Rufinus of Aquileia : Historia Ecclesiastica, Book 10, ch.1-6. (Excerpt on the irst !

ouncil of "icaea#
Rufinus translate$ the 10-%ook Histor& of Euse%ius into 'atin, %un$lin( the li)ite$ historical )atter in the last %ook in *ith %ook + to )ake + %ooks. He then *rote a continuation as Books 10 an$ 11, takin( the stor& $o*n to the $eath of ,heo$osius. ,he -olu)e *as a stan$ar$ histor& in the )i$$le a(es. ,he text has onl& recentl& %een put into En(lish for the first ti)e:
,he !hurch Histor& of Rufinus of Aquileia %& Rufinus, .hilip R., /.0. A)i$on (,ranslator#, /epte)%er 1++1, 2xfor$ 3ni- .ress4 5/B": 01+6110716. Re-ie*e$ in 0ournal of Earl& !hristian /tu$ies 1.1 (1+++# %& !.H.8o*ans.

,he -olu)e is -er& useful, an$ *oul$ %e nice to ha-e in paper%ack. (,he har$%ack is a-aila%le fro) a)a9on#. ,here is a full %i%lio(raph&, notes, an$ $iscussion of conte)porar& sources. 5f onl& it *ere a little cheaper ... A co)parison *ith Euse%ius s*iftl& sho*s that Euse%ius *as )uch the %etter historian. Rufinus, %& contrast, sa&s little of his sources. 5t has %een con:ecture$ that his continuation is %ase$ )ainl& on the lost 8reek Histor& of 8elasius of !aesarea4 or that 8elasius %ase$ his on Rufinus. ,he portion containin( the account of the irst council of "icaea is Book 10, chapters 1-6 (pp. +-16 of A)i$on;s translation#. Here it is: 10.1. Alexan$er recei-e$ the episcopal office after Achillas, *ho ha$ succee$e$ the )art&r .eter in Alexan$ria, an$ it *as then that since our people *ere en:o&in( peace an$ a respite fro) persecution, an$ the (lor& of the churches *as cro*ne$ %& the )erits of the confessors, the fa-ora%le state of our affairs *as $istur%e$ %& strife *ithin. A pres%&ter of Alexan$ria na)e$ Arius, a )an reli(ious in appearance an$ aspect rather than in -irtue, %ut sha)efull& $esirous of (lor&, praise, an$ no-elties, %e(an to propose certain i)pious $octrines re(ar$in( the faith of !hrist, thin(s *hich ha$ ne-er %efore %een talke$ a%out. He trie$ to se-er an$ $i-i$e the /on fro) the eternal an$ ineffa%le su%stance or nature of 8o$ the ather, so)ethin( *hich upset -er& )an& in the church. Bishop Alexan$er, %& nature (entle an$ reser-e$, $esire$ to recall Arius fro) his i)pious enterprise an$ teachin( %& unceasin( a$)onitions, %ut $i$ not succee$, %ecause %& then the conta(ion of his pestilential $octrine ha$ infecte$ so )an& not onl& in Alexan$ria, %ut also in the other cities an$ pro-inces to *hich it ha$ sprea$. He therefore, thinkin( it *oul$ %e $isastrous to i(nore the situation, %rou(ht it to the notice of -er& )an& of his fello* priests. ,he $ispute %eca)e *i$el& kno*n. <or$ of it reache$ the ears of the reli(ious so-erei(n, since he *as )akin( e-er& effort to look after our affairs. He then, in accor$ance *ith the )in$ of the priests, su))one$ a council of %ishops to the cit& of "icaea, an$ or$ere$ Arius to present hi)self there to the 71= %ishops in atten$ance an$ to %e :u$(e$ on the teachin(s an$ questions he ha$ %rou(ht for*ar$. 10.>. "o* 5 $o not think it ri(ht to o)it the )ar-elous thin( *hich the so-erei(n $i$ in the council. or *hen the %ishops ha$ co)e to(ether fro) al)ost e-er&*here an$, as usuall& happens, *ere su%)ittin( co)plaints a(ainst each other arisin( fro) -arious causes, he *as constantl& %ein( i)portune$ %& each of the), petitions *ere %ein( offere$, *ron($oin(s *ere %ein( %rou(ht up, an$ the& *ere (i-in( their attention to these )atters rather than to the purpose of their (atherin(. But he, seein( that these quarrels *ere hin$erin( the )ost i)portant %usiness at han$, set a certain $a& on *hich an& %ishop *ho thou(ht he ha$ a co)plaint to )ake )i(ht su%)it it. An$ *hen he ha$ taken his seat, he accepte$ the petitions of each. Hol$in( all the petitions to(ether in his lap, an$ not openin( the) to see *hat the& containe$, he sai$ to the %ishops, ?8o$ has appointe$ &ou priests an$ (i-en &ou po*er to :u$(e e-en concernin( us, an$ therefore *e are ri(htl& :u$(e$ %& &ou, *hile &ou cannot %e :u$(e$ %& )en. or this reason, *ait for 8o$ alone to :u$(e a)on( &ou, an$ *hate-er &our quarrels )a& %e, let the) %e sa-e$ for that

$i-ine scrutin&. or &ou ha-e %een (i-en to us %& 8o$ as (o$s, an$ it is not fittin( that a )an shoul$ :u$(e (o$s, %ut onl& he of *ho) it is *ritten: 8o$ has stoo$ in the asse)%l& of the (o$s, in the )i$st he has :u$(e$ %et*een (o$s. An$ therefore put asi$e these )atters an$ *ithout contention exa)ine those thin(s *hich %elon( to the faith of 8o$.@ Ha-in( spoken thus, he or$ere$ all the petitions containin( co)plaints to %e %urne$ to(ether, lest the $issension %et*een priests %eco)e kno*n to an&one. "o* *hen the issue concernin( faith ha$ %een $iscusse$ in the %ishopsA council for )an& $a&s, an$ quite a fe* there put for*ar$ $ifferent -ie*s an$ -i(orousl& supporte$ AriusAs initiati-e, there *ere still )ore *ho a%horre$ the i)pious enterprise. An$ since there *ere at the council a lar(e nu)%er of priest-confessors, the& *ere all oppose$ to AriusAs no-elties. But those *ho supporte$ hi) *ere )en cle-er in $isputation an$ therefore oppose$ to the si)plicit& of faith. 10.7. "o* *e )a& learn ho* )uch po*er there is in si)plicit& of faith fro) *hat is reporte$ to ha-e happene$ there. or *hen the 9eal of the reli(ious e)peror ha$ %rou(ht to(ether priests of 8o$ fro) all o-er the earth, ru)or of the e-ent (athere$ as *ell philosophers an$ $ialecticians of (reat reno*n an$ fa)e. 2ne of the) *ho *as cele%rate$ for his a%ilit& in $ialectic use$ to hol$ ar$ent $e%ates each $a& *ith our %ishops, )en like*ise %& no )eans unskille$ in the art of $isputation, an$ there resulte$ a )a(nificent $ispla& for the learne$ an$ e$ucate$ )en *ho (athere$ to listen. "or coul$ the philosopher %e cornere$ or trappe$ in an& *a& %& an&one, for he )et the questions propose$ *ith such rhetorical skill that *hene-er he see)e$ )ost fir)l& trappe$, he escape$ like a slipper& snake. But that 8o$ )i(ht sho* that the kin($o) of 8o$ is %ase$ upon po*er rather than speech, one of the confessors, a )an of the si)plest character *ho kne* onl& !hrist 0esus an$ hi) crucifie$, *as present *ith the other %ishops in atten$ance. <hen he sa* the philosopher insultin( our people an$ prou$l& $ispla&in( his skill in $ialectic, he aske$ e-er&one for a chance to exchan(e a fe* *or$s *ith the philosopher. But our people, *ho kne* onl& the )anAs si)plicit& an$ lack of skill in speech, feare$ that the& )i(ht %e put to sha)e in case his hol& si)plicit& %eca)e a source of lau(hter to the cle-er But the el$er insiste$ an$ he %e(an his $iscourse in this *a&: ?5n the na)e of 0esus !hrist, 2 philosopher,@ he sai$, ?listen to the truth. ,here is one 8o$ *ho )a$e hea-en an$ earth, *ho (a-e %reath to )an *ho) he ha$ for)e$ fro) the )u$ of the earth an$ *ho create$ e-er&thin( *hat is seen an$ *hat is not seen *ith the po*er of his *or$ an$ esta%lishe$ it *ith the sanctification of his spirit ,his *or$ an$ *is$o) *ho) *e call /on took pit& on the errors of hu)ankin$ *as %orn of a -ir(in %& sufferin( $eath free$ us fro) e-erlastin( $eath an$ %& his resurrection conferre$ on us eternal life Hi) *e a*ait as the :u$(e to co)e of all that *e $o. Bo &ou %elie-e that this is so, 2 philosopherC@ But he as thou(h he ha$ nothin( *hate-er that he coul$ sa& in opposition to this so astonishe$ *as he at the po*er of *hat ha$ %een sai$ coul$ onl& repl& to it all that he thou(ht that it *as so an$ that *hat ha$ %een sai$ *as the onl& truth. ,hen the el$er sai$ ?5f &ou %elie-e that this is so arise follo* )e to the church an$ recei-e the seal of this faith.@ ,he philosopher turnin( to his $isciples an$ to those *ho ha$ (athere$ to listen sai$ ?'isten, 2 learne$ )en: so lon( as it *as *or$s *ith *hich 5 ha$ to $eal, 5 set *or$s a(ainst *or$s an$ *hat *as sai$ 5 refute$ *ith )& rhetoric. But *hen po*er rather than *or$s ca)e out of the )outh of the speaker *or$s coul$ not *ithstan$ po*er nor coul$ )an oppose 8o$. An$ therefore if an& one of &ou *as a%le to feel in *hat *as sai$ *hat 5 felt, let hi) %elie-e in !hrist an$ follo* this ol$ )an in *ho) 8o$ has spoken.@ An$ thus the philosopher %eca)e a !hristian an$ re:oice$ at last to ha-e %een -anquishe$. 10.D. ,here *as also at the council the )an of 8o$ Bishop .aphnutius fro) E(&pt, one of the confessors *ho) Eaxi)ian, after (ou(in( out their ri(ht e&es an$ se-erin( their left ha)s, ha$ con$e)ne$ to the )ines. But there *as in hi) such a (race of )iracles that si(ns *ere *orke$ throu(h hi) no less than throu(h the apostles of ol$. or he put $e)ons to fli(ht *ith a )ere *or$ an$ cure$ the sick %& pra&er alone. He is also sai$ to ha-e returne$ si(ht to the %lin$ an$ (i-en %ack soun$ness of %o$& to the cripple$. !onstantine re(ar$e$ hi) *ith such -eneration an$ lo-e that )an& ti)es he calle$ hi) into the palace, e)%race$ hi), an$ %esto*e$ fer-ent kisses on the e&e *hich ha$ %een (ou(e$ out in his confession of faith. 10.6. 5f an& of their nu)%er *oul$ ha-e %een e-en )ore outstan$in(, it is sai$ to ha-e %een /p&ri$on, a %ishop fro) !&prus, a )an %elon(in( to the or$er of prophets, so )uch ha-e *e learne$ fro) *hat *as sai$ %& those *ho sa* hi). He re)aine$ a shepher$ e-en after he *as appointe$ %ishop. "o* one ni(ht *hen thie-es approache$ the fence an$ stretche$ forth their *icke$ han$s to )ake an openin( to %rin( out the sheep, the& *ere hel$ fast %& in-isi%le %on$s an$ re)aine$ so until $a&%reak as thou(h the& ha$ %een han$e$ o-er to torturers. But *hen the el$er (ot rea$& to lea$ the sheep out to pasture in the )ornin(, he sa* the &ouths han(in( stretche$ upon the fence *ithout hu)an %on$s. <hen he ha$

learne$ the reason for their punish)ent, he loose$ *ith a *or$ those *ho) he ha$ $eser-e$l& %oun$, an$ lest the& shoul$ ha-e nothin( to sho* for their nocturnal la%ors, he sai$, ?,ake one of the ra)s for &oursel-es, la$s, so that &ou *ill not ha-e co)e for nothin(4 %ut &ou *oul$ ha-e $one %etter to (et it %& request than %& theft.@ ,he& also relate of hi) the follo*in( )iracle. He ha$ a $au(hter na)e$ 5rene *ho after she ha$ faithfull& ser-e$ hi) $ie$ a -ir(in. After her $eath so)eone ca)e *ho sai$ he ha$ entruste$ to her a $eposit. ,he father $i$ not kno* of the affair. A search of the *hole house faile$ to re-eal an&*here *hat *as sou(ht. But the one *ho ha$ left the $eposit presse$ his clai) *ith *eepin( an$ tears, e-en a-o*in( that he *oul$ take his o*n life if he coul$ not reco-er *hat he ha$ $eposite$. Eo-e$ %& his tears, the ol$ )an hurrie$ to his $au(hterAs (ra-e an$ calle$ her %& na)e. /he sai$ fro) the (ra-e, ?<hat $o &ou *ant, fatherC@ He replie$, ?<here $i$ &ou put this )anAs $epositC@ /he explaine$ *here it *as, sa&in(, ?Fou *ill fin$ it %urie$ there.@ Returnin( to the house, he foun$ the thin( *here his $au(hter, fro) the (ra-e, ha$ sai$ it *as, an$ returne$ it to the one *ho ha$ aske$ for it. ,here are )an& other )iracles of his )entione$ *hich are still talke$ a%out %& all. ,here *ere, then, in those ti)es as *ell -er& )an& shinin( exa)ples of such )en in the 'or$As churches, of *ho) quite a fe* *ere present at the council. Athanasius, at that ti)e a $eacon of Alexan$er of Alexan$ria, *as there too, ai$in( the ol$ )an *ith his assi$uous a$-ice. Burin( that ti)e the council )et each $a&, an$ it $i$ not $are to procee$ carelessl& or recklessl& to a $ecision a%out such a serious )atter. Arius *as often su))one$ to the council, his propositions *ere $iscusse$ in painstakin( $etail, an$ the )ost careful consi$eration *as (i-en to the question of *hat position or $ecision to take a(ainst the). inall& after lon( an$ $etaile$ $iscussion it *as $eci$e$ %& all, an$ $ecree$ as thou(h %& the )outh an$ heart of all, that the *or$ homoousios shoul$ %e *ritten, that is that the /on shoul$ %e ackno*le$(e$ to %e of the sa)e su%stance as the ather, an$ this *as )ost fir)l& $eclare$ %& the -ote of the) all. ,here *ere then onl& se-enteen, it is sai$, *ho preferre$ AriusAs cree$ an$ *ho affir)e$ that 8o$As /on ha$ %een create$ externall& fro) nothin( existin( an$ ha$ not %een %e(otten fro) the ather s -er& $i-init&. ,he $ecision of the council of priests *as con-e&e$ to !onstantine *ho re-ere$ it as thou(h it ha$ %een pronounce$ %& 8o$ an$ $eclare$ that an&one *ho shoul$ tr& to oppose it he *oul$ %anish as trans(ressin( $i-ine $ecrees. /ix onl& there *ere *ho suffere$ the)sel-es to %e expelle$ *ith Arius, *hile the other ele-en, after takin( counsel to(ether, a(ree$ to su%scri%e *ith han$ onl&, not heart. ,he chief $esi(ner of this pretence *as Euse%ius, %ishop of "ico)e$ia. Burin( that ti)e, then, the su%scriptions *ere *ritten in *hate-er *a&, so)e sincerel& an$ so)e not, as later e-ents pro-e$, particular re(ulations *ere )a$e concernin( each of se-eral church custo)s, an$ so the council $issol-e$. ,here is here inserte$ a cop& of the exposition of faith of those *ho ha$ asse)%le$. 10.6. !ree$ of "icaea ?<e %elie-e in one 8o$, the ather al)i(ht&, )aker of all thin(s -isi%le an$ in-isi%le, an$ in one 'or$ 0esus !hrist, /on of 8o$ %orn as onl&-%e(otten of the ather, that is of the atherAs su%stance, 8o$ fro) 8o$, li(ht fro) li(ht, true 8o$ fro) true 8o$, %orn not )a$e, ho)oousios *ith the ather, that is of the sa)e su%stance as the ather, throu(h *ho) all thin(s *ere )a$e, those in hea-en an$ those on earth. <ho for the sake of us hu)an %ein(s an$ our sal-ation ca)e $o*n an$ *as incarnate, an$ %eco)in( a hu)an %ein( suffere$ an$ rose on the thir$ $a&, an$ ascen$e$ to hea-en, fro) *here he is to co)e to :u$(e the li-in( an$ the $ea$. An$ in the Hol& /pirit. But those *ho sa& that there *as a ti)e *hen he *as not, an$ %efore he *as %orn he *as not, an$ that he *as )a$e out of nothin( existin( or *ho sa& that 8o$As /on is fro) another su%sistence or su%stance or is su%:ect to alteration or chan(e, the catholic an$ apostolic church anathe)ati9es. 5. ,he& $ecree in a$$ition that it is to %e o%ser-e$ in the churches that no one *ho castrates hi)self %ecause of un*illin(ness to en$ure sexual $esire is to %e a$)itte$ to the cler(&. 55. "o one recentl& a$)itte$ to %aptis) fro) pa(anis) an$ its *a& of life is to %e )a$e a cleric %efore %ein( carefull& exa)ine$. 555. "o %ishop or other cleric is to li-e *ith *o)en *ho are not relati-es, %ut onl& *ith his )other, sister, aunt, or persons relate$ in this *a&.

5G. A %ishop is if possi%le to %e or$aine$ %& the %ishops of the *hole pro-ince. 5f this is $ifficult, then certainl& %& not fe*er than three, %ut in such a *a& that either the presence or the authorit& of the )etropolitan %ishop in particular is in-ol-e$. <ithout hi) the& consi$er the or$ination in-ali$. G. A %ishop is not to recei-e an&one, *hether a cleric or a la&)an, *ho) another %ishop has expelle$ fro) the church. 'est ho*e-er there %e no re)e$& for so)ethin( *hich has %een un:ustl& $one %ecause of so)e quarrel or %a$ te)per, as so)eti)es happens, the& $ecree that t*ice each &ear councils are to %e hel$ in each pro-ince %& all the pro-incial %ishops an$ :u$()ent passe$ on such )atters, so that if %& chance so)ethin( *as $one un:ustl& %& one of the), it )a& %e put ri(ht %& the others, or if ri(htl&, it )a& %e confir)e$ %& all. G5. ,he ancient custo) in Alexan$ria an$ the cit& of Ro)e is to %e )aintaine$ *here%& Hthe %ishop of the for)erI has char(e of E(&pt, *hile Hthe %ishop of the latterI has char(e of the su%ur%icarian churches. G55. 5f %& chance in or$ainin( a %ishop t*o or three shoul$ $isa(ree for so)e reason, the authorit& of the rest of the), an$ especiall& that of the )etropolitan *ith the rest, is to %e consi$ere$ )ore -ali$. G555. ,he prero(ati-e of honor (i-en of ol$ to the %ishop of0erusale) is to %e preser-e$, the $i(nit& of the )etropolitan of that pro-ince %ein( )aintaine$ nonetheless. 5J. As for the !athari, *ho) *e kno* as "o-atianists, if the& shoul$ repent an$ return to the church, ha-in( confesse$ the $octrines of the church: the clerics shoul$ %e recei-e$ into the cler(&, %ut onl& after recei-in( or$ination. 2f course if one of their %ishops co)es to one of our %ishops, he shoul$ sit in the place of the pres%&ters, %ut the title of %ishop shoul$ re)ain *ith hi) alone *ho has e-er hel$ the !atholic faith, unless he has freel& $eci$e$ to honor hi) *ith that title, or if he has $eci$e$ to look for a -acant %ishopric for hi). ,hat is up to hi). J. ,here are not to %e t*o %ishops in one cit&. J5. ,hose *ho are incautiousl& a$-ance$ to the priesthoo$ an$ after*ar$ confess so)e )is$ee$ the& ha-e $one, or are con-icte$ %& others, are to %e $epose$. ,hose also *ho are a)on( the lapse$ an$ *ho %& chance ha-e %een or$aine$ throu(h i(norance are to %e $epose$ *hen reco(ni9e$. J55. ,hose *ho althou(h not torture$ ha-e lapse$ $urin( the persecutions an$ $o penance sincerel& are to spen$ fi-e &ears a)on( the catechu)ens an$ for t*o &ears after that are to %e :oine$ to the faithful in pra&er alone, an$ in that *a& are after*ar$ to %e taken %ack. J555. ,hose *ho in or$er to confess the faith ha-e left )ilitar& ser-ice an$ then ha-e once a(ain sou(ht to enter it are to $o penance for thirteen &ears an$ after*ar$ to %e taken %ack, pro-i$e$ the& $o penance sincerel&. 5t is also ho*e-er in the %ishopAs po*er to a$:ust the ter) if he sees that the& are (i-in( careful an$ fruitful attention to their penance. J5G. But as for those penitents *ho are $&in(, the& $ecree that no ti)e )ust %e spent H$oin( penanceI. 5f so)eone *ho has recei-e$ co))union reco-ers, ho*e-er, he is to co)plete the ti)es set or at least $o as the %ishop $eter)ines. JG. As for catechu)ens *ho ha-e lapse$, the& ha-e $ecree$ that for three &ears the& are to %e separate$ fro) the pra&er of the catechu)ens, an$ after*ar$ to %e taken %ack. JG5. "o one, *hether a %ishop or e-en another cleric, is to atte)pt to )o-e fro) a lesser cit& to a (reater church. JG55. "o cleric *ho for no (oo$ reason has left his church an$ roa)s a%out a)on( the other churches is to %e recei-e$ into co))union.

JG555. "o one is to steal a*a& so)eone *ho %elon(s to so)eone else an$ or$ain hi) a cleric in his o*n church *ithout the consent of the one to *ho) he %elon(s. J5J. "o cleric is to char(e interest, or an au()entation on (rain or *ine, the ori(inal a)ount of *hich *hen let out custo)aril& &iel$s a return of half a(ain or e-en t*ice as )uch4 if he $oes so, he is to %e $epose$ as (uilt& of filth& lucre. JJ. Beacons are not to %e (i-en prece$ence o-er pres%&ters, nor are the& to sit *here the pres%&ters $o or $istri%ute the Eucharist *hen the& are present4 the& are si)pl& to assist *hile the others $o that. But if there is no pres%&ter present, then onl& )a& the& $istri%ute as *ell4 those that $o other*ise are or$ere$ to %e $epose$. JJ5. ,he .aulianists, also calle$ .hotinians, are to %e re%apti9e$. JJ55. Beaconesses like*ise, %ecause the& $o not in fact recei-e the i)position of han$s, shoul$ also %e place$ a)on( the lait&.@ /o then once the& ha$ for)ulate$ $ecrees concernin( these )atters in a *a& consonant *ith respect for the $i-ine la*s, an$ also ha$ han$e$ $o*n to the churches the ancient canon re(ar$in( the o%ser-ance of Easter, so that no further inconsistenc& shoul$ arise, then e-er&thin( *as $ul& settle$ an$ the peace an$ faith of the churches *as preser-e$, one an$ the sa)e, in the East an$ the <est.