hautou, hina mē idę̄ adikian" kai kleiōn ta ōta hautou, hina mē akousę̄ chrisin haimatos adikou. » Kai hetera de myria toiauta estin heurein para tę̄ theią Graphę̄. Ha peritton hypeladon syllexai, pros andra. graphōn tois theiois entethrammenon Logiois, kai tēn didaskalikēn ardeian prospheronta tois philochristois laois, Touto toinyn monon erō, hoti pantes parastēsometha tǭ bēmati tou Christou, kai tōn logōn kai tōn ernōn tas euthynas hyphexomen. Egō de tōn allōn heneka pantiyn touto dediōs to chritēst rion, en tois kath᾽ hēmōn legomenois ek tēs toutou mnēmēs lamthanō tēs psychagōgias tas aphormas.
That those who do not know us should listen in silence to the abuse against us is nothing strange; but that your Holiness should not refute the falsehood of the revilers, or should do so mildly and without great spirit, no one would believe who knows your habits. Not that friendship must be preferred to truth, but because the witness of truth is joined to friendship. For your Godliness has often heard us speaking in church, and in other gatherings, when doctrinal discussions arose, you listened to what we said; and I do not know that your Godliness ever blamed us for not holding right doctrines. What, then, has happened now? Why, dear friend, do you not move your tongue against the falsehood, but overlook a friend being slandered and the truth under attack? If you neglect us as poor and quite insignificant, you ought to listen to the Master's command that cries plainly: 'See that you do not despise one of these little ones, the least, who believe in me. For truly I tell you, their angels always behold the face of my Father in heaven.' But if the power of our accusers is what procures your God-loving silence, you must hear the other legislation that says: 'You shall not respect the person of the mighty'; and 'Judge righteous judgment'; and 'You shall not follow the many to do evil'; and '[He who] shuts his eyes so as not to see injustice, and stops his ears so as not to hear the judgment of unjust blood.' Countless other such sayings can be found in the divine Scripture. I thought it superfluous to collect them, since I am writing to a man nourished on the divine oracles who offers the watering of teaching to the Christ-loving peoples. I will say only this: we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give account of our words and deeds. And I, fearing this tribunal above all else, draw from the memory of it occasions of comfort amid what is said against us.
Matt 18:10 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 18:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Lev 19:15 (quotation, high confidence) · John 7:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 23:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 33:15 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 14:10 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:10 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret reproaches the bishop Basil, who knows his teaching, for not defending him against slander, and reminds him of Christ's judgment.
- Migne Letter 102, To Basil, bishop (probably Basil of Seleucia; 449).
- Quotations: Matt 18:10 (with 18:6); Lev 19:15 (Deut 1:17); John 7:24; Exod 23:2; Isa 33:15; Rom 14:10 (2 Cor 5:10).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (marginal letter): Ἐγὼ Ὁ δὲ → Ἐγὼ δὲ.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 102 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/102). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/102
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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 103
103PG 83
Τοὺς μὲν θεοφιλεστάτους ἐπισκόπους εἰς τὴν βασιλεύουσαν εἴλκυσε πόλιν ἡ κατὰ πάντων ἡμῶν γεγενημένη συκοφαντία " ἐγὼ δὲ διὰ τῆς αὐτῶν ὁσιότητος τῇ σῇ μεγαλοπρεπείᾳ προσφέρω τὴν πρόσρησιν, καὶ τῆς φιλίας ἐχτίνω τὸ χρέος." οὐκ ἵνα τὸ τριπόθητον ὄφλημα διαλύσω, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα πλέον ἐργάσωμαι. Τὰ γὰρ τἧς φιλίας ὀφλήματα διὰ τῆς ἐχτίσεως αὔξεται. Τὸ μέντοι καὶ ἡμᾶς τῶν τῆς συκοφαντίας ἀπολαῦσαι καρπῶν, οὐδὲν ἀπεικός. Ἄνθρωπον γὰρ ὄντα, πάντα δεῖ προσδοκᾷν. Τούτου δὴ χάριν τοῖς φιλοσοφεῖν δεδιδαγμένοις τὰ τοιαῦτα πάντα ἐστὶ φορητά" ἕν δὲ μόνον ἀνιαρὸν, τὸ λώδῃς τινὸς μεταλαχεῖν τὴν ψυχήν. Καὶ ἤδη σου τὴν ἁγιότητα δι᾽ ἑτέρων ἐδίδαξα γραμμάτων, ὡς ἄντικρυς ἡμᾶς συχοφαντοῦσιν οἱ τῆς ἡμετέρας κατηγοροῦντες διδασκαλίας - καὶ νῦν δὲ ὡσαύτως διὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων τοῦτο ποιῶ, καὶ αὐτοὺς μάρτυρας ἔχων τῆς τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητος, καὶ ἑτέρας πολλὰς μυριάδας ἀνθρώπων, οἵ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἐν ταῖς κατὰ τὴν ἑῴαν ἐκκλησίαις ἐπαΐουσι λόγων" καὶ πρὸ τούτων, τὸ συνειδὸς, καὶ τὰν τοῦ συνειδότος ᾿ἘΕ πόπτην. Οἶδα δὲ καὶ τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον πολλάκις τῇ του συνειδότος μαρτυρίᾳ χρησάμενον. ε Ἡ γὰρ καύχησις ἡμῶν αὕτη ἐστὶ, τὸ μαρτύριον τῆς συνειδήσεως ἡμῶν. » Καὶ πάλιν" « ᾿Αλήθειαν λέγω ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμμαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεώς μου ἐν Πνεύματι ἀγίῳ. » ᾿ ἽἼστω τοίνυν ἡ ἱερά σον καὶ θεοφιλὴς κεφαλὴ, ὡς οὐδεὶς ἡμῶν ἀκήκοε πώποτε δύο χηρυττόντων Τῷ ὄντι γάρ μοι μυσαρὸν καὶ δυπσεδὲς τόδε τὸ δόγμα δοκεῖ, Εἷς γὰρ Κύριος Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, δι᾿ οὗ τὰ πάντα. Τοῦτον ἐγὼ καὶ Θεὸν προαιώνιον οἶδα, καὶ ἄνθρωπον ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτον τῶν ἡμερῶν, καὶ μίαν ὡς Μονογενεῖ προσφέρω προσκύνησιν. Σαρχὸς μέντοι καὶ θεότητος τὸ διάφορον ἐδιδάχθην " ἀσύγχυτος γὰρ ἡ ἕνωσις. Οὕτω κατὰ τῆς ᾿Αρείου καὶ Εὐνομίον παραταττόμενοι λύττης, ῥᾷστα τὴν κατὰ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς παρ᾽ αὐτῶν φημίαν, τὰ ταπεινῶς εἰρημένα περὶ τοῦ Δεσπότου, καὶ τῇ ληφθείσῃ φύσει προσφόρως, ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ προσάπταντες, καὶ αὖ πάλιν ὡς Θεῷ τὰ θεοπρεπῆ, καὶ τῆς φύσεως ἐκείνης δηλωτικά " οὐκ εἰς δύο πρόσὠπα διαιροῦντες, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἑνὶ Μονογενεΐ καὶ ταῦτα κἀκεῖνα προσήκειν διδάσκοντες " τὰ μὲν ὡς Θεῷ, καὶ Ποιητῇ, καὶ Δεσπότῃ τῶν ὅλων, τὰ ὃδὲ ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς γενομένῳ. ΓΑνθρωπον δὲ αὐτὸν ἡ θεία λέγει γεγενῆσθαι Γραφὴ, οὐ τῆς θεότητος τραπείσης, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἐκ σπέρματος ᾿Δόραὰμ, ληφθείσης. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ἄντικρυς βοᾷ, λέγων" ε« Οὐ γὰρ δήπου ἀγγέλων ἐπιλαμθά… ὅθεν ὥφειλεν κατὰ πάντα τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς ὁμοιωθῆναι. » Καὶ πάλιν ’ « Τῷ δὲ ᾿Αδραὰμ, ἐῤῥέθησαν αἱ ἐπαγγελίαι, καὶ τῷ σπέρματι αὐτοῦ. Οὐ λέγει, Καὶ τοῖς σπέρμασιν, ὡς ἐπὶ πολλῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἐφ᾽ ἑνὸς, Καὶ τῷ σπέρματί σου, ὅς ἐστι Χριστός. » Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα τῆς θείας Ἐραφῆς ψαντες Σίμων, καὶ Βασιλείδης, καὶ Βαλεντῖνος, καὶ Βαρδησάνης, καὶ Μαρκίων, καὶ ὁ τῆς μανίας ἐπώνυμος, μόνον. Θεὸν ἀποκαλοῦσι τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστὸν, οὐδὲν ἀνθρώπειον ἔχοντα, ἀλλὰ φαντασίᾳ καὶ δοκήσει φανέντα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὡς ἄνθρωπον. Οἱ δὲ τὰ ᾿Αρξίου καὶ Εὐνομίου φρονοῦντες, σῶμα. μόνον ἀνειληφέναι τὸν Θεὸν Λόγον φασὶν, αὐτὸν δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν τῷ σώματι πληρῶσαι τὴν χρείαν, ᾿Απολινάριος δὲ ἔμψυχον μὲν τὸ Δεσποτικὸν σῶμα καλεῖ, τὸν δὲ νοῦν τῆς γεγενημένης σωτηρίας ἀποστερεῖ, οὐκ οἶδα πόθεν μαθὼν ψυχῆς καὶ νοῦ τὴν διαίρεσιν. Ἡ δὲ τῶν θείων ᾿Αποστόλων διδασκαλία ψυχὴν λογικὴν τε καὶ νοερὰν μετὰ σαρκὸς προσειλῆφθαι διδάσκει, καὶ τελείαν τοῖς πιστεύουσιν ὑπισχνεῖται τὴν σωτηρίαν. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἕτερον στῖφος αἱρετιχῶν τἀναντία τούτοις θρησχεῦον. Φωτεινὸς γὰρ, καὶ Μάρκελλος, καὶ ὁ ἐκ Σαμοσάτων Παῦλος, ἄνθρωπον μόνον εἶναι λέγουσι τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ Θεόν. ᾿Ανάγχη δὲ πρὸς τούτους μὲν διαλεγομένους ἡμᾶς τὰς περὶ θεότητος μαρτυρίας προσφέρειν, καὶ δεικνύναι ὡς καὶ Θεὸς προαιώνιος ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστός " πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἑτέραν ἀγωνιζομένους συμμορίαν, ἢ Θεὸν μόνον ἀποχαλεΐξ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν ἸἸησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὴν θείαν αὐτοῖς ἀντιτάττειν Γραφὴν, καὶ τὰς περὶ τῆς ληφθείσης ἀνθρωπότητος ἐκεῖθεν μαρτυρίας συλλέγειν. Χρὴ γὰρ τὸν ἰατρὸν ἁρμοδίοις πρὸς τὰ πάθη κεχρῆσθαι φαρμάκοις, καὶ ἑκάστῳ προσφέρειν τὸ πρόσφορον. ἢαραχαλῶ τοίνυν τὴν σὴν ἁγιωσύνην τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν συντεθεῖσαν διαλῦσαι συκοφαντίαν, καὶ τὰς μάτην ἡμῖν λοιδορουμένας χαλινῶσαι γλώττας. Ἡμεῖς γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν ἕνα προσκυνοῦμεν Υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλο τι φρονοῦντας δυσσεδεῖς ὀνομάζομεν. Παρασχεῖν δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ τὰς ἁγίας σου προσευχὰς, δέσποτα, καταξίωσον, ἵνα τῆς θείας ἀπολαύοντες εὐμενείας, τὸ κινδύνων μεστὸν διαπεραι[ώϊ]σωμεν πέλαγος, καὶ εἷς τοὺς ἀπηνέμους τοῦ Σωτῆρος μεθορμισθῶμεν λιμένας.
Tous men theophilestatous episkopous eis tēn basileuousan eilkyse polin hē kata pantōn hēmōn gegenēmenē sykophantia " egō de dia tēs autōn hosiotētos tę̄ sę̄ megaloprepeią prospherō tēn prosrēsin, kai tēs philias echtinō to chreos." ouk hina to tripothēton ophlēma dialysō, all᾽ hina pleon ergasōmai. Ta gar tēs philias ophlēmata dia tēs echtiseōs auxetai. To mentoi kai hēmas tōn tēs sykophantias apolausai karpōn, ouden apeikos. Anthrōpon gar onta, panta dei prosdokąn. Toutou dē charin tois philosophein dedidagmenois ta toiauta panta esti phorēta" hen de monon aniaron, to lōdę̄s tinos metalachein tēn psychēn. Kai ēdē sou tēn hagiotēta di᾽ heterōn edidaxa grammatōn, hōs antikrys hēmas sychophantousin hoi tēs hēmeteras katēgorountes didaskalias - kai nyn de hōsautōs dia tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn touto poiō, kai autous martyras echōn tēs tōn dogmatōn orthotētos, kai heteras pollas myriadas anthrōpōn, hoi tōn hēmeterōn en tais kata tēn heǭan ekklēsiais epaïousi logōn" kai pro toutōn, to syneidos, kai tan tou syneidotos ᾿EE poptēn. Oida de kai ton theion ᾿Apostolon pollakis tę̄ tou syneidotos martyrią chrēsamenon. e Hē gar kauchēsis hēmōn hautē esti, to martyrion tēs syneidēseōs hēmōn. » Kai palin" « ᾿Alētheian legō en Christǭ, ou pseudomai, symmartyrousēs moi tēs syneidēseōs mou en Pneumati agiǭ. » ᾿ HiIstō toinyn hē hiera son kai theophilēs kephalē, hōs oudeis hēmōn akēkoe pōpote dyo chēryttontōn Tǭ onti gar moi mysaron kai dypsedes tode to dogma dokei, Heis gar Kyrios Iēsous Christos, di᾿ hou ta panta. Touton egō kai Theon proaiōnion oida, kai anthrōpon ep᾽ eschaton tōn hēmerōn, kai mian hōs Monogenei prospherō proskynēsin. Sarchos mentoi kai theotētos to diaphoron edidachthēn " asynchytos gar hē henōsis. Houtō kata tēs ᾿Areiou kai Eunomion paratattomenoi lyttēs, rhąsta tēn kata tou Monogenous par᾽ autōn phēmian, ta tapeinōs eirēmena peri tou Despotou, kai tę̄ lēphtheisę̄ physei prosphorōs, hōs anthrōpǭ prosaptantes, kai au palin hōs Theǭ ta theoprepē, kai tēs physeōs ekeinēs dēlōtika " ouk eis dyo prosōpa diairountes, alla tǭ heni Monogeneï kai tauta kakeina prosēkein didaskontes " ta men hōs Theǭ, kai Poiētę̄, kai Despotę̄ tōn holōn, ta hode hōs anthrōpǭ di᾽ hēmas genomenǭ. GAnthrōpon de auton hē theia legei gegenēsthai Graphē, ou tēs theotētos trapeisēs, alla tēs anthrōpinēs physeōs ek spermatos ᾿Doraam, lēphtheisēs. Touto gar ho theios ᾿Apostolos antikrys boą, legōn" e« Ou gar dēpou angelōn epilamtha… hothen hōpheilen kata panta tois adelphois homoiōthēnai. » Kai palin ’ « Tǭ de ᾿Adraam, errhethēsan hai epangeliai, kai tǭ spermati autou. Ou legei, Kai tois spermasin, hōs epi pollōn, all᾽ hōs eph᾽ henos, Kai tǭ spermati sou, hos esti Christos. » Tauta kai ta toiauta tēs theias Eraphēs psantes Simōn, kai Basileidēs, kai Balentinos, kai Bardēsanēs, kai Markiōn, kai ho tēs manias epōnymos, monon. Theon apokalousi ton Despotēn Christon, ouden anthrōpeion echonta, alla phantasią kai dokēsei phanenta tois anthrōpois hōs anthrōpon. Hoi de ta ᾿Arxiou kai Eunomiou phronountes, sōma. monon aneilēphenai ton Theon Logon phasin, auton de tēs psychēs en tǭ sōmati plērōsai tēn chreian, ᾿Apolinarios de empsychon men to Despotikon sōma kalei, ton de noun tēs gegenēmenēs sōtērias aposterei, ouk oida pothen mathōn psychēs kai nou tēn diairesin. Hē de tōn theiōn ᾿Apostolōn didaskalia psychēn logikēn te kai noeran meta sarkos proseilēphthai didaskei, kai teleian tois pisteuousin hypischneitai tēn sōtērian. Esti de kai heteron stiphos hairetichōn tanantia toutois thrēscheuon. Phōteinos gar, kai Markellos, kai ho ek Samosatōn Paulos, anthrōpon monon einai legousi ton Kyrion hēmōn kai Theon. ᾿Ananchē de pros toutous men dialegomenous hēmas tas peri theotētos martyrias prospherein, kai deiknynai hōs kai Theos proaiōnios ho Despotēs Christos " pros de tēn heteran agōnizomenous symmorian, ē Theon monon apochaleïx ton Kyrion hēmōn IIēsoun Christon, tēn theian autois antitattein Graphēn, kai tas peri tēs lēphtheisēs anthrōpotētos ekeithen martyrias syllegein. Chrē gar ton iatron harmodiois pros ta pathē kechrēsthai pharmakois, kai hekastǭ prospherein to prosphoron. ēarachalō toinyn tēn sēn hagiōsynēn tēn kath᾽ hēmōn syntetheisan dialysai sykophantian, kai tas matēn hēmin loidoroumenas chalinōsai glōttas. Hēmeis gar kai meta tēn enanthrōpēsin hena proskynoumen Huion tou Theou ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, kai tous allo ti phronountas dyssedeis onomazomen. Paraschein de hēmin kai tas hagias sou proseuchas, despota, kataxiōson, hina tēs theias apolauontes eumeneias, to kindynōn meston diaperai[ōï]sōmen pelagos, kai heis tous apēnemous tou Sōtēros methormisthōmen limenas.
The slander made against all of us has drawn the most God-beloved bishops to the imperial city, and through their Holiness I offer my greeting to your Magnificence and pay the debt of friendship, not to discharge this thrice-welcome debt but to make it larger; for the debts of friendship grow by being paid. That we too should reap the fruits of slander is nothing strange; one who is human must expect everything. That is why all such things are bearable to those taught to live by philosophy; one thing only is painful, that the soul should share in some defilement.
[Letter 104] To Flavian, bishop of Constantinople. I have already informed your Holiness by other letters that those who accuse our teaching are plainly slandering us; and now I do the same by the most God-beloved bishops, having them as witnesses of the orthodoxy of our doctrines, and many other tens of thousands of people who listen to our sermons in the churches of the East, and before them my conscience and the Overseer of the conscience. I know that the divine Apostle too often appealed to the witness of conscience: 'For our boast is this, the testimony of our conscience.' And again: 'I am speaking the truth in Christ, I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit.' Let your sacred and God-beloved head know, then, that no one has ever heard us preaching two … For truly this doctrine seems to me abominable and impious. For there is 'one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things'. Him I know as God before the ages and as man at the end of the days, and I offer one worship to him as the Only-begotten. But I have been taught the difference between flesh and Godhead, for the union is without confusion. So, drawn up against the madness of Arius and Eunomius, we most easily … their blasphemy against the Only-begotten, applying what is said humbly of the Master fittingly to the assumed nature, as to a man, and again what befits God and reveals that nature to him as God; not dividing him into two persons, but teaching that both these and those belong to the one Only-begotten: the one as to God, Maker and Master of the universe, the other as to the one who became man for us. The divine Scripture says that he became man not by the Godhead's being changed but by the human nature's being assumed from the seed of Abraham. This the divine Apostle cries out plainly, saying: 'For surely it is not angels that he takes hold of … therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect.' And again: 'Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. It does not say, 'And to seeds', as of many, but as of one, 'And to your seed', who is Christ.' … these and similar passages of the divine Scripture, Simon, Basilides, Valentinus, Bardesanes, Marcion and the one named after madness call the Master Christ God only, having nothing human, but appearing to human beings as a man in phantasm and seeming. Those who hold the views of Arius and Eunomius say that God the Word took up a body only, and that he himself filled the place of the soul in the body. Apollinaris calls the Lord's body ensouled, but deprives the mind of the salvation that was wrought, having learned from I know not where a division between soul and mind. But the teaching of the divine apostles teaches that a rational and intelligent soul was assumed together with the flesh, and promises perfect salvation to those who believe. There is also another band of heretics professing the opposite: Photinus, Marcellus and Paul of Samosata say that our Lord and God is a man only. When disputing with these we must bring forward the testimonies about the Godhead and show that the Master Christ is also God before the ages; but when contending with the other band, which calls our Lord Jesus Christ God only, we must set the divine Scripture against them and collect from it the testimonies about the assumed manhood. For the physician must use remedies suited to the diseases and give each what suits him. I beg your Holiness, then, to dissolve the slander composed against us and to bridle the tongues that revile us idly. For even after the incarnation we worship one Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ, and call those who think otherwise impious. Deign also to grant us your holy prayers, master, so that, enjoying the divine favor, we may cross the sea full of dangers and come to anchor in the Savior's harbors, sheltered from the wind.
2 Cor 1:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 9:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 8:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 2:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 2:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: A greeting to the count Apollonius; then a letter to Flavian of Constantinople in which Theodoret sets out his Christology against Docetists, Arians, Apollinaris and those who make Christ a mere man, and denies preaching two sons.
- The scan's heading is that of Apollonius, count, Migne Letter 103. The passage also holds Letter 104, To Flavian, bishop of Constantinople, whose heading the scan lost; it begins at 'I have already informed your Holiness' and is marked '[Letter 104]'.
- Letter 104: words are lost after 'preaching two' (evidently 'sons'), after 'we most easily' (a verb such as 'refute'), inside the quotation of Heb 2:16–17, and before 'these and similar passages' (a participle such as 'ignoring'); marked '…'. 'The one named after madness' is Mani (a pun on Greek mania).
- Quotations: 2 Cor 1:12; Rom 9:1; 1 Cor 8:6; Heb 2:16–17; Gal 3:16. Theodoret's lists of heretics are his own polemic, translated as written. Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal references are 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; the Greek here is lost; OCR debris: Migne's marginal references; word rejoined; marginal column letter; marginal letters removed; word rejoined; stray letter; stray marks; stray marks; word rejoined): πάντα 99 ἣ δεῖ → πάντα δεῖ; δεδι- Α 115, δαγμένοις → δεδιδαγμένοις; τοῦ. Μονο- ν γενοῦς → τοῦ Μονογενοῦς; ἐπιλαμθά- Εἰ ἢ 09. ϑοῖο ξο (ἴον, ἰοϑ ἐπποπίθμ ταὶ πὶ ρου θοηία σοηδαίθη ἃ πιθῶ οἱ Ἔχ ]}060.. αἱ δοαο, ἴθ αἰν᾽ πἰδ6 τυ δία, 804 Ὧηὅθεν → ἐπιλαμθά… ὅθεν; μόνον. ἀν--: 5 ἤοη. ιχ, 1. " ΠΟΡΓ. τι, 10. δε οἱ )ἰα δυϊυδιμοῦϊ! 6 γοι- 5 (οἰδί. μι, 106. Α εἰληφέναι → μόνον ἀνειληφέναι; ψυχῆς πὶ 4886μα ἀΐ- Δεν υἷ. ς οἷασου 06 ἐν τῷ → ψυχῆς ἐν τῷ; Θεὸς Β προαιώνιος → Θεὸς προαιώνιος; λιμένας. β → λιμένας..
Topics: Christology, Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 103 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/103). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/103
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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 105
105PG 83
Τοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεθδείας ἀγῶνας τῆς σῆς φιλοθεῖας παρὰ πολλῶν μεμαθήκαμεν. Δίκαιον δὲ καὶ τῷ διὰ ταύτην συχοφαντουμένῳ προθύμως συνηγορεῖν, καὶ διελέγχειν τῶν λοιδορουμένων τὸ Ψεῦδος. ᾿Αχριδῶς γὰρ αἶσθα, θεοφιλέστατε, καὶ τίνα φρονοῦμεν, καὶ τίνα διδάσκομεν, καὶ ὅτι δύο χηρυτσθω τοίνυν ἡ σὴ θεοσέδεια κἀνταῦθα τῷ θείῳ ζήλῳ, καὶ ἐμφραξάτω στόματα λαλουμένων ἄδικα. Ἐν γὰρ κοῖς τοιούτοις ἀγῶσιν, οὐ μόνον προσήῆχει τῶν φίλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν λελυπηκότων ὑπερμαχεῖν.
Tous men hyper tēs eusethdeias agōnas tēs sēs philotheias para pollōn memathēkamen. Dikaion de kai tǭ dia tautēn sychophantoumenǭ prothymōs synēgorein, kai dielenchein tōn loidoroumenōn to Pseudos. ᾿Achridōs gar aistha, theophilestate, kai tina phronoumen, kai tina didaskomen, kai hoti dyo chērytsthō toinyn hē sē theosedeia kantautha tǭ theiǭ zēlǭ, kai emphraxatō stomata laloumenōn adika. En gar kois toioutois agōsin, ou monon prosēēchei tōn philōn, alla kai tōn lelypēkotōn hypermachein.
We have learned from many people of the contests of your God-loving self for piety. It is right also to plead eagerly for one who is slandered on account of it, and to refute the falsehood of those who revile him. For you know exactly, most God-beloved, both what we believe and what we teach, and that … two … Let your Godliness, then, … here too with divine zeal, and stop the mouths of those who speak unjust things. For in such contests it is fitting to fight not only for friends but also for those who have caused us pain.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 63:11 (62:12 LXX) (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the steward Eulogius, who knows his teaching, to defend him against slander.
- Migne Letter 105, To Eulogius, steward (oeconomus) of a church (449). The flag that Letter 104 is lost inside this passage does not hold: it stands in the passage staged as 103.
- A line is lost in the scan after 'and that … two' (evidently 'we do not preach two sons'); marked '…'. 'Stop the mouths of those who speak unjust things' echoes Ps 63:11 (62:12 LXX).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 105 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/105). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/105
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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 106
106PG 83
Καὶ διὰ τῶν θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων προσφθέγγομαί σου τὴν θεοσέδειαν, καὶ παρακαλῶ τῆς τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν φροντίσαι γαλήνης, καὶ τῆς συκοφαντίας διαλῦσαι τὰ κύματα. « Ὃ γὰρ ἂν σπείρῃ ἄνθρωπος, τοῦτο καὶ θερίσει, » κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον. Ὁ τοίνυν τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ὑπερμαχῶν δογμάτων, δῆλον ὅτι τὴν ἀποστολικὴν εὐλογίαν τρυγήσει, καὶ τῆς ἐλεί
Kai dia tōn theophilestatōn episkopōn prosphthengomai sou tēn theosedeian, kai parakalō tēs tōn Ekklēsiōn phrontisai galēnēs, kai tēs sykophantias dialysai ta kymata. « Ho gar an speirę̄ anthrōpos, touto kai therisei, » kata ton theion ᾿Apostolon. Ho toinyn tōn apostolikōn hypermachōn dogmatōn, dēlon hoti tēn apostolikēn eulogian trygēsei, kai tēs elei
Through the most God-beloved bishops too I greet your Godliness, and I ask you to take care for the calm of the churches and to dissolve the waves of slander. 'For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap', according to the divine Apostle. So the one who fights for the apostolic doctrines will clearly gather the apostolic blessing and … of mercy …
Gal 6:7 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret asks the steward Abraham to work for the peace of the churches, promising the reward of those who defend the apostolic faith.
- Migne Letter 106, To Abraham, steward (449). The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan.
- Quotation: Gal 6:7.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 106 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/106). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/106
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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 107
107PG 83
Οὐκ ἔλαθον οἱ τῆς σῆς φιλοθεῖας ἀγῶνες, οὖς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν. ἀνεδέξω δογμάτων “ ἀλλ᾽ ἄδουσι τούτους οὐ μόνον οἱ πείρᾳ μεμαθηκότες, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ παρὰ τούτων ἀκηκοότες. "Ἔχου τοίνυν, ὦ φίλη κεφαλὴ, τῶν ἀγώνων, καὶ τῶν πατρῴων ὑπεράθλησον δογμάτων. Ὑπὲρ ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς πολλαχόθεν βαλλόμεθα, καὶ τὰς τρικυμίας δεχόμενοι τὸν Κυδερνήτην ἀντιδολοῦμεν ἣ νεῦσαι, καὶ τὸν κλύδωνα λῦσαι, ἣ τοῖς χλυδωνιζομένοις ἀνδρίαν χαρίσασθαι.
Ouk elathon hoi tēs sēs philotheias agōnes, ous hyper tōn apostolikōn. anedexō dogmatōn “ all᾽ adousi toutous ou monon hoi peirą memathēkotes, alla kai hoi para toutōn akēkootes. "Echou toinyn, ō philē kephalē, tōn agōnōn, kai tōn patrǭōn hyperathlēson dogmatōn. Hyper hōn kai hēmeis pollachothen ballometha, kai tas trikymias dechomenoi ton Kydernētēn antidoloumen hē neusai, kai ton klydōna lysai, hē tois chlydōnizomenois andrian charisasthai.
The contests that your God-loving self has undertaken for the apostolic doctrines have not gone unnoticed; they are sung not only by those who learned of them by experience but also by those who heard of them from these. Hold fast, then, dear friend, to the contests, and fight to the end for the doctrines of the fathers. For them we too are struck from many sides, and as we take the high waves we entreat the Pilot either to nod and dissolve the surge, or to grant courage to those tossed by it.
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret encourages the presbyter Theodotus to keep fighting for the apostolic doctrines.
- Migne Letter 107, To Theodotus, presbyter (449).
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 107 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/107). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/107
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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 108
108PG 83
᾿Αληθὴς ἄρα ἡ τῆς Δαυϊτιχῆς μελῳδίας ἁπόσχεαις " τὸ γὰρ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας δι᾽ ἐχείνου ταύτην προσενήνοχε τοῖς πιστεύουσιν" ε ᾿Αποκάλυψον πρὸς Κύριον τὴν ὁδόν τον, καὶ ἔλπισον ἐπ᾽ αὐτὸν, καὶ αὐὖτὸς ποιήσει, καὶ ἐξοίσει ὡς φῶς τὴν δικαιοσύνην δον, καὶ τὸ κρῖμά σου ὡς μεσημόρίαν. » Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς σῆς θεοσεδείας γεγενημένον εὑρίσκομεν. Ὁπόσην γὰρ τῶν ὀρφανίαν ὀδυρομένων ποιεῖται κηδεμονίαν ἡ σὴ θεοσέδεια, καὶ ὅπως ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν ἀγωνίζῃ δογμάτων, ἄδουσι πάντες, δήλων κατὰ τὴν προφητείαν τῶν κεκρυμμένων γεγενημένων. Τούτου δὴ χάριν κἀγὼ τοὺς ἀξιεπαΐίνους ἧς σῆς. φιλοθεῖας μεμαθηκὼς γράφω, καὶ προσφθεγγόμενός σε, θεοφιλέστατε, καὶ παρακαλῶν αὖξῆσαι. τὸ κλέος τῇ προσθήκῃ τῶν πόνων, καὶ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς ὑπερμαχῇσαι διδασκαλίας, ἵνα καὶ τὸν πατρῷον κλῆρον φυλάξωμεν ἄσυλον, καὶ τὸ τάλαντον τῷ Δεσπότῃ μετὰ τῆς καλῆς προσενέγκωμεν ἐρ--
᾿Alēthēs ara hē tēs Dauïtichēs melǭdias haposcheais " to gar Pneuma tēs alētheias di᾽ echeinou tautēn prosenēnoche tois pisteuousin" e ᾿Apokalypson pros Kyrion tēn hodon ton, kai elpison ep᾽ auton, kai auytos poiēsei, kai exoisei hōs phōs tēn dikaiosynēn don, kai to krima sou hōs mesēmorian. » Touto kai epi tēs sēs theosedeias gegenēmenon heuriskomen. Hoposēn gar tōn orphanian odyromenōn poieitai kēdemonian hē sē theosedeia, kai hopōs hyper tōn apostolikōn agōnizę̄ dogmatōn, adousi pantes, dēlōn kata tēn prophēteian tōn kekrymmenōn gegenēmenōn. Toutou dē charin kagō tous axiepaïinous hēs sēs. philotheias memathēkōs graphō, kai prosphthengomenos se, theophilestate, kai parakalōn auxēsai. to kleos tę̄ prosthēkę̄ tōn ponōn, kai tēs euangelikēs hypermachę̄sai didaskalias, hina kai ton patrǭon klēron phylaxōmen asylon, kai to talanton tǭ Despotę̄ meta tēs kalēs prosenenkōmen er--
True, then, is the promise of David's song, which the Spirit of truth offered through him to believers: 'Reveal your way to the Lord, and hope in him, and he will act, and he will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your judgment as the noonday.' This we find has happened in the case of your Godliness too. For how much care your Godliness takes of those who lament their orphanhood, and how you contend for the apostolic doctrines, all are singing, since, as the prophecy says, what was hidden has become manifest. For this reason I too, having learned of the praiseworthy deeds of your God-loving self, write to greet you, most God-beloved, and to urge you to increase your fame by adding to your labors and to fight for the gospel teaching, so that we too may keep the ancestral inheritance inviolate and bring the talent to the Master with good interest …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 37:5 (36:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 37:6 (36:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:14–30 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret praises the presbyter Acacius for his care of orphans and his defense of the apostolic doctrines, and urges him on.
- Migne Letter 108, To Acacius, presbyter (449). The letter breaks off unfinished in the scan ('with good interest' completes the last, damaged word by sense).
- Quotation: Ps 37:5–6 (36:5–6 LXX). 'The talent' recalls Matt 25:14–30. 'Praiseworthy deeds': the noun is lost in the scan; translated by sense. 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): τὸν δημδης οπἰπὶ ρου απ ϑρὶ γιὰ νου ος οἱ ἰπ οἱ 40 οἵ θοτη ὁπ πατρῷον → τὸν πατρῷον.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 108 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/108). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/108
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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 109
109PG 83
Πολλὰ μὲν τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν τυρευόμενα, καὶ δι᾽ ἡμῶν γεῖ δὲ ἡμᾶς τὰ: τῶν ἁγίων παθήματα, προφητῶν, ἀποστόλων, μαρτύρων, καὶ τῶν ἐν ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις διαπρεψάντων ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τῆς χάριτος " πρὸς δὲ τούτοῖς καὶ αἱ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπαγγελίαι. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ τερπνὸν, οὐδὲ θυμῆρες ὑπέσχετο, ἀλλὰ θλίψεις καὶ πόνους, καὶ. κινδύνους, καὶ πολεμίων ἐπαναστάσεις. ε« Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ γὰρ, φησὶ, θλίψιν ἔχετε.» Καί - ε Εἰ ἐμὲ ἐδίωξαν, καὶ ὑμᾶς διώξουσι. » Καί" «ε Εἰ τὸν οἶκοδεσπότην Βεελζεδοὺλ ἐκάλεσαν, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τοὺς οἰχειαχοὺς αὐτοῦ; » Καί" ε« Ἔρχεται ὥρα, ἵνα πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας ὑμᾶς δόξῃ λατρείαν προσφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ. » Καξ" ε Στενὴ ἣ πύλη, καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἢ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωήν. λα Καί" « Ὅταν διώκωσιν ὑμᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν. » Καὶ ὅσα τούτοις ἐστὶ παρασλήσια. Συνῳδὰ δέ φησι καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος ς“ ε Πάντες οἱ, θόλοντες ζῇν εὐσεδῶς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, διωχθήσονται " πονηροὶ δὲ ἄνθρωποι καὶ γόητες, προχόψονσοιν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον, πλανῶντες καὶ πλανώμενοι. » Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἡμῖν παραψυχὴν ἕν. τῇδε τῇ ζάλῃ παρέσχε μεγίστην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰκὸς καὶ μέχρι τῆς σῆς ἁγιωτύνης τὰς καθ᾽ ἡμῶν διαόηναι δυχοφαντίας, παρακαλῶ σου τὴν ὁσιότητα μηδ᾽ ὅλως ὑποσχεῖν ταῖς τῶν συκοφαντῶν ψευδολογίαις τὰς ἀκοάς. Ἐγὼ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδα μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος διδάξας εἰς δύο πιστεύειν νἱούς. Εἰς ἕνα γὰρ ἐδιδάχθην πιστεύειν Μονογενῇ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, τὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα Θεὸν Λόγον." Σαρχὸς μέντοι καὶ θεότητος ἐπίσταμαι τὸ διάφορον, καὶ δυσσεδεῖν μοι δοκοῦσιν οἱ εἰς δύο υἱοὺς μερίζοντες τὸν ἕνα Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ οἱ τὴν ἐναντίαν τούτοις ὁδεύοντες, καὶ μίαν φύσιν ἀποκαλοῦντες τὴν θεότητα τοῦ Δεσπότου Χριστοῦ, καὶ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα. Ἐναντίοι γὰρ ἀλλήλοις οὗτοι Χρημνοί’ μέση ὃὲ ἡ τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν δογμάτων ὁδὸς, τοῖς τῶν ἁγίων προφητῶν κκαὶ ἀποστόλων ἴχνεσι κοσμουμένη, καὶ τῶν μετὰ τούτους ἂν τῷ δικαὶ τὰς τούτων παραθεῖναι χρήσεις, καὶ δεῖξαι τῷ ἡμετέρῳ μαρτυρούσας φρονήματι. ᾿Αλλὰ πλειόνων δεῖ μοι λόγων, ἢ κατὰ μέτρον ἐπιδτολῆῇς. Οὗ δὴ χάριν ἐν κεφαλαίῳ γράψας, ἃ περὶ τῆς τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἐνανθρωπήσεως μεμαθήχαᾶμεν, ἀπέστειλά σου τῇ κατὰ Θεὸν τελειότητι. "Ἔγραψα δὲ οὐκ ἄλλοις προσφέρων διδασκαλίαν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν γεγενημένην συκοφαντίαν ἀπολογίαν ποιούμενος, καὶ τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ φρόνημα τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι τοῦτο δεικνύς. ᾿Αναγνοῦσα τοίνυν ἡ ἁγιωσύνη σου, εἰ μὲν εὕροι τὰ γεγραμμένα τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς συμδαίνοντα δόγμασι, τοῖς πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀντιγράφοις βεδαιούτω τὸ φρόνημα. Εὶ δέ τι τῶν ἐγκειμένων τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ θείᾳ μὴ συμφωνεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο μαθεῖν παρὰ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος ἀξιῶ, Καὶ γὰρ πολὺν ἐν τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ ἀναλώσαντες χρόνον, ἕτι δεόμεθα τοῦ διδάσκοντος. ε Ἐκ μέρους γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, γινώσκομεν. » ἮἨχούσαμεν δὲ αὐτοῦ πάλιν λέγοντος " ε Εἰ δέ τις δοκεῖ ἐγνωκέναι τι, οὐδέπω ἔγνω καθὼς δεῖ γνῶναι. » Καὶ τἀληθὲς τοίνυν παρὰ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος παρακαλοῦμεν μαθεῖν, καὶ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῇς φροντίσαι γαλήνης, καὶ τῶν θείων ὑπερμαχῆσαι δογμάτων. Τούτων γὰρ δὴ χάριν, καὶ οἱ θεοφιλέστατοι ἐπίσκοποι, καὶ τῶν τῆς ὁδοιπορίας πόνων, καὶ τῆς χειμερινῆς καταφρονήσαντες ὥρας, ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλεύουσαν ὥρμησαν πόλιν, λύσιν τινὰ πορίσαι τῷ κλύδωνι μὴ» χανώμενοι. Καὶ αὐτοὺς τοίνυν ἐφοδιάσαι ταῖς προσευχαΐς, καὶ ἡμᾶς ταύταις ἐρεῖσαι παρακλήθητι, δέσποτα.
Polla men ta kath᾽ hēmōn tyreuomena, kai di᾽ hēmōn gei de hēmas ta: tōn hagiōn pathēmata, prophētōn, apostolōn, martyrōn, kai tōn en tais Ekklēsiais diaprepsantōn en tǭ logǭ tēs charitos " pros de toutois kai hai tou theou kai Sōtēros hēmōn epangeliai. Ouden gar hēmin en tǭ paronti biǭ terpnon, oude thymēres hypescheto, alla thlipseis kai ponous, kai. kindynous, kai polemiōn epanastaseis. e« En tǭ kosmǭ gar, phēsi, thlipsin echete.» Kai - e Ei eme ediōxan, kai hymas diōxousi. » Kai" «e Ei ton oikodespotēn Beelzedoul ekalesan, posǭ mallon tous oicheiachous autou? » Kai" e« Erchetai hōra, hina pas ho apokteinas hymas doxę̄ latreian prospherein tǭ Theǭ. » Kax" e Stenē hē pylē, kai tethlimmenē hē hodos ē apagousa eis tēn zōēn. la Kai" « Hotan diōkōsin hymas en tę̄ polei tautę̄, pheugete eis tēn heteran. » Kai hosa toutois esti paraslēsia. Synǭda de phēsi kai ho theios ᾿Apostolos s“ e Pantes hoi, tholontes zę̄n eusedōs en Christǭ Iēsou, diōchthēsontai " ponēroi de anthrōpoi kai goētes, prochopsonsoin epi to cheiron, planōntes kai planōmenoi. » Tauta men oun hēmin parapsychēn hen. tę̄de tę̄ zalę̄ paresche megistēn. Epeidē de eikos kai mechri tēs sēs hagiōtynēs tas kath᾽ hēmōn diaoēnai dychophantias, parakalō sou tēn hosiotēta mēd᾽ holōs hyposchein tais tōn sykophantōn pseudologiais tas akoas. Egō gar ouk oida mechri tou parontos didaxas eis dyo pisteuein nious. Eis hena gar edidachthēn pisteuein Monogenę̄ ton Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, ton enanthrōpēsanta Theon Logon." Sarchos mentoi kai theotētos epistamai to diaphoron, kai dyssedein moi dokousin hoi eis dyo huious merizontes ton hena Kyrion hēmōn Iēsoun Christon, kai hoi tēn enantian toutois hodeuontes, kai mian physin apokalountes tēn theotēta tou Despotou Christou, kai tēn anthrōpotēta. Enantioi gar allēlois houtoi Chrēmnoi’ mesē hoe hē tōn euangelikōn dogmatōn hodos, tois tōn hagiōn prophētōn kkai apostolōn ichnesi kosmoumenē, kai tōn meta toutous an tǭ dikai tas toutōn paratheinai chrēseis, kai deixai tǭ hēmeterǭ martyrousas phronēmati. ᾿Alla pleionōn dei moi logōn, ē kata metron epidtolēę̄s. Hou dē charin en kephalaiǭ grapsas, ha peri tēs tou Monogenous enanthrōpēseōs memathēchaamen, apesteila sou tę̄ kata Theon teleiotēti. "Egrapsa de ouk allois prospherōn didaskalian, alla pros tēn gegenēmenēn sykophantian apologian poioumenos, kai to emautou phronēma tois agnoousi touto deiknys. ᾿Anagnousa toinyn hē hagiōsynē sou, ei men heuroi ta gegrammena tois apostolikois symdainonta dogmasi, tois pros hēmas antigraphois bedaioutō to phronēma. Ei de ti tōn enkeimenōn tę̄ didaskalią tę̄ theią mē symphōnei, kai touto mathein para tēs sēs hosiotētos axiō, Kai gar polyn en tę̄ didaskalią analōsantes chronon, heti deometha tou didaskontos. e Ek merous gar, phēsin ho theios ᾿Apostolos, ginōskomen. » ĒĒchousamen de autou palin legontos " e Ei de tis dokei egnōkenai ti, oudepō egnō kathōs dei gnōnai. » Kai talēthes toinyn para tēs sēs hosiotētos parakaloumen mathein, kai tēs ekklēsiastikę̄s phrontisai galēnēs, kai tōn theiōn hypermachēsai dogmatōn. Toutōn gar dē charin, kai hoi theophilestatoi episkopoi, kai tōn tēs hodoiporias ponōn, kai tēs cheimerinēs kataphronēsantes hōras, epi tēn basileuousan hōrmēsan polin, lysin tina porisai tǭ klydōni mē» chanōmenoi. Kai autous toinyn ephodiasai tais proseuchaïs, kai hēmas tautais ereisai paraklēthēti, despota.
Many are the things being plotted against us, and through us … but the sufferings of the saints … us, prophets, apostles, martyrs, and those who have shone in the churches in the word of grace; and besides these the promises of our God and Savior. For he promised us nothing pleasant or delightful in the present life, but afflictions, toils, dangers and uprisings of enemies. 'In the world,' he says, 'you have affliction.' And: 'If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too.' And: 'If they called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household?' And: 'The hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God.' And: 'Narrow is the gate and hard the way that leads to life.' And: 'When they persecute you in this city, flee to the other.' And all that is like these. In harmony with them the divine Apostle too says: 'All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, but evil men and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.' These things have given us the greatest comfort in this storm. But since it is likely that the slanders against us have spread even to your Holiness, I beg your Holiness not to lend your ears at all to the lies of the slanderers. For I do not know that I have ever, to this day, taught belief in two sons. I was taught to believe in one Only-begotten, our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Word made man. I know, however, the difference between flesh and Godhead, and I consider impious both those who divide our one Lord Jesus Christ into two sons and those who travel the opposite road and call the Godhead and the manhood of the Master Christ one nature. These are precipices on opposite sides; between them runs the road of the gospel doctrines, marked by the footprints of the holy prophets and apostles and of those who after them … and to set out their sayings and show that they bear witness to our view. But this needs more words than the measure of a letter allows. For this reason I have written in summary what we have learned about the incarnation of the Only-begotten and sent it to your perfection in God. I wrote it not to offer teaching to others, but to make a defense against the slander that has arisen and to show my mind to those who do not know it. When your Holiness has read it, then, if you find what is written in agreement with the apostolic doctrines, confirm the view by your reply to us; but if anything in it does not agree with the divine teaching, I ask to learn this too from your Holiness. For though we have spent much time teaching, we still need one to teach us. 'For we know in part', says the divine Apostle. And we have heard him say again: 'If anyone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.' We beg, then, to learn the truth from your Holiness, and that you take care for the calm of the church and fight for the divine doctrines. For this reason the most God-beloved bishops too, despising the toils of the journey and the winter season, have set out for the imperial city, contriving to procure some resolution of the surge. Be pleased, master, to furnish them for their journey with your prayers, and to support us with the same.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
John 16:33 (quotation, high confidence) · John 15:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:25 (quotation, high confidence) · John 16:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:14 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 10:23 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 3:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 3:13 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 13:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 8:2 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret tells Eusebius of Ancyra that the Lord's promises of persecution comfort him, rejects both 'two sons' and 'one nature', and sends a summary of his faith for Eusebius to judge.
- Migne Letter 109, To Eusebius, bishop of Ancyra (449).
- Lines are lost in the scan at the opening ('and through us …', 'the sufferings of the saints … us', probably 'encourage') and after 'of those who after them' (the rest of the sentence on the later teachers); marked '…'. Lines of Migne's Latin column and marginal references are removed by logged corrections.
- Quotations: John 16:33; John 15:20; Matt 10:25; John 16:2; Matt 7:14; Matt 10:23; 2 Tim 3:12–13; 1 Cor 13:9; 1 Cor 8:2. The 'summary' he sent is not preserved with the letter.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Migne's marginal references; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; OCR debris: Migne's Latin column and marginal references): πᾶς ἢ ἃρὶᾳυὶ ἴῃ Ἐδ0]65115 ἴῃ ϑβοὰ ἐγ δυ] Δι] 068. Εἰ: ὁ ἀποκτείνας → πᾶς ὁ ἀποκτείνας; προσφέρειν τῷ ρ, ΒογΆ, αἱ Θεῷ → προσφέρειν τῷ Θεῷ; τὴν ὃ. Δ ἢ ΤΟ. μὲ, 12. (65 ᾽ν. », Α ὁσιότητα → τὴν ὁσιότητα; συκοφαντῶν δι γο 8. δά βΔη6 αἰν ηἰ Διἰϑααθ ἀἰδου μη ἠονΐ, οἱ ἱπηρὶδ μὰ Ομ γί βίαπι, ἐπὶ αὶ 8118, εἱ θᾶ οδοἰ δὰ 05 χοἰηπδη)- 406, υἱ αἷΐ οἵ οἱ ἃγγος γοἀοδυὶ ἴῃ 7 0 ον. κπὶ, 9. 151 Οογ. γι, 2. 1 Πδῃ. χη, 929. ψευδολογίαις → συκοφαντῶν ψευδολογίαις.
Topics: Christology, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 109 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/109). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/109
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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 110
110PG 83
᾿Αναγνοὺς τὰ γράμματα, τῆς μακαριωτάτης ἀνἐμνήσθην Σουσάννης, ἢ τοὺς ἀλάστορας ἐκείνους ὁρῶσα, καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν παρεῖναι πιστεύουσα, τὴν θαυμασίαν ἐχείνην ἀφῆκε φωνήν " ε Στενά μοι πάντοθεν. » ᾿Αλλ’ ὅμως εἴλετο μᾶλλον ταῖς τῆς συκοφαντίας πάγαις περιπεσεῖν, ἣ τοῦ δικαίου καταφρονῆσαι χριτοῦ. Καὶ νῦν, δέσποτα, δύο πρόκειται. Τοῦτο δὲ πολλάκις εἰρήκαμεν " ἣ Θεῷ προσχροῦσαι, καὶ βλάψαι τὸ συνειδὸς, ἣ ταῖς ἀδίκοις τῶν ἀνθρώπων ψήφοις περιπεσεῖν. Ἐμοὶ δὲ οὐδὲ δοκεῖ τούτων εἰδέναι τι τὸν εὐσεδέστατον βασιλέα, Τί γὰρ ἐκώλυσεν αὐτὸν γράψαι, καὶ ἐπιτρέψαι χειροτονίαν γενέσθαι, εἴπερ ἀληθῶς αὐτὸν ἐθεράπενε τοῦτο; Τί δήποτε δὲ ἔξωθεν ἀπειλοῦσι καὶ δέδίττονται, γράμμᾶατα δὲ προφανῶς τοῦτο κελεύοντα οὐ πέμπουσιν; Δυοῖν γὰρ θάτερον, ἣ οὐ πείθεται γράψαι ὁ εὐσεδέἡμᾶς, καὶ δίκας ὑπ᾽ αὐτῶν ὕστερον τῆς παρανομίας ἀπαιτηθῆναι. Πρόχειται γὰρ ἡμῖν τὸ κατὰ τὸν μακάριον Πριγχίέπιον ὑπόδειγμα " ἐκεῖ καὶ ἐγγράφως κελεύσαντες, δίκας ἀπήτουν τὸν ὑπαχούσαντα. “Ἃ δὲ ἀνέγνων κατ᾽ αὐτὴν τὴν ἡμέραν, καθ᾽ ἣν ὁ λεχτιχάρίος ἀφίκετο, γράμματα, ἐναντία τούτοις ἐστίν. “Δγιος γάρ τις μονάξων τῶν ἐπισήμων ἔγραψε πρός τινα, ὡς ἐδέξατο γράμματα καὶ τοῦ μεγαλοπρεπεστρων, σημαίνοντα ὡς διορθώσεως τεύξεται τὰ κατὰ τὸν θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον τὸν χύριον Εἰρηναῖον " καὶ ταύτης γε τῆς σπουδῆς ἀντιδόσεις ἀπήτουν τὰς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν προσευχάς. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν νομίζω χρῆναι γραφῆναι πρὸς τοὺς γεγραφότας ἀπὸ τῆς βασιλευούσῆς πόλεως κληρικοὺς, ὅτε ψήφῳ μὲν τῶν τῆς Φοινίκης θεοφιλεστάτων ἐπισκόπων πεισθεὶς, ἐχειροτόνησα τὸν θεοφιλέστατον ἐπίσκοπον Εϊρηναῖον " τόν τε ζῆλον, καὶ τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν, καὶ τὴν φιλοπτωχίαν, καὶ τὰς ἄλλας αὐτῷ συνειδὼς ἀρετὰς, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητα. Οὐκ οἴδαμεν γὰρ αὐτὸν παραιτηφάμενον πώποτε Θεοτόκον καλέσαι τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον, ἣ ἄλλο τι ἐναντίον φρονήσαντα τοῖς ᾿εὐαγγελικοῖς δόγμασιν. Εἰς δὲ τὸ τῆς διγαμίας, τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν ἠκολουθήσαμεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ τῆς μακαρίας καὶ ὁσίας μνήμης ᾿Αλέξανδρος, ὁ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ποῦτον διακοσμήσας θρόνον, σὺν τῳ μακαριωτάτῳ ᾿Αχαχίῳ τῆς Βεροίας ἐπισχόπῳ, τὸν τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Διογένην ἐχειροτόνησαν δίγαμον ὄντα " ὧσαὐτῶς δὲ καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἸΠραὔύλιος, Δομνῖνον τὸν Καισαρείας δίγαμον ὄντα. “Ἔθει τοίνυν ἠκολουθήσαμεν, καὶ ἀνδράσιν ἐπισήμοις, καὶ ἐπὶ γνώσει καὶ βίῳ πολυθρυλλήτοις. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα δεδιδαγμένος ὁ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Πρόκλος, ὁ τῆς ΪΚωνσταντινουπολιτῶν ἐπίσκοπος, καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν χειιροτονίαν ἐδέξατο, καὶ ἔγραψεν ἐπαινῶν καὶ θαυμάζων. Ὡσαύτως ὃὲ καὶ οἱ πρωτεύοντες τῆς Ποντιχῆς διοικήσεως θεοφιλέστατοι ἐπίσκοποι, καὶ οἱ Παλαι- ᾿στῖνοι πάντες, καὶ οὐδεμία ἀμφιδολία περὶ τούτου γεγένηται" καὶ δυσσεδὲς νομίζομεν τὸ κατακρῖναι “ἄνδρα πολλοῖς καὶ παντοδαποῖς ᾿κατορθώμασι λαμπρυνόμενον. Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν γνώμην δεῖ γράψαι. Εἰ δὲ ἄλλο τι συνορᾷ σου ἡ ἁγιότης, τὸ δοκοῦν γινέσθω. Ἐγὼ γὰρ καὶ τὴν μίαν, ὡς νομίζουσι, τιμωρίαν δεξάμενος, ἕτοιμός εἶμι, τοῦ Θεοῦ μοι βοηθοῦντος, δέξασθαι καὶ τὴν ἄλλην. Εἰ δὲ "καὶ τρίτην βούλονται, καὶ τετάρτην, τῆς θείας χάριτος ἐπερειδούσης οἴσομεν, τὸν Δεσπότην ὑμνοῦντες" εἰ δὲ δοκιμάζει σου ἡ ὁσιότης, ἴδωμεν καὶ τὰς ἀπὸ Παλαιστίνης ἀποκρίσεις " καὶ ἀχριδέστερον τὸ πρακτέον σκοπήσαντες, οὕτω καὶ γράψωμεν εἰς Κων…
᾿Anagnous ta grammata, tēs makariōtatēs anemnēsthēn Sousannēs, ē tous alastoras ekeinous horōsa, kai ton tōn holōn Theon pareinai pisteuousa, tēn thaumasian echeinēn aphēke phōnēn " e Stena moi pantothen. » ᾿All’ homōs eileto mallon tais tēs sykophantias pagais peripesein, hē tou dikaiou kataphronēsai chritou. Kai nyn, despota, dyo prokeitai. Touto de pollakis eirēkamen " hē Theǭ proschrousai, kai blapsai to syneidos, hē tais adikois tōn anthrōpōn psēphois peripesein. Emoi de oude dokei toutōn eidenai ti ton eusedestaton basilea, Ti gar ekōlysen auton grapsai, kai epitrepsai cheirotonian genesthai, eiper alēthōs auton etherapene touto? Ti dēpote de exōthen apeilousi kai dedittontai, grammaata de prophanōs touto keleuonta ou pempousin? Dyoin gar thateron, hē ou peithetai grapsai ho eusedeēmas, kai dikas hyp᾽ autōn hysteron tēs paranomias apaitēthēnai. Procheitai gar hēmin to kata ton makarion Princhiepion hypodeigma " ekei kai engraphōs keleusantes, dikas apētoun ton hypachousanta. “Ha de anegnōn kat᾽ autēn tēn hēmeran, kath᾽ hēn ho lechticharios aphiketo, grammata, enantia toutois estin. “Dgios gar tis monaxōn tōn episēmōn egrapse pros tina, hōs edexato grammata kai tou megaloprepestrōn, sēmainonta hōs diorthōseōs teuxetai ta kata ton theophilestaton episkopon ton chyrion Eirēnaion " kai tautēs ge tēs spoudēs antidoseis apētoun tas hyper autōn proseuchas. Egō toinyn nomizō chrēnai graphēnai pros tous gegraphotas apo tēs basileuousēs poleōs klērikous, hote psēphǭ men tōn tēs Phoinikēs theophilestatōn episkopōn peistheis, echeirotonēsa ton theophilestaton episkopon Eïrēnaion " ton te zēlon, kai tēn megalopsychian, kai tēn philoptōchian, kai tas allas autǭ syneidōs aretas, kai pros toutois, tēn tōn dogmatōn orthotēta. Ouk oidamen gar auton paraitēphamenon pōpote Theotokon kalesai tēn hagian Parthenon, hē allo ti enantion phronēsanta tois ᾿euangelikois dogmasin. Eis de to tēs digamias, tois pro hēmōn ēkolouthēsamen. Kai gar ho tēs makarias kai hosias mnēmēs ᾿Alexandros, ho ton apostolikon pouton diakosmēsas thronon, syn tǭ makariōtatǭ ᾿Achachiǭ tēs Beroias epischopǭ, ton tēs makarias mnēmēs Diogenēn echeirotonēsan digamon onta " hōsautōs de kai ho makarios IPrauylios, Domninon ton Kaisareias digamon onta. “Ethei toinyn ēkolouthēsamen, kai andrasin episēmois, kai epi gnōsei kai biǭ polythryllētois. Polla de kai alla toiauta dedidagmenos ho tēs makarias mnēmēs Proklos, ho tēs ÏKōnstantinoupolitōn episkopos, kai autos tēn cheiirotonian edexato, kai egrapsen epainōn kai thaumazōn. Hōsautōs hoe kai hoi prōteuontes tēs Pontichēs dioikēseōs theophilestatoi episkopoi, kai hoi Palai- ᾿stinoi pantes, kai oudemia amphidolia peri toutou gegenētai" kai dyssedes nomizomen to katakrinai “andra pollois kai pantodapois ᾿katorthōmasi lamprynomenon. Tauta kai ta toiauta kata tēn emēn gnōmēn dei grapsai. Ei de allo ti synorą sou hē hagiotēs, to dokoun ginesthō. Egō gar kai tēn mian, hōs nomizousi, timōrian dexamenos, hetoimos eimi, tou Theou moi boēthountos, dexasthai kai tēn allēn. Ei de "kai tritēn boulontai, kai tetartēn, tēs theias charitos epereidousēs oisomen, ton Despotēn hymnountes" ei de dokimazei sou hē hosiotēs, idōmen kai tas apo Palaistinēs apokriseis " kai achridesteron to prakteon skopēsantes, houtō kai grapsōmen eis Kōn…
On reading your letter I remembered the most blessed Susanna, who, seeing those wicked men and believing that the God of the universe was present, uttered that wonderful cry: 'I am hemmed in on every side.' Yet she chose rather to fall into the snares of slander than to despise the just Judge. And now, master, two things lie before us (we have often said this): either to offend God and wound our conscience, or to fall under the unjust sentences of men. It seems to me that the most pious emperor knows nothing of these things. For what prevented him from writing and ordering that an ordination take place, if this truly pleased him? Why do they threaten and frighten us from outside, but send no letter that plainly orders it? It is one of two things: either the most pious emperor cannot be persuaded to write, or … us, and that we be called to account by them later for the illegality. For the example of the blessed Principius lies before us: in that case, although they had given the order in writing, they demanded penalties from the one who obeyed. But the letters I read on the very day the lecticarius arrived say the opposite. A holy monk, one of the notable ones, wrote to someone that he had received letters also from the most magnificent …, indicating that the affair of the most God-beloved bishop, lord Irenaeus, will be set right; and in return for this zeal they asked for his prayers on their behalf. I think, then, that we must write to the clergy who wrote from the imperial city that I ordained the most God-beloved bishop Irenaeus persuaded by the vote of the most God-beloved bishops of Phoenicia, knowing his zeal, magnanimity, love of the poor and other virtues, and besides these the orthodoxy of his doctrines. For we do not know that he ever refused to call the holy Virgin Theotokos, or held anything else contrary to the gospel doctrines. As for his second marriage, we followed those before us. For Alexander of blessed and holy memory, who adorned this apostolic throne, together with the most blessed Acacius, bishop of Beroea, ordained Diogenes of blessed memory, who had been married twice; and likewise the blessed Praylius ordained Domninus of Caesarea, who had been married twice. We followed custom, then, and notable men famous for knowledge and life. And Proclus of blessed memory, bishop of Constantinople, who had been informed of many other such cases, himself accepted the ordination and wrote praising and admiring it. So did the most God-beloved bishops who are first in the diocese of Pontus, and all the bishops of Palestine; and no doubt has arisen about it. We think it impious to condemn a man who shines with many achievements of every kind. These and similar things, in my judgment, must be written. But if your Holiness sees anything else, let what seems best be done. For I have received the one punishment, as they think it, and I am ready, with God's help, to receive the other as well. And if they want a third and a fourth, we will bear it with divine grace supporting us, praising the Master. But if your Holiness approves, let us also see the answers from Palestine, and when we have considered more exactly what must be done, let us write accordingly to Con…
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Tim 3:2 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Theodoret advises Domnus of Antioch on the attack on Irenaeus of Tyre, defending his ordination although he had married twice, by the precedent of earlier bishops.
- Migne Letter 110, To Domnus, bishop of Antioch (448/449). The letter breaks off in the scan ('to Con…', i.e. Constantinople).
- Irenaeus, a layman and former imperial official, had been ordained bishop of Tyre (ca. 446) though he had married a second time; the objection rested on the rule that a bishop be 'the husband of one wife' (1 Tim 3:2), which Theodoret does not quote here. His precedents (Diogenes, ordained by Alexander of Antioch and Acacius of Beroea; Domninus of Caesarea, by Praylius of Jerusalem) are his own account, translated as written.
- Words are lost in the scan after 'either the most pious emperor cannot be persuaded to write, or' and after 'the most magnificent'; marked '…'. 'The blessed Principius' and the circumstances of his case are not otherwise explained in the letter. A lecticarius was a minor church officer (bearer).
- 'I am hemmed in on every side' is Susanna's cry (Sus 22).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris from Migne's Latin column inside χά-ριτος; OCR debris from Migne's Latin column; the end of the letter is lost; OCR debris removed; word rejoined; marginal column letter): γενέ- Α ποιπαᾳυς σθαι → γενέσθαι; κατὰ Β τὸν θεοφιλέστατον → κατὰ τὸν θεοφιλέστατον; χά- 1180 ποι λαῖ; νὰ] δος ἀσυπῖ, υἱ [6568 γἱο] 6 μι, οἱ ᾿ρ5ἱ ἀοη 6 οἰ δη) αυο δά οἱ 26] πὶ, Βοηβίββα. ἡ μοὰ νόγοὸ δὰ ἀϊφαμίαπι δἰ ποῖ, πη} ον) ( ἐπι πιο δὶ, δϑὲ "δὲ ἀα τὸ οθηϊτογνογβία οἱ Ῥιτος ἐπερειδούσης → χάριτος ἐπερειδούσης; εἰς Κων- (67 δὶς ἰα Νϑᾶρ. οἱ ἃ ἃ» τ πὰπιὸ οἱ δὺ Βοπος δὰ 60 τὰ δὶ → εἰς Κων….
Extrabiblical texts: Sus 22 (Susanna [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; quotation)
Topics: Church office, Divorce and remarriage, Marriage
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Ep. 110 (PG 83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/110). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-epistulae/110
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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).